him. The chief, then, according to his first proposal, ordered a
gun-boat to take us, and with no small degree of pleasure we left the
Ladrone fleet about four o'clock in the afternoon. At one P.M. saw the
Antelope under all sail, standing towards us. The Ladrone boat
immediately anchored, and dispatched the compradore's boat for the
ransom, saying, that if she approached nearer they would return to the
fleet; and they were just weighing when she shortened sail, and anchored
about two miles from us. The boat did not reach her till late in the
afternoon, owing to the tide's being strong against her. She received
the ransom and left the Antelope just before dark. A Mandarin boat that
had been lying concealed under the land, and watching their manoeuvres,
gave chace to her, and was within a few fathoms of taking her, when she
saw a light, which the Ladrones answered, and the Mandarin hauled off.
Our situation was now a critical one; the ransom was in the hands of the
Ladrones, and the compradore dare not return with us for fear of a
second attack from the Mandarin boat. The Ladrones would not wait till
morning, so we were obliged to return with them to the fleet. In the
morning the chief inspected the ransom, which consisted of the following
articles: two bales of superfine cloth; two chests of opium; two casks
of gunpowder, and a telescope; the rest in dollars. He objected to the
telescope not being new; and said he should detain one of us till
another was sent, or a hundred dollars in lieu of it. The compradore,
however, agreed with him for the hundred dollars. Every thing being at
length settled, the chief ordered two gun-boats to convey us near the
Antelope; we saw her just before dusk, when the Ladrone boats left us.
We had the inexpressible pleasure of arriving on board the Antelope at
seven, P.M., where we were most cordially received, and heartily
congratulated on our safe and happy deliverance from a miserable
captivity, which we had endured for eleven weeks and three days.