14 FAILURE OF MANSON’S EXPEDITION. 
ceased, which was attributed to the vow which they had taken, 
and they began to make immediate preparation for the rigid 
performance of it. Manson true to his trust, expostulated with 
his crew, on the folly of their proceedings; he held before them 
a dazzling picture of the wealth, which awaited them on the 
shores of America ; of the honor which would be attached to 
their name, in having been the first, who sailed from the Atlantic 
into the Pacific; he spoke in the most eloquent terms, of the 
transcendant beauty of the American women, who were panting 
to receive such gallant fellows within their arms; and then he 
broke forth into exuberant praises of the lusciousness of the 
American wine, which was to be handed to them in golden 
goblets by “ the fairest of the fair”—but what were riches, 
honor, fame, women, or wine, to the senseless bigots ? they had 
a vow registered in heaven, the saints above had witnessed it, 
and no earthly power, therefore, could absolve them from the 
performance of it. Manson saw that it was in vain to contend 
against such a combination of ignorance and superstition, and 
therefore wisely appeared to fall into the designs of his crew; 
being well, acquainted with the cosmography of the Mediterra¬ 
nean, he declared that little doubt rested on his mind, of his 
ability to navigate the vessel to some Italian port, where the 
mummery of the performance of their vow might commence. 
Taking however, advantage of the total absence of all geogra¬ 
phical knowledge on the part of his crew, he sailed up the 
Garonne, persuading them that they were in sight of the Italian 
shores, and on arriving at Bourdeaux, he had the whole of them 
taken prisoners, as a band of mutineers; but not judging it safe 
to remain in a port, where as soon as the real circumstances of 
the case transpired, he might be made to change situations with 
the prisoners; he collected the best crew he could, and returned 
safely to England, discomfited, but not wholly discouraged from 
undertaking another voyage, at some more auspicious period. 
Manson was a distant relation of the celebrated Jane Shore, 
by the mother’s side, and although she might have lost all influ¬ 
ence over Henry VII., as far as regarded her personal attractions, 
yet under no circumstances was it found difficult to obtain ac- 
