Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/180

 ourelves in the bet poture of defence in our power. Finding at four o'clock in the afternoon that he till gained ground upon us, but would not be able to get up with us till it was dark, we all agreed to a man, to heave to, and if he proved an enemy, to board her; as uch a deperate proceeding would be altogether unexpected, we thought it would afford ome of us a better chance of ecaping, than by a more regular engagement. As to myelf, death, in almot any hape would have been far preferable than falling again into the hands of the Spaniards. By un-et, however, the hip joined us, and proved, after all our alarm and preparations, to be the Butterworth of London, Mr. Sharp, from a trading voyage on the North Wet Coat of America, and lately from California. We were right in our conjecture concerning her appearance, as he was taken from the French in the lat war. She had been earching for water in thee iles but had found none; and was bound to the Marquies for it, with only even butts on board; a route of near eight hundred leagues, when there were o many places within two days ail, where he might have found it. Mr. Sharp had ixty tons of alt in bulk, for the purpoe of alting kins; and on the coat of California, he had procured an hundred tons of oil from the ea lion and ea elephant; and he added, that he alo might have procured