Therefore, when the Earl of Peterborow put to Sea again the second Evening, fearful of loosing such a glorious Opportunity, and impatient to be aboard to give the necessary Orders, he order’d his Rowers to obtain the same Station, in order to discover the English Fleet.  And according to his Wishes he did fall in with it; but unfortunately the Night was so far advanc’d, that it was impossible for him then to put his Project into practice.  Captain Price, a Gentleman of Wales, who commanded a Third Rate, was the Person he first came aboard of; but how amaz’d was he to find, in an open Boat at open Sea, the Person who had Commission to command the Fleet?  So soon as he was enter’d the Ship, the Earl sent the Ship’s Pinnace with Letters to Admiral Leake, to acquaint him with his Orders and Intentions; and to Brigadier Stanhope with a Notification of his safe Arrival; but the Darkness of the Night prov’d so great an Obstacle, that it was a long time before the Pinnace could reach the Admiral.  When Day appear’d, it was astonishing to the whole Fleet to see the Union Flag waving at the Main-top-mast Head.  No body could trust his own Eyes, or guess at the Meaning, till better certify’d by the Account of an Event so singular and extraordinary.

When we were about six Leagues Distance from Barcelona, the Port we aim’d at, one of the French Scouts gave the Alarm, who making the Signal to another, he communicated it to a Third, and so on, as we afterward sorrowfully found, and as the Earl had before apprehended:  The French Admiral being thus made acquainted with the Force of our Fleet, hoisted sail, and made the best of his Way from us, either pursuant to Orders, or under the plausible Excuse of a Retreat.

This favourable Opportunity thus lost, there remain’d nothing to do but to land the Troops with all Expedition; which was executed accordingly:  The Regiments, which the Earl of Peterborow embark’d the Night before, being the first that got into the Town.  Let the Reader imagine how pleasing such a Sight must be to those in Barcelona, reduc’d as they were to the last Extremity.  In this Condition, to see an Enemy’s Fleet give way to another with Reinforcements from England, the Sea at the same Instant cover’d with little Vessels crouded with greater Succours; what was there wanting to compleat the glorious Scene, but what the General had projected, a Fight at Sea, under the very Walls of the invested City, and the Ships of the Enemy sinking, or tow’d in by the victorious English?  But Night, and a few Hours, defeated the latter Part of that well intended Landskip.