WE have examin’d, and do approve of all the Proceedings and Transactions since our being at the Canary Islands, both as to the punishing of Offenders, and acting in all cases for the best of our intended Voyage, and that we found it actually necessary to sell part of the Goods taken in the Prize amongst the Canary Islands here, to purchase some Liquor and other Necessaries for our Men as they go about Cape Horn, they being very meanly clothed, and ill provided to endure the Cold; and we have and do hereby desire the Agent of each Ship to take particular Cognizance of what such Goods are sold and dispos’d of for; and agree that all possible Dispatch hath been made both here and at St. Vincent. In acknowledgment of which we have set our Hands the Day and Year above-written.
| Tho. Dover, Pres. | William Stratton, |
| Woodes Rogers, | William Bath, |
| Stephen Courtney, | Charles Pope, |
| William Dampier, | John Rogers, |
| Edward Cook, | John Connely, |
| Robert Frye, | Geo. Milbourne, |
| Carleton Vanbrugh, | John Ballet. |
At the Isle of Grande.
MEmorandum, That on the 26th Day of November, 1708. a little before break of Day, a Canoe coming near the Ship Duke, as she rode at Anchor at the Island of Grande on the Coasts of Brazile; they hal’d her, she not answering, they fir’d at her; upon which she row’d away, and the Captain order’d the Boat to get ready and pursue her: And Mr. Carleton Vanbrugh, Agent of the said Ship, putting off the Boat, without the Order of his Captain, or before any Commanding Officer was in pursuit of her, fir’d, or order’d to be fir’d, at her several Muskets at a distance: But coming nearer, he order’d the Men to fire into the Boat; and the Corporal firing, as we have reason to believe, kill’d an Indian, and took the Canoe, and sent her away with two of the Duke’s Men, the Corporal and a Padre, and afterwards brought the rest of the People in the Ship’s Pinnace; since which time we are inform’d by the Padre, Master of the dead Indian, that he lost a quantity of Gold to the Value of 200 l. which he says he carry’d ashore, and hid in hopes to preserve (he taking them for Frenchmen by their firing and chasing) which could not afterwards be found, altho, he says, he does verily believe it was not taken by any of the Ships People, but alledges it was lost by means of their chasing and surprizing him. Whatever Damages may arise from the above-mention’d Action on the account of killing the Indian, or Loss of the Gold that the Padre says he has lost, We the Commanders and Officers of Ship Duke and Dutchess Consorts, do in behalf of our selves, and the rest of the Ships Company, protest against the unadvis’d Actions of the aforesaid Mr. Carleton Vanbrugh, for proceeding without any Order from the Captain of the same Ship, and acting contrary to what he was ship’d for. In witness whereof we have set our Hands the 29th day of November, 1708.
| Tho. Dover, Pres. | William Stratton, |
| Woodes Rogers, | William Bath, |
| Steph. Courtney, | John Rogers, |
| Will. Dampier, | Thomas Glendal, |
| Edward Cook, | John Connely, |
| Robert Frye, | Geo. Milbourne, |
| Charles Pope, | John Ballet. |
Nov. 30. The Wind continuing out of the way, last night we held a Committee on board the Dutchess, and agreed to remove Mr. Carleton Vanbrugh from the Ship Duke; which Agreement is as follows:
MEmorandum, This 30th of Novemb. 1708. We the underwritten Officers belonging to the Ships Duke and Dutchess, appointed as a Committee by the Owners of both Ships, do find it necessary for the Good of our intended Voyage, to remove Mr. Carleton Vanbrugh from being Agent of the Duke Frigate, to be Agent of the Dutchess, and to receive Mr. William Bath Agent of the Dutchess in his Place. This is our Opinion and Desire, in acknowledgment of which we have hereunto set our Hands in the Port of the Island of Grande on the Coast of Brazile, the Day above-written.
| Tho. Dover, Pres. | Robert Frye, |
| Woodes Rogers, | Charles Pope, |
| Stephen Courtney, | Tho. Glendall, |
| William Dampier, | John Bridge. |
| Edward Cooke, |
Nov. 30. About ten this morning we both weigh’d, in order to go out on the other side of Grande, which I think is the fairest Outlet, tho they are both very large, bold and good. We went out E S E. the Wind at N E. and in two hours came to an Anchor again, it proving calm, and a Current against us.