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fuppofed that we should be permitted to refide in Falkland's Inland, the undifputed lords of tempeftbeaten barrennefs.

But on the 28th of November 1769, Captain Hunt, obferving a Spanish fchooner hovering about the ifland and furveying it, fent the commander a message, by which he required him to depart. The Spaniard made an appearance of obeying, but in two days came back with letters written by the governor of Port Solidad, and brought by the chief officer of a fettlement on the eaft part of Falkland's Island.

In this letter, dated Malouina, November 30, the governor complains, that Captain Hunt, when he ordered the fchooner to depart, affumed a power to which he could have no pretenfions, by fending an imperious meffage to the Spaniards in the king of Spain's own dominions.

In another letter, fent at the fame time, he fupposes the English to be in that part only by accident, and to be ready to depart at the first warning. This letter was accompanied by a prefent, of which, fays he, if it be neither equal to my defire nor to your merit, you must impute the deficiency to the fituation of us both.

In return to this hoftile civility, Captain Hunt warned them from the ifland, which he claimed in the name of the king, as belonging to the English by right of the first discovery and the first fettlement.

This was an affertion of more confidence than certainty. The right of discovery indeed has already appeared to be probable, but the right which

priority

priority of fettlement confers I know not whether wo yet can establish.

On December 10, the officer fent by the governor of Port Solidad made three protefts against Captain Hunt; for threatening to fire upon him; for oppofing his entrance into Port Egmont; and for entering himfelf into Port Solidad. On the 12th the Governor of Port Solidad formally warned Captain Hunt to leave Port Egmont, and to forbear the navigation of these feas, without permiffion from the king of Spain.

To this Captain Hunt replied by repeating his former claim; by declaring that his orders were to keep poffeffion; and by once more warning the Spaniards to depart.

The next month produced more protefts and more replies, of which the tenor was nearly the fame. The operations of fuch harmless enmity having produced no effect, were then reciprocally difcontinued, and the English were left for a time to enjoy the pleasures of Falkland's Inland without moleftation.

This tranquillity, however, did not last long. A few months afterwards (June 4, 1770) the Industry, a Spanish frigate, commanded by an officer whofe name was Madariaga, anchored in Port Egmont, bound, as was faid, for Port Solidad, and reduced, by a pasfage from Buenos Ayres of fifty-three days, to want of

water.

Three days afterwards four other frigates entered the port, and a broad pendant, fuch as is borne by the commander of a naval armament, was difplayed from the Industry. Captain Farmer of the Swift frigate

frigate, who commanded the garrifon, ordered the crew of the Swift to come on shore, and affift in its defence; and directed captain Maltby to bring the Favourite frigate, which he commanded, nearer to the land. The Spaniards eafily discovering the purpose of his motion, let him know, that if he weighed his anchor, they would fire upon his fhip; but paying no regard to thefe menaces, he advanced towards the fhore. The Spanish fleet followed, and two fhots were fired, which fell at a diftance from him. He then fent to inquire the reafon of fuch hoftility, and was told that the shots were intended only as fignals.

Both the English Captains wrote the next day to Madariaga the Spanish Commodore, warning him from the island, as from a place which the English held by right of discovery.

Madariaga, who feems to have had no defire of unneceffary mischief, invited them (June 9) to fend an officer who should take a view of his forces, that they might be convinced of the vanity of refiftance, and do that without compulfion which he was upon refufal prepared to enforce.

An officer was fent, who found fixteen hundred men, with a train of twenty-feven cannon, four mortars, and two hundred bombs. The fleet confifted of five frigates, from twenty to thirty guns, which were now ftationed oppofite to the Blockhouse.

He then fent them a formal memorial, in which' he maintained his mafter's right to the whole Magellanick region, and exhorted the English to retire

quietly

quietly from the settlement, which they could neither juftify by right, nor maintain by power.

He offered them the liberty of carrying away whatever they were defirous to remove, and promised his receipt for what fhould be left, that no lofs might be fuffered by them.

His propofitions were expreffed in terms of great civility; but he concludes with demanding an answer in fifteen minutes.

Having while he was writing received the letters of warning written the day before by the English Captains, he told them that he thought himself able to prove the king of Spain's title to all thofe countries, but that this was no time for verbal altercations. He perfifted in his determination, and allowed only fifteen minutes for an answer.

To this it was replied by Captain Farmer, that. though there had been prescribed yet a shorter time, he should still refolutely defend his charge; that this, whether menace or force, would be confidered as an infult on the British flag, and that fatisfaction would certainly be required.

On the next day (June 10) Madariaga landed his forces, and it may be easily imagined that he had no bloody conquest. The English had only a wooden blockhouse, built at Woolwich, and carried in pieces to the island, with a small battery of cannon. To contend with obftinacy had been only to lavish life without use or hope. After the exchange of a very few shots, a capitulation was propofed.

The Spanish Commander acted with moderation; he exerted little of the conqueror; what he had offered

before

before the attack, he granted after the victory; the English were allowed to leave the place with every honour, only their departure was delayed by the terms of the capitulation twenty days; and to fecure their, stay, the rudder of the Favourite was taken off. What they defired to carry away they removed without molestation; and of what they left an inventory was drawn, for which the Spanish officer by his receipt promised to be accountable.

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Of this petty revolution, so sudden and so distant, the English miniftry could not poffibly have fuch notice as might enable them to prevent it. The conqueft, if fuch it may be called, coft but three days; for the Spaniards, either fuppofing the garrifon ftronger than it was, or refolving to truft nothing to chance, or confidering that, as their force was greater, there was lefs danger of bloodshed, came with a powerthat made refistance ridiculous, and at once demanded and obtained poffeffion.

The firft account of any difcontent expreffed by, the Spaniards was brought by Captain Hunt, who arriving at Plymouth, June 3, 1770, informed the Admiralty that the island had been claimed in December by the Governor of Port Solidad.

This claim, made by an officer of fo little dignity, without any known direction from his fuperiors, could be confidered only as the zeal or officioufnefs of an individual, unworthy of publick notice, or the formality. of remonftrance.

In August Mr. Harris, the refident at Madrid, gave notice to lord Weymouth of an 'account newly brought to Cadiz, that the English were in poffeffion of Port Cuizada, the fame which we call Port Eg

mont,

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