350 



HISTORY OF THE SEA. 



Maria, and, though there were Spaniards upon it, negotiations 

 were opened. The Dutch officers were invited by a Spaniard 

 to dine on shore, and, having accepted and assembled for the 

 purpose, were either led to suspect treachery, or were convinced 

 that they were strong enough to help themselves without negotia- 

 tion. They summoned soldiers from the ships, burned a number 

 of houses, and carried off five hundred sheep. The Spaniard 

 who was to have been their host, but who was now their prisoner, 

 informed them that the Viceroy of Peru had been for some 

 months aware of their approach, and that a strong force was pre- 

 pared at Lima to attack them. Spilbergen determined to go in 

 search of the Spanish fleet : the gunners were ordered to have 

 every thing in readiness for battle, and military regulations were 

 promulgated, — every one, from the admiral to the swabs, being 

 determined to do or die. One of the orders was that "during 

 the action the decks were to be continually wetted, that accidents 

 might not happen from ignited powder." 



At Concepc,ion, the Dutch landed and set fire to a number of 

 houses; at Valparaiso, the Spaniards burned one of their own 

 vessels, that she might not fall into the enemy's hands. At 

 Arica — the seaport to which the Potosi silver was brought to be 

 shipped to Panama — they took a small ship laden with treasure. 

 On the evening of the 16th of July, the Spanish fleet, of eight 

 sail, appeared in sight. The Jesu Maria, the flag-ship, had no 

 less than four hundred and sixty men, and mounted twenty-four 

 guns ; and the whole squadron were in the same proportion better 

 provided with men than artillery. Don Rodrigo de Mendoc,a 

 was the commander. He insisted upon an immediate attack by 

 night, saying that " any two of his ships could take all England, and 

 much more these hens of Holland, who must be spent and wasted 

 by so long a voyage." About ten at night, the Spanish admiral 

 and the Dutch admiral closed, — the Jesu Maria and the Great 

 Sun. They hailed each other, and some conversation passed 

 before a shot was fired. The attack was then commenced by 



