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PART ply of arms and ammunition for the Mosquito Indians, who on his arrival found them affembled, and ready for any expedition. This is a fmail 1740. but warlike body of Indians, ftrongly attached to the British intereft, and perpetually at variance with the Spaniards; and with 500 of thefe hardy men under his command, Lieutenant Hodgson proceeded to a Spanish fettlement on Carpenter's River, about 120 leagues weft of Porto Bello, where they made a confiderable booty in filver and cocoa; and as the Spaniards never entertained the leaft fufpicion of fuch an enterprize, they had made no preparations to prevent the execu tion of it, fo that if this party of men had expeditiously pushed their way, they might have plundered and deftroyed all the Spanish fettlements in their paffage, and probably have furprized the opulent town of Panama, their principal view: but the Indians, difcontented at the profpect of fo long and laborious a march, refufed to proceed, and Lieutenant Hodgson was obliged to abandon the enterprize and return to Jamaica. Had fuch an expedition been properly conducted with 1,000 able difciplined men, great advantages might have attended it; for the European Spaniards act like arbitrary tyrants over the natives, both creol Spaniards and Indians, who might be very eafily induced to revolt, and promote any invafion, in a country where they are treated with the utmoft fervility and contempt; nay, not above four years before Lieutenant Hodg fon's expedition, 30,000 Indians who inhabited near La Vera Paz, on the borders of Honduras, actually renounced any allegiance to the Spani ards, threw off the galling yoke of flavery, and fhewed a determined refolution to defend their independence and liberty. Therefore, on being properly

properly fupplied with arms, how willing and CHAP. how fond would they have been to have united · III. their strength and efforts to rout the Spaniards out of the country; or by altering their conditions, 1740. to make thofe ufurping and cruel mafters hewers of wood and drawers of water to the very flaves they had fo defpicably used and ungenerously debafed? And if there once had been a confiderable infurrection of the Guatimalla Indians, vigorously fupported by their neighbours the Mosquitoes, and a proper force from Jamaica, a general revolt would foon have enfued throughout the wholeSpanish territories, both in Mexico and Peru, which they were much inclined to, and wanted nothing but arms to recover the native freedom of their ancestors, before they fell a barbarous and wanton facrifice to the avarice of the fubjects, and aggrandizement of the crown of Spain. Such a revolt would have been the more eafily facilitated, as the Indians have a traditional prophecy among them, "That a hation will, one time or "other, come and affift: them to drive out the

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Spaniards," and happy for Britain had it been effected by her affiftance, the Spanish infolence had then been no longer fupported by the wealth of the Columbian world, that wealth for which thefe regions of undifcovered peace and fimplici-> ty, were inhumanly bathed with the blood of its royal Yncas, and millions of inhabitants, and: for which their pofterity would freely devote their lives to procure ample vengeance on the Spaniards:: and could they fucceed in this their cardinal paffion revenge, thofe that, affifted them would confequently be the favourite nation, and reap all the advantages poffeffed by the Spaniards; for it is the Indians that cultivate the country, work in: the mines, and make all their manufactures,

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which they could do as well if there was not a Spaniard in the country.

PART 1.

CHAPTER IV.

EUROPEAN tranfactions between the courts of GREAT BRITAIN and SPAIN in 1740.

W

HILE Admiral Vernon was thus increafing his naval honours, the joyful news of the reduction of Porto Bello was fpread all over 1740. the British dominions immediately after the arrival of Capt. Rentone in London, where he delivered the admiral's letters to the duke of Newcaftle on the 13th of March. As fo important an acquifition was obtained by fix men of war only, with fuch an inconfiderable number of land forces, it diffused a general joy through the whole kingdom. This enterprize being fo prudently conducted and so bravely executed, the people were now fenfible of the force of the British arms, directed by an able commander; the name of Vernon became idolized among the populace, he was looked upon as another Drake or Ruffel in England, he was efteemed as a fecond Raleigh or Blake in America, and highly venerated by all ranks and conditions of men throughout the British dominions. His Britannic majesty was fo fully perfuaded of the admiral's zeal for his

fervice,

fervice, and of his prudence and good conduct in CHAP. taking fuch measures as fhould the more effectu- IV. ally conduce thereto, that the king did not think

it proper to prescribe any particular fervice to be 1740. undertaken by the admiral, but left it entirely to his direction to act against the Spaniards, in fuch manner and in fuch places as fhould appear to him beft to anfwer the ends propofed by his majesty's former orders: his majefty alfo gave particular command to the duke of Newcastle, to affure the admiral of his entire approbation of his conduct and behaviour fhewed in this action, and in the humanity with which he treated the inhabitants after the reduction of Porto Bello.

On the 18th of March an addrefs was prefented to his majesty by both houfes of parliament, "Congratulating him on the fuccefs of admiral "Vernon by entering the port and taking the "town of Porto Bello, and demolishing and

levelling all the forts and caftles belonging "thereto, with fix fhips of war only; and re"prefenting that it could not fail of giving the "utmost joy to all his majesty's fubjects, fince it "afforded the moft reasonable hopes and expect❝ations, that it might be attended with other "important advantages, and highly contribute "to the obtaining real and effectual fecurity of "thofe juft rights of navigation and commerce

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belonging to his majefty's fubjects, for the pre"fervation of which his majefty entered into that "neceffary war." In anfwer to which his majefty was most graciously pleased "To thank

them for their dutiful congratulation on this "fuccefs of his arms, which was fo much for the "honour and intereft of his crown and king

dom; and that the fatisfaction they expreffed

PART" in the measures he had taken was very agree"able to him."

I.

On this occafion the city of London prefented 1749. an addrefs to his majefty, to congratulate him on the glorious fuccefs of Admiral Vernon: they reprefented "That the execution of this import

66

ant fervice, with fo fmall a force and with fo "much intrepidity, would greatly redound to "the reputation of his majefty's arms, and ftrike a terror into the enemy, who would by expe"rience be convinced (whatever miftaken notions they might have formed from England's. long forbearance) that the maritime power of Great Britain being at length exerted, was able effectually to vindicate the glory of his majefty's crown, revenge the injuries of the

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ple, and retrieve the honour of the British flag,, "affuring his majefty that they would chearfully, "contribute to the utmost of their abilities, in

fupport of a war fo neceffary for the protection, "of their long injured trade, and entered into " at the unanimous defire of his majesty's fub"jects." To which addrefs his majefty was pleased, to make anfwer, "I thank you for your congratu lation; you have no reafon to doubt but that. in all my meafures, as I have hitherto had, fo I fhall continue to have a due regard to the, honour and intereft of my crown and king.. "doms, and to the fafety and protection of all my fubjects."

THE parliament voted "That the thanks of both houses should be tranfmitted to the ad"miral for his eminent fervices;" and the citi zens of London, as a further mark of distinction, voted him the freedom of that city, to be prefented in a gold box.

THE

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