Meaning To Pass Upon Him For A French Captain Well Known
In These Seas, I Ordered None Of My People To Appear On Deck But Such As
Could Speak French Or Spanish, And Hoisted French Colours.
When the
officer came on board, I told him my ship was the St Rose,
homeward-bound, that my name was Janis le Breton, and that I entreated
the governor to spare me what provisions he could conveniently afford,
that being my only business on the coast.
The officer heard me with much
civility, seeming to give implicit credit to all I said; even staid on
board all night, and went away next morning, to all appearance well
satisfied.
On the 5th in the morning, two boats came towards us full of armed men;
but, after taking a view of us, went to a small island in the mouth of
the harbour. On the 6th we saw a white flag hoisted on shore, to which I
sent my launch completely manned and armed, but they found no person
near the flag, to the shaft of which a letter was fastened, and a dozen
hams lying close by. The letter was from Don Nicholas Salvo, governor
of Chiloe, intimating strong doubts of our ship being the St Rose,
complaining of the behaviour of the people in our pinnace, and desiring
me to leave the coast. I returned an answer in as proper terms as I
could devise, and next morning had another letter, couched in the utmost
civility, but absolutely refusing me any refreshments, and demanding the
restitution of the Indians said to have been made prisoners by our
pinnace.
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