200 



PUKTER S JOURxN AL. 



most every article we should want for seven monthsi 

 These changes, and the alterations necessary to be made to 

 tit the Essex Junior for a cruiser, as well as the wooding 

 and watering of the Georgiana and prizes, proved likely to 

 occasion some further delays ; every exertion was made to 

 leave the place as soon as possible, and the absence of Mr, 

 Shaw seemed the only important obstacle. At length, how- 

 ever, a boat arrived, and informed me he was on the point 

 of leaving there, and explained the cause of his long deten- 

 tion, which was owing entirely to the avarice and indolence 

 of the governor, who was desirous of monopolizing all the 

 trade, and too indolent to make any exertions to supply our 

 wants. Mr. Shaw at length arrived, but was compelled to 

 leave all the articles he had purchased in possession of the 

 governor, as he could not procure a boat to bring them 

 down. As they were not of sufficient importance to induce 

 me to run any farther risk, I determined to leave them there. 



It now became necessary to think of disposing of all my 

 prisoners, as, independent of the inconvenience they were 

 likely to occasion by their great consumption of provisions, 

 they were a great encumbrance to us. As repeated appli- 

 cation had been made to me by them to put them on shore 

 at this place, I at length consented, furnishing them with 

 provisions, and giving to them three boats, for the purpose 

 of transporting them and their baggage from the river's 

 mouth to Tumbez, w4iich, with a large canoe and a launch 

 which they hired for the purpose, were found fully suffi- 

 cient. Previous to putting them on shore, I carefully re- 

 stored to each prisoner (even to that renegado Wier and 

 captain Shuttleworth) every article which had been taken 

 from them, and ail entered into an obligation not to serve 

 against the United States until regularly exchanged. 



And now having no occcasion to remain longer in Tum- 

 bez, I on the morning of the 30th made the signal for get- 

 ting under way. On the 1st, got clear of the Gulf of Guya- 

 (piil, and stretched away to the westward, to fall in with 

 the easterly trade-winds, which are seldom met with until 

 you get from one hundred to one hundred and fifty leagues 

 from the land. 



As the Essex Junior was very imperfectly equipped for 

 a cruise, I continued in company with her, keeping my 

 carpenters and others constantly at work on board her. 



