he Success, Clipperton ordered the main-mast of the prize to be cut
away, lest she should overset, and then dismissed her. From the people
of this prize, they learnt that Lieutenant Sergeantson and his men had
been carried prisoners to Lima. On the 27th they anchored in _Guanchaco_
bay, where they found two ships at anchor, which had been abandoned by
their crews, and every thing taken out of them, except some bread and a
few jars of water. These ships were set on fire. It was now resolved to
bear away for the Gallapagos islands for refreshments, and accordingly
anchored in York road, on the north side of the Duke of York's island,
on the 9th January, 1720, immediately under the equinoctial line. They
here found good water, scrubbed and cleaned their ship's bottom, and
after ten days proceeded to the northwards, in order to cruize on the
coast of Mexico. The circumstance of finding good water at this place,
sufficiently justifies Captain Cowley from the aspersions thrown upon
him by later writers, who allege that he gave a fanciful and untrue
account of these islands, as they had not been able to find water or
anchorage at such of them as they tried.

Having returned to the American coast, they fell in with a ship on the
21st of January, which they took after a long chase. This proved to be
the Prince Eugene, on board of which was the Marquis of _Villa Roche_
and all his family, bound from Panama, where he had been president, to
Lima. This was the very ship in which Captain Clipperton had been
circumvented and taken in his last voyage in these seas,[237] when he
had been very indifferently used by the marquis, who was now at his
mercy, and whom he used, notwithstanding, with all civility. On the 8th
March, a priest who was on board the prize, and the boatswain of that
ship, desired leave to go on shore at the island of _Velas_,[238] which
was granted on condition that they would induce the inhabitants to bring
some bullocks to the shore, to exchange them for such goods as they
might think proper to accept in payment. This they promised, and on the
16th they returned with four bullocks, together with some fowls and
fruit as a present to the marquis, but said their alcalde, or governor,
would on no account permit them to trade with the English. They also
learnt that Captain Mitchell had been ashore at this place, and had shot
some of their cattle, but on 200 men appearing under arms, had been
forced to retire. This story s