TRACES OF SPANISH CRUISERS--ARRIVAL OF THE ANNA PINK.
During the interval of the Gloucester's frequent and ineffectual attempts
to reach the island, our employment was cleansing our ship and filling
our water. The first of these measures was indispensably necessary to our
future health, as the numbers of sick and the unavoidable negligence
arising from our deplorable situation at sea, had rendered the decks most
intolerably loathsome; and the filling of our water was a caution that
appeared not less essential to our future security, as we had reason to
apprehend that accidents might oblige us to quit the island at a very
short warning. For some appearances, which we had discovered on shore
upon our first landing, gave us grounds to believe that there were
Spanish cruisers in these seas, which had left the island but a short
time before our arrival, and might possibly return there again in search
of us; for we knew that this island was the likeliest place, in their own
opinion, to meet with us. The circumstances which gave rise to these
reflections were our finding on shore several pieces of earthen jars,
made use of in those seas for water and other liquids, which appeared to
be fresh broken. We saw, too, many heaps of ashes, and near them
fish-bones and pieces of fish, besides whole fish scattered here and
there, which plainly appeared to have been but a short time out of the
water, as they were but just beginning to decay. These appearances were
certain indications that there had been ships at this place but a short
time before we came there; and as all Spanish merchantmen are instructed
to avoid the island on account of its being the common rendezvous of
their enemies, we concluded those who had touched here to be ships of
force; and not knowing that Pizarro was returned to Buenos Ayres, and
ignorant what strength might have been fitted out at Calla, we were under
some concern for our safety, being in so wretched and enfeebled a
condition that, notwithstanding the rank of our ship and the sixty guns
she carried on board, which would only have aggravated our dishonour,
there was scarcely a privateer sent to sea that was not an overmatch for
us. However, our fears on this head proved imaginary, and we were not
exposed to the disgrace which might have been expected to have befallen
us had we been necessitated to fight our sixty-gun ship with no more than
thirty hands.
After the Gloucester's arrival we were employed in earnest in examining
and repairing our rigging.
Towards the middle of August our men being indifferently recovered, they
were permitted to quit their sick tents and to build separate huts for
themselves; as it was imagined that by living apart they would be much
cleanlier, and consequently likely to recover their strength the sooner;
but at the same time particular orders were given that on the firing of a
gun from the ship they should instantly repair to the waterside.
I should have mentioned that the Trial sloop at her arrival had informed
us that on the 9th of May she had fallen in with our victualler not far
distant from the continent of Chili, and had kept company with her for
four days, when they were parted in a hard gale of wind. This gave us
some room to hope that she was safe, and that she might soon join us; but
all June and July being past without any news of her, we suspected she
was lost, and at the end of July the Commodore ordered all the ships to a
short allowance of bread.* And it was not in our bread only that we
feared a deficiency, for since our arrival at this island we discovered
that our former purser had neglected to take on board large quantities of
several kinds of provisions which the Commodore had expressly ordered him
to receive; so that the supposed loss of our victualler was on all
accounts a mortifying consideration.
THE ANNA PINK.
However, on Sunday, the 16th of August, about noon, we espied a sail in
the northern quarter, and a gun was immediately fired from the Centurion
to call off the people from shore, who readily obeyed the summons and
repaired to the beach, where the boats waited to carry them on board. And
now being prepared for the reception of this ship in view whether friend
or enemy, we had various speculations about her; but about three in the
afternoon our disputes were ended by unanimous persuasion that it was our
victualler, the Anna pink. This ship, though, like the Gloucester, she
had fallen in to the northward of the island, had yet the good fortune to
come to an anchor in the bay at five in the afternoon. Her arrival gave
us all the sincerest joy, for each ship's company was now restored to its
full allowance of bread, and we were now freed from the apprehensions of
our provisions falling short before we could reach some amicable port--a
calamity which, in these seas, is of all others the most irretrievable.
This was the last ship that joined us.
(*Note. The flour was on board the Anna pink.)