This Man Therefore Advised My People To Endeavour To Prevail
On Me To Make The Best Of My Way To
Conception, before the governor of
Chiloe could send our deserter thither; after which all the coast would
be alarmed, and
We should have no opportunity of meeting with any thing
till the Spaniards had imagined we were gone from the South Sea.
In similar cases, all are fond of delivering their sentiments; and, as
it is impossible to keep a ship's company in so much awe in so remote a
part as in short voyages, my men did not fail to speak their minds
somewhat insolently. One William Morphew, who had been in these seas
several years, took upon him to tell me, that it did not signify much if
we arrived two or three days sooner or later at Juan Fernandez. He said
also, that I was a stranger here, but the Frenchman and he were well
acquainted with these seas, and every body hoped I would be advised to
go to Conception; hoping I would not put a mere punctilious adherence to
orders in balance against so fair a prospect, or almost certainty of
success, if we arrived there in time. In short, they all assured me that
they had the interest of the proprietors in view, as much as their own,
and that they would perish sooner than injure them in any respect. They
said at the same time, if I had not success in my proceedings nobody
could be blamed but myself, and entreated me not to let slip this
opportunity, in which they would stand by me with all fidelity.
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