orseman than any kind of coat whatever.

They have what they call an annual ship from Lima, as they never expect
more than one in the year; though sometimes it happens that two have come,
and at other times they have been two or three years without any. When this
happens, they are greatly distressed, as this ship brings them baize,
cloth, linens, hats, ribbons, tobacco, sugar, brandy, and wine, but this
latter article is chiefly for the use of the churches: Matte, an herb from
Paraguay, used over all South America instead of tea, is also a necessary
article. This ship's cargo is chiefly consigned to the Jesuits, who have
more Indians employed for them than all the rest of the inhabitants
together, and of course engross almost the whole trade. There is no money
current in this island. If any person wants a few yards of linen, a little
sugar, tobacco, or any other thing brought from Peru, he gives so many
cedar-planks, hams, or punchos, in exchange. Some time after we had been
here, a snow arrived in the harbour from Lima, which occasioned great joy
amongst the inhabitants, as they had no ship the year before, from the
alarm Lord Anson had given upon the coast.

This was not the annual vessel, but one of those that I mentioned before
which come unexpectedly. The captain of her was an old man, well known upon
the island, who had traded here once in two or three years for more than
thirty years past. He had a remarkably large head, and therefore was
commonly known by a nick-name they had given him of Cabuco de Toro, or
Bull's-head. He had not been here a week, before he came to the governor,
and told him, with a most melancholy countenance, that he had not slept a
wink since he came into the harbour, as the governor was pleased to allow
three English prisoners liberty to walk about instead of confining them,
and that he expected every moment they would board his vessel and carry her
away: This he said when he had above thirty hands aboard. The governor
assured him he would be answerable for us, and that he might sleep in
quiet; though at the same time he could not help laughing at the man, as
all the people in the town did. These assurances did not satisfy the
captain; he used the utmost dispatch in disposing of his cargo, and put to
sea again, not thinking himself safe till he had lost sight of the island.
It was about three months after this that Mr Hamilton was brought in by a
party that the governor had sent to the south