On Our Way To Conception, We Made The Islands Of Mocha And St Mary On
The 23d December, And Arrived That Same Evening In The Bay Of
Conception, But Could Not Be Certain Whether There Were Any Ships In The
Road.
I immediately gave orders to man and arm our boats and sent them
up that same night, in order
To surprise any ships that might be there;
and with strict orders, if they found them too strong, to endeavour to
prevent them from sending any thing on shore till I were able to work
the ship up to them. This I endeavoured to do all night, but to very
little purpose; for at day-light next morning I could not discern any
thing above us. Captain Hately returned about noon of the 24th,
informing me that he had taken a ship of about 150 tons, lately arrived
from Baldivia, and having only a few cedar plants on board, with no
person in her but the boatswain, an old negro, and two Indian boys. He
had left her in the charge of Mr Brooks, my first lieutenant, with
orders to bring her down the first opportunity; and had taken, while on
his return, a small vessel, of about twenty-five tons, near the island
Quiri-quinie, which lies in the harbour or bay of Conception, where
this small vessel had been taking in pears, cherries, and other fruits,
to sell at Conception. Immediately after taking this small vessel, I
could perceive with my glass another small boat come in between the
islands of Quiri-quinie and Talgaguana, passing within pistol-shot
of my pinnace, and yet Captain Hately did not engage her. For this his
only excuse, after he came on board, was, that he did not mind her;
though our boat's crew said she was full of men.
On the 26th about noon, Mr Brooks brought down the prize, and anchored
about half a mile short of us. The boatswain of this prize had not been
two hours in the Speed-well, till he told us of a vessel, laden with
wine, brandy, and other valuable things, riding at anchor in the Bay of
Herradura, about two leagues to the north of us, and bound for Chiloe.
On receiving this information, I ordered Mr Randal, my second
lieutenant, with twenty five men, to go in the Mercury, which name we
gave to the captured flour bark, and, accompanied by the Spanish
boatswain of the other prize, to go in search of the vessel in the Bay
of Herradura, with positive orders not to land or to make any other
hazardous attempt. But they returned next evening with the following
melancholy story.
On getting into the bay, they found the vessel hauled dry ashore, when
Randal ordered his people to land and bring away what they could find in
her, while he and three or four more kept the bark afloat. The people
found the bark empty, but seeing a small house hard by, they suspected
her cargo might be lodged there, and the inferior officer along with
them ordered them to examine that house.
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