Page 190
An. 1685
Capt. Bond. The South Sea Shipping.
This Captain Bond was he of whom I made mention in my 4th Chapter. He, after his being at the Isles of Cape Verd, stood away for the South Seas, at the instigation of one Richard Morton, who had been with Captain Sharp in the South Seas. In his way he met with Captain Eaton, and they two consorted a day or two : at last Morton went aboard of Captain Eaton, and perswaded him to lose Captain Bond in the night, which Captain Eaton did, Morton continuing aboard of Captain Eaton, as finding his the better Ship. Cap- tain Bond thus losing both his Confort Eaton, and Morton his Pilot, and his Ship being but an ordinary Sailer, he despaired of getting into the South Seas ; and he had plaid such tricks among the Caribbee Isles, as I have been informed, that he did not dare to ap- pear at any of the English Islands. Therefore he per- swaded his Men to go to the Spaniards, and they con- sented to do any thing that he should propose : so he presently steered away into the West Indies, and the first place where he came to an anchor was at Portobel. He presently declared to the Governour, that there were English Ships coming into the South Seas, and that if they questioned it, he offered to be kept a Prisoner till time should discover the truth of what he said ; but they believed him, and sent him away to Panama, where he was in great esteem. This several Prisoners told us.
The Spaniards of Panama could not have fitted out their Fireship without this Captain Bond's assistance : for it is strange to say, how grossly igno- rant the Spaniards in the West Indies, but especially in the South Seas, are of Sea-affairs. They build indeed good Ships ; but this is a small matter : for any Ship of a good bottom will serve for these Seas on the South Coast. They rig their Ships but untowardly, have no Guns, but in 3 or 4 of the Kings Ships ; and are as meanly furnished with Warlike Provisions, and as much at a loss for the making any Fireships, or other less