BERNARD COUPER

To Mr Thomas Hide, Merchant in London.

_Second Letter respecting the Union at Audierne_.

The 8th day of February, I came over the Pole-head of Bourdeaux, and the
11th I lost my foremast, bolt-sprit, and rudder, and put into Audierne
that night for repair. The 13th the Frenchman brought the ship Union of
London upon the rocks. The 14th I went in my boat aboard the Union, by
which time the Frenchmen had been four days in possession of her. I then
brought on shore Samuel Smith, Thomas Duttonton, and Edmund White the
master. The 15th I got William Bagget, my merchant, to write a letter to
Morlaix; and the 18th the letter was sent off, when I paid two crowns
for its carriage. The Indian died on the 20th, and I buried him. The
20th the master died, and I buried him also. The 22d Mr Roberts and Mr
Couper came, and then went back to Morlaix on the 26th. Again the 4th of
March, William Coarey, the host of Mr Couper and Mr Roberts.[304] The
5th, I and Mr Coarey went in my boat to the Union. At low water I went
into her hold, and brought away a sample of the worst pepper. The 6th I
left Audierne, and came to Morlaix on the 8th. The 17th Mr Hide came to
Morlaix. The 21st I sailed from Morlaix, and got to the Isle of Wight on
the 22d at night. The 24th I came to Southampton, and the 28th I arrived
in London.

Your loving friend,

WILLIAM WOTTON.

[Footnote 304: This sentence is left unintelligible by Purchas; Coarey
probably came at this time to Audierne. Roberts is probably the person
named Robbins by Couper in the former letter.--E.]

After the spoil of the Bretons, they saved almost 200 tons of pepper,
some benzoin, and some China silks, which had been purchased at Tecu in
Sumatra. The Union, after her unfortunate voyage outward-bound, as
already briefly related, loaded with pepper at Acheen, Priaman,
Passeman, and Tecu, at which last place they bought some silk out of a
Chinese junk. On their return voyage, they met Sir Henry Middleton,
having then thirty-six men on board in reasonable good health, and they
delivered some chests of silver to Sir Henry. They afterwards became
very sickly, missed the island of St Helena, and most of their men died
on this side of Cape Verd. Ten Englishmen and four Guzerats were taken
out of them by a bark belonging to Bristol, and a Scot. The
circumstances respecting their landing at Audierne, and other matters
there, are before set down in the two preceding letters.

A