Ch.L south AMERICA. 207 



me, that three days before lie had lent away an 

 exprefs, widi letters from the vice roy, direfting 

 us to haften to Lima with all poiiible expedition y 

 and charging him in particular to provide immedi- 

 ately every thing neceffary that our journey might 

 not be a m.omenr delayed. It was therefore no time 

 to think of reft ; and accordingly after making fuch 

 provifions as were abfolutely necelTary, I fet out on 

 the 2 2d of the fame month, and a third time crolfcd 

 that difficult mountain "in my way to Guayaquil; 

 where having joined Don George Juan, who vs^.t:s in- 

 cluded in the orders, wc travelled night and day, with 

 a difpatch anfwerable to the governor's impatience, 

 all the towns on the road having received orders ta 

 keep beads in readinefs, that v/e might not be detained 

 a moment ; 'and accordingly v/e reached Lima the 26th 

 of February. In the mean time the Vice-roy had or- 

 dered a fquadron of four men of war to fail from Cai- 

 lao to Panama, for the defence of that place, which 

 place touched at Paita, in order to gain intelligence of 

 the enemy's (hips, having orders to attack them if 

 poffible ; but, 'as we have already obferved, they were 

 failed to the coail of Acapulco. On our arrival the 

 Vicc'roy was pleafed to exprefs great fatisfa6lion at oi:r 

 difpatch, and to honour us with feveral commifTions 

 fuitable to the exigence of affairs ; giving us the com- 

 mand of two frigates which he had ordered to be fitted 

 out for the fecurity of the coafi: of Chili, and the iiland 

 of Juan Fernandes, againfl any reinforcement coming 

 to the enemy. For .though cornmodore Anfon had 

 made no fecret of his intentions to the prifoners, and 

 they had eagerly publifhed them, no dependance could 

 be had on informations giving out by the enemy him- 

 fclf, and which were the more fufpicious as he told 

 them openly. Befides it v/as well known, that this 

 fquadron originally confided of more (hips ; and we 

 were apprehenfive, that though the remainder had 



failed 



