Page 154
An. 1684
Town of Guiaquil attempted.
some of them, according to their cuftom, came thither on Bark-logs, at the latter part of the Ebb, and were all taken by our Men. The next day, by their advice, the two Watchmen of the Indian Town Puna were taken by our Men, and all its Inhabitants, not one efcaping. The next Ebb they took a fmall Bark laden with Quito-cloath. She came from Guia- quil that Tide, and was bound to Lima; they having advice that we were gone off the Coaft, by the Bark which I faid we faw while we lay at the Ifland Lo- bos. The Mafter of this Cloath-bark informed our Men, that there were three Barks coming from Guia- quil, laden with Negroes: He faid they would come from thence the next Tide. The fame Tide of Ebb that they took the Cloath-bark they fent a Canoa to our Bark, where the biggeft part of the Men were, to haften them away with fpeed to the Indian Town. The Bark was now riding at Point Arena; and the next Flood fhe came with all the Men and the reft of the Canoas to Puna. The Tide of Flood being now far fpent, we lay at this Town till the laft of the Ebb, and then rowed away, leaving 5 Men a- board our Bark, who were ordered to lye ftill till 8 a clock the next morning, and not to fire at any Boat or Bark; but after that time they might fire at any object: for it was fuppofed that before that time we fhould be Mafters of Guiaquil. We had not rowed above two mile before we met, and took one of the three Barks laden with Negroes; the Mafter of her faid, that the other two would come from Guiaquil the next Tide of Ebb. We cut her Main-Maft down and left her at an Anchor. It was now ftrong Flood, and therefore we rowed with all fpeed to- wards the Town, in hopes to get thither before the Flood was down, but we found it farther than we did expect it to be; or elfe our Canoas, being very full of Men, did not row fo faft as we would have them. The day broke when we were two leagues from