h other,
which had much endangered them in the late fight. 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 deg. S. on
the 28th. This is a pleasant place, with a large port, near which is a
lake. The Dutch landed here, but the inhabitants fled, leaving little
plunder, except poultry, hogs, oranges, and meal, which they brought on
board. They dismissed some of their Spanish prisoners on the 3d August,
on which day they passed between the main and the island of _Lobos_, so
called from being frequented by seals, or sea wolves.[97] The 8th they
cast anchor near Payta, in about the latitude of 5 deg. S. The 9th they
landed 300 men, but re-embarked after some skirmishing, as they found
the city too strongly defended. On this occasion they took a Peruvian
bark, strangely rigged, having six stout natives on board, who had been
out fishing for two months, and had a cargo of excellent dried fish,
which was distributed through the fleet.

[Footnote 97: There are three islands or groups of that name off the
coast of Peru. The southern Lobos is in lat. 7 deg. S. near fifty miles from
the nearest land; the middle, or inner Lobos, in lat. 6 deg. 22' S. is only
about nine miles from the coast of Peru; and the northern Lobos is in
lat. 5 deg. 8' S. almost close to the shore. It is probably the middle or
inner Lobos that is meant in the text.--E.]

The 10th of August three of the Dutch ships battered the town of Payta,
and afterwards sent a party of armed men on shore, who found the
inhabitants had fled to the mountains with all their valuables. The
Dutch sent five of the Peruvian captives on shore to endeavour to
procure fruit, and to learn with more certainty what had become of the
Spanish admiral. On their return they brought word that the Spanish
admiral had gone to the bottom, six only of her crew escaping. They
brought letters also from the lady of Don Gasper Calderon, the
commandant of Payta, who had fled to the town of St Michael, thirty
miles from Payta; who, in commiseration of the captives, sent many
citrons and other provisions to the Dutch ships. Towards the sea the
town of Payta is strongly fortified, and almost impregnable. It is a
place of some importance, having two churches,