whenever an exchange of prisoners should be agreed upon between the two nations.
“Aug. 17th, stood into St. Helena bay and took a small vessel loaded with timber. 19th, captured a brig from Panama, having on board a quantity of tar-wax, and some bale goods of English manufacture. 28th, anchored at the entrance of the gulf of Panama; and on the 31st brought up off Tobago, an island a few leagues distant from that port. Whilst here we made a forced landing, killed and wounded several Spanish soldiers, disarmed the whole force sent from Panama to oppose us, captured several boats loaded with cheese, jug-beef, &c., completed our water to 208 tons, and obtained a plentiful supply of fresh meat, poultry, and vegetables, which articles were to us of the highest value. Whilst at Tobago we destroyed the prize gun-brig, she being only calculated for light winds and smooth water, consequently not adequate to the voyage which we had still to perform.
“Sept. 4th, took our departure from Tobago, Captain Johnston determining to run down the coasts of New Spain and Mexico as far as Acapulco and St. Blas; but owing to unaccountable currents and light variable winds, we did not get to the westward of the gulf of Panama until the 25th.
“Nov. 1st, arrived off Acapulco; and on the 10th shaped our course for the Sandwich Islands. Dec. 2nd, anchored in Karakukooa bay; obtained there a plentiful supply of pork, vegetables, and (not very good) water; cleared the island of Owhyhee on the 9th Dec, and on the 14th made a new discovery, viz. two very low islands, in lat. 16° 52' N. long. 190° 26' E., having a dangerous reef to the eastward of them, and the whole not exceeding four miles in extent.
“Dec. 21, at noon, we were, by reckoning, only seven miles cast of Gasper Rico, as laid down in Arrowsmith’s chart, but had no appearance of land. The next day we discovered five islands in lat. 14° 30' N. and long. 168° 42' E. This group was first seen at day-break, and the Cornwallis was then standing stem on for a dangerous reef, on which the surf beat with very great violence. Had it continued dark much longer she must inevitably have perished.
“Dec. 29th, saw one of the Ladrone islands; our rigging was now in so bad a state that we were obliged to use preventer-braces, tacks, sheets, and clew-lines, as we had not rope to replace the others, having left Madras with a very small quantity for so long a voyage.
“Jan. 6, 1808, passed a sunken rock, situated about 21 miles south of Botol-Tobaco-Zima, but which is not mentioned in any of our charts. 8th, made the Great Lima; and on the 9th, anchored a few miles to the north-ward of Lintin. During our cruise only one man died of scurvy: the provisions supplied us at Madras were uncommonly good, and too much praise cannot be bestowed on our surgeon [1] for his attention to those who were at- ↑ Mr. Coley, now a physician at Cheltenham.
