had an observation, and found themselves in lat. 52 deg. 15 min. S.
being then off Cape Virgin Mary, the north point of the entrance of the
Straits of Magellan. The next day they entered the Straits, and sent
their pinnace on shore on the main, to a fresh-water river, which was at
this time frozen up. They saw large flocks of geese and ducks, but very
shy. The surgeon’s mate, by some accident, was left on shore; and next
morning, when brought aboard, was near dead with cold. They anchored at
Queen Elizabeth’s Island, and found great plenty of smallage, which was
of infinite service to those sick of the scurvy. They eat it raw, boiled
it in their soups, and kept the juice of it in bottles. They met with
plenty of wild-fowl and shell-fish, filled their casks with water, and
continued their course. On the 22d they anchored in a fine bay, which,
from its depth, they called No-bottom Bay. The trees were high, loaded
with snow, and exhibited a most astonishing prospect. On the 29th came a
canoe, with four Indians. They were of a middle stature, dark
complection, their faces broad and round, low foreheads, black hair very
lank and short, with no cloathing, except a piece of skin to cover their
middles. What seemed most remarkable, was a circle round their wrists,
of a bright azure. It seems these savages are extremely jealous of their
women; for, notwithstanding all that could be said to them, they would
not permit a woman, who was of their party, to come on board.
Bougainville, and the English voyagers who lately passed the Straits,
make the same observation. Capt. Clipperton ordered them bread and
cheese, and a dram of brandy, though it was very scarce. The former they
eat very heartily, or rather greedily; but the latter they could not be
prevailed upon to taste. They had bows and arrows, and some
fishing-tackle along with them. After about two hours stay, they rowed
ashore, making signs that they would come again. The next day the
pinnace was sent ashore, and returned in the evening with the Indian
canoe laden with muscles, which the Indians had exchanged for bread,
knives, and other trifles. In the beginning of the month of July they
found the weather moderate. These natives were a harmless people: one of
the crew, being left on shore, lived with them two nights and a day, and
was very kindly treated by them; which shews, that, if they are well
used, they are not treacherous. All this time their ship’s company was
very sickly, and scarce a day passed but some one or other died. On July
8 they buried their master-gunner. They caused a strong plank to be
driven at the head of his grave, on which was the following inscription:
“Mr. William Pridham, gunner of the Success, deceased July 7, 1719, in
this Strait, and lies buried here.” On the 20th Capt. Mitchell and
Lieut. Davidson went in the pinnace to Terra del Fuego, in order to make
discovery of the passage that a French tartan is said to have went
through into the South Sea, May 1713, and to see if there was any
anchoring beyond Cape Quad. On the 29th they returned, having found the
passage, but so narrow, that it was judged hazardous to go that way.
They found likewise several good bays to the north-west of Cape Quad to
anchor in. The Indians brought them a seal, which they broiled and
roasted, and said it eat like venison.
August 1, they resolved to prosecute their voyage thro’ the Straits,
which, with much danger and difficulty, they accomplished. Aug. 18, they
arrived in the South-Seas, but so weak, that it was impossible to
undertake any thing immediately; they therefore steered directly for the
island of Juan Fernandez, the third and last place of rendezvous, where
they arrived Sept. 7, and searched diligently in hopes of finding some
token of the Speedwell, but to no manner of purpose. According to his
instructions, Clipperton continued to cruise a full month, and, before
he took his departure, ordered an inscription to be cut on a remarkable
tree fronting the landing place; so that it was impossible for any
ship’s crew to come ashore, and not see it. The inscription thus:
“CAPTAIN JOHN W. MAGEE, 1719.” This William Magee was surgeon on board
the Success, was well-known to Capt. Shelvock, and all the ship’s
company; and therefore his name was made choice of rather than the
Captain’s, for a blind in case the inscription should be read by the
Spaniards. Here the sick were set ashore, and every means used for their
recovery; but the very thoughts of being without any cordial to comfort
them, dejected them excessively. The weather was changeable; abundance
of rain fell; and they had also some hard gales of wind. They took goats
in plenty, which not only served them for the present, but likewise
increased their sea-store, having salted a great number with salt they
found on the island ready-made. They likewise wooded and watered, and
cleaned their ship, ready for action in the South-Seas, where it was now
visible they were to cruise alone; for Clipperton was of opinion the
Speedwell was lost; or at least he gave out so, to pacify his company,
who were continually cursing Capt. Shelvock for running away with their
liquors. One thing remarkable was, the beauty and fertility of this
island, added to the stories they had heard of others; tempted four of
Clipperton’s men, with a view of remaining there, to betake themselves
to the mountains, where two of them were made prisoners by the
goat-hunters, who were forced to fire at them several times before they
would surrender.
October 7, they prepared to sail; and, in the mean time, Captain
Mitchell went on shore, to set up a cross already cut for that purpose,
at the foot of which he buried a bottle, in which was contained a letter
for Captain Shelvock, directing another place of rendezvous, and some
proper signal to know each other by at sea. At eight in the morning,
they weighed from the island of Juan Fernandez, and left their two men
in possession of it, of whom more hereafter.
After leaving this island, Captain Clipperton sailed northward, till he
was in the parallel of Lima, where he intended to act, though he was now
in a very indifferent condition, having lost thirty men since his
passing the Equator; and the remaining crew expressing some uneasiness
in relation to plunder, he caused a paper to be fixed to the main-mast,
which was assented to by the whole ship’s company.
On October 25, they gave chace to a small vessel, and took her. Being
their first prize, she was an ill omen of their future success. She was
a snow of 40 tons, laden with sand and rubbish for manure; had seven
Indians and two negroes on board; and all the captors could find worth
taking, was two jars of eggs, as much treacle, and a couple of pieces of
eight in ready money. The next day, they met with a ship called the St.
Vincent, of 150 tons, laden with wood from Guiaquil, with two friars,
sixteen Indians, and four negroes aboard. On the 30th, they took a large
ship called the Trinity, of 400 tons, taken by Captain Rogers when he
plundered Guiaquil, ten years before. She had a great many passengers on
board, and a cargo of considerable value.
On Nov. 2, they took another prize, of 70 tons, with the Countess of
Laguna and several other passengers on board, a great deal of money, and
upwards of 400 jars of wine and brandy, articles very much wanted.
Captain Clipperton desired the Countess to make her choice, either to
stay on board the prize, or accept of the accommodations they were able
to afford her on board the Success. She chose the former; and the
Captain sent an officer with strict orders to suffer nobody to enter her
cabbin but her own domestics: he likewise appropriated a part of the
wine and brandy found on board the prizes for the use of his seamen, to
whom, no doubt, it was a welcome refreshment.
He had already detached several officers, and above a third part of his
company, to take care of his prizes; and yet was as eager to take more,
as if, instead of a privateer weakly manned, he had commanded a squadron
of ships of war. On the 12th, he discovered at some distance, a
London-built pink, of 200 tons, laden with wood, named the Rosario, the
Master of which being a very cunning fellow, soon saw the error that
Clipperton had committed, and resolved to take advantage of it. He
guessed, by the number of prizes, that many men could not be sent on
board his ship; and, having about a dozen passengers, he directed them,
under the command of a French boatswain, to hide themselves in the hold,
with orders, on his making a certain signal, to seize as many of the
English as came down; assuring them, that he, with the ship’s company,
would be able to manage the rest. As soon as the ship struck, Captain
Clipperton sent Lieutenant Serjeantson, with eight men, to take
possession of her; who, as soon as he came on board, ordered all that
appeared into the great cabin, and placed a centinel at the door of it.
Thinking every thing secure, and not in the least apprehensive of
danger, he with some of his men went into the hold to see what was in
the ship; on which the passengers, who were concealed, sallied out,
knocked most of them down, and the French boatswain, coming behind Mr.
Serjeantson, knocked him down likewise, and then ordered them to be all
bound. The Spaniards in the great cabin secured the centinel; and,
having thus recovered their ship, made instantly for the shore, where
their own company and the prisoners were all in equal danger of
perishing; which the Captain no sooner perceived, than he ordered the
English to be unbound; and, by good fortune, every man escaped upon the
rocks, against which the Spaniard in his eagerness had run his vessel,
and against which she was dashed to pieces. Lieutenant Serjeantson and
his people were secured, and sent prisoners to Lima. The Viceroy of Peru
was no sooner acquainted with this gallant action, than he ordered a new
ship to be built at Guiaquil for the Captain, and taxed the traders
towards the expence of her, intending this as a reward for the service
he had rendered the public, and hoping thereby to encourage others to
behave as nobly. On the arrival of the prisoners at Lima, they were
closely examined and one of them gave a full account of every thing he
knew, particularly of the two men left upon the island of Juan
Fernandez, and of the bottle with a letter in it; upon which, the
Viceroy ordered a small vessel to be fitted out, to fetch both the one
and the other, which was accordingly performed.
It was not till the 20th that Captain Clipperton perceived that his last
prize was retaken; when, considering what was best to be done, he
prudently determined to set his Spanish prisoners at liberty, as well to
save provisions, which, at that time, he could very ill spare, as that
their good usage might be speedily known, and returned to such of his
men as were in the enemy’s power.
Accordingly, on the 27th, they came to an anchor with all their prizes,
at the island of La Plata, and, in his way, took another prize, called
the Cayetan, of 200 tons, having on board 40 negroes, and 30 Spaniards,
most of them passengers. Here the Captain began seriously to consider
how he should make the most of this expedition for his owners, as well
as himself, and his company. He knew that all the coast was alarmed; and
that two men of war, one of fifty, and one of thirty guns, were fitted
out on purpose to take him: he was sensible, that the goods he had on
board were not likely to be ransomed in that part of the world; and that
they would prove mere drugs, if brought into this; and therefore laid
all these things together; and, reflecting on a proposition made by
Captain Woods Rogers, to send a cargo of such prize-goods to Brazil, he
resolved to try the experiment; and, accordingly, he fitted out the bark
in which he took the Countess of Laguna; mounted her with eight guns;
and, putting on board of her thirteen Englishmen, and ten negroes, with
what provisions and other necessaries he could spare, he sent her with a
cargo of European commodities, valued at 10,000 pounds, for Brazil,
under the command of Captain Mitchell, his second in command. As soon as
he was gone, the Captain parted with all his other prizes, presenting
them to the Spanish prisoners, after taking out of them what he thought
valuable, and detaining only the Captain of one of them for his pilot,
and all the negroes; after which he sailed from that island, in order to
cruize in his former station.
December 12, they saw a sail about five in the evening, and, at seven,
took her. She was called the Rosary, and laden with provisions. The
launch and pinnace were all the next day employed in bringing on board
the cargo, and having got out of her as much as they could stow, they
cut her main-mast by the board, lest she should overset, and so let her
go. The prisoners informed them that the men taken by the Rosario were
sent to Lima by land. On the 27th they looked into Guanchaco bay, and
found two ships at anchor. They fired a shot at each, but they made no
return. Sending then their boats aboard, they found them abandoned, and
could discover nothing left, except some bread, and a few jars of water.
They hung out a flag of truce, and fired two guns at half an hour’s
interval, hoping they would have come aboard to ransom their ships. They
were answered from shore; but no boat coming, they waited till next day,
and then set them on fire.
It was now resolved to bear away for refreshment to the Gallapagos
islands, where they might remain unmolested till the alarm of their
being in those seas should be over; and, accordingly, put their design
in execution. On January 9, 1720, they anchored on the north side of the
Duke of York’s island, immediately under the Equinoctial, where they
found good water, and cleaned their ship, which confirms the account
given by Captain Cowley, though Captain Rogers could not find the place.
On the 21st of January they observed a sail, and about eleven at night
came up with her; and, on firing of their first gun, she struck. She was
called the Prince Eugene, and had on board the Marquis de Villa Roche,
and all his family, who were going to Lima.
On February 26th, a Spaniard dying of a wound he had received at the
taking this ship, the Marquis desired he might be buried according to
their ceremonies; which was granted. When the office for the dead had
been performed, and the corpse thrown over-board, with a large bag of
ballast tied at his feet, the Spaniards crying thrice, as their custom
is on such occasion, _Bon Voiage_, i. e. a good voyage, the body, to the
admiration of every one, presently floated, and continued floating as
far as they could see it; which the Marquis concluded to be an ill omen,
and declared that some surprising accident would be the consequence.
On March 8, a priest, who was on board the Prince Eugene, desired leave
to go on shore on the island of Velas; which was granted, on his
promising to persuade the inhabitants to drive some black cattle to the
shore, in order to exchange them for what goods they liked best. On the
16th, he returned with four head of black cattle, some fowls, and fruit,
as a present to the Marquis; but at the same time declared, that the
Governor would not suffer the inhabitants to trade. He said, Captain
Mitchell had been ashore there, and had shot some of their cattle; but
that 200 men appearing under arms, they had forced him to retire. The
next day some letters from the Marquis were intercepted, very little to
his honour, since they tended to stir up the people to surprise, and
secure the boat when it came next ashore to water. Upon this, Captain
Clipperton confined him for some days; yet, on the 20th, he allowed both
the Marquis and his lady to go ashore, leaving their only child as an
hostage.
On April 14, the Marquis, his lady, and the Governor, came aboard; and,
an agreement being made for their ransom, the lady and child were sent
on shore, and the Marquis only remained as an hostage. In this
transaction Clipperton appears to have been outwitted by this nobleman,
who basely broke his word, and provoked the crew for trusting him. On
April 20th, they anchored in the gulph of Amapala; and, not being able
to water there, repaired to the island of Tigers, where they did it with
great ease. On June 4, they sailed to Gorgona on the same errand, and
were well supplied. On the 24th, they made prize a second time of the
St. Vincent, now commanded by Don Clement de Andrado, laden with timber
and cocoa-nuts. On August 11, they anchored, with their prize, at the
island of Lobos de la Mar, where they set up tents on the shore,
scrubbed and cleaned their ship, and where the crew talked over their
affairs, till they began to think them desperate. Sometimes they
reflected on the Captain, for pretending to remain in these seas without
their consort; at other times, they blamed him for giving in to the
Spanish Marquis’s project for ransoming his ship, which, they believed,
would never be performed: and, now-and-then, the ship’s corporal, one
James Roch, a bold, busy, intriguing fellow, threw in some sly
insinuations, that, it they must go through such hardships, it was
better they should do it for their own sakes, than for other peoples;
and one Joseph Maynard, the boatswain’s mate, pushing things still
further, a plot was at last formed for seizing the Captain, the rest of
the officers, and running away with the ship. They likewise agreed,
that, when their design was brought to bear, the officers should be set
on shore on the island of Lobos, and all who afterwards opposed them
shot without mercy. This wicked combination, however, was happily
discovered, the two ringleaders severely punished, and the rest
pardoned; by which wise conduct the conspiracy was suppressed. On the
17th they took a fishing-boat, with a large quantity of salt-fish well
cured; but found the St. Vincent, which they had left at an anchor under
the island of Lobos, driven ashore, and sunk: here they put thirty-eight
Spanish prisoners on board the fishing-boat, and sent them away.
Nov. 1, they entered the bay of Conception, where, missing a prize that
outsailed them, they bore away for Coquimbo, and took a ship laden with
tobacco, sugar, and cloth, in their passage. On the 6th, in the
afternoon, they opened that harbour, where they saw three men-of-war
lying, with their top-sails loose; and these no sooner spied them, than
they cut their cables, and stood after them. The Success hauled close on
a wind, and the prize did the same; upon which the Spanish man-of-war
that sailed best gave chace to the latter, and took her. The other two
ships crouded all the sail they could to come up with the Success, but
she outsailing them, made her escape. In the Spanish prize they lost
their third Lieutenant, Mr. James Milne, and twelve of their best men.
The Captain who took him was the famous Don Blas de Lesso, Governor of
Carthagena, when attacked by Admiral Vernon. Don Blas treated his
prisoner a little roughly at first, being enraged to find he had missed
the English privateer, and only retaken a Spanish prize; and, in the
first transport of his passion, struck Mr. Milne on the head with the
flat of his sword; but, when he came to himself, he sent for him, and,
finding him stripped by his soldiers, generously asked his pardon,
ordered him a new suit of cloaths, and kept him for some time on board
his ship. He afterwards procured his liberty at Lima, paid for his
passage to Panama, where he gave him a jar of brandy, and another of
wine, for his sea-stores, put 200 pieces of eight in his pocket, and
sent him to England. This unlucky accident of losing their prize revived
the ill humours among Clipperton’s men, who did not indeed plot again,
but became exceedingly dejected. On the 16th they saw another sail, and
gave chace, which, after a few guns fired on both sides, bore away,
being a clean ship, and left them; which proved a lucky escape; for this
was likewise a ship of force, fitted out to take Capt. Shelvock, and
commanded by one Fitzgerald, who, knowing this was not Shelvock’s ship,
and doubting what strength she might be of, had no great stomach to
engage her. These repeated disappointments, as they broke the spirits of
his crew, so they had a very bad effect on Capt. Clipperton himself, who
began now to betake himself to drinking; and, as this vice generally
grows upon people under misfortunes, he drank at last to such an excess,
that he was hardly ever quite cool or sober. It was chiefly owing to
this unhappy practice, that he fell into many errors in his future
conduct. They were now in want of provisions, and they resolved to
continue cruising to the north, to seek a supply. In this cruize they
had but indifferent success; and, therefore, on the 27th, they set
ashore their Spanish prisoners, and then determined to go once more to
the Gallapagos, in order to refresh. In their passage to these islands,
they began to suspect some error in their log-line; and, upon measuring,
found it three fathoms too short.
On the 4th of December, they lost their purser; and the same day found
themselves very near the Gallapagos islands, but could find no
anchoring-place, nor any fresh-water, though they had found a fine road
on their first visit, which gave Shelvock occasion to charge Clipperton
with want of skill; they therefore made the best way they could to the
Isle of Cocoas, where they hoped certainly to get some fish, fowl, and
cocoa-nuts, most of their people being very sick and weak. On the 17th
in the morning they came in sight of it, which filled them with
inexpressible joy. On the 18th, all that could be spared went on shore
to build a kind of booth for the reception of their sick, who were all
conveniently lodged. The Captain opened here the last cask of brandy for
the use of the ship’s company, and gave every man a dram a day; and, on
New-Year’s-day, he allowed a gallon of strong beer to every mess; and,
by having here plenty of nourishing food and much ease, the crew began
to recover, and were able to wood and water, though with much
difficulty.
On the 17th of January, 1721, the Captain made the necessary
dispositions for sailing; but, when they came to muster the men, there
were no less than eleven missing, three Englishmen, and eight negroes,
who chose rather to remain in this unfrequented island, than continue
exposed to dangers and fatigues on board, and to their living constantly
at short allowance.
On the 25th, they arrived on the coast of Mexico, where, discovering a
sail, they sent their pinnace to give her chace; to whom she instantly
struck. She proved to be Jesu Maria, commanded by Capt. Shelvock; and
the account he gave was, That he had no more than forty men alive, the
rest being all dead, or dispersed; that he had lost the Speedwell at
Juan Fernandez, where they built a bark out of the wreck; that they had
coasted along Chili and Peru, till they came to Pisco, near Lima where
they took this prize; that they had no regular command among them; that
they had chosen a quartermaster, carrying every thing by a majority of
votes; and that they had quite broken their articles with their owners,
and had shared all among themselves.
On the 27th, Captain Shelvock came aboard, being sent for by Captain
Clipperton and the agent, to give an account of his transactions. The
boat brought Mr. Dod, Lieutenant of marines, having been used very ill
for his attachment to the owners; at least so he asserted, and was
firmly believed by Captain Clipperton, and his officers. The next day
Captain Shelvock sent on board them six chests of pitch and dammer, and
two barrels of tar, with six slabs of copper: Captain Clipperton spared
him twenty-four quarter-deck guns, some great shot, a compass, and a few
other necessaries: his people purchased cloaths, shoes, hats, and other
necessaries; and Mr. Hendric the purser, and Mr. Dod, continued in the
Success, designing never more to sail with Shelvock.
In the beginning of March, both time and place favouring, they
determined to attempt the Manilla ship, before she entered Acapulco.
On the 13th, they again met Captain Shelvock, and, at a general
consultation, agreed to make the attempt jointly. But, previous to the
signing this agreement, it was proposed by Captain Clipperton to form a
joint stock, to bury all former miscarriages in oblivion, and again to
act in concert for the good of the owners. This proposition was rejected
by Captain Shelvock and his people, who did not care to part with what
they possessed; upon which Captain Clipperton and his company,
perceiving there was nothing to be expected from their consort, and that
they were too weak of themselves to effect their purpose, determined to
sail directly to the East-Indies, and instantly put their resolution in
execution, without waiting for or consulting Captain Shelvock.
The run from the coast of Mexico to the island of Guam, they performed
in fifty-three days; and, May the 13th, anchored in the road of
Umatta,--from whence they sent their pinnace ashore, with a flag of
truce, in order to obtain some provisions, which met at first with a
favourable reception, being told that, if they behaved civilly, and paid
honestly, they should be furnished with what the island could afford.
Soon after the launch arrived, and brought on board some cattle, bread,
sugar, greens, palm-wine, and brandy, from the Governor, with a large
quantity of chocolate. In return for which, his health was drank by the
whole ship’s crew, under a salvo of seven guns: this was the last act of
civility that passed between them.