BETAGH's account of PERU. 59 



Shelvocke has been pleafed to deliver to the world in his book upon this fubje£t. 1 

 have acknowledged the kind reception I met with from the admiral of the South Seas, 

 and the reafon of his treating us fo civilly. In eleven months time that I continued at 

 Lima, I think it is but juftice to mention the feveral favours I received, particularly 

 from Don Juan Baptifla Palacio, a native of Bifcay, and knight of the order of St. 

 James, who came weekly to the prifon v/hile we were there, and gave money to all of 

 us, according to our feveral degrees. Captain Nicolas Fitzgerald procured my en- 

 largement by becoming fecurity for me, gave me money, and furnifhed me with necef- 

 faries thenceforward to the time of my departure ; and gave not only me, but twenty 

 more, a paffage to Cadiz in a Spanifh advice-boat, called the Flying-fifh : Mr. Preffick, 

 our furgeon's mate, ac^ed as furgeon in her, receiving wages ; and fo did all our men, 

 being releafed from prifon to affifl: in navigating the velTel home. For my part, as I 

 was well treated, I would not eat the bread of idlenefs, but kept my watches, as other 

 officers ; and, pray, where is the harm of all this ? Though Shelvocke had the ftupidity 

 to call it treafon ; and it mud appear a very malicious charge, as well as an ignorant 

 one, that, after a man has been driven amongft the enemy, he mufl be called a traitor 

 for being ufed kindly, and accepting his palfage back again ; that, becaufe I was not 

 murdered there, I ought to be executed at home ! This is Shelvocke's great chriftianity 

 and good confcience ! But, to return to what I was faying :— On my arrival at Cadiz, 

 Captain John Evers, of the Britannia, gave me his table, and my paiTage to London j 

 where, upon my arrival, and the reprefentation of my hardfhips, the following perfons 

 of honour and diftinftion were pleafed to exprefs their concern for my liifferings, by 

 making me a prefent each of ten guineas ; viz. Edward Hughs, William Sloper, and 

 Alexander Strahan, Efquires ; Samuel Winder, Beak Winder, Henry Neal, and John 

 Barnes, merchants ; Humphry Thayer, and Thomas Stratfield, druggifts. This af- 

 forded me the fatisfa£tion of feeing, that fuch as were the bed judges, had a proper 

 idea of the miferies I had fuftained, and approved of the manner in which I behaved, 

 the only confolation which I could receive in the circumftances in which that unfortu- 

 nate voyage left me. The fair account I have given of fads, the detail of my pro- 

 ceedings in the Spanifh Weft Indies, and the account of what I obferved worthy of 

 notice during my ftay in thofe parts, will, I hope, acquit me in the opinion of every 

 candid and impartial reader, from the afperfions thrown upon me in Shelvocke's book; 

 and acquire me, what every man would wifli to have, the approbation of him to whom, 

 ©f his own free choice, he fubmits the cenfure of his adions. 



