204 L O R D A N S O N ' S V O Y A G E
to efface thefe terrifying impreffions they had received of us; always
taking care, that as many of the principal people among them as
there was room for, fhould dine at his table by turns ; and giving
the ftrideft orders too, that they fhould at all times, and in every
circumftance, be treated with the utmoft decency and humanity.
But notwitbftanding this precaution, it was generally obferved, that
for the firft day or two they did riot quit their fears, fufpeding the.
gentlenefs of their ufage to be only preparatory to fome upthought-
of calamity. However, being at length convinced of our fincerity,
they grew perfectly eafy in their fituation, and remarkably chearful,
fo that it was often difputable, whether or no they confidered
their being detained by ns as a misfortune. For the youth 1 have
above-mentioned, who was near two months on board us, had at
daft fo far conquered his melancholy furmifes, and had taken fuch
an affedion to Mr. Anfon, and feemed fo- much pleafed with the
manner of life, totally different from all he had ever feen before-,
thar it was doubtful to me whether, if his own opinion had beens
afkel, he would not have preferred a voyage to England in the
Centurion, to the being fet on fhore at Paita, where he was at-li berty
to return to his country and his friends.
This conduit o f the Commodore to his prifoners, which was
continued without interruption or deviation., gave them- all- the
hivheft idea of his humanity and benevolence, and induced them
likewife (as mankind are fond of forming general opinions)- to entertain
very favourable thoughts of the whole Englijh nation, But
whatever they might be difpofed to think of Mr. Arfon before the
capture of the Perefa, their veneration for. him was prodigioufiy in-
creafed by his conduit towards thofe women, whom (as I have
already mentioned) he took in th a tv e f fe lF o r the leaving them
in the poffeffion o f their apartments, the ftrid orders given to
prevent all his people on board from approaching them, and the
permitting the Pilot to fray with them as their guardian, were mea,
fur.es that feemed fo différent from what might be expeited. from
ari enemy and an herelick, that thcSpaniards on hoard, though they,
R O U N D T H E W O R L D . 205
had themfelves experienced his beneficence, were furprized at this
new inftance of it, and the more fo, as all this was done without
his ever feeing the women, though the two daughters were both
efteemed handfome, and the youngeft was celebrated for her uncommon
beauty. The women themfelves too- were Co fenfible of
the obligations they owed him, for the care and attention with
which he had proteded them, that they abfolutely refufed ,to go
on fihore at Paita, till they had, been permitted to wait on him on
board the Centurion, to-return him .thanks in perfon. Indeed, all
the prifoners left us with the. firongeft affurances of their grateful
remembrance of his .uncommon treatment. A Jefuit in particular
whom, the Commodore had taken-, and who was an. Eccleliaftick
of fome diftindion, could not help expreffing himfelf with great
thankfulnefi for the civ-ilities he and his countrymen had found
on boai d; declaring, that he- fhould eonfider it as his duty to do
Mr. Anfon juftice at all times ; adding, that his ufage of the men-
prifoners was fuch- as- could never be forgot, and fuch as he could
never fail to acknowledge and recite upon all occafionk: But that
his behaviour to the women w.as fo extraordinary, and fo extremely
honourable, that he doubted all the regard due to his own ecclefi-
aflical charader, would be fcarcely fufficient to render it credible.
Indeed; we were afterwards informed, that he and the reft of our
prifoners had not been filent on this-head, but had, both at Lima
and at other, places, given the greateft encomiums to our Commodore
; the Jefuit in particular, as we are told, having on his account,
interpreted in a lax and hypothetical fenfe that article of his
Church, which afferts the impoffibility of hereticks being faved.
Nor let it be imagined, that the impreffions which the Spaniards
hence received to our advantage, is a matter of fmall import; for,
not to mention, feveral: o f our countrymen who have already felt
the good effeds of thefe prepoffeffions ; the Spaniards are a Nation,
whole good opinion, of us is doubtlefs of more confequence
than that of all the world befides : Not only as the commerce we
have formerly carried.on with them,, and perhaps may again hereafter,,