Captain Thomas
Dover, The Third In Command, Was A Proprietor Also.
He was bred a
physician, and afterwards made a noise in the world by recommending the
use of crude mercury.
He was a man of rough temper, and could not easily
agree with those about him, yet his morose disposition hindered him from
making any party to support him in his ill humours. Captain Cooke,
fourth in command, was second to Captain Courtney. The pilot in the
larger ship was Captain William Dampier, who was now to proceed for the
fourth time into the South Sea, where his name and exploits were well
known and terrible to the Spaniards. The adventurers were also extremely
careful in the choice of inferior officers, and even as far as possible
in procuring the best private men that could be found.
In the next place, the proprietors established rules for the proper
conduct of the voyage, which were digested in the following articles of
instruction, and signed by a committee of proprietors at Bristol, on the
14th July, 1708.
"For the better government and regulating the affairs of the present
voyage of the ships Duke and Duchess, we do hereby appoint and
constitute Captain Woods Rogers, Captain Thomas Dover, Captain William
Dampier, Mr Charlton Vanbrugh, Messrs Green, Fry, Charles Pope,
Glendall, Bullet, and Wasse, all of these officers on board the Duke,
to be the council on board that ship: We also appoint Captain Stephen
Courtney, Captain Edward Cooke, Messrs William Stratton, Bathe, John
Rogers, White, and the master, officers on board the Duchess, to be
council on board that ship, in case of the ships being separated from
each other. But, when in company, the whole officers of both ships above
named, are conjunctly to come on board either ship at the summons of
Captains Rogers, Dover, and Courtney, or any two of them, and to be the
council referred to in our general orders, to determine all matters and
things that may arise or be necessary for the general good daring the
whole voyage. In case of the death, sickness, or desertion of any of the
above officers in either ship, the rest who are of the council of that
ship shall convene on board their own ship, and chose another fit person
into that office and council."
"We farther require and direct, that all attempts, attacks, and designs
upon the enemy, either by sea or land, shall be first consulted and
debated, either in the particular council if separated, or in the
general council if together; and as the majority shall conclude how and
when to act or do, it shall be indispensably and cheerfully put in
execution, and without unnecessary delay. In case of any discontents,
differences, or misbehaviours among the officers and men, which may tend
to the disturbance of good order and government on board, either the men
or persons may appeal to the captain to have a hearing by a council, or
the captain shall call a council to have the matter heard and decided,
and may prefer or displace any man according to desert. All decisions
and judgments of the council shall be finally determined by the majority
of voices; and in case of an equality, Captain Dover is to have a double
voice as president, and we do accordingly order and appoint him
president of the council. All matters transacted in this council shall
be registered in a book by the clerk appointed for that purpose."
It was agreed between the owners and those employed in this voyage, that
all prizes were to be divided after the following rule. Two-third parts
of the clear profits were to belong to the owners, and one-third to the
officers, seamen, and landsmen, which last was to be distributed
according to the following proportions.
If wholly on Shares. If part on Shares, and
part on Wages.[217]
A captain, Shares 24
Second captain, 20 Wages. Shares
First lieutenant, 16 L3 8
Second lieutenant, 10 2 10 5
Third lieutenant, 8 2 4
Master, 10 2 10 5
First mate, 6 2 3
Second mate, 4 1 15 2-1/2
Surgeon, 10 2 10 5
Surgeon's mate, 6 1 10 3
Owner's agent, 10 2 10 5
Pilot, 8 2 10 4
Carpenter, 6 2 3
Carpenter's mate, 4 1 10 2
Boatswain, 6 2 3
Boatswain's mate, 4 1 10 2
Gunner, 6 2 3
Gunner's mate, 3-1/2 1 10 1-3/4
Cooper, 5 1 10 2-1/2
Cooper's mate, 3-1/2 1 5 1-3/4
Midshipman, 4 1 10 2
Shares. Wages. Shares.
[Footnote 217: The wages were probably monthly, though not so
explained. - E.]
"We have two relations of this voyage, one by Captain Rogers, and the
other by Captain Cooke, both in the form of journals. On the present
occasion I shall chiefly follow that written by Captain Woods Rogers,
taking occasionally explanatory circumstances and descriptions from
Captain Cooke: But as they agree pretty well in their relations, I do
not think it necessary to break the thread of the discourse, but shall
proceed as near as may be in the words of Captain Rogers." - Harris.
Besides using as the ground-work of the present chapter, the narrative
drawn up by Harris from the publications of Captain Woods Rogers and
Edward Cooke, we have carefully employed both of these original works on
the present occasion; yet have not deemed it at all necessary or
adviseable to retain the minute and tedious nautical remarks, and have
chiefly attended to such interesting circumstances as had not been
sufficiently illustrated in the preceding chapters of this book. - E.
SECTION I.
Narrative of the Voyage, from England to the Island of Juan Fernandez.
Our force on this voyage consisted of the Duke of 300 tons, carrying
thirty guns and 170 men, Captain Woods Rogers commander, with Captain
Thomas Dover as second captain, and three lieutenants; and the Duchess
of 270 tons, with twenty-six guns and 150 men, commanded by Captain
Stephen Courtney, having Captain Edward Cooke as second captain, and
three lieutenants.
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