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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/78004-0.txt b/78004-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d0049c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10139 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78004 *** + + + + +Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is enclosed in _underscores_. +Superscript characters are preceded by ^. Small capital text has been +changed to all capital. Additional notes will be found near the end of +this eBook. + + + + + AN + HISTORICAL ACCOUNT + OF ALL THE + VOYAGES ROUND THE WORLD, + PERFORMED BY + ENGLISH NAVIGATORS; + INCLUDING THOSE LATELY UNDERTAKEN + By ORDER of his PRESENT MAJESTY. + + THE WHOLE + Faithfully Extracted from the JOURNALS of the + VOYAGERS. + + DRAKE, undertaken in 1577-80 + CAVENDISH, 1586-88 + COWLEY, 1683-86 + DAMPIER, 1689-96 + COOKE, 1708-11 + ROGERS, 1708-11 + CLIPPERTON and SHELVOCKE, 1719-22 + ANSON, 1740-44 + BYRON, 1764-66 + WALLIS, 1766-68 + CARTERET, 1766-69 + COOK, 1768-71 + + TOGETHER WITH + + That of SYDNEY PARKINSON, Draftsman to JOSEPH BANKS, Esq; who + circumnavigated the Globe with Capt. COOK, in his Majesty’s Ship the + ENDEAVOUR. + AND + + The Voyage of Mons. BOUGAINVILLE round the World, Performed by Order of + the French King. + + Illustrated with Maps, Charts, and Historical Prints. + + IN FOUR VOLUMES. + + To which is added, + + An APPENDIX. Containing the JOURNAL of a VOYAGE to the NORTH POLE, by + the Hon. Commodore PHIPPS, and Captain LUTWIDGE. + ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── + VOLUME THE SECOND. + ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ + LONDON: + Printed for F. NEWBERY, the Corner of St. Paul’s Church-Yard. + ──────────── + M DCC LXXIV. + + + + + THE + VOYAGES + OF + CAPTAIN COOKE. + + +The rich cargo of the annual ship from Manilla to Accapulco, has ever +been the object which private adventurers to the South Seas have had in +view, while, on the other hand, the annual ship from Accapulco to +Manilla has been the pursuit of the ships of war. This difference has +arisen from the different constitution of the two ships; for the +galleon, when she sets sail from Manilla, being deep laden with a +variety of bulky goods, (such as Chinese silks and manufactures, vast +quantities of Indian stuffs, callicoes, and chintz, besides the minuter +articles of goldsmiths work, embroidery, &c. wrought at Manilla by the +Chinese,) she has not the conveniency of mounting her lower tier of +guns, but generally carries them in her hold. Her hands too are as few +as are confident with the safe navigation of the ship, that she may be +the less encumbered by the stowage of provisions so that being but +weakly manned, and indifferently provided for defence, she is thereby +more exposed to the attacks of small privateers, and more easy to be +made their prey; and, though she does not contain so great a treasure as +the other, yet she is sufficiently rich to recompense the undertakers, +and to enrich the captors, her cargo being generally estimated at three +millions of dollars. + +But the ship from Accapulco making her return chiefly in silver and +gold, and having little or no bulky goods on board, as her cargo lies in +less room, her lower tier is always mounted before she leaves the port, +and her crew is augmented with a supply of sailors, and with one or two +companies of foot, which are intended to reinforce the garrison at +Manilla. Besides, there being many merchants who take their passage to +Manilla on board the galleon, her whole number of hands on her return is +usually little short of 600 fighting men; so that she is more than a +match for such small privateers as are generally sent upon hazardous +expeditions, and a prize only for a royal ship of war; and has therefore +never been attempted by any other. + +The voyage we are now about to relate was purposely fitted out with a +view to intercept the Manilla ship at the instance of Dampier, in +concluding of whose character (from reading the accounts written by +himself) we were led into an error, which the present voyage, written by +Captain Cooke, has enabled us to correct. The ill success that attended +the voyage to the South Seas, under the immediate command of Dampier, of +which a brief relation is given in the first volume of this work, was so +far from discouraging that enterprizing officer from pursuing his +favourite project of making prize of the Manilla ship, that, after his +return, when he had wearied the merchants of London with fruitless +solicitations, he repaired to Bristol, where his representations were +better understood, and where they were attended with better effect. By +his solid remonstrances he prevailed upon nineteen of the principal +merchants and gentlemen of that city to unite and form a company, for +the purpose of fitting out two private ships of war, to shew what +advantages might be derived from a well-conducted enterprize against the +Spaniards in the South Seas: and it may, perhaps, be attributed to his +judgment and experience, that they were more properly adapted to the +service on which they were to be sent, and were better provided against +every accident to which they might be exposed, than any privateers that +ever were fitted out before them. Add to this, that their crews were +furnished with better regulations, and subjected to stricter rules, and +under severer penalties, than men listed to go on hazardous adventures +are generally willing to submit to. + +Their principal officers were gentlemen of experience, or highly +interested in the success of the voyage; being the first subscribers, +and the chief promoters of the undertaking and these also were assisted +with a second set of officers, equally able and experienced, who, in +case of accidents, were ready to supply the places of those who might be +disabled. + +But, besides being awed by penalties from trespassing the articles of +agreement that were signed by every man on board from the highest to the +lowest, they were likewise encouraged by rewards to behave gallantly; +every common sailor who should lose a limb in time of action being +entitled to a douceur of 30l. and so in proportion to officers according +to their respective ranks: yet, notwithstanding all these precautions, +we find them ever ready to mutiny. + +The two ships, thus fitted up and regulated, were called the Duke and +Dutchess; the first, of 300 tons, 36 guns, and 183 men, was commanded by +Woodes Rogers; the other, of 270 tons, 30 guns, and 151 men, by Captain +Stephen Courtney. + +Captain Rogers, who commanded in chief, was a bold, active man, an +indefatigable officer, one who would not give up his opinion readily to +others, nor be flattered by other people’s giving up their opinion, +without being convinced, to him. He had been, according to Harris, a +large sufferer by the French, and was naturally no great friend to that +nation; but his most singular quality, and that which indeed recommended +him to this command, was a peculiar art he had of maintaining his +authority, and at the same time preserving his influence, over his +seamen; an _art_, or _gift_ rather, in which Captain Dampier was +remarkably deficient. + +Captain Courtney was a man of birth, fortune, and of many amiable +qualities; he contributed largely to the expence of the voyage, and took +a share in it to superintend the management, and to interpose and +qualify the differences that might arise in the course of a tedious and +dangerous navigation; being a person of an admirable temper, and +remarkable for moderation in all his decisions, in which almost all men +were ready to acquiesce. + +Besides these two gentlemen, who were first in command, Dr. Thomas Dover +(the same, who, about forty years ago, so effectually recommended the +use of quicksilver in a little book, entitled Dr. Dover’s Last Legacy to +his Country, that ladies as well as gentlemen of rank and fortune +bespangled the floors and carpets with quicksilver, and scattered their +diamonds wherever they met to dance, or to play) was second Captain on +board the Duke; and Captain Edward Cooke, our author, was second to +Captain Courtney. + +Dover was a considerable contributer to the voyage, but he was of a +rough ungovernable temper, seldom pleased with either measures or men; +but incapable of forming any party to support his own notions, because +no party could ever be brought to approve them. + +Captain Cooke was an able and experienced seaman, had been twice taken +prisoner, and twice released by the enemy, and now embarked his All in +this bottom with a view to make one effort more to gain a fortune. + +Captain Dampier, who projected the voyage, was made pilot on board the +Duke to direct it. Of him the reader has already heard enough in the +former volume of this work; and from the character of the leaders it is +natural to infer, that they were choice in the appointment of their +inferior officers, and that even the common men were not of the meaner +sort. + +The general instructions of the owners were, first, to repair to Ireland +to take in provisions, and then to proceed with all possible expedition +to the South Sea; if luckily they met with any prizes by the way, they +were either to send them home or to America, as should best suit; they +were ordered by all means to keep together, and to act in concert; to +undertake no enterprize of consequence without first deliberating the +matter in a general council of officers in both ships; to be +particularly careful in assisting each other in every circumstance of +necessity; and that in giving relief in times of danger, or in supplying +provisions or water in case of want, they should be as one ship, and +that on no pretence the one should be suffered to want while the other +had any thing to supply; but, as they were to share alike in all +advantages, they should share alike too in all sufferings. + +Thus fitted out and thus instructed, and the officers of both ships +being provided with legal commissions to cruise against her Majesty’s +enemies, the French and Spaniards, in the South Seas, on the first of +August, 1708, they unmoored from King road, and on the 4th of the same +month cast anchor at the Cove in Cork, where they continued victualling, +and adjusting their men, changing some and enlisting others, among whom +were many foreigners, till the first of September, when they sailed in +company with the Hastings man of war, having first agreed, in case of +separation, to meet at Madeira, there to take in wine and brandy for the +remainder of the voyage. + +[Here it is necessary to apprize the reader, that, as there are two very +authentic accounts of this voyage, one written by Captain Rogers, and +one written by our author, we shall endeavour to reduce them into ONE, +by supplying from Captain Rogers what is wanting in Captain Cooke, and +shall, contrary to the method pursued in Harris, continue the narrative +in the person of Captain Cooke, though sometimes we may be obliged to +use the words of Captain Rogers. And this being premised, we will now +proceed:] + +On the 10th of September, says Captain Cooke, we spied a sail, which we +chaced and came up with. She happened to be a Swede, bound for Cadiz; +and though from several circumstances there was reason to suspect that +she had contraband goods on board, yet it being difficult to prove it, +and we being in haste, dismissed her. This caused a mutiny on board the +Duke, headed by the boatswain and three inferior officers, who persuaded +the men not to give her up. Captain Rogers confined the authors of this +disorder, in which there was not one foreigner concerned. He put ten of +the mutineers in irons, a sailor being first soundly whipped for +exciting the rest to join him; others less guilty he punished and +discharged; but the chief officers continued armed, fearing what might +happen, the ship’s company seeming too much to favour the mutineers. +They had afterwards a great deal of trouble with these fellows, who did +more mischief when in irons than before, by stirring up the men to +release them, pretending that they suffered in the cause of the crew, +and therefore the crew ought to rise and release them. This determined +the Captain to make some examples, but not to irritate too much; he +therefore began by removing the boatswain from his office, and +appointing another in his room, without intending anything further. But +on the 14th this intestine storm rose higher than ever; for then a +sailor with the best part of the ship’s company at his heels, went up to +the Captain, and demanded the boatswain out of custody. With this man +the Captain desired to speak alone, and when he came upon the +quarter-deck, the officers seized him, and caused one of his chief +comrades to whip him. Thus by different corrections of the like kind, +the officers on board the Duke broke the combination, and allayed the +tumult. The boatswain they sent home in the Crown galley in irons; the +other prisoners they released upon their humble submission; such among +them as were petty officers they restored to their commands, and all on +board were forbidden to disobey or reproach them: and thus ended an +insurrection, which, had it succeeded, would have put a stop at once to +the farther prosecution of the voyage. + +On the 15th, finding ourselves to the southward, and at the same time +somewhat to the eastward of Madeira, we changed our place of rendezvous, +and bore away for the Canaries. + +On Saturday the 18th, at five in the morning, we saw a sail right +a-head, to which we gave chace. About 10, we came up with and took her, +being a small Spanish bark bound from Teneriff to Fuertaventura, with +several men and women passengers on board, and laden with sundry sorts +of goods. Next day we bore away for Oratavia-road, where we stood off +and on, and sent away the prize’s boat with one of our owners agents, a +priest, and the master of the prize, to treat about the ransom of her, +and to get wine, provisions, and other necessaries, for the refreshment +of both the ships. About eight next morning, a boat came from the town, +with a letter from the English merchants residing there, wherein they +expostulated with us for making prize of the bark, alledging that there +was a free trade agreed to in these islands between her Majesty of Great +Britain and the Kings of France and Spain, so religiously observed by +the latter, that they had caused an English ship taken there by a French +privateer, to be restored; and farther, representing the danger that +might arise to themselves, living by permission in an enemy’s country, +if the bark was not immediately given up, for which reprisals would be +made on them; as also, that we should be answerable at home for +interrupting the settled commerce. This letter was signed by the Consul +and three capital merchants. Our Captains immediately returned for +answer, that, having no instructions relating to the Spanish vessels +trading among those islands, they could not justify the releasing of the +ship on their bare opinions, without some order or proclamation of her +Majesty, the English being protected there only on anchoring ground, and +the bark being taken in the open seas; that, in case Mr. Vanbrugh, the +owners agent, was not restored, they would carry away all the prisoners +they had; and, if they apprehended any detriment to the factory, they +might ransom the bark, and seek their redress in England. They desired +dispatch, there being no time to lose; and, upon sending back Mr. +Vanbrugh, they would release the prisoners. At night another letter came +in answer to theirs, from the Consul, importing, that the English +men-of-war were civilly received there, and never committed any +hostilities; and that it was strange we should insist on ransoming any +Spaniards, who were never made prisoners in England, or elsewhere; and +the Governor there delivered up to him any English prisoners that were +brought in by Spanish privateers; wherefore he insisted, that those in +our custody should be dismissed, and the bark discharged, accepting a +present of wine in return. With this from the Consul at the city of +Laguna, came another letter from the merchants at Oratavia-port, much to +the same purport, only offering to pay to the value of 450 pieces of +eight, the sum demanded for the bark, in wine, brandy, sugar, oil, +barley, and greens, to prevent incensing the natives against them, not +doubting but that reparation would be made them in England. Our Captains +replied, by threatening to cruise among the islands to avail themselves +for their loss of time, and to cannonade the town of Oratavia, unless +they received instant satisfaction. On the 22d, at four in the morning, +we stood in for the shore, making a clear ship; but, soon after, we saw +a boat coming with our owners agent, and Mr. Cross, one of the English +merchants, bringing five buts of wine, and other refreshments. We lay +off the town, took the goods out of the prize, sold the bark to Mr. +Cross, and put the prisoners on board her. Thus ended this troublesome +business, which being unanimously approved of at a council of officers +of both ships, they proceeded on their voyage; and, seeing a sail to the +westward, gave chace to her, but, night coming on, lost her. + +On the 24th we crossed the Tropic of Cancer, and, the Sunday following, +performed the ceremony of dipping the men of both ships who had not +crossed it before; a ceremony that causes a good deal of mirth among the +common men. + +On the 30th we passed by Santa Lucia, one of the Cape de Verd islands, +and by eight in the morning came in sight of St. Vincent, and about +eleven came to an anchor in ten fathom water within the rock. + +As we knew the island not to be inhabited, we were not a little +surprized to see some people on shore; and, in order to learn who they +were, and what their business was, I armed the pinnace, and went on +shore, when we found them to be Portuguese come from the island of St. +Anthony to catch turtle, who told us we might here wood and water. + +This island lies in lat. 16 deg. 55 min. N. and in 25 deg. 36 min. W. +long. from the meridian of London. There are on it Guinea-hens, hogs, +and goats, and about the shore plenty of fish. In the woods there are +spiders as large as little birds, whose webs are not easily broken +through, being woven with a substance nearly as strong as ordinary +thread. + +The Cape Verd islands are eleven in number, St. Anthony, St. Vincent, +St. Lucia, St. Nicholas, Sal, Bona Vista, Mayo, St. Jago, Fogo, Romes, +and Brava; and take their general name from a promontory on the African +shore. They belong to the Portuguese, but are not all inhabited. + +While we lay at St. Vincent’s, new disturbances arose among the men in +relation to plunder; for here they had an opportunity of trading, and +therefore every man wished to have something to exchange. The effects +taken in the late prize occasioned a general murmur throughout both the +ships; to put an end to which, and to fix the people in a firm +resolution of doing their duty, we determined to settle the matter at +once, by framing such articles, as, without giving our owners any ground +of complaint, might inspire the seamen with courage and constancy, and +make them as willing to obey as their officers were ready to command. It +cost some trouble to adjust the articles; but that was fully +compensated, by their effectually answering the purpose. And now, having +composed all differences, the men again chearfully returned to their +duty, all but two or three of the Duke’s men, who made their escape on +shore among whom was their linguist, who probably had no mind to be left +behind; but, having staid beyond his leave of absence, and paid no +regard to the orders that were sent him to repair on board, it was +thought proper, by way of example, to depart without him. Accordingly on +the 7th of October we unmoored, and, on the 8th, after lying by all +night for our consort, we set sail together for the coast of Brazil. But +on our passage thither some fresh disputes arose among our men and, +after various consultations to accommodate the differences, it was +resolved, that Mr. Page, who was our second mate, should be sent to +serve on board the Duke, and Mr. Ballet to come from the Duke to serve +on board the Dutchess in his room. This was not to be effected without +force, Page refusing to obey the order; and when it was on the point of +being put in execution, he resisted; but, being overpowered, and carried +on board the Duke, he was there charged with mutiny. He desired to go to +the head, for a necessary purpose, before he made his defence, and was +permitted so to do; when he instantly jumped over-board, with the design +of getting back again to the Dutchess, but was taken up, tried, and +punished, which put an end to the disturbance for that time. + +On Wednesday the 27th we crossed the Line, and on Sunday the 14th of +November saw land at a great distance, and at noon made Cape Frio, on +the coast of Brasil. On the 18th we anchored before Islo Grande, and on +the 19th moored our ship in ten fathom water. Here one of our men going +from the ship without leave, giving the first Lieutenant foul language, +and threatening soon to be revenged, was put in irons; and his messmates +and confederates demanding his release, or desiring to share in his +punishment, seven voluntarily went into irons. + +On the 21st I went on shore in the pinnace with a present to the +Governor, and to acquaint him we were friends. At our first landing they +fired several shot, taking us for French; but afterwards made an +apology, and received us civilly. On the 23d two of the mutineers were +whipped, and put in irons again. On the 24th four of the eight men in +irons were released, on their submission; and two men went on shore, +designing to leave the ship, and, having bargained with a canoe to carry +them to the main, they were by mistake put ashore at a distant part of +the island, where, finding themselves on an uninhabited coast, they +began to relent and, after staying a night in the woods, where they were +terrified with the roaring of wild beasts, they came in sight of the +ship, and made signs of repentance, humbling themselves in the most +suppliant manner, and on their knees, with their hands lifted up, +endeavouring to move compassion. After some time the boat went off, and +brought them on board, where they were confined in irons till the next +day, and then ordered to be flogged and released. + +On the 25th two Irish landmen stole away from the Duke, and secreted +themselves in the woods, in like manner as the two seamen had done from +the Dutchess. About four next morning the watch on the quarter-deck +spied a canoe, and hailed her to come on board; but the rowers not +answering, but striving to escape, the Duke’s pinnace pursued the canoe, +fired into her, and mortally wounded one of the Indian rowers. He that +owned and steered the canoe was a Friar, and had a quantity of gold on +board, which, after running the canoe ashore, he had just time to hide +before the Duke’s pinnace reached the land. A Portuguese, who was in the +canoe, and who had no gold to lose, would not follow the Friar; but, on +the contrary, knowing the English to be friends, called the Father back, +who, upon his return, was carried with the wounded Indian on board the +Duke, where the poor man was dressed by the surgeon, but died in a few +hours. The officers in both ships were very sorry for this unfortunate +accident, and entered their protest against it, and caused the man to be +buried on shore in a very solemn manner. The friar, however, who had +lost his gold, was not to be appeased, but threatened to seek for +justice in Portugal or England. + +In towing the ship about the easternmost part of the island, we spied +the Duke’s two men waiting for a canoe to carry them over to the main; +and two of our Lieutenants manned the boat, and, landing some men in a +convenient place to get behind them, to prevent their escaping to the +woods, they rowed to the place where the fellows were seen to lurk. When +they found themselves beset, they endeavoured to fly; but, being +intercepted, they were brought on board, put in irons, and sent to their +own ship, where they were afterwards severely punished. + +On the 27th the principal officers on board both ships went in their +pinnaces to the town of Angra dos Reys on the main, carrying the ships +music along with them. They were kindly received and entertained by the +Governor and Fathers, who with their servants are the principal +inhabitants, there not being more than 50 or 60 low-built houses in the +place. They have a guard-house, where, at our landing, we were received +by the Governor, with about 20 men under arms, and treated with a +dinner, sweet-meats, and rum. The Governor and Fathers desired we would +go to see their Franciscan monastery and church, that day being a +festival with them, and the people coming from the plantations in the +country to celebrate it. We complied; and, at their request, our music, +consisting of trumpets, hautboys, and violins, played in a gallery +belonging to the church, and assisted in heightening the solemnization, +to the no small satisfaction of the Fathers. After divine service we +likewise joined in procession with them, and accompanied them from the +church in the evening, every one carrying a large wax candle in his +hand, according to the custom of the country on such occasions. The +procession being closed, we were conducted into a great hall, and +treated by the Fathers with an elegant supper of fish, sweet-meats, and +fruits of various sorts in the highest perfection. At our coming away, +they gave us some volleys with their small arms, and we returned the +compliment by a flourish of trumpets, &c. + +Fifteen days journey up the country there is said to be a very rich gold +mine and it was not long since the French plundered a bark with 800 +weight of gold-dust on board, which it was bringing from the mine. Some +men of credit told me, that the mines here are more profitable than even +Mexico or Peru; but that the Tapoyars, who inhabit the inland plains, +are an unconquerable race of men, taller and stronger than the +Portuguese, and not to be brought to labour. The Brasilian women are +very fruitful, have easy labours, retire to the woods, where they are +delivered alone, and return no more till after a certain time allotted +for purification. + +On Tuesday the 30th of November we weighed anchor; but a tornado coming +on, we tacked, and stood under the island till its fury abated. On the +1st of December both ships sailed out of the bay, and pursued their +course to the southward till the 21st, without meeting with any +remarkable occurrence; but on that day a young man fell from the +mizen-top-sail yard, and fractured his skull. + +On the 23d we made land, which I supposed to be Falkland’s Island, in +lat. 51 deg. 25 min. S. by estimation. + +On the 24th, as we ran along shore, the land looked like some part of +England, having several good bays and valleys, but believe it to be +wholly uninhabited. + +On the 5th of January, 1709, we had a violent gale of wind at +north-west, and very bad weather. At two in the afternoon we reefed both +courses, then lowered our fore-yard, and lay by till five, at which time +our waste was filled with water, and we expected the ship to sink every +moment: got down our fore-yard as well as we could, and loosed the +sprit-sail to wear the ship, which at last we accomplished; but in +wearing we thought we should have foundered with the weight of water +that was in her waste. Thus we scudded before the wind, the Duke +following, and at nine shipped a sea in the poop, as we in the cabbin +were going to supper. It beat in all the cabbin-windows and bulk-head, +and hove the first Lieutenant halfway between the decks, with several +muskets and pistols that hung there, darting a sword that was against +the bulk-head of the cabbin through my man’s hammock and rug, which hung +against the bulk-head of the steerage; and, had not the bulk-head of the +great cabbin given way, all we who were there must inevitably have been +drowned before the water could have been discharged. Our yaul was staved +on the deck, and it was a wonder that many were not killed with the +shutters, the bulk-head, and the arms, which were driven with a +prodigious force; but Providence delivered us from this and many other +dangers; only one man or two were hurt, and some bruised; but not one +rag of dry cloaths was left us, our chests, beds, and bedding, being all +soaked in sea-water. Next day the storm abated, and we continued our +course, coasting very far to the south, where we endured much cold, by +which many of our men were greatly affected, insomuch that a third part +of both ships companies fell sick, occasioned, as I suppose, by their +being long wet and cold. We were now in lat. 61 deg. 48 min. S. long. +from Falkland’s Isles 18 deg. 5 min. W. + +Monday 17, by a good observation I found that we were got round Cape +Horn, Terra del Fuego, and the Straits of Magellan, and to the northward +of Cape Vileria. On the 19th I reckoned we were to the northward of Port +St. Stephen on the coast of Patagonia in the Great South Sea. + +On Monday the 31st, at eight in the morning, made the Island of Juan +Fernandez, where we designed to wood and water. In the afternoon Capt. +Dover went off in the pinnace to get some provisions, and in the evening +saw a fire ashore, which made us conclude there were ships in the road, +as we were assured the island had no inhabitants: we therefore made the +signal for the boat to return, and she accordingly come on board about +twelve at night. + +Tuesday Feb. 1, we rowed and towed into the great bay, and came to an +anchor in 50 fathom water. All this day we had a clear ship expecting a +rencounter; but were much disappointed when, instead of a valuable +prize, we discovered only an odd figure of a man, who had been the sole +resident on the island for more than four years. His name was Alexander +Selkirk, a Scotchman, who had been Master of the Cinque-ports, the ship +that accompanied Dampier in his voyage to the South Seas, and was, as +Dampier said, one of the best men in her. Captain Rogers immediately +agreed with him to be his mate. It was this man who made the fire in the +night when he saw our ships, which he judged to be English. During his +stay here, he saw several ships pass by; but only two came to an anchor. +As he went to view them, he found them to be Spaniards, and retired from +them; upon which they shot at him. Had they been French he would have +submitted, but chose to risque his dying alone on the island rather than +fall into the hands of the Spaniards, because he apprehended they would +either murder, or make a slave of him in the mines; for he feared they +would spare no stranger that might be capable of discovering the South +Seas. The Spaniards had landed before he knew what they were, and they +came so near him that he had much ado to escape; for they not only shot +at him, but pursued him to the woods, where he climbed to the top of a +tree, at the foot of which they charged their pieces, and killed several +goats just by, but went off again without discovering him. He told us, +that he was born at Largo, in the county of Fife, and was bred a sailor +from his youth. The reason of his being left here was a difference +between him and his Captain, which, together with the ship’s being +leaky, made him willing rather to stay here, than go along with him at +first, and when he was at last willing to go his Captain would not +receive him. He had been at the island before to wood and water, when +two of the ship’s company were left upon it for six months, till the +ship returned, being chaced thence by two French South Sea ships. He had +with him his cloaths and bedding, with a firelock, some powder, bullets, +and tobacco; a hatchet, a knife, a kettle, a bible, some practical +pieces, and his mathematical instruments and books. He diverted and +provided for himself as well as he could; but for the first eight months +he had much ado to bear up against melancholy, and the terror of being +left alone in such a desolate place. He built two huts in +Piemento-trees, covered them with long grass, and lined them with the +skins of goats which he killed with his gun as he wanted, so long as his +powder lasted, which was but a pound, and that being almost spent, he +got fire by rubbing two sticks of Piemento wood together upon his knee. +In the lesser hut, at some distance from the other, he drest his +victuals, and in the larger he slept, and employed himself in reading, +singing psalms, and praying; so that he said he was a better Christian +while in this solitude than ever he was before, or than, he was afraid, +he should ever be again. + +At first he never eat any thing till hunger constrained him, partly for +grief, and partly for want of bread and salt, nor did he go to bed till +he could watch no longer. The Piemento wood, which burnt very clear, +served him both for fire and candle, and refreshed him with its fragrant +smell. He might have had fish enough, but could not eat them for want of +salt, because they occasioned a looseness, except crayfish, which are as +large as lobsters, and very good. These he sometimes boiled, and at +other times broiled, as he did his goat’s-flesh, of which he made good +broth. He kept an account of 500 that he killed while there, and caught +as many more, which he marked in the ear and let go. When his powder +failed he took them by speed of feet, for his way of living and +continual exercise cleared him of all gross humours, so that he ran with +wonderful swiftness through the woods and up the rocks and hills, as we +perceived, when we employed him to catch goats for us. We had a bull-dog +which we sent with several of our nimblest runners to help him to catch +goats; but he distanced and tired both the dog and the men, caught the +goats, and brought them to us on his back. He told us that his agility +in pursuing a goat had once like to have cost him his life. He pursued +it with so much eagerness that he catched hold of it on the brink of a +precipice of which he was not aware, the bushes hiding it from him so +that he fell with the goat down the precipice a great height, and was so +bruised with the fall that he narrowly escaped with his life; and, when +he came to his senses, found the goat dead under him. He lay there about +twenty-four hours, and was scarce able to crawl to his hut, which was +about a mile distant, or to stir abroad again in ten days. He came at +last to relish his meat without salt or bread. He had a constant supply +of good turneps, which had been sown there by Captain Dampier, and have +now overspread some acres of ground. He had good cabbage from the +cabbage-trees that grow wild upon the island, and seasoned his meat with +the fruit of the Piemento-trees, which is the same as Jamaica-pepper, +and smells deliciously. He found also a black-pepper, called Malageta, +which was very good to expel wind and strengthen the stomach. He soon +wore out all his shoes and cloaths by running in the woods; and at last, +being forced to shift without them, his feet became so hard that he ran +every where without difficulty; and it was some time before he could +wear shoes after we found him; for, not being used to any so long, his +feet swelled when he came to wear them again. After he had conquered his +melancholy, he diverted himself sometimes with cutting his name upon the +trees, sometimes with contrivances to vary and increase his stock of +tools, and sometimes in clear evenings in counting the stars. He was at +first much pestered with cats and rats that had bred in great numbers +from some of each species which had got ashore from ships that put in +there to wood and water. The rats gnawed his feet and cloaths while he +slept, which obliged him to cherish the cats with his goat’s flesh, by +which many of them became so tame, that they would be about him in +hundreds, and soon delivered him from the rats. He likewise tamed some +kids; and, to vary his diversions, would now and then sing and teach +them to dance; so that by his natural flow of humour, and the vigour of +his youth, being now but 30 years old, he came at last to conquer all +the inconveniences of his solitude, and to be very easy. When his +cloaths were worn out, he made himself a coat and a cap of goats-skins, +which he stitched together with little thongs of the same that he cut +with his knife. He had no other needle but a nail; and, when his knife +was worn out to the back, he made others of some iron hoops that were +ashore, which he beat thin, and ground upon stones. Having some linnen +cloth by him, he sewed himself some shirts with a nail, and stitched +them with the worsted of his old stockings, which he pulled out on +purpose. He had his last shirt on when we found him on the island. At +his coming on board us, he had so much forgot his language for want of +use, that we could scarce understand him; for he seemed to speak his +words by halves. We offered him a dram; but he would not touch it, +having drank nothing but water since his being there; and it was some +time before he could relish our victuals. He could give us no account of +any other product of the island than what we have mentioned, except some +black plumbs, which are very good, but hard to come at, the trees which +bear them growing on high mountains and rocks. + + [Illustration: _Alexander Selkirk Makes his Cats and Kids dance before + Capt^n. Cook and his Company._] + +The officers that went first on shore were invited to his retreat; but +the way to it being very rugged and intricate, only a very few of them +had curiosity enough to visit it. He had conceived an irreconcileable +aversion to an officer on board the Cinque Ports, who, he was informed, +was on board the Duke; but, not being a principal in command, he was +prevailed upon to wave that circumstance, and to accompany Captain +Dampier, for whom he had a friendship. He was very useful while the +ships staid at Juan Fernandez, in supplying them with fresh provisions, +and in facilitating the business of taking in wood and water. He said, +he had seen snow and ice in July, which is the middle of winter in that +climate; but the months of September, October, and November, are +inconceiveably pleasant; the air being perfumed with a fragrance that +cherishes and revives the spirits, and has a wonderful effect upon +animals, as well as men, which Selkirk remarked by their playwardness +and plumpness. He particularly directed us to a plant not much unlike +feverfew, of a most grateful and cordial scent, with which we strewed +the tents of the sick, who were thereby much comforted, and their cure +facilitated. We gathered many bundles of it, dried them in the shade, +and sent them on board. + +On the 13th of February, a general council of officers was held on board +the Duke, when many necessary regulations were agreed to, for the +maintenance of order, discipline, and secrecy; among which, two +inspectors were appointed from on board the Duke, to take account of all +prizes taken by the Dutchess; and the like number from the Dutchess, to +register such as should be taken by the Duke. + +While we continued in this bay the carpenters fitted up the pinnaces, +the frames of which were ready prepared at Bristol, at our first setting +out. + +On the 14th the pinnaces were launched, and having each a gun fitted to +her prow, were tried in the bay, to see how they would sail, being +intended to serve as small ships of war, to examine the harbours where +the large ships could not venture to approach the shore. And now, having +all things in readiness, we began to prepare for our departure, all our +sick men being recovered, except two who died, and were buried on the +island. + +On the 15th we cleared the bay, and pursued a northerly course till the +24th, when we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, and shot some Tropic +birds about the size of a partridge, with only a single feather in their +tails, but that very long, and very taper. We had now the sea as smooth +as a pond; and, having little to do, we ordered the men to attend +prayers regularly twice a day; prohibited gaming, to prevent the artful +from taking advantage of the simple; and imposed a penalty against +swearing, by which that vice was almost excluded the ships company. + +On Monday the 28th I ordered three of our men to be put in irons, for +cutting the meat in the steep-tub, and hiding it; and on the 2d of +March, Captain Courtney caused them to be whipped and pickled, by way of +example. + +On Thursday the 14th of March, Captain Rogers, Captain Dover, and +Captain Dampier, came on board the Dutchess; and concluded, that the +strict observation of Lent having prevented the Spaniards from +trafficking in those seas, the most eligible plan would be to bear away +under an easy sail for Lobos, and there to supply ourselves with boats +to land at Guayaquil; but in the afternoon, saw a sail, gave chace, and +took her. She came from Guayaquil, and was bound for Cheripe to load +flour, and had been out 16 days. The crew were all Indians, except one +Spanish passenger. They had nothing on board but about 50l. in money to +pay for their cargo, and told us, that part of the new town of Guayaquil +had lately been burnt; that the Jesus Maria, formerly a man-of-war, was +coming from Lima to be there rebuilt; that another large ship was +expected from Panama at Payta; and that they had heard nothing of any +English men-of-war or privateers being in those seas. + +On the 16th we made the island of Lobos, and in the evening anchored in +the road. It lies in lat. 6 deg. 5 min. S. about 16 leagues from the +continent, is barren, and affords neither wood nor water; but there is +good riding for ships, and harbours proper for repairing and careening. +Here the prize was fitted up, and it was agreed, that I should go out in +her with 35 men, to cruise in company with the Dutchess; and with that +view she was new named, and called _The Beginning Galley_. + +On the 26th, at day-break, we saw a ship standing to the southward, and +soon came up with her. She was a bark of 50 tons, bound from Guayaquil +to Truxillo, with timber and cocoa-nuts. It was agreed, that Captain +Courtney should stand in with her in the night; and that I should +continue to cruise till farther orders, which on the 27th I received, +and the same evening came to an anchor by the Duke and Dutchess in +Lobos-road. Next day, the prisoners being examined, reported, that a +ship of 36 brass guns was expected from Lima with the Viceroy of Mexico +and his mother on board; and that they were bound to Panama. Upon this +intelligence it was resolved in full council to cruise in quest of this +ship, and if she escaped to attack Guayaquil. + +While the Duke lay at Lobos, the carpenters built a large boat to land +men, in case of an attack; and, having made all necessary preparations, +and the sick men from both ships being put on board the last prize, +which was called the _Increase_, our first Lieutenant was ordered to +command the _Beginning Galley_; and on the 31st of March we left Lobos, +and agreed to cruise six leagues to the windward of the Saddle of Payta, +as the most likely station to succeed in our enterprize. + +On the 2d of April we fell in with a large ship, of 400 tons, from +Panama, heavily laden with dry goods, commanded by Captain Morel, and +thought to be one of the largest merchant-ships in all those seas. He +had 50 or 60 blacks on board, besides several passengers. + +The next day we took another prize of small value, having only about 90 +or 100l. in plate, and a small quantity of timber. She was of 50 tons +burden, commanded by Juan Perezillo Bastillo, who told us that a bishop +was coming by sea from Panama to Lima with 200,000 pieces of eight, and +a considerable quantity of family plate; but no ship appearing in sight +from the 3d to the 9th, it was then upon consultation agreed to call in +the cruisers, and to attempt the conquest of Puna and Guayaquil. This +resolution being taken in council, it was next debated, who should +command in chief on shore; and, after a warm contest, it was at length +agreed, that Captain Rogers and Captain Courtney should each command a +company of seamen, and Captain Dover a party of landmen; that Captain +Dover should give the word of command the first night, and the other two +Captains take their turns. + +On Sunday the 10th, Mr. Vanbrugh, the owners agent, was removed from the +council, and Mr. Samuel Hopkins was chosen in his room; the charge +against him was founded on killing the Indian, as already mentioned, and +engaging to vote with Captain Rogers upon all occasions. Captain Dover +likewise charged him with insolence, and with disobeying orders. + +On the 12th, the attack of Guayaquil was finally settled, and the whole +fleet set sail for that harbour. Some new regulations were framed, and +fresh encouragement proposed to animate the men to behave resolutely. + +The three commanding officers selected each their respective parties, +Captain Dover the marines, and the Captains Rogers and Courtney two +parties of sailors, 75 men in each; Captain Dampier commanded the +artillery, and was to form a body of reserve, to act as occasion should +offer. The whole number employed in this service amounted to 238 +effective men. The care of the ships and prizes was at the same time +entrusted to the Captains Cooke and Fry, who, besides a small complement +of sailors, had 226 Indians and blacks on board. + +Friday 15. Saw a sail near the shore, and, having little wind, the +Duke’s boat commanded by Captain Fry, and ours by myself, made directly +for her, going off in such haste that neither of us had the swivel guns +we used to carry, nor our full complement of men. The Duke’s boat +nearing her first, she put out Spanish colours, fired a gun, and hoisted +her Spanish flag at the main-top-mast head. The Duke’s boat then lay by +for us to come up. We saw she was French-built, and, by the description +the prisoners had given us, concluded it must be the ship we had been so +long cruising for, which was to carry the Bishop. Our ships being almost +out of sight, and the Spaniards so near the coast, we resolved to lay +her on board on each bow, and accordingly fell to it. The dispute was +hot for a long time, we keeping a constant fire, and the enemy returning +it, who killed two of Captain Fry’s men, besides wounding one of his and +two of mine. One of the killed was Mr. John Rogers, our second +Lieutenant, and brother to Captain Rogers. The Duke’s boat, finding the +enterprize desperate, bore away; and some time after we did the like: +but Captain Fry having put some of his men aboard of us, given us some +powder and shot, and taken in our wounded, I made again to the chace, +resolving to keep her from the shore, and, rather than fail, to clap her +aboard. The Spaniards, perceiving our design, edged off to sea, and we +followed them. Our ships came up apace, and the Dutchess having fired a +shot or two, she struck her colours, and surrendered. The men begged for +good quarter, and we promised them all civility. This ship came from +Panama, and was bound for Lima, to be fitted out for a man of war. There +were 70 blacks, and many passengers, with a considerable quantity of +pearls, on board: the lading consisted of bale goods, and some things +belonging to the Bishop; but they had set him, with his attendants, +ashore at point St. Helena, from whence he was to go by land to +Guayaquil. While the French possessed this vessel, she was called La +Lune d’Or. She was of 270 tons burden, and commanded by Don Joseph de +Arizabella. + +Saturday 16. Took a small bark laden with hides, and some flour, and +buried our Lieutenant, being all much concerned for the loss of so good +an officer. + +Sunday 17. All things being now in order, our men went aboard the two +barks in order to land, and Captain Fry and I took charge of the ships, +prizes, and prisoners. + +Monday 18. At one in the morning, being near the island Santa Clara, our +two barks with the land forces left us. + +Tuesday 19. The boats rowed with 45 men towards the island Puna, and +came to a grappling close under the land, out of sight of the look-outs. +We seized the Governor of the island, and sent our carpenter and two or +three hands along the shore, to cut all the bark-logs and canoes in +pieces, for fear they should get away and alarm the town of Guayaquil. + +Thursday 21. I sent the Beginning a-head, for fear of danger, who, +seeing a vessel riding close under point Arena, fired two swivel guns at +her; but found nobody on board. She was a new Spanish bark going to load +salt, and had nothing in her but a few jars of water. At five in the +afternoon the transports rowed for the town of Guayaquil, and at eleven +at night were so near as to hear one centinel call to another for fire +to be brought. Perceiving we were discovered, we rowed over to the other +side, and saw a fire made where the centinels talked, and soon after +many lights all over the town. We heard them likewise ring the +alarm-bell, and fire several volleys; and we observed them to light a +fire on the hill to give the town notice of our being come up the river. +Hereupon the boats came to a grappling, when such a hot dispute arose +among some of our chief officers, that they were heard ashore; the +officers differing in their opinions, whether to land immediately, or +stay till morning; however, at last it was agreed, that, since we did +not know the ground, it was best to stay till day-light. + +Friday 22. Our forces being all joined, we sent a flag of truce, with +the Captain of the French-built ship, and another prisoner, to the +Corregidor, who asked him our number, which the Captain magnified. The +Corregidor suggested that we were mere boys; but the Captain replied, he +would find we were men, for we had fought him bravely in our open boats, +though he had killed one of the Commander’s brothers, and wounded and +killed others; and therefore advised him to agree for the ransom of the +town. + +Saturday 23. The pinnace went up the river after some vessels, and +brought six of them to anchor by our barks; and we also took possession +of two new ships, of about 400 tons each. We then went ashore with a +flag of truce, and the Governor came on board to agree about the ransom +of the town and ships; but this not being then concluded, he promised to +meet the Captain at seven in the evening, but was not so good as his +word. + +Sunday 24. The Governor came off again to treat, and our Captains would +have seized him for having forfeited his word; but he alledging that it +was incompatible with his coming with a flag of truce, was set ashore +again, and all things were made ready for the attack. Accordingly the +men landed, and, being commanded to proceed, they went on with so much +bravery, that the Spaniards fired only their first volley and fled, our +people pressing and pursuing them to their cannon, which they soon +deserted, the gunner only, who was an Irishman, standing by them till he +was wounded in four places, of which wounds he soon after died. Our men +then marched in a body through both towns, drove out the enemy, and, +placing three guards in the three churches, set fire to five or six +houses adjoining to the wood, lest the enemy should annoy our guard, +which was within pistol-shot. All this night they kept firing out of the +woods at our centinels, but did them no harm. In the mean time, the +Dutchess’s pinnace, commanded by Lieutenant Connely, went up the river, +landed at every house, took the plate and what else of value they found, +and had some skirmishes with the enemy, in which one of our men was +wounded. + +Monday 25. In the night one of our centinels shot another belonging to +us, who was going from his post, and did not answer when challenged +three times; our first Lieutenant’s pistol went off by his side, and +wounded him in the leg; and another of our men was also shot through the +foot by one of our own people: moreover, our surgeon cut off a man’s arm +who had been hurt by one of our grenadoe-shells, which broke in the bark +when fired out of the cohorne. The afternoon was spent in shipping off +provisions from the town, and disposing all things in case of an attack +in the night. + +Tuesday 26. A flag of truce came to treat concerning ransoming the town, +which was at last agreed on for 30,000 dollars. We were to have three +hostages, and to stay at Puna till they could raise the money. + +Wednesday 27. The hostages came on board; and we took down our Union +flag, and hoisted a flag of truce, firing a gun for a signal that the +Spaniards might come into the town, and that no farther hostilities +should be committed on either side. + +Thursday 28. Our barks weighed with the beginning of the ebb, the Duke’s +pinnace making the best of her way down to the ships; and the float, +after going ashore to fetch off the great guns, weighed also, and fell +down the river. + +Friday 29. Captain Rogers came aboard, and gave us an account that they +had taken, plundered, and ransomed the town of Guayaquil; that three of +our men had been killed, two by our own people, and one by the +Spaniards, and four wounded; that the inhabitants, whilst treating, had +carried off their money and plate, retiring to the woods, and leaving +their guns, four whereof were taken, with a considerable quantity of +meal, pease, sugar, brandy, and wine, all which was coming down in the +barks. This day Hugh Tidcomb, who was shot by his fellow-centinel, died. +At four in the afternoon, spied a sail standing up the river with the +tide of flood: we sent both ship’s boats after her, and before night +they brought her in. She was a small Spanish bark from Cheripe, having +on board 330 bags of meal, 35 hundred weight of sugar, some onions, +quinces, and pomegranates. This, with the six barks, and two great ships +ransomed by the town of Guayaquil, made fourteen prizes taken in those +seas. + +Sunday 30. Captain Rogers went aboard the French-built ship to carry her +up to Puna, in hopes of disposing of her cargo and some of the blacks, +who only served to eat up our provisions; as also to bring down what +water and provisions could be got; Captain Courtney being gone there +before on the same account. + +Monday, May 1. A boat came down from the town with part of the ransom, +whereupon most of the prisoners were set on shore. + +Thursday 5. Captain Rogers returned with the French-built ship, the +Spaniards having bought none of her cargo; but they had paid 24,000 +dollars, part of the 30,000 ransom; upon which, the Governor of Puna, +one of the hostages, was discharged, but the others kept. + +Friday 6. In the afternoon the Duke and the prizes joined us, when we +were seven sail in all. A boat came down with about 3000 dollars more, +in money and plate; and the men told us, that the other 3000 dollars +would soon come, and 12,000 more to purchase goods: but this we supposed +to be a trick, to keep us till the men-of-war could come from Lima; +whereupon we made all possible dispatch to get out of the bay, kept +three of the hostages, and sent the prisoners ashore. The Beginning, +being of no other use, since we had better vessels, we sold to the +Spaniards for the value of 50l. in pearl, gold chains, &c. and put the +prisoners aboard, but kept pilots, and a man that could speak English, +the President of Panama’s son, and the hostages. The weather being very +hot, some of our men fell into fevers; and in a few days we had near 100 +sick, and among the number Capt. Courtney. + +Sunday 8. Sailed with a small breeze at N. W. At noon it began to blow +fresh; but nothing material happened till the 13th, when, believing +ourselves near the longitude of the Gallapagoes, where we designed to +water, fit our ships, and refresh our men, we lay by from six in the +evening till four the next morning, for fear of running by those islands +in the night. + +Monday 16. Mr. Hopkins, Lieutenant of the marines, and one of the +doctors of the Duke, died. + +Tuesday 17. Saw land, being one of the Gallapagoe islands. Next day the +Duke’s boat went on shore to seek for water, but could find none in any +of them, though Captain Cowley, in his voyage round the world, says +there is good water in one of them; but we missed the place. + +The 20th, 21st, and 22d, we spent in plying among the islands, where the +boats found abundance of turtle, large rock-fish, and guanos. These +last-named creatures are larger here than those in other parts of the +West Indies, and are of several colours and sizes. They are eaten by the +seamen, and reckoned good meat, though their deformity made me loath +them. + +Thursday 26. Captain Rogers and Captain Dover came aboard the Dutchess, +and, after holding a council, it was resolved to run in for the island +of Plata to water, and so come off again, for fear of meeting with two +French ships, one of 60, and the other of 46 guns, and the Spanish +men-of-war, which, we were told, would be shortly in search of us. Some +days before this we lost Mr. Hatley, who was in one of the prizes, with +five or six white men, four blacks, and an Indian, having on board +little or no provisions or water, and no boat; and we never more heard +of them. + +Monday 30. The officers of the Duke came aboard, to consult about the +properest place to careen and water at; and ’twas agreed to go to the +island Gorgona, to see whether any Spanish ships were there, and from +thence to Mangla, where are some Indians, enemies to the Spaniards, who, +it was said, would supply us with swine and fowls, good water, turtle, +plantains, and other refreshments. + +Wednesday, June 1. Some of our men were told, that a conspiracy was +forming on board the galleon among the prisoners and blacks. We examined +the Spaniards, who protested they knew nothing of it then put matches +between the fingers of two blacks, making them believe we would burn +them to the bone if they would not confess. They owned there had been a +talk of killing the English among the Indians and blacks, but they +believed it was not in earnest; however, they were dispersed into +several ships to break the combination. + +Sunday 5. Saw a sail right-a-head of us, chaced, and at eight in the +evening came up with her, fired a chace-gun, and she struck. The vessel +was of about 80 tons burden, bound from Panama for Guayaquil, was laden +with iron and other merchandize, and had two women, and several +passengers of note on board, one of whom was going Governor to Baldivia, +whose name was Don Juan Cardoso, and who had been not long before taken +on the other side by the Jamaica cruisers. + +Monday 6. Made the best of our way for Gorgona; and at three in the +afternoon next day, the Duke with the galleon came to an anchor in that +harbour. Same day saw a sail bearing down towards the island, till +spying the galleon in the offing, she stood to the westward. I went out +in the pinnace well-manned, and at noon took and brought her to an +anchor. She was a bark of 50 tons, called El Soldado, came out of a +small port the night before, and was bound for Guayaquil, to load salt, +brandy, &c. She had in her in gold chains and money to the value of 5 or +6 hundred pounds, designed to purchase her cargo. + +Monday 13. Held a full council on board the Duke, and resolved to careen +our ships here as soon as possible. Here we continued till Sunday, +August the 7th; and in the mean time plundered a settlement on the main, +right opposite the island, set most of our prisoners on shore on the +continent, and brought seven beeves, 14 hogs, some poultry, about 50 +bushels of Indian wheat, and a few goats on board: at the same time a +black born in Jamaica, who spoke very good English, and had been taken +with some Jamaica-men eight years before, came over to us in a canoe. +Captain Morel, too, formerly commander of the galleon, brought some +money and fruit, and a merchant or two, who bought some of our blacks. +During our stay at this island, Captain Rogers, Captain Courtney, +myself, and some other officers, underwent much fatigue in fitting up +the Marquis, for which ship we were forced to get entirely new masts and +yards, make most of the sails, and a great deal of new cordage. The +smith also made much new work; as did the carpenters, sail-makers, +riggers, and rope-makers, who all came to help us from each ship. + +The 6th of August, I received my orders to command the Marquis, carrying +20 guns, 60 white men, and 16 blacks; and, the ships having taken in +their loading from the prizes, and all our business being over at the +island of Gorgona, we weighed anchor at 10 in the morning, and ran to +the north of the island: but the masts of the Marquis being new and +heavy, and a great weight of goods between decks, I found she proved +crank, and sailed dull upon the wind; so that the Duke and Dutchess were +fain to spare a great deal of sail for me to keep up with them. + +Friday 12. Held a consultation about sending the Marquis and a bark +laden with bale-goods directly for India, to save provisions and gain +time; but this was opposed by Captain Courtney, and others, in regard to +the Marquis, which being a good vessel, might be of great use in case we +should meet with the Manilla ship, or the men-of-war we supposed were +looking for us. + +Thursday, August 18. At six in the morning saw a sail a-head, gave +chace, and the Dutchess soon coming up with her, and firing a few guns, +she struck, being a bark of about 70 tons, bound from Panama to +Troxillo, with merchants goods, passengers, and blacks, on board. The +master told us, he had been detained three months at Panama by an +embargo, which being taken off upon advice that we were going to the +island of Juan Fernandez, he had set sail. Enquiring what ships were out +in quest of us, the prisoners said, they had advice at Panama of five or +six ships being ordered after us, two of them French, of 48 guns each, +and some Spanish, of the like force, and good sailors. They could tell +no other news, than that the whole coast was alarmed. + +August 19. The Duke and Dutchess fired some vollies to exercise their +men. Next day we fell in with land about a league to the leeward of +Tacames, ran within a league of the shore, and on the 24th cast anchor +in the bay, from whence the Dutchess sent her pinnace ashore for water, +but could get none. Tacames is a village of only seven houses and a +church, standing in a bay, about seven leagues to the northward of Cape +Francisco. The houses are built of split bamboes, and covered with +Palmeto-leaves, standing on stilts or posts; and, instead of stairs, +they have a piece of timber cut in notches to ascend by. The men employ +themselves in killing wild swine with bows and arrows, and striking fish +with their lances, at both which they are very dexterous. The women have +only a piece of baize tied about their middle, and carry their children +at their backs. They are under the authority of the Spanish priests, and +are not permitted to trade without their licence. + +On the 27th. They received a letter of leave, and our boats went ashore +to the houses for cattle; and on the 28th and 29th continued trading and +watering till we had sufficiently supplied the ships. In return for the +civility of these Fathers, I sent as a present to the church at Tacames +four large images, one of which was the Virgin Mary with our Lord and +Saviour in her arms; and I believe Captain Rogers and Captain Courtney +also gave something to adorn their church. On Wednesday the 31st of +August we set sail, the wind being at S. W. + +Thursday, Sept. 1. Saw abundance of water-snakes, one of which was +coming up the side of our ship, and our men beat it off. The Spaniards +say, there is no cure for such as are bit by them; and one of our blacks +happened to fall under that misfortune, and died, notwithstanding the +utmost care was taken by our surgeons to recover him. + +On Wednesday, Sept. 7. Made one of the Gallapagoe islands. On the 10th, +stood close in for the head-land, sending our boat on shore for water +and turtle. At night our boat came aboard, bringing 13 turtle, some +weighing 200 weight; the other boats got near 50 each; and the +Dutchess’s several land-turtle, but no water. Our men saw several jars, +and some of the wreck and rudder of a vessel, and should have guessed it +to be the prize Captain Hatley lost when here before, but the rudder was +too small for her. + +Wednesday 14. The Dutchess, Marquis, and small prize, weighed, ran out, +and lay by for the Duke, which could not get out for want of wind. On +the 15th, set sail in the morning; and, considering the sun was directly +over our heads, the weather was cold, occasioned, as I believe, by the +southerly winds, which are coldest in those parts. + +Thursday, Sept. 22. The Marquis kept the pump continually going, having +sprung two leaks, not being well caulked at Gorgona; therefore weared +her on the other tack, and stopt one leak, but could not find the other, +being about the stern. Weared again, and stood to the westward. + +Friday 22. At a consultation on board the Duke, it was agreed to steer +to the Islands Marias, for a convenient place to refit, wood, and water; +then to cruise in quest of the Manilla ship, which was large, and of +great value, being reported by the Spaniards to be worth 2,000,000 +sterling. + +On the 3d of October. Cape Corientes appeared, bearing N. E. 10 leagues; +and on the 4th in the morning we made the islands called Tres Marias, at +the distance of about 16 leagues; but could not fetch them till the 6th, +when we got under the lee of one of them. I lay off with the ship, and +sent the boat ashore for water and turtle; but neither the one nor the +other was to be got, because of the surff. + +Before our coming to this place, we discovered the white rock, formerly +mentioned by Dampier, and took it for a ship on the sight of which the +Dutchess let go the bark she had in tow, telling her to make the best of +her way to the middle island; under the lee of which both the Duke and +Dutchess came to an anchor on the 7th and 8th; and I might have been +there as soon, had I not seen the bark six or seven leagues to leeward. +It was fortunate that I came in time to relieve her, otherwise she must +have perished, having neither wood nor water on board, and not being +able to make up against the wind and current to reach the land. I bore +down to her, supplied her wants, and took her in tow till the 20th in +the morning, when the middle island bearing north, distant about seven +leagues, we saw a sail coming from the island before the wind, which +proved the Dutchess, who came in search of us, and was glad to find us +safe; brought us some water and turtle, and told us there was game +enough in the island, if we could bear up to it. Captain Courtney took +us in tow, to help us in the sooner, having cleaned his ship’s bottom +before he set sail to come to our assistance. + +On the 11th, I came to an anchor, after much trouble and fatigue in +plying so long against the wind and current. Seven of Captain Rogers’s +best blacks this day left him, and ran away. We continued in this bay +till + +Monday the 24th, when a general council was held, at which it was +resolved to cruise off Cape St. Lucas for the Manilla ship, all our +ships being now very well fitted, wooded, watered, and provided with +turtle. Several warm debates happened in council among our chief +officers; and Captain Dover quitted the Duke, and went on board the +Dutchess, by his own free choice. I endeavoured to accommodate these +differences, but to no purpose, which gave several of us great concern. + +The islands of Tres Marias, where we anchored, abound with animals of +various kinds, and the shores with fish; among these the sea and land +turtle may be accounted of most use to navigators. Of the sea-turtle +there are various sorts; as the green, which are the sweetest and best; +the hawk’s-bill, which are very good; and the logger-head, which the +sailors never refuse when the others are not to be caught. The method of +taking them is by turning them, and when they are on their backs, they +appear as in the Plate, fig. 1. + + [Illustration: Miscellaneous Plate of fish, trees, &c.] + +The land-turtle lives constantly ashore, feeds upon grass, moves very +slow, and, when an enemy approaches, covers itself under its shell, +squatting close to the ground, from which it is not easily discernible, +appearing like a bare patch without verdure. The shells of these animals +are so hard, that a man may tread upon them without hurting them. Their +flesh is very good and nourishing. They will live five or six weeks +without food, and appear to be never the worse. They lay round eggs, +about the size of a hen’s, and are very good to eat. Some of the +sea-turtle taken in the bay where we anchored had 200 eggs in them. Our +men lived almost wholly upon turtle, and their eggs, from the time they +went first to the Gallapagoes till their departure for the East Indies, +saving their ship-provisions till their run across the South Seas. For +the land-turtle, see fig. 2. + +At these islands our men caught plenty of the fish called old wives. +They have very small mouths, large eyes, a high fin on the back, and +shaped as you see fig. 3. The colour of the body is a deep blue; the +fins of a lighter colour, tipped with yellow. Others are of an +ash-colour on the back, and white under the belly. + +The rock-fish we caught in the island of Tres Marias were large, had +great mottled fins, yellow backs, red bellies, and red and black tails. +See fig. 4. + +Another fish our men caught was the cavallo, in shape not much unlike +the dolphin, with a large bright eye, black back, white belly, a long +streak from his gills to the middle of his tail, and is about the size +of a mackarel. See fig. 5. + +A small fish we found there, about six inches long, was very delicious; +the back of an indigo-blue, a deep yellow streak running from the gills +to the tail, the belly white, and the tail forked. It seems peculiar to +these islands, and wants a name. See fig. 6. + +Of the animals, the racoon was the most plentiful. It has a large black +eye, whiskers and nose like a pig, tail and feet like a rat, a brownish +fur on his back, and a white belly. See fig. 7. + +Of the venomous creatures, the scorpion is the most noxious; its tail is +jointed with a small sting at the tip; it has two claws like those of +the lobster; and its head and feet have a near resemblance to those of +the same fish. See fig. 8. + +Among the singing-birds found in those islands, the cardinal bird was +seen in greatest abundance. It is a very beautiful bird, with scarlet +feathers, and on its head the male has a tuft of the same colour. They +are of the same kind with those we call the Virginia Nightingale; but +the Spaniards call them cardinal birds, from their scarlet feathers. See +fig. 9. + +Among the vegetables we found the magney-plant, or silk-grass, of which +the Indians make ropes, sails, sacks, and all their curious netting. It +also yields a liquor of which they make wine, honey, and a good balsam. +The liquor as it comes from the plant is as sweet as sugar; after +standing it becomes a wine, and will intoxicate powerfully. It has thick +juicy leaves, not unlike those of the houseleek, but grows up to a +considerable height in the form represented by fig. 10; And, when it has +stood about six years, the Indians cut out the middle leaves, leaving +the heart of the plant hollow, which of itself fills with the juice, and +is every morning during the season taken out and preserved. Of this +juice the Spaniards make spirits; and it is so universally used in one +shape or other by the Spaniards and Indians in New Spain, that the duty +arising from it in one year is said to have amounted to 110,000 pieces +of eight at the port of Angels alone. + +The prickly tree found on those islands is esteemed a great curiosity. +The trunk of it is angular, and covered with prickles; is of a pale +green, and yields a gum which the druggists call euphorbium, which is +said to be powerful in removing pains in the head. It grows about 12 +feet high, in the form represented in the plate, fig. 11. + +These were the principal peculiarities observable in the animal and +vegetable tribes at the islands of Tres Marias. + +On Tuesday, Oct. 2, at two in the afternoon, we weighed, and set sail +for Cape St. Lucas, where we spread ourselves for fear the Manilla ship +should pass by unseen. The Duke cruised about two leagues to the +southward of the Dutchess, the Dutchess in the middle, and the Marquis +two leagues to the northward of her. Place of rendezvous six or seven +leagues in sight of Cape St. Lucas. + +Nov. 1. The Marquis sprang two great leaks, and broke the collar of the +fore-stay, which obliged me to wear the ship to fix the stay, and then +hauled up after the other ships, and stopped the leaks. + +Tuesday 2. All the officers and men on board the Marquis signed an +instrument, obliging themselves to stand by the articles agreed to by +the companies of the other ships. + +Nov. 4. I spoke with Captain Courtney, and changed stations with him, he +having better boats than mine to send ashore for water and turtle; or, +in case of seeing the Manilla ship, to prevent her sending the +passengers ashore with their wealth. The 10th, the Duke and Dutchess +having spoken with each other, changed stations, the Duke going in for +the shore, and the Dutchess off to the outward station. + +Nov. 22. Captain Rogers informed me, that the bark and his boat had been +in with the shore, and had spoken with the natives, who seemed very +civil, and had pearl and some grain to dispose of; and that there was +wood and water enough. Nothing material happened till + +Dec. 13, when we had a consultation on board the Dutchess, to enquire +into the stock of provisions on board the ships, and found by the +accounts given in, that only three months meat at short allowance, and +two months bread, remained unexpended; and, as there was no appearance +of the Manilla ship, though the usual time of her coming was elapsed, it +was agreed to make all possible dispatch in fitting up the ships, in +order to make the best of our way across the Pacific Ocean, that we +might take the advantage of the trade-winds to carry us to Guam on our +return home. In pursuance of this resolution, I was ordered into +harbour, as the Marquis wanted more considerable repairs than either of +the other two, and the Duke and Dutchess proposed to cruise a few days +longer, while I was getting forward to be in readiness to accompany them +to Europe. + +On the 14th, I bore away for Puerto Seguro, and on the 15th entered the +harbour at midnight. + +On the 16th proceeded to business, my first orders being to return again +to cruise as soon as possible; but these orders were afterwards +countermanded, it being absolutely necessary that all the ships should +rendezvous together before their final departure from the American +coast. + +This place is inhabited by about 200 Indians, living in huts made of +boughs of trees and reeds, built like a bower, with a fire in the +middle, round which they lie and sleep. They all go naked, only the +women have short petticoats made of silk grass, or else of pelicans or +deers skins. The men are straight, and well limbed; live by fishing and +hunting, and value knives, scissars, nails, or iron, beyond gold and +silver. They have long black hair, and are of a dark-brown complexion. +The women are very ordinary, and employ themselves in gathering and +grinding corn, and in making fishing-lines. They are very honest and +very civil. They assisted in fitting up the ships, and took nothing away +but what was given them. Our people at their first coming got some +pearls among them, but I never could see any afterwards. I made signs +for them to bring gold; but they pointed up to the mountains. They use +bows and arrows, and even the boys are so dexterous as to kill birds +flying with them. + +Dec 22. Being busy about our repairs, at 10 in the morning heard some +guns firing in the offing: I bent my sails to hasten to the assistance +of my consorts, but the sea-breeze coming on rendered it impossible; +whereupon I ascended an adjacent hill, and saw our ships engage and take +the Manilla ship, which we had been so long expecting. + +The account Captain Rogers gives of the engagement is as follows: “At +day-break, says he, we saw the chace upon our weather-bow about a league +from us, the Dutchess a-head of her to leeward, near about half as far. +Towards six in the morning our boat came on board, having kept very near +the chace all night, and received no damage; but told us the Dutchess +passed by her in the night, and she fired two shot at him; but they +returned none. We had no wind, but got out eight of our ship’s oars, and +rowed about an hour, when there sprung up a small breeze. I ordered a +large kettle of chocolate to be made for our ship’s company, having no +spirituous liquors to give them. Then we went to prayers; and before we +had concluded, were disturbed by the enemy’s firing at us. They had +barrels hanging at each yard-arm that looked like powder-barrels, to +deter us from boarding them. About eight o’clock we began to engage her +by ourselves, for the Dutchess being to leeward, and having little wind, +did not come up. The enemy fired her stern chace upon us first, which we +returned with our fore-chace several times, till we came nearer, and +went close on board each other. We gave her several broadsides, plying +our small arms very briskly, which they returned as thick for a while, +but did not ply their great guns with the same alacrity. After some +time, we shot a little a-head of them, lying thwart her hawse, close +aboard; and plied her so warmly, that she soon struck her colours +two-thirds down. By this time the Dutchess came up, and fired about five +guns, with a volley of small shot; but the enemy, having submitted, made +no return. We sent our pinnace on board, and brought the Captain with +the Officers away; and, having examined them, found there came another +ship out from Manilla with them of larger burden, having about 40 brass +guns mounted, and as many patararoes; but they told us they lost her +company about three months ago, and reckoned she was got to Accapulco +before this time, she sailing better than this ship. + +This prize was called by the swelling name of Nostra Signiora de la +Incarnacion Desengenio, Sir John Pichberty Commander. She had 20 guns, +20 patararoes, and 193 men on board, whereof nine were killed, ten +wounded, and several blown up with powder. We engaged them about three +glasses, in which time we had only myself and another man wounded. I was +shot through the left cheek; the bullet struck away part of my upper +jaw, and several of my teeth, part of which dropt down upon the deck +where I fell; and the other, an Irish landman, was slightly wounded in +the hip. They did us no great damage in our rigging, but their shot +disabled our mizzen-mast. I was forced to write what I had to say to +prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by +speaking. + +On the 23d of December, after putting our ships to rights, we stood in +for the harbour, which was distant about seven leagues to the N. E. Our +surgeons went on board the prize to dress their wounded men. About four +in the afternoon we came to an anchor, and received the compliments of +all on board the Marquis on our sudden and unexpected success, which +gave us no small satisfaction. We found that ship in good condition, +ready to sail, and all the men on board her very brisk, and eager for +action. + +At eight in the evening, we held a consultation on the two great points; +first, what should be done with the prisoners and hostages; and next, +how we should act with regard to the other Manilla ship, which we +thought at least there was a great probability of taking. + +With respect to the first, we proposed, as the hostages from Guayaquil +were men of honour, and as we had good reason to believe that the +Chevalier Pichberry, being brother to the famous M. du Cass, was the +same, to make the best terms we could with them, and set them at +liberty. Accordingly, we put a part of the goods on board the bark into +the prize, and then offered the remainder with the bark, together with +what remained unpaid of the ransom, for 6000 pieces of eight, and to +take the Chevalier’s bills payable at London for the money. This they +accepted, and gave us an acknowledgement at the same time, that they +thought it a good bargain. When this was settled, we had nothing more to +do than to provide for our own security, and to look after the other +galleon. + +I was very desirous of going out with the Dutchess to cruise for her; +but there having been some reflections cast, on account of the +Dutchess’s not engaging our last prize so soon as it was thought she +might have done, Captain Courtney was absolutely bent on going out with +the Marquis; and the officers of both ships voting for this in council, +my proposal was over-ruled, and we were forced to stay in the harbour +against our will. It was, however, agreed, that we should put 10 of our +best hands on board the Dutchess; and on Christmas eve she and the +Marquis sailed.”----We now return to Captain Cooke in the Marquis. + +Sunday 25. At eight in the morning, being two leagues off Cape St. +Lucas, we saw a sail distant about seven leagues, which we concluded to +be the ship we were in pursuit of. The Dutchess was two leagues to the +westward, and we both gave chace. At noon the enemy bore south, distant +about five leagues. At 12 at night, the Dutchess got along-side, and +began to engage her. Captain Courtney fought her bravely about four +glasses, and then lay by to secure his masts, and knot his rigging, +which were much wounded and shattered. Our ship not being so good a +sailor as the Dutchess, could not come up. + +Monday 26. As soon as it was day, we saw the Spaniard’s flag, and knew +him to be the Admiral of the Manilla. At eight we perceived the Duke +coming out to us. At two in the afternoon we got along-side the enemy; +but the wind shifting, could fetch no nearer than about half musket-shot +to leeward of her. She then fired two shot at us, and we returned a +broad side and vollies of small arms, beginning the combat with three +cheers. When we had fought two glasses, the Dutchess came up under her +stern, and raked her fore and aft, and then fell astern again, we still +continuing hot at her for five glasses: then weared, and stood to the +westward, to fetch nearer up to her; for firing so many guns had laid us +to leeward. The Dutchess went up, and engaged again very briskly for +half an hour, and then stretched a-head of her. We could perceive many +shot in her between wind and water. At five we tacked, and raked her +fore and aft with our starboard broadside, then weared under her stern, +and did the same with our larboard broadside; and firing several vollies +while we loaded our larboard guns again, gave her the other broadside. +By this time it grew dark, and we fell a-stern, to speak with the +Dutchess, and to get more ammunition, having but three rounds of shot +for most of our guns left. At eight I went on board the Dutchess, and +found her much disabled in her masts and rigging, and had seven men +killed and wounded. Capt. Courtney and I agreed to be yard-arm and +yard-arm with the enemy in the morning, he to lie on the bow, and I on +the quarter; and if he boarded, I was to clap him aboard, and enter my +men over him. Being supplied with more ammunition, I returned on board +the Marquis, both of us keeping close under the chace’s quarter, and +firing guns all night, to annoy the enemy, and to give the Duke notice +where we were. Before day the Duke joined us. The chace, mistaking him +for her consort, had made signals all night, and had edged away to meet +him, otherwise the Duke could not have come up, there being but very +little wind, and that contrary. + +Then we all three agreed to fall upon the enemy at once, as soon as it +was light; but while we lay athwart her hawse, those guns that missed +the enemy flew through the Duke’s masts and rigging, which obliged him +to change his station, and to draw up along-side close aboard her, where +he kept up a constant fire of round shot, all other shot proving +ineffectual, because of the strength of the ship’s sides, which no other +shot would penetrate; and as none of the Spaniards appeared in sight, +but all kept to close quarters, it was in vain to make use of small +arms, except now and then, when a man appeared to observe our situation, +and to keep an eye upon their ensign. In this manner, the Dutchess lying +upon her hawse, the Duke along her broadside, and the Marquis athwart +her stern, we kept pelting her for four glasses; and, in the mean time, +the Duke received a shot in his main-mast, which much disabled it; and, +in shifting, both he and the Dutchess came back close under the enemy, +and had like to have been all aboard her. The Duke, in endeavouring to +recover his station, received a fire-ball, which lighting upon his +quarter-deck, blew up a chest of arms and cartouch-boxes, all loaded, +and several cartridges of powder in the steerage, by which means Mr. +Vanbrugh, our agent, and two others, were very much burnt; the Dutchess +going to lash to the enemy, was forced to cast off, and get clear, for +fear of being set on fire. The enemy fired at us all three at once, but +slowly, seldom missing our masts and rigging, and sometimes hulling us. +After lying near half an hour along the chace’s side, the Dutchess lay +by to stop her leaks, and secure her fore-mast, being very much +disabled, having 25 men killed and wounded, and the sails and rigging +much shattered. Captain Rogers some time after lay by to secure his +mast. Then I lay athwart the enemy’s hawse till I had fired three +broadsides, some odd guns, and several vollies; then gave another +broadside and some vollies into her stern. The Duke came up again, and +fired several guns, and both fell a-stern the chace, keeping under sail, +and standing to the westward. We knotted some of our rigging, and stopt +our leaks made with twelve pounders. Our main-mast was disabled also, +the sails and rigging much shattered; but the enemy, aiming to disable +my masts, I had the good fortune to have only my second mate, and some +others, blown up with powder. The ship was once set on fire by the +enemy’s stink-pots, but we soon put it out. About eleven I wore the +ship, and designed to have attacked the enemy again; but, seeing the +Duke and Dutchess lying by, the one with a waist in his ensign, and the +other with a Spanish jack, the signals to speak with one another, I +brought to. Captain Courtney came on board of me, and we both went on +board the Duke; where we considered the condition the three ships were +in, their masts and rigging being much damaged in a place where we could +get no recruit; that, if we engaged her again we could propose to do no +more than what we had already done, which was evident did her no great +hurt, because we could perceive few of our shot entered her sides to any +purpose, and our small arms availed less, there being not a man to be +seen above board; that the least thing in the world would bring the +Duke’s main-mast, and likewise the Dutchess’s foremast, by the board, +either of which by its fall might carry away another mast, and lay us a +perfect butt for the enemy, having nothing to command our ships with; so +that by his heavy guns he might either sink or take us; that, if we went +to board him, we should run a great hazard in losing a great many men +with little hope of success, they having above treble the number on +board to oppose us, and there being now, in all our three ships, not +above 120 men fit for boarding, and those but weak, having been very +short of provisions; so that, if we had boarded her, and been forced +off, or left any of our men behind, the enemy by that means would have +known our strength, and then gone into the harbour, and took possession +of the prize in spite of all we could do to prevent it. Besides our +ammunition was very short, having only enough to engage a few glasses +longer. All this being seriously considered, and knowing the difficulty +we should have to get masts, and the time and provisions we must spend +before we could get them fitted, we resolved to forbear attempting her +farther, since our battering her signified little, and we had not +strength enough to board her; therefore, we agreed to keep her company +till night, and then to lose her, and make the best of our way into the +harbour to secure the prize we had already taken. We engaged first and +last about seven hours, during all which time they had on board the Duke +but eleven men wounded, among whom was the Captain for the second time, +who had part of his heel-bone struck out with a splinter, and all under +his ancle cut above half through with the same; on board the Dutchess, +they had eleven killed, and more than that number wounded; and on board +us only two men scorched with gun-powder. The enemy’s was a brave, +lofty, new ship, named the Virginia, and this the first voyage she had +made. Her burden was 900 tons, and her complement of men 450, besides +passengers, 150 of whom were European pirates, who, having now got all +their wealth on board, were resolved to defend it to the last. The +gunner, who had a post at Manilla, was an expert man, and had provided +for her defence with great skill. He had filled up all the space between +the guns with bales to secure the men. We shattered her sails and +rigging very much, shot away her mizzen-yard, and killed two of her men +out of her tops, which was all the damage we could see done, though we +could not place less than 500 shot in her hull. Thus ended our attempt. + +These large ships are built at Manilla, of excellent timber that will +not splinter; and their sides are thicker and stronger than those of +ships of the same burden constructed in Europe. Had we been together at +first, and boarded her, we might, perhaps, have taken her; but, after +her netting and close-quarters were fixed, she valued us but little. We +might, indeed, have burnt her, at the expence of one of our ships; but +that was objected to, not only from a principle of humanity, but because +we had goods of great value on board all our ships. + +The enemy had heard at Manilla, that there were two ships fitted out at +Bristol to cruise in the South Seas, and that Captain Dampier was to be +their pilot; they had, therefore, provided for their own defence +accordingly. However, to do them justice, they fought gallantly, and, +had the two ships been together, it is more than probable that neither +of them had been taken; but as it happened, had not our unreasonable +squabbles prevented our sailing out together, the chance would have +rather been in our favour: yet this miscarriage, instead of leading to a +reconciliation, served only as a foundation for new disputes. + +On the 1st of Jan. 1710, we returned again into port, and determined to +hasten home with all possible dispatch. The first thing of consequence +was to discharge our prisoners, and to provide for their voyage to +Accapulco; and this being dispatched, we applied to the settling of our +own affairs. We spent our time till the 7th in repairing the damage our +ships had received from the enemy, in taking in wood and water for our +voyage to the East-Indies, and in taking an account of the goods and +stores on board the prize: and it was no small satisfaction to find as +much bread on board the prize as with our own stock would serve us, at +short allowance, during our long run to Guam. + +About this time a warm contest arose about appointing a Commander of the +Manilla ship, which was looked upon as a trust of no small consequence. +Captain Dover, being an owner, desired he might command in chief on +board her. Captain Rogers and several officers of the council contended, +that, as Captain Dover was wholly unacquainted with the navigating part +of the business, the command should be given to Captain Fry, or myself; +but, as I had already the command of the Marquis, I declined any farther +charge, and voted for Captain Dover; at the same time recommending +Captain Fry and Captain Stretton to act under him; against which Captain +Rogers and his officers entered their protest. However, on the 9th of +January, at a full council, it was carried against them, and voted by a +great majority, that the Captains Fry and Stretton should both act in +equal post in the sole navigating the Batchelor Frigate (for that was +the name now given to the Manilla prize), and in fighting her, if +occasion should require, under Captain Dover, who at the same time was +restrained from interrupting them in their business, but charged to be +careful of what was in the ship, and to see that nothing was acted on +board contrary to the interest of the owners and captors. The matter +being thus qualified, the nominal command given to Captain Dover, and +the executive power vested in the naval officers, Captain Rogers +withdrew his protest, and the council proceeded to the choice of the +inferior officers, appointing Alexander Selkirk master, and Joseph Smith +chief mate: they also agreed to furnish her complement of men, by +selecting 30 from the Duke, 25 from the Dutchess, and 13 from the +Marquis, which, with 36 Lascars taken on board her, formed a tolerable +crew of more than 100 mariners. This business being thus fully settled, +and the island of Guam pitched upon as the place of rendezvous in case +of separation, on the 10th of January we weighed anchor, and ran out at +midnight. At 12 the next day Cape St. Lucas bore north, distant about +five leagues. We steered away for some days S. W. by S. till we got into +the trade-winds, and then our course was uniform. + +All the natives of California that we saw during our stay at Puerto +Seguro did not amount to 300. They had large limbs, were very straight +and tall, and of a much darker complexion than any other people that we +had met with in the South Seas. Their hair was long, lank, and black, +and hung down upon their hips. The men were all stark-naked; but the +women had a covering about their waists made of the silk-grass already +mentioned, fringed and knotted. All of them that we saw were old, and +miserably wrinkled; perhaps they concealed from us their maidens, for +reasons that need not be explained. The language of the natives was +guttural, very harsh, and unpleasant. They seemed to covet nothing that +we had, except axes, saws, and knives; and even these they did not +attempt to steal. Their huts were low, and wholly made up of branches of +trees; and seemed rather a kind of temporary coverings than settled +dwellings. While we lay in port they subsisted chiefly on fish; and +though they neither made use of nets or lines, yet they had a method of +striking them with lances that was very dexterous, and at which they +were very expert. They were besides most excellent divers, and instead +of canoes made use of rafts. They were very civil and inoffensive; and +were observed to pay great respect to one among them, whose head was +adorned with feathers very artificially combined, and who probably was +their wizard, or cunning-man. Some of them had strings of pearls, and +party-coloured shells so prettily intermixed, that, though we had +glass-beads, and other showy trinkets, yet they paid no sort of +attention to any of them; but prized their own ornaments above every +thing but cutting instruments. Their arms are bows and arrows, in the +use of which their boys were so expert as to shoot birds flying by way +of amusement. They grew very familiar with us while we staid, and came +frequently to gaze at the men as they cut wood and filled water, but +never offered to assist in any thing like labour. They get fire like +other Indians, by rubbing two sticks together, which kindle almost +instantaneously. + +From this harbour we departed but very slenderly provided, having but +little live-stock, and hardly any liquors but what were found in the +prize. As soon as we were out of sight of land, we were all put to short +allowance, officers and men: to the latter four-and-twenty ounces of +flour, four pounds of meat, and two gallons of water, to a mess of five +men in 24 hours. But in a few days, the Batchelor made a signal to give +us some bread, they having found a large quantity concealed, with some +sweet-meats. We had 500 weight for our share, the Duke 1000 weight, and +the Dutchess as much; in return for which we sent back to the prize some +casks of flour, and a barrel of English beef; and the like present was +returned from the other ships. From this time till the 10th of March +nothing remarkable happened. + +On that day we made the island Saraua, one of the Ladrones, and the same +evening came in sight of Guam, distant about three leagues. Next day we +came to anchor in the port of Umatta, at about a mile distance from the +houses, in lat. 13 deg. 30 min. N. by estimation; long. from Cape St. +Lucas, 100 deg. 19 min. W. We went in with French and Spanish colours, +that they might not suspect us to be enemies. Several of their boats +came about our ships; but none would venture on board, till being off +the anchoring place, one was sent by the Spanish Governor, desiring to +know who we were, and what we wanted. We presently dispatched our +interpreter with a letter, purporting, that we were subjects of Great +Britain, and driven by necessity to stop at those islands to purchase +provisions and other necessaries; that, if our wants were supplied with +civility, we should pay generously; but, on the contrary, if our request +was denied, we should proceed to act according to the laws of war. To +this letter we received a very obliging answer from the Spanish +Governor, Don Juan Antonio Pimental, and were furnished with hogs, oxen, +rice, maize, poultry, and other necessaries in a more plentiful manner, +and at a cheaper rate, than we could expect. We continued at Guam till +the 21st of March, during which time reciprocal civilities daily passed +between the officers on board and the gentlemen of the island; and we +parted perfectly satisfied with each other’s behaviour. We found the +variation in these parts only half a point to the eastward, though in +our run across the Great South Sea, we had it 12 degrees: the reason I +take to be, the unevenness of the globe, and its unequal mixture of much +matter differing in itself as to the magnetical quality; as having large +and stoney mountains, spacious vallies, deep seas, long-continued +continents, with mighty scattered rocks of load-stone, iron mines, and +other magnetical substances. + +The natives of Guam are of a dark complexion, but not so black as the +Indians of California. They are in general the largest and best limbed +men I ever saw, and some of them hairy, and very strong. The women are +straight and tall, and in the neighbourhood of the Spaniards go decently +cloathed; but in the remote parts of the island they go quite naked. +They are said to be man-eaters, and to have no settled way of worship, +but every one pays a kind of adoration to they know not what. The island +is plentifully supplied with cattle, and might be made the garden of the +world, if the Spaniards were not as idle as the Indians; but as nature +spontaneously produces sufficient for sustenance, they avail themselves +but little of cultivation. Of all the works of art for which the Indians +are remarkable, the paroas, or boats, of this island are certainly the +most wonderful, as they exceed in swift sailing every other vessel yet +seen throughout the world. We were assured upon the best authority, that +they will sail 20 leagues an hour; and the Captain of the Spanish guard +said, he would lose his head if they did not perform it. + +On Tuesday, March 21, 1710, we were under sail, and steered away W. by +S. with moderate gales from the N. N. E. which continued so for some +weeks; but about the middle of April the blowing weather came on, and +continued till the 27th of that month, during which time most of our +main-shrouds, several of our stays, most of our running-ropes, and the +mizzen-gears, gave way, so that the yard came by the board, and by its +fall wounded the first Lieutenant, so that we feared he never would have +recovered. Most of our sails too were split; but, being supplied with +new shrouds by Captain Rogers, and with other ropes by Captain Courtney, +I bent new sails; but found the ship very leaky. The Duke and Dutchess +too suffered much by the tempestuous weather, and the Batchelor split +her sails; but being otherwise stoutly built and rigged, nothing but +running against a rock could hurt her. I had no conception of meeting +with such boisterous weather so near the Line, which proved as bad as +that we encountered in surrounding Cape Horn, with this difference only, +that the one was intensely cold, and the other intolerably hot. And +being now crossed by variable winds, sometimes lying by, sometimes +scudding before the wind, and unable to pursue our direct course, our +provisions began to fail, and on board of us rats rose to a very high +price. The ships were besides leaky, and our men began to sicken with +excessive labour and hard living. A general council was therefore called +to consider what was best to be done in our present condition, when it +was agreed to make the island of Talao, that of Ternate, or, if neither +of them could be reached, then to put into some part of Mindanao. + +On Tuesday, May the 2d, we observed a ring about the sun, and were +apprehensive of more bad weather. In the night we passed by Talao +without seeing it; and Captain Dampier, who had been twice in these seas +before, gave out, that, if we could not reach Ternate, it would be +impossible for us to get refreshment on the coast of New Guinea, which +proved true; yet it was with the greatest difficulty the men could be +prevailed upon to submit to short allowance. + +Monday the 8th, having had tempestuous weather, we perceived that a +strong current had set in to the eastward; and to our astonishment we +found the land in sight to be Cape Noba, a promontory at the east end of +Gilolo, bearing S. S. E. distant 15 leagues. Perceiving now that we +could not get to the island of Ternate, nor to that of Mindanao, we +resolved to make the best of our way through the straits of Gilolo: but, +notwithstanding our utmost efforts, we continued sailing among a cluster +of islands, most of them uninhabited, but all capable of producing +spices, during the whole month of May, without being able to avail +ourselves of any of their refreshments. On the 20th of May we came in +sight of the island of Ceram, as we then thought, but afterwards found +it to be the island of Bouro. + +On the 25th, we came in sight of a low island right-a-head of us, and +about noon observed an opening, which, when we came near, we found to be +a passage between two little islands that almost joined. They were very +full of green trees, and by the sea-side we beheld many groves of +cocoa-nut, plantain, and other fruit-trees, that exhibited a very +pleasant appearance. + +In a capacious bay we likewise took notice of a little town, and saw +several inhabitants passing and re-passing along the shore. We sent in +our boats for provisions and pilots, and the Duke and myself turned up +towards the village, but on sounding found no ground. The natives +informed us, there was a bank opposite a certain land-mark, on which we +might anchor. Abundance of people came off with Indian wheat, +cocoa-nuts, yams, potatoes, papas, poultry, and several beautiful birds, +which they exchanged for knives, scissars, and other toys, being very +civil, and to all appearance honest. They are Mahometans, of a middle +stature, and tawney; but the women are fairer than the men, having very +long, lank, black hair; their mouths, lips, and noses remarkably small. +The women were decently covered; but the men in general were naked. +These islands were named Camhava and Wanshut; but, not answering our +purpose, we agreed to steer for Bonton, where we arrived on Monday the +29th of May; and, the same day, Captain Dampier, Mr. Connely, and Mr. +Vanbrugh, went with a present to the King of Bonton, at the same time +requesting him to supply us with provisions, and to send us a pilot to +carry us to Batavia. + +On the 30th, a paroa came from the King with one of his nobles on board, +and a pilot to carry us into harbour. He put on an air of importance, +and asked, How we dared to come to an anchor there, without leave from +the Great King of Bonton? However, he brought each Commander a piece of +his country-cloth, a bottle of arrack, some rice in baskets, as a +present from the King; as also a letter from the officers we had sent on +shore, giving an account, that they had been well received, and that the +town where the King resides was large, walled, fortified, and defended +after the European manner with a number of heavy cannon. Another present +was returned, and five guns fired by every ship at the messenger’s going +off; at which he seemed very well pleased. Our people trafficked with +the natives for poultry, maize, pompions, papas, lemons, Guinea corn, +&c. and gave them in exchange knives, scissars, old cloaths, and old +nails. The people were civil; but our officers making a longer stay than +they intended, we began to suspect that the moors had detained them; for +they are very treacherous. However, we heard from them every day; and at +length the Dutchess’s pinnace came down with Lieutenant Connely, who +told us, they had purchased four last of rice, which cost 600 dollars; +and that Mr. Vanbrugh was detained for the payment of the money. The +next morning it came, and was equally distributed among the four ships, +some great men coming to deliver it, and receive the money.--The town of +Bonton is very populous, and by it runs a fine river, but is barred so +that ships of burden cannot approach it. About 50 islands are tributary +to this King, who gives audience in a chair of state covered with +scarlet-cloth, and is always attended by a guard of nine men, armed, +after the European manner, with muskets and scymitars. He has, besides, +four or five slaves, who sit at his feet, and are ready whenever he +commands to do the most servile offices. The petty Princes and great men +sit on his left hand, and the strangers stand before him. + +Wednesday, June the 7th, all the provisions and necessaries which this +town could supply being brought on board, and the officers who went to +wait upon the King, returned, the signal was given to weigh, and at four +in the afternoon we set sail without a pilot, there being none to be had +on this island. Captain Dampier pretended to be acquainted with the +passage, and mentions the same in his book, but now he remembered +nothing of it but the story. + +On Friday the 9th, we came in sight of Solayo, lying close to the island +of Celebes, and inhabited by Malayans, who are tributaries to the Dutch. +Between the south-end of Celebes and the island of Solayo, are three +small low islands, and the best passage is between that which lies next +to Solayo, and a little one lying to the northward of it. It is very +dangerous going to the southward of Solayo, the Dutch never daring to +attempt it. + +On the 10th we made prize of a country paroa, and brought the master on +board the Dutchess. He was a Malayan belonging to Macassar, bound +thither, came last from Bonton, and undertook to pilot us to Batavia for +a good reward, provided we would promise to keep the matter a secret +from the Dutch, to both which conditions we very readily agreed; and the +man performed what he undertook with great skill and fidelity. We passed +through the straits of Salango, having always from five to seven fathom +water in our passage; then steering to the westward, our pilot’s boat +attended us till we were through the last strait, and then bore away +towards Macassar. + +On Tuesday the 20th of June, 1720, according to our reckoning, we came +to an anchor in Batavia road; but with the Dutch it was Wednesday, June +21; for we had lost 18 hours in going round to the westward, and they +had gained six in sailing to the eastward, which made a whole day +difference between our account and theirs. The reason is, that a ship +sailing to the westward, and so following the course of the sun, makes +every day something longer than in any fixed station it would be. Thus +in every 15 degrees she removes to the westward from the meridian from +whence she first set out, she gains an hour; in 90 degrees, six hours; +and in 360, which compose the whole circumference of the globe, she will +find a whole day short in her reckoning, according to the account of the +place she arrives at. The contrary happens to the ship that sails +eastward; for, as she advances against the course of the sun, she loses +so much of every day, which is thereby shortened, and becomes less than +24 hours, by consequence losing an hour in every 15 degrees, and +consequently will be a day before the account of the place she arrives +at. By this it appears, that the ship which sails round the world +westward, loses a whole day, and that which performs the same voyage +eastward gains a day. So we having made the greater part of the +circumference, and the Dutch at Batavia the other part the contrary way, +our loss and their gain made up the twenty-four hours; and thus we came +to differ a day. + +When we came to an anchor, the Dutchess fired thirteen guns to salute +the Dutch flag; but it being night, the Commandant did not then answer; +but in the morning sent his boat to make an apology, and then fired gun +for gun with every ship. Soon after this friendly salute taken on both +sides, the Commanders went on shore; and, after waiting upon the +Shebander, were introduced to the Governor, who received us with +civility, examined our commission, and enquired much concerning the +success of our voyage; but, not being King’s ships, would not permit us +to heave down in the States dock at Orerest, but gave us leave to careen +at the island of Hern, which is at no great distance from the other, and +allowed us some Malayan caulkers to assist in stopping our leaks. + +As the Marquis was in the worst condition, she was ordered to be laid +down first; but upon examination she was judged unfit to proceed upon +the voyage; and therefore was unladen and put up to sale. We then hove +down the Duke and Dutchess, and found their sheathing much worm eaten; +but otherwise not much damaged: the Batchelor wanted no repairs but in +her rigging. The weather was extremely hot during our stay, at this +city; many of our men and officers fell sick; and I was among the +number. The master of the Duke, the gunner of the Dutchess, and several +of the common men, fell a sacrifice to this unfriendly climate. One +Read, a young man belonging to the Dutchess, venturing to swim, had both +his legs snapt off by a shark, which at the second bite, before we could +get him on board, cut him in two in the middle, and put an end to his +misery. During our stay, though we had the run of the markets, we found +it very difficult to procure salt provisions to lay in a stock to serve +us till we should arrive at the Cape of Good Hope, and therefore were +obliged to purchase live cattle, and to kill and pickle them ourselves. +All manner of traffic, except for provisions, was prohibited with the +natives or inhabitants of the city, upon the severest penalties, to +avoid every occasion of dispute with the East-India Companies of both +nations: and, having settled all our affairs in a very amicable manner, +new rigged our ships, and disposed of the men belonging to the Marquis +among the other ships, we began on the 15th of September to prepare for +sailing, when I was appointed second Captain in the Dutchess, and Mr. +Ballot, master; Capt. Pope, first Lieutenant of the Duke, and Mr. +Selkirk, master; Capt. Dampier, second Captain in the Batchelor, and Mr. +Knolman, master. + +On the 20th we repaired on board; but before we were ready to sail, it +was the 14th of October; when, about six in the morning, we weighed +anchor; but in the afternoon the sea-breeze took us, and we were forced +to return. + +On the 19th we made sail with a fresh breeze, and at two in the +afternoon came to an anchor off Java-head, when two English gentlemen +came off to us, to demand the release of a man who had concealed +himself, unknown to the officers, on board the Batchelor, and who was +given up without opposition. In the mean time, while the gentlemen were +in conversation with the officers, a party from the ship went off with +their boat to buy fowls, for which they gave in exchange knives, toys, +and other trifles, which the natives value more than money. + +On the 23d the gentlemen took their leave; and the party who went off to +truck for fowls having reported that there were buffaloes in abundance +to be had for shooting, another party were sent off to bring some on +board; but they returned without success. They came in sight of whole +herds, but so exceeding wild, that the moment they saw the appearance of +a man, they all took the alarm, and fled to the woods with so much +swiftness that it was impossible to come within musket-shot of them. One +of the party, who had ventured to follow them into the woods, was +surprized by a tyger, who was within less than a hundred yards of him +before he thought proper to make his retreat; and was pursued by the +creature so close, that, had he not reached the water, he must have been +devoured. His companions fired more than twenty shot at the tyger before +he went off, which he did at last, though sorely wounded. + +We staid here till the 26th, when we made sail, and about noon Java-head +bore E. by N. distant about seven leagues. From hence to the Cape of +Good Hope we met with nothing remarkable; and, on the 30th of December, +came to an anchor in Table-bay, in seven fathom water. We saluted the +fort with nine guns; and they returned seven. As soon as the ships were +moored, the Captains and principal officers went ashore to pay their +compliments to the Governor, by whom they were honourably received. The +place and people have been so often described already, that we shall not +disgust the reader with useless repetitions. + +During our stay here, we employed the time in victualling, watering, and +refitting our ships, for the remaining part of our voyage home. The +Duke, commanded by Captain Rogers, had been leaky ever since her +departure from California; and, notwithstanding all that could be done +both at Batavia and this place, it could not be stopped; but what was +remarkable, in a few days after we left the Cape, it stopt of itself. + +Here we had an opportunity of writing to our owners, by means of an +East-India ship just ready to sail when we arrived. In the letter we +acquainted them with our having made prize of a small Manilla ship, and +of our having her in our possession; and also, that we intended to take +the advantage of returning home in company with the Dutch East-India +fleet, who were hourly expected, which would occasion us to tarry till +the latter end of March, when it was imagined they would be ready to +sail. + +On February the 22d, the Dutch fleet arrived, being in all 12 sail. We +saluted the Admiral at his coming with seven guns, as did likewise the +fort. There were at this time in the harbour 17 Dutch ships, and six +English. The town was crowded, and many of our men were ill. Mr. +Vanbrugh, the owners chief agent, died, as did Mr. Appleby, mate of the +Duke, and several others. We began to be impatient; and found it +necessary to begin to furnish ourselves with provisions as early as +possible, as every thing began to increase in price as the town began to +fill. The Batavia fleet was soon followed by four ships from Ceylon. Six +came from that island; but near Madagascar met with such a violent +storm, that some were forced to cut away their main-masts, and throw +over some of their lee-guns, having much water at the same time in their +holds. The four came into the Cape much damaged, and believed the other +two had foundered at sea. Several English Indiamen arrived also in the +road; as also a Portuguese ship from Rio de Janeiro on the coast of +Brazil, bound for Mezambique, to take in slaves. + +At length, on April the 6th, all the homeward bound ships being ready to +sail, we weighed in the morning, and sailed with a small breeze of wind +at E. S. E. and by noon came to an anchor at Pengun Island, the east end +of the island bearing south-westerly. At three we sailed again, being in +all 25 sail of English and Dutch, all good ships, under the command of +Admiral Peter de Vos. At six the Cape of Good Hope bore S. by. W. half +W. distant about seven leagues; and thus, having taken our departure, we +proceeded on our voyage April the 23d, which being St. George’s day, and +the anniversary of her Majesty of Great Britain, the Duke and Dutchess +saluted each other with drums, trumpets, and other formalities, in +honour of the day; and in the evening the respective Captains gave an +entertainment, of which all the officers on board partook. + +August 3, 1711, we made the island of St. Helena, in lat. 16 deg. S. It +lies 1000 miles at least from any land, and is not more than 10 leagues +in length, and about eight in breadth, surrounded with rocks, and +elevated above the sea by towering mountains, that look at a distance +like lofty buildings rising to the clouds. These mountains are covered +with wholesome herbs and plants; and the vallies are so fruitful, that +they yield an increase of whatever is sown in them an hundred-fold. The +Portuguese first discovered this little spot accidentally, as they were +ranging along the coast of Africa, in order to find their way to the +East-Indies. It was then uninhabited; and, according to their custom, +they set some live goats and swine on shore, which multiplied to that +degree, that ever since there have been enough to supply the ships that +touch at that island with seasonable refreshment. The Dutch first +inhabited, and afterwards abandoned it, and removed their settlement to +the Cape of Good Hope. The English then took possession of it; when the +Dutch, who did not think it worth keeping before, returned, fell upon +the English, and drove them out. The Dutch in their turn were expelled +by the English, who have now been long in possession, have erected a +very strong fort for their security, and built a town near the little +bay, where ships generally anchor in their way to and from the East +Indies. It is of infinite use in relieving the sailors from that +dreadful distemper the sea-scurvy; for, as it naturally produces lemons, +oranges, and other fruits, and as greens and roots are planted in +abundance, those who are languishing under the last stage of the scurvy +are frequently recovered by the use of those refreshments without any +other physic. It would be delightful living in this island, were it +larger, or more frequented; but the confinement in so small a place in +the middle of a vast ocean so remote from all communication with the +rest of the world, renders the residence there so lonely, that it has +rather the appearance of living in exile than in a land of freedom. And +indeed, what makes it still more uncomfortable, our own ships find so +much better entertainment at the Cape than can be expected in this +little spot, that many of them store themselves there so plentifully, +and recover their sick men so effectually, as not to be under the +necessity of touching at St. Helena, whereby not only the residence of +the inhabitants is rendered more dull, but their means of subsistence is +very much restrained; for as they have nothing to depend upon but their +traffic with the ships that call to refresh, every one that passes by +without touching is a diminution of their profits: so that in fact the +people have little or no encouragement to continue there, and many of +them make heavy complaints. Indeed, the surrounding sea, that abounding +in fish is a considerable help, and the fertility of the soil, which is +sure to reward the pains of the cultivator, exempt them from famine; but +for cloaths and all other conveniences, their dependance is upon +strangers. + +On the first of May we took our departure from this island, and on the +7th made the island of Ascension, which is still uninhabited. As the +springs, which were discovered by Dampier, lie remote from the shore, +very few ships attempt to water, or indeed stop at Ascension; some +indeed, who are in want of fresh provisions, fish here for turtle, of +which there are great plenty all round the coasts. + +Nothing remarkable happened in the course of our voyage till May the +27th, when two of our Dutch sailors died, and were decently buried +according to the custom of the sea. + +About this time all the flag-ships struck their flags, the Admiral +hoisted a broad pendant, and all the other ships did the same. This was +done with a view to deceive the enemy, that in case any cruisers should +come in sight, they might take us for a squadron of Dutch men-of-war. + +On the 12th, a mutiny happened among our men; and two Dutchmen who were +the ringleaders were whipped and put in irons. For some days we had but +little wind, being in the calm latitude, which we reckon from 22 deg. to +28 deg. N. + +June the 13th, the Dutch Admiral made the signal for each ship to keep +the Line, and we blacked our ship to make her look the more like a +Dutchman. + +On the 15th, in the morning, the Admiral made the signal for all the +English Commanders, and some of the Dutch skippers, to come on board +him, where we were sumptuously entertained at dinner, and the frank +humour of the Dutchmen made the company jolly before we parted. + +June 23, a Dutch ship being in distress fired several guns; upon which +the whole fleet shortened sail. Her damage being soon repaired, the +signal was given to continue our course, and we took the Batchelor in +tow, being a heavy sailor, and forced to croud the canvas to keep +company; but, it blowing hard the next day, we were forced to cast her +off. + +On the 26th, the Batchelor’s pinnace had her back broke, by the ship’s +running over her; but the men that were in her were all miraculously +saved, by means of the hawser which they were carrying from our ship to +take her in tow. In the evening the King William Indiaman took her in +tow, and next morning cast her off. + +On the 28th, being got into the latitude of 51 deg. N. we had thick +foggy weather, with the wind at south, which continued several days, and +all the while the Admiral kept firing two guns every hour, and each ship +in the fleet answered with one. This was done to keep the fleet +together, and it answered the purpose very well; for when the fog +dispersed, and the weather came clear, there was not one ship missing. +The Dutch convoy, however, took care afterwards to be well paid for his +waste of powder. + +Nothing remarkable happened till the 12th of July, when the Donnegall +Indiaman lost her fore-top-mast, and made the signal for the fleet to +shorten sail. Being now in near 60 deg. N. latitude, we had no night, +but cold drizzling weather; yet nothing to compare to the cold in the +same latitude in going round Cape Horn southward; for there the cold was +so intense that many of our men sickened; and yet we were here and at +Cape Horn much about the same time of the year, allowing for the +difference of the two climates. + +On the 14th, we came in sight of Bera, and spoke with a Danish ship +bound to Dublin, who told us the war still continued, and that he had +spoke a day or two before with a Dutch squadron of 10 men-of-war, and +three victuallers, lying off Shetland to wait for us; so that by keeping +between that and Fair Island, we could not possibly miss seeing them. +Next day we came in sight of them, when all the fleet saluted the +Commodore, and he made the signal for all the Commanders to come aboard +of him for sailing orders. The Captains Courtney and Dover went +accordingly, and were courteously received, and given to understand, +that they might be supplied with whatever provisions they stood in need +of, on paying for the same, he having brought victuallers from Holland +for that purpose. We lay off Shetland some days, and caught ling and cod +in abundance, during which time the Shetlanders came off to us, and +brought fowls and sheep, which we purchased at much cheaper rates than +of our Dutch victuallers. + +We were now very sickly, having been more than three months in our +passage from the Cape to this place; and we were besides very peevish +and quarrelsome among ourselves; now that we came near home, jealousies +arose about embezzlements. The agents had been to the Duke to demand the +gold, plate, pearl, and jewels, on board; and they were returned not +very well satisfied with their reception. But, while these disputes were +at their height, orders were given to set sail. In the mean time letters +were dispatched to London and Amsterdam, acquainting the owners with our +progress, and present situation, and desiring their instructions to +regulate our future proceedings. Before we left Shetland we took four +hogsheads of beer on board from the Dutch Commodore, which served us +till we arrived on the 23d in sight of Holland, in the evening of which +day we came to an anchor in the Texel road. + +On the 27th, we received a general letter from our owners, dated, +Bristol, June 6th, 1711, in which they acquainted us, that the +East-India Company were incensed against us, and had appointed a secret +committee to inspect their charter as to privileges; and that they were +resolved to take all advantages, in case of the least infringement on +what they pretended to be their exclusive right of trading to the +East-Indies. This letter likewise recommended the greatest caution on +our part with regard to the Dutch East-India Company; for from that +Company as well as from our own, they had reason to fear all possible +obstruction. It was therefore most strictly enjoined, that neither +officer nor sailor should, on any pretence whatever, be suffered to take +any goods on shore; nor were we to allow any stranger to come on board +to purchase the least trifle; for that, if any such thing should be +proved, the whole cargo would be forfeited. + +It was a great relief to us, when, on the 5th of August, Mr. Hollidge, +one of our principal owners came on board us; for, though we kept the +strictest watch, it was hardly possible to prevent the sailors from +running things ashore in the night. On this gentleman’s arrival, it was +judged necessary to draw up a short account of our voyage from the +journals of the respective Commanders, and an affidavit was made to the +truth of it. In this memorial we set forth, that we went out as private +men-of-war, and not as trading ships; and that no sort of merchandize +was shipped on board our ships at any of the islands or ports we touched +at in the East Indies, nor any traffic carried on there, other than for +necessaries and provisions for the ships and ships company. To this all +the officers and most of the seamen voluntarily swore and set their +hands. We continued in Holland, without any remarkable event, till the +30th of September, 1711, when we sailed from the Texel, under convoy of +her Majesty’s ships, Essex, Canterbury, Medway, and Dullidge, and +anchored in the Downs on the 2d of October. On the 13th, the Duke and +Dutchess came up to Eriff, where the Batchelor had been moored some time +before: and here all the ships continued till they were unloaded. The +produce of the cargo, and the treasure brought home in these ships, were +supposed to amount to between 3 and 400,000l. for, after all charges of +convoy, agency, law-suits, embezzlements, of which great complaint was +made, and of every kind of thievery practised in such cases, the nett +profits, that were afterwards fairly divided, amounted to 170,000l. + +Among the disasters that befel the adventurers in this voyage, that of +losing Mr. Hatley, with his little crew, near the islands of +Gallapagoes, was most to be deplored; yet, though his death was supposed +to be certain, having little or no provisions on board, and still less +water, after the conclusion of the war, he returned home, to the +astonishment of all who knew him. It then appeared, that, when he parted +company with the Duke, having no resource, he made directly for the +main; and, falling in with Cape Passao, his little crew almost famished, +and himself in a miserable weak condition, he formed the resolution, +with the consent of his people, to surrender themselves prisoners to the +enemy: but, unfortunately, the enemy to whom they surrendered were not +the civilized Spaniards, but a mixed breed of Indians and Mulattos, who +bore an implacable hatred to all white men, from a rooted aversion to +the Spanish tyranny. These wretches used their helpless prisoners +barbarously, tied their hands behind them, and lashed them to posts, +where they half-flead them with whips; and most certainly would have +tortured them to death, had it not been for the interposition of their +priest, to whom these half-heathen converts pay great respect. Being, by +the humanity of this good Padre, rescued out of the hands of those +barbarians, and conveyed to a Spanish settlement, Mr. Hatley was +received with kindness, and used with much civility; and, when peace was +declared, was set at liberty, and assisted to return to his country, +where he afterwards engaged in a second expedition to the same seas, and +again fell into the hands of the same enemy. + + [Illustration: _M^r Hatley & his Small Crew Cruelly Whip’d by y^e + Savage Indians but are Saved by a Priest._] + +We have not yet been able to learn the future proceedings of the +officers who conducted this enterprize. It is more than probable, that, +having enriched themselves by the voyage, they retired and lived +private. We find, indeed, a Mr. Cooke engaged in a succeeding voyage, +but it does not appear that it was the Captain Cooke of whose voyage we +have just given an account. Mr. Hatley, indeed, who fell into the hands +of the Spaniards, was employed as second Captain under Shelvock, and of +him we shall have occasion to speak largely hereafter. + + + + + THE + VOYAGE + OF + CAPTAIN CLIPPERTON + ROUND THE WORLD. + + +Captain John Clipperton (or, as some write, Clippington) was born at +Yarmouth, in the county of Norfolk; and his friends being most of them +sea-fearing people, he was from his infancy bred up a mariner. His +disposition naturally inclining him to ramble, he embraced every +opportunity to embark in new voyages, and there was hardly a corner of +the earth which he had not visited before he was thirty years of age. +When he was made choice of to take the command of the expedition of +which we are now to give an account, he was esteemed, and that perhaps +justly, the most experienced seaman of his time. He had been frequently +in the East and West Indies; had been in the Northern and Mediterranean +Seas, and had once surrounded the whole globe. He was that Clippington, +who, in 1704, with a bark, of only 10 tons, two masts, two square-sails, +two pattararoes, and 21 men, left Captain Dampier on the coast of +Mexico; and, after insulting Rio Leon, where he took two Spanish ships +at anchor, one of which was ransomed for 4000 pieces of eight, and after +visiting the gulph of Salinas, where he cleaned and refitted his little +bark, undertook to sail in her from that coast round half the globe; a +great part of which he performed in a track never before attempted, +pursuing his course in the 18th degree of north latitude, which former +navigators had pursued after each other in the 13th; and, in that +direction, he reached the Philippines in 54 days, without seeing land, +or meeting with any cross accident to interrupt his passage. While he +was embarrassed among those islands, there came off a canoe with a friar +on board, to enquire concerning so uncommon a vessel, the like of which +was never seen before in those seas. He detained the friar till his crew +were furnished with fresh provisions, and then released him. + +From the Philippines he steered to Pulo Condore, where he expected to +have met with an English settlement; but, to his great mortification, he +there learnt, that, some time before his arrival, the English had been +all murdered by their Indian guards. Upon this melancholy news, he bore +away for Macao, a port in the possession of the Portuguese, near the +mouth of the river Canton, in China, already frequently mentioned, and +lately made famous by the arrival of some Russian adventurers from +Kampschatka, who, by that navigation, have confirmed the reality of a +north-east passage to the coasts of China. At this port he arrived, +where Shelvock affirms that near half his crew were hanged for pirates, +that the rest escaped, some to one place, and some to another; that +Clipperton himself, being deprived of his little boat, found means to +get on board an English East Indiaman at Canton, and arrived in England +in 1706. + +Clipperton was a blunt, rough, free-spoken sailor, had not much the air +of a gentleman, and therefore never affected it; was free and easy among +his seamen; and, though he was passionate, he was soon appeased, and, if +in the wrong, ever ready to acknowledge his error, and to repair any +injury his hasty temper betrayed him to commit. He had a strict regard +to what he thought his duty, and was not to be diverted from the +principles of moderation, which ever inclined him to acts of mercy and +humanity towards those over whom the chance of war gave him the +superiority. Having returned almost destitute from his first voyage +round the world, he settled in the north of Ireland, to which retreat he +was traced, after more than twelve years retirement, and persuaded to +undertake this second voyage, as a means to repair his broken fortune. + +The success that had attended the voyage of the Duke and Dutchess to the +South Seas under the command of Captain Rogers, had revived the spirit +of privateering, which, by former miscarriages, had been reduced to a +very low ebb. Dampier, as has already been noticed, was unable, with all +his skill and all his experience, to persuade the London merchants to +engage in a second expedition into those seas, after having failed in +the first, and was obliged to apply to Bristol to raise a new company of +adventurers to second his views; but such is the nature of mankind, that +emulous, not to say envious, of the success of others, they are ever +ready to croud the road that has led to fortune, without considering how +unfit they are to undertake the journey. The owners of the Duke and +Dutchess had been particularly careful to make choice of gentlemen, not +only of ability, to conduct the voyage which proved so successful, but +who also had confidence in, and friendship for, each other; and yet, +with all this care and caution, it was with the greatest difficulty in +the world that they were persuaded to keep together, and to act in +concert. On the contrary, the Commanders in the present expedition, were +gentlemen of opposite tempers, opposite views, and already, before they +set out, engaged in opposite parties; it was therefore very unlikely +that two such Commanders should unite in one common interest, or that +the one should share the danger where the other was to reap the glory. +The event will shew, that the miscarriage of this enterprize was not +more owing to the mistakes in the voyage, than in the wrong setting out. + +The impatience of the undertakers was so great, and their confidence of +making themselves rich by the plunder of the Spaniards so certain, that, +unwilling to trust to an eventual rupture between Great Britain and +Spain, they took occasion, from the war that then subsisted between the +Emperor and Spain, to apply to the Imperial Court for a commission to +carry their plan of hostilities into execution. With this view, having +equipped two stout ships, the _Success_ and the _Speedwell_, it was +thought necessary to find out some gentleman who had served on board the +royal navy, that might take upon him the command of the expedition, and +be able to act with propriety in a joint commission, wherein Flemish +soldiers and English sailors were to be united in the same design. + +For this difficult task no man was thought more fit than Captain George +Shelvock, who had been bred from his childhood in the royal navy, had +been thirty years in the service, and arrived at the rank of First +Lieutenant of one of his Majesty’s ships of war, which he had borne with +great reputation; was in his person and behaviour a fine gentleman, and +was confessedly a very expert and able seaman. He was, besides, of quick +parts, ready speech, and very winning address, but withal rather too +sensible of his own accomplishments. This gentleman the undertakers +thought themselves happy in having found; and they accordingly not only +invested him with the command, but entrusted to him the grand business +of the commission, and for that purpose he received instructions to +repair to Ostend with the Speedwell, and there, as soon as the +commission was obtained, to take on board the complement of Flemings +that were to give countenance to the undertaking; and to join the +Success in the Downs, which there lay ready under the command of Capt. +Mitchell. On this occasion the names of the ships were changed; the +_Success_ was called the _Prince Eugene_, and the _Speedwell_ the +_Starenberg_, in compliment to the Prince and the Imperial Prime +Minister. Captain Shelvock was, besides, instructed to lay in such a +stock of wines and spirituous liquors, as he should judge sufficient for +the use of both ships in a voyage where such refreshments would be +absolutely necessary, and without which the climate of Cape Horne could +hardly be endured. + +In this business, however, the Captain gave some disgust. He was either +too extravagant, too ostentatious, or too remiss; and the voyage which +the owners had so much at heart, was thought already to have suffered by +unnecessary delay. But, what was still worse, the Flemish soldiers, 90 +in number, commanded by their own officers, had hardly arrived in the +Downs before they became so insolent, that it was presently discovered, +that the scheme of their acting in concert with English sailors was +utterly impracticable: so that after all this delay and expence, the +commission was returned, the Flemish soldiers discharged, and a new plan +formed, which gave the first occasion to those dissentions that in the +end proved the ruin of the voyage. + +Captain Shelvock’s management had much lessened his credit, and his +friends were unable to support his interest. The reason for his +advancement no longer existed; and it was found, that the discipline to +which he had been accustomed on board the royal navy, was not the +discipline to be practised on board privateers. It was necessary, +therefore, as the circumstances of things were changed, war with Spain +declared, and no extraordinary accomplishment required, to look out for +an officer to take the command, who had experience in the business in +which he was to be employed; who knew the western coasts of America, and +was acquainted with the genius of the people with whom he was to +contend, as well as the tempers of those with whom he was to attack. + +On this new regulation, the character of Captain Clipperton was called +to mind. He was known to some of the owners, and strongly recommended by +other merchants, as of all men then living the fittest to be entrusted +with the conduct of such an expedition. The owners, who had already +expended more than 15,000l. began to consider their own interest without +respect to persons; and, therefore, they sought out and invested Captain +Clipperton with the chief command, continuing Captain Shelvock Commander +of the Speedwell, and appointing Captain Mitchell second to Captain +Clipperton, and Captain Hatley second Captain to Shelvock. The ships +were restored to their former names, an English commission procured for +the Commanders, and every thing prepared while the ships lay in the +Downs for their immediate departure. + +The instructions given to the respective Commanders were, in substance, +the same with those given to the Commanders of the Duke and Dutchess, +strongly recommending unanimity. But this precaution proved wholly +useless. The expedition wore an unfortunate aspect from the beginning. +The ships were obliged to lie three months at Plymouth, waiting for a +wind. Factions were in the mean time formed, in which the crews as well +as the Commanders were involved. Captain Shelvock highly resented the +affront that had been offered in depriving him of the chief command; and +Captain Clipperton, being a boisterous man, having himself strong +passions, and not having art to conceal them, knowing Captain Shelvock’s +prejudices, nothing but dissention and discord prevailed. Every post +brought the owners fresh complaints; and every post carried fresh +reproofs to the Commanders. In this humour the parties continued while +the ships lay at Plymouth. At length, + +On the 13th of February, 1719, the Success, of 36 guns, and 180 men, +commanded by Captain Clipperton, and the Speedwell, of 24 guns, and 106 +men, of which Captain Shelvock was Commander, sailed with a fair wind; +but, by an unaccountable over-sight, the Speedwell had on board the +whole stock of wine and brandy, and the Success the greatest share of +other stores. + +For several days they had fresh gales, squally, with rain, and the +Success was often obliged to shorten sail for the Speedwell. Captain +Shelvock tells us, that he complained to Captain Clipperton of the +crankness of his ship, and desired him to send for his wine and brandy, +that he might strike down some of his guns into the hold, which would +enable him to sail much better than he did: but this, it seems, was +neglected; a proof that Clipperton had no intention to desert the +Speedwell, though it was a slight, which Shelvock could not but resent. +On the 19th, a violent storm arose, which obliged both ships to take in +their top-sails. The gale increasing, the Success made a signal for the +Speedwell to bring to; which Captain Shelvock readily obeyed; and, by +eleven at night, both ships were under bare poles. On the 20th, in the +afternoon, the storm abated, and Captain Clipperton made sail, steering +S. by E. whereas Captain Shelvock, according to his journal, stood +north-west; so that from this day they never saw each other, till they +met in the South Seas by mere accident. Here then properly begins the +history of Captain Clipperton’s voyage round the world. He was now at +sea without liquors, and without his consort. The first place of +rendezvous appointed by them, was the Canary Islands; and, therefore, he +sailed thither, and arrived at Gomera on the 5th of March. Having taken +in some wine and refreshments, for which he had great occasion, he +continued cruising at the Canaries ten days for his consort; but, +missing her here, he continued his voyage to the next place of +rendezvous, at the Cape de Verd or Green islands. + +The former islands, called by the ancients the Fortunate Islands, from +their fertility and temperate air, were discovered by the Spaniards in +1402, who named them the Canaries, or the Islands of Dogs, because no +other creatures were found on them. They are eight in number. The Great +Canary is the largest, is far distant from the others, and contains 9000 +inhabitants. It is the seat of the Bishop, the Inquisition, and of the +Council Royal. There is a mountain on the Teneriff, called the Pike of +Teneriff, which, according to the common opinion, is the highest in the +world. It may be distinctly seen at sixty leagues distance. It is three +days journey to the top of it, which, except in the months of July and +August, is always covered with snow. Fero is one of the largest, but so +dry, that there is not one drop of fresh water to be found in it, except +in a few places by the sea-side: but Providence has furnished a supply +to remedy that inconvenience; for there grows all over this island a +sort of tree, which is pretty large, and full of leaves, that are always +green, and covered with a little cloud that wets the leaves by its dew, +so that a fine clear water distills from them into little pails, which +the inhabitants set to catch it. This water falls in such quantities, +that it not only abundantly supplies the necessity of the people, but it +is sufficient also to water the cattle. The Canaries in general are very +fertile, and abound with wine that is transported into all parts of the +world. On the right-hand of those islands, about 100 leagues off, the +mariners very often perceived an island named St. Baranora, inhabited, +they say, by Christians; but no man can tell of what denomination they +are, nor what language they speak. The Spaniards have often attempted to +enter it, but could never find the way; which has raised an opinion in +the people, that it is an inchanted island. + +On the 21st they saw St. Vincent’s, and the next morning anchored in the +bay. Here they spent ten days cruising in hopes of meeting with their +consort, but in vain; which so disheartened the crew, that Capt. +Clipperton found it difficult to persuade them to continue the voyage +for the Straits of Magellan, without wine or brandy to keep up their +spirits in that uncomfortable navigation. Some are of opinion, that +these islands were called Green Islands from the green Cape of Africa, +over-against which they lie; others, because the sea that surrounds them +is so covered with a green herb, that you can hardly see the water; nor +can ships sail through it, but with a stiff gale of wind. It produces +berries, much like white gooseberries; but without taste. Nobody can +tell how it grows; for there is no ground where it floats upon the +water, and it cannot come from the bottom, the sea being in many places +unfathomable. + +On the 1st of April they left St. Vincent’s, and on the 29th of May they +had an observation, and found themselves in lat. 52 deg. 15 min. S. +being then off Cape Virgin Mary, the north point of the entrance of the +Straits of Magellan. The next day they entered the Straits, and sent +their pinnace on shore on the main, to a fresh-water river, which was at +this time frozen up. They saw large flocks of geese and ducks, but very +shy. The surgeon’s mate, by some accident, was left on shore; and next +morning, when brought aboard, was near dead with cold. They anchored at +Queen Elizabeth’s Island, and found great plenty of smallage, which was +of infinite service to those sick of the scurvy. They eat it raw, boiled +it in their soups, and kept the juice of it in bottles. They met with +plenty of wild-fowl and shell-fish, filled their casks with water, and +continued their course. On the 22d they anchored in a fine bay, which, +from its depth, they called No-bottom Bay. The trees were high, loaded +with snow, and exhibited a most astonishing prospect. On the 29th came a +canoe, with four Indians. They were of a middle stature, dark +complection, their faces broad and round, low foreheads, black hair very +lank and short, with no cloathing, except a piece of skin to cover their +middles. What seemed most remarkable, was a circle round their wrists, +of a bright azure. It seems these savages are extremely jealous of their +women; for, notwithstanding all that could be said to them, they would +not permit a woman, who was of their party, to come on board. +Bougainville, and the English voyagers who lately passed the Straits, +make the same observation. Capt. Clipperton ordered them bread and +cheese, and a dram of brandy, though it was very scarce. The former they +eat very heartily, or rather greedily; but the latter they could not be +prevailed upon to taste. They had bows and arrows, and some +fishing-tackle along with them. After about two hours stay, they rowed +ashore, making signs that they would come again. The next day the +pinnace was sent ashore, and returned in the evening with the Indian +canoe laden with muscles, which the Indians had exchanged for bread, +knives, and other trifles. In the beginning of the month of July they +found the weather moderate. These natives were a harmless people: one of +the crew, being left on shore, lived with them two nights and a day, and +was very kindly treated by them; which shews, that, if they are well +used, they are not treacherous. All this time their ship’s company was +very sickly, and scarce a day passed but some one or other died. On July +8 they buried their master-gunner. They caused a strong plank to be +driven at the head of his grave, on which was the following inscription: +“Mr. William Pridham, gunner of the Success, deceased July 7, 1719, in +this Strait, and lies buried here.” On the 20th Capt. Mitchell and +Lieut. Davidson went in the pinnace to Terra del Fuego, in order to make +discovery of the passage that a French tartan is said to have went +through into the South Sea, May 1713, and to see if there was any +anchoring beyond Cape Quad. On the 29th they returned, having found the +passage, but so narrow, that it was judged hazardous to go that way. +They found likewise several good bays to the north-west of Cape Quad to +anchor in. The Indians brought them a seal, which they broiled and +roasted, and said it eat like venison. + +August 1, they resolved to prosecute their voyage thro’ the Straits, +which, with much danger and difficulty, they accomplished. Aug. 18, they +arrived in the South-Seas, but so weak, that it was impossible to +undertake any thing immediately; they therefore steered directly for the +island of Juan Fernandez, the third and last place of rendezvous, where +they arrived Sept. 7, and searched diligently in hopes of finding some +token of the Speedwell, but to no manner of purpose. According to his +instructions, Clipperton continued to cruise a full month, and, before +he took his departure, ordered an inscription to be cut on a remarkable +tree fronting the landing place; so that it was impossible for any +ship’s crew to come ashore, and not see it. The inscription thus: +“CAPTAIN JOHN W. MAGEE, 1719.” This William Magee was surgeon on board +the Success, was well-known to Capt. Shelvock, and all the ship’s +company; and therefore his name was made choice of rather than the +Captain’s, for a blind in case the inscription should be read by the +Spaniards. Here the sick were set ashore, and every means used for their +recovery; but the very thoughts of being without any cordial to comfort +them, dejected them excessively. The weather was changeable; abundance +of rain fell; and they had also some hard gales of wind. They took goats +in plenty, which not only served them for the present, but likewise +increased their sea-store, having salted a great number with salt they +found on the island ready-made. They likewise wooded and watered, and +cleaned their ship, ready for action in the South-Seas, where it was now +visible they were to cruise alone; for Clipperton was of opinion the +Speedwell was lost; or at least he gave out so, to pacify his company, +who were continually cursing Capt. Shelvock for running away with their +liquors. One thing remarkable was, the beauty and fertility of this +island, added to the stories they had heard of others; tempted four of +Clipperton’s men, with a view of remaining there, to betake themselves +to the mountains, where two of them were made prisoners by the +goat-hunters, who were forced to fire at them several times before they +would surrender. + +October 7, they prepared to sail; and, in the mean time, Captain +Mitchell went on shore, to set up a cross already cut for that purpose, +at the foot of which he buried a bottle, in which was contained a letter +for Captain Shelvock, directing another place of rendezvous, and some +proper signal to know each other by at sea. At eight in the morning, +they weighed from the island of Juan Fernandez, and left their two men +in possession of it, of whom more hereafter. + +After leaving this island, Captain Clipperton sailed northward, till he +was in the parallel of Lima, where he intended to act, though he was now +in a very indifferent condition, having lost thirty men since his +passing the Equator; and the remaining crew expressing some uneasiness +in relation to plunder, he caused a paper to be fixed to the main-mast, +which was assented to by the whole ship’s company. + +On October 25, they gave chace to a small vessel, and took her. Being +their first prize, she was an ill omen of their future success. She was +a snow of 40 tons, laden with sand and rubbish for manure; had seven +Indians and two negroes on board; and all the captors could find worth +taking, was two jars of eggs, as much treacle, and a couple of pieces of +eight in ready money. The next day, they met with a ship called the St. +Vincent, of 150 tons, laden with wood from Guiaquil, with two friars, +sixteen Indians, and four negroes aboard. On the 30th, they took a large +ship called the Trinity, of 400 tons, taken by Captain Rogers when he +plundered Guiaquil, ten years before. She had a great many passengers on +board, and a cargo of considerable value. + +On Nov. 2, they took another prize, of 70 tons, with the Countess of +Laguna and several other passengers on board, a great deal of money, and +upwards of 400 jars of wine and brandy, articles very much wanted. +Captain Clipperton desired the Countess to make her choice, either to +stay on board the prize, or accept of the accommodations they were able +to afford her on board the Success. She chose the former; and the +Captain sent an officer with strict orders to suffer nobody to enter her +cabbin but her own domestics: he likewise appropriated a part of the +wine and brandy found on board the prizes for the use of his seamen, to +whom, no doubt, it was a welcome refreshment. + +He had already detached several officers, and above a third part of his +company, to take care of his prizes; and yet was as eager to take more, +as if, instead of a privateer weakly manned, he had commanded a squadron +of ships of war. On the 12th, he discovered at some distance, a +London-built pink, of 200 tons, laden with wood, named the Rosario, the +Master of which being a very cunning fellow, soon saw the error that +Clipperton had committed, and resolved to take advantage of it. He +guessed, by the number of prizes, that many men could not be sent on +board his ship; and, having about a dozen passengers, he directed them, +under the command of a French boatswain, to hide themselves in the hold, +with orders, on his making a certain signal, to seize as many of the +English as came down; assuring them, that he, with the ship’s company, +would be able to manage the rest. As soon as the ship struck, Captain +Clipperton sent Lieutenant Serjeantson, with eight men, to take +possession of her; who, as soon as he came on board, ordered all that +appeared into the great cabin, and placed a centinel at the door of it. +Thinking every thing secure, and not in the least apprehensive of +danger, he with some of his men went into the hold to see what was in +the ship; on which the passengers, who were concealed, sallied out, +knocked most of them down, and the French boatswain, coming behind Mr. +Serjeantson, knocked him down likewise, and then ordered them to be all +bound. The Spaniards in the great cabin secured the centinel; and, +having thus recovered their ship, made instantly for the shore, where +their own company and the prisoners were all in equal danger of +perishing; which the Captain no sooner perceived, than he ordered the +English to be unbound; and, by good fortune, every man escaped upon the +rocks, against which the Spaniard in his eagerness had run his vessel, +and against which she was dashed to pieces. Lieutenant Serjeantson and +his people were secured, and sent prisoners to Lima. The Viceroy of Peru +was no sooner acquainted with this gallant action, than he ordered a new +ship to be built at Guiaquil for the Captain, and taxed the traders +towards the expence of her, intending this as a reward for the service +he had rendered the public, and hoping thereby to encourage others to +behave as nobly. On the arrival of the prisoners at Lima, they were +closely examined and one of them gave a full account of every thing he +knew, particularly of the two men left upon the island of Juan +Fernandez, and of the bottle with a letter in it; upon which, the +Viceroy ordered a small vessel to be fitted out, to fetch both the one +and the other, which was accordingly performed. + +It was not till the 20th that Captain Clipperton perceived that his last +prize was retaken; when, considering what was best to be done, he +prudently determined to set his Spanish prisoners at liberty, as well to +save provisions, which, at that time, he could very ill spare, as that +their good usage might be speedily known, and returned to such of his +men as were in the enemy’s power. + +Accordingly, on the 27th, they came to an anchor with all their prizes, +at the island of La Plata, and, in his way, took another prize, called +the Cayetan, of 200 tons, having on board 40 negroes, and 30 Spaniards, +most of them passengers. Here the Captain began seriously to consider +how he should make the most of this expedition for his owners, as well +as himself, and his company. He knew that all the coast was alarmed; and +that two men of war, one of fifty, and one of thirty guns, were fitted +out on purpose to take him: he was sensible, that the goods he had on +board were not likely to be ransomed in that part of the world; and that +they would prove mere drugs, if brought into this; and therefore laid +all these things together; and, reflecting on a proposition made by +Captain Woods Rogers, to send a cargo of such prize-goods to Brazil, he +resolved to try the experiment; and, accordingly, he fitted out the bark +in which he took the Countess of Laguna; mounted her with eight guns; +and, putting on board of her thirteen Englishmen, and ten negroes, with +what provisions and other necessaries he could spare, he sent her with a +cargo of European commodities, valued at 10,000 pounds, for Brazil, +under the command of Captain Mitchell, his second in command. As soon as +he was gone, the Captain parted with all his other prizes, presenting +them to the Spanish prisoners, after taking out of them what he thought +valuable, and detaining only the Captain of one of them for his pilot, +and all the negroes; after which he sailed from that island, in order to +cruize in his former station. + +December 12, they saw a sail about five in the evening, and, at seven, +took her. She was called the Rosary, and laden with provisions. The +launch and pinnace were all the next day employed in bringing on board +the cargo, and having got out of her as much as they could stow, they +cut her main-mast by the board, lest she should overset, and so let her +go. The prisoners informed them that the men taken by the Rosario were +sent to Lima by land. On the 27th they looked into Guanchaco bay, and +found two ships at anchor. They fired a shot at each, but they made no +return. Sending then their boats aboard, they found them abandoned, and +could discover nothing left, except some bread, and a few jars of water. +They hung out a flag of truce, and fired two guns at half an hour’s +interval, hoping they would have come aboard to ransom their ships. They +were answered from shore; but no boat coming, they waited till next day, +and then set them on fire. + +It was now resolved to bear away for refreshment to the Gallapagos +islands, where they might remain unmolested till the alarm of their +being in those seas should be over; and, accordingly, put their design +in execution. On January 9, 1720, they anchored on the north side of the +Duke of York’s island, immediately under the Equinoctial, where they +found good water, and cleaned their ship, which confirms the account +given by Captain Cowley, though Captain Rogers could not find the place. + +On the 21st of January they observed a sail, and about eleven at night +came up with her; and, on firing of their first gun, she struck. She was +called the Prince Eugene, and had on board the Marquis de Villa Roche, +and all his family, who were going to Lima. + +On February 26th, a Spaniard dying of a wound he had received at the +taking this ship, the Marquis desired he might be buried according to +their ceremonies; which was granted. When the office for the dead had +been performed, and the corpse thrown over-board, with a large bag of +ballast tied at his feet, the Spaniards crying thrice, as their custom +is on such occasion, _Bon Voiage_, i. e. a good voyage, the body, to the +admiration of every one, presently floated, and continued floating as +far as they could see it; which the Marquis concluded to be an ill omen, +and declared that some surprising accident would be the consequence. + +On March 8, a priest, who was on board the Prince Eugene, desired leave +to go on shore on the island of Velas; which was granted, on his +promising to persuade the inhabitants to drive some black cattle to the +shore, in order to exchange them for what goods they liked best. On the +16th, he returned with four head of black cattle, some fowls, and fruit, +as a present to the Marquis; but at the same time declared, that the +Governor would not suffer the inhabitants to trade. He said, Captain +Mitchell had been ashore there, and had shot some of their cattle; but +that 200 men appearing under arms, they had forced him to retire. The +next day some letters from the Marquis were intercepted, very little to +his honour, since they tended to stir up the people to surprise, and +secure the boat when it came next ashore to water. Upon this, Captain +Clipperton confined him for some days; yet, on the 20th, he allowed both +the Marquis and his lady to go ashore, leaving their only child as an +hostage. + +On April 14, the Marquis, his lady, and the Governor, came aboard; and, +an agreement being made for their ransom, the lady and child were sent +on shore, and the Marquis only remained as an hostage. In this +transaction Clipperton appears to have been outwitted by this nobleman, +who basely broke his word, and provoked the crew for trusting him. On +April 20th, they anchored in the gulph of Amapala; and, not being able +to water there, repaired to the island of Tigers, where they did it with +great ease. On June 4, they sailed to Gorgona on the same errand, and +were well supplied. On the 24th, they made prize a second time of the +St. Vincent, now commanded by Don Clement de Andrado, laden with timber +and cocoa-nuts. On August 11, they anchored, with their prize, at the +island of Lobos de la Mar, where they set up tents on the shore, +scrubbed and cleaned their ship, and where the crew talked over their +affairs, till they began to think them desperate. Sometimes they +reflected on the Captain, for pretending to remain in these seas without +their consort; at other times, they blamed him for giving in to the +Spanish Marquis’s project for ransoming his ship, which, they believed, +would never be performed: and, now-and-then, the ship’s corporal, one +James Roch, a bold, busy, intriguing fellow, threw in some sly +insinuations, that, it they must go through such hardships, it was +better they should do it for their own sakes, than for other peoples; +and one Joseph Maynard, the boatswain’s mate, pushing things still +further, a plot was at last formed for seizing the Captain, the rest of +the officers, and running away with the ship. They likewise agreed, +that, when their design was brought to bear, the officers should be set +on shore on the island of Lobos, and all who afterwards opposed them +shot without mercy. This wicked combination, however, was happily +discovered, the two ringleaders severely punished, and the rest +pardoned; by which wise conduct the conspiracy was suppressed. On the +17th they took a fishing-boat, with a large quantity of salt-fish well +cured; but found the St. Vincent, which they had left at an anchor under +the island of Lobos, driven ashore, and sunk: here they put thirty-eight +Spanish prisoners on board the fishing-boat, and sent them away. + +Nov. 1, they entered the bay of Conception, where, missing a prize that +outsailed them, they bore away for Coquimbo, and took a ship laden with +tobacco, sugar, and cloth, in their passage. On the 6th, in the +afternoon, they opened that harbour, where they saw three men-of-war +lying, with their top-sails loose; and these no sooner spied them, than +they cut their cables, and stood after them. The Success hauled close on +a wind, and the prize did the same; upon which the Spanish man-of-war +that sailed best gave chace to the latter, and took her. The other two +ships crouded all the sail they could to come up with the Success, but +she outsailing them, made her escape. In the Spanish prize they lost +their third Lieutenant, Mr. James Milne, and twelve of their best men. +The Captain who took him was the famous Don Blas de Lesso, Governor of +Carthagena, when attacked by Admiral Vernon. Don Blas treated his +prisoner a little roughly at first, being enraged to find he had missed +the English privateer, and only retaken a Spanish prize; and, in the +first transport of his passion, struck Mr. Milne on the head with the +flat of his sword; but, when he came to himself, he sent for him, and, +finding him stripped by his soldiers, generously asked his pardon, +ordered him a new suit of cloaths, and kept him for some time on board +his ship. He afterwards procured his liberty at Lima, paid for his +passage to Panama, where he gave him a jar of brandy, and another of +wine, for his sea-stores, put 200 pieces of eight in his pocket, and +sent him to England. This unlucky accident of losing their prize revived +the ill humours among Clipperton’s men, who did not indeed plot again, +but became exceedingly dejected. On the 16th they saw another sail, and +gave chace, which, after a few guns fired on both sides, bore away, +being a clean ship, and left them; which proved a lucky escape; for this +was likewise a ship of force, fitted out to take Capt. Shelvock, and +commanded by one Fitzgerald, who, knowing this was not Shelvock’s ship, +and doubting what strength she might be of, had no great stomach to +engage her. These repeated disappointments, as they broke the spirits of +his crew, so they had a very bad effect on Capt. Clipperton himself, who +began now to betake himself to drinking; and, as this vice generally +grows upon people under misfortunes, he drank at last to such an excess, +that he was hardly ever quite cool or sober. It was chiefly owing to +this unhappy practice, that he fell into many errors in his future +conduct. They were now in want of provisions, and they resolved to +continue cruising to the north, to seek a supply. In this cruize they +had but indifferent success; and, therefore, on the 27th, they set +ashore their Spanish prisoners, and then determined to go once more to +the Gallapagos, in order to refresh. In their passage to these islands, +they began to suspect some error in their log-line; and, upon measuring, +found it three fathoms too short. + +On the 4th of December, they lost their purser; and the same day found +themselves very near the Gallapagos islands, but could find no +anchoring-place, nor any fresh-water, though they had found a fine road +on their first visit, which gave Shelvock occasion to charge Clipperton +with want of skill; they therefore made the best way they could to the +Isle of Cocoas, where they hoped certainly to get some fish, fowl, and +cocoa-nuts, most of their people being very sick and weak. On the 17th +in the morning they came in sight of it, which filled them with +inexpressible joy. On the 18th, all that could be spared went on shore +to build a kind of booth for the reception of their sick, who were all +conveniently lodged. The Captain opened here the last cask of brandy for +the use of the ship’s company, and gave every man a dram a day; and, on +New-Year’s-day, he allowed a gallon of strong beer to every mess; and, +by having here plenty of nourishing food and much ease, the crew began +to recover, and were able to wood and water, though with much +difficulty. + +On the 17th of January, 1721, the Captain made the necessary +dispositions for sailing; but, when they came to muster the men, there +were no less than eleven missing, three Englishmen, and eight negroes, +who chose rather to remain in this unfrequented island, than continue +exposed to dangers and fatigues on board, and to their living constantly +at short allowance. + +On the 25th, they arrived on the coast of Mexico, where, discovering a +sail, they sent their pinnace to give her chace; to whom she instantly +struck. She proved to be Jesu Maria, commanded by Capt. Shelvock; and +the account he gave was, That he had no more than forty men alive, the +rest being all dead, or dispersed; that he had lost the Speedwell at +Juan Fernandez, where they built a bark out of the wreck; that they had +coasted along Chili and Peru, till they came to Pisco, near Lima where +they took this prize; that they had no regular command among them; that +they had chosen a quartermaster, carrying every thing by a majority of +votes; and that they had quite broken their articles with their owners, +and had shared all among themselves. + +On the 27th, Captain Shelvock came aboard, being sent for by Captain +Clipperton and the agent, to give an account of his transactions. The +boat brought Mr. Dod, Lieutenant of marines, having been used very ill +for his attachment to the owners; at least so he asserted, and was +firmly believed by Captain Clipperton, and his officers. The next day +Captain Shelvock sent on board them six chests of pitch and dammer, and +two barrels of tar, with six slabs of copper: Captain Clipperton spared +him twenty-four quarter-deck guns, some great shot, a compass, and a few +other necessaries: his people purchased cloaths, shoes, hats, and other +necessaries; and Mr. Hendric the purser, and Mr. Dod, continued in the +Success, designing never more to sail with Shelvock. + +In the beginning of March, both time and place favouring, they +determined to attempt the Manilla ship, before she entered Acapulco. + +On the 13th, they again met Captain Shelvock, and, at a general +consultation, agreed to make the attempt jointly. But, previous to the +signing this agreement, it was proposed by Captain Clipperton to form a +joint stock, to bury all former miscarriages in oblivion, and again to +act in concert for the good of the owners. This proposition was rejected +by Captain Shelvock and his people, who did not care to part with what +they possessed; upon which Captain Clipperton and his company, +perceiving there was nothing to be expected from their consort, and that +they were too weak of themselves to effect their purpose, determined to +sail directly to the East-Indies, and instantly put their resolution in +execution, without waiting for or consulting Captain Shelvock. + +The run from the coast of Mexico to the island of Guam, they performed +in fifty-three days; and, May the 13th, anchored in the road of +Umatta,--from whence they sent their pinnace ashore, with a flag of +truce, in order to obtain some provisions, which met at first with a +favourable reception, being told that, if they behaved civilly, and paid +honestly, they should be furnished with what the island could afford. +Soon after the launch arrived, and brought on board some cattle, bread, +sugar, greens, palm-wine, and brandy, from the Governor, with a large +quantity of chocolate. In return for which, his health was drank by the +whole ship’s crew, under a salvo of seven guns: this was the last act of +civility that passed between them. + +On the 18th of May, their prisoner, the Marquis de Ville Roche, went +ashore, in company with the agent, the first lieutenant and doctor, +having previously agreed with the Governor about his ransom. Our launch +was employed six days in bringing wood, water, and provision aboard; +during which time, the Governor desired he might have some arms and +ammunition in exchange: accordingly Captain Clipperton sent him twelve +fuzees, three jars of powder, sixty round shot, four pair of pistols, +besides cutlasses, long swords, and daggers. The 25th, they received a +letter, in which the Governor demanded the Marquis’s jewels, some +consecrated plate, and two negroes, being Christians, and subjects to +the King of Spain; as also a certificate, under the Captain and officers +hands, that peace was proclaimed, detaining Mr. Godfrey and Mr. Pritty +till all this was performed. The Captain returned for answer, that the +Solidad, the last prize taken on the coast of Chili, declared there was +peace between England and Spain; but, withal, assured the Governor, +that, if he did not, in twenty-four hours, send the ransom with the two +gentlemen, he would demolish the houses upon the shore, burn the ship in +the harbour, and do all the mischief he could at the Philippine islands. + +After this declaration, hostilities commenced on both sides. The people +on shore had raised a battery from whence they fired at the pinnace. The +ship ran a-ground between two fires, one from the battery over their +heads, and another from the ship in the harbour. In endeavouring to get +their ship off, they ran foul of the rocks. The enemy fired so warmly +with stones and shot, that they suffered extremely in their hull and +rigging. They had three men wounded, besides the misfortune of losing +Mr. Davidson, their first Lieutenant, who was an honest man, and a good +officer. + + [Illustration: _The distrest Situation of the Success between the fire + of the Spanish Fort at Umata & the Ship in the harbour herself at the + Same time Wedged on a Rock_] + +In this emergency, the Captain being overcome with liquor, the officers +signed a paper indemnifying Mr. Cook for taking upon him the command. +They cleared away the hold, ready to start their water, to make the ship +lighter; and got their upper and lower deck guns forward, to bring her +by the head, the ship hanging abaft on the rock. + +During the last twenty-four hours, they had happily only one man +wounded; but the ship was wretchedly torn and mangled between wind and +water. The 30th, at six in the afternoon, the ship floating, they cut +away the yawl, she being sunk with the shot; the other boats were much +damaged; they hove to their small bower, then cut it away, and the other +two hawsers, and sent their pinnace a-head, to tow the ship off. Just as +they got afloat, the enemy fired so smartly from the new battery, that +their shot raked them through between wind and water, killing one of +their people, and wounding two others. They lost both their bow-anchors +and cables, the stern and kedge anchors, four hawsers, four of their +lower-deck guns, and nineteen barrels of powder, two men killed, and six +wounded, having stood for no less than fifty hours a fair mark for the +enemy to fire at; and, if they had not got clear, it was believed they +would have been sunk before morning. At ten in the forenoon they brought +to, and began to splice their rigging, not a rope of which escaped a +shot. Their carpenters were employed in fixing the masts and yards, and +the rest of their people in fixing the rigging. At six in the afternoon +they took their departure, leaving Mr. Godfrey and Mr. Pritty in the +hands of the enemy. This was certainly one of the worst errors committed +by Clipperton; for he should never have quitted the Marquis, without +having the ransom in his hands. + +On the 24th of June, they were in sight of the Bashee Islands; and, on +the last day of the month, they saw the island-shoals of Prata. + +On the 1st of July, they fell in with other islands, and passed several +boats that were fishing, though no such islands are laid down in any +chart. They anchored under one of these islands, and dispatched their +pinnace for intelligence; but not being able to learn their course to +Macao, nor to get a pilot, they determined to sail for Amoy; before +which port they arrived on the 5th in the evening, but were afraid to +enter it in the night, and therefore plied off and on till day-light. +They took notice of a great number of snakes in the sea, which were +brought down by the rivers that empty themselves on that coast. In the +evening of the 6th of July, they entered the port, and were well pleased +to find themselves once more in a place where they might hope to obtain +refreshments, and to be able to repair their ship; but they were no +sooner anchored in this port, than they had 10 custom-house officers put +on board them. The first thing these custom-house officers demanded was, +what the ship was reputed to be, and what business she had there. +Captain Clipperton answered, the ship belonged to the King of Great +Britain, and that she put in there by stress of weather, in order to +obtain provisions and necessaries. Next morning, the men mutinied, and +insisted on being immediately paid their prize-money. Mr. Taylor, to +whom we are indebted for this account, interposing, one Edward Boreman +told him, he had best desist, unless he had a mind to have a brace of +balls through his head. Mr. Cook, who commanded in the affair of Guam, +and who succeeded Mr. Davidson as First Lieutenant, now demanded thirty +shares, in right of his office; in which he was supported by the men. +Captain Clipperton, and the rest of the officers, seeing the turn things +were likely to take, were very desirous, that some allowance should be +made to the officers that were taken prisoners, and to Mr. Hendry and +Mr. Dod, who joined them from the Speedwell: but the men would hear of +no such allowances. Whilst these disputes lasted, some took it into +their heads to go ashore, without asking leave; and, when Captain +Clipperton would have corrected them, the whole company declared on +their side, and prevented it. After this, all things fell into +confusion: The men refused to work till they had their prize-money; and, +upon complaint, a guard of soldiers was sent on board, with a peremptory +order from the Mandarin to Captain Clipperton to comply. + +On September 16, the distribution was made; and no allowance being +reserved for such as were taken prisoners, the representatives of those +who were dead, or the two gentlemen who had served on board the +Speedwell, the prize-money of a fore-mast-man was 419 dollars. According +to this distribution, the owners share in ready money, wrought silver, +gold, and jewels, amounted to between 6 and 7000l. sterling, which +Captain Clipperton caused to be immediately put on board a Portuguese +East-Indiaman, called the Queen of Angels, Don Francisco la Vero +Commander, which ship was unfortunately burnt at Rio Janeiro, on the +coast of Brasil, June 6, 1722. So that of these effects the owners +received no more, the charges of salvage deducted, than 1800l. + +On September 30, they weighed anchor from the bay of Amoy, which lies in +the province of Tonkin, after having paid, under the article of port +charges, the most exorbitant sum of 1700 dollars; and then proceeded to +Macao, in the road of which they anchored, Oct. 4. As soon as Capt. +Clipperton entered the port, he saluted the fortress; which compliment +being returned, he went on shore, and found there the Captain of the +Portuguese man-of-war, who had undertaken to carry what belonged to the +owners to Brasil. The mutinous crew found themselves at a loss here, the +Portuguese Captain declaring absolutely in favour of their Commander; +and, therefore, Captain Cook, and another officer, took passage to +Canton, to consult Mr. Winder, supercargo to an East-Indiaman, and son +to one of the principal proprietors, as to the measures which should be +taken about carrying the Success home; and, upon their return, the ship +was surveyed, condemned, and sold for 4000 dollars: but Capt. +Clipperton, to shew his opinion of her, agreed with the persons who +bought her, for his passage in her to Batavia; a plain indication, that +there was no danger of her foundering at sea. The ship being sold, every +man thought himself at liberty to shift as well as he could, and to use +his best endeavour to save what little was left him. They were, by this +time, satisfied, that Captain Mitchell, his crew, and cargo, were all +gone to the bottom, or else fallen into the hands of the Spaniards; +which was to them pretty much the same thing; and, therefore, what they +had now in possession was all they had to expect. Twenty of them, +however, who had agreed to give six dollars a-piece for a passage in a +Chinese vessel to Canton, were taken by a pirate, and most of them lost +all their effects. After a short stay at Macao, Mr. Taylor, the chief +mate, got safe to Canton in an armed boat, for which he, and the rest of +the English seamen that staid with him, paid 20 dollars a-head: and when +they arrived, they were well received, and promised all imaginable +assistance towards getting home. There were, at this time, several ships +there ready to sail. The Captains of these vessels being solicited by +the factory to take Captain Clipperton’s men on board, they met, and +agreed to carry them to Great Britain for five pounds a man; and +accordingly they all paid their money. Mr. Taylor arrived safely at +Batavia in the month of December, sailed from thence to the Cape of Good +Hope in February, came to St. Helena in March, and, in May 1722, arrived +in London. The rest of the ship’s company returned, some sooner, some +later, as opportunities offered; but, as for Capt. Mitchell, who was +sent to Brasil with a small crew, he was never heard of, and most +probably was destroyed on the island of Velas, where he went ashore for +the sake of getting fresh provisions. + +Captain Clipperton sailed in the Success, after she was sold, as a +passenger, from Macao to Batavia; from whence he procured a passage home +in a Dutch East-India ship, and arrived, in the beginning of July, 1722, +at Galway, in Ireland, where he died in less than a week of a broken +heart. + +Thus ended the unfortunate voyage of Captain Clipperton; that of Captain +Shelvock remains to be related. + + + + + THE + VOYAGE + OF + CAPTAIN SHELVOCK + ROUND THE WORLD. + + +We have already given an account, in the introduction to the preceding +voyage, of the motives that influenced the owners to undertake it, and +of the difficulties and discouragements that attended the first setting +out. It remains now only to relate the proceedings of Captain Shelvock, +the second in command, who has himself been very circumstantial in +laying before the public the following particulars. + +On the 13th of February, 1719, we sailed from Plymouth, in company with +the Success, of 36 guns, Captain John Clipperton, who, in consideration +of his knowledge of the coasts and customs of Chili, Peru, and Mexico, +was to act as chief of the expedition. + +On the 15th, I came under his lee, complained of the crankness of my +ship, and desired him to send for his wine and brandy, which he +neglecting, lost his sea stock of liquors; for we never saw any thing of +each other till about two years afterwards. + +Thursday 19, a storm arose, and about midnight a sea drove in our +quarter and one of our stern dead lights. For a considerable time we +were under apprehensions of foundering; a succession of prodigious seas +drove over us; and in this melancholy state, the chain pump was the only +means of our deliverance. + +February 20, we had no sight of the Success, and at midnight set the +topsails and stood to the north-westward. + +This storm so terrified my ship’s company, that no less than 70 of them +were resolved upon bearing away for England, there to make complaint +against the ship. But, on the 23d, perceiving their discontent, I +ordered them all on deck, and used what arguments with them I was master +of, to encourage them to proceed; but all I could say was but to little +purpose. They continued in their resolution to clap the helm a +_weather_; and grew to that height of insolence at last, that I was +obliged to call upon my officers to assist in bringing the mutineers to +reason. For this end most of them appeared armed; and the sight of this +so startled the ringleaders, that they very submissively begged I would +forgive them; as I did, upon promise for the future to behave as became +them. After this, seeing them inclined to be tractable, I ordered them +some brandy, and they drank to our prosperous voyage. But the very next +evening, Simon Hatley, my second Captain, had like to have thrown every +thing into confusion, by telling me upon deck, before most of the ship’s +company, that he had private orders from one of the chief of the +gentlemen adventurers, and Captain Clipperton, to take the charge of the +ship upon himself. I asked him if he had a private commission too? but +to this he returned nothing but expressions of contempt. This +unseamanlike behaviour, immediately after my separation from my consort, +laid me under a necessity of behaving with all possible circumspection, +to prevent our being divided into parties, which would infallibly +frustrate the ends of our expedition. + +We had a very tedious passage to our first place of rendezvous, the +Canary Islands; and did not arrive there till the 17th of March, where +having finished our cruise without any thing remarkable, except taking +an open boat with salt and wine, hearing nothing of the Success, on +March the 29th, we took our departure from the island of Ferro, in hopes +of meeting with Captain Clipperton among the islands of Cape de Verd, +and we took our prize along with us. But in our passage, my people began +again to murmur; and one Turner Stevens, my gunner, very gravely made a +proposal to me, in the hearing of all the other officers, to go a +cruizing in the Red Sea; for, said he, there can be no harm in robbing +those Mahometans; but, as for the poor Spaniards, continued he, they are +good Christians, and it would, doubtless, be a sin to injure them. Upon +this, I ordered him under confinement; and the man, after that, having +threatened, in a very outrageous manner, to blow up the ship, I, at his +own request, discharged him as soon as we arrived, together with my +chief mate, who had likewise been guilty of many and great misdemeanors. + +On the 14th of April, we made the Isle of May; and, running along shore, +saw a wreck, which we were told was the Vanzittern Indiaman, Captain +Hide, who three weeks before had been cast away. I endeavoured to avail +myself of this accident, to supply the necessaries we stood in need of; +but could procure nothing but two or three sheathing-boards. At this +place I sold our prize for 150 dollars to the Governor; and filled all +our water-casks, and gave my ship a very good heel. Six of my people +having deserted, I applied in vain to the officer on shore to deliver +them up to me; but, threatening the Master of a Portuguese ship to make +reprisals, he brought me off two of them, which happened to be the best. +They fell on their knees, and asked pardon, assuring me the Commander on +shore had seduced them, his design being to fend the bark I sold him on +the Vanzittern’s wreck, where he said they might all make their +fortunes; so I lost the other four. + +Finding I could neither hear of the Success, nor get what might be +serviceable to us in this place, and having read in Frezier’s voyage, +that in the island of St. Catherine’s, on the coast of Brasil, in +latitude 27 deg. 30 min. S. every thing might be had that we stood in +need of, I concluded it would be best for me to put in there. + +April 20, we sailed from the Isle of May, having wrenched the drum-head +of our capstane in weighing anchor, which took us up the remainder of +the day to repair. We were 55 days in going to St. Catherine’s, during +which little remarkable happened; except that on June the 5th we saw a +ship stemming with us, and spoke with her. I ordered the five-oar’d boat +to be hoisted out, and sent Captain Hatley in her, to enquire after +news, and gave him money to buy us tobacco. The Success, amongst other +things, had got our stock of tobacco, and had made what the seamen call +a west-country famine on board of us. When Hatley returned, he told me +she was a Portuguese from Rio Janeiro, and bound to Fernambuco. Instead +of tobacco, which he said the ship had none to dispose of, he had laid +out my money in china ware, sweet-meats, and the like; and, upon my +expressing my dissatisfaction at his having squandered away my money in +so silly a manner, his answer was, that he had laid out his own in the +same manner. My reply was, I did not like his proceedings. + +On Friday, June 19, we made the island of St. Catherine’s; and at ten +the next morning anchored in ten fathom water, the island of Gall +bearing E. N. E. distant two leagues, and the eastermost point of St. +Catherine’s E. and by S. distant four leagues. The first thing I did, +was to send the carpenter on shore, with all the people that could be +useful to him in felling of trees, and sawing them into plank, and to +order the cooper and his crew to trim the casks, and fill them with +water. Those who remained on board, I employed in different services. +Mean while the inhabitants came off to us every day with the product of +the place, which we purchased with salt. + +On July 2, we were alarmed, at break of day, by the appearance of a +large ship at anchor four or five miles below the place where we lay. I +sent an officer in the launch, well manned and armed, to see what he +could make of her, and put my ship into the best posture of defence I +could. About noon my launch returned, and brought word that this ship +was the Ruby, formerly an English man-of-war, and now one of M. +Martinet’s squadron; that she came from the South Seas, and was +commanded by M. la Jonquiere; that he, his officers, and seamen, to the +number of 420, were all French; and tho’ in the Spanish service, they +had not the least design to molest us. My Lieutenant became thus +punctually informed, by a direct breach of orders in going aboard, and +his temerity might have cost me very dear; for, had they been enemies, I +should have lost 23 of my best hands; but their return confirmed the +truth of his story: yet it was a great misfortune, that I had not, to +the best of my knowledge, one man of experience or capacity sufficient +to enable him to perform the common duty of an officer. + +The next day, the Ruby turned up towards us, and the Captain sent one of +his lieutenants and a priest, to assure me of his friendship, and to +desire I would dine with him, which I did, and met with a very handsome +reception, with offers of what money I would have upon my bills on +London, or in general any thing else his ship afforded. He informed me +that the Spaniards in the South Seas had advice of our two ships, and +that they talked of fitting out some men of war to receive us. + +About this time there was a report spread, that Hatley had taken a bribe +of the Master of the Portuguese we met on the 5th of June, or had robbed +him of 80 or 100 moidores, had given ten to his cockswain, and six to +each of his boat’s crew, not to divulge it. I charged him with what had +been said against him; his answer was, He had done nothing he was +ashamed of, or that he could not justify. All I could do was to protest +against him, and I gave the protest to Captain Clipperton in the South +Seas. + +July 6, M. la Jonquiere, accompanied by several of his officers and +passengers, came to dine with me; but in the midst of our entertainment, +my boatswain took it into his head to create a disturbance, because he +had not been invited into the cabbin as a guest. He first assaulted +Betagh the Captain of marines, and then Mr. Adams the surgeon. This +outrage, which was supported by a party he had formed, being, by the +help of my officers and the French gentlemen, pretty well quieted, M. la +Jonquiere declared, that, if they persisted in their disobedience, he +would see the ringleaders punished by carrying them home in irons; and +as they grew a little quieter, he expostulated with them, and appealed +to themselves, whether they did not think it monstrous for people to +behave themselves in such a manner. + +The next morning I was informed, that the authors of the disturbance +were most of them sorry for what had happened the night before, +attributing the whole blame to the boatswain, and the effect of too much +liquor. I was glad to hear this, and therefore passed it all over with +only threatening how I would manage them, if ever they were guilty of +the like again. I had resolved to punish the boatswain in the severest +manner; but I was prevailed on not to do it, he, in very humble plight, +asking my pardon, and begging I would not use any severity towards him. +He said it was drink that had made him mad, and withal desired I would +give him leave to go home in the French ship. This I willingly agreed +to, he being a very odd sort of a fellow, and always incensing the +people against the number of officers, whom he termed Blood-suckers. + +July 15, we saw a great ship plying into the harbour’s mouth; but when +she discovered us, she made the best of her way out again. This +possessed M. la Jonquiere with a notion of her being our consort, and +put him into a hurry to be gone. Accordingly, when night came on, he +weighed, and went to sea the next morning, and at his departure saluted +me with five guns. Three Frenchmen, belonging to me, went away with him; +but I had two Frenchmen, and one Morphew, an Irishman, in lieu of them. + +During all this, our carpenter went on but slowly in the woods; and at +last, when we came to case the stern all over with thick plank, we could +find, to my great astonishment, no nails fit for that use. I was now +told, that the first carpenter, and his crew, had sold most of the +stores before the ship came to Plymouth, which was before I commanded +her. + +July 25, a large ship came in, called the Wise Solomon, of St. Malo’s, +of 40 guns, and about 160 men, commanded by M. Dumain Girard, and bound +to the coasts of Chili and Peru to trade. She was the same ship we saw +coming in before, and had spoke with the Ruby at sea. This gentleman, I +soon perceived, notwithstanding a little forced civility at his first +arrival, was a designing mercenary man, and full of all the conceit and +vanity ascribed to his nation. + +Desiring him to spare me some nails, he readily answered he would; but, +at the same time, gave me to understand that he could not afford them +for less than 32 dollars a hundred, which sum I was fain to give him; I +likewise bought of him 60 cheeses, and 300 weight of butter; so that it +happened well for me, that I had some money from one of the Ruby’s +people. This done, I now thought of making a quick dispatch from this +place, when there came a letter from my ship’s company to me, with +articles annexed to it for the immediate division of prize-money, which +they said they were resolved to insist on, alledging that they knew by +woeful experience how they were used on board the Duke and Dutchess, +that they were never paid one tenth of their due, and that they had been +well informed what a paymaster a certain gentleman would make, if ever +their fortunes should fall into his hands. They were so very importunate +with me to comply with their articles, that both myself, and all my +chief officers, thought it would be best and most adviseable to sign +their papers with them, rather than run the risque of their proceeding, +when they should get out to sea, to acts of piracy. As soon as they had +gained their point, they expressed great satisfaction, and promised to +be always ready to hazard their lives in any undertaking I should think +conducive to the ends we were fitted out for. + +August 3, there came in here the St. Francisco Xavier, a Portuguese +man-of-war, of 40 guns, and 300 men, from Lisbon, bound to Macao in +China, commanded by Captain la Riviere, a Frenchman. I made no doubt but +that Captain Hatley’s affair would be reported to this gentleman, and, +therefore, I told Hatley, that I expected he would go and vindicate +himself to the Portuguese Captain, to prevent any disturbances that +might arise on his account. To which he readily replied he would. + +Hatley, at his return, told me, the Captain seemed to be angry with him +for thinking he could harbour any ill thought of a gentleman bound on a +voyage, which, to his knowledge, could hardly fail of answering the +largest expectations. + +August 6, three of my men deserted, and the mate and his party went up +to the Portuguese plantations in search of them. It being almost +midnight, the inhabitants took the alarm, and planted themselves in +ambuscade to destroy them as they came back. No sooner had they returned +into the boat, than they heard them rushing out of the woods, crying, +“Kill the dogs, kill all the English dogs.” This outcry was instantly +followed by a volley of small arms, which wounded three of my men, two +through the thigh, and another through the arm. + +I sent a letter of complaint, by Hatley, to the Captain of the +Portuguese man-of-war in the harbour: but Hatley, at his entrance into +the ship, was furiously assaulted by Emanuel Mansa (the Captain of the +island), crying out, This was the man who had committed so many +insolencies towards them, and that this was he who had burnt one of +their houses, and had made it a common practice to abuse and affront him +with the opprobrious name of cuckold. Upon this exclamation, the ship’s +company sided with Mansa, and fell upon Hatley, and would certainly have +used both him and his boat’s crew very severely, had not the Captain and +his officers, with much difficulty, prevented it; for the Portuguese +seamen were exasperated to that degree, that it is more than likely they +would have murdered him, had they not been timely hindered. + +The Captain, in his answer to my letter, expressed his sorrow for what +had happened, said the people were without law, and that it was out of +his power to punish them; that they were wild and lurked in the woods; +and that in seeking revenge, it would only expose my men to butchery. He +asked my pardon for the ill usage my officer had met with on board his +ship; but withal gave me to understand, there could be no greater +provocation to the people of that nation, than that which Hatley was +accused of by Mansa. That his ship’s company had got Hatley amongst them +before he knew any thing of the matter, and that he was obliged to call +his priest to his assistance, before he could get him out of their +hands, and in a very handsome manner touched upon Hatley’s story. I made +no long stay after this disaster, but took our departure from the +northernmost point of St. Catherine’s on the 9th of August; and on the +19th, Mr. La Port, my third Lieutenant, broke his leg. + +From the time we left St. Catherine’s, till now, we had for the most +part squally weather. As we advanced to the southward, my people’s +stomachs increased with the sharpness of the air to that degree, that +the allowance which the government gives in the navy was not sufficient +to satisfy their hunger. Some of my officers, in particular Mr. Betagh, +my Captain of marines, who had been formerly a purser of a man-of-war, +and a man whom I had a great regard for, was the champion for an +addition of allowance at my table; for he told me he had orders from the +adventurers to eat with me; and what was my table, if I did not eat +better than the cook? He did not stop here, but urged by his +intemperance, and finding me unwilling to squander away our provisions, +without knowing when or where we might get any more, he at length had +the insolence to tell me publicly, that the voyage should be short with +me, which he often repeated. I should have had reason to fear it, had he +been capable of commanding; but, for his punishment, I excluded him both +from my mess and the great cabbin. Upon this, finding I was in earnest +with him, and fearing some heavier punishment, he sent me a letter, +asking my pardon for what he had done; upon which I again restored him +in a handsomer manner than he afterwards deserved, as will appear by the +sequel. + +Between St. Catherine’s and the river of Plate, the whales, grampusses, +and other fish of monstrous bulk, are in such numbers, that I cannot see +why a trade for blubber might not be carried on here. I may venture to +affirm, it is a safer navigation than that carried on to the northward, +and I am apt to believe here is a greater certainty of success in making +up a cargo. + +Sept. 19, about midnight I perceived the water to be discoloured all at +once, and upon heaving the lead, we found ourselves in 26 fathom water; +this done, I stood off again to sea, but we did not deepen our water in +the running of five leagues. This seems to be a bank very near the +entrance of the straits of Magellan. I had a fine opportunity of going +through these straits: but Captain Clipperton in his plan pretended, out +of the abundance of his judgment and experience, that the straits of Le +Mair would be the best navigation for us, though he himself passed +through the straits of Magellan. From this I might have conjectured, +that he, who never was fond of having a consort with him, designed to +make use of this as a likely expedient to separate himself; for he was a +man that would do any thing, though ever so dishonest or inhuman;--[a +reflection, however, that carries more of malice than of truth on the +face of it.] + +Sept. 13, the fog clearing up, we had a full, but melancholy prospect, +of the most desolate country that can be conceived, seeming no other +than continued ridges and chains of mountains, one within another, +perpetually buried in snow. Towards noon we were becalmed within three +leagues of the mountains called the Three Brothers, so named from their +equal height, near resemblance, and proximity to one another. Till now, +we had not been sensible of any helps or hindrances by currents; but +this afternoon we were hurried with incredible rapidity into the +straits, and just as we had gained somewhat more than the mid-passage, +the northern tide came rushing upon us with a violence equal to that of +the tide which had brought us in, and, to our great astonishment, drove +us out of the straits again at a great and extraordinary rate, +notwithstanding we had a fresh and fair gale with us at N. W. Upon the +shifting of this tide to windward, there arose such a short, and, while +it lasted, so hollow a sea, and so lofty withal, that we alternately +dipped our bowsprit end, and poop lanthorns, into the water. Our ship +laboured in the most alarming manner, and became insensible of the +guidance of her helm; but at midnight the tide shifted, and we put +through the straits without seeing the land on either side, and in the +morning had a very good offing to the southward. We had found it very +cold before we came this length, but now we began to feel the extreme of +it. The bleak westerly winds of themselves would have been sufficiently +piercing, but they were always attended with drifts either of snow or +sleet, which, continually beating on our sails and rigging, cased the +masts and every rope with ice, so that there was no handling them. It +was common with us to be two or three days together lying to under bare +poles, exposed all the while to the assaults of prodigious seas, much +larger than any I had ever observed before. The winds reigning thus +tempestuously, without intermission, in the western board, we had +stretched away into lat. 61 deg. 30 min. S. where we were in continual +dread of falling foul of islands of ice, and where we found the +variation to be 22 deg. 6 min. to the north-eastward. + +October 1, as we were furling the main-sail, one William Camell cried +out, that his hands were so benumbed, he could not hold himself; but +before those who were next to him could lay hold of him, he fell into +the sea, and the ship making fresh way, and the sea running high, we +lost sight of him before we could bring to. Indeed, one would imagine it +impossible that any thing could live in so rigid a climate; and, truly, +we saw neither fish nor bird, except one solitary albitross, which +accompanied us for several days, and hovered about us, till Hatley +concluding, in a gloomy fit, that the company of this melancholy bird +brought us ill luck, resolved to destroy him, in hopes we might then +have better weather. + +October 22, at eight at night, we carried away our fore-top-mast, and +rigged another next morning. We crept by very slow degrees, after we had +ventured to tack and stand to the northward, in hopes to weather our way +into the Great South Seas; and indeed it may be averred, that from the +time we passed the straits of Le Mair, till we had the first sight of +the coast of Chili, we had been continually distressed by the winds, and +discouraged by bad weather. + +Nov. 14, we saw the coast of Chili, distant 10 leagues, lat. by +observation 47 deg. 28 min. S. + +Being now arrived on the confines of the Spanish settlements, we found +ourselves under an absolute necessity of contriving some means by which +we might recruit our wood and water. We had but seven buts of water +remaining, and a much less proportion of wood. I thought it would be +best for us to go first to Narborough’s island, and accordingly directed +our course to that place. + +Nov. 21, at seven in the morning, we had soundings in 28 fathom water, +of fine grey and black sand. But here we found a wild road, which could +not be deemed safe for us.--[Here Captain Shelvock laments it as a great +misfortune, that he could not reach Juan Fernandez, in latitude 33 deg. +30 min. S. without stopping; though at the same time it is plain, that +he lost more time in searching for a nearer place of refreshment, than +the direct passage to that island would have taken him up. But the +imputation he would throw upon Clipperton is applicable only to himself: +he never intended to act under him; and all his excuses are mere +shifts.] + +Surrounded with doubts and apprehensions, says he, lest we should be +obliged to advance too far on these coasts, without a competent stock of +provisions, one Joseph de la Fontaine, a Frenchman, assured me, that, if +I would go to the island of Chiloe, which was at that time a little to +the northward of us, there was no place for our purpose like it in all +the South Seas; that the towns of Chacao and Calibuco, the first on the +island itself, and the second on the continent, were rich places; that +the former was the usual place of residence of the Governor, and that at +the latter there was a wealthy college of Jesuits; and that there were +considerable magazines kept up, which were always well stocked with +provisions of all kinds. + +On these considerations I formed a resolution of going to Chiloe; and on +the 30th of November we entered the channel, with an intent to surprize +and attack the towns of Chacao and Calibuco: but, immediately after we +had come to, the windward tide made out with prodigious rapidity, which +instantly caused a great sea; and the wind increasing at the same time, +the channel all about us appeared like one continued breach. In the +midst of this our ship laid a great strain upon her cable, which +unfortunately parted, and we lost our anchor. We passed by two +commodious bays; and, at length, we rounded a point of land out of the +tide’s way, where we were commodiously sheltered from all +inconveniences; and, the next morning, I sent my second Lieutenant to +make a discovery of the towns of Chacao and Calibuco, and, at the same +time, Captain Hatley, to find out a watering-place for us. He soon +returned again, and brought with him an Indian, who gave us hopes of a +sufficient supply of all we wanted, but afterwards came in the evening +to tell us, the country was forbidden to supply us with any thing. The +Lieutenant not being yet returned, this information made me apprehend +the enemy had taken him, and by that means had learned who we were. + +December 3, there came to us a Spanish officer, in a piragua rowed by +eight Indians, who was sent by the Governor to be informed who we were. +As soon as we had a sight of the piragua, I hoisted French colours, and, +when the Spaniard came on board, I told him, we were a homeward-bound +French ship called the St. Rose, and that my name was le Janis le +Breton. Under this notion he staid with us all night, and next morning +departed, not seeming to suspect us. I wrote to the Governor by this +gentleman, signifying, that I wanted a supply of provisions to carry me +back to France, desiring him to assist me in what he could; and received +for answer a complaint against the violences of our men, in killing +their sheep, and driving away their cattle, by which I knew that they +had seen my Lieutenant. But I was in despair of ever seeing him, or the +people who were with him, any more. I therefore sent a message to the +Governor, that provisions I wanted, and provisions I must have, and that +very speedily; and that all the forces of Chacao, Calibuco, Carelmapo, +or Castro, should not frighten or deter me from supplying myself. Soon +after, there came a piragua with a message, signifying, that if I would +send an officer to Chacao, he would treat with me. But I gave him for +answer, that I would treat no where but on board my own ship; and +farther, that it was now too late, since I had already dispatched 80 men +to take all they could find. + +Soon after the pinnace arrived, which I had so long given over for lost, +with all her crew; but they were so terrified, that I had no hopes of +their being fit for service in any reasonable time. The officer had no +excuse for not returning as soon as he had got a sight of the town, but +that the tide hurried him away at unawares, and that in the fright he +had forgot he had a graplin in the boat to come to with, till the tide +had shifted. I said but little to him; and only made the officer +sensible of his mismanagement, which had been the ruin of the +advantageous views I might have had, in taking either Chacao or +Calibuco. + +December 16, we had now our decks full of live cattle, such as European +sheep, hogs, guanicoes, poultry in abundance, and hams, &c. as also a +good quantity of wheat, barley, potatoes, maize, or Indian corn; and, in +short, I computed that I had added four months provisions to what +remained of our English stock, and that without the least hindrance or +molestation from the enemy. + +December 17, we began to unmoor, and at noon we weighed, and sailed out +with the wind at W. S. W. The night before we departed, one of our men +made his escape into the woods. It was beyond all dispute that this +fellow would give a full account of us. This, added to the ill conduct +of my Lieutenant, together with the contrary execution of all my orders, +by those officers whom I had hitherto entrusted in affairs of +importance, made me despair of ever having any thing done to purpose; +and on this occasion, I could not forbear reflecting on the +mismanagement of some gentlemen in England, who blindly made use of +their interest to prefer persons to posts for which they were utterly +unfit. + +I sailed from Chiloe with a design to go straight to the island of Juan +Fernandez, but was prevented by my people, who were possessed with +notions of vast advantages to be made by going to the port of +Conception. It was our Frenchman, who had been so instrumental in our +Chiloenian attempt, who was the cause of this. Finding his accounts +hitherto tolerably just, they once more listened to him; and every one +of my ship’s company, who could say any thing at this juncture, did not +fail to speak his mind somewhat insolently; particularly William +Morphew, one of the men I had out of the Ruby, and who had been in these +seas several years, took upon him to tell me that it could not signify +much whether we arrived two or three days sooner or later at Juan +Fernandez; that I was a stranger here, but that the Frenchman and +himself were so well acquainted with these seas, that every body hoped I +would be advised and go to Conception, and not put a mere punctilio to +orders in the balance against a certainty of success, if we were so +happy as to arrive at that port in time. Considering now how easily they +might be brought to throw off command, and how little I should be able +to help myself, alone, as I might be said to be, if they came to that +extremity, I complied with them, and resolved to spend two or three days +in going to Conception; and, on December the 23d, we came abreast of the +Teats of Bio Bio, and in the evening arrived in the bay, from whence I +ordered the boats, well manned and armed, to go up in the night to +surprize what ships or vessels might be in the harbour, and to make what +observations they could concerning the place. + +About noon, Captain Hatley returned in the pinnace, and informed me he +had taken the Solidad d’Anday, of 150 tons, the only ship in the road or +port, lately come from Baldivia, laden with timber; had no body on board +except the boatswain, an old negroe, and two Indian boys. He took also a +small vessel of about 25 tons, near the island of Quiriquine, which +belonged to a priest who had been gathering fruits, and was now made a +prisoner in her, together with four or five Indians. This vessel we +found very useful, and called her the Mercury, being well built, and +ready upon all occasions to look into port. There was another small +vessel that passed within pistol-shot, but Capt. Hatley never once +offered to follow her, or bring her to. Hatley, truly, said, he did not +mind her, though his boat’s crew all agreed she was full of men. This +vessel was bringing advice of us from Chiloe. I did not fail to +reprimand him for this, but to what effect! + +Dec. 26, the priest being very solicitous to ransom his bark, he left my +ship in the morning, and, in my pinnace rowed by Indians, went ashore to +get money for that purpose. At noon, Mr. Brooks, first Lieutenant, +brought down the ship we had taken, and anchored her about half a mile +short of us. The boatswain of her had not been on board above two hours +before he gave me information of a vessel laden with wine, brandy, and +other valuable things, bound to the island of Chiloe, lying at anchor in +the bay of Herradura, about two leagues to the northward of us. Thither +I ordered Mr. Randall, our second Lieutenant, with the boatswain of the +Solidad, and 25 men, to go; with positive orders not to set a foot on +shore, or make any hazardous attempt whatever. But the next evening they +returned with a dismal story, that they went into the bay, and finding +the vessel hauled dry on shore, the officer ordered his people to land, +and bring away what they could out of her; but their career was soon +stopped; for they had no sooner got upon the bank, than they discovered +the enemy rushing out furiously upon them. They all escaped except five, +who were overtaken in shoal water, and they all agreed that those five +were cut to pieces. The Spaniards came down upon them, preceded by 20 or +30 horses a-breast, linked to each other. These were two deep; then came +the enemy, mounted, and lying upon their horses necks, driving the +others before them. They were not once seen to sit upright in their +saddles, except when there was no danger, or to fire their musquets. +This new addition to our misfortunes quite dispirited the greatest part +of my ship’s company. Nothing was now heard but murmuring, and damning +the South Seas, and declaring that, if this was making their fortune, +they had better have staid at home and begged about the streets; but +just as I was expostulating with Mr. Randall, who conducted this +unfortunate undertaking, I was agreeably surprized with the sight of a +large ship, which we saw coming about the northernmost point of the +island of Quiriquine. It was almost dark, and she could not perceive +what we were, so that she stood towards us without fear. As soon as she +approached near enough, I hailed her, to which she returned no answer, +and I fired into her. This was no sooner done, than she came to, and +called for quarter. She was called the St. Fermin, came from Callao, +burthen about 300 tons, and laden with sugar, melasses, rice, coarse +French linnen, and some cloths of Quito, together with a small quantity +of chocolate, and about 5 or 6000 dollars in money and wrought plate. I +sent Mr. Hendry (the agent for prizes) to inspect her lading, and to +order every thing he could find valuable out of her, and the ship’s +company sent their agent likewise. In the afternoon they returned, and +brought all the bales, boxes, chests, portmanteaus, &c. that were in +her; and also all the rice, with a large quantity of sugar, melasses, +and chocolate, and about 7000 weight of good rusk, with all her +eatables, and stores. + +Don Francisco Larrayn, her Captain, desired to ransom his ship, to which +I willingly consented, and suffered him to go in his own launch to raise +money for that purpose. + +Dec. 30, there came a boat with an officer and a flag of truce, who +brought word that three only of our people in the skirmish at Harradura +were killed, the other two wounded, and in a fair way of recovery, and +that the boat had brought advice of us, as I suspected, from that +island. The officer brought me seven jars of very good wine, a present +from the Governor, and a letter full of civility, but written with a +great deal of craft. He desired to see my commission, and then he would +treat with me according to the laws of arms. + +January 1, Captain Betagh went to Conception with a copy of my +commission, the declaration of war, &c. and soon after he returned with +a Flemish jesuit, a Spanish lawyer, and an Englishman and a Scotchman. +The jesuit assured me he was only come to pay his respects to me, and to +do his utmost to promote the affair of the ransom, and bring it to an +immediate conclusion. Therefore the first thing I did, was to shew my +commission to the Englishman, who read it in Spanish. The jesuit then +told me, that the Captains of the St. Fermin and Solidad had resolved to +give me 12,000 dollars for the ransom of both the ships, and the Mercury +included, instead of 16000 dollars which I had insisted on for the St. +Fermin only. To this I positively answered, that all their persuasions, +artifices, and pretences, should never make me agree with them. We had +taken in the St. Fermin, ten large silver candlesticks, each of them +weighing above twenty-five pounds sterling. The holy father, in a +suppliant manner, represented to me that they were a legacy to his +convent, and hoped I would make no dispute of so noble a charity as it +would be to put them into the possession of those for whom they were +designed. I offered to let him have them for their weight in dollars, +which, considering the great price they pay in those parts for the +fashion of wrought plate, was a very advantageous offer. But he said +they never bought any thing for sacred uses; and that, as the workmen +put a great deal of allay into plate, it would be difficult to determine +the different values of the dollars and the candlesticks; so, after a +deal of needless dispute and entreaties, both about this, and the ransom +of the ships, the jesuit and the rest affirming that the Captains of the +St. Fermin, &c. were not able to raise above 12,000 dollars, there was +nothing done. + +Two days passing without news from the Governor, I began to be certainly +convinced they had something else in view more than the accommodation of +the ransoms; but on January the 4th, my two wounded men came on board, +and with them brought a letter, importing, that, as he had now sent back +the prisoners, he hoped no difficulty would remain to prevent my sending +on shore all the prisoners belonging to him. + +January 6, the morning passed away without any news from the town. I now +began to make preparations for sailing, and in those preparations spent +the greatest part of the day. There being no appearance of any boat +coming off to us, I ordered the St. Fermin to be set on fire. Her cotton +sails being loosed, made a prodigious blaze. I had already set fire to +the Solidad, to quicken their motions; and now, having concluded the +treaty, I immediately got under sail, much chagrined at the loss of so +many days without reaping any advantage. I was afterwards informed, +that, if they had thought I would have destroyed the St. Fermin, they +would have given even 20 or 30,000 dollars to have saved her; for she +was one of the best sailers and the best fitted out ship of any of the +Peruvian traders. I now directed our course to the island of Juan +Fernandez, taking the Mercury with us. + +January 8, the sea was all day perfectly red, appearing as if vast +quantities of blood had been thrown into it, and curdled by the water. +This, the Spaniards say, is occasioned by the spawn of prawns, which +must certainly be a mistake. In our passage, the plunder was sold before +the mast, by the ship’s company’s agent, at very extravagant prices. At +the same time the account of every thing being taken, and the value of +the shares calculated, the ship’s company desired me to let them have +their dividend, according to the articles at St. Catherine’s, which +request I could not withstand. The prize-money and plunder amounting to +ten pieces of eight per share, was thereupon distributed; and all the +bales of coarse cloth, bays, linnen, ribbons, lace, silk, and several +other sorts of mercery wares, were equally divided, half to the owners, +and half to the ship’s company. + +Jan. 11, at six in the morning, we saw the island of Juan Fernandez, and +from that day till the 15th I kept standing off and on the shore for my +boats, which were a fishing, who not having hitherto discovered any +marks whereby we might conclude that Clipperton had been here, I thought +it proper to render my coming hither serviceable in some respect, and +therefore sent the Mercury on shore to stop her leaks, while the boats +continued catching fish, of which we salted as much as filled five +puncheons. At length, going on shore to make a nicer search, some of my +men accidentally saw the word MAGEE, which was the name of Clipperton’s +surgeon, and CAPT. JOHN cut out under it upon a tree, but no directions +left, as was agreed on by him in his instructions to me. His actions +being thus grosly repugnant to his instructions, it was evident he never +meant I should keep him company, or ever join with him again.--[This +reflection may with great justice be retorted on the writer himself, and +can in no shape affect Clipperton who followed his instructions in the +most scrupulous manner.]--However, being by this confirmed in the +certainty of Clipperton’s arrival, I directly made the best of my way, +and sailed to the northward. + +Jan. 21, having a design to look into Copiapo as I went along shore, I +sent Mr. Dodd, second Lieutenant of marines, with eight men, as a +reinforcement to the Mercury’s crew, and the next evening they left us +steering in for the land, whilst I kept a proper offing, to prevent our +being discovered. The next day the officer returned and told me, he had +looked into the port, but could see no shipping there, upon which I made +him sensible of his error, and sent him to the right place, which was +about six leagues to the northward of us, and ordered him to be ready to +look into Caldera by day-light the next morning. They did so, and saw +nothing; but, instead of making use of the land wind to come off to me, +they kept along shore, till the sea breeze came on, and could not come +to me till the morning after, by which means they hindered me almost a +whole day and night’s sailing; and in this vexatious manner were my +orders always executed! + +Feb. 5th, I dispatched Mr. Brooks a-head to discover if there were any +shipping at Arica, and next day, I had a sight of the head-land of +Arica, and the island of Guano, with a ship at anchor on the northern +side of it, and saw the Mercury standing out of the bay, by which I +judged the ship was too warm for her, and therefore made all possible +haste to get up to her with our ship. When I came into the port, I found +her already taken, and that the Mercury only went accidentally adrift. +This prize was called the Rosario, of about 100 tons, laden with +cormorants dung, which the Spaniards call guana, and is brought from the +island of Iquique, for the culture of the agi, or cod-pepper, in the +vale of Arica. There was no white face in her but the pilot, whom I sent +to see if her owner would ransom her. At seven o’clock in the morning I +received a letter from the owner, expressing his poverty, and declaring +his readiness to comply to the utmost of his power: and the honest man +was as good as his word. + +I agreed upon restoring to him his ship, and six negroes, for 1500 +pieces of eight; and he was so punctual and expeditious, that at 10 the +next night he brought the sum agreed on. Soon after the receipt of this, +we took a vessel of about 10 tons, as she was coming into the road, with +a cargo of dried fish and guana, within a mile of the town. The master +of this bark likewise came off upon a balse, which is an odd sort of an +embarkation made of two large seal-skins separately blown up like +bladders, and then made fast and joined together by a frame of wood. On +this he brought off two jars of brandy, and 40 pieces of eight, for his +ransom, which, considering his mean appearance, was as much as I could +have expected. One part of his freight was valuable, which was his dried +fish. + +Feb. 9, 1720, I sailed from Arica, and as I went out, the inhabitants +placed themselves round the bay, and made a very good hedge fire after +me for about half an hour. I judged there could not be less than 5 or +600 of them. I shaped my course for the road of Hilo, which we had a +sight of the next day at three in the afternoon, where we saw one large +ship and three small ones at anchor. The great ship immediately hoisted +French colours, and in the end proved to be the Sage Solomon, of 40 +guns, commanded by Mons. Dumain, whom I had left at St. Catherine’s, and +who was now resolved to protect the vessels that were with him, and +obstruct my coming in. I at first thought of shewing my resentment, but, +upon second thoughts, I clapped the helm a-weather, and stood out to +sea. + +Feb. 12, in the morning, the ship’s company had their moiety of the +money taken at Arica divided amongst them, according to their number of +shares. + +Feb. 22, I came a-breast of Callao, the port for Lima, which is the +metropolis of Peru; but there being no great prospect of performing much +here in our present situation, I had nothing to do but to slip away from +hence in the night, by the help of a favourable breeze. + +Feb. 26, the officers in the Mercury desired to be relieved, and it +being Capt. Hatley’s turn to go in her, he proposed to me that he might +continue along shore, till we had got the length of Lobos, an island in +about seven degrees of south latitude. I could not but approve of this, +considering the probability there was of his meeting with the Panama +ships; and every body being well pleased, I added to their complement of +men, and gave them a month’s provisions, and mounted two of our +quarter-deck guns on the Mercury, and lent Captain Hatley my pinnace. As +soon as every thing was ready for their departure, Captain Betagh, whose +duty and turn it was to relieve the marine officer in the Mercury, being +unwilling to go on this party, addressed himself to the people, and with +a fearful countenance told them, that he, and the rest who were to go +with him, were sent for a sacrifice, with many other expressions tending +to create a general mutiny. I now imagined no less than that he was +about to act what he had threatened when he told me, it should be a +short voyage with me; and, therefore, I addressed myself to the ship’s +company, desired to know who amongst them were of Betagh’s opinion? +Their answer was with one voice, None. This done, I ordered the Mercury +alongside, and Hatley and Betagh went on board of her; and, putting off +from us, gave three cheers, and stood right in for the land, in the +latitude by observation of 10 deg. 9 min. S. + +The very next day they took a small bark laden with rice, chocolate, +wheat, flour, and the like. The day following they took another. On the +fourth day of their absence they became masters of a ship of near 200 +tons, worth 150,000 pieces of eight. Flushed with this success, it seems +Betagh prevailed on Hatley, and the greatest part of the people with +them, to lay hold of this opportunity and go to India: but they no +sooner clapped their helm a-weather, than they saw a sail standing +towards them, which, in short, proved to be a Spanish man-of-war, who +caught them, and put an end to their Indian voyage. The English were +treated very indifferently; but Betagh, it seems, who was of their +religion, and of a nation which the Spaniards affect to be fond of, was +made an officer, and used very respectfully. This he certainly deserved +at their hands; for he gave them an account of the whole scheme of our +voyage; and not only informed them of what we had done, but also of what +I designed to do; so that they did not doubt but I myself should be in +their hands very speedily. + +Feb. 29, at six in the morning, we saw a sail at anchor in the road of +Guanchaco; at eleven we came up, and anchored along side of her. There +was no body on board of her but two Indian men and a boy. They informed +us, there was a rich ship in the cove of Payta. + +March 21, at three in the afternoon, we saw the Pena Oradado, or the +_Hole in the Rock_; and in an hour afterwards, we entered the cove of +Payta with French colours flying. There we found only a small ship at +anchor with her fore-mast out, and her main-top-mast unrigged; but the +taking of this town being considered in the scheme of our voyage as a +matter of great importance, I consulted with my officers concerning the +properest methods of going about it. At two of the clock the next +morning I landed with 46 men, leaving Mr. Coldsea the master, and some +others, to bring the ship nearer in, that we might the more +expeditiously embark the plunder we might get. Being now on shore, I +marched up to the great church without meeting any opposition; and +indeed I found the town entirely deserted by the inhabitants. At +day-light we saw what seemed great bodies of men on the hills, on each +side of us, who, I expected, when they had viewed our strength, would +have paid us a visit; but I found, that as we marched up towards them, +we drove them before us. The remainder of the day was spent in shipping +off what plunder we had got, which consisted of hogs, fowls, brown and +white calavances, beans, Indian corn, wheat, flour, sugar, and as much +cocoa-nut as we were able to stow away, with pans, and other +conveniences for preparing it; so that we were supplied with +breakfast-meat for the whole voyage, and full of provisions of one kind +or other. In the afternoon there came to us a messenger, to know what I +would take for the ransom of the town and ship; to which I answered, I +would have 10,000 pieces of eight, and those to be paid in twenty-four +hours, if they intended to save the town, or ship either. But the +Governor gave me to understand in plain terms, that he neither could nor +would ransom the town, and did not care what I did with it, so that I +spared the churches. Having received this negative answer, and got every +thing serviceable out of the town, I instantly ordered it to be set on +fire; and the houses, being extremely dry, consumed away apace. But no +sooner was Payta in a blaze than those on board made signals for me to +come off, and kept incessantly firing towards the mouth of the harbour. +Upon which I ordered all hands off, and went first on board myself in a +canoe, with three men only; but, before I had got half way, saw a large +ship lying with her fore-top-sail aback, and with a Spanish flag flying +at her fore-top-mast-head. At this prospect, two of my three people were +ready to sink; and when I looked back on the town, I could not forbear +wishing that I had not been so hasty. As the Admiral was coming in with +all his sails spread, Mr. Coldsea, by the assistance of the few on +board, fired at him so smartly, that he stopped the enemy’s career. The +Spaniard apprehending he should have hot work with us, brought his ship +to, that he might put himself into a condition of making a vigorous +attack upon us. This inactivity of the enemy gave me an opportunity of +getting on board, and suffered my men to come off, about 50 in number, +but the Spaniard was within pistol-shot before they had all got into the +ship; upon which, we cut our cable, and our ship falling the wrong way, +I had but just room enough to fill clear of him. Being now close by one +another, his formidable appearance struck an universal damp on every +one’s spirits; and I myself could foresee nothing but that we should be +torn to pieces by him, and longed for an opportunity to try our heels +with him, whilst our masts were standing. I expected every minute that +he would board us, and, upon hearing a shouting amongst them, and seeing +their forecastle full of men, I concluded they had now come to that +resolution; but I presently saw that the occasion of this joy was their +having shot down our ensign-staff; upon which, they, seeing our ensign +trailing in the water, were in hopes we had struck: but I soon +undeceived them, by spreading a new ensign in the mizzen shrouds. Upon +sight of this they lay snug, and held their way close upon our quarter; +at last, designing to do our business at once, they clapped their helm +well a starboard, to bring their whole broadside to point at us; but +their fire had little or no effect. All stood fast with us, and they +muzzled themselves; which gave me time both to get a-head, and to +windward of him, before he could fill his sails again; and now I found, +that, if our masts, which were by this time but slenderly supported, +would bear what sail we had abroad, we should soon steal away from him. +After this he was in a great hurry to get his spritsail-yard fore and +aft, threatening us very hard, and plying us with his fore-chace: but we +soon were out of his reach, and all hands were immediately employed in +repairing our damages. This ship was called the Peregrine, of 56 guns, +with upwards of 450 men on board of her. + +During this action, we had not a man killed or wounded, although the +enemy often hulled us, and once, in particular, a shot coming into one +of our ports, dismounted one of our guns between decks, tearing off the +nut of the gun, and breaking itself into a great many pieces, which flew +fore and aft in the midst of a crowd of people, without hurting any one +of them. Our stern was also much shattered, and our rigging much +disabled. Our main-mast was a little wounded, yet stood a long while +with only one good shroud to support it; our fore-mast fared little +better, yet I kept all the canvas, except the main-top-gallant-sail, at +hard bats-end. An unlucky shot took the bow of our launch, as she lay +upon the quarter, and set fire to some cartridges of powder, which were +negligently left in her, and which blew away her moorings, and we lost +her. Seeing a great smoke arise on the quarter, I at first imagined some +accident had happened within board. In short, in about three glasses we +got quite clear of the Admiral, who tacked, and stood in for Payta, and +we shortened sail. A narrower escape from an enemy could not well have +been made, considering the vast difference between us, as to force. The +Spaniard had 56 guns; we, on the contrary, had but 20 mounted: they had +450 men; we, on our part, did not exceed 73; and 11 negroes and two +Indians were included in that number. He had farther this great odds +over us, of being in a settled readiness, whilst we were in the utmost +confusion. As for our small arms, they were wet and useless to us; and, +what is more, in the midst of the engagement, one third of my people, +instead of fighting, were hard at work, to make farther preparation for +an obstinate resistance, if we had been pushed to extremities; and +particularly the carpenter and his crew were busied in making ports for +stern-chace-guns, which, as it happened, we made no use of. Upon the +whole, we had the good fortune to escape this danger, which was the more +to be dreaded, because, as we had set fire to the town, they were +probably exasperated upon the account of the churches, which I never +intended to destroy; and, if I had fallen into their hands, they might +have given us but uncomfortable quarters. At the best, however, it +cannot but be allowed to have been a most unfortunate disaster. The loss +of my boat and anchor was irreparable, and may be said to be the cause +of that scene of trouble which will take up the remainder of this +narrative; for we had now but one anchor, that at Payta being the third +we had lost, and were besides entirely destitute of a boat of any kind. + +At five, the same evening, we saw a sail under our lee-bow, which I took +to be the prize we had left to cruise for us near the Saddle of Payta; +and we, therefore, stood to the westward all night, and the next morning +we saw two sail a-stern of us. I tacked, and stood towards them, and in +a little time could see that one of them was standing in for Payta, +while the other kept stemming with us; but the nearer I approached her, +the less I liked her, and could not but think it adviseable to put my +ship about, and crowd sail from her. However, she gained upon us, and +advanced near enough to shew us she was the Brilliant, the Admiral’s +consort. She was a French-built ship, of 36 guns, manned with people of +that nation, and other Europeans. She was handsomely rigged, which is +rare to be seen in those parts, and sailed almost two foot for our one; +so that, notwithstanding we had almost a calm all the heat of the day, +she neared us apace. But, night coming on, I made use of the old +stratagem (I thought it might be new here), of turning a light adrift in +a half tub, instead of a boat, darkening one part of the lanthorn, that +it might the more appear to be a ship’s light, and then immediately +altered my course. As the day broke I handed all my sails, and in full +day-light could perceive nothing of the enemy. This was the ship wherein +Betagh, my late Captain of marines, was so much respected; and by his +advice it was, as I have been told, that the Admiral ordered his consort +to ply up to windward to Lobos, our first place of rendezvous, whilst he +himself came to Payta in search of us. This separation, though intended +as a sure means to catch us, proved to be very fortunately the means of +our preservation. + +Being thus closely pursued, I took an offing of thirty leagues from the +shore, and then brought to, to consider what I had best to do. I was +still in the dark, as to my consort; an embargo, as I was told at Payta, +was laid on all shipping to leeward for the term of six months; and our +prize, which I designed to make a fire-ship of, was taken by the +Brilliant; I had but one anchor, and no boat at all; and I was as yet +ignorant of what had become of the Mercury. + +In the midst of all this peril and perplexity, I called my officers +together, to let them know, it was my opinion, we had, as we were thus +circumstanced, a much better prospect to the windward than to the +leeward; that on the coast of Chili we should not be in the least +suspected, and should, at the same time, in the most effectual manner, +escape the enemy’s men-of-war; that, after taking in water at Juan +Fernandez, we might cruise out the whole season off the ports of +Conception, Valparaiso, and Coquimbo, where among the shipping we might +be stocked with anchors, cables, boats, and a vessel to make a fire-ship +of, on which I mightily depended. All this being universally approved +of, we got our tacks on board, and stretched away to windward. + +My intentions after this were fixed upon the coast of Mexico. There I +proposed to run the height of Tres Marias and California, as the most +likely places to meet with the Success. These two places would have been +commodious; the first for salting of turtle, and the last for wooding +and watering at, and for laying myself in the track of the Manilla ship, +which, if I should have had the fortune to meet with, and, having a +fire-ship with me, I would have tried what I could have done with her. + +March 26, having well secured our mast, and bent a new suit of sails, we +stood to the southward, expecting to gain our passage to windward in +about five weeks. + +March 31, as they were pumping the ship, the water which came out of the +well, was not only in greater quantity than usual, but was also as black +as ink. This made me judge that some water had got to our powder; and +accordingly going into the powder-room, we heard the water come in like +a little sluice. This had quite spoiled the greatest part of our powder; +so that we only saved the quantity of six barrels. We found upon search +a leak to be on the bow, under the lower cheek of the head, occasioned +by a shot which had been lodged there in our late engagement, and which +falling out by the working of the ship in an head sea, had left room for +a stream of water; but we brought the ship by the stern, and, with great +difficulty, stopped it securely. + +May 11, we saw the great island of Juan Fernandez, bearing east half +south. Here I plied on and off till the 21st, but could not get off as +much water as we daily expended. + +May 21, a hard gale of wind came out of the sea upon us, and brought in +with it a tumbling swell; so that in a few hours, our cable, which was +never wet before, parted, and inevitable shipwreck appeared before our +eyes. But Providence so far interposed in our behalf, that, if we had +struck but a cable’s length farther to the eastward or westward of the +place where we did strike, we must certainly all have perished. Our +main-mast, fore-mast, and mizzen-top-mast, went all away together; and +happy it was for us that they did so; for, by making them serve by way +of raft, and by the help of those who were ashore before the wind came +on, we were all saved, except one man. In the midst of this surprize, +the first thing I took care of, was my commission; and, remembering the +powder to be uppermost in the bread-room, I got most of it up, with +about seven or eight bags of bread: these we saved, as the ship did not +come to pieces immediately. In a few minutes, however, after she first +struck, she was full of water. We saved, notwithstanding, two or three +compasses, some of our mathematical instruments, and books. + +When we first got on shore, we were without any one thing necessary for +our relief; not so much as a seat whereon to rest our harrassed limbs, +except the wet ground, which, as far as we could see, was also like to +be our bed and pillow, and indeed it proved to be so. + +In the evening, all the officers came to consult with me, how we should +get some necessaries out of the wreck; and, having by this time lighted +a fire, we wrapt ourselves in what we could get, laid ourselves round +it, and, notwithstanding the badness of the weather, we slept very +soundly; but, the next morning, getting up with the first glimpse of +day-light, we looked at each other like men awakened out of a dream; so +great and so sudden was the melancholy change in our condition, that we +could scarce trust to our senses. + +I went immediately among the people to set them about the work we had +resolved upon the night before; but they were so scattered, there was no +getting them together, or we might, probably, have regained all our beef +and pork. This opportunity, however, was lost, by their eagerness to +build huts and tents, in order to settle themselves for good; for, while +they were thus employed, a furious gale of wind came on, which destroyed +all the provisions in the ship, except one cask of beef, and one of +farina de pao, which were washed whole on the strand. I had saved 1100 +dollars belonging to the gentlemen adventurers, which were kept in my +chest in the great cabbin; the rest, being in the bottom of the +bread-room for security, could not possibly be come at. I need not say +how disconsolate my reflections were on the sad accident that had +happened. My first thoughts were on the means whereby to preserve our +lives, and on some scheme of œconomy to be observed amongst the people, +in relation to the distribution of such quantities of provisions as +should from time to time be obtained. + +I found a very commodious spot of ground about half a mile from the sea, +on which I set up my tent. There was a fine run of water within a +stone’s cast of it on each side, with firing near at hand, and trees +proper for our use. The people settled within call about me, in as good +a manner as they could: and having all secured ourselves against the +inclemency of the weather, we used to pass our time in the evening round +a great fire, roasting craw-fish in the embers. + +I now began to think of building such a vessel from the wreck as might +carry us all off at once from this island; and for that purpose +consulted with the carpenter; but was astonished at his answer, ‘he +could not make brick, he said, without straw,’ and walked away from me +in a surly humour. From him I went to the armourer, and asked him what +he could do towards building a small vessel for us; to which he +answered, that he hoped he could do all the iron-work; that he had, with +much labour, got his bellows out of the wreck, and that he did not doubt +but we should find a great many other useful things, when we came to set +about a search for them in good earnest. + +June 8, we laid the blocks to build upon, and had the bowsprit ready. +The carpenter for a little while went on with seeming good temper, but +suddenly turning short upon me as I stood by him, he swore a great oath, +he would not strike another stroke, ‘he truly would be no body’s slave, +and thought himself now upon a footing with myself.’ This provoked me to +use him a little roughly with my cane; but afterwards came to an +agreement with him to give a four-pistole piece as soon as the stem and +stern-post were up, and 100 pieces of eight when the bark was finished. +He then went to work on the keel, and in two months time we made a +tolerable show, owing to the diligence and ingenuity of Popplestone, the +armourer, who made us hammers, chissels, files, gimlets, bullet-moulds, +and an instrument to bore our cartouch-boxes. These last we covered with +seals skins, and contrived them so as to be both handy and neat. He, +besides all this, began and finished with his own hands, a large +serviceable boat, which was what we very much stood in need of. + +For a few days the people behaved themselves very regularly and +diligently, half of them working one day, and half another. But the time +soon arrived when we fell into such confusion and outrageous disorder, +that it was a miracle we ever got off from this place by any assistance +of our own; for, one afternoon, I missed all the people, and could see +no body but Mr. Adams, our surgeon, Mr. Hendry the agent, my son, and +Mr. Dodd, lieutenant of marines, who, for some reasons best known to +himself, had a mind to act the madman. At night I was informed, they had +assembled together at a great tree, had formed a new regulation and new +articles, had excluded the gentlemen adventurers in England from having +any part of what we should take for the future, and had divested me of +the authority of their Captain, having regulated themselves according to +the discipline of Jamaica. They had chosen Morphew to be their champion +and speaker. This man addressed himself to me, and told me, ‘that, as +the Speedwell was cast away, they were now of consequence at their own +disposal, so that their obligations to the owners and me were of no +validity, the ship being now no more; they therefore, he said, had now +thought fit to frame such articles as would be most conducive to their +own interest; and, if I would sign them, well; if not, they would not +trust themselves under my conduct, as they should always be apprehensive +that I should serve them as Clipperton had served some of his men, who +(they heard) happening to be taken separately, he denied them, and +suffered eight of them to be hanged as pirates before his face.’ + +In these articles, besides casting off the owners, I found myself +reduced from sixty shares to six; and I at last was at a loss what to do +in this dilemma; but I found myself under an indispensible necessity of +signing the articles, in order to get off from the island, where +otherwise I might have been forcibly left behind. + +And now, having very unwillingly satisfied them in all I thought they +could ask, I recommended to them the vessel we had begun, not doubting +but after this they would have used their constant endeavours to finish +her, that they might have an opportunity of putting their project in +execution; and they said they would. + +But early the next morning, going down to the beach as usual, and +expecting to find every one employed, I saw none of them, except the +carpenter, and two or three more; for, notwithstanding they were +abettors of the designs that were carrying on, yet the hopes of a little +money from me had made them work pretty diligently, though I cannot say +they fatigued themselves. Upon enquiry, I was informed, that the rest of +the people were again adjourned to the great tree; and it was not long +before I was made acquainted with the result of their meeting; for, +betimes the next morning, they surrounded my tent, while Morphew, and +Stewart, their agent, came in to me, and told me, They came in the name +of all the people to demand every thing belonging to the gentlemen +adventurers out of my possession, and particularly 750 weight in Pinna +or virgin silver, a silver dish weighing 75 ounces, and 250 dollars in +money. I did not easily part with all this: but they desired I would +make no dispute; for, as all this came out of the wreck, they insisted, +the owners could have nothing to do with it, and they were determined to +have it. In short, I was obliged to give it all up, and they shared it +amongst them that very moment, according to their new regulation. + +After this, they entirely destroyed what little power they had allowed +me over them; and the meanest of them were taught they were as good as +I. They sometimes denied me a quota of the fish, and wondered I could +not go out to catch it as well as they; at best, they would give my +servant who used to fetch it but the leavings, after they had chosen the +prime: and, to complete their insults, my first lieutenant, who used +sometimes to eat with me, entirely deserted my mess to join Morphew, to +partake of his better fare. + +Quite tired out with their incessant mutinies, I became at length so +desperate, that I began to think of preferring the dangers of the sea, +in a small open boat, to what I thought myself exposed to on this place +from my ship’s company. I apprehended, they would never rest till they +had made themselves entirely their own masters, by privately making away +with me; and this made me melancholy and pensive, preparing myself for +the worst that could happen. They perceiving this change in me, grew +suspicious that I was now contriving some means to reduce them; and, +therefore, they determined to get the arms out of my possession. To this +purpose they all came in a body, headed by Brooks and Morphew, who, in +the presence of all the people, used me with insupportable impudence; +and even went so far as to threaten the life of my son, for only telling +Morphew, that every one present had not chosen him for his speaker. + +Having gained that point also, they had the pleasure of squandering away +their time, and powder and shot, in firing at cats, or any thing else, +to waste the ammunition. + +What I have now related, is the substance of what occurred from May 24 +till August 15, when we had sight of a large ship, which put us into a +great hurry, and gave us a considerable alarm. Before she crossed the +bay, I ordered all the fires to be put out, and confined the negroes and +Indians, lest the ship should be becalmed under the land, and any of +them should attempt to swim off to her. However, I was not long in fear, +for she kept away large, and at too great a distance to perceive any +thing distinctly of us. + +On this occasion I got most of the people under arms, and was glad to +see so many of them, in some measure, obedient to command. I told them, +I was pleased to see their arms in such good order; to which they +answered impertinently, that it was for their own sakes. But this alarm +was scarce subsided before they became divided among themselves. The +question started was, whether or no the bark should be carried on, or, +whether they should not build two large shallops, and set what was done +of the bark on fire. The workmen, and a considerable majority of the +rest, sided with me in behalf of the bark: but at night the carpenter +sent me word, that, if I did not deliver him the money agreed on at the +beginning, notwithstanding the terms of the payment of it were not yet +fulfilled, I should not see his face again; so I was obliged to treat +this gentleman as he pleased to have me, and raise the money for him. + +To complete the number of our divisions and dissentions, there arose a +third party, who were resolved to have nothing to do with the other two, +they purposing to stay on the island. These were to the number of 12, +who accordingly separated themselves from the rest, and never appeared +amongst us, except in the night, when they used to come about our tents, +and the bark we were building, to steal powder, lead, and axes, and in +short, whatever else they could lay their hands on. These, however, I +found means to manage, and took from them all their arms, ammunition, +and the rest of their plunder, and threatened, that, if they were found +within musquet-shot of our tents, they should be treated as enemies. + +In a little time these divisions had so far weakened the whole body, +that, by degrees, they began to listen a little to what I said to them; +and I prevailed so far as to get most of them into a working humour. Mr. +Brooks now came with a feigned submission, and desired he might eat with +me again; but this, in the main, abated nothing of his esteem for +Morphew. His dissimulation, however, proved of signal service, as it +contributed to the speedy finishing of the bark. This claimed the +assistance of all our heads and hands; for when we came to plank her +bottom, we had most disheartening difficulties to encounter; for, having +no plank but pieces of the wreck’s deck, we found it so dry and +stubborn, that fire and water had scarce any effect in making it pliable +and fit for use. It rent and split, and flew like glass; so that now I +had sufficient reasons to believe, after all our labour, that we must +patiently wait to be taken off from hence by some Spanish ship, and, +after all our troubles, be led to a prison, to reflect on our +misfortunes past. However, by constant labour, and a variety of +contrivances, we, in the end, patched our bark up in such a manner, than +I dare say the like was never seen, and I may venture to affirm, that +such a bottom never swam on the surface of the sea before. + +Sept. 9, the boat, which I have already mentioned to be begun by the +armourer, was launched; and, being now in a fair way of compleating our +bark, there yet remained unconsidered and undetermined, what provisions +we should get to support us in our present voyage. All the stock we had +consisted of but one cask of beef, five or six bushels of farina or +Cassader flour, together with four or five live hogs. + +I made several experiments to cure both fish and seal, but found it +impossible. At length, we luckily thought on a method of curing the +conger-eel, by splitting it, and taking out the back bone, then dipping +it in salt-water, and afterwards hanging it up to dry in a great smoke. +As no other fish could be preserved after this manner, the fishermen +were ordered to catch what congers they could. And now several of the +people, who had not yet struck a stroke, began to repent of their folly, +as they grew weary of living on this place, and offered their service to +go a-fishing, every one making some foolish excuse or other, for having +been so long idle. The new boat being sent to try her fortune, returned +at night, and brought in a great parcel of fish of several sorts, +amongst which were 200 conger-eels. This was a good beginning, and every +tent took a proportion of them to cure. + +Having this conveniency of a large boat, I desired Mr. Brooks, our only +diver, to try what he could recover from that part of the wreck which +lay under water. He accordingly undertook it, and could find but one +small gun, which he weighed and brought on shore, together with two +pieces of a large church-candlestick, which was a part of the plate +which belonged to the gentlemen adventurers. + +Our boat was now daily employed in fishing. The armourer constantly +supplied them with hooks, and there was no want of lines, which were +made of twisted ribbon. In the mean time, those who were ashore, made +twice layed stuff for rigging and other uses. We patched up the canvas +for sails; the cooper completed his casks; and, in a short time, we had +masts an-end tolerably well rigged, and thought we made a comfortable +figure. + +And now, having done all we could, when we came to put in water, to try +the tightness of our work, it was followed by an universal outcry, _A +sieve! a sieve!_ I was afraid the people would have despaired, and +desisted from using any farther means: but, in a little time, and by +incessant labour, we repaired the ship’s pumps, and fitted them to our +bark. The next spring-tide we found means to launch her, which fell out +on the 5th of October, by which time we had saved about 2300 +conger-eels, weighing, one with another, about one pound each, and made +about 60 gallons of seals oil to fry them in. This, with what I +mentioned before, was all our sea-stock. As she went off the blocks, I +named her the _Recovery_, though I was sadly afraid of hearing ill news +from those afloat in her; but all proved indifferently well; and, +knowing it to be dangerous for her to lie here long, especially having +no other anchor than a great stone, and a slight rope to hold her with, +and that the least puff of wind might have driven and destroyed her upon +the rocks, we got all the water off that day, which we did so much +easier and quicker, because the casks were ready stowed in the hold. She +had two masts, and was of about the burthen, of twenty tons; and, to my +great satisfaction, I found, that one pump, constantly working, kept her +free. The next day, October the 6th, we got every one on board and +embarked, leaving behind us eleven or twelve of those who had deserted +us. They were deaf to all persuasions; and, in short, sent me word, +‘They were not yet prepared for the other world;’ so they, with the like +number of blacks and Indians, remained behind on the island. + +This island enjoys a fine wholesome air, insomuch that, out of 70 of us +that were on it for the space of five months and eleven days, not one of +us had an hour’s sickness, notwithstanding we fed on foul diet, without +bread or salt. For my own part, I must acknowledge the bounty of +Providence; for, although I lost much of my flesh, I became one of the +strongest and most active men on the island, from being before very +corpulent, and almost crippled with the gout. On the tops of some of the +mountains of this island, are plains covered with groves of the Italian +laurel. Palm-trees are likewise found in most parts, growing in smooth +joints like a cane, some 30, some 40 feet high. What seamen call +palm-cabbage is the very substance of the head of this tree, which being +cut off, you find inclosed a white and tender young cabbage: but, for +every one we got, we were obliged to cut down a fine lofty tree. + +The northern part of this island is very well watered, and the water +keeps well at sea, and is, I dare say, as good as any in the world. Down +the western peak descend two cascades, to appearance, at least 300 feet +perpendicular; which, with the palm-trees that grow up close by the +edges of them, exhibit a very grand and romantic prospect. + +We might have found goats enough in the mountains, if we had been able +to follow them; and cats are so numerous, that there is hardly taking a +step without starting one. Those whose stomachs could bear their flesh +for food, found a more substantial relief from hunger by one meal of it, +than from four or five of fish. + +The Spaniards, who first flocked this island with goats, have since +endeavoured to destroy these goats by dogs, which are likewise very +numerous; but the goats have many inaccessible places of refuge, where +no dogs can follow them; and they still continue to afford a plentiful +supply to strangers. + +While we were here, it was the season for the sea-lionesses to come to +land, to bring forth their young. These have bodies of a monstrous bulk, +being from 10 to 12 feet long, and near as much in circumference. I may +venture to affirm, that, one with another, they would yield each a butt +of train oil. They are so indolent, that, as soon as they have gained +the land, they fall asleep, and in that condition remain a month +together so torpid, that you might fire a pistol at their heads without +disturbing them; but where the sea-lionesses lie, as they do in +companies after they have yeaned, to give suck to their young, there is +always an old lion, of the largest size, incessantly on the watch, and +at the approach of an enemy makes a hideous roaring, threatening death +to him who should be so hardy as to molest his charge; and, in truth, +were they not so unwieldy, they would be a desperate creature to +encounter. We were accustomed to walk amongst them without dread; for +all, but those who were to take care of the young, were lost in the +profoundest slumbers. On the land they ingender, and bring forth their +young, who ingender also before they go off, against the next season; so +quick and suddenly do they increase and propagate. + + [Illustration: _A Sea Lion when suddenly disturbd a Lioness asleep by + him & a Seal in a moveing posture_] + +The seals here may properly be called sea-wolves, from the resemblance +of their heads to the heads of wolves, differing in that particular from +the seals in the northern hemisphere, where their heads are more like +the dog’s. They are naturally surly, and snarl in an angry manner, on +the approach of any body. Two fins compose their tails, and with the +help of these they get along much faster than the lions. + +Every thing one sees or hears in this island is different from what is +elsewhere to be found. The very structure of the island, in all its +parts, appears with a certain savage, irregular beauty, not easy to be +expressed. The several prospects of lofty inaccessible hills in the day, +and the solitariness of the gloomy narrow vallies in the night, added to +the mixed, confused noise of the surge continually beating against the +shore, the tumbling of the waters from an immense precipice, the roaring +of sea-lions and sea-wolves, whose voices are more or less shrill or +hoarse according to their youth or age, compose so wild and horrible a +medley, that the stoutest man must long be accustomed to it, before he +can taste the sweets of refreshing sleep, or wholly divest himself of +terror. + +October 6, we set sail, with nothing to subsist on at sea but the +before-mentioned smoked congers, one cask of beef, and four live hogs, +together with three or four bushels of farina. We were upwards of forty +of us crowded together, and lying upon bundles of eels, with no +convenience of keeping the men clean, nor any thing to defend us from +their abominable stench; not a drop of water to be had without sucking +it out of the cask through a pipe, which being used promiscuously, +became intolerably nauseous. The unsavoury morsels we daily ate created +perpetual quarrels amongst us, every one contending for the frying-pan. +All the conveniency we had for firing, was an half tub filled with +earth, which made our cooking so tedious, that we had a continual noise +of frying from morning till night. + +Thus we traversed the ocean: happy, however, in the thought of being +once more afloat, and cherishing the hope that something would speedily +fall into our hands. Every day, while the sea-breeze continued, we were +hard put to it, for not having above 16 inches free board, and our bark +tumbling prodigiously, the water continually ran over us; and, having +only a grating deck, and no tarpaulin to cover it, our pumps would but +just keep us free. + +October 10, being the fourth day of our new expedition, we fell in with +a large ship, which I could plainly see was Europe built. This struck me +with the dread of her being a man-of-war; however, our case being +desperate, I stood for her, and, before we could get quite up with her, +the enemy discovered the brownness of our canvas, and, suspecting us, +wore ship, and hauled close on a wind to the westward. This done, they +hoisted their colours, fired a gun, and crouded away from us at a great +rate; but, in about two hours it fell calm, and we had recourse to our +oars. In the mean time we over-hauled our arms, which we found to be in +very bad condition, one third of them being without flints, and we had +but three cutlasses; so that we were but ill prepared for boarding, +which was the only means we could have of taking any ship. We had but +one small cannon, which we could not mount, and therefore were obliged +to fire it as it lay along upon the deck; and to supply it we had no +more ammunition than two round shot, a few chain-bolts and bolt-heads, +the clapper of the Speedwell’s bell, and some bags of beach-stones to +serve for partridge. In about four hours we came up with this ship, and +every one seemed as easy in his mind as if actually in possession of +her. But, as we advanced nearer, I saw her guns and patararoes, and a +considerable number of men upon deck, with their arms glittering in the +sun, who called out to us by the name of English Dogs, defying us, in a +scornful way, to come on board of them, and at the same time gave us a +volley of great and small shot, which killed our gunner, and almost +brought our fore-mast by the board. This warm reception staggered a +great many of my men who before seemed the forwardest, insomuch that +they lay upon their oars for some time, in spite of all I could do to +make them keep their way. We recovered ourselves again, and rowed close +up with the enemy, and engaged them till all our small shot was +expended, which obliged us to fall astern to make some slugs. In this +manner we made three attempts, but with no better success. + +All the night it was calm, and we were busied in making slugs, and had +provided a large quantity by the next morning, when we came to a final +determination of either carrying the ship, or of submitting to her; and +accordingly, at day-break, I ordered twenty men in our yaul, to lay her +athwart the hawse, whilst I boarded her in the bark. The people in the +boat put off, giving me repeated assurances of their good behaviour; +but, at the very juncture we were coming to action, a gale sprang up, +and she went away from us. + +This ship was called the Margarita, and was the same which had been a +privateer belonging to St. Malo’s, and mounted forty guns, all the last +war. In the skirmishes we had with her, we had none killed, except +Gilbert Henderson, our gunner; and only three were wounded, viz. Mr. +Brooks, First Lieutenant, through the thigh, Mr. Coldsea, the Master, +through the groin, and one of the fore-mast-men through the small of his +back. Two of these did very well, and I think there was something +extraordinary in their cure; for the surgeon had nothing to apply to +their wounds, but what he himself had prepared with seals oil, and other +matters he had found on the island. Mr. Coldsea, indeed, lingered in a +miserable manner for nine or ten months; but at length recovered. + +Our condition now grew worse and worse; for soon after we had parted +from this ship, a hard gale came on, which lasted four days without +ceasing, during all which time we had not an hour’s hope of living a +minute. We were obliged to scud away under bare poles, with our yaul in +tow; and, having but a short scope of boat-rope, we were, on the descent +of every sea, in the greatest danger of having the bark’s stern beat in +by the violence of the boat’s precipitate fall after us; and, once in +particular, a great hollow sea had like to have thrown her upon our +deck, which would have put an end to our voyage immediately. The +excessive fright of this storm made many of our people form a resolution +of going on shore the very first opportunity. + +In this extremity, calling to mind M. Frezier’s account of Iquique, I +mentioned the surprizal of that place to the crew, which being +universally approved of, we directed our course to that island. + +It was three weeks before we got this length; and having nothing to ride +the bark with, we were obliged to keep the sea with her, whilst the boat +went in between the rocks, and was received by some Indians on the +strand with a sort of welcome. The men, being landed, went to the +Lieutenant’s house, broke it open, and rummaged the whole village, where +they found a booty more valuable to us at that time than gold and +silver. It consisted of about sixty bushels of wheat-flour, 120 of +calavances and corn, some jerked beef, pork and mutton, some thousand +weight of well-cured fish, a good number of fowls, some rusk, and four +or five days eating of soft bread, together with five or six jars of +Peruvian wine and brandy; and, to crown all, they had the good fortune +to find a large boat near the shore, to bring off the booty with, which +otherwise would have been of little use to us, our own boat being +already sufficiently laden with the men. + +Words cannot express the joy that reigned among us when they came on +board: the scene was now changed from famine to plenty; the loaves of +soft bread were distributed to every one, and the jars of wine were +broached; but I took care they should drink but moderately of it, each +man having no more than half a pint to his share: and, after a day or +two’s living on wholesome diet, we wondered how our stomachs had been +able to digest our rank and nauseous eels fried in train-oil, and could +scarcely believe we had lived upon nothing else for a month past. + +Mr. Randall, our Second Lieutenant, who commanded in this enterprize, +told me, they did not meet with the least opposition, and that the few +Indians they found seemed to be as glad of this opportunity of pillaging +the Spaniards as we were. + +The settlement at Iquique consists of about 60 scattered ill-built +houses, which hardly deserve that name, and a small church. There is not +the least verdure to be seen in or about it, nor does it afford the +least necessary of life, of its own product, not even water, which they +are obliged to fetch in boats from Pisagua, ten leagues to the +northward. + +By two Indian prisoners we took here, we were informed, that the +Lieutenant’s boat was then at Pisagua, and that it would not be long +before her return; however, being determined to make some attempt in the +road of le Nasco, in lat. 16 deg. S. and at Pisco, in lat. 13 deg. 45 +min. S. we set sail, and the very morning we came off the Sierra or +high-land of le Nasco, two hours before day-light, we fell in with a +large ship. The circumstances of our meeting and engaging her were, in +some measure, the same with those we had with the Margarita. We met with +both at the same time in the morning, and, whilst in pursuit of both, +had the misfortune of being becalmed. We struggled with this last for +six or seven hours, and were at length obliged to leave her, because the +sea-breeze came in so strong, and the sea ran so high, that, had she +been of no force, our slight bark must have been in pieces before a +third part of us could have entered her. This ship was called the St. +Francisco Palacio, of 700 tons, eight guns and ten peteraroes, and was +well manned and provided with small arms. + +It happened very unfortunately, that we should thus miss two of the best +equipped ships in the private trade at that time in the South Seas. This +last repulse was made a pretence for much murmuring; many, despairing of +ever being able to take any thing as our condition was, were for +surrendering to the enemy, who was all the night becalmed near us. To +prevent their design, I took care to remove the two boats out of their +power, by ordering two men in each of them, such as I thought I could +trust, and to cast off from us at a little distance, that none might +escape in them. But, notwithstanding the confidence I had in these four, +the two in the best boat ran away with her; and the next day I was +informed, that the First Lieutenant and Morphew had made a party, too +strong for me to oppose, to go away with the boat that was left; but, it +blowing fresh the next night, they were prevented from executing their +design. + +The next day we stood into the road of Pisco, as we had designed, where +we discovered what appeared to be a large ship. We bore down to her with +a resolute despair, and laid her athwart the hawse; but, to our great +satisfaction, we met with no resistance, and were received by the +Captain and his Officers with their hats off, in the most submissive +manner asking for quarter. Before we came up, I had ordered our boat to +intercept theirs, which was going on shore. They clapped her on board, +but, not holding fast, they fell astern, and could not fetch up with her +again; so that in this boat was conveyed away every thing that might +have been valuable in the prize. She was a good ship, of about 200 tons, +called the Jesus-Maria, almost laden with pitch, tar, copper, and plank, +but nothing else. The Captain offered 1600 dollars for her ransom, but I +could not give ear to it in the condition which I was then in. + +The Spanish Captain informed me, that the Margarita had been arrived +some time at Callao, where she had given a full account of us; that the +Captain of her, and three more, were killed in the action with us, and +that the Priest and several others were wounded; and that she was now +ready to put to sea again, with an addition of ten guns and fifty men, +to cruise for us: and, moreover, that the Flying fish, a frigate of 28 +guns, was already out with the same intent. Upon this advice, having +cleared our bark, we gave her to the Spanish Captain, and as soon as the +breeze sprang up, we weighed, and went to sea, and in going out met with +our boat, which I have mentioned to have left us in the night; they +edged towards us, imagining we were Spaniards, by which means we got +them again. The two fellows in her were almost dead, having ate or drank +nothing for three days, and had just been ashore on a small island, to +kill seals to drink their blood. They had no excuse for themselves, but +that they fell asleep, and the faint breezes of the night had wafted us +in the bark away from them. + +Pisco being 40 leagues to the windward of Callao, I kept close hauled +till I had gained a two degrees offing, and kept that distance till we +had got well to the northward of Callao, and hauled in again for the +land, a little to the southward of Truxillo, and looked into the roads +of Guanchaco, Malabriga, and Cheripe; but, seeing no ship at those +places, I passed between the island of Lobos de Tierra and the +continent; and, Nov. 25, found ourselves near the Saddle of Payta, where +having made some prisoners, I examined them concerning the condition of +the town, which they answered was very poor at present, there being +neither money nor provisions in it, and shewed me a small bark on the +shore, which Capt. Clipperton had sent in here a little while before +with some of his prisoners, which had given them such an alarm, that +every thing had been again removed into the country. This unwelcome news +did not hinder us from keeping on our way, with our Spanish colours +flying, till we came to the place of anchorage. + +No sooner was our anchor down than I sent away Mr. Brooks, with both the +boats, armed with 24 men; no more of them, however, appeared than those +who rowed, and two or three sitters in each, the rest, with their arms, +lying in the bottom of the boat. Thus they advanced towards the town, +without giving the least umbrage to the inhabitants, who were so +thoroughly persuaded of our being Spaniards, that, when the people +landed, they found the children playing on the beach, who were the first +that took the alarm, and ran away at the sight of armed men. In an +instant the whole place was in confusion; the town was deserted, and +nothing left in it but a few bales of coarse cloth, about 500 of dried +tole or dog-fish, two or three pedlars packs, and an inconsiderable +quantity of bread and sweet-meats; so that we unluckily had but little +employment for our boats. + +As we lay at an anchor in the ship, we took a boat with about fifty jars +of Peruvian wine and brandy, the master of which told us, he was come by +stealth from Callao, there being orders that none but ships of some +force should stir out. This man was the first who acquainted me with +Captain Hatley’s being taken, and the value of his prizes; and likewise +assured me, that, if Captain Clipperton had landed the first time he was +here, there were 400,000 pieces of eight in it, besides a great quantity +of jesuits bark, and other valuable commodities, of all which he might +easily have made himself master; but he wanted courage. Some of the King +of Spain’s treasure is frequently lodged under the Governor’s care; and, +if he had made an attempt, even the second time, it would have been +worth his while. As for Collan, which is two miles to the northward of +this, situated near the mouth of a little river, it is a mean place, +being entirely inhabited by Indians. + +From this place we directed our course for the island of Gorgona, in the +bay of Panama, and in our passage thither built a tank, or wooden +cistern, big enough to hold 10 tons of water, wherewith to supply our +want of casks, as without the help of some such contrivance we should +have but little hopes of being ever able to return home. In our way we +made the island of Plate, Cape St. Francis, and Gorgonella; and on Dec. +2, we came to anchor to the leeward of the northernmost point of +Gorgona, within less than a quarter of a mile of the shore. Here we had +the advantage of filling our water-casks in the boat, the water running +in small streams into the sea, and cut down our wood at high water mark; +so that in less than 48 hours we had done our business here, and hurried +away to sea, for fear of those who might be in quest of us. + +Having got out of the track of the enemies ships, we consulted on the +best methods of proceeding, when the majority were for going directly +over to the coasts of Asia. Upon this we changed our ship’s name from +the Jesus Maria to the Happy Return, and applied all our endeavours +towards abandoning these coasts; but the winds and currents were averse +to it; and some of those who opposed our departure, did so much damage +clandestinely to our tank, that the greatest part of our water leaked +out. This, together with continual contrary winds and dead calms, which +detained us till our provisions were much exhausted, rendered us +incapable to undertake so long a run; and therefore, to furnish +ourselves with what we wanted, I proposed a descent on the island of +Quibo, in lat. 7 deg. 40 min. N. where, by Captain Rogers’s account, I +guessed there must be inhabitants who lived in a plentiful manner on the +product of the country. + +On January 13, 1721, we anchored between Quibo and the isle of Quivetta, +in a sandy bay, commodious for wooding and watering. The morning after +our arrival, we saw two large piraguas rowing in for the isle of +Quivetta, one of them with Spanish colours flying; and, after a little +debate, whether it would be prudent for us to attack them in our boat or +not, it was resolved, at all hazards, to go after them in our yaul. This +enterprize was commanded by Mr. Brooks, our First Lieutenant, who found +the men on shore, brought away their piraguas, and two prisoners, the +one a Mulatto, and the other a Negro; the rest sought for refuge in the +woods. The Mulatto mortified us very much, by telling us, that a vessel +laden with provisions had passed by very near us in the night; but, to +make amends, promised to conduct us to a place where we might supply +ourselves without any hazard, provided we were not above two or three +days about it. No news could be more welcome to us than this, wherefore +we were very brisk in getting off our wood and water; and, on January +the 19th, we got safe in between Mariato and the island of Sebaco, and +anchored in six fathom water, over against a green field, which is +instruction sufficient, there being but that clear spot hereabouts. Our +guide desired we might be going at least three hours before day-light, +and that then we should be in good time at the plantations. Accordingly +I embarked at two the next morning in our own boat, and ordered the two +lieutenants in the two piraguas, leaving my son and a few men with him, +to take care of the ship. Our guide carried us up some part of the river +St. Martin, and out of that into several branches of very narrow creeks +amongst mangroves, where we had not room to row, which made me suspect +he had no good design in his head; but we landed just at day-break on a +fine savannah, or plain; and, after a march of about three miles, came +to two farm-houses, whose owners had made their escape, except the wife +and children of one house. + +The place answered the man’s description, being surrounded by numerous +herds of black cattle, hogs, and plenty of fowls of all sorts; and here +we found some dried beef, plantains, and Indian corn; and, for present +use, were entertained with a wholesome breakfast of hot cake and milk, a +diet we had been long unacquainted with. When it came to be broad day, I +saw our ship close by us, upon which I asked our Mulatto, How he came to +bring us so far about? He answered, There was a river between us, and he +did not know whether it was fordable or not. I therefore sent some to +try, who found it was not above knee deep. Wherefore, to avoid the +trouble of carrying our plunder so far as we had been led, I ordered our +boats to row out of the river St. Martin, and to come to the beach over +against the ship. We had not been long here before the master of the +family we were with, being anxious for their safety, returned, and made +an offer of as many of his black cattle as we should think fit to +require; which offer we kindly received: and he brought us the number we +thought we could save; for, having but little salt, and not being able +to spare water to keep them alive when at sea, our demands were +moderate; and the few we required, as soon as they were carried on +board, were killed. Their flesh we preserved by cutting it into long +slips of the thickness of a finger, and then sprinkling it with so small +a quantity of salt, that we did not use above four or five pounds to a +hundred weight; then letting it lie together two or three hours, we hung +it up to dry in the sun, which perfectly cured it, and that better than +it could have been done by any other way. + +Having done all we proposed in coming here, we departed with our decks +full of fowls and hogs, amongst which there was one with its navel, or +something like it, on its back. The Spaniards say, that this, when wild +in the woods, is a terrible animal to meet with, although at full growth +it be but small. + +January 25, we made a sail about two leagues to the leeward of us: we +gave her chase till we found she was of European structure; and fearing +she might be one of the enemy’s ships of war, I clapped on a wind, and +in half an hour’s time it fell calm. Soon after, we saw a boat rowing +towards us, which proved to be the Success’s pinnace, commanded by Mr. +Davidson, their first Lieutenant. My first interview with him was +attended by an astonishment equal on both sides; he could hardly believe +that he saw us in so mean and forlorn a condition; and I could scarce +believe that the Success (if in being) had been all this while wandering +up and down these seas. + +I entertained him with a rehearsal of the constant run of misfortunes +which had befallen us in the long interval since we separated near the +coast of England, till our present meeting that day; and he, on his +part, entertained me with several remarkable incidents, which had +happened to them in the course of their voyage. Particularly, he told +me, that, about a twelvemonth before, they had taken a new French-built +brigantine, and put their officers and ship’s company’s plunder on board +of her, which they valued at ten thousand pounds sterling; that their +second Captain, Mr. Mitchel, was intrusted with the command of her, and +was ordered to go to some island on the coast of Mexico, and to stay +there till Captain Clipperton should join him with his ship; but that +they never could find the island since, and, therefore, judged that poor +Mitchel, and his men, were either starved, or murdered by the Spaniards +or Indians, or that he had perished with the island, such submersions +being frequent on those coasts. The story of Captain Mitchel, who was a +very worthy man, and an expert sailor, is, in all its circumstances, a +very tragical one. There was always a jealousy between him and his +Captain, who ordered him to a place, and pretended to give him +infallible directions to find it, which never could be found afterwards, +and, ’tis my opinion, never was above water; and the unfortunate +gentleman, without doubt, perished in some obscure, miserable manner, in +quest of a place that was never yet, and perhaps never may be +discovered. In our discourse, I asked Mr. Davidson the value of the +booty they had made, and he assured me it did not exceed 70,000 +dollars--but that they had lost great opportunities--that in October, +1720, they were in the bay of Conception, and had the misfortune to +leave three laden ships behind them, and missed a fourth, which was +coming into the bay, and which was so near as to hail and talk to them, +besides being becalmed by them;--that though it was probable their +launch could have taken them all four, yet, through their Captain’s +deafness to advice, they took none of them:--that, moreover, they had +never yet cleaned their bottom, notwithstanding they had had it in their +power to do it; and that this negligence had like to have cost them +dear; for that, in their return from Conception, they looked into +Coquimbo, where they saw five ships at anchor, three of which let slip +after them, and overtook them apace, but by the favour of thick weather, +and a hard gale of wind, they got clear of them; and further, that, off +the port of Callao, they fell in with the Flying-fish frigate, which was +cruising for me in the bark, and which, by unpardonable mismanagement on +the part of Clipperton, got safe from them, although deeply laden with a +valuable cargo designed for Cadiz. I have been since informed of this by +one of my surgeon’s mates, who was taken in the Mercury, and was surgeon +of the Flying-fish at that time. + +This was the substance of my discourse with Mr. Davidson, when, in the +mean time, a gale sprung up, which interrupted us, and I bore down to +the Success, and went on board of her. I gave Captain Clipperton, and +Mr. Godfrey, the agent-general, the whole history of my voyage hitherto, +and expected that I should have been treated by them as one belonging to +the same interest, but found I was mistaken; for they were unwilling to +have any thing to do with me since my ship was lost. However, I +conceived, that he could not be so inhuman, as to deny me the supply of +such necessaries as I wanted, and he could conveniently spare. The +answer I had to this was, that I should know more of his mind the next +day. Amongst the rest of the discourse I had with him, he told me he was +just come from the island of Cocos, that his people were sickly, and at +very short allowance. Upon this, I offered my service to pilot him to +Mariato, which was not above thirty leagues distant from us, where he +might have refreshed his people, and supplied himself with what he +would. But this was not accepted, he being resolved to make the best of +his way to the Tres Marias, where, he said, there was turtle enough to +be had; so I left him for that night. + +The next morning, as I was going on board of him again, with some of my +officers, he suddenly spread all his canvas, and crouded away from us, +who were in the boat: upon which I returned to our ship again, and made +signals of distress, and fired our gun several times, which was not +regarded by him, till his very officers cried out on his barbarity, and, +at last, he brought to. When I had sailed up with him, (being +exasperated at such inhuman treatment) I sent Mr. Brooks, our First +Lieutenant, to know the reason of his abrupt departure, and to tell him +that we stood in need of several necessaries, which, if he was not +inclined to give, I would purchase of him. Upon these terms he spared me +two of his quarter-deck guns, sixty round shot, some musquet-balls and +flints, and a Spanish chart of the coast of Mexico and part of India and +China, a half-hour and a half-minute glass, a compass, and about 300 +weight of salt; but with all the arguments I could use, I could not +prevail on him to spare us the least thing out of his surgeon’s chest +for the relief of Mr. Coldsea, our master, who had been ready to die of +his wounds received in the engagement with the Margarita, for above +three months past. When this was concluded, I again asked him if I could +be of any service to him, and assured him, I had a pretty good ship +under foot, though she made but a poor figure, and believed I could hold +him way, and that he knew our cargo was pretty valuable. To all this he +answered, that, if I had a cargo of gold, he had no business with me, +and that I must take care of myself. Mr. Hendry, the agent, and Mr. +Rainer and Mr. Dodd, Lieutenants of marines, seeing but little prospect +that we should ever get home, and being weary of the work that was +imposed upon them, desired I would let them go on board the Success, for +a passage to England; which I consenting to, they went on board +accordingly, and Clipperton left us to shift for ourselves, near the +island of Cano. Having purchased this supply, I was for going to the +southward into the bay of Panama, to try our fortune there; but the +majority opposed me through fear, and were for going to the Tres Marias, +to salt turtle there, and then stretch over for India. We directed our +course thither; and, a few days after, met with the Success in quest of +Sonsonnate, where they expected to receive the Marquis of Villa Roche’s +ransom. That nobleman had been some time a prisoner with them, and his +wife was now at Guatimala, a city within 30 leagues of that port. We +ranged close under their stern, and asked how Captain Clipperton and the +rest of the gentlemen did, but it was not thought proper to return any +answer; so, without any concern, he steered one way, and we another. +After this, calms, and contrary winds, and unaccountable currents, +reduced us to a very small allowance, which we were obliged to diminish +daily, and should have been in deeper distress than ever, had it not +been for the turtle which we took on the surface of the water. We had a +continual look-out for them, and they were easily known, at a great +distance, by the number of sea-birds that perched on their backs. Upon +sight of these, we used to lay aside the advantages we might have made +of the wind, to embrace the opportunity of prolonging our provisions. +Upon the whole, though we lost some of our way in pursuit of turtle +after this manner, it was not the greatest inconvenience that attended +us; the dressing it made a great consumption of our water, the quantity +of which decreased upon us very suddenly, by the continual use of it in +boiling the turtle with plantain flower. This relapse into a state of +famine, threatening us with speedy and certain perdition, if means were +not used to avert it, made me propose the plundering of some small town +as we coasted along the shore. Guatulco was the nearest to us: but the +very morning we were steering in for this place, at sun-rising we saw a +sail a considerable way to leeward of us. We thought it would be better +to take this ship than to venture on shore, and therefore we bore down +to her, who in the end proved to be the Success. We now met with a +double baulk, both as to our hopes of Guatulco and the ship; for we were +by this accident got so far to the leeward of Guatulco, that it was +needless to beat up so far against the wind for an uncertainty, when we +had a gale, that, had it continued, would have carried us to some better +port. + +But the winds were but a few hours propitious, and were succeeded by +perpetual contrary gales, which destroyed all our hopes, and brought us +down to a small earthen plate of calavances, a kind of small bean, for +24 hours, which not being sufficient to keep us alive, we had recourse +to the remainder of our smoked congers, which had for some months been +neglected, and lain soaking and rotting in the bulge water. They were +certainly as disagreeable food as ever men eat. + +Under these calamitous circumstances did we meet with the Success a +fourth time, near the port of Angels; and, after having made the +appointed signal, we stood so near to one another, that, to use the sea +phrase, a bisket might have been tossed from ship to ship, but we did +not change a word with each other; for, Captain Clipperton, as I have +since been informed, had ordered all his officers and ship’s company to +take no notice of us: and, though he was so truly sensible of the +difficulties and hazards we had to cope with, if our design was to go +for India, that he said, The child that was born the day before would be +grey-headed with age before we should arrive there (intimating by that +expression, that it was impossible for us to do it), yet, +notwithstanding, he, without any remorse, could see us on the brink of +suffering the greatest severities our ill fortune could load us with, +and not lend us a helping hand to deliver us from the impending ruin. + +Thus surrounded on all sides by present want and threatening disasters, +we, on the 12th of March, being off the port of Acapulco, saw a ship +between us and the shore. I bore down to her, till perceiving her to be +a large Europe-built ship, with Spanish colours flying, I concluded she +was the Peregrine, who, as I had been informed, had carried the Prince +of St. Bueno, who had been Viceroy of Peru, to this port in his way to +Spain. With these suspicions, being as yet unwilling to run ourselves so +immediately into the enemy’s clutches, I hauled again on a wind, which +he seeing, he pulled down his Spanish, and hoisted an English ensign, +and made the signal agreed on between Clipperton and me for knowing one +another. Had they been in any other part, I should have been so far from +entertaining any thoughts of such a change in him, that I should have +looked on all his signals as the artifices of the enemy, who might have +acquainted themselves with them by the information of such of our men as +they might have taken prisoners. But now, making no doubt that it was +he, I bore down to him, and being come along his side, he sent Captain +Cook, his second Lieutenant, in his yaul, with an obliging letter to me, +to inform me, he was cruising for the homeward-bound Manilla ship, and +desiring I would assist him in the enterprize, and come on board of him +the next morning, proposing a union of our two ships companies. I was +very well pleased with this offer, and, without hesitation, returned him +word that I would be with him early. + +In the mean time, I read over his letter publicly to my people, and +exhorted them seriously to consider of the great benefits that would +accrue to us on all sides from it. Upon which they all expressed the +most resigned willingness to join in the undertaking. But, as Clipperton +had used us so unhandsomely before, they desired I would get some +security for their shares, signed by Captain Clipperton, Mr. Godfrey the +agent, and the rest of their officers. I went on board, and, according +to their request, Capt. Clipperton, and Mr. Godfrey, the owners agent, +immediately drew up an instrument fully worded for the purpose, and they +and all the other officers signed it. This was all my people wanted to +make them easy. + +We then proceeded upon our main business; and, after mature +deliberation, it was thought most adviseable, that I should send the +greatest part of my men on board the Success, as soon as we saw the +Manilla ship come out of Acapulco, and leave only a boat’s crew with me +to bring me away, in case I should have occasion to make use of my ship +as a fire-ship, or a smoaker, which we jointly proposed to do, if we +found the enemy too hard for us; and it was determined to board her at +once, as we should otherwise have much the worst of it, on account of +their superior weight of metal, and the better capacity of their ships, +which are built very strong, to bear a cannonading. Clipperton assured +me, he was certain of the time when she would sail from this port, which +the Spaniards say is always within a day or two after Passion-week, of +which we had a fortnight yet to come. + +Before I returned to my own ship, I acquainted Captain Clipperton with +our slender stock of provisions, but particularly with our shortness of +water; and he told me he had 80 tons of it on board, and he would spare +me as much of it as I would have, or any thing else his ship afforded. + +I had now the pleasure of being restored to my command in as regular a +manner as ever; every one, from the highest to the lowest, expressing +the satisfaction he had in the prospect before us. But, Morphew, that +ringleader of all our disorders, fearing my resentment, thought it was +his best way, to insinuate himself into the favour of the Captain and +Officers of the Success, which he did effectually, by an humble, +submissive, outward deportment, and prevailing presents. In short, he +had his end, and left me; but, the next morning, Mr. Rainer, who acted +with us afterwards as Captain of marines, came on board of us to visit +his old shipmates, and so continued. + +Thus we cruised in good order, and with a great deal of hope, until +March 17, when, towards evening, Clipperton, contrary to his usual +custom, stretched a-head of us about two leagues, without lowering so +much as a top-gallant-sail for us to come up with him. I could not but +be a little startled at this, as being quite contrary to his usual +method. However, I kept standing after him, as I thought, in the night, +till we were almost in the breakers on the shore, which of course +obliged us to tack, and stand out to sea again, admiring all the time +that we had had no signal for going about. The next morning we had no +sight of any ship near us, which laid me under the most terrible +apprehensions, considering the bad condition we were in for want of +water, and the vast distance we were at from any place where we could +expect to get a recruit of any, having now no choice left, but either to +beat up 220 leagues against the wind, to go to the Tres Marias, or bear +away a much more considerable distance for the gulph of Amapala, or the +island of Cocos. + +But, notwithstanding our distress, I kept our cruising station for him +two or three days. At last it was resolved to bear away to the first +convenient place to water at; and, in truth, it was time, for we were +now 40 odd men, who had but three buts of water for a run of 300 leagues +and upwards, on a coast subject to long calms, variable winds, and +uncertain currents. + +It was afterwards told me, that the night Clipperton left us, he +assembled all his officers, and told them it was his intention +immediately to quit the coast. His officers remonstrated to him on the +barbarity of doing this without acquainting Captain Shelvock with his +intention, and sparing us some water. But he put off their serious +expostulations with an inhuman sneer, saying, That, if I should, through +want, be obliged to surrender to the enemy, I should only share the same +fate, that, perhaps, some others had met with before me. + +Thus this man, perhaps, through an excess of mean-spiritedness, and +dreading the engagement with a ship that was always known to defend +itself with some obstinacy, neglected as fine an opportunity as most of +our nation have ever had of taking this ship, which, as I was informed, +by some Spaniards from Manilla, when I was in China, came out of +Acapulco about a week after we left the cruize.--[For Capt. Clipperton’s +account of this transaction we refer the reader to the preceding +voyage.] + +On March 30, in the evening, we entered the road of Sonsonnate, and, as +the sun set, saw a ship at anchor there. It being a moon-light night, I +sent the first Lieutenant, with some of the best hands, to discover what +this ship might be. On his return he informed me, the ship was a large +one, of one tier of guns at least. I nevertheless continued to ply in +all the night, and prepared for action. At day-light we found they had +hoisted a jar of powder, containing about ten gallons, with lighted +match, at each main and fore yard arm, and at the bowsprit end, with +design to let them fall on our decks if we boarded them. This +contrivance, if it had taken effect, would have soon made an end of both +ships, and of all that were in them. Seeing them so desperate in their +preparations, I expected a warm dispute with them; and, by what I could +see, they were, in all points, superior by much to us in strength. + +At eleven in the morning, the sea-breeze came in, and ran us upon them +very fast, whilst our small arms were briskly and effectually employed +to break their powder jars, before we came to board them, which we did +without delay, and, after the exchange of a few shot when on board of +each other, they submitted. + +This ship was called the Sacra Familia, of 300 tons, six guns, and 70 +men; besides a great number of small arms, with some grenade shells and +shot. She had been, for some time before, arrived from Callao, with wine +and brandy; but had now nothing in her but fifty jars of gunpowder, and +a small parcel of rusk and jerked beef. In short, she could hardly be +said to be worth the trouble we took, and the risques we ran for her: +but she was reputed to be a better sailor, and was visibly better fitted +out than our own; wherefore I changed ships, and we all went on board +our prize, which was equipped in the warlike manner we found her, and +commissioned, on purpose to take us. + +A merchant, the escrivan of the ship, being on board, desired we would +sell him the Jesus Maria, which we agreed to, and sent him on shore to +raise the money for that purpose; and at night he came off with another +Spanish gentleman, and brought us a letter of advice from the Governor +on shore, signifying that there was a treaty of peace on foot between +their Britannic and Catholic Majesties, which was what we had not before +heard of. However, I sent to the Governor, signifying that I should be +very glad to see the proclamation and articles; and that thereupon, I +should be ready to obey the commands of my Sovereign; so we came to an +agreement with the Governor to lye in the road till he sent to +Guatimala, 50 leagues distant, for those papers, provided he would +supply us with water and provisions. On the 5th of April, the Governor +sent on board two papers, which, by the best interpretation we could get +of them, did not appear to us to be in the form of proclamations. We +told those who brought the papers aboard, that we were in great want of +an interpreter; upon which they said, there were some Englishmen at +Guatimala, whom they would send for, if we would stay three days for +them, and that they would supply us with water and provisions till that +time; which we agreed to, and they desired we would send our boat on +shore every morning for the supply. Accordingly, on the 7th of April, we +sent our boat on shore with Mr. Brooks, our first Lieutenant, and five +men. This officer, men, and boat, the Governor detained under a flag of +truce, and, at night, sent off a small boat, with two of our men, with a +letter from himself, and another from Mr. Brooks. His letter signified, +that, if we did not deliver up our ship to him, he would declare us +pirates. And Mr. Brooks, by his, informed me, that it was his opinion, +that the Governor was endeavouring to bully me into a surrender, having +spoken very ambiguously of a cessation of arms: notwithstanding which, I +sent the Governor a letter, signifying, that, if we could be secured of +a safe and sure conduct for ourselves and effects to Panama, and from +thence, by the way of Porto Bello, be conveyed to any of our British +plantations, we would come to a farther treaty; which if he intended, he +was desired to signify it by firing two guns as soon as he had received +this advice, and by sending back my officer and men; if not, necessity +would oblige us to sail. At three in the morning (the Governor having +shewn no signal, nor sent any word) we weighed our anchor, yet lay to in +the bay till ten, but then made sail, being forced thereto for want of +water; having, however, no other intent, in case of the certainty of a +peace, than to deliver up the ship we were now in at the first +convenient port, as was signified to the Governor by letter. + +Being now got out to sea, we reduced ourselves to a pint of water for 24 +hours each man, and directed our course for the gulph of Amapala, which +was about 35 leagues to the E.S.E. of this place, in order to get a +fresh supply. The loss of my officer and boat’s crew, sensibly +diminished the number of white faces, and we should have been so much +weakened by it, that we should never have been able to manage this great +ship, with her heavy cotton sails, if we had not taken with us our negro +prisoners, who proved to be very good sailors. The loss of our boat was +also a very great inconvenience to us; but as I only thought of taking +water enough to carry us to Panama, where we were fully resolved to +surrender, if it was really peace, I imagined we might make shift +without her, and get such a quantity as we might want in two or three +days time. + +The winds were favourable, and we arrived there on the tenth following +in the evening. As soon as we had entered the gulph we found ourselves +in the midst of several small islands, one of which was the island of +Tygers, where we expected to find water; but our expectations proved +vain, for, after a hazardous and fruitless search not only on that, but +on some of the greenest of the other isles, there was not the least drop +of fresh water to be found, by us, on any of them. + +In this miserable condition, threatened on all sides with inevitable +destruction, unfit for the sea, fearful of trusting ourselves in the +cruel hands of the inhabitants on the shore, quite dispirited by the +continued course of misfortunes which had hitherto been our constant +attendants; but, above all, lamenting this unhappy baulk in not finding +water where we so much expected it, which had reduced us to such +extremities as we had never known before; in short, ready to sink under +the burden of our calamities, we weighed our anchor on the 13th of April +before day-break, and stood out from this gulph. And now having the open +sea before us, I brought my people in general to an obstinate resolution +not to surrender on this part of the coast, let the consequences be ever +so miserable. Upon this unanimous agreement, with not 40 gallons of +water in the ship, and no other liquids to supply the want of it, we +came to so small an allowance as half a pint of water for 24 hours; and +even this allowance was rather too large, there being no place, that we +knew of, where we could get any more, nearer than Quibo, to which +island, about 200 leagues distant from us, we shaped our course, but +having very uncertain winds and weather, we were 13 days at this +allowance. Our sufferings from the extremity of thirst are hardly to be +conceived; some drank their own water to allay the burning heat within +them, but though this moistened their mouths, it increased their misery; +some drank large draughts of sea-water, which was near putting a period +to their lives; while others eat just enough of the calavances moistened +with water to sustain life, and these suffered the least. + +At length we were fortunately relieved, by falling in unexpectedly with +the island of Cano, in lat. 9 deg. N. where seeing a run of water, Mr. +Randall, without dreading the dangerous surf, passed through the +breakers, and, to the unspeakable joy of all the company, soon returned +on board with his jars filled; but as he could not bring off more than +60 or 70 gallons, I took care to restrain our people in the use of it, +allowing to each man only a quart for their immediate use: and I was the +more strict in this distribution, because Mr. Randall assured me, the +breakers were so dangerous that he believed we should not be able to get +at any more. + +Being willing, however, to make another trial, I next day sent the +boatswain, to endeavour to procure a further supply; but, after wasting +the whole day in search of a smooth beach to land upon, he could not see +one spot where he durst venture on shore. Therefore, thinking we had a +stock sufficient to carry us to Quibo, I weighed anchor, and in ranging +the island I accidentally discovered a smooth beach, where the little +boat getting on shore, the crew filled nine jars, which lasted till we +arrived at Quibo, where we anchored at the same place we had twice +anchored at before. Here we consulted about surrendering ourselves to +the Spaniards, being within 80 leagues of Panama, a place of little or +no strength towards the sea, and but little frequented by the enemy’s +ships of war, where we could treat with them at a distance, and be truly +informed how affairs stood in Europe. During our deliberations we wooded +and watered at leisure; and some searched the woods for fruits to +refresh us, by way of prevention against the scurvy, which we had been +all along less subject to than any ship I ever saw or heard of in such +long runs. Those who were thus usefully employed brought us papas, +guayavas, cassia, limes, and a small kind of white sour plumb, which was +much eaten and admired by most of us; but, by its violent operation, it +put stop to our proceedings for some days. However, we soon recovered, +without any bad symptoms, and made an end of wooding and watering, and +set sail, fully determined to surrender at Panama. In our way we passed +by a great many small islands, but the most remarkable are, Montuosa, +Sebaco, and the isle of Picara, which lies on the western side of Quibo. + +May 15, a small bark, taking us for Spaniards, bore down to us, the +master of which was in the greatest consternation when he found his +mistake, but recovered when he heard we were bound for Panama to +surrender, and readily offered his pilot thither, his vessel, called the +Holy Sacrament, being bound to that port, laden with dried beef, pork, +and live hogs, which, as she was leaky, he desired that I would take in +tow. I was glad this bark fell into our hands, and readily complied with +his request, because, if we found the Governor of Sonsonnate’s account +to be false, we might be thoroughly enabled by this help to go to India. +In the mean while, it had remained a point yet undetermined, who should +be the person entrusted with the flag of truce; for my people, having +known much treachery, were apprehensive the person sent would only, or +chiefly, make good his own case and that of his friends to the Governor, +and not care what became of the common men. At last, my son was judged +the fittest to go, as he would surely return, if it were purely for my +sake. Other difficulties were started that could not so easily be +removed, notwithstanding which, we kept on our way, fully fixed in our +resolution. + +May 17, another small bark came down upon us, but having stood pretty +near to us, she bore away again, and ran on shore directly, at the +hazard of the lives of every soul on board. This unaccountable +behaviour, gave us good reason to believe that the Governor of +Sonsonnate’s account of a cessation of arms was groundless. + +May 19, we saw a sail a-head of us, standing along shore, and being +desirous of speaking with her, I let go the bark we had in tow, and made +all the sail we could after her. We gained very little upon her all the +day; but had, nevertheless, got a great way a-head of our bark, wherein +were four of our own people and five Spaniards. However, notwithstanding +night came on, all our sail was kept abroad, and next morning we were +within gun-shot of her. I immediately ordered our colours to be spread, +fired a gun to leeward, and set a man to wave a flag of truce; but, on +sight of out English ensign, she fired at us, and so continued to do, +with her decks full of men, abusing us with the grossest appellations. I +made no return until I came close upon their quarter, and then I sent +one of their countrymen to the bowsprit end, to inform them in Spanish, +that we were bound to Panama, and desired to treat peaceably with them, +and hoped, at least, they would have some regard to the white flag which +they saw flying; but they still continued their fire; and presuming, as +I supposed, by our quiet behaviour, that we were unable to defend +ourselves, they were preparing to board us, which I no sooner perceived +than I met them with our helm, and gave them so warm a salute, that they +sheered round off from us. We just missed getting hold of them, but it +falling almost immediately calm, we continued our engagement for the +space of two or three hours at the distance of musquet-shot. At length, +a breeze wafting us nearer to them, we found that as fast as we +approached, so fast did their courage cool. Their Captain, however, +still bravely encouraging his people, and exposing himself in the +openest manner, was shot through the body, and dropped down dead; upon +which they immediately, and with one voice, cried out for quarter, and +put an end to the dispute. Mr. Randall, and two or three more, went on +board the prize, and found the prisoners, in the most submissive +posture, asking for mercy, which was granted, though they had no great +reason to expect it, after their direct breach of the laws of arms and +nations in firing at a flag of truce. + +The most considerable prisoners, being brought on board, informed me, +that their ship, called the Conception de Recova, belonging to Callao, +was of the burthen of 200 tons, and laden with flour, loaves of sugar, +bales of boxes of malmalade, jars of preserved peaches, grapes, limes, +and the like, mounted six guns, and had 70 odd men on board. In this +engagement, the Spanish Captain and a negroe were killed, and one or two +slightly wounded. On our part, our gunner was slightly wounded by a +pistol ball, and our main-mast had a small piece carried out of the side +of it. We had now about 80 prisoners of all colours, though we ourselves +were not above 26. + +Amongst our prisoners we had several of note, particularly Don Baltazzar +de Abarca, Conde de Rosa, an European nobleman, who had been Governor of +Pisco, and was now upon his return to Spain, together with Captain +Morel, who had formerly been taken by Captain Rogers. They were all +treated with the utmost civility, which they the more wondered at, +because, from a self-conviction of their own ungenerous behaviour +towards us, they could not but expert to have been dealt with quite +otherwise. + +The winds and calms prevented our joining the Holy Sacrament, the prize +we had left behind us, till May 22, when we bore down to her, and were +surprized to find no soul on board, but that her decks and quarters were +covered with blood. By many circumstances it plainly appeared, that the +Spanish crew had butchered those who were left to assist them, while +they were asleep; otherwise it could not have happened, that five +unarmed Spaniards could have overpowered four Englishmen completely +provided with arms for their defence. It is very probable, however, that +these murderers paid with their lives, the loss of those lives they had +taken away; for, being above four leagues from the land, and having no +boat with them, they probably jumped into the sea on our approach, +fearing, if they fell into our hands, to meet the vengeance due for so +horrid a crime. That part of the deck which was dyed with gore they +endeavoured to cover, by throwing the flocks and stuffings of beds over +it; so that till these were removed, the blood was not to be seen. + +This tragical accident put a damp to the pleasure we had enjoyed for a +day or two past on the account of our late prize. Our prisoners, at such +a sad and sudden change, began to be alarmed, and looked at one another +as if they all expected to be the victims of our revenge upon this +unhappy occasion. On the other hand, I was fearful lest these +apprehensions should urge them to some desperate attempt, they being 80 +in number, and we not above 17 on board of our own ship, and, when we +were all together, not above 25 that could stand to arms. In this +dilemma, I ordered all the prisoners into the stern-gallery, except the +nobleman, and some of the chief officers, and a guard to be kept in the +great cabbin. + +The Spanish gentlemen observing this, let fall some expressions whereby +I perceived they were afraid I intended to proceed to severities towards +their people; but I assured them, that, if I was of so revengeful a +nature, the laws of my country forbad me from indulging it; that I acted +under my King’s commission; and that the natural abhorrence our nation +had to barbarity, might quiet their fears, and make them perfectly easy. +They then, on their part, in the most solemn manner disclaimed the very +thought of an attempt upon our lives; and assured us, on their honour, +that they thought they should never be able to make a just return for +the generous treatment they had met with. It was, however, prudent to +secure our prisoners of the meaner sort, and when we had so done, we +hauled the Holy Sacrament along-side of us. She was half full of water, +and the greatest part of her dried beef was wet and spoiled, but all +that was not damaged we took out, together with some live hogs. We also +took out of the Conception a twelvemonth’s provision of bread, flour, +sugar and sweetmeats, and a like proportion for the Success, whom I +expected to find at the Tres Marias, being then a stranger to +Clipperton’s faithless desertion. I likewise took from them their launch +and their negroes; for considering we had a large ship, and a run of 175 +degrees of longitude to sail, which was little less than half way round +the world, I thought we could do no other than reinforce ourselves with +these blacks, who are commonly good sailors in these parts; and, indeed, +we afterwards found we should never have reached the coasts of Asia +without them. + +Thus having supplied ourselves with every thing the Conception afforded, +I suffered our prisoners to return to their own ship again; but the +chief of them would not leave me till they had drawn up a writing, which +they signed, whereby they acknowledged the circumstances of our +engagement, in the manner I have already related. In short, no people, +circumstanced as we were, could part in a more friendly manner than we +did. + +Thus were we put by our design of surrendering, and were going to +undertake a long and hazardous voyage to Asia. Our strength was indeed +considerably augmented, for we had now 15 guns, and ammunition enough to +supply them. + +Before we proceeded any farther, it was necessary to get in a full stock +of water. The island of Quibo was hazardous for us, being too near +Panama; it was therefore determined to ply up to Cano, where, having a +good boat, we soon did our business. In our passage thither, the +sweetmeats of all kinds, which we had taken out of our late prize, were +divided among the messes. It happened that one of the fellows, one day, +complained he had a box of malmalade which he could not stick his knife +into, and desired it might be changed. I opened it, and found in it a +cake of virgin silver, moulded on purpose to fill such boxes, and being +very porous, it was of near the same weight of so much malmalade. In +overhauling the rest, we found five more of these boxes. This was a +contrivance to defraud the King of Spain of his fifths, which he claims +in all the silver taken out of any of the mines in Peru. We doubtless +left a great many of these boxes behind us, so that this deceit served +them in a double capacity, to defraud their king’s officers, and blind +their enemies. An affair as vexatious as this, is said to have been +discovered too late on board a prize the Success had taken, where they +found a very considerable quantity of Pinna’s or virgin silver, in the +form of bricks, very artfully plaistered over with clay, and dried in +the sun, which being all the consistence they give their bricks in that +country, they were taken to be really such, and a great number of them +were thrown overboard as so much rubbish, without any discovery of what +they were, till the four or five last pieces. How true this may be I +can’t say, but it was reported to me, as matter of fact, by several of +the officers belonging to Captain Clipperton. + +I must here observe, that every thing we took in the Conception was +divided among us according to the Juan Fernandian articles, and that I +had no more than six instead of sixty shares. They would not so much as +allow me the money I had out laid at St. Catherine’s, which was upwards +of a hundred pounds. I had some difficulty to persuade them to run to +the northward so far as California; and was obliged to use many +arguments to prevail upon them to believe that the harbour of Puerto +Seguro was the only port of security where we could safely lay down and +refit our ship; but having at last obtained their consents, I weighed +from Cano, steering to the northward, and had favourable gales for 48 +hours; but then came on the constant, or what may be called the trade +wind on this coast, which being as contrary to us as they well could be, +I was willing to try how far off these winds might prevail, which, in my +opinion, may be called the eddy of the true trade wind, whose course may +be perverted by the interposition of this vast mountainous continent. + +Accordingly I found, that, at the distance of 60 leagues, we had light +winds and variable, and that, at the distance of between 70 and 80 +leagues, it settled at E. N. E. and N. E. I therefore kept at this +distance from the land till we had run up to the height of 20 degrees +north. In all this passage, we were not in the least sensible of any +currents, and entirely out of the way of certain riplings and overfalls +of water, which we frequently met with nearer to the land, and which +often surprized us when we were becalmed in deep water. + +In this passage we were accompanied by vast shoals of fish, and were +continually incommoded by numerous flocks of the birds called boobies, +making our ship their resting place, which fouled our yards and deck +with their dung as fast as we could clean them. However, for change of +diet, some of my people made ragouts of them, and the smoakers made +stems for their pipes of their long wing-bones. + +We fell in with Cape Corientes in the beginning of the month of August, +and were carried away to the islands called the Tres Marias, by a hard +gale at south, and came to an anchor under the lee of the middlemost of +these islands, but could see no sign of the Success having been there. +After a tedious search on all the three islands for fresh water, there +was nothing like a stream of it that we could find. This was the more +astonishing to us, as one or two of our late navigators have reported +that fresh water is to be found there in sufficient plenty. It may have +been so when they were there; but we were unfortunate enough to seek, +when none was to be found. + +After employing three days in a fruitless search, I stretched over for +the coast of California, and arrived thereon the 11th of August. The +inhabitants, as soon as they discovered us, made fires all along the +shore as the ship ran by them; and, towards the evening, it falling +calm, two of them came off to us on a bark-log, but were a long time +before they would accept of our invitation to come on board of us. At +length, they ventured in; when, in a moment, seeing our blacks +promiscuously standing together with us white men, they, with very angry +countenances, separated them from us; and would hardly suffer them to +look at us. They talked to us with great vehemence, but we could +comprehend nothing more of their meaning, than that they rejoiced to see +us. Night coming on, they took their leave, and we gave them a knife or +two, an old coat, and some other trifles, which seemed to please them +very well. They expressed themselves by signs in such a manner, that we +could guess they gave us repeated invitations to go on shore with them. + +On Sunday the 13th of August, at day-break, we found ourselves near +Puerto Seguro, which may be readily known by three white rocks, not much +unlike the Needles of the Isle of Wight, and you must keep close on +board the outermost to fetch into the bay. We entered Puerto Seguro, +surrounded by numbers of small embarkations of the inhabitants, while +the shore, on all sides, was crouded with Indians, whose numbers visibly +encreased by multitudes which flocked together from the adjacent parts. +Our anchor was no sooner down, than they came off to us in shoals, some +few on their bark-logs, but most of them swimming, talking and calling +out to one another in a noisy and confused manner, but such as plainly +shewed how desirous they were to come to us. Our ship was in an instant +full of these swarthy gentlemen quite naked, and amongst the rest was +their King, or Chief-man, who, unexpectedly, delivered to me his batoon, +or ensign of royalty, which I immediately returned to him. This man, +notwithstanding the wildness of his appearance to us, had a good +countenance, and his behaviour had something that was very engaging in +it. I was, at first, at a loss to know how to entertain our numerous +guests, but at length I thought of regaling them with some of our liquid +sweetmeats, which we had in great plenty. This they liked extremely, and +the spoons, which were mostly silver, they returned with great honesty. + +Having thus commenced a friendship with them, at day-break next morning +our boat went on shore to cut wood and fill water; and before the sun +was up, we were again crouded with our former guests, who seemed as if +they could never be weary of gazing at us. To keep up the amity we had +already contracted with them, I ordered a great boiler to be carried on +shore, with good store of flour and sugar, and a negroe cook, who was +continually boiling of hasty pudding for the numbers of spectators on +the beach; and it really behoved us to endeavour to keep in their +favour, for on seeing a few of our men rolling great and cumbersome +casks of water over the heavy sand, it inclined them to help us. To this +may added, a sense of the kind treatment they met with from us, and the +particular readiness of their Chief to serve us, by shewing his people a +good example; for, after Mr. Randall, my Lieutenant, he himself took up +the second log of wood to carry to the boat, and was immediately +followed by two or three hundred of them, who, encouraged by his +example, all took to the work, repaying our civilities with their +services, and every day they seemed more and more fond of us. + +Mean while, the rumour of our arrival was spread through all the +neighbouring parts, and some of the clans, different from those who +inhabited the shores, came daily to take a view of us. Those who came +from any distance in the country could not swim; and that they were +different from those we had first seen on our arrival here, appeared by +their manner of painting themselves, and by other little distinctions +which were visible amongst them; but they all united to assist us, nor +were any of them idle but the women, who used to sit in companies on the +scorching sand, waiting for their share of what was going forward, which +they used to receive very thankfully and without quarrelling. + +Having done all our business here, in the space of five days, on the +18th of August, in the morning, we prepared for our departure in the +afternoon. We employed the morning in making a large distribution of +sugar amongst the women. To the men we gave a great many knives, old +axes, and old iron, which we had taken in our prizes. These were the +most useful things to them, and of which they stood most in need; in +return for which, some of them gave us bows and arrows, deer-skin bags, +live foxes, squirrels, and the like. Great many of the men staid in the +ship all the while we were purchasing our anchor, and it was not till we +were under weigh that they all jumped overboard to join in the +lamentations of their countrymen on shore. + +The men in this southern part of California, are tall, straight, and +well made; their limbs are large, their hair coarse and black, and +barely reaches down to their shoulders. The women are of a much smaller +size; their hair is much longer than the mens, and with it some of their +faces are almost covered. The men go quite naked, and have not the least +thing to cover any part of them, except their heads, round which they +wear a band of red and white silk-grass, adorned on each side with a +tuft of hawk’s feathers. The women, on the contrary, wear a thick fringe +of silk-grass, which hangs down to their knees, and have either a deer’s +skin, or the skin of a large bird, carelessly wrapped over their +shoulders. + + [Illustration: _A Californian Woman habited in the Skin of a Deer_] + +Nothing can be more wild and savage to look at, than these people at +first sight: but there is a wide difference between what they seem, and +what they really are; for, by all we could discern in their behaviour +towards one another, and in their deportment towards us, they are endued +with great good nature. + +They seem to lead a careless life, and to enjoy every thing in common +amongst them; and, having nothing but their daily food to provide, they +are strangers to those numerous gratifications, the want of which +multiply distresses among nations more civilized and more refined. Their +contentment makes them honest, for they never offered to steal even the +things most useful to them. In a word, they seem to pass their lives, +according to the notions we have of the purest simplicity of the +earliest ages of the world, before discord and contention were heard of +amongst men. Having no enemies, they live in perfect peace and harmony +with one another. Hunting and fishing are their only employments, except +making the instruments they use in these pursuits, which are the +simplest that can be. They have no canoes, and go to sea on bark-logs; +but they are the most expert divers I ever beheld. By their simple +manner of living, and their continual exercise, they live to a great +age; and yet, what is very surprizing, they do not appear to be very +numerous, considering the extent of their country. Their only enemies +are the wild beasts, and of these there are plenty in the woods and +forests. They do not appear to be so jealous of their women as they have +been represented; for we had the company of some hundreds of them, young +and old, without any restraint from the men. Two things were remarkable, +that they never would suffer us to take snuff, but would earnestly take +it from us whenever we attempted it; nor would they ever suffer us to +look through a spying-glass, which I had frequent resort to, to see how +our work of wooding and watering went on. In these two instances, they +always took upon them to controul us, and in these two only; the causes +of which we could never learn. + +They go out to sea on their bark-logs, which are only composed of five +logs of a light wood, made fast to each other by wooden pegs, rowing +with a double paddle and with their harpoons, which are made of a sort +of hard wood, they strike the largest albicores, and bring them in when +struck. This was altogether surprizing to us, who had so often +experienced the strength of that fish, and the difficulty of getting +them into our ship, when either hooked or struck. One would imagine, +that as soon as these Indians had struck one of these albicores, on his +light embarkation, it would run away with him and his bark-log; but they +either strike them so as to give them some mortal wound, or have some +particular way of managing them, for they struggle and resist in vain. +When we were in this port, it was apparently their fishing season; but +by the number of deer-skins one sees amongst them, it is natural to +conclude they have also their season for hunting. The skins of their +deer are grey, and so are the skins of their foxes and squirrels; of all +which, it is likely, they eat indifferently, as of most other animals +that become their prey. Of birds amongst them we saw scarce any, but a +few pelicans. + + [Illustration: _An Indian of the Southermost parts of California as + Returning from Fishing & another on his Barklog_] + +What these Indians used instead of bread is very remarkable. It is a +small black seed of an oily substance, which they grind much the same +way as we do our chocolate, and afterwards make it up in some such +manner. The look of these black lumps or rolls so made up, is not very +inviting, yet the taste is not very disagreeable. When they want to +drink, they go to the river. + +Their arms are bows and arrows. Their bows are about six feet in length, +and their arrows seem to be somewhat too long for their bows. Their +bow-strings are made of deer’s sinews, and their arrows are composed of +a hollow cane for two-thirds of their length, and the other third next +the point is of a heavy kind of wood, which is headed with a piece of +flint, and sometimes with a kind of agate, the edges of which are +indented, or cut in teeth like a saw. They made no manner of shew of +their arms to us, and it was rarely that we saw them in the hands of any +of the men. The women had them in the woods in search of game, which may +be thence presumed to be some part of their employment. Upon the whole, +they may be truly said to be a happy people. + +Aug. 18, I sailed, as before-mentioned, from Puerto Seguro, and the same +evening we took our departure from Cape St. Lucar, in latitude 23 deg. +50 min. N. bound to Canton, in China, the most likely place where we +could hope to meet with English ships homeward bound for Europe. + +Aug. 21, we discovered an island bearing W. S. W. 110 leagues distant +from Cape St. Lucar. I endeavoured to get in with it; but night coming +on, I could not lose time to view it. This isle my people called after +my name. From hence we steered gradually into the parallel of 13 deg. N. +but had our way stopped for two or three days by westerly winds. We were +astonished at such an unforeseen delay, and began to dread we might meet +with many such reverses of winds in this passage; nor could we +conjecture, or conceive what might be the cause or causes of them. In +the midst of this, the usual trade-wind prevailed again, and delivered +us from the fears and apprehensions we had been involved in upon this +occasion. With this we proceeded on our passage, keeping the parallel or +track of the thirteenth degree of northern latitude, except when we +judged ourselves to be near the shoals of St. Bartholomew. We then +ventured to sail a degree, more northerly, and so continued to do for a +run of 60 or 70 leagues. + +About a fortnight after we had left California, my people, who had +hitherto enjoyed an uninterrupted state of health, began to be afflicted +with a sickness which particularly affected their stomachs. This we took +to be owing, in a great measure, to the quantities of sweetmeats they +were continually devouring, together with the dried beef, half devoured +with ants, cockroaches, and other vermin, which was their daily food. +This sickness increased every day, insomuch that, out of our small +number, we once buried two in one day, one of whom was John Popplestone, +our ingenious armourer, who was of such use to us on the island of Juan +Fernandez. Before we had stretched with favourable gales the length of +Guam, most of my people were sick and disabled, my ship began to be very +leaky, and, to add still to our misfortunes, we had the ill luck to have +one of our pumps split, and rendered useless. + +Under these circumstances, we met with black and dismal weather, with +tempestuous winds, flying and varying all round the compass. These +boisterous gales raised such a tumbling sea, and our ship laboured so +much in it, that the knee of her head, and the whole beak-head, became +loose; so that the bowsprit fetched way, and played with the motion of +the ship, which it continued to do all the time we were out at sea, and +till we arrived at Canton. Our main-mast stood for some time without +shrouds on the larboard side, till we could unlay our best cable to make +more, having knotted and spliced the old shrouds till our labour was in +vain. + +In the midst of all this sickness and distress, I myself was taken +violently ill, and had no hope to recover till a fit of the gout gave me +some relief. Great was our want of every thing fit or comfortable for +persons in such a state of sickness; yet, about the beginning of +October, we passed by Guam; and, though upon the very brink of +perishing, we dared not venture in, for fear the inhabitants should take +the advantage of our weakness, and make some attempt upon our lives. + +From Guam I directed my course for the island of Formosa. And now, +though the length of our voyage was decreasing very fast, our sickness +was daily increasing upon us in a much greater proportion; and most +truly it may be said, that both our ship and ourselves were no longer +fit for the sea. It was the 3d of November before we had sight of that +island, and the 10th, before we could get any sort of directions to +enable us to reach our intended port. At length, as we were passing +through a very narrow channel, between a couple of islands, a fisherman +took notice, by our cautious manner of working, that we were strangers, +and made signs to us to bring our ship to, till he came up with us; when +we made him understand in general, that we were bound to Macao, and he +made signs that he would conduct us thither, if we would give him as +many pieces of silver as he counted little fish out of his basket, which +amounted to 40. We accordingly counted out 40 dollars into a hat, and +next day he took us in charge, and anchored us safe in the road of +Macao, near the entrance of the river of Canton. + +Soon after our arrival, there came off to us a great many of the +Success’s people, to make us a visit; I was amazed at the sight of them, +and was very glad to hear their story. They said, their Commander, +Clipperton, left me designedly; that they went directly to Guam, where +they were very well refreshed, and supplied with provisions; that their +Captain sold the Governor a great quantity of powder and shot, and +several other valuable things, and permitted the Marquis of Villa Rocha, +who was his prisoner, to go on shore there; that Mr. Godfrey the agent, +and a marine officer, went to settle the accounts for what supplies of +things they had had; and that, as soon as they were landed, and the boat +come off again, Captain Clipperton weighed with his ship, in order to +attack a ship of 20 guns from Manilla, that had lain quietly in the road +in company with him all the time: that in approaching her he ran his own +ship upon the rocks, and soon found the enemy was prepared for him: +that, his condition being desperate, and supposing the loss of his ship +inevitable, he had recourse to his case of brandy, and took so +abundantly of it, that he fell on the deck, and snored out his time in a +beastly manner, whilst his First Lieutenant, Davidson, in his stead, +undertook the command of the ship, which he bravely executed till he was +killed: he was succeeded by Captain Cook, their Second Lieutenant, who +made a handsome resistance, and got the ship afloat again, after she had +lain on the rocks forty-eight hours: that they lost their prisoner the +Marquis de la Rocha, and also Mr. Godfrey the agent-general, with the +officer already mentioned; which gave the ships company so much +distaste, that they would not suffer him to have the command of them any +more, and, locking him up in his cabbin, chose Captain Cook to take +charge of the ship. + +They had, it seems, much bad weather between Guam and Amoy in China, +whither they got with much difficulty; and there made a dividend of all +they had taken, half to the owners, and half to the ship’s company. +Clipperton designed for the straits of Malacca; but his people, fearing +he had no good intentions, would go no farther with him than Macao, that +being a Christian port. Upon their arrival there, the Governor ordered +Clipperton into custody. It seems he had broke prison formerly from +thence, where he had been confined (as far as could be learned) on +account of his having run away with Dampier’s commission and one of his +prizes; but upon producing his Majesty’s commission now for the Success, +they gave him no farther trouble, and only contented themselves with +fleecing him a little. Here he sold his ship, the Success, for about +1000l. sterling.--[Such is the account given by Captain Shelvock, for +the information, as he says, of the gentlemen-owners, who will never, +either publicly or privately, be let into the truth of that story.] + +But to go on, Nov. 12, about noon, a pilot came off to us, and we +immediately weighed, and entered the river of Canton, where, finding the +Bonita and Hastings, two English country-ships, I anchored, and sent off +an officer, to desire them to instruct us how to behave ourselves in +this port, and to acquaint me with the customs of it. To this they +answered, that, since the Cadogan and Frances, two European English +ships were lying at Wampo, they would advise me to send up to their +factories at Canton, to acquaint them of our arrival, and with the +reasons which obliged me to come into that river, which I accordingly +did the next day. I now thought I was going to rest a little from my +labours; but, to my misfortune, I suffered as much here, all +circumstances considered, as I had in any former part of my voyage; for +the evening we anchored at Wampo, where the English ships commonly lie, +there happened an accident which gave occasion to much trouble. One of +my men, being in a hurry to remove his effects on board the Bonita, in +order to go in her to Fort St. George, the Bonita’s boat was, in her way +to their ship, pursued by a Hoppo, or custom-house boat, who wanted to +search her. The fellow, being in liquor, and fearing they would take +away the silver he had with him, fired a musquet at the pursuers, and +killed the officer. Early the next morning, the corpse was laid at the +door of one of the English houses or factories, where Chinese officers, +appointed for that purpose, waited for the first considerable Englishman +that should come out, without any regard to whom this act of violence +and murder was to be imputed. It happened that the Supercargo belonging +to the Bonita, was the first that came out; on him they seized, put him +in chains, and led him, by way of example, about the suburbs of Canton. +All that could be said or done by the most considerable of the Chinese +merchants who were in commerce with the English, availed nothing; till +my man, who committed the fact, was delivered to them, and then the +Bonita’s Supercargo was soon after released. + +It is the custom in China, at least at Canton, to exact a certain sum of +money from all ships that come there, according to their measurement, +which is divided into rates or portions of first, second, and third. I +therefore every day expected the Hoppo to come to measure my ship, but +was given to understand, that I must go up to Canton before that could +be done, though even at the hazard of my life. I accordingly went, and +staid two days at the Cadogan’s factory, during which time I was hourly +alarmed by such stories as made me fear that I should, indisposed as I +was, be dragged away from my bed, and put in irons: but at the end of +two days, I was obliged to go down again to the ship, to be present at +the measurement; and a day afterwards the Hoppo came with a numerous +retinue, and seemed to do his business very quietly, but would not let +me know what was the sum he intended to exact. This gave me much +trouble, for I began to think the Chinese, through a false report of our +great riches, had an intention to gratify their love of money by a heavy +imposition; and in this I was not mistaken. + +I had not been here many days before I was deserted by all my officers +and ship’s company, who were continually employed in removing their +effects from on board my ship to some of the Europeans, without my +knowledge, as I was all the time confined to my bed. My officers were +engaging the Indian gentlemen in their interest, and had left me and my +son, with a few negroes, to look after the ship. In short, my ship’s +company had so many ways of disposing of their effects, that it was +impossible to oblige them to do what I should have thought justice to +the gentlemen in England and to myself. In a word, they were all soon +recovered of their illness by the assistance they met with here, and +were become their own masters. The gentlemen who presided over the +trade, so little considered our case, that they had half a mind to +refuse me a passage in one of their ships; and, in effect, I was treated +by them almost as one enemy might treat another in a neutral port. + +The Captains Hill and Newsham, when they first came to see me, were +astonished at the ruinous appearance of my ship; and when I had given +then a short history of my voyage, and desired they would receive me +with my effects, they answered, that, since they plainly saw my ship was +in no condition to stir any farther, upon paying our passage, they would +entertain us as soon as we pleased. This I depended upon, and expected +to have no farther trouble than to remove ourselves at any time; but, on +the contrary, I found that I had ignorantly applied to the wrong +persons, and that my address should have been to the Supercargoes, by +which means I was left neglected, while the English Captains were +ordered to fall down with their ships five or six miles below us. Thus +was I left destitute in the company of five foreign ships, who, +perceiving my own countrymen to be so careless of me, were so kind as to +offer me their service, and assisted me with what they could; and, had +it not been for them, I don’t know what I might have suffered; for I was +under perpetual alarms that the Chinese had a design to chop my ship, +that is, to seize her. + +Having found out my error in applying to the Captains, and not to the +Supercargoes, I sent up a letter to them, not to desire, but to demand a +passage for me, my officers, and ship’s company, which I was sensible +they could not refuse, and indeed they did not; but their condescension +was accompanied with a charge to the English Captains, not to receive +any thing belonging to us, except it was consigned to the India Company +in England. This was an article which my people utterly rejected, vowing +they would as soon throw what they had into the sea, as comply with such +a demand; for my part, it gave me no concern, being conscious to myself +that I had infringed none of their privileges. At the same time that I +was acquainted with this intention of receiving us as passengers, I was +also informed of the Hoppo’s demand for anchorage in the river, which +was no less than 6000 tahel; and, to quicken me in the payment of this +exorbitant sum, there was a penalty annexed to this extortion of 500 +additional tahel for every day we failed in the payment of it. In short, +there was no means by which I could evade this unconscionable +imposition; and as it was a day before I could possibly send the 6000 +tahel up to Canton, they required 500 tahel more for neglect of payment; +so that they received from me, upon this extraordinary occasion, the +full sum of 6500 tahel, equal to 2166l. 13s. 4d. English money. This +was, as is apprehended, about six times as much as the Cadogan paid, +which was the largest English ship there, and measured a third more than +mine. It was now high time to get out of my ship; but before I quitted +her, I sold her for 2000 tahel, which money, and the rest of my effects, +were consigned to the India Company. + +Towards the latter end of December, 1722, I sailed in the Cadogan, +commanded by Captain John Hill, in company with the Frances, Captain +Newsham, who, sailing better than we, left us as soon as we were out at +sea. Captain Hill, finding his ship very tender, put into Batavia, where +we continued about 10 days, and were informed there were several pirates +in those seas; we, therefore, when we departed from Batavia, joined the +Dutch homeward-bound fleet in Bantam-bay. The Dutch Commodore promised +to assist us in wooding and watering at Mew-island, the water at Batavia +being very bad; but on our joining Capt. Newsham in the straits of +Sunda, the Dutch made that a pretence to leave us before we got the +length of Mew-island; and Capt. Newsham also deserted us the same +evening, so that we were left to ourselves. + +We continued at Mew-island six or seven days, during which time several +boats came to us from Princes-island, and brought us turtle, cocoa-nuts, +pine-apples, and other fruits. + +Some of the people having seen wild cattle grazing near the strand, went +on shore with design to kill them; but before they had advanced near +enough, they discovered a small tyger, and saw the track of an old one, +upon which they retired to the boat. At this place some of the gentlemen +belonging to this ship, in their outward-bound passage, saw a +rhinoceros. + +From Mew-island we had a very pleasant passage to and about the Cape of +Good Hope, which, in my opinion, was greatly owing to Captain Hill’s +good conduct, in coming in with the land betimes, I mean upon the +easternmost part of the bank, and keeping a moderate distance from the +land. I cannot be positive, but I think we never exceeded a degree in +distance from it, generally less, and some times even made the land +itself. + +In this course, I do not remember that we took in our top-sails above +twice; once for a squall, which was over in an hour’s time: and, another +time, being threatened by the appearance of bad weather, Capt. Hill made +all the requisite preparations to receive it, which done, he stood in +for the land; and, in a few hours, we had fair weather, a favourable +gale, and all our small sails set, at the same time that there remained +great appearance of foul weather to the southward of us, which continued +for several days afterwards. + +I have observed before, that the Frances and the Dutch ships had seven +days the advantage of us, by leaving us in the straits of Sunda, +notwithstanding which, we gained the Cape about as many days before the +Frances, although she sailed so much better than we: and, as to the +Dutch ships, there was no appearance at all of their arrival when we +left the Cape. + +The officers of our ship, by comparing their accounts with those of some +of the gentlemen belonging to the Frances, found that she had suffered a +great deal of bad weather; whilst we, who were 10 leagues, or +thereabout, to the northward of them, or nearer the shore, enjoyed fine +pleasant weather and fair wind continually, till we arrived in the +Table-bay, which we did the latter end of March. This I should think of +sufficient weight for any other to pursue the same track. Here we found +Governor Boon, in the London East Indiaman, and others, bound for +England. + +Whilst we lay at the Cape of Good Hope, nothing remarkable occurred, and +it has been so often described, that I can say nothing of it that has +not been said by most who have been there before. + +From the Cape of Good Hope we had an agreeable passage to the island of +St. Helena, and from thence to England. + +We made the Land’s-end in the latter end of July; and, being come into +the British Channel, met with brisk gales from the western quarter, with +thick foggy weather. + +On July the 30th, in the evening, we anchored under Dungeness, and the +same night some of the Supercargoes and passengers, and amongst the rest +myself, hired a small vessel to carry us to Dover, where we arrived +early the next morning, and the same day proceeded towards London, where +we arrived on the first of August. + +Thus ended a long and unfortunate voyage of three years, seven months, +and some days; after having sailed very considerably more than round the +circumference of the earth, and having gone through a great variety of +dangers and distresses, both on sea and shore. + + + + + COMMODORE ANSON’S + VOYAGE + ROUND THE WORLD. + + +When, in the year 1739, the Spanish depredations had roused the national +resentment, and the pacific ministry who then were entrusted with the +administration of affairs, found it impossible any longer to prevent a +war with Spain, several projects were proposed, and several plans +formed, for distressing the enemy in the most effectual manner, by +cutting off the resources by which alone they were encouraged to +continue their insults, and by which alone they could be enabled to +support a war. + +Among the rest, two expeditions were planned by Sir Charles Wager, then +at the head of the admiralty, and two gentlemen named by him for +carrying them into execution; which were no sooner laid before the privy +council to be examined than they were unanimously approved. + +Captain Anson, who was nominated to command the one, being out upon a +cruise, a vessel was dispatched to order him to return with his ship, +the Centurion, to Portsmouth; and Mr. Cornwall, who was appointed to +command the other, was acquainted with the honour conferred upon him, +and directed to prepare accordingly. + +There are not to be found in the annals of Britain two expeditions, +remote in the destination, yet having a connection one with the other, +that promised equal advantages with these to the nation, equal honour to +the promoters, or equal wealth and glory to the commanders: but by what +fatality these expeditions were changed, or by what state-craft one came +to be laid aside, and the other delayed,--who were the traitors that +betrayed the secret of their destination, or who the demon of seduction +was that perverted the grand design to the pitiful purpose of one single +pilfering project,--remains at present among those secrets, which, +perhaps, a second Dalrymple, in some remote period of time, may +discover; when it will probably appear how much the influence of Chilian +gold had operated in defeating the most formidable project for the +humiliation of Spain that ever was devised; and how easy it is for a +prime minister of England, in the plenitude of power, to defeat the +best-concerted measures, backed and supported by the King in his +council, when either pride, envy, avarice, or emulation, may prompt him +to opposition. + +The project, as first intended, was to consist of two strong squadrons; +one under Captain Anson was to take on board three independent companies +of 100 men each, and Bland’s regiment of foot (who was himself to +command the land-forces), and was to sail with all possible expedition +by the Cape of Good Hope to the city of Manilla, in the island of +Luconia, of which city and island frequent mention has already been made +in the course of this work; while that commanded by Captain Cornwall, of +equal force, was to proceed round Cape Horn into the South Seas, there +to range the coasts of Chili, Peru, and Mexico; and when the Commander +in Chief had made himself master of the royal treasures in that quarter, +he was then to direct his course to the Philippines, and join the +squadron of Captain Anson. This done, they were to act in conjunction, +as circumstances should arise, or to wait for fresh orders from +Government to proceed on fresh enterprizes. The reader will perceive, at +first view, the vast importance of this noble undertaking, calculated at +once to enrich the nation, and to determine the war without the effusion +of much blood; for the places intended to be attacked were at that time +incapable of resistance; and as they were in possession of the royal +treasures, any failure in the return of which must of necessity oblige +Spain to sue for peace, that haughty nation must thus have been subdued +without a battle. But posterity will stand amazed when they are told the +issue of this project, on which Sir Charles Wager was so intent, that, +tho’ it was the 10th of September before Captain Anson arrived in town, +yet by the 18th he had received orders to take under his command the +Argyle, Severn, Pearl, Wager, and Trial sloop, and to proceed to victual +the same with the utmost expedition. Before the end of December such +dispatch had been made by that vigilant officer, that the ships were in +readiness to take the troops on board; but in January, when Captain +Anson attended the Board to receive further orders, he was told by Sir +Charles, that the Manilla expedition was laid aside, for what reasons he +knew not, but that the expedition to the South Seas was still intended; +and that he and his squadron, as their first destination was now +countermanded, should be employed in that service. + +Accordingly on the 10th of January, 1740, he received his commission as +Commodore; yet it was not till the 10th of June that he obtained from +the Duke of Newcastle his Majesty’s instructions; and even then so many +obstacles were thrown in the way, so many difficulties started, and so +many delays contrived, that, before he was permitted to sail, which was +not till the latter end of September, the Spaniards were so well +informed of his designs, that a person who had been employed in the +South-Sea Company’s service, arrived from Panama, and was able to relate +to the Commodore most of the particulars of his strength and +destination, from what he had learnt among the merchants before he left +the South-Seas: but a still more extraordinary proof of their early and +perfect intelligence was discovered afterwards, in the course of the +voyage, when the Pearl, being separated from the rest of the squadron, +in a storm, on the coast of Brasil, fell in with the Spanish fleet, +that, during the unprecedented delay, had been purposely fitted out to +ruin the expedition, and found Admiral Pisarro so well instructed in the +form and make of Com. Anson’s broad pendant, and those he employed had +imitated it so exactly, that Capt. Mitchell, who commanded the Pearl, +was decoyed by it within gun-shot, before he was able to discover his +mistake. + +All delays being at length overcome, the squadron, consisting of five +men of war, a sloop of war, and two victualling ships, namely, the +Centurion, of 60 guns, 400 men, commanded by Captain Anson, as +Commodore; the Gloucester, of 50 guns, 300 men, of which Richard Norris, +Esq; was Commander; the Severn, of 50 guns, 300 men, the Hon. Edward +Legg, Esq; Commander; the Pearl, of 40 guns, 250 men, Matthew Mitchell, +Esq; Commander; the Wager, of 28 guns, 160 men, the Hon. John Murray, +Commander; two victuallers, the Industry and Ann pinks, the largest of +about 400, and the other about 200 tons burthen; were ordered to take +the troops on board at St. Helen’s. But how much the numbers, strength, +and probability of success, of this squadron, were diminished by the +various incidents that took place in near a twelvemonth’s +procrastination, may fully be conceived by what has already been said. +Had the honourable Board from whence the first idea of the expedition +originated been permitted to direct, all the old and ordinary seamen on +board the ships would have been exchanged for such as were young and +able; the full complement of each ship would have been made up; and the +salt provisions which had been so long on board in the Channel would +have been remanded on shore, and fresh provisions replaced in their +room: but, instead of these necessary precautions, the Captains were +glad to retain their old crews; the deficiency in the numbers of which, +amounting to more than 300 men, was no otherwise made up than by sending +on board about 100 cripples from the hospitals, and a party of raw +marines who had never been at sea before: nor were they more fortunate +in the change that was made in the land-forces; for, instead of three +independent companies, of 100 men each, and Bland’s regiment of foot, as +first promised, they had only 400 invalids from Chelsea allotted them, +one part of whom was incapable of action by their age and infirmities, +and the other part useless by their ignorance of their duty. But this +diminution of strength was not the greatest misfortune that attended +these measures; the importance of the time which was wilfully wasted was +in its consequences the source of all those calamities to which the +enterprize was afterwards exposed, by obliging the Commodore to make his +passage round the Cape in the most tempestuous season, when, as it was +foreseen, almost all the invalids, to a man, perished long before they +arrived at the place of action, expiring in a most lamentable condition +when they came to be attacked with the scurvy, with their wounds +bleeding afresh, which had been healed some of them 20, some 30, and +some 40 years before. + +But to proceed: Of this voyage there are two very authentic and +well-written accounts; one by Pasco Thomas, the mathematical master on +board the Centurion, who sailed in her out of the British Channel, and +returned with her in safety when she arrived at Portsmouth, and was an +eye-witness and careful observer of all that passed: the other by the +Rev. Mr. Richard Walters, Chaplain to the above ship, who received his +materials, and every other assistance necessary to authenticate his +narration, from the Commander in Chief. + +We have chosen to follow the former in the narrative of facts, as most +exact and least liable to imposition; but, in the explanatory part, we +shall copy the latter; because, though Mr. Thomas suffered nothing +material that passed to escape his notice, there were many things +transacted, the motives for which he could only guess at; but these +motives Mr. Walters has, by means of the Commodore’s assistance, been +able to explain. + +“Being quite ready about the beginning of September, 1740, we put to sea +three different times, but were as often put back to the road of St. +Helen’s, by contrary winds and stormy weather. At last, on Thursday, +Sept. 18, we sailed in company with the Lark and St. Alban’s, two of his +Majesty’s ships, and several merchant-ships, besides our own squadron; +and Saturday evening saw some men-of-war, and a large fleet of +merchantmen, waiting for us at Torbay. At one in the afternoon we joined +them; and the Commodore hoisted his broad pendant, which was saluted by +all his Majesty’s ships in the fleet with 13 guns each. The King’s ships +which joined us here were, the Dragon, Chatham, Winchester, and +South-Sea-Castle, and near 200 sail of merchantmen under convoy, some of +whom were bound to the Mediterranean, and others to several parts of +North America. We had at present the command of the whole fleet; and +this same afternoon, seeing a ship to the south-west, we made the Dragon +a signal for chasing her; but she proved one of our own ships, too far +a-head of her station. At four this afternoon, the Start Point bore from +us E. by N. at the distance of eight leagues. + +Monday the 22d, we saw two sail to the westward, and sent the Trial +sloop to speak with them. They were Dutch ships bound to Curasoe, with +soldiers for their garrisons there. + +Thursday the 25th, the Winchester and South-Sea-Castle, with the +merchant-ships under their convoy for Virginia, and other parts of +North-America, parted from us, and proceeded on their respective +voyages. And Monday the 29th, the Dragon, Chatham, St. Alban’s, and +Lark, with the merchant-ships in their charge for the Mediterranean, did +the like; and we had now no ships left in company but our own proper +squadron. + +Tuesday the 30th, we spoke with a Dutch man-of-war, who came from Malta, +bound for Amsterdam. + +Friday, October the 3d, we spoke with two English merchant-ships from +Lisbon for New-York, and the 8th we spoke with a French sloop from +Rochelle. The 13th, one Philip Merrit, a common sailor, died, which I +mention because he was the first man we lost on the voyage. The next +day, by an order from the Commodore, we went to short allowance; that +is, one third of the allowance granted by government is kept back, in +order to make our provisions hold out the longer. The 23d, we spoke with +a ship from Liverpool, and the next day with another from Glasgow, for +the Cape de Verde islands; as also with a small brigantine from Falmouth +for Madeira, who kept us company thither. The next day we spoke with a +Dutch ship from Surinam for Holland. The 26th, at six o’clock in the +morning, we saw the land bearing W. N. W. distance six leagues, and at +four in the evening anchored in Fonchale road, in forty fathom water, +a-breast the town of Fonchale, and about a mile and a half from it. +During this whole passage, we had almost continually contrary winds, and +boisterous uncertain weather; by which means, a passage which is very +commonly made in 10 or 12 days, took us up 38. + +Our business in this place was only to water, and take in wine, and some +private stocks: but, soon after our arrival, we were informed, that they +had seen from the island, to the westward, about 16 or 18 sail of ships +for several days together, which were supposed to be a junction of +French and Spanish ships of war; and as we had reason to imagine that +our expedition had long been known, there was little room to doubt, but +that those ships were designed to intercept and destroy us before we +could attempt any thing to the prejudice of Spain. On this news the +Commodore sent out an English privateer which lay in the road, with one +of his own officers, to see if they could discover them at sea, and what +they were; but she returned the next day, having made no discovery. + +Nov. 2, Captain Norris, at his own request, being in an ill state of +health, with the consent of the Commodore quitted the command of the +Gloucester, in order to return to England. The Gloucester was hereupon +given to Captain Mitchell, the Pearl to Captain Kidd, the Wager to the +Hon. Captain Murray, and the Trial sloop to David Cheap, our First +Lieutenant; and as one of the Lieutenants of the Gloucester had quitted +with Captain Norris, our two mates, who had long depended on the +Commodore, were preferred to be Lieutenants on this occasion. + +The 4th, at four in the afternoon, we weighed and put to sea, with all +the squadron under our command. An English sloop, which lay in the road, +saluted us at our departure with nine guns, to which we returned five. + +The 6th, at four o’clock in the evening, we saw the island of Palma, one +of the Canary islands, in the latitude of 29 degrees north, and +longitude from the meridian of London 19 degrees 44 minutes west. The +same day we spoke with a French ship from Marseilles bound to Martinico, +and the next morning with a Dutch ship from Amsterdam bound to Batavia, +the metropolis of the Dutch settlements in the East-Indies. + +The 11th, about four in the morning, we crossed the Northern Tropic for +the first time in this voyage, in long. 24 deg. 24 min. west from +London. + +The 16th, being in the latitude of about 12 deg. 20 min. and the +contract with our victuallers expiring in that latitude, the Anne pink +fired a gun, and hoisted a red flag at her fore-top-mast head, to give +us notice of it. + +On the next day all the Lieutenants of the squadron were by a signal +ordered on board the Centurion, and orders were given to unlade the +Industry pink, and each ship to take on board from her their respective +quotas of provisions; in pursuance of which we immediately began to +unlade her, lying by in the day, and making an easy sail in the night. + +The 19th, having unloaded and discharged the Industry, at eight in the +evening she parted from us, in order to proceed to Barbadoes, whither +she was bound; but the Commodore having entered into a new contract with +the master of the Anne pink, she was detained with us for his Majesty’s +service, our ships being too much encumbered to admit of taking on board +any more provisions at this time. + +The 28th, about five in the morning, we crossed the Equinoctial, in the +longitude of 28 deg. 15 min. W. from London, the variation of the +compass at that place being 35 min. E. + +December the 2d, at eight in the morning, we saw a sail to the +north-west, to which we gave chace. At night we lost sight of her; but +next morning we saw her and gave chace again, but in the afternoon +quitted her. We imagined this sail to be a tender on the Spanish fleet, +sent purposely to get intelligence of us: but on our arrival at the Cape +of Good Hope, in our return home, we learned that she was the East-India +Company’s packet bound for the island of St. Helena. + +The 10th, expecting to be near the coast of Brazil, we sounded, and +found 67 fathom water, on which we fired a gun for a signal, and altered +our course more to the southward. This day died Thomas Waller, our +surgeon, who was succeeded by Henry Ettrick, surgeon of the Wager; the +surgeon of the Trial succeeded him, and Joseph Allen, our surgeon’s +first mate, was made surgeon of the Trial. + +The 11th, we spoke with a Portuguese brigantine from Rio Janeiro, bound +to Santos, one of the principal Portuguese settlements in the Brazils. +The 13th, we crossed the South Tropic for the first time, in long. 38 +deg. 36 min. W. from London. + +The 14th, died Robert Welden, our purser, who was succeeded by John +Rule, purser of the Wager, and Commodore’s Secretary; Thomas Harvey, one +of our midshipmen, was made purser of the Wager, in the room of Mr. +Rule. + +The 17th, we saw the land of the Brazils, from W. to W. S. W. very +mountainous, and full of woods. I have, for several days last past, +found, by my observations, a strong current on this coast, setting to +the southward near three quarters of a mile an hour, which, perhaps, may +be occasioned by the neighbourhood of the vast river of Rio de la Plata; +another observation, which I shall have occasion to make after our +leaving the coast of Brazil, will very much corroborate this conjecture. + +The same day, at four in the evening, we had 40 fathom of water, muddy +ground; the island of Alvoredo, a small island at the north-east end of +the large island of St. Katharine’s, then bearing N. W. by N. about +eight leagues distant; and the next day at seven in the evening we came +to an anchor in twelve fathom water, the north-east end of St. +Katharine’s bearing S. S. W. about three miles distant, and the island +of Alvoredo, N. N. E. about six miles distant. Here we found the tide to +set S. S. E. and N. N. W. We sent ashore a Lieutenant to the fort, to +compliment the Governor, and to desire a pilot to carry us into the +road. The Governor returned a very civil answer, and granted our +request. The next morning we weighed and ran up the harbour, and about +noon anchored in five fathom and a half water, in a place they there +call Buon Porto; but being still too far from the watering-place, we on +the 20th, about eleven in the morning, weighed and ran farther up +between St. Katharine’s and the main land of Brazil, and in the +afternoon anchored and moored in five fathom water, about two miles from +the watering-place; and the same evening our third Lieutenant went +ashore with materials for building a tent, to shelter the people who +were to be employed in watering. We likewise saluted the Portuguese fort +with eleven guns, who returned us the like number. + +Our ships beginning to be very sickly, tents were erected on shore, one +for every ship, and the sick were sent ashore to them, with surgeons and +proper attendance. + +The agents for victualling, of which we had two with us, were ordered to +procure what fresh provisions we could expend during our stay here, +which they accordingly did; but though their meat, which is altogether +beef, was both cheap and plenty, it was for the greatest part miserably +bad, and scarce fit to be eaten. + +The men throughout the whole squadron began now to drop off apace with +fevers and fluxes, occasioned chiefly, I believe, by the violent heat of +the climate, and the bad air; the country being so very woody that the +air must thereby be stagnated, and rendered unhealthful. + +We continued here wooding, watering, and overhauling our rigging, till +Sunday, Jan. 18, 1741, during which time we had variable uncertain +weather, sometimes sea and land breezes, at other times strong gales of +wind, with heavy rain, thunder and lightning, but always excessive heat. + +While we lay here, we gave our ship a thorough cleansing, smoaked her +between decks, in order to destroy the vermin, and washed every part +with vinegar, which I mention because it is absolutely necessary in +large ships, the stench of so many sick persons being noisome in hot +climates. + +Dec. 21, I observed an eclipse of the moon, and by comparing the time of +the end of it, with a calculation I purposely made of it in the meridian +of London, from Sir Isaac Newton’s New Theory of the Moon, I found the +place where the ship then lay to be 49 deg. 53 min. to the westward of +the meridian of London. The calculation itself, and the time it ended at +St. Katharine’s, I have unfortunately lost; but as the longitude is +thereby settled, they are of no farther use, and not worth retrieving at +the trouble of a new calculation. + +Before we arrived at this island, we had received from the descriptions +of M. Frezier, a French author, and some other persons who had been on +the spot, such accounts as, together with the climate in which it is +situated, gave us very great ideas of its fruitfulness, and hopes of a +plentiful supply of every thing we wanted for a long run; but we found +ourselves miserably mistaken in almost every article we expected. + +As here are several fine sandy bays, we had very good fishing with a +seine, for mullets, old wives, sting-rays, maids, turbots, and other +flat fish, silver fish, bass, a very boney long fish like a bass, but +which our seamen call a ten-pounder, and some other sorts. We likewise +had fresh beef for present expending plenty enough, but scarce better +than the carrion that we gave to our dogs. As for lemons, limes, +plantains, bananaes, potatoes, and other roots, fruits, and greens, with +which those climates generally abound, which the authors above mentioned +aver to be extremely plentiful here, and which we principally depended +on for sea-stores, there were so few at the time of our being here, that +I believe we could have consumed all that came to our knowledge of those +things in one day. The officers, however, no doubt found plenty; as Mr. +Walters agrees in his report with Frezier, that there was no want of +pine-apples, peaches, grapes, lemons, citrons, melons, apricots, and +adds, there were besides potatoes and onions for sea-stores. Sassafrass +is here in great plenty, and we cut much of it among other wood for +fuel. Guaiacum they report to be very plenty here likewise, but I saw +none of it, nor heard of any person who did during our stay. Rum and +sugar they have in small quantities, but very indifferent and dear. The +inhabitants are a mixture of Portuguese and Indians incorporated +together, and appear to be very poor, idle, lazy, ignorant and rude. I +believe the original of the Portuguese here was chiefly from felons, who +fled hither from other parts of the Brazils to shelter themselves from +justice; they never till lately having any government among them, except +a Chief chosen from among themselves, who was more like a Captain of +thieves and robbers, than the Commander of a colony. At present there +are some European Soldiers, and a Governor from Rio Janeiro, whose name +was Don Joffe Sylva de Paz, an expert engineer, who, as Mr. Walters +observes, understood one branch of his business very well, which is the +advantages which new works bring to those who are entrusted with the +care of erecting them; for, besides a battery on a neck of land that +narrows the channel to a little more than a quarter of a mile, there +were three other forts carrying on for the defence of the harbour, none +of which were then compleated. + +The country, both the main and the island, is mountainous, and all +over-grown with thick woods, and those so entangled with the undergrowth +of thorny briars, brambles, and the like, that in most places they are +scarce penetrable. These woods are reported to be full of very fierce +tygers, which makes any excursions into the country dangerous, unless +you go well armed, and even then much caution is necessary. + +They have here some hogs and fowls, but I believe not very plenty; and +in the woods are monkeys, apes, armadilloes, and other wild creatures +unknown to me; as also parrots, parroquets, and many other sorts of +birds proper to the climate. Alligators are said to be plenty near the +shores and in the lakes, but we saw none of them. + +The country appears to me to be a good soil, and very capable of +improvement, were the inhabitants more civilized and industrious. + +This island lies in latitude 27 deg. 30 min. S. longitude, as before +determined, 49 deg. 53 min. W. from London; and the variation of the +compass 11 deg. 20 min. easterly. + +Dec. 27, we discovered a sail in the offing, and the eighteen-oar’d +barge was manned, and armed, and sent, under the command of the second +Lieutenant of the Centurion, to examine her before she arrived within +the protection of the fort. She proved to be a Portuguese brigantine +from Rio Grande; but, though the officer behaved to the master with the +utmost civility, yet the Governor took offence at our sending our boat, +complained of the violation of the peace, and made that a pretence for +sending Don Pisarro the most circumstantial intelligence of our force +and condition, as we afterwards found by letters intercepted in the +South Seas. + +January 18, 1741, we left this island, having had a melancholy proof how +much the healthiness of this place had been over-rated by former +writers; for we found, that, though the Centurion alone had buried no +less than 28 men since our arrival, the number of the sick in the same +interval had increased to 96; and this very day we had three men die. + +Before our departure the Commodore took every precaution to prevent a +separation; but considering that, in such boisterous seas as we were +about to encounter, he himself might be disabled, he called the officers +together, and in a full council so ordered it, that, if but one ship +escaped, the expedition should not be abandoned. Proper places of +rendezvous were appointed; the time was settled for staying at these +places; and, if the Commodore did not arrive in that time, the Captains +were ordered to put themselves under the command of the senior, and to +proceed without farther delay. + +The 22d in the morning, we had very stormy weather, with some thunder, +lightning, and rain; and the Trial carried away the head of her +main-mast. A thick fog succeeding, we lay to, and soon after lost sight +of the Pearl, the Trial, and the Anne pink. In the afternoon we got +sight of and joined company with the Trial and the Anne, but the Pearl +was still missing. + +From hence to February the 13th, very variable weather, mostly foggy +from latitude 35, or thereabouts, to latitude 39; the rest a mixture not +much unlike our weather in England in the month of October, except that +we had pretty often thunder and lightning, which are not so frequent +with us in that month. Being past the latitude of 36 degrees to the +southward, I observed the current, which had hitherto constantly set +southerly, now on the contrary, set to the northward; and the great +river of Rio de la Plata being situated in between 35 and 36 degrees +south, strengthens my conjecture that those currents are occasioned by +the flux and reflux of that mighty river. + +February 13, we saw the land from S. by W. to S. half E. appearing +plain, with very few risings, and of a very moderate height, our +soundings at that time from 46 to 56 fathom, the first mud, the latter +stony ground. This day, at four in the evening, we were within about +four miles of Cape Blanco on the coast of Patagonia, and in 12 fathom +water; on which we hauled off, and ran along the coast, the soundings +from 20 to 60 fathom water. At five the next morning we saw the land +from W. by N. to S. W. half W. with an opening near the middle; which I +believe to be the harbour of Port Desire, so called by Sir John +Narborough. The northernmost land in sight is Cape Blanco, and the +southermost Penguin Island, so called from the great numbers of penguins +about it, of which birds Sir John’s ship’s company killed and salted +large quantities for provisions, and which he reports to be very good +and wholesome food. Cape Blanco is in the latitude of 47 deg. 10 min. S. +longitude from St. Katharine’s 17 deg. 38 min. W. which makes it from +London 67 deg. 20 min. W. taking the N. E. point of St. Katharine’s in +49 deg. 42 min. W. to be about 11 minutes to the eastward of the place +where the ship lay when I fixed it by observation. + +The 17th, in the evening, we anchored about 17 or 18 leagues short of +the harbour of Port St. Julian, so called by Sir Francis Drake, who +touched there in his voyage round the globe, and where he condemned and +executed Mr. Doughty, the next person in command to himself, on pretence +of a conspiracy to murder him and ruin the expedition; whence a small +island within the harbour is to this day called the Island of True +Justice. The next morning we saw a sail at S. by E. which we believing +to be the Pearl, made the signal for the return of all cruizers; but she +not minding it, as I suppose not seeing it, we ordered the Gloucester to +chase, and at two in the afternoon the Gloucester and her chace, which +to our great satisfaction proved to be the Pearl, joined us. They +informed us, that, on January the 31st, their Commander, Captain Dandy +Kidd, died; and that on the 7th instant they were chased by five large +ships, which they believed to be Spanish men-of-war, and were some time +within gun-shot of them, though they never fired a gun, having +endeavoured to decoy the Pearl by hoisting a broad red pendant, like +that of the English Commodore, at the Admiral’s main-top-mast head, and +hoping by that means to be taken for our Commodore, and so to inveigle +and make sure of their prey; Capt. Mitchell, thus decoyed, narrowly +escaped them, by running through a space of water, where the tides or +currents making a great ripling, the Spaniards, who thought it was rocky +and broken ground, were afraid to follow her. These ships we supposed to +be the Spanish squadron, commanded by Admiral Pisarro, the same who got +so great a name among them for his conduct in bringing home their flota +safe into Port Andero the last year, eluding the vigilance of our +squadrons who waited for them off Cadiz, and was therefore looked on as +the properest person to be sent to intercept us. We should not have been +displeased, however, to have met them with our whole force, and did not +much doubt to have either destroyed or disabled them. But the time of +their destruction was not yet come; their miserable fate shall be +related in its proper place. + +We were now, being the 18th, sailing along shore for the harbour of St. +Julian. I found the tide to set here north and south, about a mile an +hour. The time of flowing here on the full and change days is N. E. by +E. and S. W. by W. nearest. We sent one of our boats with an officer +in-shore, to sound and endeavour to discover the mouth of the harbour. +At six in the evening we came to an anchor in 12 fathom water. At eight +the Lieutenant returned, having found the harbour. We sent ashore our +boats to make farther discoveries, and to endeavour some to get fresh +water, and others to procure salt, (of which Sir J. Narborough observed, +when he was here, that in February there was enough of it to load 1000 +ships) for the use of the squadron in the South Seas. We continued here +till the 27th, during which time we stove most of our empty casks, in +order to clear our ships as much as possible, and got up and mounted +such of our guns as we had before struck down into the hold in order to +ease the ships; for now, not knowing how soon we might meet with the +Spanish squadron, it was necessary to have them all in readiness. We +could find no fresh water here, and but a very small quantity of salt, +and no other refreshments whatever; all the country, as far as we could +discover, being quite barren and desolate. We got some provisions out of +the Anne victualler on board each of the other ships, repaired the +Trial’s mast, and assisted her and the victualler to overhaul and +new-fix most of their rigging. Having lost the hopes of a supply of +water here, we were put to the allowance of one quart a man for one day, +and three pints for another, alternately; but, considering our passage +had hitherto proved extremely stormy and cold, and a dead time of the +year coming on very fast, it was thought proper, in order to keep the +people in as good heart as possible, to give them whole allowance of all +other provisions, which was ordered accordingly. + +Here we farther secured our lower-deck guns, by nailing quoins under the +trucks, in case the tackles, breechings, or iron-work, might give way, +or fail in the stormy weather which we had much reason to expect. + +Here likewise the Commodore removed the Honourable Captain Murray into +the Pearl, in the room of Captain Kidd; and Captain Cheap into the Wager +in the room of Captain Murray. He advanced Mr. Charles Saunders, his +First Lieutenant, to be Commander of the Trial sloop, in the room of +Captain Cheap; and made Mr. Piercy Brett, First Lieutenant of the +Gloucester, Second Lieutenant of his own ship. The Trial being repaired, +and the Pearl, who had thrown about 14 ton of water overboard when +chased by the Spaniards, being supplied from the other ships, we made +ready to prosecute our voyage. + +This harbour of Port St. Julian is a barred harbour, only fit to receive +small ships and vessels. We lay off in the road about two miles from the +mouth of it. It is not to be seen open from where we lay, one point +shutting in another; and before any small ship or vessel pretends to +venture into the harbour, they ought to send in their boats at low +water, and fix poles or buoys on the ends of the shoals, which, in a +manner, block up the passage. The country about it is pretty much on the +level, except a few copling hillocks to the northward, and a pretty high +one in the bay, which bears W. S. W. from the place where we lay at +anchor. The latitude of Port St. Julian is 49 deg. 10 min. S. its +longitude from London 69 deg. 48 min. W. and the variation of the +compass 17 deg. 20 min. E. We had here uncertain boisterous weather, +with much rain, some snow, and generally thick fog, with so much wind +and sea as made us ride hard, and hastened our departure from this +uneasy situation. + +Sir John Narborough and some others write, that they have often seen and +conversed with the inhabitants in this and other parts of Patagonia, and +have given wonderful descriptions of them; but as we saw none of them, I +have nothing to say of that sort, nor indeed do I think there is any +thing in this wild part of the world worthy of the least notice. + +The 27th, at six in the morning, we made the signal, weighed, and put to +sea; but the Gloucester being long in weighing her anchor, and the +weather proving thick and hazy, we soon lost sight of her, and at one in +the afternoon, tacked, and lay by for her coming up; at seven we fired a +gun, a signal for her, and soon after she joined us, having broke her +main-yard in the slings. + +Previous to our leaving this port, a council was held on board the +Centurion, at which all the officers by sea and land attended, when it +was proposed by the Commodore, that their first attempt, after their +arrival in the South Seas, should be the attack of the town of Baldivia, +the principal frontier of the district of Chili. To this proposition the +council unanimously agreed; in consequence of which, new instructions +were given to the Captains of the squadron, by which they were directed, +in case of separation, to rendezvous at the island of Neustra Senoro del +Secoro, and there cruise for 10 days; after which, they were ordered to +repair to the height of Baldivia, and there between 40 deg. and 40 deg. +30 min. to continue to cruise 14 days longer; and, if in that time they +were not joined by the rest of the squadron, they were then to quit that +station, and direct their course to the island of Juan Fernandez. + +March the 4th, in the morning, we passed by the Streights of Magellan, +so near that we saw them very plain; the northernmost point of which, +known by the name of Cape Virgin Mary, I found to be in the latitude of +52 deg. 28 min. S. longitude from London 70 deg. 55 min. W. variation of +the compass 18 deg. 40 min. E. the soundings, when it bears about S. W. +by W. at the distance of eight leagues, from 32 to 50 fathom, the bottom +black-grey sand and mud. The afternoon of this day being very bright and +clear, with small breezes, inclinable to calm, most of the Captains took +the opportunity of this favourable weather to pay a visit to the +Commodore; but, while they were in company together, they were all +greatly alarmed by a sudden flame which burst out on board the +Centurion, and which was succeeded by a cloud of smoak. However, they +were soon relieved from their apprehensions, by receiving information, +that the blast was occasioned by a spark of fire from the forge lighting +on some gunpowder, and other combustibles, which the officers on board +were preparing for use, in case we should fall in with the Spanish +fleet; and that it had been extinguished without any danger to the ship. + +The 6th, in the morning, we saw the land of Terra del Fuego, consisting +of high craggy hills, towering above each other, mostly covered with +snow, with deep horrid vallies, some few scattered trees, no plains, nor +one chearful green through all the dismal prospect; so that the whole +may not improperly be termed the Land of Desolation; and I much question +whether a more dreary aspect is to be seen in any other part of the +habitable earth; for voyagers say this is inhabited, but surely its +inhabitants must be the most miserable of human beings. This evening we +lay by, that we might not overshoot the Streights of Le Maire in the +night; though I believe, had we kept on, and passed round Staten Land, a +small island or two, which lie to the eastward of those Streights, and +together with Terra del Fuego frame them, it would have been more to our +advantage than by passing through them. + +The 7th, at eight in the morning, we were very near a point of land on +Terra del Fuego, called Cape St. James, bearing E. S. E. another called +Cape St. Vincent, S. E. half E. the middlemost of the Three Brothers, +being three high hills on Terra del Fuego, appearing almost contiguous +to each other, S. by W. and a very high Sugar-loaf Hill, called Monte +Gorda, farther up in the country, and appearing above them, bore south +from us. It is by these marks that you know you are near Strait Le +Maire; and indeed we began to open them in this position. By noon we +were almost through them, being assisted by a very strong tide with much +rippling, and which made to the southward somewhat before 10 o’clock in +the morning. The course through is almost directly south, and there are +no shoals nor rocks in the passage from whence you may incur any danger; +the only thing you have to fear is, the tide’s turning against you while +you are in the straits, for in that case you are certainly hurried back +again, and can have no passage there till the next turn of the tide. The +breadth of this strait may be about six or seven leagues, and its length +about seven or eight; which being passed, you enter into a vast open +ocean, commonly known by the name of the South Sea. This strait lies in +latitude 55 deg. south, longitude from London 67 deg. 30 min. west, +variation of the compass 21 deg. 36 min. east, soundings in the straits +from 43 to 58 fathom, the bottom black sand and pebble-stones. In +passing through here, our joy was increased by the brightness of the sky +and the serenity of the weather, which was indeed remarkably pleasing; +for though the winter was now advancing apace, yet the morning of this +day, in its brilliancy and mildness, gave place to none we had seen +since our departure from England. But we here found what was constantly +verified by all our observations in these high latitudes, that fair +weather was ever the forerunner of a succeeding storm, and that sunshine +and tempest followed one another like light and shade. We had scarcely +reached the southern extremity of the straits, when the serenity of the +sky, which had so much flattered our expectations, was all at once +obscured, the wind shifted to the southward, and the sea began to swell +to an astonishing height. Before night the tempest arose, and the tide, +which had hitherto favoured us, turned furiously against us; so that, +instead of pursuing our intended course, we were driven to the eastward, +by the united force of wind and current, with so much precipitation, +that in the morning we found ourselves seven leagues to the eastward of +Streight Le Maire. From this time we had such a continual succession of +tempestuous weather as surprized the oldest and most experienced +mariners on board, and obliged them to confess, that what they had +hitherto called storms were inconsiderable gales compared with the +violence of these winds, which railed such short and at the same time +such mountainous waves, as greatly surpassed in danger all seas known in +any other part of the globe: and it was not without reason that this +unusual appearance filled us with continual terror; for, had any one of +these waves broke fairly over us, it must in all probability have sent +us to the bottom. Nor did we escape with terror only; for the ship +rolling incessantly gunwale-to, gave us such quick and violent motions, +that the men were in perpetual danger of being dashed against the masts +or sides of the ship: and though we were extremely careful to secure +ourselves from these shocks by grasping at some fixed body, yet many of +our people were forced from their holds, some of whom were killed, and +others greatly injured; in particular, one of our best seamen was +carried over-board and drowned, another dislocated his neck, a third was +thrown into the main hold, and broke his thigh, and one of our +boatswain’s mates broke his collar-bone twice; not to mention many other +accidents of the same kind. These tempests, so dreadful in themselves, +though unattended by any other unfavourable circumstance, were rendered +more mischievous to us by their inequality, and the deceitful intervals +which they at some times afforded; for, though we were often obliged to +lie-to for days together under a reefed mizen, and were frequently +reduced to lie at the mercy of the waves under our bare poles, yet now +and then we ventured to make sail with our courses double reefed; and +the weather proving more tolerable, would perhaps encourage us to set +our top-sails: after which, the wind, without any previous notice, would +return upon us with redoubled force, and would in an instant tear our +sails from the yards. And, that no circumstance might be wanting which +could aggravate our distress, these blasts generally brought with them a +great quantity of snow and sleet, which cased our rigging, and froze our +sails, thereby rendering them and our cordage brittle, and apt to snap +upon the slightest strain, adding inexpressible difficulty and labour to +the working of the ship, benumbing the limbs of the people employed in +handing the sails, or handling the ropes, and making them incapable of +exerting themselves with their usual activity, and even disabling many +by mortifying their toes and fingers. + +And now, as it were to add the finishing stroke to our misfortunes, our +people began to be universally afflicted with that most terrible, +obstinate, and, at sea, incurable disease, the scurvy, which quickly +made a most dreadful havock among us, beginning at first to carry off +two or three a day, but soon increasing, and at last carrying off eight +or ten; and as most of the living were very ill of the same distemper, +and the little remainder who preserved their healths better, in a +manner, quite worn out with incessant labour, I have sometimes seen four +or five dead bodies, some sown up in their hammocks, others not, washing +about the decks, for want of help to bury them in the sea. But as the +particulars of all the various disasters and sufferings of various kinds +that befel us, would be endless, I shall only mention a few. + +The 10th, 11th, and 12th, very stormy weather, with snow and sleet, and +a very great over-grown sea from the S. W. + +The 15th, one William Baker fell overboard and was drowned. The 16th, +the Anne pink, which had separated from us the 11th in the storm, again +joined us, in lat. 59 deg. 20 min. S. + +Part of the 17th, 18th, and 19th, very strong gales, and a great rolling +sea from the N. W. + +The 18th, we had again strong gales of wind with extreme cold, and at +midnight the main-top-sail split, and one of the straps of the main +dead-eyes broke. + +The 23d, and part of the 24th, a most violent storm of wind, hail, and +rain, with a very lofty sea. The 23d, in the evening, we sprung the +main-top-sail yard, and split the main-sail into rags, the greatest part +of which was blown overboard. On these accidents we furled all our other +sails, and lay-to under a mizzen. + +The latter part of the 24th proving more moderate, we bent a new +main-sail, got down the broken main-top-sail yard, and got up and rigged +another in its place. + +The 25th, it blew a very hurricane, and reduced us to the necessity of +lying-to under our bare poles. As our ship kept the wind better than any +of the rest, we were obliged in the afternoon to wear ship; in doing of +which, we had no other expedient but clapping the helm a-weather, and +manning the fore-shrouds; in the execution of which we had one of our +best men canted overboard. We perceived, that, notwithstanding the +prodigious agitation of the waves, he swam very strong; and it was with +the utmost concern that we found ourselves incapable of assisting him. +Indeed we were the more grieved at his unhappy fate, as we lost sight of +him struggling with the waves, and conceived, from the manner in which +he swam, that he might continue sensible for a considerable time longer +of the horror attending his irretrievable situation. + +The 26th being somewhat more moderate, we found two of our main-shrouds +broke, which we repaired; we likewise bent our main-top-sail, and made +sail. + +The 30th, in the evening, the Gloucester made a signal of distress; and, +on speaking with her, we found she had broke her main-yard in the +slings; an accident the more grievous, as it tended unavoidably to delay +us in these inhospitable latitudes, where every moment we were in danger +of perishing. The weather proving favourable, all the carpenters were +ordered on board the Gloucester, and next day she was ready to sail. + +The 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th of April, a continued storm of wind and rain; +a dreadful sea, and very cold weather. We lowered our yards, furled our +courses, and lay by for the most part under a mizzen and mizzen-stay +sail. The 3d, about 11 o’clock at night, a raging sea took us on the +larboard quarter, where it stove in the quarter gallery, and rushed into +the ship like a deluge. For some time it laid the ship down upon her +side; but she providentially righted again, though slowly; it threw down +and half drowned all the people on the deck, broke one of the straps of +the main dead-eyes, and snaped a mizzen and puttock shroud. This was the +greatest sea which we had encountered since we came into those parts, +and we met with but one such stroke more in the whole voyage; two or +three such succeeding must certainly have sent us to the bottom. + +The 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th, continued very stormy and squally, with +snow, hail, rain, and a large sea; the weather continuing very cold. + +The 8th, at four in the evening, the Anne pink made a signal of +distress; and, on speaking with her, we found she had sprung her +fore-stay, and the gammoning of her bowsprit. This was the more +unfortunate, as none of the carpenters were yet returned from the +Gloucester. Nor was the Anne the only ship that suffered in this storm; +the Wager lost her mizzen-mast and main-top-sail yard, owing to the +badness of the iron work. In this dilemma we were obliged to bear away +till these ships had made all fast. + +The 10th, foggy and hazy. This afternoon the Severn and Pearl were far +a-stern, and seemed to me to lag designedly. We made a very easy sail +all day, and lay by at night, and fired several guns as a signal for +them to join us; the weather being pretty moderate, and the wind fair +for them, they might have effected it with ease. By the close of the +evening we could but just see them, and from that time saw them no more. +However, we heard afterwards in the South Seas, by letters taken on +board some of the Spanish ships, of their arrival at Rio Janeiro, in the +Brazils. + +The 15th, the weather proved somewhat more moderate. At half an hour +past one in the morning we saw two islands right a-head, at about two +leagues distance; we immediately wore our ship, and stood off to the +southward. Those islands were very unexpected, as well as unwelcome, we +imagining we had been to the westward of all lands and islands of the +coast of Terra del Fuego; but we now found our mistake, and that there +was a necessity of our standing farther to the southward, in order to +get a sufficient westing. Those islands I find to lie in the latitude of +54 deg. 20 min. S. longitude from London 84 deg. 10 min. W. Mr. Walters +supposes the land we fell in with on this occasion to be Cape Noir, and +a part of Terra del Fuego. + +From this time to the 23d we had nothing remarkable, the weather +continuing very uncertain and variable, with a large sea and a very cold +air; and the 21st, at nine at night, we were in the latitude of 60 deg. +5 min. S. being the greatest south latitude we made during the voyage. + +The 23d, very hard gales and squalls, with much rain. This evening we +lost sight of the Gloucester, Wager, Trial, and Anne pink, being all the +remainder of our squadron, after the defection of the Severn and Pearl. +The Wager’s unfortunate catastrophe is well known; the others afterwards +joined us at Juan Fernandez, as shall be related in its proper place. + +The 24th, 25th, and 26th, the wind being mostly fair, though still +blowing hard, we made pretty good runs under an easy sail to the +north-westward. The 24th it blew a hurricane, and the men endeavouring +to hand the topsails, the clew-lines and bunt-lines broke, and the sheet +being half flown, every seam in the fore-topsail was soon split from top +to bottom, and the main-topsail shook so strongly in the wind, that it +carried away the top lanthorn, and endangered the head of the mast; +however, at length, some of the most daring of our men ventured upon the +yard, and cut the sail away close to the reefs, though with the utmost +hazard of their lives, whilst at the same time the fore-topsail beat +about the yard with so much fury that it was soon blown to shreds: nor +was our attention to our topsails our sole employment; for the mainsail +blew loose, which obliged us to lower the yard to secure the sail, and +the fore-yard being likewise lowered, we lay to under a mizen. The 25th, +we found much of our running rigging broken, which we repaired. The +27th, we bent other topsails in the places of those split. Nothing more +remarkable the rest of this month and the first week in the next, but +stormy uncertain weather, and great sickness and mortality among our +people. + +Friday, May 8, at seven in the morning, saw the main land of Patagonia +appearing in high mountains covered mostly with snow. We likewise saw +several islands, one of which we took to be the Island del Soccoro, so +called by Sir John Narborough, in his account of his voyage into those +parts; and from the fine description this gentleman had given of this +island, (having been there in the very height of summer), this place was +appointed for our first general rendezvous in the South Seas. An unhappy +appointment it was in its consequences; for when the people, already +reduced to the last extremity, found this to be the place of rendezvous, +where they had hoped to meet the rest of their companions with joy, and +what a miserable part of the world it appeared to be, their grief gave +way to despair; they saw no end of their sufferings, nor any door open +to their safety. Those who had hitherto been well and in heart, now full +of despondency, fell down, sickened, and died; and, to sum up this +melancholy part, I verily believe, that our touching on this coast, the +long stay we made here, and our hinderance by cross winds, which we +should have avoided in a direct course to Juan Fernandez, lost us at +least 60 or 70 of as stout and able men as any in the navy. This +unspeakable distress was still aggravated by the difficulties we found +in working the ship, as the scurvy had by this time destroyed no less +than 200 of our men, and had in some degree affected almost the whole +crew. It were, indeed, endless to recite minutely the various disasters, +fatigues, and terrors, which we encountered on this coast; all these +went on increasing till the 22d of May, at which time the fury of all +the storms which we had hitherto experienced, seemed to be combined, and +to have conspired our destruction. In this hurricane almost all our +sails were split, and great part of our standing rigging broken; and, +about eight in the evening, a mountainous overgrown sea took us on our +starboard quarter, and gave us so prodigious a shock, that several of +our shrouds broke with the jerk, by which our masts were in danger of +coming by the board; our ballast and stores too were so strangely +shifted, that the ship heeled afterwards two streaks a-port. Indeed, it +was a most tremendous blow, and we were thrown into the utmost +consternation, from the apprehension of instantly foundering. Our +deplorable situation allowing no longer any room for deliberation, we +stood for the island of Juan Fernandez; and, to save time, which was now +very precious, our men dying four, five, and six in a day, we +endeavoured to hit the island upon a meridian course. On the 28th of +May, being nearly in the parallel in which it is laid down, we expected +to have seen it, and indeed the Commodore was persuaded that he did see +it; but all the other officers being of opinion that it was only a +cloud, to which the haziness of the weather gave too much colour, we +made sail to the eastward, and by so doing lost near 14 days in +recovering our westing again. This was a most fatal disappointment; for +in this run we lost about 80 of our men, which, probably, had the +Commodore’s advice been attended to, would most of them have been saved. + +The 8th of June, at six in the evening, we at length saw the island of +Juan Fernandez, bearing N. by E. half E. about 15 or 16 leagues off. The +10th, at two in the morning, we anchored in 56 fathom, close under the +N. E. end of the island. At 10 in the morning of the 11th, we with much +labour and difficulty weighed our anchor, and at noon happily moored our +ship in the Great Bay, about a mile from the shore, in 52 fathom water, +to our inexpressible joy, having been from St. Katharine’s in the +Brazils to this place 148 days, on such a dreadful and fatal passage as +I believe very few other persons ever experienced. + +The 11th, at two in the afternoon, the Trial sloop appeared in the +offing. We immediately sent some of our hands on board her, by whose +assistance she was brought to an anchor between us and the land. We soon +found that the sloop had not been exempted from the like calamities +which we had so severely felt; for her Commander, Captain Saunders, +waiting on the Commodore, informed him, that, out of his small +complement, he had buried 34 of his men; and those who recovered were so +universally afflicted with the scurvy, that only himself, his +Lieutenant, and three of his men, were able to stand by the sails. + +The same day we got out our long-boat, and sent her on shore with +materials for building tents for the sick, and with orders to bring on +board some water. + +The 15th, we sent our pinnace to assist the Trial, she being driven from +her anchors to sea, by the violent flaws of wind which blow off the high +lands. This and the next day we put ashore 75 sick men, in so weak a +condition, that we were obliged to carry them out of the ship in their +hammocks, and to convey them afterwards in the same manner from the +water-side over a stoney beach to the tents prepared for their +reception. In this work of humanity, not only the officers, but the +Commodore himself, chearfully lent their assistance. + +The 17th, the Trial came again to an anchor, and moored. This day and +the next we sent on shore the remainder of our sick people, the whole +number now on shore being 135, many of whom, being too far gone in the +scurvy, died one after another to the number of not less than sixty. + +We now began to send on shore materials for tents for the coopers, +sail-makers, and some of the officers; a copper oven which we had with +us for baking soft bread for the ship’s company, and the smith’s forge +for making or repairing such iron-work as was necessary: and, after a +short interval of relaxation, all hands were busily employed, some in +cutting large quantities of wood for the ship’s use, some in making +charcoal for the smith, and for a farther store; the bakers in baking +bread, the coopers in making up and cleaning the casks for water, the +sail-makers in mending the sails and making others; some in fishing for +the sick, and the rest were otherways employed: and here being very +great plenty of fine fish, all taken by the hook, two or three people +could never fail to take us as much in about two hours as all the ship’s +company could eat: besides this we took great quantities for salting and +curing; and some private persons who had hooks and lines fished for +themselves, and never failed of enough for their own use, and to give to +those who had none. The people on board were employed in cleaning the +ship, which was in a very filthy condition, and in stripping the masts, +and overhauling the rigging. One of the boatswain’s mates, with some +assistants, having run up a rope-walk on shore, was employed in making +what small cordage we might want; others in watering, and, in short, in +every thing that might contribute to put us in as good a condition, and +in as short a time as possible; and as fast as the sick recovered, they +were put on the like employments. + +At first sight of this island, it appeared with a most unpromising +aspect, being extremely mountainous, rugged, and irregular; but, upon +our nearer approach, it improved upon us; and when we were landed, we +found all the vegetables which are usually esteemed to be peculiarly +adapted to the cure of those scorbutic disorders which are contracted by +salt diet, and long continuance at sea; for here we found water-cresses +and purslain, wild-sorrel, and Sicilian-radishes, in profusion. These +vegetables, not to mention the turneps which now abound in every plain, +with the fish and flesh we got here, were not only grateful to us in the +extreme, but were likewise very refreshing to the sick, and contributed +not a little to the recovery of those who were not already too far +advanced in the disorder to admit of relief; and to the restoring of +others to their wonted vigour, who, though not apparently under the +malignancy of the distemper, and its baneful concomitants, were yet +greatly debilitated by continual watching and anxiety of mind, from +which not a soul on board was exempt. + +During the time of our residence here, we found the inland parts of the +island no ways to fall short of the sanguine prepossessions we had first +entertained in its favour; for the woods, which covered most of the +steepest hills, were free from all bushes and underwood, and afforded an +easy passage through every part of them; and the irregularities of the +hills and precipices, in the northern part of the island, necessarily +traced out, by their various combinations, a great number of romantic +vallies, most of which had a stream of the clearest water running +through them, that tumbled in cascades from rock to rock, as the bottom +of the valley by the course of the neighbouring hills was at any time +broken into a sudden sharp descent. Some particular spots occurred in +these vallies, where the shades and fragrance of the contiguous woods, +the loftiness of the over-hanging rocks, and the transparency and +frequent falls of the neighbouring streams, presented scenes of such +elegance and dignity, as would with difficulty be rivalled in any other +part of the globe. It is in this place, perhaps, that the simple +productions of unassisted nature may be said to excel all the fictitious +descriptions of the most animated imagination. The spot where the +Commodore pitched his tent, and where he chose, during his stay, to fix +his residence, exceeded in beauty any thing that words can be supposed +to represent. It was a delightful little lawn, that lay on an easy +ascent at the distance of about half a mile from the sea, and was +probably the very spot on which Shelvock twenty years before had pitched +his tent. In front there was a large avenue cut through the woods to the +sea-side, which slopping to the water with a gentle descent, opened a +prospect to the bay and the ships at anchor. This lawn was screened +behind by a tall wood of myrtle sweeping round it in the form of a +theatre, the slope on which the wood stood rising with a much sharper +ascent than the lawn itself, though not so much but that the hills and +precipices within land towered up considerably above the tops of the +trees, and added to the grandeur of the view. There were, besides; two +streams of chrystal water, which ran on the right and left of the tent, +within an hundred yards distance, and were shaded by the trees that +skirted the lawn on either side, and completed the symmetry of the +whole. Add to these, the gentle murmuring of the distant brooks, the +music of the birds among the myrtles, the sweet aromatic odour of the +spice-trees that every where perfumed the air with their fragrance, and +you may form in imagination a faint idea of this second paradise, which +could only be exceeded by the perfection of the first. + + [Illustration: _A View of the Lawn where Commodore Anson pitch’d his + Tent at Juan Fernandes._] + +It is astonishing, that, among all the voyagers who have visited this +fortunate island before us, and who have obliged the world with +descriptions of it, none of them have mentioned a charming little bird +that, with its wild, various, and irregular notes, enchants the ear, and +makes the woods resound with its melody. This untutored choirister is +somewhat less in size than the goldfinch, its plumage beautifully +intermixed with red and other vivid colours, and the golden crown upon +its head so bright and glowing, when seen in the full light of the sun, +that it surpasses all description. These little birds are far from being +uncommon or unfamiliar; for they perched upon the branches of the +myrtle-trees so near us, and sung so chearfully, as if they had been +conscious we were strangers, and came to give us welcome. + +There is, besides the above, another little bird, unnoticed by any +former writer, and which seems likewise peculiar to the island, and +consequently without a name; it is still less than the former in size, +but not inferior in beauty, though not so musical; the back, wings, and +head, are of a lively green, intermixed with fine shining golden spots, +and the belly a snow white ground, with ebony coloured spots, so +elegantly varied as no art can imitate. To the catalogue of birds +mentioned by former writers as inhabitants of this island, should also +be added blackbirds and thrushes very like those in England; and owls, +but of a diminutive size. + +Of four-footed animals we saw none but dogs, cats, rats, and goats; and +of the latter but few, as the dogs of various kinds, greyhounds, +mastifs, pointers, spaniels, and mungrels, have thinned them in the +plains, and driven them to the inaccessible mountains; yet some were +shot by the hunters, and were preferred by them to the best venison. +Among those presented to the Commodore were two or three venerable +through age, that had been marked more than thirty years before by +Selkirk, who trained them for his sport, slit their ears, and turned +them loose to graze the mountains. + +I remember we had once an opportunity of observing a remarkable dispute +betwixt a herd of those animals and a number of dogs; for going in our +boat into the eastern bay we perceived some dogs run very eagerly upon +the foot, and being willing to discover what game they were after, we +lay upon our oars some time to view them, and at last saw them take a +hill, where, looking a little farther, we observed upon the ridge of it +an herd of goats, which seemed drawn up for their reception. There was a +very narrow path skirted on each side by precipices, in which the leader +of the herd posted himself fronting the enemy, the rest of the goats +being ranged behind him where the ground was more open; as this spot was +inaccessible by any other path, excepting where this champion had placed +himself, the dogs, though they ran up hill with great alacrity, yet when +they came within about twenty yards, found they durst not encounter this +formidable Goliah, for he would infallibly have driven the first that +approached him down the precipice; they therefore quietly laid +themselves down, panting, and did not offer to stir while we remained in +sight. + +These dogs have multiplied prodigiously, and have destroyed most of the +cats as well as goats: the rats, however, keep possession, and were very +troublesome guests in the night, when they generally paid us their +visits. It is not easy to determine in what manner such a multitude of +dogs subsist, as they are much more numerous than all the other +four-footed creatures upon the island. Our people, indeed, were inclined +to think, that they lived in a great measure upon the young sea-lions +and seals, and supported their opinion by the report of the sailors, +some of whom killed the dogs for food, who said they tasted fishy: and, +truly, there is hardly any other way of accounting for the subsistence +of these animals; for, as has been said, they have already destroyed all +the goats in the accessible parts of the country; so that there now +remain only a few among the crags and precipices, where the dogs cannot +follow them. These are divided into separate herds of 20 or 30 each, +which inhabit distinct fastnesses, and never mingle with each other; by +this means we found it extremely difficult to kill them, and yet we were +so desirous of their flesh, that we discovered, I believe, all their +herds, and it was thought, by comparing their numbers, that they +scarcely exceeded 200 upon the whole island. The dogs had destroyed the +pardellas, too, of which former writers have given a large account, so +that there was not one of them to be seen; we found indeed their +boroughs in the earth, which leaves no room to doubt of their being +found in plenty in Selkirk’s time, as well as cats, of which there is +now scarce one alive. + +Flesh meat being thus extremely scarce, our people, being tired of fish, +though excellent in their kind, at length condescended to eat seals, +which, by degrees, they came to relish, and called them lamb. Of these, +it being their brooding time, the numbers were incredible;--and likewise +of the sea-lion,--these animals have frequently furious battles among +themselves, principally about their females; and we were one day +surprized by the sight of two animals, which, at first, seemed different +from all we had ever observed; but, on a nearer approach, they proved to +be two sea-lions that had been goring one another with their tushes, and +were covered with blood, with which they plentifully abound. This led us +to watch them more closely, and one was observed larger than the rest, +and from his driving off other males, and keeping a great number of +females to himself, he was by the seamen humorously stiled the Bashaw. +To this pre-eminence, however, he had not arrived without many bloody +contests; for, on our people’s attacking him in the midst of his +seraglio of females, he made a desperate defence, and, when overpowered, +the signals of his bravery appeared in numerous scars on every part of +his body. + +We had now been ten days on this island, when some of our people from an +eminence discerned a ship to leeward with her courses even with the +horizon, without any other sail abroad than her main-topsail; from which +circumstance, it was immediately concluded, that it was one of our own +squadron; but the weather being hazy, no definitive conjecture could be +formed concerning her. She again disappeared for some days, and we were +all thrown into the deepest concern, fearing the weakness of her +condition had disabled her from working to windward, and that all her +people had perished. + +We continued our employ till the 26th, when we again saw the same ship; +and, on her nearer approach, could distinguish her to be the Gloucester; +and, making no doubt of her being in distress, the Commodore sent our +boat on board her with water and refreshments. We found her in a +miserable condition, not many above 100 people alive, and almost all +those helpless with the scurvy; their water so very short, that they +were obliged to allow but one pint a day to a man; and the continual +flaws off the land, together with their being disabled in their sails +and yards, hindered them from getting into the bay. The next day we sent +them a fresh supply of fish, greens, water, and men to help to work the +ship; soon after which the flaws drove them off again, and the ship +appeared no more till the 30th, when at two in the afternoon she fired a +gun, and made a signal of distress. She continued in this manner off and +on, sometimes in sight, and sometimes not, till July 23, during which +time, though we often relieved the people on board with water and other +necessaries, yet their sufferings were insupportable, and their whole +complement were reduced to about 96 living persons, all of whom must +have perished in a few days more, had not the wind proved favourable to +bring them into the bay; but providentially a fresh gale sprung up from +the sea, and brought them to an anchor. We immediately sent men on board +to assist in mooring the ship, and continued our constant assistance +afterwards, during our stay at this place. + +The 5th of August, the Commodore sent the Trial sloop to search the +island of Little Juan Fernandez, lest any of the squadron should have +mistaken that island for the place of rendezvous, and might remain there +in expectation of meeting the rest of the fleet. + +On the 16th, the Anne pink, which was separated from us with the rest of +the squadron the 23d of April, appeared in sight. Her arrival gave us +new spirits, she being laden principally with provisions, and we +immediately were ordered full allowance of bread. This ship had been +about two months in a safe harbour, on the main land, near the same +parallel with del Soccoro, where she had been directed by Providence, +and where she lay in security, enjoyed plenty, and her people, 16 in +number, being once freed from their fears of shipwreck, very soon +recovered their wonted vigour, having experienced none of those +hardships that were endured by the rest of the fleet. They told us they +had seen some Indians, and one time took one of their canoes with a man, +a woman, some children, a dog, a cat, &c. and some implements for +fishery; but in a day or two the whole family, the dog excepted, made +their escape from them in the ship’s small boat, and left them their +canoe in her stead. Those Indians, they say, understood a few Spanish +words, and probably might have some little correspondence with the +southern Spaniards of Chili, or their nearer bordering Indians; or, +perhaps, some of the Fathers for propagating the faith may now and then +have been among them. The principal refreshments they met with in this +port, were wild celery, nettletops, and sorrel; cockles and muscles of +an extraordinary size; good store of geese, sheep, and penguins. They +judged it to lie in lat. 45 deg. 30 min. S. and it may be known by an +island which faces it, and which the inhabitants call _Inchin_, and by a +river in which they found excellent fish. + +This vessel, the Anne pink, was the last that joined us at Juan +Fernandez. The remaining ships of the squadron were the Severn, the +Pearl, and the Wager store-ship. The Severn and Pearl, as has been +already observed, parted company off Cape Noir, and, as we afterwards +learned, put back to the Brazils; so that of all the ships that came +into the South Seas, the Wager was the only ship that was missing. +Captain Cheap, who commanded her, knowing the importance of the charge +he had in trust, without which no enterprize on shore could be +undertaken, was extremely solicitous to reach Baldivia as the last place +of rendezvous, and the first to be attacked, before the rest of the +squadron should have finished their cruise, that no blame might rest +upon him, if the attack of that city should be judged improper to be +carried into execution. But, whilst this brave officer was exerting +himself in endeavouring to keep clear of the land in making the island +of del Soccoro, he had the misfortune to dislocate his shoulder, and +thereby to disable himself from prosecuting with vigour the purpose he +had in view. The ship being little better than a wreck, the crew in a +miserable desponding condition, the officers quite exhausted, the +weather cold and stormy, and the wind and currents bearing in-shore, all +these unlucky circumstances concurring, so entangled the ship with the +land, that all the efforts of the feeble crew could not prevent her from +running upon a sunken rock, where she grounded between two small +islands, not a musquet-shot from the shore. In this situation she +continued entire till every one on board might have reached the land in +safety, and might have stored themselves with provisions, and every +necessary for their present, subsistence and future escape: but the +moment the ship struck, all subordination ceased; one part of the crew +got possession of the liquors, intoxicated themselves in a beastly +manner, and grew frantic in their cups; another part began to furnish +themselves with arms, and to make themselves masters of the money and +things of most value on board; while the Captain, and some of the +principal officers, endeavoured in vain to maintain their authority, and +to preserve a proper discipline among them, in order to effect the +deliverance of as many as it was possible from the common danger in +which all of them were involved; but the mutinous disposition that +prevailed rendered every effort for their preservation ineffectual. +Those who remained in possession of the ship and her stores, pointed the +cannon, and fired at those who had gained the land; those at land grew +riotous for want of provisions; nothing but anarchy and confusion +prevailed; and, what added to the catastrophe, a midshipman named +Cozens, who had busied himself in opposition to all good government, +was, by the Captain, shot dead upon the spot. This put an end at once to +all manner of subserviency; and after this every one thought himself at +liberty to pursue what scheme he thought best for his own preservation. + +Of about 130 persons who reached the shore, 30 died on the place; about +80 others, having converted the long-boat into a schooner, sailed to the +southward, attended by the cutter. These, being distressed for want of +provisions in re-doubling Cape Horn, and having lost their cutter in a +storm, suffered unprecedented hardships in their return to the coast of +Brazil, where only 30 of them arrived to give an account of the +miserable fate of their companions, several of whom died of hunger; +others desired to be set on shore; and some, beginning to be mutinous, +they landed and deserted. Of the 19 who were left behind in Wager-Island +with the Captain, 16 embarked on board the barge and the yawl, and +attempted to escape to the northward; of these one was drowned in the +yawl, and four were left on a desart part of the coast, where it is +probable they all perished; the remaining 11, after a fruitless attempt +to weather a point of land, called by the Spaniards Cape Tresmentes, +were forced to return to Wager Island, from whence they first set out, +where meeting with a Chiloen Indian, who could speak a little Spanish, +they agreed with him to pilot them to Chiloe; but, after coasting along +for four days, the Captain and his officers being on shore, five in +number, the other six persuaded the Indian to put to sea without them, +by which the rest were reduced to the sad necessity of travelling near +600 miles, sometimes by land, and sometimes by water, till at length, +after a variety of misfortunes and hardships not to be parallelled in +romance, four of them, namely, Captain Cheap, the Hon. Mr. Byron, who +lately went round the world, Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. Campbell, arrived at +Chiloe, where they were received by the Spaniards with great humanity. +After some stay at Chiloe, the Captain and his three officers were sent +to Valparaiso, and thence to St. Jago, the capital of Chili, where they +continued above a year; but on advice of a cartel, the Captain, Mr. +Byron, and Mr. Hamilton, were permitted to return to Europe; and Mr. +Campbell, who in the mean time had changed his religion, chose to embark +for Spain; but not meeting there with the encouragement he expected, he +soon after returned to England, where he published an account of his +adventures, but mentioned not a word of changing his religion, neither +does he assign his reason for leaving Spain. + +It is very remarkable, that the place where the Wager struck upon the +rock, was so near the harbour where the Anne pink found shelter during +the winter, that the Wager’s people were within hearing of the pink’s +evening and morning gun, yet never had the thought to follow the sound, +or to look out for any straggler from their own squadron. + +On the 22d, the Trial arrived from searching the island of Little +Fernandez, and reported that it lies about 20 leagues due west from this +where we lay; that it is about three leagues in compass, being very +mountainous, with some woods and good runs of water, with multitudes of +goats, fish, sea-lions, and seals, as with us; but no ships were to be +seen, nor any marks of any having been there. + +While we continued at Juan Fernandez, besides our necessary employments, +we likewise began, and pretty far advanced, a wharf for the better +landing and embarking such necessaries as we had occasion for. We kept +two ovens employed in baking bread for the ships companies, two smith’s +forges for repairing old and fitting new iron-work, and made abundance +of charcoal for future use. The Commodore likewise ordered the +carpenters to take a careful survey of the Anne pink, the master of +which set forth, that she was in so rotten a condition, as not to be fit +to proceed nor return without very considerable repairs; which +representation upon a survey being found to be true, the Commodore +purchased her materials at a fair valuation, and ordered her to be broke +up, and her crew to be put on board the Gloucester, that ship not having +hands enough left to navigate her, much less to fight her, in case of an +attack from the enemy. + +This island lies in latitude 33 deg. 40 min. S. and longitude 87 deg. 37 +min. W. from London; distance from the main continent 105 leagues; +compass, by the best accounts of those who had been round it, 12 or 13 +leagues. There are two small and very commodious bays within the points, +which form the large one where we lay, one to the eastward, the other to +the westward of us, and no doubt several others in other parts of the +island; variation, by an observation July 2, in the morning, 8 deg. 4. +min. half E. ’Twas reported, that the S. W. end of the island is much +more flat and level than that where we resided, and the goats more +numerous, but wood scarcer. + +On Tuesday, Sept. the 8th, at noon, we saw a sail at sea bearing N. E. +by E. and, perceiving by our glasses that she could be none of our +squadron, nor an English-built ship, we fired a gun as a signal for +getting all our people on board; and, having taken several men out of +the Trial, bent our sails, set up our rigging, and slipt our small bower +cable, at six in the evening we weighed in pursuit of her. In the +morning of the next day we got down our stumps, which are generally set +up in bad weather instead of top-gallant masts, and in their place got +up our top-gallant masts and yards, rigged them, and bent their sails. +At eleven the same morning we mustered and quartered the ship’s company. +At noon the island of Juan Fernandez bore W. half S. distance eight +leagues; the two next days we saw nothing of the chace, nor any thing +remarkable. + +Saturday, Sept. 12, at five in the morning we saw a sail to windward, +which bore down towards us, and at about two leagues distance she hawled +up the lee clue-garnet of her foresail, shewed her Spanish colours, and +fired a gun, which we supposed to be a signal concerted between her and +others which came out in company with her; but we not answering nor +regarding it, she hauled close on a wind and stood from us, endeavouring +to escape; upon which we gave chace, and it proving sometimes hazy and +foggy, we were in danger of losing sight of her. About nine in the +morning we tacked, and at noon coming within gun shot, we fired five +shot at her rigging to bring her to; but she keeping on her course, we +fired four more, on which she struck her colours, and surrendered +without making any opposition. This ship happened not to be the same we +went out after. She proved a rich merchant-ship, having on board +18,000l. sterling in dollars and plate, with some jewels, and abundance +of gold and silver twist; but the bulk of her cargo consisted in sugars +and bale goods, most of the latter European, but some the produce of the +country. She was called the Nuestra Senora del Monte Carmelo. She was of +about 500 tons, was commanded by Don Manuel Zamorra, and had on board 13 +passengers, most of them persons of fortune, amongst whom was the son of +the Governor of the city of St. Jago, the capital of Chili. She came +from Callao, a port of Lima, the capital of the empire of Peru, bound +for Valparaiso in Chili, where those ships annually trade, exchanging +silver in return for gold and corn, the latter being very scarce in +Peru. Some of the prisoners informed us, that, if we had taken her in +her return from Chili to Peru, we should have met with as much gold in +her as we had now found silver. She had in the whole a-board her 67 +persons, many of them Indians and black slaves, who were afterwards very +useful to us in assisting towards the ship’s duty. She had been 27 days +from Callao, and wanted not above two days sail to compleat her voyage +when we took her. + +We found in this ship, on search among the letters from some merchants +in Lima to their friends in Chili, an account of the fate of the Spanish +squadron which had been sent after us, viz. that, in attempting to pass +the Cape, they had been forced to put back, after encountering the most +terrible storms and most pressing famine, being reduced to two ounces of +bread and half a pint of water each man a day; that, besides being +grievously attacked by the scurvy, which had made greater havock among +them than among us, their ships were almost entirely disabled, their +masts, sails, yards, rigging and hulls in a manner shattered and torn to +pieces; that Admiral Pisarro, and one more of his squadron, after having +suffered the greatest extremities, had got, with the utmost difficulty, +to Buenos Ayres, on the River Plate; that another of the squadron, a +ship of 70 guns, had been entirely lost near Rio Grande, and that two +more had never been heard of; that on their return they had seen two +large ships pass by very near them, which they supposed to be two ships +of our squadron, but the weather proving stormy, and the sea running +mountains high, they could not interfere with or attack each other. +Those ships of ours we believed to be the Severn and the Pearl, and +hoped they were safely arrived at some port of the Brazils. Those +letters came over land from Buenos Ayres to Lima, and with them came +others containing Admiral Pisarro’s advice and instructions to the +Viceroy of Peru concerning us; wherein he told him, that, though he +himself had been forced back in such a miserable condition, not having +above 80 or 100 of his men living, and his ships in so ill a state, +that, till sufficient reinforcements could come to him from Old Spain, +he could not possibly come into those seas, yet as the English were a +stubborn and resolute people, and daring enough to persist obstinately +in the most desperate undertakings, he did believe some of us might +possibly get round; but as he experimentally knew what of necessity we +must have suffered in that dreadful passage, he made no doubt but we +should be in a very weak and defenceless condition; he therefore advised +the Viceroy to fit out all the strength of shipping he could, and send +them to cruise at the island of Juan Fernandez, where we must of +necessity touch to refresh our people, and to repair our ships; and +farther advised, that, in case of meeting us, they should not stand to +fight or cannonade at a distance, in which possibly we might have the +advantage, or make our escape, but should board us at once sword in +hand; which must, if well executed, in our weak condition, infallibly +prove the means of taking us. + +This was a well-laid scheme, and in pursuance of it the Viceroy equipt +three ships at Callao, one of 50, one of 30, and one of 20 guns, all +double manned with the choicest men they could possibly procure, and +sent them to wait for us accordingly. Those ships arrived at Juan +Fernandez some time, I think, in May, and continued till about June the +6th, when, imagining that we must be either put back or lost, they +quitted their station, and sailed for the port of Conception in Chili, +and by this means we luckily missed them: had it happened otherwise, as +we arrived there with only our single ship, in such a defenceless +condition, and had they put their orders in execution with any tolerable +degree of resolution, we must in all human probability have fallen into +their hands. + +Our prisoners informed us further, that those ships, during their +cruise, had met with a storm, in which they had received so much damage, +that it must be at least two months before they could again be fit to go +to sea. The whole of this intelligence was as favourable as we could +have wished; and now we were at no loss to account for the fresh marks +we found at Juan Fernandez, of that island’s having been lately visited +by some white people. + +Sunday the 13th, having got on board most of the prisoners of note, and +all the silver, we made sail for Juan Fernandez; and the weather proving +very moderate, at six in the evening that island bore N. W. by N. at the +distance of five leagues. At three the next morning we fired three guns, +as a signal to the ships in the bay. At four we anchored, got in our +small bower cable, which we had slipped at leaving the place, and moored +our ship. + +The 15th we employed in watering, and setting up our rigging, in order +to pursue our voyage. And this day, the Commodore being informed that +several merchant-ships were now pursuing their trade without fear of any +surprize, the Trial was ordered out on a cruise, and proceeded +immediately. + +The 16th we got up a new top-gallant-mast, and wanting some cordage we +were supplied with it from the Gloucester. This and the following days, +until the 19th, we spent in getting every thing ready for sea with the +utmost expedition. + +The 19th we sent 28 of our prisoners on board the Gloucester, she being +weakly manned, and those prisoners being good sailors. We likewise +supplied the prize with two months provisions of all sorts, at full +allowance, for 20 men; put all the guns belonging to the Anne pink on +board of her; and, having left orders with Captain Mitchell, of the +Gloucester, to burn the pink, together with her useless stores, and +appointed him his station off the town of Payta, which is the place +where the ships between Lima and Panama generally touch to deliver part +of their cargoes to be dispersed through the inland parts of Peru, with +orders to sail to that station as soon as possible, we weighed, and took +leave of our winter residence, in company with the prize, which the +Commodore had fitted up to cruise against the enemy. + +The 21st, at four in the evening, we had the last sight of this island, +it then bearing from us W. by N. at the distance of 17 leagues. The +remaining days, until the 24th, we had variable and uncertain weather, +in which we split our main-top-sail and fore-sail, and received some +other slight damage. + +The 24th, at five in the evening, being somewhat hazy, we saw two sail +to windward, on which we cleared ship, in order to be ready to engage, +the largest of the two ships bearing down upon us. At seven she came so +near, that we haled her in Spanish, and she answered in English, and +told us, that she was a prize taken by the Trial, and that her consort +was the Trial itself, which was very much disabled. At 11 the next +morning, there being a hard gale and high sea, the Trial fired two guns +as a signal of distress, and bore away before the wind, and we after +her. The same day half an hour past noon we spoke with the Trial, and +found she had sprung her main-mast, and that her main-top-mast had come +by the board: and as we were all of us standing to the eastward next +morning, with a fresh gale at south, she had the additional misfortune +to spring her fore-mast; so that now she had not a mast left. This was a +great obstruction; for now we had intelligence by the Trial’s prize, +that there were many ships at sea richly laden, and that they had no +apprehensions of being attacked by us, having received intelligence that +our squadron was either put back or destroyed. In the course, therefore, +of the 48 hours we were detained in waiting upon the Trial, I am +persuaded we missed the taking many valuable prizes. The result was, +that a council being called, and all the officers convened together on +board our ship, it was there concluded, that in her present condition +the Trial could be of no farther service; and the Commodore, being +resolved to separate the ships, in order to cruise upon the coast to the +greatest advantage, gave orders to Captain Charles Saunders, the +Commander, to burn the Trial, and in her room commissioned the Trial’s +prize for his Majesty’s service, with the same Commander, officers, and +people. This ship, the Trial’s prize, was called by the Spaniards the +Nuestra Senora de Arinzazie; but, being now commissioned for his +Majesty’s service, she was henceforth called the Trial’s Prize. She was +the largest ship we took in those seas, being between five and six +hundred tons, and loaded with bale goods, sugar, and other commodities, +to a considerable value, and about 5000l. in specie and wrought silver. + +The 28th, at nine in the morning, we parted with the Trial and both the +prizes. + +The 30th we saw the main land of Chili. This day we began to exercise +our people with small arms, which was the first time we had done it +since we came into those seas, and which we continued at all proper +opportunities during the voyage. + +On the 1st of October we came in sight of the high land of Valparaiso, +bearing N. E. half E. at the distance of about 14 leagues. This city +lies in the latitude of 32 deg. 58 min. S. its longitude from London is +by my account 80 deg. 37 min. W. + +On the 5th, the Commodore, being informed that there were murmurings +amongst the people, because the prize-money was not immediately divided, +ordered the articles of war to be read; and after that remonstrated to +them on the danger of mutiny, and said he had heard the reason of their +discontent, but assured them their properties were secured by act of +parliament as firmly as any one’s own inheritance, and that the money, +plate, &c. were weighed and marked in public; so that any capable +person, if he pleased, might take an inventory of the whole. He then +read an account of the particulars, and told them they might (if they +pleased) make choice of any person to take an inventory for them, or buy +their parts. This spread a visible joy, and gave content to every one. +We continued cruising off the coast of Valparaiso till the 8th, when at +twelve at night we broke the main-top-sail-yard in the slings, on which +we unbent the top-sail and got down the broken yard. At ten in the +morning we saw the high land of Choapa, and over it the Cordillera +mountains, being part of that long ridge of mountains called the Andes, +which run from one end of South America to the other, appearing +excessively high, with their tops covered with snow. + +The 14th we crossed the south Tropic to the northward, and from this +time, till we were some degrees to the northward of the Equator, met +with nothing but fair weather and a smooth sea. + +The 21st, at noon, the high land of Morro Quemado bore E. by N. at the +distance of four leagues; and here we continued cruising off and on till +Nov. 2, when, about six in the morning, we saw two sail of ships +standing towards us; upon which we made a clear ship, and immediately +gave them chace, when we soon perceived that they were the Trial and +Centurion prizes. As we had the wind of them, we brought to, and waited +their coming up, when Captain Saunders came on board, and acquainted the +Commodore that he had cleared the Trial pursuant to his orders, and +having scuttled her, he remained by her till she sunk; but that it was +not till the 4th of October before this was effected, by reason of the +great swell and hollow sea; that, during his attendance on the sloop, +they were all driven so far to leeward, that they were afterwards +obliged to stretch a long way to the westward, to regain the ground they +had lost; that in their cruise they had met no prize, nor had seen any +vessel on all the coast. + +Nov. the 3d, at five in the evening, the island of Asia, in lat. 13 deg. +5 min. S. long. 84 deg. 43 min. W. bore from us N. E. by E. distance +five leagues. + +The 5th, at four in the evening, we saw the high land of Barranca, +bearing N. E. by E. distant eight or nine leagues; and half an hour +after we saw a sail to the northward, to whom we gave chace, and cleared +our ship for engaging. At 10 in the evening we came up with her, fired +eight guns, and took her. She came from Guaiaquil, and was bound for +Callao, with timber, cacao, cordage, tobacco, cacao-nuts, and a small +trunk with bale goods; all of little value to us, though a very +considerable loss to the Spaniards. She was called the Santa Teresa, +commanded by Don Bartolo Urrunaga, with between 30 and 40 people on +board, passengers included, and five or six women, besides children. Our +Third Lieutenant, two other officers, and a party of sailors, were sent +on board to command and take care of her; and our other prizes being far +a-stern, occasioned by our chasing this ship, we lay by till four the +next morning, and fired a gun every hour as a signal for their joining +us. This day I find, by the difference of our dead reckoning and +observations, a current to set along this coast to the northward of near +a mile an hour. + +The 7th, we were employed in getting aboard several necessary stores, as +planks, cordage, and the like, from our last prize, for the use of the +squadron. The sea here appeared for several miles of a blood-red colour, +which the prisoners informed us was common in those parts, and of which +mention has been made more than once already in this work. This day we +found aboard the prize, in specie and plate, 50 pounds averdupois +weight. + +The 9th, we brought from on board the Teresa 10 serons of cacao, one of +wax, and 180 fathom of three and a half rope. + +The 10th, we brought from on board our first prize the Carmelo, the +following goods, viz. cloth two bales, bays five ditto, sugar 182 +loaves, straw mats two, tar one skin, raisins three bales, indigo four +serons, cotton cloth one bale, hats two cases, and 25 loose ones, skins +one parcel, chocolate one bag, camlet one bale and two parcels, silks +one box, lead four pigs, and combs one small parcel. + +The 12th, at five in the morning, we saw a sail, to which we gave chace; +but there being very little wind, we manned and armed our barge, +pinnace, and the Trial’s pinnace, and sent them to take her, and at +eight they boarded and took her, and brought her to us at half an hour +past 10. She was called the Carmen, commanded by Signior Marcus Marina, +and came out of Payta the day before, bound to Callao, laden with iron +and cloth, being a very valuable cargo. We found on board an Irishman, +named John Williams, who pretended himself a prisoner amongst them, and +with much seeming joy entered with us. He informed us, that, amongst +other ships in the port of Payta, they left in the road a bark which was +taking in 400,000 dollars, with which she would sail for Panama in a day +or two at farthest; and the Spanish prisoners being examined, and +confirming the intelligence, and farther giving some account of the +strength of the place, the Commodore resolved to attack it this very +night, and made preparations accordingly. Mr. Thomas Simmers, mate of +our ship, with one midshipman and about 10 or 11 men, were sent to +command and take care of this last prize. At four in the afternoon, +Point Nonura bore E. by S. half S. distant eight leagues. At 10 at +night, we sent our barge, pinnace, and Trial’s pinnace, to attack the +town of Payta by surprize. They had 49 men well armed, and were +commanded by the Lieutenants Brett, Dennis, and Hughes, who had orders, +if possible, to secure the Governor of Payta, and send him prisoner on +board, in order by that means to procure a supply of provisions, and a +ransom for the town. Half an hour after 11 we sounded, and found 43 +fathom water, the ground mud, the island of Lobos bearing N. N. E. at +the distance of three or four miles. At seven in the morning, Point +Onado, being the point that forms the bay of Payta, bore S. S. E. two +miles distant; and the town of Payta at the same time began to open in a +direct line with it, distant about four miles; soon after which we saw +our British colours flying on the castle. At 10, the Trial’s boat came +on board, loaded with gold and silver, corn, wrought plate, jewels, and +rich moveables. They informed us, that they took the town about two in +the morning; and that, though the Spaniards had some time before been +apprized of our intent, they yet made a very faint resistance, having +fired but two guns from their castle before our men landed, and a few +small arms afterwards, when they all quitted the town with the greatest +precipitation. The Governor and his family made their escape in so much +haste, that his lady was handed out of a window with no other cloaths to +cover her but her shift. All the inhabitants fled in the like confusion, +except some negro women and children. In this action we lost one man, +Peter Obrian, the Commodore’s steward, who was shot through the breast +by a musquet-ball; and had two wounded, to wit, Arthur Lusk, a +quarter-master, and the Spanish pilot of the Teresa, whom we had made +use of as a guide; the first through the fleshy part of the arm near the +shoulder, the second through the wrist, but neither dangerously: and I +have had it reported from several officers then on shore, that our men +ran to the attack, and fired in so irregular a manner, that it was, and +still remains a doubt, whether those were not shot by our people rather +than by the enemy. + +The town of Payta, at the time of the attack, had a fort with eight guns +mounted, which commanded the town and harbour; and the balcony of the +Governor’s house, which again commanded that fort, together with several +other houses, was lined with armed men, of which there might be about +400 in the town; but these people having enjoyed a long peace, and being +enervated by the luxury so customary in those parts, their arms in a bad +condition, and no person of experience or courage to head them, it is no +wonder that they made so small a resistance, and were all driven out of +the town in less than half an hour by only 49 men; but I believe the +noise of two drums which we made use of, together with the suddenness of +the surprize, contributed to intimidate them, and facilitated our +success. + +On our getting possession of the castle, our commanding-officer very +inconsiderately ordered the guns to be thrown over the walls, which +accordingly was executed; but some time after reflecting on the ill +consequence which might attend that proceeding, he ordered two of them +to be got up and re-mounted. + +At 11, our barge came on board, loaded with money, plate, and jewels. +This town contains about 140 or 150 houses; there are in it two +churches, which, together with the Governor’s house and castle, are the +only remarkable buildings. There are several large store-houses full of +rich European, Asian, and American goods, all which were destroyed when +we set the town on fire; of which in its place. The town lies in +latitude 5 deg. 3 min. S. and longitude from London 88 deg. 48 min. W. +This afternoon we employed ourselves in getting off the plunder, and +provisions of hogs and fowls, which were here in great plenty. In the +evening we anchored in 10 fathom water, the town bearing from us S. by +E. half E. at about three miles distance, not being able to get farther +in, by reason of the flaws of wind from off the land. + +From this time to the 15th we were employed in getting on board the +plunder, which chiefly consisted of rich brocades, laced cloaths, bales +of fine linens and woolens, Britannia’s, slays, and the like; together +with a great number of hogs, some sheep and fowls, cases of Spanish +brandies and wines, a great quantity of onions, olives, sweet-meats, and +many other things too tedious to name; all which the sailors hoped would +have been equally divided among the ships companies, but they found +themselves disappointed. + +We found in the road, one ship, two snows, one schooner, and two +quarter-gallies, all which we took possession of. The 14th, in the +morning, we saw a bark-log, as they call it, being a sort of raft made +of the stumps of trees fastened together, overlaid with poles, and +covered with small twigs twined mat-wise, with several people in her +coming along shore from the southward. She had a sort of mast and sail +in her, and at first sight we knew not what to make of her; and none of +our own boats being on board, we sent the Carmen’s boat, with Mr. +Langdon, a midshipman, who commanded in the second place on board that +ship, and some armed people, to pursue them, who perceiving it put on +shore, and made their escape over the rocks. Mr. Langdon took their +bark-log, which he found to be laden with dried fish, which we suppose +they were carrying to Payta for a market. This evening the Spaniards, +who had all along appeared in great numbers from the hills, and were now +considerably increased, making a shew of warlike preparations, as if +they designed in the night to attack our people in the town, they +thereupon barricaded the streets, and kept very strict watches, to +prevent a surprize. Several negroes delivered themselves up, desiring to +be made prisoners, that they might have some food, and more especially +water, to keep them from perishing; for the country thereabouts being +for many miles round quite barren and sandy, without either water or any +other thing necessary for life, and the nearest town to them, named as I +think Sancta Cruz, whence relief might be got, being a day and a half or +two days journey off, the people who had left the town were in a +starving condition, and we had melancholy accounts of several dying +among them for want chiefly of water during our small stay; and yet so +greatly were they infatuated or frightened, that they never offered to +treat for the ransom of the place, which if they had done, I believe it +would not have been destroyed; in which case, they might have secured to +themselves not only their habitations, but provisions and water enough +(till they could have got a fresh recruit), which we should on that +condition have readily left them. + +The town seems to be very unhappily situated on that and some other +accounts, they having no water but what is brought them by land-carriage +from several leagues off; so that they are obliged to keep very +considerable quantities by them in earthen jars, not only for their own +use, but for the ships who frequently touch here, where they likewise +often unload, and take in fresh cargoes. They are in the same case as to +grain, bread, and almost all other necessaries of life; and lie so open +to an enemy, that the town has been often taken and ruined by the +English, Dutch, and French; all which inconveniences, one would imagine, +should tempt them to change their situation: but then the conveniency of +their trade is so great, being the only proper place they can pitch on +for a mart between Panama and Peru, that they prefer this lucrative +convenience to all other considerations. + +Among the slaves who had desired to be entertained in our service, was +one, who, having been a slave in Jamaica, had on the death of his master +obtained his liberty, and thereupon entered himself a servant to one of +the South-Sea Company’s factors, whom he accompanied to Porto Bello and +Panama, and there got into the service of a Spanish gentleman, who took +a great fancy to him, and with whom he went to Lima in Peru, where this +master likewise dying left him a very considerable legacy; but the power +being now in the hands of his executors, they not only defrauded him of +this legacy, but made him a slave a second time. He was now at Payta +with one of his new masters, on his passage from Lima to Panama, when he +took this opportunity to come over to us; and being a very handy fellow, +and accustomed to wait on gentlemen, he was immediately taken into the +Commodore’s service, came with us into England, and, I believe, +continued with him till his death. This person gave us some information +of the designs of the Spaniards on shore, and told us we had killed one +or two of them, and wounded several others; but this account was never, +that I know of, farther confirmed. + +The 15th, in the morning, we sent on shore all our Spanish, and several +of our Indian prisoners, keeping all the blacks and some of the Indians, +to assist in working the ships, &c. To the blacks, who were all or most +of them slaves, was promised their liberty in England, in case they +would stand by and assist us against our enemies the Spaniards; which +they all promised very cordially: but we could soon discover, that, +notwithstanding their seeming condescension, most of them would have +much rather continued in the service of their old masters, than fail to +accept of liberty with us; not that I believe those people were in love +with slavery, or would not willingly have had their liberty, but then it +must be on their own terms, the Spaniards in those parts being in great +awe of the Indians, whom, though they have subdued, and seem to have +incorporated among them, they dare not trust, but keep these blacks as +guards, and use them well. The truth is, those Indians have still +preserved, by tradition from father to son, the memory of the great +cruelties which the first Spaniards exercised in those parts, and are +angry enough at their present hard usage. They look on themselves as the +natural lords of the country, and the Spaniards as covetous intruders, +and cruel inhuman tyrants; and want only opportunity to make them +sensible of their resentment, and to recover their lost country and +liberty. ’Tis on this account that the Spaniards are very kind to their +black slaves, whom they cherish and encourage highly, and look on them +in the same light of a standing militia, always ready to arm against +those Indians; so that, though the negroes in all other plantations in +the West-Indies are ever ready for revolts and rebellions, these, on the +contrary, are always ready to defend their kind masters with their +lives. In effect they live very easy, are favoured by the Spaniards, and +scorn and insult the poor Indians, who in return hate and detest both +them and their masters; that being all that is left in their power. + +This day an order was given to Mr. Brett, the then commanding-officer on +shore, to burn and destroy the town entirely, the two churches, which +stood a little out of the way of the rest, only excepted; the Spaniards, +as has been already said, never having made any advance towards treating +for its ransom. + +But now, before I entirely quit the relation of our transactions at this +place, it may, perhaps, be expected, that I should give a more +particular account of the booty we made, and of the loss the Spaniards +sustained. I have already observed, that there were great quantities of +valuable effects in the town; but, as most of them were what we could +neither dispose of, nor carry away, the total of this merchandize can +only be rudely guessed at. The Spaniards, in their representations sent +to the Court of Madrid (as we were afterwards assured), estimated their +whole loss at a million and a half of dollars; and when it is +considered, that no small part of the goods we left behind us, were of +the richest and most expensive species, as broad-cloths, silks, +cambrics, velvets, &c. I cannot but think their valuation sufficiently +moderate. + +As to ourselves, the acquisition we made, though inconsiderable in +comparison of what we destroyed, was yet far from despicable; for the +wrought plate, dollars, and other coin, which fell into our hands, +amounted to upwards of 30,000l. besides several rings, bracelets, and +jewels, whose intrinsic value we could not then estimate: and over and +above all this, the plunder, which became the property of the immediate +captors, was very great; so that, upon the whole, it was by much the +most important booty we met with upon that coast. + +There remains still another matter to be related, which on account of +the signal honour which our national character in those parts has thence +received, and the reputation which our Commodore in particular has +thereby acquired, merits a distinct and circumstantial discussion. I +have already observed, that all the prisoners taken by us were, before +our departure, put on shore, and discharged, amongst whom there were +some persons of considerable distinction, especially a youth of about 17 +years of age, son of the Vice-president of the Council of Chili. As the +barbarity of the buccaniers, and the artful uses the ecclesiastics had +made of it, had filled the natives of those countries with the most +terrible ideas of English cruelty, we always found our prisoners, at +their first coming on board us, to be extremely dejected, and under +great horror and anxiety; particularly this youth, who, having never +been from home before, lamented his captivity in the most moving manner, +regretting, in very plaintive terms, his parents, his brothers, his +sisters, and his native country; of all which, he was fully persuaded, +he had taken his last farewel, believing that he was now devoted for the +remaining part of his life to an abject and cruel servitude. Indeed, his +companions on board, and all the Spaniards that came into our power, had +the same desponding opinion of their situation. Mr. Anson constantly +exerted his utmost endeavours to efface those terrifying impressions +they had received of us, always taking care, that as many of the +principal people among them as there was room for should dine at his +table by turns; and giving the most peremptory orders, too, that they +should always be treated with the utmost decency and humanity: but, +notwithstanding this precaution, it was generally observed, that for the +first day or two they did not quit their fears, suspecting the +gentleness of their usage to be only preparatory to some unthought-of +calamity. However, being at length convinced of our sincerity, they grew +perfectly easy in their situation, and remarkably chearful; so that it +was often disputable, whether or no they considered their being detained +by us as a misfortune: for the youth I have above mentioned, who was +near two months on board us, had at last so far conquered his melancholy +surmises, and had taken such an affection to Mr. Anson, that it is +doubtful to me, whether, if his own opinion had been asked, he would not +have preferred a voyage to England in the Centurion, to the being set on +shore at Payta, where he was at liberty to return to his country and +friends. + +This conduct of the Commodore to his prisoners, which was continued +without interruption or deviation, gave them all the highest idea of his +humanity and benevolence, and occasioned them, likewise, (as mankind are +fond of forming general opinions) to entertain very favourable thoughts +of the whole English nation. But whatever they might be disposed to +think of Mr. Anson before the capture of the Teresa, their veneration +for him was prodigiously increased by his conduct towards the ladies +whom he took in that vessel; for, being informed that there were among +them a mother and two daughters of exquisite beauty, who were of +quality, he not only gave orders that they should be left in full +possession of their own apartments, but also forbid, on the severest +penalties, any of the common people on board from approaching them; and, +that they might be the more certain of having these orders complied +with, or of having the means of complaining if they were not, he +permitted the pilot, who in Spanish ships is generally the second person +on board, to stay with them as a guardian and protector. These were +measures that seemed so different from what might have been expected +from an enemy and an heretic, that the Spaniards on board, though they +had themselves experienced his beneficence, were surprized at this new +instance of it; and the more so, as all this was done without +solicitation, and without the interposition of one friend to intercede +in their favour. The ladies were so sensible of the obligations they +owed him for the care and attention with which he protected them, that +they absolutely refused to go on shore at Payta, till they had been +permitted to wait on him on board the Centurion to return him thanks in +person. Indeed, all the prisoners left us with the strongest assurances +of their grateful remembrance of his uncommon treatment: a jesuit, in +particular, whom the Commodore had taken, and who was an ecclesiastic of +some distinction, could not help expressing himself with great +thankfulness for the civilities he and his countrymen had found on +board, declaring that he should consider it as his duty to do Mr. Anson +justice at all times, adding that his usage of the men prisoners was +such as could never be forgotten, and such as he should never fail to +acknowledge upon all occasions; but that his behaviour to the ladies was +so extraordinary, and so extremely honourable, that he doubted if all +the regard due to his own ecclesiastical character would be sufficient +to render it credible. Indeed, we were afterwards informed, that he and +the rest of our prisoners had not been silent on this head; but that, +both at Lima and at other places, they had given the greatest encomiums +to our Commodore; that the jesuit, in particular, as we were told, on +his account, interpreted in a lax and hypothetical sense, that article +of his church which asserts the impossibility of heretics being +saved.--But to return: + +After we had finished our business, set the town in flames, and got the +treasure on board, Mr. Brett, the officer who commanded the attack, +having collected his men together, was directing his march towards the +beach where the boats waited to take them on board, when the Spaniards +on the hill behind the town, observing his retreat, resolved to try if +they could not precipitate his departure, and thereby lay some +foundation for future boasting. To this end a party of horse, all picked +men singled out for this daring enterprize, marched down the hill with +much seeming resolution; so that, had we not entertained a just opinion +of their prowess, we might have imagined, that, now we were upon the +open beach, with no advantages of situation, they would certainly have +charged us: but we presumed, and we were not mistaken, that all this was +mere ostentation; for, notwithstanding the pomp and parade they at first +came on with, Mr. Brett had no sooner ordered his men to halt and face +about, than the enemy stopt their career, and never dared to advance a +step farther. + +When our people arrived at their boats and were ready to go on board, +they were for some time retarded by missing one of their number; and +being unable, on their mutual enquiries among each other, to inform +themselves where he was left, or by what accident detained, they, after +a considerable delay, resolved to get into their boats and to depart +without him: but, when the last man was actually embarked, and the boats +were just putting off, they heard him calling to them to take him in. +The place was by this time so thoroughly on fire, and the smoke covered +the beach so effectually, that they could scarcely discern him, though +they heard his voice. However, the Lieutenant instantly ordered one of +the boats to his relief, who found him up to the chin in water, for he +had waded as far as he durst, being extremely frightened with the +apprehensions of falling into the hands of an enemy, enraged, as they +doubtless were, at the pillage and destruction of their town. On +enquiring into the cause of his staying behind, it was found that he had +taken that morning too large a dose of brandy, which had thrown him into +so sound a sleep, that he did not awake till the fire came near enough +to scorch him. He was strangely amazed, at first opening his eyes, to +see the houses on a blaze on one side, and several Spaniards and Indians +not far from him on the other. The greatness and suddenness of his +fright instantly reduced him into a state of sobriety, and gave him +sufficient presence of mind to push through the thickest of the smoke, +as the likliest means to escape the enemy; and, making the best of his +way to the beach, he ran as far into the water as he durst (for he could +not swim), before he ventured to look back. + +By the time our people had helped their comrade out of the water, and +were making the best of their way to the squadron, the flames had taken +possession of every part of the town, and burnt so furiously, both by +means of the combustibles that had been distributed for that purpose, +and by the slightness of the materials of which the houses were +composed, and their aptitude to take fire, that it was sufficiently +apparent no efforts of the enemy (though they flocked down in great +numbers) could possibly put a stop to it, or prevent the entire +destruction of the place, and all the merchandize contained therein. Mr. +Brett had the curiosity to delineate its appearance, together with that +of the ships in the harbour, as may be seen in the Plate. + +Our detachment having now safely joined the squadron, the Commodore +prepared to leave the place the same evening. At seven, Cape Blanco, in +lat. 4 deg. 28 min. S. and long. 88 deg. 16 min. W. from London, bore +from us S. S. E. half E. about seven or eight miles distant. This +afternoon and the next day we were employed in taking the most useful +and valuable things out of the Santa Teresa and the Payta bark: we +likewise designing to take every necessary thing which we conveniently +could out of the Santa Teresa, in order to destroy her, and bring our +strength into a less compass, we took her in tow, and set the Payta bark +on fire with the same view. The next day we destroyed the Santa Teresa +in the same manner, having got out of them both some anchors, cables, +hawsers, yards, and top-masts, blocks, bales of goods, and several other +necessaries. + +The 17th at three in the afternoon, the Gloucester, with a prize of hers +in tow, joined us. This prize was called the Del Oro, and was chiefly +laden with wine; however, out of her and a small boat which they took +going along shore, they got, in gold, silver, and wrought plate, to +about the value of 17 or 18,000l. These two were all the prizes the +Gloucester took in those seas. + +On board this prize of the Gloucester were two horses, which being, I +suppose, fat, and probably better food than their salt beef or pork, +they killed and eat them; and this, I imagine, gave ground to that +fiction which one of the spurious accounts of our voyage has given, of +our eagerly hunting and eating wild horses, whereas in reality we never +saw nor heard of a wild horse during the voyage. + +The Gloucester had chaced two or three ships which had escaped her, and +one of those touched at Payta; and though they could give no certain +account that the ship which had chaced them was an enemy, yet the +circumstances they gave were so strong, that it put the people of Payta +upon securing their treasure, and the best of their effects, not caring +to be too well provided for the profit of such unwelcome visitants. + +The 21st, at half past five in the morning, we saw the island of Plata, +so called from Sir Francis Drake’s having, as it is said, divided the +treasure he took in the South Seas at this place. At two this afternoon +the port of Manta bore S. E. by E. distant about eight or nine leagues. +We at this time sent six months provisions on board the Carmen; and all +the ships had orders, in case of separation, for several rendezvouses on +the coast of Mexico, or, in case of not meeting there, to make the best +of their way to Macao, in China, where they were to await the arrival of +the Commodore. + +The 22d, a division was made of the plunder of Payta, and the Commodore +not appearing in that affair, it was done at the pleasure, and to the +entire satisfaction, of five or six (no doubt) very disinterested +officers and, indeed, most things of this nature, during the course of +the voyage being managed with the same discretion and honour, no room +was left for complaining of particular partialities. + +Here, however, we cannot help remarking a very considerable difference +between the relation given by Pascoe Thomas, and that given by Mr. +Walters; the former having asserted, that the Commodore did _not_ +interfere in the distribution; the latter, that it was by his prudent +management, that a jealousy, which had arisen between those who were the +real captors, and those who remained on board the ship, was +accommodated. Mr. Walters’ account will set this matter in a true light: +“And now, says he, (while the ships lay-to, in hopes of joining the +Gloucester,) a jealousy, which had taken its rise at Payta, between +those who had been commanded on shore for the attack, and those who had +continued on board, grew to such a height, that the Commodore, being +made acquainted with it, thought it necessary to interpose his authority +to oppose it. The ground of this animosity was the plunder gotten at +Payta, which those who had acted on shore had appropriated to +themselves, considering it as a reward for the risques they had run, and +the resolution they had shewn in that service. But those who had +remained on board looked on this as a very partial and unjust procedure, +urging, that, had it been left to their choice, they should have +preferred the acting on shore to the continuing on board; that their +duty while their comrades were on shore was extremely fatiguing, for, +besides the labour of the day, they were constantly under arms all +night, to secure the prisoners, whose numbers exceeded their own, and of +whom it was then necessary to be extremely watchful, to prevent any +attempts they might have formed in that critical conjuncture: that, upon +the whole, it could not be denied, but that the presence of a sufficient +force on board was as necessary to the success of the enterprize, as the +action of the others on shore; and, therefore, those who had continued +on board maintained, that they could not be deprived of their share of +the plunder without manifest injustice. These were the contests amongst +our men, which were carried on with great heat on both sides; and, +though the plunder in question was a very trifle in comparison of the +treasure taken in the place (in which there was no doubt but those on +board had an equal right), yet as the obstinacy of sailors is not always +regulated by the importance of the matter in dispute, the Commodore +thought it necessary to put a stop to this ferment betimes. Accordingly, +the morning after our leaving Payta, he ordered all hands upon the +quarter-deck, where addressing himself to those who had been detached on +shore, he commended their behaviour, and thanked them for their services +on that occasion; but then, representing to them the reasons urged by +those who had continued on board, for an equal distribution of the +plunder, he told them, that he thought these reasons very conclusive, +and that the expectations of their comrades were justly founded; and +therefore, he insisted, that, not only the men, but all the officers +likewise who had been employed in taking the place, should produce the +whole of their plunder immediately upon the quarter-deck, and that it +should be impartially divided amongst the whole crew, in proportion to +each man’s rank and commission; and, to prevent those who had been in +possession of the plunder from murmuring at this diminution of their +share, the Commodore added, that, as an encouragement to others who +might be hereafter employed on like services, he would give his entire +share to be distributed amongst those who had been detached for the +attack of the place. Thus, this troublesome affair, which, if permitted +to have gone on, might, perhaps, have been attended with mischievous +consequences, was, by the Commodore’s prudence, soon appeased, to the +general satisfaction of the ship’s company: not but there were some few +whose selfish dispositions were uninfluenced by the justice of this +procedure, and who were incapable of discerning the force of equity, +however glaring, when it tended to deprive them of any part of what they +had once got into their hands.” + +Being now joined by the Gloucester and her prize, it was resolved that +we should stand to the northward, and make the best of our way either to +Cape St. Lucas on California, or to Cape Corientes on the coast of +Mexico. Indeed, the Commodore, when at Juan Fernandez, had determined to +touch in the neighbourhood of Panama, and to endeavour to get some +correspondence over land with the fleet under the command of Admiral +Vernon; for when we departed from England, we left a large force at +Portsmouth, which was intended to be sent to the West Indies, there to +be employed in an expedition against some of the Spanish settlements. +And Mr. Anson, taking it for granted that this enterprize had succeeded, +and that Porto Bello perhaps might be then garrisoned by British troops, +he hoped that, on his arrival at the isthmus, he should easily procure +an intercourse with our countrymen on the other side, either by the +Indians, who were greatly disposed in our favour, or even by the +Spaniards themselves, some of whom for proper rewards might be induced +to carry on this intelligence; which, after it was once begun, might be +continued with very little difficulty; so that Mr. Anson flattered +himself, that he might by this means have received a reinforcement of +men from the other side, and that, by settling a prudent plan of +operations with our Commanders in the West Indies, he might have taken +even Panama itself, which would have given to the British nation the +possession of that isthmus, whereby we should have been in effect +masters of all the treasures of Peru. + +Such were the projects which the Commodore revolved in his thoughts, at +the island of Juan Fernandez, notwithstanding the feeble condition to +which he was then reduced; but in examining the papers which were found +on board the Carmelo, the first prize we took, we learned, that our +attempt against Carthagena had failed, and that there was no probability +that our fleet in that part of the world would engage in any new +enterprize that would at all facilitate this plan. Mr. Anson therefore +gave over all hopes of being reinforced across the isthmus, and +consequently had no inducement at present to proceed to Panama, as he +was incapable of attacking the place, and there was great reason to +believe that, by this time, there was a general embargo on all the +coast. + +The only feasible measure, then, which was left us, was to steer as soon +as possible to the southern parts of California, or to the adjacent +coast of Mexico, there to cruise for the Manilla galleon, which we knew +was now at sea, bound to the port of Acapulco; and we doubted not but to +get on that station time enough to intercept her: but there was a +business which we foresaw would occasion some delay, and that was the +recruiting our water, it being impossible to think of venturing upon +this passage to the coast of Mexico till we had procured a fresh supply. +It was for some time a matter of deliberation, where we should take in +this necessary article; but, by consulting the accounts of former +navigators, and examining our prisoners, we at last resolved for the +island of Quibo, situated at the mouth of the bay of Panama. Nor was it +but on good grounds that the Commodore conceived this to be the +properest place for watering the squadron. Indeed, there was a small +island called Cocos, which was less out of our way than Quibo, where +some of the buccaniers had pretended to find water; but none of our +prisoners knew any thing of it, and it was thought too dangerous to +risque the safety of the squadron, by exposing ourselves to the hazard +of not meeting with water when we came there, on the mere authority of +those legendary writers, of whose misrepresentations and falsities we +had almost daily experience. Determined, therefore, to take in water at +Quibo, we directed our course northward, being eight sail in company, +and consequently having the appearance of a very formidable fleet; and +on the 19th, at day-break, we discovered Cape Blanco, bearing S. S. E. +half E. seven miles distant. By this time we found that our last prize, +the Solidad, was far from answering the character given of her as a good +sailor; and she and the Santa Teresa delaying us considerably, the +Commodore commanded them to be cleared of every thing that might prove +useful to the rest of the ships, and then to be burnt. And having given +proper instructions, and appointed a rendezvous to the Gloucester, and +to the prizes, in case of separation, we proceeded in our course for +Quibo. + +On the 25th, Point Manta bore S. E. by E. at seven miles distance, and +there being a town of the same name in the neighbourhood, Captain +Mitchell in the Gloucester took the opportunity of setting on shore +several of his prisoners. The boats were now daily employed in +distributing provisions on board the prizes, to compleat their stock for +six months; and that the Centurion might be the better prepared to give +the Manilla ship a warm reception, if happily she should fall in our +way, the carpenters were ordered to fix eight stocks on the main and +fore tops, which were properly fitted for the mounting of swivel guns. + +On the 25th we had sight of the island of Gallo; and from hence we +crossed the bay of Panama, shaping our course in a direct line for +Quibo. Here we found, in a few days, a very considerable alteration in +the climate; for, instead of that uniform temperature where neither the +excess of heat or cold was prevalent, we had now close and sultry +weather, like that we met with on the coast of Brazil. We had, besides, +frequent calms and heavy rains, which we at first ascribed to the +neighbourhood of the Line, where this kind of weather is observed to +obtain at all seasons of the year; but, finding that it attended us for +more than seven degrees of north latitude, we began to suspect that the +stormy season, or, as the Spaniards call it, the Vandewals, was not yet +past; though many writers, particularly Captain Shelvock, assert, that +this season begins in June, and ends in November: but, perhaps, its end +may not be always regular. + +On the 27th, Captain Mitchell having cleared his largest prize, she was +likewise set on fire; and now our fleet consisted only of five ships, +and we were fortunate enough to find them all good sailors. On the 3d of +December we had a view of the island of Quibo, the east end of which +bore from us N. N. W. four leagues distant, and the island of Quicara +W. N. W. at about the same distance. When we had thus got sight of land, +we found the wind to hang westerly; and therefore, night coming on, we +thought it advisable to stand off till morning, as there are said to be +some shoals at the entrance of the channel. At six the next morning, +Point Marrato bore N. E. half N. three or four leagues distant. In +weathering this point, all the squadron, except the Centurion, were very +near it; and the Gloucester, being the leeward-most ship, was forced to +tack and stand to the southward; so that we lost sight of her; and, the +wind proving unfavourable, we saw her no more till we quitted the +island. At seven in the evening we anchored in the Canal Bueno, or Good +Channel, which is at least six miles in breadth, muddy ground. Next +morning an officer was dispatched on shore to discover the +watering-place, who, having found it, returned before noon; and then we +sent our long-boat for a load of water, and at the same time weighed and +stood further in with our ships, for the convenience of being sooner +supplied; so that we were little more than two days in laying in all the +wood and water we wanted. Whilst the ship continued here at anchor, the +Commodore, attended by some of his officers, went in a boat to examine a +bay which lay to the northward, and they afterwards ranged all along the +eastern side of the island. In the places where they put on shore, in +the course of this expedition, they generally found the soil to be rich, +and met with great plenty of excellent water. In particular, near the +north-east point of the island, they discovered a natural cascade, which +surpassed, as they conceived, every thing of this kind which human art +had ever yet produced. It was a river of transparent water, about 40 +yards wide, which rolled down a declivity of near 150 feet in length. +The channel itself was very irregular, intirely composed of rocks, both +its sides and bottom being made up of large detached blocks, and by +these the course of the water was frequently interrupted; for in some +parts it ran sloping with a rapid but uniform motion, whilst in others +it tumbled over ledges of rocks with a perpendicular descent. On the +neighbourhood of this stream was a fine wood; and even the huge masses +of rock which over-hung the water, and which by their various +projections formed the inequalities of the channel, were covered with +lofty forest trees. Whilst the Commodore, with those who accompanied +him, were attentively viewing this place, and were remarking the +different blendings of the water, the rocks, and the wood, there came in +sight, as it were to heighten and animate the prospect, a prodigious +flight of mackaws, which, hovering over this spot, and often wheeling +and playing on the wing above it, afforded a most brilliant appearance, +by the glittering of the sun, and their variegated plumage; so that some +of the spectators cannot refrain from a kind of transport when they +recount the beauties which occurred in this extraordinary waterfal. + +In three days we compleated our business in this place, and were +impatient to depart, that we might arrive time enough on the coast of +Mexico, to intercept the galleon; but the wind, being contrary, detained +us a night; and next day, when we had gained an offing, while we were +hovering about in hopes of getting sight of the Gloucester, we on the +20th descerned a small sail to the northward of us, to which we gave +chace, and coming up with her took her. She proved to be a bark from +Panama, called the Jesu Nazareno, laden with oakum, rock salt, and a +small quantity of money to purchase a cargo of provisions at Cheripe, an +inconsiderable village on the continent, which, however, has a good +market, from whence future voyagers, in case of necessity, may be +plentifully supplied. + +On the 12th of September we joined the Gloucester, who informed us, +that, in tacking to the southward, on her first approach towards the +island, she had sprung her fore-top-mast, which had disabled her from +working to windward, and prevented her from joining us sooner. We now +scuttled and sunk the Jesu Nazareno, and, on the 12th of December, stood +to the westward, having previously delivered fresh instructions for the +conduct of the fleet. We had now little doubt of arriving soon enough +upon our intended station, as we expected, upon the increasing our +offing from Quibo, to fall in with the regular trade-wind; but, to our +extreme vexation, we were baffled for near a month, so that it was the +25th of December before we saw the island of Cocos, which, according to +our reckoning, was only 100 leagues from the continent, and even then we +had the mortification to make so little way, that we did not lose sight +of that island again in five days. This island we found to be in the +lat. of 5 deg. 20 min. N. + +We had flattered ourselves, that the uncertain and western gales we met +with were owing to the neighbourhood of the continent, from which as we +got more distant, we hoped to be relieved by falling in with the eastern +trade-wind; but in this too being disappointed, we began at length to +despair of the great purpose we had in view. This produced a general +dejection among us, as we had at first considered the project as almost +infallible, and had indulged ourselves in the most boundless hopes of +the advantages we should thence receive. However, our despondency was, +in some measure, alleviated by a favourable change of the wind; and, as +we now advanced a-pace towards our station, our hopes began again to +revive. On the 17th of January, we were advanced to the lat. of 12 deg. +50 min. N. and, on the 26th of January, finding ourselves to the +northward of Acapulco, we tacked and stood to the eastward; with a view +of making the land; and we expected, by our reckonings, to have fallen +in with it on the 28th, yet, though the weather was perfectly clear, we +had no sign of it at sunset; about ten at night we discovered a light on +the larboard bow, bearing from us N. N. E. and, soon after, the Trial’s +prize made the signal for seeing a sail. As we had none of us any doubt +but that what we saw was a ship’s light, we were all extremely animated +with a firm persuasion that it was the Manilla galleon, that had been so +long the object of our wishes. We immediately cast off the Carmelo, and +pressed forward with all our canvas, making a signal for the Gloucester +to do the same. Thus we chased the light, keeping all our hands at their +respective quarters, under an expectation of engaging within half an +hour, as we sometimes conceived the chace to be about a mile distant, +and at other times to be within reach of our guns. In this constant and +eager attention we continued all night, always presuming that another +quarter of an hour would bring us up to this Manilla ship, whose wealth +we now estimated at round millions: but, when daylight came, we were +most vexatiously disappointed, by finding that the light which had +occasioned all this expectancy, was only a fire on the shore. At +sun-rising, after this mortifying delusion, we found ourselves about +nine leagues off land, extending from the N. W. to E. half N. On this +land we observed two remarkable hammocks, which bore N. from us, and +which a Spanish pilot and two Indians affirmed to be over the harbour of +Acapulco; but we found them egregiously mistaken, these being in 17 deg. +56 min. whereas Acapulco lies in 17 deg. only. + +Being now in the track of the Manilla galleon, it was a doubt with us, +as it was near the end of January, whether she was or was not arrived: +but, examining our prisoners about it, they assured us, she was +sometimes known to come in after the middle of February; and they +endeavoured to persuade us, that the fire we had seen on shore was a +proof that she was yet at sea, it being customary, as they said, to make +use of these fires as signals for her direction when she continued out +longer than ordinary. On this reasoning of our prisoners, we resolved to +cruise for her some days, and we accordingly spread our ships at the +distance of 12 leagues from the coast, in such a manner that it was +impossible she should pass us unobserved; however, not seeing her soon, +we were very solicitous to gain some positive intelligence. With this +view the Commodore resolved to send a boat under cover of the night into +the harbour of Acapulco, to see if the Manilla ship was there or not. To +execute this enterprize, the barge was dispatched the 6th of February, +carrying a sufficient crew and two officers, as also a Spanish pilot and +an Indian. Our barge did not return till the 11th, when the officers +acquainted Mr. Anson, that they had mistaken the harbour, and that +Acapulco lay a considerable distance more to the eastward, and that, not +having a sufficient quantity of provisions for their passage thither, +they were obliged to return to make known their disappointment. On this +intelligence we made sail to the eastward, and the next day we +dispatched the barge, with particular instructions to keep at a +sufficient distance not to be seen from the shore. We watched six days +without receiving any intelligence, so that we began to be uneasy for +her safety; but on the 7th day she returned with advice, that, being at +the very place they sought for, though they were then ignorant of their +situation, they surprized a fishing canoe with three negroes, who told +us that the Manilla galleon arrived at Acapulco on the 9th of January, +but that, having delivered her cargo, she was taking in water and +provisions in order to return; and that the Viceroy of Mexico had by +proclamation fixed her departure from Acapulco to the 14th of March. +This last news was most joyfully received by us, since we had no doubt +but she must fall into our hands; and it was much more eligible to seize +her on her return, than it would have been to have taken her before her +arrival, as the species for which she had sold her cargo, and which she +would now have on board, would be much more esteemed by us than the +cargo itself. Thus we were a second time engaged in an eager expectation +of meeting with this Manilla ship, which, by the fame of its wealth, we +had been taught to consider as the most desireable capture that was to +be made on any part of the ocean. + +As it was the 19th of February when the barge returned, and brought us +our intelligence, and the galleon was not to sail till the 3d of March, +the Commodore resolved to continue the greatest part of the intermediate +time in his present station to the westward of Acapulco, in order to +avoid a discovery from the shore. During this interval we were employed +in getting all things in readiness to engage; and, when the +long-wished-for 3d of March came, we were all so strongly prepossessed +with the certainty of our intelligence, and with an assurance of her +coming out of port, that some or other of us were constantly imagining +that they discovered one of our cutters returning with a signal; but, to +our extreme vexation, both this day and the succeeding night passed away +without any news of her approach. However, we did not yet despair, nor +did we abate of our vigilance: but, after remaining till the 25th of +March, we at length concluded, and we afterwards found it to be true, +that we had been discovered, and that in consequence an embargo had been +laid upon the galleon, and her departure postponed till the next year. + +The cutters, having on that day finished their cruise before the +harbour, returned to the squadron, and the signal being given for the +fleet to join, it was determined to retire to Chequetan, to take in a +fresh supply of water, which was then nearly exhausted. In the mean +time, a cutter, commanded by Mr. Hughes, Lieutenant of the Trial’s +prize, was ordered to continue off the harbour of Acapulco for 24 days, +in order that, if the galleon should set sail in that time, we might be +speedily informed of it. + +On the 5th of April we entered the harbour of Chequetan, in lat. 17 deg. +36 min. N. about 30 leagues to the westward of Acapulco. The +watering-place has the appearance of a large standing lake, without any +visible outlet into the sea, from which it is separated by a part of the +strand. The origin of this lake is a spring that bubbles out of the +ground, near half a mile within the country. We found its water a little +brackish, but more considerably so towards the sea-side; for the nearer +we advanced towards the spring-head, the softer and fresher it proved. +This laid us under a necessity of filling all our casks from the +farthest part of the lake, which was facilitated by means of canoes +which traversed the lake, and brought a number of small casks to the +side next the beach; thence the water was started into larger vessels in +the boats, and by that contrivance brought on board with very little +trouble. + +As the country hereabouts, particularly the tract of coast contiguous to +Acapulco, appeared to be well peopled and cultivated, we hoped to have +easily procured from thence some fresh provisions, and other +refreshments, which we now stood much in need of. To facilitate these +views, the Commodore, the morning after we came to an anchor, ordered a +party of 40 men well armed to march into the country, and to endeavour +to discover some town where they were to attempt to set on foot a +correspondence with the inhabitants; for, when we had once begun this +intercourse, we doubted not but by proper presents we should allure them +to bring down to us whatever fruits or fresh provisions were in their +power. As our prizes abounded with various sorts of coarse merchandize, +which were of little consequence to us, though to them they would be +extremely valuable, our people were directed on this occasion to proceed +with the greatest circumspection, and to make as little ostentation of +hostility as possible; for we were sensible we could find no wealth in +those parts worth our notice; and what necessaries we really wanted, we +expected would be better, and more abundantly supplied, by an open, +amicable traffic, than by violence and force of arms. But this endeavour +of opening a commerce with the inhabitants proved ineffectual, and +therefore we desisted from any more attempts of the same nature, +contenting ourselves with what we could procure for ourselves in the +neighbourhood of the port where we lay. We caught fish in abundance; +among the rest cavallies, bream, mullets, soals, fiddle-fish, and +lobsters; and we here, and in no other place, met with that +extraordinary fish called the torpedo, which is in shape very much +resembling the fiddle-fish, and is only distinguished from it in +appearance by a brown circular spot of about the bigness of a +crown-piece, near the center of its back. This fish is, indeed, of a +most singular nature, benumbing whoever touches it all over his body, +but more particularly that limb which happens to come in immediate +contact with it. The same effect, too, will be in some degree produced +by touching the fish with any thing held in the hand; and it has lately +been discovered, that it may be communicated like the electrical shock +to a large circle, by means of a certain apparatus much more simple than +that which is used in experiments in electricity. + +The animals which we met with on shore were chiefly guanoes, with which +the country abounds, and which are by some reckoned delicious food. We +saw no beasts of prey, except we should esteem that amphibious creature +the alligator as such, several of which our people discovered, but none +of them very large. It is, however, certain, that there were great +numbers of tygers in the woods, though none of them happened to make +their appearance while we remained upon the coast. Parrots and pheasants +were found in plenty, but by no means proper for food, being dry and +tasteless, though they were often killed and eaten, being by some +thought preferable to salt provisions. + +The papah lime, and a little sour plumb, were all the fruits the woods +furnished, and of these there were but a scanty portion; nor was there +any other useful vegetable, except brook-lime, which, being esteemed an +antiscorbutic, was frequently eaten, though from its bitterness it was +exceedingly unpalatable. + +While we lay at Chequetan, it was resolved, after mature deliberation, +to destroy all our prizes, as the whole number of men on board our +squadron did not amount to the complement of a fourth-rate man-of-war. +It was therefore judged most prudent to set fire to the ships, and to +divide the men between the Centurion and Gloucester, now preparing to +set sail for China. Besides the necessary repairs for a voyage of such +length, the removal of their stores and cargoes into the men-of-war took +up so much time, that it was the end of April before we were in a +condition to leave the place. + +It should have been remarked, that, from this harbour of Chequetan we +discovered but one pathway through the woods into the country; and as +this was much beaten, we were from that circumstance convinced, that it +was not unfrequented by the natives. As it passed by the spring-head, +and was the only avenue by which the Spaniards could approach to +surprize us, we at some distance beyond the spring-head felled several +large trees, and laid them one upon another across the path, and at this +barricadoe we constantly kept a guard. We, besides, ordered our men +employed in watering, to have their arms always in readiness, in case of +an alarm, and to march instantly to this post. And, though our principal +intention herein was to prevent our being disturbed by the enemy’s +horse, yet it answered another purpose, which was, to hinder our people +from straggling singly into the country, where we had reason to believe +they would be surprized by the Spaniards, who would doubtless be very +solicitous to pick up some of them, in hopes of getting intelligence of +our future designs. To avoid this inconvenience, the strictest orders +were given to the centinels, to let no person whatever pass beyond this +post; but, notwithstanding this precaution, we missed one Lewis Legere, +who was the Commodore’s cook. As he was a Frenchman and a Roman +Catholic, it was at first imagined that he had deserted with a view of +betraying all that he knew to the enemy; though this appeared, by the +event, to be an ill-grounded surmise; for it was afterwards known, that +he had been taken by some Indians, who carried him prisoner to Acapulco, +from whence he was transported to Mexico, and thence to Vera Cruz, where +he was shipped on board a vessel bound to Old Spain. But, the vessel +being obliged, by some accident, to put into Lisbon, Legere escaped on +shore, and was by the British Consul sent from thence to England; where +he gave the first authentic account of the safety of the Commodore, and +of his principal transactions in the South Seas. + +The relation he gave of his own seizure, was, that he rambled into the +woods, at some distance from the barricadoe where he had first attempted +to pass, but had been stopt and threatened to be punished; that his +principal view was to gather a quantity of limes for his master’s +stores; and that in this occupation he was surprized unawares by four +Indians, who stript him naked, and carried him in that condition to +Acapulco, exposed to the scorching heat of the sun, which at that time +of the year shone with its greatest violence; that afterwards, at +Mexico, his treatment was sufficiently severe; so that the whole course +of his captivity was a continued instance of the hatred which the +Spaniards bear to all those who endeavour to disturb them in the +peaceable possession of the coasts of the South Seas. Indeed, Legere’s +fortune was, upon the whole, extremely singular; as, after the hazards +he had run in the Commodore’s squadron, and the severities he had +suffered in his long confinement among the enemy, a more fatal disaster +attended him on his return to England; for though, when he arrived in +London, some of Mr. Anson’s friends interested themselves in relieving +him from the poverty to which his captivity had reduced him, yet he did +not long enjoy the benefit of their humanity, since he was killed in an +insignificant night-brawl, the cause of which could scarcely ever be +discovered. + +When we were necessitated to proceed to Chequetan to recruit our water, +the Commodore considered that our arrival in that harbour would soon be +known at Acapulco; and therefore he hoped, that on the intelligence of +our being employed in that port, the galleon might put to sea, +especially as Chequetan is so very remote from the course generally +steered by the galleons: he therefore ordered the cutter, as has already +been noticed, to cruise twenty-four days off the port of Acapulco, and +her Commander was directed, on perceiving the galleon under sail, to +make the best of his way to the Commodore at Chequetan. As the Centurion +was certainly a much better sailor than the galleon, Mr. Anson, in this +case, resolved to have got to sea as soon as possible, and to have +pursued the galleon across the Pacific Ocean; however, the Viceroy of +Mexico ruined this project, by detaining the galleon in port all the +year. + +Towards the latter end of April, all things being in readiness for +sailing, the Centurion and Gloucester weighed anchor; and, after having +gained an offing, the prizes were set on fire, and a canoe fixed to a +grapple in the middle of the harbour, with a bottle in it, well corked, +inclosing a letter to Mr. Hughes, directing him to go back immediately +to his former station before Acapulco, where he would find Mr. Anson, +who resolved to cruise for him in that station some days. Indeed, it was +no small mortification to us, now we were at sea, and the stormy season +approaching, that we were detained by the absence of the cutter, and +under a necessity of standing towards Acapulco in search of her. As the +time of her cruize had been expired near a fortnight, we suspected that +she had been discovered from the shore, and that the Governor of +Acapulco had thereupon sent out a force to seize her; which, as she +carried but six hands, was no very difficult enterprize. However, this +being only conjecture, the Commodore, as soon as he was got clear of the +harbour of Chequetan, stood along the coast to the eastward in search of +her; and, to prevent her from passing by us in the dark, we brought-to +every night, and carried lights which the cutter could not but perceive. + +By the 2d of May we were advanced within three leagues of Acapulco; and, +having seen nothing of our boat, we gave her over for lost; which, +besides the compassionate concern for our shipmates, and for what it was +apprehended they might have suffered, was in itself a misfortune, which +in our present scarcity of hands we were greatly interested in; since +the crew of the cutter were the flower of our people, purposely picked +out for this service, as known to be, every one of them, of tried and +approved resolution, and as skilful seamen as ever trod a deck. However, +as it was the general belief among us that they were taken and carried +into Acapulco, the Commodore’s prudence suggested a project which we +hoped would recover them. This was founded on our having many Spanish +and Indian prisoners on board, some of them of quality. The Commodore, +therefore, wrote a letter to the Governor of Acapulco, telling him, that +he would release them all, provided the Governor returned the cutter’s +crew. This letter was dispatched by a Spanish officer, of whose honour +we had a high opinion, and who was furnished with a launch belonging to +one of our prizes, and a crew of Spaniards, who gave their parole for +their return. The Spanish officer, too, besides the Commodore’s letter, +carried with him a joint petition, signed by all the rest of the +prisoners, beseeching the Governor to acquiesce in the terms proposed +for their liberty. But while we were thus contriving their release, the +centinel called out from the masthead, that he saw a boat under sail at +a considerable distance to the south-eastward, which, to our unspeakable +joy, upon her nearer approach, we found was our own cutter, the wan and +meagre countenances of whole crew, the length of their beards, and the +feeble and hollow tone of their voices, convinced us that they had +suffered much greater hardships than could be expected from even the +severities of a Spanish prison. They were obliged to be helped into the +ship, and were immediately put to bed; where, by rest, and nourishing +diet, with which they were plentifully supplied from the Commodore’s +table, they recovered their health and vigour. And now we learnt that +they had kept the sea the whole time of their absence, which was above +six weeks; that, when they had finished their cruise, and had just begun +to ply to the westward, in order to join the squadron, a strong adverse +current had forced them upwards of 80 leagues to leeward, where they +found every where so great a surf, that there was no possibility of +landing; that they passed some days in the most dreadful situation, +without water, having no other means left them to allay their thirst +than sucking the blood of the turtles which they caught; that at last, +giving up all hopes of succour, the heat of the climate too augmenting +their necessities, and rendering their sufferings insupportable, they +abandoned themselves to despair, fully persuaded that they should perish +by the most terrible of all deaths; but that soon after a most +unexpected incident happily relieved them; for there fell so heavy a +rain, that, on spreading their sails horizontally, and putting bullets +in the centers of them, they caught as much water as filled their casks; +that immediately upon this fortunate supply, they stood to the westward +in quest of the Commodore, and being now luckily favoured by a strong +current, they joined him in less than 50 hours from that time, after +having been absent in the whole full 43 days. + +And now having, to our entire satisfaction, got on board our people, and +the season of the year for sailing to Asia being far (we found it too +far) advanced, the Commodore resolved not to wait for any return from +Acapulco, but gave orders to equip two large prize launches, to carry on +shore the Spanish and Indian prisoners, both from ourselves and the +Gloucester; and, having given them provisions and all necessaries for +Panama, whither they intended to sail, about four in the evening they +left us, to the number of about 60 persons, having first, though +enemies, observed the custom of sea-faring people at parting, and wished +us a prosperous voyage. + +From the 6th of May, the day we took our departure, we met with little +remarkable for above a month, except that the true trade-wind, which is +said never to fail at about sixty or seventy leagues from the shore of +Mexico at the farthest, was so far from answering our expectations, that +we had nothing but cross winds, squalls, rain, thunder and lightning, +till by account we were 600 leagues to the westward of Acapulco, having +been above 40 days in getting so far. The 9th, we found the foremast +sprung in a dangerous manner, and thereupon fished and secured it very +strongly. + +The 22d, in the evening, we sprung a leak, making 12 inches water in a +watch, and on a search found it to be on the larboard side, abreast the +main hatch-way, and not quite under water. The carpenters soon stopt it +with very little trouble. + +The 11th of June, we found a current to set to the southward, about 24 +miles a day, but could not discover whether to the east or west, for +want of opportunity to try it. This was by account about 450 leagues +from Acapulco; and, much about this time, abundance of scorbutic +symptoms, such as blackness in the skin, hard nodes in the flesh, +shortness of breath, and a general lassitude and weakness of all the +parts, began to prevail, almost universally, among our people. This, +with the great mortality we experienced from this distemper in our Cape +Horn passage, and the time we might still expect to be at sea, having +yet 1800 leagues to those islands called, by Sir Francis Drake, the +Ladrones, or Islands of Thieves, from the thievish disposition of the +inhabitants, but by the Spaniards the Marian Islands, where only we +could expect our next refreshments; and no trade-wind being yet +settled;--these considerations, I say, gave us dreadful apprehensions of +what this passage might terminate in; and the event shewed that we had +but too much reason for them. + +The 14th, at five in the evening, the Gloucester, having sprung the head +of her main-mast, 12 feet below the trussel-trees, fired a gun as a +signal of distress; on which we brought to, and waited for her; and, +after enquiring into, and hearing the cause, we sent them on board two +carpenters to assist in fishing and securing it; but the carpenters in +concert, having viewed and considered the damage, reported, the next +day, that the mast was unfit to stand, and would not bear repairing; but +that it must be shortened 26 feet from the head, and the top-mast be set +on the stump. This, therefore, was concluded on, and ordered +accordingly. + +The 23d, we found our own main-top-mast sprung in the wake of the cap; +whereupon, we reefed it 20 inches, that is, we lowered it so much, and +secured it there, and fleeted and set up the shrouds and back-stays. + +The 24th, in the evening, we got the top-mast down, and put up another +in its place, and a man falling overboard, we brought the ship to, and +took him up safe; likewise, the slings of our crossjack-yards being +broke, we fixed new ones, and the next day got up the fore-top-gallant +mast and yard. + +The 27th, we made the Gloucester signal, and sent our boat on board of +her. + +The 28th, we received from the Gloucester half an anchor-stock, for a +farther security to the fore-mast. + +The 29th, the Gloucester finished her jury-mast, and made sail on it. +Nothing farther remarkable till + +July 1st, we had fresh gales, and cloudy weather, with some lightning. + +The 2d, we unbent the fore-sail, and bent another. We had, not only now, +but for almost our whole passage, abundance of birds of prey, also +flying fish, which are their proper food, and vast quantities of +skipjacks, albicores, &c. whereof we took a great number, which +contributed much to our refreshment after the loss of the tortoises, +that generally leave all ships about twenty or thirty leagues off the +land. I think this the more worthy of notice, because Dampier, Rogers, +Cook, Cowley, and most other voyagers, some of whom have been not only +once, but several times on this voyage, have reported, that they never +saw a fish or fowl in this whole run. I will not say, as Mr. Cook +frequently does, when any other person’s account does not happen to +square exactly with what himself has observed, viz. “What credit is to +be given to such authors?” never making allowances for contingencies +which might or might not happen, and which would better have displayed +his own impartiality, than a dogmatical condemnation of every other +person, without examination. For my part, I readily believe and +conclude, that this difference in our observations and accounts is +really occasioned by the different seasons of the year in which we +happened to perform this passage; it being a known truth, and confirmed +by the experience of thousands in all ages, that most fish have their +different seasons for their different rendezvouses. + +The 10th, we saw three gannets, or, as they call them in Scotland, +soland geese; being, by what I can learn from the most intelligent of +that nation whom I have conversed with, and who often have opportunity +to observe them in several different parts, of one and the same species; +we likewise saw some sea weeds; both which circumstances made us imagine +that some islands or shoals were not far off, those fowls never being +observed to fly very far out to sea. + +The 10th, we unbent the fore top-sail, and bent another. + +The 12th, at noon, we were, by my account, 180 deg. 11 min. to the +westward of the meridian of London, which is just 11 min. more than half +round the globe, for which reason I note it. We were at this time, by my +account, 1429 leagues distant from the port of Acapulco. + +From this time till the 16th we had fresh gales, with squalls and rain. + +The 17th and 18th, we had moderate and cloudy weather. + +The 19 and 20th, fresh gales, with abundance of rain. We made this +observation, that, with rainy weather, or even slight transient showers, +the fish bit more freely, and were caught in greater numbers, than with +fair weather; which made our fishermen the more attentive at such times. +It was likewise remarked, that the Gloucester, when they could find +opportunity to fish, had always much greater success than we; whether +their fishermen had more art than ours, or whatever else occasioned it, +the fact is true. They had also a better way of disposing of them, when +taken, if I may be allowed to judge, than we; for Capt. Mitchell +constantly ordered several boys, who were very dexterous at it, to catch +fish for the ship’s company, especially the sick; and those were very +justly and regularly divided among them: whereas our fishermen were left +at liberty to make their advantage of what they took, and to prey upon +their suffering shipmates; and they took care not to overslip the +opportunity, for the least fish you could purchase of them would cost +you a bottle of brandy; which, at this time, was worth four, or perhaps +six, and sometimes even eight shillings, or half a guinea; and you must +be very thankful, and acknowledge yourself to be highly obliged into the +bargain, or else expect none next time, and very often fail of it +notwithstanding. About this time our people began to die very fast, and, +I believe, above five parts out of six of the ship’s company were ill, +and expected to follow in a short time. Those, whose breath was any ways +affected, dropt off immediately; but those, who were attacked first in +the more remote parts of the body, languished generally a month or six +weeks; the distemper advancing, in the mean time, towards the lungs, by +a very regular and sensible approach. As I was myself one of those who +were severely afflicted in this latter manner, I shall give such an +account of its progress, as I found by experience in myself, and +corroborated by the similar report of my fellow-sufferers. I was first +taken, about the beginning of this month, with a slight pain on the +joint of my left great toe; but, having hurt that a little while before, +I imagined it to be the effect of that hurt, and minded it the +less--(but here I shall observe, once for all, that if ever any part of +the body had received a bruise, strain, or contusion, if not perfectly +cured, the scurvy was sure to attack that part first); but, in a little +time, a large black spot appearing on the part affected, with very +intense pains at the bone, gave me to understand my case. I now took +physic often, by way of prevention, but to little purpose: several hard +nodes now began to rise in my legs, thighs, and arms, and not only many +more black spots appeared in the skin, but those spread, till my legs +and thighs were for the most part as black as a negroe; and this +accompanied with such excessive pains in the joints of the knees, +ancles, and toes, as I thought, before I experienced them, that human +nature could never have supported. It next advanced to the mouth; all my +teeth were presently loose, and my gums, over-charged with extravasated +blood, fell down almost quite over my teeth: this occasioned my breath +to smell much, yet without affecting my lungs; but, I believe, one week +more at sea would have ended me, and less than a month more, all the +rest. One thing was very remarkable, and likewise universal, which was, +that, when the distemper had far prevailed, if the afflicted person lay +quiet in his hammock, he seemed to be perfectly well and hearty; but, if +he was removed out of it, on any necessity, he immediately fainted away; +and this was always a sure sign of the party’s dissolution. + +Since our passing Cape Horn, our surgeon, Henry Ettrick, who was a very +good practical surgeon, had been very busy in digesting a theory of +scurvies, wherein he enumerated many cases very particularly, having +been allowed to open and examine as many bodies as were abundantly +sufficient for that purpose. His system was principally grounded on the +observations made on a long passage in a very cold climate. He took +abundance of pains to prove, by many instances, that the tone of the +blood was broken by the cold nipping air, and rendered so thin, as to be +unfit for circulation, or any other of the uses of life; and being thus +deprived of a proper force and vigour, stagnation and death must +necessarily ensue. From this supposition, he had laid it down as an +infallible rule, that food of a glutinous nature, such as salt fish, +bread, and several sorts of grain, were alone proper on such voyages. As +for liquids, I know not which he had pitched on, as the most salutary, +on this occasion. But this passage, in a very hot climate, where the +symptoms were not only more dreadful, but the mortality much more quick +and fatal, in proportion to the number of people, put our scheming +doctor to a sad non-plus: he could not account for this on the same +principles with the other; nay, they must be, in a manner, diametrically +opposite. All this obliged him at last (though he was still endeavouring +to reconcile contradictions), to own, that, though some of the +concurrent causes of this disease were plain enough, yet the grand cause +was certainly the long continuance at sea, or an entire secret; and that +no cure but the shore would ever be effectual. The Commodore, on this +great mortality, having by him a quantity of Ward’s pills and drops, in +order to experience whether they would be of any use, first tried them +on himself, and then gave what he had left to the surgeon, to administer +to such of the sick people as were willing to take them. The surgeon +would not recommend them to any person, but several took them; though I +know of none who believed they were of any service to them. They worked +most people who took them very violently, both by vomit and stool: after +which, as several told me, they would seem to be a little easier, tho’ +weaker, for perhaps a day or two, but then they always relapsed, and +became worse than before; and this, together with the inefficacy of all +that our surgeons could do in the case, sufficiently shewed the vanity +of attempting the cure of this distemper at sea. + +And here, before I quit this subject, I shall endeavour to remove a +prejudice, under which the afflicted have long severely suffered; and +that is, from the notion generally prevalent, that none but the lazy are +attacked with this disorder; whereas, the direct contrary is the truth; +our experience having abundantly shewn, that the most laborious, active, +stirring persons were oftenest seized with this disease; and the +continuation of their labour, instead of curing, only helped to kill +them the sooner. + +Many undeniable instances might be given of this in our voyage; and, if +future voyagers will give themselves the trouble of observing this +hereafter, I am certain that the event will correspond with my +assertion; nor does this distemper, in a general way, incline people to +indolence, till it is come to that height, that, at the least motion, +the person is ready to faint. It is certain, that, if the person +afflicted desires to lengthen out his life as long as he can, his best +way is to stir as little as possible. This I have seen verified by many +instances. + +The 23d and 24th, we reefed and repaired our rigging, which had suffered +much in the variable weather. + +The 26th, being, according to our reckoning, 300 leagues from the +Ladrones, we met with a westerly wind, which did not come about again in +four days. This was a most dispiriting incident, as we were all that +while forced to lie to, the current insensibly driving us out of our +course. + +The 27th, our gunner, Henry Kipps, died of the scurvy, being one of the +most able-bodied men, as well as the most active in the ship: he had +taken Ward’s medicines once or twice. + +On the 28th, we had calms with much rain, and received from the +Gloucester 20 casks of flour, and four of groats. Having here an +occasion of mentioning flour, it may not be amiss to take notice, that +since our departure from Juan Fernandez, the principal officers had +always soft bread new baked, the biscuit being so much worm-eaten, it +was scarce any thing but dust, and a little blow would reduce it to that +state immediately. Our beef and pork were likewise very rusty and +rotten; and the surgeon endeavoured to persuade us from eating it, +alledging it was, though a slow, yet a sure poison; but very little +other food being to be had, we were reduced to a very deplorable +condition. + +The 29th, in the morning, the Gloucester’s fore-cap splitting, her +fore-top-mast came by the board, and, in its fall, meeting with the +fore-yard, broke it in the slings. As she was hereby rendered incapable +of making any sail for some time, we were under a necessity, as soon as +a gale sprung up, to take her in tow, and near 20 of the healthiest and +ablest of our seamen were removed from the duty of our own ship, and +were continued eight or ten days together to assist in repairing her +damages; but these things, mortifying as we thought them, were only the +commencement of our misfortunes; for, scarce had our people finished +their business in the Gloucester before we met with a most violent storm +from the western board, which obliged us to lie to. This storm lasted +from the 10th to the 13th of August, attended with rain, thunder, and +lightning, and such a lofty and dangerous sea as I have seldom seen, and +could not have believed in latitudes between the Tropics, especially for +such a long duration. Most of the time we lay to, we drove to the +northward; abundance of our people died daily; and, the ship proving +very leaky, every person who could stir, the principal officers not +excepted, was obliged to take his turn at the pumps, and all little +enough to keep us above water. + +The 13th of August, at 10 in the morning, the Gloucester made a signal +of distress, and, being to windward, bore down towards us; but we +observed she was long in wearing, rolled very much, and made bad +steerage. About half an hour after noon they spoke with us, and told us +that they were so leaky that they must quit their ship; that they had +seven feet water in the hold; and that all the men they had capable of +stirring were quite exhausted with pumping, and could work no longer. +This was an additional misfortune, and seemed to be without resource; +for, whilst the Gloucester’s crew were thus enfeebled, our own sick were +now so much increased, and those who still remained in health so +over-fatigued with labour, that it was impossible for us to lend them +any aid: all, therefore, that could be done was to send our boat on +board for a more particular account of the ship’s condition; as it was +soon suspected, that the taking her people on board us, and then +destroying the Gloucester, was the only measure that could be prosecuted +in the present emergency both for the preservation of their lives and of +our own. + +Our boat soon returned with a representation of the melancholy state of +the Gloucester, and of her several defects, signed by Capt. Mitchell and +all his officers; by which it appeared, that the ship was decayed in +every part; that her crew was greatly reduced; that there remained alive +no more than 77 men, officers included, 18 boys, and two prisoners; that +of the whole number, only 16 men and 11 boys were capable of keeping the +deck, and several of these very infirm; that the water was so deep in +the hold, that those who were yet alive were starving, and could neither +come at fresh water nor provisions. + +From this representation, which was in no one instance exaggerated, the +Commodore sent immediately an order to Capt. Mitchell, to bring his +people on board the Centurion, and to take out such stores as could most +easily be come at, among which he was very desirous of saving two +cables, and a steel-anchor; but the ship rolled so much, and the men +were so excessively fatigued, that it was with the greatest difficulty +the prize-money was secured (the prize-goods amounting to many thousand +pounds being abandoned): nor could any more provisions be got at, than +five casks of flour (three of which were spoiled by the salt-water), a +small quantity of brandy, and some living stock. Even this little +business was so languishingly performed, that two days were wasted in +the execution, during which time three or four of the sick perished on +being moved. + +As the weather was now calm, and we were uncertain how far distant we +might be from Guam, a settlement in possession of the enemy, to whom the +wreck of such a ship with guns and ammunition on board would have been a +very valuable acquisition, the Commodore judged the most effectual way +to prevent her from falling into their hands was to set on fire: and +accordingly, as soon as the Captain and his Officers had quitted her, +the combustibles placed for that purpose were lighted, and she continued +burning the whole night, and at six the next morning she blew up. Thus +perished his Majesty’s ship the Gloucester; and now, it might have been +expected, that, being freed from the embarrassment in which her frequent +disasters had involved us, we should have proceeded on our way much +brisker than we had hitherto done. However, we were soon taught, that +our anxieties were not yet to be relieved. + +We were at this time in the utmost distress; the ship considerably +lumbered with prize-goods, and the small room we had left thronged with +the sick, whose numbers were now very much increased with those from the +Gloucester; the dirt, nauseousness, and stench, almost every where +intolerable; more people daily disabled with the disease; no sign of +land, nor but very little wind, and that not fair but variable; very bad +provisions and water, and the ship very leaky; and, though we discovered +the leak to be in her bows on each side the stern, it lay in such a +manner that we could not stop it, nay the attempting it rather made it +worse. In this distress we made the best of every little spurt of wind. + +Nothing farther remarkable happened till Sunday the 22d, when, about +eight in the evening, we discovered two islands, one bearing W. half S. +and the other S. W. by W. at the distance of about 10 leagues. We were +overjoyed at this sight, and stood toward them with all our sail; but, +there being little wind, we did not get near them till the next day +about noon, when being about three miles off the largest and most +promising of them, which appeared very hilly and full of trees, we sent +on shore one of our Lieutenants in the cutter to make discoveries, who +returned at nine in the evening, and gave us but a very indifferent +account of the shore. The trees were mostly cocoa-nut-trees, of which +there were prodigious quantities; about 60 cocoa-nuts they brought on +board with them, but they could find no water, nor any good place to +anchor in: on this account it was thought fit to stand further to the +southward, for some more proper place. This was a severe disappointment +to most of the sick, who, on the sight of land, (or hearing that we were +so near it) had begun sensibly to revive: but as persons in such +circumstances are soon driven to despond, when an aid they had depended +upon deserts them, so this disappointment destroyed our hopes, and +increased our dejection. We feared, that, if we met with more islands in +the same run, they might be either as bad, worse, or inhabited by our +enemies the Spaniards, who, in our weak condition, might easily be able +to hinder us from proper refreshments: add to this, how near many of us +were to death, and how little we could expect to survive any time in +searching for other islands. I know not whether these were the general +thoughts of the sick, but I must own they were mine, and made our +situation at that time appear ten times worse to me than at any other in +the whole course of our voyage. I was indeed very ill, and my illness +might possibly occasion every thing to appear in its worst light, yet I +never was one of those who were frightened at the apprehension, or even +the visible approach of death; it had no unreasonable terrors in any of +its prospects to me; and I always could, and I hope always shall be +ready to meet it with calmness and perfect resignation: but I believe +the healthiest and stoutest at that time had probably the greatest +apprehensions; and I have since heard it from many of those, that they +expected all to have perished, had we been so little as three weeks +longer at sea; and I much question whether they were not right in that +imagination. + +On the 26th, at five in the morning, we saw three other islands, bearing +from S. E. by S. to N. E. the middlemost of the three, which was the +largest, due E. + +The 27th, at three in the afternoon, being got pretty near the shore of +the middlemost island, we sent our cutter and pinnace in-shore for +discovery. At four the pinnace came off, and brought with her an Indian +paroo, with a Spaniard and four Indians, whom they took in her. They +likewise told us, that they had in-shore a small bark of about 16 tons, +and between 20 and 30 more people on the island, all of whom had been +sent there from Guam to kill cattle and hogs, and make jerked beef, and +cacao-nut-oil, &c. for the Spanish garrison there; and that there are +constantly people sent on that account, who, after some months stay at +that place, are relieved by fresh parties for the same purpose. We +secured both bark and paroo, together with all the Indians who fell into +our hands, to hinder their carrying intelligence of us to the Spaniards +at Guam. One of those Indians was a carpenter by trade, and his father +was one of the principal builders at Manilla. This young man, having +been ill used by the Governor at Guam, voluntarily entered with us, and +became one of our carpenter’s crew, and proved a very useful handy +fellow. + +The Spaniard being examined as to the state of the island we were now +approaching, the account he gave surprized even our most sanguine hopes; +and, tho’ uninhabited, he said, it wanted none of those accommodations +with which the best cultivated countries are furnished. On mustering up +our whole force, as we drew near, all the hands we could collect capable +of any kind of duty, even on the most pressing occasions, amounted to no +more than 71 men, officers included. This number, inconsiderable as it +may seem, were all of the united crews of the Centurion, Gloucester, and +Trial, that could move without being assisted, notwithstanding that, +when we left England, they consisted of near 1000 men. + +When we had entered the road, our first business, after furling the +sails and securing the ship, was to provide an hospital on shore for the +sick; but the officer and seamen who were sent upon this service, +returned joyfully, and acquainted us, that the Indians on shore had +saved them that trouble, and had provided for us better than we could +have done for ourselves; for, having erected a number of little cabbins +for their accommodation during their residence on the island, and one in +particular, which they made use of by way of storehouse to stow their +provisions in, there could be nothing more suitably adapted for the +reception both of the sick and the healthy than these erections. +Accordingly, we instantly began sending ashore as many of the sick as +could possibly be conveyed, among which number I myself was one; I say, +as many as could possibly be conveyed; for we were all so extremely +feeble and helpless, that we were no otherwise to be landed than by +being carried in our hammocks, both in and out of the boats, on mens +shoulders, in which service both the Commodore himself and his officers +very humanely assisted; and, indeed, they were almost the only persons +on board capable of performing it; the healthiest seamen being so much +enfeebled, that they had but just strength enough left to help +themselves. + +The next day, being the 29th, the remainder of the sick were brought on +shore, of whom 21 soon died; but the greatest part of the rest recovered +surprizingly. As soon as I was capable of stirring about, I found the +island to lie in lat. 14 deg. 58 min. N. [Walters says 15 deg. 8 min.] +and in long. 223 deg. 35 min. W. from London, being, according to my +reckoning, 117 deg. 7 min. W. from Acapulco. [Walters says 114 deg. 50 +min.] And here it is observable, how writers of the first characters for +veracity differ in their accounts of the same places, by writing them at +different periods. The description of this island of Tinian by Commodore +Byron, who lately visited it in his voyage round the world, bears no +similitude to that we are now about to recite; nor can any one conceive +how an interval of only 30 years could occasion so remarkable an +alteration. But to proceed: + +The soil, upon examination, we found to be every where dry and healthy; +and being withal somewhat sandy, it was thereby the less disposed to a +rank and over-luxuriant vegetation: and hence the meadows and woods were +neater and smoother than is usual in hot climates. The vallies and hills +were most beautifully diversified by the mutual encroachments of woods +and lawns, which skirted each other, and traversed the island in large +tracts. The woods consisted of tall and well-spread trees, some +celebrated for their beauty, and some for their fruit; whilst the lawns +were generally crouded with herds of cattle, of which it was not +uncommon to see thousands feeding in a herd, and, being all milk-white, +it is no wonder that such an appearance excited our longings, and +increased our impatience, to kill and eat. Add to these, the innumerable +swarms of poultry that crouded the woods, and, by their frequent +crowings, gave us in idea the pleasing apprehension of being in the +neighbourhood of farms and villages; and we even fancied, that in the +covert of the woods we should find such concealed. The cattle we had +sight of were computed at 10,000; and, besides these and the poultry, we +likewise found abundance of wild hogs, which were excellent food, but +fierce, and not easily mastered. At first we killed them by shooting; +but, our ammunition failing, owing to an incident, we at last hunted +them down with dogs, several of which joined us on the island, and, +being trained to the sport by the Indians, readily enough followed us, +and afforded us good diversion. In their conflicts with the bears, some +indeed were killed; but those that came off victorious, were still more +eager to engage in every new pursuit. + +This island was no less fortunate to us in its vegetable than its animal +productions; more particularly abounding in such fruits and plants as +were best adapted to the cure of that disease by which we had been so +dreadfully debilitated. In the woods cocoa-nuts were to be gathered +without number; and, what is remarkable, cabbages grew on the same +trees. There were, besides, guavas, limes, sweet and sour oranges, and, +what is common to all the Tropical islands, bread-fruit. In the plains +we found water-melons, dandelion, creeping-purslain, mint, scurvy-grass, +and sorrel; all which, together with the fresh-meats of the place, were +such salutary refreshments, that the sick, who were at death’s-door when +they landed, before they had been a week on shore, put on very different +countenances, and with their new complexions received a fresh recruit of +spirits. + +Amidst such a variety of provisions as the land furnished, it was +thought unnecessary to indulge ourselves in those offered us by the sea. +From fish, therefore, we wholly refrained; and the rather, as some we +caught at our first arrival surfeited those who eat of them. This, +however, was not regretted, as beef, pork, poultry, and wild-fowl, were +in such plenty, that, except the trouble of bringing them from a +considerable distance sometimes, there was no difficulty attending their +procurement. It were, indeed, an endless task to recount all the +excellencies and delicacies we met with in this delightful island: nor +is it easy to say which to prefer where every thing is worthy of +admiration; the neatness of its lawns, the stateliness, freshness, and +fragrance of its woods, the happy inequality of its surface, and the +variety and elegance of the views it afforded,--all these conspired to +charm the sight, while at the same time the excellency of its +productions could not fail to gratify the appetite. And these advantages +were greatly enhanced by the healthiness of the climate, by the almost +constant cool breezes that prevailed, and by the frequent gentle showers +that seemed to fall just to refresh the earth, and add to its fertility; +for these, instead of the long-continued rains that in other countries +fill the air with noxious vapours, and overflow the earth with wasteful +inundations, seemed just enough to purify the air, and to refresh the +soil; which was observable enough by the effect it had in increasing our +appetites, and promoting our digestion. This effect was, indeed, +remarkable, since those amongst our officers, who were at all other +times spare and temperate eaters, were here in appearance transformed +into gluttons; for instead of one reasonable flesh-meal a day, they were +scarcely satisfied with three: and yet our digestion so well +corresponded to the keenness of our appetites, that we were neither +disordered nor even loaded by this uncommon repletion; for, after having +made a large beef breakfast, it was not long before we began to consider +the approach of dinner as a very desirable, and even somewhat tardy +event. + +The principal inconveniences that attended our residence upon this +island arose from the vast number of musketos and other troublesome +flies, by which we were perpetually teized; there was likewise a +venomous little insect, that, like the sheep-ticks in England, would +bury its head in the skin, and, if not instantly removed, would cause an +inflammation. + +Running water there was none in the island; but that defect was supplied +by a large lake, or lagoon, almost in the center of it, to which the +cattle, in times of drought, generally resorted; but the freshness of +their pasture, and the copious dews and gentle showers that often +moistened it, rendered that resource almost unnecessary. There were, +besides, springs of excellent water, and near the surface wells might +every where be dug, whose waters, in any other place, would not have +been complained of. + +But the great danger we had to dread remains to be told. During four +months in the year, that is, from the middle of June to the middle of +October, when the western monsoons prevail, the winds, about the full +and change of the moon, are variable, and blow with such fury, that the +stoutest cables afford no security to ships riding at anchor in the +road: and what adds to the danger is the rapidity of the tide, which +sets to the S. E. and occasions such a hollow and over-grown sea as is +not to be conceived; insomuch that, though we were in a sixty-gun ship, +we were under the dreadful apprehension of being pooped by it. During +the rest of the year the weather is constantly settled, and ships have +nothing to fear, if their cables are well armed, which otherwise will +suffer from the foulness of the ground. + +From the 29th of August, when our sick were all put on shore, to the +12th of September, when the Commodore himself landed, those who remained +on board were chiefly employed in mooring and securing the ship, in +shifting her guns to come at her leaks, and in cackling the cables, to +prevent their being galled by the friction against the rocky bottom. At +the same time an anchor and cable were put on board the Spanish bark, +her own being only a heavy log of wood, and a rope made of bass; and +some barrels of powder to be dried and recovered, which by long keeping +was become moist. + +From the 12th to the 18th, the hands were continually shifting, those +who were so well recovered as to be capable of duty were sent on board, +and those who had born the burden of the labour were relieved and sent +on shore. + +On the 19th, the weather began to alter, and to threaten a storm: on +that day, the next, and the 21st, it blew hard; however, we rode it out, +and flattered ourselves that the prudence of our measures had secured us +from accidents. On the 22d, the hurricane came on, and our only hope of +safety seemed to depend on our putting out to sea; but the Commodore was +on shore, and all communication with the land absolutely cut off. At +five in the afternoon, the small bower parted, and the ship sprung off +to the best bower. As night approached, the violence of the storm +increased; yet, notwithstanding its inexpressible fury, the rapidity of +the tide was such as to prevail over it, and to force the ship before +it, as it were, in despight of its utmost rage. It was now that the sea +broke all round us in a most tremendous manner; and that a large +tumbling swell threatened to ingulph us in its bosom: the long-boat, +which was moored a-stern, was on a sudden canted so high that it broke +the transum of the Commodore’s gallery, and would, doubtless, have risen +as high as the tafferel, had it not been for the stroke, which stove the +boat to pieces; but yet the poor boat-keeper, though much bruised, was +saved almost by miracle. About eight, the tide slackened; but, the wind +not abating, the best bower cable, by which alone we rode, parted at +eleven. In this extremity, Mr. Saumarez, our First Lieutenant, who +commanded in the absence of the Commodore, ordered guns to be fired, and +lights to be shewn, as signals of distress; and, in a short time after, +the night being excessively dark, the storm raging, the thunder roaring, +and nothing to be seen but the blue lightning flashing through the rain, +we were driven to sea, and, by this catastrophe, the whole crew, both by +sea and land, reduced to a state of despair; those on shore concluding +they had now no means left them ever to get home; whilst those on board, +being utterly unprepared to struggle with the fury of such seas and +winds, expected each moment to be their last. In this state of +despondency, while those on board were every moment in expectation of +being dashed against the rocks of Aiguigan, an island at about three +leagues from Tinian, those on shore were persuaded the ship could not +survive the storm, the whole channel between the two islands appearing +from the land like one continued breach, the sea swelling, breaking, and +roaring, like mountains rolling over mountains, and forming the most +awful and terrifying sight that the mind of man can possibly conceive. +Indeed, the condition of those on board was truly pitiable; they were in +a leaky ship, with three cables in their hawses, to one of which hung +their only remaining anchor; they had not a gun on board lashed; nor a +port barred in; their shrouds were loose; and their fore-top-mast +unrigged; and they had struck their fore and main yards down before the +hurricane came on, so that there was no sail they could set except the +mizzen: to add to their misfortunes, they were no sooner at sea, than, +by the labouring of the ship, whole floods of water rushed in through +the hawse-holes, ports, and scuppers; which, with the usual leakage, +kept the pumps constantly at work. Persuaded that their destruction was +inevitable, sinking, however, was only their secondary concern; they +judged, by the driving of the ship, that they were making towards the +land, and that, in the darkness of the night, they should no otherwise +perceive it than by striking upon it; but day-light relieved them from +that uneasy apprehensions, and shewed them that the island they so much +dreaded was at a considerable distance, and that a strong northern +current had proved the means of their preservation. It was not, however, +till after three days that the turbulent weather that had driven them +from Tinian began to abate; when every man in the ship was so worn out +with fatigue, that they found it impossible to man the pumps, and hand +the sails at the same time. They had twice attempted to heave up the +main and fore yards, in which they had as often miscarried by the +breaking of the jeers, and in the last effort one of their best men +perished. During all this time the ship was driving to leeward, and +dragging her sheet anchor, the only one she had left, with two cables an +end at her bows. This was a circumstance of the greatest consequence, +and required a speedy remedy; for, though upon a third exertion of their +whole force, they had replaced their yards, they durst not, while the +anchor continued in that situation, venture to spread their canvas. Some +rest and refreshment became necessary before a work of such labour could +be proposed to a feeble and diminished crew, who hardly consisted of 100 +men. It was, therefore, five days after their departure before they +could secure their anchor; and now they set their courses, and, for the +first time, stood to the eastward, in hopes of soon regaining the +island, and rejoining their Commander and the rest of their company: but +in this they were unhappily disappointed; for having run, as they +thought, the distance necessary for making the island, and being in full +expectation of seeing it, they found themselves bewildered by the +irregularity of the currents, and knew not what course to steer, till, +after several days uncertainty, they came at last in sight of Guam, from +whence they directed their course with infinite labour to Tinian, the +wind being constantly against them, and the tide variable. This severe +employment held till the 11th of October, when, after nineteen days +absence, they appeared again in the offing, and were reinforced from the +shore, to the inexpressible joy of the whole crew. + +A few days after the ship was driven off, some of the people on shore +cried out, _A sail!_ and this spread a general joy, supposing it to be +the Centurion returning; but presently a second sail was decried, which +wholly destroyed the first conjecture, and made it difficult to guess +who they were. The Commodore turning his glass towards them, saw they +were two boats; and instantly concluding that the Centurion was gone to +the bottom, and that those were her boats returning with the remains of +her people, this sudden suggestion wrought so powerfully upon him, that, +to conceal his emotion, he was obliged to retire to his tent, where he +past some bitter moments in the firm persuasion that all his hopes were +now at an end, and that, instead of distressing the enemy, he must +himself with his people fall a prey to their relentless cruelty. He was, +however, soon relieved from this mortifying thought, they appearing, +upon their nearer approach, to be Indian proas directing their course +towards the bay, with a view, as was supposed, to relieve their +countrymen, or to take on board their provisions. On this intelligence, +the Commodore ordered his people to conceal themselves; but the proas, +after advancing within a quarter of a mile of the shore, lay by for the +space of a few hours, and probably observing some change in the +appearance of the place, which might raise their suspicion that an enemy +lay in ambush, they got again under sail, and steered to the southward. + +After this incident an opinion began generally to prevail, that the +Centurion would never more appear at this island; and that she was +either lost, or forced upon the coast of China, from whence, in her +crazy condition, it would be impossible for her ever to return. Though +the Commodore did not apparently give into this opinion, yet he was not +without his fears; and, therefore, to provide against the worst, he +proposed cutting asunder the Indian bark which they took on their first +arrival, and lengthening her in such a manner as to be capable of taking +on board all who were then upon the island, and following the ship, if +peradventure she should be driven to Mocao. After some hesitation, owing +to the difficulty attending the execution, the men were at length +prevailed upon to engage in the work, and the Commodore by his example +encouraged their diligence; for, being always at work by day-break +himself, it was thought a disgrace to be idle when their Chief was +employed. It fortunately happened, that the carpenters both of the +Gloucester and Trial were on shore, and that they had brought for safety +their chests of tools with them. The smith, too, was on shore with his +forge, but his bellows was still in the ship. This defect occasioned +some delay; but was soon supplied by the ingenuity of his shipmates, one +or other of them never being at a loss for expedients on such occasions: +they limed a fresh hide for leather, the carpenters shaped out a wooden +frame, and a gun barrel served for a nozel. The smith being now in +readiness to prepare the iron-work, some were employed in cutting down +trees, and sawing them into plank, whilst the main-body were busied in +digging out a draw-dock to receive the bark, and in laying of ways to +heave her up and down. All, in short, were variously employed; and the +work went on successfully for 16 days, in which time the bark was sawn +asunder, her two parts separated, and placed at the proper distance from +each other; and, the materials being all in readiness before-hand, they +proceeded with no small dispatch in the enlargement, insomuch that they +fixed the 5th of November as the day when they should be ready to +depart. The alacrity with which this business was carried on, left no +room for reflection among the common sailors, though their superiors +were not without their fears. They had no sea-provisions, except some +jerked beef, which the Indians had prepared and abandoned when they +fled, and they had a run of 600 leagues before they could presume upon a +supply; they had no bread, and the bread-fruit on the island could not +be preserved at sea; they wanted salt; and, what was still a more +necessary article in their present situation, they wanted ammunition for +their defence, in case of an attack from the enemy; for, upon the +strictest search, no more than 90 charges of powder could be collected, +which was short of one round a-piece for each of the company; they were, +too, in an unknown sea, and wanted instruments to direct their course: +in short, though the common men had no other thought but how they should +get on board, the officers foresaw a thousand difficulties, which were +almost insurmountable to human apprehension, but which they carefully +concealed, that the main business might not be retarded. + +But, in the midst of these gloomy apprehensions, which, the nearer the +time of their departure approached, still became the more serious, and +when all hope of seeing the Centurion at Tinian had subsided, one of the +Gloucester’s men, being upon a hill at a distance looking out for +cattle, perceived, as he fancied, something like a ship in the clouds, +which, on steadily observing it, seemed to move slowly towards the land. +It was not long before he was sensible of its approach, and persuading +himself it was the Centurion, he in an extasy ran towards the +landing-place, crying to his comrades, _The ship! The ship!_ This being +heard by the nearest, was echoed from mouth to mouth till it reached the +spot where the Commodore was at work, who, on hearing the joyful news, +threw down his axe, and joined in the general transport. In a few hours +the Centurion appeared in the offing, and a boat with 18 men was sent +off to reinforce her, and to carry fresh meats, fruits, and +refreshments, for the crew. In the afternoon of the 11th of October she +happily cast anchor, the Commodore went instantly aboard, and the joy +and congratulations on that occasion were equally sincere and mutual. + +The labour of the artificers was now at an end, and another kind of +employment succeeded, which was that of laying in water for the +remainder of the voyage. Now also hunting, shooting, setting, and every +device that could be contrived to catch live cattle, hogs, and poultry, +for stores, took place; while, at the same time, the Commodore and +Officers amused themselves with traversing the island, and examining +more minutely its several parts. In one of these excursions, being on a +rising ground, they observed, in a valley beneath them, the appearance +of a small thicket, which, by attending to it, seemed to have a +progressive motion, as indeed it had; but was no other than a parcel of +cocoa-bushes trailed upon the ground by persons concealed beneath them. +From this uncommon circumstance, it was immediately concluded, that the +Indians, whose boat they had surprized upon their first arrival, must be +the persons who were dragging the bushes, and that it could not be far +to the place of their concealment; they therefore kept their eye upon +them, and traced them to their cell; but, to their surprize, when they +came to enter it, they found it abandoned, though all things were ready +prepared for dinner, and stood smoaking hot on a table of turf. The +officers, having in vain endeavoured to track them, returned, and, with +an appetite increased by the keenness of the pursuit, sat down to that +meal which the poor hungry savages had abandoned. It consisted of salted +spareribs, cocoa-nuts, and bread-fruit; all which they found ready +drest, and in quantity as much as they all could eat. + +On the third day after the second arrival of the ship, the Commodore +being on board, a sudden gust of wind arose, and again brought home our +anchor, and drove us out to sea. Our chief officers were now all on +board; and only about 70 of our men, with a midshipman or two to command +them, were employed on shore in filling water and catching cattle. Of +these about 30 came off to us in the cutter, and the eighteen-oared +barge was sent for the rest; but they not being in readiness, and the +ship quickly driving out of sight, it was no longer in their power to +join us. However, as the weather soon proved favourable, and we were now +stronger and healthier than at our first disaster, in about five days we +regained the road, and anchored safe in our former station. On our +return we found the Spanish bark restored to her old dimensions, and the +parts brought together, and in good forwardness to be compleated; for +the few remaining people, despairing of the return of the ship, had +determined to follow her to her destined port. We now laboured +indefatigably to get in our water, in order to sail, in which service +two of our men employed in the well unfortunately perished; for the +sides of the well being loose earth, by the carelessness of those above, +in not properly attending the filling, the bank gave way by the weight +of a heavy cask, and both that and the bank fell in upon them together. +Some other misfortunes happened through haste in rafting the casks to +the ship; yet, notwithstanding, being such as are generally accounted +trifling on board a man of war, our watering went on so successfully, +that by the 20th of October it was compleated; and on that day leave was +given for a man from each mess to go ashore, and gather as many oranges, +lemons, cocoa-nuts, and other fruits of the island, as should be +sufficient for us all while at sea. This being accomplished, the Spanish +bark set on fire, the men returned on board, and the boats hoisted in, +on the 21st we set sail; and the wind being fair, and the weather +moderate, nothing remarkable happened till we arrived on the coasts of +China, except that while we were passing by the rocks of Vele Rete, near +the south end of the island Formosa, we were alarmed by a cry of fire on +the forecastle, which brought the whole crew together in the utmost +confusion, so that it was difficult for some time to reduce them to +order; but, as soon as discipline took place, and a proper examination +could be made, it was found to proceed from the furnace, where the +bricks, being over-heated, had begun to communicate the fire to the +wood-work, which, had it not been timely discovered, might have been of +the most dreadful consequence; but, as it fell out, it was extinguished +with the greatest facility, and the brick-work so secured, that no +accident of the like kind could again happen. + +From the island of Formosa we directed our course so as to fall in with +the coast of China, to the eastward of Pedro Blanco, as that rock is +generally esteemed the best direction for ships bound to Mocao; and, on +the 6th of November we fell in with it, when we were presently +surrounded by an incredible number of fishing-boats, which covered the +surface of the sea as far as the eye could reach. Nor was this swarm of +fishing vessels peculiar to that place; for, as we ran on to the +westward, we found them as abundant on every other part of the coast. +From among these we had no sort of doubt of procuring a pilot to Mocao; +but, when we thought ourselves near it, though we tempted them with +shewing them bags of Spanish dollars, for which, it is said, a Chinese +would sell his father, yet not one of them would venture to come on +board us, nor give us the least intelligence; neither did our ship, the +like of which, so armed and fitted, had never before appeared upon their +coasts, seem to excite in them any curiosity: they continued their +fishing with the same apparent indifference as if any trading ship had +been passing by; and, when we made them signals, they disregarded them +as much, though they certainly understood them, as if we had been only +in sport. The next day, however, about two in the afternoon, as we were +standing to the westward within two leagues of the shore, still +surrounded as before, we observed that a boat a-head of us waved a red +flag, and blew a horn. This we apprehended was a signal for us, and +accordingly we hoisted out our cutter, and sent to know the meaning of +it; when we presently discovered our mistake, and that it was only the +usual notice to leave off fishing, which the whole fleet instantly +obeyed. Being thus disappointed, we kept on our cruise till we came to a +group of islands, round the westernmost of which we were directed to +pass, and then to haul up. While we were thus employed, a Chinese pilot +came on board, and in broken Portuguese undertook to pilot us into +harbour for 30 dollars, and on the 12th of November anchored us safe in +Mocao-road; where the first thing we did was to salute the fort, and to +send to the Portuguese Governor to advise with his Excellency in what +manner to behave to avoid giving offence to the Chinese. The difficulty +the Commodore principally apprehended related to the port charges +usually paid by ships in the river Canton, from which charges men-of-war +are exempted in every port of Europe, and which the Commodore was +determined not to be forced to pay in this. In the evening the boat +returned with two officers, who delivered it as the Governor’s opinion, +that, if the Centurion ventured into the river of Canton, the duty would +most certainly be expected; and, therefore, if the Commodore approved of +it, he would send a pilot to conduct the ship into another harbour, +called the Typa, where it was probable the port charges would never be +demanded. To this proposal the Commodore agreed, the pilot was sent, and +the ship safely moored. + +Next day the Commodore paid a visit in person to the Governor, to +solicit a supply of provisions, and of naval stores to refit the ship. +The Governor very frankly acquainted the Commodore, that he durst not +openly furnish either the one or the other; for that he himself neither +received provisions for his garrison but from day to day, by permission +from the Chinese government, nor any thing else but what his present +necessities required: however, he assured the Commodore in a friendly +manner, that he would give him all the assistance in his power. On this +declaration, the Commodore determined to go to Canton himself, to +procure a licence from the Viceroy to purchase a supply, and, with this +view, hired a Chinese boat for himself and his attendants to carry them +into port: but just as they were ready to embark, the Hoppo refused to +grant them a permit; nor would he, notwithstanding all the interest the +Commodore could make, withdraw the prohibition, till he was threatened +to be compelled to it by force. This operated when fair means had +failed; a permit was next day sent on board, and the Commodore proceeded +to the English factory to consult with the principal officers there +about the cautions that were to be used, lest the factory should suffer +by violent measures, which he was solicitous to avoid. They advised him +to transact the business by the mediation of the Chinese merchants, who +at first undertook to accomplish it; but, after trifling with him more +than a month, they declared they durst not interfere in it. The +merchants then undertook to procure him provisions clandestinely; but +that would not suffice. Upon his return, he found the ship so much out +of repair, that she could not proceed without being hove down; he, +therefore, next day wrote a letter to the Viceroy, acquainting him, that +he was Commodore of a squadron of his Britannic Majesty’s ships that had +been cruising in the South Seas against the Spaniards, who were at war +with his nation; that his ship was leaky; that his people were in want +of provisions; that he had put into Mocao, a friendly port, for a +supply, but that, being a stranger to the customs of the country, he had +been unable to succeed; and, therefore, requested, that he might be +permitted to employ workmen to repair his ship, and that he might be +supplied with provisions at the accustomed rates at which the articles +he stood in need of were generally sold. Another difficulty was now +started as to the delivery of this letter, the Hoppo at first refusing +to intermeddle with it; but, on the Commodore’s expressing some +resentment, and threatening to convey it to Canton by his own +messengers, he at length undertook not only to deliver it, but to +procure an answer: accordingly, though the letter was only dated on the +17th of December, on the 19th a Mandarine of the first rank, together +with two others of an inferior class, and their attendants, having in +their retinue 18 half gallies, decorated with streamers, and furnished +with bands of music, came to a grapple a-head of the Centurion, whence +the Mandarine sent in form to acquaint the Commodore, that he came by +order of the Viceroy to examine the condition of the ship, and to report +the same as it should appear to him upon a just survey. On this message, +preparations were instantly made to receive him; in particular, a +hundred of the most sightly men on board, uniformly dressed in the +regimentals of the marines, were drawn up under arms on the main-deck +against his arrival. When he entered the ship, he was saluted by the +drums and military music, and conducted by some of the principal +officers to the quarter-deck, where he was received in state by the +Commodore, and then introduced to the great cabbin, where he explained +his commission, and presented the persons he had brought with him to +take the survey. The Mandarine appeared to be a person of superior +abilities, and endowed with a frankness and honesty not usually to be +met with among the ordinary ranks of Chinese officers; and, being an +eye-witness of the dangerous state of the leaks, and of the necessity +there was for a thorough repair, he expressed his entire acquiescence in +the report that had been given, and promised to lay the same immediately +before the council upon his return. He was exceeding curious in +inspecting the ship, in examining her guns, and poising her great shot. +He exprest his astonishment at her strength and her magnitude; and the +Commodore, to increase his wonder, and shew his own power, let him know +how easy it would be for him to destroy the whole navigable force of +China, and lay the city of Canton in ruins; but, nevertheless, he +assured him, that not the least violence should be offered, provided his +wants were supplied upon reasonable terms. + +At the same time the Commodore complained of the behaviour of the +officers at Mocao, who had prohibited the country people from selling +provisions to his company, though they had paid for what they purchased +in sterling silver. The Mandarine heard the complaint without emotion, +but said it should be remedied for the future. After the business was +over, dinner was ordered, and the Commodore apologised for the meanness +of the fare from the difficulty he had to procure better: but the two +inferior Mandarines, who were the only persons of their retinue +permitted to sit at table with them, shewed no dislike to any thing set +before them, except the beef, to which they have the same dislike as the +Jews have to pork, from an early prejudice derived from their ancestors; +of this the Commodore was not apprized, nor were they offended at its +being set before them. They were, indeed, very aukward at the use of +knives and forks, and it was found necessary to introduce their own +servants to carve for them, before they could make an end of their +dinners. But if they were deficient in their manner of eating, they were +no novices in putting about the glasses; for there was not an officer at +table that durst engage with them. Seeing they were fond of Frontiniac, +and that they presently emptied four or five bottles of it without any +effect, the Commodore ordered a bottle of Citron water to be brought up, +which, on tasting, they liked, and, the Commodore excusing himself on +account of an illness he had not yet recovered, they clapped a +ruddy-faced officer on the shoulder, and desired him to pledge them, +saying, by their interpreter, they were sure he could not plead illness +for declining his glass. When the bottle was out, they all rose from +table, without appearing to be in the least disordered, and, after the +usual ceremonies, departed, very well pleased with their entertainment. + +The Commodore now impatiently expected the licence he had requested; but +it was several days before it passed the necessary forms, chiefly owing +to the intrigues of a Frenchman, who, having the advantage of speaking +the language fluently, was at no loss in traversing the measures of the +friendly Mandarine in favour of Mr. Anson; but a repetition of the +threats already referred to, produced, at last, the desired effect. On +the 6th of January, the licence was received, and the carpenters were +set to work; but, previous to this, the prohibition was taken off, and +provisions were every day brought to the ship in plenty. + +It was, however, the beginning of April before the repairs could be +compleated, and the Chinese began to be very uneasy at their long stay. +They had frequently sent messages to the Commodore to hasten his +departure, not knowing or believing that he was no less in earnest to be +gone, than they were to be freed from the dread of his stay. At length, +on the 3d of April, two Mandarines came on board from Mocao, with a +peremptory command addressed to the Commodore, requiring him to depart; +to which he made answer, in a determined tone, that he would go when he +thought proper, and not when they presumed to command him. After this +rebuke, however, all communication was forbidden, and no more provisions +were suffered to go on board; and so strictly were those injunctions +carried into execution, that from thenceforwards nothing could be +purchased at any rate whatever. On the 6th of April, the Centurion +weighed, and warped to the southward; and, by the 15th, she was safe in +Mocao road, having compleated her water as she passed along. On the +19th, she again weighed anchor, and put to sea. + +But long before this, that is, some time in November, Captain Saunders, +Commander of the Tryal’s prize, took passage on board a Swedish ship +with dispatches from the Commodore to the government. And soon after, +that is, about the middle of December, Captain Mitchell, Col. +Crackerode, Mr. Taswell, with his nephew Mr. Charles Herriot, and the +Rev. Mr. Walter, embarked on board the company’s ships on their return +home. About this time we received the first news of the safe arrival of +the Severn and Pearl (the two ships of our squadron that parted from us +in doubling Cape Horn) at Rio Janeiro, on the coast of Brazil. The +Severn had been remarkable for the extraordinary sickness that had been +more fatal on board her than on board of any other in the whole +squadron, insomuch that her hands had been twice recruited from the +Centurion during her voyage to the straits of Le Maire; and yet when she +parted company she wanted hands to navigate her in a storm, which was +the reason of her return. It was from the knowledge of this uncommon +mortality that prevailed among the crew, that the Commodore concluded +the Severn to be lost. The news, therefore, of her and the Pearl’s +safety was received with the greater pleasure, as we had long +entertained an opinion that both of them had perished. But to return +from this digression: + +From the 1st to the 15th of April, we had stormy weather, with heavy +rains and such amazing and terrifying claps of thunder and flashes of +lightning as nothing of the kind I had ever seen or heard bore any +proportion to. This was upon the breaking-up of the easterly monsoon, +when such storms are usual in the country, accompanied sometimes with +dreadful gusts of wind, called here by the name of Tuffoons, of the +effects of which the Chinese relate very wonderful stories. + +While we were warping out of the harbour, the Commodore went on shore to +Mocao, to take leave of the Portuguese Governor, who had, to the utmost +of his power, behaved in a very friendly manner; and, at his coming from +the fort, he was saluted with 15 guns. + +During our stay we had entered about 20 fresh hands, being chiefly +Lascars, Persians, and Dutchmen; so that our whole complement, when we +sailed, amounted to 224 men and boys, among whom were some of all +nations, languages, and religions. + +Being now at sea, we were some time in a state of uncertainty what +course the Commodore intended to steer. He gave out at Mocao, that he +was bound to Batavia, and thence to England; but his real design was +very different. The project the Commodore had resolved upon in his own +mind, was, to cruise for the annual ship from Acapulco to Manilla; and, +not discouraged by his former disasters, he determined again to risque +the casualties of the Pacific Ocean, and to take his station off Cape +Spirito Santo on the island of Jamal, being the first land the Acapulco +ships always make in approaching the Philippines. + +Being now at sea, it was no longer necessary to conceal this project; +he, therefore, summoned all his people on the quarter-deck, and in a +short, but spirited speech, informed them of his design; which was +received by them with the most expressive tokens of general approbation: +and such a confidence of succeeding diffused itself through all the +ship’s company, that the Commodore, who had taken some Chinese sheep to +sea with him for his own provision, enquiring one day of his butcher, +why he had lately seen no mutton at his table? the man replied dryly, +that in truth there were only two sheep left, and these, with his +honour’s leave, he proposed to reserve for the entertainment of the +General of the galleons. + +When the Centurion left the port of Mocao, she stood for some days to +the westward; and, on the first of May, passed the island of Formosa; +and, steering to the southward, on the 4th in the evening they came in +sight of the Bashee Islands, which they suspected to be wrong laid down +by Dampier, and from observation found them 25 leagues too far to the +westward. On the 20th of May, they came in sight of Espirito Santo. As +it was known there were centinels placed upon the Cape to make signals +to the Acapulco ships, the Commodore immediately tacked, and ordered the +top-gallant-sails to be taken in, to prevent a discovery: and this being +the station in which he proposed to cruise, he fixed the limits between +the latitude of 12 deg. 50 min. N. and 13 deg. 5 min. the Cape itself +lying in 12 deg. 40 min. N. and in 4 deg. of east longitude from Psotel +Tobago Xima. It was now the time when the Manilla ship was every hour +expected; for they seldom or never fail of making land in the month of +June, and sometimes sooner, and it was now the last day of May, +according to their stile, when the Commodore took his station. + +It were tedious to entertain the reader with the various conjectures, +surmises, doubts, and anxieties, that agitated the minds of the people +on board, from the day they came in sight of the Cape till the day that +Mr. Charles Proby, a midshipman, called out from the mast-head, _A +sail!_ This was on the 20th of June, just one month after their arrival +at the Cape. There did not remain a doubt but that it was one of the +galleons (for two were expected this year, as none had been permitted to +sail the year preceding); and the Commodore accordingly stood towards +her. At half after seven in the morning, they could see her from the +deck, at which time she fired a gun to leeward, and took in her +top-gallant-sails, as a signal, as it was then supposed, to her consort; +but in reality, as a signal to her own people to prepare for action. The +Commodore was surprized to see her steadily pursue her course, and was +now in no fear of losing sight of her, as at noon he could fetch her +wake. Her consort not appearing, it was concluded they had parted +company; and it now became visible, that the galleon did not intend to +fly, but to fight. Every preparation had been previously made on board +the Centurion, and all hands properly instructed; so that every man on +board repaired to his post with as much regularity and unconcern as if +preparing for a review. Thirty of the best marksmen lined the tops; two +men placed themselves at a gun to load them; and gangs of ten men each +were appointed to go from gun to gun, to run them out, and fire them as +fast as they were loaded. A constant running fire was by this means kept +up, and no interval allowed for the enemy to stand to their guns in +safety, as is common when whole broadsides are discharged at once. + +About one in the afternoon, the galleon hauled up her fore-sail, and +brought to under top-sails, with her head to the northward, hoisting +Spanish colours, and having the standard of Spain flying at the +top-gallant mast-head. About the same time the Centurion hoisted her +broad pendant and colours, being within gun-shot of the enemy; and the +Commodore, seeing them clearing their decks of their cattle and lumber, +gave orders to fire the chace-guns, to disturb them in their work. The +galleon returned the fire with two of her stern guns, one of which +carried away one of our fore-shrouds, and our forestay tackle, which +could not have been done by an ordinary ball. The Centurion setting her +sprit-sail fore and aft for boarding, the galleon, out of a bravado, did +the same. Soon after, the Centurion shot a-breast of the enemy within +pistol shot, and now the engagement became hot. For the first half hour +the Centurion over-reached the galleon, and lay on her bow, and, by the +wideness of her ports, could traverse almost all her guns upon the +enemy, whilst the galleon could only bring a part of hers to bear upon +the Centurion in return. In the heat of the action, the mats with which +the galleon had stuffed her netting took fire, and burnt violently, +blazing up near as high as the mizzen-top. This accident threw the enemy +into the utmost terror, and also alarmed the Commodore, for fear the +galleon should be burnt, and for fear he himself might suffer by being +closely grappled by her. Happily, however, that danger was averted, and +the fire extinguished, by cutting away the netting, and letting the +whole tumble into the sea. All this while the Commodore kept his first +advantageous position, firing with great regularity and briskness; while +at the same time the galleon’s decks lay open to our top-men, who, +having at their first volley driven the Spaniards from their tops, made +prodigious havock with their small arms, killing or wounding every +officer but one that appeared upon the quarter-deck, and wounding in +particular the General of the galleon himself. Thus the action continued +for more than half an hour; but then the Centurion lost the superiority +of her situation, and came close alongside of the galleon, when the +enemy continued their fire with great activity for near an hour longer; +yet, even in this position, the Commodore’s grape-shot swept their decks +so effectually, and the number of the dead and wounded became so +considerable, that they began to fall into great confusion, especially +as the General, who was the life of the action, was no longer able to +exert himself. The disorder was so great, that their officers were seen +from the Centurion running about to prevent the desertion of their men +from their posts: but all their endeavours were in vain; for, after +having, as a last effort, fired five or six guns with more judgment than +usual, they yielded up the contest; and, the galleon’s colours being +singed off the ensign-staff at the beginning of the engagement, she +struck the standard at the main top-gallant-mast-head; but even this +office would have been at the peril of the man’s life, had not the +Commodore, observing what he was about, given express orders to leave +off firing. + +The Commodore, when the action was ended, resolved to make the best of +his way with his prize to the river Canton, being in the mean time fully +employed in securing his prisoners, and in removing the treasure from on +board the galleon into the Centurion. His first business was to +commission the ship, and put her under the command of proper officers: +Lieut. Saumarez was appointed Captain, and was immediately ordered on +board to take possession of his charge. + +But, just as the galleon had struck, the officer who commanded between +decks came up, seemingly to congratulate the Commodore on his conquest, +but at the same time privately whispered to him, that the Centurion was +dangerously on fire near the powder-room. It seems one of the lads, +called powder-monkies, being heedless, a cartridge that he was carrying +blew up in his hands; this fired another, and that three of the +lower-deck guns on the off side of the ship, which being happily loaded +and laid down for service, and the ports hauled up to vent the smoke, +they did not occasion the least mischief; however, the cartridges and +guns together raised such a smother, that it was at first doubtful +whether it proceeded from the explosion, or from a part of the ship +being on fire. In fact, upon examination, it was found to proceed from +both; for, part of a cartridge having fallen between the planks of the +cieling, close aft by the scuttle of the Chaplain’s cabbin, not only a +considerable smoke issued out, but a very sensible heat, and, had it not +been immediately extinguished, the consequence would have been dreadful: +to be brief, a few pails of water seasonably applied did more than all +the water of the ocean could have effected after an hour’s delay. + +This alarm being thus happily subsided, we draughted out 50 of our +people (of whom myself was one) to board and man the prize. I had heard +we had killed them 60 men, and wounded as many more, and expected to +have seen the horrid spectacle of mangled limbs, dead carcasses, and +decks covered with blood; but no such spectacle appeared; a party having +been properly stationed, during the time of action, to wash away the +blood, and to throw the dead over-board. We found, however, many +desperately wounded, and among them the General, who had received a +musket-ball in his breast, and was so ill, or pretended to be so ill, +that it was judged unsafe to move him from his cabbin; but all the other +officers, together with the passengers of note, were sent on board the +Centurion. Among the latter was an old gentleman, Governor of Guam, who +was going to Manilla to renew his commission, and who had scarce mounted +the Centurion’s side before he was received with open arms by Mr. +Crooden, Captain of marines, who 36 years before, at the battle of +Almanza, had been his prisoner, and honourably used by him. These two +renewed their old acquaintance, and Captain Crooden had a +long-wished-for opportunity of returning the favours he had formerly +received, and which he gratefully remembered. + +The ship, upon examination, was found to contain to the value of more +than a million and a half of dollars, was called the Nuestra Signora de +Cabadonga, Don Jeronimo de Montero Commander, by nation a Portuguese, +and accounted the most intrepid officer employed in the Spanish +mercantile service: and, indeed, in my opinion, he was more brave than +prudent; for, surely, no wise man, intrusted with such a cargo, six +leagues to the windward of a man-of-war purposely stationed to intercept +him, would have borne down upon his enemy, and braved him to his teeth, +when, with the advantage of the wind, he might have gone safe to port, +from whence he was not more than 10 or 12 leagues distant, and where he +might then have set his pursuer at defiance. + +His galleon was indeed larger than the man-of-war, was pierced for 64 +guns, but had only 36 mounted, most of them 12 pounders, and 17 of them +brass: she had, besides, 28 peteraroes, in her gunwale, quarters, and +tops, carrying each a 4 lb. ball; and, before the engagement, she +mustered 640 men capable of bearing arms, officers and passengers +included. She was, besides, well furnished with small arms, and was +particularly provided against boarding, both by her close quarters, and +by a strong network of two-inch rope laced over her waste, and fortified +with half-pikes placed in the manner of cheveaux de frize; but, +notwithstanding all her defences, she had 64 men killed, and 84 wounded, +whilst the Centurion had only two men killed, and a Lieutenant and 16 +men wounded, all of whom recovered, one man only excepted. + +And how the Commodore learnt from some of the prisoners, that the other +ship, which he had kept in the port of Acapulco the year before, instead +of returning in company with this, as was expected, had sailed earlier +in the season than usual, and was probably got into Manilla before the +Centurion set sail from Mocao; so that, notwithstanding our present +success, we had reason to regret the loss of time occasioned by the +delays of the Chinese, which prevented our taking two rich prizes +instead of one; though, to say the truth, it would not have been an easy +talk to dispose of the prisoners, which, even as it fell out, was a +matter that gave the Commodore no small disquietude; for they were above +double the number of our own people; and some of them observed, when +they were brought aboard, how slenderly we were manned; and the General +himself could not help expressing his indignation to be thus beaten by a +handful of boys. It was therefore necessary for our own preservation to +prevent their rising; and that could not be securely effected without +exercising a degree of severity which in any other circumstances could +not have been justified on the principles of humanity; for there was no +method practicable but that of stowing the men in the holds of the two +ships; and as for the officers, 17 in number, they were confined in the +First Lieutenant’s cabbin, under a guard of six men, first depriving +them of their arms, and then keeping a strict watch on all their +motions. Indeed, the sufferings of the common men, such of them in +particular who were not employed in navigating the ship, were much to be +pitied; for, the weather being extremely hot, the stench of the holds +loathsome beyond conception, and their allowance of water but just +sufficient to keep them alive, being only a pint a day for each man, it +was next to a miracle that not a man of them died during their +confinement, except five of the wounded, who expired the very night they +were brought aboard the Centurion. Thus circumstanced, the motives of +humanity, as well as interest, strongly urged the Commodore to hasten +his return to China; and the prize being much damaged, both in her hull +and rigging, it was found necessary to take her in tow for the quicker +dispatch. + +On the 21st of June it blew a storm, which continued till the 25th, when +the sea ran mountains high: in this storm the Centurion lost her +long-boat, and the prize a launch. + +On the 2d of July we passed between the Bashee Islands, though the +rippling of the sea seemed to indicate breakers or rocky ground; but the +wind being so far to the northward as to render it difficult to weather +them, we risqued the danger to shorten the voyage. On the 8th of July we +made the coast of China, and on she 11th came to an anchor off the city +of Mocao; from thence we proceeded to the river of Canton, where we met +with the usual obstructions from the custom-house officers, and where +the Commodore was again obliged, as it were, resolutely to force his way +to his intended station. The officer who came to take the dimensions of +his ships, in the usual manner, seemed astonished when he talked of +being exempted from the accustomed rates, and gave him to understand +that the Emperor’s duty must be paid by every ship that came into his +ports; and the pilot had private instructions not to carry the ships +through the Bocca Tygris, or narrow pass that forms the entrance into +the river of Canton, till security was given for the accustomed charges. + +And here it may be necessary just to mention, that this pass, not more +than a quarter of a mile in breadth, is defended by two forts on the +opposite sides; but these the Commodore disregarding, and being +determined to enter the river without delay, as the stormy season was +approaching, he caused the pilot to be brought before him, and in a +determined tone threatened to hang him to the yard-arm, if he did not +instantly take charge of the ship, and carry her safe, without striking +ground, through the Bocca Tygris into the open river. The poor pilot +performed his office, but did not escape punishment for what he could +not help. He was instantly seized on being released from the Centurion, +committed to prison, and rigorously disciplined with the bamboo. +However, he found means to get access to the Commodore afterwards, to +supplicate a recompence, who, ever ready to reward the sufferers in his +service, gave him such a sum as more than contented him for his +whipping. Nor was the poor pilot the only sufferer; for the Governors of +the forts were both displaced for not preventing what it was in vain for +them to attempt to oppose, and for not doing what all the council must +know was impossible to be done. + +On the 16th, the Commodore sent his Second Lieutenant to Canton, with a +letter to the Viceroy, assigning his reasons for putting into that port, +demanding a licence for purchasing provisions and stores, and intimating +an intention of waiting upon his Excellency in person to make his +acknowledgements. The Lieutenant was civilly received, and promised an +answer the next day. In the mean time, the principal officers of the +prize desired permission to go to Canton on their parole, which was +readily granted. These no sooner arrived, than they were called before +the magistracy, and examined; when they generously and frankly +acknowledged, that they fell into the hands of the Commodore by the +chance of war, and that though they were prisoners, they were +notwithstanding at liberty to treat for their release; they said +farther, that it was not the custom among European nations to put +prisoners to death; but that the laws of war authorized much severer +treatment than they had hitherto met with from their conquerors. This +confession from an enemy had great weight with the Chinese, who, till +then, though they had revered the Commodore’s naval force, had yet +suspected his morals, and had considered him rather as a lawless +free-booter, than as one commissioned by the state for the revenge of +public injuries. + +On the 20th of July, three Mandarines with their retinue came on board, +and brought the Viceroy’s permit for a daily supply of provisions, and +for pilots to carry the ships up the river as high as the second bar; +and, at the same time, they delivered a message from the Viceroy, in +answer to that part of the Commodore’s letter which related to his +visiting his Excellency; the substance of which message was, that the +Viceroy wished the Commodore to defer his visit till the hot season was +over, but that, in September, when the weather would be more temperate, +he should be glad to receive him. This the Commodore looked upon as a +finesse, knowing an express was sent up to the Emperor’s court at +Peking; whence the real motive for putting off the visit seemed to be to +gain time to receive the Emperor’s instructions concerning the ceremony +to be observed at his reception. The Mandarines, having dispatched this +part of their commission, next entered upon the business of the port +charges; whereupon the Commodore at once cut them short, by telling +them, that, as he did not come to trade, he was not to be treated upon +the same footing with trading ships; that his Britannic Majesty’s ships +never paid customs in the ports of Europe, nor ever would be subject to +any pecuniary imposts in any other port whatever. Finding nothing to be +gained on this head, they told the Commodore, that they had still +another matter in charge, and that was the release of the prisoners +taken on board the galleon; for that the Emperor would never permit the +subjects of princes with whom he was in alliance to be held in bondage +in his dominions, nor could the Viceroy answer it to his Sovereign if he +suffered it; and that, therefore, his Excellency hoped that the +Commodore would give immediate orders for their release. + +Though nothing could be more agreeable to the Commodore, who wanted much +to be rid of the incumbrance, than this requisition, yet, to inhance the +favour, he at first raised difficulties; but at length suffered himself +to be prevailed upon by their intreaties, and concluded, by assuring +them, that, to shew his readiness to oblige, he would deliver up the +prisoners whenever the Viceroy would please to order boats to fetch +them. Matters being thus adjusted, the Mandarines departed: and, in a +few days, two Chinese junks were sent from Canton to carry them to +Mocao, under the direction of one Captain Fial, Commander of a Spanish +merchant-man, to whose ship we gave chace in our passage from the Bashee +Islands to Mocao, but lost sight of her in the night. + +To this gentleman the General of the galleon, and all his officers, +except one who accompanied us to England, were delivered up. And now I +have occasion to mention the General, I cannot help relating an affair +which gave us on board the prize a great deal of concern, and +sufficiently shewed the meanness of his spirit, and his beggarly craft. +I have already taken notice of his being wounded in the engagement, and +of his being indulged with the use of his own cabbin till he was fit to +be removed. The Commodore, over and above this indulgence, sent him a +surgeon from his own ship, upon a complaint that the Spanish surgeon on +board the galleon was quite ignorant in his profession; but at the same +time he sent an officer to demand his commission. Pretending to the +officer that he was unable to move, he referred him to a small box in a +locker of his private cabbin, in which, he said, it was, and likewise a +sword-belt set with diamonds of great value, his own property; but, upon +search, neither the commission nor the belt could be found: and, as some +of our people had been rummaging both that and other parts of the ship, +he protested, that, if they could not be there found, they must have +been taken away and concealed. Under colour of this concealment, though +he never produced his commission, he all along received the most humane +and gentlemanlike treatment that the most worthy officer could desire or +expect; and such was continued till his departure, when neither his +chests, of which he had two very large ones, nor any of his trunks or +cases were suffered to be searched: but every thing which he claimed as +his personal effects were delivered to him with the greatest care and +punctuality though, as I was afterwards informed, he had many valuable +ventures concealed, which ought to have been delivered up as prize to +the captors; but, as that was never examined into, he carried them off +with the rest, and, it was supposed, was not the least among the gainers +by the capture of his ship. He persisted, however, to the last in the +loss of his commission and belt, and, though there were none on board on +whom he could charge the theft, yet the Commodore sufficiently expressed +his displeasure against the whole by the prohibition he laid upon us, as +soon as the prize came to an anchor in the river, by which all +communication was cut off between us and the country people, and no boat +suffered to come near us but our own; by which severe order we were +entirely debarred from purchasing our own provisions and necessaries +from the Chinese, which the people in the Centurion were at full liberty +to do; neither could we employ the Chinese tradesmen to supply us with +apparel, of which we stood greatly in need, though in that too the +Centurion’s people were indulged: and all this for no other reason, that +was ever assigned, but that, if the jewels the General had lost were +concealed, the Commodore was determined the secreter should have no +opportunity of disposing of them without being discovered. Had this +precaution been taken, as it ought, for the satisfaction of those who +suffered under the severity of the censure, and had the effects of the +Spanish General been properly inspected, the secreter would have been +publickly exposed; for, when we afterwards fell down to Mocao with the +ships, where we sold the prize, I was myself told by an Irish priest, +that the General had both his commission and his belt; that he made no +secret of the matter at Mocao; and that he had offered the jewels (being +only made up by way of blind) among the merchants for sale. + +But to return: during our stay in the river Canton, our people were +employed in repairing the Centurion, over-hauling her sails and rigging, +cleansing and ventilating her decks and quarters below, and in paying +and decorating her hull; insomuch, that when she came to sail, she had +more the appearance of a ship newly fitted out, than one that had been a +three-years voyage in traversing the globe. While these things were +doing on board the Centurion, we in the prize were busied in rummaging +for treasure, till about the latter end of August, when we made a full +end of our search, and found, upon account of the captors, in specie, +1,278,546 dollars, and 1,324 of wrought plate and virgin silver. The +jewels we found were not then valued. + +At the same time that the inferior officers and seamen were employed in +these different services, the Commodore had a still more important +business in hand. He knew it was impossible for us to proceed to Europe +without an ample supply of provisions and other sea stores; and, though +we were furnished with a daily allowance, yet no order had been obtained +for victualling us for our intended voyage. Application had indeed been +made, and terms agreed upon with the contractors to furnish whatever was +necessary; and they had undertaken to procure the Viceroy’s permission +for the delivery but when, about the middle of September, the proper +officer was sent to enquire what forwardness these things were in, he +found that neither the baker had begun to bake the bread, nor the +butcher to kill the oxen, nor was the least step taken to comply with +any one article of the agreement. We could no otherwise account for this +faithless procedure of the Chinese, than by supposing they meant to +starve us into a compliance with their accustomed demands for port +charges, with which the Commodore was determined never to acquiesce. +Indeed, it was suspected, that the contractors themselves had some +interest in promoting the delay, though it was not easy to penetrate the +views by which they were influenced, as it may with truth be asserted, +that in artifice, falshood, and attachment to all kinds of lucre, the +Chinese, as a nation, are not to be paralleled by any other people under +the sun. It were endless to recount all the artifices, extortions, and +frauds, which were practised on the Commodore and his people by this +interested race. The method of buying provisions in China being by +weight, the tricks made use of to make them heavy are almost incredible. +At one time a number of fowls and ducks being bought for the ship’s +store, the greatest part of them presently died, which spread a general +alarm on board lest they, should have died of poison; but, on +examination, it was discovered that they had been crammed with small +stones and gravel to increase their weight. The hogs, too, bought of the +Chinese butchers ready killed, were found to have had water injected +into the carcases for the same purpose; and when, to avoid this cheat, +the hogs were bought alive, it was found that salt had been given them +to increase their thirst, that methods had been used to suppress their +urine, and that the tortured animals had been sold in that inflated +state. Mr. Walter adds--[for it is on his authority that these instances +are reported]--that, as the Chinese never scruple to eat the animals +that die of themselves, they contrived, by their secret practices, when +the Commodore put to sea, that part of his live sea-store should die in +a short time after it was put on board: in order, therefore, to make a +second profit of the dead carcases which they expected would be thrown +over-board, they followed in boats to pick up the carrion; and, +accordingly, two thirds of the hogs dying before they were out of sight +of land, their labour could not be in vain. + +The treachery of the contractors being now discovered, the Commodore +determined to renew his former requisition for an audience with the +Viceroy. With this view, he notified his intention to the proper +Mandarine, and desired that he would fix the time with the Viceroy when +he would be pleased to receive him at the same time giving him to +understand, that, on the first of October, he intended to proceed in his +boat to Canton. The Mandarine returned for answer, that he would +acquaint the Viceroy with the Commodore’s intentions. As it was +apprehended, that the payment of the customary duties would be demanded +at this interview, the Commodore took the necessary precautions to +prevent the Chinese from facilitating the success of their pretensions +by having him in their power at Canton, and, therefore, gave the command +of the Centurion to his First Lieut. Mr. Brett (now Sir Piercy), with +orders, if he should be detained, to lie at the mouth of the river, and +suffer no ship or boat to pass or repass till he was released, by which +the whole navigation of the river would be immediately obstructed. + +This being known to the Chinese, they were now more than ever +embarrassed in their deliberations. The morning of the 1st of October +arrived, and just as the boats crew, eighteen in number, which the +Commodore proposed to take with him, appeared in their uniform, namely, +scarlet jackets and blue silk waistcoats, the whole trimmed with silver, +with silver badges on their jackets and caps, his linguist came to him +from the Mandarine, to tell him, that a letter had been received from +the Viceroy, desiring the Commodore to defer his intended purpose for +two or three days, which not being doubted, the men were ordered to be +undrest, and the preparations were all laid aside; but, in the afternoon +of the same day, another linguist came on board, seemingly in a great +panic, informing him, that the Viceroy had expected him up that day; +that the council was assembled, and the troops under arms to receive +him; and that the Viceroy was highly incensed at the disappointment, and +had sent the Commodore’s linguist to prison, chained, supposing him to +be the sole cause of the contempt. This plausible tale gave the +Commodore great uneasiness, not at that time suspecting any imposition; +and though it afterwards appeared to be all a mere farce, yet the +falshood was so well supported by the artifices of the Chinese +merchants, that three days afterwards the Commodore received a letter, +signed by all the Supercargoes of the English ships then at the place, +expressing their uneasiness at what had happened, and intimating their +fears that some insult would be offered to his boat, if he attempted to +come to Canton before the Viceroy was fully satisfied of the mistake. To +this letter the Commodore replied, that he did not believe there had +been a mistake, but was persuaded it was a forgery of the Chinese to +prevent his visiting the Viceroy; that, therefore, he would certainly +come up to Canton on the 13th of October, confident that the Chinese +would not dare to offer him any insult, as well knowing he should want +neither power nor inclination to make them a proper return. + +On the 13th of October, the Commodore continuing firm to his +resolutions, all the Supercargoes of the English, Danish, and Swedish +ships, came on board the Centurion, to accompany him to Canton, for +which place he set out in his barge the same day, attended by his own +boats, and by those of the trading ships, which on this occasion were +sent to augment his retinue. As he passed by Wampo where the European +vessels lay, he was saluted by all of them except the French, and in the +evening he arrived safely at Canton. + +The Chinese merchants, who affected to appear very much pleased that he +had met with no opposition in his way, pretended that the Viceroy was +then so fully employed in preparing his dispatches for Peking, that +there was no getting admittance to him; but that they had engaged one of +the officers of his court, as soon as he was at leisure, to notify the +Commodore’s arrival, and endeavour to fix the audience. Though the +Commodore knew this to be a falsehood, yet he suffered himself to be +persuaded by the European Supercargoes not to appear to doubt it, +provided the Chinese merchants would undertake that his bread should be +baked, his meat salted, and his stores in readiness, within the space of +40 days; after which time, if the least article was pretended to be +forgotten, he would force his way to the Viceroy, and prefer his +complaint. During the interval, while the contractors were endeavouring +in earnest to fulfil the terms of the agreement on their part, (which by +the way they insisted should be paid for in advance on his), a fire +broke out in the suburbs of Canton, which on the first alarm might +easily have been extinguished, by pulling down some of the adjoining +sheds; which the Commodore with his officers and crew observing, were +instantly about to carry into execution but they were told, that +whatever they pulled down they must build up again at their own expence, +and that none but a Mandarine must presume to direct upon such +occasions. The Commodore, on this admonition, dispatched his people to +the English factory to assist them in securing their effects, as it was +easy to foresee that no distance was safe from fire, where the +common-people contented themselves with gazing at it, and now-and-then +holding up an idol or two to extinguish it. At length, however, a +Mandarine came out of the city, with 4 or 500 firemen, who made some +very feeble efforts to pull down the neighbouring houses; but by this +time the fire had extended itself, and had spread among the merchants +warehouses, where the Chinese firemen had neither spirit nor skill to +encounter it; so that it was feared the whole city would have been laid +in ashes. In this emergency, the Viceroy vouchsafed to make his +appearance, and a message was sent to the Commodore requesting his +assistance. Accordingly, he hastened a second time, with about 40 of his +people, to the place where the fire raged with the most violence, and in +sight of the whole city performed such daring, and, to the people who +beheld them, such astonishing feats, that they looked upon them as +salamanders, and cried out, that they could live in fire. In truth, it +was no uncommon thing to see the boldest and most active among them +tumble on the roofs amidst the ruins of the houses which their own +efforts had brought down under them. And thus, by their resolution and +agility, the fire was very soon subdued, to the astonishment of the +Chinese who were spectators of the wonders they performed. On this +occasion the Swedish was the only European factory that suffered; yet on +my arrival in England, to my no small diversion, I read in the Paris +Gazette, that the city of Canton had been almost wholly destroyed; and +that, in particular, the English, Dutch, Danish, and Portuguese +factories, had been burnt down, and almost all their effects consumed; +but that the French factory had providentially escaped, their goods +being all shipped before the conflagration reached the quarter allotted +for their residence. + +This signal assistance gained the Admiral much respect; he was the next +day waited upon by the principal inhabitants with presents and thanks; +and soon after, a message came from the Viceroy appointing the 30th of +November for the day of audience. Being highly pleased with this last +intimation, he instantly gave orders for the necessary preparations; and +engaged Mr. Flint, a gentleman belonging to the English factory, for his +interpreter, who, being trained up from his infancy among the Chinese, +spoke their language fluently, and who was not afraid to declare with +boldness what the Admiral delivered him in charge, a part which the +Chinese interpreters would not have dared to have performed with equal +fidelity. + +On the day appointed, at 10 o’clock, the Commodore and his retinue set +out; and, as he entered the outer gate of the city, he was met by a +guard of 200 soldiers, who conducted him to the great parade before the +Emperor’s palace, in which the Viceroy then resided, where a body of +troops to the number of 10,000 were drawn up under arms, who made a fine +appearance, being all new cloathed for this ceremony. Through the middle +of this body the Commodore with his retinue marched to the hall of +audience, where he found the Viceroy seated under a rich canopy in the +Emperor’s chair of state, with all his council of Mandarines attending. +He was seated the third in order from the Viceroy, the chiefs of the law +and treasury being the only persons seated above him. He then, +addressing himself to the Viceroy by his interpreter, complained to him +of the delays he had met with, the insincerity of those he had employed, +the vexatious impositions of the officers of the customs, the grievances +of the British subjects, and, finally, the loss sustained by the +Haslingfield Indiaman, who had arrived there dismasted but a few days +before the fire happened, by which the crew had been great sufferers, +and the Captain in particular, who had lost a chest of treasure value +4500 tahel. To the latter article the Commodore received for answer, +that, in, settling the Emperor’s customs with that ship, the Captain +should be considered. To the other complaints, the Commodore received no +answer at all. And having now gone through the several articles he had +in charge from the company, he entered next upon his own affairs, and +particularly concerning the licence to ship off his provisions and +stores, which, he said, were all ready, and the season for sailing was +now set in. The Viceroy replied to this, that the licence should be +immediately issued, and that every thing should be ordered on board the +following day. The business being now at an end, the Viceroy continued +the conversation for some time on matters of indifference and curiosity; +and, after observing that the Centurion had been long on their coast, he +concluded with acknowledgments for the services the Commodore had +rendered the Chinese nation by the activity of his people at the late +fire, and with wishing him a prosperous voyage to Great Britain. Thus +happily concluded this long-expected audience; and, in pursuance of the +Viceroy’s promises, the provisions were begun to be shipped the very +next day: and now all the preparations for putting to sea were pursued +with so much expedition, that by the 9th the Centurion and her prize +were ready to unmoor, and on the 10th passed through the Bocca Tygris +into the open road, and on the 12th anchored before the town of Mocao. +While they lay here, the Portuguese merchants entered into treaty with +the Commodore for the purchase of the prize, for which they would give +no more than 6000 dollars, though worth double that sum; but the +impatience of the Commodore to be gone, that he might himself be the +messenger of his own good fortune, and thereby prevent the enterprizes +of the enemy to intercept him, prevailed upon him to conclude the +bargain; and, she being delivered on the 15th of December, and the money +received, in the afternoon of the same day he hoisted sail, and took his +departure for his native home. On the 3d of January he came to an anchor +on Prince’s Island, in the straits of Sunda, where he staid the best +part of five days to wood and water, and on the 8th weighed and +continued his course. From this time till the 20th we had foul and +stormy weather, so bad that I thought it impossible to meet with such in +latitudes so near the Equator; and the wind blowing directly against us, +we were driven pretty near the coast of New Holland; and, had it +continued blowing from the same quarter, with equal violence, for 48 +hours longer, we should have found it difficult to have cleared that +coast; but, on the 21st, the wind abated, and the weather became +moderate. On the 24th the trade-wind set in, and we then proceeded on +our passage with the highest alacrity. + +On the 22d of February, at half after four in the morning, I discovered +a comet to the eastward, near the horizon, being, as I judged, lately +emerged from the sun’s rays. Its tail was at this time about 10 degrees +in length; but in less than a fortnight it increased and extended itself +to near 40 degrees. Its head appeared very large and bright; and, on a +nice inspection, I have perceived it when the sun has been about a +diameter above the horizon. The next time I observed its distance from +the planet Venus to be 26 deg. 50 min. following the order of the +planets; but not having instruments proper for taking altitudes without +a very obvious sensible horizon, I was prevented from making more +satisfactory observations. From this time, till the 6th of March, we had +pleasant weather, with few exceptions; but on that and the three +following days, being near the Cape of Good Hope, we had some boisterous +storms; yet, when we arrived at Table-bay, on the 11th, the Dutch knew +not that any such had happened. We found riding here two English +East-Indiamen, the Salisbury and Warwick, each of which saluted us with +13 guns, and we returned 11. We also found five Dutch ships, one of +which having, as Admiral, a flag at his main-top-mast-head, saluted us +with 9 guns, to which we returned 7. At 11 at night we parted our best +bower cable and hawser, both of which were very rotten, and the next day +moored again with others purchased from the Dutch. Here the Commodore +continued till the beginning of April, highly delighted with the place, +and during his stay entered about 40 new men. On the 3d of May, having +compleated our water and provisions, we on that day weighed and put to +sea. On the 19th of April we passed within sight of the island of St. +Helena, which, however, we did not visit. On the 26th we caught on board +the ship a snake that measured in length six feet and two inches, which +our surgeon, on examination, pronounced to be perfectly harmless. It was +supposed to be brought on board with our wood, at Prince’s Island, in +the straits of Sunda. The 30th, being before the wind, with a fine +breeze, and a gentle rain, a violent and sudden squall took us a-head, +threw all the ship’s sails a-back, carried away her fore-top-sail yard, +split the fore-sail, the fore-top-sail, the fore-top-gallant-sail, and +the mizzen and mizzen-top sail. During this squall the ship laid down +very much, and we were in the utmost danger of our masts coming by the +board; but providentially we escaped without further damage. + +The 9th of June, in the evening, it being a thick fog, we on a sudden +saw a ship close by us; we fired a shot, and brought her to. She proved +an English ship from Amsterdam, bound for Philadelphia or Carolina, with +Palatine emigrants. She gave us the first notice of a war with France, +and proceeded on her voyage. The 10th of June we came into soundings. +The 11th, at half past eleven in the morning, we discovered three sail, +and at one in the afternoon spoke with one of them, being a Dutch ship +from Dublin. At the same time, the second, being pretty near us, shewed +Dutch colours. The third, who had been in chace of the others the whole +day, perceiving we designed to speak with her, stood from us with all +the sail she could crowd. We gave chace to her for about three hours, +when, finding we did not gain upon her, we resumed our former course. On +the 12th, in the morning, the fog clearing up, we perceived the Lizard +Point: but that the signal perils, which had so often threatened us, and +from which we had been more than once providentially delivered, might be +discoverable to the last, we were afterwards told that there was a +French fleet of considerable force cruising in the chops of the Channel, +through the middle of which we had this night sailed without being +perceived. + +On the 13th, between the Isle of Portland and the Isle of Wight, we saw +a ship towing another which was disabled in her masts. This ship proved +the Salamander privateer, with a French prize. The 14th, at eleven in +the morning, we anchored at the back of the Isle of Wight, and in the +evening weighed, and again anchored at Spithead.--Thus we finished a +long and perilous voyage, which had lasted three years and nine months, +after having by its events, as Mr. Walter observes, strongly evinced +this important truth, That though prudence, intrepidity, and +perseverance, united, are not exempted from the blows of adverse +fortune, yet, in a long series of transactions, they usually rise +superior to its power, and in the end rarely fail of proving +successful.” + + +[Having now brought this celebrated voyage to a conclusion, it may, +perhaps, be expected that we should give some account of the Spanish +squadron, which we have more than once had occasion to mention, and +which was so near intercepting the Commodore at first setting out, that, +had the Spanish Admiral cruised to the eastward of the island of +Madeira, instead of the westward of it, the two fleets must have +certainly met; and, in that case, whatever had been the event of the +action, the progress of the voyage must have been effectually prevented. + +This squadron was composed of the following ships: the Asia, of 66 guns, +700 men, commanded by Don Joseph Pizarro, as Admiral; the Guipuscoa, 74 +guns, 700 men; the Hermione, 54 guns, 500 men; the Esperanza, 50 guns, +450 men; the Estevan, 40 guns, 350 men; and a patache of 20 guns, 120 +men; and over and above this complement, they had on board an old +Spanish regiment of foot, intended to reinforce their garrisons in the +South Seas, and to counterbalance the land forces that it was known were +intended to be put on board the Commodore. + +When this fleet had cruised, as has been said, to the leeward of +Madeira, till they were in a manner certain that the Commodore had +either passed by, or deferred his voyage, their Admiral determined to +pursue his instructions, and continue his course to the South Seas; but +first, it was necessary to steer to the coast of Brazil to recruit his +provisions, being victualled only for four months, and more than two of +the four being already elapsed. + +Accordingly, about the beginning of November, 1740, he quitted his +station off the Madeiras, and, on the 5th of January following, arrived +at the river of Plate; where coming to an anchor in the bay of Maldando, +he sent immediately to Buenos Ayres for a supply. + +While they lay here, they received intelligence, by the treachery of the +Portuguese Governor of St. Catherine’s, of the Commodore’s arrival at +that port, and of the weak condition he was then in; but, whatever were +his reasons, Pizarro declined making any other use of this intelligence, +than hastening his preparations to double the cape, which he hoped to +effect before the Commodore was in readiness to follow him. With this +view, after refreshing his crew, and recruiting his water, he instantly +set sail without waiting for his provisions (which, however, arrived a +day or two after he set sail), rightly concluding, that, if he got the +start of the Commodore in the South Seas, he should not only alarm the +coast, but so strengthen the forts against the attacks of the enemy, as +effectually to baffle their designs, by depriving them of the means of +procuring necessaries. But, notwithstanding this precipitation, the +Commodore put to sea four days before him, and, in some part of the +passage round the Cape, the fleets were so near each other, that the +Pearl, as has been said, being separated in a storm, ran within gun-shot +of the Asia before she found her mistake. + +It was with the utmost difficulty, and not without considerable rewards, +that the Spanish sailors were prevailed upon to undertake the passage +round Cape Horn at that tempestuous season: however, being once engaged, +they continued to persevere, till by the latter end of February they had +run the length of the Cape, and were turning to the westward, when a +storm arose, in which the Guipuscoa, Hermiona, and Esperanza, lost sight +of the Admiral, and on the 6th of March the Guipuscoa was separated from +the other two. On the 7th the storm increased, and by its irresistible +violence drove the whole squadron to the eastward, and, after several +unsuccessful efforts, obliged them to return to the coast of Brazil, +where the Asia took shelter in the river of Plate, and about the middle +of May was joined by the Esperanza and Estevan; the Hermiona having, as +was supposed, foundered at sea, as she was never more heard of, and the +Guipuscoa being run ashore and sunk on the coast of Brazil. The patache, +we should have observed, was condemned before they quitted the coast of +Brazil, and her crew distributed among the other ships; so that, of the +six ships of which this squadron originally consisted, there now only +remained three, and those in a most miserable condition; for, though it +does not appear, that the Spaniards were so severely visited with that +most fatal disease the sea-scurvy, which carried off so many of the +English in this passage, yet they were reduced by famine to such +infinite distress, that rats, when they could be caught, were sold for +four dollars a-piece; and a sailor, who died on board, had his death +concealed for several days by his brother, who during that time lay in +the same hammock with the dead corpse, only to receive the dead man’s +allowance. + +In this dreadful situation, they were alarmed by the discovery of a +conspiracy among the soldiers on board the Asia, to murder the Admiral, +and all the ship’s crew, originating from no other motive but that of +appropriating the whole stock of provisions to the conspirators own +proper use. But this plot was prevented, when just upon the point of +execution, by means of the priest on board, who, having taken the +confession of one of the conspirators as he lay at the point of death, +pursued proper measures to defeat their bloody purposes, and to bring +three of the ringleaders to condign punishment. + +But, though this combination failed of its effect, there were other +distresses that multiplied upon them, and which could not be prevented. +Hunger and thirst, the most dreadful of all other calamities, daily +became more grievous; the ships grew continually more and more leaky, +and the men less able to stand at the pumps; nothing was to be seen but +despondency in every countenance; nothing heard but lamentations and +complaints, which were embittered by the absolute impossibility of +relieving them. Under the weight of these affecting circumstances, the +Asia was near sinking, when she arrived at Monte Vedio with scarce half +her crew alive. The Estevan, when she anchored in the bay of Barragan, +had in like manner lost about the same number of her hands; but, what +was still worse, and is almost incredible, the Esperanza, out of a crew +of 450 seamen which she brought from Spain, had only 58 that reached the +shore, and the whole regiment of soldiers, 60 men only excepted, +perished. + +Being now in want of all kinds of necessaries, masts, yards, rigging, +provisions, and money, Pizarro dispatched an express over land to St. +Jago, in Chili, to be from thence forwarded to the Viceroy of Peru, +desiring a remittance of 200,000 dollars; and what must astonish the +reader is, that the Indian who was charged with this dispatch, though in +the depth of winter, when the Cordilleras are judged impassable by +reason of the snow, was only 13 days in his journey from Buenos Ayres to +St. Jago, places distant from each other 300 Spanish leagues. At the +same time an advice-boat was sent with a letter of credit to Rio +Janeiro, to purchase what was wanting of the Portuguese; but neither the +one nor the other of these dispatches succeeded to the wish of the +Spanish Admiral. The Viceroy, instead of 200,000 dollars, sent him only +100,000; and the Portuguese, instead of furnishing him with masts and +yards, the principal articles of naval stores that he wanted, spared him +only some pitch, tar, and cordage, with which he was obliged to be +contented: but a more mortifying disappointment he had still to suffer; +for a carpenter, whom, after the return of the money, he had trusted +with a considerable sum, and whom he had sent up into the country of +Puraguay to cut masts, instead of prosecuting the business with which he +was entrusted, married in the country, and settled out of his reach, +refusing to return. + +In this dilemma, the only thing that could be done, was, to shift the +mails of the Esperanza into the Asia, and to fit up the Estevan with +what spare masts and yards they could muster, and with these two ships +to hazard a second attempt to double Cape Horn, as it was now summer, +and the weather less severe. But a certain fatality seemed to preside +over every part of this unfortunate expedition. The Estevan, as she was +coming down the river Plate, ran on a shoal and beat off her rudder; and +the Asia, though she proceeded alone with moderate weather and a +favourable gale, yet when she came to the height of Cape Horn, and was +tacking to change her course to the westward, by some misconduct in +wearing the ship, rolled away her masts, and was a second time forced +back to the river of Plate; from whence Pizarro undertook to cross the +continent by land, and with some difficulty accomplished his design. + +By this time Don Mindinuetta, Captain of the Guipuscoa, wrecked, as has +been said, on the coast of Brazil, arrived, with those of his crew who +escaped, at the place of general rendezvous; and, finding the Esperanza +without masts, applied a second time to the Portuguese, by whose +assistance he completed her repair, and, in 1742, doubled the Cape, and +arrived in the South Seas, where he was met by Pizarro, who claimed the +command of the Esperanza, which Mindinuetta disputing, an +irreconcileable quarrel arose between the two Commanders, which the +Viceroy of Peru in vain endeavoured to reconcile. In 1745, they both +returned over land to the coast of Brazil, where they found the Asia +still in a shattered condition. This ship, however, they determined to +carry to Europe, and, with this view, they fitted her up in the best +manner they could; and, having manned her partly with Portuguese, partly +with English prisoners, and partly with Spaniards, together with some +Indians whom they forced out of the country, they set sail from Monte +Vedio for Europe about the beginning of November; but they had not been +long at sea before the Indians, eleven in number, formed a conspiracy to +destroy the Spaniards, and to regain their liberty, in which they had +hopes of being joined by the English and Portuguese, whom the Spaniards +used with great insolence. At the head of this conspiracy was their +Chief Orellana; and one evening, about nine o’clock, he and his +companions came all together on the quarter-deck, and drew towards the +door of the great cabbin. The boatswain immediately reprimanded them, +and ordered them to be gone; on this Orellana spoke to his followers in +his native language, when four of them drew off, two towards each +gangway, and the Chief and the remaining six seemed to be slowly +quitting the quarter-deck. When the detached Indians had taken +possession of the gang-way, Orellana placed his hands hollow to his +mouth, and bellowed out the war-cry used by those savages. This was the +signal for beginning the massacre; accordingly, the six, with their +Chief, who remained on the quarter-deck, falling suddenly on the +Spaniards who were intermingled with them, laid near forty of them at +their feet, of which above twenty were killed on the spot, and the rest +disabled. Many of the officers, in the beginning of the tumult, pushed +into the great cabbin, where they put out the lights, and barricadoed +the door; whilst of the rest, some endeavoured to escape along the +gang-ways into the forecastle, where the Indians placed on purpose +stabbed the greatest part of them as they attempted to pass by; others +threw themselves into the waste, and thought themselves fortunate to lie +concealed amongst the cattle; but the greatest part escaped up the +main-shrouds, and sheltered themselves either in the tops or the +rigging; and though the Indians attacked only the quarter-deck, yet the +watch in the forecastle finding their communication cut off, in the +utmost terror likewise gave all over for lost, and in great confusion +ran up into the rigging of the fore-mast and bowsprit. But when the +Indians had intirely cleared the quarter-deck, the tumult in a great +measure subsided; for, not being joined, as they expected, by either the +English or Portuguese, they could not pursue their advantage by carrying +the disorder into those quarters to which they had driven the Spaniards, +who thereby gained time for recollection; and, on finding none concerned +in the plot but the Indians, they resolved to attack them in their turn +on the quarter-deck. With this view, Pizarro and his officers ventured +to half-open the cabbin-door, which Orellana attempting to force, was +shot dead by Mindinuetta; on which his faithful followers, abandoning +all thoughts of further resistance, instantly leaped into the sea. Thus +was this insurrection quelled, and the Spaniards suffered afterwards +quietly to proceed on their voyage; and, about the beginning of 1746, +they arrived safe in Spain, after having been absent between four and +five years. + +By this unfortunate expedition the naval force of Spain was much +weakened: they lost in it 3000 of their best sailors, one whole regiment +of veteran soldiers, four stout ships of war, and a patache; for we have +observed that the Hermiona foundered at sea; the Guipuscoa was stranded +and sunk on the coast of Brazil; the St. Estevan was condemned and broke +up in the river of Plate; and the Esperanza, being carried into the +South Seas, was unable to redouble the Cape, or to return back; so that +the Asia alone may be regarded as all the remains of that squadron with +which Pizarro first put to sea. + + [Illustration: Decorative Image.] + + + + + Transcriber’s notes + + +New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public +domain. + +The illustrations have been moved to appropriate paragraph breaks. + +The original text used the long s. This has been changed to the regular +s. + +Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. + +Archaic and inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have been retained. + +Marking of quotations in the original is inconsistent and has not been +altered. + +The opening square bracket on page 431 appears in the original, there is +no matching closing bracket. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78004 *** diff --git a/78004-h/78004-h.htm b/78004-h/78004-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e088461 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/78004-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,15575 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> +<meta charset="UTF-8"> +<title>An historical account of all the voyages round the world, performed by English navigators. 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text-indent: -1em;} +h2 {line-height: 2;} +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78004 ***</div> +<h1 class="align_c"> +<span class='lspp'>AN</span><br> +<span class='l13'><span class='lspa'>HISTORICAL ACCOUNT</span></span><br> +<span class='lspp'>OF ALL THE</span><br> +<span class='l15'><span class='lspa'>VOYAGES ROUND THE WORLD</span>,</span><br> +<span class='lspp'>PERFORMED BY</span><br> +<span class='l13'><span class='lspp'>ENGLISH NAVIGATORS</span>;</span> +</h1> +<p class="align_c"> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspa'>INCLUDING THOSE LATELY UNDERTAKEN</span></span><br> +<span class='l13'>By <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspp'>Order</span></span> of his <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspp'>Present </span></span><span class='lspp'>MAJESTY</span>.</span> +</p> +<p class="align_c top_space"> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspp'>THE WHOLE</span></span><br> +Faithfully Extracted from the <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspa'>Journals</span></span> of the<br> +<span class='l13'><span class='lspp'>VOYAGERS</span>.</span> +</p> +<table class='fontp9 center lh1p1 margetb'> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Drake</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">undertaken in 1577-80</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Cavendish</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1586-88</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Cowley</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1683-86</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Dampier</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1689-96</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Cooke</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1708-11</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Rogers</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1708-11</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Clipperton</span></span> and <span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Shelvocke</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1719-22</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Anson</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1740-44</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Byron</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1764-66</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Wallis</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1766-68</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Carteret</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1766-69</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="al ph"><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspz'>Cook</span></span>,</td> +<td class="ar">1768-71</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p class='align_c'> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspp'>TOGETHER WITH</span></span></p> +<p class='hang_indent'> +That of <span class="small-caps">Sydney Parkinson</span>, Draftsman to <span class="small-caps">Joseph Banks</span>, Esq; who circumnavigated the Globe with +Capt. <span class="small-caps">Cook</span>, in his Majesty’s Ship the <span class="small-caps">Endeavour</span>.</p> +<p class="align_c"> +<span class='l75'><span class='lspp'>AND</span></span> +</p> +<p class='align_c'> +The Voyage of Mons. <span class="small-caps">Bougainville</span> round the World, +Performed by Order of the French King.</p> +<p class="align_c top_space"> +Illustrated with Maps, Charts, and Historical Prints. +</p> +<p class="align_c top_space"> +<span class="small-caps"><span class='lspp'>In Four Volumes</span></span>. +</p> +<p class="l75 top_space align_c"> +To which is added, +</p> +<p class='hang_indent'> +An <span class='lspp'>APPENDIX</span>. Containing the <span class="small-caps">Journal</span> of +a <span class="small-caps">Voyage</span> to the <span class="small-caps">North Pole</span>, by the Hon. Commodore +PHIPPS, and Captain LUTWIDGE.</p> +<p class="align_c lined"> +<span class='lspb'>VOLUME THE SECOND</span>. +</p> +<p class="align_c"> +<span class='lspb'>LONDON</span>: +</p> +<p class="align_c fontp9"> +Printed for <span class="small-caps">F. <span class='lspp'>Newbery</span></span>, the Corner of St. Paul’s Church-Yard. +</p> +<p class='align_c one_space'> +<span class="topline">M DCC LXXIV.</span></p> +<div class="chapter"> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspb'>THE</span></span><br> +<span class='font2p'><span class='lspd'>VOYAGES</span></span><br> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspb'>OF</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspc'>Captain</span></span><span class='lspb'> COOKE</span>.</span> +</h2></div> +<p class='two_space drop-cap'> +T<span class='toupper lspz ip2'>he</span> rich cargo of the annual ship from Manilla +to Accapulco, has ever been the object +which private adventurers to the South Seas +have had in view, while, on the other hand, the +annual ship from Accapulco to Manilla has been +the pursuit of the ships of war. This difference +has arisen from the different constitution of the +two ships; for the galleon, when she sets sail +from Manilla, being deep laden with a variety +of bulky goods, (such as Chinese silks and manufactures, +vast quantities of Indian stuffs, callicoes, +and chintz, besides the minuter articles of +goldsmiths work, embroidery, &c. wrought at +Manilla by the Chinese,) she has not the conveniency +of mounting her lower tier of guns, but +generally carries them in her hold. Her hands +too are as few as are confident with the safe navigation +of the ship, that she may be the less encumbered +by the stowage of provisions so that +being but weakly manned, and indifferently provided +for defence, she is thereby more exposed +to the attacks of small privateers, and more easy +<span class='pagenum'>2</span>to be made their prey; and, though she does +not contain so great a treasure as the other, yet +she is sufficiently rich to recompense the undertakers, +and to enrich the captors, her cargo being +generally estimated at three millions of dollars. +</p> +<p> +But the ship from Accapulco making her return +chiefly in silver and gold, and having little +or no bulky goods on board, as her cargo lies in +less room, her lower tier is always mounted before +she leaves the port, and her crew is augmented +with a supply of sailors, and with one or +two companies of foot, which are intended to +reinforce the garrison at Manilla. Besides, there +being many merchants who take their passage to +Manilla on board the galleon, her whole number +of hands on her return is usually little short of +600 fighting men; so that she is more than a +match for such small privateers as are generally +sent upon hazardous expeditions, and a prize +only for a royal ship of war; and has therefore +never been attempted by any other. +</p> +<p> +The voyage we are now about to relate was +purposely fitted out with a view to intercept the +Manilla ship at the instance of Dampier, in concluding +of whose character (from reading the +accounts written by himself) we were led into +an error, which the present voyage, written by +Captain Cooke, has enabled us to correct. The +ill success that attended the voyage to the South +Seas, under the immediate command of Dampier, +of which a brief relation is given in the first +<span class='pagenum'>3</span>volume of this work, was so far from discouraging +that enterprizing officer from pursuing his +favourite project of making prize of the Manilla +ship, that, after his return, when he had wearied +the merchants of London with fruitless solicitations, +he repaired to Bristol, where his representations +were better understood, and where they +were attended with better effect. By his solid +remonstrances he prevailed upon nineteen of +the principal merchants and gentlemen of that +city to unite and form a company, for the purpose +of fitting out two private ships of war, to +shew what advantages might be derived from a +well-conducted enterprize against the Spaniards +in the South Seas: and it may, perhaps, be attributed +to his judgment and experience, that they +were more properly adapted to the service on +which they were to be sent, and were better provided +against every accident to which they might +be exposed, than any privateers that ever were +fitted out before them. Add to this, that their +crews were furnished with better regulations, +and subjected to stricter rules, and under severer +penalties, than men listed to go on hazardous +adventures are generally willing to submit to. +</p> +<p> +Their principal officers were gentlemen of +experience, or highly interested in the success of +the voyage; being the first subscribers, and the +chief promoters of the undertaking and these +also were assisted with a second set of officers, +equally able and experienced, who, in case of +accidents, were ready to supply the places of +those who might be disabled. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>4</span>But, besides being awed by penalties from +trespassing the articles of agreement that were +signed by every man on board from the highest +to the lowest, they were likewise encouraged by +rewards to behave gallantly; every common +sailor who should lose a limb in time of action +being entitled to a douceur of 30l. and so in +proportion to officers according to their respective +ranks: yet, notwithstanding all these precautions, +we find them ever ready to mutiny. +</p> +<p> +The two ships, thus fitted up and regulated, +were called the Duke and Dutchess; the first, of +300 tons, 36 guns, and 183 men, was commanded +by Woodes Rogers; the other, of 270 +tons, 30 guns, and 151 men, by Captain Stephen +Courtney. +</p> +<p> +Captain Rogers, who commanded in chief, +was a bold, active man, an indefatigable officer, +one who would not give up his opinion readily +to others, nor be flattered by other people’s +giving up their opinion, without being convinced, +to him. He had been, according to Harris, +a large sufferer by the French, and was naturally +no great friend to that nation; but his +most singular quality, and that which indeed +recommended him to this command, was a peculiar +art he had of maintaining his authority, +and at the same time preserving his influence, +over his seamen; an <em>art</em>, or <em>gift</em> rather, in which +Captain Dampier was remarkably deficient. +</p> +<p> +Captain Courtney was a man of birth, fortune, +and of many amiable qualities; he contributed +<span class='pagenum'>5</span>largely to the expence of the voyage, +and took a share in it to superintend the management, +and to interpose and qualify the differences +that might arise in the course of a tedious +and dangerous navigation; being a person +of an admirable temper, and remarkable for +moderation in all his decisions, in which almost +all men were ready to acquiesce. +</p> +<p> +Besides these two gentlemen, who were first +in command, Dr. Thomas Dover (the same, +who, about forty years ago, so effectually recommended +the use of quicksilver in a little +book, entitled Dr. Dover’s Last Legacy to his +Country, that ladies as well as gentlemen of +rank and fortune bespangled the floors and carpets +with quicksilver, and scattered their diamonds +wherever they met to dance, or to play) was +second Captain on board the Duke; and Captain +Edward Cooke, our author, was second to +Captain Courtney. +</p> +<p> +Dover was a considerable contributer to the +voyage, but he was of a rough ungovernable +temper, seldom pleased with either measures or +men; but incapable of forming any party to +support his own notions, because no party could +ever be brought to approve them. +</p> +<p> +Captain Cooke was an able and experienced +seaman, had been twice taken prisoner, and +twice released by the enemy, and now embarked +his All in this bottom with a view to make one +effort more to gain a fortune. +</p> +<p> +Captain Dampier, who projected the voyage, +<span class='pagenum'>6</span>was made pilot on board the Duke to direct it. +Of him the reader has already heard enough in +the former volume of this work; and from the +character of the leaders it is natural to infer, that +they were choice in the appointment of their inferior +officers, and that even the common men +were not of the meaner sort. +</p> +<p> +The general instructions of the owners were, +first, to repair to Ireland to take in provisions, +and then to proceed with all possible expedition +to the South Sea; if luckily they met with any +prizes by the way, they were either to send them +home or to America, as should best suit; they +were ordered by all means to keep together, +and to act in concert; to undertake no enterprize +of consequence without first deliberating +the matter in a general council of officers in +both ships; to be particularly careful in assisting +each other in every circumstance of necessity; +and that in giving relief in times of danger, or +in supplying provisions or water in case of want, +they should be as one ship, and that on no pretence +the one should be suffered to want while +the other had any thing to supply; but, as they +were to share alike in all advantages, they should +share alike too in all sufferings. +</p> +<p> +Thus fitted out and thus instructed, and the +officers of both ships being provided with legal +commissions to cruise against her Majesty’s enemies, +the French and Spaniards, in the South +Seas, on the first of August, 1708, they unmoored +from King road, and on the 4th of the +<span class='pagenum'>7</span>same month cast anchor at the Cove in Cork, +where they continued victualling, and adjusting +their men, changing some and enlisting others, +among whom were many foreigners, till the +first of September, when they sailed in company +with the Hastings man of war, having first agreed, +in case of separation, to meet at Madeira, +there to take in wine and brandy for the +remainder of the voyage. +</p> +<p> +[Here it is necessary to apprize the reader, +that, as there are two very authentic accounts +of this voyage, one written by Captain Rogers, +and one written by our author, we shall endeavour +to reduce them into <span class="small-caps">one</span>, by supplying +from Captain Rogers what is wanting in Captain +Cooke, and shall, contrary to the method +pursued in Harris, continue the narrative in the +person of Captain Cooke, though sometimes we +may be obliged to use the words of Captain +Rogers. And this being premised, we will now +proceed:] +</p> +<p> +On the 10th of September, says Captain +Cooke, we spied a sail, which we chaced and +came up with. She happened to be a Swede, +bound for Cadiz; and though from several circumstances +there was reason to suspect that she +had contraband goods on board, yet it being +difficult to prove it, and we being in haste, dismissed +her. This caused a mutiny on board the +Duke, headed by the boatswain and three inferior +officers, who persuaded the men not to +give her up. Captain Rogers confined the authors +<span class='pagenum'>8</span>of this disorder, in which there was not +one foreigner concerned. He put ten of the +mutineers in irons, a sailor being first soundly +whipped for exciting the rest to join him; others +less guilty he punished and discharged; but the +chief officers continued armed, fearing what +might happen, the ship’s company seeming too +much to favour the mutineers. They had afterwards +a great deal of trouble with these fellows, +who did more mischief when in irons than +before, by stirring up the men to release them, +pretending that they suffered in the cause of the +crew, and therefore the crew ought to rise and +release them. This determined the Captain to +make some examples, but not to irritate too +much; he therefore began by removing the +boatswain from his office, and appointing another +in his room, without intending anything +further. But on the 14th this intestine storm +rose higher than ever; for then a sailor with the +best part of the ship’s company at his heels, +went up to the Captain, and demanded the +boatswain out of custody. With this man the +Captain desired to speak alone, and when he +came upon the quarter-deck, the officers seized +him, and caused one of his chief comrades to +whip him. Thus by different corrections of the +like kind, the officers on board the Duke +broke the combination, and allayed the tumult. +The boatswain they sent home in the Crown galley +in irons; the other prisoners they released +upon their humble submission; such among +<span class='pagenum'>9</span>them as were petty officers they restored to their +commands, and all on board were forbidden to +disobey or reproach them: and thus ended an +insurrection, which, had it succeeded, would +have put a stop at once to the farther prosecution +of the voyage. +</p> +<p> +On the 15th, finding ourselves to the southward, +and at the same time somewhat to the +eastward of Madeira, we changed our place of +rendezvous, and bore away for the Canaries. +</p> +<p> +On Saturday the 18th, at five in the morning, +we saw a sail right a-head, to which we gave +chace. About 10, we came up with and took +her, being a small Spanish bark bound from Teneriff +to Fuertaventura, with several men and +women passengers on board, and laden with +sundry sorts of goods. Next day we bore away +for Oratavia-road, where we stood off and on, +and sent away the prize’s boat with one of our +owners agents, a priest, and the master of the +prize, to treat about the ransom of her, and to +get wine, provisions, and other necessaries, for +the refreshment of both the ships. About eight +next morning, a boat came from the town, with +a letter from the English merchants residing +there, wherein they expostulated with us for +making prize of the bark, alledging that there +was a free trade agreed to in these islands between +her Majesty of Great Britain and the +Kings of France and Spain, so religiously observed +by the latter, that they had caused an +English ship taken there by a French privateer, +<span class='pagenum'>10</span>to be restored; and farther, representing the +danger that might arise to themselves, living by +permission in an enemy’s country, if the bark +was not immediately given up, for which reprisals +would be made on them; as also, that we +should be answerable at home for interrupting +the settled commerce. This letter was signed +by the Consul and three capital merchants. Our +Captains immediately returned for answer, that, +having no instructions relating to the Spanish +vessels trading among those islands, they could +not justify the releasing of the ship on their bare +opinions, without some order or proclamation of +her Majesty, the English being protected there +only on anchoring ground, and the bark being +taken in the open seas; that, in case Mr. Vanbrugh, +the owners agent, was not restored, they +would carry away all the prisoners they had; +and, if they apprehended any detriment to the +factory, they might ransom the bark, and seek +their redress in England. They desired dispatch, +there being no time to lose; and, upon sending +back Mr. Vanbrugh, they would release the prisoners. +At night another letter came in answer +to theirs, from the Consul, importing, that the +English men-of-war were civilly received there, +and never committed any hostilities; and that it +was strange we should insist on ransoming any +Spaniards, who were never made prisoners in +England, or elsewhere; and the Governor there +delivered up to him any English prisoners that +were brought in by Spanish privateers; wherefore +<span class='pagenum'>11</span>he insisted, that those in our custody should +be dismissed, and the bark discharged, accepting +a present of wine in return. With this from the +Consul at the city of Laguna, came another +letter from the merchants at Oratavia-port, +much to the same purport, only offering to pay +to the value of 450 pieces of eight, the sum demanded +for the bark, in wine, brandy, sugar, oil, +barley, and greens, to prevent incensing the natives +against them, not doubting but that reparation +would be made them in England. Our +Captains replied, by threatening to cruise among +the islands to avail themselves for their loss of +time, and to cannonade the town of Oratavia, +unless they received instant satisfaction. On the +22d, at four in the morning, we stood in for the +shore, making a clear ship; but, soon after, we +saw a boat coming with our owners agent, and +Mr. Cross, one of the English merchants, bringing +five buts of wine, and other refreshments. +We lay off the town, took the goods out of the +prize, sold the bark to Mr. Cross, and put the +prisoners on board her. Thus ended this troublesome +business, which being unanimously approved +of at a council of officers of both ships, they +proceeded on their voyage; and, seeing a sail to +the westward, gave chace to her, but, night +coming on, lost her. +</p> +<p> +On the 24th we crossed the Tropic of Cancer, +and, the Sunday following, performed the ceremony +of dipping the men of both ships who had +<span class='pagenum'>12</span>not crossed it before; a ceremony that causes a +good deal of mirth among the common men. +</p> +<p> +On the 30th we passed by Santa Lucia, one +of the Cape de Verd islands, and by eight in +the morning came in sight of St. Vincent, and +about eleven came to an anchor in ten fathom +water within the rock. +</p> +<p> +As we knew the island not to be inhabited, +we were not a little surprized to see some people +on shore; and, in order to learn who they were, +and what their business was, I armed the pinnace, +and went on shore, when we found them to be +Portuguese come from the island of St. Anthony +to catch turtle, who told us we might here wood +and water. +</p> +<p> +This island lies in lat. 16 deg. 55 min. N. and +in 25 deg. 36 min. W. long. from the meridian +of London. There are on it Guinea-hens, hogs, +and goats, and about the shore plenty of fish. In +the woods there are spiders as large as little birds, +whose webs are not easily broken through, being +woven with a substance nearly as strong as ordinary +thread. +</p> +<p> +The Cape Verd islands are eleven in number, +St. Anthony, St. Vincent, St. Lucia, St. Nicholas, +Sal, Bona Vista, Mayo, St. Jago, Fogo, +Romes, and Brava; and take their general name +from a promontory on the African shore. They +belong to the Portuguese, but are not all inhabited. +</p> +<p> +While we lay at St. Vincent’s, new disturbances +arose among the men in relation to plunder; for +<span class='pagenum'>13</span>here they had an opportunity of trading, and +therefore every man wished to have something +to exchange. The effects taken in the late prize +occasioned a general murmur throughout both +the ships; to put an end to which, and to fix the +people in a firm resolution of doing their duty, +we determined to settle the matter at once, by +framing such articles, as, without giving our +owners any ground of complaint, might inspire +the seamen with courage and constancy, and +make them as willing to obey as their officers +were ready to command. It cost some trouble +to adjust the articles; but that was fully compensated, +by their effectually answering the purpose. +And now, having composed all differences, +the men again chearfully returned to their duty, +all but two or three of the Duke’s men, who +made their escape on shore among whom was +their linguist, who probably had no mind to be +left behind; but, having staid beyond his leave +of absence, and paid no regard to the orders that +were sent him to repair on board, it was thought +proper, by way of example, to depart without +him. Accordingly on the 7th of October we +unmoored, and, on the 8th, after lying by all +night for our consort, we set sail together for +the coast of Brazil. But on our passage thither +some fresh disputes arose among our men and, +after various consultations to accommodate the +differences, it was resolved, that Mr. Page, who +was our second mate, should be sent to serve on +board the Duke, and Mr. Ballet to come from +<span class='pagenum'>14</span>the Duke to serve on board the Dutchess in his +room. This was not to be effected without +force, Page refusing to obey the order; and +when it was on the point of being put in execution, +he resisted; but, being overpowered, and +carried on board the Duke, he was there charged +with mutiny. He desired to go to the head, +for a necessary purpose, before he made his defence, +and was permitted so to do; when he +instantly jumped over-board, with the design of +getting back again to the Dutchess, but was +taken up, tried, and punished, which put an +end to the disturbance for that time. +</p> +<p> +On Wednesday the 27th we crossed the Line, +and on Sunday the 14th of November saw land +at a great distance, and at noon made Cape +Frio, on the coast of Brasil. On the 18th we +anchored before Islo Grande, and on the 19th +moored our ship in ten fathom water. Here +one of our men going from the ship without +leave, giving the first Lieutenant foul language, +and threatening soon to be revenged, was put in +irons; and his messmates and confederates demanding +his release, or desiring to share in his +punishment, seven voluntarily went into irons. +</p> +<p> +On the 21st I went on shore in the pinnace +with a present to the Governor, and to acquaint +him we were friends. At our first landing they +fired several shot, taking us for French; but +afterwards made an apology, and received us +civilly. On the 23d two of the mutineers were +whipped, and put in irons again. On the 24th +<span class='pagenum'>15</span>four of the eight men in irons were released, +on their submission; and two men went on shore, +designing to leave the ship, and, having bargained +with a canoe to carry them to the main, +they were by mistake put ashore at a distant +part of the island, where, finding themselves on +an uninhabited coast, they began to relent and, +after staying a night in the woods, where they +were terrified with the roaring of wild beasts, +they came in sight of the ship, and made signs +of repentance, humbling themselves in the most +suppliant manner, and on their knees, with their +hands lifted up, endeavouring to move compassion. +After some time the boat went off, and +brought them on board, where they were confined +in irons till the next day, and then ordered +to be flogged and released. +</p> +<p> +On the 25th two Irish landmen stole away from +the Duke, and secreted themselves in the woods, +in like manner as the two seamen had done +from the Dutchess. About four next morning +the watch on the quarter-deck spied a canoe, and +hailed her to come on board; but the rowers +not answering, but striving to escape, the Duke’s +pinnace pursued the canoe, fired into her, and +mortally wounded one of the Indian rowers. +He that owned and steered the canoe was a Friar, +and had a quantity of gold on board, which, +after running the canoe ashore, he had just time +to hide before the Duke’s pinnace reached the +land. A Portuguese, who was in the canoe, +and who had no gold to lose, would not follow +<span class='pagenum'>16</span>the Friar; but, on the contrary, knowing the +English to be friends, called the Father back, +who, upon his return, was carried with the +wounded Indian on board the Duke, where the +poor man was dressed by the surgeon, but died +in a few hours. The officers in both ships were +very sorry for this unfortunate accident, and entered +their protest against it, and caused the +man to be buried on shore in a very solemn +manner. The friar, however, who had lost his +gold, was not to be appeased, but threatened to +seek for justice in Portugal or England. +</p> +<p> +In towing the ship about the easternmost part +of the island, we spied the Duke’s two men +waiting for a canoe to carry them over to the +main; and two of our Lieutenants manned the +boat, and, landing some men in a convenient +place to get behind them, to prevent their escaping +to the woods, they rowed to the place +where the fellows were seen to lurk. When +they found themselves beset, they endeavoured +to fly; but, being intercepted, they were brought +on board, put in irons, and sent to their own +ship, where they were afterwards severely punished. +</p> +<p> +On the 27th the principal officers on board +both ships went in their pinnaces to the town of +Angra dos Reys on the main, carrying the ships +music along with them. They were kindly received +and entertained by the Governor and Fathers, +who with their servants are the principal +inhabitants, there not being more than 50 or 60 +<span class='pagenum'>17</span>low-built houses in the place. They have a +guard-house, where, at our landing, we were +received by the Governor, with about 20 men +under arms, and treated with a dinner, sweet-meats, +and rum. The Governor and Fathers +desired we would go to see their Franciscan +monastery and church, that day being a festival +with them, and the people coming from the +plantations in the country to celebrate it. We +complied; and, at their request, our music, consisting +of trumpets, hautboys, and violins, played +in a gallery belonging to the church, and assisted +in heightening the solemnization, to the no small +satisfaction of the Fathers. After divine service +we likewise joined in procession with them, and +accompanied them from the church in the evening, +every one carrying a large wax candle in +his hand, according to the custom of the country +on such occasions. The procession being +closed, we were conducted into a great hall, and +treated by the Fathers with an elegant supper of +fish, sweet-meats, and fruits of various sorts in +the highest perfection. At our coming away, +they gave us some volleys with their small arms, +and we returned the compliment by a flourish +of trumpets, &c. +</p> +<p> +Fifteen days journey up the country there is +said to be a very rich gold mine and it was not +long since the French plundered a bark with +800 weight of gold-dust on board, which it +was bringing from the mine. Some men of +credit told me, that the mines here are more +<span class='pagenum'>18</span>profitable than even Mexico or Peru; but that +the Tapoyars, who inhabit the inland plains, +are an unconquerable race of men, taller and +stronger than the Portuguese, and not to be +brought to labour. The Brasilian women are +very fruitful, have easy labours, retire to the +woods, where they are delivered alone, and +return no more till after a certain time allotted +for purification. +</p> +<p> +On Tuesday the 30th of November we weighed +anchor; but a tornado coming on, we tacked, +and stood under the island till its fury abated. +On the 1st of December both ships sailed out +of the bay, and pursued their course to the +southward till the 21st, without meeting with +any remarkable occurrence; but on that day a +young man fell from the mizen-top-sail yard, +and fractured his skull. +</p> +<p> +On the 23d we made land, which I supposed +to be Falkland’s Island, in lat. 51 deg. 25 min. S. +by estimation. +</p> +<p> +On the 24th, as we ran along shore, the land +looked like some part of England, having several +good bays and valleys, but believe it to be +wholly uninhabited. +</p> +<p> +On the 5th of January, 1709, we had a violent +gale of wind at north-west, and very bad +weather. At two in the afternoon we reefed +both courses, then lowered our fore-yard, and +lay by till five, at which time our waste was +filled with water, and we expected the ship to +sink every moment: got down our fore-yard as +<span class='pagenum'>19</span>well as we could, and loosed the sprit-sail to +wear the ship, which at last we accomplished; +but in wearing we thought we should have foundered +with the weight of water that was in her +waste. Thus we scudded before the wind, the +Duke following, and at nine shipped a sea in +the poop, as we in the cabbin were going to supper. +It beat in all the cabbin-windows and +bulk-head, and hove the first Lieutenant halfway +between the decks, with several muskets +and pistols that hung there, darting a sword that +was against the bulk-head of the cabbin through +my man’s hammock and rug, which hung against +the bulk-head of the steerage; and, had not the +bulk-head of the great cabbin given way, all +we who were there must inevitably have been +drowned before the water could have been discharged. +Our yaul was staved on the deck, +and it was a wonder that many were not killed +with the shutters, the bulk-head, and the arms, +which were driven with a prodigious force; but +Providence delivered us from this and many +other dangers; only one man or two were hurt, +and some bruised; but not one rag of dry cloaths +was left us, our chests, beds, and bedding, being +all soaked in sea-water. Next day the storm +abated, and we continued our course, coasting +very far to the south, where we endured much +cold, by which many of our men were greatly +affected, insomuch that a third part of both +ships companies fell sick, occasioned, as I suppose, +by their being long wet and cold. We +<span class='pagenum'>20</span>were now in lat. 61 deg. 48 min. S. long. from +Falkland’s Isles 18 deg. 5 min. W. +</p> +<p> +Monday 17, by a good observation I found +that we were got round Cape Horn, Terra del +Fuego, and the Straits of Magellan, and to the +northward of Cape Vileria. On the 19th I +reckoned we were to the northward of Port St. +Stephen on the coast of Patagonia in the Great +South Sea. +</p> +<p> +On Monday the 31st, at eight in the morning, +made the Island of Juan Fernandez, where we +designed to wood and water. In the afternoon +Capt. Dover went off in the pinnace to get some +provisions, and in the evening saw a fire ashore, +which made us conclude there were ships in the +road, as we were assured the island had no inhabitants: +we therefore made the signal for the +boat to return, and she accordingly come on +board about twelve at night. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday Feb. 1, we rowed and towed into the +great bay, and came to an anchor in 50 fathom +water. All this day we had a clear ship expecting +a rencounter; but were much disappointed +when, instead of a valuable prize, we discovered +only an odd figure of a man, who had been +the sole resident on the island for more than four +years. His name was Alexander Selkirk, a +Scotchman, who had been Master of the Cinque-ports, +the ship that accompanied Dampier in his +voyage to the South Seas, and was, as Dampier +said, one of the best men in her. Captain Rogers +immediately agreed with him to be his mate. +<span class='pagenum'>21</span>It was this man who made the fire in the night +when he saw our ships, which he judged to be +English. During his stay here, he saw several +ships pass by; but only two came to an anchor. +As he went to view them, he found them to be +Spaniards, and retired from them; upon which +they shot at him. Had they been French he +would have submitted, but chose to risque his +dying alone on the island rather than fall into +the hands of the Spaniards, because he apprehended +they would either murder, or make a +slave of him in the mines; for he feared they +would spare no stranger that might be capable +of discovering the South Seas. The Spaniards +had landed before he knew what they were, and +they came so near him that he had much ado to +escape; for they not only shot at him, but pursued +him to the woods, where he climbed to the +top of a tree, at the foot of which they charged +their pieces, and killed several goats just by, +but went off again without discovering him. +He told us, that he was born at Largo, in the +county of Fife, and was bred a sailor from his +youth. The reason of his being left here was a +difference between him and his Captain, which, +together with the ship’s being leaky, made him +willing rather to stay here, than go along with +him at first, and when he was at last willing to +go his Captain would not receive him. He had +been at the island before to wood and water, +when two of the ship’s company were left upon +it for six months, till the ship returned, being +<span class='pagenum'>22</span>chaced thence by two French South Sea ships. +He had with him his cloaths and bedding, with +a firelock, some powder, bullets, and tobacco; +a hatchet, a knife, a kettle, a bible, some +practical pieces, and his mathematical instruments +and books. He diverted and provided +for himself as well as he could; but for the first +eight months he had much ado to bear up against +melancholy, and the terror of being left +alone in such a desolate place. He built two +huts in Piemento-trees, covered them with long +grass, and lined them with the skins of goats +which he killed with his gun as he wanted, so +long as his powder lasted, which was but a +pound, and that being almost spent, he got fire +by rubbing two sticks of Piemento wood together +upon his knee. In the lesser hut, at some +distance from the other, he drest his victuals, +and in the larger he slept, and employed himself +in reading, singing psalms, and praying; so that he +said he was a better Christian while in this solitude +than ever he was before, or than, he was afraid, +he should ever be again. +</p> +<p> +At first he never eat any thing till hunger +constrained him, partly for grief, and partly +for want of bread and salt, nor did he go to bed +till he could watch no longer. The Piemento +wood, which burnt very clear, served him both +for fire and candle, and refreshed him with its +fragrant smell. He might have had fish enough, +but could not eat them for want of salt, because +they occasioned a looseness, except crayfish, +<span class='pagenum'>23</span>which are as large as lobsters, and very good. +These he sometimes boiled, and at other times +broiled, as he did his goat’s-flesh, of which he +made good broth. He kept an account of 500 +that he killed while there, and caught as many +more, which he marked in the ear and let go. +When his powder failed he took them by speed +of feet, for his way of living and continual exercise +cleared him of all gross humours, so that +he ran with wonderful swiftness through the +woods and up the rocks and hills, as we perceived, +when we employed him to catch goats +for us. We had a bull-dog which we sent with +several of our nimblest runners to help him to +catch goats; but he distanced and tired both +the dog and the men, caught the goats, and +brought them to us on his back. He told us +that his agility in pursuing a goat had once like +to have cost him his life. He pursued it with +so much eagerness that he catched hold of it on +the brink of a precipice of which he was not +aware, the bushes hiding it from him so that +he fell with the goat down the precipice a great +height, and was so bruised with the fall that he +narrowly escaped with his life; and, when he +came to his senses, found the goat dead under +him. He lay there about twenty-four hours, and +was scarce able to crawl to his hut, which was +about a mile distant, or to stir abroad again in +ten days. He came at last to relish his meat +without salt or bread. He had a constant supply +of good turneps, which had been sown there by +<span class='pagenum'>24</span>Captain Dampier, and have now overspread +some acres of ground. He had good cabbage +from the cabbage-trees that grow wild upon the +island, and seasoned his meat with the fruit of +the Piemento-trees, which is the same as Jamaica-pepper, +and smells deliciously. He found +also a black-pepper, called Malageta, which was +very good to expel wind and strengthen the stomach. +He soon wore out all his shoes and +cloaths by running in the woods; and at last, +being forced to shift without them, his feet became +so hard that he ran every where without +difficulty; and it was some time before he could +wear shoes after we found him; for, not being +used to any so long, his feet swelled when he +came to wear them again. After he had conquered +his melancholy, he diverted himself sometimes +with cutting his name upon the trees, sometimes +with contrivances to vary and increase his +stock of tools, and sometimes in clear evenings +in counting the stars. He was at first much +pestered with cats and rats that had bred in +great numbers from some of each species which +had got ashore from ships that put in there to +wood and water. The rats gnawed his feet and +cloaths while he slept, which obliged him to +cherish the cats with his goat’s flesh, by which +many of them became so tame, that they would +be about him in hundreds, and soon delivered +him from the rats. He likewise tamed some +kids; and, to vary his diversions, would now +and then sing and teach them to dance; so that +<span class='pagenum'>25</span>by his natural flow of humour, and the vigour +of his youth, being now but 30 years old, he +came at last to conquer all the inconveniences +of his solitude, and to be very easy. When his +cloaths were worn out, he made himself a coat +and a cap of goats-skins, which he stitched together +with little thongs of the same that he cut +with his knife. He had no other needle but a +nail; and, when his knife was worn out to the +back, he made others of some iron hoops that +were ashore, which he beat thin, and ground +upon stones. Having some linnen cloth by +him, he sewed himself some shirts with a nail, +and stitched them with the worsted of his old +stockings, which he pulled out on purpose. He +had his last shirt on when we found him on the +island. At his coming on board us, he had so +much forgot his language for want of use, that +we could scarce understand him; for he seemed +to speak his words by halves. We offered him +a dram; but he would not touch it, having +drank nothing but water since his being there; +and it was some time before he could relish our +victuals. He could give us no account of any +other product of the island than what we have +mentioned, except some black plumbs, which are +very good, but hard to come at, the trees which +bear them growing on high mountains and +rocks. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/027.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>Alexander Selkirk Makes his Cats and Kids dance before Capt<sup>n</sup>. Cook and his Company.</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +The officers that went first on shore were invited +to his retreat; but the way to it being +very rugged and intricate, only a very few of +<span class='pagenum'>26</span>them had curiosity enough to visit it. He had +conceived an irreconcileable aversion to an officer +on board the Cinque Ports, who, he was informed, +was on board the Duke; but, not being +a principal in command, he was prevailed +upon to wave that circumstance, and to accompany +Captain Dampier, for whom he had a +friendship. He was very useful while the ships +staid at Juan Fernandez, in supplying them with +fresh provisions, and in facilitating the business +of taking in wood and water. He said, he had +seen snow and ice in July, which is the middle +of winter in that climate; but the months of +September, October, and November, are inconceiveably +pleasant; the air being perfumed with +a fragrance that cherishes and revives the spirits, +and has a wonderful effect upon animals, as well +as men, which Selkirk remarked by their playwardness +and plumpness. He particularly directed +us to a plant not much unlike feverfew, +of a most grateful and cordial scent, with which +we strewed the tents of the sick, who were thereby +much comforted, and their cure facilitated. +We gathered many bundles of it, dried them +in the shade, and sent them on board. +</p> +<p> +On the 13th of February, a general council of +officers was held on board the Duke, when many +necessary regulations were agreed to, for the +maintenance of order, discipline, and secrecy; +among which, two inspectors were appointed +from on board the Duke, to take account of all +prizes taken by the Dutchess; and the like +<span class='pagenum'>27</span>number from the Dutchess, to register such as +should be taken by the Duke. +</p> +<p> +While we continued in this bay the carpenters +fitted up the pinnaces, the frames of which +were ready prepared at Bristol, at our first setting +out. +</p> +<p> +On the 14th the pinnaces were launched, and +having each a gun fitted to her prow, were tried +in the bay, to see how they would sail, being intended +to serve as small ships of war, to examine +the harbours where the large ships could not +venture to approach the shore. And now, having +all things in readiness, we began to prepare +for our departure, all our sick men being recovered, +except two who died, and were buried +on the island. +</p> +<p> +On the 15th we cleared the bay, and pursued +a northerly course till the 24th, when we crossed +the Tropic of Capricorn, and shot some Tropic +birds about the size of a partridge, with only a +single feather in their tails, but that very long, +and very taper. We had now the sea as smooth +as a pond; and, having little to do, we ordered +the men to attend prayers regularly twice a day; +prohibited gaming, to prevent the artful from +taking advantage of the simple; and imposed a +penalty against swearing, by which that vice was +almost excluded the ships company. +</p> +<p> +On Monday the 28th I ordered three of our +men to be put in irons, for cutting the meat in +the steep-tub, and hiding it; and on the 2d of +<span class='pagenum'>28</span>March, Captain Courtney caused them to be +whipped and pickled, by way of example. +</p> +<p> +On Thursday the 14th of March, Captain +Rogers, Captain Dover, and Captain Dampier, +came on board the Dutchess; and concluded, +that the strict observation of Lent having prevented +the Spaniards from trafficking in those +seas, the most eligible plan would be to bear +away under an easy sail for Lobos, and there +to supply ourselves with boats to land at Guayaquil; +but in the afternoon, saw a sail, gave chace, +and took her. She came from Guayaquil, and +was bound for Cheripe to load flour, and had +been out 16 days. The crew were all Indians, +except one Spanish passenger. They had nothing +on board but about 50l. in money to pay +for their cargo, and told us, that part of the +new town of Guayaquil had lately been burnt; +that the Jesus Maria, formerly a man-of-war, +was coming from Lima to be there rebuilt; that +another large ship was expected from Panama at +Payta; and that they had heard nothing of any +English men-of-war or privateers being in those +seas. +</p> +<p> +On the 16th we made the island of Lobos, +and in the evening anchored in the road. It lies +in lat. 6 deg. 5 min. S. about 16 leagues from the +continent, is barren, and affords neither wood +nor water; but there is good riding for ships, +and harbours proper for repairing and careening. +Here the prize was fitted up, and it was agreed, +that I should go out in her with 35 men, to cruise +<span class='pagenum'>29</span>in company with the Dutchess; and with that +view she was new named, and called <i>The Beginning +Galley</i>. +</p> +<p> +On the 26th, at day-break, we saw a ship +standing to the southward, and soon came up +with her. She was a bark of 50 tons, bound from +Guayaquil to Truxillo, with timber and cocoa-nuts. +It was agreed, that Captain Courtney +should stand in with her in the night; and that +I should continue to cruise till farther orders, +which on the 27th I received, and the same evening +came to an anchor by the Duke and Dutchess +in Lobos-road. Next day, the prisoners being +examined, reported, that a ship of 36 brass +guns was expected from Lima with the Viceroy +of Mexico and his mother on board; and that +they were bound to Panama. Upon this intelligence +it was resolved in full council to cruise in +quest of this ship, and if she escaped to attack +Guayaquil. +</p> +<p> +While the Duke lay at Lobos, the carpenters +built a large boat to land men, in case of an attack; +and, having made all necessary preparations, +and the sick men from both ships being +put on board the last prize, which was called +the <i>Increase</i>, our first Lieutenant was ordered to +command the <i>Beginning Galley</i>; and on the 31st +of March we left Lobos, and agreed to cruise +six leagues to the windward of the Saddle of +Payta, as the most likely station to succeed in +our enterprize. +</p> +<p> +On the 2d of April we fell in with a large +<span class='pagenum'>30</span>ship, of 400 tons, from Panama, heavily laden +with dry goods, commanded by Captain Morel, +and thought to be one of the largest merchant-ships +in all those seas. He had 50 or 60 blacks +on board, besides several passengers. +</p> +<p> +The next day we took another prize of small +value, having only about 90 or 100l. in plate, +and a small quantity of timber. She was of 50 +tons burden, commanded by Juan Perezillo +Bastillo, who told us that a bishop was coming +by sea from Panama to Lima with 200,000 +pieces of eight, and a considerable quantity of +family plate; but no ship appearing in sight +from the 3d to the 9th, it was then upon consultation +agreed to call in the cruisers, and to +attempt the conquest of Puna and Guayaquil. +This resolution being taken in council, it was +next debated, who should command in chief on +shore; and, after a warm contest, it was at length +agreed, that Captain Rogers and Captain Courtney +should each command a company of seamen, +and Captain Dover a party of landmen; that +Captain Dover should give the word of command +the first night, and the other two Captains take +their turns. +</p> +<p> +On Sunday the 10th, Mr. Vanbrugh, the +owners agent, was removed from the council, +and Mr. Samuel Hopkins was chosen in his +room; the charge against him was founded on +killing the Indian, as already mentioned, and +engaging to vote with Captain Rogers upon all +occasions. Captain Dover likewise charged +<span class='pagenum'>31</span>him with insolence, and with disobeying orders. +</p> +<p> +On the 12th, the attack of Guayaquil was +finally settled, and the whole fleet set sail for +that harbour. Some new regulations were +framed, and fresh encouragement proposed to +animate the men to behave resolutely. +</p> +<p> +The three commanding officers selected each +their respective parties, Captain Dover the marines, +and the Captains Rogers and Courtney +two parties of sailors, 75 men in each; Captain +Dampier commanded the artillery, and +was to form a body of reserve, to act as occasion +should offer. The whole number employed in +this service amounted to 238 effective men. +The care of the ships and prizes was at the same +time entrusted to the Captains Cooke and Fry, +who, besides a small complement of sailors, had +226 Indians and blacks on board. +</p> +<p> +Friday 15. Saw a sail near the shore, and, +having little wind, the Duke’s boat commanded +by Captain Fry, and ours by myself, made directly +for her, going off in such haste that neither +of us had the swivel guns we used to carry, +nor our full complement of men. The Duke’s +boat nearing her first, she put out Spanish colours, +fired a gun, and hoisted her Spanish flag +at the main-top-mast head. The Duke’s boat +then lay by for us to come up. We saw she +was French-built, and, by the description the +prisoners had given us, concluded it must be the +ship we had been so long cruising for, which +<span class='pagenum'>32</span>was to carry the Bishop. Our ships being almost +out of sight, and the Spaniards so near the +coast, we resolved to lay her on board on each +bow, and accordingly fell to it. The dispute +was hot for a long time, we keeping a constant +fire, and the enemy returning it, who killed two +of Captain Fry’s men, besides wounding one of +his and two of mine. One of the killed was +Mr. John Rogers, our second Lieutenant, and +brother to Captain Rogers. The Duke’s boat, +finding the enterprize desperate, bore away; +and some time after we did the like: but Captain +Fry having put some of his men aboard of +us, given us some powder and shot, and taken +in our wounded, I made again to the chace, resolving +to keep her from the shore, and, rather +than fail, to clap her aboard. The Spaniards, +perceiving our design, edged off to sea, and we +followed them. Our ships came up apace, and +the Dutchess having fired a shot or two, she +struck her colours, and surrendered. The men +begged for good quarter, and we promised them +all civility. This ship came from Panama, and +was bound for Lima, to be fitted out for a man +of war. There were 70 blacks, and many passengers, +with a considerable quantity of pearls, +on board: the lading consisted of bale goods, +and some things belonging to the Bishop; but +they had set him, with his attendants, ashore at +point St. Helena, from whence he was to go by +land to Guayaquil. While the French possessed +this vessel, she was called La Lune d’Or. She +<span class='pagenum'>33</span>was of 270 tons burden, and commanded by +Don Joseph de Arizabella. +</p> +<p> +Saturday 16. Took a small bark laden with +hides, and some flour, and buried our Lieutenant, +being all much concerned for the loss of +so good an officer. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 17. All things being now in order, +our men went aboard the two barks in order to +land, and Captain Fry and I took charge of +the ships, prizes, and prisoners. +</p> +<p> +Monday 18. At one in the morning, being +near the island Santa Clara, our two barks with +the land forces left us. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 19. The boats rowed with 45 men +towards the island Puna, and came to a grappling +close under the land, out of sight of the +look-outs. We seized the Governor of the +island, and sent our carpenter and two or three +hands along the shore, to cut all the bark-logs +and canoes in pieces, for fear they should get +away and alarm the town of Guayaquil. +</p> +<p> +Thursday 21. I sent the Beginning a-head, for +fear of danger, who, seeing a vessel riding close +under point Arena, fired two swivel guns at +her; but found nobody on board. She was a +new Spanish bark going to load salt, and had +nothing in her but a few jars of water. At five +in the afternoon the transports rowed for the +town of Guayaquil, and at eleven at night were +so near as to hear one centinel call to another +for fire to be brought. Perceiving we were discovered, +we rowed over to the other side, and +<span class='pagenum'>34</span>saw a fire made where the centinels talked, and +soon after many lights all over the town. We +heard them likewise ring the alarm-bell, and +fire several volleys; and we observed them to +light a fire on the hill to give the town notice +of our being come up the river. Hereupon the +boats came to a grappling, when such a hot dispute +arose among some of our chief officers, +that they were heard ashore; the officers differing +in their opinions, whether to land immediately, +or stay till morning; however, at last it +was agreed, that, since we did not know the +ground, it was best to stay till day-light. +</p> +<p> +Friday 22. Our forces being all joined, we +sent a flag of truce, with the Captain of the +French-built ship, and another prisoner, to the +Corregidor, who asked him our number, which +the Captain magnified. The Corregidor suggested +that we were mere boys; but the Captain replied, +he would find we were men, for we had +fought him bravely in our open boats, though +he had killed one of the Commander’s brothers, +and wounded and killed others; and therefore +advised him to agree for the ransom of the +town. +</p> +<p> +Saturday 23. The pinnace went up the river +after some vessels, and brought six of them to +anchor by our barks; and we also took possession +of two new ships, of about 400 tons each. +We then went ashore with a flag of truce, +and the Governor came on board to agree about +the ransom of the town and ships; but this not +<span class='pagenum'>35</span>being then concluded, he promised to meet the +Captain at seven in the evening, but was not so +good as his word. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 24. The Governor came off again +to treat, and our Captains would have seized +him for having forfeited his word; but he alledging +that it was incompatible with his coming +with a flag of truce, was set ashore again, +and all things were made ready for the attack. +Accordingly the men landed, and, being commanded +to proceed, they went on with so much +bravery, that the Spaniards fired only their first +volley and fled, our people pressing and pursuing +them to their cannon, which they soon deserted, +the gunner only, who was an Irishman, +standing by them till he was wounded in four +places, of which wounds he soon after died. +Our men then marched in a body through both +towns, drove out the enemy, and, placing three +guards in the three churches, set fire to five or +six houses adjoining to the wood, lest the enemy +should annoy our guard, which was within pistol-shot. +All this night they kept firing out of +the woods at our centinels, but did them no +harm. In the mean time, the Dutchess’s pinnace, +commanded by Lieutenant Connely, went +up the river, landed at every house, took the +plate and what else of value they found, and +had some skirmishes with the enemy, in which +one of our men was wounded. +</p> +<p> +Monday 25. In the night one of our centinels +shot another belonging to us, who was going +<span class='pagenum'>36</span>from his post, and did not answer when +challenged three times; our first Lieutenant’s +pistol went off by his side, and wounded him in +the leg; and another of our men was also shot +through the foot by one of our own people: +moreover, our surgeon cut off a man’s arm who +had been hurt by one of our grenadoe-shells, +which broke in the bark when fired out of the +cohorne. The afternoon was spent in shipping +off provisions from the town, and disposing all +things in case of an attack in the night. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 26. A flag of truce came to treat +concerning ransoming the town, which was at +last agreed on for 30,000 dollars. We were to +have three hostages, and to stay at Puna till +they could raise the money. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday 27. The hostages came on board; +and we took down our Union flag, and hoisted +a flag of truce, firing a gun for a signal that the +Spaniards might come into the town, and that +no farther hostilities should be committed on +either side. +</p> +<p> +Thursday 28. Our barks weighed with +the beginning of the ebb, the Duke’s pinnace +making the best of her way down to the ships; +and the float, after going ashore to fetch off the +great guns, weighed also, and fell down the river. +</p> +<p> +Friday 29. Captain Rogers came aboard, +and gave us an account that they had taken, +plundered, and ransomed the town of Guayaquil; +that three of our men had been killed, +<span class='pagenum'>37</span>two by our own people, and one by the Spaniards, +and four wounded; that the inhabitants, +whilst treating, had carried off their money and +plate, retiring to the woods, and leaving their +guns, four whereof were taken, with a considerable +quantity of meal, pease, sugar, brandy, +and wine, all which was coming down in the +barks. This day Hugh Tidcomb, who was +shot by his fellow-centinel, died. At four in +the afternoon, spied a sail standing up the river +with the tide of flood: we sent both ship’s boats +after her, and before night they brought her in. +She was a small Spanish bark from Cheripe, +having on board 330 bags of meal, 35 hundred +weight of sugar, some onions, quinces, and +pomegranates. This, with the six barks, and +two great ships ransomed by the town of +Guayaquil, made fourteen prizes taken in those +seas. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 30. Captain Rogers went aboard the +French-built ship to carry her up to Puna, in +hopes of disposing of her cargo and some of the +blacks, who only served to eat up our provisions; +as also to bring down what water and +provisions could be got; Captain Courtney +being gone there before on the same account. +</p> +<p> +Monday, May 1. A boat came down from +the town with part of the ransom, whereupon +most of the prisoners were set on shore. +</p> +<p> +Thursday 5. Captain Rogers returned with +the French-built ship, the Spaniards having +bought none of her cargo; but they had paid +<span class='pagenum'>38</span>24,000 dollars, part of the 30,000 ransom; upon +which, the Governor of Puna, one of the hostages, +was discharged, but the others kept. +</p> +<p> +Friday 6. In the afternoon the Duke and the +prizes joined us, when we were seven sail in all. +A boat came down with about 3000 dollars +more, in money and plate; and the men told us, +that the other 3000 dollars would soon come, +and 12,000 more to purchase goods: but this +we supposed to be a trick, to keep us till the +men-of-war could come from Lima; whereupon +we made all possible dispatch to get out of the +bay, kept three of the hostages, and sent the prisoners +ashore. The Beginning, being of no other +use, since we had better vessels, we sold to the +Spaniards for the value of 50l. in pearl, gold +chains, &c. and put the prisoners aboard, but +kept pilots, and a man that could speak English, +the President of Panama’s son, and the hostages. +The weather being very hot, some of our men +fell into fevers; and in a few days we had near +100 sick, and among the number Capt. Courtney. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 8. Sailed with a small breeze at N. W. +At noon it began to blow fresh; but nothing +material happened till the 13th, when, believing +ourselves near the longitude of the Gallapagoes, +where we designed to water, fit our ships, and +refresh our men, we lay by from six in the evening +till four the next morning, for fear of running +by those islands in the night. +</p> +<p> +Monday 16. Mr. Hopkins, Lieutenant of the +<span class='pagenum'>39</span>marines, and one of the doctors of the Duke, +died. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 17. Saw land, being one of the Gallapagoe +islands. Next day the Duke’s boat +went on shore to seek for water, but could find +none in any of them, though Captain Cowley, in +his voyage round the world, says there is good +water in one of them; but we missed the place. +</p> +<p> +The 20th, 21st, and 22d, we spent in plying +among the islands, where the boats found abundance +of turtle, large rock-fish, and guanos. +These last-named creatures are larger here than +those in other parts of the West Indies, and +are of several colours and sizes. They are eaten +by the seamen, and reckoned good meat, though +their deformity made me loath them. +</p> +<p> +Thursday 26. Captain Rogers and Captain +Dover came aboard the Dutchess, and, after +holding a council, it was resolved to run in for +the island of Plata to water, and so come off +again, for fear of meeting with two French ships, +one of 60, and the other of 46 guns, and the +Spanish men-of-war, which, we were told, would +be shortly in search of us. Some days before +this we lost Mr. Hatley, who was in one of the +prizes, with five or six white men, four blacks, +and an Indian, having on board little or no provisions +or water, and no boat; and we never +more heard of them. +</p> +<p> +Monday 30. The officers of the Duke came +aboard, to consult about the properest place to careen +and water at; and ’twas agreed to go to the +<span class='pagenum'>40</span>island Gorgona, to see whether any Spanish ships +were there, and from thence to Mangla, where +are some Indians, enemies to the Spaniards, who, +it was said, would supply us with swine and +fowls, good water, turtle, plantains, and other +refreshments. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday, June 1. Some of our men were +told, that a conspiracy was forming on board +the galleon among the prisoners and blacks. +We examined the Spaniards, who protested they +knew nothing of it then put matches between +the fingers of two blacks, making them believe +we would burn them to the bone if they would +not confess. They owned there had been a talk +of killing the English among the Indians and +blacks, but they believed it was not in earnest; +however, they were dispersed into several ships +to break the combination. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 5. Saw a sail right-a-head of us, +chaced, and at eight in the evening came up +with her, fired a chace-gun, and she struck. +The vessel was of about 80 tons burden, bound +from Panama for Guayaquil, was laden with +iron and other merchandize, and had two women, +and several passengers of note on board, +one of whom was going Governor to Baldivia, +whose name was Don Juan Cardoso, and who +had been not long before taken on the other +side by the Jamaica cruisers. +</p> +<p> +Monday 6. Made the best of our way for +Gorgona; and at three in the afternoon next +day, the Duke with the galleon came to an anchor +<span class='pagenum'>41</span>in that harbour. Same day saw a sail bearing +down towards the island, till spying the galleon +in the offing, she stood to the westward. I +went out in the pinnace well-manned, and at +noon took and brought her to an anchor. She +was a bark of 50 tons, called El Soldado, came +out of a small port the night before, and was +bound for Guayaquil, to load salt, brandy, &c. +She had in her in gold chains and money to the +value of 5 or 6 hundred pounds, designed to purchase +her cargo. +</p> +<p> +Monday 13. Held a full council on board +the Duke, and resolved to careen our ships here +as soon as possible. Here we continued till +Sunday, August the 7th; and in the mean time +plundered a settlement on the main, right opposite +the island, set most of our prisoners on shore +on the continent, and brought seven beeves, 14 +hogs, some poultry, about 50 bushels of Indian +wheat, and a few goats on board: at the same +time a black born in Jamaica, who spoke very +good English, and had been taken with some +Jamaica-men eight years before, came over to us +in a canoe. Captain Morel, too, formerly commander +of the galleon, brought some money and +fruit, and a merchant or two, who bought some +of our blacks. During our stay at this island, +Captain Rogers, Captain Courtney, myself, and +some other officers, underwent much fatigue in +fitting up the Marquis, for which ship we were +forced to get entirely new masts and yards, make +most of the sails, and a great deal of new cordage. +<span class='pagenum'>42</span>The smith also made much new work; as +did the carpenters, sail-makers, riggers, and rope-makers, +who all came to help us from each ship. +</p> +<p> +The 6th of August, I received my orders to +command the Marquis, carrying 20 guns, 60 +white men, and 16 blacks; and, the ships having +taken in their loading from the prizes, and all +our business being over at the island of Gorgona, +we weighed anchor at 10 in the morning, and +ran to the north of the island: but the masts of +the Marquis being new and heavy, and a great +weight of goods between decks, I found she +proved crank, and sailed dull upon the wind; +so that the Duke and Dutchess were fain to spare +a great deal of sail for me to keep up with them. +</p> +<p> +Friday 12. Held a consultation about sending +the Marquis and a bark laden with bale-goods +directly for India, to save provisions and +gain time; but this was opposed by Captain +Courtney, and others, in regard to the Marquis, +which being a good vessel, might be of great +use in case we should meet with the Manilla +ship, or the men-of-war we supposed were looking +for us. +</p> +<p> +Thursday, August 18. At six in the morning +saw a sail a-head, gave chace, and the Dutchess +soon coming up with her, and firing a few guns, +she struck, being a bark of about 70 tons, bound +from Panama to Troxillo, with merchants goods, +passengers, and blacks, on board. The master +told us, he had been detained three months at +Panama by an embargo, which being taken off +<span class='pagenum'>43</span>upon advice that we were going to the island of +Juan Fernandez, he had set sail. Enquiring +what ships were out in quest of us, the prisoners +said, they had advice at Panama of five or six +ships being ordered after us, two of them French, +of 48 guns each, and some Spanish, of the like +force, and good sailors. They could tell no +other news, than that the whole coast was +alarmed. +</p> +<p> +August 19. The Duke and Dutchess fired +some vollies to exercise their men. Next day +we fell in with land about a league to the leeward +of Tacames, ran within a league of the +shore, and on the 24th cast anchor in the bay, +from whence the Dutchess sent her pinnace +ashore for water, but could get none. Tacames +is a village of only seven houses and a church, +standing in a bay, about seven leagues to the +northward of Cape Francisco. The houses are +built of split bamboes, and covered with Palmeto-leaves, +standing on stilts or posts; and, instead +of stairs, they have a piece of timber cut +in notches to ascend by. The men employ +themselves in killing wild swine with bows and +arrows, and striking fish with their lances, at +both which they are very dexterous. The women +have only a piece of baize tied about their +middle, and carry their children at their backs. +They are under the authority of the Spanish +priests, and are not permitted to trade without +their licence. +</p> +<p> +On the 27th. They received a letter of leave, +<span class='pagenum'>44</span>and our boats went ashore to the houses for +cattle; and on the 28th and 29th continued +trading and watering till we had sufficiently +supplied the ships. In return for the civility of +these Fathers, I sent as a present to the church +at Tacames four large images, one of which was +the Virgin Mary with our Lord and Saviour in +her arms; and I believe Captain Rogers and +Captain Courtney also gave something to adorn +their church. On Wednesday the 31st of August +we set sail, the wind being at S. W. +</p> +<p> +Thursday, Sept. 1. Saw abundance of water-snakes, +one of which was coming up the side of +our ship, and our men beat it off. The Spaniards +say, there is no cure for such as are bit +by them; and one of our blacks happened to +fall under that misfortune, and died, notwithstanding +the utmost care was taken by our surgeons +to recover him. +</p> +<p> +On Wednesday, Sept. 7. Made one of the +Gallapagoe islands. On the 10th, stood close in +for the head-land, sending our boat on shore for +water and turtle. At night our boat came aboard, +bringing 13 turtle, some weighing 200 weight; +the other boats got near 50 each; and the +Dutchess’s several land-turtle, but no water. +Our men saw several jars, and some of the wreck +and rudder of a vessel, and should have guessed +it to be the prize Captain Hatley lost when +here before, but the rudder was too small for her. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday 14. The Dutchess, Marquis, and +small prize, weighed, ran out, and lay by for the +<span class='pagenum'>45</span>Duke, which could not get out for want of wind. +On the 15th, set sail in the morning; and, considering +the sun was directly over our heads, the +weather was cold, occasioned, as I believe, by the +southerly winds, which are coldest in those parts. +</p> +<p> +Thursday, Sept. 22. The Marquis kept the +pump continually going, having sprung two +leaks, not being well caulked at Gorgona; therefore +weared her on the other tack, and stopt one +leak, but could not find the other, being about +the stern. Weared again, and stood to the westward. +</p> +<p> +Friday 22. At a consultation on board the +Duke, it was agreed to steer to the Islands Marias, +for a convenient place to refit, wood, and water; +then to cruise in quest of the Manilla ship, +which was large, and of great value, being reported +by the Spaniards to be worth 2,000,000 +sterling. +</p> +<p> +On the 3d of October. Cape Corientes appeared, +bearing N. E. 10 leagues; and on the +4th in the morning we made the islands called +Tres Marias, at the distance of about 16 leagues; +but could not fetch them till the 6th, when we +got under the lee of one of them. I lay off with +the ship, and sent the boat ashore for water and +turtle; but neither the one nor the other was to +be got, because of the surff. +</p> +<p> +Before our coming to this place, we discovered +the white rock, formerly mentioned by Dampier, +and took it for a ship on the sight of which +the Dutchess let go the bark she had in tow, telling +<span class='pagenum'>46</span>her to make the best of her way to the middle +island; under the lee of which both the Duke +and Dutchess came to an anchor on the 7th and +8th; and I might have been there as soon, had +I not seen the bark six or seven leagues to leeward. +It was fortunate that I came in time to +relieve her, otherwise she must have perished, +having neither wood nor water on board, and +not being able to make up against the wind and +current to reach the land. I bore down to her, +supplied her wants, and took her in tow till the +20th in the morning, when the middle island +bearing north, distant about seven leagues, we +saw a sail coming from the island before the wind, +which proved the Dutchess, who came in search +of us, and was glad to find us safe; brought us +some water and turtle, and told us there was +game enough in the island, if we could bear up +to it. Captain Courtney took us in tow, to help +us in the sooner, having cleaned his ship’s bottom +before he set sail to come to our assistance. +</p> +<p> +On the 11th, I came to an anchor, after much +trouble and fatigue in plying so long against the +wind and current. Seven of Captain Rogers’s +best blacks this day left him, and ran away. We +continued in this bay till +</p> +<p> +Monday the 24th, when a general council was +held, at which it was resolved to cruise off Cape +St. Lucas for the Manilla ship, all our ships being +now very well fitted, wooded, watered, and +provided with turtle. Several warm debates happened +in council among our chief officers; and +<span class='pagenum'>47</span>Captain Dover quitted the Duke, and went on +board the Dutchess, by his own free choice. I +endeavoured to accommodate these differences, +but to no purpose, which gave several of us great +concern. +</p> +<p> +The islands of Tres Marias, where we anchored, +abound with animals of various kinds, and +the shores with fish; among these the sea and +land turtle may be accounted of most use to navigators. +Of the sea-turtle there are various +sorts; as the green, which are the sweetest and +best; the hawk’s-bill, which are very good; +and the logger-head, which the sailors never refuse +when the others are not to be caught. The +method of taking them is by turning them, and +when they are on their backs, they appear as in +the Plate, fig. 1. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 30em;'> +<img src="images/053.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt="Miscellaneous Plate of fish, trees, &c."> +</figure> +<p> +The land-turtle lives constantly ashore, feeds +upon grass, moves very slow, and, when an enemy +approaches, covers itself under its shell, squatting +close to the ground, from which it is not easily +discernible, appearing like a bare patch without +verdure. The shells of these animals are so hard, +that a man may tread upon them without hurting +them. Their flesh is very good and nourishing. +They will live five or six weeks without food, and +appear to be never the worse. They lay round eggs, +about the size of a hen’s, and are very good to eat. +Some of the sea-turtle taken in the bay where we +anchored had 200 eggs in them. Our men lived +almost wholly upon turtle, and their eggs, +from the time they went first to the Gallapagoes +<span class='pagenum'>48</span>till their departure for the East Indies, saving +their ship-provisions till their run across the +South Seas. For the land-turtle, see fig. 2. +</p> +<p> +At these islands our men caught plenty of the +fish called old wives. They have very small +mouths, large eyes, a high fin on the back, and +shaped as you see fig. 3. The colour of the +body is a deep blue; the fins of a lighter colour, +tipped with yellow. Others are of an ash-colour +on the back, and white under the belly. +</p> +<p> +The rock-fish we caught in the island of Tres +Marias were large, had great mottled fins, yellow +backs, red bellies, and red and black tails. See +fig. 4. +</p> +<p> +Another fish our men caught was the cavallo, +in shape not much unlike the dolphin, with a +large bright eye, black back, white belly, a long +streak from his gills to the middle of his tail, +and is about the size of a mackarel. See fig. 5. +</p> +<p> +A small fish we found there, about six inches +long, was very delicious; the back of an indigo-blue, +a deep yellow streak running from the gills +to the tail, the belly white, and the tail forked. +It seems peculiar to these islands, and wants a +name. See fig. 6. +</p> +<p> +Of the animals, the racoon was the most plentiful. +It has a large black eye, whiskers and nose +like a pig, tail and feet like a rat, a brownish fur +on his back, and a white belly. See fig. 7. +</p> +<p> +Of the venomous creatures, the scorpion is +the most noxious; its tail is jointed with a small +sting at the tip; it has two claws like those of +<span class='pagenum'>49</span>the lobster; and its head and feet have a near +resemblance to those of the same fish. See +fig. 8. +</p> +<p> +Among the singing-birds found in those +islands, the cardinal bird was seen in greatest +abundance. It is a very beautiful bird, with +scarlet feathers, and on its head the male has a +tuft of the same colour. They are of the same +kind with those we call the Virginia Nightingale; +but the Spaniards call them cardinal birds, from +their scarlet feathers. See fig. 9. +</p> +<p> +Among the vegetables we found the magney-plant, +or silk-grass, of which the Indians +make ropes, sails, sacks, and all their curious +netting. It also yields a liquor of which they +make wine, honey, and a good balsam. The +liquor as it comes from the plant is as sweet as +sugar; after standing it becomes a wine, and +will intoxicate powerfully. It has thick juicy +leaves, not unlike those of the houseleek, but +grows up to a considerable height in the form represented +by fig. 10; And, when it has stood about +six years, the Indians cut out the middle leaves, +leaving the heart of the plant hollow, which of +itself fills with the juice, and is every morning +during the season taken out and preserved. Of +this juice the Spaniards make spirits; and it is +so universally used in one shape or other by the +Spaniards and Indians in New Spain, that the +duty arising from it in one year is said to have +amounted to 110,000 pieces of eight at the port +of Angels alone. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>50</span>The prickly tree found on those islands is +esteemed a great curiosity. The trunk of it is +angular, and covered with prickles; is of a pale +green, and yields a gum which the druggists call +euphorbium, which is said to be powerful in removing +pains in the head. It grows about 12 +feet high, in the form represented in the plate, +fig. 11. +</p> +<p> +These were the principal peculiarities observable +in the animal and vegetable tribes at the +islands of Tres Marias. +</p> +<p> +On Tuesday, Oct. 2, at two in the afternoon, +we weighed, and set sail for Cape St. Lucas, +where we spread ourselves for fear the Manilla +ship should pass by unseen. The Duke cruised +about two leagues to the southward of the +Dutchess, the Dutchess in the middle, and the +Marquis two leagues to the northward of her. +Place of rendezvous six or seven leagues in sight +of Cape St. Lucas. +</p> +<p> +Nov. 1. The Marquis sprang two great leaks, +and broke the collar of the fore-stay, which +obliged me to wear the ship to fix the stay, and +then hauled up after the other ships, and stopped +the leaks. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday 2. All the officers and men on +board the Marquis signed an instrument, obliging +themselves to stand by the articles agreed to +by the companies of the other ships. +</p> +<p> +Nov. 4. I spoke with Captain Courtney, and +changed stations with him, he having better +boats than mine to send ashore for water and +<span class='pagenum'>51</span>turtle; or, in case of seeing the Manilla ship, to +prevent her sending the passengers ashore with +their wealth. The 10th, the Duke and Dutchess +having spoken with each other, changed stations, +the Duke going in for the shore, and the Dutchess +off to the outward station. +</p> +<p> +Nov. 22. Captain Rogers informed me, that +the bark and his boat had been in with the shore, +and had spoken with the natives, who seemed +very civil, and had pearl and some grain to dispose +of; and that there was wood and water +enough. Nothing material happened till +</p> +<p> +Dec. 13, when we had a consultation on +board the Dutchess, to enquire into the stock of +provisions on board the ships, and found by the +accounts given in, that only three months meat +at short allowance, and two months bread, remained +unexpended; and, as there was no appearance +of the Manilla ship, though the usual +time of her coming was elapsed, it was agreed to +make all possible dispatch in fitting up the ships, +in order to make the best of our way across the +Pacific Ocean, that we might take the advantage +of the trade-winds to carry us to Guam on our +return home. In pursuance of this resolution, I +was ordered into harbour, as the Marquis wanted +more considerable repairs than either of the +other two, and the Duke and Dutchess proposed +to cruise a few days longer, while I was +getting forward to be in readiness to accompany +them to Europe. +</p> +<p> +On the 14th, I bore away for Puerto Seguro, +<span class='pagenum'>52</span>and on the 15th entered the harbour at midnight. +</p> +<p> +On the 16th proceeded to business, my first +orders being to return again to cruise as soon as +possible; but these orders were afterwards countermanded, +it being absolutely necessary that all +the ships should rendezvous together before their +final departure from the American coast. +</p> +<p> +This place is inhabited by about 200 Indians, +living in huts made of boughs of trees and reeds, +built like a bower, with a fire in the middle, +round which they lie and sleep. They all go +naked, only the women have short petticoats +made of silk grass, or else of pelicans or deers +skins. The men are straight, and well limbed; +live by fishing and hunting, and value knives, scissars, +nails, or iron, beyond gold and silver. They +have long black hair, and are of a dark-brown +complexion. The women are very ordinary, and +employ themselves in gathering and grinding +corn, and in making fishing-lines. They are +very honest and very civil. They assisted in fitting +up the ships, and took nothing away but +what was given them. Our people at their first +coming got some pearls among them, but I never +could see any afterwards. I made signs for +them to bring gold; but they pointed up to the +mountains. They use bows and arrows, and +even the boys are so dexterous as to kill birds +flying with them. +</p> +<p> +Dec 22. Being busy about our repairs, at 10 +in the morning heard some guns firing in the +<span class='pagenum'>53</span>offing: I bent my sails to hasten to the assistance +of my consorts, but the sea-breeze coming on +rendered it impossible; whereupon I ascended +an adjacent hill, and saw our ships engage and +take the Manilla ship, which we had been so +long expecting. +</p> +<p> +The account Captain Rogers gives of the engagement +is as follows: “At day-break, says he, +we saw the chace upon our weather-bow about +a league from us, the Dutchess a-head of her to +leeward, near about half as far. Towards six +in the morning our boat came on board, having +kept very near the chace all night, and received +no damage; but told us the Dutchess passed by +her in the night, and she fired two shot at him; +but they returned none. We had no wind, but +got out eight of our ship’s oars, and rowed about +an hour, when there sprung up a small breeze. +I ordered a large kettle of chocolate to be made +for our ship’s company, having no spirituous liquors +to give them. Then we went to prayers; +and before we had concluded, were disturbed by +the enemy’s firing at us. They had barrels +hanging at each yard-arm that looked like powder-barrels, +to deter us from boarding them. +About eight o’clock we began to engage her +by ourselves, for the Dutchess being to leeward, +and having little wind, did not come up. The +enemy fired her stern chace upon us first, which +we returned with our fore-chace several times, till +we came nearer, and went close on board each +other. We gave her several broadsides, plying +<span class='pagenum'>54</span>our small arms very briskly, which they returned +as thick for a while, but did not ply their +great guns with the same alacrity. After some +time, we shot a little a-head of them, lying +thwart her hawse, close aboard; and plied her +so warmly, that she soon struck her colours two-thirds +down. By this time the Dutchess came +up, and fired about five guns, with a volley of +small shot; but the enemy, having submitted, +made no return. We sent our pinnace on board, +and brought the Captain with the Officers away; +and, having examined them, found there came +another ship out from Manilla with them of +larger burden, having about 40 brass guns +mounted, and as many patararoes; but they +told us they lost her company about three +months ago, and reckoned she was got to Accapulco +before this time, she sailing better than +this ship. +</p> +<p> +This prize was called by the swelling name of +Nostra Signiora de la Incarnacion Desengenio, +Sir John Pichberty Commander. She had 20 +guns, 20 patararoes, and 193 men on board, +whereof nine were killed, ten wounded, and several +blown up with powder. We engaged +them about three glasses, in which time we had +only myself and another man wounded. I was +shot through the left cheek; the bullet struck +away part of my upper jaw, and several of my +teeth, part of which dropt down upon the deck +where I fell; and the other, an Irish landman, +was slightly wounded in the hip. They did us +<span class='pagenum'>55</span>no great damage in our rigging, but their shot +disabled our mizzen-mast. I was forced to write +what I had to say to prevent the loss of blood, +and because of the pain I suffered by speaking. +</p> +<p> +On the 23d of December, after putting our +ships to rights, we stood in for the harbour, which +was distant about seven leagues to the N. E. Our +surgeons went on board the prize to dress their +wounded men. About four in the afternoon we +came to an anchor, and received the compliments +of all on board the Marquis on our sudden +and unexpected success, which gave us no +small satisfaction. We found that ship in good +condition, ready to sail, and all the men on board +her very brisk, and eager for action. +</p> +<p> +At eight in the evening, we held a consultation +on the two great points; first, what should +be done with the prisoners and hostages; and +next, how we should act with regard to the other +Manilla ship, which we thought at least there +was a great probability of taking. +</p> +<p> +With respect to the first, we proposed, as the +hostages from Guayaquil were men of honour, +and as we had good reason to believe that the +Chevalier Pichberry, being brother to the famous +M. du Cass, was the same, to make the best terms +we could with them, and set them at liberty. +Accordingly, we put a part of the goods on +board the bark into the prize, and then offered +the remainder with the bark, together with what +remained unpaid of the ransom, for 6000 pieces +of eight, and to take the Chevalier’s bills payable +<span class='pagenum'>56</span>at London for the money. This they accepted, +and gave us an acknowledgement at the +same time, that they thought it a good bargain. +When this was settled, we had nothing more to +do than to provide for our own security, and to +look after the other galleon. +</p> +<p> +I was very desirous of going out with the +Dutchess to cruise for her; but there having been +some reflections cast, on account of the Dutchess’s +not engaging our last prize so soon as it was +thought she might have done, Captain Courtney +was absolutely bent on going out with the Marquis; +and the officers of both ships voting for +this in council, my proposal was over-ruled, and +we were forced to stay in the harbour against our +will. It was, however, agreed, that we should +put 10 of our best hands on board the Dutchess; +and on Christmas eve she and the Marquis sailed.”⁠⸺We +now return to Captain Cooke in the +Marquis. +</p> +<p> +Sunday 25. At eight in the morning, being +two leagues off Cape St. Lucas, we saw a sail distant +about seven leagues, which we concluded to +be the ship we were in pursuit of. The Dutchess +was two leagues to the westward, and we both +gave chace. At noon the enemy bore south, +distant about five leagues. At 12 at night, the +Dutchess got along-side, and began to engage +her. Captain Courtney fought her bravely +about four glasses, and then lay by to secure his +masts, and knot his rigging, which were much +wounded and shattered. Our ship not being so +<span class='pagenum'>57</span>good a sailor as the Dutchess, could not come +up. +</p> +<p> +Monday 26. As soon as it was day, we saw +the Spaniard’s flag, and knew him to be the Admiral +of the Manilla. At eight we perceived the +Duke coming out to us. At two in the afternoon +we got along-side the enemy; but the wind +shifting, could fetch no nearer than about half +musket-shot to leeward of her. She then fired +two shot at us, and we returned a broad side and +vollies of small arms, beginning the combat +with three cheers. When we had fought two +glasses, the Dutchess came up under her stern, +and raked her fore and aft, and then fell astern +again, we still continuing hot at her for five +glasses: then weared, and stood to the westward, +to fetch nearer up to her; for firing so +many guns had laid us to leeward. The Dutchess +went up, and engaged again very briskly +for half an hour, and then stretched a-head of +her. We could perceive many shot in her between +wind and water. At five we tacked, and +raked her fore and aft with our starboard broadside, +then weared under her stern, and did the +same with our larboard broadside; and firing +several vollies while we loaded our larboard guns +again, gave her the other broadside. By this +time it grew dark, and we fell a-stern, to speak +with the Dutchess, and to get more ammunition, +having but three rounds of shot for most of our +guns left. At eight I went on board the Dutchess, +and found her much disabled in her masts +<span class='pagenum'>58</span>and rigging, and had seven men killed and +wounded. Capt. Courtney and I agreed to be +yard-arm and yard-arm with the enemy in the +morning, he to lie on the bow, and I on the +quarter; and if he boarded, I was to clap him +aboard, and enter my men over him. Being +supplied with more ammunition, I returned on +board the Marquis, both of us keeping close +under the chace’s quarter, and firing guns all +night, to annoy the enemy, and to give the +Duke notice where we were. Before day the +Duke joined us. The chace, mistaking him +for her consort, had made signals all night, and +had edged away to meet him, otherwise the +Duke could not have come up, there being but +very little wind, and that contrary. +</p> +<p> +Then we all three agreed to fall upon the enemy +at once, as soon as it was light; but while we +lay athwart her hawse, those guns that missed +the enemy flew through the Duke’s masts and +rigging, which obliged him to change his station, +and to draw up along-side close aboard her, +where he kept up a constant fire of round shot, +all other shot proving ineffectual, because of the +strength of the ship’s sides, which no other shot +would penetrate; and as none of the Spaniards +appeared in sight, but all kept to close quarters, +it was in vain to make use of small arms, except +now and then, when a man appeared to observe +our situation, and to keep an eye upon their ensign. +In this manner, the Dutchess lying upon +her hawse, the Duke along her broadside, and +<span class='pagenum'>59</span>the Marquis athwart her stern, we kept pelting +her for four glasses; and, in the mean time, the +Duke received a shot in his main-mast, which +much disabled it; and, in shifting, both he and +the Dutchess came back close under the enemy, +and had like to have been all aboard her. The +Duke, in endeavouring to recover his station, +received a fire-ball, which lighting upon his +quarter-deck, blew up a chest of arms and cartouch-boxes, +all loaded, and several cartridges +of powder in the steerage, by which means Mr. +Vanbrugh, our agent, and two others, were very +much burnt; the Dutchess going to lash to the +enemy, was forced to cast off, and get clear, for +fear of being set on fire. The enemy fired at us +all three at once, but slowly, seldom missing our +masts and rigging, and sometimes hulling us. +After lying near half an hour along the chace’s +side, the Dutchess lay by to stop her leaks, and +secure her fore-mast, being very much disabled, +having 25 men killed and wounded, and the sails +and rigging much shattered. Captain Rogers +some time after lay by to secure his mast. Then +I lay athwart the enemy’s hawse till I had fired +three broadsides, some odd guns, and several +vollies; then gave another broadside and some +vollies into her stern. The Duke came up again, +and fired several guns, and both fell a-stern the +chace, keeping under sail, and standing to the +westward. We knotted some of our rigging, +and stopt our leaks made with twelve pounders. +Our main-mast was disabled also, the sails and +<span class='pagenum'>60</span>rigging much shattered; but the enemy, aiming +to disable my masts, I had the good fortune to +have only my second mate, and some others, +blown up with powder. The ship was once set +on fire by the enemy’s stink-pots, but we soon +put it out. About eleven I wore the ship, and +designed to have attacked the enemy again; +but, seeing the Duke and Dutchess lying by, +the one with a waist in his ensign, and the other +with a Spanish jack, the signals to speak with +one another, I brought to. Captain Courtney +came on board of me, and we both went on +board the Duke; where we considered the +condition the three ships were in, their masts +and rigging being much damaged in a place +where we could get no recruit; that, if we engaged +her again we could propose to do no +more than what we had already done, which +was evident did her no great hurt, because we +could perceive few of our shot entered her sides +to any purpose, and our small arms availed less, +there being not a man to be seen above board; +that the least thing in the world would bring +the Duke’s main-mast, and likewise the +Dutchess’s foremast, by the board, either of +which by its fall might carry away another mast, +and lay us a perfect butt for the enemy, having +nothing to command our ships with; so that by +his heavy guns he might either sink or take us; +that, if we went to board him, we should run a +great hazard in losing a great many men with +little hope of success, they having above treble +the number on board to oppose us, and there +<span class='pagenum'>61</span>being now, in all our three ships, not above +120 men fit for boarding, and those but weak, +having been very short of provisions; so that, +if we had boarded her, and been forced off, or +left any of our men behind, the enemy by that +means would have known our strength, and +then gone into the harbour, and took possession +of the prize in spite of all we could do to prevent +it. Besides our ammunition was very short, +having only enough to engage a few glasses +longer. All this being seriously considered, and +knowing the difficulty we should have to get +masts, and the time and provisions we must +spend before we could get them fitted, we resolved +to forbear attempting her farther, since +our battering her signified little, and we had not +strength enough to board her; therefore, we agreed +to keep her company till night, and then +to lose her, and make the best of our way into +the harbour to secure the prize we had already +taken. We engaged first and last about seven +hours, during all which time they had on board +the Duke but eleven men wounded, among +whom was the Captain for the second time, who +had part of his heel-bone struck out with a +splinter, and all under his ancle cut above half +through with the same; on board the Dutchess, +they had eleven killed, and more than that +number wounded; and on board us only two +men scorched with gun-powder. The enemy’s +was a brave, lofty, new ship, named the Virginia, +and this the first voyage she had made. +Her burden was 900 tons, and her complement +<span class='pagenum'>62</span>of men 450, besides passengers, 150 of whom +were European pirates, who, having now got all +their wealth on board, were resolved to defend +it to the last. The gunner, who had a post at +Manilla, was an expert man, and had provided +for her defence with great skill. He had filled +up all the space between the guns with bales to +secure the men. We shattered her sails and rigging +very much, shot away her mizzen-yard, +and killed two of her men out of her tops, +which was all the damage we could see done, +though we could not place less than 500 shot in +her hull. Thus ended our attempt. +</p> +<p> +These large ships are built at Manilla, of excellent +timber that will not splinter; and their +sides are thicker and stronger than those of ships +of the same burden constructed in Europe. Had +we been together at first, and boarded her, we +might, perhaps, have taken her; but, after her +netting and close-quarters were fixed, she valued +us but little. We might, indeed, have burnt her, +at the expence of one of our ships; but that was +objected to, not only from a principle of humanity, +but because we had goods of great value +on board all our ships. +</p> +<p> +The enemy had heard at Manilla, that there +were two ships fitted out at Bristol to cruise in +the South Seas, and that Captain Dampier was +to be their pilot; they had, therefore, provided +for their own defence accordingly. However, to +do them justice, they fought gallantly, and, had +the two ships been together, it is more than probable +that neither of them had been taken; +<span class='pagenum'>63</span>but as it happened, had not our unreasonable +squabbles prevented our sailing out together, +the chance would have rather been in our favour: +yet this miscarriage, instead of leading +to a reconciliation, served only as a foundation +for new disputes. +</p> +<p> +On the 1st of Jan. 1710, we returned again +into port, and determined to hasten home with +all possible dispatch. The first thing of consequence +was to discharge our prisoners, and to +provide for their voyage to Accapulco; and this +being dispatched, we applied to the settling of +our own affairs. We spent our time till the 7th +in repairing the damage our ships had received +from the enemy, in taking in wood and water +for our voyage to the East-Indies, and in taking +an account of the goods and stores on board the +prize: and it was no small satisfaction to find +as much bread on board the prize as with our +own stock would serve us, at short allowance, +during our long run to Guam. +</p> +<p> +About this time a warm contest arose about +appointing a Commander of the Manilla ship, +which was looked upon as a trust of no small +consequence. Captain Dover, being an owner, +desired he might command in chief on board +her. Captain Rogers and several officers of the +council contended, that, as Captain Dover was +wholly unacquainted with the navigating part of +the business, the command should be given to +Captain Fry, or myself; but, as I had already +the command of the Marquis, I declined any +<span class='pagenum'>64</span>farther charge, and voted for Captain Dover; at +the same time recommending Captain Fry and +Captain Stretton to act under him; against +which Captain Rogers and his officers entered +their protest. However, on the 9th of January, +at a full council, it was carried against them, +and voted by a great majority, that the Captains +Fry and Stretton should both act in equal post +in the sole navigating the Batchelor Frigate (for +that was the name now given to the Manilla +prize), and in fighting her, if occasion should +require, under Captain Dover, who at the same +time was restrained from interrupting them in +their business, but charged to be careful of what +was in the ship, and to see that nothing was +acted on board contrary to the interest of the +owners and captors. The matter being thus +qualified, the nominal command given to Captain +Dover, and the executive power vested in the +naval officers, Captain Rogers withdrew his protest, +and the council proceeded to the choice of +the inferior officers, appointing Alexander Selkirk +master, and Joseph Smith chief mate: +they also agreed to furnish her complement of +men, by selecting 30 from the Duke, 25 from +the Dutchess, and 13 from the Marquis, which, +with 36 Lascars taken on board her, formed a +tolerable crew of more than 100 mariners. This +business being thus fully settled, and the island +of Guam pitched upon as the place of rendezvous +in case of separation, on the 10th of January +we weighed anchor, and ran out at midnight. +<span class='pagenum'>65</span>At 12 the next day Cape St. Lucas bore north, +distant about five leagues. We steered away for +some days S. W. by S. till we got into the trade-winds, +and then our course was uniform. +</p> +<p> +All the natives of California that we saw during +our stay at Puerto Seguro did not amount to +300. They had large limbs, were very straight +and tall, and of a much darker complexion than +any other people that we had met with in the +South Seas. Their hair was long, lank, and +black, and hung down upon their hips. The +men were all stark-naked; but the women had +a covering about their waists made of the silk-grass +already mentioned, fringed and knotted. +All of them that we saw were old, and miserably +wrinkled; perhaps they concealed from us their +maidens, for reasons that need not be explained. +The language of the natives was guttural, very +harsh, and unpleasant. They seemed to covet +nothing that we had, except axes, saws, and +knives; and even these they did not attempt to +steal. Their huts were low, and wholly made +up of branches of trees; and seemed rather a +kind of temporary coverings than settled dwellings. +While we lay in port they subsisted +chiefly on fish; and though they neither made +use of nets or lines, yet they had a method of +striking them with lances that was very dexterous, +and at which they were very expert. They +were besides most excellent divers, and instead +of canoes made use of rafts. They were very +civil and inoffensive; and were observed to pay +<span class='pagenum'>66</span>great respect to one among them, whose head +was adorned with feathers very artificially combined, +and who probably was their wizard, or +cunning-man. Some of them had strings of +pearls, and party-coloured shells so prettily intermixed, +that, though we had glass-beads, and +other showy trinkets, yet they paid no sort of +attention to any of them; but prized their own +ornaments above every thing but cutting instruments. +Their arms are bows and arrows, in the +use of which their boys were so expert as to +shoot birds flying by way of amusement. They +grew very familiar with us while we staid, and +came frequently to gaze at the men as they cut +wood and filled water, but never offered to assist +in any thing like labour. They get fire like other +Indians, by rubbing two sticks together, which +kindle almost instantaneously. +</p> +<p> +From this harbour we departed but very slenderly +provided, having but little live-stock, and +hardly any liquors but what were found in the +prize. As soon as we were out of sight of land, +we were all put to short allowance, officers and +men: to the latter four-and-twenty ounces of +flour, four pounds of meat, and two gallons of +water, to a mess of five men in 24 hours. But +in a few days, the Batchelor made a signal to +give us some bread, they having found a large +quantity concealed, with some sweet-meats. We +had 500 weight for our share, the Duke 1000 +weight, and the Dutchess as much; in return +for which we sent back to the prize some casks +<span class='pagenum'>67</span>of flour, and a barrel of English beef; and the +like present was returned from the other ships. +From this time till the 10th of March nothing +remarkable happened. +</p> +<p> +On that day we made the island Saraua, one +of the Ladrones, and the same evening came in +sight of Guam, distant about three leagues. +Next day we came to anchor in the port of +Umatta, at about a mile distance from the +houses, in lat. 13 deg. 30 min. N. by estimation; +long. from Cape St. Lucas, 100 deg. 19 +min. W. We went in with French and Spanish +colours, that they might not suspect us to be +enemies. Several of their boats came about our +ships; but none would venture on board, till +being off the anchoring place, one was sent by +the Spanish Governor, desiring to know who +we were, and what we wanted. We presently +dispatched our interpreter with a letter, purporting, +that we were subjects of Great Britain, and +driven by necessity to stop at those islands to +purchase provisions and other necessaries; that, +if our wants were supplied with civility, we should +pay generously; but, on the contrary, if our request +was denied, we should proceed to act according +to the laws of war. To this letter we +received a very obliging answer from the Spanish +Governor, Don Juan Antonio Pimental, +and were furnished with hogs, oxen, rice, maize, +poultry, and other necessaries in a more plentiful +manner, and at a cheaper rate, than we could expect. +We continued at Guam till the 21st of +<span class='pagenum'>68</span>March, during which time reciprocal civilities +daily passed between the officers on board and +the gentlemen of the island; and we parted perfectly +satisfied with each other’s behaviour. We +found the variation in these parts only half a +point to the eastward, though in our run across +the Great South Sea, we had it 12 degrees: the +reason I take to be, the unevenness of the globe, +and its unequal mixture of much matter differing +in itself as to the magnetical quality; as having +large and stoney mountains, spacious vallies, +deep seas, long-continued continents, with mighty +scattered rocks of load-stone, iron mines, and +other magnetical substances. +</p> +<p> +The natives of Guam are of a dark complexion, +but not so black as the Indians of California. +They are in general the largest and best +limbed men I ever saw, and some of them hairy, +and very strong. The women are straight and +tall, and in the neighbourhood of the Spaniards +go decently cloathed; but in the remote parts +of the island they go quite naked. They are said +to be man-eaters, and to have no settled way of +worship, but every one pays a kind of adoration +to they know not what. The island is plentifully +supplied with cattle, and might be made the garden +of the world, if the Spaniards were not as +idle as the Indians; but as nature spontaneously +produces sufficient for sustenance, they avail +themselves but little of cultivation. Of all +the works of art for which the Indians are remarkable, +the paroas, or boats, of this island +<span class='pagenum'>69</span>are certainly the most wonderful, as they exceed +in swift sailing every other vessel yet seen +throughout the world. We were assured upon +the best authority, that they will sail 20 leagues +an hour; and the Captain of the Spanish guard +said, he would lose his head if they did not perform +it. +</p> +<p> +On Tuesday, March 21, 1710, we were under +sail, and steered away W. by S. with moderate +gales from the N. N. E. which continued +so for some weeks; but about the middle of +April the blowing weather came on, and continued +till the 27th of that month, during which +time most of our main-shrouds, several of our +stays, most of our running-ropes, and the mizzen-gears, +gave way, so that the yard came by +the board, and by its fall wounded the first +Lieutenant, so that we feared he never would +have recovered. Most of our sails too were +split; but, being supplied with new shrouds by +Captain Rogers, and with other ropes by Captain +Courtney, I bent new sails; but found the +ship very leaky. The Duke and Dutchess too +suffered much by the tempestuous weather, and +the Batchelor split her sails; but being otherwise +stoutly built and rigged, nothing but running +against a rock could hurt her. I had no +conception of meeting with such boisterous weather +so near the Line, which proved as bad as +that we encountered in surrounding Cape Horn, +with this difference only, that the one was intensely +cold, and the other intolerably hot. And +<span class='pagenum'>70</span>being now crossed by variable winds, sometimes +lying by, sometimes scudding before the wind, +and unable to pursue our direct course, our provisions +began to fail, and on board of us rats +rose to a very high price. The ships were besides +leaky, and our men began to sicken with +excessive labour and hard living. A general +council was therefore called to consider what +was best to be done in our present condition, +when it was agreed to make the island of Talao, +that of Ternate, or, if neither of them could +be reached, then to put into some part of Mindanao. +</p> +<p> +On Tuesday, May the 2d, we observed a ring +about the sun, and were apprehensive of more +bad weather. In the night we passed by Talao +without seeing it; and Captain Dampier, who +had been twice in these seas before, gave out, +that, if we could not reach Ternate, it would be +impossible for us to get refreshment on the coast +of New Guinea, which proved true; yet it was +with the greatest difficulty the men could be +prevailed upon to submit to short allowance. +</p> +<p> +Monday the 8th, having had tempestuous +weather, we perceived that a strong current had +set in to the eastward; and to our astonishment +we found the land in sight to be Cape Noba, +a promontory at the east end of Gilolo, bearing +S. S. E. distant 15 leagues. Perceiving now +that we could not get to the island of Ternate, +nor to that of Mindanao, we resolved to make +the best of our way through the straits of Gilolo: +<span class='pagenum'>71</span>but, notwithstanding our utmost efforts, +we continued sailing among a cluster of islands, +most of them uninhabited, but all capable of +producing spices, during the whole month of +May, without being able to avail ourselves of +any of their refreshments. On the 20th of May +we came in sight of the island of Ceram, as we +then thought, but afterwards found it to be the +island of Bouro. +</p> +<p> +On the 25th, we came in sight of a low +island right-a-head of us, and about noon observed +an opening, which, when we came near, +we found to be a passage between two little +islands that almost joined. They were very full +of green trees, and by the sea-side we beheld +many groves of cocoa-nut, plantain, and other +fruit-trees, that exhibited a very pleasant appearance. +</p> +<p> +In a capacious bay we likewise took notice of +a little town, and saw several inhabitants passing +and re-passing along the shore. We sent in our +boats for provisions and pilots, and the Duke +and myself turned up towards the village, but +on sounding found no ground. The natives informed +us, there was a bank opposite a certain +land-mark, on which we might anchor. Abundance +of people came off with Indian wheat, +cocoa-nuts, yams, potatoes, papas, poultry, and +several beautiful birds, which they exchanged +for knives, scissars, and other toys, being very +civil, and to all appearance honest. They are +Mahometans, of a middle stature, and tawney; +<span class='pagenum'>72</span>but the women are fairer than the men, having +very long, lank, black hair; their mouths, lips, +and noses remarkably small. The women were +decently covered; but the men in general were +naked. These islands were named Camhava and +Wanshut; but, not answering our purpose, we +agreed to steer for Bonton, where we arrived on +Monday the 29th of May; and, the same day, +Captain Dampier, Mr. Connely, and Mr. Vanbrugh, +went with a present to the King of Bonton, +at the same time requesting him to supply +us with provisions, and to send us a pilot to carry +us to Batavia. +</p> +<p> +On the 30th, a paroa came from the King +with one of his nobles on board, and a pilot to +carry us into harbour. He put on an air of importance, +and asked, How we dared to come to +an anchor there, without leave from the Great +King of Bonton? However, he brought each +Commander a piece of his country-cloth, a bottle +of arrack, some rice in baskets, as a present from +the King; as also a letter from the officers we +had sent on shore, giving an account, that they +had been well received, and that the town where +the King resides was large, walled, fortified, and +defended after the European manner with a +number of heavy cannon. Another present was +returned, and five guns fired by every ship at +the messenger’s going off; at which he seemed +very well pleased. Our people trafficked with +the natives for poultry, maize, pompions, papas, +lemons, Guinea corn, &c. and gave them in +<span class='pagenum'>73</span>exchange knives, scissars, old cloaths, and old +nails. The people were civil; but our officers +making a longer stay than they intended, we +began to suspect that the moors had detained +them; for they are very treacherous. However, +we heard from them every day; and at length +the Dutchess’s pinnace came down with Lieutenant +Connely, who told us, they had purchased +four last of rice, which cost 600 dollars; and +that Mr. Vanbrugh was detained for the payment +of the money. The next morning it came, and +was equally distributed among the four ships, +some great men coming to deliver it, and receive +the money.⁠—The town of Bonton is very +populous, and by it runs a fine river, but is +barred so that ships of burden cannot approach +it. About 50 islands are tributary to this King, +who gives audience in a chair of state covered +with scarlet-cloth, and is always attended by a +guard of nine men, armed, after the European +manner, with muskets and scymitars. He has, +besides, four or five slaves, who sit at his feet, +and are ready whenever he commands to do the +most servile offices. The petty Princes and great +men sit on his left hand, and the strangers stand +before him. +</p> +<p> +Wednesday, June the 7th, all the provisions +and necessaries which this town could supply +being brought on board, and the officers who +went to wait upon the King, returned, the signal +was given to weigh, and at four in the afternoon +we set sail without a pilot, there being none to be +<span class='pagenum'>74</span>had on this island. Captain Dampier pretended +to be acquainted with the passage, and mentions +the same in his book, but now he remembered +nothing of it but the story. +</p> +<p> +On Friday the 9th, we came in sight of Solayo, +lying close to the island of Celebes, and inhabited +by Malayans, who are tributaries to the +Dutch. Between the south-end of Celebes and the +island of Solayo, are three small low islands, and +the best passage is between that which lies next +to Solayo, and a little one lying to the northward +of it. It is very dangerous going to the southward +of Solayo, the Dutch never daring to attempt +it. +</p> +<p> +On the 10th we made prize of a country paroa, +and brought the master on board the +Dutchess. He was a Malayan belonging to Macassar, +bound thither, came last from Bonton, +and undertook to pilot us to Batavia for a good +reward, provided we would promise to keep the +matter a secret from the Dutch, to both which +conditions we very readily agreed; and the man +performed what he undertook with great skill +and fidelity. We passed through the straits of +Salango, having always from five to seven fathom +water in our passage; then steering to the +westward, our pilot’s boat attended us till we +were through the last strait, and then bore away +towards Macassar. +</p> +<p> +On Tuesday the 20th of June, 1720, according +to our reckoning, we came to an anchor in +Batavia road; but with the Dutch it was Wednesday, +<span class='pagenum'>75</span>June 21; for we had lost 18 hours in +going round to the westward, and they had +gained six in sailing to the eastward, which made +a whole day difference between our account +and theirs. The reason is, that a ship sailing to +the westward, and so following the course of the +sun, makes every day something longer than in +any fixed station it would be. Thus in every +15 degrees she removes to the westward from +the meridian from whence she first set out, she +gains an hour; in 90 degrees, six hours; and in +360, which compose the whole circumference of +the globe, she will find a whole day short in her +reckoning, according to the account of the place +she arrives at. The contrary happens to the +ship that sails eastward; for, as she advances against +the course of the sun, she loses so much +of every day, which is thereby shortened, and +becomes less than 24 hours, by consequence losing +an hour in every 15 degrees, and consequently +will be a day before the account of the place +she arrives at. By this it appears, that the +ship which sails round the world westward, loses +a whole day, and that which performs the same +voyage eastward gains a day. So we having +made the greater part of the circumference, and +the Dutch at Batavia the other part the contrary +way, our loss and their gain made up the twenty-four +hours; and thus we came to differ a +day. +</p> +<p> +When we came to an anchor, the Dutchess +fired thirteen guns to salute the Dutch flag; but +<span class='pagenum'>76</span>it being night, the Commandant did not then answer; +but in the morning sent his boat to make an +apology, and then fired gun for gun with every +ship. Soon after this friendly salute taken on +both sides, the Commanders went on shore; +and, after waiting upon the Shebander, were +introduced to the Governor, who received us +with civility, examined our commission, and enquired +much concerning the success of our +voyage; but, not being King’s ships, would not +permit us to heave down in the States dock at +Orerest, but gave us leave to careen at the island +of Hern, which is at no great distance from the +other, and allowed us some Malayan caulkers to +assist in stopping our leaks. +</p> +<p> +As the Marquis was in the worst condition, +she was ordered to be laid down first; but upon +examination she was judged unfit to proceed +upon the voyage; and therefore was unladen +and put up to sale. We then hove down the +Duke and Dutchess, and found their sheathing +much worm eaten; but otherwise not much damaged: +the Batchelor wanted no repairs but in +her rigging. The weather was extremely hot +during our stay, at this city; many of our men +and officers fell sick; and I was among the number. +The master of the Duke, the gunner of +the Dutchess, and several of the common men, +fell a sacrifice to this unfriendly climate. One +Read, a young man belonging to the Dutchess, +venturing to swim, had both his legs snapt off +by a shark, which at the second bite, before we +<span class='pagenum'>77</span>could get him on board, cut him in two in the +middle, and put an end to his misery. During +our stay, though we had the run of the markets, +we found it very difficult to procure salt provisions +to lay in a stock to serve us till we should +arrive at the Cape of Good Hope, and therefore +were obliged to purchase live cattle, and to kill +and pickle them ourselves. All manner of traffic, +except for provisions, was prohibited with +the natives or inhabitants of the city, upon the +severest penalties, to avoid every occasion of +dispute with the East-India Companies of both +nations: and, having settled all our affairs in a +very amicable manner, new rigged our ships, +and disposed of the men belonging to the Marquis +among the other ships, we began on the 15th +of September to prepare for sailing, when I was +appointed second Captain in the Dutchess, and +Mr. Ballot, master; Capt. Pope, first Lieutenant +of the Duke, and Mr. Selkirk, master; Capt. +Dampier, second Captain in the Batchelor, and +Mr. Knolman, master. +</p> +<p> +On the 20th we repaired on board; but before +we were ready to sail, it was the 14th of +October; when, about six in the morning, we +weighed anchor; but in the afternoon the sea-breeze +took us, and we were forced to return. +</p> +<p> +On the 19th we made sail with a fresh breeze, +and at two in the afternoon came to an anchor +off Java-head, when two English gentlemen +came off to us, to demand the release of a man +who had concealed himself, unknown to the +<span class='pagenum'>78</span>officers, on board the Batchelor, and who was +given up without opposition. In the mean time, +while the gentlemen were in conversation with +the officers, a party from the ship went off with +their boat to buy fowls, for which they gave in +exchange knives, toys, and other trifles, which +the natives value more than money. +</p> +<p> +On the 23d the gentlemen took their leave; +and the party who went off to truck for fowls +having reported that there were buffaloes in +abundance to be had for shooting, another party +were sent off to bring some on board; but they +returned without success. They came in sight +of whole herds, but so exceeding wild, that the +moment they saw the appearance of a man, they +all took the alarm, and fled to the woods with +so much swiftness that it was impossible to come +within musket-shot of them. One of the party, +who had ventured to follow them into the woods, +was surprized by a tyger, who was within less +than a hundred yards of him before he thought +proper to make his retreat; and was pursued by +the creature so close, that, had he not reached +the water, he must have been devoured. His +companions fired more than twenty shot at the +tyger before he went off, which he did at last, +though sorely wounded. +</p> +<p> +We staid here till the 26th, when we made +sail, and about noon Java-head bore E. by N. +distant about seven leagues. From hence to the +Cape of Good Hope we met with nothing remarkable; +and, on the 30th of December, came +<span class='pagenum'>79</span>to an anchor in Table-bay, in seven fathom water. +We saluted the fort with nine guns; and +they returned seven. As soon as the ships were +moored, the Captains and principal officers went +ashore to pay their compliments to the Governor, +by whom they were honourably received. +The place and people have been so often described +already, that we shall not disgust the +reader with useless repetitions. +</p> +<p> +During our stay here, we employed the time +in victualling, watering, and refitting our ships, +for the remaining part of our voyage home. +The Duke, commanded by Captain Rogers, had +been leaky ever since her departure from California; +and, notwithstanding all that could be +done both at Batavia and this place, it could +not be stopped; but what was remarkable, in a +few days after we left the Cape, it stopt of itself. +</p> +<p> +Here we had an opportunity of writing to our +owners, by means of an East-India ship just ready +to sail when we arrived. In the letter we acquainted +them with our having made prize of a +small Manilla ship, and of our having her in our +possession; and also, that we intended to take +the advantage of returning home in company +with the Dutch East-India fleet, who were hourly +expected, which would occasion us to tarry till +the latter end of March, when it was imagined +they would be ready to sail. +</p> +<p> +On February the 22d, the Dutch fleet arrived, +being in all 12 sail. We saluted the Admiral at +<span class='pagenum'>80</span>his coming with seven guns, as did likewise the +fort. There were at this time in the harbour +17 Dutch ships, and six English. The town +was crowded, and many of our men were ill. +Mr. Vanbrugh, the owners chief agent, died, as +did Mr. Appleby, mate of the Duke, and several +others. We began to be impatient; and +found it necessary to begin to furnish ourselves +with provisions as early as possible, as every thing +began to increase in price as the town began to +fill. The Batavia fleet was soon followed by +four ships from Ceylon. Six came from that +island; but near Madagascar met with such a +violent storm, that some were forced to cut away +their main-masts, and throw over some of their +lee-guns, having much water at the same time +in their holds. The four came into the Cape +much damaged, and believed the other two had +foundered at sea. Several English Indiamen arrived +also in the road; as also a Portuguese ship +from Rio de Janeiro on the coast of Brazil, +bound for Mezambique, to take in slaves. +</p> +<p> +At length, on April the 6th, all the homeward +bound ships being ready to sail, we weighed in +the morning, and sailed with a small breeze of +wind at E. S. E. and by noon came to an anchor +at Pengun Island, the east end of the island bearing +south-westerly. At three we sailed again, +being in all 25 sail of English and Dutch, all +good ships, under the command of Admiral +Peter de Vos. At six the Cape of Good Hope +bore S. by. W. half W. distant about seven +<span class='pagenum'>81</span>leagues; and thus, having taken our departure, +we proceeded on our voyage April the +23d, which being St. George’s day, and the anniversary +of her Majesty of Great Britain, the +Duke and Dutchess saluted each other with +drums, trumpets, and other formalities, in honour +of the day; and in the evening the respective +Captains gave an entertainment, of which +all the officers on board partook. +</p> +<p> +August 3, 1711, we made the island of St. +Helena, in lat. 16 deg. S. It lies 1000 miles at +least from any land, and is not more than 10 +leagues in length, and about eight in breadth, +surrounded with rocks, and elevated above the +sea by towering mountains, that look at a distance +like lofty buildings rising to the clouds. +These mountains are covered with wholesome +herbs and plants; and the vallies are so fruitful, +that they yield an increase of whatever is sown +in them an hundred-fold. The Portuguese first +discovered this little spot accidentally, as they +were ranging along the coast of Africa, in order +to find their way to the East-Indies. It was then +uninhabited; and, according to their custom, +they set some live goats and swine on shore, +which multiplied to that degree, that ever since +there have been enough to supply the ships that +touch at that island with seasonable refreshment. +The Dutch first inhabited, and afterwards abandoned +it, and removed their settlement to the +Cape of Good Hope. The English then took +possession of it; when the Dutch, who did not +<span class='pagenum'>82</span>think it worth keeping before, returned, fell +upon the English, and drove them out. The +Dutch in their turn were expelled by the English, +who have now been long in possession, have +erected a very strong fort for their security, and +built a town near the little bay, where ships +generally anchor in their way to and from the +East Indies. It is of infinite use in relieving the +sailors from that dreadful distemper the sea-scurvy; +for, as it naturally produces lemons, +oranges, and other fruits, and as greens and +roots are planted in abundance, those who are +languishing under the last stage of the scurvy +are frequently recovered by the use of those refreshments +without any other physic. It would +be delightful living in this island, were it larger, +or more frequented; but the confinement in +so small a place in the middle of a vast ocean so +remote from all communication with the rest of +the world, renders the residence there so lonely, +that it has rather the appearance of living in +exile than in a land of freedom. And indeed, +what makes it still more uncomfortable, our own +ships find so much better entertainment at the +Cape than can be expected in this little spot, +that many of them store themselves there so +plentifully, and recover their sick men so effectually, +as not to be under the necessity of touching +at St. Helena, whereby not only the residence +of the inhabitants is rendered more dull, +but their means of subsistence is very much restrained; +for as they have nothing to depend +<span class='pagenum'>83</span>upon but their traffic with the ships that call to +refresh, every one that passes by without touching +is a diminution of their profits: so that in +fact the people have little or no encouragement +to continue there, and many of them make +heavy complaints. Indeed, the surrounding sea, +that abounding in fish is a considerable help, +and the fertility of the soil, which is sure to reward +the pains of the cultivator, exempt them +from famine; but for cloaths and all other conveniences, +their dependance is upon strangers. +</p> +<p> +On the first of May we took our departure +from this island, and on the 7th made the island +of Ascension, which is still uninhabited. As the +springs, which were discovered by Dampier, lie +remote from the shore, very few ships attempt +to water, or indeed stop at Ascension; some +indeed, who are in want of fresh provisions, +fish here for turtle, of which there are great +plenty all round the coasts. +</p> +<p> +Nothing remarkable happened in the course +of our voyage till May the 27th, when two of +our Dutch sailors died, and were decently buried +according to the custom of the sea. +</p> +<p> +About this time all the flag-ships struck their +flags, the Admiral hoisted a broad pendant, and +all the other ships did the same. This was done +with a view to deceive the enemy, that in case +any cruisers should come in sight, they might +take us for a squadron of Dutch men-of-war. +</p> +<p> +On the 12th, a mutiny happened among our +men; and two Dutchmen who were the ringleaders +<span class='pagenum'>84</span>were whipped and put in irons. For +some days we had but little wind, being in the +calm latitude, which we reckon from 22 deg. to +28 deg. N. +</p> +<p> +June the 13th, the Dutch Admiral made the +signal for each ship to keep the Line, and we +blacked our ship to make her look the more +like a Dutchman. +</p> +<p> +On the 15th, in the morning, the Admiral +made the signal for all the English Commanders, +and some of the Dutch skippers, to come on +board him, where we were sumptuously entertained +at dinner, and the frank humour of the +Dutchmen made the company jolly before we +parted. +</p> +<p> +June 23, a Dutch ship being in distress fired +several guns; upon which the whole fleet shortened +sail. Her damage being soon repaired, +the signal was given to continue our course, and +we took the Batchelor in tow, being a heavy +sailor, and forced to croud the canvas to keep +company; but, it blowing hard the next day, +we were forced to cast her off. +</p> +<p> +On the 26th, the Batchelor’s pinnace had her +back broke, by the ship’s running over her; but +the men that were in her were all miraculously +saved, by means of the hawser which they +were carrying from our ship to take her in tow. +In the evening the King William Indiaman took +her in tow, and next morning cast her off. +</p> +<p> +On the 28th, being got into the latitude of +51 deg. N. we had thick foggy weather, with +<span class='pagenum'>85</span>the wind at south, which continued several days, +and all the while the Admiral kept firing two +guns every hour, and each ship in the fleet answered +with one. This was done to keep the +fleet together, and it answered the purpose very +well; for when the fog dispersed, and the weather +came clear, there was not one ship missing. +The Dutch convoy, however, took care afterwards +to be well paid for his waste of powder. +</p> +<p> +Nothing remarkable happened till the 12th +of July, when the Donnegall Indiaman lost her +fore-top-mast, and made the signal for the fleet +to shorten sail. Being now in near 60 deg. N. latitude, +we had no night, but cold drizzling weather; +yet nothing to compare to the cold in the +same latitude in going round Cape Horn southward; +for there the cold was so intense that +many of our men sickened; and yet we were +here and at Cape Horn much about the same +time of the year, allowing for the difference of +the two climates. +</p> +<p> +On the 14th, we came in sight of Bera, and +spoke with a Danish ship bound to Dublin, who +told us the war still continued, and that he had +spoke a day or two before with a Dutch squadron +of 10 men-of-war, and three victuallers, +lying off Shetland to wait for us; so that by +keeping between that and Fair Island, we could +not possibly miss seeing them. Next day we +came in sight of them, when all the fleet saluted +the Commodore, and he made the signal +for all the Commanders to come aboard of him +<span class='pagenum'>86</span>for sailing orders. The Captains Courtney and +Dover went accordingly, and were courteously +received, and given to understand, that they +might be supplied with whatever provisions they +stood in need of, on paying for the same, he having +brought victuallers from Holland for that +purpose. We lay off Shetland some days, and +caught ling and cod in abundance, during which +time the Shetlanders came off to us, and brought +fowls and sheep, which we purchased at much +cheaper rates than of our Dutch victuallers. +</p> +<p> +We were now very sickly, having been more +than three months in our passage from the Cape +to this place; and we were besides very peevish +and quarrelsome among ourselves; now that we +came near home, jealousies arose about embezzlements. +The agents had been to the Duke to +demand the gold, plate, pearl, and jewels, on +board; and they were returned not very well +satisfied with their reception. But, while these +disputes were at their height, orders were given +to set sail. In the mean time letters were dispatched +to London and Amsterdam, acquainting +the owners with our progress, and present situation, +and desiring their instructions to regulate +our future proceedings. Before we left Shetland +we took four hogsheads of beer on board from +the Dutch Commodore, which served us till we +arrived on the 23d in sight of Holland, in the +evening of which day we came to an anchor in +the Texel road. +</p> +<p> +On the 27th, we received a general letter from +<span class='pagenum'>87</span>our owners, dated, Bristol, June 6th, 1711, in +which they acquainted us, that the East-India +Company were incensed against us, and had appointed +a secret committee to inspect their charter +as to privileges; and that they were resolved +to take all advantages, in case of the least infringement +on what they pretended to be their exclusive +right of trading to the East-Indies. This +letter likewise recommended the greatest caution +on our part with regard to the Dutch East-India +Company; for from that Company as well as +from our own, they had reason to fear all possible +obstruction. It was therefore most strictly +enjoined, that neither officer nor sailor should, +on any pretence whatever, be suffered to take +any goods on shore; nor were we to allow any +stranger to come on board to purchase the least +trifle; for that, if any such thing should be +proved, the whole cargo would be forfeited. +</p> +<p> +It was a great relief to us, when, on the 5th +of August, Mr. Hollidge, one of our principal +owners came on board us; for, though we kept +the strictest watch, it was hardly possible to prevent +the sailors from running things ashore in +the night. On this gentleman’s arrival, it was +judged necessary to draw up a short account of +our voyage from the journals of the respective +Commanders, and an affidavit was made to the +truth of it. In this memorial we set forth, that +we went out as private men-of-war, and not as +trading ships; and that no sort of merchandize +was shipped on board our ships at any of the +<span class='pagenum'>88</span>islands or ports we touched at in the East Indies, +nor any traffic carried on there, other than for +necessaries and provisions for the ships and ships +company. To this all the officers and most of +the seamen voluntarily swore and set their hands. +We continued in Holland, without any remarkable +event, till the 30th of September, 1711, +when we sailed from the Texel, under convoy +of her Majesty’s ships, Essex, Canterbury, Medway, +and Dullidge, and anchored in the Downs +on the 2d of October. On the 13th, the Duke +and Dutchess came up to Eriff, where the +Batchelor had been moored some time before: +and here all the ships continued till they were +unloaded. The produce of the cargo, and the +treasure brought home in these ships, were supposed +to amount to between 3 and 400,000l. for, +after all charges of convoy, agency, law-suits, +embezzlements, of which great complaint was +made, and of every kind of thievery practised +in such cases, the nett profits, that were afterwards +fairly divided, amounted to 170,000l. +</p> +<p> +Among the disasters that befel the adventurers +in this voyage, that of losing Mr. Hatley, with +his little crew, near the islands of Gallapagoes, +was most to be deplored; yet, though his death +was supposed to be certain, having little or no +provisions on board, and still less water, after +the conclusion of the war, he returned home, to +the astonishment of all who knew him. It then +appeared, that, when he parted company with +the Duke, having no resource, he made directly +<span class='pagenum'>89</span>for the main; and, falling in with Cape Passao, +his little crew almost famished, and himself in a +miserable weak condition, he formed the resolution, +with the consent of his people, to surrender +themselves prisoners to the enemy: but, unfortunately, +the enemy to whom they surrendered +were not the civilized Spaniards, but a mixed +breed of Indians and Mulattos, who bore an +implacable hatred to all white men, from a +rooted aversion to the Spanish tyranny. These +wretches used their helpless prisoners barbarously, +tied their hands behind them, and lashed +them to posts, where they half-flead them with +whips; and most certainly would have tortured +them to death, had it not been for the interposition +of their priest, to whom these half-heathen +converts pay great respect. Being, by the humanity +of this good Padre, rescued out of the +hands of those barbarians, and conveyed to a +Spanish settlement, Mr. Hatley was received +with kindness, and used with much civility; +and, when peace was declared, was set at liberty, +and assisted to return to his country, +where he afterwards engaged in a second expedition +to the same seas, and again fell into the +hands of the same enemy. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/096.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>M<sup>r</sup> Hatley & his Small Crew Cruelly Whip’d by y<sup>e</sup> Savage Indians but are Saved by a Priest.</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +We have not yet been able to learn the future +proceedings of the officers who conducted this +enterprize. It is more than probable, that, having +enriched themselves by the voyage, they retired +and lived private. We find, indeed, a +Mr. Cooke engaged in a succeeding voyage, +<span class='pagenum'>90</span>but it does not appear that it was the Captain +Cooke of whose voyage we have just given an +account. Mr. Hatley, indeed, who fell into the +hands of the Spaniards, was employed as second +Captain under Shelvock, and of him we shall +have occasion to speak largely hereafter. +</p> +<div class="chapter"><span class='pagenum'>91</span> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspb'>THE</span></span><br> +<span class='font2p'><span class='lspd'>VOYAGE</span></span><br> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspb'>OF</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspc'><span class="small-caps">Captain CLIPPERTON</span></span></span><br> +<span class='lspc'>ROUND THE WORLD</span>. +</h2></div> +<p class='two_space drop-cap'> +C<span class='toupper lspz ip2'>aptain</span> John Clipperton (or, as some +write, Clippington) was born at Yarmouth, +in the county of Norfolk; and his friends being +most of them sea-fearing people, he was from +his infancy bred up a mariner. His disposition +naturally inclining him to ramble, he embraced +every opportunity to embark in new voyages, +and there was hardly a corner of the earth +which he had not visited before he was thirty +years of age. When he was made choice of +to take the command of the expedition of +which we are now to give an account, he was +esteemed, and that perhaps justly, the most experienced +seaman of his time. He had been +frequently in the East and West Indies; had +been in the Northern and Mediterranean Seas, +and had once surrounded the whole globe. He +was that Clippington, who, in 1704, with a +bark, of only 10 tons, two masts, two square-sails, +two pattararoes, and 21 men, left Captain +<span class='pagenum'>92</span>Dampier on the coast of Mexico; and, after +insulting Rio Leon, where he took two +Spanish ships at anchor, one of which was ransomed +for 4000 pieces of eight, and after visiting +the gulph of Salinas, where he cleaned and +refitted his little bark, undertook to sail in her +from that coast round half the globe; a great +part of which he performed in a track never before +attempted, pursuing his course in the 18th +degree of north latitude, which former navigators +had pursued after each other in the 13th; +and, in that direction, he reached the Philippines +in 54 days, without seeing land, or meeting +with any cross accident to interrupt his passage. +While he was embarrassed among those islands, +there came off a canoe with a friar on board, to +enquire concerning so uncommon a vessel, the +like of which was never seen before in those +seas. He detained the friar till his crew were +furnished with fresh provisions, and then released +him. +</p> +<p> +From the Philippines he steered to Pulo Condore, +where he expected to have met with an +English settlement; but, to his great mortification, +he there learnt, that, some time before his +arrival, the English had been all murdered by +their Indian guards. Upon this melancholy +news, he bore away for Macao, a port in the possession +of the Portuguese, near the mouth of the +river Canton, in China, already frequently mentioned, +and lately made famous by the arrival of +some Russian adventurers from Kampschatka, +<span class='pagenum'>93</span>who, by that navigation, have confirmed the +reality of a north-east passage to the coasts of +China. At this port he arrived, where Shelvock +affirms that near half his crew were hanged +for pirates, that the rest escaped, some to one +place, and some to another; that Clipperton +himself, being deprived of his little boat, found +means to get on board an English East Indiaman +at Canton, and arrived in England in +1706. +</p> +<p> +Clipperton was a blunt, rough, free-spoken +sailor, had not much the air of a gentleman, +and therefore never affected it; was free +and easy among his seamen; and, though he was +passionate, he was soon appeased, and, if in the +wrong, ever ready to acknowledge his error, +and to repair any injury his hasty temper betrayed +him to commit. He had a strict regard +to what he thought his duty, and was not to +be diverted from the principles of moderation, +which ever inclined him to acts of mercy and +humanity towards those over whom the chance +of war gave him the superiority. Having returned +almost destitute from his first voyage +round the world, he settled in the north of Ireland, +to which retreat he was traced, after more +than twelve years retirement, and persuaded to +undertake this second voyage, as a means to repair +his broken fortune. +</p> +<p> +The success that had attended the voyage of +the Duke and Dutchess to the South Seas under +the command of Captain Rogers, had revived the +<span class='pagenum'>94</span>spirit of privateering, which, by former miscarriages, +had been reduced to a very low ebb. +Dampier, as has already been noticed, was unable, +with all his skill and all his experience, to +persuade the London merchants to engage in a +second expedition into those seas, after having +failed in the first, and was obliged to apply to +Bristol to raise a new company of adventurers to +second his views; but such is the nature of mankind, +that emulous, not to say envious, of the +success of others, they are ever ready to croud +the road that has led to fortune, without considering +how unfit they are to undertake the journey. +The owners of the Duke and Dutchess +had been particularly careful to make choice of +gentlemen, not only of ability, to conduct the +voyage which proved so successful, but who also +had confidence in, and friendship for, each other; +and yet, with all this care and caution, it was +with the greatest difficulty in the world that they +were persuaded to keep together, and to act in +concert. On the contrary, the Commanders in +the present expedition, were gentlemen of opposite +tempers, opposite views, and already, before +they set out, engaged in opposite parties; it was +therefore very unlikely that two such Commanders +should unite in one common interest, or +that the one should share the danger where the +other was to reap the glory. The event will +shew, that the miscarriage of this enterprize was +not more owing to the mistakes in the voyage, +than in the wrong setting out. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>95</span>The impatience of the undertakers was so +great, and their confidence of making themselves +rich by the plunder of the Spaniards so certain, +that, unwilling to trust to an eventual rupture +between Great Britain and Spain, they took occasion, +from the war that then subsisted between +the Emperor and Spain, to apply to the Imperial +Court for a commission to carry their plan of +hostilities into execution. With this view, having +equipped two stout ships, the <i>Success</i> and the +<i>Speedwell</i>, it was thought necessary to find out +some gentleman who had served on board the +royal navy, that might take upon him the command +of the expedition, and be able to act with +propriety in a joint commission, wherein Flemish +soldiers and English sailors were to be united in +the same design. +</p> +<p> +For this difficult task no man was thought +more fit than Captain George Shelvock, who +had been bred from his childhood in the royal +navy, had been thirty years in the service, and +arrived at the rank of First Lieutenant of one of +his Majesty’s ships of war, which he had borne +with great reputation; was in his person and +behaviour a fine gentleman, and was confessedly +a very expert and able seaman. He was, besides, +of quick parts, ready speech, and very winning +address, but withal rather too sensible of his +own accomplishments. This gentleman the undertakers +thought themselves happy in having +found; and they accordingly not only invested +him with the command, but entrusted to him the +<span class='pagenum'>96</span>grand business of the commission, and for that +purpose he received instructions to repair to +Ostend with the Speedwell, and there, as soon +as the commission was obtained, to take on board +the complement of Flemings that were to give +countenance to the undertaking; and to join the +Success in the Downs, which there lay ready under +the command of Capt. Mitchell. On this occasion +the names of the ships were changed; the <i>Success</i> +was called the <i>Prince Eugene</i>, and the <i>Speedwell</i> +the <i>Starenberg</i>, in compliment to the Prince and +the Imperial Prime Minister. Captain Shelvock +was, besides, instructed to lay in such a stock of +wines and spirituous liquors, as he should judge +sufficient for the use of both ships in a voyage +where such refreshments would be absolutely necessary, +and without which the climate of Cape +Horne could hardly be endured. +</p> +<p> +In this business, however, the Captain gave +some disgust. He was either too extravagant, +too ostentatious, or too remiss; and the voyage +which the owners had so much at heart, was +thought already to have suffered by unnecessary +delay. But, what was still worse, the Flemish +soldiers, 90 in number, commanded by their own +officers, had hardly arrived in the Downs before +they became so insolent, that it was presently discovered, +that the scheme of their acting in concert +with English sailors was utterly impracticable: +so that after all this delay and expence, +the commission was returned, the Flemish +soldiers discharged, and a new plan formed, +<span class='pagenum'>97</span>which gave the first occasion to those dissentions +that in the end proved the ruin of the voyage. +</p> +<p> +Captain Shelvock’s management had much +lessened his credit, and his friends were unable +to support his interest. The reason for his advancement +no longer existed; and it was found, +that the discipline to which he had been accustomed +on board the royal navy, was not the discipline +to be practised on board privateers. It +was necessary, therefore, as the circumstances of +things were changed, war with Spain declared, +and no extraordinary accomplishment required, +to look out for an officer to take the command, +who had experience in the business in which he +was to be employed; who knew the western +coasts of America, and was acquainted with the +genius of the people with whom he was to contend, +as well as the tempers of those with whom +he was to attack. +</p> +<p> +On this new regulation, the character of Captain +Clipperton was called to mind. He was +known to some of the owners, and strongly recommended +by other merchants, as of all men +then living the fittest to be entrusted with the +conduct of such an expedition. The owners, +who had already expended more than 15,000l. +began to consider their own interest without respect +to persons; and, therefore, they sought out +and invested Captain Clipperton with the chief +command, continuing Captain Shelvock Commander +of the Speedwell, and appointing Captain +Mitchell second to Captain Clipperton, and +<span class='pagenum'>98</span>Captain Hatley second Captain to Shelvock. +The ships were restored to their former names, +an English commission procured for the Commanders, +and every thing prepared while the +ships lay in the Downs for their immediate departure. +</p> +<p> +The instructions given to the respective Commanders +were, in substance, the same with those +given to the Commanders of the Duke and +Dutchess, strongly recommending unanimity. +But this precaution proved wholly useless. The +expedition wore an unfortunate aspect from the +beginning. The ships were obliged to lie three +months at Plymouth, waiting for a wind. Factions +were in the mean time formed, in which the +crews as well as the Commanders were involved. +Captain Shelvock highly resented the affront that +had been offered in depriving him of the chief +command; and Captain Clipperton, being a +boisterous man, having himself strong passions, +and not having art to conceal them, knowing +Captain Shelvock’s prejudices, nothing but +dissention and discord prevailed. Every post +brought the owners fresh complaints; and every +post carried fresh reproofs to the Commanders. +In this humour the parties continued while the +ships lay at Plymouth. At length, +</p> +<p> +On the 13th of February, 1719, the Success, +of 36 guns, and 180 men, commanded by Captain +Clipperton, and the Speedwell, of 24 guns, +and 106 men, of which Captain Shelvock was +Commander, sailed with a fair wind; but, by an +<span class='pagenum'>99</span>unaccountable over-sight, the Speedwell had on +board the whole stock of wine and brandy, and +the Success the greatest share of other stores. +</p> +<p> +For several days they had fresh gales, squally, +with rain, and the Success was often obliged to +shorten sail for the Speedwell. Captain Shelvock +tells us, that he complained to Captain +Clipperton of the crankness of his ship, and desired +him to send for his wine and brandy, that +he might strike down some of his guns into the +hold, which would enable him to sail much better +than he did: but this, it seems, was neglected; +a proof that Clipperton had no intention to +desert the Speedwell, though it was a slight, +which Shelvock could not but resent. On the +19th, a violent storm arose, which obliged both +ships to take in their top-sails. The gale increasing, +the Success made a signal for the Speedwell +to bring to; which Captain Shelvock +readily obeyed; and, by eleven at night, both +ships were under bare poles. On the 20th, in +the afternoon, the storm abated, and Captain +Clipperton made sail, steering S. by E. whereas +Captain Shelvock, according to his journal, +stood north-west; so that from this day they +never saw each other, till they met in the +South Seas by mere accident. Here then properly +begins the history of Captain Clipperton’s +voyage round the world. He was now at sea +without liquors, and without his consort. The +first place of rendezvous appointed by them, +was the Canary Islands; and, therefore, he sailed +<span class='pagenum'>100</span>thither, and arrived at Gomera on the 5th of +March. Having taken in some wine and refreshments, +for which he had great occasion, he +continued cruising at the Canaries ten days for +his consort; but, missing her here, he continued +his voyage to the next place of rendezvous, at +the Cape de Verd or Green islands. +</p> +<p> +The former islands, called by the ancients the +Fortunate Islands, from their fertility and temperate +air, were discovered by the Spaniards in 1402, +who named them the Canaries, or the Islands of +Dogs, because no other creatures were found on +them. They are eight in number. The Great +Canary is the largest, is far distant from the +others, and contains 9000 inhabitants. It is the +seat of the Bishop, the Inquisition, and of the +Council Royal. There is a mountain on the +Teneriff, called the Pike of Teneriff, which, +according to the common opinion, is the highest +in the world. It may be distinctly seen at sixty +leagues distance. It is three days journey to the +top of it, which, except in the months of July +and August, is always covered with snow. Fero +is one of the largest, but so dry, that there is +not one drop of fresh water to be found in it, +except in a few places by the sea-side: but Providence +has furnished a supply to remedy that +inconvenience; for there grows all over this +island a sort of tree, which is pretty large, and +full of leaves, that are always green, and covered +with a little cloud that wets the leaves by +its dew, so that a fine clear water distills from +<span class='pagenum'>101</span>them into little pails, which the inhabitants set +to catch it. This water falls in such quantities, +that it not only abundantly supplies the necessity +of the people, but it is sufficient also to water +the cattle. The Canaries in general are very +fertile, and abound with wine that is transported +into all parts of the world. On the right-hand +of those islands, about 100 leagues off, the mariners +very often perceived an island named St. +Baranora, inhabited, they say, by Christians; +but no man can tell of what denomination they +are, nor what language they speak. The Spaniards +have often attempted to enter it, but +could never find the way; which has raised an +opinion in the people, that it is an inchanted +island. +</p> +<p> +On the 21st they saw St. Vincent’s, and the +next morning anchored in the bay. Here they +spent ten days cruising in hopes of meeting with +their consort, but in vain; which so disheartened +the crew, that Capt. Clipperton found it difficult +to persuade them to continue the voyage +for the Straits of Magellan, without wine or +brandy to keep up their spirits in that uncomfortable +navigation. Some are of opinion, that +these islands were called Green Islands from +the green Cape of Africa, over-against which +they lie; others, because the sea that surrounds +them is so covered with a green herb, that you +can hardly see the water; nor can ships sail +through it, but with a stiff gale of wind. It +produces berries, much like white gooseberries; +<span class='pagenum'>102</span>but without taste. Nobody can tell how it +grows; for there is no ground where it floats +upon the water, and it cannot come from the +bottom, the sea being in many places unfathomable. +</p> +<p> +On the 1st of April they left St. Vincent’s, +and on the 29th of May they had an observation, +and found themselves in lat. 52 deg. 15 +min. S. being then off Cape Virgin Mary, the +north point of the entrance of the Straits of +Magellan. The next day they entered the +Straits, and sent their pinnace on shore on the +main, to a fresh-water river, which was at this +time frozen up. They saw large flocks of geese +and ducks, but very shy. The surgeon’s mate, +by some accident, was left on shore; and next +morning, when brought aboard, was near dead +with cold. They anchored at Queen Elizabeth’s +Island, and found great plenty of smallage, +which was of infinite service to those sick of the +scurvy. They eat it raw, boiled it in their +soups, and kept the juice of it in bottles. They +met with plenty of wild-fowl and shell-fish, +filled their casks with water, and continued their +course. On the 22d they anchored in a fine +bay, which, from its depth, they called No-bottom +Bay. The trees were high, loaded with +snow, and exhibited a most astonishing prospect. +On the 29th came a canoe, with four Indians. +They were of a middle stature, dark complection, +their faces broad and round, low foreheads, +black hair very lank and short, with no +<span class='pagenum'>103</span>cloathing, except a piece of skin to cover their +middles. What seemed most remarkable, was +a circle round their wrists, of a bright azure. +It seems these savages are extremely jealous of +their women; for, notwithstanding all that could +be said to them, they would not permit a woman, +who was of their party, to come on board. +Bougainville, and the English voyagers who +lately passed the Straits, make the same observation. +Capt. Clipperton ordered them bread and +cheese, and a dram of brandy, though it was +very scarce. The former they eat very heartily, +or rather greedily; but the latter they could not +be prevailed upon to taste. They had bows and +arrows, and some fishing-tackle along with them. +After about two hours stay, they rowed ashore, +making signs that they would come again. +The next day the pinnace was sent ashore, and +returned in the evening with the Indian canoe +laden with muscles, which the Indians had exchanged +for bread, knives, and other trifles. +In the beginning of the month of July they +found the weather moderate. These natives +were a harmless people: one of the crew, being +left on shore, lived with them two nights and a +day, and was very kindly treated by them; +which shews, that, if they are well used, they +are not treacherous. All this time their ship’s +company was very sickly, and scarce a day +passed but some one or other died. On July 8 +they buried their master-gunner. They caused +a strong plank to be driven at the head of his +<span class='pagenum'>104</span>grave, on which was the following inscription: +“Mr. William Pridham, gunner of the Success, +deceased July 7, 1719, in this Strait, and lies +buried here.” On the 20th Capt. Mitchell and +Lieut. Davidson went in the pinnace to Terra +del Fuego, in order to make discovery of the +passage that a French tartan is said to have went +through into the South Sea, May 1713, and to +see if there was any anchoring beyond Cape +Quad. On the 29th they returned, having +found the passage, but so narrow, that it was +judged hazardous to go that way. They found +likewise several good bays to the north-west of +Cape Quad to anchor in. The Indians brought +them a seal, which they broiled and roasted, +and said it eat like venison. +</p> +<p> +August 1, they resolved to prosecute their +voyage thro’ the Straits, which, with much danger +and difficulty, they accomplished. Aug. 18, +they arrived in the South-Seas, but so weak, +that it was impossible to undertake any thing +immediately; they therefore steered directly for +the island of Juan Fernandez, the third and last +place of rendezvous, where they arrived Sept. 7, +and searched diligently in hopes of finding some +token of the Speedwell, but to no manner of +purpose. According to his instructions, Clipperton +continued to cruise a full month, and, +before he took his departure, ordered an inscription +to be cut on a remarkable tree fronting +the landing place; so that it was impossible for +any ship’s crew to come ashore, and not see +<span class='pagenum'>105</span>it. The inscription thus: “<span class="small-caps">Captain</span> JOHN +W. MAGEE, 1719.” This William Magee +was surgeon on board the Success, was well-known +to Capt. Shelvock, and all the ship’s +company; and therefore his name was made +choice of rather than the Captain’s, for a blind +in case the inscription should be read by the +Spaniards. Here the sick were set ashore, and +every means used for their recovery; but the +very thoughts of being without any cordial to +comfort them, dejected them excessively. The +weather was changeable; abundance of rain fell; +and they had also some hard gales of wind. +They took goats in plenty, which not only +served them for the present, but likewise increased +their sea-store, having salted a great +number with salt they found on the island ready-made. +They likewise wooded and watered, and +cleaned their ship, ready for action in the South-Seas, +where it was now visible they were to +cruise alone; for Clipperton was of opinion the +Speedwell was lost; or at least he gave out so, +to pacify his company, who were continually +cursing Capt. Shelvock for running away with +their liquors. One thing remarkable was, the +beauty and fertility of this island, added to the +stories they had heard of others; tempted four +of Clipperton’s men, with a view of remaining +there, to betake themselves to the mountains, +where two of them were made prisoners by the +goat-hunters, who were forced to fire at them +several times before they would surrender. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>106</span>October 7, they prepared to sail; and, in the +mean time, Captain Mitchell went on shore, to +set up a cross already cut for that purpose, at the +foot of which he buried a bottle, in which was +contained a letter for Captain Shelvock, directing +another place of rendezvous, and some proper +signal to know each other by at sea. At +eight in the morning, they weighed from the +island of Juan Fernandez, and left their two men +in possession of it, of whom more hereafter. +</p> +<p> +After leaving this island, Captain Clipperton +sailed northward, till he was in the parallel of +Lima, where he intended to act, though he was +now in a very indifferent condition, having lost +thirty men since his passing the Equator; and +the remaining crew expressing some uneasiness in +relation to plunder, he caused a paper to be fixed +to the main-mast, which was assented to by +the whole ship’s company. +</p> +<p> +On October 25, they gave chace to a small +vessel, and took her. Being their first prize, she +was an ill omen of their future success. She was +a snow of 40 tons, laden with sand and rubbish +for manure; had seven Indians and two negroes +on board; and all the captors could find worth +taking, was two jars of eggs, as much treacle, +and a couple of pieces of eight in ready money. +The next day, they met with a ship called the +St. Vincent, of 150 tons, laden with wood from +Guiaquil, with two friars, sixteen Indians, and +four negroes aboard. On the 30th, they took a +large ship called the Trinity, of 400 tons, taken +<span class='pagenum'>107</span>by Captain Rogers when he plundered Guiaquil, +ten years before. She had a great many passengers +on board, and a cargo of considerable value. +</p> +<p> +On Nov. 2, they took another prize, of 70 +tons, with the Countess of Laguna and several +other passengers on board, a great deal of money, +and upwards of 400 jars of wine and brandy, +articles very much wanted. Captain Clipperton +desired the Countess to make her choice, either +to stay on board the prize, or accept of the accommodations +they were able to afford her on +board the Success. She chose the former; and +the Captain sent an officer with strict orders to +suffer nobody to enter her cabbin but her own +domestics: he likewise appropriated a part of +the wine and brandy found on board the prizes +for the use of his seamen, to whom, no doubt, it +was a welcome refreshment. +</p> +<p> +He had already detached several officers, and +above a third part of his company, to take care +of his prizes; and yet was as eager to take more, +as if, instead of a privateer weakly manned, he +had commanded a squadron of ships of war. On +the 12th, he discovered at some distance, a London-built +pink, of 200 tons, laden with wood, +named the Rosario, the Master of which being a +very cunning fellow, soon saw the error that Clipperton +had committed, and resolved to take advantage +of it. He guessed, by the number of +prizes, that many men could not be sent on +board his ship; and, having about a dozen passengers, +he directed them, under the command +<span class='pagenum'>108</span>of a French boatswain, to hide themselves in the +hold, with orders, on his making a certain signal, +to seize as many of the English as came down; +assuring them, that he, with the ship’s company, +would be able to manage the rest. As soon as +the ship struck, Captain Clipperton sent Lieutenant +Serjeantson, with eight men, to take possession +of her; who, as soon as he came on board, +ordered all that appeared into the great cabin, +and placed a centinel at the door of it. Thinking +every thing secure, and not in the least apprehensive +of danger, he with some of his men +went into the hold to see what was in the ship; +on which the passengers, who were concealed, +sallied out, knocked most of them down, and +the French boatswain, coming behind Mr. Serjeantson, +knocked him down likewise, and then +ordered them to be all bound. The Spaniards +in the great cabin secured the centinel; and, having +thus recovered their ship, made instantly for +the shore, where their own company and the +prisoners were all in equal danger of perishing; +which the Captain no sooner perceived, than he +ordered the English to be unbound; and, by +good fortune, every man escaped upon the rocks, +against which the Spaniard in his eagerness had +run his vessel, and against which she was dashed +to pieces. Lieutenant Serjeantson and his people +were secured, and sent prisoners to Lima. +The Viceroy of Peru was no sooner acquainted +with this gallant action, than he ordered a new +ship to be built at Guiaquil for the Captain, and +<span class='pagenum'>109</span>taxed the traders towards the expence of her, +intending this as a reward for the service he had +rendered the public, and hoping thereby to encourage +others to behave as nobly. On the arrival +of the prisoners at Lima, they were closely +examined and one of them gave a full account +of every thing he knew, particularly of the two +men left upon the island of Juan Fernandez, +and of the bottle with a letter in it; upon +which, the Viceroy ordered a small vessel to be +fitted out, to fetch both the one and the other, +which was accordingly performed. +</p> +<p> +It was not till the 20th that Captain Clipperton +perceived that his last prize was retaken; +when, considering what was best to be done, he +prudently determined to set his Spanish prisoners +at liberty, as well to save provisions, which, at +that time, he could very ill spare, as that their +good usage might be speedily known, and returned +to such of his men as were in the +enemy’s power. +</p> +<p> +Accordingly, on the 27th, they came to an +anchor with all their prizes, at the island of La +Plata, and, in his way, took another prize, called +the Cayetan, of 200 tons, having on board 40 +negroes, and 30 Spaniards, most of them passengers. +Here the Captain began seriously to consider +how he should make the most of this expedition +for his owners, as well as himself, and +his company. He knew that all the coast was +alarmed; and that two men of war, one of fifty, +and one of thirty guns, were fitted out on purpose +<span class='pagenum'>110</span>to take him: he was sensible, that the +goods he had on board were not likely to be +ransomed in that part of the world; and that +they would prove mere drugs, if brought into +this; and therefore laid all these things together; +and, reflecting on a proposition made by +Captain Woods Rogers, to send a cargo of +such prize-goods to Brazil, he resolved to try +the experiment; and, accordingly, he fitted out +the bark in which he took the Countess of Laguna; +mounted her with eight guns; and, +putting on board of her thirteen Englishmen, +and ten negroes, with what provisions and other +necessaries he could spare, he sent her with a +cargo of European commodities, valued at +10,000 pounds, for Brazil, under the command +of Captain Mitchell, his second in command. +As soon as he was gone, the Captain parted with +all his other prizes, presenting them to the Spanish +prisoners, after taking out of them what +he thought valuable, and detaining only the +Captain of one of them for his pilot, and all +the negroes; after which he sailed from that +island, in order to cruize in his former station. +</p> +<p> +December 12, they saw a sail about five in +the evening, and, at seven, took her. She was +called the Rosary, and laden with provisions. +The launch and pinnace were all the next day +employed in bringing on board the cargo, and +having got out of her as much as they could +stow, they cut her main-mast by the board, lest +<span class='pagenum'>111</span>she should overset, and so let her go. The prisoners +informed them that the men taken by the +Rosario were sent to Lima by land. On the 27th +they looked into Guanchaco bay, and found +two ships at anchor. They fired a shot at each, +but they made no return. Sending then their +boats aboard, they found them abandoned, and +could discover nothing left, except some bread, +and a few jars of water. They hung out a flag +of truce, and fired two guns at half an hour’s +interval, hoping they would have come aboard +to ransom their ships. They were answered +from shore; but no boat coming, they waited +till next day, and then set them on fire. +</p> +<p> +It was now resolved to bear away for refreshment +to the Gallapagos islands, where they +might remain unmolested till the alarm of their +being in those seas should be over; and, accordingly, +put their design in execution. On +January 9, 1720, they anchored on the north +side of the Duke of York’s island, immediately +under the Equinoctial, where they found good +water, and cleaned their ship, which confirms +the account given by Captain Cowley, though +Captain Rogers could not find the place. +</p> +<p> +On the 21st of January they observed a sail, +and about eleven at night came up with her; +and, on firing of their first gun, she struck. +She was called the Prince Eugene, and had on +board the Marquis de Villa Roche, and all his +family, who were going to Lima. +</p> +<p> +On February 26th, a Spaniard dying of a +<span class='pagenum'>112</span>wound he had received at the taking this ship, +the Marquis desired he might be buried according +to their ceremonies; which was granted. +When the office for the dead had been performed, +and the corpse thrown over-board, with a +large bag of ballast tied at his feet, the Spaniards +crying thrice, as their custom is on such occasion, +<em>Bon Voiage</em>, i. e. a good voyage, the +body, to the admiration of every one, presently +floated, and continued floating as far as they +could see it; which the Marquis concluded to +be an ill omen, and declared that some surprising +accident would be the consequence. +</p> +<p> +On March 8, a priest, who was on board the +Prince Eugene, desired leave to go on shore on +the island of Velas; which was granted, on his +promising to persuade the inhabitants to drive +some black cattle to the shore, in order to exchange +them for what goods they liked best. +On the 16th, he returned with four head of +black cattle, some fowls, and fruit, as a present +to the Marquis; but at the same time declared, +that the Governor would not suffer the inhabitants +to trade. He said, Captain Mitchell had +been ashore there, and had shot some of their +cattle; but that 200 men appearing under arms, +they had forced him to retire. The next day +some letters from the Marquis were intercepted, +very little to his honour, since they tended to +stir up the people to surprise, and secure the +boat when it came next ashore to water. Upon +this, Captain Clipperton confined him for some +<span class='pagenum'>113</span>days; yet, on the 20th, he allowed both the +Marquis and his lady to go ashore, leaving their +only child as an hostage. +</p> +<p> +On April 14, the Marquis, his lady, and the +Governor, came aboard; and, an agreement being +made for their ransom, the lady and child +were sent on shore, and the Marquis only remained +as an hostage. In this transaction Clipperton +appears to have been outwitted by this +nobleman, who basely broke his word, and provoked +the crew for trusting him. On April +20th, they anchored in the gulph of Amapala; +and, not being able to water there, repaired to +the island of Tigers, where they did it with +great ease. On June 4, they sailed to Gorgona +on the same errand, and were well supplied. On +the 24th, they made prize a second time of the +St. Vincent, now commanded by Don Clement +de Andrado, laden with timber and cocoa-nuts. +On August 11, they anchored, with their prize, +at the island of Lobos de la Mar, where they set +up tents on the shore, scrubbed and cleaned +their ship, and where the crew talked over their +affairs, till they began to think them desperate. +Sometimes they reflected on the Captain, for +pretending to remain in these seas without their +consort; at other times, they blamed him for +giving in to the Spanish Marquis’s project for +ransoming his ship, which, they believed, would +never be performed: and, now-and-then, the +ship’s corporal, one James Roch, a bold, busy, +intriguing fellow, threw in some sly insinuations, +<span class='pagenum'>114</span>that, it they must go through such hardships, +it was better they should do it for their own +sakes, than for other peoples; and one Joseph +Maynard, the boatswain’s mate, pushing things +still further, a plot was at last formed for seizing +the Captain, the rest of the officers, and running +away with the ship. They likewise agreed, +that, when their design was brought to bear, +the officers should be set on shore on the island +of Lobos, and all who afterwards opposed them +shot without mercy. This wicked combination, +however, was happily discovered, the two ringleaders +severely punished, and the rest pardoned; +by which wise conduct the conspiracy was suppressed. +On the 17th they took a fishing-boat, +with a large quantity of salt-fish well cured; +but found the St. Vincent, which they had left +at an anchor under the island of Lobos, driven +ashore, and sunk: here they put thirty-eight +Spanish prisoners on board the fishing-boat, and +sent them away. +</p> +<p> +Nov. 1, they entered the bay of Conception, +where, missing a prize that outsailed them, they +bore away for Coquimbo, and took a ship laden +with tobacco, sugar, and cloth, in their passage. +On the 6th, in the afternoon, they opened that +harbour, where they saw three men-of-war lying, +with their top-sails loose; and these no sooner +spied them, than they cut their cables, and +stood after them. The Success hauled close on +a wind, and the prize did the same; upon which +the Spanish man-of-war that sailed best gave +<span class='pagenum'>115</span>chace to the latter, and took her. The other +two ships crouded all the sail they could to come +up with the Success, but she outsailing them, +made her escape. In the Spanish prize they lost +their third Lieutenant, Mr. James Milne, and +twelve of their best men. The Captain who +took him was the famous Don Blas de Lesso, +Governor of Carthagena, when attacked by Admiral +Vernon. Don Blas treated his prisoner a +little roughly at first, being enraged to find he +had missed the English privateer, and only retaken +a Spanish prize; and, in the first transport +of his passion, struck Mr. Milne on the head +with the flat of his sword; but, when he came +to himself, he sent for him, and, finding him +stripped by his soldiers, generously asked his +pardon, ordered him a new suit of cloaths, and +kept him for some time on board his ship. He +afterwards procured his liberty at Lima, paid +for his passage to Panama, where he gave him a +jar of brandy, and another of wine, for his sea-stores, +put 200 pieces of eight in his pocket, +and sent him to England. This unlucky accident +of losing their prize revived the ill humours +among Clipperton’s men, who did not indeed +plot again, but became exceedingly dejected. +On the 16th they saw another sail, and gave +chace, which, after a few guns fired on both +sides, bore away, being a clean ship, and left +them; which proved a lucky escape; for this +was likewise a ship of force, fitted out to take +Capt. Shelvock, and commanded by one Fitzgerald, +<span class='pagenum'>116</span>who, knowing this was not Shelvock’s +ship, and doubting what strength she might be +of, had no great stomach to engage her. These +repeated disappointments, as they broke the +spirits of his crew, so they had a very bad effect +on Capt. Clipperton himself, who began +now to betake himself to drinking; and, as this +vice generally grows upon people under misfortunes, +he drank at last to such an excess, that he +was hardly ever quite cool or sober. It was +chiefly owing to this unhappy practice, that he +fell into many errors in his future conduct. +They were now in want of provisions, and they +resolved to continue cruising to the north, to +seek a supply. In this cruize they had but indifferent +success; and, therefore, on the 27th, +they set ashore their Spanish prisoners, and then +determined to go once more to the Gallapagos, +in order to refresh. In their passage to these +islands, they began to suspect some error in their +log-line; and, upon measuring, found it three +fathoms too short. +</p> +<p> +On the 4th of December, they lost their purser; +and the same day found themselves very +near the Gallapagos islands, but could find no +anchoring-place, nor any fresh-water, though +they had found a fine road on their first visit, +which gave Shelvock occasion to charge Clipperton +with want of skill; they therefore made the +best way they could to the Isle of Cocoas, where +they hoped certainly to get some fish, fowl, and +cocoa-nuts, most of their people being very sick +<span class='pagenum'>117</span>and weak. On the 17th in the morning they +came in sight of it, which filled them with inexpressible +joy. On the 18th, all that could be +spared went on shore to build a kind of booth +for the reception of their sick, who were all conveniently +lodged. The Captain opened here the +last cask of brandy for the use of the ship’s company, +and gave every man a dram a day; and, +on New-Year’s-day, he allowed a gallon of strong +beer to every mess; and, by having here plenty +of nourishing food and much ease, the crew +began to recover, and were able to wood and +water, though with much difficulty. +</p> +<p> +On the 17th of January, 1721, the Captain +made the necessary dispositions for sailing; but, +when they came to muster the men, there were +no less than eleven missing, three Englishmen, +and eight negroes, who chose rather to remain +in this unfrequented island, than continue exposed +to dangers and fatigues on board, and to +their living constantly at short allowance. +</p> +<p> +On the 25th, they arrived on the coast of +Mexico, where, discovering a sail, they sent +their pinnace to give her chace; to whom she +instantly struck. She proved to be Jesu Maria, +commanded by Capt. Shelvock; and the account +he gave was, That he had no more than forty +men alive, the rest being all dead, or dispersed; +that he had lost the Speedwell at Juan Fernandez, +where they built a bark out of the wreck; +that they had coasted along Chili and Peru, till +they came to Pisco, near Lima where they took +<span class='pagenum'>118</span>this prize; that they had no regular command +among them; that they had chosen a quartermaster, +carrying every thing by a majority of +votes; and that they had quite broken their articles +with their owners, and had shared all +among themselves. +</p> +<p> +On the 27th, Captain Shelvock came aboard, +being sent for by Captain Clipperton and the +agent, to give an account of his transactions. +The boat brought Mr. Dod, Lieutenant of marines, +having been used very ill for his attachment +to the owners; at least so he asserted, and +was firmly believed by Captain Clipperton, and +his officers. The next day Captain Shelvock +sent on board them six chests of pitch and dammer, +and two barrels of tar, with six slabs of +copper: Captain Clipperton spared him twenty-four +quarter-deck guns, some great shot, a compass, +and a few other necessaries: his people +purchased cloaths, shoes, hats, and other necessaries; +and Mr. Hendric the purser, and Mr. +Dod, continued in the Success, designing never +more to sail with Shelvock. +</p> +<p> +In the beginning of March, both time and +place favouring, they determined to attempt the +Manilla ship, before she entered Acapulco. +</p> +<p> +On the 13th, they again met Captain Shelvock, +and, at a general consultation, agreed to +make the attempt jointly. But, previous to the +signing this agreement, it was proposed by Captain +Clipperton to form a joint stock, to bury +all former miscarriages in oblivion, and again to +<span class='pagenum'>119</span>act in concert for the good of the owners. This +proposition was rejected by Captain Shelvock +and his people, who did not care to part with +what they possessed; upon which Captain Clipperton +and his company, perceiving there was +nothing to be expected from their consort, and +that they were too weak of themselves to effect +their purpose, determined to sail directly to the +East-Indies, and instantly put their resolution in +execution, without waiting for or consulting +Captain Shelvock. +</p> +<p> +The run from the coast of Mexico to the +island of Guam, they performed in fifty-three +days; and, May the 13th, anchored in the road +of Umatta,⁠—from whence they sent their pinnace +ashore, with a flag of truce, in order to +obtain some provisions, which met at first with +a favourable reception, being told that, if they +behaved civilly, and paid honestly, they should +be furnished with what the island could afford. +Soon after the launch arrived, and brought on +board some cattle, bread, sugar, greens, palm-wine, +and brandy, from the Governor, with a +large quantity of chocolate. In return for +which, his health was drank by the whole ship’s +crew, under a salvo of seven guns: this was the +last act of civility that passed between them. +</p> +<p> +On the 18th of May, their prisoner, the Marquis +de Ville Roche, went ashore, in company +with the agent, the first lieutenant and doctor, +having previously agreed with the Governor +about his ransom. Our launch was employed +<span class='pagenum'>120</span>six days in bringing wood, water, and provision +aboard; during which time, the Governor desired +he might have some arms and ammunition +in exchange: accordingly Captain Clipperton +sent him twelve fuzees, three jars of powder, +sixty round shot, four pair of pistols, besides +cutlasses, long swords, and daggers. The 25th, +they received a letter, in which the Governor +demanded the Marquis’s jewels, some consecrated +plate, and two negroes, being Christians, +and subjects to the King of Spain; as also a +certificate, under the Captain and officers hands, +that peace was proclaimed, detaining Mr. Godfrey +and Mr. Pritty till all this was performed. +The Captain returned for answer, that the +Solidad, the last prize taken on the coast of +Chili, declared there was peace between England +and Spain; but, withal, assured the Governor, +that, if he did not, in twenty-four hours, +send the ransom with the two gentlemen, he +would demolish the houses upon the shore, burn +the ship in the harbour, and do all the mischief +he could at the Philippine islands. +</p> +<p> +After this declaration, hostilities commenced +on both sides. The people on shore had raised +a battery from whence they fired at the pinnace. +The ship ran a-ground between two fires, one +from the battery over their heads, and another +from the ship in the harbour. In endeavouring to +get their ship off, they ran foul of the rocks. +The enemy fired so warmly with stones and shot, +that they suffered extremely in their hull and +<span class='pagenum'>121</span>rigging. They had three men wounded, besides +the misfortune of losing Mr. Davidson, +their first Lieutenant, who was an honest man, +and a good officer. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/129.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>The distrest Situation of the Success between the fire of the Spanish Fort at Umata & the Ship in the harbour herself at the Same time Wedged on a Rock</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +In this emergency, the Captain being overcome +with liquor, the officers signed a paper indemnifying +Mr. Cook for taking upon him the +command. They cleared away the hold, ready +to start their water, to make the ship lighter; and +got their upper and lower deck guns forward, +to bring her by the head, the ship hanging abaft +on the rock. +</p> +<p> +During the last twenty-four hours, they had +happily only one man wounded; but the ship was +wretchedly torn and mangled between wind and +water. The 30th, at six in the afternoon, the ship +floating, they cut away the yawl, she being sunk +with the shot; the other boats were much damaged; +they hove to their small bower, then +cut it away, and the other two hawsers, and sent +their pinnace a-head, to tow the ship off. Just +as they got afloat, the enemy fired so smartly +from the new battery, that their shot raked them +through between wind and water, killing one of +their people, and wounding two others. They +lost both their bow-anchors and cables, the stern +and kedge anchors, four hawsers, four of their +lower-deck guns, and nineteen barrels of powder, +two men killed, and six wounded, having stood +for no less than fifty hours a fair mark for the +enemy to fire at; and, if they had not got clear, +it was believed they would have been sunk before +<span class='pagenum'>122</span>morning. At ten in the forenoon they brought +to, and began to splice their rigging, not a rope +of which escaped a shot. Their carpenters were +employed in fixing the masts and yards, and the +rest of their people in fixing the rigging. At six +in the afternoon they took their departure, leaving +Mr. Godfrey and Mr. Pritty in the hands of +the enemy. This was certainly one of the worst +errors committed by Clipperton; for he should +never have quitted the Marquis, without having +the ransom in his hands. +</p> +<p> +On the 24th of June, they were in sight of the +Bashee Islands; and, on the last day of the month, +they saw the island-shoals of Prata. +</p> +<p> +On the 1st of July, they fell in with other +islands, and passed several boats that were fishing, +though no such islands are laid down in any chart. +They anchored under one of these islands, and +dispatched their pinnace for intelligence; but not +being able to learn their course to Macao, nor to +get a pilot, they determined to sail for Amoy; +before which port they arrived on the 5th in the +evening, but were afraid to enter it in the night, +and therefore plied off and on till day-light. +They took notice of a great number of snakes +in the sea, which were brought down by the rivers +that empty themselves on that coast. In +the evening of the 6th of July, they entered the +port, and were well pleased to find themselves +once more in a place where they might hope to +obtain refreshments, and to be able to repair +their ship; but they were no sooner anchored in +<span class='pagenum'>123</span>this port, than they had 10 custom-house officers +put on board them. The first thing these custom-house +officers demanded was, what the ship +was reputed to be, and what business she had +there. Captain Clipperton answered, the ship +belonged to the King of Great Britain, and that +she put in there by stress of weather, in order to +obtain provisions and necessaries. Next morning, +the men mutinied, and insisted on being +immediately paid their prize-money. Mr. Taylor, +to whom we are indebted for this account, +interposing, one Edward Boreman told him, he +had best desist, unless he had a mind to have a +brace of balls through his head. Mr. Cook, +who commanded in the affair of Guam, and who +succeeded Mr. Davidson as First Lieutenant, now +demanded thirty shares, in right of his office; in +which he was supported by the men. Captain +Clipperton, and the rest of the officers, seeing +the turn things were likely to take, were very +desirous, that some allowance should be made to +the officers that were taken prisoners, and to +Mr. Hendry and Mr. Dod, who joined them +from the Speedwell: but the men would hear +of no such allowances. Whilst these disputes +lasted, some took it into their heads to go ashore, +without asking leave; and, when Captain Clipperton +would have corrected them, the whole +company declared on their side, and prevented +it. After this, all things fell into confusion: +The men refused to work till they had their +prize-money; and, upon complaint, a guard of +<span class='pagenum'>124</span>soldiers was sent on board, with a peremptory +order from the Mandarin to Captain Clipperton +to comply. +</p> +<p> +On September 16, the distribution was made; +and no allowance being reserved for such as were +taken prisoners, the representatives of those who +were dead, or the two gentlemen who had served +on board the Speedwell, the prize-money of +a fore-mast-man was 419 dollars. According to +this distribution, the owners share in ready money, +wrought silver, gold, and jewels, amounted +to between 6 and 7000l. sterling, which Captain +Clipperton caused to be immediately put on +board a Portuguese East-Indiaman, called the +Queen of Angels, Don Francisco la Vero Commander, +which ship was unfortunately burnt at +Rio Janeiro, on the coast of Brasil, June 6, 1722. +So that of these effects the owners received no +more, the charges of salvage deducted, than +1800l. +</p> +<p> +On September 30, they weighed anchor from +the bay of Amoy, which lies in the province of +Tonkin, after having paid, under the article of +port charges, the most exorbitant sum of 1700 +dollars; and then proceeded to Macao, in the +road of which they anchored, Oct. 4. As soon as +Capt. Clipperton entered the port, he saluted the +fortress; which compliment being returned, he +went on shore, and found there the Captain of the +Portuguese man-of-war, who had undertaken to +carry what belonged to the owners to Brasil. +The mutinous crew found themselves at a loss +<span class='pagenum'>125</span>here, the Portuguese Captain declaring absolutely +in favour of their Commander; and, therefore, +Captain Cook, and another officer, took +passage to Canton, to consult Mr. Winder, supercargo +to an East-Indiaman, and son to one +of the principal proprietors, as to the measures +which should be taken about carrying the Success +home; and, upon their return, the ship was +surveyed, condemned, and sold for 4000 dollars: +but Capt. Clipperton, to shew his opinion of her, +agreed with the persons who bought her, for his +passage in her to Batavia; a plain indication, +that there was no danger of her foundering at +sea. The ship being sold, every man thought +himself at liberty to shift as well as he could, +and to use his best endeavour to save what little +was left him. They were, by this time, satisfied, +that Captain Mitchell, his crew, and cargo, were +all gone to the bottom, or else fallen into the +hands of the Spaniards; which was to them pretty +much the same thing; and, therefore, what +they had now in possession was all they had to +expect. Twenty of them, however, who had +agreed to give six dollars a-piece for a passage +in a Chinese vessel to Canton, were taken by a +pirate, and most of them lost all their effects. +After a short stay at Macao, Mr. Taylor, the +chief mate, got safe to Canton in an armed boat, +for which he, and the rest of the English seamen +that staid with him, paid 20 dollars a-head: +and when they arrived, they were well received, +and promised all imaginable assistance towards +<span class='pagenum'>126</span>getting home. There were, at this time, several +ships there ready to sail. The Captains of these +vessels being solicited by the factory to take +Captain Clipperton’s men on board, they met, +and agreed to carry them to Great Britain for +five pounds a man; and accordingly they all +paid their money. Mr. Taylor arrived safely at +Batavia in the month of December, sailed from +thence to the Cape of Good Hope in February, +came to St. Helena in March, and, in May 1722, +arrived in London. The rest of the ship’s company +returned, some sooner, some later, as opportunities +offered; but, as for Capt. Mitchell, +who was sent to Brasil with a small crew, he was +never heard of, and most probably was destroyed +on the island of Velas, where he went ashore +for the sake of getting fresh provisions. +</p> +<p> +Captain Clipperton sailed in the Success, after +she was sold, as a passenger, from Macao to Batavia; +from whence he procured a passage home +in a Dutch East-India ship, and arrived, in the +beginning of July, 1722, at Galway, in Ireland, +where he died in less than a week of a broken +heart. +</p> +<p> +Thus ended the unfortunate voyage of Captain +Clipperton; that of Captain Shelvock remains +to be related. +</p> +<div class="chapter"><span class='pagenum'>127</span> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspb'>THE</span></span><br> +<span class='font2p'><span class='lspd'>VOYAGE</span></span><br> +<span class='fontp9'><span class='lspb'>OF</span></span><br> +<span class='l12'><span class='lspc'><span class="small-caps">Captain</span> SHELVOCK</span></span><br> +<span class='lspc'>ROUND THE WORLD</span>. +</h2></div> +<p class='two_space drop-cap'> +W<span class='toupper ip2'>e</span> have already given an account, in the +introduction to the preceding voyage, of +the motives that influenced the owners to undertake +it, and of the difficulties and discouragements +that attended the first setting out. It remains +now only to relate the proceedings of +Captain Shelvock, the second in command, who +has himself been very circumstantial in laying +before the public the following particulars. +</p> +<p> +On the 13th of February, 1719, we sailed +from Plymouth, in company with the Success, +of 36 guns, Captain John Clipperton, who, in +consideration of his knowledge of the coasts and +customs of Chili, Peru, and Mexico, was to act +as chief of the expedition. +</p> +<p> +On the 15th, I came under his lee, complained +of the crankness of my ship, and desired him +to send for his wine and brandy, which he neglecting, +lost his sea stock of liquors; for we +never saw any thing of each other till about two +years afterwards. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>128</span>Thursday 19, a storm arose, and about midnight +a sea drove in our quarter and one of +our stern dead lights. For a considerable time +we were under apprehensions of foundering; a +succession of prodigious seas drove over us; and +in this melancholy state, the chain pump was +the only means of our deliverance. +</p> +<p> +February 20, we had no sight of the Success, +and at midnight set the topsails and stood to the +north-westward. +</p> +<p> +This storm so terrified my ship’s company, +that no less than 70 of them were resolved upon +bearing away for England, there to make complaint +against the ship. But, on the 23d, perceiving +their discontent, I ordered them all on +deck, and used what arguments with them I was +master of, to encourage them to proceed; but +all I could say was but to little purpose. They +continued in their resolution to clap the helm a +<em>weather</em>; and grew to that height of insolence at +last, that I was obliged to call upon my officers +to assist in bringing the mutineers to reason. For +this end most of them appeared armed; and the +sight of this so startled the ringleaders, that they +very submissively begged I would forgive them; +as I did, upon promise for the future to behave +as became them. After this, seeing them inclined +to be tractable, I ordered them some brandy, +and they drank to our prosperous voyage. But +the very next evening, Simon Hatley, my second +Captain, had like to have thrown every thing into +confusion, by telling me upon deck, before +<span class='pagenum'>129</span>most of the ship’s company, that he had private +orders from one of the chief of the gentlemen +adventurers, and Captain Clipperton, to take the +charge of the ship upon himself. I asked him if +he had a private commission too? but to this he +returned nothing but expressions of contempt. +This unseamanlike behaviour, immediately after +my separation from my consort, laid me under a +necessity of behaving with all possible circumspection, +to prevent our being divided into parties, +which would infallibly frustrate the ends of +our expedition. +</p> +<p> +We had a very tedious passage to our first place +of rendezvous, the Canary Islands; and did not +arrive there till the 17th of March, where having +finished our cruise without any thing remarkable, +except taking an open boat with salt and wine, +hearing nothing of the Success, on March the +29th, we took our departure from the island of +Ferro, in hopes of meeting with Captain Clipperton +among the islands of Cape de Verd, and +we took our prize along with us. But in our +passage, my people began again to murmur; +and one Turner Stevens, my gunner, very +gravely made a proposal to me, in the hearing +of all the other officers, to go a cruizing in the +Red Sea; for, said he, there can be no harm in +robbing those Mahometans; but, as for the poor +Spaniards, continued he, they are good Christians, +and it would, doubtless, be a sin to injure them. +Upon this, I ordered him under confinement; +and the man, after that, having threatened, in a +<span class='pagenum'>130</span>very outrageous manner, to blow up the ship, I, +at his own request, discharged him as soon as we +arrived, together with my chief mate, who had +likewise been guilty of many and great misdemeanors. +</p> +<p> +On the 14th of April, we made the Isle of May; +and, running along shore, saw a wreck, which +we were told was the Vanzittern Indiaman, Captain +Hide, who three weeks before had been cast +away. I endeavoured to avail myself of this accident, +to supply the necessaries we stood in need +of; but could procure nothing but two or three +sheathing-boards. At this place I sold our prize +for 150 dollars to the Governor; and filled all +our water-casks, and gave my ship a very good +heel. Six of my people having deserted, I applied +in vain to the officer on shore to deliver +them up to me; but, threatening the Master of +a Portuguese ship to make reprisals, he brought +me off two of them, which happened to be the +best. They fell on their knees, and asked pardon, +assuring me the Commander on shore had +seduced them, his design being to fend the bark +I sold him on the Vanzittern’s wreck, where he +said they might all make their fortunes; so I lost +the other four. +</p> +<p> +Finding I could neither hear of the Success, +nor get what might be serviceable to us in this +place, and having read in Frezier’s voyage, that +in the island of St. Catherine’s, on the coast of +Brasil, in latitude 27 deg. 30 min. S. every +thing might be had that we stood in need of, I +<span class='pagenum'>131</span>concluded it would be best for me to put in +there. +</p> +<p> +April 20, we sailed from the Isle of May, +having wrenched the drum-head of our capstane +in weighing anchor, which took us up the +remainder of the day to repair. We were 55 +days in going to St. Catherine’s, during which +little remarkable happened; except that on June +the 5th we saw a ship stemming with us, and +spoke with her. I ordered the five-oar’d boat +to be hoisted out, and sent Captain Hatley in +her, to enquire after news, and gave him money +to buy us tobacco. The Success, amongst other +things, had got our stock of tobacco, and had +made what the seamen call a west-country famine +on board of us. When Hatley returned, he +told me she was a Portuguese from Rio Janeiro, +and bound to Fernambuco. Instead of tobacco, +which he said the ship had none to dispose of, +he had laid out my money in china ware, sweet-meats, +and the like; and, upon my expressing +my dissatisfaction at his having squandered away +my money in so silly a manner, his answer was, +that he had laid out his own in the same manner. +My reply was, I did not like his proceedings. +</p> +<p> +On Friday, June 19, we made the island of +St. Catherine’s; and at ten the next morning +anchored in ten fathom water, the island of Gall +bearing E. N. E. distant two leagues, and the +eastermost point of St. Catherine’s E. and by S. +distant four leagues. The first thing I did, was +to send the carpenter on shore, with all the +<span class='pagenum'>132</span>people that could be useful to him in felling of +trees, and sawing them into plank, and to order +the cooper and his crew to trim the casks, and +fill them with water. Those who remained on +board, I employed in different services. Mean +while the inhabitants came off to us every day +with the product of the place, which we purchased +with salt. +</p> +<p> +On July 2, we were alarmed, at break of +day, by the appearance of a large ship at anchor +four or five miles below the place where we lay. +I sent an officer in the launch, well manned and +armed, to see what he could make of her, and +put my ship into the best posture of defence I +could. About noon my launch returned, and +brought word that this ship was the Ruby, formerly +an English man-of-war, and now one of +M. Martinet’s squadron; that she came from the +South Seas, and was commanded by M. la Jonquiere; +that he, his officers, and seamen, to the +number of 420, were all French; and tho’ +in the Spanish service, they had not the least design +to molest us. My Lieutenant became thus +punctually informed, by a direct breach of orders +in going aboard, and his temerity might +have cost me very dear; for, had they been enemies, +I should have lost 23 of my best hands; +but their return confirmed the truth of his story: +yet it was a great misfortune, that I had not, to +the best of my knowledge, one man of experience +or capacity sufficient to enable him to perform +the common duty of an officer. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>133</span>The next day, the Ruby turned up towards +us, and the Captain sent one of his lieutenants +and a priest, to assure me of his friendship, and +to desire I would dine with him, which I did, +and met with a very handsome reception, with +offers of what money I would have upon my +bills on London, or in general any thing else his +ship afforded. He informed me that the Spaniards +in the South Seas had advice of our two +ships, and that they talked of fitting out some +men of war to receive us. +</p> +<p> +About this time there was a report spread, +that Hatley had taken a bribe of the Master of +the Portuguese we met on the 5th of June, +or had robbed him of 80 or 100 moidores, +had given ten to his cockswain, and six to each +of his boat’s crew, not to divulge it. I charged +him with what had been said against him; his +answer was, He had done nothing he was ashamed +of, or that he could not justify. All I could +do was to protest against him, and I gave the +protest to Captain Clipperton in the South Seas. +</p> +<p> +July 6, M. la Jonquiere, accompanied by +several of his officers and passengers, came to +dine with me; but in the midst of our entertainment, +my boatswain took it into his head +to create a disturbance, because he had not been +invited into the cabbin as a guest. He first assaulted +Betagh the Captain of marines, and then +Mr. Adams the surgeon. This outrage, which +was supported by a party he had formed, being, +by the help of my officers and the French +<span class='pagenum'>134</span>gentlemen, pretty well quieted, M. la Jonquiere +declared, that, if they persisted in their disobedience, +he would see the ringleaders punished by +carrying them home in irons; and as they +grew a little quieter, he expostulated with them, +and appealed to themselves, whether they did +not think it monstrous for people to behave +themselves in such a manner. +</p> +<p> +The next morning I was informed, that the +authors of the disturbance were most of them +sorry for what had happened the night before, +attributing the whole blame to the boatswain, +and the effect of too much liquor. I was glad +to hear this, and therefore passed it all over with +only threatening how I would manage them, +if ever they were guilty of the like again. I had +resolved to punish the boatswain in the severest +manner; but I was prevailed on not to do it, +he, in very humble plight, asking my pardon, +and begging I would not use any severity towards +him. He said it was drink that had made +him mad, and withal desired I would give him +leave to go home in the French ship. This I +willingly agreed to, he being a very odd sort of +a fellow, and always incensing the people against +the number of officers, whom he termed Blood-suckers. +</p> +<p> +July 15, we saw a great ship plying into the +harbour’s mouth; but when she discovered us, +she made the best of her way out again. This +possessed M. la Jonquiere with a notion of her +being our consort, and put him into a hurry to +<span class='pagenum'>135</span>be gone. Accordingly, when night came on, +he weighed, and went to sea the next morning, +and at his departure saluted me with five guns. +Three Frenchmen, belonging to me, went away +with him; but I had two Frenchmen, and one +Morphew, an Irishman, in lieu of them. +</p> +<p> +During all this, our carpenter went on but +slowly in the woods; and at last, when we came +to case the stern all over with thick plank, we +could find, to my great astonishment, no nails +fit for that use. I was now told, that the first +carpenter, and his crew, had sold most of the +stores before the ship came to Plymouth, which +was before I commanded her. +</p> +<p> +July 25, a large ship came in, called the Wise +Solomon, of St. Malo’s, of 40 guns, and about +160 men, commanded by M. Dumain Girard, +and bound to the coasts of Chili and Peru to +trade. She was the same ship we saw coming in +before, and had spoke with the Ruby at sea. +This gentleman, I soon perceived, notwithstanding +a little forced civility at his first arrival, was +a designing mercenary man, and full of all the +conceit and vanity ascribed to his nation. +</p> +<p> +Desiring him to spare me some nails, he readily +answered he would; but, at the same time, +gave me to understand that he could not afford +them for less than 32 dollars a hundred, which +sum I was fain to give him; I likewise bought +of him 60 cheeses, and 300 weight of butter; +so that it happened well for me, that I had some +money from one of the Ruby’s people. This +<span class='pagenum'>136</span>done, I now thought of making a quick dispatch +from this place, when there came a letter +from my ship’s company to me, with articles annexed +to it for the immediate division of prize-money, +which they said they were resolved to insist +on, alledging that they knew by woeful experience +how they were used on board the Duke +and Dutchess, that they were never paid one +tenth of their due, and that they had been well +informed what a paymaster a certain gentleman +would make, if ever their fortunes should fall +into his hands. They were so very importunate +with me to comply with their articles, that both +myself, and all my chief officers, thought it +would be best and most adviseable to sign their +papers with them, rather than run the risque of +their proceeding, when they should get out to +sea, to acts of piracy. As soon as they had gained +their point, they expressed great satisfaction, +and promised to be always ready to hazard their +lives in any undertaking I should think conducive +to the ends we were fitted out for. +</p> +<p> +August 3, there came in here the St. Francisco +Xavier, a Portuguese man-of-war, of 40 guns, +and 300 men, from Lisbon, bound to Macao in +China, commanded by Captain la Riviere, a +Frenchman. I made no doubt but that Captain +Hatley’s affair would be reported to this gentleman, +and, therefore, I told Hatley, that I expected +he would go and vindicate himself to the +Portuguese Captain, to prevent any disturbances +<span class='pagenum'>137</span>that might arise on his account. To which he +readily replied he would. +</p> +<p> +Hatley, at his return, told me, the Captain +seemed to be angry with him for thinking he +could harbour any ill thought of a gentleman +bound on a voyage, which, to his knowledge, +could hardly fail of answering the largest expectations. +</p> +<p> +August 6, three of my men deserted, and the +mate and his party went up to the Portuguese +plantations in search of them. It being almost midnight, +the inhabitants took the alarm, and planted +themselves in ambuscade to destroy them as +they came back. No sooner had they returned +into the boat, than they heard them rushing +out of the woods, crying, “Kill the dogs, kill +all the English dogs.” This outcry was instantly +followed by a volley of small arms, which +wounded three of my men, two through the +thigh, and another through the arm. +</p> +<p> +I sent a letter of complaint, by Hatley, to the +Captain of the Portuguese man-of-war in the +harbour: but Hatley, at his entrance into the +ship, was furiously assaulted by Emanuel Mansa +(the Captain of the island), crying out, This was +the man who had committed so many insolencies +towards them, and that this was he who had burnt +one of their houses, and had made it a common +practice to abuse and affront him with the opprobrious +name of cuckold. Upon this exclamation, +the ship’s company sided with Mansa, +and fell upon Hatley, and would certainly have +used both him and his boat’s crew very severely, +<span class='pagenum'>138</span>had not the Captain and his officers, with much +difficulty, prevented it; for the Portuguese seamen +were exasperated to that degree, that it is +more than likely they would have murdered him, +had they not been timely hindered. +</p> +<p> +The Captain, in his answer to my letter, expressed +his sorrow for what had happened, said +the people were without law, and that it was out of +his power to punish them; that they were wild +and lurked in the woods; and that in seeking +revenge, it would only expose my men to +butchery. He asked my pardon for the ill usage +my officer had met with on board his ship; but +withal gave me to understand, there could be +no greater provocation to the people of that nation, +than that which Hatley was accused of by +Mansa. That his ship’s company had got Hatley +amongst them before he knew any thing of +the matter, and that he was obliged to call +his priest to his assistance, before he could get +him out of their hands, and in a very handsome +manner touched upon Hatley’s story. I +made no long stay after this disaster, but took +our departure from the northernmost point of +St. Catherine’s on the 9th of August; and on the +19th, Mr. La Port, my third Lieutenant, broke +his leg. +</p> +<p> +From the time we left St. Catherine’s, till +now, we had for the most part squally weather. +As we advanced to the southward, my people’s +stomachs increased with the sharpness of the air +to that degree, that the allowance which the government +gives in the navy was not sufficient to +<span class='pagenum'>139</span>satisfy their hunger. Some of my officers, in +particular Mr. Betagh, my Captain of marines, +who had been formerly a purser of a man-of-war, +and a man whom I had a great regard for, was +the champion for an addition of allowance at my +table; for he told me he had orders from the +adventurers to eat with me; and what was my +table, if I did not eat better than the cook? He +did not stop here, but urged by his intemperance, +and finding me unwilling to squander away our +provisions, without knowing when or where we +might get any more, he at length had the insolence +to tell me publicly, that the voyage +should be short with me, which he often repeated. +I should have had reason to fear it, had he +been capable of commanding; but, for his punishment, +I excluded him both from my mess +and the great cabbin. Upon this, finding I was +in earnest with him, and fearing some heavier punishment, +he sent me a letter, asking my pardon +for what he had done; upon which I again restored +him in a handsomer manner than he afterwards +deserved, as will appear by the sequel. +</p> +<p> +Between St. Catherine’s and the river of Plate, +the whales, grampusses, and other fish of monstrous +bulk, are in such numbers, that I cannot +see why a trade for blubber might not be carried +on here. I may venture to affirm, it is a safer +navigation than that carried on to the northward, +and I am apt to believe here is a greater certainty +of success in making up a cargo. +</p> +<p> +Sept. 19, about midnight I perceived the water +to be discoloured all at once, and upon heaving +<span class='pagenum'>140</span>the lead, we found ourselves in 26 fathom +water; this done, I stood off again to sea, but +we did not deepen our water in the running of +five leagues. This seems to be a bank very near +the entrance of the straits of Magellan. I had +a fine opportunity of going through these straits: +but Captain Clipperton in his plan pretended, +out of the abundance of his judgment and experience, +that the straits of Le Mair would be the +best navigation for us, though he himself passed +through the straits of Magellan. From this I +might have conjectured, that he, who never was +fond of having a consort with him, designed to +make use of this as a likely expedient to separate +himself; for he was a man that would do +any thing, though ever so dishonest or inhuman;⁠—[a +reflection, however, that carries more of malice +than of truth on the face of it.] +</p> +<p> +Sept. 13, the fog clearing up, we had a full, +but melancholy prospect, of the most desolate +country that can be conceived, seeming no other +than continued ridges and chains of mountains, +one within another, perpetually buried in snow. +Towards noon we were becalmed within three +leagues of the mountains called the Three Brothers, +so named from their equal height, near +resemblance, and proximity to one another. Till +now, we had not been sensible of any helps or hindrances +by currents; but this afternoon we were +hurried with incredible rapidity into the straits, +and just as we had gained somewhat more than +the mid-passage, the northern tide came rushing +<span class='pagenum'>141</span>upon us with a violence equal to that of the tide +which had brought us in, and, to our great astonishment, +drove us out of the straits again at a +great and extraordinary rate, notwithstanding we +had a fresh and fair gale with us at N. W. Upon +the shifting of this tide to windward, there arose +such a short, and, while it lasted, so hollow a sea, +and so lofty withal, that we alternately dipped our +bowsprit end, and poop lanthorns, into the water. +Our ship laboured in the most alarming +manner, and became insensible of the guidance +of her helm; but at midnight the tide shifted, +and we put through the straits without seeing the +land on either side, and in the morning had a +very good offing to the southward. We had +found it very cold before we came this length, +but now we began to feel the extreme of it. The +bleak westerly winds of themselves would have +been sufficiently piercing, but they were always +attended with drifts either of snow or sleet, which, +continually beating on our sails and rigging, +cased the masts and every rope with ice, so that +there was no handling them. It was common +with us to be two or three days together lying +to under bare poles, exposed all the while to the +assaults of prodigious seas, much larger than any +I had ever observed before. The winds reigning +thus tempestuously, without intermission, in +the western board, we had stretched away into +lat. 61 deg. 30 min. S. where we were in continual +dread of falling foul of islands of ice, and +<span class='pagenum'>142</span>where we found the variation to be 22 deg. 6 min. +to the north-eastward. +</p> +<p> +October 1, as we were furling the main-sail, +one William Camell cried out, that his hands +were so benumbed, he could not hold himself; +but before those who were next to him could lay +hold of him, he fell into the sea, and the ship +making fresh way, and the sea running high, we +lost sight of him before we could bring to. Indeed, +one would imagine it impossible that any +thing could live in so rigid a climate; and, truly, +we saw neither fish nor bird, except one solitary +albitross, which accompanied us for several +days, and hovered about us, till Hatley concluding, +in a gloomy fit, that the company of +this melancholy bird brought us ill luck, resolved +to destroy him, in hopes we might then have +better weather. +</p> +<p> +October 22, at eight at night, we carried +away our fore-top-mast, and rigged another next +morning. We crept by very slow degrees, after +we had ventured to tack and stand to the northward, +in hopes to weather our way into the Great +South Seas; and indeed it may be averred, that +from the time we passed the straits of Le Mair, +till we had the first sight of the coast of Chili, +we had been continually distressed by the winds, +and discouraged by bad weather. +</p> +<p> +Nov. 14, we saw the coast of Chili, distant 10 +leagues, lat. by observation 47 deg. 28 min. S. +</p> +<p> +Being now arrived on the confines of the Spanish +settlements, we found ourselves under an +<span class='pagenum'>143</span>absolute necessity of contriving some means by +which we might recruit our wood and water. We +had but seven buts of water remaining, and a +much less proportion of wood. I thought it +would be best for us to go first to Narborough’s +island, and accordingly directed our course to +that place. +</p> +<p> +Nov. 21, at seven in the morning, we had +soundings in 28 fathom water, of fine grey and +black sand. But here we found a wild road, +which could not be deemed safe for us.⁠—[Here +Captain Shelvock laments it as a great misfortune, +that he could not reach Juan Fernandez, +in latitude 33 deg. 30 min. S. without stopping; +though at the same time it is plain, that +he lost more time in searching for a nearer place +of refreshment, than the direct passage to that +island would have taken him up. But the imputation +he would throw upon Clipperton is applicable +only to himself: he never intended to +act under him; and all his excuses are mere +shifts.] +</p> +<p> +Surrounded with doubts and apprehensions, +says he, lest we should be obliged to advance too +far on these coasts, without a competent stock of +provisions, one Joseph de la Fontaine, a Frenchman, +assured me, that, if I would go to the island +of Chiloe, which was at that time a little to the +northward of us, there was no place for our purpose +like it in all the South Seas; that the towns +of Chacao and Calibuco, the first on the island +itself, and the second on the continent, were rich +<span class='pagenum'>144</span>places; that the former was the usual place of +residence of the Governor, and that at the latter +there was a wealthy college of Jesuits; and that +there were considerable magazines kept up, +which were always well stocked with provisions +of all kinds. +</p> +<p> +On these considerations I formed a resolution +of going to Chiloe; and on the 30th of November +we entered the channel, with an intent to +surprize and attack the towns of Chacao and Calibuco: +but, immediately after we had come to, +the windward tide made out with prodigious rapidity, +which instantly caused a great sea; and +the wind increasing at the same time, the channel +all about us appeared like one continued +breach. In the midst of this our ship laid a great +strain upon her cable, which unfortunately parted, +and we lost our anchor. We passed by two +commodious bays; and, at length, we rounded +a point of land out of the tide’s way, where we +were commodiously sheltered from all inconveniences; +and, the next morning, I sent my second +Lieutenant to make a discovery of the towns of +Chacao and Calibuco, and, at the same time, +Captain Hatley, to find out a watering-place for +us. He soon returned again, and brought with +him an Indian, who gave us hopes of a sufficient +supply of all we wanted, but afterwards came in +the evening to tell us, the country was forbidden +to supply us with any thing. The Lieutenant not +being yet returned, this information made me +<span class='pagenum'>145</span>apprehend the enemy had taken him, and by +that means had learned who we were. +</p> +<p> +December 3, there came to us a Spanish officer, +in a piragua rowed by eight Indians, who +was sent by the Governor to be informed +who we were. As soon as we had a sight of +the piragua, I hoisted French colours, and, +when the Spaniard came on board, I told him, +we were a homeward-bound French ship called +the St. Rose, and that my name was le Janis le +Breton. Under this notion he staid with us all +night, and next morning departed, not seeming +to suspect us. I wrote to the Governor by this +gentleman, signifying, that I wanted a supply of +provisions to carry me back to France, desiring +him to assist me in what he could; and received +for answer a complaint against the violences of +our men, in killing their sheep, and driving away +their cattle, by which I knew that they had seen +my Lieutenant. But I was in despair of ever +seeing him, or the people who were with him, +any more. I therefore sent a message to the +Governor, that provisions I wanted, and provisions +I must have, and that very speedily; and +that all the forces of Chacao, Calibuco, Carelmapo, +or Castro, should not frighten or deter +me from supplying myself. Soon after, there +came a piragua with a message, signifying, that +if I would send an officer to Chacao, he would +treat with me. But I gave him for answer, that +I would treat no where but on board my own +ship; and farther, that it was now too late, since +<span class='pagenum'>146</span>I had already dispatched 80 men to take all they +could find. +</p> +<p> +Soon after the pinnace arrived, which I had +so long given over for lost, with all her crew; +but they were so terrified, that I had no hopes +of their being fit for service in any reasonable +time. The officer had no excuse for not returning +as soon as he had got a sight of the town, +but that the tide hurried him away at unawares, +and that in the fright he had forgot he had a +graplin in the boat to come to with, till the tide +had shifted. I said but little to him; and only +made the officer sensible of his mismanagement, +which had been the ruin of the advantageous +views I might have had, in taking either Chacao +or Calibuco. +</p> +<p> +December 16, we had now our decks full of +live cattle, such as European sheep, hogs, guanicoes, +poultry in abundance, and hams, &c. +as also a good quantity of wheat, barley, potatoes, +maize, or Indian corn; and, in short, I computed +that I had added four months provisions +to what remained of our English stock, and that +without the least hindrance or molestation from +the enemy. +</p> +<p> +December 17, we began to unmoor, and at +noon we weighed, and sailed out with the wind +at W. S. W. The night before we departed, +one of our men made his escape into the woods. +It was beyond all dispute that this fellow would +give a full account of us. This, added to the +ill conduct of my Lieutenant, together with the +<span class='pagenum'>147</span>contrary execution of all my orders, by those +officers whom I had hitherto entrusted in affairs +of importance, made me despair of ever having +any thing done to purpose; and on this occasion, +I could not forbear reflecting on the mismanagement +of some gentlemen in England, who blindly +made use of their interest to prefer persons to +posts for which they were utterly unfit. +</p> +<p> +I sailed from Chiloe with a design to go +straight to the island of Juan Fernandez, but +was prevented by my people, who were possessed +with notions of vast advantages to be made +by going to the port of Conception. It was our +Frenchman, who had been so instrumental in our +Chiloenian attempt, who was the cause of this. +Finding his accounts hitherto tolerably just, they +once more listened to him; and every one of my +ship’s company, who could say any thing at this +juncture, did not fail to speak his mind somewhat +insolently; particularly William Morphew, +one of the men I had out of the Ruby, and who +had been in these seas several years, took upon +him to tell me that it could not signify much +whether we arrived two or three days sooner or +later at Juan Fernandez; that I was a stranger +here, but that the Frenchman and himself were +so well acquainted with these seas, that every +body hoped I would be advised and go to Conception, +and not put a mere punctilio to orders +in the balance against a certainty of success, if +we were so happy as to arrive at that port in +time. Considering now how easily they might be +<span class='pagenum'>148</span>brought to throw off command, and how little +I should be able to help myself, alone, as I +might be said to be, if they came to that extremity, +I complied with them, and resolved +to spend two or three days in going to Conception; +and, on December the 23d, we came +abreast of the Teats of Bio Bio, and in the evening +arrived in the bay, from whence I ordered +the boats, well manned and armed, to go up in +the night to surprize what ships or vessels might +be in the harbour, and to make what observations +they could concerning the place. +</p> +<p> +About noon, Captain Hatley returned in the +pinnace, and informed me he had taken the Solidad +d’Anday, of 150 tons, the only ship in the +road or port, lately come from Baldivia, laden +with timber; had no body on board except the +boatswain, an old negroe, and two Indian boys. +He took also a small vessel of about 25 tons, +near the island of Quiriquine, which belonged +to a priest who had been gathering fruits, and +was now made a prisoner in her, together with +four or five Indians. This vessel we found very +useful, and called her the Mercury, being well +built, and ready upon all occasions to look into +port. There was another small vessel that passed +within pistol-shot, but Capt. Hatley never once +offered to follow her, or bring her to. Hatley, +truly, said, he did not mind her, though his +boat’s crew all agreed she was full of men. This +vessel was bringing advice of us from Chiloe. I +<span class='pagenum'>149</span>did not fail to reprimand him for this, but to +what effect! +</p> +<p> +Dec. 26, the priest being very solicitous to +ransom his bark, he left my ship in the morning, +and, in my pinnace rowed by Indians, went ashore to +get money for that purpose. At noon, Mr. Brooks, +first Lieutenant, brought down the ship we had +taken, and anchored her about half a mile short +of us. The boatswain of her had not been on +board above two hours before he gave me information +of a vessel laden with wine, brandy, and +other valuable things, bound to the island of +Chiloe, lying at anchor in the bay of Herradura, +about two leagues to the northward of us. Thither +I ordered Mr. Randall, our second Lieutenant, +with the boatswain of the Solidad, and +25 men, to go; with positive orders not to set a +foot on shore, or make any hazardous attempt +whatever. But the next evening they returned +with a dismal story, that they went into the bay, +and finding the vessel hauled dry on shore, the +officer ordered his people to land, and bring away +what they could out of her; but their career +was soon stopped; for they had no sooner +got upon the bank, than they discovered the +enemy rushing out furiously upon them. They +all escaped except five, who were overtaken in +shoal water, and they all agreed that those five were +cut to pieces. The Spaniards came down upon +them, preceded by 20 or 30 horses a-breast, +linked to each other. These were two deep; +then came the enemy, mounted, and lying upon +<span class='pagenum'>150</span>their horses necks, driving the others before them. +They were not once seen to sit upright in their +saddles, except when there was no danger, or to +fire their musquets. This new addition to our +misfortunes quite dispirited the greatest part of +my ship’s company. Nothing was now heard +but murmuring, and damning the South Seas, +and declaring that, if this was making their fortune, +they had better have staid at home and +begged about the streets; but just as I was expostulating +with Mr. Randall, who conducted this +unfortunate undertaking, I was agreeably surprized +with the sight of a large ship, which we +saw coming about the northernmost point of +the island of Quiriquine. It was almost dark, +and she could not perceive what we were, so +that she stood towards us without fear. As soon +as she approached near enough, I hailed her, to +which she returned no answer, and I fired into +her. This was no sooner done, than she came +to, and called for quarter. She was called the +St. Fermin, came from Callao, burthen about +300 tons, and laden with sugar, melasses, rice, +coarse French linnen, and some cloths of Quito, +together with a small quantity of chocolate, and +about 5 or 6000 dollars in money and wrought +plate. I sent Mr. Hendry (the agent for prizes) +to inspect her lading, and to order every thing +he could find valuable out of her, and the ship’s +company sent their agent likewise. In the afternoon +they returned, and brought all the bales, +boxes, chests, portmanteaus, &c. that were in +<span class='pagenum'>151</span>her; and also all the rice, with a large quantity +of sugar, melasses, and chocolate, and about +7000 weight of good rusk, with all her eatables, +and stores. +</p> +<p> +Don Francisco Larrayn, her Captain, desired +to ransom his ship, to which I willingly consented, +and suffered him to go in his own launch to +raise money for that purpose. +</p> +<p> +Dec. 30, there came a boat with an officer +and a flag of truce, who brought word that +three only of our people in the skirmish at Harradura +were killed, the other two wounded, and +in a fair way of recovery, and that the boat had +brought advice of us, as I suspected, from that +island. The officer brought me seven jars of +very good wine, a present from the Governor, +and a letter full of civility, but written with a +great deal of craft. He desired to see my commission, +and then he would treat with me according +to the laws of arms. +</p> +<p> +January 1, Captain Betagh went to Conception +with a copy of my commission, the declaration +of war, &c. and soon after he returned with a +Flemish jesuit, a Spanish lawyer, and an Englishman +and a Scotchman. The jesuit assured me +he was only come to pay his respects to me, and +to do his utmost to promote the affair of the +ransom, and bring it to an immediate conclusion. +Therefore the first thing I did, was to shew my +commission to the Englishman, who read it in +Spanish. The jesuit then told me, that the Captains +of the St. Fermin and Solidad had resolved +<span class='pagenum'>152</span>to give me 12,000 dollars for the ransom +of both the ships, and the Mercury included, +instead of 16000 dollars which I had insisted +on for the St. Fermin only. To this I positively +answered, that all their persuasions, artifices, and +pretences, should never make me agree with +them. We had taken in the St. Fermin, ten +large silver candlesticks, each of them weighing +above twenty-five pounds sterling. The holy +father, in a suppliant manner, represented to me +that they were a legacy to his convent, and hoped +I would make no dispute of so noble a charity +as it would be to put them into the possession +of those for whom they were designed. I offered +to let him have them for their weight in dollars, +which, considering the great price they +pay in those parts for the fashion of wrought +plate, was a very advantageous offer. But he +said they never bought any thing for sacred uses; +and that, as the workmen put a great deal of allay +into plate, it would be difficult to determine +the different values of the dollars and the candlesticks; +so, after a deal of needless dispute and +entreaties, both about this, and the ransom of +the ships, the jesuit and the rest affirming that +the Captains of the St. Fermin, &c. were not able +to raise above 12,000 dollars, there was nothing +done. +</p> +<p> +Two days passing without news from the Governor, +I began to be certainly convinced they +had something else in view more than the accommodation +of the ransoms; but on January the +<span class='pagenum'>153</span>4th, my two wounded men came on board, and +with them brought a letter, importing, that, as +he had now sent back the prisoners, he hoped +no difficulty would remain to prevent my sending +on shore all the prisoners belonging to him. +</p> +<p> +January 6, the morning passed away without +any news from the town. I now began to make +preparations for sailing, and in those preparations +spent the greatest part of the day. There being +no appearance of any boat coming off to us, +I ordered the St. Fermin to be set on fire. Her +cotton sails being loosed, made a prodigious +blaze. I had already set fire to the Solidad, to +quicken their motions; and now, having concluded +the treaty, I immediately got under sail, +much chagrined at the loss of so many days +without reaping any advantage. I was afterwards +informed, that, if they had thought I +would have destroyed the St. Fermin, they +would have given even 20 or 30,000 dollars to +have saved her; for she was one of the best +sailers and the best fitted out ship of any of the Peruvian +traders. I now directed our course to the +island of Juan Fernandez, taking the Mercury +with us. +</p> +<p> +January 8, the sea was all day perfectly red, +appearing as if vast quantities of blood had been +thrown into it, and curdled by the water. This, +the Spaniards say, is occasioned by the spawn of +prawns, which must certainly be a mistake. In +our passage, the plunder was sold before the mast, +by the ship’s company’s agent, at very extravagant +<span class='pagenum'>154</span>prices. At the same time the account of +every thing being taken, and the value of the +shares calculated, the ship’s company desired me +to let them have their dividend, according to +the articles at St. Catherine’s, which request I +could not withstand. The prize-money and +plunder amounting to ten pieces of eight per +share, was thereupon distributed; and all the +bales of coarse cloth, bays, linnen, ribbons, lace, +silk, and several other sorts of mercery wares, were +equally divided, half to the owners, and half to +the ship’s company. +</p> +<p> +Jan. 11, at six in the morning, we saw the +island of Juan Fernandez, and from that day till +the 15th I kept standing off and on the shore +for my boats, which were a fishing, who not +having hitherto discovered any marks whereby +we might conclude that Clipperton had been +here, I thought it proper to render my coming +hither serviceable in some respect, and therefore +sent the Mercury on shore to stop her leaks, +while the boats continued catching fish, of which +we salted as much as filled five puncheons. At +length, going on shore to make a nicer search, +some of my men accidentally saw the word +<span class="small-caps">Magee</span>, which was the name of Clipperton’s +surgeon, and <span class="small-caps">Capt. John</span> cut out under it upon +a tree, but no directions left, as was agreed +on by him in his instructions to me. His actions +being thus grosly repugnant to his instructions, +it was evident he never meant I should keep him +company, or ever join with him again.⁠—[This +<span class='pagenum'>155</span>reflection may with great justice be retorted on +the writer himself, and can in no shape affect +Clipperton who followed his instructions in the +most scrupulous manner.]⁠—However, being by +this confirmed in the certainty of Clipperton’s +arrival, I directly made the best of my way, and +sailed to the northward. +</p> +<p> +Jan. 21, having a design to look into Copiapo +as I went along shore, I sent Mr. Dodd, second +Lieutenant of marines, with eight men, as a reinforcement +to the Mercury’s crew, and the next +evening they left us steering in for the land, +whilst I kept a proper offing, to prevent our +being discovered. The next day the officer returned +and told me, he had looked into the port, +but could see no shipping there, upon which I +made him sensible of his error, and sent him to +the right place, which was about six leagues to +the northward of us, and ordered him to be +ready to look into Caldera by day-light the next +morning. They did so, and saw nothing; but, +instead of making use of the land wind to come +off to me, they kept along shore, till the sea +breeze came on, and could not come to me till +the morning after, by which means they hindered +me almost a whole day and night’s sailing; +and in this vexatious manner were my orders always +executed! +</p> +<p> +Feb. 5th, I dispatched Mr. Brooks a-head to +discover if there were any shipping at Arica, and +next day, I had a sight of the head-land of Arica, +and the island of Guano, with a ship at anchor +<span class='pagenum'>156</span>on the northern side of it, and saw the +Mercury standing out of the bay, by which I +judged the ship was too warm for her, and therefore +made all possible haste to get up to her with +our ship. When I came into the port, I found +her already taken, and that the Mercury only +went accidentally adrift. This prize was called +the Rosario, of about 100 tons, laden with cormorants +dung, which the Spaniards call guana, +and is brought from the island of Iquique, for +the culture of the agi, or cod-pepper, in the +vale of Arica. There was no white face in her +but the pilot, whom I sent to see if her owner +would ransom her. At seven o’clock in the morning +I received a letter from the owner, expressing +his poverty, and declaring his readiness to +comply to the utmost of his power: and the honest +man was as good as his word. +</p> +<p> +I agreed upon restoring to him his ship, and +six negroes, for 1500 pieces of eight; and he +was so punctual and expeditious, that at 10 the +next night he brought the sum agreed on. Soon +after the receipt of this, we took a vessel of about +10 tons, as she was coming into the road, with a +cargo of dried fish and guana, within a mile of +the town. The master of this bark likewise came +off upon a balse, which is an odd sort of an embarkation +made of two large seal-skins separately +blown up like bladders, and then made fast +and joined together by a frame of wood. On +this he brought off two jars of brandy, and 40 +pieces of eight, for his ransom, which, considering +<span class='pagenum'>157</span>his mean appearance, was as much as I could +have expected. One part of his freight was valuable, +which was his dried fish. +</p> +<p> +Feb. 9, 1720, I sailed from Arica, and as I +went out, the inhabitants placed themselves +round the bay, and made a very good hedge +fire after me for about half an hour. I judged +there could not be less than 5 or 600 of them. +I shaped my course for the road of Hilo, which +we had a sight of the next day at three in the +afternoon, where we saw one large ship and three +small ones at anchor. The great ship immediately +hoisted French colours, and in the end +proved to be the Sage Solomon, of 40 guns, commanded +by Mons. Dumain, whom I had left at +St. Catherine’s, and who was now resolved to protect +the vessels that were with him, and obstruct +my coming in. I at first thought of shewing my +resentment, but, upon second thoughts, I clapped +the helm a-weather, and stood out to sea. +</p> +<p> +Feb. 12, in the morning, the ship’s company +had their moiety of the money taken at Arica +divided amongst them, according to their number +of shares. +</p> +<p> +Feb. 22, I came a-breast of Callao, the port +for Lima, which is the metropolis of Peru; but +there being no great prospect of performing +much here in our present situation, I had nothing +to do but to slip away from hence in the night, +by the help of a favourable breeze. +</p> +<p> +Feb. 26, the officers in the Mercury desired +to be relieved, and it being Capt. Hatley’s turn +<span class='pagenum'>158</span>to go in her, he proposed to me that he might +continue along shore, till we had got the length +of Lobos, an island in about seven degrees of +south latitude. I could not but approve of this, +considering the probability there was of his +meeting with the Panama ships; and every body +being well pleased, I added to their complement +of men, and gave them a month’s provisions, and +mounted two of our quarter-deck guns on the +Mercury, and lent Captain Hatley my pinnace. +As soon as every thing was ready for their departure, +Captain Betagh, whose duty and turn it +was to relieve the marine officer in the Mercury, +being unwilling to go on this party, addressed +himself to the people, and with a fearful countenance +told them, that he, and the rest who were +to go with him, were sent for a sacrifice, with +many other expressions tending to create a general +mutiny. I now imagined no less than that he +was about to act what he had threatened when +he told me, it should be a short voyage with me; +and, therefore, I addressed myself to the ship’s +company, desired to know who amongst them +were of Betagh’s opinion? Their answer was with +one voice, None. This done, I ordered the +Mercury alongside, and Hatley and Betagh +went on board of her; and, putting off from us, +gave three cheers, and stood right in for the +land, in the latitude by observation of 10 deg. +9 min. S. +</p> +<p> +The very next day they took a small bark laden +with rice, chocolate, wheat, flour, and the +<span class='pagenum'>159</span>like. The day following they took another. +On the fourth day of their absence they became +masters of a ship of near 200 tons, worth +150,000 pieces of eight. Flushed with this success, +it seems Betagh prevailed on Hatley, and +the greatest part of the people with them, to lay +hold of this opportunity and go to India: but +they no sooner clapped their helm a-weather, +than they saw a sail standing towards them, +which, in short, proved to be a Spanish man-of-war, +who caught them, and put an end to their +Indian voyage. The English were treated very +indifferently; but Betagh, it seems, who was of +their religion, and of a nation which the Spaniards +affect to be fond of, was made an officer, +and used very respectfully. This he certainly +deserved at their hands; for he gave them an +account of the whole scheme of our voyage; +and not only informed them of what we had +done, but also of what I designed to do; so that +they did not doubt but I myself should be in +their hands very speedily. +</p> +<p> +Feb. 29, at six in the morning, we saw a sail +at anchor in the road of Guanchaco; at eleven +we came up, and anchored along side of her. +There was no body on board of her but two +Indian men and a boy. They informed us, there +was a rich ship in the cove of Payta. +</p> +<p> +March 21, at three in the afternoon, we saw +the Pena Oradado, or the <i>Hole in the Rock</i>; and +in an hour afterwards, we entered the cove of +Payta with French colours flying. There we +<span class='pagenum'>160</span>found only a small ship at anchor with her fore-mast +out, and her main-top-mast unrigged; but +the taking of this town being considered in the +scheme of our voyage as a matter of great importance, +I consulted with my officers concerning +the properest methods of going about it. +At two of the clock the next morning I landed +with 46 men, leaving Mr. Coldsea the master, +and some others, to bring the ship nearer in, that +we might the more expeditiously embark the +plunder we might get. Being now on shore, I +marched up to the great church without meeting +any opposition; and indeed I found the town +entirely deserted by the inhabitants. At day-light +we saw what seemed great bodies of men +on the hills, on each side of us, who, I expected, +when they had viewed our strength, would have +paid us a visit; but I found, that as we marched +up towards them, we drove them before us. +The remainder of the day was spent in shipping +off what plunder we had got, which consisted of +hogs, fowls, brown and white calavances, beans, +Indian corn, wheat, flour, sugar, and as much +cocoa-nut as we were able to stow away, with +pans, and other conveniences for preparing it; +so that we were supplied with breakfast-meat for +the whole voyage, and full of provisions of one +kind or other. In the afternoon there came to +us a messenger, to know what I would take for +the ransom of the town and ship; to which I +answered, I would have 10,000 pieces of eight, +and those to be paid in twenty-four hours, if they +<span class='pagenum'>161</span>intended to save the town, or ship either. But +the Governor gave me to understand in plain +terms, that he neither could nor would ransom +the town, and did not care what I did with it, +so that I spared the churches. Having received +this negative answer, and got every thing serviceable +out of the town, I instantly ordered it +to be set on fire; and the houses, being extremely +dry, consumed away apace. But no +sooner was Payta in a blaze than those on board +made signals for me to come off, and kept incessantly +firing towards the mouth of the harbour. +Upon which I ordered all hands off, and +went first on board myself in a canoe, with three +men only; but, before I had got half way, saw +a large ship lying with her fore-top-sail aback, +and with a Spanish flag flying at her fore-top-mast-head. +At this prospect, two of my three +people were ready to sink; and when I looked +back on the town, I could not forbear wishing +that I had not been so hasty. As the Admiral +was coming in with all his sails spread, Mr. +Coldsea, by the assistance of the few on board, +fired at him so smartly, that he stopped the enemy’s +career. The Spaniard apprehending he +should have hot work with us, brought his ship +to, that he might put himself into a condition +of making a vigorous attack upon us. This inactivity +of the enemy gave me an opportunity +of getting on board, and suffered my men to +come off, about 50 in number, but the Spaniard +was within pistol-shot before they had all got +<span class='pagenum'>162</span>into the ship; upon which, we cut our cable, +and our ship falling the wrong way, I had but +just room enough to fill clear of him. Being +now close by one another, his formidable appearance +struck an universal damp on every +one’s spirits; and I myself could foresee nothing +but that we should be torn to pieces by him, +and longed for an opportunity to try our heels +with him, whilst our masts were standing. I expected +every minute that he would board us, +and, upon hearing a shouting amongst them, and +seeing their forecastle full of men, I concluded +they had now come to that resolution; but I +presently saw that the occasion of this joy was +their having shot down our ensign-staff; upon +which, they, seeing our ensign trailing in the +water, were in hopes we had struck: but I soon +undeceived them, by spreading a new ensign in +the mizzen shrouds. Upon sight of this they +lay snug, and held their way close upon our +quarter; at last, designing to do our business at +once, they clapped their helm well a starboard, +to bring their whole broadside to point at us; +but their fire had little or no effect. All stood +fast with us, and they muzzled themselves; +which gave me time both to get a-head, and to +windward of him, before he could fill his sails +again; and now I found, that, if our masts, +which were by this time but slenderly supported, +would bear what sail we had abroad, we +should soon steal away from him. After this +he was in a great hurry to get his spritsail-yard +<span class='pagenum'>163</span>fore and aft, threatening us very hard, and plying +us with his fore-chace: but we soon were +out of his reach, and all hands were immediately +employed in repairing our damages. This +ship was called the Peregrine, of 56 guns, with +upwards of 450 men on board of her. +</p> +<p> +During this action, we had not a man killed +or wounded, although the enemy often hulled +us, and once, in particular, a shot coming into +one of our ports, dismounted one of our guns +between decks, tearing off the nut of the gun, +and breaking itself into a great many pieces, +which flew fore and aft in the midst of a crowd +of people, without hurting any one of them. +Our stern was also much shattered, and our +rigging much disabled. Our main-mast was a +little wounded, yet stood a long while with only +one good shroud to support it; our fore-mast +fared little better, yet I kept all the canvas, except +the main-top-gallant-sail, at hard bats-end. +An unlucky shot took the bow of our launch, +as she lay upon the quarter, and set fire to some +cartridges of powder, which were negligently +left in her, and which blew away her moorings, +and we lost her. Seeing a great smoke arise on +the quarter, I at first imagined some accident +had happened within board. In short, in about +three glasses we got quite clear of the Admiral, +who tacked, and stood in for Payta, and we +shortened sail. A narrower escape from an +enemy could not well have been made, considering +the vast difference between us, as to force. +<span class='pagenum'>164</span>The Spaniard had 56 guns; we, on the contrary, +had but 20 mounted: they had 450 men; we, +on our part, did not exceed 73; and 11 negroes +and two Indians were included in that number. +He had farther this great odds over us, of being +in a settled readiness, whilst we were in the utmost +confusion. As for our small arms, they +were wet and useless to us; and, what is more, +in the midst of the engagement, one third of my +people, instead of fighting, were hard at work, +to make farther preparation for an obstinate resistance, +if we had been pushed to extremities; +and particularly the carpenter and his crew were +busied in making ports for stern-chace-guns, +which, as it happened, we made no use of. Upon +the whole, we had the good fortune to escape this +danger, which was the more to be dreaded, because, +as we had set fire to the town, they were +probably exasperated upon the account of the +churches, which I never intended to destroy; +and, if I had fallen into their hands, they might +have given us but uncomfortable quarters. At +the best, however, it cannot but be allowed to +have been a most unfortunate disaster. The loss +of my boat and anchor was irreparable, and may +be said to be the cause of that scene of trouble +which will take up the remainder of this narrative; +for we had now but one anchor, that at +Payta being the third we had lost, and were besides +entirely destitute of a boat of any kind. +</p> +<p> +At five, the same evening, we saw a sail under +our lee-bow, which I took to be the prize we +<span class='pagenum'>165</span>had left to cruise for us near the Saddle of +Payta; and we, therefore, stood to the westward +all night, and the next morning we saw +two sail a-stern of us. I tacked, and stood towards +them, and in a little time could see that +one of them was standing in for Payta, while the +other kept stemming with us; but the nearer I +approached her, the less I liked her, and could +not but think it adviseable to put my ship about, +and crowd sail from her. However, she gained +upon us, and advanced near enough to shew us +she was the Brilliant, the Admiral’s consort. She +was a French-built ship, of 36 guns, manned +with people of that nation, and other Europeans. +She was handsomely rigged, which is rare to be +seen in those parts, and sailed almost two foot +for our one; so that, notwithstanding we had +almost a calm all the heat of the day, she neared +us apace. But, night coming on, I made use +of the old stratagem (I thought it might be new +here), of turning a light adrift in a half tub, instead +of a boat, darkening one part of the lanthorn, +that it might the more appear to be a +ship’s light, and then immediately altered my +course. As the day broke I handed all my sails, +and in full day-light could perceive nothing of +the enemy. This was the ship wherein Betagh, +my late Captain of marines, was so much respected; +and by his advice it was, as I have +been told, that the Admiral ordered his consort +to ply up to windward to Lobos, our first place +of rendezvous, whilst he himself came to Payta +<span class='pagenum'>166</span>in search of us. This separation, though intended +as a sure means to catch us, proved to be very +fortunately the means of our preservation. +</p> +<p> +Being thus closely pursued, I took an offing +of thirty leagues from the shore, and then +brought to, to consider what I had best to do. +I was still in the dark, as to my consort; an embargo, +as I was told at Payta, was laid on all +shipping to leeward for the term of six months; +and our prize, which I designed to make a fire-ship +of, was taken by the Brilliant; I had but +one anchor, and no boat at all; and I was as +yet ignorant of what had become of the Mercury. +</p> +<p> +In the midst of all this peril and perplexity, +I called my officers together, to let them know, +it was my opinion, we had, as we were thus circumstanced, +a much better prospect to the windward +than to the leeward; that on the coast of +Chili we should not be in the least suspected, +and should, at the same time, in the most effectual +manner, escape the enemy’s men-of-war; +that, after taking in water at Juan Fernandez, +we might cruise out the whole season off the +ports of Conception, Valparaiso, and Coquimbo, +where among the shipping we might be stocked +with anchors, cables, boats, and a vessel to make +a fire-ship of, on which I mightily depended. +All this being universally approved of, we got +our tacks on board, and stretched away to +windward. +</p> +<p> +My intentions after this were fixed upon the +<span class='pagenum'>167</span>coast of Mexico. There I proposed to run the +height of Tres Marias and California, as the +most likely places to meet with the Success. +These two places would have been commodious; +the first for salting of turtle, and the last +for wooding and watering at, and for laying myself +in the track of the Manilla ship, which, if I +should have had the fortune to meet with, and, +having a fire-ship with me, I would have tried +what I could have done with her. +</p> +<p> +March 26, having well secured our mast, and +bent a new suit of sails, we stood to the southward, +expecting to gain our passage to windward +in about five weeks. +</p> +<p> +March 31, as they were pumping the ship, +the water which came out of the well, was not +only in greater quantity than usual, but was also +as black as ink. This made me judge that some +water had got to our powder; and accordingly +going into the powder-room, we heard the water +come in like a little sluice. This had quite +spoiled the greatest part of our powder; so that +we only saved the quantity of six barrels. We +found upon search a leak to be on the bow, under +the lower cheek of the head, occasioned by a +shot which had been lodged there in our late engagement, +and which falling out by the working +of the ship in an head sea, had left room for a +stream of water; but we brought the ship by +the stern, and, with great difficulty, stopped it +securely. +</p> +<p> +May 11, we saw the great island of Juan +<span class='pagenum'>168</span>Fernandez, bearing east half south. Here I plied +on and off till the 21st, but could not get off as +much water as we daily expended. +</p> +<p> +May 21, a hard gale of wind came out of the +sea upon us, and brought in with it a tumbling +swell; so that in a few hours, our cable, which +was never wet before, parted, and inevitable +shipwreck appeared before our eyes. But Providence +so far interposed in our behalf, that, if +we had struck but a cable’s length farther to the +eastward or westward of the place where we +did strike, we must certainly all have perished. +Our main-mast, fore-mast, and mizzen-top-mast, +went all away together; and happy it was for us +that they did so; for, by making them serve by +way of raft, and by the help of those who were +ashore before the wind came on, we were all +saved, except one man. In the midst of this +surprize, the first thing I took care of, was my +commission; and, remembering the powder to +be uppermost in the bread-room, I got most of +it up, with about seven or eight bags of bread: +these we saved, as the ship did not come to pieces +immediately. In a few minutes, however, after +she first struck, she was full of water. We saved, +notwithstanding, two or three compasses, some +of our mathematical instruments, and books. +</p> +<p> +When we first got on shore, we were without +any one thing necessary for our relief; not so +much as a seat whereon to rest our harrassed +limbs, except the wet ground, which, as far as +<span class='pagenum'>169</span>we could see, was also like to be our bed and +pillow, and indeed it proved to be so. +</p> +<p> +In the evening, all the officers came to consult +with me, how we should get some necessaries out +of the wreck; and, having by this time lighted +a fire, we wrapt ourselves in what we could get, +laid ourselves round it, and, notwithstanding the +badness of the weather, we slept very soundly; +but, the next morning, getting up with the first +glimpse of day-light, we looked at each other +like men awakened out of a dream; so great +and so sudden was the melancholy change in our +condition, that we could scarce trust to our +senses. +</p> +<p> +I went immediately among the people to set +them about the work we had resolved upon the +night before; but they were so scattered, there +was no getting them together, or we might, probably, +have regained all our beef and pork. This +opportunity, however, was lost, by their eagerness +to build huts and tents, in order to settle +themselves for good; for, while they were thus +employed, a furious gale of wind came on, which +destroyed all the provisions in the ship, except one +cask of beef, and one of farina de pao, which were +washed whole on the strand. I had saved 1100 +dollars belonging to the gentlemen adventurers, +which were kept in my chest in the great +cabbin; the rest, being in the bottom of the +bread-room for security, could not possibly be +come at. I need not say how disconsolate my +reflections were on the sad accident that had +<span class='pagenum'>170</span>happened. My first thoughts were on the +means whereby to preserve our lives, and on +some scheme of œconomy to be observed amongst +the people, in relation to the distribution +of such quantities of provisions as should +from time to time be obtained. +</p> +<p> +I found a very commodious spot of ground +about half a mile from the sea, on which I set +up my tent. There was a fine run of water +within a stone’s cast of it on each side, with firing +near at hand, and trees proper for our use. +The people settled within call about me, in as +good a manner as they could: and having all +secured ourselves against the inclemency of the +weather, we used to pass our time in the evening +round a great fire, roasting craw-fish in the +embers. +</p> +<p> +I now began to think of building such a vessel +from the wreck as might carry us all off at once +from this island; and for that purpose consulted +with the carpenter; but was astonished at his +answer, ‘he could not make brick, he said, +without straw,’ and walked away from me in a +surly humour. From him I went to the armourer, +and asked him what he could do towards +building a small vessel for us; to which +he answered, that he hoped he could do all the +iron-work; that he had, with much labour, got +his bellows out of the wreck, and that he did +not doubt but we should find a great many +other useful things, when we came to set about +a search for them in good earnest. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>171</span>June 8, we laid the blocks to build upon, and +had the bowsprit ready. The carpenter for a +little while went on with seeming good temper, +but suddenly turning short upon me as I stood +by him, he swore a great oath, he would not +strike another stroke, ‘he truly would be no +body’s slave, and thought himself now upon a +footing with myself.’ This provoked me to +use him a little roughly with my cane; but afterwards +came to an agreement with him to give +a four-pistole piece as soon as the stem and +stern-post were up, and 100 pieces of eight +when the bark was finished. He then went to +work on the keel, and in two months time we +made a tolerable show, owing to the diligence +and ingenuity of Popplestone, the armourer, +who made us hammers, chissels, files, gimlets, +bullet-moulds, and an instrument to bore our +cartouch-boxes. These last we covered with +seals skins, and contrived them so as to be both +handy and neat. He, besides all this, began and +finished with his own hands, a large serviceable +boat, which was what we very much stood in +need of. +</p> +<p> +For a few days the people behaved themselves +very regularly and diligently, half of them working +one day, and half another. But the time +soon arrived when we fell into such confusion +and outrageous disorder, that it was a miracle +we ever got off from this place by any assistance +of our own; for, one afternoon, I missed all the +people, and could see no body but Mr. Adams, +<span class='pagenum'>172</span>our surgeon, Mr. Hendry the agent, my son, +and Mr. Dodd, lieutenant of marines, who, for +some reasons best known to himself, had a mind +to act the madman. At night I was informed, +they had assembled together at a great tree, had +formed a new regulation and new articles, had +excluded the gentlemen adventurers in England +from having any part of what we should take for +the future, and had divested me of the authority +of their Captain, having regulated themselves according +to the discipline of Jamaica. They had +chosen Morphew to be their champion and +speaker. This man addressed himself to me, +and told me, ‘that, as the Speedwell was cast +away, they were now of consequence at their +own disposal, so that their obligations to the +owners and me were of no validity, the ship +being now no more; they therefore, he said, +had now thought fit to frame such articles as +would be most conducive to their own interest; +and, if I would sign them, well; if not, they +would not trust themselves under my conduct, +as they should always be apprehensive that I +should serve them as Clipperton had served +some of his men, who (they heard) happening +to be taken separately, he denied them, and +suffered eight of them to be hanged as pirates +before his face.’ +</p> +<p> +In these articles, besides casting off the owners, +I found myself reduced from sixty shares to +six; and I at last was at a loss what to do in +this dilemma; but I found myself under an indispensible +<span class='pagenum'>173</span>necessity of signing the articles, in +order to get off from the island, where otherwise +I might have been forcibly left behind. +</p> +<p> +And now, having very unwillingly satisfied +them in all I thought they could ask, I recommended +to them the vessel we had begun, not +doubting but after this they would have used +their constant endeavours to finish her, that they +might have an opportunity of putting their project +in execution; and they said they would. +</p> +<p> +But early the next morning, going down to +the beach as usual, and expecting to find every +one employed, I saw none of them, except the +carpenter, and two or three more; for, notwithstanding +they were abettors of the designs that +were carrying on, yet the hopes of a little money +from me had made them work pretty diligently, +though I cannot say they fatigued themselves. +Upon enquiry, I was informed, that the rest of +the people were again adjourned to the great tree; +and it was not long before I was made acquainted +with the result of their meeting; for, betimes +the next morning, they surrounded my tent, +while Morphew, and Stewart, their agent, came +in to me, and told me, They came in the name +of all the people to demand every thing belonging +to the gentlemen adventurers out of my +possession, and particularly 750 weight in Pinna +or virgin silver, a silver dish weighing 75 ounces, +and 250 dollars in money. I did not easily part +with all this: but they desired I would make no +dispute; for, as all this came out of the wreck, +<span class='pagenum'>174</span>they insisted, the owners could have nothing to +do with it, and they were determined to have +it. In short, I was obliged to give it all up, and +they shared it amongst them that very moment, +according to their new regulation. +</p> +<p> +After this, they entirely destroyed what little +power they had allowed me over them; and the +meanest of them were taught they were as good +as I. They sometimes denied me a quota of the +fish, and wondered I could not go out to catch +it as well as they; at best, they would give my +servant who used to fetch it but the leavings, after +they had chosen the prime: and, to complete +their insults, my first lieutenant, who used sometimes +to eat with me, entirely deserted my mess +to join Morphew, to partake of his better fare. +</p> +<p> +Quite tired out with their incessant mutinies, +I became at length so desperate, that I began to +think of preferring the dangers of the sea, in a +small open boat, to what I thought myself exposed +to on this place from my ship’s company. +I apprehended, they would never rest till they +had made themselves entirely their own masters, +by privately making away with me; and this +made me melancholy and pensive, preparing +myself for the worst that could happen. They +perceiving this change in me, grew suspicious +that I was now contriving some means to reduce +them; and, therefore, they determined to get +the arms out of my possession. To this purpose +they all came in a body, headed by Brooks and +Morphew, who, in the presence of all the +<span class='pagenum'>175</span>people, used me with insupportable impudence; +and even went so far as to threaten the life of +my son, for only telling Morphew, that every +one present had not chosen him for his speaker. +</p> +<p> +Having gained that point also, they had the +pleasure of squandering away their time, and +powder and shot, in firing at cats, or any thing +else, to waste the ammunition. +</p> +<p> +What I have now related, is the substance of +what occurred from May 24 till August 15, +when we had sight of a large ship, which put us +into a great hurry, and gave us a considerable +alarm. Before she crossed the bay, I ordered all +the fires to be put out, and confined the negroes +and Indians, lest the ship should be becalmed +under the land, and any of them should attempt +to swim off to her. However, I was not long +in fear, for she kept away large, and at too great +a distance to perceive any thing distinctly of us. +</p> +<p> +On this occasion I got most of the people +under arms, and was glad to see so many of +them, in some measure, obedient to command. +I told them, I was pleased to see their arms in +such good order; to which they answered impertinently, +that it was for their own sakes. But +this alarm was scarce subsided before they became +divided among themselves. The question +started was, whether or no the bark should be +carried on, or, whether they should not build +two large shallops, and set what was done of the +bark on fire. The workmen, and a considerable +majority of the rest, sided with me in behalf +<span class='pagenum'>176</span>of the bark: but at night the carpenter +sent me word, that, if I did not deliver him the +money agreed on at the beginning, notwithstanding +the terms of the payment of it were not yet +fulfilled, I should not see his face again; so I was +obliged to treat this gentleman as he pleased to +have me, and raise the money for him. +</p> +<p> +To complete the number of our divisions +and dissentions, there arose a third party, who +were resolved to have nothing to do with the +other two, they purposing to stay on the island. +These were to the number of 12, who accordingly +separated themselves from the rest, and +never appeared amongst us, except in the night, +when they used to come about our tents, and the +bark we were building, to steal powder, lead, +and axes, and in short, whatever else they could +lay their hands on. These, however, I found +means to manage, and took from them all their +arms, ammunition, and the rest of their plunder, +and threatened, that, if they were found within +musquet-shot of our tents, they should be treated +as enemies. +</p> +<p> +In a little time these divisions had so far +weakened the whole body, that, by degrees, +they began to listen a little to what I said to +them; and I prevailed so far as to get most of +them into a working humour. Mr. Brooks now +came with a feigned submission, and desired he +might eat with me again; but this, in the main, +abated nothing of his esteem for Morphew. His +dissimulation, however, proved of signal service, +<span class='pagenum'>177</span>as it contributed to the speedy finishing of the +bark. This claimed the assistance of all our +heads and hands; for when we came to plank +her bottom, we had most disheartening difficulties +to encounter; for, having no plank but +pieces of the wreck’s deck, we found it so dry +and stubborn, that fire and water had scarce any +effect in making it pliable and fit for use. It +rent and split, and flew like glass; so that now +I had sufficient reasons to believe, after all our +labour, that we must patiently wait to be taken +off from hence by some Spanish ship, and, after +all our troubles, be led to a prison, to reflect on +our misfortunes past. However, by constant +labour, and a variety of contrivances, we, in the +end, patched our bark up in such a manner, than +I dare say the like was never seen, and I may +venture to affirm, that such a bottom never +swam on the surface of the sea before. +</p> +<p> +Sept. 9, the boat, which I have already mentioned +to be begun by the armourer, was launched; +and, being now in a fair way of compleating +our bark, there yet remained unconsidered and +undetermined, what provisions we should get to +support us in our present voyage. All the stock +we had consisted of but one cask of beef, five or +six bushels of farina or Cassader flour, together +with four or five live hogs. +</p> +<p> +I made several experiments to cure both fish +and seal, but found it impossible. At length, +we luckily thought on a method of curing the +conger-eel, by splitting it, and taking out the +<span class='pagenum'>178</span>back bone, then dipping it in salt-water, and afterwards +hanging it up to dry in a great smoke. +As no other fish could be preserved after this +manner, the fishermen were ordered to catch +what congers they could. And now several of +the people, who had not yet struck a stroke, +began to repent of their folly, as they grew +weary of living on this place, and offered their +service to go a-fishing, every one making some +foolish excuse or other, for having been so long +idle. The new boat being sent to try her fortune, +returned at night, and brought in a great +parcel of fish of several sorts, amongst which +were 200 conger-eels. This was a good beginning, +and every tent took a proportion of them +to cure. +</p> +<p> +Having this conveniency of a large boat, I +desired Mr. Brooks, our only diver, to try what +he could recover from that part of the wreck +which lay under water. He accordingly undertook +it, and could find but one small gun, which +he weighed and brought on shore, together with +two pieces of a large church-candlestick, which +was a part of the plate which belonged to the +gentlemen adventurers. +</p> +<p> +Our boat was now daily employed in fishing. +The armourer constantly supplied them with +hooks, and there was no want of lines, which +were made of twisted ribbon. In the mean +time, those who were ashore, made twice layed +stuff for rigging and other uses. We patched +up the canvas for sails; the cooper completed +<span class='pagenum'>179</span>his casks; and, in a short time, we had masts +an-end tolerably well rigged, and thought we +made a comfortable figure. +</p> +<p> +And now, having done all we could, when we +came to put in water, to try the tightness of our +work, it was followed by an universal outcry, +<em>A sieve! a sieve!</em> I was afraid the people would +have despaired, and desisted from using any farther +means: but, in a little time, and by incessant +labour, we repaired the ship’s pumps, and +fitted them to our bark. The next spring-tide +we found means to launch her, which fell out +on the 5th of October, by which time we had +saved about 2300 conger-eels, weighing, one +with another, about one pound each, and made +about 60 gallons of seals oil to fry them in. +This, with what I mentioned before, was all our +sea-stock. As she went off the blocks, I named +her the <i>Recovery</i>, though I was sadly afraid of +hearing ill news from those afloat in her; but +all proved indifferently well; and, knowing it to +be dangerous for her to lie here long, especially +having no other anchor than a great stone, and +a slight rope to hold her with, and that the least +puff of wind might have driven and destroyed +her upon the rocks, we got all the water off that +day, which we did so much easier and quicker, +because the casks were ready stowed in the hold. +She had two masts, and was of about the burthen, +of twenty tons; and, to my great satisfaction, I +found, that one pump, constantly working, kept +her free. The next day, October the 6th, we +<span class='pagenum'>180</span>got every one on board and embarked, leaving +behind us eleven or twelve of those who had +deserted us. They were deaf to all persuasions; +and, in short, sent me word, ‘They were not +yet prepared for the other world;’ so they, +with the like number of blacks and Indians, +remained behind on the island. +</p> +<p> +This island enjoys a fine wholesome air, insomuch +that, out of 70 of us that were on it for +the space of five months and eleven days, not +one of us had an hour’s sickness, notwithstanding +we fed on foul diet, without bread or salt. For +my own part, I must acknowledge the bounty of +Providence; for, although I lost much of my +flesh, I became one of the strongest and most +active men on the island, from being before very +corpulent, and almost crippled with the gout. +On the tops of some of the mountains of this +island, are plains covered with groves of the +Italian laurel. Palm-trees are likewise found in +most parts, growing in smooth joints like a cane, +some 30, some 40 feet high. What seamen call +palm-cabbage is the very substance of the head +of this tree, which being cut off, you find inclosed +a white and tender young cabbage: but, +for every one we got, we were obliged to cut +down a fine lofty tree. +</p> +<p> +The northern part of this island is very well +watered, and the water keeps well at sea, and is, +I dare say, as good as any in the world. Down +the western peak descend two cascades, to appearance, +at least 300 feet perpendicular; which, +<span class='pagenum'>181</span>with the palm-trees that grow up close by the +edges of them, exhibit a very grand and romantic +prospect. +</p> +<p> +We might have found goats enough in the +mountains, if we had been able to follow them; +and cats are so numerous, that there is hardly +taking a step without starting one. Those whose +stomachs could bear their flesh for food, found +a more substantial relief from hunger by one +meal of it, than from four or five of fish. +</p> +<p> +The Spaniards, who first flocked this island +with goats, have since endeavoured to destroy +these goats by dogs, which are likewise very numerous; +but the goats have many inaccessible +places of refuge, where no dogs can follow +them; and they still continue to afford a plentiful +supply to strangers. +</p> +<p> +While we were here, it was the season for the +sea-lionesses to come to land, to bring forth their +young. These have bodies of a monstrous bulk, +being from 10 to 12 feet long, and near as much +in circumference. I may venture to affirm, that, +one with another, they would yield each a butt +of train oil. They are so indolent, that, as soon +as they have gained the land, they fall asleep, +and in that condition remain a month together +so torpid, that you might fire a pistol at their +heads without disturbing them; but where the +sea-lionesses lie, as they do in companies after +they have yeaned, to give suck to their young, +there is always an old lion, of the largest size, +incessantly on the watch, and at the approach of +<span class='pagenum'>182</span>an enemy makes a hideous roaring, threatening +death to him who should be so hardy as to molest +his charge; and, in truth, were they not so +unwieldy, they would be a desperate creature to +encounter. We were accustomed to walk amongst +them without dread; for all, but those +who were to take care of the young, were lost in +the profoundest slumbers. On the land they ingender, +and bring forth their young, who ingender +also before they go off, against the next season; +so quick and suddenly do they increase and +propagate. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/192.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>A Sea Lion when suddenly disturbd a Lioness asleep by him & a Seal in a moveing posture</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +The seals here may properly be called sea-wolves, +from the resemblance of their heads to +the heads of wolves, differing in that particular +from the seals in the northern hemisphere, where +their heads are more like the dog’s. They are +naturally surly, and snarl in an angry manner, on +the approach of any body. Two fins compose +their tails, and with the help of these they get +along much faster than the lions. +</p> +<p> +Every thing one sees or hears in this island is +different from what is elsewhere to be found. +The very structure of the island, in all its parts, +appears with a certain savage, irregular beauty, +not easy to be expressed. The several prospects +of lofty inaccessible hills in the day, and the solitariness +of the gloomy narrow vallies in the +night, added to the mixed, confused noise of +the surge continually beating against the shore, +the tumbling of the waters from an immense +precipice, the roaring of sea-lions and sea-wolves, +<span class='pagenum'>183</span>whose voices are more or less shrill or +hoarse according to their youth or age, compose +so wild and horrible a medley, that the stoutest +man must long be accustomed to it, before he +can taste the sweets of refreshing sleep, or wholly +divest himself of terror. +</p> +<p> +October 6, we set sail, with nothing to subsist +on at sea but the before-mentioned smoked congers, +one cask of beef, and four live hogs, together +with three or four bushels of farina. We +were upwards of forty of us crowded together, +and lying upon bundles of eels, with no convenience +of keeping the men clean, nor any thing +to defend us from their abominable stench; not +a drop of water to be had without sucking it out +of the cask through a pipe, which being used promiscuously, +became intolerably nauseous. The +unsavoury morsels we daily ate created perpetual +quarrels amongst us, every one contending for +the frying-pan. All the conveniency we had +for firing, was an half tub filled with earth, which +made our cooking so tedious, that we had a +continual noise of frying from morning till +night. +</p> +<p> +Thus we traversed the ocean: happy, however, +in the thought of being once more afloat, +and cherishing the hope that something would +speedily fall into our hands. Every day, while +the sea-breeze continued, we were hard put to it, +for not having above 16 inches free board, and +our bark tumbling prodigiously, the water continually +ran over us; and, having only a grating +<span class='pagenum'>184</span>deck, and no tarpaulin to cover it, our pumps +would but just keep us free. +</p> +<p> +October 10, being the fourth day of our new +expedition, we fell in with a large ship, which I +could plainly see was Europe built. This struck +me with the dread of her being a man-of-war; +however, our case being desperate, I stood for +her, and, before we could get quite up with her, +the enemy discovered the brownness of our canvas, +and, suspecting us, wore ship, and hauled +close on a wind to the westward. This done, +they hoisted their colours, fired a gun, and +crouded away from us at a great rate; but, in +about two hours it fell calm, and we had recourse +to our oars. In the mean time we over-hauled +our arms, which we found to be in very +bad condition, one third of them being without +flints, and we had but three cutlasses; so that we +were but ill prepared for boarding, which was +the only means we could have of taking any ship. +We had but one small cannon, which we could +not mount, and therefore were obliged to fire it +as it lay along upon the deck; and to supply it +we had no more ammunition than two round +shot, a few chain-bolts and bolt-heads, the clapper +of the Speedwell’s bell, and some bags of +beach-stones to serve for partridge. In about four +hours we came up with this ship, and every one +seemed as easy in his mind as if actually in possession +of her. But, as we advanced nearer, I +saw her guns and patararoes, and a considerable +number of men upon deck, with their arms glittering +<span class='pagenum'>185</span>in the sun, who called out to us by the +name of English Dogs, defying us, in a scornful +way, to come on board of them, and at the same +time gave us a volley of great and small shot, +which killed our gunner, and almost brought +our fore-mast by the board. This warm reception +staggered a great many of my men who +before seemed the forwardest, insomuch that +they lay upon their oars for some time, in spite +of all I could do to make them keep their way. +We recovered ourselves again, and rowed close +up with the enemy, and engaged them till all +our small shot was expended, which obliged us +to fall astern to make some slugs. In this manner +we made three attempts, but with no better +success. +</p> +<p> +All the night it was calm, and we were busied +in making slugs, and had provided a large quantity +by the next morning, when we came to a +final determination of either carrying the ship, +or of submitting to her; and accordingly, at +day-break, I ordered twenty men in our yaul, +to lay her athwart the hawse, whilst I boarded +her in the bark. The people in the boat put +off, giving me repeated assurances of their good +behaviour; but, at the very juncture we were +coming to action, a gale sprang up, and she +went away from us. +</p> +<p> +This ship was called the Margarita, and was +the same which had been a privateer belonging +to St. Malo’s, and mounted forty guns, all the +last war. In the skirmishes we had with her, +<span class='pagenum'>186</span>we had none killed, except Gilbert Henderson, +our gunner; and only three were wounded, viz. +Mr. Brooks, First Lieutenant, through the thigh, +Mr. Coldsea, the Master, through the groin, and +one of the fore-mast-men through the small of +his back. Two of these did very well, and I +think there was something extraordinary in their +cure; for the surgeon had nothing to apply to +their wounds, but what he himself had prepared +with seals oil, and other matters he had found +on the island. Mr. Coldsea, indeed, lingered in +a miserable manner for nine or ten months; +but at length recovered. +</p> +<p> +Our condition now grew worse and worse; +for soon after we had parted from this ship, a +hard gale came on, which lasted four days without +ceasing, during all which time we had not +an hour’s hope of living a minute. We were +obliged to scud away under bare poles, with +our yaul in tow; and, having but a short scope +of boat-rope, we were, on the descent of every +sea, in the greatest danger of having the bark’s +stern beat in by the violence of the boat’s precipitate +fall after us; and, once in particular, a +great hollow sea had like to have thrown her +upon our deck, which would have put an end +to our voyage immediately. The excessive +fright of this storm made many of our people +form a resolution of going on shore the very +first opportunity. +</p> +<p> +In this extremity, calling to mind M. Frezier’s +account of Iquique, I mentioned the surprizal +<span class='pagenum'>187</span>of that place to the crew, which being +universally approved of, we directed our course +to that island. +</p> +<p> +It was three weeks before we got this length; +and having nothing to ride the bark with, we +were obliged to keep the sea with her, whilst +the boat went in between the rocks, and was +received by some Indians on the strand with a +sort of welcome. The men, being landed, went +to the Lieutenant’s house, broke it open, and +rummaged the whole village, where they found +a booty more valuable to us at that time than +gold and silver. It consisted of about sixty +bushels of wheat-flour, 120 of calavances and +corn, some jerked beef, pork and mutton, some +thousand weight of well-cured fish, a good +number of fowls, some rusk, and four or five +days eating of soft bread, together with five or +six jars of Peruvian wine and brandy; and, to +crown all, they had the good fortune to find a +large boat near the shore, to bring off the booty +with, which otherwise would have been of little +use to us, our own boat being already sufficiently +laden with the men. +</p> +<p> +Words cannot express the joy that reigned +among us when they came on board: the scene +was now changed from famine to plenty; the +loaves of soft bread were distributed to every +one, and the jars of wine were broached; but +I took care they should drink but moderately +of it, each man having no more than half a +pint to his share: and, after a day or two’s +<span class='pagenum'>188</span>living on wholesome diet, we wondered how +our stomachs had been able to digest our rank +and nauseous eels fried in train-oil, and could +scarcely believe we had lived upon nothing else +for a month past. +</p> +<p> +Mr. Randall, our Second Lieutenant, who +commanded in this enterprize, told me, they +did not meet with the least opposition, and that +the few Indians they found seemed to be as glad +of this opportunity of pillaging the Spaniards +as we were. +</p> +<p> +The settlement at Iquique consists of about +60 scattered ill-built houses, which hardly deserve +that name, and a small church. There is not +the least verdure to be seen in or about it, nor +does it afford the least necessary of life, of its +own product, not even water, which they are +obliged to fetch in boats from Pisagua, ten +leagues to the northward. +</p> +<p> +By two Indian prisoners we took here, we +were informed, that the Lieutenant’s boat was +then at Pisagua, and that it would not be long +before her return; however, being determined +to make some attempt in the road of le Nasco, +in lat. 16 deg. S. and at Pisco, in lat. 13 deg. +45 min. S. we set sail, and the very morning +we came off the Sierra or high-land of le Nasco, +two hours before day-light, we fell in with a +large ship. The circumstances of our meeting +and engaging her were, in some measure, the +same with those we had with the Margarita. +We met with both at the same time in the +<span class='pagenum'>189</span>morning, and, whilst in pursuit of both, had +the misfortune of being becalmed. We struggled +with this last for six or seven hours, and +were at length obliged to leave her, because +the sea-breeze came in so strong, and the sea +ran so high, that, had she been of no force, +our slight bark must have been in pieces before +a third part of us could have entered her. +This ship was called the St. Francisco Palacio, +of 700 tons, eight guns and ten peteraroes, and +was well manned and provided with small arms. +</p> +<p> +It happened very unfortunately, that we +should thus miss two of the best equipped ships +in the private trade at that time in the South +Seas. This last repulse was made a pretence +for much murmuring; many, despairing of ever +being able to take any thing as our condition +was, were for surrendering to the enemy, who +was all the night becalmed near us. To prevent +their design, I took care to remove the +two boats out of their power, by ordering two +men in each of them, such as I thought I +could trust, and to cast off from us at a little +distance, that none might escape in them. But, +notwithstanding the confidence I had in these +four, the two in the best boat ran away with +her; and the next day I was informed, that +the First Lieutenant and Morphew had made +a party, too strong for me to oppose, to go +away with the boat that was left; but, it blowing +fresh the next night, they were prevented +from executing their design. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>190</span>The next day we stood into the road of +Pisco, as we had designed, where we discovered +what appeared to be a large ship. We bore +down to her with a resolute despair, and laid +her athwart the hawse; but, to our great satisfaction, +we met with no resistance, and were +received by the Captain and his Officers with +their hats off, in the most submissive manner +asking for quarter. Before we came up, I had +ordered our boat to intercept theirs, which was +going on shore. They clapped her on board, +but, not holding fast, they fell astern, and could +not fetch up with her again; so that in this +boat was conveyed away every thing that might +have been valuable in the prize. She was a +good ship, of about 200 tons, called the Jesus-Maria, +almost laden with pitch, tar, copper, +and plank, but nothing else. The Captain offered +1600 dollars for her ransom, but I could +not give ear to it in the condition which I was +then in. +</p> +<p> +The Spanish Captain informed me, that the +Margarita had been arrived some time at Callao, +where she had given a full account of us; that +the Captain of her, and three more, were killed +in the action with us, and that the Priest and +several others were wounded; and that she was +now ready to put to sea again, with an addition +of ten guns and fifty men, to cruise for us: +and, moreover, that the Flying fish, a frigate +of 28 guns, was already out with the same intent. +Upon this advice, having cleared our +<span class='pagenum'>191</span>bark, we gave her to the Spanish Captain, and +as soon as the breeze sprang up, we weighed, +and went to sea, and in going out met with our +boat, which I have mentioned to have left us in +the night; they edged towards us, imagining +we were Spaniards, by which means we got them +again. The two fellows in her were almost dead, +having ate or drank nothing for three days, and +had just been ashore on a small island, to kill +seals to drink their blood. They had no excuse +for themselves, but that they fell asleep, and the +faint breezes of the night had wafted us in the +bark away from them. +</p> +<p> +Pisco being 40 leagues to the windward of +Callao, I kept close hauled till I had gained a +two degrees offing, and kept that distance till +we had got well to the northward of Callao, and +hauled in again for the land, a little to the southward +of Truxillo, and looked into the roads of +Guanchaco, Malabriga, and Cheripe; but, seeing +no ship at those places, I passed between the +island of Lobos de Tierra and the continent; +and, Nov. 25, found ourselves near the Saddle +of Payta, where having made some prisoners, I +examined them concerning the condition of the +town, which they answered was very poor at present, +there being neither money nor provisions in +it, and shewed me a small bark on the shore, +which Capt. Clipperton had sent in here a little +while before with some of his prisoners, which +had given them such an alarm, that every thing +had been again removed into the country. This +<span class='pagenum'>192</span>unwelcome news did not hinder us from keeping +on our way, with our Spanish colours flying, +till we came to the place of anchorage. +</p> +<p> +No sooner was our anchor down than I sent +away Mr. Brooks, with both the boats, armed +with 24 men; no more of them, however, appeared +than those who rowed, and two or three +sitters in each, the rest, with their arms, lying in +the bottom of the boat. Thus they advanced +towards the town, without giving the least umbrage +to the inhabitants, who were so thoroughly +persuaded of our being Spaniards, that, when the +people landed, they found the children playing +on the beach, who were the first that took the +alarm, and ran away at the sight of armed men. +In an instant the whole place was in confusion; +the town was deserted, and nothing left in it but +a few bales of coarse cloth, about 500 of dried +tole or dog-fish, two or three pedlars packs, and +an inconsiderable quantity of bread and sweet-meats; +so that we unluckily had but little employment +for our boats. +</p> +<p> +As we lay at an anchor in the ship, we took a +boat with about fifty jars of Peruvian wine and +brandy, the master of which told us, he was come +by stealth from Callao, there being orders that +none but ships of some force should stir out. +This man was the first who acquainted me with +Captain Hatley’s being taken, and the value of +his prizes; and likewise assured me, that, if +Captain Clipperton had landed the first time he +was here, there were 400,000 pieces of eight in +<span class='pagenum'>193</span>it, besides a great quantity of jesuits bark, and +other valuable commodities, of all which he +might easily have made himself master; but he +wanted courage. Some of the King of Spain’s +treasure is frequently lodged under the Governor’s +care; and, if he had made an attempt, even the +second time, it would have been worth his while. +As for Collan, which is two miles to the northward +of this, situated near the mouth of a little +river, it is a mean place, being entirely inhabited +by Indians. +</p> +<p> +From this place we directed our course for +the island of Gorgona, in the bay of Panama, +and in our passage thither built a tank, or +wooden cistern, big enough to hold 10 tons of +water, wherewith to supply our want of casks, +as without the help of some such contrivance we +should have but little hopes of being ever able +to return home. In our way we made the island +of Plate, Cape St. Francis, and Gorgonella; and +on Dec. 2, we came to anchor to the leeward of +the northernmost point of Gorgona, within less +than a quarter of a mile of the shore. Here we +had the advantage of filling our water-casks in +the boat, the water running in small streams into +the sea, and cut down our wood at high water +mark; so that in less than 48 hours we had done +our business here, and hurried away to sea, for +fear of those who might be in quest of us. +</p> +<p> +Having got out of the track of the enemies +ships, we consulted on the best methods of proceeding, +when the majority were for going directly +<span class='pagenum'>194</span>over to the coasts of Asia. Upon this we +changed our ship’s name from the Jesus Maria +to the Happy Return, and applied all our endeavours +towards abandoning these coasts; but +the winds and currents were averse to it; and +some of those who opposed our departure, did so +much damage clandestinely to our tank, that the +greatest part of our water leaked out. This, together +with continual contrary winds and dead +calms, which detained us till our provisions were +much exhausted, rendered us incapable to undertake +so long a run; and therefore, to furnish +ourselves with what we wanted, I proposed a descent +on the island of Quibo, in lat. 7 deg. 40 +min. N. where, by Captain Rogers’s account, I +guessed there must be inhabitants who lived in a +plentiful manner on the product of the country. +</p> +<p> +On January 13, 1721, we anchored between +Quibo and the isle of Quivetta, in a sandy bay, +commodious for wooding and watering. The +morning after our arrival, we saw two large piraguas +rowing in for the isle of Quivetta, one of +them with Spanish colours flying; and, after a +little debate, whether it would be prudent for +us to attack them in our boat or not, it was resolved, +at all hazards, to go after them in our +yaul. This enterprize was commanded by Mr. +Brooks, our First Lieutenant, who found the men +on shore, brought away their piraguas, and two +prisoners, the one a Mulatto, and the other a +Negro; the rest sought for refuge in the woods. +The Mulatto mortified us very much, by telling +<span class='pagenum'>195</span>us, that a vessel laden with provisions had passed +by very near us in the night; but, to make +amends, promised to conduct us to a place where +we might supply ourselves without any hazard, +provided we were not above two or three days +about it. No news could be more welcome to +us than this, wherefore we were very brisk in +getting off our wood and water; and, on January +the 19th, we got safe in between Mariato and +the island of Sebaco, and anchored in six fathom +water, over against a green field, which is instruction +sufficient, there being but that clear +spot hereabouts. Our guide desired we might +be going at least three hours before day-light, +and that then we should be in good time at the +plantations. Accordingly I embarked at two +the next morning in our own boat, and ordered +the two lieutenants in the two piraguas, leaving +my son and a few men with him, to take care of +the ship. Our guide carried us up some part of +the river St. Martin, and out of that into several +branches of very narrow creeks amongst mangroves, +where we had not room to row, which +made me suspect he had no good design in his +head; but we landed just at day-break on a fine +savannah, or plain; and, after a march of about +three miles, came to two farm-houses, whose +owners had made their escape, except the wife +and children of one house. +</p> +<p> +The place answered the man’s description, +being surrounded by numerous herds of black +cattle, hogs, and plenty of fowls of all sorts; +<span class='pagenum'>196</span>and here we found some dried beef, plantains, +and Indian corn; and, for present use, were entertained +with a wholesome breakfast of hot cake +and milk, a diet we had been long unacquainted +with. When it came to be broad day, I saw our +ship close by us, upon which I asked our Mulatto, +How he came to bring us so far about? +He answered, There was a river between us, +and he did not know whether it was fordable or +not. I therefore sent some to try, who found it +was not above knee deep. Wherefore, to avoid +the trouble of carrying our plunder so far as we +had been led, I ordered our boats to row out of +the river St. Martin, and to come to the beach +over against the ship. We had not been long +here before the master of the family we were +with, being anxious for their safety, returned, +and made an offer of as many of his black cattle +as we should think fit to require; which offer +we kindly received: and he brought us the +number we thought we could save; for, having +but little salt, and not being able to spare +water to keep them alive when at sea, our demands +were moderate; and the few we required, +as soon as they were carried on board, were +killed. Their flesh we preserved by cutting it +into long slips of the thickness of a finger, and +then sprinkling it with so small a quantity of +salt, that we did not use above four or five +pounds to a hundred weight; then letting it lie +together two or three hours, we hung it up to +dry in the sun, which perfectly cured it, and +<span class='pagenum'>197</span>that better than it could have been done by any +other way. +</p> +<p> +Having done all we proposed in coming here, +we departed with our decks full of fowls and +hogs, amongst which there was one with its +navel, or something like it, on its back. The +Spaniards say, that this, when wild in the woods, +is a terrible animal to meet with, although at +full growth it be but small. +</p> +<p> +January 25, we made a sail about two leagues +to the leeward of us: we gave her chase till we +found she was of European structure; and fearing +she might be one of the enemy’s ships of +war, I clapped on a wind, and in half an hour’s +time it fell calm. Soon after, we saw a boat +rowing towards us, which proved to be the Success’s +pinnace, commanded by Mr. Davidson, +their first Lieutenant. My first interview with +him was attended by an astonishment equal +on both sides; he could hardly believe that he +saw us in so mean and forlorn a condition; and +I could scarce believe that the Success (if in +being) had been all this while wandering up +and down these seas. +</p> +<p> +I entertained him with a rehearsal of the constant +run of misfortunes which had befallen +us in the long interval since we separated near +the coast of England, till our present meeting +that day; and he, on his part, entertained me +with several remarkable incidents, which had +happened to them in the course of their voyage. +Particularly, he told me, that, about a twelvemonth +<span class='pagenum'>198</span>before, they had taken a new French-built +brigantine, and put their officers and ship’s +company’s plunder on board of her, which +they valued at ten thousand pounds sterling; +that their second Captain, Mr. Mitchel, was intrusted +with the command of her, and was ordered +to go to some island on the coast of +Mexico, and to stay there till Captain Clipperton +should join him with his ship; but that +they never could find the island since, and, +therefore, judged that poor Mitchel, and his +men, were either starved, or murdered by the +Spaniards or Indians, or that he had perished +with the island, such submersions being frequent +on those coasts. The story of Captain Mitchel, +who was a very worthy man, and an expert +sailor, is, in all its circumstances, a very tragical +one. There was always a jealousy between +him and his Captain, who ordered him to a +place, and pretended to give him infallible directions +to find it, which never could be found +afterwards, and, ’tis my opinion, never was above +water; and the unfortunate gentleman, without +doubt, perished in some obscure, miserable manner, +in quest of a place that was never yet, and +perhaps never may be discovered. In our discourse, +I asked Mr. Davidson the value of +the booty they had made, and he assured me it +did not exceed 70,000 dollars⁠—but that they +had lost great opportunities⁠—that in October, +1720, they were in the bay of Conception, and +had the misfortune to leave three laden ships +<span class='pagenum'>199</span>behind them, and missed a fourth, which was +coming into the bay, and which was so near as +to hail and talk to them, besides being becalmed +by them;⁠—that though it was probable their +launch could have taken them all four, yet, +through their Captain’s deafness to advice, they +took none of them:⁠—that, moreover, they had +never yet cleaned their bottom, notwithstanding +they had had it in their power to do it; and +that this negligence had like to have cost them +dear; for that, in their return from Conception, +they looked into Coquimbo, where they saw +five ships at anchor, three of which let slip +after them, and overtook them apace, but by +the favour of thick weather, and a hard gale +of wind, they got clear of them; and further, +that, off the port of Callao, they fell in with +the Flying-fish frigate, which was cruising for +me in the bark, and which, by unpardonable +mismanagement on the part of Clipperton, got +safe from them, although deeply laden with a +valuable cargo designed for Cadiz. I have been +since informed of this by one of my surgeon’s +mates, who was taken in the Mercury, and was +surgeon of the Flying-fish at that time. +</p> +<p> +This was the substance of my discourse with +Mr. Davidson, when, in the mean time, a gale +sprung up, which interrupted us, and I bore +down to the Success, and went on board of her. +I gave Captain Clipperton, and Mr. Godfrey, +the agent-general, the whole history of my +voyage hitherto, and expected that I should +<span class='pagenum'>200</span>have been treated by them as one belonging to +the same interest, but found I was mistaken; +for they were unwilling to have any thing to do +with me since my ship was lost. However, I +conceived, that he could not be so inhuman, as +to deny me the supply of such necessaries as I +wanted, and he could conveniently spare. The +answer I had to this was, that I should know +more of his mind the next day. Amongst the +rest of the discourse I had with him, he told +me he was just come from the island of Cocos, +that his people were sickly, and at very short +allowance. Upon this, I offered my service to +pilot him to Mariato, which was not above +thirty leagues distant from us, where he might +have refreshed his people, and supplied himself +with what he would. But this was not accepted, +he being resolved to make the best of his way +to the Tres Marias, where, he said, there was +turtle enough to be had; so I left him for that +night. +</p> +<p> +The next morning, as I was going on board +of him again, with some of my officers, he suddenly +spread all his canvas, and crouded away +from us, who were in the boat: upon which +I returned to our ship again, and made signals +of distress, and fired our gun several times, +which was not regarded by him, till his very +officers cried out on his barbarity, and, at last, +he brought to. When I had sailed up with +him, (being exasperated at such inhuman treatment) +I sent Mr. Brooks, our First Lieutenant, +<span class='pagenum'>201</span>to know the reason of his abrupt departure, and +to tell him that we stood in need of several necessaries, +which, if he was not inclined to give, +I would purchase of him. Upon these terms he +spared me two of his quarter-deck guns, sixty +round shot, some musquet-balls and flints, and a +Spanish chart of the coast of Mexico and part of +India and China, a half-hour and a half-minute +glass, a compass, and about 300 weight of salt; +but with all the arguments I could use, I could +not prevail on him to spare us the least thing out +of his surgeon’s chest for the relief of Mr. Coldsea, +our master, who had been ready to die of +his wounds received in the engagement with the +Margarita, for above three months past. When +this was concluded, I again asked him if I could +be of any service to him, and assured him, I had +a pretty good ship under foot, though she made +but a poor figure, and believed I could hold +him way, and that he knew our cargo was pretty +valuable. To all this he answered, that, if I had +a cargo of gold, he had no business with me, and +that I must take care of myself. Mr. Hendry, +the agent, and Mr. Rainer and Mr. Dodd, Lieutenants +of marines, seeing but little prospect that +we should ever get home, and being weary of +the work that was imposed upon them, desired I +would let them go on board the Success, for a +passage to England; which I consenting to, they +went on board accordingly, and Clipperton left +us to shift for ourselves, near the island of Cano. +Having purchased this supply, I was for going to +<span class='pagenum'>202</span>the southward into the bay of Panama, to try +our fortune there; but the majority opposed me +through fear, and were for going to the Tres +Marias, to salt turtle there, and then stretch over +for India. We directed our course thither; and, +a few days after, met with the Success in quest of +Sonsonnate, where they expected to receive the +Marquis of Villa Roche’s ransom. That nobleman +had been some time a prisoner with them, +and his wife was now at Guatimala, a city within +30 leagues of that port. We ranged close under +their stern, and asked how Captain Clipperton +and the rest of the gentlemen did, but it was +not thought proper to return any answer; so, +without any concern, he steered one way, and +we another. After this, calms, and contrary +winds, and unaccountable currents, reduced us +to a very small allowance, which we were obliged +to diminish daily, and should have been in +deeper distress than ever, had it not been for the +turtle which we took on the surface of the water. +We had a continual look-out for them, and +they were easily known, at a great distance, by +the number of sea-birds that perched on their +backs. Upon sight of these, we used to lay aside +the advantages we might have made of the wind, +to embrace the opportunity of prolonging our +provisions. Upon the whole, though we lost +some of our way in pursuit of turtle after this +manner, it was not the greatest inconvenience +that attended us; the dressing it made a great +consumption of our water, the quantity of which +<span class='pagenum'>203</span>decreased upon us very suddenly, by the continual +use of it in boiling the turtle with plantain +flower. This relapse into a state of famine, +threatening us with speedy and certain perdition, +if means were not used to avert it, made me +propose the plundering of some small town as +we coasted along the shore. Guatulco was the +nearest to us: but the very morning we were +steering in for this place, at sun-rising we saw a +sail a considerable way to leeward of us. We +thought it would be better to take this ship than +to venture on shore, and therefore we bore down +to her, who in the end proved to be the Success. +We now met with a double baulk, both as to +our hopes of Guatulco and the ship; for we +were by this accident got so far to the leeward +of Guatulco, that it was needless to beat up so +far against the wind for an uncertainty, when we +had a gale, that, had it continued, would have +carried us to some better port. +</p> +<p> +But the winds were but a few hours propitious, +and were succeeded by perpetual contrary +gales, which destroyed all our hopes, and +brought us down to a small earthen plate of calavances, +a kind of small bean, for 24 hours, +which not being sufficient to keep us alive, we +had recourse to the remainder of our smoked +congers, which had for some months been neglected, +and lain soaking and rotting in the +bulge water. They were certainly as disagreeable +food as ever men eat. +</p> +<p> +Under these calamitous circumstances did we +<span class='pagenum'>204</span>meet with the Success a fourth time, near the +port of Angels; and, after having made the appointed +signal, we stood so near to one another, +that, to use the sea phrase, a bisket might have +been tossed from ship to ship, but we did not +change a word with each other; for, Captain +Clipperton, as I have since been informed, had +ordered all his officers and ship’s company to +take no notice of us: and, though he was so +truly sensible of the difficulties and hazards we +had to cope with, if our design was to go for +India, that he said, The child that was born the +day before would be grey-headed with age before +we should arrive there (intimating by that +expression, that it was impossible for us to do it), +yet, notwithstanding, he, without any remorse, +could see us on the brink of suffering the greatest +severities our ill fortune could load us with, +and not lend us a helping hand to deliver us +from the impending ruin. +</p> +<p> +Thus surrounded on all sides by present +want and threatening disasters, we, on the 12th +of March, being off the port of Acapulco, saw +a ship between us and the shore. I bore down +to her, till perceiving her to be a large Europe-built +ship, with Spanish colours flying, I concluded +she was the Peregrine, who, as I had +been informed, had carried the Prince of St. Bueno, +who had been Viceroy of Peru, to this port +in his way to Spain. With these suspicions, being +as yet unwilling to run ourselves so immediately +into the enemy’s clutches, I hauled again +<span class='pagenum'>205</span>on a wind, which he seeing, he pulled down his +Spanish, and hoisted an English ensign, and made +the signal agreed on between Clipperton and me +for knowing one another. Had they been in any +other part, I should have been so far from entertaining +any thoughts of such a change in him, +that I should have looked on all his signals as +the artifices of the enemy, who might have acquainted +themselves with them by the information +of such of our men as they might have taken +prisoners. But now, making no doubt that it +was he, I bore down to him, and being come +along his side, he sent Captain Cook, his second +Lieutenant, in his yaul, with an obliging letter +to me, to inform me, he was cruising for the +homeward-bound Manilla ship, and desiring I +would assist him in the enterprize, and come on +board of him the next morning, proposing a +union of our two ships companies. I was very +well pleased with this offer, and, without hesitation, +returned him word that I would be with +him early. +</p> +<p> +In the mean time, I read over his letter publicly +to my people, and exhorted them seriously +to consider of the great benefits that would accrue +to us on all sides from it. Upon which they +all expressed the most resigned willingness to join +in the undertaking. But, as Clipperton had used +us so unhandsomely before, they desired I would +get some security for their shares, signed by Captain +Clipperton, Mr. Godfrey the agent, and the +rest of their officers. I went on board, and, according +<span class='pagenum'>206</span>to their request, Capt. Clipperton, and +Mr. Godfrey, the owners agent, immediately +drew up an instrument fully worded for the +purpose, and they and all the other officers +signed it. This was all my people wanted to +make them easy. +</p> +<p> +We then proceeded upon our main business; +and, after mature deliberation, it was thought +most adviseable, that I should send the greatest +part of my men on board the Success, as soon as +we saw the Manilla ship come out of Acapulco, +and leave only a boat’s crew with me to bring +me away, in case I should have occasion to make +use of my ship as a fire-ship, or a smoaker, which +we jointly proposed to do, if we found the enemy +too hard for us; and it was determined to +board her at once, as we should otherwise have +much the worst of it, on account of their +superior weight of metal, and the better capacity +of their ships, which are built very strong, +to bear a cannonading. Clipperton assured me, +he was certain of the time when she would sail +from this port, which the Spaniards say is always +within a day or two after Passion-week, of which +we had a fortnight yet to come. +</p> +<p> +Before I returned to my own ship, I acquainted +Captain Clipperton with our slender stock of +provisions, but particularly with our shortness of +water; and he told me he had 80 tons of it on +board, and he would spare me as much of it +as I would have, or any thing else his ship afforded. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>207</span>I had now the pleasure of being restored to +my command in as regular a manner as ever; +every one, from the highest to the lowest, expressing +the satisfaction he had in the prospect +before us. But, Morphew, that ringleader of +all our disorders, fearing my resentment, thought +it was his best way, to insinuate himself into the +favour of the Captain and Officers of the Success, +which he did effectually, by an humble, +submissive, outward deportment, and prevailing +presents. In short, he had his end, and left me; +but, the next morning, Mr. Rainer, who acted +with us afterwards as Captain of marines, came +on board of us to visit his old shipmates, and +so continued. +</p> +<p> +Thus we cruised in good order, and with a +great deal of hope, until March 17, when, towards +evening, Clipperton, contrary to his usual +custom, stretched a-head of us about two leagues, +without lowering so much as a top-gallant-sail for +us to come up with him. I could not but be a +little startled at this, as being quite contrary to +his usual method. However, I kept standing +after him, as I thought, in the night, till we +were almost in the breakers on the shore, which +of course obliged us to tack, and stand out to +sea again, admiring all the time that we had +had no signal for going about. The next morning +we had no sight of any ship near us, which +laid me under the most terrible apprehensions, +considering the bad condition we were in for +want of water, and the vast distance we were at +<span class='pagenum'>208</span>from any place where we could expect to get a +recruit of any, having now no choice left, but +either to beat up 220 leagues against the wind, +to go to the Tres Marias, or bear away a much +more considerable distance for the gulph of +Amapala, or the island of Cocos. +</p> +<p> +But, notwithstanding our distress, I kept our +cruising station for him two or three days. At +last it was resolved to bear away to the first convenient +place to water at; and, in truth, it was +time, for we were now 40 odd men, who had +but three buts of water for a run of 300 leagues +and upwards, on a coast subject to long calms, +variable winds, and uncertain currents. +</p> +<p> +It was afterwards told me, that the night +Clipperton left us, he assembled all his officers, +and told them it was his intention immediately +to quit the coast. His officers remonstrated to +him on the barbarity of doing this without acquainting +Captain Shelvock with his intention, +and sparing us some water. But he put off +their serious expostulations with an inhuman +sneer, saying, That, if I should, through want, +be obliged to surrender to the enemy, I should +only share the same fate, that, perhaps, some +others had met with before me. +</p> +<p> +Thus this man, perhaps, through an excess +of mean-spiritedness, and dreading the engagement +with a ship that was always known to defend +itself with some obstinacy, neglected as fine +an opportunity as most of our nation have ever +had of taking this ship, which, as I was informed, +<span class='pagenum'>209</span>by some Spaniards from Manilla, when I was in +China, came out of Acapulco about a week after +we left the cruize.⁠—[For Capt. Clipperton’s account +of this transaction we refer the reader to +the preceding voyage.] +</p> +<p> +On March 30, in the evening, we entered +the road of Sonsonnate, and, as the sun set, saw +a ship at anchor there. It being a moon-light +night, I sent the first Lieutenant, with some of +the best hands, to discover what this ship might +be. On his return he informed me, the ship +was a large one, of one tier of guns at least. +I nevertheless continued to ply in all the night, +and prepared for action. At day-light we +found they had hoisted a jar of powder, containing +about ten gallons, with lighted match, +at each main and fore yard arm, and at the +bowsprit end, with design to let them fall on +our decks if we boarded them. This contrivance, +if it had taken effect, would have soon +made an end of both ships, and of all that were +in them. Seeing them so desperate in their preparations, +I expected a warm dispute with +them; and, by what I could see, they were, in +all points, superior by much to us in strength. +</p> +<p> +At eleven in the morning, the sea-breeze +came in, and ran us upon them very fast, whilst +our small arms were briskly and effectually employed +to break their powder jars, before we +came to board them, which we did without delay, +and, after the exchange of a few shot when +on board of each other, they submitted. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>210</span>This ship was called the Sacra Familia, of +300 tons, six guns, and 70 men; besides a +great number of small arms, with some grenade +shells and shot. She had been, for some time +before, arrived from Callao, with wine and +brandy; but had now nothing in her but fifty +jars of gunpowder, and a small parcel of rusk +and jerked beef. In short, she could hardly be +said to be worth the trouble we took, and the +risques we ran for her: but she was reputed to +be a better sailor, and was visibly better fitted out +than our own; wherefore I changed ships, and +we all went on board our prize, which was +equipped in the warlike manner we found her, +and commissioned, on purpose to take us. +</p> +<p> +A merchant, the escrivan of the ship, being +on board, desired we would sell him the Jesus +Maria, which we agreed to, and sent him on +shore to raise the money for that purpose; and +at night he came off with another Spanish gentleman, +and brought us a letter of advice from +the Governor on shore, signifying that there +was a treaty of peace on foot between their Britannic +and Catholic Majesties, which was what +we had not before heard of. However, I sent +to the Governor, signifying that I should be +very glad to see the proclamation and articles; +and that thereupon, I should be ready to obey +the commands of my Sovereign; so we came +to an agreement with the Governor to lye in the +road till he sent to Guatimala, 50 leagues distant, +for those papers, provided he would supply +<span class='pagenum'>211</span>us with water and provisions. On the 5th +of April, the Governor sent on board two +papers, which, by the best interpretation we +could get of them, did not appear to us to be in +the form of proclamations. We told those who +brought the papers aboard, that we were in +great want of an interpreter; upon which they +said, there were some Englishmen at Guatimala, +whom they would send for, if we would +stay three days for them, and that they would +supply us with water and provisions till that +time; which we agreed to, and they desired we +would send our boat on shore every morning for +the supply. Accordingly, on the 7th of April, +we sent our boat on shore with Mr. Brooks, our +first Lieutenant, and five men. This officer, +men, and boat, the Governor detained under a +flag of truce, and, at night, sent off a small +boat, with two of our men, with a letter from +himself, and another from Mr. Brooks. His +letter signified, that, if we did not deliver up +our ship to him, he would declare us pirates. +And Mr. Brooks, by his, informed me, that it +was his opinion, that the Governor was endeavouring +to bully me into a surrender, having +spoken very ambiguously of a cessation of arms: +notwithstanding which, I sent the Governor a +letter, signifying, that, if we could be secured +of a safe and sure conduct for ourselves and effects +to Panama, and from thence, by the way +of Porto Bello, be conveyed to any of our +British plantations, we would come to a farther +<span class='pagenum'>212</span>treaty; which if he intended, he was desired to +signify it by firing two guns as soon as he had +received this advice, and by sending back my +officer and men; if not, necessity would oblige us +to sail. At three in the morning (the Governor +having shewn no signal, nor sent any word) we +weighed our anchor, yet lay to in the bay till +ten, but then made sail, being forced thereto for +want of water; having, however, no other intent, +in case of the certainty of a peace, than +to deliver up the ship we were now in at the +first convenient port, as was signified to the Governor +by letter. +</p> +<p> +Being now got out to sea, we reduced ourselves +to a pint of water for 24 hours each man, +and directed our course for the gulph of Amapala, +which was about 35 leagues to the E.S.E. +of this place, in order to get a fresh supply. +The loss of my officer and boat’s crew, sensibly +diminished the number of white faces, and we +should have been so much weakened by it, that +we should never have been able to manage this +great ship, with her heavy cotton sails, if we +had not taken with us our negro prisoners, who +proved to be very good sailors. The loss of +our boat was also a very great inconvenience to +us; but as I only thought of taking water +enough to carry us to Panama, where we were +fully resolved to surrender, if it was really +peace, I imagined we might make shift without +her, and get such a quantity as we might want +in two or three days time. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>213</span>The winds were favourable, and we arrived +there on the tenth following in the evening. As +soon as we had entered the gulph we found ourselves +in the midst of several small islands, one +of which was the island of Tygers, where we +expected to find water; but our expectations +proved vain, for, after a hazardous and fruitless +search not only on that, but on some of the +greenest of the other isles, there was not the +least drop of fresh water to be found, by us, on +any of them. +</p> +<p> +In this miserable condition, threatened on all +sides with inevitable destruction, unfit for the +sea, fearful of trusting ourselves in the cruel +hands of the inhabitants on the shore, quite dispirited +by the continued course of misfortunes +which had hitherto been our constant attendants; +but, above all, lamenting this unhappy +baulk in not finding water where we so much +expected it, which had reduced us to such extremities +as we had never known before; in short, +ready to sink under the burden of our calamities, +we weighed our anchor on the 13th of +April before day-break, and stood out from +this gulph. And now having the open sea before +us, I brought my people in general to an +obstinate resolution not to surrender on this +part of the coast, let the consequences be ever +so miserable. Upon this unanimous agreement, +with not 40 gallons of water in the ship, and +no other liquids to supply the want of it, we +came to so small an allowance as half a pint of +<span class='pagenum'>214</span>water for 24 hours; and even this allowance +was rather too large, there being no place, that +we knew of, where we could get any more, +nearer than Quibo, to which island, about 200 +leagues distant from us, we shaped our course, +but having very uncertain winds and weather, +we were 13 days at this allowance. Our sufferings +from the extremity of thirst are hardly to +be conceived; some drank their own water to +allay the burning heat within them, but though +this moistened their mouths, it increased their +misery; some drank large draughts of sea-water, +which was near putting a period to their lives; +while others eat just enough of the calavances +moistened with water to sustain life, and these +suffered the least. +</p> +<p> +At length we were fortunately relieved, by +falling in unexpectedly with the island of Cano, +in lat. 9 deg. N. where seeing a run of water, Mr. +Randall, without dreading the dangerous surf, +passed through the breakers, and, to the unspeakable +joy of all the company, soon returned on +board with his jars filled; but as he could not +bring off more than 60 or 70 gallons, I took +care to restrain our people in the use of it, allowing +to each man only a quart for their immediate +use: and I was the more strict in this distribution, +because Mr. Randall assured me, the +breakers were so dangerous that he believed we +should not be able to get at any more. +</p> +<p> +Being willing, however, to make another trial, +I next day sent the boatswain, to endeavour to +<span class='pagenum'>215</span>procure a further supply; but, after wasting the +whole day in search of a smooth beach to land +upon, he could not see one spot where he durst +venture on shore. Therefore, thinking we had +a stock sufficient to carry us to Quibo, I weighed +anchor, and in ranging the island I accidentally +discovered a smooth beach, where the little +boat getting on shore, the crew filled nine jars, +which lasted till we arrived at Quibo, where we +anchored at the same place we had twice anchored +at before. Here we consulted about surrendering +ourselves to the Spaniards, being +within 80 leagues of Panama, a place of little +or no strength towards the sea, and but little +frequented by the enemy’s ships of war, where +we could treat with them at a distance, and be +truly informed how affairs stood in Europe. +During our deliberations we wooded and watered +at leisure; and some searched the woods +for fruits to refresh us, by way of prevention +against the scurvy, which we had been all along +less subject to than any ship I ever saw or heard +of in such long runs. Those who were thus +usefully employed brought us papas, guayavas, +cassia, limes, and a small kind of white sour +plumb, which was much eaten and admired by +most of us; but, by its violent operation, it put +stop to our proceedings for some days. However, +we soon recovered, without any bad symptoms, +and made an end of wooding and watering, +and set sail, fully determined to surrender at +Panama. In our way we passed by a great many +<span class='pagenum'>216</span>small islands, but the most remarkable are, Montuosa, +Sebaco, and the isle of Picara, which lies +on the western side of Quibo. +</p> +<p> +May 15, a small bark, taking us for Spaniards, +bore down to us, the master of which was in the +greatest consternation when he found his mistake, +but recovered when he heard we were bound for +Panama to surrender, and readily offered his pilot +thither, his vessel, called the Holy Sacrament, +being bound to that port, laden with dried beef, +pork, and live hogs, which, as she was leaky, +he desired that I would take in tow. I was glad +this bark fell into our hands, and readily complied +with his request, because, if we found the +Governor of Sonsonnate’s account to be false, we +might be thoroughly enabled by this help to go +to India. In the mean while, it had remained a +point yet undetermined, who should be the person +entrusted with the flag of truce; for my people, +having known much treachery, were apprehensive +the person sent would only, or chiefly, +make good his own case and that of his friends +to the Governor, and not care what became +of the common men. At last, my son was +judged the fittest to go, as he would surely return, +if it were purely for my sake. Other difficulties +were started that could not so easily be +removed, notwithstanding which, we kept on +our way, fully fixed in our resolution. +</p> +<p> +May 17, another small bark came down upon +us, but having stood pretty near to us, she bore +away again, and ran on shore directly, at the hazard +<span class='pagenum'>217</span>of the lives of every soul on board. This +unaccountable behaviour, gave us good reason to +believe that the Governor of Sonsonnate’s account +of a cessation of arms was groundless. +</p> +<p> +May 19, we saw a sail a-head of us, standing +along shore, and being desirous of speaking with +her, I let go the bark we had in tow, and made +all the sail we could after her. We gained very +little upon her all the day; but had, nevertheless, +got a great way a-head of our bark, wherein +were four of our own people and five Spaniards. +However, notwithstanding night came on, all +our sail was kept abroad, and next morning we +were within gun-shot of her. I immediately ordered +our colours to be spread, fired a gun to +leeward, and set a man to wave a flag of truce; +but, on sight of out English ensign, she fired at +us, and so continued to do, with her decks full +of men, abusing us with the grossest appellations. +I made no return until I came close upon their +quarter, and then I sent one of their countrymen +to the bowsprit end, to inform them in Spanish, +that we were bound to Panama, and desired to +treat peaceably with them, and hoped, at least, +they would have some regard to the white flag +which they saw flying; but they still continued +their fire; and presuming, as I supposed, by our +quiet behaviour, that we were unable to defend +ourselves, they were preparing to board us, which +I no sooner perceived than I met them with our +helm, and gave them so warm a salute, that they +sheered round off from us. We just missed getting +<span class='pagenum'>218</span>hold of them, but it falling almost immediately +calm, we continued our engagement for +the space of two or three hours at the distance +of musquet-shot. At length, a breeze wafting us +nearer to them, we found that as fast as we approached, +so fast did their courage cool. Their +Captain, however, still bravely encouraging his +people, and exposing himself in the openest +manner, was shot through the body, and dropped +down dead; upon which they immediately, +and with one voice, cried out for quarter, and +put an end to the dispute. Mr. Randall, and +two or three more, went on board the prize, and +found the prisoners, in the most submissive posture, +asking for mercy, which was granted, +though they had no great reason to expect it, +after their direct breach of the laws of arms and +nations in firing at a flag of truce. +</p> +<p> +The most considerable prisoners, being brought +on board, informed me, that their ship, called the +Conception de Recova, belonging to Callao, was +of the burthen of 200 tons, and laden with flour, +loaves of sugar, bales of boxes of malmalade, +jars of preserved peaches, grapes, limes, and the +like, mounted six guns, and had 70 odd men on +board. In this engagement, the Spanish Captain +and a negroe were killed, and one or two +slightly wounded. On our part, our gunner was +slightly wounded by a pistol ball, and our main-mast +had a small piece carried out of the side of +it. We had now about 80 prisoners of all colours, +though we ourselves were not above 26. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>219</span>Amongst our prisoners we had several of note, +particularly Don Baltazzar de Abarca, Conde de +Rosa, an European nobleman, who had been Governor +of Pisco, and was now upon his return to +Spain, together with Captain Morel, who had +formerly been taken by Captain Rogers. They +were all treated with the utmost civility, which +they the more wondered at, because, from a self-conviction +of their own ungenerous behaviour +towards us, they could not but expert to have +been dealt with quite otherwise. +</p> +<p> +The winds and calms prevented our joining +the Holy Sacrament, the prize we had left behind +us, till May 22, when we bore down to her, +and were surprized to find no soul on board, but +that her decks and quarters were covered with +blood. By many circumstances it plainly appeared, +that the Spanish crew had butchered +those who were left to assist them, while they +were asleep; otherwise it could not have happened, +that five unarmed Spaniards could have +overpowered four Englishmen completely provided +with arms for their defence. It is very +probable, however, that these murderers paid +with their lives, the loss of those lives they had +taken away; for, being above four leagues from +the land, and having no boat with them, they +probably jumped into the sea on our approach, +fearing, if they fell into our hands, to meet the +vengeance due for so horrid a crime. That part of +the deck which was dyed with gore they endeavoured +to cover, by throwing the flocks and +<span class='pagenum'>220</span>stuffings of beds over it; so that till these were +removed, the blood was not to be seen. +</p> +<p> +This tragical accident put a damp to the pleasure +we had enjoyed for a day or two past on the +account of our late prize. Our prisoners, at such +a sad and sudden change, began to be alarmed, +and looked at one another as if they all expected +to be the victims of our revenge upon +this unhappy occasion. On the other hand, I +was fearful lest these apprehensions should urge +them to some desperate attempt, they being 80 +in number, and we not above 17 on board of +our own ship, and, when we were all together, +not above 25 that could stand to arms. In this +dilemma, I ordered all the prisoners into the +stern-gallery, except the nobleman, and some of +the chief officers, and a guard to be kept in the +great cabbin. +</p> +<p> +The Spanish gentlemen observing this, let fall +some expressions whereby I perceived they were +afraid I intended to proceed to severities towards +their people; but I assured them, that, if I was +of so revengeful a nature, the laws of my country +forbad me from indulging it; that I acted +under my King’s commission; and that the natural +abhorrence our nation had to barbarity, +might quiet their fears, and make them perfectly +easy. They then, on their part, in the most +solemn manner disclaimed the very thought of +an attempt upon our lives; and assured us, on +their honour, that they thought they should +never be able to make a just return for the +<span class='pagenum'>221</span>generous treatment they had met with. It was, +however, prudent to secure our prisoners of the +meaner sort, and when we had so done, we +hauled the Holy Sacrament along-side of us. +She was half full of water, and the greatest part +of her dried beef was wet and spoiled, but all +that was not damaged we took out, together +with some live hogs. We also took out of the +Conception a twelvemonth’s provision of bread, +flour, sugar and sweetmeats, and a like proportion +for the Success, whom I expected to find at +the Tres Marias, being then a stranger to Clipperton’s +faithless desertion. I likewise took +from them their launch and their negroes; +for considering we had a large ship, and a +run of 175 degrees of longitude to sail, which +was little less than half way round the world, I +thought we could do no other than reinforce +ourselves with these blacks, who are commonly +good sailors in these parts; and, indeed, we +afterwards found we should never have reached +the coasts of Asia without them. +</p> +<p> +Thus having supplied ourselves with every +thing the Conception afforded, I suffered our +prisoners to return to their own ship again; but +the chief of them would not leave me till they +had drawn up a writing, which they signed, +whereby they acknowledged the circumstances +of our engagement, in the manner I have already +related. In short, no people, circumstanced as +we were, could part in a more friendly manner +than we did. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>222</span>Thus were we put by our design of surrendering, +and were going to undertake a long and +hazardous voyage to Asia. Our strength was +indeed considerably augmented, for we had +now 15 guns, and ammunition enough to supply +them. +</p> +<p> +Before we proceeded any farther, it was necessary +to get in a full stock of water. The island +of Quibo was hazardous for us, being too near +Panama; it was therefore determined to ply up to +Cano, where, having a good boat, we soon did our +business. In our passage thither, the sweetmeats +of all kinds, which we had taken out of our +late prize, were divided among the messes. It +happened that one of the fellows, one day, complained +he had a box of malmalade which he +could not stick his knife into, and desired it +might be changed. I opened it, and found in +it a cake of virgin silver, moulded on purpose +to fill such boxes, and being very porous, it +was of near the same weight of so much malmalade. +In overhauling the rest, we found five +more of these boxes. This was a contrivance +to defraud the King of Spain of his fifths, which +he claims in all the silver taken out of any of +the mines in Peru. We doubtless left a great +many of these boxes behind us, so that this deceit +served them in a double capacity, to defraud +their king’s officers, and blind their enemies. +An affair as vexatious as this, is said to have +been discovered too late on board a prize the +Success had taken, where they found a very +<span class='pagenum'>223</span>considerable quantity of Pinna’s or virgin silver, +in the form of bricks, very artfully plaistered +over with clay, and dried in the sun, which being +all the consistence they give their bricks in +that country, they were taken to be really such, +and a great number of them were thrown overboard +as so much rubbish, without any discovery +of what they were, till the four or five +last pieces. How true this may be I can’t say, +but it was reported to me, as matter of fact, by +several of the officers belonging to Captain +Clipperton. +</p> +<p> +I must here observe, that every thing we took +in the Conception was divided among us according +to the Juan Fernandian articles, and +that I had no more than six instead of sixty +shares. They would not so much as allow me +the money I had out laid at St. Catherine’s, which +was upwards of a hundred pounds. I had some +difficulty to persuade them to run to the northward +so far as California; and was obliged to +use many arguments to prevail upon them to +believe that the harbour of Puerto Seguro was +the only port of security where we could safely +lay down and refit our ship; but having at +last obtained their consents, I weighed from +Cano, steering to the northward, and had favourable +gales for 48 hours; but then came on +the constant, or what may be called the trade +wind on this coast, which being as contrary to +us as they well could be, I was willing to try +how far off these winds might prevail, which, +<span class='pagenum'>224</span>in my opinion, may be called the eddy of the +true trade wind, whose course may be perverted +by the interposition of this vast mountainous +continent. +</p> +<p> +Accordingly I found, that, at the distance of +60 leagues, we had light winds and variable, and +that, at the distance of between 70 and 80 +leagues, it settled at E. N. E. and N. E. I +therefore kept at this distance from the land +till we had run up to the height of 20 degrees +north. In all this passage, we were not in the +least sensible of any currents, and entirely out of +the way of certain riplings and overfalls of water, +which we frequently met with nearer to the +land, and which often surprized us when we +were becalmed in deep water. +</p> +<p> +In this passage we were accompanied by vast +shoals of fish, and were continually incommoded +by numerous flocks of the birds called boobies, +making our ship their resting place, which +fouled our yards and deck with their dung as +fast as we could clean them. However, for +change of diet, some of my people made ragouts +of them, and the smoakers made stems +for their pipes of their long wing-bones. +</p> +<p> +We fell in with Cape Corientes in the beginning +of the month of August, and were carried +away to the islands called the Tres Marias, by +a hard gale at south, and came to an anchor +under the lee of the middlemost of these islands, +but could see no sign of the Success having been +there. After a tedious search on all the three +<span class='pagenum'>225</span>islands for fresh water, there was nothing like a +stream of it that we could find. This was the +more astonishing to us, as one or two of our +late navigators have reported that fresh water is +to be found there in sufficient plenty. It may +have been so when they were there; but we +were unfortunate enough to seek, when none +was to be found. +</p> +<p> +After employing three days in a fruitless +search, I stretched over for the coast of California, +and arrived thereon the 11th of August. +The inhabitants, as soon as they discovered us, +made fires all along the shore as the ship ran by +them; and, towards the evening, it falling calm, +two of them came off to us on a bark-log, but +were a long time before they would accept of +our invitation to come on board of us. At +length, they ventured in; when, in a moment, +seeing our blacks promiscuously standing together +with us white men, they, with very angry +countenances, separated them from us; and +would hardly suffer them to look at us. They +talked to us with great vehemence, but we could +comprehend nothing more of their meaning, than +that they rejoiced to see us. Night coming on, +they took their leave, and we gave them a knife +or two, an old coat, and some other trifles, +which seemed to please them very well. They +expressed themselves by signs in such a manner, +that we could guess they gave us repeated invitations +to go on shore with them. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>226</span>On Sunday the 13th of August, at day-break, +we found ourselves near Puerto Seguro, which +may be readily known by three white rocks, +not much unlike the Needles of the Isle of +Wight, and you must keep close on board the +outermost to fetch into the bay. We entered +Puerto Seguro, surrounded by numbers of small +embarkations of the inhabitants, while the shore, +on all sides, was crouded with Indians, whose +numbers visibly encreased by multitudes which +flocked together from the adjacent parts. Our +anchor was no sooner down, than they came off +to us in shoals, some few on their bark-logs, +but most of them swimming, talking and calling +out to one another in a noisy and confused +manner, but such as plainly shewed how desirous +they were to come to us. Our ship was in an +instant full of these swarthy gentlemen quite +naked, and amongst the rest was their King, or +Chief-man, who, unexpectedly, delivered to me +his batoon, or ensign of royalty, which I immediately +returned to him. This man, notwithstanding +the wildness of his appearance to us, +had a good countenance, and his behaviour had +something that was very engaging in it. I was, +at first, at a loss to know how to entertain our +numerous guests, but at length I thought of regaling +them with some of our liquid sweetmeats, +which we had in great plenty. This they liked +extremely, and the spoons, which were mostly +silver, they returned with great honesty. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>227</span>Having thus commenced a friendship with +them, at day-break next morning our boat +went on shore to cut wood and fill water; and +before the sun was up, we were again crouded +with our former guests, who seemed as if they +could never be weary of gazing at us. To keep +up the amity we had already contracted with +them, I ordered a great boiler to be carried on +shore, with good store of flour and sugar, and +a negroe cook, who was continually boiling of +hasty pudding for the numbers of spectators +on the beach; and it really behoved us to endeavour +to keep in their favour, for on seeing a +few of our men rolling great and cumbersome +casks of water over the heavy sand, it inclined +them to help us. To this may added, a sense +of the kind treatment they met with from us, +and the particular readiness of their Chief to +serve us, by shewing his people a good example; +for, after Mr. Randall, my Lieutenant, he himself +took up the second log of wood to carry to +the boat, and was immediately followed by two +or three hundred of them, who, encouraged by +his example, all took to the work, repaying our +civilities with their services, and every day they +seemed more and more fond of us. +</p> +<p> +Mean while, the rumour of our arrival was +spread through all the neighbouring parts, and +some of the clans, different from those who inhabited +the shores, came daily to take a view of +us. Those who came from any distance in the +country could not swim; and that they were different +<span class='pagenum'>228</span>from those we had first seen on our arrival +here, appeared by their manner of painting +themselves, and by other little distinctions +which were visible amongst them; but they all +united to assist us, nor were any of them idle +but the women, who used to sit in companies +on the scorching sand, waiting for their share of +what was going forward, which they used to receive +very thankfully and without quarrelling. +</p> +<p> +Having done all our business here, in the +space of five days, on the 18th of August, in +the morning, we prepared for our departure in the +afternoon. We employed the morning in making +a large distribution of sugar amongst the +women. To the men we gave a great many +knives, old axes, and old iron, which we had +taken in our prizes. These were the most useful +things to them, and of which they stood +most in need; in return for which, some of +them gave us bows and arrows, deer-skin bags, +live foxes, squirrels, and the like. Great many +of the men staid in the ship all the while we +were purchasing our anchor, and it was not till +we were under weigh that they all jumped overboard +to join in the lamentations of their countrymen +on shore. +</p> +<p> +The men in this southern part of California, +are tall, straight, and well made; their limbs +are large, their hair coarse and black, and barely +reaches down to their shoulders. The women +are of a much smaller size; their hair is much +longer than the mens, and with it some of their +<span class='pagenum'>229</span>faces are almost covered. The men go quite +naked, and have not the least thing to cover any +part of them, except their heads, round which +they wear a band of red and white silk-grass, +adorned on each side with a tuft of hawk’s feathers. +The women, on the contrary, wear a +thick fringe of silk-grass, which hangs down to +their knees, and have either a deer’s skin, or the +skin of a large bird, carelessly wrapped over their +shoulders. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 30em;'> +<img src="images/242.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>A Californian Woman habited in the Skin of a Deer</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +Nothing can be more wild and savage to look +at, than these people at first sight: but there is +a wide difference between what they seem, and +what they really are; for, by all we could discern +in their behaviour towards one another, +and in their deportment towards us, they are +endued with great good nature. +</p> +<p> +They seem to lead a careless life, and to enjoy +every thing in common amongst them; and, +having nothing but their daily food to provide, +they are strangers to those numerous gratifications, +the want of which multiply distresses +among nations more civilized and more refined. +Their contentment makes them honest, for they +never offered to steal even the things most useful +to them. In a word, they seem to pass their +lives, according to the notions we have of the +purest simplicity of the earliest ages of the world, +before discord and contention were heard of amongst +men. Having no enemies, they live in +perfect peace and harmony with one another. +Hunting and fishing are their only employments, +<span class='pagenum'>230</span>except making the instruments they use +in these pursuits, which are the simplest that can +be. They have no canoes, and go to sea on bark-logs; +but they are the most expert divers I ever +beheld. By their simple manner of living, and +their continual exercise, they live to a great age; +and yet, what is very surprizing, they do not appear +to be very numerous, considering the extent +of their country. Their only enemies are the wild +beasts, and of these there are plenty in the woods +and forests. They do not appear to be so jealous +of their women as they have been represented; +for we had the company of some hundreds +of them, young and old, without any restraint +from the men. Two things were remarkable, +that they never would suffer us to take snuff, +but would earnestly take it from us whenever +we attempted it; nor would they ever suffer +us to look through a spying-glass, which I had +frequent resort to, to see how our work of wooding +and watering went on. In these two instances, +they always took upon them to controul +us, and in these two only; the causes of +which we could never learn. +</p> +<p> +They go out to sea on their bark-logs, which +are only composed of five logs of a light wood, +made fast to each other by wooden pegs, rowing +with a double paddle and with their harpoons, +which are made of a sort of hard wood, they +strike the largest albicores, and bring them in +when struck. This was altogether surprizing +to us, who had so often experienced the strength +<span class='pagenum'>231</span>of that fish, and the difficulty of getting them +into our ship, when either hooked or struck. +One would imagine, that as soon as these Indians +had struck one of these albicores, on his +light embarkation, it would run away with him +and his bark-log; but they either strike them +so as to give them some mortal wound, or have +some particular way of managing them, for +they struggle and resist in vain. When we were +in this port, it was apparently their fishing season; +but by the number of deer-skins one sees +amongst them, it is natural to conclude they +have also their season for hunting. The skins +of their deer are grey, and so are the skins of +their foxes and squirrels; of all which, it is likely, +they eat indifferently, as of most other animals +that become their prey. Of birds amongst +them we saw scarce any, but a few pelicans. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 30em;'> +<img src="images/245.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>An Indian of the Southermost parts of California as Returning from Fishing & another on his Barklog</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +What these Indians used instead of bread is +very remarkable. It is a small black seed of an +oily substance, which they grind much the same +way as we do our chocolate, and afterwards +make it up in some such manner. The look +of these black lumps or rolls so made up, is not +very inviting, yet the taste is not very disagreeable. +When they want to drink, they go to the +river. +</p> +<p> +Their arms are bows and arrows. Their bows +are about six feet in length, and their arrows +seem to be somewhat too long for their bows. +Their bow-strings are made of deer’s sinews, and +their arrows are composed of a hollow cane for +<span class='pagenum'>232</span>two-thirds of their length, and the other third +next the point is of a heavy kind of wood, +which is headed with a piece of flint, and sometimes +with a kind of agate, the edges of which +are indented, or cut in teeth like a saw. They +made no manner of shew of their arms to us, +and it was rarely that we saw them in the hands +of any of the men. The women had them in +the woods in search of game, which may be +thence presumed to be some part of their employment. +Upon the whole, they may be truly +said to be a happy people. +</p> +<p> +Aug. 18, I sailed, as before-mentioned, from +Puerto Seguro, and the same evening we took +our departure from Cape St. Lucar, in latitude +23 deg. 50 min. N. bound to Canton, in China, +the most likely place where we could hope to +meet with English ships homeward bound for +Europe. +</p> +<p> +Aug. 21, we discovered an island bearing +W. S. W. 110 leagues distant from Cape St. +Lucar. I endeavoured to get in with it; but +night coming on, I could not lose time to view +it. This isle my people called after my name. +From hence we steered gradually into the parallel +of 13 deg. N. but had our way stopped for +two or three days by westerly winds. We were +astonished at such an unforeseen delay, and began +to dread we might meet with many such +reverses of winds in this passage; nor could we +conjecture, or conceive what might be the cause +or causes of them. In the midst of this, the +<span class='pagenum'>233</span>usual trade-wind prevailed again, and delivered +us from the fears and apprehensions we had +been involved in upon this occasion. With this +we proceeded on our passage, keeping the parallel +or track of the thirteenth degree of northern +latitude, except when we judged ourselves +to be near the shoals of St. Bartholomew. We +then ventured to sail a degree, more northerly, +and so continued to do for a run of 60 or 70 +leagues. +</p> +<p> +About a fortnight after we had left California, +my people, who had hitherto enjoyed an uninterrupted +state of health, began to be afflicted +with a sickness which particularly affected their +stomachs. This we took to be owing, in a great +measure, to the quantities of sweetmeats they +were continually devouring, together with the +dried beef, half devoured with ants, cockroaches, +and other vermin, which was their daily +food. This sickness increased every day, insomuch +that, out of our small number, we once +buried two in one day, one of whom was John +Popplestone, our ingenious armourer, who was +of such use to us on the island of Juan Fernandez. +Before we had stretched with favourable +gales the length of Guam, most of my people +were sick and disabled, my ship began to be +very leaky, and, to add still to our misfortunes, +we had the ill luck to have one of our pumps +split, and rendered useless. +</p> +<p> +Under these circumstances, we met with black +and dismal weather, with tempestuous winds, +<span class='pagenum'>234</span>flying and varying all round the compass. These +boisterous gales raised such a tumbling sea, and +our ship laboured so much in it, that the knee +of her head, and the whole beak-head, became +loose; so that the bowsprit fetched way, and +played with the motion of the ship, which it +continued to do all the time we were out at sea, +and till we arrived at Canton. Our main-mast +stood for some time without shrouds on the larboard +side, till we could unlay our best cable to +make more, having knotted and spliced the old +shrouds till our labour was in vain. +</p> +<p> +In the midst of all this sickness and distress, I +myself was taken violently ill, and had no hope +to recover till a fit of the gout gave me some relief. +Great was our want of every thing fit or +comfortable for persons in such a state of sickness; +yet, about the beginning of October, we +passed by Guam; and, though upon the very +brink of perishing, we dared not venture in, for +fear the inhabitants should take the advantage +of our weakness, and make some attempt upon +our lives. +</p> +<p> +From Guam I directed my course for the +island of Formosa. And now, though the length +of our voyage was decreasing very fast, our sickness +was daily increasing upon us in a much +greater proportion; and most truly it may be +said, that both our ship and ourselves were no +longer fit for the sea. It was the 3d of November +before we had sight of that island, and +the 10th, before we could get any sort of directions +<span class='pagenum'>235</span>to enable us to reach our intended port. +At length, as we were passing through a very +narrow channel, between a couple of islands, a +fisherman took notice, by our cautious manner +of working, that we were strangers, and made +signs to us to bring our ship to, till he came up +with us; when we made him understand in +general, that we were bound to Macao, and he +made signs that he would conduct us thither, if +we would give him as many pieces of silver as +he counted little fish out of his basket, which +amounted to 40. We accordingly counted out +40 dollars into a hat, and next day he took us +in charge, and anchored us safe in the road of +Macao, near the entrance of the river of Canton. +</p> +<p> +Soon after our arrival, there came off to us a +great many of the Success’s people, to make us +a visit; I was amazed at the sight of them, and +was very glad to hear their story. They said, +their Commander, Clipperton, left me designedly; +that they went directly to Guam, where they +were very well refreshed, and supplied with provisions; +that their Captain sold the Governor a +great quantity of powder and shot, and several +other valuable things, and permitted the Marquis +of Villa Rocha, who was his prisoner, to go +on shore there; that Mr. Godfrey the agent, and +a marine officer, went to settle the accounts for +what supplies of things they had had; and that, +as soon as they were landed, and the boat come +off again, Captain Clipperton weighed with his +ship, in order to attack a ship of 20 guns from +<span class='pagenum'>236</span>Manilla, that had lain quietly in the road in +company with him all the time: that in approaching +her he ran his own ship upon the +rocks, and soon found the enemy was prepared +for him: that, his condition being desperate, +and supposing the loss of his ship inevitable, he +had recourse to his case of brandy, and took so +abundantly of it, that he fell on the deck, and +snored out his time in a beastly manner, whilst +his First Lieutenant, Davidson, in his stead, undertook +the command of the ship, which he +bravely executed till he was killed: he was +succeeded by Captain Cook, their Second Lieutenant, +who made a handsome resistance, and +got the ship afloat again, after she had lain on +the rocks forty-eight hours: that they lost +their prisoner the Marquis de la Rocha, and +also Mr. Godfrey the agent-general, with the +officer already mentioned; which gave the ships +company so much distaste, that they would not +suffer him to have the command of them any +more, and, locking him up in his cabbin, chose +Captain Cook to take charge of the ship. +</p> +<p> +They had, it seems, much bad weather between +Guam and Amoy in China, whither +they got with much difficulty; and there made +a dividend of all they had taken, half to the +owners, and half to the ship’s company. Clipperton +designed for the straits of Malacca; but +his people, fearing he had no good intentions, +would go no farther with him than Macao, that +being a Christian port. Upon their arrival +<span class='pagenum'>237</span>there, the Governor ordered Clipperton into +custody. It seems he had broke prison formerly +from thence, where he had been confined +(as far as could be learned) on account of +his having run away with Dampier’s commission +and one of his prizes; but upon producing +his Majesty’s commission now for the +Success, they gave him no farther trouble, and +only contented themselves with fleecing him a +little. Here he sold his ship, the Success, for +about 1000l. sterling.⁠—[Such is the account +given by Captain Shelvock, for the information, +as he says, of the gentlemen-owners, who +will never, either publicly or privately, be let +into the truth of that story.] +</p> +<p> +But to go on, Nov. 12, about noon, a pilot +came off to us, and we immediately weighed, +and entered the river of Canton, where, finding +the Bonita and Hastings, two English country-ships, +I anchored, and sent off an officer, to +desire them to instruct us how to behave ourselves +in this port, and to acquaint me with the +customs of it. To this they answered, that, +since the Cadogan and Frances, two European +English ships were lying at Wampo, they would +advise me to send up to their factories at Canton, +to acquaint them of our arrival, and with the +reasons which obliged me to come into that +river, which I accordingly did the next day. I +now thought I was going to rest a little from +my labours; but, to my misfortune, I suffered +as much here, all circumstances considered, as +<span class='pagenum'>238</span>I had in any former part of my voyage; for the +evening we anchored at Wampo, where the +English ships commonly lie, there happened an +accident which gave occasion to much trouble. +One of my men, being in a hurry to remove his +effects on board the Bonita, in order to go in +her to Fort St. George, the Bonita’s boat was, +in her way to their ship, pursued by a Hoppo, +or custom-house boat, who wanted to search +her. The fellow, being in liquor, and fearing +they would take away the silver he had with +him, fired a musquet at the pursuers, and killed +the officer. Early the next morning, the corpse +was laid at the door of one of the English houses +or factories, where Chinese officers, appointed for +that purpose, waited for the first considerable +Englishman that should come out, without any +regard to whom this act of violence and murder +was to be imputed. It happened that the Supercargo +belonging to the Bonita, was the first that +came out; on him they seized, put him in chains, +and led him, by way of example, about the suburbs +of Canton. All that could be said or done +by the most considerable of the Chinese merchants +who were in commerce with the English, +availed nothing; till my man, who committed +the fact, was delivered to them, and +then the Bonita’s Supercargo was soon after released. +</p> +<p> +It is the custom in China, at least at Canton, +to exact a certain sum of money from all ships +that come there, according to their measurement, +which is divided into rates or portions of +<span class='pagenum'>239</span>first, second, and third. I therefore every day +expected the Hoppo to come to measure my +ship, but was given to understand, that I must +go up to Canton before that could be done, +though even at the hazard of my life. I accordingly +went, and staid two days at the Cadogan’s +factory, during which time I was hourly +alarmed by such stories as made me fear that +I should, indisposed as I was, be dragged away +from my bed, and put in irons: but at the +end of two days, I was obliged to go down +again to the ship, to be present at the measurement; +and a day afterwards the Hoppo came +with a numerous retinue, and seemed to do his +business very quietly, but would not let me +know what was the sum he intended to exact. +This gave me much trouble, for I began to +think the Chinese, through a false report of our +great riches, had an intention to gratify their love +of money by a heavy imposition; and in this I +was not mistaken. +</p> +<p> +I had not been here many days before I was +deserted by all my officers and ship’s company, +who were continually employed in removing +their effects from on board my ship to some of +the Europeans, without my knowledge, as I was +all the time confined to my bed. My officers +were engaging the Indian gentlemen in their interest, +and had left me and my son, with a few +negroes, to look after the ship. In short, my +ship’s company had so many ways of disposing +of their effects, that it was impossible to oblige +<span class='pagenum'>240</span>them to do what I should have thought justice to +the gentlemen in England and to myself. In +a word, they were all soon recovered of their illness +by the assistance they met with here, and +were become their own masters. The gentlemen +who presided over the trade, so little considered +our case, that they had half a mind to +refuse me a passage in one of their ships; and, +in effect, I was treated by them almost as one +enemy might treat another in a neutral port. +</p> +<p> +The Captains Hill and Newsham, when they +first came to see me, were astonished at the ruinous +appearance of my ship; and when I had +given then a short history of my voyage, and +desired they would receive me with my effects, +they answered, that, since they plainly saw my +ship was in no condition to stir any farther, upon +paying our passage, they would entertain us as +soon as we pleased. This I depended upon, and +expected to have no farther trouble than to remove +ourselves at any time; but, on the contrary, +I found that I had ignorantly applied to the +wrong persons, and that my address should have +been to the Supercargoes, by which means I was +left neglected, while the English Captains were +ordered to fall down with their ships five or six +miles below us. Thus was I left destitute in the +company of five foreign ships, who, perceiving +my own countrymen to be so careless of me, +were so kind as to offer me their service, and assisted +me with what they could; and, had it not +been for them, I don’t know what I might have +<span class='pagenum'>241</span>suffered; for I was under perpetual alarms that +the Chinese had a design to chop my ship, that +is, to seize her. +</p> +<p> +Having found out my error in applying to +the Captains, and not to the Supercargoes, I +sent up a letter to them, not to desire, but to demand +a passage for me, my officers, and ship’s +company, which I was sensible they could not +refuse, and indeed they did not; but their condescension +was accompanied with a charge to +the English Captains, not to receive any thing +belonging to us, except it was consigned to the +India Company in England. This was an article +which my people utterly rejected, vowing +they would as soon throw what they had into +the sea, as comply with such a demand; for my +part, it gave me no concern, being conscious to +myself that I had infringed none of their privileges. +At the same time that I was acquainted +with this intention of receiving us as passengers, +I was also informed of the Hoppo’s demand for +anchorage in the river, which was no less than +6000 tahel; and, to quicken me in the payment +of this exorbitant sum, there was a penalty annexed +to this extortion of 500 additional tahel +for every day we failed in the payment of it. +In short, there was no means by which I could +evade this unconscionable imposition; and as it +was a day before I could possibly send the 6000 +tahel up to Canton, they required 500 tahel more +for neglect of payment; so that they received +from me, upon this extraordinary occasion, the +<span class='pagenum'>242</span>full sum of 6500 tahel, equal to 2166l. 13s. 4d. +English money. This was, as is apprehended, +about six times as much as the Cadogan paid, +which was the largest English ship there, and +measured a third more than mine. It was now +high time to get out of my ship; but before I +quitted her, I sold her for 2000 tahel, which +money, and the rest of my effects, were consigned +to the India Company. +</p> +<p> +Towards the latter end of December, 1722, +I sailed in the Cadogan, commanded by Captain +John Hill, in company with the Frances, Captain +Newsham, who, sailing better than we, left +us as soon as we were out at sea. Captain Hill, +finding his ship very tender, put into Batavia, +where we continued about 10 days, and were +informed there were several pirates in those seas; +we, therefore, when we departed from Batavia, +joined the Dutch homeward-bound fleet in Bantam-bay. +The Dutch Commodore promised to +assist us in wooding and watering at Mew-island, +the water at Batavia being very bad; but on our +joining Capt. Newsham in the straits of Sunda, +the Dutch made that a pretence to leave us before +we got the length of Mew-island; and Capt. +Newsham also deserted us the same evening, so +that we were left to ourselves. +</p> +<p> +We continued at Mew-island six or seven days, +during which time several boats came to us from +Princes-island, and brought us turtle, cocoa-nuts, +pine-apples, and other fruits. +</p> +<p> +Some of the people having seen wild cattle +<span class='pagenum'>243</span>grazing near the strand, went on shore with design +to kill them; but before they had advanced +near enough, they discovered a small tyger, +and saw the track of an old one, upon which +they retired to the boat. At this place some of +the gentlemen belonging to this ship, in their +outward-bound passage, saw a rhinoceros. +</p> +<p> +From Mew-island we had a very pleasant +passage to and about the Cape of Good Hope, +which, in my opinion, was greatly owing to Captain +Hill’s good conduct, in coming in with the +land betimes, I mean upon the easternmost part +of the bank, and keeping a moderate distance +from the land. I cannot be positive, but I think +we never exceeded a degree in distance from it, +generally less, and some times even made the +land itself. +</p> +<p> +In this course, I do not remember that we took +in our top-sails above twice; once for a squall, +which was over in an hour’s time: and, another +time, being threatened by the appearance of bad +weather, Capt. Hill made all the requisite preparations +to receive it, which done, he stood in +for the land; and, in a few hours, we had fair +weather, a favourable gale, and all our small sails +set, at the same time that there remained great +appearance of foul weather to the southward of +us, which continued for several days afterwards. +</p> +<p> +I have observed before, that the Frances and +the Dutch ships had seven days the advantage +of us, by leaving us in the straits of Sunda, notwithstanding +which, we gained the Cape about +<span class='pagenum'>244</span>as many days before the Frances, although she +sailed so much better than we: and, as to the +Dutch ships, there was no appearance at all of +their arrival when we left the Cape. +</p> +<p> +The officers of our ship, by comparing their +accounts with those of some of the gentlemen +belonging to the Frances, found that she had +suffered a great deal of bad weather; whilst we, +who were 10 leagues, or thereabout, to the +northward of them, or nearer the shore, enjoyed +fine pleasant weather and fair wind continually, +till we arrived in the Table-bay, which we did +the latter end of March. This I should think +of sufficient weight for any other to pursue the +same track. Here we found Governor Boon, in +the London East Indiaman, and others, bound +for England. +</p> +<p> +Whilst we lay at the Cape of Good Hope, +nothing remarkable occurred, and it has been +so often described, that I can say nothing of it +that has not been said by most who have been +there before. +</p> +<p> +From the Cape of Good Hope we had an +agreeable passage to the island of St. Helena, +and from thence to England. +</p> +<p> +We made the Land’s-end in the latter end of +July; and, being come into the British Channel, +met with brisk gales from the western quarter, +with thick foggy weather. +</p> +<p> +On July the 30th, in the evening, we anchored +under Dungeness, and the same night +some of the Supercargoes and passengers, and +<span class='pagenum'>245</span>amongst the rest myself, hired a small vessel to +carry us to Dover, where we arrived early the +next morning, and the same day proceeded towards +London, where we arrived on the first of +August. +</p> +<p> +Thus ended a long and unfortunate voyage +of three years, seven months, and some days; +after having sailed very considerably more than +round the circumference of the earth, and having +gone through a great variety of dangers +and distresses, both on sea and shore. +</p> +<div class="chapter"><span class='pagenum'>246</span> +<h2 class='nobreak'> +<span class='l12'><span class="small-caps"><span class='lspc'>Commodore ANSON</span>’s</span></span><br> +<span class='font2p'><span class='lspd'>VOYAGE</span></span><br> +<span class='lspc'>ROUND THE WORLD</span>. +</h2></div> +<p class='two_space drop-cap'> +W<span class='toupper lspz ip2'>hen</span>, in the year 1739, the Spanish +depredations had roused the national +resentment, and the pacific ministry who then +were entrusted with the administration of affairs, +found it impossible any longer to prevent a war +with Spain, several projects were proposed, and +several plans formed, for distressing the enemy +in the most effectual manner, by cutting off the +resources by which alone they were encouraged +to continue their insults, and by which alone +they could be enabled to support a war. +</p> +<p> +Among the rest, two expeditions were planned +by Sir Charles Wager, then at the head of the +admiralty, and two gentlemen named by him +for carrying them into execution; which were +no sooner laid before the privy council to be +examined than they were unanimously approved. +</p> +<p> +Captain Anson, who was nominated to command +the one, being out upon a cruise, a vessel +was dispatched to order him to return with his +ship, the Centurion, to Portsmouth; and Mr. +Cornwall, who was appointed to command the +other, was acquainted with the honour conferred +upon him, and directed to prepare accordingly. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>247</span>There are not to be found in the annals of +Britain two expeditions, remote in the destination, +yet having a connection one with the other, +that promised equal advantages with these to +the nation, equal honour to the promoters, or +equal wealth and glory to the commanders: +but by what fatality these expeditions were +changed, or by what state-craft one came to be +laid aside, and the other delayed,⁠—who were the +traitors that betrayed the secret of their destination, +or who the demon of seduction was that +perverted the grand design to the pitiful purpose +of one single pilfering project,⁠—remains at present +among those secrets, which, perhaps, a second +Dalrymple, in some remote period of time, +may discover; when it will probably appear how +much the influence of Chilian gold had operated +in defeating the most formidable project for the +humiliation of Spain that ever was devised; +and how easy it is for a prime minister of England, +in the plenitude of power, to defeat the +best-concerted measures, backed and supported +by the King in his council, when either pride, +envy, avarice, or emulation, may prompt him +to opposition. +</p> +<p> +The project, as first intended, was to consist +of two strong squadrons; one under Captain +Anson was to take on board three independent +companies of 100 men each, and Bland’s regiment +of foot (who was himself to command +the land-forces), and was to sail with all possible +expedition by the Cape of Good Hope to +<span class='pagenum'>248</span>the city of Manilla, in the island of Luconia, of +which city and island frequent mention has already +been made in the course of this work; +while that commanded by Captain Cornwall, of +equal force, was to proceed round Cape Horn +into the South Seas, there to range the coasts of +Chili, Peru, and Mexico; and when the Commander +in Chief had made himself master of +the royal treasures in that quarter, he was then +to direct his course to the Philippines, and join +the squadron of Captain Anson. This done, +they were to act in conjunction, as circumstances +should arise, or to wait for fresh orders +from Government to proceed on fresh enterprizes. +The reader will perceive, at first view, +the vast importance of this noble undertaking, +calculated at once to enrich the nation, and to +determine the war without the effusion of much +blood; for the places intended to be attacked +were at that time incapable of resistance; and +as they were in possession of the royal treasures, +any failure in the return of which must of necessity +oblige Spain to sue for peace, that +haughty nation must thus have been subdued +without a battle. But posterity will stand amazed +when they are told the issue of this project, on +which Sir Charles Wager was so intent, that, tho’ +it was the 10th of September before Captain +Anson arrived in town, yet by the 18th he had +received orders to take under his command the +Argyle, Severn, Pearl, Wager, and Trial sloop, +and to proceed to victual the same with the utmost +<span class='pagenum'>249</span>expedition. Before the end of December +such dispatch had been made by that vigilant +officer, that the ships were in readiness to take +the troops on board; but in January, when +Captain Anson attended the Board to receive +further orders, he was told by Sir Charles, that +the Manilla expedition was laid aside, for what +reasons he knew not, but that the expedition to +the South Seas was still intended; and that he +and his squadron, as their first destination was +now countermanded, should be employed in +that service. +</p> +<p> +Accordingly on the 10th of January, 1740, +he received his commission as Commodore; yet +it was not till the 10th of June that he obtained +from the Duke of Newcastle his Majesty’s instructions; +and even then so many obstacles +were thrown in the way, so many difficulties +started, and so many delays contrived, that, before +he was permitted to sail, which was not +till the latter end of September, the Spaniards +were so well informed of his designs, that a +person who had been employed in the South-Sea +Company’s service, arrived from Panama, +and was able to relate to the Commodore most +of the particulars of his strength and destination, +from what he had learnt among the merchants +before he left the South-Seas: but a still +more extraordinary proof of their early and +perfect intelligence was discovered afterwards, +in the course of the voyage, when the Pearl, +being separated from the rest of the squadron, +<span class='pagenum'>250</span>in a storm, on the coast of Brasil, fell in with the +Spanish fleet, that, during the unprecedented delay, +had been purposely fitted out to ruin the expedition, +and found Admiral Pisarro so well instructed +in the form and make of Com. Anson’s +broad pendant, and those he employed had imitated +it so exactly, that Capt. Mitchell, who commanded +the Pearl, was decoyed by it within gun-shot, +before he was able to discover his mistake. +</p> +<p> +All delays being at length overcome, the +squadron, consisting of five men of war, a sloop +of war, and two victualling ships, namely, the +Centurion, of 60 guns, 400 men, commanded +by Captain Anson, as Commodore; the Gloucester, +of 50 guns, 300 men, of which Richard +Norris, Esq; was Commander; the Severn, of +50 guns, 300 men, the Hon. Edward Legg, +Esq; Commander; the Pearl, of 40 guns, 250 +men, Matthew Mitchell, Esq; Commander; the +Wager, of 28 guns, 160 men, the Hon. John +Murray, Commander; two victuallers, the Industry +and Ann pinks, the largest of about 400, +and the other about 200 tons burthen; were ordered +to take the troops on board at St. Helen’s. +But how much the numbers, strength, and probability +of success, of this squadron, were diminished +by the various incidents that took place +in near a twelvemonth’s procrastination, may +fully be conceived by what has already been +said. Had the honourable Board from whence +the first idea of the expedition originated been +permitted to direct, all the old and ordinary +<span class='pagenum'>251</span>seamen on board the ships would have been exchanged +for such as were young and able; the +full complement of each ship would have been +made up; and the salt provisions which had +been so long on board in the Channel would +have been remanded on shore, and fresh provisions +replaced in their room: but, instead of +these necessary precautions, the Captains were +glad to retain their old crews; the deficiency +in the numbers of which, amounting to more +than 300 men, was no otherwise made up than +by sending on board about 100 cripples from +the hospitals, and a party of raw marines who +had never been at sea before: nor were they +more fortunate in the change that was made in +the land-forces; for, instead of three independent +companies, of 100 men each, and Bland’s +regiment of foot, as first promised, they had +only 400 invalids from Chelsea allotted them, +one part of whom was incapable of action by +their age and infirmities, and the other part useless +by their ignorance of their duty. But this +diminution of strength was not the greatest misfortune +that attended these measures; the importance +of the time which was wilfully wasted +was in its consequences the source of all those +calamities to which the enterprize was afterwards +exposed, by obliging the Commodore to +make his passage round the Cape in the most +tempestuous season, when, as it was foreseen, +almost all the invalids, to a man, perished long +before they arrived at the place of action, expiring +<span class='pagenum'>252</span>in a most lamentable condition when they +came to be attacked with the scurvy, with their +wounds bleeding afresh, which had been healed +some of them 20, some 30, and some 40 years +before. +</p> +<p> +But to proceed: Of this voyage there are +two very authentic and well-written accounts; +one by Pasco Thomas, the mathematical master +on board the Centurion, who sailed in her out +of the British Channel, and returned with her +in safety when she arrived at Portsmouth, and +was an eye-witness and careful observer of all +that passed: the other by the Rev. Mr. Richard +Walters, Chaplain to the above ship, who received +his materials, and every other assistance +necessary to authenticate his narration, from the +Commander in Chief. +</p> +<p> +We have chosen to follow the former in the +narrative of facts, as most exact and least liable +to imposition; but, in the explanatory part, we +shall copy the latter; because, though Mr. Thomas +suffered nothing material that passed to +escape his notice, there were many things transacted, +the motives for which he could only +guess at; but these motives Mr. Walters has, +by means of the Commodore’s assistance, been +able to explain. +</p> +<p> +“Being quite ready about the beginning of +September, 1740, we put to sea three different +times, but were as often put back to the road +of St. Helen’s, by contrary winds and stormy +weather. At last, on Thursday, Sept. 18, we +<span class='pagenum'>253</span>sailed in company with the Lark and St. Alban’s, +two of his Majesty’s ships, and several merchant-ships, +besides our own squadron; and Saturday +evening saw some men-of-war, and a large fleet +of merchantmen, waiting for us at Torbay. At +one in the afternoon we joined them; and the +Commodore hoisted his broad pendant, which +was saluted by all his Majesty’s ships in the fleet +with 13 guns each. The King’s ships which +joined us here were, the Dragon, Chatham, +Winchester, and South-Sea-Castle, and near 200 +sail of merchantmen under convoy, some of +whom were bound to the Mediterranean, and +others to several parts of North America. We +had at present the command of the whole fleet; +and this same afternoon, seeing a ship to the +south-west, we made the Dragon a signal for chasing +her; but she proved one of our own ships, +too far a-head of her station. At four this afternoon, +the Start Point bore from us E. by N. +at the distance of eight leagues. +</p> +<p> +Monday the 22d, we saw two sail to the westward, +and sent the Trial sloop to speak with +them. They were Dutch ships bound to Curasoe, +with soldiers for their garrisons there. +</p> +<p> +Thursday the 25th, the Winchester and South-Sea-Castle, +with the merchant-ships under their +convoy for Virginia, and other parts of North-America, +parted from us, and proceeded on +their respective voyages. And Monday the 29th, +the Dragon, Chatham, St. Alban’s, and Lark, +with the merchant-ships in their charge for the +<span class='pagenum'>254</span>Mediterranean, did the like; and we had now +no ships left in company but our own proper +squadron. +</p> +<p> +Tuesday the 30th, we spoke with a Dutch +man-of-war, who came from Malta, bound for +Amsterdam. +</p> +<p> +Friday, October the 3d, we spoke with two +English merchant-ships from Lisbon for New-York, +and the 8th we spoke with a French sloop +from Rochelle. The 13th, one Philip Merrit, +a common sailor, died, which I mention because +he was the first man we lost on the voyage. The +next day, by an order from the Commodore, we +went to short allowance; that is, one third of +the allowance granted by government is kept +back, in order to make our provisions hold out +the longer. The 23d, we spoke with a ship +from Liverpool, and the next day with another +from Glasgow, for the Cape de Verde islands; +as also with a small brigantine from Falmouth +for Madeira, who kept us company thither. +The next day we spoke with a Dutch ship from +Surinam for Holland. The 26th, at six o’clock in +the morning, we saw the land bearing W. N. W. +distance six leagues, and at four in the evening +anchored in Fonchale road, in forty fathom +water, a-breast the town of Fonchale, and about +a mile and a half from it. During this whole +passage, we had almost continually contrary +winds, and boisterous uncertain weather; by +which means, a passage which is very commonly +made in 10 or 12 days, took us up 38. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>255</span>Our business in this place was only to water, +and take in wine, and some private stocks: but, +soon after our arrival, we were informed, that +they had seen from the island, to the westward, +about 16 or 18 sail of ships for several days together, +which were supposed to be a junction of +French and Spanish ships of war; and as we had +reason to imagine that our expedition had long +been known, there was little room to doubt, but +that those ships were designed to intercept and +destroy us before we could attempt any thing to +the prejudice of Spain. On this news the Commodore +sent out an English privateer which lay +in the road, with one of his own officers, to see +if they could discover them at sea, and what they +were; but she returned the next day, having +made no discovery. +</p> +<p> +Nov. 2, Captain Norris, at his own request, +being in an ill state of health, with the consent +of the Commodore quitted the command of the +Gloucester, in order to return to England. The +Gloucester was hereupon given to Captain Mitchell, +the Pearl to Captain Kidd, the Wager to +the Hon. Captain Murray, and the Trial sloop +to David Cheap, our First Lieutenant; and as +one of the Lieutenants of the Gloucester had +quitted with Captain Norris, our two mates, +who had long depended on the Commodore, +were preferred to be Lieutenants on this occasion. +</p> +<p> +The 4th, at four in the afternoon, we weighed +and put to sea, with all the squadron under +<span class='pagenum'>256</span>our command. An English sloop, which lay in +the road, saluted us at our departure with nine +guns, to which we returned five. +</p> +<p> +The 6th, at four o’clock in the evening, we +saw the island of Palma, one of the Canary +islands, in the latitude of 29 degrees north, and +longitude from the meridian of London 19 degrees +44 minutes west. The same day we spoke +with a French ship from Marseilles bound to +Martinico, and the next morning with a Dutch +ship from Amsterdam bound to Batavia, the +metropolis of the Dutch settlements in the East-Indies. +</p> +<p> +The 11th, about four in the morning, we +crossed the Northern Tropic for the first time +in this voyage, in long. 24 deg. 24 min. west +from London. +</p> +<p> +The 16th, being in the latitude of about 12 +deg. 20 min. and the contract with our victuallers +expiring in that latitude, the Anne pink +fired a gun, and hoisted a red flag at her fore-top-mast +head, to give us notice of it. +</p> +<p> +On the next day all the Lieutenants of the +squadron were by a signal ordered on board the +Centurion, and orders were given to unlade the +Industry pink, and each ship to take on board +from her their respective quotas of provisions; +in pursuance of which we immediately began to +unlade her, lying by in the day, and making an +easy sail in the night. +</p> +<p> +The 19th, having unloaded and discharged +the Industry, at eight in the evening she parted +<span class='pagenum'>257</span>from us, in order to proceed to Barbadoes, +whither she was bound; but the Commodore +having entered into a new contract with the +master of the Anne pink, she was detained with +us for his Majesty’s service, our ships being too +much encumbered to admit of taking on board +any more provisions at this time. +</p> +<p> +The 28th, about five in the morning, we crossed +the Equinoctial, in the longitude of 28 deg. +15 min. W. from London, the variation of the +compass at that place being 35 min. E. +</p> +<p> +December the 2d, at eight in the morning, we +saw a sail to the north-west, to which we gave +chace. At night we lost sight of her; but next +morning we saw her and gave chace again, but in +the afternoon quitted her. We imagined this +sail to be a tender on the Spanish fleet, sent purposely +to get intelligence of us: but on our arrival +at the Cape of Good Hope, in our return +home, we learned that she was the East-India +Company’s packet bound for the island of St. +Helena. +</p> +<p> +The 10th, expecting to be near the coast of +Brazil, we sounded, and found 67 fathom water, +on which we fired a gun for a signal, and altered +our course more to the southward. This day +died Thomas Waller, our surgeon, who was succeeded +by Henry Ettrick, surgeon of the Wager; +the surgeon of the Trial succeeded him, +and Joseph Allen, our surgeon’s first mate, was +made surgeon of the Trial. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>258</span>The 11th, we spoke with a Portuguese brigantine +from Rio Janeiro, bound to Santos, one +of the principal Portuguese settlements in the +Brazils. The 13th, we crossed the South Tropic +for the first time, in long. 38 deg. 36 min. W. +from London. +</p> +<p> +The 14th, died Robert Welden, our purser, +who was succeeded by John Rule, purser of the +Wager, and Commodore’s Secretary; Thomas +Harvey, one of our midshipmen, was made purser +of the Wager, in the room of Mr. Rule. +</p> +<p> +The 17th, we saw the land of the Brazils, +from W. to W. S. W. very mountainous, and +full of woods. I have, for several days last past, +found, by my observations, a strong current on +this coast, setting to the southward near three +quarters of a mile an hour, which, perhaps, may +be occasioned by the neighbourhood of the vast +river of Rio de la Plata; another observation, +which I shall have occasion to make after our +leaving the coast of Brazil, will very much corroborate +this conjecture. +</p> +<p> +The same day, at four in the evening, we had +40 fathom of water, muddy ground; the island +of Alvoredo, a small island at the north-east end +of the large island of St. Katharine’s, then bearing +N. W. by N. about eight leagues distant; +and the next day at seven in the evening we +came to an anchor in twelve fathom water, the +north-east end of St. Katharine’s bearing S. S. W. +about three miles distant, and the island of Alvoredo, +N. N. E. about six miles distant. Here +<span class='pagenum'>259</span>we found the tide to set S. S. E. and N. N. W. +We sent ashore a Lieutenant to the fort, to compliment +the Governor, and to desire a pilot to +carry us into the road. The Governor returned +a very civil answer, and granted our request. +The next morning we weighed and ran up the +harbour, and about noon anchored in five fathom +and a half water, in a place they there +call Buon Porto; but being still too far from +the watering-place, we on the 20th, about eleven +in the morning, weighed and ran farther +up between St. Katharine’s and the main land +of Brazil, and in the afternoon anchored and +moored in five fathom water, about two miles +from the watering-place; and the same evening +our third Lieutenant went ashore with materials +for building a tent, to shelter the people +who were to be employed in watering. We +likewise saluted the Portuguese fort with eleven +guns, who returned us the like number. +</p> +<p> +Our ships beginning to be very sickly, tents +were erected on shore, one for every ship, and +the sick were sent ashore to them, with surgeons +and proper attendance. +</p> +<p> +The agents for victualling, of which we had +two with us, were ordered to procure what fresh +provisions we could expend during our stay +here, which they accordingly did; but though +their meat, which is altogether beef, was both +cheap and plenty, it was for the greatest part +miserably bad, and scarce fit to be eaten. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>260</span>The men throughout the whole squadron began +now to drop off apace with fevers and +fluxes, occasioned chiefly, I believe, by the violent +heat of the climate, and the bad air; the +country being so very woody that the air must +thereby be stagnated, and rendered unhealthful. +</p> +<p> +We continued here wooding, watering, and +overhauling our rigging, till Sunday, Jan. 18, +1741, during which time we had variable uncertain +weather, sometimes sea and land breezes, +at other times strong gales of wind, with heavy +rain, thunder and lightning, but always excessive +heat. +</p> +<p> +While we lay here, we gave our ship a thorough +cleansing, smoaked her between decks, +in order to destroy the vermin, and washed +every part with vinegar, which I mention because +it is absolutely necessary in large ships, the +stench of so many sick persons being noisome in +hot climates. +</p> +<p> +Dec. 21, I observed an eclipse of the moon, and +by comparing the time of the end of it, with +a calculation I purposely made of it in the meridian +of London, from Sir Isaac Newton’s New +Theory of the Moon, I found the place where +the ship then lay to be 49 deg. 53 min. to the westward +of the meridian of London. The calculation +itself, and the time it ended at St. Katharine’s, +I have unfortunately lost; but as the +longitude is thereby settled, they are of no farther +use, and not worth retrieving at the trouble +of a new calculation. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>261</span>Before we arrived at this island, we had received +from the descriptions of M. Frezier, a +French author, and some other persons who had +been on the spot, such accounts as, together +with the climate in which it is situated, gave us +very great ideas of its fruitfulness, and hopes of +a plentiful supply of every thing we wanted for +a long run; but we found ourselves miserably +mistaken in almost every article we expected. +</p> +<p> +As here are several fine sandy bays, we had +very good fishing with a seine, for mullets, old +wives, sting-rays, maids, turbots, and other flat +fish, silver fish, bass, a very boney long fish like +a bass, but which our seamen call a ten-pounder, +and some other sorts. We likewise +had fresh beef for present expending plenty enough, +but scarce better than the carrion that +we gave to our dogs. As for lemons, limes, +plantains, bananaes, potatoes, and other roots, +fruits, and greens, with which those climates +generally abound, which the authors above +mentioned aver to be extremely plentiful here, +and which we principally depended on for sea-stores, +there were so few at the time of our being +here, that I believe we could have consumed +all that came to our knowledge of those +things in one day. The officers, however, no +doubt found plenty; as Mr. Walters agrees in +his report with Frezier, that there was no want +of pine-apples, peaches, grapes, lemons, citrons, +melons, apricots, and adds, there were +besides potatoes and onions for sea-stores. Sassafrass +<span class='pagenum'>262</span>is here in great plenty, and we cut much +of it among other wood for fuel. Guaiacum +they report to be very plenty here likewise, but +I saw none of it, nor heard of any person who +did during our stay. Rum and sugar they have +in small quantities, but very indifferent and +dear. The inhabitants are a mixture of Portuguese +and Indians incorporated together, and +appear to be very poor, idle, lazy, ignorant +and rude. I believe the original of the Portuguese +here was chiefly from felons, who fled hither +from other parts of the Brazils to shelter +themselves from justice; they never till lately +having any government among them, except +a Chief chosen from among themselves, who was +more like a Captain of thieves and robbers, +than the Commander of a colony. At present +there are some European Soldiers, and a Governor +from Rio Janeiro, whose name was Don +Joffe Sylva de Paz, an expert engineer, who, +as Mr. Walters observes, understood one branch +of his business very well, which is the advantages +which new works bring to those who are +entrusted with the care of erecting them; for, +besides a battery on a neck of land that narrows +the channel to a little more than a quarter +of a mile, there were three other forts carrying +on for the defence of the harbour, none +of which were then compleated. +</p> +<p> +The country, both the main and the island, +is mountainous, and all over-grown with thick +<span class='pagenum'>263</span>woods, and those so entangled with the undergrowth +of thorny briars, brambles, and the like, +that in most places they are scarce penetrable. +These woods are reported to be full of very +fierce tygers, which makes any excursions into +the country dangerous, unless you go well armed, +and even then much caution is necessary. +</p> +<p> +They have here some hogs and fowls, but I +believe not very plenty; and in the woods are +monkeys, apes, armadilloes, and other wild +creatures unknown to me; as also parrots, parroquets, +and many other sorts of birds proper +to the climate. Alligators are said to be plenty +near the shores and in the lakes, but we saw none +of them. +</p> +<p> +The country appears to me to be a good soil, +and very capable of improvement, were the inhabitants +more civilized and industrious. +</p> +<p> +This island lies in latitude 27 deg. 30 min. S. +longitude, as before determined, 49 deg. 53 +min. W. from London; and the variation of +the compass 11 deg. 20 min. easterly. +</p> +<p> +Dec. 27, we discovered a sail in the offing, +and the eighteen-oar’d barge was manned, and +armed, and sent, under the command of the second +Lieutenant of the Centurion, to examine +her before she arrived within the protection of +the fort. She proved to be a Portuguese brigantine +from Rio Grande; but, though the officer +behaved to the master with the utmost civility, +yet the Governor took offence at our +sending our boat, complained of the violation of +<span class='pagenum'>264</span>the peace, and made that a pretence for sending +Don Pisarro the most circumstantial intelligence +of our force and condition, as we afterwards +found by letters intercepted in the South Seas. +</p> +<p> +January 18, 1741, we left this island, having +had a melancholy proof how much the healthiness +of this place had been over-rated by former +writers; for we found, that, though the +Centurion alone had buried no less than 28 +men since our arrival, the number of the sick +in the same interval had increased to 96; and +this very day we had three men die. +</p> +<p> +Before our departure the Commodore took +every precaution to prevent a separation; but +considering that, in such boisterous seas as we +were about to encounter, he himself might be +disabled, he called the officers together, and +in a full council so ordered it, that, if but one +ship escaped, the expedition should not be abandoned. +Proper places of rendezvous were appointed; +the time was settled for staying at these +places; and, if the Commodore did not arrive +in that time, the Captains were ordered to put +themselves under the command of the senior, +and to proceed without farther delay. +</p> +<p> +The 22d in the morning, we had very stormy +weather, with some thunder, lightning, and rain; +and the Trial carried away the head of her +main-mast. A thick fog succeeding, we lay +to, and soon after lost sight of the Pearl, the +Trial, and the Anne pink. In the afternoon +we got sight of and joined company with the +<span class='pagenum'>265</span>Trial and the Anne, but the Pearl was still +missing. +</p> +<p> +From hence to February the 13th, very variable +weather, mostly foggy from latitude 35, +or thereabouts, to latitude 39; the rest a mixture +not much unlike our weather in England +in the month of October, except that we had +pretty often thunder and lightning, which are +not so frequent with us in that month. Being +past the latitude of 36 degrees to the southward, +I observed the current, which had hitherto constantly +set southerly, now on the contrary, set +to the northward; and the great river of Rio +de la Plata being situated in between 35 and 36 +degrees south, strengthens my conjecture that +those currents are occasioned by the flux and +reflux of that mighty river. +</p> +<p> +February 13, we saw the land from S. by W. +to S. half E. appearing plain, with very few risings, +and of a very moderate height, our soundings +at that time from 46 to 56 fathom, the first +mud, the latter stony ground. This day, at +four in the evening, we were within about four +miles of Cape Blanco on the coast of Patagonia, +and in 12 fathom water; on which we hauled +off, and ran along the coast, the soundings +from 20 to 60 fathom water. At five the next +morning we saw the land from W. by N. to S. W. half W. with an opening near the middle; +which I believe to be the harbour of Port Desire, +so called by Sir John Narborough. The +northernmost land in sight is Cape Blanco, +<span class='pagenum'>266</span>and the southermost Penguin Island, so called +from the great numbers of penguins about it, +of which birds Sir John’s ship’s company killed +and salted large quantities for provisions, and +which he reports to be very good and wholesome +food. Cape Blanco is in the latitude of 47 +deg. 10 min. S. longitude from St. Katharine’s +17 deg. 38 min. W. which makes it from London +67 deg. 20 min. W. taking the N. E. point +of St. Katharine’s in 49 deg. 42 min. W. to be +about 11 minutes to the eastward of the place +where the ship lay when I fixed it by observation. +</p> +<p> +The 17th, in the evening, we anchored about +17 or 18 leagues short of the harbour of Port +St. Julian, so called by Sir Francis Drake, who +touched there in his voyage round the globe, +and where he condemned and executed Mr. +Doughty, the next person in command to himself, +on pretence of a conspiracy to murder him +and ruin the expedition; whence a small island +within the harbour is to this day called the +Island of True Justice. The next morning we +saw a sail at S. by E. which we believing to be +the Pearl, made the signal for the return of all +cruizers; but she not minding it, as I suppose +not seeing it, we ordered the Gloucester to chase, +and at two in the afternoon the Gloucester and her +chace, which to our great satisfaction proved +to be the Pearl, joined us. They informed us, +that, on January the 31st, their Commander, +Captain Dandy Kidd, died; and that on the +<span class='pagenum'>267</span>7th instant they were chased by five large ships, +which they believed to be Spanish men-of-war, +and were some time within gun-shot of them, +though they never fired a gun, having endeavoured +to decoy the Pearl by hoisting a broad +red pendant, like that of the English Commodore, +at the Admiral’s main-top-mast head, and +hoping by that means to be taken for our Commodore, +and so to inveigle and make sure of their +prey; Capt. Mitchell, thus decoyed, narrowly escaped +them, by running through a space of water, +where the tides or currents making a great ripling, +the Spaniards, who thought it was rocky and +broken ground, were afraid to follow her. These +ships we supposed to be the Spanish squadron, +commanded by Admiral Pisarro, the same who +got so great a name among them for his conduct +in bringing home their flota safe into Port +Andero the last year, eluding the vigilance of +our squadrons who waited for them off Cadiz, and +was therefore looked on as the properest person +to be sent to intercept us. We should not have +been displeased, however, to have met them +with our whole force, and did not much doubt +to have either destroyed or disabled them. But +the time of their destruction was not yet come; +their miserable fate shall be related in its proper +place. +</p> +<p> +We were now, being the 18th, sailing along +shore for the harbour of St. Julian. I found +the tide to set here north and south, about a +mile an hour. The time of flowing here on the +<span class='pagenum'>268</span>full and change days is N. E. by E. and S. W. +by W. nearest. We sent one of our boats with +an officer in-shore, to sound and endeavour to +discover the mouth of the harbour. At six in +the evening we came to an anchor in 12 fathom +water. At eight the Lieutenant returned, having +found the harbour. We sent ashore our +boats to make farther discoveries, and to endeavour +some to get fresh water, and others to procure +salt, (of which Sir J. Narborough observed, +when he was here, that in February there was +enough of it to load 1000 ships) for the use of +the squadron in the South Seas. We continued +here till the 27th, during which time we stove +most of our empty casks, in order to clear our +ships as much as possible, and got up and +mounted such of our guns as we had before +struck down into the hold in order to ease the +ships; for now, not knowing how soon we +might meet with the Spanish squadron, it was +necessary to have them all in readiness. We +could find no fresh water here, and but a very +small quantity of salt, and no other refreshments +whatever; all the country, as far as we could +discover, being quite barren and desolate. We +got some provisions out of the Anne victualler +on board each of the other ships, repaired the +Trial’s mast, and assisted her and the victualler +to overhaul and new-fix most of their rigging. +Having lost the hopes of a supply of water +here, we were put to the allowance of one +quart a man for one day, and three pints for +<span class='pagenum'>269</span>another, alternately; but, considering our passage +had hitherto proved extremely stormy and +cold, and a dead time of the year coming on +very fast, it was thought proper, in order to +keep the people in as good heart as possible, to +give them whole allowance of all other provisions, +which was ordered accordingly. +</p> +<p> +Here we farther secured our lower-deck guns, +by nailing quoins under the trucks, in case the +tackles, breechings, or iron-work, might give +way, or fail in the stormy weather which we +had much reason to expect. +</p> +<p> +Here likewise the Commodore removed the +Honourable Captain Murray into the Pearl, in +the room of Captain Kidd; and Captain Cheap +into the Wager in the room of Captain Murray. +He advanced Mr. Charles Saunders, his First +Lieutenant, to be Commander of the Trial sloop, +in the room of Captain Cheap; and made Mr. +Piercy Brett, First Lieutenant of the Gloucester, +Second Lieutenant of his own ship. The Trial +being repaired, and the Pearl, who had thrown +about 14 ton of water overboard when chased +by the Spaniards, being supplied from the other +ships, we made ready to prosecute our voyage. +</p> +<p> +This harbour of Port St. Julian is a barred +harbour, only fit to receive small ships and vessels. +We lay off in the road about two miles +from the mouth of it. It is not to be seen open +from where we lay, one point shutting in another; +and before any small ship or vessel pretends +to venture into the harbour, they ought +<span class='pagenum'>270</span>to send in their boats at low water, and fix poles +or buoys on the ends of the shoals, which, in a +manner, block up the passage. The country +about it is pretty much on the level, except a +few copling hillocks to the northward, and a +pretty high one in the bay, which bears W. S. W. +from the place where we lay at anchor. The latitude +of Port St. Julian is 49 deg. 10 min. S. +its longitude from London 69 deg. 48 min. W. +and the variation of the compass 17 deg. 20 min. +E. We had here uncertain boisterous weather, +with much rain, some snow, and generally thick +fog, with so much wind and sea as made us ride +hard, and hastened our departure from this uneasy +situation. +</p> +<p> +Sir John Narborough and some others write, +that they have often seen and conversed with the +inhabitants in this and other parts of Patagonia, +and have given wonderful descriptions of them; +but as we saw none of them, I have nothing to +say of that sort, nor indeed do I think there is +any thing in this wild part of the world worthy +of the least notice. +</p> +<p> +The 27th, at six in the morning, we made the +signal, weighed, and put to sea; but the Gloucester +being long in weighing her anchor, and +the weather proving thick and hazy, we soon +lost sight of her, and at one in the afternoon, +tacked, and lay by for her coming up; at seven +we fired a gun, a signal for her, and soon after +she joined us, having broke her main-yard in +the slings. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>271</span>Previous to our leaving this port, a council +was held on board the Centurion, at which all +the officers by sea and land attended, when it +was proposed by the Commodore, that their +first attempt, after their arrival in the South +Seas, should be the attack of the town of Baldivia, +the principal frontier of the district of +Chili. To this proposition the council unanimously +agreed; in consequence of which, new +instructions were given to the Captains of the +squadron, by which they were directed, in case +of separation, to rendezvous at the island of +Neustra Senoro del Secoro, and there cruise for +10 days; after which, they were ordered to repair +to the height of Baldivia, and there between +40 deg. and 40 deg. 30 min. to continue +to cruise 14 days longer; and, if in that time +they were not joined by the rest of the squadron, +they were then to quit that station, and direct +their course to the island of Juan Fernandez. +</p> +<p> +March the 4th, in the morning, we passed by +the Streights of Magellan, so near that we saw +them very plain; the northernmost point of +which, known by the name of Cape Virgin +Mary, I found to be in the latitude of 52 deg. +28 min. S. longitude from London 70 deg. 55 +min. W. variation of the compass 18 deg. 40 +min. E. the soundings, when it bears about +S. W. by W. at the distance of eight leagues, +from 32 to 50 fathom, the bottom black-grey +sand and mud. The afternoon of this day being +very bright and clear, with small breezes, +<span class='pagenum'>272</span>inclinable to calm, most of the Captains took +the opportunity of this favourable weather to +pay a visit to the Commodore; but, while they +were in company together, they were all greatly +alarmed by a sudden flame which burst out +on board the Centurion, and which was succeeded +by a cloud of smoak. However, they +were soon relieved from their apprehensions, by +receiving information, that the blast was occasioned +by a spark of fire from the forge lighting +on some gunpowder, and other combustibles, +which the officers on board were preparing for +use, in case we should fall in with the Spanish +fleet; and that it had been extinguished without +any danger to the ship. +</p> +<p> +The 6th, in the morning, we saw the land of +Terra del Fuego, consisting of high craggy hills, +towering above each other, mostly covered with +snow, with deep horrid vallies, some few scattered +trees, no plains, nor one chearful green +through all the dismal prospect; so that the +whole may not improperly be termed the Land +of Desolation; and I much question whether a +more dreary aspect is to be seen in any other +part of the habitable earth; for voyagers say +this is inhabited, but surely its inhabitants must +be the most miserable of human beings. This +evening we lay by, that we might not overshoot +the Streights of Le Maire in the night; though +I believe, had we kept on, and passed round +Staten Land, a small island or two, which lie to +the eastward of those Streights, and together +<span class='pagenum'>273</span>with Terra del Fuego frame them, it would +have been more to our advantage than by passing +through them. +</p> +<p> +The 7th, at eight in the morning, we were +very near a point of land on Terra del Fuego, +called Cape St. James, bearing E. S. E. another +called Cape St. Vincent, S. E. half E. the middlemost +of the Three Brothers, being three high +hills on Terra del Fuego, appearing almost contiguous +to each other, S. by W. and a very high +Sugar-loaf Hill, called Monte Gorda, farther up +in the country, and appearing above them, bore +south from us. It is by these marks that you +know you are near Strait Le Maire; and indeed +we began to open them in this position. +By noon we were almost through them, being +assisted by a very strong tide with much rippling, +and which made to the southward somewhat +before 10 o’clock in the morning. The course +through is almost directly south, and there are +no shoals nor rocks in the passage from whence +you may incur any danger; the only thing you +have to fear is, the tide’s turning against you +while you are in the straits, for in that case +you are certainly hurried back again, and can +have no passage there till the next turn of the +tide. The breadth of this strait may be about +six or seven leagues, and its length about seven +or eight; which being passed, you enter into a +vast open ocean, commonly known by the name +of the South Sea. This strait lies in latitude +55 deg. south, longitude from London 67 deg. +<span class='pagenum'>274</span>30 min. west, variation of the compass 21 deg. +36 min. east, soundings in the straits from 43 +to 58 fathom, the bottom black sand and pebble-stones. +In passing through here, our joy +was increased by the brightness of the sky and +the serenity of the weather, which was indeed +remarkably pleasing; for though the winter was +now advancing apace, yet the morning of this +day, in its brilliancy and mildness, gave place +to none we had seen since our departure from +England. But we here found what was constantly +verified by all our observations in these +high latitudes, that fair weather was ever the +forerunner of a succeeding storm, and that sunshine +and tempest followed one another like +light and shade. We had scarcely reached the +southern extremity of the straits, when the serenity +of the sky, which had so much flattered +our expectations, was all at once obscured, the +wind shifted to the southward, and the sea began +to swell to an astonishing height. Before +night the tempest arose, and the tide, which +had hitherto favoured us, turned furiously +against us; so that, instead of pursuing our intended +course, we were driven to the eastward, +by the united force of wind and current, with +so much precipitation, that in the morning we +found ourselves seven leagues to the eastward of +Streight Le Maire. From this time we had +such a continual succession of tempestuous +weather as surprized the oldest and most experienced +mariners on board, and obliged them +<span class='pagenum'>275</span>to confess, that what they had hitherto called +storms were inconsiderable gales compared with +the violence of these winds, which railed such +short and at the same time such mountainous +waves, as greatly surpassed in danger all seas +known in any other part of the globe: and it +was not without reason that this unusual appearance +filled us with continual terror; for, +had any one of these waves broke fairly over us, +it must in all probability have sent us to the +bottom. Nor did we escape with terror only; +for the ship rolling incessantly gunwale-to, gave +us such quick and violent motions, that the +men were in perpetual danger of being dashed +against the masts or sides of the ship: and +though we were extremely careful to secure +ourselves from these shocks by grasping at some +fixed body, yet many of our people were forced +from their holds, some of whom were killed, +and others greatly injured; in particular, one of +our best seamen was carried over-board and +drowned, another dislocated his neck, a third +was thrown into the main hold, and broke his +thigh, and one of our boatswain’s mates broke +his collar-bone twice; not to mention many +other accidents of the same kind. These tempests, +so dreadful in themselves, though unattended +by any other unfavourable circumstance, +were rendered more mischievous to us by their +inequality, and the deceitful intervals which +they at some times afforded; for, though we +were often obliged to lie-to for days together +<span class='pagenum'>276</span>under a reefed mizen, and were frequently reduced +to lie at the mercy of the waves under +our bare poles, yet now and then we ventured +to make sail with our courses double reefed; +and the weather proving more tolerable, would +perhaps encourage us to set our top-sails: after +which, the wind, without any previous notice, +would return upon us with redoubled force, +and would in an instant tear our sails from the +yards. And, that no circumstance might be +wanting which could aggravate our distress, +these blasts generally brought with them a great +quantity of snow and sleet, which cased our +rigging, and froze our sails, thereby rendering +them and our cordage brittle, and apt to snap +upon the slightest strain, adding inexpressible +difficulty and labour to the working of the +ship, benumbing the limbs of the people employed +in handing the sails, or handling the +ropes, and making them incapable of exerting +themselves with their usual activity, and even +disabling many by mortifying their toes and +fingers. +</p> +<p> +And now, as it were to add the finishing +stroke to our misfortunes, our people began to +be universally afflicted with that most terrible, +obstinate, and, at sea, incurable disease, the +scurvy, which quickly made a most dreadful +havock among us, beginning at first to carry +off two or three a day, but soon increasing, and +at last carrying off eight or ten; and as most of +the living were very ill of the same distemper, +<span class='pagenum'>277</span>and the little remainder who preserved their +healths better, in a manner, quite worn out with +incessant labour, I have sometimes seen four or +five dead bodies, some sown up in their hammocks, +others not, washing about the decks, +for want of help to bury them in the sea. But +as the particulars of all the various disasters and +sufferings of various kinds that befel us, would +be endless, I shall only mention a few. +</p> +<p> +The 10th, 11th, and 12th, very stormy weather, +with snow and sleet, and a very great over-grown +sea from the S. W. +</p> +<p> +The 15th, one William Baker fell overboard +and was drowned. The 16th, the Anne pink, +which had separated from us the 11th in the +storm, again joined us, in lat. 59 deg. 20 min. S. +</p> +<p> +Part of the 17th, 18th, and 19th, very strong +gales, and a great rolling sea from the N. W. +</p> +<p> +The 18th, we had again strong gales of wind +with extreme cold, and at midnight the main-top-sail +split, and one of the straps of the main +dead-eyes broke. +</p> +<p> +The 23d, and part of the 24th, a most violent +storm of wind, hail, and rain, with a very +lofty sea. The 23d, in the evening, we sprung +the main-top-sail yard, and split the main-sail +into rags, the greatest part of which was blown +overboard. On these accidents we furled all +our other sails, and lay-to under a mizzen. +</p> +<p> +The latter part of the 24th proving more moderate, +we bent a new main-sail, got down the +<span class='pagenum'>278</span>broken main-top-sail yard, and got up and rigged +another in its place. +</p> +<p> +The 25th, it blew a very hurricane, and reduced +us to the necessity of lying-to under our +bare poles. As our ship kept the wind better +than any of the rest, we were obliged in the afternoon +to wear ship; in doing of which, we had +no other expedient but clapping the helm a-weather, +and manning the fore-shrouds; in the +execution of which we had one of our best men +canted overboard. We perceived, that, notwithstanding +the prodigious agitation of the +waves, he swam very strong; and it was with +the utmost concern that we found ourselves incapable +of assisting him. Indeed we were the +more grieved at his unhappy fate, as we lost sight +of him struggling with the waves, and conceived, +from the manner in which he swam, that he +might continue sensible for a considerable time +longer of the horror attending his irretrievable +situation. +</p> +<p> +The 26th being somewhat more moderate, +we found two of our main-shrouds broke, which +we repaired; we likewise bent our main-top-sail, +and made sail. +</p> +<p> +The 30th, in the evening, the Gloucester +made a signal of distress; and, on speaking with +her, we found she had broke her main-yard in the +slings; an accident the more grievous, as it +tended unavoidably to delay us in these inhospitable +latitudes, where every moment we were +in danger of perishing. The weather proving +<span class='pagenum'>279</span>favourable, all the carpenters were ordered on +board the Gloucester, and next day she was +ready to sail. +</p> +<p> +The 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th of April, a continued +storm of wind and rain; a dreadful sea, +and very cold weather. We lowered our yards, +furled our courses, and lay by for the most part +under a mizzen and mizzen-stay sail. The 3d, +about 11 o’clock at night, a raging sea took us +on the larboard quarter, where it stove in the +quarter gallery, and rushed into the ship like a +deluge. For some time it laid the ship down +upon her side; but she providentially righted +again, though slowly; it threw down and half +drowned all the people on the deck, broke one +of the straps of the main dead-eyes, and snaped +a mizzen and puttock shroud. This was the +greatest sea which we had encountered since we +came into those parts, and we met with but one +such stroke more in the whole voyage; two or +three such succeeding must certainly have sent +us to the bottom. +</p> +<p> +The 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th, continued very +stormy and squally, with snow, hail, rain, and a +large sea; the weather continuing very cold. +</p> +<p> +The 8th, at four in the evening, the Anne +pink made a signal of distress; and, on speaking +with her, we found she had sprung her fore-stay, +and the gammoning of her bowsprit. This +was the more unfortunate, as none of the carpenters +were yet returned from the Gloucester. +Nor was the Anne the only ship that suffered in +<span class='pagenum'>280</span>this storm; the Wager lost her mizzen-mast and +main-top-sail yard, owing to the badness of the +iron work. In this dilemma we were obliged to +bear away till these ships had made all fast. +</p> +<p> +The 10th, foggy and hazy. This afternoon +the Severn and Pearl were far a-stern, and seemed +to me to lag designedly. We made a very +easy sail all day, and lay by at night, and fired +several guns as a signal for them to join us; the +weather being pretty moderate, and the wind +fair for them, they might have effected it with +ease. By the close of the evening we could but +just see them, and from that time saw them no +more. However, we heard afterwards in the +South Seas, by letters taken on board some of +the Spanish ships, of their arrival at Rio Janeiro, +in the Brazils. +</p> +<p> +The 15th, the weather proved somewhat +more moderate. At half an hour past one in +the morning we saw two islands right a-head, +at about two leagues distance; we immediately +wore our ship, and stood off to the southward. +Those islands were very unexpected, as well as +unwelcome, we imagining we had been to the +westward of all lands and islands of the coast of +Terra del Fuego; but we now found our mistake, +and that there was a necessity of our standing +farther to the southward, in order to get a +sufficient westing. Those islands I find to lie +in the latitude of 54 deg. 20 min. S. longitude +from London 84 deg. 10 min. W. Mr. Walters +supposes the land we fell in with on this +<span class='pagenum'>281</span>occasion to be Cape Noir, and a part of Terra +del Fuego. +</p> +<p> +From this time to the 23d we had nothing +remarkable, the weather continuing very uncertain +and variable, with a large sea and a very +cold air; and the 21st, at nine at night, we +were in the latitude of 60 deg. 5 min. S. being +the greatest south latitude we made during the +voyage. +</p> +<p> +The 23d, very hard gales and squalls, with +much rain. This evening we lost sight of the +Gloucester, Wager, Trial, and Anne pink, being +all the remainder of our squadron, after +the defection of the Severn and Pearl. The +Wager’s unfortunate catastrophe is well known; +the others afterwards joined us at Juan Fernandez, +as shall be related in its proper place. +</p> +<p> +The 24th, 25th, and 26th, the wind being +mostly fair, though still blowing hard, we made +pretty good runs under an easy sail to the north-westward. +The 24th it blew a hurricane, and the +men endeavouring to hand the topsails, the clew-lines +and bunt-lines broke, and the sheet being +half flown, every seam in the fore-topsail was soon +split from top to bottom, and the main-topsail +shook so strongly in the wind, that it carried away +the top lanthorn, and endangered the head of the +mast; however, at length, some of the most daring +of our men ventured upon the yard, and cut +the sail away close to the reefs, though with the +utmost hazard of their lives, whilst at the same +time the fore-topsail beat about the yard with +<span class='pagenum'>282</span>so much fury that it was soon blown to shreds: +nor was our attention to our topsails our sole +employment; for the mainsail blew loose, which +obliged us to lower the yard to secure the sail, +and the fore-yard being likewise lowered, we +lay to under a mizen. The 25th, we found +much of our running rigging broken, which we +repaired. The 27th, we bent other topsails in +the places of those split. Nothing more remarkable +the rest of this month and the first +week in the next, but stormy uncertain weather, +and great sickness and mortality among +our people. +</p> +<p> +Friday, May 8, at seven in the morning, saw +the main land of Patagonia appearing in high +mountains covered mostly with snow. We +likewise saw several islands, one of which we +took to be the Island del Soccoro, so called by +Sir John Narborough, in his account of his +voyage into those parts; and from the fine description +this gentleman had given of this island, +(having been there in the very height of summer), +this place was appointed for our first general +rendezvous in the South Seas. An unhappy +appointment it was in its consequences; for +when the people, already reduced to the last extremity, +found this to be the place of rendezvous, +where they had hoped to meet the rest of +their companions with joy, and what a miserable +part of the world it appeared to be, their grief +gave way to despair; they saw no end of their sufferings, +nor any door open to their safety. Those +<span class='pagenum'>283</span>who had hitherto been well and in heart, now +full of despondency, fell down, sickened, and +died; and, to sum up this melancholy part, I +verily believe, that our touching on this coast, +the long stay we made here, and our hinderance +by cross winds, which we should have avoided +in a direct course to Juan Fernandez, lost us at +least 60 or 70 of as stout and able men as any +in the navy. This unspeakable distress was still +aggravated by the difficulties we found in working +the ship, as the scurvy had by this time destroyed +no less than 200 of our men, and had +in some degree affected almost the whole crew. +It were, indeed, endless to recite minutely the +various disasters, fatigues, and terrors, which we +encountered on this coast; all these went on increasing +till the 22d of May, at which time the +fury of all the storms which we had hitherto experienced, +seemed to be combined, and to have +conspired our destruction. In this hurricane almost +all our sails were split, and great part of +our standing rigging broken; and, about eight +in the evening, a mountainous overgrown sea +took us on our starboard quarter, and gave us +so prodigious a shock, that several of our shrouds +broke with the jerk, by which our masts were in +danger of coming by the board; our ballast and +stores too were so strangely shifted, that the ship +heeled afterwards two streaks a-port. Indeed, it +was a most tremendous blow, and we were +thrown into the utmost consternation, from the +apprehension of instantly foundering. Our deplorable +<span class='pagenum'>284</span>situation allowing no longer any room +for deliberation, we stood for the island of Juan +Fernandez; and, to save time, which was now +very precious, our men dying four, five, and six +in a day, we endeavoured to hit the island upon +a meridian course. On the 28th of May, being +nearly in the parallel in which it is laid down, we +expected to have seen it, and indeed the Commodore +was persuaded that he did see it; but all +the other officers being of opinion that it was +only a cloud, to which the haziness of the weather +gave too much colour, we made sail to the +eastward, and by so doing lost near 14 days in +recovering our westing again. This was a most +fatal disappointment; for in this run we lost +about 80 of our men, which, probably, had the +Commodore’s advice been attended to, would +most of them have been saved. +</p> +<p> +The 8th of June, at six in the evening, we +at length saw the island of Juan Fernandez, +bearing N. by E. half E. about 15 or 16 leagues +off. The 10th, at two in the morning, we anchored +in 56 fathom, close under the N. E. end +of the island. At 10 in the morning of the 11th, +we with much labour and difficulty weighed our +anchor, and at noon happily moored our ship in +the Great Bay, about a mile from the shore, in +52 fathom water, to our inexpressible joy, having +been from St. Katharine’s in the Brazils to +this place 148 days, on such a dreadful and fatal +passage as I believe very few other persons +ever experienced. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>285</span>The 11th, at two in the afternoon, the Trial +sloop appeared in the offing. We immediately +sent some of our hands on board her, by whose +assistance she was brought to an anchor between +us and the land. We soon found that the sloop +had not been exempted from the like calamities +which we had so severely felt; for her Commander, +Captain Saunders, waiting on the Commodore, +informed him, that, out of his small +complement, he had buried 34 of his men; and +those who recovered were so universally afflicted +with the scurvy, that only himself, his Lieutenant, +and three of his men, were able to stand +by the sails. +</p> +<p> +The same day we got out our long-boat, and +sent her on shore with materials for building +tents for the sick, and with orders to bring on +board some water. +</p> +<p> +The 15th, we sent our pinnace to assist the +Trial, she being driven from her anchors to sea, +by the violent flaws of wind which blow off the +high lands. This and the next day we put +ashore 75 sick men, in so weak a condition, that +we were obliged to carry them out of the ship in +their hammocks, and to convey them afterwards +in the same manner from the water-side over a +stoney beach to the tents prepared for their reception. +In this work of humanity, not only +the officers, but the Commodore himself, chearfully +lent their assistance. +</p> +<p> +The 17th, the Trial came again to an anchor, +and moored. This day and the next we sent +<span class='pagenum'>286</span>on shore the remainder of our sick people, the +whole number now on shore being 135, many +of whom, being too far gone in the scurvy, died +one after another to the number of not less than +sixty. +</p> +<p> +We now began to send on shore materials for +tents for the coopers, sail-makers, and some of +the officers; a copper oven which we had with +us for baking soft bread for the ship’s company, +and the smith’s forge for making or repairing +such iron-work as was necessary: and, after a +short interval of relaxation, all hands were busily +employed, some in cutting large quantities of +wood for the ship’s use, some in making charcoal +for the smith, and for a farther store; the +bakers in baking bread, the coopers in making +up and cleaning the casks for water, the sail-makers +in mending the sails and making others; +some in fishing for the sick, and the rest were +otherways employed: and here being very great +plenty of fine fish, all taken by the hook, two or +three people could never fail to take us as much +in about two hours as all the ship’s company +could eat: besides this we took great quantities +for salting and curing; and some private persons +who had hooks and lines fished for themselves, +and never failed of enough for their own +use, and to give to those who had none. The +people on board were employed in cleaning the +ship, which was in a very filthy condition, and +in stripping the masts, and overhauling the rigging. +One of the boatswain’s mates, with some +<span class='pagenum'>287</span>assistants, having run up a rope-walk on shore, +was employed in making what small cordage we +might want; others in watering, and, in short, +in every thing that might contribute to put us +in as good a condition, and in as short a time +as possible; and as fast as the sick recovered, they +were put on the like employments. +</p> +<p> +At first sight of this island, it appeared with +a most unpromising aspect, being extremely +mountainous, rugged, and irregular; but, upon +our nearer approach, it improved upon us; and +when we were landed, we found all the vegetables +which are usually esteemed to be peculiarly +adapted to the cure of those scorbutic disorders +which are contracted by salt diet, and +long continuance at sea; for here we found water-cresses +and purslain, wild-sorrel, and Sicilian-radishes, +in profusion. These vegetables, not +to mention the turneps which now abound in +every plain, with the fish and flesh we got here, +were not only grateful to us in the extreme, but +were likewise very refreshing to the sick, and +contributed not a little to the recovery of those +who were not already too far advanced in the +disorder to admit of relief; and to the restoring +of others to their wonted vigour, who, though +not apparently under the malignancy of the +distemper, and its baneful concomitants, were +yet greatly debilitated by continual watching +and anxiety of mind, from which not a soul on +board was exempt. +</p> +<p> +During the time of our residence here, we +<span class='pagenum'>288</span>found the inland parts of the island no ways to +fall short of the sanguine prepossessions we had +first entertained in its favour; for the woods, +which covered most of the steepest hills, were +free from all bushes and underwood, and afforded +an easy passage through every part of them; +and the irregularities of the hills and precipices, +in the northern part of the island, necessarily +traced out, by their various combinations, a great +number of romantic vallies, most of which had +a stream of the clearest water running through +them, that tumbled in cascades from rock to +rock, as the bottom of the valley by the course +of the neighbouring hills was at any time broken +into a sudden sharp descent. Some particular +spots occurred in these vallies, where the shades +and fragrance of the contiguous woods, the +loftiness of the over-hanging rocks, and the +transparency and frequent falls of the neighbouring +streams, presented scenes of such elegance +and dignity, as would with difficulty be +rivalled in any other part of the globe. It is in +this place, perhaps, that the simple productions +of unassisted nature may be said to excel all the +fictitious descriptions of the most animated imagination. +The spot where the Commodore +pitched his tent, and where he chose, during his +stay, to fix his residence, exceeded in beauty any +thing that words can be supposed to represent. +It was a delightful little lawn, that lay on an easy +ascent at the distance of about half a mile from +the sea, and was probably the very spot on +<span class='pagenum'>289</span>which Shelvock twenty years before had pitched +his tent. In front there was a large avenue cut +through the woods to the sea-side, which slopping +to the water with a gentle descent, opened +a prospect to the bay and the ships at anchor. +This lawn was screened behind by a tall wood +of myrtle sweeping round it in the form of a +theatre, the slope on which the wood stood rising +with a much sharper ascent than the lawn itself, +though not so much but that the hills and precipices +within land towered up considerably +above the tops of the trees, and added to the +grandeur of the view. There were, besides; +two streams of chrystal water, which ran on the +right and left of the tent, within an hundred +yards distance, and were shaded by the trees +that skirted the lawn on either side, and completed +the symmetry of the whole. Add to these, +the gentle murmuring of the distant brooks, the +music of the birds among the myrtles, the sweet +aromatic odour of the spice-trees that every +where perfumed the air with their fragrance, +and you may form in imagination a faint idea +of this second paradise, which could only be +exceeded by the perfection of the first. +</p> +<figure class='max100' style='width: 49em;'> +<img src="images/306.jpg" class="w100 v_align_b" alt=""> +<figcaption><i>A View of the Lawn where Commodore Anson pitch’d his Tent at Juan Fernandes.</i></figcaption> +</figure> +<p> +It is astonishing, that, among all the voyagers +who have visited this fortunate island before us, +and who have obliged the world with descriptions +of it, none of them have mentioned a +charming little bird that, with its wild, various, +and irregular notes, enchants the ear, and makes +the woods resound with its melody. This untutored +<span class='pagenum'>290</span>choirister is somewhat less in size than the +goldfinch, its plumage beautifully intermixed +with red and other vivid colours, and the golden +crown upon its head so bright and glowing, +when seen in the full light of the sun, that it +surpasses all description. These little birds are +far from being uncommon or unfamiliar; for +they perched upon the branches of the myrtle-trees +so near us, and sung so chearfully, as if they +had been conscious we were strangers, and came +to give us welcome. +</p> +<p> +There is, besides the above, another little +bird, unnoticed by any former writer, and +which seems likewise peculiar to the island, and +consequently without a name; it is still less +than the former in size, but not inferior in +beauty, though not so musical; the back, +wings, and head, are of a lively green, intermixed +with fine shining golden spots, and the +belly a snow white ground, with ebony coloured +spots, so elegantly varied as no art can imitate. +To the catalogue of birds mentioned by +former writers as inhabitants of this island, +should also be added blackbirds and thrushes very +like those in England; and owls, but of a diminutive +size. +</p> +<p> +Of four-footed animals we saw none but +dogs, cats, rats, and goats; and of the latter +but few, as the dogs of various kinds, greyhounds, +mastifs, pointers, spaniels, and mungrels, +have thinned them in the plains, and driven +them to the inaccessible mountains; yet some +<span class='pagenum'>291</span>were shot by the hunters, and were preferred +by them to the best venison. Among those +presented to the Commodore were two or three +venerable through age, that had been marked +more than thirty years before by Selkirk, who +trained them for his sport, slit their ears, and +turned them loose to graze the mountains. +</p> +<p> +I remember we had once an opportunity of observing +a remarkable dispute betwixt a herd of +those animals and a number of dogs; for going +in our boat into the eastern bay we perceived +some dogs run very eagerly upon the foot, and +being willing to discover what game they were after, +we lay upon our oars some time to view them, +and at last saw them take a hill, where, looking +a little farther, we observed upon the ridge +of it an herd of goats, which seemed drawn up +for their reception. There was a very narrow +path skirted on each side by precipices, in +which the leader of the herd posted himself +fronting the enemy, the rest of the goats being +ranged behind him where the ground was more +open; as this spot was inaccessible by any other +path, excepting where this champion had placed +himself, the dogs, though they ran up hill with +great alacrity, yet when they came within about +twenty yards, found they durst not encounter +this formidable Goliah, for he would infallibly +have driven the first that approached him down +the precipice; they therefore quietly laid themselves +down, panting, and did not offer to stir +while we remained in sight. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>292</span>These dogs have multiplied prodigiously, and +have destroyed most of the cats as well as goats: +the rats, however, keep possession, and were +very troublesome guests in the night, when they +generally paid us their visits. It is not easy to +determine in what manner such a multitude of +dogs subsist, as they are much more numerous +than all the other four-footed creatures upon +the island. Our people, indeed, were inclined to +think, that they lived in a great measure upon +the young sea-lions and seals, and supported +their opinion by the report of the sailors, some +of whom killed the dogs for food, who said +they tasted fishy: and, truly, there is hardly +any other way of accounting for the subsistence +of these animals; for, as has been said, they +have already destroyed all the goats in the accessible +parts of the country; so that there now +remain only a few among the crags and precipices, +where the dogs cannot follow them. +These are divided into separate herds of 20 or 30 +each, which inhabit distinct fastnesses, and never +mingle with each other; by this means we +found it extremely difficult to kill them, and yet +we were so desirous of their flesh, that we discovered, +I believe, all their herds, and it was +thought, by comparing their numbers, that they +scarcely exceeded 200 upon the whole island. +The dogs had destroyed the pardellas, too, of +which former writers have given a large account, +so that there was not one of them to be +seen; we found indeed their boroughs in the +<span class='pagenum'>293</span>earth, which leaves no room to doubt of their +being found in plenty in Selkirk’s time, as well +as cats, of which there is now scarce one alive. +</p> +<p> +Flesh meat being thus extremely scarce, our +people, being tired of fish, though excellent +in their kind, at length condescended to eat +seals, which, by degrees, they came to relish, +and called them lamb. Of these, it being their +brooding time, the numbers were incredible;⁠—and +likewise of the sea-lion,⁠—these animals +have frequently furious battles among themselves, +principally about their females; and we +were one day surprized by the sight of two +animals, which, at first, seemed different from +all we had ever observed; but, on a nearer approach, +they proved to be two sea-lions that +had been goring one another with their tushes, +and were covered with blood, with which they +plentifully abound. This led us to watch them +more closely, and one was observed larger than +the rest, and from his driving off other males, +and keeping a great number of females to himself, +he was by the seamen humorously stiled +the Bashaw. To this pre-eminence, however, +he had not arrived without many bloody contests; +for, on our people’s attacking him in +the midst of his seraglio of females, he made a +desperate defence, and, when overpowered, the +signals of his bravery appeared in numerous +scars on every part of his body. +</p> +<p> +We had now been ten days on this island, +when some of our people from an eminence discerned +<span class='pagenum'>294</span>a ship to leeward with her courses even +with the horizon, without any other sail abroad +than her main-topsail; from which circumstance, +it was immediately concluded, that it was +one of our own squadron; but the weather being +hazy, no definitive conjecture could be formed +concerning her. She again disappeared for some +days, and we were all thrown into the deepest +concern, fearing the weakness of her condition +had disabled her from working to windward, +and that all her people had perished. +</p> +<p> +We continued our employ till the 26th, when +we again saw the same ship; and, on her nearer +approach, could distinguish her to be the Gloucester; +and, making no doubt of her being in +distress, the Commodore sent our boat on board +her with water and refreshments. We found +her in a miserable condition, not many above +100 people alive, and almost all those helpless +with the scurvy; their water so very short, that +they were obliged to allow but one pint a day to +a man; and the continual flaws off the land, together +with their being disabled in their sails and +yards, hindered them from getting into the bay. +The next day we sent them a fresh supply of fish, +greens, water, and men to help to work the ship; +soon after which the flaws drove them off again, +and the ship appeared no more till the 30th, +when at two in the afternoon she fired a gun, +and made a signal of distress. She continued +in this manner off and on, sometimes in sight, +and sometimes not, till July 23, during which +<span class='pagenum'>295</span>time, though we often relieved the people on +board with water and other necessaries, yet their +sufferings were insupportable, and their whole +complement were reduced to about 96 living +persons, all of whom must have perished in a +few days more, had not the wind proved favourable +to bring them into the bay; but providentially +a fresh gale sprung up from the sea, and +brought them to an anchor. We immediately +sent men on board to assist in mooring the ship, +and continued our constant assistance afterwards, +during our stay at this place. +</p> +<p> +The 5th of August, the Commodore sent the +Trial sloop to search the island of Little Juan +Fernandez, lest any of the squadron should have +mistaken that island for the place of rendezvous, +and might remain there in expectation of meeting +the rest of the fleet. +</p> +<p> +On the 16th, the Anne pink, which was separated +from us with the rest of the squadron +the 23d of April, appeared in sight. Her arrival +gave us new spirits, she being laden principally +with provisions, and we immediately were ordered +full allowance of bread. This ship had been +about two months in a safe harbour, on the +main land, near the same parallel with del Soccoro, +where she had been directed by Providence, +and where she lay in security, enjoyed +plenty, and her people, 16 in number, being +once freed from their fears of shipwreck, very +soon recovered their wonted vigour, having experienced +none of those hardships that were endured +<span class='pagenum'>296</span>by the rest of the fleet. They told us +they had seen some Indians, and one time took +one of their canoes with a man, a woman, some +children, a dog, a cat, &c. and some implements +for fishery; but in a day or two the whole family, +the dog excepted, made their escape from +them in the ship’s small boat, and left them their +canoe in her stead. Those Indians, they say, +understood a few Spanish words, and probably +might have some little correspondence with the +southern Spaniards of Chili, or their nearer bordering +Indians; or, perhaps, some of the Fathers +for propagating the faith may now and +then have been among them. The principal +refreshments they met with in this port, were +wild celery, nettletops, and sorrel; cockles and +muscles of an extraordinary size; good store of +geese, sheep, and penguins. They judged it to +lie in lat. 45 deg. 30 min. S. and it may be known +by an island which faces it, and which the inhabitants +call <i>Inchin</i>, and by a river in which they +found excellent fish. +</p> +<p> +This vessel, the Anne pink, was the last that +joined us at Juan Fernandez. The remaining +ships of the squadron were the Severn, the Pearl, +and the Wager store-ship. The Severn and Pearl, +as has been already observed, parted company +off Cape Noir, and, as we afterwards learned, +put back to the Brazils; so that of all the ships +that came into the South Seas, the Wager was +the only ship that was missing. Captain Cheap, +who commanded her, knowing the importance +<span class='pagenum'>297</span>of the charge he had in trust, without which no +enterprize on shore could be undertaken, was +extremely solicitous to reach Baldivia as the last +place of rendezvous, and the first to be attacked, +before the rest of the squadron should have +finished their cruise, that no blame might rest upon +him, if the attack of that city should be judged +improper to be carried into execution. But, whilst +this brave officer was exerting himself in endeavouring +to keep clear of the land in making the +island of del Soccoro, he had the misfortune to +dislocate his shoulder, and thereby to disable +himself from prosecuting with vigour the purpose +he had in view. The ship being little better +than a wreck, the crew in a miserable desponding +condition, the officers quite exhausted, +the weather cold and stormy, and the wind and +currents bearing in-shore, all these unlucky circumstances +concurring, so entangled the ship +with the land, that all the efforts of the feeble +crew could not prevent her from running upon +a sunken rock, where she grounded between +two small islands, not a musquet-shot from the +shore. In this situation she continued entire till +every one on board might have reached the land +in safety, and might have stored themselves with +provisions, and every necessary for their present, +subsistence and future escape: but the moment +the ship struck, all subordination ceased; one +part of the crew got possession of the liquors, +intoxicated themselves in a beastly manner, and +grew frantic in their cups; another part began +<span class='pagenum'>298</span>to furnish themselves with arms, and to make +themselves masters of the money and things of +most value on board; while the Captain, and +some of the principal officers, endeavoured in +vain to maintain their authority, and to preserve +a proper discipline among them, in order to effect +the deliverance of as many as it was possible +from the common danger in which all of them +were involved; but the mutinous disposition +that prevailed rendered every effort for their +preservation ineffectual. Those who remained +in possession of the ship and her stores, pointed +the cannon, and fired at those who had gained +the land; those at land grew riotous for want +of provisions; nothing but anarchy and confusion +prevailed; and, what added to the catastrophe, +a midshipman named Cozens, who had +busied himself in opposition to all good government, +was, by the Captain, shot dead upon the +spot. This put an end at once to all manner of +subserviency; and after this every one thought +himself at liberty to pursue what scheme he +thought best for his own preservation. +</p> +<p> +Of about 130 persons who reached the shore, +30 died on the place; about 80 others, having +converted the long-boat into a schooner, +sailed to the southward, attended by the cutter. +These, being distressed for want of provisions in +re-doubling Cape Horn, and having lost their +cutter in a storm, suffered unprecedented hardships +in their return to the coast of Brazil, where +only 30 of them arrived to give an account of +<span class='pagenum'>299</span>the miserable fate of their companions, several +of whom died of hunger; others desired to be +set on shore; and some, beginning to be mutinous, +they landed and deserted. Of the 19 +who were left behind in Wager-Island with the +Captain, 16 embarked on board the barge and +the yawl, and attempted to escape to the northward; +of these one was drowned in the yawl, +and four were left on a desart part of the coast, +where it is probable they all perished; the remaining +11, after a fruitless attempt to weather +a point of land, called by the Spaniards Cape +Tresmentes, were forced to return to Wager +Island, from whence they first set out, where +meeting with a Chiloen Indian, who could speak +a little Spanish, they agreed with him to pilot +them to Chiloe; but, after coasting along for +four days, the Captain and his officers being on +shore, five in number, the other six persuaded +the Indian to put to sea without them, by which +the rest were reduced to the sad necessity of travelling +near 600 miles, sometimes by land, and +sometimes by water, till at length, after a variety +of misfortunes and hardships not to be parallelled +in romance, four of them, namely, Captain +Cheap, the Hon. Mr. Byron, who lately +went round the world, Mr. Hamilton, and Mr. +Campbell, arrived at Chiloe, where they were +received by the Spaniards with great humanity. +After some stay at Chiloe, the Captain and his +three officers were sent to Valparaiso, and thence +to St. Jago, the capital of Chili, where they continued +<span class='pagenum'>300</span>above a year; but on advice of a cartel, +the Captain, Mr. Byron, and Mr. Hamilton, were +permitted to return to Europe; and Mr. Campbell, +who in the mean time had changed his religion, +chose to embark for Spain; but not meeting +there with the encouragement he expected, +he soon after returned to England, where he +published an account of his adventures, but +mentioned not a word of changing his religion, +neither does he assign his reason for leaving +Spain. +</p> +<p> +It is very remarkable, that the place where +the Wager struck upon the rock, was so near +the harbour where the Anne pink found shelter +during the winter, that the Wager’s people were +within hearing of the pink’s evening and morning +gun, yet never had the thought to follow +the sound, or to look out for any straggler from +their own squadron. +</p> +<p> +On the 22d, the Trial arrived from searching +the island of Little Fernandez, and reported +that it lies about 20 leagues due west from this +where we lay; that it is about three leagues in +compass, being very mountainous, with some +woods and good runs of water, with multitudes +of goats, fish, sea-lions, and seals, as with us; +but no ships were to be seen, nor any marks of +any having been there. +</p> +<p> +While we continued at Juan Fernandez, besides +our necessary employments, we likewise +began, and pretty far advanced, a wharf for the +better landing and embarking such necessaries +<span class='pagenum'>301</span>as we had occasion for. We kept two ovens +employed in baking bread for the ships companies, +two smith’s forges for repairing old +and fitting new iron-work, and made abundance +of charcoal for future use. The Commodore +likewise ordered the carpenters to take a careful +survey of the Anne pink, the master of which +set forth, that she was in so rotten a condition, +as not to be fit to proceed nor return without +very considerable repairs; which representation +upon a survey being found to be true, the Commodore +purchased her materials at a fair valuation, +and ordered her to be broke up, and her +crew to be put on board the Gloucester, that +ship not having hands enough left to navigate +her, much less to fight her, in case of an attack +from the enemy. +</p> +<p> +This island lies in latitude 33 deg. 40 min. S. +and longitude 87 deg. 37 min. W. from London; +distance from the main continent 105 +leagues; compass, by the best accounts of those +who had been round it, 12 or 13 leagues. There +are two small and very commodious bays within +the points, which form the large one where we +lay, one to the eastward, the other to the westward +of us, and no doubt several others in other +parts of the island; variation, by an observation +July 2, in the morning, 8 deg. 4. min. half E. +’Twas reported, that the S. W. end of the island +is much more flat and level than that where we +resided, and the goats more numerous, but +wood scarcer. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>302</span>On Tuesday, Sept. the 8th, at noon, we saw a +sail at sea bearing N. E. by E. and, perceiving +by our glasses that she could be none of our +squadron, nor an English-built ship, we fired a +gun as a signal for getting all our people on +board; and, having taken several men out of +the Trial, bent our sails, set up our rigging, +and slipt our small bower cable, at six in the +evening we weighed in pursuit of her. In the +morning of the next day we got down our +stumps, which are generally set up in bad weather +instead of top-gallant masts, and in their +place got up our top-gallant masts and yards, +rigged them, and bent their sails. At eleven +the same morning we mustered and quartered +the ship’s company. At noon the island of +Juan Fernandez bore W. half S. distance eight +leagues; the two next days we saw nothing of +the chace, nor any thing remarkable. +</p> +<p> +Saturday, Sept. 12, at five in the morning +we saw a sail to windward, which bore down towards +us, and at about two leagues distance she +hawled up the lee clue-garnet of her foresail, +shewed her Spanish colours, and fired a gun, +which we supposed to be a signal concerted between +her and others which came out in company +with her; but we not answering nor regarding +it, she hauled close on a wind and stood +from us, endeavouring to escape; upon which +we gave chace, and it proving sometimes hazy +and foggy, we were in danger of losing sight of +her. About nine in the morning we tacked, +<span class='pagenum'>303</span>and at noon coming within gun shot, we fired +five shot at her rigging to bring her to; but she +keeping on her course, we fired four more, on +which she struck her colours, and surrendered +without making any opposition. This ship happened +not to be the same we went out after. +She proved a rich merchant-ship, having on +board 18,000l. sterling in dollars and plate, with +some jewels, and abundance of gold and silver +twist; but the bulk of her cargo consisted in +sugars and bale goods, most of the latter European, +but some the produce of the country. +She was called the Nuestra Senora del Monte +Carmelo. She was of about 500 tons, was commanded +by Don Manuel Zamorra, and had on +board 13 passengers, most of them persons of +fortune, amongst whom was the son of the Governor +of the city of St. Jago, the capital of +Chili. She came from Callao, a port of Lima, +the capital of the empire of Peru, bound for +Valparaiso in Chili, where those ships annually +trade, exchanging silver in return for gold and +corn, the latter being very scarce in Peru. +Some of the prisoners informed us, that, if we +had taken her in her return from Chili to Peru, +we should have met with as much gold in her +as we had now found silver. She had in the +whole a-board her 67 persons, many of them +Indians and black slaves, who were afterwards +very useful to us in assisting towards the ship’s +duty. She had been 27 days from Callao, and +<span class='pagenum'>304</span>wanted not above two days sail to compleat her +voyage when we took her. +</p> +<p> +We found in this ship, on search among the +letters from some merchants in Lima to their +friends in Chili, an account of the fate of the +Spanish squadron which had been sent after us, +viz. that, in attempting to pass the Cape, they +had been forced to put back, after encountering +the most terrible storms and most pressing +famine, being reduced to two ounces of bread +and half a pint of water each man a day; that, +besides being grievously attacked by the scurvy, +which had made greater havock among them +than among us, their ships were almost entirely +disabled, their masts, sails, yards, rigging +and hulls in a manner shattered and torn to pieces; +that Admiral Pisarro, and one more of his squadron, +after having suffered the greatest extremities, +had got, with the utmost difficulty, to Buenos +Ayres, on the River Plate; that another of the +squadron, a ship of 70 guns, had been entirely +lost near Rio Grande, and that two more had +never been heard of; that on their return they +had seen two large ships pass by very near them, +which they supposed to be two ships of our +squadron, but the weather proving stormy, and +the sea running mountains high, they could not +interfere with or attack each other. Those +ships of ours we believed to be the Severn and +the Pearl, and hoped they were safely arrived +at some port of the Brazils. Those letters +came over land from Buenos Ayres to Lima, +<span class='pagenum'>305</span>and with them came others containing Admiral +Pisarro’s advice and instructions to the Viceroy +of Peru concerning us; wherein he told +him, that, though he himself had been forced +back in such a miserable condition, not having +above 80 or 100 of his men living, and his +ships in so ill a state, that, till sufficient reinforcements +could come to him from Old Spain, +he could not possibly come into those seas, yet +as the English were a stubborn and resolute people, +and daring enough to persist obstinately +in the most desperate undertakings, he did believe +some of us might possibly get round; but +as he experimentally knew what of necessity we +must have suffered in that dreadful passage, he +made no doubt but we should be in a very weak +and defenceless condition; he therefore advised +the Viceroy to fit out all the strength of shipping +he could, and send them to cruise at the island +of Juan Fernandez, where we must of necessity +touch to refresh our people, and to repair our +ships; and farther advised, that, in case of meeting +us, they should not stand to fight or cannonade +at a distance, in which possibly we might +have the advantage, or make our escape, but +should board us at once sword in hand; which +must, if well executed, in our weak condition, +infallibly prove the means of taking us. +</p> +<p> +This was a well-laid scheme, and in pursuance +of it the Viceroy equipt three ships at +Callao, one of 50, one of 30, and one of 20 +guns, all double manned with the choicest men +<span class='pagenum'>306</span>they could possibly procure, and sent them to +wait for us accordingly. Those ships arrived at +Juan Fernandez some time, I think, in May, +and continued till about June the 6th, when, +imagining that we must be either put back or +lost, they quitted their station, and sailed for the +port of Conception in Chili, and by this means +we luckily missed them: had it happened otherwise, +as we arrived there with only our single +ship, in such a defenceless condition, and had +they put their orders in execution with any +tolerable degree of resolution, we must in +all human probability have fallen into their +hands. +</p> +<p> +Our prisoners informed us further, that those +ships, during their cruise, had met with a storm, +in which they had received so much damage, +that it must be at least two months before they +could again be fit to go to sea. The whole of +this intelligence was as favourable as we could +have wished; and now we were at no loss to +account for the fresh marks we found at Juan +Fernandez, of that island’s having been lately +visited by some white people. +</p> +<p> +Sunday the 13th, having got on board most of +the prisoners of note, and all the silver, we +made sail for Juan Fernandez; and the weather +proving very moderate, at six in the evening +that island bore N. W. by N. at the distance of +five leagues. At three the next morning we +fired three guns, as a signal to the ships in the +bay. At four we anchored, got in our small +<span class='pagenum'>307</span>bower cable, which we had slipped at leaving the +place, and moored our ship. +</p> +<p> +The 15th we employed in watering, and setting +up our rigging, in order to pursue our +voyage. And this day, the Commodore being +informed that several merchant-ships were now +pursuing their trade without fear of any surprize, +the Trial was ordered out on a cruise, +and proceeded immediately. +</p> +<p> +The 16th we got up a new top-gallant-mast, +and wanting some cordage we were supplied +with it from the Gloucester. This and the following +days, until the 19th, we spent in getting +every thing ready for sea with the utmost expedition. +</p> +<p> +The 19th we sent 28 of our prisoners on +board the Gloucester, she being weakly manned, +and those prisoners being good sailors. We +likewise supplied the prize with two months +provisions of all sorts, at full allowance, for 20 +men; put all the guns belonging to the Anne +pink on board of her; and, having left orders +with Captain Mitchell, of the Gloucester, to +burn the pink, together with her useless stores, +and appointed him his station off the town of +Payta, which is the place where the ships between +Lima and Panama generally touch to deliver +part of their cargoes to be dispersed +through the inland parts of Peru, with orders +to sail to that station as soon as possible, we +weighed, and took leave of our winter residence, +in company with the prize, which the +<span class='pagenum'>308</span>Commodore had fitted up to cruise against the +enemy. +</p> +<p> +The 21st, at four in the evening, we had the +last sight of this island, it then bearing from us +W. by N. at the distance of 17 leagues. The +remaining days, until the 24th, we had variable +and uncertain weather, in which we split our +main-top-sail and fore-sail, and received some +other slight damage. +</p> +<p> +The 24th, at five in the evening, being somewhat +hazy, we saw two sail to windward, on +which we cleared ship, in order to be ready to +engage, the largest of the two ships bearing +down upon us. At seven she came so near, +that we haled her in Spanish, and she answered +in English, and told us, that she was a prize +taken by the Trial, and that her consort was +the Trial itself, which was very much disabled. +At 11 the next morning, there being a hard gale +and high sea, the Trial fired two guns as a signal +of distress, and bore away before the wind, +and we after her. The same day half an hour +past noon we spoke with the Trial, and found +she had sprung her main-mast, and that her +main-top-mast had come by the board: and as +we were all of us standing to the eastward next +morning, with a fresh gale at south, she had +the additional misfortune to spring her fore-mast; +so that now she had not a mast left. +This was a great obstruction; for now we had +intelligence by the Trial’s prize, that there were +many ships at sea richly laden, and that they +<span class='pagenum'>309</span>had no apprehensions of being attacked by us, +having received intelligence that our squadron +was either put back or destroyed. In the +course, therefore, of the 48 hours we were detained +in waiting upon the Trial, I am persuaded +we missed the taking many valuable +prizes. The result was, that a council being +called, and all the officers convened together +on board our ship, it was there concluded, that +in her present condition the Trial could be of +no farther service; and the Commodore, being +resolved to separate the ships, in order to cruise +upon the coast to the greatest advantage, gave +orders to Captain Charles Saunders, the Commander, +to burn the Trial, and in her room +commissioned the Trial’s prize for his Majesty’s +service, with the same Commander, officers, and +people. This ship, the Trial’s prize, was called +by the Spaniards the Nuestra Senora de Arinzazie; +but, being now commissioned for his Majesty’s +service, she was henceforth called the +Trial’s Prize. She was the largest ship we took +in those seas, being between five and six hundred +tons, and loaded with bale goods, sugar, +and other commodities, to a considerable value, +and about 5000l. in specie and wrought silver. +</p> +<p> +The 28th, at nine in the morning, we parted +with the Trial and both the prizes. +</p> +<p> +The 30th we saw the main land of Chili. +This day we began to exercise our people with +small arms, which was the first time we had +done it since we came into those seas, and which +<span class='pagenum'>310</span>we continued at all proper opportunities during +the voyage. +</p> +<p> +On the 1st of October we came in sight of +the high land of Valparaiso, bearing N. E. half +E. at the distance of about 14 leagues. This +city lies in the latitude of 32 deg. 58 min. S. +its longitude from London is by my account +80 deg. 37 min. W. +</p> +<p> +On the 5th, the Commodore, being informed +that there were murmurings amongst the people, +because the prize-money was not immediately +divided, ordered the articles of war to be +read; and after that remonstrated to them on the +danger of mutiny, and said he had heard the +reason of their discontent, but assured them their +properties were secured by act of parliament +as firmly as any one’s own inheritance, and +that the money, plate, &c. were weighed and +marked in public; so that any capable person, +if he pleased, might take an inventory of the +whole. He then read an account of the particulars, +and told them they might (if they +pleased) make choice of any person to take an +inventory for them, or buy their parts. This +spread a visible joy, and gave content to every +one. We continued cruising off the coast of +Valparaiso till the 8th, when at twelve at night +we broke the main-top-sail-yard in the slings, +on which we unbent the top-sail and got down +the broken yard. At ten in the morning we +saw the high land of Choapa, and over it the +Cordillera mountains, being part of that long +<span class='pagenum'>311</span>ridge of mountains called the Andes, which +run from one end of South America to the +other, appearing excessively high, with their tops +covered with snow. +</p> +<p> +The 14th we crossed the south Tropic to the +northward, and from this time, till we were +some degrees to the northward of the Equator, +met with nothing but fair weather and a smooth +sea. +</p> +<p> +The 21st, at noon, the high land of Morro +Quemado bore E. by N. at the distance of four +leagues; and here we continued cruising off +and on till Nov. 2, when, about six in the +morning, we saw two sail of ships standing towards +us; upon which we made a clear ship, +and immediately gave them chace, when we +soon perceived that they were the Trial and +Centurion prizes. As we had the wind of them, +we brought to, and waited their coming up, +when Captain Saunders came on board, and acquainted +the Commodore that he had cleared +the Trial pursuant to his orders, and having +scuttled her, he remained by her till she sunk; +but that it was not till the 4th of October before +this was effected, by reason of the great +swell and hollow sea; that, during his attendance +on the sloop, they were all driven so far +to leeward, that they were afterwards obliged +to stretch a long way to the westward, to regain +the ground they had lost; that in their cruise +they had met no prize, nor had seen any vessel +on all the coast. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>312</span>Nov. the 3d, at five in the evening, the island +of Asia, in lat. 13 deg. 5 min. S. long. 84 deg. +43 min. W. bore from us N. E. by E. distance +five leagues. +</p> +<p> +The 5th, at four in the evening, we saw the +high land of Barranca, bearing N. E. by E. +distant eight or nine leagues; and half an hour +after we saw a sail to the northward, to whom +we gave chace, and cleared our ship for engaging. +At 10 in the evening we came up with +her, fired eight guns, and took her. She came +from Guaiaquil, and was bound for Callao, with +timber, cacao, cordage, tobacco, cacao-nuts, and +a small trunk with bale goods; all of little value +to us, though a very considerable loss to the +Spaniards. She was called the Santa Teresa, +commanded by Don Bartolo Urrunaga, with +between 30 and 40 people on board, passengers +included, and five or six women, besides children. +Our Third Lieutenant, two other officers, and a +party of sailors, were sent on board to command +and take care of her; and our other prizes being +far a-stern, occasioned by our chasing this ship, +we lay by till four the next morning, and fired +a gun every hour as a signal for their joining us. +This day I find, by the difference of our dead +reckoning and observations, a current to set along +this coast to the northward of near a mile +an hour. +</p> +<p> +The 7th, we were employed in getting aboard +several necessary stores, as planks, cordage, and +the like, from our last prize, for the use of the +<span class='pagenum'>313</span>squadron. The sea here appeared for several +miles of a blood-red colour, which the prisoners +informed us was common in those parts, and of +which mention has been made more than once +already in this work. This day we found aboard +the prize, in specie and plate, 50 pounds averdupois +weight. +</p> +<p> +The 9th, we brought from on board the Teresa +10 serons of cacao, one of wax, and 180 fathom +of three and a half rope. +</p> +<p> +The 10th, we brought from on board our first +prize the Carmelo, the following goods, viz. +cloth two bales, bays five ditto, sugar 182 loaves, +straw mats two, tar one skin, raisins three bales, +indigo four serons, cotton cloth one bale, hats +two cases, and 25 loose ones, skins one parcel, +chocolate one bag, camlet one bale and two +parcels, silks one box, lead four pigs, and combs +one small parcel. +</p> +<p> +The 12th, at five in the morning, we saw a +sail, to which we gave chace; but there being +very little wind, we manned and armed our +barge, pinnace, and the Trial’s pinnace, and +sent them to take her, and at eight they boarded +and took her, and brought her to us at half an +hour past 10. She was called the Carmen, commanded +by Signior Marcus Marina, and came +out of Payta the day before, bound to Callao, +laden with iron and cloth, being a very valuable +cargo. We found on board an Irishman, named +John Williams, who pretended himself a prisoner +amongst them, and with much seeming +<span class='pagenum'>314</span>joy entered with us. He informed us, that, amongst +other ships in the port of Payta, they +left in the road a bark which was taking in +400,000 dollars, with which she would sail for +Panama in a day or two at farthest; and the +Spanish prisoners being examined, and confirming +the intelligence, and farther giving some account +of the strength of the place, the Commodore +resolved to attack it this very night, and +made preparations accordingly. Mr. Thomas +Simmers, mate of our ship, with one midshipman +and about 10 or 11 men, were sent to command +and take care of this last prize. At four +in the afternoon, Point Nonura bore E. by S. +half S. distant eight leagues. At 10 at night, +we sent our barge, pinnace, and Trial’s pinnace, +to attack the town of Payta by surprize. They +had 49 men well armed, and were commanded +by the Lieutenants Brett, Dennis, and Hughes, +who had orders, if possible, to secure the Governor +of Payta, and send him prisoner on board, +in order by that means to procure a supply of +provisions, and a ransom for the town. Half an +hour after 11 we sounded, and found 43 fathom +water, the ground mud, the island of Lobos +bearing N. N. E. at the distance of three or +four miles. At seven in the morning, Point +Onado, being the point that forms the bay of +Payta, bore S. S. E. two miles distant; and the +town of Payta at the same time began to open +in a direct line with it, distant about four miles; +soon after which we saw our British colours flying +<span class='pagenum'>315</span>on the castle. At 10, the Trial’s boat came +on board, loaded with gold and silver, corn, +wrought plate, jewels, and rich moveables. +They informed us, that they took the town +about two in the morning; and that, though +the Spaniards had some time before been apprized +of our intent, they yet made a very faint +resistance, having fired but two guns from their +castle before our men landed, and a few small +arms afterwards, when they all quitted the town +with the greatest precipitation. The Governor +and his family made their escape in so much +haste, that his lady was handed out of a window +with no other cloaths to cover her but her shift. +All the inhabitants fled in the like confusion, except +some negro women and children. In this +action we lost one man, Peter Obrian, the Commodore’s +steward, who was shot through the breast +by a musquet-ball; and had two wounded, to +wit, Arthur Lusk, a quarter-master, and the +Spanish pilot of the Teresa, whom we had made +use of as a guide; the first through the fleshy +part of the arm near the shoulder, the second +through the wrist, but neither dangerously: and +I have had it reported from several officers then +on shore, that our men ran to the attack, and +fired in so irregular a manner, that it was, and +still remains a doubt, whether those were not +shot by our people rather than by the enemy. +</p> +<p> +The town of Payta, at the time of the attack, +had a fort with eight guns mounted, which commanded +the town and harbour; and the balcony +<span class='pagenum'>316</span>of the Governor’s house, which again commanded +that fort, together with several other houses, +was lined with armed men, of which there might +be about 400 in the town; but these people +having enjoyed a long peace, and being enervated +by the luxury so customary in those parts, +their arms in a bad condition, and no person of +experience or courage to head them, it is no +wonder that they made so small a resistance, and +were all driven out of the town in less than half +an hour by only 49 men; but I believe the noise +of two drums which we made use of, together +with the suddenness of the surprize, contributed +to intimidate them, and facilitated our success. +</p> +<p> +On our getting possession of the castle, our +commanding-officer very inconsiderately ordered +the guns to be thrown over the walls, which +accordingly was executed; but some time after +reflecting on the ill consequence which might +attend that proceeding, he ordered two of them +to be got up and re-mounted. +</p> +<p> +At 11, our barge came on board, loaded with +money, plate, and jewels. This town contains +about 140 or 150 houses; there are in it two +churches, which, together with the Governor’s +house and castle, are the only remarkable buildings. +There are several large store-houses full +of rich European, Asian, and American goods, all +which were destroyed when we set the town on +fire; of which in its place. The town lies in +latitude 5 deg. 3 min. S. and longitude from +London 88 deg. 48 min. W. This afternoon +<span class='pagenum'>317</span>we employed ourselves in getting off the plunder, +and provisions of hogs and fowls, which +were here in great plenty. In the evening we +anchored in 10 fathom water, the town bearing +from us S. by E. half E. at about three miles +distance, not being able to get farther in, by +reason of the flaws of wind from off the land. +</p> +<p> +From this time to the 15th we were employed +in getting on board the plunder, which chiefly +consisted of rich brocades, laced cloaths, bales of +fine linens and woolens, Britannia’s, slays, and +the like; together with a great number of hogs, +some sheep and fowls, cases of Spanish brandies +and wines, a great quantity of onions, olives, +sweet-meats, and many other things too tedious +to name; all which the sailors hoped would have +been equally divided among the ships companies, +but they found themselves disappointed. +</p> +<p> +We found in the road, one ship, two snows, +one schooner, and two quarter-gallies, all which +we took possession of. The 14th, in the morning, +we saw a bark-log, as they call it, being a +sort of raft made of the stumps of trees fastened +together, overlaid with poles, and covered with +small twigs twined mat-wise, with several people +in her coming along shore from the southward. +She had a sort of mast and sail in her, +and at first sight we knew not what to make of +her; and none of our own boats being on board, +we sent the Carmen’s boat, with Mr. Langdon, +a midshipman, who commanded in the second +place on board that ship, and some armed people, +<span class='pagenum'>318</span>to pursue them, who perceiving it put on +shore, and made their escape over the rocks. +Mr. Langdon took their bark-log, which he +found to be laden with dried fish, which we +suppose they were carrying to Payta for a market. +This evening the Spaniards, who had all +along appeared in great numbers from the hills, +and were now considerably increased, making a +shew of warlike preparations, as if they designed +in the night to attack our people in the town, +they thereupon barricaded the streets, and +kept very strict watches, to prevent a surprize. +Several negroes delivered themselves up, +desiring to be made prisoners, that they might +have some food, and more especially water, to +keep them from perishing; for the country +thereabouts being for many miles round quite +barren and sandy, without either water or any +other thing necessary for life, and the nearest +town to them, named as I think Sancta Cruz, +whence relief might be got, being a day and a +half or two days journey off, the people who +had left the town were in a starving condition, +and we had melancholy accounts of several dying +among them for want chiefly of water during +our small stay; and yet so greatly were they +infatuated or frightened, that they never offered +to treat for the ransom of the place, which if they +had done, I believe it would not have been destroyed; +in which case, they might have secured +to themselves not only their habitations, but +provisions and water enough (till they could +<span class='pagenum'>319</span>have got a fresh recruit), which we should on +that condition have readily left them. +</p> +<p> +The town seems to be very unhappily situated +on that and some other accounts, they having +no water but what is brought them by land-carriage +from several leagues off; so that they +are obliged to keep very considerable quantities +by them in earthen jars, not only for their own +use, but for the ships who frequently touch here, +where they likewise often unload, and take in fresh +cargoes. They are in the same case as to grain, +bread, and almost all other necessaries of life; +and lie so open to an enemy, that the town has +been often taken and ruined by the English, +Dutch, and French; all which inconveniences, +one would imagine, should tempt them to change +their situation: but then the conveniency of their +trade is so great, being the only proper place they +can pitch on for a mart between Panama and +Peru, that they prefer this lucrative convenience +to all other considerations. +</p> +<p> +Among the slaves who had desired to be entertained +in our service, was one, who, having +been a slave in Jamaica, had on the death of his +master obtained his liberty, and thereupon entered +himself a servant to one of the South-Sea +Company’s factors, whom he accompanied to +Porto Bello and Panama, and there got into the +service of a Spanish gentleman, who took a great +fancy to him, and with whom he went to Lima +in Peru, where this master likewise dying left +him a very considerable legacy; but the power +<span class='pagenum'>320</span>being now in the hands of his executors, they +not only defrauded him of this legacy, but made +him a slave a second time. He was now at +Payta with one of his new masters, on his passage +from Lima to Panama, when he took this +opportunity to come over to us; and being a +very handy fellow, and accustomed to wait on +gentlemen, he was immediately taken into the +Commodore’s service, came with us into England, +and, I believe, continued with him till his +death. This person gave us some information +of the designs of the Spaniards on shore, and +told us we had killed one or two of them, and +wounded several others; but this account was +never, that I know of, farther confirmed. +</p> +<p> +The 15th, in the morning, we sent on shore +all our Spanish, and several of our Indian prisoners, +keeping all the blacks and some of the +Indians, to assist in working the ships, &c. To +the blacks, who were all or most of them slaves, +was promised their liberty in England, in case +they would stand by and assist us against our +enemies the Spaniards; which they all promised +very cordially: but we could soon discover, +that, notwithstanding their seeming condescension, +most of them would have much rather continued +in the service of their old masters, than +fail to accept of liberty with us; not that I believe +those people were in love with slavery, or +would not willingly have had their liberty, but +then it must be on their own terms, the Spaniards +in those parts being in great awe of the +<span class='pagenum'>321</span>Indians, whom, though they have subdued, and +seem to have incorporated among them, they dare +not trust, but keep these blacks as guards, and +use them well. The truth is, those Indians have +still preserved, by tradition from father to son, +the memory of the great cruelties which the first +Spaniards exercised in those parts, and are angry +enough at their present hard usage. They look +on themselves as the natural lords of the country, +and the Spaniards as covetous intruders, +and cruel inhuman tyrants; and want only opportunity +to make them sensible of their resentment, +and to recover their lost country and liberty. +’Tis on this account that the Spaniards +are very kind to their black slaves, whom they +cherish and encourage highly, and look on them +in the same light of a standing militia, always +ready to arm against those Indians; so that, +though the negroes in all other plantations in +the West-Indies are ever ready for revolts and +rebellions, these, on the contrary, are always ready +to defend their kind masters with their lives. +In effect they live very easy, are favoured by +the Spaniards, and scorn and insult the poor Indians, +who in return hate and detest both them +and their masters; that being all that is left in +their power. +</p> +<p> +This day an order was given to Mr. Brett, the +then commanding-officer on shore, to burn and +destroy the town entirely, the two churches, +which stood a little out of the way of the rest, +only excepted; the Spaniards, as has been already +<span class='pagenum'>322</span>said, never having made any advance towards +treating for its ransom. +</p> +<p> +But now, before I entirely quit the relation of +our transactions at this place, it may, perhaps, be +expected, that I should give a more particular +account of the booty we made, and of the loss +the Spaniards sustained. I have already observed, +that there were great quantities of valuable +effects in the town; but, as most of them were +what we could neither dispose of, nor carry away, +the total of this merchandize can only be rudely +guessed at. The Spaniards, in their representations +sent to the Court of Madrid (as we were +afterwards assured), estimated their whole loss at +a million and a half of dollars; and when it is +considered, that no small part of the goods we +left behind us, were of the richest and most expensive +species, as broad-cloths, silks, cambrics, +velvets, &c. I cannot but think their valuation +sufficiently moderate. +</p> +<p> +As to ourselves, the acquisition we made, +though inconsiderable in comparison of what we +destroyed, was yet far from despicable; for the +wrought plate, dollars, and other coin, which +fell into our hands, amounted to upwards of +30,000l. besides several rings, bracelets, and +jewels, whose intrinsic value we could not then +estimate: and over and above all this, the plunder, +which became the property of the immediate +captors, was very great; so that, upon the whole, +it was by much the most important booty we +met with upon that coast. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>323</span>There remains still another matter to be related, +which on account of the signal honour +which our national character in those parts has +thence received, and the reputation which our +Commodore in particular has thereby acquired, +merits a distinct and circumstantial discussion. +I have already observed, that all the prisoners +taken by us were, before our departure, put on +shore, and discharged, amongst whom there +were some persons of considerable distinction, +especially a youth of about 17 years of age, son +of the Vice-president of the Council of Chili. As +the barbarity of the buccaniers, and the artful +uses the ecclesiastics had made of it, had filled +the natives of those countries with the most terrible +ideas of English cruelty, we always found +our prisoners, at their first coming on board us, +to be extremely dejected, and under great horror +and anxiety; particularly this youth, who, +having never been from home before, lamented +his captivity in the most moving manner, regretting, +in very plaintive terms, his parents, his brothers, +his sisters, and his native country; of all +which, he was fully persuaded, he had taken his +last farewel, believing that he was now devoted +for the remaining part of his life to an abject +and cruel servitude. Indeed, his companions on +board, and all the Spaniards that came into our +power, had the same desponding opinion of their +situation. Mr. Anson constantly exerted his utmost +endeavours to efface those terrifying impressions +they had received of us, always taking +<span class='pagenum'>324</span>care, that as many of the principal people among +them as there was room for should dine at his +table by turns; and giving the most peremptory +orders, too, that they should always be treated +with the utmost decency and humanity: but, +notwithstanding this precaution, it was generally +observed, that for the first day or two they did +not quit their fears, suspecting the gentleness of +their usage to be only preparatory to some unthought-of +calamity. However, being at length +convinced of our sincerity, they grew perfectly +easy in their situation, and remarkably chearful; +so that it was often disputable, whether or no +they considered their being detained by us as a +misfortune: for the youth I have above mentioned, +who was near two months on board us, +had at last so far conquered his melancholy surmises, +and had taken such an affection to Mr. +Anson, that it is doubtful to me, whether, if his +own opinion had been asked, he would not have +preferred a voyage to England in the Centurion, +to the being set on shore at Payta, where he was +at liberty to return to his country and friends. +</p> +<p> +This conduct of the Commodore to his prisoners, +which was continued without interruption +or deviation, gave them all the highest idea of +his humanity and benevolence, and occasioned +them, likewise, (as mankind are fond of forming +general opinions) to entertain very favourable +thoughts of the whole English nation. But +whatever they might be disposed to think of +Mr. Anson before the capture of the Teresa, +<span class='pagenum'>325</span>their veneration for him was prodigiously increased +by his conduct towards the ladies whom +he took in that vessel; for, being informed +that there were among them a mother and two +daughters of exquisite beauty, who were of +quality, he not only gave orders that they +should be left in full possession of their own +apartments, but also forbid, on the severest penalties, +any of the common people on board +from approaching them; and, that they might +be the more certain of having these orders complied +with, or of having the means of complaining +if they were not, he permitted the +pilot, who in Spanish ships is generally the second +person on board, to stay with them as +a guardian and protector. These were measures +that seemed so different from what might have +been expected from an enemy and an heretic, +that the Spaniards on board, though they had +themselves experienced his beneficence, were surprized +at this new instance of it; and the more +so, as all this was done without solicitation, and +without the interposition of one friend to intercede +in their favour. The ladies were so sensible +of the obligations they owed him for the +care and attention with which he protected +them, that they absolutely refused to go on +shore at Payta, till they had been permitted to +wait on him on board the Centurion to return +him thanks in person. Indeed, all the prisoners +left us with the strongest assurances of their +grateful remembrance of his uncommon treatment: +<span class='pagenum'>326</span>a jesuit, in particular, whom the Commodore +had taken, and who was an ecclesiastic +of some distinction, could not help expressing +himself with great thankfulness for the civilities +he and his countrymen had found on +board, declaring that he should consider it as his +duty to do Mr. Anson justice at all times, adding +that his usage of the men prisoners was such as +could never be forgotten, and such as he should +never fail to acknowledge upon all occasions; +but that his behaviour to the ladies was so extraordinary, +and so extremely honourable, that +he doubted if all the regard due to his own +ecclesiastical character would be sufficient to +render it credible. Indeed, we were afterwards +informed, that he and the rest of our prisoners +had not been silent on this head; but that, both +at Lima and at other places, they had given the +greatest encomiums to our Commodore; that +the jesuit, in particular, as we were told, on his +account, interpreted in a lax and hypothetical +sense, that article of his church which asserts +the impossibility of heretics being saved.⁠—But +to return: +</p> +<p> +After we had finished our business, set +the town in flames, and got the treasure on +board, Mr. Brett, the officer who commanded +the attack, having collected his men together, +was directing his march towards the beach +where the boats waited to take them on board, +when the Spaniards on the hill behind the +town, observing his retreat, resolved to try if +<span class='pagenum'>327</span>they could not precipitate his departure, and +thereby lay some foundation for future boasting. +To this end a party of horse, all picked men +singled out for this daring enterprize, marched +down the hill with much seeming resolution; so +that, had we not entertained a just opinion of +their prowess, we might have imagined, that, +now we were upon the open beach, with no +advantages of situation, they would certainly +have charged us: but we presumed, and we +were not mistaken, that all this was mere ostentation; +for, notwithstanding the pomp and parade +they at first came on with, Mr. Brett had +no sooner ordered his men to halt and face about, +than the enemy stopt their career, and +never dared to advance a step farther. +</p> +<p> +When our people arrived at their boats and +were ready to go on board, they were for some +time retarded by missing one of their number; +and being unable, on their mutual enquiries among +each other, to inform themselves where +he was left, or by what accident detained, they, +after a considerable delay, resolved to get into +their boats and to depart without him: but, +when the last man was actually embarked, and +the boats were just putting off, they heard him +calling to them to take him in. The place +was by this time so thoroughly on fire, and the +smoke covered the beach so effectually, that +they could scarcely discern him, though they +heard his voice. However, the Lieutenant instantly +ordered one of the boats to his relief, +<span class='pagenum'>328</span>who found him up to the chin in water, for he +had waded as far as he durst, being extremely +frightened with the apprehensions of falling into +the hands of an enemy, enraged, as they doubtless +were, at the pillage and destruction of their +town. On enquiring into the cause of his staying +behind, it was found that he had taken that +morning too large a dose of brandy, which had +thrown him into so sound a sleep, that he did not +awake till the fire came near enough to scorch +him. He was strangely amazed, at first opening +his eyes, to see the houses on a blaze on one +side, and several Spaniards and Indians not far +from him on the other. The greatness and suddenness +of his fright instantly reduced him into +a state of sobriety, and gave him sufficient presence +of mind to push through the thickest of +the smoke, as the likliest means to escape the +enemy; and, making the best of his way to the +beach, he ran as far into the water as he durst +(for he could not swim), before he ventured to +look back. +</p> +<p> +By the time our people had helped their comrade +out of the water, and were making the best +of their way to the squadron, the flames had +taken possession of every part of the town, and +burnt so furiously, both by means of the combustibles +that had been distributed for that purpose, +and by the slightness of the materials of which +the houses were composed, and their aptitude to +take fire, that it was sufficiently apparent no efforts +of the enemy (though they flocked down +<span class='pagenum'>329</span>in great numbers) could possibly put a stop to +it, or prevent the entire destruction of the place, +and all the merchandize contained therein. Mr. +Brett had the curiosity to delineate its appearance, +together with that of the ships in the harbour, +as may be seen in the Plate. +</p> +<p> +Our detachment having now safely joined the +squadron, the Commodore prepared to leave the +place the same evening. At seven, Cape Blanco, +in lat. 4 deg. 28 min. S. and long. 88 deg. 16 +min. W. from London, bore from us S. S. E. +half E. about seven or eight miles distant. This +afternoon and the next day we were employed +in taking the most useful and valuable things +out of the Santa Teresa and the Payta bark: we +likewise designing to take every necessary thing +which we conveniently could out of the Santa +Teresa, in order to destroy her, and bring our +strength into a less compass, we took her in tow, +and set the Payta bark on fire with the same view. +The next day we destroyed the Santa Teresa in +the same manner, having got out of them both +some anchors, cables, hawsers, yards, and top-masts, +blocks, bales of goods, and several other +necessaries. +</p> +<p> +The 17th at three in the afternoon, the Gloucester, +with a prize of hers in tow, joined us. +This prize was called the Del Oro, and was +chiefly laden with wine; however, out of her +and a small boat which they took going along +shore, they got, in gold, silver, and wrought +plate, to about the value of 17 or 18,000l. +<span class='pagenum'>330</span>These two were all the prizes the Gloucester +took in those seas. +</p> +<p> +On board this prize of the Gloucester were +two horses, which being, I suppose, fat, and +probably better food than their salt beef or +pork, they killed and eat them; and this, I +imagine, gave ground to that fiction which one +of the spurious accounts of our voyage has given, +of our eagerly hunting and eating wild +horses, whereas in reality we never saw nor +heard of a wild horse during the voyage. +</p> +<p> +The Gloucester had chaced two or three ships +which had escaped her, and one of those touched +at Payta; and though they could give no +certain account that the ship which had chaced +them was an enemy, yet the circumstances they +gave were so strong, that it put the people of +Payta upon securing their treasure, and the best +of their effects, not caring to be too well provided +for the profit of such unwelcome visitants. +</p> +<p> +The 21st, at half past five in the morning, +we saw the island of Plata, so called from Sir +Francis Drake’s having, as it is said, divided the +treasure he took in the South Seas at this place. +At two this afternoon the port of Manta bore +S. E. by E. distant about eight or nine leagues. +We at this time sent six months provisions on +board the Carmen; and all the ships had orders, +in case of separation, for several rendezvouses on +the coast of Mexico, or, in case of not meeting +there, to make the best of their way to Macao, +<span class='pagenum'>331</span>in China, where they were to await the arrival +of the Commodore. +</p> +<p> +The 22d, a division was made of the plunder +of Payta, and the Commodore not appearing in +that affair, it was done at the pleasure, and to +the entire satisfaction, of five or six (no doubt) +very disinterested officers and, indeed, most +things of this nature, during the course of the +voyage being managed with the same discretion +and honour, no room was left for complaining +of particular partialities. +</p> +<p> +Here, however, we cannot help remarking a +very considerable difference between the relation +given by Pascoe Thomas, and that given by Mr. +Walters; the former having asserted, that the +Commodore did <em>not</em> interfere in the distribution; +the latter, that it was by his prudent management, +that a jealousy, which had arisen between +those who were the real captors, and those who +remained on board the ship, was accommodated. +Mr. Walters’ account will set this matter in a +true light: “And now, says he, (while the ships +lay-to, in hopes of joining the Gloucester,) a jealousy, +which had taken its rise at Payta, between +those who had been commanded on shore for the +attack, and those who had continued on board, +grew to such a height, that the Commodore, being +made acquainted with it, thought it necessary +to interpose his authority to oppose it. The +ground of this animosity was the plunder gotten +at Payta, which those who had acted on shore +had appropriated to themselves, considering it +<span class='pagenum'>332</span>as a reward for the risques they had run, and +the resolution they had shewn in that service. +But those who had remained on board looked +on this as a very partial and unjust procedure, +urging, that, had it been left to their choice, +they should have preferred the acting on shore +to the continuing on board; that their duty +while their comrades were on shore was extremely +fatiguing, for, besides the labour of the +day, they were constantly under arms all night, +to secure the prisoners, whose numbers exceeded +their own, and of whom it was then necessary +to be extremely watchful, to prevent any attempts +they might have formed in that critical +conjuncture: that, upon the whole, it could not +be denied, but that the presence of a sufficient +force on board was as necessary to the success of +the enterprize, as the action of the others on +shore; and, therefore, those who had continued +on board maintained, that they could not be deprived +of their share of the plunder without manifest +injustice. These were the contests amongst +our men, which were carried on with great heat +on both sides; and, though the plunder in question +was a very trifle in comparison of the treasure +taken in the place (in which there was no +doubt but those on board had an equal right), +yet as the obstinacy of sailors is not always regulated +by the importance of the matter in dispute, +the Commodore thought it necessary to +put a stop to this ferment betimes. Accordingly, +the morning after our leaving Payta, he ordered +<span class='pagenum'>333</span>all hands upon the quarter-deck, where +addressing himself to those who had been detached +on shore, he commended their behaviour, +and thanked them for their services on that occasion; +but then, representing to them the reasons +urged by those who had continued on board, +for an equal distribution of the plunder, he told +them, that he thought these reasons very conclusive, +and that the expectations of their comrades +were justly founded; and therefore, he insisted, +that, not only the men, but all the officers +likewise who had been employed in taking the +place, should produce the whole of their plunder +immediately upon the quarter-deck, and that +it should be impartially divided amongst the +whole crew, in proportion to each man’s rank +and commission; and, to prevent those who had +been in possession of the plunder from murmuring +at this diminution of their share, the Commodore +added, that, as an encouragement to +others who might be hereafter employed on like +services, he would give his entire share to be +distributed amongst those who had been detached +for the attack of the place. Thus, this +troublesome affair, which, if permitted to have +gone on, might, perhaps, have been attended +with mischievous consequences, was, by the +Commodore’s prudence, soon appeased, to the +general satisfaction of the ship’s company: not +but there were some few whose selfish dispositions +were uninfluenced by the justice of this +procedure, and who were incapable of discerning +<span class='pagenum'>334</span>the force of equity, however glaring, when +it tended to deprive them of any part of what +they had once got into their hands.” +</p> +<p> +Being now joined by the Gloucester and her +prize, it was resolved that we should stand to +the northward, and make the best of our way +either to Cape St. Lucas on California, or to +Cape Corientes on the coast of Mexico. Indeed, +the Commodore, when at Juan Fernandez, +had determined to touch in the neighbourhood +of Panama, and to endeavour to +get some correspondence over land with the +fleet under the command of Admiral Vernon; +for when we departed from England, we left a +large force at Portsmouth, which was intended +to be sent to the West Indies, there to be employed +in an expedition against some of the +Spanish settlements. And Mr. Anson, taking +it for granted that this enterprize had succeeded, +and that Porto Bello perhaps might be then +garrisoned by British troops, he hoped that, on +his arrival at the isthmus, he should easily procure +an intercourse with our countrymen on the +other side, either by the Indians, who were +greatly disposed in our favour, or even by the +Spaniards themselves, some of whom for proper +rewards might be induced to carry on this +intelligence; which, after it was once begun, +might be continued with very little difficulty; +so that Mr. Anson flattered himself, that he +might by this means have received a reinforcement +of men from the other side, and that, by +<span class='pagenum'>335</span>settling a prudent plan of operations with our +Commanders in the West Indies, he might have +taken even Panama itself, which would have +given to the British nation the possession of that +isthmus, whereby we should have been in effect +masters of all the treasures of Peru. +</p> +<p> +Such were the projects which the Commodore +revolved in his thoughts, at the island of +Juan Fernandez, notwithstanding the feeble +condition to which he was then reduced; but +in examining the papers which were found on +board the Carmelo, the first prize we took, we +learned, that our attempt against Carthagena +had failed, and that there was no probability +that our fleet in that part of the world would +engage in any new enterprize that would at all +facilitate this plan. Mr. Anson therefore gave +over all hopes of being reinforced across the +isthmus, and consequently had no inducement +at present to proceed to Panama, as he was incapable +of attacking the place, and there was +great reason to believe that, by this time, there +was a general embargo on all the coast. +</p> +<p> +The only feasible measure, then, which was +left us, was to steer as soon as possible to the +southern parts of California, or to the adjacent +coast of Mexico, there to cruise for the Manilla +galleon, which we knew was now at sea, bound +to the port of Acapulco; and we doubted not +but to get on that station time enough to intercept +her: but there was a business which we foresaw +would occasion some delay, and that was the +<span class='pagenum'>336</span>recruiting our water, it being impossible to +think of venturing upon this passage to the +coast of Mexico till we had procured a fresh +supply. It was for some time a matter of deliberation, +where we should take in this necessary +article; but, by consulting the accounts of +former navigators, and examining our prisoners, +we at last resolved for the island of Quibo, +situated at the mouth of the bay of Panama. Nor +was it but on good grounds that the Commodore +conceived this to be the properest place for watering +the squadron. Indeed, there was a small +island called Cocos, which was less out of our +way than Quibo, where some of the buccaniers +had pretended to find water; but none of our +prisoners knew any thing of it, and it was +thought too dangerous to risque the safety of the +squadron, by exposing ourselves to the hazard +of not meeting with water when we came there, +on the mere authority of those legendary writers, +of whose misrepresentations and falsities we had +almost daily experience. Determined, therefore, +to take in water at Quibo, we directed +our course northward, being eight sail in company, +and consequently having the appearance +of a very formidable fleet; and on the 19th, at +day-break, we discovered Cape Blanco, bearing +S. S. E. half E. seven miles distant. By this +time we found that our last prize, the Solidad, +was far from answering the character given of +her as a good sailor; and she and the Santa Teresa +delaying us considerably, the Commodore +<span class='pagenum'>337</span>commanded them to be cleared of every thing +that might prove useful to the rest of the ships, +and then to be burnt. And having given proper +instructions, and appointed a rendezvous to +the Gloucester, and to the prizes, in case of +separation, we proceeded in our course for +Quibo. +</p> +<p> +On the 25th, Point Manta bore S. E. by E. +at seven miles distance, and there being a town +of the same name in the neighbourhood, Captain +Mitchell in the Gloucester took the opportunity +of setting on shore several of his prisoners. +The boats were now daily employed in distributing +provisions on board the prizes, to compleat +their stock for six months; and that the +Centurion might be the better prepared to give +the Manilla ship a warm reception, if happily +she should fall in our way, the carpenters were +ordered to fix eight stocks on the main and +fore tops, which were properly fitted for the +mounting of swivel guns. +</p> +<p> +On the 25th we had sight of the island of +Gallo; and from hence we crossed the bay of +Panama, shaping our course in a direct line for +Quibo. Here we found, in a few days, a very +considerable alteration in the climate; for, instead +of that uniform temperature where neither +the excess of heat or cold was prevalent, we had +now close and sultry weather, like that we met +with on the coast of Brazil. We had, besides, +frequent calms and heavy rains, which we at +first ascribed to the neighbourhood of the Line, +<span class='pagenum'>338</span>where this kind of weather is observed to obtain +at all seasons of the year; but, finding that it +attended us for more than seven degrees of +north latitude, we began to suspect that the +stormy season, or, as the Spaniards call it, the +Vandewals, was not yet past; though many +writers, particularly Captain Shelvock, assert, +that this season begins in June, and ends in +November: but, perhaps, its end may not be +always regular. +</p> +<p> +On the 27th, Captain Mitchell having cleared +his largest prize, she was likewise set on fire; +and now our fleet consisted only of five ships, +and we were fortunate enough to find them all +good sailors. On the 3d of December we had +a view of the island of Quibo, the east end of +which bore from us N. N. W. four leagues distant, +and the island of Quicara W. N. W. at +about the same distance. When we had thus +got sight of land, we found the wind to hang +westerly; and therefore, night coming on, we +thought it advisable to stand off till morning, +as there are said to be some shoals at the entrance +of the channel. At six the next morning, +Point Marrato bore N. E. half N. three +or four leagues distant. In weathering this +point, all the squadron, except the Centurion, +were very near it; and the Gloucester, being +the leeward-most ship, was forced to tack and +stand to the southward; so that we lost sight of +her; and, the wind proving unfavourable, we +saw her no more till we quitted the island. At +<span class='pagenum'>339</span>seven in the evening we anchored in the Canal +Bueno, or Good Channel, which is at least six +miles in breadth, muddy ground. Next morning +an officer was dispatched on shore to discover +the watering-place, who, having found +it, returned before noon; and then we sent our +long-boat for a load of water, and at the same +time weighed and stood further in with our +ships, for the convenience of being sooner supplied; +so that we were little more than two days +in laying in all the wood and water we wanted. +Whilst the ship continued here at anchor, the +Commodore, attended by some of his officers, +went in a boat to examine a bay which lay to +the northward, and they afterwards ranged all +along the eastern side of the island. In the +places where they put on shore, in the course +of this expedition, they generally found the +soil to be rich, and met with great plenty of +excellent water. In particular, near the north-east +point of the island, they discovered a natural +cascade, which surpassed, as they conceived, +every thing of this kind which human art had +ever yet produced. It was a river of transparent +water, about 40 yards wide, which rolled +down a declivity of near 150 feet in length. +The channel itself was very irregular, intirely +composed of rocks, both its sides and bottom +being made up of large detached blocks, and +by these the course of the water was frequently +interrupted; for in some parts it ran sloping +with a rapid but uniform motion, whilst in +<span class='pagenum'>340</span>others it tumbled over ledges of rocks with a +perpendicular descent. On the neighbourhood +of this stream was a fine wood; and even the +huge masses of rock which over-hung the water, +and which by their various projections +formed the inequalities of the channel, were +covered with lofty forest trees. Whilst the +Commodore, with those who accompanied him, +were attentively viewing this place, and were +remarking the different blendings of the water, +the rocks, and the wood, there came in sight, +as it were to heighten and animate the prospect, +a prodigious flight of mackaws, which, hovering +over this spot, and often wheeling and +playing on the wing above it, afforded a most +brilliant appearance, by the glittering of the +sun, and their variegated plumage; so that some +of the spectators cannot refrain from a kind of +transport when they recount the beauties which +occurred in this extraordinary waterfal. +</p> +<p> +In three days we compleated our business in +this place, and were impatient to depart, that we +might arrive time enough on the coast of Mexico, +to intercept the galleon; but the wind, being +contrary, detained us a night; and next day, +when we had gained an offing, while we were +hovering about in hopes of getting sight of the +Gloucester, we on the 20th descerned a small +sail to the northward of us, to which we gave +chace, and coming up with her took her. She +proved to be a bark from Panama, called the +Jesu Nazareno, laden with oakum, rock salt, +<span class='pagenum'>341</span>and a small quantity of money to purchase a +cargo of provisions at Cheripe, an inconsiderable +village on the continent, which, however, +has a good market, from whence future voyagers, +in case of necessity, may be plentifully supplied. +</p> +<p> +On the 12th of September we joined the +Gloucester, who informed us, that, in tacking +to the southward, on her first approach towards +the island, she had sprung her fore-top-mast, +which had disabled her from working to windward, +and prevented her from joining us +sooner. We now scuttled and sunk the Jesu +Nazareno, and, on the 12th of December, stood +to the westward, having previously delivered +fresh instructions for the conduct of the fleet. +We had now little doubt of arriving soon enough +upon our intended station, as we expected, +upon the increasing our offing from Quibo, +to fall in with the regular trade-wind; but, to +our extreme vexation, we were baffled for near +a month, so that it was the 25th of December +before we saw the island of Cocos, which, according +to our reckoning, was only 100 leagues +from the continent, and even then we had the +mortification to make so little way, that we did +not lose sight of that island again in five days. +This island we found to be in the lat. of 5 deg. +20 min. N. +</p> +<p> +We had flattered ourselves, that the uncertain +and western gales we met with were owing to +the neighbourhood of the continent, from which +<span class='pagenum'>342</span>as we got more distant, we hoped to be relieved +by falling in with the eastern trade-wind; but +in this too being disappointed, we began at +length to despair of the great purpose we had in +view. This produced a general dejection among +us, as we had at first considered the project +as almost infallible, and had indulged ourselves +in the most boundless hopes of the advantages +we should thence receive. However, our +despondency was, in some measure, alleviated +by a favourable change of the wind; and, as +we now advanced a-pace towards our station, +our hopes began again to revive. On the 17th +of January, we were advanced to the lat. of +12 deg. 50 min. N. and, on the 26th of January, +finding ourselves to the northward of +Acapulco, we tacked and stood to the eastward; +with a view of making the land; and we expected, +by our reckonings, to have fallen in +with it on the 28th, yet, though the weather +was perfectly clear, we had no sign of it at sunset; +about ten at night we discovered a light +on the larboard bow, bearing from us N. N. E. +and, soon after, the Trial’s prize made the signal +for seeing a sail. As we had none of us any +doubt but that what we saw was a ship’s light, we +were all extremely animated with a firm persuasion +that it was the Manilla galleon, that had +been so long the object of our wishes. We +immediately cast off the Carmelo, and pressed +forward with all our canvas, making a signal +for the Gloucester to do the same. Thus we +<span class='pagenum'>343</span>chased the light, keeping all our hands at their +respective quarters, under an expectation of engaging +within half an hour, as we sometimes conceived +the chace to be about a mile distant, and +at other times to be within reach of our guns. +In this constant and eager attention we continued +all night, always presuming that another +quarter of an hour would bring us up to this +Manilla ship, whose wealth we now estimated at +round millions: but, when daylight came, we +were most vexatiously disappointed, by finding +that the light which had occasioned all this expectancy, +was only a fire on the shore. At sun-rising, +after this mortifying delusion, we found +ourselves about nine leagues off land, extending +from the N. W. to E. half N. On this land +we observed two remarkable hammocks, which +bore N. from us, and which a Spanish pilot and +two Indians affirmed to be over the harbour of +Acapulco; but we found them egregiously mistaken, +these being in 17 deg. 56 min. whereas +Acapulco lies in 17 deg. only. +</p> +<p> +Being now in the track of the Manilla galleon, +it was a doubt with us, as it was near the +end of January, whether she was or was not arrived: +but, examining our prisoners about it, +they assured us, she was sometimes known to +come in after the middle of February; and they +endeavoured to persuade us, that the fire we had +seen on shore was a proof that she was yet at +sea, it being customary, as they said, to make +use of these fires as signals for her direction when +<span class='pagenum'>344</span>she continued out longer than ordinary. On this +reasoning of our prisoners, we resolved to cruise +for her some days, and we accordingly spread +our ships at the distance of 12 leagues from the +coast, in such a manner that it was impossible +she should pass us unobserved; however, not +seeing her soon, we were very solicitous to gain +some positive intelligence. With this view the +Commodore resolved to send a boat under cover +of the night into the harbour of Acapulco, to +see if the Manilla ship was there or not. To execute +this enterprize, the barge was dispatched +the 6th of February, carrying a sufficient crew +and two officers, as also a Spanish pilot and an +Indian. Our barge did not return till the 11th, +when the officers acquainted Mr. Anson, that +they had mistaken the harbour, and that Acapulco +lay a considerable distance more to the +eastward, and that, not having a sufficient quantity +of provisions for their passage thither, they +were obliged to return to make known their disappointment. +On this intelligence we made sail +to the eastward, and the next day we dispatched +the barge, with particular instructions to keep +at a sufficient distance not to be seen from the +shore. We watched six days without receiving +any intelligence, so that we began to be uneasy +for her safety; but on the 7th day she returned +with advice, that, being at the very place they +sought for, though they were then ignorant of +their situation, they surprized a fishing canoe +with three negroes, who told us that the Manilla +<span class='pagenum'>345</span>galleon arrived at Acapulco on the 9th of January, +but that, having delivered her cargo, she +was taking in water and provisions in order to +return; and that the Viceroy of Mexico had by +proclamation fixed her departure from Acapulco +to the 14th of March. This last news +was most joyfully received by us, since we had +no doubt but she must fall into our hands; and +it was much more eligible to seize her on her +return, than it would have been to have taken +her before her arrival, as the species for which +she had sold her cargo, and which she would +now have on board, would be much more +esteemed by us than the cargo itself. Thus we +were a second time engaged in an eager expectation +of meeting with this Manilla ship, which, +by the fame of its wealth, we had been taught +to consider as the most desireable capture that +was to be made on any part of the ocean. +</p> +<p> +As it was the 19th of February when the barge +returned, and brought us our intelligence, and +the galleon was not to sail till the 3d of March, +the Commodore resolved to continue the greatest +part of the intermediate time in his present +station to the westward of Acapulco, in order to +avoid a discovery from the shore. During this +interval we were employed in getting all things +in readiness to engage; and, when the long-wished-for +3d of March came, we were all so +strongly prepossessed with the certainty of our +intelligence, and with an assurance of her coming +out of port, that some or other of us were +<span class='pagenum'>346</span>constantly imagining that they discovered one of +our cutters returning with a signal; but, to our +extreme vexation, both this day and the succeeding +night passed away without any news of +her approach. However, we did not yet despair, +nor did we abate of our vigilance: but, +after remaining till the 25th of March, we at +length concluded, and we afterwards found it +to be true, that we had been discovered, and +that in consequence an embargo had been laid +upon the galleon, and her departure postponed +till the next year. +</p> +<p> +The cutters, having on that day finished their +cruise before the harbour, returned to the squadron, +and the signal being given for the fleet to +join, it was determined to retire to Chequetan, +to take in a fresh supply of water, which was +then nearly exhausted. In the mean time, a +cutter, commanded by Mr. Hughes, Lieutenant +of the Trial’s prize, was ordered to continue off +the harbour of Acapulco for 24 days, in order +that, if the galleon should set sail in that time, +we might be speedily informed of it. +</p> +<p> +On the 5th of April we entered the harbour +of Chequetan, in lat. 17 deg. 36 min. N. about +30 leagues to the westward of Acapulco. The +watering-place has the appearance of a large +standing lake, without any visible outlet into the +sea, from which it is separated by a part of the +strand. The origin of this lake is a spring that +bubbles out of the ground, near half a mile +within the country. We found its water a little +<span class='pagenum'>347</span>brackish, but more considerably so towards the +sea-side; for the nearer we advanced towards +the spring-head, the softer and fresher it proved. +This laid us under a necessity of filling all our +casks from the farthest part of the lake, which +was facilitated by means of canoes which traversed +the lake, and brought a number of small +casks to the side next the beach; thence the water +was started into larger vessels in the boats, +and by that contrivance brought on board with +very little trouble. +</p> +<p> +As the country hereabouts, particularly the +tract of coast contiguous to Acapulco, appeared +to be well peopled and cultivated, we hoped +to have easily procured from thence some fresh +provisions, and other refreshments, which we +now stood much in need of. To facilitate these +views, the Commodore, the morning after we +came to an anchor, ordered a party of 40 men +well armed to march into the country, and to +endeavour to discover some town where they +were to attempt to set on foot a correspondence +with the inhabitants; for, when we had once +begun this intercourse, we doubted not but by +proper presents we should allure them to bring +down to us whatever fruits or fresh provisions +were in their power. As our prizes abounded +with various sorts of coarse merchandize, which +were of little consequence to us, though to them +they would be extremely valuable, our people +were directed on this occasion to proceed with +the greatest circumspection, and to make as little +<span class='pagenum'>348</span>ostentation of hostility as possible; for we were +sensible we could find no wealth in those parts +worth our notice; and what necessaries we really +wanted, we expected would be better, and +more abundantly supplied, by an open, amicable +traffic, than by violence and force of arms. But +this endeavour of opening a commerce with the +inhabitants proved ineffectual, and therefore we +desisted from any more attempts of the same +nature, contenting ourselves with what we could +procure for ourselves in the neighbourhood of +the port where we lay. We caught fish in abundance; +among the rest cavallies, bream, mullets, +soals, fiddle-fish, and lobsters; and we here, +and in no other place, met with that extraordinary +fish called the torpedo, which is in shape +very much resembling the fiddle-fish, and is only +distinguished from it in appearance by a +brown circular spot of about the bigness of a +crown-piece, near the center of its back. This +fish is, indeed, of a most singular nature, benumbing +whoever touches it all over his body, +but more particularly that limb which happens +to come in immediate contact with it. The +same effect, too, will be in some degree produced +by touching the fish with any thing held in the +hand; and it has lately been discovered, that it +may be communicated like the electrical shock +to a large circle, by means of a certain apparatus +much more simple than that which is used +in experiments in electricity. +</p> +<p> +The animals which we met with on shore +<span class='pagenum'>349</span>were chiefly guanoes, with which the country +abounds, and which are by some reckoned delicious +food. We saw no beasts of prey, except +we should esteem that amphibious creature the +alligator as such, several of which our people +discovered, but none of them very large. It is, +however, certain, that there were great numbers +of tygers in the woods, though none of them +happened to make their appearance while we +remained upon the coast. Parrots and pheasants +were found in plenty, but by no means +proper for food, being dry and tasteless, though +they were often killed and eaten, being by some +thought preferable to salt provisions. +</p> +<p> +The papah lime, and a little sour plumb, +were all the fruits the woods furnished, and of +these there were but a scanty portion; nor was +there any other useful vegetable, except brook-lime, +which, being esteemed an antiscorbutic, +was frequently eaten, though from its bitterness +it was exceedingly unpalatable. +</p> +<p> +While we lay at Chequetan, it was resolved, +after mature deliberation, to destroy all our +prizes, as the whole number of men on board +our squadron did not amount to the complement +of a fourth-rate man-of-war. It was therefore +judged most prudent to set fire to the ships, +and to divide the men between the Centurion +and Gloucester, now preparing to set sail for +China. Besides the necessary repairs for a voyage +of such length, the removal of their stores and +cargoes into the men-of-war took up so much +<span class='pagenum'>350</span>time, that it was the end of April before we +were in a condition to leave the place. +</p> +<p> +It should have been remarked, that, from this +harbour of Chequetan we discovered but one +pathway through the woods into the country; +and as this was much beaten, we were from that +circumstance convinced, that it was not unfrequented +by the natives. As it passed by the +spring-head, and was the only avenue by which +the Spaniards could approach to surprize us, we +at some distance beyond the spring-head felled +several large trees, and laid them one upon another +across the path, and at this barricadoe we +constantly kept a guard. We, besides, ordered +our men employed in watering, to have their +arms always in readiness, in case of an alarm, +and to march instantly to this post. And, though +our principal intention herein was to prevent our +being disturbed by the enemy’s horse, yet it answered +another purpose, which was, to hinder +our people from straggling singly into the country, +where we had reason to believe they would +be surprized by the Spaniards, who would doubtless +be very solicitous to pick up some of them, +in hopes of getting intelligence of our future +designs. To avoid this inconvenience, the strictest +orders were given to the centinels, to let no +person whatever pass beyond this post; but, +notwithstanding this precaution, we missed one +Lewis Legere, who was the Commodore’s cook. +As he was a Frenchman and a Roman Catholic, +it was at first imagined that he had deserted +<span class='pagenum'>351</span>with a view of betraying all that he knew to +the enemy; though this appeared, by the event, +to be an ill-grounded surmise; for it was afterwards +known, that he had been taken by some +Indians, who carried him prisoner to Acapulco, +from whence he was transported to Mexico, +and thence to Vera Cruz, where he was shipped +on board a vessel bound to Old Spain. But, the +vessel being obliged, by some accident, to put +into Lisbon, Legere escaped on shore, and was +by the British Consul sent from thence to England; +where he gave the first authentic account +of the safety of the Commodore, and of his +principal transactions in the South Seas. +</p> +<p> +The relation he gave of his own seizure, was, +that he rambled into the woods, at some distance +from the barricadoe where he had first +attempted to pass, but had been stopt and +threatened to be punished; that his principal +view was to gather a quantity of limes for his +master’s stores; and that in this occupation he +was surprized unawares by four Indians, who +stript him naked, and carried him in that condition +to Acapulco, exposed to the scorching +heat of the sun, which at that time of the year +shone with its greatest violence; that afterwards, +at Mexico, his treatment was sufficiently severe; +so that the whole course of his captivity was a +continued instance of the hatred which the Spaniards +bear to all those who endeavour to disturb +them in the peaceable possession of the +coasts of the South Seas. Indeed, Legere’s +<span class='pagenum'>352</span>fortune was, upon the whole, extremely singular; +as, after the hazards he had run in the +Commodore’s squadron, and the severities he +had suffered in his long confinement among the +enemy, a more fatal disaster attended him on +his return to England; for though, when he +arrived in London, some of Mr. Anson’s friends +interested themselves in relieving him from the +poverty to which his captivity had reduced him, +yet he did not long enjoy the benefit of their +humanity, since he was killed in an insignificant +night-brawl, the cause of which could scarcely +ever be discovered. +</p> +<p> +When we were necessitated to proceed to +Chequetan to recruit our water, the Commodore +considered that our arrival in that harbour +would soon be known at Acapulco; and therefore +he hoped, that on the intelligence of our +being employed in that port, the galleon might +put to sea, especially as Chequetan is so very +remote from the course generally steered by the +galleons: he therefore ordered the cutter, as has +already been noticed, to cruise twenty-four days +off the port of Acapulco, and her Commander +was directed, on perceiving the galleon under +sail, to make the best of his way to the Commodore +at Chequetan. As the Centurion was +certainly a much better sailor than the galleon, +Mr. Anson, in this case, resolved to have got +to sea as soon as possible, and to have pursued +the galleon across the Pacific Ocean; however, +<span class='pagenum'>353</span>the Viceroy of Mexico ruined this project, by +detaining the galleon in port all the year. +</p> +<p> +Towards the latter end of April, all things +being in readiness for sailing, the Centurion and +Gloucester weighed anchor; and, after having +gained an offing, the prizes were set on fire, +and a canoe fixed to a grapple in the middle of +the harbour, with a bottle in it, well corked, +inclosing a letter to Mr. Hughes, directing him +to go back immediately to his former station +before Acapulco, where he would find Mr. +Anson, who resolved to cruise for him in that +station some days. Indeed, it was no small mortification +to us, now we were at sea, and the +stormy season approaching, that we were detained +by the absence of the cutter, and under +a necessity of standing towards Acapulco in +search of her. As the time of her cruize had +been expired near a fortnight, we suspected +that she had been discovered from the shore, +and that the Governor of Acapulco had thereupon +sent out a force to seize her; which, as +she carried but six hands, was no very difficult +enterprize. However, this being only conjecture, +the Commodore, as soon as he was got +clear of the harbour of Chequetan, stood along +the coast to the eastward in search of her; and, +to prevent her from passing by us in the dark, +we brought-to every night, and carried lights +which the cutter could not but perceive. +</p> +<p> +By the 2d of May we were advanced within +three leagues of Acapulco; and, having seen +<span class='pagenum'>354</span>nothing of our boat, we gave her over for lost; +which, besides the compassionate concern for +our shipmates, and for what it was apprehended +they might have suffered, was in itself a misfortune, +which in our present scarcity of hands +we were greatly interested in; since the crew of +the cutter were the flower of our people, purposely +picked out for this service, as known to +be, every one of them, of tried and approved +resolution, and as skilful seamen as ever trod a +deck. However, as it was the general belief +among us that they were taken and carried into +Acapulco, the Commodore’s prudence suggested +a project which we hoped would recover them. +This was founded on our having many Spanish +and Indian prisoners on board, some of them of +quality. The Commodore, therefore, wrote a +letter to the Governor of Acapulco, telling +him, that he would release them all, provided +the Governor returned the cutter’s crew. This +letter was dispatched by a Spanish officer, of +whose honour we had a high opinion, and who +was furnished with a launch belonging to one +of our prizes, and a crew of Spaniards, who +gave their parole for their return. The Spanish +officer, too, besides the Commodore’s letter, carried +with him a joint petition, signed by all the +rest of the prisoners, beseeching the Governor +to acquiesce in the terms proposed for their liberty. +But while we were thus contriving their +release, the centinel called out from the masthead, +that he saw a boat under sail at a considerable +<span class='pagenum'>355</span>distance to the south-eastward, which, +to our unspeakable joy, upon her nearer approach, +we found was our own cutter, the wan +and meagre countenances of whole crew, the +length of their beards, and the feeble and hollow +tone of their voices, convinced us that they +had suffered much greater hardships than could +be expected from even the severities of a Spanish +prison. They were obliged to be helped +into the ship, and were immediately put to bed; +where, by rest, and nourishing diet, with which +they were plentifully supplied from the Commodore’s +table, they recovered their health and +vigour. And now we learnt that they had kept +the sea the whole time of their absence, which +was above six weeks; that, when they had finished +their cruise, and had just begun to ply to the +westward, in order to join the squadron, a strong +adverse current had forced them upwards of 80 +leagues to leeward, where they found every +where so great a surf, that there was no possibility +of landing; that they passed some days +in the most dreadful situation, without water, +having no other means left them to allay their +thirst than sucking the blood of the turtles +which they caught; that at last, giving up all +hopes of succour, the heat of the climate too +augmenting their necessities, and rendering their +sufferings insupportable, they abandoned themselves +to despair, fully persuaded that they +should perish by the most terrible of all deaths; +but that soon after a most unexpected incident +<span class='pagenum'>356</span>happily relieved them; for there fell so heavy +a rain, that, on spreading their sails horizontally, +and putting bullets in the centers of them, they +caught as much water as filled their casks; +that immediately upon this fortunate supply, +they stood to the westward in quest of the +Commodore, and being now luckily favoured +by a strong current, they joined him in less than +50 hours from that time, after having been absent +in the whole full 43 days. +</p> +<p> +And now having, to our entire satisfaction, +got on board our people, and the season of the +year for sailing to Asia being far (we found it +too far) advanced, the Commodore resolved not +to wait for any return from Acapulco, but gave +orders to equip two large prize launches, to +carry on shore the Spanish and Indian prisoners, +both from ourselves and the Gloucester; and, +having given them provisions and all necessaries +for Panama, whither they intended to sail, about +four in the evening they left us, to the +number of about 60 persons, having first, +though enemies, observed the custom of sea-faring +people at parting, and wished us a prosperous +voyage. +</p> +<p> +From the 6th of May, the day we took our +departure, we met with little remarkable for +above a month, except that the true trade-wind, +which is said never to fail at about sixty +or seventy leagues from the shore of Mexico at +the farthest, was so far from answering our expectations, +that we had nothing but cross winds, +<span class='pagenum'>357</span>squalls, rain, thunder and lightning, till by account +we were 600 leagues to the westward of +Acapulco, having been above 40 days in getting +so far. The 9th, we found the foremast sprung +in a dangerous manner, and thereupon fished +and secured it very strongly. +</p> +<p> +The 22d, in the evening, we sprung a leak, +making 12 inches water in a watch, and on a +search found it to be on the larboard side, abreast +the main hatch-way, and not quite under +water. The carpenters soon stopt it with very +little trouble. +</p> +<p> +The 11th of June, we found a current to set +to the southward, about 24 miles a day, but +could not discover whether to the east or west, +for want of opportunity to try it. This was by +account about 450 leagues from Acapulco; and, +much about this time, abundance of scorbutic +symptoms, such as blackness in the skin, hard +nodes in the flesh, shortness of breath, and a +general lassitude and weakness of all the parts, +began to prevail, almost universally, among +our people. This, with the great mortality we +experienced from this distemper in our Cape +Horn passage, and the time we might still expect +to be at sea, having yet 1800 leagues to +those islands called, by Sir Francis Drake, the +Ladrones, or Islands of Thieves, from the +thievish disposition of the inhabitants, but by +the Spaniards the Marian Islands, where only +we could expect our next refreshments; and +no trade-wind being yet settled;⁠—these considerations, +<span class='pagenum'>358</span>I say, gave us dreadful apprehensions +of what this passage might terminate in; +and the event shewed that we had but too much +reason for them. +</p> +<p> +The 14th, at five in the evening, the Gloucester, +having sprung the head of her main-mast, +12 feet below the trussel-trees, fired a gun as a +signal of distress; on which we brought to, and +waited for her; and, after enquiring into, and +hearing the cause, we sent them on board two +carpenters to assist in fishing and securing it; +but the carpenters in concert, having viewed +and considered the damage, reported, the next +day, that the mast was unfit to stand, and +would not bear repairing; but that it must be +shortened 26 feet from the head, and the top-mast +be set on the stump. This, therefore, +was concluded on, and ordered accordingly. +</p> +<p> +The 23d, we found our own main-top-mast +sprung in the wake of the cap; whereupon, we +reefed it 20 inches, that is, we lowered it so +much, and secured it there, and fleeted and set +up the shrouds and back-stays. +</p> +<p> +The 24th, in the evening, we got the top-mast +down, and put up another in its place, and +a man falling overboard, we brought the ship +to, and took him up safe; likewise, the slings +of our crossjack-yards being broke, we fixed new +ones, and the next day got up the fore-top-gallant +mast and yard. +</p> +<p> +The 27th, we made the Gloucester signal, +and sent our boat on board of her. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>359</span>The 28th, we received from the Gloucester +half an anchor-stock, for a farther security to +the fore-mast. +</p> +<p> +The 29th, the Gloucester finished her jury-mast, +and made sail on it. Nothing farther +remarkable till +</p> +<p> +July 1st, we had fresh gales, and cloudy weather, +with some lightning. +</p> +<p> +The 2d, we unbent the fore-sail, and bent another. +We had, not only now, but for almost +our whole passage, abundance of birds of prey, +also flying fish, which are their proper food, +and vast quantities of skipjacks, albicores, &c. +whereof we took a great number, which contributed +much to our refreshment after the loss +of the tortoises, that generally leave all ships +about twenty or thirty leagues off the land. I +think this the more worthy of notice, because +Dampier, Rogers, Cook, Cowley, and most +other voyagers, some of whom have been +not only once, but several times on this voyage, +have reported, that they never saw a fish or +fowl in this whole run. I will not say, as Mr. +Cook frequently does, when any other person’s +account does not happen to square exactly with +what himself has observed, viz. “What credit +is to be given to such authors?” never making +allowances for contingencies which might or +might not happen, and which would better have +displayed his own impartiality, than a dogmatical +condemnation of every other person, without +examination. For my part, I readily believe +<span class='pagenum'>360</span>and conclude, that this difference in our observations +and accounts is really occasioned by the +different seasons of the year in which we happened +to perform this passage; it being a +known truth, and confirmed by the experience +of thousands in all ages, that most fish have +their different seasons for their different rendezvouses. +</p> +<p> +The 10th, we saw three gannets, or, as they +call them in Scotland, soland geese; being, by +what I can learn from the most intelligent of +that nation whom I have conversed with, and +who often have opportunity to observe them in +several different parts, of one and the same species; +we likewise saw some sea weeds; both +which circumstances made us imagine that some +islands or shoals were not far off, those fowls +never being observed to fly very far out to sea. +</p> +<p> +The 10th, we unbent the fore top-sail, and +bent another. +</p> +<p> +The 12th, at noon, we were, by my account, +180 deg. 11 min. to the westward of +the meridian of London, which is just 11 min. +more than half round the globe, for which reason +I note it. We were at this time, by my account, +1429 leagues distant from the port of Acapulco. +</p> +<p> +From this time till the 16th we had fresh gales, +with squalls and rain. +</p> +<p> +The 17th and 18th, we had moderate and +cloudy weather. +</p> +<p> +The 19 and 20th, fresh gales, with abundance +<span class='pagenum'>361</span>of rain. We made this observation, that, +with rainy weather, or even slight transient +showers, the fish bit more freely, and were +caught in greater numbers, than with fair weather; +which made our fishermen the more attentive +at such times. It was likewise remarked, +that the Gloucester, when they could find +opportunity to fish, had always much greater +success than we; whether their fishermen had +more art than ours, or whatever else occasioned +it, the fact is true. They had also a better +way of disposing of them, when taken, if I +may be allowed to judge, than we; for Capt. +Mitchell constantly ordered several boys, who +were very dexterous at it, to catch fish for the +ship’s company, especially the sick; and those +were very justly and regularly divided among +them: whereas our fishermen were left at liberty +to make their advantage of what they took, and +to prey upon their suffering shipmates; and they +took care not to overslip the opportunity, for the +least fish you could purchase of them would cost +you a bottle of brandy; which, at this time, +was worth four, or perhaps six, and sometimes +even eight shillings, or half a guinea; and you +must be very thankful, and acknowledge yourself +to be highly obliged into the bargain, or else expect +none next time, and very often fail of it +notwithstanding. About this time our people +began to die very fast, and, I believe, above +five parts out of six of the ship’s company were +ill, and expected to follow in a short time. +<span class='pagenum'>362</span>Those, whose breath was any ways affected, +dropt off immediately; but those, who were +attacked first in the more remote parts of the +body, languished generally a month or six +weeks; the distemper advancing, in the mean +time, towards the lungs, by a very regular and +sensible approach. As I was myself one of +those who were severely afflicted in this latter +manner, I shall give such an account of its progress, +as I found by experience in myself, and +corroborated by the similar report of my fellow-sufferers. +I was first taken, about the beginning +of this month, with a slight pain on the +joint of my left great toe; but, having hurt +that a little while before, I imagined it to be the +effect of that hurt, and minded it the less⁠—(but +here I shall observe, once for all, that if ever +any part of the body had received a bruise, strain, +or contusion, if not perfectly cured, the scurvy +was sure to attack that part first); but, in a little +time, a large black spot appearing on the +part affected, with very intense pains at the +bone, gave me to understand my case. I now +took physic often, by way of prevention, but +to little purpose: several hard nodes now began +to rise in my legs, thighs, and arms, and not only +many more black spots appeared in the skin, but +those spread, till my legs and thighs were for +the most part as black as a negroe; and this accompanied +with such excessive pains in the joints +of the knees, ancles, and toes, as I thought, +before I experienced them, that human nature +<span class='pagenum'>363</span>could never have supported. It next advanced +to the mouth; all my teeth were presently loose, +and my gums, over-charged with extravasated +blood, fell down almost quite over my teeth: +this occasioned my breath to smell much, yet +without affecting my lungs; but, I believe, +one week more at sea would have ended me, +and less than a month more, all the rest. One +thing was very remarkable, and likewise universal, +which was, that, when the distemper had +far prevailed, if the afflicted person lay quiet in +his hammock, he seemed to be perfectly well +and hearty; but, if he was removed out of it, +on any necessity, he immediately fainted away; +and this was always a sure sign of the party’s +dissolution. +</p> +<p> +Since our passing Cape Horn, our surgeon, +Henry Ettrick, who was a very good practical surgeon, +had been very busy in digesting a theory +of scurvies, wherein he enumerated many cases +very particularly, having been allowed to open +and examine as many bodies as were abundantly +sufficient for that purpose. His system was +principally grounded on the observations made +on a long passage in a very cold climate. He +took abundance of pains to prove, by many +instances, that the tone of the blood was broken +by the cold nipping air, and rendered so thin, +as to be unfit for circulation, or any other of +the uses of life; and being thus deprived of a +proper force and vigour, stagnation and death +must necessarily ensue. From this supposition, +<span class='pagenum'>364</span>he had laid it down as an infallible rule, that +food of a glutinous nature, such as salt fish, +bread, and several sorts of grain, were alone +proper on such voyages. As for liquids, I know +not which he had pitched on, as the most salutary, +on this occasion. But this passage, in a +very hot climate, where the symptoms were not +only more dreadful, but the mortality much +more quick and fatal, in proportion to the number +of people, put our scheming doctor to a +sad non-plus: he could not account for this on +the same principles with the other; nay, they +must be, in a manner, diametrically opposite. +All this obliged him at last (though he was +still endeavouring to reconcile contradictions), +to own, that, though some of the concurrent +causes of this disease were plain enough, yet +the grand cause was certainly the long continuance +at sea, or an entire secret; and that no +cure but the shore would ever be effectual. The +Commodore, on this great mortality, having +by him a quantity of Ward’s pills and drops, in +order to experience whether they would be of +any use, first tried them on himself, and then +gave what he had left to the surgeon, to administer +to such of the sick people as were willing +to take them. The surgeon would not recommend +them to any person, but several took them; +though I know of none who believed they were +of any service to them. They worked most +people who took them very violently, both by +vomit and stool: after which, as several told +<span class='pagenum'>365</span>me, they would seem to be a little easier, tho’ +weaker, for perhaps a day or two, but then they +always relapsed, and became worse than before; +and this, together with the inefficacy of all that +our surgeons could do in the case, sufficiently +shewed the vanity of attempting the cure of this +distemper at sea. +</p> +<p> +And here, before I quit this subject, I shall +endeavour to remove a prejudice, under which +the afflicted have long severely suffered; and +that is, from the notion generally prevalent, +that none but the lazy are attacked with this +disorder; whereas, the direct contrary is the +truth; our experience having abundantly shewn, +that the most laborious, active, stirring persons +were oftenest seized with this disease; and the +continuation of their labour, instead of curing, +only helped to kill them the sooner. +</p> +<p> +Many undeniable instances might be given of +this in our voyage; and, if future voyagers +will give themselves the trouble of observing +this hereafter, I am certain that the event will +correspond with my assertion; nor does this +distemper, in a general way, incline people to +indolence, till it is come to that height, that, +at the least motion, the person is ready to faint. +It is certain, that, if the person afflicted desires +to lengthen out his life as long as he can, his +best way is to stir as little as possible. This I +have seen verified by many instances. +</p> +<p> +The 23d and 24th, we reefed and repaired our +<span class='pagenum'>366</span>rigging, which had suffered much in the variable +weather. +</p> +<p> +The 26th, being, according to our reckoning, +300 leagues from the Ladrones, we met with a +westerly wind, which did not come about again +in four days. This was a most dispiriting incident, +as we were all that while forced to lie +to, the current insensibly driving us out of our +course. +</p> +<p> +The 27th, our gunner, Henry Kipps, died of +the scurvy, being one of the most able-bodied +men, as well as the most active in the ship: he +had taken Ward’s medicines once or twice. +</p> +<p> +On the 28th, we had calms with much rain, +and received from the Gloucester 20 casks of +flour, and four of groats. Having here an occasion +of mentioning flour, it may not be amiss +to take notice, that since our departure from +Juan Fernandez, the principal officers had always +soft bread new baked, the biscuit being so +much worm-eaten, it was scarce any thing but +dust, and a little blow would reduce it to that +state immediately. Our beef and pork were likewise +very rusty and rotten; and the surgeon endeavoured +to persuade us from eating it, alledging +it was, though a slow, yet a sure poison; but +very little other food being to be had, we were +reduced to a very deplorable condition. +</p> +<p> +The 29th, in the morning, the Gloucester’s +fore-cap splitting, her fore-top-mast came by the +board, and, in its fall, meeting with the fore-yard, +broke it in the slings. As she was hereby rendered +<span class='pagenum'>367</span>incapable of making any sail for some +time, we were under a necessity, as soon as a gale +sprung up, to take her in tow, and near 20 of +the healthiest and ablest of our seamen were removed +from the duty of our own ship, and were +continued eight or ten days together to assist in +repairing her damages; but these things, mortifying +as we thought them, were only the commencement +of our misfortunes; for, scarce had +our people finished their business in the Gloucester +before we met with a most violent storm +from the western board, which obliged us to lie +to. This storm lasted from the 10th to the +13th of August, attended with rain, thunder, and +lightning, and such a lofty and dangerous sea as +I have seldom seen, and could not have believed +in latitudes between the Tropics, especially for +such a long duration. Most of the time we lay +to, we drove to the northward; abundance of +our people died daily; and, the ship proving +very leaky, every person who could stir, the +principal officers not excepted, was obliged to +take his turn at the pumps, and all little enough +to keep us above water. +</p> +<p> +The 13th of August, at 10 in the morning, the +Gloucester made a signal of distress, and, being +to windward, bore down towards us; but we +observed she was long in wearing, rolled very +much, and made bad steerage. About half an +hour after noon they spoke with us, and told us +that they were so leaky that they must quit their +ship; that they had seven feet water in the hold; +<span class='pagenum'>368</span>and that all the men they had capable of stirring +were quite exhausted with pumping, and could +work no longer. This was an additional misfortune, +and seemed to be without resource; for, +whilst the Gloucester’s crew were thus enfeebled, +our own sick were now so much increased, and +those who still remained in health so over-fatigued +with labour, that it was impossible for us +to lend them any aid: all, therefore, that could +be done was to send our boat on board for a +more particular account of the ship’s condition; +as it was soon suspected, that the taking her people +on board us, and then destroying the Gloucester, +was the only measure that could be prosecuted +in the present emergency both for the +preservation of their lives and of our own. +</p> +<p> +Our boat soon returned with a representation +of the melancholy state of the Gloucester, and +of her several defects, signed by Capt. Mitchell +and all his officers; by which it appeared, that +the ship was decayed in every part; that her +crew was greatly reduced; that there remained +alive no more than 77 men, officers included, +18 boys, and two prisoners; that of the whole +number, only 16 men and 11 boys were capable +of keeping the deck, and several of these very +infirm; that the water was so deep in the hold, +that those who were yet alive were starving, and +could neither come at fresh water nor provisions. +</p> +<p> +From this representation, which was in no one +instance exaggerated, the Commodore sent immediately +<span class='pagenum'>369</span>an order to Capt. Mitchell, to bring +his people on board the Centurion, and to take +out such stores as could most easily be come at, +among which he was very desirous of saving two +cables, and a steel-anchor; but the ship rolled so +much, and the men were so excessively fatigued, +that it was with the greatest difficulty the prize-money +was secured (the prize-goods amounting +to many thousand pounds being abandoned): +nor could any more provisions be got at, than +five casks of flour (three of which were spoiled +by the salt-water), a small quantity of brandy, +and some living stock. Even this little business +was so languishingly performed, that two days +were wasted in the execution, during which time +three or four of the sick perished on being +moved. +</p> +<p> +As the weather was now calm, and we were +uncertain how far distant we might be from +Guam, a settlement in possession of the enemy, +to whom the wreck of such a ship with guns +and ammunition on board would have been a +very valuable acquisition, the Commodore judged +the most effectual way to prevent her from +falling into their hands was to set on fire: and +accordingly, as soon as the Captain and his Officers +had quitted her, the combustibles placed +for that purpose were lighted, and she continued +burning the whole night, and at six the next +morning she blew up. Thus perished his Majesty’s +ship the Gloucester; and now, it might +have been expected, that, being freed from +<span class='pagenum'>370</span>the embarrassment in which her frequent disasters +had involved us, we should have proceeded +on our way much brisker than we had hitherto +done. However, we were soon taught, that +our anxieties were not yet to be relieved. +</p> +<p> +We were at this time in the utmost distress; +the ship considerably lumbered with prize-goods, +and the small room we had left thronged with +the sick, whose numbers were now very much +increased with those from the Gloucester; the +dirt, nauseousness, and stench, almost every where +intolerable; more people daily disabled with the +disease; no sign of land, nor but very little wind, +and that not fair but variable; very bad provisions +and water, and the ship very leaky; and, though +we discovered the leak to be in her bows on each +side the stern, it lay in such a manner that we +could not stop it, nay the attempting it rather +made it worse. In this distress we made the best +of every little spurt of wind. +</p> +<p> +Nothing farther remarkable happened till +Sunday the 22d, when, about eight in the evening, +we discovered two islands, one bearing W. +half S. and the other S. W. by W. at the distance +of about 10 leagues. We were overjoyed +at this sight, and stood toward them with all our +sail; but, there being little wind, we did not get +near them till the next day about noon, when +being about three miles off the largest and most +promising of them, which appeared very hilly +and full of trees, we sent on shore one of our +Lieutenants in the cutter to make discoveries, +<span class='pagenum'>371</span>who returned at nine in the evening, and gave +us but a very indifferent account of the shore. +The trees were mostly cocoa-nut-trees, of which +there were prodigious quantities; about 60 cocoa-nuts +they brought on board with them, but +they could find no water, nor any good place to +anchor in: on this account it was thought fit to +stand further to the southward, for some more +proper place. This was a severe disappointment +to most of the sick, who, on the sight of land, +(or hearing that we were so near it) had begun +sensibly to revive: but as persons in such circumstances +are soon driven to despond, when +an aid they had depended upon deserts them, +so this disappointment destroyed our hopes, and +increased our dejection. We feared, that, if we +met with more islands in the same run, they +might be either as bad, worse, or inhabited by +our enemies the Spaniards, who, in our weak +condition, might easily be able to hinder us from +proper refreshments: add to this, how near many +of us were to death, and how little we could +expect to survive any time in searching for other +islands. I know not whether these were the general +thoughts of the sick, but I must own they +were mine, and made our situation at that time +appear ten times worse to me than at any other in +the whole course of our voyage. I was indeed +very ill, and my illness might possibly occasion +every thing to appear in its worst light, yet I +never was one of those who were frightened at +the apprehension, or even the visible approach +<span class='pagenum'>372</span>of death; it had no unreasonable terrors in any +of its prospects to me; and I always could, and +I hope always shall be ready to meet it with +calmness and perfect resignation: but I believe +the healthiest and stoutest at that time had probably +the greatest apprehensions; and I have +since heard it from many of those, that they expected +all to have perished, had we been so little +as three weeks longer at sea; and I much question +whether they were not right in that imagination. +</p> +<p> +On the 26th, at five in the morning, we saw +three other islands, bearing from S. E. by S. to +N. E. the middlemost of the three, which was +the largest, due E. +</p> +<p> +The 27th, at three in the afternoon, being +got pretty near the shore of the middlemost +island, we sent our cutter and pinnace in-shore +for discovery. At four the pinnace came off, +and brought with her an Indian paroo, with a +Spaniard and four Indians, whom they took in +her. They likewise told us, that they had in-shore +a small bark of about 16 tons, and between +20 and 30 more people on the island, all of whom +had been sent there from Guam to kill cattle and +hogs, and make jerked beef, and cacao-nut-oil, +&c. for the Spanish garrison there; and that +there are constantly people sent on that account, +who, after some months stay at that place, are +relieved by fresh parties for the same purpose. +We secured both bark and paroo, together with +all the Indians who fell into our hands, to hinder +<span class='pagenum'>373</span>their carrying intelligence of us to the Spaniards +at Guam. One of those Indians was a +carpenter by trade, and his father was one of the +principal builders at Manilla. This young man, +having been ill used by the Governor at Guam, +voluntarily entered with us, and became one of +our carpenter’s crew, and proved a very useful +handy fellow. +</p> +<p> +The Spaniard being examined as to the state +of the island we were now approaching, the account +he gave surprized even our most sanguine +hopes; and, tho’ uninhabited, he said, it wanted +none of those accommodations with which the +best cultivated countries are furnished. On mustering +up our whole force, as we drew near, all +the hands we could collect capable of any kind +of duty, even on the most pressing occasions, +amounted to no more than 71 men, officers included. +This number, inconsiderable as it may +seem, were all of the united crews of the Centurion, +Gloucester, and Trial, that could move +without being assisted, notwithstanding that, +when we left England, they consisted of near +1000 men. +</p> +<p> +When we had entered the road, our first business, +after furling the sails and securing the +ship, was to provide an hospital on shore for the +sick; but the officer and seamen who were +sent upon this service, returned joyfully, and +acquainted us, that the Indians on shore had saved +them that trouble, and had provided for us +better than we could have done for ourselves; +<span class='pagenum'>374</span>for, having erected a number of little cabbins for +their accommodation during their residence on +the island, and one in particular, which they +made use of by way of storehouse to stow their +provisions in, there could be nothing more suitably +adapted for the reception both of the sick +and the healthy than these erections. Accordingly, +we instantly began sending ashore as many +of the sick as could possibly be conveyed, among +which number I myself was one; I say, as many +as could possibly be conveyed; for we were all +so extremely feeble and helpless, that we were +no otherwise to be landed than by being carried +in our hammocks, both in and out of the boats, +on mens shoulders, in which service both the +Commodore himself and his officers very humanely +assisted; and, indeed, they were almost +the only persons on board capable of performing +it; the healthiest seamen being so much enfeebled, +that they had but just strength enough +left to help themselves. +</p> +<p> +The next day, being the 29th, the remainder +of the sick were brought on shore, of whom 21 +soon died; but the greatest part of the rest recovered +surprizingly. As soon as I was capable +of stirring about, I found the island to lie +in lat. 14 deg. 58 min. N. [Walters says 15 deg. +8 min.] and in long. 223 deg. 35 min. W. from +London, being, according to my reckoning, +117 deg. 7 min. W. from Acapulco. [Walters +says 114 deg. 50 min.] And here it is observable, +how writers of the first characters for veracity +<span class='pagenum'>375</span>differ in their accounts of the same places, +by writing them at different periods. The description +of this island of Tinian by Commodore +Byron, who lately visited it in his voyage +round the world, bears no similitude to that we +are now about to recite; nor can any one conceive +how an interval of only 30 years could +occasion so remarkable an alteration. But to +proceed: +</p> +<p> +The soil, upon examination, we found to be +every where dry and healthy; and being withal +somewhat sandy, it was thereby the less disposed +to a rank and over-luxuriant vegetation: and +hence the meadows and woods were neater and +smoother than is usual in hot climates. The +vallies and hills were most beautifully diversified +by the mutual encroachments of woods and +lawns, which skirted each other, and traversed +the island in large tracts. The woods consisted +of tall and well-spread trees, some celebrated for +their beauty, and some for their fruit; whilst +the lawns were generally crouded with herds of +cattle, of which it was not uncommon to see +thousands feeding in a herd, and, being all milk-white, +it is no wonder that such an appearance +excited our longings, and increased our impatience, +to kill and eat. Add to these, the innumerable +swarms of poultry that crouded the +woods, and, by their frequent crowings, gave +us in idea the pleasing apprehension of being in +the neighbourhood of farms and villages; and +we even fancied, that in the covert of the woods +<span class='pagenum'>376</span>we should find such concealed. The cattle we +had sight of were computed at 10,000; and, +besides these and the poultry, we likewise found +abundance of wild hogs, which were excellent +food, but fierce, and not easily mastered. At +first we killed them by shooting; but, our ammunition +failing, owing to an incident, we at +last hunted them down with dogs, several of +which joined us on the island, and, being trained +to the sport by the Indians, readily enough +followed us, and afforded us good diversion. +In their conflicts with the bears, some indeed +were killed; but those that came off victorious, +were still more eager to engage in every new +pursuit. +</p> +<p> +This island was no less fortunate to us in its +vegetable than its animal productions; more +particularly abounding in such fruits and plants +as were best adapted to the cure of that disease +by which we had been so dreadfully debilitated. +In the woods cocoa-nuts were to be gathered +without number; and, what is remarkable, cabbages +grew on the same trees. There were, besides, +guavas, limes, sweet and sour oranges, and, +what is common to all the Tropical islands, bread-fruit. +In the plains we found water-melons, +dandelion, creeping-purslain, mint, scurvy-grass, +and sorrel; all which, together with the fresh-meats +of the place, were such salutary refreshments, +that the sick, who were at death’s-door +when they landed, before they had been a week +on shore, put on very different countenances, +<span class='pagenum'>377</span>and with their new complexions received a fresh +recruit of spirits. +</p> +<p> +Amidst such a variety of provisions as the +land furnished, it was thought unnecessary to indulge +ourselves in those offered us by the sea. +From fish, therefore, we wholly refrained; and +the rather, as some we caught at our first arrival +surfeited those who eat of them. This, however, +was not regretted, as beef, pork, poultry, +and wild-fowl, were in such plenty, that, except +the trouble of bringing them from a considerable +distance sometimes, there was no difficulty +attending their procurement. It were, +indeed, an endless task to recount all the excellencies +and delicacies we met with in this delightful +island: nor is it easy to say which to +prefer where every thing is worthy of admiration; +the neatness of its lawns, the stateliness, +freshness, and fragrance of its woods, the happy +inequality of its surface, and the variety and elegance +of the views it afforded,⁠—all these conspired +to charm the sight, while at the same time +the excellency of its productions could not fail +to gratify the appetite. And these advantages +were greatly enhanced by the healthiness of the +climate, by the almost constant cool breezes that +prevailed, and by the frequent gentle showers +that seemed to fall just to refresh the earth, and +add to its fertility; for these, instead of the long-continued +rains that in other countries fill the +air with noxious vapours, and overflow the earth +with wasteful inundations, seemed just enough +<span class='pagenum'>378</span>to purify the air, and to refresh the soil; which +was observable enough by the effect it had in +increasing our appetites, and promoting our digestion. +This effect was, indeed, remarkable, +since those amongst our officers, who were at all +other times spare and temperate eaters, were +here in appearance transformed into gluttons; +for instead of one reasonable flesh-meal a day, +they were scarcely satisfied with three: and yet +our digestion so well corresponded to the keenness +of our appetites, that we were neither disordered +nor even loaded by this uncommon repletion; +for, after having made a large beef +breakfast, it was not long before we began to +consider the approach of dinner as a very desirable, +and even somewhat tardy event. +</p> +<p> +The principal inconveniences that attended +our residence upon this island arose from the +vast number of musketos and other troublesome +flies, by which we were perpetually teized; +there was likewise a venomous little insect, that, +like the sheep-ticks in England, would bury its +head in the skin, and, if not instantly removed, +would cause an inflammation. +</p> +<p> +Running water there was none in the island; +but that defect was supplied by a large lake, or +lagoon, almost in the center of it, to which the +cattle, in times of drought, generally resorted; +but the freshness of their pasture, and the copious +dews and gentle showers that often moistened +it, rendered that resource almost unnecessary. +There were, besides, springs of excellent +<span class='pagenum'>379</span>water, and near the surface wells might every +where be dug, whose waters, in any other place, +would not have been complained of. +</p> +<p> +But the great danger we had to dread remains +to be told. During four months in the year, +that is, from the middle of June to the middle +of October, when the western monsoons prevail, +the winds, about the full and change of +the moon, are variable, and blow with such +fury, that the stoutest cables afford no security +to ships riding at anchor in the road: and what +adds to the danger is the rapidity of the tide, +which sets to the S. E. and occasions such a +hollow and over-grown sea as is not to be conceived; +insomuch that, though we were in a +sixty-gun ship, we were under the dreadful apprehension +of being pooped by it. During the +rest of the year the weather is constantly settled, +and ships have nothing to fear, if their cables +are well armed, which otherwise will suffer +from the foulness of the ground. +</p> +<p> +From the 29th of August, when our sick +were all put on shore, to the 12th of September, +when the Commodore himself landed, +those who remained on board were chiefly employed +in mooring and securing the ship, in +shifting her guns to come at her leaks, and in +cackling the cables, to prevent their being galled +by the friction against the rocky bottom. +At the same time an anchor and cable were put +on board the Spanish bark, her own being only +a heavy log of wood, and a rope made of +<span class='pagenum'>380</span>bass; and some barrels of powder to be dried +and recovered, which by long keeping was +become moist. +</p> +<p> +From the 12th to the 18th, the hands were +continually shifting, those who were so well recovered +as to be capable of duty were sent on +board, and those who had born the burden of +the labour were relieved and sent on shore. +</p> +<p> +On the 19th, the weather began to alter, and +to threaten a storm: on that day, the next, and +the 21st, it blew hard; however, we rode it +out, and flattered ourselves that the prudence +of our measures had secured us from accidents. +On the 22d, the hurricane came on, and our +only hope of safety seemed to depend on our +putting out to sea; but the Commodore was on +shore, and all communication with the land absolutely +cut off. At five in the afternoon, the +small bower parted, and the ship sprung off +to the best bower. As night approached, the +violence of the storm increased; yet, notwithstanding +its inexpressible fury, the rapidity +of the tide was such as to prevail over it, and to +force the ship before it, as it were, in despight of +its utmost rage. It was now that the sea broke +all round us in a most tremendous manner; +and that a large tumbling swell threatened to +ingulph us in its bosom: the long-boat, which +was moored a-stern, was on a sudden canted so +high that it broke the transum of the Commodore’s +gallery, and would, doubtless, have risen +as high as the tafferel, had it not been for the +<span class='pagenum'>381</span>stroke, which stove the boat to pieces; but yet +the poor boat-keeper, though much bruised, +was saved almost by miracle. About eight, the +tide slackened; but, the wind not abating, the +best bower cable, by which alone we rode, +parted at eleven. In this extremity, Mr. Saumarez, +our First Lieutenant, who commanded +in the absence of the Commodore, ordered guns +to be fired, and lights to be shewn, as signals of +distress; and, in a short time after, the night being +excessively dark, the storm raging, the thunder +roaring, and nothing to be seen but the blue +lightning flashing through the rain, we were +driven to sea, and, by this catastrophe, the +whole crew, both by sea and land, reduced to +a state of despair; those on shore concluding +they had now no means left them ever to get +home; whilst those on board, being utterly unprepared +to struggle with the fury of such seas +and winds, expected each moment to be their +last. In this state of despondency, while those +on board were every moment in expectation of +being dashed against the rocks of Aiguigan, an +island at about three leagues from Tinian, those +on shore were persuaded the ship could not survive +the storm, the whole channel between the +two islands appearing from the land like one +continued breach, the sea swelling, breaking, +and roaring, like mountains rolling over mountains, +and forming the most awful and terrifying +sight that the mind of man can possibly +conceive. Indeed, the condition of those on +<span class='pagenum'>382</span>board was truly pitiable; they were in a leaky +ship, with three cables in their hawses, to one of +which hung their only remaining anchor; they +had not a gun on board lashed; nor a port +barred in; their shrouds were loose; and their +fore-top-mast unrigged; and they had struck +their fore and main yards down before the hurricane +came on, so that there was no sail they +could set except the mizzen: to add to their +misfortunes, they were no sooner at sea, than, +by the labouring of the ship, whole floods of +water rushed in through the hawse-holes, ports, +and scuppers; which, with the usual leakage, +kept the pumps constantly at work. Persuaded +that their destruction was inevitable, sinking, +however, was only their secondary concern; +they judged, by the driving of the ship, that they +were making towards the land, and that, in the +darkness of the night, they should no otherwise +perceive it than by striking upon it; but day-light +relieved them from that uneasy apprehensions, +and shewed them that the island they +so much dreaded was at a considerable distance, +and that a strong northern current had proved +the means of their preservation. It was not, +however, till after three days that the turbulent +weather that had driven them from Tinian began +to abate; when every man in the ship was +so worn out with fatigue, that they found it impossible +to man the pumps, and hand the sails +at the same time. They had twice attempted +to heave up the main and fore yards, in which +<span class='pagenum'>383</span>they had as often miscarried by the breaking +of the jeers, and in the last effort one of their +best men perished. During all this time the +ship was driving to leeward, and dragging her +sheet anchor, the only one she had left, with two +cables an end at her bows. This was a circumstance +of the greatest consequence, and required +a speedy remedy; for, though upon a third +exertion of their whole force, they had replaced +their yards, they durst not, while the anchor +continued in that situation, venture to spread +their canvas. Some rest and refreshment became +necessary before a work of such labour +could be proposed to a feeble and diminished +crew, who hardly consisted of 100 men. It +was, therefore, five days after their departure before +they could secure their anchor; and now +they set their courses, and, for the first time, +stood to the eastward, in hopes of soon regaining +the island, and rejoining their Commander +and the rest of their company: but in this they +were unhappily disappointed; for having run, +as they thought, the distance necessary for +making the island, and being in full expectation +of seeing it, they found themselves bewildered +by the irregularity of the currents, and +knew not what course to steer, till, after several +days uncertainty, they came at last in sight of +Guam, from whence they directed their course +with infinite labour to Tinian, the wind being +constantly against them, and the tide variable. +This severe employment held till the 11th of +<span class='pagenum'>384</span>October, when, after nineteen days absence, they +appeared again in the offing, and were reinforced +from the shore, to the inexpressible joy +of the whole crew. +</p> +<p> +A few days after the ship was driven off, +some of the people on shore cried out, <em>A sail!</em> +and this spread a general joy, supposing it to be +the Centurion returning; but presently a second +sail was decried, which wholly destroyed the +first conjecture, and made it difficult to guess +who they were. The Commodore turning his +glass towards them, saw they were two boats; +and instantly concluding that the Centurion +was gone to the bottom, and that those were +her boats returning with the remains of her +people, this sudden suggestion wrought so +powerfully upon him, that, to conceal his emotion, +he was obliged to retire to his tent, where +he past some bitter moments in the firm persuasion +that all his hopes were now at an end, and +that, instead of distressing the enemy, he must +himself with his people fall a prey to their relentless +cruelty. He was, however, soon relieved +from this mortifying thought, they appearing, +upon their nearer approach, to be Indian +proas directing their course towards the +bay, with a view, as was supposed, to relieve +their countrymen, or to take on board their +provisions. On this intelligence, the Commodore +ordered his people to conceal themselves; +but the proas, after advancing within a quarter +of a mile of the shore, lay by for the space of +<span class='pagenum'>385</span>a few hours, and probably observing some +change in the appearance of the place, which +might raise their suspicion that an enemy lay in +ambush, they got again under sail, and steered +to the southward. +</p> +<p> +After this incident an opinion began generally +to prevail, that the Centurion would never +more appear at this island; and that she was +either lost, or forced upon the coast of China, +from whence, in her crazy condition, it would +be impossible for her ever to return. Though +the Commodore did not apparently give into +this opinion, yet he was not without his fears; +and, therefore, to provide against the worst, he +proposed cutting asunder the Indian bark which +they took on their first arrival, and lengthening +her in such a manner as to be capable of taking +on board all who were then upon the island, and +following the ship, if peradventure she should be +driven to Mocao. After some hesitation, owing +to the difficulty attending the execution, the men +were at length prevailed upon to engage in the +work, and the Commodore by his example encouraged +their diligence; for, being always at +work by day-break himself, it was thought a +disgrace to be idle when their Chief was employed. +It fortunately happened, that the carpenters +both of the Gloucester and Trial were on +shore, and that they had brought for safety their +chests of tools with them. The smith, too, was +on shore with his forge, but his bellows was +still in the ship. This defect occasioned some +<span class='pagenum'>386</span>delay; but was soon supplied by the ingenuity +of his shipmates, one or other of them never being +at a loss for expedients on such occasions: +they limed a fresh hide for leather, the carpenters +shaped out a wooden frame, and a gun barrel +served for a nozel. The smith being now +in readiness to prepare the iron-work, some +were employed in cutting down trees, and sawing +them into plank, whilst the main-body were +busied in digging out a draw-dock to receive the +bark, and in laying of ways to heave her up and +down. All, in short, were variously employed; +and the work went on successfully for 16 days, +in which time the bark was sawn asunder, her +two parts separated, and placed at the proper +distance from each other; and, the materials being +all in readiness before-hand, they proceeded +with no small dispatch in the enlargement, insomuch +that they fixed the 5th of November as the +day when they should be ready to depart. The +alacrity with which this business was carried on, +left no room for reflection among the common +sailors, though their superiors were not without +their fears. They had no sea-provisions, except +some jerked beef, which the Indians had prepared +and abandoned when they fled, and they +had a run of 600 leagues before they could presume +upon a supply; they had no bread, and +the bread-fruit on the island could not be preserved +at sea; they wanted salt; and, what was +still a more necessary article in their present situation, +they wanted ammunition for their defence, +<span class='pagenum'>387</span>in case of an attack from the enemy; for, upon +the strictest search, no more than 90 charges of +powder could be collected, which was short of +one round a-piece for each of the company; +they were, too, in an unknown sea, and wanted +instruments to direct their course: in short, +though the common men had no other thought +but how they should get on board, the officers +foresaw a thousand difficulties, which were almost +insurmountable to human apprehension, +but which they carefully concealed, that the +main business might not be retarded. +</p> +<p> +But, in the midst of these gloomy apprehensions, +which, the nearer the time of their departure +approached, still became the more +serious, and when all hope of seeing the Centurion +at Tinian had subsided, one of the +Gloucester’s men, being upon a hill at a distance +looking out for cattle, perceived, as he +fancied, something like a ship in the clouds, +which, on steadily observing it, seemed to move +slowly towards the land. It was not long before +he was sensible of its approach, and persuading +himself it was the Centurion, he in an +extasy ran towards the landing-place, crying to +his comrades, <em>The ship! The ship!</em> This being +heard by the nearest, was echoed from mouth +to mouth till it reached the spot where the +Commodore was at work, who, on hearing the +joyful news, threw down his axe, and joined in +the general transport. In a few hours the Centurion +appeared in the offing, and a boat with +<span class='pagenum'>388</span>18 men was sent off to reinforce her, and to +carry fresh meats, fruits, and refreshments, for +the crew. In the afternoon of the 11th of +October she happily cast anchor, the Commodore +went instantly aboard, and the joy and +congratulations on that occasion were equally +sincere and mutual. +</p> +<p> +The labour of the artificers was now at an +end, and another kind of employment succeeded, +which was that of laying in water for the remainder +of the voyage. Now also hunting, +shooting, setting, and every device that could be +contrived to catch live cattle, hogs, and poultry, +for stores, took place; while, at the same +time, the Commodore and Officers amused themselves +with traversing the island, and examining +more minutely its several parts. In one of these +excursions, being on a rising ground, they observed, +in a valley beneath them, the appearance +of a small thicket, which, by attending to +it, seemed to have a progressive motion, as indeed +it had; but was no other than a parcel of +cocoa-bushes trailed upon the ground by persons +concealed beneath them. From this uncommon +circumstance, it was immediately concluded, +that the Indians, whose boat they had +surprized upon their first arrival, must be the +persons who were dragging the bushes, and that +it could not be far to the place of their concealment; +they therefore kept their eye upon +them, and traced them to their cell; but, to +their surprize, when they came to enter it, they +<span class='pagenum'>389</span>found it abandoned, though all things were ready +prepared for dinner, and stood smoaking hot +on a table of turf. The officers, having in vain +endeavoured to track them, returned, and, with +an appetite increased by the keenness of the +pursuit, sat down to that meal which the poor +hungry savages had abandoned. It consisted of +salted spareribs, cocoa-nuts, and bread-fruit; +all which they found ready drest, and in quantity +as much as they all could eat. +</p> +<p> +On the third day after the second arrival of +the ship, the Commodore being on board, a +sudden gust of wind arose, and again brought +home our anchor, and drove us out to sea. +Our chief officers were now all on board; and +only about 70 of our men, with a midshipman +or two to command them, were employed on +shore in filling water and catching cattle. Of +these about 30 came off to us in the cutter, +and the eighteen-oared barge was sent for the +rest; but they not being in readiness, and the +ship quickly driving out of sight, it was no longer +in their power to join us. However, as the +weather soon proved favourable, and we were +now stronger and healthier than at our first disaster, +in about five days we regained the road, +and anchored safe in our former station. On +our return we found the Spanish bark restored +to her old dimensions, and the parts brought +together, and in good forwardness to be compleated; +for the few remaining people, despairing +of the return of the ship, had determined +<span class='pagenum'>390</span>to follow her to her destined port. We now +laboured indefatigably to get in our water, in +order to sail, in which service two of our men +employed in the well unfortunately perished; +for the sides of the well being loose earth, by +the carelessness of those above, in not properly +attending the filling, the bank gave way by the +weight of a heavy cask, and both that and the +bank fell in upon them together. Some other +misfortunes happened through haste in rafting +the casks to the ship; yet, notwithstanding, being +such as are generally accounted trifling +on board a man of war, our watering went on +so successfully, that by the 20th of October it +was compleated; and on that day leave was +given for a man from each mess to go ashore, +and gather as many oranges, lemons, cocoa-nuts, +and other fruits of the island, as should +be sufficient for us all while at sea. This +being accomplished, the Spanish bark set +on fire, the men returned on board, and the +boats hoisted in, on the 21st we set sail; and +the wind being fair, and the weather moderate, +nothing remarkable happened till we arrived +on the coasts of China, except that while +we were passing by the rocks of Vele Rete, +near the south end of the island Formosa, we +were alarmed by a cry of fire on the forecastle, +which brought the whole crew together in the +utmost confusion, so that it was difficult for +some time to reduce them to order; but, as +soon as discipline took place, and a proper examination +<span class='pagenum'>391</span>could be made, it was found to proceed +from the furnace, where the bricks, being +over-heated, had begun to communicate the fire +to the wood-work, which, had it not been timely +discovered, might have been of the most dreadful +consequence; but, as it fell out, it was extinguished +with the greatest facility, and the brick-work +so secured, that no accident of the like +kind could again happen. +</p> +<p> +From the island of Formosa we directed our +course so as to fall in with the coast of China, +to the eastward of Pedro Blanco, as that rock is +generally esteemed the best direction for ships +bound to Mocao; and, on the 6th of November +we fell in with it, when we were presently +surrounded by an incredible number of fishing-boats, +which covered the surface of the sea as +far as the eye could reach. Nor was this swarm +of fishing vessels peculiar to that place; for, as +we ran on to the westward, we found them as +abundant on every other part of the coast. +From among these we had no sort of doubt of +procuring a pilot to Mocao; but, when we +thought ourselves near it, though we tempted +them with shewing them bags of Spanish dollars, +for which, it is said, a Chinese would sell +his father, yet not one of them would venture +to come on board us, nor give us the least intelligence; +neither did our ship, the like of +which, so armed and fitted, had never before +appeared upon their coasts, seem to excite in +them any curiosity: they continued their fishing +<span class='pagenum'>392</span>with the same apparent indifference as if +any trading ship had been passing by; and, +when we made them signals, they disregarded +them as much, though they certainly understood +them, as if we had been only in sport. The +next day, however, about two in the afternoon, +as we were standing to the westward within two +leagues of the shore, still surrounded as before, +we observed that a boat a-head of us waved a +red flag, and blew a horn. This we apprehended +was a signal for us, and accordingly we hoisted +out our cutter, and sent to know the meaning +of it; when we presently discovered our +mistake, and that it was only the usual notice to +leave off fishing, which the whole fleet instantly +obeyed. Being thus disappointed, we kept on +our cruise till we came to a group of islands, +round the westernmost of which we were directed +to pass, and then to haul up. While we +were thus employed, a Chinese pilot came on +board, and in broken Portuguese undertook to +pilot us into harbour for 30 dollars, and on the +12th of November anchored us safe in Mocao-road; +where the first thing we did was to salute +the fort, and to send to the Portuguese Governor +to advise with his Excellency in what manner +to behave to avoid giving offence to the +Chinese. The difficulty the Commodore principally +apprehended related to the port charges +usually paid by ships in the river Canton, from +which charges men-of-war are exempted in every +port of Europe, and which the Commodore was +<span class='pagenum'>393</span>determined not to be forced to pay in this. In the +evening the boat returned with two officers, who +delivered it as the Governor’s opinion, that, if +the Centurion ventured into the river of Canton, +the duty would most certainly be expected; and, +therefore, if the Commodore approved of it, he +would send a pilot to conduct the ship into another +harbour, called the Typa, where it was probable +the port charges would never be demanded. +To this proposal the Commodore agreed, +the pilot was sent, and the ship safely moored. +</p> +<p> +Next day the Commodore paid a visit in person +to the Governor, to solicit a supply of provisions, +and of naval stores to refit the ship. The +Governor very frankly acquainted the Commodore, +that he durst not openly furnish either +the one or the other; for that he himself neither +received provisions for his garrison but from +day to day, by permission from the Chinese government, +nor any thing else but what his present +necessities required: however, he assured +the Commodore in a friendly manner, that he +would give him all the assistance in his power. +On this declaration, the Commodore determined +to go to Canton himself, to procure a licence +from the Viceroy to purchase a supply, and, +with this view, hired a Chinese boat for himself +and his attendants to carry them into port: but +just as they were ready to embark, the Hoppo +refused to grant them a permit; nor would +he, notwithstanding all the interest the Commodore +could make, withdraw the prohibition, +<span class='pagenum'>394</span>till he was threatened to be compelled to it by +force. This operated when fair means had failed; +a permit was next day sent on board, and +the Commodore proceeded to the English factory +to consult with the principal officers there +about the cautions that were to be used, lest the +factory should suffer by violent measures, which +he was solicitous to avoid. They advised him +to transact the business by the mediation of the +Chinese merchants, who at first undertook +to accomplish it; but, after trifling with him +more than a month, they declared they durst +not interfere in it. The merchants then undertook +to procure him provisions clandestinely; +but that would not suffice. Upon his return, he +found the ship so much out of repair, that she +could not proceed without being hove down; +he, therefore, next day wrote a letter to the +Viceroy, acquainting him, that he was Commodore +of a squadron of his Britannic Majesty’s +ships that had been cruising in the South Seas +against the Spaniards, who were at war with his +nation; that his ship was leaky; that his people +were in want of provisions; that he had put +into Mocao, a friendly port, for a supply, but +that, being a stranger to the customs of the +country, he had been unable to succeed; and, +therefore, requested, that he might be permitted +to employ workmen to repair his ship, and that +he might be supplied with provisions at the accustomed +rates at which the articles he stood in +need of were generally sold. Another difficulty +<span class='pagenum'>395</span>was now started as to the delivery of this letter, +the Hoppo at first refusing to intermeddle +with it; but, on the Commodore’s expressing +some resentment, and threatening to convey it +to Canton by his own messengers, he at length +undertook not only to deliver it, but to procure +an answer: accordingly, though the letter was +only dated on the 17th of December, on the +19th a Mandarine of the first rank, together +with two others of an inferior class, and their +attendants, having in their retinue 18 half gallies, +decorated with streamers, and furnished with +bands of music, came to a grapple a-head of the +Centurion, whence the Mandarine sent in form +to acquaint the Commodore, that he came by +order of the Viceroy to examine the condition +of the ship, and to report the same as it should +appear to him upon a just survey. On this +message, preparations were instantly made to receive +him; in particular, a hundred of the most +sightly men on board, uniformly dressed in the +regimentals of the marines, were drawn up under +arms on the main-deck against his arrival. +When he entered the ship, he was saluted by the +drums and military music, and conducted by +some of the principal officers to the quarter-deck, +where he was received in state by the +Commodore, and then introduced to the great +cabbin, where he explained his commission, and +presented the persons he had brought with him +to take the survey. The Mandarine appeared to +be a person of superior abilities, and endowed +<span class='pagenum'>396</span>with a frankness and honesty not usually to be met +with among the ordinary ranks of Chinese officers; +and, being an eye-witness of the dangerous state +of the leaks, and of the necessity there was for a +thorough repair, he expressed his entire acquiescence +in the report that had been given, and +promised to lay the same immediately before the +council upon his return. He was exceeding +curious in inspecting the ship, in examining +her guns, and poising her great shot. He exprest +his astonishment at her strength and her +magnitude; and the Commodore, to increase +his wonder, and shew his own power, let him +know how easy it would be for him to destroy +the whole navigable force of China, and lay the +city of Canton in ruins; but, nevertheless, he +assured him, that not the least violence should +be offered, provided his wants were supplied +upon reasonable terms. +</p> +<p> +At the same time the Commodore complained +of the behaviour of the officers at Mocao, +who had prohibited the country people from +selling provisions to his company, though they +had paid for what they purchased in sterling +silver. The Mandarine heard the complaint +without emotion, but said it should be remedied +for the future. After the business was over, +dinner was ordered, and the Commodore apologised +for the meanness of the fare from the difficulty +he had to procure better: but the two inferior +Mandarines, who were the only persons of their +retinue permitted to sit at table with them, shewed +<span class='pagenum'>397</span>no dislike to any thing set before them, except +the beef, to which they have the same dislike +as the Jews have to pork, from an early +prejudice derived from their ancestors; of this +the Commodore was not apprized, nor were +they offended at its being set before them. They +were, indeed, very aukward at the use of knives +and forks, and it was found necessary to introduce +their own servants to carve for them, before +they could make an end of their dinners. +But if they were deficient in their manner of +eating, they were no novices in putting about +the glasses; for there was not an officer at table +that durst engage with them. Seeing they were +fond of Frontiniac, and that they presently +emptied four or five bottles of it without any +effect, the Commodore ordered a bottle of Citron +water to be brought up, which, on tasting, +they liked, and, the Commodore excusing himself +on account of an illness he had not yet recovered, +they clapped a ruddy-faced officer on +the shoulder, and desired him to pledge them, +saying, by their interpreter, they were sure he +could not plead illness for declining his glass. +When the bottle was out, they all rose from +table, without appearing to be in the least disordered, +and, after the usual ceremonies, departed, +very well pleased with their entertainment. +</p> +<p> +The Commodore now impatiently expected +the licence he had requested; but it was several +days before it passed the necessary forms, chiefly +owing to the intrigues of a Frenchman, who, +<span class='pagenum'>398</span>having the advantage of speaking the language +fluently, was at no loss in traversing the measures +of the friendly Mandarine in favour of +Mr. Anson; but a repetition of the threats +already referred to, produced, at last, the desired +effect. On the 6th of January, the licence +was received, and the carpenters were set to +work; but, previous to this, the prohibition +was taken off, and provisions were every day +brought to the ship in plenty. +</p> +<p> +It was, however, the beginning of April before +the repairs could be compleated, and the +Chinese began to be very uneasy at their long +stay. They had frequently sent messages to the +Commodore to hasten his departure, not knowing +or believing that he was no less in earnest +to be gone, than they were to be freed from +the dread of his stay. At length, on the 3d +of April, two Mandarines came on board from +Mocao, with a peremptory command addressed +to the Commodore, requiring him to depart; +to which he made answer, in a determined tone, +that he would go when he thought proper, and +not when they presumed to command him. +After this rebuke, however, all communication +was forbidden, and no more provisions were +suffered to go on board; and so strictly were +those injunctions carried into execution, that +from thenceforwards nothing could be purchased +at any rate whatever. On the 6th of April, +the Centurion weighed, and warped to the +southward; and, by the 15th, she was safe in +<span class='pagenum'>399</span>Mocao road, having compleated her water as +she passed along. On the 19th, she again weighed +anchor, and put to sea. +</p> +<p> +But long before this, that is, some time in +November, Captain Saunders, Commander of +the Tryal’s prize, took passage on board a +Swedish ship with dispatches from the Commodore +to the government. And soon after, +that is, about the middle of December, Captain +Mitchell, Col. Crackerode, Mr. Taswell, +with his nephew Mr. Charles Herriot, and the +Rev. Mr. Walter, embarked on board the company’s +ships on their return home. About this +time we received the first news of the safe arrival +of the Severn and Pearl (the two ships of +our squadron that parted from us in doubling +Cape Horn) at Rio Janeiro, on the coast of +Brazil. The Severn had been remarkable for +the extraordinary sickness that had been more +fatal on board her than on board of any other +in the whole squadron, insomuch that her +hands had been twice recruited from the Centurion +during her voyage to the straits of Le +Maire; and yet when she parted company she +wanted hands to navigate her in a storm, which +was the reason of her return. It was from the +knowledge of this uncommon mortality that +prevailed among the crew, that the Commodore +concluded the Severn to be lost. The news, +therefore, of her and the Pearl’s safety was received +with the greater pleasure, as we had long +<span class='pagenum'>400</span>entertained an opinion that both of them had +perished. But to return from this digression: +</p> +<p> +From the 1st to the 15th of April, we had +stormy weather, with heavy rains and such amazing +and terrifying claps of thunder and +flashes of lightning as nothing of the kind I had +ever seen or heard bore any proportion to. This +was upon the breaking-up of the easterly monsoon, +when such storms are usual in the country, +accompanied sometimes with dreadful gusts +of wind, called here by the name of Tuffoons, +of the effects of which the Chinese relate very +wonderful stories. +</p> +<p> +While we were warping out of the harbour, +the Commodore went on shore to Mocao, to +take leave of the Portuguese Governor, who +had, to the utmost of his power, behaved in a +very friendly manner; and, at his coming from +the fort, he was saluted with 15 guns. +</p> +<p> +During our stay we had entered about 20 +fresh hands, being chiefly Lascars, Persians, and +Dutchmen; so that our whole complement, +when we sailed, amounted to 224 men and +boys, among whom were some of all nations, +languages, and religions. +</p> +<p> +Being now at sea, we were some time in a +state of uncertainty what course the Commodore +intended to steer. He gave out at Mocao, +that he was bound to Batavia, and thence +to England; but his real design was very different. +The project the Commodore had resolved +upon in his own mind, was, to cruise +<span class='pagenum'>401</span>for the annual ship from Acapulco to Manilla; +and, not discouraged by his former disasters, he +determined again to risque the casualties of the +Pacific Ocean, and to take his station off Cape +Spirito Santo on the island of Jamal, being the +first land the Acapulco ships always make in +approaching the Philippines. +</p> +<p> +Being now at sea, it was no longer necessary +to conceal this project; he, therefore, summoned +all his people on the quarter-deck, and +in a short, but spirited speech, informed them of +his design; which was received by them with +the most expressive tokens of general approbation: +and such a confidence of succeeding diffused +itself through all the ship’s company, that +the Commodore, who had taken some Chinese +sheep to sea with him for his own provision, enquiring +one day of his butcher, why he had lately +seen no mutton at his table? the man replied +dryly, that in truth there were only two sheep +left, and these, with his honour’s leave, he proposed +to reserve for the entertainment of the +General of the galleons. +</p> +<p> +When the Centurion left the port of Mocao, +she stood for some days to the westward; and, +on the first of May, passed the island of Formosa; +and, steering to the southward, on the +4th in the evening they came in sight of the +Bashee Islands, which they suspected to be +wrong laid down by Dampier, and from observation +found them 25 leagues too far to the +westward. On the 20th of May, they came in +<span class='pagenum'>402</span>sight of Espirito Santo. As it was known there +were centinels placed upon the Cape to make +signals to the Acapulco ships, the Commodore +immediately tacked, and ordered the top-gallant-sails +to be taken in, to prevent a discovery: +and this being the station in which he proposed +to cruise, he fixed the limits between the latitude +of 12 deg. 50 min. N. and 13 deg. 5 min. the +Cape itself lying in 12 deg. 40 min. N. and in +4 deg. of east longitude from Psotel Tobago Xima. +It was now the time when the Manilla ship +was every hour expected; for they seldom or +never fail of making land in the month of June, +and sometimes sooner, and it was now the last +day of May, according to their stile, when the +Commodore took his station. +</p> +<p> +It were tedious to entertain the reader with +the various conjectures, surmises, doubts, and +anxieties, that agitated the minds of the people +on board, from the day they came in sight of +the Cape till the day that Mr. Charles Proby, a +midshipman, called out from the mast-head, +<em>A sail!</em> This was on the 20th of June, just one +month after their arrival at the Cape. There +did not remain a doubt but that it was one of +the galleons (for two were expected this year, +as none had been permitted to sail the year preceding); +and the Commodore accordingly stood +towards her. At half after seven in the morning, +they could see her from the deck, at which +time she fired a gun to leeward, and took in her +top-gallant-sails, as a signal, as it was then supposed, +<span class='pagenum'>403</span>to her consort; but in reality, as a signal +to her own people to prepare for action. The +Commodore was surprized to see her steadily +pursue her course, and was now in no fear of +losing sight of her, as at noon he could fetch her +wake. Her consort not appearing, it was concluded +they had parted company; and it now +became visible, that the galleon did not intend +to fly, but to fight. Every preparation had been +previously made on board the Centurion, and all +hands properly instructed; so that every man on +board repaired to his post with as much regularity +and unconcern as if preparing for a review. +Thirty of the best marksmen lined the tops; two +men placed themselves at a gun to load them; +and gangs of ten men each were appointed to go +from gun to gun, to run them out, and fire them +as fast as they were loaded. A constant running +fire was by this means kept up, and no interval +allowed for the enemy to stand to their guns in +safety, as is common when whole broadsides are +discharged at once. +</p> +<p> +About one in the afternoon, the galleon hauled +up her fore-sail, and brought to under top-sails, +with her head to the northward, hoisting +Spanish colours, and having the standard of Spain +flying at the top-gallant mast-head. About the +same time the Centurion hoisted her broad pendant +and colours, being within gun-shot of the +enemy; and the Commodore, seeing them clearing +their decks of their cattle and lumber, gave +orders to fire the chace-guns, to disturb them in +<span class='pagenum'>404</span>their work. The galleon returned the fire with +two of her stern guns, one of which carried away +one of our fore-shrouds, and our forestay tackle, +which could not have been done by an ordinary +ball. The Centurion setting her sprit-sail fore +and aft for boarding, the galleon, out of a bravado, +did the same. Soon after, the Centurion +shot a-breast of the enemy within pistol shot, and +now the engagement became hot. For the first +half hour the Centurion over-reached the galleon, +and lay on her bow, and, by the wideness +of her ports, could traverse almost all her guns +upon the enemy, whilst the galleon could only +bring a part of hers to bear upon the Centurion +in return. In the heat of the action, the mats with +which the galleon had stuffed her netting took +fire, and burnt violently, blazing up near as high +as the mizzen-top. This accident threw the +enemy into the utmost terror, and also alarmed +the Commodore, for fear the galleon should be +burnt, and for fear he himself might suffer by +being closely grappled by her. Happily, however, +that danger was averted, and the fire extinguished, +by cutting away the netting, and letting +the whole tumble into the sea. All this +while the Commodore kept his first advantageous +position, firing with great regularity and +briskness; while at the same time the galleon’s +decks lay open to our top-men, who, having at +their first volley driven the Spaniards from their +tops, made prodigious havock with their small +arms, killing or wounding every officer but one +<span class='pagenum'>405</span>that appeared upon the quarter-deck, and wounding +in particular the General of the galleon himself. +Thus the action continued for more than +half an hour; but then the Centurion lost the superiority +of her situation, and came close alongside +of the galleon, when the enemy continued +their fire with great activity for near an hour +longer; yet, even in this position, the Commodore’s +grape-shot swept their decks so effectually, +and the number of the dead and wounded became +so considerable, that they began to fall into +great confusion, especially as the General, who +was the life of the action, was no longer able to +exert himself. The disorder was so great, that +their officers were seen from the Centurion running +about to prevent the desertion of their men +from their posts: but all their endeavours were +in vain; for, after having, as a last effort, fired +five or six guns with more judgment than usual, +they yielded up the contest; and, the galleon’s +colours being singed off the ensign-staff at the +beginning of the engagement, she struck the +standard at the main top-gallant-mast-head; but +even this office would have been at the peril of +the man’s life, had not the Commodore, observing +what he was about, given express orders to +leave off firing. +</p> +<p> +The Commodore, when the action was ended, +resolved to make the best of his way with his +prize to the river Canton, being in the mean +time fully employed in securing his prisoners, +and in removing the treasure from on board the +<span class='pagenum'>406</span>galleon into the Centurion. His first business was +to commission the ship, and put her under the +command of proper officers: Lieut. Saumarez +was appointed Captain, and was immediately ordered +on board to take possession of his charge. +</p> +<p> +But, just as the galleon had struck, the officer +who commanded between decks came up, seemingly +to congratulate the Commodore on his +conquest, but at the same time privately whispered +to him, that the Centurion was dangerously on +fire near the powder-room. It seems one of the +lads, called powder-monkies, being heedless, a +cartridge that he was carrying blew up in his +hands; this fired another, and that three of the +lower-deck guns on the off side of the ship, +which being happily loaded and laid down for +service, and the ports hauled up to vent the +smoke, they did not occasion the least mischief; +however, the cartridges and guns together raised +such a smother, that it was at first doubtful whether +it proceeded from the explosion, or from a +part of the ship being on fire. In fact, upon examination, +it was found to proceed from both; +for, part of a cartridge having fallen between +the planks of the cieling, close aft by the scuttle +of the Chaplain’s cabbin, not only a considerable +smoke issued out, but a very sensible heat, +and, had it not been immediately extinguished, +the consequence would have been dreadful: to +be brief, a few pails of water seasonably applied +did more than all the water of the ocean could +have effected after an hour’s delay. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>407</span>This alarm being thus happily subsided, we +draughted out 50 of our people (of whom myself +was one) to board and man the prize. I +had heard we had killed them 60 men, and +wounded as many more, and expected to have +seen the horrid spectacle of mangled limbs, +dead carcasses, and decks covered with blood; +but no such spectacle appeared; a party having +been properly stationed, during the time of +action, to wash away the blood, and to throw +the dead over-board. We found, however, +many desperately wounded, and among them +the General, who had received a musket-ball +in his breast, and was so ill, or pretended to be +so ill, that it was judged unsafe to move him +from his cabbin; but all the other officers, together +with the passengers of note, were sent +on board the Centurion. Among the latter was +an old gentleman, Governor of Guam, who +was going to Manilla to renew his commission, +and who had scarce mounted the Centurion’s +side before he was received with open arms by +Mr. Crooden, Captain of marines, who 36 +years before, at the battle of Almanza, had +been his prisoner, and honourably used by him. +These two renewed their old acquaintance, and +Captain Crooden had a long-wished-for opportunity +of returning the favours he had formerly +received, and which he gratefully remembered. +</p> +<p> +The ship, upon examination, was found to +contain to the value of more than a million and +<span class='pagenum'>408</span>a half of dollars, was called the Nuestra Signora +de Cabadonga, Don Jeronimo de Montero +Commander, by nation a Portuguese, and accounted +the most intrepid officer employed in +the Spanish mercantile service: and, indeed, in +my opinion, he was more brave than prudent; +for, surely, no wise man, intrusted with such a +cargo, six leagues to the windward of a man-of-war +purposely stationed to intercept him, +would have borne down upon his enemy, and +braved him to his teeth, when, with the advantage +of the wind, he might have gone safe to +port, from whence he was not more than 10 or +12 leagues distant, and where he might then +have set his pursuer at defiance. +</p> +<p> +His galleon was indeed larger than the man-of-war, +was pierced for 64 guns, but had only +36 mounted, most of them 12 pounders, and +17 of them brass: she had, besides, 28 peteraroes, +in her gunwale, quarters, and tops, carrying +each a 4 lb. ball; and, before the engagement, +she mustered 640 men capable of bearing +arms, officers and passengers included. She +was, besides, well furnished with small arms, +and was particularly provided against boarding, +both by her close quarters, and by a strong network +of two-inch rope laced over her waste, +and fortified with half-pikes placed in the manner +of cheveaux de frize; but, notwithstanding +all her defences, she had 64 men killed, +and 84 wounded, whilst the Centurion had only +two men killed, and a Lieutenant and 16 men +<span class='pagenum'>409</span>wounded, all of whom recovered, one man only +excepted. +</p> +<p> +And how the Commodore learnt from some +of the prisoners, that the other ship, which he +had kept in the port of Acapulco the year before, +instead of returning in company with this, +as was expected, had sailed earlier in the season +than usual, and was probably got into Manilla +before the Centurion set sail from Mocao; so +that, notwithstanding our present success, we +had reason to regret the loss of time occasioned +by the delays of the Chinese, which prevented +our taking two rich prizes instead of one; +though, to say the truth, it would not have +been an easy talk to dispose of the prisoners, +which, even as it fell out, was a matter that +gave the Commodore no small disquietude; for +they were above double the number of our +own people; and some of them observed, when +they were brought aboard, how slenderly we +were manned; and the General himself could +not help expressing his indignation to be thus +beaten by a handful of boys. It was therefore +necessary for our own preservation to prevent +their rising; and that could not be securely effected +without exercising a degree of severity +which in any other circumstances could not +have been justified on the principles of humanity; +for there was no method practicable but +that of stowing the men in the holds of the +two ships; and as for the officers, 17 in number, +they were confined in the First Lieutenant’s +<span class='pagenum'>410</span>cabbin, under a guard of six men, first depriving +them of their arms, and then keeping a +strict watch on all their motions. Indeed, the +sufferings of the common men, such of them +in particular who were not employed in navigating +the ship, were much to be pitied; for, +the weather being extremely hot, the stench of +the holds loathsome beyond conception, and +their allowance of water but just sufficient to +keep them alive, being only a pint a day for +each man, it was next to a miracle that not a +man of them died during their confinement, +except five of the wounded, who expired the +very night they were brought aboard the Centurion. +Thus circumstanced, the motives of +humanity, as well as interest, strongly urged +the Commodore to hasten his return to China; +and the prize being much damaged, both in +her hull and rigging, it was found necessary to +take her in tow for the quicker dispatch. +</p> +<p> +On the 21st of June it blew a storm, which +continued till the 25th, when the sea ran mountains +high: in this storm the Centurion lost her +long-boat, and the prize a launch. +</p> +<p> +On the 2d of July we passed between the +Bashee Islands, though the rippling of the sea +seemed to indicate breakers or rocky ground; +but the wind being so far to the northward as +to render it difficult to weather them, we risqued +the danger to shorten the voyage. On the 8th +of July we made the coast of China, and on +she 11th came to an anchor off the city of +<span class='pagenum'>411</span>Mocao; from thence we proceeded to the river +of Canton, where we met with the usual obstructions +from the custom-house officers, and +where the Commodore was again obliged, as +it were, resolutely to force his way to his intended +station. The officer who came to take +the dimensions of his ships, in the usual manner, +seemed astonished when he talked of being +exempted from the accustomed rates, and gave +him to understand that the Emperor’s duty +must be paid by every ship that came into his +ports; and the pilot had private instructions +not to carry the ships through the Bocca Tygris, +or narrow pass that forms the entrance into the +river of Canton, till security was given for the +accustomed charges. +</p> +<p> +And here it may be necessary just to mention, +that this pass, not more than a quarter of a +mile in breadth, is defended by two forts on +the opposite sides; but these the Commodore +disregarding, and being determined to enter the +river without delay, as the stormy season was +approaching, he caused the pilot to be brought +before him, and in a determined tone threatened +to hang him to the yard-arm, if he did not +instantly take charge of the ship, and carry her +safe, without striking ground, through the Bocca +Tygris into the open river. The poor pilot +performed his office, but did not escape punishment +for what he could not help. He was instantly +seized on being released from the Centurion, +committed to prison, and rigorously +<span class='pagenum'>412</span>disciplined with the bamboo. However, he +found means to get access to the Commodore +afterwards, to supplicate a recompence, who, +ever ready to reward the sufferers in his service, +gave him such a sum as more than contented +him for his whipping. Nor was the poor pilot +the only sufferer; for the Governors of the forts +were both displaced for not preventing what it +was in vain for them to attempt to oppose, and +for not doing what all the council must know +was impossible to be done. +</p> +<p> +On the 16th, the Commodore sent his Second +Lieutenant to Canton, with a letter to the Viceroy, +assigning his reasons for putting into that +port, demanding a licence for purchasing provisions +and stores, and intimating an intention +of waiting upon his Excellency in person to +make his acknowledgements. The Lieutenant +was civilly received, and promised an answer the +next day. In the mean time, the principal officers +of the prize desired permission to go to +Canton on their parole, which was readily +granted. These no sooner arrived, than they +were called before the magistracy, and examined; +when they generously and frankly acknowledged, +that they fell into the hands of the +Commodore by the chance of war, and that +though they were prisoners, they were notwithstanding +at liberty to treat for their release; +they said farther, that it was not the custom +among European nations to put prisoners to +death; but that the laws of war authorized +<span class='pagenum'>413</span>much severer treatment than they had hitherto +met with from their conquerors. This confession +from an enemy had great weight with the Chinese, +who, till then, though they had revered +the Commodore’s naval force, had yet suspected +his morals, and had considered him rather +as a lawless free-booter, than as one commissioned +by the state for the revenge of public +injuries. +</p> +<p> +On the 20th of July, three Mandarines with +their retinue came on board, and brought the +Viceroy’s permit for a daily supply of provisions, +and for pilots to carry the ships up the river as +high as the second bar; and, at the same time, +they delivered a message from the Viceroy, in +answer to that part of the Commodore’s letter +which related to his visiting his Excellency; the +substance of which message was, that the Viceroy +wished the Commodore to defer his visit till +the hot season was over, but that, in September, +when the weather would be more temperate, he +should be glad to receive him. This the Commodore +looked upon as a finesse, knowing an +express was sent up to the Emperor’s court at +Peking; whence the real motive for putting +off the visit seemed to be to gain time to receive +the Emperor’s instructions concerning the ceremony +to be observed at his reception. The +Mandarines, having dispatched this part of their +commission, next entered upon the business of +the port charges; whereupon the Commodore +at once cut them short, by telling them, that, +<span class='pagenum'>414</span>as he did not come to trade, he was not to be +treated upon the same footing with trading +ships; that his Britannic Majesty’s ships never +paid customs in the ports of Europe, nor ever +would be subject to any pecuniary imposts in +any other port whatever. Finding nothing to +be gained on this head, they told the Commodore, +that they had still another matter in +charge, and that was the release of the prisoners +taken on board the galleon; for that the +Emperor would never permit the subjects of +princes with whom he was in alliance to be held +in bondage in his dominions, nor could the +Viceroy answer it to his Sovereign if he suffered +it; and that, therefore, his Excellency hoped +that the Commodore would give immediate +orders for their release. +</p> +<p> +Though nothing could be more agreeable to +the Commodore, who wanted much to be rid +of the incumbrance, than this requisition, yet, +to inhance the favour, he at first raised difficulties; +but at length suffered himself to be prevailed +upon by their intreaties, and concluded, +by assuring them, that, to shew his readiness to +oblige, he would deliver up the prisoners whenever +the Viceroy would please to order boats to +fetch them. Matters being thus adjusted, the +Mandarines departed: and, in a few days, two +Chinese junks were sent from Canton to carry +them to Mocao, under the direction of one +Captain Fial, Commander of a Spanish merchant-man, +to whose ship we gave chace in our +<span class='pagenum'>415</span>passage from the Bashee Islands to Mocao, but +lost sight of her in the night. +</p> +<p> +To this gentleman the General of the galleon, +and all his officers, except one who accompanied +us to England, were delivered up. And now +I have occasion to mention the General, I cannot +help relating an affair which gave us on board +the prize a great deal of concern, and sufficiently +shewed the meanness of his spirit, and his +beggarly craft. I have already taken notice of +his being wounded in the engagement, and of +his being indulged with the use of his own +cabbin till he was fit to be removed. The Commodore, +over and above this indulgence, sent +him a surgeon from his own ship, upon a complaint +that the Spanish surgeon on board the +galleon was quite ignorant in his profession; but +at the same time he sent an officer to demand +his commission. Pretending to the officer that +he was unable to move, he referred him to a +small box in a locker of his private cabbin, in +which, he said, it was, and likewise a sword-belt +set with diamonds of great value, his own +property; but, upon search, neither the commission +nor the belt could be found: and, as +some of our people had been rummaging both +that and other parts of the ship, he protested, +that, if they could not be there found, they +must have been taken away and concealed. +Under colour of this concealment, though he +never produced his commission, he all along received +the most humane and gentlemanlike +<span class='pagenum'>416</span>treatment that the most worthy officer could desire +or expect; and such was continued till his +departure, when neither his chests, of which +he had two very large ones, nor any of his +trunks or cases were suffered to be searched: +but every thing which he claimed as his personal +effects were delivered to him with the greatest +care and punctuality though, as I was afterwards +informed, he had many valuable ventures +concealed, which ought to have been delivered +up as prize to the captors; but, as that was +never examined into, he carried them off with +the rest, and, it was supposed, was not the least +among the gainers by the capture of his ship. +He persisted, however, to the last in the loss +of his commission and belt, and, though there +were none on board on whom he could charge +the theft, yet the Commodore sufficiently expressed +his displeasure against the whole by the +prohibition he laid upon us, as soon as the prize +came to an anchor in the river, by which all +communication was cut off between us and the +country people, and no boat suffered to come +near us but our own; by which severe order we +were entirely debarred from purchasing our +own provisions and necessaries from the Chinese, +which the people in the Centurion were at full +liberty to do; neither could we employ the +Chinese tradesmen to supply us with apparel, +of which we stood greatly in need, though +in that too the Centurion’s people were indulged: +and all this for no other reason, that was +<span class='pagenum'>417</span>ever assigned, but that, if the jewels the General +had lost were concealed, the Commodore +was determined the secreter should have no opportunity +of disposing of them without being +discovered. Had this precaution been taken, +as it ought, for the satisfaction of those who +suffered under the severity of the censure, and +had the effects of the Spanish General been properly +inspected, the secreter would have been +publickly exposed; for, when we afterwards +fell down to Mocao with the ships, where we +sold the prize, I was myself told by an Irish +priest, that the General had both his commission +and his belt; that he made no secret of the +matter at Mocao; and that he had offered the +jewels (being only made up by way of blind) +among the merchants for sale. +</p> +<p> +But to return: during our stay in the river Canton, +our people were employed in repairing the +Centurion, over-hauling her sails and rigging, +cleansing and ventilating her decks and quarters +below, and in paying and decorating her hull; +insomuch, that when she came to sail, she had +more the appearance of a ship newly fitted out, +than one that had been a three-years voyage in +traversing the globe. While these things were +doing on board the Centurion, we in the prize +were busied in rummaging for treasure, till about +the latter end of August, when we made +a full end of our search, and found, upon account +of the captors, in specie, 1,278,546 dollars, +and 1,324 of wrought plate and virgin +<span class='pagenum'>418</span>silver. The jewels we found were not then +valued. +</p> +<p> +At the same time that the inferior officers +and seamen were employed in these different +services, the Commodore had a still more important +business in hand. He knew it was impossible +for us to proceed to Europe without an +ample supply of provisions and other sea stores; +and, though we were furnished with a daily +allowance, yet no order had been obtained for +victualling us for our intended voyage. Application +had indeed been made, and terms agreed +upon with the contractors to furnish whatever +was necessary; and they had undertaken +to procure the Viceroy’s permission for the delivery +but when, about the middle of September, +the proper officer was sent to enquire what +forwardness these things were in, he found that +neither the baker had begun to bake the bread, +nor the butcher to kill the oxen, nor was the +least step taken to comply with any one article +of the agreement. We could no otherwise account +for this faithless procedure of the Chinese, +than by supposing they meant to starve +us into a compliance with their accustomed demands +for port charges, with which the Commodore +was determined never to acquiesce. Indeed, +it was suspected, that the contractors +themselves had some interest in promoting the +delay, though it was not easy to penetrate the +views by which they were influenced, as it may +with truth be asserted, that in artifice, falshood, +<span class='pagenum'>419</span>and attachment to all kinds of lucre, the Chinese, +as a nation, are not to be paralleled by +any other people under the sun. It were endless +to recount all the artifices, extortions, and +frauds, which were practised on the Commodore +and his people by this interested race. +The method of buying provisions in China being +by weight, the tricks made use of to make +them heavy are almost incredible. At one time +a number of fowls and ducks being bought for +the ship’s store, the greatest part of them presently +died, which spread a general alarm on +board lest they, should have died of poison; but, +on examination, it was discovered that they had +been crammed with small stones and gravel to +increase their weight. The hogs, too, bought +of the Chinese butchers ready killed, were +found to have had water injected into the carcases +for the same purpose; and when, to avoid +this cheat, the hogs were bought alive, it was +found that salt had been given them to increase +their thirst, that methods had been used to +suppress their urine, and that the tortured animals +had been sold in that inflated state. Mr. +Walter adds⁠—[for it is on his authority that +these instances are reported]⁠—that, as the Chinese +never scruple to eat the animals that die of +themselves, they contrived, by their secret practices, +when the Commodore put to sea, that +part of his live sea-store should die in a short +time after it was put on board: in order, therefore, +to make a second profit of the dead carcases +<span class='pagenum'>420</span>which they expected would be thrown +over-board, they followed in boats to pick up +the carrion; and, accordingly, two thirds of +the hogs dying before they were out of sight of +land, their labour could not be in vain. +</p> +<p> +The treachery of the contractors being now +discovered, the Commodore determined to renew +his former requisition for an audience with +the Viceroy. With this view, he notified his +intention to the proper Mandarine, and desired +that he would fix the time with the Viceroy +when he would be pleased to receive him at +the same time giving him to understand, that, +on the first of October, he intended to proceed +in his boat to Canton. The Mandarine returned +for answer, that he would acquaint the Viceroy +with the Commodore’s intentions. As it +was apprehended, that the payment of the customary +duties would be demanded at this interview, +the Commodore took the necessary precautions +to prevent the Chinese from facilitating +the success of their pretensions by having him in +their power at Canton, and, therefore, gave the +command of the Centurion to his First Lieut. +Mr. Brett (now Sir Piercy), with orders, if he +should be detained, to lie at the mouth of the +river, and suffer no ship or boat to pass or repass +till he was released, by which the whole +navigation of the river would be immediately +obstructed. +</p> +<p> +This being known to the Chinese, they were +now more than ever embarrassed in their deliberations. +<span class='pagenum'>421</span>The morning of the 1st of October +arrived, and just as the boats crew, eighteen in +number, which the Commodore proposed to +take with him, appeared in their uniform, +namely, scarlet jackets and blue silk waistcoats, +the whole trimmed with silver, with silver +badges on their jackets and caps, his linguist +came to him from the Mandarine, to tell him, +that a letter had been received from the Viceroy, +desiring the Commodore to defer his intended +purpose for two or three days, which +not being doubted, the men were ordered to be +undrest, and the preparations were all laid aside; +but, in the afternoon of the same day, another +linguist came on board, seemingly in a great +panic, informing him, that the Viceroy had expected +him up that day; that the council was assembled, +and the troops under arms to receive +him; and that the Viceroy was highly incensed +at the disappointment, and had sent the Commodore’s +linguist to prison, chained, supposing +him to be the sole cause of the contempt. +This plausible tale gave the Commodore great +uneasiness, not at that time suspecting any imposition; +and though it afterwards appeared +to be all a mere farce, yet the falshood was so +well supported by the artifices of the Chinese +merchants, that three days afterwards the Commodore +received a letter, signed by all the Supercargoes +of the English ships then at the place, +expressing their uneasiness at what had happened, +and intimating their fears that some insult +<span class='pagenum'>422</span>would be offered to his boat, if he attempted to +come to Canton before the Viceroy was fully satisfied +of the mistake. To this letter the Commodore +replied, that he did not believe there +had been a mistake, but was persuaded it was a +forgery of the Chinese to prevent his visiting +the Viceroy; that, therefore, he would certainly +come up to Canton on the 13th of October, +confident that the Chinese would not dare to +offer him any insult, as well knowing he should +want neither power nor inclination to make +them a proper return. +</p> +<p> +On the 13th of October, the Commodore +continuing firm to his resolutions, all the Supercargoes +of the English, Danish, and Swedish +ships, came on board the Centurion, to accompany +him to Canton, for which place he set out +in his barge the same day, attended by his own +boats, and by those of the trading ships, which +on this occasion were sent to augment his retinue. +As he passed by Wampo where the European +vessels lay, he was saluted by all of them +except the French, and in the evening he arrived +safely at Canton. +</p> +<p> +The Chinese merchants, who affected to appear +very much pleased that he had met with +no opposition in his way, pretended that the +Viceroy was then so fully employed in preparing +his dispatches for Peking, that there was no getting +admittance to him; but that they had engaged +one of the officers of his court, as soon +as he was at leisure, to notify the Commodore’s +<span class='pagenum'>423</span>arrival, and endeavour to fix the audience. +Though the Commodore knew this to be a +falsehood, yet he suffered himself to be persuaded +by the European Supercargoes not to appear +to doubt it, provided the Chinese merchants +would undertake that his bread should be baked, +his meat salted, and his stores in readiness, +within the space of 40 days; after which time, +if the least article was pretended to be forgotten, +he would force his way to the Viceroy, and +prefer his complaint. During the interval, while +the contractors were endeavouring in earnest to +fulfil the terms of the agreement on their part, +(which by the way they insisted should be paid +for in advance on his), a fire broke out in the +suburbs of Canton, which on the first alarm +might easily have been extinguished, by pulling +down some of the adjoining sheds; which the +Commodore with his officers and crew observing, +were instantly about to carry into execution +but they were told, that whatever they +pulled down they must build up again at their +own expence, and that none but a Mandarine +must presume to direct upon such occasions. +The Commodore, on this admonition, dispatched +his people to the English factory to assist them +in securing their effects, as it was easy to foresee +that no distance was safe from fire, where the +common-people contented themselves with gazing +at it, and now-and-then holding up an idol +or two to extinguish it. At length, however, a +Mandarine came out of the city, with 4 or 500 +<span class='pagenum'>424</span>firemen, who made some very feeble efforts to +pull down the neighbouring houses; but by this +time the fire had extended itself, and had spread +among the merchants warehouses, where the +Chinese firemen had neither spirit nor skill to +encounter it; so that it was feared the whole +city would have been laid in ashes. In this +emergency, the Viceroy vouchsafed to make his +appearance, and a message was sent to the Commodore +requesting his assistance. Accordingly, +he hastened a second time, with about 40 of his +people, to the place where the fire raged with +the most violence, and in sight of the whole city +performed such daring, and, to the people who +beheld them, such astonishing feats, that they +looked upon them as salamanders, and cried out, +that they could live in fire. In truth, it was no +uncommon thing to see the boldest and most active +among them tumble on the roofs amidst the +ruins of the houses which their own efforts had +brought down under them. And thus, by their +resolution and agility, the fire was very soon subdued, +to the astonishment of the Chinese who +were spectators of the wonders they performed. +On this occasion the Swedish was the only European +factory that suffered; yet on my arrival in +England, to my no small diversion, I read in the +Paris Gazette, that the city of Canton had been +almost wholly destroyed; and that, in particular, +the English, Dutch, Danish, and Portuguese +factories, had been burnt down, and almost all +their effects consumed; but that the French +<span class='pagenum'>425</span>factory had providentially escaped, their goods +being all shipped before the conflagration reached +the quarter allotted for their residence. +</p> +<p> +This signal assistance gained the Admiral +much respect; he was the next day waited +upon by the principal inhabitants with presents +and thanks; and soon after, a message came +from the Viceroy appointing the 30th of November +for the day of audience. Being highly +pleased with this last intimation, he instantly +gave orders for the necessary preparations; and +engaged Mr. Flint, a gentleman belonging to +the English factory, for his interpreter, who, +being trained up from his infancy among the +Chinese, spoke their language fluently, and who +was not afraid to declare with boldness what the +Admiral delivered him in charge, a part which +the Chinese interpreters would not have dared +to have performed with equal fidelity. +</p> +<p> +On the day appointed, at 10 o’clock, the +Commodore and his retinue set out; and, as he +entered the outer gate of the city, he was met +by a guard of 200 soldiers, who conducted him +to the great parade before the Emperor’s palace, +in which the Viceroy then resided, where a body +of troops to the number of 10,000 were drawn +up under arms, who made a fine appearance, +being all new cloathed for this ceremony. +Through the middle of this body the Commodore +with his retinue marched to the hall of audience, +where he found the Viceroy seated under +a rich canopy in the Emperor’s chair of +<span class='pagenum'>426</span>state, with all his council of Mandarines attending. +He was seated the third in order from the +Viceroy, the chiefs of the law and treasury being +the only persons seated above him. He then, +addressing himself to the Viceroy by his interpreter, +complained to him of the delays he had +met with, the insincerity of those he had employed, +the vexatious impositions of the officers +of the customs, the grievances of the British subjects, +and, finally, the loss sustained by the Haslingfield +Indiaman, who had arrived there dismasted +but a few days before the fire happened, +by which the crew had been great sufferers, and +the Captain in particular, who had lost a chest +of treasure value 4500 tahel. To the latter article +the Commodore received for answer, that, in, +settling the Emperor’s customs with that ship, +the Captain should be considered. To the other +complaints, the Commodore received no answer +at all. And having now gone through the several +articles he had in charge from the company, +he entered next upon his own affairs, and +particularly concerning the licence to ship off +his provisions and stores, which, he said, were +all ready, and the season for sailing was now set +in. The Viceroy replied to this, that the licence +should be immediately issued, and that +every thing should be ordered on board the following +day. The business being now at an end, +the Viceroy continued the conversation for some +time on matters of indifference and curiosity; +and, after observing that the Centurion had been +<span class='pagenum'>427</span>long on their coast, he concluded with acknowledgments +for the services the Commodore had +rendered the Chinese nation by the activity of +his people at the late fire, and with wishing him +a prosperous voyage to Great Britain. Thus +happily concluded this long-expected audience; +and, in pursuance of the Viceroy’s promises, the +provisions were begun to be shipped the very +next day: and now all the preparations for putting +to sea were pursued with so much expedition, +that by the 9th the Centurion and her prize +were ready to unmoor, and on the 10th passed +through the Bocca Tygris into the open road, +and on the 12th anchored before the town of +Mocao. While they lay here, the Portuguese +merchants entered into treaty with the Commodore +for the purchase of the prize, for which +they would give no more than 6000 dollars, +though worth double that sum; but the impatience +of the Commodore to be gone, that he +might himself be the messenger of his own good +fortune, and thereby prevent the enterprizes of +the enemy to intercept him, prevailed upon him +to conclude the bargain; and, she being delivered +on the 15th of December, and the money +received, in the afternoon of the same day he +hoisted sail, and took his departure for his native +home. On the 3d of January he came to +an anchor on Prince’s Island, in the straits of +Sunda, where he staid the best part of five days +to wood and water, and on the 8th weighed +and continued his course. From this time till +<span class='pagenum'>428</span>the 20th we had foul and stormy weather, so +bad that I thought it impossible to meet with +such in latitudes so near the Equator; and the +wind blowing directly against us, we were driven +pretty near the coast of New Holland; and, had +it continued blowing from the same quarter, +with equal violence, for 48 hours longer, we +should have found it difficult to have cleared +that coast; but, on the 21st, the wind abated, +and the weather became moderate. On the +24th the trade-wind set in, and we then proceeded +on our passage with the highest alacrity. +</p> +<p> +On the 22d of February, at half after four +in the morning, I discovered a comet to the +eastward, near the horizon, being, as I judged, +lately emerged from the sun’s rays. Its tail +was at this time about 10 degrees in length; +but in less than a fortnight it increased and extended +itself to near 40 degrees. Its head appeared +very large and bright; and, on a nice +inspection, I have perceived it when the sun +has been about a diameter above the horizon. +The next time I observed its distance from the +planet Venus to be 26 deg. 50 min. following +the order of the planets; but not having instruments +proper for taking altitudes without +a very obvious sensible horizon, I was prevented +from making more satisfactory observations. +From this time, till the 6th of March, we had +pleasant weather, with few exceptions; but on +that and the three following days, being near +the Cape of Good Hope, we had some boisterous +<span class='pagenum'>429</span>storms; yet, when we arrived at Table-bay, +on the 11th, the Dutch knew not that +any such had happened. We found riding here +two English East-Indiamen, the Salisbury and +Warwick, each of which saluted us with 13 +guns, and we returned 11. We also found five +Dutch ships, one of which having, as Admiral, +a flag at his main-top-mast-head, saluted +us with 9 guns, to which we returned 7. At +11 at night we parted our best bower cable and +hawser, both of which were very rotten, and +the next day moored again with others purchased +from the Dutch. Here the Commodore +continued till the beginning of April, highly +delighted with the place, and during his stay +entered about 40 new men. On the 3d of +May, having compleated our water and provisions, +we on that day weighed and put to sea. +On the 19th of April we passed within sight of +the island of St. Helena, which, however, we +did not visit. On the 26th we caught on board +the ship a snake that measured in length six +feet and two inches, which our surgeon, on +examination, pronounced to be perfectly harmless. +It was supposed to be brought on board +with our wood, at Prince’s Island, in the straits +of Sunda. The 30th, being before the wind, +with a fine breeze, and a gentle rain, a violent +and sudden squall took us a-head, threw all the +ship’s sails a-back, carried away her fore-top-sail +yard, split the fore-sail, the fore-top-sail, +the fore-top-gallant-sail, and the mizzen and +<span class='pagenum'>430</span>mizzen-top sail. During this squall the ship laid +down very much, and we were in the utmost +danger of our masts coming by the board; +but providentially we escaped without further +damage. +</p> +<p> +The 9th of June, in the evening, it being a +thick fog, we on a sudden saw a ship close by +us; we fired a shot, and brought her to. She +proved an English ship from Amsterdam, bound +for Philadelphia or Carolina, with Palatine emigrants. +She gave us the first notice of a war +with France, and proceeded on her voyage. +The 10th of June we came into soundings. +The 11th, at half past eleven in the morning, +we discovered three sail, and at one in the afternoon +spoke with one of them, being a Dutch +ship from Dublin. At the same time, the second, +being pretty near us, shewed Dutch colours. +The third, who had been in chace of +the others the whole day, perceiving we designed +to speak with her, stood from us with +all the sail she could crowd. We gave chace +to her for about three hours, when, finding we +did not gain upon her, we resumed our former +course. On the 12th, in the morning, the fog +clearing up, we perceived the Lizard Point: +but that the signal perils, which had so often +threatened us, and from which we had been +more than once providentially delivered, might +be discoverable to the last, we were afterwards +told that there was a French fleet of considerable +force cruising in the chops of the Channel, +<span class='pagenum'>431</span>through the middle of which we had this +night sailed without being perceived. +</p> +<p> +On the 13th, between the Isle of Portland +and the Isle of Wight, we saw a ship towing +another which was disabled in her masts. This +ship proved the Salamander privateer, with a +French prize. The 14th, at eleven in the +morning, we anchored at the back of the Isle +of Wight, and in the evening weighed, and +again anchored at Spithead.⁠—Thus we finished +a long and perilous voyage, which had lasted +three years and nine months, after having by +its events, as Mr. Walter observes, strongly +evinced this important truth, That though +prudence, intrepidity, and perseverance, united, +are not exempted from the blows of adverse +fortune, yet, in a long series of transactions, +they usually rise superior to its power, and in +the end rarely fail of proving successful.” +</p> +<p class='two_space'> +<a href='#tgb_b431' id='tg_b431'>[</a>Having now brought this celebrated voyage +to a conclusion, it may, perhaps, be expected +that we should give some account of the Spanish +squadron, which we have more than once +had occasion to mention, and which was so near +intercepting the Commodore at first setting out, +that, had the Spanish Admiral cruised to the +eastward of the island of Madeira, instead of +the westward of it, the two fleets must have +certainly met; and, in that case, whatever had +been the event of the action, the progress of the +voyage must have been effectually prevented.</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>432</span>This squadron was composed of the following +ships: the Asia, of 66 guns, 700 men, commanded +by Don Joseph Pizarro, as Admiral; +the Guipuscoa, 74 guns, 700 men; the Hermione, +54 guns, 500 men; the Esperanza, 50 +guns, 450 men; the Estevan, 40 guns, 350 +men; and a patache of 20 guns, 120 men; +and over and above this complement, they had +on board an old Spanish regiment of foot, intended +to reinforce their garrisons in the South +Seas, and to counterbalance the land forces that +it was known were intended to be put on board +the Commodore. +</p> +<p> +When this fleet had cruised, as has been said, +to the leeward of Madeira, till they were in a +manner certain that the Commodore had either +passed by, or deferred his voyage, their Admiral +determined to pursue his instructions, and continue +his course to the South Seas; but first, it +was necessary to steer to the coast of Brazil to +recruit his provisions, being victualled only for +four months, and more than two of the four +being already elapsed. +</p> +<p> +Accordingly, about the beginning of November, +1740, he quitted his station off the Madeiras, +and, on the 5th of January following, +arrived at the river of Plate; where coming to +an anchor in the bay of Maldando, he sent immediately +to Buenos Ayres for a supply. +</p> +<p> +While they lay here, they received intelligence, +by the treachery of the Portuguese Governor +of St. Catherine’s, of the Commodore’s +<span class='pagenum'>433</span>arrival at that port, and of the weak condition he +was then in; but, whatever were his reasons, +Pizarro declined making any other use of this +intelligence, than hastening his preparations +to double the cape, which he hoped to effect +before the Commodore was in readiness to follow +him. With this view, after refreshing his +crew, and recruiting his water, he instantly set +sail without waiting for his provisions (which, +however, arrived a day or two after he set sail), +rightly concluding, that, if he got the start of +the Commodore in the South Seas, he should +not only alarm the coast, but so strengthen the +forts against the attacks of the enemy, as effectually +to baffle their designs, by depriving them +of the means of procuring necessaries. But, notwithstanding +this precipitation, the Commodore +put to sea four days before him, and, in some +part of the passage round the Cape, the fleets +were so near each other, that the Pearl, as has +been said, being separated in a storm, ran within +gun-shot of the Asia before she found her mistake. +</p> +<p> +It was with the utmost difficulty, and not +without considerable rewards, that the Spanish +sailors were prevailed upon to undertake the +passage round Cape Horn at that tempestuous +season: however, being once engaged, they continued +to persevere, till by the latter end of February +they had run the length of the Cape, and +were turning to the westward, when a storm +arose, in which the Guipuscoa, Hermiona, +<span class='pagenum'>434</span>and Esperanza, lost sight of the Admiral, and on +the 6th of March the Guipuscoa was separated +from the other two. On the 7th the storm increased, +and by its irresistible violence drove the +whole squadron to the eastward, and, after several +unsuccessful efforts, obliged them to return +to the coast of Brazil, where the Asia took shelter +in the river of Plate, and about the middle +of May was joined by the Esperanza and Estevan; +the Hermiona having, as was supposed, +foundered at sea, as she was never more heard +of, and the Guipuscoa being run ashore and sunk +on the coast of Brazil. The patache, we should +have observed, was condemned before they +quitted the coast of Brazil, and her crew distributed +among the other ships; so that, of the six +ships of which this squadron originally consisted, +there now only remained three, and those in a +most miserable condition; for, though it does +not appear, that the Spaniards were so severely +visited with that most fatal disease the sea-scurvy, +which carried off so many of the English in +this passage, yet they were reduced by famine to +such infinite distress, that rats, when they could +be caught, were sold for four dollars a-piece; +and a sailor, who died on board, had his death +concealed for several days by his brother, who +during that time lay in the same hammock with +the dead corpse, only to receive the dead man’s +allowance. +</p> +<p> +In this dreadful situation, they were alarmed +by the discovery of a conspiracy among the soldiers +<span class='pagenum'>435</span>on board the Asia, to murder the Admiral, +and all the ship’s crew, originating from no other +motive but that of appropriating the whole stock +of provisions to the conspirators own proper use. +But this plot was prevented, when just upon the +point of execution, by means of the priest on +board, who, having taken the confession of one +of the conspirators as he lay at the point of +death, pursued proper measures to defeat their +bloody purposes, and to bring three of the ringleaders +to condign punishment. +</p> +<p> +But, though this combination failed of its +effect, there were other distresses that multiplied +upon them, and which could not be prevented. +Hunger and thirst, the most dreadful of all +other calamities, daily became more grievous; +the ships grew continually more and more +leaky, and the men less able to stand at the +pumps; nothing was to be seen but despondency +in every countenance; nothing heard but +lamentations and complaints, which were embittered +by the absolute impossibility of relieving +them. Under the weight of these affecting +circumstances, the Asia was near sinking, when +she arrived at Monte Vedio with scarce half her +crew alive. The Estevan, when she anchored +in the bay of Barragan, had in like manner lost +about the same number of her hands; but, what +was still worse, and is almost incredible, the Esperanza, +out of a crew of 450 seamen which she +brought from Spain, had only 58 that reached +the shore, and the whole regiment of soldiers, +60 men only excepted, perished. +</p> +<p> +<span class='pagenum'>436</span>Being now in want of all kinds of necessaries, +masts, yards, rigging, provisions, and money, +Pizarro dispatched an express over land to St. +Jago, in Chili, to be from thence forwarded to +the Viceroy of Peru, desiring a remittance of +200,000 dollars; and what must astonish the +reader is, that the Indian who was charged with +this dispatch, though in the depth of winter, +when the Cordilleras are judged impassable by +reason of the snow, was only 13 days in his +journey from Buenos Ayres to St. Jago, places +distant from each other 300 Spanish leagues. +At the same time an advice-boat was sent with +a letter of credit to Rio Janeiro, to purchase +what was wanting of the Portuguese; but neither +the one nor the other of these dispatches +succeeded to the wish of the Spanish Admiral. +The Viceroy, instead of 200,000 dollars, sent +him only 100,000; and the Portuguese, instead +of furnishing him with masts and yards, the +principal articles of naval stores that he wanted, +spared him only some pitch, tar, and cordage, +with which he was obliged to be contented: but +a more mortifying disappointment he had still +to suffer; for a carpenter, whom, after the return +of the money, he had trusted with a considerable +sum, and whom he had sent up into +the country of Puraguay to cut masts, instead +of prosecuting the business with which he was +entrusted, married in the country, and settled +out of his reach, refusing to return. +</p> +<p> +In this dilemma, the only thing that could +<span class='pagenum'>437</span>be done, was, to shift the mails of the Esperanza +into the Asia, and to fit up the Estevan +with what spare masts and yards they could +muster, and with these two ships to hazard a +second attempt to double Cape Horn, as it was +now summer, and the weather less severe. But +a certain fatality seemed to preside over every +part of this unfortunate expedition. The Estevan, +as she was coming down the river Plate, +ran on a shoal and beat off her rudder; and the +Asia, though she proceeded alone with moderate +weather and a favourable gale, yet when +she came to the height of Cape Horn, and +was tacking to change her course to the westward, +by some misconduct in wearing the ship, +rolled away her masts, and was a second +time forced back to the river of Plate; from +whence Pizarro undertook to cross the continent +by land, and with some difficulty accomplished +his design. +</p> +<p> +By this time Don Mindinuetta, Captain of +the Guipuscoa, wrecked, as has been said, on +the coast of Brazil, arrived, with those of his +crew who escaped, at the place of general rendezvous; +and, finding the Esperanza without +masts, applied a second time to the Portuguese, +by whose assistance he completed her repair, +and, in 1742, doubled the Cape, and arrived in +the South Seas, where he was met by Pizarro, +who claimed the command of the Esperanza, +which Mindinuetta disputing, an irreconcileable +quarrel arose between the two Commanders, +<span class='pagenum'>438</span>which the Viceroy of Peru in vain endeavoured +to reconcile. In 1745, they both returned over +land to the coast of Brazil, where they found +the Asia still in a shattered condition. This ship, +however, they determined to carry to Europe, +and, with this view, they fitted her up in the +best manner they could; and, having manned +her partly with Portuguese, partly with English +prisoners, and partly with Spaniards, together +with some Indians whom they forced out of the +country, they set sail from Monte Vedio for Europe +about the beginning of November; but +they had not been long at sea before the Indians, +eleven in number, formed a conspiracy +to destroy the Spaniards, and to regain their +liberty, in which they had hopes of being joined +by the English and Portuguese, whom the Spaniards +used with great insolence. At the head +of this conspiracy was their Chief Orellana; +and one evening, about nine o’clock, he and +his companions came all together on the quarter-deck, +and drew towards the door of the great +cabbin. The boatswain immediately reprimanded +them, and ordered them to be gone; +on this Orellana spoke to his followers in +his native language, when four of them +drew off, two towards each gangway, and +the Chief and the remaining six seemed to +be slowly quitting the quarter-deck. When +the detached Indians had taken possession +of the gang-way, Orellana placed his hands +hollow to his mouth, and bellowed out the war-cry +<span class='pagenum'>439</span>used by those savages. This was the signal +for beginning the massacre; accordingly, the +six, with their Chief, who remained on the +quarter-deck, falling suddenly on the Spaniards +who were intermingled with them, laid near +forty of them at their feet, of which above +twenty were killed on the spot, and the rest +disabled. Many of the officers, in the beginning +of the tumult, pushed into the great cabbin, +where they put out the lights, and barricadoed +the door; whilst of the rest, some endeavoured +to escape along the gang-ways into +the forecastle, where the Indians placed on purpose +stabbed the greatest part of them as they +attempted to pass by; others threw themselves +into the waste, and thought themselves fortunate +to lie concealed amongst the cattle; but +the greatest part escaped up the main-shrouds, +and sheltered themselves either in the tops or +the rigging; and though the Indians attacked +only the quarter-deck, yet the watch in the +forecastle finding their communication cut off, +in the utmost terror likewise gave all over for +lost, and in great confusion ran up into the +rigging of the fore-mast and bowsprit. But +when the Indians had intirely cleared the quarter-deck, +the tumult in a great measure subsided; +for, not being joined, as they expected, +by either the English or Portuguese, they could +not pursue their advantage by carrying the disorder +into those quarters to which they had +driven the Spaniards, who thereby gained time +<span class='pagenum'>440</span>for recollection; and, on finding none concerned +in the plot but the Indians, they resolved +to attack them in their turn on the quarter-deck. +With this view, Pizarro and his officers +ventured to half-open the cabbin-door, which +Orellana attempting to force, was shot dead by +Mindinuetta; on which his faithful followers, +abandoning all thoughts of further resistance, +instantly leaped into the sea. Thus was this +insurrection quelled, and the Spaniards suffered +afterwards quietly to proceed on their voyage; +and, about the beginning of 1746, they arrived +safe in Spain, after having been absent between +four and five years. +</p> +<p> +By this unfortunate expedition the naval +force of Spain was much weakened: they lost +in it 3000 of their best sailors, one whole regiment +of veteran soldiers, four stout ships of +war, and a patache; for we have observed that +the Hermiona foundered at sea; the Guipuscoa +was stranded and sunk on the coast of Brazil; +the St. Estevan was condemned and broke up +in the river of Plate; and the Esperanza, being +carried into the South Seas, was unable to redouble +the Cape, or to return back; so that +the Asia alone may be regarded as all the remains +of that squadron with which Pizarro first +put to sea. +</p> +<div class="icenter margtb_1"> +<img src="images/458.jpg" class="imw_5" alt="Decorative Image."> +</div> +<div class='tnote section'> +<p class="align_c space_after"> +Transcriber’s notes +</p> +<p> +New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain. +</p> +<p> +The illustrations have been moved to appropriate paragraph breaks. +</p> +<p> +The original text used the long s. This has been changed to the regular s. +</p> +<p> +Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. +</p> +<p> +Archaic and inconsistent spelling and hyphenation have been retained. +</p> +<p> +Marking of quotations in the original is inconsistent and has not been altered. +</p> +<p> +The opening square bracket on <a href='#tg_b431' id='tgb_b431'>page 431</a> appears in the original, there is no matching closing bracket. +</p> +</div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78004 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/78004-h/images/027.jpg b/78004-h/images/027.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..eb4ecb6 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/027.jpg diff --git a/78004-h/images/053.jpg b/78004-h/images/053.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..60d30e5 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/053.jpg diff --git a/78004-h/images/096.jpg b/78004-h/images/096.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e04a94 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/096.jpg diff --git a/78004-h/images/129.jpg b/78004-h/images/129.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9b2b061 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/129.jpg diff --git a/78004-h/images/192.jpg b/78004-h/images/192.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cf1291b --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/192.jpg diff --git a/78004-h/images/242.jpg b/78004-h/images/242.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5b16685 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/242.jpg diff --git a/78004-h/images/245.jpg b/78004-h/images/245.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..07343e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/245.jpg diff --git a/78004-h/images/306.jpg b/78004-h/images/306.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..86fbae7 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/306.jpg diff --git a/78004-h/images/458.jpg b/78004-h/images/458.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c012185 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/458.jpg diff --git a/78004-h/images/cover.jpg b/78004-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f9e7156 --- /dev/null +++ b/78004-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c72794 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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