IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) k /. -A- 7 . > '^V'^^ fir\% l/.A fA 1.0 I.I Ui 125 1^ 1/ i ^ J 2.2 IL25 IIIIII.4 1.8 1.6 Photograpiiic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 m iV :\ \ A V 4 6^ "-<^* '^A '^^ (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaira film* fut reproduit grice A la gAnArositA da: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Coluntbia Lea imagas sciivantes otit AtA reproduites avac la plus grand soin, compta tenu de la condition at da la nettetA de l'exemplaira filmA, at an conformitA avac les conditions du c^ntrat da filmage. 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Las diagrammas suivants illustrent la mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 S 6 'mw^mm^^i^^mmmi^^mm J I T. ' M 70 60 % ■' •: IV ^ ■\£^ * Ilh wm ■ m V V O Y A G E , ROUND THE W O R In the Years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV. , . B Y George Anson^ Efq; Commander in Chief of a Squadron of Hii Majefty's Ships, fent upon an Expedition to the South-Seas, COMPILE From Papers and other Maten Honourable GEORGE Loi^ JiNS(^^, publifhed under his Diredio By RICHARD WAL. ^.., ic Centuriotu in that Chapl Majcfty's Ship Expedition. THE EIGHTH EDITION. f ■ lUuftrated with Charts, Views, £rofefles to have received from your Friendfhip ; and alfo, as the Subjetfl itfelf naturally claims the . patronage of One, under whofe diredion, the Biitifh Navy has relumed its ancient Spi- rit and Luftre, and has in one fummer en- nobled itfelf by tvi^o vidories, the moft deci- five, and (if the ftrength and number of the captures be conlidered) the moft important, that are to be met with in our Annals. In- deed, an uninterrupted feries of fuccefs, and SL raanifeft fuperiority gained univerfally over the enemy, both in commerce and glory, Jrm-^vn?^ ^ ^ fcem # It {-i -0 *f*0 DEDICATION. fccm to be the neceflary effeds of a revival of ftrid difcipline, and of an iinbiafled re- gard to merit nnd fervice. Thefe are marks that muft diftinguifli the happy period of time in which Your Grace prefided, and afford a fitter fubjed for hiftory, than for an addrcfs of this nature. Very fignal ad- vantages of rank and diffindion, obtained and fecured to the naval profefilon by Your Grace*s auipicious influence, will remain a lading monument of Your unwearied zeal and attachment to it, and be for ever remem- bred with the higheft gratitude, by all who (hall be 'employed in it. As thefe were the generous rewards of pad exploits, they will be likewife the nobleft incentives, and fureft pledges of the future. That your Grace's eminent talents, magnanimity, and difin- terefted zeal, whence the Public has already reaped fuch fignal benefits, may in all times prove equally fuccefsful in advancing the profperity of Great-Britain^ is the ardent wi(h of, My LORD, Tour Gr ace's Mod obedient. . ; • • Mojl devotedy , .- A N D- Mojl humble Servant^ . Richard Walter. t K, , CONTENTS nem- who e the 1 will fureft ACE S difin- I ready n all ncing irdent B O O K 1. C H A P. I. t OF the equipment of the Squadron : The incidents relat- itig thereto^ from its firji app ointment to its fettin^ fail from St. Helens. Page c Chap. II. The pajfage from St. Helens to the Ifland of Madera ; ijoith a fhort account of that Ifland^ and of our fay there. » . - " \z. Chap. III. The hiflory of the fquadron commanded by Don Jofeph Fixarro. 17 Chap. W. From Madera to St. Catherine's. 30 Chap. V. Proceedings at St. Catherine's, and a defcription of the place, nvith a fhort account of ^xxrW. 37 Chap. VI. The run from St. Catherine/ to port St. Ju- lian, ivith feme account of that port, and of the country to the fouthivard of the river of Plate. 51 Chap. VII. Departure from the bay o/.S/. Julian, and the pafj'age from thence to Streights Le Mai re. 63 Chap.A/III. From Streights ht Maire to Cape Noir. 68v Chap. IX. Ohfernjations and directions for facilitating the pafj'age of our future Cruifers round Cape Horn. 75 Chap. X. From Cape Noir to the Ifland of Juan Fernandes. . v ^9- B O O K II. C H A P. I. ^he arritval of the Centurion at the Ifland of Juan Ferjiandes, ivith a defcription of that Ifland. 98 Chap. II. The arrival of the Gloucefter and the Anna Pink at the IJlandof]\i^n Fernandes, and the tranf anions at that place during this interval. 1 1 3 Chap. III. A fhort narrative of vohat pefel the Anna Vmkbeforejbe joined us y with an account of the lofs of the Wager, and of the putting back of the Severn and Pearl, the tvoo remaining fhips of the fquadron. 123 Chap. IV. Conclufion of our proceedings at Juan Fer- nandes, from the arrival of the Anna Pink, to our final departure from thence. ' 139 Chap. V. Our cruife from the time of our leaving ^12:^. Fernandes, to the taking the toivn of Paita. 152. A3 ^, Chap., "S ' A^-^. i c » R?-!? CONTENTS. Chap. VI. Tbe tnkinj^ of P-JLitz, aftj our proceedings till lue left the coaft of Peru. 170 Chap. VII. From our departure from ^^iw^y to our arri- *val at Quibo. 186 Chap. Vlll. Our proceedings at Quibo, *with an ac- count of the place. 1 9^ Chap. IX. From Quibo to the coafi of Mexico. 201 Chap. X. An account of the commerce carried on het^veen . the city o/JVIanila on the l/land of LuconiiXf and the port of Acapuico on the Coafl of Mexico. « 308 Chap. XT. Our cruife off the port 0/' A capuico /or the Manila fl:ip. 223 Chap. XII. Dejcription of the Harbour of Q\\t<\\ltKZ.ny and of the adjacent coafl and country. 2 3 1 Chap. XIII. Our Proceedings ^Z Chequetan and on the adjacent coafl, till our fettin^ fail for Afia. 240 Chap. XIV. A brief Account of 'what might have been eX' peeled from our fquadrouy had it at rived in the South- Seis in good time, 249 BOOK III. CHAP. I. The run from the coafl of Mexico to the Ladrones or Marian [(lands. ' ■ .' 259 Chap. II. Our ayrival at'WvA'SSiy av.d an account of the If and., and cf cur proceedings there y till the Ccnturi^R* dro've out to fea. ' -• ■ 271 Chap. III. Trunfadions ai Tiuian after the departure of the Centurion. 285 Chap. IV. Proceedings on board tl^ Centurion, vohendri^ 'ven out to fea. 294 ' Chap. V. Employment /7/ Tinian, till the fnal departure of the Centurion from theme ; iJuith a defer ipi ion of /^^ Ladrones. * - • 397 Chap. VI. From Tinian to Macao. / "' *Zoy Chap. VH. Proceedings at Macao. 313 Chap. VIII. /V&wi Macao to C/y/e- Efpiriru Santo: The taking of the Manila galeon and returning o'lck again. 329 Chap. IX. Tranfailions in the ri3 r. 329 3+4 357 ;«5 I O- INTRODUCTION. NOtwithftandingthc great improvement ofnaviga- tion within the lad two Centuries, a Voyage round the World is ftill confidered as an enterprize of a very (ingular nature ; and the Public have never failed ta be extremely inquifitive about the various accidents and turns of fortune, with which this uncommon attempt is* generally attended : And though the amufement expe«^ed in a narration of this kind, is doubtlefs one great fource of this curiofity,and a ftrong incitement with the bulk of readers,yet the more intelligent xutofraankind have al- ways agreed, that from thek relations, if faithfully ex-^ ecuted, the more important purpofes of navigation, com- merce, and national intcrell niiy be greatly promoted : For every authentic account of foreign coalts and coun- tries will contribute to one or more of thefe great ends, in proportion to the weaii'i, wants, or commodities of thofe countries, and our ignorance or'thofe coids j and therefore aVoyage round tljcVVoiiu promifes a fpecies of mformation, of all others the moll defireable and inte- reding -, fince great part of it is performed in feas, and on coafts, with which we are aa yet but very imperfedlly acquainted, and in the neighbourhood of a country re- nowned for the abundance of its wealth, though it is at the fame time ftigmatifed for its poverty, in the necefla- ries and conveniencies of a civilized life. Thefe confiderations have occafioned the publication of the enfuing work ; which, in gratifying the inquifitive turn ofmankind, and contributing to the fafety and fuccefs. offuture na^^igators, and to the extenfion of our commerce and power,maydoubtlefs vie with any narration of thiskind hitherto made public : Since the circumftances of this un- dertaking already known to the world, may be fuppofedto have ftrongly excited the general curiofity ; for whether we confider the force of the fquadron fent on this fervice, or the diverfified diftrefTes, that each fingle (hip was fepa- r^tely involved in^ or the uncommon inltances of various ^ " A. 4, fQitune,, INTRODUCTION. I fortune, which attended the whole enterprize; each parr, I conceive, muft, from its rude well-known out-lines, ap- pear worthy of a compleater and ;nore 6ni(hed delinea- tion : And if this be allowed with refpe£t to the narrative part of the work, there can be no d^Nibt about the more ufeful and inftru£tive parts,which are almoft every where interwoven with it ; for I can venture to affirm, without fear of being contradifted on a comparifon,that no voy- age I have yet feen, furnilhes fuch a number of views of land, foundings, draughts of roads and ports, charts, and other materials, for the improvement of geography and navigation, as are referred to in the enfuing volume ; which are of the more importance too, as the greateft part of them relate to fuchldands orCoafls, as have been hither- to not at all or erroneoully defcribed, and where the want c; fufficient and authentic information might occafion future enterprizes to prove abortive, perhaps with the deftruftion of the men and veflels employed therein. And befides the number and choice of thefe marine drawings and defcriptions, there is another very effential circumftance belonging to them, which much enhances their value ; and that is, the great accuracy they were drawn with. I (hail exprefs my opinion of them in this particular very imperfectly ; when 1 fay, that they arc not exceeded, and perhaps not equalled by any thing of this nature hitherto made public : For they were not co- pied from the works of others, or compofed at home from iinperfed accounts, given by incurious and unlkilful ob- fervers, as hath been frequently the cafe in thefe matters; bat the greateft part of them were drawn on the fpot with the uimoft exadnefs by the direction, and under the eye of Mr. yinfon himfelf ; and where (as is the cafe in three orfourofihem) they have been done by lefs flciltul hands, or were found in pofTeflion of the enemy> and confequently their juftnefs could be lefs relied on, 1 have, always ta- ken care to apprize the reader of it, and to put him on his guard againit giving entire credit to them j although I doubt not, but thefe lefs authentic draughts, thus cau- tioufly inferted, are to the full as correal as thofe,which are ulually publilhed on thefe occafions. For as aftu- al furveys of roads and harbours, and nice and criti- cal delineations of views of land, take up much time ' ' ^ . • . and 5 mmmm PlMMMMMMMI |ch parr, ines, ap- delinca- arrative he more y where without io voy- iews of rts, and hy and which part of hi ther- e want :cafion ith the in. narine fential lanccs ' were in this "■y arc ngof 3t CO- from ilob- ters; with ;eye hree nti/ i ta- I on ugh ;au- lich ?lu- iti- me , .nd INTRODUCTION. and attention, and require a good degree of (kill botb in planning and drawing : thofe who are defective in induftry and ability, fupply thefe wants by bold con- jectures, and fictitious defcriptiocs ;sand as they can be no otherwife confuted than by going on the fpot, and running the rifque of fufFering by their mifinformationy. they have no apprehenfions of being detected ; and therefore, when they intrude their fuppoiitious produc- tions on the Public, they make no confcience of boafling at the fame time, with how much ikill and care they are performed. And let not thofe who are unacquainted with naval affairs imagine, that impofitions of this kind are of an innocent nature ; for as exaCl views of land are the furefl guide to a feaman, on a coafl where he has never been before, all fictions in fo intereiling a matter mud be attended with numerous dangers, and fometimes with the deflrudtion of thofe who are thu& unhappily deceived. * Befides thefe draughts of fuch places as Mr. Anfoti or the fhips under his command have touched at ia the courfe of this expedition, and the defcriptions and directions relating thereto, there is inferted, in the en- fuing work, an ample defcription, with a chart annex- ed to it of a particular navigation, of which hitherto little more than the name has been known, except ta thofe immediately employed in it : I mean the track defcribed by the Manila fhip, in her paifage to Acapuko^ through the northern part of the Pacific OQ^^n, This^ material part is collected from the draughts and jour- nals met with on board the Manila galeon, founded on the experience of more than a hundred and fifty years practice, and corroborated in its principal circumflan- ces by the concurrent evidence of all the i^panijb pri- fbners taken in that veffel. And as many of their jour- nals, which I have examined, appear to have been not ill kept J I prefume the chart of that northern Ocean, and the particulars of their route through it, may be very fafely relied on by future navigators. The advantages^ which may be drawn from an exaCt knowledge of this, navigation, and the beneficial projects that may be formed thereon, both in war and peace, are by no means proper to be difcuifed in this place : But they will eafily offer INTRODUCTION. •ffcr themfclves to the (kilful in maritime affairs. How- ever as the Manila (hips are the only ones which have ever traverfed this vaft ocean, except a French ftraggler or two, which have been afterwards feized on the coaft of Mexico^ and as during near two ages, in which this trade has been carried on ; the Spaniards have, with the great- eft care, fecreted all accounts of their voyages from the reft of the world j thefe realbns alone would authorize the infertion of thofe papers, and wouW recommend them to the inquifitive, as a very great improvement in geography, and worthy of attention from the fingulaiity of many circumftances recited therein. I muft add too, (what in my opinion is far from being the ieaft recom- mendation of ihefe materials) that the obfervations of the variation of the compafs in that Ocean, which are in« fertcd in the chart from thefe Spanijh journals, tend greatly to compleat the general fyftem of the magnetic variation of infinite import, to the commercial and fea- faring part of mankind. Thefe obfervations were, though in vain, often publickly called for by our learn- ed country-man the late Dr. Halley, and to his immor- tal reputation they confirm, as far as ihey extend, the wonderful hypothefis he h«iJ e.iicrtain«.>a''on this head, and very nearly correfpond in their quantity, to the pre- ditftions he publilhed above fii'ty years fmce, long before he was acquainted with any one obiervaiion made in: thofe feas. The afcertaining the variation in that part of the world is juft now too, of more than ordinary confe- quence, as the Editors of a new variation-chart lately publilhed, have, for want of obfervations in thofe parts, been mifled by an erroneous analogy, and have miftakea the very fpecies of variation in thole northern feas; for t4iey make it wefterly where it is eafterly, and have laid it down 12° or 130 ftiort of its real quantity. >- » i. Thus much it has been thought necelfary to premife with regard to thehydrographical and geographical part, of the enfuing work ; which it is hoped the readea* will, on perufai, find much ampler and more important than this flight flcetch can well indicate. But as there are here- after occafionally interfperfed fome accounts of Spanijh tranfadtions, and many obfervations on the difpofition of X^t/imerican Spaniards f and on the condition of the coun- tries. ij.^1 J. irs. How- 'hich have ■raggler or e codft of this trade the great- ' from the authorize ommend ement in igularity add too, recom- itions of barein- s, tend agnatic md fea- were» r learn- mnior- d, the head, le pre- ?e/brc de if): art of onfc-. ately arts, aken for laid life )art Ul, an e- i/b of n- es. INTRODUCTION. tries bordering on the Soutb-Seasy and as herein I may ap- pear to differ greatly from the opinions generally efta- blifhedy I think it incumbent on me particularly to recite the authorities I have been guided by on this occafion, that I may not be cenfured, as having given way either to a thoughtlefs credulity on one hand, or, what would be a much more criminal imputation, to a wilfui^nd de- liberate mifreprefentation on the other. - - - - Mr. Anforiy before he fet fail upon this expedition, be- fides the printed journals to thofe parts, took care to fur- ni(h himfelf with the bell manufcript accounts he could procure of all the Spanijh fettlements upon the coafts of Chili, P;iu, and Mexico. Thefe he carefully compared with the examinations of his prifoners, and the informa- tions of feveral intelligent perfonsjwho fell into his hands in iht South-Seas. He had likewife the good fortune, in fbme of his captures, to polfefs himfelfof a great number of letters and papers of a public nature, many of them written by the Viceroy oi Peru to the Viceroy of Santa Fee^ to the Prefidents oi' Panama and Cf//i, to Don Bias deLezoy Admiral of the Galeons, and to divers other Perfons in public Employments ; and in thele letters tdere was ufually inferted a recital of thofe they were in- tended to anfwer ; fo that they contained a coniiderable part of the correipondence between thefe officers for fome time previous to our arrival on that coaft : We took befides many letters fent from perfons employed by the Government to their friends and correfpondents, which were frequently filled with narrations of public bufinefs, and fometimes contained undifguifed animad- verfions on the views and condu(5t of their Superiors. From thefe materials thofe accounts of the Spanijh affairs are taken, which may at firft fight appear the mod ex- ceptionable. In particular the hiftory of the various ca- fualties which betel Pizarro\ fquadron, is for the moft part compofcd from intercepted letters : Tho' indeed the relation of the infurredion of Orellana and his fol- lowers, is founded on rather lefs difputable authority : For it was taken from the mouth of an Englijh gentle- man then on board P/z/jrro, who often converfed with Orellana \ and it was, on enquiry, confirmed m its prin- pal circumllanccs by others who were in the Ihip at the ji »>.i. >• . fame »^ INTRODUGTION. y o-t 41 U fame time : So that the faft, however extraordinary, I conceive, not to be contefted. And on this occafion I cannot but mention,, that though I have endeavoured, -.vith my utmoft care, to adhere ftriftly to truth in every article of the enfuing relation j yet I am apprehenfive, that in fo complicated a work, fome overfights mud have been committed, by the inattention to which at times all mankind are liable. However, if there are any errors which have efcaped me, I flatter myfelf they are not of moment enough to afFedl any material tianfadlion, and therefore I hope they may juftly claim the reader's indulgence. After this general account of the Contents of the en- fuing wort, it might be expected, perhaps, that I (hould proceed to the work itfelf ; but I cannot finifli this in- troduction, without adding a few reflections on a matter very nearly connected with the pr^fent fubjedt, and, as I conceive, neither deftitute of utility, nor unworthy the attention of the Public ; I mean, the animating my co m- trymen both in their public and private ftations to the en- couragement and purl'uit of all kinds of geographical- and nautical obfervaiions, and of every fpecies of mcr chanical and commercial information. Ii is by a fettled at- tachment to thefe feemingly minute particulars, that our ambitious neighbours have eftabliflied fome part of that power,with which we are now llruggling : And as we have- th-; means in our hands of purfuing thefe fubjeCts more effectually than they cafl, it would be a diflionour to us longer to negleCt fo eafy and beneficial a practice : For as we have a navy much more numerous than theirs, great part of which is always employed in very diftant ftations, either in the protection of our colonies and commerce, or in alfifting our allies againft the common enemy, this gives us frequent opportunities of furnifliing ourfelves with fuch kind of materials, as are here recommended, and fuch as might turn greatly to our advantage, either in war or peace : For not to mention what might be expeded from the officers of the Navy, if their appli- cation to thefe fubjeCls were properly encouraged, it would create no new ex pence to the Government, ta eftablilh a particular regulation for this purpofe ; fmce all that wouJd be requifiie, would be conftantly to cm- i. f ' ' bark. > ^w' I INTRODUCTION. I)ark on board fomeofour menof war, which arc fcnt t)n thefe diftant cruifes, a perfon, who with the character of an engineer, and the fkill and talents necefTar^ to that profetnon, (hould be employed in drawing fuch Coails, and planning fuch harbours, as the fhip (hould touch at, and in making fuch other Obfervations of all kinds, as might either prove of advantage to future navigators, o|^ might any ways tend to promote the publick fervice. Beiides, perlbns habituated to this employment (which could not fail at the fame time of improving them in their proper bufinefs) would be extremely ufeful in many other lights, and might ferve to lecure our Fleets from thoie dif^races, with which their attempts againft places on fhorc have been often attended : And, in a nation like ours, where all fciences are more eagerly and uni- verfally purfued, and better underftood than in any other part of the world, proper fubje^ts for fuch employments could not long be wanting, if due encouragement were given to them. This method here recommended is known to have been frequently pradlifed by the Fnnchy particularly in theinftance of Monfieur /r^ziVr, an En- gineer, who has publilhed a celebrated Voyage to the South-Seas. For this perfon, in the Year 1 711, was purpofely fent by the French King into that country, on board a merchantman, that he might examine and defcribe the coads, and take plans of all the fortified places, the bettej^ to enable the French to profecute their illicit trade, or, in cafe of a rupture with the court of Spain^ to form their enterprizes in thofe leas with more readinefs and certainty. Should we purfue this method, we might hope, that the emulation amongft thofe who were thus employed, and the experience, which even in time of peace, they would hereby acquire, might at length procure us a proper number of able En- gineers, and might cr^ce the national fcandal, which our deficiency in that fpecies of men, has fometimes ex- pofed us to : And furely every ftep to encourage and improve this profeffion is of great moment to the public; as no perfons, when they are properly inftrufted, make better returns in war, for the encouragement and emo- luments beflowed on them in time of peace. Of which the advantages the French have reaped from their dex- terity ■•!;■ il : - INTRODUCTION. tcrity (too numerous and recent to be (bon forgot) are an ample confirmation. And having mentioned Engineers, or fuch asarcikilled in drawings and the other uCual practices of that pro* feffion, as the propereft pcrfbns to be employed in thefe foreign enquiries, I cannot (as itoflPers itlelffo naturally to the fubjedl in hand) but lament, how very imperfeft many of our accounts of diftant countries are rendered by the relaters being unskilled in drawing, and in the ge- neral principles of furveying; even where other abilities have not been wanting. Had more of our travellers been initiated in thefe acquirements, and had there been added thereto fome little (kill in the common agrono- mical obfervations, (all which a pcrlbn of ordinary ta- lents might attain, with a very moderate (hare of appli- cation) we (hould by this time have feen the geography of the globe much eorre^er, than we now find it ; the dangers of navigation would have been condderably kf- iened, and the manners, arts and produce of foreign 4:ountries would have been much better known to us, than they are. Indeed, when I confider, the ftrong in- citements that all travellers have to acquire fome part at leaft of thefe qualifications, efpccially drawing ; when I confider how much it would facilitate their obiervations, ailift and ilrengthen theii memories, and of how tedious, and often unintelligible, a load of defcription it would rid them, I cannot but wonder that any peribn that in- tends to vifit diilant countries, with a view of informing cither himfelf or others, ibould be unfurniihed with fo ufeful a piece of (kill. And to inforce this argument ilill further, I muft add, that befides the ufes of drawing, .which are already mentioned, there is one, which though j)Ot (b obvious, is yet j^erhaps of more confequence than «ll that has been hitherto urged ; and that is, that thofc iivho are accullom«d to draw objects, obierve them with . more diftin6tne(s, than others who are not habituated to this pradice. For we may eafily find by a little ex- |3erience ; that in viewing any object, however fimple, our attention or ir^mory is fcarcely at any time fo ftrong, fis to enable us, when we have turned our eyes away from it, to recoiled exactly every part it confirted of, and ' -to recal all the circumilances of its appearance j fince on got) are reikilled s bat pro- in thefe m aturally |H n perfect ^H' endered ^H- 1 the ge- ■H abilities ^.'jB/mL avellers ire been ■Mi aftrono- ary ta- ►f appli- f [ >graphy ^^M it ; the jbly lef- V, « foreign to U«y rong in- 1 part at when I rations, edious, would hat in- )rming '^ ivith fo ument ^ ,', iwing. houeh e than I thofe 1 with ted to le ex- mple, ^ rong, •F away 1 M r, and fince € on INTRODUCTION. on examination, it will be difc^vered, that in fome we are midaken, and others we had totally overlooked : But be that is employed in drawing what he fees, is at the fame time employed in rectifying this inattention ; for by confronting his ideas copied on the paper, with the obje^ he intends to reprefent, he tinds in what manner he has been deceived in its appearance, and hence he in time acquires the habit ofobferving much more at one view, and retains what he fees with more corredneft than he could ever have done, without his pra^ice and proficiency in drawing. ii. j r-.i If what has been faid merits the attention of Travel- lers of all forts, it is, I think, more particularly applica*' ble to the Gentlemen of the Navy -, (ince, without draw* ing and planning, neither Charts nor views of lands caa be taken ; and without thefe it is fufHciently evident, that navigation is at a full (land. It is doubtleisfrom a per-* fuafion of a utility of thefe qualifications, that his Ma- jefty has eflabiiihed a drawing mailer at Port/mouth for the inftruAion of thofe, who are prefumed to be here* after intrufted with the Command of his Royal Navy : And though fome have been fo far mifled, as to fuppofc that the perfe^ion of Sea-Officers confifted in a turn of mind and temper refembling the boifterous element they had to deal with, and have condemned all literature and fcience as effeminate, and derogatory to that feiocity, which they would faliely perfuade us, was the mod an« erring charaCteriftic of courage : Yet it is to be hoped, that fuch abfurdities as thefe have at no time been au-> thorifed by the Public opinion, and that the belief of them daily diminilhes. If thole who adhere to thefe mifchievous pofitions were capable of being influenced by reafon, or fwayed by example, I Ihould think it fufli- eient for their convidion toobferve, that the moil valu^ able drawings referred to in the following work, though done with fuch a degree of (kill, that even profefled ar-» tiifts can with difficulty imitate them, were taken by Mr. Piercy Bretty one of Mr. y/«/o«'s Lieutenants, and fince Captain of the£«o« man of war, who, in his memorable engagement with the Elizabeth (for the importance of the Service, or the refolution with which it was conduced, inferior to none this age has fcen) has given ample proof I 4 , that ■iK^ R" V 1 1' i; INTRODUCTIOM. that a proficiency in the arts I have been here recom- mending is extremely confident with the mod exemplary bravery, and the moft diftinguilhed (kill in every func- tion belonging to the duty of a fea-officer. Indeed, when the many branches of (ciencc are confidered, of which even the common pradlice of navigation is com- pofed, and the many improvements, which men of Ikill have added to this praftice within theft few Years, it would induce one to believe, that the advantages of re- flection and fpeculative knowledge were in no profeflion more eminent than in that of a lea-otficcr : For, not to mention (bme expertnels in geography, geometry and agronomy, which it would be dilhonourable for him to be without, (as his Journal and his eftimate of the daily pofition of the fhip are no more than the practice of par- ticular branches of thefe arts) it may be well fuppofed, that the management and working of a fhip, the difco- very of her moft eligible pofition in the water, (ufually (liled her Trim) and the difpofition of her fails in the moft advantageous manner, are articles, wherein the knowledge of mechanics cannot but be greatly affiftant : And perhaps the application of this kind of knowledge, to naval fubje^s may produt:e as great improvements in failing and working a (hip, as it has already done in many other matters conducive to the eafe and conveni- ence of human life : For when the fabric df a (hip and the variety r>f her fails are confidered, together with the artificial contrivances of adapting them to her different motions as it cannot be doubted but thefe things have been brought about by more than ordinary fagacity and invention, fo neither can it be doubted but that a fpecu- lative and fcientific turn of mind may find out the means of direding and difpofing this complicated mechanifm much more advantageouHy than can be done by mere habit, or by a fervile copying of what others may per- haps have erroneoufly pradiled in the like emergency : But it is time to finifh this digreffion, and to leave the reader to the perufal of the enlUing work ; which, with how little art (bever it may be executed, will yet froni the importance of the fubjedt, and the utility and excel- lence of the matlrials^ merit fome (bare of the Public attention. V A VOYAGE ,,^.^. )i€M»9S1bCiM;^f!^ )nveni- B y G E O R G E A Ms o N, Eib ; «*f** •tmm BOO K I. Ira'P. I. 0/ the equipment oftheSquadrw/i : The incidents relating thereto ^ from its firft appointment to its fetting fail from Si. Helens. H E fquadron jffider the Command of Mr. /in- fan (of which I here propofe to recite the moft material proceedings) having undergone many rhanges in its deili nation, its force, and its equipment, in the ten months between its Prft appointment and its |tinal failing from St. i^^w ; I conceive the.;hiftory of fthefe alterations is a detail necefiary to be made public, l^bothfor the honour of tbofe who hrd planned and pro- Imoted this enterprixe, and for the juftification of thofe rho have been icntrufted with its execution. Since it livill from hence af^ear, that the accidents iheexpedi- ion was afterwards expofed to, and which prevented it irom producing all the national advantages the ftreng,th >f the fquadron, and ibe expectation of the public, deemed to prefage^ were principally owing to a feries of ^interruptions, which delayed the Commander in the Icourfe of his preparations, and wliich it exceeded his lutmoft induftry either to avoid or to get removed.- When in the latter end of the fummer of the year 1739, Hi was ibrefeen that a war with Spain was inevitable, h B was 2 //VOYAGE 'was ihe opinion of fevcral confidcrabic pcrfons then truft- ed with the Adminidration of affairs, that the mod pru« dent (lep the Nation could take, on the breaking out of the war, was attacking that Crown in herdidant fettle- jiients ; for by this means (as at that time there was the grcated probability of fuccefs) it was fuppofed that we ihould cut off the principal refburces of the enemy, and reduce them to the necelTity of (incerely deiiring a peace« as they would hereby be deprived of the returns of that treafure by which alone they could ht enabled to cany on a war. • In puifuanceof thefe (cntimcnts, feveral projects v'cre examined, and feveral resolutions taken in Council. And jn all thefe deliberations it vt2^ from the (irft determined, that George Anfon^ Elq; then Captain of the Centurioriy ihould be employed as Commander in Chief of an expe- dition of this kind : And he then being ablent -on a cruize, a vefTel was difpatched to his (lation (b early as the beginning of «V<'//^m^^, to order him to return with his (hip to Port/mouth. And foon after he came there, that is, on the loth of November following, he received a letter from Sir Charles fVagery ordering him to repair to lAtuloHy and to attend the board of Admiralty : Where when he arrived, he was informed by Sir Charles^ that two Squadrons would be immediately fitted out for two iccrct expeditions, which however would have fbme connexion with each other: That he, Mr. Jnfin, was intended to command one of them, and Mr. Cornivn^l (who hath fince loft his life gloriouOy in the defen.ce of his Country's honour)^ the other : That the fquadron under Mr. An/en was to take on -board three Independent Companies of a hundred men each, and Bland's regi- ment of Foot : That Colonel Bland w^^ likewife to im- bark with his regiment, and to command the land-forces : And tiiat, as foon as this fquadron could be fitted for the fea, they were to fet lail, with express orders to touch at no place till they came toJava-Head in ihtEaJi- hdies : That there they were only to ftop to take in water, and thence to proceed diredtly to the City of Manila f fituated on Luconia^ one of the Philippine lUznd^'. That the other fquadron was to be of equal force with this commanded by Mr. Anfon, and was intended to * pafs - ^ round the W o r l u. % lefts n'crc icil. And icrmined, Centuriotty fan expc- :nc on a b early as mm with ime there, ; received to repair yf : Where [r/«, that t for two sive fome kfon, was Corniv/ril cfence of fquadron lependcnt ma's regi- rifc to ira- id-forces : fitted for orders to to take in cCity of u Iflands : brce with ended to pafs ^|>afs round Cape ffom into the 5o»/^-5^«j, and there to •range along thnt Coaft ; and after cruifing upon the ^neniy in t^fe parts, and attempting their fettlements, this fquadron in its return was to rendezvous at Manila^ and there to join the fquadron under Mr. AnfoHy where they were to refreih their men» and reBt their Ihips, and .perhaps receive further orders. Thi« Scheme was doubtlefs extremely well proje6led, and could not but grfPanamay and the other Spanijb places on the coaft of the South Sea, tor near a twelvemonth after our decla- arion of war. And it cannot be fuppofed that the city i Manila^ removed rtili further by almoft half the cir- umference of the glol)e, (hould have experienced from he Spanijb Government, a greater (hare of attention and •|i;oncern for its fecurity, than Panama, and the o'ther ^mportant ports in Peru and Chiliy on which their pof^ Iffelfion of that imrnenfe Empire depends. Indeed, it is ^^well known, that Manila was at that time incapable of ^making any confidcraWe defence, and in all probability would have furrcndtied only on the appearance of our B 2 . fquadron t u si' 'I i 1^ ^VOYAGE ^uadron before it. The con(equence of this city, and the IHand it (lands on» may be ifi ibme meafure emmat- ed, from the healthinefs of its air, the excellency of its port and bay, the number and wealth of its inhabitants, and the very extenfive and beneficialcommerce which it carries on to the principal Ports in the Eafl^hdies^ and China^ and its exclufive trade to Acapmkay the returns tor which, being made in filver, are, upc»n the lowed valua- tion, not leis than three millions of Dollars per Annum. And on this fcheme Sir Charles Wager was (b intent, that in a few days after this firft conference, that is, on Novembfr 1 8, Mr. Afifm received an order to take under his command the Arj^yfet Severn, Pearly Wutrer, and TtyaiS/oop ; and other oHers were iflbed to him in the feme month, and in the December following, relating to the viftualling of this fquadron. But Mr. An/on at- tending the Admiralty the beginning o^Jnnuaty^ he was informed by Sir Cht^ ' Wager, that for reafons with which he, ^nChdrhs, as not acquainted, the expediti- on to Manila was laid afide. It may be conceived, that Mr. Anfon was extremely chagrined at the lofing the command of fo infallible, fo honourable, and in every refpe^r, fo delirable an enterprize, ef'pecially too as he had already, at a very great expence, made :he neceffary provifion lor his own accommodation in this voyage, which he had reafon to expedl would prove a very long one. However, Sir Charles, to render this difappoint- ment in fome degree more tolerable, >informed him that the expedition iothe«Sw/^«yMJ wasftill intended, and that he, Mr. Anfony and his fquadron, as their firft deftination was now countermanded, Ibould be employed in thatfer- vice. And on the loth oi January he received his com- niiflion, appointing him commamier in Chief of the fore- mentioned rquadron,which [\.\itArgyle being in the courfe of their preparation changed for the Gloucejler) was the fame he failed with above eight months after from iSt. Helens. On this chiinge of deltination, the equipment ot the Iquadron was ftill prol'ccuted with as much vigour as ever, and the vidualling, and whatever depended on the iJommodore, was {o tar advanced, that he conceived the ihips might be capable of putting to fea the inftant he "Ibould receive his ^nal orders, of which he was in daily expcftation. ii city, and irc ettimai- cncy of itd nhabitants, cc which it fndiety and returns tor weft valua- per Annum. s fb intent, that is, on take under rr him in the ig, rehting r. Anfon at- afjy he was afons with leexpcdiii- :eived, that lofing the 1 in every Y too as he le neccflary lis voyage, I very long difappoint- ed him thai ed, and that deftination in that fer- sd his com- of thefore- » thecourfe r) was the er from 8t. uipment ot 1 vigour as ided on the iceived the ? inftant he /as in daily xpe^iiiion. round the World. /? fipedaiion. And at laft, on the 28th of June 1740, the Duke of NrvoatjUe^ Principal Secretary of State,* de- livered to him his Msjefty's inftrui^ions, dated January 3i» i739» with an, additional inftrudion from the Lords Jullices, dated June 19, 1740. On the receipt of tlie(e, Mt. Anfott Immediately repaired to Spithead^ with a rcfo- lution to fail with the hrft fair wind, flaitering himfelf that all his delays were now at an end. For though he knew by the mufters that his fquadron wanted three hun- dred feamen of their complement, (a deficiency which, with all his afllduity, he had not been able to get fup- plied) yet, as Sir C^ari^/^^^^r informed him, that an order from the board of Admiralty was difpatched to Sir John Norris to fpare him the numbers which he want- •d, he doubted not of his complying therewith. But •n his arrival at Portfmwtb^ he found himfelf greatly miftaken, and difappointed in this perfualion : for on his plication, Sir Jobn Norris told him, he could fpare m none, for he wanted men for his own fleei. This pKcailoned an inevitable an^ a very confiderable delay ; for it was the end of July before this deficiency was by any means fupplied, and all that vsras then done was exvj tremely Diortofhis neceffities and expe^ation. ForAdcQi* ' ral Balcben^ who fucceeded to the command at SpitbeaJl ^ after Sir Jobn Nttrris had failed to the weftward, inllead of ^three hundred able failors, which Mr. Anfon wanted of ..his complement, ordered on board the iquadron a hun- i dred and ftventy men only j of which thirty-two were ,^' from thehofpital and iick quarters, thirty-feven from the , SalijhuryyVfith three ofHcers of ColonelZow/M's regiment, and ninety-eight marines : Thele were all that were ever ranted to make up the forementioned deficiency. But the Commodore's mortification did not end here, has been already obferved, that it was at firfl intended at Colonel Brand's regiment, and three independent t^ompanies of a hundred men each, (hould embark as land-forces on board the fquadron. Bui this difpolition r was now changed, and all the land-fc . ces that were to I be allowed, were five hundred invalids to be collected from the out-penfioners of CbeJfea-Colkge, As thefe out- pensioners confift of lbldier&«wlM) from their age,wounds, or other infijimities, are incapable o^'fervicc in marching, B 3, regiments K ^mmmm 6 A V O Y AGE regiments, Mr. Anftn was greatiy chagrined at having fuch a decrepit detachment allotted him ; for he was tuily perfuaded that the greateft part of them would pe- riih long before they arrived at the fcene of action, (ince the delays, he had already encountered, neceffarily con- fined his paiFage round Cape Horn to the raoft rigorous Icafon of the year. Sir Charles IVager too joined m opi- nion with the' Commodore, that invalids were no ways proptr for this fervice, and follicited ftrenuofly to have them cichanged ; but he was told that perfon^, who were fuppofcd to be better judges of foldiers than ne or Mr. Anfon^ thought them the propereft men that could be employed on this occaflon. And upon this deter- mination they were ordered on board the fquadron on the 5th of i4j^i<,/; But inftead of five hundred, there came on board no more than two hundred and fifty-nine; for all thofe who had limbs and ftrength to walk out of FortfmoHtb delerted, leaving behind them only fuch as were literally invalids, moll of them being fixty Years of age, and fbme of them upwards of feventy. Indeed it is difficult to conceive a more moving fcene than the im- barkation of thefc unhappy veterans ; They were ihem- felves eitrcmely averfe to the fervice they were engaged in, and fully apprized of all the difafters they were af- terwards expofed to j the apprehenfions of which were flrongly marked by the concern that appeared in their countenances, which was mixed with no fmail degree of indignation, to be thus hurried from their repoCe into a fatiguing employ, to which neither thcllrength of their bodies, nor the vigour of their minds, were any ways proportioned, and where, without feeing the face of an enemy, or in the leaft promoting the fuccefs of the enter- prize they were engaged in, they would in all probability ufelefly perilh by Tingring and painful difeafes j and this toOr after they had fpent the activity and ftrength of their youth in their Country's liervice. And I cannot but obferve, on this melancholy inci- dent, how extremely unfortunate it was, both to this aged and difeafed detachment, and to the expedition they were employed in ; that amongft all the out-pendoners of G^^/a Hofpital, which were fuppofed to amount to two thoufand men».the mod crazy and intirm only (hould be i. ^ 1 at having- >r he was would oe- bon, fince farily con- ; rigorous led in opi- B no ways Y to have fon^, who han ne or :hat could his deier- adron on ed, there fifty-ninej ilk out of / fuch as /Years of tdeed it is n the im- ere them- • engaged were at- nch were J in their Jegree of pofe into of their iny wa) b [ce of an »c enter- )bability and this :ngth of lly inci- ' his aged )n they Infioners tount to fhould be f f-'^ ^•k' round the Wor i: d. f be culled out for (b fatiguing and perilous an undertak- ing. For it was well known, that, however unfit invalids in general might be for this fervice, yet, by a prudent choice, there might have been found amongtt them five hundred men who had fome remains of vigour left: And Mr. Anfon fully expedled, that the beft of them would have been allotted him \ whereas the whole detachment that was fent to him, feemed to be made up of the moft dfecrepit and miferable objefts, that could be collected out of the whole body j and by the deferiion abovemen- tioned, thefe were a fecond time cleared of that little health and ftrengih which were to be found amonglt them, and he was to take up with fuch as were much fitter for an infirmary, than for any military duty. And here it is neceflary to mention another material particular in the equipment of rhis fquadron. It was propofed to Mr. Anforiy after it was relblved that he (hould be fent to the Souih-Seas, to lake with him two perfons under the denomination of Agent Viftuallers. Thofe who were mentioned for this employment had formerly been in the Spanijb tVeft^Indiesy in the South' Sea Company's fervice, and it was fuppofed that by their knowledge *nd intelligence on that coaft, they might often procure provifions for him by compact with- the l«^habitant&, when it was not to be got by force of arms: Thefe Agent Vi6tuallers were, for this purpofe,. to be allowed to carry to the value of 1 5,000 /. in mer- chandize on board iht fquadron ; for they had repre- fenied, that it would be much eafier for them to procure provifions with goods, than with the value of the fame goods in money. Whatever colours were given to this^ icheme it was difficult to perfuade the generality of man- kind, that it was not principally intended for the enrich- ment of the Agents, by the beneficial commerce they pro- po(iid to carry on upon that coafl. Mr. An/on, from the ^beginning, obje<5led both to the appointment of Agent Viduallers, and the allowing them to carry a cargoe on board ,he fquadron: For he conceived that in thofe: few amicable ports where the fquadron nright touch, he needed not their affiflance to contradl for any provifions the place aflx)rded ; and on the enemy's coaft, he did not imag^inc that they could ever procure him the necef- B 4 fariesr. 8 A VOYAGE * 11 farics hefhould want, utihefs (which h« was refbtvcd not' to comply with) the military operations of his Iquadron were to be regulated by the ridiculous views of their trading projedls. All that he thought the Government ought to have done on this occafion, wa»to put on board to the value of 2 or 3000 /. only of fuch goods, as the Jndinns, or the Spamjh Planters in the \^9 cuJtivated part or the coaft, might be tempted with; fince it was jn fach places only that he imagined it would be worth while to truck with the enemy for provifions: And in thefe places it was fulficientJy evident, a very fmali cargoe would lufHce. Bur though the Commodore obje^ed both to the ap- pointment of thefe officers, and to their project; yet, as they had infinuafied that their fcheme, befidcs vidual- ling the fquadron, might contribute to fettling a trade upon that coaft, which might be afterwards carried on without difficulty, aod might thereby prove a very con- fiderabte national advantage, they were much Iklened to by fone confiderable perfbns: And of the ic,oob/. which was to be the amount of their cargoe, tne Go- vernment agreed to advance them 10,000 upon impreft, and the remaining 5C00 they ra'ifed on bottomry bonds; and the goods purchafed with this fbm, were all that were taken to fea by the fquadron, how much foevcr the amount of them might be afterwards magnified by common report. This cargoe was at firft (hipped on board the Wager Store Ship, and one of the Viduallers ; no part ii'i it being admitted on hoard the men of war. But when the Commoilorc was at St. Catherine's^ he confidered, that in cafe the fquadron (hould be feparated, it might be pretended that fome of the (hips were difappointcd of provisions for want o^ a cargoe to truti. with, and there- fore he diftributed (bme of the leaft bulky commodities on board the men of war, leaving the remainder princi- pally on board the fVagcr, where it was loft: And more of the goods perifliing by various accidents to be recited hereafter, ahu no part of them being difpofed of U[H)n the coaft, the few that came home 10 England^ did not produce, when fold, above a fourth part of the original price. So true was the Commodore's prediction about the Mi tibtved not s fquadron ts of their overnment Its on board )dS) as the cuJtivated ince it was 1 be worth r:*And in r^ry fmall to the ap- )jeftj yet, es vidual- ng a trade carried on very con- ch Mened I c,ooo /. the Go- n impreft, ry bonds ; t all that :h foevcr jnificd by le IVager art of it ut when nfidered, it might ointed of d thi. re- mod It ics r princi- nd more e recited of upon did not original n about the '•*M yn ..< round the World. 9 the event of this piojeft, which had been by man/ confidered as infallibly produ^ive of imraenfe gains. IJut'to return to the tranfadtions at Portfmouth. To fupply the place of the two hundred and forty invalids which had delerted, as is mentioned above., there were ordered on board two hundred and ten ma- rines detached from different regimerais : Thefe were ' raw and undifciplined men, for ihcy were juft raifed, and had fcagcely any thing more of the foldier than theii;" regimentals, none of them having been fo far trained, as to be permitted to fire. The lull detachment of thefe marines came on board the 8th of Auguji^ and on the joth the fquadron (ailed from Spithecid to St. Helens^ there to wait for a wind to proceed on the expedition. : But the delays we had already fufFered iiad not yet ipent all their Influence, for we were now advanced in- i |o a feafon of the year, when the w^fterly winds are ufually very conftant, and very violent; audit was |hought proper that we fiiculd put to fea in company ;;^ith the fleet commanded by Admir.il Balcheny and the expedition under Lord Cathcart. And as we made up in all twenty-one men of war, and a hundred and twenty-four fail of merchantmen and tranfports, we had no hopes of getting out of the Channel with fo large'a number of fliips, without the continuance of a fair v/ind, for fome confiderable time. This was what we had every day lefs and lefs reafon to expert, as the time of the equinox drew near ; {o that our golden dreams, and our ideal pofleflion of the Peruvian treafures, giew each day more faint, and the difiiculties and dangers of the paflage round Cape Horn in the^ winter feafon filled our jniuginaiions in their room. Fo'r it was forty days from our arrival at St. Helens^ to our final departure from thence : And even then (having orders to proceed with- put Lord Caihcart) we tided it down the Channel with % contrary wind. But this interval of forty days was, not free from the difpleafing fatigue of often f^uiug fail, and being as often obliged to return ; nor exempt from dangers, greater than have been ibmetimes ex- perienced in furrounding the globe. Fpr ^he wind comb- ing fair for the firft time, on the 23d of Aui^vft, we got under fail, and Mr. Bakh^n Ihewed liimlelf truly, B 5 loliciious *' m I'^A lo ^VOYAGE foHcitous to have proceeded to lea, but the wind (bon Tcturned to its old quarter, obliged us to put back to St. HeJens^ not without confiderable hazard, and feme damage received by two of the traniports, who, in tack- ing, ran foul of each other : Beiides this, we made two or thiee more attempts to fail, but without any better fucceft. And, on the 6th of September^ being returned to an anchor at St. Helens^ after one of thete fruiilefs effort*, the wind blewfo frefli, that the wiiole fltet ftruck their yards and topmafts to prev-cnt their driving: And, notwithftanding this precaution, the Centution drove the next evening, and brought both cables a-head, and we were in no unall danger of driving foul of the Prince Frederickj a feventy-gun (hip, moored ata fmall diftance under our ftern ; which we happily efcaped, by her driv- ing at the fame time, and fo preferving herdiftance: Nor did we ihink ourfclves ftcure, till we at laft let go the fhect anchor, which fortunately brought us up. However, on the Qih of September ^ we were in (bmc degree relieved from this lingring vexatious fit nation, by an Order which Mr. Jnfon received from the Lords Ju- fliccs, to put to fea the firll opportunity 'with hia own fquadron only, if Lord Cathcart fhould not be ready. Being thus freed from the iioublefome company of ib large a fleet, our Commodore refolved to weigh and tide it down Channel, as fbon as the weather fliould be- come fufficiently moderate; and this might cafily have been done with our own fquadron alone full two months fooner, had the orders of the Admiralty, for fapplying us with feamen, been pundtually complied with, ard had we met with none of thofe other delays mentioned in this narration. It is true, our hopes of a fpeedy de- parture were even now fomewhat damped, by a lubfe- quent order which Mr. Jnfon received on the 1 2th of September ; for by that he was required to take under his convoy the St. ySIbans with the Turkey fleet, and to join the Dragon^ and the IVinchefiery with the Streights and the American trade at Torbay or Plymouth^ and to pro- ceed with them to fea as far as their way and ours lay together : This incumbrance of a convoy ^rave us fome uneaflnefs, as we feared it might prove the means of lengthening our paifage to the Madam, However, Mr. Anjiiny p e wind (bon put back to !, and fome 'lio, in tacJc- e made two any belter ng returned etc fruiilefs ; fltet ftruck ving: And, '« drove the ad, and we the Prince all diflance )/ her driv- er diftancc: laft let go us up. Jre in fome tuation, by Lords Ju- h his own be ready, any of lb vcigh and iiould be- jafily have months lAipplying hh, and cntioncd leedy de- a (ubfe- i2ih of inder his |d to join hts and to pro- jours Jay 1 us fome Means of 'er, Mr. AnjQrt, •1 round /fe W R i: D. i ^ ifotii now having the command himfelf, rcfblved to- here to his former determination, and to tide it down he Channel with the firfl: moderate weather ; and that he junction of bis Convoy might occafion as little a [lofs of lime as poflible, he immediately fent directions to Torbay^ that the fleets he was there to take under his are, might be in a readinefs to join him inftantly on ^his approach. And, at laft, on the 1 8th of September^ he weighed from St. Helens ; and though the wind was at firft contrary, had the good fortune to get clear of the Channel in four days, as will be more particularly elated in the cnfuing chapter. Having thus gone through the re(pe£tive fteps taken in- the equipment of this fquadron, it is fuliiciently obvious ow different an a(pe£t this expedition bore at its hrft ppointment in the beginning of Januaryy from what t had in the latter end of September, when it left the hannel ; and how much its numbers, its ftrength, and- e probability of itsfuccefs were diminilhed, by thcr arious incidents which took place in that interval. For ^inftead of having all our old and ordinary feamen ex- changed for fuch as were young and able, (which the Commodore was at firft promifed) and having our num- bers compleated to their full complement, we were ob- liged to retain our firft crews, which were very indiffe- rent; and a deficiency of three hundred men in our numbers was no otherwife made up to us, than by fend- ing us on board a hundred and feventy men, the greateft art compofed of fuch as were dilcharged from hofpi- tals, or new-raifed marines who had never been at lea before. And in the land-forces allotted us, the change was ftill more difadvantagcous ; for there, inftead of three independent companies of a hundred men each, and Bland's regiment of foot, which was an old one, we had only four hu'ndred and feventy invalids and ma- rines, one part of them incapable for adion by age and infirmities, and the other part ufelefs by their ignorance of their duty. But the diminiiliing the ftrengthof th» Iquadron was not the greateft inconveniency which at- tended thefe alterations; for the cpntefts, reprelentations^ and dilficulties which they continually produced, (as we have above fecn, that in thefe cafes ifee authority of tUi; Admiralty, I S-; 12 //VOYAGE Admiralty was not always fubmitted to) occafioned a delay and wafte of lime, which in its confequences was the fource of all the difafters to which this enterprize was afterwards expofed : for by this means we were ob- Jiged to make our paiTagc round Cape Horn in the mod lempeftuous feafon of the year ; whence proceeded the feparation of our fquadron, the lofs of numbers of our men, and th€ imminent hazard of our total deftrudiion: And by this delay too, the enemy had been fo well in- Jbrmed of our defigns, that a pcrfon who had been em- ployed in the Scnib Sea Company's fervice, and arrived from Panama three or four days before we left Portf- tnouiby was able to relate to Mr. Anfon mod of the par- ticulars of the deftination and ftrength of our fquadron, from what he had learnt amongtl the Spaniards before he left them. And this was afterwards confirmed by a more extraordinary circumftance : For we (ball find, that when the Spaniards (fully fatisfied that our expedi- tion was intended for the South-^eas) had fitted out a fquadron to oppofe .us, which had fo far got the dart of us, as to arrive before us off the ifland of Madera^ the Commander of this fquadron was {o well indru^ted in the form and make of Mr. Anfon% broad pennant, and had imitated it fo exaclly, that he thereby decoyed the Pearly one of our fquadron, within gun-fliot of him, before the Captain of the Pearl was able to difcover his midake. Chap. II. 7he pnffa;re from St, Helens to the IJland of Madera ; nxith a Jbort account of that Ifland^ and of our fay tl^re, ON the i8th of September^ I740> ^^^ (quadron, as we haveobferved in the preceding chapter, weighs ed from St. Helens with a contrary wind, the Commo- dore propofing to tide it down the Channel, as he dread- ed lels the inconveniencies he Ihould thereby have* to ftruggle with, than the rilk he (hould run of ruining the enterprize, by an uncertain, and, in all probability, a leiiious attendance for a fair wind. The fquadron allotted to this fervice confided of five men ol war^ a (loop of war, and two victualling (liips. 1 he/ ^***1'i i::^ round tbe W Q%LDi 13 They were i\icCenturi9n of fiittv guns, four hundred men, George Anforiy Efq; Coramaader j the Gloucejier of fifty guns, three hundred Men, Richard Norris Commander; the Severn of fifty guns, three hundred men, the Honour- able Edward Leg^ Commander; the Pearl of forty guns, two hundred and fifty men, Mattbeiv /WiVf^^/ Command- er 5 the IVager of twenty -eight guns, one hundred and fixtytnen. Dandy /iTiV/^ Commander ; and the TVy^^/ Sloop of eight guns, one hundred mvn, the Honourable John Murray Commander ; the two Victuallers were Pinks, ihe largeft of about four hundred, and the other of about two hundred tons burthen, theie were tp attend us, till the provifions we had taken on board were (b far confumed, as to make room for the additional quantity they carried with them, which, when we had taken into our ihips, they were to be diicharged. Befides the complement of men borne by the above-mentioned fliips as their crews, there were embarked on board the fquadron about four hundred and feventy invalids and marines, under the de- nomination of land forces, as has been particularly men- tioned in the preceding chapter, which were commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Cracherode. With this fquadron, together with the St. Albans and the Lark^ and the trade under their convoy, Mr. ^nfoMy after weighing from St. Helensy tided it down the Channel for the firft forty-eight hours J and on the 20th, in the morning, we diicovered off the Ram-head the Dragon, fi^'inchejier, South-Sea-CaJi/ey and Rye, with a number of merchantmen under their Con- voy: Thefe we joined about noon the fame day, our Commodore having orders to fee them (togetherwith the St. Albans and Uirk) as far into the fea as their courfe and ours lay together. When we came in fight of this lail mentioned fleet, Mr. Anfon firft hoifted his broad pennant, and was falutcd by all the men of war in company. When we had joined this laft Convoy, we made up eleven men of war, and about one hundred and fifty fail of merchantmen, confifting of the Tuiey^ tiiQ S/r eights ^ and the American trade. Mr. Afifon, the lame day, made a fignal for all the Captains of the men of war to anwe on board him, where he delivered them their fighting and failing inftru6tions, and then, with a lair wind, wc all iioovl H /t V or A G e: J. p ' flood towards the South- Weft; and the next day at noon, beinz the 21 ft, we had run forty leagues from the Ram- Head', and being now clear of the land, our Commo- dore, to render our view more extenfive ordered Captain Mitchely in the Pearly to make fail two leagues a head of the fleet every morning, and to repair 10 his ftation every evening.' Thus we proceeded till the 25th, when the IVincheJier and the American Convoy made the con- certed fignal for leave to feparate, which being anrwer- ed by the Commodore, they left us : As the St. Albans and the Dragon^ with the Turkey and Slreigbts Convoy, did on the 29th. After which feparation; there remain- ed in company only our own Iquadron and our two victuallers, with which we kept on our courfe for the Iftafid o{ Madera, But the winds were fo contrary, that we had the mortification to be forty days in our paffage thitlicr from St, Helens^ though it is known to be often done in ten or twelve. This delay was a moft unpleaf- ing circumftance, produ6live of much difcontent and ill-humour amongft our people, of which thofe only can have a tolerable idea, who have had the experience of a like fituation. And befides the peeviflinefs and defpon- dency which foul and contrary winds, and a lingring voy- age never fail to create ot\ all occafiotis, we, iir particu- lar; had very fubftantial reaibns to be greatly alarmed at this unexpected impediment. For as we had departed from England v[i\^&i later than we ought to have done, we had placed almoft all our hopes of fuccefs in the chance of retrieving in fome meafure at fea, the time we had fo unhappily wafted at Sfitbend^Xi^ St. Helens. However, at kit, Monday^ Odloher the 25th, at five in the morning, we, to our great joy, rfiade the land, and in the after- noon came to an anchor in Madera Road, in forty fathom water; the Brazen-bead bearing from us E by S. the Loo N N W, and the great Church N N E. We had hardly let go our anchor, when an Englijh privateer floop ran under our ftern, and faluted the Commo ore with nine guns, which we returned with five. And, the next day, the Conful of the Ifland coming to vifit the Commodore, we faluted him with nine guns on his com'* 411^ on board. This y at noorr, the Ram^ Commo- d Captain a head of lis (lation jth, when- the con- g anfwer- St. Albans Convoy, e remain- our two fe for the rary, that ir paffage ) be often t unpleaf- itent and only can cnce of a i defpon- ring voy- particu- armed at departed done, wc e chance we had owever; lorning, le after- n forty s E by E. We ivateer |mo ore ^nd, the [ifii the lis com-'^ This round the World. 15 ' This ifland oi Maderay where we are now arrived, is famous through all our American fettlements for its ex- cellent wines, which feem to be defigned by Providence for the refrelhment of the inhabitants of the Torrid Zone. It is fituated in a 6ne climate, in the latitude of 32 : 27 North : rnd in the longitude from London ofj by our different reckonings, from iS^-l-to 19°^ Weft, though laid down in the charts in 17°. It is compofed of one continued hill, of a coniiderable height, extending ilfelf from Eaft to Weft : The declivity of which, on the South-fide, is cultivated and interfperfed with vine- yards ; and in the midft of this flope the Merchants have fixed their country feats, which help to form an agree- able profpedt. There is but one confiderable Town in the whole Ifland, it is named Fonchiaky and is feated on the South part of the Ifland, at the bottom of a large bay. This is the only place of trade, and indeed the only one where it is poflible for a boat to land. Fon^ chiale, towards the lea, is defended by a high wall, with a battery of cannon, befides a caille on ihtLooy which is a rock ftanding in the water at a fmall diftance from the fliore. Even here the beach is covered with large ftones, and a violent furf continually beats upon it ; fo that the Commodore did not care to venture the fliips long boats to fetch the water off, as there was fo much danger of their being loft j and therefore ordered the Captains of the fqwadron to employ Portuguefe boats on that fervice. We cominued about a week at this Ifland, watering our fiiips, and providing the fquadron with wine and other refrefliments. And, on the 3d o^ No/i«/^failors, being for the moft parf f : ccuftomed to a fair weather country, might be expected to be very averfe to fo dangerous and fatiguing a naviga- ■ tion, the better to encourage them, fomc part of their , pay was advanced to them in European goods, which they were to be permitted to difpofe of in the Soutb-Seas^ that fo the hopes of the great profit each man was to make on his fmall venture, might animate him in his duty, and render him lefs difpofed to repine at the labour, the hardfbips and the perils he would in all probability meet with before his arrival on the coaft of Peru. Pizarro with his fquadroa having, towards the latter fend of February y run the length of Cape Horny he then ftood to the well ward, in order to double it ; but in the night of the lad dsiy of Februaryy O. S. while with this view they were turning to windward, the Guipufcoay the Hermionay and the Efperanza were feparated Irom the Admiral j and, on the 6th of Marcb following the j^Guipu/coa was feparated from the other two ; and, on the 7th (being the day after we had paffed the Streigbts k Maine) there came on a moft furious ftorm at N. W, which, in defpite of all their efforts, drove the whole fquadron to the eaftward, and obliged them, after feve- ral fruitlefs attempts, to bear away for the river of Plate, where Pizarro in the Ma arrived about the mid- dle mmmm wm^ "«P1|iwv ■! iiiPiaiipiV'ii I 90, A V OY A. G E die of May^ and a few da^s^ after him the EfperaftZit- and the Ejli^an, The Hermioua was fuppofed to foun- der at (ea» for (he was never heard of more ; and the Guipu/coa wad run a-fhore, and funk .\ the coaft of Bra^ ml The calamities of all kinds, which ;his fquadron underwent in this unfuccefsful navigatio i, can only be parallelled by what we ourfelves experienced in the fame climate, when builettc j by the fame dorms. There was indeed fome diver(i^,y in our diftref&s, which rendered it difficult to decid**, whofe fuuation was moft worthy of commiferation. Fot ^o all the misfortunes we had in common with each other, as (battered rigging, leaky (hips, and the fatigues and defpondency, which n«ce(ra- rily attend the(e difaders, there was fuperadded on board eur (quadron the ravage of a mod dedru^ive and incu- rable dileale, and OR board the Spanijb fquadron the de- vafiation of famine. For this (quadron, either from the hurry of their QUtfet, riieir prefumption of a fupply at Busnos A^^fit nr from o- ther le(s obvious motives, departed from Spaw, as has been already obierved, with no more than four months prcvi- ik>n, and even that, as it is faid, at fliort allowance only;. {o that» when by the dorms they met with o(F Cape //orir, their contir^uance at fea was prolonged a month or more htyoiid their expectation, they were thereby reduced to iiich infinite didrefs, that rats, when they could be caught, were fold (or four dollars a-piece ; and a failor, who died on board, had his death concealed for fome days hy his brother, who, during that time^ lay in the fame hammock with the corpfe, only to receive ^he dead man's allowance of providons. In this dreadful ficua- tion they were alarmed (if their horrors were capable of augmentation) by the difcovery of a confpiracy among the marines, on board the 4/^<7, the Admirul's (hip. This had taken its rife chiefly from the miferieo they en- dured ; For though no lefs wus propofed by the confpi- rators than t^e maifacring the o0icers of the whole crew, yet their morivc for this bloody refblution fecmed to. be BO more than their defire of relieving their hunger, by appropriating the whole (hips proviiions to themielves. But their defigns v/ere prevented, when jud uj)on the point of ej^ecution, by means of one of their confe(rors» ^ . and It ^\ Efpfranzth d to foun- and the ift of Bra- \ fquadron n only be n the fame rhere was endered it worthy of we had in ing, leaky :h nsceifa- 1 on board and incu- :>n thede- leir Qutfct, 5r from o- as has been iths provi- mce only ;. Zjipt HorHf th or more educed to 3e caught, ilor, who bme days the fame ^he dead dful fitua- capable of :y among id's fliip. they en- je confpi- lole crew, led to. be mger, by emfelves. j)>on the onfeflbrs, and %-Ki n round /fe W o R l d. %\ und three of their lingteaders were tmniediately put to death. However, though the confpiracy was fupprefled, their other calamities admhted of no alleviation, but grew each day more and more deftru€liv€. So that by 'the complicated diftrefs of fetigue, ficknefs, and hunger^ the three Ihips which efcaped loft the gre&teft part of their men : The AfiUy the Admiral's (hip, arrived at Mwte Vedio in the river oi Plate, with half her crew on- ■ly ; the St. Eftevan had loft in like manner half her hands, when (fee anchored in the bay of Barragan ; 'x\\t Efperansiaj ^ fifty gun (hip, was ftill more untortu- naic, for of four hundred and fifty hands, which (he , brought from^/«ii«,^ortly fifty-eight remained alive ; and :the whole regiment of foot periihed except fixtymen. But to give the reader a more diftinCi and paVticukr idea of what they underwent upon this occ^fion, I fhaH Jay before him a (hort account of the /ii; and thofe who were {o fick or (b weak that they could not aOift in this nccef- (ary labour, had no more than an ounce of wheat ; fo that it was common for the men to fall down dead at the pumps: That, including the Officers, they could only mufter from eighty to a hundred perfons capable of do- if>g duty : That the South Weft winds blew fo freflj, after they had loft their mafts, that they could not im- mediately (et up jury-nnfts, but were obliged to drive like a wreck, bei>yeep the latitudes of 32 and 28, till the 24th of ^/ri7, when they made the cbaft of ^/vizr7 2\ Riode Platasy ten leagues to the (buthward of the Illand of St. Catherines ; that here they came to an an- chor, and the Captain was very defirous of proceed- ing to St. Catherine^ if poflible, in order to fave the hull of the (hip, and the gims and ftores on board her ; but the crew ioftantly lett off pumping, and being enragc: an fc who were n this nccef" wheat i fo dead at the couid only able of do- V fo freih, Jd not im- ed to drive nd 28, till of Brazil rd of the Ito an an- procced- T the huJl her ; but enraged ibers they lan thirty Hie voice Captain the 5tii irurniiurc whom hunoti rctmd the W OR LD. 23 Siungcr and fatigue had fpared, to the number of four undred, got fafe on (hore. Fro;T this account of the adventures and <:ataftrophe of the G«jf/«/t^fi« we may form fome conjefture of the manner in which the Hermiona was loft, and pf the diftreifes endured by the three remaining (hips of the fquadron, which got into the river oi Plate. Theft laft being in great want of mafts, yards, rigging, and all kind of naval ftore^, and having no fupply sxBuems Ayresy nor in any other of their fettleraents, Pizarro dif- J patched an advice-boat with a letter of credit to Rh Ja- ihneiro^ to purchafe what was wanting firom the Portugtefe, ^' :Hc, at the fame time, fent an exprefs acrofs the conti- ent to ^an Jago in Chik^ to be thence forwarded to the Viceroy of Peru^ informing him of the d-ifafters that |iad befallen his fquadron, and deilring a remittance of 0,000 dollars from the royal chefts at Ltmay to enable im to victual and refit his remaining fhips, that he mighl; iht again in a condition to attempt the pailageto tht South- ^easy as (bon as the (ea(bn of the year ihould be more fa- Dyourable. It is mentioned by the Spaniards as a moit ex- aordinary circumftance, that the /W//7» charged with lis exprefs (though it was then the depth of winter,when '»the Cordilleras are efteemed impaflable on account of the fnow), was only thirteen days in his journey from Buerw$ jiyres to San Jago in Chili ; though thefe places are dif^ ant three hundred Spanijh leagues, neai forty of which e amongft the fnows and precipices of the Cordilieras. The return to this dispatch of Pizarro's from the iceroy of Peru was no ways favourable j inftead of 00,000 dollars, the fum demanded, the Viceroy re- itted him only 100,000, telling him, it was with cat difficulty he was able to procure him even that : hough even the inhabitants at Lima, who confidered ^khe piefence of Pizarro as abfolutely necefTary to their ' "curiiy, we/e much difcontented at this procedure, and d not fail to aifert, that it was not the want of Money, the interefted views of fbme of the Vireroy*s confi- -dents, that prevented Pizarro from having the whole fum he had afked for. The advice-boat fent to Rio Janeiro alfo executed her xommiffion, but imperfe^ly ^ for ihoqgh flie brought back i!# ^M M 04 yf V O Y A G E ^■- back a confiderable quantity of pitch, tar, and cordage, yet (he could not procure either mafts or yards : And, as -ttn additional mistbrtune, Pizarro was difappointed of (bme mafts he expend from Faraway ; for a carpenter, •whom heentrufted with a large fum of money, and had lent there to cut mafts, tnftead of prosecuting the bufi- nefs he was employed in, had married in the country, and refufed to return. However, by removing themails o^ \\it Eff>eraHza into the y^, and making uie of what >fpare mafts and yards they had on board, they made a - fliift to refit the -xj^ and the %i. Eflevan, And in the Odober following, Pissarro was preparing to put to fea with thefe two ftiips, in order to attempt the paftage round Cape Herttj a fecond time ; but the St. Eftt^any in coming down. the river ofP/ate, ran on a ftioal, and beat off her i^ •***•, on which, and other damages (he received, flie was cc mn*d and broke up, and Pizarro In the ^Jia proceeded to fea without her. Having now the fummcr before him, and the winds favourable, no doubt was made of his having a fortunate and fpeedy paiTage ; but being off Cape fforw, and going right before the wind in very modefate weather, though in a fwelling (ea, by fomc mifconduft of the ofHcer.ofthe watch the (htp rol- led away her mafts, and was a fecond time obliged to ^ put back to the river of Plate in great diftrefs. The y^^z having confiderably iiiftered in this fecond unfortunate expedition, tht E/fieranzaj which had been left behind at Monte Vedio, was ordered to be rehtted, the command <^f her being given toMindinuettayWho was Cap- tain of the GuipufcMy when ftie was loft. He, in the No- vember of the Succeeding year, that is, in Ntyvemler 1 742, failed from the river of PiW/^for the 59w//&-6V/7i, and arrived iafe on the coaft o^ Chili-, where his Commodore P/awr^o, palling over land from Buenos /fyres, met him. There were great animofitiesand contefts between ihefc two gentle- men at their meeting, occafioned princip.^lly by the claim . o( Pizarro to command the Effteranza^ which Mindinuetta had brought round: For MiWi««f///7 refufed todeliver her up to hirn ; inlifting that as he came into the South-Sens alone, and under no fuperior, it was not now in the power of Pizarro to refume that authority, which lie had once parted with. However the Prefident of Cif:Ii intcrpoling, ^m i > «!.-> cordage, : And, as >inied of arpenter, and h-dd the bufi- country, the mails of what y made a i in the ut to fea \ paiikge fttvany in and beat received, n the AJia e fummci >ubt was "age ; but the wind r fea, by (hip rol- liged to IS fccond lad been ited, the ras Cap- the No- ?r 1742, arrived tre were gentle- ic claim yinuetUi iverher it h' Seas in the kich lie If Chili poling, ,a round the W orld. 25 nterpofing, and declaring for Pizarro^ Mindinuettay af- ,cr a long and obftinate ftruggle, was obliged to fubmit. But Pizarro had not yet compleated the ferics of his ventures; for when he and Mindinuetta came back y land from Chili to Buenos Ayresy in the year 1 745, hey found at Monte Vedio the Afmy which near three ears before they had left there. This (hip they relblv- a, if pollibie, to carry to Europey and with this view they efitted her in the beft manner they could : But their reat difficulty was to procure a fufficient number of ands to navigate her, for all the remaining Tailors of e fquadron to be met with in the neighbourhood of Buenos Ayres did not amount to a hundred men. They endeavoured to fupply this defeat by prefling many of the inhabitants of Buenos Ayresy and putting on board jjbefidcs all the Englijb prifoners then in their cuftody, to- ther with a number of Portuguefe fmugglers, which ey had taken at different times, and fome of the /«* ians of the country. Among thefe laft there was a ief and ten of his followers, which had been furpriz- by a party of Spanijh foldiers about three months be- e. The name of this Chief was Ore/iana, he be- ged to a very powerful Tribe, which had commit- d great ravages in the neighbourhood of Buenos Ayres, ith this motly crew (all of them, except the European iards, extremely averfe to the voyage) Pizarro let il from Monte Vedio in the river of Plate, about the ginning of November 1 745, and the native Spaniards^ ing no Grangers to the diiTatisfa^ion of their fore jd en, treated both thofe, the Englijb prifoners and he 'iansy with great infolence and. barbarity ; but more rticularly the Indiansy for it was common for the eaneft officer in the (hip to beat them moft cruelly on iC flighteft pretences, and oftentimes only to exert their rioriiy. Orellana and his followers, though in ap- rance fufficiently patient and fubmiffive, meditated a ere revenge for all thefe inhumanities. As he con- ytrfed very well in Spanijhy (thefe Indians having in time of peace a great intercourfe with Buenos Ayres) he af- ' Sled to talk with fuch of the Englijh as underftood at language, and feemed very deiirous of being in- rmed how many Englijhmen there were on board, and C which 26 A VOYAGE which they were. As he knew that the Englijb were as much encmifs to the Spaniards as himlelf, he had cioubtlefs an intention of dticlofing his purpofes to them, and muking them partners in the fcheme he had pro- jedled for revenging his wrongs, and recovering his li- berty i but having founded them at a diftance, and not itnding tiiem kt precipitate and vindidive as he exped- ed, he proceeded no further with them, but reiblved to truft alone to the reiblution of his ten faithful followers. Thele, It (hould feem, readily engaged to obferve his di- rections, and to execute whatever commands he gave them ; and having agreed on the meafures neceifary to be taken^ they Hrft furnilhed themfelves with Dutch knives (harp at the pomt, which, being the common J^nives ufed in the (hip, they found no difficulty in pro- curing: Befides this, they employed their leifure in fe- cretly cutting out tiiongs from raw hides, of which there were great numbers on board, and in fixing to each end of tbefe tliongs the double-headed (hot of the fmall quarter-deck guns; this, when fwung round their heads, according to the pradice of their country, was a moil mifcMevous weapon, in the ufe of which the Indians about Buenos Ayres are trained from their infancy, and confequently are extremely expert. Thefe particulars be- ing in good forwardnefs, the execution of th^ir fcheme was perhaps precipitated by a particular outrage com- mitted on Orellatta himfelf For one of the Officers, who was a very brutal fellow, ordered Orellana aloft, which being what he was incapable of performing, the Officer, under pretence of his difobedience, beat him with fuch violence, that he left him bleeding on the deck, and -flupitied for fome time with his bruifes and wounds. This ufage undoubtedly heightened his thirft for re- venge, and made him eager and impatient, till the means of executing it were in his power ; fb that within a day or two alter this incident, he and his followers opened their defperate refolves in the enfuing manner. It was about nine in the evening, when many of the principal Officers were on the quarter-deck, indulging in the frefhnefs of the night air ; the wafte of the lliip was filled with live cattle, and the forecaftle was manned with its cuftomary watch. Orellana and his companions, un- der round the World. 27 dcr cover of the ni^ht, having prepared their weapons, and thrown off their trouzers and the more cumbrous part of their drefs, came all together on the quarter- Seek, and drew towards the door of the great cabbin. The Boatfwain immediately reprimanded them, and or* dered them to be gone. On this Oreilma fpoke to his followers in his native language, when four of them rew off, two towards each gangway, and the Chifef and the' fix remaining Indians ftemed to be flowly quit- ^ng the quarter-deck. When the detached Indians h^d 1 taken porfelfion of the gangway, Orellana placed his : ^ands hollow to his mouth, and bellowed out the war* xxy ufed by thofe favages, which is faid to be the harlh- |sft and mod terrifying found known in nature. This fiideous yell was the fignal for beginning the maffacre: For on this they all drew their knives, and brandiihed iheir prepared double-headed (hot, and the fix with their ^l^hief, which remained on the quarter-deck* immediate- Sfell on the Spani^rdsy who were intermingled with em, and laid near forty of them at their feet, of which ve twenty were killed on the fpot, and the reft dia- lled. Many of the Officers, in the beginning of the Diult, puihed into the great cabbin, where they put i}it the lights, and barricadoed the door. And of the #hers, who had avoided the Brfl fury of the Indians^ fomc deavoured to efcape along the gangways into the ecal^le, but the Indians, placed there on purpofe, bed the greateft part of them, as they attempted to l^is by, or forced them off* the gangways into the waile. withers threw themfelves voluntarily over the barricadoes i#to the wafte, and thought themfelves happy to lie con- led amongft the cattle; but the greateft part efcapcd the main Ihrouds, and iheltered themfelves either ia tops or rigging. And though the Indians attacked y the quarter-deck, yet the watch in the forecaftle ing their communication cut off, and being terrified iihe wounds of the few, who, not being kiUed on the had ftrength fufficient to force their paflage along gangways, and not knowing her who their ene- ies were, or what were their numbers, they likewiie ve all over for loll, and in great coniufion ran up in- the rigging of the fore-mall and bowibrit. C 2 . Thus ^^rm 28 A VOYAGE Thus thefc eleven Indians^ with a re(blution perhaps without example, pofTefTed themfelves almoft in an in- ftantofthe quarter-deck of a (hip mounting fixty-fix ^uns, with a crew of near five hundred men, and conti- nued in peaceable poffeflion of this poft a confiderabie time. For the officers in the great cabbin, (amongft whom were Piz/irro and Mindinuetta) the crew between decks, and thofe who had efcaped into the tops and rig- ging, were only anxious for their own fafety, and were tor a long time incapable of forming any project for fup- prelfing the infurredtion, and recovering the poiTeffion of the (hip. It is true the yells of the Indians^ the groans of the wounded, and the confuted clamours of the crew, all heightened by the obfcurity of the night, had at fird greatly magnified their danger, and had filled them with the imaginary terrors, which darknefs, difbr- der, and an ignorance of the real ftrength of an enemy never fail to produce. For as the Spaniards were fenfi- ble of the di(afFe£tion of their preft hands, and were al- fo confcious of their barbarity to their prifoners, they imagined their confpirac^ was general, and confidered their own dtdrudion as mevitable; fo that, it is faid, fomeof them had once taken the refolution of leaping into the fea, but were prevented by their companions. However, when the Indians had entirely cleared the quarter-deck, the tumult in a great meafure fubfided ; for thofe, who had efcaped, were kept filent by their fears, and the Indians were incapable or purfuing them to re- new the diforder. Ortllana, when he faw himfe^f raaf- ter of the quarter-deck, broke open the arm chefl, which jon a flight fufpicibn of mutiny, had been ordered there a few days before, as to a place of the greateft fecurity. Here he took it for granted, he (hould find cutlaffes fuffi- cient for himfelf and his companions, in the u(e of which weapon they were all extremely Ikilful, and with theie, it was imagined, they propofed to have forced the great cabbin : But on opening the cbeft, there appeared nothing but fire-arms, which to them were of no ufe. There were indeed cuilafles in the cheft, but they were hid by the fire-arms being laid over them. This was a lenfible difappointment to them, and by this ixmtPizarro and his companions in the great cabbin were capable of con- verfing ■r:i round the W or t d. 29 ycrfing aloud, through the cabbin windows, and port- boles, with thofe in the gun-room and between decks, and from hence they learnt, that the Englijh (whom they principally fufpeftpd) vrere all fafe below, and had not intermedled in this mutiny ; and by other particulars jthey at laft difcovered, that none were concerned in ic but Orellana and his people. On this Pizarro and the Officers refolved to attack them on the quarter-deck, l^efore any of the difcontented on board Ihould fo far recover their firft furprize, as to reflcft on the facility and certainty of feizing the (hip by a jundion with the Indians in the prefent emergency. With this view Pi- ^rro got together what arms were in the cabbin, and djftributed them to thofe who were with him : But there were no other fire-arms to be met with but piftob, and for thefe they had neither powder nor ball. However, iiavi-ng now fettled a correipondence with the gun-room, hey lowered down a bucket out of the cabbin-window, to which the gunner, out of one of the gun-room rts, put a quantity of piftol-cartridges. When they ad thus procured ammunition, and had loaded their iftols, they fet the cabbin-door partly open, and fired Ibme (hot amongft the Indians on the quarter-deck, at firil without effedt. But at lad Mindinuet/a, whom we have often mentioned, had the good fortune to (hoot Orel/ana xlead on the fpot; on v/l;ich his faithful compa- nions, abandoning all thoughts of farther reiiilance, in- Aantly leaped into the fea, where they every man pe- riihed. Thus was this infurre^lion quelled, and the poiTeflion of the quarter-deck regained, after it had been full two hours in the power of this great and daring Chief, and his gallant and unhappy countrymen. , Pizarro having efcaped this imminent peril (leered for Europe^ and arrived fafe on the coaft of Galicia in the beginning of the year 1746, after having been abfent be- tween four and five years, and having, by his attendance on our expedition, dimini(hed the naval power oi Spain by above three thoufand hands, (the flower of their fail- ors) and by four confiderable (hips of war and a Patache. For we have feen, that the Hermiona foundered at lea ; the Guspufcoa was ftranded, and funk on the coaft of Brazil; the St. EJievan was condemned, and broke up C 3 m 30 ^VOYAGE in the river of Piatt ; and the Efptranza being left in the South-Seas, is doubtlefs by this time incapable of re* turning to S/>aifi. So that the /4/t/t only, with lefs than one hundred hands, may be confidered as all the remains of that fquadron, with which Pizarro firft put to fea. And whoever attends to the very large proportion, which this (quadron bore to the whole navy of Spain, will, I believe, confefs, that had our undertaking been attended with no other advantages than that of ruining (b great a part of the fca-force of lb dangerous an enemy, this alone would be a fufficient equivalent for our equipment, and an inconteftable proof of the fervice, which the Nation has thence received. Having thus concluded this fummary of Pizarro*s adventures. I (ball now re- turn to the narration of our own tranfaftions. Chap. IV. From Madera to St. Catherine's. 1H A V E already mentioned, that on the jd of No- *vembtr we weighed from Madera , after orders had been given to the Captains to rendezvous at St. Jago, one of the Cape de Verd Iflands, in ca/c the fquadron was feparated. But the next &\yy when we were got to fea, the Commodore, confidering that the feafbn was far advanced, and that touching at St. Jag9 would create a new delay, he for this reaibn thought proper to alter his rendezvous, and to appoint the Ifland of St. Catherines on the coaft of Brazil, to be the firft place to which the fliips of the fquadron were to repair in cafe of reparation. In our palTagc to the Ifland of St. Catherine's, wc found the direction of the trade winds to differ confide- rably from what we had reafon to expedt, both from the general hiftories given of thele winds, and the expe- rience of former Navigators. For the learned Dr. Haliey, in his account of the trade winds, which take place in the Ethiopic and Atlantic Ocean, tells us, that from the latitude of 28° N. to the latitude of io*» N, there is ge- nerally a frelh gile of N. E. wind, which towards the African fide rarely comes to the eaftward of E.N. E, or pafles to the northward of N N E: But on the American dde, the wind is fomewhax more eafterly, though moft commonly round the Wo r l d. .^» the -f coramonly even there it is a point or two to the nortli- ward of the Eaft : That from lo" N. to 4* N, thc?.lrtis and tornadoes take place ; and from. 4° N. to ^0° S» tjie winds are generally and perpetually between the South and the Eali. This account we expedled 10 have verified by our own experience j but we found confiderable va- riations from it, both in reipetl to the fteadinefs oi the winds, and the quarter from whence they blew. For though we met with a N. £. wind about the latitude of 28** N, yet from the latitude of 2.5° to the latitude ot 1 8° N, the wind was never once to the northward of the Eaft, but on the contrary, almod conftanily to the fouih- wardofii. However, from thence to the latitude of 6°: 2©' N, we had it ufually to the n' Jiward of the Eaft, though not entirely, it having tor a fhort time changed 10 E. S. E. From hence, to about 4° 46' N» the weather was very un(ettled ; ibmetimes the wind was N. E. then changed to S. E, and fometimes we had a dead calm, attended with fmall rain and lightning, ifier this the wind continued almoft invariably betweea Ithe S. and E, to the latitude of 7<>: 30' S ; and then a- hgain as invariably between the N. and E, to the latitude of 1 50 : 30' S 5 then E. and S. E, to 21 ° : 37' S. But after this, even to the latitude of 27° : 44' S, the wind was never once between the S. and the E, though we had it at times in all the other quarters of the compafs. But this lad circumftance may be in fome meafure ac- counted for from our approach to the main continent of the Brazils. 1 mention not thefe particulars with a view of cavilling at the received accounts of tliefe trader- winds, which I doubt not are in general fufficienily ac- curate; but I thought it a matter worthy of public notice,/ that fuch deviations from the eftabliftied rules do fome- times take place. This obfervation may not only be of fervice to Navigators, by putting them on their guard againft thefe hiiherio unexpeded irregularities, but may perhaps contribute to the iblution of that great queitioii* about the caufes of trade-winds, and monfoons, a que- ftion, which, in my opinion, has not been hitherto dif- cufled with that clearnefs and accuracy, which its im- portance (whether it be confidered as a naval or philo- Iq^hical inquiry) feems to demand. „,.,. C 4 , Qn. 32 / yf V O Y A G E On the 1 6th of November^ one ofour Vidluallers made a (igrial to fpeak with the Commodore, and we fliorten- cd Uil for her to come up with us. The Mafter came on board, and acquainted Mr. AnfoHy that he had com- plied with the terms of his charter-party, and defircd to 'be unloaded and difmifled. lAx.Anfon^ on confulting ' the Captains of the fquadron, found all the (hips had ftill fuch quantities of provifion between their decks, and were withal (o deep, that they could not without difficulty take in their feveral proportions of brandy from the Induftry Pinky one of the Victuallers, only : And con- iequently he was obliged j continue the other of them, the Anna Pink, in the fervice of attending the fquadron. " And the next day the Commodore made a Hgnal for the (hips to bring to, and to take on board their (hares of the brandy from the Indujhy Pink-, and in this, the long boats of the fquadron were employed the three fol- lowing days, that is, till the 19th in the evening, when the Pink being unloaded, (he parted company with us, being bound for Barbadoes^ there to take in a fr ''«;ht for England. Moft of the Officers of the fquadroi ik the opportunity of writing to their friends at home oy this fliip; but (he was afterwards, as I have been (ince inibrmed, unhappily taken by the Spaniards. On the 20ih of November ^ the Captains of the fqua- dron reprefented to the Commodore, that their (hips companies were very (ickly, and that it was their own opinion as well as their furgeons, that it would tend to the prefervation of the men to let in more air between decks ; but that their (hips were fo deep, they could not polFibly open their lower ports. On this reprefentation, .the Commodore ordered fix air fcuitles to be cut in each (hip, in fuch places where they would leaft weaken tt. ' And on this occafion I cannot but obferve, how much it is the duty of all thofe, who either by office or autho- rity, have any influence in the direction of our naval affairs, to attend to this important article, the preferva- tion of the lives and health of our feamen. \i \x could *be fuppofed, that the motives of humanity were infuf- ficient for this purpofe, yet policy, and a regard to the fuccefs of our arms, and the intereft and honour of each particular Commander, (hould naturally lead us to a i .. . ,j. . careful rcuttd the World. 33 careful and impartial examination of every probable method propofcd for maintaining a (hip's crew in health and vigour. But hath this been always done? Have the late invented plain and obvious methods of keeping our (hipsfweet and clean, by a conftant fupply of freiS air, been confidered with that candour and temper, which the great benefits promifcd hereby ought naturally to have inipired ? On the contrary, have not thefe falutary .fchemes been often treated with negle^ and contempt ? And have not fome of thofe who have been entrulled with experimenting their efFeds, been guilty of the moft indefennble partiality, in the accounts they have given jOf thefe trials ? Indeed, it mud be confefled, that many ^iftinguifhed peribns, both in the direction and com* mand of our fleets, have exerted themfelves on thele x>ccanons with a judicious and difpaflionate examination, I, becoming the interefting nature of the inquiry ; but the ^wonder is, that' \y could be found irrational enough to a^ a contrary pu t, in deipight of the (IrongeH: dilates nof prudence and humanity. I m ft however own, that f| I do not believe this condu£l to have arifen from mor tives fb favage, as the firft reflection thereon does natu* rally fugged : But I rather impute it to an obftinate, and, in jfome degree, fuperftitious attachment to fuch pradices as have been long eftablifhed, and to a fettled contempt and hatred of all kinds of innovations, efpe- cially fuch as are projected by landmen and perfbns re- ading on fhore. But let us return from this, I hope, f not impertinent digreffion. We crofTed the equinoftial with a fine frefh gale at S. E. on Friday the 28th of November^ at four in the morning, being then in the longitude of 270 59' W. from London, And on the 2d of Decemhevy in the morn- ing, we faw a fail in the N. W. quarter, and made the Gloucefter'% and 7ry/?/*s fignals to chafe; and half an hour after, we let out our reeS and chafed with the fquadron ; and about noon a fignal was made for the Wager to take our remaining Viaualler, the Anna Pink, in tow; But at feven in the evening, finding we did not near the chace, and that the Wager was very far a-flern, we fhortened fail, and made a fignal for the cruizers to join J the fquadron. The next day but one we again difco- C 5 vered n 34 y^ V O Y A G E vered a fai!, which, on a nearer approach, we judged to be the fame veffel. We chafed her the whole day, md though we rather gained upon her, yet night came on before we could overtake her, and obliged us to give over the chace, to collet our fcatteied fquadron. We were much chagrined at the e(cape of this veffel, as we then apprehended her to be an advice-boat fent from Old Spain to Buenos AjreSy with notice of our expedition. But we have fince learnt, that we were deceived in this conjefture, and that it was our Ea]i4ndia Company's Packet bound to St. Helena, On the loth of December^ being by our accounts in the latitude of 20° S. and 36° : 30' longitude WcI' from London^ the Tryal fired a gun to denote foundings. We immediately founded, and found fixty fathom water, tht bottom coarfp ground with broken ihells. The Ttyalbt*- ing a-head of us, had at one time thirty-feven fathom, which afterwards increafed to 90 : and then (he found no bottom, which happened to us at our fecond trial, though we (bunded with a hundred and fifty fathom of Line. This is the (hoal Which is laid down in moft charts by the name of the Jh '>llos ; and it appeared wc were upon the very edge of it ; perhaps farther in, it may be extremely dangerous. We were then, by our different accounts, from ninety to fixty leagues Eaft of the coaft of Brazil. The next daj^ but one we fpokc with a Portuguefe Brigantine from liio Janeiro^ bound to Bahia del todos Santos^ who informed as that we were thirty-four leagues from Cape St. Thomas^ and forty leagues from Cape Frioy which laft bore from us W. S. W. By our accounts we were near eighty leagues from Cape Frioi and though, on the information of this Brigantine, we altered our courfe, and (^ood more to the Ibuthward, yet by our coming in with the land afterwards, we were fully convinced that our reckoning was much corredler than our Portuguefe intelligence. We found a confiderable current felling to the fouth- ward, after we had palTed the latitude of i6<> S. And the fame took place all along the coaft o( Brazil ^ and even to the fouthward of the river oi Plate ^ it amount- ing fomet'mei to thirty miles in twenty -lour hours, and once to above foiiy miles. M A fbuftd the. Wo R L D. .r5 If this current is occafioned (as it is moft probable) by the running oflf the water, accumulated on the coaft of^raziiy by the conftant Cweepingof the eaftern jtrade- wind over the Ethiopic Ocean, then it is moft natural to fup(X)re, that its general courfc is determined by the bearings of the adjacent (hore. Perhaps too, in almoft every other inftance of currents, the fame may hold true,. as I believe no examrjles occur of confiderable currents being obferved at any great diftance from land. If thi& then could be laid down {r,( a general principle, it would be always eaf)' to correal ihc reckoning by the obferved. latitude. But it were much to be wilhed, for the gene- ral interefts of navigation, that the adtual fettings of .the different currents which are known to take place in vari- ous parts of the world,werc examined more frequently and accurately th..n hiherto appears to have been done. We now began to grov; impatient for a fighi uHand, both for the recovery of our fick, and for the rcfrelh*- ment and fecurity of thofe who as yet continued heal- thier. When we departed from St. Helens^ wc were ia» fo good a condition, that we loft but two men on board:" the Centurion ^ in our long paflage to Madera. But in. ibis prefent run between Madera and St. Catherine^ we have been very fickly, fb that many died, and great rumbers were confined to their hammocks, both in our own (hip, and the reft of the fquadron, and feveral of thofe paft hopes of recovery. The diforders they in. general labour under are fuch as are common /to the hot climates, snd what moft ftiip*^ bound to the ibuth-^ ward experience in a greater or lefs degree. Thefe arc thofe kind of fevers which they call Calentures : a. dil^ eafe, which was not only terrible "n its firft inftarce, bul: even the remains of it often pnved fatal to thofe who confidered chemfelves as recovered from it. For it al- ways left them in a very weak and helplefe condition^ and ufually atflidled with fluxes and tenafmus's. And: by our continuance at fea all our complaints were ever}t day increafing, fb that it was with great joy that wc dilcovercd the coaft of i^r^ jbiV on the i6thof 'Deamher^ at (even in the morning. The coaft of 5r/izi7 appeared high and mountamoud. land, extending from tli« W. to W. S. W, and when wc ■IP^ IIL|fWll(ip. PIHitl,! 36 A VOYAGE (irft faw it, it was about (eventeen leagues diftant. At noon we perceived a low double land, bearing W. S. W. about ten leagues diftant, which we took to be the ifland of St. Catherine's. That afternoon and the next morn- ing, the wind being N. N. W. we gained very little to windward, and were apprehenfive of being driven to the leeward of the Ifland ; but a little before noon, the next day, the wind came about to the fbuthward, and enabled us to fteer in between the North point of St. Ca- therine\j and the neighbouring Ifland of Ahoredo. As we ftood in for the land, we had regular (bundings gra- dually decreafing, from thirty-fix to twelve fathom, all muddy-ground. In this laft dep:h of water we let go our anchor at five o'clock in the evening of the i8th. the North Weft point of the Ifland of St. Catberine*% bearing S. S. W. diftant three miles ; and the Ifland of jihoredo N. N. E. diftant two leagues. Here we found the tide to fet S. S. E. and N. N. W. at the rate of two knots, the tide of flood coming from the fbuthward. We could from our fhips obierve two fortifications at a confiderable diftance within us, which feemed defigned to prevent the pafTage of an enemy between the liland of St. Catherine's "and the main. And we could foon per- ceive that our fquadron had alarmed the coaft, for we faw the two forts hoift their colours, and lire feveral guns, which we fuppofed to be intended for afTembling the in- habitants. To prevent any confuiion, the Commodore immediately fent a boat with an Officer on ibore, to compliment the Governor, and to defire a Pilot to carry us into the road. The Governor returned a very civil anfwer, and ordered us a Pilot. On the morning of the 20th we weighed and ftood in, and towards noon the Pilot came on board us, who, the fame afternoon, brought us to an anchor in five fathom and an half, in a large commodious bay on the continent fide, called by the French Bon Port. In ftanding from our laft anchorage so this place, we every where found an ouzy bottom, with a depth of water firft regularly decreafing to five fi^thom, and then increafing to feven, after which we had fi) and five fathom alternately. The next morning we weighed again with the fquadron, in order to get above the two fortifications we have mentioned, which are call- m. ed round the World. ' ^y ed the caftles of Santa Cruiz and St. Juan. And now the foundings between the Ifland and the Main were fouFp five and (ix fathom with muddy ground. As we paiTed by the caftle of Santa Cruiz we faluted it with eleven guns, and were anfwered by an equa. number ; and at one in the afternoon » the fquadron came to an anchor in five fa- thom and a half, the Governor's Ifland bearing N. N. W. St. Juan^s Caflle N. E. i E. and the Ifland of St. ^»- tonio South. In this podtion we moored at the Ifland of St. Catherine's on Sunday the 2ift of December, the whole fquadron being, ai I have already mentioned, fickly, and in great want of refreftimcnts : Both which inconveni- encies we hoped to have foon removed at this fettlement, celebrated by former Navigators for its healthinefs and provifions, and for the freedom, indulgence, and friendly adiftance there given to the ibips of all European Nations, in amity with the Crown of Portugal, Chap. V. Proceedings at St. Catherine's, and a defcription of the place J *witb ajbort account o^Brazil. OU R firft care, afier having moored our fliif 3, wai to fend our lick men on fliore, each (hip being or* dered by the Commodore toere^ two tents for that pur- pofe : One of them for the recept'on of the difeaied, and the other for the accommodatioi '^ the furgeon and his alfiftants. We fcnt about eighty lick from the Centurion^ and the other (hips I believe fent nearly ad many, in pro- portion to the number of their hands. As loon as we had performed this neceffary duty, we (craped our decks, and gave our (hip a thorough cleanflng ; then fm^ ^ed it between decks, and after all waflied every part well with vinegar. Thefe operations were extremely jiecefTary for correcting the noilbme flench on board, and deftr ^ the vermin ; for from the number of our men, anu the heat of the climate, both thefe nuifances had increafed upon us to a very loathfome degree, and befidcs being moft intolerably ofFenilve, they were doubtlefs in (bme fort productive of the (icknefs we had laboured under for a confiderable time, t)efore our arrival at this Jfland. Our next employment was wooding and watering our fquadron, caulking our (hips (ides and decks^ overhaling ours 38 ^VOYAGE our rigging, and Securing our mads againft the tempeftu- ous weather we were, in ail probability, to meet with in our paiTage round Cape Hornf in fb advanced and incon- venient a feaibn. But before I engage in the particulars of thefe tranfa6tions it will not be improper to give fome account of the pre fen t flate of this Ifland of St. Catht- rinisy and the neighbouring country ; both as the cir- cumilances of this place are now greatly changed from what they were in the time of former writers, and asi thefe changes laid us under many more difHculties and perplexities than we had rea(bn to expc6t, or than other Britijh (hips, hereafter bound to the South-Heas^ may per- haps think it prudent to ftruggle with. This Ifland is efteemcd by the natives to be no where above two leagues in breadth, though about nine in length ; it lies in 49° : 45' of Weft longitude from London^ and extends from the South latitude of 27° 35', to that of 28°. Although it be a confiderable height, yet it is icarce difcernible at the diftance of ten leagues, being then obfcured under the continent of 5rfl2!/7,whofe moun- tains are exceeding high ; but on a nearer approach it is eafy to be diftinguifhed, and may be readily known by a number of (inall Idands lying at each end, and feat- tered along the Eaft fide of it. Fresaer has given a draught of this Ifland of St, Catherinisy p'^J the neigh- bouring coaft, and the minute. lu«:s adjacent ; but he has by miftake called the Ifland of Ahoredo the Ifle" de Galy whereas the true Ille de Gal lies feven or eight miles to the North-weftward of it, and is much fmaller. He has alio called an lihnd to the fbuthward of St. Cathe' rim's, Ahoredof and has omitt d the Ifland Mafaqura ^ in other refpe6ts his plan is fufficicntly exav^^. ' The North entrance of the harbour is in breadth about five miles, and the diftance from thence to the Ifland of St. Antonio is eight miles, and the courfe fiorn the en- trance to St. Antonio is S. S. W. -J W. About the mid- dle of the Ifland the harbour is contracted by two points of land to a narrow channel, no moi than a quarter of a mile broad ; and to defend this p ifage, a battery was eredting on the point of land on the Ifland fsde. Bui this feems to be a very ufelels work, as the channel has no more than two fathom water, and confequently ■) T '*# rdund the World. 35 is n^ivigable only for barks and boats> and iherefort fee ns to be a paiTage that an enemy could have no iniuCement to attempt, efpectally as^ the common paf- fige at the North- end of the Ifland is fo broad and faifir, that no fquadron can be prevented from coming in by any of their fortifications, when the fea breeze is made. However the Brigadier Don JofeSyhfade Pc.^,- the Go* vernor of this fettlement, is efteenied an expert Engi- neer, and he doubtlefs underftands one branch of his bu- fincls vtry well, which is the advantages which new works bring to thofe who are entrufted with the care of ercfttng thern . For befides the battery mentioned above, there are three other forts carrying on for the defence of the harbour, none of which are yet compleated. The firft of thefe, called St. Juan^ is built on a point of St. Catherines near Parrot Ifland ; the fecond, in form of a half moon, is on the Ifland of Antonio ; and the third, which feems to be the chief, and has fome appearance of a regular foniHcation, is on an Ifland near the conti- nent, where the Governor refides. The foil of the Ifland is truly luxuriant, producing fruits of moft kinds fpontancoufly ; and the ground is covered over with one continued fbreft of trees of a per- petual verdure, which, from thcexubrance of the foil, are fo entangled with briars, thorn«, and underwood, as to form a thicket abfolurely impenetrable, except by fome narrow pathways which the inhabitants have made for their own convenience. Thefe, with a few fpots cleared for plantations along the fliore facing the conti- nent, are the only uncovered parts of the Ifland. The woods are extremely fragrant, from the many aromatick trees and flirubs with which they abound ; and the fruits and vegetables of all climates thrive here, almoft without culture, and arc to be procured in great plenty ; fo that here is no want of pine-apples, peaches, grapes, oranges, lemons, citrons, melons, apricots, nor plantains. There are befides great abundance of two other productions of no fmjill confidcration for a fea-ftore, I mean onions and potatoes^ The provifions of other kinds are how- ever inferior to their vegetables : There are fmall wild cattle to be purchafed, fomewhat like buffaloes, but thefe are very indifitrent food, their ftefti being of a loofe contexture. 40 ^VOYAGE contexture, and generally of a diiagreeable flavour, which is propably owing to the wild calabaih on which they feed. There are Itkewife great plenty of phea- (ants, but they are much inferior in tafte to thole we have in Etigland. The other proviiions of the place are monkeys, parrots, and fiih of various forts, which abound in the harbour, and are all exceeding; good, and are eafily catched, for there are a ^reat number of fmall fandy bays very convenient for hailing the Seyne, Tne water both of the Ifland and the oppofite continent is excellent, and preferves at fea as well as that of the Thames. For after it has been in the cafk a day or two it begins to purge itfelf and flinks mofl intolerably, and is fbon covered over with a green fcum : But this, in a few days, fubiides to the bottom, and leaves the water as clear as chryftal, and perfectly fweet. The French (who during the South-Sea trade in Queen Anne^s reign firfl brought this place into repute) ufually wooded and watered in -Bo« Port, on the- continent fide, where they likewife anchored with great fafety in fixty fathom wa- ter ; and this is doubtlefs the mofl commodious road for fuch (hips as intend to make only a fhort flay. But we watered on the St. Catherine's fide, at a plantation op- polite to the Idand of St. Antonio, Thefe are the advantages of this Ifland of St. Cathe- rine's : but there are many inconveniences] attending it, partly from its climate, but more from its new regu- lations, and the late form of government eflablifned there. With regard to the climate, it mufl be remem- bered, that the woods and hills, which furround the harbour, prevent a free circulation of the air. And the vigorous vegetation which conflantly takes place there, furnifhes fuch a prodigious quantity of vapour^ that all the night and a great part of the morning a thick fog covers the whole country, and continues till either the fun gathers flrength to difllpate it, or it is difperfed by a brifk fea-breeze. This renders the place cloie and humid, and probably occafioned the many fe- vers and fluxes we were there afflicted with. To thefe exceptions I mufl not omit to add, that all the day we were peflered with great numbers of mufcatos, which are not much unlike the gnats in England, but more ' \ ^ venomous round /fo Wo R ld. ki • - * ■ » . ' venomous in their flings. And at fun-fet, when the muicatos retired, they were fucceeded by an infinity of fand-flies» which, though fcarce difcernible to the naked eye, make a mighty buzzing, and wherever they bite raife a fmall bump in the Hefh, which is fbon attended with a painful itching, like that arifing from the bite of an Englijb harveft bug. But as the only light in which this place deferves our conflderation, is its favourable iituation for fupplying and refrefhing our cruizers intended for the South-Seas : In this view its greatefl iiiconvenfencies remain flill to be related ; and to do this more diflinftly, it will not be a- mils to confider the changes which it has lately under- gone, both in its inhabitants, its police, and its governor. In the time of Frezier and Shehockey this place ferved only as a retreat to vagabonds and outlaws, who fled thither from all parts oi Brazil. They did indeed ac- knowledge a fubjeftion to the Crown of Portugaly and had a perfbn amon^ them whom they called their Cap- tain, who was confidercd in fbme fort as their Governor: But both their allegiance to their King, and their obedi- ence to their Captain, feemed to be little more than verbal. Por as they had plenty of provifions but no money, they were in a condition to fupport themfelves without the afTiflance of any neighbouring fettlements, and had not amongft them the means of tempting any adjacent Governor to bufy his authority about them. In this fituation they were extremely hofpitable and friendly to fuch foreign fhips as came amongft them. For thefe fhips wanting only provifions, of which the natives had great flore : and the natives wanting clothes (for they often defpifed money, and refufed to take it) which the fhips furniihed them with in exchange for their provifi- ons, both fides found their account in this traffic ; and their Captain or Governor had neither power nor interef): to reflram it or tax it. But of late (for reAlbns which fhall be hereafter mentioned) the honeft vagabonds have been obliged to receive amongft them a new colony, and to fubrait to new laws and government. Inftead of their former ragged bare-legged Captain (whom however they took care to keep innocent) they have now the honour to be commanded by Don Joje Sjha de Paz, a Briga- dier mm ftv' I mm 42 -..^VOYAGE dier of the armies o^ Portugal. This gentleman has with him a garrifon of ibldiers, and has confequently a more cxtenfive and a better fupported power than atiy of his predeceiTors, and as he wears better clothes, and lives more fplendidly, and has beddes a much better know- ledge of the importance of money than they couid ever pretend to : So he puts in pra^ice certain methods of procuring it» with which they were utterly unacquainted. but it may be much doubted, if the inhabitants confider thefe methods as tending to promote either their inte- refts or that of their Sovereign the King of Portugal. This is certain^ that his behaviour cannot but be ex- tremely emb^irrafling to fuch Briti/b (hips as touch there in their way to the SouthSeas. For one of his practices was placing centinels at all the avenues, to prevent the peo- ple from felling us any refrefliments, except at fuch ex- orbitant rates as we could not afford to give. His pre- tence for this extraordinary (Iretcb of power was, that he was obliged to preierve their provifions for upwards of an hundred families, which they daily expeded to rein- force their colony. Hence he appears to be no novice in his profeiHon, by his readinels at inventing a plaufible pretence for his interefted management. Hov ^ver, this, though fufHciently provoking, was far from being the moil exceptionable part of his condud. For, by the neighbourhood of the river of P/ate^ a confiderable imuggling trafHc is carried on between the Portuguefg and the ^puniardsy efpecially in the exchanging gold for iilver, by which both Ptinces are defrauded of their fifths, and xvi this prohibited commerce Don Jofe was fo deeply engaged, that in order to ingratiate himfelf with his Spanijb correfpondents (for no other reafon can be given lor his procedure) he treacheroufly difpatched an exprcfs to Buenos Ayres in the river of Plate, where Pizarro then lay, with an account of our arrival, and of the ftrength of our fquadron ; particularly^ the num- ber of fhips, guns, and men, and every ci re umf^ance which he could (uppofe our enemy defirous of being; acquainted with. And the fame perfidy every Britijb cruiser may expert, who touches at St. Catherines^ while it is under the Governmeoi of Don Jo/e Sylva dePaz, Thus ■■ round the W o K L D, 43 Thus much, with what we (hall be nccefTitated to relate in the courfe of our own proceedings, may fuf- fice as to the prefent ftate of St. Catherine's, and the chatader of its Governor. But as the reader may be dcfirous of knowing to what caufes the late new mo- delling of this fcttlement is owing ; to fatisfy him in this particular, it will be neceiTary to give a (hort ac- count of the adjacent continent of BraTsii, and of the wonderful diicoveries which have been made there with- in this laft forty years, which, from a country of but mean ellimation, has rendered it now perhaps the mod confiderable colony on the face of the globe. This country was firft difcovcred by Americus Vefputio^ a Florentine^ who had the good fortune to l« honoured with giving his name to the immenfe continent, fome time before found out by Columbus : He being in the ier- vice of the Portuguefe, it was fettled and planted by that Nation, and, with the other dominions of Portugal^ de- volved ::othe Crown o{ Spain^ when that Kingdom be- came fubjedt to it. During the long war between Spain and ihc States of Holland^ the Dutch pofTefTed themielves of the northermoft part of Braxil, and were mailers of it for fome years. But when the Poriuguefit revolted from thcSpaniJb Government, this country took part in the revolt, and foon repoiTeffed themfelves of the places the Dutch had taken ; fmce which time it has con- tinued without interruption under the Crown ofPortugal^ being, till the beginning of the prefent century, only produ(^ive of fugar, and tobacco, and a few other com- modities of very little account. But this country, which for many years was only con- iidered for the produce of its plantations, has been lately difcovcred to abound with the two minerals, which mankind hold in the greateft eileem, and which they exert their utmoft art and indudry in acquiring, I mean gold and diamonds. Gold was hrft found in the mOun> tains, which lie adjacent to the city of Kio Janeiro. The occadon of its difcovery is varioufly related, but the moft common account is, that the InJiatu, lying on the back of the Portuguefe fettlcments, were obfervcd by the foldiers employed in an expedition againft them, to make ufe of this metai for iheir fiih-hooks ; and their m •» -»■ p»iP»t^i Hiunner ■t'v : b '^ 44 ^VOYAGE manner of procuring it being inquired into, it appeared that great quantities of it were annually wafhed from the hills, and left amongft the (and and gravel, which re- mained in the vallies after the running off, or evapora* tion of the water. It is now little more than forty years Hnce any quantities of gold worth notice have been imported to Europe from Brazil ; but (ince that time the annual imports from thence have been continually aug- mented by the dilcovery of places in other provinces, where it is to be met with as plentifully as at firfl about . Rio Janeiro. And it is now laid, that there is a fmall liender vein of it fpread through all the country, at about twenty-four feet from the furSice, but that this vein is too thin and poor to anfwer the expence of digging ; however where the rivers or rains have had any courfe for a confiderable time, there gold is always to be col- iedted, the water having feparated the metal from the earth, and depofited it in the fands, thereby faving the expences of digging : So it is efteemed an infallible gain to be able to divert a ftream from its channel, and to ranfack its bed. From this account of gathering this me- tal, it fhould follow, that there are properly no gold mines in Brazil; and this the Governor of Rio Grande (who be- ing at St. Catherine's frequently vifited Mr. j4nfonJ did moft confidently affirm, afTuring us, that the ^old was all colledted either from rivers, or from the beds of torrents after floods. It is indeed aflerted, that in the mountains, large rocks are found abounding with this metal ; and I my (elf have feen a fragment of oneof thefe rocks with a confiderable lump of gold intangled in it ; but even in this cafe, the workmen break off the rocks, and do not properly mine into them ; and the great expence in fubfifling among thefe mountains, and afterwards in fe- parating the metal from the flone, makes this method of procuring gold to be but rarely put in pradice. The examining the bottoms of rivers, and the gullies of torrents, and the wafbing the gold found therein from the fand and dirt, with which it is always mixed, are works performed by flaves, who are principally Negroes, kept in great numbers by the Portugmfe for thefe purpofes. The regulation of the duty of thefe flaves is Angular : sFor they are each of them obliged to furnifh their matter Kn round the World'. 45 mafter with the eighth part of an ounce of gold per diem I and if they are either (b fortunate or induftrious as to collect a greater quantity , the furplus is confidered as their own property, and they have the liberty of difpoiing of it as they think fit. So that it is faid iome Negroes who have accidentally fallen upon rich wafhing places have themfelves purchafed (laves, and have lived afterwards in great fplendor, thek original mafter having no other demand on them than the daily (lipply of the fore-mentioned eighth ; which, as the Portuguefe ounce is fbmewhat lighter than our troy ounce, may amount to about nine millings fterling. The quantity of gold thus collected in the Brazils^ and returned annual!/ to Liflmny may be in fome degree eflimated from the amount of^ the King's fifth. This hath of late been efteemed one year with another to be one hundred and fifty arroves of 32 /. Portuguefe weight each, which at 4 /. the troy ounce, makes very near ^00,000/. fterling; and confequently the capital, of which this is the fifth, is about a million and a half fterling. And the annual return of gold to Lf^ow cannot be leis than this, though it be difficult to determine how much it ex- ceeds it ; perhaps we may not be very much miftaken in our conje^ure, if we fuppofe the gold exchanged for (li- ver with the Spaniards at Buenos Ayresy and what is brought privily to Europe^ and efcapes the duty, amounts to half a million more, which will make the whole annual pro- duce of Brazilian gold near two millions fterling ; a prb- digious fum to be found in a country, which a few years fince was not known to furnifh a (ingle grain. I have already mentioned, that behdes gold, this coun- try docs likewife produce diamonds. The di(covery of thefe valuable ftones is much more recent than that of gold, it being as yet fcarce twenty years fince the firft were brought to Europe. They are found in the fame manner as the gold, in the gullies of torrents and beds of rivers, but only in particular places, and not (b univerfally fpread through the country. They were often found in wafhing the gold before they were known to be diamonds, and were confequently thrown away with the fand and gra- vel (eparated from it. And it is very well remembered, that numbers of very large ftones^ which would have made w\ M f.»fl 46 ^VOYAGE made the fortunes of the pofTeilbrs, have pafTed unregard- ed through the hands of thofe, who now with impatience iupport the mortifying reflcdlion. However, about twen- ty years iince, a p^rlon acquainted with the appearance of rough diamonds, conceived that thcfe pebbles, as they were then edemed, were of the fame kind : But it is laid, that there was a confiuerable interval between the firft darting of this opinion, and the confirmation of it by proper trials and examination, it proving difficult to perfuade the inhabitants, that what they had been long accudomed to defpife, could be of the importance repre- fented by the difcovery ; and I have been informed, that in this interval, a Governor of one of their places procured a good number of thefe (lones, which he pre- tended to make ufe of at cards to mark with, inftead of counters. But to proceed : It was at laft confirmed by (kilful Jewellers in Europe^ confulted on this occailon, that the ftones thus found in Brazil were truly diamonds, many of which were not inferior either in luilre, or any other quality to thofe of the Enfl-lnJies. On this determination the Portuguefe, in the neighbourhood of thofe places where they nad firft been obferved, fet themfelves to fearch for them with great a/Tiduity. And they were not without great hopes of difcovering confiderable mafies of them, as they found large rocks of chryftal in many of the mountains, from whence the dreams came which waflied down the diamonds. But it -was icon reprefenied to the King oi Portugal^ that if fuch plenty of diamonds fliould be met with as their fanguine conje^ures feemed to indicate, this would (b debaie their value, and diminifh their eftimation, that, beiides ruining 'a\\ the Europeans y who had any quan- tity of Indian diamonds in their pofleflion, it would render the difcovery itfelf of no importance, and would prevent his Majelly from receiving any advantages from it. And on thefe confiderations his Majefty has thought proper to reftrain the general fearch of diamonds, and has ereded a Diamond Company for that purpo/e, with an exclufive charter. This Company, in conlide- ration of a fum paid by them to the King, have the property of all diamonds found in Brazil: But to hin- der their colledling too large quantities, and thereby de- bafuig round the W o r'l d. 47 bafing their value, they are prohibited from employing above eight hundred flaves in fcarching after ihcra. And to prevent any of his other fubjetts from adling the fame part, and likewifc to fecure the Company from being defrauded by the interfering of interlopers in their trade, he has depopulated a large town, and a coniiderable diftridt round it, and has obliged the inha- bitants, who are faid to amount to fix thoufand, to re- move to another part of the country ; for this town be- ing in the neighbourhood of '.he diamonds, it was thought impofllble to prevent fuch a number of people, who were on the fpot, from frequent fmuggling. In confequence of thefe important difcoverres in Bra" zilj new laws, new governments, and new regulations have been eftabliihed in many parts of the country. For not long fince, a confiderable tra€l, pofTeiTed by a fet of inhabitants, who from their principal fettlement were called Paulijisf was almofl independent of the Crown of Portugal^ to which they fcarcely acknow- ledged more than a nominal allegiance. Thefe are faid to be descendants of thofe Portuguefe, who retired from the northern part of Brazily when it was invaded and (^ofreiTfd by the Dutch ; and being for a long time nc- gle6led and obliged to provide for their own Iccurity and. defence, the neceffity of their affairs produced a kind of government amongft them, which they found fufficient for the confined manner of life to which they were inured. And therefore rejedtng and defpifing the authority and mandate of the Court of Lijhotiy they were often engaged in a ftate of downright rebellion : And the mountains furrounding their country, and the difficulty of clearing the few paffages that open into it, generally put it in their power to make their own terms before they fubmitted. But as gold was found to abound in this country of the Paulijisy the prefent King of Por- tugal (during whofe reign almoft the whole difcoverics I have mentioned were begun and compleated) thought it incumbent on him to reduce this province, which now became of great confequence, to the fame dependency and obedience with the refl of the country, which, I am told, he has, at laft, though with great difficulty, happily effie^ed. And the fame motives, which induced his flivir 48 A VOYAGE his Majefty to undertake the redu6lion of the Paulifls, has alfo cccaiion^d the changes I have mentioned, (o have taken place at the Ifland of St. Catherine's, For the Governor of RIq Grande^ of whom I have already ^oken, aiTured us, that in the neighbourhood of thL Ifland ihere were confiderable rivers which were found to be extremely rich, and that this was the reaibn that a garrilbn, a military Governor, and a new colony was fettled there. And as the harbour at this Ifland is by much the fecureft and the moil capacious of any on the coaft, it is not improbable, if the riches of the neigh- bourhood anfwer their expectation, but it may become in time the principal fentiement in Brazil^ and the moil confiderable port in all South America, Thus much I havf^ thought neceflTary to infert, in re- lation to the prefent (late of Br^^i/y and of the Ifland of St. Catherine*^, For as this lalt place has been gene- rally recomm* ndeH as the mod eligible port for our <;ruifer3 to refrefli at, which are bound to the South Seasj I believe it to be my duty to inftruct my countrymen in che hitherto unfufptcted inconveniencies which attend that place. And as the Brazilian ^old and diamonds are fubjeds, about which, from their novelty, very few particulars, have been hitherto publiOied, 1 conceived this account I had collefted of them, would appear to the reader to be neither a trifling nor a ufeJefs digreflion. Thefe fubje6ts being thus dilpatched, I fliall now return to the fcries of our own proceedings. When we firfl arrived at St. Catoerinis, we were em- ployed in refrefliing our fick on fliore, in wooding and watering the fquadron, cleaning our fliips, and ex- amining and fecuring our mads and rigging, as I have already obferved in thf foregoing chapter, /it the fame ^ime Mr. A.^fon gave dircdions. that the fliips com- pan.^s fliould be fupplied with frefli meat, and that they fliould be vidualled with whole allowance of all the kinds of provilion. In c<^n(equence of thefe orders, wc had frefli beef fent on board us continually for our daily expf nee, and what was wanting to make up our allowance we received from our Vidutiller, the Anna Pink, in order to preferve the provifions on board our fquadron entire for o^r future fervice. The feafon of the "iPPWlf^" ^Hmmm^^^^^ iiimmM ' ■.!!»: round the Wo r Lit. 49 the year growing each day lefs favourable for our paf- fage round Cape Horn^ Mr. Anfon^ was very defirous of leaving this place as foon as poffible 5 and we were at firft in hopes that or.r whole bufinels would be done, and we fliould be in a readinefs to fail in about a fort* night from our arrival : But, on examining the Tryai'i mafts, we, to our no fmall vexation, found inevitable employment for twice that time. For on a furvcy, it was found that the main-mad was fprung at the upper woulding, though it was thought capable of being (e- cured by a couple of fifhes; but the fore-maft was re- ported to be unfit for fervice, and thereupon the Car- penters were fent into the woods, to endeavour to find a ftick proper for a fore-maft. But after a fearch of four days, they returned without having been able to meet with any tree fit for the purpofe. This obliged them to come to a fecond confultation about thv old fore-maft, when it was agreed to endeavour to fecure it by cafing it with three fiihes: And in this work the Car- penters were employed, till within a day or two of our failing. In the mean time, the Commoaore thinking it necefTary to have a clean vefTel on our arrival in the South-Seas^ ordered the Ttya/ to be hove down, as this would not occafion any loft of time, but might be complcated while the Carpenters wfie refitting her mafts, which was done on ftiore. t: On the 27th of December we difcovered a fail in the offing, and not knowing but (fcie might be a Spaniard^ the eighteen oared-boat was manned and armed, and fent under the command of our lecond Lieutenant, to examine her, before flic arrived within the protection of the forts. She proved to be a Portuguefe Brigantine from Rio Grande. \nd though our Officer, as it appeared on inquiry, had behaved with the utmoft civility to the Matter, and had refufed to accept a calf, which the Mafter wjuld have forced on him as a prefent : Yet the Governor took great oftence at our lending our boat ; and talked of it in a high ftrain, as a violation of the peace mbfifting between the Crowns of Great-Britain and Portugal. We it firft imputed this ridiculous bluf- tering to no deeper a caufe, than Don Jofe'% infolcnce ; but as we found he proceeded fo far as to charge our D Oaicer *. mmmm^ wmmimmr ^^^ipww i^ ^o yfVOYAGE Officer with behaving rudely, and opening letters, and particularly with an attempt to take out of the vellel, by violence, the very calf which we knew he had re> fufed to receive as a prefent, (a circumftance which we wervC fatisfied the Governor was well acquainted with) we had hence reafbn to fu(peft that he purpolely fought this quarrel, and had more important motives for en- gaging .in it, than the mere captious biafs of his tem- per. What thefe motives were it was not eaiy for us to determine at that time; but as we afterwards found by letters which fell into our hands in the South-Seas^ that he had difpatched an exprefs to Buenos yfyrw, where Pizarro then lay, with an account of oar fquadron's arrival at St. Catherines^ together with the moft ample and circumftantial intelligence of our force and condi- tion, we thence conjedlured that Don Jofe had raifed this groundJefs clamour, only to prevent our vifiting the Brigantine when (he fliould put to fea again, lelt we might there find proofs of his perfidious behaviour, and perhaps at the fame time difcover the fecret of his Imuggling correfpondence w-ith his neighbouring Governors, and the Spaniards at Buenos Ayres. But lo proceed. ^, . It was near a month before the Tryal was refitted ; for not only her lower mafts were defc&ive, as hath been already mentioned, but her main top-maft and fore- yard were likewife decayed and rotten. WhiJe this work was carrying on, the other (hips of the fquadron fixed new Handing rigging, and fet up a fufficient mim" ber of preventer Ihrouds to each mail, to fccure tliem in the moft effectual manner. And in order to render the (hips ftiffer, and to enable them to carry more fail abroad, and to prevent their labouring in hard gales of wind, each Captain had orders given him to llrike down fome of their great guns into the hold. Thele precautions being complied with, and each (hip having taken in as much wood and wuer as there was room for, the Tryal was at laft compleaied, and rhe whole fquadron was ready (or the fea: On which the tents on Ihore were (truck, and all the Tick were received on board. And here we had a niclaiidioly proof how much the healihinefs of this place had been overrated i* i round the World. 51 by former writers, for we found that though the Cen^ turion alone ^ had buried no lefs than twenty-eight men fince our arrival, yet the number of her tick was in the fame interval increafed from eighty to ninety-fix. And now our Crews being embarked, and every thing prepared for our departure, the Commodore made a Hgnal for all Captains, and delivered them their orders, containing the fuccelfive place^i of rendezvous from hence to the coaft of China. And then, on the next day, being the i8th of January^ the fignal was made for weighing, and the fquadron put to fea, leaving without regret this ifland of St. Catherines ; where we had been fo extremely difappointed in our refrefhments, in our accommodations, and in the humane and friend- ly offices which we had been taught to exped in a place, which hath been (b much celebrated for its hof- pitality, freedom^ and coveniency. Chap. VI. The run from St. Catherine'^ to port St. Ju- lian, *with fome account of that porty and of the country to the foutb'ward of the river of Plate. IN leaving St. Catherines^ we left the laft amicable port we propofed to touch at, and were now pro- ceeding to an hoftile, or at beO:, a defart and inhospit- able coaiL And as we were to expe6l a more boifter- ous climate to the ibuthward than any we had yet ex- perienced, not only our danger of feparation would by this means be much greater than it had been hitherto, but other accidents of a more pernicious nature were likewife to be apprehended, and as much as poffible to be provided againft And therefore Mr. Anfony in ippointing the various ftations at which the (hips of the iquadron were to rendezvous, had confidered, that it was polfible his own (hip mi^ ht be difabled from getting round Cape Horn^ or might be loft, and had given proper direQions, that even in that cafe the ex- pedition ihould not be abandoned. For the orders de- livered to the Captains, the day before we failed from St. Catherine^, were, that in cafe of feparation, which they were with the utmoft care to endeavour to avoid, the firfl place of rendezvous (hould be the bay of port I r iD J^ r St. ,' J- 1." L -d M 4 .i % ^- E € '\-\ N TT 52 A VOYAGE St. Julian \ defcribing the place from Sir John Narho^ rough's account of it : There they were to fupply them- felves with as much fait as they could take in, both for their own ufe, and for the ufe of the fquadron ; and if after a (lay there often days, they were not joined by the Commodore, they were then to proceed through Streights le Maire round Cape Horn^ into the South^eas, where the next place of rendezvous was to be the Ifland o^ Neujha Senora del Socoroy in the latitude of 4C° South, and longitude from the Lizard^ 71° : 12 Welt. They were to bring this Ifland to bear E. N. E, and to cruize from five to twelve leagues diftance from it, as long as their ftore of wood and water would permit, both which they were to expend with the utmoft frugality. And when they were under an abfolute neceffity of a frelh fupply, they were to Hand in, and endeavour to find out an anchoring place ; and in cafe they could not, and the weather made it dangerous to fupply their (hips by (landing oflf and on, they were then to make the beft of their way to the Ifland oi Juan Fernandesy in the latitude of 33** 57' South. And as foon as they had there recruited their wood and water, they were to con- I tinue cruifing off the anchoring place of that Ifland for fifty-fix days ; in which time, if they were not joined by the Commodore, they might conclude that fome acci- dent had befallen him, and they were forthwith to put themfelves under the command of the fenior Oflicer, who was to ufe his utmofl endeavours to annoy the ene- my both by lea and land. That with thefe views their new Commodore was to continue in thofe feas as long as his provifion lafted, or as long as they were recruit- ed by what he fhould take from the enemy, referving only a fufficient quantity to carry him and his (hips un- der his command to Macaoy at the entrance of the ri- ver Tigris near Canton on the coaft of China^ where having fupplied himfelf with a new flock of provifions, he was thence, without delay,, to make the beft of his way to England. And as it was found impoffible as yet to unload our Vidualler, the Anna Pink, the Commo- dore gHve the Matter of her the fame rendezvous, and the fame orders to put himfelf under the command of the remaining fcnior Officer. Under was ma tacks, 1 mediate lay to I perfed, dron ex month to leew; having the raft lief, an for the and evd ward, i After tie inter of the c rival of felves { twenty tie varij of Plate howeve ediy tai it from it more Whei we had found] n determi tried th rotmd the World. 53 Under thcfe orders the (quadron failed from St. Ca- therinis on Sunday the 1 8th of January ^ as hath been already mentioned in the preceding chapter. The next day we had very fqually weather, attended with rain, lightening, and thunder, but it ibon became fair again with light breezes, and continued thus till Wednefday evening, when it blew frefti again f and encreaiing all night, by eight the next morning it became amoft vio- lent ftorm, and we had with it fo thick arfog, that it was impoiTible to fee at the diftance of two fhips length, fo that the whole fquadron difappeared. On this a fignal was made, by firing guns, to bring to with the larboard tacks, the wind being then due Eaft. We ourfelves im- mediately handed the top-fails, bunted the main-fail, and lay to under a reefed mizen till noon, when the fog dif- perfed, and we foon dilcovered all the (hips of the fqua- dron except the Pearl, ^\\o did not join us till near a month afterwards. The ^ryal Sloop was a great way to leeward, having loft her main-mad in this iquall, and having been obliged for fear of bilging, to cut away the raft. We bore down with the fquadron to her re- lief, and the Gloucejier was ordered to take her in tow, for the weather did not entirely abate till the day after,, and even then, a great fwell continued from the eaft- ward, in confequence of the preceding ftorm. After this accident we flood to i!ie foathward with lit- tle interruption, and here we experienced the fame fetiing . of the current, which we had obferved before our ar- rival off St. Catherine' $i that is we generpJiy found our- felves to the fouihward o*" our reckoning, by about twenty miles each day. This error continued, with a lit- tle variation, till we had paifed the latitude of the river 0^ Plate; and even then, we found that the fame current, however difficult to be accounted for, did yet undoubt- edly take place j for we were not fatisfied in deducing it from the error in our reckoning, but we actually tried it more than once, when a calm made it prai^icable. ; When we had paffed the latitude of the river of Plate^ we had foundings all along the coaft o! Patagonia. Thefe foundings when well afcertained, being of great ufe in determining the pofition of the Ihip, and we having tried them more frequently, in greater depths, and with ^v;y^^^d&i«j ^3. more ^ mm IS 54 A VOYAGE more attention, than I believe had been done before 05, 1 fhall recite our obfervations as luccinftly as I capj referring to the chart hereafter inferted in the ninth chapter of ihis book, for a general view of the whole. In the latitude of '\t^ : 52 we had fixty fathom of wa- ter, wHh a bottom of fine black and grey fand ; from thence, to 39® : 55', we varied our depths from fift)' to eighty fathom, iliough we had contlanily the fame bot- tom as before ; between the laft mentioned latitude, and 43°: 16', we had only fine grey fand, with the lame variation of depths, except that we once or twice kfTen- ed our water to forty fathom. After this we continu- ed in forty fathom for about half a degree, having a bottom of coarfe fand and broken (hells, at which time we were in fight of land, and not above feven leagues from it : As we ed^ed from the land we met with varie- ty of foundings j firft black fand, then muddy^ and foon after rough ground with flones j but then encrtafing our water to fbrty-cieht fathom, we had a muddy bottom to the latitude of 46** : \q'. We then returned again into thirty^fix fathom, and kept Oioaling our water, till at length we came into twelve fathom, having conftant- ly fmall ftones and pebbles at the bottom. Part of this time we had a view of Cape BlancOy which lies in about the latitude of 46° : 52 , and longitude Weft from Lon- don bt'^ : 43'. This is the moft remarkable land upon the coaft : vSieering from hence S. by E. nearly, we, in a run of about thirty leagues, deepned our water to fifty fathom, without once altering the bottom j and then drawing towards the Ihore with a S. W„ courfe, varying rather to the weftward, we had every where a fandy bottom, till our coming into thirty fathom, where we had again a fight of land, diftani from us about eight leagues, lying in the latitude of 48° : 31'. We made this land on the 17th of February^ and at five in the af- ternoon we came to an anchor upon the fame bottom, in the latitude of 48° : 58', the fouihei moft land then in view bearing S. S. W. the northerraoft N. ~ E. a fmall Ifland N. W. and the weftermoft hummock W. S. W. In this ftation we found the tide to fet S. by W; and weighing sgain at five the next morning, we an hour af- terwards diicovered a fail, upon which the Sei^em and '<. '• CUuceJer roufjJ the W OK L b. 55 Ghucejler were both dire£led to give chace; but we ibon perceived it to be the Pearl, which feparated from us a lew days after we left St. Caiherinisy and on this we made a fignal for the Se*vern to rejoin the fquadron, leav- ing the G7o/ put the Commodore under a neceffity of retaining the Pink in the fervice ; and as it was apprehended \ye ihould ^ certainly meet with the Sptmijb fquadron, in paffing the Cape, Mr. An/on thought it advifeable to give orders to ^ the Captains, to put all their provifions, which were in . the way of their guns, on board the Anna Pinky and to remount fuch of their guns as had formerly, fbf the eaie^ of their (hips, been ordered into the hold. ^: This bay of St. Julian^ where we are now at ^nchor^ being a convenient rendezvous, in.cafe of feparation, for ail cruifers bound to thefouthward,ahd the whole coaft of. Patagonia^ from the river oi Plate to the Streights oi Ma" gelLin, lying nearly parallel to their ufual route, a fhort; account of the (ingularity of this country, may perhaps be neither unacceptable to the curious, nor unworthy the attention of future Navigators, as fome of theni,^ by qn- forefeen accidents, may be obliged to run in with the land, and to make fome flay on this coa{l, in which cafe the knowledge of the country, its produce and inhabi- tants, cannot but be of the utmojil confequence to them. To begin then with the trad of country ufually filled Patagonia, This is the name often given to the fouther- mofl part of South America^ which is unpofTefTed by the 5/>««rVird5f,extendingfrom their fettlements to theStreights . ^i Magellan. On the eail fide, this country is extreme- I Ibi j ft . ". \i'^-t wS m ■■■' ). :.. 58 y^ V O Y A G E \y remarkable, for a pccularity not to be parallelled m any other known part of the globe ; for though the whole territory to the northward of the river of P/ate is full of wood, and llored with immenfe quantities of large timber trees, yet to the fouihward ot the river no trees of any kind are to be met with, except a few peach- trees, firil planted and cultivated by the Spanianis in the neighbourhood of Buenos Jyres : So that on the whole caftern coaft of Patagonioy extending near four hundred leagues in length, and reaching as far back as any dilco- vei ies have yet been made, no other wood has been found than a few inflgnificani flirubs. Sir John Narhorough in particular, who was fent out, by King Charles the fecond, exprefly to examine this country, and the Streights of Magellan^ and who, in purfuance of his orders, winter- ed upon this coaft in port ^i* Julian and port Deftre^ in the year 1670 ; Sir John Narhoroughy I lay, tells us, that be never faw a ftick of wood in the country, large enough to make the handle of an hatchet* ^' "»''? cf UT^ ^ But though this country be fo dc tute of wood, it abounds with pafture. For the land appears in general to be made up of downs of a light dry gravelly foil, and produces great quantities of long coarfe grafs, which growes in tufts interfperled with large barren fpots of gravel between them. This grafs, in many places^ feeds immenfe herds of cattle : For the Spaniards at j?«*f»w ^r«, having brought over a few black cattle from Europe at their firft iettlement, they have thriven prodigioufly by the plenty of herbage which they found here, and are now encreaied to that degree, and are extended h far into the country, that they are not conr fidered as private property ; but many thoufands at a time are flaughtered every year by the Hunters, only for their hides and tallow. The manner of killing thefc cattle, being a pradice peculiar to that part of the worlds merits a more fubftantial defcription. The Hunters employed on this occafion beifig all of them mounted on horieback', (and both the Spaniards and Indians in that part of the world are ufually moft ex<:ellent horiemeii) they arm themli^lves with a kind of a fpear, which, at its end, inftead of a blade fixed in the fame line with the wood in the ufual maonerj^ has its blade fixed acrofsi ;' t ^ ' with round the World. 59- with this inftrumcnt they ride at a bead, and furround him. The Hunier that conies behind him hamerftrings him; and as afrer thi^ operation the bcatl foon tumbles, without being able to raife himfelf again, they leave him on the ground, and purfue others, whom they lerve in the fame manner. Sometimes tliere is a fecond p?.rty» who attended the Hunters, to Ikin the cattle as they full : But it is faid, that at other times the Hunters chule to let them languiih in torment till the next day, from an opi- nion that the an^uiib, which the animal in the mean time endures, may burft the lymphaiicks and thereby tiacili- taie the reparation of the (kin from the carcafs : And though their Priefts have loudly condemned this mo(2: b.ubarous practice, and have gone fp far, if my memory does not fail me, as to excommunicate tholi: who follow it, yet a)ll their efforts to put an entire Hop to it have hiiherio proved inetfedtuaL »• ♦ Befides the numbers of eaitle which are every year flaughtered for their hides and tallow, m the manner al- ready defcribed, it is often nectflary for the purpoies of agriculture, and likewife with other views, to take them alive, and without wounding them : This is perfiormcd with a mod wonderful and almoft incredible dtxierity,. a«id principally by theufeofa machine, which the Ewg-Z/^j, who havtt refided at Buenos Ayres, generally denominate a lath. It is made of a thong of feverai fathoms in- length, and very ftrong, with a ranning noofe at one end. of it : This the Hunters (who in this cafe are alio mount* ed on horfeback) take in their right hands it being firft^ properly coiled up, and having its end opjiofite to the noofe faftened to the faddlej and thus prepared they ride at a herd of cattle. When they arrive within a certain diilance of the bead, they throw their thong at him with fuch exadlnefs, that they never fail of fixing the noofe about his horns. The bead, when he finds himfejf en- tangled, generally runs, but the horfe, being fwifter, at- tends him, and prevents the thong from being, too niucU. drained, till a fecond Hunter, who follows the game, throws another noofe about one of its hind legs j agid ihia being done, both horfes (they being trained for this pur- pole) indantly turn different ways in order to drain the two thongs in contrary dire^ions,. on wliich the b^ft,, u 1' I I- mt ^* ■-r.i-'i M 6o A VOYAGE by their oppofitc pulls, is prefcntly overthrown, Qnd then the horfes ftop, keeping the thongs ftill upon the flretch : Being thus on the ground, and incapable of re- finance (for he is extended between the two horfes) the Hunters alight, and fecure him in fuch a manner, that they aftfcrwards eafily convey him to whatever place they pleaie. In the fancie manner they noofe horfes, and, as It is faid, even tygers ; and however ftrange this laft cir- cumftance niay appear, there are not wanting perfons of credit who aifert it. Indeed, it mud be owned, that the addrefs both of the Spaniards and Indians in that part of the world, in the u(e of this lafh or noofe, and the cer- tainly with which they throw it, and fix it on any intend- ed part of the bead at a confiflerable diftance, are matters only to be believed, from the repeated and concurrent t«- ftimony of all who have frequented that country, and might reafonably be queftioned, did it rely on a (ingle report, or had it been ever contradicted or denied by any one who had refided at Buenos Ayres. I ^' '" ' The cattle which are killed in the manner I have al- ready obferved, are flaughtered only for their hides and tallow, to which (bmetimes are added their tongues, and the reft of their fleih is left to putrefy, or to be devoured by the birds and wild beafts ; but the greateft part of this carrion falls to the (hare of the wild dogs, of which there are immenfe numbers to be found in that country. They are fuppofed to have been originally produced by Spanijh dogs from Buenos j4yres, who, allured by the great quantity of carrion, and the facility they had by that means of fubfifting, left their mafters, and ran wild among the cattle ; for they are plainly of the breed of the European dogs, an animal not originally found in jimerica. But though thefe dogs are faid to be fome thoufands in a company, they hitherto neither diminilh Jior prevent the increaie of the cattle, not daring to at- tack them, by reafbn of the numbers which conftanily feed together j but contenting themfelves with the car- rion left them by the Hunters, and perhaps now and then with a few itragglers, who, by accidents, are fc- parated from the herd they belong to. ■ ' Befides the wild cattle which have fpread themfelves in fuch vaft herds from Muengs ^rts towards the fouth* \^ ward, round the World. 6\ ward, the fame country is in like manner furniflicd with horfes. Thefe too were firft brought from Spain^ and are ahb prodigiouHy encreafed,and run wild to a much great- er diftance than the black cattle : And though many of them are excellent, yet their number makes them of very little value ; the beu of them being often ibid, in a coun- try where money is plenty and commodities very dear, for not more than a dollar a-piece. It is not as yet cer- tain how far to the fouthward thefe herds of wild cattle and horfes have extended themfelves; but there is fome reaibn to conjecture, that ftragglers of both kinds are to be met with very near the Streights of Magellan ; and they will in time doubtlefs hll the fouthern part of this Continent with their breed, which cannot fail of proving of confidcrable advantage to fuch (hips as may touch up- on the coaft ; for the horfes themfelves are faid to be very good eating, and as fuch, to be preferred by fome of the Indians even before the black cattle. But whatever plen- ty of this kind may be hereafter found here, there is one material refrefhment which this eaflern fide oi Patagonia feems to be very defective in, and that is frelh water ; for the land being generally of a nitrous and faline na- ture, the ponds and ilreams are frequently brackifh. How- ever, as good water has been found there, though in fmall quantities, it is net improbable, but, on a further fearch, this inconvenience may be removed. Beiides the cat Je and horfes which I have mentioned, there are in all parts of this country a good number of Vicannas or Permjtan (heep ; but thefe, by reafon of their Ihynels and fwiftnefs, are killed with difficulty. On the eailern coaft too, there abounds immenfe quantities of feals, and a vaft variety of fea-fowl, amongft which the moft remarkable are the Penguins ; they are in fize and (hape like a goofe, but intlead of wings they have (hort ftumps like hns, which are of no ufe to them ex- cept in the water ; their bills are narrow, like that of an Mitrofs, and they ftand and walk in an erc6l pofture. From this, and their white bellies, Sir yobn Narbonugh has whimfically likened them to little children flancL- ing up in white aprons. -> ^ The inhabitants of this eaftern coaft (to which I have all along bitbeito conlined my relation) appear to be but ^ few, |. :' [-. . 1 if -^ ii 'ffl ■M i i! is^ II; 62 ./ VOYAGE few, and have rarely been feen more than two or three at a time, by any ihi'»s that have touched here. We, during our ftay at the port of St. 'Julian faw none. Hov/- ever towards Buenos Ayres they are liiiiicienily numerous, and oftentimes very iroublefome to the Spaniards f, bur. there the greater breadth and variety of the country and a milder climate, yield them a better protedtion ; for ia that place the Continent is between three and four hun- dred leagues in breadth, whereas at port Gt. Julian it is Iktle more than a hundred : Go that 1 conceive the fame Indians^ that frequent the wefterr coall of Patagonia^ and the Streights o{ Magellan, often ramble to this fide. As the Indians near Buenss Ayres excaeti ihe(e (but hern /«^ dians in number, fo they greatly lurpafs them in activity and fpirit, and feem ii» their manners to be nearly ai*- lied to thole gallant Chilian Indians, who have long fct the whole Spanijh power at defiance, have often ravaged their countrv, and remain to this hour independent. Tor the Indians about Buenos Ayres have learni to be excels lent horfemen, and are extremely expert in the mariage^ ment of all cutting weapons, though ignorant of the ufe of fire-arms, which the Spaniards are very foUicitous 10 keep out of their hands. And of the vigour and refo- hitionof thefe Indians^ the behaviour o{ Orel/ana dnd his followers, whom we have foimerly mentioned, is a me- morable inftance. Indeed, were we difpofed to aim at the utter fubverfion of the Spanijh pov^'er in America^ no means feem more probable to efFed it, than due encou- rao-ement and aHiftance given to theft Indians and thofe ofchilL Thug ir«t!ch may fuffice in relation to tht eaftera coaft of Patagonia. I'he wellern coaft is of lefs extent and by reafon of the Andes which Ikirt it, and liretch quite down to the water, is a very rocky and dangerous fhore. However, I (hall be hereafter necelhtated to make further mention of it, and therefore iliali not en- large thereotv at this lime. We, on our firit arrival here, fent an Officer on fliore to a f;ilt-pond, in order to procure a quantity of fait for the ufe ol the Squadron, Sir John Narborough having oblerved, when he was here, that the (alt produced in that place was very white aod good, ;4ud that in Februr ary. round the World. 6? ary there was enough of it to fill a thoufand (hips j but our Officer returned with a famplc which was very bad> and he told us that even ot this there was but little ta be got 5 I fuppofe the weather had b^en more I'sdny than ordinary, and had deftroyed it. li 'o'.i^iti^i!- jr'? , 3 '•t l-,i«n,'^ -'iSv ^f' ' , tHJif;: Chap. VII. Departure from the hay of St. ]\i\\2iT\t and the pajfage from thence to Str eights Le Mai re. THE TVyi?/ being nearly refitted, whicbwa»our prin- cipal occupation ai rhis bay of St. JuliaHy and the fol^ occafion of our flay, the Commodore thought it necel- fary, as we were now dire^ly bound for the South-Seat and the enemy*s coafts, to regulate the plan of his fu- ture operations: And therefore, on the 24th oi February , a f'gnai was made for all Captains, and a Council of war was held on board the Centurion, at which were pre- fent the HononxohXt Ed'ward Legge^ Captain Matthe'm Miichei^ the Honourable George Murray, Captain Damd Cheap,, together with Colonel Mordaum Cracherode^ Com- mander of the land-forces. At this Council Mr. Anfon propofed, that their firft attempt, after their arrival inF ihe South-Seas, fhould be the attack of the town and har- bcur of Baidi'via, the principal frontier of the diftrict of ChUi i Mr. j^nfon informing them, at the fame iime^, that it was an ajticle contained in his Majeft)''s inftruc- tions to him, to endeavour to fecure fome port in the Seuth-^as, where the (hips of the fquadron might be- careened and refitted. To this propofition Tiade by the- Commodore, the Council unanimouily and readily agreed J and in confequence of this reiblution, new in- ftruttions were given 10 the Captains of the fquadron, by which though they were ftill direded, in cale of fe- parationj to make the beft of their way to the llland of NueJiraSenora del SocorA, yet (notwirhftanding the orders they had ibrmerly given them at St. Catberinez) they were to cruize o(f that Ifland only ten days; from whence, if not joired by the Commodore, they were 10 proceed, and cruj/u off the harbour oi Baldin, and to di- rect their courfe to the Idsind of Juan FsmataitSy after which they were to regulate their further proceedings by their former orders. The fame diredions' w#rfe alio given to the Mailer of the. ^Hfta Pink^ and he was pariiicularly inftruded to be very careful in anfwering tiie fignals made by any r") i t, ' :; : . Thefe neceflary regulations being eftabliflied, and the Tryal f\oop compleated, the fquadron weighed oi\ Friday the ijih of February y at ieven in the morning, and rtcod to the fea ; the Gkucefter indeed found a difficulty in pur- chafing her anchor, and was left a confiderable way a- fi^ern, fo that in the night wc fired feveral guns as a fig- nal to her Captain to make fail, but he did not come up to us till the next morning, when we found that they had been obliged to cut their cable, and leave their bell bower behind them. At ten m the morning, the day af- ter our departure. Woods Mount y ihe highland over St. 'Julian^ bore from us N. by W. daiant ten leagues, and we had fifty-two fathom of water. And now Handing to the fouthward, we had great expe£^tation of falling in with Pizarros fquadron ; for, during our ftay at port St. ?'uUany there hud generally been hard gales between the i. N. W, and S. W. (b that we had reafon to conclude the Spaniards had gained no ground upon us in that in- terval. And it was the profpe^t of meeting with them, that had occaiioned our ronimodore to be fo very folli- citous to prevent the feparation of our Ibips : For had wc been folely intent on getting round Cape Horn in the (horteft time, the propereft method for this purpofc would have been^ to bav« ordered each fliip to hav^ made I round the WoR l d. \ r in Dur- 65 made the beft of her way to the rendezvous, without waiting for the rcfl. '• -r* ie. **-: From our departure from St. Julian to the 4th of March we had little wind, with thick hazy weather, and fome rain ; and our foundings were generally from forty to fifty fathom, with a bottom of black and grey fand, fometimes intermixed with pebble ftones. On th? 4th oi March we were in fight of Cape Firgin Mary, and not more than fix or feven leagues diftant from it : This is the northern cape of the Streights of Magellan^ it lies in the latitude of 52° : 21'. South, and longitude from London yi*: 44' Wefl:, and feems to be a low flat land, ending in a point. Off this Cape our depth of water was from thirty-five to forty-eight fathom. The after- noon of this day was very bright and clear, with fmall breezes of wind, inclinable to a calm, and moft of the Captains took the opportunity of this favourable wea- ther to pay a vifit to the Commodore ; but while th«y were in company together, they were all greatly alarmed by a fudden flame, which burft out on board the GIou- cejhry and which was fucceeded by a cloud of fmoak. However, they were foon relieved from their apprehen- fions, by receiving information, that the blafl was occa- fioned by a fpark of fire from the forge, lighting on feme gunpowder and other combuftibles, which an Offi- cer on board was preparing for ufe, in cafe we Ihould fall in with the Spani/b fleet ; and that it had been ex- tinguilhed without any damage to the fliip.T r r« * r> ?*> We here found what was conftantly verified by all our obfervations in thefe high latitudes, that fair weather was always of an exceeding ihort duration, and that when it was remarkably fine, it was a certain prefage of a fuc- ceeding dorm, for the calm and funftiine of our afternoon ended in a moft turbuient night, the wind frelhning from the S. W. as the night came on, and -^ncreafing its violence continually till nine in the morning the next day, when it blew fo hard, that we were obliged to bring to with the fqnadron, and to continue under a reefed mizen till eleven at night, having in that time from forty-three to fifty-feven fathom water, with black fand and gravel ; and by an obfervation we had at noon, we concluded a current had fet us twelve miles to the 11 il^ •v. I 66 A VOYAGE t-: vl I Ml m \\ W 1 )i f ',■ w '.J li- the Ibuthward of our reckoning. Towards midnight, the wind abating, we made fail again ; and (leering South, we difcovered in the morning for the firft lime the land, called Terra del Fuego^ llretching from the S. by W. to the S. E. \ E. This indeed afforded us but a very uncomfort^ible profpe^, it appearing of a ftupen- dous height, covered every where with fnow. We Peer- ed along this Ihore all day, having foundings from fort/ to fifty latiioni, with ftones and gravel. And as^ we in- tended to pafs through Streights Le Maire next day, we lay to at night, that we might not overfhoot them, and took this opportunity to prepare ourlelves for the tempeftuous climate we were fooa to be engaged in } with which view, we employed ourfelves good part of the night in bending an eniire new fuit of fails to the yards. At four the next morning, being the 7th oi'Marchy we made lail, and at eight faw the land j and foon after we began to open the Streights, at which lime Cape St. James bore from us E. S. E. Cape St. Vincent S. E. "J E, the middlemoft of the Three Brothers S. and by W. Montegorda South, and Cape St. Bartholjmenjo^ which is the fouthermoft point o^ Staten-land^ E. S. E. And here I mull obferve, that Frezier has given us a very correal profpedt of the part of Terra del Fuego, which borders oa tlie Streights, but has omitted that o\ Staten land, which forms the oppofiie Ihore: Hence we found it difficult to de- termine exactly where the Streights lay, till they began to open to our view; and for want otthis, if we had not hap- pened to hive coalled a confiderable way along (hore, we might have miifed the Streights, and have goi to the eaft- ward o\ Staten //jW before we knew it. This is an accident that has happened to many Ihips, particularly, ^s Frezier raeniions, to the Incarnation and Concord -, who intending to pals through Streights Le Maire, were deceived by three hills on Statin-land like the Three Brothers , and lb me creeks r^ "embling thole of '/Vir^ ^V/ i-ft^^a and thereby overlhot I iie Streights. >< ■■• ^' ' >.vj • .*/ >•>• And on this ocLafiiMi I cannot but remark, that though Terra del Fue^o had an afpett extremely barren and de- folate, yet this Ifland of"iV/^/<^W/^/W tar furpaffcs it, in the wildnefs and horror of its appearance, li feeming to be entirely' compoled of inacceiiible rocks, without . • the 5ht, ing me the •en- ser- roiiud /fo World. 67 the leaft mixture of earth or mold between them. Thefe rocks terminate in a vail number of ragged points, which fpire up to a prodigious height, and are all of them co- vered with everJafting fnow j ilje points themfelves arc on every fide furrounded with iVighiful precipices, and often over-hang in a moft aftonifhing manner; and the hills which bear them, are generally (eparated from each other by narrow clifts which appear as if the country had been rem by earthquakes ; for thefe chafms are nearly perpendicular, and extend through the fubftance of the main rocks, almoft to their very bottoms : So that no- thing can be imagined more favage and gloomy, than the whole afped of this coall. But to proceed: I have above mentioned, that on the 7ih oi March, in the morning, we openea Streights Le Maire, and foon after, or about ten o'clock, the Pearly and the Tryal be- ing ordered to keep a-head of the fquadron, we entered them with fair weather and a brilk gale, and were hur- ried through by the rapidity of the tide in about two hours, though they are between feven and eight leagues in length. As thele Sireights are often confidered as the boun-. dary between the Atlantick and Pacifick Oceans, and as we prefumed we had nothing now before us but an open fea, till we arrived on thofe opulent coafts, where aU our hopes and wilhes centered, wee ou id not help flattering our- felves, that thegreaieflaifficuliyotourpaffagewasnow at, an end, and that our moft fanguine dreams were upon the point of being realiled j and hence we indulged our ima- ginations in ihofe romaniick fchemts, which the fancied poffeflion of the. Chilian gold and Perwvian fiiver might be conceived to infpire. "1 iiefe joyous ideas were height- ened by the bright nefs of the (ky, and the feienity.of the V' ^ther, which was indeed moft remarkably pleafing; for though the winter was now advancing apace, yet. the morning of this day, in its brilUiK y and mtldnels, gave place to none we had feen fince our departure from England. Thus animated by Uiete dtlufions, we • averfcd thele memorable Streij^hts, ignorant of the dreadful calamities that were then impending, and juft ready to break upon us : ignorant that the time drew near, when the fquadron would be leparated never to unite again, and that this day of our palTagc was the iait • ; ■ -I- . : \ .. \ i..' ' ^Jiyi % S I' tf i "[■' . I'll ™ :^l III li^; * ^ ;:a 68 y^ V O Y A G E. laft chearful day that the greateft part of u? /ould ever live to enjoy. ,, . ,. Chap. VIII. From Streights Le Maire to Cape Noir. WE had fcarcely reached the fouthern extremity of the Streights of Le Maire, when our flattering hopes were inftantly loft in the apprehenfions of im- mediate deftru6tion : For before the fternmoft (hips of the fquadron were clear of the Streights, the ferenity of the iky was fuddcnly changed, and gave us all the prefages of an impending ftorm ; and immediately the wind Ihifted to the (buthward, and blew in fuch vio- lent fqualls, that we were obliged to hand our top-fails, and reef our main-fail : The tide too, which had hi- therto favoured us, now turned againft us, and drove us to the eaftward with prodigious rapidity, fo that we were in great anxiety for the JVager and the Anna Pinky the two fternmoft veflels, fearing they would be dafli- ed to pieces againft the (bore of Statenland-, nor were our apprehenfions without foundation, for it was with the utmoft difficulty they efcaped. And now the whole fquadron, inftead of purfuing their intended courfe to the S. W. were driven to the eaftwaid by the united force of the ftorm, and of the ciVirents ; fo that next day in the morning we found oiirfelves near (nvtw lea- gues to the eaftward of Staien-landy which then bore from us N. W. The violence of the current, which had fet us with fo much precipitation to the eaftward, together with the force and conftancyof the wefterly winds, foon taught us to confider the doubling of Cape Horn as an enterprize, that might prove too mighty for our efforts, though (bme amongft us had lately treated the difficulties which former voyagers were faid to have met with in this undertaking, as little better than chi- merical, and had fuppofed them to arife rather from ti- midity and unlkilfulnefs, than from the real embaraff- ments of the winds and feas j but we were now Severe- ly convinced, that thefe cenfures were rafti and ill- grounded : For the diftrelles with which we ftruggled, during the three fucceeding months, will not eafily be parallelled in the relation of any former naval expedi- tion. round /^^ W o r l d . 09 tion. This will, I doubt not, be readily allowed by thofe who ftiall carefully perufe the enfuing narration. ' ' From the ftorm which came on before we had well got clear of StreightG Le Muirey we had a continual fuc- ceflion of fuch tempeftuous weather, as furprized the oldeft and moll experienced Mariners on board, and obliged them to confefs, that what they had hitherto called ftorms were inconfiderable gales, compared with the violence of thefe winds, which railed fuch ihort, and at the fame time fuch mountainous waves, as greatly furpafled in danger all feas known in any other part of the globe: And it was not without great reafon, that this unufual appearance filled us with continual terror'; for had any one of thefe waves broke fairly over us, it muft, in all probability, have fent us to the bottom. Nor did we efcape with terror only ; for the (hip rolling inceflantly gunwale to, gave us fuch quick and violent motions, that the men were in perpetual danger of be- ing daflied to pieces againfl. the decks, or fides of the (hip. And though we were extremely careful to fecurie ourfelves from thefe (hocks, by grafping fome fixed bo- dy, yet many of our people were forced from their hold ; fome of whom were killed, and others greatly injured; in pariicular, one of our beft feamen was canted over- board and drowned, another diflocated his neck, a third was thrown into the main-hold and broke his thigh, and one of our Boatfwain's Mates broke his collar-bone twice ; not to mention many other accidents of the fame kind. Thefe tempefts, (b dreadful in them(elves, though unattended by any other unfavourable circumftance, were yet rendered more mifchievous to us by their in- equality, and the deceitful intervals which they at (bme times afforded j (or though we were oftentimes obliged to lie to for days together under a reefed mizen, and were fometimes reduced to lie at the mercy of the waves under our bare poles, yet now and then we ventured to make fail with our courfes doubled reefed; and the weather proving more tolerable, would perhaps encou- rage us to fct our top-(ails J after which, the wind, with- out any previous notice, would return upon us with redoubled force, and would in an inftant tear our fails from the yards. And that no circumftance might be wanting "Tit 70 ^VOYAGE ri. ' 71 On the 23d, wf had a moft violent ftorm of wind, hail, and rain, with a very great fea : and though we handed the main top-fail before the height of the fquall, yet we found the yard fprung ; and foon after, the foot- rope of the main-fail breaking, the main-fail itfelf fplit inltantly to rags, and, in fpite of our endeavours to favc it, much the greater part of it was blown over-board. On this, the Commodore made the fignal for the fqua- drftn to bring to ; and the ftorm at length flattening to a calm, we had an opportunity of getting down our maiiv top-fail yard to put the Carpenters at work upon it, and of repairing our rigging ; after which, having bent a new main-fail, we got under fail again with a moderate breeze; but in lefs than twenty-four hours we were attacked by another ftorm ftill more furious than the former ; for it proved a perfedl hurricane, and re- duced us to the neceility of lying to under our bare poles. As our ftiip kept the wind better than any of the reft, we were obliged, in the afternoon, to wear fliip, in order to join the fquadron to the leeward, which other- wife we ihould have been indangerof lofmgin the night ; And as we dared not venture any fail abroad, we were obhged to make ufe of an expedient, which anfwcred our purpofe ; this was putting the helm a-weather, and manning the fore-flirouds : But though this method prov- ed fuccelsful for the end intended, yet in the execution of it, one of our ableft feamen was canted over-board ; and notwithftanding the prodigious agitation of the waves, we perceived that he fwam very ftrojig, and it was with the utmoft concern that we found ourlelves incapable of afllfting him ; and we were the more grieved at his un- happy fate, fince we loft fight of him ftruggling with the waves, and conceived from the manner in which he fwam, that he might continue fenfible for a confider- able time longer, of the horror attending his irretrieva- ble fituation. . I ■-:■■ if^k Before this laft mentioned ftorm was quite abated, we found two of our main-ftirouds and one uizen-ftiroud broke, all which we knotted, and fet up immediately ; and from hence we had an interval of three or four days lefs tempertuous than ufual,but accompanied with a thick ibg, in which we were obliged to lire guns almoft every balf i f. •;■<■ ■■■ 72 A VOYAGE I' 1 1 I- I ''^'^'' half hour, to keep our fquadron together. On the 31ft we were alarmed by a gun fired from the Ghucefter, and a fignal made by her to fpeak \ ith the Commodore ; we immediately bore down to her, and were prepared to hear of fome terrible difafter ; but we were apprized of it before we joined her, for we faw that her main-yard was broke in the flings. This was a grievous misfortune to us all at thisjundure ; as it was obvious it would prove an hindrance to our failing, and would detain us the longer in thefe inhofpitable latitudes. But our future fuccefs and fafety was not to be promoted by repining, but by relbluiion and activity ; and therefore, that this unlucky incident might delay us as httle as poffible, the Commodore ordered feveral Carpenters to be put on board the Gloucefler from the other fliips of the fquadron, in order to repair her damage with the utmod expedi- tion, and the Captain of the Tryal complaining at the fame time, that his pumps were fo bad, and the floop made (b great a quantity of water, that he wets fcarccly able to keep her free, the Commodore ordered him a pump ready fitted from his own (hip. It was very for- tunate for the Gloucejler and the Tryal^ that the weather proved more favourable this day than for many days both before and after j fince by this means they were enabled to receive the afliftance which feemed eflential to their prefervation, and which they could fcarcely have had at any other time, as it would have been ex- tremely hazardous to have ventured a boat on board. The next day, that is, on the ift of Aprils the wea- ther returned again to his cuftomary bias, the fky look- ed dark and gloomy, and the wind began to frelhen and to blow in fqualls; however, it was not yet fo boifte- rous,as to prevent our carrying our top-fails clofe reefed ; .but its appearance was fuch, as plainly prognofticated that a ftill feverer tempeft was at hand ; And accord- ingly, on the 3d o'i April y there came on a dorm, which both in its violence and continuation (for it lafted three days) exceeded all that we had hitherto encountered. In its firftonfet we received a furious fliock from a fea which broke upon our larboard quarter, where it ftove in the quarter gallery, and rulhed into the fliip like a deluge J our rigging too fuffered extremely, for one of the roun^ I be World. 73 the ftraps of the main dead-eyes was broke, as was al(b a main-lhroud and puttock-ftiroud, To that to eafe the ftrefs upon the mafts and (brouds, we lowered both our main and fore-yards, and furled all our fails, and in thig polture we lay for three days, when the ftorm fomc- what abating, we ventured to make fail under our cour- fesonly; but even this we could not do long, for, the next day, which was the 7th, we had another hard gale of wind, with lightening and rain, which obliged us to lie to again till night. It was wonderful, that notwith- ftanding the hard weather we had e;.durcd, no extraor* dinary accident had happened to any of the fquadroii fince the breaking of the G/ouceJiers main-yard : B6i this wonder foon ceafed ; for at three the next morn- ing, feveral guns were fired to leeward as fignals of diftrefs. And the Commodore making a fignal for the fquadron to bring to, we, at day-break, faw the Wager, a confiderable way to leeward of any of the other (hips ; and we fbon perceived that (he had loft her mizen-maft, and main top-fail yard. We immediately bore down to her, and found this difafter had ariien from the badnefs of her iron work j for all the chain-plates to windward had given way, upon the (hip*s fetching a deep roll. This proved the more unfortunate to the IVagery as her Carpenter had been on board the Gloucefler tvtv (wiQC the 31ft of Mijrcby and the wea- ther was now too levere to permit him to return : Nor was the i^f^ager the only (hip of the fquadron that had fufFered in the late tempeft ; for the next day a iignal of diftrefs was made by the Anna Pink, and upon ipcaking with the Mafter, we learnt that they had broke their fore-ftay and the gammon of the bow-fprit, and were in no fmall danger of having all the mafts come by the board ; (6 that we were obliged to bear away until they had made all faft, after which we haled upon a wind agju.. And now, atttr ali our folicitude, and the numerous ills of every kind, > o which we had been incelfanily ex- pofed for ^ear forty days, we had great confolation in the flattering hopes we entertained, that our fatigues were drawing to a period, and that we (hould foon ar- !^vc in a more ho(pitable climate^ where we (hould be * * £ amply % m r , ■1 I \ t..iS li -Pt ! i^H'i^ M IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) k A /. t/i fe 1.0 II I.I 11.25 la IS. cf 119 2.0 1.4 6" LiJ. 1.6 V] <^ /] ''^^."^' ^v ^?. y v^ Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 A'CiiT MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 A y •>^ :\ \ *f^ i ». ■^" >.1* o^ n.^" o^ 74 >^' V O Y A G E amply rcpayed for all our pad fufferings. For, towards the latter end of A4arcif,yfe were advanced by our reck- oning, near io*» to t^e weftward of the wefterraoft point o( Terra ilel FuegOy and this allowance being double vhat former Navigators have thought neceflary to be taken, in order to compen fate the drift of the eaftern current, wc adeemed ourfelves to be well advanced within the limits of the foutbern Ocean, and had thereibre been •ever fi nee ftanding to the northward with as miwh CApe- dition as the turbulence of the weather, and our fre- quent difafters permitted. And, on the 1 3th of April, •we were but a degree in latitude to the fouihward of tlie Weft entrance of the fiireights of MageUan ; fo that we fully ex pe tied, in a very few days, to have experienced *the celebrated trancpiillity of the Pacifck Ocean. But ihcfe were delufions which only (ibrved to render our difappoimment more terrible ; ibr the next morning between one and two, as we were ftanding to the norih- •ward, and the weather which had till then been hazy, accidentally cleared up, the Pink made a fignal for iee- •ing land fight a-head ; and it being but two miles dif- tant v/e were all under the moft dreadful apprehenfions of running on (bore ; which, had either the wind blown from its ufual quarter with its wonted vigour, or had not the moon fuddenly ihone out, not a (hip amongft us 'Could polfibly have avoided: But the wind, which fome few hours blew in fqualls from the S. W, having for- tunately ihifted to W. N. W, we were enabled to ihnd to the fbuthward, and to clear ourfelves of this unex- peded danger ; (b that by noon we had gained an oiHng of near twenty leagues. By the latitude of this land we fell in with, it was a- greed to be a part of TVrra del Fuego, near the fouthern outlet delcribed in Freziers Chart of the Streights of MagelUifty and was fuppofed to be that point called by hini Cape A^wV. It was indeed moft wonderful, that the currents Ihould have driven us to the eaftward with fuchftrengihj for the whole fquaciron tfteemed them- felves upward of ten degrees more wefterly than this land, fo that in running down, by our account, about nineteen degrees of longitude, we had not really ad- 1 vaiTced above halt that di&ance. And qow» initead of having ,.. .1^. ■ round the World. 75 haying oqF labours and anxieties relieved by apprp;kchii)g a warmer climate and more tranquil Teas, we \yere ip fteer again to the f9uth\yard, and were again to cpmbajt thofe weftern blafts, which had (o gften terrified us j ai^d this too, when we were weakned by our men falling fick, and dying apace, and when our fpirits, dejeded by a long continuance at fea, and by our late difappoint* ment, were much Ijefs capable of Ibpporting us in thp varipus difficulties, which we could not but expert iii this new undertaking. Add to all this too, the difcou- ragement we received by the diminution of the ftrength of the fquadron ; for thrqe days before this, we loft fighjt of the Severn and Pearl in the morning ; and thpugh we fpread our (hips, and! beat about for them fome time, y^ we never faw them more j whence we had apprehen- fions that they tpo might have fallen in with this land in the night, and by being lels favoured by the wind and the moon than we were, might have run on Ibor^ and have periihed. Full of thefe dejefted thoughts and gloomy prefages, we flood away to the S. W, prepared by our late difaftcr to fu^e6t, that how large foever al- lov/ance we made in pur wefting for the drift of ti\e eaftern current, we might ftill, upon a fecond trial, perhaps find it infufiicitnt. Chap. IX. Ohjervati^ns and diredions for facilitating ibg paffage of Qur future Cruifers round Cape Horn. TH E improper feafon of the year in which we at- tempted to double Cape Horny and to which is to be imputed the difappointment (recited in the fpregping chapter) in falling in .with Terra Jel Fuego, when Vf^ reckoned ourfelves at leaft a hundred leagues to the weft- ward of that whole coaft, and confequently well ad- vanced into the Pacijick Qcean ; this unfeafonable navi- gation, I fay, to whjch we were ncceliitated by our icp late departure from England^ was the fatal fource of aij the mistortunes we afterwards encountered. Fronihenc^ proceeded the feparation of pur Ihips, the deftrudion.of our people, the ruin of our proje^ on Baldi-viay and of all our other views on the Spanijh places, and the reduc- tion of our fquadron from tne formidable condition in £ 2 which m ■;f, t . 'J.\ ''i fl 76 /f V O Y A G E. vrhich it paifed Strcights Le Maire to a co\ip1e of Mat- tered half manned crutfers and a (loop, fb far difabled, that in many climates they fcarcely durfl have put to Tea. To prevent therefore, as much as in me lies, all (hips hereafter bound to the South-Seas from fuffering the fame calamities, I think it my duty to infert, in this place, fuch directions and oblervations, as either my own experience and reflexion, or the converfe of the mod ikilful Navigators on board the fquadron could flirnilh me with, in relation to the mod eligible manner ■of doubling Cape //om, whether in regard to the fca- ^on of the year, the courfe proper to be fteered, or the places of refrefhment both on the Eaft and Weft- fide of -Swth America. ""^^ And firrt with regard to the proper place for refrefli- mcfit on the Eaft-fide of South America. For this pur- pofe the lOand of St. Catherine^ has been ufually re- commended by former writers, and on their faith we put in there, as has been formerly mentioned : But the treatment we met with, and the fmall ftore of refrefli- ment we could procure there, are fuflicient realbnsto render all (hips for the future cautious, how they truft themfelves in the government o^ Don Jofe Siha de Paz \ for they may certainly^epend on having their ftrength, condition, and oeiigns betrayed to the Spaniards^ as ^ as the knowledge, the Governor can procure of thefe particulars, will give leave. And as this treacherous conduct is infpired by the views of private gain, in the illicit commerce carried on to the river of Plate^ ra- ther than by any national affedtion which the Portuguefe bear the Spaniards ^ the fame perfidy may perhaps be ex- pected from moft of the Governors of the Brazil coaft ; iince thefe fmuggUng engagements aredoubtlefs very cx- tenfive and general. And though the Governors Ihould therofelves deteft (b faithlefs a procedure, yet as (hips are perpetually pafUng from (bme or other of the Brazil ports to the river of Platey the Spaniards could fcarcely fail of receiving, by this means, cafual intelligence of any Briti/b fliips upon the coaft -, which, however im- perfect fuch intelligence might be, would prove of dan- gerous import to the views and interefls of thofe cruifers u^ko were thus difcovered. For round the World. . 77 For the Spanijb trade in the South- Seas running all \n one track from North 10 South, with very little devia- tion to the eallward or wellward, ii is in the power of two or three cruilers, properly ftationed in different . parts of this track, to poflefs themfelves of every (hip that puts to fea : But this is only fo long as they can continue concealed from the neighbouring coaft j for the indant an enemy is known to be in thole feas, all na- vigation is flopped, and confequenily all captures are at an end J fince itit Spaniards y well apprized of thefe ad- vantages of the enemy, fend exprcifes along tht coail, and lay a general embargo on all their trade ; a meafure which they prudentially fbrcfee, will not only prevent their vefTels being taken, but will foon lay any cruifers who have not flrength fufHcient to attempt their placeF,, under a neceflity of returning home. Hence then ap- pears the great importance of concealing all expeditions of this kind ; and hence too it follows, how extremely prejudicial that intelligence may prove, which is given by the Portuguefe Governors to the Spaniards, in relation 10 the defigns of (hips touching at the ports of Brazil, However, notwithftanding the inconveniencies we have mentioned of touching on the coaft oi Brazil^ it will oftentimes happen^ that fhips bound round Cape Horn will be obliged to call there for a iupply of wood and water, and other refreiliments. In this cafe St. Ca- therine's is the laft place I would recommend, both as the proper animals for a live Hock at fea, as hogs, flieep and fowls cannot be procured. there, (for want of which we found ourfelves greatly diftrefTed, by being reduced to live almoll entirely on fait provifions) but al.io becaufe from iis being nearer the iw^v Plate than many of their otiwr fettlements, the inducements and conveniencies cf betraying us are much ftronger. The place I would re- commend is Rio Janeiroy where two of our fquadron put in after they were feparated from us in pafGng Cape H(,rn : for here, as I have been informed by one of the Gentlemen on board thofe fhips, any quantity of hogs and poultry may be procured, and this place being morediftant from the river oi Plate y the difficulty of in- telligence is fomewhat inhanced, and confequently the chance of continuing there undifcovered, in fome de* E 3 ' gree. '•,lft-^/r',f MMi Wf^m. 78 J VOYAGE gtfec augmented. Other mcafures, 'Vhich hiay effedlu- 'A\\y obviate all thefe embarralTni^nts, will be cbnfidered shore at large hereafter. And nbw I proceed to the cbnfideration of the pro- f^ct cotirfc to bfe (leered for redoubling Cape Horn. And here, I think. I am fufficiently authorized by our own fatal txperiehte, and by a careful comparifbn and ex- athination of the journals of forhier Navigators, to give this piece of advice, which in prudence I think ought never to be departed from : That is, that all (hips bound to the South Sensy inflead of palTing through Sireighti Le iW/a»>l?,(houId conftanily pdfs :o the taftwaid of Station- frtff/Jy and (hould be invariably bent on running tb the fouihward,as faraUhfe latitude of 61 or 6 2 degrees, before they endeavour to ftand to the Vi^eftward j and that When they are got into that latitude, they fliould then make fure of fufficient wefting, b^fofe they ohce think of (Veering 10 the northward. But as directions diametrically oppofite to thefe have been formerly given by Other writferS, it is incumbent on me to produce my reafons fbr each part bf this maxim. And fir(i, as to the pafling tb the eaftward of Siaien-iand. Thofe who have attended to the rif^ue we rah in paffing Streights Le Main, the danger We Werfe in bi being driven upon Staten-lmd by the cUrtent, when, though We happily efcapcd beitig put on Ihore, we Were yet carried to eadward of that I (land : thole who refledl on this, and on the like accidents Which have happened toother (hips, will furely not efteem it prudent to pafs through Streights Le Maire^ and run the rifque of mip- wreck, and after all find themfelves no farther to the wedward (the only rer.fon hitherto given fof this prac- tice) than they might have been in the faine tiih^, by a fecure navigation in an open fea. And next, as to the directions 1 have given for riin- ning into the latitude of 61 or 62 South, before any en- deavour is made to ftand to the weftwafd. The reafons for this precept are, that in all probability the violence of the currents will be hereby avoided, and the weather will prove lefs temjjeftuous and uncertain. This laft cii- cumftance we ourielves experienced moit remarkably ; fdr after we had unfexptCtedly fallen in with the land, as has. round the W o r l d. ' j^ has been mentioned in the preceding chapter, we flood away to the fouthward to run clear of it, and were no Iboner advanc d into fixty degrees or upwards, but we met with much better weather, and fmoottrer water thaw in any other part of the whole pafTage : The air indeed was very cold and (harp, and we had ftrong gales, but they were fteady and unifoim, and we had at the fame time funlhine and a clear Iky ; whereas in the lower lati- tudes, the winds every now and then intermitted, as it were to recover new ftrength, and then returned fud- den ly in the moft violent gufts, threatening at each blaft the lofs of our maft, which muft have ended in our certain dcftru6tion. And that the currents in this high latitude would be of much Icfs efficacy than nearer the land, fcems to be evinced from thefe confiderations, that all cun*ents rtm with greater violence near the (horc than at fea, and that at greater diftances from fhore they are fcarccly preccptible: Indeed the reafon of this feems fufficicntly obvious if we confider, that conftant currents arc, in all probability, produced by conftant winds, the winds drivirig before it, though with a flow and imper- ceptible motion, a large body of water, which being accumulated upon any coaft that it meets with, this fu- perfluous water muft efcape along the (hore by the en- deavours of its furface to reduce itfelf to the fame level with the reft ot the Ocean. And it is reafonable to fup- pofe, that thofe violent gufts of wind, which we expe- rienced near the ftiore, (6 very difterent from what we found in the latitucie of fixty degrees and upwards, may be owing to a fimilar caufe ; for a wefterly wind almoft perpetually prevails in the fouthern part of the Pacifick Ocean. And this current of air being interrupted by thofe immcnfe hills calPd the Jndesy and by the mountains on Terra del FuegOy which together bar up the whole country to the fouihward as far as Cape //or«, a part of it only can efcape over the tops of thofe prodigious pre- cipices, and the reft muft naturally follow the direction of the coaft, and muft range down the land to the fouth- ward, and Iweep with an impetuous and irregular blaft round C:ipe Hortty and the fouthermoft part of Terra dst Fuego, However, not to rely on thefe Ipeculations, we may, I believe, cftablifli, as incontcftible, thefe mat- £ 4 ter i^i mm wmmm 80 J VOYAGE ters of fa£t, that both the rapidity of the currents, and the violence of the wefl«rn gales, are lefs fenfible in the latitude of 61 or 62 degrees, than nearer the (hore of Tetra del Fuepo. But though I am (atisHed both from our own experi- ence, and the relations of other Navigators, of the im- portance of the precept I here infift on, that of run- ning into the latitude of 61 or 62 degrees, before any endeavours are made to (land r^ the weftward ; yet I would advife no (hips hereafter to truft fo far to this management, as to negleft another mod effential maxim, which is the making this pafTage in the height of fum- mer, that is in the months of December and January; and the more diilant the time of pafling is talcen from this (eafon, the more difaftrous it may be reafbnably expected to prove. Indeed, if the mere violence of the wellern winds be coniidered, the time of our paifage, which was about the Equinox, was perhaps the mod imfavourable feafon ; but then it mud be coniidered, that in the depth of winter there are many other in- con veniencies to be apprehended in this navigation, which are almoft iniuperable • For the feverity of the cold, and the (bortnefs of the days, would render it im- practicable at that feafon to run fo far to the fouthward as is here recommended ; and the fame reafons would greatly augment the alarms of failing in the neighbour- hood of an unknown fhore, dreadful in its appearance in the midft of fummer, and would make a winter na- vigation on ibis coaft to be, of all others, the raoft difmaying and terrible. As I would therefore advife all fli'ps to make their paflage in December and Janu-- ary, it poflible, fo I would warn them never to at- tempt the Teas to the fouthward of Cape Horn^ after the month of March. And now as to the remaining coniideration, that is» the propereft port for cruifers to refreOi at on their firft arrival in the South-Seas. On this head there is fcarcely any choice, the IHand o(Juan Fernandes being the only place that can be prudently recommended for this pur- pofe. For though there are many ports on the weftern lide of Patagonia^ between the Streights of Magellan and the Spanijb fetilements, where Ihips might ride in great round the W o R l D. 8 1 great (afeiy, might recruit their wood and water, and might procure (bme few refrefhments ; yet that coaft is in itfelf (b terrible, from the rocks and breakers it a* \ bounds with, and from the violence of the weftern winds, '- which blow conftantly full upon it, that it is by no meant advifeable to fall in with that land, at lead till the roads, channels, and anchorage in each part of it are accu- rately furveyed, and both the dangers and ihelter it a- bounds with are more diftin^lly known. Thus having given the beft direftions in my power for the fuccefs of future cruifers bound to the South-Seas^ it might be expe^ed that I (hould again refume the thread of my narration. But a;» both in the preceding and fub- fequent parts of this work, I have thought it my duty not only to recite all fuch fads, and to inculcate fuch maxims as had the lead appearance of proving bene* ficial to future Navigators, but alfo occafionally to re- commend fuch meafures to the public, as I conceive^ are adapted to promote the fame laudable purpole, [ cannot aefift from the prelent futyedt, without befcech— ing thofe to whom the condud of our naval affairs is committed, to endeavour to remove the many per- plexities and embarraiTments with which the navigation^ to the South-Seas is, at prefent neceflarily encumbered.. An eiFort of this kind could not fail of proving high- ly honourable to themfelves, and extremely beneficial* to their country. For it is to me fufficiently evident^ that whatever advantages navigation (ball receive,, either by the invention of methods that (hall render itSc> pra(5tice lefs hazardous, or by the more accurate- deli" neation of the coafts, roads, and ports already khown; » or by the difcovery of new nations, or new fpecies of commerce ; it is evident, I fay, tome, that by ^hat- ever means navigation is promoted, the conveniencies - hence arifing mull ultimately redound to the emolu-r* ment of Great-Britain. Since as our fleets arc at pre- fent fuperior to thofe of the whole world united, it. muft be a matchlels degree of fupinenels or mean-fpirit- - neis, if we permitted any of the advantages which new-' difcoveries, or a more extended navigation may p.ro-- duce to mankind, to be ravilhed from us.^. mum •■■■ Hz ^VOYAGE As therefore it appears that all our Futurfe expeditions to the Sout/j Seas mud run a confiderabie rifque of proving abortive, whilft we are under the neceffiiy of touching at Brazil in our palTage thithfcr, an expedient that might relieve us from this difficulty, would furely be a fubjeft worthy of the attention of the public ; and this feems capable of being afFe£ted, by the dif- covery of fome place more to the fouthward, where Ihips might refrefli and fupply ihemfelves with the ne- ceflary fea-ftock for their voyage rbund Cape Horn. And w€ have in reality the imperfect knowledge of two places, which might perhaps on examination, prove ex- tremely convenient for this purpofe ; the firft of them is /V^/s Ifland, in the latitude of 47° South, and laid down by Dr. Hally, about eighty leagues to the eaft- ward of Cape Blanco, on the Coaft of Patagonia ; th6 fecond, is Falkland*^ Ifles in the latitude of 51° -j nearly South of Pey^y's Ifland. The firft of thefe was difcover- cd by Captain Coivleyy in his voyage round the World in the year 1686 j who reprefents it as a commodious place for (hips to wood and water at, and fays, it is provided with a very good and capacious harbour, where a .fand fail of Ihips might ride at anchor in great (k.^y } that it abounds with fowls, and as the Ihore is eitlrcr rocks or fands, it feems to promife great plenty of fifli. The fecond place, or Falkland s Ifles, have been ften by maay fliips both French and Englijh^ being the land laid down by Frezier, in his Chart of the extre- mity of South Americay under the title of the Nenv Iflands, Woods Rogers, who run along the N. E. coaft if thefe Ifles in the year 1708, tells us, that they ex- tended about two degrees in length, and appeared with gentle defcents from hill to hill, and feemed to be good ground, with woods and harbours. Either of thefe places, as they are Iflands at a confiderabie diftance from the Continent, may be fuppofed, from their lati- tude, to He in a climate fufficiently temperate. It is true, they are too little known to be at prefent recommended for proper places of refreftment lor fliips bound to the fouthward: But if the Admiralty flibuld think it advife- able 10 order them to be furveyed, which may be done at a Very fmall expeuce, by a velfel fitted out on purpoie; and round the W o r i. d. 85 and if, on this examination, one or both of thefe places ihouid appear proper for the purpofe intended, it is fcarcl/ to be conceived, of what prodigious import, a convenient ftation might prove, fituated fo far to the (buthward, and fo near Cape Hdrn. The Duke and Dutchefs o{ Briflol were but thirty-five days from their lofing fight of Falkland^ Ifles to their arrival at Juan Fernandes in the South-Seas : And as the return- ing back is much facilitated by the weftern winds, I doubt not but a voyage might be made from Falkland'% Ifles to Juan Femandes and back again in little more than two months. This, even iii time of peace, might be of great confequence to this Nation ; and, in time of war, would make us mafters of thofe Seas. And as all difcoveries of this kind, though extremely honourable to thofe who diredt and promote them, may yet be carried on at an inconfiderable expence, fince (mall vcfTels are much the propereft to be employ- ed in this fervice, it were to be wimed, that the whole coall of Patagonia^ Terra del FuegOy and Staten4and^ were carefully furveyed, and the numerous channels,, roads, and harbours with which they abound, accurately examined; this might open to us facilities of pafiing into the Pacifick Ocean, which as yet we may be un- acquainted with, and would render all that (buthern navigation infinitely fccurer than at prefent; and particu- larly, an ex aft draught of the Weft coaft of Patagonia ^ from ahe Streights of Magellan to the Spanijh lettle- nients, might perhaps furnifti us with better and mor« convenient ports for refreihment, and better fituated for the purpofes either of war or commerce, and above a fortnight s fail nearer to Falkland'^ Iflands, than the Id'jind o{ Juan Femandes. The difcovery of this coaft hath foi'merly been thought of fuch confequence, by reafon of its neighbourhood to the Araucos and other Chilian Indians^ who are generally at war, or at leaft. on ill terms with their Spanijh neighbours, that Sir John Narhorough was purpofely fitted out in the reign of King Charles II. to furvey the Streights of MageU- laHy the neighbouring coaft of Patagonia^ and the Spnnijh ports on that frontier, with directions, if po(^ fible, to procure ibmc intercourfc with the Chilian: Indians^. 84 .^VOYAGE Indians^ and to eftablifh a commerce and a lading correfpondence with them. His Majefty's views in employing Sir John Narhorougb in this expedition, were not fblely the advantage he might hope to re- ceive from the alUance of thofe favages, in reftrain- ing and intimidating the Crown of Spain ; but he con- ceived, that, independent of thofe motives, the im- mediate traificlc with thefe Indians might prove ex- tremely advantageous to the Englijh Nation. For it is well known, that at the firft difcovery of Chili by the Spaniards^ it abounded with vaft quantities of gold, much beyond what it has at any time produced, fmcc it has been in their poffeiTIon. And hence it has been generally believed, th "t the richeil mines are prudently concealed by the Indians^ as well knowing that the difcovery of them to the Spaniards would orly excite in them a greater third for conqueft and tyranny and ren- der their own independence precarious. But with re- fpedt to their commerce with the Englijb^ thele reafons would no longer influence them ; fince it would be in our power to furniih them with arms, and ammuni- tion of all kinds, of which they are extremely defirous, together with many other conveniencies which their intercourie with the Spaniards has taught them to re- lifli. They would then in all probability open their mines, and gladly embrace a traffick of fuch mutual convenience to both Nations; for then their gold, in- ftead of proving the means of enflaving them, would procure them weapons to afTert their liberty, to chailife their tyrants, and to iecure themfelves for ever from the Spanijb yoke ; whilft with our alFiftance and under our protedion, they might become a confiderable people, and might fecure to us that wealth, which formerly by the Houfe of Aujlriay and lately by the Houfe of Bour- hon, has been moft mifchievoufly lavifbed in the purfuit of univerfal Monarchy. It is true, that Sir John Narhorougb did not fucceed in opening this commerce, which in appearance pro- mifed fo many advantages to this Nation. Jt^owever, his diiappointment was merely accidental, and his tranfadtions upon that coail (befides the many va- luable improvements he furnilhed to geography and nnvigv*.* n) navig trials his pi a fms of his pearei that of th< alarm It round the World. 85 navigation) are rather an encouragement for future trials of this kind, than an^ objection againft them ; his principal misfortune being the lofing co:npaiw of a fmall bark which attended him, ind having (ome of his people trapanned at Baldivia, However, it ap- peared, by the precautions and fears of the Spaniaras^ that they were fully convinced of the practicability of the Icheme he was ftnt to execute, and extremely alarmed with the apprehenfion of its confequences. It is faid, that his Majefty King Charles the Second was fo far prepoffefTed with the hopes of the ad van* tages redounding from this expedition, and (b easer to be informed of the event of it, that having m- telligence of Sir John Narbtrougb's pafTing through the Dcnvns on his return, he had not patience to attend his arrival at Court, but went himfelf in bis barge to Gravif" end to meet him. To facilitate as much as pofllble v\y attempts of this kind, which may be hereafter undertaken, I have in the annexed plate, given a chart of that part of the world, as far as it is hitherto known, which I flatter myfelf is in fome refpeds much corre£ter than any hitherto publilhed. To evince which, it may be necef^ fary to mention what materials I have principally made ufe of, and what changes I have introduced different from other authors. The two moft celebrated charts hitherto publiflied of the fouthermoft part of South America^ are thofe of Dr. Halleyy in his general chart of the magnetic variation, and of Frezier in his voyage to the Souths Seas. But beiides thefe, there is a chart of the Streights of Magellan^ and of fome part of the adjacent coaft, by Sir John Narborough abovementioned, which is doubt- less tnhnitely exader in that part than Frezier, and in fome refpe£ts fuperior to Halleyy particularly in what relates to the longitudes of the different parts of thofe Streights. The coaft from Cape Blanco to Terra del FuegOy and thence to Streights Le Maire, we were in fome meafure capable of correfting by our own obfer- vations, as we ranged that ibore generally in fight of land. The pofition of the land, to the northward of the Streights of Magellan, on the Weft fide, is doubtlefs laid ,4 li If?" Mmmm mim^mmmmm 86 ^VOYAGE laid down in our chart but Very imperft^Iy ; and yti t believe it to be much nearer the truth than what has hitherto been done : As it is drawn from the informa- tion of fbme of the Wager^z crew, who were (hip- wrecked on that (horc, and afterwards coafled it down ; and as it agrees pretty nearly with the defcription of fome 5//j«//7 manufcripts I have feen. The Channel dividing Terra del Fuego is drawn from Frezrer ; but in the Spanijh manufcript there are feveral Channels delineated, and J have reaion to fuppofe, that whenever this country is thoroughly examined, this cir- cumftance will prove true, and Terra del Fuego will be found to confiit of feveral Iflands. And having mentioned Frezier fo often, I muft not cimit warring all future Navigators againft relying on the longitude of Streights Le Maire, or of any part of that coaft, laid down in his chart j the whole being from 8 to 10 degrees too far to the eallward, if any faith can be given to the concurrent evidences of a great num- ber of journals, verified in fome particulars by aftrono- mical observation. For inftance, Sir John Narborough lays down Cape Firgin Mary in 65** : 42' of Weft lon- gitude from the Lizardy that is in yi^: 20 from Z«>«- aon. And the fhips of our fquadron, who took their departure from St. Catherine's (where the longitude was rectified by an obfervation of the eclipfe of the moon] found Cape Virgin Mary to be from 70° : 46 , to 71° : 30' from London according to their different reckonings : And there were no circumftances in our run that could render it considerably erroneous, fo that it cannot be cfteemed in left than 71 degrees of Weft longitude; whereas Frezier lays it down in lefs than 66 degrees from Parisy that is little more than 63 degrees from Lon- don, which is doubtlefs 8 degrees (hort of its true quanti- ty. Again, our fquadron found Cape Firgin Mary and Cape St. Bartholomew on the eaftern fide of the Streights Le Maire to be only 2'* : 8 different in longitude, which in Frezier are diftant near 4 degrees; fo that not only the longitude of Cape St. Bartho/ometv is laid down in him near 10 degrees too little, but the whole coaft, from the Streights of Mage/Ian to Streights Le Maire, is enlarged. to n^r doobic its real extent. But round the World. 87 But to have done with Frezirr, whofc errors, the im- portance of the fubjeCt and not a fondncfs for cavilling, has obliged rte to remark, (ihoHgh his treatment of Dr. Hauey might, on the prefent occafion, authorize much feverer ufa^e) I muft in the next place, ptirtico- lariM wherein tht chart I have here inlerted differs fVoiii that of our learned countryman. It is well known that this Gentleman was fent abroad by the Public, to make fuch geographical and aflronomical obfervations, as might fecilitate the fu- ture praftice of navigation, and particularly to de- termine the variation of the compafs in fuch places as he Ihould touch at, and if pollible, to afcertain its general laws atid afFedlions. Thefe things Dr. fialleyy to his immortal reputation and the honour of our Nation, in good meafure accom- pliilied, particularly with regard to the variation of the compafs, a fubjed, of all others, the moft interefting to thofe employed in the art of navigation. He likewife corrected the pofition of the coaft oi Brazil, which had been very crroneoufly laid down by ail former Hydro- graphers ; and by a judicious comparifon of the obfer- vations of others, as happily liicceeded in fettling the geography of many parts of the globe, where he had not himfelf been. So that the chart he publilhed, with the variation of the needle marked thereon, being the refult of his labours on this fubjc^, was allowed by all Europe to be far compleatcr in its geography than any that had then appeared, and at the lame time moft fur* prixingly exad in the quantity of variation afligned to the different parts of the globe ; a fubjedt fo very intri- cate and perplexing, that all general determination* about it had till then appeared impofHble. Bui as the only means he had of correcting thofe coafts where he did not touch himfelf was the ob&rvattons ctf" Others ; where thofe obfervations were wanting, w were inaccurate, it was no imputation on bis ikill, that his determinations were dcfedive. And this, upon the beft comparifon I have been able to make, is the cafe with regard to that part of his chart, which contains the South part of South y^«mf fage round Cape Horn, both the real traiSt which we de- (bribed, and the imaginary tra6t exhibited by our reckr oning; whence the violence of the currents in that part of the world, and the enormous deviations which they produce, will appear by infpe^ion. And that no ma- terial article might be omitted in this important affair, the foundings on the coaft of Patagonia, and the varia- tion of the magnetic needle, are annexed to thofe parts ol ihe this iraCt, where, by our obfervations, we found them to be of the quantity there fpecificd* CHAP- ►, -.v^- round the World. 89 Chap. X. From Cape Noir to the Ifland of Juan Fernandes. AFTER the mortifying difappointment of falling in with the coaft of Terra del FuegOj when we eilecmed ourfelves ten degrees to the weilward of it j after this difappointment, I fay, recited in the eighth chapter, we flood away to the S. W. lilt the 2 2d of ^pril, when we were in upv;ards of 60° of South lati- tude, and by our account near 6° to the weftw^rd of Cape Noir; and in this run, we had a feries of as fa- vourable weather, as could well be expe^ed m that part of the world, even in abetter feafon : So that this interval, fetting the inquietude of our thoughts afide,' was by far the moft eligible of any we enjoyed from Streighis Le Maire to the Weft coaft o^ America. This moderate weather continued, with little variation, till the 24th i but on the Z4th, in the evening, the wind began to blow frelh, and foon encrea(ed to a prodigious ftorm ; and the weather being extremely thick, about midnight we loft fight of the other four Ihips of the' fquadron, which, notwiihftanding the violence of the preceding ftorms, had hitherto kept in company with us. Nor was this our fole misfortune j for, the next morning, endeavouring to hand the top-fails, the clew- lines and bunt-lines broke, and the (heets, being half flown, every feam in the top-fails was foon fplit from top to bottom, and the main top-fail Ihook fo ftrongly in the wind, that it carried away the top lanthorn, and endangered the head of the maft ; however, at length feme of the moft daring of our men ventured upon the yard, and cut the fiil away clofe to the reefs, though with the utmoft hazard of their lives. At the fame time, the foretop-fail beat about the yard with fo much fury, that it was (bon blown to pieces; and that we might have full employment, the main-fail blew looie, which obliged us to lower down the yard to fecure the fail, and the fore-yard being likewife lowered, we lay to under a mizen : And bendes the lofs of our top-faib, we had much of our other rigging broke, and loft a main ftudding-fail-boom out of the chains. Oa go A V O t A G E On the 25th^ about noon, the weather became more lAOderatc, which enabled us to fway up our j^ards, and to repair, in fhe beft manner we could, our (hattered rigging 5 but ftill we had no fight of the reft ot our fqua- dron, ndf indeed were we joined by any of theili again, till after our arfival at Juan Fernandes j nor did any tlvd of them, as we have fince learned, continue in company together : And this toial feparaiion was the more wonderful, as we had hitherto kept together fur feven weeks, through all the reiterated teropefts of this turbulent cKmate. It muft indeed be owned, that this Icparation gave rs room to exped, that we mfght make oUr pafTage in a fhorter time, than if we had continued together, becaufe we could now make the beft of our Way without being retarded by the misfortunes of the other (hips ; but then wc had the melancholy reflection, that we ourfelves were hereby deprived of the afliftance of others, and our fafety would depend upon our fingle Ibip ; fo that if a plank ftarted, or any other accident of the fame nature ihould take place, we muft all irre- coverably peri 111 ; or fhould we be driven on fliore, we had the uncomfortable profpedt of ending our days on tome delblate coaft, without any reafbnable hope of ever getting away ; whereas with another fliip in com- pany, all thefe calamities are much lefs formidable, fince in every kind of danger there would be lome probability that one (hip at leaft might efcape, and might be capable of preierving or relieving the crew of the other. The remaining part of this month of ^pril we had generally hard gales, although we had been every day, fince the 22d, edging to the northward ; however, on the laft day of the month, we flattered ourfelve* with hopes of foon terminating all our fuflerings, for we that day found ourfelves in the latitude of 52° : i 3', which being to the northward of theStreights o{ Magellrn^ we were alTured that we had compleated our pafTage, and had arrived in the confines of the fbuthern Ocean ; and this Ocean being nominated Pacificky from the equabi- lity of thv.' (eafons which are (aid to prevail there, and the facility and fecuritywith which navigation is there carried on, we doubted not but we (hould be fpeedily cheared nmrwrn^imm round the W 6 r l ft; Sff chcared with the moderate gales, the fliiobth Wirter, slnd the tempe'rate air, for which that ttaft of the globti ha« been fo renowned. And under the influehee of theft pleafing circumftances, we hoped to experience hiht kind of compcnfation for the complicated miftrietf v^hich had fo conftantly attended us itt the laft eighl weeks. But here we Were again dnappointed ; for irt the fucceeding month of May, our fufferings l-ofe lO ^ riiuch higher pitch than they had fever yet done, whe^ ther we confider the violence of the florms, the fltatteN ifig of our fails and rigging, or the diminffliing and weakening of our crew by destths and ficknefs, andthd probable profped of rnir total dcftrudion. All this ^ill be fuflkiently evider t, from the following ci^cttfjftaii* tial account of our diveriiBed misfortunes. Soon after our pafllng Streights Le Maire, the fcUrv^ began to riiake its Jtppearance amongft usj and our lorig continuance at fea, the fatigue we underwent, and the various difappointments we met with, had occafioned its f{)reading to fuch a degree, that at the latter end of Jpril there were but few on board, who wefe not in fonie degree afflidled with it, and in that month no left than forty three died of it on board the Centurion. But though we thought that the diftemper had thert rifcn td an extraordinary height, and were willing to hope, that as we advanced to the northward its malignity would abate, yet we found, on the contrary, that in the month of May we loft near double that number : And as we did not get to knd till the middle of Jnnty the rtiortality went on encreafing, and the difeafe extended itfelf fo prodigioudy, that after the lofs of above two iiundred men, we could not at laft mufter more than fix foremaft men in a watch capable of duty, i This difeafe fo frequently attending all long voyages, and lb particularly deftru6tive to us, is fufely the moft fingular and unaccountable of k..y that affefls the hu- man body. For its fymptoms are inconftant and innu- merable, and its progrels and effects extremely irregu- lar ; for fcarcely any iwo perfons have the fame com- plaints, and where there hath been found fome confor- mity in the fymptoms, the order oi theit appearance has been totally different. However, tho* it frequently puts on, m\ 92 A VOYAGE on the form of many other difeafes, and is therefore not to be defcribed by any excluflve and infalJibic crU terions ; yet there are fome fymptoms which are more general than the reft, and therefore occurring the often- eit, deferve a more particular enumeration. Thefe common appearances are large difcoloured fpots dif- perfed over the whole furface of the body, fwelled legs, putrid gums, and, above all, an extraordinary latitude of the whole body, efpecially after any exercife, how- ever inconfiderable ; and this lafTicude at laft degene* rates into a pronenefs to fwoon on the leaft exertion of ftrcngth, or even on the leaft motion. .^, This difeafe is likewife ufually attended with a ftrange dejedtion of the fpirits, and with fbiverings,. tremblings, and a dilpodtion to be feized with the moft dread! ul terrors on the flighteft accident. Indeed it was moft remarkable, in all our reiterated experience of this m v lady, that whatever difcouraged our people, or at 3ny tiftie damped their hopes, never failed to add new vi^ gour to the diftemper ; for it ufually killed thofe who were in the laft ftages of it, and confined thofe tc their hammocks, who were befbre capable of fome kind of duty ; fo that it feemed as if alacrity of mind, and fan- guine thoughts, were no contemptible prefervatives from its fatal malignity. But it is not eafy tocompleat the long roll of the va- rious concomitants of this difeafe ; for it often produced putrid fevers, pleurifies, the jaundice, and violent rheu- matick pains, and fometimes it occafloned an obftinate coftivenefs, which was generally attended with a diffi- culty of breathing; and this was efteemed the moft deadly of all the fcorbutick fymptoms : At other times the whole body, but more efpecially the legs, were fub- J€6t to ulcers of the worft kind, attended with rotten bones, and fuch a luxuriancy of funguous flefh, as yield- ed to no remedy. But a moft extraordinary circumftance, and what would be fcarcely credible upon any fingle evidence, is, that the (cars of wounds, which had been for many years healed, were forced open again by this virulent diftemper : Of this, there was a remarkable in- ftance in one of^ the invalids on board the CenturioK, w,ho bftd. been wounded above fifty years before at the battle ')! ' "J|I II flW, IP^IflHW^— T-TIPPIP^W^^T^ «*nii«iPMiPWHi*llP mMPiM rofW //^^ World. 93 t>r the P^yw ; for though he was cured Coon after, and had continued well for a great number of years paft, yet, on his being attacked by the fcurvy, nis wounds, in the progrefs of his difeafe, broke out afrefli, and ap- peared as if they had never been healed : Nay, what is llill more aftoniihing, the callous of a broken bone, which had been completely formed for a tong time, wai found to be hereby diffolvcd, and the fracture Teemed as if it had never been confolidated. Indeed, the effects of this difeafe were in almoft every inftance wonderful; for many of our people, though confined to their ham- mocks, appeared to have no inconHderable fhare of health, for they eat and drank heartily, were chcarful, and talked with much feeming vigour, and with a loud ftrong tone of voice ; and yet on their being the leaft moved, though it was only from one part of the (hijp to the other, and that in their hammocks, they have immediately expired ; and others, who have confided in their (eeming f^rength, and have refblved'to get out of their hammocks have died before they could well reach the deck ; and it was no uncommon thing for thofe who were able to walk the deck, and to do fbme kind of duty, to drop down dead in an indant, on any endeavours to a6t with their utmoil vigour, many of our people having perifhed in this manner during the courfe of this voyage. With this terrible difeafe we ftruggled the greateft part of the time of our beating round Cape Horn ; and though it did not then rage with its utmoft violence, yet we buried no lefs than forty three men on board the Centurion, in the month of Jfprilt as hath been already obferved, but we flill entertained hopes, that when we (hould have once fecured our paffage round the Cape, we fhould put a period to this, and all the other evils^ which had Co conftantly purfued us. But it was our misfortune to find, that the Pacific Ocean was to us leis hofpitable than the turbulent neighbourhood oC Terra del Feugo and Cape Horn: For being arrived on the 8th of M?y, off the Ifland oCSocoro, which was the firfl ren- dezvous appointed for the fquadron, and where we hoped to have met with ibme of our companions, we cruized for them in that ftation feveral days. And here wc Wii^ •fWW^^^WW 9* J VOYAGE ^e were n^ poly dif^japqinted in oi^r hopes of being joined by our friends, ^nd were therel^y induced to fa- voHr th/s gloomy fuggeilions of tl^eir having all pierjihed ; .but we weriB likewife perpetually aljM'nfied with the fears ^f being driyen pn Hiore upon this coaft, which appear- ed tpo craggy ^nd irreguUr to give us the lead hopes, that in fuch a cafe any of us could poHibly efcape im- mediate dellruftion. For the land in4eied had ^ mod treniendous afped : The mod didant part of it, and which appeared far within the country, being themoun- Ukins ufufilly called tl;»e dnjefqx Cord^lUras^ was ejctreme- ]v high, and covered with fnow ; ;^nd the coad itiejf (eemed quite rocky and barren^ and the water's edge vikirted with precipices. Jn fome places indeed there appeared (everal deep bays running into the |»nd, but ^he entrance into them was generally blocked up by jiun^ibers of little lilands ; ^nd though it was not impro- ^^ble, but there might be convenient dielter in fome of ^hofe bays, ^nd proper channels leading thereto; yet ,as we wfire utterly ignorant of the cpad, h?id we been driven alhore by the wedern winds which blew aJmod x:ondantly there, we did not exped to have avoided the jofs o^ our diip, and of our lives. And this continued peril, which laded for above a .fortnight, was greatly aggravated by the d;f5culties we found in working the ftiip j as the fcurvy had by thi^ ^time dedroyed lo great a part of our hands, and had in ^me degree affected almod the whole crew. Nor did ,we, as we hoped find the winds lefs violent, as we j^d- jranced to tl^e northward ; tor we had often prodigious Xqualls, whith /plit our fails, greatly damaged our rig- ging, and endangered our mads. Indeed, during the created part of the time we were upon this coad, the wind blew fo hard, that, in another fiiuation, where we ^ad futiicient lea room, we Oiould certainly ha,ve lain to ; jbut in theprefent exigency we were neceilitated to carry j>Oth o^r cpurles and top-fails, in order to keep clear of this lee Uiore. Jn one of thefe fqualls, which was jittended by ieveral violent claps of thunder," a fudden flalh of fire darted along our decks, which, dividing, exploded with a report like ths^t of feveral pidols, and l^^punded ni^ny pf 9.ur men and otHcers as it paifed, marking ■'■■■\"J**''^ round the Wo r l d. 95 OiiTklipg th/em in difiiercQi parts ]was tiie Uil eiFortof that ilormy climate ; for in a Da/ ,or two after, we got clear of the land, and found the weather more moderate than we had yet experienced ^/inqe Qur paifing Streights i> Maire, And now havii^ cruifed !^^ y I .f 9« A VOYAGE craifed in vain for more than a fortnight in queft of the other (hips of thefquadron, it was refolved to take the advantage of the prefent favourable feafon and the of- fing we had made from this terrible coaft, and to make the beft of oar way for the Ifland of Juan Fernandes. For though our next rendezvous was appointed off the harbour of BaUi^ia^ yet as we had hitherto feen none of our companions at this firft rendezvous, it was not to be fuppofed that any of them would be found at the (ccond : Indeed we had the greatefl reafbn to fuf- pe6t, that all but ourfelves had perifhed. Befides^ we were by this time reduced to (b low a condition, that, inftead of attempting to attack the places of the enemy, our utmoil hopes could only fuggeft to us the pofTibility of faving the (hip, and fbme part of the remaining en- feebled crew, by our fpeedy arrival at Juan FernanJes ; for this was the only road in that part of the world where there was any probability of our recovering our fick, or refitting our velTel, and confequently our get- ting thither was the only chance we had left to avoid perilhing at fea. Our deplorable fituation then allowing no room for deliberation, we flood for the Ifland of Juan Fernandes ; and to fave time, which was now extremely precious, (our men dying four, five, and fix in a day) and likewifi to avoid being engaged again with a lee-fhore, we re- folved, if poifible, to hit the Ifland upon a meridian. And on the 28th oi May, being nearly in the parallel upon which it is laid down, we had great expectations of feeing it : But not finding it in the pofition in which the charts had taught us to expefl it, we began to fear that we had got too far to the weflward ; and therefore though the Commodore himfelf was ftrongly perfuaded that he faw it on the morning of the 28th, yet his offi- cers believing it to be only a cloud, to which opinion the bazinefs of the weather gave fbme kind of counte- nance, it was, on a confultation, refolved to fland to the eaflward, in the parallel of the Ifland -, as it was certain, that by this courfe we fhould either fall in with the Ifland, if we were already to the weftward of it ; or fliould at leafl make the main land of Chili, from whence we might take a new departure, and afTure ourfelves, inr round the World. 97 ourfelves, by running to the weftward afterwards, of not milfing the Ifland a fecond lime. On the 30th o^ May we had a view of the continent of C6/7/, diftant about twelve or thirteen leagues; the land made exceeding high and uneven, and appeared quite white ; what we faw being doubtlefs a part of the Cordilleras^ which are always covered with fnow. Though by this view of the land we afcertained our poiition, yet it gave us great uneafinefs to find that we had (6 needlefly altered our courfe, when we were, in all probability, juft upon the point of making the Ifland ; for the mortality amongft us was now increased to a mofl dreadful degree, and thofe who remained alive were utterly difpirited by this new.difappointment, and the prolpe6l of their longer continuance at fea : Our water too began to grow fcarce ; fb that a general dejection prevailed amongd us, which added much to the viru- lence of the difeale, and deilroyed numbers of our befl: men ; and to all tiiefe calamities there^ was added this vexatious circumftance, that when, after having got a fight of the Main, we tacked and ftood to the weftward in quefl of the Ifland, we were (6 much delayed b/ calms and contrary winds, that it coft us nine days, to regain the wefling, which,' when we ftood to the eaft- ward, we ran down in two. In this delponding con- dition, with a crazy (hip, a great (carcity of freOi wa- ter^ and a crew fo univerfally difeafed, ,that there was not above ten fore-mad men in a w^tch capable of doing duty, and even (bme of thele lame, and unable to go aio^ : Under thefe diflieartning circumftances, I fay^ we ftood to the weftward ; and on the 91 h of June^ at day-break, we at laft difcovered the long-wiflied-for Ifland of Juan Fernandes, And with this difcovery I ihall clofe this chapter and the firll book, after obferv- ing (which will furnifti a very ftrong image of our un- parallelled diftreffes) that by our fulJDcfting ourfelves to be to theweljward of the Ifland on the 28ih ofM/yr, and, inconfequenceof this ftanding in for the Main, we loft between Ktv^XiXy and eighty of our m^n, whom wrj ihould doubtlefs have favcd had wj; made the Iflana that day, which, had we kept on our courfe for a few hours longer, we could not have failed to have done. F r^^'lBOOK s> ' t $8 /* VOYAGE BOOK 11. Chap. F. The arrival o/M^ Centurion at the Iftand of Juan Ftrnandes, nvUh a defcriptidn of that Ifland. ON the 9th o'f June^ at da^ break, as is mentioned in the preceding chapter, we firft defcried the Ifland of ^wan Fernanaes, bearing N. hy E. \ E, at tlcven or twelve leagues diftance. And though, on this firft view, it appeared to be a very mountainous place, extVertely ragged and irregular ; yci, as it was land, and the land we fought for, it was to us a moil agreeabki fight : For at this place only we could hope to put a ' period 'to ihofe terrible calamities we had fo long ftrugeled wfth, whif "^ had already fwept away abov'e half ouf crew, and v, :It, hhd we c6fttinucd a few days longer at lea, wduld inevitably have com- pleated our deftruftion. For t V m mm I02 J VOYAGE accudomcd humanrty, not only afTifted herein with his own labour, but obliged his Officers, without diftin^ion, to give their helping hand. The extreme weaknefs of our fickmay in fome meafure be colkAed from the num- bers who died aiter they had got on (hore ; for it had generalJy been found, that the land, and the refreih- nients i'^ produces, very foon recover moft ftages of the fea-fcurvy ; and we flattered ourfelves, that ihc^ who had not ptriilied on tlieir hril ^xpo(ure to the open air, but had hved to be placed in their tents, would have been fpeedily reftored to their health and vigour : But, to our great mortihcation, it was near twenty days after their landing, before the mortality was tolerably ceafed $ a,nd for the fir ft ten or twelve days, we buried rarely lefs than fix each day, and many of thofe, who furvived, recovered by very flow and infenfible degrees. Indeed, thole who were well enough at their Brll getting on ihore, to creep out of their tents, and crawl about, were foon relieved, and recovered their health and ftrength in a very ibort tiire j but in the reft, the diieaie feemed to have acquired a degree of inveteracy which was ako- geiher without example. Having proceeded thus far, and got our fick on ihore, I think it neceifary, before I enter into any longer detail ot our tranfatt ions, to give a diftintt account of this Ifland of Ju/ift Femandes^ its fiiuation, produttions, and all its convenicncies. Thefe particulars we were well enabled to be minutely inftruiled in, during our three months ftay there ; and as it is the only commodious pJace in thole leas, where Briti/b cruifers can relrelb and rctover their men after their paft'age round Cape Horny and v'here they may remain lor fome time without alarm- ing the Spanifb coaft, thele its advantages will merit a circumllantial defcription. And indeed 4r. Anjon was paicicularly indultrious in directing the roads and coafts tobefurveyed, and other obfervations to be made, know- ing, from his own experience, ot how great confequence thele materials might prove to any Britiib vcffcb here- after employed m thole feas. For the uncertainty we were in of its position, and our ftanding in for the Main on tiie zSih of May ^ in order to (ecure a fufficient eafting, when wc were iiideed extremely near it, coft us .... ,. the ■PVH mmm rbUnd the Wo r L d. 103 the lives of between feventy ai:d eighty of oiir men, by aur longer conti noance at fca. : From which fatal acci- dent we might have been exempted, had we been fur- niibed wul;^ fuch an account of its Htuation, as we could fully have depended on. The liland of Jiuiu Femqndes lies in the latitude of 53° : 40' 3oath, and is a hundred and ten leagues didanfi from the Continent oi Chili. It is faid to have received its name from 2i. Spaniard^ who formerly procured a gram of it, and refided there f<)me time with a view of fet-f tling it, but afterwards abandoned it. It is of an irrc- gulaiy figure, its grtateft extent being between four and five leagues, and its greateft breadth fomewhat (hort of two leagues. The only fafe anchoring at this Ifland is on the Worth fuie, where are three bays, but the middle* moft, known by the name of Cumberland Bay^ is the wided and deepeil, and in all refpe6ts much the bell ^ the other two bays, denominated the Eall and Wef^ bays, arcfcarccly more than good landing places, where boats may conveniently put their caik on ihore. As Cumberland Bay is by far the moll commodious road in the Ifland, fo it is advifeable for all ibips to an-^. ebor on the weftern fide of this bay, within little more than two cables length of the beach. Here they may, ride in forty fathor^i of water, and be, in a great mea- ftire, Ibeltered from a large heavy fea, which comes rol- ling in whenever an eaftern or a wefkern wind blows. It IS however expef ourte- * fidencc vt^ 'but that the hills _ ^ towered up confiderably above the tops of the trees, added to the grandeur of the view. There were, be- fides,' two ftreams of chryftal welter, which ran on the rioiu arKl left of the tent, within an hundred j^ards di- ftance,,a*idw«felhad€d 1^ the irges wiiich flurted the kwn '-rWmitiefaTionVTTravc^alj'cad)' takefi nbtice' wild, inhofpitable air with which ii firft appeared to us, and the gradual improvernent of this uncouth landflcip as we drew nearer, till we were at laft captivated by the mimerotrs beauties wc discovered on the ihore. And 'I IDufc now add, that we found, during'thc thne 6f our re- fidence round the V\^ o r l d. ' (07 fidence UMre, Uiat th« iqUnd parts of the IHand did no ways fall (hort of the fanguine prepofleffiono which wc firii entertained in their favour. For the woods which covered moft of the fteepeft hills, were free from all bufhes and underwood, and afforded an eaiy paflage through every part of them; and the ir- regularities ot'the hills an^ piecipices, in the northern part of the Ifland, neceflariiy traced out by their various combinations a great number of romantic vallies ; moft ofwliich had a 4lream of the cleared water running through them, that tumbled in cafcades fiom rock to rock, as the bottom of the valley, by the courfe of the neig^vbouring hill, was at any time broken into a fudden (harp deiceni: Some particular fpois occurred in theic vallies, where the (bade and fragrance of the contiguous woods, the loftinefs of the overhanging rocks, and the tranfparency and frequent falls of the neighbouring ftreams, prefented fcenes of fuch elegance and dignity, as would perhaps with difficulty be rivalled in any other part of the globe. It is in this place, perhaps, that the iimple produ^ions of unaflifted nature may be faid to excel all the ii6litious descriptions of the moft animated- iraagirMttiopr.' - 1 (hall finifh this article with a (hort ac- count of that fpot where the Commodore pitched his- tent, and which' lie made choice of for his own rcfidence, though I defpair of conveying an adequate idea of its- beauty. This piece of ground which he chofe was a fmaH 4awn, tl>at lay on a little afcent, at the diftance of about half a mile from the fea. In the front of his tent ' there was a large avenue cut through the woods to the fea-fide, which (loping to the water with a gentle de*^ fcefit, opened a profpedt of the bay and the ib»ps at an*- chor. This lawn was fcreened behind by a tall wood*, of myrtle fweeping round it, in the form of a theatre,. the grcwfld on which the wood ftood, rifing with a much (harper afcent than the lawn itfelf, though notfo- mucHL hm that the hills and precipices within land: towtfired up confiderably above the tops of the trees, and added to the grandeur of the view. There were, be- fides,* tw'---:<^»;s>,' '^'■vj; ^^^ 'i.''< '-'"'i" %f ii^?W^3 !'«■., !■ -■; J zi.':^-J-- Sr^,; T:", ' ^^*i''>*?^-; !"■ "w!r>^. • ■'■ L'-?%< io8 A VOYAGE hwn on either fide, and compleated the fymmetry of the whole. It remains now only that we (peak of the animals and provifions which we met with at this place. Former writers have related, that this Ifland abounded with vaft numbers of goats, and their accounts are not to be quef- tioned, this place being the ufual haunt of the bucca- neers and privateers, who formerly frequented thofe leas. And there are two ir.ftances ; one of" a Mufquito iMfiian^ and the other of Aietcander Selkirk a ScotchmaHy who were left by their refpedlive (hips, and lived alone upon this Ifland for fome years, and confequently were no ftrangers to its produce. Selkirk, who was the lafl:, after a ftay of between four and five years, was taken off the place by the Duke afid Duchefs Privateers oi Brijiol^ as^ may be feen at large in the journal of their voyage: His manner of life, during his folitude, was in moft particu- lars very remarkable; but there is one circumftance he relates, which was fo tlranegly verified by our own ob- fervation, that I cannot help reciting it. He tells us, a- mongft other things, as he often caught more goats than he wanted, he fometimes marked their ears and let them go. This was about thirty two years before our arri- val at the Ifland. Now it happened, that the firfl goat that was killed by our people at their landing had his ears flit, whence we concluded*, that he had doubtlefs been formerly under the power of Selkirk. This was in- tieed an animal of a moil venerable afpc^, dignified with an exceeding majeftic beard, and with many other fymp- toms of antiquity. During owr flay on the Ifland, we ' met with others marked in the fame manner, all the males being diflinguiihed by an exuberance of beard, and every other chara^ieriflick of extreme age. But the great numbers of goats, which former writers jdefcribed to have been found upon this Ifland, are at ' pvefcnt very much diminifhed: For the Spaniards being informed of the advantages the buccaneers and priva- teers drew from the provifions which goats-flefh here furnifhed them with, they have endeavoured to extir- pate the breed, thereby to deprive their enemies of this relief For thispurpofe, they have put on fhorc great numbers of large dogs, who have encreafed apace, and : ^.i' have round the World. •. 109 * have deftroyed all the goats in^ihe acceflible part of the country ; fo that there now remain only a few araongft the craggs and precipices, where the dogs cannot foU • low them. Thefe are divided into feparate herds of twenty or thirty each, which inhabit dillindt faftneifesy and never mingle with each other : By this means we found it extremely difficult to kill them; and yet we were fo defirous of their flelh, which we all agreed much refembled venifon, that we got knowledge, I believe, of all their herds, and it was conceived, by comparing their numbers together, that they (carcely exceeded two hundred upon the whole Ifland. I remetpber we had once an opportunity of obferving a remarkable difpute betwixt a herd of thefe animals and a number of dogs ; for going in our boat into the eaftern bay, we faw fome dogs running very eagerly upon the foot, and being v/illing to difrover what game they were after, we lay upon our oars fome time to view them, and at lall we faw them take to a hill, and looking a little further, we obferved upon the ridge of it an herd of goats, which feemed drawn up for their reception ; there was a very narrow path ikirted on each fide by precipices, on which th/e Mafter of the herd polled himfelf fronting the ene- my, the reft of the goats being all behind him, where the ground was more open : As this fpot was inacceffi- ble by any other path, excepti]]^ «vhere this champioa had placed himfelf, the dogs, tho' they ran up-hill with great alacrity, yet when they came within about twen- ty j^ards of him, durft not encounter him, (for he would infallibly have driven them down the precipice) but gave over the chace, and quietly laid themfelves down, panting at a great rate. The dogs, who, as 1 have mentioned, are mafters of all the acceHible parts of the liland, are of various kinds, but ibme of them very large, and are multiplied to a prodigious degree. They (ometimes came down to our habitations at night, and ftole our provifion ; and once or twice they fet upon fingle perlbns, but afTiftance be- ing at hand, they were driven off without doing any miichief. As at prefent it is rare for goats to tall in their way, we conceived that they lived principally up- on young feals -, and indeed fome of our people had the ^ > curiofuy J'^ I. ■■>iii4 no y/ V O T A G E- curiaGty to kUl dogs fomctinM* aqd dre^ theoi, &nd they fc^ned io agree ^hat they had a fi&iy t^he, vamc H Goa^'Aafh, as I have fn(.'iHionfd,^ b^ing (career w«^ rarely being able to kill above one a day j and .^ur people growing tired ofiMh, (which, as I ihall hereafter objP.rve, abounds at this place) they at laft Gondeicended to eat f^ts, which by degfiecs they came to r^iifli, and called it Iftmb. The i^al, numbers of which haunt this Ifland, hath been io often de^fibed by ^fe^raei* writers, that it is unne- ceiTory to fay any thiogparScular about th^era in this place. Butther^E is another ain|r.li»bio*'s creature to befnet with l)«re, called a fea^lyofi, chat bears ^me refemblance to a {eal, though it is mych larger. This too we eat under the deqaniination of beef'j and as it is fb extraordinary an a- niftial, I conceive, it well merits a fxirticuiar annotation. They are in fize, when arrived at their tuli growth, from twelve to twenty fce^ iii length, and from eight to fifteen inxircumference : They are extremely fat, fo that kfier hav'rfig cut thro' the ikiii,wh«€h is about an i«ch in fhick- nefs, tiiere is at 4eaft a foot of fat beibre you c»n come at either lean or bones; and we experienced more than oi »>^fT; J f. But that which furniflied us with the mod delicious re- pass at this Ifland, remains ilill to be defcribed. This was the fi(h, with which the whole bay was moft plen- tifully ftored, and with the greateft variety : For we found here cod of a prodigious fize ; and by the report of (brae of our Crew, who had been formerly employed in the NezvfomuUand iiftiery, nor in lefs plenty than is to be met with on the banks of that Ifland. We caught al(b cavallies, gropers, large breams, maids, filver hfli, mongers of a peculiar kind, and above all, a black fifli, which we moll edeemed, called by fome a Chimney fweeper, in fliape refembling a carp. Indeed the beach is every where lo full of rocks and loofe ftones, that there i<; no poflibility of haling the Seyne ; but with hooks and lines we caught what numbers we pleafed, fo that a boat with two or three lines would return loaded with fifli in cSout two or three hours time. The only in- tr:rruption we ever met with, arofe from great quantities of dog-fifli and large fliarks, which fomeiimes attended our boats and prevented our fport. Befides the hfli we have already mentioned, we found here one delicacy in greater perfedion, both as to fize, fiavou* and quantiiy, than is pe.haps to be met wiUi in any other part of iije world : ..;V world : eight oi tafle, an that the the boat Thefe accomm produ6ti \i mull £ recoveri tedious a reduced of the fi be our r in the nc that intc of June J by a fq came ag; ed the fe after our Chap. 1 ' Pink Ci at thai it H bc,.'t.-i of ci''. :\ , '\ out, \v, i a Ibrtni^ appearec again ; a longer a and the have b€( AlH i 'hi our con thefe d< Bjt K an emir fw -Mi »\ f round the World. ' • r i ^ world : This was a Tea craw-fifti ; they generally weighed eight or nine pounds apiece, were of a moft excellent tafte, and lay 1:^ fuch abundance near the water's edge, that the boat-hooks often ftruck into them, in putting the boat to and from the'ftiore. Thc(e are the moft material articles relating to the accommodations, foil, vegetables, animals, and other productions of the Ifland of Jui^n Femandes : By whi with * ' her t'J 114 A V 0"V A G E her courfes even with the horizon; and they, at the feme timej pftrticularly obferved, that flie had no fail abroad except her ccuries and her main top-&il. This circumilance mtnie them c?oncliKk that it was one of our fqiiadron, which had probably fuffered in her fails and figging as- fevcrely as we had done : But they were prevented from forming more eri(h at fea. However, on the 26ih, towarob noon, we difcerned a fail in the North Eaft quarter, which we conceived to be the very fame (hip that had been feen before, and our conjec- tures proved tr^e ; and about one o*clock fhe approach- ed fo near, that we coiild diftingiiifh her to be the GIou- cefter. As we had no doubt of her being in great di- ftrefs, the Commodore iramediately ordered his boat to her afit^4nce, laden with frefh water, fifli, and vegeta- bles, which was a very (ealonable relief to them ; for our apprehenlions of their calamities appeared to be but too well grounded, as perhaps there never was a crew in a more di^treifed fiiuation. They had already thrown over-board two t! -rds of their complement, and of thofe that remained alive, fcarcely any were capable of doing duty, except the Officers and iheir lervants. They had been a conltderable time at the fmall allowance of a pint of fi^(h water to each man for twenty-four hours, and yet they had fo little left, that, had it not been for the ftipply we fent them, they muft foon have died of thifft. The (hip plied in within three miies of the bay J but the winds and currents being contrary, (ke could not reach the road. However, Ihe continued in the offing the next day, but had no chance of coming to an anchor, unlefs the winds and currents fljitted ; and therefore the Commodore repeated his aifiltancc, (ending to her the Tryal\ boat manned with the Cen- turions round the W o r l d. 115 tnrlotfi people, and a farther fiipply of water atid other rcfreQjimefUS. Capuin Mitchell the Captain of the GhuceJifTy was under a neceflity of detaining both this boat and that fent the preceding day ; for withoiit the help of their crews he had no longer ftrength enough ta navigate the Ibip. , !« this: tantalizing fituatjon the-bo«M wa* fent to him with a ftoreofwaajer, and plenty of iiih,;aBd other refrediments. And the lont^boat being riot to be ^ja/ed, the Cotkfwain had poftttve orders irom the Coffl^* modore to return again immediately; but the weather jbrovii^g ftormy the next day, and the boat not appearii&g we much feared (he was loft, v/hich would have proved an inetrievabJe misioriune to us aill : But^ the ^A ^y after, we were relieved from this anxiety, by the joyiial fight of the loiig^boafa fails upon the water ; and we fent the Cutter iramediiaiely to her aiFiiiaiice, who towv ed her along fide in a few hcwars. The crew of our long-boat had takeiii in fix of the GJeue^hr's fick raeof to bring them on ftiore, two of wljich bad died in the boat. And now we learnt that the Glouce/hr was in a moft dieadful condition, having foaicely atmaniiihettkb on board, except thofc they received fromuii and mina* bers of their fick dying darly, we'i'ound that, bad it not been for the latt fuppTy fent by oui* long-^boat^ both the healthy and the diieafed muil have all periihed together for want of water. And ihefe x:&Ianiitie& were the more terrify irg, as they appeared to be without remedy: ;,;: FoT I i <: ^m ii ii6 A VOYAGE For the Gloucefitr had already (Jient a month in her endeavours to fetch the bay, and (he was now no far- ther advanced than at the firft moment (he made the Ifland $ on the contrary the people on board lier had worn out all their hopes of ever fucceeding in it, by the many experiments they had made of its difliculty. In- deed, the fame day her fituation grew more defperaie than ever, for after (he had received our laft fupply of refreihments, we again loft fight of her j fo that we in general defpaired of her ever coming to an anchor. Thus was this unhappy veiTel bandied about within a few leagues of her intended harbour, whilft the neigh- bourhood of that place and of thofe circumftances, which could alone put an end to the calamities they la- boured under, ferved only to aggravate their diftrefs, by torturing them with a view of the relief it was not in their power to reach. But ihe was at laft delivered from this dreadful fituation, at a time when we leaft expected it J for after having loft fight of her for feveral days, we were pleafingly furprized, on the morning of the 23d of Jufy^ to fee her open the N. W. point of the bay with a flowing fail ; when we immediately difpatched what boats we had to her affiftance, and in an hour's time from our firft perceiving her, fhe anchored fafe within us in the bay. And now we were more particu- larly convinced of the importance of the alTiftance and refreflimcnts we fo often fent them, and how impoflible it would have been for a man of them to have furvived, had we given lefs attention to their wants j for noiwith- ftanding the water, the greens, and frefli provifions which we fupplied them with, and the hands we fent them to navigate the (hip, by which the fatigue of their own people was dimini(bed, their fick relieved, and the mor- tality abated ; notwithftanding this indulgent care of the Commodore, they yet buried three fourths of their crew, and a very fmall proportion of the remainder were capable of aflifting in the duty of the (hip. On their coming to an anchor, our (irft care was to aiTift them in mooring, and our next to fend the fick on (bore : Thefe were now reduced by deaths to lefs ^han four-(core, of which we expeded to lofe the greateft part : but whe- ther it was, that thofe fartheft advanced in the diftem-; - ii?i \ per V round the World. {^cT were all dead, or that the greens and viiions we had fent on board had prepared thofe which ren^ained for a more fpeedy recevory, it happened, con- tr .ry to our expe6laiions, that their fick were in gene- ral relieved and reftored to their ftrength, in a much Ihorter time than our own had been when we Aril came to the Iflandv and very few of them died on (hore. ,. I have thus given an account of the principal events, relating to the arrival of the Gloucefter, in one continu- ed narration : I (hall only add, that we never were joined by any other of our (hips, except our ViftualJer, the Anna Pinky who came in about the middle o^ Auguft^ and whofe hiHory I ihall more particulary relate here- after. And I ihall now return to the account of our own tranfaflions on board and on fhore, during the interval of the Gloucefter\ frequent and ineffedual at-? tempts to reach the Ifland. f Our next employment, after fending our fick on fhore frotn the Centurion^ was cleaniing our (hip and filling our water. I'he firft of thefe meafures was indiipenfa- bly necefTary to our future health, as the numbers of fickj and the unavoidable negligence arifmg from oui^ deplorable fituation at fea, had rendered the decks moil intolerably lo£.:hfdme. And the filling our water was a caution that appeared not lefs efTential to our future fe^ curity, as we had reafon to apprehend that accidents might oblige us to quit the Ifland at a very (hort warn- ing ; for fome Appearances, which we had difcovered on ihore upon oyr hrft landing, gave us grounds to be-* lieve, that there were ^pamjh cruifers in thefe feas, which had left the Ifland but a (hort time before our ar- rival, and might poilibly return there again, either for a recruit of water, or in fearch of us j tor as we could not doubt, but that the fole bufinefs they had at fea was to intercept us, and we knew that this Ifland was the likeliefl place, in their own opinion, to meet with JUS. The circumftances, which gave rife to thefe re- flexions (in part of which we were not miflaken, as (hall be obferved more at large hereafter) were our find-, ing on ihore feveral pieces of earthen ja made u(e of in thofe feas for water and other liquids, which ap- peared to be freih broken : We law too man) heaps of V alhcs, 'if; M' '; Hi; . < ,w M lii '•I I \tM 118 ^ V O Y A G -«ihts, and near them fi'fe-bdrjcs and pieces of fifli, be- "fides whole fifk fcattefed here and there, which plainly •apptared to have been but'a ifcort thme ©itt of the water, •as they were but juft beginning to decay. Thefe ap- |)carances were certain indications that there had been Ibips at this place but a fti^rt time before we came there; and as all S/>artrJh Merchant men ^fe inftruCtfed to avoid our conjeci- ture, we found t inained fecure for th^ future. But we were much conf> eerned tor thie lofs of our anchor, and fwept frequently for it, in hopes to have recovered it; but the buoy hav* tng funk at the very inllant that the cable, pairted^t wc were never able to find it. > "• -^ And Tiow as ^e advanced in July^ fome of our men being tolerably recovered, the ftrongeft of them were cvnployed in cutting down trees, and fplitting them tn^ to biilets : while others, who were too weak J<)r.tJBi« employ, undertook to carry the biilets by one at a time to the water-fide: This they performed, Ibme of them with the help of crutches, and others fupported by a fingle ftick. We next fent the forge on ihore, and etn* ployed our fmiths, who were but jufl: capable of work- ing, in mending our chain*plates, and our other broken and decayed iron-^ork. We began too the repairs of our rigging; but as we had not a fiifficient quantity of junk to make firon-yarn, we deferred the general over* hale, in hopes of the daily arrival of the Gloucefter, who we knew had a great quantity of junk on board. How^i ever, that we might make. as great difpatch as poflible in our refitting, we fet up a large tent on the beach for the fail»maker.& ; and they were immediately employ^ ed i ■m 'til I n* I20 y^ V O Y A G E ed in repairing our old iaiis, and making us new ones. Thefe occupations, with our cleanfing and watering the (hip, (which was by this lime pretty well compleat- ed) the attendance on our Tick and the frequent relief lent to the Gloucejier, were the principal tranfa^ions of our infirm crew, till the arrival of the Gloucefter at an anchor in the bay. And then Captain Mitchel waitino* on the Commodore, informed him, that he had been forced by the winds, in his lad abfcnce, as far as the ■fmall Ifland called Mafa-Fuero^ lying about twenty-two leagues to the weft ward oijuan FernanJes ; and that he endeavoured to (end his boat on (hore at this place for water, of which he could obferve feveral ftreams, but the wind blew (b ftrong upon the fhore, and occafioned flich a furf, that it was impoftible for the boat to land ; though the attempt was not altogether ufelefs, as they returned with a boat-load of (i(h. This Ifland had been reprefented by former Navigators as a barren rock ; but Captain Mitchel alTured the Commodore^ that it was al- nioft every where covered with trees and verdure, and was near four miles in, length; and added, that it ap- peared to him far from impo(rible, fome fmall bay might be found on it, which might afford fuliicient (belter ibr any (hip defirous of refrefliing there. As four (hips of pur fquadron were.miiling, this de- fcription of the Ifland oi Mafa^Fuero gave rife to a con- jecture, that fome of them might poflibly have fallen in with that Ifland, and havemiltaken it for tlie true place of our rendezvous ; zri this fufpicion was the more plaufible, as we '^ . .lo draught of either Ifland that could be relied on. In confequence of this reafoning, \Ax^Anfon determined to fend the 7ryal Sloop thither, as foon as ftie could be fitted for the (ea, in order to exa- mine all its bays and creeks, that we might be (atif- fied whether any of our mifling (hips were there or not. For this purpofe, fome of our beft hands were fent on board the Tryal the next morning, to over- hale and fix her rigging ; and our long-boat was employed in com- pleating her water; and whatever ftores and nece(faries flie wanted, were immediately fupplied, either irora the Centurion or the Gloucefter. But it was the 4th of Au' guft before the Tryal was in readinefs to fail, when hav- k^'- ^ __ ■ ... , jf ing ■ round the W OR LD. 121 ing weighed, it foon after fell calm, and the tide fet her very near the eaftern fhore : Captain Saunders hung out lights, and fired feveral guns to acquaint us with his danger ; upon which all the boats were fent to his relief, who towed the Sloop into the bay j where (he anchored until the next morning, and then weighing again, pro* ceeded on her cruize with a fair breeze. And now after the Gloucefter\ arrival, we were em- ployed in earnefl in examining and repairing our rig« ging ; but in the dripping our foremafl, we were a- larmied by aifcovering it was fprung juft above the part- ners of the upper deck. The fpring was two inches in depth, and twelve in circumference ; but the Carpenters infpe6ting it gave it as their opinion, that fifh" ^g it with two leaves of an anchor flock, would rendci it as fe- cure as ever. But our greateft difficulty in refitting was the want of cordage and canvas ; for tho' we had taken to fea much greater quantities of both, than had ever been done before^ yet the continued bad weather we met with, had occafioned fuch a confumption of (lores, that we were driven to great flraits : For after working up all our junk and old fbrouds, to make twice-laid cordr age, we were at lafl obliged to unlay a cable to work in- to running rigging. And with all the canvas, and rem- nants of old fails that could be mullered, we could only make up one compleat fuit. Towards the middle oi Auguji our men being indiffe- rently recovered, they were permitted to quit their fick tents, and to build feparate huts for themfelves, as it was imagined, that by living apart, they would be much cleanlier, and confequent ly likely to recover their ftrength the Iboner ; but at the fame time particular orders were given, that on the firing of a gun from the fbip, they fhould inflantly repair to the water-fide. Their employments on fhore was now either the procur- ing of retrefhments, the cutting of wood, or the making ot oil from the blubber of the fea-lions. This oil ferv- ed us for feveral ufes, as burning in lamps, or mixing with pitch to pay the (hips fides, or, when mixed with wood-afhes, to fupply the ufe of tallow, of which wc had none left, to give the (hip boot-hofe tops. Some of the men too were occupied in falting of cod -, for '^' G . there ■}'.■•> >*"T* i,m ifw: m ■i!.v,'' yni: wmm ^^^^m^m^^mmmmmm 122 . y^ V O Y A G E there being two Ne*ivfoundland fifliermen in the Centn-* rioHy the Conimodorc made u(e of them in laying in a confiderable quantity of falted cod for a fea-ftore ; but very little of it was made ufe of, as it was afterwards thought to be as productive of the fcurvy, as any other kind of fait provifions. tH/rti I have before njeniioned, that we had a copper-oven on fhore to bake bread for the ilck ; but it happened that the grcateft part of the flower, for the ufe of the fquadron, was embarked on board our Vidtualler the j^n- fiaPink: And I (hould have mentioned, that the Tryal Sloop, at her arrival, had informed us, that on the 9th o( May (he had fallen in with oUi Victualler, not far dif- tant from the continent oi Chili: and had kept compa- ny with her for four days, when they were parted in a hard gale of wind. This gave us fomc room to hope that £e was fafe, and that (he might join us ; but all June and July being pad: without any news of her, we fufpeCted Ihe was ioft ; and at the end of July the Com- modore ordered all the ihips to a fhort allowance of bread. And it was not in our bread only, that we feared a deficiency ; for fince our arrival at this Iflanc^. we difcovered that our former Purfer had negledtcd to take on board large quantities of feveral kinds of pro- vifions, which the Commodore had exprefly ordered him to receive j (o that the fuppofed lofs of our Vic- tualler, was on all accounts a mortifying confideration. However, on Sunday^ the i6th o^ Augujiy about noon, we efpied a fail in the northern quarter, and a gun was im- mediately fired from the Centurion^ to call off the people from Ihore ; who readily obeyed thefummons,and repair- ed to the beach, where the boats waited to carry them on board. And now being prepared for the reception of this Ihip in view, whether friend or enemy, we had various fpeculaiions about her ; at firft, many imagined it to be the Try/?/ floop returned from her cruize; but as (he drew nearer this opinion was confuted, by obferving (be was a ve(rel with three mafts ; and then other conjectures were eagerly canvalfed, (bme judging it to be the Severny others the Pearly and feveral affirming that it did not belong to our fquadron : but about three in the afternoon our dif- putes were ended by an unanimous perfuafion that it was our round the World. 123 our ' lualler the Anna Pink. This (hip, though like the Giouce/iir,(hc had fallen in to the northward ofthelfland, had yet the good fortune to come to an anchor in the bay, at five in the afternoon. Her arrival gave us all the fmcereft joy ; for each (hip's company was now redored to their full allowance of bread, and we were now freed from the apprehenfions of our provifions falling (hort,, before we could reach fome amicable port ; a calamity, which in thefe feas is of all others the moft irretrievable^ This was the lad (hip that joined us ^ and the dangers (he encountered, and the good fortune which (he afterwards met with, being matters worthy of a feparate narration, I (hall refer them, together with a (hort account of the other (hips of this fquadron, to the enfuing chapter. , Chap. III. A Jbort narrative of njohat befel the Anns. Pink before Jbe joined us f luith an account of the lofs of the Wager, and of the t>uttin^ hack of the Severn anj Pearl, the tuuo remait ig Jbips of toe fquadron, ^ ON the firft appearance of the Anna xink, it feemed wonderful to us how the crew of a velTel, which came to this rendezvous two months after us, (hould be capable of working their (hip in the manner they did, with (b little appearance of debility and diflrefs : But this difHculty was foon folved when (became to an anchor: for we then found that they had been in harbour fmce the middle of Miy, which was near a month before we, arrived at Juan Fernandes : So that their fufFerings (the rifque they had run of (hipwreck only excepted) were greatly (hort of what had been undergone by the reft of, the fquadron. It feems, on the 1 6th of May, they fell in with the land, which was then but four leagues di- ftant, inthe latitude of 45° : 15' South. On the firft fight of it they wore (hip and ftood to the fouthward, but their fore-top-fail fplitting» and the wind being W.S., W.they drove towards the(hore; and the Captain at laft, either unable' to clear the land, or, as others fay, refblv- ed to keep the (ea no longer, (leered for the coaft, with a view of difcovering fome (helter amongft the many Idands which then appeared in fight : And about four hours after the firft view of the land, the Pink had th? - G 2 good li. mupmrnnmrnm 124 -*. V O Y A G E good fortune to come to an anchor, to the eaftward of the Ifland o\ Inchin ; but as they did not run fufficiently near to the Eail-(hore of that Ifland, and had not hands to veer away the cable brifkly, they were foon driven to theeaftward^ deepning their water from twenty-five fathom to thirty-five., and ftill continuing to drive, they, the next day the 1 7th of ik%, let go their flieet anchor ; which though it brought them up for a fhort time, yet on the i8th, they drove again, till they came into fixty-five fathom water, and were now within a mile of the land, and expeded to be forced on fliore every moment, in a place where the coall was fo verv high and fleep too, that there was not the leaft profp.ct of faving the (hip or cargo j and their boats being very leaky, and there being no appearance of a landing-place, the whole crew, confifting of fixteen men and boys, gave themfelves over for loft, for they apprehended, that if any of them by feme extraordinary chance fhould get on fliore, they would, in all probability, be maflacred by the favages on the coaft : For thefe, knowing no other Europeans but Spaniardsy it might be expected they would treat all ftrangers with the fame cruelty which they had {o often and lb fignally exerted againft their Spanijb n'iighbours. Under thefe terrifying circumftances the Pink drove nearer and nearer to the rocks which formed the ihore ; but at laft, when the crew expected each in- ftant to ftrike, they perceived a fmall opening in the land, which raifed their hopes ; and immediately cutting away their two anchors, they fteered for it, and found it to be a fmall channel betwixt an Ifland and the Main, which led them into a moft excellent harbour, which for its fecurity againft all winds and fwells., and the finoothnefs of its waters, may perhap? compare with any in the known world. And this place being fcarcely two miles diftant from the fpot where they deemed their deftru^lion inevitable, the horrors of fliipwreck and of immediate deiith, which had fo long, and fo ftrongly poiTefled ;hem, vaniflied almoft inftantaneoufly, and gave place to the more joyous ideas of fecurity, repofe, and refiefliment. In this har'oour, difcovcred in this almoft miraculous manner, the Pink came to an anchor in twenty-five fathom fathom y of about for were ms reftored which th tcr with this plac ture Na\ the weft< part of t xhtT part beft acco convenie Its lati not well a ther the d leaving it trom 45* before the niaterial. is fuppofe nientionec that coaft » barbaroi Spaniardsy as have fa ihat the la another of confiderab coves in \ th« water veral fine r the harboL the caflcs n One of ih ter river, a lets of an that, in a were there frefliments wild celler round the World. ' 125 fathom water, with only a hawfer and a fmall anchor of about three hundred weight : And here (he continu- ed for near two months, refrefhing her people, who were many of them ill of the fcurvy, but were foon reftorcd to perfect health by the frefti provifions, of which they procured good llore, and the excellent wa- ter with which the adjacent (hore abounded. But as this place may prove of the greateft importance to fu- ture Navigators, who may be forced upon this coaft; by the wefterly^winds, which are ahr.oft perpetual in that part of the world, I fhall, before I enter into any far- ther particulars of the adventures of the Pink^ give the .beft account I could colle(St of this Port, its fuuation, conveniencies, and produftions. Its latitude, whict, \z indeed an important point, is not well afcertained, the Pink having no obfervation ei- ther the day before (he came here, or within a day of her leaving it : But it is fuppofed that it is not very didant from 45* : 30' South ; and the large extent of the bay before the harbour, renders this uncertainty the left material. The Ifland of Inching lying before the bay, is fuppo'ed to be one of the Iflands of Chonosy which are mentioned in the Spanijb accounts, as fpreading all along that coaft ; and are faid by them to be inhabited by i barbarous people, famous for their hatred to the Spaniards, and for their cruelties to fuch of that Nation as have fallen into their hands: And it is polfible too that the land near which the harbour itfelf l»es, may be another of tho(e Iflands, and that the Contment may be con(iderably farther to the eaftward. There are two coves in it where (hips may conveniently heave down, the water being conllantly fmooth : An^ there are fe- veral fine runs of excellent frelh water vvhich fall into the harbour, and fome of them fo luckily fituated, that the calks may be filled in the long-boat with an hofc : One of them in the N. E. of the Pore, is a fre(h wa- ter river, and here the Pink'i pe«.>ple got fome few mul- lets of an c^^cellent flavour ; anc* they were perfuadcd that, in a proper feafon (it being winter when ihey were there) it abounded with fifii. The principal re- fre(hments they met with in this port were greens, as wild celleryj nettle-tops, ^c, (which after fo long a G 3 continuanct ?' t 'I 1 iSt'i ipp^p 'mmmmmmmf' ia6 yi VOYAGE continuance at fea they devoured with great cagernefs) ihell-fiih, as cockles and mufcles of an extraordinary iize, and extremely delicious ; and good ftore of geefe, (hags, and penguins. The climate, though it was the depth of winter, was not remarkably rigorous ; nor the trees, and the face of the country, deftitute of verdure ; and doubtlefs in the fummer many other fpecies of frefli provifion, befides thefe here enumerated, might be found there. And notwithftanding the tales of the Spanijh hi- ilorians, in relation to the violence and barbarity of the inhabitants, it doth not appear that their numbers are fufficient to give the leai'l jealoufy to any (hip of ordi- jiary force, or that their dilpofition u by any means fo mifchievous or mercilels as hath hitherto been reprefent- ed : And befides all thefe advantages, it isfo far remov- ed from the Spanijb frontier, and fo little known to the Spaniards themfelves, that there is reafon to fuppofe, that with proper precautions a (hip might continue here undifcovered for a long time. It is alfo a place of great defence,, for by poflelfing the Ifland that clofes up the haibcui, and which is acceflible in very few places, a fmall force might defend this j3ort againft all the ftrength the Spaniards could mufter in that part of the world ; for this Ifland towards the harbour is deep to, and has fix fathom water clofe to the fliore, fo that the Pink an- chored within forty yards of it : Whence it is obvious how impoflible it would prove, either to board or to cut out any veflel protedled by a force polled on {hore with- in piftol (hot, and where thofe who were thus polled could not themfelves be attacked. Ail thefe circum- flances feem to render this place worthy of a more ac- curate examination ; and it is to be hoped, that the im- portant ufes which this rude account of it feems to fug- gell, may hereafter recommend it to the confideration of the Public, and to the attention of tho(e who arc more immediately entrufted with the conduft of our naval afi^airs. After this defcription of the place where the Pink lay for two months, it may be expected that I (hould relate the difcoveries made by the crew on the adjacent coad, and the principal incidents during their (lay there : But here I muft obferve, that being only a few in num- ber, round the W OK LD. 127 ber, they did not dare to detach any of their people on diftant difcoveries -, for they were perpetually terrified with the apprebeniion chat they fhould be attacked either by the Spaniard or the Indians ; fb *hat iheir excursions were generally confined to that trad of land which fur- rounded the Port, and where they were never out of view of the (hip. But even had they at firft known how little foundation there was for thefe fears, yet the coun- try in the neighbourhood was lb grown up with wood, and traverfed with mountains, that it appeared impradi- cable to penetrate it : So that no account of the inland parts could be expecled from them. Indeed they were able to difprove the relations given by the Spanijb writers, who had reprefented this coaft as inhabited by a fierce and powerful people : For they were certain that no fuch inhabitants were there to be found, at lead during the winter feafon ; fince all the time they continued there, they faw no more than one Indian family, which came into the harbour in a periagua, about a month after the arrival of the Pinky and confifted of an Indian near forty years old, his wife, and two children, one three years of age, and the other ftili at the breau. They feemed to have with them all their property, which was a dog, and a cat, a fi(hing-net, a hatchet, a knife, a cradle, fome bark of treer ntended for the covering of a hut, a reel, Ibme worfteu, t flint and fteel, and a few roots of a yellow hue and a very ' * ^recablc tafte, which ferved them for bread. The Matter of the Pinkf as foon as he perceived them, font his yawl, who brought tbcm on board ; and fearing, left they might difcover him if they were permitted to go away, he took as he conceived proper precautions for fecuring them, but without any mixture of ill ufage or violence : For in the day-time they were permitted to go where they pleafed about the Ihip, but at night were locked up in the fore-caftle. As they were itd in the fame manner with the reflt of the crew, and were often in- dulged with brandy which they feemed greatly to relifh, it did not at firft appear that they were much diffa- tisfied with their fituation, efpecially as the Mafter took the Indian on fliore when he went a lliooting, (who always feemed extremely delighted when the Matter G 4 , killed 1:, \ mitl^mmwm^^^m "■piW^IW^'^fl" wp^ mmm^ rzi A VOYAGE killed bis game) and as all the crew treated them with great humanity : But it was loon perceived, that though the woman continued eafy and chearful, yet the man grew penfive and reftlefs at his confinement. He feem- ed to be a perfon of good natural pans, and though not capable of converfing with the P/»i's people, otherwife than by figns, was yet very curious and inquifitive, and fhewed great dexterity in the manner of making himfelf underftood. In particular, feeing fo few peopie on board fuch a large (hip, he let them know, that he fup- pofed they were once more numerous : And to repre- fent to them what he imagined was become of their companions, he laid himfelf down on the deck, clofmg his eyes, and ftretching himfelf out motionlefs, to imi- tate the appearance of a dead body. But the ftrongeft proof of his fagacity was the manner of his getting away j for after being in cuftody on board the Pirik eight days, the fcuttle of the fore-caftle, where he and his famiiy were locked up every night, happening to be unnaiied, and the following night being extremely dark and (lormy, he contrived to convey his wife and children through the unnaiied fcuttle, and then over the Aip's fide into the yawl ; and to prevent being purfued, he cut away the long-boat and his own periagua, which were towing a-fl:ern, and immediately »-'^-.»cd alhore. All this he conduded with fo much diligence and fecre- cy, that though there was a watch on the quarter-deck with loaded-arms, yet he was not difcovered by them, till the noife of his oars in the water, after he had put off from the fiiip, gave them notice of his efcapej and then it was too late either to p event him or to purfue him J for, their boats being all adrift, it was a confi- derable time before they could contrive the means of getting on fliore themfelves to fearch for their boats. The Indian too by this effort, befides the recovery of his liberty, was in (bme fort revenged on thofe who had confined him, both. by the perplexity thev were involved in from the loft of their boats, and bv the terror he threw them into at his departure ; for o the firft alarm of the watch, who cried out, the hiiansy the whole (hip was in the utmoft confufion, believing themfelves to be boarded by a fleet of armed periaguas. The round the World. 129 The r^folution and fagacity with which the Indian be- haved upon this occafion, had it been exerted on a more extcnfive objeft than the retrieving the freedom of a fingie family, might perhaps have immortalized the exploit, and have given him a rank amongftthe illuftri- ous names of antiquity. Indeed his late Mafters did fb much juftice to his merit, as to own that it was about the end of January^ having made made tli whi<;h \ Tres Mc this exp fuperab they go hearteni ments, How to meet walhed fea. 1 ;he han good f( of Imik (poke a Captair a barga Captair have hi Accord to whi the bai proceec princip with ar to fea, By t Mr. h Mr. By ihe fur, ilrefTes augme their p any th defolat procur convei habits ,x* But C 1 own r pe^ed round the World. 137 made three unfuccefsful attempts to double a head land, whi^h ^hey fuppofed to be what the Spaniards called Tres Monies t ii was uiianimoufly refblved to give over this expedition, the difliculties of which appeared in- fupcrable, and to return again to JVager IJIandy where they got back about the middle of February, qu'»e dis- heartened and dejected with tlieir reiterated difappoint- ments, and almolt perilhing; with hunger and fatigue. However, on their return, the;' had the good luck to meet with feveral pieces of beef, which had been wallied out of the ihip, and -.vere fwimming in the fea. This was a moil feafonable relief to them after the hardihips tiiey had endured: And to compleat their good fortune, there came in a fhort time, two canoes of Indians f amongft which was a native of Cbi/oey who fooke a little $panijh j and the furgeon, who was with Captain Cheapo underftanding that language, he made a bargain with the Indiany that if he would carry the Captairi and his people to Chiloe in the barge, he fhould have her« and all that belonged to her for his pains. A<:c;ording|y, on the 6th of Marchy the eleven perfons .to which the company was now reduced, embarked in the barge on this new expedition ; but after having proceeded for a few days, the Captain and four of his principal officers being on Ihore, the fix, who together with an Indian remained in the barge, put off with her to fta, and did not return. By this means there were left on fliore Captain Cheapo Mr. Hamilton Lieutenant of Marines, the Honourable JMr. Byron and Mr, Camphely Midfhipmen, and Mr. Elliot ihe furgeon. One would have thought that their di- ilrefles had long before this time been incapable of augmentation J but they found, on reflection, that their prefent fituaiion was much more difmaying than any thing they had yet gone through, being left on a defolate coaft without any provifion, or the means of procuring any ; for their arms, ammunition, and every conveniency they were mafters of, except the tattered habits jthey had on, were all carried away in the barge. . But < when they had fufficiently revolved in their own minds, the various circumftances of this unex- pe^ed calamity, and were perfuaded that they had no ai relief ft I ill mmmwmm^ ji iNiiiuiiipnPfnpipRpip 138 ^ VOYAGE %», / x relief to hope for, the/ perceived a canoe at a diftance, which proved to be that of the InJiatty who had un- dertaken io carry them to Chiloe, he and his family being then on board it. He made no difficuhy of coming to iheni ; for it feems he had left Captain Cheap knd his people a little before to go a filhing, and had in the mean time committed them to the care of the other Indian^ whom t!ie failors had carried to fea In the barge. But wiicn he came on fhore, and found the barge gone and his companion miffing, he was extremely concerned, and could with difficulty be perfuaded that the other Indian was not murthered ; but being at laft fatisfied with the account that was given him, he ftill undertook to carry them to the 5//7w7^ Settlements, ard (as the W/awj arc well fkilled in fiOiing and fowling) to procure them provifions by the way. About the middle of March^ Captain Cheap and the four who were left with him fet out for Chiloe^ the Indian having procured a number of canoes, and V;,, %. 146 /f V O Y A G E the purfuit, conceiving that by that time flic muft, in all probability, have reached her Port. And now we pre- ^ pared to return lojuax Femandes^ and haled up to the S. W. with ^hat view, having but very little wind till the i2rh; when, at three fn the morning, there fprung • up a freftl gale from the W. S. W. and we tacked and ftood to the N. W : And at day-break we were agree- ably furprized with the fio;ht of a fail on our weather- bow, between four" and five leagues diftant. On this ' we crouded'sill the fail we could, and ftood after her, .and foon perceived it rfot to be the fame flii'p we origi- nally gave chace to. She at firft bore down upon us, fhowing Spanijh colours, and making a fignal as to her tonlbrt ; but obfervih^ that we did not anfwer her fignal, file inftanily loded clofe to the wfnd, and ftood to the fouthward. Our people were now all in fpirits^ and put the ibip about with great alacrity ; and as the chace ap- * peared to be a large ftiip, and had miftaken us for her Concert, we conceived that flie was a man of war, and probably one of Pizarro\ fquadron : This induced the Commodore to order all the officers cabins to be knocked down and thrown over-board, with feveral calks of water and p/6Vi(ions w^ich ftood between the guns; fo that we had foon a clear (hip, ready for an engage- ment. About nine o'clock we had thick hazy weather and a ftiower of rain, during which v/c loft fight of the chace ; and we were apprchenfive, if the weather ftiould 'continue, that by going upon the other tack, or by feme other artifice!, Ihe might efcape us; but it clearing up in J^fs than an hour, we found that we had both weathered ' and fore-reached upon her conrjderably,and now we were ' near enough to difcover that (he was only a Merchant- man, wiihout fo much as a fingle tire of guns. About half an hour after twelve, being then within areafonable diftance of her, v/e fired four (hot amongft her rigging; on which, they lowered their top-fails, and bore down to us, but in very great confufion, their top-gallant fails ' and" (lay- fails all fluttering in the wind : This was owing lo iheii having let run their (beets and halyards juft as v^c fifed at them ; after which, not a man amongil them , had courage enough to venture aloft (for there the Ihot had palTed but juft before) to lake them in. As foon as the . -HuA...-. ■-. round the W orld. _ 147 the veflTel came within hail of us, the Commodore or- dered them to bring to under his lee-quarter, ana then; boifted out the boat, and fent Mr. SaumareZy his ftrrt Lieutenant, to take pofleflion of the prize, with direci^ t-ions to fend all the prifoners on board the Centuriotiy but firft the officers and paflengers. When Mr. Saumaresi came on board them,^ they received him at the fide with' the ftron^ft tokens of the moft abje£l fubmiflion ; for they were all of them (efpecially the paffengers, wha were twenty- five in number) extremely terrified, and' under the greateft apprehcnfions of meeting with very* fevere and cr^uel u(kge; but the Lieutenant endeavour-^ td^ with great curfcty, to diflipate their fright, afTuring* ofaem, that their fears were altogether groundlefs, aiid; that they would find a generous enemy in the Commo- dore, who was not lefs remarkable for his lenity and^ humanity, than for his refolution and courage. The prifoners, who were fiift on board the Centurion, inform- ed us, that our prize was called Nueflra Senora del Mont& Carme/Of^nd was commanded by Don Manuel Zamorra,^ Her cargoe confifted chiefly of fugar, and great quanti-' ties of a blue cloth made in the province of ^itOy fomt^i' what refembling our £«f/(/^ coarfe broad-cloths, but \ti^^ ferior to them. They had befides feveral bales of a^ Goarfer fort of cloth, of different colours, foniewhat likt Cokhefter bays, called by them ^annia de Tierra^ with a few bales of cotton and tobacco; which, though flVong, was not ill flavoured. Thcfe were the principal goods- on board her; but we found befides, what Was to us much more valuable than the reft of the cargoe: This was (bme trunks of wrought plate, and t*wenty-three' ferons of dollars, each weighing upwards of 200/. averdupois. The fliip's burthen was about four hundred and fifty tuns ; Ihe had fifty-three failors oh board,^ both whites and blacks j fhe came from Callao, and had been twenty-feven days at fea, before the fell into our hands. She was bound to the port of l^alparaifo in the kmgdomr of Chiliy and propofed to have retufried f^om'' thtnce loided with corn and Chitivf'mty fome gold; dried beef,, and fmall cordage, which at Callao the/ convert!-^ into larger rope. Our prize had been built upwards of ibirty years£| yet ae they lie in harbour all the winter moiuhs, and the climate is favourable, they elleemed it H 2 no ^ 4: I mm mmmim 14S 4 jV O Y A G E no very great age. Her rigging was very indifferent, ais were likewifc her fails, which were made of Cotton. She had only three four pounders, which were ahogether vnfcrviceable, their carriages being fcarcely able to fup- port them : And there were no fmali arms on board, ex- cept a few piftols belonging to the paffengers. The pri- foners informed us, that they left Ca/Iao in company with two other (hips, whom they had parted with fome days before, and that at firft they conceived us to be one of their company ; and by the defcription wc gave them of the fliip we had chafed from Jmim Fernandesy they aflured us, (he was of their number, but that the coming in fight of that Ifland was diredly repugnant to the Merchants inftruftions, who had exprefly forbid it, as knowing that if any Engli/b fquadron was in thofe ftas, the Ifland ofFer- nandes was moft probably the place of their rendezvous. And now, after this ihort account of the (hip and her cargoe, it is neceflary that I ihould relate the important intelligence which we met with on board her, partly from the information of the prifoners, 1 partly from the let- ters and papers which fell into our hands. We here firft learnt with certainty t he force and deftination of that (qua- dron, which cruifed off the Maderas at our arrival there, and afterwards chafed the Pearl in our pailage to port St. Julian. This we now knew was a fquadron compof- cd of five large Spanifi ftiips, commanded by Admiral Pizarro^ and purpofely fitted out to traverfe our defigns, as hath been already more amply related in the 3d chap- ter of the I ft book. And we had, at the fame time, the faiisfadion to find, that Pizarroy after his utmoft endea- vours to gain his palTage into thefe fcas, had been forced back again into the river of Plate, with the lofs of two of his largeft (hips : And befides this difappoiniment of Pizarro^ which, confidering our great debility, was no unacceptable intelligence, we farther learnt, that an em- bargo had been laid upon all (hipping in thefe feas by the Viceroy of Peru , in the month of May preceding, on a fuppofition that about that time we might anive upon the coaft. But on the account fent over-land by Pizarro of his own diftrefles, part of which they knew we muft have encountered, as we were at feaduring the fame time, suid on their j^^^ving np newt of lu io eight months after wc round the World. I4Q we were known to fei fail from St. Cathrim's, they were fully pcrfuaded that we were either Ihip-wreck'd, or had perifhed at fea, or at lea(l had been obliged to put back again j for it was conceived impoflible tor any (hips to continue at fea during fo long an interval : And there- fore on the application of the Merchants, and the firm perfuafion of our having mifcarried, the embargo had been lately taken off. This laft article made us flatter ourfelv as, that, as the enemy was ill ! a ftranger at our having got round Cape Horn^ and the navigation of thcfe feas was rellored, w« might meet with fome confiderable captures, and might thereby indemnify ourfelves for the incapacity we were now under of attempting any of their confiderable fet- tiements on ihorc. And thus much we were certain of, from the information of our prifoners, that v»'hat- ever our fuccefs might be as to the prizes we might light on, wc had nothing to fear, weak as we were, from the Spanijb force in this part of the world j though we dii- covered that we had been in moli imminent peril from the enemy, when we leaft apprehended it, and when our other diilrefTes were at the greateft height ; for we learnt/ from the letters on board, that Pizarroy in the e^prefs he difpaiched to the Viceroy of Peru ^ after his return to the river of Plate ^ had intimated to him, that it was poflible fome part at leaft of the Englijb fquadron might get round ; but that as he was certain from his own experi^ ence, that if they did arrive in thole (eas it muft be in a very weak and defenceless condition, he advifed the Viceroy, in order to be fecure at all events, to fit out what Ihips of force he had, and ffi\\(\ them to the fouth- ward, where, in all probability, they would intercept us fingly,and before we had an opportunity of touching any where for refrefliment ; in which cafe, he doubted not but we (hould prove an eafy conqueft. The Viceroy of Peru approved of this advice, and immediately fitted out: four Ihips of force from Callao', one of fifty guns,' two of forty guns, and one of twenty-four guns : Three; of them werertationed off the Port of Conception, and one of them at the Ifland of Fernane/es ; and in thele ftationi they continued cruifing for us till the 6th of Jutre^ when «ot feeing any thing of us, and conceiving it to be im- J H 3 podibie •-/, m MP wmm *50 yf VOYAGE poflible that we could have k«pt the feas (o long, they quitted their cruife and returned to CaUao, fully isrtisHed thattwe had either perifbed, or at lead had been driven back. As the time of their quitting theirAation was but a few days before our arrival at the Ifland of FernaniJes, it is evident, that had we made that Ifland on our hid fearch for it, vvithout haling in for the main to fecure our eafting, (a circuniftance, which, at that time, we con- fidered as Very unfortunate ro us, on account of the num- bers which we loft by our longer continuance at fea) had we, I fay, made the Ifland on the 28th of M/ty, when we firfl: expeded to fee it, and were in reality very near it, we had doubtlefs fallen in withibme part of the Spa- nifl) fquadron ; and in the diflrefled conditicn we were ihen in, the meeting with a healthy well provided ene- my, was an incident that could not but have bten per- plexing, and might perhaps have proved fatal, not only to U8, but to the 7ryal^ the Qkucefier^ and the Jlnna Pink^ who feparately joined us, and who were each of them lefs capable than we were of making any confidecable refif- tance. I fliall only add, that thefe •S^izni/^ (hips fen tout te intercept us^ h^d been grjeatly flsattered by a ftorm during their cruife ; and that, after their arrival at Cai/ao, they had been laid up. And our prifoners aflured us, that whenever intelligence was reoeived ail Lima ^ of our being in thefe feas, it would he at leaft two months bc» ibre this armament could again be fitted out. The whole of this intelligence was as favourable, as we in our reduced circumftances could wifti for. And now we were fully fatisficd as to the bioken jars, afties, and fifli-bones, which we had obferved at our firil land- ing at Juan Fernandts^ thefe things being doubtlefs the relicts of the cruifers ilation off that Port. Having thus fatished ourfelves in the material articles,and having got- ten on board the C«e«/tfr/W moft of c, ^ ■- I It:.. I ^i i" ■li. -*>vv 4i > i^'».' ".:<*(!' iSlir ■ ^ .* i •*. ■'. 'r «-* ( .,.. n^. «*}k« .^ »-JI>fr. feA. «^V. 1^^;^^lV->,»-^ V • ■ / '^ffiF''WTWwvw!fmmmi^W^^' round the W o r l d. <*"<"l«OTi 1^1 in the Carmelo had been fufficiently informed of the dif- irefles we had gone through, and were greatly furprifed that we had ever furmounted them : But when they faw the Tryal Sloop at anchor, they were ftill more aftonilh- ed., that after all our fatigues we had the induftry (be- fides refitting our other (hips) to compleat fuch a veiTel in fo (hort a time, they taking it for granted that Ihv. had been built upon the fpot. And it was with great dif- ficulty they v/ere prevailed on to believe, that (he came from England with the reft of the fquadron ; they at firft inilfting, that it was impollible fuch a bawble as that could pafs round Cape Horn, when the beft fhips ©f Spain were obliged to put back. By the time we arrived at Juan Fertiamhs^ the letieri found on board our prize'were more minutely examined: And, it appearing from them, and from the accounts of our prifoners, that feveral other Merchantmen were boimd from Callao to Valparaifo^ Mr. Anfin difpatched the T^ryal Sloop the very next morning, to cruife off the laft men'tioned Port, reinforcing him wiih ten hands from on board his own fliip. Mr. Anjon likewife re- ibived, on the intelligence recited above, to feparaie. the ihips under his command, and employ tfiem in diftindl cruifes, as he thought that by this means wc fibould not only increase our chance for prizes, but that * we niould likewife run a iefs rifque of alarming the coaft, and of being difcovered. And now tbe fpirits of our people being greatly raifed, and their defpondency , diffipated by this earneft of fuccefs, they forgot all theic paft diftreffes, and refumed their wonted alacrity, and laboured indcfatigably in compleating our water, re- ceiving our lumber, and in preparing to take our fare- . wcl of the Ifland : Bui as ihefe occupations took us up four or five days with al! our induftry, the Commodore, in that interval, dirtied that the guns belonging to the Anna Pink, being foui fix pounders, four four pounders, and two fwivels, fliould be mounted on board the Car^ melo our prize : And having fent on board the Gloucejier fix paflengers, and tv/enty-three fcamen to affift in na-^ vigating the fliip, he direded Captain Mitchel to leave the Ifland as foon as poifible^ the fervice requiring the uxraaft difpaich, ordering him lo proceed to the latitude -•-^ H 4,. of^ W^ m mji !^ " rl*j. '[,■. fl % 4 1 !'^ sir I it m r r. '-(t>!>i«^'^ mmmm mtmmmm m^mmm^^'ws^^miummmmm'i^lfmiftflllim •^^mmn^mmimm K^2 ^VOYAGE %.- w u of five degrees South, and there to cruifc off the high- land of Pai/ay at fuch a diltance from ihore, as Ihould prevent his being difcovered. On this ftation he was to continue till he Ihould be joined by the Commodore, which would be whenever it fhould be known that the Viceroy had fitted out the ifcips at Cal/ao, or on Mr. Anfons receiving any other intelligence, that (hould make it neceffkry to unite oiir ftrength. Thefe orders being delivered to the Captain of the Gkucefter, and all our bufinell- compleated, we, on x\\t Saturei'iiy following, being the 19th of September^ weighed our anchor, in company with our prize, and got out of the bay, taking our lail leave of the Ifland of Juan Fernandes, and ileer- ing to the eaftward, with an intention of joining the Ttyal Sloop in her ftation cflF Vaiparaifo. .. . . « / Chap. V. Our cruife from the time of our lea'vitig Juzn Fernandes, to the taking the totun of Paita. ALthough the Centurisrty with her prize the Carmeloj weighed from the bay of Juan Fernandes on the I9tii of September y leaving the Gloucefler at anchor be- hind her ; yet, by the irregularity and fluctuation of the winds in the offing, it was the 2 2d of the iame month in the evening before we loft fioht of the liland : Af- ter which, we continued our courfe to the eaftward, in order to reach our ftation, and to join the Tryal ofif Vaiparaifo. The next night, the weather proved Iqually, and we iJ3lit our main- top-fail, which we handed for the prefent, but got it repaired, and fet it again the next morning. And now, on the 24th, a little before fun-fet, we faw two fail to the eaftward j on which, our prize ftood diredly from us, io avoid giving any fufpicion of our being cruifers j whilft we, in the mean time, made ourlelves ready for an engagement, and fteered towards the two ftiips we had difcovered with all our canvas. We foon perceived that one of thefe, which had the appearance of being a very ftout ftjip, made direftly for us, whilft the other kept a very great dif- tance. By feven o'clock we were within piftol-ftjot of the neareft, and had a broad-fide ready to pour into her/ ihe Gunners having their matches in their hands, and immw roui7d tie Wo R i, d. 15 j only waiting for orders to fire; but as we knew it was now impoffible for her to efcape us, Mr. Anforty before he permitted them to fire, ordered the Mafter to hail the fhip in Spanijb ; on which the commanding officer on board her, who proved to be Mr. Hughes^ Lieute- nant of the i'tyalj anfwered us in Engfijh, and inform- ed us, that Ihe was a prize taken by the Tryal^ few days before, and that the other fail at a diftance wa» the Tryal herfelf difablcd in her mafts. We were fooil after joined by the Tryal i and Captain Saunders her Commander came on board the Centurion. He inform- ed the Commodore, that he had taken this (hip the i8th inllanti that (he was a prime failor, and had coll him thirty-fix hours chace, before he could come up with her J that for feme time he gained fo little upon her, that he began to de(pair of taking her ; and the Spani- ards though alarmed at firil with feeing nothing but a cloud of fail in purfuit of them, the Tryats hull being fo low in the water that no part of it appeared, yet knowing the goodnefs of their (hip, and finding how little the Tryal neared them, they at length laid afidc their fears, and, recommending themlelves to the blefTed Virgin for protection, began to think themfelves fecure. And indeed their fucceis was very near doing honour to thQir Ji;e Marias ; for altering their courfe in the night, and tl»utting up their windows to prevent any of their lights from being feen, they had fomc chance of efcaping; but a fmall crevice in one of their (butters rendered all their invocations ineffeftual i for through this crevrce the people on board the Tryal ^^v^ ceived a light, which they chaced, till they arrived within gun-lhot ; and then Captain Saunders 'aXdiXmtd them -rex peeled ly with a broad-fide, when they flat- tered themfelves they were got out of his reach : How- ever, for (bme time alter they ft ill kept the fame fui' abroad, and it was not obferved that this firftfalutfe had made any impreflion or them ; but, juft as the 7Vy«/ was preparing to repeat her broad-(ide, the 5/«- «wrt« crept from their holes, lowered their fails, and fubmitted without any oppolltion. She was one of the largcft Merchantmen employed inthofe feas, being about fix hundred tuns burthen, and was called tht Arranzia4. ■ \ % HS au* il m m,k il,.lfc«»"WV p^'^mrnmrnimmmimm ^^W" 154 .^VOYAGE She was bound from Ca/Iao to Valparaifo^ and had much the famecargoe with the Carmelo we had ajcen before, except thai her filver ampunted pnly to about ■5000/. fterling. But to ballance this fuccefs, we had the misfortune to find that the ^Tryal had fprung her main-maft, and that her main-top-maft had come by the board ; and ts we were all of us (landing to the eallward the next morning, with a frefti gal^ at South, (he had the ad- ditional ill-luck to fpringher fore-maft : So that now (he l)ad not a maft left, on which Ihe could carry fail. Theft unhappy accidents were ftill aggravated by the impofllbility we were juft then under of aflifting her ; for the wind blew fo hard, and raifed fuch a hollow fea, Xhat we could not venture to hoift out our boat, and con- i'equently could have no communication with her ; (b that we were obliged to lie to for the greateft part of ibrty-eight hours to attend her, as we could have no $b©yght of leaving her to herfelf in her prefect unhap- py (ituation : And as an accumulation to our misfor- tunes, we w« -e all the while driving to the leeward of i)ur ilation, at the very time when, by our intelligence, we had reafon to expeft feveral of the enemy's (hips ivould appear upon the coaft, who would now gain the port of Valparaifo without obftru6tion. And I am ve- rily perfuaded, that the embarraffment we received from thedifmaftingof the T^ryaly and our abfcnce from f>ur intended ftation occafioned thereby, deprived us of ibme very confiderable captures. '\ • t The weather proving fomewhat more moderate on ihe zytb, we fcnt our boat for the Captain of the \tfyal^ who, when he came on board us, produced an inftrument, (igned by himfelf and all his officers, jeprefcnting that the Sloop, befides being difmafted, was fo very leaky in her hull, that even in moderate weather it was nece(rary to keep the pumps conftant* iy at work, aad that they were then fcarcely fuffici- ent to keep her free; fo that in the late gale, though they had all been engaged at the pumps by turns, yci the water had encreafed upon them j and, upon the whole, they apprehended her to be at prefent fo very defective, that if they met with much bad wea- ther. ^f4- round' the Worud. 155 ther, they muft all inevitably perifli ; and tlverefore they petitioned the Commodore to take fome meafures ibr their future fafety. But the refitting of the Tryal, and the repairing of her defe(^s, was an undertaking that in the prefent conjundure greatly exceeded his pow- er ; for we had no mafts to fpare her, we had no ftores to compleat her rigging, nor had we any port where Ihe- might be hove down, and her bottom examined: Bc- fides, had a port and proper requifites for this purpofe been in our poifedion ; yet it would have been extreme imprudence, in fb critical a conjundure, to have loiter- ed away fo much time, as would have been necefTary for thele operations. The Commodore therefore had no- choice left him, but that of taking out her people, and deiboying her : But, at the fame time, as he conceived it necefTaiy for his Majedy's fervice to keep up the ap- pearance of our force, he appointed the Tryal^s prize (which had been often employed by the Viceroy of Pe- ru as a man of war) to be a frigate in his Majefty's fer- vice, manning her with the TrjaTs crew, and giving new commiflions to the Captain and all the inferior officers, accordingly. This new frigate, when in the Spaniftf lervice, had mounted thirty-two guns; but (he was now ^0 have on'/ twenty, which were the twelve that werf; on board the Tryal, and eight that had belonged to the- Anna Pink. When this affair was thus re^-ulated Mr. Anfon gave orders to Captain Saunders to pui it in execu- tion, direj^ing him to take out of the Sloop the arms, (lores, ammunition, and every thing that could be of any life to the other (hips, and then to fcuttle her and fink her. And after Captain Saunders had {tt\\ her deftroyed,, he was 10 prociced with his new frigate (to be called the 'JCryaPs Pnxe) and to cruile off the highland o( Falparaifo^ 4teeping it from him N. N. W, at thie diftance of twelve or fourteen leagues : For as all fliips bound from Valpor raifo to the northward (leer that courfe, Mr. Anfon^ pro- pofed by this means to flop any intelligence, that might be difpatched to Callao, of two of their fhips being mif- fing, which might give them apprehenfions of the Eng-^- hjb fquadrofi being in their neighbourhood. The Tryai'Sr Prize was to continue on this flation twenty-four days, and, if not joined by the Commodore at the expiration^ .- . q£ I- !■■;. Ml! ■7t »t rii 11 . I IM 156 .^VOYAGE of that term, (he was then to proceed down the coaft of Pifco or Nafcay where (he would be certain to meet with Mr. An/on. The Commodore likewife ordered Lieute- nant SaumareZy who commanded the Centurion\ prize, to keep company with Captain Snundersy both loaflill him in unloading the Sloop, andalfo that by fpreading in their cruife, there might be lefs danger oKany of the enemy's (hips flipping by unobferved. Thefe orders being dif- patched, the Centurion parted from them at eleven in the evening, en the 27th of Septemhery directing her courfe to the lout ward with a view of cruifing for Ibme days to the windward of Valparnifo. * '■' *'■'' *"'■ ^ And now by this difpofition ofouriliips we flattered ourfelves that we had taken all the advantages of the enemy that we pofllbly could with our fmall force, fince our difpofition was doubilcfs the mott prudent that could be projected . For, as we might fuppofe the Glou- cejier by this time to be drawing near her ftation oflF the highland of Paitay we were enabled, by our feparatc ftations, to intercept all veflels employed either betwixt Peru and Chili to the fouthward, or betwixt Panama and Peru to the northward : Since the principal trade from Peru to Chili being carried on to the port of Valparaifo, the Centurion cruifing to the windward of Valparaija^ would, in all probability, meet with them, as it is the con- ftant practice of thofe Ihips to fall in with the coaft, to the windward of that port : And the Gloucejier would in like manner, be m the way of the trade bound from Pa- nama or the northward, to any part of Peru ; fince the highland off which fhe was ftaiioned is conftantly made by all fhips in that voyage. And whilft the Centuricu -and Gloucejier were thus fituated for interrupting ihe enemy's trade, the TryaVs Prize and Centurion's Prize ^ere as conveniently ftationed for preventing all intelli- gence, by intercepting all (hips bound from l^alparaifs to the northward ; for it was on board thefe veffels that it was to be feared (bme account of us might poifibly be lentto/Vra. ' -i 'uv -i n sv my " But the moft prudent difpofitions carry with them on- ' \y a probability of fuccefs, and can never enfure its cer- 'tainty : Since thofe chances, which it was reafonable to overlook in deliberations, are fometimes of moft power- ftti ■ round the W o r l d. 157 ftil mftuence in execution. Thus in the prefcnt cafe, the diftrefs of the Tryal^ and the quitting our ftation ta affift her (events which no degree of prudence could either forefec or obviate) gave an opportunity to all the Ihips, bound to Falparaifo^ to reach that port without moleftation,duringthisunlucky interval. So that though, after leaving Captain Saunders, we were very expeditious in regaining ourilation, where we got the 29th at noon,' yet in plying on and oft' till the 6th ofOdol?er, we had not the good fortune to difcover a fail of any fort : And then having loft all hopes of making any advan* tage by a longer ftay, we made fail to the leeward of the port, in order to join our prizes : but when we ar- rived on the ftation appointed them, we did not meet with them, though we continued there four or five days.- We fuppoied thai fome chace had occafioned their leav- ing their ftation, and therefore we proceeded down the coaft to the highland of Nafca, where Captain Saunders was direfted to join us. Here we arrived on the 21ft, and were in great expectation of meeting with fome of the enemy's fliips ori the coaft, as both the accounts of former voyages, and the information of our prifbners aflTured us, that all ftiips bound to Callao conftantly make this land, to prevent the danger of running to the lee- ward of the port. But notwithftanding the advantages of this ftation, we faw no fail till the 2d of November^ when two ftiird appeared in fight together j we imme- diately gave them chace, but foon perceived that they were the TryaV% and Centurions, prizes : As they had the wind of us, we brought to and waited their coming up : when Captain «Srt««^^rj came on board us, and acquainted the Commodore, that he had cleared the Tryal purfuant to his orders, and having fcuttled her, he remained by her till ftie funk, but that it was the 4th of Odober be- fore this was effected j for there ran fo large and hol- low a (ea, that the Sloop having neither mafts nor fails to fteady her, rolled and pitched fo violently, that it v\^as impoflible for a boat to lay a long-fide of her, for the greateft part of the time : And during this attendance on the Sloop, they were all driven fo far to the North- weft, that they were afterwards obliged to ftretch a lono- way to the weftward to regain the ground they had loft 5 which ;.». m i;.' ) '■' i ■I 'I ^.. . •U' '11! MMMW mmmmmm , r- 1.1 158 y^ V O Y A G E vhich was the reafon that we had not mf t with them on their ftation as we expected. We ibund they had not been more fortunate in their cruife thrn we were, for tfcey had fe6n no veilel fince they feparated from us. The little fuccefs we all had, and our certainty, that had. any ihips been ftirring in thele fcas for fome time paft we muft have met with them, made us believe, that the fjnemy at Valparaifo^ on the miiling of the two fliips we. had taken, had fufpeded us to be in the neighbourhood, and had consequently laid an embargo on all tiie trade 141 the ibuthern parts. We likewiGe apprehended, that ^ty might by this time be iitting oat the men of wac? 2Lt Calico; for we knew it was no uncommon thing for an expre(s from Valparaifo to reach Lima in tweniy- nine or thirty days, and it was now more than fifcy hnce we had taken our firft prize. Thefe apprehenfions of an embargo along the coaft, and of the equipment of theSpani/b fquadron at Cailaoy determined the Com- modore to haften down to the leeward of Cal/ao, and to join Captain Mitcbel (who was ftationed off Paita). as Ibon as poilible, that our ftrength being united, we might be prepared to give the (hips fromCai/ao a warm: reception, if they dared to put to fea. With this view we bor€ away the fame afternoon, taking particular care to keep at a diftance from the fhore, that there might be no danger of our being difcovered from thence y fi^r we knew that all the country (hips were commanded, under the fevereft penalty, not to fail by the port of CoJUq without ftopping; and as this order was conltantly complied with, we ihould undoubtedly be known for Enemies, if we were leen to adt contrary to it. In this new navigation, not being certain whether we might not meet the Spatt^ft? fquadron in our route, the Commo- dore took on board the Centuriau part of his crew, with- which he had formerly manned the Carmelo. And now ijanding to the northward, we, before night came on» had a view o^ the fmail Idand called St. Gallon^ which bore from us N. N. E. ^ E, about feven leagues diftant. This Ifland lies in the latitude of about fourteen degrees South, and above five miles to the northward of a high- land, called Morro 'veijoy or the old man's head. I men* ^ion this IHand, and the highland near it, more parti* cularly. round the World. 159 c^larly, becaufe between them is the moft eligible Na- tion on that coail for cruifing upon the enemy ; as all ^ips bound to Callao^ whether from the northward or ^he fouthward, run well jn with the land in this part. By the 5th of Ni^vtmbery at three in the afternoon, v/e were advanced within view of the high land oi Barranca ^ lying in the latitude of 10' : 36 i>outh, bearing from U3 N. E. by E. diftant eight or nine leagues j and an hour and an half afterwards we h^d the fatisfad^ion we had fo long w.iftied for, of feeing a faih She firft appeared to leeward, and we all immediately gave her chace ; but the Centurion fo much out-failed the two prizes, that we foon ran them out of fight, and gained confiderably on the chace: However, night coming on before we came up with her, we, about (tvtn o'clock, loft fight of her, and were in fome perplexity what tourfe to fteer j but at laft Mr. An/on refolved, as we were thai before the wind, to keep all his fails fet, and not to change bis courfe : For though we had no doubt but the chace would alter her courfe in the night j y^ as it was uii* certain what tack (he would go upon, it was thought more prudent to keep on our couriie, as we muft by this means unavoidably near her, than to change it on con- jecture ; when, if we Ihould miftake, we muft infallibly lofe her. Thus then we continued the chace , about an hour and a half in the dark, fome onp or othqr on board us conftantly imagining they difccrned her fails right a-head of us J but at laft Mr. j?r*//, then . our fe- cond Lieutenant, did really difcover her about four points on the larboard-bow, fteeriog off to the fea-ward ; We immediately clapped the helm a weather, and ftood for her ; and in lefs than an hour came up with her, and having fired fourteen ftiot at her, ftie ftruck. Our third Lieutenant, Mr. Dennis, was fent in the boat with iixtecn men, to take poflelTion of the prize, and to re- turn the prifoners to our (hip. This ftiip was name^ the Santa T^^fya ie Jefus, built at Guaiaquil, of about three hundrtd mis burthen, and was commanded by Bartolome UrntHai^a, a Bifcayer : She was bound from Guaiaquil to Callao ; her loading confifted of timber, cocao, coco nuts, tobacco, hides, Pito thread (which is very ftrong, and is made of a, ^ecies of grafs) ^ito doth. tx . '— ^ I h »(l; f 1 It nil II lull' »* i Ii 1 1 I ^/i^.:^^a?^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /q ^ 1.0 I.I 11.25 no jjUl 2.5 2.2 1^ 1^ U il.6 '/] Vi % c*l ^%.%^, >.^' '"^J^" v ^^' ^;j > > y /^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 V«'; MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 .\ iV ^^ i\ \ 41^"^% o^ 'w O ;6o yf \r O Y A G E cloth,' wajt, feff. The f^ecics cm btWrd lier was incbW' fiderable, berng principally fmall filvcr money, ahti nof amounting to more than 170/. fterling. It is true, hei* cargpe vras of great value, could we have difpoled of it ( but, the iS/AwV2r^2!r having^^ drift ordersFnevet- to rbnfoini their (hips, all the goods that we took in thefe feas, ex- cept what little we had occafion for ourielves^^* were o^ no advantage to us. Indeed, though we could make no proBc thereby ourfelvesi it was fome fatisfa£tion to us tQ( conHder, that it was fo much really loft to the enemyj atid that the de(}}oHingthem was no contemptible brancli of that (brvjce, in which we were now employed by our county.' . ' ''^' ^f*}i ■^if4>*{r#'W w Befides our pYite*s crew,' which atmountcd to forty-* five hands, there were on board her ten paifengers, Con- lifting of feur men and three women; who were natives of the country, born o^ Spanijh parents, and three black female flaves that attended them. The women were a mother and her two daughters, the eldeft about twcnty- one, atnl theyoungcft about fourteen; It is not to be wondered at, that women of thefe years ibou Id be ex- cefli vdy alarmed at the falling into the hands of an ene- my, whom, from the former outrages of the Buccaneers, and by the arifii* infinuations of their Priefts, they had been taught to confider as the moft terrible and brutal of all mankind. Thefe ajyprehenilons too were in the prefent inftaftce exaggerated by the firigular beauty of the youngeft of the women, and the riotous difpofiiion which they might Well ejtpeft to find in a fet of failors^ that had not feen a woman for near a twelvemonthiL Full of thefe terrors, the women all hid fhemfclves when our officer went on board, and when they were found out, it was with great difficulty that he could perfuade them to approach the tight : However, he foon (atisfied them, by the humanity of his conduct and his afifurantes of their future fecurity arxi honourable treatment, that they had nothing to fear. And the Commodore being informed' of the matter fent diredions that they Lould be continued on board their own (hip, with the ufe of the fame apartments, and with all the other conveniens cies they had enjoyed before, giving ftrid orders that thfy ihould receive no- kind of inc^uieiudeor molefta- ^'— 4 u-v UOftt rcund the W o r l d. i6i tion whatever : And that they might be the more cer- tain of having thefe orders complied v^iih, or of com- plaining if they were not, the Commodore permitted the Pilot, who in Spanijb (hips is generally the fecond perfon on board to (lay with them,as their guardian and protestor. He was particularly chofen for this purpofc by Mr. AnfoHy as he Teemed to be extremely interefted in all that con- cerned the women, and had at firft declared that he was married to the youngeft of them ; though it afterwards appeared, both from the information of the reft of the priibners, and other circumftances, that he had aflerted this with a view, the better to fecure.them from the in- fults they expelled on their faiiin^i; into our hands. By this compaifionate and indulgent behaviour of the Commodore, the confternation of our female priibners entirely fubfided, and they continued eafy and chearful during the whole time they were with us, as I (hall have occafion to mention more particularly hereafter. I have before obferved, that at the beginning of this ehace the Centurion ran her two Conforts out of fight, for which reafon we lay by all the night, after we had taken the prize, for Captain Saunders and Lieutenant Saumarez to join us. Bring guns, and making falfe fire^ every half hour, to prevent their pailing us unobferved j but they were (q far a-ilern, that they neither heard not faw any of our fignals, and were not able to come ap with us till broad day-light. When they had joined us we proceeded together to thenorl^hward, being now four fail in company. We hsre. found the fea for many miles round us, of a beautiful red colour : This upon ex- aihin^tion, we imputed to an immenfe quantity of fpawii' fpread upon the Ittrface ; and taking up (bme of the water in a wine-glafs, it ibon changed from a dirty af- pe£t to a clear cryftal, with only fome red globules of a flimy nature floating on the top. And now having a iupply of timber on board our new prize, the Commo- dore ordered OUT boats to be repaired, and a fwivel gun- ftock to be fixed in the bow both of the barge and pin- nace in order to encrealc their force, in cafe we (hould be obliged to have recourfe to them for boarding ikips» or for any attempts on (bore. As we ftood from hence to the northward, nothing^ remarkable ^ 1 '1 mmm l62 ^VOYAGE .1 \« r. itei ml remarkable occurred for two or three days, though wc ipread our ihjips in fuch a manner, that it was not pro- i bable any veiTei of the enemy couid efcape us. In our | run aiong tbis.caait we generally obferved, that there i. was a current which ^t lus to the northward, at the rate often or twekire miles each day. And now being about eight degrees nf South latitude, we began to attended wiiih vaft numbers of flying fi(h and bonitos, \ which were the fiiil we faw after our departure from the If . coaft of Brazil. But it is remarkable, that on the Eaft / fide of South America they ejioended to a much higher latitude than they do on the Weft iide ; for we did not loofe them on the qosUl of Brazilf till we approached the Ibuthern trojpic. The reafon for this diverfity i» doubtleis the diifercot degrees of heat obtaining m the (ame latitude on different fides of that Continent. And on this occafion, I mull be^ leave to make a (hort di« greflion on the heat and cokl of d liferent climates, and. on the varieties which occur in the fame place in difie* iceiit pans of the tyear, and in different placet lying in tiie fame degree of latitude. The Aacients, as appears in many places, conceived ^t of the five aones, into which they diyided the fur- feceofthe globe, two only w: re habitable, fuppofrng: that all between the tropics was too hot, and all within the polar circles too cold to be fupported by mankind. The fallhc jl of this reaibning has been long evinced j but the particular comparilbns 6[ the heat and cold of thefe various climates, has as yet been very imperfectly coniidened. However, enough is known fafely to deters mtnc^his pofition^ that aU places between the tropick» are far from being the hoteilon the globe, as many oi thofe within the popular circles are far from enduring, that extreme degree of cold, to which their fituation fliouid feem to fuUjedt them : That is to fay, in other words, that the temperature of a place depends much more opon other circumllances, than upon its diftancc from tlie pole, or its proximity to the equinodial. This propolition relates to the general temperature of ' places, taking tlie wnole year round ; and >iii this fenfc ; it cannot be denied, but that the city of LoHdm^ for in- ' ftance, enjoys much warnaer feafons than the bottom of \ " \ . HudfonW ) rbund the W OR i. D. 163 flu^fqnh bay, v^hich is nearly in the fame latitude with itj for there the feverity ot the winter is fo great, that it vy^fll fcarcely permit the hardied of our garden plants ^o live. And ii the ^opnparifon be made between the coaft of Brazil and the weftern ihore of South Jme-' riq^^ as for -example, betwixt Bahia and linia, the difierence will be (l^ill more remarkable $ for tiiough the ccaft &i' Brazil is extrenely fultry, yet the coaft of the South-Seas in the fame latitude i$ perhaps as temperate and tolerable as any part of the globe : fince in rang- ing ^long it, we did not once meet with fo warm wea- th^P$ as is frequent in a fummer's day in England : And thi$ was th^ n^pre remarkable, as there never fell any raifiS; to refrelh^ and ved within the polar circle. . .{ have, hithertOiConfidered the temperature of the air Q-^pt:Huu'3:\\d baick again» and pafling twice under the^un > '^r in the fummfr of that year, the theimof* aeter in JUndw (being one of thofe graduated accord-* 1 i -w fimm IMIPPP ^^ 164 ^VOYAGE ingto the meihod of Fnrenhett J ^ood once at 78° ; and the greatell height at which a thermonieier of the (kmt kind ftood in the foregoing fliip, I find to be 76^' : Thjs Was at St. Catherini^i in the latter end or Dectrhher^ when the fun was within about three degrees of thfc ver- tex. And as to Peterjhurghy I find, by the a6ts of the academy eftabliihed th^e, that in the year 1734, ^" ^^^ 20th and 25th of 7«/y, the thermometer rofc to 98«» in the ifaade, that is, it was twenty-two di^iHons higher than it was found to be at St. Catherine's j which rs a de- gree of heat that, were it not authorifedby therfcgularity and circumfpe6tion with which the obfelrvations feem to have been made, would appear ahbgetherincfedible* If it (houid be afked, how it comes to pafs then that the heat tn many places between the tropics is efteemed io violent and infufFerable, when it appears by thefe in- ftances, that it is fometimes rivalled or exceeded in very high latitudes not far from the polar circle ; I (bould anfwer, that the eftimation of heat in any particulai^ place, ought not to be founded upon rhat degree of heat whidi now aiid then obtains there, but is rather to be deduced from the medium obfefv^d in' a whofe feaibri^^ or perhaps in a whole year : And in fhis^* Hgttt it wilf eafily appear, how much more intenfe the feme degree of heat, may prove, by being long continued Without remarkable variation , For inf^ance, in comparing to- gether St. Catberinis and Feterjburgh^ we will fuppofe the furamer's heat at St. CktheriniBXo be 760* and the win« terhcat to be twenty divifions (hort of it : I do not make ufe of this 4aft conje^ure upon Sufficient ob* fcrvatipn j but I am apt to fufpeO, that the allowanced is full large. Uponrthis ftippofitiofft then, the medium^ heat all the year round will be 66°, and this perhaps b/ night as well as day, with no great variation : N6w thofc who have attended to thermometers will teadily own, that a con tin nation oft his degree of heat for a length of time would' by the generality of' mankind be ftiied violent and liitfbcming. But now at Peterjburghy thcughf a few times in tbeyear the heat, by the thermOmicteiV may be confiderably greater than at St. Cathirim\ /ctj as », other times the cold is immenfely iharper, the me^ dium for a year, or even for one Ceafon only, would be far '»" "^P^^W "^ipl •W^ mmmt ••• ■P rouffd the World. 165 far (hprt of 66°. For, I find, that the variation of the thermometer at ^tterjhurgb is at leaft five times greater, ^ frofn its bigheft to its lowed point, than what i have ^ fuppoied to take. place at St. Catberinis. But beijdes this, eftimaiion of tli« heat of a place, by , taking the medium for a confiderabJe time together, there is another circumdance which will ftill augment the apparent heat of the warmer climates, and dimini(h . that of the colder, though I do not remember to have (een it remarked in an/ author. To explain my felf snore di(lii)£lly upon this head, I m\i(l obfervc, that the meafurc of abfoliite heat, marked by the xhermOf meter, is not the certaiQ criterion of the (et>f^tion of heat, with which human bodies are affected : For a? the prefence and perpetual fucceOion of frefh air is ne- cefi-^ry to our refpiration, fo there is a'ffsecie^ of tajnt^ cd or ftagnated air, which is often produccid by the con- tinuance of great heats, which never fails to excite in ut an idea of fuhrinefs and fuffocating warmth, much be- yond v/hat the mere heat of the air alone, iuppofing it;- pure anc) agitated, would occafion. Hence it follows, that the mere infpcdUon of the thermometer wilt never determine the heat which the human body feels from this caufe ; and hence it follows too, that the heat ia qaoft places between the tropics muft be much more troublefome and uneafy, than the fame degree of ab(b-' lute heat in a high latitude : For the equability and du-. ration of the tropical heat contribute to impregnate the, air with a multitude of fleams and vapours irom the ; ibil and w^ter, and thefe being, many of them, of an impure and noxious kind, and being not eafily remov- ed, by reafbn of the regularity of the winds in thofe parts, which only (hift the exhalations from place to place, without dilpernng them, the atmo(phere is by this means rendered lefs proper for refpiration, and man- kind are confequently affected with what they ftile a moil intejife and ftifling heat: Whereas in the higher latitudes thefe vapours are probably raifed in (mailer. ^ quantities, and the irregularity and violence of the winds frequently dilperfe them; fo that, the air being in general pure and lefs ftagnant, the fame degree of ab. ioJHte heat is not attended witli that uneafy and fi^fFoca. ting \ r^Hmmmi^ iiMiii|«»|H 1 66 A VOYAGE ling fenfation. This may fuffice in genera! With rc- f|)^ to the prefent fpeculation ; but I'tahnbt help wiflii. fng, ^s it ts a fubjet^ in which martkihd, especially Xxx- vellers of all forts, are very much interefted, tha*l it wero»more' thoroughly artd accurateFy exaniincd, apd that all (hips bound to the warhaerclinrat^ wbuld furi nifti tbemfelvcs with thermometers of a known fabric, and would obferve them daily, and regifteif their obfer- ta^tons 5 tor confidering the turn to philofophical fnb- ji€t4, which has obtamed in Burdpe for tfhc Ij^ft four- feopc y^ars, it is incredible how very rarely' any thing of I his* kind^ ha^.h been attended to. For' my own part, I do not recollclft that I h^ve «V€r fteh atiy bbfcrvations of the heat and cold, either in the J?/?/? or Wefllwdiis^ wh^ich were made by mariners or officers of Veffe^, ex- cept thofe made by Mr. y^«/o«'s order, on boa^d the CeniurioHf and by Captain Legge on board the 8enated there- with. This Port of Paita, befides fiirniftiJng the nor- thei-n trade bound td Callao with water and ncccffaries, is the ufu*l place whiere palTeneers from AcapulcQ Or Pa^ mc>:ay bound to /i/M/i, difembark ; for, as it is two hun-' dred leigUes from h^nce to Callao, the port of Lima, and as' t hi' wind iS generally Contrary, the pkfliage by lea is' very tedious and fatiguing, but by land there is a toler- 2b\c good road parallel to the coaft, witli many Na- tions and villages for the accommodation of travellers. .The towrt of Paita is itfelf an open place j ft) that^ its (ok protection and defence is the fort. li wasof Cbn- ieiq^ehce to us to be well informed of the fabrick and flrength of this fort j and by the examination ofourpri- ibners, we found, tliat there were eight pieces of cannon' mounted in it, but that it had neither ditch nor outwork, being ohly furrounded by a plain briclc wall ; and that the garriJon confided of only one weak company, but^ the town klelf might poflibl^ arm thre^ hundred men more. ' ■ ^ Mr. ^i^to hashing informed himfeifpf the ftrength of the place, r^folVed (as 'hath been faid iit the preceding chapter) to^'atteinp^ it that very ni^ht. We were then' abbut twelve leagtibs diflant from the fhore, far enough' to prevent our being difcovered ; yet not fo far, but' that by misiking aH the fail we could, we might arrive in the bay With ouf fliips in the night. However, the I 2 Commodore 1 k I 1 172 ^ V O Y A G E ([^c^nmodore prudently conflJered, that, this ;^oi||dfbjQ an improper wetl^ qf pfoce^c^ing, ^ our fti^iiiVibe? in^ fuch Jarge bpdies, might t>e.^afily dircoycred afja dif- tange. even jo the night, and .might thereby al^rm tlwj inhabitants, and giwe them an opportunity of removing their valuable eft'etts. He therefore, as the ftrcngth of the place did not require our wh6le force, reiblvecj to at- tempt it with our boats only, ordering the cightcenr oared barge, and our own and the Trya/'sjpi/inaccs opj Uiat fervice i and having picked out fifty-eight ini^n to i^an them, well provided with arms an^ ammiinition^ he gave the command of the expedition to JLieut^nant JSrettt and gave him his nccefTary prders. And the better, to prevent the difappointment and confufion which might. arife from the darknefs of the night, and the igno- rance of the Greets and paflages of the place, two ot the ^panijb pilots were ordered 10 attend the Lieutenant, and to conduft him to the moft convenient landing- place^ and were afterwards to be his guides on ibor^ ; and that we might have the greater feci^rity for their faithful be- haviour on this occafioh, the Commodore took care to affure all our prifoners, that, if the pilots a^ed proper-, ly, they (hould all of them be releafed, and fet on ihore at. I his place ; but in cafe of any mi(condu£t or treachery, he threatned them that the Pilots Jhould be inftantly (hot, and that he would carry all the reft of the Sf>a' niardsy who were on board him, prilbners to England,. So that the prifon^rs themfelves were interefted in our fuccefs^ and therefore we had no reafon to fufpeft ouf ^^ conductors either of negligence or perfidy. ^. And on this occafion i cannot but remark a fingufar circumftance of one of the pilots employed by us in this bufinefs. It feems (as we afterwards learnt) he had been taken by Captain Clipper ton about twenty jr'ears be-^ fore, and had been forced 10 lead Clipperton and his peo-, pie to the furprife oi Truxilh. a town within land to the louthward of Paita, where, h^i^CveT he contrived to alarm his countrymen, aodj tpfave them, though the. place wa^, taken. Now that the only two attempts on"; ihore whSii were made at lo long an interval from each* other, ftiould be guided by the fame pcrfon,. and he loOj a prilbnei both limeb, and ibrced upon the employ con-- irary NfaUboM '^--T^-'-.r^ i-T- •,■■-■- ro'u nd the Wo r l b. '^n '■•' ,' y H^ to his inc!inatioti, is an incident (b very ejrtraor- dinary, that I could not help taking notice ^f it. But wy return to- the matter in hand: ' ^^Dtiring birr preparations, ih^ (brps thtmfelves flood tiyw^fdi the port with aW the fail thty could make, hm^ ing^fecure^that we wefe*yet iait too great adiftance to be ieen. BUt about ten 6' clock at night, the ihips being rhen within five leagues 6f the placed Lieutenant Breti^ with the boats ufider his commandv put off, and arrived' at themomh of the bay without being difcovereo ; bulT no iboner had he entered k, than Ibme of the people, oh board a veflel^ riding at ahchbr there, perceived him, ^Ho inftanfly put off Jn their b<^H rowing towards the fort, ihdming and cry'm^, ■ t^e EngUfi, ihe Engiijb dogSy ^e: by which' the whole town Was'fuddenly alarmed, and our people foon obferVed feveral' lights hurrying backwards and forwards in the fort, and other marks of the inhabkaDts being in great motion. Lieutenant Brttt^ en th:s» encouraged his men to pull bi iikly up to t^t fliore, that they might give the enemy as little time as poUible to prepare for their defence. However, before our boats <^oUld^ reach the (bore; the people in the fort had got ready fbme of their cannon, and pointed them towards the landing-pkce j and though in the darknefs of the night it might be well fuppofed that chance had a greater mare than Ikill in their direction, yet ihe firft (hot paiied extremely near one of the boats, whifbling juft over the heads of thtt crew. This made our people redouble their efforts; fo^hat they had reached the (bore, ami were in par« disembarked, by the time the Second g^n fired. As^on as our men landed, they were con- diidcd by one of the ^mtijb pilots to the entrance of a narrow ^reet, not above fifty yards,,diftant from the beach, where they were covered from the fireofthft> fo^t'^ ard being formed inthe beft manner the (horttfefs of the tir*ie wouid allow, they immediately marched for the parade, which was a large fquare at the end of this ftreet, the fort being one fide of the fquare, and the Go- vernor** hoalc aiK>tber. In this march (though perform- fdtwith tolerable regularity) the fhoutB and cUmouN of threefcore failors^ who had been confined To long on Hiipboard^ aod were now for the iirft time on Oipre, I 3 iiL. .1 Si ' :I74 A V O Y AGE in an enemy's country, joyous as they always are, when they land, and ar^imated bpfidps in the prefent cafe y^y^ the hopes of an immenfe pillage; the ,huzssa^, 1 ^yfr9^ this fpiriced rfvtachmenii joined with the noijlie of ll^eir drums, an4 (avpu^^d by t;lie night, had augme^Hj^ th)pir iiumbers, in the opinion of the eneray, tp at Icaft three hundred ; by which perfuafion the iph^bitf^nts wer^ ^ greatly intimidated, that they were much more ibli- ^itoQs about the means of their ^ight than pf i;heir ref^ft- ance : So that though upon entering the paia^e, our ' people received a. v^lJey froip the Merchsants, whp own- ed the treafure then in |hje ^)^Yn, anc) whp,^i|hjit fe^w Others had ranged tbejmielvfs in a g^li^ry thatrun rp^n^ ;he GovernoPs houiie, yet that pofl was ii^i^diately abandoned upon the Bril fire r^ade by pur peQpl% who were thereby left in quiet po^Ebffion pf the p^ra^e. ii«? ^ On this fuccefs Lieutenant Ure^t divided his pen tn^Pi : two parties, ordering one pf thfin toXuirr^ijwid the Go- vernor's houfe, and if poflibleW fecuiiethf: Goyernpr, whijft he himfelf with the other ;W>^«iib^ to th^ fort,] With an intent to foroe it. But* ^pntrar^y tp his ei;- pe6tation> he entered it without ppppfitiPO j for tfee, enemy, on his approach abandpnQd .it* aM^^^^ ^^^> efcape over the walls. By thi$.9ieans the wJiple plgcc; was maftered in le(s than a quarter of an hour's tioiej from the firft landing, with no other lofs than thaj^ pf pne man killed on the fpot> and two wounded ; pne of ^ which was the Spaniftf pilot lof the ferefay who received a flight bruife by a ball wkich grts^ed oti his v/rift : In-! deed another of the CpJaipany». t)ie Honourable Mr,; KeppUf fon to the Earl of v^MvWr, bad a very narrp?^ eicape, for having on a jocky cap, fine fide of tbi$ pestk was ihaved oflTclofe to his temple bv a ball, which how- ever did him no other injury. And now Lieutenant ^re//,. after this fucc«fs, placed a guard at the fort, and another at the Governor's houfe, and appointed centtnels atall the avenues of the wmiy both to prevent any furpHze from the enenBy, and to ie? cure the effedts in the place from being embezzled. And this being done, his next care was to feizedn theCuftom^ houfe where the treafiire \vf^ audio eiNunine if anjr of the Inhabitants rems^ticd in the town« that 6e might know VI found the Wo ft l d. 175 know what farther precautions it was neceiTary to take 4 but he (k>aths. And in tht» precipitate rout the Governor was not the laft to iecur^ iiimfelf, for he fled betimes half naked^ leaving his wife a young lady of about ieventeen years of age, to whom he had been married but three or four days, behind him, though ihe too was afterwards carried oflF in her (bifb by a couple of centinels, juft as the detachment, order"- td to inveil the houfe, arrived before it. This eicape of the 'Governor was an unpleafing circumftance, as Mr. jinfM had parttcuki^ly recomraended it to Lieutenant BreH to iecure his perfon, if pofllble, in hopes that b)r thai means we might be able to treat for the ranfbm iS the place : but it leems his alertneis rendered it impo(« fibie to ieize him. The few inhabitants who remained were oonfitied in one of the churches under a guard, ex-^ cept fome ftom Negroes which were found in the plac^-; thefe, inftead of bemg Ihut up, were employed the re^ maining part of the night to ailHl in carrying the trea> fiire from the Cuftom-houfe and other places to the fbrt : However, there was care taken that they fliould be al^*' ways attended by a file of mufqueteers. f The transporting the treafare<^|iia^the Cuftom-houfe to the fort, was the principal oc£u||il|^n of Mr. Brttft people, afier he had goc poiieflion of the place. But the failors, wlitle they were thus employed, could not be prevented fnad entering the hoiiies^ which lay near thefii, in feardi of private pillage. And the firft things which occurred to them, being the cloaths which the Bpamards in their flight had left &hind them, and wbich^ according to the cuftom of the country, were moll of them either embroidered or laced, our people eagerly feized the gHttcrtng habits, and put them on over their own dirty trowfers and jackets, not forgetting at the feme time, the tye or bag-wig and laced hat, which, were gentraily found with cbectoatbs; and when this pradice was once began, there was no preventing thi whole ^idetadlRNtnt from imitating it i Ajid ihoft, who 1 4 came: I: II i7« // V O Y A G E came lateft into the fafliion, not finding men's cloatbs fufficient to equip thettifelves, they were obliged to rake up with women's gowns and petticoats, which (pro- vided there was finery enough) they made no fcrupie of putting on, and blending with their own greafy dreis. oe that when a party of them thus ridiculoufly metamor- phofed firft appeared before Mr. Bretty he was extreme- \y furprized at their appearance, and could not immedi- ately be fatisfied they were his own people. ^ ^^ ♦•: Thefe were the tranfa£tions of our detachment on fliore at Paita the firft night. And now to return to what was done on boa'd the Centurion in that interval. I muft obferve, that after the boats were gone off, we lay by till one oolock in the morning, and then fiip- pofing our detachment to be near landing, we made an eafy Jail for the bay. About feven in the morning we began to open the bay, and foon after we had a view of the town ^ and though we had no reafon to doubt of the fuccefs of the Enterprize, yet it was with great joy that we firft difcovered an infallible fignal of the certain- ty of our hopes ; this was by means of our perfpcc- tives, for through them we faw an Englifi flag hoifted on the flag ftaffof the fort, which to us was an inconteft* able proof that our people had got pofTeflion of th^ town. We plied into the bay with as much expedition as the wind, which then blew off fliore, would permit us : And at eleven, the Tryai's boat came on board us, loaden with dollars and church plate ; and the officer who commanded her informed us of the preceding night's trania^tions, fuch as we have already related them. About two in the afternoon we came to an an* chor in ten fathom and a half, at a ^ile and a half diftance from the town, and were confequently near enough to have a more imtnediate intercourfe with thofe on (bore. And now we found that Mr. Brett had hi- therto gone on in collc^in^ and removing the treafure without interruption > but that the enemy had ren- dezvoufed from all parts of the country on a hill, at the back of the town, where they made no inconfi* derable appearance : For amongft the reft of their force, there were two hundred horfe feeiQingly very well arm- ed, and mounted, and, as we conceived, properly i trained "fc^ — mmMm ■iMtikaMJiMua^iUMMHi ■te ^#> ,.i. round the World. 177 trained and reg;imented, being furniflied with trumpets, drums, and.ftandardsj thefe trqopi paraded about the bili with great oftentation, founding their military mu- fick, and pra^lifing every art to intimidate us, (as oiir numbers oa. (here were by this time not unknown to them) in hopes that we might be induced by ouic fears to abandon the place before th t pillage was .cpm- pleated. But we were not fo ignorant as to believe, that this body of horfe, which Teemed to be what the enemy principally depended on, would dare to venture in ftreets and amongft houfes, even had their numbers been three times as great j and therefore notwithiland^ ing their menaces, we went on, as long as the day- light laked, calmly, in fending off the treafure, and in employing the boats to carry on board the refreih- met>ts, fuch as hop;s, fowls, ^c. which, we found herein great abundance. But at night, to prevent any furprize, the Commodore fent on fbore a rein- forcement, who poised theinfelves in.all the ilreet^ leading to the parade; and for. their greater ftcurity, traverfcd the ftreets with barricadoes fix feet high : And the enemy continuing quiet all the night, we, at day-break, returaed^gain to our labour of loading the - boats, and fending them off. By this time we were convincedof what confequencet it would have been to us, had fortune feconded the pru-^ dent views of the Commodore, by permitting us to have - fecured the Governor. For we found jn the place, many ilore-houfes full of valuable eft'edtsr Which, were ufe- lels to us at present, and fuch 4s we could no,t And room for on board. But hi^i the Governor been in our power, he would, in all probability, have treated for a ranfom, which would havebeen extremely advantageous both to. hkn and us ; Whereas, he being now at liberty, and having collc6ted all tjie force ,pf the coun^try for man/ leagues round $ and having ^ven 9,01 a body of militia {tomPautat which \Yas fourteen leagues diftant, he was < fo elated with his numbers, and fo fond of his new mi- litary command, that he feemed not to trouble himfelf about the fate of his Government. So that though Mr. //«/c« lent (Several meflages to him by the inhabi- tants, who were in our power, defiring, him^ to enter in-* Is to» 178 A VOYAGE H In Ht to a treaty for the ranfbm of the lo«rn and goods, giving him, at the fame time, an intitnatioii^thathe fliotildiid far from infifting on a rigorous eqmvalent, but perhapa might be fatisfied with ibme K^eatthB»< and a few 1^ cemiries for the u(e of the fquadron, and aiToring bim too, that if he ^ould not condefcend at leaft to treat, he wotild f(^ fire to the town, and all the ware-houfts : Yet the Governor was (b imprudent and arrogant, that lie defpiibd all thele reiterated applications, and did not deign even to return the leaft anfwer to them. On th^ fecond day of our -being in pofFeflion of the place, feveral Negro flaves deftrted from the enemy on the hill, aifd coming into the town voluntarily entered ' iritt) our fcrvice: One of ihefe was well known to a Gentleman on board, who remembered him formerly at Fanamoi And the Spaniards without the town being in extreme want of water, many of their (laves crept firjtdthe place by fteahh, and carried away feveral jrirs of water to their mafters on the hill ; and though tome of them were feizcd by our men in the attempt: y#t the thi^ft amongft the enemy was fo prefling, that they con* tinued this ^adice till we left the place. And now, on this iecortd day Ive were affured, both by the defertere and by thefe prifboers we took, that the Spaniards on the hill,wbo were by this time encreafed to a formidable num- ber, bad refblved to ftorm the town and fort the fuc- ceeding nig»ht, and that one Gordon a Scotch Papift, and Captain of si* thip in thofe feas, was to have the com- mand of thbcnterprize. But we, notwithftanding, con- tinued fencing off our boats, and profecaied our work> without the leaft hurry or precipitatimi^Ilthe evening > • and then a reinforcement was-s^M tot on (bore by the Commodore, and Lieutenant BhHt ^«ubled his guards at each of the barricadoes ; and our pofts being con- ned^ by the means of centinels placed within call of ' each other, and the whole being vifited by frequent rounds, attended with a drum, theft nmtrl^ df^-o^r vi* gilance, which the eneiliy could not be tg^ei^nt of, as they could doubtkfi hear ^he drum, if not thecaHs of the centinels j thefe marks, I %, of our vigilance, and of our readinefs to receive them, cooled their refelutiotti and made them forget the vaunts cf 4i|l#|irecfding day ; fo Tl<*Sh. lapa bim eat, (C8 : that not rotf^J /*;? W o « T. B. 179 i# thiit vrtpaikd thifr fcediid night with as littte mok(^ tuition as we had done the Hrft. i- >. W«had finiOfted feoding the trcafiire onboard the €lni/»nW the evening before ; ia thait the third morn- ilig» being the i<5th of Nwem^er, the boats were em- ployed in carrying oflFthe mod valoable part of the efFbStr that remained in the town. AikI tlie Commodore iiH> tending to iail this day» he, about ten o'clock, purfusnft to his proinife, lent ail his priibners, amounting fcoeighty- eight, on fliore, giving orders to Lieutenant £ren tQ» fecure them in one of the churches under a ftri€t guard;, till he was ready to embark his men. Mr. Brtti was ati the fame time ordered to iet the whole town on fire, except the two churches (which by good fortune flood at fome didance from the other houies] and then he was to abandon the place, and to come on board. Tbele orders were punctually complied with; for Mr. Brett^. immediately let his men to work, to diftribute pitch,, tar, and other combuftibles (of which great quantities^ were found here) into houfes fituatedindifl^rentftreets of the town, fo that the place, being fired in maoyt quarters at the fame time, the deflru6Uon might be^ more violent and fiidden, and theenem^, after our de-^ parture, might not be able to extinguifh it ; Thef© pre^ parations being made, he, in the next place, ordered thei cannon, which he found in the fort, to be nailed up;: and then fetttng hre to thofe houfes which were mofl ta^ windward, hecolle^ed his men, ainl marched towards the beach, where the boats waited to carry them off.- And the part of the beach where he intended to eoibark being an open place without the town, the Spamards on the hill perceiving he was retreating, refolved to try if they could not precipitate his departure, and tbereb/t lay fbme foundation for their future boafling. And for this purpofe a faxaii fquadron of their horfe, confiding, of about fixty^ picked out, as I fappofe, for this fervice^t marched doivn the hill with mucil feeming refblatiOn ;. lb that, had we not been prepof&f&d with a jailer opinion^ ©f their prowefs, we might have fu^fted, that now wet were on the open beach with no advantage of fituation,. they would certainly have charged us; But we prefumed (and we were not midaken) that this vras mereDftenta-* tion. i8o rf V O Y AGE tion. For, notwithftanding ihc pomp and parade they advanced with, Mr. Breti hul no (boner ordered bis meiv / to halt and face about, but the enemy ftopped their ca- reer, and never dared to advance a ftep further. . -j^When our people were arrived at their boats, and were ready to go on board, they were for fome time delayed, by miffing one of their number ; but being un- sfble, by their mutual enquiries amongft each other, to inform themfelves where he was left, or by what acci- dent he was detained, they, afters confiderable delay, refolved to get into their boats, and to put off without him. And the lad man was adually embarked, and the boats jud putting off, when they heard him calling to them to rake him in. The town was by this time io thoroughly on fire, and the fmoke covered the beach fo eflFe6tually, that they could fcarcely fee him, though they heard his voice. The Lieutenant inftantly ordered one of the boats to his relief, who found him up to ihe chin in water, for he had waded as far as he durft, being extremely frighted with the apprehenfions of falling into the hands of an enemy, enraged, as they doubtlels were, with the pillage and deftruftion of their torwn. On enquiring into the caufe of his (laying behind, it was found that he had taken that morning too large a dole of brandy, which had thrown him. into fo found a ileep that he did not wake till the fire came near enough to (corch him. He wus ftrangely amazed on ftrft open- ing iiis eyes, to fee the place all on a blaze on one fide, and (everal Spaniards and Indians not far from him on the other. The greatncfs and fuddennefs of his fright inftantly reduced him to a ftate of ibbriety, and gave him fufficient prefence of mind to pu(h thro* the thickeft of the fmoke, as the likeiieft means to efcape the enemy ; and making the beft of his way to the beach, ^. he ran as far into the water ashedurft, (for he could ^ not fwim) before he ventured to look back. And here I cannot but obferve, to the honour of our- people, that though there were great quantities of wine and fpirituous liquors found ii)' ;he place, yet this man was the only one who was known to ha¥^ to far neglect- ed his duty, as to get drunk. Indeed^ their whole be- haviour, while they were on (bore, w2s much more re- * gular r^und the W o R l O. tSt and time un- to gular than could well have been expelled from failors, who had been fo long confined to a fcip : And though, part of this prudent dcmcanbr miift doubtlefs bii iftipiTted to the diligence of their Officers? and to t!ie cxcWlcnt dif- cipline to which they had been long inured oti bo^rd the Commodore, yet it was doubtlefs m fmall reput?ition to the men, that they fliould in general refrain from indulging themfeives in thofe intoxicating liqiiors, which they found ready to their hands in aimon every warehoufe. " And having mentiored this fingle inftance of drunkeii- n*fs, I cannot pafs by another overiight,' which warf likewiie the only one of its kind, and which was attend- ed with very particular circumftances. There wiis* an Englijbmany who had formerly wrought as a fliip- carpen- ter in the yard at Pqrtfmoutby but leaving his country, had afterwards entered into the Spanijb fervice, and was employed by them at the port oi Guaiat^uil i and it be- ing well known to his friends in England that he was then in that part of the world, they put letters on board xht Centurion, directed to him. This man being then by accident amongft the Spnniardsj who were retired to the hill at Paitay was defirous (as it fliould feem) o^ acquiring fome reputation amongft his new Matters. "With this view he came down unarmed to a centinel of ours, who was placed at fome diftance from the fort towards the enemy, and pretended to be defirous of fiirrendering himfelf, and of entering into our fervice. Our centinel had a cock'd piftol, hut being deceived by the other*s fair fpeeches, he was (b imprudent as to let him approach much nearer than he ought -, fothat the Shipwright, watching his opportunity, rufbed on the centinel, and feizing his piftol, wrenched it out 6f his hand, and inftantly ran away with it up the hill. By this time, two of our people, who feeing the fellow advance, had fufpefted his intention, were making to- wards him, and were thereby prepared to purfue him ; but he got to the top of the hill before they could reach him, and then turning aboiit fired the piftol ; at which inftant his purfuers fired at him, and though he was at a great diftance, and the creft of the hill hid him as foon as they had fired, fo that they took it for granted they had miiTed him, yet -we afterwards learnt that he was i8i A V O r A G E. wasl^t through tb« bodv, and h^ fallen down de^di the vcr/ next ftep he took aftei^ he was out of Hghti. 'pVe centui did not efcajpt^npui^iAted i S$¥ h* was ordered tO'be feverelv whipt tor being, thm IhsMnefuUy fiur- prized upon his pofty and for having given an exam- pie of careleflbefs, which, if followed in other inftances.. loight prove fatal to us all. But to return. ,p By the-ttme our people had taken their comrade out of the water, and were making the beft of their way lor the iquadion, the flames had taken pofleflion of every part pf the town, and had got fuch hold, both l^y mean^of combuftibles^ that had been diAributed for thatpurpoA, and by the flightnefs of the materials of. which the, houles were compoled, and their aptitude to* take lire, that it was fuificiently apparcnt,noeifartsof the enemy, (tho' they flocked down in great numbers) could poflibly put a ftop to it, or prevent the entire deftrudtion of the place, and all the merchandize contained therein v Our detachment under Lieutenant Breu having fafe* ly joined the Iquadron, the Commodore prepared to leave the place the fame evening. He found when he flrft came into the bay, fix veilels of the enemy at an- chor ^ one of which was the fliip, which, according to> our intelligence, was to have (ailed with the trealure to the coaft of Mexicp, and which, as we were per-r faaded foe was a good failor, we refolved to take with lis : The others were two Snows, a Bark, and two Kow-galiies of thirty-fix oars a-pie<^ : Thefo laft, as we were afterwards informed, with many others of the fome kind built at difl^ereot ports, were intended to prevent our landing in the neighbourhood of CaHao : For the Spaniards, on the firft intelligence of our fqua^ drop and its force, expeSed that we would attempt the city of ItHm. The Commodore, having no oc^ cafion for thefe other vei&ls^ had ordered the mafts of 0l\ Ave of them to be cut away on his flrft arrivals, ^^ now, at hjs leaving the place, they were towed out of the harbour, and fcuttled and fonk ; and the conii- inand of the remaining foip called the S^Utkd^ being given to Mr. Hu^ the Lieutenant of the Tvyalf who had with him a crew of tinmen to navigate her, the fquadron. .1 mnJ the World. 183 fi^aadron, towsMrds midn.igbW weighed ancl^r, andHikil* cdottt of the bay, being qow augmented to Cm (^ii, \h^p u» the CwtHri$Ht and the TopaA Prize, toge^c ;WJjtb the Cimnmloy the ifrefa, the G^mi^, and our la4 fic^uire^ vcAeltfae^^^W /And now before I entirely quit the account pr,0ui; tran(a£tioM u this place, it may not perhaps be improper to give a fuccin^it relation of the booty we made here, and of ihe lofs the Spaniards fuftaiped. I have before ob- fcrved, that there were great quantities of valuable ef- fects iu the town i bu| as the gre^^teft pf rt of ^h^m. were what WA could neither d^fpofe of qor ca^ry awav, the to- tal amoufifiof this merchandize can oi^ly be rudely. gue^ icd at. But the Spaniards^ in the reprefentations they made to the Court oi MadrU (as we were afterwards ai^ iured) eftiroated their whole lofs at a million and a half of dollars : And when it was confidered, thiit no fmall parvhole i^ was by muc^ the mo& important booty we mfKle upon that coalt There remains, before J MM^e leave of this place, jui- other particularity to be mentioned, which, on account of the great honour which our national character in thofe parts has thence received, and the ^reputation which our .Commodore in particular hm thereby ai;quired| merits g dtftioil and ciEcumftanlial d^uil^i^. It has been alreg* dy reiated, that all the priionetsrtiikifn t^^ us in ourfi^i^ ceding prizes were put on (Lorej^ snn^ di^harged at t^s placej amongil: which, there w.ers lp#e pe;r^n$ of Cipa- fiderable diftin6tion, particularly a youth of about ftve- teen years of age, foi> of the ViceHPrefident of the Coun- cil of Chili, As the barbarity of |he Buccaneers, and the • * I / . i.ij^ . « i i»4 /f V O Y A G E^ the artful uft the Efcclentfttelcd had niade of it, Ivicl fiP lied th^ nratives of thofe countriei with the moft terribk ideas of th^ Engtifb cruelty, we alway» (bund our pri*i (bnert» at th^irftrll coming on board us, lo be exirenieW* deje^ed, and under great horror and anxiety. Iiv partw cular this youth, whom I lad mentioned, having never been from home before, lamented his captivity, in the moft moving manner, regretting, in very plaintive terms, his parents, his brothers, his filters^ and his native coun- try ; of ail which he was fully perfuaded he had taken, his lad farewel; believing that he was now devoted, fur. the remaining part of his life, to an abject and cruel fer^ vitiide ; nor was he lingular in his fears, for bis compa-^ nions on board, and indeed aJl the Spaniartit that came into our power,had the famedefponding opinion of their (i^uatton. Mr. An/on conftantly exerted his utmod en- deavours to efface this inhuman impredion they had re- ceived of us; always taking eare, th-^i as many of the principal people among them as thetv /as room ion ihould dine at his table by turns ; and g^ zing thedii^ed orders too, that they (hould at all times, and in every circumdance,be treated with the'utthoddeoency and hu- manity. But notwithdandtng this precaution, it was ge-f nerally oblefved, that for the firft day or two they did not quit their fears, but fufpeded the gentlenefs of theic ufage to be only preparatory to fome unthooght of cala«- mrty. However, being confirmed by time, they grew perfedly eafy in their fituacion and remarkably /rhearful^ fo that it was often difputable, whether or no they con^ iidered their being det«ined by us as a misfortune. For the youth I have above-mentioned, who was near two months on board us, had at lad (b far conquered his me«> lancholy furmiies, and had taken fuch an ade^tion to Mr. Anforty and feemed (b much pleafed with the manner of life, totally different from ail be had ever ieen before, that it is doubtful to roe whether, if his own opinion had been taken, he would not have preferred a voyage to EnghttJ'm the CenturioHf to the being fet on ibore at Paitay where he was at liberty to return to his country and his friends. Thisconduftof the Commodore to his pri(bners,which was continued without interruption or deviation, gave them ■Mi |pri-i itiu roifid' the Wo^'l t>. 185 them al! t'hc hl^hcft idea yf hJs humanity arrd bcncvo^ Icncc, and induced them likcwife (as mankind are fond of forming general opinions) to entertain very favourable thoughts of the whole £ff^/r/^ Nation. But whatever, they might be difpofcd to think of Mr. Jnfen before the taking of the Terefn, their veneration fbr hfim was prodigioufly encreafcd by his condu^ tbwards thofe women, whom (as I have already mentioned) he took in that veffel: For the leaving ihcm rn the pofleflion of their apartments,thc ftrift orders given to prevent all his people on board from approaching them, and the permitting the Pitoi to ftay with them as their guardian, were mcafures that feemed fo different from whAr might be expected from an enemy and an heretick, that the •S'/^wf/fr/^ on board, thoogtl they had themfelves experienced his beneficence, were furprized at this new inftance of k,' and the more fo, ac alt this was done without his ever having feen the wo- men; though the two daughters were both efleemed ' handfbme, and the youngefl was celebrated for her un- common beauty. The women fhemfelves too were (o fenfible of the obligations they owed him,for the care and attention with which he had protected them, that they abfblutely refufed to go on fliore an Paita, till they had been permitted to wait on him on board the Centuriim^ to return him thanks in perfon. Indeed, all the pcifoners left us with the ftrongeft affurances of their grateful- re- membrance of his uncommon treatment. A Jefuit in particular whom the Commodore had taken, and wh9 was an Eccleflailick of fbme diftin^ion, could not help exprefiing himieif with great thankfulneis foP t)ie civili-; ties he and his countrymi^ii had found on board, declar- ing, that he ihould coniider it as his duty to do Mr. Ah' yoDf juflice at ail times ; adding, tliat his ufage of the iBea prifoners was fuch as could never be forgot, and fuch as he could never fail to acknowledge and recite upon alli occafions : But that his Behaviour to the women was (b extraordinary, and^ fo extremely honourable, that he> doubted all- the regard due to his own ecclefiaftical cha-» ra^er, would be fcarcely fufficient to render it credible.: And indeed we were afterwards informed, that boclib he and the reft of our prifoners bad not been filent •% thisJies^d, but had^ both at Lima and at othejc^pltces»i given )86 j1 voyage '^\ I i given thegreateft encoipiums to oarCon;modore ; the J^fuit in paricular, as we are told, having, on his ac- count, interpreted in a lax and hypothetical (enfe that article of his CHqrch, which afTerts the impolTibility of beretick« being faved. , And let it not be imagined, that the tniprefiions which, ^he SpaHtar^is hence received to our advantage^ is a mat- ^f offmaliimpoft; for not to mention feveral of our fountrymen who have already felt the good effects of thefe prepotfeflions, \\\t Spaniards are a Nation, whofe good o- ptnion of us is douhclefs of more confequence than that of til the world beiides: Not only as the commerce we have formerly carried on with them, gnd perhaps may again> hereafter, n io extremely valuable; bat alio as the tranf- a^tng it does fo immediiitei) Jepend on the honour and good ffttth of thoCe who are entruded with its manage* n»ent. But however» had no natiopal conventencies at* tended it, the CQ«HiK>dore'& equity and good temper would not lefs have deterred him from all tyranny and cruelty to t hole, wthom the fortune of war had put into^ \i% hands I ihail only add, that by his conftant attach* ment to theie homane and prudent maxima he has ac* quired a diftinguiihed reputation amofigd £he Creoiiam Spamardif which is not confined merely to the coa{l of the Soaib'Seas^ but is extended through all the Spamjk iettlements in America ; ib that his name is frequently to be met with in the mouths of moft of the Spanijb inba^ bitants of thajt prodigious Empifr. ISli: !M \ I Tt: QvLh^. VII. From wr dfparHtn/rtmV^ktL, to our arrt'^ wal at Qi^iba WHEN wc g0t under e iraftf- >ur and ianage« cies at* temper njraiid ut int6> attach* ysLs ac* »aftof Sfamjb, ntly ta ifiha^ I • nrri^ about the gave hem- >r we d to. tfcc- And. round the World, 187 . And now a jealouixiwhich had taken its riie^t Paii^^ Wtweien thoie who had been ordered on ibore for the at-r |^i(, ^nd thpfe w|;mq ji^d continued on board, g^ew tiC^ fuchaheightythat theCommpdore, being made acquainfT fd wi|h it, thought it hjecefTary to interpofe his guihorh^r to appeal it. The ground of this animefity wajs t\{% plunder gotten at Paita, v/hich thofe who had ade^ pi> ihore had appropriated to themfelves, and conlider^ a& ^ reward for t^he rif^uesthey had run, and ^he refolutiorv they had Oiewn in that fervice. But thofe who had re-r mainedon board, co^fidered this as a vcsry partifil ^n4 . |inj# pip^sdure, urgir^ that if it had been left to t^eir ^liqice, they iboujd have preferred th^ir a^l^pg en (hqre to thejr (:ontk)uif)g qn bos^rd $ that th^jr 4pfy ^^ile (heif comrades weiKc^n (bore, was extremely I^Higuing j foif l^f^d^s the l^bpiuot the day^ they wfer^CQnilaiitly mideif Itrni^ 9iU night to fecure thi^ pfifoners, wl^ofe number^ exceeded their own, ai^d of whom it was t^n nepefiary IQ be extremely watchful, to prevent any attempts they; fiMght have fcM;ined ip that critical conjundure : ThM \tpm the whoJe>^t ^9M not bf denied, but that the jw^t fence of a faffi^jentfor/ee on hpard was as necelfary tQ i the fucceft of the enteirprize, as the d^ion of the pther^ •djfliore, and therefore 'hoCe who had qon^invied on: « board iniiiled, that they could not be deprived of tbe^ I iiare of the plunder, without manifeft injuilice. ThcA: f were the contelh amongft our men, which were carried I pn with grv^t heat on both fides ; And thou^b the plui^-- |der in qiselxion wasra vetty trifle, in cwppar^fpn of the ftreafure taken in the place, (in M^i^ there was no I doubt but thofe on board haid ae eqiial right) yet m. vtihe dbdins^y of faiiors is not regulated l^ ihe imp^r^ ^ is&Qce of the matter in difpute^ the Cosunodare thought f k ntcefl'ary !o put a flop to this ferment betimes. And t accondingly, tlie morning after our lea^viog of Faita, he f ordered aU hands upon the quarter-deck ; where addref> ^ fing himfelf to thoie who had been detached on ibore„. he commended their behaviour, and thanked them for t their iervicr ; on that occaflon : But then reprefenting tp them the reaibns urged, by thofe who had continued f#n board, for an. equal diftribution of the plunder, he told theiHi that he thou^t theie reafons very conclu- five;. h ■; i§8 yf VOYAGE five, and that the expedatibris df tHdr comrades, 'were juftiy founded j and therefore he ordered, that not onJ)^ ttie men, ^but all the officers likewjfe, who had beeri ehiployed in taking the place, flliould produce the whole 6f thcirplimder imritediateiy uporiAhe quarter-decfc ; ind that it ihduld be impartially divided amongft th"c whofc crew, in proportion to each man«S' rank and eoinmiflloh : And to prevent thofe who had been m pofleffion of the plunder from murmming at this dimin^ution of thei^ fhare, the Commodore added, that as* an encourage- ment to others who might be hereafter employed on like fervices, he would giv6 his entire (hare to4>e diftiibiited amongft tbbfe who had been detached for th€ attack of the place. ' Thus this troubfelbmfe affain, wWch W peW mitted to have gone on, might perhaps Hitve been at-i^ tended with' mifchieVous canfequehcesy*- was by the ComnwdoreV prudence ibon appeafe at two in th^ kflei>nobn we oame n«ar enough to her to difcover her to be. the Ghutejiets with a fmall vcfTel in* toW, About an hour rafter, we were joined by them j and then we learned.^ hat Captain Mitchel, in the whole limeof hiscruife, hadenly taken two prizes; oncof *hen* being a fmall. Snovv, whofe cargo oondfted chiei^y oi wine, brandy, and olives in jars,, with about 70C0/. in- {pecie ; and the other a large boat or launch,.. which the Ghucefter's barge came up with near the ihore. The pri- Ibners on board thifr ve(relaliedged,. that they were «ery; poor, and that their load i fig confided only of cotton ir though the circumftances in which the barge fbrprized them, feemed to infinuate that they were more opulent than JSSgSSaSBSSSm rr>und fbe Wo^'ld. 189 titan they pretended tO be j %, the G/(W^^ u\_ filvcr difhe^. However the Officer who cpmmanf|<|djtht' barge having opened ft vera4 jars on board to iatisfy his; curiofity, an?d finding nothing in them but cotton, he was inclined to believe the account the piifonerg gave bim; but the cargoe being taken into the Gkufejier, and there examined more ftri6lly, they were s^gree^bly furprized to find, that the v^hole was a very e*jraordift nary ;piec« of ffiire package i and that thei^ was cqn^j cealed amongft 4;he€ott^, 4" every jar> a coniiderable quantity of .double^ doubloon* and dollar^i to t;^* , a^ti mount in th^ whole of near ,12,000/.; ipj^is treafure, was going to Paitaf and belonged to the fame Merchants^ who were the -proprietors of the greateft part of the money we had taken there; fo that had this Boiit efcap;*v ed tht G/oucej?ert it is probable her cargoe would have- fallen into our. hands, flfelides thefc two prizes which we,, have mentioned, tbe GUucefierh people told us, tha^^ they had been in (ight of two or three other Qiipsof th^, enemy which bad efcaped then) j and one of them WC' had reafon to believe,, from Ibme of pur intelligence," was of an immenfe value. ^^ Being now joined by the Gloucejier and her prize, it U'as xeiblved that we ihould Hand to the northward, and make the beft of our way either to Cape St. Lucas on Calif orma^ or to Cape Ccriente^ on the coaft of Mexico.,, Indeed the Commodore, when ^l Juan Femandes, had^s determined with himfelf to touch in the neighbourhood. of Panama^ and to endeavour to get (bme correfpon- dence over land with the fleet under the command of Admiral Fernon. For when v/e departed from England, we left a large force at Portfmouthy which was intended., to be fent to the Weft-Indies^ there to be employed in an expedition againft fome of the Spanijh lettlements. And. Mr. Anfon taking it for granted, that this enterprize had fucceeded, and that Porto Bella might be then garrilbned. by Britijb troops, he hoped that on his arriv;il at the Ijihmus, he fhould eafily procure an intercourfe with our countrymen on the other fide, eit^ier by the Indians^ who were greatly difpofed in our favour, or even by the Sfia- niards themfelves, iovfkt of whom> tot proper rewards ; ; might d I ! 1 I I .< s \ I :i!hli I .It I : 1^(3 ^VOYAGE Ihig^beiTidttced^td taffy on tM» rntdfigence, WhricH, slftei'it viras OBce began, 'might be ci&rtrftiiied vf\\h vtry Hi tie dkficUlt)^ ; fo iHbK Mr. JiHjhn flattered httnf^tr» rhae Ht might by this means have recei veiJ^ a reinf6r«ietqentl 6f men from the other itdfi, and that by fettHng a pru-* dent [*Ian of operations with our Commanders in the ^eft'/iu^^s, he mfght have tia^cn even Pahafna icfetf ^ which w6uld have given to the Britijh Nation the' pof- fcffion df that Iftbikusy wherefby wefliould havebcert in dFea matters of an the treaf^res of Peruy and ftidu^d have haditt*dup hands an-fcqtfr¥ailent fbr^a^j^ demands, hD\<)*ever extMordinary, ^hieh we might fcave been irt-' dueed to hai^ made on either of the branches ^ the' Houfe of Bcntrbon. Such were the projedls which the Cdtnmcdore revolved^ in his thoughts at the Ifland o^Juak Fernandes, nbtwith-' (landing thc^f^ble condition to which he was thert rc-> dticed. And indeed, had the ruceefs of our ftirbc In- the WeJI^ImiiA been anfvVerable to thfe general expe<5t*- tiort, *ft caibn^t be denied but thefe vife\/^i #ouId ha^ fa«en the raoft prudent thdt could have been thought of.' Bat in examining th^ papers which Mverb found dn' board the Carmeloy the firft prifee we took," we learnt (though I then omitted to mentiotl it) that our attempt againu Carthagena had failed, :^nd that there was no probability that our fleet, in that part of the world wbuld engage in any nevtr emerpriz^, that' wouM at ail facilitate this plan. And thereiore Mv. Anfin gave ove^^ all hopes of being reinfortred acrofs the lfihmus\ and con--' fequently had no inducement at prefcnt to proceed td Panitmay as he was incapable of attacking the }ila>cc ; and there was great realbn to believe, that by this time there was a general embargo on all the coaft. The only feafible meafure then which was left us, was to get as foon as poflible to the fouthern parts o^Califor^ nm, or tb the adjacent coaft of Mexico, ihe^e to cruife fo/ the Manila Galeon, which we knew Was now at fca bound to the port of Acdpuko. And we doubted not to get on that ftation lime enough to intercept her ; for this (hi; does riot adually arrive at Acaputco till towards the middle of January, and We are now but in the middle of November y and did not conceive that our pafiage thither would 1 <*«^ -^,^ i round the Wo r l t)* 191 would cbft us above a month, or live weeks ;,fo tha( m% imaginec:', we had near twice as much time as was n«i ceflary for our pu?peie. Indeed there v\^s a bufineit^^w^idl we forefaw would occafion ibme delay, but we flajttcredl ourieives^ that it would bedifpathed in four or five days,; and therefore could not interrupt our projeft. Th1s» was the recruiting of our water ; for the number o^ priibners we had entertained on board, ilnce our leav-^ ing the Ifland of Famatules, had fo far exhatifted ouf) ftock, that it was impoiFibie to think of venturing upon; this paiTage tD the coail of Mexico^ till we had procured; a frefh fupply 5 efpecially as at Paita^ where we had* fome hopes of getting a quantity, we did not find enough? for our confumption during the time we ftayed there.) It was for fome time a matter of deliberation, where we- fiiould take in this ne^eifary article : but by confulting, the accounts of former Navigators, and examining our prifoners, we at laft refolved for the Ifland of^^ihpt fituated at the mouth of the bay of Panama : Nor was it but on good grounds that the Commodore conceivedt this to be the properefl: place for watering the fquadron^r Indeed, there was a fmall Ifland called Cocosy which waf • left out of our way than ^iboy where (bme of the Buc-^ caneers have pretended they found water ; but none of our prifoners knew any thing of it, and it was thought too hazardous to rifque the fafety of the fquadron^r and expofe ourfelves to the hazard of not meeting with' water when we came there, on the mere authority of? thefe legendary writers, of whofe mifreprefentations and* falfities we had almofl: daily experience. Befides, by gp^^ ing to ^ibo we were not without hopes that fome of the enemies fliips bound to or from Panama might fall' into our hands, particularly fuch of them as were put . to fea, before they had any intelligence of our fquadron. Having determined therefore to go to ^ibo^ we di-' reded our courfo to the northward, being eight fail in company, and confequently having the appearance of a • very formidable fleet ; and on the 19th, at day -break we difcovercd Cape Blanco, bearing S. S. E. ^ E. fcvcn miles diftant. This Cape lies in the latitude of 4**: i^ South, and is always made by fliips bound either to windward or to leeward ; fo that off this Cape is a mod w,^ i 'f-: — ',''ifi,miii 192 yf V O Y A G fi ■M rinii. ' I noft' excellent ilation to cruife upoo the tnemy. By Hits time we found that our lad prize; tbe So/tJai/^ was far fi'om angering lite chara£ter given ber of a good failor; and (be and the Santa 7ftifa delaying us conhder- ably, the Commodore ordered them both 10 be cleared of every thing that might prove ufeful to the reft of the fhips^ and then to be burnt ; aiid having given proper ififtru^ions, and a rendezvous to the Gloucefter and the other pria^s, we proceeded in our courfe for is^uiho ; and> m the zzd in the morning, fawthe Ifland of Plafa^ bearing Eail, diftant four leagues. Here one of our prizes was ordered to (land cloie in with it, both to d>f^ cover if there were any Ihips between thai Ifland and the Continent, and likewife to look out for a ftream of frefli water, which was reported to be there, and which would have (aved us the trouble of going to ^iho ; but flie re- turned without having feen any (hip, oV finding any warj ter. At three in the afternoon point Mania bore S. E. by E. (even miles diftant ; and there being a town of the (ame name in the neighbourhood, CsLpta^m Mi uhel took this opportunity of fending away fever al qf his pri(bners from the Ghucefter in the Spanijb launch. T he boats were now daily employed in dillributing provifions on board the Tryals and other prizes, toconipleat their. ftock for fix months : And that the Centurion might be the better prepared to give the Manila ihip (one of which. we* were told was of an immenfe fize) a warm reception, the Carpenters were ordered to fix eight ftocks in the main and fore-lops, .which were properly fitted for the mounting of fwivel guns. On the 25th we had a fight of the Ifland of Galfo^. bearing E. S. E. ^ E. four leagues diftant i and from hence we crolTed the bay of Panama with a N. W. "courfe, hoping that this would have carried us in a di- redt line to the Ifland of ^ibo. But we afterwards found that we ought to have ftood more to the weft-^ V J } for tbe winds in a fliort time began to incline^ to that quarter, and made it diflicult ior us to gain, the Ifland. And now after pafling the equinoctial, (which we did on the zzd) and leaving the neighbour- hood of the CftrdUUraSy and ftanding more and more towards the Jjihrnusy where the communication of tiie atmolphere (^•Sri?^ Voufld the World.. 193 Wttiofpbere 10 the eaftward and the weftward was no longer interrupted, we found in very few days an extra- ordinary alteration m the climate. For inftead of that uniform temperature, where neither the excefsof heat or cold was to be complained of, we had now for feveral days together clofe and fuUry weather, refembling wliat we had before met with on the coaft of Brazilj and in other parts between the tropics on the eaftern fide of America, We had befides frequent calms, and heavy rains J which we at firft afcribed to the .leighbourhood of the line, where this kind of weather is generally found to prevail at all feafons of the year ; but obferv- ing that it attended us to the latitude of (even degrees North, we were at length induced to believe, that the ilormy feafon, or, ^s ihe Spaniards call it, the Vande- va«l^s, 'Was not yet over ; though many writers, parti- cularly Captain Shehocke^ pofitively aflert, that this fea- fon b^^ns in June, long, that the blood guihes out from their aofe, mouth, and ears. And it is the tradition of the country, that when this accident has once befallen them, thev dive for the future with greater facility than before ; and they have no apprehenilon ei'ther that any inconvenience can attend it, the bleeding generally flopping of itfelf, or. that there 15 any probability of their being ever fubje£t to it a fecond time. But to return from this digreffioh. Though the pearl oyfter, as hath been faid, wa& incapable of being eaten, yet the fea at this plaCe furniftied us with another dainty, in the greateft plen- ty and perfedion : This was tke turtle, of which we took here what quantity we pleafed. There are general- ly reckoned four fpecies of turtle j that is, the trunk, turtle, the loggerhead, the hawklbill, and the greea turtle. The two firft are rank and unwholefome ; the hawkfbill (which furnilhes the tortois-fhell) is butindif-. ferent food, though better than the other two ; but the green turtle is generally efteemed, by the greateft part of thofe who are acquainted with its tafte, 10 be the moft delicious of all eatables -, and that it is a moft wholefome food, we are ami^ly convinced by our own experience : For wc fed on this laft fpecies, or ihe green ^i ^ i turtle,. 19* y/ V O Y A G E turtle, for near foift jnonihs, and conftqiiently had ft teen in any degree noxious, its iH tfkt\s could not poflibly have efcaped us. At this Ifland we took what quantity we pleafcd with great facility j for as they are an amphibious animal, and get on Ihore to lay their ^ggs» which they generally depofit in a large hole in thefand, juft above the high-water mark, covering them up, «nd leaving them to be hatched by the heat of the fun, we ufually difperfed fcveral of our men along the beach, whofe bunntfs it was to turn them on their backs when thev came to land ; and the turtle being thereby prevented from getting away, we carried them off at our leifure: By iLis means we riot only fecured a fufli- ciem ftock for the time we ftayed on the Ifland, but we took a number of them with us to Tea, which proved of great lervice both in lengthening out our (lore of provifion, and in heartning the whole crew with an al- moil conftant fupply of freih and palatable food ; for the turtle being large, they generally weighing about 200 lb. weight each, thofe we took with us lafted near a months and by that time we met with a frefli recruit en the coaft of Mexico, where often we faw them in the ]>eat of the day floatine in great numbers on the fur- face of the wat^r faft afleep ; when we difcovered them we ufually fent out our boat with a man in the bow,who was p. dextrous diver, and when the boat came within p. few yards of the turtle, the diver plunged into the water, and took care to rife clofe upon it ; and feiz- ing the flhell near the tail, and preffing down the hin- der parts, the turtle, when av akencd, began to ftrike with its claws, which motion fupporied both it and the diver, till the boat came up and took them in. By this management we never wanted turtle for the fuc- cecding four months in which we continued at fea ; and though, when at ^ibo, we had already been three months on board, without otherwife putting our foot on ftore, than in the few days we ftayed at this Ifland of ^iio, (except thofc employed in the attack of PfritnJ yet in the whole (even months, from our leav- ing Jyan Fernandes to our anchoring in the harbour of Cheqmtan, we buried no more rn the whole fquadron than two men \ a moft inconicftable proof, that the turtle. round fie WdRi. D. 197 lurtlc, on which wc fed for the lad four months of \\\\i term, was at leaft innoceni, if not fomcihing more. Confidering the fcarcity of provifions on fome part of the coaft of thefe feas, it appears wonderful, that a fpecies of food fo very palatable and falirbrrous aS turtle, and fo much abounding in thorfe parts, ihould be profcribcd by the Spaniards as unwholefome, and little lefs than poifonous. Perhaps the llrange appearance of this animal may have been the foundation of this ridi^ culous and fuperftitious averfion, which rs ftrongly root- ed in all the inhabrtanls of that coaft, and of which- we had many tnftances in the courfe of this navigation. I have already obferved, that we put our Spanijb pri- foners on (bore at Paita, and that the Gloucefter lent theirs to Manta j but as we had taken in our prizes fome Indian and Negro flave$, we did not fet thefe on fhore with their mafters, but continued them on boards as our crews were thin, to aflift in navigating our (hips. Thefe poor people being poifeifed with the prejudices- of the country they came from, were aftonifbed at our feeding on turtle, and (ccmed fully perfuaded that it would loon deftroy u^ ; but finding that none of us died, nor even fuffered in our health by a continuation of this diet, they at laft got (b far the? better of their aver- fion, as to be perfuaded to tafte k, to which the ab- fence of all other kinds of frefh provifions might not a little contribute. However, it was with great reluctance, and very fparingly, that they firft began to eat of it : but the relilh fmprovtng upon them b/ degrees, they at laft grew extremely fond of it, preferred it to ever/ other kind of food, a|nd often felicitated each other on the happy experience they had acquired, and the deli- cious and plentiful repafts it would be always in theip power to procure, when tbey fliould again return back to their country. Thofe who are acquainted with the manner of life of thefe unhappy wretches, need not be told, that next to large draughts of fpirituous liquors* plenty of tolerable food is the greatelt joy they know,-^ andconfequ^ntly the difcovering a method which would always fupply them with what quantity they pleafed, of a food more luxurious to the palate than any their haughty Lords and Mciflers could indulge in, was doubt- K 4 lefs mmm m mmmm i\ t ! ^ i I { } ii ' N I 'hi • it 200 4, V O Y A G E lefs a circamftance, Which they coni?.dered the moft for-, tunste that could befal them. After this d.igre(lion, .which the prodigious quantity of turtle on this iHand of ^ih, and the (lor of it we. ihcnce took to iea, in fbme niieafure led me into, I ^all no,w return to our own proceedings. In three days time we had complcated our burioefs at this place, and were extrcmel" impatient to put to fea,* that we might arrive time enough on ihe coaft ofMexica. to intercept the A/«w7/? gaieon. But the wind being contrary detained us a nigiic, and the next day, when we got into the ofiing (which we did through the fame chan- nel by which we entered) we were obliged to keep ho- vering about the i/Jand, in hopes of .ge.tting fight of the iJkmeJler\ who, as I have in the laft chapter mentioned, w4o leparaicd from us on our firft arrival, tt was the ^\\iQi Dece^iher^ in the Morning, when we put to fe% and continuing to the fouihward of the Jfland, looking out for the Glrmceflery we, on the i aih, at five in the after- noon, dilcerned a fmail iail M> ihe northward of us, to which we gave chace, and, coming up with her, took her. She proved to be a bark from Panama^ bound to , Cb€rif Chap. IX. Fr«#f Quibo to the cmJI 0/ M^Kiob^ » ON the 1 2th of December we ftt)od from ^ito to the weftward, and the fame day the Commodore delivered frefh inftruftions to the Captaihs of tlie mcnrc^ war, and the commanders of our prizes, appointing them to the rcndezvoufes they were to make, and the courfes they were to fteer in cafe of a feparationr And firft they were directed to ufe all poflible difpatch in getting to the northward of the harbour of Acai>u!coy where they were to endeavour to fall iri with the land, between the latitudes of 18 and 19 degrees ; from thence, they were to beat rp the coaft at eight or ten leagues diftance from the (hore, till they came a-breaft of Cape Corientesy in the latitude of zo^ : 20 .« When they ar- rived there, they were to continue cruifing on that ftati- on till the 14th b^ February i and then they were to proceed to the middle of the Ifland of the Trvs Mariasy in the latitude of 21° : 25', beayng from Cape Corientes N. W. by N. twentyfive leagues diftant. And if at this Ifland they did not meet the Commodore, they were there to recruit their wood and water, and then to make thebeftof their way to the Ifland of Mnca9f on the coaft ot Chinas Thefe orders being diftributed to aril the fliips, we had little doubt of arriving foon upon our intended ftation, as we expedited, upon the encreafing our offing thim isiuilro, to fall in with the regular trade- K 5 wind. WP*H ^mmfmmmimmr ^m I M ( I. 402 /f V O Y A G E wind. But, to our extreme vexation, we were bafHrd for near a month, either with tempeftuous weather from the weftern quarter, or with dead calms and heavy rains, attended with a fultry air : Co that it was the 25th of December before we got a fight of the Ifland of Cocosy which by our reckoning was only a hundred leagues from the Cohtinent; and we had the mortifica- *tion to make fo little way, that we did not lofe fight of it again in five day?. This Ifland we found to be in the htitudeof 5^ : 20' Nortli. It has a high hummock towsrrds tht weftern part, which defcends gradually, and at laft terntfnates in a low point to the eaftward. From the Ifland m Cocos we ftood W. by N. and were till the oth of JigHtiary in running an hundred leagues more. We ha#«t firft flattered, ourfelves, that the uncertain weati^r and weftern gales we met with were owing to the neighboufiicod ot the Continent, from which, as we -got nsore diftant, we expefted every day to be relieved, by facing in with the eaftern trade-wind : But as our hopes were fo long baffled, and our patience quite ex- Jhaufteii, we began at length to deipair of fucCeeding in the great purpofe we had in view, that of intercept- ing the Manila galeon ; and this produced a general de- jeSion amongft us, as we bad at firft confidered this pro- ject as almoft in fallible, and had indulged ourfelves in the nioft boundlefs hopes of the advantages we fliouJd thence receive. However, our defpondency was at laft fome- ^hat alleviated, by a favour ble change of the wind j for,, on the 9th of January^ a gale lor the firft time Iprung up from the N. E. and on this we took the Car- iw#/o in tow, as the Gloueefter did the Carmin^ making dll the fail we could to improve the advantage, for we .^''^'ll fufpedled that it was only a temporary gale, which -would iiot laft long j but the next day we had the fatif- fatlion to find, that the wind did not only continue in i^he fan ,; quarter, but blew with fo much brTflcnefs and Ccadinefs, that we now no longer doubted of its being the true trade-wind. And as we advanced a-pace to- ^ wards our ftation, our hopes began to revive, and our former dcfpair by degrees gave place to more fa^iguine prejudices : For though the cuftomary fcafon of the • anival oi the galeon at A^mfka was already eiapl^d, yet we t^w,. xj ' round the World. 20?^ we were by this time unreaibnable enough to flatter our* felves, that fbme accidental delay might, for our advan- tage» lengthen oit her pafTage beyond its ufual limits. When we got into the trade-wind, we found no alte- ration in it till the 17th oi January^ when we were ad- vanced to the latitude of i2<> : co , but on that day it Ihifted to the weftward of the North : This change we imputed to our having haled up too fbon, though we then eftecmed ourfelves full feventy leagues from the coall, which plainly fhows, that the trade*wind doth not take place, but at a confiderable diftance from the Continent. After this, the wind was not fb favourable to us as it had been : However, we ftill continued to advance, and, on the 26th of January^ being then to r.he northward of Acapuko^ we tacked and flood v^ the eaftward, with a view of making the land. In thd' preceding, fortnight we caught fbme turtle on the fiirface of ihe water, and feveral dolphins, bonitos, and albicores. One day, as one of the fail-maker's mates was fifhing from the end of the gib-boom, he lod his hold and dropped into the fea ; and the fliip^ which was then going at the rate of fix or feven knots« went direftly over him : But as we had the Carmek' in tow, we mflantly called out to the people on board her, who threw him over feveral ends of ropes,, one of which he fortunately caught hold of, ^nd twilling it round his arm, they haled him into the fhip» without hi» h? ving received any other injury than a wrenc^ in his kii^', %jf which he fbon recovered. V^i '^n, on the 26ih of Januarys we flood to the eafl- ■wa« .1 vc expected, by our reckonings, to have fallen> in with the land on the 28th ; but though the weather- was perfectly clear, we had no ftght of it at fun-fet, and therefore we continued on our courfe, not doubting but we fiiould f»e it by the next Inorning. About ten at night we difcovcrd a fight on the larboard-bow, bear- ing from us N. N. E. The Tryal's prize too, who was \boin a mile a head of us, made a fignal at the fame linrie for feeing a fail; and as wc had none of us any doubt but what wefaw was a fbip'& light, we were alL extremely animated with a firm perfuafion, that it was Uie Manila galeon> which had been fo long the object 'of ^4 ^ V O Y A. G E of our wifhes : And what added to our alacrity, was our expedation of meeting with two of them inftead off one, for we took it for granted^ that iht light in view- was carried in the top of one (hip for a diredion to her confort. We immediately caft off the dirmehy and prelfcd forward with ail our canvafs, making a (ig* nal for the Gioucejier to do the fame. Thus wc chaftd the light, keeping all our hands at their reljaedive quar-* ters, Under an expe^ation of engaging in the next half hour, as we (bmetimes conceived the chace to be abou6 a mile diilant, and at other times to be within reach of our guns ; and ibme on board us poHtively averred, that befides the light, they could plainly diicern her fails. The Commodore himielf was lb fully perfuadcd that we (liould be (bon along lide of her, that he fent for his firit Lieu ^^•^r'% who commanded between decks, and directed him v ^ all the great guns loaded with two round-(bot for me iirft broadfide^ And after that with one round- ftiot^nd one grape, ftriftly charging him, at the faihe time, not to fufter a gun to be ^red, till he, the Commodore, fhould give orders, which he inform^ the Lieutenant would fioi be till we arrived V'ithin piftol-ftiot of the enemy. In this ccnftant and eager attention we continued all night, always prcfum- ing that another quarter of an hour would bring us up with this M?»//rt ftiip, whofe wealth, with that of her ftippofcd confort, we now eftimated by round millions. But when the morning broke, and day-light cainie on, we were moft ftrangely and vexatioufly difappointed, by finding that the light, which had occafioned all this buftle and expectancy, was only a tire on the fliore. In- deed the circumilances of this deception are fo extraor- dinary as to be fcarcely credible ; for, by our run dur- irg the night, and the diftance of the land in the morn- ins, there was no doubt to be made but this fire, when wcfirft difcovered it, was above twenty-five leagues from us: And yet I believe there was no perfon on board, who doubted of its being a Ihip's light, or of its being near at hUnd. It was indeed upon a very high moun- tain, and continued burning for feveral days afterwards ; it was not a vulcano, but rather, as I fuppoft, Hubble or heath feton fire for fbme purpofe of agriculture. < At ; i' *l rou7id the Wouxt). 205 At fan-rifing, after this mortifying deluiloo^ we found ourfelves about niue leagues off the \md, which ex- tended from the N, W. toE.iN. On this land weob- ferve^ two remarkable hummocks, fuch as are ufuall/ called papSy which bore North from us : Thefe a Spanifif Pilot and two IndiaHs^ who were the only perfons amongd us that pretended to have traded in this part of the world, Hrmed to be over the harbour oi Acapukty, Inn: deed> we very much doubted their knowledge of the. coad ; for we found thefe paps to be in the latitude of 17° : 56', whereas thole over Acapuka.^xt. faid to be in 17 degrees only ; and we afterwards^ found Qur fufpi-; cions of their ikili to be well grounded: However^ they weie very confident, and aifured us, that the height of th? mountains was itfelf an infallible marjc qi t|ie harbour ; the coaft, as they pretended (though faifly) be-» ing generally low to the eaft ward and weflward of it. , iktd now* being in the track of the ALtni/A galeon^ it was a great doubt with us (as it was near the end of Jamary) wbetjher fte was or was npt arrived ; But ex- amining our prilbners about it, they allured us, that' ihe was fometimes J^nown |tc come in after the middle of January i *nd they endeavoured to peifuade us, that the tire we had ikm on Ihore was a proof that fibe wa(i yet at fea, it being cullomary, as they faid, to ms^ce uCt of thefe fires as Signals Jbr her direction, when ll^e con*^ timied longer out tbao ordinary. On this infirmation, ibengthened by; our propenuty to believe i()en| in a mat* ter which fo ploaiUngly flaittred our wilhcs, we relblved to cruife for her fome days ^ and we accordingly fpread our (liips ^ the dilUnce of twelve leagues from the coaft# in fuch a manner, that it was imppllible (he Ihould pafs us unobferved : However, not (teing her Ibon, we were at intervals inclined to fufpe<5t that Hie had gained her port already ; and as we now began to want a harbour to refreih our people, the uncertainty of our prelent (jtuation gave us great uneafinefs ; and we were very folr licitous to get fume poikive intelligence, which might either fet us at liberty to confult our necelTities, if the g^leon was arrived, or might animate us to continue on our preient cruiie with chearfulnefs, if (he was not*. Wkikthift \\fiw Jjp^ Qomfmdose, aikr examining our 4v priibnerS I 1 k , i It i I \ i r H \l i-j. I'' 206 ^ VOYAGE jjrifoners very particularly, rcfolved to fend a boat un- der colour of the night, into the harbour of Acapulco-y to fee if the Manila (hip was there or not, one of the* Tndian$ being very pofitive that this might be done with- out the boat itfelf being difcovered. To execute this project the barge was difpaiched the 6th of Fehruaryy with a fufficient crew and twoofhcers, who took with> them a Spanijb Pilot, and the Iruiitin who had infilled on the prafticability of this meaiiire, and had undertaken to conduct it. Our barge did not return to us again till the elerenth, when the officers acquainted Mr. ^V^^i that, agreeable to our fufpicion, there was nothing like a harbouT in the place where the Spanijb Pilots had at firft afferted Acapulco to lie ; that when they had fattsfied. themfelves in this particular, they fleered to the .eaft- ward, in hopes of difcovering it, and had coafled along fliore thirty-two leagues ; that in this whole range they< Kiet chiefiy \yith fandy beaches of a great length, over which the fea broke with fo much violence, that it was im^ pofiible for a boat to land $ that at the end of their run, they could jufl difcover two paps at a very great diftance to the eaftwnrd, which from their appearance and their latitude, they concluded to be thofe in the neighbourhood^ of Acapulco \ but that net having a fufficient quantity oJF frefh water and provilion for their pafTage thither and back again, they weu' obliged to return to the C<»nmo- dore, to acquaint him with thetr difappointment. On this intelligence we all made fail to the eaflward, in or- der to get into the neighbourhood of that port, the Com'- modore refolving to fend the barge a fecond time upon the fame enterprize, when we were arrived within a mo* derate diftance. And the next day, which was the i zth of February y we being by that time conflderably advano ed, the barge was again difpatehed, and particular in- ftrudtions given to the oflicers to preferve themfelves fVom being feen from the (here. On the 13th we efpied a high land to the eaflward, which we firll imagined to be that over the harbour of Acapulc9; but we afterwards found that it was the high land of Segua/eneii^f where there is a fmalt iiarbour, of which we (ball have occa- fion to make more ample mention hereafter. And now, having waited fix day & without any newt of our barge, *^ we t. round the W OK LD, 207 wc bc2an to ht uneafy for her fafety ; but, on the yih day, that is, on the i glh of February, ftjc returned. The tficers informed the Commodore, that they had dif- covered the harbour of Acapulco, which they eileemed to bear from us £. S. £, at leaft 6fty leagues diflant : That on the 17th, about two in the morning, they were got within the Ifland that lies at the mouth of thehar> bour, and yet neither the Spanijh Pilot nor the Indian who were with them, could give them any information where they then were j but, that while they were then lying upon their oars in fufpenfe what to do, being ig- norant that they were then at the very place they fought for, they difcerned a fmall light upon the furface of the water, on which they inftantTy plied their paddles, and moving as (ilently as pofTible towards it, they found it to be in a fiihing canoe, which they furprized, with three Negroes that belonged to it. It feems the Negroes at iirft attempted to jump overboard ; and being fb near the land they would eafily have fwam to ihore; but they were prevented by prefenting a piece at them, on which they readily fubmitted, and were taken into the barge. The officers further added, that they had immediately turned the canoe adrift againfl the face of a rock, where it would inevitably be daihed to pieces by the fury of the fea : This they did to deceive thofe who perhaps might be fent from the town to fearcb after the canoe ; for up- on feeing feveral pieces of a wreck, they would imme- diately conclude that the people on board had been .drowned, and would have no fufpicion of their having (fallen into our hands. When the crew of the barge had * taken this precaution, they exerted their utmoft fttength 1 in pulling out to fea, and by dawn of day had gained ^ ilich an offing, as rendered it impoifible for them to be feen from the coaft. J And now having gotten the three Negroes in our pof- f: fellion, who were not ignorant of the tranfaftions at Aca- f- pulcoy we were foon fatisfied about the mod msterial points • % which had long kept us in fufpenfe : And on examination •■% we found that we were indeed difapf inted in our ex- r pedation of intercepting the galeon .jefore her arrival at Acapulco j but we learnt other circumstances which ftill revived our hopes, and which, we then conceived, would more than balance the opportunity we had al- ready 2o8 A VOYAGE ready loft: For tho* our Ncgroe prifoners informed u» that the galeon arrived at Aeapuko on our 9th ^ijanu" «rx, which was about twent/ days before we fejl in with this coaft, yet they at the fame time tok) us, tha( the galeon delivered her cargoe, and was tatung in wa* ter and provifions for her return, and that the Viceroy of Mexico had, by proclamation, fixed her departure from AcapulcQ to the 1 4th of March^ N. S, This laft news was moft joyfully received by us, as we had no doubt but (he muft certainly fall into our hands, and as it was much more eligible to feize her on her return,, than it would have been to have taken her before her arrival, as the fpecies for which flie had fold her car- goe, and which (he would now hare on board, would be prodigiouHymore to be efteemed by us than the carr goe itfelf i great part of which would have periflied on our hands, and no part of it could have been difpofed x>f by us at fo advantageous a mart as Acapulco. Thus we were a fecond time engaged in an eager ej:- pe6lation of meeting with this Manila (hip, which, by the fame of its wealth, we had been taught to coniider as the moft delirable prize that was to be met with in any part of the globe. As all our future proje^s will be in fbme fort regulated with a view to the pofleiHon of this celebrated galeon, and as the commerce which is carried on by means of thefe veffels between the city of Manila and the port of Aeapuko is perhaps the mod valuable, in proportion to its quantity, of any in the known world, I tball endeavour, in the enfuing chapter, to give as diftinft an account as I can of all the parti- culars relating thereto, both as it is a matter in which! conceive the public k to be in fome degree intereftcd, and as J flatter myfelf, that from the materials which have fallen into my hands, I am enabled to dedribe it with more diftin6tnefs than has hitherto been done, at lead in our language. Chap. X. An account of the commerce carried on hetiveen the city 0/ Manila on the IJlandof Luconia, and the port of capulco on the Coaft of Mexico. B O UT the end of the 15th Century and the be- ginning of the 1 6th, the difcovery of new countries lind A round the World. 209 and of new branches of comnaerce was the rergnine paffi- on of feveral of ih^ EuropeanVnnzt^. But thoie who engaged rnoft deeply and fortunately in thofe pyrfuits were the Kings of Sfiain and Portugal', the firftof thefe having difcovered the immenfe and opulent Continent of America and its adjacent Iflands^ whilft the other, by doubling the Cape oi' Good-Hope ^ had opened to his fleets a paifage to the fouthern coaft of AftUy ufually called the Eajl Indies ydiwd by his fettlements in that part of the globe^ became pofTeffed of many of the dianufadtures and natu- ral produ(^ipns witlr^which it abounded* and which, fof foine ages, had been the wonder and delight of the more ^plifhed and UixuHous part of mankind. . In the .mean time, thefe two Nations of Spain and Portuoaly who were thus prolejcuiing the fame views,' though in different quarters of the world, grew extreme^ ly jealous of each other, and became apprehenfive of mutual encroachments. And therefore to quiet their jealoufiea, and to enable them with more tranquillity ta purfue ti^e' propagation of the Catholick Faith in thele diiiant countries, (they having both of them given diftin- guiiflied marks of their zeal for their mother churcli, by iheir butchery of innocent pagans) Popt, Alexander Vt* granted to the Spam/kCrown the property and dominioi). of all places, either already difcovered, or that fliould b^ difcovered an hundred leagues to the v/eftward of the Iflands o{ Azores, leaving all the unknown countries ta the eaftward of this limit, to the ihduftry ai)d future diC- quifuion of the Portugftefe : Arid this boiindary being af-; terwards removed two hundr^d^nd fifty leagues more ta* the weft ware}, by the agreement of both Nations, it was' imagined that by this regulation all the feeds of future coniefts were fupprelTed. For the Spaniards prefumed, that the /'or/w^M^ would be hereby prevented from medling with their colonies m America: And the Por* tugueje X\ip\>oM that their Eajl-Indian fettlements, and_ particularly the fpice Iflands, which they had then new- ly difcavered, weve fecured from any future attempts of the Spanifi Nation. But it feems the infallibility, of the Holy Father had, on this occaiion, deferted him, and for want of beings more converfani in geography, be had not forefeen that th€ iio A VOYAGE the Spaniards, by pufhing thf ir difcoveries to t!)C Wefl?> ind the Portuguefe to the Eaft, might at. laft meet with each other, and be again embroiled ; as it a6lually hap- pened within a few years afterwards. For Frederick Magellan^ who was an officer in the King of PortHgaV% fervice, having received fome difguft from that Court, either by the defalcation of his pay, or by having his parts, as he conceived, too cheaply confidered, he enter- ed into the fervice of the King of 8pain j and being as it appears a man of ability, he was very defirous of fignalizing his talents by fome enterprize, which might prove extremely vexatious to his former Mafters, and might leach them to eftimate his worth by the greatnel* of the mifchief he bi ought uj^on them, this being the moft obvious and natural turn of all fugitives, and more elpecially of ihofe, who, being really men of capacity, have quitted their country by reafon of the fmall account that has been made of them. Magellan, in purfuance of tbefe vindidlive vic^ws, knowing that the Portuguefe Court confidered their poffenion of the fpice idands at their moft important acquifition in the Eajl-Indies, refolv- cd with him(elf to indigate the Court of Spain to an en* tcrprizc, which, by ftill pufliing their difcoveries, would give them a right to interfere both in the property and commerce of thofe renowned Portuguefe fettlements j and the King of Spain approving of this projedl, Magel/an, in the year 1519, fet fail from the port of Se^it, in or- der to carry this enterprize into execution. He had with him a connderable force, confiftingof five (hips and iwo- hundred and thirty-four men, wtth which he ftood for the coaft of South America, and ranging along the ftiore, he at laft, towards the end of Odober 1520, had the good fortune to difcover thofe Streights, which have hnce been denominated from him, and which opened him a paffage into the Pacific Ocean, And this firft part of his fcheme being thus happily accomplilhed, he, af- ter fome ftay on the coaft of Peru, fet fail again to the weftward, with a view of falling in with the fpice iflands. In this exteniive run he firft dilcovered the Ladrones or Marian Mlaiuis; and continuing on hiscourfe, he at length reached the Philippine Iflands, which are the moft eaftern part oi A/ta^ where> ventuting on ihore in an hoftile manner. \ round the W o r l b. ; 21 i manner, and ikirmifhing with thf Indiansy he was Hain. By the death of Magellan^ the original project of ie- curing fome of the fpice iflands was defeated; for thofc who were left in the command contented themfelvcs with ranging through them, and purchafing fome fpices from the natives J after which ihey returned home round the Cape o^ Good Hope t being the firft Ihips whi$:h had ever furrounded this terraqueous globe; and thereby dcmon- ftrated, by a palpable experiment obvious to the grofleft and moft vulgar capacity, the reality of its long difpu- ted fpherical figure. But though Spain did not hereby acquire thej^roperty of any of the fpice iflands, yet the difcovery made in this expedition of the /%//i//m^ Iflands, was thoi Jt too con- fiderable to be ncgle^ied ; for thefe were not far diftant from thofe places which produced fpices, and were very well fituated for the Cbinefe trade, and for the commerce of other parts of India i and therefore a communication was foon eflabliihed, and carefully fupported between thefe Iflands and the Spanijh colonies on the coaft of "Peru : So that the city of Mani/a, (which was built on the Ifland of Luconia^ the chief of the Philippines) foon became the mart for all Indian commodities, which were bought up by the inhabitants, and were annually (ent to the South-Seas to be there vended on their account ; and the return of this commerce to Manila being prin- cipally made in (flver,the place by degrees grew extreme- ly opulent and confiderable, and its trade fb far encreaf- ed, as to engage the attention of the Court oi Spain, and to be frequently controlled and regulated by royal edids. Jn the infancy of this trade, it was carried on from the port of Callao to the City of Manila, in which voyage the trade-wind continually favoured them : fo that not- withftanding thefe places were diftant between three and four thoufand leagues, yet the voyage wasjoften made in little more than two months: But then the return from Manila was extremely troublefome and tedious, and is faid to have fometimes taken them up above a twelve- mo«th, which, if they pretended to ply up within the li- mits of the trade-wind, is not at all to be wondered at ; and it is afTerted, that in their firft voyages they were fb imprudent and unlkilful as to attempt this courf^ How- ever ai2 /f V O Y A G E ever, that route was fopn laid afide by the advice, as it ii fatd, ofa Jefuic, who perfuaded them to (leer to the north- ward till they got clear of the trade winds, and then by the favour of the wefterly winds, which generally pre- vail in high latitudes, to Ibetch away for the coall of California. This has been the pradice for at leaft a hun- dred and fixty years pad: For Sir Thomas Cavendijhy iti. the year 1 586, engaged oflF the South end oi California a veifel bound i'xom Manilaioiht American codi^. And it was in compliance with this new plan of navigation, and to ihorten the run both backwards and forwards, that the fiaple of this commerce to a; 1 from Manila was removed from CaUao on the coaft ofP^ru, to the port oi Acapulco on. the coait oi Mexico, where it continues fixed at this time. Such was the commencement, and fuch were the early regulations of this commerce ; but its prefent conditioti being a.much more interefting fubjeft, I mult beg leave U> dwell longer op this head, and to be indulged in a more particular narration, beginning with adeicription of the iiland oi'Luconia^ and of the port and bay of Manila. The Iiland ofLuconia, though (ituated in the latir of 15° North, is efteemed to be in general extremely h^.. |hy, and the water, that is found upon it, h f as to exhibit at a dillance a very odd ' * appearance. mmimm round the World. 217 appearance. And though it is one convenience of ihcir jars that they are much more manageable than cafks, and are liable to no leakage, unlefs they are broken, yet it is fufficiently obvious, that a fix, or even a three month* ftore of water could never be flowed in a (hip fo loaded, by any management whatever j and therefore without fome other fupply this navigation could not be perform- ed : A fupply indeed they have, but the reliance upon it feems at firft fight fo extremely precarious, ths^t it is wonderful fuch numbers (hould rifque the perilhing by the moft dreadful of ail deaths, on the exj^eftation of 16 cafual a circumftance. In fhort, their only method of re- cruiting their water is by the rain5, which they meet with between the latitudes of 30 and 40<» North, and which they are always prepared to catch : For this purpofe they take to fea with them a great number of mats, which they place flopingly againft the gunwale, whenever the rain defcends -, thefe mats extend from one end of the ihip to the other, and their lower edges refl on a large'fplit bam- boe, lb that all the water which falls on the mats drains into the bamboe, and by this, as a trough, is conveyed into a jar J and this method of fupplying their water, ho\ - ever accidental and extraordinary it may at firft fight ap- pear, hath never been known to fail them, fo that it is common for them when their voyar^ is a little longer than ufual, to fill all their water jars k cral times over. However, though their diftreiTes foi fieih water are much (hort of what might be expeded in lu tedious a navigation, yet there are other incon^'eniencies general- ly attendant upon a long continuance at fea, from which they are not exempted. The principal of thefe is the fcui - vy, which fometimes rages with extreme violence, and deftroys great numbers of the people; but at other times their paffage to Acapuko (of which alone I would be here underftood to Ipeak) is performed with little lofs. The length of time employed in this paflagc, ib much beyond what ufually occurs in any other known naviga- tion, is perhaps in part to be imputed to the indolence and unlkilfulnefs of the Spanijb failors, and to an unne- ceflary degree of caution and concern for lb rich a velTel ; For it is laid, that they never fet their main-fail in the night, and often lie by annccelfarily. And indeed the L inftrucUons wm m 2lR .1! VOYAGE inftru(5lions given to their Captains {which I have (een) feem to have been drawn up by fuch as were more ap- prehenlive of too ftrong a gale thcirgh favourable, than of the inconveniencies and mortality attending a lingring and tedious voyage ; for the Captain is particularly or- dered to make his paffage in the latitude of 30 degrees ifpoflible, and to be extremely careful to ftand no iar- ther to the northward than is abfokucly neccffpry for the getting a v/efterly wind. This, According to our concep- tions, appears to be a very abfurd reftridtion ; fince it can fcarcely be doubted, but that in the higher lati- tudes the wefterly winds are much fteadier and brifker than in the latitude of 30 degrees : So that the whole con- dud of this navigation feems liable to very great cenfure. Forif iiiilead of fleering E. N. E. into the latitude of 30 odd degrees, they at firft flood N. E, or even ftill more northerly, into the latitude of 40 or 45 degrees, in part of which courfe the tndewinds would greatly aflift them, I doubt not but by this management they might confi- derably contract t'icir voyage, and perhaps perform it in half the time, which if; now allotted for it; for in the journals I have feen of thcfe voyages it appears, that they are often a month or fix weeks after their laying the land, before they get into the latitude of 30 degrees; whereas, with a more noiiherlv ^'^"rfc, it might eafily be done in a fourth part of the time ; and when they were once well advanced to the northward, the wefterly winds would foon blow them over to the coafl o{ Cali- fornia, and they would be thereby freed from the other embarraiTmcnts, to which rhey are now fuhjedcd, only at the expence of a roigh U \ and a ftiff gale. And thic is not meerl)' matter ot fpcculation : for I am credibly informed, that about the yeur 1721, a /"wfcA (hip, by purfuing this courfe, ran from the coaft oi China to the valley of yanrleras on the coafl of Mexico^ in lefs than fifty days : But it was faid that this Ihip, notwithftand- ing the fllortnefs of her paffage, fufrored prodigioufly by the fcurvy, fo th (he is generally moored on its weftern fide to two trees, and her cargoe is delivered with all poffible expeditioa. And now the town o^ Acapulcoy from almoij a folitude, is immediately thronged with Merchants from all parts of the kingdom of Mexico. The cargo^ being landed and difpofed of» the filver and the goods intended for Manila are taken on board, together with provifions and water, and the ihip prepares to put to fea with the utmoil expedition. There is indeed no time to be loft'; for it is an exprefs order to the Captain to b^ out of the port o( AcapuUo on his return, before the firft day of Aptly N. S. And having mentioned the goods intended for Manila, I mudobferve that the principal return is always made in filver, and confequently the reft of the cargoe is but of lit«5 tie account, the other articles, befides the filver, being; fome cochineal and a few fv/eetmeats, the produce of the American fettlements, together with European millinary ware for the women at Manila^ and fome Spanijb wines» fuch as tent and ftierry, which are intended ibr the ufe of their Priefts in the adminiftiation of the Sacrament. And this difference in the cargoe of the fliip to andv from Manila, occafions a very remarkable variety in the' manner of equipping the (hip for thefe two different voy- ages. For the galeon, when (he fets fail from Manila, be-- ing deep laden with a variety of bulky goods, (he has not the conveniency of mounting her lower tire of guns» but carries them in her hold> till (he draws near Cape St. Lucas, and is apprehenfive of an enemy. Her hands too are as few as is confiftent with the fafety of the ftiip> L I that ./ 222 if V O Y AG E that (he may be lefs peftered with the ftowage of provi- sions. But on her return from Acapuico; as her cargoc lies in left room, her lower tire is (or ought be) always mounted Jjefore (he leaves the port, and lier rrew is augmented with a fupply of Tailors^ and with one or two companies of foot, which are intended to reinforce the garrifbn at Manila. And there being befides many Merchants who tak^ their pafTage to Manila on board the galeon, her whole nun\ber of hands on her return is ufually little fliort of fix hundred, all which are eafiiy provided for, by reafon of the fmall ftowage neceiTary for the filver. The galeon being thus fitted for her return, the Cap- tain, on leaving the port of AcapUlcby (leers for the lati- tude of 13® or i^p^, and runs on that parallel, till he gets fight of the [(land of»Guafny one of the Ladvones. In thi^ run the Captain is particularly direfled to be careful of the (hoals of St. Bartholomew, and of the lOand of Gajparico. He is alio told in his inftrudionsj that to prevent his pafling the Ladones in the dark, there are orders given that, through all the month of June, fixes (hall be lighted every night on the higheft part of Guam and RotOy and kept in till the morning. At Guam there is a fmall Spanijb garrilbn, ^as will be more particularly mentioned hereafter) purpofely intend- ed to f^curethai place for the refrelhment ot the galeon, and to yield her all the afliftance in their power. How- ever, the danger of the road at Guam is fo great, that though the galeon is ordered to call there, yet (he rare- ly (lays above a day or two, but getting her water and refrelhments on board as foon as polfible, (he (leers a- way diredly for Cape Efpiritu Santo, on the Ifland of Samal. Here the Captain is again ordered to look out for fignals j and he is told, that centinels will be pofted not only on that Cape, but likewife in Catanduanas, Butufany Birriborongo, and on the Ifland of Batan. Thefe centinels are inftrufted to make a fire when they difcover the (hip, which the Captain is carefully to ob- ferve : For, if after this firft fire is extingui(hed, he per- ceives that four or more are lighted up again, he is then to conclude that there are enemies on th^ coadj and on this he is immediately to endeavour to (peak with the c^ntinel ler rrcw is round the W OR LT>. 223 centinel on (hore, and to procure from him more parti- cular intelligence of their tbrce, and of the ihtion they cruife in j purfuant to which, he is to regulate his con- du>^, and to endeavour to gain fome fecure port amongft thole Iflands, without coming in fight of the enemy; and in cafe he {hould be dilcovercd when in port, an4 fbould be apprehenlive of an attack, he is then to land his treafure^ and to take fomo of his artillery on (hore for its defence, not neglecting to fend frequent and par^ ticular accounts to the city of Manila of all that pafTes, But if, after the firft fire on (hore, the Captain obferv^s that two others only are made by the centinels, he is then to conclude, that there is nothing to fear : And he is to purfue his courfe without interruption, and to make the beft of his way to the port of C«^iV^, which is the port to the city of Manila, and the conflant ftation for all the ihips employed in this commerce to Acapuico, m Chap. XI. Our cruife off the port of Acapulco for the Manila Jbip. IHAVK already mentioned, in the ninth chapter, that the return of our barge from tht port oi Aiapiil- CO, where ihe had furprized ihree Negro filliernien, gave us inexpreilible fatisfaCtion, as we Itarnt from our pri- fbners, that the galeon was then preparing to put to lea» and that her departure was fixed, by an edi^ of the Vice- roy of Mexico, to the 14th oi March, N. S. that is, to the 3d of March, according to our reckoning. What related to this Manila (hip being the matter to which we were mod attentive, it was neceiTariJy the fi»ft article of our examination j but having fatisfied our(elves upon this head, we then indulged our curiofity in en- quiring after other news j when the prifbners informed us, that they had received intelligence at Acapulco, of our having plundered and burnt the town of Paita; and that, on this occafion, the Gcvernor ofAcapulcoh^d aug- mented the fortifications of the place, and bad taken fe- yeral precautions to prevent us from forcing our way into the harbour^ that in particular, he had placed ji guard on the Ifland which lies at the harbour's mouth, and that this guard had been withdrawn but two nights L 4 bcibre ■m IVM ^ 224 A VOYAGE before the arrival of our barge : So that had the barge fucceeded in her firft attempt, or had (he arrived at the port the fecond time two days (boner, (lie could fcarcely have avoided being feized on, or if (he had efcaped, it muft have been with the lofs of the greaieft part of her crewr, as (he would have been under the fire of the guard, before (he had known her danger. The withdrawing of thjs guard was a circumftance that greatiy encouraged us, as it feeraed to demonftrate, not only that the enemy had not as yet difcovered us, but like- wife that they had now no farther apprehenfions of our vifiting their coaft. Indeed the prifoners a(Fured us, that iheyhad no knowledge ofour being in ihofefeas, and that they had therefore flattered themfelves, that in the long in- terval fince our taking oi Paitay we had (leered another courfe. But we did not confider the opinion of thofe Negro prifoners as fo authentick a proof of our being hi- therto concealed, as the withdrawing of the guard from the harbour's mouth; for this being the adion of the Governor, was of all arguments the moft convincing, as he might be fuppofed to have intelligence, with which the reft of the inhabitants were unacquainted. Satisfied therefore that we were undifcovered, and that the time was fixed for the departure of the galeon from A- capulcOf we made all nece(rary preparations, and waited with the utmoft impatience for the important day. As this was the ^doCMarchy and it '5 Willi all peffible expedition into the fituation prefcribed b/ the Commodore's orders. The diftribution of our fquadron on this occafion, both for the iniercepting the galeon, and for the avoiding a difcovery from the fhore, was (b very judicious, that it well merits to be diflindll/ defcribede The order of it was thus : The Centurion brought the paps over the harbour to bear N. N. E, at fifteen leagues diftance, which was a fuflicient offing to prevent our being feen by the enemy. To the weftward of the Centurion there was ftationed the Carmelo, and to the eaftwardwere the Tryals Prize, the Gioucejler, and the Carmin, Theffe were all ranged in a circular line, and each fhip was three leagues diftant from the next ; \'o that the Cannelo and the C«r»»/«,which were the two extremes, were twelve leagues diftant from, each other : And as the galeon could^ without doubt, be difcerned at fix leagues diftance from either extre- mity, the whole fweep of our iquadron, within which nothing could pafs undifcovered, was at leaft twenty- four leagues in extent ; and yet we were fo conneded by our fignals, as to be eafiiy and ipeedily informed of what was feen in any part of the line: And to ren- der this difpofition ftill more Complete, and to pre- vent even the polllbility of the gaieon's cicaping us in the night, the two Cutters belonging to the Centurion and the Gloucejier were both manned and fent in (bore, and were ordered to lie all day at the diftance of foui? or five leagues from the entrance of the port, where, by reafon of their fmallnels, they could not poflibly be difco- vered ; but in the night they weredireded to ftand near- er to the harbour's mouth, and as the light of the morn- ing came on, they were to return back again to their day- pofts. When the Cutters fliould firft dilcover i\\t Manila ftiip, one of them, was ordered to return to the fquadron, and to make a fio;nal, whether the o;aleon ftood to the eaftward or to the weftward ^ whilft the other was to fol- low the galeon at a diftance, and if it grew dark, was to dired the fquadron in their chace, by (hewing falfe fires. Befides the care vire had taken to prevent the galeoa from paffing by us unobferved, we had not been inat- tentive to the means of engaging her to advantage,when we came up with her; For confideringihe thinnefs of our L 5 , • hands,. 2 26 A VOYAGE hands, and the vaunting accounts given by th« Spaniards of her fize, her guns, and her ftrengih, this was a confi- deration not to be negledted. As we fuppofed that none of our (hips but the Centurion and the Gtoucefler were ca- pable of lying along-fide of her, we took on board the Centurion all the hands belonging to the Carmelo, and the the Carmin^ except what were juft fufficienc to navigate thofe (hips ; and Captain Saunders was ordered to &nd from the TVy/i/'s Prize ten EngUjhmen^ and as many Ne- groes, to reinforce the crew of the Gloucefler : And for the encouragement of our Negroes, of which we had a condderable number on board, we promifed them, that on their good behaviour they fliould all have their free- dom ; and as they had been almoft every day trained to the management of the great guns for the two preceding months, they were very well quaiirtcd to be of fervice to H Us ; and from their hopes of liberty, and in return for the ufage they had met with amongft us, they feemed dif- pofed to exert themfelves to the utmoft of their power. And now being thus prepared for the reception of the galeon, we expected, with the utmoft impatience, the lb often mentioned ^dofMarcb, the day fixed for her de- parture. And on that day wc were all of us moil eager- ly engaged in looking out towards Acapulco ; and we were fb ftrangely prepoflcffed with the certainty of our intelligence, and with an aifurance of her coming out of port,that fome or other on board us were conftantly ima- gining that they difcovered one of our Cutters returning with a Hgnal. But to our extreme vexation, both this day and the fucceeding night pafTed over, without any Hews of the galeon : However, we did not yet defpair, but were all heartily difpofed to flatter ourfelves, that fome unforefeen accident had intervened, which might have put off her departure for a few days ; and fuggefti- 6ns of this kind occurred in plenty^ as we knew that the time fixed by the Viceroy for her failing, was often pro- longed on the petition of the Merchants of Mexico. Thus we kept up our hopes, and did not abate of our vigilance : and as the 7th of March was Sunday the beginning of Baf- fion week, which is obferved by the Papifts with great ftridtnels, and a total cefTation from all kinds of labour, ib that no Oiip is permitted to ftir out of port during the . ' whole round the^WoKLD. 227 whale week, this quieted our apprehenfions for fbme days, and difpofed us not to exped the galeon till the veek following. On the Friday in this week our Cutters returned to us, and the officers on board them were very* confident that the galeon was ftill in port, for that (he could not podibly have come out but they muft have feen her. On the Monday morning fucceeding Paflion week, . that is, on the 15th of MarcUf the Cutters were again difpatched to their old ftation, and our hopes were once more indulged in as f^nguine prei ofleffions as before j but in a week's time our eagernefs was greatly abated^ and a- general dejection and defpondency took place in its room. It is true, there were ibme few amongft us who ftill kept up their fpirits, and were very ingenious in finding out reasons to fatisfy themfelves, that the difappointment we had hitherto met with had only been occafioned by a cafual delay of the galeon, which a few days would re- move, and not by a total fufpenfion of her departure for the whole (eafon : But thefefpeculations were not reliflied by the generality of our people ; for they were perfuad- ed that the enemy had, by (bme accident, difcovered our being upon the coaft, and had therefore laid an embargo )n the galeon till the next year. And indeed this perfua- fion was but too well founded; for we afterwards learnt, that our barge, when (ent on the discovery of the port of Jcapu/coyhwd been feen from the (here ; and that this circunift:ance (no embarkation but canoes ever frequent- ing that coaft) was. to them a fuflicicntproof of the neigh« bourhoodof ouriquadron ; on which, they ftopped the galeon till tbe'fucceeding year. The Commodore himfelf, though he declared not his opinioQj was yet in his own thoughts very apprehenftve that we were difcovered, and that the departure of he galeon was put off^: And he had, in confequence ofthi$ opinion, formed a plan for pofleftlng h\mfe\f of Jcapuko ; for he had no doubt but the treafure as yet remained in the town, even though the orders for the difpatcbing of the galeon were countermanded. Indeed the place was too well defended to be carried by an open attempt j for betides thegarrtfbnatidthe crew of the galeon, ther§ were in it at leaft a thoufand men well armed, who had march- ed thither as guards to the treafure>.when it was brought down PiiimiMiipiipipii 228 ^VOYAGE down from the city of Mexico : lor the roads there- iabouis are fo much infefted either by independent Indi- ans or fugitive:, that the Spaniards never truft the filver without an armed force to proteft it. And befides, had the ftrength of the place been le(s confiderable, and f .1 as might have appeared not fuperior to the efforts of our fquiadron, yet ii declared attack would have prevented us from receiving any advantages from its fuccels ; fince upon the firftdifcovery of our Iquadron, all the ireafure wouid have been ordered into the country, and in a few hours would have been out of our reach; (o that our con- queft would have been only a defolate town, where we ihould have found nothing that could have been of the lead confequence to us. For Ihefe reafons, the furprifal of the place was the only method that :ould at all anfver our purpofe ; and therefore the manner in which ivLr./^«/o«propofed to con- duft this ent^rprize was by fetting fail with the fquadron in the evening, r^me enouf,h to arrive at the port in the night ', and as there is no danger on that coaft, he would have ftood boldly for the harbour's mouth, where he ex- pected to arrive, and might perhaps have entered it, be- fore the Spaniards were acquainted with his defigns : As ibon as he had run into the harbour, he intended to have pulbt two hundred of his men oir Ihore in his boats, who were iriianediately to attempt the fort ; whilft he> the Commodore, with his ftitps, was employed in firing upon the town, and the other batteries. And thefe diffe- rent opcjations, which would have been executed with gre'it regularity, could hardly have failed of fucceeding agi.lnfl an enemy, who would have been prevented by the fuddennefs of the attack, -ind by the want of day- light, from concerting any meafures for their defence; fo that it was extremely jjrobabU that we (hould have carried the fort by Horm ; and then the other batteries, being Oj: a behind, rauft have been foon abandoned ; after which, the town, and its Inhabitants, and all the trea- fure muft neceffarily hsve fallen into our hands j for the place is fo cooped up with mountains, ihat it is fcarcely pofTible to efcape out of it, but by the great road, which palfes under the fort. This was the piojeft which the Commodore had fettled in general in his thoughts -, but wfccn -Wli4Ui ■^nmn ads there- ndent Mi- ^ the filver efides, had i, and T .. oris of our evented us -eis ; fince he treafure d in a few t our con- where we )een of the :e was the pole ; and fed to con- e Iquadron )ort in the , he would lerc he ex- tied it, be- ifigns : As ^d to have his boats, whilft he, d in firing thefediife- :uted with fucceeding vented by It of day- efence; lb ive carried ies, being led ; after 1 the trca- Is J for the is fcarcely ad, which which the jhis; bu;; wfcen roind the World. 229 when he began to inquire into fuch circumftances as were ncceflary to be confidered in order, to regulate the parti- culars of its execution, he found there was a difficulty, which, being infi'perable, occafioned the cnterprize to be laid afiide : For on examining the prifoners about the winds which prevail near the fhore, he learnt f'and it was afterwards confirmed by tlie officers of our cutters) that nearer in (hore there was always a dead calm for the greateft part of the night, and that towards morning, wHen a gale fprung up, it conftantly blew oiF the land ; Co that the fetting fall from our prefent ftalion in the evening, and arriving at Acapuko l^fbre day-light was impoffible. This (cheme, as hath been laid, was formed by the Com- modore, upon a fuppofition that the galeon Was detained till the next year: But as this was a matter of opinion only, and not founded on intelligence, and there was a poffibili- ty that (he might ftill put to fea in a fhort time, the Com- modore thought it prudent to continue his cruile upon this ftation, as long as the neceflary attention to his ftores of wood arid water, and to the convenient feafbn for his future palTage to G^/W, would give him leave ; and there- fore, as the Cutters had been ordered to remain before Acaput€»i\\\t\it 23d of Afrtrf^,thcfquadron did not change its pofition till that day ; when the Cutters not appearing, we were in Ibmc pain for them, apprehending they might have fuffered either from the enemy or the weather 5 but we were relieved from our concern the next morning, when we dilcovered them, though at a great diftance and to the lepward of the fquadron : We bore down to them, and took them up, and were informed by them, that, conformable to their orders, they had left their ftation the day before, without having feen any thing of tlie galeon -, and we found that the reaibn of their be'ag lb far to the leeward of us was a ftrong cur- rent, v/hich had driven the whole fquadron to windward. And here it is neceflary to mention, that, by informa- tio^i which was afterwards received, it appeared that this prolongation of our cruife was a very prudent meafure, »nd afforded us 00 contemptible chance of Icising the Vreafure, on which we had fo long fixed our thoughts. For it feems, pfter the embargo was laid on the galeon, a* is before mentioned, the perfons principally intereft- /» I) I !"^ I! ill 11 if >! 1/ 230 ^VOYAGE cd in the cargoe Tent fevcral exprcfles to Mexico^ to beg, that (he might flill b^ permiued to depart : For as they knew, by the accounts fent from Paita, that we had not more than three hundred men in all, they infifted that there was nothing to be feared from us ; for that the ga- leon (carrying above twice as many hands as our whole Iquadron) would be greatly an overmatch for us. And though the Viceroy was inflexible* yet, on the account of their rejjrefentation, (he was kept ready for the (ea near three weeks, after t^e firft order came to detain her. When we had taken up the Cutters, all the fliips be- ing joined, the Commodore made a fignal to fpeak with, their Commanders ; and upon enquiry into thedock of fre(h water remaining on board the iquadron, it was^ found to be fo very flender, that we were under a necef- ilty of quitting our flation to procure a frefli fupply : And confulting what place was the propereft for this purpofe it was agreed, that the harbour of Seguataneo or Cheque" tan being the neareft to us, was, on that account^ the moft eligible ; and it was therefore immediately refolved to make the beft of our way thither : And that, even while we were recruiting our water, we might not totally aban- don our views upon the galeon,which perhaps, upon cer- tain intelligence of our being employed at Chequetan^ might venture to flip out to (ea, our Cutter, under the command of Mr. Hughes^ the Lieutenant of the T^ryaV% Prize, was ordered to crui(e off the port of Jfcapulco for twenty-four days ; that if the galeon (hould fet fail in that interval, we might be fpeedily informed of it, In purfuance of thefe refolutions we endeavoured to ply to the weftward, to gain our intended port, but were often interrupted in our progre(s by calms and adverfe currents : In ihefe intervals we employed ourfelves in taking out the moft valuable part of the cargoes of the Carmelo and Carmin prizes ; which two M^z we intended to deftroy as foon as we had tolerably cleared them. By the firft o( April v^q were fo far advanced towards»S^^«Ar. ■mmPM ■ mmmmmm , ' 1 li j; 'if i •[ \h * ifl Ml f Hi " I 432 ^VOYAGE cafy to be difcovered by any fliip that will keep well irr with the land,efpecially by fuch as range down coaft frouu jicopuicdy and will attend to the following particulars. There is a beach of fand, which exiends^ eighteen) leagues itot^ the harbour of Acapulco to the weftward, a- , gainft which the fea breaks with fuch violence, that it is. hnpofTible to land in any part of it : But yet the ground- is (o clean, that fhips^ in the fair feafon, may anchor in great fafety, at the diftance of a mile or two from the more. The land adjacent to, this beach is generally low, full of villages, and planted with a great number of trees; and on the tops of fome fmall eminences there are fe Ve- ra] look-out towers ; fo that the face of the country af- fords a very agreeable profpe^t : For the cultivated part, which is the part here defcribed, extends fome leagues back from the (hore, and there appears to be bounded by the chain of mountains, which ilretch to a confidera- blc diftance on either fide oi y^capulco. It is a moft re- markable particularity, that in this whole extent, being, as hath been mentioned, eighteen leagues, and contain- ing, in appearance, the moft populous and beft planted diftri^t of the who -e coaft, there ftiould be neither canoes, boats, nor any other embarkations either for fifliing,. coafting, or for pleafure. The beach here defcribed is the (iireft guide for finding the harbour of Cbequetan j for five miles to the weftward of the extremity of this beach there appears a hummock, which at firft makes like an Ifland, and is in (hape not very unlike the hill of Petaplan hereafter mentioned, though much fmaller. Three miles to the weftward of this hummock is a white rock lying near the fliore, which cannot eafily be paiTed by unobferved : It is about two cables length from- the land, and lies in a large bay about nine leagues over. The weftward point of this bay is the hill of Petaplan. This hill too, like the foremention- ed hummock, may be at firft miftaken for an ifland, thoijigh it be, in reality, a peninfula, which is joined to thcContinent by alow and narrow Ifthmus,covered' over with (brubs and fmall trees. The bay of Seguataneo ex- ' tends from this hill a great way to the weftward, and at a fmall diftance frbm the hiH, and oppofite to the entrance of the bay, there is an aifembiage of rocks, which ace white , [1 . . round the WoR l D. , 233 white from the excrements of boobies and tropical birds. Four of thefe rocks are high and large, and, together with feveral fmaller ones, are, by the help of a little imagination, pretended to refemble the form of a crofs, and are called the White Friars. Thefe rocks bear W. by N. from Petaplan ; and about feven miles to the weft- ward of them lies the harbour oi Chequetariy which is ftill more minutely diftinguilhed by a large and fingle rock, that rifes out of the water a mile and hali' diftant from its entrance, and bears S, i W, from the middle of it. Thefe are the infallible markg by which the harbour of Chequetan may be known to thofe who keep well in with the land j and I muft add, that the coaft is ho ways to be dreaded from the middle. of Odoher to the beginning of May^ nor is there then any danger from the winds : though in the remaining part of the year there arc frequent and violent tornadoes, heavy rains, and hard gales in all di- re(5lions of the compals^ But as to thofe who keep at any confiderable diftance from the coaft, there is no other method to be taken by them for finding this har- bour, than that of making it by its latitude : For there are fo many ranges of mountains rifing one upon the back of another within land, that no drawings of the ap- pearance of the coaft can be at all depended on,when ofF at fea j for every little change of diftance or variation of pofition brings new mountains in view, and produces an infinity of different profpe^s, which would render all at- tempts of delineating the afpe*!:! of the coaft impoifible." This may fuffice as to the methods of difcovering the harbour of Chequetan. Its entrance is but about half a mile broad ; the two points which form it, and which are faced with rocks that are almoft perpendicular, bear from each other S. E. and N. W. The harbour is invironed on all fides, except to the weftward, with high mountains overfpread with trees. The palfage into it is very fafe on either fide of the rock that lies off the mouth of it, though we, both in coming in and going out, left it to the eaftward. The ground without the harbour is gravel mixed with ftones, but within it is a foft mud : And it muft be remembered, that in coming to an anchor a good allowance (hould be made for a large fwell, which fre- quently caufes a gre.it fend of the fea i as likewife, for the .:: i' •< lit f9W^ m^^mmmf^ «34 yf VOYAGE the ebbing and flowing of the tide, which we obferved to be about five feet, and that it fet nearly E. and Wv The watering place i^ (o fituated, that during the whole time of our ftay, it had the appearance of a large {landing lake, without any vifible outlet into the fea, from which it is fcparated by a part of the ftrand. The origin of this lake is a fpring, that bubbles out of the ground near half a mile within the country. We found the water a little brackiib, but more confiderably fo towards the fei-fide ; for the nearer we advanced to- wards the fpriiig-head the (bfter and frelher it proved : This laid us under a neceHity of filling all our caiks from the fartheft part of the lake, and oacalioned us fome trou- ble ; and would have proved ftillmore difficult, had itnot been fpr our particular management, which for the con- veniency of it delerves to be recommended to all who ftiall hereafter watei at this place. Our method confifted in making ufe of canoes which drew but little water ; for, loading them with a number of fraall cafks they eafily got up the lake to the fpring- head, and the fmall cafk be- ing there filled were m the lame manner tranfported back again to the beach, where fome of our hands always attended to llart them into other calks of a larger fizc. Though this lake, during our continuance there, ap- peared to have no outlet into the fea, yet there is rea- fon to fuppofe that in" the wct frafon it overflows the ftrand, and communicates with the Ocean j for Dampiery who was formerly here, fpeaks of it as a large river. Indeed there muft be a very great body of water amafled before the lake can rife high enough to overflow the ftrand ; for the neighbouring country is fo low, that great part of it muft be covered with water, before it can run over the beach. As the country in the neighbourhood, particularly the trad which we have already defcribed, appeared to be well peopled, and cultivated, we hoped then'^e to have procured frelh provifion and other refrelhments which we ftood in need of With this view, the morning after we came to an anchor, the Commodore ordered a party of forty men, well armed to marcl\ into the country, and to endeavour to difcover iome town or village, where they were to attempt to fet on foot acorrefpon- dence. round the WoftL\p. 235 dence with the inhabitants; for we doubted -not, if we could have any intercourfe with them, but,ihai by pre- fents of fonie of the coarfe-merchandife, with which our prizes abounded (which, though of Htile confequence to us, would to rhem be extremely valuable) we ftiouici allure them to furnifti us with whatever fruits or freOi provifions were in their power. Our people were directed on this occafion to proceed with the greateft circumfpecr tion, and to make as little oftentation of hoftility as poilible ; for we were fenfible, that we could meet with no wealth here worth our notice, and that what neceifaries v e really wanted, we fhould in aU probability be bett^^r -'led with by an open amicable traffic, than by violer. ., ' force of arms. But this endeavour of opening an ini> .courfe with the inhabitants proved inef- fedual ; for towards evening, the party which had been ordered to march into the country, returned greatly fa- tigued with their unufual exercife, and (brae of them fo far fpent as to have fainted by the way, and to be oblig- ed to be brought back upon the (boulders of their com- panions. They had marched in all, as they conceived, about ten miles, in a beaten road, where they often faw the freih dung of horfes or mules. When they had got about (ive miles from the harbour, the road divided be- tween the mountains into two branches, one running to the Eaft, and the other to the Weft ; After fome deli- beration about the ceurfe they (hould take, they agreed to purfue the eaftern road, which when they had follow- ed for (bmc time, led them at once into a large plain or Savannah; on one fide of which they difcovered a cen- tinel on horfeback with a piftol.in his hand: It was(iip-; pofed that when they firft (aw him he was afleep, but his horfe ftariled at the glittering of their arms> and turn- ing round fuddenly rode off with his matter, who was very near being unhorfed in the furprize, but he reco- vered his ieat, and efcaped with the lofs only of his hat and his piftol which he dropped on the ground. Our peo- ple ran after him, in hopes of dilcovenng fome village or habitation which he would retreat to, but as he had the advantage of being on horleback, he (bon loft fight of them. However, they were unwilling to come back without making Ibme difcovery, and therefore ftill fol- lowed V ; a36 - y^ V O Y A G E lowed the track they were in ; but the heat of the day encreafing, and finding no water to quench their thir(^, they were firft obliged to halt, and then refolved to re- turn ; for as they faw no figns of plantations or cultivat- ed land, they had no reafon to believe that there was any village or fettlement near them : But to leave no means untried of procuring feme iniercourfe with the people, the officers ftuck up feveral poles in the road, to which were affixed declarations, written in Spanijby encourag- ing the inhabitants, to come down to the harbour, and to traffic with us, giving the pronged affurances of a kind re- ception, and faithful payment for any provifions they fhould bring us. This was doubtlefs a very prudent mea- fure, but yet it produced no effedl ; for we never faw any of them during the whole time of our continuance at this port of Chequetan. But had ouf men, upon the divifion of the path, taken the weftern road inftead of the eaftern, it would (bon have led them to a village or town, which in fome Spnnijh maiiufcripts U mentioned as being in the neighbourhood of this port, and which we afterwards lear.it was not above two miles from that turning. And on this occafion I cannot help mentioning another adventure, which happened to fome of our people in the bay of Petaplatiy as it may help to give the reader a juft idea of the temper of the inhabitants of this part of the world. Sometime, after our arrival at Cbequetan Lieute- nant Brett was feni by the Commodore, with two of our boats under his command, to examine the coafl: to the eaftward, particularly to make obfervations on the bay and watering place of Petaplan, As Mr. Brett with one of the boats was preparing to go on (hore towards the hill o( PetaplaHy he accidentally looking acrofs the bay, perceived, on the oppofite ftrand, three fmall fquadrons of horfe parading upon the beach, and feeming to ad- vance towards the place where he propofed to land. On fight of this he immediately put off the boat, though he had but fixteen men with him, and ftood over the bay towards them : And he foon carae near enough to per- ceive that they were mounted on very fightly horfes, and were armed with carbines and lances. On feeing him make towards them, they formed upon the beach, and feemed refolved to difbute his landing, firing feve- ral ^'^nmmmfm^_ w^mm pp roufi and laid them one upon the other acrofs the path i and at this barricadoe we conilanily kept a guard : And we be(id^s ordered our men employed in watering, to have their arms ready, and, in cafe of any alarm, to march inftantly ^o this pod. And though our principal intention was to prevent our beingdiftutbed by any fud- d?n attack of the enemy's horfe, yet it anfwered another purpjife, wbicbwasnotiaitfelflefs important i this was to hinder our own people from (IraggHng dngty into the country, where we had reafon to believe they would be- furprized by the SpaniarJs, who would doubtkfs be ex- tremely folicitous to pick up fome of them, in hopes of getting intelligence of our future deligns. To avoid this. Jp.convenience, the ftri^ft orders were given to the cen- tinels, to let no pecfon whatever pafs beyond their poft : But notwithftandingthiis precaution, we miffed one Leivis' l-^gery who was the Commodore's Cook j and as he was? a Frenchnrnaty and fufpe6ted to be a Papift, it was by fome imagined that he had ^ieferted^ with a view of betraying," all that he knew to the enemy i but this appeared, by M - the w ""'i n iii j| W !■' W ^\i ^VOYAGE ■the event, to be an ill-grounded furmift ; for it was af- terwards known thar he had been taken by fome Indians^ who carried him prifoncr to Atnpulco, from whence he was transferred to Mexico, and thence to Vera Cruz, where he was (hipped on board aveffel boMnd to O /J Sf>ain.' And the veiTel being obliged by fome accident to put into Lifhotty Lege/ efcaped on Ihore, and was by the Britijh Conful fent from thence to England ; where he brought the firft authentick account of the'fafety of the Commodore, and of what he had doiie in the ^onth" Seas. The relation he gave of hjs own feizure was, that he rambled into the woods atibmediftance from the bar- ricadoe, where he had iirft attempted to pafs, but hsd Been (lopped and threatned tobe puniibed j that his prin- cipal view was to get a quantity of limes for nis Mailer's flore ; and that in this occupation he was furprized una- wares by four hdians, who ftripped him naked, and car- ried him in that coiidition to Acapuleo^ expofed to the fcorching heat of the fun, which at that time of the year thone \trith its greateft violence : And afterwards at Mexi^ CO his treatment in prifon was fufHciently {tvtx^f and the whole courfe of his captiviiy was a continued ittilance of the hatred, which the Spaniards bear to all thole who endeavour to difturb them in the peaceable poiTeilion of the coafts of the South-Seas. Indeed Leger's fortune was, upon the whole, extremely lingular ; for after the ha- zards he had run in the Commodore's fquadron, and the feventies he had fuffered in his longconlinement amongft the enemy, a more fatal difafter attended hi/jti on his re- turn to England: For though, when he arrived in London, ibme di Mr. Anfons friends intere3:ed themfelvcs in re- lieving him from the poverty to which his captivity had reduced him ; yet he did not long enjoy the benefit of their humanity, for he was killed in an infignificant night brav/1, the caufe of which could fcarcely be dilcovered And here I mud obferve, that though the enemy never appeared iu fight during our ftay in this harbour, yet we perceived that there were large panics of them incamped ill the woods about us ; for we could fee their fmokes, and could thence determine that they were polled in a circular line furrounding us at a didance ; and jull before our coming away they feemed, by the increaic of their ' ■'' ■» iires, MM round the World. 243 fires, to have received a confiderable reinforcement. But to return : Towards the latter end o{ Aprily the unloading Of our three prizes, our wooding, and watering, and in fhort, all our propofed employments at the harbour of Cheque- tan, were compleatfed : So that, on the 27th of ^/ri7^ the Tryai's Prize, the Carmelo and the Carmitty all which we here intended to deftroy, were towed on fliore and fcuttled, and a quantity of combuftible materials were diftributed in their upper works ; and the next morning the Centurion and the Gloucefter weighed anchor, but as there was but little wind, and that no* in their favour, tMf were obliged to warp out of the harbour. When they had reached the offing, one of the boats was dif- patched back again to fet fire to our prizes, which was accordingly executed. And a canoe was left fixed to a grapnel in the middle of the harbour, with a bottle in it well corked, inclofing a letter to Mr. Hughes y who i commanded the Cutter, which was ordered to craife be- fore the port o^JcapttlcOf when we came off that ftation. And on tl is occafion I muft mention more particularly, than I have yet done, the views of the Coraiiiodore in leaving the Cutter before that port. -i-m When we were nev,eflitated to make for Chequettri t© t^kein oar water, Mr. ^«/&/r coniidered that our being in ihat harbour would foon be known at Acapulco ; and therefore he hop\?d, t^jat on the intelligence of our being employed in port, the ^aleon might put to fea, efpeciall/ I as Chequetan is {o very remote from the courfe generally fteered by the galeon : He therefore ordered the Cutter to cruife twenty-four days off the coaft oi Acapulco ^ and [her Commander was direded, on perceiving the galeon under fail, ro make the beft of his way to the Commo- idore at Ch€(:uetan. Ad the Centurion was doubtlefs a Mnuch better faiior than the galeon, Mr. Anjony in this :afe rtfolved to have got to fea as foon as poffible, and to [have purfued the galeon acrofs the Pacific Ocean : And Ifuppofmg he (hould not have met with her in his paffage |(whica confidering that he would have kept nearly tnc lame parallel, was not very improbable) yet he was ccr- [lain of arriving off Cape Efpiritu SantOy on the Ifland Sar/talf before her ^ and that being the firft land Ihe makes V ■f- ■:%■.' ... • ., • M 2 . . : . . •. • on "^•IH I i : i ^ if ' :''>»*,fe; 2J4 ^VOYAGE on her return to the Philipptnes^ we «?^uld lict have failed to have fallen in with her, by cruifing a few days in that llation. But the Viceroy of Mexico ruined this projed, by keeping the galeon in the port of y^capxlco all that year. The letter \th in the canoe for Mr. Hagljes^ the Com- mander of the Cutter, (the time of wJwfe return was mow confiderably elapfed) dire^ed him to go back im- mediately to his former ftation before Acafmko^ where he would find Mx. An/on, who refolved to cruifc for him there for a certain number of days ; after which it was added, that the Commodore would return to the fouth- ward to join the reft of the (quadron. This laft awicle was inferted to deceive the Spaniards, if they got pollcT- iion of the canoe, (as we afterwards learnt they did) but could not impole on Mr. Hughes, who w^ll knew that the Commodore had no fquadron to join, nor any intention 4)f fleering back to Peru. Being now in the offing of Chequetan, bound crofs ihe vaft Pacific Ocean in our way to China, we were im- patient to run o^ the coaft as ibon as pofllble ; for as the itoimy (eafon was approaching apace, and ar, we had n© further views in the American feas, we had hoped that nothing would have prevented -us from ftancUng to the weftward, the moment we got out of the harbour of Chequetan: And it was no imall jaiortification to U3, tha our neceflary employment there had detained us fo mucli Jonger than we expended ; and now wc were farther de- tained by the abfer.ce of the Cutter, and the ftanding to- wards Acapulco in frarch of her. Indeed, as th«; time ol her cruifc had been expired for near a fortnight, we lul- fufpe6led that ibe had been difcovered from the lljore^ and that the Governor -of AcapulcQ had thereupon lent out a force to feize hea*, which, as (he carried but fiK hands, was no very difficult enterprize. However, this being only conjedure, the Commodore, as foon as he was got clear of the harlxjur of Chequetan, ftood along the coaft to the eaftv^ard in (earch of her : And lo pre- vent her from palfing by us in the dark, we brought to every night; and the Gkucejier, whofe ftation wa' a league within us towards the more, carried a light, which the Cutter could not but perceive, if ftie kept along Ihore, as we fuppofed flie would do j and as a farther ie- «arit)', ti)e Centmian an 1 the Gkucejier alternately ftiewed two "3itta rC't have failed vdays in that lis projedl, by ill that year. !^/, the Gom- fe return was go back im- apulco^ where cruifc for him which it was to the fouih- his laft awicle ley got poiic!- they did) but knew that the any intention crofs bound we were itn- 3le ; for as the as we had no id hoped ih: anding to the ie hariour of on to U3, iha edus fo much a-e fan her de- i€ ftanding te- as th(; time ol' night, we fut 3m the lliore; herfupon ient arried but fu "iowever, this as foon as he i», ftood along : And to pre- wt brought to ftation wa' a a light, which he kept along IS a farther (e- natel^ fhewed two round the World. 245' two faffe fires every half hour. Indeed, had fhe efcaped^ US, flie would have found orders in the canoe to have re- turned immediately before Acapulcoy where Mr. Anfoa propofed to cruife for her forae days. By Sunday f the zd of M^, we were advanced within three leagues o^ Acapukoy and having feen nothing of our boat, we gave her over for ioft, which, befides the com- paffionate concern for oar (hip-mates, and for what it was apprehended they might have fuffered, was in itfelf a misfortune, which, in our prefent fcareity of hands, we were all greatly interefted in : For the Crew of the Cutler, confiding of fix men and the Lieutenant, were the very flower of our people, purpofely pickt out for this fervice, and known to be every one of them of tried and approv- ed relblution, and as (kilful feamen 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 fuggefted a project which we hoped would reco- ver them. This was founded on our having many Spa-^ nijh and Indian prifoners in our poiTeffion, and a numbec of fick Negroes, who could be of no fervicc to us in the navigating of the (hip. The Commodore therefore wrote a letter the fame day to the Governor q{ Acapuko^ idling him, that he would releafe them all, provided the Governor returned the Cutter's crewj and the letter wai difpatched the fame afternoon by a Spanijh Officer, of whofe honour we had a good opinion, md who wa« furni(hed with a launch belonging to one of our prizes^ and a crew of fix other prifoners who all gave their pa- role for their return. The officer too, befides the Com- modore's letter, carried with him a joint petition figned by all the reft of the prifoners, befeeching his Excellence to acquiefce in the ttrms propofed for their liberty. Front a confideration of the number of our prifoners, and the quality of fome of them, wc did not doubt but the Go- vernor would read ly comply with M:. An/on s propofal, and therefore wc kept plying on and o(F the whole night, intending to keep well in wjth the land, that we might receive an anfwer at the limited time, which was the next day, being Monday: But both on the Monday and Tuef- day we were driven fo far offlhore, that we could not hope to receive any aiifwer j and on the f^^ednefday morn- '. ' inz .1 f ri c y-Ai f '^'W > fjS s ( ,1 i \i i I ii 'i •i*-i»»>>*'&'ii U ]i n ■ !!ife ! t t. 246 ^VOYAGE rng we found ourfelves fourteen leagues from the harbour of Acapu/ca j but as the wind was now favourable, we prefled forwards with all our fail, and did not doubt of getting in with the land in a few hours. Whilft we were thus ftanding in, the man at the maft-head called out that he faw a boat under fail at a confiderable diftance to the South eaftward : This we took for granted was the an- fwer of the Governor to the Commodore's mefTage, and we inftantly edged towards i>: j but when we drew near- «r, we found to our unfpeakablc joy that it was our own Cutter. While (he was ftill at a oiflance we imagined that (he had been di(charged out of the port of Acapuh by the Governor ; but when (he drew nearer, the wan and meager countenances of the crew, the length of their beards, and the feeble and hollow tone of their voices, convinced us that they had fuffered, much greater hard- fliips than could be expe^ed from even the (everities of a Spanijb prilbn. They were obliged to be helped into the (hip, and were immediately put to bed, and with reft and nouri(hing diet, which they were plentifully fupplied with from the Commodore's table, they recovered their health and vigour apace : And now we learnt that they bad kept the lea the whole time of their abfence, which was above fix weeks, that when they had finilhed their cruife before Acapulco^ and had juft begun to ply to the wellward in order to join the fquadron, a ftrong adverfe Current had (breed them down the coaft to the eaft- ward in fpight of all their £(Forts; that at length, their water being all expended, they were obliged to fearch the coaft farther on to the eaftward, in queft of fome convenient landing-place, where they might get a frefh fupply; that in this diftrefs they ran upwards of eighty leagues to the leeward, and found every where (b large a furf, that there was not the leaft po(ribility of their landing ; that they pa(red fome days in this dreadful fitu- ation, without water, and having no other means left diem to allay their thirft than fucking the blood of the turtle, which they caught ; and at laft, giving up ail hopes of relief, the heat of the climate too augmenting their nece(rities, and rendering their fufFerings inlupporta- ble, they abandoned themfclves to defpair, fully per- fuadcd that they (hould periih by the moft terrible of all deaths j PI round the W o ^ \.T>. , 247- tteaths ; but that they were foon after happfly relieved' by a moft unaxpcfted incident, for there fell fo heavy a rain, that by fpreading their fails horizontally, and by putting bullets in the centers of them to drav^r them to a point, they caught as much. water,., as filled all their'cafks ; that immediately upon this fortunate fupply they ftood to the weftward in queft of the Commodore ;. and being HOW luckily favoured by a ftrong,current, they joined us in lefs than fifty hours, from the time they flood to the weftward, after having been abfent from us full forty- three days. Thofe who have an idea of the inconfide- rable fize of a Cutter belonging to a faty-gun (hip, (be- ing only an open boat about twenty two feet in length) and who will attend to the various accidents to which the was expofed during, a fix weeks continuance alone, in the open ocean, on fo impracticable and dangerous a coaft, will readily own^ that her return to us at laft, af- ter all the difficulties, which fhe attually experienced and the hazards to which (he was each hoirr expofed, may be confidered as little Ihort of miraculous. • - • -, - "— t- x I cannot fini(h the article of this Cutter, without re- marking how little reliance Navigators ought to have on the accounts of the Buccaneer writers : For though in this run of her's, eighty leagues to the eadl^ard oi Acapulcof • (he found no place where it was poflible for a boat to land, yet thofe writers have not been a(hamed to feign harbours and convenient watering places within thefe limits, thereby expofing fuch as ftould confide in their relations, to the rifque.of being defiroyed by third. - And now having received our Cutter, the fole obje£l of our coming a fecond time before Acapulco^ the Commo- dore reiblved not to lofe a moment's time longer, but to ru . off the coaft with the utmoft 'Expedition, both as the (loi my feafon on the coaft oi Mexico was now approaching apaco, and as we were apprehenfive of liaving the wefter- ly monfbon to ftruggle with when we came upon the coaft of China, and therefore he no longer ftood towards Acapul- cr, as he now wanted no anfwer from the Governor ; but yet he reiblved not to deprive his priibners of the liber* ty, which he had promiied them ; (b that they were all immediately embarked in two launches which belonged to our prizes, thofe from the Centurion in one launch, *.. i M 4 and m * ^ til ■ ,. Ill ' ■ f-ll m 'i I ^ I ; ■ I ?! i T,' t>.: ; if Si i 1 1 hi 248 ^VOYAGE ; and thore from the Ghucefttr in the other. The lattnchei were well equipped with mafts. fails and oars 5 ajid left the wind might prove unfavourable, they had a ftock -of water and provifions put on board them fufficient for fourteen days. There were difcharged thirty-nine perfons from on board the Centurion, and eighteen from the Gloucefler, the greateft part of them Spaniards, the reft Indians and lick Negroes : But as our crews were very weak, we kepf the Mulaitoes and fome of the ftouteft of the Negroes, with a few Indians, to aflift us j but we difmiffed tvtty Spanijb prifoner whatever. We have fince learnt, thatthefe two launches arrived lafe at Acapuicoy wbere the pri(bners couid not enough extoi the humanity with which they had been treated ; and that the Gk)verRor, before their arrival, had returned a very obliging anfwer to the Commodore's letter, and had at* tended it with a prefeni of two boats iaden with the choiceft refreftiments and provifions which were to be got at Jcaputcoi but that thefe boats not having found our Ihips, were at length obliged to put back again, after having thrown all their provifionsover-iiOiardin afiorra which. t^ireatened their deftruftion. ^h\H^>^ri » .. ■ * The fending away our piifoners was oiir Jaft tranfac- tion on the u^me^an coaft ; for no fooner had we parted with them, than we and the Gloucefler m2ids.(a\\ to the S. W. propofing to get a good oiing from the land, where we hoped, in a few days, to meet with the regular trade-wind, which the accounts of former Navigators had reprefented as much briiker andfteadier in this ocean, than in any other part of the globe : For it has been ef- tcemed no uncommon paflage, to run frooi hence to the caftermort; parts o^ Afia in two months ; and we flatter- ed ourfelves that we were as capable of making an ex- peditious paflage, as any fliips that had ever run this courfe before us : So that we hoped foon to gain the coaft of China, for which we were now bound. And conformable to the general idea of this navigation given by former Voyagers, we confidered it as free from all kinds of embarrafFment of bad weather, fatigue, or fick- nefs ; and confcquently we undertook it with alacrity, ef- pecially as it was no contemptible ftep towards our arri- val at our native coumry, for which many of »|| j^y this time it « round the Wo R r, D. 249 time began to have great longings. Thus, on the 6th of Mayy we, for the laft time, loft fight of the mountains of Mexico, perfiiided that, in a few weeks, we fhould arrive at the river of Canton in C/&/«/2,where wc expected to meet with m2inyEngliJh (hips, and numbers of our countrymen j and hoped to enjoy the advantages of an amicable well frequented pori, inhabited, by a poliflied people, and a- bounding with the conveniences and indulgencies of a civilized life ; bleflings, which now for near twenty months had never been once in our powci. But there yet remains (before we take our leave of America) the confideration of a matter well worthy of attention, the difcuflion of which ihall be referred to the enfuingchapter. Ch a p. XIV. A brief Account of 'what might have been ex* peded from our fquadron^ had it arri'ved in the South- Seas in good time. AF T E R the recital of the tranfaciions of the Com- modore, and the ihips under his command, on the coafts oi Peru and Mexico^ as contained in the preceding part of this book, it will be no ufelefs digreffion to ex- amine what the whole fquadron might have been capa- ble of atcnieving, had it arrived in thofe fea« in (b good; a plight, as it would piobably have done, had the paf- fage round Cape //or« been attempted in a more feafona- ble time of the year. This difquifitioh may be fervice- able to thole who (ball hereafter form projects of the like nature for that part of the world, or may be entrufted with their executiom Afld therefore I propofe, in thi» chapter, to confider as fuccindly as I can, the numerous, advantages which the Public might have received from.^ the operations of the fquadron, had it fet fail from £«^- land 2, few months fooner. And firft, I muit fuppofe, tbat in the fummer time w«^ might have got round Cape Horn with an inconfiderable> lofs, and without any damage to ourfiiips or rigging. For the Duke and Duiclief^-of ifr//7o/, who between. them- had above three hundred men, buried no more than two^ from the coaft of Brazil to Juan Fernandes ', and out of a«r hundred and eighty-three hands which were on board 5he Duke,.iherp w«€ only tweiuy-«ii§ iiek ol^{h« fcurvy,. Ms - whca t --i-.il. |; f \\ if f\ 250 ,A VOYAGE when they arrived at that Ifland : Whence as men ofi war are much better provided with ail conveniencies than privateers, we might doubtlefs have appeared be- fore BaUiXJ I found the World, 251 th^ enterprizes of our iquadron. Of all thefe particulars we were amply informed by the letters we took on board our prizes, none of thefe vefTels, as I remember, having had the precaution to throw her papers over-board. The ill blood amongft the Governors was greatly aug- mented by their apprehenfions of our fquadron j for every one being willing to have it believed, that the bad condition of his Government was not the effect of neg- ligence, there were continual demands and remonftran^ ces amongft them, in order to throw the blame upon each other. Thus, for inftance, the Prefident of St. Jago in Chili f the Prefident of Panama^ and many other Governors, and military officers, were perpetually foli- citing the Viceroy of Peru to furnilh them with th^ ne- c^iTary fuppKes of money for putting their provinces and places in a proper ftate of defence to oppofe our defigns : But the cuftomary anfwer of the Viceroy to thefe repre- fentations was the emptinefs of the royal cheft at Limay and the difficulties he was under to fupport the expences of his own Government i and in one of his letters, (which we intercepted,) he mentioned his apprehenfions that he might even be neceffitated to ftop they pay of the troops and of the garrifonof C^/Z^a, the key of the whole king- dom of/Vr«:* Indeed he did at times remit to thefe Gover- nors fome part of their demands ; but as what he fent them was greatly ihort of their wants, it rather tended to the raifing Jealoufies and heartburnings among them, than contributed to the purpofes for which it was intended. And befides thefe mutual jangUngs amongft the Go- vernors, the whole body of the people were- extremely diffiitisfied ; for they were fully pcrfuaded that the affairs of «S'/'^/« for many years before had been managed by the influence of a particular foreign intereft, which was altogether detached from the advantages of the Spmiijb Nation : So that the inhabitants of ihele diftant provin- ces believed themfelves to be facriticed to an ambiti jn, which never confidered their convenience or interefts, or paid any regard to the reputation or their name, or the honour of their country. That this was the temper of the Creolian Spaniards at that time, might be evinced from a hundred inftances ; but 1 Ihall content myfelf with one, which is indeed conclufive : This is the ufti- ^^w,. . mony 1 ! ', hij mM ^ 252 yf V O Y A G E mony of the ¥rencfj Mathemalicianf fent into AmericM^ to ineafure the rnagnirude of an equatorial degree of longitude. For in the relation of the murthcr of a fur* geon belonging to their company in one of the cities oC Peruy and of the popular tumult occafioned thereby, written by one of thofe aftronomers, the author con- feffes, that the inhabitants, during the uproar, all join- cd in imprecations on their bad Governors, and beftow- «d the moft abufive language upon the French^ detef- iing thcni, in all probability, more particularly as be- longing to a nation, to whofe influence in the Spmijh Councils \.ht Sffaniayds imputed all their misfortunes. And whilrt the Creolian Spaniards were thus diifatis- fied, it appears by the letters we intercepted, that the hdiansy on almoft every frontier, were ripe for a revolt, and would have taken up arms on the ilighteft encou- ragement J in particular, the Indians in the fouthern parts of Peru; as likewifethe Arraucosy and the reft of the Cbilian Indians y the mod powerful and terrible to the Spanijh name of any on thai Continent. For it (eems, that in the difputcs between the Spaniards and the Indi' gnsy which happened fome lime before our arrival, the Spaniards had infulted the Indians with an account of the force, which they expe^ed from OidSpain under the command of Admiral Fizarro, and -had vaunted that he was coming thither to compleat the great work, which had been left unfinifiied by his anceftors. Thefe threats alarmed the Indiansy and made them believe that their cxiirpation was refolved on : For the Pizarro^s being the firft cdnquerors of that coaft, the Peruvian Indians held the name, and all that bore it, in execration ; not having forgot the deftrudion of their Monarchy, the maiTacre of their beloved Incay Atapalipay the extinftion of their religion, and the (laughter of their anceftors ; <\\\ perpetrated by tlie family of the Pizarro\. The Chilian Indians too abhorred a Chief delcended from thofe, who, by their Lieutenants, had firft attempted to inllave them, and had neceffitated their Tribes, for more than a Century, to be continually wafting their blood in defence of their independency. And let it not be fuppofed, that among thofe barba- rous nations the iradiiions of fu(^h diftant tranfadlions could ■i*- ■ round the World. 253 could not h( continued till the prefent times ; for all who have beira acquainted with that part of the world affrec, that the ImHaMs, in their publick feafts, and annual ftv lemnitics, conftantly revive the memory of thefe tragtck incidents ; and thofe who have been preient at thefe Ipettacles, have obferved, that all the recitals and rcprc- fentations ofthis kind were received with an enchufiaftick rage, and with fuch vehement motions, as plainly evinced how ftcongly the memory of their former wrongs was im- planted in them, and how acceptable the means of revenge would at all times prove. To this account I muft add too, tiut the «S'/'fl««^/Governors themfelves were fo fuUy in- formed of the difpofition of the Indians^ and were fo ap- prehenfive of a general defe^ion among them, that the/ employed all their Induftry to reconcile tde moft dange- rous tribes, and to prevent them from immediately tak- ing up arras : Among the reft, the Prefidcnt of Chili in particular made large concefiions to the Arraucosy and the othtr Chilian Indians^ by which, and by diftributing con- fiderable prefents to their leading men, he at lall got them to consent to a prolongation of the truce betweeo- the two nations. But thefe negotiations were not con- cluded at tixe time when we might have been in the South-S^as ; and had they been compleated, yet the hatred of thefe Indiam to the S/taniards was fb great, that it would have been impoHible for their Chiefs to have prevented tijeir joining us. :#^f;. c^k i, liTiV ;! ^«f Thus then U appears, that on our arrival in the South' Sea we might have found the whole coad unprovided with troops, and deftitute even of arras : For we well knew from very particular intelligence, that there were not three iluundred fire-arms, of which too the greateft part were matchlocks, in all the province o[ Chili. At the fame time, the Indians would have been ready to re- volt, the Spaniards diibofed to mutiny, and the Gover- nors enraged v.i h each other, and each prepared to re^ joice at the iifgrace of his antagqnift ; whilft we, on the other hand, iTii^ht have confided of near two thoufand men, the greateft part in health and vigour, all well arra-> ed and united under a Chief whole enterprifing genius (as we have i'^tn) could not be deprelled by a continued ferits <>f the moH ilai^r events, aad wk)fe equable and pru.«« ;.;.. dent !/' '! '. !ff If :\ Sh\ i ■ .:* IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V.A 1.0 I.I 11.25 lii|28 12.5 ■^ Ui2 |2.2 Li ■« 1^ U I K6 PhotDgrapbic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716) 873-4503 ^ V ^ <> O^ 254' AVOY A G E «knt turn of temper would have remained unvaried, in^ the midft of the greateft degree of good fuccefs ; and who beiides polTeiled, in a diilingutfhtd manner, thf^ two qualites, the moft neceifary in theft uncommon u h dertakings; I mean^ that of maintaining his authority, and preferving, at the fame time, the aflfe^ions of his people. Our other officers too, of every ranic, appear, by the experience the Public hath (ince had of them, to have been equal to any enterprize they might have been ' charged with by their Commander : And our men (at alL times brave if well conduded) in fueh a caufe where trea- ftwe was the objedc, and under fuch leaders,ivou]d doubt- kis have been prepared to rival the moft celebrated at- cbievements hitherto performed by Britijb Mariners. > • It cannot then be conteftcd, but that Baldivia mxk^'^ have furrendered on the appearance of our fquadron : After which, it may be prefumed, that the Arrauc9$i the« niches and Penguinches,, inhabiting the banks of the river ' hnperialy about twenty-five leagues to the northward of this place, would have immediately taken up arm5,beingv cMfpoied as hatlvbeen- already related, and encouraged by the arrival of (bconiiderable a force in their neighboar-^ hood. As theie Indians can bring into the field near thir- ty thoufand men, the greatefl part of them horfe, their firfl ftep would doubtiefsliave been the invading the pro* • vince oi Chilis which they would have found totally un-* provided of ammunition and weapons; and afr its inhabi-< tants are a luxurious and effeminate race, . they would have been incapable on fuoh an emergency, of giving< any oppofition tathis rugged enemy : So that 'it is no ftrained conjecture to imagine^ that the Zw^iSfAyii would have been foon mafters of the whole country « And the^ ether /WiAiff on the frontiers of Peru being equally difpof-^ ed witli the Arraucos to (bake off the Spamjb yoke, it is highly probable, that they likewife would have embraced' the occafion, and that a general infurre€tion would have^ taken place through all the •S>a«/^' territories in South //« nirr/otf in which cafe, the only relburce left tathe, Cr^o^ Ham (di^tFsfied as they were with lYitSpaniflf Govern* ment) would have been to have made the bed terms they could with their Indian neighbours, and to have witb* drawn themfelyes from, the obedience of a^Mafter,. who had *^ round the W o R l d.' 255 had (hown (b litile regard to their fecurit/. Thislaftfup- pofltion may perhaps appear chimerical to thoie^ who meafure the pofTibility of all events by the icanty ftandr ,ard of their own experience ; but the temper of the times,and the ftrong diflike of the natives to the meafures then purfued by the Spanijb Court, fuificiently evince at lead its pofllbiiiry. But not to inftft on the prefumptioti of a general revolt, it is fufficient for our purpo(e to con* elude, that the Arraucos would fcarcely have failed of takr * ing arms on our appearance : For this alone would fo far have embarraifcd the enemy, that they ^vouid no longer have thought of oppofing us ; but would have turned ail their care to \\\t Indian aSairs ; as they ftill remember, with the utmoft horror, the fackingof their cities, the rifling of their convents, the captivity of their wives and daughters, and the defblation of their country by thefe refoiute favages, in the laft war between the two nations. For it mud be remembred, that this tribe oi Indians have been frequently fuccefsful againft the Spaniards^ and pof- fefs at this time a large traS of country, which was for^ merly full of Spanijb towns and villages, whofe inhabi- tants were all either deftroyed, or carried into captivity by the Arraucos and the neighbouring Indians^ who in a war againft the Spaniards, never fail to join their forces. But tven, independent of an Indian revolt, there were but two places oh all the coaft of the^0»/^-*Setf ^which could be fuppoied capable of refilling our (quadron ; theie were the cities o{ Panama and Callao : As to the iirft of thefe, its fortifications were ib decayed, and it was fo much in want of powder^ that the Governor himfelf, in an inter- cepted letter, acknowledged it was incapable of being defended ^ fo that I take it for granted, it would have given us but little trouble, efbecially if we had opened .a communication acrofs the lithmus with our fleet on the other fide : And for the city and port ofCaUao^ its cor^• dition was not much better than that of Panama; for its walls are built upon the pliun ground, without either outwork or ditch before them, and confift only of very (lender feeble malbnry, v/ithout any earth behind them ; fo that a battery of five or fix pieces of cannon, raifedany where within four qi five hundred paces of the place, would have had a full view oi^ the whole rampsu(> an^i would p mmmm •' ' %S6 ^VOYAGE dore, before be had made fuch an at* tempt, would doubtlels have been pofleiTed of ftverai prkEC i»ps> which he would not have hedtated to have run on ihore {ox the prote^ion of his boats ; and befides there wer« many places on that coaft, and one in parti- cular in the neighbourhood of CalUo^ where there was good anchoring, though a great depth of water, within a cable's length of the Ihore ; Co that the cannon of the men of war would have fwept all the coaft to above &> mile's diiUnce from the water's edge, and would have; effectually prevented any force from aifcmbling, to op^ pofe the landing and forming of our men : And the place bad this additionaUd vantage, that it was but two leagues diftant from the city of Lima ; ib that we might have been at that city within four hours after we fliould have been firft discovered from the fhort. The place I have herein vitw is about twO'lMgiiesSpttCh of CIs^ and jufl roufid the W o r l d. 257 jul^to thenorthw^d^f tl^ headrlsmdcaUeKli in iV«e«»^s dr^ught^r^hsit cjo^vi, ifl^rfi •Slo^r* . Here ihexeuUiVtn^ ly or eignty fathom-orwattr, withip twac^t^eskfigth of tKe (bor^ ; and the, {^Vyn^ themiblvts wcrcfo »p* prebeniive of oiir atumptii^ to lan^d t|^r«, tbsit tbc^ ba4 projected (o build afi)ri dole to tbe water j but tbere be^ jng no money in the royal cbefti» theycoqld not go on with that work, and there^ccbey. contented themrelveft with keeping a guard of an hundred borie there, that they might & fure to re/^e^v^ earfy nptice of our appear* an^e on tliat coa& .J^inie^ fiy^ (as we were told) conceivin^o^r mai^igenitntat^ to be f^pviAib^ni*- xpous as their ow^i pf#tf nd^tbat the Qoip^oLodQrewouki never dare to biii^g iri; hMfliips there, for fe^r that in id great a depth of wa^er iheir anciiors could not hold them* And here Ut it not be imi^ined» ihat I am proceding^ upon groundiefs and extravagant prefuniption», when! conclude, |bat fifteen hundred or a tbouiand of our peo- ple, well €ondu^pd>ihouidihav!e been an over-match for any numbers l\^Spam0riii^^\dmy^il^ in S¥^tb Jmtrka^ For not to mention ihe eyperieniGie we had of them at Paiift andiV/«^i(i?Pf,,jtn[m(l be remenijbred th^our Q^m^ modore was ejttremely /iblieitpus to have all hi^9le|l' trs^ined to thedextro^is ufe of their fire-arms i whereas the SpaniarMi in tUm part of the wprM> wc;re in great want of sMTms, and were very awkord in the management of the i^w iaty had : And though on their repeated repre^ntti* tions, the Court of 4^^^ had ordered ieveral thpjuiaiMl firelocks to be put on board iVeurro'sfquadron, yet thofe^ it ts> evident, could not have been \vi America time enough to hai^ been eq^pbyed againft us 1 ib that \^ our arms, and our readineisin the uie of them (not io^ iniift on the timidity andibltneft of our enemy )we ibould inibme degree have bad j^^Jame advaniages, which the Spaniirnds themfelves bad, in the fijft di^Dvery of tbia^ QQ\xmyi «g»«id its naked and iMHUHoed inhabitants. And now kt it iieconiidf v«d m^ n^ret^ events wUcbr weibiid^fear, or wh»( w^f fihd deemnilnnees whkh cpi^iha^ pr#!i^eAtedii» torn gilding J«kw to aUtheooaft ^Smtfh^mmh aiid|iie»%o«tii^^f fir^>iQj^«the- reftmrpfts whi^ Ihe ^lewr fnom ihofirimnMnfe piovtncey^ By te tbf lie wan oo/wi^ cajpikbte of opfofiog m $ for how •-»(!.» W^^mmiimifmmmmmmmm mmmmm isi ^ vo r A b E Row (bon ib«ver wc had failed, Pizifrroh fquadron coulil' not have fkiled (boner than it di^ and therefore could not have avoided the fate it teict wfth : At We ihould have been mafters of the potts of C55///; we could there have fapplied buribives with the provifions wc wanted in the greateil plenty ; and from BaMMn to the equtno£Hal wc ran no rift[uc of lofing our men by itcknefs, (that be* ine of all climates the moft temperate and healthy) nor of naving our (hips di(abted by bad weather; and had We wantied hands to aflift in thcf^havigatingourfquadron^ whilft a condderablc'part oToor men Were employed 6tt flidre, we could not have fiiifcd of gettiiig whatever num* bers:we plea(ed in the potts^wc (bdMd have taken, and the prizes which woiikl have fallen into bur hands ; and Imuftobfbrve that the MiVrnr Who« are the principal failors in that part of the world, are extremdy docile, and dexterous, and though they are not dt to* llruggle with the inclemencies of a cold climate, yet in tempe- rate (eas they are moft ufeful and laborious flymen. Thus then it appears,what importa^tJrevolutiorts might hav^ been brought aboiit by o^r^^iidren; had' it de- parted frttni EhgtAnd' ^^ etaXy ai ftjdti^i fd%aye do^e ?? And from hence it is ea(]^ to (ioncltide^ What ii^menf^ advantages might have thence accrued to' the Public.' For, as on our fucce(^ it would have been tmpoOible for* the kingdom of Spain to have received any treafure from* the provinces bordering 6h the SoutH^S^asyOv even to have* had any communication with them^ it is certain that the; whole attention of that Monarchy milft have been imme-- diatdyemployed in regaining the po(rc(fion of thefein** e(ttmable lerntoFfes, enhei" by force or compact. By^ the firft of thefe methods it was fcarcely pOmble they' could fucceed ; fw it miift have been at leaft* a twelve- month fVom our arrival, before any fl]ipsfrom^<7mcould< get into the Soutb^Seas, and thofe perhaps (eparated, di(^' abled, and (ickty ; and by that timethey wbutd have had no^ port in their pofl%(fior, either to rendeaivous at or to refit; whilft we might have been fapplied acro^theifthmuswith^ whatever neceifaries, ftores, or ^v#n men we wanted^ and ^ might thereby have maintained our (<|uadro»4fi ad |;od apiight, as when it hrft fet fail from St. JHtJuip. In mort,^ i^ requiredbut lUtle prudeno&in the condil^ of this-bulV- i neft. m^mmmmm round the WorId. %5g nefs to have rendered all the efforts of Spain, (econded By the power ofFrance, inefFeduai, and to have maintained our Cunquetls in denance of them both : So that they muft either have reiblved to have left Great BritainwaX*' ters of the wealth of South America, (the principal (upfXHt of ail their deftru^ive projeds) or they muft have fub- mitted to her terms, and have been contented to rec«nve theft provinces back again, as an equivalent for tliofe reftridtions to their future ambition, which her prudence fhould have dictated to them. Having thus diicuffed the prodigious weight which the operations of our Sqaadrdn might have added to the national influence of this king- dom, I ihall here end this ftcond book« referring to the next, the paflage of the ihattered remains of our force acrols the Pacific Ocean, and all their future tranfiiAions till the Commodore's arrival in England, i B Q Q I^ lU. Chap. I. The run from the coaft of Mexico to the La* • drones or Marian Iflands, WHEN, on the 6th of Af^y 1742, we lefl the coaft of America, we ftood to the S. W. with a view of meeting the N. £. trade-wind, which the aco counts of former writers made us expert at feventy or eighty leagues diftance from the land : We had befidea another realbn for ftanding to the fouthward, which was the getting into the latitude of 1 3 or 14^ North ; that be* ing the parallel where the Pacific Ocean is moft ufually croffed, and confequently where the navigation is efteem-^ ed the fafeft : This laft purpole we had fbon anfwered, being in a day or two fufficiently advanced to the South. At the fame time we were alfo ^rther from the fhore, than we had prefumed was neceffary for the falling in with the trade-wind : But in this particular we were moik grievoufly difappointed 1 for the wind ftill continued to the weft ward, or at bcft variable. As the getting into tlic N. fi. wmm w^if^mmmmmfmm '260 A VOYAGE ' N.E. trade was to as t matter of the laft conftquence, we ftood more ta the iouthwalnl> and made many experiments to meet with it; but all our efforts were for a long time 4iniiicce6fui r So that it was (even weeks, from our leaving the coaft, before vsw got into the true trade-wind. This was an interval, in which we believed we ihould well nigh rhave reached the eafler-moftparuof ^^ ; But we were (o baffled )¥ith the contrary and variable winds, which for all that time perplexed us, that we were not as yet ad- vanced above a fourth part of the yr'A;f. The delay alone would have been a Sufficient mortincation ; but there -were other ciccumftances attending it, which rendered thistfititation not leis terrible, and our apprebenlions per- iiaps flill greater than in any of our pad tliftref^s. For our two Slips were by this time eitremely craxy ; and many days had not pafled, before, we difcovered a i^ing in the fore-mafb of the Ceniuriotty which rounded about twenty- fix inches of its eircumferencer and wbich^as judged ta be at lead four inches deep : And no (boner had our Car- pepenters fecured this with ^ing it, but the Gloucejier made a Hgnal of diftrefs; and we learnt that (he had a ilangerous (pring in her main-maft, twelve feet below the tru(^l-trees ; (b that (he could not carry any (ail upon it. Our Carpenters, on a ftri£t examination of this maft^ found it (b very rotten and decayed, that they judged it nece(rarj to cut it down as low as it appeared to hav6 ton injured ; and by this it was reduced to nothing but a (kamp, which (ervedonlyas a (lep to thetop-raaft. Tjhefe accidents augmented our delay, and occaiioned us great anxiety about our future (iecuri^ : For on oar leaving the ceaft of Mexic$, the icur vy tiad begun to uuke its appear* anee again aaicngft oar people ; thcNigh from oar ckrpar- ture from Juam Fernatules we had till then enjoyed a mo(l uninterrupted dale of health. W^ too well knew the ef*^ ffi£ts of this . 26% <)iient1y wc had the melancholy profpe^^ either of dying: by the fciirvy, or. periihing with the Cbip for want of hands to navigate her. Indeed, fome among^ vr were at Brft willing to believe, that in this warna> climate, lb difFerent from what we felt in palling round Cape JHatyt^, the violence of this d\St^Ct, and its fatality, might be io/ fome degree mitigated J as it had not been unufual tofup- pofe that its particular virulence in that paflage was in a great meafiM-e owing to the feverity of the weather : Bta the havock of the diftemper, in our prefent circoinfttin- ces, ibon convinced us of the falfity of thik fpeculalioni aa it likewife exploded feme other opinions, which uf mitigate its effeds ; yet we obferved, during the latter end of our run, that though we kept all our ports open, and took uncommon pains in cleanling and fweetning.^ the ihtps, yet neither the progress, nor the virulence of the diieale were thereby ienfibly abated. However, I would not be underftood to ailiirt, that, fi'eih provifions^ plenty of water, and a conftant frefli fupply mmm wmmm wmmmm 262 A VOYAGE fnpply offwcet air between decks, are matters of no mo- ment : I am on the contrary, well fatisfied, that they are all of them articles of great importance, and are doubt- le(s extremely conducive to the health and vigour of a crew, and may in many cafes prevent the fatal malady we are now fpeaking of from taking place. All I have aimed at, in what I nave advanced, is only to (hew that in (bme inftances, both the cure, and prevention of this difeafe, are impoflible to be effected by any management, or by the application of any remedies which can be made ufe of at fea. Indeed, I am myfelf fully perfuad- ed, that when it has once got to a certain head, there are no other means in nature for relieving the difeafed, buf carrying them on ihore, or at lead bringing them into the neignbourhood of land. Perhaps a diilin^l and adequate knowledge of the fource of this diieafe may never be dilcovered ; but in general, there is no diffi- culty in conceiving, that as a continued fupply of frefh air is neceflary to all animal life, and as this air is lb particular a fluid, that without lofing its elafticity, or any of its obvious properties, it may be rendered unfit for this purpofe, by the mixing with it (bme very fubtle a jtherwiie imperceptible effluvia $ it may be coti- Cvi. ;d, I fay, thr^t the (leams arifing from the ocean may have a tendency to render the air they are fpread through lefs properly adapted to the fupport of the life of terreftrial animals, unlefs thefe fteams are corrected by effluvia of another kind, and which perhaps the land alone can fupply. ■ To what hath been already faid in relation to this dif- * eafe, I ihall add, that our furgeon (who, during our paf- fage round Cape //or», had" afcribed the mortality we fuffered to the feverity of the climate) exerted himfelf in the prefent run to the utmoft, and at lad declared, that all his meafures were totally ineffectual, and did not in the leaft avail his patients : On wl\ich it was refolved • by the Commodore to try the effects of two medicines, which, juft before his departure from England^ were the fubjed of much difcourfe, I mean the pill and drop of ' Mr. Ward. For however violent the effefts of thefe me- ' dicines are faid to have fbmetimes proved, yet in the pre- fent injance, where deftru^tion Teemed inevitable withv 1 out round the W o r l t). 26j •out fome remedy, the experiment at leaft was thought advifeable : And therefore, one or both of them, at dif- ferent times, were given to peribns in every ftage of ihe diftemper. Out of the numbers that took them, one, ibon after fwallowing the pill, was feized with a violent bleeding at the nofe : He was before given over by *h% Surgeon, and lay almoft at the point of death; but he immediately found himfelf much better, and continued to recover, though (lowly, till we arrived on (bore, which was near a fortnight after. A few others too were re- lieved for (bme days, but the4i(eaie returned again with as much violence as ever ; though neither did thefe, nor the reft, who received no benefit, appear to be reduced |o a worfe condition than they would have been if-they had taken nothing. The mofl: remarkable property of the(e medicines, and what was obvious in almoft every, one that took them, was, that they operated in propor- tion to the vigourof the patient ; (o that tho(e who were within two or three days of dying were (carcely affected;, and as the patient was differently advanced in the difeafe, the operation was either a gentle perfpiration, an eafy vomit, or a mqderate purge : But if they were taken by one in fuUftrength, the^ then produced all the beforemen- tioned effe^s with con(iderable violence, which (bmetimes continued for (ix or eight hpurs together with little inter- miflion* But to return to the profecution of our voyage. I have already oblerved, that a few days after our run-; ning oft* the coaft of Mexico, the Qloucpfter had her main^. maft cut down to a ftump, and we were obliged to fi(h our fore-maft ; and that the(^ misfortunes were greatly agr gravated, by our meeting with contrary and variable winds for near (even weeks. I (hall now add, that wheii we reached the trade-wind, and it (ettled between the North and the Eaft, yet it feldom blew with (b much ftrength, but the Centurion might have carried all her fmall fails abroad with the greateft fafety $ fb that now» had we been a (ingle (hip^ we might have run down our longitude apace, and have reached the Ladrones (bon e-^ nough to have recovered great numbers of our men, who. afterwards -peri(hed But the Glouceftety by the lofs Of. her main-maft, failed (b very heavily, that we had (eU dom any more than our tqp-faiis fet, and yet were fre- quently >WI H . » fl 'TS ''**^^^!*""*iVi«l ^ssesm a64 if V O Y A G E quently obliged to lie to for h«r : And, I conceive, that hi the whole we lo(t little lefs than a month by our atten- dfliiceupon her, in!con(^lfinceoPthevArioa9 mifchan- ce^flie encounteredi In all thift Yun it WM^remaikabley tffa^t we were rare))^ muny d^y» together, witliout feeing great numbers of bhrdi^ which ii a proof that there are many iflands, or at ieaft ro^ks^ (bittered all along, at no ▼ery oonftderable diftance from our track. Some indeed there are marked in the Spanijb chart, Uereafler infcrteci ; but the frequency of the tMs ftems to evince, that there stre many more than have been hithertadifcovtered : For the greateftpart of the birds, we obfcrved, were fech as are It^nown to rooft 6tt fliore'i and' t^emanner of tbeirap- pearance fiiffeiently made out, that they= came from feme difttot haunt every morning, and returr^d thither again in tfaeevenibg; for we never faw them early or late; and tbe hour of their arrival and departure gradually varied, which we fuppofed was occarHoned by oUr running near- er' their haunts, or getting farther from them. ' The trade^wind continued to fevoup ue> without any fki^ufttion, fWmi the end o€Jitmi\\i\&Wfird$xbm end of Jiify, But on the 26th of y»/r, being thtott^ aM weefteem- ed, about three hundred leagues diftimtA-om'^he Ladrems^ we met with a weftcrly wiiw, which -did not come about again to the eaftward in four days time: This wa^amoft dllptriting incident, as it at onee damped ail our hopes of fpeedy relief, efpecially too as it was attended with a vex- atious accident to the QloMceftt*': For in one pari ofthefc; f#ttr days the wind Hatted' to a calm, and the ibips rolled' vny dfeep 1 by' which means the Gihuetfi^rh ferecap fplit, and her top-tnaft came by the boards and broke ikr i0re- yard direOiy in the flings. As ibe was thereby renderedin- capable of making any fail for fometime^ we were oblig- ed, as (bon as a gale fprnng up, to take her in40w $ and near twenty of the- healtbieft and ableft of our flntmen were taken from the bufinefs of our own fliip, and were employed for eight or ten dayii together- on board the Giiwf^fr in repatrtng her damages: But thefe tfeiogs, mt)rtifyihg ais we thought theni^ were but the beginning of our diftiWrs'j for fcarce had our pcopk finilteed their buitnefs in the Ghuctfter^ before we met with a moft vio- lent ftorm inthe weiftern board, which oblffc " x^ to'lie to. ^Swlf^^*^ round the World. 2^5 to. In the beginning of this ftorm oar Ibip (prung a leak, and let in Co much water, that all our people, omcers in- eluded, were employed continual! V in working the pumps : And the next day we had the vexation to fee the GUutef- ur, with her top-maft once more by the bo:ird ^ and whilft we were Vi(.wing her with great concern for this new diftrefe, we faw her main-top-raaft, which had hi- therto ferved her as a jury main- mad, (hare the fame Fate. This compleated our misfortunes, and fendered them without refource ; for we knew the GJouceJier's crew were fo few and feeble, that without our affiftance they could not be relieved : And our fick were now fo far en- pjgiiN 'if I II l i lgtf i w ^66 A VOYAGE f by two beams a midfliips being broketi in the orlope j Yio part of which the Carpenters reported was poffible ♦0 be repaired at fea: That both officers and men bad worked twenty-four hours at the pump without •intei:niirion, and wcrie at length fo fatigued, that they could continue their labour no longer ; but had been forced to defift, with feven feet of water in the hold, which covered their calks, fo that ihey could neither come at frefti water, nor provifion : That they had no maft ftahding, except the fore-maft, the mizcn-maft, knd the mizen top-mail, nor had they any f^are mafts to get up in the room of thofe they had loft : That the ihip was befides extremely decayed in every part, for her knees and clamps were all worked quite loofe, and her -upper works in general were lb loof«, that the quarter-deck was ready to drop doWn : And that her crew was greatly reduced, for there remained alive on board her no more than fcventy-fcven men, eigh- 'teen boys and two prilbners, officers included; and that of this whole number, only lixteen men, and e- Icven boys were <:apable of keeping the deck, and le- veral of thefe very infirm.' The Commodore, on the perufal of this melancholy reprefentation, prefcnily ordered them a fupply of water and proviffions, of which they (eemed to be in immedi- ..diate wanr, and at the fame time fent his own Car- penter on board them, to examine into the truth of every particular; and it being found on the ftriftell en- quiry, that the preceding account was in no inftance ex- aggerated, ir plainly appeared, that there was no pofli- bility of prelerving the Gloucefter any longer, as her leaLs were irreparable, and the united hands on board .both Ihips, capable of working, would not bc able to free ber, even if our own (hip fiiould not employ any part of them. What then couid be refolved 6n, when it was the utmoft we ourlelves could do to manage our own pumps? Iqdeed there was no it)6m for deliberation j the only ftep to be taken was, the faving the lives of the few that remained on board the Glouc^er^ and getting out of her as much as was polFible before flie was de- ftroyed. And therefore the Commodore immediate)/ fcui an order to Captain Miube/, as tbe weather was HOW round the Wo r l d. 267 now calm and favoitrabk, to i^nd bis people on boar(| the Centurion, as expeditlouily as he could ; and to tak« out fuciv ilorjqs a$ he^could get at» wbiltl the ihip coul4 be kept above th& w;^t6r. And as our leak reqilired iei$ attention, whilii the |i>rei£nt eaiy weather continued, WQ lent our boats, with as many il^en as We could (pare, 19 Captaii4 M/ff^*/'s afliftance. , The removing ihtGlouc^flef^s people on board us, an^ the getting out fuch ftores as could moft ptCtly be com^ at) gav^ ug full emplojment iof two days. Mr. y^n/ot^ was extFemely cl^firous.to have gotten two of her cables and an anchor, but the ihlp> rolled fo nsuch, and th^ fBen^ w^re fp .excel}iA?el> iatigfied, that they were inca? p;ibl€ of efiiedting it j nay, it was even with the greatelt diffiquky that the prize money, which the Gloucejier had takeji in the South-Seas^ was fecured, and fent on board the CV«/KriQ«; How.evcr, the prize goods on board her, whi^h simounted|to ieveral thoufa^id pounds in. value^ a^id were, pfincipally the Of»/«r/Ws property, were enf tixely loft^ nor could any ,i|iQre provlfion be got out than five cajCks of flower, three of which were (poil;ed by the lalt water. Their fick men, amounting to near fe^ venty,^ were removed into the boats with as much care as the, circumftances of that time would permit ; but three or four of them expired as they were hoifting (hem into the Cgpturiott. It was the 1 5th of Auguflt in th6 evening, before th^ G/?«(f^^^ wa» cleared of every thing that was propofed to be i-emoved; and, though the hold Was now almolt full of water, yet, as the Carpenters were of opinion that (he might Hill fwim for fome time, if the calm lliould continue, and the water become fmootb, ilie was fer ori fire ; for we knew not how near we might now be to th« JOand of Guam, which was in the pofJ^ilion of our ene- mies, and the wreck of fuch a fhip would have been to Xhcm no contemptible aequifaion. When fixe was fet on fife. Captain MUchel.jknd his officers left her, and came on board the Cent^urion,- And we^ immediately ftood from the wreck, not wiihouc fome apprehenfions (as we had now on\y a light breeze) that if (he blew up foon, the concullion of the air might damage our rigging | but Ihe ioitunatjej^jpint,, though vtiy fiercely, the whUe night, ««* 268 A VOYAGE I' lier guns firing fucceflivcly, as the flames reached them. And it was iix in the morning, when we were about four leagues diftant, before (he blew up ; the report (he made upon this, occafion was but a fmall one, but there was an exceeding black pillar of fmoak, which fliot up in the air to a very confiderable height. Thus periflied his Majefty*s fliip the Glwcejier. And now it might have been expedtedj that being freed from the embarrafments which her frequent difalters had in- volved us in» we might proceed on our way much brilk- er than we had hitherto done, efpecially as we had re- ceived (bme fmall addition to our Itrength, by the taking on "board the Gloucefier\ crew; but our anxieties were not yet to be relieved ; for, notwithftanding all that we had iiitherto fuffered, there remained much greater diftreffes, which we were ftill to ftruggle with. For the late ftorm, which had proved fo fatal to the Gloucefter^ had driven us to the northward of our intended courfe ; and the cur- refjf (etting the fame way, after the weather abated, had forced us ftill a degree or two farther, (b that we were now io 1 7*' ' of North latitude, fnftead of being i« 1 3° \, which was the parallel we propofed to keep, in order to reach the Ifland ^^Guam : And as it had been a perfect calm for fome days (ince the ceflation of the ftorm, and we were ignorant how near we were to the meridian of the Ladrones^ and fuppoled ourfelves not to be far from it, we apprehended that we might be driven to the lee- ward of them by the current, without difcovering them: In this cafe, the only land we could make would be fome of the eaftern parts of Jfia^ where, if we could ar- rive, vvc Should find the weftern mon(bon in its full force, fo that it would be impoffibie for the flouteft beft manned fliip to get in. And this coaft being removed between four and five hundred leagues farther, we, in our lan- guilhing circumftances, could expe^ no other than to Ee deftroycd by the fcurvy, long before the moft fav- ourable gale could carry us to fuch a diftance : For our deaths were now extremely alarming, no day paffing in which we did not bury eight or ten, and fometimes twelve ofour men; and thofc, who had hitherto continued heal- thy, begkn to fall down apace. Indeed we made the beft iile we Could of the prefent calm, by employing our Car- penieis m round the W ok l ^, , 269 penters infearching after the leak, which was now con- derable, notwiihllanding the little wind we had : The Carpenters at length dilcovered it to be in the Gunner's fore llortM'Oom, where the water ruihed in under the breaft-hook, on each (ide of the llera j but though they found where it was, they agreed that it was impoilible to Hop it, till we Ihould get into port, and till they could come at it on the out-fide : However, they did the beft they could within board, and wei« fortunate' enough to reduce it^ which was a conllderable relief to us. We had hitherto coniidered the calm Which fucceed- ed the ilonu, and which continued ibr fome days, as si very great misfortune i lince the currents were driving us to the northward of our parallel, and we thereby riiqued the miifing of the Ladroues^ which we now con- ceived ourielves to be very near But when a gale forung up« our condition was ilill worfe ; for it blew from the S. W. and confequently was dire^ly oppofed to the courfe we wanted to fteer : And though it foon veered to the N. £. yet this ferved only to tantalize us» for it returned back again in a very (hort tim^ to its old quarter. However, on the izd oi Au^uji we had {he fa- tisladt.ion to iind^that the current was ihifted ; and had fet us to the fouthward : And the 23d, at day-break> we were cheered with the difcovery of two Iflands ill the weilern board : This save us ail great joy, and raif-* ed our drooping fpirits ; lor before this an univerfal de- jedion had feized us, and we almoft defpairecf of ever feeing land again : The neared of thefe Iflands we af- terwards found to be Anatacan ; we judged it to be full fifteen leagues from us, and it feemed to be high land, though of an indifferent length : The other was the lil^nd of *.^?r/^«« i and had rather the appearance of a high rock, than a place v/e^ could hope to anchor at. We were extremely impatient to get in with the nearelt Ifland, where we expeded to meet with anchoring ground, and an opportunity of refrelhing our fick : But the wind proved fo variable all day, and there was fo little of it, that we advanced towards it but flowly j however, by the next morning we were got (b far to the wefkward ; that we were in view of a third Ifland which was that of Paxaros, though marked in the chart only . N 3 as ij||i lli iiii> III I I I I j i H i a i i i i iii III I I I I II I m^m^mm ^1 ffe- 470 >^ V O Y A G E fts a rock. This was finall and very low land, and we had paffed within left than a mile of it, in the night, Without feeing it : And now at noon, being wiibin four miles of the Ifland of Anatacan', the boat Was fent away I'D examine the anchoring ground and the produce of the place ; and we were not a little fbllicitous for her re- turn, as we then conceived our fate to depend upon the report we. jhould receive : For the other two Iflands t^^ere obvioufl/ enoug|h incapable of ftirnifliing us with any ailiftance, -ind we knew not then that there were any others which we could reach. In the evening the boat ca ne back, and the crew informed us that there was no place for a fhip to anchor, the bottom being e- very where foul ground, and all» except onefmali ipof, not lefs than fifty fethom in depth j that on that fj)ot, there was thirty fathom, though not above half a mile from the (hore j and that the bank was fteep too, and could not be depended on : They farther told us, that they had landed on the Ifland, but with fome duitculiy on accountof thegreatnefrof the fwelljthat they found the ground was every where covered with a kind of wikJ cane, or rufh ; but that they met with no watet, and did not believe the place to be inhabited ; though the foil was good, and abounded with groves of coco-nut- trees. " This account of the impoffibility of anchoring at this Ifland occafioned a general melancholy on board; for we confidered it as little lefs than the prelude to our deftruc- tion ; and our defpondency was encreafed by a dif^p- pointment we met with the fucceedingnight; for, as we were plying under top-fails, with an intention of getting; nearer to the Ifland, and of fending our boat on (hore, to load with coco-nuts for the refrelhment of our fick, the wind proved fqually, and blew fo ftrong off ftiore, that we werp driven Q) far to the IbuthwaJd, that we dared not to fend off our boat. And iwrv the only pof- fible circuraftance, that could fecurc the few whicb re- mained alive from pcrifbing, was the accidental falling »n with fome other of the Ladrone Iflands, better prepar- ed for our accommodation -, and as our knowledge of thefe Iflands was extremely imperfedt, we were to truft intirely to chance for our guidance j only as they are all round th, W. o r l d. zyi sklT of them ufuaUy laid down near the {awe mendian^ and we had conceived thofe we had already feen to be pan of 'them; we concluded to ftand to the (buthwaid> as the moft probable means of falling in with the next. Thus, with the moft gloomy perfwafion of our approach- ing deftru6tion, we ftood from the Ifland of Anatacan^ having all of us the drongeft apprehenfions (and thofe not ill founded) either of dying of the fcurvy, or ofperifliing. with the Ihip, which, for want of hands to work her pumps, might in a (hort time be expedted to founder. . Chap. II. Our arrival at TmiSiny and an account of tht Jfiand, and of our proceedings there, till the^ Genturiott dronjt out tfjea, . a ■ IT was the a6th q{ Auguft 1 742, in the morning, when. we laft fight of -(^Vi«/<7f««. The next morning we difcovered three other Iflands to the eaftward, which were from ten to fourteen leagues from us. Thefe were,: as we afterwards learnt, the lOands of ^/2j;/'*''» I'-iniar^ and Aguigan. We immediately fleered towards ^iniarty. which was the middlemoft of the three, but had fb mutli, of calms arui light airs, that tho' we were helped ibr- wards by the currents, yet next day, at day-break, we were at leaft five leagues diilant from it. However, we kept on our courfe. and about ten in the morning we per- ceived a proa under fail to the (buthward, between Tinian and Aguigan. As we imagined from hence that thefe Iflands were inhabited, and knew that the Spaniards had always a force at Guamy we took the necefTary precai}*- tions for our own fccurity, and for preventing the enemy from taking advantage of our prefent wretched circum- ftances of which they would be fufficiently informed by the manner of our working the ihip ; we therefore muftered aU our hands, who were capable of ftanding to their arms, and load" \ our upper and quarter-deck guns with grapc-lfaotj and that we might the more readily procure fome intelligence of the ftate of thefe lilaads, we ihowed Sfmdib colours, and.hoifted a red flag at the fore top-maft head, to give our (hip the ap- fM^arance of the Mmila gileon, hoping thereby to de- coy ibde of the inhalants or. bo«rd u& Thus prepar-^ N 4. " IDg. .*4' ^.^•^ilM MXl W u — »»• 272 //VOYAGE tng ourfelves, and ftandins towards the fend, we were near enough, at three in the afternoon, to fend the Cut- ter in (here, to find out a proper birth for the (hip j and we fbon perceived that a proa carne off" the i^ore to fheet the Cutter, fuHy perfuaded, as we afterwards found, that we were the Manila fhip. As we faw the Cutter re- turning back with the proa in tow, we immediately fent the Pinnace to receive the proa and the pri loners, and to bring them on board, that the Cutter mfght proceed on* her errand. The pinnace came back with a Spaniard and four InJians, which were the people taken in the proa. The Spaniard was immediately examined as to the produce- aiKi circumftances of this ifland of Tinian^ and his account of it furpaiTed even our iBoft fangui^ie hopes ; for he informed us that it was uninhabited, which, in our prefent defencelefs condition, was an advantage not to be defpifed, e(J3ectalIy as it wanted but few of the conveniencies that could be expefted in the mod cultivated country ; for he affured us, that there was great plenty of very good w^ter, and that there were an incredible nomber of cattle, hogs, and poultry running wik) ofi the IHand, all of them excellent in their kind ; that the woods produced fweet and four oranges, limes, kmons, and coco-nuts in great plenty, befides a fruit pe- culiar to thefe Iflands (called by Dampiery Breadfruit) ; that frorni the quantity and goodnefs of the provifions pro- duced here, the Spaniards at Guam made ufe of it as a ftore for fupplying the garrifon ; that he himfelf was a Serjeant of th it garrifon, and was fent here with twenty- two Indians to jerk beef, which he was to load for Guam on board a fmall bark of about fifteen tun, which lay at anchor near the (bore. This account was received by us with inexprefTibk joy : Part of it we were ourfclves able to verify on the fpot, as we were by this time near enough to difcovcr feveral numerous herds of cattle feeding in different places of the Ifland J and we did not any ways doabt the refl of his relation, as the appearance of the fhore prejudiced us greatly in its favour, and made us hope thai not only our neceffities might be there fully relieved, and our difeafed recovered, but that, amidfl thofe pleafing fcenes which were then in view, we might procure ourfelves feme amufe- nent round the World. 275 ment and relaxation, after the numerous fatigues we had undergone : For the profpe^ of the country did by no means refemble that of an uninhabited and uncultivated place, but had much more the air of a magnificent plan- tation, where large lawns and ftately woods had been laid out together with great ikill, and where the whole had been fb artfully combined, and fo judicioufly adapted to the dopes of the hills, and the inequalities of the ground, as to produce a mod flriking effect, and to do honour to the invention of the contriver. Thus, (an event not un- like what we had already feen) we were forced upon the- moft dedrable and falutary roeafures by accidents, which, at firft iight we conddered as the greateft of misfortunes; for had we not been driven by the contrary winds and currents to the northward df our courfe, (acircumllance, which at that time save us the, mod terrible apprehend- ons) we (hould^ in sul probability, nevex have arrived at this delightful lOand, and confequently, we ihould have milTed of that place, where alone all our wants could b« moft amply relieved, our fick recovered, and our en- feebled crew once more refreflied, and enabled to put again to fea. The Spanijh Serjeant, from whom v/e received the ac- count of the IHanJ, having informed us that there were fome Indians on ihore under his command, employed in jerking beef, and that there was a bark at anchor to take it on board, we were defirous, if poffible, to prevent the In- dians from efcaping, who doubtlefs would have given the Governor o^ Guam intelligence of pur arrival; and we therefore immediately difpatc.hed the Pinnace to fecure the bark, which the Serjeant told u^ was the only imbarkation on the place ; and then, about eight in the evening, we let go our anchor in twenty-two fathom ; and though it was almoil calm, and whatever vigour and fpirit was to be found on board was doubtlefs exerted to the utmoft on this pleafing occafion, when, after having kept the fea for fome months, we were going to take poifeiTion of this lit- tle paiadife,yet we were full five hours in furling our fails: It is true, we were fome what weakened by the crews of the Cutter and Pinnace which were fent on (horej but it is not lefs tru«, that, including thofe abfent with the boats and fome Negroe and Indian prifoners, all the hands we could N 5 ^ s mufter -^■M wmmmfm ssa HMI 274 ^ V O Y A G E muiter capable of (landing at a gun amounted (O no more than feventy-one, moft of which number too w- toms of the woods to be much neater and fraoother ttmn iscuftomary in hot climates. The landri(esbyeafyilope%. from th« very beach where we watered to the tiiiddle of the I/land $ though the general courfe of its afcent is of*-- ttn interrupted and traverfed by gentle defcents and val*- lies ; and the inequalities,fthat are formed by the diffei*- ent combinations of thefe gradual fwellings of the ground, , are moft beautifully diverufied with large lawns, which, are covered with a very fine trefoil, intermixed with a^ variety of flowers, and are fkirted by woods of tall and well-fprcad trees, moft of them celebrated^ither for their afpe^ or their fruit. The turf of the lawns is quite clean ar)d even, and the bottoms of the woods in many place&^ clear of ail bufhes and underwood sj and the woods them-'- feives ufuaily terminate on the lawns with a regular out** line, not broken, nor confuted with ftraggling trees, but^ appearing as uniform, as if laid out by art. Hence arofe: a great variety of the moft elegant and entertaining pro-^- ipe^s formed by the mixture of thefe woods and iawns«, and their various inierfe^idns with each other, as they ipread themfelves did^rently through the vallies, and over the 13opes and d^livities witb which the place aboutKJs. The fortunate animals too^ which for the: greateft part of the year are the Me lords of tb» baj^ Ibii, partake in iSoie meafure^the romantic ^aftiMtBj» Iflaiid> and are no imsill addition to its wonderful fce^- nary :: ! I ^76 ^VOYAGE Ttary : For the cattle, of which it is not uncommon to fee herds of feme thoufands feeding together in a large mea- dow, are certainly the moft remarkable in the world ; for they are ail of them milk-white, eicept their ears, which are generally black. And though there are no in- habitants here, yet the cUmour and irequent parading of domeftic poultry, whfch range the woods in great numbers, pefpetuall^ eicite the ideas of the neighbour- hood of farms and villages, and greatly contribute to the chearfuinefs and beauty of the place. The cattle on the Ifland we computed were at lead ten thoufand ; and we had no difficulty ing'^iing near them, as they were not ihy of us. Our firft method of killing them was ih;:ot- ing them ; but at laft, when, by accidents to be here- after recited, we were obliged to huiband our ammuni- tion, our men ran -them down with eale. Their flefli was extremely well tafted, and was believed by us to be much more eafily digefted, than any we had ever met with. The fowls too were exceeding good, and were likewife run down with little trouble; for they could (carce Ay further than an hundred yards at a flight, and even that fatigued them fo much, that they could not readily rife again ^ fo that, aided by the opennefs of the woods, we «ould at all times furnifii ourfelves with whatever num- ber we wanted. Befides the cattle and the poultry, we found here abundance of wild hogs : Thele were moft excellent food ; but as they were a very fierce animal, we were obliged either to moot them» or to hunt them with large dogs^ which we found upon the place at our landing, and which belonged to the detachment v/hi& was then upon the Kland amafCng provifions for the garrifon of Guam. As thefe dogs had been purpofely trained to the killing of the wild hogs, they followed us very readily, and hunted for us j but tho* they were a Urge bold breed, the hogs fought with fc much fiiry, that they fret^uently deftroy«d them, fo that we by de- grees loft the greateft part of them. But this place was not only extremelv grateful to us from the plenty and excellency of its frefn provifions, but was as much perhaps to be admired for its fruits and ve- getable produiStions, which were moft fortunately adap- ted to the cure of the ^ fsurv/* which bad fo ter- ribly I / round the World. 277 ribly reduced us. For in the woods there were inconceiv- abic^uantities of coco-nuts with the cabbages growing on the fame tree : There were befides guavoes, Iimes» fweet and (bur oranges, and a kind of fruit, peculiar to thefe iflands, called by the Ituiians iSma, but by us the Bread-Fruity for it was conftantly eaten by us during our ftay upon the Idand inftead of bread, and fo univeifally preferred to it, that no (hip's bread was expended during that who|e interval. It grew upon a tree which is (bme- what lofty, and which, towards the top, divides into large and fpreading branches. The leaves of this tree are of a remarkable deep green, are notched about the edges, and are generally Iroin a foot to eighteen inches in length. The fruit itfelf grows indifierently on all parts of the branches ; it is in (hape rather elliptical than round, is covered with a rough rind, and is ufually feven or eight inches long ^ each of them grows (ingly and not in clufters. This fruit is fitteft to be ufed,v.'heh it is full grown, but is dill green j in which (late, its tade has fome diilant refemblance to that of an artichoke bottom, and its texture is not very different,' for it is foft and fpungy. As it ripens it grows (bfter and of a yel- low colour, and then contracts a lufcious tade, ana an agreeable fmell, not unlike a ripe peach ; but then it is efteemed unwholefome, and is faid to pioduce duxes. Beddes the fruits already enumerated, there were many other iregetables extremely conducive to the cure of the malady we had long laboured under, fuch as water-melons, " indclion, creeping purdain, mint, fcurvy-grals, and rrel ; all which together with the freib meats of the place, ^e devoured with great eagernefs, promoted thereto by [he drong inclination, which mature never fails of excit- ing in fcorbutic diforders for thefe powerful (jjecifics. ' It will eadly be conceived from what hath been already faid, that our cheer upon this Ifland was in (bme degree luxurious, but I have not yet recited all the varieties >fprovidon which we here indulged in. Indeed we thought it prudent totally to abdain from fidi, the few we caught at our fird arrival having furfeited thofe who eat of them -, but condderinghow much we had been inur- ed to that fpecies of food, we did not regard this circum- ftance as a difadvantage, e^ecially as the defe^ was fo amply 2^9 ^VOYAGE amply fupplfed by the beef, pork, and fowls already men*' tfoned, and by great plenty of wild fowl j for I mulkob- ftrvc, that near the center of the Ifland there were two confiderable pieceSiof frefh water, which abounded with duck, teal and curlew : Not to mention the whtftiing plorer, which we found there in prodigious plenty. And now perhaps it may be wondered at, that an Ifland, (b exquifitely furniflied with the conveniencies of life, and fo well adapted, not only to the flibfiftence, but likewiie to the enjoyment of mankind, fliould be entire- ly deftitute of inhabitants, efpecially as it is in the neigh- bourhood of other iflands,which in fome meafure depend upon this for their fupport. To obviate this difficulty, I muft obferve, that it is not fitty years fince the Ifland was depopulated. The Indians we had in our cuf^ody aiTured us, that formerly the three Iflands ofTiman, Rota^ and Guamy were all full of inhabitants ; and that 7iHian alone contained thirty thoufand foub : But a ficknefs ra- ging amongft thefe Iflan*. which deftroyed multitudes of the people, xh^Spaniat iSy to recruit their numbers at G«/7m, which were greatly diminifljed by this mortali- ty, ordered all the inhabitants ofTinian thither ; where, languiihing for their former habitations, and their cudo^ mary method of life, the greateft part of them in a few years died of grief. Indeed, independent of that attach- ment which all mankind have ever (hewn to the places of their birth and bringing up, it (hould fecrt^ from what has been already iaid, that there were few coun* tries more worthy to be regretted than this of Tinian. Thefe poor InJians might reafonably have e>tpc6ted,at the great diftance from Spaitt, where they were placed, to have efcaped the violence and cruelty of that haughty nation, fo fatal to a large proportion of the whole human race : But it feems their remote fituation could not pro- tcGt them from (baring in the common dellruQion of the weftern world, all the advantage they received from their diftance being only to peri(h an age or two later. It may perhaps be doubted, if the number of the inhabitants of Tinian, who were bani(hed to Guam, and who died there pining for their native home, was fo great as what We have related above ; but, not to mention the concurrent aflertion of our prKbners. a&d the coflfmodioufneis of the — • ifland. U' round the W o R i. b. 279 idand, and its great fertility, there are ftill remains to be met with on the place, which evince it to have been once extremely populous : For there are in all parts of the Ifland, a great number of ruins of a very particular kind ; they ufbally confift of two rows of (quare pyramidul pillars, each pillar being about fix feet from the next, and the diftance between the rows being about twelve feet ; the pillars themfelves are about five feet fquare at the bafe, and about thirteen feet high ; and on the top of each of them there is a femi-globe, with the flat part upwards ; the whole of the pillars and femi-globc is folid, being compofed of fand and ftone cemented toge- ther, and plaiftercd over. If the account our prifoners gave us of thefe ftruftures was true, the ifland muft in- deed have been extremely populous ^ for thev afTured us, that they were the foundations of particular buildings fet apart for thofe Indians only, who had engaged in fome re- ligious vow ; and monadic inflitution^areoftentobemet with in many Pagan nations. However, if thefe ruins were originally the bafis of the Common dwellinj^-houfes of the natives, their numbers muft have been confiderable ; for in many parts of the Ifland they are extremely thick planted, and fufficiently evince the great plenty of former inhabi- tants. But to return to the prefent Aate of the Ifland. Having mentioned the conveniencies of this place, the excellency and quantity of its fruits and provifi- ons, the-heatnefs of its lawns, the ilatelinefs, frefhnefs, and fiagranceof its woods, the happy inecjuality of its furface, and the variety and elegance of the views it af^ forded -, Imufl nowobierve that all theie advantages were! greatly enhanced by the healthinefs of its climate, by the almofl conflant breezes which prevail there, and by thtf frequent fhowers which fall, and which> though of a very fcort and almofl momentary duration, are extremely grateful and refrefhing, arid ar? perhaps one caufe of the faiubrity of the air, arid of the extraordinary influence it was obferved to have upon us, in increaiing end in- vigorating our appetites and' digeflion. This was fo re- markable, that thofe amongfi our olHcers, who were at ^11 other times Ipare and temperate eaters, who, befide^ a flight breakfast, made but one moderate repaft a fiayj^ wer« here, in appearance, transformed into gluttoiis'; for t':; aSo ^VOYAGE fpr inftead of one reafonabie fie(h-meal» they were now fcarcely fatisfiecl with three, and each -of them fo prodigi- ous in quantity, as would at another time have produced a fever or a furfeit : And yet our digeftion fo well corref- ponded with the keeimefs of our appetiees, that we were neither difordered nor even loaded by this repletion -, for after having, according to the cuilom of the Idand, made a large beef breakfad, it was not long before we began to coniider the approach of dinner as a very defn- able» though (bmewhat tardy incident. And now having been thus large in. my encomiums on this Idand, in v/hich however, I conceive, I have not done it juflice, it is neceifary I iLould fpeak of thofe cir- cumflances in which it is defective, whether in point of beauty or utility. And firll, with refpe^ to its water. I mqft own, that before I had feen this ipot, I did not conceive that the abfence of running water, of which it is entirely de- (litute, could have been fo well replaced by any other means, as it is in this idand ; for though there are no ftreams, yet the water of the wells and fprings, which are -to be met with every where near the furface, is ex- tremely good ; and in the midfl of the ifland there are two or three confiderable pieces of excellent water,whore edges are as neat and even, as if they had been bafons purpofely made for the decoration of the place. It muft however be confefTed that with regard to the beauty of the profpe^ls, the want of rills and Sreams is a very great defe£t, not to be compenfaied either by large pieces of ftanding water, or by the neighbourhood of the fea, though that, by realbn of the fmallucfs of the Ifland, generally makes a part of every cxtenfive view. As to the refidence upon the Ifland, the principal in- convenience attending it is the vaft number of mufeatoes, and various other fpecies of flies, together with an infe(^ called a tick, which, though principally attached to the cattle, would yet frequently fallen upon our limbs and bodies, and if not perceived and removed in time,would bury its head under the fkin, and raife a painful inflam- mation. We found here too centipedes and fcorpions, which we fuppofed were venomous, but none of us ever received any mjury from them, Pul round the World. 2 Si But the moil important and formidable exception to this plac remains ftill to be told. This is the inconveni-^ ence of the road, and the little fecurity there is at ibme feafons for a (hip at anchor. The only proper anchoring place for (hips of burthen is at the S. W. eno of the Ifland. In this place the Centurion anchored in twenty and twenty-two fathom water, oppofite to a fandy bay, and about a mile and an half diflant from the (bore. The bottom of this road is full of fliarp-pointed coral rocks, which, during four months of the year, that is, from the middle of June to the middle of OBober^ renders it a very unfafe place to lie at. This is the feaibn of the weftei n monlbons, when near the full and change of the moon, but more particularly at the change, the wind is ufually variable ail round the compafs, and feldom faiU to blow with fuch fury, that the ftouteft cables ar^ not to be confided in ; what adds to the danger at theie times is the exceflive rapidity of the tide of flood which fets to the S. £. between this ifland and that of Jguiguatt, a (mall Ifland near the fouthern extremity of Tinian, which is reprefented in the general chart hereafter in(ert- ed, only by a dot. This tide runs at (irfl with a vaft head and overfalof *« iter, and cccaflons fuch a hollow and overgrown fea, as is fcarcely to be conceived ; (b that (as will be hereafter more particularly mentioned) we were unacr thedreadiul apprehenflon ofjbeing pooped by it, though we were in a fixty-gun (hip. In the remaining eight months of the year, that is, from the middle of October to the middle of June^ there is a condant (€a(bn of feiiJed weather, when, if the cables are but well arm- ed, there is fcarcely any danger of their being (b much asi rubbed : So that during all that interval, it is asfecure a roa(1 as could be wilhed for. I (hail only add, that the anchoring bank is very ftielving, and (Iretches along the S. W. end of the Ifland, and that it is eniirely free from (hoals, except a reef of rocks which is vifible, and lies about half a mile from the fliore, and affords a narrow palfap^ into a fmali fandy bay, which is the only place where boats can poflibly land. After this account of the Ifland, and its produce, it is nectifary to return to our own hiftory. Our firft undertaking, after Our arrival, was the re- moval « } 2f8^ ^VOYAGE mova4 of ourfick on ihore, as haih been mentioned. Whilft we were thus employed, four of the Indians on (bore, being parfc of the Spanijb ferjeani's detachment, came and furrenckr'd themielves to us, fb that with thofe we took in the proa, we had now eight of there in our cuAody. One of the fbtir, who fubmitied^ undertook to fliew us the moft convenient place for killing cattle,. SH)d two of our men were ordered to attend hire on that fervice j but one of them unwarily trufting the Indian with his hrelock and pi^lol, the Indian efcaped with them i-nto the wooxls : His countrymen, who remained behind, were apprehenfive of fuiFering for this perfidy of their, comFade^ and th^elbre begged leave to fend one of their ©w« party into thecounuy, who they engaged (hould both bring back the arms, and perfu2hde the whole de- tachment from Guam to (ubmjt to us. The Commodore granted their recjucft ; and one of them was difpatched on thts errand, who returned next day, and brought back the firelock and piftol, but alfured us, he bad met with thcoi in a path way in the wood, a d protefted that be had not been* able to meet with any one of his countrymen : This report had fo little the air of truth, that we fufpcd^ ed there was feme treachery carrying on, and thcreibre. to* prevent any future communication amongft them, we immediately ordered all the Indians who were in our power on board the (hip, and did not permit them to re* turn any more on (bore. When our fick were well fettled on the liland, we cm- ployed all the hands that could be fpared from attending them, in arming the cables with a good rounding, feve- ral fathom from the anchor, to fecurc them from being rubbed by the coral rocks, which here abounded : And this being coinpleated, our next attention was our leak, and in order to raife it out of wate: , we, on the f "-ft of Sfptemher, began to get the guns aft to bring the ihip by the ftern ; and now the Car|>enters, being able to come at it on the omfide, ripped off the old (heathing that was left and caulked all the feams on both fides the cut-* water, aiid leaded them over, and then new (heathed the bows to the furface of the waiter : By this means we tlonceived the defeat v/as fufficiently iecured ; but upon our beginning to bring the ^ns into their places, we had t round t}.f€ World. z%^ had'tfic mortificaiion to penceiw?, that the water ruibed into thefhtp in th« oid ptace, with as much vioJence as. ever : Heceupon we were neceflltated to begin agaifi ^ and that OUF fee Dnd attempt might be more effed-ual, we cleared the fore llorc-4-ooni, and fent a hundred and \ thirty barrels of powder or board the (m2i\{ Spanifit barlct we had feized here, by which means we raifed the ihipi about three feet out of the water forwards, and the Car- penters ripped off the ftieathing lower down, and new ■ caulked all the ieams, and afterwards laid on new iheath« ingj and then fuppofing the leak to beeffcdiiaily ftop-. ped, we began to move the gunsc forwards ; but the up-*i per deck guns were A:arcely in their places^when, toour.> amazement, it burft in again ; and now as we durft not- ciit away the lining within board, left a bat-end or a- plank might ftart, and we might go down immediately, we had no other refource left than chincing and caulkingj within board -, and indeed by this means the Irak wasi flopped for fome time j but when our guns wer« »11 in- their places, and our ftorcs were taken on board, the^ water again forced its way through a hole in the ftem, ' where one of the bolts was driven in ; and on this we defifted from a'il farther efforts, being now well aiTured, that the defedl was in the ftem iifelf, and that it was noc to be remedied till we (hould have an opportunity of heaving dowTi. Towards the middle of September y (everal of our ficlc were tolerably recovered by their refidence on fliore % and, on the 12th of Sepember, all thofe who were fofar- relieved, fince their arrival, as to be capvabic of doings duty, were fent on board the (hip: And then the Com-' raodore, who was himfelf ilf of the fcurvy, had a tent erected for him on Ihore, where he went with a view of* flaying a few days for the recovery of his health, being;^ convinced by the general ejrperience of his people, that no other method but living on the land was to be trufted to for the removal of this dreadful malady. The place where his tent was pitched on this occalion, was neaf the well, whence we got all our water, and was indeed^ a moft elegant fpot. . As the crew on board were now reinforced by the^ recovered hands returned from the ifland, we began to^ fend. a84 yf V O Y A G E fend our cafk on ihore to be fitted up, which till now could not be doue, for the Coopers were not well enough to woi k. We likewife weighed our anchors, that we might examine our cables, which we Aifpedted had by this time received conilderable damage. And as the new moon was now approaching, when we apprehended vio- lent gales, the Commodore, for our greater fecurity, or-- dered that pa**! of the cables next to the anchors to be armed wiih the chains of the tire-grapnels ; and they were befides cackled twenty fathom from the anchors, and fcven fathom from the fervice, with a good round' ing of a 4-^ inch hawfer ; and to all thefe precautions we added that of lowering the main and fore-yard clofe dawn, that in cafe of blowing weather the wind might have lefs power upon the fliip, to make her ride a ftrain. Thus etfedtually prepared, as we conceived, we ex- pected the new moon, which was the i8th of September ^ and riding iafe that and the three fucceeding day8(ihougb the weather proved very iqually and uncertain) we flat- tered ourfelves (for I was then on board) that the pru- dence of our meafures had fecured us from all accidents ; but, on the 22d, the wind blew from the eailward with fuch fury, that we loon defpaired of riding out the (lorm; and therefore we ihould have been extremely glad that the Commodore and the refl of our people on (hore, which were the greaieft part of our hands, had been on board with us, fince our only hopes of fafety feemed to depend on our putting immediately to fea j but ail communication with the fhore was now effedtualiy cut off, for there was no pofUbility that a boat could live. \o that we were neceiHtated to ride it out, till our cables parted. Indeed it was not long before this happened, for the fmali bower parted a: rive in the afternoon, and the fhip fwung off to the beft bower ; and as the night came on, the violence of the wind flill increafed ; but notwithftanding its inexprefiible fury, the tide ran with lb mach rapidity, as to prevail over it ; for the tide hav- ing fet to the northward in the beginning of the ftoira, turned fuddenly to the ibuthward about Hx in the even- ing, and forced the fhip before it in defpite of the florm. which blew upon the beam : And now the fea broke moft furprizingly ill round, u§, and a large tumbling fwell • "' :-m :^ V / " threatened round the World. 285 threatened to poop us ; the long-boat, wl^ch was at this time moored a-ilern,was on a fudden canted ft) high, that it broke the tranlbm of the Commodore's gallery, whofe cabin was on the quarter-deck, and would doubtiefs have rifen as high as the tafferel, had it not been for this rtrokc which ftove the boat all to pieces ; but the poor boat" keeper, though extremely bruiCed, was faved almoft by miracle. About eight, the tide flackened, but the wind did not abate J fo that at eleven, the bell bower cable, by which alone we rode, parted. Our (heet anchor, which was the only one we had left, was ihllantly cut from the bow 5 but before it could reach the bottom, we were driven from twenty-two into thirty-five fathom ; and af^ ter we had veered away one whole cable, and two thirds of another we could not find ground with fixty fathom of line: This was a plain indicatioa, that the anchor lay near the edge of the bank, and could not hold us long. In this preffing danger, Mr. SaumareZy our firlt Lieutenant, who now commanded on board, ordered feveral guns to be fired, and lights to be fhewn, as a fignal to the Com- modore of our dittrefs j and in a fhort time after, it be- ing then about one o'clock, and the night exceffively dark, a ftrong guft attended with rain and lightening, drove us off the bank, and forced us out to fea, leaving behind us on the Ifland, Mr. j^nfort^ with many more of our officers, and great part of our crew, amounting in the whole to an hundred and thirteen perfons. 7 bus were we all, both at fea and on ftiore, reduced to the ut- moftdefpairbythiscataftrophe, ihofeon fliore conceiving they had no means left them ever to leave the Ifland, and we on board being utterly unprepared to ftruggle with the fury of the feas and winds, we were now expofed to, and expeding.each moment to be our lail. Chap. III. Tranfadions at Tinian afier the departure 9/ the Centurion. TH E ftorm, which drove the Centurion to fea, blew with too much turbulence to permit either the •Commodore or any of the people on (hore from hearing the guns, which flie fired as fignals of diftrefs ; and the irequent glare of the lightening had prevented the ex- ploHons ""^"I^HPiWil^PHHHI «66 A VOYAGE I pldfions from being obferved : Sorhfar^ when at day- break, it vras perceived from- the fharc that the Ibip wiuj miffing, there was the utmoft ccnrderrTation amongtt them: For much th« greateft part of them mimediateiy conclud- ^ that ibe was loft, antl intreated the Commodore that the boat mrght be fent round the Ifland to look for the wreck ; and thofe who believed her fafe, had fcarcely any -expedtation that fbe would ever be abfe- to make the liland again : For the wind continued to blow ftrong at Eaft, and they kn^w how poorly fi]em fliip had ever anchored here before, and it were madnefs lo expe^ that like incidents fliou-ld lend another here in an hundred ages to come: So' that ibeir defponding thoughts could only fuggeft to them the melancholy profpeiSt of fpending the remainder of their days on this Iflqnd, and bidding adieu for ever to their country, t'ueir •friends, their families, and sill their dom^flic endearments. Nor was this the worft th^y had tofear : For they had feafon to expe(!t, that the Governor of Gnamy when he ftiould be informed of their frtipation, mi'gbt fend a force fufficient to overpower them, and to remove them to that Ifland ; and tben, ihe nao'lt fafVourabie treatment they could hope for would be to be detained prifoners for life ; fince from the known policy awi cruelty of the Spaniards in their diftant fettlements, it was rather to be expedled, that the Governor, if he once had them in "his power, would make th^ir want of comm^ifions (all of them being on board the CfnfutionJ i pretext for treating them as pirates, and for depriving them of their lives with infamy. in the raid ft of thefe gloomy rttflexioas, Mr. J^frn had rcufid tie World. %^f :had doubtkfs his Omutc of dtfqQietude ; htii Ke iilways kept up his ufual compofure and lleadtniers : And having ibon projeded a fcheme for extricati-ng himfelf and his men from their prcfent anxious fituatiion, hefirilcomttiu- nicat'od it to ibme of the moil intelligent perloRS about him ; and having iktished himfelf that it was practicable; he then endeavoiired to animate his people to a fpeedf and vigorous profecation of it. With this view he re- prefented to them, how Htc!c foundation there wa« for their apprehenlions of ' the C?n/«r/Ws being k*S : That he (kouid ha.ve hop«d, they had been all of them better acquainted with tei-affairs, than to give way to the impreflion of fo chimerical a fright ; and that be dou-bted not, but if they would ferioufly confidcr what fuch a fbip was capable of enduring, they, would confefe that there was not the lead ppobaibility of her haviRg p«^ rifhed : that he was not without hopes that (he might rec- tum in a few days ; but \i (he (^xd not, the worft th«t could be fuppofed, was, that Ibe was driven fo far to the leeward of the Ifland, that ihe could not regain it, an4 that (he would Gonfequencly be obliged to bear away for Macao on the coaft of China : That as it was ncceffary to be prepared againft ail events, he had, in thi>s cafe, con- fidered of a method of carrying them off bhc liland, and joining their old fliip the Centurion again at Macao : That this method was to hale \\\q Spanijb bark on (bore, to faw her a-funder, and to lengthen her twelve feet^ which would enlarge her to near tiwty tun burthen, and would enablfc her to carry them all to Chim : That be had confultcd the Carpenters, and they had agreed that this propofal was very feazible, and that nothing was wanting lo execute it, but the united refolut ion and in- duftry of the whole; body : He added, that tor his own part, he would fiiare the fatigue and labour with them, and would cxpedt no more from any man than what he'^ the Commodore himfelf, was ready to fnbmit to j and concluded with reprefenting ro them the importance of faving time ; and that, in order to be the better prepar- ed for all events, it was necelfary to let to work tmme*. diately, and to take it for granted, that the Centurmt would not be able to put back (which was indeed the Commodore's lecrct opinion j) .fi*K:e, if £he did returrn the/ «S8 A V : Y A G E ' f they fbould only throw away a few days apph'caiion ; but- if (he did not, their of his people. As ther€ were neither blocks nor cordage fufHcient for tackles to hale the bark on fiiore, it was propofed to get l)er up on rollers ; and for thcfe, the body of th€ coco-nut tree was extremely uieful i for rt« Imoothnefs and circular turn prevented much labour, and fitted it for the purpofc with very lit- tle workmanfljip : A number of thefe trees were therefore felled, and the ends of them properly opened for the re- ception of hand-fpikes ; and in the mean time a dry dock was dug for tlie bark, and ways laid from thence quite into the fea, to facilitate the bringing her up. And be- sides thofe who were thus occupied in preparing meafures for the future enlargement of the bark, a party was con- ftantly ordered for the killing and preparing of provifions for the'rett : And though in thefe various employments, fome of which demanded confiderable dexterity, it might have been expelled there would have been great con- fuHon and delay $ yet, good o\ Jer being once eftablilhed, and all hands engaged, their preparations advanced apace. Indeed, the common men, 1 prefume, were not the lefs tractable for their want of (pirituous liquors : For, there being neither wine nor brandy on Ihore, the juice of tiie coco-nut was their conftant drink, and this, though 4?xtremely pieafant, was not at all intoxicating, but kept i\\ therein fomc vanes, which fitted the quadrant very well ;, and it being thus compleated, it was examined by th« known latitude of the place, and was found to anfwer to a fulficient degree of exatlncfs. > And now, all thefe obftacles being in fome degree re* moved,( which were always as much as poffible<:oncealed. from the vulgar, that they nifght not grow remils with the apprehenlion of labouring to no purpofc) the work proceeded very fuccefsfully and vigoroufly : The ne- ceflary iron-work was in great forwardnefs j and the timbers and planks (which, though not the mod exqui" fite performances of the Sawyer's art, were yet fufH- cient for the purpofe) were all prepared ; fo that, oa the 6th of O£iobery being the 14th day from the depar- ture of the Ihip, they haled the bark on (bore, and on the two fucceeding days (he was fawn afunder, fthough with great care not to cut her planks) and her two parts were (eparated the proper diftance from each other, and, the materials being all ready before-hand, they, the next .'. round the Wo R l d. 2975 main-yards clofe down, before the dorm came on, (qt that there were no fails u'e could fet, except our mizen* In this dreadful extremity we could mufter no more ftrengthon board, to navigate the (hip, than an hundred and eight hands, feveral Negroes and Indians included ; This was fcarcely the fourth pan of our complement ; and ef thefe the greater number were cither boys, or fuch as, being lately recovered from the fcurvy, had not yet arrived at half their former vigour. No fooner were we at fea, but by the voilence of the ftorm. and the working of the (hip, we made a great quantity of water through our hawfe-holes, ports and fcuppcrs, which, added to the conftant effect of our leak, rendered our pumps alone a fufficient employment for us all : But though this leak- age, by being a Ihort time neglefted, would inevitably end in our deltruction j yet we had other dangf^rs then im- pending, which occafioned this to be regarded as a fecon- dary conf.deration only. For we all imagined, that w-* were driving directly on the neighbouring Ifland ofA^ui^ gmm^ which was about two leagues diftant ; and as we had lowered our main and fore-yards clofe down, we had no fails we could fet but the mizen, which was altogether infufficient to carry us clear of this inftant peril : We therefore immediately applied ourfelves to work, endea^ vouring, by the utmoft of our efforts, to henve up the main and fore-yards, in hopes that, if we could but be enabled to make uft of our lower canvafs, we might poflibly w<;ather the Ifland, and thereby fave ourfelves from this impending fl7.ipwreck. But after full three hours ineffectual labour, the jeers broke, and the men being quite jaded, we were obliged, by mere debility, to defift, and quietly to expert our fate, which we then conceived to be unavoidable : For we imagined ourlelves by this time, to be driven juft upon the (hore, and the night was h extremely dark, that we expected to difcover the Ifland nootherwile than by ftriking upon it j fo that the belief of our deftru6tion, and the uncertainly of the point of time when it would take place, occafioned us to pafs fe- veral hours, under the moft feridus apprehenfions, that each fucceeding moment v/ould fend us to the bottom. Nor did thefe continued terrors, of inftanily ftrikino-and finking, end but with the day-break; when we with Sreat ^4 tranfport / ^ #1 i ) h' M .« 296 ifpi v^ V O Y A G E ived, that the Ifland.we ha( e had thus dreaded, ifiderable diftance, and that a ftrong nor- thern current had been the caufe of our prefervation. The turbulent weather, which forced us from Ti- niattf dio not begin to abate, till three days after; and then we f>'/ayed up the fore-yard, and began to heave up the main-yarvi, but the jeers broke and killed one of our men, and prevented us at that time from proceeding. The next day, being the 26th of September^ was a da;^ of raoft fevere fatigue to us al! ; for it muft be remem- bred, that in thele exigencies no rank or office exempt- ed any peifon from the manual application and bodily labour of a common failor. The bufinels of this day was no le(s than an attempt to heave up the Ihcet-anchor, ^vhicli we had hitherto dragged at our bows with two cables an end. This was a work of great importance to our future prefcrvation ; For, not to meij /?o<. \ >« im- pediment to our navigation, and the hazard u would be to our (hip, if we attempted to make fail with the an- chor in its prefent fituation, we had this moft interefting confideration to animate us, that it was the only anchor we had left ; and, without fecuring it, we fliould be under the utmoit difficulties and hazards, when ever we made the land again; and therefoie, being all of us fully apprized ot the confequence of this enterprize, we laboured at it with the fevered application for full twelve hours,when we Lad indeed made a confiderable progrer5. having biought the anchor in fight : but, it then grov 'i: dark, and we being txcellively fatigued, we were ob'i, : to dcfiit, and to leave our woik unfinifhed, 'till the next morning,when, by the benefit of a night's rell, we com- pleated it, and hung the anchor at our bow. It was the 27th oi September \\\ the morning, that is, five days after our departure, when we thus fecured our anchor; and the fame day, we got up our main-yard : And having now conquered in Tome degree the didrefs and d" "ndcr which we weie necefiarily involved in at our firft . r ing out tofea,and beingenabled tomakeufcofourcanvafsjWe fet our courfes.and lor the firft time ftood to the eaftward,in hopes of regaining the Ifland o{ Tinum, and joining our Commodore i.i a tew days : For wc were then, by our ac- counts, onlvforty-fevcn leagues to the South Weft of W- *;, found the Wo "k L D. ^ ^597 r« j fo ihat 6n the firitday of O^o^^r, having then run tne liftance necelTary for making the Ifland siccording to our xkoning^we were in full expeftation of feeing it 5 but 'e were unhappily difappoinied, and were thereby con- vinced that a current had driven us to the weftward. And is we could not judge how much wc might hereby have leviated, and confequ'^ntly how long we might ftiil ex- >e6i to be at Tea, we had great apprehenfions thai our ftoCk ►f water might pr9ve deficient ; for we were doubtful a- >oui the quantity v^-e had on board, and found many of ^ur calks fo decaycd^-as to be half leaked out. However, re were delivered from our uncertainty the next day by laving a fight of the Ifland o^Guamy by which we difco- ^ered that the currents had driven us forty-four leagues the weftward of our accounts. Thib light of land hav- |ffg fatisfied us of oar fituation, we kept plying to the eaft- 'ard, though with cxceflive labour, for, the wind con- Fihuing fixed in the eaftern board, we were obliged to taek Dftert,^nd our crew were fo weak, that, without the iffiitance of every man on board, it was not in our power put the {hip about: This fevere employment Ufted t 11 fhe I ith of OHobery being the nineteenth day from our ieparture; when arriving in theoflingof Trtfa«,we were Reinforced from the fhore, as hath been already mention- id 5 and on the evening of the lame day, we, to our in- ixprefTible joy, canbe to an anchor in the road, thereby )rocurii)g to our (hip^miates on (horp, as well as to our- [clves, a ceflation from the fatigues and apprehenfions, 'hich thisr difaftrous incident had given rife to. ;hap. V. Employment at T\x\V2Li\y till the final departure of the Centurion from thence-, ijuith a defer ip lion ^of the Ladrones. HEN the Commodore came on board the C?«- ^ , turion, on her return to TinianyaiS already men- |ioned» he refolved to (lay no longer at the Ifland than ^as abfolutely neceffary to compleat our flock of water, work which we immediately fet ourfelves about. But the lofs of our long-boat, which was ftavcd againft our :)O0p, when wc wer< driven out to fea, put us to great Konvenicncics in getting our water on board ^ for we O 5 were ^^^mmmmmm 298 ^VOYAGE were obliged to raft off all our cafk, and the tide ran Co ftrong, that, befides the frequent delays and difficulties > it oecafioned, we more than once loft the whole raft. • Nor was this our only misfortune ; for, on the 14th of OMer, being but the third day after our arrival, a fud- den guft of wind brought home our anchor, forced us off - the bank, and drove the (hip out to fea a fecond time. The Commodore, it is true, and the principal officers • were now on boards but we had near fcventy men on ihore, who had been employed in filling our water, and . procuring provifions : Thefc had with them our two Cutters ; but as they were two many for the Cutters to bring off at once, we fent the eighteen oared barge to <. aOift ^hem ; and at the fame time made a (ignal for all ^ that c / ' D embark. The two- Cutters foon came off to us fuj. men; but forty of the company, who were employed in killing cattle in the wood, and in bringing • them down to the landing-place, were left behind ; and *>though the eighteen oared barge was left for their con- -veyance, yet lis the (hip ibon drove to a confiderabte dif- tance, it was not in their power to join us. However, as the weather was favourable, and our crew was now ftronger than when we were firft driven out, we, in a- bout ^ve days time, returned again te an anchor at ?V- niaity and relieved thofe we had left behind us from their lecond fears of being deferted by their Ihip. ' On our arrival, we found that the Spatiijh bstrkf the old obj^^ of their hopes, had undergone a new meta- morphosis : For thofe we bad left onihore began to de- fpairof our return, and conceiving that the lengthening the bark, as formerly propofed, was both a toilfome and unnecefTary meafure, coniiderixig the fmail number they confifted of, they had relblved to join her again, and to reftore her to her firft ftate; and in this fchcme they had made fome progrefs ; for they had brought the two parts together, and would have foon compleated her, had not our coming back put a period to their labours and dif^ quietudes. Thefe people we had left behind informed us, that, juft before we were leen ir^ the offing, two proas had ftood in very near the (bore, and had continued there for ^9)e time; but, on the appearance of our (bip, they crowded ' .i \ rouna the W o r l d. 299 crowded away, and were prefently out of fight. And, on ihJs occafion, I muft mention an incident, which, though it happened during the firft abfence of the (hip, was then omitted to avoid interrupting the courfeofthe narration. ■ iJt hath been already obferved, that a part of the de- tachment, fent to this Ifland under the command of the Spanijb Serjeant, lay concealed in the woods ; and wc were the lefs folicitous to find them out, as our priibn- ers all aiTured us, that it was impoflible for them to get off, and confequently that it was impoflible for them to fend any intelligence about us to Guam. But when the Centurion drove out to fea, and left the Commodore on fliore, he one day, attended by (bme of his officers, en- deavoured to make the tour of the Ifland : In this ex- pedition, being on a rifing ground, they perceWed in th« valley beneath them the appearance of a fmall thicket, which, by obfefving more nicely, they found had a progrefllve motion : This at firft furprized them ; but they loon difcovered, that it was no more than fe- veral large coco buflies, which were dragged along the ground by perfons concealed beneath them. They im- mediately concluded that thefe were fome of the Ser- jeant's party (which was indeed true) ; and therefore the Commodore and his people made after them, in hopes of finding out their retreat. The Indinm Ibon perceived they were difcovered, and hurried away with precipitation ; but Mr. An/on was fo near them, that he did not lofe fight of them till they arrived at their cell^ which he and his ofHcers entering found to be aban- doned, there being a pafTage from it down a precipice contrived for the conveniency of flight. They found here an old fire-lock or two, but no other arms. How- ever, there was a great quantity of pravifions, par- ticularly falted fparibs of pork, which were ejtcellent ; and from what our people faw here, they concluded^ that the extraordinary appetite, which they had found at this Ifland; was not confined to therofelves alone; for, it being about noon, the Indians had laid out a very plentiful repaft, confidering their numbeis, and had their bread-fruit and coco-ntits prepared ready for eating, and in a manner which plainly evinced, thav wilh ihcm to©, a good meal was neilhtr an uncorarnoix, nov oo J VOYAGE nor an unlieeded article. The Commodore having in vain endeavoured to difcover the path by which the Imlians had efcaped, he and his officers contented their felves with fitting down to the dinner, which was thus luckily fitted lo their prefent appetites; after which, they returned back to their old habitation, difpleafed at milling the Jntiians, as they hoped to have engaged them in our fervice, if they could liave had any conference with them. But notwithftanding what our prifoners J. ad aiTerted, we were afterwards affured, that thefe In- iiians were carried off to Guam long before we left the place. But to return to our hiftory. x),.] On our coming to an anchor again after our fecond tiriving oft to fea, we laboured indefatigably in getting in our water ; and having, by the 20th oi'Oi3ei>er, com- pleaicd it to fifty tun, which we fuppofcd would be fuf- licient for our paffagc to MncttOf we, on the next day, lent one of each mefs on fliore, to gather as large a be truly ftiled romantic. »' And now, poflponing-for a fhort time our run to Fcrmcfa, and thence to Canton^ 1 ihall interrupt the nar- ration with a defcripiion of that range of Iflands, ufual- ly cal'ed the Ladronesy or Marian Iflands, of which this of Tmian is one. Thefe Iflands were difcovered hy Magellan in the year 1521 ; and by the account given of the two he firft fell in with, it fhould feem that they were the Mande of %- pan and Tinian j for they are defcribed in his expedition as very beautiful Iflands, and as lying betv\recn 1 5 and 16 degrees of North latitude. Thefe charafteiiftics are particulary applicable to the two above mentioned places I rrjimd the World. ^oi places ; for the pleafing appearance of Tiuian hath oc- caiioned the Spaniards to give it the additional name of Buenajiiva j and Sqypan, which is in the latitude of 15° : 22' North, ai!brds no contemptible profpe^t when feen from the fea. There are ufually reckoned twelve of ihofe Iflands ; but it will appear, from the chart of the North part of the Pa^- cific Ocean hereafter inferted, that if the fmall iflets and rocks arc counted in, then their whole number will a- mount to above twenty. They were formerly moft of them well inhabited ; and, even not fixty years ago, the three principal Iflands, Guam, Rota, and Tinian together, are faid to have contained above Rfty thoufand people : But fince that time 7V«/«» hath been entirely depopulated; and only two or three hundred Indians have been left at Rota, to cultivate rice for the Ifland of Guam ; fo that now no more than Guamc^n properly be faid to be inhabited. This Ifland of Guam is the only fettlement of the Spaniards ; here they keep a governor arid garrifon, and here the Ma- nila fliip generally touches for refrefliment, in her paflage from Acapuk9 to the Philippines. It is efteemed to be about thirty leagues in circumference, and contains hy\\itSpa- nijh account near, four thoufand inhabitants, of which 3 thoufand are faid to live in the city of San Ignatia de A- gand, wlierc the Governor generally refides, and where the houfes are reprefented as confiderable, being built with ftone and timber, and covered with tiles, a very uii- common fabric for thefe warm climates and favage coun^ trics : Befides this city, there are upon the Ifland thir- teen or fourteen villages. As this is apofl-offome cqu- fequencc, on account of the refrefliment it yields to the Manila M^y there arc two caftles on the fearftiore} one is the caftle of St. Angek, which lies near the road, wheirfi the AfowiTri fliip ufually anchors, and is but an infignifi- cant fortrefs, mounting only five guns eight pounders^; the other is the caftle of St. Lewis, which is N. E. froqi St. Angelo, and four leagues diftant, and is intended tp protca a road where a fmall veflTel anchors, which ar- rives here every oth-'" year from Manila. This fort mounts the faihc num .( of guns as the former : And be- fides thefe forts, there is a Sattery of five pieces w can- non on an eminenct acar the ka-flM>x«. Jbc 5/iaiw^ 4. troops H '■ -] • ' ' , J f^ \ */l '302 ^//VOYAGE' troops employed on this idand coniift of three companiee of foot, from forty to fifty men each ; and this is the principal ftrengih the Governor has to depend on; for ne cannot rely on any aifidance from the W/Vrw inhabi- tants, being generally upon ill terms with them, and fo apprehenllve of them, that he has debarred them the life of fire-arms or lances. The reft of thefe illands, though not inhabited, do yet abound with many kinds of refrefhment and provifion; but there is no good harbour or road to be met with a- monoft them all : Of that of Tinian we have treated largely already ; nor is the road of Guam much better; for it is not unufual for the Manila iliip, though (he pro- po{es to ftay there but twenty-four hours, to be forced to fea, and to leave her boat behind her. This is an incon- venience fo fenfibly felt by the commerce at Manila^ that it is always recommended to the Governor at Guamf to ufe his beft endeavours for the difcovery of fome fafe port in this part of the world. How induftrious he may be to comply with his inftrudions, I know not> but this is certain, that, notwithftanding the many I Hands already found out between thecoaftof Mf;c/Vo and ihtPhilippintSt there is not yet known any oae fafe port in that whole tradl ; though in other parts of the world it is not un- common for very fmall Iflands to furnifh mofl excelleiu harbours. From what has been faid tt appears, that the Spaniards^ on theKland of Guam, are extremely few, compared to the Mian inhabitants; and formerly the difproportion was ftill greater, as may be eafily conceived from what haih been (aid, fn another chapter, of the numbers heretofore on Tint an alone. Thefe Indians are a bold well- limbed people ; and it (bould feem from fome of their practices, that they arc noways defective in underftanding; for their flying proas in particular, which have been for ages the only veflels ufed by them, are fo fingular and extraordi- ^tiary an invention, that it would do Itonour to any nation, however dexterous and acute. For if we conikier the ap- titude of this proa to the particular navigation of thefe lilands, which lying all of them nearly under the fame meridian, and within the limits of the trude-wind, require 'the veiTeis made ufe of io palling liom one to the other, to round the World. 30,5 be particularly fitted for failing with the wind upon the beam ; or, if we examine the uncommon fimplicity and ingenuity of its fabric and contrivance, or the extraordi- nary veloci*/ with which it moves, we (hall, in each of the(earticles,finditworthyofouradmiration, and meriting a place amongft the mechanical produ6lions of the molt civilized nations, where arts and fciences have mod emi- nently flourifhed. As for former Navigators, though the^ have mentioned thefe veflels, have yet treated of them im- perfeflly ; and, as I conceive, that, befides their curiofiiy, may furnifh both the Ihipwright and fcamen with no con- temptible obfervations, I fliali here infert a vtry exadtde- fcription of the built, rigging, and working of thefe veflels, which I am well able to do; for one of them, as I have mentioned, fell into our hands at our firft arrival at TVw- rt», and Mr. Brett took it to pieces, on purpofe to deline- ate its frabric and dimenfions with greater accuracy : So that the following account may be relied on. The name of flying proa, given to thefe vefl*els, is owing to the fwiftnefs with which they fail. Of this the Spani" ards afliert fuch ftories, as appear altogether incredible' to thofe who have never (ttn thele veflels move; nor are the Spaniards the only people who relate thefe extraordinary tales of their celerity. For thofe who fliall have the curi- ofity to enquire at the dock at Port/mouthy about a ttial made there fome years iirxe, with a very impcrfe^ cTnc built at that place, will meet with accounts not lefs won-* derful than any the Spaniards have given. However, from^ fome rudecftimations made by our peo'J)le, of the veloci- ty with which they crofl^ed the horizon at a diftance, whilft we lay at Tiniau, I cinnot help believing, that with a briflc trade-wind they will run near twenty miles an hour: Which, though greatly fliort of what the Spaniards report of them, is yet a prodigious degree of fwiftnefi; But let us give a diilindl idea of its figure. The conllrudion of this proa is a dire6t contradi^ion to the practice of the reft of mankind. For as the reft of the world make the head of their veflels different from the ftern, but the two fides alike ; the proa, on the contiary, has her head and ftern exa^ly ahke, but her two fides very different ; the fide, intended to be always the lee- fji*h being ttMs and the windward fide mgde rounding^ . ' m 304 ^VOYAGE \i. '' hi in the manner of other veifels: And, to prevent her overfetting, which, from her fmaU breadth, and the {lr;ikighi run, of her leeward-fide, would, without this pre- caution, inf . ', i^p^. I. Represents the proa with her fail fet, as (he appears when viewed from the leeward. ( r:.. Fig. 2. Is a view of her from the head, with the out- rigger l;9 the. wind ward. > . <; .. Fig. 3. Is the plan of the whole; where (AB) is the lee-fide of the p;oa j (CD) the windward-fidej (EF G H) the, outrigger or framti laid out to windward ', (KL) the boat at the end of it j (MN PQJ two braces from the bead and flern to fteady the frame; (RS) a thiin plank placed to windward^ to prevent the proa froro^ihipping of water, and for a ieat to the Imiian who' baks, and ibmetimes goods are carried upon it ; ( I) is the part of the middle outrigger, on which the maft k^ Bxed : The maft itfelf is fupported {Fig. 2.) by the fliore (CD)^ and by the: ihrowd (EF), and by two flays, one of which may be feen, in Fig, i, marked (CD), the other is hid by the fail : The fail (E F G), in Fig. i, is made of matting, and the mad, yard, boom, and outriggers, are all made of bamboo: The heel of the yard is always lodged in one of the (bckets (T) or (V), Fig. 5, accord'- ing to the tack tht proa goes on ; and when ftie alters her tack, they bear away a little to bring her ftern up to tbe windy |h«n by eafing the hal/ard^ and raiting the yard^ and nt her d the lis pre- it from a log, de hol- lallance (as it is wind- rr. The of two h bark, »ut two le is re- leh part ws con- ^n from ) explain 'Xy as (he the out- B) is the £FGH) KL)the from the it) plank ! Shipping al^s, and e part of ed : The :D)^ and of which lier is hid made of »;gers, are IS always I, accord- alters her up to the tbc/ard^ Sind !' ■ '. 1 V. -' _■■ «- .>t t_y3;as/^ a^.S^*"^ • 1 \ n * ^"1 } -i t f , *} t r M } $ /j 1 — 1 / -J 1 1 ^ a .. 2^ i O X i m = ^ — ^ I — 1 — "■~" 1 — J ' ' \ 1 «K- li c E A '5/. /•. ^.E//^^, /iv^4^2, <^^/^//.^ ...^r/^y-fj/ir' r TP-ip^ >v:%. X :-:. . ■ ■■\:-f--*i"t . i, /. ■/ » • ■ i- ■ - • . -•*.■«■• ■ • I .'V 1 1 nipfffTPP MPiVi uppuiii|i«;||piH|||||pp ^^^immmm ^^mm 'T^ round tie W o r l d. 305 and carrying the heel of it along the lee-fid^ or the proa, they fix it in the oppofite focket ; whitft the boom at the fame time, by letting fly the (beet, (M), and haling the (heet (N), Fig. i, ftiifis into a contrary fituation to what it had before, and that w!iich was the (lern of the proa, now becomes the bead, and fbe is trimmed on the other tack. When it is neceifary to reef or futi the fail, this is done by rolling it round the boom. The proa generally carries fix or f Chap. VI. From Tinian to Macao. I HAVE already mentioned, that, on the 21ft r/Or-' toiler, in the evening we took our leave of the Ifland of Tiniatty fleering the proper cour(e for Macao in China, The eaftern monlbon was now, we reckoned, fairly fet- tled i and we had a conilant gale blowing right upon our ftern : So that we generally run from forty to fifty leagues a day. But we had a large hollow fea purfuing us, which occafioned the fhip to labour much ; whence we recei ved great damage in our rigging,which was grown very rotten, and our lake was augmented : But happily for us our people were no./ in full health ; fo that there were no complaints of fatigue, but all went through their attendance on the pumps, and every other duty of the fhip, with eafe and chearfulnels. Having now no other but our flieet anchor left, ex- cept our prize-anchors, which were flowed in the hold, and were too light to be depended on, we were under great concern how we fhould manage on the coafl of Chifta, where we were all entire flrangers, and where we fhould doubtlefs be frequently under the neceflity of coming to an anchor. Or fbeet-anchor be* ig obvipuily much too heavy for a Coajlin^ anchor, it was at length relblved to fix two of our largefl Diize-anchors itu one flock, and to place between theii ihanks tw^> guns, four pounders, which was accordingly cxecutea and it was to ferve as a befl bower : And a third prize-an hor be- !ng in like manner joined with our flreai anchor, with guns between them, we thereby made a fmall bower ; fo that befides our fheet-anchor, we had again two others at our bows, one of which weighed - o, and the other 2900 pounds. The 3d of Nove/pher, about three in the afternoon, we faw an Jfland, which at firtl we imagined to be the Ifland oi Botel Tobago Xima: But on our nearer approach we found it to be much fmaller than that is ufually re-; prefented J and about an hour after we faw another jfland, five or fix miles farther to the weflward. As no i:hart nor any journal we had feen^ took notice of any other mn ■RH ■■ 308 A VOYAGE Other 111 and to the eaftvyard of Formofay than BoUl Ta- bago Xima, and as w€ had no obfcrvation of our latitude at noon, we were in fome perplexity, being apprehen- five that an extraordinary current had driven us into the neighbourhood of iht Bajhee IJlatuls , and therefore, when night came on, we brought to, and continued in this pofture till the next morning, which proving dark and cloudy, for fome time prolonged our uncertain* ty J but it cleared up about nine o'clock, when we again difccrned the two Iflands above mentioned; we then prcft forwards to the weftward, and by eleven got a fight of the fouthern part of the Illand of Formofa. This fatiP fied us that the fecond Ifland we faw was BotelTohago Xima, and the firft a fmall Ifland or rock, lying five or fix miles due Eaft from it, which, not being mentioned by any of our Lx)oks or charts, was the occafion of our fears. When we got fight of the Ifland of Formofa^ we ftecf-^ cd W. by S. in order to double its extremity, and kept a^ good look out for the rocks of Fele Rete, which we did not fee till two in the afternoon. They then bore from us W. N. W, three miles diftant, the South end of For' mo/a at the fame time bearing N. by W. -| W, about five leagues diftant. To give thefe rocks a good birth, we immediately haled up S. by W, and fo lei ! S ' » '" '■\M\iu wi ■'•■twi*!^ ! I; ! 310 /^VOYAGE could reach. I miiy well (liie their number incredible, fince I cannot believe, upon the loweli eilimaie, that there were (b few as lix thou land, moft of them man- ned with five hands, and none of thofe we faw with lefs than three. Nor was this fwarm of filhing-vefltls peculiar to this ipot j for, as we ran on to the well- ward, we found them as abundant on every part of the coaft. We at firft doubted not but that we fliould procure a Pilot from them to carry us to Macao j but though many of them came dole to the (hip, and we endeavoured to tempt them by (hewing them a number of dollars, a moft alluring bait for Chinefe of all ranks and profedions, yet we could not entice them on board us, nor procure any directions from them ; though, I prefume, the only diificulty was their not comprehend- ing what we v/anted them to do, for we could have no communication with them but by figns : Indeed we of- t^n pronounced the word Macao i but this we had reaibn to fuppofe they underftood in a different fenfe f for in return they fbmetimes held up h(b to us, and we afterwards learnt, that the Chinefe name for fi(h is of fbmewhat fimilar found. But what furprized us mod, was the inattention and want of curiofity, which we oblerved in this herd of (ilhermen : A (hip like ours had doubtlefs never been in thofe feas before ; per^ haps, there might not be one amongft all the Chimfe employed in this (ilhery, who had ever feen any Euro- pean veffel ; fo that we might reafonably have expected to have been confidered by them as a very uncommon and extraordinary object ; but thougli many of their veffels came clofe to the (hip, yet they did not appear to be at all interefted about us, nor did they deviate Ml the lead from their courfe to regard us ; which in- fenfibility, efpecialiy in maritime perlbns, about a mat- ter in their own profeifion, is fcarcely to be credited, did not the general behaviour of the Chinefe^ in other ifldances, furni(h us with continual proofs of a fimi- lar turn of mind *. It may perhaps be doubted, whether this cad of temper be the effect of nature or education ; but, in either cafe, it is an incontedable fymptom of a mean and contemptible difpofition, and i-- alone a fufH- cient confutation of the extravagant panegyrics, which ' - ji maivy ca round the Wor'l d* p I many hypothetical writers have beftowcd on the inge-' miiiy and capacity of this Nation. But to return : -^ Not being able to procure any information from the Chinefe fifliermen about our proper courfe to Macao, it was neccffary for us to rely eriiirely on our own judg- ment; and concluding from our latitude, which was 22<» 42' North, and Irora our foundings, which were only fevenieen or eighteen fathom, that we were yet to the eaftward of Pedro BlancOy we ftood 10 the weft- ward : And for the afliftance of future Navigators, who may hereafter doubt about the pans of the coaft they are upon, I muft obferve, that befides the latitude of Pedro BlancOy which is 22°: 18', and the depth of wa-^- ter, which to the weftward of that rock is almoft every where twenty fathoms, there is another circumftance which will give great afliftance in judging of the pofi- tion of the Ibip : This is the kind of ground ; for, till we came within thirty miles of Pedro Blanco, we had conftuntly a fandy bottom j but there the bottom changed to loft and muddy, and continued fo quite to the Ifland oi Macao i only while we were in fight of Pedro Blancoy and very near it, we had for a fhort fpace a bottom of greenilh mud, intermixed with fand. It was on the 5th of Novemberj at midnight, when we firft made the coaft oi China i and the next day a-^ bout two o'clock, as we were ftanding to the weftward within two leagues of the coaft, and ftill furrounded by fiftiing veft'els in as great numbers as at hrft, we perceived that a boat a-head of us waved a red flag, and blew a horn: This we confidered as a fignal made to us, either to warn us of fome flioal, or to inform us that they would fupfly us with a Pilot, and in this be- lief we immediately lent our Cutter to the boat, to know their intentions ; but we were foon made fenfibie of our miftake, and found that this boat was the Com- modore of the whole fiftiery, and that the fignal flie had made, was to order them all to leave ofl^ tifiiing, 1 and to return in ftiore, which we faw them inftantly obey. On this difappointment we kept on our courie, and loon after pafled by two very fmail rocks, which lay four or live miles diftant from the (hore j but night came on before we got iight of Pedro Blanco, and we . therefore i 312 A VOYAGE I therefore brought to till the morning, when we had the fatisfadion to difcover it. It is a rock of a fmail cir- cumference, but of a moderate height, and, both in (bape and colour, reiembles a fugar-loaf, and is about feven or eight miles from the (hore. We pafled with- in a mile and an half of it, and left it between us and the land, ftill keeping on the weflward ; and the next day being the 7th, we were a-breaft of a chain of lOands, which ftretched from Baft tp Weft. Theie, as we afterwards found, were called the Iflands of l^ma ; they are rocky and barren, and are in all, fmall and great, fifteen or ftxteen ; and there are befides a great number of other Iflands between ihem and the main land of China. The(e Iflands we left on the ftarboard- (ide, pafling within four miles of them, where we had twenty-four fathom water. We were flill furrounded by iiihing boats ; and we once more feiit the Cutter on board one of them, to endeavour to procure a Pilot, but could not prevail ; however one of the Cb'mefe di- rected us by (igns to fail round the weftermod of the lOands or rocks of Ltrna,, and then to hale up. We followed this direction, and in the evening came to an anchor in eighteen fathom ; at which time the wefter- mod liland of Lema bore S. S. E, five miles diilant, and the grand Ladront about two leagues u Jbant. The former is a moft excellent direction for (hips coming from the eaftward : Its latitude is 2 1 ° : 52' North, and it bears from Pedro Blanco S. 64® W, diftant 21 leagues. You are to leave it on the flarboard-(iJe, aud you may come within half a mile of it in eighteen fathom water : And then you mufl ftcer N. by W. ^ W. for the channel, between the lilands of Cabouee and BamboOf which are to the northward of the grand Ladrone. ' After having continued at anchor all night, we, on the 9th at four in the morning, fent our Cutter to found the channel, where we propoTed to pkafs ; but before the re- turn of the Cutter, a Chimje Pilot put on board us, and told us, in broken Portugue/e, he would carry us to Macat for thirty dollars : Thefe were immediately paid him, and !we then weighed and made fail : and £bon after, feveral other Pilots came on board us, who, to rf^ommend them- felves, produced certificates irom the Captains of ieverai &ips they had pilotted in, but we Continued the fhip un- der round the World. 31 ^ derthe managementof theC^/«^ whocamefirfton board. By this time we learnt, that we were not far diftant from Macao, and that there were in the river of Canton, at the raouth of which Macao lies, eleven European ftiips, of which four were Englijh. Our Pilot carried us between the Idands of Bamboo and Cahouce, but the winds hang- ing in the northern board, and the tides often fetting ftrongly againft us, we v/^ere obliged to come frequently to an anchor, fo that we did not get through between the two Iflands till the 1 2th of No'vembery at two in the morn- ing. In pafling through, our depth of water was from twelve to fourteen fathom ; and as we ftill fteered on N. W. jW, between a number of other Iflands, our foundings underwent little or no variation till to*' wards the evening, when they encreafed to feventeen fa- thom ^ in which depth (the wind dying away) we an- chored not far from the Ifland of Lantoon, which is the largell ot all this range of Iflands. At feven in the morn- ing we weighed again, and fleering W, S. W. and S. W. by W, we at ten o'clock happily anchored in Macao road, in five fathom water, the city of Macao bearing W. by N, three leagues diftant ; the peak of Lantowi E. by.N, and tlie grand Ltidrone S. by E, each of them a-: bout five I'^agues diftant. Thus, after a fatiguing cruife of above two years continuance, we once more arrived- in an amicable port, in a civilized country j where the conveniencies of life were in great plenty ; where the naval ftores, which we now extremely wanted, could be in fome degree procured j where we expelled the in- expreflible fatisfadion of receiving letters from our re- lations and friends; and where our countrymen, who> were lately arrived from E«ff/rtW, would be capable of anfwering the numerous enquiries we were prepared to iliake, both about public and private occurrences, and to relate to us many particulars, which, whether of im- portance or not, v^ould be liftncd to by us with the utmoft attention, after the long fufpenfion of our cor- refpondence with our country, to which the nature of our undertaking had hitherto fubjetted us - . Chap. VII. Proceedings at Macao. ..Hl-„:*i T HE city of Macao f in the road of which we came to an anchor on the 1 2th of November, is P a Portuguefe MIU'.,, m„twmMi'- u 4i Itt! ■"I I iHi ti 3(4 ^VOYAGE a Portuguefe fettlement, fituated in an IHand at the mouth of the river Canton. It was formerly a ver^ rich and populous city, and capable of defending it- felf againft. the power of the adjacent Chinfife Gover- nors : But at prefent it is much fallen from ns antienc fplendor ; for though it is inhabited by Portuguefe^ and liath a Governor nominated by the King of Portugal^ yet it fubfifts merely by the fufferance of the Chinefe^ who can ftarve the place and difpofTefs the Portuguefe whenever they pleafe : This obliges the Governor of Macao to behave with great circumfpe^ion, and care- fully to avoid every circumftance that may give offence to the Chinefe. The river of Canton^ at the mouth of which this city lies, is the only Chinefe port, frequented hy European (hips ; and this river is indeed a more com- modious harbour, on many accounts, than Macao : But the peculiar cuftoms of the Chinefe, only adapted to vthc entertainment of trading (hips, and the apprehen- fions of the Commodore, left he (hould embroil rhe Eaji* Mia Company with the Regency oi Canton y if he ihould infift on being treated upon a d liferent footing than the Merchantmen, made him refolve to go firft to Macao, be- fore he ventured into the port of Canton. Indeed, had jiot this reafon prevailed with him, he himfelf had no- thing to fear : For it is certain that he might have en- tered the port oi Canton, and might have continued there as long as he pleafed, and afterwards have left it again, although the whole power of the Chinefe Empire had been brought together to oppofe him. vj;.<^ •. u The Commodore, not to depart from his ufual pru- dence, no fbcrier came to an anchor in Macao road, than he difpatched an officer with his compliments to the Por- iuguefe Gov tx nor oi Macao, requeuing his Excellency, by the fame oiHcer, to advife fiim in what manner it would be proper to a6t, to avoid offending the Chinefe, which, as there were then four of our (hips in their pow- er at Canton, was a m »tier worthy of attention. The dif- ti^culty, which the Lommotfore principally apprehended, related to the duty ufuaJly paid by all (hips in the river of C««/o«, according to their tunnage. For as men of war are exempted in every foreign harbour from all manner of port charges, the Commodore thought it would be derogatory round the W ok l d, 315 derogatory to the honour of his country, to fubmit to this duty in China : And therefore he defired the advice of the Governor of Macao, who, being an European, could not be ignorant of the privileges claimed by a Britijb man of war, and confequently might be expelled to give UB the bed lights for avoiding this perplexity. Our boat returned in the evening with two officers (ent by the Governor, who informed the Commodore, that it wai the Governor's opinion, that if the Centurion ventured into the river of Canton, the duty would certainly be demanded ; and therefore, if the Commodore approved of it, he would fend him a Pilot, who (hould conduct us into another fafe harbour called the lypa, which was every way commodious for careening the (hip (an ope- ration we were relblved to begin upon as loon as polfi- ble) and where the above- mentioned duty would, in all probability, be never aflced for. This propofal the Commodore agreed to, and in the morning we weighed pnchor, and, under the direction of the Portuguefe Pilot, fteered for the intended harbour. As we entered between two Iflands, which form the eaftern pafTage to it, we found our foundings decreafed to three fathom and an half: But the Pilot afTuring us that this wasih(is lead depth we ihouldmeet with, we continued our courfe, till at length the fhip ftuck faft in the mud, with only eighteen foot water abaft ; and, the tide of ebb making, the water fewed to fixteen feet, but the fhip remained perfectly upright j we then founded all round us, and finding the water deepned to the northward, we carried out our fmall bower with two hawfers an end, and at the return of the tide of flood, hove the (hip a- float ; and a fmall breeze fpringing up at the fame in- flant, we fet the fore-top-fail, and flipping the hawfer, ran into the harbour, where we moored iri about five fa- thom water. This harbour of the Typa is formed by a number of Iflands, and is about fix miles diftant from Macao. Here we faluted the caftle of Macao with eleven guns, which were returned by an equal number. The next day the Commodore paid a vifit in perfon to the Governor, and was faluted at his landing by eleven guns J which were returned by the Centurion, Mr. Jnfons bufmefs, in thia^irifu, was to folicit the Governor co grant P 2 us 3i6 ^VOYAGE US a fupply of provifions, and to furnifli us with fuch ftores s^6 were neceflary to refit the (hip. The Governor leenied really inclined to do us all the fervice he could ; amJ afTured the Commodore, in a friendly manner, that he would privately give us all the afllftance in his power j but he, at the fame time, frankly owned, that he dared not o- penly furnilh us with any thing we demanded, unlefs w€ firft procured an order for it from the Viceroy of Canton j for that he neither received provifions for his garrifon, nor any other neceflaries, but by permilfion from the Chinefe Go- vernment ; and as they took careonly to furnifb him from day to day, ht* was indeed no other than their vaflaljwhom they could at all times compel to fubmit to their own terms, only by laying an embargo on his provifionfi. On this declaration of the Governor, Mr.^»/&« relblved himfelf togotoG7M/o«, to procure a licencefrom the Vice- roy ; and he accordingly hired aC^/w^/^ boat for himfelf and his attendants ; but juil as he was ready to embark, the HoppOt or Chinefe Cuftom-houfe officer at Macao, refufed to grant a permit to the boat, and ordered the watermen not to proceed, at thf ir peril. The Commodore at firif^ endeavoured to prevail with the Hoppo to withdraw ^'« injunction, and to grant a permit; and the Governor of Macao employed his intereft with the Hoppo to th^ f^me purpofe. Mr. Anfon, finding the officer inflexible,' told him, the next day, that if he longer refufed to grant the permit, he would man and arm his own boats, to carry him thither ; aflcing the HoppOy at the fame time. Who he imagined would dare to oppofe him.'' This threat im- mediately brought about what his intreaties had laboured for in vain : '1 he permit was granted, and Mr. Jnfon went to Canton. On his arrival there, he confulted with the Supercargoes and Officers of the Englijh Ihips, how to procure an order from the Viceroy for the neceflaries he wanted : But in this he had reafon to fuppofe, that the advice they gave him, though doubtlefs well intend- ed, was yet not the moft prudent : For as it is the cuf- tom with thcfe Gentlemen, never to apoly to the fu- preme Magiftrate himfelf, whatever difficulties they la- bour under, but to tranfad all matters relating to the Government, by the mediation of the principal Chinefg Merchants, Mr. Anfon was advifed to follow the fame ►-^* method round the W o R t, d. 3«7 Sic the im- aries that tend- cuf- fu- ;y la- o the hinefi fame :thod method upon this occafion, the Englijh promifing (in which they were doubilefs fincere) to exert all their in- tereft to engage the Merchants in his favour. And when the Chinefi Merchants were applied to, they readily un- dertook the management of it, anJ promifed to anfwer for its fuccefs ; but Titter near a month's delay, and rei- terated exculc', during which interval they pretended to be often upon the point of compleating the bufinefs, they at laft (being prelfed, and meafures being taken for deli- vering a letter to the Viceroy) threw off the malk, and de- clared they neither had applied to the Viceroy, nor could they; for he was too great a man, they faid, for them to approach on any occafion : And, not contented with hav- ing themfelves- thus grofly deceived the Commodore, they now ufed all their perfuafion with the Engtijh at Can- ton, to prevent them from intermeddling with any thing that regarded him, reprefenting to them, that it would in all probability embroil them with the Government, and occafion them a great deal of unneceflary trouble ; which groundlefs infinuations had indeed but too much' weight with thofe they were applied to. It may be difficult to aflign a rcafon for this perfidious conduct of the Chinefe Merchants : Intereft indeed is known to exert a boundlefs influence over the inhabi- tants of that Empire -, but how their intereft could be aifeded in the prefent cafe, is not eafy to difcover ; un^ lefs they apprehended that the prefence of alhip offeree might damp their Manila trade, and therefore adted in this manner with a view of forcing the Commodore tO' Bataia, and refit his (hip there ^ but informed them, at the fame time, that this was impoflible to be done, unlefs he was fupplied with a flock of provifions fufficient for his paf- fage. The Merchants, on this, undertook to procure him provili ons, but aflured him, that it was what they durft not engage in open-;', but piopofed to manage it in a clardeftine manner, by putting a quantity of bread, flower aiiv-' other p-ovifion on board the Englip ihips, which were now ready to fail j and thefe were to ftop at the mouth of the Typa, where the Centurions boats were to receive if. This article, which the Merchants repre- fenied as a matter of great favour, being fettled, the Commodore, on the i6th of Decer'^f^f y returned from Canton to the (hip, feemingly refolved to proceed to Ba- ta^ia to rf'fit, as foon as he (hould get his fupplies of provifion on board. But Mr. Anjon (who never intended going to Batoiut) found, on his return to the Centurion^ that her main-maft was fpi ung in two places, and that tiie leak was conli- derably increased ; fo that, upon the whole, he was ful- ly fatisfied, that though he fhould lay in a fufficient ftock of provifions, yet it would be impofHble for him to put to fea wiihoui refitti.^g : For, if he left the port with his ^ip in her prefeni condition, (he would be in the utmoft danger of fbiuidering ; and therefore, notwithftanding the diflicult'eL he had met with, he had refolved at all events to have her hove dov/n, before he left Macag. He wa? fully convinced, by what he had obferved at Canton, that his great caution not to injure the Eaft-h' 4ia Company's affairs, and the regard he l)ad fhown to ihe advice of their officers, had occafioued all his em- barrafmenis, >or he now faw clearly, that if he had at hrft round the Wo R l D. 3x9 firft carried his (hip into the river of Canton, and had immediately applied himfelf to the Mandarines, who are the chief officers of State, inftead of employing the Merchants to apply for him ; he would, in all probabi- Hiy, have had all his requefts granted, and would have been foon difpatched. He had already loft a month, by the wrong meafures he had been put upon, but he re- folved to lofe as little more time as poffible ; and there- fore, the 17th oi December, being the next day after his return from Canton, he wrote a letter to the Viceroy of that place, acquainting him, that he was Commander in chief of a fquadron of his Britannick Majefty's fhips of war, which had been cruifing for two years part in the South^Seas againft the Spaniards, who were at war with the King his Mafter j that, in his way back to Eng^ hnd^ he had put into the port of Macao, having a con- fiderable leak in his Ihip, and being in great want of provifions, fo that it was impoflibie for him to proceed on his voyage, till his (hip was repaired, and he was fupplied with the necelTaries he wanted j that he had been at Canton, in hopes of being admitted to a perfonal au- dience of his Excellency j but being a ftranger to the cuftoms of the country, he had not been able to inform himfelf what fteps were riece(rary to be taken to procure fuch an audience, and therefore was obliged to apply to him in this manner, to defire his Excellency to give or- ders, for his beiiig permitted to employ Carpenters and proper workmen 10 refit his (hip, and to furnilh himfelf with provifions and ftores, thereby to enable him topur- fue his voyage to Great-Britain with this monfoon, hop- ing, at the fame time, that thefe orders would be i(rued with as little delay as pofiible, left it might occafion his lofs of the feafon, and he might be prevented from de- parting till the next winter. This letter was tranflated into the Chinefe language, and the Commodore delivered it himfelf to the Hoppo or chief officer of the Emperor's cuitoms at Macao, de- firing him to forward it to the Viceroy of Canton, with as much expedition as he could. The officer at firft feemeu unwilling to take charge of it, and raifed many difficulties about it, fo that Mr. An/on fufpeded him of being in league with the Merchants o{ Canton, who had r 4 always t At 32b .i V O Y A G E always (hown a great apprehenfion of the Commodore's having any immediate intercourfe with the Viceroy or A^tindarines ; and therefore the Commodore, with fome lefentment, took back his letter from the Hopf>Oy and told him, he would immediately fend an officer with it to Canton in his own boat, and would give him pofitive orders not to return without an anfwer from the Vice- roy. The HoppOy perceiving the Commodore to be in earneft, and fearing to be called to an account for his refufal, begged to be intruded with the letter, and pro- mifed to deliver it, and to procure an anfwer as foon as pofFible. And now it was foon fcen how juftly Mr. An- fon had at laft judged of the proper manner of dealing with the Ckinefe j for this letter was written but the 1 7th o^ December y as hath been already obferved ; and, on the 19th in the morning, a Mandarine of the firft rank, who was Governor of the city o\' Janfony together with two Mandarines of an inferior clafs, and a great retinue of officers and fervants, having with them eighteen half gallies, decorated with a great number of ftreamcrs, and furniflied with mufic, and full of men, came to grapnel a-head of the Ci«/wmw; whence the Mandarine lent a meffage to the Commodore, telling him, that he, (the Mandarine) was ordered, by the Viceroy of Canton^ to examine ilie condition of the Ihip, and defiring the fliip's boat might be fent to fetch him on board. The Centurions boat was immediately difpatched, and preparations were made for receiving him ; for a hundred of the moil fight ly of the crew were uniformly dreft in the regimen- tal of the marines, and were drawn up under arms on th'.^ nuin-deck, againft: his arrival. VVhen h^ entered tht Ihip he was faluted by the drums, and wha; ther •miiitary mufic there was on board j and pafllng by the new-tornied guard, he was met by the Commodore on the quarter-deck, who conduced him to the great cab- bin. Here the Mandarine explained his commilhon, de- claring, that his bufinefs was to examine all the parti- culars mentioned in the Commodore's letter to the Vice- roy, and to confront them with the reprefentaiion that had been given of them ; that he was particularly in- ftru(^ed to infped the leak, and had tor that purpofe brought with hira two Chinefe Carpenters j and that for the *»' men- ms on tered ther the )re on cab- n, de- jarti- V ice- that y in- rpofe lat for the n round /i?^ W o R l D. 321 the greater regularity and difpatch of his bufinefs, he had every head of enquiry feparately wrote down on a (heet of paper, with a void fpace oppofite to it, where he was to infert fuch information and remaks thereon^ as he could procure by his own obfervation. This Mandarine appeared to be a perfon of very con-~ fiderable parts, and endowed with more franknefs and' honefty, than is to be found in the generality of the Chi- nefe. After the proper inquiries had been made, par- ticularly about the leak, which the Of>/«^ Carpenters reported to be as dangerous a. it had been reprefented* and confequently that it was impoffible for the Centurion to proceed to fea without being refitted, the Mandarine exprelled himfelf fatistied with the account given in the Commodore's letter. And this Magiftrate, as he was- more intelligent than any other perfon of his nation that- came to our knowledge, fo likewife was he more curi-- ous and inquifuive, viewing each part of the ihip with particular afention, and appearing greatly furprized at the largenefs of the lower deck guns, and at the weiglu and fize of the (hot. The Commodore, obferving his aftonilhment, thought this a proper opportunity to con- - vince the Chinefe of the prudence of granting him a fpeedy and ample fupply of all he wanted : With this view he told the Mandarine^ and thofe who were with him, that, befides the demands he made for a general fupply, he had a particular complaint againft the pro-- ceedings of the Cullom-houfe oi Macao ; that at his firft arrival the Chinefe boats had brought on board plenty of greens, and variety of frefli provifions for daily ufe, for' which they had always been paid to their full fatisfac-- tion, but that the Cuttom-houfe officers at Macao had foon forbid them, by which means he was deprived of thofe refrelhmenis which were of the utmoft confequence to the health of his men, after their long and fickly voy^ age J that as they, the Mandarines, had informed them- felvcs of his wants, and were eye-witneifes of the force and ftrength of his (hip, they might be fatisfied it was not for want of power to fupply himfelf, that he defired the permidion of the Government to purchafe what pro- vifions he ftood in need of; that they muft be convinced that the Centmion alone was capable of deftroying the P 5 wuole •^ » 322 ^VOYAGE whole navigation of iht port ofCantotif or of any other port in Chinay without running the leaft rifque from ali the force the Chinefe could colledl j that it was true, this was not the manner of proceeding between nations in friendfhip with each other ; but it was likewife true, that it was not cuftomary for any nation to permit the ihips of their friends to ftarve and fink in their ports, when thofe friends had money to fupply their wants, and only defired liberty to lay it out ; that they muft confefs, he and his people had hitherto behaved with great mo- defty and refcrve ; but that, as his wants were each day increafing, hunger would at laft prove too ftrong for any reftraint, and necefTity was acknowledged in all coun- tries to be fuperior to every other law ; and therefore it could not be expected that his crew would long continue to ftarve in the midft of that plenty to which their eyes were every day witnefles : To this the Commodore add- ed, (though perhaps with a lefs ferious air) that if by the delay of fupplying him with frefli provifions his men (hould be reduced to the neceflity of turning canibals, and preymg upon their own fpecies, it was eafy to be forefeen that, independent of their friendfhip to their comrades, they would, in point of luxury, prefer the plump well fed Chinefe to their own emaciated ihipmates. The firft Mandarine acquiefced in the juftnefs of this reaibning, and told the Commodore, that he (hould that night proceed for Canton ; that on his arrival, a Council of A4iy«^r/»« would be fummoned, of which he him- ielf was a Member ; and that by being employed in the prefent Commiifion, he was of courfe the Commodore's Advocate ; that, as he was fully convinced of the urgen- cy of Mr. y^«/5«'s neceflity, he did not doubt but, on his reprefentation, the Council would be of the fame opinion ; and that all that was demanded would be amply and fpcedily granted : And with regard to the Commo- dore's complaint of the Cuftom-houfe of Macaoy he un- dertook to redify that immediately by his own authori- ty ; for defiring a lift to be given him of the quantity of provifion neceffary for the expence of the ftiip for a day, he wrote a permit under it, and delivered it to one of his attendants, directing him to fee that quantity fent on board early every morning ; and this order, from that time forwardi, was pun^ually complied with. When round the World. ili When this weighty affair was thus in fbme degree re- gulated, the Commodore invited him and his two at- tendant Mandarines to dinner, telling them at the fame time, that if his provifions, either in kind or quantity, was not what they might expedl, they muft thank them- felves for having confined him to fo hard an allowance. One of his diflies was beef, which the Chinefe all diflike, tho' Mr. Anfon was not apprized of it ; this feems to be derived from i\\t Indian fuperftition, which for fome ages paft has made a great progrefs in China. However, his guefts did not entirely faft ; for the three Mandarines corapleatly finilhed the white part of four large fowls. But they were extremely embarrafTed with their knives and forks, and were quite incapable of making ufe ot them : So that, after fome fruitlefs attempts to help themfelves, which were fufficiently awkward, one of the attendants was obliged to cut their meat in fmall pieces for them. But whatever difficulty they might have in complying with the European manner of eating, they feemed not to be novices in drinking. The Commodore excufed himfelf in this part of the entertainment, under the pretence of illnefs ; but there being another Gentle- man prefent, of a florid and jovial complexion, the chief Mandarine clapped hira on the flioulder, and told him by the interpreter, that certainly he could not plead fick- nefs, and therefore infifted on his bearing him company ; and that Gentleman perceiving, that after they had di(- patched four or five bottles of /Vow/iwiVzr, the MayJarins ftill continued unrutfleu, he ordered a bottle of citron- water to be brought up, which the Chinefe feemed much to relifli ; and this being near finilhed, the rofe from table, in appearance cool and uninfluenced by what they had drank, and the Commodore having, according to cuftom, made the Mandarine a prefent, they all departed in the fame vcifels that brought them. After their departure the Commodore with great im- patience expe^ed tbe refolution of the Council, and the neccfl'ary licences for his refitment. For it muft be ob- ferved, as hath already appeared from the preceding nar- ration, that he could neither purchafe ftores nor necef- faries with his money, nor did any kind of workmen dare to engage ihemlelves to work for him, without the ■»- : permiifion 324 ^ /^ V O Y A G E pcrmillion of the Government firft obtained. And in the execution of thefe particular injunctions, the Magi- ftratei never fail of exercifing great feverity, they, not- withftanding the fuftian elogiums beftowed upon them by the Catholic MifTionaries and their European copiers, being compofed ot the fame fragile materials with the reft of mankind, and often making ufeof the authority of the law, not to fupprefs crimes, but to enrich themfelves by the pillage of thofe whp commit them ; for capital punilh- ments are rare in Chinay the effeminate genius of the na- tion, and their ftrong attachment to lucre, difpcfing them rather to make ufe of fines ; and hence ariies no inconfiderable profit to thofe who compofe their tribu- nals: Confequently prohibitions of all kinds, particular- ly fuch, as the alluring profpe6l of great profit may often tempt the fubjedt to infringe, cannot but be favourite inftitutions in fuch a Government. But to return : Sometime before this, Captain Saunders took his paf^ fage to England on board a Sioedijb Ihip, and was charg- ed with difpatches from the Commodore j and foon af- ter, in the month of December, Captain Mitchely Co- lonel Cracherode, and Mr. l^ajjely one of the Agent- Vidtuallers, with his nephew Mr. Charles Harriot ^ em- barked on board fome of our Company's (hips ; and I, having obtained the Commodore's leave to return home, embarked with them. I muft obferve too, (having omitted- it before) ths.t whilft we lay here at Macaoy we were informed by Ibme of the officers of our Indiamen, that the Severn and Pearl, the two (hips of ourfquadron, which had feparated from us off Cape Mr, were fafely arrived at Rio Janeiro on the ccaft of Brazil, I have formerly taken notice, that at the time of their feparation, we apprehended them to be lofV. And there were many reafons which greatly favoured this fufpicion : For we knew that the Se^vern in particular was extreamly fickly ; and this was the more obvious to the reft of the fhips, as, in the preceding part of the voyage, her Commander Captain Legge had been re- markable for his exemplary punctuality in keeping his ftation, till, for the laft ten days before his feparation, his crev/ was fo diminifhed and enfeebled, that with his utmoft efforts it was not pofllble for him to maintain his proper round the W o r l d. 325 proper pofition with his wonted exa6tne(s. The extra-r ordinary ftcknefs on board him was by many imputed to the fliip, which was new, and on that account was believ- ed to be more unhealthy ; but whatever was the caufe of it,the.Stf«y^«was by much the moft ficklyofthe fquadron : For before her departure from St. Catherines fhe buried more men than any of them, infbmuch that the Commo- dore was obliged to recruit her wirh a number of frefli hands ; and, the mortality ftill continuing on board her^ (he was fupplied with men a fecond time at fea, after our letting fail from St. Julians ^ and notwithftanding thele different reinforcements, (he was at laft reduced to the iiftrelTed condition I have already mentioned : So that xit Commodore himfelf was firmly perfuaded (he was lofl ; and therefore it was with great joy we received the news of her and the Pearl's fafety, after the ftrong perfua(ion, which had fo long prevailed amongfl us, of their having both perifhed. But to proceed with the tranfadlions between Mr. ^n/on and the Chinefe, Notwithftanding the favourable difpofition of the Man^ darine Governor oijanfm^ at his leaving Mr. Anfonf-Xt^ veral days were elapfed before he had any advice from him J and Mr. Anfon was privately informed there were great debates in Council upon his affair i, partly perhaps owing to its being (b unufual a cafe, and in part to the influence, as I fuppofe, of the intrigues of th^ French at Canton : For they had a countryman and faft friend refid-^ ing on the (pot, who fpoke the language very well, and was not unacquainted with the venality of the Govern^ ment, nor with the perfons of (everal of the Magiftrates, and confequently could not be at a lofs for means of tra- verfing the afllftance defired by Mr. Anfon. And this op- podtion of the French was nOt merely the effeft of na^- tional prejudice or contrariety of political interefts, but was in good meafure owing to their vanity, a motive of much more weight with the generality of mankind, than any attachment to the public fervice of their communi- ty : For, the French pretending their Indiamen to be Men of War, their officers were apprehenfive, that any diftinc- tion granted to Mr. An/on, on account of his bearing the King's Commifiion, would render them lefs con- fiderable in the eyes of the Chinefe, and would efta- blifh 326 A VOYAGE R ( ' I? blifh a prq^ofTefion at Canton in favour of fhips of war^ by which they, as trading vefTels, would fuffer in their importance : And I wifti the affeftation of endeavour- ing to pafs for men of war, and the fear of finking ii> the eftimation of the Chinefe^ if the Centurion was treated in a different manner from themfelves, had been confin- ed to the ofHcers of the French (hips only. However, not- withftanding all thefe obflacles, it fhoud feem, that the reprefentation of the Commodore to the Mandarines of the facility with which he could right himfelf, if juflice were denied him, had at laft its efFed : For, on the 6tb of January f in the morning, the Governor ofjanfon^ the Commodore's Advocate, fent down the Viceroy of Canton's warrant for the refitment of the Centurion^ and for fupplying her people with all they wanted j and, the next day, a number of Chinefe Smiths and Car- penters went on board, to agree for all the work by the great. They demanded, at firft, to the amount of a thoufand pounds fterling for the neceflary repair of the (hip, the boats, and the mads : This the Commo- dore feemed to think an unreafbnable fum, and endea- voured to perfuade them to work by the day ; but that propofai they would not hearken to ; fo it was at lall agreed, that the Carpenters Ihould have to the amount of about fix hundred pounds for their work ; and that the Smiths fhould be paid for their iron-work by weight, allowing them at the rate of three pounds a hundred nearly for the fmall work, and forty-fix (hillings for the large. This being regulated, the Commodore exerted him- felf to get the moil important bufinefs compleated j I mean, the heaving down the Centurion^ and examining the (late of her bottom : For this purpofe the firft Lieu- tenant was difpaiched to Canton to hire two country vef- iels, called in their language Junks, one of them being intended to heave down by, and the other to ferve as a magazine for the powder and ammunition : At the fame time the ground was fmoothed on one of the neighbour- ing Iflands, and a large tent was pitched for lodging the lumber and provifions, and near a hundred Chinefe Caulk-^ crs were (bon fet to work on the decks and fides of the (hip. But all th^fe preparations^ and the getting ready ;.. .. the emg as a ame our- the ulk- the eady the round the World. 327 the careening gear, took up a great deal of time; for the Chinefe Caulkers, though they worked very well, were far from being expeditious ; and it was the 26ih of Ja» nuary before the junks arrived ; and the neceflary mate- rials, which were to be purchafed at Cantorty came down very flowly j partly from the diftance of the place, and partly from the delays and backwardnefs of the Chinefi Merchants. And in this interval Mr. Anfon had the ad- ditional perplexity to difcover, that his fore-mad was broken afunder above the upper deck partners, and was only kept together by the iiflies which had been for- merly clapt upon it. v:'::'-. However, the Centurion^s people made the moft of their time, and exerted themfelves the beil they could ; and as, by clearing the fhip, the Carpenters were enabled to come at the leak, they took care to fecure that effedtually, whild the other preparations were going forwards. The leak was found to be below the fifteen foot mark, and was prin- cipally occasioned by one of the bolts being wore away and loofe in thejoiningof the ftem where it was (barfed. At laft, all things being prepared, they, on the 2 2d of Fehruaryt in the morning, hove out the firft courle of the Onturiofis ftar-board fide, and had the fatisfa£tion to find, that her bottom appeared found and good ; and, the next day, (having by that time compleated the new flieathing of the firfl courfe) they righted her again to (et up anew the careening rigging which ftretched much. Thus they continued heaving down, and often righting the fhip from a fufpicion of their careening tackle, till the 3d of March; when, having compleated the paying and fheathing the bottom, which proved to be every where very found ; they, for the lafl time, righted the (hip to their great joy ; for not only the fatigue of ^ca- reening had been considerable, but they had been appre- henfive of being attacked by the Spaniardsy whilfl the ihip was thus incapacitated for defence. Nor were their fears altogether ground lefs ; for they learnt afterwards, hy a Portuguefe veffel, that the Spaniards at Manila had l^en informed, that the Centurion was in the Typay and intended to careen there -, and that thereupon the Gover- nor had fummoned his Council, and had propofed to them to endeavour to burn her, whilA (he was careen- t ,. ing, 328 y/ V O Y A G E ing, which was an enterprize, which, if property con- dudted, might have put them in great danger: They were farther told, that this fcheme was not only propofed, but Tefolved on ; and that a Captain of a veflel had actually undertaken to perform the bufinefs for forty thoulanddol- Jars, which he was to receive unlefs he fucceeded ; but the Governor pretending that there was no treafure in the royal cheil, and infilling that the Merchants fliould ad- vance the money, and they refufmg to comply with the demand, the affair was dropped : Perhaps the Merchants fufpedted, that the whole was only a pretext to get forty thoufand dollars from them ; and indeed this was affirm- ed by fome who bore the Governor no good will, but with what truth it is difficult to afcertain. As (bon as the Centurion was righted, they took in her powder, and gunners ftores, and proceeding in getting in • their guns as faft as poffible, and then ufed their utmoft expedition in repairing the foremaft, and in compleating the other articles of her refitment. And being thus em- ployed, they were alar* d, on the loth oi March, by a C^wf/^Filberman, who brought them intelligence that he had been on board a large Spanijh (hip off the grand La^ tirone, and that there were two more in company with her : He added feveral particulars to his relation ; as that he had brought one of their officers to Macao ; and that, on this, boats went off early in the Morning from Macao to them : And the better to eftablifti the belief of his veracity, he faid he defired no money, if his informa- tion Ihould not prove true. I'his was prefently believed to be the forementioned expedition from Manila j and the Commodore immediately fitted his cannon and fmall arms in the bed manner he could for defence ; and hav- ing then his Pinnace and Cutter in the offing, who had been ordered to examine a Portuguefe veffel, which was getting under fail, he fent them the advice he had re- ceived, and direfted them to look out ftridtly : But no fuch (hips ever appeared, and they were foon fatisfied, the whole of the (tory was a fidion; though it was diffit- cult to conceive what rea(bn could induce the fellow to be at fuch extraordinary pains to impofe on them. It was the beginning of ///r/V before they had newrig- ged the (hip, (lowed their provifions and water on board, and rcu^d the World. ' 329 • and had fitted her for the fea ; and before this time the Chinefe grew very uneafy, and extremely dcfirous that ftie mould be gone ; either not knowing, or pretending not to believe, that this was a point the Commodore was as eage.'y fet on as they could be. On the 3d of j^prily two Mandarine boats came on board from Macaa to urge his departure i and this having been often done before, though there had been no pretence to fufped Mr. An/on of any attcfted delays, he at this laft meflage an- fwered them in a determined tone, defiling them 10 give him no further trouble, fo: he would go when he thought proper,and not before. On this rebuke the Chinefe {\\\ou^ it was not in their power to compel him to be gone) im- mediately prohibited all provifions from being carried on board him, and took fuch care that their injundions ihould be complied with, that from that time forwards nothing could be purchafed at any rate whatever. On the 6th of Aprily the Centurion weighed from the Typay and warped to the louthward; and, by the i5tb^ flie was got into Macao road, compleating her water as flie paft along, lb that there remained now very few ar- ticles more to attend to; and her whole bufinefs being finilhed by the 19th, flie, at iLice in the afternoon of that day, weighed and made fail, and ilood to fea. Chap VIII. From Macao to Cape Efpiritu Santo: T^be taking of the Manila galeon and returning hack again, ; TH E Commodore was now got to (ea^ with his, ftiip very well refitted, his ftores repleniflied, and an additional flock of provifions on board : His crew too. was fbmewhat reinforced; for he had entered twenty- three men during his ftay at Maeao^ the greatefl part which were Lafcars or Indian failors, and fome few Dutch. He gave out at Macao, that he was bound to Batavia^ and thence io England ; and though the weflerly mon- fbon was now fet in, when that pafTage is confidered as impracticable, yet by the confidence he had exprefTed in the flrcngth of his fhip, and the dexterity of his people, he had perfuaded not only his own crew, but the people at Macao likewife, that he propofed to try this unufual experiment ; fo that there were many letters put on board him by the inhabitants of Canton and Macao for their friends at Batavin, But 5,?o A VOYAGE But his real defign was a very different nature : For he knew, that inftead of one annual (hip from AcapuUo to Manila, there would be this year, in all probability, two J fince, by being before Acapuicoy he had prevented ©ne of them from putting to fea the preceding feafon. He therefore refolved to cruife tor ihele returning vcffels OiTCape Efpiritu Santa, on the Ifland ot Satna/, which is the firft land they always make in the Philippine Iflands. And as June is generally the month in which they arrive there, he doubted not but he Ibould get to his^ intended ftation time enough to intercept them. It is true, they were faid to be ftout velTels, mounting forty-four guns a- piece, and carrying above five hundred hands, and might be expedled to return.c fird e!y :ack- icn jh; to Nation in hey kept Id endea- e of 12°: obferva- de from len they by the ire ufu- waiting jpy crifis laft cala- jmploy- 11 almofl: Ihe great lad been his s^r % routid /fo World. 333 his practice more or lefs at all convenient feaibns during the wh ,le courfe of his voyage -, and the advantages which he received from it, in his engagement with the galeon, where an ample recompence lor all his care and attention. Indeed, it fhould feem that there are few par- ticulars of a Commander's duty of more importance than this, how much foever it may have been fbmetimes over- looked or mifunderftood : For it will, I "uppofe, be con- feifed, that in two (hips of war, equal in the number of their nen and guns, the difproportion of (Irength, ari- fing from a greater or lefs dexterity in the ufe of their great guns and fmall arms, is what can fcarcely be bal* lanced by any other circumftances whatever. For, as thefe are the weap<>ns with which they are to engage, what greater inequality can there be betwixt two con- tending parties, than that one fide fliould perfectly un- derftand the ufe of their weapons, and (hould have the fkill to employ them in the moil effectual manner for the annoyance of their enemy, while the other fide fhould, by their aukward management of them, render them rather terrible to themfelves, than mifchievous to their antagonifts? This feems fo plain and natural a ccnclufion, that a perfon unacquainted with thefe affairs would fuppofe the firfl care of a Comman- der to be the training his people to the ufe of tbcir arms. Bur human affairs are not always conducted by the plain ditta^es of common fenfe. There are many other prin- ciples which influence our tranfa6!ions : And there is one in particular, which, though of a very ^roneous com- plexion, is fcarcely ever excluded from our moft ferious deliberations J I mean cullom, or the pra^lice of thofe who have preceded us. This is ufually a power too migh- ty for realbn to grapple with j and is the moft terrible to thofe who oppole it, as it has much of fuperftition in its nature, and puribes all thofe who qucftion its authority with unrelenting vehemence. However, in thefe later ages of the world, fome lucky encroachments have been made upon its prerogative ^ and it may reafbnably be hoped, that the Gentlemen of the Navy, whofe particu- lar profeffion bath of late been confiderably improvec a number of new inventions, will of all others be the rea- died is M ■II I ' >l«l I '%i,!|l|[p.l|l i '■ "M n 33+ ^VOYAGE dieft to give up thofe pra6lices, which have nothing to plead but prefcription, and will not fuppofe that every branch of their bufinefs hath already received all the per- fection of which it is capable. Indeed it muft be owned, that if a dexterity in the ufe of fmall arms, ibr inftance hath been fometimes lefs attended to on board our (hips of war, than might have been wiftied for, it hath been ra- ther owing to unfkilful methods of teaching it, than to negligence : For the common failors, how ftrongly foe- ver attached to their own prejudices, are very quick fight- ed infindingout the defeats of others, and have ever (hewn a great contempt for thefbrmalitiespra6lifedin the train- ing of land troops to the ufe of their arms; but when thofe who have undertaken to inlh ud the feamen have content- ed themfelves with inculcating only what was ufeful, and rhat in the fimpleft manner they have conftantly found their people fufficiently docile, and the fuccefs hath even exceeded their expedtalion. Thus on board Mr. ^nfons fliip, where they were only taught the (horteft method of loading with cartridges, and were conftantly trained to fire at a mark, which was ufually hung at the yard-arm, at^d where fbme little reward was given to the moft ex- pert, the whole crew, by this management, were ren- dered extremely ikilful, quick in loading, all of them good markfmen, and fome of them molt extraordinary ones; fo that I doubt not but, in the ule of (mall arms, they were riioie than a match for double their number, who had not been habituated to the lame kind of exer- cifc. But t? return : It was the lall of May N. S. as hath been already faid, when the Centurion arrived oflT Ca})e Efpiritu Santo i and confequently the next day began the month in which the galeons were to be expeded. The Ccmmoilore there- fore made ail ncceiTary prepararions for receivirjg them, having hoifted out his loiig-boat, and lathed her along fide, that the (hip might be ready for engaging, if they fell in w'th the galeons in the night. All ihia time too he v/as ver) (blicitous to keep at furh a diftanc ; from the Cape, as not to be difcovered : But it had been fince learnt, that, notwithllan " 'g care. the land i and advice of him was fen to Manila^ where it was at firfl dilbelievcd, but on reiterated intelligence (for rotind the World. 3^5 (for it feems he was feen more than once) the Merchants were alarmed, and the Governor was appHed to, who undertook the Commerce fupplying the neccflary liims) to fit out a torce confiding of two (hips of thirty-two guns, one of twenty gunb, and two fioops often guns each, to attack the Centurion on her ftation : And lbra€ of thefe veiTels did aflually weigh with this view; but the principal (hip not being ready, and the monfoon be- ing againft them, the Commerce and the Governor difa- greed, and th:* enterprize was laid afide. This frequent difcovery of the Centurion from the fhore was (bmewhat extraordinary ; for the pitch of the Cape is not high, and (he ufually kept from ten to fifteen leagues diftant ; though once indeed, by an indraught of the tide, as was fuppofed, they found themfelves in the morning within feven leagues of the land. As the month of June advanced, the expectancy and impatience of the Commodore's people each day en- creafed. And I think no better idea can be given of their great eagernefs on this occafion, than by copying a few paragraphs from the journal of an officer, who was .hen on board ; as it will, I prefume, be a more natural pic- ture of the full attachment of their thoughts to the bu- finefs of their cruife, than can be given by any other means. The paragraph I have (elected, as they occur in order of time, are as follow : " May 31, Exercifing our men at their quarters, in great expedation of meeting with the galeons very (oon ; this being the eleventh of June their (tile." " Jiine 3, Keeping in our (tations, and looking out for the galeons." " Jane 5, Begin now to be in great expef ation, this being the middle of June their (tile." June II, Regin to grow impatient at not feeing the galeons." ** June 13, The wind having blown frefh eafterly for the forty-eight hours paft, gives us great expedati- ons of feeing the galeons foon." ** June 1 5, Cruifingon and off, and looking out (triCtly ." ** June 19, This being the la(t day of June ^f, S. the galeons, if they arrive at all muft appear foon.*' From thefe famples it is fufficiently evident, how com- pleaily (< ii f exerting on board that (bme with great from their lin ; for af- guns with Inteft ;and, -flaffinthe tandard at lo was em- il of being i:d what he was 3.^9 was about, given exprefs orders to his people to defift from firing. Thus was the Centurion pofTelTed of this rich prize, a- mounting in value lo near a million and a half of dol- lars. She was called the No/Ira Signora de Cabadonga^ and was commanded by the General Don Jeronimo de MonterOf a Portuguefe by birth, and the moft approved officer for fkill and courage of any employed in that fervice. The galeon was much larger than the Centurion^ had five hun- dred and fifty men, and thirty-fix guns mounted for ac- tion, befides twenty-eight pidreroes in her gunwale, quarters and tops, each of which carried a four pound ball. She was very well furnifhed with fmall arms, and was particularly provided againft boarding, both by her clofe quarters, and by a ftrong net-work of two-inch rope, which was laced over her waift, and was defend- ed by half pikes. She had fixty feven killed in the adion, and eighty-four wounded, whilft the Centurion had only two killed, and a Lieutenant and fixieen wounded, ail of whom, but one, recovered: Of fo little confequence are the moil deftrudtive arms, in untutored and unprac- tifed hands. The treafure thus taken by the Centurion having been for at leafl eighteen months the great objed of their hopes, it is impoflible to dcfcribe the tranfport on board, when, after all their reiterated difappointments, they at laft faw their wiihes accomplifhed. But their joy was near being fuddenly damped by a moft tremendous in- cident : For no fooner had the galeon ftruck, than one of the Lieutenants coming to Mr. Anfon to congratulate him on his prize, wliiipered him at tlie fame time, that tlic Centurion was dangeroufly on fire near the powder- room. The Commodore received this dreadful news without any apparent emotion, and, talcing care not to alarm his people, gave the neceflary oiders for extinguifh- ing it, which was happily done in a fhorttime, though its appearance at firft was extremely terrible. It feems fome cartriges had been blown, up by accident between decks, wiiercby a quantity of oalcum in the after hatch way, near the after powder-room, was fet on fire ^ and t.ie great *inotlier and fmolie of the oakum occafioned the apprel.cnfion of a more extended and milchicvous fire. 0.2 M (•i' U'< m 1. li ! W i I III LX- ■■ ij S40 v^ V O Y A G E At the fame inftant too, the galeon fell on board the Cen^ turion on the (larboard quarter, but (he was cleared with- out doing or receiving any confiderable damage. The Commodore made his (irft Lieutenant, Mr. Sau^ marez^ Captain of this prize, appointing her a poft-(hip in his Majefty's fervice. Captain SaumareZy before night, fent on board the Centurion all the Spanijb prifoners, but fuch as were thought the moft proper to be retained to a(fift in navigating the galeon. And now the Commodore learnt, from lome of ihefe prifoners, that the other (hip, which he had kept in the port oi Acapuko the preceding year, inftead of returning in company with the prefent prize as was expected, had fet fail from Acapulco alone much fooner than ufual, and had in all probability, got into the port oi Manila long before the Centurion arrived o(f Efpiritu Santo ; (b that Mr. Anfdn, notwithftanding his prefent fucceis, had great rea(on to regret his lols of time at Macao, which prevented him from taking two rich prizes in(l:ead of one. The Commodore, when the action was ended, refolved to make the beft of his way with his prize for the river ofCantorty being in the mean time fully employed in fe- curing his prifoners, and in removing the treafure from ©n board the galeon into the Centurion. The laft of thefc operations was too important to be poftponed; for as the navigation to Can/on was through feas but little known, and where, from the feafon of the year, much bad wea- ther might be expetled, it was of great confequence that the treafure (hould be fent on board the Centurion^ which Ihip, by the prefence of the Commander in Chief, the greater number of her hands, and her other advantages, was doubtlefs much fnfer againft all the cafualties of winds and feas than tl^e galeon ; And the fecuring the prifoners was a m.itter of ilill more confequence, as not only the polfeifion of the treafure, but the lives of the captors depended thereon, 'i'his was indeed an article which gave the Commodore much trouble and difquie- tude ; for they were above double tlie number of his own people i and (bme of them, when they were brought on board the Centurion, and had obferved how flenderly Ihe was manned, and the large proportion which the lirip- linjjs bore co the refl-,coukl not helpexprelling thcmfclves witl? «» d the Qttt- ired with- \^' Mr. Sau^ L poft-lhip ore night, )ners, but etained to )mmodore )ther (hip, preceding he prefent !)«/ro alone bility, got ion arrived anding his nis lols of aking two d,rerolved r the river pyed in fe- afure from ift of thefc for as the le known, bad wea- ence that \ion^ which hief, the fl vantages, 'ualties of uring the Ice, as not es of the an article \ difquie- f his own rought on ndetiy the the Ihip- hcmfclves with round tie World. ^41 with great indignation to be thus beaten by a handful of boys. The method which was taken to hinder them from rifing, was by placing all but the officers and the wound- ed in the hold, where, to give them as much air as pof- fible two hatch-ways were left open ; but then to avoid all danger,whilll: the Cew/wnWs people (hould be employ- ed upon the deck) there was a fquare partition of thick planks, made in the fliape of a funnel, which enclofed each hatch-way on the lower deck, and reached to that diredtly over it on the upper deckj thefe funnels ferved to communicate the air to the hold better than could have been done without them j and at the fame time, added greatly to the fecurity of the ihip ; for they be- ing feven or eight feet high, it would have been extreme- ly difficult for the Spaniards to have chunbered up ; and ftill to augment that difficulty, four fwivel-guns loaded with muiket bullets were planted at the mouth of each funnel, and a centinel with lighted match conftanily at- tended, prepared to fire into the hold amongft them, in cafe of any difturbance. Their officers, which amounted to feventeen or eighteen, were all lodged in the firft Lieu- tenant's cabbin, under a conllant guard of fix men -, and the General, as he was wounded, lay in the Commodore's cabbin with a centinel always with him, and they were all informed, that any violence or difturbance would be p jniflied with inftant death. And that the Centurion^ peo- ple might be at all times prepared, if, notwithftanding thefe regulations, any. tumult Ihould.arife, the fmall arms were conftantly kept loaded in a proper place, whillt all the men went armed with cutlalTes and piftols ; and no officer ever pulled off his cloaths, and when he flept had always his arms lying ready by him. Thefe meafures were obvioufly neceffary, confidering the hazards to which the Commodore and his people would have been expofed, had they been lefs careful. Indeed the fufferings of the pojr prifoners, though imr poflible to be alleviated, were n uch to be commileratedj for the weather was extremely h it, the ftench of the hold loathfome, beyond all conception, and their allowance of water but juft fufficient to keep them alive, it not being pra6licable to fpare them more than at the rate of a pint a day for each, the crew themfelves having only I ■I \ •i ' ti Ill ■if M n. 1 '•; 1 r"^ ' * ■ i, 342 ^ V Y I ii>a ! ■)7 S- AGE an allowance of a pint and an half. All this confidered, it was wonderful that not a man ofthem died during their long confinement, except three of the wounded, who died the fame night they were taken ; though it muft be con- felfed, that the greateft part ofthem were Ibangely me- faniorphofed by the heat of the hold : For when they were fir ft taken ; they were fightly robuft fellows ; but when after above a month's imprilbnmcnt, they were difcharg- ed in the river oi Canto>i, they were reduced 10 mere Ikele- tons: and their air and looks corrcfponded much more to the conception formed of ghofts and fpedlres, than to the figure and appearance of real men. Thus employed in fecuring the ireafure and the prifo- ncrs, the Commodore, as hath been faid, ftood for the n- verofC««/o«; and, on the 30th of June y at fix in the e- vening, got fight ofC'\\>tDelan^atio, which then boreWeft ten leagues diftant -, and the next day, he made the BnJJjee IJhmdsy and the wind being fo far to the northward, that it was difficult to weather them, it was refolved to ftand thorough between Grafton and Monmouth Iflandsy where the pafTage feemed to be clear; but in getting through, the fea had a very dangerous afpedl, for it rippled and foamed, as if it had been full of breakers, which was ftill more terri- ble, as it was then night. But the (hips got through very fafe, (the prize always keeping a- head) and it was found that the appearance which had alarmed them had been occafioned only by a ftrong tide. I muft here obferve, that tho' the Bajbee IJlands are ufually reckoned to be no more than five, yet there are many more lying about them to the weftward, which as the channels amongft them arc not at all known, makes it advifeable for (hips rather to pafs to the northward or foutbward, than through them ; and indeed the Commodore propofed to have gone to the northward, between them and Vormofa, had it been pofli- ble for him to have weathered them From hence the Cen- turion fteei ing the proper courfe for the river oiCantony fhe, on the 8th oi'Jnljy difcovered the Ifland of Supata, the wefteimoft of the Lema Iflands, being a double peaked rock. This Ifland of Supata they made to be an hundred and thirty-nine leagues diftant from Grafton s Ifland, and to bear from it North 82° 37' Weft : And, on the i ith, having taken on board two Chinefe Pilots, one for the Cen- turiouy round the World. 343 turioriy and the other for the prize, they came to an anchor off the city of Macao. By this time the particulars of the cargoe of the galeon were well afcertained, and it was found that (he had on board 1,313,84.3 pieces of eight, and 35,682 oz. of virgin filver, befides fome cochineal, and a few other commodi- ties, which, however, were but of fmall account in com- parifon of the fpecic. And this being the Commodores lad prize, it hence appears that all the treafure taken by the Centurion was not much fhort of 400,000/. indepen- dent of the fliips and merchandize, which fhe either burnt or deftroyed, and which by the moil reafon le edimaii- on, could not amount to fo little as 600,000/. more ; fa that the whole lofs of the enemy, by our fquadron, did doubtlefs exceed a million fterling. To which, if there be added the great expence of the Court of 6//?//;, in fit- ting out Pizarro, and in paying the additional charges in America^ incurred on our account^ together with the lofs of their men of war, the total of all thefe articles will be a moft exorbitant fum, and is the ftrongeft convi&ion of the utility of this expedition,which,with all its numerous dif- advantages^ did yet prove fo extremely prejudicial to the enemy. I fhall only add, that there were taken on board the galeon feveral draughts and journals, from fome of which many of the particulars recited in the loth chapter of the fecond book are collected. Among the rell there was found a chart of all the Ocean, between the Philip-- pines and the coaft of Mexico y which was what was made ufe of by the galeon in her own navigation. A copy of this draught, corrected in fome places by our own obfer- vation is here annexed, together with the rout of the ga- leon traced thereon from her own journals, and likewife the rout of the Centurion^ from Acapulco through the fame Ocean. This is the chart formerly referred to, in the ac- count of the Manila trade : And, to render it ftili more co .V^. «#. ^V^ o..^^^. s.^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A k ^ {./ <- ,^<^^. :/- r/. ^o rf> v.. 1.0 ii 1.25 us 1^ IM 2.2 li£ 10 18 U 111.6 V] <^ /i 5 >v o '/ \ Photograptiic Sciences Corporation n WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 V €^ '^ O ^\ w^ HF s \ 344 A VOYAGE years ago. And with this digreflloiT I (hall end this chap- ter, leaving the Centurion with her prize at anchor off Macao, preparing to enter the river oi Canton. Chap. IX. Tranfadions in the river o/" Canton. T^ H E Commodore, having taken Pilots on board, - proceeded with his prize for the river of Canton; and, on the 14th of July, came to an anchor (hort of the Bocca 7/^r/j, which isanarrowpaffage forming the mouth of that river: This entrance he propofed to (land through the next day, and to run up as far as Tiger IJJand, which is a very fafe road, fecured from all winds. Bui whilft the Centurion and her prize were thus at an anchor, a boat with an officer came off from the Mandarine commanding the forts at hocca Tigris, to examine what the (hips were and whence they came. Mr. An/on informed the officer, that his (hip was a lliip of war belonging to the King of Great- Britain i and that the other in company with him was a prize he had taken : that he was going into Canton river to fhelter himfeif againft the hurricanes which were then roming on ; and that as foon as the mon(bon (hifted, he (hould proceed for England. The officer ih'^n defired an account of what men, guns, and ammunition were on b.iard, a lift of all which he faid was to be fent to the Government of Canton. But when thefe articles were re- peated to him, particularly when he was told that there were in the Centurion four hundred (ire-locks, and between three and four hundred barrels of powder, he (hrugged up his (boulders, and feemed to be terrified with the bare re- cital, faying, that no (hips ever came into Canton river armed in that manner; adding, that he durft not fet down the whole of this force, leaft it (hould too much alarm the Regency. After he had fini(hed his enquiries, and was preparing to depart, he defired to leave th. two Cullom- houfe officers behind him j on which the Commodore told him, that though as a man of war he was prohibited from trading, and had nothing to do wirh cuftoms or duties of any kind, yet, for the fatisfadlion of the Chinefey he would permit two ol't heir people to be left on board, who might ihemfelvcsbe witneffes how punctually he (hould comply with his inftrudlions. The officer feemed amazed when Mr. Anfon mentioned being exempted from all duties, and told round' the W o r l d. 345- told him, that the Emperor's duty muft be paid by all (hips* that came into his ports : And it is fuppofed, thav, on this- occafion, private directions were given by him to the Chinefe Pilot, not to carry the Commodore through the. Bocca Tigris; which makes it ncceflary more particularly^ to defcribe that entrance. ■ "■ ]/*> The Bocca Tigris h a narrow paflage, little more than mufquet-lhot over, formed by two points of land, on each of which there is a fort, that on the ftarboard-fide being a^ battery on the water's edge, with eighteen embrafures, but where there were no more than twelve iron cannon mounted, feeming to be four or fix pounders; the fort on the larboard-fide is a large caftle, referabling thofe old buildings which here in England we often find diftinguilh- ed by that name ; it is fituated on a high rock, and did not appear to be furniftied with more than eight or ten cannon, none of which were fuppofed to exceed fix poun- ders. Thefe are the defences which fecure the river of Canton ; and which the Chinefe (extremely defective in all military (kill) have imagined were fufficient to prevent any enemy from forcing his way through. But it is obvious from thp defcription of thefe fbrts^ that they could have given no obftrudion to Mr. Anfon\., paflTage, even if they had been well fupplied with gunners and (lores ; and therefore, though the Pilot, after the Chi^ ;;^y^ officer had been on board, refufed at firft to take charge of the (hip, till he had leave from the forts, yet as it was nece(rary to get through without any delay, for fear of the bad weather which was hourly expelled, the Commo- dore weighed on the 1 5th, and ordered the Pilot to carry him by the forts, threatening him that, if the (hip ran a- ground, he would inftantly hang him up at the yard-arm. . The Pilot, awed by thefe threats, carried the (hip through fafely, the forts not attempting todifpute the pa(rage. In- deed the poor Pilot did not elcape the refeniment of his countrymen, for when he came on fliore,he was feized and fent to pri(bn, and was rigoroufly difciplined with the bam- boo. However he (bund means to get at Mr. An/on after- wards, to defire of him fome recompence for the chailile- ment he had undergone, and of which he then carried very fignificant marks about him; and Mr. Anfon^ in commife- . ration of his fufterings, gave him fuch a (um of money, as would at any time have iniiced a Chinefe to have undergone adozenbaftinadings. ^ Q^S Nor. 346 A VOYAGE Nor was the Pilot the only perfbn that fufFered on this occafipn ; for the Commodore foon after feeing fome royal junks pafs by him from Bocca Tigris towards Canton he lea''nt,onenquiry,thattheMrt«^izr/«tf commanding the forts was a prifoner on board them ; that he was already turn- ed out, and was now carrying to Canton^ where it was expelled he would be feverly punilhed for having per- mitted the Ihips to pafs ; and the Commodore urging the unreaibnablenefs of this procedure, from the inability of the forts to have done otherwife, explaining to the Cbi- nefe \\it great fuperiority his (hips would have had over the forts, by the number and fize of their guns, the Chi^ nefe feemed to acquiefce in his reafoning, and allowed that their forts could not have flopped him j but they ftill iflerted, that the Mandarine would infallibly fuffer, for not having done, what all his judges were convinced was impoflible. To fuch indefenfible abfurdities are thofe obliged to fubmit, who think themfelvcs concerned to fupport their authority, when the neceflary force is want- ing. But to return : On the 1 6th of July the Commodore fent his fecond Lieutenant to Canton^ with a letter to the Viceroy, in- forming him of the reafon of the Centurions putting into that port} and that the Commodore himlelf foon pro- pofed to repair to Canton, to pay a vifit to the Viceroy. The Lieutenant was very civilly received, and was pro- mifed that an anfwer (hould be lent to the Commodore tlie next day. In the mean time Mr. Jnfon gave leave to fevcral of the officers of the galeon to go to Canton, they engaging their parole to return in two days. When thefe prifoners got to Canton, the Regency fent for them, and examined them, enquiring particularly by what means they had fallen into Mr. An/on s power. And on this oc- cafion the prifoners were honefl enough to declare, that as the Kings oi Great Britain and of Spain were at war, they had propofed to themfelves the taking of the Cen- turion, and had bore down upon her with that view, but that the event had been contrary to their hopes : However, they acknowledged that they had beeYi treat- ed by the Commodore, much better than they be- lieved they (hould have treated him, had he fallen into their hands. This confeffion from an enemy had great weight with the Chinefe^ who, till then, though they had ' .. - ^ revered round the Wor l d.- 347 fevered the Commodore's power, had yet fu(pe6led hia^ morals, and had confidered him rather as a lawlefs free- hooter, than as one commiilioned by the State for the revenge of public injuries. But they now changed their opinion, and regarded him as a more important per- fon ; to which perhaps the vafl: treafure of his prize- might not a little contribute ; the acquifition of wealth, being a matter greatly adapted to the edimation and re- verence of the Cbinefe Nation. In this examination of the Spanijb prifoners, though the Chinefe had no realbn in the main to doubt of the account which was given them, yet there were two cir- Gumftances which appeared to them fo fingular, as to de- ferve a more ample explanation ; one of them was the great difproportion of men between the Centurion and, thcgaleon; the other was the humanity, with which. the people of the galeon were treated after they were taken. The Mandarines therefore alked the Spani^ ards, how they came to be overpowered by fo inferior a force j and how it happened, fince the two nations were at war, that they were not put to death when they came into the hands of the Englijh. To the firil. of tjiefe enquiries the 5//zw/«r^i replied, that tho' they had more hands than the Centuriony yet (he being in- tended folely for war had a great fuperiority in the fize of her guns, and in many other articles, over the galeon, which was a vefTel fitted out principally for traffic : And as to the fecond queftion, they told the Chinefe^ that amonglt the nations o^ Europe, it was not cuftomary to put to death thofe who fubmitted ; though they rea- dily owned, that the Commodore, from the natural bias of his temper, had treated both them and their coun- trymen, who had formerly been in his power, with very unufual courtefy, much beyond what they could have expedled, or than was required by the cuftoms eftablilh- ed between nations at war with each other. Thefe re- plies fully fatisfied the Chinefe, and at the fame time wrought very powerfully in the Commodore's favour. On ihe 20th of July, in the morning, three Manda- rinesy with a great number of boats, and a vaft retinue, came on board the Centurion, and delivered to the Com- modore the Viceroy of Canton's order for a daily fupply of provifions^ and for Pilots lo carry the ihips up the liver ■HP 548 y^ V O Y A G E river as far as the fecond bar ; and at the fame time ihey delivered him a meffagc from the Viceroy, in an- fwer to the tetter fent to Canton. The fubftance of the melfage was, that the Viceroy defired to be excufed from receiving the Commodore's vifit, during the then exceflivc hot weather ; becaufe the affembiing the Man- darines and foldiers, neceffary to that ceremony, would prove extremely inconvenient and fatiguing ; but that in September^ when the weather would be more temperate, he (hould be glad to fee both the Commodore himfelf, and the Englijh Captain of the other (hip, that was with him. As Mr. Anfin knew that an exprefs had been dil- patched to the Court of Pekiny with an account of the Centurion and her prize being arrived in the river ofCan- toKy he had no doubt, but the principal motive for put- ting off this vifit was, that the Regency at Canton might gain time to receive the Emperor's indru^ions, about their behaviour on this unufual affair. When the Mandarines had delivered their meffage, they began to talk to the Commodore about the duties to be paid by his (hips ; but he immediately told them, that he would never fubmit to any demand of that kind; that as he neither brought any merchandize thither, nor intended to carry any away, he could not be reafonably deemed to be within the meaning of the Emperor's or- ders, which were doubtlefs calculated for trading veffels only, adding., that no duties were ever demanded of men of war, by nations accuilomed to their reception, and that his Mailer's orders exprefly forbid him from paying any acknowledgement for his (hips anchoring in any port whatever. The Mandarines being thus cut Ihort on the fubjeft of the duty, they faid they had another matter tomenti- on,which was the only remaining one they had in charge ; this was a requeft to the Commodore, that he would re- Icale the prifoners he had taken on board the galeon ; for that the Viceroy of Canton apprehended the Emperor, his Mafter, might bedifpleafed, if he ihould be informed, that peribns, who were his allies, and carried on a great commerce with his fubjedts, were under confinement in his dominions. Mr. Anjon was himfelf extremely defi- rous to get rid of the Spaniards, having, on his firft arri- val, fent about an hundred of them to Macao, and thofe who nor round the World. 349 who remained, which were near foujLJlundred more* were, on many accounts, a gpp«r^^^n^bjranVe; jsjiini. However, to inhance the ^ax^l^nejufi^^ raift!d,^lii^ difficulties; but permittina/nimlelf loTBe^prev^ he at iail told the Mandari^, tJ^OQi4hfv^ ^i$ |^dyief9 to oblige the Viceroy, he ^ul(J^ rekakejht_pn{6n(:ji whenever they, the Chinefe wbu|ii yfewi. Jjqat* t^^jletch them off. This matter being thusltdffHitAt, i^Jtc^MatttJa- fines departed; and, on the 28th of 7«?|f,two Chinefe \\inkz were fent from Canton, to take on board the prifoners, and to carry them to Macao. And tne Commodore, a- greeable to his promife, difmiiTed them all, and ordered his Purfer to fend with them eight days proviHon for their fubfiftance, during their failing down the river ; this being difpatched, the Centurion and her prize came to her moorings, above the fecond bar, where they pro- pofed to continue till the monfoon (hifted. Though the lhips,incon{equence ofthe Viceroy's per- mit, found no difficulty in purchafing provifions for their daily confumption, yet it was impoflible for the Commo- dore to proceed to England^ without laying in a large quan- tity both of provifions and ftores for his ufe, during the voyage : The procuring this fupply was attended with much embarrarfment ; for there were people at Cantonvrho had undertaken to furnifli him with bifcuit, and whatever elfe he wanted ; and his Linguift, towards the middle of September^ had afTured him, from day to day, that all was ready, and would be fent on board him immediately. But a fortnight being elapied, and nothing being brought, the Commodore fent to Canton to enquire more particularly in- to the reafbns of thisdifappointment : And he had (bon the vexation to be informed, that the whole was an allufion ; that no order had been procured from the Viceroy, to fuj;- nilh him with his fea-ftores, as had been pretended ; that there was no bifcuit baked, nor any one of the articles in readinefs, which had been promifed him ; nor did it ap- pear, that theContradorshad taken the leaftflepto com- ply with their agreement. This was moft difagreeable news, and made it fufpeded, that the furniihing the Centurion for her return to Great-Britain might prove a more troublefbme matter than had been hitherto ima- gined ; efpecially too, as the month of September was nearly elapfed, without Mr. AnforC% having received any meflage from the Viceroy of Canton, And V 350 ^VOYAGE «^ And here perhaps it might be expected that fome 'a- tisfa(Story account Ibould be given of the motives of the Chineje for this faithlels procedure. But as I have alrea- dy, in a former chapter, made fome icind of conjec- tures about a fimiliar event, I (hall not repeat them again in this place, but (hail obferve, that after all, it may per- haps be impofllble for an Euro/rean, ignorant of the cui^ toms and manners of that nation to be fully apprized of the real incitements to this behaviour. Indeed, thus much may undoubtedly be aflerted, that in artifice, fal- (hood, and an attachment to all kinds of lucre, many of the Chine fe are difficult to be parallelled by any other people; but then the combination of thefe talents and the manner in which they are applied in particular emergen- cies, are often beyond the reach of a Foreigner*s pene- tration J So that tho' it may be fafely concluded, that the Chinefe had fome intereft in thus amufing the Com- modore, yet it may not be eafy to aflign the individual views by which they were influenced. And that I may not be thought too fevere in afcribing to this Nation a fraudulent and felfiOi turn of temper, fo contradictory to the character given of them in the legendary accounts of the Roman Mifllonaries, I fliall here mention an extra- ordinary tranfadlion or two, which I hope will be Ibrae kind of confirmation of what I have advanced. When the Commodore lay firft at Macao, one of his officers, who had been extremely ill, defired leave of him to go on (bore every day on a neighbouring Ifland, ima- gining that a walk upon the land would contribute great- ly to the reftoring of his health : The Commodore would have difluaded him, fufpeding the tricks of the Chinefe, but the officer co-itinuing importunate, in the end the boat was ordered to carry him. The firft day he was put on (hore he took his exercife, and returned without receiv- ing any moleftation, or even feeing any of the inhabi- tants ; but the fecond day he was aflaulted, foon after his arrival, by a great number of Chinefe who had been hoeing rice in the neighbourhood, and who beat him (b violently with the handles of their hoes, that they foon laid him on the ground incapable of refiftance ; after wlrich they robbed him, taking from him hiti fword, the hilt of which wasfilver, his money, his watch, goldheaded cane, fnuff-box, fleeve-buttons, and hat, with fevcral other ■* * «« the round //&^ WoR L D. 351 other trinckets: In the mean time the boat's crew, who were at (bnie little diftance, and had no arms of any kind with them, were incapable of giving him any affiP nee: till at laft one of them flew on the fellow who had the fword in his pofleffion, and wrefting it out of his hands drew it, and with it was preparing to fall on the Chinefe^ fome of whom he could not have failed of killing j but the officer, perceiving what he was about, immediately order- ed him to defift, thinking it more prudent to fubmit to the prefent violence, than to embroil his Commodore in an inextricable fquabble with the Chinefe Government, by the death of their lubje£ls ; which calmnefs in this Gentleman was the more meritorious, as he was known to be a perfon of an uncommon fpirit, and of a fome- what hafty temper : By this means the Chinefe recovered the pofleffion of the fword, which they foon perceived was prohibited to be made ufe of againft them, and car- ried off^ their whole booty unmolefted. No foonerwere they gone, than a Chinefe on horfeback, very well dref- fed, and who had the air and appearance of a Gentle- man, came down to the fliore, and, as far as could be underftood by his figns, feemed to cenfure the condu6t of his countrymen, and to commiferate the officer, being wonderfully officious to aflift in getting him on board the boat. But notwithftanding this behaviour, it was Ihrewdly fufpedled that he was an accomplice in the theft> and time fully evinced thejuftice of thofe fufpicions. Ji When the boat returned on board, and reported what had pafled to the Commodore, he immediately complain- ed of it to the MandarinCy who attended to fee his fliip fupplied J but the Mandarine cooly replied, that the boat ought not to have gone on fliore, promifing, however, that if the thieves could be found out, they fliould be puniflied j though it appeared plain enough, by his man- ner ofanfwering, that he would never give himfelf any trouble in fearching them out. However, a confidera- ble time afterwards,when fome C6/«f/^ boats were felling provifions to the Centurion, the perfon who had wrefted the fworii from the Chinefe came with great eagernefs to the Commodore, to afl'ure him that one of the principal thieves was then in a provilion-boat along flde the fliip j and the officer, who had been robbed, viewing the fel- low on this report; and well remembring his face, orders were mm 352 ' yf V O Y A G E were imnnediately given to feizc him ; and he was acr cordingly fecured on board the (hip, where ftrange difco- verier were now made. This thief, on his being firft apprehended, cxpreiTed ib.much fright in his countenance, that it was feared he would have died upon the fpot ; the Manfiarine too, who attended the lhip,had vifibly nofmali (hare of concern on the occafiOQ. Indeed he had reafon enough to be alarmed, (ince it wasfoon evinced, that he had been privy to the whole robbery ; forabe Commodore declaring that he would not deliver up the thief, but would himfelf order him to be (hot, the Mandarine immediately put off the magifterial air, with which he had at firft pretended to demand hira* and begged his releaCe in the moft abject manner: And the Commodore appearing inflexible, there came on board, in lefs than two hours time, five or fix of the neighbouring Mandarines, who all joined in the fame intreaty, and with a view of facilitating their fuit, offered a large fum of money for the fellow's liberty. Whilft they were thus folliciting, it was difcovered that the Mandarine, who was the moft active amongft then\, and who feemed to be moft interefted in the event, was thv y Gentleman who came to the officer, juft after the rijjbery, and ;vho pretended to be fo much difpleai^ ed "with the villainy of his countrymen. And, on furr ther inquiry it was found, that he was the Mandarine oi the Ifland -, and that he had, by the authority of his ofr fice, ordered the Peafants to commit that infamous acti- on. And it feemed) as far as could be collected from the broken hints which were cafually thrown out, that he and his brethren, who were all privy to the tranfadion,, were terrified with the fear of being called before the tri- bunal at CantoHf where the firft article of their punifli-? ment would be the ftripping them of all they were worth ; though their judges (however fond of infli^ing a chaftile- ment (b lucrative to themfelves) were perhaps of as tain- ted a complexion as the delinquents. Mc^ Anfon was not difpleafed to have caught the Chinefe in this dilemma ; and he entertained himlelffor (bme time with their per- plexity, rejecting their money with fcorn, appearing in- exorable to their prayers, and giving out that the thief ihould certainly be liioi ; but as he then forefaw that he ihould be forced to take (helter io their ports a fecond time> round the Won l d. 353 ttme, when the influence he might hereby acquire over the Magiftrates would be of great fervice to him, he at length permitted himfelfto be perfuaded, and as a favour releafed his prifoner, but not till the Mandarine had col- leded and returned all that had been ftolen from the of- ficer, even to the minuted trifle. But notwithftanding this inftance of the good intelli- gence between the magiftrates and criminals, the ftrong addiction of the Chinefe to lucre often prompts them to break through this awful confederacy, and puts them on defrauding the authority that proteiU them of its proper quota of the pillage. For not long after the above-men- tioned tranfadion, (the former Mandariney attendant on the Ihip ; being, in the mean time, relieved by another) the Commodore loft a top-maft from his ftern, which, after the moft diligent inquiry, could not be traced : As it was not his own, but had been borrowed at Macao to heave down by, and was not to be replaced in that part of the world, he was extremely defirous to recover it, and publiftied a confiderable reward to any who would bring it him again. There were fufpicions from the firft of its being ftolen, which made him conclude a reward was the hkelieft method of getting it back : According- ly, fbon after, the Mandarine told him, that fome of his, the Mandarine's people, had found the top-maft, defir- ing the Commodore to fend his boats to fetch it, which bemg done, the Mandarine's people received the pro- mifed reward j but the Commodore told the Mandarine, that he would make him a prefent befides, for the care he had taken in directing it to be fearched for ; and accor- dingly Mr. An/on gave a fum of money to his Linguift, to be delivered to tlie Mandarine ; but the Linguift know- ing that the people had been paid, and ignorant that a further prelent had been promifed, kept the money him- felf: However, tht Mandarine fully confiding in Mr. Anfons word, and fufpefting the Linguift, he took occa- fion, one morning, to admire the fize of the Qenturions mafts, and thence, on a pretended fudden recoUedlion, he made a digrefllon to the top-maft which had been loft, and aflced Mr. Anfon if he had not got it again. Mr. Anfon prefently perceived the bent of this converfa- tion, and enquired of him if he had not received the V money J ^ 354 A VOYAGE money from the Linguift, and finding he had not, he of^ fered to pay it him upon the fpot. But this the Man- darine refufed, having now fomewhat more in view than the fum which had been detained : For the next day the - . Linguift was feized,and wasdoubtlefs muldled of all he had gotten in the Commodore's rervice,which was fuppofed to be little lefs than two thoufand dollars ; he was befides fo fe- verely baftinadoed,wiih the bamboo, that it .vas with diffi- culty he efcaped with his life ; and when he was upbraided by theCommodore (to whom lie alterwards came begging) with his folly, in rifquing all he had fuffered for fifty dol- lars, (the prefent intended for the Mandarine) he had no other excufe to make than the ftrong bias of his Nation to diflionefty, replying, in his broken jargon, C^/w/e man njery great rouge indy, hut ha^e fajhioii, no can help. It were endlefs to recount all the artifices, extortions and frauds which were pra^lifed on the Commodore and his people, by this interefted race. The method of buy- ing all things in China being by weight, the tricks made ufe of by the Chinefe to increafe the weight of the pro- vifion they fold to the Centurion^ were almoft incredible. One time a large quantity of fowls and ducks being bought for the fliip's ufe, the greateft part of them pre- fently died. This alarmed the people on board with the apprehenfions that they had been killed by poifon ; but on examination it appeared, that it was only owing to their being crammed with ftones and gravel to increafe their weight, the quantity thus forced into moft of the ducks being found to amount to ten ounces in each. The hogs too, which were bought ready killed of the Chinefe Butchers, had water injected into them for the fame pur- pofe; fo that a carcafs, hung up all night for the water to drain from it, hath loft above a (lone of its weight ; and when to avoid this cheat, the hogs were bought alive, it was found that the Chinefe gave them fait to increafe their ^ thirft, and having by this means excited them to drink great quantities of water, they then took meafures to pre- vent them from difcharging it again by urine, and fold the tortured animal in this inflated ftate. When the Com- modore firft put to fea from Macaoy they pradlifed an artifice of another kind ; for as the Chinefe never objedt to the eating of any food that dies of itfelf, they t v !: care . by roujfd the Wo rid. ^55 by fome fecret pra^lices, that great part of his live fca- ftore lliould die in a Ihort time after it was put on board, hoping to make a fecond profit of the dead carcaiTes which tl «jy expeded would be thrown overboard ; and two thirds of the hogs dying before the Centurion was out of fight of land, i. .any of the Chinefe boats followed her, only to pick up the carrion. Thefe inftances may ferve as a fpecimen of the manners of this celebrated Nation, which is often recommeVided to the reft of the world as a pattern of all kinds of laudable qualities. But to return : The Commodore, towards the end of Septemhery hav- ing found out (as has been faid) that thole, who had con- tracted to fupply him with fea-provifions and ftores, had deceived him, and that the Viceroy had not fent to him according to his promife, he faw it would be impofllblc for him to furmouni the emban "Anient he was under, without going himfelf to Canton, and vifiting the Vice- roy ; and therefore, on the 27th cf September ^ he fent a meflage to the Mandarine, who attended the Centurion^ to mform him that he, the Commodore, intended, on the firft of Odohery to proceed in his boat to Canton ; ad- ding, that the day after he got there, he fhould notify his arrival to the Viceroy, and ihould defire him to fix a time for his audience ; to which the Mandarine returned no other anfwer, than that he would acquaint the Vice- roy with the Commodore's intentions. In the mean time all things were prepared for this expedition : And the boat's crew in particular, which Mr. Anfon propofed to take with him, were cloathed in an uniform drefs, re- fembling that of theW^aterraen on the Thames ; they were in number eighteen and a Coxfwain ; they had fcarlet jackets and blue filk waiftcoats, the whole trimmed with filver buttons, and with filver badges on their jackets and caps. As it was apprehended, and even alferted, that the payn:.ent of the cuftomary duties for theC(f«/«- rion and her prize, would be demanded by the Regen- cy of Canton^ and would be infilled on previous to the granting a permiilion for vidualling the fhip, for her future voyage j the Jommodore,who was refolved never 10 eftablifli fo dilhonourable a precedent, took all pof^ fible precaution to prevent the Chinefe from facilitating the fuccefs of their unrealbnable pretenfions, by having him .?* 356 //VOYAGE him in their power at Cantan: And therefore, for the fe- curity of his mjp, and the great treafure on board her, he appointed his firft Lieutenant, Mr. Brett^ to be Captain of the Centuritin under him, giving him proper iiiftrudions for his cendudt : direfting him, particularly, if he, the Commodore, fliouJd be detained at Canton on account of the duties in difpute, to take out the men from the Cettr turions prize, and to deftroy her ; and then to proceed down the river through the Bocca Tigris, vf'nh the Centur rion alone, and to remain without that entrance, till he received further orders from Mr. Anfon. Thefe neceffary fteps being taken, which were not un^ known to the Chinefe, it (hould feera as if their delibera- tions were in fome fort embarraffed thereby. It is reafon^ able to imagine, that they were in general very defirous of getting the duties to be paid them ;. not perhaps folely in coniideration of the amount of thofe dues, but to keep up their reputation for addrefs and fubilety and to avoid the imputation of receding from claims, on which they had already fo frequently infilled. However, as they now. forefaw that they had no other method of fucceeding thai> by violence, and that even againft this the Commodore was prepared, they were at laft difpofed, I, conceive, to- let the affair drop, rather than entangle them/elves in an hoftile meafure, which they found would only expofe them to the rifque of having the whole navigation of their port deftroyed* without any certain profpedt of gaining their favourite point thereby. However, though there is reafon to imagine that thefe were their thoughts at that time, yet they could not de- part at once from the evafive conduct to which they had hitherto adhered. For when the Commodore, on the morning of the firft ofOdoher, was preparing to fet out for Canton^ his Linguift came to, him from the Mandarine, who attended his ftiip, to tell him that a letter had been received frpm the Viceroy oi Canton, defiring the Com- modore to put off his going thither for two or three days : But in the afternoon of the fame day, another Linguift came on board, who, with much feeming fright, told Mr. An/on, thai the Viceroy had expeded him up that day, that the Council was aifembled, and the troops had been under arms to receive him i and that the Viceroy was. [^^l round the WoRLt). 357 highly offended at the difappointment, and had fent the Commodore's Linguift to prifon chained, fuppofing that the whole had been owing to the Linguift's negligence. This plaufible tale gave the Commodore great concern, and made him apprehend that there was fome treachery defigned him, which he could not yet fathom j and though it afterwards appeared that the whole was a fic- tion, not one article of it having the leaft foundation, yet (for rcafons beft known to ihemfelves) this falfliood was fo well fupported by the artifices of the Chinefe Mer- chants at Canton ; that, three days afterwards, the Com- modore received a letter figned by all the fupercargoes of the Englijb fhips then at that place, exprefiing their great uneafinefs at what had happened, and, intimating their fears that fome infult would be ofl^ered to his boat, if he came thither before the Viceroy was fully fatisfied about the miftake. To this letter Mr. An/on replied, that he did not believe there had been any miftake, but was perfuaded it was a forgery of the Chinefe to prevent his vifiting the Viceroy ; that therefore he would certainly come up to Canton on the 1 3th oi October , confident that the ChinJffe would not dare to offer him an infult, as well knowing it would be properly returned. On the i3lh oiO^aber, the Commodore continuing firm to his refolution, all the fupercargoes of the Englijh^ Danijh^ and Siuedijb Ihips came on board the Centurion^ to accompany him to Canton, for which place he fet out in his barge the fame day, attended by his own boats, and by thofe of the trading (hips, which on this occafion came tb form his retinue ; and as he paffed by WampOy where the European veffels lay, he was faiuted by all of them but the French, and in the evening he arrived fafely at Can- ton. His reception at that city, and the moft material trkiiladions from henceforward, till his arrival in Great- Britain, (hall be the fubjcd of the enfuing chapter. Chap. X. Proceedings at the city o/" Canton, and the return of the Centurion to England. WH E N the Commodore arrived at Canton^ he was vifited by the principal C6/«^ Merchants, whoaf- fcded to appear very much pleafed that he had met with no obilru^ion in getting thither, and who thence pretend- ed 358 ^VOYAGE" cd to conclude, that the Viceroy was fatlsficd about the former miftake, the reality of which they ftill infifted on ; they added, that as foon as the Viceroy Ihould be informed that Mr. /^»/o«was at Canton^ (which they promifed (hould be done the next morning)they were perfuaded a day would be immediately appointed for the vifit, which was the prin- cipal bufinefs that had brought the Commodore thither. , The next day the Merchants returned to Mr. Anfon^ and told him, that the Viceroy was then fo fully employed in preparing his difpatches for Pektn^ that there was no gel- ting admittance to him for fome days ; but that they had engaged one of the officers of his court to give them in- formation, as foon as he (hould be at leifure, when they propofed to notify Mr. Anfen^ arrival, and to endeavour to fix the day of audience. The Commodore was by this time too well acquainted with their artifices, not to per- ceive that this was a falfhood ; and had he confulted only his own judgment, he would have applied dircQIy to the Viceroy by other hands : But the Chinefe Merchants had fo far prepofTeHed the fupercargoes of our fhips with chime- rical fears, that they (the fupercargoes) were extremley ap- prehenfive of being embroiled with the Government, and offuffering in their intereft, if thofe meafures were taken, which appeared to Mr. Anfon at that time to be the moft prudential : And therefore, left the malice and double- dealing of the Chineje might have given rife to fome fini- fler incident,which would be afterwards laid at his uoor, he relblved to continue pafnve,as long as it fhould appear that heloftnotime, by thus fufpending his own opinion. With this view, he promifed not to take any immediate ftep him- felf for getting admittance to the Viceroy, provided the Chinefi^ with whom he contradled for provifions, would let him fee that his bread was buked, his meat faked, and his ftores prepared with the utmoft difpatch : But if by the time when ail was in readinefs to be fliipped olf, (which it was fuppofed would be in about 40 days)the Merchants fbould not have procured the Viceroy's permiifion, then the Commodore propofed to apply tor it himfelf. Thefe were the terms Mr. Anfon thought proper to offer, to quiet the uneafinefs of the fupercargoes; and notwith- ftanding the apparent equity of the conditions, many dif- ficulties the objections were urged ; nor would the Chinefe agree to them, till the Commodore had confented to pay tor round the World. 359 for every article he befpoke before it was put in hand. However, at laft the contradt being paft, it waslbme fatif- fadion to the Commodore to be certain that his prepara- tions were now going on, and being himfelf on the fpot, he took, care to haften them as much as poffible. During this interval, in which the ftores and provifions were getting ready, the Merchants continually entertain- ing Mr. yinfon with accounts of their various endeavours to get a licence from the Viceroy, and their frequent dis- appointments; which to him was now a matter of amufe- ment, as he was fully fatisfied there was not one word of truth in anything they faid. But when all was compleat- cd, and wanted only to be fliipped, which was about the 24th of November^ at which time too the N. E. monfbon was fet in, he then refolved to apply himfelf to the Vice- roy to demand an audience, as he was perfuaded that, without this ceremony, the procuring a permiffion to fend his ftores on board would meet with great difficulty. On the 24th of November, therefore, Mr. jnfon fent one of his officers to the Mandarine^ w)io commanded the guard of the principal gate of the city of Canton,, with a leaer di- redled to the Viceroy. When this letter was deliveied to ' the Mandarine, he received the officer who brought it very civilly, and took down the contents of it in Chinefe^ and promifed that the Viceroy fhould be immediately ac- quainted with it; but told the officer, it was not necefTary for him to wait for an anfwer, becaufe a meflage would be fent to the Commodore himfelf. On this occafion Mr. Anfon had been under great diffi- culties about a proper interpreter to fend with his officer, as he was well aware that none ofihtChinefe, ufually em- ployed as Linguifts, could be relied on: But he at laft pre- vailed with M". Flint, an £«^/(/Z' Gentleman belonging to the fadlory, who fpoke Chinefe perfectly well, to accom- pany his officer. This perfon, who upon this occafion and many others was of fingular fervice to the Commo- dore, had been left at Canton when a youih, by the late Captain ^/g-^. The leaving him there to learn xhtCbinefe language was a ftep taken by that Captain, merely from hisownperfuafion of the great advantages which the J?/z/?- India Company might one day receive from an Englijb in- terpreter; and tho' the utility of this meafure has greatly exc .'dedal! that was expefted from it, yet I have not heard that 360 /^VOYAGE that it has been W) this day imitated: But we imprudent- ly choofe (except in this fingle inftance) to carry on the vaft tranfadlions of the povi of Canton, either by the ridi- culous jargon of broken Englijh, which fome tew of the Chinefe have learnt, or by the fufpcded interpretation of the Linguifts of other Nations. Two days after the fending the above-mentioned letter, a fire broke out in the fuburU, of Canton. On the firft a- iarm, Mr. An/on went thither with his officers, and his boat's crew, to aflill the Chinefe. When he came there, he found that it had begun in a failor's (hed, and that by the flightnefs of the buildings, and the aukwardnefs of the dnnefcy it was getting head apace : But he perceived, that by pulling down fome of the adjacent (heds it might eafily be extinguilhed ; and particularly obfei ving that it was running along a wooden corniflijwhich would foon com- municate it to a great diftance, he ordered his people to begm with tearing away that cornifti j this was pre- fenily attempted, and would have been foon executeu ; but, in the mean time, he was told, that, as there was no Mandarine there to diredl what was to be done, the Chinefe would make him, tlie Commodore, anfwerable for what- ever (hould be pulled down by his orders. On this his peo- ple defilled ; and he fent them to the Englijh fadory, to aMiil in fecuring the Company's ireafure and efFefts, as it waseafy to forefee that nouiftance was a protedion againft the rage of fuch a fire, where fo little was done to put a ftopto it; for all this time the C/f^/»f/^ contented themielves with viewing it, and now and then holding one of their Idols near it, which they feemed to expert fhould check its progrcfs : However, at lad, a Mandarine came out of the city, attended by four or five hundred firemen: Thefe made fome leetlc efforts to pull down the neighbouring Jioufes ; but by this time the hre had greatly extended it- felf, and was got amongfl: the Merchants warehoufes ; ^ and the Chinefe firemen, wanting both Ikill and fpirit, were incapable of checking its violence; fo that its fury -^encreafed upon them, and it was feared the whole city would be deftroyed. In this general confufion the Vice- roy himfelf came hither, and the Commodore was fent to, and was entreated to afford his affiftance, being told that he might take any meafures he ihould think mod • * prudent nng fury city ^ice- fent told moft ident round' the Wo r l d. 36 1 jmident in the preftnt emergency. And now he went thither a fecond time, carrying with him about Tony of his people ; who, upon this occaTion, exerted themfelves fuch a manner, as in that country was altogether m without example: For they were rather animated than deterred by the flames and falling buildings, amongfl: which they wrought; (b that it was not uncommon tor fee the moft forward of them tumble to the ground on the roofs, and amidft iht ruins of houfes, which their own efforts brought down with them. By their boldneft and activity the fire was foori extinguilhed, to theamaze-*- ment of the Chinefei and the building being all on one floor, and the iraterials flight, the fcamen, notwith-» ftanding their di,ring behaviour, happily efcaped witht no other injuries, than fome conliderable bruifes. ''' The fire, though at laft thus luckily extinguilhed, did' great mifchief during the time it continued; for it con- fumed an hundred ftiops and eleven ftreets full of ware-^- houfes; fo that the damage amounted to an immenie fum|; and one of the Chinefe Merchants, well known to ihtEtig-^ A/&,whofe name was 5»cr(2y, was fuppoied,for his own A^are^ to have loft near two hundred thoufand pound fterling. Ift faged indeed with unufual violence, for in many of the warehoufes,there were large quantitks of camphireavhich; greatly added to its fury,and produced a column o^ceed-* . mg white flame, which ihot up into the air to fuch a pro^ digiou^ height, that the flame itfelf was plainly feen orti board the Centuriotty tho' flie was thirty miks diftant. Whiift the Commodore and his people, were iabotfi*-* Jng at the fire, and the terror of its becoming general ftill pofl'efled the whole city, fereral of the moft conli- derable Chinefe Merchants came to Mr. yinfoity to defir« fhat he would let each of them have one of hii. foldierti. (for fuch they ftiled his boat's crew fiom the uniformity of their drefs) to guard their arehoufes and dwelling'* - houfes, which, from the known diftionefty of the popu- lace, they feared would be pillaged in the tumult. Mr*, ylfff/o/f granted them this requeft; and all the men that. he thus furnifljed to the Chinefe behaved greatly to the iatisfa^ior> of their employers, who afterward* bighl/ appkiuded theii! great diligence and fidelity. •n 362 ^ V O Y A G E By this means, the refolution of the Engli/b at the fire, and their truftinefs and punctuality elfewhere, was the general (bbjedt of cgnverfation amon^ft the Chineft: And, the next morning, m>any of the prmcipal inhabi- tants waited on the Commodore to thank him for his aflidance ; frankly owning to him, that they could ne- ver have extinguiibed the fire of themfelves, and that he had faved their city from being totally confumed. And fbon after a meiTage came to the Commodore from the Viceroy, appointing the 30th oi November for his au- dience ; which fudden refolution of the Viceroy, in a matter that had been (b long agitated in vain, was alfo owing to the fignal fervices performed by Mr. Jnfon and his people at the fire, of which the Viceroy himfelf had been in (bme m^afure an eye-witnefs. The fixing this bufmefs of the audience, was, on all accounts, a circumftance whijph Mr. Jnfon was, much pleafed with j as he was fatisfied that the Chinefe Go- vernment would not have determined this point,* with- out having agreed among themfeh es to give up their pretenfions to the duties they claimed, and to grant hini all he could reafonably a(k ; for as they well knew the Commodore's fentiments, it would have been a piece of imprudence, not confident with the refined cunning of the Chinefe y to have admitted him to an audience, only to have contefted with him. And therefore, being him- felf perfeftly eafy about the refult of his vifit, he made all neceflary preparations againft the day j and engag- ed Mr. Flinty whom I have mentioned before, to a^ as interpreter in the conference : Who, in this affair, as in all others, acquitted himfelf much to the Commodore's fatisfa^ion ; repeating with great boldnefs, and doubt- lefs with exadtnefs, all that was given in charge, a part which no Chinefe Linguifl would ever have performed with any tolerable fidelity. At ten o'clock in the morning, on the day appointed, a Mandarine came to the Commodore, to let him know that the Viceroy was ready to receive him ; on which the Commodore and his retinue immediately fet out : And as foon as he entered the outer gate of the city, he found a guard of two hundred foldiers drawn up ready to attend him -, thefe conduced him to the great parade ; befort ♦ ,'1 » round the Wo r l d. 3'^^ before the Emperor's palace, where the Viceroy then; redded. In this parade, a body of tr» ops, to the num* ber of ten thcufand, were drawn up under arms, and made a very fine appearance, being all of them new, cloathed for this ceremony : And Mr. j^nfon and his re- tinue having paifed through the middle of them, he was then conducted to the great hall of audience, where he found the Viceroy feated under a rich canopy in the Emperor's chair of State, with all his Council ofMan^- darines attending : Here there was a vacant feat prepared, for the Commodore, in which he was placed on his ar«~ rival : He was ranked the third in order from the Vice- roy, there being above him only th&Head of the Law,, and of the Treafury, who in the Chinefe Government, take place of all military officers. When the Com- modore was feated, he addrefled himfelf to the Viceroy by his interpreter, and began with reciting the various, methods he had formerly taken to get an audience; ad- ding,, that he imputed the delays he had met with, tO' the infincerity of thofe he had employed, and that he had therefore no other means left, than to fend, as he had done, his own officer with a letter to the gate. On. the mention of this the Viceroy flopped the interpreter,, and bid him aflure Mr. Anfon^ that the firft knowledge- they had of his being at Canton^ was from that letter. Mr. An/on then proceeded, and told him, that the fub- jefts of the King of Great-Britain trading to China had; complained to him, the Commodore, of the vexatious, impofitions both of the Merchants and inferior Cuftom- houfe officers, to which they were frequently neceffita- ted to fubmit, by reafon of the difficulty of getting ac-- cefs to the Mandarines j who alone could grant them re- drefs : That it was his, Mr. AnfonSy duty, as an officer, of the King of Great-Britain^ to lay before the Viceroy thefe grievances of the Britijh fubjedls, which he hop- ed the Viceroy would take into confideration, and would give orders, that for the future there (hould be • no juft reafon for complaint. Here Mr. Anfon paufed,. and waited fome time in expectation of an anfwerj but nothing being faid, he alked his interpreter if he was certain the Viceroy underftood what he had urged ; the : interpreter told him/ he was certain it was uQder{locd,\ R 2 bttfi 364 //VOYAGE but he believed no reply would be made to it. Mr. Anfon then reprefented to the Viceroy the cafe of the fliip Haftin^eldy which, having been difmafted on the coaft of China^ had arrived in the river of Canton but a few days before: The people on board this veiTel had been great fufferers by the fire j the Captain in particular had all his goods burnt, and had loft befides, in the confu- ^ fion, a cheft of treafure of four thoufand five hundred T^ahel, which was fuppofed to be ftolen by the Chinefi koat-men. Mr. j^nfon therefore defired that the Captain might have the afliftance of the Government, as it was apprehended the money could never be recovered with- ©ut the interpofition of the Mandarines. And to this re- queft the Viceroy made anfwer, that in fettling the Em- peror*s cuftoms for that (hip, fome abatement ihouldbe made in confideration of her Ibifes. And now the Commodore having difpatched the bu- flnefs with which the officers of the EaJi^India Company . had entrufted him he entered on his own affairs ; ac- quainting the Viceroy, that the proper feafbn was now fci in for returning to Europe, and that he waited only fo^ a licence to (hip off his provifions and ftores, which were all ready ; and that as loon as this fhould be grant- ed him, and he fhould have gotten his neceffarics on board, he intended to leave the river of Cfl«/o«, and to make the beft of his way for England. The Viceroy re- plied to this, that the licence fhould be immediately iffued, and that every thing fhould be ordered on board the following day. And finding that Mr. Anjbn had no- thing farther to infift on, the Viceroy continued the Converfation for fome time, acknowledging in very civil terms how much the Chinefe were obliged to him for his fignal fervices at the fire, and owning • that he had faved the city from being deflroyed : And then obferving that the Centurion had been a good while on their coaft, he clofed their difcourfe, by wifhing the Commodore a good voyage to Europe. After which, the Commodore, thanking him for his civility and affiftancc^ ' took his leave. As foon as the Commodore was out of the hall of au- dience, he was much prefTed to go into a neighbouring apartment, where there was an entertainment provided \ but round /EWorld. 365:1: btt flndinl;/ on cnqairy^that the Vicerby himielf wans not to be prefent, he declined the inviution, and depart- . ed> attended in the fame manner as at his arrival; only at hi» leaving tht city he was (alutcd by three guns^r which are as many as in that country are ever Bred onr any ceremony. Thtts the Commodore, to his greati joy^ at lad finiflied this troublefome affair, which, for: the preceding four months^ had given him great dil^r quietude. Indeed he was highly pleafed with procuring;; a fitence for the (hipping of his flores and provisions f. for thet-eby he was enabled to return to Great-Britam with the firft of the monibon, and to prevent all inteU ligfcnce of his being expected : But this, though a very important point, was not the circumftance which gavei him the greateft (atisfa£tion ; for he was nsore particur ,, larly attentive to the authentic precedent eflablilhed om this occafion, by which his Majefty^s (hips ofwararei for the future exempted firom all demands of jduty ioi any 6f the ports of C/&fir/j. » - - In purfuance of the promifes of the Viceroy,. the pro*; vifions were begun to be fent on board the day after the audience; and, four days after, the Commodore env barked at Canton for the Centurion ; and, on the 7th of December, the Centurion and her prixe unmoored, and ftood down the river, pailing through the Bocca Tigris on the loth. And on thi» occafion I muft obferve, thab the Chinefe had taken care to man the two forts on each fide of that paffage, with as many men as they could well contain, the greateft part of them armed with pikes and match-lock mufquets. Thefe garrifons afFe£t-» . ed to (hew themfelves as much as poflible to the (hips^ and were doubtlefs intended to induce Mr. Anfon to think more reverently than he had hiiherto done of the Chinefe military power : For this purpofe they were et, quipped with much parade, having a great number oC colours expofed to view ; and on thecalHe in particular, there were laid conliderable heaps of large ftones ; and a foldier of unufual fize, drelTed in very ftghtly armour, (talkt about on the parapet with a battle-ax in. his hand» endeavouring to put on as important and martial an air as poffible, though fome-of the obfervers on board the Cr///ttri o/f fhrewdiy fufpefted, fitm the appearance of his R 3 . armour, 366 ^VOYAGE amiOQr, that inftead of (teel, it was compo(ed only of aparticular kind of glittering paper. i > - oj 2fi: The CeMturicH and her prize being now without the ri- ver of CanfiHy and conleciuently upon the point of leav- ing the Cbinefe jurifdidtion, I beg leave, before I quit all mention of the Chintfi affairs, to fubjoin a few re- marks on the difpotition and genius of that extraordi- nary people. And though it may be fuppofed, that ob- iervations made at Canton only, a place (ituated in the corner of the Empire, are very imperfect materials on which to found any general conclufions, yet as thofe who have had opportunities of examining the inner parts of the country, have been /evidently influenced by very ri- diculous prepoiTefTions, and as the tranfactions of Mr. Anfrn with the Regency of Canton were of an uncom- mon nature, in which many circumftances occured, dif- ferent perhaps from any which have happened before, I hope the following reflexions, many ot them drawn from thefe incidents, will not be altogether unacceptable 4o the Reader. That the Cbinefi are a very ingenious and indudrious people, is fufficiently evinced, from the great number of curious manufactures which are eftablifbed amongft them, and which are eagerly fought for by the moil dis- tant nations ; but tho' ikill in the handicraft arts (eems to be the mod important qualification of this people, yet their talents therein are but of a fecond-rate kind ; Ibr they are much outdone by the Japantfe in thofe ma- nufadlures, which are common to both countries ; and they are in numerous inftances incapable of rivalling the mechanic dexterity of the Europeans, Indeed, their prin- cipal excellency feems to be imitation ; and they accord- ingly labour under that poverty of genius, which con- ftantly attends all fervile imitators. This is mod con- -^icuous in works which require great truth and accura- cy; as in clocks, watches, fire-arms, i^c. for in all thefe, though they can copy the different parts, and can lorm (bme refemblance ot the whole, yet they never could arrive at fuch ajuftnefs in their fabric, as was neccffary to produce the defired c5e6t. And if we pafs from their manufactures to artilh of a fuperior clafs, as painters, datAiaries, i^c in thefe matters they leem to be ttill more defeCiive, their painters, though very numer- ous round fbe W o tl ld. ' 367 eus and in great efteem, rarely fucceeding in the draw- . ing or colouring human figurei, or in the grouping of large compodtions ; and though in flowers and birds their performances are much more admired, yet even in thefe, (bme part of the merit is rather to be imputed to the native brightne(s and excellency of the colours, than to the (kill of the painter ; (ince it is very unufual to fee the light and ihade juflly and naturally handled, or to find that ea(e and grace in the drawing, which are to be met with in the works of European artilb. In (hort, there is a (liffnefs and minuteness in moft of the Cbinefe produdions, which are eitremely difpleafing: and it may perhaps be af&rted with great truth, that thefe de< fe^ts in their arts are entirely owing to the peculiar turn of the people, amongft whom nothing great or fpiri^ed is to be met with. : k . If we next examine the Cbinefe literature, (taking our accounts from the writers, who have endeavoured to re- prefent it in the moft favourable light) we (bail find, that on this head thieir obftinacy and abifurdity are moft won- derful: For though, fey many ages, they have been furrounded by nations, to whom the ufe of letters was familiar, yet they, the Cbinefe alone, have hitherto ne- gletted to avail themfelves of that almoft divine inven- tion, and have continued to adhere to the rude and in- artificial method of reprefenting words by arbitrary marks ; a method, which nece(Iarily renders the num- ber of their characters too great for human memory to manage, makes writing to be an art that requires pro- digious application, and in which no man can be other- wife than partially (killed; whilft all reading, and un- derftanding of what is written, is attended with infinite obfcurity and confufion ; for the connexion between thefe marks, and the words they reprefent, cannot be retained in books, but muft be delivered down from age to age by oral tradition : And how uncertain this muft prove in fuch a complicated fubje^, is fufficiently obvious to thofe who have attended to the variation which ail verbal relations undergo, when they are tranf- mitted through three or four hands only. Hence it is eafy to conclude, that the hiftory and inventions of paft ages^ recorded by thefe perplexed (ymbols, muft fre- quently IIP tmrnKm^m^i^ 368 yf V O Y A G E qotnity prove unintdligible ; And conrtquently the* iMrntng and botft^d ftntiquity of the Nation muft, in numeroui inftances, be extremely probkemaiical. But we are told by (bme of the Mtflionanes, that - though the (kill of the CBhieJif in fcience is indeed much inferior to that of the Eumpeanst yet the morality and jaftice taught and pra€tifed by them are mod exem- plary. And from the defcription given by (bme of thefe good fathers, one (hould be induced to believe, that the whole Empire was a well-governed affectionate family, where the only contefts were, who (hould exert the vnoik hlimanity and beneficence: But our preceding relation of the behaviour of the Magiilrates, Merchants and Tradef- men at Canton, fufficiently refutes thefe jefuitical fidtions. And as to their theories of morality, if we may judge from the fpecimens exhibited in the works of the M\C* iionaries, we fliall find them folely employed in recom- mending ridiculous attache Ht to certain immaterial points, inftead of difcufUng iie proper criterion of hu- man actions, and regulating the general conduct of mankind to one another, on rcaibnable and equitable principles. Indeed^ the only preteniion of the Chinefe to a more refined morality than their neighbours is founded, not on their integrity or beneficence bi*t fole- ly on the affe^ed evennefs of their demeanor, and their conflant attention to fupprefs ail fymptoms of pafFion and violence. But it mufi be confidered, that hypocrify afKl fraud are often not le(s mifchievous to the gen^ra( intereils of mankind, than impetuofity and vehemence of temper : fince thefe, though ufualiy liable to the im- putation of imprudence, do not exclude fincerity, bene- volence, refblucion, nor many other laudable qualities. And perhaps, if this matter was examined to the bot- tom, it would appear, that the calm and patient turn of the Cbineffy on which they (b much value them- felves, and which didinguifbes the Nation from alt others, is in reality the fource of the moil exceptionable part of their chara^er j for it has been often obferved by tbofe who have attended to the nature of mankind, thai it is difficult to curb the more robuft and violent pai- iions, without augmenting, at the fame time, the force af the Ul£ih ones: So.that ihe timidity, diflimulat ion and dif- honcfty » ^^ that luch and : the nily, moi^ on of adef- :ions. judge Mif. icora- itcrial »f hu- la of i table lence roufid the W o n l r>. 369 honcfty 6f the Chinefe^ may, in fomc fort, be owing to the compofure, and external decency, fo univerlally prevailing in that Empire. Thus much for the general difpofirion of the peo- ple: But I cannot difmifs this fubjeCt, without add- ing a few words about the Chinefe Government, that too having been the fubjedl of boundlefs panegyric. And on this head I nruft obferve, that the favourable accounts ofcen given of their prudent regulations for the adminidration of their domedic affairs, are fufHci- ently confuted by their tranfadions with Mr. Anfon : For we have feen that their Magiftrates are corrupt, their people thieviib, and their tribunals crafty and venal. Nor is the conftitution of the Empire, or the general orders of th^ State lefs liable to exception : Since that form of Government, which docs not in the firft place provide for the fecurity of the public againft the enter- prizes of foreign powers, is certainly a mod defective inftitution : And yet this populous, this rich and cxten- five country, fb pompoufly celebrated for its refined wifdom and policy, was conquered about an age flnce by an handful of Tartars j and even now, by the cow- ardice of the inhabitants, and the want of proper mili- tary regulations, it continues expofed not only to the at-' tempts of any potent State, but to the ravages of every petty Invader. I have already obierved, on occaiion of the Commodore's difputes with the Chinefey that the Genturiott alone was an overmatch for all the naval powerof that Empire : This perhaps may appear an extraordinary poHtion ; but to render it unqueftionable, there is exhibited in the forty-second Plate, the draught of two of the veflels made ufe of by the Chirufe, The Brft of thefe marked (A), is a junk of about a hundred and twenty tuns burthen, and was what the Centurion hove down by ; theie are mod ufed in the great rivers, though they fometimes ferve for fmall coafting voyages : The other junk marked (B), is about two hundred and eigfhty tuns burthen, and is of the fame form with thole in which they trade to Cochinchina, Maniia^ Batata and JapaHy though fome of their trading veflels are of « much larger Hze ^ its head^ which is reprefented at (C), is perfe^ flat f and when the veiTel is deepladen> the^ fecond ^ ■•P m^m mK^mm^^^i'mmmmmmmm h 370 ^VOYAGE fecond or third plank of this flat furface is oft-times uii^ der water. The mafts, faiJs, and rigging of thefe vei- feis are ruder than they*re built j for their mafts arc made of trees, no otherwife falhioned than by barking them, and lopping oH^ their branches : Each maft has only two Qirouds made of twifted rattan, which are of- ten both Ihifted to the weather fide ; and the halyard, when the yard is up, ferves inltead of a third (hroud. The fails are made of matt, ftrengthened every three feet by an horizontal rib of bamboo ; they run upon the maft with hoopes, as is reprefenied in the Figure, and when they are lowered down they fold upon the deck. Thefe merchantmen carry no cannon ; and it appears, from this whole defrription, that they are utterly inca- pable of refitting any European armed vefTel. Nor is the ftate provided with fhips of confiderable force, or of a better fabric, to prote^ them : For at Canton, where doUbtlefs their principal naval power is ftationed, we faw no more than four men of war junks, of about three hundred tuns burthen, being of the make already de- icribed, and mounted only with eight or ten guns, the largeft of which did not exceed a four pounder. This may fuflfice to give an idea of the dcfencelefs ftate of the Cbinefe empire. But it is time to return to the Com- modore, whom I left with his two Ships without the Bocca Tigris j and who, on the 1 2th of December y an- chored before the town of Macao. "> ^ ttt^ Whilft the fliips lay here^ the Merchants of Maca9 finiflied their agreement for the galeon, for which they had offered 6000 dollars j this was much fliort of her value, but the impatience of the Commodore to get to fea, to which the merchants were no ftrangers, prompt- ed them to infift on fo unequal a bargain. Mr. j^nfon had learnt enough from the Englijb at Canton to con- jefture, that the war betwixt Great-Britain and Spain was ftill continued ; and that probably the French might engage in the Afliftance ot Spain, before he could arrive in Great-Britain ; and therefore, knowing that no intel- ligence could get to Europe of the prize he had taken, and the treailire he had on board, till the return of the merchantmen from Canton^ he was rcfolved to make all poflibie expedition in getting back, that he might be himfe!f «». , 4 V. I •tr: I tea A , iWlUMlillUttaiifSMMfflDli^J^ ■-■U,: gM*"***^ mitm » i< igtm /!' -^y ^-mi. vMl.V. '>i'mi0n)Jitnpii'J'!''i'ti, »» :!»!!l«i' 1.111 IPl j^mxi^ iMW ^ ^^5^^ ^% •msi m0;;^ I III •■ ' i ii IPPPIW mmmm mmmmmmmmm round the World, 371 himfclf the firft meflcnger of his own good fortune, and might thereby prevent the enemy from forming any projects to intercept him : For thefe realbns, he, to \ avoid all delay, accepted of the fum offered for the galeon ; and (he being delivered to the merchants the 15th of December 1743, the Centuriorty the fame day, got under (ail, on her return to England, And, on the 3d of Januaryy (he came to an anchor at Prince s-JJlandy ' in the Streights of Sunday and continued there wooding and watering till the 8th ; when (he weighed and (lood for the Cape oiGoodHopey where, on the i ith oi March^ \ (he anchored in Table-Bay. The Cape of Good-Hope is fituated in a temperate cli- mate, where the exce(res of heat and cold are rarely 4 known ; and the Dutch inhabitants, who are numerous, J and who here retain their native induftry, have (locked it with prodigious plenty of all forts of fruits and pro-- \ vifionsj moft of which, either from the equality of the (eafbns, or the peculiarity of the foil, are more delici- ous in their kind than can be met with elfewhere: So that by thefe, and b}' the excellent water which abounds V there, this fettlement is the beft provided of any in the known world, for the refre(hment of feamen after long voyages. Here the Commodore continued till the be- ginning oi Aprily highly delighted with the place, which by its extraordinary accommodations, the healthine(s of its air, and the pi^urefque appearance of the Country, all enlivened by the addition of a civilized colony, was not diigraced in an imaginary compariibn with the val- \ies of Juan Fernandes and the lawns of 7V«m«. Baring his (lay he entered about forty new men ; and having by the 3d of April 1744, complcatcd his water and pro- viflon, he, on that day, weighed and put to fea 5 and the 1 9th of the fame month, they faw the Ifland of St. He^ lenuy which however they did not touch at, but (lood on their way ; and on the loth of June, being then in found- • ings, they fpoke with an Englijh (hip from Amfterdam bound for Philadelphia^ whence they received the fird I intelligence of a French war; the twelfth they got (ight of the Lizard i and the fifteenth in the evening, to their infinite joy, they came f^f^ to an anchor at X Spitbead. But that the fignal perils whicfi had fo often threatned 572 ^ V O Y A G E, ^c. tfiTcatfted ihera in the preceding part of the entcrprize, might purfue them to the very laft, Mr. Anfin learnt, on hts arrival, that there was a French fleet of confiderable force cruifing in the chops of the Channel j which by titc account of their pofition, be found the Centurion had run through, and had been ail the time concealed by a Afg, Thut was this Expedition finifhed, when it had la%il> three years and nine months ; after having, by its cvtfnt, ftrongly evinced this important truth ; that (hOfOgh prudence, intrepidity, and perfeverance united, tre not exempted frojd the blows of adverfe fortune ; yet in a long feri^ of tranfa^tions, they ulually rife fu- fierioi' to its power» and in the end rarely fail of prov- >ftg faccefsfai. - k t I N I; S. L ^if ^ A ' /^l