A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Xvii Part 31

It was about the middle of December this s.h.i.+p came in, and the second of January, 1742-3, we embarked on board of her. She was bound to Valparaiso.

We got out to sea with some difficulty, having been driven by the strength of the tide very near those sunken rocks mentioned before. We found a great sea without; and as the s.h.i.+p was as deep as any laden collier, her decks were continually well washed. She was a fine vessel, of about two hundred and fifty-tons. The timber the s.h.i.+ps of this country are built of is excellent, as they last a prodigious time; for they a.s.sured us that the vessel we were then in had been built above forty years. The captain was a Spaniard, and knew not the least of sea affairs; the second captain, or master, the boatswain, and his mate, were all three Frenchmen, and very good seamen; the pilot was a Mulatto, and all the rest of the crew were Indians and negroes. The latter were all slaves and stout fellows, but never suffered to go aloft, lest they should fall overboard, and the owners lose so much money by it. The Indians were active, brisk men, and very good seamen for that climate. We had on board the head of the Jesuits as pa.s.senger. He and Captain Cheap were admitted into the great cabin, and messed with the captain and his chaplain. As for us, we were obliged to rough it the whole pa.s.sage, that is, when we were tired we lay down upon the quarter-deck in the open air, and slept as well as we could; but that was nothing to us, who had been used to fare so much worse. We lived well, eating with the master and boatswain, who always had their meals upon the quarter-deck, and drank brandy at them as we do small-beer, and all the rest of the day were smoking segars.

The fifth day we made the land four or five leagues to the southward of Valparaiso, and soon after falling calm, a great western swell hurried us in very fast towards the sh.o.r.e. We dropped the lead several times, but had such deep water we could not anchor. They were all much alarmed when the Jesuit came out of the cabin for the first time, having been sea-sick the whole pa.s.sage. As soon as he was informed of the danger, he went back into the cabin and brought out the image of some saint, which he desired might be hung up in the mizen-shrouds; which being done, he kept threatening it, that if we had not a breeze of wind soon, he would certainly throw it overboard. Soon after, we had a little wind from off the land, when the Jesuit carried the image back with an air of great triumph, saying he was certain that we should not be without wind long, though he had given himself over for lost some time before it came. Next morning we anch.o.r.ed in the port of Valparaiso. In that part which is opposite to the fort, s.h.i.+ps lay so near the land, that they have generally three anchors ash.o.r.e, as there is eight or ten fathom close to it; and the flaws come off the hills with such violence, that if it was not for this method of securing them they would be blown out. This is only in summer-time, for in the winter months no s.h.i.+ps ever attempt to come in here; the northerly winds then prevail, and drive in such a sea that they must soon be ash.o.r.e.

The Spanish captain waited upon the governor of the fort, and informed him that he had four English prisoners on board. We were ordered ash.o.r.e in the afternoon, and were received as we got upon the beach by a file of soldiers with their bayonets fixed, who surrounded us, and then marched up to the fort, attended by a numerous mob. We were carried before the governor, whose house was full of officers. He was blind, asked a few questions, and then spoke of nothing but the strength of the garrison he commanded, and desired to know if we had observed that all the lower battery was bra.s.s guns. We were immediately after, by his order, put into the condemned hole.

There was nothing but four bare walls, excepting a heap of lime that filled one third of it, and made the place swarm with fleas in such a manner that we were presently covered with them. Some of Admiral Pizarro's soldiers were here in garrison that had been landed from his s.h.i.+ps at Buenos Ayres, as he could not get round Cape Horn. A centinel's box was placed at our door, and we had always a soldier with his bayonet fixed to prevent our stirring out. The curiosity of the people was such, that our prison was continually full from morning till night, by which the soldiers made a pretty penny, as they took money from every person for the sight.

In a few days, Captain Cheap and Mr Hamilton were ordered up to St Jago, as they were known to be officers by having saved their commissions; but Mr Campbell and I were to continue in prison. Captain Cheap expressed great concern when he left us; he told me it was what he had all along dreaded, that they would separate us when we got into this country; but he a.s.sured me, if he was permitted to speak to the president, that he would never leave soliciting him till he obtained a grant for me to be sent up to him.

No sooner were they gone than we fared very badly. A common soldier, who was ordered to provide for us by the governor, brought us each, once a day, a few potatoes mixed with hot water. The other soldiers of the garrison, as well as the people who flocked to see us, took notice of it, and told the soldier it was cruel to treat us in that manner. His answer was, "The governor allows me but half a real a day for each of these men; what can I do? It is he that is to blame; I am shocked every time I bring them this scanty pittance, though even that could not be provided for the money he gives them."

We from this time lived much better, and the soldier brought us even wine and fruit. We took it for granted that our case had been represented to the governor, and that he had increased our pay. As to the first, we were right in our conjectures; it had been mentioned to him, that it was impossible we could subsist on what he allowed; and his answer to it was, that we might starve, for we should have no more from him, and that he believed he should never be repaid even that. This charitable speech of the governor was made known everywhere, and now almost every one who came to see us gave us something; even the mule-drivers would take out their tobacco-pouch, in which they kept their money, and give us half a real. All this we would have given to our soldier, but he never would receive a farthing from us, telling us we might still want it; and the whole time we were there, which was some weeks, he laid aside half his daily pay to supply us, though he had a wife and six children, and never could have the least hope or expectation of any recompence. However, two years after this I had the singular pleasure of making him some return, when my circ.u.mstances were much better than his.

One night, when we were locked up, there happened a dreadful shock of an earthquake. We expected every moment the roof and walls of our prison to fall in upon us and crush us to pieces; and what added to the horror of it was, the noise of chains and imprecations in the next prison which joined to ours, where there were near seventy felons heavily loaded with irons, who are kept here to work upon the fortifications, as in other countries they are condemned to the gallies. A few days after this, we were told an order was come from the president to the governor to send us up to St Jago, which is ninety miles from Valparaiso, and is the capital of Chili. There were at this time several s.h.i.+ps in the port from Lima delivering their cargoes, so that almost every day there were large droves of mules going up to St Jago with the goods. The governor sent for one of the master carriers, and ordered him to take us up with him. The man asked him how he was to be paid our expences, as he should be five days upon the road. The governor told him he might get that as he could, for he would not advance him a single farthing.

After taking leave of our friendly soldier, who even now brought us some little matters to carry with us, we set out, and travelled about fourteen miles the first day, and lay at night in the open field, which is always the custom of these people, stopping where there is plenty of pasture and good water for the mules. The next morning we pa.s.sed over a high mountain called Zapata; and then crossing a large plain, we pa.s.sed another mountain, very difficult for the mules, who each carried two heavy bales: There were above an hundred in this drove. The mules of Chili are the finest in the world; and though they are continually upon the road, and have nothing but what they pick up at night, they are as fat and sleek as high-fed horses in England. The fourth night we lay upon a plain in sight of St Jago, and not above four leagues from it.

The next day, as we moved towards the city, our master-carrier, who was naturally well-disposed, and had been very kind to us all the way upon the road, advised me, very seriously, not to think of remaining in St Jago, where he said there was nothing but extravagance, vice, and folly, but to proceed on with them as mule-driver, which, he said, I should soon be very expert at; and that they led an innocent and happy life, far preferable to any enjoyment such a great city as that before us could afford. I thanked him, and told him I was very much obliged to him, but that I would try the city first, and if I did not like it, I would accept of the offer he was so good as to make me. The thing that gave him this high opinion of me was, that as he had been so civil to us, I was very officious in a.s.sisting to drive in those mules that strayed from the rest upon those large plains we pa.s.sed over; and this I thought was the least I could do towards making some returns for the obligations we were under to him.

When we got into St Jago, the carrier delivered us to the captain of the guard at the palace gate, and he soon after introduced us to the president, Don Joseph Manso, who received us very civilly, and then sent us to the house where Captain Cheap and Mr Hamilton were. We found them extremely well lodged at the house of a Scotch physician, whose name was Don Patricio Gedd. This gentleman had been a long time in this city, and was greatly esteemed by the Spaniards, as well for his abilities in his profession as his humane disposition. He no sooner heard that there were four English prisoners arrived in that country, than he waited upon the president, and begged they might be lodged at his house. This was granted, and had we been his own brothers we could not have met with a more friendly reception; and during two years that we were with him, his constant study was to make every thing as agreeable to us as possible. We were greatly distressed to think of the expence he was at upon our account, but it was in vain for us to argue with him about it. In short, to sum up his character in a few words, there never was a man of more extensive humanity.

Two or three days after our arrival, the president sent Mr Campbell and me an invitation to dine with him, where we were to meet Admiral Pizarro and all his officers. This was a cruel stroke upon us, as we had not any clothes fit to appear in, and dared not refuse the invitation. The next day, a Spanish officer belonging to Admiral Pizarro's squadron, whose name was Don Manuel de Guiror, came and made us an offer of two thousand dollars. This generous Spaniard made this offer without any view of ever being repaid, but purely out of a compa.s.sionate motive of relieving us in our present distress. We returned him all the acknowledgments his uncommon generous behaviour merited, and accepted of six hundred dollars only, upon his receiving our draught for that sum upon the English consul at Lisbon.

We now got ourselves decently clothed after the Spanish fas.h.i.+on, and as we were upon our parole, we went out where we pleased to divert ourselves.

This city is situated in about 33 degrees and 30 minutes south lat.i.tude, at the west foot of the immense chain of mountains called the Cordilleras. It stands on a most beautiful plain of above thirty leagues extent. It was founded by Don Pedro de Baldivia, the conqueror of Chili. The plan of it was marked out by him, in squares, like Lima; and almost every house belonging to people of any fas.h.i.+on has a large court before it, with great gates, and a garden behind. There is a little rivulet, neatly faced with stone, runs through every street, by which they can cool the streets or water their gardens when they please. The whole town is extremely well paved. Their gardens are full of n.o.ble orange-trees and floripondies, with all sort of flowers, which perfume the houses and even the whole city. Much about the middle of it is the great square, called the Placa Real, or the Royal Square; there are eight avenues leading into it. The west side contains the cathedral and the bishop's palace; the north side is the president's palace, the royal court, the council house, and the prison; the south side is a row of piazzas, the whole length of which are shops, and over it a gallery to see the bull-fights; the east side has some large houses belonging to people of distinction, and in the middle is a large fountain with a bra.s.s bason. The houses have, in general, only a ground floor, upon account of the frequent earthquakes; but they make a handsome appearance. The churches are rich in gilding as well as in plate: That of the Jesuits is reckoned an exceeding good piece of architecture, but it is much too high built for a country so subject to earthquakes, and where it has frequently happened that thousands of people have been swallowed up at once.

There is a hill, or rather high rock, at the east end of the city, called St Lucia, from the top of which you have a view of all the city and the country about for many leagues, affording a very delightful landscape.

Their estancias, or country houses, are very pleasant, having generally a fine grove of olive trees, with large vineyards to them. The Chili wine, in my opinion, is full as good as Madeira, and made in such quant.i.ties that it is sold extremely cheap. The soil of this country is so fertile, that the husbandmen have very little trouble, for they do but in a manner scratch up the ground, and without any kind of manure it yields an hundred fold.

Without doubt the wheat of Chili is the finest in the world, and the fruits are all excellent in their kinds. Beef and mutton are so cheap, that you may have a good cow for three dollars, and a fat sheep for two s.h.i.+llings.

Their horses are extraordinary good; and though some of them go at a great price, you may have a very good one for four dollars, or about eighteen s.h.i.+llings of our money.

It must be a very poor Indian who has not his four or five horses; and there are no better hors.e.m.e.n in the world than the Chileans, and that is not surprising, for they never chuse to go a hundred yards on foot. They have always their laco fixed to their saddle: the laco is a long thong of leather, at the end of which they make a sliding noose. It is of more general use to them than any weapon whatever, for with this they are sure of catching either horse or wild bull, upon full gallop, by any foot they please. Their horses are all trained to this, and the moment they find the thong straitened, as the other end is always made fast to the saddle, the horse immediately turns short, and throwing the beast thus caught, the huntsman wounds or secures him in what manner he thinks proper. These people are so dexterous, that they will take from the ground a glove or handkerchief while their horse is upon full stretch; and I have seen them jump upon the back of the wildest bull, and all the efforts of the beast could not throw them. This country produces all sorts of metals; it is famous for gold, silver, iron, tin, lead, and quicksilver; but some of these they do not understand working, especially quicksilver. With copper they supply all Peru, and send likewise a great deal to Europe.

The climate of Chili is, I believe, the finest in the world. What they call their winter does not last three months, and even that is very moderate, as may be imagined by their manner of building, for they have no chimneys in their houses. All the rest of the year is delightful, for though, from ten or eleven in the morning till five in the afternoon, it is very hot, yet the evenings and mornings are very cool and pleasant; and in the hottest time of the year, it is from six in the evening till two or three in the morning that the people of this country meet to divert themselves with music and other entertainments, at which there is plenty of cooling liquors, as they are well supplied with ice from the neighbouring Cordilleras. At these a.s.semblies many intrigues are carried on: for they think of nothing else throughout the year.

Their fandangoes are very agreeable; the women dance inimitably well, and very gracefully. They are all born with an ear for music, and most of them have delightful voices, and all play upon the guitar and harp. The latter, at first, appears a very awkward instrument for a woman, yet that prejudice is soon got over, and they far excel any other nation upon it. They are extremely complaisant and polite; and when asked either to play, dance, or sing, they do it without a moment's hesitation, and that with an exceeding good grace. They have many figure-dances, but what they take most delight in, are more like our hornpipes than any thing else I can compare them to; and upon these occasions they shew surprising activity. The women are remarkably handsome, and very extravagant in their dress. Their hair, which is as thick as is possible to be conceived, they wear of a vast length, without any other ornament upon the head than a few flowers; they plait it behind in four plaits, and twist them round a bodkin, at each end of which is a diamond rose. Their s.h.i.+fts are all over lace, as is a little tight waistcoat they wear over them. Their petticoats are open before, and lap over, and have commonly three rows of very rich lace of gold or silver. In winter, they have an upper waistcoat of cloth of gold or silver, and in summer, of the finest linen, covered all over with the finest Flanders lace. The sleeves of these are immensely wide. Over all this, when the air is cool, they have a mantle, which is only of bays, of the finest colours, round which there is abundance of lace. When they go abroad, they wear a veil, which is so contrived that one eye is only seen. Their feet are very small, and they value themselves as much upon it as the Chinese do. Their shoes are pinked and cut; their stockings silk, with gold and silver cloaks; and they love to have the end of an embroidered garter hang a little below the petticoat. Their b.r.e.a.s.t.s and shoulders are very naked; and, indeed, you may easily discern their whole shape by their manner of dress. They have fine sparkling eyes, ready wit, a great deal of good nature, and a strong disposition to gallantry.

By the description of one house you have an idea of all the rest. You first come into a large court, on one side of which is the stable: you then enter a hall; on one side of that is a large room, about twenty feet wide, and near forty feet long: that side next the window is the estrado, which runs the whole length of the room. The estrado is a platform, raised about five or six inches above the fioor, and is covered with carpets and velvet cus.h.i.+ons for the women to sit on, which they do, after the Moorish fas.h.i.+on, cross-legged. The chairs for the men are covered with printed leather. At the end of the estrado, there is an alcove, where the bed stands; and there is always a vast deal of the sheets hanging out, with a profusion of lace to them, and the same on the pillows. They have a false door to the alcove, which sometimes is very convenient. Besides, there are generally two other rooms, one within another, and the kitchen and other offices are detached from the house, either at one side, or at the end of the garden.

The ladies are fond of having their Mulatto female slaves dressed almost as well as themselves in every respect, excepting jewels, in which they indulge themselves to the utmost extravagance. Paraguay tea, which they call matte, as I mentioned before, is always drunk twice a day: this is brought upon a large silver salver, with four legs raised upon it, to receive a little cup made out of a small calabash or gourd, and tipped with silver. They put the herb first into this, and add what sugar they please, and a little orange juice; and then pour hot water on them, and drink it immediately through the conveyance of a long silver tube, at the end of which there is a round strainer, to prevent the herb getting through. And here it is reckoned a piece of politeness for the lady to suck the tube two or three times first, and then give it the stranger to drink without wiping it. They eat every thing so highly seasoned with red pepper, that those who are not used to it, upon the first mouthful would imagine their throats on fire for an hour afterwards; and it is a common custom here, though you have the greatest plenty at your own table, to have two or three Mulatto girls come in at the time you dine, bringing, in a little silver plate, some of these high-seasoned ragouts, with a compliment from Donna such-a- one, who desires you will eat a little bit of what she has sent you, which must be done before her Mulatto's face, or it would be deemed a great affront. Had this been the fas.h.i.+on at Chiloe, we should never have offended; but sometimes here we could have wished this ceremony omitted.

The president never asked any of us a second time to his table. He expected us once a fortnight to be at his levee, which we never failed, and he always received us very politely. He was a man of a very amiable character, and much respected by every body in Chili, and some time after we left that country was appointed viceroy of Peru.

CHAPTER IX.

Account of the Bull Feasts and other Amus.e.m.e.nts.--Occurrences during nearly two Years Residence.--In December, 1744, we embark for Europe in the Lys French Frigate.--The Vessel leaky.--Dangerous Voyage.--Narrow Escape from English Cruizers.--Arrival in England.--Conclusion.

We had leave, whenever we asked it, to make an excursion into the country for ten or twelve days at a time, which we did sometimes to a very pleasant spot belonging to Don Joseph Dunose, a French gentleman, and a very sensible well-bred man, who had married a very agreeable lady at St Jago, with a good fortune. We also sometimes had invitations from the Spaniards to their country houses. We had a numerous acquaintance in the city, and in general received many civilities from the inhabitants. There are a great many people of fas.h.i.+on, and very good families from Old Spain settled here.

A lady lived next door to us, whose name was Donna Francisca Giron; and as my name sounded something like it, she would have it that we were parientes. She had a daughter, a very fine young woman, who both played and sung remarkably well: she was reckoned the finest voice in St Jago. They saw a great deal of company, and we were welcome to her house whenever we pleased. We were a long time in this country, but we pa.s.sed it very agreeably. The president alone goes with four horses to his coach; but the common vehicle here is a calash, or kind of vis-a-vis, drawn by one mule only.

Bull-feasts are a common diversion here, and surpa.s.s any thing of that kind I ever saw at Lisbon, or any where else. Indeed, it is amazing to see the activity and dexterity of those who attack the bulls. It is always done here by those only who follow it as a trade, for it is too dangerous to be practised as a diversion; as a proof of which, it is found, that though some may hold out longer than others, there are few who constantly practise it that die a natural death. The bulls are always the wildest that can be brought in from the mountains or forests, and have nothing on their horns to prevent their piercing a man at the first stroke, as they have at Lisbon. I have seen a man, when the bull came at him with the utmost fury, spring directly over the beast's head, and perform this feat several times, and at last jump on his back, and there sit a considerable time, the bull the whole time attempting every means to throw him. But though this pract.i.tioner was successful, several accidents happened while I was there.

The ladies, at these feasts, are always dressed as fine as possible; and, I imagine, go rather to be admired than to receive any amus.e.m.e.nt from a sight that one should think would give them pain.

Another amus.e.m.e.nt for the ladies here, are the nights of their great processions, when they go out veiled; and in that dress, they amuse themselves in talking to people much in the manner that is done at our masquerades. One night in Lent, as I was standing close to the houses while the procession went by, and having nothing but a thin waistcoat on under my cloak, and happening to have my arm out, a lady came by, and gave me a pinch with so good a will, that I thought she had taken the piece out; and, indeed, I carried the marks for a long time after. I durst not take the least notice of this at the time, for had I made any disturbance, I should have been knocked on the head. This kind lady immediately after mixed with the crowd, and I never could find out who had done me that favour. I have seen fifty or sixty penitents following these processions; they wear a long white garment with a long train to it, and high caps of the same, which fall down before and cover all their faces, having only two small holes for their eyes, so that they are never known. Their backs are bare, and they lash themselves with a cat-o'-nine-tails till the long train behind is covered all over with blood. Others follow them with great heavy crosses upon their backs, so that they groan under the weight as they walk barefooted, and often faint away. The streets swarm with friars of all the different orders. The president has always a guard at his palace regularly clothed. The rest of their forces consists of militia, who are numerous.

All European goods are very dear. English cloth of fourteen or fifteen s.h.i.+llings a yard, sells there for ten or eleven dollars, and every other article in proportion. We found many Spaniards here that had been taken by Commodore Anson, and had been for some time prisoners on board the Centurion.. They all spoke in the highest terms of the kind treatment they had received; and it is natural to imagine, that it was chiefly owing to that laudable example of humanity our reception here was so good. They had never had any thing but privateers and buccaneers amongst them before, who handled their prisoners very roughly, so that the Spaniards in general, both of Peru and Chili, had the greatest dread of being taken by the English; but some of them told us, that they were so happy on board the Centurion, that they should not have been sorry if the commodore had taken them with him to England.

After we had been here some time, Mr Campbell changed his religion, and of course left us. At the end of two years, the president sent for us, and informed us a French s.h.i.+p from Lima, bound to Spain, had put into Valparaiso, and that we should embark in her. After taking leave of our good friend Mr Gedd, and all our acquaintance at St Jago, we set out for Valparaiso, mules and a guide being provided for us. I had forgot to say before, that Captain Cheap had been allowed by the president six reals a day, and we had four for our maintenance the whole time we were at St Jago, which money we took up as we wanted it. Our journey back was much pleasanter than we found it when we were first brought hither, as we had now no mules to drive. The first person I met, upon our entrance into Valparaiso, was the poor soldier whom I mentioned to have been so kind to us when we were imprisoned in the fort. I now made him a little present, which, as it came quite unexpected, made him very happy. We took lodgings till the s.h.i.+p was ready to sail, and diverted ourselves as we pleased, having the good fortune, at this time, to have nothing to do with the governor or his fort. The town is but a poor little place; there are, indeed, a good many storehouses built by the water-side for the reception of goods from the s.h.i.+pping.

About the 20th of December, 1744, we embarked on board the Lys frigate, belonging to St Malo. She was a s.h.i.+p of four hundred and twenty tons, sixteen guns, and sixty men. She had several pa.s.sengers on board, and amongst the rest Don George Juan, a man of very superior abilities, (and since that time well known in England) who, with Don Antonio Ulloa, had been several years in Peru, upon a design of measuring some degrees of the meridian near the equator. We were now bound to Conception, in order to join three other French s.h.i.+ps that were likewise bound home. As this was a time of the year when the southerly winds prevailed upon this coast, we stood off a long way to the westward, making the island of Juan Fernandez.

We did not get into the Bay of Conception till the 6th of January, 1745, where we anch.o.r.ed at Talcaguana, and there found the Louis Erasme, the Marquis d'Antin, and the Delivrance, the three French s.h.i.+ps that we were to accompany. It is but sixty leagues from Valparaiso to Conception, though we had been so long making this pa.s.sage; but there is no beating up, near the sh.o.r.e, against the southerly wind, which is the trade at this season, as you are sure to have a lee-current; so that the quickest way of making a pa.s.sage is to stand off a hundred and twenty or thirty leagues from the land.

The Bay of Conception is a large fine bay, but there are several shoals in it, and only two good anchoring places, though a s.h.i.+p may anchor within a quarter of a league of the town, but this only in the very fine months, as you lay much exposed. The best anchoring-place is Talcaguana, the southernmost neck of the bay, in five or six fathom water, good holding ground, and where you are sheltered from the northerly winds. The town has no other defence but a low battery, which only commands the anchoring-place before it. The country is extremely pleasant, and affords the greatest plenty of provisions of all kinds. In some excursions we made daily from Talcaguana, we saw great numbers of very large snakes, but we were told they were quite harmless.

I have read some former accounts of Chili, by the Jesuits, wherein they tell you that no venomous creature is to be found in it, and that they even made the experiment of bringing bugs here, which died immediately, but I never was in any place that swarmed with them so much as St Jago; and they have a large spider there, whose bite is so venomous, that I have seen from it some of the most shocking sights I ever saw in my life; and it certainly proves mortal, if proper remedies are not applied in time. I was once bit by one on the cheek whilst asleep, and presently after all that part of my face turned as black as ink. I was cured-by the application of a bluish kind of stone (the same, perhaps, they call the serpent-stone in the East Indies, and which is a composition.) The stone stuck for some time of itself on my face, and dropping off, was put into milk till it had digested the poison it had extracted, and then applied again till the pain abated, and I was soon afterwards well.

Whilst the s.h.i.+ps remained at Conception, the people were employed in killing of cattle and salting them for the voyage, and every s.h.i.+p took on board as many bullocks and sheep as their decks could well hold, and having completed their business here, they sailed the 27th of January; but about eight days after our s.h.i.+p sprung a very dangerous leak forward, but so low, that there was no possibility of stopping it without returning into port, and lightening her till they could come at it. Accordingly we separated from the other s.h.i.+ps, and made the best of our way for Valparaiso, keeping all hands at the pump night and day, pa.s.sengers and all. However, as it happened, this proved a lucky circ.u.mstance for the Lys, as the three other s.h.i.+ps were taken, and which certainly would have been her fate likewise had she kept company with the rest. As soon as we got into port, they lightened the s.h.i.+p forwards, and brought her by the stern till they came at the leak, which was soon, stopped. They made all the dispatch possible in completing the water again. Whilst at Valparaiso, we had one of the most violent shocks of an earthquake that we had ever felt yet.

On the first of March we put to sea again, the season being already far advanced for pa.s.sing Cape Horn. The next day we went to an allowance of a quart of water a day for each man, which continued the whole pa.s.sage. We were obliged to stand a long way to the westward, and went to the northward of Juan Fernandez above a degree, before we had a wind that we could make any southing with. On the 25th, in the lat.i.tude of 46 degrees, we met with a violent hard gale at west, which obliged us to lie-to under a reefed mainsail for some days, and before we got round the cape, we had many very hard gales, with a prodigious sea and constant thick snow; and after being so long in so delightful a climate as Chili, the cold was almost insupportable. After doubling the cape, we got but slowly to the northward; and indeed, at the best of times, the s.h.i.+p never went above six knots, for she was a heavy-going thing. On the 27th of May we crossed the Line, when finding that our water was grown extremely short, and that it would be almost impossible to reach Europe without a supply, it was resolved to bear away for Martinico. On the 29th of June, in the morning, we made the island of Tobago, and then shaped a course for Martinico, and on the first of July, by our reckonings, expected to see it, but were disappointed. This was imputed to the currents, which, whether they had set the s.h.i.+p to the eastward or westward, n.o.body could tell; but, upon looking over the charts, it was imagined, if the current had driven her to the westward, it must have been among the Granadillos, which was thought impossible without seeing any of them, as they are so near together, and a most dangerous place for rocks. It was then concluded we were to the eastward, and accordingly we steered S.W. by W.; but having run this course for above thirty leagues, and no land appearing, it was resolved to stand to the northward till we should gain the lat.i.tude of Porto Rico, and on the 4th in the evening we made that island, so that it was now certain the s.h.i.+p had been hustled through the Granadillos in the night, which was, without doubt, as extraordinary a pa.s.sage as ever s.h.i.+p made.

It was now resolved to go between the islands of Porto Rico and St. Domingo for Cape Francois, therefore we lay-to that night. In the morning, we made sail along sh.o.r.e; and about ten o'clock, as I was walking the quarter-deck, Captain Cheap came out of the cabin, and told me he had just seen a beef- barrel go by the s.h.i.+p, that he was sure it had but lately been thrown overboard, and that he would venture any wager we saw an English cruizer before long. In about half an hour after, we saw two sail to leeward from, off the quarter-deck, for they kept no look-out from the mast-head, and we presently observed they were in chace of us. The French and Spaniards on board now began to grow a good deal alarmed, when it fell stark calm, but not before the s.h.i.+ps had neared us so much, that we plainly discerned them to be English men of war, the one a two-decker, the other a twenty-gun s.h.i.+p. The French had now thoughts, when a breeze should spring up, of running the s.h.i.+p on sh.o.r.e upon Porto Rico; but when they came to consider what a set of banditti inhabited that island, and that in all probability they would have their throats cut for the sake of plundering the wreck, they were resolved to take their chance, and stand to the northward between the two islands.

In the evening, a fresh breeze sprung up, and we shaped a course accordingly. The two s.h.i.+ps had it presently afterwards, and neared us amazingly fast. Now every body on board gave themselves up; the officers were busy in their cabins filling their pockets with what was most valuable; the men put on their best clothes, and many of them came to me with little lumps of gold, desiring I would take them, as they said they had much rather I should benefit by them, whom they were acquainted with, than those that chaced them. I told them there was time enough, though I thought they were as surely taken as if the English had been already on board. A fine moonlight night came on, and we expected every moment to see the s.h.i.+ps alongside of us; but we saw nothing of them in the night, and to our great astonishment in the morning no s.h.i.+ps were to be seen even from the mast-head. Thus did these two cruizers lose one of the richest prizes by not chasing an hour or two longer. There were near two millions of dollars on board, besides a valuable cargo.

On the eighth, at six in the morning, we were off Cape La Grange; and, what is very remarkable, the French at Cape Francois told us afterwards that was the only day they ever remembered since the war, that the cape had been without one or two English privateers cruising off it; and but the evening before two of them had taken two outward-bound St Domingo-men, and had gone with them for Jamaica, so that this s.h.i.+p might be justly esteemed a most lucky one. In the afternoon we came to an anchor in Cape Francois harbour.

In this long run we had not buried a single man, nor do I remember that there was one sick the whole pa.s.sage, but at this place many were taken ill, and three or four died, for there is no part of the West Indies more unhealthy than this; yet the country is beautiful, and extremely well cultivated. After being here some time, the governor ordered us to wait upon him, which we did, when he took no more notice of us than if we had been his slaves, never asking us even to sit down.

Towards the end of August, a French squadron of five men of war came in, commanded by Monsieur L'Etanducre, who were to convoy the trade to France.

Neither he nor his officers ever took any kind of notice of Captain Cheap, though we met them every day ash.o.r.e. One evening, as we were going aboard with the captain of our s.h.i.+p, a mids.h.i.+pman belonging to Monsieur L'Etanducre jumped into our boat, and ordered the people to carry him on board the s.h.i.+p he belonged to, leaving us to wait upon the beach for two hours before the boat returned.

On the sixth of September, we put to sea, in company with the five men of war and about fifty sail of merchantmen. On the eighth, we made the Cayco Grande; and the next day a Jamaica privateer, a large fine sloop, hove in sight, keeping a little to windward of the convoy, resolving to pick up one or two of them in the night if possible. This obliged Monsieur L'Etanducre to send a frigate to speak to all the convoy, and order them to keep close to him in the night, which they did, and in such a manner, that sometimes seven or eight of them were on board one another together, by which they received much damage; and to repair which, the whole squadron was obliged to lay-to sometimes for a whole day. The privateer kept her station, jogging on with the fleet. At last, the commodore ordered two of his best going s.h.i.+ps to chace her. She appeared to take no notice of them till they were pretty near her, and then would make sail and be out of sight presently. The chacing s.h.i.+ps no sooner returned, than the privateer was in company again.

As by this every night some accident happened to some of the convoy by keeping so close together, a fine s.h.i.+p of thirty guns belonging to Ma.r.s.eilles, hauled out a little to windward of the rest of the fleet, which L'Etanducre perceiving in the morning, ordered the frigate to bring the captain of her on board of him; and then making a signal for all the convoy to close to him, he fired a gun, and hoisted a red flag at the ensign staff, and immediately after the captain of the merchantman was run up to the main-yard-arm, and from thence ducked three times. He was then sent on board his s.h.i.+p again, with orders to keep his colours flying the whole day, in order to distinguish him from the rest. We were then told, that the person who was treated in this cruel manner was a young man of an exceeding good family in the south of France, and likewise a man of great spirit, and that he would not fail to call Monsieur L'Etanducre to an account when an opportunity should offer; and the affair made much noise in France afterwards. One day, the s.h.i.+p we were in happened to be out of her station, by sailing so heavily, when the commodore made the signal to speak to our captain, who seemed frightened out of his wits. When we came near him, he began with the grossest abuse, threatening our captain, that if ever he was out of his station again, he would serve him as he had done the other. This rigid discipline, however, preserved the convoy; for though the privateer kept company a long time, she was not so fortunate as to meet with the reward of her perseverance.

On the 27th of October, in the evening, we made Cape Ortegal, and on the 31st came to an anchor in Brest road. The Lys, having so valuable a cargo on board, was towed into the harbour next morning, and lashed alongside one of their men of war. The money was soon landed; and the officers and men, who had been so many years absent from their native country, were glad to get on sh.o.r.e. n.o.body remained on board but a man or two to look after the s.h.i.+p, and we three English prisoners, who had no leave to go ash.o.r.e. The weather was extremely cold, and felt particularly so to us, who had been so long used to hot climates; and what made it still worse, we were very thinly clad. We had neither fire nor candle, for they were allowed on board of no s.h.i.+p in the harbour for fear of accidents, being close to their magazines in the dock-yard. Some of the officers belonging to the s.h.i.+p were so kind as to send us off victuals every day, or we might have starved, for Monsieur L'Intendant never sent us even a message; and though there was a very large squadron of men of war fitting out at that time, not one officer belonging to them ever came near Captain Cheap. From five in the evening we were obliged to sit in the dark; and if we chose to have any supper, it was necessary to place it very near us before that time, or we never could have found it.

We had pa.s.sed seven or eight days in this melancholy manner, when one morning a kind of row-galley came alongside with a number of English prisoners belonging to two large privateers the French had taken. We were ordered into the same boat with them, and were carried four leagues up the river to Landernaw. At this town we were upon our parole, so took the best lodgings we could get, and lived very well for three months, when an order came from the court of Spain to allow us to return home by the first s.h.i.+p that offered. Upon this, hearing there was a Dutch s.h.i.+p at Morlaix ready to sail, we took horses and travelled to that town, where we were obliged to remain six weeks before we had an opportunity of getting away. At last we agreed with the master of a Dutch dogger to land us at Dover, and paid him beforehand.

When we had got down the river into the road, a French privateer that was almost ready to sail upon a cruize, hailed the Dutchman, and told him to come to an anchor, and that if he offered to sail before him he would sink him. This he was forced to comply with, and lay three days in the road, cursing the Frenchman, who at the end of that time put to sea, and then we were at liberty to do the same. We had a long uncomfortable pa.s.sage. About the ninth day, before sunset, we saw Dover, and reminded the Dutchman of his agreement to land us there. He said he would, but instead of that in the morning we were off the coast of France. We complained loudly of this piece of villainy, and insisted upon his returning to land us, when an English man of war appeared to windward, and presently bore down, to us.

She sent her boat on board with an officer, who informed us that the s.h.i.+p he came from was the Squirrel, commanded by Captain Masterton. We went on board of her, and Captain Masterton immediately sent one of the cutters he had with him to land us at Dover, where we arrived that afternoon, and directly set out for Canterbury upon post-horses; but Captain Cheap was so tired by the time he got there, that he could proceed no farther that night.

The next morning he still found himself so much fatigued, that he could ride no longer; therefore it was agreed that he and Mr Hamilton should take a post-chaise, and that I should ride: but here an unlucky difficulty was started, for upon sharing the little money we had, it was found to be not sufficient to pay the charges to London; and my proportion fell so short, that it was, by calculation, barely enough to pay for horses, without a farthing for eating a bit upon the road, or even for the very turnpikes.

Those I was obliged to defraud, by riding as hard as I could through them all, not paying the least regard to the men, who called out to stop me. The want of refreshment I bore as well as I could.