We made no effort to escape, knowing it to be useless. The
schooner set a Spanish ensign, and brought us to. We were ordered to lower
our boat and to go on board the schooner, which were done. I happened to
be at the helm, and remained in the Mary and Susan. The strangers ordered
our people out of the boat, and sent an armed party in her, on board us.
These men rummaged about for a short time, and then were hailed from their
vessel to know if we promised well. Our looks deceived the head man of the
boarders, who answered that we were _very_ poor. On receiving this
information, the captain of the schooner ordered his boarding party to
quit us. Our boat came back, but was ordered to return and bring another
gang of the strangers. This time we were questioned about canvass, but got
off by concealing the truth. We had thirty bolts on board, but produced
only one. The bolt shown did not happen to suit, and the strangers again
left us. We were told not to make sail until we received notice by signal,
and the schooner hauled her wind. After standing on some time, however,
these gentry seemed indisposed to quit us, for they came down again, and
rounded to on our weather-beam. We were now questioned about our
longitude, and whether we had a chronometer. We gave the former, but had
nothing like the latter on board. Telling us once more not to make sail
without the signal, the schooner left us, standing on until fairly out of
sight.
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