the bay. The kind usage to the prisoners while on board, and the circumstance of now permitting them to go on shore in the captured guard-boat, barge, and two feluccas, without parole or restriction of any sort, could not fail to impress, as well upon the prisoners themselves, who were in number 200, as upon the natives in general of these remote islands, very favourable ideas of the British character. The particular season of the year, in which this successful ruse was practised, being that wherein the Spaniards, from the prevalence of the monsoons, considered themselves in comparative security, a few additional ships and men might have captured the town and vessels of war, and destroyed the arsenal. As it was, the Sibylle and Fox had made a good morning's work : they had taken seven boats, about 200 men, three great guns, 12 swivels, 27 muskets, 32 cutlasses, 18 half-pikes, 13 pistols, 153 round shot, 137 grape shot, and 100 shells, with, of course, a proportion of powder and of musket cartridges ; all without, the slightest casualty.

On the same evening, the two British frigates, accompanied by the three prize gun-boats, in charge of the three lieutenants, Thomas Fortescue Kennedy, Charles Elphinstone, and George Rutherford, anchored off the island of Corrigidore ; and on the next morning, the 15th, they quitted the bay, and, the Sibylle with one, and the Fox, with two gun-boats in tow, stood to the southward, in the hope to precede, if possible, any information that they were among the islands. On the night of the 19th, one of the two gun-boats towed by the Fox, in a heavy squall, broke adrift. The Fox immediately brought to and continued to fire guns and show lights during the whole night ; but all in vain, the gun-boat having foundered with the loss of all her crew, consisting of Lieutenant Rutherford, one midshipman (Mr. Nicholson), nine seamen, and one boy. At day-light, on the 20th, the frigates made sail and coasted Mindora, Pany, Negros, and Magindano, without any occurrence worth notice.

On the 22nd, at day-light, being within a few miles of Samboangon, on the island of Majindinao, a settlement which they purposed to lay under contribution for water, wood, and refreshments, the frigates hoisted Spanish colours; but, while steering, towards it, the Sibylle grounded on the north-west point of the small island of Santa-Cruz. The Fox and the two gun-boats then stood on ; but, at 6 h. 20 m. a.m., being becalmed, were obliged to anchor just abreast of, and at the distance of about a mile and a half from, the fort of Samboangon. At about this time the Sibylle got off ; but the state of the tide, coupled with the want of wind, prevented her from joining. A boat now approached the Fox from the shore, and, when, within hail, inquired the name and other particulars of the frigate. Receiving no satisfactory answer, the Spaniards pulled back to the shore, which, although several muskets were fired at them, they reached in safety. At 6 h. 30 m. a.m. the British vessels hoisted their

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