Dampier
Published An Account Of This Voyage, To Be Found In A Collection Of
Voyages, In Four Volumes 8vo, Printed At London In 1729, For James And
John Knapton, And Which Have Been Used In Preparing The Present Relation
Of This Voyage For The Press.
- E.
* * * * *
The adventures of the Buccaneers of America, however blameable, will
render these men ever famous by their wonderful exploits. They usually
fitted out small vessels in some of our colonies of America, and cruised
in these till they were able to make prize of some larger ships. As
their designs required the utmost secrecy, they very often took masters
and pilots on board under false pretences, and did not explain to them
the true nature of their expeditions till out to sea, when they were
absolute masters. This was the case with Captain Cowley on the present
occasion, a very intelligent man and able navigator, who happened to be
in Virginia in 1683, and was prevailed upon to go as master of a
privateer, said to be bound for Petit Goave, a French port in the
island of St Domingo, where these people used to take commissions. In
reality, however, their purpose was to take what prizes they could,
without the formality of a commission.
It is proper to state, that this voyage, at least in part, is the same
with the first voyage of Captain Dampier round the world. Before
proceeding to the incidents of the voyage, we shall give a concise
account of the grounds on which it was undertaken, and the commanders
who were engaged in it; and this the rather, that the original journal
of Captain Cowley, published by Captain Hacke, gives very little
information on these subjects, probably because Cowley was ashamed of
having engaged in such an expedition.
Among the Buccaneers who did so much mischief in the Spanish West
Indies, was one John Cooke, a native of the island of St Christophers, a
brisk bold man, who so distinguished himself as to be promoted to the
rank of quarter-master in the ship commanded by Captain Yankey. On
taking a Spanish prize, which was converted into a privateer, Cooke
claimed the command of her, according to the custom, of the Buccaneers;
and being extremely popular, soon engaged a sufficient number of men to
serve under him. The great majority of the Buccaneers at this time being
French, and dissatisfied to see an Englishman invested with such a
command, merely by the choice of the crew, without any commission, they
plundered the English of their ships, goods, and arms, and turned them
ashore on the island of Avache, on the coast of St Domingo, usually
called Ash by English seamen. On this occasion, an old Buccaneer,
named Captain Tristian, having more humanity than the rest, carried
Captain Davis, Captain Cooke, and eight other Englishmen to Petit Goave;
where, while Captain Tristian and many of his men were ashore, these
Englishmen made themselves masters of the ship, sending all the French
in their turn ashore, and sailed to Avache, where, by using Captain
Tristian's name to the governor, they procured all the rest of their
countrymen to be sent on board.
Being now sufficiently strong to set up for themselves, they resolved to
make prize of whatever came in their way, and accordingly took two
French ships, one laden with wine, and the other of considerable force,
in which they embarked, carrying her and their prize goods to Virginia,
where they arrived in April 1683. After selling their wines and other
goods, they purchased provisions, naval stores, and every thing else
that might be wanted during a long voyage, and fitted out their prize
ship as a privateer, naming her the Revenge. According to the narrative
of Cowley, she carried eight guns and 52 men, while Dampier gives her 18
guns and 70 men.[146]
[Footnote 146: This difference, at least in regard to the size and force
of the ship, will be found explained in the sequel, as they took a
larger ship on the coast of Africa, which they used during the voyage,
and named the Revenge after their own ship. The additional number of men
mentioned by Dampier is not accounted for. - E.]
Before proceeding to the narratives of this voyage, it is proper to give
a concise account of Captain William Dampier, extracted from his own
works, being an extraordinary character and an eminent navigator, whose
many discoveries ought to recommend his memory to posterity, as a man of
infinite industry, and of a most laudable public spirit. Captain William
Dampier was descended of a very respectable family in the county of
Somerset, where he was born in 1652. During the life of his father and
mother, he had such education as was thought requisite to fit him for
trade; but losing his parents while very young, and being of a roving
disposition, which strongly incited him to the sea, those who now had
the care of him resolved to comply with his humour, and bound him about
1669 to the master of a ship who lived at Weymouth, in Dorsetshire. With
this master he made a voyage to France that year, and in the next went
to Newfoundland; but was so pinched by the severity of that climate,
that on his return he went home to his friends, almost tired of the sea.
Soon after his return, however, hearing of a ship bound for the East
Indies from London, he went there in 1670, and entered before the mast
in the John and Martha, in which he made a voyage to Bantam.
He returned to England in January, 1672, and retired to the house of his
brother in Somersetshire, where he remained all the ensuing summer. In
1673, he entered on board the Prince Royal, commanded by the famous Sir
Edward Spragge, and was in two engagements that summer against the
Dutch. He afterwards returned to his brother's house, where he met with
one Colonel Hellier, who had a large estate in Jamaica, and who
persuaded him to go over to that island, where he was some time employed
in the management of that gentleman's plantation.
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