The
Two Ships Were To Have Joined At Cape Lucas, Expecting To Meet Us Off
Cape Corientes Or Navidad.
We returned again into our port on the coast of California on the 1st
January, 1710, and being resolved
To make as quick dispatch as possible
for our passage to the East Indies, we immediately parted with our
prisoners, giving them the bark with a sufficiency of water and
provisions to carry them to Acapulco. We then occupied ourselves to the
7th in refitting and laying in a stock of wood and water; and had much
satisfaction in finding as much bread in our prize as might serve for
our long run to Guam, with the aid of the scanty remains of our old
stock. After a long disputatious negotiation, it was settled that Mr Fry
and Mr Stratton were to take charge of our prize, which we named the
Bachelor, though under Captain Dover, but they were not to be
contradicted by him in the business, as his business was to see that
nothing was done in her contrary to the interest of our owners and ships
companies, he being in the nature of agent, only with the title of chief
captain. At the same time, we put on board of this ship 35 men from the
Duke, 25 from the Duchess, and 13 from the Marquis, making in all 73
men, which, with 36 Manilla Indians, called Las-Cars, and some other
prisoners we still had remaining, made up her complement to 115 men.
SECTION III
Sequel of the Voyage, from California, by Way of the East Indies, to
England.
WE weighed anchor on the 10th January, 1710, from Porta Leguro, on the
coast of California, but were becalmed under the shore till the
afternoon of the 12th, when a breeze sprang up which soon carried us out
of sight of land. Being very slenderly provided, we were forced to allow
only a pound and a half of flour, and one small piece of beef, to five
men in a mess, together with three pints of water a man, for twenty-four
hours, to serve both as drink and for dressing their victuals. We also
lowered ten of our guns into the hold, to ease our ship. On the 16th the
Bachelor made a signal that she could spare us some additional bread,
having discovered a considerable store of bread and sweet-meats, though
very little flesh meat. Accordingly, we in the Duke had a thousand
weight of bread for our share, the Duchess had as much, and the Marquis
five hundred weight; and in return we sent them two casks of flour, one
of English beef; and one of pork, as they had only left forty-five days
provisions of flesh. We now agreed to proceed in a W.S.W. course till we
reached the latitude of 13 deg. N. and to keep in that parallel till we
should make the island of Guam, being informed by our Spanish pilot that
the parallel of 14 deg. was dangerous, by reason of certain islands and
shoals, on which a Spanish ship had been lost some time ago.
On the 11th March we had sight both of Guam and Serpana, the former
bearing W.S.W. five leagues off, and the latter N.N.W. seven leagues.
The Spaniards say there is a great shoal between these islands, but
nearest to Serpana. While running along the shore of Guam there came
several flying proas to look at us, but run past with great swiftness,
and none of the people would venture on board. The necessity of our
stopping at this island for a supply of provisions was very great, our
sea store being almost exhausted, and what remained being in a very
ordinary condition, especially our bread and flour, of which we had not
enough for fourteen days, even at the shortest allowance. In order to
procure provisions readily, we endeavoured to get some of the natives on
board from the proas, that we might detain them as hostages, in case of
having to send any of our men to the governor. While turning into the
harbour under Spanish colours, one of the proas came under our stern, in
which were two Spaniards, who came on board in consequence of being
assured that we were friends. Soon after we sent a respectful letter to
the governor, to which we next day received a civil answer, and a
generous offer of any thing we needed that the island could supply.
Several of our officers went ashore to wait upon the governor on the
16th, and were well received and elegantly entertained; making the
governor a present of two negro boys dressed in rich liveries, twenty
yards of scarlet cloth, and six pieces of cambric, with which he seemed
to be much pleased, and promised in return to give us every assistance
in his power.
Next day, accordingly, we had a large supply of provisions, our share in
the Duke being about sixty hogs, ninety-nine fowls, twenty-four baskets
of maize, fourteen bags of rice, forty-two baskets of yams, and 800
cocoa-nuts. We afterwards got some bullocks, fourteen to each ship,
being small lean cattle, yet gladly accepted, to which were afterwards
added two cows and two calves to each ship; and we made a handsome
present to the deputy governor, who was very active in getting our
provisions collected. Leaving Guam, we proposed to go for some way
directly west, to clear some islands that were in the way, and then to
steer for the S.E. part of Min-danao, and from thence the nearest way to
Ternate. In the afternoon of the 14th April we made land, which bore
from us W.N.W. ten leagues, and which we supposed to be the N.E. part of
Celebes. This day we saw three water-spouts, one of which had like to
have fallen on board the Marquis, but the Duchess broke it before it
reached her by firing two guns.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 167 of 221
Words from 169494 to 170508
of 224764
