^ betagh's account of pertt. 



knocked him down, and demolifhed him. I, miffing the fellows for a few days, in- 

 quired at John's houfe what was become of them ; he told me the ftory, and faid, 

 they were all put in the Inquifition, for the thing having taken air, he was obliged to 

 complain of it, or go thither hirafelf ; but promifed, that, underhand, he would en- 

 deavour to get them releafed ; which, I found afterwards, was done in five days, fo 

 that they had time to repent, and be fober. Bell faid, if the men had (till remained 

 heretics, this drunken bout had not come within the verge of the ecclefiaflical power ; 

 but, being novices, and jufl; admitted into the church, they were the eafier pardoned, 

 as their outrage upon the faint was no proof of their relapfe into error, or an affront 

 to the catholic faith, fmce done when they were all difordered in liquor. At length, 

 about a dozen men in both our fliips, being well inflrudted, were difcharged from the 

 cloillers, and fent to Calao, to help to careen and fit out the Flying-fifh, then defigned 

 for Europe. Here they entered into a projed to run away with the Margarita, a pretty 

 failing fhip, that lay in the harbour, and go upon the account for themfelves, which 

 ■differs nothing from piracy ^ but, not knowing what to do for ammunition, and a com- 

 pafs, they applied to Mr. Serjeantfon, telling him, they had a defign to fteal away by 

 land to Panama, where, being an Englilh fa£lory, they might have a chance to get 

 home ; that they had got half a dozen firelocks, with which they might kill wild hogs, 

 or get fome game, as they went along, if he would be fo kind as to help them to a 

 little powder and fhot, and a compafs to fleer their way through the woods. The 

 fellows, by begging, and making catholic figns to the good people at Lima, that they 

 'were poor Englilh newly baptized, had got together fome dollars, which they defired 

 Serjeantfon to lay out, who, not miftrufling the plot, took their money, and bought 

 them what they wanted. Thus furnifhed, one of them came to me at Lima, and faid, 

 there was an opportunity offered to make my fortune, by running away with the Mar- 

 garita at Calao, if I would embrace it ; whereupon he told me the ftory, and that 

 Sprake was to have the command, as being the only artifl among them. I anfwered, 

 that it was a bold defign ; but as Captain Fitzgerald had engaged for my honour, 1 was 

 •obliged not to meddle with it. In a few days the plot was difcovered, their lodgings 

 were fearched, their arms taken away, and they put in prifon. The government was 

 greatly provoked, and had near determined their execution, when an order came to 

 releafe all but Sprake, who, being the projector, was kept in irons two or three months, 

 and then fet at liberty. If this fhews the refllefs enterprifing temper of our feamen, 

 it proves, at the fame time, that the Spaniards in Peru are by no means fo cruel, either 

 in religious or ftate profecutions as in Europe ; though I am inclined to think, that the 

 converfion of tliefe people, fuch as it was, operated greatly in their favour ; it may be 

 allb, that they were fome way influenced by fear, fmce the Englifh privateers were flill 

 upon the coafl, and in cafe they had received intelligence of thefe people being feverely 

 dealt with, might have revenged it on fome of their prifoners. But it is to little pur- 

 pofe to employ one's thoughts in attempting to difcover the motives of an aft ofSpanifh 

 policy, fmce, whatever thofe motives were, the ad in itfelf was compaffionate and 

 good. 



The dominions which the Spaniards poffefs In America are fo large, and fo valuable, 

 that there is no doubt, if they were properly governed, they might render that mo- 

 narchy equally formidable in Europe, and the Indies. The long flay I made in Peru, 

 tile prefent flate of which there are few opportunities of knowing in this part of the 

 world, affordedme the means of examining with leifure and attention their manner of 

 living, the form of their government, the nature of their amufements and diverfions, 

 which, in this country, take place of bufmefs, and furnifhed me with many opportu* 



nities 



