Before Sailing On The Originally-Proposed Expedition, Dampier
Was Joined By A Small Ship, The Cinque-Ports Galley, Captain Charles
Pickering, Of Ninety Tons, Carrying 16 Guns And 63 Men, Well Victualled
And Provided For The Voyage.
The original plan of the voyage was to go
first up the Rio Plata, as high as Buenos Ayres, in order to capture two
or three Spanish galleons, which Dampier alledged were usually there.
If
this part of the expedition succeeded, so as to get to the value of
about 600,000l. it was to be proceeded in no farther; but if his first
object failed, they were then to cruize on the coast of Peru, to
intercept the ships which bring gold from Baldivia to Lima. Should this
again fail of success, they were to attempt some rich towns, as Dampier
might direct. After this, they were to go to the coast of Mexico, at
that time of the year when the great galleon usually comes from Manilla
to Acapulco, which is commonly reported to be worth fourteen millions of
dollars.
On their arrival at Madeira, learning that the galleons from Buenos
Ayres had already arrived in safety at Teneriffe, that part of the
expedition was laid aside. "How well we pursued the latter part of our
instructions, the subsequent history of our voyage will sufficiently
declare; in recording which I have used the greatest sincerity,
narrating every thing exactly in the manner in which it happened, and
setting down all that appeared worthy of notice, with all truth and
plainness:
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 467 of 825
Words from 126335 to 126593
of 224764
