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jecture what had happened, as no other vessel was in sight, saw the Mincrva bearing briskly down toward Moro-Blanco, a promontory on the ⟨south⟩ side of the bay, several miles distant from Arica. With the strong military force on board, ⟨they⟩ could not persuade themselves that there ⟨existed⟩ a possibility of hcr having been taken by an enemy. Thc most natural conclusion was, ⟨that⟩ the soldiers themsclves had made a joint ⟨spcculation⟩ of her. The alarm was immediately ⟨given⟩ in the fort, and throughout Arica; and in ⟨less⟩ than half an hour the harbour and beach ⟨were⟩ crowded with soldiers and sailors ready to ⟨embark⟩ in pursuit of the fugitive ship, in the hope ⟨that⟩, as the morning advanced, the brcezc would ⟨die⟩ away. The Mincrva had just rounded the (illegible text)unt point of Moro-Blanco, when, as the ⟨Aricans⟩ had anticipated, it became a dead calm, and (illegible text)c once more lay like a log upon the water. (illegible text)ere, then, werc the captors again in a situation ⟨not⟩ much better than that from which they had (illegible text)o recently escaped. They were not to be ⟨daunted⟩, however, by this fresh difficulty, but ⟨ordering⟩ the Spaniards on deck, by two at a time, ⟨they⟩ pinioned them, and shipped them on board (illegible text)e drugger, the ship’s launch, and small boats, ⟨reserving⟩ only the smallest one for their own use. ⟨This⟩ accomplished, they pointed the guns ⟨towards⟩ the boats, ordering the Spaniards on shore, ⟨a⟩ small number of rowers remained unbound, and ⟨threatening⟩ to blow them out of the water on the ⟨slightest⟩ indication of a disposition to disobey ⟨orders⟩. They now took a snatch of refreshment, ⟨which⟩ to their empty stomachs and exhausted
