line. The Governor assured the Commodore, upon his honour, that none upon
the island had either given them intelligence or had in any sort
communicated with them, but that he believed them to be either French or
Spanish, but was rather inclined to think them Spanish. On this
intelligence Mr. Anson sent an officer in a clean sloop eight leagues to
the westward to reconnoitre them, and, if possible, to discover what they
were. But the officer returned without being able to get a sight of them,
so that we still remained in uncertainty. However, we could not but
conjecture that this fleet was intended to put a stop to our expedition.
Afterwards, in the course of our expedition, we were many of us persuaded
that this was the Spanish squadron commanded by Don Joseph Pizarro, which
was sent out purposely to traverse the views and enterprises of our
squadron, to which in strength they were greatly superior.

(*Note. Madeira then as now belonged to Portugal--a neutral power at that
time usually jealous of Spain.)


CHAPTER 2.
SPANISH PREPARATIONS--FATE OF PIZARRO'S SQUADRON.

DON JOSEPH PIZARRO.

When the squadron fitted out by the Court of Spain to attend our motions
had cruised for some days to the leeward of Madeira they left that
station in the beginning of November and steered for the River of Plate,
where they arrived the 5th of January, Old Style,* and coming to an
anchor in the bay of Maldonado at the mouth of that river their admiral,
Pizarro, sent immediately to Buenos Ayres for a supply of provisions for
they had departed from Spain with only four months' provisions on board.