abounded, but on the other hand they left behind them two seamen who, desiring to play at Alexander Selkirk in company, had deserted. After this comes the usual record of prizes, and on account of a stay at Cocos Island, in order that the crew should have an opportunity of recovering from the sickness attending a long cruise. Off the coast of Mexico, Clipperton chased a ship which, when overhauled, proved to be the Jesu Maria, commanded by Captain Shelvock, and manned by forty of the survivors of the Speedwell's crew. Here was a dramatic meeting. The Speedwell, it appeared, had been wrecked on the Island of Juan Fernandez, and with her timbers a smaller vessel had been built, by means of which they had captured their present prize. The Island of Juan Fernandez had seen many queer things, but probably nothing stranger than the boat which set out from its shores, holding forty persons, crowded together, four live hogs, one cask of beef, and over two thousand smoked conger-eels, on the odorous bundles of which the men, for want of room, were forced to lie! It soon became evident to Clipperton that Shelvock and his crew were no longer inclined to sail in company with him, nor to share the considerable booty they had amassed. So the Success sailed away to China, leaving Shelvock to his own devices. The latter, after some further cruising, followed in the track of the Success to the west. CHAPTER V EARLY BRITISH ADVENTURERS IN SPANISH AMERICA Reasons for the slender English records during the colonial period of the continent-Influence of the Inquisition-The Spaniard in his official and in his private capacity-Questions of faith-Englishmen who sailed to Paraguay in 1534 with Pedro de Mendoza's expedition-The town of "Londrez"-Cause of the nomenclature-The Chilean census of 1788A late proof of the phenomenal dearth of foreigners-Conditions which obtained in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries-Influence of the Spanish occupation of Brazil-Method of receiving strangers in that colony-Inhospitality to foreigners general throughout South America until the independence of the continent-Early English Jesuits in South America—The kidnapped London boy, John Martin, develops into João d'Almeida, a noted Brazilian saint-His enthusiastic scourgings of the flesh-Veneration in which he was held-Father Thomas FieldsA famous Irish Jesuit-Captured by an English bucaneer-Alleged fate of the most violent of the captors-Father Field's work in ParaguaySacred ceremonies at sea-English vessels engaged in the slave tradePrivileges granted to these South America as a refuge for the social outcast-Irish settlers-Their popularity in the continent-Special concessions granted them-Their success as pastoralists-Method of partnership with the South Americans-Ambrose O'Higgins-The greatest British figure in South America—Circumstances of his youth-Arrival in South America-As a humble immigrant he takes up a minor commercial career-His success as an itinerant trader-The road from that situation to the viceregal throne O'Higgins, when middle-aged, enters the Spanish colonial service-His work among the Araucanian Indians -Various governorships held-Increasing velocity of his upward career -His liberal policy as captain-general of Chile-Ambrose O'Higgins becomes Viceroy of Peru-His achievements while holding this high office-Death of O'Higgins-His career compared with that of his son Bernardo. T HE records of the English during the early colonial period of South America are naturally very slender. So far as Spanish America was concerned, this could scarcely have been otherwise. We have already seen that the political and religious aim of the Spanish Empire was the complete seclusion of its colonies. When not even every province of Las Españas, the Spains themselves, was given free access to the South American colonies, it may be imagined what difficulties lay in the path of the foreigner-and, above all, the heretic-who had a longing to taste of the vast riches in which the Southern shores were reputed to abound. The marvel, therefore, is not that those English expeditions which harried the shores of Spanish South America should have met with so few of their own fellow countrymen, but rather that they should have been brought into contact with so many. In centers such as Lima and other places where the Inquisition was powerful and inquisitors numerous there is no doubt that unrepentant "heretics" were burned or otherwise put out of the way by the annihilating laws of the auto-da-fé. But Span. ish South America was wide, and the dread even of the Inquisition did not succeed in obtruding itself the entire length of the Pacific, to say nothing of the Atlantic coast. There were many kindly Spaniards, official and other, who shrugged their shoulders, and winked at the growing intimacy between the South American colonists and a stranded mariner or two. Nevertheless, such cases were rare enough, and such of their countrymen, as the Northern seamen met with on their expeditions were nearly always of the Roman Catholic faith. These seemed to come to the surface of the spray of events with considerable frequency. They were met with both on shore and in command of Spanish vessels, and such meetings were by no means always of a friendly character. Indeed, there are instances of English Roman Catholics in the service of Spain accompanying some of the earliest of the expeditions to South America. One is said to have accompanied Pizarro's force, and three-John Rutter of London, Nicholas Coleman of Hampton, and Richard Liman of Plymouth-sailed with Pedro de Mendoza in |