into the stock of provisions on board the ships, and found by the
accounts given in, that only three months meat at short allowance, and
two months bread, remained unexpended; and, as there was no appearance
of the Manilla ship, though the usual time of her coming was elapsed, it
was agreed to make all possible dispatch in fitting up the ships, in
order to make the best of our way across the Pacific Ocean, that we
might take the advantage of the trade-winds to carry us to Guam on our
return home. In pursuance of this resolution, I was ordered into
harbour, as the Marquis wanted more considerable repairs than either of
the other two, and the Duke and Dutchess proposed to cruise a few days
longer, while I was getting forward to be in readiness to accompany them
to Europe.
On the 14th, I bore away for Puerto Seguro, and on the 15th entered the
harbour at midnight.
On the 16th proceeded to business, my first orders being to return again
to cruise as soon as possible; but these orders were afterwards
countermanded, it being absolutely necessary that all the ships should
rendezvous together before their final departure from the American
coast.
This place is inhabited by about 200 Indians, living in huts made of
boughs of trees and reeds, built like a bower, with a fire in the
middle, round which they lie and sleep. They all go naked, only the
women have short petticoats made of silk grass, or else of pelicans or
deers skins. The men are straight, and well limbed; live by fishing and
hunting, and value knives, scissars, nails, or iron, beyond gold and
silver. They have long black hair, and are of a dark-brown complexion.
The women are very ordinary, and employ themselves in gathering and
grinding corn, and in making fishing-lines. They are very honest and
very civil. They assisted in fitting up the ships, and took nothing away
but what was given them. Our people at their first coming got some
pearls among them, but I never could see any afterwards. I made signs
for them to bring gold; but they pointed up to the mountains. They use
bows and arrows, and even the boys are so dexterous as to kill birds
flying with them.
Dec 22. Being busy about our repairs, at 10 in the morning heard some
guns firing in the offing: I bent my sails to hasten to the assistance
of my consorts, but the sea-breeze coming on rendered it impossible;
whereupon I ascended an adjacent hill, and saw our ships engage and take
the Manilla ship, which we had been so long expecting.
The account Captain Rogers gives of the engagement is as follows: “At
day-break, says he, we saw the chace upon our weather-bow about a league
from us, the Dutchess a-head of her to leeward, near about half as far.
Towards six in the morning our boat came on board, having kept very near
the chace all night, and received no damage; but told us the Dutchess
passed by her in the night, and she fired two shot at him; but they
returned none. We had no wind, but got out eight of our ship’s oars, and
rowed about an hour, when there sprung up a small breeze. I ordered a
large kettle of chocolate to be made for our ship’s company, having no
spirituous liquors to give them. Then we went to prayers; and before we
had concluded, were disturbed by the enemy’s firing at us. They had
barrels hanging at each yard-arm that looked like powder-barrels, to
deter us from boarding them. About eight o’clock we began to engage her
by ourselves, for the Dutchess being to leeward, and having little wind,
did not come up. The enemy fired her stern chace upon us first, which we
returned with our fore-chace several times, till we came nearer, and
went close on board each other. We gave her several broadsides, plying
our small arms very briskly, which they returned as thick for a while,
but did not ply their great guns with the same alacrity. After some
time, we shot a little a-head of them, lying thwart her hawse, close
aboard; and plied her so warmly, that she soon struck her colours
two-thirds down. By this time the Dutchess came up, and fired about five
guns, with a volley of small shot; but the enemy, having submitted, made
no return. We sent our pinnace on board, and brought the Captain with
the Officers away; and, having examined them, found there came another
ship out from Manilla with them of larger burden, having about 40 brass
guns mounted, and as many patararoes; but they told us they lost her
company about three months ago, and reckoned she was got to Accapulco
before this time, she sailing better than this ship.
This prize was called by the swelling name of Nostra Signiora de la
Incarnacion Desengenio, Sir John Pichberty Commander. She had 20 guns,
20 patararoes, and 193 men on board, whereof nine were killed, ten
wounded, and several blown up with powder. We engaged them about three
glasses, in which time we had only myself and another man wounded. I was
shot through the left cheek; the bullet struck away part of my upper
jaw, and several of my teeth, part of which dropt down upon the deck
where I fell; and the other, an Irish landman, was slightly wounded in
the hip. They did us no great damage in our rigging, but their shot
disabled our mizzen-mast. I was forced to write what I had to say to
prevent the loss of blood, and because of the pain I suffered by
speaking.
On the 23d of December, after putting our ships to rights, we stood in
for the harbour, which was distant about seven leagues to the N. E. Our
surgeons went on board the prize to dress their wounded men. About four
in the afternoon we came to an anchor, and received the compliments of
all on board the Marquis on our sudden and unexpected success, which
gave us no small satisfaction. We found that ship in good condition,
ready to sail, and all the men on board her very brisk, and eager for
action.
At eight in the evening, we held a consultation on the two great points;
first, what should be done with the prisoners and hostages; and next,
how we should act with regard to the other Manilla ship, which we
thought at least there was a great probability of taking.
With respect to the first, we proposed, as the hostages from Guayaquil
were men of honour, and as we had good reason to believe that the
Chevalier Pichberry, being brother to the famous M. du Cass, was the
same, to make the best terms we could with them, and set them at
liberty. Accordingly, we put a part of the goods on board the bark into
the prize, and then offered the remainder with the bark, together with
what remained unpaid of the ransom, for 6000 pieces of eight, and to
take the Chevalier’s bills payable at London for the money. This they
accepted, and gave us an acknowledgement at the same time, that they
thought it a good bargain. When this was settled, we had nothing more to
do than to provide for our own security, and to look after the other
galleon.
I was very desirous of going out with the Dutchess to cruise for her;
but there having been some reflections cast, on account of the
Dutchess’s not engaging our last prize so soon as it was thought she
might have done, Captain Courtney was absolutely bent on going out with
the Marquis; and the officers of both ships voting for this in council,
my proposal was over-ruled, and we were forced to stay in the harbour
against our will. It was, however, agreed, that we should put 10 of our
best hands on board the Dutchess; and on Christmas eve she and the
Marquis sailed.”----We now return to Captain Cooke in the Marquis.
Sunday 25. At eight in the morning, being two leagues off Cape St.
Lucas, we saw a sail distant about seven leagues, which we concluded to
be the ship we were in pursuit of. The Dutchess was two leagues to the
westward, and we both gave chace. At noon the enemy bore south, distant
about five leagues. At 12 at night, the Dutchess got along-side, and
began to engage her. Captain Courtney fought her bravely about four
glasses, and then lay by to secure his masts, and knot his rigging,
which were much wounded and shattered. Our ship not being so good a
sailor as the Dutchess, could not come up.
Monday 26. As soon as it was day, we saw the Spaniard’s flag, and knew
him to be the Admiral of the Manilla. At eight we perceived the Duke
coming out to us. At two in the afternoon we got along-side the enemy;
but the wind shifting, could fetch no nearer than about half musket-shot
to leeward of her. She then fired two shot at us, and we returned a
broad side and vollies of small arms, beginning the combat with three
cheers. When we had fought two glasses, the Dutchess came up under her
stern, and raked her fore and aft, and then fell astern again, we still
continuing hot at her for five glasses: then weared, and stood to the
westward, to fetch nearer up to her; for firing so many guns had laid us
to leeward. The Dutchess went up, and engaged again very briskly for
half an hour, and then stretched a-head of her. We could perceive many
shot in her between wind and water. At five we tacked, and raked her
fore and aft with our starboard broadside, then weared under her stern,
and did the same with our larboard broadside; and firing several vollies
while we loaded our larboard guns again, gave her the other broadside.
By this time it grew dark, and we fell a-stern, to speak with the
Dutchess, and to get more ammunition, having but three rounds of shot
for most of our guns left. At eight I went on board the Dutchess, and
found her much disabled in her masts and rigging, and had seven men
killed and wounded. Capt. Courtney and I agreed to be yard-arm and
yard-arm with the enemy in the morning, he to lie on the bow, and I on
the quarter; and if he boarded, I was to clap him aboard, and enter my
men over him. Being supplied with more ammunition, I returned on board
the Marquis, both of us keeping close under the chace’s quarter, and
firing guns all night, to annoy the enemy, and to give the Duke notice
where we were. Before day the Duke joined us. The chace, mistaking him
for her consort, had made signals all night, and had edged away to meet
him, otherwise the Duke could not have come up, there being but very
little wind, and that contrary.
Then we all three agreed to fall upon the enemy at once, as soon as it
was light; but while we lay athwart her hawse, those guns that missed
the enemy flew through the Duke’s masts and rigging, which obliged him
to change his station, and to draw up along-side close aboard her, where
he kept up a constant fire of round shot, all other shot proving
ineffectual, because of the strength of the ship’s sides, which no other
shot would penetrate; and as none of the Spaniards appeared in sight,
but all kept to close quarters, it was in vain to make use of small
arms, except now and then, when a man appeared to observe our situation,
and to keep an eye upon their ensign. In this manner, the Dutchess lying
upon her hawse, the Duke along her broadside, and the Marquis athwart
her stern, we kept pelting her for four glasses; and, in the mean time,
the Duke received a shot in his main-mast, which much disabled it; and,
in shifting, both he and the Dutchess came back close under the enemy,
and had like to have been all aboard her. The Duke, in endeavouring to
recover his station, received a fire-ball, which lighting upon his
quarter-deck, blew up a chest of arms and cartouch-boxes, all loaded,
and several cartridges of powder in the steerage, by which means Mr.
Vanbrugh, our agent, and two others, were very much burnt; the Dutchess
going to lash to the enemy, was forced to cast off, and get clear, for
fear of being set on fire. The enemy fired at us all three at once, but
slowly, seldom missing our masts and rigging, and sometimes hulling us.
After lying near half an hour along the chace’s side, the Dutchess lay
by to stop her leaks, and secure her fore-mast, being very much
disabled, having 25 men killed and wounded, and the sails and rigging
much shattered. Captain Rogers some time after lay by to secure his
mast. Then I lay athwart the enemy’s hawse till I had fired three
broadsides, some odd guns, and several vollies; then gave another
broadside and some vollies into her stern. The Duke came up again, and
fired several guns, and both fell a-stern the chace, keeping under sail,
and standing to the westward. We knotted some of our rigging, and stopt
our leaks made with twelve pounders. Our main-mast was disabled also,
the sails and rigging much shattered; but the enemy, aiming to disable
my masts, I had the good fortune to have only my second mate, and some
others, blown up with powder. The ship was once set on fire by the
enemy’s stink-pots, but we soon put it out. About eleven I wore the
ship, and designed to have attacked the enemy again; but, seeing the
Duke and Dutchess lying by, the one with a waist in his ensign, and the
other with a Spanish jack, the signals to speak with one another, I
brought to. Captain Courtney came on board of me, and we both went on
board the Duke; where we considered the condition the three ships were
in, their masts and rigging being much damaged in a place where we could
get no recruit; that, if we engaged her again we could propose to do no
more than what we had already done, which was evident did her no great
hurt, because we could perceive few of our shot entered her sides to any
purpose, and our small arms availed less, there being not a man to be
seen above board; that the least thing in the world would bring the
Duke’s main-mast, and likewise the Dutchess’s foremast, by the board,
either of which by its fall might carry away another mast, and lay us a
perfect butt for the enemy, having nothing to command our ships with; so
that by his heavy guns he might either sink or take us; that, if we went
to board him, we should run a great hazard in losing a great many men
with little hope of success, they having above treble the number on
board to oppose us, and there being now, in all our three ships, not
above 120 men fit for boarding, and those but weak, having been very
short of provisions; so that, if we had boarded her, and been forced
off, or left any of our men behind, the enemy by that means would have
known our strength, and then gone into the harbour, and took possession
of the prize in spite of all we could do to prevent it. Besides our
ammunition was very short, having only enough to engage a few glasses
longer. All this being seriously considered, and knowing the difficulty
we should have to get masts, and the time and provisions we must spend
before we could get them fitted, we resolved to forbear attempting her
farther, since our battering her signified little, and we had not
strength enough to board her; therefore, we agreed to keep her company
till night, and then to lose her, and make the best of our way into the
harbour to secure the prize we had already taken. We engaged first and
last about seven hours, during all which time they had on board the Duke
but eleven men wounded, among whom was the Captain for the second time,
who had part of his heel-bone struck out with a splinter, and all under
his ancle cut above half through with the same; on board the Dutchess,
they had eleven killed, and more than that number wounded; and on board
us only two men scorched with gun-powder. The enemy’s was a brave,
lofty, new ship, named the Virginia, and this the first voyage she had
made. Her burden was 900 tons, and her complement of men 450, besides
passengers, 150 of whom were European pirates, who, having now got all
their wealth on board, were resolved to defend it to the last. The
gunner, who had a post at Manilla, was an expert man, and had provided
for her defence with great skill. He had filled up all the space between
the guns with bales to secure the men. We shattered her sails and
rigging very much, shot away her mizzen-yard, and killed two of her men
out of her tops, which was all the damage we could see done, though we
could not place less than 500 shot in her hull. Thus ended our attempt.
These large ships are built at Manilla, of excellent timber that will
not splinter; and their sides are thicker and stronger than those of
ships of the same burden constructed in Europe. Had we been together at
first, and boarded her, we might, perhaps, have taken her; but, after
her netting and close-quarters were fixed, she valued us but little. We
might, indeed, have burnt her, at the expence of one of our ships; but
that was objected to, not only from a principle of humanity, but because
we had goods of great value on board all our ships.
The enemy had heard at Manilla, that there were two ships fitted out at
Bristol to cruise in the South Seas, and that Captain Dampier was to be
their pilot; they had, therefore, provided for their own defence
accordingly. However, to do them justice, they fought gallantly, and,
had the two ships been together, it is more than probable that neither
of them had been taken; but as it happened, had not our unreasonable
squabbles prevented our sailing out together, the chance would have
rather been in our favour: yet this miscarriage, instead of leading to a
reconciliation, served only as a foundation for new disputes.
On the 1st of Jan. 1710, we returned again into port, and determined to
hasten home with all possible dispatch. The first thing of consequence
was to discharge our prisoners, and to provide for their voyage to
Accapulco; and this being dispatched, we applied to the settling of our
own affairs. We spent our time till the 7th in repairing the damage our
ships had received from the enemy, in taking in wood and water for our
voyage to the East-Indies, and in taking an account of the goods and
stores on board the prize: and it was no small satisfaction to find as
much bread on board the prize as with our own stock would serve us, at
short allowance, during our long run to Guam.
About this time a warm contest arose about appointing a Commander of the
Manilla ship, which was looked upon as a trust of no small consequence.
Captain Dover, being an owner, desired he might command in chief on
board her. Captain Rogers and several officers of the council contended,
that, as Captain Dover was wholly unacquainted with the navigating part
of the business, the command should be given to Captain Fry, or myself;
but, as I had already the command of the Marquis, I declined any farther
charge, and voted for Captain Dover; at the same time recommending
Captain Fry and Captain Stretton to act under him; against which Captain
Rogers and his officers entered their protest. However, on the 9th of
January, at a full council, it was carried against them, and voted by a
great majority, that the Captains Fry and Stretton should both act in
equal post in the sole navigating the Batchelor Frigate (for that was
the name now given to the Manilla prize), and in fighting her, if
occasion should require, under Captain Dover, who at the same time was
restrained from interrupting them in their business, but charged to be
careful of what was in the ship, and to see that nothing was acted on
board contrary to the interest of the owners and captors. The matter
being thus qualified, the nominal command given to Captain Dover, and
the executive power vested in the naval officers, Captain Rogers
withdrew his protest, and the council proceeded to the choice of the
inferior officers, appointing Alexander Selkirk master, and Joseph Smith
chief mate: they also agreed to furnish her complement of men, by
selecting 30 from the Duke, 25 from the Dutchess, and 13 from the
Marquis, which, with 36 Lascars taken on board her, formed a tolerable
crew of more than 100 mariners. This business being thus fully settled,
and the island of Guam pitched upon as the place of rendezvous in case
of separation, on the 10th of January we weighed anchor, and ran out at
midnight. At 12 the next day Cape St. Lucas bore north, distant about
five leagues. We steered away for some days S. W. by S. till we got into
the trade-winds, and then our course was uniform.
All the natives of California that we saw during our stay at Puerto
Seguro did not amount to 300. They had large limbs, were very straight
and tall, and of a much darker complexion than any other people that we
had met with in the South Seas. Their hair was long, lank, and black,
and hung down upon their hips. The men were all stark-naked; but the
women had a covering about their waists made of the silk-grass already
mentioned, fringed and knotted. All of them that we saw were old, and
miserably wrinkled; perhaps they concealed from us their maidens, for
reasons that need not be explained. The language of the natives was
guttural, very harsh, and unpleasant. They seemed to covet nothing that
we had, except axes, saws, and knives; and even these they did not
attempt to steal. Their huts were low, and wholly made up of branches of
trees; and seemed rather a kind of temporary coverings than settled
dwellings. While we lay in port they subsisted chiefly on fish; and
though they neither made use of nets or lines, yet they had a method of
striking them with lances that was very dexterous, and at which they
were very expert. They were besides most excellent divers, and instead
of canoes made use of rafts. They were very civil and inoffensive; and
were observed to pay great respect to one among them, whose head was
adorned with feathers very artificially combined, and who probably was
their wizard, or cunning-man. Some of them had strings of pearls, and
party-coloured shells so prettily intermixed, that, though we had
glass-beads, and other showy trinkets, yet they paid no sort of
attention to any of them; but prized their own ornaments above every
thing but cutting instruments. Their arms are bows and arrows, in the
use of which their boys were so expert as to shoot birds flying by way
of amusement. They grew very familiar with us while we staid, and came
frequently to gaze at the men as they cut wood and filled water, but
never offered to assist in any thing like labour. They get fire like
other Indians, by rubbing two sticks together, which kindle almost
instantaneously.
From this harbour we departed but very slenderly provided, having but
little live-stock, and hardly any liquors but what were found in the
prize. As soon as we were out of sight of land, we were all put to short
allowance, officers and men: to the latter four-and-twenty ounces of
flour, four pounds of meat, and two gallons of water, to a mess of five
men in 24 hours. But in a few days, the Batchelor made a signal to give
us some bread, they having found a large quantity concealed, with some
sweet-meats. We had 500 weight for our share, the Duke 1000 weight, and
the Dutchess as much; in return for which we sent back to the prize some
casks of flour, and a barrel of English beef; and the like present was
returned from the other ships. From this time till the 10th of March
nothing remarkable happened.
On that day we made the island Saraua, one of the Ladrones, and the same
evening came in sight of Guam, distant about three leagues. Next day we
came to anchor in the port of Umatta, at about a mile distance from the
houses, in lat. 13 deg. 30 min. N. by estimation; long. from Cape St.
Lucas, 100 deg. 19 min. W. We went in with French and Spanish colours,
that they might not suspect us to be enemies. Several of their boats
came about our ships; but none would venture on board, till being off
the anchoring place, one was sent by the Spanish Governor, desiring to
know who we were, and what we wanted. We presently dispatched our
interpreter with a letter, purporting, that we were subjects of Great
Britain, and driven by necessity to stop at those islands to purchase
provisions and other necessaries; that, if our wants were supplied with
civility, we should pay generously; but, on the contrary, if our request
was denied, we should proceed to act according to the laws of war. To
this letter we received a very obliging answer from the Spanish
Governor, Don Juan Antonio Pimental, and were furnished with hogs, oxen,
rice, maize, poultry, and other necessaries in a more plentiful manner,
and at a cheaper rate, than we could expect. We continued at Guam till
the 21st of March, during which time reciprocal civilities daily passed
between the officers on board and the gentlemen of the island; and we
parted perfectly satisfied with each other’s behaviour. We found the
variation in these parts only half a point to the eastward, though in
our run across the Great South Sea, we had it 12 degrees: the reason I
take to be, the unevenness of the globe, and its unequal mixture of much
matter differing in itself as to the magnetical quality; as having large
and stoney mountains, spacious vallies, deep seas, long-continued
continents, with mighty scattered rocks of load-stone, iron mines, and
other magnetical substances.