Page 189
An. 1685
Spanish Stratagems.
their Men going out into the Canoas set fire to their Ship, which blew up, and burnt close by us ; so that we were forced to cut our Cables in all haste, and scamper away as well as we could.
The Spaniard was not altogether so politick in ap- pointing to meet us at Perico, for there we had Sea- room; whereas had he come thus upon us at Tabago, the Land-wind bearing hard upon us as it did, we must either have been burnt by the Fireship, or upon loofing our Cables have been driven ashore : But I suppose they chose Perico rather for the Scene of their Enterprize, partly because they might there best sculk among the Islands, and partly because if their Exploit fail d, they could thence escape best from our Canoas to Panama, but 2 leagues off.
During this Exploit, Captain Swan (whose Ship was less than ours, and so not so much aim'd at by the Spaniards) lay about a mile off, with a Canoa at the Buoy of his Anchor, as fearing some Treachery from our pretended Merchant : and a little before the Bark blew up he saw a small Float on the Water, and as it appeared, a Man on it, making towards his Ship ; but the Man dived, and disappeared of a sud- den, as thinking probably that he was discovered.
This was supposed to be one coming with some combustible matter to have stuck about the Rudder. For such a trick Captain Sharp was served at Coquimbo, and his Ship had like to have been burnt by it, if by meer accident it had not been discovered : I was then aboard Captain Sharp's Ship. Captain Swan seeing the Blaze by us, cut his Cables as we did, his Bark did the like ; so we kept under sail all the night, being more scared than hurt. The Bark that was on fire drove burning towards Tabago ; but after the first blast she did not burn clear, only made a smother, for she was not well made, though Captain Bond had the framing and management of it.
This