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Updated: May 2, 2025
On the 22d we found ourselves in the heights of Calao, the port of Lima; on which I furled all my sails, resolving to get away in the night; knowing, if we were discovered from thence, that we should certainly be pursued by some Spanish men of war, as there are always some in that port.
On this they cast loose the Panama ship, in which they left John the Greek and two men they had taken the night before in Calao harbour; and then made all sail, not once setting eye again upon the two great ships, which made direct for the Panama ship.
It was also ordered, if any Spanish ship should yield, that the Dutch captains and chief officers should on no account leave their own ships, but should order the enemy to come aboard them in their own boats. They sailed from Calao on the 27th of July, and came to the road of Huarmey in lat. 10° S. on the 28th. This is a pleasant place, with a large port, near which is a lake.
They were also informed that the Spanish admiral was still at Calao, his ship being of 800 tons burden, and mounting 40 brass cannon; besides which, there were two pataches of 14 guns each, and forty or fifty unarmed merchant vessels.
In this engagement forty Dutchmen were wounded and sixteen slain, on board the admiral, vice-admiral, and Eolus; and in the rest eighteen were wounded and four slain. The Dutch now made sail for Calao de Lima, but were becalmed. They went, therefore, to the road of Calao in search of the Spanish admiral, but learned afterwards at Payta that his ship had sunk.
Having thus craftily deceived Gonzalo, Fernandez contrived to deliver some of the letters he had in charge, and allowed some of them to fall on the ground, as if lost, yet so as they might be found by those to whom they were addressed. When Gonzalo quitted Lima to encamp on the road towards the sea-port of Calao, he left Pedro Martin de Cicilia in charge of the city as provost-marshal.
On the 27th an attempt was made to destroy the Spanish admiral's ship in the port of Calao, by means of a fire-ship containing 2000 pounds of gun-powder, besides fire-works and shells, confined by a brick arch six feet thick; but after navigating her very near the galleon, a bank was found on the outside of her which they could not pass, and they were therefore obliged to retire.
And after when as this mighty prince had sent to his vassals and subiects to bring in gold and siluer for the filling of the hall, as aforesaid, as namely to the cities or townes of Quito, Paciacama and Cusco, as also to the Calao of Lima, in which towne, as their owne writers doe affirme, they found a large and faire house, all slated and couered with gold: and when as the said hall was not yet a quarter ful, a mutinie arose amongst the Spanyards, in which it was commonly giuen out, that the said prince had politikely offered this great ransome vnder pretence to raise a much more mightie power, whereby the Spanyards should be taken, slaine and ouerthrowen: wherevpon they grew to this resolution, to put the sayd prince to death, and to make partition of the golde and siluer already brought in, which they presently put in execution.
They came to Calao, the port of Lima, in lat. 12° 10' S. on the 13th February, 1579, where they found twelve ships at anchor, with all their sails down, without watch or guard, all their masters and merchants being on shore.
From these, they learnt that the Plate fleet had sailed on the 3d of the month from Calao de Lima for Panama, consisting of five treasure ships, three rich merchantmen, and two men of war.
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