Introduction
Arrivé dans la mer du Sud (l'océan Pacifique) par le détroit de Magellan, Charles Swan commandait une petite frégate armée en Angleterre et envoyée commercer avec les Espagnols en Amérique du Sud. À son bord se trouvait Basil Ringrose, ancien compagnon de Sharpe, qui devait servir de guide durant le voyage. Mais une fois le détroit passé, la révolte d'une partie de ses hommes et une agression commise contre lui par les Espagnols du Chili, vont le forcer à se faire flibustier. C'est ce qu'il raconte dans la lettre ci-dessous, laquelle doit être mise en relation avec le journal de Ravenau ainsi que les lettres du gouverneur de la Jamaïque adressées au comte de Sunderland.
|
Charles Swann to Captain John Wise Panama Road, March 4, 1685 [14 mars 1685]. My voyage is at an end. In the Straights of Magellan I had nine men run from me in one night, after they saw that they could not prevail with me to play the rogue. But God's justice overtook them, for after weathering Cape Victory we met with an extreme storm of long continuance, which drove me down to latitude 55d. 30m. South, and in which the ship to which they deserted was lost. Then I came to Valdivia, when I had two men killed under a flag of truce, after three days' parley and all oaths, human and divine. An ambuscade of between one and two hundred men came out and fired upon a poor eight of us in the yawl. But God punished them likewise, as we hear, we killing three of their captains and some others. It is too long to give you an account of all my troubles, which were chiefly owing to the fact that the ship was meant to be run away with. In Nocoia the rest of my men left me, so that, having no one to sail the ship, I was forced to join them. So that now I am in hostility with the Spaniards, and have taken and burnt some towns, and have forced the President of Panama to send me two men he had taken from us. The same day 270 new men came to me, and we are going to take in 200 more that they left behind. We shall soon be 900 men in the South Seas. Assure my employers that I do all I can to preserve their interest, and that what I do now I could in no wise prevent. So desire them to do what they can with the King for me, for as soon as I can I shall deliver myself to the King's justice, and I had rather die than live skulking like a vagabond for fear of death. The King might make this whole kingdom of Peru tributary to him in two years' time. We now await the Spanish fleet that brings the money to Panama. We were resolved to fight them before we had reached this strenght, and had lain in wait six months for them, but now we hear that they are at sea, and expect them every day. If we have success against them we shall make a desperate alarm all Europe over. I have some money, which I wish were with you, for my wife. I shall, with God's help, do things which (were it with my Prince's leave) would made her a lady; but now I cannot tell but it may bring me to a halter. But if it does my comfort is that I shall die for that I cannot help. Pray present my faithful love to my dear wife, and assure her she is never out of my mind. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1685-1688: no. 87. |
| LES ARCHIVES DE LA FLIBUSTE |
| sommaire || summary |
| Le Diable Volant |