Clipperton Accepted This
Proposal, But As His Bark Was In Want Of Provisions And Water, He Sent
Word To The Governor, That Every Kind Of Provisions And Drink Were Not
To Be Considered As Within The Capitulation.
This was readily agreed to,
the money was sent on board, and as soon as the provisions were got out
of her, the ship was honourably restored.
Clipperton went thence to the Bay of Salinas, where his little vessel
was drawn on shore, and cleaned and effectually refitted, after which he
resolved in this cockle-shell to sail for the East Indies, which he
actually did, keeping in the latitude of 18 deg. N. and reached the
Philippine Islands in fifty-four days. While among these islands, a
Spanish priest came off to his bark in a canoe, and Clipperton detained
him till furnished with a supply of fresh provisions, and then set him
at liberty. His next scheme was to sail for the English settlement of
Pulo Condore, in lat 8 deg. 40' N. off the river of Cambadia, and actually
came there: But finding that the English had been massacred by their
Indian soldiers on the 3d March, 1705, for which reason no relief or
safety could be expected there, he bore away for Macao, a port belonging
to the Portuguese on the coast of China, where he and his people
separated, every one shifting for himself as well as they could. Some
went to Benjar,[215] in order to enter into the service of the English
East India Company, while others went to Goa to serve the Portuguese,
and some even entered into the service of the Great Mogul, being so bare
after so long a voyage, that any means of providing for themselves were
desirable. Clipperton returned to England in 1706, and afterwards made
another voyage round the world in the Success, of which an account will
be found in its proper place.
[Footnote 215: This is perhaps an error for Bombay; yet it may have been
Benjarmassin, on the southern coast of Borneo. - E.]
It is not easy to conceive a worse situation than that in which Captain
Dampier was left at the close of the year 1704, when Mr Funnell and his
people separated from him, being only able to retain twenty-eight of his
men, and even these were prevailed upon to stay, by representing that it
was easy to surprise some Spanish village, and that the fewer they were,
each would have the greater share in the plunder. After some
consultation, they resolved to attack Puna, a hamlet or village of
thirty houses and a small church, the inhabitants of which are well to
pass, and are under the command of a lieutenant. Dampier landed here in
a dark night, and, surprizing the inhabitants in their beds, got
possession of the place with very little trouble.
After plundering this town, they repaired to the island of Lobos de la
Mar, and took a small Spanish bark by the way, well furnished with
provisions. They now resolved to quit their own ship, and to endeavour
to sail for the East Indies in this small bark; and accordingly left the
St George at anchor under the island of Lobos, after taking every thing
valuable out of her. They then sailed across the Pacific Ocean to the
East Indies, and arrived at the Dutch settlements, where their bark was
seized, and they were turned adrift to shift for themselves as they best
might. Dampier returned naked to his owners, with a melancholy relation
of his unfortunate expedition, occasioned chiefly by his own strange
temper, being so self-sufficient and overbearing that few or none of his
officers could bear with him; and when once disputation gets in among
those who have the command, success is not to be expected. Even in this
distress, he was received as an eminent man, notwithstanding his
faillings, and was introduced to Queen Anne, having the honour to kiss
her hand, and to give her majesty some account of the dangers he had
undergone. The merchants were so sensible of his want of conduct, that
they resolved never to trust him any more with a command; and this, with
the poverty resulting from his late unlucky voyage, obliged him to make
the tour of the world once more as pilot to the Duke, commanded by
Captain Woods Rogers, the relation of which voyage forms the subject of
next Section.
CHAPTER X.
VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD BY CAPTAIN WOODS ROGERS, AND STEPHEN COURTNEY, IN
1708-1711.[216]
INTRODUCTION.
It has been universally allowed by all competent judges, that there
never was a voyage of this nature so excellently adjusted or so well
provided in all respects, as the present, or in which the accidents that
usually happen in privateers were so effectually guarded against; owing
to the abilities of the gentlemen at Bristol, who both charged
themselves with the expence of fitting out this expedition, and took
care of every thing relating to its being properly fitted out. Their
first care was in the choice of proper officers, in which they were very
fortunate. Captain Woods Rogers, who had the chief command, being a
bold, active, and indefatigable officer, not too ready to give up his
opinion to others, and not apt to be flattered by other people giving up
theirs to him. He had been a great sufferer by the French; but his most
singular qualities, and which chiefly recommended him to the command of
this expedition, were a peculiar felicity in maintaining authority over
his seamen, and a wonderful readiness in devising expedients under the
most difficult circumstances.
[Footnote 216: A Cruizing Voyage round the World, &c. by Captain Woods
Rogers, 8vo. London, 1712. Voyage to the South Sea, and round the World,
&c. by Captain Edward Cooke, 2 vol. 8vo. London, 1712. Harris, I. 150.
Callender, III. 231.]
Captain Stephen Courtney, the second in command, was a gentleman of
birth, fortune, and amiable character, who had contributed considerably
to the expence of the voyage, and went in the expedition that he might
see how it was conducted, and either be able to prevent miscarriages, or
at least to make a faithful report of its incidents.
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