Part 29

When I proposed parting Companies at the _Tres Marias_, and to cruise for the _Acapulco_ Ship from _Manila_ with our Ship and Bark at one Station, and the _Dutchess_ and _Marquiss_ at another, we then expected but one Ship from _Manila_, and she not so well provided as the least Ship now was; tho’ as we have found it, we might probably have been better asunder, for then I make little question but we should have got some Recruit of Provisions, and consequently our Men had been stronger and better in heart to have boarded this great Ship at once, before they had been so well provided; but since Providence or Fate will have it as it is, we must be content.

_Dec. 28._ The Enemy lay braced to all the time the Council held, and run out 4 Guns of her lower Teer, expecting we would have the other Brush with her; but when we made sail, she fil’d and made away, W.N.W. and we betwixt the S.S.E. and the S. close upon a Wind. At 6 a Clock we sent the Pinnace with some Men into the Harbour to secure the Prize, not knowing what might happen before we could get in with our Ships. We unrigg’d the Main-top-gallant Mast, and got it down, securing our Main-mast with Runners and Tackles every way we could contrive, had little Wind all the Afternoon and Night, but this Morning a fresh Breeze sprung up at E.S.E. and soon after we saw nothing more of the great Ship.

[Sidenote: _At Anchor in Port Segura on California._]

_Jan. 1._ After we arriv’d again at Port _Segura_, we dispatch’d the Prisoners away in the Bark, and likewise the _Guiaquil_ Hostages: having got Security for the Money as aforesaid, we supplied them with Water and Provisions enough to carry ’em to _Acapulco_; and gave Capt. _Pichberty_ and his chief Officers, with a Padre, their Clothes, Instruments, Books, _&c._ So that they parted very friendly, and acknowledged we had been very civil to ’em, of which they desired me to accept the following Testimony;

_We, whose Names are hereto subscrib’d, do acknowledge, that ever since we have been in the Hands of Capt._ Woodes Rogers, _and Capt._ Stephen Courtney, _Commanders of the_ Duke _and_ Dutchess, _two_ British _private Men of War, we have been by them very civilly treated_; _and whatsoever we have transacted or done, had been voluntary, and by our Consent, and particularly in passing Bills, and Obligations, thro’ the Hands of Sir_ John Pichberty, _for the Ransom of the Town of_ Guiaquil, _and other valuable Considerations. Witness our Hands on the Coast of_ California.

_Jan. 1. 1709._

_Don_ John Pichberty, Manuel de Punta. _Don_ Antonio Guttera, Manuel Hemanes.

I wrote a Letter to my Owners, to acquaint ’em with our good Success, but could not be so full as I would, because I sent it by the Hand of an Enemy. We spent our Time till the 7th, in refitting, wooding, and watering; and were very glad to find as much Bread on board the Prize as we hop’d might, with what we had left of our old Store, make enough to subsist us in our next long Run. Capt. _Courtney_ and his Officers, with those on board the _Marquiss_, are too willing to complement Capt. _Dover_ with the chief Command of the Prize; which till now I thought he would not have accepted, his Posts already being above a Commander of any of our Prizes; but I and my Officers are against it; because we believe Capt. _Frye_ or others, are fitter Persons to take Charge of her, which we insisted on; and Capts. _Courtney_ and _Cooke_ came to me, where they agreed to a Paper that was drawn up while we were all together, in such a Manner as I thought would have satisfied every one. Capt. _Courtney_ carried this Agreement to Capt. _Dover_ to sign it, not doubting but all would be content with what we had concluded; yet to our Surprize, they spent the Remainder of the Day, and instead of making Capt. _Dover_ comply with it, undid all, and brought a Paper which impower’d him to be sole Commander, without the least Restraint, of not molesting those that should navigate the Ship, but to order every thing as he should think fit.

_Jan. 9._ We fetch’d our 3 wounded Men from on board the _Dutchess_; one of ’em was _Tho. Young_, a _Welchman_, who lost one of his Legs; the other, _Tho. Evans_, a _Welchman_, whose Face was miserably torn; the third, _John Gold_, wounded in the Thigh; and one died of his Wounds, _viz. Emanuel Gonsalves_, a _Portuguese_: So that out of ten that went, only 6 return’d safe. I sent a Letter to Capt. _Courtney_ this Morning, to know what Measures were going forward; having heard nothing from him since the 7th Instant, and desired that there might be no loss of time, but that the Committee might meet once more, to try if they would make use of their unbyass’d Reason. They were than all aboard the _Marquiss_, where I heard they had, ever since our last Meeting, concerted how to frame a Protest against me, and my Officers of the Committee, which was immediately answer’d by a Protest from us, both which are as follows.

_Know all Men, by these Presents, That We, the Commanders of the Ships_ Dutchess _and_ Marquiss, _and other Officers, being the major Part of a Committee appointed by the Owners, for the regulating the Affairs of the Ships_ Duke _and_ Dutchess, _private Men of War, till their Return to_ Great Britain, _as more largely appears in their Orders and Instructions. Now, whereas we have lately taken a rich Prize bound from_ Manila _to_ Acapulco, _and the said Ship being safe at Anchor in a Bay near Cape_ St. Luke, _on_ California, _We held a general Committee on board the_ Duke _the 6th Day of_ January 1709-10. _for appointing a Commander and other Officers for the said Prize, call’d by the_ Spaniards, _when in their Possession_, Nostra Seniora del Incarnation de Singano, _but now named by us_ The Batchelor Frigate, _wherein it was carried by Majority of Votes for Capt._ Thomas Dover, _who came out second Captain of the_ Duke, _and President of this Committee, and Owner of a very considerable Part of both Ships_, Duke _and_ Dutchess, _to command the said Prize, we thinking him the most proper Person for the Interest of the Owners and Company; we likewise proposing to put two of the best of our Officers on board, to command under him, and manage the navigating Part of the said Ship during the Voyage, with other substantial Officers and Men, sufficient to work the Ship and take Care of her._

[Sidenote: _At Anchor in Port Segura._]

_Now whereas Capt._ Woodes Rogers, _Commander of the_ Duke, _and several of his Officers, Members of this Committee, did refuse to sign to the Agreement of the said Committee (the Like never having been refus’d by any before, when carried by Majority of Voices) to acknowledge the said Capt._ Thomas Dover _Commander of the Ship_ Batchelor Frigate; _we do hereby, in the behalf of the Owners of the Ships_ Duke _and_ Dutchess, _our selves and Company, Protest against the unadvis’d Proceedings and Practice of the said Capt._ Woodes Rogers, _and the rest of the Officers of the Committee, that refus’d to sign and agree to the same, it being directly contrary to the Owners Orders and Instructions, (Reference being had thereto) and the Union and Peace of the Ships Companies (by them likewise recommended). And whatever Damage may ensue, either by Loss of Time, Want of Provisions, or Men sufficient to manage the said Ship, or any Mutiny or Disagreement that may arise from hence between the Ships Companies, or any other Disaster whatsoever_, &c. _we do likewise Protest against, in the behalf of the Owners, ourselves, and Company, as aforesaid; expecting from the said Captain_ Woodes Rogers, _and Officers of the Committee aforesaid, full Satisfaction and Reparation of all Losses and Damages whatsoever, that may happen to the said Ship during her Voyage to_ Great Britain.

_In witness whereof, we the Commanders and Officers, being the major Part of the Committee, have set our Hands, this 9th Day of_ January, 1709-10. _on board the_ Marquiss, _at Anchor near Cape St._ Luke, _on_ California.

Sign’d by the Officers of the _Dutchess_ and _Marquiss_.

Which Protest was answer’d by another from our Ship.

_We the chief Officers in behalf of ourselves and the rest of the Ship’s Company of the_ Duke, _having taken a rich_ Spanish _Prize, in Consortship with the_ Dutchess _and_ Marquiss, _call’d_ Nostra Seniora del Incarnacion de ingano, _and did design to use the securest Methods to carry her to_ Great Britain, _both for our Employers interest and our own Advantage. But being in a remote part of the World, we offer’d and desired our Consorts to put one or more able Officers in the principal charge of the aforesaid Prize, it being so valuable that a Retaliation for all our Risques and Hardships is in her Riches, which highly behoves us to be very careful in preserving. But against all our Ships Company’s Consent, (tho’ we are so nearly concern’d) our said Consorts Officers, Capt._ Stephen Courtney, _Capt._ Edward Cooke, _Capt._ William Dampier, _Mr._ William Stretton, _Mr._ Charles Pope, _Mr._ John Connely, _Mr._ George Milbourne, _Mr._ Rob. Knowlman, _and Mr._ John Ballett, _have sign’d an Instrument, and combin’d together, to put Capt._ T. Dover _in Command of the said Ship._

_We therefore (being inclin’d to Peace and Quietness aboard and not to use any Violence to remove the said Captain_ Dover _out of the aforesaid forc’d Command, although he is utterly uncapable of the Office) do hereby publickly Protest against the aforesaid Commander, and every one of those that have already, or shall hereafter combine to place him in. The Ship now being in safety, we declare against all Damages that may arise or accrue to the said Ship, or Cargo under his Command; and that the aforesaid Combiners, who have put the Care of the said Ship under an uncapable Command, we expect are accountable and liable to us for all Damages that may happen. This is our publick Protest. Witness our Hands, aboard the said Ship_ Duke, _riding at Anchor in a Port of_ California, _the 9th of_ January, 1709-10.

Sign’d by the Officers of the _Duke_.

’Twas our great Unhappiness, after taking a rich Prize, to have a Paper-War amongst our selves. I am sorry to trouble the Reader with these Disputes, which continued for two Days about a proper Commander for this Prize; because it highly concern’d us to take the utmost Precautions for her Safety, having a long Run through dangerous unknown Passages, into the _East Indies_, and most of the Recompence for our great Risques and Hardships lay in her Riches. I had always desired that Capt. _Dover_ might be aboard her, for being a considerable Owner, we all agreed he was a very proper Person to take Care of her Cargo, and to have all the Freedom and Accommodation that could be made for him in that Ship, which was of such vast Consequence to us and our Employers, that in their Instructions to me, they strictly charged me to use the securest Methods to bring her safe home, in case we should be so fortunate as we now are, to take one of the _Acapulco_ Ships: So that after the Protests were over on both sides, I desired they might assemble together, and finally determine what the Majority would agree on, that no Time might be lost. So all the Council met again on board the _Batchelor_, to endeavour an Accommodation. I being very weak, and in much Pain, was not able to stir, therefore sent my Opinion in Writing, as follows.

[Sidenote: _At Anchor in Port Segura._]

_My Opinion is, That ’tis not for the Safety of the rich_ Spanish _Prize, that Capt._ Dover _command her, because his Temper is so violent, that capable Men cannot well act under him, and himself is uncapable. Our Owners directed me to use the securest Method to bring the Ship home, if we should have the good Fortune to take her; and ’tis not so, if an ignorant Person have the Command: And tho’ it may be pretended that he’ll not command the sailing Part, there are other Parts necessary for a Commander; so that whosoever had the Charge of one, ought to act wholly in the rest, or else Confusion follows a mix’d Command, that would be very pernicious in this Case; and which it highly concerns us to beware of. I am content, and desire Capt._ Dover _may be aboard, and have Power to take Care of the Cargo, and all the Liberty and Freedom in her, he can in reason otherwise desire, and that none may have the like Power on board the Prize but himself. This is my Opinion._ Jan. 9. 1709-10.

Woodes Rogers.

This Dispute is against my Desire already put in Print, from the publick Notes of the Voyage, otherwise I had left it wholly out of my Journal, as I had done several other of our Differences, being unwilling to trouble the Reader with the Contests that too often happen’d in the Government of our sailing Common-wealth.

After a long Debate, they voted Mr. _Frye_ and Mr. _Stretton_, both to act in equal Posts, to take Charge of the navigating the Ship, tho’ under Capt. _Dover_, but they were to be no ways molested, hinder’d nor contradicted in their Business by him, whose Duty ’twas to see that nothing should be done contrary to the Interest of the Owners, and Ships Companies, in the Nature of an Agent, almost in the same Manner I proposed at first, only he had the Title of Chief Captain in that Ship, which was so small a Difference, where Titles are so common, that we all consented to it; and at the same time they chose Officers, agreeing that we should put 30 Men aboard her, the _Dutchess_ 25, and the _Marquiss_ 13, which with 36 _Manila Indians_, call’d _Las-Carrs_, and other Prisoners we have left, her Complement will be about 110 Men. The Majority keeping to their first Agreement I was obliged to come into it, according to my Instructions from our Owners; so that all our Differences about this Affair were at an end, and we drank to our safe Arrival in _Great Britain_.

The Council agreed as follows.

At a Council held on board the _Batchelor Frigate_, at Anchor in Port _Segura_, on _California_, Jan. 10. 1709/10.

_It is agreed, by the Majority of this Council, that Capt._ Robert Frye _and Capt._ William Stretton, _shall both act in equal Posts in the sole Navigating, Sailing and Ingaging, if Occasion should be, under Capt._ Tho. Dover, _on board the_ Batchelor Frigate, _and that the said Capt._ Tho. Dover _shall not molest, hinder or contradict ’em in their Business; and we do appoint_ Alexander Selkirk _Master_, Joseph Smith _chief Mate_, Benj. Parsons _second Mate_, Charles May _Surgeon_, John Jones _Carpenter_, Rob. Hollinsby _Boatswain_, Rich. Beakhouse _Gunner_, Peirce Bray _Cooper_, James Stretton _and_ Richard Hickman _Midshipmen_, Denis Reading _Steward, and all other inferior Officers, as the Commanders shall think fit._

Sign’d by the Majority of our Council.

In the Morning we put 35 good Hands aboard her. The _Dutchess_ and _Marquiss_ put no more than their Share. Mean while Capts. _Courtney_ and _Cooke_, and 2 or 3 more of the Committee came to me, where we sign’d a Paper for Capt. _Dover_ and the two Commanders, recommending Peace and Tranquility amongst them. And that in case of Separation, the Place of Rendezvous was to be _Guam_, one of the _Ladrones_ Islands, where we design’d to touch at, God willing, to get Provisions: Every thing being thus settled, and all in a Readiness to sail; before I proceed with the Relation of our Voyage from hence, I shall give an Account of _California_.

California _described_.

[Sidenote: _California Described._]

It is not yet certainly known whether it be an Island, or joins to the Continent, nor did either our Time or Circumstances allow us to attempt the Discovery. I heard from the _Spaniards_, that some of their Nation had sail’d as far up betwixt _California_ and the Main, as Lat. 42 N. where meeting with Shoal Water, and abundance of Islands, they durst not venture any further: So that if this be true, in all Probability it joins to the Continent, a little further to the Northward; for Shoal Water and Islands is a general Sign of being near some main Land: but the _Spaniards_ having more Territories in this Part of the World than they know how to manage, they are not curious of further Discoveries. The _Manila_ Ships bound to _Acapulco_ often make this Coast in the Latitude of 40 North, and I never heard of any that discover’d it farther to the Northward. Some old Draughts make it to join to the Land of _Jesso_, but all this being yet undetermin’d, I shall not take upon me to affirm whether it’s an Island, or joins to the Continent. The _Dutch_ say, they formerly took a _Spanish_ Vessel in those Seas, which had sail’d round _California_, and found it to be an Island; but this Account can’t be depended on, and I choose to believe it joins to the Continent. There is no certain Account of its Shape or Bigness, and having seen so little of it, I shall refer the Reader to our common Draughts for its Scituation. What I can say of it from my own Knowledge is, That the Land where we were is for the most part mountainous, barren and sandy, and had nothing but a few Shrubs and Bushes, which produce Fruit and Berries of several Sorts. Our Men who went in our Bark to view the Country about 15 Leagues to the Northward, say it was there cover’d with tall Trees. The _Spaniards_ tell us of several good Harbours in this Country, but we found none of them near this Cape. We frequently saw Smoak in several Places, which makes us believe the Inhabitants are pretty numerous. The Bay where we rode had but very indifferent Anchoring Ground, in deep Water, and is the worst recruiting Place we met with since I came out. The Wind at this Time of the Year generally blowing over Land, makes it good Riding on the Starboard Side of the Bay, where you ride on a Bank that has from 10 to 25 Fathom Water; but the rest of that Bay is very deep, and near the Rocks on the Larboard-side going in there’s no Ground.

During the Time of our Stay the Air was serene, pleasant, and healthful, and we had no strong Gales of Wind, very little Rain, but great Dews fell by Night, when ’twas very cool.

The Natives we saw here were about 300, they had large Limbs, were straight, tall, and of a much blacker Complexion than any other People that I had seen in the South Seas. Their Hair long, black, and straight, which hung down to their Thighs. The Men stark naked, and the Women had a Covering of Leaves over their Privities, or little Clouts made of Silk Grass, or the Skins of Birds and Beasts. All of them that we saw were old, and miserably wrinkled. We suppose they were afraid to let any of their young ones come near us, but needed not; for besides the good Order we kept among our Men in that respect, if we may judge by what we saw, they could not be very tempting. The Language of the Natives was as unpleasant to us as their Aspect, for it was very harsh and broad, and they pronounc’d it so much in the Throat, as if their Words had been ready to choak them. I design’d to have brought two of ’em away with me, in order to have had some Account of the Country, when they had learn’d so much of our Language as to enable them to give it; but being short of Provisions, I durst not venture it. Some of them wear Pearl about their Arms and Necks, having first notch’d it round, and fasten’d it with a String of Silk Grass; for I suppose they knew not how to bore them. The Pearls were mix’d with little red Berries, Sticks, and Bits of Shells, which they look’d upon to be so fine an Ornament, that tho’ we had Glass Beads of several Colours, and other Toys, they would accept none of them. They coveted nothing we had but Knives, and other cutting Instruments, and were so honest, that they did not meddle with our Coopers or Carpenters Tools, so that whatever was left ashore at Night, we found it untouch’d in the Morning.

We saw nothing like _European_ Furniture or Utensils among ’em. Their Huts were very low, and made of Branches of Trees and Reeds, but not sufficiently cover’d to keep out Rain. They had nothing like Gardens or Provisions about them. They subsisted chiefly on Fish while we were here, which with the Miserableness of their Huts, that seem’d only to be made for a time, made us conclude they had no fix’d Habitation here, whatever they may have elsewhere, and that this was their Fishing Season. We saw no Nets or Hooks, but wooden Instruments, with which they strike the Fish very dextrously, and dive to admiration. Some of our Sailors told me they saw one of ’em dive with his Instrument, and whilst he was under Water put up his Striker with a Fish on the Point of it, which was taken off by another that watch’d by him on a Bark Log. The Reader may believe of this what he pleases, but I give it the more credit, because I my self threw some rusty Knives overboard, on purpose to try those Divers, who seldom miss’d catching a Knife before it could sink about 3 or 4 Fathom, which I took to be an extraordinary Proof of their Agility.

[Sidenote: _California Described._]

Instead of Bread they us’d a little black Seed, which they ground with Stones, and eat it by Handfuls; some of our Men thicken’d their Broth with it, and say it tastes somewhat like Coffee. They have some Roots that eat like Yams, a sort of Seeds that grow in Cods, and taste like green Pease, a Berry which resembles those of Ivy, and being dry’d at the Fire, eats like parch’d Pease. They have another like a large Currant, with a white tartish Pulp, a Stone and a Kernel; this sort of Fruit they seem to value much. They have also a Fruit which grows on the prickle Pear-tree, tastes like Gooseberries, and makes good Sawce. They have many other Seeds and Plants unknown to us, but I was not in a condition to view or describe them.