For This His
Only Excuse, After He Came On Board, Was, That He Did Not Mind Her;
Though Our Boat's Crew Said She Was Full Of Men.
On the 26th about noon, Mr Brooks brought down the prize, and anchored
about half a mile short of us.
The boatswain of this prize had not been
two hours in the Speed-well, till he told us of a vessel, laden with
wine, brandy, and other valuable things, riding at anchor in the Bay of
Herradura, about two leagues to the north of us, and bound for Chiloe.
On receiving this information, I ordered Mr Randal, my second
lieutenant, with twenty five men, to go in the Mercury, which name we
gave to the captured flour bark, and, accompanied by the Spanish
boatswain of the other prize, to go in search of the vessel in the Bay
of Herradura, with positive orders not to land or to make any other
hazardous attempt. But they returned next evening with the following
melancholy story.
On getting into the bay, they found the vessel hauled dry ashore, when
Randal ordered his people to land and bring away what they could find in
her, while he and three or four more kept the bark afloat. The people
found the bark empty, but seeing a small house hard by, they suspected
her cargo might be lodged there, and the inferior officer along with
them ordered them to examine that house. The poor fellows went
accordingly, without any officer at their head, and without any regard
to order, every one endeavouring to be foremost.
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