Mr Taylor And His Company Arrived At The English Factory In Canton On
The 4th November, Where They Were Well Received, And Promised All
Assistance For Getting Home.
There were at this time ships ready to
sail, first for several ports in India and then for Europe.
The captains
of these vessels, on being solicited by the gentlemen of the factory to
take Captain Clipperton's men on board, agreed to carry them for five
pounds a man, which they all accordingly paid, esteeming it a very great
favour. Mr Taylor and two or three more embarked in the Maurice, Captain
Peacock, then riding at Wanapo, [Wampoa,] about three leagues below
Canton, the place where European ships lie; and the rest of the company
were distributed among the other ships. They sailed on the 9th, in
company with the Macclesfield, an English East-Indiaman, and the
House-of-Austria, belonging to Ostend. Mr Taylor arrived safely at
Batavia in the month of December; sailed thence by the Cape and St
Helena, and arrived in London in May 1722. The rest of the company
returned also, some sooner and some later.
As for Captain Mitchell, who was sent to Brazil with a small crew, he
was never more heard of, having probably been destroyed at the island
of Velas, where he went ashore to procure fresh provisions. This has
generally been considered as the greatest blemish in the management of
Captain Clipperton, but I confess without just cause, in my opinion; as
the great stress laid on that measure by Captain Rogers, might very well
have induced Captain Clipperton to try what might be done in this way,
especially as his owners had very strongly recommended the account of
Captain Rogers to be his rule and guide.
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