We
First Tried Narborough Island, But Finding The Road Unsafe, Sailed For
The Mouth Of St Domingo River On The Continent, Where We Had
Twenty-Eight Fathoms, Shoaling As We Advanced From Eighteen To Less Than
Five As Fast As A Man Could Heave The Lead.
Finding this place too
hazardous, we stood out to sea, and were blown farther north than we
designed.
Being greatly at a loss where to procure wood and water, one
Joseph de la Fontaine, a Frenchman, proposed going to the island of
Chiloe, assuring us that the towns of Chaiao and Calibuco, the
former on the island and the latter on the continent, were rich places,
where we could not fail of procuring whatever we wanted. Cliacao was, he
said, the usual residence of the governor, and at Calibuco was a wealthy
college of Jesuits, having considerable magazines, always well stocked
with provisions of all kinds. This person at the same time insinuated
among the people, that our expedition would probably turn out
unfortunate, if we passed this place, as Captain Clipperton must by this
time have alarmed the coast, in consequence of which there would be an
embargo on all ships trading to leeward.
My chief inducement for making an attempt on Chiloe was to procure such
additional supply of provisions, as might enable us, in case the coast
were already alarmed, to retire to some unfrequented island, to remain
till the Spaniards should suppose we had abandoned the South Sea; after
which we could resume our cruize, when they were under no apprehensions
of being molested.
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