On The 21st, While Sailing Along There
With The Design Of Looking Into Copiapo, I Put Mr Dodd, Second
Lieutenant
Of marines, into the Mercury, with a reinforcement of eight
men, and sent her next evening to cruize close in
With the land, while I
kept with the Speedwell in the offing, to prevent being discovered from
the land. On this occasion I took care to give the officer commanding
the Mercury a copy of my commission, with all necessary instructions how
to proceed, appointing the Moro, or head-land of Copiapo, to be our
place of meeting. The business of the Mercury was to look into the port
of Copiapo, called Caldera,[265] near which there are some gold-mines,
and from whence considerable quantities of gold are exported in small
vessels; and our bark had the advantage of being of that country build,
so that she could not excite suspicion. Next day I hove in sight of the
head-land of Copiapo, and lay to the southward, that I might not be seen
from that port, which is to the northward of the Moro de Copiapo.
While here, opposite a small island which lies athwart the mouth of
Copiapo river, I sent the pinnace to fish between that isle and the
main, and soon after saw a vessel crowding all sail towards us. She at
first seemed too large for the Mercury, yet turned out to be her; when
the officer told me he had looked into the port, but could see no
shipping; but he had looked into a wrong place, and having made him
sensible of his error, I sent him again to the right place, which was
about six leagues farther north.
[Footnote 265: The port of Caldera, or English harbour, is about twelve
or fifteen miles to the N. of Copiapo river, having a considerable
interposed promontory. - E.]
Next morning our pinnace returned, bringing only a few penguins which
she had taken on the island in the bay of Copiapo. The Mercury had
looked into Caldera, but saw nothing; and instead of making use of the
land-wind to come off to me, had kept along shore in the bottom of the
bay till the land-wind came in so strong that she was nearly lost on the
lee-shore. On the 27th, I sent Mr Brooks, my first lieutenant, and Mr
Rainor, first lieutenant of marines, to relieve Mr Randal and Mr Dodd in
the Mercury, which I had fitted with a gang of oars, and, upon trial,
she was found to make way at the rate of three knots, which might render
her extremely useful in a calm. The 5th February, I dispatched Mr Brooks
ahead in the Mercury, to see if there were any ships in the harbour of
Arica, in lat. 18 deg. 26' S. and next day, at one p.m. having ranged along
shore, by the breakers of Pisagua, Camarones, and Victor, I got
sight of the head-land of Arica, with a ship at anchor on its northern
side, and saw the Mercury standing out of the bay, by which I judged the
ship was too warm for her, and therefore made all haste to get up to her
with the Speedwell. On coming up, we found that the ship was already
taken, and the Mercury only accidentally adrift. This prize was called
the Rosario, of 100 tons, laden with cormorants dung, which they use for
manuring the land which produces the cod-pepper, or Capsicum, from the
cultivation of which they make a vast profit in the vale of Arica. The
only white face in this ship was the pilot, whom I sent ashore to see if
the owner would ransom his ship, the cargo being worth gold to them, but
entirely useless to us. Next morning I received a letter from Miguel
Diaz Gonzale, the owner of the ship, insisting pitifully on his poverty
and distress, having a large family to provide for, and promising to
meet me at Hilo or Quaco, to treat for a ransom.
We soon after took a small bark of ten tons, laden with guana, or
cormorants dung, and having also some dried fish, which lay within a
mile of Arica. By this time all the adjacent country was up in arms, and
great numbers had come down to the coast, well mounted and armed, and
seemingly well disciplined. To try their courage, I ordered the Mercury
and launch to draw near the shore, as if we had really intended to land,
though the landing-place here is altogether impracticable for European
boats; and I also cannonaded the town briskly. Our balls made no
execution, yet ploughed up the sand in front of the Spanish horse,
throwing it all over them: But neither this, nor the approach of my
small craft, made any impression, for they stood firm, and at least
shewed the countenance of as good troops as could be wished. This much
disappointed me, as it shewed my men that the Spaniards were far from
being cowards, as they had been represented. As soon as it was dark,
Gonzales came off to me, and I agreed to let him have back his ship and
six negroes on receiving 1500 dollars, reserving right to take any thing
out of her that might be useful to us; and at ten next night he brought
me the agreed sum, being the weight of 1300 dollars in ingots of virgin
silver, called pinnas by the Spaniards, and the rest in coined
dollars. He also made great enquiry for English commodities, for which
he offered high prices, complaining that the French only supplied them
with paltry goods and mere trifles, for which they carried off vast
sums. He added, that he supposed the English merchants were all asleep,
or too rich, as they did not come near them: And, although their ports
were not so open as in other parts of the world, they yet know how to
manage matters tolerably well; and that their governors, being generally
Europeans, who seldom remained above three years in the country, used
any means to improve their time, and could easily be gained so as to act
very obligingly.
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