Our detachment under Lieutenant Brett having fafely joined the
fquadron, the Commodore prepared to leave the place the fame
evening. He found, when he firft came into the bay, fix velfels
of the enemy at anchor; one whereof was the lb ip, which according
to our intelligence; was to have failed with the treafure to
the coaft of Mexico, and which, as we were perfuaded (he was a
good failer, we refolved to take her with u s : The others were two
Snows, a Bark, and two Row-gallies of thirty-fix oars a-piece :
Thefe laft, as we were afterwards informed, with many others o f
the fame kind built at different ports, were intended to prevent our
landing in the neighbourhood of Callao: For the Spaniards, on
the firft intelligence of our fquadron and its force, expeded that
we would attempt the city of Lima. The Commodore, having no
occafion for thefe other velfels, had ordered the malls o f all five o f ■
them to be cut aWay at his firft arrival; and on his leaving the placer
they were towed out of the harbour, and fcuttled and funk ; and.
the command of the remaining (hip, called the Soltdad, being given,
to Mr. Hughes, the Lieutenant of the Tryal, who had with him a.-
crew of ten men to navigate her, the fquadron towards midnight,,
weighed anchor and failed out Of the bay, being at prefent augmented
to fix fail, that is, the Centurion and the Tryal’s prize, together
with the Carmelo, the Lerefa, the Car min, and Our laft acquired
vefiel the Solidad.
And new, before I entirely quit the account of our tranfadions.
at this place, it may not perhaps be improper to give afuccind relation
of the booty we got here, and Of the lofs 'the Spaniards:
fuftained. I have before obferved, that there were great quantities
of valuable effedts in the town ; but as moft of them were what
we could neither difpofe of, nor carry away, the total amount
of this merchandize can only be rudely gueffed at. The Spaniards,
in their reprefentations fent to the court of Madrid, (as
We were afterwards affined) eftimated their whole lofs at a million
and a half of dollars : And when it is confidered, that no final!
part of the goods we burnt there were of - the richeft and moft
expenfive
R O U N D T H E W O R L D . HI
expenfive fpecies, as broad-cloths, filks, cambricks, velvets, &c. I
cannot but think their valuation fufficiently moderate. As to our-
felves, the acquifition we made, though inSonfiderable in companfon
of what we deftroyed, was yet far from defpicable s for the wrought
plate, dollars and other coin which fell into our hands amounted to
upwards of 30,000/. fterling, befides feveral rings bracelets, and
jewels, whofe intrinfick value we could not then determine and
over and above all this, the plunder, which became the property of
the immediate captors, was very great; fo that upon the whok it
was by much the moft important booty we met with upon the coaft.
There remains (fill another matter to be related, which, on
account of the fignal honour which our
parts has thence received, and the reputation which o u r C jM -
dore in particular has thereby acquired, merits a d i f t in d “ J
circumftantial difcuflion. It has been already obferved, that all
the prifoners taken by us in our preceding prizes- were here-
put on Ihore, and- difcharged 8 amongft whom there were fome
perrons-of confiderable diftinflion, efpecially a youth of abou
feventeen years of age, fon of the Vice-Prefident of the Conner
of Chili. As the barbarity of the Buccaneers, and the artful ufes
the Ecclefiafticks had made of it, had filled the natives of thofe
countries with the moft terrible ideas of the Enghjh cruelty ,
we always found our prifoners at their firft coming on board us,
to be extremely dejeded, and. under great horror and anxiety. Particularly
this youth, whom I laft mentioned, having never been
from home before, lamented his captivity in the moft moving manner
regretting, in very plaintive terms, his parents, his brothers,
his'fillers, and his native country j of all which he was fully perfuaded
he had taken his laft farewell, believing that he was now
devoted, for the remaining part of his life, to an abjed and cruel
fervitude. Indeed his companions on board, and all the Spaniards
that came into our power, had the fame defponding opinion of their
fixation, Mr. Anfon conftantly exerted his utmoft endeavours
P d a t0