I 
Chap. I. Captain John Clipper ton. 
Terra del Fuego , or the South Shore, in order to make a 
Difcovery of the PafTage that the French Tartan is faid to 
have went through into the South Sea May 1713. and to 
fee if there was any anchoring beyond Cape Quad, being 
furniffied with all Neceffaries for that Purpofe. On the 
29th, the Pinnace returned, having found the PafTage thro 5 
which the T artan palled, but fo narrow, that it was judged 
hazardous to go far that Way: But their Provifions fell 
fliort, and, that Place affording no manner of Supply, they 
were forced to return, before they could fatisfy themfelves 
thoroughly •, yet they found feveral good Bays to the North- 
weft of Cape Fuad to anchor in. The Indians gave them 
a Seel, which they broiled and roafted, and faid it eat as 
well as any Venifon. On Augufi 1. in the Morning, Cap- 
tain Mitchell , with three other Officers, went a fecond time 
to look for this new PafTage ; but, after the ftrifteft Exa- 
mination, could not find, that it led into the South Seas, 
but only into an icy Bay, and this PafTage too fo narrow, 
that their Ship could not have made Way through it. 
After Captain Mitchell returned, they refolved to prolecute 
their Voyage through the Streights, which, with much 
Danger and Difficulty, they did, being all the time at very 
fhorc Allowance, viz. at one Piece of Beef or Pork to fix 
Men. On Augufi 18. they arrived in the South Seas, but 
the Crew were then in fo weak and weary a Condition, 
that it was fimply impoffible for them to undertake any 
thing immediately : Befides, Captain Clipperton was deter- 
mined to purfue his Inftruftions clofely •, and therefore re- 
folved to fleer for the Eland of Juan Fernandez , the third 
and laft Place of Rendefvous. 
9. On September 7. Captain Clipperton , in the Succefs , 
anchored before the Ifland Juan Fernandez , which he 
fearclied very diligently, in Hopes of finding fome Tefti- 
mony of the Speedvce! s having been there, but to no man- 
ner of Purpofe. His next Care was to comply, in all re- 
fpefts, with his Inftruftions, by remaining upon, and cruif- 
ing about the Eland for a full Month. He likewife ordered 
an Infcription to be cut, on a remarkable Tree, fronting 
the Landing-place ; fo that it was impoffible for any Ship’s 
Crew to come affiore, and not fee it. This Infcription ran 
thus. Captain John — W. Magee , 1719. This William 
Magee was Surgeon on board the Succefs , and a Perfon ex- 
tremely well known by Captain Shelvocke , and all his 
Ship’s Company. The Reafon why Captain Clipper ton's 
Name was not inferted in this Infcription, was plainly this •, 
that having cruifed before in the South Seas, and having been 
alfo a long time Prifoner among the Spaniards , he did not 
think fit to give them Notice of his Return into thofe Parts. 
He next fent affiore 1110ft of his fick People, and made ufe 
of all the Conveniencies the Eland afforded for their Reco- 
very ; but found it extremely difficult, either to reftore the 
Sick to Health, or to preferve thofe that were well in to- 
lerable Spirits, without fo much as a Drop of Wine, 
Brandy, or other ftrong Liquor; not that his People were 
given to drinking in an extravagant Degree, but becaufe 
the Thoughts of being without any Cordial, if they fell 
fick, dejefted them exceffively. The Weather was very 
changeable while they continued there, abundance of Rain 
falling, and they had alfo fome hard Gales of Wind : How- 
ever, they took a great many Goats, which not only ferved 
them for the prefent eating, but likewife ferved to increafe 
their Sea Store, becaufe they had an Opportunity of fak- 
ing them ; fome French Ships that had touched on the 
Ifland, having left a great Quantity there ready made. They 
likewife wooded and watered with great Conveniency, and 
cleaned their Ship, that ffie might be in the better Condition 
to aft in the South Seas, where it was now vifible they were 
to cruife alone ; for Captain Clipperton was clearly of Opi- 
nion, that the Speedwel was loft ; or at leaft he gave out 
fo to his Ship’s Company to pacify them, and to hinder 
them fiom curling continually Captain Shelvocke , for run- 
ning away with their Liquors, which, however, fome of 
the fick Men did with their dying Breaths. One thing was 
very extraordinary, that the Beauty and Fertility of this 
ifland, compared with the Dangers and Difficulties they 
were fure to meet with in the South Seas, tempted four of 
Captain Clipperton s Men to enter into a Scheme for re- 
maining in PofTeffion of fo valuable a Country. In pur- 
iuance of 'which, they aftually ran away from the Ship, 
Numb. 13. ' r 
and betook themfelves to the Mountains : As it was very 
inconvenient to lofe fo many good Hands at fuch a time, 
and not a little dangerous to leave them in fuch a Place, 
Captain Clipperton ordered the neceffary Meafures to be 
taken for apprehending them, but without Effeft. At 
laft, the Day before the Ship was to leave the Ifland, Cap- 
tain Mitchell , with fome more Officers, went in the Pin- 
nace to the EaftPart of it, to look forthefe four Men, who 
had then abfented a Fortnight, two of which Men they 
found in the Cuftody of the Goat-hunters, having met 
with them in Purfuit of their Game ; who affirmed,, they 
had greater Difficulty in fecuring thefe Fellows, than in 
killing double the Number of Goats •, becaufe they were 
forced to fire feveral times at them before they would fur- 
render. The Prifoners acknowledged, that, for the firft 
five Days, they were hard put to it, being forced to fubfift 
wholly on the Cabbage-trees, of which here is great Plenty ; 
but added, that, having, by good Fortune, one Night found 
fome Fire that was left by their Hunters, it ferved them in 
good {lead ; for they could then drefs their Fleffi, and fill 
their Bellies. The fame Evening, they brought on board 
all the Fiffi they had falted, four Casks of Seel-oil, and 
whatever elfe belonged to them. As foon as the Crew were 
on board and muftered, on October 7. they prepared to 
fail ; and, in the mean time. Captain Mitchell went qn 
ffiore again in the Long-boat, to fet up a Crofs already cut 
for that Purpofe, at the Foot of which he buried a Bottle, 
in which was contained a Letter for Captain Shelvocke , di- 
recting another Place of Rendefvous, and fome proper 
Signal to know each other by at Sea. At eight in the 
Morning, they weighed from the Ifland of Juan Fernandez , 
and left their two Men in PofTeffion of it, who are to be 
reputed Succeffors to Governor Selkirk ; tho’, for any 
thing I know, we have not the flighteft Memoirs of their 
Adminiftration. 
10. After leaving the Ifland of Juan Fernandez , Cap- 
tain Clipperton failed Northward, till he was in the Parallel 
of Lima , where he intended to acl, though he was now 
in a very indifferent Condition, having loft thirty Men 
between the Time of his paffimg the Equator, and his 
leaving the Ifland of Juan Fernandez. His Men expreff- 
ing fome Uneafinefs in relation to Plunder, he refolved, if 
poflible, to fet that Point to rights, by fixing a Paper to 
the Main-maft, which was aflfented to by the whole Ship’s 
Company. 
“ I. The Man who firft Ypies a Sail, proving a Prize, 
“ to have five Dollars for every hundred Ton the Prize 
“ meafures. 
“■ II. Every Man aboard a Prize, found drunk, or in 
cc any indecent Aft with a white or black Woman, to be 
“ puniflred according to the Nature of his Offence. 
“ III. Every Man, of whatfoever Degree, concealing 
<c any Money, or other Thing, above the Value of half 
“ a Dollar, fliall forfeit his Share of fuch Prize, and 
“ twenty Dollars out of his Share in the next that ffiall be 
46 taken.” 
On October 25. being in the Latitude of Lima, they 
gave Chace to a fmall Veffel, which they came up with, 
and took about eleven a Clock. She was their firft Prize, 
and but an ill Omen of their Succefs in this Profeffion, 
fince ffie proved, in all refpefts, hardly worth taking. 
She was a Snow of forty Ton Burden, laden with Sand 
and Rubbiffi for Manure : She had feven Indians , and two 
Negroes aboard, her Mafter being left fick affiore. All 
that Captain Clipperton s People could find worth taking, 
was two Jars of Eggs, as much Treacle, and a Couple of 
Pieces of Eight in ready Money. The next Day, they 
met with a better Prize, which was a Ship called the St. 
Vincent , of 150 Tons, laden with Wood from Guiaquil . 
There were two Friers, fixteen Indians , and four Negroes 
aboard. On the 30th, they had the good Fortune to take 
a large Ship, bound from Panama to Lima : She was 
called tho Trinity, of the Burden of 400 Tons ; and had 
been taken by Captain Rogers , when he plundered Guia- 
quil ten Years before : She had a great many Paffengers on 
board, and a Lading of confiderable Value. On Novem- 
ber 2. they took another Prize, which was a Veffel of fe- 
venty Tons, on board of which were the Countefs of La- 
guna , and feveral other Paffengers, a great deal of ready 
3 C ~ Moneys 
