War with Spain--Original plan of expedition abandoned--The _Centurion_
and other ships ordered to form a squadron under Commodore Anson--
Miserable equipment--Ships overladen--Drop down Channel--Cross Atlantic,
and pass through the Straits of Le Maire--Bad weather comes on--Two of
the ships nearly wrecked--_Severn_ and _Pearl_ lost sight
of--_Centurion_ in fearful danger--Scurvy breaks out, and numbers die--
Anchors at Juan Fernandez--The sick landed--The _Trial_ joins her--Goats
found marked by Alexander Selkirk--The _Gloucester_ comes off the
island--Long time in getting in--The _Anna Pink_ appears--The
_Centurion_ goes in chase of a stranger--Takes a prize--Crew and stores
of the _Anna Pink_ transferred to _Centurion_--The _Trial_ takes a
prize, and crew and stores being removed into the prize, she is
destroyed--Females taken on board a prize courteously treated--Paita
attacked and captured--The seamen dress up in the Spaniards' clothes--
Booty taken--The town burnt--Spaniards acknowledge Anson's generous
treatment of his female prisoners--The squadron lays in wait for the
Manilla galleon--Negroes enter on board as seamen--Miss the galleon--
Preparations for crossing the Pacific--Prizes turned adrift--The
_Gloucester_ abandoned--Her crew taken on board _Centurion_--Scurvy
again breaks out--Fearful mortality--The Ladrones sighted--_Centurion_
brings up off Tinian--Sick landed--She is driven out to sea--Great
anxiety--A vessel commenced--The ship appears--Reaches Macao--Repaired--
Fresh men shipped--Sails to watch for the galleon--Her capture--The
_Centurion_ on fire--Anson's coolness--Sails with his prize for Canton--
Roguery of the Chinese--Anson and his men extinguish a fire at Canton--
Sails for England--Hears of the war with France--Narrow escape from a
French fleet.
War with Spain having been declared towards the end of 1739, it was
proposed to fit out two squadrons, one under the command of Captain
Cornwall, to sail round the Cape of Good Hope and attack Manilla, and
the other under Captain Anson, then commanding the _Centurion_, to sail
into the Pacific, round Cape Horn, to injure the settlements of the
Spaniards on the west coast of South America, and to destroy their
trade. The two squadrons were afterwards to meet to carry out together
whatever might be deemed advisable. The first part of the scheme was
soon abandoned, and Commodore Anson's squadron alone was ordered to
proceed into the South Sea.
Captain Anson's family was little known. He was not supposed to possess
even brilliant talents, for "he was," as Earl Stanhope writes of him,
"dull in conversation and slow in business, but he had undaunted
bravery, steady application, and cool judgment. He punctually followed
his instructions and zealously discharged his duty, and by these
qualities--qualities within the attainment of all--he rose to
well-earned honours, and bequeathed an unsullied renown. He thus
deserves to be held forth to British seamen as an example of what may be
accomplished by industry, courage, and love of their profession."
The squadron consisted of the _Centurion_, of sixty guns and four
hundred men, on board of which the commodore flew his broad pennant; the
_Gloucester_ and _Severn_, each of fifty guns; the _Pearl_, of forty;
the _Wager_, of twenty-eight; and the _Trial_ sloop, of eight guns.
There were also two victuallers to carry provisions, to be taken on
board the squadron when there was room to receive them.
Besides the seamen, there were four hundred and seventy invalids and
marines. Five hundred of the former unfortunates, notwithstanding that
the commodore strongly protested against such unsuitable men being sent,
were ordered to embark, many of them out-pensioners from Chelsea, but
two hundred and forty who had sufficient strength to get away escaped,
their places being supplied by two hundred and ten marines--raw,
undrilled recruits, who had not yet been allowed to use firearms. They
were placed under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Crackerode. Many of
the poor worn-out old pensioners shed tears as they marched on board,
feeling their utter unfitness for the duty they were called upon to
perform. Indeed, out of the whole number, not a single man returned.
The squadron, after many delays, sailed from Saint Helen's on the 16th
of September, 1740. Having touched at Madeira, they anchored on the
18th of December off the island of Santa Catalina, on the coast of
Brazil.
On touching at Madeira, Commodore Anson learned from the Governor that a
squadron of Spanish ships, commanded by Don Josef Pizarro, had been sent
out to attack them. This expedition, however, met with a lamentable
fate.
Anson's crews suffered greatly from the ships being so deeply laden that
the ports could not be opened to admit air. As soon as they arrived at
Santa Catalina, the tents were erected on the shore, and the sick men
sent into them. The ships were also repaired, some of the guns sent
down below, and the stores taken on board.
In about a month the squadron again sailed. Having put into Fort Saint
Julian to obtain salt and fresh water, a council of war was held, when
the commodore proposed to the captains under him that they should attack
the town of Baldivia, the most southern place on the coast of Chili. On
the 1st of March, Cape Virgin Mary was sighted, at the entrance to the
Straits of Magellan. The weather at that time was beautiful, but it was
remarked in those southern latitudes that fair weather was always of
short duration, and was a certain presage of a succeeding storm. On the
7th of March they were passing along the coast of Staten Island, which
surpasses all others in the wildness and horrors of its appearance. It
seems to be composed entirely of rocks, terminating in a vast number of
rugged points, which tower up to a prodigious height, all covered with
everlasting snow, while the points themselves are surrounded with
frightful precipices. The hills appear as if rent by earthquakes, with
nearly perpendicular chasms dividing them, reaching almost to their very
bottoms, so that nothing can be imagined more savage and gloomy than the
whole aspect of this coast.
Favoured by a strong current and brisk breeze, the squadron passed
through the Straits of Le Maire in about two hours, and the voyagers
flattered themselves that the chief difficulty of their undertaking was
over, their hopeful ideas being heightened by the brightness of the sky
and the serenity of the weather. Scarcely, however, were they through
the straits than the wind began to blow in violent squalls, while the
tide rapidly drove the ships to the eastward. It was with the greatest
difficulty that the _Wager_ and _Anna Pink_ escaped being dashed to
pieces against the shores of Staten Island. The sea rose into
mountainous billows, and the ship rolling gunwale to, threatened to dash
the men to pieces against the decks or sides, several, indeed, being
killed and others greatly injured.
After some time the gale subsided, but on the 23rd again broke out with
redoubled violence, the mainsail of the _Centurion_ being split to rags.
Storm succeeded storm. For a long time the squadron endeavoured to
beat against the easterly gales, during which the _Severn_ and _Pearl_
were separated from them and never more seen. To add a finishing-stroke
to their misfortunes, the scurvy broke out among the storm-tossed crew.
At first it began to carry off two or three a day, but at last eight or
ten died in twenty-four hours.
Most of the survivors were suffering from the same distemper, and the
few who preserved their health were quite worn out with incessant
labour. Sometimes four or five dead bodies, some sewn up in their
hammocks, others not, were to be seen washing about the decks for want
of help to bury them in the sea. Notwithstanding this, the _Gloucester_
was the only ship which suffered much, by carrying away her mainyard;
but on the 7th of April several guns were heard to leeward, and it was
soon seen that the _Wager_ had lost her mizenmast and main-topsail yard,
while the _Anna Pink_ had had her bowsprit so injured that there was a
risk of her losing her fore-topmast. By this time the weather had
moderated, and assistance was sent to the disabled ships.
On the 8th of May the island of Soccoro was sighted off the coast of
Patagonia, a barren and inhospitable region, the shore being lined with
rocks, above which the snow-covered Andes could be seen in the distance.
By this time scurvy had destroyed no less than two hundred men. In
vain the _Centurion_ cruised for the missing ships, and at last stood
for the island of Juan Fernandez; but it was passed during thick
weather, and it was not until the 9th of June that it was at length
discovered. While the _Centurion_ was endeavouring to find the right
bay in which to anchor, the current set her so close to the shore that
she was compelled to bring up. In the morning a lieutenant with a
boat's crew was sent to try and discover the proper anchorage. He
returned with some seals and grass, which was eagerly devoured by the
men suffering from scurvy. So weak were all the crew that it was with
great difficulty that the anchor could be weighed, nor indeed was it
tripped until assisted by a strong breeze. They here found the _Trial_
sloop. Her commander came on board and stated that out of his small
crew he had buried thirty-four men, and that those who remained were so
weak, that only himself, his lieutenant, and three of his men were able
to handle the sails.
Tents having been erected, the healthy men were employed in carrying the
sick on shore. It was hoped that they would at once be restored to
health; but for the first ten or twelve days rarely less than six were
buried each day, and it was not until they had been twenty days on shore
that the survivors began to recover.
Anson, who had brought a number of seeds and fruit-stones, at once had
them planted for the benefit of those who might afterwards visit the
spot. Anson's people found the island still abounding with goats, and
among the first killed was one which had its ears slit, by which they
concluded that it was one of those which Alexander Selkirk had captured
no less than thirty-two years before their arrival. It was indeed an
animal of majestic appearance, dignified with a venerable beard and many
other signs of antiquity.
Several others, also marked, were met with, they all having long beards
and other characteristics of extreme age. The goats had no longer the
island to themselves; for dogs had been landed which had increased so
greatly that they disputed the territory with the former occupants,
hunting together in packs. A curious spectacle was witnessed when one
of these packs made chase after a herd of goats which escaped to the
mountains. Here the active animals took refuge on a ridge which was
accessible only by a narrow path, skirted on each side with precipices.
On the top of the path a long-bearded he-goat posted himself fronting
the enemy. The dogs, which had pursued eagerly, got up to about twenty
yards from him, when, seeing his determined attitude, they dared
approach no nearer, and laid themselves down, panting, well knowing that
he would hurl them down the precipice, should they venture to attack
him. The dogs, it was suspected, lived entirely on seals' flesh, for
several which were killed and eaten had a fishy taste. As the goats,
taking refuge in the more inaccessible parts of the country, could with
difficulty be killed, the crews subsisted on the flesh of the young
seals, which they called veal, and on that of the sea-lions, which was
denominated beef. Large numbers of fish were also caught with lines.
The _Trial_ sloop having so quickly joined the _Centurion_, it was hoped
that the rest of the squadron would appear; but a fortnight passed, and
none being seen, the worst was feared as to their fate. On the 21st of
June, however, a ship was perceived to leeward of the island, but she
disappeared. It was not until the 26th that a sail was again seen; it
was found to be the _Gloucester_, and a boat was immediately sent off
laden with fresh water, fish, and vegetables. This seasonable supply
saved the lives of the survivors on board her. She had already thrown
overboard two-thirds of her complement. Excepting the officers and
their servants, scarcely any were capable of doing duty. Every one of
the pensioners had died, and most of the marines. For many weeks
afterwards, however, though several of the _Centurion's_ crew were sent
to her assistance with further refreshments, she was unable to beat up
to the anchorage. It was not until the 23rd of July that she at length
got into the bay. Her crew were now reduced to less than eighty men.
The sick, on being landed and well supplied with fresh provisions,
recovered sooner than was expected. Great anxiety was now felt on
account of the non-appearance of the _Anna Pink_, laden with provisions,
as the flour on board the other ships was almost exhausted. At last,
about the middle of August, she came in, having spent the greater part
of the intermediate period in harbour on the coast of Patagonia, where
the wild animals, killed by the crew, supplied them with abundance of
meat. None of her men had died.
The _Anna Pink_ was now broken up and her stores transferred to the
_Centurion_, which stood in great need of them, as it had been with much
difficulty that a fresh suit of sails had been made out of the canvas
remaining on board; it had been even necessary to unlay a cable to
obtain sufficient ropes for her rigging.
It was now computed that of the nine hundred and sixty-one men who had
left England in the _Centurion_, _Gloucester_, and _Trial_, six hundred
and twenty-six were dead, three hundred and thirty-five thus alone
remaining to man the three ships.
Brave as Anson was, he could not but dread lest he should, with his
diminished crews, fall in with Don Pizarro's squadron, not aware at the
time of its fate, which had been even worse than his own.
A vessel being seen in the north-east, which, having got near the
island, steered away towards the coast, it was concluded that she was
Spanish. On this Anson resolved to give her chase, and his crew,
hurrying on board the _Centurion_, bent sails, and by five in the
afternoon was under weigh.
For three days the chase was continued, when the stranger made her
escape. On steering back towards Juan Fernandez, the _Centurion_,
however, made out another sail, which at first bore down upon her.
Supposing that she was one of Pizarro's squadron, every preparation was
made for an engagement. On getting nearer, however, it was discovered
that she was a merchantman, and four shots quickly brought her to. She
was found to be laden with sugar and blue cloth, with a few other
articles. Besides this there were several trunks containing silver, the
value of which amounted to seventy thousand pounds. Beside the treasure
obtained, Anson had the satisfaction of hearing of the destruction of
Pizarro's squadron, and that there was no chance of being molested by
any men-of-war. By means of intercepted letters and the information
obtained from the prisoners, it was found that several other
richly-laden vessels were likely soon to sail from Callao to Valparaiso.
To obtain the best chance of capturing them, Anson ordered his ships to
cruise separately, the _Gloucester_ being directed to take up her
station off Paita, out of sight of land. On the 19th of September the
_Centurion_, accompanied by the _Carmelo_, her prize, put to sea. Four
days afterwards two ships were seen, one of which, a powerful vessel,
stood towards them. The crew of the _Centurion_ went to their quarters,
but as the stranger could not escape, they were ordered not to fire.
Being hailed in Spanish, an answer came from Mr Hughes, a lieutenant of
the _Trial_, who gave them the welcome intelligence that she was a prize
to that ship, having been captured after a long chase. She measured six
hundred tons, being one of the largest merchantmen employed in those
seas, and had on board five thousand pounds sterling. The _Trial_ had,
however, sprung all her masts, but, bad weather coming on, no assistance
could for some time be rendered her. When at length the weather
moderated, her commander came on board, and representing her leaky and
unseaworthy state, requested that he and his crew might be transferred
to the ship which he had just taken, which was now called the _Trial's
Prize_. To this the commander agreed, and the guns, stores, and
everything of value were removed on board the prize. Having returned to
Juan Fernandez, the _Centurion_ again put to sea, and shortly afterwards
captured another prize, but of no great value. She had three ladies on
board, a mother and two daughters, who were in a dreadful fright on
seeing the English, but the honourable treatment they received from
Anson and his officers soon quieted their fears.
Another prize was in a short time taken, from which information was
received that there was a considerable amount of treasure in the
custom-house at Paita, ready to be shipped on board a fast sailing-ship
then in port. To prevent this the commodore resolved at once to attack
the place, which was of no strength, and contained, it was supposed, but
a small garrison. The ships standing in during the night, four boats
were dispatched, carrying fifty-eight men, under the command of
Lieutenant Brett. The Spanish pilots taken in the prizes were warned
that if they proved treacherous they would be shot, and the rest of the
prisoners carried off to England.
Lieutenant Brett reached the mouth of the bay without being discovered,
but no sooner did he enter it than some of the people on board a vessel
riding at anchor perceived them, and instantly put off in their boat,
rowing towards the fort, shouting out, "The English! the English dogs!"
by which the whole fort was alarmed.
Several lights being seen, Lieutenant Brett hurried forward his men, to
give the enemy as little time as possible to prepare for their defence.
Before a boat could reach the shore, a shot was fired from the fort,
passing very near one of them. This made their crews redouble their
efforts, and, before another gun was fired, leaping on shore, they were
conducted by a Spanish pilot through a narrow street into a large
square. As they marched along with tolerable regularity, the shouts and
cheers of the sailors, so long confined on shipboard, who now, for the
first time, found themselves in an enemy's country, with the prospect of
immense pillage, joined with the noise of their drums, made the
Spaniards suppose that they were a numerous party. The invaders were
received by a volley from the merchants holding the treasure, who had
arranged themselves in a gallery running round the custom-house. One of
the seamen was killed and two wounded, but the house being surrounded,
and the fire being briskly returned, the defenders disappeared, and the
English obtained quiet possession.
Lieutenant Brett now divided his men into two parties, ordering one to
surround the Governor's house, to secure him if possible, while he
himself, with the other party, marched to the fort. The latter was at
once entered, the garrison having escaped over the walls. The Governor
also had got away, habited in but scanty garments, leaving a young wife
much in the same condition, but who was afterwards carried off by two
sentinels. The escape of the Governor greatly vexed Lieutenant Brett,
as he had hoped by capturing him to treat for the ransom of the place.
The few inhabitants who remained were shut up under a guard in one of
the churches, except some negroes, who were employed in carrying the
treasure from the custom-house and other places to the fort, escorted by
a file of musketeers.
Although orders had been issued that there should be no pillage, the
sailors could not be prevented from entering the houses, and as the
Spaniards had left behind them their clothing, mostly embroidered or
laced, the seamen put them on over their dirty trousers and jackets,
some adding a bagwig or a laced hat to their costume. When this
practice was once begun there was no preventing the whole detachment
from imitating it.
Those who came latest, not finding men's clothing, equipped themselves
with women's gowns and petticoats, so that when they appeared before
their commander he was not immediately satisfied that they were his own
people. Meantime, while the British crews were employed in carrying off
the treasure, two hundred horsemen were seen collecting outside the
town, besides other troops, but the commodore having got the _Centurion_
close in, felt very sure that they would not venture to attack his
people on shore. Reports were, however, brought off on the second day
that the number of the enemy being greatly augmented, they intended to
storm the place, led by one Gordon, a Scotch papist and captain of a
ship in those seas.
Notwithstanding this the crews continued their work of spoliation, and
the next day a reinforcement was sent on shore, so that the Spaniards
dared not attempt to carry out their plan.
On the third day, the 15th of November, besides the treasure, the more
valuable part of the effects found in the town, consisting of rich
brocades, bales of fine linens, etcetera, cases of brandy and wine,
hogs, sheep, fowls, and other provisions, were brought off. The
prisoners were then landed, and placed in one of the churches at a
distance from the town. Lastly the place itself was set on fire in all
directions, and burned to the ground.
As Lieutenant Brett and his men were about to embark, the Spaniards,
seeing them on the open beach, made a feint of attacking them, but
halted, as it was expected they would do, when they came near. The
boats were about to shove off when it was found that one of their
number, a Dutchman, was missing. Just then they heard his voice
shouting, but the smoke was so thick that he could not be seen.
Presently he came rushing into the water, and was lifted on board half
dead from fright. It appeared that having taken too much brandy he had
fallen asleep, when on awakening, seeing some Spaniards approaching, and
finding himself surrounded by smoke, he started up, and dashing through
the flames, fortunately directed his course towards the beach.
This affair at Paita, though well executed, inflicted a cruel injury,
not on the Spanish Government so much as on an unoffending and
industrious community, and Anson has justly been blamed for the act.
Having scuttled and sunk all the vessels found in the harbour, with the
exception of five, which were fitted out as men-of-war, he sailed away
from the place with his booty, the value of which amounted to upwards of
thirty thousand pounds.
Notwithstanding the severe loss they had suffered, the prisoners
expressed their gratitude to the commodore for the considerate way they
had been treated. An ecclesiastic of some distinction especially was
most warm in his expressions of thankfulness for the civilities he and
his countrymen had received. He could never forget the way the men had
been treated, but he said that the commodore's behaviour to the women
was so extraordinary and so extremely honourable that he doubted whether
all the regard to his ecclesiastical character would be sufficient to
render it credible.
Having rejoined the _Gloucester_, which had taken only two small
vessels, Anson steered for the southern part of California, there to
watch for a Spanish galleon annually dispatched with treasure from the
port of Acapulco to Manilla. On arriving at their destination, after
cruising for some time, during the night a light was seen, when they
were about twenty-five leagues from the shore. Chase was immediately
made, it being supposed it was the galleon's light. Great was their
disappointment when morning broke to discover that it was underwood or
stubble burning on the side of a lofty mountain, which, seen at the
immense distance at which it was discovered, appeared no larger than an
ordinary ship's light. On arriving in the neighbourhood of Acapulco, a
boat was sent into the harbour at night to ascertain the state of its
defences. Three negroes were captured on board a fishing canoe, and
were taken to the commodore. They gave the information that means had
been energetically taken to defend the place, and that a garrison had
been stationed on an island at the entrance.
Anson therefore resolved not to attack it, but to devote all his means
to capturing the Manilla galleon as soon as she should come out of port.
For this purpose he stationed his squadron of six ships over a long
distance, but sufficiently near to each other to keep up communication.
Besides these, two boats were sent in every night to watch the entrance
of the harbour.
A good many negroes had been taken at different times, and these were
promised their freedom if they would enter on board as seamen and be
trained to the management of the guns. It was supposed that the galleon
would sail on the 3rd of March from Acapulco, and every one was looking
out for her; but the days went by and she did not appear. At last it
was necessary to obtain water, and Anson steered for the harbour of
Chequetan, about thirty leagues from Acapulco. He hoped, when it was
known that the ships were there, the galleon might attempt to slip out
and try to escape. He therefore left Lieutenant Hughes to cruise off
the port of Acapulco twenty days longer, that, should the galleon sail,
he might easily be informed of it.
To protect the watering-place, which was at some distance from the
beach, a strong barricade was erected across the only path leading into
the country, a little way beyond it, and here a guard was always
stationed. As the whole of the crews together were scarcely sufficient
to man even the _Centurion_, three of the prizes, having their cargoes
and stores removed, were carried out and sunk. These and many other
arrangements having been concluded, preparations were made for sailing
across the Pacific. It was necessary first to pick up the boat off
Acapulco, which ought long before that time to have returned.
Having got to within three leagues of Acapulco, and nothing of the boat
being seen, it was feared that she had been wrecked or captured by the
Spaniards. Under the supposition that she had been taken, Captain Anson
sent in a Spanish officer, one of his many prisoners, and a boat manned
by Spaniards, to offer an exchange of prisoners. Some time after she
had gone the missing boat appeared, the wan countenances of her crew
showing the sufferings they had gone through.
They had been about to return when a strong current carried them away to
leeward, and they had to run still farther to look out for some place
where they might land and obtain water. As they had not now to wait to
hear from the shore, the prisoners were put on board two launches, which
were well supplied with water and provisions, they all thanking the
commodore and praising his humanity for the way they had been treated.
On the 6th of May the two ships, the _Centurion_ and _Gloucester_, took
their departure from the coast of Mexico, hoping that in a few weeks
they would arrive at Canton, whither they were bound. During this
passage the scurvy again broke out with almost as much severity as
before. At first they were favoured by the trade wind until the end of
July, afterwards heavy weather came on, during which the gale carried
away the _Gloucester's_ topmasts, and she sprung so bad a leak that it
seemed impossible she would keep afloat; and finally her commander,
Captain Mitchell, begged to be taken on board the _Centurion_ with his
crew. The commodore came therefore to the resolution of destroying her,
although with her went a large quantity of valuable goods. The weather
became calm, and the boats were at once engaged in removing the sick,
but three-fourths of them expired before they could be got on board the
_Centurion_.
Captain Mitchell's last act before leaving the _Gloucester_ was to set
her on fire, and she was thus deserted. When she had been left about
four leagues astern, she blew up. The noise made by the explosion was
slight, but a dense black pillar of smoke shot up to a considerable
height in the air. Thus perished H.M.S. _Gloucester_.
On the 26th the Ladrones were sighted, and the ship stood towards
Tinian, prepared for an encounter should the Spaniards attempt to attack
her. To deceive them Spanish colours were hoisted, and the ship was
made to look as much as possible like the Manilla galleon. The cutter
was then sent in shore. Soon afterwards a proa came off to meet her,
and was captured and brought back in tow. In her was a Spaniard, with
four Indians. One of these was a carpenter by trade. Wishing to get
away from the place, he very willingly shipped on board the _Centurion_.
The Spaniard gave so favourable an account of Tinian, that all were
cheered with the prospect of landing there. He stated it to be
uninhabited, but used by the Spaniards at Guam as a store for supplies
for their garrison, of which he was a sergeant, sent here with Indians
to jerk beef; and that wild cattle, hogs, poultry, and fruit abounded.
This account delighted the English, and finding themselves masters of
the situation, they secured a bark, which was the only vessel capable of
giving notice to the Governor of Guam, and prepared to take possession
of the island. A large hut, used as a storehouse, was taken possession
of as a hospital, and the commodore himself and all his officers
assisted in conveying the sick on shore, as he had before done at Juan
Fernandez. They were indeed the only persons who had strength
sufficient for this service.
The place fully came up to the most favourable descriptions given of it.
Here there seemed a fair prospect that the sick would in time recover.
Deaths took place at first, but fresh provisions, rest, and good air
soon began to restore the remainder to health, and in about a month's
time all who were able to do duty were sent on board the _Centurion_.
She was moored in the most perfect way possible, as many gales were
anticipated. Many of the officers and a large number of the crew were
on shore, as well as Captain Anson, now himself suffering from scurvy.
The expected storm came on, and when morning broke, what was their
dismay not to perceive the ship! It was supposed that she was lost, and
several people suggested that the boat should be sent round the island
to look for the wreck, and save any who might have escaped. Others
began to fear that the Governor of Guam, hearing of their being there,
would send a strong party to take them prisoners, and perhaps treat them
as pirates, and deprive them of their lives. Many believed that they
were destined to remain on the island, without any means of returning
home. Captain Anson did his utmost to keep up their courage, and told
them that he had formed a plan to lengthen the Spanish bark, so as to be
able to carry the whole of them to China. For some time, however, he
did not succeed in raising their spirits; but as the Governor of Guam
did not send to capture them, they began to hope that the plan proposed
by the commodore might succeed, and the work he suggested was commenced.
He himself always rose at daybreak, and commenced work, thus shaming the
rest, who were now as industrious as he could desire, and punctually
came at the same time to the rendezvous, whence they were distributed to
their different employments. While thus engaged one day a sail was seen
in the offing. Hopes were entertained that it was the _Centurion_
returning. Presently another rose above the horizon, when Captain Anson
examining them through his glass, observed that they were only boats.
He now fully believed that they were those of the _Centurion_, which had
probably foundered, and all his hopes of harassing the enemy and
performing the duties imposed on him vanished. After a time, however,
he discovered that they were Indian proas. Not to alarm the Indians, he
ordered his people to keep out of sight. They came to within a quarter
of a mile of the shore, where they remained for two hours, and then
again stood to the northward.
The bark had been hauled up, sawn in two, and considerable progress made
in the work, when, on the 11th of October, one of the _Gloucester's_
men, being on a hill in the middle of the island, was seen rushing down
at full speed, crying out, "The ship, the ship!"
On this Mr Gordon, a lieutenant of marines, hurried to the commodore,
who, at the news, threw down his axe, with which he was at work, and in
his joy broke through, for the first time, the calm reserved manner he
had hitherto maintained. All hurried down to the beach, and before the
evening the _Centurion_ was visible to all. A boat was immediately
dispatched, with eighteen men, carrying fresh meat and fresh vegetables,
for the refreshment of her crew. The next afternoon she came to an
anchor in the road. When driven out to sea, those on board had fired
guns, but owing to the wind and rain, they had not been heard. After
great exertions the anchor was hove up, and the ship continued driving,
and, as she was short-handed, it was a long time before sail could be
made on her. For many days she had been beating up to windward, until
she had got back as described.
The Commodore now lived on board. The same accident again occurred, and
the ship was driven out to sea, leaving seventy of her men on shore.
After five days, however, she got back again, and having completed her
water, sailed on 21st of October for Macao.
The _Centurion_ was for some time beating along the coast of China,
among countless fishing-boats, until she came to an anchor off Macao on
the 12th of November. She remained at this port for five months, until
the health of her crew had been re-established.
Captain Anson here had the satisfaction of learning that the _Severn_
and _Pearl_, the two ships which had separated from the squadron, had
arrived safely at Rio Janeiro. Of the sad fate of the _Wager_, and the
loss of the larger number of her officers and crew, he did not receive
intelligence till his return home. He was annoyed by the extortionate
demands made by the Chinese carpenters for the necessary repairs of the
ship, while he had considerable difficulty at times, in consequence of
the behaviour of the Chinese authorities, in obtaining provisions.
At length, on the 19th of April, all being ready, the _Centurion_ made
sail and stood out to sea, her crew increased by several Lascars and
Dutch, so that she was now in a condition to resume hostilities. Before
Anson left Macao, he let it be understood that he intended to touch at
Batavia on his homeward voyage, but he had formed a very different
decision.
The Manilla galleon, not having sailed from Acapulco, in consequence of
his appearance off that place, calculating that there would be two
vessels this year instead of one, he determined to cruise off the island
of Samal in the hopes of intercepting them. He at first kept this plan
to himself, but as soon as the ship was at sea he summoned the crew on
deck and informed them of his intentions. The place he intended to
cruise off was Cape Espirito Santo. It was sighted on the 20th of May.
As the commodore knew that sentinels were placed on that cape to give
notice of the Manilla ship as soon as she made the land, he immediately
tacked and took in top-gallant sails to avoid being discovered.
The crew were now kept constantly practising at their guns, an exercise
which had been pursued for some time previously. By this means they
were rendered extremely skilful. Every preparation was also made for
battle. The commodore's journal shows how anxiously he and all on board
were looking out for their expected prize. At last, just a month after
the arrival of the _Centurion_ at her station, a sail was discovered at
sunrise in the south-east quarter, by a midshipman, Mr Charles Proby.
The commodore had taken every means in his power to secure the victory.
He had placed about thirty of his choicest marksmen in the tops, and as
he had not hands enough remaining to quarter a sufficient number to each
great gun in the usual manner, he placed on his lower tier only two men
to each gun, who were to be employed solely in loading it, while the
rest of the people were divided into different gangs of ten men each to
run out and fire such guns as were loaded. By this arrangement he was
able to make use of all his guns, and instead of firing broadsides at
intervals, to keep up a constant fire without intermission. He knew
that it was the custom of the Spaniards to fall down on deck when they
saw a broadside preparing, and to continue in that posture until it had
been given, after which they rose, and presuming the danger to be over
for some time, worked their guns and fired with great briskness, until
they supposed that another broadside was ready to be fired, when they
acted as before. The plan adopted by the commodore, however, rendered
this practice of theirs impossible.
At the news of a sail being in sight, the ship's company had no doubt
that this was one of the galleons, and they expected soon to see the
other. The _Centurion_ stood on until about half-past seven, when the
stranger could be seen from her deck, and no doubt remained that she was
one of the long-sought-for ships. The hopes of the _Centurion's_ crew
rose high, and all hands with alacrity hastened to their stations. At
length the galleon fired a gun and took in her topgallant sails, which
was supposed to be a signal for her consort to hasten up. The
_Centurion_, therefore, fired a gun to leeward in order to amuse her.
The commodore was surprised all this time to find that the galleon did
not alter her course, but continued to bear down upon her, for he hardly
believed--what afterwards appeared to be the case--that her captain knew
his ship to be the _Centurion_, and had resolved to fight her. About
noon the _Centurion_ was a little more than a league from the galleon,
and could fetch her wake, so that she could not now escape. No second
ship appearing, it was concluded that she had been separated from her
consort. Soon after the galleon hauled up her foresail, and brought to
under her topsails, with her head to the northward, hoisting Spanish
colours, and having the standard of Spain on the topgallant masthead.
The _Centurion_ now rapidly neared the galleon. A little after noon
there were several squalls of wind and rain, which often obscured the
latter from sight; but whenever it cleared up, she was observed
resolutely lying to. Towards one o'clock, the _Centurion_ hoisted her
broad pennant and colours, she being then within gunshot of the enemy.
The Spaniards, the commodore observed, had neglected to clear their
ship, they being engaged in throwing overboard cattle and lumber. He
gave orders to fire upon them with the chase-guns, to prevent them from
completing their work.
The galleon returned the fire with two of her stern-chasers. Soon after
the _Centurion_ came abreast of her, within pistol-shot, keeping to
leeward for the purpose of preventing her from putting before the wind
and getting away.
Now the engagement commenced in earnest. For the first half-hour the
_Centurion_ overreached the galleon, and lay on her bow. By the greater
wideness of the ports of the former, she could traverse almost all her
guns, while the galleon could only bring a part of hers to bear.
Scarcely had the action begun, when the mats with which the galleon had
stuffed her netting took fire and burned violently, blazing up half as
high as the mizen-top. This accident threw the enemy into great
confusion, and the commodore feared lest the galleon should be burned,
and his ship suffer by driving on board her. The Spaniards at last,
however, freed themselves from the fire by cutting away the netting and
tumbling the whole mass into the sea.
Still the _Centurion_ kept her advantageous position, firing her guns
with great regularity; whilst, at the same time, the topmen, who having
at their first volley driven the Spaniards from their tops, made great
havoc with their small arms, killing or wounding every officer but one
that appeared on the quarter-deck, and wounding in particular the
general of the galleon himself. After the engagement had lasted half an
hour, the _Centurion_ fell alongside the galleon, the decks of which her
grape-shot swept so effectually,--killing and wounding a great number,--
that the Spaniards were thrown into the greatest disorder, as could be
seen from on board the _Centurion_. The Spanish officers were observed
running about to prevent desertion by the men from their quarters; but
all their endeavours were in vain; and at last, having fired five or six
guns, the galleon's colours being already burnt, the standard at her
main-top-gallant-masthead was struck. The seaman who did this would
have run great risk of being shot down, had not the commodore given
orders to the men not to molest him. The action lasted altogether about
an hour and a half, during which the Spaniards lost sixty-seven killed
and eighty-four wounded.
The prize was called _Nuestra Senora de Cabadonga_, and was commanded by
Don Jeronimo de Montero, a Portuguese by birth, and a skilful and brave
officer. The galleon was much larger than the _Centurion_, had a crew
of five hundred and fifty men, and thirty-six guns, besides twenty-eight
pidreroes or petards, each of which carried a four-pound ball. She was
besides well furnished with small arms, and was provided with boarding
nettings.
The treasure she contained amounted to nearly a million and a half of
dollars. Scarcely, however, had the galleon struck, and the
long-expected wealth she contained become the prize of the English, than
a terrible announcement was made to the commodore by one of the
lieutenants, who whispered to him that the _Centurion_ was on fire near
the powder-room. He received the intelligence with his usual calmness,
and, taking care not to alarm the crew, he gave the necessary orders for
extinguishing it. Some cartridges had been blown up between deck, in
consequence of which a quantity of oakum, near the after-hatchway, close
to the powder-room, was on fire. The volumes of smoke which issued from
this caused the apprehension that a dangerous fire had broken out.
The crew, led by their officers, set to work to extinguish it. While
they were thus engaged, the galleon fell on board the _Centurion_ on the
starboard quarter, but she was cleared without doing or receiving any
considerable damage. By the exertions of the men, the fire was in a
short time got under. The commodore now made the first lieutenant, Mr
Saumarez, captain of the prize, appointing her a post ship in his
Majesty's navy.
Most of the prisoners were at once removed on board the _Centurion_, and
judicious arrangements were made for keeping them from rising, which, as
they far outnumbered the crew of the _Centurion_, they might easily have
done; indeed, when they saw the men by whom they had been captured, they
expressed themselves with great indignation, to be thus beaten by a
handful of boys.
All the seamen, with the exception of the wounded, were placed in the
hold, and that they might have air, the two hatchways were left open,
these hatchways being fitted with a square partition of thick planks,
made in the shape of a funnel, which enclosed each hatchway on the lower
deck, and reached to that directly over it on the upper deck, rising
seven or eight feet above it. It would thus have been extremely
difficult for the Spaniards to clamber up. To increase that difficulty
four swivels were planted at the mouth of each funnel, and a sentry with
a lighted match stood ready to fire into the hold, should they attempt
to escape. The officers, amounting to seventeen or eighteen, were
lodged in the first lieutenant's cabin, under a guard of six men, while
their general, who was wounded, lay in the commodore's cabin, with a
sentinel placed over him.
As there was a scarcity of water, only a pint a day could be supplied to
each prisoner. Of this they could not complain, as the ship's company
had but a pint and a half. Still, they suffered greatly.
All arrangements being made, the _Centurion_ and her prize sailed for
Canton. Captain Anson now heard that the Manilla ship, for which he had
watched at Acapulco the preceding year, had set sail sooner than the
others, and had probably got into the port of Manilla before the
_Centurion_ arrived off Cape Espirito Santo. He had thus to regret his
long delay at Macao. On her arrival in the river of Canton, a boat,
with a mandarin, immediately came off to the _Centurion_ from the forts
of Boca Tigris, to inquire what she was and where she came from.
Captain Anson, in reply, gave him an exact account of the ship. The
officer, on hearing of the number of guns and the amount of ammunition
she had on board, declared that he could not venture to make such a
statement to his superiors, who would instantly become alarmed.
Captain Anson's object was to remain here during the monsoon, and to
obtain a supply of provisions for his voyage home. During his stay in
the river he had to submit to various annoyances. The Chinese
authorities treated him in a way for which they were then and have ever
since been notorious. The provisions they promised were not
forthcoming, and the traders endeavoured to cheat the strangers in all
sorts of ways. The fowls which had been brought on board quickly died,
and the crew thought that they had been poisoned. On examining them it
was found that they had been crammed with stones and gravel, to increase
their weight. The hogs also which had been purchased ready killed had
had water injected into them, and even the live ones had had salt given
them to increase their thirst, so that they had drunk vast quantities of
water, and were inflated. Even at the last, hearing that the
barbarians, as they called the English, never ate anything which died of
itself, the Chinese managed to drug the animals so that they died before
the ship was out of harbour, numbers of boats following to pick up the
carcases. Anson's greatest difficulty was to obtain food, and Anson had
himself to go up to Canton, the contractors not having prepared the
bread they had promised, nor any other articles of food. At last the
authorities had the impudence to demand port dues for the ship. This
Captain Anson, answering that she was a man-of-war, and that he had not
come to trade, refused to pay. He at last dispatched a letter to the
Viceroy, insisting that his various demands should at once be complied
with.
He, with some of his officers and a boat's crew, had gone up to Canton,
when a fire broke out in the town, which threatened to burn down the
whole place. Chiefly by his and his men's exertions the fire was got
under, although not until a large amount of damage had been done. It
consumed a hundred shops and eleven streets full of warehouses. When
the fire was subdued, many Chinese merchants came to Captain Anson and
requested him that he would allow each of them one of his "soldiers," as
they called his boat's crew, to guard their warehouses and
dwelling-houses, which they feared might be pillaged, should any tumult
arise. He granted their request, and had the satisfaction of finding
that his men had behaved themselves with great diligence and fidelity.
Next morning many of the inhabitants waited on the commodore to thank
him for his assistance, frankly owning that they could never of
themselves have extinguished the fire. Captain Anson's conduct on this
occasion greatly assisted him in his subsequent proceedings with the
timid and treacherous Chinese.
His great object was now to sail for England before the enemy should
gain intelligence of the wealth carried in the _Centurion_. Having
disposed of the galleon for six thousand dollars, much below her real
value, Captain Anson set sail from Macao on the 15th of December, 1743.
Having touched at Prince's Island in the Straits of Sunda, he anchored
in Table Bay, at the Cape of Good Hope, where he remained until the 3rd
of April, 1744, when he sailed for England.
Speaking a ship on the way, he learned that war had broken out between
the English and French.
A careful look-out was kept to avoid the enemy, and on the 15th of June,
to the infinite joy of all on board, the ship came safely to an anchor
at Spithead. Captain Anson there learned that a French fleet was
cruising in the chops of the Channel, and, from the account of their
position, he found that the _Centurion_ had run right through it, but
had, during the time, been concealed by a thick fog.
The return of the expedition, although with sadly-diminished numbers,
caused general joy throughout the country. The treasure taken from the
galleon was carried through the streets to the Tower in thirty-two
waggons, attended by a large procession. The voyage thus happily ended
had occupied three years and nine months. Had the ships been properly
fitted out, and supplied with efficient crews, most of the disasters
which had attended the expedition would have been avoided. At the same
time the intrepidity and prudence of the commodore, and the unflinching
perseverance and courage displayed by the seamen, are worthy of all
admiration, and make the expedition of the _Centurion_ one of the most
notable of voyages.