She Was Called The Francisco Palacio, Of 700 Tons, 8 Guns,
And 10 Patereroes, With A Great Number Of Men,
And well provided with
small arms; but was so deeply laden that, in rolling, the water ran over
her deck
And out at her scuppers; indeed she had more the appearance of
an ill-contrived floating castle, than of a ship, according to the
present fashion of Europe. Thus we had the misfortune, on this forlorn
voyage, to meet with the two best equipped and armed private ships at
that time in the South Sea. In this action we had not above twenty
fire-arms that were of any use, owing to the improvidence of our people
at Juan Fernandez; yet were they so impatient of this disappointment,
that some of them were for immediately surrendering to the enemy. To
prevent this, I ordered four men whom I thought I could trust to take
the charge of our two boats; but two of these went away with the best
boat, and my first lieutenant and Morphew plotted to have gone away with
the other, but were hindered by blowing weather, and so weak was my
authority that I was forced to dissemble.
Next day we stood into the road of Pisco, where we saw a very fine ship,
and resolved immediately to board her; and to our great satisfaction,
the captain and his people met us with their hats off, beseeching us to
give them quarter. This was a good ship, of about 200 tons, called the
Jesu Maria, almost laden with pitch, tar, copper, and plank, but nothing
else.
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