They Here Had Plenty
Of Fish, Fowls, Eggs, And Cocoa-Nuts, With Other Refreshments.
The
captain here opened the last hogshead of brandy for the use of the
company, giving every man a
Dram daily as long as it lasted; and on
new-year's-day 1721, he allowed a gallon of strong beer to every mess.
By means of abundant nourishing food and much ease, the crew began to
recover their health and spirits, and were soon able to take on board
wood and water, though with considerable difficulty, as a very heavy
swell set in from the northwards at the full and change of the moon, so
that they had to wait till after the spring-tides were over, before they
were able to get any thing off.
[Footnote 240: The island of Cocos, nearly north from the Gallapagos, is
in lat. 5 deg. 20' N. and long. 87 deg. 53' W. from Greenwich. - E.]
[Footnote 241: These were probably some of the most northerly of the
Gallapagos. - E.]
On the 17th January, 1721, Captain Clipperton made the necessary
dispositions for sailing, but it was three days before he could get his
people on board, and then no less than eleven of them were missing,
three Englishmen and eight negroes. It is not easy to conceive what
could have induced the former to hazard themselves at this island, so
far removed from the continent, and so little likely to be frequented by
ships, and whence they had so very small a chance of ever getting off.
It must be attributed to their dread of the dangers and fatigues to
which they had been continually exposed, and to their living almost
continually on short allowance, whereas they were here sure of plenty of
provisions, with no other fatigue but the trouble of procuring and
dressing them. Perhaps they might have received some assurance from the
marquis, of having a ship sent for them when he obtained his liberty,
which was at least a hazardous contingency; and there is great reason
to doubt was never performed.
Leaving the island of Cocos on the 20th, they arrived on the coast of
Mexico on the 25th, when they met with an extraordinary adventure.
Discovering a sail about seven in the evening, they gave chase and sent
their pinnace to board, which came up with the chase about eleven. On
the return of the pinnace, her people reported that this was a Spanish
ship named the Jesu Maria, but now in possession of Captain Shelvocke,
who had now only forty of his men remaining, all the rest being dead or
dispersed. He said that he had lost the Speedwell at the island of Juan
Fernandez, where he staid five months, and built a bark out of the wreck
of the Speedwell. Putting to sea in this bark, he had coasted along
Chili and Peru, meeting several ships, but could not take any, till at
length he captured the Jesu Maria at Pisco near Lima. Shelvocke's people
differed much in their stories, but it appeared that there was no
regular command among them; and, as used to be the practice in the
buccaneers, they had chosen a quarter-master, every thing being carried
by a majority of votes, being all equal, and snared every thing among
themselves, contrary to the articles of agreement with their owners.
On the 27th, Mr Clipperton sent for the purser of the Jesu Maria, who
gave but a dark account of their proceedings, only that he was not
allowed to take any account of the treasure for the owners. Captain
Shelvocke afterwards came on board the Success, accompanied by Mr Dod,
his lieutenant of marines, who proposed to remain in the Success, having
been very ill used by the other crew for his attachment to the interest
of the owners, at least so he said, and was credited by Captain
Clipperton and his officers. Next day, Shelvocke sent on board the
Success six chests of pitch and dammer, two barrels of tar, and six
slabs of copper; and Captain Clipperton gave him twenty-four quarter
deck guns,[242] some round shot, a compass, and a few other necessaries.
Shelvocke's people laid out a great deal of money with the crew of the
Success, in the purchase of clothes, shoes, hats, and other necessaries;
and there remained with them two of Shelvocke's officers, Mr Hendric the
purser, and Mr Dod the lieutenant of marines.
[Footnote 242: This must be a gross error, as the Success originally
carried only twenty-four guns; and accordingly, in the subsequent
account of the circumnavigation of Shelvocke, only two quarter-deck guns
are mentioned. - E.]
Still keeping to the northward on the coast of Mexico, the Success
afterwards saw the Jesu Maria several times; and at length, in the
beginning of March, it was resolved to propose a conjunct attempt on the
Manilla ship on her way to Acapulco. Accordingly on the 13th March, in a
general consultation by the officers of both ships, it was agreed to
make the attempt jointly, both ships boarding her at once, as the only
chance of taking her. On the 15th, in another consultation, Captain
Clipperton and his officers agreed to certain articles, which were sent
to Captain Shelvocke, proposing, if he and his crew would refund all the
money they had shared among themselves, contrary to the articles agreed
upon with the owners, and put the whole into a joint stock, thus all
their faults should be forgiven, both companies uniting, and should then
proceed together to cruise for the Acapulco ship. This proposal was very
indifferently received by Shelvocke and his men, who did not care to
part with what they possessed, and declined to give any answer to this
proposal. Perceiving, therefore, that nothing good was to be expected
from their quondam consort, considering also that the usual time of the
Manilla ship arriving at Acapulco was already elapsed, that most of
their remaining men were weak and sickly, and that they were only
victualled for five months at their present short allowance, Captain
Clipperton and his men thought it was now proper for them to proceed for
the East Indies without loss of time, in order to preserve what little
they had got for their owners and themselves.
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