did. Some of his Men had found it more to their Advantage to have been as religious.
At parting Ramsey gave the Ship three Chears, and Misson had the Complaisance to return one, which Ramsey answering with three more, made the best of his Way for Jamaica, and at the East End of the Island met with the Diana, who, upon Advice, turn'd back.
The Victoire steer'd for Carthagene, off which Port they cruised some Days, but meeting with nothing in the Seas, they made for Porto Bello; in their Way they met with two Dutch Traders, who had Letters of Mart, and were just come upon the Coast, the one had 20, the other 24 Guns; Misson engaged them, and they defended themselves with a great Deal of Resolution and Gallantry; and as they were mann'd a Peak, he durst not venture to board either of them, for fear of being at the same Time boarded by the other. His Weight of Mettal gave him a great Advantage over the Dutch, though they were two to one; besides, their Business, as they had Cargoes, was to get off, if possible, wherefore they made a running Fight, though they took Care to stick close to one another.
They maintained the Fight for above six Hours, when Misson, enraged at this Obstinacy, and fearing, if by Accident they should bring a Mast, or Top-Mast, by the board, they would get from him. He was resolved to sink the larger Ship of the two, and accordingly ordered his Men to bring all their Guns to bear a Midship, then running close along Side of him, to raise their Mettal; his Orders being punctually obey'd, he pour'd in a Broad Side, which open'd such a Gap in the Dutch Ship, that she went directly to the Bottom, and every Man perish'd
He then mann'd his Bowsprit, brought his Sprit-sail Yard fore and aft, and resolved to board the other, which the Dutch perceiving, and terrified with the unhappy Fate of their Comrade, thought a farther resistance vain, and immediately struck. Misson gave them good Quarters, though he was enraged at the Loss of 13 Men killed outright, beside 9 wounded, of which 6 died. They found on board a great Quantity of Gold and Silver Lace, brocade Silks, Silk Stockings Bails of Broad-Cloath, Bazes of all Colours, and Osnabrughs.
A Consultation being held, it was resolved Captain Misson should take the Name of Fourbin, and returning to Carthagene, dispose of his Prize, and set his Prisoners ashoar. Accordingly they ply'd to the Eastward, and came to an Anchor between Boca Chieca Fort, and the Town, for they did not think it expedient to enter the Harbour. The Barge was manned, and Caraccioli, with the Name of D'Aubigny, the first Lieutenant, who was killed in the Engagement with the Winchelsea, and his Commission in his Pocket, went ashore with a Letter to the Governor, sign'd Fourbin, whose Character, for fear of the worst, was exactly counterfeited. The Purport of his Letter was, that having discretionary Orders to cruize for three Months, and hearing the English infested his Coast, he was come in search of ’em, and had met two Dutch Men, one of which he had sunk, the other he made Prize of. That his limited Time being near expired, he should be obliged to his Excellency, if he would send on board him such Merchants as were willing to take the Ship and Cargoe off his Hands, of which he had sent the Dutch Invoice. Don Joseph de la Zerda, the then Governor, received the Lieutenant (who sent back the Barge at landing) very civilly, and agreed to take the Prisoners ashoar, and do every Thing was required of him; and ordering fresh Provisions and Sallading to be got ready as a Present for the Captain, he sent for some Merchants who were very ready to go on board, and agree for the Ship and Goods; which they did, for two and fifty thousand Pieces of Eight. The next Day the Prisoners were set ashoar; a rich Piece of Brocade which was reserv'd, sent to the Governor for a Present, a Quantity of fresh Provision bought and brought on board, the Money paid by the Merchants, the Ship and Goods deliver'd, and the Victoire, at the Dawn of the following Day, got under Sail. It may be wonder'd how such Dispatch could be made, but the Reader must take Notice, these Goods were sold by the Dutch Invoice, which the Merchant of the Prize affirmed was genuine. I shall observe, by the by, that the Victoire was the French Man of War which Admiral Wager sent the Kingston in search of, and being afterwards falsly inform'd, that she was join'd by another of seventy Guns; and that they cruiz'd together between the Capes, order'd the Severn up to Windward, to assist the Kingston, which had like to have prov'd very fatal; for these two English Men of War, commanded by Captain Trevor and Captain Pudnor, meeting in the Night, had prepared to engage, each taking the other for the Enemy. The Kingston's Men not having a good Look-out, which must be attributed to the Negligence of the Officer of the Watch, did not see the Severn till she was just upon them; but, by good Luck, to Leeward, and plying up, with all the Sail she could crowd, and a clear Ship. This put the Kingston in such Confusion, that when the Severn hal'd, no Answer was return'd, for none heard her. She was got under the Kingston's Stern, and Captain Pudnor ordered to hale for the third and last Time, and if no Answer was return'd, to give her a Broadside. The Noise on Board the Kingston was now a little ceas'd, and Captain Trevor, who was on the Poop with a speaking Trumpet to hale the Severn, by good Luck heard her hale him, and answering the Kingston, and asking the Name of the other Ship, prevented the Damage.
They cruised together some Time, and meeting nothing which answer'd their Information, return'd to Jamaica, as I shall to my Subject, begging Pardon for this, as I thought, necessary Digression.
Don Juan de la Zerda told the Captain in a Letter, that the St. Joseph, a Gallion of seventy Guns, was then lying at Port a Bello, and should be glad he could keep her Company till she was off the Coast. That she would sail in eight or ten Days for the Havanna; and that, if his Time would permit him, he would send an Advice-Boat. That she had on Board the Value of 800,000 Pieces of Eight in Silver and Bar Gold. Misson return'd Answer, that he believ'd he should be excus'd if he stretched his Orders, for a few Days; and that he would cruize off the Isle of Pearls, and Cape Gratias a Dios, and give for Signal to the Gallion, his spreading a white Ensign in his Fore-Top-Mast Shrouds, the cluing up his Fore-Sail, and the firing one Gun to Windward, and two to Leeward, which he should answer by letting run and hoisting his Fore-Top-Sail three times, and the firing as many Guns to Leeward. Don Joseph, extreamly pleased with this Complaisance, sent a Boat express to advise the St. Joseph, but she was already sailed two Days, contrary to the Governor of Carthagene's Expectation, and this Advice Captain Misson had from the Boat, which returning with an Answer, saw the Victoire in the Offin, and spoke to her. It was then resolved to follow the St. Joseph, and accordingly they steer'd for the Havanna, but by what Accident they did not overtake her is unknown.
I forgot to tell my Reader, on Board the Dutch Ship were fourteen French Hugonots, whom Misson thought fit to detain, when they were at Sea. Misson called ’em up, and proposed to ’em their taking on; telling them at the same Time, he left it to their Choice, for he would have no forc'd Men; and that if they all, or any of them, disapproved the Proposal, he would either give ’em the first Vessel he met that was fit for ’em, or set ’em ashoar on some inhabited Coast; and therefore bid ’em take two Days for Consideration before they returned an Answer; and, to encourage ’em, he called all Hands up, and declar'd, that if any Man repented him of the Course of Life he had chosen, his just Dividend should be counted to him, and he would set him on Shoar, either near the Havanna, or some other convenient Place; but not one accepted the Offer, and the fourteen Prisoners unanimously resolved to join in with ’em; to which Resolution, no doubt, the Hopes of a good Booty from the St. Joseph, and this Offer of Liberty greatly contributed.
At the Entrance of the Gulph they spied and came with a large Merchant Ship bound for London from Jamaica; she had 20 Guns, but no more than 32 Hands, that its not to be wonder'd at she made no Resistance, besides, she was deep laden with Sugars. Monsieur Misson took out of her what Ammunition she had, about four thousand Pieces of Eight, some Puncheons of Rum, and ten Hogsheads of Sugar; and, without doing her any further Damage, let her proceed her Voyage. What he valued most in this Prize was the Men he got, for she was carrying to Europe twelve French Prisoners, two of which were necessary Hands, being a
