Mr Randall Sent
The Most Considerable Of The Prisoners On Board My Ship, Who Informed Me
Their Vessel Was La
Conception de Receva, belonging to Calao, but last
from Guanchaco, of 200 tons burden, laden with flour, loaves of sugar,
Boxes of marmalade, and jars of preserved peaches, grapes, limes, and
such like. She mounted six guns, and carried above seventy men, being
one of the ships that had been fitted out and commissioned purposely to
take us; so that she was the second of these armed merchantmen we had
taken. In this engagement, the Spanish captain and one negro were
killed, and one or two slightly wounded; but their masts, sails, and
rigging were much shattered. On our part, the gunner only was slightly
wounded, and a small piece was carried out of the side of our main-mast.
We had now above eighty prisoners of all sorts, and not exceeding
twenty-six of ourselves. When the Spanish gentlemen came off board, they
would not give me time to ask the reason of not hearkening to our
peaceable offers; but immediately laid the whole blame on their dead
captain, Don Joseph Desorio, who vowed he would listen to no terms but
his own, and was resolved to take us by force. There were several
persons of note among our prisoners, particularly Don Baltazzar de
Abarca, Conde de la Rosa, an European nobleman, who had been governor of
Pisco on the coast of Peru, and was now on his return for Spain; also a
Captain Morell, who had been formerly taken by Captain Rogers; and
several others. We treated them all with the utmost civility, at which
they wondered; because, from prejudice against our cruizers, and
conviction of their own harsh behaviour towards their prisoners, they
expected to have been dealt with very roughly.
In the situation where we now lay, we were in the track of all the ships
bound for Panama, not above thirty miles from that place, our numbers
being very few, and even part of our crew sick. For these reasons we
were as expeditious as possible in examining the contents of our new
prize, and removing them into our own ship; and, though the far greater
part of the work was done by our prisoners, it took us full two days.
Owing to this, and to faint winds and calms, we did not rejoin our bark
till the 22d. As we bore down towards her, and came pretty near, we were
astonished to see her broach to and fall off again, though all her sails
were set; and, what amazed us still more, we could not see any person on
her deck. I sent the boat on board, and the officer immediately called
out to me, that there was not a man on board, but that all her decks and
quarters were covered with blood. By this melancholy appearance, it
seemed evident that the Spaniards had overpowered and murdered my four
men who were sent to assist them, doubtless taking the opportunity of my
men being asleep: Yet it is probable the murderers lost their own lives;
for, being four leagues from land, and having no boat, they probably
jumped into the sea on the re-appearance of our ship, thinking to swim
to land, and met the death they so justly merited.
This tragical affair spoiled the satisfaction we had enjoyed for two
days past, on account of our prize, and raised an universal melancholy
among us. On seeing this sudden change, our prisoners became much
alarmed, looking at each other, as if fearful we might revenge on them
the fate of our unhappy companions: And, on my side, I became alarmed
lest their dreadful apprehensions might stir them up to some desperate
attempt, they being eighty in number, while we were not at this time
above seventeen on board, and when altogether only twenty-five that
could stand on our legs. I was therefore compelled to appear somewhat
stern, in ordering all our prisoners into the stern gallery, except the
nobleman and a few of the chiefs, while we kept a strict guard in the
great cabin. The Spanish gentlemen lamented the murder of our men, and
their own hard fate, in having been in some measure witnesses, and let
fall some expressions, by which I perceived they were afraid I meant to
shew some severities to their people on this occasion. Having a good
interpreter between us, I assured them I was not of any such revengeful
disposition, and besides, that the laws of my country would restrain me,
if I were, as I acted by my king's commission, whose orders strictly
forbid all acts of inhumanity or oppression towards our prisoners; on
which assurance they might rest satisfied of their safety. In reply to
this, they begged me to think myself secure, as to themselves and
countrymen, now my prisoners, declaring on their honour that they would
make no attempt against us, and that they could never make a sufficient
return for the generous treatment I had given them. Notwithstanding this
declaration, I took measures to secure our numerous prisoners of the
meaner sort; for which purpose, after taking out of the Holy Sacrament
all her jerked beef that remained fit for use, I placed them in that
vessel, under the command of Espina, former commander of the Conception
after the death of Desorio.
Next day, being as willing to get rid of them, as they were to get back
their own ship, I took every thing out of the Conception that could be
of use to us, sufficient for twelve months provisions of bread, flour,
sugar, and sweetmeats,[278] both for ourselves and the Success, which we
expected to meet with at the Tres Marias. I took also away her launch
and negroes, the latter to assist us in working our ship, not having
sufficient strength to manage her in the long run before us of 175
degrees. I then delivered up the Conception to Espina and the rest,
after being three days in our possession:
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