CHAP. I.

About the middle of March 1720, when Shelvocke sent Hatley and the rest of us to seek our fortunes in the lighter, calld the Mercury, he himself in the Speedwel went to plunder the village of Payta, which was just under our lee, and where we might easily have joind him, had he imparted his design to us: however we had not cruised long in sight of Cape Blanco, when we took a small bark with a good parcel of chocolate and flower. There was an elderly gentlewoman aboard, and a thin old fryer, whom we kept two or three days; and after taking out what we wanted, we discharged the bark and them together.

Soon after this we took the pink which Shelvocke calls the rich prize; She had no jealousy of our being an enemy, but kept her way to the southward, till seeing the Mercury standing towards her she began to suspect us. About noon she puts the helm hard a weather, and crowded all the sail she could afore the wind: and being in her ballast this was the best of her sailing, which also proved the greatest advantage they could give us; for had she held her wind, we in our flat bottom could have had no share in her. About ten at night, with rowing and hard sailing, we got within shot of the chase and brought her to, being pretty near the shore: they were about seventy persons aboard, thirty of which were Nigros. Hatley, I remember, upon going aboard left me and Pressick with four more hands in the Mercury; where we continued two or three days, till a heavy shower of rain (hardly ever known upon that coast, and which Shelvocke takes notice of p. 185) spoild all our bread and other dry provision; it was then time for us to get aboard the prize, which we did; sending three hands afterwards to take care of the Mercury.

We stood off and on the said cape seven or eight days expecting to meet with the Speedwel; and there we set ashore the Spanish captain, the padre, and some gentlemen passengers. At last we spyd a sail about five leagues distance, plying to windward: not doubting it was the Speedwel or Success, we stood towards her, while she kept edging towards us. About ten in the morning we were got near enough to discover it was a warlike ship, as she proved; tho’ neither of those we wishd for. The master of our prize had before informd us, that he met the Brilliant man of war cruising for our privatiers; which till now we intirely disregarded.

Hereupon captain Hatley advising with me what to do we concluded that some advantage might be made of the information given us by the Spaniard: that as the Brilliant had spoke so lately with the pink, probably there would not be many questions asked now. Upon which Hatley and I drest our selves like Spaniards, and hoisted Spanish colours: we confined our prisoners in the great cabin, suffering none of them but the Indians and Nigros to appear upon deck, that the pink might look as she did before; in which contrivance we had succeded, but for the obstinacy of John Sprake, whom we could not keep off the deck.

As the Admiral came up he fired a gun to leeward: hereupon we lowerd our topsails, making easy sail till we got along side of him. Their first question was, if we had heard any thing of the English privatier? we answerd, No. The next was, how it happend we were got no farther in our way to Lima? We answerd, by reason of the currents. They askd us two or three more questions, which we still answerd in Spanish. They seemd thoroughly satisfyd; and were just getting their tacks aboard in order to leave us, when the said Sprake and two more of our men appeard on the main deck: a Frenchman aboard the admiral looking out at the mast-head spyd their long trowsers, by which knowing them to be English he cryd out, par Dieu Monsieur, ils sont Anglois, they are Englishmen. Upon this they immediately fired a broad side into us with round and partridge shot; by one of which Hatley was slightly wounded in the head.

After we had surrenderd they took all the English aboard them, and put a couple of their own officers into the prize. The admiral then bore down to the Mercury about two leagues to leeward, and tho’ they fired at least twenty five guns into her, the three men escaped unhurt; and the vessel tho’ full of water had not weight enough to carry her to the bottom. After taking in the three men, our commander Don Pedro Midranda went in to Payta carrying the pink with him, where he set us ashore. He orderd me to Piura about forty mile up the country; and did me the favour to let Pressick the surgeon and Cobs a marine serjeant go with me: but captain Hatley and the rest he sent under a guard, with mules to carry them to Lima, which is above four hundred miles further on the coast; the reason of which I have partly given at the close of my second section: for the cape Frio story being blown, and the moydors found upon Hatley, they had a mind the thing should be sifted and the guilty punishd. The admiral having taken in water and refreshments, quickly put to sea again in quest of the British privatiers, designing to take us up to Lima as he came back.

The weather in this latitude being too hot, the custom is to travel from six in the evening till eight in the morning. My Indian guide set me on the best mule he had, which not caring to follow company, I led my fellow travellers the way till ten a clock. While day-light lasted, I observed the country one open plain, with Indian plantations regularly enough cantond out on each side of us. This level is from 30 to 100 mile broad, and extends 300 mile along shore; for I am now going to the southward, having the Cordileer mountains on the left hand, and the great ocean on the right. If this land was well waterd, as the soil is pleasant and fertile, it might be as fine a country as any: but travellers are here obliged to carry water for their mules as well as themselves. At the approach of night we were puzzled in the way: I often found my self stopt by great hills of sand, and my mule as often indeavourd to pull the reins out of my hand, which proving troublesome, the Indian advised me to throw the reins on the mule’s neck; and as soon as that was done the creature easily hit the way. These sands are often shifted by from place to place, which I take to be occasiond by the strong eddies of wind reverberated from the mountains. At night we rested a little at an old empty house in a coppice about half way, which the guide told us was built by the inhabitants of Piura, for the accommodation of the prince St. Bueno viceroy of Peru, where they met him in formality and regaled him.

At seven in the morning we arrived at Piura, being a regular handsom town scituate on the banks of the river Collan. The Indian conducted us to the house of a good Spanish gentleman and his wife who having received his charge, the guide returnd to Payta. In a quarter of an, hour’s time the towns people flockd in to see the rary show; and instead of being used like prisoners at discretion, we were entertaind with respect and civility, which we were not sure to meet with. Our landlord, I should say keeper’s name was Don Jeronimo Baldivieso. He had five daughters, upon the sight of which and their candid way of receiving us, we hoped our time would slide easily away, and our captivity prove agreeable. I began now to be sensible of the admiral’s favour in ordering us to this place; for he had such interest in all the kingdom of Peru, that for his sake we found good genteel treatment. Soon as we had refreshd ourselves, according to the custom of the place, with chocolate, biskets and water; we were diverted with the sound of a Welch harp in some inner apartment: the artist had good command of it; for I heard parts of several famous Italian, as well as English compositions; and upon inquiry, was informd that all the Spaniards daughters had learnd music, and sung or playd upon some instrument or other. Tho’ at first this seemd a little unaccountable to us, yet I afterwards found that music was common in Peru: for the Italian party having a few years before prevaild at the court of Madrid, the said viceroy prince St. Bueno, who was an Italian, had brought a great many musicians of that country along with him; which has now, spread music every where, and is as good in Peru as in old Spain.

This I thought proper to mention, because by means of music and an inoffensive carriage, we lived in good harmony with those who had a right to treat us as enemies.

It was a practice here every day for the neighbours to come and view us; at which I was well enough diverted: for Cobs being my serjeant, we had exercised the brown musket together; so that we turnd readily about to shew our selves: but Mr. Pressick hung down his head, and grew melancholy.

Payta being the place, as I said afore, where the pedlars or walking merchants are set ashore, they make Piura their first stage to Lima, disposing of their goods and lessening their burthens as they go along: some take the road through Caxamarca; others through Truxillo along shore. From Lima they take their passage back to Panama by sea; and perhaps carry a little purchase of brandy with them. At Panama they again stock themselves with European goods, returning by sea to Payta, where they are set down: there they hire mules and load them; the Indians going with them, in order to bring them back: and so these traders keep in a continual round till they have got enough to live on. Their traveling expenses are next to nothing; for the Indians are brought under such subjection, that they find lodging for them, and provender for their mules. This every white face may command, being a homage the poor Indians are long accustomd to pay; and some think they have an honour done them into the bargain, except out of generosity they now and then meet with a small recompense. In the British and French nation a pedlar is despised, and his imployment lookd upon as a mean shift to get a living: but it is otherwise here, where the quick return of money is a sufficient excuse for the manner of getting it. And there are many gentlemen in Old Spain, who, when their circumstances in life are declining, send their sons to the Indies to retrieve their fortune this very way.

Our lodging was in an outhouse purposely kept for these traveling merchants. According to the Spanish custom, we had our dinner sent to table under cover, where Don Jeronimo and we eat together; while the good lady of the house and her daughters sat together in another room: this is the practice at all meals, and if any strong liquors are drank, it is then. In all our conduct I think the good Spaniard was never disobliged, except once when he saw me drinking a dram with the doctor at a little victualing house. As nothing is more disagreeable to the Spaniards than drunkenness, I had much ado to make amends for this step towards it, tho’ they easily admit of gallantry in the most familiar degree: so that ’tis only changing one enormity for another. Here are several churches endowd; one convent of Franciscans, and a seminary for youth instructed by two Jesuits.

After we had past about six weeks at Piura, our Indian guide came again to wait on us to Payta, the man of war being returnd. When we were upon the point of taking leave, our surgeon was missing, which retarded us a day longer: they had conceald him in the town, and designd to keep him there, being a very useful man: and if he could have had a supply of medicines, he might soon have made a handsom fortune. However the next day we mounted our mules and parted with great reluctance, especially with Don Jeronimo and his family.

We went aboard the Brilliant at Payta, which having done nothing at sea, made a sort of cruising voyage to Callao, the port of Lima. The civility I received from the admiral or general of the South-Seas, as he is there calld, is what I have touchd upon at the end of my first section, both before we were set ashore at Payta, and in our passage from thence to Callao. I shall only add one particular to the honour of Monsieur de Grange, a captain under the general. Soon as we were taken by the Brilliant, as aforesaid, this gentleman seeing the soldiers had stript us, being the conquerers usual perquisit in all these cases; he generously gave me a handsom sute of clothes, two pair of silk stockins, a hat, wig, shirts, and every thing according. We arrived at Lima in about five weeks, and were immediately committed to the same prison where the rest of our companions were sent, except Hatley, who, having a particular mark set on him, was confined by himself. And I can’t help remarking, tho’ Mr. Hatley was no friend to me, that it was a cruel thing in Shelvocke to send him of all men upon that enterprize in the Mercury. For when captain Rogers came into these seas upon a like cruise 1709, Hatley upon some occasion was separated from him, and made a prisoner afterwards upon the continent: and now being catchd the second time, with the aggravation of the Portuguese money found upon him, he had like to have been torn to pieces.

The court of judges went soon upon the examination of our story, and drew up a charge against us as pyrates: since by the moidors found upon Hatley, it appeard they were taken from the subjects of a prince in perfect amity with the crown of England: but it was happy for us that the viceroy Don Diego Marsilia, who was an archbishop and in the decline of life, was pleased coolly to discriminate the affair, and finding really but one of us guilty, would not sign any order for shedding innocent blood. As for Hatley, some were for sending him to the mines for life; others for hanging him: but the several accounts of capt. Shelvocke’s vile procedings contributed to his deliverance, the truth of which here were enough of our people at Lima to witness. For besides lieutenant Serjeantson and his men who were brought hither, here came the men whom Shelvocke sent with Hopkins to shift for themselves in a poor empty bark, who for want of sustenance were forced to surrender to the Indians: so that the court finding Shelvocke more a principal in the pyratical story than Hatley, and believing we had been plagued enough before we came hither, they thought fit to let us all go by degrees. Hatley indeed was kept in irons about a twelvemonth, and then got to England.

I was released out of prison in about ten days, by the interest of captain Fitzgerald a native of St. Malo, who was in favour with the viceroy, and past his word for my limitation at Lima. Upon inquiry for Mr. Serjeantson and his men, I understood that most of them had taken up the religion of the country, had been christend, and were dispersed among the convents in the city. The first that I saw had got his new catechise in one hand, and a pair of large beads dangling in the other. I smiled, and askd the fellow how he liked it: he said very well; for having his religion to chuse, he thought this better than none, since it brought him good meat and drink, and a quiet life. Many of Shelvocke’s men followd this example; and I may venture to say this was as good a reason as most of our people could give for their conformity. Tho’ ’tis reckond very meritorious to make a convert, and many arguments were used for that end; yet was there no rigour shewn to bring any of us over. Those who thought fit to be baptized, had generally some of the merchants of Lima for their padrinos or god-fathers, who never faild giving their children a sute of clothes, and some money to drink their healths.

About this time four or five of Clipperton’s men, and as many of Shelvocke’s got leave from their convents to meet together at a public house kept by one John Bell, an Englishman, who had a Nigro wife that for some services or other had got her freedom. The design of this meeting was to confirm their new baptism with a bowl of punch: the consequence of which was, they all got drunk and quareld; and forgeting they were true catholics, mistook an image of some good saint that stood in a corner for one of their own company, knockd him down, and demolishd him. I missing the fellows for a few days, inquired at John’s house what was become of them. He told me the story, and said they were all put in the Inquisition; for the thing having took air, he was obliged to complain of it, or go there himself: but promised that underhand he would indeavour to get them released; which I found afterwards was done in five days: so that they had time enough to say their catechise, repent and be sober. Bell said, if the men had still remaind heretics, this drunken-bout had not come within the verge of the ecclesiastical power; but being novices, and just let into the church, they were the easier pardond; since their outrage upon the saint was no proof of their relapse into error, or an affront to the catholic faith, because they were all disorderd with liquor.

At length about a dozen men of both our ships, being now pretty well instructed, were discharged from the cloysters, and sent to Callao to help careen and fit out the Flying Fish, then designd for Europe. Here they enterd into a project to run away with the Margarita, a pretty sailing ship that lay in the harbour, and go upon the account for themselves: but not knowing what to do for ammunition and a compass, they applyd to Mr. Serjeantson, telling him they had a design to steal away by land to Panama, where being an English factory, they might have a chance to get home; that they had got half a dozen firelocks with which they could kill wild hogs or get some game as they went along, if he would be so kind to help them to a little powder and shot, and a compass to steer their way through the woods: the fellows, by begging and making catholic signs to the good people at Lima, that they were poor English newly baptized, had got together some dollars which they desired Serjeantson to lay out; who not mistrusting the plot, took their money and bought them what they wanted. Thus furnisht one of them came to me at Lima, and said there was an opportunity offered to make my fortune, by running away with the Margarita at Callao, if I would imbrace it: whereupon he told me the story, and that Sprake was to have the command, as being the only artist among them. I answerd that it was a bold design; but as captain Fitzgerald had ingaged for my honour, I was obliged not to meddle with it. In a few days the plot was discoverd, their lodgings were searchd, their arms taken away and they put in prison. The government was greatly provoked, and had near determined their execution, when an order came to release all but Sprake; who being the projector was kept in irons two or three months and then set free. I believe, in this affair their late conformity did them great service: but both these stories are an argument, that neither the church nor state are so rigorous in Peru, as the Romish dominions in Europe.