M^BM&^i^i^ l\( .^^-^ /Yi^i ARFXTT AYRES, (^ D ^ ■ X--"- ^ •I" LIFE ABOARD A BRITISH PRIVATEER IN THE TIME OF QUEEN ANNE. BEING THE JOURNAL OF CAPTAIN WOODES ROGERS, MASTER MARINER. WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROBERT C. LESLIE. LONDON : CHAPMAN AND HALL, LIMITED, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1889. GA-2.0 ^^^ CHISWICK PRESS :— C. WHITTINGHAM AND CO., TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE. CONTENTS. Introduction PAGE I CHAPTER I. From King Road, Bristol, to Cork, in Ireland . CHAPTER II. Amongst the Canary Islands .... CHAPTER HI. From Grande towards Juan Fernandez CHAPTER IV. From Lobos towards Guiaquil, in Peru CHAPTER V. Among the Gallapagos Islands and at Gorgona Road, in Peru . . . . . . CHAPTER VI. Sailing toward the Islands of Guam and Bouton, THENCE TO BaTAVIA, AND ROUND THE CaPE OF Good Hope, Home ..... Appendix ........ 21 67 90 10 31 ^ 20<.^. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Running past Mine Head . . . Frontispiece Section of Eighteenth Century Frigate . Captain Rogers's Carriage Stops the Way Crossing the Tropick ...... Figure of the Quadrant and Manner of Observation Figure of the Cross-staff and Manner of Observation The Figure of the Nocturnal Captain Rogers gives the Duke a Great List . The Bird " Alcatros " The "Dutchess" in Difficulties . Juan Fernandez ...... Mr. Selkirk joins the " Duke " Frigate . Captains Rogers and Dover under the Piemento Trees ....... Pinnaces under Sail . A Council of War . . . . . The " Duke " takes the Manila Ship Batavia Roads ...... The Old Ship's Belfry .... A Map of the World, with the Ships " Duke " and •* Dutchess" tract round it from 1708 to 171 1 The Old Sea Clock PAGE 9 15 24 26 27 28 36 41 47 50 52 61 63 ye 102 119 130 130 H3 LIFE ABOARD A BRITISH PRIVATEER. THE INTRODUCTION. OST people know their " Robinson Crusoe," and have heard of the author Defoe. But how many of us have heard even the name of Woodes Rogers, Master Mariner? or have read his quaint Jour- nal of a cruising voyage round the world in the ships " Duke " and " Dutchess " of Bristol, "printed in 17 12 for A. Bell and B. Lintot at the Crosse Keys and Bible between the two Temple Gates Fleet Street." ? Yet it was this Woodes Rogers who not only discovered the original Crusoe, Alexander Selkirk, but after making a " note of him when found " upon the 1708 Life aboard a 1708 island of Juan Fernandez/ at once proceeded to make very practical use of him by giving him command of the " Increase/' one of many small prizes taken in the South Seas from the Spaniards by the " Duke " and " Dutchess." That Rogers was more than a master mariner, of much resource and pluck, is shown in his Journal, and the wonderful way in which he handled the very mixed group of men which formed the small floating commonwealth under him. It was more than thirty years later that Lord Anson sailed a similar voyage round the world with the advantage of the experience of Rogers and others, while Anson's squadron was fitted, manned, and armed by Government : yet, considering the loss of life and material which marked that cruise, it seems to me that, judged by results, Rogers' voyage was a far more wonderful performance, and that it attracted some attention at the time is shown by a notice of it in Captain Berkley's " Naval History," (published, 1756), where, under the heading of ^ Though this island in the Pacific is the one usually associated with Robinson Crusoe, Defoe conceals its identity by wrecking Crusoe's ship upon an island to the north of Brasil, near the " Great River Oroonoque." British Privateer. "Conduct of the Bristol Privateers/' he says, ^* we have read in very pompous language the names of those who, with great ships and great preparations, encompassed the Globe. But at this time came in two privateers, of Bristol, who with no more than the common strength of such vessels, undertook the voyage, and at the end of two years and three months returned,'^ &c. In his own Preface, Captain Rogers says, " I was not fond to appear in print ; but my friends who had read my journal prevail'd with me at last to publish it,'' adding, " I know 'tis generally expected, that when far distant voyages are printed, they should contain new and wonderful discoveries, with surprising accounts of people and animals ; but this voyage being only designed for cruising on the enemy, it is not reasonable to expect such accounts here as are to be met with in travels relating to history, geography, &c., while, as for stile, I have not had time, were it my talent, to polish it ; nor do I think it neces- sary for a mariner's journal. 'Tis also," he says, "a particular misfortune, which attends voyages to the South Sea, that the buccaneers, to set off their own knight-errantry, and to make themselves pass for prodigies of courage and Life aboard a British Privateer, 1708 conduct, have given such romantick accounts of their adventures, and told such strange stories, as make the voyages of those who come after (and cannot allow themselves the same liberty), to look flat and insipid to unthinking people. Therefore I request my readers, that they be favourable in their censures when they peruse this journal which is not calculated to amuse, but barely to relate the truth, and which is all written in the language of the sea, that being more genuine and natural for a mariner than the method us'd by authors that write ashoar." I have, therefore, in the following extracts, quoted Roger's Journal as closely as possible, adding only a short connect- ing note here and there, where required. Robert C. Leslie. CHAPTER I. FROM KING ROAD, BRISTOL, TO CORK IN IRELAND. ANY a modern pleasure yacht would exceed the tonnage of the frigates "Duke'* and "Dutchess/' the "Duke" being 320 tons, with 30 guns and 117 men, and the "Dutchess" only 260 tons, with 26 guns, and 108 men. "Both ships," says Rogers, *^well furnished with all neces- saries on board for a distant undertaking weighed from King Road Bristol August 2nd 1708 in company with the ^Scipio,' 'Peter- borough frigot,' ' Prince Eugene,* ' Bristol Gal- ley,' ' Berkley Galley,' ' Bucher Galley,' ' Sher- stone Galley,' and ' Diamond Sloop,' bound to Cork in Ireland." These " galleys " must not be confounded with the lateen rigged vessels of that name in the south of Europe ; being simply 1708 Setting out from King Road. Life aboard a 1708 small, low, straight ships of light draught easily moved by oars or sweeps in calms. In Rogers' time a ship was said to be '^ Frigate built " when she had a poop and forecastle rising a few steps above the waist, and '' galley built/' when there was no break in the line of her deck and topsides. But the use of oars was not confined to these Bristol^ galley built ships, for Rogers speaks of using them on several occasions in the '^ Duke " and " Dutchess." While in old draughts of small vessels of this class, of even a . later date, row-ports are often shown. Between the Holmes and Minehead the little fleet came to ''an Anchor from 10 to 12 at night, when all came to sail again, running past Minehead with a fine gale at S.E. at six in the morning." No time was lost before an attempt 1 Writing of Bristol in 1808, Pinkerton says that "in the late wars with France they built here a sort of galleys, called runners, which being well armed and manned, and furnished with letters of marque, overtook and mastered several prizes of that nation. Many of these ships were then also carriers for the London merchants, who ordered their goods to be landed here, and sent to Gloucester by water, thence by land to Lechlade, and thence down the Thames to London ; the carriage being so resonable that it was more than paid for by the difference of the insurance and risque between this port and London." British Privateer. 7 was made to add to the number of the fleet, for the same day, at 5 p.m., the " Dutchess," like a young hound, breaks away from the pack in chase of what seemed a large ship, which they lost sight of again at 8 o'clock. But " having been informed at Bristol that the 'Jersey,' a French man-of-war, was cruising betwixt England and Ireland, the ships sailed all night with hammocks stowed and cleared for a fight. Though it was well for us," says Rogers, " that this proved a false alarm, since had it been real we should have made but an indifferent fight, for want of being better manned." After parting company with three galleys and the *' Prince Eugene," the fleet, on the 5th of August, " finding they have overshot their port, come to an anchor at noon off two rocks, called the Sovereigne's Bollacks, near Kinsale ; at 8 p.m. they weighed again with a small gale at east, which increased and veered to northard." At this time Rogers had a Kinsale pilot on board who, he says, " was like to have endangered our ships by turning us into the next bay to the west of Cork, the weather being dark and foggy." *' Which," says Rogers, " provoked me to chas- tise him for undertaking to act as pilot without 1708 An incompe- tent Filet. Life aboard a 1708 Arri'val at Cork. understanding his business better." On the 7th the "Duke" and "Dutchess" anchored in the Cove of Cork, and remained there, more or less weather bound, until the iSth, the entries in Rogers' log varying little beyond telling us that on the I ith, *^ it blow'd fresh and dirty weather :" while on the 1 2th, " it blew fresh and dirty weather, on which day there clear'd and run near forty of our fresh water sailors." In whose place ^' came off a boat load of men from Cork, that appeared to be brisk fellows but of several nations ; so I sent to stop the rest till we were ready, our ships being pester'd." On the 28th the weather was fine enough' to " Careen clean and tallow the ships five streaks below the water line." Nothing marked the smart privateersman and seaman of those days more than his constant care in keeping the bottom of his ship perfectly clean. Indeed, Captain Rogers never seemed happier than when he had one or other of the little frigates heeld over for scraping and clean- ing, in some quiet bay, so nearly upon her beam ends, as to bring her keel almost out of water. When shipping the rest of his crew before sailing from Cork, we get a taste of Rogers' British Privateer, foresight and policy. For he tells us, " we have now above double the number of officers usual in privateers, besides a large complement of men ; " adding, " we took this method of doub- ling our officers to prevent mutinies, which often happen in long voyages, and that we might have a large provision for a succession of officers in each ship in case of mortality.'* It must, however, have been a sore trial to a tarpaulin seaman, like Rogers, to have to note at the same time, ^^ that in order to make room for our men and provisions, we sent the sheet cable and some other store cordage on shore, having on board three cables besides, and being willing rather to spare that than anything else we had aboard." In a small frigate quite a fourth part of the hold was, before the introduction of chain cables, occupied by the cable tier or room ; and when one considers, not only the space they filled, but the difficulty of handling them, and the care re- quired to keep them from chafing when in use, and from damp and rot when stowed away, it is astonishing that ships returning from long cruises ever had an anchor or cable left which they could trust. 1708 lO Life aboard a 1708 The crenv at Cork. Many nued- dings among them. Among the troubles attending the use of hemp cables, that of firing in the hawse holes and at the bits, or timbers they passed over in running out, was one ; and each time the anchor was let go men were stationed with buckets of water to prevent this. It was while victualling and shipping men at this time that a side-note appears of the '' Strange behaviour of our men at Cork," alluding to the fact, " that they were continually marrying whilst we staid there, though they expected to sail im- mediately." Among others, a Dane was coupled by an Irish priest to an Irish woman, without understanding a word of each other's language, so that they were forc'd to use an interpreter. " Yet/' says Rogers, " I perceived this pair seem'd more afflict'd at separation than any of the rest; the fellow continued melancholy for several days after we were at sea." Whether the Irish bride shared her Danish husband's de- pression is, of course, not related by Rogers, who goes on to say that '' the rest, understanding each other, drank their cans of flip ^ till the last minute, concluding with a health to our good ^ " Flipp, a liquor much used in ships, made by mixing beer with spirits and sugar." — ^Johnson, 1760. British Privateer. 1 1 voyage, and their happy meetingj and then parted unconcerned." Though the chief command of the expedition fell to Woodes Rogers, master mariner, yet, as was the case in most of these private ventures to the South Seas, several of his officers were men with no claim to the name of sailor, who had either mon:ey invested in the ships, or interest with the owners. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that " the second Captain of the ^ Duke,' and captain of the Marines, was one Thomas Dover, a doctor of phisick," or that this Captain Dover's first lieutenant was " his kinsman, Mr. Hopkins, an apothecary." On the other hand, Rogers had cleverly secured as his master the celebrated William Dampier, also rated " Pilot of the South Seas," " he having," as Rogers says, ^' already been there three times and twice round the world." This was no doubt poor Dampier's last venture at sea, for though Rogers mentions his name once or twice in consultation during the cruise, he is altogether lost sight of toward the end of it. Among the other officers, " the third mate, John Ballet, was also designed surgeon, having,'' says Rogers, " been Captain Dampier's doctor in his last unfortunate voyage ; " while Names of the officers. 12 Life aboard a 1708 Ho'vj the cre^w nvas made up. two young lawyers have their names upon the ship's books, ** designed to act as midship- men." Including boatswains, gunners, carpenters, &c., there were on board the " Duke " thirty-six officers, and of the rest of the crew, we are told that " a third were foreigners, while of Her Majestie's subjects many were taylors, tinkers, pedlars, fiddlers, and hay-makers, with ten boys and one negro ; with which mix'd gang we hope to be well manned as soon as they have learnt the use of arms, and got their sea legs ; " which, says Rogers, ^' we doubt not soon to teach 'em and bring 'em to discipline." It was the i st of September before the " Duke " and ^^ Dutchess " left the Cove of Cork with twenty merchant vessels, under convoy of Her Majesty's ship " Hastings," " both of us," says Rogers, " very crowded and pester'd ships, their holds full of provisions, and between decks en- cumbered with cables, much bread, and alto- gether in a very unfit state to engage an enemy, without throwing many stores overboard." Nevertheless, on the 2nd, the two little frigates stand out from the fleet to chase a sail to wind- British Privateer. ward ; and Rogers is glad to find that they sailed as well as any in the fleet, not even excepting the man-of-war, so that, he says, " we begin to hope we shall find our heels, since we go so well tho deep and pester'd." The chase, however, proved an inoffensive " French built Snow,^ of Bristol, joining our fleet from Baltimoor'' (Ireland). The weather being fine on the 4th of Sep- tember, Rogers and Captain Courtenay of the "Dutchess," in answer to a signal from Captain Paul, of the Sherstone galley, make a morning call upon that gentleman, in which they are joined by the commander of the *' Scipio," and after being "handsomely treated by Captain Paul," he proposes joining them in a few days, priva- teering off that welLstocked preserve. Cape Finisterre. A marginal note occurs here in Rogers' journal of " Captain Paul's civility," re- ^ " Snow." A vessel which would now be called a brig. The largest two masted craft of that time, and then distin- guished from a brig by having a square mainsail below her maintopsail ; a fore and aft sail being also carried upon a small spar fitted to, and just abaft the mainmast. In the original brigs this fore and aft sail was set upon the main- mast itself, and was the mainsail, in the Snow it became the spanker. 13 1708 Captain PauPs ci'vility. H Life aboard a 1708 T^he creiv acquainted njutth our design. League Cap- tain Paul. ferring to a present, or tip, '' of some scrubbers, and iron scrapers for our ships' bottoms, together with a speaking trumpet and other things we wanted, for which Captain Paul would accept nothing in return." The time had now come for parting company with the man-of-war, ^^ and it became necessary," says Rogers, "to acquaint the ships companies with our designes in order that while in company with one of Her Majesties ships any malcontents might be exchanged into her. But with the ex- ception of one fellow who expected to have been made ty thing man in his parish that year, and said his wife would have to pay forty shillings in his abscence, all hands were satisfied," while even the discontented tything man became reconciled to his lot, when asked to join all hands at the grog-tub in drinking to a good voyage. Parting company, however, with the man-of-war also en- tailed giving up the proposed cruise oiF Finis- terre with the Sherstone Galley, or as Rogers puts it " we had to break measures with Captain Paul. But I excused it to him and saluted him, which he answerd and wished us a prosperous undertaking. Wind N. by W. and clear weather." As the crowded little frigates roll or*^^^*" ■s^ ^ British Privateer. across the Bay of Biscay together before this fair wind, we have the first entry in Captain Rogers' log of one of the many snug little dinners given on board his ship to the officers of the " Dut- chess," and which is returned by them in due form the next day. This constant interchange of civilities among the officers of ships sailing in company is a very marked feature in the manners and customs of the mariners of that date. Among men-of-war anchored in roadsteads or in port such events are even now, of course, not uncommon. But in those days, judging from entries in Rogers' log, few days passed at sea without actual communi- cation by boat between the ships, the crews of which must have had constant practical experi- ence, both in lowering and hoisting in boats. While, though this must often have been done with a high sea running, there is no record of a mishap to a boat or crew during the entire cruise — a fact speaking volumes for the fine boatmanship of the sailors of this period.^ 1708 ^ Forty or fifty years ago the crews of South Sea whalers were very smart sea-boatmen, and their captains thought nothing of lowering a boat in a double reefed topsail breeze, to take a cup of tea or glass of grog with the i6 Life aboard a 1708 Though practically under the able leadership of Rogers, the two privateers formed together a small floating commonwealth, no important measures being decided upon until they had passed a committee of the officers of both ships. The first of these marine parliaments sat on board the " Duke," just after an entry in Rogers' log says, "that now we begin to consider the length of our voyage, and the many different climates we must pass, and the excessive cold which we cannot avoid going about Cape Horn; at the same time we have but a slender stock of liquor, and oiir men but meanly clad, yet good liquor to sailors is preferable to clothing. Upon A committee, this we held our first committee to debate whether tVas necessary for us to stop at Madera ? " Here follows a minute of the resolutions as passed, which are formally signed by each member of the Committee, thus : captain of a ship in company. Great simplicity was the main feature of boat lowering gear on board these ships ; but constant practice made communication between them so easy, that it took place often under difficulties which now would be sufficient to entitle the officer in charge of the boat to a gold watch and chain. British Privateer. 17 "Thos Stephen Courtenay. WooDEs Rogers. Edward Cooke. William Dampier. Dover, President. Carleton Vanbrugh. Tho: Glendall. John Bridge. John Ballet. 1708 Robert Frye." At six the next morning both frigates go in chase of a sail, '' the * Dutchess ' having a mile start given her in order to spread the more ; " Rogers adding ^' that it blew fresh with a great sea, and the chase being to windward, we crowd'd extravagantly." Nine hours later they came up with the chase, "who bore right down upon us, showing Swedish colours. We fired twice at her before she brought to, when we board'd her. Captain Courtney's boat being just before ours. We examined the master, and found he came round Scotland and Ireland." This was a very usual track in the old war times, in order to avoid capture in the British Channel. But it made Rogers suspect the Swede of having something in the shape of warlike stores on board, so that, naturally anxious to i8 Life aboard a 1708 A mutiny queWd. prove her a prize, after such a long chase to windward, and beUeving some men " he found drunk, who told us they had gunpowder and cables aboard, he resolved to strictly examine her, placing twelve men on board, and taking the master and twelve of her men on board the ' Duke/ " Nothing, however, was found to prove her a prize, and Rogers ^* let her go," as he says, '* without the least embezelment. Her master giving him two hams and some rufF't dried beef/' in return for which Rogers gave him " a dozen bottles of red-streak cider." The character both of Rogers and his crew come out strongly on this occasion, for he tells us " that while I was on board the Swede yester- day our men mutiny'd. The ringleaders being our boatswain and three inferior officers. But this morning the chief officers having kept with " me in the after part of the ship we confined the authors of this disorder, in which there was not one foreigner concerned, putting ten mutineers in irons, a sailor being first soundly whip'd for exciting the rest to join him. Others less guilty were punished and discharged, but I kept the chief officers all arm'd, fearing what might happen ; the ship's company seeming inchn'd to British Privateer. favour the mutineers, some beg'd pardon and others I was forc'd to wink at/* The only reason for this rising was discontent of the crew at not being allowed to plunder the Swede. "Two days later,** says Rogers, '^ the men in irons dis- covered others who were ringleaders in the mutiny." These are, of course, placed in irons with the rest, Captain Rogers judiciously creating a new boatswain, " in the room of Giles Cash, who, being a most dangerous fellow," I agreed with the master of the " Crown Galley," then in company, to carry for me in irons to Madera, "which extreme measure" was taken because "on September the 14th a sailor followed by near half the ship's company came aft to the steeridge door, and demanded the boatswain out of irons ; on which," says Rogers, " I desired him to speak with me on the quarter deck, which he did, where, the officers assisting, I seized him (/.^., tied him up) and made one of his chief com- rades whip him, which method I thought best for breaking any unlawful friendship amongst them- selves, which, with different correction to other offenders, allay'd this tumult, so that now they began to submit quietly and those in irons to beg pardon and promise amendment. This 19 1708 20 Life aboard a British Privateer. 1708 Mutineers pardon d. A Spanish prize taken. mutiny would not have been easily lay'd were it not for the number of our officers, which we begin to find very necessary to bring our crew to discipline, always difficult in privateers, but with- out which 'tis impossible to carry on any distant undertaking like ours. Fine pleasant weather, moderate gales." Two days later, " on their humble submission, and strict promise of good behaviour for the time to come," the mutineers are set free ; "they having," says Rogers, '^ while they continued in irons had centries over *em, and were fed with bread and water." On September the i8th they sight " Pico Teneriff, and at 5 next morning spy'd a sail under their lee bow, which proved a prize, a Spanish bark about 25 tuns belonging to Oratava in Teneriff, and bound to Forteventura with about 45 passengers ; who rejoiced when they found us English, because they feared we were Turks. Amongst the prisoners were four Fryars, one of them the Padre Guardian for the Island of Forteventura, a good honest fellow whom we made heartily merry drinking King Charles the Thirds health, but the rest were of the wrong sortr CHAPTER II. AMONGST THE CANARY ISLES. JONSIDERING that Captain Rogers' main object in cruising among the Grand Canaries was to lay in a store of liquor for his voyage *^ about Cape Horn," this small Spanish bark, with a cargo of two butts of wine, and a hogshead of brandy, was a lucky windfall. A trifling hitch occurred, however, about her ransom, owing to the headstrong conduct of Mr. Carlton Vanbrugh, the ** Duke's " agent, " who, against his Captain's judgement," went ashore with the master of the prize to settle this matter, and was there detained ; the authorities refusing to let him go unless the bark was restored to them free of charge ; they claiming protection from capture for all vessels trading between these 1705 Sept. 22 1708 A letter ^from Fort Orata