Chap. I. 
Captain Wo odes Rogers. 
impoffible to carry on any diftant Undertaking like ours. 
The next Evening, we put our old Boatfwain on board the 
Crown Galley in Irons *, and fent home Letters to our Own- 
ers, by the Commander, tojuftify our Conduct in treating 
him fo hardily. The next Day i di (charged the Prifoners 
out of Irons, on their humble Submiffion, and mod folemn 
Profnifes of dutiful Behaviour for the future : Such among 
them as were petty Officers, we reftored to their Com- 
mands, and all on board were forbid to difobey or reproach 
them, on account of any pad Errors in their Conduct ; fo 
that now we were all quiet again, and the Crew in exceed- 
ing good Humour, Things having ended much beyond 
their Expectations, there not being a Man in Irons who 
would not willingly have compounded for a Whipping ; 
and were therefore excedi ve, brifk and diligent to fhew their 
Gratitude for having elcaped it. 
7. On the 1 8th, at five in the Morning, we faw a Sail 
right a-head, between Fuerteventura and Grand Canary : 
We chafed, and at ten came up with and took her, being 
a fmall Spanijh Ship, bound from T 'enerijf to Fuerteventura , 
with feveral Men and Women Paffengers, and laden with 
fundry forts of Goods : The next Day, at eight in the 
Morning, bore away for Oratavia Road, where we flood 
off-and-on, and fent away the Prize’s Boat, with one of 
the Owners Agents, a Pried, and the Mailer of the Prize, 
to treat about ranfoming the Veffel, and to get Wine, P10- 
vifions, and other Neceffaries, for both Ships. About 
eight in the Morning, of the 20th, a Boat came from the 
Town, with a Letter from the Englifh Merchants redding 
there, wherein they expoflulated with us for making a Prize 
of the Bark, alleging, that there was a free Trade agreed 
to in thofe Elands, between her Majefty of Great Britain , 
and the Kings of France and Spain, fo religioufiy obferved 
by the latter, that they had caufed an Englijb Ship, taken 
there by a French Privateer, to be reftored : And farther, 
reprefcnting the Danger that might arife to themfelves, 
living upon Permiffion in the Enemy’s Country, if the faid 
Bark were not immediately reftored, for which Reprifals 
would be made on them ; as alfo, that we fhould be anfwer- 
able at home for interrupting the fettled Commerce. This 
Letter was figned by John Poulden , Conful, Bernard Waljh , 
John Grope , and George Fitzgerald , Merchants. Captain 
Roger r, and Captain Courtney , immediately returned an 
Anlwer ; importing, that, having no InftrucTions relating 
to the SpaniJIo Veffels trading among thofe Hands, they 
could not juftify parting with the Bark on their bare Opi- 
nions, without fome Order or Proclamation of her Ma- 
jefty ; the Englifh being protected there only on Anchor- 
ing-ground, and the Bark being taken at Sea : That, in 
cafe Mr. Vanbrugh Were not reftored, they would carry 
away all the Prifoners they had ; and, if they apprehended 
any Detriment, to the Factory, they might ranfom the Bark, 
and leek their Redrels in England. They defired Difpatch, 
there being no Time to lofe ; and, upon fending back Mr. 
V anbrugh, they would releafe their Prifoners. At Night 
another Letter came in Anfwer to this, from Mr. William 
Poulden , the Conful *, the EffeCl whereof was, That the 
Englijh Men of War were civilly received there, and ne- 
ver committed Hoftilities ; and that it was ftrange we 
fhould infill on ranfoming any Spaniards , who were never 
made Prifoners in England , or elfewhere : And the Gover- 
nor there delivered mp to him any Englijh Prifoners that 
were brought in by Privateers ; wherefore he defired thofe 
in our Cultody might be difmiffed, and the Bark difcharged, 
excepting a Prefent of Wine in Return. With this, from 
the aforefaid Conful at the City Laguna , came another from 
the above-mentioned Merchants at Oratavia Port, much 
to the fame Purport with the others, only offering to pay 
the Value of 450 Pieces of Eight, the Sum demanded for 
tne Bark, in W ine. Brandy, Sugar, Oil, Barley, and Greens, 
to prevent incenfing the Natives againll them, not queftion- 
mg but Reparation would be made them in England. The 
Captains Rogers and Courtney replied atthe fame time, threat- 
ening to cruife among the Hands, to make Amends for 
their loll Time, and to cannonade the Town of Oratavia , 
™ es % received Satisfaftion. On the 2 2d, at four in 
the Morning, we flood in for the Shore, making a dear 
Ship; but, foon alter, we faw a Boat coming, with our 
L Numb. 11, 
m 
Owners Agent, and Mr. Crojs , one of the Englijh Mer- 
chants, bringing five Buts of Wine, and other Refrefh- 
ments. We lay by off the Town, took the Goods out 
of the Prize, fold the Bark to Mr. Crojs for 450 Dollars, 
and put the Prifoners aboard her. Thus ended this trou- 
blefome Affair, and we were once more at Liberty to mind 
our own Concerns, and to think of profecuting our Voyage, 
which we did, after firft holding a Committee, where the 
Whole of the late Tranfadion was candidly examined, and 
unanimoufiy approved ; which Method, for every body’s 
Security, we fteadily purfued through the whole Voyage ; 
and felt the happy EffeCl of it on our Return, when every 
T ranfadion appears in its proper Light to our Owners. 
8. On the Jail of September we ran by Santa Lucia , one 
of the Cape de Verd Hands *, and, by eight in the Morn- 
ing, being very near the Well End of the Hand of St. 
Vincent , we bore away between it and the Hand of St. An- 
tony , and then into the Harbour of St. Vincent ; and, 
about eleven a Clock, came to an Anchor in ten Fathom 
Water, within the Rock : Then feeing feveral Men affiore, 
and knowing the Hand not to be inhabited, Captain Cooke 
went in the Pinnace armed, to fee what they were, and 
found them to be Portugueje , come from the Hand of St. 
Antony to catch Sea Tortoifes, or, as the Seamen call them. 
Turtles ; who told him, we might wood and water here. 
This Hand lies- in Latitude of 16 0 55' N. and 25 0 36' 
Longitude from the Meridian of London. There are on 
it great Plenty of Guiney Hens, fome Hogs and Goats ; 
and, in the Road, we caught Plenty of Fifti. In the Woods 
there are abundance of large Spiders, as big as fmall 
Walnuts ; and their Webs very troublefome to get thro’, 
being as ftrong as ordinary Threads, and very many of 
them. While we lay here, new Difturbances arofe amongft 
the Men in relation to Plunder •, for here we had an Op- 
portunity of purchafing Things, and therefore every Man 
wifhed, that he had fomething to purchafe with. The Ef- 
fects taken in the late Prize occasioned thefe Heart-burn- 
ings ; to put an End to all which, and to fix the People 
in a firm Rei'olution of doing their Duty, we determined 
to fettle this Affair at once, by framing fuch Articles, as, 
without giving our Owners any Ground of Complaint, 
might infpire the Seamen, with Courage and Conllancy, 
and make them as willing to obey, as their Officers were 
ready to command. It coll fome Trouble, to be fure, to 
adjuft and fettle thefe Articles ; but that was thoroughly 
compenfated, by our finding, that they effectually anfwered 
our Purpole ; and that, among fuch a Number of People, 
there was not one who refufed to comply. This Paper 
was drawn up in the following Terms. 
The Articles to he ohferved on board the Duke 
and Du chefs. 
1. 'T'HAT all Plunder, taken on board any Prize by 
either Ship, fhall bC equally divided between the 
Companies of both Ships, according to each Man’s re- 
fpeClive whole Shares, as flipped by the Owners, or their 
Orders. 
2. That what is Plunder fhall be adjudged by the flipe- 
rior Officers and Agents in both Ships. 
3. That if any Perfon on board either Ship do conceal 
Plunder, exceeding the Value of a Piece of Eight, during 
twenty-four Hours after the Capture of any Prize, he fhall 
be feverely punifhed, and lofe his Share of the Plunder. 
The fame Penalty for being drunk in the Time of ACtion, 
or difobeying the fuperior Officer’s Command, or conceal- 
ing himfelf, or quitting his Poll in Sea or Land Service. 
4. If any Prize be taken by Boarding, then whatsoever 
is taken fhall be every Man’s own, as follows *, viz. a Sailor, 
10 /. any Officer below a Carpenter, 20 /. a Mate, Gunner, 
Boatfwain, and Carpenter, 40 /. a Lieutenant or Mailer, 
80/. and the Captains, 100/. each, above the Gratuity 
promifed by the Own&rs to fuch as fhall fi^halize them- 
felves. 
5. Public Books of Plunder are to be kept in each 
Ship, attefted by Officers *, and the Plunder to be appraifed 
by the Officers chofen, and divided as foon as poifible after 
the Capture $ every Perfon to be fworn and fearched as foon 
2 R as 
