Page 207
An.1685
Spanish Fleet from Lima: their Strength.
of thiss Channel all our Fleet lay waiting for the Lima Fleet, which we were in hopes would come this way.
The 28th day we had a very wet morning, for the Rains were come in, as they do usually in May, or June, sooner or later; so that May is here a very uncertain month. Hitherto, till within a few days, we had had good fair weather, and the Wind at N. N. E. but now the weather was altered, and the Wind at S. S. W.
However about eleven a clock it cleared up, and we saw the Spanish Fleet about 3 leagues W. N. W. from the Island Pacheque, standing close on a Wind to the Eastward; but they could not fetch the Island by a league. We were riding a league S. E. from the Island, between it and the Main; only Captain Gronet was about a mile to the Northward of us near the Island: he weighed so soon as they came in fight, and stood over for the Main; and we lay still, expecting when he would tack and come to us: but he took care to keep himself out of harms way.
Captain Swan and Townly came aboard of Cap- tain Davis to order how to engage the Enemy, who we saw came purposely to fight us, they being in all 14 Sail, besides Periagoes, rowing with 12 and 14 Oars apiece. Six Sail of them were Ships of good force: first the Admiral 48 Guns, 450 Men; the Vice-Admiral 42 Guns, 400 Men; the Rear- Admiral 36 Guns, 360 Men; a Ship of 24 Guns, 300 Men; one of 18 Guns, 250 Men; and one of eight Guns, 200 Men; 2 great Fireships, 6 Ships only with small Arms, having 800 Men on board them all; besides 2 or 3 hundred Men in Periagoes. This account of their strength we had afterwards from Captain Knight, who being to the Windward on the Coast of Peru, took Prisoners, of whom he had this information, being what they brought from