The Pecary, Tajacu, or Mexican hog, the Sus Tajapin of
naturalists, is here meant, which is an indigenous animal of the warmer
parts of America, and is found in one of the West India islands.
It has
no tail, and is particularly distinguished by an open glandular orifice
on the hinder part of the back, which discharges a fetid unctuous
liquid; and which orifice has been vulgarly mistaken for the navel. - E.]
On the 25th January, we discovered a sail in the morning, about two
leagues to leeward, to which we gave chase for some time; but seeing she
was Europe-built, and fearing she might be a man of war belonging to the
enemy, I hauled on a wind, and in half an hour it fell dead calm. We
soon after saw a boat rowing towards us, which proved the pinnace of our
consort the Success, commanded by her first lieutenant, Mr Davison. This
was a most unexpected meeting to us both, Mr Davison being surprised to
find me in such a condition, and I no less so to find the Success in
these seas. I gave him an account of our misfortunes, and of all that
had befallen us during the long interval of our separation, and he
related all the remarkable incidents that had befallen them. A breeze of
wind springing up, I bore down upon the Success, and went aboard of her;
when I gave Captain Clipperton, and Mr Godfrey, our agent-general, the
whole history of my voyage, expecting to have been treated by them as
belonging to the same interest, but found them unwilling to have any
thing to do with me, now that my ship was lost. I trusted, however, that
Captain Clipperton would let me have such necessaries as he could spare,
on which he said, I should know more of his mind next day. Among other
discourses, he told me that he was just come from the island of Cocos,
his people very sickly, and on short allowance. I then offered my
service to pilot him to Mariato, which was not above thirty leagues
distant, where he might have refreshed his company, and supplied his
wants; but he was resolved to make the best of his way for the Tres
Marias, where he said there was plenty of turtle to be had, and so I
left him for the night.
Next morning, as I was going again on board the Success with some of my
officers, Captain Clipperton spread all his canvass, and crowded away
from us. On this I returned to my ship, fired several guns, and made
signals of distress, which were not regarded by him, till his officers
exclaimed against his barbarity, and at last he brought to. When I had
again got up with him, I sent Mr Brooks to know the reason of his
abrupt departure, and to request the supply of several necessaries,
which I was willing to pay for. On these terms, he spared me two of his
quarter-deck guns, sixty round shot, some musket-balls and flints, a
Spanish chart of the coast of Mexico, with part of China and India, a
half-hour glass and half-minute glass, a compass, and about three
hundred-weight of salt:
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