Having Got Out Of The Track Of The Enemy's Ships, We Consulted As To The Properest Manner Of Proceeding, When The Majority Were For Going Directly For India.

Upon this we changed the name of our vessel, from the Jesu Maria to the Happy-Return, and used our best endeavours to get off from the coast of America.

The winds and currents were however contrary, and some of our people who were adverse to this plan did some secret damage to our tank, so that the greatest part of our water leaked out. Owing to this, and our provisions being much exhausted by long delays from contrary winds or dead calms, we were incapable of attempting so long a run: Wherefore, on purpose to procure what we wanted, I proposed making a descent on Realejo, on the coast of Mexico, in 11 deg. 50' [12 deg. 28' N.] In our way thither, we fell in with Cape Burica, in 8 deg. 20' [exactly 8 deg. N.] and then, on second thoughts, I judged it might be safer to make an attempt on the island of Quibo, in lat. 7 deg. 30' N. where, according to the account given by Captain Rogers. I guessed there were inhabitants, who lived plentifully on the produce of their island.

On the 31st January, 1721, we entered the channel between the islands of Quibo and Quivetta, in lat. 7 deg. 18' N. in twenty fathoms water, and anchored opposite a sandy bay, which promised to afford convenience for wooding and watering. Sending our boat to view the bay, my people reported that there was a good close harbour a little to the south, but no signs of inhabitants, except three or four huts by the shore, which they supposed had formerly been used by pearl-fishers, as there were great quantities of mother-of-pearl-shells scattered about these huts. On attentive consideration, I resolved not to shut up our vessel in a close harbour, for fear of bad consequences, and remained therefore at anchor in the open channel. At day-break next morning, we saw two large boats under Spanish colours, rowing in for Quivetta, which gave me some apprehensions they had some intelligence of us, and intended an attack. The mulattoes on the coast of Mexico are remarkable for their courage, and have sometimes done very bold actions, even in such paltry vessels as these we now saw: These, however, steered into a small cove on the island of Quivetta, which satisfied us they had no intentions to attack us. I now sent Mr Brooks in our yawl to attack them, when he found them all ashore, and brought away their piraguas with two prisoners, a negro and a mulatto, the rest taking refuge in the woods. We took all their provisions, consisting of a small quantity of pork, with plantains, some green, some ripe, and some dried. Of this last there was a considerable quantity, which, on being pounded, made a pleasant-tasted flour, indifferently white, and supplied us with bread for a month.

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