Book I. 
if© The V O Y 
vateers, as we can get very little by it in any other Shape 
than that of Privateering, as the Expence it has brought 
Upon us, in the Interruption of out Trade; requires effec- 
tual and quick Supplies, we have unqueftionably a Right to 
indemnify ourfelves, and our Intereft makes it our Duty 
to purfue it. Nay, this is the moll probable Method qf 
putting an End to the War : We may, by this means, inter- 
rupt the Commerce between their Eaft and Weft Indies to 
fuch a Degree, that, in Conjunction with the other Methods 
already taken to diftrefs them, it may deprive them of the 
Means of carrying oh the War; and thereby incline them, 
not only to a prefent Peace; but to maintain and preferve.it, 
that they may not have to do again with a Power fo capable 
of difturbing, and even deftroying them, in all thofe Parts 
of the World; where , no other Power can reach them. I 
cannot help adding a Word or two more upon this SubjeCt, 
before I leave it ; and that is, with refpeCt to the Policy of 
Maritime Powers, in the Management of their Wars ; be- 
caufe, if we may judge from the Reafon of Things, or the 
Courfe of Events, this has not been hitherto fo well under- 
flood as it ought to be i A Maritime Power ought certainly 
to avoid, as miich as poffible, quarrelling with her Neigh- 
bours, and making an endlefs or vain-glorious Shew of her 
Naval Strength. Small Squadrons, fent frequently on long 
Voyages, will ferve to air and exercife her Seamen in the 
public Service; without burdening herfelf, or frighting 
the reft of the World by frequently drawing together nu- 
merous and ufelefs Fleets. The NegleCt of this Maxim has 
been the Ruin of every Maritime Power that ever exifted. 
With the Addition of another Error of a contrary Nature, I 
mean, the carrying on of lingering Wars, and not making 
a fhort Ule of fuperior Power at Sea. When Peace can be 
no longer preferved, the next bell Meafure is, to reftore it 
as foon as poffible ”, and this can be done no other way, than 
by a bold and vigorous Profecution of the War ; for, to aCt 
coolly, and protraCl, is to difcredit your own Power, and 
to encourage the Enemy., This leads me to the laft Re- 
mark, which this Voyage Ihall furnifh : The Misfortunes 
that attended Damper , S trad ling, Clipper ton, and Funnell , 
induced a Notion, that it was to no manner of Purpofe to 
fit out Privateers from hence to the South Seas ; and abun- 
AGES of 
dance of plaulible Arguments were brought to prove it 5 
which met with greater Encouragement, becaufe the Bri- 
tijh Adminiftration, at that time, was engaged in the Pro- 
fecution of a War upon the Continent, that rendered it 
very inconvenient to difoblige any of our Allies, more efpe- 
cially the Dutch and the Houfe of Auftria, neither of which 
were well pleafed with fuch kind of Expeditions : Yet, in 
fpite of thefe concurring Circumftances, Mr. Damper could 
not forbear endeavouring to fpiritup a new Voyage to the 
South Seas, where he had already fpent fo many Years of 
his Life to fo very little Purpofe. He was well fatisfied, 
that it was not through any Difficulty in the Voyage, from 
the fuperior Strength of the Enemy, or the Want of pro- 
per Qualities in our People to fucceed in fuch Schemes, that 
fo many of them had failed, but merely from their being 
but indifferently conducted •, and therefore he flattered him- 
felf, that, if this Evil was once removed, things would go 
better, and he might ftill have an Opportunity of retriev- 
ing his Circumftances, or, at leaft, of acquiring a tolerable 
Subfiftence. It was with this View that he addreffed him- 
felf to the Merchants of Briftol , who are juftly reputed the 
moft active and pufhing People in this Nation. They heard 
his Propofals with Patience, examined them with Atten- 
tion, and, at laft, faw fo much of Probability in what he 
offered, and fuch Likelihood of his proving a good Pilot, 
tho* he had been but an unlucky Captain, that they deter- 
mined to fit out two Ships at his Inftance ; but refolved to 
difpofe of them as they thought proper. This gave Rife 
to that Voyage, which is to be the Subject of our next 
SeCtion ■, a Voyage the beft concerted, and the beft con- 
ducted, of its kind *, and therefore we need not wonder, that 
it was the moft fuccefsful. We draw now near the Clofe 
of this Part of our Work ; and I ffiould very readily incline 
to Ihorten- the remaining Relations as much as poffible : 
But there are fo many Circumftances curious in themfelves, 
and TranfaCtions of fuch Importance to the Trade and Wel- 
fare of this Nation, that, I flatter myfelf, my Readers will 
be very well pleafed to find, that I have preferved the fame 
Order in thefe, as in the reft, and do not fruftrate their 
juft Expectations by hafty and imperfeCt Abridgments, 
SECTION XVI. 
The Voyage of Captain Woodes Rogers in the Duke, and Captain Stephen Courtney 
in the Du chefs, round the W rrld. 
j. An Account of the Undertaking, and of the principal Proprietors. 2 . Phe Rules fixed by them for the 
ConduB of the Voyage. 3. Phe Duke and Duchefsyh// from Briftol, June 1 y. 1708. 4. Pkey arrive at 
Cork, and make up their Complement of Men. 5. Profecute their Voyage from Cork to the Canaries. 
6. A Prize taken, and dif charged . 7. Another Prize taken , which occafions great Dijputes. 8. Ar- 
ticles framed for the Regulation of Plunder , with a Copy of thofe Articles. 9. Phe Linguift left behind on 
the IJland of St. Antonio, for dijhbeying Orders. 10. State of the Cape de Verd Hands at that time . 
11. A dangerous Mutiny fupprejfed. 12. A Defcription of the IJland of Grande. 13. Phe Hiflory of 
the famous Alexander Selkirk, on which the Story o/' Robin f on Crufo was founded. 14. Defcription of the 
If and of Juan Fernandez, if. Proceed in their Voyage to the South Seas. 1 6. Pheir Adventures on the 
Goaf of Peru. 17. A Spanifh Prize taken after an obftinate Engagement. 18. Phe Pown of Guiaquil 
taken , and a Copy of the Capitulation. 19. Account of the Plunder taken there. 20. Defcription of the 
Pown of Guiaquil. 21. A copious Account of the Province of the fame Name, and of its Inhabitants . 
22. Phey fail for the Gallopagos Hands. 23. Continue to cruife on the South Sea. 24. Phey fit up a Prize,, 
and call her the Marquis, 2 f. Grant reafonable Perms to their Prifoners. 26. New Difturbances among ft 
the Ships Companies . 27. Remarkable Occurrences on the Cruife. 28. A further Account of the Gal la- 
pagos Hands. 29. Repair to the Coafi of Mexico. 30. Arrival on the Goaf of California. 31. Phey 
dif cover, attack, and take the hfter, Acapulco Ship. 32. Dif cover the larger Ship , and refolve to engage 
her. 33. Phey attack, but , after an obftinate Engagement, are forced to leave her. 34. High Dijputes 
among them] elves. 37. Defcription of California. 36. Phey proceed from thence to the IJland of Guam. 
37. Continue their Voyoge to the Eaft Indies. 38. Defcription of the IJland of Bouton. 39. Arrival at 
Batavia, and an Account of what happened there . 40. Proceed , with their Prize, for England, ana 
arrive fafely in the Downs, October 1. 1711. 41. Remarks upon the Voyage. 
1 . TIT T has been univerfally allowed by fuch as are pro- 
11 per Judges of fuch Expeditions, that there never 
J1L was any Voyage of this nature fo happily adjufted, 
fo well provided for in all rdpeCts, or in which the Acci- 
dents, that ufually happen in Privateers, were fo effectually 
guarded againft. All this, I conceive, was chiefly owing 
to the perfonal Abilities of the Gentlemen at Briftol, who 
charged themfelves, not only with the Expences of this 
Expedi- 
