GENERAL COLLECTION 



OF 



VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. 



SOUTH AMERICA. 



'l 



' CAPTAIN BETAGH'S OBSERVATIONS 



ON THE 



COUNTRY OF PERU, AND ITS INHABITANTS, 



DURING HIS CAPTIVITY *. 



T was in the beginning of the ever-memorable year 1720, and about the middle of 

 March, when Captain Shelvocke fent Hatley, and the reft of us, to feek our 

 fortunes in the lighter called the Mercury. Himfelf, in the Speedwell, went to plunder 

 the village of Payta, where we might eafily have joined him, had he imparted his de- 

 fign to us. However, we had not cruifed long in fight of Cape Blanco, before we took 

 a fmall bark, with a good parcel of chocolate and flour. There was an elderly lady 

 aboard, and a thin old friar, whom we kept two or three days j and, after taking out 

 what we wanted, we difcharged the bark, and them together. Soon after this, we 

 took the Pink, which Shelvocke calls the rich prize. She had no jealoufy of our being 

 an enemy, but kept her way, till feeing the Mercury ftanding towards her, fhe began 

 to fufpe£t us. About noon, {he put the helm hard-a-weather, and crowded all the fail 

 flie could afore the wind ; and being in her ballad, this was the beft of her failing, 

 which alfo proved the greateft advantage they could give us ; for, had flie held her 

 wind, we, in our flat bottom, could never have come up. About ten at night, with 

 rowing and hard failing, we got within fliot of the chace, and brought her to, being 

 pretty near the fliore. They were about feventy perfons aboard, thirty of whom were 

 negroes. Hatley, upon going aboard, left myfelf and Preflick, with four more hands, 

 in the Mercury, where we continued two or three days, till a heavy fhower of rain fpoiled 



* Harris, i. 340. 



VOL. XIV. B all 



