A Farther Squadron, Of
Similar Force, Was Also Said To Be In Preparation At Calao De Lima.
In
consequence of this intelligence, the Dutch gunners were ordered to have
every thing in readiness for battle, rules of military discipline were
established, and each ship and every person received distinct orders for
conducting the expected battle, in which it was resolved to conquer or
die.
Sailing from the island of St Mary on the 1st June, 1615, they passed
not far from the town of Aurora,[93] where the Spaniards kept a
garrison of 500 men, which were continually disquieted by the
unconquered natives of Chili. On the 3d they came to the island of
Quinquirina, within which is the town of Conception, inhabited by many
Indians and about 200 Spaniards. The 12th they entered the safe and
commodious road of Valparaiso, in which was a Spanish ship, but which
was set on fire by its own mariners, who escaped on shore. The 13th at
noon, they were in lat. 32 deg. 15' S.[94] and in the afternoon came into
the fair and secure harbour of Quintero. Here they took in wood and
water, and caught abundance of fish. But they found the inhabitants
every where aware of them, and prepared to receive them, so that nothing
of any importance could be effected. They came next to Arica in lat.
12 deg. 40' S.[95] to which place the silver is brought from the mines of
Potosi, whence it is shipped for Panama. Finding no ships there, they
proceeded along the coast, and took a small ship on the 16th, in which
was some treasure, but it was mostly embezzled by the sailors.
[Footnote 93: Arauco, a fortress on the northern frontier of the
independent country of Araucania, but somewhat inland, not far to the
N.E. of the island of St Mary. - E.]
[Footnote 94: Quintero is in lat. 32 deg. 44' S.]
[Footnote 95: This is a great error, as Arica is in lat 18 deg. 28' S.]
They soon after had sight of eight ships, which the master of the prize
said were the royal fleet sent out in search of the Hollanders, contrary
to the opinion of the council of Peru; but Dou Rodrigo de Mendoza, the
Spanish admiral, a kinsman to the viceroy, insisted on putting to sea,
alleging that two even of his ships could take all England, and much
more those hens of Holland, who must be spent and wasted by so long a
voyage, and would assuredly yield at first sight. On this, the viceroy
gave him leave to depart, with orders to bring all the Hollanders in
chains. Mendoza then swore that he would never return till the
Hollanders were all taken or slain, and set sail from Calao, the haven
of Lima, on the 11th July. The flag ship was the Jesu Maria, of
twenty-four brass guns and 460 men, which was said to have cost the king
158,000 ducats.
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