i86 L O R D A N S O N ’ S V O Y A G E
eaUed Lobos de Tierra. We were now drawing near to the ftation
appointed to the Gloucejler; for which reafon, fearing- to mifs her,
we made an eafy fail all night. The next morning, at day-break,
we faw a Ihip in (hore, and to windward, plying up the coaft: fhe
hadpaffedby us with the favour of the night; and we, foon perceiving
her not to be the Gloucejler, got our tacks on board, and
gave her chace; but.it proving very little.wind, fo that neither of
us could make much way, the Commodore ordered the barge, his
pinnace, and the Try ill’s pinnace, to be manned and armed, and to
purfue the chace, and board her. Lieutenant Brett, who commanded
the barge, came up with her firft, about nine o’clock;
and, running along-fide of her, he fired a volley pf fmall fhot
between the mails, juft over the heads of the people on board, and
then inflantly entered with the greateft part of his men ; but the
enemy made no refiftance, being fufficiently frightened by the dazzling
of the cutlafles, and the volley they had juft received. Lieutenant
Brett ordered thefails to be trimmed, and bore down to the-
Commodore, taking up in his way the two pinnaces. When he
was got within about four miles of us, he put off in the barge,
bringing with him a number of the prifoners, who had given him.
feme material intelligence, which he was defirous the Commodore-
fhould be acquainted with as foon as poflible. On his arrival we
learnt, that the prize was called Nuejlra Senora del Carmin, of
abont two hundred and feventy tuns burthen fhe was commanded!
by Marcos Morena, a native of Venice, and had on board forty-
three mariners.. She was deep laden withfleel, iron,, wax,, pepper,,
cedar, plank, fhuffj rofarios, £»rcjSra«^bale-goods,. powder-blue,,
cinnamon, Romijb indulgences, and other fpecies o f merchandize ::
and though this cargoe, in our prefent circumflanees, was but o f
little value to us; yet, with refpeft to the Spaniards, it was.' the
moft confiderable tapture we made in this part of the world for
it amounted to upwards o f 400,000 dollars prime-coft at Panama..
This fhip was bound to Callao,,. and had flopped at Paita in- her
paflage, to take in a recruit o f water, and provifions,. having left
that
that place not above twenty-four hours before fhe fell into our
hands.:
I have mentioned, that Mr. Brett had received fome important
intelligence, which he endeavoured to let the Commodore know
immediately. The firft perfon he learnt it from (though, upon
further examination, it was confirmed by the other prifoners) was
one John Williams, an Ir 'Jhman, whom he found on board the
Spanijb veffel. Williams, was a Papift, who worked his paflage
from Cadiz, and had. travelled over all the kingdom of Mexico as
a Pedlar : he pretended, that b y this bufinefs he had once got 4 or
50.00 dollars; but that he was embarrafled by the Priefts, who
knew he had money, and was at laft ftript of every thing he ha dille
was, indeed, at prefent all in rags, being but juft got out of
Paita gaol, where he had been confined for fomè mifdemeanor:
he expreffed great joy upon feeing his countrymen, and immediately
told them, that, a few days before, a veffel came into Ps/ta,
where the Mailer of her informed the Governor, that he had been
chafed in the offing by a very large fhip, which, from her fize, and
the colour of her fails, he was perfuaded muft be one o f the English
fquadron: this, then, we conjeaured to have been the Glou-
cejler, as we afterwards found it was. The Governor, upon examining
the Mailer, was fully fatisfied of his relation; and immediately
font away an exprefs to Lima, to acquaint thé -Viceroy
therewith: and the Royal Officer refiding at Paita, appréhènfive
of a vifit from the Englijh, had, .rom his firft hearing of this news,
been bufily employed in removing the King’s treafure and his own
to Piura, a town within land, about fourteen leagues diftant.
We further learnt, from our prifoners, that there was a very confiderable
fum o f money, belonging to fome Merchants of Lima,
that was now lodged in the Cuftom-houfe at Paita; and that this
was intended to be fhipped on board a veffel, which was then in
the port of Paita, and was preparing to fail with the utmoft expedition,
being bound for the bay of Sonfonnate, on the coaft of Mexico,
in order to purchafe a part o f the cargoe o f the Manila fhip.
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