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.
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