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in Armament. And every thing else we ran down the coast on the larb' tack until we got into the Horse latitudes. here we were becalmed for several days. on this part of the coast men of war are seldom ever seen the generally keep further to seaward whilst the coasting craft run close in. one evening a light [?breeze?] sprung up the Capt who was a jolly old [?] determined to have a little frolic ashore so we ran into a small bay came too with the kedge and [crossed out: got out a few] [?] a few boats. All the officers except those who were wanted on duty went I belonged to the gig and of course went too. I never in all my life saw a more pleasant time, the spanish girls in this lat 32º were as fair as our own and so kind and modest and not so modest either we staid on shore 3 days enjoying ourselves and I was known as the tall American courted almost by all the girls and associating with the same company as the Capt who supplied me with Money, I never was so sorry so sorry to leave a place in My life and when we did we each got a sly Kiss and saw a starting tear from our favourites. one morning a signal was made from the ship the Capt instantly called us all together we took our leave with sad hearts and repaired on board, the amount was that a coaster had reported that she had been chased by the 25th of My 2 days before. we made sail with a very light wind and had just cleared the [crossed out: Harbour] Bay when it fell [?] there were a few white fleecy looking clouds almost in the zenith. they seemed almost to drop down to our trucks we now commenced preparing for a gale. sent down our top gallant masts and yards and rigged in flying jib boom, furled all but the close reefed main topsail and fore storm stay sail soon we could not see a cloud except to the W and there was a thin-bow [?apparent?] no more than a yard wide extending from horizon to Horizon the centre of the bow being about 45º elevation. it was not long in coming and when it struck us our sails which were set were blown loose almost on her beem ends. If it had not been for the English and American seamen on board she would have gone down as she was laying broadside to the wind and the cholous were calling on St. Mary & Maria & Joseph and a Whole lot of other damed humbugs in place of hauling on ropes as they should have done like men. The capt cursed and swore hard enough to turn the sky yellow and broke his speaking trumpet and spy glass over their heads to make them take hold of the ropes. the Americans and english alone ran forward and loosed and set the foresail this put her