and
still further ravage the coast of South America, elected Captain Sharp
commander-in-chief, and vowed themselves to be faithful to him in all
things. A large number, however, of the pirates deserted, preferring the
dangers of land travel in the rainy season to continued adventure in the
South Seas.

Basil Ringrose was among those who were tired of the expedition and
wished to return home, but he finally decided to remain with Captain
Sharp because of the great difficulties he foresaw in returning by the
shorter way.

It was the last day of May when the mutineers departed, and it was on
the sixth of June, a dark and rainy day, that they set sail on the long
and adventurous voyage. Almost from the start they met with most
vexatious delays which gave an opportunity for the Spanish on shore to
send ahead news of their coming. In consequence of this, they were
almost everywhere expected, and most of the towns which were unable to
defend themselves succeeded in concealing their wealth, provisions and
supplies so that the buccaneers were unable to seize treasures of any
great value. As a whole, the voyage was a disappointment, but from time
to time the adventurers succeeded in taking sufficient food and
occasionally gold and silver in such quantities that the voyage was
somewhat profitable to those who survived.

The journal of Ringrose is full of interesting little details, which
show how exciting the trip must have been, and how great were the perils
and privations of its followers.

In one place we find them anchored for four or five days, trying to dry
their sails so that they could be able to take them down and repair the
hull of their ship, yet all the time the rain fell in such torrents that
they were unable to work. At another place he tells of killing a snake
which was fourteen inches in circumference and eleven feet in length. On
this part of the coast they saw every day whales and grampuses, which
often came and dived under the ship, and although the men fired at them
several times, the bullets rebounded from their tough skins. At this
place, too, the best food consisted of Indian conies, snakes, oysters,
periwinkles, a few small turtles and a variety of small fish.

Again, we find some of the most valuable of the men dying from malignant
fevers, and all suffering from want of provisions. For a long time they
had nothing but flour and water, and then again they were able to revel
in small particles of meat