hat this was a Spanish
ship named the Jesu Maria, but now in possession of Captain Shelvocke,
who had now only forty of his men remaining, all the rest being dead or
dispersed. He said that he had lost the Speedwell at the island of Juan
Fernandez, where he staid five months, and built a bark out of the wreck
of the Speedwell. Putting to sea in this bark, he had coasted along
Chili and Peru, meeting several ships, but could not take any, till at
length he captured the Jesu Maria at Pisco near Lima. Shelvocke's people
differed much in their stories, but it appeared that there was no
regular command among them; and, as used to be the practice in the
buccaneers, they had chosen a quarter-master, every thing being carried
by a majority of votes, being all equal, and snared every thing among
themselves, contrary to the articles of agreement with their owners.

On the 27th, Mr Clipperton sent for the purser of the Jesu Maria, who
gave but a dark account of their proceedings, only that he was not
allowed to take any account of the treasure for the owners. Captain
Shelvocke afterwards came on board the Success, accompanied by Mr Dod,
his lieutenant of marines, who proposed to remain in the Success, having
been very ill used by the other crew for his attachment to the interest
of the owners, at least so he said, and was credited by Captain
Clipperton and his officers. Next day, Shelvocke sent on board the
Success six chests of pitch and _dammer_, two barrels of tar, and six
slabs of copper; and Captain Clipperton gave him _twenty-four_ quarter
deck guns,[242] some round shot, a compass, and a few other necessaries.
Shelvocke's people laid out a great deal of money with the crew of the
Success, in the purchase of clothes, shoes, hats, and other necessaries;
and there remained with them two of Shelvocke's officers, Mr Hendric the
purser, and Mr Dod the lieutenant of marines.

[Footnote 242: This must be a gross error, as the Success originally
carried only _twenty-four_ guns; and accordingly, in the subsequent
account of the circumnavigation of Shelvocke, only two quarter-deck guns
are mentioned.--E.]

Still keeping to the northward on the coast of Mexico, the Success
afterwards saw the Jesu Maria several times; and at length, in the
beginning of March, it was resolved to propose a conjunct attempt on the
Manilla ship on her way to Acapulco. Accordingly on the 13th March, in a
general consultation by the officers of both ships,