xxx 
The Introdudkion. 
This Wreck had been a Spanifh Galeon loft on thele Shoals, 
near the Abreojos or Handkercher Shoals, to the North Eaft of Fiy- 
paniola, about the year 1659. bound for Spain, “Tne Inhabitants 
of Hi/paniola, who uled to Trade with Sir William Phipps, had ac- 
uainted him with it. He propofed the taking up of this Silver to 
the Duke of Albemarle, who together with Sir James Hayes, Mr. Ni- 
cholfon, and others, fet out two Ships, a greater and a lefler, laden 
with Goods to Trade with His/paniola, and the Spaniards in the 
Weft Indies, incafe they failed of the Wreck. They found chis Wreck, 
as is above related, and wrought on it cll che Ships Crew grew 
{carce of Provifions, when they had taken up about Twenty fix 
Tuns of Silver. A Sloop from Bermudas came to their help: 
when they fail’d for England the Sloop return’d to Bermudas, and 
there difclofed the Matter, which foon went to the other Iflands. 
From thefe parts, and Jamaica, Sloops and Divers were fent, who 
took up avaft quantity more of Plate and Money, fo that before 
a fecond Fleet came from England, the greateft part of what Silver re- 
main’d unfifh’d wastaken up. Not only the Angli/h trom the Plan- 
tations and England, but the Prince of Orange, afterwards King 
William, trom Holland, equip’d a Ship which was fent thither, bur 
they came too late. Thofe who commanded the Dutch Ship, and 
Sir Jobn Narborough, who was inthe Englifh, return’d without any 
confiderable Cargoes of Silver. It happened fo not only to the firft 
Pacentees, but to many other People, who by the example of this 
Project (where the Duke of Albemarle received Fifty thoufand Pound 
for Eight hundred, and others in proportion) hoping for the fame 
Succefs, took out Patents for Wrecks lying at the bottom of the Seas 
in all places, efpecially in the Weft Indies, where any Trafiick is ufed, 
not confidering that though there have been loft divers Ships laden 
with Money, on many Shoals of the We/t-Indies, fuch as the Serra- 
nillas between Jamaica and the Continent, the Bahama Shoals, ec. 
yet in moft parts there is {uch a Vegetation of Coralline matter out 
of the Sea-water, as that the bottom of the Sea is incruftated with ir, 
and the Wrecks hid by them, The Pieces of Eight in the Silver- 
Wreck above-mention’d, that was loftin 1659. were covered with 
this Matter about a quarter of an Inch thick, and I have a piece of 
the Timber of the Ship, with an Iron Boltin it, grown over with 
the Corallium afperum candicans adulterinum J. B. and tome of the Pieces 
of Eight incruftated, others almoft covered with Affroites. Thole 
underneath were corroded with the Sea-water, fo that many of them 
ftuck together. Thefe things I have canfed, atleaft{ome of them, 
to be graved. Ie isnot only from this, but alfo Sand driving by the 
Windsand Currents, or Earthquakes that happen at the bottom of the 
Sea, thar Wrecksmay be cover'd, and paft finding out, remember 
an 
