Captain George Shelvocke, who had served as a lieutenant in the
royal navy, was accordingly sent with the Speedwell
To Ostend, there to
wait for the imperial commissions, and to receive certain Flemish
officers and seamen, together with as much wine and brandy as might
serve both ships during their long voyage, being cheaper there than in
England. This was in November 1718, and both to shew respect to the
imperial court, and to have the appearance of a German expedition, the
names of the ships were changed to the Prince Eugene and the Staremberg.
[Footnote 233: Harris, I. 184.]
Having taken on board six Flemish officers and ninety men, Captain
Shelvocke sailed from Ostend for the Downs, where the other ship had
waited for him some time. War having begun between Great Britain and
Spain, and finding that the Flemings and Englishmen did not agree, the
owners laid aside all thoughts of using the imperial commission, and to
send back all their Flemish officers and men to Flanders, with an
allowance of two months wages, and procured a commission from George I.
restoring the original names of their ships. The Speedwell carried
twenty-four guns and 106 men, and the Success thirty-six guns and 180
men; the former commanded by Captain George Shelvocke, who was to have
had the chief command in the expedition, and the other by Captain John
Clipperton, who had formerly sailed with Dampier as mate, and of whose
adventures after his separation from Dampier, an account has been
already given.
In consequence of some change of circumstances, perhaps owing to some
improper conduct when in Flanders, the proprietors now took the chief
command from Shelvocke, and conferred it upon Clipperton, a man of a
blunt, rough, and free-speaking disposition, but of a strict regard to
his duty and rigid honesty. Though somewhat passionate, he was soon
appeased, and ever ready to repair any injury he had done when heated
with anger, and had much justice and humanity in his nature. Under
Captain Shelvocke in the Speedwell, Simon Hately was appointed second
captain; he who had formerly lost company with Woods Rogers among the
Gallapagos islands, and had remained a considerable time prisoner among
the Spaniards.
The instructions for this voyage from the owners were, that they were to
proceed in the first place for Plymouth, whence they were to sail with
the first fair wind for Cape Horn or the Straits of Magellan, as was
found most convenient for their passage into the South Sea. They were
then to cruize on the coasts of Chili, Peru, and Mexico, and to
endeavour, if possible, to meet and capture the Manilla ship. To prevent
all disputes and disorders, they were enjoined to be careful above all
things not to separate from each other, and to undertake nothing of
importance without holding a council of officers, stating the question
to be debated in writing, and drawing up the resolution in writing, with
the reasons on which they were grounded, which were to be signed by all
the officers.
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