y near the
galleon, a bank was found on the outside of her which they could not
pass, and they were therefore obliged to retire.

Admiral Jaques Le Hermite, who had been in a declining state of health
from the time they left Sierra Leona, died on the 2d June, and was
buried next day in the island of Lima. The Spanish viceroy having
refused to ransom the prisoners made by the Dutch, and the ships being
straitened for provisions especially water, twenty-one Spaniards were
hung up at the mizen yard-arm of the Dutch admiral's ship on the 15th
June. That same evening, Cornelius Jacobson returned with his
detachment, having made an ineffectual attempt on Pisco, which he found
strongly fortified, and defended by 2000 men, besides a body of 200
horse which scoured the country. In this attempt he had five men killed
and sixteen wounded, and thirteen deserted to the enemy. At this time
the scurvy prevailed to a great height in the fleet, so that some of the
ships had not sufficient men in a sound state to man their boats; but
one day a Swiss, who was very ill of the scurvy, scrambled up to the top
of the highest hill in the island of Lima,[140] where he found plenty of
a kind of herb with which he had been well acquainted in his own
country, and by eating which he soon recovered his health. This becoming
public, his example was universally followed, by which the best part of
the men were saved from death, and in a short time recovered their
health and spirits. On the 5th August, the vice-admiral was installed as
admiral, the rear-admiral succeeding him as vice-admiral, and Cornelius
Jacobson was advanced to be rear-admiral.

[Footnote 140: The island of San Lorenzo, a little to the south of
Calao, is evidently here meant.--E.]

The new vice-admiral soon after returned from his expedition to the road
of Puna and Guayaquil, where he had burnt two ships and captured a
third. He had also taken Guayaquil after considerable loss, and finding
it untenable, and not having boats to carry away the booty, he had set
it on fire, burning a great quantity of rich goods in the warehouses,
after which he reimbarked his men. The Dutch fleet sailed from the
island of Lima on the 14th of August, and anchored that same evening in
a bay behind the Piscadores islands, about twenty-three miles north,
where they watered. Continuing their course on the 16th, they came in
sight of the island of Santa Clara, or Amortajado, on the 24th,
intending once mo