However, we kept on our course, and
about ten in the morning we perceived a proa under sail to the southward,
between Tinian and Aguigan. As we imagined from hence that these islands
were inhabited, and knew that the Spaniards had always a force at Guam,
we took the necessary precautions for our own security and for preventing
the enemy from taking advantage of our present wretched circumstances, of
which they would be sufficiently informed by the manner of our working
the ship. We therefore mustered all our hands who were capable of
standing to their arms and loaded our upper and quarter-deck guns with
grapeshot, and that we might the more readily procure some intelligence
of the state of these islands, we showed Spanish colours and hoisted a
red flag at the foretop masthead, to give our ship the appearance of the
Manila galleon, hoping thereby to decoy some of the inhabitants on board
us. Thus preparing ourselves, and standing towards the land, we were near
enough at three in the afternoon to send the cutter in shore to find out
a proper berth for the ship, and we soon perceived that a proa came off
the shore to meet the cutter, fully persuaded, as we afterwards found,
that we were the Manila ship. As we saw the cutter returning back with
the proa in tow, we immediately sent the pinnace to receive the proa and
the prisoners, and to bring them on board that the cutter might proceed
on her errand. The pinnace came back with a Spaniard and four Indians,
who were the people taken in the proa.
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