April 28. Yesterday in the Afternoon we settl’d every thing on board the Barks as well as we could, and separated our Men aboard the Prizes, where we had put most of our Town Goods and Plunder, being about 230 Bags of Flower, Beans, Peas and Rice, 15 Jars of Oil, about 160 Jars of other Liquors, some Cordage, Iron Ware, and small Nails, with about 4 half Jars of Powder, about a Tun of Pitch and Tar, a Parcel of Clothing and Necessaries, and as I guess about 1200 l. in Plate, Ear-rings, &c. and 150 Bales of dry Goods, 4 Guns, and about 200 Spanish ordinary useless Arms and Musket Barrels, a few Packs of Indigo, Cocoa and Anotto, with about a Tun of Loaf-Sugar. We left abundance of Goods in the Town, besides Liquors of most sorts, and Sea-Stores, with several Warehouses full of Cocoa, divers Ships on the Stocks, and 2 new Ships unrigg’d, upwards of 400 Tun, which cost above 80000 Crowns, and then lay at Anchor before the Town. We are also to deliver 4 Barks ashore, and leave two here to bring down the Ransom. By this it appears the Spaniards had a good Bargain; but this Ransom was far better for us than to burn what we could not carry off. About 2 yesterday Afternoon our Dutch-man that was missing rose out of his Brandy-wine Fit, and came aboard; he was disturb’d by the honest Man of the House where he lay, who first called in his Neighbours, and cautiously seized his Arms, then gently rais’d him, and when his Eyes were open, told him there was his Arms again, and bid him hasten aboard to us. This is the only Man that I know of since we took Guiaquil, who had so much transgressed our Orders by drinking beyond his bearing. This Morning about 8 we weighed, and sailed with all our Barks, and at parting made what Shew and Noise we could with our Drums, Trumpets and Guns, and thus took our Leave of the Spaniards very cheerfully, but not half so well pleased as we should have been, had we taken ’em by Surprize: For I was well assur’d from all hands, that at least we should then have got above 200000 Pieces of Eight in Money, wrought and unwrought. Gold and Silver, besides Jewels, and a greater Plenty of such Necessaries as we now found, tho’ the Place has not been poorer these 40 Years, by reason that a sudden Fire about 18 Months ago had destroy’d the better half of the Town, which is now mostly rebuilt. Before I go any further, ’tis proper to describe the Town.
A Description of Guiaquil
At Guiaquil.
’TIS the Metropolis of its Province, about a Mile and half long, and divided into Old and New, joined by a wooden Bridge above half a Mile in Length, but passable only by People on foot. There are some Houses at a distance on each side the Bridge, and those of both Towns may be about 4 or 500 in the whole, besides 5 Churches, and the Inhabitants about 2000 in all. Their chief Church is that of St. Jago or St. James the Apostle, which has 7 Altars, and before it a handsom Square; the others are those of St. Augustin, St. Francis, St. Dominick, and St. Ignatius. The latter belongs to the Jesuits. Before that of St. Dominick, which is not quite finished, there is also a Square, with a Half-moon, upon which they formerly planted Guns, but none were mounted there when we took it. Three of these Churches were very lofty, one of them of Stone, and all adorn’d with Altars, carv’d Work, Pictures, &c. and there was an Organ in that of St. Augustin; but the Priests and their Scholars had carry’d off all the Plate belonging to those Churches, and retir’d with it into the Woods before we landed. Some of the Houses of the Town were very high, several built of Brick, but most of them of Timber, and the meaner sort of Bamboes. There is but one regular Street along the Side of the River to the Bridge, and from thence along the Old Town. The Situation is in a low boggy Soil, so dirty in Winter, that without the Bridge they could scarce go from one House to another. The Town is govern’d by a Corregidore, who is their chief Magistrate and appointed by the King. His Name was Don Jeronymo Bos, a young Man of about 24 Years of Age, and a Native of the Canaries. The Town is well seated for Trade, and building of Ships, for which they have Sheds to cover the Workmen from the Sun. It lies 14 Leagues up from Point Arena, and 7 from Puna. The River is large, receives several others, has many Villages and Farm Houses on its Banks, with abundance of Mangroves and Sarsaparilla, which impregnates its Water, and makes it good against the French Pox, but in the Time of Floods it is unwholesome, because of the poysonous Roots and Plants wash’d down from the Mountains. They have Plenty of Provisions, black Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Swine, Poultry, several sorts of Ducks unknown in Europe, and Store of Horses. The Water of the River is fresh at low Water, almost as far as Puna. An Englishman who had liv’d here some time, came over to us, inform’d us of many Particulars, and told us that in December last they had 3 Weeks Rejoycings for the Birth of the Prince of Asturias, when they muster’d 1100 Foot and 500 Horse in Arms, besides a much greater Number that had none; but most of those Troops came from the adjacent Country. During this Solemnity, they baited many Bulls to Death, after the manner of Spain, and run at the Ring, &c. which are their chief Diversions: He told us likewise that Ships are frequently built here for the King. The Hostages inform’d us, that during the Treaty, 80000 Dollars of the King’s Money was sent out of the Town, besides their Plate, Jewels, and other Things of greatest Value: But they were robb’d of a great deal by the Blacks, to whom they had given it in the Hurry to carry off: We took several of ’em with stoln Goods, as we went the Rounds by Night; and therefore we made a Signal to the Inhabitants to return, as we march’d off, that they might not suffer any more Loss by those Villains.
The French, by their Commerce in these Seas, as the Spaniards in general told us, damage their Trade so much, that their Sea-ports are sensibly impoverish’d, and this Town was much richer 6 Years go than now. A mile below I took my Leave of the Barks, with the Pinnace double mann’d, designing to get before them to the Ships at Point Arena. The Day came on very hot, and we saw many Alligators in the River.
Apr. 29. Last Night I reached Puna, and met Mr. Duck and Mr. Hatley in the Beginning, and an empty Bark which the Duke’s Yall had taken in our Absence; the Spaniards having run ashore and left her at Anchor off of Point Arena. Our People were concern’d at our being absent so long, and hearing no News of us, the Scarcity of Water had made ’em give the Prisoners but a Pint a Day for some time; and they sunk the last small Prize we took coming from Payta, to prevent the Prisoners running away with her, for they had not Men to spare for manning her themselves. By Day-light I got aboard, where I found all our People overjoyed at our Meeting again, after 12 Days Absence on an Undertaking subject to so many fatal Accidents, which we happily escaped. Captain Cook and Frye were very uneasie in our Absence, and had their full Share of Care and Fatigue. They usually gave the Prisoners Liberty by Day, but kept their Arms always ready, and the after Part of the Ships to themselves: At Night they shut ’em up in the Fore-Castle, or between Decks; but aboard the Prize, which was not so secure, they put them in Irons every Evening, and let ’em out in the Morning; but never suffer’d any Correspondence between the Prisoners in the several Ships, by which Means they neither knew their own Strength, nor our Weakness, any further than in the respective Ships they were confin’d to. Roger Booth, one of the Dutchess’s Men, who was wounded through his Wind-pipe, in the Engagement with the Havre de Grace, died the 20th Instant. William Essex, a stout Sailor, one of our Quarter-Masters, being wounded in the Breast in the same Fight, died the 24th Instant: So that out of both Ships we lost 4 Good Men, including my dear Brother, by that Engagement. Mr. James Stratton, a Quarter-Master belonging to the Dutchess, that was wounded at the same time, by a Musket-Ball in his Thigh, is now out of Danger, The wounded in these Parts, are more frequently attended with Fevers, and other dangerous Accidents, than in Europe.
At Guiaquil.
Apr. 30. About 3 Yesterday Afternoon a Sail from under the Main appear’d in sight running up the Channel to Guiaquil; Capt. Cooke sent the Havre de Grace’s Boat in pursuit of her, but my Pinnace sailing better, followed and took her before Sun set: She was a Bark of above 30 Tuns, from Sania, call’d the Francisco la Salma, Senior Jacomo de Brienas Master, with 6 Men on board: She was laden with about 270 Bags of Flour, Beans and Pease; near 200 Sugar-Loaves; several Frails of Quinces, Marmalet, Sugar-plumbs, and other Sweetmeats, with a good Quantity of large Pomegranates, Apples and Onions; a little of this Country Cheese, and dried Beef: They had been out 7 Days, and heard nothing of us; but confirm’d the Story of an English Squadron expected in these Seas, and that there were several stout French Ships in their Harbours, particularly two at Lima, and one at Pisco, besides others in the Harbours of Chili: That at Chenipe, whence they came, being the Sea-port to Sania, there was a strict Order lately sent from Lima to the chief Officer there, to be on his Guard, and keep continual Watch in the same Manner as I have before noted, in the Order we found directed to the Lieutenant or Governour of Puna. This Morning, at 7, the Beginning came to an Anchor by us, from Puna, with a few Jarrs of Water, which we mightily wanted.
Mr. Goodall and others told me, there were no other Barks coming down but what went up with his, from the Ships for Water, and that he did not know the Reason why the rest stay’d there: He told me, he had a Letter from Capt. Courtney to his Second, Capt. Cook, but no Message or Letter from him or Capt. Dover to me; adding, he heard one of them say that they expected this Bark would meet the Ships half way coming up to Puna, and that they looked for me hourly. This unexpected Story surpriz’d me, but I suppos’d they might now have some Hopes of disposing our Cargo to the Spaniards at Guiaquil, which occasion’d their Staying, and Expectation of my Return. I discours’d it with Capt. Cooke and Mr. Frye, and saw Capt. Courtney’s Letter, but not a Word of Advice to me: However, I resolved to hasten away the Beginning, with some Negroes (the most troublesome Goods we had) to dispose of, that they might be at Puna before me. I began to unmore the Havre de Grace, in order to go up with the Flood, hoping to sell her Cargo, or good Part of it, while our Ships took in Water, resolving to save as much Time as possible. Mean while the other Water Bark arriv’d, but without any manner of Advice to me when those above design’d to come down, or to send the Men that were so much wanting aboard, to put things in order for our going to Sea.
May 1. Yesterday, in the Afternoon, I took Sen. Morell for a Pilot, and weigh’d with the Havre de Grace, but having little Wind, and being neep Tides, I did not get one Third of the Way up to Puna, with that Flood: I was likewise but ill mann’d; because I was obliged to leave the Pinnace and Crew that came down with me for the Security of our Ship. We weigh’d again with the Morning Flood, and met the Dutchess’s Bark coming down, but without the least Advice to me from the 2 Captains at Puna, which farther confirm’d me that they waited for my Company, and the Ship, to sell her Goods: I was pleas’d at the Thoughts of this, for I concluded, that had it been otherwise, one, or both of them, would have come down, or have sent all the Barks, except one to stay for the Ransom. We were forced to anchor again before high Water; and the Tide shot us over towards the Island. There is a Shole Sand above half Way up to Puna, near mid Channel, over on that side, which ’tis difficult to avoid, unless we have a commanding Gale to keep in the Channel which is nearest the Main; ’tis the Starboard Shore as you go up, and there are gradual Soundings on both sides to the Shoal on the Larboard side, or the main Land on the Starboard side, keeping between 4 and 7 Fathom Water; the Coast clear of all is N. E. up the Channel, bearing about two large Leagues off Point Arena, where it’s bold, and all athwart, till we get 2 Leagues higher than Point Arena; and as we come against, or a little above, the white Chalky Cliff, near the Point or upper End, and the highest part of the Island of Puna, we must hall over for the Island, and come to an Anchor before the Houses, that are plain to be seen, when we get above the high Point, which is easily known, because all the Land on the Island is even with the Water, and elsewhere there’s nothing to be seen but Trees, down to the River. We must keep nearest the Starboard Shore, going up, which is the only Channel for Ships; ’Tis above 8 Leagues from Point Arena to the Town of Puna; which lies on the upper End of the Island of that Name.