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.
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.