BETAGH's account of PERU. I3 



and this ofFer of his was very kindly received. The firft affair of Importance in which 

 he was employed, was an expedition to the Illand of Juan Fernandez, in order to find 

 there the bottle, with the inftrudions, which Captain Clipperton left behind him for 

 Captain Shelvocke, when, in purfuance of his inllrudions, he touched at that ifland, 

 and cruifed in its neighbourhood for a month. Of this the viceroy was informed by one 

 of Clipperton's men, that was taken prifoner ; which information imm.ediately produced 

 a refolution to fend for thofe inilrudions, in order to prevent the EngHTi privateers 

 from joining ; and a more proper man for fuch an expedition could not have been found 

 than Mr. Thaylet, who, in point of ingenuity and practice, was a much more capable 

 man than moft in the Spanifh fervice. This circumllance of fending for the bottle is 

 the moft authentic teftimony that can poiTibly be expelled to the truth of Thaylet's 

 journal, and the hiflory already given of Clipperton's proceedings. I might add, that 

 it is as direct a refutation of all that Captain Shelvocke has advanced upon this fubjeft ; 

 fo that it is irapofTible for any man, who confiders it, to believe what he charges 

 Captain Clipperton with to be true; or to dream, that it ever was the intention of 

 Clipperton to defert Shelvocke. It might alfo be obferved, that the latter does not fo 

 much as pretend to have left any inflruftions for Clipperton, in cafe he fhould come to 

 any of the places where Shelvocke had touched -, the inference from which is very 

 eafy. 



While Mr. Thaylet was gone upon his cruife, a Spanifh fhip arrived at Calao, the 

 mafler of which reported, that, being driven out of his courfe, he had made thelflands 

 of Solomon. This occafioned much difcourfe on that fubjed^, and the comparing all 

 the different accounts that had been given of thefe illands, and their inhabitants, which 

 appeared fo clear, fo probable, and well connefted, as fcarce to leave any doubt of the 

 veracity of fuch as pretended to have made this difcovery. In the midfl of the difcourfes 

 raifed by this accident, another fhip arrived, with the like account, attended with cir- 

 cumftances, which rendered it evident, that there could not be any fraud or collufion 

 in the cafe ; but that both had, by pure accident, been driven upon the fame ifland. 

 This was very lucky for Mr. Thaylet, fince, while he was employed in one expedition,, 

 another was thus unexpededly provided for him. On his return with the inftrudions, 

 and the two men who deferted there, the viceroy, willing to encourage him, thought 

 of this fhort expedition for him in the fame veffel, being an Englifh ketch of about 

 fixty tons, and in which he had ferved Captain Martinet as a tender ; for the intelli- 

 gence he had received of Solomon's Ifland made his Excellency curious to purfue the 

 difcovery. He therefore ordered the ketch to be fitted out for two months, under 

 Thaylet's command ;. who accordingly failed into 10° fouth, in which latitude the ifland. 

 was faid to lie. He cruifed thereabouts till his provifion was very nigh expended, and 

 returned, without fuccefs. However, as the fame account came by two different fhips, 

 who touched there, the Spaniards verily believe there is fuch a place ; for the men 

 reported, that the natives, as to their perfons and behaviour, were much like the Indians - 

 on the continent ; that they had gold and filver things among them ; but that their lan- 

 guage was ftrange and unintelligible. The reafon why Mr. Thaylet could not meet 

 with Solomon's Ifland, might be from the uncertainty of the latitude, and his inability 

 of making further fearch, being provided only for two months ; for I have been informed. 

 in London, that the laid ifland or iflands lie more foutherly in the Pacific Ocean, than 

 where they are laid down in the Dutch maps; and the two Spaniards, who had been 

 there, were only fmall trading vefl'els, carried thither by irregular currents ; and could^ 

 give no certain account of the latitude, becaufe they kept no reckoning. And thus^ 

 ended all thoughts of profecuting this difcovery at that time. 



f As 



