Page:Vol 3 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/302

282 ploughmen, haymakers, laborers, and men representing nearly all the occupations by which the poor earn a livelihood, except that of seaman.

Rounding Cape Horn in safety the vessels arrived off the island of Juan Fernandez on the 1st of February 1709, and the same afternoon a pinnace was sent on shore for water. At dusk a light was observed on the island, and the commander, supposing that it was kindled by the crew of a Spanish or French man-of-war, fired guns from the quarter-deck to recall the pinnace, and prepared his ships for action. No sail was in sight on the following morning, and it was concluded that the enemy had been frightened away by the sound of the firing. The cause of the strange light was soon explained, however, for the pinnace being again sent ashore returned with a man clad in goat-skins, and as wild of aspect as the animals from which he had procured his apparel. His name was Alexander Selkirk.

The expedition then sailed for Peru, and after taking a number of prizes and capturing the town of Guayaquil, for which a moderate ransom was received, proceeded to the island of Gorgona, whence some of the prisoners, being sent to Panamá for the purpose, returned with money to redeem a portion of the prize cargoes, the bargain being honorably fulfilled on both sides. Rogers soon afterward sailed for Mexico, and sighted land near the spot where Dampier was defeated by the treasure galleon. Thence a few days later he shaped his course for the coast of Lower California, made Cape San Lúcas on the 1st of November, and cruising southward a few weeks later captured a large and well manned twenty-gun ship bound from Manila to Acapulco.

The prisoners gave information that a still larger vessel had left Manila in company with them, but being a better sailer had long since parted company, and was now probably lying at Acapulco. Within a few days this ship came in sight, but now the