Part 9
6. “At five afternoon came to with our sheet anchor in the gulf of _Amoy_. Longitude from _Barbuon_ W. 4 : 48. Blessed be God in our passage hither, from the 24 of _June_ we have had pleasant gales and serene weather, the winds between west and S. W. At ten the _Hoppo_’s men come aboard to know what we do here. Told them we was a king’s ship. They wrote down particularly our force and number of men, desiring us to be faithful in our account. The very next morning our men, in a mutinous manner, demand of captain _Clipperton_ their prize money, alledging that the _Success_ could never put to sea again. The first man that attacked the captain was _John Dennison_. I interposed thinking it my duty; whereupon _Edward Boreman_ bid me desist, or expect a brace of balls thro’ my head: Mr. _Cook_ with a sneer said, let the poor man rest and take breath a little, meaning the captain: upon this our captain went ashore to the _Hoppo_ or commissioner of the customs. During these four days we receive aboard a great quantity of rice, some cattle, fowl, wood and water. On the 12th, the officers go ashore and are handsomly received by the _Hoppo_, with whom we make an agreement to anchor in the harbour and lye the monsoons out. Two _Hoppo_ men or customhouse-officers are sent aboard to hinder private dealing with the natives. Several _Mandarins_ or noblemen visit the ship with the _Hoppo_. Some of the men go ashore without leave, for which our captain going to correct them, the whole crew unite and resist. We get more provision aboard; after which the _Hoppo_’s agent receives the port charges, being 1700 dollars, about 400 pound sterling. Our captain receives a present of wine and fruit from one of the _Mandarins_. Nothing material till
_August_ 25th. “We officers sign a paper for the captain to allow all the ships company money to buy necessaries. Captain _Mitchel_ being gone, and _Davison_ we succeded him being kill’d, _Cook_ violently insists upon having thirty shares as second captain: which by his own management with the men, we were forced to yield him: but when the question was put to make provision for the gentlemen who were kill’d or taken from us, and the two officers from the _Speedwel_, _Hendrie_ and _Dod_ who are passengers with us, _Cook_ was first man to oppose and reject it: so that we settle the shares as well as we can. Our captain and most of the officers are willing to allow something to the two passengers aforesaid; captain _Shelvocke_ having used them ill for favouring the owners interest, particularly Mr. _Hendrie_ the agent whom he would not suffer to act, but made him swab the deck: however the company murmur at making them an allowance, and I doubt they will receive nothing. After this we fall into great disorders and confusion, and the men are strangely set against the captain, refusing to work without their whole prize money, and complain to the chief _Mandarin_ call’d _Hyhung_: upon which captain _Clipperton_ is sent for, who represented, that according to our articles, the capture ought to be shared at _London_. However _Cook_ goes secretly to the _Mandarin_ and underhand favours the men, insinuating that they would be cheated; and threaten’d, if _Clipperton_ did not easily comply, to tell the _Mandarin_ of his fine doings at _Guam_, and the great loss of captain _Mitchel_ sent in the _Chichley_ prize with a good cargo never since heard of: So that in short there came a guard of soldiers aboard of us, and an order to captain _Clipperton_ to divide all the shares and pay them.”
_Sept._ 16th. “Which was done this day without reserving anything for _Shelvocke_’s two officers, our dead men, or thole who were taken prisoners.”
dollars. The share of money and plate. 280 The share of gold. 100 The share of jewels. 39 --- The total of a foremastman’s dividend. 419 ---
Which at 4 _s._ 8 _d._ a dollar, makes _English_ money, 97 _l_, 15 _s_, 4 _d._
According to this distribution,
_l._ _s._ _d._ The captain’s share was 1466 10 00 The second captain 733 05 00 The captain of marines, } lieutenants of the ship } 488 16 08 and surgeon; _&c._ }
_Taylor_ not having here, or at leaving _China_, mention’d any thing of what became of _Clipperton_, or the gentlemens money, I think proper to insert that account as I had it from one of our owners and several of the _Success_’s people. The owners moiety consisting of dollars, wrought silver, gold and jewels amounted to upwards of 6000_l._ sterling, and was put aboard a _Portuguese East-India_ man, called the _Queen_ of _Angels_, _Don Francisco la Vero_ commander, which was unfortunately burnt at _Rio Janeiro_ on the coast of _Brasil_, _June_ 6th 1722; of which effects no more came to hand than 1800_l._ As for captain _Clipperton_, he having sold the _Success_ in _China_, took his passage in her to _Batavia_; and from thence in a _Dutch India_ man he came to _Holland_. He stay’d there a few weeks upon his own affairs, and went directly to his family at _Galway_ in _Ireland_, where he died two days after his arrival, in the year 22: being an _Englishman_ born at great _Yarmouth_, in the county of _Norfolk_. But more of this in another place. I procede to the journal.
_Sept._ 25th. “Weighed out of _Amoy_ harbour. Our arms, ammunition, and sails came aboard: it being a practice, with the _Chinese_, for their security, to take these ashore from all strangers.”
30. “Weighed and run out of the gulf, from whence I take my departure, latitude 24 N: designing now for _Macao_ an island belonging to his _Portuguese_ majesty.”
_October_ 4th. “Anchor in the road of _Macao_: salute the fort: captain goes ashore and returns with the commander of a _Portuguese_ man of war. Here we are informed of peace in _Europe_. _Cook_ and _Veitch_ go to _Canton_ to consult with Mr. _Winder_ supercargo of an _India_ man and son to one of our owners, what our captain is to do with the _Success_. Upon their return the ship is condemned, being uncapable to procede for _England_; and is sold for about 4000 dollars, much too cheap.
“Here I settle my account of time, and find I have lost a day coming westward round the world; therefore I allow but six days for this week and go on.”
30. “Twenty of us agreed here, at six dollars each, to go to _Canton_ in a boat with chests and bedding, and get a passage from thence to _England_: but it was my good hap to miss going in her, losing only my money; for she was taken by the pyrates: and some of our people now at _Canton_ have lost their things: So that seven of us agree for a _Mandarin_’s boat at twenty dollars each, finding it unsafe to go otherwise: we anchored at a town half way to _Canton_, being obliged to get into a private boat, while the _Mandarin_ convoyed us in sight of _Canton_. In our passage we saw a pyrate take a boat; and I find it is a common practice. I think it very scandalous: but probably the _Chinese_ government wink at it.”
_November_ 4th. “We arrive at the _English_ factory at _Canton_: are very kindly received. They meet, and agree to carry us to _Great Britain_ at five pound a man, being a very great favour: Accordingly we all pay our money. I and two or three more went aboard the _Maurice_, captain _Peacock_ at _Wampo_, being the place where the _European_ ships lye about three leagues down _Canton_ river. The rest of our company divide in several ships.”
9. “We made sail in company of the _Macclesfield_ an _English East India_ man, and an _Ostender_ call’d the _House_ of _Austria_.”
13. “The grand _Ladron_ island bore N. E. four leagues; from whence I take my departure. Latitude 22. N.”
The run from _China_ to _Great Britain_ being generally well known, it is foreign to my purpose to extract any more of this journal. I here give Mr. _Taylor_ my hearty thanks for the use of it: and am pleas’d I can do it in this public manner. Without it, I could not have been able in some particulars to confute the false and treacherous relation given by captain _Shelvocke_; who never kept any journal himself, or suffer’d any one to use pen and ink, but his own creatures. If Mr. _Taylor_ had designd to publish his account, he doubtless might have enterd remarks and occurrences of another nature than those which concern navigation and geography. And altho’ the expedition of these two ships faild in all its best particulars, yet a good journal of their procedings round the whole ocean might have been entertaining: for men love to read of enterprizes, tho’ they prove unfortunate.
Lastly, I must observe to Mr. _Taylor_’s credit, that he has kept his account truly and carefully like an honest man and a good artist; having judiciously markd the currents and rectifyd the latitudes of many places. He arrivd at _Batavia_ in _December_; at the cape of _Good Hope_ in _February_; at St. _Helena_ and _Ascension_ in _March_; and in _May_ 1722, at _London_: having thus made a complete tour of the globe.
SECTION III.
Here I resume the history of my captain, whom I left cruising off _Payta_; while _Hatley_, I, and the rest of us were taken by admiral _Midranda_, otherwise call’d general of the _South-Sea_.
_Shelvocke_ having hitherto failed of making his fortune, begins now to think it too late, at least for this season. The scheme of our voyage is at an end; the enemy is alarm’d; their ships all laid up, except the two _Spanish_ men of war which are in quest of the _English_ privatiers: and _Shelvocke_ probably would now be glad of his commodore _Clipperton_’s company. But finding as he says p. 199, his circumstances to be in an extreme melancholy posture; he sails back to windward, and resolves upon a new experiment, which was to get rid of the owners ship, and cruise upon a new bottom: thereby thinking to intitle himself to all he should get, exclusive of us prisoners and the gentlemen at home. And this is captain _Shelvocke_’s law and, conscience, and the real shift he now makes to dispute it with the gentlemen who fitted him out.
Accordingly he sails to _Fernandes_, where he arriv’d the beginning of _May_, being winter in that hemisphere. He was too good a seaman to believe he could ride it out the remaining part of the winter, in a wild road, destitute of any kind of shelter, and exposed to strong gusts of northerly winds which frequently blow there in that season: he well knew there was no meddling with the coast for the enemies men of war: therefore he makes half the tour of the island, seemingly to push her into some creek; after which, he comes to in the usual place, with only one anchor to trust to; for he had taken care to have no more. Here the ship rode several days safe enough: and during his stay, seventeen of his men are sent ashore, while others were imploy’d in getting off water to favour a false design of going to sea again: and under this pretence of watering, both now and after, many things of value were secretly carry’d ashore, which the people in general wonder’d to see there, and could not imagine who brought them. However, the more effectually to put his project in execution, he weighs from this place, and comes to anchor close in shore: upon which his people unanimously fear some very odd mischievous design, and suddenly recollect how they had often heard him say, That it was not difficult living at _Fernandes_, if a man should accidentally be thrown there, since Mr. _Selkirk_ had continu’d upon it four years by himself.
Possest with these things, the people were amaz’d, that their captain would leave a clear berth and good anchoring to venture farther in, where it was foul and rocky; and where if the cable parted there could be but little hopes to save the ship: whereas in their first situation they had clear anchoring, room and drift enough to get their tacks aboard, to claw it off either to the east or westward. As soon as the anchor was down, Mr. _Brook_ the first lieutenant advised flinging two of their heaviest guns, which, in case of losing the anchor, might bring her up a little ’till they could set the sails: But _Shelvocke_ rejected all these things with a stedfast tranquillity, and now says he had no opportunity of getting to sea in four days, tho’ he was ready: which I am sure is an absurdity wants clearing up, p. 205. Moreover, how can _Shelvocke_ impose this sham readiness on mankind, when his seventeen hands are all at this time on the island, and who he owns came down so seasonably to his assistance, as soon as the ship touched the shore? Here, he says, a hard gale of wind came from the sea, which brought in such a tumbling swell, that in a few hours the cable parted, the ship struck, and all the masts went overboard.
This is the plausible reason he gives for losing his ship, being a wind rais’d only in his brain, and of his own invention: for ’tis a most notorious falshood, to say, there was any gale when the cable parted: all his people have in one word assur’d me and many others to the contrary. And _Shelvocke_ very well knew, that if he should be catched by a gale in that perilous road-stead, and so poorly found with ground tackle, they must all inevitably have perish’d, by reason of the prodigious breach the sea makes in any thing of weather against the sunken rocks and stones all along the shore. He therefore took care to secure all their lives by destroying his ship in fine serene weather, which the ingenious captain perform’d by bringing a spring on his cable, with which he hove his ship’s broadside against the swell, and kept her in that position ’till the cable was tore asunder. Mr. _Dod_, who pretends not to be a seaman, says, that about three hours before the ship went ashore, some hands were at work on the quarter deck hawling in a hawser which was made fast to the cable; and that he inquir’d of _Gilbert Henderson_ the gunner, what that was for? _Henderson_ answer’d him, that if he would be rightly inform’d, he must go and ask the captain. To confirm this, several of his people have made _affidavit_, that it blew no wind at all, that every soul of them got commodiously ashore, and that it’s their belief he lost the ship on purpose: and its remarkable, he made not one tryal to prevent it.
Soon as the cable parted, Mr. _Laport_ his third lieutenant seeing immediate ruine, cry’d out, Set the foresail; hoping thereby to do some good: and while _Edmund Philips_ and others were actually upon the yard, _Shelvocke_ hastily order’d them down, and taking the helm in his hand, said, Ne’re mind it boys; stand all fast, i’ll lay her on a feather bed: which, as it proved a plaguy hard one, shews his great indifference as to the event of the ship.
Page 26. He brags of his being thirty years an officer in the navy: what then must we say to a man of such experience, who will lavishly destroy two or three ships, and save not an anchor and cable for a time of need? There’s nothing can excuse it, but owning what I have been proving. Either way it’s very bad: his judgment and his honesty being both in great danger.
Another circumstance comes in here--When we met _La Jonquiere_ at St. _Catherine_’s, _Shelvocke_ procur’d of him a pair of smith’s bellows and forge, p. 29, which at that time we could see no manner of occasion for: but without them, ’tis now evident, he could never have made bolts, spikes, nails and other iron work for a barque able to carry fifty or sixty men to sea; and in short, without the bellows, he could never have begun such a piece of work at all. I am sure none of us mistrusted then, that the _Speedwel_ was to be lost; tho’ our captain had a greater foresight, and provided accordingly. Sometimes indeed, large burdensome ships that strain and labour much in a grown sea, and often snap their bolts and chainplates, may want such a thing; but a lively handy vessel like ours of 170 ton, had no more occasion for a pair of smith’s bellows than a great cathedral organ.
I offer not these things as clear demonstrations, but circumstances only; for it is impossible in this case to go farther: and there’s no room for any other sort of proof in a fact where a man has no conspirators, but keeps all the design in his own breast.
In short the ship struck several times and bulg’d. The captain and his men all got ashore: he says one was lost; but it is utterly false: and how wretched so ever he has painted their lives and conversation, the reader will but little regard what he writes: for it is certain he saved all that was most valuable; particularly sugar and powder, both which are damaged as soon any thing. He sav’d but little provision; because that is always stow’d in the hold: but he rememberd to get out his commission, with all the plate and money. What else could he expect? He used to say it was easy living at _Fernandes_, but now ’tis to serve another turn, he says quite other things.
Here they put themselves under the _Jamaica_ discipline; and divided among them every shilling of the money laid by before for the Owners, and all our shares left in the ships by us who were taken prisoners: and the only reason _Shelvocke_ gives for this, is the old story, his men would have it so: but I that have most reason of any man living to know him best, shall prove that _Shelvocke_ lost not a tittle of his command after the shipwreck: for after they had put themselves on the model aforesaid, whereby he says the captains are allow’d but four shares; he could manage it so, as to have six. And whatever hardships he may sham the reader with, p. 223, those six proportions are much better now, than sixty before. For pray consider, the gentlemen Owners are intirely excluded; who were to have one half of all the capture; and then he has got rid of more than half his ship’s company, among whom _Hatley_, as second captain, was intituled to thirty shares; my self to twenty, the two mates, the surgeon’s mate, the ensign, a serjeant and corporal of marines, besides the foremastmen. All these shares, I say, being deducted, besides reducing three more of his chief officers, _La Port_, _Hendrie_ and _Dod_, two of which afterwards quitted the ship, does not all this make it evident, that six shares, where there are but 52 dividends of the whole capture are better than 60 where there are 650 dividends of half the capture? This shews how greatly _Shelvocke_ would impose upon mankind, and is a confirmation that it was his aim and his interest to destroy the ship; and bring about this new regulation.
As to the whole trifling account of his transactions at _Fernandes_ taking up above fifty pages of his book, as it is little to me; I shall take but little notice of it: leaving the reader to amuse himself with it at leisure. He has taken pains all along to make us believe, that the shipwreck was not his own act and deed, by representing the hardships he was exposed to ashore, from the dissention of his people, the barreness of the place, and the improbability of his getting well to sea again: But this is all artifice, to make the reader imagine, that no man would run himself voluntarily into so many difficulties. It is certain they liv’d poor enough upon the island; but having good carpenters, caulkers, smiths, and all proper workmen, he continually imploy’d them upon the main point: which was to get a new bark built out of the old ship; in order to make a private fortune in a more expeditious manner, than he could before: as I shall demonstrate by and by, when I shew my reader the written account of their acquisition, and how they shard it on the coast of _Mexico_; tho’ _Shelvocke_ has conceal’d it. One thing I must not forget, p. 225, he says that Mr. _Brook_ having got the love of the people; was named to be their future commander: but as it did not take place, I shall shew how _Shelvocke_ took care it never should, by making away with him and five more at _Sansonate_.
However, I must not quit him without a story I lately had from Mr. _Hendrie_, which shews how he was divested of his authority, as he calls it, p. 219. Captain _Shelvocke_ maintaind as absolute sway at _Fernandes_, as before, till the tenth of _June_ came about. The men knowing what affection the captain had for that anniversary, some of them begd to have the small arms to celebrate the day in the most dutiful manner they could: upon which _Shelvocke_ readily consented; and those who did not care to assist at it, diverted themselves about the island, not knowing but a civil war might be the consequence. So, a bonfire was made steeple high, the loyal subjects wearing artificial roses of linen rags and paper, while several cordial vollies and huzzas were let off; _Shelvocke_ himself being captain of the mob, and his son _George_ the skinker to fill out the liquor. But, what sower’d the festival was, they had nothing to drink the _Chevalier_’s health in, but vinegre, water and sugar, being the best punch they could get. At the close of this rejoycing, the captain demanded their muskets; but the men were wise enough to keep them, the scheme having been chiefly laid for that purpose.
In short, on the fifth of _October 1720_, the bark is completed, launched, and calld the _Recovery_. And thus by giving her a new name, captain _Shelvocke_ has the new fashiond assurance to tell mankind that the Owners title is quite sunk, as if there never had been any such thing: tho’ he still proceded with the king’s commission, being the property of the Owners; and is the same which he afterwards producd at _China_, as a protection for his own person, and a security for all that he had rapaciously got together.
And whereas, p. 216, he affectedly says, that the men in a body thank’d him for giving them a prospect of deliverance; I think it very improbable that the men would be so courtly, when above twenty of them chose to remain upon the island. And whereas again, p. 242, he insinuates that they who stay’d behind were afraid to venture in the new bark; I think it much more natural to suppose, they had rather stay upon that island and trust to the mercies of providence, than be made the certain tools of _Shelvocke_’s tyranny and self interest.
My captain’s first enterprize was with the _Margarita_, p. 262, he calls her a forty gun ship; which at that rate could not burthen less than 400 ton. In this I can confront him of my own authority: for I was aboard this ship afterwards at _Callao_, and she never carried above 200 ton and eighteen guns: but _Shelvocke_ wisely magnifys her force, because her geting clear might bring no other slur upon his captainship: whereas she certainly escaped thro’ his own fear: for after his gunner was kill’d he took the helm in his hand from _Christopher Hawkins_, and puting it hard down, sheer’d off from her. P. 279, he says, he heard the captain and three of the _Margarita_’s men were killd in the action; which is so far from truth, that they had none kill’d, and only a _Nigro_ wounded in the cheek. They had not above a dozen cartridges of powder aboard, and two or three small arms belonging to the passengers, with only stones or ballast for shot. The commander of her was a _Frenchman_, who told it me all at _Callao_: beside which, captain _Opie_ in the _Carteret_ brought from _Buenos Aires_ one of the _Margarita_’s passengers, who told the story to fifty gentlemen about town.