The Spanish Captain Of The Jesu Maria Informed Me, That The
Margaretta Had Arrived Some Time Before At Calao, Where She Had Given A
Full Account Of Her Rencounter With Us; Her Captain And Three Men Having
Been Killed In The Action, And A Priest With Several Others Wounded.
She
was now ready to put to sea again to cruize for us, with the addition of
ten guns and fifty men.
A frigate of twenty-eight guns, called the
Flying-fish, was already out with the same intention; and advice had
been sent respecting us along the coast, both to the north and south,
with orders to equip what strength there was to catch us. All night, the
people of Pisco were on the alert, continually firing guns, to give us
an earnest of what we were to expect if we attempted to land, but we had
no such intention.
Having cleared our bark next morning, we gave her to the Spanish captain
of the Jesu Maria; and as soon as the breeze sprung up, we weighed and
stood to sea. While going out, we met our own boat with the two men who
had deserted us, and who now edged down upon us, imagining we had been
Spaniards. The two fellows were almost dead, having neither eat nor
drank for three days, and had just been ashore on a small island near
the harbour of Pisco, to kill some seals that they might drink their
blood. Their only excuse for leaving us was, that they had fallen
asleep, during which the breeze had wafted our bark away from them. We
had only a transient view of Pisco, which seemed pleasantly situated
among orchards and vineyards. We proceeded along the coast very
cautiously, knowing that we were almost in the mouths of our enemies,
and that the least act of indiscretion might throw us into their hands.
We ventured, however, to look into the roads of Guanchaco, Malabriga,
and Cheripe, where we saw no shipping, after which we passed through
between the island of Lobos de Tierra and the continent.
Being near the Saddle of Payta on the 25th November, I thought of
surprising that place in the night, though our force was much diminished
since our last attack; but as it grew calm while we were endeavouring to
get into the harbour, we thought it better to delay till morning, as our
vessel being Spanish would deceive the inhabitants, and prevent them
from suspecting us. In the morning, being observed from the shore making
many short trips to gain ground to windward, the Spaniards sent off a
large boat full of men to assist in bringing in our ship, and to enquire
the news. Seeing them making towards us, I ordered none of our men to
appear but such as had dark complexions and wore Spanish dresses,
standing ready to answer such questions as they might ask in hailing,
and to give them a rope when they clapped us on board.
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