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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont fiimAs en commenfant par la premiAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration at en terminant par la derniAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The lest recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END "), whichever applies. Un des symboies suivants apparaitra sur la derniAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: la symbols — »• signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbols V signifie "FIN". Meps, plates, charts, etc.. may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Thoss 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: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fiimAs A des taux de rAduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seui clichA, il est filmA A partir de i'angie supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite. et de heut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Las diagrammes suivants iiiustrent la mAthode. errata to peiure. on A 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 J i 1 I % I VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, In the Years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV. B Y GEORGE ANSON, Efq; Commander in Chief of a Squadron of His Majefty's Ships, fent upon an Expedition to the South' Seas* COMPILED From Papers and other Materials of the Right Honourable GEORGE Lord JNSO N, and publifhcd imder his Diredion. By RICHARD WALTER, M. A. Chaplain of his Majefty's Ship the Centurioriy in that Expedition. - THE THIRD EDITION. With CHARTS of the Southern Part of ^"^/^//^ America^ of Part of the Pacific Ocean^ and of the Track of the Centurion round the World. i LONDON: Printed for J o H n and Pau l K n a p t o n, in Ludgatc* Street. M Dcc xlviii. «*•■ il i ni mi l X\UD > i 1 y>^^ lo ii:]v f 'H^i ,'l v '• ■» ■ ''*-\ J ^ V X" h"^\ ^v>:t5^V"v:^ ,.V4 •• ! f 1 .' ^. ^^J^ «5: *.^> ij. ■• i-i I > 'U-' • V ■;'>'ui ^ • JitC t. isTio c'jlm .:]i.; )Ln;: ■i a i(,j v^ 1 -noD 'mIj ri^iffw Bnoriiigiido sjiiiB ^ 1 to: HIS GRACE, JOHN, Duke of Bedford^ Marquis of Ta-- vijiockj Earl of Bedford^ Baron Rujfel^ Baron Ruffel^ of 7'born^ haugh^ and Baron Howland^ of Streatham ; One of His Majefty's Principal Secre- taries of State; and Lord-Lieutenant, and Cuftos Rotulorum of the Coun-i- ty of Bedford, 1 My LORD, TH E following Narrative of a very fingular naval atchieve- ment is addrefled to Your Grace, both on account of the in- finite obligations which the Com- mander in Chief at all times proielSes to have received from your Friend- ^ip } and alio, as the SubJe(SI itfelf na-» A ^ turally 132G69 atuma^a^Mtm DEDICATION. turally claims the patronage of One, under wiiofe direcftlon, the Britijh Navy has refumed its ancient Spirit and L.uftrc, and has in one fummer ennobled itfelf by two vidories, the moft decilive, and (if the ftrength and number of the captures be confidered; the moft important, that are to be met with in our Annals. Indeed, an unin-r terrupted feries of fucccfs, and a mani- feft fupcriority gained univ'erfally over the enemy, both in commerce and glory, leem to be the ncceflary cffefts of a revival of ftridl difcipline, and of an unbiafled regard to merit and fervice. Thcfe are marks that mufl diftinguifh the happy period of time in which Your Grace prefided, and afford a fitter fubjec^t for hiftory, than for an addrefs of this nature. Very fjgnal advantages of rank and diftinc- tion, obtained and fecured to the na- val profeffion by Your Grace's aufpi- cious influence, will remain a lafling jnonurn^nt pf Your unwearied zeal v» -^-'p \ i ^11 J* / ;j^ Mojl obedient i . \ . q^ uV. Mojt devoted, ^^' .( JV/ AND Moji humble Servant j IV ^.J - 1 1 1 ilk.. RicFiARD Walter. s • ■ -ja/'ftL *^ ^ 1^ i ■i MC r. -^ /•S iZ'V Advertifement. TH E Plates in the Quarto Editiort being too numerous and large to be folded in an Odavo Volume, it has been thought proper to infert only tt ,r?jt-ffoT .X>. \ \\. V. .V ■j'ai»M ^a !0 JliV H A H J Oi :;ui.u! i..i w ^:^iv^ wv^P^ iAHO •£i. BOOK I. CHAP. I. OF the equipment of the fquadron : The incidents relating theretOy from its firfi appointment /a its fetting fail from St, Helens, . _, Page i CHAP. IL The pajfage from St. Helens to the IJland of Madera, with a fhort account of that Ifland^ and of ourftaj there, i^ CHAP. IIL The hifiory of the fquadron commanded by Don Jofeph Pizarro, %j^ C H A P. IV. >r^^ ' From Madera to St. Catherine's, . : M ^ )VV" jif ^ C H A P. V. - Proceedings at St. Catherine's, and a defcription of theplace^ with a fhort account of Brazil, r J CHAP. VI. M^^^n -^ The run from St. CBXhtrmc's to port ^/.Julian^ witb fame account of that port^ and of the country to the fouthward of the river of Phte, ^ ^9 CHAP. VII. Departure from the bay of St. Julian, and the paf- f age from thence to Str eights Le Maire^' 99 CHAP. VIII. "frm Sir eights Le Maire to Cape Noir, 108 A 4 CHAP. CONTENTS; f"\ qH A p. ix!. ^ ' "^ ^'\ Ohfervations and directions for facilitating the pajjngi ^ of our future Oruifers round Cape Horn, 1 19 CHAP. X. From Cape Noir to the IJland of Juan Fcrnandes, .i • < ... '. ^v; V ~v •v /. r\ MabaMHHMka .,•.■■, -jA';*'?^ -a: BOOK n. ■«v> CHAP. I. - • fhe arrival of the Centurion at the IJland of Juam Fernandes, with a defcription of that IJland^ 153 .V. CHAP. 11. ^he arrival of the Gloucefter and the Anna Pink at the IJland of Juan Fernandes, and the tranfa£lions (tt that place during this interval^ 17?- C H A P. III. AJhort narrative of what befel the Anna Pink before Jhe joined us, with an account of the lofs of the Wa- ger, and of the putting back of the Severn and Pearly the two remaining Jhips of the fqHodront 193 ^'UW ^^:, \;: CHAP. IV,;.,.,,,,. ,^.. • Conclujton of our proceedings at Juan Fernandes^ frotn the arrival of the Anna Pink, to our final ' departure from thence^- ff *) ' ^ i" • 217 Our cruifc from the time of out leaving Juan Fer^ nandes, to the taking the town of Paita, 237 U C H A P. I ii !> aaanan C —» I CON TEN T S^ . ,* .C H A P. VI. ne taking ef Paita, and our proceedings till we left thecoafi ofYtx\X, *' ^* -^ , .^^. ^ 264 CHAP. vii.,v;,.v ..; .. l^rom our departure from Paita, to our arrival at Quibo, . • • :•- . N 289 CHAP. VIII, Qur, proceedings at Quibo, isjith an account of the placcy .. . J 301 A. . V. C H A P. IX. , From Quibo to the coaji of Mexico, . 3 1^ . . CHAP. X. An accotmf of the commerce carried on between the city of Manila on the IJland of Luconia, and the port of Acapulco on the coaft of Mexico, 321- \> CHAP. XL ' ; -, ■ ^ -. ' •\- Our cruife off the port of Acapulco for the Manila Jhipy , ., - 34i ' '^' CHAP Xlt. "' Defcription of the harhour of Chequetan, and of the adjacent coaft and country ^ ^^^ '" "^' c H A P. xm. ^' - Qur proceedings at Chequetan and on the adjacent €0 aft ^ till our fet ting fail for A^\^^ ,.v..ji. ^6G i r o ; . CHAP. XIV./ ^ '^' A irief account of what might have ken expecled ] from our fquadron, had it arrived in the South- ,., .. , -Sqs^s in good ti};^e^, .■•.^•^,,v. » ' fS.,::. . 379 1 ■[ BOOK « 16 contents; BOOK in. ' ^^-r'nT"' CHAP, ti Sf T Vi The run from the coafi of Mexico to the Ladrones or Marian Iflands^ 293 '^ .-,.. m.^«i,/vv»K^i^ HAP. II.^'^-^^^'^^iv/'tOY' ii^' Our arrival at Tinian, and an account of the Ijlakd, and of our proceedings there^ till the Ce.icurion drove out to fea^ ^ ^, 40^ ., , , , i CHAP. in. :' Tranf actions at Tinian after the departure of the Centurion, - < . ,., 430 CHAP. IV. proceedings on board the CeAturion, when driven out to fea^ ,..^ ,,..-,/.,,.., ,;.;;:,,.,.■.;,!;.(, 44« . ■'-:' ^---^ C H'A p. V. :'.-' iry rv,,, .,...^ Employment at Tinian, //// the final departure of the Centurion from thence •, mth a defcription of the Ladrones, ''- ^'Tn-v^o ,d /,... ^^^ "' ' G H A R VI. • H Fr^ Tinian to Macao, ' ' 4^^ . . ,., : ...,„,,. C H a'pV' Vlt '['^{^'"^^ , ._ ''^ proceedings at M2iCdL0y - ,f., » ' . ' A^a ; - C HAP. VIII. ,,,,ij^^ From Macao to Cape ¥Sp\niM Santo : 'The taking of a the Marriia ^/?/^d>w, and returning back agam^ 40dv ■ '.--^-^i^^i CHAR IX. ^^^ -^^ ^-'^^'^^ ibJw Tranfa^om inJhe river of C9ntont'^'[ ^■''"* •^'•''^HYi^p ,^^Troq ?.V C HA P. 'Xv..t ^rmi} .'Z'^.'^i''. Proceedih^^ at f be aty of Cznton^ and the rmrnof I the Centurion to England, -2q 4 * INTRO- 4 i 4 "7 ■ w . r ' - ■■ J. ■ • ..iL il o o a INTRODUCTION. r^ r» » «* r» I NT'Otwithftanding the great improvement of J navigation within the laft two Centuries, " a Voyage round the World is ftill confi- dered as an enterprize of a very fmgular nature ; and the Public have never failed to bo extrcmefy in- quifitive about the various accidents and turns of fortune, with which tliis uncommon attempt is ge- nerally attended : And though the amufcment ex- peded in a narration of this kind, is doubtlels one great fource of this curiofity, and a ftrong incite- ment with the bulk of readers, yet the more intel- ligent part of mankind have always agreed, that from thefe relations, if faithfully executed, the more important purpofes of navigation, commerce, and national intcreft may be greatly promoted : For every authentic account of foreign coafts and coun- tries will contribute to one or more of thefe great ends, in proportion to the wealth, wants, or com- modities of thofe countries, and our ignorance of thofe coafts •, and therefore a Voyage round the World promifes a fpccies of information, of all others the moft defirable and interefting ; fmce great part of it is performed in feas, and on coafts, with which we are as yv t but very imperfedly ac- quainted, and in the neighbourhood of a country renowned for the abundance of its wealth, though it is at the fame time ftigmatifed tor its poverty, in the necelTaries and convenicncies of a civilized |if(-* > ^ f-brinl^luy vi\ fioi i:m j^j — - r o H r V! Thefe INTRODUCTION^. Thefe confiderations have occafioned the publif' cation of the enfuing work ; which, in gratifying the inqiiifitive turn ci' mankind, and contributing to the fiifety and fuccefs of future navigators^ and to the extenfion of our commerce and power, may doiibtlefs vie with any narration of this kind hither- to made public: Since the circumftances of this un- dertaking already known to the world, may be fup- pofed to have flrongly excited the general curio- fity ; for whether we confider the force of the fquadron fent on this fervice, or the diverfified dif- treffes that each fingle fliip was feparately involved in, or the uncommon inftances of various fortune, which attended the whole cnterprize; each party I conceive, muft, from its rude well-known out- lines, appear worthy of a compleater and more finilhed delineation : And if this be allowed with refpeft to the narrative part of the work, there can be no doubt about the more ufeful and inftru6live parts, which are almoll every where interwoven with it ♦, for I can venture to affirm, without feaf of being contradicted on a comparifon, that na voyage I have yet feen, furnillies fuch a number of views of land, foundings, drauglits of roads ancl ports, charts, and other materials, for the improve- ment 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 fuch Idands or Coafts, as have been hitherto not at all or erroneoufly defcribed, and where the want of fufficient and authentic information might occa- fion future enterprizes to prove abortive, perhaps with the dcftrudion of the men and vcITcls env- ployed therein^ , \ ,;,' And \ r^ INTRODUCTION. And befides the number and choice of thefc 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 fliall ex- prefs my opinion of them in this particular vei*y imperteftly ; when I fay, that they are not ex- ceeded, and parhaps not equalled by any thing of this nature hitherto made public : For they v/ere not copied from ihe works of others, or compofcd at home from imperfeft accounts, given by incu- rious and unfkiiful obfervers, as hath been frequent- ly the cafe in thefe matters •, but the greatell part of them were drawn on the fpot with the utmoil exa6tnefs, by the diredlion, and under the eye of Mr. Jjifc'fi himfelf •, and where (as is the cafe in three or four of them) they have been done by lefs fkilful hands, or were found in pofleiiion of the enemy, and confequently their juftnefs could be lefs relied on, I have always taken care to apprize the reader of it, and to put him on his guard againft giving entire credit to them -, although I doubt not, but thei'e lefs authentic draughts, thus cautioufly inferted, are to the full as corred as thofe, which are ufually publifhed on thefe occafions. For as adual furveys of roads and harbours, and nice and critical delineations of views of land, take up much time and attention, and require a good degree of flvill both m planning and drawing -, thofe who are defedive in induftry and ability, fupply thefe wants by bold conjedlures, and fictitious defcriptions -, and as they can be no otherwife confuted than by going on the fpot, and running the rifque of fuffer- ing by their mifinformation, they have no appre- henfions of being detected j and therefore, when they INTRODUCTION. they intrude their fuppofititious produ6tions on the PubHc, they make no confcience of boafting at the fame time, with how much fkill and care they are performed. And let not thofe who are unacquaint- ed with naval affairs imagine, that impofitions of this kind are of an innocent nature ; for as exa6t views of land are the fureft guide to a feaman, on a cpaft where he has never been before, all fiftions in fo interefting a matter muft be attended with numerous dangers, and fometimes with the de- ftru(5tion of thofe who are thus unhappily de- ceived. . Befides thefe draughts of fuch places as Mr. An- fon or the fliips under his command have touched at in the courfe of this expedition, and the defcrip- tions and directions relating thereto, there is in- ferted, in the enfuing work, an ample defcription, with a chart annexed to it, of a particular naviga- tion, of which hitherto little more than the name hqis been known, except to thofe immediately em- ployed in it : I mean the track defcribed by the Mmiila lliip, in her paffage to Acapulco^ through the northern part of the Pacific Ocean. This mate- rial part is collected from the draughts and journals met with on board the Mamla galeon, founded on the experience of more than a hundred and fifty years praClice, and corroborated in its principal circumllanccs by the concurrent evidence of all the Spanijh prifoners taken in that veffel. And as many of their journals, which I have examined, appear to have been nor ill kept •, Iprefume, the chart of that northern Gcean, and the particulars' of their route through it, may be very fafely relied on by futui Navigators. The advantages, which may be drawn from an exadt knowledge of this navigar '-'-■'—- ■] tion^ ■Rh *''ii-J -' i-' J^Ll--^ •f .? i m» 'h f. \'^. ■. introduction: jtion, and the beneficial prqjefls that may be form? cd thereon, both in war and peace, are by no means proper to be difcuffed in this place : But they will jcafily offer :hemfelves to the fkilful in maritime af- fairs. However, as the Manila fhips are the only ones which have ever traverfed this vaft ocean, ex- cept a French flraggler or two, which have been afterwards felzed on the coaft of Mexico^ and as during near two ages, in which this trade has been carried on \ the Spaniards have, with the greateft care, fecreted all accounts of their voyages from the reft of the world-, theie reafons alone would authorize the infertion of thofe papers, and would recommend them to the inquifi- tive, afi a very great improvement in geojgraphy, and worthy of attention from the fingularity of many circumftances recited therein. I muft add too, (what in my opinion is far from being the leaft recommendation of thefe materials) that the obfer- vations of the variation of the compafs in that Ocean, which are inlerted in the chart from thefe Spanijh journals, tend greatly to compleat the gene- ral fyftem of the magnetic variation, of infinite im- port to the commercial and fea-faring part of man- kind. Thefe obfervations were, though in vain, often publickly called for by our learned country- fnan the late Dr. Halley^ and to his immortal repu- tation they confirm, as far as they extend, the wonderful hypothefis he had entertained on this head, and very nearly correfpond in their quantity, to the predictions he publilhed above fifty years fince, long before he was acquainted with any one obfcrvation made in thofe fcas. The afcertaining the variation in that part of the world is juft now too of more than ordinary confequence, as the Editors of a nevf m mmmm INTRODUCTION. a new variation-chart lately publiflicd, have, for want of obfcrvations in tlioic parts, been millccl b/ an erroneous analogy, and have miftakcn the very fpecies of variation in thofe northern feas •, for they make it wefterly where it is eaftcrly, and have laid it down 12^ or 13^ fhort of its real quantity. Thus nnuch it has been thought ncceflary to pre- niife with regard to the hydrographical and geo- graphical part of the enfuing work ; which it is hoped the reader will, on perufal, find much am- pler and more important than this flight Iketch can well indicate. But as there are hereafter occafio- nally interfpcrfed fome accounts of Spanifi tranf" aclions, and many obfcrvations on the difpofition of the American Spaniards, and on the the condition ot the countries bordering on the Souih-Seas, and as herein I may appear to differ greatly from the opi- nions generally eilablifhed, I think it incumbent on me particularly to recite the authorities I have been guiued by on this occafion, that I may not bq cenfured, as having given way either to a thought- Jefs credulity on one hand, or, what would be a much more criminal imputation, to a wilful and deliberate mifreprefentation on the other. Mr. Anfon, before he fet fail upon this expedi^ tion, befides the printed journals to thofe parts, took care to furnifh himfelf with the befl manu- fcript accounts he could procure of all the Spanijh fettlements upon the coafts of Chili, F^rii and Mexi^ CO : Thefe he carefully compared with the exami^ nations of his prifoners, and the informations of fe- veral intelligent perfons, who fell into his hands in the South-Seas. He had likewife the good fortune, in fome of his captures, to pofTefs himfelf of a great number of letters and papers of a public nature, '* " 4 many '■ f I m ^ %^ m ' iNtRODUCTION. many of them written by the Viceroy of Peru to the Viceroy of Sania Fee, to the Preiidents of P^i- \nama and Chili, to Don Blafs de Lezo, Admiral ot ^. the galcons, and to divers other pcrfons in public employments-, and in thcfe letters there was uiually inferted a recital of thofe they were intended to an- fwer •, fo that they contained aconTiderable Part of the correfpondence I'^twecn thcfe officers for fome time prcvi.nis to our arrival on that coaft : We took befides many letter^ fent from perfons em- ployed by tlic Government to their friends and cor- refpondents, v/hich v/ere frequently filled with nar- rations of public bufinefs, and fometimes contained undifguifed animadvcrfions on the views and con- dud of their fupcriors. From thcfe materials tliofe accounts of the Spanifi affairs arc .akcn, v/hich may ftt firft fight appear the mofl exceptionable. In , particular, the hiftory of the various cafuakics which befel Pizarro^s fquadron, is for the moil pare compofed from intercepted letters : Thcnigh in- deed the relation of the infurreftion of Orellana and his followers, is founded on rather a lefs difputabie authority : For it was taken from the mouth of an Englijh Gentleman then orj board Pizarro, who of- Hen converfed v/ith Orellana ; and it was on en- quiry, confirmed in its principal circumfi:anccs by others who were in the fhip at the fame time : So that the fa6t, however extraordinary, is, I con- ceive, not to be contefted. , ^ ..-^ . a -.uv And on this occafion I cannot but mention, tliac though I have endeavoured, with my utmoU care, to adhere ftriftly to tmth in every article of the enfuing narration ; yet I am apprehenfive, that in fo complicated a work, fome overfights mult have been ':ommitted, by the inattention to wliich a: ( a ) ^ times INTRODUCTION. times all mankind are liable. However, I know of none but literal miftakes : And if there are other errors whi^h have cfcapcd me, I flatter my- felf they are not oi moment enough lo aiTe "c any material tranfadion, and therefore I hope Ciiey may juftly claim the reader's indulgence. After this general account of the contents oF the enfuingwork, it might be expedled, perhaps, that I would proceed to the work itfelf ; but I cannot finifli this Introduction, without adding a few re- flexions on a matter very nearly connefled with th3 prefent fubjedl, and, as I conceive, neither deflitute of utility, nor unworthy the attention of the Public ; I mean, the animating my country- men both in their public and private ftations, to the encouragement and purfuit of all kinds of geographical and nautical obfervations, and of every fpecies of mechanical and commerical infor- mation. It is by a fettled attachment to thefc icemingly minute particulars, that our ambitious neighbours have eftablilhed fome part of that power, with which we are now ftruggling : And as we have the means in our hands of purfuing thefe fubjedts more effedlually, than they can, it wou'd be a difhononr to us longer to negled 16 cafy and beneficial a pradice : For, as we have a Navy much more numerous than theirs, great part of v/hich is always employed in very difiant Itations, either in the proteftion of our colonies and commerce, or in alpfting our allies agaiafi die commc^p .^n^rny, this gives us frequent opportu- nities of furnilhina ourfelves with fuch kiud of materials, as are here recommended, and fuch as might turn greatly to our advantage, either in war or ' ii tjiiU :''ii{-ii^,f ^ INTRODUCTION. or peace : For, not to mention what might be ex- pcifled from the officers of the Navy, if their ap- plication to thefe fiibjc(5ts were properly encou- raged, it would create no new cxpence to the Government to cflablilh a particular regulation for this purpofe ♦, fmce all that would be requifite, would be conltantly to embark on board fome of our men of war, which are fent on thcfc didant cruifes, a perfon, who witli the character of an engineer, and the fkill and talents neccffary to that profcfTion, fhould be employed in drawing fuch coafts, and planning Hich harbours, as the lliip fliould touch at, and in making fuch other ob- fervations of all kinds, as might either prove of advantage to future Navigators, or might any ways tend to promote the Public fervicc. Bcfides, perfons 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 fccure our Fleets from thofe difgraces, with which their attempts againft places on Ihore have been often attended : And, in a Nation like ours, where all fciences are more eagerly and univerfally purfucd, and better underftood than in any other part of the world, proper fubjedts for fuch employments could, not long be wanting, if due incouragement were given to them. This method here recom- mended is known to have been frequently prac- tifed by the French^ particularly in the inftance of Monfieur Frezier^ an Engineer, who has publilTied a celebrated voyage to the South-Seas : For this perfon, in the year 171 1, was purpofely fent by the French King into that country on board a merchantman, that he might examine and de- ( a 2 ) fcribc .1 INTRODUCTION. fcrlbe the coafl, and take plans ot' ?.ll the fortified ri aces, the bettor to eiKiblc the French to prolccutc their illicit tr»;de, or, in cai'c of .* rupture with the court cf i^paiiiy to form their ciit<^rprizcs ia thoie fcas with more rcadinefs, and certainty. Sliould \vc purfu • this method, we ini^jlit hope, that the emulation amongft thofe who were thus employ- ed, and the experience, which even in time of peace, they would hereby accjuirc, might at length procure us a proper number of able Engineers, •and might efface the national fcandal, which our deficiency in that fpecies of men has ibrne times expofed us to : And furely, every (lep to encou- rage and improve t!:is profelTion is of great mo- ment to the Public j as no perfons, when they arc properly inftruded, make better returns in war, for the encouragement and emoluments beftowed on them in time of peace. Of which the ad- vantages the Fren.h have reaped from their dex- terity (too numerous and recent to be foon forgot) are an ample confirmation. And having mentioned Engineers, or fuch as are (killed in drawing, and the other ufual prac- tices of that profeflion, as the properefh perfons to be employed in thefe foreign enquiries, I cannot (as it oflfers itfelf fo naturally to the fubjedt in hand) but lament, how very imperfe(5t many of our accounts of diftant countries are rendered by the relators being unfkilled in drawing, and in the general principles of furveying •, even where ether abilities have not been wanting. Had more of our travellers been initiated in thefe acquirements, and had there been added thereto fome little fkill in the common aftronomical obfcrvations, ( all ivliich a perfon of ordinary talents might attain, with i li ieJ Lite the ole uld the oy- of gth ITS our \- H INTRODUCTION. with a very moderate (hare of application ) we iliould by this time have fccn the geography of the gbbe much correder, than we now find it ; the dangers of navigation would have been con- fidcrably leflened, and the manners, arts and pro- duce of foreign countries would have been much better known to u^y than they are. Indeed, when 1 confider, the ftrong incitements that all travel- lers have to acquire iome part at Icafl of thefe qua- lifications, ci\jcci brK&mmQ' J lull lyUn' ..; ux.;^i '^ ii.f" <:v^7 ufij m .;ii3iTi<^'(/pt> .r. i» VOYAGE i f t ) U.-. I /I V O Y AG E lA <.:,'{. ? > ROUND THE WORLD B Y GEORGE A N S O N, Efq; Commander in Chief of a Squadron of hit MAJESTY'S Ships. BOOK I. ffOi r;;ri i C H A P. L Of the equipment of the fquadrorl : The incidents relating thereto, from its firft appointment to its fetting fail from St. Helens, TH E fquadron under the Command of Mr. ylnfon (of which I here propofe to recite the mod material proceedings) having undergone many changes in its deftina- tion, its forge and its equipment, in the ten B mouths 'I ! I months between its firft appointment and Its final failing from St. Helens ; I conceive the hiftory of thefe alterations is a detail neceffary to be made public, both for the honour of thofe who firll planned and promoted this enterprize, and for the juftification of thofe who have been entrufted with its execution. Since it will from hence appear, that the accidents the expedition was afterwards expofed to, and which prevented it from producing all the national advantages the ftrength of the fquadron, and the expeda- tion of the public, feemed to prefage, were principally owing to a feries of interruptions, which delayed the Commander in the courfe of his preparations, and which it exceeded his ut- moft' induftry either to avoid or to get re- moved. When in the latter end of the fummer of the year 1739, it was forefeen that a war with Spain was inevitable, it was the opinion of fe- veral confiderable perfons then trufled with the Adminiftration of affairs, that the moft pru- dent ftep the Nation could take, on the break- ing out of the war, was attacking that Crown in her diftant fettlements •, for by this means (as at that time there was the greatell probability of fuccefs) it was fuppofed that we fliould cut oft* the principal refources of the enemy, and "-e- duce them to the necelTity of fmcerely defiring a peace, as they would hereby be deprived of the returns of that treafure by which alone they could be enabled to carry on a war.. , ■ ■ -'••'■■' la I (3 } In purfuance of thefe fentiments, ftveral prqjeds were examined, and feveral refolutiona taken in Council. And in all thefe delibera- tions it was from the firft determined, that George Anfon^ Efq-j then Captain of the Centu- Hon, flioukl be - mployed as Commander in Chief of an expedition of this kind : And he then being abfent on a cruize, a veffcl was dif- patched to his flation fo early as the beginning of September, to order him to return with his fhip to Portfmoiith. And foon after he came there, that is on the loth of iViw^;?:^^ follow- ing, he received a letter from S\v Charles JVager, ordering him to repair to London, and to attend the board of Admiralty : Where, when he ar- fived, he was informed by Sir Charles, that two Squadrons would be immediately fitted out for two fecret expeditions, which however would have fome connexion with each other : That he, Mr. Anfon, was intended to command one of them, and Mr. Cornwall (who hath fince loft his life gloriouQy in the dctence of his Coun- try's honour'' the o^her : That the fquadron un- der Mr. Anfon was to take on board three In- dependent Companies of a hundred men each, and Bland's regiment of Foot : That Colonel I)l'.iHd was likewife to imbark with liis regi- ment, and to command the land-lorces : And tiiat, as foon as this fquadron could be fitted for the fea, they were to fet fail, with exprefs or- ders to touch :i.: no place till they came to Java- Head in the Eaji-Indies : That there they were B 2 only '. f (4) only to flop to take in water, and thence to proceed dirc£lly to the city of Manila^ fituated on Luccnia^ one of the Philippine Iflands : That the other fquadron was to be of equal force with this commanded by Mr. Anfon^ and was intended to pafs round Cape Horn into the South-Seas, and there to range along that coaft ; and after cruizing upon the enemy in thofe parts, and attemptmg their fcttlements, this fquadron in its return was to rendezvous at Manila, and there to join the fquadron under JMr. Anfon^ where they were to refrefh their men, xwid refit their Ihips, and perhaps receive further orders. . This fcheme was doubtlefs extremely well proje6ted, and could not but greatly advance the Public Service, and at the fame time the reputation and fortune of thofe concerned in its execution -, for had Mr. Anfon proceeded for Manila at the time and in the manner propof- ed by Sir Charles IVager, he would, in all pro- babilityy have arrived there before they had re- ceived any advice of the war between us and Spain, and confequently before they had been in the leaft prepared for the reception of an enemy, or had any apprehenfions of their danger. The city of Manila might be well fuppofed to have been at that time in the fame defencelefs condi- tion with all the other Spanijh fettlements, jufl at the breaking out of the war : That is to fay, their fortifications negleded, and in many places decayed j their cannon difmounted, or ufelefs by the I I (5) the mouldring of their carriages •, their maga- zines, whether of military (lores or provifion, all empty, their garrifons unpaid, and confe- quently thin, ill-affedled, and difpirited ; and the royal c hefts in Peru, whence alone all thefe diforders could receive their redrcfs. drained to the very bottom : This, from the intercepted letters of their Viceroys and Governors, is well known to have been the defencclefs ftatc of Panama, and the other Spani/h places on the coaft of the SoulbSeas, for near a twelvemonth after our declai'^iion of war. And it cannot be fuppofed that the city of Manila, removed ftill farther by almoft half the circumference of the globe, fhculd have experienced from the Spanijh Government, a greater fhare of attention and concern for its fecurity, than Panama, and the other impojLant ports in Peru and Cbili, on which their pofleflion of that immenfe Empire depends. Indeed, it is well known, that Ma- nila was at that time incapable of making any confiderable defence, and in all probability would have furrendered only on the appearance of our fquadron before it. The confequence of this city, and the iftand it ftands on, may be in fome meafure eftimated, 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 beneficial commerce which it carries on to the principal Ports, in the Eaft- Indies, and China, and its exclufive trade to Jca- pulco, the returns for which, being made in fil- B vcr s. > 1 . ; (6) ver, are, upon the lowefl valuation, not left than three milhons ot Dollars /?fr annum. And on this Scheme Sir Charles Wager was fo intent, that in a tew ^lays after this firft con- fer-nce, that is, on November i8, Mr. Anfon received an order to take under his command the Argyle^ Severn^ Pearly IKigir, and the Tryal Sloop ; and other orcers were iliucd to him in the faiTie month, and in the DeteMuer following, relating to the viclualling of this fquadron. But Mr. y^;//£7;: attending the Adnnralty the begin- ning of January^ he was inforiTicd by Sir Charles Wager^ that tor reafons with which he. Sir Charles^ was not acquainted, the expedition to Manila was laid aficle. It may be conceived, that Mr. Anfon was extremely chagrined at the lofing the command of fo intaliible, fo honour- able, and in every refpedt, fo deiirable an enter- prize, efpecially too as he had already, at a very great expence, made the necelTary provi- fion for his own accommodation in this voyage, which he had reafon to expedt would prove a yery long one. However, Sir Charles^ to ren- der this difappointment in fom" degree more tolerable, informed him that the expedition to the South-Seas was ftill intended, and that he, Mr. Anfon^ and his iquadron, as their firfl dt(- tinaticn was now countermanded, fhould be em- ployed in that fervice. And on the loth oi" Janiiayht received his commiflion, appoint- ing him Commander in Chief of the foremen- r.oncdj fquadron, which (the Argyle being in the M (7) the coiirfe of their preparation changed for tlifi Gloticefter) was the fame he failed with above eight months after from St. Helens. On this change of deftination, the equipment of the fquadron was flill profecuted with as much vi- gour as ever, and the vidualhng, and whatever depended on the Commodore, was fo far ad- vanced, that he conceived the ihips might be capable of putting to fea the inftant he Ihould receive his final orders, of which he was in daily cxpedation. And at laft, on the 28th o( Jurte 1 740, the Puke of Newcqftle, Principal Secre- tary of State, delivered to him his Majefty's inftrudions, dated January 31, 1739, with an additional inftmction from the Lords Juftices, dated June 19,1 740. On the receipt of thefe, Mr. An/on immediately repaired to Spithead^ v;ith a refolution to fail with the firft fair wind, flat- tering himfelf that all his delays were now at an end. For though he knew by the mufters that his fquadron wanted three hundred feamen of their complement, (a deficiency which, with all his afliduity, he had not been able to get fupplied) yet, as Sir Charles JVager'm'iCinwcA him, that an order from the board of Admiralty was difpatched to Sir John Ncrris to fpare him the numbers which he wanted, he doubted not of his complying therewith. But on his arrival at Portfmouth^ he found himfelf greatly miftakcn, and difappointed in this perfuafion : for on his application, Sir John Norris told him, ho could fpare him none, for he wanted men for his own «■: B 4 fleet. ■li( <8) fleet. This occafioned an inevitable and a very confiderable delay ; for it was the end of July before this deficiency was by any means fuppli- ed, and all that was then done was extremely /hort of his necefiities and expeftation. For Admiral Balchen^ who fucceeded to the com- mand at Spiihead^ after Sir John Norris had lail- ed to the weftward, inftead of three hundred able failors, which Mr. Anfon wanted of his com- plement, ordered on board the fquadron a hun- dred and feventy men onlyj of which thirty- two were from the hofpital and fick quarters, thirty-feven from the Salijhury^ with three offi- cers of Colonel Loivthcr\ regiment, and ninety- eight marines, and thefe were all that were ever granted to make up the forementioned defi- ciency. - But the Commodore's mortification did not end here. It has been already obferved, that it was at firl: intended that Colonel Bland^s regi- ment, and three independent companies of a hundred men each, fhould embark as land-forces on board the fquadron. But this difpofition was now changed, and all the land-forces that were to be allowed, were five hundred invalids to be collected from the out-penfioners of Chelfea col- lege. As thcfe out-penfioners confift of foldiers, who fn . their age, wounds, or other infirmi- ties, are incapable of fervice in marching regi- ments, Mr. Anfon was greatly chagrined at ha- ving fuch a decrepid detachment allotted him ^ for he was fully perfuadcd that the greateft part of them would jcrilh long before they arrived (9) tt the fcenc of a(5^ion, fince the delays he had al* ready encountered, necelTarily confined his paf* fagc round Cape Horn to the molt rigorous fea- Ion of the year. Sir Charles Wager too joined in opinion with the Commodore, that invalids were no ways proper for this fervice, and f()lUcite4 ftrenuouily to have them exchanged \ but he >I|K told that pcrfons, who were fuppofed to be bett ter judges of foldiers than he or Mr. Anfon^ thought them the propereft men that could be employed on this occafion. And upon this de- termination they were ordered on board the fquadron on the 5th of Augi'.fi: But inftead of five hundred, there came on board no more than two hundred and fifty-nine i for all thofe who had limbs and ftrength to walk out of Portfmouth deferted, leaving behind th^m only fuch as were literally invalids, moft of them being fixty years of age, and fome of them up^ wards of feventy. Indeed it is difficult to con- ceive a more moving fcene than the imbarlcation of thefe unhappy veterans : They were themfelvcs extremely averfe to the fervice they were en* gaged in, and fully apprized of all the difafters they were afterwards expofed to •, the apprehen- fions of which were flrongly mark'd by the con- cern that appeared jn their countenances, which was mixed with no fmall degree of indignation, to be thus hurried from their repofe into a fa- tiguing employ, to which neither the ftrength of their bodies, nor the vigor of their minds, were any ways proportioned, and where, with- out feeing the face of an enemy, or in the leaft ( 10) leall promoting the fuccefs of the cntcrprize they were engaged in, they would in all probability iifckTsly perifli by lingring and painful difeafes ; and this too, after they had fpent the adivity and ilrength of their youth in their Country*3 fervice. ' 'And I cannot but obfcrve, on this melancholy Jhcident, how extremely unfortunate is v/as, both to this aged and difeafed detachment, and to the expedition they were employed in •, that amongft all the out-penfioners of Cbelfea Hof- pital, which were fuppofed to amount to two thoufand men, the moll crazy and infirm only fliould be culled out for fo fatiguing and peril- ous an undertaking. 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 amongft them live hun- dred men who had fome remains of vigour left : And Mr. Anfon fully expected, that the beft of them would have been allotted him ; whereas the whole detachment that was fenr to him, leemed to be made up of the moft decrepid and miferable obje(5ls, that could be colledted out of the whole body -, and by the defertion above- mentioned, thefe were a fecond time cleared of that little health and ftrength which were to be found amongft them, and he was to take up with fuch as were much fitter for an infirmary, than for any military duty. - ^ - i;;".- v'):i.- t:,."- And here it is necefTary to mention another material particular in the equipment of this fquadron. It was propofed to Mr. Jnfon^ after ( II ) It was refolved that he fhould be fent to the South-Seas, to take with him two pci Ibns under the denomination of Agent Victuallers. Thofc who were mentioned for this employment had tormerly been in the Spanijh fVeft- Indies, in tho South-Sea Company's lervice, and it was fup- pofed that by their knowledge and intelligence on that coaft, they might often procure provi- fions for him by com pad with the inhabitants, when it was not to be got by force of arms : Thefe Agent Vidluallers were, for this purpofe, to be allowed to carry to the value of 15,000/. in merchandize on board the fquadron -, for they had reprefentcd, 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 fclieme, it was difficult to perfuade the generality of man- kind, that it was not principally intended for the enrichment of the Agents, by the beneficial commerce they propofed to carry on upon that coaft. Mr. Anfon, from the beginning, ob- jected both to the appointment of Agent Vic- tuallers, and the allowing them to carry a cargo on beard the fquadron : For he conceived, that in thofe few amicable ports where the fquadron might touch, he needed not their afi'iftance to contract for any provifions the place afforded ^ and on the enemy's coaft, he did not imagine that they could ever procure him the ncceffaries he ftiould want, unlefs (which he was refolved not to comply with) the military operations of his fquadron were to be regulated by the ridi- culous u t5t !! I i I ( 12 ) culoui views of their trading proje£ls. All that he thought the Government ought to have done on this occafiori, was to put on board to the va* Jucof 2 or 3000/. only of fuch goods, as the Indians^ or the Spanijh Planters in the lefs culti' vated part of the coaft, might be tempted with^ i?i. -e it was in fuch places only that he imagined it would be worth while to truck with the enemy' for provifions : And in thefe places it was fuffi- ciently evident, a very fmall cargo would ilifficc. But though the Commodore obje(fled both to the appointment of thefe officers, and to their projed ; yet, as they had infmuated that their fcheme, befides vicbualling the fquadron, might contribute to fettling a trade upon that coaft, which might be afterwards carried on without difficulty, and might thereby prove a very con- fiderable national advantage, they were much liftened to by fome confiderable pcrfons : And of the 1 5,000 /. which was to be the amount of their cargo, the Government agreed to advance them J 0,000 upon impreft, and the remaining 5000 they raifed on bottomry bonds ; and the goods purchafed with this fum, were all that were taken to fea by the fquadron, how much foever the amount of them might be afterwards magnified by common report. This cargo was at firft fhipped on board the JVa^erSioxQ Ship, and one of the Viftuallers j no part of it being admitted on board the men of war. But when the Commodore was at St. Ca^ therine's^ he cgnfidcrcd, that in caft the fquadron - ■ flioukr ^ k in) rtiould be feparated, it might be pretended that fome of the Ihips were dilappointed of provifion^ for want of a cargo to truck with, and therefore he diftributed fome of the leaft bulky commodi- ties oa board the men of war, leaving the re- naainder principally on board the IVager^ where it was loft : And more of the goods periling by various accidents to be recited hereafter, and no part of them being dif^ofed of upon the coaft* the few that came home to Englandy did not produce, when fold, above a fourth part of the original price. So true was the Commodore's prediction about the event of this proje(5l, which had been by many confide-red as infallibly pro- du<5tive of immenfe gains. But to return to the tranfadlions at Porifmoutb. To fupply die place of the two hundred and forty invalids which had defertcd, as is men- tioned above, there were ordered on board twa hundred and ten marines detached from different regiments : Thele were raw and undifciplined men, for they were juft raifed, and had fcarcely any thing more of the foldier than their regi- mentals, none of them having been fo far trained, as to be permitted to fire. The laft detachment «f thefe marines came on board the 8tb of -^«- gufir and on the loth the fquadron laiUdJVom Spithead to St. HelenSy there to wait for ft wind to proceed on the expedition. ,,^ p^^'i^ But the delays we had already fufferedhaj not yet fpent all their influence,, for we were now advanced into a fcafon of the year, when the ■^fcftcrljf winds are ufualiy. very conftant, and ;.ii/'../i» very 1 { 14) vefy violent \ arid it was thought proper that we" Ihould put to fea in company with the fleet commanded by Admiral Ealchen^ and the expe- dition 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 tranf- ports, we had no hopes of getting out of the Channel with fo large a number of fhips, with- out the continuance of a fair wind, for fome confiderable time. This was what we had every day lefs and Itfs reafon to expeft, as the time of the equinox drew near ; fo that our golden dreams, and our ideal pofTefTion of the Peruvian treafurcs, grew each day more faint, and the difficulties and dangers of the paflfage round Cape Horn in the winter feafon filled our imaginations in their room. For it was forty days from our arrival at St. Helens^ to our final departure frorri thence : And even then (having orders to pro- ceed without Lord Cathcart) we tided it down the Channel with a contrary wind. But this in- terval of forty days was net free from the dif- pleafing fatigue of often fetting fail, and being as often obliged to return; nor exempt from- dangers, greater than have been fometimes ex- perienced in furrounding the globe. For the wind coming fair for the firft time, on the 23d of Atlguft'^ we got under fail, and Mr. Balchen fhewed himfelf truly felicitous to have proceeded to fea, but the wind foon returning to its old quarter, ob'.;g'ed us to put back to St. Helens^ not without confiderable hazard, and fome da- mage received by two of the tranfports, who,- ii> r6 e ( IS ) in tacking, ran foul of each other: Befides this, we made two or three more attempts to fail, but witliout any better fuccefs. And, on the 6th of Septemhei'y being returned to an anchor at St. Helens^ after one of thefe fruitlcfs efforts, the wind blew fo frefh, that the whole fleet ftruck their yards and topmafts to prevent their driv- ing : And, notwithftanding this precaution, the Centurion drove the next i;vening, and brought both cables a-head, and we were in no fmall danger of driving foul of the Prince Fredericks a feventy-gun Ihip, moored at a fmall diftance under our ftcrn ; which we happily efcaped, by . her driving at the fame time, and fo preferv- ing her diftance : Nor did we think ourfelves fecure, till we at laft let go the Iheet anchor, which fortunately brought us up. , . -,^.~; However, on the 9th of September^ we were in fome degree relieved from this lingering vexa- . tious fitv.3tion, by an Order which Mr, Anfon received from the Lords Juftices, to put to fea the firft opportunity with his own fquadr jr* only, if Lord Cathcart fhould not be ready. Being thus freed from the troublefome company of fo large a fleet, our Commodore refolved to weigh and tide it down the Channel, aflbon as the wea- ther fhould become fufficiently moderate ; and this might eafily have been done with our own fquadron alone full two months fooner, had the orders of the Admiralty, for fupplying, us with feamen, been pundually complied with, ^nd had we met with none of thofe other delays men- tioned in this narration. It is true, our hopes . . of )' ; ( '6) of a fpccdy departure were even now foriirdirhat damped, by a fubfequent order which Mr. An- fon received on the 1 2 th of September ; for by that he was required to take under his convoy the St. Albans with the Turkey fleet, and to join the Dragouy and the Wineheftery with the Stre^hts and the American trade at I'orbay or Flyfuoufh^ and to proceed with them to fea as far as their way and ours lay together : This incumbrance of a convoy gave us fome uneafinefs, as we feared it might prove the means of lengthening our pafTage to th Maderas. However, Mr. Anfony now havii th^ command himfelf, re- folved to adhere o his former determination^ and to tide it down the Channel with the firft moderate weather -, and that the junftion of his Convoy might oceafion as little a lofs of time as pofTiblCj he immediately fent diredions to Tor^ hay^ that the fleets he was there to take under his care, might be in a readinefs to join him in- ftantly 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 iii four days, as will be more particularly related in the enfuing chapter. Having thus gone through the relpe6iive fteps taken in the equipment of this fquadron, it is fufliciently obvious how diflPerent an afpecft this expedition bore at its firft appointment ia ' the beginiiing of January, from what it had iii ' the latter end of September, when it left the' Channel 5 and how much its numbers, its ftrength. H f C »7 ) ftrehgth, and the probability of its luccels were diminifhed, by the various incidents which took place in that interval. For inftead of having all our old and ordinary feamen exchanged for fuch ' as were young and able, (which the Commo- dore was at firft promifed) and having our num- bers compleated to their full complement^ we were obliged to retain our firft crews^ which were very indifferent •, and a deficiency of three hundred men in our numbers was no otherwife made up to us, than by fending us on board a hundred and feventy men, the greateft part com- pofed of fuch as were difcharged from hofpitals< or new-raifed marines who had never been at fea before. And in the land-forces allotted us, the change was ftill more difadvantageous 5 for there, inftead of three independent companies of a hundred men each, and Blan/^s regiment of foot, which was an old one, we had* only four hundred and feventy invalids and marines, one part of them incapable for aftion by age and in- firmities, and the other part ufelefs by their ig- norance of their duty. But the diminiftiing the ftrcngth of the fquadron was not the greateft ihconveniency which attended thefe alterations; for the contefts, reprefentations, and difficulties which they continually produced, (as we have above feen, that in thefe cafes the authority of the Admiralty was not always fubmitted to) occafioned a delay and wafte of time, which in its confequences was tiie fource of all tlie difafters- to which this enterprize was afterwards expofed : For ^jy this means we were obliged to make our Q pafllige .A.J*.-*' m 1 (i8) paffage round Cape Horn \n the moft tempefKi- ous feafon of the year •, whence proceeded the reparation of cur fquadron, the lofs of numbers of our men, and the imminent hazard of our tota! deftrudlion : And by this delay too, the enemy had been fo well informed of our defigns, that a perfon who had been employed in the' Sotitb-Sea Company's fervice, and anl/ed from Panamei> three or four days before we left Pcrtf- mouthy was able to relate to Mr. Anfon moft pf the particulars of the deftination and ftrength of our fquadron, from what he had learnt amongft the Spaniards before he left them. And tiiig was afterwards confirmed by a more extraordi- nary circumftance : For we fhall find, that when the Spaniards (fully fatisfied that our expedition was intended for the South-Seas) had fitted out a fquadron to oppofe us, which had fo far got the ilart of us,* as to arrive before us off the ifland of Madera^ the Commander of this fquadron was ib well inftru6ted in the form and make of Mr.. Anfm*s hvo^d pennant, and had imitated it fo exad%,, that he thereby decoyed l\\t Pearly one pfi.>bur fquadron, within gun-lhot of him, before !ttlK. Captain of the P^^s\m-. ixr^>\\^y.M . ^pti.rn vJXfl biXi^ iDi'ibnijd ^ijo , k <« * 4 k ON the 1 8th of SepUmhef^ 1 740, the fqiia- dron, as we have obferved in the preced* irtg chapter, weighed from St. Helens with a con-^ tfary wind) the Commodore propofing to tiue it down the Channel, as he dreaded lefs the in* conveniencies he (hould thereby have to ftruggle with, than the rifle he fliould mn of ruining the ehterpri:^e, by an uncertain, and in all probabi* lity, a tedious attendance for a fair wind. The fquadron allotted to this fervice conlifted of fivfe men of war, a floop of war, and two Viftuallihg ftiips. They were the CentUrim of fixty guns, four hundred menj GeofgeAnfatt^ Efqj Commander i the Gloucefter of fifty guns, three hundred men, Richard iVurm Commander 5 xkt Severn of fifty guns, three hundred mcri) the Honoui'able Edward Legg Commander 4 the Pearl of forty guns, two hundred and fifty men^ Matthew Mitchel Commander •, th« Wager of twenty-eight guns, oile hundred ahd fixty men^ Bardy XfWi Commander \ and the T^ryal Sloop of eight guns, one hundred men, the Honourable John Murray Commander i the two Victuallers were Pinks, the largeft about four hundred, and the other about two hundred tons burthen, thefe ircreto:^tend us, till the provifions wc had taken -,.. ...... [ui.v w Ji - *'***■* ' ■' ^ on i I i \ (20) on board were fo far confumed, as to make room for the additional quantity they carried with them, which, when we had taken into our fhips, they WiCre to be difcharged. Befides the complement oj; mer^ borA by the abovementioned fhips as their crews, there were enibarked on board the fquadron about four hundred andfeventy invalids and marines, under the denomination of land-, forces, as has been particularly mentioned in the preceding chapter, which were commanded by • Lieutenant Colonel Cracberode. With this fqua- where he delivered them their fighting and failing inftru6lions, and then, witk - a fair >vr . f, i ( 21 ) a fair wind, we all ftood towards the South-Weft; and the next day at noon, being the 21ft, we had run forty leagues from the Ram-Head, and being now clear of the land, our Commodore,- to render our view more extenfive, ordered Cap- tain Mitcbel, in the Pearl, to make fail two leagues a-head of the fleet every morning, and to repair to his ftation t -^ery evening. Thus we proceeded till the 25th, when thtWincheJier and t\\t American Convoy made the concerted fignal for leave to feparate, which being anfwered by the Commo- dore, they left us : As the St. Albdns and the Bragotty with the Turkey and Streights Convoy, did on the 29th. After which feparation, there remained in company cnly our own fquadron and our two vidtuallers, with which we kept on our courfe for the Ifland of Madera. But the winds were fo contrary, that we had the mortification to be forty days in our paflage thither from St. Helens, though it is known to be often done in ten or twelve. This delay was a moft un- pleafing circumftance, produdtive of much dif- content and ill-humour amongft our peoj^le, of which thofe only can have a tolerable idea, who have had the experience of a like fituatlon. Aud befides the peevifhnefs and defpondency which foiil and contrary winds, and a lingring voyage never fail to create on all occafions, we!" in par- ticular, had very fubftantial reafons to be" greatly alarmed at this unexpected i'mpedliTient.' For as we had departed irora England rv\\\c\\ later than we ought to have dqne, we had placed almqft all our hopes c^ fuccefs in the cfcrice of rctiieving C 3 in kt i! 'I i! (22) in fome meafurc at fea, the time we had fo un^ happily wafted at Spithead and St. Helens, How- ever, at laft, on Monday, O&ober the 25th, at five in the morning, we, to our great joy, made the land, and in the aiternoon came to an an- chor in Madera Road, in forty fathom water; the Brazen-head bearing from us E by S, the Loo N N W, and the great Church NNE. Wc hiid hardly K t go our anchor, when an Englijh . privateer (loop ran under our ftern, and faluted the Commodore with nine guns, which we re-i turned with five. And, the next day, the Con- Ajl of the Ifland coming to vifit the Commodore, we faluted him with nine guns on his coming on board. This Ifland of Madera^ where we are now ar- rived, is famous through all our American fettle- ments for its excellent wines, which feem to b^ defigned by Providence for the refrefhment of the inhabitants of the Torrid Zone. It is fitu- ated in a fine climate, in the latitude of 32 : 27 North ; and in the longitude from London of, by Qur different reckonings, from 18° f to 19" f' Weft, though laid down in the charts in 17?. It is compofed of one continued hill, of a confi- derable height, extending itfelf from. Eaft to Weft: The declivity of which, On the South- fide, ^5 'cjaltivated and interfperfed with vinc-» yards-, and in the midft of this flope the Mer^ chants haT^ fixed their countty feats, which help to forpi an agreeable profpeft, There is bgt one cqnfiderablc town in the whole Iflaqd, it is named /VJi?<:^?«/%imdi3 fcaf^d optheS^^ part of the Ifland, p.j^^^r^si^^t^ < . ( 23 ) 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- chia/e, towards the fea, is defended by a high vrall, with a battery of cannon, bcfides a caftlc on the Loo, which is a rock (landing in the wa- ter at a fmall diftance from the Ihore. Even here the beach is covered with large ftones, and ft violent furf continually beats upon it ; fo that the Commodore did not care to venture the fhips long boats to fetch the water off, as there was fo much danger of their being loft ; and there- fore ordered the Captains of thefquadron to em- ploy Portuguefe boats on that fervice. We continued about a week at this Ifland, wa- tering our fhips, and providing the fquadron with wine and other refrefhments. And, on the 3d of November, Captain Richard Norris having fig- nified by a letter to the Commodore, his defire to quit his command on board the Gloucefter, in order to return to England for the recovery of his health, the Commodore complied with his requeft ; and thereupon was pleafed ta appoint Captain Matthew Mitchel to command the Glou- ctfier in his room, and to remove Captain Kidd from ihe Wager x.oxki'tFearl^ and Captain Murray frorii the ^ryal Sloop to the Wager, '^3/ing the command of the Tryal to Lieutenant .Cheap, Thefe promotions being fcttled,n{Witb other dianges in the Lieutenancies^ the^^canmodore, on the following day, gave to the Captains their orders, appointing St.^ J^gOy one of thtr€ape de Verd Iflaiicbj to be^thol&rftjiJacft of ocndezvous .•iU C4 in f i: II ( 24 ) in cafe of reparation -, and dire(5ling them, if they did not meet the Centurion there, to make the bed of their way to the Ifland of St. Catherine's on the coaft of Brazil. The water for the fqua- dron being the fame day compleated, and each fhip fupplied with as much wine and other re- freihments as they could take in, wc weighec} anchor in the afternoon, and took our leave of (he Ifland of Madera, But before I go on witl^ the narration of our own tranfadions, I think it neceffary to give fome account of the pro-r ceedings of the enemy, and of the meafurcs they had taken to render all our defigns abortive. > When Mr. Anfon vifited the Governor of Madera^ he received information from him, that for three or four days, in the latter end of 0<5?<3- ler^ there had appeared, to the wefhvard of that Ifland, feven or eight ihips of the line, and a Patache, which laft was fent every day clofe in to make the land. The Governor affured; the Commodore, upon his honour, that none upon the Ifland had either given them intelli- gence, or had in any fort communicated with them, but that he believed them to be either? French or Spanijh^ but was rather inclined to tliink them Spamjh. On this intelligence, Mr.- Aufcn fent an Officer in a clean floop, eight: leagues to the wefliward, to reconnoitre them, and, if poflible, to difcover what they were : ' But the Officer returned without being able to get a fight of them, lb that we ftill remained in uncertainty. However, we could not but con- jecture, that this fleet was intended to put a fl;op; to ( !»5 ) tor our expedition, which, had they cruifcd to the eaftward of the IQand inftead of the weft- ward, they could not but have executed witb great faciUty. For as, in th^t cafe, they muft have certainly fallen in with us, we fhould have been obliged to throw overboard vaft quantities of provifion to clear our fhipd for an engage- ment, and this alone, without any regard to thf event of the adion, would have effcdually pre- vented our progrefs. This was fo obvious a mea- fure, that we could not help imagining reafona which might have prevented them from purfuing it. And we therefore fuppofed, that this French or Spanijh fquadron was fent out, upon advice of our failing in company with Admiral Balchen and Lord Cathcart's jcpedition : And thence, from an apprehenfion of being over-matched, they might not think it advifcable to meet with us, till we had parted company, which they might judge would not happen, before our ar- rival at this Ifland. Thefe were our fpeculations at that time ; and from hence we had reafon to fuppofe, that we might ftill fall in with them, in our way to the Cape de Verd Iflands. And af- terwards, in the courfe of our expedition, we were many of us perfuaded, that this was the Spanijh fquadron commanded by Don Jofeph Pi- zarroy which was fent out purpofely to traverfe the views and enterprizes of our fquadron, to which, in ftrength, they were greatly fuperior. As this Spanijh armament then was fo nearly con- n^ed with our expedition, and as the cataftro- pfie it underwent, though not eflfedted by our force. i Mfcataw, iikiuiiiuiimi«»ii"%- .- - - ''; -^fr^^-iiotimiM I ii*; V force, was yet a confiderable advantage to thii Nation, produced in confequence of our equip- ment, I have, in the following chapter, given a Ittmmary account of their proceedings, from their firft fetting out from Spain in the year 1 740, till the JJiay the only fhip which returned to Europe of the whole fquadron, arrived at the Cro^fk iathe beginning of the year 1 746. o,i jrrTo:) ^i.il ; > i; . • V J * f ' ^ '«v/i3 aril Yr.i ,/ i,f,fn^I^nL »u; i ;{;< luu- /^^j^vji iU ibl i)iiii •^>it' )y;1j» hi* {.'ic> J n;}) -niiq Jon bib -nf./ti nvv'il Ll-b ^f^/rr/t^ xil^Y^^'^ "to r,'^- ')dT ^ ' '-^ j< * - : r, r -T I '• ' i . . t-"r 4»..K^t , Viittf t » . ^ * ^ * . ^ .' '' -' /j \o iip njfp2>4 '^T .nom 4rjit)ihm i' r" ia (27) c H A P. ra. .-A ... ,^^ ''p!>Tl<0 .t'^^T ■ .ry"\ The hiftory of the fquadron commanded by Don Jofefh Pizarro. .- ^*, . ■ tr > r 1 .&10'31 ..;. i:* it 1 \l THE fquadron fitted out by the Court of Spain to attend our moiions, and tra- verfe our projects, we fuppofed to have been the fhips feen off Madera^ as mentioned in the pre- ceding chapter. And as this force was fent out particularly againft our expedition, I cannot but imagine, that the following hiftory of the ca- fualties it met with, as far as by intercepted let- ters and other information the fame has come to my knowledge, is a very effential part of the prefent work : For by this it will appear we were the occafion, that a confiderable part of the naval power of Spain was diverted from the pro- fecution of the ambitious Views of that Court in Europe ; and the men and fhips, loft by the ene- my in this undertaking, were loft in confequence of the precautions they took to fecure thcmfcives againft our enterprizes. This fquadron (befides two Ihips intended for the IVeft-hdies^ which did not part company till after they had left the Maderas) was compofed of the following men of war, commanded by Don Jofeph Pizarra : The Jfia of fixty-fix guns, and fev^n hun* dred men ; this was the Admiral's fhip, / ?yhc Gt^pufcoa of feventy-four guns, and fevcn .- hwndredmen, • The I Hi I t mi' I « (28) , The Hermiona of fifty-four guns, and five hundred men. - ,,,, The Efperanza of fifty guns, and four hun- ^;; dred andfifi:y men.^^,^ i=,jrii iiiA.oi u The St. Eftevan of forty gun§, and three .^J hundred and fifty men. ij/i 1. j; i, And a Patache of twenty guns, ^jbiia i^y^ fc ?* '*^ ■^ t.'- Thefe fhips, over and above their complement of failors and marines, had on board an old ^pa- nifii regiment of foot, intended to reinforce the l^arrifons on the coaft of the Souih-Seas. When this fleet had cruifed for fome days to the lee- ward of the MaderaSy as is mentioned in the preceding chapter, they left that ftation in the beginning of November, and fteered for the river of Plate, where they arrived the 5th of Jam- ary, 0. S, and coming to an anchor in the bay of Maldonadoy at the mouth of that river, there Admiral Pizarro fent immediately to Buenos, j^res for a fupply of provifions i for they had departed from Spain with only four months pro- vifions on board. While they lay here exped-^ ing this fupply, they received intelligence, by, the Treachery of the Portuguefe Governor of St. Catherine's^ of Mr. Anfon^s having arrived, at that Ifland on the 2jft of December preceding^, and of. his preparing to put to fea again with the iitmoft expedition. Pizarro, notwithflanding^ his fuperior force, had his reafons (and as fome fay his orders likewife) for avoiding our fqua- dron any where Ihort of the South-Seas, He was befides extremely defiroiis of getting round Cape s'l M t.i (29) CUpe; Horn before us, as he imagined that ftep alone would efFedhiaily baffle all our dedgns ^ and therefore, on hearing that we were in his neighbourhood, and that we (hould foon be ready to proceed for Cape HorUj he weighed an- chor with the five large Ihips, (the Patache be- ing difabled and condemned, and the men taken out of her) after a ftay of fevcnteen days only, and got under fail without his provilions, whick arrived at Maldonado within a day or two after his departure. But notwithflanding the preci- pitation, with which he departed, we put to fel from St. Catherine's four days before him, and in fome part of our paffage to Cape Horn, the two- fquadrons were fo near together, that the Pearly one of our fliips, being feparated from the reft, fell in with the Spanijh Fleet, and miftaking the Afia for the Centurion, had got within guri-fhot of Pizarroy before fhe difcovered her error, and narrowly efcaped being taken. It being the 2 2d of January when the Spa-- arj^r^j weighed from Maldonado^ (as has been al- ready mentioned) they could not expedt to get into the latitude of Cape Horn before the equi- nox ; and as they had reafon to apprehend very tempeftuous weather in doubling it at that fea- fon, and as xht Spanijh failors, ' being for the moft part accuftomcd to a fair weather country, might be expeded to be very averfe to fo dan- gerous and fatiguing a navigation^ the better to encourage them, fome part of their pay was ad- vanced to them in European goods, which they were to be permitted to difpofe of in the Smtb- t VJl^, ;b;. .'/' i !"' i: K * I (30) SeaSy 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 hinlieft difpofed to repine at the labour, the hardfhipsi and the perils he would in all probability meet with before his arrivd on the ^coaft of ' Pizarro with his fquadron havings towards the latr^rend of February, run the length of Capd Horn, he then ftood to the weftward in order to double it i but in the night of the laft day of February, 0. S. while with this view they were turning to windward, the Guipufeoa, the Her* miona, and the Efperanza, were feparated front the Admiral ; and, on the 6th of March- follow- ing; the Guipufcoa was feparated from the other two; and, on the 7th (being the day after w6 had Jydflfed Sir eights le Maire) there came on i moft furious ftorm at N. W, which, in defpight of all their efforts, drove the whole fquadron to the eaftWard, and obliged them, after feveral frtiitl^fs attempts, to bear away for the river ^t Plate, V/here Pizarro in the AJia arrived about th^ 'middle of May, and a few days after him- th& EJpif^anza ^n^ the Eftevan. The Hermitma wks flippolcd to founder at fea, for (he was ne- vfer heard of more ; rind the Guipufcoa ylr»&^^:^iA a-flitrei,^kWd funk on the coaft oi Branh: Thtf calaniStt'^ of all kinds, which this fquadron ^un'• derwc^frtS'ifn this unfuccefsful navigation^ xtm^xmXy be J)afaileM by What we ourfclves experieri-J^ in the JiM climate, whbn buffeted by the fame Horms^I There was indeed fome diverfity in our diftreiTes, •« ■** «' I pi (3O diftrefleSj which rendered it difficult to decide^ whofe iituation was moft worthy of commifcra* tion. For to all the misfortunes we had in common with each other, as fhattered riggings leaky fhips, and the fatigues and defpondency, which neceffarily attend thefe difafters, there was fuperadded on board our fquadron the ra- vage of a moft deftrudlive and incurable difeafe, and on board the Spanijh fquadron the devafta- tion of famine. For this fquadron, either from the hurry of their outfet, their prefumption of a fupply ac Buenos Ayres^ or from other lefs obvious mo- tives, departed from Spain^ as has oeen already obferved, with no more than four months pro- vifion, and even that, as it is faid, at ihort al- lowance only \ fo that, when by the ftorms they met with off Cape Horn^ their continuance at fea was prolonged a month or more t)eyond their expedation, they were thereby reduced to fuch infinite diftrefs, that rats j when they could be caught, were fold for four dollars a-piece \ «nd a failor, who died on board, had his death concealed for fomcdays by his brother, .who, during that time, lay in the fame, hammock with the corpfe, only to receive the dead .man's dllowanccof provifions. In this dreadful. iitua- tioii they were alarmed (if their horrors weroi capable: of ^augmentation) by die difcov^ry of a ^onfpii^cy among the. . marines, pn , bo^d th6 i^, , t^e .Admiral's ftiip. Thift hacjj --l^en its rife chiefly from the miferies they, endufe^ ;. For ihQWgh np lefs w^s p^c^ofed by the cpnipiratort Mi * .r^ I \ ii T It (3») than the maflkcring the officers and the whole crewv yet their motive for this bloody refolution fccmedto be no more than their defire of relieving their hunger, by j^propriating the' whdie fhips pronrifions to thcmfelves. But their defigns were prevented, when juft upon the point of execu- tion, by means 6f one of their confeflbrs, and three of their ringleaders were immediately put to death. However, though the confpiracy was Xuppreffcd, their other calamities admitted'of no^ aikviation, but grew each day more and m6re dieftruAive. So that by the complicated diftreft' of fatigue^ ? fKkntfs and hunger, the three* Ihipa? which Scaped loft the greateft part of their men :' ThtJ/ia, thfir Admiral's Ihip, arrived at Mw/r* Vedio m^ the river of Pkte^ with half her crew* only ; the $t. Efievan had loft in like manner half her hands^ when Ihe anchored in the bay of Barragan •, the Efperanzdy a fifty gun ihip, war Hill more ^unfortunate, for of four hundred and fifty hands which Ihe brought from Spain^ only fifty r^ight remained alivcy and die whole regi-^* nient ofibot pei;iihied excepjc fixty men. But tor> g^ve the reader ~ a more diftinA and particular' idea of y^t they underwent upon thi3 occafiore^ I.fhall la)E before him a fhort account of the fate of th&Gmpufcoaf from a. letter written by Dort jQfipb Jdjtfidmuitta her Captain,, to a perfon of' dillin<^ipj[i at X/w^r •, a copy of which fell ihtCJ' ourha^ -sift^^waBds i«i the to/*-Stfwa$ yery defixous of proceeding to St. Ca- thmn^% ifvipoflihlt, in o/der to fave the hull of thi. flUip^ ,an«l ^ ^guns and ftores on board her v but tb^ mCPOif iotoitly left off pumping, and bet^ ing. encagodcat thehtedihtps they had fuffered, and thoj n,tin?)^r^ th^ ^Ad loft, (there being at that titpo nale,^* th^ tl^t^ d^ad bodies lying l>i ).'■'■? a on I\ ^35) on the deck) they all with one v6iceenedout onjhori^ onjhore, and obliged the Captain to rUfi the (hip In directly for the hmd, where, the 5th day after, ftie funk with her (lores, and all hci- lurniture on board her, but the remainder of the crew, whom hunger and fatigue had fpared, to the number of four hundred, got fafe on (hore. From this account of the adventures and ca* taftrophe of the Guipufcoa, wc may form fomc conjedure of the manner, in which the 7/^- miona was !oft, and of the diftreflfej endured by the three remaining fliips of the iquadron, which got into the river of Plate, Thefe laft being in great want of mafts, yards, rigging, and all kind of naval (lores, and having no fupply at Buc.tos ^yresy nor in any other of their fettle- ments, Pizarrt^ difpatched an advice boat witli a letter of credit to Rio Jan^ird^ to purchafe what was wanting from the Portugaefe. He, at the fame time, fent an exprefs acrofs the continent to San Jago in Cbiliy to be thence forwarded to the Viceroy cf Peru, informing him of the diP afters that had befallen his fquadron, and defir- ing it remittance of 200,000 dolI^s from the royd chefts at Lima, to enable him to Vidua! and feflt his ti^maining (hips, that he might he agaih in k condition to attempt the ^(Tage to the SaM'SeaSi as foon as the feafort «f the y^^' fhould be hiore' favourable. It is hTentl6ned try ^ xht Spaniards as a rtioll ^Xtraordife^fy'; '^i^cnnl- ' ftante^ tliat the Indian (^hargfed With thih fcitprefs (thmighit was then ttie d^h'bf Whiter, when? the<:dfdilleNs *:€ efteeftied impaflkbk on a<^^);JUntf^ '^^n D 2 ■ of '5 * li ,' JT; Bi "• I! ti. { 36 ) of the fnow) was only thntcrn days in his jour-, ney from Buenos Jyres to St« Jago in Chili ; though thefc places arc Jiftant three hurtdred Spanijh leagues, near forty of which are amongft the fnows and precipices of rhe Cordilleras. '-' • •" * * The return to this difpatch of Pizarro*^ from the Viceroy of Peru was no ways favourable ; inftcad of zoo,ooo dollars, the furn demanded, the Viceroy remitted him only 100,000, telling him, that it v/as with great difficulty he was able to procure him even that : Though the inhabi- tants at Uma-f who confidered the prefence of Pizarro as abfolutcly neceffary to their fecurity, were much difcontented at this p'-ocedure, and did not fail to aflcrt, that it wa*, not the want of money, but the interefted views of fome of the Viceroy's confidents, that prevented Pizarro from having the whole fum he had afked for. ■ The ddvice-boat fent to Rio Janeiro alfo exe- cuted her commjflion, but imperfedlly ; for though (he brought back a confidcrable quantity of pitch, tar and cordage, yet fhe could not procure' either mafts of yards : And, as an additional misfortune, Pizarro was difap- poihted of fome mafts he expected from Pa- fcgutiy J for a carpenter, whom he entrulled with a large furti of r-ioney, and had fent there to cut mafts, iiifteadof prC/fcGuting the bufmefs he was em^foypd mv h^d ^arficd in the country, and feflilfeitt taTcturn. ' However, by removing the mails of thfe\B/^fr^2:^ into the JJid, and mak- ing tife of what fpare mafts and yards they had on b'Tard, they made a Ihift to refit the y^a and ■': t ^; ^ the u an ( 37 ) the St. Eftevan. And in the O£ioher following, Pizarro was preparing to put to fea with theie two fliips, in order to attempt the paflage round Cape Horn a fecond time j but the St. Eftevajty in coming down the river Plate, ran on a flioal, and beat off her rudder, on which, and other damages fhe received, fhe was condemned and broke up, and Pizarro in the Jfia proceeded to f^a without her. Having now the fummcr be- fore him, and the winds favourable, na doubt was niade of his having a fortunate and fpeedy pafiage ; but being off Cape Horn, and going rig*ht before the wind in very moderate weather, though in a fwelling fea, by fome mifcondudt of the officer of the watch the fhip rolled away her mafls, and was a fecond time obliged to put back to the river of Plate in great diftrefs. -tr ^,:^ The JJa having confiderably fuflfered in this fecond unfortunate expedition, the Efperanza, which had been left behind at Monte Vedio, was ordered to be refitted, the command of her be- ing given to Mindinuetta, who was Captain of the Guipufcoa^ when flie was loft. He, in the November of the fucceeding year, that is, in No- vember 1 742, failed from the river of Plate for the South-Seas, and arrived fafe on the coaft of Chili', where his Commodore P/z^rr^ paffing over land from Buenos Jyres met him. There were great animofitles and oontefts ,.fcH?tweeng thefc two Qentlemeh af their meeting,^ jQ^^on- cd principally by the claim of i^'zi^rrfl^, jcq com- mand the Efperanza, which Mitdinuc^a haA, brought round : For Mindinuettit tisixii^tp.de- Dj liver ^i ' ! *i« i 'Hi 1. ( 38 ) liver her up to him •, infilling, that as he came into the Sotith-Seas aloiic, and under no H-ipcripif, it was not now in ihg po>vcr of Pizarro to rc- funic tliat authority, which he liad odcc parted with. However, the Prcfijent of Chili inter- pofing, and declaring for Pizarroy Mindinuetta^ ^fter a long and obftinate flruggle, \jiras obliged to fubmit. , ^, ' ' . But Pizarro had not yet compleated the ferics of his adventures j for when he and MinSuuetta came back by land from Chili to Buenos Ayres^ jn the year 1745, they found at Monte V^dio the JJia^ which near three years before they had left there. This fhip they refolved, if pof- jTible, to carry to Europe, and with tliis view they refitted her in the bell manner they could ; But their great difficulty was to procure ^ fuffi-- cient number of hands to navigate her, for all the remaining failors of the fquadron to be met within the neighbourhood oi Buenof Ayres^ did not amount to a hundred men. They endea- voured to fupply this defe^ by preljlpg mai^y.pf the inhail^itants of Buenos Jym^ zndi putting on board b^fides all the £w;g"/^ prifoners then, in their cuijody, together with a number Qfpertu- guefi (mu^kx^f which they had taken at diife- |-ent,tim?l», 4Ad fome of tlj}^ Jlndians of the cpun^ try, An^png thefe laft there was a Chief ^^d tenpf Ijis followers, whicjiji^d been furprize.d by *. paj*ty pf Sf0i^ folders i3.bout three mo^hs before.' ^1^ IWne^.pf.l^i?, Chief yfz:^ Orellana,^ he belonged tQ a very ppwerful Tribe, which ( (39) liood of Bums 4yrts,^ With ^hift fnotly crew (all of thcrp, exc^pr ?he Eurtfmn Spaniards^ ^3^- tremely averfc to the vpyagc) Pjz^rr^ fcr fi^ii from MonUVedia in the rivier f>f P^Ht^ aboiif the beginning of Novewb$r 1745, wd the nativp Spaniards being no ftrftngers to the diflaitisfaiftiQn of their forced men, treated both thofe, the Englijh prifoners and the Indians^ with great in- folcnce and barbarity -, but more particularly the Indians^ for it was common for the meaneft of- ficers in the ihip to beat them moft ctuelly on the (lighteit pretences, and oftentimes only ta exert their fuperiprity. Onllana and his loir lowers, though in appearance fufficiently patient and fubmiflive, meditated a fevere revenge for all thefe inhumanities. As he converfed very well in Bpanijhy (thefe Indians having in time of peace a good intercourle with Buenos Ayres) he. siffefted to talk with fuch of the Englijh as under- f^ood that language, and feempd very defjrou* pf being ififormpd how many Englijbmen there were on bo^rd, ^nd which thpy were. A^ he knew that the Epglijh were as much enetpies to t\it Spaniards^ himfelf, he h^d ^oubtlefs an inr tei>tion of difpiofing his purpofe tp them, and making thepn parti^ers in th^ fghfn^e'h^ had pro- jcdted for reyen^rig his wrpngs, .and recovering^ hi^ liberty 5, l?ut having foundejd-^ep at. a din ftaiice, and aot finding thBP> f^pr^^lpit^k «^ vkndidliveas he e;«peded,' t§ !pf^^4^4 r¥> f^Pr ther with theip, but rc£0jv|d;'ti!'.T. ,n'''V1 :(^lU ( 43 ) capable of forming any project |fpr fupprefling the infurredtion, and recovering the poirelTioa of the ftiip. 1% is true, the yells of the Ind^ns^ the groans of the wounded, ^nd the confufed glamours pf the crew, Mi heightened by tlie ob- fcurity of the. night, had at firft greatly magni- fied their danger, and had filled them with the iniaginary terrors, which darknefs, dil'order, anci an ignorance of the real ftrcngth of an cneray jae.ycr iiiil to produce. For as the Spaniards wer^ fenfiblc of the difafl'edtion of their prcil hands, ^nd were alio confcious of their barbarity tmary oi Pizarro's ad/enruixsy i ihar nowt| return agaia ta the narration of our own tranf- ■ V • ''•'it* * i (47) •.•;^., j. .'.; kr '='^ ^'1 '■■■ , ^nr «y CHAP. IV. w From Madera to St. Catherine's, ' "*^ '' 1H AVE already rticntioned, thit on the 3d of November we weighed from Madera, after orders had been given to the Captains to rendez- vous at St. JagOy one of the Cape de Verd Iflands, in cafe the fquadron was feparated. But the next day, when we were got to fea, the Commodore confidering that the feafon was far advanced, and that touching at St. Jago would create a new delay, he for this reafon thought proper to alter his rendezvous, and to appoint the ifland of St. Catherine's^ on the coaft of Brazil^ to be the firft place to which the fliips of the fquadron were to repair in cafe of feparation. - - In our paflage to the Ifland of St. Catherine's^ we found the diredion of the trade-winds to differ confiderably from what we had reafon to exped, both from the general hiftories given of thefc winds, and the experience of former Navigators. For the learned Dr^ Haliey^ in his account of tht trade winds, which take place in the Ethiopic and Atlantic Ocfean, tells us, that from the latitude of 28® N, to the latitude of 10® N, there is ge- nerally a frefh gfek of N. E. wind, which towards the African fide rarely comes to the eaftward of E. N. E, or paffes to the northward of N. N. E : But on the American fide, the wind is fomewhat more eafterly, though mod comrtionly even there it is a point or two to the northward of the Eail : I That ! I I! I t; ,f ill 'jii '^ ■ I. * * i'\ I- J 'If Wi' i m p 1 1 ii: ( 48 ) - That from lo** N. to 4° N, the cahns and tor- nadoes take place ; and from 4? N. to 30^ S, the winds are generally and perpetually between the Soutli and the Eaft. This account we expeded to have verified by our own experience ; but we found confiderable variations from it, both in re- fpeft to the fteadinefs of the winds, and the quar- ter from whence they blew. For though we met with a N. E. wi d ab'-x tlie latitude of 28*^ N, yet from the latisAKle 0^ 25** to the latitude of 1 8* N, the wind w. s ncycr once to the northward of the Eaft, but on the coi.trary, almoft con- ftantly to the fouthward of it. However, from thence to the latitude of 6" : 20' N, we had it ufually to the northward of the Eaft, though not entirely, it having for a fhort time changed to E. S- E. From hence, to about 4° 46' N, the weather was very unfettled j fometimes the wind was N. E. then changed to S. E, and fometimes we had a dead calm, attended with fmall rain and lightning. After this, the wind continued almoft inavariably between the S. and E, to the latitude of 7** : 30' S -, and then again as inva- riabl]^ between the N and E, to the latitude of 15® ::^Q S; then E. and S. E, to 21" : 37'S. But after this, even to the latitude pf 27**,: 44' S, the wlhdyras never once between theS. and the E, though wc had it at times ip q\1 the, Other quarterko^^ the comp^fs. , But this l^ft cii*cum-- ftancc iTi'iy be in fomc feafure accounted fof,' from olir approach to thi main, continent of the" Brazils. I mention , not t^efe par ticulairis With i ' view of cavilling at the rffeiyed a(:couht$ of thefp trade-winds, wjuch I doubt hot are'ih ge-' ■* ,^ n^ral ( 49 ) neral fufficiently accurate 5^ but I thought it a matter worthy of public notice, that fuch devia- tions from the eftablilhed rules do fomctimes take place. This obfervation may not only be of fervice to Navigators, by putting them on their guard againft thefe hitherto unexpeded ir- regularities, but may perhaps contribute to the folution of that great queftion about the caufes of trade- winds j and monfoons, a queftion, which, in my opinion, has not been hitherto difcuffed with that clearuefs and accuracy, which its im- portance (whether it be confidered as a naval of philofophical inquiry) feems to demand. On the 1 6th oi November^ one of our Viflua^- lers made a fignal to fpeak with the Commodoi*., and we fhortened fail for her to come up with s. The Mafter came on board, and acquainted Iv.. . Jnfon^ that he had complied with the terms of his charter-party, and deflred to be unloaded ^d difmifled. Mr. Jt^on^ on confulting the Captains of the fquadron, found all the fhips had ftill fuch quantities of provifion between their decks, and were withal fo deep, that they could not without great difficulty take in their feVeral propdrtions of brandy from the Tnduftry PtnJ^^ one of th^ Victuallers only : And confequqntjy he was pbriged.,to continue the other of them,, the Anna,Pinkp\Ti the fe^vlce.of attending this.. fqua- drpn.; And* the nejft 4ay tlie ,Com|pod^^^ made a fign^aj fpr! t|ie .fhips to faring to, apcf ^|(>. take on board their Ihares of the brandy from the Indttftry Ptnk ; and in this,,^ tjie long-boats of the fquadron were emplayed the three fQllpwing days, that is, till the 1 9th in the evening, when E th< ; ,r t ■f , I i !,T I I ■1 li',' ( 50 ) the Fink beinp; unloaded, Ihe parted company with us, being bound for Barbadoes, there to take in a freight for England. Moft of the Of- ficers of the fquadron took the opportunity of writing to their friends at home by this fnip j but flie was afterwards, as I have been fince in- formed, unhappily taken by the Spaniards. On the 20th oi Nov ember y the Captains of the fquadron reprefented to the Commodore, that their fhips companies were very fickly,. and that it was their own opinion as well as their furgeons, that it would tend to the prefervation of the men £0 let in more air between decks •, but that their fliips were fo deep, they could not poflibly opca their lower ports. On this reprefentation^ the Commodore ordered fix air fcuttles to be cut ift each fhip, in fuch places where they would ieafl weaken it. • •., - ■• And on this occafion I cannot but obfervcy how much it is the duty of all thofe, who either by of- fice or authority,, have any influence in the direc- tion of our naval afifairs, to attend to this impor- tant article, the prefervation of the lives and health of our feamen. If it covdd be fuppofed that the motives of humanity were infufficient for this purpofe^ yet policy, and a regard to the fuc- cels of our arms, and the intereft and honour of each particular Commander, (hould naturally lead us to a careful and impartial examination of every probable method propofed for maintaining a fhip's crew in health and vigour. But hath this been nlways done I Have the late invented plain and obvious methods of keeping our Ihips fweet i:nd .. " clean. (sO clean, by a conftant fupply of frelh air, been confidercd with that candour and temper, which the great benefits promifed hereby ought natu- rally to have infpired ? On the contrary, have not thefe falutary fchemes been often treated with negledt and contempt ? And have not fume of thofe who have been entrufled with experiment- ing their effects, been guilty of the moft inde- fenfible partiality, in the accounts they have given of thefe trials ? Indeed, it muft be con- feffed, that many diftinguifhcJ perfons, both in the diredlion and command of our fleets, have exerted themfelves on thefe occafions with a ju- dicious and difpafllonate examination., becoming the interefting nature of the inquiry ; but the wonder is, that any could be found irrational enough to adl a contrary part, in defpight of the ftrongeft di<5lates of prudence and humanity. I muft however own, that I do not believe this condud: to have arifen from motives fo faVage, as the firft refledion thereon does naturally fug- geft : But I rather impute it to an obftinate, and in fome degree, fuperftitious attachment to fuch pradices as have been long eftablilhcd, and to a fettled contempt and hatred of all kinds of innovations, efpecially fuch as art projecVed by landmen and perfons refiding on fhore. But let us return from tlife, I hope not, impertinent digrefTion. } r$f, w^ - i -' ■ > '4 • • '-<■ -^^-^^ ■ ^jl We crofled the equinodial witli a fine ffeih g^Ie at S. E, on Friday the 28 th oi November, at four in the morning, being then in the longitude of 2y^ : 59' W* from London. And on \ly^ 2d of ^tcember^ in the morning, we faw a fail in the E 2 N. V/, (52 ) iri r>3*ibir:jrf »; 1, ■J m\ I ! [ 1 N. W. quarter, and made the Glcfucejier^s and TryaPs fignals to chafe ; and half an hour after, we let our reefs and chafed with the fquidron ; and about noon a fignal was made for thcfVager to take our remaining'Viifhiallcr, tht Anna Pink^ in tow. But at feven in the evening, findings we did not near the chace, and that the Wager was very far a-ftern, we Shortened fail, and made a (ignal for the cruifers to join the iquadron. The next day but one we again difcovered a fail, which, on a -nearer approach, we judged to be the fame vefTel. We chafed her the whole day, and though we rather gained upon her, yet night came on before we could overtake her, and obliged* us to give over the chace, to colled our fcattercd fquadron. We were much chagrined at the efcape of this veflel, as we then appre- hended her to be an advice-boat fent from Old Spain to Buenos Ayres^ with notice of our expedi- tion. But we have ^ fince learnt, that we were deceived \ti. this cQKije^re, and that it was our Eafl-'Jndia Company's Packet bound to St. He/enaf: , Si _ ^u.un.u. . nii On the jotii oi December ^ being by our ac» counts in the latitude of 20^ S, and 2,^^ - 3q' longit^4^ Weft from JjondoHy the Tryal fired a gun to^.j^/ioie foundings. We immediately founded, ,^i?id found fixty fathom water, the bot- tom 9q^rfg groynd wi^h broken (hells. The Tryal l)eiij)g^a-hea4 of us, had at one time thirty- fevea fatpoi^, which afterwards increafed to 90 : And then ibp. found n9tttom,whiclv happened to us too at our fecori3 trials though we founded with f.^ (53 ) With a hundred and fifty fathom of line. This is the (hoal which is laid down in mod charts by the name of the Abr olios ; and it appeared we were upon the very edge of it j perhaps farther in, it may be extremely dangerous. We were then, by our different accounts, from ninety ta fixty lejLgues Eaft of the coaft of Brazil. The next day but one we fpoke with a Portn^eze Brigantine from Rio Janeiro^ bound tP B^M^ M Udos Santos, who informed us, that. We were thirty-four leagues from Caj^ St. Thomas, and forty leagues from Cape Frio, which laft bore from us W. S. W. By our accounts we were near eighty leagues from Cape Frio •, and tho% on the information of this Brigantine, we altered our courfe, and ftood more to the fouthward, yet by our coming in w^ith the land afterwards, we were fully convinced that our reckoning was much correder than our Porfugueze intelligence. We found a confiderable current fetrmg to the feuthward, after we had pafled the latitude of 16® S. And the fame tO(M place all along the coall of Brazil, and even to the* fouthward of the river of Plate, it amounting fometlmes to tMrty miles in twenty-'four Hours, and 6nce to above forty miles. '^ ^"^ "^uujjjtii ->ilj m ^jtnuyj' If thiS'^nrrent is occafioned (as it is mofl pro- bable) '% the running ofT 6f the wate^;' accu- rtiulat^d oh*' fhe' coaft of Brazil by thev^btlftant fwkping'''df tht eaftern- trade-wind^ "^^tr the EthiopicOtM, then it is moft nafuJfif to^'liTp- pofe, that its general cotiffc ir> d'ererriliirf^c| by the , Ije^rlhgS bF the' adja^erit fllof^; • Peil^rpVoo - =- E-j^ m ^almofl ,/• \ .♦^ ;" « ') i^nfi i.^H^j^jv;;- )• *^Min •>""'^' ' * =•' •'•' f"- ;:• .*•! I'ln j(in(0 jo'!i^ • ••':'r'Ti*in 'Jvrri ;. •■ ; '! > ri^ •/'. ri Jf!;«j{i(Yin ^noc^: ■• ws^, A:' \'\''''^'^- ■':. \\ Y'i .'■"'. ''iG/ '►'iN^l jn'^ni.'>".'y !'■'•'' ,^^o•y')':' vvi;i^ n.3 bnuoi «i-:-»rlw viov- f' 5;1T .YbjjDn-v:--!!? moHiii^ ovB i/nc xft b^.^! :^v -jL>upl ^d? ii?iw niiJ^ii b^rl^^bv/ !>'-v ^-.nii'norn :J7" .•>nod6ani3iol ov.^^ -^rh 3vod£ nuj oi i:iljfo ni jiotr ?i;nift.*j tjflj b3li£-> ?is H^iHv/- f-bi^nobn^m aviid fr-v 'bm/ol 5fl3 woa bn A ,.r«RV*^ .i2 bn;i ^:\ivO s^\i\j.c"! • ,7t;o} 3TNW ni£M oHj bnr, bni.!!! 0H3 -q33w;j3d r.;;., .^;A. ,b.c?.uo*!^ \bbi.rm rbiw ^rnorlul xft boK \ "' bxnj'ixA •; ;**- y^ , y, IiTfV/ 'I I ' JM I i. ^> i' \6 ! I (58) '•'i^'^*." ♦ .-r I !'?!' ' ')• '/ '> CHAP. V. . VfSf rj'' 1» Proceedings at St. Catherine's, and a defcrip- tion of the place, with a fhort account of -" Brazil, ?'"-' '^ ' ^ ,-: -- ' " ivv^M*M iO ..»'!'^ V '♦^ rr: ' '■>», ' •: . •• :'^ ■•■•* ■ Mill OU R firfl care, after having moored our Ihips, was to fend our fick men on fhore, each ihip being ordered by the Commodore to cred two tents for that piirpofe : One of them for the reception of the difeafed, and the other for the accommodation of the furgeon and his afllftants. We fent about eighty fick from the Centurion, and tlie other fhips I believe fent nearly as many, in proportion to the number of their hands. As foon as we had performed this neceffary duty, we fcraped our decks, and gave our fhip a thorough cleanfmg •, then fmoked it between decks, and after all wafhed every part well with vinegar. Thefe operations were ex- tremely neceffary for correcting the noifom Itench on board, and deftroying the vermin ; fcr from the number of our men, and the heat of the cli- mate, both thefe nuifances had increafed upon us to a very loathfome degree, and befides being moft intolerably offenfive, they were doubtlefs in fome fort productive of the ficknefs we had laboured under for a confiderable time, before CMr 1! rival ^t this Ifland. Our next employment was wooding and wa- tCiing our fquadron, ':aulking our Ihips fides and --— ■" rir—T"^"'' .( 59 ) and decks, overhaling our rigging, and fecur- ing our mafts againft the tempeftuous weather we were, in all probability, to meet with in our paflage round Cape Horn, in fo advanced and in- convenient a feafon. But before I engage in the particulars of thefe tranfadions, it will not be improper to give fome account of the prefent ftate of this Ifland of St. Cathei ine'Sy and of the neighbouring country; both as the circumftances of this place are now greatly changed from what they were in the time of former writers, and as thefe changes laid us under many more difficul- ties and perplexities than we had reafon to ex- pe6l, or than other Britijh fhips, hereafter bound to the South-Seas, may perhaps think it prudent to ftruggle with. ~ This Ifland is efteemed 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°. Al- though it oe of a confiderable height, yet it is fcarce dif<. ernible at the diftance of ten leagues, being then obfcured under the continent of BraziU whiofe mountains are exceeding high but on a nearer approach it is eafy to be dift' *- guilhed, and may be readily known by a num- ber of fmall Iflands lying at each end, and fc at- tered along the Eall fide of it. In the ..ce marked (Plate i.) there is exhibited a very e.^ud: view of the N. E. end of the Ifland, where [a) is its N. E. point, as it appears when it bears N. W. m \W n ■ '•>!'■ I .1 [,'M I' t .4 l"A i >;i^ ii'i' 'I i ! (60) N. W. And (^) is the fmall Ifland of Alvoredo; bearing N. N. W, at the diftance of 7 leagues. The bed entrance to the harbour is between the point {a) and the Ifland of Ahoredo^ where fhrps may pafs under the guidance of their lead, with- out the Icaft appirehenfions of danger. The view of this North entrance of the harbour is reprc- fented in the fecond plate, where {a) is the N. W. end of St. Catherine's Ifland, {b) Parrot Ifland^ (c) a battery on St. Catherine's^ and (^) a battery on a imall Ifland near the continent. Frezier has given a draught of this Ifland of St. Catherine's, and of the neighbouring coa(^, and the minuter ifles adjacent -, but he has bjr miftake called the Ifland of Jhoredo t\\t Ifle de Galy whereas the true Ifle de Gal lies feven or eight miles to the North-wefl:ward of it, arid is much fmaller. He has alfo called an Ifland, to the fouthward of St. Catherine's, Acvoredo, and has omitted the Ifland Mafaqui'a j in other re- fpeds his plan is fuffidently exad.''^^ ''' ^^''''''^^ The North entrance of the harbour is in breadth about five miles, and the dift:ance from thence to the Ifland of St. Antonio is eight milesi," and the courfe from the entrance to St. Anionic is S. S. W, T W. About the middle of the Ifland the harbour is contracted by two points of land' to a narrow channel, no more than a quarter of a mile'broTid i and to defend this pafllage, a bat-^ tery was erecting on the point of land oh' tht"' Ifland fldc. But this feems to be a very ulclefk work, as the channel has no more than two fa- i i.*' tlrom water, and conicquentiy is ntivigtble only for barks and -boats, and therefore feems to be a palTage that an enemy could have no induce- ment to attempt, erpecially as the common pal- fage at the North end of the Ifland is fo broad and fafe, that no fquadron can be prevented from coming in by any of their fortifications, when the fea-breeze is made. However, the Brigadier Don Jofe Sylva de Paz, the Governor of this fettlement, is eftcemed an expert Engi- neer, and he doubtlefs underllands one branch of his bufmcfs very well, which is the advan- tages which new works bring to thofe who are cntrufted with the care of crcding them : For befides the battery mentioned above, tliere are three other forts carrying en for the defence of the harbour, none of which ;.-.re yet com] k '.:ed. The firll of thefe, called St. Juan, is built (>n a point of St. Cathirine's near Parrot JJland \ the fecond, in form of a hdf moon, is on tho Ifland of St, Antonio ', and the third, which feer/'S lo be the chief, and has ibm.e appearance of a re gular fortification, is tm an Ifland near, the cop tj^ient, where the Governor refidcs. . - , . , , < The foil of the Ifland is truly luxuri^at, pro- ducing fridts of mofl: kinds fpontaneouljy. j .and tlie. ground is covered oyer with one ,CGaiiiiued foreft of .trees of a perpetual vergjure, y/iiif^i from the. exuberance of the ibil, are io„?nta^gk4. "^V^t^* briars, thorns, and uudiErw,opd,ja.s ;,Q,^fq^;■nl a thicket abfolutely innjenctrabic, except by loine n^rpw pathways which the inhabitaiits have made '•0> ; ' i f'l i 'P (62) made for their own convenience. Thefe, with a few fpots cleared for plantations along the Ihore facing the continent, are the only unco- vered parts of the Ifland. The woods are ex- tremely fragrant, from the many aromatic trees and fhrubs withi which they abound ; and the fruits and vegetables of all climates thrive here, almoll without culture, and are to be pro- cured in great plenty •, fo that here is no want Oi pine-apples, peaches, grapes, oranges, le- mons, citrons, melons, apricots, nor plantains. There are befides great abundance of two other productions of no fmall confideration for a fea- ftore, I mean onions and potatoes. The provi- fions of other kinds are however inferior to their vegetables : There are fmall wild cattle to be purchafed, fomewhat like buffaloes, but thefe are very indifferent food, their flelh being of a loofe contexture, and generally of a difagreeable flavour, which is probably owing to the wild calabafh on which they feed. There arc like- wife great plenty of pheafants, but they are much inferior in tafle t3 thole we have in Eng" land. The other provifions of the place arc monkeys, parrots, and fifh of various forts, which abound in the harbour, and are all ex- ceeding good, and are eafily catched, for there are a great number of fmall fandy bays very cor^- ven lent for haling the Seyne. * ' t • ^i oi The water both on the Ifland and the oppo- fite continent is excellent, and prefer ves at fea as well as that of the Thames. For after k hag been (65) been in the cafk a day or two it begins to purge itfelf, and (links moll intolerably, and is foon covered over with a green fcum : But this, in a few days, fubfides to the bottom, and leaves the water as clear as chryftal, and perfedly fweet. The French (who, during their South-Sea trade in Queen Anne'^ reign tirft brought this place into repute) ufually wooded and watered in Bott Port, on the continent fide, where they likewife anchored with great fafety in fix fathom water » and this is doiibtlefs the moft commodious road for fuch (hips as intend to make only i Ihort flay. But we watered on the St. Catherine's fide, at a plantation oppofite to the IQand of St. Art" tonio. Thefe are the advantages of this Ifland of St. Catherine's -, but there are many inconveni- cncies attending it, partly from its climate^ but more from its new regulations, and the late form of government eilabiilhed there. With regard to the climate, it mull be remembred, that the woods and hills which furround the harbour^ prevent a free circulation of the air. Arid the vigorous vegetation which conilantly takes place there, furniflies fuch a prodigious quantity of vapour, that ail the night and a great part of the morning a thick fog covers the whole country, and continues till either the fun gathers ftrength to diflipate it, or it is difperfed by a brilk fea- breeze. Tliis renders the place clofe.and hu- mid, and probably occafioned the many fevers and fluxes we were there afiib^ed with. To . . theic V. ' Mi' ( 64 ) thefe exceptions I muft not omit to add, that all the day wc were peftered with great numbers of mufcatos, which are not much unUke the gnats in England^ but more vencmous in their ilingi. And at fun-fet, when the mufcatos re- tired, they were fucceeded by an infinity of fand- flies,which, though fcarte difcernible to the naked eye, make a mighty buzzing, and wherever they bite raife a fmali bump in the flefh,which is foon attended with a painful itching, like that arifing from the bite of an Engli(h harveft bug. ? r • .t But as the only light in which this place de- ferves our confideration, is its favourable fitua- tion for fupplying and refrefhing our cruifers in- tended for the South-Seas : In this view its great- eil inconveniencies remain ftill to be related ; and to do this more diftindly, it will not be amifs to confider the changes which it lias lately undergone, both in its inhabitants, its police, and its governor. v.i.n wv, s, nnaii 'uw •«» ^ In the time of Frezier and Shehockej this place ferved only as a retreat to vagabonds and outlaws, who fled thither from all parts of Brazil. They did indeed acknowledge a fubjedionto the Crown of Portugal^ and had a perfon among them whom they called their Captain, who was confidered in fome fort as their Governor : But both their al- legiance to their King, and their obedience to their Captain, feemcd to be little more than verbal. For as they had plenty of pro vifions but no money, they were in a condition to fupport themfelvfs without the afliftance of any neighbouring fettle- ments, and had not amongft them the means of tempt- (65) Governor ing any adjacent Governor to bufy hlb au- thority about them. In this fituation they were extremely hofpitable and friendly to fuch foreign Ihips as came amongft them. For theie fliips wanted only provifums, of which the natives had great ftore -, and the natives wanting clothes, (for they often defpifed money, and refufed to take it) which the fh'-ps furnifhed them with in exchange for their provifions, both fides found their account in this traffic ; and their Captain or Governor had neither power nor intcreft to re- ftrain it or to tax it. But of late (for reaibns which Ihall be hereafter mentioned) thefe honell vaga- bojids have been obliged to receive amongft them a new colony, and to fubmit to new laws and go- vernment. Inftead of their former ragged bare legged Captain (whom however they took care to keep innocent) they have now the honour to be governed by Don Jofe Sylva de Paz^ a Brigadier of the armies of Portugal. This Gentleman has with him a garrifon of folders, and has.confe- quently a more extenfive and better fupported power than any of his predecciTors, and as he wears better clothes, and lives more fplcndidly, and has befides a much bet^er^ knowlqqlge.of the importance of money than they could, cjve-r pre^ tdndtp.: Su! he puts in pradice, certain methods of procuriog it, wi til which M they ;Wq-e.. latterly unacquain^ted. . But; ; it. ^p^y j • be, much jjf^ubted, if; thtt ■ : inhabitants , . ^onfii^er ,^tiiele metjw^^ ^^ tending tp promote eitlier-.their intcrefts, ,or that of their Sovereign tlxeivKing of iV/«^ii/. This ii cejtj4^), riwt his b|:;lj\;?.yiuyr caimat »b.at be ex- I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ :^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■ 50 ""^^ Hi ii& 12.0 lit 2.5 2.2 I 1.4 1.6 V] ^>. ''V> /A Photographic Sciences Corporation \ % 23 WIST MAM STRUT WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716)872-4503 '^^ ; f *. til lli ■i lii jr (66) tf emely embarrafling to fuch Brttijb Alps as touch there in their way to the South-Seas. For one of Jiis pradtices was placing centinels at all the avenues, to prevent the people from felling us any refrefhments, except at fuch exorbitant rates as we could not afford to give. His pretence for this extraordinary ftretch of power was, that he was obliged to preferve their provifions for upwards of an hundred families, which they daily expeded to reinforce their colony. Hence he appears to be no novice in his profeffion,. by his readinefs at inventing a plaufible pretence for his interefted management. However, this, though fufRciendy provoking, was far from being the moft exceptionable part of his condu6t. For by the neighbourhood of the river Plate^ a confide- rable fmugghng traffic is carried on between the Porttigiiefe and the Spaniards^ efpecially in the exchanging gold for filver, by which both Princes are defrauded of their fifths, and in this prohi- bited commerce Don Jofe was fo deeply engaged^ that in order to ingratiate himfelf with his SpaniJIj correfpondents (for no other reafon can be given for his procedure) he treacheroufly difpatched an exprefs to Buenos j^res in the river of Plate^ where Pizarro then lay^ with an account of our arrival, ' and of the ftrength of our fquadron ; particularly the number of fhips, guns and men, and every circumftance which he could fuppofc cur enemy dcfirous of being acquainted with. And the fame perfidy every BrUiJh cruizer may cxped,. who touches at St. Catherine's^ while it is under the Government of Vonjafe Sylva de Paz. 4 Thus 1 il '-( m ■'\ .'(■> ( 67 ) .' Thus much, with what we fhall be necefllta- ted to relate in the courfe of our own proceedings may fuffice as to the prefent ftate of St. Catherine's^ and the charafter of its Governor. But as the reader may be defirous of knowing to what caufes the late new modelHng of this fcttlement is ow- ing; to fatisfy him in this particular, it will be neceflary to give a fhort account of the adjacent continent of Brazil, and of the wonderful dif- coveries which have been made there v/ithin this laft forty years, which, from a country of but mean cftimation, has rendered it now perhaps the moll. tonfiderable colony on the face of the globe. This countt'y was firft difcovered hyylmericus Vefputio?i Florentine, Who had the good fortune to be honoured with giving his name to the immenfe continent, fomc time before found out by Colum- bus : He being in the fcrvice of the Portuguefe, it was fettled and planted by that Nation, and with the other dominions of Portugal, devolved to the Crown of Spain^ when that Kingdom be- came fubje6t to it. During the long war between Spain and the State of Holland, the Dutch pofiefled themfelves of the northermoft part of Brazil, and were maftcrs of it for fome years. But when the Portuguefe revolted from the Spani/h Government, this country took part in the revolt, and foon repoflelTed themfelves of the places the Dutch had taken ; fmce which time it has continued without interruption under the Crown of Por- tugal, being, till the beginning of the prefent cen- tury, only produdive of fugar, and tobacco, and SL few other commodities of ver/ little account. f; .1 n wii ,iiaiim^ii^t>iT«' i ■!* 1 1 ( 73 ) prohibited from employing above eight hundred flaves in fearching after them. And to prevent any of his other fubjedts from a6ling the fame part, and likewife to fecure the Company from being defrauded by the interfering of interlopers in their trade, he has depopulated a large town, and a confiderable diftrift round it, and has obliged the inhabitants, who are faid to amount to fix thoufand, to remove to another part of the country •, for this town being in the neigh- bourhood of the diamonds, it was thought im- poflible to prevent fuch a number of people, who were on the fpot, from frequently fmug- gling. In confequence of thefe important difcoveriea in Brazil^ new laws, new governments, and new regulations have been eftablilhed in many parts of the country. For not long fince, a confiderable tradb, pofTefled by a fet of inhabi- tants, who from their principal fettlement were called Paulifts^ was almoft independent of the Crown of Portugal^ to which they fcarcely ac- knowledged more than a nominal allegiance. Thefe are faid to be defcendants of thofe Portu-^ guefe^ who retired from the northern part of Brazil^ when it was invaded and pofieffed by the Dutch. And being for a long time negled:- ed and obliged to provide for their own fecuricy and defence, the neceffity of their affairs pro- duced a kind of government amongit them, which they found fufficient for the confined man- ner . of life to which they were inured. And - ui . . there- 'll; I ^i.} ' L ^' ■. . ,1 Is m a 1. Is (74) therefore rejecting and defpifing the authority^ and mandate of the Court of Ltfion^ they were often engaged in a ftate pf downright rebelhon : jfVnd the mountains furrounding their countiry, ^d the difficulty of clearing the few paffages ^t open into it, generally put it in their power to make their own terms before they fobmitted. But as gold was found to abound k> this country of the PauUJlsy the prefent King of Portugal (during whofe reign almoft the whole difcoveries I have mentioned were begun ;^d compleated) thought it incumbent on hin> to reduce this province, which now became of great confequence, to the fame dependency and obedience with the reft of the country, which, I am told, he has at laft, though with great dif" Acuity, happily effefted. And the fame mo- lives which induced his Majefty to undertake the reduction of the Paulifis^ has alfo occafioned the changes I have mentioned, to have talcen place at the Ifland of St. Catherine's, For the Governor of Rio Grande, of whom I have already fpoken, allured us, that in the neighbourhood of rhis Ifland there were confiderable rivers which were found to be extremely rich, and that this was the reafon that a garrifon, a military Governor, and a new colony was fettled there. ■ And as the harbour at this Ifland is by much the fecureft and the moft capacious of any on the coaft, it is not improbable, if the riches of the ■' neighbourhood anfwer their expe(ftation, but it - may become in time the principal Settlement in "Kt^:. ; Brazil^ (75) Brazil^ and the moft confiderable port la all Soxjth /Imerica. v * s . • : . ♦. Thus much I have thought neceflary to inHert, in relation to the prelcnt ftate of Brazil^ and of the Ifland of St. Catherine's. For as this lad. place has been generally recommended as the. moft eligible port for our cruifers to refrefli at, -which are bound to the South-Seas^ I believed it to be my duty to inftrudl my countrymen, ia the hitherto unfufpedted inconveniencies which attend that place. And as the Brazilian gold and diamonds are fubjeds, about which, from their novelty, very few particulars have been hitherto publifhed, I conceived this account I had col- le6ted of them, would appear to the reader tp be neither a trifling nor a ufelefs digreflion, Thefe fubjefts being thus difpatched, I fliall now return to the feries of our own proceedings. ^ ..j When we firft arrived at St. Catherine's^ we were employed in refrelhing our fick on fhore, in wooding and watering the fquadron, cleanf- ing our fhips, and examining and fecuring our mafts and rigging, as I have already obferved in the foregoing chapter. At the fame time Mr. y^nfon gave directions, that the fhips com- panies fhould be fupplied with frefh meat, and that they fhould be vidualled with whole allow- ance of all the kinds of provifion. In confe- quence of thefe orders, we had frefh beef fent on, '? board us continually for our daily expence, and, what was wanting to make up our allowance we ' received from oyr Vidyaller the J/tna Pink^ in order -I ri,l I I. .,» 1. (76) order to prcferve the provifions on board our fquadron entire for our future fervicc. The fea- fon of the year growing each day lefs favourable for our pafTagc round Cape I lorn y Mr. Anfon was very defirous of leaving this place aflbon as pofTible; and we were at firft in hopes that our whole bufinefs would be done, and we fhould be in a readincfs to fail in about a fortnight from our arrival : But, on examining the 'Tryal*s> mads, we, to our no fmall vexation, found inevitable employment for twice that time. For, on a furvey, it was found that the main-mad was fprung at the upper woulding, though it was thought capable of being fecured by a couple of fiflies ; but the fore-mad was reported to be un- fit for fervice, and thereupon the Carpenters were fent into the woods, to endeavour to find a dick proper for a fore-mad. 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 conful- tation about the old fore-mad, when it was agreed to endeavour to fecure it by cafmg it with three fiflies : And in this work the Carpenters were employed, till within a day or two of our failing. In the mean time, the Commodore thinking it neceflary to have a clean veffel on our arrival in the South-Seas^ ordered the ^ryal to be hove down, as this would not occafion any lofs of time, but might be compleated while the Carpenters were refitting her mads, which was done on' fliore. ""* ' . . ; < • • . }*■:. On ■ ■J*- (77) On the 27th of December we difcovercd a fail in the offing, and not knowing but flie might be a Spaniard^ the eighteen oarcd-boat was manned and armed, and fent under the com- mand of our fc<.ond Lieutenant, to examine her, before Ihc arrived within the proteftion of the forts. She proved to be a Portuguefe Brigantine from Rio Grande. And though our Officer, as it appeared on inquiry, had behaved with the utmofb cjvihty to the Mafter, and had refufed to accept a cah", which the Mafter would have forced on him as a prefent : Yet the Governor took great offence at our fending our boat ; and talked of it in a high ftrain, as a violation of the peace fubfifting between the Crowns of Creai- Britain and Portugal. We at firfl imputed this ridiculous blufteriiig to no deeper a caufe, than Don Jofe\ infolence ; but as we found he pro- ceeded fo far as to charge our Officer with be- having rudely, and opening letters, and parti- cularly with an attempt to take out of the veffel, by violence, the very calf which we knew he had refufed to receive as a prefent, (a circum- flance which we were fatisfied the Governor was well acquainted with) we had hence reafon to fufpedt, that he purpofely fought this quarrel, and had more important motives for engaging in it, than the mere captious biafs of his temper. What thefe motives were, it was not fo eafy for us to determine at that time ; but as we after- wards found by letters, which fell into our hands in the Scuib-Seas^ that he had difpatchcd an ex- ».'•». % ;ii *;. 'It'- n ■'% t78) ipfefs to Btienos Ayres^ where Pizarro then lay^ with an account of our fquadron's arrival at St. Catherine's, together with the moft ample and circumftantial intelligence of our force and •condition, we thence conjedlured that Don 7»- 1 1 ■'••)- 1 ^i^-)%vi ilvflT uh)i[ .u^.i oiai ?au^; I'^'^r^ ■luchlo J i!Vf.fl qii^) <} )i.') iAiH .dnw b5ilqfn'>::> .I'-i-id znoit Ih hay r~Ajii\\\ jW^^ Jiodl UO oi!v; rS' ;I^ld." 111 mi; CHAP. (8o) . /, » ,1- ,^, CHAP. VI. The run from St. Catherine's to port St. Ju- liariy with feme account of that port, and of the country to the fouthward of the river of Plate, II jli >i : i- !ii IN leaving St. Catherine's, we left the laft ami- cable port we propofed to touch at, and were now proceeding to an hoflile, or at beft, a defart and inhofpitable coaft. And as we wero to expert a more boifterous climate to the fouth- ward than any we had yet experienced, 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 pof- fible to be provided againft. And therefore Mr. Anfon, in appointing the various ftations at which the Ihips of the fquadron were to rendez- vous, had confidered, that it was pofTible his own Ihip might be difabied from getting round Cape Horn, or might be loft, and had given proper directions, that even in that cafe the ex- pedition fhould not be abandoned. For the or- ders delivered to the Captains, the day before we failed from St. Catherine's, were, that in cafe of feparation, which they were with the utmoft care to endeavour to avoid, the firft place of rendezvous fhould be the bay of port St. Ju- lian i defcribing the place from Sir John Nar^ hrough's ( 8i ) Ifcrcugh's account of it : There they were to lupply themielves with as much fait as they could take in, both for thtir own ufc, and for the ufe of the fquadron -, and if, after a flay there of ten days, they v/crc not joined by the Commodore, they were then to proceed through Streights le Maire round Cape Horn, into the South-Seas, where the next place of rendezvous was to be the Ifland of Noftra Senora del Socoroj in the latitude of 45 '^ South, and longitude from the Lizard yi° : 12' Well. They were to bring this Ifland to bear E. N. E, and to cruife from five to twelve leagues diftance froni it, as long as their flore of wood and v/atcr would permit, both which they were to expend with the utmoil frugality. And when they were under an abib- lute necefiity of a frefti fupply, they were to Hand in, and endeavour to find out an anchor- ing place ; and in cafe they could not, and the weather made it dangerous to fupply their fhips by {landing off and on, they were then to make the bell of rheir way to the Ifland of Juan Fer- nandes, in the latitude of 33^ : 3 7' South. Ani as foon as they had there recruited their wool and water, they were to continue cruifing off the anchoring place of that Ifland for fifty-fix days ; in which i» ne, if they were not joined by the Commodore, they might conclude that fome accident had befallen him, and they were forth- with to put themfelves under the command of the fenior Officer, who was to ufe his utmoil endeavours to annoy the enemy both by fea and land. That with thefe views their new Com- •■•.• G mydorc •; S ir (j. H u 1 W IB ' If '«J; ( 82 ) modore was to continue in thofe feas as long as his provifions lafted, or as long as they were re- cruited by what he (lioiild take from tlte enemy, rcferving only a fufficient quantity to carry l\im and the lliips under his command to Macao, at the entrance of the river Tigris near Canton on the coaft of Chifja, where having fupplied him- felf with a new (lock of provifions, he was thence, without delay, to make the beft of his way to England. And as it was found impofli- ble as yet to unload our VidtuiUer the JnnaPink^ the Commodore gave the Mafter of her the fame rendezvous, and the fame orders to put himfelf under the command of the remaining fcnior Officer. !nv--t(. 'jfWk '■i'f/'|^ir| f^'-.-7 Under thefc orders the fquadron failed from St. Cat-herine^s^ on Sunday the 1 8 th of January^ as hath been already mentioned in the preceding chapter. The next day we had very fqually weather, attended with rain, lightning and thunder, but it foon became fair again with light breezes, and continued thus till tVednefday evening, when it blewfrefh again; and encreaf- ing all night, by eight the next morning it be- came a moft violent ftorm, and we had with it fo thick a fog, that it was impofiible to fee at the jdiftance of two Ihips 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 immediately handed the topfails, bunted the main-fail, and lay to under a reefed inizen till noonj when the fog difperfed, and ^:'C^■ •- we at the gnai the Eaft. ails, efed and we (83) we foon difcovered all the IViips of the fquadron except the Pearly who did not join us till near a month afterwards. The Tryal Sloop was a grc.;t way to leeward, having loft her main-maft in this fquall, and having been obliged, for fear of bilging, to cut away the raft. We bore down with the fquadron to her relief, and the Glou- cefter 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 eaftward, in confequence of the preceding ftorm. '' After this accident we flood to the fouthward with little interruption, and here we experienced the fame fetting of the current, v/hich \Ve had obferved before our arrival at St. Catherine's ; that is, we generally found ourfclves to the foutnward of our reckoning, by about twenty miles each day. This error continued, with a little variation, till we had palled the latitude of the river of Plate ; and even then, we found that the fame current, however difficult to be accounted for, did yet undoubtedly take place ; for we were not fatisfied in deducing it from the error in our reckoning, but we adually tried it more than once, when a calm madd ic pradicable. ^ When we had pafled the latitude of the river of Plafe^ we had foundings all along the coaft of Patagonia. Thefe foundings, when well af- certained, being of great ufe in determining the pbfition of the fhip, and we having tried them more frequently, in greater depths, and with more attention, than I believe had been done G 2 before M X'^^ I I il^tif ' .'! (!■ T ( 84) before us, I fhall recite our obfervations as fuC' cinftly as I can, referring to the chart hereafter inferted in the ninth chapter of this book, for a general view of the whole. In the lati':ude of 36^ : 52' we liad fixty fathom of water, with a bottom of fine black and grey fand •, from thence, to 39° : 55', we varied our depths from fifty to eighty fathom, though we ^ad conftant- ly the fame bottom as before ; between the laft mentioned latitude, and 43 '^ : 16', we had only fine grey fand, with the fame variation of depths, except that we once or twice leflcned our water to forty fathom. After this, we continued in forty fathom for about half a degree, having a bottom of coarfe fand and broken- fhells, at Vvhich time we were in fight of Und? ^nd not above feven leagues from it : As we edged from the land we met with variety of foundings -, firft black fand, then muddy, and foon after rough ground with Hones j but then encreafing our water to forty-eight fathom, we had a muddy bottom to the latitude of 46° : 10'. We then returned again in tlijrty-fix fathom, and kept fhoaling our water, till at length we came into twelve fathom, having conftantly fmall flones and pebbles at the bottom. Part of this time wc had a view of Cape Blanco, which lies in about the latitude of 46^ : 52', and longitude Well from London 66^ : 43'. This is the moft re- markable land upon the coaft : Two very exaA views of it are exhibited in the third plate, where (^) reprcfents the Cape itfelf j thefe draughts will fully enable future Voyagers to diflinguilh (%'• « It. It. ( 85 ) it. Steering from hence S. by E. neariy, we, in a run of about thirty leagues, deepened our water to fifty fathom, without once altering the bottom i and then drawing towards the fhore with a S. W. courfe, varying rather to the weft- ward, we had every where a Tandy bottom, till our coming into thirty fathom, where we had again a fight of land diftant from us, about eight leagues, lying in the latitude of 48 '^ : 31'. We made this land on the 1 7th of February^ and at five in the afternoon we came to an anchor upon the fame bottom, in the latitude of 48^ . 58', the fouthermoft land then in view bearing S. S. W, the northcrmoft N. I E, a fmall Ifland •N. W, and the weftermoft hum.mock W. S. W. In this ftation we found the tide to fet S. by W -, and weighing again at five the next morning, we, an hour afterwards, difcovered a Hiil, upon which the Severn and Gloucejier were both direct- ed to givechace •, but we foon perceived it to be the Pearly which ftparated from us a few days after we left St. Catherine'* s^ and on this we made a fignal for the Severn to rejoin the fquudron, leaving the Gloucejier alone in the purfuit. And now we were furprized to fee, that on the Glou- if/ler''s approach, the people on board the Pearl increafed their fail, and ftood trom her. How- ever, the Gloucejier came up with them, biit found them with their hammocks in their net- tings, and every thing ready for an engage- ment. At two in the afternoon the PearlynnQd us, and running up under our ftern. Lieutenant Salt hailed the Commodore, and acquainted him G 3 that III ' I (J 'ill ( 86) that Captain Kidd died on the ^^ift oi January, He likewife informed him, tliat he had feen five large fhips the i oth inftant, which lie for fomc time imagined to be our fquadron : That he fuf-. fcrcd the commanding fliip, which wore a red. broad pennant, exa<5lly refembhng that of the^ Commodore, at the main top-maft head, to., come within gun-fliot of him before he difco^. vered his miftake ; but then finding it not to be, the Centurion^ he haled clofe upon the wind, and. crowded from them with all his fail, and ftand- ing crofs a ripling, where they hefitated to fol- low him, he happily efcaped. He made thenir. to be five Spanijh men' of war, one of them ex-- . ceedingly like the Gloacefter^ which was the oc- c?fion of his apprehenfions when the Gloucefier chafed him. By their appearance he thought they confifted.of two Ihips of feventy guns, two of fifty, and one of forty guns. I'he whole fquadron continued in chace of him all that day, but at night finding they could not get near him, they gave over tlie chace, and direded their courfe to the fouthward. k •jiv\ t\m v"i, n? rj .' And now had it not been for the neceflity we were under of refitting the Tryal^ this piece of intelligence would have prevented our making any ftay at St. Julian's •, but as it was impoflible for that floop to proceed round the Cape in her prefent condition, fome ftay there was inevita- ble, and therefore the fame evening we came to an anchor again in twenty- five fathom water, the bottom a mixture of mud and fand, and the high hummock baring S. W. by W. And weigh- ing it ( 87 ) ing at nine in the morning, we foon after fent the two Cutters belonging to the Centurion and Severn in fliore, to clifcovcr the harbour of St. jfu- lian^ while the fhips kept Handing along the coaft, at about the diltance of a league from the land. At fix o'clock we anchored in the bay of St. Julian^ in nineteen fathom, the bottom muddy ground with fund, the northermoft land in fight bearing N. and by K, the fouthermoft S, f E, Uiid the high hummock, to which Sir John Narborough formerly gave the name of I'Vood^s Mounts W. S. W. Soon after, the Cut- ter returned on board, having difcovered the harbour, which did not appear to us in our fitua- tion, the northermoil point (hutting in upon the fouthermoft, and in appearance doling the en- trance. To facilitate the knowledge of this coaft to future Navigators, there are two views in the 4th and 5th pLites •, one of the land di Patagonia^ to the northward of port St. Julian^ where («;) is Wood's Mount, and the bay of St. Julian lies round the point {c). The other view is of the bay itfelf i and here again {w) is JVoods Mounts {a) is Cape St. Julinn, and [b) the port or river's mouth. .. Being come to an anchor in this bay of St. Ju- lian, principa' y with a viev/ of refitting the Tna\^ the Carpenters were immediately employed in that bufinefs, and continued fo during our wholf Hay at the place. Thefry^/'s main^maft having been carried away about twelve feet below the cap^ they contrived to make the remaining part- o^ the maft ferve again •, and the IVager was orderexn G 4 Lv 1 I* r ^11 m t . '] ■ ' ■; ' I > , 'I . 3 ;• J, ;■ ■n 1' (88) to fupply her with a fpare main top-maft, which the Carpenters converted into a new fore-maft. And I cannot help obferving, that this accident to the Tryal's mall, which gave us fo much un^ cafincls at that time, on account ot the delay it occafioned, was, in all probability, the means of prefcrving the floop, and all her crew. For before this, her mafts, how well foever propor- tioned to a better climate, were much too lofty for thefe high fouthern latitudes : So that had they weathered the preceding ftorm, it would have been impclTible for them to have flood againfl thofe feas and tcmpells we afterwards en- countered in pafilng round Cape Horn, and the Jofs of mafts in that boiftcrous climate, v/culd fcarcely have been attended with lefs than the lofs of the veJlel, and of every man on board her ; fince it would have been impradicable for the other ihips to have given them any relief, during the continuance of thofe impetuous florms. Whilft we ftaycd at this place, the Commodore appointed the tlonourable Captain Murray to fuc- ceed to the Pearl, and Captain Cbe^p to thtprager, and he promoted Mr. Charles Saunders, his firft Lieutenant, to the command of the Tr)'al Sloop. But Captain Saunders lying dangeroufly ill of a fever on board the Centurion, and it being the opinion of the furgeons, that the removing him on board his own iJhip, in his prefent condition, might tend to the hazard of his life ; Mr. Jnfon gave an order to Mr. Saumarez, firft Lieutenant of the Centurion^ to aft as Mafter and Com- mander * i ( 89) mandcr of the Tryal, during the illncfs of Cap^- uin Sauttders. t^n WJ>>t' y**.*? V'i'»>»^Mif^>',^ Here the Commodore too, ir. order to cafe the expedition of all unncceflfary cxpence, held a far- ther confultation with his Captains about unload- ing and difcharging the Amta Pink ; but they, rcprefented to him, that they were fo far from being in a condition of taking any part of her loading on board, that they had Itill great quan- tities of provifions in the way of their guns be- tween decks, and that their Ihips were withal fo very deep, that they were not iit for adlion with- out being cleared. This put the Commodore under a necelTity of retaining the Piw;^ in the ferr vice i and as it was apprelienclcd we fliould cer- tainly meet with the Spanijh fe[uiit^rcn, in pafTmg the Cape, Mr. ylnfcn thought it advifcable to give orders to the Captains, to put all their provifions, which were in the way of their guns, on board the Anna P.nk, and to remount fuch of their guns as had formerly, for the eafe of their ihips, been ordered into the hold. hv^Kif =>w fijid/a, ,u This bay of St. Julian^ where we are now at an- chor, being a convenient rendezvous, in cal'e of feparation, for all crullers bound to the foutli- ward, and the whole coafh of Patagoma^ froii^ the river of Plate to the Streights of Magellan^ lying nearly parallel to their ufual route^ a Ihort account of the fingularity of this country, with a particular defcription of port St. Julian^ may perhaps be neither unacceptable to the curiousi nor unworthy the attention of future Navigator^^ ■ ^ f. :n ^ 'f •' ■%\\ (90 ) as fome of them, by unforcfcen accidents, may" be obliged to run in with the land; and to make ibmc ftay on this coaft, in which cafe the know- ledge of the country, its produce and tnhabi' tants, cannot but be of the utmoft confequence to them. '* ^"^^^^ ij.vjj»;«»i'./ »«ii ,iroj. vil:37irf%j VtfJ To begin then with the tra<5t of country ufu- ally ftilcd Patagonia. This is the name often given to the fouthermoft part of South America^ which is unpoflefled by the Spaniards^ extending from their fettlements to the Streights of Ma- gellan. On the eaft fide, this country is ex- tremely remarkable, for a peculiarity not to be paralleled in any other known part of the globe ; for though the whole territory to the northward of the river of Plate is full of wood, and ftored with immenfc quantities of large timber trees, yet to the fouthward of the river no trees of any kind are to be met with, except a few peach- trees, firft planted and cultivated by the Spani- ards in the neighbourhood of Buenos Ayres : So that on the whole eaftcrn coaft of Patagonia^ ex- tending near four hundred leagues in length, and reaching as far back as any difcoveries have yet been made, no other wood has been found than a few infignificant fhrubs. Sir John Nar- horough in particular, who was fent out, by King Charles the Second, exprefsly to examine this country, and the Streights of Magellan., and who, in purfuance of his orders, wintered upon this coaft in port St. Juluin and port Bejire^ in the year 1670*, Sir John Narhorotigh., I fay, tells ^ us, that he never faw a ftick of wood in the rountrv. (9' ) country, large enough to make the handle of aa hatchet, .y,^. jj^i t rwu 'iu\ ^ ns* (ri.?^^ But though this country bcfodcftitute of wood, it abounds with pafturc. For the land appears in general to be made up ot downs of a light dry gravelly foil, and produces groat quantities of long coarlc grais, wiiich grows in tuits inttr- fperfed with large barren fpots of gravel between thexn. This grafs, in many places, feeds im- menfe herds ot cattle : For the kSpaniards at Bue- , >ws yfyres^ having brought over a few black cat- tle from Europe at their lirft fettlement, they, have tJwiven prodigioufly by the plenty of her-' bag« which they found here, and are now cn- creafed to that degree, and are extended fo far into the country, that they are not confidered as private property ; but many thouflinds at a time are flaughtcred every year by the Flunters, only, for their hides and taliow. The manner of kill- ing thefe cattle, being a practice peculiar to that part of the world, merits a more circumllantial defcription. I'he Hunters employed on this occafion being all of them mounted on horfe- back, (and both the Spaniards and hdians in that part of the world are ufually moft excellent horfemen) they arm themfelves 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 manner, has its blade fixed acrof? ; with this in- ftrument they ride at a beaft, and furround him. The Hunter that comes beliind him hamitrings liim ; and as after this operation the beaft foon, tumbles, without being able to raife himfelf again, ... they ■•, ii li' n I* fit '.'J i i M ,u ; III 1* i ^) ( 92 ) they leave him on the ground, and piirfuc others,' whom they fcrve in the fame manner. Some- • times there is a fecond party, who attend the Hunters, to fkin the cattle as they fall : But it is faid, that at other times the Hunters chufe to let them languilh in torment till the next day, ' from an opinion that the anguiili, which the ani-^ mal in the mean time endures, mayburflthc- lymphaticks, and thereby facilitate the feparation of the flcin from the carcafs : And though their Prrefts have loudly condemned this moft bar-- barous pradice, and have gone fo far, if my memory does not fail me, as to excommunicate thofe who follow it, yet all their efforts to put an entire (lop to it have hitherto proved in- Cffcdual. V ' ^' ■'/ ."' ' '^'- /I -•-' :'.i,Vr ■ Befides the numbers of cattle which are every year flaughtcred for their hides and tallow, in the manner already dcfcribed, it is often nc- ' ceflary for the purpofes of agriculture, and like- wife with other viev/s, to take them alive, and without wounding them : This is performed with a moft wonderful and alm.oll incredible dexterity, and principally by the ufe of a ma- chine, which the Engl'fi^ who have rcfided at Buenos Ayres^ generally denominate a lalh. It is made of a thong of feveral fathoms in length, and very ftrong, with a running noofe at one end of it : This the Hunters (who in this cafe are alfo mounted on horfeback) take in their right hands, it being firfi properly coiled up, and having its end oppofite to the noofe faflened to the faddle 5 and thus prepared thev ride at a licrd ( 93 ) Jicrd of cattle. When they arrive within a cer- tain diftance of a beaft, they throw their tlx)ng at him witli fuch exadnefs, that tht-y never fail ot fixing the noofe about his horns. The beait, when he finds himfelf entangled, generally runs, but the horfe, being fwifter, attends him, and prevents the thong from being too much ftraincd, till a fecond Hunter, who follows the gani^e, throws another noofe about one of its hind legs ; and. this being done, both horfes (they being trained for this purpofe) inrtantly turn diiFcrait ways, in order to ftrain the two thongs in con- trary directions, on which the beaft, by their oppofite pulls, is prefcntly overthrown, and tlien tie hor'bs flop, keeping the thongs ftill u\)(m the ftretch : Being thus on the ground, and in- capable, ot refiibance, (for he is extended betv/een t\\t two hoifes) the Hunters alight, and fecurc him in fuch a manner, that tliey afterwards eafily convey him to wh;itever place they pleafe. In the fame manner they noofe horfer, and, as it is faid, even tygers ; and however fbrange this hit circumftance may appear, there are not wanting perfons of credit who afiert it. Indeed, it mult be owned, that the addrefs both of the Spani- ards and hulicins in that part of the world, in the ufe of this la(h or noofe, and the certainty with which they throw it, and fix it orl any in- tended part of the beaftat a confiderable diftance, are matters only to be believed, from the re- peated and concurrent teftimcny of all who have frequented that country, and might reafonably ..be queftioned, did it rely on a fingle report, or • h-d '. li' »v ?';■ '■\ '< Mm' i' ii;, •)] ( 94 ) had it been ever contraciifted or denied by anf one who had relidcd at Buenos /lyres. The cattle which arc killed in the manner I have already oblcrvccl, are (laiightered only for their hides and tallow, to which fometimes are added their tongues, and the reit of their fledi is left to putrity, or to be devoured by the birds and wild bcaih -, but the greateft part of this carion tails to the fliare of the wild dogs, of which there are immenl'e numbers to be found in that coimtry. They are fuppofed to have been originally produced by Spanijh dogs from Buenos yJyres, who, allured by the great quantity of carion, and the facility they had by that means of fubfiiling, left then* Mailers, and ran wild amongil the cattle ; for they are plainly of the breed of the European dogs, an animal not ori- ginally found in America, But though thefe dogs are faid to be fome thoufands in a company, they hitherto neither diminifli nor prevent the increafe of the cattle, not daring to attack them, by reafon of the numbers which conftantly feed together I but contenting themfclvcs with the carion left them by the Hunters, and perhaps now and then with a few ftragglers, who, by ac- cidents, are feparated from the herd they belong to. :v Befides, the wild cattle which have fprcad themfelves in fuch vaft herds from Buenos Ayres towards the fouthward, the fame country is in like manner furnifhed with horfes. Thefe too were firft: brought from Spain^ and are alfo pro- digioufly increafed, and run wild to a much greater diftance than the black cattle : And though (95) though many of them are excellent, yet their number makes them of very little value ; the bed of them being often fold, in a country where money is plenty and commodities very liear, for not more than a dollar a-piece. It is not as yet certain how far to the fouthward thefe herds o( wild cattle and horfes have extended themfelves j but there is fome reafon to conjec- ture, that ftragglers of both kinds are to be met with very near the Streights of Magellan •, and they will in time doubtlcfs fill the fouthern part of this Continent with their breed, which cannot fail of proving of confiderable advantages to fucli fhips as may touch upon the coafl \ for the horfes themfelves are faid to be very good eat- ing, and as fiich, to be preferred by feme of the Indians even before the black cattle. But what- ever plenty of this kind may be hereafter found here, there is one material refrefhment which this eaftern fide of Patagonia fcems to be very defec- tive in, and that is frefli water ; for the land be- ing generally of a nitrous and faline nature, the ponds and llreams are frequently brackilh. However, as good water has been found there, though in fmall quantities, it is not improbable, but on a furtlier fearch, this inconvenience may be removed. Bcfides the cattle and horfes which I have mentioned, there are in all parts of this country a good number of Vicunnas or Peruvian fheep ; but thefe, by reafon of their fliynefs and fwift- nefs, are killed with difficulty. On the eaftern coafl too, there abounds immenfe quantities of i." ' I "I I ! '« M. ( 96 ) (eals, and a vaft varictv of fea-fowl, amonnift which the moil remarkable are the Penguins ; they arc in fizc and {liapc hke a goolc, but in- ftead ct wings Ehty have Ihort ilumps hke fins, which are ot no ufe to them except in the water ; their bills arc narrow, like th..t of an AlbitrofSy and they fcand and * walk in an erecft pofture. From this, and their white bellies. Sir John Narborough has whimfically likened them to lit- tle children Handing up in white aprons. The inhabitants of this eaftern coaft (to which I have all along hitlierto confined my relation) appear to be but few, and have rarely been leen more than two or three at a time, by any Ihips that have touched here. Wc, during our flay at the port of St. Julian^ faw none. However, tov/ards Buenos Ayres they are fufiiciently nume- rous, and ottentimes very troublefome to the Spaniards -, but there the greater breadth and va- riety of the country, and a milder climate, yield them a better protedlion ; for in that place the Continent is between three and four hundred leagues in breadth, whereas at port St. Julian it is little more than a hundred : So that I conceive the fame Indians^ that frequent the weflern coaft of Patagonia and the Streights of Magellan^ often ramble to this fide. As the hHans ntzv Buenos Ayres exceed thefe fouthern Indians in number, fo they greatly furpals them in adivity and Ipi- rit, and fecm in their manners to be nearly alUed to thole gallant CPAlian Indians, who have long fet the whole Sfaniflj power at defi- ance, have often ravaged their country, and re- ,'■ • main {97) . . main to this hour independent. For the Indians about Buenos Aytes have Jearnt to be txcelJenC horfemen, and ire Extremely expert in the rp^- nagement of all cutting weapons, though igno- rant of the life of fire-arms, which th(^' Spaniards are very folicicgu^ to keirp out of their hands. And of the vigour and refokition of thefe InJaans^ the behaviour of Orfi7^«^ . and his followtrs, whom we haVe formerly mentioned, is a mcmo- rable inftance. Indeed were we difpofed to aim at the utter fubverflon of the Spaijifo power in jfmerlcdy rio means (*eem more prob luic to effcdt it, t'han due encouragement and afiillance given to th^fe Indians and thofe of Chili, Thus much may fuffice in relation to the eaft- em coaft of Patagonia. The weftern coafl: is of lefs extent; and by reafon of the yf;;Ja which fkirt it, and ftfetch quite down to the water, is a very roclcy and dangerous fliore. However, I fliall be hereafter rieceffitated to make further mention of it, and therefoie fhall not enlarge thereon at this time, but fhall conclude this ac* count with a fliort defcription of the harbour of St. Julian, the general form of which may be conceived from the fketch in the 6th plate. But it muft he remembered, that the bar which is there marked at the entrance, is often fhifting and has many holes in it. The tide Bows here - N. and S, and at full and change, rifcs.four fathom. We, on our fit ft arrival here, fent an OfHcer • en (hore to the falt-pond, marked (Dj in the. plan, in order to procure a quantity of fait for ^ • " H the I i'^'.f ' i (98) the ufc of the fquadron. Sir John NAtborough having obfcrved, when he was here, that the fait produced in that place was very white and good, and that in Feburary i\itxt was enough of it to ^11 a thouiand (hips *, but our Officer returned wi(1i a fampte >«hich was very bad, and he told us, that even of this there was but little to be got *, I fuppofc the weather h^ been more rainy than ordinary, and had deijtrpyed it. To give the reader a better idea of this port, and of the ad- jacent country, to which the whole coaft I have defcribed j}eai>. a great refemblance, I, have m- iert^4 'two very aqcur^ yiewsi, (vfhich jnay be ieen in the 7th and.^^^ Piatc«> 01^5^^^^^^^^ reprefenting theappea|i^)cepf.Jthe 5pin|ry^ when looking up the ri^re^i^^e^other^ oeing a view takfiji If^m the facfi^ifpot,; hut |be obfcrver is nQW.fupp<>fcd tp iwii roynd pppofitc to his for- .ineljiiittatitir?, and .consequently jhj^ is a repre- fcoUtii^QE.the appearance of the country down jdicjiveri betwixt thit ftation of the obfer.ver, tod ihcr riv«ifs inoitth. :i,. L / f S, »»■- A X ,, i " . ta» .kj Iat ..!-..» .i^^.Tif. ii^r" ;-;; ,i K,- It 4k«-|iMII '■#-'"*■ ■•*"1 * ■" >^ ■!• ^« « CHAP, > a * '>■ (99) 'txlt J I Kl .*i urij ,u;"ir .UH.»a CM, X: ^ **. A,*.,- VIL .y ;^v..\;;I>i>»^; ■f i -> ^-^ ^ ** ♦ ^ -t -" ' • • . • ' ... «t < <•< f^ * , . • . ' , , . H «- ^- -V - Departure from tBe pay of" St. Julian, and the pafligc from thcncejo Streighi^ Le Maire, 'o THE Trytf/ befrtg- hcirly refitted, which was our principal 6(^'Upation at this bay of St. Julian^ and the fole oecafibn of ourftay, the Commodore thought it itcceflary, as we were now dircftly bound lor the ^w/J^-^^a/ and the enemy '^coafts, to regulate the ptan of his future operation^ : And thereferei on the 24th ^f F#- ^rirtfryr a iHgnal was infatle for a^l Captains, and a Coundlcif war Was l^etdbn board the Ctntu- rion, at whicih were ipitfent the Honourable Edward Lt^g, Captain MMttbew MuMi the Ho- nourable George Murray^ Captain Da^ Ckeap^ together with Colonel Mi>rdautuCracBir9dif Com- mander of the - land forces* At this- Councii Mr. Jnfon propofed , chat their Ailb attempt^ af- ter their arrival in the South-Seas, fhould be the attack of the town and harbour of Baldhia, the principal frontier of the diftridl of Chili \ Mr. Anfon informing them, at the fame time, that it was an article contained in his Majefly's inftry( tions to him, to endeavour to fecure fome port in the South-Seas, where the (hips of the fqua- dron might be careened and refitted. To this propofition made by the Commodore, the Coun- cil unanimoudy and readily agreed ; and in con- fequetice of this refolucion, new inftntdions were ,,.,.; Hz given ' 11 >.i « i A n f'' ii r, »*■ 1i, n (I ( 100 ) given to the Captains of the fquadron, by which, though they were ftiJI directed, in cafe of fepa- ration, to make the beft of their way to the Jfland of Nufftra Senora del Socorft^ yet (notwithr ftandingthe orders they had formerly given them at St. Catherine's) they were to cruize off that lOand only ten days ; from whence, if not joined fey the Gomniodorc, they were to proceed, ^d ^rutj'.e off the harbour of Baldiviai making.6ic iand between the latitudes of 40^, and 40° : 30', and taking care to keep to the fouthwaid of the port; and, if in fourteen days they were not joined by the reft of the fquadron, they were then to quit this ftation, and to dired their courfe to the l{\3L.nd6^JuartFernandes^, after, which they were to regulate their further proceedings by their former orders. The fame direftions were alfo given to the Mafterof the Anna Pink^ arvd lie Was particularly inftruded to be very careful in ahfwering thefignals made by any Ihipot the Squadron, and likewife to deftroy his papers and orders, if he fhould be fo unfortunate, as to fall into the hands of the enemy. And as the fepa- fation of the fquadron might pfove of the ut- moft prejudice to his Majefty's fervice, each Gaptam was ordered to give it in charge to the refpe^ive Officers of the watch, not to keep iSieit lltip at a grca;ter diftance from the Centurion than two miles, as they would anfwer it at their peril i and if Jiny Captain fhould find his fh»p beyond the diftance fpecified, he was' to acquaint t'he Commodore with the name of the Officer; wMj^-had thus negfefted his duty. '"^ -^ 33;:3f/p^^ ^ ^ ^^ Thef« i ( lOI ) "* Thefe neceflfary regulations being eftablilhed; and the Tryal Sloop compleated, the fqiiadroii weighed on Friday the 27 th o^ February^ atfwen in the morning, and flood to the fea ; the Ghk- cefter indeed found a difficulty in purchafing her anchor, and was left a confiderable way a-fteff>^ fo that in the night we fired feveral p;uns as a fignal to her Captain to make far), uut ht did not come up to us till the next morning, .vhen we found that they had been obliged to cut their cable, and leave thtir beft bower behind them. At ten in the morning, the day after our depar- ture, Wood's Mount, the highland over St. Ju^ Han, bore from us N, by W. diftant ten leagues, and we had fifty two fathom of water. And now flanding to the fouthward, we had great cxpe<^ation of falling in with Pizarro\ fquadron,; for, during our ftay at port St. Julian, there had generally been hard gales between the W. N. W. and S. W, fo that we had reafon to conclude the Spaniards had gained no ground upon us in that interval. And it was the profpedof meeting with them, that had occafioned our Commodore to be fo very felicitous to prevent the feparation of our (hips : For had we been folely intent on getting round Cape Horn in the fhortefl tfeme, the properefl method for this purpafe would have been, to have ordered each lliip t6 haVe made the beft of her way to the rendczvjjtus, .without waiting for the reft.f^ ' 'j^'^^O nr: :!:- 'v From our departure from St. Juliein to tHe'4.th of March, we had little wind, with thick hazy weathe., and fome rain i and ovir fo\jiidings II 3 wcie 132668 w I » m t' . I '.';*'». it' im ( io« ) generally from forty to fifty fichom» with ft bottom of black and grey fand, romecimcs in- termixed with pebble ftones. On the 4th of Mffrek 'we were in fight of Cape Virgin AUry^ andfior JDOTjp than fix or feven leagues di(Uot from it ; This is the> nprthern capp of: the ^treightf of Magfllatii if ili^s in the latit^(}c of 52^ \%V South, an4 longitqde {xomjjondwi 71^ : 44' Weft» and feems ta be a low Rat land ending in a point. And for a dire^ion to fuch ihips a* may, by particuUr reafons, be induced 'hereafter to pafs through thofe Streights into the Soutb'SioSi there IS in the ^ch plate a very ac- xuratedraughc of its. appearance, where {a) re- ^prefentsthe Cape itii^fv n Off this Cape ^yii: depth of water was from thir£y{|ive to forty-^^ight fa- thom» The afternoon of this day was. very bright.od that it Jfad been extingui^e^, without any <^age to the ihiPv / We ( «03 ) H ' "Wc hat ^bund whit wat cohftantiy rfrtficA by alh-ooT obfervattons in^ thefe high latitudes; that fair weather was always of an exceeding fhort (duration, and that when i;r ym retnarkabty^rt^, it ^$ * tercain prefage of a fucceediltg Itorm, fiit the ealm and funfhine'c^ our afternodn ettded in a nK>ft turbulent night; th^wind^ Oeftining •frbrn the S. W. as the night came on, and en- ^creaiing its violence continually till nifne in the ^morning the next day, when it blew fo hard, Hthat'w* were obliged to bring to with the fqua- droh, and to continue under a reefed miz^ till eleven ar night, having^ in that time from forty- fhree to lifty-fev«n fkthorti water, with black l^rui a»Ml jgrav^l V ahd by an obfervation we had at iidolT,^'Wi cond^ed a* current had fet us twelve miles to the foutliward of oiir reckoning. Towai^s midnight, the wind abatmg, we made fail again ; and (leering South, wc dtfcoVei^d in the morning for the firff time the land, called Terra del FuegOj ftretchirig from the S. by W, to the S. E. f E. This Indeed affordtsd us 'but a very uncomfortable p^r6^)e6t, it appe^rih^ 6f a ftupendous height, covered every whejre with fno w. And though the drearineft of tlfii fcine can be but imperfcAly reprefcntcd by khy DiiiW- ing, yet the tenth plate contains fo eiKKtia' de- lineation of theform of the country,- thSt^k^-irtiy greatly aflift the reader in framing' l&ffteldai^Of this uncouth and rugged coaft. ' hi xEk *l>f^- ing (a) h the opening of Streights Lip Matre^ (*) Gape St. DieiOy (i) (2) fj; the tKfce hiMs, . H 4 • • -" -'-^ mailed 5t fi- ll;! H ' mi Hi ( 104 ) called the three brothers, and (4) Monlegorda^ an higbland which lies up in the country, and appears over the three brothers. We (leered along this ihore all day, having lounJings from forty to fifty fathom, with , ilones and gravcj« And as we intended to pafs tht^^ough Sitreighcs L>e Maire next day, we lay to at mght, that wc ^ might not overfhoot them, and took this oppor* ti^;uty to prepare ourfelves for the, tempeftuous cliniace we were foon to be engaged in \ with "which view, we employed ourlclves good part of the night in bending an entire ncvy fuit of . fiuls to the yards. At four the next morning, ^ being the 7th of Marchy we made fail, and at eight faw the land ; and foon after . we began to open the Streights, at which time Cape St. James. bore from us E. S. E, Cape St. Vincent S.E. i£, • the middlemoft of the three brothers S. and by W, Msntegorda South, and Cape St. Bartho' hmeWy which j& the fouthermoft point of Stat en- land., E. S. E^ The appearance of the Screights in. this fituation, is repre -^ted in the eleventh plate, where {a) is part of Staten-land^ {b) Cape Sx.,.BartbolQme'UJy (c) pare of Terra dd Fuego^ {d\ port Maurice^ and {e) fuppofcd to be Valen- tinea's, bay, or the bay of good fuccefs. And here J muft obferve, that Frezier has given us a very corrccl profped of the part of Terra del Fuega^ which borders on the Streights but has oaiitr«d tJiat p^Staten-land^ which, forms the op-; pofioe. fhore x • Hence we found it difficult to determinei exadly where the Streights lay, till L'irt> i\ tiiey ( 10, ) they began to open to our view ; and for want of this, if we had not happened to have coafted a confiderable way along fhore, we might have mifled the Streights, and have got to the eaft« ward of Statenland before we knew it. This is an accident that has happened to many ihips^ particularly, as Frezier mentions, to the Jncaf nation and Concord ; who intending topafs through Streights Le Maire^ were deceived by three hills on Staten land\\\it the three brothers, and lome creeks rcfembling thofe of ^erra del Fuego, and thereby ovcr-ftiotthe Streightsw To prevent thefe accidents for the future, there is added, in the i zth Plate, the Weft profpedt of Staten-landy where {a) is Cape St. Biego^ on Terra del FuegOy {b) Cape St. Bartholomew^ on Staten land. This Drawing will hereafter render it impofllble for any (hips to be deceived in the manner abovementioned, or to find any difHcuhy in diftinguifhing the points of land by which the Streights are formed. And on occafion of this profpedk of Staten* land here inferted, I cannot but remark, that though Terra del Fuego had an afped extremely barren and defolate, yet this IQand of Staten^ land fur furpafles it, in the wildnefs and horror of its aprearancc : It feeming to be entirely com- pofedof inacceffible rocks, without tJiC leaft mix- ture of earth or mould between them. Thefe rocks terminate in a vail number of ragged points, which fpire up to a prodigious height, and are alj of them covered with evcrJailing fnow; the points themfelves are on every fide lurrounded with frightful precipices, . and oiten overhang in a v;.;j t moft 1! (I ;t • i] ' 1 ( lo6 ) molt ^oni(hing msnntt*, and the hi llf which besr tkem, are g^ncr«lly feparated ftom each' othdr by narrow c)efcs» which appearits* if the country had been rent by earthquakes f for thcie ehafms are nearly perpendicular, ami eitCeNd through >the fubftance of the nnatn rocks^ almoft to their very bottoms t So that nothing taw lie imagin^'d more favage and gloomy, than the whole afpcdk ofthiscoaft. But to proceed, ' -' j-^rtw I have above-mentioned, that on the 7 th of March, in the morning, we opened Streights Le Maire^ and foon afcer« or about ten o*clock, the Pearl and the Tryal being ordered to keep a-hcad of the fquadron, we entered them with fair weather and a bri(k gale, and were hurried through by the rapidity of the tide in about two hours, through they are between feven and eight leagues in length. As thefe Streights are often confidered as the boundary between the Atlan- tick and Pacifick Oceans, and as we prefumed we had nothing now before us but an open fea, till we arrived on thofe opulent coaits where all our hopes and wi flies centered, we could not help Battering ourfelves, that the greateft difficulty of our paflfage was now at an end, and that our moft fanguine dreams were upon the point of being realifed y and hence wc indulged our ima- ginations in thofe romantick fchemes, which the fancied poffeffion of the Chilian gold and Peruvian S^\^^T might be conceived to infpire. Thefe joyous ideas were heightened by the bright- nefspf chefky, and the ferenity of the weather, which was indeed moft remarkably plcafing •, for ( i«>7 ) |ho' the winter -was now advancing apaec^yct the morning of this da^v in its brilliancy and mildne{f, gave place to none we had feeh fince our departure from England. Thiis; animated by thefctklufions, we cravcrs'd thefe memorable Sereighcs^ /Ignorant of tht:dre«dful calamities that wecc: then impending, lind juft ready to ^xedc tlpdn ^ ( ignorant t)«e£the time drew near, when the fqqadron-woukl^e feparated never to unite agaito,-and that thit^ day t)f tmr pafTage was ihif laft'th^arfuiday»thj^.ithe grcatcft -partof-iis would^verllveto cnjay.ju no«n c^ns /^.-♦tiiV. \\ h^iwM ^ry*f b/jt .'i\t^^ >lihd £; bnt- i'»d[ji.-3w titf Wnrjfrq 3-=«' ?fi. brik ,cniJ"oO i>i\r^:\^ bni; i^n i^iii^-'^.tt' 'id* r;> v,''T\'^i'^"t nrb brv fe H A P. s.ij \''.i ll-< ( io8 ) * C t^ to rsnrlfn rf CHAP. Vllir "^'^^^^ ^*^' ^^ From Sitreights Le Maire to Cape iVwr,"" WE had fcarcely reached the fouthern extremity of the Streights of Le Mairiy when our flattering hopes were inftantly loft in the apprehenfions of immediate deftruftion : For before the ftcrnmoft fhips of the fquadron were clear of the Streights, the ferenity of the fky was fliddenly changed, and gave us all the prcfages of an impending ftorm -, and immediately the wind fhifted to the fouthward, and blew in fuch violent fqualls, that we were obliged to hand cur top- fails, and reef out main-fail : The tide too, which hitherto favoured us, now turned againft us, and drove us to the eadwaid with prodigious rapidity, fo that we were in great anxiety for the JVager and the Jnna Pinky the two fternmoft veflels, fearing they would be dafhed to pieces againft the fhore of Statenland •, nor were our apprehenfions without foundation, for it was with the utmoft difficulty they efcaped. And now the whole fquadron, inftead of pur- fuing their intended courfe to the S.W, were driven to the eaftward by the united force of the ftorm, and of the currents \ fothat next day in the morning we found ourfelves near feven leagues to the eaftward of Staten-land^ which then bore from us N. W. The violence of the current, wiilch had fet-ps with fo much precipitation to the eaftward, together with the force and conftancy of 4 the >! 'Uffj rti ( ^^9 ) the wefterly winds, foon taught us to conlider the doubling of Cape Hont as an enterprize that might prove too mighty for our efforts, though feme amongft us had lately treated the difficulties which former voyagers were (aid to have met with in this undertaking, as little bet- ter than chimerical, and had fuppoPd them to arife rather from timidity and unlkilf ulnefs, thart from the real embarraflments of tlie winds and feas •, but we were feverely convince'i, that thefe cenfures were rafh and ill-groiinded : For the diftreffes with which we ftruggled, during the three fucceeding months, will not eafily be pa«* ralleled in the relation of any former naval ex- pedition. This will, I doubt not, be readily allowed by thofe who fhall carefully perufe the enfuing narration. From the ftorm which came on before we had well got clear of Streights Le Maire^ we had a continual fucceflioii of fuch tempeftuous weather, as furprized the oldeft and moil ex- perienced Mariners on board, and obliged theni to confefs, that what they had hitherto called ftorms were inconfiderable gales, compared with the violence of thefe winds, which raifed fuch Ihort, and at the fame time fuch mountainous waves, as greatly furpaTed 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 \ ^?k:* . lor 'M H ( "o ) , for die fhip rolling incefianti/ gunwale to, gave us fuch quick and violent motions, that the fatal were in perpetual danger of being dafhed to pieces againd ihc decks, or fides of the (hip. And though we were extremely careful to fe^ c\^c wcf wei'e attia cictd by another ftorm ftill more fu- rious than the former ; for' it proved a perfect hurricanej ahd reduced iis to the nccefTity ot ly- ing to uAda- dar bare poles. As our fhip kept the wind better than any of the reft, we were obliged, in'the afternObn, t6 wear (hip, in or- der to join the fquadron to the leeward, which otherv^^ife we Hionld have been in danger of lof- ing in the night : And as we dared not venture t" any ("3) any fail abroad, we were obliged to make ufe of an expedient, whch anfwered our purpofc ; this was putting the helm a weather, and manning the fore-llirouds : But tho* this method proved fuccefsful for the end intended, yet in the exe- cution of it, one of our ableft feaman was canted over-board -, and notwithftanding the prodigious agitation of the waves, we perceived that he fwam very ftrong, and it was with the utmoft concern that we found ourfelvcs incapable of affifting him ; and we were the more grieved at his unhappy fate, fmce we loft fight of him ftruggling with the waves, and conceived from the manner in which he fwam, that he might continue feofible, for a confiderable time longer, of the horror attending his irretrievable fituation. Before this laft mentioned ftorm was quite abated, we found two of our main-fhrcuds and one mizen-fhroud broke, all which we knotted, and fet up immediately -, and from hence we had an interval of three or four days lefs tempeftuous than ufual, but accompanied with a thick fog, in which we were obliged to fire guns almoil every half hour, to keep our fquadron together. On the 31ft, we were alarmed by a gun fired from the Gl ucejiefy and a fignal made by her to fpeak with the Commodore •, we immediately bore down to her, and were prepared to hear of feme terrible difafter j but we were apprized of it be- fore we joined her, for we faw that her main- yard was broke in the flings. This was a griev- ous misfortune to us all at this jundurc ; as it was I obvious .:v 1^:^ ': Is ( ir4 ) obvious it would prove an hindrance to our fail- ing, and would detain us the longer in thefe in- hofpitable latitudes. But our future fuccefs and fatety was not to be promoted by repining, but by refolution and activity ; and therefore, that this unlucky incident might delay us as little as poflible, the Commodore ordered feveral Car- penters to be put on board the Gloucejler from the other fliips of the fquadron, in order to re- pair her damage with the iitmoft expedition. And the Captain of the I'ryal complaining at the fame time, that his pumps were fo bad, and the floop made fo great a quantity of water, that he was fcarcely able to keep her free, the Commo- dore ordered him a pump ready fitted from his own fhip. It was very fortunate for the Glou- xefier and the Tryal^ that the weather proved more fiivourable this day than for many days^ both before and after ; fmce by this means they were enabled to receive the afliftance which feemed efTential cO their prefer vation, and which they could fcarcely have had at any other time, as it would have been extremely hazardous ta have ventured a boat on board. The next day, that is, on the ift oi Aprils the weather returned again to its cuftomary biafs,. the fky looked dark and gloomy, and the wind began to freflien and to blow in fqualls ; how- ever, it was not yf c fo boiflerous, as to prevent our carrying our top-fails clofe reefed ; but its appearance was fuch, as plainly prognofticated that a flill feverer tempeil was at hand : And ac- cordingly. cordingly^ oil the 3d of Jpril, there Came on i florm, which both in its violence and continua- tion (for it lafted three days) exceeded all that we had hitherto encountered. In its firft onfct we received a furious fhock from a fea which broke upon our larboard quarter, where it ftove in the quarter gallery, and rufhed into the fliip Jikc a deluge •, our rigging too fuffered ex- tremely, for one of the ilraps of the main dead- eyes was broke, as was alfo a main fliroud and puttock-lhroud, fo tliat to eafe the ftrefs upon the mafts and fhrouds, we lowered both our main and fore-yards, aiKl furled all our fails, and in this pofture we lay to for three days,- when the Ltorm fomewhat abating^ we ventured to make fail under our courfes only y but even this we could not do long, for, the next day, which If^as the 7th, we had another gale of wind, with lightning and rain^ which obliged us to lie to again all night. It was wonderful, that not- ■Withftanding the hard weather we had endured, ho extraordinary accident had happened to any of the fquadron fmce the breaking of the Glotf^ cefier*s main-yard : But this wonder foon ceafed ; for at three the next morning, feveral guns were: fired to leeward as fignals of diftrefs. And the Commodore making a fignal tor th^ fquadron to bring to, we, at day-break, faw the JVager sk Confiderable way to leeward of any of the other cfhips •, and we foon perceived that fhe had loft her mizen-mail, and main top-fuil yard. We Smnaediat :ly bore down to her, and found this ,%A i diMer ^ 1* ' 1 (ii6) difaftcr had arifcn from the badnefs of her iron work i for all the chain*plates to vrindward had given way, upon the fhip*s fetching a deep roll. This proved the more unfortunate to the IVager^ as her Carpenter had been on board the Gloucefter ever fince the 31ft of Marcby and the weather was now too fevere to permit him to return : Nor was the Wager the only fhip of the fquadron that had fuffered in the late tempeft -, for, the next day, a fignal of diftrefs was made by the yinna Pink, and, upon fpeaking with the Ma- iler, we learnt that they had broke their fore-ftay and the gammon of the bow-fprit, and were in no fm'all danger ot having all the mafts come by the board •, fo that we were obliged to bear away until they had macle' alt faft, after which we haled upon a wind again." *' t* ■' '"-,'• . ' '-' Arid how, after all our folicitude, and thb numerous ills of every kind, to which we had been inceflantly expofed for near forty days, w£ had gr^^t c6nfolatioi\,in the flattering hopes we entertained, that olirTatigues were cfrawing to a period, 'arid that we fhould foon arrive in a more hofpitable climate, where we Ihould be amply fepay'ed for all our paft fufferings. For, to- wards the latter end of March, we were ad- vanced, fey our reckoning, near 10^ to the weft- ward of the weftermoft point of 7 err a delFuegOy and this allowance being double what former Navigators have thought neceflary to^ be taken, in order to compenfate the drift of the eaftern current, we efteemed ourfelves to be well ad- vanced within the limits of the fouthern Ocean, ..: ... ^^ ("7) and had therefore been ever fince (landing to the northward with as much expedition, as the tur- bulence of the weather, and our frequent dif- aflers permitted. And, on the 1 3th of y^jp. i/, we were but a degree in latitude to the fouth- ward of the Weft entrance of the Strc\ghts of Magellan -, fo that we fully expedled, in a very few days, to have experienced the celebrated tranquility of the Pacifick Ocean. ,. But thele were delufions which only ferved to render our difappointment more terrible j for the next morning, between one and two, as wc were ftanding to the northward, and the weather, which Had till then been hazy, accidentally cleared up, th^ Pink made a fignal for feeing land right a-head •, and it being but two miles diftant, we were all under the moft dreadful ap- prehchfions of running on Ihprc ; which, had cither the wind blown from its ufual quarter with its wonted vigours or had npt the mcon fuddenly (hone out, not a fhip arpongft us could po(ribly have avoided : But the wind, which fome few hou.rs before blew in fqualls from the S. W, having fortunately Ihifted to W. N. W, we were enabled to ftand to the fouthward, and to clear ourfelves of this unexpefled danger ; fo that by noon we had gained an offing of near twenty leagues. , ^' , .> . , . ♦ By the latitude of this land we fell in with, it was agreed to be a part of Terra del Fuego^ near the fouthern outlet defcribed in Frezier's Chart of the Streights of Magellan^ and was fuppofed to be that point called by him Cap£ Noir. It was indeed moft wonderful, that the im 1 3 cur* ( "8 ); currents fliould have driven us to the eaflwarc! 'Vvith fuch flrength -, for the whole Iquadroii cfteemed themfelves upwards of ten degrees more wellerly than this land, fo that in running down, by our account, about nineteen degrees of longi^ tudc, we had not really advanced above half that dillance. And now, inftead of having our la- bours and anxieties relieved by approaching a w^irmcr climate and more tranquil feas, wc were to fleer again to the fouthward, and were again to comb:;t thofe weftern blalts, which had fq oltc n terrified us ; and this too, when we were w.eakned by our men falling fick, aqd dying apace, and when our fpirits, dejeiSted by a long continuance ut fea, and by our late difappoint-r ment, were much lefs capable of fupporting U5 in the various difficulties, which we could not but expert in this new undertaking. Add to all • this too, the difcouragement we received by the diminution of the flrength of the fquadron ; for three days before this, we loft fight of the Se-- v^rn and the Pearl in the morning ; and though we fpread our fhins, and beat about for fome time, yet we never law them more ; whence we had apprehpnfions that they too might havQ fallen in with this land in the night, and by be- ing lefs favoured by the wind and the moon thar^ we were, might have run on fhore and have perilhed, Full of thcfe dejefled thoughts and jgloomy prefagcs, we ftood away to the S. W, ivepared by our late difafler to fufpedl, that how jarge foever an ailov;ancc we made in our wefting for the drift of the eaftcrn current, we might fiill, VlPon a fecond trial j perhaps find it infuti^cicnt. 1 ( 119 ) C H A P. IX. Obfervations and diredlions for facilitating the palTage of our future Cruifers round Cape Horn, . , ,, TH E improper feafon of tlie year in v/hicli ,we attempted to double Cape Horny and to which is to be imputed the difappointment (recited in the foregoing chapter) in falling in with 'Terra del Fuego, when we reckoned our- felves at leaft a hundred leagues to the weilward of that whole coaft, and confequently well ad- vanced into the Pacifick Ocean •, this unfeafonablc navigation, I fay, to which we were neceflitated by our too late departure from England^ was the fatal fource of all the misfortunes we afterwards encountered. For from hence proceeded the fe- paration of our fhips, the deftrudlion of our peo- ple, the ruin of our proje6t on Baldivia, and of all our other views on the Spanijh places, and the redudlion of our fquadron from the formidable condition in which it paffed Streights Le Maire^ to a couple of fh:ittered half-manned cruifers and a Hoop, fo far diiabled, that in many climates they fcarcely durft have put to fea. To prevent therefore, as much as in me lies, all fhips here- after bound to the South-Seas from fuffering the fame calamities, I think it my duty to infert in this place, fuch directions and obfervations, as either my own experience and refledion, or the converfe of the moll fkilful Navigators on board f I »k. I the (uo) the fquadron could furnifh me with, in relation to the moft eligible manner of doubling Cape Horrif whether in regard to the feafon of the year, the courfa proper to be fleered, or the places of refrelhment both on the Eaft and \^Qfi:- i\dit oi South-America, ; ■ -? ^^ And firft with regard to the proper place for refrefhment on the Eaft-fide of South- America^. For this purpofc the Ifland of St. Catherine's has been ufually recommended by former writers, and on their faith we put in thefe, as has been formerly mentioned : But the treatment we met with, and the fmall ftore of refrefhments wc could procure there, are fuff '^ent reafons to ren- der all Ihips for the futur*: cautious, ho\v they truft themfelves in the government of Don Jofe Silva de Paz j for they may certairily depend on having their ftrength, condition ai^defigns be- trayed to the Spaniards^ as far as the knowledge, the Governor can procure of thefe particulars, will give leave. And as this treacherous con- dud is infpired by the views of private gain, in the illicit commerce carried on to the river of Plate^ rather than by any national affedion which the Portuguefe bear the Spaniards^ the fame per- fidy may perhaps be expeded from moft of the Governors of the Brazil coaft j fmce thefe fmug- gling engagements are doubtlefs veiy extenfivc and general. And though the Governors Ihould themfelves deteft To faithlefs a procedure, yet as (hips are perpetually palTing from fome or other of the Brazil ports to the river of Plate^ the* Spaniards could fcarcely fail of receiving, b) this ( I2f ) this means, cafual intelligence of any Brii'tjh ihips upon the coaft ; which, however imperfect fuch intelligence might be, would prove of dan- gerous import to the views and interefts of thofe cruifers who were thus difcovered. v • -^ . - / For the Spanijh trade in the South-Seas running all in one track from North to South, with very little deviation to the eaftward or weftward, it is in the power of two or three cruifers, properly ftationed in different parts of this track, to poffefs themfelves of every Ihip that puts to fea : But this is only fo long as they can continue concealed from the neighbouring coaft •, for the inftant an enemy is known to be in thofe feas, all naviga- tion is ftopped, and coniequently all captures are at an end; fmce the Spaniards^ well apprized of thefc advantages of the enemy, fend cxpreflcs along the coaft, and lay a- general embargo on all their trade ; a meaHire which they pruden- tially forefee, will nqt only prevent theTf veflels being taken, but will foon lay any cruifers, who have not ftrength fufficienc to attempt their places, under a necelUty of returning home. Hence then appears the great importance of con- cealing all expeditions *:of this kind ;' and hence too it follows, how extremely prejudicial that intelligence may prove, which is given by the Portuguefs Governors to the Spaniards^ in rela^ tion to the defigns of Ihips touching at the ports ! However, notwithftanding the inconvenien- cies we have mentioned of touching on the coaft QiBrazily it will oftentimes happen, that Ihips bound W4 i!ir,; I i ( 122 ) bound round Cape Horn will be obliged to calt there for a fupply of wood and water, and other refrefhments/ In this cafe St. Catherine's is the laft place I would recommend, both as the pro- per animals for a live ftock at fea, as hogs, fhcep and fowls cannot be procured there, (for want of which we found ourfelves greatly diftrefifed, by being reduced to live almoft entirely on fait provifions) but alfo becaufe from its being nearer the river oi Plate than many of their other fet- tlcmcnts, the inducements and conveniencies of betraying us are much ftronger. The place I would recommend is Rio Janeiro^ where two of our fquadron put in alter they were feparated from us in pafling C^pe Horn ', for here, as I have been informed by one of the Gentlemen on board thofe fliips, any quantity of hogs and poultry may be procured, and this place being more diftant from the river of Plate^ the diffi- culty of intelligence is fomewhat inhanced, and confequently the chance of continuing there un- difcovered, in fome degree augmented. Other jneafures, which may effedtually obviate all thefe embarraflments, will be confidt red "more at large hereafter. . And now I proceed to the confideration of the proper courfe to be fleered for doubling Cape Horn. And here, I think, I am fufficiently au- tjiorifed by our own fatal experience, and by a careful comparifon and examination of the jour- nals of former Navigators, to give this piece of Sidvice, which in prudence I think ought never . . to ( 123 ) to be departed from : That is, that all fhips bounj to the South-SeaSy inftead of pafTing through- Streights Le Maire, lliould conftantly pafs to the caftward of Staten-land^ and fliould be invariably bent on running to the fouthward as far as the latitude of 6 1 or 62 degrees, before they endea- vour to ftand to the weftward ; and that when they are got into that latitude, they Ihould then jnake fure of fu^cient wefting, before they once think of fleering to the northward. But as diredlions diametrically oppofite to thefe Jiave been formerly given by other writers, it is incumbent on me to produce my reafons for each part of this maxim. And firft, as to the paffing to the eaftward of Staten-land. Thofe who have lattended to the rifque wc ran in pafling Streights JL£ Maire^ the danger we were in of being driven upon Staten-land by the current, when, though we happily efcaped being put on (hore, we were yet carried to the caftward of that Ifland ; Thofe who refledi: on this, and on the like accidents which have happened to other fhips, will furely not eftecm it prudent to pafs through Streights Le Maire^ and run the rifque of fhip- wreck, and after all lind them.felves no farther to the weftward (the only reafon hitherto given for this pradice) than they might have been in the tame time, by a fecure navigation in an open fea, And next, as to the diredions I have given for funning into the Litituik of 61 or 62 South, be- fore any enueavour is made to ftand to the weft- ward, The reafons for this precept arc, that iri ^11 prob^bjiicy the violence of the currents will be M II 11 ( 124 ) be hereby avoided, and the weather will prove kfs tempefluous and uncertain. This Jail cir- cumftance we ourfelves experienced mod remark- ably ; for after we had unexpedledly fallen in with the land, as has been mentioned in the pre- ceding chapter, we flood away to the fouthward to run clear of it, and were no fooner advanced into fixty degrees or upwards, but we met with much better weather, ai-id fmoother water than in any other part of the whole pafTage : The air in- deed was very cold and fliarp, and we had (Irong gales, but they were fteady and uniform, and. we liad at the fame time funfliine and a clear fl^iy v^ whereas in the lower latitudes* the winds every now and then intermitted, aS; it were, to recover . new flrength, and then returned fuddenly in the: nioft violent gulls, threatening at each blaft the lofs of our mails, which muft have ended in; our certain dellrudion. And that the currents in this high latitude would be of much lefs effi- , cacy thin nearer the land, feems x.r be evinced Irom thefe confiderations, that all currents run with greater violence near the fhore than at fea, and at greater dillances from fhore they are fearcely perceptible : Indeed the reafon of this feems fufficiently obvious, if we confider, that conflant currents are, in all probability, produced by conflant winds, the wind driving before it, though with a flow and imperceptible motion, a large body of water, which being accumulated upon any coafl that it meets with, this fupcrflu- cus water muft efcape along the fhore by the endeavours of its furfiice, to reduce itfelf to the fame I ( '25 ) fame level with the reft of the Ocean, And it is reafonable to fuppofe, that thofe violent gufts of wind which we evnerienced near the Ihorc, fo very different from what we found in tlic la- titude of fixty degrees and upwards, may be ow- ing to a fimilar caufe ; for a wefterly wind alraofl: perpetually prevails in the fouthern part of the Pacijick Ocean : And this current of air being interrupted by thole immenfe hills called the Andes^ and by the mountains on lierra del Ftugo^ which together bar up the whole country to the fouthward as far as Cape Horn^ a part of ir only can efcape over the tops of thofe prodigious pre- cipices, and the reft mull naturally follow the direction of the coaft, and mult range down the land to the fouthward, and fweep with an im- petuous and irregular blaft round Cape Horn^ and the fouthermoft part of '-t^rra del Fuego. How- ever, not to rely on thefe fpeculations, we may, I believe, eftablilh, as inconteftable, thefe mat- ters of fadl, that both the rapidity of the current?;, and the violence of the weftern gales, are lefs fenfible in the latitiide of 6 1 or 62 degrees, than nearer the fhore of 'Terra del Fmzo. But though I am fatisficd both from our own experience, and the relations of other Naviga- tors, of the importance of the precept I here in- fift on, that of running into the latitude of 61 or 62 degrees, before any endeavours are made to ftand to the weftward -, yet I would advife no (hips hereafter to truft fo far to this management, as to negleft another moft eflcntial maxim, which is the making this palilige in the height of fiim- mer, ! fi I (126) fner, that is, in the months of Decemi^ arid January -, and the more diftant the time of paffing is taken from this feafon, the more difaftrous it may be reafonably expected to prove. Indeed^ it the mere violence of the weftern winds be con- fidered, the time of our pafTage, which was aboiit the Equinox, was perhaps the moft unfavourable feafon ; but then it muft be confidered, that in the depth of winter there are many other incon- Veniencies to be apprehended in this navigation^ which are almoft infuperable : For the feverity of the cold, and the Hiortnefs of the days would render it impracticable at that feafon to run fo far to the fouthward as is here recommended j and the fame reafons would greatly augment the alaims of failing in the neighbourhood of an un- known fhore, dreadful in its appearance in the midft of fummer, and would make a winter na- vigation on this coafl to be, of all others, th6 moft difmaying and terrible. As I would there- fore advife all fhips to make their palfage in De-^ cember and January^ if poffible, fo I would warn them never to attempt the fea to the fouthward of Cape Horn, after the month of March^ And now as to the remaining confideratiori^ that is, the propereft port for cruifers to refrefh at on their firft arrival in the South-Seas. Ort this head there is fcarcely any choice, the Ifland of Juan Fernandes being the only place that cart be prudently recommended for this purpofe. For though there are many ports on the weftern fide of Patagonia, between the Streights of Magellan- and the S;pani/Io fettlements (a plan of one of wtich- wilJ { 127 ) will be referred to in the courfe of this work) where ihips might ride in great fafety, might recruit their wood and water, and might pro- cure fome few refrefhments ; yet that coaft is in itfelf fo terrible, from the rocks and breakers it abounds with, and from the violence of the weftern winds, which blow conftantly full upon it, that it is by no means advifeable to fall in with that land, at leaft till the roads, channels and anchorage in each part of it are accurately furveyed, and both the dangers and flicker it abounds with are more diftindtly known. '■ Thus having given the beft dirediions in my power for the fuccefs of future cruifers bound to the Soutb-SeaSy it might be expedled that I fhould again refume the thread of my narration. But as both in the preceding and fubfequent parts of this work, I have thought it my duty nrt only to recite all fuch facts, and to incukate fuch maxims. as had the leaft appearance of proving beneficial to future Navigators, but alfo occafion- ally to recommend fuch meafures to the Public, as I conceive are adapted to promote the fame laudable purpofe, I cannot defift from the pre- fent fubjed:, without befeeching thofe to whom the condu6t of our naval affairs is committed, to endeavour to remove the many perplexities and embarralTments with which the navigation to the Sotab-Seas is, at prefcnt, nccelTarily encumbered* An effort of this kind could not fail of proving highly honourable to themfelves, and extremely beneacial to their country. For it is to me fuf- ikiently evident, that whatever advantages na- i -• . viga- II ^11 ii f' I (128) vigatiort fhall receive, either by the invention of methods that fhall render its pradlice lels hazard- ous, or by the more accurate delineation of the coalls, roads and ports already known, or by the difcovery of new nations, or new fpecies of com- merce j it is evident, I fay, to me, that by what- ever means navigation is promoted, the conve- niencies hence arifing muft ultimately, redound to the emolument of Great-Britain. Since as our fleets are at prefent fuperior to thofe of the whole world united, it mutl be a matchlefs de- gree of fupinenefs or mean-fpiritednefs, if we permitted any of the advantages which new dif- coveries, or a more extended navigation may produce to mankind, to be raviihed from us. As therefore it appears that all our future ex- peditions to the South-Seas mull run a confider- able riique of proving abortive, whilft we arc under the neceflity of touching at Brazil in our paffage thither, an expedient that might relieve us from this difficulty, would furely be a fubje<5t worthy of the attention of the Public j and this feems capable of being efFe6bed, by the difcovery of fome place more to the fouthward, where fhips might refrefh and fupply themfelves with the neceflary fea-ftock for their voyage round Cape Horn. And we have in reality the imper- fect knowledge of two places, which might per- haps, on examination, prove extremely conve- nient for this purpofe •, the firft of them is Pepys*s Ifland, in the latitude of 47 ^^ South, and laid down by Dr. Halley, about eighty hiagues to the eaftward of Cape Blanco^ on the coaft of Pata- gonia \ 's Id ( 129 ) gonia-, the fecond, is Falkland's l{[cs, in the la- titude of 51? i- nearly South of Pepys's Ifland. The firft of thefe was difcovered by Captain Cozu- ley, in his Voyage round the World in the year 1686; who reprefents it as a commodious place for fhips to wood and water at, and fays, it is provided with a very good and capacious harbour," where a thoufand fail of fhips might ride at an- chor in great fafety ; that it abounds with fowls, and as the fhore is either rocks or fands, it feems to promife great plenty of fifh. The fecond place, or Falkland's IQes, have been feen by many ihips both French and Englijh, being the land 1. d down by Frezier, in his Chart of the extremity of South A^nerica^ under the title of the Ne^jj IJlands. Woods Rogers^ who run along the N. E. coaft of thefe IQes in the year 1708, tells us,' that they extended 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 confiderable diftancc Irom the Continent, may be fuppofed, from their latitude, to lie in a climate fufficiently temperate. It is true, they are too little known to be at prcfenc recommended for proper places of refrefliment for fliips bound to the fouthward : But if the Ad- ' miralty fhould think it advifeable to order them to be furveyed, which may be done at a very fmall expence, by a veffel fitted out on purpofe ; and if, on this examination, one or both ot thefe places Ihould appear proper for the purpok in- tended, it is fcarcely to be conceived, of what -fc4% K " prodi- # I I'll Mil ( 130 ) prodigious *mport a convenicnr ftation miglit prove, fitiiutcd (o fi\r to the fouthward, and io near Cape HorTi. The Duke and Diicheis of Brijlol were but thirty-five days from their lofing fight of Falklan^s Iflcs to their arrival at Juan Fernandes in the SouthScas : And as the return-, ing back is much faciUtatcd by the weftern wlnds» I doubt not but at voyage rn^ht be made from Falklani^ iflcs to Juan Fermindcs and back again^ in httle more than two months. This, even in time of peace, might be of great, confequencc ta this Nation ; and, in rime of war, would make us mafters of thofc feas. -.-.-^ iw-*« X And as all difcoveries of this kind, though extremely honoi'/able to thofe who dire<5l and proniute them, may yet be carried on at an in- confiderable expence, fmce fmaii veflcls are much the propcreft to be employed in this fervk:e, it were to be wifhed, that the whole coaft of Pa- t^goniay 'Terra del FuegOy and Staten-landy were carefully furveycd, and the numerous channels, roads and harbours with which they abound, ac- curately examined ; this might open to us fa- cilities of pafling into the Pacijic Ocean, which as yet we may be unacquainted with, and would render all that fouthern navigation infinitely fe-* curer than at prefent ; and particulailyy an exa^S; draught of the Weft coaft of Patagonia, from the Streights of Magellan to the Spanifb fettle-, ments, might perhaps furnifh us with better and more convenient ports for refrefliment, and bet-^ ter fituated for the purpofes cither of war or com- merce, and above a fortnight's fail nearer to Falk- ( 131 ) Falkland*^ Iflands, than the Ifland of Juan Fef* Tiandes. The difcovery of this coall hath for- merly been thought of fuch confequencc, by reafon of its neighbourhood to the Aaucos and other Chilian Indians, v;ho are generally ?t war, or at leaft on ill terms with their Spanijh neigh- lx)urs, that Sir John Narborough was purpofely fitted out in the reign of King Charles II, to fur- vcy the Streights of Magellan^ the neighbouring coaft ot Patagonia^ and the Spanifi ports on that frontier, with diredlions, if pcflible, to procure fome intercourfe with the Chilian Indians, and to eHiablifh a commerce and a lading correfpondence with them. His Majefly's views in employing Sir John Narhorough in this expedition, were not folely the advantage he might hope to receive from the alliance of tho/e fivages, in reftraining and " intimidating the Crown of Spain •, but he con- ceived, that independent of thofe motives, the immediate traffick with thefe Indians might prove extremely advantagious to the Englijh Nation. For it is well known, that at the firft difcovery of Chili by the Spaniards, it abounded with valt quantities of gold, much beyond what it has at any rime produced, fincc it has been in their •• poflefTion. And hence it has been generally be- lieved, that the richeit mines are prudently con- cealed by the Indians, as well knowing that the difcovery of them to the Spaniards would only excite in them a greater thirft for conquefl: and tyranny, and render their own independence, ' precarious. But with refpeft to their commerce i i ( ( 132 ) with the Englijb, thefe reafons would no longer influence them j fincc it would be in our power to furnilh them with arms and ammunition of all kinds, of which they are extremely defirous, together witii many other convenicncies, which their intcrcourfe with the Spaniards has taught them to reliih. They would then, in all pro- bability, open their mines, and gladly embrace a tra/fick of fuch mutual convenience to both Nations j for then their gold, inftead of proving the means of enflaving them, would procure them weapons to aflert their liberty, to chaftife their tyrants, and to fecure thcmfelves for ever from the SpaniJIj yoke -, whilfl with our aiTiftance, and under our protedlion, they might become a confiderable people, and might fecure to us that wealth, which formerly by the Houfe of Jufiria^ and lately by the Houfe of Bourbon^ has been moft mifchievoufly lavifhed in the purfuit of universal Monarchy. *. - ^ . '►r .. .1. , .,_. „^ It is true, that Sir John Narhorough did not fucceed in opening tliis commerce, which in ap- pearance promifed fo many advantages to this Nation. However, his difappointment was merely accidental, and his tranfacStions upon that coaft (befides the many valuable improvements he furnifhed to geography and navigation) are rather an encouragement for future trials of this kind, than any objection againft them ; his prin- . cipal misfortune being the lofmg company of a . fmall bark which attended him, and having fome of his people trapanned at Baldivia. However, it appeared, by the precautions and fears ol the Spa- s ( 133 ) Spaniards^ that they were fully convinced of the pradticability of the fcheme he was fent to exe- cute, and extremely alarmed with the apprehen- fion of its confequences. * It is faid, that his Majelly King Charles the Second was fo far prepoffcfled with the hopes ot the advantages redounding from this expedition, and fo eager to be informed of the event of it, that having intelligence of Sir John Narborough*^ pafling through the Downs, on his return, lie had not patience to attend his arrival at Court, but went himfelf in his barge to Grave/end to meet him. -*- - ■ •- --- - To facilitate as iliuch as poiTible any attempts of this kind, which may be hereafter undertaken, I have here annexed the thirteenth plate, con- taining a chart of that part of the world, as far as it is hitherto known, which I flatter myfclf is in fome refpedls much correcter than any hither- to publiflied. To evince which, it may be ne- cefTary to mention what materials I have prnici- pally made ufe of, and what changes I have in- troduced different from other authors. The two moft celebrated charts hitherto pub- liflied of the fouthermofl: part of South America, are thofe of Dr. Halley, in his general chart of the magnetic variation, and of Frezier in his voyage to the South-Seas. But befldes thefe, there is a chart of the Streights o^ Magellan, and of fome part of the adjacent coafl:, by Sir John Narborotigh above-mentioned, which is doubtlefs infinitely exadler in that part than Frezier, and in fome refpefts fuperior to Halley, particularly in K 3 what * *,f TM.\ i ( 134 ) what relates to the longitudes of the different parts of thofe Streights. The coaft from Cape Bliimo to ^'erra del Fuego^ and thence to Streightg Le Alaire^ we were in fome meafure capable of corredling by our own obfcrvations, as we ranged that Ihore generally in fight of land. The pofi- tion of the land, to the northward of the Streights of Magellan, on the Weft fide, is doubtlefs laid down in our chart but very imperfectly ; and yet I believe it to be much nearer the truth than what has hitherto been done : As it is drawn from the inicrmation of feme of the IFager*^ CtcyN, who were fliipwreckcd on that flicre, and afterwards ccafted it down j and as it agrees pretty nearly with the defcription of fome Spanijh manufcripts I have ittn. , , » , - • r The Channel dividing Terra del Fucgo is drawn from Frezier'i but in the Spanifi manufcripts there are feveral Channels delineated, and I have reafon to fuppofe, that whenever this country is thoroughly examined, this circumftance will prove true, andTerra del Ftiego will be found to confift of feveral Idands. And having mentioned Frezier fo often, I rnuft not omit warning all future Navigators, iig.'.'rin: relying on the longitude of Streights Le Maire^ or of any part of that coaft, laid down in his chart ; the v/hole being iTom 8 to 10 der grees too far to tlie caftward, if any faith can be given to the concurrent evidences of a great num- ber of journals, verified in fome particulars by aftronomicai obfervation. For* inftance. Sir Jdhn Ncirbcrough lays down Cape Virgin Mary in 6^"^ : */:; 1 . 42' . ( '35 ) 42' of Weft longitude irom the Lizard^ that is in 71" : 20 from London. And the lliips of our fquadron, who took their departure from St. Ca- iberine*s (where the longitude was redified by an obfervation of the eclipfe of the moon) found Cape Virgin Mary to be from 70^ : 46', to .71'' : 30' from Lcndon^ according to their dif- ferent reckonings : And there were no circum- jlances in our run that could render it confider- ably erroneous, fo that it cannot be cllccmed in Icfs than 71 degrees of Weil longitude i whereas Frezier lays it, down in lefs than G6 degrees from Paris^ that is, little more than 6'^ degrees from London^ wliich is doubtlefs 8 degrees fhort of its true quantity. Again, our Iquadron found Cape Virgin Mary and Cape St. Bartholomew on the :caftcrn fi4e of Streights Le Maire to be only 2°: 8' different in longitude, which in Frezitr are diftant near 4 degrees \ fo that not only the longitude of Cape St. Bartholomei^ is laid down in him near 10 degrees too little, but the whole coaft, from the Streights of Magellan to Streights Le Maire^ is enlarged to near double its real extent. .fj But to have done with Frezier^ whofe errors, the importance of the fubjedt and not a fondnefs for cavilling, has obliged me to remark, (though his treatment of Dr. Halley might, on the prefcnc occafion, authorife much fcverer ulagc) I mud', in the next place, particularize wherein the chart I have here mentioned diticni froni tliat of our learned countryman. fi-.i f * v« . ». V n\ K \^>i ,^^ I: SI w / IP m ,. ill • LTii i ( 136). ' It is well known that this Gentleman was lent abroad by the Public, to make fuch geographi- cal and allronomical obfervations, as might faci- litate the future pradice of navigation, and par- ticularly to determine the variation of the com- pafs in fuch places as he Ihould touch av, and if poifible, to afcertain its general laws and affec- tions. Thefe things Dr. Ilalley, to his immortal re- putauon and the honour of our Nation, in good meallire accomplifhed, particularly with regard to th." variation of the compafs, ?. fubjed:, of all , others, the moft interefting to thofe employed in the art of navigation. He likewife correfted the pofition of the coaft of Brazil.^ which had been very erroneoufly laid down by all former Hydrographers -, and by a judicious comparifon of the obfervations of others, has happily fuc- ceeded in fettling the geography of- many parts of the globe, where he had not himfelf been. So that the chart he publifhed, with the variation of the needle marked thereon, being the refult of his labours on this fubjedl, was allowed by all Europe to-be far compleater in its geography than any that had then appeared, and at the fame time moft furprizingly exad: in the quantity of varia- tion afligned to the different parts of the globe j a fubjec^ fo very intricate and perplexing, that all general determinations about it had till then appeared impofTjble, But as the only means he had of correAing thofe coafts where he did not touch himfelf was the obfervations of othcr^ j where thofe obferva- • • tions ( 137 ) tions were wanting, or were inaccurate, it was no imputation on his Ikill, that his deterniinati- ons were defeftive. And this, upon the beft comparifon I have been able to make, is the cafe with regard to that part of his chart, which con- tains the South part of South Jmerica. For though the coaft of Brazil^ and the oppofitc coaft of Pe7'U on the South-Seas arc laid down, I pre- fume, with the greateft accuracy, yet from about the river of Plate on the Eaft fide, and its oppo- fite point on the Weft, the coaft gradually declines too much to the weftward, fo as at the Streights of Magellan to be, as I conceive, about fifty leagues removed from its true pofition : At leaft, this is the refult of the obfervations of our fqua- dron, which agree extremely well with thofe of Sir John Narhorough. I muft add, that Dr. Hal- ley has, in the Philofophical Tranfaflions, given the foundation on which he has proceeded, in fixing Port St. Julian in yG'-^ I of Weft longi- tude : (which the concurrent journals of our fquadron place from ^o'' Ito ji^ \) This, he tells us, was an obfcrvation of the eclipfe of the moon, made at that place by Mr. IVood^ then Sir John Narhorough's Lieutenant, and which is faid to have happened there at eight in the even- ing, ^n^^^:\f^ viiui^. sdirt^J ^nwJur^fiV" iJ^WttJ*^" '.m\hpii-^ •g^\ kij\r%-^^y^^t\X\n^ll^. ylMvt!J:iO"Q* jjsV^ lif) ■V^ ■■U' V> M ;l(i< .t^ \U\{x '**■■: nr.'.] mi '^\ ,^'\ r Tv 1 ►} /. \f .> - Ji«. ■l\-\*> f'f;i :o ';mn '.-^ ■ •^ UJ\A- JO ♦'.'' ^ r V ■'^l '■^ CHAP. Ill v-s\ p. ( 139 ) (Ml-rr*^ '•;, .T.-'^'** ^' ,r,l CHAP. X. ( ■» ♦ From Cape Nojr to the Ifland of Juati -.u,r Fernandes, ».- « AF T E R the mortifying clifa[;pointment of falling in witM the coaft oi Terra del Fuego^ when we efteemcd ourfelves ten degrees to the weftward of it ; after this difappointment, I fay, recited in the eighth chapter, we flood away to the S. W. till the 22d of Aprils when we were upwards of 60® of South latitude, and by our account near 6^ to the weftward of Cape Noir \ and in this run, we had a feries of as favouiable weather, as could well be expe<5tcd in that part of the world, even in a better feafon : So that this interval, fetting the inquietude of our thoughts afide, was by far the moft eligible of any we enjoyed from Streights Le Maire to the Weft: coaft of America. This moderate weather continued, with little variation, till the 24th j but on the 24th, in the evening, the wind be- gan to blow frclh, and foon encreafcd to a pro- digious ftorm i and the weather being extremely thick, about midnight we loft fight of the other four ftiips of the fquadron, which, notwithftand- ing the violence of the preceding ftorms, had hi- therto kept in company with us. Nor was this our fole misfortune \ for, the next morning, endeavouring to hand the top-fails, the clew- lines and bunt- lines broke, and the fhects being half flown, every feam in the top fails was foon fplit 1 •"If I m I] 4 i; i ( 140 ) fplit from top to bottom, and the main top-fail fiiookfo ftrongly in the wind, that it carried away the top lanthorn, and endangered the head of the maft •, however, at length, fome of the moft daring of our men ventured upon the yard, and cut thv iail away clofe ri the reefs, though with the utmoll hazard of their lives. At the fame time, the foretopfail beat*about the yard with fo much fury, thae it was foon blown to pieces; and that we might have full employment, the main-fail blew loofe, 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 befides the lofs of our top-fails, we had much of our other rigging broke, and loft a main ftudding- fail-boom out of the chains. '■ '' ' On the 25th, about noon, the weather be- came more moderate, which enabled us to fway up our yards, and to repair, in the beft manner we could, our fhattered rigging -, but ftill we had no fight of the reft of our fquadron, nor in- deed were we joined by any of them again, till after our arrival at Juan Fernandes^ nor did any two of them, as we have fince learned, continue in company together: And this total feparation was the more wonderful, as we had hitherto kept together for feven weeks, through all the reiterated tempefts of this turbulent climate. It muft indeed be owned, that this feparation gave «s room to expedl, that we might make our paf- fage in afhorter time, than if we had continued together, becaufe we could now make the beft ■■'■■■' ■'■ i^. -■ - ■ - — of ( HI ) of our way without being retarded by the mif- fortunes of other Ihips ; but then we had the melarvcholy reflexion, that we ourfclves were hereby deprived of the affiftance of others, and our fafety would depend upon our fingle fhip ; fo that if a plank darted, or any other accident of the fame nature fhould take place, we muft all irrecoverably perilh ; or Ihould we be driven on (hore, we had the uncomfortable profped: of ending our days on fome defolate coaft, without any reafonable hope of ever getting away ; whereas with another (hip in company, all thefe calamities are much lels formidable, fmce in every kind of danger, there would be fome pro- bability that one fhip at lead might efcape, and might be capable of pi cfcrving or relieving the crew of the other. .-,,, ^. ,,>,?.. ,. . •. ../> . , The remainmg part of this month of April we had generally hard gales, although we had been every day, fince the 2 2d, edging to the north- ward i however, on the laft day of the month, we flattered ourfclves with the hopes of foon ter- minating all our fufferings, for we that day i und ourfelves in the latitude of 52* : 13', which be- ing to the northward of the Streights of Ma- gellan, we were afTured that we had compleated our paffage, and had arrived in the confines of the fouthern Ocean ; and this Ocean being no- minated Pacific^ from the equability of the fea- fons which are faid to prevail there, and tne fa- cility and fecurity with which navigation is there carried on, we doubted not but v/e iliould be fpeedily cheared with the moderate gales, the fmooth ^■i; • -.-3 ( H2 ) fmooth water, and the temperate air, for which that traft of the globe has been fo renoMmed, And under the influence of thefe pleafing cir- cumftances, we hoped to experience fome kind of compenfation •, for the complicated miferies which had fo confl:antIy attended us for the laft eight weeks. But here we were again difap- pointed ; for in the fucceeding month of May^ our - Terings rofe to a much higher pitch than rhef Md ever yet done, whether we confider the v^'Mhu, of the ftorms, the fhatterlng of our fails and rigguig, or the diminifhing and weakening of our crew by deaths and ficknefs, and the pro- bable profpeft of our total dcftru6tion. All this will be fufRciently evident, from the follow- ing circumftantial account of our diverfified mif- fortuncs. ■*''; 'i rtn ^ -ti f .' t ■»'♦'!! r-<.:tT I -*^ ,iu v, .. Soon after our paiTing Streights Le Maire j the fcurvy began to make its appearance amongft US; and our long continuance at fea, the fatigue we underwent, and the various difappointments we met with, had occafiored its fpreading to fuch a degree, that at the latter end of April there were but few on board, who were not in fon:>e degree afflided with it, and in that month nolefs than forty- three died of it on board the Centu- rion. But though we thought that the di {tem- per had then rifen to 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 Ma'j we loft near double that number : And as 4 we ( H3 ) we did not "get to land till the middle of June^ the mortality went on increafmg, and the difeafe extended itfelt io prodigioufly, that after the lofs of above two hundred men, we could not at lad miifter more than fix fore-malt men in a Watch capable of duty. «ivrvH*tr.^/>wt> k«.*t ,\r^,A*^ This difeafe fo frequently attending all long voyages, and fo particularly deftrudtive to us, is furely the moft fingular and unaccountable of :my tliat affeds the human body, For its fymp- toms are inconftant and innumerable, and its progrefs and effefts extremely ''-regular; for fcarcely any two perfons have tlw fame com- plaints, and where there hath u mi icund fome conformity in the fymptoms, XX'" order of their appearance has been totally J " Cerent. However, tliough it frequently puts on uu form of many other difeafer, and is therefore not to bedefcribcd by any exclulive and infallible criterions ; yet there are fome I'ymptoms which are more gene- ral than the rcit ; and thei efore, occurring the oftneft, deferve a more particular enumeration. Thefe common appearances are large difcoloured fpots difperfed over the whole furface of the body, fwelled legs, putrid gums, and above all, an extraordinary lafiltude of the whole body, efpecially after any exercife, however inconfidcr rable •, and this lafTitude at laft degenerates into a pronenefs to fwoon on the lealt exertion, of llrength, or even on the leaft motion. ;/nno.^ m^ . This difeafe is iikewiie nfually attended with a ftrange dejeflion of the fpirirs, and with fhi-?-! vcring?, trembling", and a ciir|)cIition to be f^izcd with ri' )-■', •' '■■m n ■A ill '■5' 1:1 < JP4-4 ) ^I4h tfer moil* * 'dreadful- terrors on the -flighteft ^Afe6fiJ(^n6-- Indeed- it "Tras- moil Temarkable,' in ialhoiipA-^tct'ated expcinincc of thts nrdaKfy, that ^i^hw;«^idiftoumged^^5ttf people,' ot *ar ;any tiftit 3da«if)fl4"^p^hf)pc9i"iicvcr failed- to-id(J'- ne^i Ivigciur:^© th^-Hfic5, - the j^njidica,. -and vibtei^-^heiinfiatick*'paittr, -and fomettimfes kiotcafiofied- an obft-mtrtect^ivcnels; \Tiwf this virulent diftemper : Of this,.i^TeAvas'& l^nnarkable iiiftanCe in one ^ ofithdidy^dKosf-^oaiid the Centurion, who had hfcoi .'w<;^iTdcdi above, ftfty years - before at the ^ 'jCiD ** battle Hi :hei tie ( HS) battle of the Bcyne ; for though he wis cured fbon after, and had coiuixuacd well for a gfcat number of years paft, yet oa his being attacked by the fcurvy, hU wounds* in the progrds of his difeaTe, broke out afrefh» and :4>peared as if they had never been healed : Nay, what is ftili more aftoniihing, tlie callous crf a broken bone, which had been compleatly formed for a long time, was found to be herd>y diflbived^ and the fracture feemed as if it had never been confoli* dated. Indeed, the effe^ of this diiea(e were in almoft every inftance wonderful ; for many of our pec^le, though conEned to their ham- mocks, appeared to have no inconliderahle fhare of health, foi* they eat and drank heartily^ were chearful, and talked with much feeming vigour, and with a loud ftrong tone of voice } and yet on their being the kaft moved, though it was only from one part of the ihip to the other, and that in "^heir hamnoocks, ^y have immediately expired ; and others, who have confided in their feeming ftrength, and have refolved to get out of their hammocks, have died before they could well teach the dedt » and it was no uncommon tiuTig for tbofe who were able to walk the deck, and to do feme kind of duty, to drop down dead in an inftant, on amr endeavours to ad with their utmoft vigouTt many of our people having perlfhed in this manner during the courie of this voyage. With this terrible difeaTe we ftrug^d the greii«,teit part of the time of our ^f^ng round HV.. / ^ i'4, Cape tV '*l' ! •i i'i ilif . ( '46 ) Cape Flefrn ; arid though •'■ did not then ragjJ with its utmoft violence, yet we buried no lefs man forty-three men on board the Centurion^ in the month of j4prily as hath been already ob- fcrved, but we ftill entertained hopes, that wheit ^ fhould have once ftcui-ed our paffage round the Cape, we Ihduld put a period to this, and all the other evils which had fo conftantly ptir- fiied us. But it was bur misfortune to fihd; that the Pacific Ocean was to us lefs hofpitablc than the turbulent neighbourhood of Terra del Fuego and GaJ)e Horn : For being arrived, oh the 8th of May^' off the Ifland of ^ocoroy which wa^ the firft rendezvous appoiilttd for the fquadron, •nd where we koped to haVe ittet iv'itti fome 6f our coinpariidns, we cruized for them in that ftation feVeral days. And here we were hot 6nly difappointed irt our hopes of being joined by our friends, arid were thereby induced to favour the gloo'my fuggeftions of their having all periihed 5 but we were likewife perpetually alarmed with the fearsTof being driven on fliore iipon this coaft^ivhich appeared too thggy and irregular i6 give bs 'the kaft hopes, thit in fucH a eafe any of us could pblTibly efcape imme- diate' deftniAbn. For the l^nd had indeed a Jiibft tl^emiendous afpcdV : The moft diftant pare ef it, ^n(i Mic'h Appeared far "Within the coun- ty; bctng the mountains ufually called the Jndef or Cordilleras; was extremely high^ and covered wi^h fno>^ ; kn'd ' the coaft itfcW' fcemed quite Mcky m^^ftni kM the Watei^^ edge fkirted ^ with ?M«. ^ le- lun- idef tred lite rith ( U7). , ,., . ,_ Mth pWciplces! til feihc ptices in3eci thefi appearfcd fcveril deep bays funning into tht land, but the ehtfance into ^em ^as generally blocked up by hui'nters of little liland's i anil though it was not improbable tut there might be convenient fhclter in fome of thofe baySj and proper channels leading thereto -, yet as we were utterly ignoi-ant of the coaft, had we been driven afhore by the weftern winds which blew almoft conftuittly th6re, we did not exped t6 have aVoide'd the feis of our Ihips and of Cut '^' And this toAtinii^a peril, whicli' failed for abo^^fe a fortnight, was greatly aggravated by the diftciiltic" we found in working the'lhip i as thfe fcarvy had by this time deftroyed Co great a part of our hands^ and had in fome degree affedled alitioil the whole crew/ Nor did >^e, as we hopcidj find the winds lefs vio- lent, as we advanced to the northward ^ for we had often prodigious fqualls which fplit oU^ fails, greatly damaged our rigging, and en- dangered our maft^. ^indeed, during the greatelt pa,Vt of the time we were upon fliis coaft, the wind blew to hard, that in another fTtuatidn, ^here we had fuffident fea-room,' we rfioula fcertainiy ha^ie lain to ; but iii the pfefeiit exi- gency we were? neceflitated to carry both our eoiirfes and top-fails,' in orA'^f to kc^p cl^ar oF this lee-fhore. In 0116 of thefe ♦qilails, which Was attended by feVeral violent claos'oTt'hiinder* k fudden flafh of fire darted aloiig" our decks, which, dividing, exploded with a report like L 2 thac :^l ( h8 ) that <5i ft vcral . piftods, : and ,.wopndc4 in^ny of eup •mea;ai»i officers as it paiTed, marking them Jn' difierehc p^rts of the body : Xhis;^.me was atceiidcdr .with a ftrong fulphurous fteiKfc: and i9fi& do^ibtiefs of: the. fame nature with tl^e Jargcr and mow violdxt bMti of Jightninj^ whicfe: the?) filled the* air. :.-: . :i~;- crzo :. .-. .. ;,;;. :^.. :.>;■ - It.werc:endleis to^TCclie.fniriutcIy the various :difaftcTS^ fitigucs apd Sfffprsj which w«;^ cpceun- tferedoii this coaftv-; :aR-£htf©wcnt ti^ ift^r^afing xiJl -the 22d of A%, ^. whi<:h ti^vfs^th!^ fury ,€f ail iheiHontli 3^Kich WP had hithisrcp encoun- tcxcdv fecined ^obCiji^mbiJKidj an4 tojiayc con- " fpircdjDur 4eifru ivbldb was not far diflant from us \ but in tht liudft of our pcfril the Wittd'^li^ily fhiftod to the fouthwkrd, and we ft^et^d off the hnd with the main-fail only, the M^fier and myielf under- taking 'the^fi^anagemelit «<^ the hclm^ while eVery dne ellfe on b6at^ ' Waii bufied ia iccurihg the mads,- and bending'' tite fails as U& a3 they could bere][$aiFed. i:^hiswa^ tHe hft effort of thatfloritiy diiriate rfof-Wa day or two after, we gdt'cMi*'6f tl*e larid',>'aftd fbutud the weather mori '' inbd^ra^ th^n %fe' * -had yet experienced fmce xmt- paffing' Streighb Z.^ Maif^^ And now having cruized in Vaitv>f(H^lnoi'e tfeao-ii fort- night ■ in (jucft of ttie' dth^r fhijp^ ci^ the Iqua- dron, it Was refolVed tb tifce-thfr Wva^tagc pf the prelcnt favourable "^(Bnvknd^^fKt ofiing we had made from thii ceri^tik X!oail$ 'and to make the beft of our Way feiff ?fie Ifland of Jjawiri^fr- nandis. For though Ouir next rende;$TOu& was appointed off the harbour of Baldhiap yatm.ift had hitherto feen n^^ne df Our companibnsv at this firft rendezvous* it wfts not to Wfuppofed that any of them would be found at th)e febond : Indeed we had the grtateft reafoa tdfufped, that ail but ourfelves had perifhed;- QeTides, we were by this time reduced t^O IVlOW a )con- ' L 3 dition. m \^h !ii" :» II Hi ( m ) ditipn, that inlj:ead of atteniptin^ \q attack the places of i\\t enemy, our ytmoft hopes could oply fuge^ft to us the poflibility of faving the fhip, and Tome part of the remaining enfeebled crew, by our fpeedy arrival at Jtiari Fernandes % fdf this was the ' only road in that part of the world 'where there was any probability of our recovering our fick, or refitting our veflel, and copfeqiiehtly our; getting thither was the only chance we h^^ ^^ft to avoid perifhing at fea. .C)ur' deplorable fituation then allowing no room for deliberation, we ftood for the Ifland of Juan F^nandes x and to fave time, which was nov ^tpemely precious, (our men dying, four, live jind fix in a day) and likewife to avoid bein^ engaged Wain with a lec-lhore, we re- folved, if pofTible, to hit the Ifland \ipon a pieridian. An(i, on the 28th of ^', being nearly 'ir> the parallel upon which it is laid down, we had great expedatiohs of feeing it : put hot finding it in the pofition in which the charts had taught us to expert it, we began to feaj: that we had got too far to the weftward 5 and theretore, though the Commpdore himfelf was ftrongly perfuaded, that he law it on the mPrning of the 28th, yet his Officers believing jt 'to be ohly a cloud, to which opjnion the hazinefs of the weather gave fome kind of countenance, it was, on a confultation, refolyed to ftand to" the eaflward, in the parallel of the Ifland i 'as it was certain, that by this courfe w^ Ihoiild' either fall in with the Ifland, if we were ( 15' ) already to the weftward of it ; qr Should at kai^ make the main land of Cbili^ from whence we migli': take a new departure, and aflure ourfelvea, by running to the weftward afterwards, of not miffing the Ifland a fecond time. • ^ ^i: rvj^i. s;v>i ^ * -On the 30th of 71% we had a view of the Continent of Chiliy diftant about twelve or thir- teen leagues ; the land ma^e exceeding high and uneven, and appeared quite white •, what we faw being doubtlefs a part of the CordiUeraSy whic^i are always covered with fnow. Though by this view of the land we afcercained our pofij- tion, ye; it gave us great uneafinefs to find that we had fo needlcfsly altered our courfe, wheiji we were^ in all probability, juft upon the point of making the Wand ; ;(oJrthe n>Qrtality amongft us was now increafeci to a moft dreadful dc-. gree, and thofe who remained alive were utterly difpirited by this nev^ difappointment, and the profpedt of their longer continuance at fea : Our water too begari to grow fcarce ; fo that a gene- ral dejedion prevailed amongft us, which ad- ded much to the virvilence of the difeafe, and deftroyed numbers of our beft men ; and to all thefe 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 queft of the IQand, we were fo much delayed by calms and contrary winds, that it coft us nine days to regain the wefting, which, when we ftood to the eaftward, we ran down in two. In this defponding condition, with d great fcarcity of frcHi water, and cra2:y inip. a crew I". i r \. ■■ r Hi:' }] p i 1:1 .^-ii ■ I ■ ■a f \m '' m (15O a crew fo univerfaiiy difcafed, that there were not above ten forc-maft men in a watch ca- pable of doing duty, a^d even fome of thefc lame, and unable to go aloft : Under thefe diiheartmng circun^dances, I fay, we i^ood fo the twreftward i and^ bn the 9th of jHtftj at day- break, we at Uft cTifcovered the long-wifhed-fpr Ifland of Juan Fernandes. And with this dif- covery I Ihall cloib tltii chapter, and the firft book, after obferving (which will fyrnilh a very flrong- image of pur i^ipar^leled (Mftri^) that by our fufpefbing ourfelves to be to the weil- ward of the Ifland on the 28.th of iV%, aJ^d, \t\ confequence of this, Handing in for the Main, we loft between feven^ and eighty of our men, whom we Ihould dotibtlefs hkve fdved, had we piade the Ifland that day, which, had we kept on our courfe for d fev^. hAurs longer, we could pot have failed to have done* MND of BOOK L dih .:o ^ii^od^ tr.h -jcadi'!? s^^^ii"?! rdr^:: ■■« -<>,> ■».•"'' I -x .-.:... :j^ ^,i/ l:iti ^ jj has .^.;; '. -.^ V O Y7^ G I; .-'lib aiiil ritiv,' :-.r^ .riW^'.''*,"i'l ti^utV/ ^obn-HI ji»il w>llj Dili* ,!..'-.•; iii '^iki.-t -.4 .< .*iXl4 _ y*-J '■ - .^ WO R L D,^^; l". '••:","('» .Li li/0 VC tnihNl 'ji-b loi fix ^iubriLfi ^uiu lo t?-:.r.>L'p'/:::ci' f I . "\ » The arrival of the Centurion at the Ifland of Juan FernanJes, with a defcription of that Wand* ON the 9th ofjuney s iay-break, as is mentioned in the prt ding chapter, we firft defcried the If id of Juan Fer- nandes, bearing N, by E E, at eleven or twelve leagues diftance, i .nd though, on this view, it appeared to he a mountainous place, extremely ragged and irregular ; yet, as it was land, and the land we fought for, it was to us a moft agreeable fight : For at ^His place only wc could hope to put a period to £hofe terrible ca- lamiti^ '11 'i n ■ w ■ 'T.i !:! ;4' m ( ^54 > lamities we had fo Jong ftrugglcd with, which had already fwept away above half our crew, and which, had we continued a few days longer at fea, would inevitably have compleated our de- lb*u6tion. l^or we were by this tiriie reduced ^ <^ telplefs 4 condJiioe, that out of two hundred and odd men which remained alive, we could not, taking ajl pur watches together, mufler hands enough to work the fhip on an emergency, though -vye incjjided the ofi^cers, their fervants, and the hoys. Vi?, v i. ./ i. ■* .■^ -> '? - The wind being northerly when we firfl made the Ifland, we kept plying all that day, and the next night, in order to get in with the land ; and wearing the ftiip in the piiddle \ 'atch, we had a melancholy inftance of the almol ' incredi- ble debility of Qur people j for the Lieutenant could mufler no m< -e than two Quarter-mailers, ^(^ ji^xj F on which wc.ftcer^d ajiong iho^e, jill iiye.,caroc .a-breaft of the point. tSat .forms the. eaftern ,part of the bay. On the t^pening of the bay,. tHe wind^ that had befriended U5 thu§, fij^., fbifted and blew from thencic m jGqualls >, but byoneans of the head-way we had goV» we loqfedcjq^in, till the anchor brought u& up in lifty;iix.;&thop • Soon after we had thus got to oyf .^w,^bir^h, we difcovered a fail, which we made »go^d5H^t v;as one of our fquadron \ and on its geutier^ap- - proach, we found it to be the ^jy^Siyt^pi^yWc immediately fent fome of oiir hands, on^board her, by whgfe afliilance ib.e.is^a^ bj^i^ht.toan ;.4.! -' ^ \» anchor ,. j li^i 11 .iii I; ( '58 ) ihchor bctWeert us and the larid* Wc foot\ found that the Sloop had not been exempted from thofc calamities which we had fo fevercly ftlt ; for her Commander, Captain Saunders^ Waiting on the Commotlore, informccriiim, that out of his fmall complement, he had buried thirty- four of his men ; and thofe that remained were fo univerfally affliftcd with the fcurvy, that only himfelf, his Lieutenant, and three of Iuf men, Verc able to ftand by the lails. The Tryal came ifo hn anchor within us, on the 1 2th, about noon, irid we carried our hawfcrs on board her, in or- fter to moor ourfelves nearer in fliore ; but the wind coming ofF the land in violent gulls, pre- vented our mooring in the birth we intended, efpecially as our principal attention was now em- j[5loyed on bufmefs rather of more importance ; Fof we were how extremely occupied in fending otl fliere materials to raife tents for the reception of the fick, who died apace on board, and doubtlefs the diftempcr was confiderably aug- meiited, by the ftench arid filthinefs in which thty lay ; for the number of the difeafed was fo great, and fo few could be fpafed from the ne- Ceflkry duty 6f the fails to look after them, that it was impoffible te manner from the watcr-fidii to their tents, over a ftony beach; This was i work of confidcrabie fatigue to the few whd were healthy, and therefore the Commodore; wifh his accuftomed humanity, not only affiftcd hei-ein with his own labour, but obliged his Of- ficers, without diftindion, to give their helping hand. The extreme weaknefs of our fick may hi fomc meafure be colledled from the numbers who died after they had got on fhorc ; for it had generally been found, that the land, and the re- frefhments it produces, very foon recover moft: ftages of the fea-fcurvy ; and we flattered our- felves, that thofe who had not perifhed on this firft expofure to the open air, but had lived to be placed in their tents, would have been (peedily fcftored to their health and vigouf : But, to our great mortification, it was near twenty days after their landing, before the mortality was tolerably ceafed -, and for the firft ten or twelve days, we buried rarely lefs than fix each day, and many of thofe, who furvived, recovered by very fiow and infenfible degrees. Indeed, thofe v/ho were well enough at their firft getting on fhore, to creep out of their tents, and crawl about, were fooni relieved, and recovered their health and ftrength ' } ''' ? > *i m s*-. '■z^%. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ^ lU |2.2 u Hit ■UUk U ill 1.6 6" V] V. f *^«!>^^ O A^ W f /A '^ 7 Hiotographic Sdences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRf ET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) •72-4503 i\ ^ K ^ s? \^ O^ <^^^ > 4. ( i6o ) in a very ihort time s^ but in the reft, the difcafe feemed to havi^ acquired a degree of inveteracy; which was altogether without example. Having proceeded thus far» and got our Tick on ihore, I think it neceflary, before I enter into any longer detail of our tranfadhons, to give a diftindb account of this Ifland of Juan Ferntmdes^ its fituation, produ^ions, and all its conveniens cics. Tiiefe particulars we were well enabled to ^ minutely inftrudted in, during our three months ftay there ; and as it is the only com- modious place in thofe feas, where Briti/b crui- fers can refreih and recover their men after their paiTage round Cape Horn^ and where they may remain for fome time without alarming the Spa- nijb coail, thefe its advantages well merit a cir- cumftantial defcription. And indeed Mr. ^Infon was particularly indullrious in diredting the roads and coafts to be furveyed, and other obfervations to be made, knowing, from his own experience, of how great confequence, thefe materials might prove to any Britifo veffels hereafter employed in thole feas. For the uncertainty we were in of its pofition, and our Handing in for the Main on the iSth of May^ in order to fecure a fuAcient eail- ing, when we were indeed extremely near it, coft us the lives of between feventy and eighty of our men, by our longer continuance at lea : From which fatal accident we might have been exempted, had we been furnifhed with fucH an account of its fituation, as we could fully have depended on. , ^ * ji >.i - i . r. The -• - If s^ ( i60 The.-lfland of lies •lati^ ion Finmndes tude of 3^'' : 40' Soushj, and is a hurldrcd and un leag^esrdiftant frorxi the!. Continent of CM/. It ;isfaidi;to^ have receiyed-ksinanK- from ^ Spani^ ^i, ,j-y<|i(^,.-foj^iperly procured a grant of it, and rel4ide^,ti^erf Xpme tj^^elA^^dJih a view of ..fettling it,, l?ut^ter^y.a^^s 2i\)m^Qm^:iU . On approach-, iqg it.on^it^.eaft fide^ jw appears^ as Jteprtefented \x\.^thp fpyrt^eatil pl»Jae,r:a5riierB <^> is-^anihiall. %nd, %(J^ed;G^^/;i%jwrf,:i:to,i^e,'S. Wi of: it 5: {h)fj{S^^%\i^^.<^^9i^ ':^i aimoft comigu-*^ ^¥*^Pik*Jii fe}-J% A? fc^Gl -Bay,' ' (dflidr two " bays, dcnotninatcd th^ :Ea6: and . We*l be^^ are : fcarcely more than goipd landinkg ; places^ vshctK boats may conveniently .p«ti their eafl^ncairJHofe^c There is a plan of the ^}.:& fitlc tjf theiifland, containing thefqthi ee bay % drawn. by a laigeicaler" in plate tlie fixteenth ; \y.hei,^jX' appears, that,Ci«w- berland Bay is pretty well fecured to .tiiq: fouth- ward, lyii'g only expofed from the N. by W. to the E. by S J and as the northerly wiiiJs fekloni ■'J iM blow ( l62 ) blow in that climate, and never with any vio- lence, the dangCi from that quarter is not worth attending to. To diftinguifli this bay the better at fea, I have added a very exaft view of it, in the 17th plate, which will enable all future Navigators readily to find it. As the bay laft defcribed, or Cumberland Bay, is by far the moft commodious road in the Ifland, fo it is advifeable for all fliips to anchor on the weflern fide of this bay, within little more than two cables length of the beach. Here they may ride in torty fathom of water, and be, in a great meafure, flieltered from a large heavy fea, v/hich comes rolling in whenever an ealtern or a wellern wind blows. It is however expedient, in this cafe, to cackle or arm the cables with an iron chain, or good rounding, for five or fix fa- thom from the anchor, to fecure them from being rubbed by the foulnefs of the ground. . I have before obfervcd, that a northerly wind, to which alone this bay is expofed, very rarely blew during our ftay here -, and as it was then winter, it may be fuppofed, in other fealbns, to be lefs frequent. Indeed, in thole few inftances, when it was in that quarter, it did not blow with any great force : But this perhaps might be owing to the highlands on the fouthward of the bay, which checked its current, and thc'-eby abated its violence ; for we had reafon to fup- pofe, that a few leagues off, it blew with confi- derable force, fince it fometimes drove before it a prodigious fea, in which we rode fore-caflle in. But though the northern winds are never to be appre- in be be re- ( 163 ) apprehended, yet the fouthern winds, which ge- nerally prevail here, frequently blow off the land in violent gufts and fqualls, whicli however rarely laft longer than two or throe minutes. This Teems to be owing to the obllrucdon of the fouthern gale, by the hillr. in the neighbour- hood of the bay j for the wind being colie6led by this means, at laft forces its paiTage through the narrow vallies, which, like fo many funnels, both facilitate its efcape, and increafe its vio- lence. Thefc frequent and fudden gulls make it difficult for fhips to work in with ths wind off Ihore, or to keep a clear hawfe when anchored. The northern part of. this IGand is compofecl of high craggy hills, many of them inaccef- fible, though generally covered with trees. The foil of this part is loofc and Ihallow, fo that very large trees on the hills foon periili for want of root, and are eafily overturned •, which oc- cafioned the unfortunate death of one of our failors, who being upon the iiills in fearch of goats, caught hold of a tree upon a declivity to afllft him in his afcent, and this giving way, he immediately rolled down the hill, and tho* in his fall he faftened on another tree of confi- derable bulk, yet that too gave way, and he fell amongft the rocks, and was dafhed to pieces. Mr. Brett too met with an accident only by reil- ing his back againft a tree, near as large about as himfelf, which ftood on a flope •, for the tree giving way, he fell to a confiderable diftancc, though without receiving any harm. • M 2 ' The. i I I i! ( 164 ) The fouthern, or rather the S.W. part of the Ifland, as diftinguifhed in the plan, is widely different from the reft, being dry, ftony, and deilitute of trees, but very flat and low, com- pared with the hills on the northern part. This part of the Ifland is never frequented by fhips, being lurrounded by a fteep ihore, and having little or no frefli water *, and befides, it is ex- pofed to the foutherly wind, which generally blows here the whole year round, and in the winter folftice very hard. The trees of which the woods on the northern fide of the Ifland are compofed, are mpH of them aromaticks, and of many diff'erent forts : There are none of them of a fize to yield any confiderablc timber, except the myrtle-trees, which are the largefl; on the Ifland, and fupplied us with all the tim- ber we made ufe of ^ but even thefe would not work to a greater length than forty feet. The top of the myrtle-tree is circular, and ap- pears as uniform and regular, as if it had been clipped by art •, it bears on its bark an excrc- fcence like mofs, which in tafl:e and fmell re- fembles garlick, and was ufed by our people infl:ead of it. We found here too the piemento- tree, and likewife the cabbage-tree, though in no great plenty. . . r ' Our priioners obferved, that the appearance of the hills in fome part of the Ifland refembled that of the mountains in Cbili^ where the gold is found : So that it is not impofllble but mines might be difcovered here. We obferved, in ( i6s) Ibme places, feveral hills of a peculiar fort of red earth, exceeding vermilion in colour, which perhaps, on examination, might prove ufeful for many purpofes. Befides a great number of plants of various kinds which are to be met with upon the Ifland, but which we were not botanifts enough either to defcribe, or attend to, we found there ^ilmoft ail the vegetables, which are ufually ellcemed to be particularly adapted to the cure of thofe fcorbutick diforders, which are contradled by fait diet and long voyages. For here we had great quantities of water-creffes and purflain, with excellent wild-forrel, and a vaft profufion of turnips and Sicilian radiflies : Thefe two lad, having fome refemblance to each other, were confounded by our people under the general name of turnips. We ufually preferred the tops of the turnips to the roots, which were oiteii flringy ; though fome of them were free from that exception, and remarkably good. Thefe vegetables, with the .^fli and llefli we found here, and which I fhall more particularly de- fcribe hereafter, were not only extremely grate- ful to our palates, after the long courfe of fait diet which we had been confined to, but were . likewife of the moft falutary confequcnce to our fick in recovering and invigorating them, and of no mean fervice to us who were well. In de- ftroying the lurking feeds of the fcurvy, from which perhaps none of us were totally exemj: t, and in refrefhing and reftoring us to our wonted ftrength and adtivity. M 3 Befides ill ■ft' I ; I i II ( '66 ) Befulcs the vegetables I have mentioned, of which we made perpetual ufc, we found many acres of ground covered with oats and clover. There were alio lome few cabbage-trees upon the Ifland, as obfervcd before ; but as they general- ly grcv/ on the precipices, and in dangerous fi- tuations, and as it was necefiary to cut down a large tree for every fingle cabbage, this was a dainty that we were able but rarely to inciulge in. The excellence cf the climate and the loofe- nefs of the foil render this place extremely pro- per for all kinils of vegetation ; for if the ground be any where accidentally turned up, it is immediately overgrown with turnips and Si- rilian radifhes ; and therefore Mr. ylnfon having w^ith him garden- feeds of all kinds, and ftoncs of diiferent forts of fruits, he, for the better accommodation of his countrymen who Ihould hereafter touch here, fcwed both lertices, car- rots, and other giirden plants, and fet in the woods a great variety of plumb, apricock, and peach ftoncs: And thefe laft he has been in- formed have fincc thriven to a very remarkable degree ; for fome Gentlemen, who in their paf- fige from Lima to Cld Spain were taken and brought to England^ having procured leave to . wait upon Mr. Anfcn, to thank him for his gene- rofity and humanity to his prifoners, fome of whom were their relations, they, in cafual dif- courfe with him about his tranfa(5bions in the South-Seas^ particularly afked him, i he had not planted a great number of fruit-ftones on the % ( i67 ) the Ifland of Juan Fernandes^ for they told him, their late Navigators had difcovered there num- bers of peach-trees and aj^ricock-trees, which being fruits before unobfcrvctl in that place, they concluded thcin to be produced irom ker- nels fet by him. An I this may in general fufRce as to the foil and vegetable productions of this place : But the face of the country, at leafl: of the North part of the Iiland, is fo extremely fingular, that I cannot avoid giving it a particular con- fideration. I have already taken notice of the \\ ild, inhofpitable air with which it firil appear- ed to us, and the gradual improvement of this uncouth lanJlkip as v/e drew nearer, till we were at lafl captivated by the numerous beauties we difcovcred on the Ihore. And I mull now add, that we found, during the time of our rcfidcnce there, that the inland parts of the Iiland did no ways fail fliort of the fanguine prepoilenions which we iirll entertained in their favour. ■ . '■ ;, " •■- ' '^ V K For the woods which covered moft of the fteepeft hills, were free trom all buQies and un- derwood, and afforded an eafy paflage through every part of them •, and the irregularities of the hills and precipices, in the nortiiern part of the IQand, necefllirily traced out by their va- rious combinations a great number of romantic vallies ; moft of which had a flream of the cleareft water running through them, that tum- bled in caicades from rock to rock, as the --: M 4 " ■ bottom i , ( i68 ) bottom of the valley, by the courfe of the neighbouring hills, was at any time broken into a fudden fharp defcent : Some particular fpots occurred in thefe vallies, where the (hade and fragrance of the contiguous wcods, the loftineft 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 th's place, perhaps, that the fimple produftions of unaffift- ed nature may be faid to excel all the fiftitious dcfcriptions of the moft animated imagination. I fhall finifli this article with a fhort account of that fpot where the Commodore pitched his tent, and which he made choice of for his own refidence, though I defpair of conveying an adequate idea of its beauty. This piece of ground which he chofe was a fmall lawn, that 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 floping to the wa- ter, with a gentle defcent, opened a profpecl of the bay and the Ihips at anchor. This lawn was fcreened behind by a tall wood of myrtle fweeping round it, in the form of a theatre, the ground on which the wood ftood, rifmg with a much (harper afcent than the lawn itfelf, though npt fo much, but that the hills and precipices within land towered up confiderably above the tops of the trees, and added to the grandeur of the ii.»*J *>< 1*WI ( 169 ) the view. Thr: were, befides, two (1 reams of chryftal water, which ran on the right and left of the tent, within an hundred yards diftance, and were (haded by the trees which fkirted the lawn on either fide, and compleatcd ilie fym- metry of the whole. Some taint conceptions of the elegance of this fituation may perhaps be better deduced from the draught of it, to be feen in the i8th plate. ^, It remains now only that we fpeak of the animals and provifions which wc 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 queftioned, this place being the ufual haunt of the buccaneers, and privateers, who forme, ly frequented thofe feas. And there are two inftances ; one of a Mufquito indian^ and the other of Jlexander Sel- kirk^ a Scotchman^ who were left by their re- fpedive fhips, and lived alone upon this Ifland for fome years, and conlequently were no (Iran- gers to its produce. Selkirk, who was the lad, after a Hay of between four and five years, was taken off the place by the Duke and Duchefs Privateers of Brifiol, as may be feen at large in the journal of their voyage : His manner of life, during his foHtude, was in moll particulars very remarkable ; but there is one circumftance he relates, which was fo ftrangely verified by our own obfervation, that I cannot help reciting it. He tells us, among other things, as he often caught more goats than he wanted, he fometimes (170) fometimcs marketl their ears and let them go. This was about thirty-two years before our ar- rival at the Ifland. Now it happened, that the firft goat that was killed by our people at their landing had his ears Hit, whence we concluded, that he had doubticfs been formerly under the power of Selkirk. This was indeed an animal of a mod venerable aiptd, dignified with an exceeding majellic beard, and with many ochcr fymptoms of antiquity. During our ftay on the liland, we met with others marked in the fame manner, all the males being dilbnguiOied by an exuberance of beard, anu every other chara6leriftick of extreme age. But the great numbers of goats, which for- mer writers defcribed to have been found upon this Ifland, are at prefent very much diminiflied : For the Spaniards being informed of the advan- tages which the buccaneers and privateers drew from the provifions which goats- flelh here fur- nifhed them with, they have endeavoured to ex- tirpate the breed, thereby to deprive their ene- mies of this rehef. For this purpofe, they have put on Ihore great numbers of large dogs, who have encreafed apace and have deftroyed all the goats in the acceflibie part of the country ; fo that there now remain only a few amongft the craggs and precipices, where the dogs cannot follow them. Thefe are divided into feparate herds of twenty or thirty each, which inhabit diftind faftnefles, and never mingle with each other: By this means we found it extremely ■ ; -■ - difficult ( '7' ) difficult to kill them •, and yet we were lb dc- firous of their ticfh, which we all agreed much rcfembled venifon, tliat we got knowledge, I believe, of all their herds, and it was conceiv- ed, by comparing their ni .nbers together, that they fcarcely txceedcd two hundred upon the whole Idand. I remember wc had once an op- portunity of obfei ving a remarkable difpute be- twixt a herd of ihefe animals and a number of dogs ; for going in our boat intc the eaftern bay, we faw fome dogs running very eagerly upon the toot, and being willing to difcover what game they were after, we lay upon our oars fome time to view them, and at laft wc faw them take to a hill, and looking a little fur- ther, we obferved upon the ridge of it an herti of goats, which ftrcm^d drawn up for their re- ception i there was a very narrow path fkirted on each fide by precipices, on which the Maf- ter of the herd po{lt;d himfelf fronting the enemy, the reft of the goats being all behind him, where the ground was more open : As this fpot was inaccefllble by any other path, ex- cepting where this champion had placed himfelf, the dogs, though they ran up-hill with great alacrity, yet when they came within about twen- ty yards 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 I have mentioned, are matters of all the acceffible parts of the Ifland, :^ :■' -n-fL '. 4.,:/fi . are ,f i i .-ig . < ( 172 ; arc of various kinds, but fome of them very large, and are multiplied to a prodigious degree. Tbey fometimes came down to our habitations at night, and ftole our provifion; and once or twice they fet upon fingle perfons, but afllftance being at hand, they were driven off without doing any mifchief. As at prcfent it is rare for goats to fall in their way, we conceived that they lived principally upon young Teals ; and indeed feme of our people had the curiofity to kill dogs fometimes and drefs them, and they feemed to agree that they had a fifhy tafte. ' " ^ ^""' ' '"*"' Goats-flelh, as I have mentioned, being fcarce, we rarely being able to kill above one a day, and our people growing tired offifti, (which, as I fliall hereafter obfcrve, abounds at this place) they at laft condefccnded to eat fcals, which by degrees they came to relifh, and called it lamb. The feal, numbers of which haunt this Iftand, hath been fo often defcribed by former writers, that it is unneceflary to fay any thing particular about them in this place. But there is another amphibious creature to be met with here, called a fea lion, that bears fome refemblance to a feal, though it is much larger. This too we eat un- der the denomination of beef-, and as it is fo ex- traordinary an animal, I conceive, it well merits a particular annotation. They are in fize, when arrived at their full growth, from twelve to twenty feet in length, and from eight to fifteen in circumference: They are extremely fat, {o that after having cut thro' the (kin, which is about an inch in thicknefs, there is at leall a foot of Y: A ^73 ) of fat before you can come at either lean or bones ; and we experienced more than once, that the fac of fome of the largeft afforded us a butt of oil. They are likewife very full of blood, for if they are deeply wounded in a dozen places, there will inftantly guOi out as many fountainsof blood, fpouting to a confiderable diftance ; and to cry what quantity of blood they contained, wc Ihot one firft, and then cut its throat, and mea- furing the blood that came from him, we found, that befides what remained in the veficls, which to be fure was confiderable, we got at leaft two hogflieads. Their (kins are covered with fhort hair of a light dun colour, but their tails and their fins, which ferve th^m for feet on fliore, are almoft black ; their fins or feet are divided at the ends like fingers, the wtb which joins them not reaching to the extremities, and each cf thefe extremities isfurnifhed with a nail. Tht-y have a diftant refemblance to an overgrown feal, though in fome particulars there is a manifeil dif- ference, efpecially in the males, who have a large fnout or trunk hanging down five or fix inches below the end of the upper jaw ^ this par- ticular the females have not, and this renders the countenance of the male and female eafy to be diftinguifhed from each other, and befides, the males are of a much larger fize. The form and appearance both of male and female are very exactly reprefented in the 19th plate, only the difproportion of their fize is net uliially fo great as is there exhibited, for the male was drawn from the life, after t^e largeft of thefe animals, which ill I '"it h i5ii ( ^74 ) which was found upon the Ifland : He was the mafterofthe tiock, and from his driving off the other males, and keeping a great number of fe- males to hirnkif, he was by the feamen iudi- crouOy ftiied theBafhaw. Thefe animals divide their time equally between the land an 1 fea, con- tinuing at fea all the fummer, and coming on ftiore at the fetting in of the winter, where they refide during tiiat whole feafon. In this interval they engender and bring forth their young, and have generally two at a birth ; thefe they fuckle with their milk, they being at firft about the fize of a full-grown feal. During the time of thefe animals continuance on fhore, they feed on the grafs and verdure which grows near the bank ol the frefh-water ftreams •, and, when not em- ployed in feeding, fleep in herds in the moll miry places they can find out. As they feem to be of a very lethargic difpofition, and not eafily awakened, each herd was obferved to place fome of their males at a diftance in the nature of fen- tinels, who never failed to alarm them, when- ever our men attempted to moleft, or even to approach them ; and they were very capable of alarming, even at a confiderable diftance, for the noife they make is very loud and of different kinds, fometimes grunting like hogs, and at other times fnorting like horfes in full vigour. They often, efpecially the males, have furious battles which each other, principally about their females •, and we were one day extremely fur- prized by the fight rf two animals, which at firft appeared different from all we had ever ob- • ■ ^ ferved > ( ^7S ) ferved ; but, on a nearer approach, they proved to be two fea-lions, who had been goring each other with their teeth, and were covered over with blood : And the Bafhaw before- mentioned, who generally lay furrounded with a Teragiio of females, which no other male dared to ap- proach, had not acquired that envied pre-emi- nence without many bloody contefts, oi which the marks Hill remained in the numerous fears which were vifible in every pirt of his body. V7c killed many of them tor food, particularly for their hearts and tongues, wh.ch we cfteemed exceeding good eating, and preterable even to thofeof bullocks: And in gcni/ral there was no difficulty in killing them, for they were incapa- ble either of efcaping or refilling, their motion being the moft unweiidy that can be conceived, their blubber, all the time they are moving, be- ing agitated in large waves under their fl^ins. However, a failor one day being carclef;ly em- ployed in Hanninga young fea-lion, the female, from whence he had taken it, came upon him iinperceived, and getting his head in her mouth, fhe with her teeth fcor^?d his fkull in notches in many places, and thereby wounded him fo (^c(^^ perately, that though ul polTible care was taken of him, he died in a few days. , , Thefe are the principal animals which we found upon the Illand : For we faw but few birds, and thofe chiefly hawks, blackbirds, owl.% and humming birds. We law not the Pardela, which burrows in the ground, and which former writers have mentioned to be found here ; but as I - we J* ■ i 4- iA 2\^ ( '76) we met with their holes, we fuppofed that the dogs had deftroyed them, as they have almoft done the cats, which were very numerous in Selkirk's time, but we faw not above one or two during our whole flay. However, the rats dill keep their ground, and continue here in great numbers, and were very troublefomc to us, by infefting our tents nightiy. ou ^: But that which furniftied us with the mod de- licious repafts at this IQand, remains (till to be defcribed. This was the filh, with which the whole bay was moft plentifully ftored, and with the greateft variety : For we found here cod of a prodigious fize ; and by the report of fome of our crew, who had been formerly employed in the Newfoundland fifhery, not in lefs plenty than is to be met with on the banks of that Ifland. We Ciiught al fo cavallies, gropers, large breams maids, filver fi(h, congers of a peculiar kind, and above all, a black filh which we moft efteemed, called by fome a Chimney fweeper, in fhape refembling a carp. Indeed the beach is every where fo full of rocks and loofe ftones, that there is no poflibility of haling the Seyne; but with hooks and lines we caught what num- bers we pleafed, fo that a boat with two or three lines would return loaded with fijfh in about two or three hours time. The only interruption we ever met with, arofe from great quantities of dog- filh and large (harks, which fometimes at- tended our boats and prevented our fport. Be- fides the fiJh we have already mentioned, we iound here one delicacy in greater perfedion, both both as to fize, flavour and quantity, than is perhaps to be met with in any other part of the world : This was fea cra-fi(h ; they generally weighed eight or nine pounds apiece, were of a moil excellent tafte, and lay in fucK abundance near the water's edge, that the boat-hooks often ftruck into them, in putting the boat to and from the fliore. V . ' • Thefe are the mod material articles relating to the accommodations, foil, vegetablesj animals, and other produdions of the Ifland of Juan Fer- nandes : By which it muft appear, how properly that place was adapted for recovering us from the deplorable fituation to which our tedious and un- fortunate navigation round Cape Horn had re- duced us. And having thus given the reader fome idea of the fite and circiimftances of this place, which was to be our refidenc^ for three months, 1 Ihall now proceed, in the next chap- ter, to relate all that occurred to us in that in- terval, refuming my narration from the i8th day of June, being the day in which the Tryal Sloop, having by a fquall been driven out to fea thre,e days before, came again to her moorings, the day in which we finilhed the fending our fjck on Ihnre, and about eigh<- days after our jfirft anchoring at this IQand. nn im bbow^m! :■•.' u vj .-.. ... -•■(?• 1)^1 ..>-\v.i ^in-n! n^ifli i-L vy w .^J^-'wtl 'li-^iil l;*iB din ^ul wa i Jiw a. V L Ti'fUr. T^ CHAP. ^>r^ l» :■*! ^it Ill •■i>^-A.v- V- C H A P. II. -'4;!iiV'''^'-''' The arrival of the Gloiicejler and the Anne Pink at the Ifland of Ji^w Fernandes, and the tranladions at that place during this interval. ; ''f ■?!'.; ,'4 • f. 'K 'f- •"•• .^t by our long-boat, both the healthy and dif- eafed mpft have all pcriflied together for want of water. And thefe calam ties were the more terrifying, as they appeared to be without re- medy : For the Gloucefter had already fpent a month in her endeavours to fetch the bay, and {he was now no farther advanced than at the firft moment ihe made the Ifland ^ oi) the con- N ^ " trary, i ^1 I h'i ti ( J82 ) trary, the people on board her had worn out all their hopes of ever fucceeding in it, by the jnany experiments they had made of its difficul- ty. Indeed, the fame day her fituation grew more defperate than ever, for after fhe had received our laft fupply of refrefhmcnts, we ^gain loft fight of her *, fo that we in general defpaired of her ever coming to an anchor. ^^ Thus 'was this unhappy veflel bandied about within a few leagues of her intended harbour, whilft the neighbourhood of that {)lace and of thofe circumftances, which could alone put an end to the calamities they laboured under, ferved only to aggravate their diflrefs, by torturing them with a view of the relief it was not in their power to reach. But fhe was at laft delivered from this dreadful fituation, at a time when we leafh expefted it ; for after having loft fight of her for feveral days, we were pleafingly fur- prized, on the morning of the 23d of July\ 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 afliftance, and in an hour's time from our firft perceiving her, ftie anchored fafe within us in the bay. And now we were more particularly convinced of the importance of the afliftance and refreftiments "Vve fo often itnx. them, and how impofiible it would have been for a man of them to have furvived, had we given lefs attention to their wants •, for notwithftanding the water, the green?, and frefh provifions whicl> we fupplicd them . widi^ ( i83 ) with, and the hands we fent them to navigate the Ihip, by which the fatigue of their own people was diminifhed, their fick relieved, and the mortahty abated ; notwithftanding this in- dulgent care of the Commodore, they yet bu- ried three fourths of their crew, and a very fmall proportion of the remainder Vvcre capable of aflifting in the duty of the fliip. On thc"r coming to an anchor, our firft care was to aHifl: them in mooring, and our next to fend the fick on fhore : Thefe were now reduced by deaths to lefs than fourfcore, of which we cxpe6led to lofe the greateft part ; but whether it was, that thofe fartheft advanced in the diftemper were all dead, or that the greens and frefh provifions we liad fent on board had prepared thofe which remained for a more fpeedy recovery, it hap- pened contrary to our expectations, that their fick were in general relieved and reflored to their ftrength, in a much fliorter time than our own had been when we firft came to the Idand, and very few of them died on fhore. ..^., I have thus given an account of the principal events relating to the arrival of the Glouceftery in one continued narration : I fliall only add, that we never were joined by any other of our Ihips, except our Vi6lualler, the Anna Pink^ who came in about the middle oi Augufi^ and whofe hiftory I fliall more particularly relate hereafter. And I fhall now return to the ac- count of our own tranfadions on board and on ihore, during the interval of the Gloucefler's N 4 frequent Iff): m 1 .-1 - ,1', I 3 I, I . (i 1 ( ,84 ) frequent and incfFcftual attempts to reach the Idand. Our next employment, after fending our lick on Ihore from the Centurion^ was cleanfing pur fhip and filling our water. The firft of thefe meafures was indifpenfibly necelTary to our future health, as the numbers of fick, and the unavoidable negligence arifing from our deplo- rable fituition at fea, had rendered the decks moft intolerably loathfome. And the filling our water was a caution that appeared not iefs eflen- tial to our future fecurity, as we had reafon to apprehend that accidents might oblige us to quit the Ifland at a very fhort warning ; for feme Appearances, which we had difcovered on fhorc upon our firft landing, gave us grounds to be- lieve, that there were Spanijh cruifers in thefe feas, which had left the Ifland but a Ihort time before our arrival, and might poffibly return there again, either for a recruit of water, or in fearch of us ; for as we could not doubt, but that the fole bufinefs they had at fea was to in- tercept us, and we knew that this Ifland was the likeheft place, in their own opinion, to meet witli us. The circumftances, which gave rife to thefe refie6tions (in part of which we were not miftakcn, as fliall be obferved more at large hereafter ) were our finding on fhore feveral pieces of earthen jars, made ufe of in thofe feas for water and other liquids, which appeared to be frefli broken : We faw too many heaps of afhcs, and near them fifli-bones • and pieces of fifh. he iir ( i8j ) filh, hefidcs whole fifli fcattercd here and there, which plainly appeared to have been but a (hort time out of the water, as they were but juft beginning to decay. Thefe appearances were certain indications that there had been (hips at this place but a (hort time before we came there •, and as all Spanijh Merchant-men are in- ftruded to avoid the Ifland, on account of its being the common rendezvous of their enemies, we concluded thofe who had touched here to be fliips of force ; and not knowing that Pizarro was returned to Buenos Jyres^ and ignorant what ftrength might have been fitted out at Caliao^ we were under fome concern for our fafety being in lb wretched and enfeebled a condition, that notwithftanding the rank of our fnip, and the fixty guns flie carried on board, which would only have aggravated our difhonour, there was fcarcely a privateer fent to fea, that was not an over-match for us. However, our fears on this head proved imaginary, and we were not expofed to the difgrace, which might have been expedted to have befallen us, had we been ne- ceflitated (as we muft have been, had the ene. my appeared) to fight our fixty-gun Ihip with no more than thirty hands. ,,v;^. . . .-• Whilft the cleaning our fhip and the filling our water went on, we fet up a large copper- oven on fliore near the fick tents, in which we baked bread every day for the Ihip's company, being extremely defirous of recovering our fick a3 loop as poflible, and conceiving that new bread I 4.' ' i 'I \% i U\ ,: I, h 4 fP, m II '■;i I i- m^ M iW' |! I '» ^^1 I w 'fl i IB ( '86 ) bread added to their greens and frefh fifh, might prove a powerful article in their rehcf. Indeed we had all imaginable reaibn to endeavour at the augmenting our prefent ftrength, as every little acciaent, which to a full crew would be inlignificant, was extremely alarming in our prefent helplcfs fituation : Of this, we had a troublefome inftance on the 3otI of June -, for at five in the morning, we were aftonilhed by a violent guft of wind diredly off fhore, which inftantly parted our fmall bower cable about ten fathom from the ring of the anchor : The fhip at cnce fwung off to the bell bower, which happily ftood the violence of the jerk, and brought us . up with two cables an end in eight fathom. At this time we had not above a dozen feamen in the fhip, and we were apprehenfive, if the fquall continued, that we fhould be driven to fea in this wretched condition. However, we fent the boat on fhore, to bring off all that were capable of a that he had been forced by the winds, in his laft abfence, as far as the fmall IQand called Mafa-Fuero^ lying about twenty-two leagues to the weilward of Juan Fer* fpandes j and that he endeavoured to fend his bo^t on fhore at this place for water, of which he ipouid obferve feveral ftreams, but the wind blew fo ftrong upon the fhorp, and occauoned fuch a furf, that it was impoITible for the boat to land ; though the attempt was not altogether u|elef§, as they returned with a boat load of |ifh. This Ifland had been reprefented by former Naviga- tors as a barren rock j but Captain Mitchel alfured the Commodore, that it was almoft every where covered with trees and verdure, and was near four miles in length ; and added, that it appear- ed to him far from impoflible, but fpmc I'mall bay might be found on it, which might afford fufficient fhelter for any Ihip defirous of refrelh- ing there.. ^, ,, ,,. . ,.. >,* ..,t As four (hips of our fcjiiadron were mifling, this defcription of the liland of Mafa-Fuero gave rife to a conjedure^ that fome of them might poflibly have i^llen in with that Ifland, and have miflaken ( '89 ) tniftakeri it for the true place of our rendezvous ? and this fufpicion was the more plauliljle, as wc had no draught of either Ifland that could be re- lied on. In confequence of this reafoning, Mr. Anfon determined to fend the T'm/ Sloop thither, as foon as fhe could be fitted for the lea, in order to examine all its bays and creeks, that we might be fatisfiedv/hether any of our miffing fliips were there or not. For this purpofe, fome of our beft hands were fent on board the 'Tryd the nexc morning, to overhale and fix her rigging -, and our long boat was employed in compleating her water •, and whatever ftores and necelTaries fhe wanted, were immediately fupplied, cither from the Centurion or the Ghucejier. But it was the 4th of Auguft before the Tryal yf^is -in readinefs to fail, when having weighed, it foon after tell calm, and the tide fet her very near the eaftern Ihore : Captain Saunders hung out lights, and fired ft veral guns to acquaint us with his danger ^ upon which all the boats were fcnt to his reliefy who towed the Sloop iato the bay •, where fhe anchored until the next morning, and then weighed again, proceeded on her cruize with a fair breeze. ' r - • • ^ -is^ - And now after the Gloucefter's arrival ^ we were employed in earnefl in examining and repairing our rigging ; but in the flripping our foremaft, we were ahirmed by difcovering it was fprung juft above the partners of the upper deck. The fpring was two inches in depth, and twelve in circumference v but the CaFpenters infpeding it, gave it as their opinion, that fifliing it with two leaves , ^^ fit ll "1 ll it '» i tl-l ] ( '90 ) leaves of an anchor ftock, would render it aS fecure as ever. But our greateft difficulty in re^ fitting was the want of cordage and canvas •, foi* though we had taken to fea much greater quan- tities of both, than had ever been done before, yet the continued bad weather we met with, had occafioned fuch a confumption of thefe ftorcs, that we were driven to great ftraits : For after working up all our junk and old fhrouds, to make twice-laid cordage, we were at iaft obliged to unlay a cable to work into running rigging. And with all the canvas, and remnants of old fails that could be muftered, we could only make up one com pleat fuit. Towards the middle of jitiguft our men being indifferently recovered, they were permitted to quit their fick tents, and to build feparate huts for themfelves, as it was imagined, that by liv- ing apart, they would be much cleanlier, and confequently like to recover their flrength the fooner ; but at the fame time particular orders were given, that on the firing of a gun from the Ihip, they fhould inftantly repair to the water- fide. Their employment on fhore was now either the procuring of refrefhments, the cutting of wood, or the making of oil from the blubber of the fea-lions. This oil ferved us for fever ^ ufes, as burning in lani^s, or mixing with pitch to pay the fhips fides, or, when mixed with wood-aflies, to fupply the u!b of tallow, of which we had none left, to give the Ihip boot-hofc tops* Some of the men too were occupied in faking of cod i for, there being two Newfoundland fiilier- men ( 191 ) men in the Centurion, the Commodore made ufc of them in laying in a confiderable quantity of faked cod for a fea-ftore ; but very little of ic was made ufe of, as it was afterwards thought to be as produdive of the fcurvy, as any other kind of fait provifions. ' =y .. I have before-mentioned, that we had a cop- per-oven on fhore to bake bread for the fick ; but it happened that the greateft part of the flower, for the ufe of the fquadron, was em- barked on board our Vidualler the Jnna Pink : And I fhould have mentioned, that the 'Trjul Sloop, at her arrival, had informed us, that on the 9th of May fhe had fallen in with our Vic- tualler, not far dillant from the ConH:inent of Chili 5 and had kept company with her for four days, when they were parted in a hard gale of wind. This gave us fome room to hope that Ihe was fafe, and that llie might foon join us ; buc all June and July being palt without any news of her, we fufpedied (he was loft ; and at the end of July the Commodore ordered all the Ihips to a fhort allowance of bread. And it was not in our bread only, that we feared a deficiency ♦, for fmce our arrival at this Ifland, we difcovered that our former Purfer had neglected to take on board large quantities of feveral kinds of provi- fions, which the Commodore had exprefsly or- * dered him to receive ; fo that the fuppofed lofs of our Vidlualler, was on all accounts a morti- fying confideration. However, on Sunday, the 1 6th of Aiiguft, about noon, we efpied a fail in the northern quarter, and a gun was immediate- '■■>IT r ■II I ■ r ■ '('i>- ii ; 'lit* '■'k I i ll HI: ( 192 ) iy fired from the Centurion^ to call off the people from fhore -, who readily obeyed the fummons, and repaired to the beach, where the boats waited to carry them on board. And now being pre- pared for the reception of this Ihip in view, whe- ther friend or enemy, we had various fpecula- tions about her i at iirft, many imagined it to be the T'ryai Sloop returned from her cruize \ but as file drev/ nearer this opinion was confuted, by obferving fiie was a velTel with three mafts ; and then other conjectures were eagerly canvafled, fome judging it to be the Severn^ others the tearl^ and feveral affirming, that it did not be- long to oiir fquadrori : But about three in the afternoon our difputes were ended, by an una- nimous perfuafion that it was ourViduuller the Anna Fink. This fhip, though, like the Glou- cefter^ fhe had fallen in to the northward of the Ifland, had yet the good fortune Co come to an' ancnor in the bay, at five in the afternoon. Her arrival gave iis all the fincereftjoy; for each fhip's company w'as now riftored to their full" allowance of bread, and we were now freed from the apprehenfions of ouf provifions falling Ihort,' before we could reach fome amicable port ; a calamity, which in thefe feas is of all others the molt irretrievable. This was the laft ihip that joined us ; and thfe dangers fhe encountered, and the good fortune which Ihe afterwairds met with, being matters worthy of a feparate narration, I fliall refer them, together with a Ihort account of the other fliips of the fquadron, to the enfu-- mg chapter. CHAP. ( '93 ) /- h^ i ' i^l "■-, J '■... .#"1 vJ'\ ■' n^ »)«rt|1."^' '■.fiy ■ 1 -K'.rH ff^.v-f! '•^'"'-^ ^*'^-«C HAP. m. ^ !■.f";i■>^1*-i■i^^ A flioft narrative of what befel the Jnha Pink before (he joined us, with an account of the lofs of the IVager, and of the putting back ^' 'of '\\iQ Severn and Pearly the two remain- ing (hips of the fquadron. V» mV "JVX' N the firft appearance of the yf«A^ P/>/&, it feemed wonderful to us how the crew of a veflel, which came to this rendezvous two months after us^ Ihould be capable of working their Ihip in the manner they did, with fo little appearance of debility and diflrefs : But this dif- ficulty wa^ foon folved when Ihe came to an an- chor i for we then found that they had been in harbour fince the middle of May^ which was near a month before we arrived at Juan Fernandes : So that their fufferings (the rifque they had run of fhipwreck only excepted) were greatly fhort of what had been undergone by the reft of the fquadron. It ftems, on the i6th of Ma}\ they fell in with the land, which was then but four leagues diftart, in the latitude of 45^ : 15' South. On the firft fight of it they wore ihip and flood to the fouthward, but their fore-topfail fpb'fting, and the wind being W. S. W, they drove to- wards the Ihore ; and the Captain ut laft, either Unable to clear the land, or as others fiy, re- folved to keep the fea no jongcr, fleered for the coaft, with a view of difcovering fome Ihelter O ' amongft ^;J Uj iS r If ;= M i 1 ( 194 ) amongft the many lilands which then appeared in fight : And about tour hours after the firft view of the land, the Pink had the good fortune to come to an anchor, to the eaftward of the Ifland of Tnchin ; but as they did not run fufficiently neai to the Eaft-fhore of that Ifland, and had not hands to veer away the cable brilkly, they were foon driven to the eaftward, deepning their wa- ter from twenty-five fathom to thirty-five, and ftill continuing to drive, they, the next day, the 1 7th of May, let go their fheet anchor •, which, though it brought them up for a fhort time, yet, on the 1 8th, 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 fhore every moment, in a place where the coaft was very high and fteep to, that there was not the leaft profped of faving the fliip or cargo -, 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 appre- hended, that if any of them by fome extraordi- nary chance ftiould get on fhcre, they would, in all probability, be maflacred by the Savages on the coaft : For thefe, knowing no other Euro- peans but Spaniards^ it might be expeded they would treat all ftrangers with the fame cruelty which they had fo often and fo fignally exerted againft their Spanijh neighbours. Under thefe terrifying circumftances the Pink drove nearer and nearer to the rocks which formed the fhore ; bur at laft, when the crew expeded each inftant to ( »95 ) to lliike, tlicy perceived a fmall opening in the landi which raifed their hopes; arid immediate- ly cutting away their two anchors, they ftcehed 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 fwelis, and the fmoothnels of its waters, may perhaps compare with an/ m the known world. And this place being fcarce- ly two miles diftant from the fpot where they deemed their deilrucSlion inevitable, the horrors of fhipwreck and of immediate death, which had fo long, and fo flrongly pofllfled them, vaniflied almoft inftantaneouHy, and gave place to the more joyous ideas of fecurity, repoic, and re- frelhment. In this harbour, difcovered in this ahnofl mi- raculous manner, the Pink came to an anchor iri twenty-five fathom water, with only a hawfer^ and a fmall anchor of about three hundredweight. And here Ihe continued for hear two rnohths, refrelhing her people, who were many of theni ill of the fcurvy, but were foon reftored to per- fect health by the frefli provifions, of which they procured good ftore, and the excellent water with which the adjacent fhore abouiided. Bur as this place may prove of the greuteil import- ance to future Navigators, who may be forced upon this coaft by the wefterly winds, which are almoft perpetual in that part of the world ; t ihall, before I enter into any farther particulars of the adventures of the Pin O 2 glVi I fy '^m t I !:i f!! count II ll '■■\ ( '96 ) count I could colled of this Port, its fituatlon, conveniencies and produftions. To facilitate the knowledge of this place to thofe who may hereafter be defirous of nriaking uCe of it, there is, in the 20th Plate, a plan both of the harbour itfelf, and of the large bay before it, through which the Pink drove. 1 his plan is not perhaps in all refpeds fo accurate as might be wiflied, it b'eing compofed from the memo- randums and rude fketches of the Mafter and Surgeon ; who were not, I prefume, the ableft draughts-men. But as the principal parts were laid down by their eftimated diftances from each other, in which kind of eftimations it is well known the greateft part of failors are very dex- trous, I fuppofe the errors are not very confider- able. Its latitude, which is indeed an important point, is not well afcertained, the Pink having no obfeivation either the day before fhe came here, or within a day of her leaving it : But it Is fuppofed that it is not very diflant from 45^ : 30' South, and the large extent of the bay before the harbour renders this uncertainty the lefs material. The Ifland of Inchin lying before the bay is fuppofed to be one of the Iflands of Chonosy which are mentioned in the Spanijh ac- counts, as fpreading all along that coaft; and are faid by them to be inhabited by a barbarous people, famous for their hatred of the Spaniardsy and for their cruelties to fuch of that Nation as have fallen into their hands : And it is poflible too that the land, near which the harbour itfelf lies, may be another of thofe Iflands,, and that the ( 197 ) the Continent may be confiderably farther to the eaflward. The depths of water in the different parts of the Port, and the channels by which it communicates with the bay, are fufficiently marked in the plan. But it muft be remembrcd, that there are two coves in it where fliips may conveniently heave down, the water being con- ftantly fmooth : And there are feveral fine runs of excellent frefh water, which fall into the har- bour, and feme of them fo luckily fituated, that the caflcs may be filled in the long-boat y/ith an hofe : The moft remarkable of thefe runs is the ilream marked in the N. E. part of the Port. This is a frefh water river, and here the Pink*s people got fome few mullets of an excellent fla- vour i and they were perfuaded that, in a proper feafon (it being winter when they were there) it abounded with fifh. The principal refrefliments they met with in this port were greens, as wild celery, nettle-tops, ^c, (which after fo long a continuance at fea they devoured with great ea- gernefs) ; Ihell-filh, as cockles and mufcles of an extraordinary fize, and extremely delicious j and good ftore of geefe, Ihags, and penguins. The climate, though it was the depth of winter, was not remarkably rigorous ; nor the trees, and the face of the country deilitute of verdure ; and doubtlefs in the fummer many other fpecies of frefli provifion, befides thefe here enumerat- ed, might be found there. And notwithftand- ing the tales of the Spanijh Hiftorians, in relation to the violence and barbarity of the inhabitants, it doth not appear that their numbers are fuffi- O 3 cient ii " i' '. i I ri li fif- "I I * :■! U' i . . . . ( '98 ) cicnt to give the lead jealoufy to any fliip of ordinary force, or their difpofition is by any means fo milchievous or mrrcilefs as hath hither- to been reprefcnted : And befides all thefc ad- vantages, it is fo far removed from the Spanifo frontier, and fo little known to the Spaniards themfeives, tliat there is reafon to fuppofe, that with proper precautions a fhip might continue here undifcovcred for a lonrr time. It is alfo a pL'ce of great defence ; for by poffefTmg the Ifland that ciofes up the harbour, and which is acccffible in very few places, a fmall force might defend this Port againil all the ftrength the Spaniards could mufter in that part of the world i for this Ifland towards the harbour is Ileep too, and has fix fathom water clofe to the fhore, fo that the Pink anchored within forty yards of it : V/hence it is obvious how impbf- fible it would prove, either to board or to cut out any veflel proteded by a force pofled on Ihore within piftol-lhot, and wher ^hofe who were thus polled could not themfeives be at- tacked. All thefe circumftances feem to ren- der this place worthy of a more accurate exa- mination ; and it is to be hoped, that the im- portant ufes which this rude account of it feems to fuggeil, may hereafter recommend it to the confideration of the Public, and to the attention of thofe who arc more immediately intnifted with the conduct of our naval affairs. After this defcription of the place where the Pink lay for two months, it may be expelled that I fhould relate the difcoveries made by the crew ( '99 ) crew on the adjacent coaft, and the principal incidents during their (lay here : But here I muft obferve, that, being only a few in num- ber, they did not dare to detach any of their people on diflant difcoveries *, for they were perpetually terrified with the apprehenfion that they fhould be attacked either by the Spaniards or the Indians ; fo that their cxcurfions were generally confined to that trafl of land which furrounded the Port, and where they were never out of view of the fhip. But even had they at firfl known how little foundation there was for thofe fears, yet the country in the neighbour- hood was fo grown up with wood, and traverfed with mountains, that it appeared impracticable to penetrate it : So that no account of the inland parts could be expeded from them. Indeed they were able to difprove the relations given by Spanijb writers, who had reprcfented this coaft as inhabited by a fierce and powerful people : For they were certain that no fuch in- habitants were there to be found, at leaft during the winter feafon ; fince all the time they con- tinued there, they faw no more than one Indian family, which came into the harbour in a pe- rigua, about a month after the arrival of the Pink^ and confifted of an Indian near forty years old, his wife, and two children, one three years of age, and the other ftill at the breaft. They feemed to have with them all their property, which was a dog, and a cat, a fifhing-net, a hatchet, a knife, a cradle, fome bark of trees intended for the covering a hut, a reed, fome O 4 worfted. 1.1 \\\ :)<', woriled, a flint and fleel, and a few roots of a, yellow hue and a very difagreeabk tafte, which ferved them for bread. The Matter of the Fifik, as foon as he perceived them, fent his yawl, who brought them on board ; and fear- ing, left they might difcover him if they were pvi'mitted to go away, he took, as he con- ceived, proper precautions for fecuring theni» but without any mixture of ill ufage or vio- lence : For in the day-time they were permit- ted to go where they pleafcd about the ihip^ but at night were locked up in the fore-caftlc; As they were fed in the fame manner with thci reft of the crew, and were often indulged -with bri;ndy, which they feemed greatly to reliih, it. did not at firft appear that they were much dif- fatisfied with their fituation, efpecialiy as tlic Mafter took the Indian on Ihore when he went a jfhooting, (who always feemed extremely de- lighted when the Mafter killed his game) and a& all the crew treated them with great humanity : But it was foon perceived, that though the wo* man continued eafy and chearful, yet the man grew penfive and reftlefs at his confinement. He feemed to be a perfon of good natural parts, and though not capable of converfmg with the Pink's people, otherwife than by figns, was yet very curious and inquifitive, and ftiowed great dexterity in the manner of malung himfelf un- derftood. In particular, feeing fo few people on board fuch a large fliip, he let them know, that he fuppofcd they were once more nume- rous : And to rcprcfent to them what he ima- ,;t^^^7oi .; ; cined ( 20I ) gined l^as become (of* their companions, he l^d himfelf down on the deck, clofing 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 -, for after being in cuftody on board the Pink eight days, the fcuttie of the fore-caftle, where he and his family were locked up every night, happened to be unnailed, and the following night being extremely dark and ftormy, he contrived to convey his wife and children through the unnailed fcuttie, and then over the {hip's fide in the yawl ; and to prevent being purfued, he cut away the long-boat and Jlis own periagua, which were towing a-ftern^ and immediately rowed alhore. AU this he conducted with fo much diligence ^wid feerecy, that though there was a watch on the quarter- deck with loaded-arms, yet he was not difcover- ed by them, till the noife of his oars in the water, after he had put off from the Ihip, gave them notice of his efcape; and then it was too late either to prevent him or to purfue him ; for, their boats being all a-drift, it was a confiderable time before they could contrive the means of getting on fhore themfelves to fearch for their boats. The Indian too by this effort, befides the recovery of his liberty, was in fome fort revenged on thofe who had confined him, both by the perplexity they were involved in from the lofs of their boats, and by the terror he threw them into at his departure ; for on the iirft alarm of -the watch, who cried out, ^be Indians m i ii ' m ( 2©2 ) Indians^ the whole lliip was in the utmoft cbn- fu(ion, believing themfelves to be boarded by a fleet of armed periagua's.4r i:»4i^,^-,^i .^-^^-i^i^/^ (a The refolution and fagacity with which the Indian behaved upon this occafion, had it been exerted on a more extenfive objed: than the re- trieving the freedom of a fingle family, might perhaps have immortalized the exploit, and have given him a rank amongft the illuftrtous names of antiquity.. Indeed his late Mailers did fo much juftice to his merit, as to own that it was a moft gallant enterprize, and that they were grieved they had ever been necellitated, by their attention to their own fafcty, to abridge tho liberty of a perfon, of whofe prudence and. courage they had now fuch a diftinguifhed proof. And as it was fuppofed by fome of them that. he ftill continued in the woods in the neighbourhood of the port, where it was feared he might, fuffer for want of provifions, they eafily prevailed upon the Matter to leave a quan- tity of fuch food, ^ they thought would be moft agreeable to him, in a particular part where they imagined he would be likely to find- it: And there was reafon to conjedure, th^t this piece of humanity was not altogether ufe- lefs to liim ; for, on vifiting the place fomc- tim? after, it was found that the provifion was gone, ak-^d in a manner that made them con- clude it had fallen into his hands. .. , ., i «i . ^^^ •:; iE^.,But however, though many of them were iiUisfied that this Indian ftill continued near them; yet others would needs conclude, tliat '<». 1 lit ( 203 ) he was gone to the Ifland of Chiloey where they. feared he would alarm the Spaniards, and would foon return with a force fufficient to furprize the Pink : And on this occafion the Mafter of the Pink was prevailed on to omit firing the evening-gun -, for it muft be remembered, (and there is a particular reafon hereafter for attend- ing to this circumftance) that the Mafter, from an oftentatious imitation of the pradlice of Men of War, had hitherto Bred a gun every evening at the fetting of the watch. This he pretended was to awe the enemy, if there was any within hearing, and to convince them that the Pink was always on her guard •, but it being now reprefented to him, that his great fecurity was his concealment, and that the evening-gun- might poflibly difcover him, and ferve to guide the enemy to him, he was prevailed on, as has been mentioned, to omit it for the future : And his crew being now well refreihed, and their wood and water fufficiently repleniihed, he, in a few days after the efcape of the Indian, put to fea, and had a fortunate paffage to the ren- dezvous at the Ifland of Juan Fernandes, where he arrived on the i6th oi Auguft, as hath bben already mentioned in the preceding chapter, -f^r. • This veflel, the Anna Pink, was, as I have obferved, the laft that joined the Commodore at Juan Fernandes. The remaining fhips of the fquadron were the Severn and Pearl, and the laager ftore-fhip : The Severn and Pearl parted company with the fquadron off Cape Noir, and, as we afterwards learnt, put back to the Brazils : , . So •1 1^ it <«' ; I >• I ( 204 ) So that of all the fhips which came into the South-Seas^ the Wager^ Captain Cheapo was the only one that was mifling. This Ihip had on board fome field-pieces mounted for land fer- vice, together with Ibme coehorn mortars, and feveral kinds of artillery, (lores and tools, in- tended for the operations on lliore : And there- fore, as the enterprize on Baldivia had been re- folved on for the firft undertaking of the fqua- dron. Captain Cheap was extremely folicitous that thcfe matei Is, which were in his cullody, might be read betore Baldivia ; that if the Iquadron fhould poflibly rendezvous there, (as he knew not the condition they were then re- duced to) no delay nor difappointment might be imputed to him. , But whilft the JVager^ with thefe views, was making the beft of her way to her firft rendez- vous off the Ifland of Socoroy whence (as there was little probability of meeting any of the fquadron there) fhe propofed to fteer direftly for Baldivia^ fhe made the land on the 14th of May^ about the latitude of 47°, South v- and, the Captain exerting himfelf on this occafion, in ordcf to get clear of it, he had the misfor- tune to fall down the after-ladder, and thereby diflocated his Ihoulder, which rendered him in- capable of ading. This accident, together with the crazy condition of the ihip, which was Httle better than a wreck, prevented her from getting off to fea, and entanlged her more and more with the land, fo that the next morning, at day- break, Ihe ftruck on a funken rock, and foon aftejf ( 205 ) after bilged, and grounded between two Tmall lilands, at about a mufquet-lhot from the fhore. In this fituation the Ihip continued entire 2 long time, fo that all the crew had it in their power to ^et fafe on fhore •, but a general con- fufion taking place, numbers of them, inftead of confulting their fafety, or reflefling on their calamitous condition, fell to pillaging the ihip, arming themfelves with the firft weapons that came to hand, and threatening to murder all who fhould oppofe them. This frenzy was greatly heightned by the liquors they found on board, with which they got fo extremely drunk, that fome of them tumbling down between decks, were drowned, as the water flowed in, being , ' incapable of getting up and retreating to other places where the water had not yet entered : And the Capt.iin, having done his utmoft to get the whole crew on (hore, was at laft obliged to leave thefe mutineers behind him, and to fol- low his officers, and fuch as he had been able to prevail on j but he did not fail to fend back ' the boats, to perfuade thofe who remained, to have fome regard for their prefervation v though^ all his efforts were for fome time without fiic- cefs. However, the weatiier next day proving ftormy, and there being great danger of the fhip*s parting, they beg m to be alarmed with the fears of perillvng, and were e'efirous of get- ting to land ^ but it fccms their madnefs had not yet left them, for the boat not appearing ' to fetch them off* lb Toon as they expe6i:ed,, they at lail' pointed a four pounder, which was on the I ■: I ' 'rll ■'■I II' I 1 ( 206 ) the quarter-deck, agalnft the hut, where they knew the Captiin refided on fhore, and fired two fhot, which pafled but juft over it. From this fpecimen. of the behaviour of part of the crew, it will not be difficult to frame fome conjedlure of the diforder and anarchy which took place, when they at lafh got all on Ihore. For the men conceived, that by the lofs of the Ihip, the authority of the officers was at an end ; and, tliey being now on i. defolatci coail, where fcarcely any other provifioils could be got, except what fiiould be faved out of the wreck, this was another infurmountable fource of difcord : For as the working upon the wreck, and the fecuring the provificns, fo that they might be prcfer\''ed for future exigencies as much as pollible, and the taking care that what was neceffary for immediate fubfiflance might be fparingly and equally diftributed, were mat- ters not to be brought about but by difcipline and fubordination •, the mutinous difpofition of the people, flimulated by the impulfes of im- mediate hunger, rendered every regulation made for this purpofe inefFedual : So that there were continual concealments, frauds and thefts, which animated each man againft his fellow, and pro- duced infinite feuds and coniefts. And hence there was conftantly kept on foot a perverfe and malevolent turn of temper, which rendered them Utterly ungovernable. ^ ^" But befides thefe heart-burnings occafioned by petulance and hunger, there was another important point, which fet the greateft part of • ' - - the ( 207 ) the people at variance with the Captain. This was their differing with him in opinion, on the meafures to be purfued in the prefent exigency : For the Captain was determined, if poflible, to fit up the boats in the beft manner he could, and to proceed with them to the northward. For hav- ing with him above an hundred men in health, and having gotten fome fire-arms and ammunition from the wreck, he did not doubt but they could mailer any Span^/h veffel they Ihould meet *'ith in thofe feas : And he thought he could not fail of meeting with one in the neighbourhood of Cbiloe or Baldivia^ in which, when he had taken her, he intended to proceed to the rendezvous at Juan Fernandes ; and he f;[irther infilled, that ihould they meet with no prize by the way, yet the boats alone would eafily carry them there. But this was a fcheme that, however prudent, was no ways reliflied by the generality of his people ; for, being quite jaded with the diflreffes and dangers they had already run through, they could not think of profecuting an enccrprize far- ther, which had hitherto proved fo difaftrous : And therefore the common refolution was to lengthen the long-boat, and with that and the reft of the boars to fleer to the fouthward, to pafs through the Streights o^ Magellan^ and to range along the Eafl fide of South America^ till they fhould arrive at Brazil^ where they doubted not to be well received, and to procure a paffige to Great-Britain. This projed was at firll fight infinitely more hazardous and tedious than w hat was propofed by the Captain •, but as it had the W^ {■ ^^: air I I) ' i 2«8 ) aif or ffetarning lidme, arid flattered tnhn mm the hopes of bringing them once more to their native country, this circumftance alone rendered them inattentive to all its inconveniehdes, and made them adhere to it with infurmountiblc ob- ftinacy •, fo that the Captain himfelf, though he never changed his opinion, was yet obliged to give way to the torrent, and in appearance to acquiefce in this relblution, whiljft he endea- voured under-hand to give it all the obftruftion he could ; particularly in the lengthening of the long-boat, which he contrived fhould be of fueli a fize, that though it might ferve to carry theni to Juan FernandeSy would yet, he hoped, appear incapable of fo long a navigation, as that to the co^.^ oi Brazil ^ "'- ^ "^' ^^''^' ^ But the Captain, by his fteady oppofition at firft to this favourable project, had much embittered the people againft him ^ to which likewife the following unhappy accident greatly contributed* There was a Midihipman whofe name was Cozens^ who had appeared theforemoft in all the refrac- tory proceedings df the crew. He had involved himfelf in'brawls with moft of the officers who had adhered to the Captain*s authority, and had even treated the Captain himfelf with great abufe and infolence. As his turbulence and brutality grew every day more and more intolerabfe, it was not in the leaft doubted, but ther were fomc violent meafures in agitation, in \^hiGh Cozens was engaged as the ring-leader : For which rea*- Ibn the Captain, and thofe about him, conftantly kept themfelves on their guard. But at laft the' 4 Purfec;, ( 2^9 ) turferj having, by the Captain*? prder, ftbppod the allowance of a fellow who would not work ; Cozens^ though ^e n>$iB did not complain to hin), intermieddkd in the affair wit)) great eager* hefs ; and grofsly i^ftjjtjng the Puffer, who was then delivering out prpvifions juft by the Cap- tain's tent) and was himfeif fulBcienjcly violent, the Purfer, enraged by his icurrility, and per- haps piqued by former quarrels^ . cried out a mU' tiny^ adding, that the dog had pijiols^ and then himfeif fired a piftol at CozenSi which however miji him : But the Captain, on this outcry and the report of the pifto\ nifhedout of his tent \ and, not doubting but it had been fired by Co- %en^ as the commencement of a mutiny, he im- hiediately fhot him in the head without farther deliberationi and though he did not kill iiim on the fpoti yet the wound proved mortai, and he died about fourteen days after* Tills incident^ however difplcafing to the peo- ple, did yet, for a confiderable rii;ne, awe them to their duty^ and rendered them more fubmif- five to the Captain's authority j but at laft, when towards the middle of OSiober the long-boat was nearly compleated, and they were preparing to put to fea, the additional provocation he gave them by covertly traverfing their proje6fc of pi*o- ceeding through the Streights of Magellan^ and their tears that he might at length engage a party fufficient to overturn this favourite mcafure^ made them refolve to make ufe of the death of Cozens as aireafon for depriving liim of his zomr -mand, under pretence of carrying him aprifor If' ,(■1 .1 f <'i 1 in ( 210 ) ncr to En^land^ to be tried for murder ; and Ik was accordingly confined under a guard. But they never intended to carry him with them, as they tOQ well knew what they had to apprehend on their return to England^ if their CowJinander fhould be prefent to confront them : Add there- for*, when they were juft ready to put to fei, they fct him at liberty, leaving him at>d the few who ch jfe ta take their fortunes with him> no other embarkation but the yawl, to which the barge was afterwards added, by the people oti ,board her bdng prevailed on to return back. ^^ ^ . When the ihip was wreckt, there remained alive on board thciT^jf^r nearan humired and thirty perfons; of thefe above thirty died during their ftay upon the place, Jind near eighty weitt off in the long-boat, ^nd the Cutter to the fouth- .ward:,S9,that there itemamed with the Captairi, after jtl;ieir departure,- r 5 tnorc than nineteen per- fons,. lH'httih however wais as many as the barge ,a^d d>a«yawfc the only embarkations left them, could well carry? off. >i it was the i^th oiOiiobety . ftw ii(^of ths.iften thcr.ftiipwreck, that the long- vboaty comre>ted intoia:fchooner, weighed, and Jloo4;.to. the fouthward, giving the Captain, -wi^jj^ith. Lieutenant Hamilton of the land- fpi:f:q».^d,the furgeon, was then on the beach, thr^^pheers at their dep»ture. It was the 29th ^5-<^?My the f<;a^e!ti denominated » , « S' I ; K ( 212 ) h/ager's jyiand^ they had now and then a draggling canoe or two of IndianSy which came aad bar* tcred.tjieir filh and pth«r provifions with, our people. This was indeed fonK Ut^k^ ,fnccQ\ir^ and at another fcafqn might perhaps have be«i| greater ^ for as there were feveral Indian liuts on the fhore^ it was fuppoied that in iomt ycth«i^iMftf Fink^ it fhould feem to ht the general pra^^cc of thofe Indians to fcequent this C9a{l in the fun>mqr-time foF the be^^t of fifhing^ and to retire in the winter into (^ better cUtaate> mof?r to the nortliward^ , , ^ ^j^.^^.^^^ tijiijc-nh iirioiit. ^ And on this nciention of ^I^ ^«»» P^, I can- not but obferve,, how much it i& to beJament«d> that the Imager's pepplc had na^ knowledge of her heins; fo near them on the coaA^ for as ihe was not g,bove thirty leagues dillant £i?om them, and canie |ato their neighbourhood about the faoie time the IFager was loity. and was a fine roomy ihip»Jhe cQuld eafily hiave taken ihem fill out l)oard, and have capried then^ to Jtcan F^^ndfiS. Jnde.ed,.,I liafpeft fhc was ftill nearer to them than i^ji^t is here eftimated; for Several of the ff^^K% j^ople, at .different times, he^ the ji^oft of a ^annon, which I conceive could be f^o otKer, 4^an the eyening gun fired from the ,4wi^,,^^#j( j^fpccially as what was heard at fFd" ier*s Mdni V^^ about the fame time of the daar* But to PQtypn. to C^pUia Cffeap, , . , ( "3 ) Upon the 14th of Decemhery the Captain ani -v,^ • - :-.. . By this means thefewer^ left on Ihore Capr' tain Cbenp^^r: Hapiltm Lieutenant of Marines, iht Honourable Mr, ByroHy aqd ^Ir. Campffel^ Midfhipfhen, and Mr. Elliot^ the Surgeon. One would f^ave thought their diftrefles had long be- fore this time been incapable of augmentation \ ' ]DUt they found, on refleAipH) that their prefent iituation was much more difmaying than any tfiing they hadjyet gone through, being left on f ° ■ ■'■'■ * 'a de- od ch re ad ( 215 ) a delblate co^ft, without any provifion,,or.the means of procuring any ; for their arms, am^ munitipn, and every conveniency they , were mafters qU except the tattered habits they had on^ were all carried away in the barge. . ^,^,j c^^^ ,. But when they had fufikipntly revolved in their -own minds the varipus circumftances o£ this unexpedled calamity,, and were perfuaded that they had no relief to hope for, they per- ceived ^^anoe at a diftance, which proved to be that of the IndiaKy .who had un4ertaken to carry them to Chiwe^ he and his family being then on board it. He made no difficulty of coming to them v for it feems he had left Cap«- tain Cb^ap a^d his Peopje a little before to go a fifhing, and had in the mean time committed them to the care of the other Indian, wliom the failors bad carried to /ea in the barge. But whsn he came on fhore, and found the barge, gone and his companion miffing, he was. exr. tremely concerned, and could with difRculty be perfuaded that the other Indian was not murder- ed ; but, beingatlaftfatisfipd with the. account that was given him, he ftill undertook to carry them to the Spanijh Icttlements, and (as the /»- dians arc well (killed in filhing and fowling) to. procure them provifions by the way.,..^r. t^ Mj't About the middle of Marchy Captain C^^^ and the four who were left with him, Jet, ou^- for Chiloey the Indian having procured a, numtrj berof canoes, and gotten many of his neigh*, bouft together for that purpofe. Soon after they embarked, Mr. ElMot the Surgeon died,, fo, .Mr:-.v a P 4' th^ w . ifutthw^m^ temmtd only four qF the wh^ xomTp^j-y At-laft, .afe^r % wcry complicacotj ;"paflage;J>y la,nd 4i^d ^^^ter,^ Captain C^m^ Mr, .nmg qf: J^.at the. Jftaiid of C**A^,v#rhPfe^t|*ey ./were Tccieivcd by .jche_j|p iliree =w_i>o were withhini^erR fent.^O,i^ and thcAce to ^t. Jago^ theCapitoJ qf Qkifh wjierc they con- tinued abbvc a year: But on the advice of a cartel being fcttfed betwixt GrmhEritain and BpMHy Captain Ch^py Mr- Byron^ and Mr, ii/j- mUdrty were perxni^t^ to return to Etirope on board a French^ Ibip, The o;her Midfhipnian, Mfb Camphh having changed his religion, w^iilil atSt y^4, choie to go back to Bh^uo^ u^res withPizano and his QiHcers, with whom, he iirent ^'te iwards to Sp(Un f^ board the ^a \ and -':^- 4 '^ there '^1^ ( «i7 ) there havli^ failed in his endetTDor^topfBi^ cure a oommiflion from the Qoon of Sp$sn, bf recuni($d to EngUind^ and attempted to get it<» inllated in the Brilijb Navy ; and has finee pub« liihed a narration of his adventures, in which h« complains of the infuftice that had been done him> and ftrongly difavows his ever being m the %iirf^ fervice: But as the change of his religion » and his ofl^ring hi-^felf to the Court of Spain^ ( though not accepted ) are matters whichy he is confcious, are capable of being inconteftably proved ; on thefe two heads, he has been entirely filent. And now, after this accountof the accidents which befel the ^na Pink, and the cataftrojjhe of the Wager, I (hall again rcfume the thread of our own ftpry. '^'^ ' • t-»l- i 'Ai) ;•£ !Yv>»t h*s to <:bjiJi » n. ^, CHAP. IV. ' -, . Conclufion of oiir proceedings itjaafi Fef^^ nandes, firom the arrival of the Anna Pinl^ to our final cjepaitui-e from thence, i' "^ ' ' AB O U T a weefe after the arrival of our Viftualkj^ the Itfyal Sloop, tfet had Tbem fent to the Ifland of Mfyi-»>F«^n?, returned to an anchor at Juan FernandeSy after hayiRgbeon round that IQand, without meeting any part of our fquadron. As, upon this pccafion, ijhe ifland of Mafa-Fuero was more particularly ex- imnftd, than I darciay it had ever been before, 9i il (,i8) or perhaps fver will be again ; andas the knovfr Mge of it.oiay^ in certain circumftances, . be of grieat confequence hereafter, I think vit in(;um^ bent on mc to inferc. the accounts given of tlii^ place, by the officers of the Tryi?/ Sloopj», L uThe Spaniards hv/t: generally mentioned two Klands,.^nder the name of Juan Fernandeiy StiYmQ them the greater and theiefs: The greater being that IHand where we anchored, and the. lefs be- ing the liland we are now defcribing, ., which* becaufe k is more diftantfrom the Contincnt,they^ have diftioguifhed by the name of Maja-puero^, The Tryal Sloop found that it bore from thc^.^ greater Juan Fernanda W. by S, and was about twenty-two leagues ; diftant. It is much larger than has been gcneraUy repbrted ; for- former. writers have reprefenied it as a barren rock, def- titute of rwood and water, and altogether inac- ceifible J. wKereas our people found it was covered with tree^ an4sthat |:here were feveral fine falls of W9ter pouring down its fides into the fea ; They found (oo,:d her bags were foakcd rfirough. And now* a& - HT- i^i^'V we ( «2® ) ¥Mi hidhb fkrthcf occafion foi^ her fenrirt, the Cbflhimtdorei purfuant to his orders from the l)oardof AdmJrahy, /ent rtoticc to Mr. Gerard her Matter, that he diifcharged the Jmta Thh fmtd the fertrice of ittehding the fcjuadton ; and gaVe him, at the farhi^ tittifc, a certificate, fpecr- fying how long Iht* had been employed. lt\ Coti- jfcijuertce of this difmrlTioti, h«*r Matter was at liberty, either to letuth dir^^lf to ^ngJand^ or t^ make the beft of his \ray to any Port, wher^ fie thought he cduld take in fbch a cargoe, as ijrould anfwer the intereft of his Owners. But the Matter,' being fenfible of the bad condition of the fhip and of iier vrnfitriefs fbr any Ibch ^f age, wrote the We^t ^day an 'anfwer to the Comrtlodbre's meHage' ac(Jiiaiht?ng Mr. Anfon^ that from the^ grfeat cjuirtiiif y of wat^ the Pink had faiad^ itt her paflitge rbund Cape Born^ and fehce th^, in' the tempefttious weather he had Inet witfeoft kfie ooaft 6i Chili, he had rcafon to ^ppi^hefnci'th^t her bttitorrt was very much decay* ^i and that befidei^'hirtipper works were rot- ten abaft 5 thnt 1He?\^S fextremehy leaky ; that her fore-beam was broke i and that, in his opi- fridh; it was impoflible b proce^-d to fea with hefj bi;ft)te fhe had been thoroughly refitted : fft^lhfcrfefbre'retiotftted the Commodore, that the ' CkYpdhtttS df the^ iqiladron might be dire^ed to • fhfvif^ hir; Aat theit judgment of her condition - ihij^hf bt krtdV^h.'' In c!ompliartcfe with this de- flf^,' Mf. 0njht immediately ordered the Carpeh- e^fs tb xske^tAftM ^nd ttri^ ibrtey bf the Jf«/(iui^ htXf direfling then> at the fame time to proceed hercii^ with fiichcjrcufnfpedipn, that, if th?y ihouWIpe h?reafier callcjd. upon, they might bl? able tq ipak,e oath of the veracity of. their pro- ceefiipg^*^ Jfurfuiint to thefe orders, the Carpet^'^ tei^ immediately fet aboi^ the examination, .an4 ^c n^xt,day made their report ;. which was, th^ jche ^fi^i had no \tk than fourteen knee& ^uid iwelve 'beams broken, and decayed », thfit . one ^)reaft-hopk wasbrojcen, fnd anocb'tr rotten j thart iier wa^r-ways were open and decayed ; that ty^ Jbtandafds were b'oken, as. alio feveral clamps^ ^fjd^j^ otjj^rs >vhrch were rotten 5 that aH her ifon-^pjk^ ,^as greatly (Jccaycd j that her fpixkil- ing^nd,tjpb^r^ were yery, rotten ; and thtat, hay- ;mg r i pj?ed off par t of ^ ,hc|, fli^aihi ng# they found ,her waives a,nd out/^de pj^nks^xtren^eiy dcfedive, and, her bows and def;!^ . very.^lcaky ♦, a^incon- £equence pfthefe defers an^ decays they certi- fied, that in their opini^lJ. fte could not d«parC from the Ifland withoig,grea$, haaiard, tmlcfefhc wasfirft of allthoroggl^ij^eftlted^^, -^igfit. ^^^ ;^ The thoroughrefijtit^ of the-rf^«/w ?i«/t, pro"- pofed by xhe Carpenters^ wj^, ^ our prtsfent fituation,. impo0lWe to ,|3e complied >^i,tfe, a&,iill the plank aad iron in .|;he i^ijiadron was infufll^- cnt for that purpofe. And.now. the Ma|bw" find- ing his own fcntiments confirmed by ^hf opii^ion ©fall the Carpenters, he (differed, a petition to -the Commodore in bchajf pf to - Owners^ dtfiring {l>at, fince it appeared he wa^ jpcapabite oihsmr- ingthe Ifiandy Mv, 4njQn \iOi^. pkafi^ tt%|«zr- %^,,.v-f.:. ' char<^ ( 222 ) chafe the hull and furniture of the Pink for thd ufe of the fquadron. Hereupon the Commodore ordered an inventory to be taken of every par- ticular belonging to the Pinky with its juft value: An^ as by this inventory it appeared, that there were many flores whiqh would be ufeful in refit- ting the other fhips, and whjch were at prefeot very fcarcc in the fquadron, by reafon of the great quantities that had been already expended, he agreed with Mr. G^rarJ to purchkft the whoJjB together for 300/. The Pink being thus bioken upj Mr. Gerardy with the hands bek>nging to the Pinky were fent on board the Gloucefier -, as that fliip had buried thegj-cateft ijumber of met in proportion to her cpmplement. But after- wards, one or two 4pf-th^in were received on board the Centurion on tkeir own petition, they being extremely averfe t^ failing in the fame Ihip with their old Matter, on account of fomc parti- cular ill ulage they conceived they had fuffered from him. U^ Jnmi no nom onb /iscrl fxir.T)^!?? -i This tranfadlion brought us down to the hc^ gmning of Sepffmbery and our people by this time were fo far recovered of the fcurvy, that there was little danger of burying any more at pre- fcnt ; and therefore I (hall, now fum up the total of our lofs fince our departure from England, the better to; convey fome idea of our paft fufter- ingSy . and of our prclent ftrength. We had buried on board the Gf«/«n^», fince our leaving St. Heknsy two hundred and ninety-two, and itad now remaining on board two hundred and fi^teei^^ Jhis wijl dc^ibtlefs appear a mod ex- f^^ " traordinary ( 223 ) traordinary mortality: But yet on Board t|ie Gloucefter it had been much greater -, for out df a much fmaller crew than ours they had burii^ I. ( ^M ) bf ieat lead had got round into thcfe ibis: Id- deed, we were fatlsfied from GUI' own ezpsrienct* that they muft have Aiffircd greatly in their paf- fagc; but then. f very po't in the South Seas was open to them* and tKe whok power of Chili ^nd Peru would, doubrlefs ^ united in refreihipg and refitting them, and recruiting the numbers theV hadJoft. Befides, we had fome obfcure know- ledgsSff a force to be fitted out from Cailao ^ and, hove ver. contemptible the ihips and failors of this par(^ of thc^ wjorld .may have been igcne- rally cftt,etned, it was, fc^ccly poflible for any thingv bearing the nanpe of a iliip of force, to be feebler or lefsconfiderabie than ourfclves. And had the -e been nothinjg to be vjorehetided from the naval powc: of the ^tamu'-as in this part of the wprjid, yet our enfeebled condition would ne- terthelefs give us the greate'ft unearinefs, as we were, JjK^paWe of attempting any of their con^ gderable pjaces \ for the rifcjjuing of twenty men^ weak as we then were, was rifquing the fafety of the whole: So that we conceived wefhould h(L neeefliuicd to coptei^t ourfelves with what few prizes we could pick up at fea, before we were difcovei:ed } after which, v/c ftiould in all pi;obability..be6b!iged to depart With precipita- tion* and ;efteem, ouffelvcs fortunate to re^in our native .country, leaving our enemies to triumph Of-ttieinconfiderabfe mifcjiief they had received . from a fquadrbn, whofe equipment had filled ^heti. with fuch dreadful apprehenfions. This w^s a fubjccl,. on which we had reafon to imagine ^^•Sfaniff} ,.o%ntatbn would femarkably exert . ( 225 ) itfelf i though the caufcs of our difappoint merit and their iccurity were neither to be fough- tor in their valour nor our mifconduA. ,, ^-j, Such were the defponding refle6tions which at that time arofe on the review and comparifon of our remaining ftrengthwith our original num- bers : Indeed our fears were far from being groundlefs, or difproportioned to our feeble and almoft dcfperate fituation. It is true, the final event proved more honourable than we had fore- boded J but the intermjediate calamities did like- wife greatly furpafs our moft gloomy apprehen- fions, and Could they have been predifted to us at this fflahd of yuan Femandesy they would doubtlefs have appeared insurmountable. But to return from ihis digrdlfeon.'f" ^^i^m-cj r^iven ^r^i '"In '.he beginning of Septhrnter, as hath b^n al- ready n^entiohed, our men were tolerably wfell recovered ; and now, the time of navigation in this climate drawing neai-, we est^rted our-^ felves in getting our Ihips in readinds for the fea. We converted the fore^maft of the Yidlu- aller into a main-maft fof the Tryal Sloop v ani ftvll flattering ourfelves with the pofiibiiicy of the arrival of fome other (hips bf our fquadron,^ we intended to leave the main-maft of the Vi^hiatf ler, to make a mizen-maft for the fP^ag&, Thui all hands being employed in forwarding. our d^e imagihed to be bound to Fal''^ paraifo. We continued ori this courfe alt that day and the ricxti and theh liot getting fight of our chace we gaVc over the piirfuiti conceiving that by that time flie fnuff,' in' all probalJilityi haVe i-eachcd her Port. Arid now we prepared to return to Juan Fernandis, afnd haled u]f> to the S. W, with that vicw^ having but very little wind till the i2th^ wheh, at three in the morn- ings there fprung up a frefh gale firoi'n the "W. S.^ W, and we tacked and ftodd to the N. W : And' at day-break we wtrc agffeeably furprized with the fight' of a fail on our weather-bow, between' four arid five leagues diftarit* On this we croud-' fed all the fail we could^ and ftood after her, and foon perceived it not to be the fame fhip We ori- ginally gave chace to. She at frrft bore djbwri iipon us Ihowing- Spanijh colours,- arid ihafcing a' fignal, as to her confort j but obfervirtg that we did not anfwer her fignal, Ihe inftantly loofed" tlofe to the wind, and ftood to the fouthward- Our people were now all in fpirits, and put the fhip about with great alacrity ; and as the chace appeared to be a large Ihip, and had miftaken us ^ for her Confort,' we conceived that fhe vras a man bf war, and probably one oi Pizarrd's fquadrbn : * This induced the Commodore to order all the" officers cabins to be knocked down and thrown: over-board, with feveral cafks of water and pro- vifions which ftood' between the guns •, fo that we had foon a cle^r fliip, ready for an engage- ^ 0^2 ment. *;?ii is: fii '■^X[ ■i.:i m !|- ( 228 ) ment. About nine o'clock We had thick hazy weather and a Ihower of rain, during which we loft fight of the chace y and we were apprehen- fiye^ if the weather Ihould continue, that by ,go- ifig upon the other tack, or by fome other artlr^^ fice, fhe might efcape us ; but it clearing up in lefs than an hour, we found that we had both i weathered and fore-reached upon her confiderably, v and now we were near enough to difcover; that- fhe was only a Merchantman, without fo much as a fingle tire of guns. About half aft hour af- ter twelve, being then within a reafonable dif-. tance of her we fii;ed four fhot amongft her .rig* ging ; on which, tJ;\cy lowered their .toprfatls, and bore down to ij^, bjat^ in yccy great confufion, ■■ their top-gallant fails apd ilayrfails ail fluttering in the wind : This wa^ owing to their having let rLKi th^r flieets and halyards juft as we fired at them V after wbicli, pot a man amongft them had courage enough to y^nture aloft (for there the fhot had paffed but juft before) to take them in. As foon as the veflel came within liail of us, the Commodore ordered them to bring to under his lee- quarter, and then hoifted out the boat, and lent Mr. Saujmrez, his firft Lieutenant, to take poirefTion of the prize, with directions to fend aUthiE prifoners on board the Centurion^ but firft - th?;ofRcers and paflengers. When Mr. Saumarez ci^ne on Soard them, tliey received him at the fide with the ftrongeft tokens of the moft abje6t fubmiflion -, for they were all of them (efpecially the paflengers, who were twenty-five in number) extremely terrified, and under the greateft ap- j^ " ,^v prehenfions ( 229 ) prehcnfions of meeting with very fcvere and cruel ufage j but the Lieutenant endeavoured, with great coartefy, to diffipate their fright, af-^ furing them, that their fears were altogether t groundlcfs, and that they would find a generous enemy in -the Commodore, who was not lefs re-' raarkable for his lenity and humanity, than for his refblution and courage. The prifoners, who were firft fent On board the Centurion^ informed us, that oiir prize was called Nueflra Senora del Monte €armelo^ and was commanded by Don Manuel Zamorra. Her cargoe confided chiefly of fugar, and great quantities of blue cloth made in the province of ^/>^, foniewhat refembling the Englijh coarfe broad-cloths, but inferiour to them. They had bcfides fevcral bales of a coar- fer fort cloth, of different Colours, fomewhat like Colchefter bays, called by them Pannia da Tierra, with a few bales of cotton and tobacco ; which, though (Irong, was not ill flavoured. Thefe were the principal goods on board her ; but we found befides, what was to us nuich more valuable than the reft: of the cargoe : This was feme trunks of wrought plate, and twetity- ihree lerons of dollars, each weighing upwards of 200 /. averdupois. The (hip's burthen was about four hundred and fifty guns -, (he had fifty-three failors on board, both whites and blacks ; ihc •came from Callao^ and had been twenty-feven days at fea, before ftie fell into our hands. She was bound to the port of Valparaifo in the king- dom oi Chilly and propofed to have returned from chence loaded with corn and Chili wine, fomc '•' '^v-'*"^ ^.i-^ . 0^3 gold. U' t i«. U i "i' ia n gold, drie^ t?^, ^d fmall cordage, yrhich ^ t-«//((?tf they conyert into larger ro|>e. 0\ir prize bad bpen b'4lt upiyards of thirty years 5 yet as th^ lif in harbour all tl>e wij^ter months, and tihe climate i? favourable, they cfteem^d it no. very great age. Her rigging was very indifFe- yent, as were likewife her fails, which were ?nade of Cottpn. She had only three four po,undejr:, which were altogether unferviceable, thpir cai'riages l^ing fcarcely able to fupport Ithem : And there were no frn^l arms on boafd, except a few piftols belonging to the paflengers. 'The prifoners infornipd U^> that they left Callaa in company with two otlier fhips, whom they had parped with fome days before, and that at fitft they conceived Us to be one of their com- pany J and by the defcription we gave them of tl^e (hip we had chafed from Juan Fernandes^ 3^hey alTured us, Ihe , was of their number, but that the coming ip fight of that Ifland was di- je<^y repugnant to the Merchant's inftrudlions, wl^q had exprefsly forbid it, as knowing that if 4ny £?^^fquadron was in thofe feas, the Ifland pf Femandes ws^ moft probably the place of their Rendezvous. 'v''^?. ?^^*" ^^^ And now, after this Ihort account of the fhip and her cargoc, it is neccflary that I fliould re- late the important intelligence \yhich we met ^with pn board her, partly from the information pf the prifonevs, and partjy from the letters and papers which fell ipto our hands. We here firft jearnt with certainty the force and deftination of llxat fqua^ron, which cruifed off the Maderas at «mr arrival there, and afterwards chafed the Pearl in our paflage to port St. Julian. This we now knew was a fquadron compofed of five Jarge S^anijb Ihips, commanded by Admiral Pizarroy and purpofely fitted out to traverfe our defi^ns, as hath been, already more amply related in the 3d chapter of tlie ift book. And we had, at the fame time, the 'fatisfadion to jfind, that Pizarro, after his utmoft endeavours to gain his pafTage into thefe feas, had been forced back again into the river of Plale, with the lofs of two of his largeft Ihips : And be- fides this difappointment. of PizarrOy which, confidering our great debility, was no unaccep- tabfe intelligence, we farther learnt, that an em- bargo had ,beer> laid upon all fhipping in tliefe ieas, by the Viceroy of Peru^ in the month of iX^y preceding, on a fuppofition that about thac time we might arrive upon the coaft. But .on the account fent over-land by Pizarro of his own diftreffes, part of which they knew, we muit have encountered, as we were at fea during the, lame time, and on their having no news of us in eight months after we were known to. fet fail from St. Catherine's^ they were fully per- fuaded that we were either (hip-wreck'd, or had perifhed at fea, or at leaft had been obliged to put back again ; for it was conceived, impoflible for any fhips to continue at fea during fo long an interval : And therefore, on the application of the Merchants, and the firm perfuafion of our having mifcarried, the embargo had been lately taken oft. m.isk't^. v^o vcu^ji j li, . ; • 0.4- This i i .. 11 I' ii. m 1 1 i Till ,..,1 .-.: % .1 - f 232 ) ^' This laft ?.5 tide made us flattef ourfelves, that, as the enemy was ftill a ftrangcr to our having got round Cape Horn^ and the naviga- tion of thefe feas was reftored, we mieht meet with fome confiderable captures, and might thereby indemnify ourfelves for the incapacity we were now under of attempting any of their confiderable fettlements on Ihore. And thus much we were certain of, from the information of our prifoners, that, whatever our fucceis might be as to the prizes we might light on, we had nothing to fear, weak as we were, from' the Spanijh force in this part of the '^otXdi \ tho' we difcovered that we had been in moft im- minent peril from the enemy, when We leaft apprehended it, and when our bther dlftrcffes were at the greateft height j for We learnt, from the ietrers on board i thdtP/2;^rr<7, in the ex- prefs Ke difpatched to the Viceroy of Peru, after his return to the river of Plt^te, had intimated to him, that it was poiTible fome part at leaft of the Englijh fquadroh might get round ; but that, as he was certairt from his own experience, that if they did arrive in' thofe feas, it muft be in a very weak and defencelefs eondition, he 'advifed the Viceroy, in order to be fecure at all events, to fit out v/hat fliips of foicc he had, and fend them to the fouthward, where, in all 'probability, they would intercept us fingly, and l)efore we had an opportunity of touching any where for refrefhment j in which cafe, he doubt- ed iii^t but we Ihould prove an eafy conqueft. The Viceroy of Peru approved of this advice, an4 X m) 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 were ftationed off the Port of Concepfion^ and one of them at the Idand ofFernandes-, and in thefe ftations they continued cruifing for us. till the Cthof June, when, not feeing any thing of us, and conceiving it te be impoffible that we could have kept the feas fo long, they quit- ted their cruife and returned to CallaOy fully fa- tisfied that we had either periihed, or at leafl; had been driven back. As the time of their quitting their ftation was but a few days before our arrival at the Idand of FernandeSy it is evi- dent, that had we made tliat Idand on oi^r firft fearch f^r it, without haling in for the mam to fecure our eafting, (a circumftance, which at that time we confidered as very unfortunate to on account of the numbers which we loft us by our longer continuance ax fca) had we, I. fay, made the IQand on the iSth oiMay^ wheq wc firft expedcd to fee it, and were in reality very near it, we had doubtlefs falJen in wjth fomp part of the Spanijh fquadron •, and in the diftrejt fed condition we were then in, the meeting with a healthy well provided enemy, was ah incident that could npt bi^t have been perplex|- ing, and might perhaps have proved fatal, riot only to us, but to the Try^/, the Ghucejfery arid the Jnna Pifjk, who feparately joined us, and who were each of them lefs capable than We were of making any confiderable refiftance. ' I Ihall only add, that thcfe Spanijh ftdps fent out I % !■ gi 3- v.. If if^' to ■HJiiWM iwmm .t «34 ) 't tp lAt^fl^t OS, had been greatly fhattercd by ;' a torm di^r*ng their cruifc i JVid that, after . their ^rtval at Callae^ they had been laid i^. ]., And our pri|foner$ aiTui^d ms, that wlienever in- !^ teliigenf^Q w^ received tuLimay of oiir being in . thejfe ifeas, it would -hfc ^t ieaft two months be- •' Jipre this armament could. be again fitted out. The whole of this intelligence was as favour- able, as ire in pur reduced circumftances. could ) wilh for. , And now we were fully fatisfied as t to the broken jars, afhes, and fifh-bones, which we had oblerved at our firll landing at Juan Fenmndes-, thefe things being doubtlefs the re- li»£b of the cruifers Rationed o(f th^t fort. Havii^g thus fatisfied ourfclwe^ ii> th^jnaterial articles, md. having gojlu;^n on board t!^ Centu^ rion moft of the prifoi>ers, and. aU the filver, we, at eight in the fame evening, made fail to the northward, in company with our prize, »nd at fix the next morning difcovered the Ifland of F^mndeSy yrhere, the next day, both we and our prize came to an anchor. - And here I cannot omit one remarkable inci> dent which occurred, wh^n the prize and her crew came into the bay, where the reft of the fquadr^n lay. The Spaniards in the Carmelo had been fufficiently informed of the diftreffcs wc had gone through, and were greatly furprized that wc had ever furmounttd them : But when they faw the Tryal Sloop at anchor, they were ftill more iftonifhed, that after all our fatigues, we had the; induftry (befides refitting our oth^r fhiJ5s) to Gompleat fuch a fcllel in fo Ihort a /aj r« -^ time. ( 235 ) iime, they, taking it for granted that fhe had been built upon the fpot. And it was with jgreat difficulty they were prevailed on to be- lieve, that ihe came from England with the reft of the fquadron ; they at firll infilled, fhat it was impoffible fuch a bawble as that could pafs round Cape Horn^ when the beft Ihips of Sfain were obliged to put back. ''^^ -<^ -^fonV -^T ^^■' By the time we arrived at Juan Fernandes^ ' ■^J:he letters found on board our prize were more minutely examined : And, it appearing from them, and from the accounts of our prifoners, fhat feveral other Merchantmen were bound from Callao to Valparaifoy Mr. Anfon difpatched 'the Tryai Sloop the very next morning to cruife "^pfF the laft-mentioned Port, reinforcing hin^ with ten hands from on board his own fhip. ^ ^Mr. Anfon likewife refolved, on the intelligence ' 'recited above, to feparate the lhip$ Under his| pommand, and employ them in diftinfb cruifes, as he thought that by this ineans we ftiould not only encreafe our chance for prizes, but that We fhould likewife run alefs rifque of alarming the coaft, and of being difcovered. And now the fpirits of our people being greatly raifed, and '^iheir defpondency diflipated by this earneftof '. fuccefs, they forgot all their paft diftreffes, and rcfumed their wonted alacrity, and laboured in- ' defatigably in compleating our water, receiving ' pur lumber, and in preparing to take our fare- wel of the Ifland : But as thefe occupations took us up four or five days with all our induftry, the Commodore, in that interval, diredtcd that i the i I I{ |m ( 236 ) the guns belonging to the Anna Pink, being four fix pounders, four four-pounders, and two fwivcls, fhould be mounted on board the Car- melo^ our prize : And having fent on board the Gioucejtsr irx. paffcngers, and twenty-three lea- men to aflift in navigating the (hip, he dire<5ted Captain Mitchel to leave the Ifland as foon as poffible, the fervice requiring the utmoft dif- patch, orderir .^ hiir proceed to the latitude of five (iegret^ :^ >! r' . and there to cruife off the highland of • :/5^, ?x llich a diftance from; ihore, as fhould prevent nis being difcovered. On this ftation he was to continue till he fhould: be joined by the Commodore, which would; be... whenever it fhould be known that the Viceroy : had fitted out the fliips dXCaUaOy or on Mr. y/j/-. fon^s receiving any other intelligence, that fhould ■ make it necelT^ry to unite our ilrength. Thefe.. orders being delivered to the Captain of the.: Gloucejlery ^nd all our bufincfs compleated, we on the Saturday following, being the 19th of Sepemker, weighed our anchor, in company • with our prize, and got out of the bay, taking , our laft leave of the Ifland of Juan Fernandesy , and fteering to the eallward, with an intention ; of joining the .'/?;>'«/ Sloop in her ihtion ot; ^^^^^^/^•Danasft/ bos' ,in^rmi|^'i^ r?v v;:^ ->. ': lUO ik xl;iw'b5i5Yb-51rb W '•' ',5biii 'lo sno lils^ birvi-vt^i :-. 'H r. ;v- i^ -^i- •-. i ••'ir I 2r . -■- tf\r(^^' . ( 237 ) • , < . ...... < } . . ■ ., C H A P. V. Our cruife from the time of our leaving { Juan Fernandes^ to the taking the town f of Paita. ''^^'^;^ LTHOUGH'the Onturion, v?ith h^ prize, the Carmeloy weighed from the bay of Juan Fernandas on the 19th of September^ leaving the Gloucejler at anchor behind her \ r ^r, by the irregularity and fluftuation of the 'vin^ v in the offing, it was the 22d of the fame nc^th in the evening, before we loft fight oi tie Ifland : After which, we continued o^ ccuxfe to the eaftward, in order to reagh our ftation, and to join the iTryal off Valparaifo. The next night, the weather proved fqually, and we fplit our maintop-fail, which we handed for the pre- fent, 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 ; ' on which, our prize ftood dircdly from us, to avoid giving any fufpicion of our being cruifers ; whilft we, in the mean time, made ourfclves . ready for an engagement, and fteered towards the two fhips we b:id difcovcred with all our canvas. We foon perceived that one of thefe, wiiich had the appearance of being a very ftout fhip, made directly for us, whilft the other kept at a very great diftance. By feven o'clock we were within piftol-fhot of the neareft,. and had «5xtj 'a broad- 11 \ \ y: ll: 1 n 11 il k feroad-fide ready to pour into heri the Gun- ,^. hers having their matches ir their hands^ and i . only waiting f^r orders to fire'; biit as we knew j, it was now impofllhie for her to efcape us, Mr.,jji Anfon^ before he permitted them to fire, order- .^ cd the Mafter to hail the fhip in Spanijb j oni .{\ which the commanding officer on board her, j^- who proved to be Mr. Hughs, Lieutenant of th^ 5; SrVy^/, anfwered us in Englijb, and informed us» H that ihe was a prize taken by the Tryal a few H? days before, and that the other fail at a diftance"i^?> was the Iryal herfclf, difabied in her mails, ^i 5 We were foon after joined by the Jr>'«/y and'tji Captain Saunders, her Commander,': caitie oti\\i board the Onturm. He informed the Com-'/- hiodore, that he had taken this fhip the i^h'in-"i,-, ftant •, that (he was aprimfe failor, and had coft'ja him- thirty-fix hpurs chace, before he couldT ; come up. with her ; tliat for fome time he gained^ * fo little upon her, that he began to defpair of.,, taking her 9 2irtd. xht Spaniards, though alarmed^ -. at firft with feeing nothing but a cloud of fail in' purftnt of them, che2ry/2/*s huM being fo low^ in the v/ater that no part of it appeared, yet' .; kiiowing thegoodnefs of their fliip,' and find-" 'fj-. ing how. tittle the Tryai neafed them, they at - kngth laid afide their fears, and, recommending':- themfejveii to the blefled Virgin for protedion,*.. began to think themfelves jfecure. And indeed' their fuxxefe was very near doing honour tb''^: their j'tve Marians •, for, altering their courfe in'" the n'ght, and fhutting iip their windows ta prevent any- of their lights from- bdhg fecn,> .,; -I'.ri. the/ they had (bme chance of efcaping-; hxt a rtttalF crevice in orw of thc^fhmters rendered all their" invocations mcffeftual *, for throu^ this creviccr-' the people on board the ^ly^^ perceived a lighc^ which they chafed, till they arrived' within gun- fhot i and then Captain Samtders alamied thent ' unexpedtedly with arbroadflde,^ when they flat^ tercd themfelves they were got out of his reach : However, for fome time after they ftHl kept the fame fail abroad, and' it was not obferVecJ that this,^fifrft falutc had made any infippcffi^n on theni ; but juft as the 7ry<7/ was prepariiig tc repeat her broadfide, the Spaniards crept from their botes, lowered their faife, and fubniitted without any oppofition.' She was one oi the largeft ' Merchantmen employed in thofefeas, being about fix hundred tuns borthen^ and was* called the Arranzazu. She was bound from Cailao to Valparaifo^ and had mw:h the fame' cargoe with the Carmela w6 had taken . before^! except that her filver amounted only to about 5000/. ftcrling. c;' ^ - ' • - But to balance this fikcef^, W feM tfte ftrilf- fortune to find that the Tryal had fprung her main-maft,^ and that her maintop- maft had Come by the board ; and as we were all' of us (landing,! to the eaftward the next morning, with a freih- . gale at South, fhe had the additional- ill kick tCM ijpring her fore-maft : So that now fke had not*' maft left, on which ih« could carry fail. iPheie^.' unhappy incidents were ftill- aggravated by thfr impollibiiity we were juffc then under of aflifting^-' hep; for the wind blew fb hard, and raifed fuch \^ui a hoi- i 'i li: ( 240 ) a hollow fea, that we could not venture . j hoifl out our boat, and confequently could liave no communication with her ; fo that we were ob- liged to lie to for the greateft part of forty-eight hours to attend her, as we could have no thought of leaving her to herfelf in her prefent unhiippy iituation : And as an accumulation to our mif- fortunes, we were all the while driving to the leeward of bur ftation, at the very time when, by our intelligence, we had reafon to expert feveral of the enemy's Ihips would appear upon the coaft, who would now gain the port of Valparaifo without obftrudion. And I am verily perfuaded, that the embarafment we received from the difmafting of the Tryal^ anci our abfence from our intended ftation occafioned thereby, deprived us of fome very confiderable captures. , jfi> ^l ^k '-^i\> ■ The weather proving fomewhat more mode- rate i>n the 2 7th, we fent our boat for the Cap- tain of the Tryal, who, when he came on board us, produced an inftniment, figned by himfclt and all his officers, reprefenting that the Sloop, befides being difmafted, was fo very leaky in her hull, that even in moderate weather it was necef- fary to keep the pumps conftantly at work, and that they were then fcarcely fufficient to keep hev free •, fo that in the late gale, though they had all been engaged at the pumps by turns, yet the water had increafed upon them -, and, upon the whole, they apprehended her to be at prefent lb very defedivc, that if they met with much bad -S.A'.'t K 'U-. -1 I .11. - ) ; • i. r... W«tt- ( 241 ) weadicf, they muft all inevitably perilli ; and therefore they petitioned the Commodore to take fome meafures For their future fafety. But the refitting of the Tryal, and the repairing of her dcfeds, was an undertaking that in the prefent coniundure greatly exceeded his power •, for we had no mafts to fpare her, we had no (lores to com pleat her rigging, nof had we any port where flie might be hove do"^n, and her bottom cxairtined : BefideSj had a port and proper re- quifites for this purpofe been in our poflelTion, yet it would have been ^xtteme imprudence, in fo critieSl a conjunfture, tb'have loitered away fo much time, as would h^Ve been neceflary for thefe operations. The Com.i.odore therefore had no choice left him, but that of taking out her people, and deftroying her : But, at the fame time, as he conceived it neceflary for his Ma- jefty's fervice to keep up the appearance of our force, he appointed the Tty'drs prize (which had been often employed by the Viceroy of Peru as a man of war) to be a frigate in his Majefty's fervice, manning her with the TryaPs crew, and giving new commifiions to the Captain and all the inferior officers accordingly. This new fri- gate, when in the Spamjh fervice, had mounted thirty -t\ o guns ; but fhe was now to have only twenty, which were the twelve that were on board the '/ryal, and eight that had belonged ta the ylnna Pink. When this affair was thus faf regulated, Mr. Jnfon gave orders to Captaiiii Saunders to put it in execution, dirc6ting him to take out of the Sloop" the arms, {lores, ammu- •'•■''' R , nition, % i i i I 11 Hi t. m I{ ' ( /H2 ) uitioii^ .and every thing that could be of any ufa to the other fhips, and then to fcuttlc her and fink her, And after Captain Saunders h»d fecn her deftroyed, he was ^to proceed wi$h his new frigate (to be called di^ IryaPs prise): and to* cruife o£f the hlgJolu^oiyValparaifi^ keeping it. from him N.N. W, .a^the diftance of twdve or Fourteen le^gufjf ^ Poj^n&jJl fhips bpuwd front> Vatpara^Q Xp the qfij^war^d Jteer iS^ jeourfef^ Mr. jhfen -^xoi^aitd b/rtfeis ipeaj^sntptftop^ny intelligence, that might , )be difpatc^ito Cailae^^ of two of their fhips being ntiijfling»:^:bi^ p^ht' give them apprehciii^n§jof:^th$5 ^«£^^ijadi'on being in their ae;^l^jLirfv(¥>4 !Kh^ SByd's: prize was to coming ©n ijkis ftat;ipjcL twenty- ' four days, and, if npf '^m^ by th€i;Gomn«)dorc at the ejcpiration c^..thi^^ . t-erm> fhe was then to proceed;. down the ooa^ to_ Fifeo pr .AT^^j, where . (he woi^,^ be cefi^n to jpeet with Mr. Jn/on, T^e.^gQir^mocJorej.liJ^ew^ ordered Lieutenant ^^2<^^rf;2^ wfeoxpmmanded t\\^CenturM% prize, to iff ep (^oi^a9.y w^ Jilaf)tain Saunders^ both to afli^^^iq^ in unloa^jugjfthe Sloop, and alfo that by fp^e^ding invtheir^^foife, there might be lefs dangp? of any of thg enemy's Ihips flipping by unobferye^, Thefe orders bting difpatched, the Centurion parted from them at eleven in the even- ing, pn the 27th of Sepiember, directing her courfe to the fouthward, with a view of cruif- ing for Ibme cuiys to the windward of Valparaifo, And now by this difpofition of our ihips we , flattered ourfelves, that we had taken all the ad- vantages of the enemy that we poflibly could with rfs f- ivith our fmall foree, fince our difpofidon was doubdefs the moft prudehtthat could be pro* jeftedi For, as we' might fuppofe the Gtowcefter by this rimeto bedraA^ingiWarher ftation ofFthe highland of ;?^/Vtf, We Wdi-e^ ehabled; by oiir fe-' parate ftaoons, to intercept»Ml;vefiels employed cidicr b«wixt\Pw« an(4'Gfe7#% the^foifthWrd,- or betwixt Panama Wfcf !P^to tJiendrthward : Since the fM^nclpart^d^^fi^tn^fmi to tM^ ing tarried on to the pdft'4>f P^ardifirtii€'Ceft- tmon\ctai^t% to thd^ Svifld^rd of Va}parmf&^ would. In all probability,- iheet with thdth^' as it' is the eonft*fit pr^fci^^^Solc-fliips to^ftilFin with the fe give t^c fhips from CaMaa a warm reception, if they dared to put:ta fca. With ^his view we bore away the fame afternoon, taking particular care to, keep at fuch a^diftance from the ihore, that there might be ncx danger of our being dif- covered from tfience j. for we knew that all the country fhips were commanded, under the fe- vereil^ penalty, not to fail by th^ porx oi CallaO: withdait flopping; and. as this order was con- ftantly ^ complied with,', we ihould' undoubtedly be kiipwn tor enemies^ if we were feen to $dt contrary to ifc fin^thb'new navigation, not be- in^xfiiDain .-^vjf^ther w)e might not jneet the Spa-- «(/!2r.fquadr!oniBcaur route, the Commod')re took on board? ahe flemumtp^d^d.xt of his- Ci^v/, with which'ih«^^h»d' formerly manned \ht Ct^rmclo. jtod'jiow {landing m the jfiorthward, wc, be- fore Tiight'cameon, had a view of the fmali Iflan^ called §t. Gdkfn^ which bore from us N. N;?E. |vE,:dbout%aen4^guesdiilant. This Xflafjd'^Kes in r4ie te^ti^ of about fourteen de- *{^'^ St^ufhy ' and abipuf Bte miles to the north- -eard <)i a highland!f caljed Morro veijoy or the eld fiu^n's liej^d- 3FratfntIon thislflarid, and the J^iVi/iKliitar it^ tnctfc-J^trcularly, becaufe be- tween ■i^ tTiiy ( ^47 ) ttsE^ea themis the moft eligible ftation on th^t coaft for cruifing upon the enemy ^ as ail ihipsi bound to Callao^ whether from the northir^rd or the fouthward, run well in with the land in this part. - Bjpithe 5th of November, at three in the aftfemooDy . we were advanpcd within view of the h^land of Barrarua jn<\f\ng in the latitude of «o*^ii 36^ South, bearing from us N. E. by E, ^flant: eight or nine leagues^ and an hour and an half afterwards we^iiaijthe fatisfaftion we had folongj wiflied for, ^f feeing a fail. She firft aj^Harcsd to leeward, and we all immedi- ately jgiyt her chace J but the C^«/ttn^» fo much outlJUkAilhetwo prizes^ -that we foon ran them out of fi^» and. gained conliderably on the chace : How^v^r^ rright coming on before we came up with her, we, about (even o'clock, loft fight of her, and were in fome perplexity what courfe to fteer •, but at laft Mr. 4^/on re- folved, as we were then before the wind, to keep all his fails fct, and not to change his courfp : For though we had no doubt but t{ie chace would alter ner courfe in the night 5 yet, as i; was ui^- certain what tack fhe would go upon, y^ thought more prudent to keep on pur co' !'c,aa we muft by iis means unavoidably nr h?rv than to change it on conje^ure ; whc , if .wa fliould pfuflake, we muft infallibly Te her; Thus then we continued the chace about ^ hour; and half in the darl^^ foime one or other on boarjd us conflantiy ii^ia^ning they difccrned her H^k right a hei^ of us ; but, at lift Mr. BreU, then our fccond Lieutcnantj^^ did really cUjcc^ ;r he;: '..•«r<* ^ 4 about "5k ii : 1 tins { '4« ) about four points on the larboard-bow, (leering off to the feaward : We immediately^ clapped the helm a weather, and flood for her ; and in lefs than an hour came up v/ith her, and having fired fourteen fliot at her, fhe ftruck. Our third Lieutenant, Mr. Dennis^ was fent in the boat with fixteen men, to take poireflion of the prize, and to return the prifoners to our fliip. This fhip was named the Santa Terefa de Jefus^ built at Guaiaqtdl^ of about three hur.dred tuns h\\x*u then, and was commanded by Bartolome Urru^t^ naga^ a Bifcayer : She was bound from Guaia^ quil to Callao •, her loading confifted of timber, cacao, coco-nuts, tobacco, hides, Pito thread (which is very ftrong, and is made of a fpecies of grafs) Quito cloth, wax, ^c. The fpecies on board her was inconfiderable, being princi- pally fmall filver money, and not amounting to more than 170 /. llerling. It is t ae, her cargoe was of great value, could we have difpofed of it ; but, the Spaniards having ftri^l orders never to ranfom their fliips, all the goods that we took inthefe feas, exc\pt what little we had occafion for ourfelves, were of no advantage to us. In- deed, though we could make no profit thereby ourfelves, it v/as fome fatisfadion to us to con- fider, that it was fo much really loft to the ene- my, aad that the defpoiling them was no con- temptible branch of that fervice, in which wc were now emplo}ed by cur country. ^ Befides our prize's crew, which amounted to forty-five hands, there were on board her tea palTengers, confiding of four men and three :•* WG «**^ ( 249 ) women, who were natives of the country, bora of Spanijh parents, and three black female flaves that attended them. The women were a mo- ther and her two daughters, the eldeft about twenty -one, and the youngeft about fourteen. It is not to be wondered at, that women of thefe years lliould be cxceflively alarmed at the falling into the hands of an enemy, whom, from the former outrages of the Buccaneers, and by the artful infmuations of their Priefts, they had beer» 'taught to confider as the moft terrible and brutal of all mankind. Thefe apprehenfions too were in the prefent inftance exaggerated by the fingu- lar beauty of the youngeft of the women, and the riotous difpofition which they might well ex- pert to find in a fet of failors, that had not ittn a woman for near a twelvemonth. F"U of thele terrors, ihe women all hid themfelvLs 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 light : However, he foon fatisfied them, by the humanity of his conduct and his alTurances of their future fecu- rity and honourable treatment, that they had no- thing to fear. And the Commodore being in- formed of the matter fent diredions that the/ fliould be continued on board their own fhip, with the ufe of the fame apartments, and with all the other conveniencies they had enjoyed be- fore, giving ftridl orders that they fhould re- ceive no kind of inquietude or moleftation what- ever : And that they might be the more certain of having thefe orders complied with, or of com- 4 plaining ! I fi t ■ W ^ ill ii BI^Hjf ( 250 ) plaining if they were not, the Commodore per- mitted the Pilot, who in Spatn/b fhips is gene- rally the fccond perfon on board, to ftay with them, as their guardian and protedor. He was particularly chofen for this purpofe by Mr. jinfortt as he feemed to be extremely interefted in all that concerned the women, and had at fijrft declared that he was marritd to the youngeft.o/ them \ though it afterwards appeared, both ftom the Informatioa of the reii: of the prifoners, and other circumdances, that he had afTerted this with a view, the better to fecurq them:from the iofults they expedled on their firft falling into our hands. By this compailionate and indulgent behaviour of the Commodore, the confteration of our female priipne^ ?J5|tirely iubfided, and they continued ca^.,j|nd chearful during the whole time they were with us, as I Ihall have- occafibn to niention more particularly her^ter, » I have before obferved, that at the beginning of this thace the On^urm pn her two conforcs out of fight, for whic^\,jr|eafon we layby all, the night, after we had takSithe prize, for Captain Saunders and Lieutenant ^^i^awor^^ to, jqinv^^ firing gvns, and making falfe lirc$.cyegrh»lfi hour, to prevent their paffing us tmobferved ^^ hut they were fo far a-ftern, that they neither heard nor faw any of our fignals, and were npt able ta cqmc up with us till broad day-light.^v When they had joined us we proceeded together to the northward, being now four fail in com- pany. We here found the fca, for many miles round us, of a beautiful red colour : This, upon ilur^ > cxami- cxatnination, we imputed to an immenfe quan- tity of fpawn fpread upon its furface ; and tak- ing up feme Ox the water in a winc-glafs, it foon changed from a dirty afpcft to a clear chryftal, with only fome red globutesof allimy nature float- ing on the top. And now having a fupply of tim- ber on boar our new prii:e, the Commodore ordered our boats to be repaired, and a fwivcl gun-ftock to be fixed in the bow both of the barge and pinnace, in order to increafe their force, in cafe we (hould be obliged to have re-^ courfe to them for boarding (hips, or for any at- tempts on (hore. ' As we ftood from Ifince to the ndfthward, nothing remarkable occurred for two or three day^y though We fpread bur (hips in fuch a man- ner that it was not probable any veflfel bf the enemy could efcape lis. in our run along this coaft we generaWy ohfcrved, that thefe*"Wa6 a current which fet us to the nbftHwaf'd, it the rate of ten or tewlve mil)«rer^ thelito we faw after our departure Wiifii , the (ioaft 6thrazil, ' But it is remarkable, tH^t on the Eiffi" fide of South America thty extended tb a nriiitch^ fifghei" latitude than they d6 on the Wei({ fide ; Tot we did not lofe them ort the'cbatt of tfhW. tiJI we' approached the fouthern trpplt. ' "Theyreifoh for this diverfity is doubtlefs the diffetieht'dbgrees of heat obtaining in the fame latitude on difF(?renc fides of that Continent: And on this occafion^ ' ** ' I muft I a I 1 1^ lii'l ||l ill 1 1 II Jl! ( 252 ) I muft beg leave to make a (hort digrefTion on the heat and cold of different climates, and on the varieties which occur in the fame place in different parts of the year, and in difterent places lying in the fame degree of latitude. . The Ancients, as appears in many pliccs, conceived that of five zones, into which they divided the furface of the globe, two only were habitable, fuppofing that all between the tropics was too hot, and all within the polar circle too cold to be fupported by mankind. The falfe- hood of this reafoning has been long evinced > but the particular comparifons of the heat and cold of thefe various climates, has as yet been very imperfectly confidered. However, enough is known fafely to determine this pofition, that all places between the tropics are far from being the hottefton the globe, as many of thofe with-- in the polar circles are far from enduring that extreme degree of cold, to which their fituation (hould feem to fubje£b them : That is to fay, in other words, that the temperature of a place depends much more upon other circumftances, than upon its diflance from the pole, or its prox- imity to theequinoftial. ^ . ., .,^ • ■^ This propofition relates to the general tem- perature of places, taking the whole year round ; and in this fenfe it cannot be denied, but that the City of London, for inftance, enjoys much warmer feafons than the bottom of Hucifon\ Bay, which is nearly in the fame latitude with it *, for there the feverity of the winter is fo great,' that it will fcarcely permit the hardieft of our .fi; ..... gardca ( 253 ) garden plants to live. And if the romparifon be made between the coafl: of Brazil and the weftern fhore of South America^ ajJ, for exam- ple, htt^ixiBahia SLnd Lima, the difference will be flill more remarkable ; for though the coaft of Brazil is extrv-^mely fultry, yet the coaft of ihe' South- Seas in the fame latitude is perhaps as temperate and tolerable as any part of the globe ; fince in ranging along it, we did not once meet with fo warm weather, as is frequent in a fum- mer's day in England: And this was the more remarkable, as there never fell any rains to re- frtfli and cool the air. ' ' r . . ^ . ., '" Xhe caufcs of this temperature in the South- Seas are not difficult to be afligned, and fhall be hereafter mentioned. I am now only folicitous to eflablifli the tiuth of this affertion, that the latitude of a place alone is no rule whereby to judge cf the degree of heat and cold which ob- tains there. Perhaps this pofition might be more briefly confirmed, by obferving, that on the tops of the AndeSy though under the eqinoc- tlal, the fnow never melts the whole year round; a criterion of cold, ftronger than what is known to take place in many parts far removed within the polar circle. , , ^ 1 have hitherto confidered the temperature of the air all the year through, and the grofs efti- mations of heat and cold which every one makes from his own fenfation. If this matter be examined by means of Thermomi^ters, which in refped to the abfolute degree of heat and cold are doubtlefs the moll unerring evidences; if i; • ^i,'-:^^( ' this /: IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) V .v<^ ^^^^.v <" 1.0 I.I lil |25 12.2 Urn M Hill 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 III 1.6 < 6" (^ Hiotographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. US80 (716) 872-4503 \ •sj A \ \ o^ this be done, the refult will be Indeed mod wpnderfql : For it wilf appear thattheihesu id. verx- ^^Sl'^ latitudes, a*- at Peterjburgbjo^^ utr . llaDci^, if at particuliar.ti^s much^rcaiprihan : any.d|iaf has been hitheFtt^ pbferved between the : t ropics^ •» and that even a^ Jjondo^^ i^ jtbe year : 1746, there was the part. of one day coufidcra- bly hotter than what w^ at any time fekby a ihip of Mr. Jnfonh fquadron> in run&ing from hence to Cape J/i^r/i and back again, and.paffing twice under the fun ; for in the fummer of that year, the thermometer jn London f being one of. thofe graduated according to the method of Far enheit) ^006. once at78<^vaad thegrdteft height at which a therw^ometer of ^the. iame kind ftood in the foregoing fhip^ I iind^ to be 76'' : This was at St. Cw/'^^m^'j, iu^the latter end of December^ when the fun was within about three degj;ce& of the vertex?* And as to PeUtfiuirgb^ I find^i bye itte ft^s of rlhe- academy cftablifhed there* tha^i^ ^^-IfCftr i7*^4» on the' 20th and 25th of ?«(y, tbg therfl^pittcr rofeto 98«> in the ftjadcft that is, it .>wfts twenty-lWo divifions highfiCifhft^ it was foui^riitft b^at St. C4lkeme's\ wIh^ i^ia^d^gree of heat that, were it not au-* thprife(iit)iy^ the re^arity and cincum^cAion witl)k\wfeiQtethe obfervations f<;em tb havie been macjfif ¥TopW^ppe^r altqgetiier incredible. ^t^r K i^^ft^^^Kbp ^(H^A.iho^it comes to pafs thqOi,-^a^thA kW in s iii a whole year : And in this light it will eafiiy appear, how much^more intenfe the fame ^ degree pf heat may prove, by being long con- ^ tipued without remarkable variation. For in- ' ftance, in comparing together St. Cathfrine'i* aiid Feterjbmrgh^ we will fuppole the fuitimei*i heat at Sc Ctf/^m»eV to be 76*', and the win- ^ ter h^ai^jio be twenty divifiorts fhort of it * I do not make afe of this laft (i^njcdure upon fuf- - ficienrobfervationj but I am apt to fufpedt, ■ that the allowance is fiill large. Upon this fuppofition then, the medium heat all the year * round will be 66<', and this perhaps by night- as well as day, with no great variation: Now thofe who have attended to thermometers' wilK*^* readily own, that a continuation of this degree of heat for a length of time would by the gene- - rality of mankind be ftiled violent and fufix>i-^^ eating. But now at Peterjhurgh^ though a few times in the year the heat, by the thermbmcier^'^^ may be confiderably greater than at St. Ctttht^ rine\ yet, ^as at other times the cold h im- menfely (harper, the medium for a y«ar, or even for one feafon only, would be far Ihort of 66^, For I find, that the variation of the ther- mometer at Peterjhurgb is at lead five times greater, from its higheft to its lowcft point, than i^^Uii'd '■ what - I \f$ «f "^S!ff { SS6 ) what I have fuppofed to take place M St, Ca- iberine^s. Biit befides this eflimation of the heat of a place, by taking the medium for a GonTidenible time .ogether, there, is another circumftancc which will ftill augpient the apparent heat of the warmer climates,, and diminifh that of the colder, though I da not remember to haveiefen it remarked in any author. To explain my- fdf more diftindly upon, this head, Imuft ob- ferve, that the meafure of abfolute heitt, mark* ed by die thermometer, is not the certain crite- rion -^of the fenfation; of; heat, with which hu- man bodies are aff€fte4: For as the pfeferice and perpetual fucceflion gf.frcfli airis-neceflfary to cur refpiration, fp thet^, is a ^jecies of 'tainted or ftagnated air, whi >^hic1i running nearly parallel tp the fhore, and at a fmall diftance from it^ arid extending them- f<;lves immeiifcly higher tlian any other moun- taihs i\ ,.**♦»■ ( 259 ) iains upoii the globe, form upon their fides and declivities a prodigious tract of country, where, according to the different approaches to the fiiramit, all kinds of climates may at all feafons of the year be found. Thefe mountains, by intercepting great part of the caftern winds ivhich generally blow over the Continent of South America^ and by cooling that part of the air which forces its way over their tops, and by keeping befides a prodigious extent of ♦:he at- mofphere perpetually cool, by its contiguity to the fnows with which they are covered •, thefc hiUs^ I fay^ by thus extending the influence of their frozen crefts to the neighbouring coafts and feas of Pertly arc doubtlefs the caufe ®f the tcpmperature and equability which conftantly pre- vail there. For when we were advanced beyond the equinoftial, where thefe mountains left us^ and had nothing to fcreen us to the eaftward, ijut the high lands on the Ifthmus of Panama ^ which are but mole-hills to the Ahdes^ we then foon found "that in a Ihort run we had totally changed our climate,' pafling in two or three days from the temperate air of Peru^ to the fultry butning atmofphere of the IVeft-IndiiSi But it is time to return to our narration. mIVs^^- ! On the I oth of November we were three leagues South of the ibuthermoll liland of Lbhos^ lying in the latitude 6®: 27' South : There are two Iflands of this name; this, called Lobes de la Mar ; and another, which lies to the northward of it, very much refembling it in (hape and appearance, and often miflaken for it, called / nm:r.J S 2 Lebot . \ i'- mmm$ (280 ) Lohos de tierra. Wc were now drawing near to the ftation appointed to the Glottcefter^ tor which reafon, fearing to mifs her, we maf^e an eafy fail all night. The next morning, at day-break, we faw a fliip m fhore,, and to windward, plying up to thcGoali ; She Jiad paflcd by us with the favour of- the night, and we foon perceiving her not to be the GlouceJl(!ry got our tacks on board, and gave her chacc j but it proving very little wiiidj fo that neithet of us could rhake mucK •way, the Commodore ordered the barge, his pinnace and the 5>)i(7?s pinnace to bd manned iind armed, and to purfue the chace^and board her. Liaitenant Br eh. who commanded the barge, came up with lier firft, about nine o'clock, and runnkxg . along-afide of her, he fired a yoljey of imall fbot between the mafts, juftov^r the heads of the people on board, and dieniinftantiy entered with the greateft part of his men ;- but the, enemy made no rcfiftance, being fuiEciently.ir^htened by the dazzling of .the:futlafles, and the^ volley they Iiad.juft re- fKivcd. . Lieutenant $r^eti ordered the fails to jdbc trin>med, and bore dqwn to the Commo- rdoi^ ^w>g up in his way the two pinnaces. r-When he. was arrived wkhin about four miles of j;jjus he put off in the barge, bringing with him i,^,inumb<;r.Qf the prifoners, who had given him iome ^material intelligence, which he was dc- ^^Arous the Commodore fhould be acquainted with ^,j^ foon as polTible. On his arrival we learnt, .^hat the prize was called Nuejira Senora del Car- wifiy of about two hundred and fcvcnty tuns i - ^- burthen > ( 26i ) burthen ; flie was commanded by Marcos Mg- rena^ a native of Venice^ and had on board forty- three mariners : She was deep laden with fteel, iron, wax, pepper, cedar, plank, fnuff, Tofarios, European bale goods, powder-blue, cinnamon, i?^;;^^ indulgencics, and other fpecics of mer- chandize : And though this cargoe, in our pre- fent circumilances, was but of little value to us, yet "Ovith refpedl to the ^aniards-t it was the moft conJTiderable capture that fell into our hands in this pkrt of the world ; for it amounted to up- wards of 400,000 dollars prime coft at Panama. This fhip was bound to Callaoy and had flopped at P^^V^ in her palTage, to take in a recruit of water, and provifions, arid had not left that place above twenty-foUr hburs, before fhc fell into, our^handW' '^''; '''''' '^'' "'"^^ ''^^^^" I have mentioned that Mr. Brett had received fome important intelligence from the prifoners^ which he endeavoured t6 acquaint the Commo- dore with immediately. ' The (irftr pcrfon he re- ceived it from (though upon further ejcimina- tion it was confirmed by the other prifonbrs) was ont John fFiliams, an ifij^man^ whom he found on board the Spanijh vefTel. WttUams was i Pa- pift, who worked his paflfige from Clci^/zii arid had travelled over all the kingdom of Mexico as a Pedlar : He pretended, that by this Kiifmefs he had got 4 or 5000 dollars, but tliat* he was cmbarrafled by the Priefts, who kne^ he had money, and was at laft ftript of all ^ he had. He was indeed at prefent all in rags, being but juft got out of Paita goal, where he had been S 2 "-" '^"1 ^'^' Gon- vwi '1 **^'' fV^V.^ - . ( ^62 ) confined for fome mifdemeanor : he exprcfled great joy upon feeing his countrymen, and im- mediately informed them, that a few days be- fore, a veflel came into PaitUy where the Mafter of her informed the Governor, that he had been chafed in the offing by a very large fhip, which from her fize, and the colour of her fails, he was perfuaded mufl be one of the Evglijh fqua- dron : This we then conjed^ured to have been the Gloucefter^ as we afterwards found it was. The Governor, upon examining the Mafter, was fully fatisfied of his relation, and immediately fent away an exprefs to Lima to acquaint the Viceroy therewith : And the Royal Officer re- fiding at Faita^ being apprehenfive of a vifit from the Engliflj^ was bufily eniployed in re- moving the King's trcafure and his own to Fiuray a town within Jand, about fourteen leagues diftant. We further learnt from our prifoners, that there was a very confiderablc fum of money belonging to fome Merchants at Lima^ that was now lodged at the Cuftom-houfe at Paita ; and that this was intended to be fhip- ped on board a veflel, which was th?n in the port of Paita^ and was preparing to fail with the Wtmoft expedition, being bound for the bay of Spj^male^ on the coaft of Mexico^ in order to purchafe a part of the cargde of the Manilc^ jhip. This veflbl at Paita was efteemed a prime faildr, and had jutl received a new coat of tal- Jov^ on liel" bottom ; and, in the opinion of the prifoners, ihe might be able to fail the fucceed- ing morning. The character they gave us of this (263) this veffel, n which the money was to be fliip- ped, left us iittle reafon to b-lieve that our Ihip, which had been in the water near two years, could have any chance of coming up with hei;, if we once fuffered her to efcape out of the Port. And therefore, as we were now dif- covered, and the coaft would be foon alarmed, and as our cruifing in thefe parts any longer would anfwer no purpofe, the Commodore r^- folved to furprize the place, having firfl: mi- nutely informed himfelf of its ftrength and condition, and being fully fatisfied, that there was little danger of lofing many of our men in the attempt. This furprize of Paita^ befides the treafure it promifed us, and its being the only enterprize it was *n our power to under- take, had thefe other advantages attending it, that we Ihould in all probability fupply our- •felves with great quantities of live provifion, of which we were at this time in want : And we fhould likewife have an opportunity of fet- ting our prifoners on fhore, who were now very numerous, and made a greater cortfump- tion of our food than our ftock that remained was capable of furnifhing long. In all thefe lights the attempt was a moll eligible one, and what our neceflities, our fituation, and every prudential confideration, prompted us to. How it fucceeded, and how far it anfwered our expec- tations, fhali be the fubjed of the following chapter. l'>^ ■'-- f^ {m^'' 4 ^ui- - S 4 ' CHAP- r;.!* .*mo*r»j C H A R • • sfftlfo lifOffiV*^ 7i 13M-W il The taking of Paiia'^ 2Xii mx proortdSngVtilf wc left the cQjJl of P^r^. ■ iii^ iik.' -",-- • ■ TH E town of PaitaU fituated in the lati- tude of $^i ri'Sbuth, in a moft barren foil, comppftd only of fa'nd and flatc : The ex-^' tent of it (as miy bcf fecn in the plan of it;^.^ is but fmall, containing in ail Icfs than two hundred farhilics. The hotifes are only ground- floors ; the walls built of fpHt cane and. mud, and the roofs thatched with leaves : iTh^fe edi- fices, though extremely flight, arcP abundantly *^ fuificient for" a climate, wfere rain is cbnfidered as a prodigy^ and is riot" feen in many years : So that it h faid, that a fmall quantity of rain falKng'lh 'this coiiritry in the year 1728, it ruined a'^ireat nuniber of buildings, which : loul- ' dered laway, and as it were melted before it.'' The inhabitants of Pif/T ^^> ^^^nn^ ' It appears by the plan, that the town diPaiia- is itfelf an open place ^ fo that its fole protec- . tion and defence is the fort marked (B) in the pUn, plate the twenty-third. It W4S of confe- i . : quchcc I I g it if ih !■■■ :;1i '\:^ ( d66 ) quchcc to us to be well int'wmcd of %\\& faibricl^ and ftrcngth of this fort i and by the examina- tion of our prifbncrs we found, that there were eight pieces of cannon mounted in it, but that it had neither ditch nor outwork, being only ilirroimdcd by a plain brick wail ; and that the garrifon confifted of only one weak company, but the town itfclf might poflibly arm three hundred men more, ^j; ,mrwtt ff^Ai^ <,,•. /i V Mr. Jnfon havirjg informed himfelf of the Urcngth of the place, refolved (as hath been faid in the preceding chapter) to attempt it that very night. We were then about twelve leagues diftant from the fliore, far enough to prevent tour being difcovered j yet not fo far, but, that by making all the fail we could, we might ar- rive in the bay with our ihips in the night. However, the Commodore prudently confidered, that this would be an improper method of pro- ceeding, as our fhips, being fuch large bodies, might be eafily difcovered at a diftance even in the night, and might thereby akrin the inhabi- tants, and give them an opportunity of remov- ing their valuable effects. He therefore, as the ftrength of the place did not require our whole force, refolved to attempt it with our boats only, ordering the eighteen oared barge, and our own and the TrynPs pinnaces on that fervice ; and having picked out fifty-eight men to man them, well provided with arms and ammunition, he gave the command of the expedition to Lieute- nant pretty and gave him his necelTary orders. And the better to " prevent the difappointment ' '^'.' and ridf rerc I that [only the lany, Ihrec the ( 267 ) md confufion which might arife from the darkv nefs of the night, and the ignorance of the ftrcets and paflages of the place, two of the Spanijb Pi- lots were ordered to attend the Lieutenant, and to condud him to the moft convenient landing- place, and were afterwards to be his guides on fhore ; and that we might have the greater fc- curity for their faithful behaviour on this ccca- fion ; the Commodore took care to aflure all our prifoners, that, if the Pilots adted properly, they fhould all of them be relcafed, and let on ihore at this place •, but in cafe of any mifcondu^ or treachery, he threatened them that the Pilots fhould be inftantly fhot, and that he would carry all the reft of the Spaniards, who were on board him, prifoners to England. So that the pri- foners themfelves were intercfted in our fuccefs, and therefore we had no reafon to fufped our Condu(5tors either of negligence or perfidy. 4^ And on this occafion I cannot but remark a fingular circumftance of one of the Pilots em- ployed by us in this bufmefs. It feems (as we afterwards learnt) he had been taken by Captaia Clipperton above twenty years before, and had been forced to lead Clipperton and his people to the furprife of 'TruxillOy a town within land to the fouthward of Paita, where however he contrived to alarm his countrymen, and to fave them, though the place was taken. Now that the only two attempts on fhore, which were made at fo long an interval from each other, fhould be guided by the fame perfon, and he too a prifoner |Doth times, and forced upon the employ con- g^ary » , .(I ;[) 1. ! J- i i i u ■" 11 f [i ( 26S ) trary to his inclination, is an incident fo very ex- traordinary, that I could not help taking notice of it. But to return to the matter in h:\t\d. ,^^,^ ^* During our preparations, the Ihips theu^ielves ftood towards the- Port with all the iliil they could m:&e, being fecure that we were yet. at too great a diftance to be feen. But about ten o'clock at night, theilhips being then within five leagues of the place, -Licutert ant Brett^ with the boats under his command, put off, and aatrivcd at the mouth of the bay without beiitg difco* ▼ercd; but no fooncr had he entered it, thart fome of the people^ on boai-d a veflfel' riding at anchor there, perceivc'd hrm, who mftantly put off in their boat, rowrhg towards the forr,fhout- Ing artd crying, tbg £ngiiJk^:,'d>e'ipf^liJhkIogs^ &c. by whteh the whole tbi;hi w^5 fuddcnly aiarmcd, and our people fooft obfeTv td feverallights hur- rying backwards and forwards in the fort, and other marks of the inhabitants being in great motion. Lieutenant ^fte/.^, on this, encouraged his hicn to pull bfiKkly up to the ihore, that they might give the eh^my as little time as pof- fible to prepare for their defence. However, before our boats could reach the Ihore, the peo- ple in the fort had got ready fome of their can- non,' and pointed them towards the landing- place; and though in the darknefs of the night it might be well fuppofed that chance had a greater fhare than ikill in their direction, yet the firft fhot pafled extremely near one of the boats, whittling juft over the heads of the crew. This made our people redouble their cftbrts j fo tha^; * '* . . they 1^* ir-i »>•> • tliey had reached the fliore, and were in part dif* embarked by the time the fecond gun fired. As fooA as our men landed, they were condu6ted by one of the Spanijh Pilots to the entrance of a narrow ilrecc, not above fifty yards diftant from the besDch, where they were covered from the fire of the fort ; and bedisg formed in the. bed mannpcr the (hortneif of the time woiUd albw^ they immediately mardjed for the parade, which was a large fquare at the end%pf -this, ftj^etv. the fort- being one fide of the fc[uare, aod the Qftvei;: nor*js hou^ another, a$ may. tjc .fceA.n?9r(f,di: ftinaiyiiniri^e plan, where Ukewife tb^fP^ they took- frwtt their landing to Uie Xpi'i jjs.mJU'kc^ out by > prkkt line, fe this march (though perforrtiicd! with tolerable reg^ilarity), tji» flbouts and clatpQi^s of ihreefcore ^ilors, who h^d been confined fo long on fiiip-board, and . yip^t i\ow for the firft time on fhore in^ enemy's gauntry, joyous, as they always app, wheii they land, . aiid animated befides in thc.p^refewt cafe with the hopes of an immenfe pillage i the huzza's, I Iky, of this fpirited detachment, joined with the notfe of tlicir drums, and favoured by the night, had augmented their numbers, in the opinion of the enemy, to at leali "hree hundred i by wjiich perfuafion the inhabitants were fo greatly intin^i- dated, that they were much more folicitous aboqt the means of their flight than of their refift- ance : So th^t though upon entering the parade, our people received a volley from the Merchants who owned the treafure then in the town ; and who, with a few others, had ranged tliemfelve^ .::••'-' in "■ « < 2f0 ) in a gallery tliat ran round the Governor's houfc^ yet that pofl: was inunediately abandoned upon the firft fire tnade by our peo{^f who were thereby left in quiet poffeflion of the parade* -rd ^? On this fuccefs Lieutenant J5r^// divided his men intio tw© patties, ordering one of them to Ifarround the Governor's houfe, and if poflible fo fecure the Governor, whilft he himfelf witii the other nniarched to the fort^ with an intent to force it. But^ cont^-ary to his expci^iation, he entered k without oppofitionv for the enemy^ 6n his approach^ abandoned it, and made their tfcape over the walls. By this means the whole ^ace was maftored in kls than a quarter of art %BOtrf*s time horn the firft landiT>^, with no other fofs than that of one man killed on the fpot, and -two wounded^; one of whi^h was the Spanijb Pilot of the f-erefa^ who received a (light bruife •fay a ball which grazed on his wrift : Indeed ano- ther of the company, the Honourable Mr. Kepple^ fon to the Earl -of Aibemarle^ huA a, very narrow laces to the fort : However, there was care taken that tliey fliould be always attended by a file of mulquetecrs. '-^^^ '■^^• The tranfporting the treafure from the Cuf- iom-houie to the fort, was the principal occupa- tion h (272 ) tion of Mr. Brett's people, after he had got pof- feflion of the place. But the failors, while they were thus employed, could not be prevented from entring the houfes wluch lay near them, in fearch of private pillage. And the firft things which occurred to them, being the cloaths which the Spaniards in their flight had left behind them, and which, according to the cuftom of the coun- try, were mod of them either embroidered or laced, our people eagerly feized thefe glittering habits, and put them pn over their own dirty trowfers and jackets ; not forgetting, at the fame time, the tye or bag- wig and laced hat, which were generally found with the cloaths j and when tliis praftice was once begun, there was no preventing the whole detachment from imitating it : And thofe, who came lateft into the fafhion, not finding mens cloaths fufficient to equip themfeivcs, they were obliged to take up with womens gowns and petticoats, which (provided there was finery enough) they made no fcruple of putting on, and blending with their own greafy drefs. So that when a party of them thus ridiculoufly metamorphifed firft appeared before Mr. Brett^ he was extreamly furpized at their appearance, and could not immediately be i^tisfied they were his own people. \ Thefe were the tranfadions of our detachment on fhore at Paita the firft night. And now to return to what was done on board the Centurion in that interval. I muft obferve, that after the boats were gone off, we lay by till one o'clock in the morning, and then fuppofmg our datach- t' i menc ( 273 ) hicnt to be near landing, we made sm eaiy fail xor the bay;. About feven in the morning we .began to open the bay, and loon after we had a .yiewjof the town •, and though we had no rea- foniio^ doubt of thefiiccefs of the enterprize, yeC it was with great joy that we firft difcovered an .infallible fignal of the certainty of our hopes ; tliis was by means of our perfpedtives, for thro' thera-'^t'e faw an Engiijh flag hoifted on the flag- .ibafF of the fort> which to us was an incontefta- bki proof that our people had got pofieflion of 'the town. We plied into^thc bay with as much txpedition as the wind, which then blew off fhore^ woljld permit us: And At eleven, the <^ryal*9 boat came on board us, loaden with dol- lars 'and chtirch^pliite J and the officer who com- ^manded herkformed usof the preceding riight*a tranfadions, fuch as we have already related them. About two in the afternoon We atrte to .an anchor in ten fathom and a haJfiat a mile and a half diftance from the town, arid' were tonf6- quently near enotigh -to have a more immediate iVit^fcoufft- with thofe on fhore. And now we foihnd that Mr. BreU had hitherto* gone on iti colleding and removing the treafure without in- terruption •, but that the enemy had rendez- voufed tVom all parts of the country ch a hill, fit the back of the town, where they made no inconfidcrable appearance : For amongtl the reft. of their force, there were two hundred horfe fec^mingly very v/cll armed, and mounted, and, as we conceived, properly trained and regi- mented ^ being fumilhed with trumpets, ' drurri^ *fit«j T and • If i 4 I ( 274 ) land ftandards. Thefe troops paraded about tht hill with great oftentation, founding their mili* tary mufick, and pradlifing every art to intimi- date us, (as our numbers on Ihore were by this time not unknown to them) in hopes that we might be induced by our fears to abandon the place before the pillage was compleated. But we were not fo ignorant as to believe, that this body of horfe, which feemed to be what the enemy principally depended on, would dare. to venture in ftreets and among houfes^ even had their numbers been three times as great; and tlierefore, notwithftanding their menaces, we went on, as lopg as the day-light lafted^ calmly, in fending off the treafurc, and in employing the boats to carry on board the refrelhmenti, fuch as hogs, fowls, ^c. which we fourvl here in great abundance. But at night, to prevent any furprize, the Commodore fent on ihore a rein- forcement, who pofted themfelves in all the ftreets, leading to the parade ; and for their greater fecurity, they traverfed the ftreets with barricadoes fix feet liigh ; And the enemy con- tinuing quiet all night, we, at day-brea!:, re- turned again to our labour of loading the boats, and {ending them otfl .^,^^ ^, .,,^^^^ ^^i^, J, B>y this time we were* convinced of what con- fequence it would have been to us, had fortune feconded the prudent views of the Commodore, by permitting us to have fecured the Governor, for we found in the place many ftore-houfes full -of valuable effeds, which were ufelefs to us at prefcnt, and fuch as we could not find room for r ; ... on T 11 {^7S ) on board. But had the Governor been in our power, he would, in all probability, have treat- ed for a ranfom, which would have been ex- tremely advantageous both to him and us : Whereas, he being now at liberty, and having coUedbed all the force of the tountry for many leagues round, and having even got a body of militia from Piura^ which was fourteen leagues diftant, he was ^o elated with his numbers, artd fo fond of his new military command, that he feemed not to trouble hi mfelf about the fate of his Government. So that though Mr. Jnfon fent fcveral mefiages to him by the inhabitants, who were in our power, defiring him to enter into a treaty for the ranfom of the town and goods, giving him, at the fame time, an inti- mation that he fli6uld be far from infifting on a tigorous equivalent j but perhaps might be fatif- fied with fome live cattle, and a few neceflaries for the ufe of the fquadron, and affuring liim too, that if he would not cond^fcend at lead to treat, he would fet fire to the town, and all the warehoufes -, yet the Governor was fo imprudent and arrogant, that he defpifed all thefe reiterated applications, and did not deign even to return the leaft anfwer to them. On the fecond day of our being m pofleflion of the place, feveral Negroe flaves deferted from the enemy on the hill, and coming into the town, voluntarily entered into our fcrvice : One of thefe was well known to a Gentleman on board, who remembered him formerly at Panama, And the Spaniards without tlie tcwn T 2 being ( ^76 ) being in extreme want ot water, many of theii^ flaves crept into the place by ftealth, and car- ried away feveral jars of water to their matters on the hill ; and though fome of them were feized by our men in the attempt, yet the thirft amongft the enemy was fo prefling, that they continued this practice till we left the place. And now, on this fecond day we were affuredy both by the deferters and by thefe prifoners we took, that the Spaniards on the liill, who were by this time encreafed to a formidable number, had refolved to ftorm the town and fort the fuccccding night ; and that one Cordon^ a Scotch Papift, and Captain of a Ihip in thofe feas, was to have the command of this enterprize. But WT, notwithilanding, continued fending off our boats, and profecuted our work without the leafl hurry or precipitation tih the evening-, and then a reinforcement was again fent on* Jliore by the Commodore, and Lieutenant Brett doubled his guards at each of tlie barricadoes j and our pofts being connedted by the means of centinels placed within call of each other, and the whole being vifited by frequent rounds, at- tended with a drum, thefe marJcs of our vigi- lance which the enemy could not be ignorant of^^ as they could doubtlefs hear the drum, if not the calls of the centinels; thefe marks, I fay, of our vigilance, and of our readinefs to receive them, cooled their refolution, and made them- forget the vaunts of the preceding day ; fo that? we pafied this fecond night with as little mo- leflation as we had done the firft. v.^v ^nis*^. ( '^n ) ' We had finiflicd fending the treafiire on board the Centurion the evening before; fo that the third morning, being the 1 5th of November^ the boats were employed in carrying off the moft valuable part of the efFeds that remained in the town. And the Commodore intending to fail this day, he, about ten o'clock, purfuant to his promife, fent all his prifoners, amounting to eighty-eight, on fhore, giving orders to Lieutenant Brett to fecure them in one of the churches, under a ftridt guard, till he was ready to embark his men, Mr. Brett was at the fame time ordered to fet the whole town on fire, except the two churches (which by good fortune ftood at fome diftance from the other houfes) and then he was to abandon the place, and to come on board. Thefe orders were punftually complied with-, for Mr. 5r^// im- piediately fet his men to work, to diftribute pitch, tar, and other combuftibl^s (of whic^h great quantities wert found here) into houfes fituated in different ftreets of the town, fo that, the place being fired in many quarters at the fame time, the deflru6lion might be more vio- lent and fudden, and the enemy, after pur de- parture, might not be able to extinguifh it. Thefe preparations being made, he, in the next place, ordered the cannon, which he found in the fort, to be nailed up j and then fetting fire to thofe houfes which were mofl windward, he colleded his men, and marched towards the beach, where the boats waited to carry them off. ^vA the part of the bdach where he in- t> 4. k^^iH Tj tended ( ayS ) tended to embark being an open place withouc the town, near where the churches are marked in the forementioned plan, the Spaniards on the hill perceiving he was retreating, refolv-ed to try if they could not precipitate his departure, and thereby lay Tome foundation for their future boafting. And for this purpqfe a fniall fqua- dion of their horfe, confining of about fixty, picked out, as I fuppofc, for this fcrvice, marched down the hill with much feeming re- folution ; {q that, had we not been prepolfeired with a jufter opinion of their prowefs, we might have fufpedted, that now we were on the ppen beach with no advantage of fituation, they would certainly have charged us : But \ve pre- fumed (and we were not miflaken) that this was mere oftentatipn. For, notwithftanding the pomp and parade they advanced with, Mr. BreU Jiad po fponer ordered his men to halt and face about, but the enemy flopped their career, and never dared to advance a ftep further. When our people wei;e arrived at their boats, *and were ready to go on board, they were for ifome time delayed, by miffing one of their nurtiber^ but being unable, by their mutual enquifies amongft each other, to inform them- felves where he was left, or by what accident lie was detained, they, after a coiifiderable de- ""lay, refolved to get into their boats, and to put "^^ff without him. And the Jaft man was adlually •^^ .Embarked, and the boats juft putting oflF, whep |hey heard him calling to them to take him in. The town was by this time fo thoroughly on fire* f 279 ) fire, and the fmoke covered the beach fo effec- tually, that they could i'carcely fee him, though they heard his voice. I'he Lieutenant inftantly ordered one of the boats to his relief, who found him up to the chin in water, for he had waded as far as he durft, being extremely fright- ned with the apprehcnfions of falJing into the Jiands of an enemy, enraged, as they doubtlcfs were, with the pillage and deftrudion of their town. On enquiring into the caufe of his flay- ing behind, it was found that he had taken that morning too large a dofe of brandy, which had thrown him into fo found a Qeep, that he did not awake till tiie liic came, near enough to fcorch him. lie was ilrangely amazed on firfl: opening his eyes, to fee the place ail in a blaze on one fide, and feveral Spaniards and Indians not far from him on the other. The greatnefs and fuddennefs of his fright inftanfly reduced him to a ftate of fobriety, and gave him fulfici- ent prefence of mind to pufh through the tiiickeft of the fmoke, as the likelicft means to efcapj the enemy •, and making the belt of his way to the beach, he ran as far into the water as he durft, (for he could not fwim) before he ventured to look. baCK. tf A1 - /in/' Uv H'H^*' flvj^T.^rrt, nn,"-.'..- 3. And here I cannot but obferve, to the honour ©f our people, that though there were great quantities of wine and fpirituous liquors found in the place, yet this man was the only one who was known to have fo far negleded his duty, as to get drunk. Indeed, their whole behaviour, while they were on Ihore, was much m^ T 4 more 1 I'l I ( 28g ) more regular than could well have been cxped- ed from failors, who had been fo long confined to a Ihip: And though part of this pmdent de- meanor muft doubtlefs be imputed to the dili- gence of their Officers, and to the excellent difcipline to which they had been long inured on board the Commodore, yet it was doubtlcl's no fmall reputation to the men, that they fhould in general refrain from indulging themfelves in thofe intoxicating liquors, which they found ready to their hands in almoll every warehoufe. And having mentioned this fingle inftance of drunkennefs, I cannot pais by another ov&r- fight, which was likewife the only one of its kind, and which was attended with very parti- cular circumfl^nces. There was an EngHJhtnan^ who had Ibrmerly wrought as a Ihip-carpenter in the yard at Portfmouth^ but leaving his coun- try, had afterwards entered into the Spanijb fer-^ vice, and was employed by them at the port of Cuaiaquily and it being well known to his friends in England that he was then in that part of the w^prld, they put letters on board the Centurion^ dire6led to him. This man being ther^ by accident amongft the Spaniards^ who were retired to the hill at Paita^ he was defirous (as it lliould feem) of acquiring fome reputation jamongft his new Mailers. With this view he came down unarmed to a centinel of ours, whq was placed at fome diftance from the fort to- wards the enemy, and pretending to be defirous of furrendring himfelf, and of entering into pur fcrvice. Our centinel. had a cock'd piftol, '• • • buc ( 28 1 ) but being deceived by the other's fair fpeeches", he was fo imprudent as to let him approach much nearer than he ought ; lb that the Ship- wright, watching his opportunity, rulhed on the centinel, and iciizing his pillol, wrenched it out of his hand, and inllantiy ran away with it up the hill. By this time, two of our peo- ple, who feeing the fellow advance, had fufpedl- cd his intention, were making tov/ards 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 about, fired the piftol •, at which inftant his purfuers fired at him, and though he was at a great diftance, and the creft Oi the hill hid him as foon as they had fired, fo that they took it for granted they had miffed him, yet we afterwards learnt that he was Ihot through the body, and had fallen down dead the very next ftep he took after he was out of fight. The centinel too, who had been thus grofsly impofed upon, did not efcape •unpunifhed •, for he was ordered to be feverely whipt for being thus fhamefully furprized upon his pcfl, and for having given an example of careleffnefs, which, if followed in other in- flawces, mjght prove fatal to us all. But to return : By the time our people had taken their com- rade out of the water, and were making the bcfl of their way for the fquadron, the flames had taken poffeffion of every part of the town, and had got fuch hold, both by means of combuf- pbles that had been diftributed for that purpofe, and t< 14 .- ii, •'J*'*^".'!! *, , 'v-H^MBiej^^ip ( 2^2 ) and by the Hightnefs of the materials of which the houfcs were compofed, and their aptitude to take fire, that it was fufficiently apparent, no efForts of the enemy (though they flocked down in great numbers) could pofiibly put a ftop to it, or prevent the entire deftrudion of the place, and all the merchandize contained therein. A whole town on fire at once, efpe- cially a place that burnt with fuch facility and violence, being a very. . finguiar fpedacle, IVlr. Breii had the curiofity to delineate its appear- ance, together with that of . the fhips in the har^ hour, which may be feen in the twenty-fourth plate. ■'>■•- ' •!-> \i^i;JiK? .; :;;^iJw ,v/u.i D,in >-.' Our detachment under Lieutenaht ^r^/ hav- ing fafely joined the fquadron, the Commodore prepared to leave the place the fame evening. He found, when he firit came into die bay, fix veffels of the enemy at anchor; one of which was the fhip, which, according to our intel- ligence, was to have failed with the treafure to the coaft of Mexico, and which, as we were per- fuaded flie was a good failor, we refolved to take with us : The others were two Snows, a Bark, and two Row-gall ies of thirty-fix oars a-piece : Thefe laft, as we were afterwards in- formed, with many others of the fame kind built at different ports, were intended to pre- vent our landing in the neighbourhood ofCaliao: For the Spaniards, on the firft intelligence of our fquadron and its forccy expeded that we would attempt the eity of Lima. The Commodore, having no occafion for thefe other veffels, had ••• . ordered (283 ) ordered the mafts of all five of them to be cut away on his firft arrival ; and now, at his leaving the place, they were towed out of the harbour, and fcuttled and funk ; and the command of the remaining ihip, called the Solidad^ being given to Mr. Hugbi^ the Lieutenant of the Tryaly who had with him a crew of ten men to navigate her, the fquadron, towards midnight, weighed an- chor, and failed out of the bay, being now aug- mented to fix fail, that is the Centur'on and the ^ryal Prize, together with the Carmelo^ the Terefa^ the Carmin, and our laft acquired veffel the Solidad. And now, before I entirely quit the account of our tranfadions at this place, it may not perhaps be improper to give a iiiccinft relation of the booty we made here, and of the lofs the Spaniards fuftained. I have before obferved, that there were great quantities of valuable efFefts in the town ; but as the greateil part of ihem were what we could neither difpofe of nor carry away, the total amount of this merchandize can only be rudely gueded at. But the Spaniards^ in the reprefentations they made to the Court of Madrid^ ( as we wcr« afterwards affured ) ellimated their whole lofs at a million and a half of dollars : And when it is confidered, that no fmall part of the goods we burnt there were of the richefl: and mod: expendve fpecies, as broad- cloaths, filks, cambrics, velvets, ^c. I cannot but think their valuation fufficiently moderate. As to our parts, our acquifition, though in- confiderable in comparifon of whs« we deftroycd. Mjiir'Tt? was i 4 I !0 'i ?• ■ if • ^ m I was yet in itfelf far fiom defpicable ; for the "wrought plate, dollars and other coin which fell into our hands amounted to upwards of qOjOoo/. fterling, befides feveral rings, brilce- Jets, and jewels, whofe inuinfic value we could not then determine j and over and above all this, the plunder, which became the property of the immediate captors, was very great; io that upon the whole ic was by much the moft important booty we made upon that coaft. )? /^.n ' «: There remains,, before I take leave of this place, another particularity to be mentioned, which, on account of the great honour which our national charai^Gr in thofe parts has thence received, and the reputation which our Com- modore in particular has thereby acquired, merits a diftindt and circumftantiai difciiffion. It has been already r-elated, that all the prifoners taken by us in our preceding prizes were put on Ihorc, and difchargf d at this place ; amongft which, there were fome perfons of con(iderable diftinc- tion, particularly a youth of : about feventeen years of age, fon of the Vicc-Prefident of the Council of Chili. As the barbarity of the Buc- caneers, and the artful ufe the Ecclefiaftics had made of it, had filled the natives of thofe coun- tries with the moil terrible ideas of th Englifb cruelty, we always found our prifoners, at their firft coming on board us, to be extremely de- jeAed, and under great hobor and anxiety. In particular this youth, whbm I laft mentioned^ having never been from home beibre, lamented his captivity in* the moft moving manner, re- gretting, h o t; n h ( 2Ss ) gretting, in very plaintive terms, his parents his brothers, his fillers, and his native country ; of all which he was fully perfuaded he had taken his laft farewel, believing that he was now devoted, for the remaining part of his life, to an abject and cruel fervitude •, nor was he fingular in his fears, for his companions on board, and indeed all the Spaniards that came into our power, had the fame defponding opi- nion of their fuuation. Mr. Anfon conftantly exerted his utmofl: endeavours to efface thefc inhuman imprelTions they had received of ' n always taking care, that ^s many of the princi- pal people among them as there was room for, ftiould dine at his table by turns -, and giving the ftridteit orders too, that they fhould at all times, and in every circumftance, be treated with the utmofl decency and humanity. But notwitliflanding this precaution, it was generally obferved, that for the firfl day or two they did not quit their fears, but fufpe<5ted the gentlenefs of their ufage to be only preparatory to fomtf iinthought-of calamity. However, being con- firmed by time, they grew p.rfe(^ly ea'fy in their fituation, and remarkably chearful", fo that \i was often difputabl^, whether or no they con- fidered their being detained by us as. a misfor- tune. For the youth I have above-mentioned^ who was near two months on board us, had at Jail fo far conquered hi;? melancholy furmifes, and had taken fuch an afFedion to Mr. Anfon, and feemed fo much pleafcd with the manner of life, gotaliy ditferent from all he had svc r feea ! - * before. i ! 1 ' i I I' i: ( 286 ) beforCj that it is doubtful to me, Whether^ if his own opinion had been taken, he would not have preferred a voyage to England in the Ceff" iuriofty to the being fet on (hore at Paitdy where he was at liberty to return to his country and his friends. ii?w?fnr^i ^1^r(^v\ ; .^rjj iis ^D^'^Dt'it This conduct of the Commodore to his pri- foners, which was Continued without interrupt tion or deviation, gave them all the higheft idea of his humanity and benevolence, and induced them likewife (as mankind are fond of forming general opinions) to entertain very favourable thoughts of the whole Englijh Nation. But whatever they might be difpofed to think of Mr. Anfon before the taking of the ^'erefa^ their veneration for him was prodigiouQy increafed by his conduiH: towards thofe women, whom fas I have already mentioned) he took in that veflel : For the leaving them in the poffeflion of their apartments, the ftri6t orders given to prevent all his people on board from approaching them, and the permitting the pilot to (lay with them as their guardian, were meafures that feemed fo different from what might be ex- pected from an enemy and an heretic, that the Spaniards on board, though they had themfelves experienced his beneficence, were furprized at this new inftance of it, and the more fo, as all this was done without his ever having feen the women, though the two daughters were both efteemed handfome, and the youngeft was cele- brated for her uncommon beauty. The women themfelves too were fo fenfiblc of the obligations they (287) theyowec' him, for the care and attention with which he had protedted them, that they abfo- lutely refufed to go on fhore at Paitay till they had been permitted to wait on him on board the CetJiuriotty to return him thanks in perfon. Indeed, all the prifoners left us with the ftrongeft aflfurances of their grateful remembrance of his uncommon treatment. A Jefuit in particular, whom the Commodore had taken, and who was . an Ecclefiaftic of fome diftinftion, could not help exprefling himfelf with great thankfulnefs for the civilities he and his countrymen had found on board, declaring, that he fhould con- fider it as his duty to do Mr. ^«/o« juftice at all times ; adding, that his ufage of the men- prifoners was fuch as could never be forgot, and fu h as he could never fail to acknov^iedge and recite upon all occafions : But that his behaviour to the women was fo extraordinary, and fo extremely honourable, that he doubted all the regard due to his own ecclefialtftral cha- radler, would be fcarccly fufficient to render it credible. And indeed we were afterwaf-ds in- formed, that both he and the reft of our pri- foners had not been filent on this head, but had, both at Lima and at other places, given the greateft encomium to our Commodore ; the Jefuit in particular, as we were told, having, on his account, interpreted in a lax and hypo- thetical fenfe that article of his Church, which aflertsthe impofllbility of hercticks being flived. •C^^l ;,, - » > '1 ;, ;i v' ^^'-i f'.iput to fea, before they had any in- telligence of our. fquadrqn4.., .,-,^,^ Tr. ?;h? '^oai \vV' Having determined ^refore to go to ^tibo^ we direftei our courfe to the northward, being eight fail, in company, and confequently having the- appearance of a very formidable fleet , and on the iQtlx,^ at day-break, we difcovered Cape Blanco^ \^tzx\xyg^ S. S. E. i E, feven miles dif- tant, /'5f Ih?^ Cape lies in the latitude of 4® : 1 5' South, ap^ 18 always made by fhips bound either to windward or to leeward ; fo that off this Cape is a moft excellent ftation to cruife upon the ene- my. By this time we found that our Iaft prize, the Solida4 ji i\ ( 297 ) SoUdadwas far from anfwcring the chara6ler given her of a good failor ; and flie and the Santa Terefa delaying us confiderably, the Commodore ordered them both to be cleared of every thing that might prove ufeful to the reft of the fhips, and then to be burnt ; and having given proper initruftions, and a rendezvous to the Gloucejier and the other prizes, we proceeded in our courfe for ^ibo ; and, on the 22d in the morning, faw the Ifland of Plata^ bearing Eaft, diftant four leagues. Here one of our prizes was ordered to ftand clofe in with it, both to difcovcr if there were any (hips between that Ifland and the Con- tinent, and likewife to look out for a (li-cam of frefli water, whicii was reported to be there, and which would have faved us the trouble of going to^«f^^; but fhc rerorned without having feen any Ihip, or finding any water. At three in the afternoon point Manta bore S. E. by E. feven miles diftant; and there being i town of the fame name in the neighbourhood. Captain Mt- chel took this opportunity of fending away feve- ral of his prifoners from the Gloucefter in the Spa- nijh launch. The boats were now daily employ- ed in diftributing provifions on hoard the Tryal and other prizes, to compleat their ftock for fix months: And that the Centurion might be the better prepared to give the Ma: Ha (hip (one of which we were told was of an immenfe (ize) a warm reception, the Carpenters were ordered to fix eight ftocks in the main and fore-tops, which were properly fitted for the mounting of fwivel i I i :;v>'.';.'^ ( 298 ) On tlie 25th we had a fight of the Ifland of Gallo^ bearing E. S. E. { E, four leagues diftant j ^nd from hence we croITed the bay of Panama with a N. W. courfe, hoping that this would have carried us in a dired line to the Ifland of ^ibo. But we afterwards found that we ought to have ftood more to the weft ward •, for the winds in a ihort time began to incline to that quarter, and made it difficult for us to gain the Ifland. And now, after paffing the equinodial, (which we did on the 2 2d) and leaving the neighbour- hood of th CordilleraSy and ftanding more and niore towa s the IJlbmus^ where the communis cation of tue atmofphere to the eaftward and the weftward was no longer interrupted, we found in very few days an extraordinary alterati- on in the climate. For inftead of that uniform temperature, where neither the excefs of heat or cold was to be complained of, we had now for feveral days together clofe and fultry weather, refembljng what we had before met with on the coaft of Brazil^ and in other parts between the tropics on the eaftern fide of America. We had befides frequent calms and heavy rains ; which we at firft afcribed to the neighbourhood of the line, where this kind of weather is generally found to prevail at all feafons of the year j but ob- fervingthat it attended us to the latitude of feven degrees North, we were at length induced to believe, that the ftormy feafon, or, as the Spa- niards call it, the Vandevals, was not yet over ; though many writers, particularly Captain Shel- vooke, pofitively aflert, that this feafon begins in ( 299 ) In 'Jum^t and is ended in Novemher j and our prl^ foners all affirmed the fame thing. But perhaps its end may not be always conftant, and it might laft this year longer than ufual. Ou the 27th, Captain Miichel h^cving finifhed the clearing of his largeft prize, fhe was fcuttled, and fet on fire ; but we ilill confifted of five fhips and were fortunate enough to find them all good failors j fo that we never occafioned any de- lay to each other. Being now in a rainy climate, which we had been long difufed to, we found it neceffary to caulk the decks and fides of the Centurion^ to prevent the rain-water from running into her. On the 3d of December we had a view of the Ifland of ^ibo •, the Eaft end of which then bore from us N. N. V/. four leagues diflant, and the Ifland of ^dcara W. N. W, at about the fame dillance. Here we ftruck ground with fix- ty-five fathom of line, and found the bottom to conlift of grey fand, with black fpecks. There Is inferted, in the 28th plate, (being contained in the fame plate with a view of the hill oi Pet apian) a view of thefe two Iflands, where (a) reprefents the S. E. end of ^liboy bearing N. by W. four leagues diftant : And (b) the Ifland of S^icara, which bears from the point (a) W. S. W. \ S, and is diflant from it four leagues, the point (a) being itfelf in the latitude of 7^ : 20' North, When we h. d thus got fight of the land, we found the wind to hang wefleriy ; and therefore, night coming on, we thought it advifeable to ftand oft' till morning, as there are faid to be » . fome \A ( 300 ) ibme flioals in the entrance of the channel. At fix the next morning point Mariato bore N. E. a N, three or four leagues diftant. In weather- ing this point all the fquadron, except the Cen- turion^ were very near it ; and the Gloucefier be- ing the leewardmoft fhip, was forced to tack and ftand to the fouthward, fo thul we loft fight of her. At nine, the Ifland Sebaco bore N. W. by N, four leagues diftant ; but the wind ftill prov- ing unfavourable, we were obliged to ply on and off for the fucceeding twenty-four hours, and were frequently taken aback. However, at eleven the next morning the wind happily fettled in the S. S. W, and we bore away for the S. S. E. end of the Ifland, and about three in the afternoon entered Canal Bueno, pafling round afhoal which ftretches off about two miles from the South point ot the Ifland. This Canal Bueno, or Good Channel^ is at leaft fix miles in breadth; and as we had the wind large, we kept in a good depth of water, ge- nerally from twenty-eight to thirty-three fathom, and came not within a mile and a half diftance of the breakers •, though, in all probability, if it had been neceffary, we might have ventured much nearer, without incurring the leaft danger. At feven in the evening we came to an anchor in thir- ty-three fathom muddy ground j the South point of the Ifland bearing S. E. by S. a remarkable high part of the Ifland W. by N. and the Ifland Sehaco E. by N. Being thus arrived at this Ifland of ^iboy the account of the place, and of our tranfaftions there, ftiall be referred to the enfu- ing chapter, CHAP. «; Jl: ' • >; ffi Our proceedings at ^liboy with an account of the place. ;:!K)1 ^ .HE next morning, after our coming to 'an anchor, an officer was difp ched on Ihore to difcover the watering place, who hav- ing found it, returned before noon ; and then we fent the long-boat for a load of water, and at the fainie time we weighed and ftood farther in with our Jhips. At two we came again to an anchor in twenty-two fathom, with a bottom of rough gravel intermixed with broken fnells, the watering place now bearing from us N. W. \ N,; only three quarters of a mile diftant. A plan of , the road where we lay and of the Eaft-endpf the^ Ifland is to be feen in the" 20th plate, where the,^ foundings are ?aid down, fuch as we found jjiem,,j, the latitude of the S. E, point of the Ifland, ber.'i ing, as hath been already mentioned, 7®:, 20^,4 North. ^ ■_, ^ ^^, _^^.r, ^^|^...,.j.^ *,...,]..,,_.. ^-y^-is-^r This Ifland of ^tbo is extremely convenient .^^ for wooding and watering j for the trees grow . clofe to the high- water mark, and a lar^e rapjd^, ftream of frefli water runs over the fandy beach, ^z into the fea: So that we were little more than'.; two days in laying in all the wood and wat§r we ^^ wanted. The whole Ifland is of a very mode- ,y rate height, excepting one part. It confifts of a,j continued wood fpread over the whole furface of ' the \^ ( 302 ) the country, which preferves its verdure all thd year round. Amongft the other wood, wc found there abundance of caflia, and a few lime- trees. It appeared fingular to us, that confi- dering the climate and the fhelter, we fhould fee no other birds tiiere than parrots, parroariets, and mackaws ; indeed of thefe lafl there v/ere prodigious flights. Next to thefe birds, the animals we found there in moll plenty were mon- keys and guanos, and thefe we frequently killed for food ; for though there were many herds of deer upon the place, yet the difficulty of pene- trating the woods prevented our coming near them, fo that though we faw them often, we killed only two during our (lay. Our prifoners ^ITured us, that this Ifland abounded with tygers ; and we did once difcover the print of a tyger's paw upon the beach, but the tygers thcmfelves we never faw. The Spaniards too informed us, that there was often found in the woods a moft mifchievous ferpent, called the flying fnake, which they faid darted itfelf from the boughs of trees on either man or beafl: that came within its reach ; and whofe fl:ing, they believed, to be inevitable death. Befldes thefe mifchievous land- animals, the fea hereabouts is infeflied with great numbers of alligators of an extraordinary fize j and we often obferved a large kind of flat-fifh, jumping a confiderable height out of the water^ which we fuppofed to be the rifli that is faid fre- quently to deftroy the pearl divers, by clafping them in its fins as they rife from the bottom ; and we were told that the divers, for their fe- curity^ ( 303 ) tiirity, are now always armed with a fharp knife^ which, when they are entangled, they flick into the belly of the filh, and thereby difengage them- felves from its embraces. '• '»5*'^ >* "' " •^"'i'^ Whilll the Ihip continued here at anchor, thtf Commodore, attended by fome of his officers, S^ent in a boat to examine a bay which lay to the northward ; and they afterwards ranged all along the eaftern fide of the Ifland. And in the places where they put on fhore in the courfe of his expedition, they generally found the foil to be; extremely rich, and met with great plenty of excellent water. In particular, near the N. E. point of the Ifland, they difcovered a natural caf- cade, which furpafled, as they conceived, every thing of this kind, which human art or induftry hath hitherto produced. It was a river of tranf- parent water, about forty yards wide, which ran down a declivity of near a hundred and fifty yards in length. The channel it ran in was very irregular-, for it was entirely formed of rock, both its fides and bottom being made up of large detached blocks ; and by thefe the courfe of the water was frequently interrupted : For in fome places it ran Hoping with a rapid bin uniform motion, while in other parts it tumbled over the ledges of rocks with a perpendicular defcent. All the neighbourhood of this ftream was a fine wood ', and even the huge mafles of rocks which overhung the water, and which, by their vari- ous projedions, fonned the inequalities of the channel, were covered with lofty foreft trees. Whilft the Coiiimodore, and diofe wAo were \.'- : . , - ... with i i' t ] i ( 304 ) with him, attentively viewing this place, and were remarking the different blcndings of the water, the rocks and the wood, there came in fight (as it were with an intent dill to heighten and animate the profpedb) a prodigious flight of mackaws, which hovering over this fpot, and often wheeling and playing on the wing about it^ affrrding a moft brilliant appearance, by the glittering of the fun on their variegated plumage ; fo that fome of the fpedators cannot refrain from a kind of tranfport, when they recount the com- plicated beauties which occurred in this extraor^ dinary water-fall. In this expedition, which the boat made along the eaftern fide of the Ifland, though they met with no inhabitants, yet they faw many huts up- on the fhore, and great heaps of (hells of fine mother of pearl fcattered up and down in dif- ferent places : Thefe were the remains left by the pearl-fifiiers from Panama^ who often fre- quent this place in the fummer fcafon ; for the pearl oyfters, which are to be met with every where in the bay of Panama^ are fo plenty at 3uibo The oyftcrs moft produdive of pearls are thofe found in confiderable depths •, for though what are taken up by wading near Ihore are of the fame fpe- cies, yet the pearls found in them are very rare and very fmall. It is faid coo, that the pearl partakes in fome degree of the quality of the bottom on which the oyfter is found ; fo that if the bottom be muddy, the pearl is dark and ill-coloured. The taking up oyfters from great depths for the fake of the pearls they contain, is a work perform- ed by Negro flaves, of which the inhabitants of Panama and the neighbouring coaft formerly kept great numbers, which were carefully trained to this bufinefs. And thefe are faid not to be efteemed compleat divers, till they liave by degrees been able to protrad their flay under water fo long, that the blood gulhes out from their nofe, mouth and ears. And it is the tradition of the country, that when this accident has once befallen them, they dive for the future with much greater facility than .before •, and they have no apprehenfion either that any in- convenience can attend it, the bleeding generally flopping of itfclf, or that there is any probability of their being ever fubje<^ to it a fecond time* But to return from this digrefiion. Though the pearl oyfter, as hath been faid, was incapable of being eater, yet the fea at this place furnifhed us with anotiier dainty, in the greateft plenty and pcrfeclion : This was the turtle, of which we took here w^hat quantity we pleafed. There are generally reckoned four fpecies of tur- tle ; that is, the trunk turtle, the loggerhead, the hawkfbill, and the green turtle. The two firft are rank and unwholefome -, the hawkfbill (which fur- nifhes the tortois-fhell) is but indifferent food, X though i \ I til -u ! •' i • I ( 306 ) though better than the other two ; but the green turtle is generally eftcemed, by the greateft part of thoTe who are acquainted with its tafte^ to be the moil delicious of all eatables ; and that it is a mod wholfome food, we arc amply convinced by our Own experience : For we fed on this latt fpecies* or the green turtle, for near four months, and con- fequently had it been in any degree noxious, its ill efteds could not poflibly have efcaped us. At this Ifiand we took what quantity we pleafed with great facility ; for as they are an amphibious animal, and get on Ihore to lay their eggs, which they gene- rally depofit in a large hole in the fand, juft above the high-water mark, covering them up, and leav- ing tliem to be hatched by the heat of the fun, we ulually difperfed feveral of our men along the beach, whofe bufmefs it was to turn them on their backs when they came to land ; and the turtle being thereby prevented from getting away, we carried them off at our leifure : By tlus means we not only fccured a fuflicient ftock for the time we flayed on the Ifland, but we took a number of them with us £0 Tea, which proved of great fervicc both in length- ning out our ftore of provifion, and in heartning the whole crew with an almoft conftant fupply of frefh and palatable food ; for the turtle being large, they generally weighing about 200 lb* weight each> thofe we took with us lafted us near a month, and by that time we met with a frelh recruit on the coaft of Mexico, where we often faw them in the heat of the day floating in great numbers on the furface of the water faft afleep ; when we difcover- ed them, we ufually fent out our boat with a man in the bow, who was a dextrous diver, and when the boat came within a few yards of the turtle, the diver Jit^ ian the rev ( 3<^7 ) diver plunged into the water, and took care to rife clofc upon it i and fcizing the Ihell near the tail, and prefling down the hinder parrs, the turtle, when awakened, began to ftrike with its claws, which motion fupported both it and the diver, till the boat came up and took them in. '')y this ma- nagement we never wanted turtle for the fucceed- ing four months in \vhich we continued at feai and though, when at ^dhoy we had already been three months on board, without otherwife putting our foot on ihote, than in the few days we Hayed at this Ifland of ^il/o, (except thofe employed in the attack of Paita) yet in the whole feven months, from our leaving Juan Fernandes to our anchoring in the harbour otCbequetaft, wc buried no more in the whole fqualron than two men ; a mod incon- teftable proof, that the turtle, on which wc led for the laft four months of this tcrrri, was at Icaft in- nocent, if not fomcthing more. - - i_ . Confidering the fcarcity of provifions on fbme part of the coaft of thefe fcas, it appeals wonder- ful, that a fpecies of food fo very palatable and la- lubrious as turtle, and fo much abounding in thofcj parts, fiiould be prefcribed by the Spaniards as un- wholefbme, and little lefs than poifonous. Perhaps the ftrange appearance of this animal may have been the foundation of this ridiculous and fuperili- tious averfion, which is ftrongly rooted in all the inhabitants of that coaft, and of which 've had ma- ny inftances in the courfe of this navigation. I have already obferved, that we put our Spampj pri- foners on fliore at Paita^ and that the Cloucefter fent theirs to Mantua \ but as we had taken in our prizes fome Indian and Negro flavcs, we did not fet thefe- on Ihore with their mafters, but continued them ^V^ "' W X 2 Oft I ( 3o8 ) on board, as our crews were thin, to aflift in navi- gating our fliips. Thefe poor people being pof- feffed with the prejudices of the country they came from, were aftonifhed at our feeding on turtle, and feemed fully perfuaded that it would foon deftroy us ; but finding that none of us died, nor even fuf- fered in our health by a continuation of this diet, they at laft got fo far the better of their averfion, as to be perfuaded to tafte it, to which the abfencc of all other kinds of frelh provifions might not a little contribute. However, it was with great re* iudance, and very fparingly, that they firft began to eat of it : But the relilh improving vipon them by degrees, they at laft grew extremely fond of it, and preferred it to every other kind of food, and cften felicitated each other on the happy experience they had acquired, and the delicious and plentiful repafts it would be always in their power to pro- cure, when they lliould again return back to their country. Thofe who are acquainted with the man- ner of life of thefe unhappy wretches, need not be told, that next to large draughts of fpirituous li- quors, plenty of tolerable food is the greateft joy they know, and confequently the difcovering a method which would always fupply them with what quantity they pleafed, of a food more luxuri- ous to the palate than any their haughty Lords and Mafters could indulge in, was doubtlefs a circum- ftance, which they confidered as the moft fortunate that could befal them. i-'.-iii'^^i-i i- .yi<.,ji After this digreflion, which the prodigious quan- tity of turtle on this Ifland of ^iboy and the ftore of it we thence took to fea, in fome mcafurc led me into, I fhall now return to our own proceedings.* 5.* j^ #•»■■«■ » *- *t?^ ^* 071X5^ ! ,, la ( 309 ) ' In three days time we had compleated our bufi- nefs at this place, and were extremely impatient to put to fea, that we might arrive time enough on the coaft of Mexico to intercept the Manila galeon. But the wind being contrary detained u§ a night, and the next day, when we got into the offing, (which we did through the fame channel by which we entered) we were obliged to keep hovering about the Ifland, in hopes of getting fight of the Gloucejier ; who, as I h^ve in the laft chapter men- tioned, was feparated from us on our firft arrival. It was the 9th of December^ in the morning, when we put to fea, and continuing to the fouthward of the Ifland, looking out for the Gloucejier^ we, on the loth, at five in the afternoon, difcerned a fmall fail to the northward of us, to which we gave chace, and coming up with her took her. Sht^ proved to be a bark from Panama^ bound to Cheripe^ an inconfiderable village on the Continent, and was called the Jefu Nazareno, She had nothing on board but fome oakum, ab®ut a tun of rock fait, and between 30 and*40 /. in fpecie, moft of it con- filling of fmall filver money, intended for pur- chafing a cargo of provifions at Cheripe, And on occafion of this prize I cannot but ob- ferve, for the ufe of future cruifers, that had we been in want of provifions, we had by this capture an obvious method of fupplying ourfelves. For at Cheripe^ whither ftie was bound, there is a conftant fl:ore of provifions prepared for the veflels v/ho go thither every week from Panama^ the market of Panama being chiefly fupplied from thence : So that by putting a few of our hands on board our prize, we might eafily have feized a large fl:ore without any hazard, fince Cheripe is a place of no .^ X 3 ilrengtli mi m ■■ m ftrength. And as provifions are the ftaple com« modity of that place and of its neighbourhood, the knowledge of this circumftance may be of great ufe to fuch cruifers, as find their provifions grow fcant, and yet are defirous of continuing on that coaft as long as poflible. But to return : ' "- - " ;' On the 1 2 th of December we were at laft relieved from the perplexity we had fuffered, by the fepa- ration of the Gloucefter ; for on that day Ihe joined us, and informed lis, that in tacking to the fouth- ward, on our firft arrival, Ihe had fprung her fore- top-maft, which had difabled her from working to windward^ and prevented her from joining us fooner. And now we fcuttlv:d and funk the Jeju Nazareno^ the prize we took laft ; and having the greateft impatience to get into a proper ftation for the galeon, we flood all together to the weftward, leaving the Ifland of ^dbo (norwithftanding all the impediments we met with) in about nine days after our firll coming in fight of it;' ''^'' ^'^^h^^ **** • * ■ ■■ ' •■ ^f^i fc^^jTrom %/^^ to the coaft of Mexic^fs ?^ ^ '/, ,, I- '^ - ■ N me I Vth of Decimiir we If do3 frbni ^dbo to the weftward, and the fame day the Com- modore delivered frcfli inftru6lions to the Captains of the men of war, and the commanders of our prizes, appointing them the rendezvoufes they were to makc^ and tlic courfes they were to fteer in cafe of a feparation. And firft, th«y were diredl- cd to life all poflible difpatch in getting to the ^ - north- ■J -'f •. f - V V i ( sn ) northward of the harbour of Acapuko^ where they were to endeavour to fall in with the land, between the latitudes of i8 and 19 degrees \ from thence, they were to beat up the coaft at eight or ten leagues diftance from the fhore, till they came a-breaft of Cape CorienteSy in the latitude of 20^* : 20'. When they arrived there, they were to continue cruifing on that ftation till the 14th of February ; and then they were to proceed tc the middle Ifland of the Tres MariaSy in the latitude of 21® : 25', bearing from Cape Corientes N. W. by N, twenty-five 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 the beft of their way to the Ifland of Macao, on the coaft of China. Thefe orders being diftributed to all the fhips, we had little doubt of arriving foon upon our intended ftation, as we expcded, upon the increafing our offing from Quibo, to fall in with the regular trade-wind. But, to our extreme vex- ation, we were baffled for near a month, eithcF with tempeftuous weather from the weftern quarter, or with dead calms and heavy rains, attended with a fultry air •, fo that it was the 25th of December before we got a fight of the Ifland of Cocos, which by our reckoning was only a hu*idred leagues from the Continent; and we had the mortification to make fo little way, that we did not lofe fight of ic again in five days. This Ifland we found to be in the latitude of 5® : 20' North. It is a high hum- mock towards the weftern part, which defcends gradually, and at laft terminates in a low point to the eaftward. From the Ifland of Cocos we ftood W. by N, and were till the 9th of January in run- ning an hundred leagues more. We had at firft X 4 flat- ifc; .^i.'(i <.J i*,7< flattered ourfelves, that the uncertain weather andk/ weftern gales we met with were owing to thii^ neighbourhood of the Continent^ from which, aj '^ we got more diftant, we expected every day to be reHeved, by falling in with the eailern trade- '• wind : But as our hopes were fo long baffled, and our patience quite exhaufted, we began at length to defpair of fucceeding in the great purpofe we had in view, that of intercepting the Manila ga- leon; and this produced a general dejedtion a- mongft us, as we had at firft confidered this pro- jed: as almoft infallible, and had indulged ourfelves in the moil boundlefs hopes of the advantages we fhould thence receive. However, our defpon- dency was at laft fomewhat alleviated, by a fa- vourable change of the wind ; for, on the 9th of January^ a gale for the firft time fprung up from the N.E, and on this we took the Carmelo in tow, * as the Gloucefter did the Carmin, making all the fail we could to improve the advantage, for we ilill fufpeded that it was only a temporary gale, which would not laft long ; but the next day we hud the fatisfadion to find, that the wind did not only continue in the fame quarter, but blew with fo much brifknefs and fteadinefs, that we now no longer doubted of its being the true trade-wind. - And as we advanced a-pace towards our ftation, our hopes began to revive, and our former defpair by degrees gave place to more fanguine prejudices : For though the cuftomaiy feafon of the arrival of the galeon at Acapulco was already elapfed, yet we were by this time unreafonable enough to flatter ourfelves, that fome accidental delay might, for our advantage, lengthen out herpaffage beyond its uiudl limits. -M f; /K>j i>Aju4i ,^i>s,iiWfi« .j^ju^sis U: \ .■ ' ' " " When ( 3^3 ) When we got into the trade-wind, we found no alteration in it till the 17th of January^ when we were advanced to the latitude «^f 12°: 50', but on that day it fhifted to the weftward of the North: This change we imputed to our having haled up too foon, though we then efteemed ourfelves full fevcnty leagues from the coaft, which plainly ftiows^ that the trade-wind doth not uke place, but at a confiderable di fiance from the Continent. After this, the wind was not fo favourable to us as it had been : However, we ftill continued to advance, and, on the 26th of January^ being then to the northward of Acapulco^ we tapked and flood to the eaflward, with a view of making the land. In the preceding fortnight we caught fome turtle on the furface of the water, aqd feveral dolphins bonito's, and albicores. One day, as one of the fail- maker's mates was fifhing from the end of the gib-boom, he lofl his hold, and dropped into the fea •, and the fhip, which was then going at the rate of fix or feven knots, went direAly over him: But as we hud the Carmelo in tow, we inflantly called out to the people on board her, who threw him over feveral ends of ropes, one of which he fortunately caught hold of, and twifling it round his arm, they haled him into the fhip, without his having received any other injury than a wrench in his arm, of which he foon recovered, . • ? > • « When, on the 26th of January^ we flood to the eailward, we expe«5led, by our reckonings, to have fallen in with the land on the 28th ; but though the weather was perfedly clear, we had no fight of it at fun-fet, and therefore we continued on our courfe, not doubting but we fhould fee it by the next morning. About ten at night we dif- u. 4{ covered ^m'm i wm I (314) covered a iight on the larboard- bow, bearing frotn us N. N. E. The TryaP^ prize too, who was about a mile a head of us, made a fignal at the fame time for feeing a fait ; and as we had none of us any doubt but what we faw was a Ihip's light, we were all extremely animated with a firm perfuafion, that it was the Manila galeon, which had been fo long the fubjeft of our wifhes : And what added to our alacrity, was our expedation of meeting with two of them inftead of one, for we took it for granted, that the light in view was car- ried in the top of one Ihip for a direftion to her €onfort. We immediately caft off the Carmelo and preffed forward with all our canvafs, making a fignal for the Gloucefter to do the fame. Thus we chafed the light, keeping all our hands to their refpeftive quarters, under an cxpeftation of en- gaging in the next half hour, as we fometimes conceived the ehace to be about a mile diftant, and at other times to be within reach of our guns ; arid fome on board us pofitively averred, that be- fide the light, they could plainly difcern her fails. The Commodore himfelf was fo fully perfuaded that we fhould be foon along-fide of her, that he fent for his firfl: Lieutenant, who commanded between decks, and dire6led him to fee all the great guns loaded with two round-fhot for the firft broadiide, and after that with one round-fliot and one grape, ftridlly charging him, at the fame time, not to fuffcr a gun to be fired, till he, the Com- modore, Ihould give orders, which he informed the Lieutenant would not be till we arrived within piftol-fhot of the enemy. In this conftant and eager attention we continued all night, always pre- luming that another quarter of an hour would bring . . us b 1 H f .. .... ^ . US up with this Manila fhip, whofe wealth, with that of her fuppofcd conforr, we now eft i mated by round millions. But when the morning broke, and day-light came on, we were moft ftrangely and vexatioufly difappointed, by finding that thje light which had occafioned all this buftle and ex- pcdtancy, was only a fire on the fhore. Indeed the circumftances of this 'deception are fo extra- ordinary as to be fcarcely credible ; for, by our run during the night, and the diftance of the land in the morning, there was no doubt to be made but this fire, when we firft difcovered it, was above twenty-five leagues from us : And yet I believe there was no perfon on board, who doubt- ed of its being a (hip's light, or of its being near at hand. It was indeed upon a very high moun- tain, and continued burning for feveral days aftef- wards •, it was not a vulcano, but rather, as I fup- pofe, ftubble or heath fet on fire for fome purpofe of agriculture. - ' At fun-rifing, after this mortifying delufion we found ourfelves about nine leagues off the land, which extended from the N. W. to E. \ N. On this land we obferved two remarkable hum- mocks, fuch as are ufually called paps, which bore North from us: Thefe, a Spanifh Pilot and two Indians^ who were the only perfons amongft us that pretended to have traded in this part of the world, affirmed to be over the harbour of Acapulco, Indeed, we very much doubted their knowledge of thecoaft ; for we found thefe paps to be in the latitude of 17*^:56', whereas thofe ovtv Acapuho are faid to be in 1 7 degrees only ; and we after- wards tound our fufpicions of their fkill to be H well grounded : However, they were very confi- \ ' ^ dent. -lli H : ;: lig r3i6) dent, and afTured us, that the height of the moun- tains was icfelf an infaihble mark of the harbour ; thecoaft, as they pretended (though falfly) being generally low to the eaftward and well ward of it. And now being in the track of tlie Manila ga- leon, it was a great doubt with us (as it was near the end of January) whether (he was or was not arrived : But examining our prifoners about it, they aifured ua, that (he was fometimes known to come in after the middle of February -, and they endeavoured to perfuade us, that ?-he fire we had feen on fhore was a proof that (he was as yet at fea, it being cuftomary, as they faid, to make ufe of thefe fires as fignals for her diredion, when Ihe continued longer out than ordinary. On this in- formation, ftrengthened by our propenfity to be- Jieve them in a matter which fo pleafingly flattered our wilhes, we refolvcd to cruife for her for fome days i and we accordingly fpread our (hips at the diftance of twelve leagues from the coafl, in fuch a manner, that it was impofTible ihe fhould pafs us unobferved : However, not feeing her foon, we were at intervals inclined to fufpedt that flie had gained her port already ; and as we now began to want a harbour to refrefh our people, the uncer* tainty of our prefent fituation gave us great un- cafinefs, and we were very felicitous to get fome pofitive intelligence, which might either fet us at liberty to confult our neceflities, if the galeon was arrived, or might animate us to continue on our prefent cruife with chearfulnefs, if flie was not. With this view the Commodore, after examining our prifoners very particularly, rcfoived co fend a boat, under colour of the night, into the harbour oiAcapulc, to fee if the Manila ih'ip was there or tSMT HOC, ( 317 ) not, one of the Indians being very pofitive that this might be done without the boat itfelf being difcovered. To execute this projcd, the barge was difpatched the 6th of February^ with a fuf- ficient crew and two officers, who took with them a Spaniflj Pilot, and the Indian who had infifted on the pradlicability of this meafure, and had under- taken to condudl it. Our barge did not return to us again till the eleventh, when the officers ac- quainted Mr. Anfon^ that, agreeable to our fufpi- cion, there was nothing like a harbour in the place where the Spanijh Pilots had at firft afferted Aca- pulco to lie •, that when they had fatisfied them- felves in this particular, they fleered to the eaft- ward, in hopes of difcovering it and had coaAed along fhore thirty-two leagues \ that in this whole range they met chiefly with fandy beaches of a great length, over which the fta broke with fo much violence, that it was impoffible for a boat to land ; that at the end of their run they could juft difcover two paps at a very great diftance to the eaftward, which from their appearance and their latitude, they concluded to be thofc in the neighbourhood of Acapulco ; but that not having a fufficient quantity of frefh water and provifion for their paffage thither and back again, they were obliged to return to the Commodore, to acquaint him with their difappointment. On this intelli- gence we all made fail to the eaftward, in order to get into the neighbourhood of that port, the Commodore refolving to fend the barge a fecond time upon the fame enterprize, when we were ar- rived within a moderate diftance. And the next day, which was the 12th of February^ we being by that time confide rably advanced, the barge was again I I ( 3'8 ) again difpiitchcd, ind particular inflrudions givtn to the officers to prcfervs themfclves from being fcen from the Ihore. On the 13 th we cfpicd a high land to the raftward, which \vc firft imagined to be that over rl.c harbour of Acapulco i but we afterwards found that it was the high land of Se- *:uateneOy where there is a fmall harbour, ofwh'ch wc (hall have occafion to make more ample men- tion hereafter. And now, having waited fix days without any news of our barge, we began to be unv'afy for her fafety ; but, on the 7th day, that is, on the 19th oi February y (he returwed. The ofEctrs informed the Commodore, that they had difcovered the harbour of Acapulco^ which they elleemed to bear from us E. S. E. at Jeaft fifty leagues diftant : That c^i the 17th, about two in the morni'ig, they were £,ot within the Ifland that licG at the momh of the harbour^ and yet neither the Spanipj V\\oT.y nor the Indian who were with them, could give them any information where they then were ; but that while they were lying upon their oars in fufpence 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 watef, on which they inftantly plied their paddles, and movinrj as filently as po(rible towards it, they found it to be in a filhing canoe, which they furprized, with three Negroes that belonged to it. It feems the Negroes at firft at- tempted to jump overboard ; and being fo near the land, they would eafily have fwam on fhore ; but they were prevented by prefentirg a piece at them, on which they readily fubmitted, and were taken into the barge. The o(ficers further added, that they had immediately turned the canoe adrift ^- ' againft ( 3^9 ) .agiinft the face of a rock, where it would inevi- tably be dalhecl to pieces by the fjry of the i'a : This they did to deceive thole who perhaps might be fent from the town to fearch alrer the canoe ; iFor upon feeing fcveral pieces of a wreck, t'lcy would intimrd lately conclude that the people oa board htr had been drowned, and would have no fufpicion of their having fallen into our hands. When the crew of the barge had taken diis pre- caution, they exerted their utmoft ftrength in pulJ- ingoutto fea, and by dawn of day had gained fuch an offing, as rendered it inipoflible for them to be fcen from the coaft.rnrr;('^ 'h j n n.";* 'u ■vw^-jh:- \ And now having gotten the three Negroes in our poffcffion, who were not ignorant of the tranf- adions at Acapulco^ we were foon fatislied about the mod material points which had long kept us in fufpencc : And on examination wt found, that we were indeed difappointcd in our expectation ( f intercepting the galeon before her arrival at Aca- pul£0'f but we learnt other circumllanccs v^hieh ftiil revived our hopes, and which, we then con- ceived, would more than balance the opportunity we had already loft : For though our Negroe pri- foners informed us that the galeon arrived at Aca- pulco on our 9th of January^ which was iibout twenty days before we fell in with this coaft, yet they at the fame time told us, that the gaieon had delivered her cargoe, and was taking in water and provifions for her return, and that the Viceroy of Mexico had by proclamation, fixed her depariuic irom Acapulco to the 14th o{ March ^ N.S. Thislafb news was moft joyfully received by us, as we liad no doubt but Ihe rnuft certainly fill into our hands, ajnd a& it w^is much more eligible to fcize her on if'M ^^K'^ r-M] ( 320 ) her return, than it would have been to have taken her before her arrival, as the fpecies for which fhe had foJd her cargoe, and which fhe would now have on board, would be prodigioufly more to be efteemed by us t!^an the cargoe itfclf *, great part of which would have perilhed on our hands, and no part of it could have been difpofed of by us at fo advantageous a mart as Acapulco. Thus we were a fecond time engaged in an eager cxpe£lation of meeting wiih this Manila fhip, which, by the fame of its wealth, we had been taught to confider as the moft defirable prize that was to be met with in any part of the globe. As all our future projedls will be in fome fort regu- lated with a view to the poffeflion of this cele- brated galeon, and as the commerce which is car- ried on by means of thefe veflels between the city of Manila and the port of Acapulco is perhaps the moft valuable, in proportion to its quantity, of any in the known world, I (hall endeavour, in the enfuing chapter, to give as diftind an account as I can of all the particulars relating thereto, both as it is a matter in which I conceive the public to be in fome degree interefted, and as I flatter my- felf, that from the materials which have fallen into* my hands, I am enabled to defcribe it with more diltindnefs than has hitherto been done, at leaft i» €ur lansuas^e. '-«« », , ^■^' ,,»*. ib^^^ **i-*^"!- a c H K F ( 321 ) C H A p. X. An account of the commerce carried on be- tween the city of Manila on the liland of , Luccnia, and the port oi Acapulco on the Coaft of Mexico. ABOUT the end of the 15th Century and the beginning of the i6th, the difcovery of new countries and of new branches of com- merce was the reigning palHon of feveral of the European Princes. But thofe who engaged molt deeply and fortunately in thefe purfuits were the Kings of Spain and Portugal \ the fir ft of thefe having difcovered the immenfe and opulent Con- tinent of America and its adjacent Iflands, whilft the other, by doubling the Cape of Good Hope^ had opened to his fleets a paflage to the fouthern coafc of Afiay ufually called the Eaft-Indies^ and by his fettlements in that part of the globe, became pof- fefTcd of many of the manufadtures, and natural produdions with which it abounded, and which, for fome ages, had been the wonder and delight of the more polifhed and luxurious part of mankind. r In the mean time, thefe two Nations of Spain and Portugal^ who were thus profecuting the fame views, though in different quarters of the world, grew extremely jealous of each other, and became apprehenfive of mutual encroachments. And there- fore to quiet their jealoufies, and to enable them with more tranquillity to purfue the propagation of the Catholic Faith in thefe diftant countries, (they having both of them given dillinguilhcd Y marks J r.'A lf\ ( 322 ) marks of their zeal for their mother church, by their butchery of innocent Pagans) Pope Alexan- der VI. granted to the Spanijh Crown the property and dominion of all places, either already difcover- ed, or that fhould be difcovered an hundred leagues to the weftward of the Iflands di Azores^ leaving all the unknown countries to the eaftward of this limits to the induftry and future difquifition of the Portu- guefe : And this boundary being afterwards remov- ed two hundred and fifty leagues more to the weft- ward, by the agreement of both Nations, it v/as imagiiied that by this regulation all the feeds of future contefts were fuppreffed. For the Spaniards prefumcd, that th&Portugnefe would be hereby pre- vented from meddling with their colonies in Ame-^ rica : And the Portnguefe fuppofed that their Eaft' Mian fettlements, and particularly the fpice Iflands, which they had then newly difcovered, were fecur- ed from any future attempts of the Spanijh Nation. But it feems the infallibility of the Holy Father had, on this occafion, deferted him, and for want of being more converfant in geography, he had not Torefeen that the Spaniards^ by pufliing. their dif- coveries to the Weft, and the Portuguefe to the Eaft, might at laft meet with each other, and be again embroiled ; as it actually happened within a few years afterwards. For Frederick Magellan^ who was. an officer in the King of Portugal^ fervicev having received fbme difguft from chat Court, ei- ther by the defalcation of his pay,- or by having his parts, as he conceived, too cheaply co»fidered, he entered into the fervice of the King of Spain ^ and being, as it appears, a man of abiUty, he was very dcfirous of fignalizing his talents by fome entcrprizey which niight provQ extremely vexatious to his for- , .• u = . 4 -. ',. mer '(323) hier Maftet^s; aiid might teach <:hem to efllmate his worth by the greatiiefs of the milchief he brought lipon theiTij tliis being the mod: obvious and natu- ral turn of all fugitives, and mere cfpecially of thole, who, being really men of cappcity, have quitted their country by reafon of the Imall account that has been made of theni. Magelh.ns, in purfuance of thefe vindi(5live views j kncs^ng that the Portuguefe Court confidered their poficflion of the fpice lOands as their moil important acquifition in the Eafl-In- dies^ refolved with himfclf to inftigate the Court ef S;pain to an enterprizc, which, by ftill pufhing their difcoverieS) would give them a riglit to mtcrfere both in the property and commerce of rhofe re- nowned Portuguefe fettlements ; and the King of Spain approving of this projcd, Magcllafti in the year 15 19, fet fail frdm the port of Srjil^ in order to carry this enterprize into execution. He had with him a confiderable force, confiRing of five fliips and two hundred and thirty-four men, with which he ftood for the coaft of South America, and ranging along fhore, he at lail, towards the end oiO^ober:^ 1520J had the good fortune to difcover thofe Streights^ which have fmce been denominated from him, and which opened him a paflage into the Pacific Ocean. And this firft part of his fcheme be- ing thus happily accompliflicd, he, after feme ftay on the coaft of Peru, fet fail again to the weltward^ with a view of falling in with the fpice Iflands. In this extenfive run he firft difcovcred the Ladrovcs or Mm^« Iflands ; and contiiuing on his courfc, he ac Isngth reached t\\cPbilippne Illands, which are the molt caftern part ol jifia^ where, venturing on Ihdre in an hoftile niaiiner, ai^d fkirmixiwng witit the Indians, he ^Vas flain. Y 2 B/ r } :^li it rt'lSpT If' g f I I' li' ( 324 ) By the death of Magellan^ the original projed: oi lecuring feme of the fpice iflands was defeated -, for thole who were left in command contented themfelves with ranging through them, and pur- chafing fomc fpices from the natives •, after which they returned home round the Cape of Good Hope^ being the firfl (hips which had ever furrounded this terraqueous globe ; and thereby demonftrated, by a palpable experiment obvious to the grofleft and mod vulgar capacity, the reality of its long dif- puted Ipherical figure. But though Spain did not hereby acquire the pro- perty of any of the fpice Iflands, yet the difcovery made in this expedition of the Philippine Iflands, was thought too confiderable to be neglefted •, for thefe were not far diilant from thofe places which produced fpices, and were very well fltuated for the Cbinefe trade, and for the commerce of other parts of India ; and therefore a communication was fooii cfl:abliflied, and carefully fupported between thefe ^Iflands and the Spanijh colonies on the coaft of ' Peru : So that the city of Manila^ (which was ^ built on the Ifland of Luconiuy the chief of the Philippines) foon become the mart for all Indian commodities, which were brought up by the in- habitants, and were annually fent to the South-Seas to be there vended on their account ; and the re- turns of this commerce to Manila being principally made in filver, the place by degrees grew extreme- ly opulent and confiderable, and its trade fo far en- creafed, as to engage the attention of the Court of ' Spain^ and to be frequently controlled and regu- lated by royal edifts. In the infancy of this trade, it was carried on from the port of Callao to the city of Manila^ m I which ' ' - it ( 3^5 ) which voyage the trade-wind continually favoured them -, fo that notwithftanding thefe places were diftant between three and four thoufand leagues, yet the voyage was often 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 month, which, if they pretended to ply up within the limits of the trade -wind, is not at all to be wondered at ; and it is aflerted, that in their firft voyages they were fo imprudent and unfkilful as to attempt this courfe. However, that rout was foon laid afide, by the advice, as it is faid, of a Jefuit, who perfuaded them to fteer to the northward till they got clear of the trade-winds, and then by the favour of the weilerly winds, which generally pre- . vail in high latitudes, to ftretch away for the coafl of California. This has been the practice for at leafl a hundred and fixty years paft : For Sir 'Tho- mas Cavendijh^ in the year 1586, engaged off the South end of California a veffel bound from Manila to the American coaft. And it was in compliance .with this new plan of navigation, and to lliorten the run both backwards and forwards, that the ftaple of this commerce to and from Manila was removed from Callao on the coaft of Peru^ to the . port of Acapulco on the*coaft of Mexico^ where it continues fixed at this time. ' _ = , Such was the commencement, and fuch were the early regulations of this commerce •, but irs prefent : condition being a much more interefting fuHjed, I . muft beg leave to dwell longer on this head and 10 be indulged in a more particular narration, Ixjgin- . ning with a defcription of the Ifland of ItuonitU : and . the port and bay of Mamla. -^.^ ,^,j^ Y3 " The ■;•■*» H J ' *i 1 HI ' El I' The Ifland of Lttconia^ though fttuated in thd latitude of 15^ North, is efteemed to be in gene-r ral extremely healthy, and the v/ater, that is foiind upon it, is faid to be the beft in th^ world : It produces all the fruits of the warm climates, and ^bounds in a moft excellent breed of horfcs, fup- pofed to be carried thither firft from Spain : It is very v/ell fituated for the hdian and Chinefe trade ; and the bay and port of Manila^ which lies on its wefbern fide, is perhaps the moft remakable on the whole globe, the bay being a large circular bafon, near ten leagues in diameter, and great part of it entirely land-locked. On the eaft fide of this bay (lands the city of Manila^ which is very large and populous •, and which, at the beginning of this v/ar, was only an open place, its principal defence confiding in a fmali fort, which was in great mealure furrounded on every fide by houfes \ but they have lately made confiderable additions to its fortifications, though I haVe not yet learnt in what manner. The port, pecu iar to the city, is called Cabite^ and lies near two leagues to the fouthward ; and in this port all the ihips employed in thQ Acapiilco trade are ufually ftationed. As I have never feen but one engraven plan of this bay, and that in a very fcarce book, I have added in the thirty-third plate, a plan \('hich fell into my hands^ and which differs coniiderabiy from that already publiihed : But I cannot pretend to decide which of the tv.'o is moft to be relied on. The city of Mamla itfelf is in a very healthy fituation, is well watered, and is in the neighbour- hood of a very fruitful and plentiful country ; but as the principal bufinefs of this place is its tradq Xo Acapuko^ it lies under iome di^advitntage, from ' ;he » i. ( 3^7 ) the difficulty there is in getting to fea to thft eailward : For the paflage is among iflands and through channels where the Spaniards^ by rcafon of their unlkiliulnefs in marine affairs, wafte much time, and are often in great danger. Thefe dif- ficulties will be better apprehended by the reader by the draught of the liland of Luconia, and of its neighbouring ifles, ( Plate XXVIth, ) which was taken from the enemy, and had been newly drawn and corredled but a fliort time before, v j ;. ; The trade carried on from this place to China and different parts of India, is principally for fuch commodities as are intended to fupply the King- doms of Mexico and Peru, Thefe are fpices, :dl forts of Chinefe filks and manufadures ; partic i- larly filk flockings, of which I have heard that no lefs than fifty thoufand pair were the ufual number fhipped on board the annual fhip •, vaft quantities of Indian fluffs, as callicoes and chints, which are much worn in America, together with other minuier articles, as goldfmiths work, ^f*. which is principally done at the city of Manila jtfelf by the Chinefe ; for it is faid there are at leaft twenty thoufand Chinefe who conflantly refide there, either as fervants, manufa6hirers, or brokers. All thefe different commodities are colledcd ac Manila, thence to be tranfportcd annually in one or more fhips, to the port of Acapulco, in the Kingdom oi Mexico^ .i > ^ ■ :;,>i. f iht ; . But this trade to Acapulco is not laid open to all the ixihabitants of Manila, but is confined by very particular regulations, fomewhat analagous to thofe by which the trade of the regifter-fhips from Cadiz to the IFeft- Indies is rellrained. The .(hips em- ployed herein are found by the King of Spain, who ^. - ^ ¥4 pays IM ! h ( 328 ) pays the officers and crew ; and tht tannage is 6U vided into a certain number of bales, all of th# fame fize : Thefc are diftributed amongft the Conn vents at Manila^ but principally to the Jefuits, as* a donation for the fupport of their miflion for the propagation 01 il:e Catholic Faith ; and thefe Con- vents have hereby a right to eiiibark fuch a quan- tity of goods on board the Manila fhip, as the tan- nage of their bales amounts to; or if they chufe not to be concerned in trade themfelves, they have the power of felling this privilege to others ; and as the Merchants to whom they grant their fhares are often unprovided of a flock, it is ufual for the Convents to lend them confiderable fums of money on bottomry, i/ijcy/ .hjy.fatUYm M^^'\'i *ii\\ The trade is by the royal edids limited to a cer- tain value, which the annual cargoe ought not to exceed. Some Spanijh manufcripts, I have feen, mention this limitation to be 600,000 dollars ; but the annual cargoe does certainly furpafs this fum ; - and though it may be difficult to fix its tx^ value,^ yet from many comparifons I conclude, that the return cannot be greatly fiiort of three millions of dollars, '^'*' ^^"i >'*»" *-» "!«* t^uiku cnu jimoa^ oi • It is fufFiciently obvious, that the greateft part of the treafure, returned from Jcapuko to Manila^ does not remain in that place, but is again dif- perfed into different parts t^i India. And as all£«r^- pean Nations have generally efteemed it good policy to keep their American fettlements in an immediate dependence on their mother-country, without per- mitting them to carry on diredly any gainful traf« fie with other Powers, thefe confiderations have occafioned many remonftrances to be prefented to the Court of Spain againft: the Indian trade, hereby allowed <>•« < 329 ) allowed to the Kingdom of Peru and Mexico \ it having been urged, that the filk manufadhires of Valencia and other parts of Spain are hereby greatly prejudiced, and the linnens carried from Cadiz are much injured in their fale : Since the Cbinefe filts coming almoft diredly to Jcapulcc, can be afford- ed much cheaper there than any European manu- fadhires of equal goodnefs ; and the cottons from the Coromondel coaft, make the European linnens almoft ufclefs. So that the Manila trade renders both Mexico and Peru iefs dependent upon Spain for a fupply of their neceflities than they ought to be ; and exhaufts thofe countries of a confiiderablc quantity of filver, the greateft part of v/hich, were this trade prohibited, would center in Spain^ either in payment for Spanijh commodities, or in gains to the Spanijb Merchant; whereas now the only advantage which arifes from it is, the enriching the Jefuits and a few particular perfons befides, at the other extremity of the world. Thefe argu- ments did fo far influence Don Jofeph Patinhoy who was then Prime Minifter, but an enemy to the Jefuits, that about the year 1725, he had refolved to abolifh this trade, and to have permitted no Indian commodities to be introduced into any of the Spanijb ports of the Weft-Indies^ but what were carried there in the regifter Ihips from Europe. But the powerful intrigues of the Jefuits prevented this regulation from taking place. ^m ,/i \^';m, -This trade from Manila to Acapulco and back again, is ufually carried on in one or at moll two annual fhips, which fet fail from Manila about 7«/y, and arrive at Acapulco in the December^ Janu- ary^ or February following, and having there dif- nqfcd of their cffeds, return for M^nik fometime m M ;;; :: Ei' ^ ■ ill '■ i 7 ■ :! |i] If 'l!1 . - { i>-iWo*. in (33®) Jn March, where they generally arrive in June ; fe that the whole voyage takes up very ne^ir an en-r tire year : For this reafon, though there is oftea no more than one Ihip employed at a time, yet , there is always one ready for the fea when the other arrives •, and therefore the commerce at Manila ara provided with three or four flout fhips, that, in cafe of any accident, the trade may not be fufpcnd- ed. The l-^ ge.l of thefe fliips, whofe name I have r..>t l- -nt., is defcribed as little lefs than one of our iiri^ ;;i'c men of war, and indeed flie muft be of an enon is fize 5 for it is known, that when fhe was employed with other Ihips from the fame port, to cruife for our Chifia trade, ihe had no lefs than twelve hundred men on board. Their other fnips, though far inferior in bulk to this, ^e yet ftout large velTels, of the burthen of twelve ' hundred tun and upwards, and ufually carry from three hundred and fifty to fix hundred hands, pafiengers included, with fifty odd guns. Aa thefe are all King's fliips, commifTioned and paid by him, there is ufually one of the Captains, who is filled the General, and who carries the royal llanclard of Spain at the main-top gallant mafl-f head, as we Ihall more particularly obferve here- ^ter. * .fi*^r' th wj < % it o i' '>? ' And now, having defcribed the port of Manila and the fhipping they employ, it is neceffary to give a more circumflantial detail of their naviga- tion. The fhip having received her cargoe oa board, and being fitted for the fea, generally weighs from the mole of Cabite about the middle of July^ taking the advantage of the weflerly monfoon, which then fets in, to carry them to fea. It ap- pears by the chart already referred to, that the ^* getting ' ( 330 getting through the Boccadero to the eaftward muflj be a troublefome navigation, and in fad, it ist fometimes the end of Auguji before they get clear of the land. When they have got through thisi paffage, and are clear of the Iflands, they (land to the northward of the eaft, in order to get into the latitude of 30 odd degrees, where they ex- pedl to meet with wefterly winds, before which they run away for the coafh of California. To give a better idea of the track which they hold ir^ this navigation, I have inferted, towards the latter end of the third book, the copy ' ' a manufcript chart, which was taken on boan*. c -t of thefe fliips, containing all that Ocean b^ . ^tti. the Philip- pine Illands and the coaft of L^tiyH:, in which I have laid down the particular route of this vefieJ,. both in her paffage from Mam. \o Acapuko^ and from Acapulco back again. In this chart (as it was drawn for the ufe of the Spanijh General) there are contained all the difcoverics which the Manila ihips have at any time made in traverfing this vaft Ocean \ whence it appears what minute and incon- fiderable fragments of land are difperfed in that prodigious fea ; and it is moft remarkable, that by the concurrent teflimony of all the Spanijh Navi^ gators, there is not one port, nor even a tolerable road as yet found out betwixt the Philippine Iflands and the coaft of California^ and Mexico ; fo that from the t\rr^.z ih& Manila Ihip firft lofes fight of land, fhe never lets go her anchor till Ihe arrives pn the coaft of California^ and very often not till ihe gets to its fouthermoft extremity : And there- fore as this voyage is rarely of lefs than fix months continuance, and the ftiip is deep laden with mer- chandize and crowded with people, it may appear wonr ^3 ■i i 1 i ' ;■ % ( 332 ) wonderful how they can be fupplied with a ftock of irzCh water for fo long a timci and indeed their method of procuring it is extremely fingular, and defcrves a very particular recital. '." .; r . ♦ . It is well known to thofe who are acquainted with the Spanijh cuftoms in the Soutb-SeaSy that their water is preferved on Ihip-board, not in calks, but in earthen jars, which in fome fort refemble tlie large oil jars we often fee in Europe. When the Manila Ihip firft puts to fea, they take on board a much greater quantity of water than can be flowed between decks, and the jars which con- tain it are hung all about the fhrouds and ftays, fo as to exhibit at a diftance a very odd appearance. And though it is one convenience of their jars that they are much more manageable than cafks, and arc liable to no leakage, unlefs they arc broken yet it is fufficiently obvious, that a fixth, or even a three months ftore of water could never be (low- ed in a ihip fo loaded, by any management what- foever ; and therefore, without fome other fupply, this navigation could not be performed : A fupply indeed they have, but the reliance upon it feems at firft fight fo extremely precarious, that it is wonderful fuch numbers ftiould rifque the perifh- ing by the moft dreadful of all deaths, on the cxpedlation of fo cafual a circumftance. In Ihort, their only method of recruiting their water is by the rains, which they meet with between the lati- tudes of 30 and 40^ North, and which they are al- ways prepared to catch : For this piirpofe they take to fea with them a great number of mats, which they place flopingly againfl the gunwale, whenever the rain defcends •, thefe mats extend from one end of the Ihip to the other, and their lower edges reft ■, on ( 333 ) ^li a large fplit bamboe, fo that all the water which falls on the mats drain into the bamboe, and by this, as a trough, is conveyed into a jar ; and this method of lupplying their water, however acci- dental 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 voyage is a Ht- tle longer than ufual, to fiil all their water jars k- vcral times over. -'^ n">J-fo :.w ^w iK> >c,Tr..i ^,i^ However, though their diftrcflcs for frefh water are much Ihort of what might be expedlcd in fo te- dious a navigation, yet there are other inconvenien- -cies generally atteniant U|X)n a long continuance ait' Tea, from which they arc not exempted. TI-rt principal of thefe is the fcurvy, which fometim-cs rages with extreme violence, and deftroys great numbers of the people -, but at other times tliriv pafllige to Acapulco (of which alone I wo^ild be here undcrftood to fpeak) is performed with little lofs 'HSifi .)«£/iii«'n /nt^ Y(* A)bi}hf)i u4 'nm r at i** -'^ The length of time employed in this pafflige, fo much beyond what ufually occurs in any other na- vigation, is perhaps in part to be imputed to the indolence and unikilfulntfs of the Sp^mJJj faibrs, and to an unneceflary degree of caution and con- cern for fo rich a veffel : For it is faid, that tli-ey never fet their main fail in the night, and often lie by unneceflarily. And indeed the inftru<5tions gi- ven to their Captains (which I have feen) fecm to have been drawn up by fuch as were more appre- hcnfive of too ftrong a gale, though favourable, than of the inconveniencies and mortality attending a lingring and tedious voyage -, for the Captain is particularly ordered to make his paflage in the la- tude of 30 degrees if poffible, and to be extremely Care- m -::'l; m Hi' Mi r IS r . i :i 'Ik r *-rf . Careful to ftand no farther to the r .thward than \i '■ abiblutcly neceflfary for the getting a weftcrly wind; This, according to our conceptions, appears to be a ^'cry abfiird reftriftion •, fince it can fcarcely be doubted, but that in the higher latitudes the weft- crly winds are much ftcadier and brifker than in the latitude of 30 degrees : So that the whole condu6t of this navigation feems liable to very great cen- fure. For if inftead of fteering E. N. E. into the latitude of 30 odd degrees, they at firft ftood N. E^ or even ftill more northerly, into the latitude of 40 or 45 degrees, in part of which courfe the * trade-winds would greatly aflift them, I doubt not but by this management they might confiderably contra6t their voyage, and perhaps perform it • in half the time, which is now allotted for it 5 for in the journals I have feen of thefe voyages - it appears, that they are often a month or fix weekf? after their laying the land, before chey get into ^ the latitude of 30 degrees ; whereas, with a more ' northerly courfe, it might eafily be done in a fourth ' part of the time 5 and when they were once well advanced to the northward, the wefterJy winds ' would foon blow them over to the coaft of Cali- ' fornia, and they would be thereby freed from the ' other embarafments, to which they are now fub- ' je6t€d, only at the expence of a rough fea and a ilifF gale. And this is not merely matter of fpe- culation -, for I am credibly informed, that about the year 1721, a French fliip, by purfuing this courfe, ran from the coaft of China to the valley of Vandsras on the coaft of Mexico^ in lefs than fifty days : But it was laid that this fhip, notwithftand-' .iiig the fhortnefs of her pafiage, fufi^ered prodi- ■'i ■■:. . 'P-^^y . giouily ( 335 ) ^oiiQy by the fcurvy, fo that fhe had only four or Hve of her crew left when fhe arrived in America. » , However, 1 Ihall dcfcant no longer on the pro- bability of performing this voyage in a much fliorter time, but fhall content myfelf with reciting the adliiai occurrences of the prefent navi<^ation. The Manila Ihip having ftood fo far to the northward as to meet with a wcftcrly wind, Itretches away nearly in tlie fame latitude for the coaft of Cali- fornia : And when fhe has run into the longitude oi 96 degrees from Cape Kfpiritu SarJo, flie gene- rally meets with a plant iloating on the fea, which, being called Porra by the Spaniards, is, I prefume, a fpecies of fea- leek. On the fight of this plant they cllecm tliemfelves fufficicntly near the Califor- nian fliore, and ir.jxnediately Hand to the foutli- ward ; and they rely fo much on this circumftance, that on the firfl diicovery of the plant the whole fhip's company chaunt a folemn "Te Deum, efleem- ing the difficulties and hazards of their paflage to be now at an end •, and they conftantly corre(5t their longitude thereby, without ever coming within fight of land. After falling in with thefe Signs, as they denominate them, they fteer to the fouth- ward, without endeavouring to fall in with the coaft, till they have run into a lower latitude ; for as there are many iflands, and fome fhoals ad jacer>t to California, the extreme caution of the Spanifh Navigators makes them very apprehenfive of be- ing engaged with the land ; however, when they draw near its fouthern extremity, they venture to hale in, both for the fake of making Cape St. Luca.> ^to afcertain their reckoning, and alfo to receive \i> telligenee froni the Indian inhabitant?, whether or ftO' thci^pi are any enemies on the coalt »• And this lail eircum- > ■ :^\ !■'■ ■ f * . ■ fl If Mi \iH ili # » •^>«ri>« » iif J t il ( 336 ) circumftancc, whicli is a particular article in the Captain's inftrudions, makes it neceflary to men- tion the late proceedings of the Jeluits amongft the Cahfornian Indians. Since the firft dilcovery oi Calif orniay there have been various wandring Miflionaries who have vifit- cd it at different times, though to little purpofe ; but of late years the Jefuits, encouraged and fup- ported by a large donation from the Marquis de Valero^ a moft munificent bigot, have fixed them- lelves upon the place, and have eftablifhed a very confiderable million. Their principal fettlement lies juft within Cape St. Lucas, where they have coUedted a great number of favages, and have en- deavoured to inure them to agriculture and other mechanic arts : And their eftbrts have not been altogether ineffedtual ; for rhey have planted vines at their fettlemcnts with very good fuccefs, fo that they already make a confiderable quantity of wine, refembling in flavour the inferior fort of Madera, which begins to be efteemed in the neighbouring kingdom of Mexico. The Jefuits then being thus nrmly rooted on California, they have already extended their jurif- didion quite acrofs the country from fea to fea, and are endeavouring to fpread their influence far- ther to the northward ; with which view they have made feveral expeditions up the gulf between Ca- lifornia and Mexico, in order to difcover the nature of the adjacent countries, all which they hope here- after to bring under their power. And being thus occupied in advancing the interefts of their fociety, it is no wonder if fomc Ihare of attention is en- gaged about the fecurity of the Manila ihip, in which their Convents at Manila arc io deeply con- cemec'* on uril- fea, far- inave Ca- til re Here- thus ety, en- . in X 337 ) cerned. For this purpofe there are refrefhmentg, «s fruits, wine, water, (^c conftantly kept in rca- dincfs for her -, and there is befides care taken ac Cape St. Lucas^ to look out for any fhip of the enemy, which might be cruifing there to intercept her ; this being a flation where fhe is conftantly cxpeded, and where fhe has been often waited for and fought with, though generally with little fuc- cefs. In confequence then of the meafures mutu- ally Tettled between the Jefuits of Manila and their brethren at California^ the Captain of the galeon is ordered to fall in with the land to the northward of Cape St. Ittcas^ where the inhabitants are direded, on fight of the veflel, to make the proper fignals with fires ; and on difcovering thefe fires, the Can- tain is t^> fend his launch on fliore with twenty men, well armed, who are to carry with them the letters from the Convents at Manila to the Califor- nian Miflionaries, and are to bring back the rcfrefh- ments which will be prepared for them , and like- wife intelligence whether or no there are any ene- mies on the coaft. And if the Caotnin finds, from the account which is fent him, that he has nothing to fear, he is diredeci to proceed for Cape St. I.ti- cas, and thence to Cape Corientes^ after which he is to coaft it along ibr the port of Acapiko. " " The moft ufual time of the arrival of the galeon at Acafulco is towards the middle of January : But this navigation is fo uncertain, that Ihe fometimcs gets in a month fooner, and at other times has been detained at fea above a month longer. The port oi Acapulco is by much the fecureft and fincft in all the northern jxirts of the Pacific Ocean -, being, as it were, a bafon furrounded by very high moun- tains ; But the town is a moft wretched place, and -.ps5fP»?r:^ Z extremely :,.i'h' •.".V 1 : r' , /.,^!f '111 ifi ; i < 338) extremely unhealthy, for the air about it is fo pent up by the hills, that it has fcarccly any circulation. I'he place is befides deftitute of frelh water, ex- cept what is brought from a confulerable diftance ; and is in all refpe6ls fo inconvenient, that except at the time of the mart, whilft the Manila galeon is in the port, it is aimoft deferted. To compenfate in fonie meafure for the fliortnefs of this defcription, I have inferted, in the fame plate v/ith the bay of Manila above-mentioned, a plan of this place and of its port and citadel, in which arelikewife drawn the new v/orks which were added on their firft in- telligence of tl;e equipment of our fquadron, As this plan was taken from the Spaniards^ I cannot aniwer lor its accuracy •, but having feen two or three other Spaniflj draughts of the place ; 1 con- ceive, by comparing them together, that this I have here referred to is not very diitant from the truth. . . , , , ..,. , . , ^.^ • When the galeon arrives in this port, fhe is ge- nerally moored on its wefbern fide to the two trees marked in the plan, and her cargoe is delivered with all pofTible expedition. And now the town ot Acapidco^ from almoll a folitude, is immediately thronged with Merchants from all parts of the kingdom o^ Mexico, The cargoe being landed and difpofed of, the fdver and the goods intended for Manila are taken on board, together with provifi- ons and water, and the fhip prepares to put to lea with the utmoil expedition. There is indeed no time to be lofl •, for it is an exprcfs order to the Captain to be out of the port of Acapulco on his re:urn, before the firil day of AprH^ N. S» '^ •* And having mentioned the goods intended for Manila,, I mull obferve, that the principal return is alway.'i i ( 339 ) always made in filver, and confequently the red of the cargoe is but of little account \ the other arti- cles, befides the filver, being Ibme cochineal and a few fweet-meats, the produce of the American fet- tlements, together with European millinery ware for the women at Manila^ and fome Spanijh wines, fuch as tent and flierry, which are intended for the ufe of their Priefts in the adminillration of the Sa- crament. And this difference in the cargoe of the fliip to and from Manila^ occafions a very remarkable va- riety in the manner of equi^^ping the fhip for thefe two different voyages. For the galeon, when llie fets fail from Manila^ being deep laden with a va- riety of bulky goods, fiie has not the -onveniency of mounting her lower tire of guns- but carries them in her hold, till fhe 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 fliip, that file may be lefs peftered with the ftowage of provifions. But on her return from Acapulco^ as her cargoe lies in lefs room, her lower tire is (or ought to be) always mounted before fhe leaves the port, and her crew is augmented with a fupply of failors, and with one or two companies of foot, which are intended to reinforce the gar ri lor. at Manila. And there being befides many Merchants who take their paffage to Manila on board the ga- leon, her whole number of hands on her return is ufuaily little lliort of fix hundred, all which are cafily provided for, by reafon of the fmall flowa^e ueceffary for the filver. The galeon being thus fitted for her return, the Captain, on leaving the port of Jcapulcc, (leers for the latitude of 13^ or 14^, and runs on that pa- ^. «. 2 2 rallelt V-: rm .mi mi ■V i 'ifi'i 1 !ii ( 340 ) rallel, till he gets fight of the Ifland of Giiarn^ one of the Ladrones. In this run the Captain is parti- cularly direded to be careful of the fhoals of St. BartholomeWy and of the Ifland of Gafparico. He is alfo told in his inftructions, that to prevent his paf- fing the Ladrones in the dark, there are orders given that, through all the month of June^ fires' fhall be lighted every night on the higheft part of Guam and Rota^ and kept in till the morning. At Guam there is a fmall Spanijh garrifon, (as •will be more particularly mentioned hereafter) pur- poiely intended to fecure that place for the refrefh- mcnt of the galeon, and to yield her all the afllfb- ancc in their pov» "^r. However, the danger of the road at Guam is fo great, that though the galeon is ordered to call there, yet fhe rarely fi:ays above a day or two, but getting her water and refrefhments on board as foon as poflible, fhe fleers away direct- ly for Cape Efpiritu Santo^ on the Ifland of SamaL 11 ere the Captain is again ordered to look out for fignals •, and he is told, that centinels will be pofted not only on that Cape, but likewife in CatandtianaSy Butufan^ Birriborcngo^ and on tl e Ifland of Batan, Thefe centinels are inftrudfed to make a fire when they difcover the fhip, which the Captain is care- fully to obferve : For if, after this firft fire is ex- tinguiflied, he perceives that four or more are lighted up again, he is then to conclude that there are enemies on the coalt •, and on this he is imme- diately to endeavour to fpeak with the centinel on vT\ofe, and to procure from him more particular in- telligence of their force, and of the ftation they crv;ifc in ; purfuant to which, he is to regulate his condud", and to endeavour to gain fome fecure port imi'jngft thofc Iflands, without coming in fight of ' • ^ ■ jhe (as ( 341 ) the enemy ; and in cafe he fhoiild be difcovticd when in port, and fhould be apprclicnfive of an attack, he is then to land his treafure, and to take fome of his artillery on fliore for its defence, not negledting to fend frequent and particular accounts to the city 0*1 Manila of all that paflcs. But if, af- ter the firfl fire on Ihore, the Captain obferves that two others only are made by the centinels, he is then to conclude, that there is nothing to fear : And he is t?D purfue his courfe without interruption, and to make the beft of his way to the port of Ca- bite^ which is the port to the city of Manila^ and the conftant ftation for all the lliips employed ia this commerce to Acaptilco. ■A C H A p. XL Our cruifc off the port of Acapulco for the Manila fliip, 1H AVE already mentioned, in ' ninth chap- ter, that the return of our barg rom the port of Acapuko^ where fhe had furpri/ : three Negro fifhermen, gave us inexpreflible fai .^ladion, as we learnt from our prifoners, that th - ilcon was then preparing to put to fea, and that iicr departure was fixed, by an edi6t of the Viceroy of Mexico^ to the 14th of March^ N. S. that is, to the 3d of March^ according to our reckoning. .- , \\ iiat related to this Manila Hiip ' 'ing the mat- ter to which we were moil attentive, it was ne- ceflarily the firit article of our examination ; but Z 3 having m\ ! ! I li lie j|i .^1 t ;t i i; I 42 ) having fatisfied ourfclves upon this head, we then indulged our curiofity in enquiring after other news ; when the prifoners iniormed us, that they had received intelHgence at Acapulco^ of our hav- ing plundered and burnt the town of Paita ; and that, on this occafion, the Governor of Acafulco had augmented the fortifications of the place, and had taken feveral precautions to prevent us from forcing our way into the harbour ; that in particu- lar, he had placed a guard on the Ifland which lies at the harbour's mouth, and that this guard had been withdrawn but two nights before the arrival of our barge : So that had the barge fucceeded in her lirft attempt, or had flie arrived at the port the fecond time two days fooner, flie could fcarcely have avoided being feized on, or if Hie had 'fcaped, k muft have been with the lofs of the greatcfl: part of hiT crew, as ihe would have been under the fire of the guard, before ll.u had known her danger. The withdrawing of this guard was a circum- ftance that greatly encouraged us, as it feemed to demonflrate, not only that the enemy had not as yet diilovered us, but likewife that they had now no farther apprehenfions of our vifiting their coafl. Indeed the prifoners afifured us, that they had no knowledge of our being in thofe feas, and that they had therefore flattered themfclves, that, in the long interval fince our taking of Paita^ we had fleered another courfe. But we did not ronfider the opi- nion of thefe Negro prifoners as fo authentick a proof of our being hitherto concealed, as the with- drawing of the guard from the harbour's mouth ; for this being the aftion of the Governor, was of ail arguments the moft convincing, as he might be fup^ ( 343 ) ^.iippcH'i^ to have intelligence, with which the reft oi cht iiihc^.bitants were unacquainted. Saiibiied therefore that we were undifcovcrcd, and tliar the tifiie was fixed for the departure of the gaieon irom Acapulco^ we made all necelTary pre- parations, and waited with the utrnoft impatience for the important day. As this was the '^ of Mards and it was the 19th of February when x!iW, barge returned and brought us our intei]igen(/% tfic Commodore refolved to continue the greateft part of the intermediate time on his prefent Ration, to the weilward of Acafulco^ conceiving that in this fituation there would be lefs danger of his being feen from the fliore, which was the only circum- Hance that could deprive us of the imnienfe trea- fure, on which wc had at preient fo eagerly fixed our thoughts. During diis interval, we were em- ployed in fcrubbing and C](;'3afing our fliips bot- toms, in bringing them i.ito their moft advantage- ous trim, and in regulating the orders, fignals and ftations to be obferved, wiien we fhould arrive off AcapulcQ^ and the time of the departure of the ga- leon iliould draw nigh. And now, on the firft of March, we made the high lands, ufually called the paps over Jcapulco, and got with all poflible expedition into the fitua- tion prefcribed by the Commodore's orders. The diRribution of our fquadron on this orcafion, both for the intercepting tht galeon, and for the avoid- ing a difcovery from the lliore, was fo veiy judi- cious, that it well merits to be dillin^lly defcribed. The order of it was thus : The Centurion brought the paps over the harbour to bearN. N. E, at fifteen leagues diilance, which was a fufficient offing to prevent our being feen by Z 4 the % i'Hi M i 1 ( 344 ) tlie enemy. To the weftward of the Centurion there was Ihitioned the Carmeio, and to the eailward were the ^f'ryal Prize, the Gloucejier, and the Car- min : I'hcle wTre all ranged in a circular line, and each lliip was three leagues diftant from the next ; fo that the Carmelo and the Carmin^ which were the two extremes, were twelve leagues dillant from each other: And as the galeon could, without doubt, be (ifcerncd at fix leagues diftance from ei- ther extremity, the whole fwcep ot our fquadron, within which nothing could pais undifcovered, was at leafl: twenty-four leagues in extent ; and yet we v/ere fo connected by our fignals, as to be eafdy and fpecdily informed of what was feen in any part of the line : And to render this difpofition ftill more complcat, and to prevent even the poflibi- lity of the galeon's efcaping us in the night, the two Cutters belonging to the Centurion and the Gioucejicr were both manned and fent in fnore, and were ordered to He all day at the diftance of four or five leagues from the entrance of the port, where, by reafon of their fmallneis, they could not polTibly be difcovered j but in the night they v/ere direded to ftand nearer to the harbour's mouth, und as the light of the morning came on, they were to return back again to their day-pofts. When the Cutters fliould flrfl: difcover the Manila fliip, one of them was ordered to return to the fquadron, and to make a fignal, whether the ga- leon ilood to the eaftward or to the weftward ; vvhilft the other was to fjllow the galeon at a di- ftance, and if it g!'e\v dark, was to dire(5L the fqua- dron in their chace, by iliewing falfe fires. The particular fituation of each fnip and of the Cutters, and the bearings from each other, whiSi they were to ti '■ re to ( 345 ) to obferve in order to keep their ftations, will be better underftood by the delineation exhibited in the twentv-feventh plate ; a draught of which was de- livered to each of the Commanders at the llxmc time with their orders. Befides the care wc had taken to prevent the ga- leon from pafTing by us unobferved, we had not been inattentive to the means of engaging her to advantage, when we tame up with her : For con- fidering the thinnels of our hands, and the vaunt- ing accounts given by the Spaniards of her fize, her guns, and her ftrength, this was a confidera- tion not to be negleded. As we fuppofcd that none of our fhips but the Centurion and the Glouccfter were capable of lying along fid? of her, we rook on board the Centiirion all the hands belonging to the Carmelo and the Carmin, except what were jufl: fufficient to navigate thofe fhips ; and Captain Saun- ders wa^ ordered to fend from the Tryal Prize ten Englijhnen^ and as many Negroes, to reinforce the crew of the Gloucejler: And for the encouragement of our Negroes, of which we had a confiderable number on board, we promifed them, that on their good behaviour they fliould all have their freedom •, and as they had been almoft every day trained to the managem^ent of the great guns for the two pre- ceding months, they were very well qualified to be of fervice to us-, and from their hopes of li- berty, and in return for the ufage they had met with amongtl us, they ftemed difpofed to exert themfclves to the utmoll ot their power. • And now being tlms prepared for the rec^'ption of the galeon, we expecfted, with the ucmoit im- patience, the fo often mentioned third of Marth^ the day fixed for her departure. And on that ci.y we ' : 7 I. m ■ill t; m 'Ax m ( 346 ) we were all of us moR eagerly engaged in looking: out towards Acapuko ; and we were fo Itrangely prepofieired with the certainty of our intelligence, and with an affurance of her coming out of port, that fome or other on board us were conftantly imagining that they difcovered one of our Cutters returning with a fignal. But to our extreme vexa- tion, both this davand the fucceeding night palTed over, without any news of the gaieon : However, we did not yet defpair, but were all heartily dif- pofed to flatter ourfelves, that fome unforefeen ac- cident had intervened, which might have put off her departure for a few days •, and fuggeftions of this kind occurred in plenty, as we knew that the time fixed by the Viceroy for her failing, was of- ten prolonged on the petition of the Mercliants ot Mexico. Thus we kept up our hopes, and did not abate of our vigilance •, and as the 7 th of March was Sunday the beginning of Paflion week, which is obferved by the Papifts with great ftrictnefs, and a total ceflation from all kinds of labour, fo that no ibip is permitted to ftir our of port during the whole week, this quieted our apprehenfions for jtbrne days, and difpofed us not to expert the gaieon till the week following. On the Friday in this week our Cutters returned to us, and the officers on board them were very confident that the gaieon was ftill in port, for that fhe could not pofiibly have come out but they mud have feen her. On the MW/3y morning fucceeding paffion week, that is, on the 15 th of March, the Cutters were again difpatched to their old ftation, and our hopes were once more indulged in as fanguine prepoffeffions as before •, but in a week's time our eagernefs was greatly abated, and a general dejedion and defpon- ,, dency Vl, '( 347 ) dency took place in its roor»£. It is true, there were feme few ainongd us who ftill kept up their fpirits, and were very ingenious in linding out rea- fons to fiitisfy themfelves, that the dirappointrrunt we had hitherto met with had only bten occafioned by a cafual delay of the galeon, which a fcwd^ys would remove, and not by a total fafpenfion of lier departure ^or the whole feafon : But thefe fp. dila- tions were not reliflied by the generality of our peo- ple ; for they were perfuaded that the enemy had, by fome accident, dilcovered our being upon the coall, and had therefore laid an embargo on the galeon till the next year. And indeed this perfua- fion was but too well founded *, for we afterwards iearnt, that our barge, when fent on the difcovery of the port of Acapuko^ had been feen from the (hore ; and that this cirrumftance fno embarkati- ons but canoes ever frequenting that coaft) was to them a fufficient proof of the neighbourhood of our fquadron -, on which, they flopped the galeon till the fucceeding year. ' ' The Commodore himfelf, though he declared not his opinion, was yer. in his own thoughts very apprehenfive that we v;'eredircovered, and that the departure of the galeon was put olT; and he had, in confequence of this opinion, formed a plan for poffefling himfelf of Acapulco •, for he had no doubt but the treafure as yet remained in the town, even though the orders for the difpatching of the galeon were countermanded. Indeed the place was too well defended to be carried by an open attempt ; for befides the garrifon and the crew of the galeon, there were in it at leaft a thoufand men well armed, who had marched thither as guards to the treafure, when it was brought down from the city of Mexi" co: » r m '> M"« M ■Hi 1.'; IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /. ^'^J^ > >' ^^ o / /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MSSO (716) 872-4503 V iV •N5 k '^^^ \ ^ 4^4 ^w (348) €0 : For the roads thereabouts are (o much infefted cither by independent Indians or fugitives, that the Spaniards never truft the filver without an armed force to proted it. And bcfides, had the ftrength of the place been lefs confiderable, and fuch as might have appeared not fuperior to the efforts of our fquadron, yet a declared attack would havf* prevented us from nceiving any advantages from its fuccefs ; fince upon the Hiit difcovery of our fquadron, all the trcaiure would have been ordered into the country, and in a few hours would have bcenout of our reach ; lb that our conqueft would have been only a delblate town, where we fliould have found nothing that could have been of the kail confequence to us. » . • , • • v,. ^For thffe reafons, the furprifal of the place was the only method that could at all aniwcr our pur- pofe ; and therefore the manner in which Mr. Ait' Jon propofed to conduct this enterprize was, by fet- tmg iail with the fquadron in the evening, time enough 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- peded to arrive, and might perhaps have entered it, before the Spaniards were acquainted with his defigns : Aifoon as he had run into the harbour, he intended to have pulht two hundred of his meii on fliore in his boats, who were immediately to attempt the fort markt (C) in the plan mentioned in the preceding chapter -, whilft he, the Commo- dore, with his fhips, was employed in firing upon the town, and the other batteries. And thefc dif* ferent operations which would have been executed with great regularity, could hardly have failed of fucceeding againfl an enemy, who would have been ; Q * pre- I ! ( 349 ) prevented by the fuddennefs of the attack, and by the v/ant of day-light, from concerting any mea- fures for their defence •, fo that it was extremely probable that we (hould have carried the fort by ftorm ; and then the other batteries, being open behind, mud have been foon abandoned ; after which, the town, and its inhabitants, and all the treafure, muft necefiarily have fallen into our hands; for the place is fo cooped up with mountains, that it is fcarcely pofTible to efcapti out of it, but by the great road, markt (H. H.) in the plan, which pafles under the fort. This was the prcjeft which the Commodore had fettled in general in his thoughts 5 but when he began to inquire into fuch circum- ftances as were neceffary to be confidered in order to re<>u:ate the particulars of its execution, he found there was a dirhculty, which, being infuperable, occafioned the enterprize to be laid alide : For on ex:iniining the prifoncrs about the winds which pre- vail near the fhore, he learnt (and it was after- wards confirmed by the officers of our cutters) that nearer in fhore there was always a dead calm for the greateit part of the night, and that towards morning, when a gale fprung up, it conftantly blew off the land •, fo that the fetting fail from our prefent ftation in the evening, and arriving at yff«* ^«/fr/7, having difcovered a place proper for our purpofe, about feven miles to the weftward of the rocks of SeguataneOy which, by the defcription they gave of it, appeared to be the port, called by Dampier the harbour of Cheque tan. The fuccefs of our boats was highly agreeable to us, and they were ordered out again the next day, to found the har- bour and its entrance, which they had reprefented as very narrow. Ac their return they reported the place to be free from any danger •, fo that on the 7th we ftood in, and that evening came to an anchor in eleven fathom. The Gloucefier came to 4 an ( 353 ) an anchor at the fame rime with us ; but the Car^ melo and the Carmin having fallen to Jeward, the 7'ryal Prize was ordered to join them, and to bring them in, which in two or three days fhe ef- fefted. Thus, after a four months continuance at fea, from the leaving of ^iho^ and having but fix days water on board, we arrived in the harbour of Chequeian, the defcription of which, and of the adjacent coall, fliall be the bufinefs of the enfu- ing chapter. CHAP. XIL Defcription of the harbour of Cheqtietan^ and of the adjacent coaft and country. m ■;;'';J m THE harbour of Cbequetarty which we here propofe to defcribe, lies in the latitude of i;**: 36* North, and is about thirty leagues to the weftward o^ Acapulco. It is eafy to be dif- covered by any (hip that will keep well in with the land, efpecially by fuch as range down coaft from Acapulco^ and will attend to the following particulars. There is a beach of fand, which extends eigh- teen leagues from the harbour of Acapulco to the weftward, againft which the fea breaks with fuch violence, that it is impofTible to land in any pare of it : But yet the ground is fo clean, that fhips, in the fair feafon, may anchor in great fafety, at the diftance of a mile or two from the fhore. Th^. land adjacent to thi? beach is generally low, full A a of ;}, ,m !! till ( 3J4 ) of villages, and planted with a great Nimibcr of trees > and on the tops of fome fmall eminencie» there are feveral look- out towers *, fo that the face of the country affords a very agreeable profpeft : For the cultivated part, which is the part here defcribed, extends fome leagues back from the fhore, and there appears to be bounded by the chain of mountains, which llretch to a confider- able diftancc on cither fide o^ Acapulco^ It is a moft remarkable particularity, that in this whole txntinty being, as hath been mentioned^ eighteen leagues, and containing, in appearance, dw mod populous and bed planted dil^ridt of the whole coaft, there (hould be neither canoes, boats, nor any other embarkations either for fifhing, coafting, or for pleafure. The beach here defcribed is the fureft guide for finding the harbour of Chei^uetan -, for five miles to the wcftward of the extremity of this beach- there appears a hummock, which at fird makes like an ifland^ and is in fbape not very un- like the hill of PeiaplafTy hereafter mentioned, though much fmaller. Three miles to the weft- ward of this hummock is a white rock lying, near the fhore, which cannot cafily be palTed by unob- ferved : 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, which is reprefcnted in the twenty- eighth plate, with the view of the Iflands of ^i- cara and ^ibo. This hill too, like the foremen- tioned hummock, may be at firft miftaken for an IQand, though it be, in reality, a peninfula, which is joined to the Continent by a low and narrow Iflhmus, covered over with fhrubs and i^all trees. The ( 35i ) The bay of Se^uataneo extends from this hill a great way to the weftward ', and it appears, by si plan of the bay of Pet apian, which is part of that of Sfguatanef), and is to be fecn in the twenty-ninth plate, that at a fmall diflance from the hill, and oppofite to the entrance of the bay, there is an affemblage of rocks, which are white from the excrements of boobies and tropical birds. Four of thefe rocks are high and large, and, together with feveral other fmaller ones, are, by the help of a little imagination, pretended to refemble the form of a crofs, and are called the U^ite Friars^ Thefe rocks, as appears by the plan, bear W. by N. from P et apian \ and about feven miles to the weftward of them lies the harbour of Cbequetan^ which is ftill more minutely diftinguiflled by A large and fingle rock, that Hfcs out of the water a mile and an half diftant from its entrance, and bears S. t W. from the middle of it. The ap- pearance of the entrance of this harbour is very accurately reprefented in the thirtieth plate, where (e) is the Eaft point of the harbour, and (d) the Weft, the forementioned rock being marked (f ), In the fame view (a) is a large fandy bay, but where there is no landing ; (b) arc four remarkable white rocks •, and from the ifland (c) there runs a large bay to the weftward. Thefe are the infallible marks by which the har- bour of Chequetan may be known to rhofe who keep well in with the land ; and I muft add, that the coaft is no ways to be dreaded from the mid- dle of Ocicher to the beginning of May, nor ig there then any danger from the winds : Though in the remaining part of the year there are frequent andviolent tornadoes, heavy rains, and hard gales A a 2 in X^ ( JS6) in all e asanncr tranfported back again to the beach, where fome of our hands always attended to dart tl.cm into other cafks of a larger fize. < ( Though this lake, during our continuance there, appeared to have no outlet into the fea, yet there is reaibn to fuppofe that in the v;ct feafon it over- flows the ftrand, and communicates with the ocean ; for Dumpier^ who was formerly here, fpeaks of it as a large river. Indeed there mufl be a very great body of water amaffed before the lake can rife high enough to overflow the Strand ; for the neighbouring country is fo low, that great •* . " Aa 3 pare Hi- i:^t Ml ( 3S8 ) part of it muft be covered with water, before it can run out over the beach. '^ ' ' ♦ As the country in the neighbourhood, particu- larly the trad which we have already defcribed, appeared to be well peopled, and cultivated, we hoped thence to have procured frelh p'^ovifion ani other refrefliments which we (lood in need of. With this view, the morning after we came to an anchor, the Commodore ordered a party ot forty men, well armed, to march into the coun- try, and to endeavour to difcover fome town or village, where they were to attempt to fet on foot a correfpondence with the inhabitants ; for we doubted not, if we could have any intercourfe with them, but that by prjfents of Tome of the coarfe merchandife, with which our prizes pbounded, (which, though of little confequence to us, would to them be extremely valuable) we fhould allure them to fur.iifli us with whatever fruits or frelh provifions were in their power. Our people were dire(5ted on this occafion to proceed with the greateft circumfpcdion, and to make as little oftentation of hoflility as pofllble •, for we were fenfible, that we could meet with no wealth here worth our notice, and that what neceflaries we really wanted, we fhould in all probability be better fuppli-d with by an open amicable traffic, than by violence and force of arms. But this endeavour of opening an intercourfe with the inhabitants proved ineffedual •, for towards evening, the par- ty which had been ordered to march into the country, returned greatly fatigued with their un- ufual exercife, and fome of them fo far fpent as to have fainted by the way, and to be obliged to be brought back upon the (boulders of their com- 2 panions. ( 359 ) panions. They had marched in all, as ihcy con- ceived, about ten miles, in a beaten road, where they often faw the frefh dung of horfes or mules. When they had got about five miles from the har- bour, the roaJ divided between the mountains into two branches, one running to the Eaft, and the other to the Weft : After fome deliberation about the courfe they (hould take, they agreed to pur- iue the caftcrn road, which, when they had fol- io wed for fome time, led them at once into a large plain or Savannah ; on one fide of which they difcovered a centinel on horfeback with a piftol in his hand : It was fuppofed that when they firil faw him he was adeep, but his horfe ftartled at the glittering of their arms, and turn- ing round fuddenly rode off with his Mafter, who was very near being unhorfed in the furprize, but he recovered his feat, and cfcapcd only with the lofs of his hat and his piliol, which he dropped on the ground. Our people ran aft«r him, in hopes of difcovering Ibme village or habitation which he would retreat to •, but, aii he had the ad- vantage of being on horfeback, he foon loft fight oi them. However, they were unwilling to come back without making Ibme difcovery, and there- fore ftill followed the track they were in ; but the heat of the day encreafing, and finding no water to quench their thirft, they were at firft obliged to halt, and then refolved to return i for as they faw no figns of plantations or cultivated land, they had no reafon to believe that there was any village or fettlement near them : But to leave no means untried of procuring fome intercourfe with the people, the officers ftuck up feveral poles m the road, to which were affixed deciara- Aa 4 tions 1^ M '^^i '■ 'ii ' : iin '■ .«,.; » M through a walking cane which I refled on the body of the fifh for fome time 5 and I make no doubt I fhould have been much more fenfibly afFe(5bed, had not the 6 lb been near expiring when I made the experiment ; For ( 3^^ > For it is obfef'-^^^c ^^^^ ^^^s influence adts with moft "'b'JU'' when the Fi(h is firft taken out of the water, and entirely ceafes when 'tis dead, fo that it may be then handled or even eaten witaout any in- convenience. 1 (hall only add that the numbnefs of my arm on this occafion did not go off on a fad- den, as the account of fome Naturalifts gave me reafon to expeft, but diminilhed gradually, fo that I had fome fenfation of it remaining till the next day. To the account given of the fifh we met with here, 1 mull add, that though turtle now grew fcarce, and we met with none in this harbour of Cheqiietan^ yet our boats, which as I have men- tioned, were (lationed off Petaplany often fupplied us therewith ; and though this was a Food that y^e had now been fo long as it were confined to, (for it was the only frefh provi lions which we had tafted for near fix months) yet we were far from being cloyed with it, or from finding that the relifh wc had of it at all diminifhed. -i^'-- .^:' ' The animals we met with onlhorewere princi- pally guanos, with which the country abounds, and which are by fome reckon'd delicious food. We faw no beads of prey here, except we fhould e- lleem that amphibious animal, the alligator, as fuch, feverai ^ which our people difcovered, but none of them very large. However, we were fatisfied that there were great numbers of tygers in the woods, though none of them came in fight ; for we every morning found the beach near the water- ing place imprinted very thick with their footfteps i But we never apprehended any mifchief from them i for they are by no means fo fierce as the Jfiatic or African tyger, and are rarely, if ever b3. ... known. 'U lii ;i.. ■i known, to attack mankind. bircJs were here ih fufficient plenty ; for we had abundance of ^^^^fants of different kinds, fome of them of an uncommon fize, but they were very dry and taftclefs food. And befides thcfe we had a variety of fmaller birjjte, particularly parrots, which we often killed for food. ...... r j.'ii ..J J :, ;, ft The fruits and vegetable refrcfliments at this place were neither plentiful, nor of the bed kinds '• There were, it is true, a few bufhes fcattered about the woods, which fupplied us with limes, but we fcarcely could procure enough for our prefent ufe ; and thefe, with a fmall plumb of an agreeable acid, called in Jamaica the Hog-plumb^ together with ano^ ther fruit called a Papah^ were the only fruits to be found in the woods. Nor is there any other ufe- ful vegetable here worth mentioning, except brook- lime : This indeed grew in great quantities near the frefh- water banks i and, as it was efteemed an antifcorbutic, we fed upon it frequently, though its extreme bitternefs made it very unpalatable. ; Thefe are the articles moft worthy of notice in this harbour of Chequetan, 1 fhall only mention a particular of the coaft lying to the weftward of it, that to the eaftward having been already defcribed. As Mr. Anfon was always attentive to whatever might be of confequence to thofe who might fre- quent thefe feas hereafoer 5 aqd, as we had obferv- cd, that there was no double land to the weftward of Cbequetatiy which flretched out to a confiderablc diftance, with a kind of opening, which appeared not unlike the inlet to fome harbour, the Commo- dore, foon after we came to an anchor, fent a boat to difcover it more accurately ; and it was found, fOQ a nearer examination, that the two hills, which ! formed ( 3«5 ) formed the double land, were joined together by a valley, and that there was no harbour nor Ihelcer between them. -^ • • • *^- - By all !iat hath been laid it will appear, that the conveniencies of this port of Cbequetan, particularly in the articles of refrefhment, afe not altogether fuch as might be defired : But yet, upon the whole, it is a place of confiderablc confequence, and the knowledge of it may be of great import to future cruifers. For it is the only fecure harbour in a vaft extent of coaft, except AcapulcOy which is in the hands of the enemy. It lies at a proper diftance from Acapulco for the convenience of fuch Ihipa as may have any defigns on the Manila galcon ; and it is a place, where wood and water may be taken in with great fecurity, in defpight of the efforts of the inhabitants of the adjacent diftridt : For there is but one narrow path which leads through the woods into the country, and this is eafily to be fecured by a very fmall party, againft all the ftrength the 5/^- jiiards in that neighbourhood can mufter. After this account of Chequetan, and the coaft contiguous to it, we fliall return to the recital of our own proceeds irtgs. -'IT •:l ■ w^:^' ill p i i. 1 i| 6' • ■*'( i . d, ■ 'm id CHAP. . (366) CHAP. XIII. . *J.,V, ,{ ,y .>^ Our proceedings at Chequeian ari3 on tKc adjacent coaft, till our fetting fail for Jfia, %} y.y'\- •;■* J ^. ■■■^' .'i TH E next morning, after our coming to an anchor in the harbour of Cbequetan^ we fenn about ninety of our men well armed on Ihore, forty of whom were ordered to march into the country, as hath been mentioned, and the remaining fifty were employed to cover the watering place, and to pre- vent any interruption from the natives. Here we compleated the unloading of the Car^ melo and Carmin, which we had begun at fea ; at lead, we took out of them the indico, cacao, and cochineal, with fome iron for ballad, which were all the goods we intended to preferve, though they did not amount to a tenth of their cargoes. Here too it was agreed, after a mature confutation, to deftroy the TryaPs Prize, as well as the Carmlo and Caf'tnin, whofe fate had been before refolved on. Indeed the fliip was in good repair and fit for the fea 9 but as the whole numbers on board our fqua-f^ dron did not amount to the complement of a fourth rate man of war, we found it was impolTible to di- vide them into three (hips, without rendring them incapable of navigating in fafety in the tempeftuous weather, we had reafon to expe6l: on the coaft of Chi- na^ where we fuppofed we (hould arrive about the time of the change of the monfoons, Thefe con- fiderations determined the Commodore to deftroy the Tryal Prize, and to reinforce the Gloucefter with the greateft part of her crew. And in confequence of ih i- \i' le \^ Ih c ( 367 ) of this refolve, all the (lores on board the Tryal Prize were removed into the other fhips, and the Prize herfeif, with the Carmelo and Carmin^ were prepared for fcuttling with all the expedition we were mailers of*, but the greatefl difficudies we were under in laying in a (lore of water (which have been already touched on) together with the neceflk- ry repairs of our rigging and other unavoidable oc- cupations> took us up fo much time, and found us fuch uncxpefted employment, that it was near the end of April before we were in a condition to leave the place. During our (lay here, there happened an incident, which, as it proved the means of convincing our friends in England of our fafety, which for fome time they had defpaired of, and were then in doubt about, I fhall beg leave particularly to recite. 1 have obferved, in the preceding chapter, that from this harbour of Chequetan there was but one path- way which led through the woods into the country. This we found much beaten, and were thence convinced, that it was well known to the inhabitants. As ic pafied by the fpring-head, and was the only avenue by which the Spaniards could approach us, we, at fome diftance beyond the fpring-head, felled feve- ral large trees, and laid them one upon the other acrofs the path -, and at this barricadoe we conftantly kept a guard : And we befides ordered our men cm- ployed in watering to have their arms ready, and, in cafe of any alarm, to march inftantly to this poll. And though our principal intention was to prevent our being difturbed by any fudden attack of the ene- my's horfe, yet it anfwered another purpofc, which was not in itfdf Icfs important ; this was to hinder pur own people from draggling fingly rnto the country, -^m j'i M V- ,1 , ■1''' ■I ■! .,'{1 !l.a I' m< Si (368) country, where we had reafon to believe they would be furprized by the Spaniards^ who would doubc- Icfs be extremely felicitous to pick up fomc of them, in hopes of getting intelligence of our future dcfigns. To avoid this inconvenience, the ftrideft orders were given to the centinels, to let no perfon whatever pafs beyond their poll : But not with land- ing this precaution, we miffed one Lewh Leger^ who was the Commodore's Cook j and as he was a Frenchman, and fufpeded to be a Papifl:, it was by fome imagined that he had delerted, with a view of betraying all that he knew to the enemy •, but this appeared, by the event, to be an ill-grounded furmife -, for it was afterwards known, that he had been taken by fome Indians, who carried him pri- foncr to Acapuko, from whence he was transferred to Mexico, and then to Vera Cruz, where he was (hipped on board a veffcl bound to Old Spain : And the veffel being obliged by fome accident to put into Lijbon, Leger efcaped on fhore, 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 done in the South- Seas. The rt.'ation he gave of his own feizure was, that he had rambled into the woods at fome difiance from the barricadoe, where he had firft attempted to pafs, but had been ftopped and threatned to be punilhed ; that his principal view was to get a quantity of limes for his Matter's (lore ; and that in this occupation he was furprized una- wares by four Indians, who ftripped him naked, and carried him in that condition to Acapulco, expofed to the fcorching heat of the fun, which at that time of the year (hone with its greateft violence : And afterwards at Mexico his treatment in prifon was ( 369 ) was fufficiently fevere, and the whole coui fe of his captivity was a continued inflance of tlic hatred, v/hich tht Spaniards bear to all thofe who endeavour to difturb them in the peaceable poflcflion ot die coafts of the Soulb-Seas. Indeed Leger's fortune was, upon the whole, cxtremeiyfingular i lor after the hazards he had run in the Commodore's fqua- dron, and the feverities he had fuffered in his long confinement amongft the enemy, a more fatal dif- after attended him on his return to England : For though, when he arrived in London, fome of Mr, Anfon^s friends interefted themfelves in relieving him from the poverty to which his captivity had re- duced him ; yet he did not long enjoy the benefit of their humanity, for he was killed in an infignificanc night brawl, the caufe of which could fcarcely be difcovered. And here I muft obferve, that though the enemy never appeared in fight during our itay in this har- bour, yet we perceived that there were large parties of them incamped in the woods about us •, ibr we could fee their fmokes, and could thence determine that they were pofted in a circular line furrounding us at a diilance j and juft before our coming away theyfeemed, by theincreafe of their fires, to have re- ceived a confiderabie reinforcement. But to return : Towards the latcter end of April, the unloading of our three Prize., our wooding and waiering ; and, in fliort, all our propoied employments at the harbour of Cbcqudan, v/ere compleated : So that, on the 27th of yf/zW/, the Tryal's Piize, the Cc/r- inclo and the Carmin, all which we here inte.ided to deflroy, were towed on fliore and fcutrled, and a quantity of combuftible tViaterials were diltributed in their upper works ; and the next morning the B b Ctnturion :-n % *0 ■ :■ 1 • ,A ! ( 370 ) Centurion and the Gloucefter weighed anchor •, bat as there was but little wind, and that not in their favour, they were obliged to warp out of the har- bour. When they had reached the offing, one of the boats was difpatchcd back again to fet fire to our prize, 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, inclof- ing a letter to Mr. Hughes^ who commanded the Cutter, which was ordered to cruife before the port o( /icapuico, when we came off that ft ation. And on this occafion I muft: mention more particularly than I have yet done, the views of the Commo- dore in leaving th: Cutter before that port. When we were neceflitated to make the Cheque- tan to take in our water, Mr. yin/on confidered that our being in that harbour would loon be known at Acapulco ; and therefore he hoped, that on the in- telligence of our being employed in port, the ga- leon might put to fea, efpecially as Chequetan is fo very remote from the courfe generally fleered by the galeon : He therefore ordered the Cutter to cruife twenty-four days off the port of Acapulco^ and her Commander was diredled, on perceiving the galeon under fail, to make the beft of his way to the Commodore at Chequetan. As the Centurion •was doubtlefs a much bt^tcer failor than the galeon, Mr. Anfon^ in this cafe, refolved to have got to fea as foon as poflible, and to have purfued the galeon acrofs the Pacific Ocean : And fuppofing he fhould not have met with her in his pafTage, (which confidering that he would have kept nearly the fame parallel, was not very improbable) yet he was certain of arriving ofif Cape Efpiritu Santo, on the Iflacid of Samal^ before her ; and that beini;* ing ('371 ) rhe firft land fhc makes on her return to the Phi- lippineij we could not have tailed to have fallen in with her, by cruifing a tew days in that Station. But the Viceroy of Mexico ruined this project, by keeping the galcon in the port oi Acapulco all that year. ^.^ '-,- /. •' • • ' •• * • The letter left in the canoe for Mr. Hughe i^ the Commander of the Cutter, (the time of whofc re- turn was now confiderably elapfed) diredbed him to go back immediately to his former ftation before Acapulco, where he would find Mr. Anfon^ who re- folved to cruifc for him there for a certain number of days j after which it was added, that the Com- modore would return to the fouthward to join the reft of the fquadron. This lad article was inferted to deceive the Spaniards^ if they got pofleflion of the canoe, (as we afterwards learnt they did) but could not impofe on Mr. Hu^bes, who well knew that the Commodore had no fquadron to join, nor any Intention of fteering back to Peru. Being new in the offing of Chequetan, bound crofs the vaft Pacific Ocean in our way to China, we were impatient to run off the coaft as foon as pofli- ble i for as the ftormy feafon was approaching a- pace •, and, as we had no further views of the Afne- rican fcas, we had hoped that nothing would have prevented us from ftancling to the weft ward, the moment we got out of the harbour of Chequetan : And it was no fmall mortification to as, that our necefliiry employment rhere had detained us fo much longer than we cxpe^I^ed ; and now we were far- ther detained by the abfcnce of the Cutter, and the ftanding towards Acapulco in iearch of her. In- deed, as the time of her cruife had been expired for near a fortnight, we fufpcded that-ilie had Bb 2 been V ( 372 ) been difcovered from the fliorc •, and that the go- vernor of Acapulco had thereupon fent out a force to feize her, which, as (he carried but fix hands, was no very difficult enterprize. However, this being only conjecture, the Commodore, as foon as he was got clear of the harbour of Cbequetan^ flood along the coaft to the eaftward in learch of her : And to prevent her from pafling by us in the dark, we brought to every night ; and the Cloucejlcry whofe (lation was a league within us to- wards the fhore, carried a light, which the Cutter could not but perceive, if fhe kept along (hore, as we luppofed fhe would do •, and as a farther fe- curity, the Ccnlurion and the Gloucejler alternately fhewcd two falfe fires every half hour. Indeed, had file efcaped us, flie would have found orders in the canoe to have returned immediately before Jca- pulcoy where Mr. y^n/on propofed to cruife for iKr ibme days. By Sunday y the 2d of May^ we were advanced within three leagues of Acapulco^ and having feen no- thing of our boat, we gave her over for loft, which, befides the compaffionate concern for our (hip- mates, and for what it was apprehended they might have fufFered, was in itfelf a misfortune, which, in our prefent fcarcity of hands, we were all greatly interefted in : For the crew of the Cutter, confift- ing 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 approved refolution, and as (kilful fea- men 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 fuggeflcd a projedl which we hoped would recover ,t>^ them. y' flft. of fea- che and nee ►ver em. ( 373 ) them. This was founded on our having many Spanijh and Indian prifoners in our pofllflion, and a number of fick Negroes, who could be ot no fcrvice to us in the navigating of the fhip. The Commodore therefore wrote a letter the fame (iay to the Governor of Acapulco^ telling him that he would releafe them all, provided the Governor re- turned the Cutter's crew ; and the letter was dif- patched the fame afternoon by a Spanijh officer, of whofe honour we had a good opinion, and who was furniihed with a launce belonging to one of our prizes, and a crew of fix other prifoners who all gave their parole for their return. The officer too, befides the Commodore's letter, car- ried with him a joint petition figned by all the reft of the prifoners, befeeching his Excellence to acquiefcc in the terms propofed for their liberty. From a confideration of the number of our pri- foners, and the quality of fome 'them, we did not doubt but the Governor would readily comply with Mr. Anfon\ propofal, and therefore kept plying on and off the whole night, intending to keep well in with 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 Tuefday we were driven fo far off fliore, that we could not hope to receive any anfwer •, and on the IVednefday morning we found ourfelvcs fourteen leagues from the harbour of Acapdco \ 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 "- . B b 3 granted :^-i (J M ? m w. '.. -r k ■ 'I ( 374 ) granted was the anfwer of the Governor to the Commodore's meffage, and we inftanily edged to- wards it ; but when we drew nearer, we found to our unfpeakable joy that it was our own Cutter. While fhe was ft ill at a di (lance we imagined that Ihe had been difcharged out of the port of Aca- fulco by the Governor i but when (he drew nearer, the wan and meager countenances of the crew, the length of their beards, and the fetble and hollow tone of their voices, convinced us that they had fufFered much greater hardfliips than could be ex- pefled from even the feverities of a Spantjh prifon. They were obliged to be helped into the Ihip, and were immediately put to bed, and with reft, and nourifliing diet, which they were plentifully fup- plied with from the Commodore's table, they re- covered their health and vigour apace : And now we learnt that they had kept the fea the whole time of their abfence, which was above fix weeks, that when they finilhed their cruife before Acapulco^ and had juft begun to ply to the weft ward in or- der to join the fquadron, a ftrong adverfe current had forced them down the coaft to the eaftward in fpight of all their efforts ; 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 frefti fupply ; that in this diftrefs they ran upwards of eighty leagues to leeward, and found every-where {o large a furf, that there was not the leaft poflibility of their landing ; that they palTed fome days m this dreadful fituation, with- out water, and having no other means left them to allay their thirft than fucking the blood of the turtle, which they caught i and at laft, giving up au fu the ( 375 ) all hopes of relief, the heat of the climate too augmenting their neceflities, and rendring their fufFcrings infupportable, they abandoned them- felves to defpair, fully perfuaded that they fliould perifh by the moft terrible of all deaths *, but that they were foon after happily relieved by a mod unexpected incident, for there fell fo heavy a rain, that by fpreading their fails horizontally, and by putting bullets in the centers of them to draw them to a point, they caught as much water as filled all their ca(k ; that immediately upon this fortunate fupply they flood to the weftward in queft of the Commodore ; and being now luckily tav ured by a ftrong current, they joined us in lefs than fifty hours, from the time they flood to the weflward, after having been abfent from us full forty-three days. Thofe who have an idea of the inconfiderable fize of a Cutter belonging to a fixty gun fhip, (being only an open boat about twenty-two feet in length) and who will attend to the various accidents to which fhe was expofed during a fix weeks continuance alone, in the open ocean, on fo imprafticable and dangerous a coaflr, will readily own, that her return to us at lafl, after all the difHculties which fhe actually experienced, and the hazards to which fhe was each hour ex- pofed, may be confidered as little fliort of mira- culous. ^'\' '■i-'"' i Ji^ ' 1 ■ '.''' i< «''.--*■ I cannot finifh the article of this Cutter, with^ out remarking how little reliance Navigators ought to have on the accounts of the Buccaneer writers : For though in this run of hers, eighty leagues to the eaftward of Acaptdco, fhe found no place where it was pofTible for a boat to land, yet thofe writers have not been afbamed ' I Bb4 to ; 'vi '4 .6! 'mWi HI m,^ -Mi Il ( 376 ) to feign harbours and convenient watering-places within tl^fe limits, thereby expofing fuch as fhouid confide in their relations, to the rifque of being deftroyed by thirft. I mull farther add on this occafion, that when we flood near the port of Acapulco^ in order to fend our mefifage to the Governor, and to receive his anfwer, Mr. Brett took that opportunity of deli- neating a view of the entrance of the port, and of the neighbouring coaft, which added to the plan of the place formerly mentioned, may be of confiderable ufe hereafter, and is therefore exhi- bited in the thirty-fecond plate. In this plate {a) is the weft point of the harbour called the Griffo^ being in the latitude of 16^: 45'-, (he) is the Ifland bearing from the obferver N. by E, three leagues diftant ; (d) is the eaft point of the har- bour ; (e) port Marquis ; (f) Sierra di Brea \ (h) a white rock in the harbour, and (g) watch-towers. And now having received our Cutter, the fole objedl of our coming a fecond time before j^ca- pulco^ the Commodore refolved not to lofe a mo- ment's time longer, but to run off the coaft with the utmoft expedition, both as the ftormy fcafon on the coaft o{ Mexico was now approaching apace, iuid as we were apprehenfive of having the wefterly monfoon to ftruggle with when we came upon the coaft of China ; and therefore he no loi?ger ftood towards Acapulco^ as he now wanted no anfwer from the Governor ; but yet he refolved not to deprive his prifoncrs of tlie liberty, which he had proiPiifed them ; fo that they were all immediately embarked in two launches which belonged to our prizes, thofe from the Centurion in one latmch, ;^n4 thqle frQm the Gloa^efldr in the other. The <«, '.' '{ Jaqnche? laun oars able on t w^rc thed we of but We ■y ( 377 ) launches were well equipped with mafts, fails and oars ; and, left the wind might prove unfavour- able, they had a ftock of water and provifions put on board them fufficient for fourteen days. There w^re difcharged thirty-nine perfons from on board the Cenlurion, and eighteen from the Gloucefter^ the greateft part of them Spaniards^ the reft Indians and fick Negroes : But as our crews were very weak, we kept the Mulattoes and feme of the ftouteft of the Negroes, with a few Indians, to affift us ; but we difmifled every Spanijh prifoner whatever. We have fince learnt, that thefe two launches ar- rived fafe at Acapulco, where the prifoners could not enough extol the humanity with which they had been treated ; and that the Governor, before their arrival, had returned a very obliging anfwer to the Commodore's letter, and had attended it with a prefent of two boats laden with the choiceft refrefhments and provifions v/hich were to be got at Acapulco \ but that thefe boats not having found our fliips, were at length obliged to put back again, after having thrown all their provifions over-board in a ftorm which threatened their de- ftru6lion. The fending away our prifoners was our laft tranfadion on the American coaft -, for no (boner had we parted with them, than wc and the Clou- cefter made fail to the S. W. propofing to get a good offing from the land, where we hoped, in a few days, to meet with the regular trade- wind, which the accounts of former Navigators had re- prefented as much brifker and fteadier in this ocean, than in any other part of the globe : For it has been efteemed no uncommon paflfage, to run from hence to the eaftermoll parts of Afia in two months 5 and (378) and wc flattered ourfelvcs that we were as ca- pable of making an expeditious paflage, as any ihips that had ever run this courfe before us : So that we hoped foon to gain the coafl: of Cbina^ for which we were now bound. And conformabJe to the general idea of this navigation given by former Voyagers, we confidered it as free from all kinds of embarrafment of bad weather, fatigue, or fick- nefs i and confequently we undertook it with alacrity, efpecially as ic was no contemptible ftep towards our arrival at our native country, for which many of us by this time began to have great longings. Thus, on the 6th o(May, we, for the laft time, loft fight of the mountains of Mexico^ perfuaded, that in a few weeks we ihould arrive at the river of Canton in Cbim, where we expected to meet with many Englijh fliipS; and numbers of our countrymen -, and hoped to enjoy the advanta- ges of an amicable, well-frequented port, inhabit- ed by a poli(hed people, and abounding with the conveniencies and indulgencies of a civilized life ; bleflings, which now for near twenty months had never been once in our power. But there yet re- mains ( before we take our leave of Jmerica) the confideration of a matter well worthy of attention, the difcuflion of which fliall be referred to the en- fuing chapter, .,, , ... «t^.. ./ ,i .,, >,«, . V >• '.) I . , l^V - „(fc. 1 •■'. .(. ( . . .• ■ ■-■>• , « ■ t • •> ■.■.-<» ' _ '^ " ■ » ■ - - ' - ■,•.■. I 1 /"v .»i . ,-.^'.>. -i' CHAP. ( 379 ) io/ri;*G .^^vuv7C HAP. XIV. •,'..'*?*«- ^V A brief account of what might have been cx- ped:ed from our fquadron, had it arrived in j^>^^,thc South-Seas in good time. . ,. ., , ...| »;? AFTER the recital of the tranfadions of the Commodore, and the fhips under his command, on the coafts of Peru and MexicOy as contained in the preceding part of this book, it will be no ufelcfs digrelTion to exan^' : what the whole fquadron might have been capable of at- chieving, had it arrived in thofe feas in fo good a plight, as it would probably have done, had the paflage round Cape Horn been attempted in a more feafonable time of the year. This difquifition may be ferviceable to thofc who Ihall hereafter form projeds of the like nature for that part of the world, or may be entrufted with their execution. And therefore I propofe, in this chapter, to con- fider as fuccindly as I can, the numerous advan- tages which the Public might have received from the operations of the fquadron, h^d it fee fail from England a few months fooner. And firft, I muft fuppofc, that in the fummer- time we might have got round Cape Horn with an inconfiderable lofs, and without any damage to our ihips or rigging. For the Duke and Duchefs of BriJloU who between them had aloove three hundred men, buried no more than two, from the coall of Brazil to Juan Fernandes -, and out of an hundred and eighty-three hands which were on board the Duke, there were only twenty-one fick of ■■s i ii m'um ( 3So ) of the fcurvy, when they arrived at that Ifland : Whence, as men of war are much better provided with all conveniencies than privateers, we might dpubtlefs have appeared before Bcddivia in full ihength, and in a condition of entering imme- diately on ad ion; and therefore, as that place was in a very defencelefs ftate, its cannon incapable of fervice, and its garrifon in great meafure unarmed, it was impoflible that it could have oppofed our force, or that its half-ftarved inhabitants, mod of whom are convifts banifhed thither from other parts, could have had any other thoughts than that of fubmitting •, and Baldivia, which is a moft excellent port, being once taken, we fhould im- mediately have been terrible to the whole kingdom of Chili, and (hould doubtlefs have awed the moft diftant parts of the Spanijh Empire. Indeed, it is far from improbable that, by a prudent ufe of our advantages, we might have given a violent (hock to the authority of Spain on that whole Continent i and might have render'd fome, at leaft, of her provinces independent. This would doubtlefs have turned the whole attention of the Spanijh Miniftry to that part of the world, where the danger would have been fo prefling : And thence Great Britain^ and her Allies, might have been rid of the nume- rous embarrafments, which the wealth of the Spa- nijh Indies, operating in conjundlion with the Gal- liek intrigues, have conftantly thrown in her way. And that I may not be thought to over-rate the force of this fquadron, by afcribing to it a power of overturning the Spamjh Government in America^ it is ncccffary to prcmife a few obfervations on the Condition of the provinces bordering on the South- '.■■}. Seasy ( 38i ) Seas^ and on the difpofuion of the inhabitants, both Spaniards and Indians^ at that time ; by which it VviU appear, that there was great diflention a- mongft the Governors, and diiiifTddion among the Creolians ; that they were in want of arms and ftorcs, and had fallen into a total neglcdl of all military regulations in their garrifons ; and tliat as. to the Indians on their frontier, they were univer- fally difcon tented, and feemed to be watching with impatience for the favourable moment, when they might take a fcvere revenge for the barbarities they had groaned under for more than two ages ; fo that every circumftance concurred to facilitate the enterprizes of our fquadron. Of all thefc par-, ticulars we were amply informed by the k-tters we took on board our prizes, none of thefe veficls, as I remember, having had the precaution to throw her pcipers over-board. The ill blood amongft the Governors was great- ly augmented by their apprehcnfions of our Iqua^ dron ; for every one being willing to have it be^ lieved, that the bad condition of his GovernmcnD was not the eflfed: of negligence, there were conn- tinual demands and remonftninces amongn: them, in order to throw the blame upon each other. Thus, for inftance, the Prefident of St. Jago in Chili:, the Prefident of Panama, and many other Governors, and military officers, were perpetually foliciting the Viceroy of Peru to furnifli them with the necelTary fupplics of money for putting their provinces and places in a proper (late of de- fence to oppofc our dcfigF^b : But the cuftomary anfwcr of the Viceroy to thek rcprefentations was the emptincfj of the royal clicft at Lima, and the diliicukies he was under to f ipporp the cxpenccs 1 .; H • ;!? ( 382 ) of his own Government ; and in one of his letters, (which we intercepted,) he mentioned his appre- henfions that he might even be neccflitated to flop the pay of the troops and of the garrifon of Callao^ the key of the whole kingdom of Peru, Indeed he did at times remit to thefe Governors fome part of their demands ; but as what he fent them was greatly (hort of their wants, it rather tended to the raifing jealoufies and heart-burnings amongft them, than contributed to the purpofes for which it was intended. ' And befides thefe mutual janglings amongft the Governors, the whole body of the people were extremely difiatisfied ; for they were fully per- fuaded that the affairs of Spain for many years before had been managed by the influence of a particular foreign interefl, which was altogether detached from the advantages of the Spanifi Na- tion : So that the inhabitants of thefe diftant pro- vinces believed themfelves to be facrificed to an ambition, which never confidered thei** conveni- ence or interefts, or paid any regard to the repu- tation of their name, or the honour of their coun- try. That this was the temper of the Creolian Spaniards at lliat time, might be evinced from a hundred inftances ; but I fhall content myfelf with one, which is indeed conclufive : This is the tef- timony of the French Mathematicians fent into America^ to meafure the magnitude of an equa- torial degree of latitude. For in the relation of the murther of a furgeon belonging to their com- pany in one of the cities of Peru, and of che po- pular tumult occafioned thereby, written by one of thole aftronomers, the author confeffcs, that the inhabitants, during the uproar, all joined in > imprecations ( 383 ) imprecations on their bad Governors, and beftowed the mod abufive language upon the French^ deteft- ing them, in all proh^ibillty, more particularly as belonging to a nation, to whofe influence in the Spanijh Counfcls the Spaniards imputed all their naif- fortunes. ' ' And whilft the Creolian Spaniards were thus dif- fatisfied, it appears by the letters we intercepted, that the Indians^ on almoft every frontier, W'*re ripe for a revolt, and would have taken up arms on (he flighted encouragement ; in particular, the Indians in the fouthern parts of Peru \ as likewife the Ar- raucosj and the reft of the Chilian Indians, the moft powerful and terrible to the Spani/h name of any on that Continent. For it feems, that in the difputes between the Spaniards and the Indians^ which hap- pened fome time before our arrival ; the Spaniards had infulted the Indians with an account of the force, which they expedbed from Old Spain under the command of Admiral Pizarro, and had vaunt- ed that he was coming thither to compleat the great work, which had been left unfiniflied by his ancef- tors. Thefe threats alarmed the Indians^ and made them believe that their extirpation was refolved on : For the Pizarroi's being the firft conquerors 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 maflacre of their beloved Inca, Atapalipa, the extinction of their re- ligion, and the flaughter of their anceftors •, all perpetrated by the family of the Pizarrd's. The Chilian Indians too abhorred a Chief defcended from thofe, who, by their lieutenants, hud firll: at- tempted to inflave them, ard had neceflltated their Ti ibts, for more than a Century, to be continu- :...:•. ally '3 u 1 ^s \-''r.'^ ;'«.« ;(" (:..' :>'■: » '■ , I'M W4 • . 1: W. ', i' i, ■ ■ t',: .!• ^ M Jii ■ r(..(<] (384) ally wafting their blood in defence of their inde- pendency. - - And let it not be fuppofed, that among thofe b.ut3; ;^'is nations the traditions of fuch diftant tranfaftions could not be continued till the prefent times ; for all who have been acquainted with that part of the world agree, that the Indians^ in their public feafts, and annual folemnities, conftantly revive the memory of thefe tragic incidents •, and thofe who have be:n prefenc at thefe fpedacles, have obferved, that all the recitals and reprefenta- tions of this kind were received with an enthufiaftic rage, and with fuch vehement emotions, as plainly evinced how ftrongly the memory of their former wrongs was implanted in them, and how accept- able thvi means of revenge would at all times prove. To this account I muft add too, that the Spanifo Governors thcmfelves were fo fully informed of the difpofition of the Indians^ and were fo apprehen- five of a general defedlion among them, that they employed all their induftry to reconcile the moft dangerous tribes, and to prevent them, from im- mediately taking up arms: Among the rell, the Prefident of Chili in particular made large concef- fions to the Arraiuos^ and the other Chiiian Indians^ by which, and by dillributing confiderable prefents to their leading men, he at laft got them to conl'ent to a prolongation of the truce between the two na- tions. But thefe negotiations were not concluded at the time when we might have been in the South- Seas ; and had they been compleated, yet the ha- tred of thefe Indians to th.e Spaniards was fo great, that it would have been impolTible for their chiefs to have prevented their joining us. ^^ ( r* • '* ' ' ? Thus ■i: ha- lar, [efs lUS (385) Thus then it appears, that on our arrival in the Soutb-fea we might have found the whole coafl un- provided with troops, and dcftitute even of arms : For we well knew from every particular inteiii* gence, that there were not three hundred fire-arms, of which too the greateft part were matchlocks, in all the province of Chili. At the fame time, the Indians would have been ready to revolt, the Spa^ mards difpofed to mutiny, and the Governors en- raged with each other, and each prepared to rejoice at the difgrace of his antagonift ; whilft we, on the other hand, might have confided of near two thoufand men^ the greateft part in health and vi- gour, all well-armed, and united under a Chief, whofe enterprifing genius (as we have feen) could not be depreffed by a continued feries of the moll: finifter events, and whofe equable and prudent turn of temper would have remained unvaried, in the midft of the greateft degree of good fuccefs ; and who befides pofTeffed, in a diftinguilhed manner, the two qualities, the moft neceflary in thefe un- common undertakings 5 I mean, that of maintain- ing his authority, and preferving, at the fame time, the aiFeftions of his people. Our other officers too, of every rank, appear, by the experience the Public hath fince 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 conduced) in fuch a caufe, where treafure was the objed, and under fuch lead- ers, would doubtlefs have been prepared to. rival the moft celebrated atchievements hitherto performed by Britijh Mariners. It cannot then be contefted, but that Baldivia muft have furrendercd on the appearance of our ; Cc -^ ^lia- ■ %h ( 386 ) fquadron: After which, it may be prcfumed, chat the Airaitcos^ the Pulches and PenguincheSj inhabi- ting the Uinks of the river Imperial^ about twenty- five leagues to the northward of this place, would iiave immediately taken up arms, being difpofed, as hath been already related, and encouraged by the arrival of fo confiderable a force in their neigh- bourhood. As thefe Indians can bring into the field •near thirty thoufand men, the greatcft part of them horfe, their fir ft ftep would doubtlefs have been the .invading the province of Chili, which they would have found totally unprovided of ammunition and .weapons ; and as its inhabitants area luxurious and effeminate race, they would have been incapable, on fuch "an emergency, of giving any oppofition to this rugged enemy : So that it is no drained conjec- ture to imagine, that the Indians would have been foon maftcrs of the whole country. And the other Indians on the frontiers of Peru being equally dif- pofed with the Arraticos to fhake off the SpaniJJj yoke ; it is highly probable, that they likewife would have embri/:ed the occafion, and that a ge- •neral infbrreftion would have taken place through all ^t Spanijb territories in South America •, in which cafe, the only refource left to the Creolians (diflatisfied as they were with the Spanijh Govem- meht) would have been to have made the heft terms they could with their Indian neighbours, and to have withdrawn themfelves from the obedience of a Mailer, who had fhown fo little regard to their fecurity. This laft fuppofition may perhaps appear chimerical to thofe, who meafure the f)oflibility of all events by the fcanty ftandard of their own ex- perience •, but the temper of the times, and the flrong diflike of the natives to the meafures then " * ., . -> purfutrd ore- in )lians vem- beft and lence their )pear [ty of ex- the then rfued • ( 387 ) purfued by the SpauiJ/j Court, lufHciently evince ^t Jeaft its polFibilicy. But not to inlift on the prc- I'uuiption ot a general revolt, it is ruiTicienr lor our purpole to conclude, that the ylrraucos would fcarccly have failed of taking arms on our apj)ear- ance : For this alone would lb far have cmbar- raffed the enemy, that they would no longer have thought of oppofing us •, but would have turned all their care to the A'Jw;; affairs ; as they ft ill re- member, with the utmoU horror, the facking of their cities, the rifling of their convents, the capti- vity of their wives and daughters, and the defola- lion of their country by thefe refoJutc favages, in the laft war between the two nations. For it muft be remembered, that this tribe of Indians have been frequently fuccefsful againft the Spaniards^ and pof- fcfs at this time a large tradl of country, which was formerly full of Spanijh towns and villages, whofe inhabitants were all either deftroyed, or carried in- to captivity by the Arraucos and the neighbouring Indians, who, in a war againft the Spaniardsy never fail to join their forces. - - • ■"<-■ '. '.^ . But even, independent of an Indian revolt, there were but two places on all the coalt of the South- Sea, which could be luppofed capable of refifting our fquadron j thefe were the cities of Panama and Caliao : As to the . firft of thefe, its fortifications were fo decayed, and it was fo much in want of powder, that the Governor himfclf, in an inter- cepted letter, acknowledged it was incapable of be- ing defended; fo that I take it for granted, it would have given us but little trouble, efpecially if we had opened a communication acrofs the Ifth- mus- with our fleet on the other fide : And for th'i city and port of Gi//j(?, its condition was not much :^m'- ■] ' Cc 2 belter .fi ^ 'I MML Il'll if ( 388 ) better than that of Panama *, for its walls are built upon the plain ground, without either out- work or ditch before them, and confift only of very (lender feeble mafonry, without any earth behind them \ fo that a battery of five or fix pieces of cannon, raifed any where within four or five hundred paces t)f the place, would have had a full view of the whole rampart, and would have opened it in a fhort time ; and the breach hereby formed, as the walls are fo extremely thin, could not have been difficult of afcent *, for the ruins would have been but little higher than the furface of the ground ; and it would have yielded this particular advantage to the ailiiilants, that the bullets, which grazed upon it, would have driven before them fuch fhivers of brick and (lone, as would have prevented the gar- rifon from forming behind it, fuppofing that the troops employed in the defence of the place, (hould have fo far furpaflcd the ufual limits of Creolian ,bravery, as to rcfolve to (land a general a(rault : Indeed, fucha relblution cannot be imputed to them ; for the garrifon and people were in general dif- fatisfied with the Viceroy's behaviour j and were never expcdled to ad a vigorous part. The Vice- roy himfelf greatly apprehended that the Commo- dore would make him a vifit at Lima, the capitol of the kingdom of Peru ; to prevent which, if polTible, he had ordered twelve gallies to be built at Guaiaquil and other places, which were intended to oppofe the landing of our boats, and to hinder us from pufhing our men on fhore. But this was an imprafticable projedl, and proceeded on the fuppofition that our fliips, when we Ihould land our men, would keep at fuch a diftance, that thefe gallies, by drawing little water, would have been out (389) cut of the reach of their guns ; whereas the Com- modore, before he had made fuch an attempt, would doubtlefs have been poflefied of feveral prize fliips, which he would not have hefitated to have run on (hore for the protedion of his boats ; and befides there were many places on that coaft, and one in particular in the neighbourhood of CallaOy where there was good anchoring, though a great depth of water, within a cable's length of the fhore i fo that the cannon of the men of war would have fwept all the coaft to above a mile's diftance from the water's edge, and would have efFedually prevented any force from aiTembling, to oppofe the landing and forming of our men : And the place had this additional advantage, ihat it was but two leagues diftant from the city of Lima \ fo tiiat we might have been at that city within four hours after we (hould have been firft difcovered from the (hore. The place I have here in view is about two leagues South of Callao^ and juft to the northward of the head-land called, in Frezier*^ draught of that coaft, Morro Solar, Here there is feventy or eighty fa- thom of water, within two cables length of the fhore •, and the Spaniards themfelves were fo ap- prehenfive of our attempting to land there, that they had projeiSled to build a fort clofe to the wa- ter ; but there being no money in the royal chefts, they could not go on with that work, and there- fore they contented themfelves with keeping a guard of an hundred horfe there, that they migliC be fure to receive early notice of our appearance on their coaft. Indeed fome of them (as xvc are rokl) conceiving our management at fea to be as pufilla- iiimousas their own, pretended that the Com mo- f vr ^ - * fn^ 1 Cc .'t>^t v f< dore 4 i 'm IJ:i''^ f n I.' ti I ; t,; ( 390 ) • dore would never dare to bring in his fhips there for fear that in fo great a depth of wate- their anchors could not hold them. •••*'•-' - - - And here let it no: be imagined, that I am pro- ceeding upon groundlefs and extravagant prefump- tions, when I conclude, that fifteen hundred or a thoufand of our people, well conduced, fhould have been an over-match for any numbers the Spa- niards could mufter in South- America. For, not to mention the experience we had of them at Paitci and PetapLw^ it mud be remembered, that our Commodore was extremely folicitous to hafve all his men trained to the dexterous ufe'of their fire- arms ; whereas the Spamanis^ in this part of the world, were in great want of arms, and were very awkward in the management of the few they had . And though, on their repeated reprefentations, the Court of Spain had ordered feveral thoufand firelocks to be put 0)1 board Pizarro*s fquadron, yet thofe, it is evident, could not have been in America time enough to have been employed againft us ; fo that by our arms, and our readinefs in theufeof them (not to infill on the timidity and fofnefs of our enemy) we fhould in fome degree have had the fame advantages, which the Spaniards themfelves had, in the firft difcovery of this country, againit its naked and unarmed inhabitants.' ^--k.v. U:vorld, are extremely docile, and dexterous, and though they are not fit to ftruggle with the incle- mencies of a cold climate, yet in temperate feas they are moft ufeful and laborious feamen. Thus then it appears, what important revoluti- ons might have been brought about by our fqua- dron, had it departed from England as early as it ought to have done : And from hence it is eafy to conclude, what immenfe advantages might have thence accrued to the public. For, as on our fuc- cefs it would have been impoflible for the kingdom of Spain to have received any treafure from the provinces bordering on the South-Seas^ or even to have had any communication with them, it is cer- tain that the whole attention of that Monarchy mufl have been immediately employed in regaining the poffeffion of thefe ineftimable territories, either by force or compaft. By the firft of thele methods it was fcarcely pofliblc they could fucceed i for it C c 4 niuft Mi'- 11 v.'^" t ::ltt m :.r... it I ,, * ii (392) muft have been at leaft a twelve-month from our arrival, before any (hips from Sjpain could get into the South- Seas f and thofe perhaps feparated, dif- abled, and fickly ; and by that time they would have had no pprt in their poflefCon, either to ren- dezvous at, or to refit ; whilft we might have been fupplied acrofs the Ifthmus with whatever necefla- ries, ftorcs, or even men we wanted, and might thereby have maintained our fquadron in as good a plight, as when it firft fet fail from St. Helens. In fliort, it required but little prudence in the conduct 1 1 thi"= bufinefs to have rendered all the efforts of ' pain, feconded by the power of France^ ineffe- ctual, and to have maintained our conquefts in defi- ance of them both : So that they muft either have refolved to have left Great-Briiain mafters of the wealth of South-America^ (the principal fupport of all their deftrudive projcdbs) or they muft have fub- mitted to her terms, and have been contented to receive thofe provinces back again, as an equiva- lent for thefe reftriftions to their future ambition, which her prudence fhould have didated to them. Having thus difcuffed the prodigious weight which the operations of our fquadron might have added to the national influence of this kingdom, I fhall here end this fecond book, referring to the next, the paffage of the fhattered remains of our force acrofs the Pacific Ocean, and all their future tranfaftions :. till the Commodore's arrival in ^ffg'/tfW, '^'^x\^<^ \.E»dofBOOK IL »«**»^^';; : l'^ '■■■:■ '-'':-■ A VOY-- fi ( 393 ) » s tOli ':*=^vlp :;:)\ >;■ :rf It:,. I, '*" »>:;t: * #; , ^,; v^•■, ,-> - -' -V'^'-f* Y n.' *! •iT'^- 1 4 •»? V AG E •inrt;rj ROUND THE ,- .% :i., "i •. ,. Axrr v WORLD, ^c. BOOK III. . ;,-.<>. CHAP. I. The riin from the coaft of Mexico to the La^ drones or Marian Iflands. .A".i,lv • iJj i' '■ ■->- -vA'?' H' WHEN, on the 6th o{ May 1742, wo left the coaft of America, we ftood to the S. W. with a view of meeting with the N. E. trade- wind, which the accounts of former writers made us expedt at feventy or eighty leagues diftance from the land : We had befides another reafon for ftanding to the fouthward, which was the getting into the latitude of 13 or 14" North \ that being ihe parallel where the Pacific Ocean is moft ufually crofled, and confequently where the navigation is efteemed the fafeft: This laft pur- pofe we had foon anfwered, being in a day or two fufficiently advanced to the South. At the fame fV' L A 1, f ■ \t '■ ' I i ( 394 ) time we were alfo farther from the Ihore, than we had prefumed was neccflary for the falling in with the trade-wind : But in this particular we were moft grievoufly difappointed ; for tlie wind ftill conti- nued to the weflward, or at beA variable. As the getting' into the N. E. trade, Was to us a matter of the laft confequence, we flood more to the fouth- ward, and made miany experiments to meet with it ; but all our efforts were for a long time unfuc- cefsful : So that it was fevcn weeks, from our Jeaving the coaft, before we got into the true trade- wind. This was an interval, in which we believed we fhould well nigh have reached the eaftermoft parts of Jfia : But we were fo baffled with the contrary and variable winds, which for all that time perplexed us, that we were not as yet advanced above a fourth part of the way. The delay alone would have been a fufficient mortification ; but there were other circumftances attending it, which rendered this fituation not lefs terrible, and our apprehenfions perhaps ftill greater than in any of our paft dillrefles. For our two (hips were by this time extremely crazy ; and many days had not paffed, before we difcovered a fpring in the fore- maft of the Centurion, which rounded about twenty- fix inches of its circumference, and which was judged to be at leaft four inches deep : And no fooner had our Carpenters fecured this with filhing it, but the Gloucefter made a fignal of diftrefs ; and we learnt that (he had a dangerous fpring in her main-maft, twelve feet below the triiilel-trees ; fo that (he could not carry any fail upon it. Our Carpenters, on a ftrift examination of this maft, found it fo very rotten and decayed, that they judged it iKJcefTary to cut it down as low as it ap- peared (395) ' ■ ' ' ' . , * . peared to have been injured -, and by this it was re- duced to nothing but a flump, which ferved only as a ftep to the top-maft. Thefe accidents aug- mented our delay, and occafioned us great anxiety about our future fecunty : For on our Jeaving the coafl: of Mexico^ the fcurvy had begun to make its appearance again amongft our people ; though from our departure from Juan Fernandes we had till then enjoyed a moft uninterrupted (late of health. We too well knew the efFcdis of this uiieafe, from our former fatal experience, to fuppofe that any thing but a fpeedy pafTage could fecure the greater part of our crew from perifhing by it : And as, after being feven weeks at fea, there did not appear any reafons that could perluade us, we were nearer the trade-wind, than when we firft fet out ; there was no ground for us to fuppofe, but our pafTage would prove at lead three times as long as we at firft ex- pefted i and confequently we had the melancholy profpe(5l, either of dying by the fcurvy, or perifh- ing with the fhip for want of hands to navigate her. Indeed, fome amongft us were ac firft willing to believe, that in this warm climate, fo different from what we felt in pafTmg round Cape Horn^ the vio- lence of this difeafe, and its fatality, might be in fome degree mitigated j as it had not been unufual to fuppofe that its particular virulence in that paf- fage was in a great meafure owing to the feverity of the weather : But the havock of the diftemper, in our prefcnt circumftances, foon convinced us of the falfity of this fpeculation ; as it likewife ex- ploded fome other opinions, which ufually pals current about the caufe and nature of this difeafe. For it hasbeeo generally prefumed, that plenty of frefh provifions, and of water are effc<^"al pre- ventives ' if . >M >'! ( 396 ) ventives of this malady -, but happened that in the prefent inftancc we had a confiderable (lock of frefh provifions on board, as hogs and fowls, which were taken at Paila ; and we befides almoft every day caught great abundance of bonito's, dol- phins, and albicores j and the unfettled feafon, which deprived us of the benefit of the trade-wind, proved extremely rainy ; fo that we were enabled to fill up cur water calk, almoft as faft as they were empty i and each man had five pints of water allowed him every day, during the paflage. But notwithftanding this plenty of water, and that the frelh provifions were diftribuied amongft the fick, and the whole crew often fed upon fifti, yet neither were the fick hereby relieved, nor the progrefs and advancement of the difeafe retarded : Nor was it in thefe inftances only that we found ourfelves dilap- pointed i for though it has been ufually efteemed a neceflary piece of management to keep all fhips, where the crews are large, as clean and airy be- tween decks as poflible ; and it hath been believed by many, that t^:is particular, if well attended to, would prevent the appearance of the fcurvy, or at leaft, mitigate its effedls j yet we obferved, during the latter part of our run, that though we kept all our ports open, and took uncommon pains in cleanfing and fweetning the fliips, yet neither the progrefs, nor the virulence of the difeafe were |;h.erebyfenfibly abated. .:, : ■;., ,^ However, I woulf . not be underftood to aflert, that frelh provifions, plenty of water, and a conftant fre/h fupply of fweet air between decks, are matters of no moment : I am, on the contrary, well fatisfied, that they are all of them articles of great importance, ' and 'l.*ir »**' ■ . !i t-h: ( 398 ) tally ineflfeflual, and did not in the lead avail his patients : On which it was rcfolved by the Com- modore to try the efFcds of two medicines, which, juft before his departure from England^ were the fubjedl of much difcourfe, I mean the pill and drop of Mr. Ward. For however violent the efFe<5ls of thefe medicines are faid to have fometimes proved, yet in the prefent inflance, where dcftrudion feemcd inevitable without fome remedy, the experiment at leaft was thought advifeable: And therefore, one or both of them, at different times, were given to perfons in every ftage of the diftcmper. Out of the numbers that took them, one, foon after fwal- lowing the pill, was feized with a violent bleeding at the nofe : He was before given over by the fur- geon, and lay almoft at the point of death ; but he immediately found himfelf much better, and con- tinued to recover, though (lowly, till we arrived on fhore, which was near a fortnight after. A few others too were relieved for fome days, but the difeafe returned again with as much violence as ever ; though neither did thefe, nor the reft, who received no benefit, appear to be reduced to a worfe condition than they would have been if they had taken nothing. The mo ft remarkable property of thefe medicines, and what was obvious in almoft every one that took them, was, that they operated in proportion to the vigour of the patient ; fo that thofe that were within two or three days of dying were fcarcely affeded \ and as the patient was dif- ferently advanced in the difeafe, the operation was cither a gentle perfpiration, an eafy vomit, or a moderate purge : But if they were taken by one in full ftrength, they then produced all the before- mentioned effeds with confiderable violence, which fome- pro I our had wer mis ing wee the e^ ( 399 ) fomedmes continued for fix or eight hours toge- ther, with little interminion. But to return tp the profecution of our voyage. I have already obfervcd, that, a few days after our running off tie coaft of Mexico^ the Glouceftet had her main makl cut down to a {lump> and we were obliged to fifh our forc-maft ; and that thcfe misfortunes were greatly aggravated, by our meet- ing with contrary and variable winds for near feven weeks. I (hall now add, that when we reached the trade- wind, and it fettled between the North and the Eaft, yet it feldom blew with fo much ftrength, but the Centurion might have carried all her fmall fails abroad with the greateft fafety ; fo that now, had we been a fingle (hip, we might have run down our longitude apace, and have reached the Ladrones foon enough to have recov fr- ed great numbers of our men, who afterwards perilhed. But the Gloucefter, by the lofs of her main-maft, failed fo very heavily, that we had feldom any more than our top-fails fet, and yet . were frequently obliged to lie too for her : And, 1 conceive, that in the whole we loft little le(s than a month by our attendance upon her, in con- fequence of the various mifchances (he encounter- ed. In all this run it was remarkable, that we were rarely many days together, without feeing great numbers oi birds; which is a proof that there are many iflands, or at Icaft rocks, fcattered all along, at no very confiderabJe diftance from our track. Some indeed there are marked in the Spanijh chart, hereafter infer ted ; but the frequency of the birds feem to evince, that there are many more than have been hitherto difcovered : For the greatell part of the birds, we obferved, were fuch as III *i 11"! *ii^ ( 400 ) as are known to rooft on (hore ; and the manner of their appearance fufficiently made out, they they came from fome diftant haunt every mornings and returned thither again in the evening; for we never faw them early or late; and the hour of their arrival and departure gradually varied, which we fuppofed was occafioned by our running nearer their haunts, or getting farther from them. The trade-wind continued to favour us without any fluduation, from the end of June till towards the end of July, But on the i6th of July^ being then, as we efteemed, about three hundred leagues diftant from the Ladrones^ vre met with a wefterly wind, which did not; come about again to the caftward in four days time. This was a moft di- fpiriting incident, as it at once damped ail our hopes of fpeedy relief, efpecially too as it was at- tended with a vexatious accident to the GlouceJIer: For in orie part of thefe four days the wind flat- ted to a calm, and the (hips rolled very deep; by which means the Gloucefter*% forecap fplit, and her topmaft came by the board, and broke her fore-yard direcStly in the (lings. As ihe was here- by rendered incapable of making any fail for fome time, we were obliged, as foon as a gale fprung up, to take her in tow ; and near twenty of the heakhieft and ableft of our fcamen were taken from the bufinefs of our own (hip, and were employed for eight or ten days together on board the GloU' cefier in repairing her damages : Bui thefe things, mortifying, as we thought them, were but the beginning of our difafters ; for fcarce had our people finifhed their bufinefs in the Gloucefter^ be- fore we met with a moft violent ftorm in the weftern board, which obliged us to lie to. In the ( 40* ) the beginning of this ftorm our fhip fprung a leak, and let in fo much water, that all our people, officers incluued, were employed continually in working the pumps : And the next day we had the vexation to fee the Gloucejler^ with her top- maft once more by the board ; and whilft we were viewing her with great concern for this new di- ftrefs, we faw her main-top maft, which had hi- therto ferved as a jury main- maft, fliare die fame fete. This compleated oui- misfortunes, and ren- dered them without refource ; for we knew the Glfiucejier^s crew were fo few and feeble, that with- out our afTiftance they could not be relieved : And ouf fick were now fo far encreafed, and thofe that remained in health fo continually fatigued with the additi^^nal duty of our pumps, that it was im- poffible for us to lend them any aid. Indeed we were not as yet fully apprized of the deplorable fituation of the Gloucefter^s crew ; for when the ftorm abated, (which during its continuance pre- vented all communication with them) the Gloucejier bore up under our ftern ; and Captain Michel in- formed the Commodore, that befides the lofs of his mafts, which was ail that had appeared to us, the fhip had then no lefs than feven feet of water in her hold, although his officers and men had been kept conftantJy at the pump for the laft twenty-four hours. '' ' • ;.r^ .; .. ^ This laft circumftance was indeed a moft ter- rible accumulation to the other extraordinary di- ftreflesofthe Gloucejier, and required, if pofTibJe, the moft fpeedy and vigorous afTiftance i which Captain Mitcbel begged the Commodore to fend him: But the debility of our people, and our owa immediate prefervation, rendered it impof- .1 i> 11' ( 402 ) fible for the Commodore to comply with his re- quell. All that could be done was to fend our boat on board for a more particular condition of the fhip •, and it was foon fufpeded that the taking her people on board us, and then deftroying her, was the only meafure that could be profecuted in the profent emergency, both for the fecurity of their lives and of our own. ■ -i ' Our boat fbon returned with a reprefentation of the ftate of the Glouceftery and of her feverai dc- fcds, figned by Captain Mitcbel and all his offi- cers ; by which it appeared, chat fhe had fprung a leak by the flern-poft being loofe, and working with every roil of the fhip, and bv two beams a midfhips being broken in the orlope ; no part of which the Carpenters reported was pofliblc to be repaired at fea : That both officers and men had worked twenty-four hours at the pump without intermiffion, and were at length io fatigued, that they could continue their labour no longjer i but had been forced to defift, with feven feet of water in the hold, which covered their calk, fo that they could neither come at frefh water, nor pro- vifion : That they had no maft (landing, except the fore-maft, the mizen-maft, and the mizen top- maft, nor had they any ipare malts to g"t up in the room of thofe they had loll : That the fhip was befides extremely decayed in every part, for her knees and clamps were all worked quite loofe, and her upper works in general were fo loofe, 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 feventy- feven men, eighteen boys, and two prifoners, of- ficers included} and that of this. whole number, ' >. wj . only ( 4«>3 ) only fixteen men, and eleven boys were capable of keeping the deck, and fevcral of thefe very infirm. — '' "^'^^ •»*^' ^~^' The Commodore, on theperiifal of this melan- choly repreicntation, preftntly ordered them a fupply of water and provifions, of which they f43emed to be in immediate want, and at the fame time fent his own Carpenter on board them, to examine into the iruth of every particular *, and it being found, on the ftrideft enquiry, that the preceding account was in no inftance exaggerated, it plainly appeared, that there was no pofTibility of preferving the Gloucefter any longer, as her leaks were irreparable, and the united hands on board both (hips, capable of working, would not be able to free her, even if our own (hip fliould not employ any part of them. What then coiild be refolved on, when it was the utmoll we our- felves could do to manage our own pumps ? In- deed there was no room for deliberation •, the only ftcp to be taken was, the faving the lives of the few that remained on board the Gloucefter^ and getting out of her as much as was poflible before (he was deftroyed. And therefore the Commodore immediately fent an order to Captain MitcheU as the weather was now calm and favourable, to lend his people on board the Centurion as expeditioufly as he could •, and to take out fuch (lores as he could get at, whilft the (hip could be kept above water. And as our leak required lefs attention, whiKt the prefent eafy weather continued, we fent our boats, with as many men as we could fpaie, to Captain Michel'5 a(riftance. The removing the Gloucefter* s people on board us, and the getting out fuch (lores as could moft eafily D d 2 b* m i '^m i\j. ^ ^i'"k • .1 ;' i it ( 404 ) be come at, gave us full employment for two days. Mr. j^nfon was extremely defirous to have gotten two of her cables and an anchor, but the fhip rolled fo much, and the Men were fo excef- fively fatigued, that they were incapable of efFed- ing it i nay, it was even with the greateft difficulty that the prize-money, which the Gloucefter had tijken in the Soutb-Seasy was fecured, and fent on board the Centurion : However, the prize-goods on board her, which amounted to feveral thou- fand pounds in value, and were principally the Centuriorf^ property, were entirely loft *, nor could any more provifion be got out than five ca(k of flower, three '^f which were fpoiled by the fait- water. Their fick men amounting to near feven- ty, were removed into boats with as much care as the circumftances of that time would permit ; but three or four cf them expired as they were hoifting them into the Centurion.^r^*^^^ At^/rv^r:j^;;^,r:^;„ It was the 15th oiAuguft^ in the evening, before the Gloucefter was cleared of every thing that was propofed to be removed j and though the hold was now almoft full of water, yet, as the Carpen- ters were of opinion that Ihe might ftill fwim for fome time, if the calm (hould continue, and the water become fmooth, Ihe was fet on fire ; for we knew not how near we might be to the Ifland of Guam^ which was in the pofTeflion of our ene- mies, and the wreck of fuch a (hip would have been to them no contemptible acquifition. When flie was fet on fire. Captain Mitchel and his officers left her, and came on board the Centurion: And we immediately ftood from the wreck, not with- out fome apprchenfions (as we had now only a light breeze) that if flie blew up foon, the con- culTion kt. ■»: i0t- ( 4^5 ) cufTion of the air might damage our rigging •, but fhe fortunately burnt, though very fiercely, the whole night, her guns firing fucceffively, as the flames reached them. And it was fix in the morn- ing, when we were about four leagues diftant, be- fore fhe blew up •, the report (he made upon this occafion was but a fmadl one, but there was an exceeding black pillar of fmoke, which fhot up into the air to a very confiderable height. Thus perifhed his Majcfty's fhip the Gloucejler, And now it might have been expefted, that being freed from the embarrafn[ients which her frequent difafters had involved us in, we might proceed on our way much brilker than we had hitherto done, efpecially as we had received fome fmall addition to our ftrength, by the taking on board the Gloucefter*s crew 5 but our anxieties were not yet to be relieved ; for, notwithftanding all that we had hitherto fufiered, there remained much greater diftrefles, which we were ftill to itruggle with. For the late dorm, which had proved fo fatal to the Gloucefter, had driven us to the north- ward of our intended coiirfe ; and the current fet- ting the fame way, after the weather abated, had forced us ftill a degree or two farther, fo that we were now in 17^ i of North latitude, inftead of being in 13*^ t- which was the parallel we pro- pofed to keep, in order to reach the Ifland of Guam : And as it had been a perfciSt cahii for fome days fince the ceflation of the ftorin, and we were ignorant how near we were to the meri- dian of the Ladronesy and fuppofed ourfelves not to be far from it, we apprehended that we might be driven to the leeward of them by the currents without difcovcring them; In this cafe, the «>n!v D d 3 land ■- 'r ir I ■A '• i.-'H >''i'| i'.-W ,' :* Jfii i ('4^ ) hnd we could make would be Comt of the eaftern parts of Jfta, where, if we could arrive, v/e fhould find the weftern monfoon in its full force, fo that it would be impoflible for the ftouteft beft-manncd fhip to get in. And this coaft being removed be- tween four and five hundred leagues farther, we, in our languifhing circumftances, could expe^S: no other than to be deftroyed by the fcurvy, long be- fore the mod favourable gale could carry us to fuch a diftance: For our deaths were now ex- tremely alarming, no day pafling in which we did not bury eight or ten, and lometimes twelve of our men •, and thofe who had hitherto continued healthy, began to fall down apace. Indeed we made the bed ufe we could of the prcfent calm, by employing our Carpenters in fearching after the leak, which was now confiderable, notwith- ftanding the little wind we had : The Carpenters at length difcovercd it to be in the Gunner's fore flore-room, where the water niflicd in uqder the breaft-hook, on each fide of the ftem ; but though they found where it was, they agreed that it was impoflible to ftop it, till we fhould get into port^ and till they could come at it on the outfide: However, they did the bed they could within board, and were fortunate enough to reduce it, which was a confiderable relief to us. ^ . in ^mi We had hitherto confidered the calm which fuc- ceeded the dorm, and which continued for fome days, as a very great misfortune •, fince the cur- rents were driving us to the northward of our parallel, and \vr thereby rifqued the miffing of the hadrcnes., which we now conceived ourfclves to be very near. But when a gale fprung up, our con- dition was dill worfe 5 for it blew froir, the S. W , ...:- . ■ ■' '- ^ni (4V ) V , and confequentljr was direftly oppofed to the courfc we wanted to fteer : And though it foon veered CO the N. E, yet thii ferv^J only to tantalize us, for it returned back again in a very fhort time to its old quarter. However, on the 2 2d oi Augttji^ we had the fatisfadion to find that the current was fhifted ; and had fet us to the Southward : And the 23d, at day-break, we were cheered with the difcovery of two iflands in the weftern board : This gave us all great joy, and railed our drooping fpirits ; for before this an univerfal dejedion had feized us, and we ahnoft defpaired of ever feeing land again : The neareft of thefe Iflands we after- wards found to be Analacan \ we judged it to be full fifteen leagues from us, and it feetned to be high land, though of an indifferent length : The other was the Ifland of Serigan \ and had rather the appearance of a high rock, than a place we could hope to anchor at. The Viewofthele Iflands is infertcd at the top of the thirty-third plate. We wci-e extremely impatient to get in with the neareft Ifland, where we expecfled to meet with anchoring-ground, and an opportunity of refrefli- Ing our fick ; But the wind proved fo variable all day, and there was fo little of it, that we advanced towards it but flowly -, however, by the next morning we were got fo far to the weftward, that we were in view of a third Ifland, which was that of Paxaros, though marked in the chart only as a rock. This was fmall and very low land, and we had paflfed within lefs than a mile or it, in the night, without feeing it : And now at noon, be- ing within four miles of the Ifland of Jnatacan^ the boat was fent away t6 examine the anchor ii.g- ground aiKl the produce of the piace i and we D d 4 werp .,:ff % %m \- : I 'N'f -M U :,, ' '= :t| ' tj. ».-j'i { 4o8J • were not a little folicitous for her return, as we then conceived our fate to depend upon the re- , port we (hould receive : For, the other two Iflands were obvioufly enough incapable of furnilhing us with any afliftance, and we knew not then that there were any others which we could reach. In the evening the boat came back, and the crew in- formed us that there was no place for a (hip to anchor, the bottom being every where foul ground, and all, except one fmall fpot, not lefs than fifty fathom in depth *, that on that fpot there was thirty fathom, though not above half a mile from the Ihore ; and that the bank was deep too, and could not be depended on : They farther told us, that they had landed on the IQand, but with fome dif- ficulty, on account of the greatnefs of the fwell ; that they found the ground was every where cover- ed with a kind of cane, or rulh ; but that they met with no water, 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 impoflibility of anchoring at this Ifland, occafioned a general melancholy on board ; for we confidered it as little lefs than the prelude to our deftruftion ; and our defpondency was encreafed by a difappointment we met with g the fucceeding night -, for, as we were plying ' under top-fails, with an intention of getting nearer ,.:. to the Ifland, and of fending our boat on fliore to load with coco-nuts, for the refieftiment ofourfick, the wind proved fqually, and blew fo ftrong off fhore, that we were driven fo far to the Southward, Xi< that we dared not to fend off our boat. And now^i-'" the only poflTible circumftance that could fecure^^v^ the few which remained alive ^xom perilbiqg, wasp! . d;e we (409 ) the accidental falling in with fome ether of the Ladrone Iflands, better prepared for our accommo- dation; and as our knowledge of thefe Iflands was extremely imperfed, we were to truft entirely to chance for our guidance ; only as they are all of them ufually laid down near the fame meridian, and we had conceived thofe we had already fcen to be part of them, we concluded to (land to tlie fouth- ward, as the mod probable means of falling in with the next. Thus, with the moft gloomy perfua- fion of our approaching d^ftruftion, we flood from the Ifland of Anatacan^ having all of us the flrong- cft apprehenfions (and thofe not ill founded) either of dying of the fcurvy, or of perifhing with the fhip, which for want of hands to work her pumps, might in a fhort time be expedled to founder. IP" k jr it; to 111 e- -• .**- le ■ :'-.J -,•.,( r..': '*• ' ^:^/• ■ ■ . -yr ■ V >;■•/{ -^' litli. ...w'; ^^:t CHAP. II. ^ . ..V J<.^ .' Our arrival at Tinian^ and an account of the Ifland, and of our proceedings there, till the Centurion drove out to fea. : l4.' i .' I 1 1 -.■ t , !""':"*■ IT was the 26th of Augufl 1742, in the morn- ing, when we loft fight of -^«^/jr^«. The next morning we difcovered three other Iflands to the ' caftward, which were from ten to fourteen leagues from us. Thefe were, as we afterwards learnt, the Iflands of Saypan^ Ttnian^ and Aguigan, We immediately ftcered towards Tinian, which was the middlemoft of the three, but had fo much of calms and light ^*rs, that though we were helped forwiU'ds by the currents, yet next day, at day-break, we ', ■ ■ 'VS.3-V;. 1 i % ^r tii) we were at Iea(t five leagues diftant from it. How- ever, we kept On Our courfe, and about ten in the morning we perceived a proa under fail to the fouthward, between Tinhn and Jguigan, As we imagined from hence that thefe Iflands were inha- bited, and knev/ that the Spaniards had always a force at Guam, wc took the neceflary precautions for our own fecurity, and for preventing the eneniy from taking advantage of our prefcnt wretched circumftances, of whl ^H they would be fufficiently informed by the manner of our working the (hip ; we therefore muftercd all our hands, who were capable of (landing to their arms, and loaded our upper and quarter-deck guns with grape- fhot *, and that we might the more readily procure forae intt. Jigence of the (late of thefe Iflands, we fhowed Spanijh colours, and hoifted a red flag at the fore top mad- head, to give our fiiip tlie appearanre of the Manila galeon, hoping thereby to decoy fome of the inhabitants on board us. Thus prcpui ing ourfelves, and (landing towards the Ji^nd- we were near enough, at three in the afternoon, to fend the Cutter on fliore, to find out a proper birth for the (hip 9 and we foon perceived that a proa came off the (hore to meet the Cutter, fully perfuaded, as we afterwards found, that we were the Manila fhjp. As we faw the Cutter returning back with the proa in tow, we immediately fent the Pinnace to receive the proa and the prifoners, and to bring them on board, that the Cutter might proceed on her errand, The Pinnace came back with a Spaniard and four Indians^ which were the people taken in the proa. The Spaniard was immediately examined as to the produce and circumftances of this Idand of Ttnian^ ^d his account of it furpaiTed even our moil fan- guine gnirte hopes', for he informed iM that if- was unin* habited, which, in our prefcnt defenceleft condi- tion, was ar> advantage not to be defpifed, efpeci- ally as it wanted but few of the conveniencies that could be expected in the moft cultivated country ; for he affured us, that there was great plenty of very good water, and that there were an incredible num- ber of cattle, hogs, and poultry running wild on the Ifland, all of them excellent in their kind ; that the woods produced fweet and four oranges, limes, lemons and coco nuts in great plenty, bcfides a fruit peculiar to thele Iflands (called by Dampiei, Bread-fruit ) v that from the quantity and goodnefs of the provifions produced here, the Spaniards at Guam made ufe of it as a ftore for fupplying the gar- rifon •, that he himfelf was a Serjeant of that garri- fon, 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 ky at an- chor near the (hore. '»» • »<♦ ^ -'f ii'^s'.'r' t; «^fln **<: ' i This account was received by us with inexpreffi- ble joy : Part of it we were ourfelves able to verify on the fpot, as we were by this time near enough to difcover feveral numerous herds of cattle feeding in different places of the Ifland •, and we did not any ways doubt the reft of his relation, as the ap- pearance of the lliore prejudiced us greatly in its favour, and made us hope, that not only our necef- jities might be there fully relieved, and our difeaf- ed recovered, but that, amidft thofe pleafing Icenes which were then in view, we might procure ou!- fclves fome amufement and relaxation, after the numerous fatigues we had undergone •, For the prof- pecb of the country did by no means refemble that (tf an uninhabited and iincultivated place, but had much xn. . ''J "11 • ■ \} \V i-r:*! ■■»Hf . .11. P'Vi ^'"^ =^^ ^ '-■- ■« -^•^'^■' •'-- -^^ • This Ifland lies in the latitude 50*^ ; 8' North, and longitude from Aca^ulco 114^^: 50' Weft. Its .; \ length. lis (4i5) length is about twelve miles, and its breadth about half as much ; it extending from the S. S. W. to N. N. E. The foil is every where dry and healthy, and fomewhat fandy, which being Icfs difpofed than other foils to a rank and over luxuriant vegetation, occafions the meadows and the bottoms of the woods to be much neater and fmoodier than is cuf- tomary in hot climates. The land rifes by eafy flopes, from the very beach where we watered to the middle of the lAand *, though the general courfe of its afceot is often interrupted and traverfcd by gentle defcents and vallies; and the inequalities that are formed by the different combinations of thefe gradual fwellings of the ground, are mod beautifully diverfified with large lawns, which are covered with a very fine trefoil, intermixed with a variety of flowers, and are ikirted by woods of tall and well-fpread trees, moil of them celebrated ei- ther for their afpc6t or their fruit. The turf of the lawns is quite clean and even, and the bottoms of the woods in many places clear of all bu(hes and underwoods y and the woods themfelves ufually terminate on the lawns with a regular outline, not broken, nor confufed with ftraggling trees, but ap- pearing as uniform, as if laid out by art. Hence arofe a grea^ variety of the moft elegant and enter- taining profpedis lormed by the mixture of thefe woods and lawns, and their various interfedions with each other, as they fprcad themfelves different- ly through the vallies, and over the flopes and de- clivities with which die place abouixls. The fortu- nate animals too, which for the greatefl: part of the year are the loie lords of this happy foil, partake in fome meafure o^' the romantic caft of the Ifland, and are no fmall addition to its won lerful fcenary : For the ■'!• V-r- 5 (4i6) the cattle, of which it is not uncommon to fee herds of feme thoufands feeding together in a Jarge mea- dow, are certainly the mod remarkable in the world ; for they are all of them milk-white, except their ears, which are generally black. And though there are no inhabitants here, yet the clamour and frequent parading of domeftic poultry, which range the woods in great numbers, perpetually excite the ideas of the neighbourhood of farms and villages, and greatly contribute to the chearfulnefs and beau- ty of the place. The cattle on the Ifland we com- puted were at leaft ten thoufand ; and we had no difficulty in getting near them, as they were not fhy of us. Our firft method of killing them was ihooting them ; but at laft, when, by accidents to be hereafter recited, we were obliged to hujfband our ammunition, our men ran them down with eafe. Their flefh was extremely well tailed , 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 fcarce fly 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 could at all times furnifli ourfelves with whatever number we wanted. Befides the cattle and the poultry, we found here abundance of wild hogs : Thefe were moft excellent food 5 but as they were a very fierce animal, we were obliged cither to Ihoot them, or to hunt them with large dogs, which we found upon the place at our landing, and which belonged to the detachment which was then upon the Ifland amafllng provifions for the garrifon of Guam, As thefe dogs had been purpofely trained ( 4«7 ) to the killing of the wild hogs, they followed US very readily, and hunted for us ; but tho' they were a large bold breed, the hogs fought with fo much fury, that they frequently deftroyed them, fo that we by degrees loft the greateft part of them. ^ But this place was not only extremely grateful to us from the plenty and excellency of its frefh provifions, but was as much perhaps to be admired for its fruits and vegetable produdtions, which were moft fortunately adapted to the cure of the fea fcur- vy, which had fo terribly reduced us. For in the woods there were inconceivable quantities of Coco- nuts, with the cabbages growing on tlie fame tree : There were befide, guavoes, limes, fweet and four oranges, and a kind of fruit, peculiar to thefe Iflands, called by the Indians, Rima, but by us the Bread-Fruit, for it was conftantly eaten by us dur- ing our ftay upon the IQand inftead of bread, and fo univerfally preferred to it, that no fhip's bread was expended during that whole interval. It grew upon a tree which is fomewhat lofty, and which, towards the top, divides into large and fpreading branches. The leaves of this tree are of a remark- able deep green, are notchp^d about tlie edges, and are generally from a foot to eighteen inches in length. The fruit itfelf grows indifferently on all parts of the branches ; it is in fhape rather eliptical than round, is covered with a rough rind, and is ufually feven or eight inclies long ; each of tliem grows fingly and not in clufters. This fruit is fitteft to be ufed, when it is full grown, but is ftill green ; in which ftate, its tafte has fome diftant referpblance to that of an artichoke bottom, and its texture is not very different, for it is foft and fpungy, As ic ripens it grows fofter and of a yellow colour, and £ e thea (1 • i li n , I ■ '■?■''' t . f ^, •'i^ % • ■m m ( 4i8 ) then contrafts a lufcious tafte, and an agreeable fmell, not unlike a ripe peach ; but then it is ef- teemed unwholefome, and is faid to produce fluxes, in the view of the watering place, (Plate XXXIV) there is drawn one of the trees bean ig this fruit, it being that marked with the letter (c), Befides the fruits already enumerated, there were many other vegetables extremely conducive to the cure of the malady we had long laboured under, fuch as water- melons, dandelion, creeping purflain, mint, fcurvy- grafs, and forreU all which, together with the frefh meats of the place, we devoured with great eagernefs, prompted thereto by the ftrong inclina- tion, which nature never fails of exciting in fcor- butic diforders for the powerful fpecifics. It will eafily be conceived from what hath been already faid, that our cheer upon this Ifland was in feme degree luxurious, but I have not yet recited all the varieties of provifion which we here indulg- ed in. Indeed we thought it prudent totally to abflain from fifh, the few we caught at our firft ar- rival having furfeited thofe who eat of them ; but confidering how much we had been inured to that ipecies of food, we did not regard this circum- ilance as a difadvantage, efpecially as the defeat was fo amply fupplied by the beef, pork and fowls already mentioned, and by great plenty of wild fowl; fori muft obferve, that near the center of the Ifland there were two confiderable pieces of frefh water, which abounded with duck, teal, and curlew : Not to mention the whiftling plover, which we found there in prodigious plenty. ■ And now perhaps it may be wondered at, that an Ifland, fo exquifiteiy furnifhed with the convenien- cies of life, and fo well adapted, not only to the fubliflence. lild of of nd ich C419) fiibfiftence, biit likewife to the enjoyment of man- kind, fhould be entirely deftitute of inhabitants, efpecially as it is in the neighbourhood of other Iflands, which in fome meafure depend upon this for their fuppori. To obviate thii difficulty, I muft obferve, that it is not fifty years fince the Ifland was depopulated. The Indians we had in our cuflody affured us, that formerly the three Iflands of Tman, Rota and Guanty were all full of inhabitants •, and that Tinian alone contained thirty thoufand fouls : But a ficknefs raging amongfl thefe Iflands, which defl:royed multitudes of the people, the Spaniards, to recruit their numbers at Guam, which were greatly diminiflied by this mor- tality, ordered all the inhabitants of 57»/^w thither ; where, languifliing for their former habitations, and their cuflomary method of life, the greateft part of them in a few years died of grief. Indeed, independent of tliat attachment which all mankind have ever fhown to the places of their birth and bringing up, it fliould feem, from what has been already faid, that there were few countries more worthy to be regretted than this of Tinian. Thefe poor Indians might reafonably have ex- pelled, at the great diflance from Spain, 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 fcems their remote fituation could not proted them from fharing in the common defl:ru6lion of the weftern world, all the advantage they received from their dillance being only to perifli an age or tv/o later. It may perhaps be doubted, if the number of the inhabitants of Tinian, who were baniflied to Guam^ and who died there pining for their native home, E e a was "I .k -t'. I If (-.♦ ... . Kl !l I ( 420 ) tras fo great, as what we have related above *, but, not to mention the concurrent affertion of our pri- foners, and the commodioufnefs of the Ifland, and its great fertiUty, 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 ufually confift of two fows of fquare pyramidal pillars, each pillar being about fix feet from the next, and the diftance be- tween the rows being about twelve feet -, the pil- lars 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- globe is folid, being compofed of fand and ftone cemented together, and plaiflered over. This odd fabric will be better underflood, by infpedling the view of the watering place already referred to, where an aflemblage of thefe pillars is drawn, and is denoted by the letter (a). If the account our prifoners gave us of thefe ftrudlures was true, the Ifland muft indeed have been extremely populous ; for they aflured us, that they were the foundations of particular buildings fet apart for thofe Indians only, who had engaged in fome religious vow; and monaft:ic infl:itutions are often to be met with in many Pagan nations. However, if thefe ruins Were originally the bafls of the common dwelling- houfcs of the natives, their numbers mufl: have been confiderable •, for in many parts of the ifland they arc extremely thick planted, and fujfHciently. evince the great plenty of former inhabitants. But to re- turn tortile prefent ftate of the Ifland. Having ( 421 ) Having mentioned the convenlencies of thi3 place, the excellency and quantity of its fruits and provifions, the neatnefs of its lawns, the ftatelinefs, frelhnefs, and fragrance of its woods, the happy inequality of its furface, and the variety and ele- gance of the views it afforded, I muil now obferve that all thefe advantages were greatly enhanced by the healthinefs of its climate, by the almoft con- ftant breezes which prevail there, and by the fre- quent fhowers which fall, and which, though of a very fhort and almoft momentary duration, are ex- tremely grateful and refrelliing, and are perhaps one caufe of the falubrity of the air, and of the ex- traordinary influence it was obferved to have upon us, in increafing and invigorating our appetites and digeftion. This was fo remarkable, that thofe amongft our officers, who were at all otlier times fpare and 4:€mperate eaters, who, hefides a flight breakfaft, made but one moderate repaft a day, were here, in appearance, transformed into glut- tons ; for infteadof one r^afonabk flefli-meal, they were now fcarcely fatisfied with three, and each of them fo prodigious in quantity, as would at ano» ther time have produced a fever or a furfeit : And yet our digeftion fo well correfponded with the keenefs of our appetites, that we were neither dif^ ordered nor even loaded by this repletion ; for after having, according to the cuftom of the Ifland, made a large beef breakflift, it was not long before we began to confider the approach of dinner as a very defirable, though fomewhat tardy incident. And now having been thus large in my enco- miums on this Ifland, in which however, I con* ceive, I have not done it juftice, it is neceflTary I Ee 3 ihould J. ■>. t.-i- :f ' m i^^B, ( 422 ) fliould rpeak of tliofe circumftances In which' it is detedlive, whether in point of beauty or utility. And firft, with refpedl to its water, I muft ovrn, that before I had {een this fpot, I did not conceive that the abfence of running water, of which it is entirely deftitute, could have been fo well replaced by any other means, as it is in this Ifland J for though there are no dreams, yet the water of the wells and fprings, which are to be met with every where near the furface, is extremely good ; and in the midfl of the Ifland there are two or three confiderable pieces of excellent water, whofe edges are as neat and even, as if they had been bafons purpofely made for tlie decoration of the place. It muft however be contefled, that with regard to the beauty of the profpedts, tiie want of rills and dreams is a very great defe6ty not to be compenfated either by large pieces of ftanding wa- ter, or by the neiglibourhood of the fea, though that, by reafon of the fmallnefs of the ifland, generally makes a part of every extenfive view. As to the refidencc upon the Ifland, the princi- pal inconvenience attending it is the vaft numbers of mufcatos, and various other fpecies of flies, to- gether with an infedl called a tick, which, though principally attached to the cattle, would yet fre- quently fafl:en upon our limbs and bodies, and if not perceived and removed in time, would bury its head under the (kin, and raife a painful inflam- mation. We found here too centipeds and fcor- pions, which we fuppofed were venemous, but none of us ever received any injury from them. But the mod important and formidable excep- tion to this place remains dill to be told. This is (he inconvenience of the road, and the little fecu- rity IS lis IS ecu- ( 423 ) rity there is at fome feafons for a fliip at anchor. The only proper anchoring place for fhips of bur- then is at the S. W. end of the IH ind. As a direc- tion for readily finding it, there is in the thirty-fifth plate a very pxcurate view of the S. W. fide of the Ifland, were (a) is the peak of Saypan^ feen over the northern part of Tinian^ and bearing N. N. E. 7 E. And (b) is the anchoring place, diftant eight miles from the obferver. And as an additional af- fiftance, there is alfo added in the thirty-fixth plate a near view of the anchoring place itfelf, which reprefents it fo exadly, that none hereafter can pof- fibly miftake it. In this place the Centurion an- chored in twenty and twenty-two fathom water, oppofite to a fandy bay^ and about a mile and aa half diftant from the Ihore. The bottom of this road is full of fharp-pointed coral rocks, which, during four months of the year, that is, from the middle Otijune to the middle of 05iober^ renders it a very unfafe place to lie at. This is the feafon of the weftern monfoons, when near the full and change of the moon, but more particularly at the change, the wind is ufually variable all round the compafs, and feldom fails to blow with fuch fury^ that the ftouteft cables are not to be confided in ; what adds to the danger at thefe times, is the ex- ceflTive rapidity of the tide of flood which fets to the S. E. between this ifland and i:hat of Aguiguant a fmall Ifland near the fouthern extremity ofTiman^ which is reprefented in the general chart, hereafter inferted, only by a dot. This tide runs at firft with a vaft head and overfall of water, and occa- fions fuch a hollow and overgrown fea, as is fcarce- ly to be conceived •, fo that (as will be hereafter more particularly mentioned) we were under the , ^ . - --- - ' Ee4 drcad- X 111 ( 424 ) dreadful apprchcnfion of being pooped by it, though we were in a (ixty gun fhip. In the remaining eight months of the year, that is, from the middle 6f O^oher to the middle dijune^ there is a conftanc feafon of fettled weather, when, if the cables are but ^vell armed, there is fcarcely any danger of their being fo much as rubbed : So that during all that iirerval, it is as fecure a road as could be liviilicd for. I fhall only add, that the anchoring b>n;. :S very flielving, and ftretchcs along the S. W. tiid of .^e iQand, and that it is entirely free from fhoals, except a reef of rocks which is vifible, and lies about half a mile from the fhore, and affords a narrow paffage into a fmall fandy bay, which is the 6nly place where boats can pofllbly land. After this account of the ifland, and its produce, it is ne-« cclTary to return to our own hiftory. . - .i .. .t?: Our firft undertaking, after our arrival, was the removal of our fick on Ihore, as hath been men- tioned. Whilft we were thus employed, four of the Indians on fhore, being part of the Spanijh fer- jeant's detachment, came and furrendered them- selves to us, fo that with thofe we took in the proa, we had now eight of them in our cuftody. One of the four, who fubmitted, undertook to Ihow us the rnofl convenient place for killing cattle, and two of cur men were ordered to attend him on that fer- vice; but one of them unwarily trufting the Indian with his firelock and piftol, the Indian efcaped with them into the woods : His countrymen, who re- mained behind, were apprehenfive of fuffering for this perfidy of their comrade, and therefore begged leave to fend one of their own party into the coun- try, who they engaged fhbuld both bring back the ^^•jTis, arjd pcrfuadc die "vyhole detachment from ♦ Guam ( 425 ) Guam to fubmit to us. The Commodore grantee' their requeft ; and one of them was difpatched on this errand, who returned next day, and brought back the firelock and piftol, but aflured us, he had met with them in a path way in the wood, and protefted that he had not been able to meet with any one of his countrymen : This report had fo lit- tle the air of truth, that we fufpefted there was fome treachery carrying on, and therefore to pre- vent any future communication among them, wc immediately ordered all the Indiar "who were in our power on board the Ihip, and dhx m permit them to return any more on fliore. When our fick were well fc..i» ri on the Ifland, wc employed all the hands that rouid be fpared from attending them, in arming ti. , « ables with a good rounding,j*feveral fathom from the anchor, to fe^ cure thci^i.from being rubbed by the coral rocks, which here abounded : And this being compleated, our next attention was our leak, and in order to raife it out of water, we, on the firfb of September j began to get the guns aft to bring the (hip by the ftern > and now the Carpenters, being able to come at it on the outfide, ripped off the old Iheathing that was' left, and caulked all the feams on both fides the Cut-water, and leaded them over, and then new fiieathed the bows to the furface of the water : By ih!5 ineans we conceived the defeat was fuflici- ently fecured; but upon our beginning to bring tjie guns into their places, we had the mortification to perceive, that the water rufhed into the Ihip in the old place, with as much violence as ever: Hereupon we were necefiitated to begin again ; and that our fecond attempt might be more effec- tual, we cleared the fore ilore-room, and fent a I hundred ' 1 : ii!] m ? ; .M i £1, I ' Hi ' it: ' (426) hundred md thirty barrels of powder on board the fmall Span'Jh bark we had feized here, by which means we raifed the fhip about three feet out of t-he water forwards, and the Carpenters ripped off the Iheathing lower down, and new caulked all the Teams, and afterwards laid on new fheathing \ and then, fuppofing the leak to be effcdlually flopped, wc began to move the guns forwards ; but the upper deck guns were fcarcely in their places, when, to our amazement, it burft out again -, and now, as we durft not cut away the lining within board, leaft a but-end or a plank might ftart, and we might go down immediately. We had no other refource left than chincing and caulking within board : and indeed by this means the leak was flopped for fome time; but when our guns were all in their places, and our flores were taken on board^ the water again forced its way through a hole in the flem, where one of the bolts were driven in ; and on this we defifled from all farther efforts, being now well afTured, that the defe6l was in the flem itfelf, and that it was not to be remedied till we fhould have an opportunity of heaving down. Towards the middle of September^ feveral of our fick were tolerably recovered by their refidence on fliore; and, on the 12 th of Sept ember y all thofe who were fo far relieved, fince their arrival, as to be capable of doing duty, were fent on board the fhip : And then the Commodore, who was himfelf ill of the fcurvy, had a tent ereded for him on fhore, where he went with the view of flaying a few days for the recovery of his health, being con- vinced by the general experience of his people, that no other method but living on the land was to be trufled to for the removal of this dreadful ma- . -.t *■ ./*. ( 427 ) hdy. The place, where his tent was pitched on this occafion, was near the well, whence we got all our water, and was indeed a mofl: elegant fpot. A view of it hath been already referred to under th* title of the watering place, where (i?) is the Com- modore's tent, and {d) the w^ell where we wa- tered. As the crew on board were now reinforced by the recovered hands returned from the Ifland, we began to fend our cafk on fhore to be fitted up, which till liOw could not be done, for the Coopers were not well enough to work. We likewife weighed our anchors, that we might examine our cables, which wc fufpedled had by this time re- ceived confiderable damage. And as the new moon was now approachir;g, when we apprehended vio- lent gales, the Commodore, for our greater fecu- rity, ordered that part of the cables next to the an- chors to be armed with the chains of the fire- grapnels ; and they were befides cackled twenty fathom from the anchors, and feven fathom from the fervice, with a good rounding of a 4 i inch hawfer -, and to all thefe precautions we added that of lowering the main and fore-yard clofe down, that in cafe of blowing weather the wind might have lefs power upon the fhip, to make her ride a flrain. Thus efFeftually prepared, as we conceived, wc expedted the new moon, which was the i8th oi Sep- tember^ and riding fafe that and the three fucceeding days, (though the weather proved very fqually and uncertain) we flattered ourfelves (for I was then on board) that the prudence of our meafures , hid fecured us from all accidents j but, on the 2 2d, the wind blew from the eaftward with fuch fury. 4 "I I i' 'I" ^ \ ,"■■ ;• X}. 1; W4 ( 428 ) •dcfpaired ox' riding out the ftorm ; andri|liiiace.we ihould have been extremely glad that thpspommodorc and the refl of our people on fhore, vJsirbiGiv were the greateft part of our hands, had beciiior board with us, fince our only hopes of fafetyiitmi>d*,louiepcnd on our putting immedi- ately to fea ; but all communication with the Ihore was now cficftftally cut off, for there was no pof- fibilityfthat a boat could live, fo that we were ne- ceflitated to' ride it out, till our cables parted. In- deed it was not long before this happened, for the fmall Wower parted at five in the afternoon, and the' fhip fwung off to the beft bower ; and as the night 'cdmc on, the violence of the wind ftill in- creafcd^*, but notwithftanding its inexpreflible fury, the 'tidir ran with fo much rapidity, as to prevail over it i for the tide having fet to the northward in the beginning of die ftorii, turned fuddenly to tj&lTolithward about fix in the evening, and forced tWflRiJ) before it in defpight of the ftorm, which )n the beam : And now the fea broke moft [irlgiy all round us, and a large timibling ccajtened to poop us ; the long boat, which ^ t^istime moored a-ftern, was on a fudden cafit^'lo high, that it broke the tranfom of the Commodore's gallery, whofe cabin was on the quarter-deck, and would doubtlefs have rifen as high as the tafFerel, had it not been for this ftroke which ftove the boat all to pieces j but the poor boat-keeper, though extremely bruifed, was faved almoft by miracle. About eight, the tide flacken- ed, but the wind did not abate ♦, fo that at eleven, the beft bower cable, by which alone we rode, parted. Our Iheet anchor, which was the only one we had left, was inftantly cut from the bow ; but ( 429 > -:m. but before it could reach the bottom, we ,!^ftfc dri- ven from twenty-two into thirty»fivc f^gtro-V^^ after we had veered away one whole <:4B^jifcl two thirds of another, wc could not ^M^^gf^A yf'itk fixty fathom of line : This was a pp^^nofiation, that the anchor lay near the edge of the bank, and could not hold us. In this prefTing danger* Mr. SaumareZy our firft Lieutenant, who now commanded on board, ordered feveral guns to be fired, and lights to be Ihown, as a fignal to the Commodore of our diftrefs ; and in a (hort time after, it being then about one o'clock, and the night exceflively dark, a ftrong giift, attended with rain and lightning, drove us off the bank, and forced us out to fea, leaving behind us, on the Ifland, Mr. Anfon^ with many more of our officers, aid great part of our crew, amounting in the whole to an hundred and thirteen perfons. Thus were we all, both at fea and on Ihore, reduced to the utmoft defpair by this cataftrophe, thofe on fhore conceiving they had no means left them ever eo leave the Ifland, and we on board utterly unpit* pared to ftruggle with the fury of the feas and winds, we were now expofcd to, and cxpcdHng each moment to be our laft. '^ " '' ' V •-%, 9 I I ! I ' ; i^ ■' ir" I -? . ' - ' ' '^' ^ ' . ■; I ■'■'-'. ■ ' I J."..;,-,. - J-.. f. - ; \J ;., ',»».^' ; i, *-J^vf V-' • ' -^^v-V..- •' . 'i i ' ' \ .■-■ t.-- • '\ •! , ■ . . ,, , .- « C H A P. . . ■ 'r *i '■ -u;: "' ■«-. . - . i ■ - ^ * ■ -' ' ' , — { 430 ) CHAP. III. Tranfadlions at I'tnia?! after the departure of the Centurion, TH E ftorm, which drove the Centurion to fen, blew with too much turbulence to permit cither the Commodore or any of the people on Ihore to hear the guns, which fhe fired as fignals of diftrefs ; and the frequent glare of the light- ning had prevented the explofions from being obferved : So that, when at day-break, it was per- ceived from the fliore that the fhip was mifling, there was the utmoft confternation amongft them : For much the greateft part of them immediately concluded that Ihe was loft, and intreated the Com- modore that the boat might be fent round the Ifland to look for the wreck ; and thofe who be- lieved her fafe, had fcarcely any expectation that fhe would ever be able to make the Ifland again : For the wind continued to blow ftrong at Eaft, and they knew how poorly (he was manned and pro- vided for ftruggling with fo tempeftuous a gale. And if the Centurion was loft, or fhould be incapa- ble of returning, there appeared in either cafe no poflibility of their ever getting off the Ifland : For they were at leaft fix hundred leagues from Macao^ which was their neareft port ; and they were maf- ters of no other veflcl than the fmall Spanijh bark, of about fifteen tun, which they feized at their firft arrival, and which would not even hold a fourth part of their number : And the chance of their being taken off the Ifland by the cafual arri- val "'I ( 431 ) val of any other Ihip was altogether defperatc ; as perhaps no European fhip had ever anchored here before, and it were madnefs to expedt that like incidents fliould fend another here in an hundred ages to come : So that their defponding thoughts could only fugged to them the melancholy pro- fpect of fpending the remainder of their days on this Ifland, and bidding adieu for ever to their country, their friends, their families, and all their domeftic endearments. Nor was this the worft they had to fear : For they had reafon to exped, that the Governor of Guam^ when he fhould be informed of their fitua- tion, might fend a force lii^cient to overpower them, and to remove them to that Ifland; and then, the moft favourable treatment they could hope for would be to be detained prifoners for life ; fmce, from the known policy and cruelty of the Spaniards in their diftant fettlements, it was rather to be expected, that the Governor, if he once had them in his power, would make their want of commiffions (all of them being on board the Centurion) a pretext for treating them as pirates, and for depriving them of their lives with in- famy. - , , In the midft of thefe gloomy reflections, Mr, Anfon had doubtlefs his Oiare of difquietude ; but he always kept up his ufual compofure and fteadi- nefs : And having foon projefted a fcheme for ex- tricating himfelf and his men from their prefent anxious fituation, he firft communicated it to fomc of the moft intelligent pcrlbns about him ; and having fatisfied himfelf that it was prafticable, he then endeavoured to animate his people to a fpcedy and vigorous profccution oi it. With this view he L. II.- ^1, % M^ !:"i \>' .''♦•■. (432 > . % iie rcprefented to them, how little foundation there was for their apprehenfions of the Centuriorh being loft ; That he fliould have hoped, they had been all of them better acquainted \dth fea-affairs, than to give way to the imprelTion of fo chimerical a fright -, and that he doubted not, but if they would ferioufly confider what Ibch a Ihip was capable of enduring, they would confefs tliat there was not the leaft probability of her liaving perillied : That he was not without hopes that Ihe might return in a a few days-, but if llie did not, the worll that could be fuppofed, was, that fhe was driven fo far to the leeward of the Ifland that Ihe could not regain it, and that fhe would confequently be obliged to bear away for Macao on the coaft of China : Thiit as it was necelTary to be prepared aganft all events, he had, in this cafe, confidered of a method of carrying them off the Ifland, and joining their old ihip the Centurion again at Macao : That this me- thod was to hale the Spamjh bark on fhore, to law her afunder, and to lengthen her twelve feet, which would enlarge her to near forty tun burthen, and would enable her to carry them all to China : That he had confulted the Carpenters, and they had agreed that this propofal was very feazible, and that nothing was wanting to execute it^ but the united refolution and induflry of the whole body ; He added, that for his own part, he would fhare the fatigue and labour with them, and would ex- pert no more from any man than what lie, the Commodore himfelf, was ready to fubmit to ; and concluded with reprefenting to them the impor- tance of faving time ; and that, in order to be the better prepared for all events, it was neceffary to fet to work immediately, and to take it for grant- ed. law and and lor- the to nt- ed. ( 433 ) cd, that the Centurion would not be able to put back (which was indeed the Commodore's fecret opinion ; ) fince, if Ihe did return, they fliould only throw away a few days application ; but, if fhe did not, their fituation, and the feafon of the year, required their utmoft difpatch. Thefe remonltrances, though not without c£- fefl, did not immediately operate fo powerfully as Mr. ^nfon could have wifhed : He indeed raifed their fpirits by fliowing them the pofTibrlity of their getting away, of which they had before de- fpaired 5 but then, from their confidence of this refource, they grew Jefs apprehenfive of their fituation, gave a greater fcope to their hopes, and flattered themfelves that the Centurion would re- turn and prevent the execution of the Commo- dore's fcheme, which they could eafily forefec would be a work of confiderablc labour : By this means, it was fome days before they were all of them heartily engaged in the projed -, but at laflr, being in general convinced of the impoflibility of the Ihip's return, they fet themfelves zealoufly to the di^^rent talks allotted them, and were as in- duftrious and as eager as their Commander could defire, pundually affembling at day-break at the rendezvous, whence they were diftributed to their different employments, which they followed with unufual vigour 'till night came on. And here I muft interrupt the courfe of this tranfadion for a moment, to relate an incident which for fome time gave Mr. Anfon more con- cern than all the preceding difafters. A few days after the (hip was driven off, fome of the people on (hore cried out, a foil. This fpread a general joy, every one fuppofmg that it was the fhip re- F f turning % if ■4 r I J li" fl !HMIi ( 434 ) turning ; but prefently, a fecond fail was defcried^ which quite deftroyed their conjedture, and made it difficult to gucfs what they were. The Com- modore eagerly turned his glafs towards them, and faw they were two boats ; on which it imme- diately occurred to him, that the Centurion was gone to the botton, and that thefe were her two boats coming back with the remains of her people : And this fudden and unexpected fuggeftion wrought on him fo powerfully, that, to conceal his emotion, he was obliged (without fpeaking to any one) in- flantly to retire to his tent, where he paft fome bitter moments, in the firm belief that the fhip was loft, and that now all his views of farther dif- trefling the enemy, and of ftill fignalizing his ex- pedition by fome important exploit, were at a^ end. But he was foon relieved from thefe difturbing thoughts, by difcovering that the two boats in the offing were Indian proas 5 and perceiving that they ilood towards the Ihore, he direded every appear- ance that could give them any fufpicion to be re- moved, and concealed his people, in the adjacent thickets, prepared to fecure the htdians when they Ihould land : But, afrer the proas bad ftood in within a quarter of a mile of the land, they fud- denly ftopt ffiort, and remaining there motionlefs for near two hours, they then made fail again, and ftood to the fouthward. But to return to the pro- jeded enlargement of the bark. If we examine how they w^re prepared for go- ;ng through with this undertaking, on which their fafety depended, we lliall find, that, independent of other maimers which were of as much impor- tance, the lengthning of the bark alone was at-. 2 tended I ^ ;fe ried, made rom- hem, nme- gone boats And ;ht on otion, e) in- fome e fhip :t dif- nis ex- at an urbing in the It they ppear- be re- ijacent n they )od in 7 fud- [ionlefs and e pro- for go- |h their indent [m per- ms at- Itendcd C 435 ) tended with great difficulty. Indeed, in a pro- per place, where all the neceflary materials and tools were to be had, the embarrafment would have been much lefs ; but fome of thefe tools were to be made, and many of the materials were wanting ; and it required no fmall degree of in- vention to fupply all thefe deficiencies. And when the hull of the bark (hould be complcated, this was but one article •, and there were many others of equal weight, which were to be well confidcr- cd : Thefe were the rigging ir, the vi6lualling it, and Jaflly, the navigating it, for the fpace of fix or feven hundred leagues, through unknown feas^ where no one of the company had ever paflfed be- fore. In fome of thefe particulars fuch obftacles occurted, that. Without the intervention of very extraordinary and unexpected accidents, the pof- fibility of the whole enterprize would have fallen to the ground, and their utmoft induftry and ef- forts muft have been fruitlefs. Of all thefe circum- ftances I Ihall make a (hort recital. It fortunately happened that the Carpentei"s, both of the Gloucefter and of the Tryal with their clieiis of tools, were on fhore when : fhip drove out to fea *, the Smith too was on f.^re, and had with him his forge and fome tools, jut unhappily his bellows had not been brougb* from on board •, (o that he was incapable of wor ang, and without his alTiftance they could not hope to proceed witli t\vt\r defign. Their firfl: attention therefore Was to make him a pair of t>ellows, but irl this they were for fome time puzzled, by their want of leather ; however, as they had hides in fufficieni plenty, and they had found a hogfhead of lime, which the Indians or Spaniards had prepared for F f 2 their ,!?■ 11,: I U % ■ * =1 i. V (436) their own life, they tanned fome hides with this lime ; and though we may fuppofe the workman- fhip to be but indifferent, yet the leather thc-y thus made ferved tolerably well, and the bellows (to which a gun -barrel ferved for a pipe) had no other inconvenience, than that of being fomewhat flrong fcentcd from the imperfeftion of the Tan- ner's work. Whilft the Smith was preparing the neceffary iron-work, others were employed in cutting down trees, and favving them into plank; and this be- ing the mod laborious tafk, the Commodore wrought at it himfelf for the encouragement of his people. As there were neither blocks nor cordage fufficient for tackles tc hale the bark on Ihore, it was propofcd to get her up on rollers j and for thefe, the body of the coco- nut tree was extremely uf^ful ; for its fmoothnefs and circular turn prevented much labour, and fitted it for the purpofe with very little workmanlhip : A num- ber of thefe trees were therefore felled, and the ends of tiiem properly opened for the reception of hand-fpikes ; and in the mean time a dry dock was dug for the bark, and ways laid from thence quite into the fea, to facilitate the bringing her up. And befides thofe who were thus occupied in preparing meafures for the future enlargement of the bark, a party was conftantly ordered for the killing and preparing of provifions for the reft : And though in thefe various employments, fome of which demanded confiderable dexterity, it might have been cxpedled there would have been great confufion and delay ; yet, good order being once eftabliflied, and all hands engaged, their preparations advanced apace. Indeed, the common the ( 437 ) common men, I prefume, were not the lefs tratl- able for their want of fpirituous liquors: For, there being neither wine nor brandy on fliore, the juice of the coco-nut was their conftaf.t drink, and this, though extremely picafant, was not at ail intoxicating, but kept them way cool and orderly. And now the officers began to confidcr of all the articles necefTary for fitting out the bark » when it was found, that the tents on fhore, and the ipare cordage accidentally Jeft there by the Ce'rUuricn^ together with the fails and rigging al- ready belonging to the bark, would ferve to rig her indifferently well, when fhe was lengthened : And as they had tallow in plenty, they propofed to pay her bottom with a mixture of tallow iind lime, which it was kno^'"". was well adapted to that purpofe : So that v. .ih refpedl to her equip- ment, fhe would not have been very defedivc. There was, however, one exception, which would have proved extremely inconvenient, and that was her fize : For as they could not make her quite forty tun burthen, fhe would have been incapable of containing half the crew below the deck, and fhe would have been fb top-heav}', that if they were all at the fame time ordered upon deck, therp would be no fmall hazard of her over-fcttinor • but this was a difficulty not to be removed, us they could not augment her beyond the fize aU ready propofed. After the manner of rigging and fitting up the bark was conlldered and regulared, the next cflential point to be thought on was how to procure a fiiflK lent ftock of provifions for here tiiey were greatly at a 10 take i for ciicy had .leith-T F 1" J g\\\hy tneir voyage ; aiiv] lofs what courie * it I '4 (iS ( 438 ) grain nor bread of any kind on fliore, their bread- fruit, which would not keep at fea, having all all along fupplied its place : And though they had live cattle enough, f£t they had no fait to cure beef for a fea flore, nor would meat take fait iri that climate. Indeed, they had preferved a fmall quantity of jerked beef, which they found upon the place at their landing ; but this was greatly difpropqrtionpd to the run of near fix hundred leagues, which they were to engage in, and to the number of hands they fliould have on board. It was at laft, however, refolved to take on board as many coco nuts as they poffibly could ; to make the mod of their jerked beef, by a very fparing diltribution of it ; and to endeavour to fupply their want of bread by rice ; to furnifh themfelves With which, it was propofed, when the bark was fitted up, to make an expedition to the Ifland of Rota, where they were told, that the Spaniards had large plantations of rice under the care of the /«- dfan inhabitants. But as this laft meafure was to be executed by force, it became necelTary to ex- amine what ammunition had been kk on fhore, and to preferve it carefully ; and on this enquiry, they had the mortification to find, that the utmoft that could be colledted, by the ftri6left fearch, did not amount to more than ninety charges of powder for their firelocks, which was confidcrahly fhort of one a-picce for each of the Company, and was indeed a ytry (lender (lock of ammunition, for fuch as were to eat no grain or bread for a month, but what they were to procure by torce of arms. But the moft alarming circumftance, and what, w.rhnut the providential interpofition of very im- proL/.»jle events, had rendered all their fchemes abortive, I ( 439 ) abortive, remains yet to be related. The general idea of the fabric and equipment of the veffLl was fettled in a few days ; and when this was done, it was not difficult to make feme eftimation of the time neceflary to compleat her. After this, it was natural to cxpecl that the officers would con- fider on the courfe they were to fteer, and the land they were to make. Thefe refle<5tions led them to the difheartning difcovery, that there was neither compafs nor quadrant on the ifland. In- deed the Commodore had brought a pocket-com- pafs on fhore for his own ufs j but Lieutenant Brett had borrowed it to determine the pofition of the neighbouring Idands, and he had been driven to fea in the Centurion^ without returning it : And as to a quadrant, that could not be expedled to be found on fhore, for as it was of no ufc at land, there could be no reafon for bringing it from on board the Ihip. It was eight days, from the de- parture of the Centurion^ before they were in any degree relieved from this terrible perplexity : At laft, in rumaging a cheft belonging to the Spanifo bark, they found a fmall compafs, which, though litde better than the toys ufually made for the amufement of fchool-boys, was to them an ihvaluable treafure. And a few days after, by 4 fimilar piece of good fortune, they found a qua- drant on the fea-fhore, which had been thrown over- board amongft other lumber belonging to the dead. The quadrant was eagerly feized, but on examination, it unluckily wanted vanes, and therefore in its prefent ftate was altogether ufelefs ; however, fortune Hill continuing in a favourable mood, it was not long before a perfon out of cu- riolity pulling out uvz drawer of an oia lubic, F f 4 wiiicii )!i 'f'-' \..:\ w § » f ( 440 ) mhkh had been driven on fliore, found therein fome vanes, which fitted the quadrant very well 5 and it being thus compleated, it was examined by the known latitude of the place, and was found to anfwer to a fufficicnt degree of exadlnefs. And now, all thefe obllacles being in fome de- gree removed, (which were always as much as pofllble concealed from the vulgar, that they might not grow remifs with the apprehrnfion of labour- ing to no purpofe) the work proceeded very fuc- cefsfully and vigorouQy : The neceffary iron- work was in great forwardnefs 5 and the timbers and planks (which, though not the moft exquifite performances of the Sawyer's art, were yet fuf- ficicnt for the purpofe) were all prepared ; fo that, on the 6th of OElcher^ being the 14th day from the departure of the ihip, they haled the bark on fliore, and, on the two fucceeding days flic was fawn afundcr, (though with great care not to cut her planks) and her two parts were feparated the proper diftance from each other, and, the ma- terials being all ready before-hand, they, the next day, being the 9th of Q^oher^ went on with great difpatch in their propofed enlargement of her; and by this time they had all their future opera- tions fo fairly in view, and were (b much mailers of them, that they were able to determine when the whole would be finilhed, and had accordingly fixed the 5 th of 'November for the day of their put- ting to fea. But their projedls and labours were now drawing to a fpeedier and happier conclufion } for on the nth of Oclohe)\ in the afternoon, one of the Glouce^er^s men, being upon a hil! in the m'ddle of the Ifland, perceived the Centurion at a diftance, and running down with his utmoft fpeed towards ( 441 ) towards the landing-place, he, in the way, faw fome of his comrades, to whom he hollowed out with great extafy. The Jhip^ thejhip. This being heard by Mr. Gor dotty a Lieutenant of marines, who was convinced by the fellow's tranfport that his report was true, Mr. Gordon ran towards the place where the Commodore and his people were at work, and being frcfli and in breath, eafily out- itripped the GlouceJier*s man, and got before him to the Commodore, who, on hearing this happy and unexpedted news, threw down his axe with which he was then at work, and by his joy broke through, for the firfl: time, the equable an.i un- varied charader which he had hitherto prclervcd ; the others, who were with him, inftantly ran down to the feafide in a kind of frenzy, eager to feaft themfelves with a fight they had fo ardentiy wifh- ed for, and of which they had now for a con- iiderable time defpaired. By five in the evening, the Centurion was vifible in the offing to them all ; and, a boat being fent off with eighteen men to reinforce her, and with frefli meat and fruits for the refrelhment of her crew, (lie, the next after- noon, happily came to an anchor in the road, where the Commodore immediately came on board her, and was received by us with the fin- cercft and heartieft acclamations : For, from the following fhort recital of the fears, the dangers and fatigues we in the (hip underwent, during our nineteen days abfence from Tinian^ it may be eafily conceived, that a harbour, refrefhments, re- pofe, and the joining of our Conlmander and Ship- mates, were not kfs pJeafing to us, than our re- turn was to them. CHAP. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) I.C I I.I mm 125 g |i£ 12.0 1.25 ||.4 |i.6 « 6" ► <^ V f. 7 ^.^ ^^>^ Photographic Sdences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WIBSTER.N.Y. 14580 (716) 877-4503 ^ I ( 442 ) 'A. CHAP. IV. Proceedings on board tfie Centurion, when dri- »^ ven out to fea. THE Centurion being now once more fafely arrived at Tinian, to the mutual refpite of the labours of our divided crew, it is high time that the reader, after the relation already given of the projefls and employment of thofe left on fliore, ihouJd be apprized of the fatigues and diftrefTes, to which we, who were driven off to fca, were ex- pofed during the long interval of nineteen days that we were abfent from the Ifland. It has been already mentioned, that it was the 2 2d of September y about one o'clok, in an ex- treme dark night, when by the united violence of a prodigious ftorm, and an exceeding rapid tide, we were driven from our anchors and forced to fea. Our condition then was truly deplorable ; we were in a leaky fhip, with three cables in our hawfes, to one of which hung our only remaining anchor ; we had not a gun on board lafhed, nor a port barred in 5 our flirowds were loofe, and our top mafts unrigged, and we had flruck our fore and main- yards clofe down, before the florm came on, fo that there were no fails we could fet, except our mizen. In this dreadful extremity we could mufler no more ftrength on board, to navigate the fhip, than an hundred and eight hands, feveral Nearoes and lnd:ans inx:luded: This was fcarcely the fourth part of our complement; and of-thefe the greater number w..rc cuiicr boys, or fuch as, b ' •ty rwCovcKil ( 443 ) recovered from the fcurvy, had not yet arrived at half their former vigour. No fooner were we at fea, but by the violence of the ftorm, and the working of the fhip, we made a great quantity of water through our hawrc-holes, ports and fcup- pers, which, added to the conftant efFedl of our leak, rendered our pumps alone a fufficient em- ployment for us all. Bu-t though this leakage, by being a fhort time negle»5ted, would inevitably end in our deftrudion ; yet we had other dangers then impending, which occafioned this to be regarded as a fecondary confideration only. For we all ima- gined, that we were driving diredlly on the neigh- bouring Ifland of Jgw'guany which was about two leagues diftant j 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 in- fufficient to carry us clear of this inftant peril. We therefore immediately applied ourfelves to work, endeavouring, by the utmoft of our efforts, to heave up the main and fore-yards, in hopes that, if we could but be enabled to make ufe of our lower canvafs, we might polTibly weather the Ifland, and thereby fave ourfelves from this impending fliip- \yreck. But after full three hours ineffedual la- bour, the jeers broke, and the men being quite j^ded, we were obliged, by mere debility, to defift, and quietly to cxped our fate, which we then con- ceived to be unavoidable : For we imagined our- felves by this time, to be driven juft upon the Ihore, and the night was fo extremely dark, that we expected to difcover the Ifland no otherwife than by (trik'ng upon it ; fo that the belief of our de- Arudlion, and the uncertainty of the point of time when it would take place, occafioned us to pafs feveral ■': i i M ■t ^ ■ '^ '^ ' \ ■li ■ f : "■! (444) feveral hours, under the mod ferious apprehenfions, that each fucceeding moment would ff.-nd us to tlie bottom. Nor did thefe continued terrors, of in- ftantly ftriking and finking, end but with the day- break; when we with g^eat tranfport perceived, that the Ifland we had thus dreaded, was at a con- liderable diftance, and that a ftrong nortliern cur- rent had been the caufe of our prefervation. The turbulent weather, which forced us from T^nian, did not begin to abate, 'till three days after ; and then we fwayed up the fore-yard, and began to heave up the main-yard, 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 day of mofl fevere fatigue to us all ; for it muft be remembred, that in thefe exigencies no rank or office exempted any perfon from the manual application and bodily labour of a common fa i lor. The bufinefs of this day was no lefs than an attempt to heave up the fheet-anchor, which we had hitherto dragged at our bows with two ca- bles an end. This was a work of great importance to our fiiture prelervation : For, not to mention the impediment to our navigation, and the hazard it would be to our Ihip, if we attempted to mnke fail with the anchor in its prefent fituation, we had this mofl interefling confideration to animate us, that it was the only anchor we had left \ and, with- out fecuring it, we fhould be under the utmofl dif- ficulties and hazards, when ever we made the land again ; and therefore, being all of us fully apprized of the confequence of this enterprize, we laboured at it with the feverefl application tor full twelve hours, when we had indeed made a confiderable progrcfs, having brought the anchor in fight ; but, m It ( 445 ) it then growing dark, and we being exceflively fa- tigued, we were obliged to defift, and to leave our work unfinifhed, till the next morning, when, by the benefit of a night's reft, we compleated it, and hung the anchor at our bow. It was the 27th of September in the morning, that is, five days after our departure, when we thus fecured our anchor j and the fame day, we got up our main-yard : And having now conquered in fome degree the diftrefs and diforder which we were neceflarily involved in at our firft driving out to fca, and being enabled to make ufe of our canvals, we fet our courfes, and for the firft time ftood to the eaftward in hopes of regaining the Ifland of TiniaTiy and joining our Commodore in a few days : For we were then by our accounts, only forty feven leagues to the South Weft 0^ Tinian ; fo that on the firft day of 05lobet\ having then run the di» ftance neceflary for making the Ifland according to our reckoning, we were in full expedation of fee- ing it ; but we were unhappily diiappointed, and were thereby convinced, that a current had driven us to the weft ward. And as we could not judge how much we might hereby have deviated, and confequently how long we might ftill expefl to be at fea, we had great apprehenfions that our ftock of water might prove deficient, for we were doubt- ful about the quantity we had on board, and found many of our caflcs fo decayed, as to be half leaked out. However, we were delivered from our uncer- tainty the next day by having a fight of the Ifland of Guam^ by which we difcovercd that the currents had driven us forty- four leagues to the weftward of our accounts. This fight of land having fatisfied us of our fituation, we kept plying to tlie eaftward, 2 though m I ! .•V ' li (446) though with exceflive Jaboiir, for, the wind cbntl* nuing fixed in the eaftern board, we were obliged to tack often, and our crew were fo weak, that> without the afliftance of every man on board, it was not in our power to put the fhip about. This fevere employment lafted till the nth of OEloher^ being the nineteenth day from our departure ; when arriving in the offing oi'Twf^n, we were reinforced from the fhore, as hath been already mentioned j and on the evening of the fame day, we, to our inexpreffible joy, came to an anchor in the road, thereby procuring to our fliipmates on fliore, as well as to ourfelves, a ceflation from the fatigues and apprehenfions, which this difaflrous incident had given rife to. that, occaf Nor SL fu< force fea i and we h pIoy( The is C H A R V. Employment at I'inian^ till the final departure of the Centurion from thence ; with a de-* fcription of the Ladrones^ WHEN the Commodore came on board the Centurion^ on her return to Timan, as already mentioned, he refolved to (lay no longer at the Ifland than was abfolutely neceflary to compleat our ftock of water, a work which we immediately fet ourfelves about. But the lofs of our long-boat, which was flaved againft our poop, when we were driven out to fea, put us to great inconveniencies in getting our water on board 5 for we were obliged to raft off all our cafk, and the tide ran fo ftrong, that. ♦A 1 ( 447 ) that, befides the frequent delays and difficulties k occafioned, we more than once loft the whole rafc. Nor was this our only misfortune ; for, on the 14th of O^iobery being but the third day after our arrival, a fudden 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 board ; but we had near feventy men on fhore, who had been em- ployed in filling our water, and procuring provifions. Thefe had with them our two Cutters ; but as they were too many for the Cutters to bring off at once, we fent the eighteen oared barge to affift them ; and at the fame time made a fignal for all that could to embark. The two Cutters foon came ofi^ to us full of men ; but forty of the company, who were em- ployed in killing cattle in the wood, and in bring- ing them down to the landing-place, were left be- hind ; and though the eighteen oared barge was left for their conveyance, yet, as the (hip foon drove to a confiderablc diftance, 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 our, we, in about five days time, returned again to an anchor at Tint- any and relieved thofe we had left behind us from their fecond fears of being deferted by their fliip; On our arrival, we found that the Spanifi bark, the old objed of their hopes, had undergone a new metamorphofis : For thofe we had left on fhore began to defpair cf our return, and conceiv- ing that the lengthening the bark, as formerly pro- pofed, was both a toilfome and unnecefTary meafure, confidering the fmall number they confifted of, rhey had refolvcd to join her again, and to reftore . ' . her t ■"'' • r ^\\ ■ ..f^ lit ' ' [i' .,1 >!i| Ml m ( 448 ) her to her firft (Utc ; and in this fchcme they had made fome progrefs ; for they had brought the two parts together, and wouJd have foon com- pleated her, had not our coming back put a period to their labours and difquictudes. Thefe people we had left behind informed us, that, jufl before we were (een in the offing, two proas had flood in very near the fhore, and had continued there for fome time ; but on the appear- ance of our Ihip, they crowded away, and were prefently out of fight. And, on this ocrafion, I muft mention an incident, which, though it hap- pened during the firft abfence of the fhip, was then omitted, to avoid interrupting the courfe of the nar- ration. It hath been already obferved, that a part of the detachnicnt, fent to this Ifland under the command of the Spanijh Serjeant, Jay concealed in the woods ; and we were the Jefs folicitous to find them out, as our prifoners all afifured us, that it was impofllble . for them to get off, and confequently that it was impofllble for them to fend any intelligence about us to Guam. But when the Centurion drove out to fea, and left the Commodore on fhore, he one day, attended by fome of his officers, endeavoured to make the tour of the Ifland: "In this expedition, being on a rifing ground, they perceived in the valley beneath them the appearance of a fmall thick- et, which, by obferving more nicely, they found had a progrefTive motion : This at firfl furprizcd them ; but they foon difcovereH, that it was no more than feveral large coco bulhes, which wc/e dragged along the ground, by perfons concealed beneath them. They immediately concluded that thefe were fome of the Serjeant's party (which was indeed ( 449 ) indeed true :) and therefore the Commodore and his people made after them, in hopes of finding out their retreat. The Indians foon perceived they were difcovered, and hurried away with precipitation ; but Mr. Anfon was fo near them, that he did not lofe fight of tlicm till they arrived at their cell, which he and his officers entering found to be aban- doned, there being a paflage from it down a preci- pice contrived for the conveniency of flight. They found here an old firelock or two, but no other arnjs. However, there was a great quantity of provifions, particularly faked fparibs of pork, which were ex- cellent -, and from what our people faw here, they concluded, that the extraordinary appetite, which they had found at this Ifland, was not confined to themfelves alone; for, it being about noon, the Indians had laid out a very plentiful repafl confider- ing their numbers, and had their bread-fruit and co- co-nuts prepared ready for eating, and in a manner which plainly evinced, that, with them too, a good meal was neither an uncommon nor an unheeded ar- ticle. The Commodore having in vain endeavour- ed to difcover the path by which the Indians had ef- caped, he and his officers contented themfelves with fitting down to the dinner, which was thus luckily fitted to their prefent appetites ; after which, they returned back to their old habitation, difpleafed at miffing the Indians, as they hoped to have engaged them in our fervice, if they could have had any conference with them. But notwith- ftanding what our prifoners had afferted, we were afterwards aflured, that thefe Indians were carried off to Guam long before we left the place. But to return to our hiftory. '1 < Q& K'.. L w-^'a.i-. ..VI .*J- -I, *»'. On : ..U i 1 i - ifij ^> n^ ( 450 ) On our coming to an anclior again, after our fc- cond driving off to fca, we laboured indcfatigably in getting in our water ; and having, by the 20th of O^obery complcated it to fifty tun, wliich we fuppofed would be fufHcient for our paffage to Ma* caoy we, on the next day, fcnt one of each mefs on fhore, to gather as large a quantity of oranges lemons, coco-nuts and other fruits of the Ifiand, as they pofTibly could, for the ufe of thcmfeves and mefs-mates, when at fea. And, thcfe purveyers returning on board us on the evening of the fame day, we then fet fire to the bark and proa, hoifted in our boats, and got under fail, fteering away for the South-end of the Idand of Formofa, and taking our leaves, for the third and laft time, of thelfland ofTtMian : An Ifland, which, whether we confider the excellence of its productions, the beauty of its appearance, the elegance of its woods and lawns^ the healthinefe of its air, or the adventures it gave rife to, may in all thefe views be truly ftyled ro- mantic. ^"■'- "" *^"-* And now, poftponing for a fhort time our run to Formofay and thence to Canion^ I (hall interrupt the narration with a defcription of that range of Iflands, ufually called the Ladrones^ or Marian Iflands, of which this of Tinian is one. Thefe Iflands were difcovered by Magellan \t% the year 152 1 •, and by the account given of the two he firft fell in with, it fliould l^em that they were the Iflands of Saypan and Tinian ; for they are ^elcribed in his expedition as very beautiful Iflands, and as lying between 15 and 1 6 degrees of North latitude. Thefe charadleriftics are particularly ap« plicable to the twQ above mentioned places ^ for the pleafing appearance of Tinian hath occafioned the J' ;. 1 f 451 ) the Spaniards to give it the additional name o^Bue- ?tajliva\ ^\A Saypan^ which is in the latitude of 15°: 22 North, affords no contemptible profpedi; when fcen from the fea, as may be fufliciently evinced from the view of its North Weft fide, ta- ken at three Iciigues diftance, and exhibited in the thirty feventh plate. There are ufually reckoned twelve of thefe Iflands ; but it will appear, from the chart of the North part of the Pacific Ocean hereafter inferted, that if the fmall iQcts and rocks are counted in, then their whoie number will amount to above twenty. They were formerly moft of them well inhabited ; and, even not fixty years ago, the three principal Iflands, Guam^ Rota^ and linian toge- ther, are faid to have contained above fifty thou- fand people: But fmce that time "Tinian hath been entirely depopulated ; and only two or three hun- dred Indians have been left at Rota, to cultivate rice for the Ifland of Guatn •, fo that now no more than Guam can properly be faid to be inhabited. This Ifland of Guam is the only fettlemcnt of the Spaniards \ here they keep a governor and garrifon, and here the Manila fhip generally touches for rc- frefliment, in her paflTage from Acapulco to the Rhi" Uppines. It is eftcemed to be about thirty leagues in circumference, and contains, by the SpaniJId ac-. counts, near four thoufand inhabitants, of which a thoufand are faid to live in the city of San Ignaiio de Agandj where the Governour generally refides, and where the houfes are reprefented as conflder* able, being built with ftone and timber, and co- vered with tiles, a very uncommon fabric for thefe warm climates and favage countries : Befides this city, there are upon the Ifland thirteen or fourteen Gg3 _ vil* "i} T. •^ n „. ,*;<' (452 ) vilUgcs. As tin:, is a poll of Ibme confequencc, on account of the rcfreflmicnt it yields to the A'la- nila fhip, there are two callles on the fea-(horci one is the caftle of St. Angeloy which lies near the road, where the Manila fliip ufually anchors, and is but an infignificant fortrefs, mounting only five guns eight pounders-, the other is the caftle of St. Lewis^ which is N. E. from St. Jngels, and four leagues diftant, and is intended to protcdl a road where a fmall veffel anchors, which arrives here every other year from Manila. This fort mounts the fame number of guns as the former : And be- fides thefe forts, there is a battery of five pieces of cannon on an eminence near the fea-fliore. The Spanijh troops employed on this ifland, confift of three companies of foot, from forty to fifty men each ; and this is the principal ftrength the Gover- nor has to depend on •, for he cannot rely on any afliftance from the Indian inhabitants, being gene- rally upon ill terms with tUein, and fo apprchcnfivc of them, that he has debarred them t^ : ufe of fire- arms or lances. The reft of thefe lilands, though not inhabited, do yet abound with many kinds of refreftiment and provifion -, but there is no good harbour or road to be met with amongft 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 Manii % fhip, though fhe propofes to ftay there but twent) -four hours, to be forced to Tea, and to leave her boat behind her. This is an inconvenience fo fenfibly felt by the commerce at Manila^ that it is always recommended to the Governor at Guanty to ufe his beft endeavours for the difcovery of fome fafc port in this part of the world. How induftri- * .-.. t ri x.* ous ( 453 ) ous he may be to comply with his inflru6lions, I know not; but this is certain, that, notwithftand- ing the many Iflands already found out between the coaft of Mexico and the Ph'lippines^ there is not yet known any one fate port in that whole tradt; though in other parts of the world it is not uncom- mon for very fmall Iflands to furnlfh moft excellent harbours. From what has been faid, it appears, that the Spaniards^ on the Ifland of Giiam^ are extremely few, compared to the Indian inhabitants j and for- merly the difproportion was flill greater, as may be cafily conceived fi*om what hath been faid, in ano- ther chapter, of the numbers lieretofore on Tinian alone. Thefe Indians are a bold well-limbed peo- ple •, and it Ihould feem from fome of their pradi- ces, that they are no ways defedlive in under Hand- ing; for their flying proas in particular, which have been for ages the only veflfels ufed by them, are fo Angular and extraordinary an invention, that it would do honour to sny nation, however dex- terous and acute. For if we confider the aptitude of this proa to the particular navigation of thcfe Iflands, which lying all of them nearly under the fame meridian, and within the limits of the trade- wind, require the veflfels made ufe of in pafllng from one to the other, to be particularly fitted for failing with the wind upon the beain^ or, if we examine the uncommon fimplicity and ingenuity of its fabric and contrivance, or the extraordinary ve- locity with which it moves, we fliall, in each of thefe articles, find it worthy of our admiration,, and meriting a place amongfl: the mechanical pro- ductions of the mofl: civilized nations, where arts and fcicnccs have moft eminently flouriflied. As for : -It ( 454 ) former Navigators, though they hive mentioned thefe vefTels, have yet treated of them impert'eflly i and as I conceive, that, befides their curiofity, may furnifh both the fhipwrighc and Teaman with no contemptible obfcrvations, I fhall here in- fert a very exa6l dcfcription of the built, rigging, and working of thefe veffels, which I am well en- abled to do 5 for one of them, as I have menti- oned, fell into our hands at our firfl: arrival at 77- nJan^ and Mr. Brett took it to pieces, on purpofe to dehneate its fabric and dimenfions with greater accuracy : So that the following account may be relied on. The name of flying proa given to thefe veflels, is owing to the ftiffnefs with which they fail. Of this the Spaniards affert fuch ftories, as appear alto- gether incredible to thofe who have never fcen thefe veflels move ; nor are the Spaniards the only peo- ple who relate thefe extraordinary tales of their ce- lerity. For thofe who fhall have the curiofity to enquire at the dock at Portfmouthy about a trial made there fome years fince, with a very imperfe(51: one built at that place, will meet with accounts not ]efs wonderful than any the Spaniards have given. However, from fome rude efti 'nations made by our people, of the velocity with which they crolTed the horizon at a diftance, whilfl: we lay at Tinian^ I cannot help believing, that with a brifk trade- wind they will run near twenty miles an hour ; Which though, greatly fhort of what the Spaniards report of them, is yet a prodigious degree of fwift- nefs. But let us give a diftind idea of its figure. The conftrudion of this proa is a diredl contra- diction to the pra<5lice of the reft of mankind. For as the reft of the world make the head of their vef- fcJs ( 455 ) fcls different from the ftern, but the two fideg alike ; the proa on the contrary, has her head and ftern cxa(5lly alike, but her two fides very dif- ferent i the fide, intended to be always the lee-fide, being flat v and the windward-fide made rounding, in the manner of other vcffels: And, to prevent her overfetting, which from her fmall breadth, and the ftraight run of her leeward-fide, would, without this precaution, infallibly happen, there is a frame laid out from her to windward, to the end of which is fattened a log, fafhioned into the fhape of a fmall boat, and made hollow : The weight of the frame is intended to ballance the proa, and the fmall boat is by its buyancy (as it is always in the water) to prevent her overfetting to windward ; and this frame is ufually called an outrigger : The body of the proa (at leaft of that we took) is made of two pieces joined end- ways, and fowed together with bark, for there is no iron ufed about her : She is about two inches thick at the bottom, which at the gunwale is reduced to lefs than one : The di- menfions of each part will be better known from the uprights and views contained in the thirty- eighth plate, which were drawn from an exaft men- furation -, thefe I fhall endeavour to explain as mi- nutely and diftindly as I can. Fig. I . Reprefents the proa with her fail fet, as ihe appears when viewed from the leeward. Fig. 2. Is a view of her from the head, with the outrigger to the windward. Fig. 3. Is the plan of the whole; where (AB) Is the lee-fide of the proa; (CD) the windward- fide i (EF GH) the outrigger or frame laid out to windward ; (K L) the boat at the end of it j (MNPQ^) two braces from the head and ftern to — Gg4 - fteady I-' i\ •: 1) 'i«i ,1 V ■■'- '-ii ■-m ■ .1 H ' / I'lf (456 ) fteady the frame; (R S) a thin plank placed to windward, to prevent the proa from Ihipping of water, and for a feat to the Indian who bales, and fometimes goods are carried upon it i (I) is the part of the middle outrigger, on which the maft is fixed: The maft itfelf is fupported (Fig. 2.) by the Ihore (CD), and by the 'irowd (E F), and by two ftays, one of which may be feen, in Fig. i, marked (C D), the other is hid by the fail : The fail (EFG), in Fig. i, is made of matting, and the maft, yard, boom, and outriggers, are all made of bamboo : The heel of the yard is always lodged in one of the fockets (T) or (V), Fig. 3, accord- ing to the tack the proa goes on ; and when fhe alters her tack, they bear away a little to bring her ftern up to the wind, then by eafing the halyard, and raifmg the yard, and carrying the heel of it along the lee-fide of the proa, they fix it in the op- pofite focket •, whilft the boom at the fame time, by letting fly the ftieet (M), and haling the fheet (N), Fig. I, ftiifts into a contrary fituationto what it had before, and that which was the ftcrn of the proa, now becomes the head, and ftie is trimmed on the other tack. When it is neceflary to reef or furl the fail, this is done by rolling it round the boom. The proa generally carries fix or (^ycn. Indians -, two of which are placed in the head and ftern, who fteer the veflel alternately with a paddle according to the tack flie goes on, he in the ftern being the fteerfman •, the other Indians are employ- ed either in baling out the water which ftie accidcn- t.^lly fhips, or in fetting and trimming the fail. From the defcription of thefe veflels it is fufficiently obvious, how dexteroufly they are fitted for rang- ing tliis colled'tion of Iflands called the Ladrories : For ( 457 ) For as thefe Idands lie nearly N. and S. of each other, and are all within the limits of the trade- wind, the proas, by failing mod excellently on a wind, andv;irh either end fore moft, can run from one of thefe Iflands to the other and back again, only by fhifting the fail, without ever putting a- bout ; and, by the flatnefs of their lee-fide, and their fmall breadth, they are capable of lying much nearer the wind than any other vefTel hitherto known, and thereby have an advantage, which no veflels that go large can ever pretend to : The ad- vantage I mean is that of running with a velocity nearly as great, and perhaps fometimes greater than that with which the winds blows. This, how- ever paradoxical it may appear, is evident enough in fimilar inftanccs on fhore : For it is well known, that the fails of a windmill often move fafter than the wind •, and one great fuperiority of common windmills over all others, that ever were, or ever will be contrived to move with an horizontal mo- tion, is analogous to the cafe we have mentioned of a vefTel upon a wind and before the wind : For the fails of an horizontal windmill, the fafter they move, the more they detradl from the impulfe of the wind u" Dn them ; whereas the common wind- mills, by moving perpendicular to the torrent of air, are nearly as forc!'^ly a6led on by the wind," wlien they arc in motion, as when they are at reft. Thus much may HifHce as to the defcription and nature of thefe fingular embarkations. I muft add, that velTels bearing fome obfcure refemblance to thefe, are to be met with in various parts of the Eaji-Indies \ but none of them, that I can learn, to he compared with thofe of the Ladrones^ either in tlifir conftnidionor celerity ; which fliould induce* 2 on2 ^Vi / il *1' ; ■! :ii I i.'ll\ 'W. I. A m Mr ( 4S8 ) One to believe, that this was originally the inven» tion of fome genius of thefc Iflands, and was after- wards imperfeftly copied by the neighbouring na- tions : For though the Ladrones have no immedi- ate intercourfe with any other people, yet there Jie to the S. and S. W. of them a great number of Iflands, which are fuppofed to extend to the coaft of New Guinea. Thefe Iflands are fo near the La- drones ^ that canoes from them have fometimes, by diftrefs, been drived to Guam ; and the Spaniards did once difpatch a bark for their difcovery, which left two Jefuits amongft them, who were after- wards murthered : And the inhabitants of the La- dronesy with their proas, may, by like accident, have been driven amongft thefe Iflands. Indeed I ihould conceive, that the fame range of Iflands ex- tends to the S. E. as well as the S. W, and that to a prodigious diftance : For Schouteny who traverfcd the South part of the Pacific Ocean in the year 1 615, met with a large double canoe full of peo- ple, at above a thoufand leagues diftance from the Ladrones towards the S. E. If this double canoe was any diftant imitation of the flying proa, which is no very improbable conjecture, this can only be accounted for, by fuppofing that there is a range of Iflands, near enough to each other to be capable of an accidental communication, which is extended from the Ladrones thither. And indeed all thofe who have croflfed from America to the Eafl-Indies in a fouthern latitude, have never failed of meeting with feveral very fmall Iflands fcattered over that immenfe ocean. ' ''*« And as there may be hence fome reafon to fup- pofe, that the Ladrones are Only a part of an cxten- five chain of Iflands, fpreading thcmfelvcs to the I fouth- »<«! ( 459 ) fouthward, towards the unknown boundaries of the Pacific Ocean •, fo it appears from the Spanijb chart, hereafter inferted, that the fame chain is extended frjin the northward of the Ladrones to Japajt : So that in this light the La- drones will be only one fmall portion of a range of Iflands, reaching from Japan^ perhaps to the unknown fouthern Continent. After this fliort account of thcfe places, I fhall now return to the profecution of our voyage, \ uir/r '* r. f r'-4 f ! i I ' ; 'h .i. I Hi' i Is .1 'ir*t w CHAP. VI. From Ttman to Macao, I HAVE already mentioned, that, on the 21 ft of 05fober^ in the evening, we took our leave of the Ifland of Tinian, (leering the proper courfe for Macao in China. The eaftern monfoon was now, we reckoned, fairly fettled*, and we had a conftant 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 receiv d great damage in our rigging, which was grown very rotten, and our leak was augment- ed : But happily for us, our people were now in full health 5 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 chearfulnefs. Having now no other but our fheet-anchor left, except our prize-anchors, which were (lowed in I ; :1: . ■» '-:•! If.;! t' ■ I" 1; II J ( 460 ) the hold, and were too light to be depended on, we were under great concern how we ihould ma- nage on the coaft of China ^ where we were all entire ftrangers, and where we fhould doubtlefs be frequently under the neceffity of coming to an anchor. Our fheet-anchor being obvioufly much too heavy for a coafting anchor, it was at length refolved, to fix two of our largefl prizv anchors into one ftock, and to place between their fhanks two guns, four pounders, which was accordingly executed, and it was to ferve as a beft bower : And a third prize-anchor being in like manner joined with our ftrcam-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 3900, and the other 2900 pounds. ^ The 3d oi November, about three in the aftcr- rloon, we faw an Ifland, which at firft we imagined to be the ifland of Botel Tobago Ximo : But on our nearer approach we found it to be much frnaller than that is ufually reprefented ; and about an hour after we faw another Ifland, five or fix miles far- ther to the weftward. As no chart, nor any jour- nal we had feen, took notice of any odier Ifland CO the eafl:ward of For mo fa, than Botel 'Tobago Ximay and as we had no obfervation of our latitude at noon, we were in fome perplexity, being appre- henfive that an extraordinary current had driven us into the neighbourhood of the Bajhec JJlands ; and therefore, when night came on, we brought to, and continued in this pofliure till the next morning, which proving dark and cloudy, for fome time prolonged our uncertainty ; but it clear- ed up about nine o'clock, when we again diicern- cd ( 46i ) cd the two Iflands above-mentioned-, we then prtft forwards to the weftward, and by eleven got a fight ot" the fouthern part of the Ifland of For- mofa. I'his fatisfied us that the fecond Ifland wc jaw was Botel Tobago Xima^ and the firft a fmall illand or rock, lying five or fix miles due Eaft from it, which, not being mentioned by any of our books or charts, was the occafion of our tears. • -' '- - ' -■ >> • t^' " •■ * • When we got fight of the Ifland of Formofa^ we fleered W. by S, in order to double its extremity, and kept a good look-out ibr the rocks of Vvlc Rete^ which we did not fee till two in the after- noon. They then bore from us W. N. W, three miles diilant, the South end diFormofa at the fame time bearing N. by W, 7 W, about five leagues diftant. To give thefe rocks a good birth, we immediately haled up S. by W, and fo left them between us and the land. Indeed we had reafon to be careful of them ; for though they appeared as high out of the water as a fhip's hull, yet they are environed with breakers on all fides, and there is a fhoal ftretching from them at lead a mile and an half to the fouthward, whence they may be truly called dangerous. The courfe from Botel Tobago Xima to thefe rocks, is S. W. by W, and the diftance about twelve or thirteen leagues : And the fouth end of Formofa^ off which they lie, is in the latitude of 21°: 50' North, and in 23^^: 50' Wefl longitude from Tint an ^ according to our moft approved reckonings, though by fome of our accounts above a degree more. While we were pafiing by thefe rocks of Vel: Ret By tliere was an outcry of fire on the fore- caftle; this occafioncd a general alarm, and the 14 m v.x] M ■•!).:„ ! ( ;ii 1*1 V I (462) whole crew inftantly flocked together in the ut- moft confufion, Co that the officers found it dif- ficult for fotne time to appeafe the uproar: But having at laft reduced the people to order, it was perceived that the fire proceeded from the fur- nace; and pulling down the brick- work, it was cxtinguifhed with great facility, for it had taken its rife from the bricks, which, being over-heated, had begun to communicate the fire to the adjacent wood-work. In the evening we were furprized with a view of what we at firft light conceived to have been breakers, but, on a ftrider examina- tion, we found them to be only a great number of fires on the Ifland of For mo/a. Thefc, we ima- gined, were intended by the Inhabitants of that Ifland as fignals for us to touch there, but that fuited not our views, we being impatient to reach the port of Macao as foon as poffible. From For' mofa we fleered W. N. W, and fometimes flill . more northerly, propofing to fall in with the coafl; of China, to the eaftward of Pedro Blanco ; for the rock fo called is ufualiy efteemed an excellent di- re<5lion for fhips bound to Macao, We continued this courfe till the following night, and then fre- quently brought to, to try if we we were in found- ings : but it war> the 5th of November, at nine in the morning, before we flruck ground, and then we had forty-two fathom, and a bottom of grey land mixed with fhells. When we had got about twenty miles farther W. N. W, we had thirty, five fathom, and the fame bottom, from whence our founding gradually decreafed from thirty-five to twenty- five fathom ; but foon after, to our great furprize, they jumped back again to thirty fathom : This was an alteration we could not very well <+^3 ) wcit account for, fince all the charts laid down regular foundings every where to the northward of Pedro Blanco *, and for this rcafon we kept a very careful look-out, and altered our courfe to N. N. W, and having run thirty-five miles in this diredlion, our foundings again gradually diminifh- cd to twenty two fathom, and we at laft, about mid-night, got fight of the main land of Ci>;»^, bearing N. by W, four leagues diftant : "We then brought the fhip to, ./itii her head to the fea, propofing to wait for the morning ; and before fun-rife we were furprized to find ourfelves in the midft of an incredible number of fifhing-boats, which feemed to cover the fuiface of the fea, as far as the eye could reach. I may well ftile their number incredible, fince I cannot believe, upon the lowed eflimate, that there were fo few as fi3f thoufand, mod of them manned with five hands, and none of thofe we faw with lefs than three. Nor was this fwarm of fifhing-veflels peculiar to this fpot 5 for, as we ran on to the weftward, wc found them as abundant on every part of the coafl. We at firft doubted not but we fiiould procure a Pilot from them to carry us to Macao ; but though many of them came clofe to the (hipy and we endeavoured to tempt them by fliowing them a number of dollars, a mod alluring bait for Cbinefe of all ranks and profefTions, yet we could not entice them on board us, nor procure any dire(5lions from them ; though, I prefume, the only difficulty was their not comprehending what we wanted them to do, for we could have no communication with them but by figns : Indeed w*" often pronounced the word Macao ; hiut this wc had rcafon to fuppofe they underdood in a different ,1 \ 'I* ^H< ^^i';, m (464) difTerent fenfe ; for in return they fonictinies UM up fifli to us, and we afterwards Jcarnt, that the Cbinefe name for fifh is of a fomewhat fnnilar found. But what furprifed us mod, was the in- attention and want of curiofity, which we obfervcd in this herd of fifherinen : A Ihip like ours had doubtlefs never been in thofe leas before -, perhaps, there might not be one, amongft all the Chincfe employed in this fifliery, who had ever ktn any European veflel ; fo that we might rcafonably have expedled to have been confidered by them as a very uncommon and extraordinary objcd ; but though many of their veflels came clofe to the fliip, yet they did not appear to be at all interclbed about us, nor did they deviate in the leaft from their courfe to regard us ; which infenfibility, efpecially in maritime perfons, about a matter in their own profeflion, is fcarcely to be credited, did not the general behaviour of the Cbinefe^ in other inftances, furniih us with continual proofs of a fimilar turn of mind: It may perhaps be doubted, whether this caft of temper be the effect of nature or education -, but, in either cafe, it is an inconteftible fymptom of a mean and contempt- ible difpofition, and is alone a fufficient confuta- tion of the extravagant panegyrics, which many hypothetical writers have beftowed on the ingenuity and capacity of this Nation. But to return : H*-.' Not being able to procure any information from the Cbinefe filhermen about our proper courfe to MacaOy it was neceflary for us to rely entirely on our own judgment •, and concluding from our latitude, which was 22° : 42' North, and from our foundings, v/hich were only feventeen or eighteen fathoms, that we were yet to the cafb* *-j*a»^»-;--. : ( 465 ) A^ard of Pedro Blanco, wc ilood to the weflward : And for the affiftance of future Navigators, who may hereafter doubt about the parts of the coaft they are iipon, I muft obferve, that befides the Jatinide of Pedro B /anco ^ wh'wh is 22**: iS', and the depth of water, which to the weftward of that rock is almoft every where twenty fathoms, there is another circumftance which will give great aflift- ance in judging of the pofition of the Ihip : This is the kind of ground •, for, till we canne within thirty miles of Pedro Slaved, we had conftantly a fandy bottom ; but there the bottom changed to foft and muddy, and continued fo q'jite to the Ifland of Macao -, only while wc were in fight of Pedro Blanco^ and veiy near it, we had for a Ihort fpace a bottom of gheenifh miid, intermixed with fand. ,. It was on the 5th of NovMir, at midnighti when we firft made the coaft of China -, and the next day, about two o'clock, as wc were ftanding to the weftward within two leagues of the coaft, and ftili furrounded by fifhing veflels in as great numbers as at firfi, 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, cither to warn us of fome Ihoal, or to inform us that they would fupply us with a Pilot, and in this belief we im- mediately fent our Cutter to the boat, to know their intentions j but we were foon made fenfible of pur miftake, and found that this boat was the CgiT^odore of the whole lifhciy, and that the fig- nal fti^ had made, was to order them all to leave off , fiihing, and to return in ftiore^ which we faw Jt^fiin-^mftantly obey. On this difappointmcnt wc Jiept on our courfe, and foon after paiTed by two H h ~ very 'I *H4 ii^-J*,«M I'Hi ^«"■^!i■li V 'I •^■•*a!^/.! ( 466 ) iftvf rm»ill rocks, which lay four or five miles diftant from the fhore -, but night came on before we got fight of Pedro Blanco^ and we therefore brought to till the morning, when we had the iatisfa^lion to difcover it. It is a rock of a fmall circumference, but of a moderate height, and, both in (hape and colour, refembles a fugar-loaf, and is about feven or eight miles from the Ihore* We paffcd within a mile and an half of it, and left it between us and the land, ftill keeping on to the wcftward ; and the next day, being the 7th, we were a-breaft of a chain of Iflands, which ftretchcd from Eaft to Weft. Thefe, as we after- wards found, were called the Iflands of Lema-^ they are rocky and barren, and are in all, fmall and great, fifteen or fixteen *, and there are, be- fides, a great number of other Iflands between them and the main land of China, There is in the thirty-ninth Plate a view of thefe Iflands, and likewife a view of the grand Ladroney hereafter mentioned, as it appears when (R), tlie wefter- moft of the Iflands of Lemai bears W. N. W. at the diftance of a mile and a half. Thefe Ifland* we left on the ftarboard-flde, pafllng within four miles of them, where we had twenty-four fathom water. We were ftill furrounded by fiftiing-boats 5 and we once more fent the Cutter on board one of them, to endeavour to procure a Pilot, but could not prevail; however, one of the Cbinefe direfted us by figns to fail round the weftermoft of the Iflands or rocks of Lema^ and then to hale 1^ V We followed this diredlion, and in the even- ing came to an anchor in eighteen fathom-, at which time, the rock (R) in the foregoing draught bore Sv^* B. five mil^s diftant^ and tlie grand 3 - . Ln- o ^ (467) l/idrone W. by S. about two leagues diftant. The rock (R) is a moft exceilent diredlion for (hips coming from the eailward : Its latitude is 21°: 52' North, and it bears from Pedro Blanco S. 64"» W. diflant twenty-one leagues. You are to leave it on the ftarboard-fide, and you may come withii> half a mile of it in eighteen fathom water : And then you mud fleer N. by W. 7 W. for the chan- nel, between the Iflands of Cabouce and Bamboo^ which are to the northward of the grand Ladrone, After having continued at anchor all night, wc on the 9th, at four in the morning, fcnt our Cutter to found the channel, where we propofed to pafs ; but before the return of the Cutter, a Chinefe Pilot put on board us, and told us, in broken Portuguefe, he would carry us to Macao for thirty dollars. Thefe were immediately paid him, and we then weighed and made fail ; and foon after, fcveral other Pilots come on board us, who, to recommend themfelves, produced certifir cates from the Captains of feveral Ihips they had pilotted in, but we continued the fhip under the management of the Chinefe who came firft on board. By this time we learnt, that we were not far diftant from Mac^o^ and that there were in the river of Canton, at the mouth of which Macao lies, eleven European Ihips, of which four were Englijh, Our Pilot carried us between the Iflands of Bamboo and Cabouce, but the winds hanging in the northern board, and the tides often fetting ftrongly againft us, we were obliged to come frequently to an anchor, fo that we did not get through between the two Iflands till the 1 2th of November, at two in the morning. In pafllng through, our depth of water was from twelve to fourteen fathom ; ri Hhi and t,' u.; (468) and as wc ftill fleered on N. W. [ W. bcLween a number of other Iflands, our foundings under- went little or no variation till towards the even- ing, when they encreafed to feventeen fathom ; in which depth (the wind dying away) we anchored not far from the Ifland of Lantoon^ which is the largeft of all this range of Iflands. At feven in the morning we weighed again, and fleering W. S. W. and S. W. by W. we at ten o'clock hap- pily anchored in Macao road, in five fathom water, the city of Macao bearing W. by N. three leagues diflant; the peak of Lanioon E. by N. and the grand Ladrone S. by E. each of them about five leagues diflant. Thus, after a fatiguing cruife of above two years continuance, we once more ar- rived in an amicable port, in a civilized country ; where the convcniencies of life were in great plent- ty ; where the naval flores, which we now ex- tremely wanted, could be in fome degree pro- cured ; where we expelled the incxprelTible fatif- fadion of receiving letters from our relations and friends ; and where our countrymen, who were lately arrived from England^ would be capable of anfwering the numerous enquiries we were pre- pared to make, both about public and private occurrences, and to relate to us many particulars, whichi whether of importance or not, would be liflned to by us with the utmofl attention, after the long fufpenfion of our correfpondence with our country, to which the nature of our undertaking had hitherto fubjeded us. , .^ ,.,,> r:,^,^*' 4 m')^*y^ 'C> rl ♦ ■ ."^i-*^ = t /2^;;^|^<^tl'i^..r Jt^yntn -M ^i:^ mi'U i^uitq?- CHAP. (469 ) - <* 1 ^v :;^ c H A p. vii. i :: • ; Proceedings at M/ctf^. ' ^< ^>: ■ THE city of M s way back to England, he had put into the ] jr-. of Macao, having a confiderable leak in his flii^ , a; id being in great want of provifions, fo that it ^\ is impoflible for him to proceed on his voyage, till his Ikip was repaired, and he was fupplied with tlie neceffaries he wanted ; that he had been at Canton, •in hopes of being adriiitted to a perfonal audience of his Excellency, but being a ftranger to the cuf- toms of the country, he had not been able to in- form himfelf what fteps were neceflary to be taken to procure fuch an audience, and therefore was ob- liged to apply to him in this manner, to defire his Excellency to give orders, for his being permitted to employ Carpenters and proper workmen to refit his Ihip, and to furnifli himfelf with provifions and ftores, thereby to enable him to purfue his voyage to Great-Britain with this monfoon, hoping, at ■ :*;. ^ . the \t: yl u\ •J' A ( 477 ) the ilime time, that thefe orders would be ilTued with as little delay as poflible, left it might ccca- fion his lofs of the feafon, and he might be pre- vented from departing till the next winter. ,,^^^ •:.. This letter was tranQated into the Chinefe lan- guage, and the Commodore delivered it himfelf to the Hoppo or chief officer of the Emperor's cuftoms at Macao, defiring him to forward it to the '/iceroy of Canton, with as much expedition as he couid. The officer at firft feemed unwilling to take charge of it, and raifed many difficulties about it, fo that Mr. Anfon fufpefted him of being in league with the Merchants of Canton, who had always ftiown a great apprehenfion of the Commodore's having any immediate intercourfe with the Viceroy or Manda- rines ; and therefore the Commodore, with fome refentment, took back his letter from the Hoppo-, 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 an- fwer from the Viceroy. The Hoppo perceiving the Commodore to be in earneft, and fearihg to be called to an account for his refufal, begged to be intrufted with the letter, and promifed to deliver it, and to procure an anfwer as foon as poffible. And now it was foon feen how juftly Mr. Anfon had at laft judged of the proper manher of dealing with the Chinefe -, for this letter was written but the i 7th of December, as hath been already obferved ; and, on the 19th in the morning, 2i Mandarine of the firft rank, who was Governor of the city of Janfon^ 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 ftreamers, and furnilhed with mu- fic. ■' 'I ■t :li s)i ;':h; : 1':i;R ( 473 ) fic, and full of men, came to grapnel ahead of tlie Centurion i whence the Alafidarine fent a melTuage to the Commodore, telling him, that lie (the Mart' darine) was ordered, by the Viceroy of Canton^ to examine the condition of the Ihip, and defiring the fhip*s boat might be fent to fetch him on board. The CenturMs boat was immediately difpatched, and preparations were made for receiving him ; for a hundred of the moft fightly of die crew were uniformly dreft in the regime::tals of the marines, and were drawn up under arms on the main-deck, againft his arrival. When he entered the Ihip he was faluted by the drums, and what other military mufic there was on board ; and palTing by the new- formed guard, he was met by the Commodore on the quarter-deck, who condu6led him tj the great cabbin. Here the Mandarine e^cplained his com- miflion, declaring, that his bufinefs wiis to exa- mine all the particulars mentioned in the Commo- d )re*s letter to the Viceroy, and to confront them with the reprefentation that had been given of them J that he was particularly inftruded to infpedt the leak, and had for that purpofc brouglit with him two Chinefe Carpenters -, and that for the greater regularity and difpatch of his bufmefs, he had every head of enquiry feparately wrote down on a fheet of paper, with a void fpace oppofite to it, where he was to infert fuch information and re- marks thereon, as he could procure by his own ob' fervation. " This Mandarine appeared to be a perfon of very confiderable parts, and endowed with more frank- nefs anu honefly, than is to be found in the gene- rality of the Chinefe. After the proper inquiries had been made, particularly about the leak, which the ( 479 ) the Chincfe Carpenters reported to be as dangerous as it had been rcprcfcnted, and confcquently that it was impoflible tor the Ccylurion to proceed to fea. without being refitted, the Mandarine cxpreflcd himfelf fatisfied with the account given in the Com- ' niodore's letter. And this Magiitrate, as he wa> more intelligent than any other perfon of his na- ' tion that came to our knowledge, fo likewife was he more curious and inquifitive, viewing each part of the fhip with particular attention, and appCvU- ing greatly furprized at the largenels of the lO'Wer deck guns, and at the weight and fizc of the (hot. The Commodore, obferving his aflonilhmcnt, thought this a proper opportunity to convince the Chinefe of the prudence of granting him a fpeedy and ample fupply of all he wanted. With this view he told the Mandarhre^ and thofe who were with him, that, befides the demands he made for a ge- neral fupply, he had a particular complaint againft the proceedings of the Cuftom-houfe of Macao \ that at his firft arrival the Chinefe boars had brought on board plenty of greens, and variety of frefh pro- vifions for daily ul'e, for whicli they had always been paid to their full fatisfadion, but that the Cu- ftom-houfe officers at Macao had foon forbid them, by which means he was deprived of thofe refrefh- ments which were of the utmoft confequence to the health of his men, after their long and fickly voy- age i that as they, the MandarineSy had informed themfelves of his wants, and were eye-witnelfes of the force and ftrength of his fhip, they might be fatisiied it was not for want of power to fupply himfelf, that he defired the permiflion of the Go- vernment to purchafe what provifions he ftood in need of-, tl\at they muft be convinced that the Cen- . . - iuriott i: 't '4\m ( 48o ) . turion alone was capable of cicftroying the whole na* vigation of the port of Canton^ or of any other port in Chinay without running the lead riTiuc from all the force the Chincfe could collcfl ; tliai it was true, this was not the manner v>f proceeding between nations in frienJlhip with each other ; but it was likcwife true, that it was nut cuftojiiary lor any nation to permit the Ihip? uf tlieir Iriejir's to ftarve and fink in their por-^, vhci; thclc tj-enJs had money to fupply their wants, and only rlcfired liberty to lay it out i that tuey niuH cor.fcfs, he and his people had hitherto behaved with great modefty and referve ; but that, as his wants were each day increafing, hunger woukl at lail prove too ftrong for any reftraint, and necefTity was ac- knowledged in all countries to be fuperior to eveiy other law ; and therefore it could not be expefted that his crew would long continue to Itorve in the midft of that plenty to which their eyes were every day witnefTes : To this the Commodore added, (though perhaps with a lefs ferious air) that if by the delay of fupplying him ^<^ith frelli provifions his men ihould be reduced t iie necefilty of turn- ing cannibals, and preying 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 fhipmates. The firft Man- darine acquiefced in the juftnefs of this reafoning, and told the Commodore, that he ftiould that night proceed for Canton ; that on his arrival, a Council of Mandarines would be fummoned, of which he himfelf was a Member-, and that by being employed in the prefent Commifiion, he was of courfe the Commodore'^ Advocate j that, as he was fully con- . ' vinced f 48' ) vinccd of the urgency of Mr. AnfoiCs necelTity, ho did not doubt but, on his rcprefcntation, the Coun- cil would be of the (iime opinion •, and that all that was demanded would be amply and fpecdily grant- ed : And with regard to the Commodore's com- plaint of the Cullom-houfe of Macao^ he under- took to rcflify that immediately by his own autho- rity V for defiring a lift to be given him of the quantity of provifion neceflfary for the cxpcnce of the fhip 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 morn- ing; and this order, from that time forwards, was punctually complied with. When this weighty affair was thus in fome de- gree regulated, the Commodore invited him and his two attendant Mandarines to dinner, telling them at the lame time, that if his provifions, either in kind or quantity, was not what they might ex* pe(5l, they muft thank themfelvcs fur having con- fined him to fo hard an allowance. One of his dilhes was beef, which the Cbinefe all diflike, tho' Mr. Anfon was not apprized of it ; this feems to be derived from the Indian fuperftition, which for feme ages paft has made a great progrefs in China, However, his guefts did not entirely faft j for the three Mandarines compleatly finifhed the white parC of four large fowls. But they were extremely e/nbarraflcd with their knives and forks, and were quite incapable of making ufe of them ; So that, after fome fruitlefs attempts to help themfelves, which were fufficiently awkward, one of the attend- ants was obliged to cut their meat in fmall pieces for them. But whatever difficulty they might havo iii complying with the European manner of eating, , I i thejr i i ■ u f>" ■ I %^ y,^^ (482 ) they feemed not to be novices in drinking. The Commodore excufcd himfelf in this part of the en- tertainment, under the pretence of ilinefs •, but there being another Gentleman prefent, of a florid and jovial complexion, the chief Mandarine clapped him on the fhouldcr, and told him by the inter- preter, that certainly he could not plead ficknefs, and therefore infilled on his bearing him company ; and that Gentleman perceiving, that, after they had difpatched four or five bottles of FrontimaCy the Mandarine ftill continued unruffled, he ordered a bottle of citron-v/ater to be brought up, which the Chinefe feemed much to relifh ; and this being near finiflied, they arofe 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 veflfels that brought them. .^^r- ..^ After their departure, the Commodore with great impatience expedted the refolution of the Council, and the neceflfary licences for his refit- ment. For it muft be obferved, as hath already appeared from the preceding narration, that he could neither purchafe llores nor necefTaries with his money, nor did any kind of workmen dare to engage themfelves to work for him, without the permiflion of the Government firft obtained. And in the executiori of thefe particular injunctions, the Magiftrates never fail of exercifing great feverity, they, notwithfl:anding. the fuftian elogiums beftow- cd upon them by the Catholic Miflionarics and their European copiers, being compofed of the fame fragile materials with the relt of mankind, and of- ten making ufe of the authority of the law, not to fupprefs crimes, but to enrich themfelves by the C 483 ) pillage of thole who commit thtm -, for capital pu- nifhmcnts are rare in Ckinr., the efFeminate genius of the nation, and their flrong attachment to lucre, cliTpofing them rather to make ufe of fines ; and hcrice arifes no inconfiderable proiit to thofe who compofe their tribunals : Confequently prohibiti- ons of all kinds, particularly fuch, as the alluring profpcft of great profit may Oi"tcn tempt the fubje^t to infringe, cannot but be favourite inilitutions in »» 1-' >f j.'ij ■ '* ' fuch a Government. But to return : ^•" Some time before this, Captain Saunders took his pafTage 10 England on board a Swcdi/I:> (liip, and was charged with difpatches from the Commo- dore ; and ibon after, in the month of December^ Captain Mitchell Colonel Cracherode, ^md Mr. Taf- fel^ one of the Agent- Viftuallers, with his nephew Mr. Charles Harriot^ embarked on board fome of our Company's fhips 5 and I, having obtained the Commodore's leave to return home> embarked with them. I muft obft.rve too, (having omitted it before) that whilft we lay here at Macao^ we were informed by fome of the officers of our India- men^ that the Severn and Pearly the two fhips of our fquadron, which had feparated from us off Cape Noir, were fafely arrived at Rio Janeiro on the coafi: of Brazil. I have formerly taken notice, that, at the time of their feparation, we apprehend- ed them to be loft. And there were many reafons which greatly fivoured this fufpicion : For we knew that the Severn in particular was extremely fickly ; and this was the more obvious to the reft of the fhips, as, in the preceding part of the voy- age, her Commander Captain Legg had been re- markable for his exemplary punduality in keeping his ftation, till, for the laft ten days before his fc- I i 2 paraciofiy J . St I 1 \ W \y'(\ :'M:'; V \ ■' i ■m n \'\- ( 484 ) ■ paratlon, his crew was fo diminiflied and enfeebled, that with his utmoft efforts it was not poffibic for him to maintain his proper pofition with his wonted exadnefs. The extraordinaiy ficknefs on board him was by many imputed to the fliip, which was new, and on that account was believed to be the more unhealthy •, but whatever was the caufe of it, the Severn was by much the moft fickly of the fqua- dron : For before her departure from St, Catharine*s ihe buried more men than any of them, infomuch that the Commodore was obliged to recruit her with a number of fiiefh hands ;, and, the mortality ftilj contining on board her, fhe was fupplied with men a fecond time at fca, after our fetting fail from Sl Julians ; and notwithftanding thefe different rein- forcements, fhe was at lafl reduced to the diflrefTed condition I have already mentioned : So that the Cominodore himfelf was firmly perfuaded fhe was loft ; and therefore ft was with great joy we re- ceived the news of her and the Pearl^s lafety, af- ter the flrong perfuafion, which had fo long pre- vailed amongft us, of their having both perifhed. But to proceed with the tranfadlions between Mr. j^nfin and the Cbinefe. a » ''» * w, :^ ^m..^h y^jjoK Notwithftanding the favourable difpofition of the Mandarine Governor of Janfon^ at his leaving Mr. Anfon^ feveral days were elapfed before he had any advice from him \ and Mr. Anfon was privately in- formed there were great debates in Council, upon his affair ; partly perhaps owing to its being fo un- ufual a cafe, and in part to the influence, as I fup* pofe, of the intrigues of the French at Canton : For they had a countryman and fafl friend refiding on the fpot, who fpoke the language very well, and was not unacquainted with the venalty of the ^ \ 1 i ^ Govern- (485) Government, nor with the perfons of feveral of the Magiftrates, and confequently could not be at a lofs for means of traverfing the affiftance defired by- Mr. Anfin. And this oppofiiion of the French was not merely the effed of national prejudice or con- trariety of political interefts, but was in good mea- fure owing to their vanity, a motive of much more weight with the generality of mankind, than any attachment to the public fervice of their commu- nity : For, the French pretending their Indiamen to be Men of War -, their officers were apprehe.ifive, that any diftindion granted to Mr. An^on^ on ac- count of his bearing the King's Commiffion, would render them lefs confiderable in the eyes of the Chinefsy and would eftablilh a prepoflellion at Can- ton in favour of Ihips of war, by which they, as trading veflels, would fuffer in their importance : And I wifh the afFedlation of endeavouring to pafs for men of war, and the fear of finking in the efti- mation of the Chinefe^ if the Centvrion was treated in a different manner from themkives, had been confined to the officers of the French Ihips only. However, notwithftanding all thefe obftacles, it ihould feem, that the reprefentation of the Com- modore to the Mandarines of the facility with which he could right himfclf, if juftice were denied him, had at laft its efFe6l : For, on the 6th of January^ in the morning, the Governor of '^anfon^ the Com- modore'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 ; and, the next day, a number of Chinefe Smiths and Carpenters went on board, to agree for all the work by the great. They demanded at firft, to the amount of a thoufand pounds ilcrling for the ne- I i 3 ccflary r •'1 ■ ■ i-r:r M ■w 111 ■ ' s'.| ( 486 ) CefTary repairs of the fjiip, the boaf?, and the mads : This the Commodore fc'emcd lo think an unreafonable furn, an i endeavoured to perfuadc them to work by the day ; but that propofal they would not hearken to •, fo it was nt laft agreed, that the Carpenters iTiould 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 fhil lings ""or the large. This eing regulated, the Commodore exerted himfelf i > get this moil: important bufinefs com- pleated *, I mean, the heaving down the Centurion^ and examining the flate of her bottom : For this purpofe the firft Lieutenant was difpatched to Can- ton to hire two country vefTels, called in their lan- guage Junks, one of them being intended to heave down by, and the other to fervc as a magazine for the pov/der and ammunition. At the fame time the ground was fmoothed on one of the neighbour- ing Iflands, and a large tent was pitched for lodg- ing the lumber and piovifions, and near a hundred Chine fe Caulkers were foon fet to work on the decks and fides of the fhip. But all thefe preparations, and the getting ready the careening gear, took up a great deal of time j for the Chinese Caulkers, though they worked very well, were far from be- ing expeditious j and it was the 26th of January before the junks arrived ; and the neceflary mate- rials, which were to be purchafed at Canton^ came down very flowly ; partly from the diftance of the place, and partly from the delays and backwardnefs of the Chinefe Merchants. And in this interval Mr. Anfon had the additional perplexity to difco- ver, ( +87 ) ver, that his fore-maft was broken afunder above the upper deck partners, and was only kept toge- ther by the filhes which had been fprmerly clapt upon it. ' ' ' However, the Centurion*s people made the mofl of their time, and exerted themfelves the befl: they could ; and as, by clearing the Ihip, the Carpen- ters were enabled to come at the leak, they took care to fecure that efFedually, whilft the other pre- parations were going forwards. The leak was found to be below the fifteen foot mark, and was principally occafioned by one of the bolts being wore away and loofe in the joining of the fteni where it was fcarfed. At Jaft, all things being prepared, they, on the 2 2d of February^ in the morning, hove out the firft courfe of the Centurions ftar- board fide, and had the iatisfadion to find, that her bottom ap- peared found and good \ and, the next day, (hav.. ing by that time compleated the new Iheathing of the firfl: courfe) they righted her again, to fct up anew the careening rigging which ftretched much. Thus they continued heaving down, ard often righting the fhip from a fufpicion of their careening tackle, till the 3d of March ; when, having com- pleated the paying and fheathing the bottom, which proved to be every where very found ; they, for the laft time, righted the fhip to their great joy ; for not only the fatigue of careening had been con- fiderable, but they had been apprehenfive of being attacked by the Spaniards^ whilft the fhip was thus incapacitated for defence. Nor were their fears al- together groundlefs ; for they learnt afterwards, by SiPortuguefe vefTel, that the Spaniards at Manila had been intbrmed, that the Centurion was in the Typa^ I i 4 and ^r ■: Mill :);'•: ?•:• :../ !k# Hi if:: . ( 4^8 ) ihd Intended to careen there ; and that thereupon the Governor had fuinmoncd his Council, and had propofed to them to endeavour to burn her, whilft Ihe was careening, which was an enterprizc, which, if properly Conducted, might have p'Jt them in great danger : They were farther told, that thiJ fchcme was not only prop'^fed, but rcfolved on ; ^nd that a Captain of a veffel had a»i . ■ '>f mt^J -^tf^lHi^ •>!f *. tri i> r\ k. I HUM vM'- i--^, -^,4, ....U '•— ' CHAP. VIII. - '^hn NiJ{,« , ^':i rn;;; From Macao to Cape Efpiritu SanElo : The taking of the Manila galeon, and returning back again. TH E Commodore was now got to fea, with his fhip very weJI refitted, his (lores replenifh- cd, and an additional flock of provifions on board : His crew too was fome what reinforced 5 for he had entered twenty-three men during his flay at Macaoy the greateft part of which were Lafcars or Indian iaiiors, and fome few Butch, He gave out at Ma» eaa^ that he was bound to Batavia^ and thence to England ; and though the weflerly monfoon wa? now ftt in, when that pafTage is confidcred as im- pra^icable, yet, by the confidence he had cxpref* fed in the ftrength of his fhip, and the dexterity of his people, he had perfuade^. 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. Batavia^ •» t-^v .:..^i; But ( 49' ) But his real (kTign was ot a very dilFerc.nt nature : For he knew, that, inflcad of one annual Tnip from Acapuko to Manila, there would be this year, in »li probability, two -, fince, by being bdore Jcapul- (Oj he had prevented one of them from putting to iea the preceding fcafoii. He therefore refolved to cruife for thcfe returning veflels off Cape Efpiriiu Santo, on the Ifland ot oamal, which is the firll land the) always make in the Philippine Iflands, And as June is generally the month in which they arrive there, he doubted not but he /hould get to his intended (lation time enough to intercept tiiem. It is true, they were faid to be ftout vcflcls, moun- ing forty four guns apiece, and carrying above five hundred hands, and might beexpedled to return in company ; and he himfelf had but two hundred and twenty-fevcn hands on board, of which near thirty were boys : But this difproportion of ftrength did not deter him, as he knew his fhip to be much bet- ter fitted for a fea- engagement than theirs, and as he had reafon to expcft that his men would exert them- felves in the mod extraordinary manner, when they had in view the immenfe wealth of thefe Manila galeons. i HV /j?"' '"* ^"^ ** ',<» This projedl the Commodore had refolved on in his own thoughts, ever fince his leaving the coait of Mexico. And the greateft mortification \7hich he received, from the various delays he had met with in China, was his apprehenfion, left he might be thereby fo long retarded as to let the galeons ef- cape him. Indeed, at Macao it was incumbent on him to keep tiiefe views extremely fecret ; for there being a great intercou.fe and a mutual connexion of intertfts between that port and Manila, he had reafon to fear, that, if his defigns were difcover- edy iri ■I J r' '■ ' . Il ■tf'.ii a . W) ( 492 ) ed, intelligence would be immediately fent to A/ and entirely clear of the coatl, he fum- moned all his people on the quarter- deck, and in- formed them of his refolution to cruife for the two Manila Ihips, of whofe wealth they were not igno- rant. He told them he fhould chufe a ftation, "where he could not fail of meeting with them ; and though they were ftout Ihips, and full manned, yet, if^is own people behaved with their accuftomed ^irit, he was certain he fhould prove too hard for them both, and that one of them at lead could not fail of becoming his prize : He further added, that many ridiculous tales had been propagated a- bout the ftrength of the fides of thefe fliips, and their being impenetrable to cannon-lhot ; that thefe iiftions had been principally invented to palliate the cowardice of thofe who had formerly engaged them ; but he hoped there were none of thofe pre- fent weak enough to give credit to fo abfurd a ftory : For his own part, he did aflure them upon his word, that, whenever he met with them, he would fight them fo near, that they fhould find, his bul- lets, inflead of being flopped by one of their fides, Ihould go through them both. - c-- - • -r This fpeech of the Commodore's was received by his people with great joy : For no fboner had he ended, than they exprefTed their approbation, according to naval cuftom, by three flrenuous cheers, and all declared their determination to fuc- ceed or perifh, whenever the opportunity prefented itfelf. And now their hopes, which fince their departure from the coaft of Mexico^ had entirely fubfided, were again revived i and they all perfuad- cd { 493 ) cd thcmfelves, that, notwithftanding the various cafualties and diftppointments they had hitlicrto met with, they fhould yet be repaid the price of their fatigues, and fhould at laft return home en- riched with the fpoils of the enemy : For firmly relying on the aflurapces of the Commodore, that they fhould certainly meet with the veficls, they were all of them too fanguine to doubt a moment of maftering them ; fo that they confidered them- felves as having them already in their po^efHon. And this confidence was fo univerfhily fpread thro* the whole fhip's company, that, the Commodore having taken fome Chinefe llieep to fca with him for his own provifion, and one day enquiring of his Butcher, why, for fome time pad, he had 'ittn no mutton at his table, alking him if all the (heep were killed, the Butcher very ferioufly replied, that there were indeed two (heep left, but that if his Honour would give him leave, he propofed io keep thole for the entertainment of the General of the galeons. When the Centurion left the port of Macao , flie Itood for fome days to the we ft ward ; and, on the firft of May^ they faw parr, of the IQand oi Formofa ; and, ftanding thence to the fouthward, . they, on the 4th of May^ were in the latitude of the BaJIoet IJlands^ as laid down by Di^mpier ; but they fufpet5t- cd his account of inaccuracy, as they found that he had been confiderably miftaken in the latitude of the South end of Formofa : For this reafon they kept a good look- out, and about feven in the even-:^ ing difcovercd from the maft-head five fmall Iflands, which were judged to be the Bajhees^ and they had afterwards a fight of Botel Tobago Xima, By this ipcans they had an opportunity of corfe(5ting the I' '^i -d '! , ;i'J ■l\ n M) ( 494 ) the poficlon of the Bajhee IJlands, which had been hitherto laid down twenty- five leagues too far to the weftward : For by their obfcrvations, they eftcem- cd the middle of thcfc Ifiands to be in 2r: 4 North, and to bear from Betel lohf->^o X:ma S. S. E. twenty leagues diftanr, th.:: Illand itfclf being in 21° ! 57' North. *^'^"' ' ■■''• * After getting a fight of the B'^fljce Iflands^ they flood between the S. and S. \V. lor Cape Efpirittt Santo ; and, the 2orh of Mny at noon, they, firft difcovcred that Cape, which about four o'clock they brought to bear S. S. W. about eleven leagues diftant. It appeared to be of a moderate height, with feveral round hummocks on it ; and is exadlly reprefented in the fortieth plate. As it was known that there were centinels placet! upon this Cape to make fignals to the Acapdco fhip, when iTie firft falls in with the land, the Commodore immediate- ly tacked, and ordered the top gallant fliils to be taken in, to prevent being difcovered j and, this being the ftation in which it was refolved to cruifc for the galleons, they kept the Cape between the South and the Weft, and endeavoured to confine themfelves between the latitude of 12°: 50', and 13° : 5', the Cape itfelf lying, by their obfervations, in 12* : 40' North, and 4° of Eaft longitude from Botel 'Tobago Xima. ''-" "■' '-. ''-'•'** -''-" w *r. i*^^"-"**-' It was the Jaft of May^ by the foreign ftyle, when they arrived off" this Cape ; and, the month of June^ by the fame ftyle, being that in which the ■ Manild ftiips are iifually expedted, the Centurion's people were now waiting each hour with the utmoft impatience for the happy crifis which was to ballance the account of all their paft calamaties. As from this time there was but fmall employment for the crew. ( 495 ) crew, the Commodore ordered them ahnoft every day to be exercilcd in 'he management of the great guns, and in the ufe ot their Imall arms. This had been his praftice, more or lels, at all conveni- ent feafons during the whole courle of his voyage; and the advantages which he received from it, in his engagement with the galeon, were an ample re» compence for all his care and attention. Indeed, it fhould feem that there are few particulars of a Com- mander's duty of more importance than this, how much foever it may have been fometimes overlook- ed or mifunderftood : For it will, I fuppole, be confefled, that in two (hips of war, equal in the number of their men and guns, the difproportion of ftrength, arifing from a greater or lefs dexterity in the ufe of th' ir great guns and fmall arms^ is what can fcarcely be b* llanced by any other circum- ilances whatever. For, as thefe are the weapons with which they are to engage, what greater inequa- lity can there be betwixt two contending parties, than that one fide fliould perfedly underftand the ufe of their weapons, and fliould have the (kill to employ them in the mod effc'Rual manner for the annoyance of their enemy, while the other fide Ihould, by their awkward miinagemenn of them, render them rather terrible to themfelvc?, than mif^ chievous to their antagonifts ? This fct^ms Co plain and natural a conclulion, that a perfon unacquainted with thefe affairs would fuppofc the firfl: care of a Commander to be the training his people to the ufe of their arms. But human affairs are not always conduced by the plain didatcs of common fenle. There are many other principles which mfluencc our tranfadi- ons : And there is one in particular, which, thouglr of ^m • iU .!1 ( 496 ) of a very erroneous complexion, is fcarcely ever ex- cluded fronfi our moft ferious deliberations ; I mean cuftom,or the practice of thofe who have preceded us. This is ufually a power too mighty for reafon to grap* pie with ; and is the moft terrible to thofe who oppofc it, as it has much of fuperftition in its nature, and purfues all thofe wlio qucftion its authority with un- relenting vehemence. However, in thefe latter ages of the world, fome lucky encroachments have been made upon its prerogative ; and it may reafon- ably be hoped, that the Gentlemen of the Navy, whofe particular profeflion hath of late been confi- derably improved by a number of new inventions, will of all others be the readieft to give up t! Me pradices, which have nothing to plead but prefcrip- tion, and will notfuppofc that every branch of their bufinefs hath already received all the perfeiStion of which it is capable. Indeed it muft be owned, that if a dexterity in the ufe of fmall arms, for in- ftance, hath been fometimes lels attended to on board our fliips of war, than might have been wifli- ed for, it hath been rather owing to unfkilful me- thods of teaching it, than to negligence : For the common lailors, how ftrongly foever attached to their own prejudices, are very quick fighted in find- ing out the defe(5ls of others, and have ever fhewn a gre.it contempt for the formalities pradlifed in the training of land troops to the ufe of their arms ; but when thofe who have undertaken to inflrudl the Teamen have contented themfclves with inculcating only what was ufeful, and that in the fimpleft man- ner, they have conftantly found their people fuf- iiciently docile, and the fuccefs hath even exceeded their expeftation. Thus on board Mr. /infon's lliip, where they were only taught the (horteft me- thod m (497 ) thod of loading with cartridges, and were condant^k ly trained to fire at a mark, which was ufually hung at the yard-arm, and where fome Jittle reward was given to the moft expert, the whole crew, by this management, were rendered extremeJy fkilful, quick in loading, all of them good markfmen, and fome of them moft extraordinary ones •, fo chat I doubt not bur, in the ufe of fmall arms, they were more than a match for double their number, who had not been habituated to t!ie fame kind of exercifc. But to return. It was the laft of May, N. S, as hath been al* ready faid, when the Centuriort arrived off Cape Efpiritu Santo \ and confequently the next day be* gan the month in which the galeons were to be &t* petted. The Commodore therefore made all ne* ceffary preparations for receiving them, having hoifled out his long boat, and la(hed her along fide^ that the Ihip might be ready for engaging, if they fell in with the galeons in the night. All this time too he was very folicitous to keep at fuch a diftance from the Cape, as not to be difcovered : But it hath been fince learnt, that notwithftanding his care, he was feen from the land •, and advice of him was fent to Manila^ where it was at firft difbc- lieved, but on reiterated intelligence (for it feema he was feen more than once) the Merchants were alarmed, and the Governor was applied to, who undertook (the Commerce fupplylng the neceflary fums) to fit out a force confifting of two Ihips of thirty-two guns, one of twenty guns, and two floops of ten guns each, to attack the Centurion on her fta- tion : And fome of thcfe vefiels did adually weigh with this view *, but the principal (hip not being ready, and the monfoon being againft them, the K k Com- !!|i U Vr: I ,1,1;:! ( 498 ) Commerce and the Governour difagreed, and the crt- terprize was laid afide. This frequent difcovery of the Centurion from the fhore was Ibmewhat extraordv- nary ; for the pitch Oi the Cape is not high, and fhe 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 wi I hin feven leagues of the land. f * As the month of June advanced, the expedlancy and impatience of the Commodore's people each day encreafed. And I think no better idea can be given of their great cagernefs on this occafion, than by copying a few paragraphs from the journal of an officer, who was then or board ; as it will, I pre- fume, be a more natural pidure of the full attach- ment of their thoughts to the bufinefs of their cruife, than can be given by any other means. The para- graphs I have feledted, as they occur in order of time, are as follow: ,,,1 " May '^i^ Exercifing our men at their quarters, in great expedation of meeting with the galeons very foon; this being the eleventh of 7««^ their ftile." " June 3, Keeping in our ftations^ and looking out for the galeons." *' June 5, Begin now to be in great expeda- tion, this being the middle o^June their ftile." " June 1 1, Begin to grow impatient at not feeing " the galeons.'* " June 13, The wind having blown frefh eaf- terly for the forty-eight hours pad, gives us great expedations of feeing the galeons foon." '* June 15, Cruizing on and off, and looking out ilridly.'^ ^ . . . , «• Jun9 cc cc i( cc cc tc cc -'A cc «c ^- (499)^ ** yme 19, This being the Jaft day o^June N.S\ the galeons, if they arrive .at all muft appear loon." ^ . — - ' From thefe famples it is fufficiently evident, how compleatly the treafure of the galleons had engroffed their imagination, and how anxioufly they pafled the latter part of their cruife, when the certainty of the arrival of thele vefiTels was dwindled down to probability only, and that probability became each hour more and more doubtful. However, on the 20th of June 0. S. being juft a month from their arrival on their flation, they were relieved from this ftate of uncertainty ; when, at fun-rife, they dif- covered a Hiil from the maft head, in the S. E. quarter. On this, a general joy fpread through the whole (hip ; for they had no doubt but this was one of the galeons, and they expetfled foon to fea the other. The Commodore inftantly flood to* wards her, and at half an hour after feven they were near enough to fee her from the Centurion\ deck ; at which time the galeon fired a gun, and took in her top gallant fails, which was luppofed to be a fignal to her confort to haflen her up ; and therefore the Centuriori fired a gun to leeward, to amufe her. The Commodore was furprized to find, that in all this time the galeon did not change her courfe, but continued to bear down upon him ; for he hardly believed, what afterwards appeared to be the cafe, that flie knew his Iliip to be the Ceniu- riotty and refolved to fight him. ^, .. . About noon the Commodore was little more than a league diftant from the galeon, and could fetch her wake, fo that llie could not now efcape ; and^ no fccond fliip appearing, it was concluded that flie had been fcparatcd from her confort. Soon after, K k 2 th€ 'H , ifii. ;i.^:' ^ -1 !•' 1*1 ll':' l-l I I i| w- j \ ( 5^0 ) ' . the galeon haled up her fore-faif, and brought too under top- fails, with her head to the north- ward, hoifting Spanijh colours, and having the ftandard of Spain flying at the top-gallant maft- head. Mr. Anfon in the mean tinfie had pre- pared all things for an engagement on board the Centurion, and had taken all poflible care, both for the moft effeflual exertion of his fmall ftrength, and for the avoiding the confufion and tumult, too frequent in aflions of this kind. He picked out about thirty of his choiceft hands and beft markfmen, whom he diftributed into his tops, and who fully anfwered his expectation, by the fignal fervices they performed. As he had not hands enough remaining to quarter a fufiicient number to each great gun, in the cuftomary man- ner, he therefore, on his lower tire, fixed only two men to each gun, who were to be folely em- ployed in loading it, while the reft of his people were divided into difRjrent gangs of ten or twelve men each, which were conftantly moving about the decks, to run out and fire fuch guns as were loaded. By this management he was enabled to- make ufe of all his guns ; and , inftcad of firing broad- fides with intervals between them^ he kept up a conftunt fire without intermiflion, whence he doubted not to procure very fignal advantages;, for it is common with the Spaniards to fall down upon the decks when they fee a broad fide pre- paring, and to continue in that pofture till it is given 5 after which they rife again, and, prefuming. the danger to be for fome time over, work their guns, and fire with great brilknefs, till another broad-fide is ready : But the firing gun by gun. in ( 501 ) in the manner diredled by the Commodore, ren- dered this praftice of theirs impoffiblc. The Centurion being thus prepared, and nearing the galeon a-pace, there happened, a Jittle after noon, feveral fqualls of wind and rain, which often obfcured the galeon from their fight ; but when- ever it cleared up, they obferved her rcfolutely ly- ing to ; and, towards one o'clock, the Centurion hoifted her broad pendant and colours, fhe being then within gun-fliot of the enemy. And the Commodore obferving the Spaniards to have neg- leded clearing their fhip till that time, as he then faw them throwing over-board cattle and lumber, he gave orders to fire upon them with the chace- guns, to embarafs them in their work, and pre- vent them from compleating it, though his gene- ral diredions had been not to engage till they were within piftol-lhot. The galeon returned the fire with two of her ftcrn.chafe, and, the Cen- turion getting her fprit-fail-yard fore and aft, that if neceffary fhe might be ready for boarding, the Spaniards in a bravado rigged their fprit-fail-yard fore and aft likewife. Soon after, the Centurion came a- bread of the enemy within piftol-fhor, keeping to the leeward with a view of preventing them from putting before the wind, and gaining the port of Jalapay^ from which they were about feven leagues diftant. And now the engagement began in earned, and for the fird half hour, Mr. Anfon over-reached the galeon, and lay on her bow; where, by the great widenefs of his pons he could traverfe almod all his guns upon the enemy, whild the galeon could only bring a pare ofherstobear. Immediately, on the commence- ment of the allien, the mats , with which the ga- K k 3 Itpn 11 r: !!■ i , :||i f«l lii;^ li' ( S02 ) Icon had fluffed her netting, took fire, and burnt; violently, blazing up halt as high as the mizen- top. This accident (fuppofed to be caufed by the CentiirMs wads) threw the enemy into great con- fufion, and at the fame time alarmed the Commo- dore, for he feared left the galeon fhould be burnt, and left he himfelf too might fuffer by her driving on board him : But the Spaniards at ]aft freed themfeJves from the fire, by cutting away the netting, and tumbling the whole mafs which was in flames, into the fea. But ftill the Centurion kept her firft advantageous pofition, firing her cannon with great regularity and brifknefs, whilft at the fame time t|ie galeon's decks lay open to her top men, who, having at their firft volley driven the Spaniards from their tops, made pro- digious havock with their fmall arms, killing or wounding every officer bot one that ever appeared on the quarter-deck, and wounding in particular the General of the galeon himfelf. And though the C^nturiony after the firft half hour, loft her original iituation, and was clofe along fide the galeon, and the enemy continued to fire briflily for near an liour longer, yet at laft the Commodore's grape- fhot fwept their decks fo efFedually, and the num- ber of their flain and wounded was fo confiderable> that they began to fill into great diforder, efpeci- ally as the General, who was the Jife of the aftion, was no longer capable of exerting himfelf. Their embarrafment was vifible from on board the Commodore. For the ftiips were fo near, that fome of the Spanijlj officers were feen running ^bout with great affiduity, to prevent the defertion of their men from their quarttrs : But all their endeavours were in vain j for after having, as a ( 503 ) hO: effort, fired five or fix guns with moic judg- ment than ufual, they gave up the conteft ; and the galeon's colours being finged off the enfign- ftafF in the beginning of the engagement, (he ftruck the flandard at iier main- top-gallant mad- head, the perfon who was employed to do it, having been in imminent peril of being kille^ j had not the Commodore, who perceived what he was about, given exprefs orders to his people to dcfifl: from firing. I'hus was the Centurion poiTcflfed of this rich prize, amounting in value to near a million and a half of dollars. She was called the Noflra Signora de Cabadonga^ and was commanded by the General Don Jeronimo de Montero, a Ptrtuguefe by birth, and the moft approved officer forilcill and courage of any employed in that fer vice. The galcon was much larger than the Centurion, had five hundred and fifty men and thirty-fix guns mounted for aflion, befides twenty-eight pidreroes in her gun- wale, quarters and tops, each of which carried a four pound ball. She was very well furnidied 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 defended by half pikes. She had fixty-fcven killed in the aftion, and eighty-four wounded, whilil the Cen- turion had only two killed, and a Lieutenant and fixtcen wounded, all of whom, but one, recovered : Of fo little confequence are the moft deftrudive arms in untutored and unpradlifed hands. The treafure thus taken by the Centurion having been for at leaft eighteen months the great objcft of their hopes, it is impoffible to defcribe the K k 4 tranfport !ir ( 504 ) tranfport on board, when, after all their reiterated difappointments, they at laft faw their wifhes ac- compli flied. But their joy was near being fud- denly damped by a molt tremendous incident: For no fooner had the galcon ftruck, than one of the Lieutenants coming to Mr. jinfon to congratu- late him on his prize, whifpered him at the fame time, that the Centurion was dangeroufly on fire near the powder-room. The Commodore received this dreadful news withoui any apparent emotion, and, taking care not to alarm hib people, gave the neceffary orders for extinguifhing it, which was happily done in a fhort time, though its appearance at tirft was extremely terrible. It feems fome car- tridges had been blown up by accident between decks, whereby a quantity of oakum in the after- hatch way, near the after powder-room, was fct on fire ; and the great fmother and fmoke of the oakum occafioned the apprehenfion of a more ex- tended and mifchievous fire. At the fame inftant too, the galeon fell on board the Centurion on the llarboard quarter, but fhe was cleared without do- ing or receiving any confiderable damage. The Commodore made his firft Lieutenant, Mr. Saumarez, Captain of this prize, appointing her a poft-fhip in his Majefty's fervice. Captain Sau- marez, before night, font on board the Centurion all the Spanijh prifoners, but fuch as were thought the moft proper to be retained to afllft in navi- gating the galeon. And now the Commodore learnt, from fome of thefe prifoners, that the other fhip, which he had kept in the port of Jcapulco the preceding year, inftead of returning in cr -npany with the prclent prize as was expefted, had let fail from 4capdco alone much fooner than iSOS) ufual, and had, in all probability, got into the port of Manila long before the Centurion arrived off Ejpiritu Santo \ fo that Mr. Anfon^ notwith- {landing his prefcnt fuccefs, had great reafon to regret his lofs of time at Macao ^ which prevented him from taking two rich prizes inftead of one. The Commodore, when the adlion was ended» refolved to make the beft of his way with his prize for the river of Canton^ being in the mean lime fully employed in fccuring his prifoners, and in removing the treafure from on board the ga- leon into the Centurion. The laft of thefe opera- tions was too important to be poftponed ; for as the navigation to Canton was through feas but little known, and where, from the feafon of the year, much bad weather might be expe(5led, it was of great confequence that the treafure fhould be fent on board the Centurion^ which (hip, by the prefence of the Commander in Chief, the greater number of her hands, and her other advantages, was doubtlefs much fafer again ft all the cafualties of winds and feas than the galeon ; and the fccuring the prifoners was a matter of ftill more confe- quence, as not only the poffeffion of the treafure, but the lives of the captors depended thereon. This was indeed an article which gave the Com- modore much trouble and difquietude ; for they were above double the number of his own people ; and fome of them, when they were brought on board the Centurion, and had obferved how flen- derly fhe was manned, and the large proportion which the flriplings bore to the reft, could not help exprefiing themfelves with great indignation to be thus beaten by a handful of boys. The method, which was taken to hinder Uicm from f f'ii : i m ' I ' M ! (• f ! rifing, was by pacing all but the officers and the wounded in the hold, where, to give them as much air rr, pofllble, two hatch-ways were Jcft open; but then (to avoid all danger, whilft the Centurion*^ people fhould be employed upon the deck) there was a fquare pardtion of thick planks, made in the fliape of a funnel, which encloftd each hatch.- way on the lower deck, and reached fo t'lat direc^t'y over it on the upper flcCk ; thefe funnels fervcd to communicate the air to the hold better than could have been done without them; and, at the fame time, added greatly to the leciirity of tiie fhip; for they be- ing fcven or eighi feet high, it would have been extream.ly difficult for the Spaniards to have clam- bered iH'i 2nd ftiil tc augment that difficulty, four fwivel-guns loaded with mufquer-bullets were planted at the mouth of each funnel, and a cen- tinel with lighted match conftantly attended, pre- pared to fire into the hold amongft them, in caie of any difturbance. Their officers, which amount- ed to feventeen or eighteen, were all lodged in the firft Lieutenant's cabin, under a conllant guard of fix men; and the General, as he wcs^. wounded. Jay in the Commodore's cabbin witii a centincl always with him ; and they were all informed, that any violence or difturbance would be punifhed with inftant death. And that the Centurion*s peo- ple might be at all times prepared, if, notwith- ftanding thefe regulations, any tumult fhould arife, the fmall-arms were conftantly kept loaded in a proper place., whilfl ail the men went armed with cutiaffes and piftolsj and no officer ever pulled off his cloaths, and when he flcpt had always his grrns lying ready by him. _. . . • • . " ^ ^ Thefb •»• (so? ) Thefc meafures were obvioudy necenfar/, con- lidering the hazards to which the Coinmodorc and his people wouli have been expofcd, had they been lefs careful. Indeed, the fuflcrings of tl.e poor prifoners, though impuffible to be alleviated, were much to be commiferated ; for the weather was extremely hot, the ftench of the hold loath- fomc, beyond all conception, and their allowance of water but juft fufficient to keep them alive, it not being pradticable to Ipare them more than at the rate of a pint a clay for each, the crew them- felves having only an allowance of a pint and an half. All this confidered, it was wonderful that not a man of them died during their long con- finement, except three of the wounded, who died the fame night they were taken •, though it niufl be copfeffed, that the greatc'ft part of them were ftrangely metamorphofed by the heat of the hold ; for when they were firft taken, they were fightly, robuft fellows ; but when, after above a month's imprifonment, they were difcharged in rhe river of Canton, they were reduced to mere Skeletons ; and their air and looks correfponded much more to the conception formed of ghofts and fpedres, than to the figure and appearance of real men. ' Thus employed in fecuring the treafure and the prifoners, the Commodore, as hath been faid, flood for the river of Canton •, and, on the 30Lh oVJune^ at fix in the evening, got fight of Cape Delangano, which then bore weft ten leagues diftant ; and, the next day, he made the Bajhee JJlandSy and ihe wind being fo far to the north- ward, that it was difficult to weather them, it was refolved to fland thorough between Grafton and Monmouth Iflands, where the pafTage fecmed to be !" J ^ ; i'M, l: I'i ti.-l ^ m ( 5o8 ) be dear; but in getting through, the fea had a very dangerous afpefl, for it ripled and foamed, as if it had been full of breakers, which was fliH more terrible, as it was then night. But the fhips got through verj fafe, (the prize always keeping a- head) and it was found that the appearance which had alarmed them had been occafioned only by by a ftrong tide. I muft here obferve, that tho* the Bafiee IJlands arc ufuajly reckoned to be no more than five, yet there are many more lying about them to the weflward, which, as the chan- nels amongfl: them are not at all known, makes it advifeable for fhips, rather to pafs to the north- ward or fouthward, than through them : and in- deed the Commodore propofed to have gone to the northward between them and Formofa^ had it been polTible for him to have weathered them. From hence the Centurion fleering the proper courfe for the tWer of Canton, fhe, on the i8th of July, difcovered the Ifland of Supata, the weftermoft of the Lema Iflands, being the double-peaked rock, particularly delineated in the view of the Iflands of Lemay formerly referred to. This Ifland of Supatct 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 nth, having taken on board two Chine fe Pilots, one for the Centurion, 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 Ihe had on board 1,313,843 pieces of eight, and 35,682 0%. of virgin filver, befides fome cochi- neal, and a few other commodities, which, how- ever, were but of fmall account, in comparifon of ."^,. "'■■,_ ^ ths tht /pccie. And this being the Commodore's Ia(! prize, it hence appears, that all the treafure taken by the Ceniurion was not much (hort of 400,00a /. independent of the (hips and merchandize, which Ihe either burnt of deftroyed, and which, by the moil reafonable eftimation, could not amount to Ic little as 600,000 /. more ; fo that the whole lofs of the enemy, by our fquadron, did doubtlcfs exceed a miHion fterling. To which, if there be added the great expence of the Court of Spaitt^ In fitting out PizarrOf and in paying the additionaJ charges in America, incurred on our account, to- gether with the lofs of their men of war, the total of all thefe articles will be a moft exorbitant fum, and is the ftrongefl convidtion of the utility of this expedition, which, with all its numerous diiadvantages, did yet prove fo extremely preju- dicial 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 10th chapter of the le- cond book are colle6led. Among the reft there was found a chart of all the Ocean, between the Philippines and the coaft of Mexico, which was what was made ufe of by the galeon in her own navigation. A copy of this draught,, correded in Ibme places by our own obfervation, is here an- nexed, together with the route of the galeon traced thereon from her own journals,, and like- wife the route of the Centurion, from Acapulc» tlirough the fame Ocean. This is the chart for- merly referred to, in the account of the Manila tirade : And, to render it ftill more compleat, the ©bferved variation of the needle is annexed to feveral parts both of the S^anijh and Englijh track ; which i ■ m / ( S^o ) which addition is of the greatcft conftquerice, as no obfervations of this kind in the northern parts of the Pacffc Ocean have yet to my knowledge been piiblifhed, and as the quantity of the varia- tion fo nearly correfponds to what Dr. Halley pre- didled from his Theory, above fifty years ago. And with this digreffion I Ihall end this chapter, leaving the Centurion with her prize at anchor off Macao^ preparing to enter the river of Canton, •^» ^ ,::i. n 1 1 at k-Ui^ •.r! W.,', ■;Vb a ij -.0 r»i- CHAP. IX. Tranfadions in the river of Canton^ ■H-^ '^il] "fhf' -^ •r,.t.> THE Commodore, having taken Pilots on board, proceeded with his prize for the river of Canton-, and, on the 14th o{ July^ came to an anchor Ihort of the Bocca Tigris^ which is a narrow paffage forming the mouth of that river : This entrance he propofed to ftand through the next day, and to run up as far as Tiger IJlandy which is a very fafe road, fecured from all winds. But whilft the Centurion and her prize were thus at anchor, a boat with an officer came off from the Mandarine, commanding the forts at Bocca Tigris to examine what the fliips were, and whence they came. Mr. Anfon informed the officer, that his fliip was a fhip of war, belonging to the King of Great-Britain ; and that the other in company with him was a prize he had taken ; that he was going into Canton river 10 fhelter himfelf againft the hurricanes which were then coming on ; and that as foon as the monfoon ihiftcd, he (hould proceed ( 5" ) proceed for England, The officer then defireJ art account of what men, guns, ai>d ammunition were ■ on board, a lift of all which hfe^iaid was to be fent to the Government of Canton, But when thefc articles were repeated to him, particularly when he was told that there were in the Centurion four hun- dred firelocks^ and between three and four hun- dred barrels of powder, he (hrugged up his fhoul- ders, and feemed to be terrified with the bare recital, faying, that no fhips ever came into Caitton river armed in that manner ; adding, that he durft not fet down the whole of this force, Icll it fhould too .much clarm the Regency. After he had finiflied his enquiries, and was preparing to depart, he defired to leave the two Cuftom-houfe officers behind him ; on which the Commodore told him, that though as a man of war he was prohibited from trading, and had nothing to do with cuftoms or duties of any kind, yet, for the fatisfadtion of the Cbinefe, he would permit of two of their people to be left on board, who might themfelves be witnelTes how pundually he fhould comply with his inflrudions. The officer feemed amazed when Mr. Anfon mentioned being exempt- ed from all duties, and told him, that the Em- peror's duty muft be paid by all fliips that came into his ports : And it is fuppofed, that on this occafion, private directions were given by him to the Chinefe Pilot, not to carry the Commodore through tht Bocca Tigris ', which makes it ncccf- fary, more particularly to defcribe that entrance. The Bocca Tigris is a narrow paflfage, little more than mufquet-fhot over, formed by two points of land, on each of which there is a fort, that on the (larboard fide being a battery on the water's edge,. 4 w th ti' r. 'I (y ,i\ ( 5t^ ) with eighteen cmbrafures, but where there were no more than twelve iron canon mounted, Icem- ing to be four or fix pounders ; the fort on the larboard-fide is a large caftle, refembling thofe old buildings which here in England we oft n find diftinguifhed by that name; it is fituated on a high rock, and did not appear to be furniflied with more than eight or ten cannon, none of which were fuppofed to exceed fix pounders. Thefe are the defences which fecure the river of Canton ; and which the Cbinefe (extremely defedlive in all military Ikill) have imagined were fufficient to prevent any enemy f om forcing his way through. But it is obvious, from the defcription of thefe forts, that they could have given no obftrudion to Mr. Anfon^% paffage, even if they had been well fupplied with gunners and ftores ; and therefore, though the Pilot, after the Cbinefe officer had been on board, refufed at firft to take charge of the Ihip, till he had leave from the forts, yet as it was ncceflTary to get through without any de- lay, for fear of the bad weather which was hourly cxpeded, the Commodore weighed on the 15th, and ordered the Pilot to carry him by the forts, threatening him that, if the Ihip ran aground, he would inftantly hang him up at the yard arm. The Pilot, awed by thefe threats, carried the fhip through fafely, the forts not attempting to difpute the pafTage. Indeed the poor Pilot did not efcape the refentment of his countrymen, for when he came on fliore, he was feized and fent to prifon* and was rigouroufly difciplined with the bamboo. However, he found means to get at Mr. Anfon afterwards, to defire of him fome recompence for the chaftifcment he had undergone, and of which he to ve IJ, { 5»3 ) lie tkcn carried very fignificant marks about him ; and Mr. Anfon^ in commiferation of his fufferings, gave him fuch a fum of money, as would at any time have enticed a Chincfe to have undergone a dozen baftinadings. Nor was the Pilot the only pcrfon that fufFered on this occafion ; for the Commodore foon after fee- ing fome royal junks pafs by him from Bccca 'Tigris towards Canton^ he learnt, on enquiry, that the Mandarine commanding the forts was a prifoner on board them ; that he was already turned out, and was now carrying to Canton, where it was expefled he would be feverely punifhed for having permit- ted the (hips to pafs -, and the Commodore urging the unreafonablenefs of this procedure, from the inability of the forts to have done otherwifc, ex- plaining to the Chinefc the great fuperiority his fhips would have had over the forts, by the number and fize of their guns, the Chinefe feemed to acquiefce in his reafoning, and allowed that their forts could hot have flopped him •, but they ftill aiTerted, that the Mandarin^ would infallibly fuffer, for not hav- ing done, what all his judges were convinced, was impoffible. To fuch indefenfible abfurdities arc thofe obliged to fubmit, who think themfelves con- cerned to fupport their authority, when the neceflary force is wanting. But to return : On the 1 6th of July the Commodore fent his feCOnd Lieutenant to Canton, with a letter to the Viceroy, informing him of the reafon of the Cen- turion* s putting into that port ; and that the Com- modore himfelf foon propofed to repair to Canton, to pay a vifit to the Viceroy. The Lieutenant was very civilly received, and was promifed that an an- fwer fhould be fcnt to the Commodore the next day. LI In I %[''■ uv (5H) In the mean time Mr. Anfon gave leave to feveral 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. AnforCs power. And on this occafion the prifoners were honeft enough to declare, that as the Kings of Great-Britain and of Spain were at war, they had propofed to themfelves the taking of the Centurion^ 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 been treated by the Commodore, much better than they believed they Ihould have treated him, had he fallen into their hands. This confeflion from an enemy had great weight with the Chinefcy who, till then, though they had revered the Commodore's power, had yet fufpedled hir morals, and had confidcred him rather as a lawlefs freebooter, than as one com- miflioned by the State for the revenge of public injuries. But they now changed their opinion, and regarded him as a more important perfon ; to which perhaps the vaft trcafure of his prize might not a little contribute ; the acquifition of wealth being a matter greatly adapted to the eftimation and reve- rence of the Cbinefe Nation. In this examination of the Spanifi prifoners, though the Cbinefe had no reafon in the main to doubt of the account which was given them, yet there v/cre two circumflancf^s which appeared to them fo fmgular, as to deferve a more ample explanation v one of them was the great difproportion of men between the Centurion and the galeon; the other was the humanity, with which the people of the galeon galeon were treated after they were taken. The Mandarines therefore aflced the Spaniards^ how they came to be overpowered by fo inferior a force ; 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. Tc the firft of thefe enquiries the Spaniards replied, that tho* they had more hands than the Centurion^ yet flie being intended foleiy for war had a great fuperiority in the fize of her guns, and in many other articles, over the galeon, which was a veflel fitted out prin- cipally for traffic : And as to the fecond queftion, they told the Chinefe^ that amongft the nations o^ Europe^ it was not cuftomary to put to death thofe who fubmitted j though they readily owned, that the Commodore, from the natural bias of his tem- per, had treated both them and their countrymen, who had formerly been in his power, with very un- ufual courtefy, much beyond what they could have expedled, or than was required by the cufloms efta- blifhed between nations at war with each other. Thefe replies fully fatisfied the Chinefe^ and at the fame time wrought very powerfully in the Commo- dore's favour. * . ' ■'- > ** On the 20th of July^ in the morning, three Mandarines, with a great number of boats, and a vaft retinue, came on board the Centuricn, and de- livered to the Commodore the Viceroy of Cantorh order for a daily fupply of provifions, and for Pilots to carry the fliips up the river as far as the fecond bar ; and at the fame time they delivered him a meilage from the Viceroy, in anfwer to tlie letter fent to Canton, The fubftance of the mcfTage was, that the Viceroy defired to be excufed from receiv- ing the Commodore's vific, during the then Q\ct^' L 1 2 five n 'I I '■' ! t'' II m fl. ( 5i6 ) five hot weather -, becaufe the aflembling the Man- darbies and foldiers, neceffary to that ceremony, would prove extremely inconvenient and fatiguing •, but that in September^ when the weather would be more temper;nt> he fliould be glad to fee both the Commodore himfelf, and the Englijh Captain of the other fhip, that was with him. As Mr. Anfon knew that an exprefs had been difpatched to the Court at Pekin^ with an account of the Centurion and her prize being arrived in the river of Canton^ he had no doubt, but the principal motive for putting off this vifit was, that the Regency at Canton might gain time to receive the Emperor's inftrudions, about their behaviour on this unufual affair. When the Mandarines had delivered their mef- fage, they began to talk to the Commodore about the duties to be paid by his fliips ; but he immedi- ately told them, thit 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 orders, which were doubtlcfs calculated for trading vefTels only, adding, that no duties v/cre ever demanded of men of war, by nations accuftomed to their reception, and thai his Mailer's orders exprefly forbad him fron: paying any acknowledgment for his fhips an- choring in any port whatever.^, , , The Mandarines being thus cut fliort on the fub- jed of the duty, they fliid they hid another matter to mention, which was the only rcmainir^g one they had in charge •, this was a requeft to the Commo- dore, that he would relcafe the prifoners he had ta- ken on board the galeon ; for that the Viceroy of Canton apprehended the Emperor, his Mafter, k hac TRight be difpleafed, if he fhould be Informed, t\\.\^ pcrfons, who were his allies, and carried on a great commerce with his fubjcdls, were under confine- ment in his dominions. Mr. Jnfon was himfelf extremely defirous to get rid of the Spaniards^ hav- ing, on his firll arrival, fent about an hundered of them to Macao, and thofe who remained, which were near four hundred more, were on many ac- counts, a great incumbrance to him. llowevcr, to inhance the favour, he at firft raifed fome difR- culties •, pljt permitting himfelf to be prevailed on, he at laft told the Mandarines, that to fliow his rea- dinefs to oblige the Viceroy, he would releafe the prifoncrs, whenever they, the Chinefe, would fend boats to fetch them off. This matter being thus adjuiled, the Mandarines departed-, and, on the ^8th of July, two Chincfe junks were fent from Canton, to take on board the prifoners, and to car- ry them to Macao. And the Commodore, agree- able to his promife, difmifTed them all, and ordered bis Purfer to fend with them eight days provifion for their fubfiftance, during their failing down the rivjer ; this being difpatched, the Centurion and 1 r prize came to Wx moorings, above the fecond bar, where they propofed to continue till the monfoon ihifted. Though the {hips, in confequencc of the Vice- roy's permit, found no difficulty in purciiafmg pro- yifions for their daily confumption, yet it was im- poQlble for the Commodore to proceed to England, without laying in a large quantity bothof provifions and (lores ll>r his ufe, during the voyage : The Drocuring this fupply was attended with much em- b.irafmenr ; for there were people at Canton who had undertaken to furnifli him with bifcuit, and s-^^y * L 1 3 whatcv cr r4i; J : ii m m ( 5«8 ) whatever clfe he wanted ; and his Linguifl:, towards the middle of September, had afllired him, from day to day, that ail was ready, and would be fent on board him immediately. But a fortnight being elapfed, and nothing being brought, the Commo- dore fent to Canton to enquire more particularly in- to the reafons of this difappointment : And he had foon the vcration to be informed, that the whole was u ■ il* ion i that no order had been procured from ih ^ V; roy, to furnifh him with his lea-ftores» as had. bwcn p' •'ended ; that there was no bifcuit baked, nor any one of the articles in readinefs, which had been promifed him ; nor did it appear, that the Contrafbors had taken the leafl ftep to com- ply with their agreement. This was mofl difagree- able nev/s, and made it fufpefled, that the furnilh- ing the Centurion for her return to Great-Britain m'dit prove a more troublefome matter than had been hitherto imagined ; efpecially too, as the month of September was nearly elapfed, without Mr. Jnfon's having received any meflage from the Viceroy of Canton. And here perhaps it might be expected that fome fatisfa6lory account fhould be given of the motives of the Chine fe for this faithlefs procedure. But as I have alrci-.iy, in a former chapter, made fome kind of conjeclures about a limilar event, I Ihall not repeat them .igain in this place, but fhall ob- ferve, that after all, it may perhaps be impolTible for an European^ ignorant of the cuftoms and man- ners of that nation, to be fully apprized of the real incitem.ents to this behaviour. Indeed, thus much may undoubtedly be afierted, that in artifice, falfhood, and an attachment to all kinds of lucre, many of the Cbinrfe arc difficult to be paralleled by ' - - 2* any (519) any other people -, but then the combination of thefc talents and the manner in which they are applied in particular emergencies, are otcen beyond the reach of a Foreigner's penetration : So that tho' it may be fafely concluded, that the Chinefe had fome intereft in thus amufing the Commodore, yet it may not be eafy to afTign 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 felfilh turn of temper, fo contradic- tory to the charader given of them in the legendary accounts of the Roman Mifllonaries, I fhall here mention an extraordinary tranfaftior .u *wo, which I hope will be fome kind of confin ^iiv of what I liave advanced. . ■■ • ■' ^ t i, r^j r-^i : .^;t^ r When the Commodore lay f^rfl :>x. Macao^ one of his officers, who had been ex '^n-'^Iy ill, defired leave of him to go on fhore every day on a neigh- bouring Ifland, imagining that a walk upon the land would contribute greatly to the refloring of his healjih : The Commodore would have difluaded him, fufpe6ting the tricks of the Chinefe^ but the officer continuing importunate, in the end the boat was ordered to carry him. The firft day he was put on fhore he took his exercife, and returned without receiving any moleftation, or even feeing any of the inhabitants ; but the fecond day, he was affault- ed, foon after his arrival, by a great number of Chinefe who h^.d been hoeing rice in the neighbour- hood, and who beat him fo violently widi the han- dles of their hoes, that they foon laid him on the ground incapable of refiltancej after which they robbed him, taking from him liis fword, the hilt of which was filver, his money, his watch, gold- headed cane, fnuff-box, flcevc-buaons, and hat, L J 4 witii f m III:- ^li ( 520 ) with fcvcral other trinkets : In the mean time the boat's crew, who were at fome httle diftance, and had no arms of any kind with them, were incapa- ble of giving him any afTiftance -, till at laft one of them flew on the fellow who had the fword in his poflefTion, 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 ; but the ofHcer, perceiving what he was about, im- mediately ordered him to defift, thinking it more prudent to fubmit to the prefent violence, than to embroil h's Commodore in an inextricable fquabble with the Chinefe Government, by the death of their fubjeds ; which calmnefs in this Gentleman was the more meritorious, as he was known to be a perfon of an uncommon fpirit, and of a fomewhat hafty temper : By this means the Chinefe recovered the pofielfion of the fword, which they foon perceived was prohibited to be made ufe of againft them, and carried off their whole booty unmolefted. No foon- er were they gone, than a Chinefe on horfeback, ve- ry well drefied, and who had the air and appearance of a Gentleman, came down to the fhore, and, as far as could be underflood by his figns, feemed to cenfure the condudt of his countrymen, and to com- miferate the ofliccr, being wonderfully officious to affiil in t^etLino; him on board the boat: But not- withftandiiig this behaviour, it was Ihrewdly fufpedt- ed that he was an accomplice in the theft, and time fully evince the juliicc ot thofe fufpicions. *''•• '• ' When the boat returned on board, and reported what had paffed try the Commodore, he immediate- ly complained of it to the MavMrine^ who attend- ed to fee his fliip fupplied •, but the Mandarine cool- ly replied, that the bo.:it ought not to have gone on , . fhore, { S2« ) fliore, promifing, however, that if the thieves could be found out, they fhould be punirtied; though it apjxjared plain enough, by his manner of anfwering, that he would never give himfelt any- trouble in fearching them out. However, a confiderable time afterwards, when fomc Chinefe boats were felling provifions to the Centurion^ the perfon who had wrefted the fword from the Chinefe came with great eagernefs to the Commodore, to affure him that one of the principal thieves was then in a provifion-boat along-fide the fhip -, and the of- ficer, who had been robbed, viewing the fellow on this report, and well remembring his face, orders were immediately given to fcizc him •, and he was accordingly fecured on board the fhip, where ilrange difcoveries were now made. This thief, on his being firfl apprehended, ex- prelTcd fo much fright in his countenance, that it was feared he would have died upon the fpot -, the Mandarine too, who attend«='d the fhip, had vifibly no fmall fhare of concern on the occafion. Indeed he had reafon enough to be alarmed, fmce it was foon evinced, that he had been privy to the whole robbery, for the Commodore declaring that he would not deliver up the thief, but would himfelf order him to be fhot, the Mandarine immediately put off the magifterial air, with which he had at firft pretended to demand him, and begged his re- leafe in the moll abje6t manner : And the Commo- dore appearing inflexible, there came on board, in lefs than two hours time, five or fix of the neigh- bouring Mandarines^ who all joined in the fame in- treaty, and with a view of facilitating their fuit, ofilTcd a large fum of money for the fellow's liber- ty. Whilft they were thus foliiciting, it was dif- .. covered ■ '1 • % •An I .'II 1 n m'i ( 522 ) covered that the Mandarine^ whc -as the mod ac- tive among them, and who feemed to be molt in- terefled in the event, was the very Gentleman, who caine to the officer, jiifl after tlic robbery, and who jpvetended to be To much difpleafed with the villany oi (lis countrymen. And, on further inquiiy it was iouiid, that he was the Mandarine of the Ifland ; and that he had, by the authority of his office, or- dered the Peaiiints to commit that infamous a6lion. And it Ibcmed, as far as could be colledled from the brol'A-n hints which were cafually thrown out, tlvit he -^n^. his brethren, who were all privy to the tranuidion, were terrified with the fear of being called before the tribunal at Canton^ where the firft siticle of their punifhment would be the dripping them of all they were worth j though their judges (however fond of inilicling a chaftifement fo lu- crative to themfelves) were perhaps of as tainted a complexion as the delinquents. Mr. Anfon was not difpleafed to have caught the Chinefe in this dilem- ma; and he entertained himfelf for fome time with their perplexity, reje«5ting their money with fcorn, appearing inexorable to their prayers, and giving out that the thief fhould certainly be fhotj but as he then forefaw that he Ihould be forced to take flielter in their ports a fecond time, when the influence he might hereby acquire over the Magi- ftrates would be of great fervice to him, he at length permitted himfelf to be perfuaded, and as a favour releafed his prifoner, but not till the Man- dcrine had collected and returned all that had been flolen from tb.e officer, even to the minuteft trifle. ,. But notwithilanding this infl:ance of the good intelligence between the magiftrates and criminals, the ilroiig addition of the Chinefe to lucre often - prompts als, ten ipts ( 523 ) prompts them to break through this awful confe- deracy, and puts them on defrauding the autho- rity that protects them of its proper quota of the pillage. For not long after the above-mentioned tranfa(5tion, (the former Mandarine^ attendant on the fhip-, being, in the mean time, relieved by another) the Commodore loft a top-moft from his ftcrn, 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 ex- tremely defirous to recover ir, and publifhed a con- fiderable reward to any who would bring it him again. There were fufpicions from the firft of its being ftolen, which rr>ade him conclude a reward was the likelieft method of getting it back : Ac- cordingly, foon after, the Mandarine told him, that fome of his, the Mandarine's, people, had found the top-maft, defiring the Commodore to fend his boats to fetch it, which being done, the Mandarine's people received the promifcd reward ; but the Commodore told the Mandarine, that h« would make him a prefent befides for the care he had taken in diredling it to be fearched for ; and accorrdingly, Mr. Anfon gave a fum of money to his Linguift, to be delivered to the Mandarine-, but th"^ Linguift knowing that the people had been paid, and ignorant that a further prefent had been promifed, kept the money himfelf: However, the Mandarine fully confiding in Mr. Anfon' s Tvoni, and fufpefting the Linguift, he took occufion, one morning, to admire the fize of the Centurion's maft?^, and thence, on a pretended fudden recoiledrlon, he- made a digreflion to the top-maft which l;ad been loft, and afked Mr. Anfon if he had not got it ag::!.-!. ^Mr. 1 ( 524 ) Mr. Anfon prefently perceived the bent of this con- verfation, and enquired of him, if he had not re- ceived the money from the Linguift, and finding he had not, he offered to pay it hini upon the fpot. But this the Mandarine rcfufed, having now fomc- what more in view than the fum which had been detained : For the next day the Linguift was fcized, and was doubtlefs mulcted of all he had gotten in the Commodore's fcrvice, which was fuppofed to be little lefs than two thoufand dollars •, he was befides fo feverely baftinadoed with the bamboo, that it war, with difficulty he efcaped with his life-, and when he was upbraided by the Commodore (to whom he aftcrv/ards came begging) with his folly, in rifquing all he had fuffered for fifty dollars, (the prefent intended for the Mandarine) he had no other excufc to make than the ftrong bias of his Nation to dilhonefty, replying, in his broken jargon, Chi- nefe man very grtat rogue truly ^ hut have fajhion^ nq can help. It were endlefs to recount all the artifices, extor- tion?, and frauds which were pradifed on the Com- modore and his people, by this interefted race. The method of buying all things in China being by weight, the tricks made ufe of by the Chine fe to in- creafe the weight of the provifion they fold to the Centurion^ were almcft incredible. One time a large quantity of fowls and ducks being bought for the fhip's ufc, the greatefl part of them prefently died. This alarmed the people on boird with the appre- henfions that they had been killed by p:>ifon -, but on examination it appeared, that it was only owing to their being crammed with ftones and gravel t6> in- creafe their weight, the quantity thus forced into moll of the ducks being found to ainount to ten ounces ounces in each. The hogs too, which were bought ready killed of the Chinefe Butchers, had water in- jected into them for the fame purpofc ; fo that a carcafs, hung up all night for the water to drain from it, hath loft above a (tone of its weight ; and when to avoid this cheat, the hogs were bought alive, it was found that the Chinefe gave them lalc to increafe their thirft, and having by this means excited them to drink great quantities of water, they then took meafures to prevent them from dif- charging it again by urine, and fold the tortured animal in this inflated (late. When the Commo- dore firft put to fea from Macao y they pradlifed an artifice of another kind ; for as the Chinefe never objedt to the eating of any food that dies of itfelf, they took care, by Ibme fecret practices, that great part of his live fea-itore fliould die in a fliort time after it v/as put on board, hoping to make a fecond profit of the dead carcaffes which they expe6ted would be thrown overboard ; and two thirds of the hogs dying before the Centurion was out of fight of land, many 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 recommended to the reft of the world as a pattern of all kinds of laudable qua- lities. But to return : . !, ,. . ,; • 5 The Commodore, towards die end of Seplemhet\ having found out (as has been lliid) tliat thofe, who had contracted to fupply him with fca-provifi- ons and llores, had deceived liim, and that the V'iceroy had nor fent to him according to his pro- mife, he faw it would be impoilible for him to fur- mount the cmbarafnicnt he waji under, without going himfeif to Canton^ and vifiting the Viceroy, 1 ^ I' 't n l!J: il* »-*> . ( 526 ) , and therefore, on the 27 th o^ September, he fent a meilkge to the Mandarine, who attended the Cen- turion, to inform him that he, the Commodore, intended, on the firfl of O^oher, to proceed in his boat to Canton ; adding, that the day after he got there, he fhould notify his arrival to the Viceroy, and fliould dcfirc him to fix a time for his audi- ence ; to whicli the Mandarine returned no other anfwer, than tliat he would acquaint the Viceroy with die Commodore's intentions. In the mean time all things were prepared for this expedition : And the boat's crew in particular, which Mr. An- fon propofed to talce with him, were cloathed in an uniform drefs, refembling that of the Watermen on the Thames •, they were in number eighteen and a Coxfwain ; they had fcarlet jackets and blue filk waiftcoats, the whole trimmed with filvcr buttons, and with filver badges on their jackets and caps. As it was apprehended, and even afTerted, that the payment of the cuftomary duties for the Centurion and her prize, would be demanded by the Regency of Canton, and would be iniifted on previous to the granting a permiflion for vidhialling the fliip for her future voyage ; the Commodore, who was refolved never to eftablifli fo difhonourable a prece- dent, took all poflible precaution to prevent the Chinefe from facilitating the fuccefs of their unrea- fonable pretenfions, by having him in their power at Canton : And therefore, for the fecurity of his Ihip, and the great treafure on board her, he ap- pointed his iirft Lieutenant, Mr. Brett, to be Cap- tain of the Centurion under him, giving him proper inftru6tions for his condud ; dire6ting him, parti- cularly, if he, the Commodore, fhould be detain- ed at Canton on account of the duties in difpute, to take tie ( 527 ) take out the men from the Centurion* s prize, and to deflroy her •, and then to proceed down the river through the Bocca Tigris^ with the Centurion alone, and to remain without that entrance, till he re- ceived further orders from Mr. Anfon. Thcfe necelTary fteps being taken, which were not unknown to the Chine fe^ it fhould fccm as if their deliberations were in fome fort embaraifed thereby. It is reafonable to imagine, that they were in general very defirous of getting the duties to be paid them ; not perhaps folely in confidera- tion of the amount for thofe dues, but to keep up their reputation for addrefs and fubtlcty, 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 fuccecding than by violence, and that even againft this the Commodore was pre- pared, they were at laft difpofed, I conceive, to let the affair drop, rather than entangle themfelves in an hoftik; meafure, which they found would only expofe them to the rifque of having the whole na- vigation of their port defVroyed, without any cer- tain profped 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 depart at once from the evafivc conduct to which they had hitherto adhered. For when the Commodore, on the morning of the firfl of 0^7^- ber^ was preparing to fet out for Canton^ his Lin- guilt came to him from the Mandarine, who at- tended his fhip, to tell him that a letter had been received from the Viceroy of Canton, dcfiring the Commodore to put off his going thiciicr for two or ni f ; - IH II 4 ( 5^8 ) thfee days : But in the afternoon of tfie fame diy^ another Linguift came on board, who, with much feeming fright, told Mr. Jnfon, that the Viceroy had expeded him up that day, that the Council was affemblcd, and the troups had been under arms to receive him ; and tliat the Viceroy was highly offended at the difippointment, and had fcnt the Commodore's Linguift to prifon chained, fiippo- fmg that the whole had been owing to the Lin- guiiVs negligence. This plaufibie tale gave the Commodore great concern, and made him appre* hend that there was fome treachery defigned him^ which he could not yet fathom ; and though it af- terwards appeared that the whole was a fidion, not one article of it having the leaft foundation, yet (for reafons beft known to tliemfelves) this falfhood was fo well fupported by the artifices of the Chinefe Merchants at Canton •, that, three days afterwards, the Commodore received a letter figned by all the fupercargoes of the Englifto fhips then at that place^ exprefllng their great uneafmefs at what had hap- pened, and intimating their f^ars that fome infulc would be offered to his boat, .f he came thither be- fore the Viceroy was fully fatisHed about the mif- take. To this letter Mr. Ayifoyi rppHed, 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 of October ^ confident that the Ch'^^cfe would not dare to offer him an infult, as well knowing it would be properly eturned. On the 13th of O^^Z^^n, the Commodore conti- nuing tirm to his refolution, all the fupercargoes of the EngUjh^ Dan'ijh^ and Sivedifi Ihips came on '^ board ( 529 ) board the Centuriony to accompany him to Cantr for which place he (^t out in his barge the fame day, attended by his own boats, and by thofe of the trading (hips, which on this occafion came to form his retinue 5 and as he paffed by Wampo^ where the European vefllls Jay, he was faluted by all of them but the Ftencby and in the evening h^ arrived fafely at Canton, His reception at that city» and the moft material tranfadlions from hence- forward, till his arrival in Great-Britain^ fhall be the fubjed of ihe enfuing chapter. ,; . "1 ..,, ■ v^ Jl* a k* A.» ,-- .--- Proceedings at the city of CantoHy and the re* ,. turn of the Centurion to England* .....; to he of WHEN the Commodore arrived at Canton^ he was vifited by the principal Chinefe Mer-r chants, who afFeded to appear very much pleafed that he had met with no obftrudlion in getting thi- ther, and who thence pretended to iclude, that the Viceroy was fatislied about the i ncr niiftakey the reality of which they (till infiftt of; they adt ded, that as loon as the Viceroy f> uld be inform- ed that Mr. Anfon was at Canton^ .vnich they pro- niifed fhould be done the next morning) they were perfuacied a day would be immediately appointe4 for the vifit, which was the pnncipal bufincfs tha^ had brought the Commodore thither • . . .;: r - The next day the Merchants returned to Mr. Anfon^ and told him, that the Viceroy vvas then ^o fully employed in preparing his difi:>4tchet for Pe- M m >^f»* IVH ( 53° ) kin, that there was no getting admittance to Fiirrt for fome days ; but that they had engaged one of the officers of his Court to give them intormation, as foon as he fhould be at leifurc, when they pro- pofed to notify Mr. Anfon's arrival, and to endea- vour to fix the day of audience. The Commodore was by this time too well acquainted with their ar- tifices, riot to perceive that this was a falfhood ; and had he confulted only his own judgment, he would have applied diredlly to the Viceroy by other hands : But the Chinefc Merchant had fo far pre- poflefled the fiipercargoes of our fhips with chime- rical fears, that they (the fupercargoes) were ex- tremely apprehenfive of being embroiled with the Government, and of fuficring in their ii tereft, it' thofe meafurc were taken, which appearec to Mr. Anfon at that time to be the mofl prudential : And therefore, leafl: the m ilice and double-dealing of the Chine fe might have given rife to fome finifter incide/it/ which would be afterwards kid at his door, he refolved to continue pafTive, as long as it • fhouiu appear that lie loft no time, by thus fuf- pendihg his own opinion. V/ith this view, he promiftd not to take any immediate ftep himfelf for getting admittance to the Viceroy, provided the Chinefi' with whom he contracted for provifions, would let him fee that his bread was baked, his meat faked, and his ftores pre;>ared with the ut- moft difpatch : But if by the time when all was in ffeadinefs to be fhipped ofi', (which it was fuppofed would be in about forty days) the Merchants fhould not have procuicd the Viceroy*s pcrmiffion, then the Commodore propofed to apply for it himfelt. Thefe werc the terms Mr. yln'cn tlioug ir proper to offer, to quiet the tineafmefs of the fupircaigoes ; and t his I as it fuf- ivas in pofed fhould then imfelt. )pet to 1 goes 5 and (530 and notwithftanding the apparent equity of the conditions, many difficulties and objt'6lions were urged j nor would the Chinefe agree to them, till the Commodore had confented to pay for every ar- ticle he befpoke before it was put in hand. How- ever, at iaft the contrad being pail, it was |/>me fatisfadion to the Commodore to be certain thist his preparations were now going on, an^l beif>|^ liimfelf on the fpot, he took care to haften them as much as polTibje. . >, , \- i .;/.- /./ During this interval, in wliich the (lores and provifions were getting ready, the Merchants con- tinually entertained Mr. Anfon with accounts of their various endeavours to get a licence from the Viceroy, and their frequent difappointments ; whic:h to him was now a matter of amufement, as he was fully fatisfied there - ,i not one word of truth in any thing they faid. But when ail was compleated, and wanted only to be Hiipped, which was about the 24th oi Noveuber^ at which time too the N. E. monfbon was fet in, he then rcfolved to apply himfelf to the Viceroy 10 demand an audience, as he was pcrfuaded that, witiiout this ceremony, the procuring a permifllon to fend his ftores on board would meet with great difticuky. On the 24th of 'November^ therefore, Mr. Anjon fcnt one of his ofncers to the Nlandanne^ who commanded the guard of the princip4l gate of the city of Crt«- ton^ with .^ let i-er direcled to the Viceroy. When this letter vvas Jeiivereu to \\\t Mandarine ^ he re- ceived the oBicer who brought it very ciyilly, and took down the contents of it in Qhluefc^ and pro- mifcd that the Viceioy fhould be immcdjiateiy ac- QLiaiaLed with it j biit told the officer, it was not f ( 532 ) ncccflfary for him to wait for an anfwer, becaufe a meflage would be fent to the Commodore himfelf. On this occafion Mr. /^nfon had been under great difficulties about a proper interpreter to fend with his officer, as he was well aware that none of the ChiftefeyufnaWy employed as Linguifts, could be re- Jied on : Rut he at Jafl prevailed with Mr. F/int, an F.nglijh Gentleman belonging to the faftory, who fpoke Chinefe perfedtly well, to accompany his of- ficer. This perfon, who upon this occalion and many others was of fingular fervice to the Commo- dore, had been \tit at Canton when a youth, by the late Captain Righy, The leaving him there to learn the Chinefe language was a ftep taken by that Cap- tain, merely from his own perfuafion of the great advantages which the Ea^- India Company might one day receive from an Englijh interpreter •, and tho' the utility of this meafure has greatly exceeded all that was expe<5ted from it, yet I have not heard that it has been to this day imitated : But we im- prudently choofe (except in this lingle inftance) ta carry on the vaft tranfaftions of the port of Can- ton^ either by the ridiculous jargon of broken Eng* lijh'y which ibme few of the Chinefe have learnt, or by the fu^edted interpretation of the Linguifts of other Nations. ^ ^-^^ JK/iTOi i ^.arriroi'/- gi: lUii/i-r^jfi ^ Tw6 days after the fending the above-mentioned letter, a fire broke out in the fuburbs of Canton^ On the firfl alarm, Mr. Anfon went thither with his officers, and his boat's crew, to affifl: the Chinefe, "When he came there, he found that it had begun in a failor's fhed, and that by the flightnefs of the buildings, and the awkwardnefs of the Chinefe^ it was getting hear" apace : But he perceived, that by piiH- ingdown foiL ^ of the adjacent fheds it might eafily be cxtin- h his C 533 ) ejrtinguifhed ; and particularly obfcrving that it was running along a wooden cornifli, which would loon communicate it to a great diftance, he ordered his people to begin with tearing away that cornilh ; th s was prefently attempted, and would have been foon executed ; but, in the mean time, he was told, that, as there was no Mandarine there to direct what was to be done, the Chinefe would make him, the Commodore, anfwerable for whatever fhould be pulled down by his orders. On this his people de- fifted ; and he fcnt them to the Englijh iadory, to afllfl: in fecuring the Compain 's treailire and effeds, as it was cafy to forcfce that no diftance was a pro- tection againft the rage of fuch a fire, where fo little was done to put a flop to it ; for all this time the Chinefe contented themfelves with viewing it, and now and then holding one of their idols near it, which they feemed to cxpc6l /liould check its pro- grefs : However, at laft, a Mandarine came out of the city, attended by four or five hundred firemen : Thefe made fome feeble efforts to pull down the neighbouring houfes ; but by this time the fire had greatly extended itfclf, and was got amongft the Merchants warehoufes j and tlie Chinefe firemen, wanting both fkill and Ipirit, were incapable of checking its violence 5 fo that its fury encreafed up- on them, and it was feared the whole city would be deftroyed. In this general confufion the Viceroy himfclf came thither, and the Commodore was f^nt to, and was entreated to afford his affiftance, being told that he might take any meafures he /liould thir.k moll prudent in the prefeni emergency. And now he went thither a fecond time, carrying with him about forty of his people ; who, upon this OGcarion, exerted themfelves in fuch a manner, as «r^^ ' M m 3 in I ml r ( 534 ) in that country was altogether without exampfo : For they were rather animated than dcieried by the flames and falling building*;, ainongll which they wrought •, (o that it was not uncommon to fee the mofl: forward of them tumble to the ground on the roofs, and amidlt the ruins of houfes, which their own cflforts brought down with them. By their boldnefs and a6tivity the fire was foon cx- tinguifhed, to the amazement of the Chinefc •, and the building being all on one floor, and the mate- rials flight, the Teamen, notwithftanding their da- ring behaviour, happily efcapcd with no other in- juries, than fome confiderablebruifes. -,^,- ■ - The fire, though at laft thu'^ luckily extinguifli- ed, did great mifchief during the time it con- tinued ', for it conlumed an hundred fhops and eleven llreets full of warehoufcs, fo that the damage amounted to an immenfe fum •, and ono of the Chinefe Mcrchant<5, well known to the Englijh, whofe name was Succoy^ was fuppofed, for h'.s ov/n fliare, to have lofl: near two hundred thoufand pound fterling. It raged indeed with imufjjal violence, for in many of the warehoufes, there were large quantities of camphire, which greatly added to its fury, and produced a column of exceeding white flame, which fliot up into the air to ftich a prodigious height, that the flame it- ielf AVf^ plainly feen on board the Centurion^ tho' ihe was thirty miles difl:ant. ' ., - ' ' ,..^ .;^ "Whilft the Commodore and Kis people were labouring at the fire, and the terror of its be- coming general ft ill poffefled the whole city, feve- ral of the moft confiderable Chinefe Merchants came to Mr. ^nfoHy to defire that he would \tt each of them have one of his foldiers (for fuch I they ( 535 ) they flylcd his boat's crew, from the uniformity of thcii drcfs) to guard their warchoufcs and dwelling - hoiifcs, which, from the known dif- honefty of the populace, they feared would be pillaged in the tumult. Mr. Aufon granted them this rcqucil ; and all the men that he thus furniili- ed to the Chincje behaved greatly to the fadsfadtion of their employers, who afterwards highly ap- plauded their great diligence and fidelity. By this means, the refolution of the EngUP) at the fire, and their truftinefs and punctuality elfe- where, was the general fubjedl of converJation amongil tlie Chinefe : And, the next morning, many of the principal inhabitants waited on the Commodore to thank him for h is afll (lance-, frank- ly owning to him, that they could never have ex- tinguiflied the fire of themfelves, and that he had faved their city from being totally confumed. Ar)d foon after a mefTage came to the Commodore from the Viceroy, appointing the 30th of November for his audience, which fudden refolution of the Vice^ roy, in a matter that had been fo long agitated in vain, was alfo owing to the fignal fervices per- formed by Mr. An/on and his people at the fire, of which the Viceroy himfclf had been in fome rft^- fure an eye-witnefs. \ ^ ,' "•'''' i^^^-^'ci » The fixing this bufinefs of the audience, was, on all accounts, a circumftance which Mr. jfnfin was much pleafed with 5 as he was fatisfied t^iat the Cbinefe Government would not have' ^efe- mined-.this point, without having agreed amppg themfelves to give up their pretenfiohs tci tlie du- ties they claimed, and to grant him all he could reafonably afk 5 for as they well knew the Com- modore's ientimentSy it would shave been a piece of /*.-, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) c -^ ^/ ^ J^^'. / 1.0 12.8 no T= lit i2ii 12.2 I.I I* ^ urn " Hf li£ 12.0 I' 118 L25 i^ 11^ v ^ % '^J**' '» Oj^ P ^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716)872-450? \ ;v ^ SJ \\ A ^v. ^^ ( 536 ) . of imprudence, not confident with the refined cunning of the Chinefe, to have admitted him to an audience, only to have conteftcd with him. And therefore, being himfelf perfectly eafy about the refult of his vifit, he made all necefiary pre- parations againft the day ; and engaged Mr. Flinty whom I have mentioned before, to afl as inter- preter in the conference : Who, in this affair, as in all others, acquitted himfelf much to the Com- modore's fatisfadion ; repeating with great bold- nefs, and doubtlcfs with exadlnefs, all that was given in charge, a part which no Cbinefe Linguift would ever have performed with any tolerable fidelity. "--^ • • *•" • -^ ^ ' At ten o'clock in the morning, on the day ap- pointed, a Mandarine came to the Commodore, to let him know that the Viceroy was ready to re- ceive him J on wiiich the Commodore and his re- tinue immediately fet out: And as foon as he en- tered the outer gate of the city, he found a guard of two hundred foldiers drawn up ready to attend him \ thefe condudled him to the great parade be- fore the Emperor's palace, where the Viceroy then refided. Jn this parade, a body of troops, to the jjumber of ten thouland, were drawn up under arms, and made a very fine appearance, being all of them new cloathcd for this ceremony : And Mr. ^}iJ^G^ and his retinue having paffed through the mi^41e of them, he was then conduded to th^ great hfiil,;of audience, where he found the Vice- roy fcat^d under ^ rich canopy in the Emperor's chair of State, with all. hiy Council oi Mandarine s. attending : Here there was a vacant feat prepared fui tliie CoivHoodore, in which he wa$ placed on hi^ arrival ; He wa;s ranktdvtlie third in order from a the i i ( 537 ) the Viceroy, there being above him only the Head of the Law, and of the Treafury, who in the Chinefe Government take place of all military officers. When the Commodore was fcated, he addreflfed hiftifelf to the Viceroy by his interpreter, and began with reciting the various methods he had formerly taken to get an audience; adding, 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 (lopped the interpreter, and bid him aflTure Mr. Anfon^ that the firft knowledge they had of his being at G?«/ff», was from that letter. Mr. Anfon then proceeded, and told him, that the fubjeds of the King of Great-Britain trading to China had complained to him, the Commodore, of the vexatious impoli- tions both of the Merchants and inferior Cullom- houfe officers, to which they were frequently ne- ceflTitated to fubmit, by reafon of the difficulty of getting accefs to the Mandarines^ who alotie could grant them redrefs : That it was his, Mr. Anfon*s^ duty, as an officer of the King of Great- Britain^ to lay before the Vicerpy thefe grievances of the Britijh fubjeds, which he hoped the Viceroy would take into confideration, and would give orders, that for the future there fliould be no juft reafon for complaint. Here Mr. Anfon paufed, and wait- ed fome time in expectation of an anfwer; but nothing being faid, he aflced his interpreter if he was certain the Viceroy underftood what he had urged ; the interpreter told him, he was certain it was underftood, but he believed no reply would be made to irr Niiu Ati/b»Jiheii repreiensed co the . . Viceroy ->,•-. (533 ) Viceroy the cafe of the fliip TLiJlingfield, which having been difmaftcd on the coart of C/^/V/^, had arrived in the river of Canton but a few days be- fore. The people on board this veflel had been great fuficrers by the lire ; the Captain in particu- lar had all his goods burnt, and had loft befidcs, ill the confufion, a cheft of treafure of four thou- fand five hundred TaheU which was fuppofed to be ftolen by the Chinefe boat-men. Mr. Anfon there- fore defired that the Captain might have the afllft- ance of the Government, as it was apprehended the money could never be recovered without the interpofition of the Mandarines. And to this re- quefl. the Viceroy made anfwcr, that in fettling the Emperor's cuftoms for that fhip, fome abatement fhould be made in confideration of her Jofles. And now the Commodore having difpatched tht bufinefs with which the officers of the Eaft- India Company had cntrufted him, he entered on his own affairs ; acquainting the Viceroy, that the proper feafon was now fet in for returning to Europe^ and that he waited only for a hcence to (hip off his provifions and ftores, which were all ready ; and that as foon as this Ihould be granted him, and he fhould have gotten his neccfiaries on board, he intended to leave the river of Canton^ and to make the beft of his way for England. The Viceroy replied to this, that the licence fhould be imme- diately iffued, and that every thing fhould be or- dered on board the following day. And finding that Mt. Anfon had nothing 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 fig- nal ferviccs at the fire, and owning that he had favcd ( 539 ) faved the city •from being deflroyed : And then obferving that the Centurion had been a good while on their coaft, he doled his difcourfe, by vvifhing the Commodore a good voyage to Europe. After which, the Commodore, thanking him for his civility and afTiriance, took Ins leave. As foon as the Commodore was out of the hall of audience, he was much prefiurd to go into a neighbouring apartment, where there was an en- tertainment provided •, but finding, on enquiry, that the Viceroy himfcif was not to be prefent, he declined the invitation, and departed, attended in the fame manner as at his arrival •, only at his leaving the city iie was faluted by three guns, which are as many as in that country arc ever fired on any ceremony. Thus the Commodore, to his great joy, at lad finiihed this troublefome affair, which, for the preceding four m.onths, had given him great difquietude. Indeed he was highly pleafed with procuring a licence for the flilpping of his ftores and provifions ; for thereby he was enabled to return to Great-Britain with the firil of the monfoon, and to prevent all intelligence of his "being expefted : But this, though a very impor- 'tant point, was not the circumftance which gave rjiim the greatell fatisfadlion j for he was more •^particularly attentive to the authentic precedent cflabliflied on this occafion, by which his Majefty's ihips of war are for the future exempted from all demands of duty in any of the ports o^ China. ',y.^\- ..no In purfuance of the prom ifes of the Viceroy, 'the provifions were begun to be fent on board the ''day after the audience ; and, four days after, the .Commodore embarked at Canton for the Centurion \ ^wid, onrthe jtk^oii^iDmmbiK^kiiv^ Ciittumn j^^ her ;l(. . prize I ( 540 ) prize unmoored, and flood down the river, pafTing through the Bocca Tygris on the loth. And on this occafion I muft obferve, that the Chinefe had taken care to man the two forts, on each fide of that paflagc, with as many men as they could well contain, the greateft part of them armed with pikes and match-lock mufquets. Thefe garrifons afFcfled to fhew themfelves as much as polTible to the fhips, and were doubtlefs intended to induce Mr. An/on to think more reverently than he had hitherto done of the Chinefe military power : For this purpofe they were equipped with much pa- rade, having a great number of colours expofed to view •, and on the caftle in particular there ■were laid conf^derable heaps of large (tones ; and a foldier of unufual fize, drefled in very fightly armour, ftalkt about on the parapet with a battle- ax in his hand, endeavouring to put on as impor- tant and martial an air as pofTible, though fome of the obfervers on board the Centurion flirewdly fufpecfled, from the appearance of his armour, that inftead of fteel, it was compofed only of a par- ticular kind of glittering paper. ■■>: V^\«^r.1 The Centurion and her prize being now without the river of Canton^ and confequently upon the point of leaving the Chinefe jurildidion, I beg leave, before I quit all mention of the Chinefe affairs, to fubjoin a few remarks on the difpofition and gfr.ius of that extraordinary people. And though it may be fuppofed, that obrervations made at Canton only, a place fijtuated in the corner ot the Empire, are very imperfcdt materials on which to found any general conclufions, yet as thofe who have had upporiunities of examining the inner parts of the country, Uaye. l^en evidently influenced by very ( 541 ) very ridiculous prcpoffeffions, and as the tranf- adlions of Mr. Aitfon with the Regency of Canton were of an uncommon nature, in which many circum (lances occurred, different perhaps from any which have happened before, I hope the fol- lowing rcfledtions, many of them drawn from thcfe incidents, will not be altogether unacceptable to the reader. '• That the Chinefe are a very ingenious and in- duftrious people, is fufficiencly evinced, from the great number of curious manufa(5l;ures which are eflablilhed amongft them, and which are eagerly fought for by the moft diftant nations ; but though Ikill in the handicraft arts feems to be the moft im- portant qualification of this people, yet their ta- lents therein are but of a fecond-rate kind ; for they are much out done by the Japanefe in thofe manufactures, which are common to both coun- tries i and they are in numerous inftances inca- pable of rivalling the mechanic dexterity of the Europeans, Indeed, their principal excellency feems to be imitation •, and they accordingly labour under that poverty of genius, which conftantly attends all fervile imitators. This is moft confpicuous in works which require great truth and accuracy 5 as in clocks, watches, fire-arms, &c. for in all thefc» though they can copy the different parts, and can form (bme refemblanee of the whole, yet they never could arrive ar fuch a juftnefs in their fabric, as was neceffary to produce the dclired cffeft. And if we pafs from their manufacturers to artifts of a fupcriour clafs, as painters, ftatuaries, ^c. in thefe matters they feem to be ftill more defective, their painters, tfioogh very numerous and in great cftecm, rarclfy fu'ecfedcfirtg A^Weitrirwins- or colour- ing »'.■ II] ( 542 ) ing of human figures, or in the groiipnig of large compofitions ; and though in flowers and birds their performances arc much more admired, yet even in thefc, fome part of the merit is rather to be imputed to the native brightnefs and excellency ot the colours, than tu the flcill of the painter •, fince it is very unuilial to fee the light and ihade juftly and naturally handled, or to find that cafe and grace in the drawing, which are to be met with in the works of European prtifls. In fhort, there is a fbiffhefs and minutencfs in mod of the Chine fe produftions, which are extremely difplcafing : And it may perhaps be afTerted with great truth, that thefe defe<5ts in their arts are entirely owing to the peculiar turn of the people, amogft whom nothing great or fpirited is to be met with. If we next examine the Chinefe literature, (taking our accounts from the writers, who have endea- voured to reprefent it in the moft favourable light) we fliall find, that on this head their obftinacy and abfurdity are moft wonderful : For though, for many ages, they have been fiirrounded by nations, to whom the ufe of letters was familiar, yet they, the Chinefe alone, have hitherto neglefted to avail themfelves of that almoft divine invention, and have continued to adhere to the rude and inarti- ficial method of reprefcnting words by arbitrary marks •, a method, which neceflarily renders the number of their characters too great for human metnory to manage, makes writing to be an art that i'equires ' pi :)digious application, and in which no man can be otherwile than partially flcilled ; whilft all reading, and undcrftanding of what is written, is attended with infinite obfcurity and confufion j for the connexion between thefe marks, and Mi I > r^ ( 543 ) and tlie words they repiclcnt, cannot be r^ca'ncd in books, but mull be delivered dov/n fiom arc to age by oral tnidition : And how uncertain this mull prove in fuch a complicated fub'jed, is fufri- ciently obvious to thofe who have attended to the variation which all verbal relations undergo, when they are tranlmitted through three or lour hands only. Hence it is eafy to conclude, that the hil- tory and inventions of pall ages, recorded by thefc perplexed fymbols, mull i equently prove unintel- ligible •, and confequently the learning and boafted antiquity of the Nation mull, in numerous inftan- ces, be extremely probleinaticul. But we are told by fome of the Miflionaries, that though the fkill of the Chinefe in fcience is in- deed much inferior to that of the EuropesnSy yet the morality and jullice taught and praclifed by them are moil exemplary. And from the defcrip- tion given by fome of thefe good fathers, one ihould be induced to believe, that the whole Em- pire was a well-governed afieclionate family, where the only contells were, who Ihould exert the moll humanity and beneficence : But our preceding re- lation of the behaviour of the Magiflrates, Mer- chants, and Tradefmen at Canton^ fufficiently refutes thefe jefuitical fittions. And as to their theories oi morality, if we may judge from the fpecimens ex- hibited in the works of the Miflionaries, we JdiaU find them folely employed in recommending ridi- culous attachments to certain immaterial points, inftead of difcuinng the proper cricerionof human adtions, and regulating the general condud of man- kind to one uiicrl*cr, on reail^nable and equitable principles. IndecJ. the only pretenfign of the ffi- r ^ bours ( 544 ) Lours is founded, not on their integrity or bcnefi- ccna% but iultly on the affc(fled evennefs of their den vanor, anJ their conftant attention to fupprefs all lyiiiptoms of pafTion and violence. But it muft be CO. GJcrcd, that hypocrify and fraud are often rot Icfs mifchicvous to the general intereftsof man- kind, than impetuofity and vehemence of temper: Since thefe, though ufually liable to the imputa- tion of imprudence, do not exclude fincerity, be- nevolence, refolution, nor many other laudable qualities. And perhaps, if this matter was exa- mined to the bottom, it would appear, that the calm and patient turn of the Chinefe^ on which they fo much value themfelves, and which diltinguifhes the Nation from all others, is in reality the fource of the moft exceptionable part of their charader -, for it has been often obferved by thofe who Jiave attended to the nature of mankind, that it is diffi- cult to curb the more robud and violent palFions, without augmenting, at the fame time, the force of tbe lelfiih ones : So that the timidity, diflimu- lation> and difhonefty of the Chinefe^ may, in fome fort, be owing to the compofure, and external de- cency, fo univerfally prevailing in that Empire. >jThus nnuch for the general difpofition of the peo- ple: But I cannot difmifs this fubjcd, without add- ing a few words about the C)&;«^y^ Government, that too having been tht^ fobjc6t of boundlcfs panegyric. . And on this head 1 rouft obferve, that the favour- aWe accounts often given of their prudent regula- tions for the adminifti-ation of their doracftic ai&irs„ are fafficiently confuted by their tranfaiSaons with Mr. Mfim : For we have feen that thciir Magiftratts arc cowdpt^ their people- thievifti, artd-thtir- ^rifeAi*- nals crafty and venal. "N&r is the conftitutlon of the y (545) the Empire, or the general orders of the Stale lefs liable to exception : Since that form of Gove rnn mcnt, which does not in the firft place provide for the fccurity of the public againft the enterprizes of foreign powers, is certainly a moft defedivc infti- tution : And yet this populous, this rich and ex- tenfive country, fo pompoufly celebrated for its re- fined wifdom and policy, was conquered about an age fince by an handful of Tartars ; and even now> by the cowardice of the inhabitants, and the want of proper military regulations, it continues expofed not only to the attempts of any potent State, but to the ravages of every petty Invader. I have already obferved, on occafion of the Commodore's difputes with the Chinefe^ that the Centurion alone was an overr»atch for all the naval power of that Empire: This perhaps may appear an extraordinary pofition \ but to render it unqueftionable, there is exhibited in the forty-fecond plate the draught of two of the veflels made ufe of by the Cbinefe, The firft of thefe marked (A), is a junk of about a hundred and twenty tuns burthen, and was what the Cen- turiou hove down by -, thefe are moft ufed in the great rivers, though they fometimes fervc for fmall coafting voyages : The other junk marked (B) is about two hundred and eighty tuns burthen, and is of the fame form with thofe in which they trade to Cochincbina^ Manila^ Batavia and Japartj though fome of their trading vefiels are of a much larger fize i its head, which is reprefented at (C) is per* fe^tly 0at ; and when the vefl^l is dttp laden, the fecond or third plank of this fiat furface is oft-times under water. The mafts, fails, and rigging of thefe velTeis arc ruder than their built -, for their maft^ are ^lade of trees, no otberwife faihioned f -^ ■> Iw .■*♦ V! ( 546) than by barking them, and lopping off their bran- ches. Each maft has only two (hrowds made of twifled rattan, which are often both (hifted to the wcather-fide j and the halyard, when the yard is up, ferves inftcad of a third fhroud. The fails arc made of matt, ftrcngthencd every three feet by an horizontal rib of bamboo ; they run upon the mail with hoops, as is reprefented in the figure, and when they are lowered down, they fold upon the deck. Thefe merchmtmen carry no cannon; and it appears, from this whole defcription, that they are utterly incapable of refilling any European armed veflel. Nor is the State provided with Ihips of confiderablc force, or of a better fabric, to proteft them : For at Canton^ where doubtlefs their prin- cipal naval power is ftationed, we faw no more than four men of war junks, of about i iree hundred ' tuns burthen, being of the make already defcribed, and mounted only with eight of ten guns, the largeft of which did not exceed a four pounder. This may fuffice to ^ive an idea of the defencelefs ^ftatc of the Chinefe Empire. But it is time to re- turn; to the Commodore, whom I left with his two ViT^^ps without the Bocca Tigris •, and who, on the .'ji^ o^ Becemhe^-^ anchored before the town of ^ ';'^ Whilft* the mpl'liy here, the Merchants' of Ma- ^ir^^'^nilhed their agreement for the gakon, for ^.wfiidi" they had xiflfered 6000 dollars; this was *^muth^ fiiort of her vahie, but the impatience of ' the'Conin^ Tea, to wftich the mtr- cl^ants we'r^ hb^ Ihlingcrs, prompteid ^^to'to iiffift f on fo unequal a bargain. Mn y^vfon hzd learnt ^' cnoiigh^f rom the E^g^^ at Canhn ko conjedtee, ^ that the' war betwhct Greaf-Briktin-^and Spam'^w^s ^ ^ ^ 2 ftill I , Jt (547) ftill continued j and that probably the French might engage in the affiftancc of Spain^ L jre he could arrive in Great-Britain ; and therefore, know- ing that no intelligence could get to Europe of the pri t he had taken, and the treafure he had on board, till the return of tlie merchantmen from Canton^ he was refolved to make all pofTible expe- dition in getting back, that he might be himfdf the firft meflfenger of his own good fortune, and might thereby prevent the enemy from forming any projedls to intercept him : For thefe reafons, he, to avoid all delay, accepted of the fum ofFered for the galeon ; and fhe being delivered to the Merchants the 15th of December 1743, the Centu- rion^ the fame 'day, got under fail, on her return to England. And, on the 3d of January^ fhe came to an anchor at Princess IJland in the Streights of Sunda, and continued there wooding and watering till the 8th ; when fhe weighed and flood for The Cape of Good Hope, where, on the nth of Marchy fhe anchored in y^i^/^-^^j. ,- :. •^•7 . .'"^r.' ♦~ The Cape of Good Hope is fituated in a temperate climate, where the excefTes of heat and cold are rarely known ; and the Butch inhabitants, who are numerous, and who here retain their native indiif- try, have flock'd it with prodigious plenty oi ^1 fort of fruits and provifions ', mofl of which, either from the equality of the fcafons, or the peculiarity of the foil, are more delicious in their kind than can be met with elfewhere,; So that by thefe, and by the excellent water which abounds there, this fettlement is the befl provided of any in the known world, for the refrefhment of feamen after long voyages. Here the Conunodorc coi;\tinucd till the beginning of ApriU highly. 4digl>^cd with the ( 548 ) ^ place, which by its extraordinary ^fcommod^tions, the healthinefs of its air, and the pidurefque ap* ftsaruicc of the country, all enlivened by the addi- tion of a civilized colony, was not di%raced in ao imagtiMry cotnparifon with the valUes of Jmn Fer- namlifi and the lawns of ftittian. During his ftay he entered abput forty new men; and having, by the 3d of Jpril 1744, coippleated his water and proviiion, he, on that day, weighed and put to fca; and, the 19th of the fame month, they faw the Ifland of St, Helena^ wliich however they did not ^uch at, but flood on their way \ and, on the loth of 7«w, being then in foundings, they fpoke with an EngUfi ihip from Amfierdam bound for Philadelphia^ whence they received the firft intelli- gence of a French war j the twelfth they got fight of the Lizard ; and the fifteenth, in the evening, to their infinite joy, they came fafe to an anchor at Spithead. But that the fignal perils which had fo often threatened them in the preceding part of the cnterprize, might purfue them to the very laft, Mr. Jnfon learnt, on his arrival, that there was a French fleet of confiderable force cruifmg in the chops of the .Channel j which, by the account of their pofition, he found the Centurion had run through, and had been all the time concealed by a fog. Thus was this expedition finilhed, when it had lafted three years and nine months ; after hav- ing, by its event, flrongly evinced this important truth. That though prudence, intrepidity, and perfeverance united, are not exempted from the blows of adverfe fortune ; yet in a long feries of tranfadions, they ufually rife fuperior to its poH^r, and in the end rarely fail of proving iuccefsfMl. y-ll .. hull r ■ .:m FINIS. a id Ihe of i.. :.:^u.^tiSL.'-fi^i i-' '"1 k V J*U^^'XI.l A Char of the tVLCIFTcbn^Aisr »: ,i.; W / ' Jp . ^ 1 \ ;«! . '. • .^ \ I ■ / / - : • ( •^ \ .lie re /lY /I'tyM V t ..• ; fi'Af/9fvemai *■ • 1 \ / \ 55 ■ ^ M ^ \V I c .^* .** * . * '• ' ^ "^M \ ; /A ■■ * ' .* "^X ;./ \\f , <-^x -. - 1 «n X • • • -^ X r • 1 < , VX : ** \ o \ Ik •>-*\ R i '■ *"•* X • ^» X ' ■ 1 ^ ' f^ \* [1 • ^-:X - It . * -> ■ " ■■■■' ■ -' • ".,. \ R * f . : ^>C = .- M "■■•-■■-""^'>4^-"" < , , . ■ ' -^.^v ' ^ • '^-J->N » *. - -^ • v> '- r ■-.■, / '^Bo - > . . " '■ ■ ' • — I T , — 1 — i :: I 1 1 1 1 1 ■ 1 ' . .0'' ;....-, ; ' : . • \ ' i .i. '■.■--*.. '• ^ ■ . ■ # ■ ■ " - ■ 1 "^ ' ' ' ' .f»>r»..^ ■ > UV ^.^ WWL ^^J/fliUf^iie,^ dfi^t^de^t^ ^Tttlctuiv -^-#jr^S,/-rt4.//^^^„ ■ • • . . ..v> y • \ Jt^uias I-'ffuioj'^rami^ - . • — - 1 \uU\\iio Cf m m 9 , p?/rr Parmer Vela . r ! Tulratio W^Hica de Uri \ \ Vih-.G^kTE, i^JjfTdife Selra/liaiiZipbej' vaK^'E;";?;-:-;::.:.!,-- Cf yS.'^^erntirduu} , •^Farollon . . • • Gtuaiuui C ■ * I ■jffia/anut • /^f , **■ *TrniiuiT t i —",'■0 GuQm ^ ;.;...-'" ""T ^ Bato ^3 tut Cantira ^. ^"-Biif'fa/ottri^o 1 '2 'i 4- ' <> f ^ a 10 Jt It, iX^'^ ^fi ^^ '7 ^S M U tial \ J.ine , y beffirjnin the , xthe - JiongituafesN ,v.a ''•■''■•■• ''r*-.. Part o y > Coi^^ '"*'^ A Chart of die Pacific Ocean from the Equinoctial to the Latitude of 394^ No. ^^adrrf"^-'-'- <^''" Part of ]M E X I c o i^.tuxrri. J 7 It 1. iuLand >»««' CA; rrmndes : Ji W.SmI^ 5 1^- 55 ^ ..(»' A I A, / '»- / . >\ PATAC: ^Julian f%<^*J^,fi'"if-'<-*^ ON I A )4'iJ^- ^afA^^rei/ Saru^ ( ;5'' /" ■i.'Mlli/ftli.i^/ni'A .ilil./ V»r.io'fK j"^n/;,Y /_■(»{ A/ Ston,:' I- SA,t/.' ^Y^r..3*x'J^ '^■Ij't <{ari4rtu Stint/ ABjh.tt Straits of ACigellan ^ C' fCtiMiVififi\J'rrf/anJ Sehtiflt/t/fWr,/^ Falkland Isle ^ . i/arA 01 eu Stun/ Statei I Land 'er/anJ ^ i \. . T'-g ..>^Var.OT^;(o?E. fUsJfJfs T/ie/eArranv /?irn' tAf fetttiK; <'/VAf CltrrfttC. A Chart of the Soutliern Part of South America. Jfif/i t/iiTrm-A- <>/' t/tr Contiirion //vv-'/ t/ulfJiifu/ o/ S. Catherines fc t/n- I//t//i/^\\•AwVvnv\\\Acs■. * » • ' /»/ fn/itr/t /..• /// / r/Yr// //ft' lf/r/f///<>// ttft/'/t>n'tf r/{ /'(>/f/i/ /wr, /ct/i'/Z/t-r n>t//f /u'rDer{<7/fo/i Jrovt At-r e/Zn/nr/r,/ {otfr/t' /// z/cz/./v//// rofffft/ Cape Horn, orrfr/uvu/ />i/ t/u' /OfTe (?ff/ie {ttrre/it^'. B n Sm/.- u-,^. 60