On Sailing From Gallo, Our Purpose Was To Attack The Town
Of Santa Maria, Not Far From This On The Continent To The E. Expecting
There To Have Found A Great Quantity Of Gold, Brought Thither From The
Adjacent Mines Of The Same Name.
But this design miscarried, whether
from fear, confusion, or the enemy having early intelligence of our
motions, which enabled them to cut off many of our men.
This, however,
is certain, that we were quite sick of our fruitless attempts on shore
by the 1st May, and immediately re-embarked. We were now so short of
provisions, that five boiled green plantains were allotted for six men;
but, when almost out both of hope and patience, a vessel came and
anchored close beside us at midnight, which we took without resistance.
This proved a most valuable prize, being a ship of 150 tons, laden with
flour, sugar, brandy, wine, about thirty tons marmalade of quinces, a
considerable quantity of salt, and several tons of linen and woollen
cloth; so that we had now a sufficient supply of provisions even for
four or five years. I was put aboard of this prize on behalf of Captain
Dampier and his company, and the master of the Cinque-ports, in behalf
of Captain Stradling and his crew.
We carried our prize into the Bay of Panama, and anchored under the
island of Tobago on the 14th of May. Here Captains Dampier and Stradling
disagreed, and the quarrel proceeded to such length, that they could not
be reconciled, so that at last it was determined to part company, all
the men being at liberty to go with which captain they pleased, in
consequence of which five of our men went over to Captain Stradling, and
five of his men came to us.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 481 of 825
Words from 130011 to 130312
of 224764
