XXXIY 



FREFACE. 



returned on board the ship, but her chief spoils con- 

 sisted of provisions ; and the men engaged in that 

 service, regaled themselves with a degree of intem- 

 perance equal to those who guarded the fort. 



The inhabitants of Faita, who still continued 

 timorously in the mountains, though in want of 

 every thing, despatched an express to Don Juan de 

 Vinatea y Forres, the corregidor of Piura, and a 

 native of the Canaries, who, agreeably to his known 

 character for prudence and intrepidity, immediately 

 assembled all the militia of that city and its depen- 

 dencies, and hastened, by forced pjarches, through 

 a troublesome sandy road of fourteen leagues, to 

 Paita. The English had been three days masters 

 of Paita, when, discovering these succours, and 

 being informed by the negroes and mulattoes, that 

 the militia of Piura, headed by a famous general^ 

 were coming to dislodge them from the town, en- 

 raged at this, and wanting courage to defend what 

 they had gained, or rather surprised, carried off 

 whatever they could, and took their leave, unge- 

 nerously setting fire to the houses : an action which 

 could reflect but little honour on the arms of the 

 nation, but was rather a malicious transaction, to 

 revenge, on the poor inhabitants, the coming of the 

 mihtia, whom they did not dare to face. Nobody 

 indeed imagined at that time, that this proceeding 

 was in consequence of any orders issued by the 

 Commander, and it was afterwards known that he 

 was under great concern for such unjustifiable be- 

 haviour."* But what says Mr. Walter, Commo- 

 dore Anson's chaplain, and the historian of his 

 voyage? "Mr. Brett was, at the same time, or- 

 dered to burn the whole town," &c. Ordered by 

 whom? By his commander. Commodore Anson^ 



• Ulloa's Voyage, vol. ii. pp. 201, &:c- 



