The more easterly and larger island, at which the Nassau fleet anchored, is about six leagues in circuit, and is about two leagues and a half long, from east to west. The road is on the N.E. part of the island, from whence there is a beautiful prospect of valleys covered with clover. The ground of this bay is in some places rocky, and in others a fine black sand, and it affords good anchorage in thirty to thirty-five fathoms. The island produces excellent water, and fish are to be had in abundance in the bay, and of various kinds. Many thousand seals and sea-lions come daily on shore to bask in the sun, of which the seamen killed great numbers, both for food and amusement. Some of the Dutch fancied that the flesh of these animals tasted as if twice cooked, while others thought, after the grease and tallow were carefully taken out, that it was as good as mutton. There were many goats in the island, but difficult to be taken, and neither so fat nor so well tasted as those of St Vincents. There were plenty of palm-trees in the interior, and three large quince-trees near the bay, the fruit of which was very refreshing. They found also plenty of timber for all kinds of uses, but none fit for masts. Formerly, ten or twelve Indians used to reside here, for the sake of fishing and making oil from the seals and sea-lions, but it was now quite uninhabited. Three gunners and three soldiers belonging to the vice-admiral, were so sick of the voyage, that they asked and obtained leave to remain here.

Every thing being in readiness, the fleet departed from Isla de Tierra on the 13th April. On the 8th May, being near the coast of Peru, they took a Spanish bark, in which, besides the captain, there were four Spaniards, and six or seven Indians and Negroes. From these, they learnt that the Plate fleet had sailed on the 3d of the month from Calao de Lima for Panama, consisting of five treasure ships, three rich merchantmen, and two men of war. They were also informed that the Spanish admiral was still at Calao, his ship being of 800 tons burden, and mounting 40 brass cannon; besides which, there were two pataches of 14 guns each, and forty or fifty unarmed merchant vessels. All these vessels were said to have been hauled on shore, and secured by three strong batteries and other works, furnished with upwards of fifty pieces of cannon, all ready prepared for the reception of the Dutch, of whose motions the Spaniards had received early and certain intelligence. The viceroy had likewise formed four companies of foot, of eighty men each, but the two best companies had gone with the ships to Panama; and, having just learnt the approach of the Dutch fleet, the viceroy had summoned the whole military force of Peru, so that many thousand men must soon be expected at Lima for its defence.

After several consultations, the vice-admiral made an attempt to land at Calao with the soldiers on the morning of the 10th May, but finding it impossible with any chance of success, was obliged to return to the fleet. On the 12th about midnight, three of the Dutch captains, with twelve armed boats, each provided with a small cannon and a considerable quantity of fire-works, made an attack on the port, while a false attack was made at the same time in another part, to draw off the attention of the Spaniards. The twelve boats entered the port, and distributed their fire-works plentifully among the Spanish merchant ships, by which thirty or forty of them were set on fire and consumed, some of them very large. In this hardy enterprise, the Dutch had seven men killed, and fifteen wounded, mostly in the vice-admiral's boat, which had attempted to board one of the pataches and was beaten off. About the dawn of day, nine of the flaming ships drifted towards the Dutch fleet, which was therefore obliged to weigh and take shelter behind the island of Lima. On the 13th this island was taken possession of, and a strong intrenchment thrown up for its defence, under cover of which the Dutch laid their shallops on shore to careen them.

On the 14th Cornelius Jacobson sailed with a division of the fleet, to cruize off La Nasca, Pisco, and other towns to the south of Lima. A rich prize was taken on the 23d, coming from Guayaquil; and that same day, the rear-admiral was detached with two ships and two companies of soldiers to attempt taking Guayaquil, but they found it too strongly defended. On the 27th an attempt was made to destroy the Spanish admiral's ship in the port of Calao, by means of a fire-ship containing 2000 pounds of gun-powder, besides fire-works and shells, confined by a brick arch six feet thick; but after navigating her very near the galleon, a bank was found on the outside of her which they could not pass, and they were therefore obliged to retire.

Admiral Jaques Le Hermite, who had been in a declining state of health from the time they left Sierra Leona, died on the 2d June, and was buried next day in the island of Lima. The Spanish viceroy having refused to ransom the prisoners made by the Dutch, and the ships being straitened for provisions especially water, twenty-one Spaniards were hung up at the mizen yard-arm of the Dutch admiral's ship on the 15th June. That same evening, Cornelius Jacobson returned with his detachment, having made an ineffectual attempt on Pisco, which he found strongly fortified, and defended by 2000 men, besides a body of 200 horse which scoured the country. In this attempt he had five men killed and sixteen wounded, and thirteen deserted to the enemy. At this time the scurvy prevailed to a great height in the fleet, so that some of the ships had not sufficient men in a sound state to man their boats; but one day a Swiss, who was very ill of the scurvy, scrambled up to the top of the highest hill in the island of Lima,[140] where he found plenty of a kind of herb with which he had been well acquainted in his own country, and by eating which he soon recovered his health. This becoming public, his example was universally followed, by which the best part of the men were saved from death, and in a short time recovered their health and spirits. On the 5th August, the vice-admiral was installed as admiral, the rear-admiral succeeding him as vice-admiral, and Cornelius Jacobson was advanced to be rear-admiral.

[Footnote 140: The island of San Lorenzo, a little to the south of Calao, is evidently here meant.--E.]

The new vice-admiral soon after returned from his expedition to the road of Puna and Guayaquil, where he had burnt two ships and captured a third. He had also taken Guayaquil after considerable loss, and finding it untenable, and not having boats to carry away the booty, he had set it on fire, burning a great quantity of rich goods in the warehouses, after which he reimbarked his men. The Dutch fleet sailed from the island of Lima on the 14th of August, and anchored that same evening in a bay behind the Piscadores islands, about twenty-three miles north, where they watered. Continuing their course on the 16th, they came in sight of the island of Santa Clara, or Amortajado, on the 24th, intending once more to visit Guayaquil. The fleet anchored on the 25th in the road of the island of Puna, whence all the people had fled, both Spanish and Indians, so that no intelligence could be procured of the strength and dispositions of the enemy. On the 27th, the guns, ballast, and stores of all kinds were removed from three of the largest ships, which were laid ashore to be careened. On the 28th, news came of the second attempt upon Guayaquil having miscarried, through the fault of some of the officers, the troops being defeated and obliged to reimbark, with the loss of twenty-eight men. On the 1st September, the three largest ships being careened, they began to careen the rest.

It was resolved in a council of war not to prosecute the originally intended expedition to Chili at this time, but to proceed for Acapulco, in order to cruize for the Manilla ship; and afterwards, if the condition of the fleet permitted, to return to the coast of Chili. Accordingly, having set fire to the town of Puna, they sailed from thence on the 12th September, and on the 20th October had sight of the coast of New Spain. On the 28th at day-break they were within half a league of an island which lies before the port of Acapulco and anchored in the evening within sight of the fort, which had been rebuilt the year before, on a point running out to sea, in order to protect the Manilla ships, which might ride safely at anchor under the cannon of that fortress. On the 1st November, a strong detachment of the fleet was sent to anchor twenty leagues west from Acapulco, to look out for the galleon, the admiral and the Orange remaining before the port, and the other ships spread along the coast, that they might be sure of intercepting the galleon. On the 29th, water becoming scarce, and no appearance of the galleon, it was resolved to proceed with all diligence for the East Indies.

SECTION III.

Voyage Home from the Western Coast of America.