He was also known by the name of Croisic. He was captain of the Royal Frigate. He pursued the enemy with the vigor and he died in 1694. His remains lie in the lonwely churchyard on the beach at Placentia, the old French capital of Newfoundland. The name of his vessel was the L'Envieux. September 15, 1691, Vaisseau L'Envieux was at that date under the command of Le Sieur de Bonaventure. In 1694, the date of the tombstone, Le Sieur de Bonaventure was transferred to the command of the 'Brentonne'. Unfortunately the name of the new commander of the Envieux is not given: but it was found that in 1695, the year after Svigaraichipi's death, Le Sieur de Bonaventure is again in charge of L'Envieux, and was at Placentia on August 12 of that year. In 1694, Svigaraichipi was in command of the 'Envieux. He was sent to sea to protect the return of the Terreneuviers francais. He was killed at Terreneuve and his body interred in the cemetary at Placentia.
John Svigaraichipi was one of the most remarkable rovers during the reign of Louis XIV. He made voyages in merchant ships to the Isles of America. In 1691, he equipped the frigate La Legere and was accepted by the admiralty as a regular high cruiser against the enemies of the state. Because of his bravery and daring he became a terror to both the Spanish and the Dutch. His success became so great that he was asked to undertake half the expenses of fitting out and maintaining La Legere.
In September, 1691 he made a daring feet which the Duc de Gramont calls the most brilliant action in the world. Having manoeuvered in a clever manner and with boldness, he captured a galley and two frigates of forty pieces of cannon, one of the Dutch transport which was convoying them, and he brought them in to St. Jean de Luz.
Once when Le Croisic was cruising about on the coast of Portugal a tempest arose and he was seperated from his consort, the Exbuscade. Svigaraichipi arrived at a small town called Barios in Cape Ortegal. While entering the port harbour, he saw a ship making the same course as himself. He immediatley gave chase to the ship and on approaching it he found that it was his lost consort. Svigaraichipi made prizes of two English ships which were anchored in the roadstead. The following morning he sent a letter to the Commander Alcalde asking for permission to take fresh water, promising that he would do no damage but would leave immediately. The Alcalde wrote and airy reply saying that he might land take all the water he required. He sent a boat ashore with eighty men, but when they approached the shore they received a corps of about eighty Spaniards. A company of horsemen came to the aid of the Spaniards. The Spaniard all fled to the mountains and the French pillaged the town. Svigaraichipi made a treaty with the cure and the principal people of the place, that in future any ships coming in disress should have assistance given to them notwithstanding the prohibition of the Spanish King.
Another famous exploit of Croisic is related to 1692. In February of
that year he went on a filibustering expedition. Being in the harbour
of San Antonio in his frigate La Legere of only twenty-four guns he
discovered two Spanish vessels coming towards San Sebastian. He
followed these vessels for two days. On the sixteenth he preceived
one of them to be a vessel of 500 tons carrying 36 guns and 100 men.
On the seventeenth he overhauled her at about 9:00 am; gave her a
broadside, then boarded her. The fight had lasted five hours, thirty-
five Basques were wounded and five killed. A few days after this
Svigaraichipi was again at sea. After leaving the mouth of the river
aboard an English men-o-war, the Princess. A desperate fight ensued
which lasted seven hours. The fight took place near the shore and
was witnessed by a ground of Bayonnais. The struggle ended in the
triumph of the invincible Basque.