thing on board our Ships and Prizes, and got all the Men design’d for
Landing on board the Barks. We proportion’d the rest, and put Irons on
board every Ship, because having many more Prisoners than we could leave
Men to guard ’em, we must have ’em well secur’d. We agreed to leave on
board the _Duke_ 42 Men and Boys, sick and well, _Robert Fry_ Commander;
37 aboard the _Dutchess_, _Edward Cook_ Commander; 14 aboard the
Galleon, _John Bridge_ Master; 14 aboard the _Havre de Grace_, _Robert
Knowlman_ Master; and 4 aboard the _Beginning_, _Henry Duck_ Master: The
whole being 111, and 201 were design’d for the Shore. The Prisoners on
board are above 300, more than one half _Spaniards_ and _Indians_, the
rest _Negroes_. The Captain and 7 of the chief _Spaniards_ taken in the
last Prize I carried aboard our Bark to go with us to the Town, fearing
they might be dangerous Persons to leave behind us. Last Midnight we
left the Ships, every thing being in good order aboard both
Imbarkations. We were, when we parted, about 9 Leagues distant from the
Island _Sancta Clara_, and not less than 36 from _Guiaquil_. We order’d
Capt. _Cook_ and _Fry_ to keep at Sea undiscover’d 48 Hours, and then to
make the best of their way to Point _Arena_, and stay there at an Anchor
till our Return, having engag’d Sen. _Morell_ and another _Spaniard_ to
be their Pilots. About 12 this Day we pass’d by the Island _Sancta
Clara_, having little Wind, and the Weather very hot. This Island
appears like a Corps extended, therefore the _Spaniards_ call it
_Mortho_; it’s not above two Miles long: We left it on the
Starboard-side, which is not the Ships Channel; for none enter that way
but Barks, by reason of Shoals both on the Island and towards the Main,
within it, to the Northward.
About 10 last Night we came to an Anchor in sight of Point _Arena_ with
both Barks, not being able to stem the Tide. At 4 in the Morning we
weigh’d, when Capt. _Courtney_ and I, with our Boats and 40 Men, left
the Barks, and order’d ’em to lie at _Puna_ one Tide after us, that we
might have time to surprize _Guiaquil_ before they should appear in
sight of it to alarm them; for we had notice, that they keep a Look-out
a League below the Town. We reach’d about half way to _Puna_, and landed
on the Island, where we staid during the Ebb Tide, and hid our Boats
under the Mangrove Branches. This Island is not passable, being full of
thick Mangroves and Swamps, that swarm with Musketo’s.
_April 20._ Yesterday in the Evening we rowed and towed one another with
the Flood, that if seen in the Night, we might look like Drift Timber.
We had an excellent _Indian_ Pilot, that advis’d us to come to a
Graplin[129] about 11 at Night, to lie in our Boats about a Mile short
of the Town, and to surprize ’em by Break of Day. We took his Advice,
but just as we got in by the Town, saw two Lights by the Water-side in
Bark Logs, which we secured with all the Canoes; but an _Indian_
escaping, he alarm’d the People about the Church, who ran into the Woods
before we could reach the Houses: However we secur’d the Lieutenant that
governs here, with his Family, and about 20 others, who assur’d us there
could be no body to give notice of us to _Guiaquil_, now we had secur’d
them, and the rest being fled to the Woods. We sent some of our Men, who
took the Look-outs at their Posts, and cut all their Canoes and
Bark-Logs to pieces there, and also at the Town., The Day was hot, and
two of our Men finding Liquors in the Houses, got drunk betimes. This
Place has about 30 Houses, and a small Chappel. We found a _Spanish_
Paper here, that gave us some Uneasiness; it was directed to the
Lieutenant who had the chief Command here, and orderd him to keep a
strict Watch, signifying that they had notice of Capt. _Dampier’s_
coming Pilot to a Squadron into these Seas. The Copy of this Paper was
sent from _Lima_ to all inhabited Places on the Coast of _Peru_,
signifying, that the _French_ were on the first notice to fit out after
us; and the Bark that came from _Paita_ told us of two great Ships that
lay in _Callo_ Road, and one at _Pisco_, besides two in _Conception_, a
Port of _Chili_; being all _French_ Frigats from 40 to 50 Guns and
upwards, notwithstanding the Report of their not coming into these Seas
any more. But to our great Satisfaction we are certain, that we were not
discover’d before this, and that it’s next to impossible any sufficient
Force can arm out from _Lima_, to be here in less than 24 Days, by which
time we hope to finish, and be gone where they cannot find us. But since
we perceive their Accounts of us imperfect, and that they believe a
Squadron comes under Capt. _Dampier’s_ Pilotage, and he being known by
the People, because he surprized this Village when last in these Seas;
we agreed amongst our selves how to improve this _Spanish_ Story of a
Squadron, which I hope will not only hinder their fitting out from
_Lima_, but even alarm them there. The Substance of this _Spanish_
Advice Paper, in _English_, is as follows.
_To the Lieutenant General_ Don Hieronimo Boza y Soliz,
_Corregidore and Judge of the City of_ St. Jago de Guiaquil, _under
the Jurisdiction of the Captain General for his Majesty._
“I Have a Letter I received from his Excellency the Lord Marquis _de
Castel dos Reys_, Viceroy, Governour, and Captain General of these
Kingdoms, with the Copy of another of the tenor following.
[Sidenote: _Before Guiaquil._]
“In the Packet with Letters from _Spain_, which I have received, there
are Orders from his Majesty, giving an account of a Squadron of 7 Sail,
getting ready at _London_ by several Lords, from 44 to 74 Guns each, to
sail to the _South Sea_, under the Conduct of an _English_-man nam’d
_Dampier_: That they are first to sail for _Ireland_ in _April_ to
victual there, and afterwards to possess themselves of an Island and
Harbour in these Seas, and particularly the Island of _Juan Fernandez_.
You are to give an account to all those Provinces where ’tis necessary,
that they may take proper Measures to guard the Coasts and Harbors.
Order _Don Hieronimo_, as soon as he receives this, to give notice of it
to the People on all the Coasts under his Jurisdiction to withdraw their
Cattle and Provisions, and that he don’t neglect to put this in
execution; that so the Enemies finding no Provision, may be oblig’d to
retire from these Seas, whither they can’t bring Provision enough to
maintain them for so long a Voyage. And let the said _Don Hieronimo_
place Guards on all the Coasts, and in all the Sea-ports where ’tis
necessary, with Orders to be vigilant, and carefully to observe every
Sail that comes into any Port, and give an account of their Numbers with
the utmost dispatch to _Don Hieronimo_ the Corregidore, that he may send
the same from one Corregidore to another till it come to the Viceroy’s
hands, without fail, all along the Coasts belonging to _Don Hieronimo_,
and particularly that those he has given Orders to, do immediately
dispatch ’em for the King’s Service. This I trust he will do to all that
can give notice of the Enemies Motions, that it may be impossible for
’em to get Provisions on the Coast, when ’tis well guarded, or in the
Villages of his Jurisdiction; and I trust to his Activity and Zeal for
the Royal Service in a Matter of such weight and consequence; and that
he also give notice if there be on the Coasts or Ports in his
Jurisdiction any _French_ Ships, as we hear there is in these Seas, and
give ’em warning of the Enemy’s Squadron, take a Certificate that he
gave ’em such notice, and send it to me, that they mayn’t pretend to
have been surpriz’d, if the Enemy get any advantage of ’em. God preserve
_Don Hieronimo_, &c.
_Lima_, March _El. Marq. de Castel de los Reyos._
20, 1709. _Don. Hieronimo Boza de Solis_, &c.
“The like Orders are sent to the Lieutenant General, and the other
Officers belonging to the Sea Coast, and the Lieutenant of _Puna_,
_&c._”
_April 21._ At 2 Yesterday Afternoon I left Capt. _Courtney_ and Capt.
_Dampier_ at _Puna_, and went in quest of the Barks, admiring they did
not come in sight, they being now a Tide and half behind. I carried with
me the Lieutenant of _Puna_, and went with the great Launch and our
Pinnace, designing to join Capt. _Courtney_ and Capt. _Dampier_ again,
who are to lie all Night in the River, to prevent being discover’d by
any Advice going up before us to _Guiaquil_. I found the Barks about 4 a
Clock 4 Leagues below _Puna_: They had been with us according to
Appointment, but last Night were misinform’d by the Pilot aboard the
_Dutchess’s_ Bark, who brought ’em to anchor with a fair Wind below that
Place, thinking they had got the Length of it; our Bark’s Pilot (who was
the best) being with us in the Boats. We got other Pilots at _Puna_, and
left him aboard the Bark, where I punish’d one that I brought aboard
drunk from _Puna_, and had him severely whipt before the whole Company
as a Terror to the rest. I was not aboard above half an hour before low
Water, and had just time to imbark Capt. _Dover_ and part of his Company
in the Launch, and as many more as we could carry in our Pinnace to get
before the Barks up the River. We rowed till 12 at Night, judg’d it High
Water, and came to a Graplin: We saw Lights, which we took to be _Puna_.
It blow’d fresh, was very dark, with a small rolling Sea, and the Boat
being deep laden and cram’d with Men, I had rather be in a Storm at Sea
than here; but in regard we are about a charming Undertaking, we think
no Fatigue too hard. At Daybreak we saw a Bark above us in the River; we
thought it to be a Stranger, and sent our Pinnace to her: I was in the
Launch behind a Shole, which we were forc’d to go round to get into the
Channel where the Bark was. By 8 a Clock I was aboard her, and found it
to be our Bark, which the honest Pilot had brought so high the last
Tide. We have no sight of the _Dutchess_’s Bark since we left her last
Night. About 10 we came up with Capt. _Courtney_ and Capt. _Dampier_,
who told us they had kept a good Look-out, and that nothing had pass’d
them up the River. About Noon it was High-water; we lay with the Boats
under the Mangroves all the Ebb, and the Bark off in the River. We were
now about half way up to _Guiaquil_ from _Puna_, and might have gone
farther, but that there was a Plantation or Farm a little higher, which
would have discover’d us, and alarm’d the Town, should we have gone
higher before Night.
[Sidenote: _At Guiaquil._]
[Sidenote: _At Guiaquil._]
_April 22._ It was very hot Yesterday, and we were pester’d and stung
grievously by the Muskitoes, as we lay under the Mangroves. At 6 in the
Evening the Bark and Boats made way up the River. By 12 at Night we were
in sight of the Town with all the Boats, in which we had 110 Men. We saw
a very great Fire on the top of an adjoining Hill, and Lights in the
Town. In half an hour we were a-breast of it, and ready to land, but saw
abundance of Lights appear at once coming down the Hill, and the Town
full of ’em. We enquir’d of the _Indians_, our Pilots, whether it was
any Saint’s Day, or what might be the Occasion of it, and they answer’d
us, that it must be an Alarm. It was very dark whilst we lay still
driving on the River, being just High-water, we heard a _Spaniard_ from
the Shore, talking loudly that _Puna_ was taken, and that the Enemy were
coming up the River. This made us conclude it was an Alarm. Immediately
after we heard their Bells making a confused Noise, and then a Volly of
Small Arms, and two Great Guns. Above an Hour was spent in Debate
betwixt Capt. _Dover_, Capt. _Courtney_, and my self, whether we should
land. I asked the Consent of the Lieutenants in all the Boats about
Landing, telling ’em I suppos’d this to be the first Alarm, and that we
had best land during their Consternation; but they differ’d in opinion,
and few were for landing in the Night. I asked Capt. _Dampier_ how the
Buccaneers behav’d themselves in such Cases, and he told me they never
attack’d any large Place after it was alarm’d. It drew near two in the
Morning, and the Ebb run so strong, that the great Boat and Yall could
not row up to Land; so that it being too late to attempt the Town, I
advised to fall down the River out of sight of it, to meet our Barks,
and land with the Morning Flood. Upon this all our Boats drove down with
the Ebb about a League below the Town, where we lay till Daybreak, and
saw our Bark, Mr. _Glendall_ Commander, brought by the honest _Indian_
Pilot a Mile above us, for we had passed by him in the Night: We rowed
back to him, and recruited our Men as well as we could. We found the
Water fresh there, and drank of it, tho’ yesterday it was a little
brackish. The Bark lay against a Wood of tall Trees close by the Shore,
and we kept a File of Musketeers with their Arms pointing into the Wood,
with Orders to fire if they saw any Men; and we kept firing a Musket now
and then into the Woods, to prevent Ambuscades. About 3 our Yall and
Launch came aboard, for they could not row back with us to the Bark,
till the Tide slacken’d, and the Flood was coming. At 10 we saw the
_Dutchess_’s Bark come in sight; immediately I order’d the Anchor to be
got up to fall on the Town, which was about two Miles from us; but Capt.
_Dover_ oppos’d it, press’d that we might have a Consultation with as
many of the Officers as were present, and to lie in the Boat astern of
the Bark, that what was debated might not be overheard by the rest of
our Company. We immediately assembled there accordingly, and Capt.
_Dover_ insisted on the Difficulty of attempting the Enemy now they had
been so long alarm’d; alledging we should but throw away our own and our
Mens Lives, or else weaken our selves so much, as might occasion the
Loss of the remaining part of the Voyage, that chiefly brought us from
_England_, and was our greatest Dependance: That the Town appeared
large, and consequently was much more able to hold out than we to attack
it; and tho’ the _Spaniards_ in these Parts had no extraordinary
fighting Character, yet if they armed the Mullatto’s, as they generally
did on the like Occasions, we might find the Attempt very desperate,
with other Objections not fit to recite here. He concluded, that our
best Method would be to send a Trumpeter with Proposals to the Enemy to
trade with us for the Cargoes of Negroes and other Goods aboard our
Prizes, that an immediate Meeting should be appointed, the Prices for
the Negro’s and Goods fix’d, and good Hostages given us for the
Performance within a limited Time, and if they agreed to this, that we
would not land. This Proposal I withstood by the best Arguments I could,
and urged our landing immediately, least the Enemy gaining Time by our
Delays, might send off their Wealth, and get leisure to strengthen
themselves, so as to bid us defiance. This being put to the Vote, the
Majority was for landing, and as an Obligation on Capt. _Dover_, who was
a part Owner in our Ships, we agreed he should lead on the Attack as he
requested, and if he took the Town, he should give the Watchword that
Night, and Capt. _Courtney_ and I to take it in turns after him: But
this Resolution did not hold; for Capt. _Dover_ reflected on me, and
said I should be answerable for all the Damage that might happen to us
on our Landing. By these Reflections, and some other Peoples
Indifferency, I had reason to doubt the Consequence of attempting the
Enemy with Success, since we were so divided amongst our selves;
therefore at length I yielded to send two of our Prisoners, instead of a
Trumpeter, as Capt. _Dover_ first propos’d, with the foregoing
Proposals. The other Prisoners in our Bark oblig’d themselves for the
Return of these two in less than an Hour; and this Method every one
seem’d to be pleas’d with; so we put the Captain of the _French_-built
Ship, and the Lieutenant of _Puna_ ashore in our Boat, and charged them
to return from the Shore in less than an Hour, otherwise we would land.
In the mean while we ran up with the other Bark, and lay against the
Middle of the Town at an Anchor. As we sail’d up we saw 4 Barks put off
from the Town to go higher up the River, and just as the limited Hour
was past, we sent our Boats well mann’d and arm’d after them, who soon
took and brought ’em to us. Mean while our Prisoners returned in a Boat
from the Town, with the _Spanish_ Master le Camp, who discoursed with
us, and told us, that at his Return ashore the Corregidore or Governour,
with another Gentleman, would come off and treat with us. We soon put
him ashore again, and quickly after came off the Corregidore with
another Gentleman. Capt. _Dover_ and I met them in our Boat, with a
Linguist, and carried them aboard one of the Barks that our Boats had
taken as they endeavour’d to escape up the River.
[Sidenote: _At Guiaquil._]
_April 23._ We did nothing yesterday in the Afternoon, but secure the
Barks, and treat with the Governour. Several of our Prisoners told us
they did not doubt to find Credit here, and that they would also deal
with us; so that we were in hopes of more Profit by selling our Cargo’s
and Negro’s than if we had ransack’d the Town. The Corregidore and we
had verbally agreed for the Goods by the Lump, at 140 Pieces of Eight
_per_ Bale, one sort with another, and talked of the Price for other
things. We parted about Five in the Afternoon, he having desir’d to go
ashore, that he might prevail with the other Gentlemen to agree with
him, and promis’d to meet us three Commanders on board one of our Prizes
at 8 in the Evening. We order’d our Linguist to get Candles lighted, and
the best Entertainment we could provide for them; but the Time being
elapsed, and they not appearing, it gave us great reason to suspect we
were trick’d; therefore we sent our Boats again above the Town, and
alarm’d them afresh in the Night. Our Centinels hail’d a Boat after
Midnight, that came aboard us with a Gentleman, who told us he was sent
from the Corregidore with a Present of 2 Bags of Flower, 2 Sheep and 2
Hogs ready kill’d, 2 Jars of Wine and 2 of Brandy; and to assure us the
Governour had been with us according to Appointment, but that one of the
chief Merchants concern’d was absent; yet he would come off in the
Morning by 7 a Clock, on board one of the new Ships next the Shore,
where he desir’d us to meet him, and requested us to believe he was a
Man of Honour; for tho’ he had been considerably reinforced since he
left us, and that more Men were continually coming into the Town, he
resolved to discharge yesterday’s Promise, and therefore hoped we would
forbear offering any Hostilities above the Town, because the Women and
Children were there in Sanctuary, with little or no Wealth to prompt us
to plunder them. We the 3 Commanders return’d our humble Service to the
Corregidore, and our kind Thanks for his Present, being sorry we had
nothing to oblige him with by way of Return; but desir’d he might be
told from us, that we all admir’d at his not keeping his Word according
to Appointment, and still depended that he would convince us he was a
Man of Honour, by meeting us at 7 in the Morning where we agreed last
Night, otherwise our Treaty was at an end. We were all uneasy till 7 in
the Morning, when we saw a Flag of Truce aboard the new Ship, and
supposing the Governour to be there, we mann’d our Pinnace, and sent our
Linguist to give our Promise, that if the Corregidore came aboard the
Bark our Prize, he should be at liberty to return. Upon this he with
three more came aboard, and we order’d our 2 Frigats Barks to go close
under the Shore next the best Part of the Town, and that every thing
should be kept in readiness for Landing, lest we should not agree with
these Gentlemen. Nothing else was transacted this Morning, but our
Conference with these Men: Our first Proposals were 50000 Pieces of
Eight Contribution for the Town, and we would deliver them their 2 new
Ships that lay near the Shore, and 6 Barks, provided they would oblige
themselves to buy our two Prizes Cargoes of Goods and Negroes, and gave
us sufficient Hostages for Payment within 9 Days. The latter they gave
us some Hopes of complying with, if we would take their Words and two
Hostages, which we thought too little; for tho’ they came to our Price
for the Goods, they would not give near that Sum for the Town and Ships,
alledging they were not yet in our Power, and consequently not liable to
so large Contributions; adding, that they had Men and Arms sufficient in
the Town, and Ships to protect them. We all concluded by their dilatory
Treaty, that they only design’d to trick us, and gain Time; upon which
we gave ’em this Answer: That the Ships we could have in a Minute, or
set them on fire; that we did not fear taking the Town at pleasure; that
we look’d upon it as much our own, as if it was in our Possession, and
must have the Money or good Hostages; otherwise before Night we would
set it on fire. By Noon the Corregidore and the other Gentlemen agreed
with us to buy both Cargoes, and to give Hostages for 40000 Pieces of
Eight for the Town, 2 new Ships, and 6 Barks: But neither of us were to
sign this Agreement till it was confirm’d by the chief Men of the Town
ashore, which the Corregidore was to procure in an hours time.