In The Commencement Of This Voyage, The Meg And Margaret
Are Named As Distinct Ships, One Of Which Is Said To Have Been Sent Home
Soon After, As Unfit For Sea.
In this passage the Margaret and Megge are
evidently different names for the same ship.
- E.]
We now shaped our course for the coast of Spain, having the wind fair
and large, which had seldom been the case hitherto. On the 4th November
we saw a sail right before us, to which we gave chase, and coming up
with her about 3 P.M. we took possession of her, being a ship of about
110 tons burden, from _Pernambucke_ or Fernambucco, in Brazil, bound
for Portugal, having on board 410 chests of sugar, and 50 quintals of
Brazil wood, each quintal being 100 pounds weight. We took her in lat.
29 deg. N. about 200 leagues west from Lisbon. Captain Preston was sent on
board the prize, who brought her principal people into the Victory,
certain of our seamen and soldiers being appointed to take charge of
her. The Portuguese reported, that they had seen another ship that day
before them about noon; wherefore, when all things were properly
disposed respecting our prize, we left her under the charge of captain
Davis, with whom likewise we left our long-boat, taking his smaller boat
with us, and made all sail due east after this other ship, leaving
orders for captain Davis and the prize to follow us due east, and if he
had not sight of us next morning, to bear away direct for England. Next
morning we could not see the vessel of which we were in chase, neither
was the prize or the ship of captain Davis to be seen.
On the 6th November, being then in lat. 38 deg. 30' N. and about 60 leagues
west from Lisbon, captain Preston descried a sail early in the morning
two or three leagues a-head of us, which we came up with about 8 or 9
o'clock A.M. She was lastly from St Michaels, but originally from Brazil
laden with sugar. While employed shifting the prisoners into the
Victory, one of our men in the main-top espied another sail some three
or four leagues a-head, on which we immediately sent back our boat with
men to take charge of the prize, and made all sail in chase, so that we
overtook the other ship about 2 P.M. She made some preparation to resist
us, hanging many hides all round her sides, so that musquetry could not
have injured her; but by the time we had fired two cannon shot at her,
she lowered her sails and surrendered. She was of between 300 and 400
tons, bound from Mexico and St John de Lowe, (San Juan de Ulloa) her
cargo consisting of 700 dry hides; worth 10s. apiece, six chests of
cochineal, every chest holding 100 pounds weight, and every pound worth
L. 1, 6s. 8d., besides which she had several chests of sugar, some
packages of China ware, with some wrought plate and silver in coin.
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