either by fair means or by force.  The Dort was, by their reckoning, about thirty miles from the island, and having run in until after dark, they had hove-to till the next morning.  Krantz was on deck; he leant over the side, and as the sails flapped to the masts, he attempted to define the line of the horizon.  It was very dark, but as he watched, he thought that he perceived a light for a moment, and which then disappeared.  Fixing his eyes on the spot, he soon made out a vessel, hove-to, and not two cables’ length distant.  He hastened down to apprise Philip, and procure a glass.  By the time Philip was on deck, the vessel had been distinctly made out to be a three-masted xebeque, very low in the water.  After a short consultation, it was agreed that the boats on the quarter should be lowered down, and manned and armed without noise, and that they should steal gently alongside and surprise her.  The men were called up, silence enjoined, and in a few minutes the boats’ crew had possession of the vessel; having boarded her and secured the hatches before the alarm could be given by the few who were on deck.  More men were then taken on board by Krantz, who, as agreed upon, lay to under the lee of the Dort until the daylight made its appearance.  The hatches were then taken off, and the prisoners sent on board of the Dort.  There were sixty people on board, a large number for a vessel of that description.

On being interrogated, two of the prisoners, who were well-dressed and gentlemanlike persons, stepped forward and stated that the vessel was from St Mary’s, bound to Lima, with a cargo of flour and passengers; that the crew and captain consisted of twenty-five men, and all the rest who were on board, had taken that opportunity of going to Lima.  That they themselves were among the passengers, and trusted that the vessel and cargo would be immediately released, as the two nations were not at war.

“Not at war at home, I grant,” replied Philip, “but in these seas, the constant aggressions of your armed ships compel me to retaliate, and I shall therefore make a prize of your vessel and cargo.  At the same time, as I have no wish to molest private individuals, I will land all the passengers and crew at St Mary’s, to which place I am bound in order to obtain refreshments, which now I shall expect will be given cheerfully as your ransom, so as to relieve me from resorting to force.”  The prisoners protested strongly against this, but without avail.  They then requested leave to ransom the vessel and cargo, offering a larger sum than they both appeared to be worth; but Philip, being short of provisions, refused to part with the cargo, and the Spaniards appeared much disappointed at the unsuccessful issue of their request.  Finding that nothing would induce him to part with the provisions, they then begged hard to ransom the vessel; and to this, after a consultation with Krantz, Philip gave his assent.  The two vessels then made sail, and steered on for the island, then about four leagues distant.  Although Philip had not wished to retain the vessel, yet, as they stood in together, her superior speed became so manifest that he almost repented that he had agreed to ransom her.