William Dampier's original companions dropped out of the scheme and a new agreement was made with Captain Charles Pickering of "Cinque Ports". "Cinque Ports" was fitted out with 16 guns and a crew of 63. The two ships left Kinsale on 11 September 1703 with the intention of attacking Spanish galleons returning from Buenos Aires. When this plan fell through the privateers decided to make for the South Sea by way of Cape Horn. While the ships were off the coast of Brazil, an outbreak of scurvy on board "Cinque Ports" led to the deaths of a number of men, including the captain who was replaced by 21-year-old Lieutenant Thomas Stradling.