Mr Taylor And His Company Arrived At The English Factory In Canton On
The 4th November, Where They Were Well Received, And Promised All
Assistance For Getting Home.
There were at this time ships ready to
sail, first for several ports in India and then for Europe.
The captains
of these vessels, on being solicited by the gentlemen of the factory to
take Captain Clipperton's men on board, agreed to carry them for five
pounds a man, which they all accordingly paid, esteeming it a very great
favour. Mr Taylor and two or three more embarked in the Maurice, Captain
Peacock, then riding at Wanapo, [Wampoa,] about three leagues below
Canton, the place where European ships lie; and the rest of the company
were distributed among the other ships. They sailed on the 9th, in
company with the Macclesfield, an English East-Indiaman, and the
House-of-Austria, belonging to Ostend. Mr Taylor arrived safely at
Batavia in the month of December; sailed thence by the Cape and St
Helena, and arrived in London in May 1722. The rest of the company
returned also, some sooner and some later.
As for Captain Mitchell, who was sent to Brazil with a small crew, he
was never more heard of, having probably been destroyed at the island
of Velas, where he went ashore to procure fresh provisions. This has
generally been considered as the greatest blemish in the management of
Captain Clipperton, but I confess without just cause, in my opinion; as
the great stress laid on that measure by Captain Rogers, might very well
have induced Captain Clipperton to try what might be done in this way,
especially as his owners had very strongly recommended the account of
Captain Rogers to be his rule and guide. I also think the proposal in
itself was very reasonable, and such as an officer who had the good of
the expedition at heart had good grounds for trying. It was well known
that the prize goods could produce little or nothing in the South Sea,
as the Spanish governors demanded such exorbitant sums for liberty to
trade, that no advantage could be derived from such a commerce, either
in buying or selling. He knew also that it was to little purpose
carrying these goods to Europe; and it was certainly much preferable to
send them to a place where they might sell to advantage, and where the
produce might be so invested as to procure a considerable profit on the
voyage from Brazil to London. The vessel in which Captain Mitchell
sailed was very fit for the purpose, and every way well provided; and
having a crew of thirteen English and ten negroes, was quite sufficient
for the navigation.
Captain Clipperton sailed from Macao to Batavia, in his own ship the
Success, after she was sold; and got a passage to Europe in a Dutch
ship. He arrived at Galway in Ireland, where he left his family, in
June, 1722; being then in a very bad state of health, partly occasioned
by his great fatigues, but chiefly through the concern he was under for
the loss sustained by his owners in this unfortunate enterprize.
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