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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume X + Arranged in systematic order: + Forming a complete history of the origin and progress of navigation, + discovery, and commerce, by sea and land, from the earliest ages to + the present time. + +Author: Robert Kerr + +Release Date: August 7, 2004 [EBook #13130] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, VOLUME X *** + + + + +Produced by Robert Connal, Graeme Mackreth and PG Distributed +Proofreaders. This file was produced from images generously made +available by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions. + + + + + + +A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION of VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, + +ARRANGED IN SYSTEMATIC ORDER: + +FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF NAVIGATION, +DISCOVERY, AND COMMERCE, BY SEA AND LAND, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE +PRESENT TIME. + + * * * * * + +BY + +ROBERT KERR, F.R.S. & F.A.S. EDIN. + + * * * * * + +ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND CHARTS. + +VOL. X. + +MDCCCXXIV. + + + +CONTENTS OF VOL. X. + + * * * * * + +PART II. BOOK IV. CONTINUED. + +CHAP. I--Early Circumnavigations, or Voyages round the World, + +Introduction, + +CHAP. I.--Voyage of Ferdinand Magellan round the World, in 1519-1522, + +SECT. I. Some Account of Magellan, previous to the Commencement of the +Voyage, + +II. Proceedings of the Voyage from Seville to Patagonia, and wintering +there, + +III. Prosecution of the Voyage, till the Death of Magellan, + +IV. Continuation of the Voyage to its Conclusion, + +CHAP. II. Voyage by Sir Francis Drake round the World, in 1517-1580, + +SECT. I. Introduction, and Preparation for the Voyage, + +II. Narrative of the Voyage from England to the Straits of Magellan, + +III. Incidents of the Voyage, from the Straits of Magellan to New +Albion, + +IV. Continuation of the Voyage, from New Albion to England. + +V. Reception of Sir Francis Drake in England, and some Notices of his +remaining Actions, + +SECT. VI First Supplement to the Voyage of Sir Francis Drake; being an +Account of Part of the foregoing Navigation, by Nuno da Silva, + +VII Second Supplement, being the Voyage of Mr John Winter, after parting +from Sir Francis Drake, + +CHAP. III--Voyage of Sir Thomas Candish round the World, in 1586-1588, + +Introduction, + +SECT. I. Narrative of the Voyage from England to the Pacific, + +II. Transactions on the Western Coast of America, + +III. Voyage Home to England, + +IV. Second Voyage of Sir Thomas Candish, intended for the South Sea, in +1591 + +§ 1. Incidents in the Voyage, till the Separation of the Ships, + +§ 2. Disastrous Result of the Voyage to Sir Thomas Candish, + +§ 3. Continuation of the Voyage of the Desire, Captain Davis, after +parting from Sir Thomas Candish, + +CHAP. IV. Voyage of Oliver Van Noort round the World, in 1538-1601, + +Introduction, + +SECT. I. Narrative of the Voyage. + +II. Voyage of Sebald de Weert, to the South Sea and Straits of Magellan, +in 1598, + +§ 1. Incidents of the Voyage from Holland to the Straits of Magellan, + +§ 2. The Fleet passes through the Straits of Magellan into the South +Sea, and is forced to return, + +§ 3. Incidents daring their second Residence in the Straits of Magellan, + +§ 4. Voyage from the Straits to Holland, + +CHAP. V--Voyage of George Spilbergen round the World, in 1614-1617, + +SECT. I. Narrative of the Voyage, from Holland to the South Sea, + +II. Transactions in the South Sea, along the Western Coast of America, + +III. Voyage Home from America, by the East Indies and Cape of Good Hope, + +CHAP. VI--Voyage round the World, in 1615-1617, by William Cornelison +Schouten and Jacques Le Maire, going round Cape Horn, + +Introduction, + +SECT. I. Journal of the Voyage from the Texel to Cape Horn, + +II. Continuation of the Voyage, from Cape Horn to the Island of Java, + +CHAP. VII--Voyage of the Nassau Fleet round the World, in 1623-1626, +under the Command of Jaques Le Hermite, + +Introduction, + +SECT. I. Incidents of the Voyage from Holland to the South Sea, + +II. Transactions of the Fleet on the Western Coast of America, + +III. Voyage Home from the Western Coast of America, + +CHAP. VIII--Voyage round the World, in 1683-1691, by Captain John Cooke, +accompanied by Captain Cowley, and Captain William Dampier, + +Introduction, + +SECT. I. Narrative of the Voyage by Captain Cowley, till he quitted the +Revenge on the Western Coast of America, + +II. Continuation of the Narrative of Captain Cowley, from leaving the +Revenge, to his Return to England, + +III. Sequel of the Voyage, as far as Dampier is concerned, after the +Separation of the Nicholas from the Revenge, + +CHAP. IX--Voyage round the World, by William Funnell, in 1703-1706, + +Introduction, + +SECT. I. Narrative of the Voyage, till the Separation of Funnell from +Dampier, + +II. Sequel of the Voyage of William Funnell, after his Separation from +Captain Dampier, + +III. Brief Account of Stradling, Clipperton, and Dampier, after their +respective Separations, till their Returns to England, + +CHAP. X--Voyage round the World, by Captain Woods Rogers, and Stephen +Courtney, in 1708-1711, + +Introduction, + +SECT. I. Narrative of the Voyage, from England to the Island of Juan +Fernandez, + +II. Proceedings of the Expedition on the Western Coast of America, + +III. Sequel of the Voyage, from California, by Way of the East Indies, +to England, + +CHAP. XI--Voyage round the World, by Captain John Clipperton, in +1719-1722, + +Introduction, + +SECT. I. Narrative of the Voyage, from England to Juan Fernandez, + +II. Proceedings of the Success in the South Seas, + +III. Voyage of the Success from the Coast of Mexico to China, + +IV. Residence of Captain Clipperton at Macao, and Returns from thence to +England, + +CHAP. XII--Voyage round the World, by Captain George Shelvocke, in +1719-1722, + +Introduction, + +SECT. I. Narrative of the Voyage from England to the South Sea, + +II. Proceedings in the South Sea, till Shipwrecked on the Island of Juan +Fernandez, + +III. Residence on the Island of Juan Fernandez, + +IV. Farther Proceedings in the South Sea, after leaving Juan Fernandez, + +A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. + + * * * * * + +PART II. (CONTINUED.) + +BOOK IV. + + * * * * * + +CHAPTER I. + +EARLY CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS, OR VOYAGES ROUND THE WORLD. + +INTRODUCTION. + + +In this _fourth_ book of the _second_ part of our arrangement, it is +proposed to give a history of the principal Circumnavigations, or +Voyages Round the World, previous to the reign of our present venerable +sovereign. This book, therefore, comprises a period of 226 years, from +the year 1519, when Magellan sailed from Spain on the first +circumnavigation of the globe, till the year 1744, when Commodore Anson +returned to England from a similar expedition. The more recent +circumnavigations, which have taken place since the year 1760, chiefly +under the munificent and enlightened patronage of GEORGE III. or in +imitation of these, and which have largely contributed to extend, and +almost to render perfect, the geography and hydrography of the +terraqueous globe, are intended to form a separate division, in a +subsequent part of our arrangement. + +The accurate knowledge which we now possess of the form and dimensions +of this globe of earth and water which we inhabit, has been entirely +owing to the superior skill of the moderns in the mathematical sciences, +as applicable to the practice of navigation, and to the observation and +calculation of the motions of the heavenly bodies, for the ascertainment +of latitudes and longitudes. It would require more space than can be +conveniently devoted on the present occasion, to give any clear view of +the geographical knowledge possessed by the ancients, together with a +history of the progress of that science, from the earliest times, +neither do the nature and objects of the present Collection of Voyages +and Travels call for any such deduction, of which an excellent epitome +will be found in the History of Geography, prefixed to Playfair's System +of Geography. + +The ancients laboured under almost absolute incapacities for making +extensive voyages or discoveries by sea, proceeding from ignorance of +the form and dimensions of the earth, and other causes. They were but +indifferently versed in the practical part of astronomy, without which, +and those instruments which have been invented almost exclusively by the +moderns, for measuring the paths, distances, and relative positions of +the heavenly bodies, it is impossible to launch out with any tolerable +success or safety on the trackless ocean. They were ignorant also of +that wonderful property of the magnet or loadstone, which, pointing +invariably towards the north, enables the modern mariner to know his +precise course, at all times of the day of night, though clouds and +thick mists may hide the luminaries of heaven from his observation, +which were the only means of direction known to the ancients. + +Various systems and theories appear to have prevailed among the ancients +respecting the figure and motion of the earth; some justly enough +supposing it to be a ball or sphere, suspended in infinite space, while +others conceived it to be a flat surface, floating upon and surrounded +by an interminable ocean. The just conceptions of some ancient +philosophers, respecting the spherical figure of the earth, and its +diurnal motion around its own axis, were superseded by others of a more +popular nature, and forgotten for many ages. Lactantius and Augustine, +two fathers of the catholic church, unfortunately adopted the idea of +the earth being a flat surface, infinitely extending downwards; +grounding this false notion upon a mistaken interpretation of the holy +scriptures, or rather seeking assistance from them in support of their +own unphilosophical conceptions. So strongly had this false opinion +taken possession of the minds of men, in our European world, even after +the revival of learning in the west, that Galileo was imprisoned by the +holy inquisitors at Rome for asserting the sphericity of the earth, and +the doctrine of _antipodes_, and had to redeem his liberty and life, by +writing a refutation of that heretical doctrine, which satisfied the +inquisitors, yet convinced the world of its truth. + +Columbus assuredly grounded his grand discovery of America upon the +knowledge of the earth being a sphere; and had not the new western world +intervened, his voyage had probably been the first circumnavigation. In +modern times, an idea has been advanced that Columbus only retraced the +steps of some former navigator, having seen certain parts of the grand +division of the world which he discovered, already delineated on a +globe. It were improper to enter upon a refutation of this idle calumny +on the present occasion; yet it is easy to conceive, that the possessor +of that globe, may have rudely added the reported discoveries of +Columbus, to the more ancient delineations. At all events, Columbus was +the first person who conceived the bold idea that it was practicable to +sail round the globe. From the spherical figure of the earth, then +universally believed by astronomers and cosmographers, in spite of the +church, he inferred that the ancient hemisphere or continent then known, +must of necessity be balanced by an equiponderant and opposite +continent. And, as the Portuguese had discovered an extensive track by +sailing to the eastwards, he concluded that the opposite or most +easterly coast of that country might certainly be attained, and by a +nearer path, by crossing the Atlantic to the westwards. The result of +this profound conception, by the discovery of America, has been already +detailed in the _Second_ Book of this collection; and we now proceed in +this _Fourth_ Book to detail the various steps of other navigators, in +prosecution of this grand design of surrounding the globe, in which many +curious and interesting discoveries have been made, and by which +geographical knowledge and practical navigation have been brought to +great degrees of perfection. + +Before commencing the narrative appropriated for this division of our +arrangement, it is proper to give the following complete table of all +the circumnavigators, within the period assigned to the present portion +of this collection; with the names of the ports from which they sailed, +and the dates of their respective voyages, and returns.--Ed. + + |_Sailed from_| |_Returned_. + 1. Ferdinand, | Seville, | Aug. 10, 1519. | Sept. 8, 1522. + Magellan, | in Spain, | | + 2. Sir Francis | Plymouth Sound, | Dec. 30, 1577. | Sept. 16, 1580. + Drake, | | | + 3. Sir Thomas | Plymouth, | July 25, 1586. | Sept. 9, 1588. + Candish, | | | + 4. Oliver van | Goeree, | Sept. 13, 1598. | Aug. 26, 1601. + Noord, | | | + 5. George | Texel, | Aug. 8, 1614. | July 1, 1617. + Spilbergeny,| | | + 6. Shouten and | Texel, | June 24, 1615. | July 1, 1617. + LeMair, | | | + 7. Nassau | Goeree, | April 29, 1623. | Jan. 21, 1626. + fleet, | | | + 8. Cowley,[A] | Achamack, in | Aug. 23, 1683. | Oct. 12, 1686. + | Virginia, | | + 9. William | Achamack, | Aug. 28, 1683. | Sept. 16, 1691. + Dampier,[A] | | | + 10. Dampier and | the Downs, | Aug. 9, 1703. | Aug. 1706. + Funnel, | | | + ll. Wood Rogers,| Bristol, | June 15, 1708. | Oct. 1, 1711. + and Courtney,| | | + 12. John | Plymouth, | Feb. 15, 1719. | June, 1722. + Clapperton, | | | + 13. George | Plymouth, | Feb. 15, 1719. | Aug. 1, 1722. + Shelvocke | | | + 14. Roggewein, | Texel, | July 17, 1721. | July 11, 1723. + 15. George | St Helens, | Sept. 18, 1740. | June 15, 1744. + Anson, | | | + +[Footnote A: These two are conjoined in Chap. VIII. of this book, for +reasons which will appear there sufficiently obvious.--E.] + + * * * * * + +CHAPTER I. + +VOYAGE OF FERDINAND MAGELLAN ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1519--1522.[1] + + +SECTION I. + +_Some Account of Magellan, precious to the Commencement of his Voyage._ + + +Owing to the discoveries made under the authority of the sovereign of +Castile, the Portuguese were excessively jealous of the safety of their +possessions in the East Indies. At length, after various negociations, +the authority of the pope was interposed, then considered as supreme +among the princes of Europe who were in communion with the church of +Rome. By a bull or papal decree, all countries discovered, or to be +discovered, in the East, were declared to belong to the crown of +Portugal, and all that were found in the west were to be the property of +Spain. Yet this measure rather smothered than extinguished the flames of +contention; as both courts readily listened to any proposals that tended +to aggrandise the one at the expence of the other. This spirit of +contention between the courts of Spain and Portugal, gave occasion to +several men of enterprise, who happened to be dissatisfied by the delays +or refusal of either of these courts, in countenancing their projects, +to apply themselves for employment to the other. Among those who took +this method of advancing their fortunes, was Ferdinand Magalhaens, now +generally known by the name of Magellan. He was a gentleman of good +family in Portugal, who had addicted himself from his youth to maritime +affairs, and had acquired great skill both in the theory and practice of +navigation. He seemed formed by nature for the achievement of great +exploits, having all the qualities requisite to compose the character of +a truly great man. With a courage which no danger could appal, he +possessed the utmost calmness of temper and sweetness of disposition, by +which all who conversed with him were engaged to love and esteem his +character. He was naturally eloquent, both in illustrating and proving +the reasonableness of his own opinions, and in converting others from +their erroneous preconceived notions. Above all, he possessed that +steady and persevering resolution, which not only enabled him to +vanquish the greatest difficulties, but gave such appearance of success +to every thing be promised or undertook, as secured the confidence of +all who were under his command. As these extraordinary qualities would +have distinguished him in any station of life, so they were remarkably +useful in the present enterprise, by which he gained immortal +reputation, although he lost his life before its completion. + +[Footnote 1: Harris' Collection, I. 6. The utmost pains have been taken +to narrate this expedition in the clearest manner, by comparing all the +different relations of the Spanish and Portuguese writers. We regret +much, however, the loss of a large history of this voyage, by P. Martyr, +which was burnt in the sack of Rome, when taken by the Constable de +Bourbon.--_Harris_.] + +Don Ferdinand Magellan had served with much credit in India, under the +famous Albuquerque, and thought that he merited some recompence for his +services; but all his applications were treated with coldness and +contempt by the great, which was intolerable to a person of his spirit. +He associated, therefore, with men of like fortunes, whose merits had +been similarly neglected, and particularly with one Ray Falero, a great +astronomer, whom the Portuguese represented as a conjuror, retiring +along with him to the Spanish court, where be made propositions for new +discoveries to Cardinal Ximenes, who was then prime minister of Spain. +The Portuguese ambassador used all imaginable pains to counteract these +designs, and solicited the court to deliver up Magellan and his +companion as deserters, even representing Magellan as a bold talkative +person, ready to undertake any thing, yet wanting capacity and courage +for the performance of his projects. He even made secret proposals to +Magellan, offering him pardon and great rewards to desist from his +present purpose, and to return to the service of his own sovereign. All +these arts were unavailing, as the Spanish ministry, now competent +judges of these matters, were satisfied of the probability of the +discoveries proposed by Magellan and his coadjutor Falero, who were both +received into favour, made knights of the order of St Jago, and had +their own terms granted to them. + +The grounds on which this expedition was founded were as follow. The +opinion advanced by Columbus, of the possibility of reaching the East +Indies by sailing to the west, was assumed as certainly well founded, +though he had not been able to accomplish it; and it was asserted, that +it could not be attended with any insuperable difficulty to sail from +the South Sea, then recently discovered, to the Molucca Islands. The +grand desideratum was to find a passage westwards, from the Atlantic +Ocean into the new-found South Sea, which they expected might be met +with through the Rio de la Plata, or by some other opening on that +eastern coast of South America. Should this succeed, Spain might then +reap the benefit of both the Indies; since, if this discovery were made +by way of the _west_, it would then fall expressly within the grant of +the papal bull to Spain. + +In consequence of these proposals, it was agreed that Magellan and the +other adventurers were to be furnished by the crown of Spain with five +ships, manned by 234 men, with provisions for two years; and that the +adventurers should reap a twentieth part of the clear profit, the +government of any islands they might discover to be vested in them and +their heirs for ever, with the title of Adelantado. The agreed, fleet of +five ships was accordingly fitted out for the expedition at Seville, +consisting of the Trinidada, in which Magellan sailed as admiral, and +having a Portuguese pilot named Stephen Gomez; the Santa Vittoria, +commanded by Don Luis de Mendoza; the St Antonio, Don Juan de +Carthagena; the St Jago, Don Juan Serrano; and the Conception, Don +Gaspar de Quixada. According to some authors, the number of men in these +five ships amounted to 237, though by most they are said to have been +250, among whom were thirty Portuguese, upon whom Magellan chiefly +depended for naval skill; as he likewise did greatly upon Serrano, who +had left the service of Portugal in like manner with himself, after +having served for many years in India, and some time in the Moluccas, of +which islands they were now going in search. + + +SECTION II. + +_Proceedings of the Voyage from Seville to Patagonia, and wintering +there_. + +Great hopes of success were entertained from this voyage, from the known +experience of the commanders, although its real object was carefully +concealed by Magellan, who merely gave out to the other adventurers that +it was intended for the discovery of new countries, by which they +believed themselves bound to the certain acquisition of gold. They set +sail from Seville, in high expectations of acquiring riches, on the 10th +of August, 1519. The 3d October, the fleet arrived between Cape Verd and +the islands of that name. After being detained by tedious calms on the +coast of Guinea for seventy days, they at last got to the south of the +line, and held on their course to the coast of Brazil, of which they +came in sight in about the latitude of 23° S. They here procured +abundant refreshments of fruits, sugar-canes, and several kinds of +animals. + +Proceeding about 2 1/2 degrees farther south, they came into a country +inhabited by a wild sort of people, of prodigious stature, fierce and +barbarous, and making a strange roaring noise, more like the bellowing +of bulls, than human speech. Notwithstanding their prodigious bulk, +these people were so nimble that none of the Spaniards or Portuguese +were swift enough to overtake them. At this place there was a fine river +of fresh water, the mouth of which was fully seventeen leagues wide, in +which there were seven islands, the largest of which they named the +island of St Mary, where they procured some _jewels_.[2] Proceeding +along this coast towards the south, they fell in with two islands so +abounding in seals and penguins, that they might have laden all their +five ships with them in a short time. The penguins are a black, heavy, +unwieldy fowl, extremely fat, covered with a sort of down instead of +feathers, and having a bill like that of a raven; drawing their entire +subsistence from the sea, as fish is their only food. + +[Footnote 2: These jewels may possibly have been a few pearls. The +indications in the text are too vague to afford even a guess at the +situation of the river and its seven islands; only it may be mentioned, +that the most northern part of the coast of Patagonia is in lat. 38° S. +and that no river answering the description in the test is to be found +on all that coast--E.] + +They next advanced to about the latitude of 49° 30' S. where they were +forced to remain for five months, owing to the severity of the weather, +it being now winter in these southern parts. They here passed their time +very unpleasantly, and for a long time believed the country to be +uninhabited, but at length a savage came to visit them. He was a brisk +jolly fellow, very merrily disposed, and came towards them singing and +dancing. On coming to the shore of the haven in which the ships had +taken refuge, he stood there for some time, throwing dust upon his head. +This being observed, some persons were sent ashore to him in a boat, and +making similar signs of peace; and he came along with them on board, +without any appearance of fear or hesitation. The size and stature of +this person was such as in some measure entitled him to be deemed a +giant, the head of one of the ordinary-sized Spaniards only reaching to +his waist, and he was proportionally large made. His body was painted +all over, having a stag's horn delineated on each cheek, and large +circles round the eyes. The natural colour of his skin was yellow, and +his hair was white. His apparel consisted of the skin of a beast, +clumsily sewed together, covering his whole body and limbs from head to +foot. The beast of which this was the skin, was as strange as the +wearer, being neither mule, horse, nor camel, but partaking of all +three, having the ears of a mule, the tail of a horse, and the body +shaped like a camel. The arms of this savage consisted of a stout bow, +having for a string the gut or sinew of that strange beast; and the +arrows were tipped with sharp stones, instead of iron heads. + +The admiral made this man be presented with meat and drink, of which he +readily partook, and seemed to enjoy himself very comfortably, till +happening to see himself in a mirror which was given him among other +toys, he was so frightened that he started back and overturned two of +the men, and did not easily recover his composure. This giant fared so +well, that several others came to visit the ships, and one of them +behaved with so much familiarity and good humour, that the Europeans +were much pleased with him. This person shewed them one of the beasts in +the skins of which they were cloathed, from which the foregoing +description must have been taken.[3] Being desirous to make prisoners of +some of these giants, Magellan gave orders for this purpose to some of +his crew. Accordingly, while amusing them with toys, they put iron +shackles on their legs, which at first they conceived had been fine +ornaments like the rest, and seemed pleased with their jingling sound, +till they found themselves hampered and betrayed. They then fell a +bellowing like bulls, and imploring the aid of _Setebos_ in this +extremity, whom they must therefore have conceived some good and +compassionate being, as it is not to be conceived they would crave +relief from an evil spirit. Yet the voyagers reported strange things, of +horrible forms and appearances frequently seen among these people, such +as horned demons with long shaggy hair, throwing out fire before and +behind: But these seem mere dreams or fables. + +[Footnote 3: This must have been a Lama, Paca, or Chilihueque, of the +camel genus, vulgarly called Peruvian sheep.--E.] + +Most of the natives of this country were dressed in the skins of beasts, +similarly to the one who first visited them. Their hair was short, yet +tied up by a cotton lace or string. They had no fixed dwellings, but +used certain moveable huts or tents, constructed of skins similar to +those in which they were cloathed, which they carry with them from place +to place, as they roam about the country. What flesh they are able to +procure, they devour quite raw without any kind of cookery, besides +which their chief article of food is a sweet root, which they name +_capar._ The voyagers report that these savages were very jealous of +their women; yet do not mention having seen any. Their practice of +physic consists in bleeding and vomiting: The former being performed by +giving a good chop with some edge tool to the part affected; and the +latter is excited by thrusting an arrow half a yard down the throat of +the patient. These people, to whom Magellan gave the name of _Patagons_, +are so strong, that when one only was attempted to be made prisoner of +by nine Spaniards, he tired them all; and, though they got him down, +and even bound his hands, he freed himself from his bonds, and got away, +in spite of every endeavour to detain him. Besides _capar_, the name of +a root already mentioned, and which likewise they applied to the bread +or ship's biscuit given them by the Spaniards, the only words reported +of their language are _ali_ water, _amel_ black, _cheiche_ red, +_cherecai_ red cloth; and _Setebos_ and _Cheleule_ are the names of two +beings to whom they pay religious respect, _Setebos_ being the supreme, +and _Cheleule_ an inferior deity. + +The haven in which they remained there five months, was named by +Magellan, Port St Julian, of which and the surrounding country they took +solemn possession for the crown of Spain, erecting a cross as a signal +of sovereignty. But the principal reason of this long stay was in +consequence of a mutiny which broke out, not only among the common men, +but was even joined or fomented rather by some of the captains, +particularly by Don Luis de Mendoza, on whom Magellan had placed great +reliance. On this occasion Magellan acted with much spirit; for, having +reduced the mutineers to obedience, he brought their ringleaders to +trial for plotting against his life; hanged Don Luis de Mendoza and a +few others of the most culpable; leaving Don Juan de Carthagena and +others, who were not so deeply implicated, among the Patagons. The +weather growing fine, and the people being reduced to obedience, +Magellan set sail from Port St Julian, and pursued his course to the +latitude of 51° 40' S. where finding a convenient port, with abundance +of fuel, water, and fish, he remained for two months longer. + + +SECTION III. + +_Prosecution of the Voyage, till the Death of Magellan_. + +Again resuming the voyage, they proceeded along the eastern shore of +Patagonia to the latitude of 52° S. when the entrance into the famous +straits still known under the name of Magellan were discovered, through +which the squadron continued its voyage, finding these straits about 110 +leagues in length, from east to west, with varying breadths, in some +places very wide, and in others not more than half a league across; the +land on both sides being high, rugged, and uneven, and the mountains +covered with snow. On reaching the western end of these straits, an open +passage was found into the great South Sea, which sight gave Magellan +the most unbounded joy, as having discovered that for which he had gone +in quest, and that he was now able practicably to demonstrate what he +had advanced, that it was possible to sail to the East Indies by way of +the West. To the point of land from which he first saw this +so-long-desired prospect, he gave the name of _Cape Desiderato._ This +prospect was not, however, so desirable to some of his followers; for +here one of his ships stole away, and sailed homewards alone. + +Magellan entered the great South Sea on the 28th November, 1620, and +proceeded through that vast expanse, to which he gave the name of the +Pacific Ocean, for three months and twenty days, without once having +sight of land. During a considerable part of this period they suffered +extreme misery from want of provisions, such as have been seldom heard +of. All their bread and other provisions were consumed, and they were +reduced to the necessity of subsisting upon dry skins and leather that +covered some of the rigging of the ships, which they had to steep for +some days in salt water, to render it soft enough to be chewed. What +water remained in the ships was become putrid, and so nauseous that +necessity alone compelled them to use it. Owing to these impure and +scanty means of subsistence, their numbers daily diminished, and those +who remained alive became exceedingly weak, low-spirited, and sickly. In +some, the gums grew quite over their teeth on both sides; so that they +were unable to chew the tough leathern viands which formed their only +food, and they were miserably starved to death. Their only comfort under +this dreadful state of famine was, that the winds blew them steadily and +gently along, while the sea remained calm and almost unruffled, whence +it got the name of Pacific, which it has ever since retained. + +In all this length of time, they only saw two uninhabited islands, which +shewed no signs of affording them any relief Sometimes the needle varied +extremely, and at other times was so irregular in its motions, as to +require frequent touches of the loadstone to revive its energy. No +remarkable star was found near the south pole, by which to ascertain the +southern ordinal point, or to estimate the latitude. Instead of an +antarctic polar star, two clusters of small stars were observed, having +a small space between them, in which were two stars of inconsiderable +size and lustre, which seemed to be at no great distance from the pole, +by the smallness of the circle they described in their diurnal course. +When at the distance of 20° from the south pole, they saw a high island +to which they gave the name of _Cipangue_; and at 15° another equally +high, which they named _Sinnodit_.[4] They sailed in one gulf; or +stretch of sea, at least 4000 leagues, and made their longitude, by +estimation or reckoning, 120° W. from the place of their original +departure. By this time they drew near the equinoctial line, and having +got beyond that into 13° N. latitude, they made for the cape called +_Cottigare_ by old geographers; but missing it in that old account of +its latitude, they understood afterwards that it is in the latitude of +12° N.[5] + +[Footnote 4: The text is evidently here erroneous, as Magellan entered +the Pacific Ocean in lat. 47° S. and there is not the smallest reason to +suspect he had been forced into the latitudes of 70° and 75° S. Instead +therefore of the south pole, we ought probably to understand the +equator. As these two islands were uninhabited, the names given them +must have been imposed by Magellan or his associates. Cipangue is the +name given to Japan by Marco Polo, and is of course a singular blunder. +The other is unintelligible, and the voyage is so vaguely expressed, as +even to defy conjecture.--E.] + +[Footnote 5: This cape Cottigare in the South Sea, in lat. 12° or 13° N. +is utterly unintelligible, unless it refer to the southern part of Guam, +Guaham, or Goad, one of the Ladronea, which they soon discovered, and +which is actually in 13° N.--E.] + +On the 6th March, 1521, they fell in with a cluster of islands, being +then in lat. 12° N. and 146° of west longitude from the place of their +first setting out.[6] These islands were called by Magellan _Islas de +los Ladrones_, or the islands of robbers, and are called in modern +geography the Ladrones or Marian islands. They here went on shore to +refresh themselves, after all the fatigues and privations of their +tedious voyage through the Pacific Ocean; but the thievish disposition +of the islanders would not allow them any quiet repose, as they were +continually stealing things from the ships, while the sick and worn-out +mariners were endeavouring to refresh themselves on shore. Resolving +therefore to deliver themselves from the disturbance of these pilferers, +they marched a small party of armed men into the interior of one of +these islands, where they burnt some houses, and slew some of the +natives. But, though this correction awed them a little for the present, +it did not mend their thievish disposition; for which reason they +resolved to seek out some other place, where they might enjoy some +repose in safety. + +[Footnote 6: By the reckoning in the text, the longitude of the Ladrone +islands, which they now discovered, would be 151° 25' W. from +Greenwich. But their true longitude is 216° 30' W. Their latitude is +between 13° and 20° 50' N.--E.] + +No order or form of government was observed to subsist among these +natives of the Ladrones, but every one seemed to live according to his +own humour or inclination. The men were entirely naked, the hair both of +their heads and beards being black, that on their heads so long as to +reach down to their waists. Their natural complexion is olive, and they +anoint themselves all over with cocoa-nut oil. Their teeth seemed +coloured artificially black or red, and some of them wore a kind of +bonnet made of palm leaves. The women are better favoured and more +modest than the men, and all of them wore some decent coverings made of +palm leaves. Their hair was black, thick, and so very long as nearly to +trail on the ground. They seemed careful industrious housewives, +spending their time at home in fabricating mats and nets of palm leaves, +while the men were occupied abroad in stealing. Their houses are of +timber, covered with boards and great leaves, and divided within into +several apartments. Their beds are of mats laid above each other, and +they use palm leaves by way of sheets. Their only weapons are clubs, and +long poles headed with bone. Their food consists of cocoa-nuts, bananas, +figs, sugar-canes, fowls, and flying-fishes. Their canoes are oddly +contrived and patched up, yet sail with wonderful rapidity, the sails +being made of broad leaves sewed together. Instead of a rudder they use +a large board, with a staff or pole at one end, and in sailing, either +end of their canoes is indifferently used as head or stern. They paint +their canoes all over, either red, white, or black, as hits their fancy. +These people are so taken with any thing that is new, that when the +Spaniards wounded several of them with their arrows, and even pierced +some quite through, they would pluck out the arrows from their wounds, +and stare at them till they died. Yet would they still continue to +follow after the ships, to gaze upon them as they were going away, so +that at one time they were closely surrounded by at least two hundred +canoes filled with natives, admiring those wonderful contrivances. + +The 10th of March, the Spaniards landed on the island of _Zamul_, about +30 leagues from the Ladrones.[7] Next day they landed on _Humuna_, an +island not inhabited, yet well deserving of being so, where they found +springs of excellent water, with abundance of fruit-trees, gold, and +white coral. Magellan named this _the island of good signs_. The natives +from some of the neighbouring islands, a people of much humanity, came +here to them shortly after, very fair and of friendly dispositions, who +seemed well pleased at the arrival of the Spaniards among them, and came +loaded with presents of fish, and wine made from the cocoa-tree, +promising speedily to bring other provisions. This tree somewhat +resembles the date palm, and supplies the natives with bread, oil, wine, +vinegar, and even physic. The wine being drawn from the tree itself, and +all the rest from the fruit or nut. To procure the wine, they eat off +part of a branch, and fasten to the remaining part a large reed or +hollow cane, into which the liquor drops, being like white-wine in +colour, and of a grateful tartish taste. When a good quantity of this is +drawn off, it is put into a vessel, and is their cocoa-wine without +farther preparation. + +[Footnote 7: In this voyage the term Ladrones seems confined to the most +southern islands of this group, as there are no other islands for a very +considerable distance in any direction. The entire group stretches about +6° 10' nearly N. and S. or 125 leagues. In modern geography, Guaham and +Tinian are the largest islands of the group. Urac, Agrigan, Analajam, +and Saypan, are the names of some others of the Ladrones. The names in +the text do not occur in modern maps. Thirty leagues from Guaham, the +southernmost island, would bring them to Tinian.--E.] + +The fruit, which is as large as a man's head, has two rinds or coats. +The outermost is green, and two fingers thick, entirely composed of +strings and threads, of which they make all the ropes that are used in +their canoes. Under this there is another rind, or shell rather, of +considerable thickness, and very hard. This they burn and pulverize, and +use it in this state as a remedy for several distempers. The kernel +adheres all round the inside of this shell, being white, and about the +thickness of a finger, having a pleasant taste, almost like an almond: +this, when dried, serves the islanders instead of bread. In the inside +of this kernel there is a considerable hollow space, containing a +quantity of pure limpid liquor, of a very cordial and refreshing nature, +which sometimes congeals into a solid, and then lies like an egg within +the hollow kernel. When they would make oil, they steep the fruit in +water till it putrifies, and then boil it over the fire to separate the +oil, the remaining water becoming vinegar, when exposed some time to the +sun. Lastly, by mixing the kernel with the liquor lodged within its +cavity, and straining it through a cloth, they make a very good milk. +The cocoa-nut tree resembles the date palm, except in not being so +rugged and knotty. They will continue to thrive for an hundred years, or +more, and two of them will maintain a family of ten persons in wine +plentifully, if used by turns, each tree being drawn for seven or eight +days, and then allowed to rest as long. + +According to their promise, the islanders returned with a farther supply +of provisions, and entered into much familiar cordiality with the +Spaniards. A number of them having been invited on board the admiral's +ship, a gun was discharged by way of entertaining them, but put them in +such terror, that they were ready to leap over board, yet were soon +reconciled by good usage and presents. The name of their island was +_Zulvan_, of no great compass; yet considerable for its productions. +They had in their barks various kinds of spices, as cinnamon, cloves, +nutmegs, ginger, and mace, with several ornaments made of gold, which +they carried up and down to sell as merchandise. Although without +apparel, these people were dressed, or ornamented rather, in a more +costly manner than Europeans; for they had gold earrings in each ear, +and various jewels fastened by means of gold to their arms; besides +which, their daggers, knives, and lances were richly ornamented with the +same metal.[8] Their only cloathing consisted of a kind of apron, of a +species of cloth made very ingeniously from the rind of a tree. The most +considerable men among them were distinguished from the common people by +a piece of silk ornamented with needle-work, wrapped round their heads. +These islanders were gross, broad; and well set on their limbs, of an +olive complexion, having their bodies constantly rubbed over with +cocoa-nut oil. + +[Footnote 8: It is highly probable that the valuable spiceries, gold, +and jewels, of the text, are mere fables, invented by Pigafetta, to +enhance the value of his voyage, as such productions are now unknown to +the Ladrone islands.--E.] + +Departing from this place on the 21st March, 1521, and steering between +west and south-west, they passed among the islands named _Cenalo, +Huinanghan, Hibussan,_ and _Abarian._[9] The 28th, they came to the isle +of _Buthuan,_ where they were kindly received by the king and prince, +who gave them considerable quantities of gold and spices; in return for +which, Magellan presented the king with two cloth vests, giving knives, +mirrors, and glass beads to the courtiers. Along with the king and his +nobles, Magellan sent two persons on shore, one of whom was Antonio +Pigafetta, the historian of the voyage. On landing, the king and his +attendants all raised their hands to heaven, and then the two +Christians, who imitated this ceremony, which was afterwards observed in +drinking. The king's palace was like a great hay-loft, mounted so high +upon great posts of timber, that they had to go up by means of ladders, +and was thatched with palm-leaves. Though not Christians, these +islanders always made the sign of the cross at their meals, at which +they sat cross-legged like tailors. At night, instead of candles, they +burnt a certain gum of a tree, wrapped up in palm-leaves. After +entertaining them in their respective palaces, the king and prince of +_Buthuan_ dismissed Pigafetta and his companion with noble presents, +filled with admiration of their guests, whom they believed to be men +above the rank of common mortals, being especially astonished at +Pigafetta's writing, and reading what he had written, which was too +mysterious for their comprehension. + +[Footnote 9: Not one of these islands is known to modern geography; and +the whole of this voyage is related so loosely and unsatisfactorily, +that it is impossible to trace its course, except at well-known +places.--E.] + +In this island, by sifting the earth of a certain mine, they procured +great lumps of gold, some as large as walnuts, and some even as big as +eggs; all the vessels used by the king at table being made of this +precious metal.[10] The king of this island was a very comely personage, +of an olive complexion, with long black hair, his body being perfumed +with the odoriferous oils of storax and benzoin, and painted with +various colours. He had gold-rings in his ears, and three rings of that +metal on each of his fingers. His head was wrapped round by a silken +veil or turban, and his body was cloathed to the knees in a cotton +wrapper, wrought with silk and gold. He wore at his side a sword or +dagger, with a haft of gold, and a scabbard of carved wood. This country +is so rich, that one of the natives offered a crown of massy gold in +exchange for six strings of glass beads; but Magellan would not allow +such bargains, lest the Spaniards might appear too greedy of gold. + +[Footnote 10: These stories of gold in such wonderful abundance, are +obvious falsehoods contrived by Pigafetta, either to excite wonderment, +or to procure the command of an expedition of discovery; a practice we +have formerly had occasion to notice in the early Spanish conquests and +settlements in America.--E.] + +The natives were active and sprightly, the common men being quite +naked, except painting their bodies; but the women are cloathed from the +waist downwards, and both sexes wore gold ear-rings. They all +continually chewed _areka_, a fruit like a pear, which they cut in +quarters, rolling it up in a leaf called _betel_, resembling a bay-leaf, +alleging that they could not live without this practice. The only +religious rite observed among them, was looking up to heaven, to which +they raised their joined hands, and calling on their god _Abba_. +Magellan caused a banner of the cross, with the crown of thorns and the +nails, to be exposed and publicly reverenced by all his men in the +king's presence; desiring the king to have it erected on the top of a +high mountain in the island, as a token that Christians might expect +good entertainment in that country, and also as a security for the +nation; since, if they prayed to it devoutly, it would infallibly +protect them against lightning and tempests, and other evils. This the +king promised should be done, knowing no better, and glad to be so +easily defended from thunderbolts. + +Leaving this island, and conducted by the king's pilots, the Spaniards +came to the isles of _Zeilon, Zubut, Messana,_ and _Caleghan_, of which +_Zubut_ was the best, and enjoyed the best trade. In _Massana_, they +found dogs, cats, hogs, poultry, goats, rice, ginger, cocoa-nuts, +millet, panic, barley, figs, oranges, wax, and plenty of gold. This +island lies in lat. 9° 40' N. and in long. 162° from their first +meridian.[11] After remaining here eight days, they sailed to the N.W. +passing the islands of _Zeilon, Bohol, Canghu, Barbai_, and _Caleghan_; +in which last islands there are bats as large as eagles, which they +found to eat, when dressed, like poultry. In this island, among various +other birds, there was one kind resembling our hens, but having small +horns, which bury their eggs in the sand, where they are hatched by the +heat of the sun. _Caleghan_ is about twenty miles W. from _Messana_; and +_Zubut_, to which they now directed their course, fifty leagues W. from +_Caleghan_. In this part of the voyage they were accompanied by the king +of _Messana_, whom Magellan had greatly attached to him by many +services. + +[Footnote 11: This is 16° of longitude beyond the Ladrones, which are in +216° 30' W. and would consequently give the longitude of Zubut as 232° +30' W. or 107° 30' E. from Greenwich. Yet from what appears afterwards, +they seem to have been now among the Philippine islands, the most +easterly of which are in long. 126° E. from Greenwich.--E.] + +They entered the port of _Zubut_ on the 7th April, and on coming near +the city all the great guns were fired, which put the inhabitants into +great consternation. This, however, was soon quieted, by the arrival of +a messenger at the city from the ships, who assured the king of _Zubut_ +that this was an ordinary piece of respect to his dignity, whom they had +come to visit on their way to the Moluccas, hearing of his fame from the +king of _Messana_. The messenger also desired that the Spaniards might +be furnished with provisions, in exchange for their commodities. The +king then observed, that it was customary for all ships that came to his +port to pay tribute, which custom he expected they would comply with as +well as others. To this the messenger replied, that the Spanish admiral +was the servant of so powerful a sovereign, that he could make no such +acknowledgment to any prince whatever. That the admiral was willing to +be at peace with him, if he thought proper to accept his friendship: but +if otherwise, he should soon have his fill of war. A certain Moor, who +happened to be present, told the king that these people were certainly +the Portuguese, who had conquered Calicut and Malacca, and advised him +therefore to beware of provoking them to hostilities; whereupon the king +referred the matter to his council, promising to give an answer next +day, and in the meantime sent victuals and wine aboard the ships. + +The king of Messana, who was a potent prince, went ashore to confer with +the king of Zubut, who in the end became almost ready to pay tribute +instead of demanding it; but Magellan only asked liberty to trade, which +was readily granted. Magellan persuaded the king and his principal +people to become Christians, which they did after some religious +conferences, and were all afterwards baptised. This example spread over +the whole island, so that in eight days the whole inhabitants became +Christians, except those of one village of idolaters, who absolutely +refused. The Spaniards therefore burnt this village, and erected a cross +on its ruins.[12] + +[Footnote 12: This incredible story has been considerably abridged on +the present occasion, and is too absurd to merit any commentary.--E.] + +The people of this island deal justly with each other, having the use of +weights and measures. Their houses are of timber, raised high in the air +on posts, so that they ascend to them by ladders. They told us of a +certain sea-fowl in this country, called _Lughan_, about the size of a +crow, which the whales sometimes swallow alive, in consequence of which +their hearts are eaten by this bird; and many whales are killed in this +manner, the bird being afterwards found alive in the carcase of the +whale. The Spaniards drove a most advantageous trade at this place, +receiving from the natives ten pesos of gold, of a ducat and a half +each, in exchange for fourteen pounds of iron; and procured abundance of +provisions for mere trifles. + +Not far from Zabut is the isle of _Mathan_, the inhabitants of which go +quite naked, except a slight covering in front, all the males wearing +gold-rings hanging to the preputium. This island was governed by two +kings, one of whom refused to pay tribute to the king of Spain, on which +Magellan determined to reduce him by force of arms. The Indian had an +army of between six and seven thousand men, armed with bows and arrows, +darts and javelins, which Magellan attacked with sixty men, armed with +coats of mail and helmets. The battle was for a long time doubtful, when +at last Magellan advanced too far among the barbarians, by whom he was +at first wounded by a poisoned arrow, and afterwards thrust into the +head by a lance; which at once closed the life and actions of this noble +commander. About eight or nine of the Christians were slain in this +engagement, besides many wounded. After this disaster the Spaniards +ineffectually attempted to redeem the body of their unfortunate admiral; +and the other king, who had embraced the Christian religion without +understanding its tenets, abandoned it upon this reverse of fortune to +the Spaniards, and made peace with his rival, engaging to put all the +Christians to death. With this view, he invited the Spaniards to a +banquet, when he made them all be cruelly murdered, only reserving Don +Juan Serrano alive, in order to procure a supply of artillery and +ammunition for his ransom. With these conditions the Spaniards would +have willingly complied, but found so much prevarication and treachery +in the conduct of the natives, and were so intimidated by the miserable +fate of their companions, that they put to sea, leaving the unfortunate +Serrano to his miserable fate. + + +SECTION IV. + +_Continuation of the Voyage to its Conclusion_. + +A little before the death of Magellan, news were received of the +Moluccas, the great object of this voyage. Leaving Mathan, they sailed +for the island of _Bohol_, where they burnt the Conception, one of their +ships, transferring its men, ammunition, and provisions into the other +two. Directing their course from thence to the S.W. they came to the +island of _Paviloghon_, inhabited by negroes. From thence they came to a +large island named _Chippit_, in lat. 8° N. about 50 leagues W. from +Zabut, and about 170° of longitude from their first departure.[13] This +island abounds in rice, ginger, goats, hogs, hens, &c. and the Spaniards +were kindly received by the king, who, in token of peace, marked his +body, face, and the tip of his tongue, with blood which he drew from his +left arm; in which ceremony he was imitated by the Spaniards. Sailing +about 40 leagues from thence between the W. and S.W. or W.S.W. they came +to a very large island, named _Caghaian_, thinly inhabited. The +inhabitants were Mahometans, exiles from Borneo, rich in gold, and using +poisoned arrows; a common practice in most of these islands. Sailing +W.N.W. from this island 25 leagues, they came to _Puloan_, a fruitful +island in lat. 9° 20' N. and 179° 20' of longitude W. from their first +departure.[14] This island yields much the same productions as Chippit, +together with large figs, battatos, cocoa-nuts, and sugar-canes; and +they make a kind of wine of rice, which is very intoxicating, yet better +than palm-wine. The natives go entirely naked, use poisoned arrows, and +are greatly addicted to cock-fighting. + +[Footnote 13: Bohal is one of the Philippine islands, in lat. 10° N. and +long. 123° 50' E. from Greenwich. Paviloghon and Chippit must +accordingly refer to some islands of the same group farther west.--E.] + +[Footnote 14: Pulcan, Pulowan, or Paragua, the westermost of the +Philippines, an island of considerable extent, in lat. 10° N. and long. +119° E. from Greenwich. From the direction of the voyage, the great +island of Chaghaian of the text, was probably that now called +Magindano.--E.] + +They came next to the great and rich island of Borneo, in lat. 5° 5' N. +the chief city containing not less than 25,000 houses. The king was a +Mahometan of great power, keeping a magnificent court; and was always +attended by a numerous guard. He sent several presents to the Spanish +captains, and made two elephants be led out with rich silk trappings, to +bring the Spanish messengers and presents to his palace. He has ten +secretaries of state, who write every thing concerning his affairs on +the bark of trees. His household is managed by women, who are the +daughters of his principal courtiers. This country affords camphor, +which is the gum of a tree called _Capar_; as also cinnamon, ginger, +myrabolans, oranges, lemons, sugar, cucumbers, melons, and other +fruits, with abundance of beasts and birds, and all other products of +the equinoctial climate. The natives continually chew betel and areka, +and drink arrack. + +Leaving Borneo, they went to the island of _Cimbubon_, in, lat. 8° 7' +N.[15] where they remained forty days, caulking and repairing their +ships, and taking in a supply of fresh water. In the woods of this isle +they found a tree, the leaves of which, when they fall to the ground, +move from place to place as if alive. They resemble the leaves of the +mulberry, having certain fibres produced from their sides resembling +legs, and suddenly spring away when touched. Pigafetta, the author of +this relation, kept one of these leaf-animals in a dish for eight +days.[16] This isle produces ostriches, wild hogs, and crocodiles. They +caught here a fish having a head like a sow, with two horns, its body +consisting of one entire bone, and having a substance on its back +resembling a saddle. + +[Footnote 15: Perhaps Balambangan, in 8° 20' N.] + +[Footnote 16: Harris observes, that this account is quite incredible: +Yet it is certainly true that an insect of this description exists, +though not the leaf of a tree, as erroneously supposed by +Pigafetta.--E.] + +From hence they sailed to certain islands named _Salo Taghima_, which +produce fine pearls, and from whence the king of Borneo once procured +two large round pearls, nearly as big as eggs. They came next to a +harbour in the island of _Sarangani_, reported to yield both pearls and +gold. At this place they pressed two pilots to conduct them to the +Moluccas; and passing the islands named _Ceana, Canida, Cabiaia, Camuca, +Cabalu, Chiari, Lipan_, and _Nuza_, they came to a fair isle in lat 3° +20' N. named _Sangir_.[17] Passing five other islands, they at last +espied a cluster of five islands, which they were informed by the pilots +were the Moluccas. This was on the 6th November, 1521, twenty-seven +months after their departure from Spain. Trying the depth of the sea in +the neighbourhood of these islands, they found it no less than fifty-one +fathoms; though the Portuguese report that this sea is too shallow for +being navigated, and is besides rendered extremely dangerous by numerous +rocks and shelves, and by continual darkness; doubtless to deter any +other nation from attempting to go there. + +[Footnote 17: Sangir is in lat. 8° 35' N. and long. 125° 25 E. from +Greenwich. The other islands enumerated in the text do not occur in +modern maps.--E.] + +They came to anchor in the port of _Tiridore_ [Tidore] on the 8th +November, this being one of the chief of the Molucca islands. Although +a Mahometan, the king of this island was so fond of the Spaniards, that +he invited them to come on shore as into their own country, and to use +the houses as their own, calling them his brethren and children; even +changing the name of his island from Tidore to Castile. These Molucca +islands are five in number, _Ternate, Tidore, Mortir, Makian_, and +_Batchian_. Ternate is the chief of these islands, and its king once +ruled over them all; but at this time Mortir and Makian were +commonwealths, but Batchian was a separate monarchy. The clove-tree is +very tall, and as big about as the body of a man, having large boughs, +with leaves resembling those of the bay-tree, and the bark is of an +olive colour. The cloves grow in large clusters at the extremities of +the boughs; being at first white, but growing red when they come to +maturity, and grow black when dried. While green, the flavour of the +wood, bark, and leaves, is almost as strong as that of the cloves. These +are gathered twice each year, in June and December, and if not taken in +time, become very hard. Every man has his own particular trees, on which +they bestow very little care. They have also in this isle a peculiar +sort of tree, the bark of which, being steeped in water, may be drawn +out in small fibres as fine as silk; of which the women make themselves +a sort of aprons, which are their only cloathing. + +Near Tidore is the large island of _Gilolo_, which is divided between +the Mahometans and idolaters. The two Mahometan kings have themselves +contributed liberally to the population of the island; one of them +having 600 children, and the other 650. The pagans are more moderate in +their conduct in this respect than the Mahometans, and are even less +superstitious; yet it is said that they worship, for the rest of the +day, whatever they first see every morning. In this island there grows a +peculiar sort of reed, as big as a man's leg, which is full of limpid +wholesome water. On the 12th November, a public warehouse was opened by +the Spaniards in the town of Tidore, for the sale of their merchandise, +which were exchanged at the following rates. For ten yards of good red +cloth, they had one bahar of cloves, containing four cantars or quintals +and six pounds; the cantar being 100 pounds. For fifteen yards of +inferior cloth, they had one bahar. Likewise a bahar for 35 drinking +glasses, or for 17 _cathyls_ of quicksilver. The islanders also brought +all sorts of provisions daily to the ships, together with excellent +water from certain hot springs in the mountains where the cloves grow. +They here received a singular present for the king of Spain, being two +dead birds about the size of turtle-doves, with small legs and heads +and long bills, having two or three long party-coloured, feathers at +each side, instead of wings, all the rest of their plumage being of a +uniform tawny colour. These birds never fly except when favoured by the +wind. The Mahometans allege that these birds come from Paradise, and +therefore call them the birds of God. + +Besides cloves, the Molucca islands produce ginger, rice, sago, goats, +sheep, poultry, popinjays, white and red figs, almonds, pomegranates, +oranges and lemons, and a kind of honey which is produced by a species +of fly less than ants. Likewise sugar-canes, cocoa-nuts, melons, gourds, +and a species of fruit, called _camulical_, which is extremely cold. The +isle of Tidore is in lat. 0° 45' N. and long. 127° 10' E.[18] and about +9° 30' W. from the Ladrones,[19] in a direction nearly S.W. Formerly the +natives of these islands were all heathens, the Moors or Mahometans +having only had footing there for about fifty years before the arrival +of the Spaniards. Ternate is the most northerly of these islands, and +Batchian is almost under the line, being the largest of them all.[20] + +[Footnote 18: This is the true position, reckoning the longitude from +Greenwich. In the original the longitude is said to be 170° W. from the +first meridian of the voyagers, being Seville in Spain, which would give +174° E. from Greenwich; no great error, considering the imperfect way in +which the longitude was then reckoned at sea.--E.] + +[Footnote 19: This is a gross error, perhaps of the press, as the +difference of longitude is 16° 30'.--E.] + +[Footnote 20: The northern end of Batchian is in lat. 0° 28', and its +southern extremity in 0° 40', both south.--E.] + +Departing from Tidore, the Spaniards were attended by several kings in +their canoes to the isle of _Mare_,[21] where this royal company took +leave of them with much apparent regret. In this isle they left one of +their ships which was leaky, giving orders to have it repaired, for its +return to Spain. Being now reduced to forty-six Spaniards and thirteen +Indians, they directed their course from Mare towards the S.W. passing +the isles named _Chacotian, Lagoma, Sico, Gioghi, Caphi, Sulacho, +Lumatola, Tenetum, Bura_ [Bouro?] _Arubon_ [perhaps Amboina?] _Budia, +Celaruri, Benaia, Ambalao, Bandon_ [perhaps Banda?] _Zorobua, Zolot, +Moceuamor, Galian_, and _Mullua_, besides many others possessed by +Mahometans, heathens, and canibals. They stopped fifteen days at +_Mallua_ to repair their ship, being in 8° N. lat. and 169° long. +according to their reckoning. This island produces much pepper, both +long and of the ordinary round kind. The tree on which it grows climbs +like ivy, and its leaf resembles that of the mulberry. The natives are +canibals; the men wearing their hair and beards; and their only weapons +are bows and arrows. + +[Footnote 21: Marhee Foul, a small isle between Tidore and Motir.--E.] + +Leaving _Mallua_ [Moa?] on the 25th January, 1522, they arrived at +_Tima_ [Timor?] five leagues to the S.S.W. This island is in lat. 10° S. +and long. 125° E. where they found ginger, white sanders, various kinds +of fruits, and plenty of gold and provisions of all kinds. The people of +the Moluccas, Java, and _Lozen_ [Luzon, or the principal island of the +Philippines], procure their sanders-wood from hence. The natives are +idolaters, and have the _lues venerea_ among them, which is a common +distemper in all the islands of this great archipelago. + +Leaving Timor on the 11th February, they got into the great sea called +_Lantchidol_, steering W.S.W. and leaving the coast of a long string of +islands on the right hand, and taking care not to sail too near the +shore, lest the Portuguese of Malacca should chance to discover them; +wherefore they kept on the outside of Java and Sumatra. That they might +pass the Cape of Good Hope the more securely, they continued their +course W.S.W. till they got into the latitude of 42° S. though so sore +pinched by hunger and sickness, that some were for putting in at +Mosambique for refreshments; but the majority concluded that the +Portuguese would prove bad physicians for their distempers, and +determined therefore to continue the voyage homewards. In this course +they lost twenty-one of their men, and were at length constrained to put +in at the island of St Jago, one of the Cape Verds, to throw themselves +on the mercy of the Portuguese. So, venturing ashore, they opened their +miserable case to the Portuguese, who at first relieved their +necessities; but the next time they went on shore, detained all who came +as prisoners. + +Those who still remained in the ship, now reduced to thirteen, having no +mind to join their companions in captivity, made all the haste they +could away, and being favoured by the winds, they arrived in the harbour +of San Lucar, near Seville, on the 7th September, 1522. He who commanded +this vessel, which had the good fortune to return from this remarkable +voyage, was Juan Sebastian Cano, a native of Guetaria in Biscay, a +person of much merit and resolution, who was nobly rewarded by the +emperor Charles V. To perpetuate the memory of this first voyage round +the world, the emperor gave him for his coat of arms the terrestrial +globe, with this motto, _Prima me circumdedisti_. The newly-discovered +straits at the southern extremity of South America, were at first named +the _Straits of Vittori_, after the ship which returned; but they soon +lost that name, to assume another which becomes them much better, in +honour of their discoverer, and have ever since been denominated the +_Straits of Magellan_. + +This most celebrated voyage took up three years and twenty-seven days, +having commenced on the 10th August, 1519, and concluded on the 7th +September, 1522. By its success, the skill and penetration of the great +Columbus, who, only twenty-seven years before, had first asserted the +possibility of its performance, were fully established. One circumstance +was discovered in this voyage, which, although reason have taught us to +explain, could hardly have been expected _a priori_. On the return of +the Spaniards to their own country, they found they had lost a day in +their reckoning, owing to the course they had sailed; whereas had they +gone by the east, and returned by the west, they would have gained a day +in their course. + +Another circumstance, which served to heighten the reputation of +Magellan, who deserves the sole honour of this voyage, was the +difficulty experienced by other able commanders, who endeavoured to +fellow the course he had pointed out. The first who made the attempt +were two Genoese ships in 1526, but unsuccessfully. In 1528, Cortes, the +conqueror of Mexico, sent two ships with 400 men, to endeavour to find +their way through the straits of Magellan to the Moluccas, but without +effect. Sebastian Cabot tried the same thing, by order of Emanuel king +of Portugal, but was unable to succeed. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +VOYAGE BY SIR FRANCIS DRAKE ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1577-1580.[22] + + * * * * * + +SECTION I. + +_Introduction, and Preparation for the Voyage_. + + +In his Annals of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the learned Cambden +informs us, that the father of the celebrated Sir Francis Drake was the +Rev. Edmund Drake, vicar of Upnore on the river Medway, and says he had +this information from Sir Francis himself. Yet the industrious John +Stowe says, that he was the eldest of twelve brethren, the sons of +Edmund Drake, mariner, at Tavistock in Devonshire, and was born in 1540. +Perhaps both accounts may be true; and Mr Edmund Drake, though a mariner +originally, may have had a competent share of learning, and may have +been admitted to orders on the final establishment of the Reformation. + +[Footnote 22: Hakluyt, IV. 232. Harris, I. p. 14. Oxford Coll. II. sect. +xvi. Callender's Voy. I. 288. The original account of this voyage was +published at London, in 4to, in 1600, and reprinted in 1618.--E.] + +This celebrated naval hero received the Christian name of Francis from +his godfather the earl of Bedford, but does not appear to have derived +any great patronage from that nobleman. He was sent young to sea, as an +apprentice to the master of a small bark, who traded with France and +Zealand; and his master, a bachelor, taking a great affection for him, +left him his bark at his death. At eighteen years of age, he was purser +of a ship on a voyage to the Bay of Biscay, and at twenty made a voyage +to the coast of Guinea. In all these voyages he distinguished himself by +extraordinary courage, and by a sagacity beyond his years. In 1565, his +laudable desire of glory induced him to venture his all in a voyage to +the West Indies, which had no success. In 1567, he served under his +kinsman Sir John Hawkins in the bay of Mexico, but was again +unfortunate, returning from the voyage rich in character and fame, but +with almost ruined circumstances. These disappointments served only to +increase his desire of bettering his fortunes at the expence of the +grand enemy of his country, against whom he made two other voyages into +these parts; the first in 1570 with two ships, the Dragon and Swan and +the second in 1571, in the Swan alone, chiefly for information, that he +might qualify himself for undertaking some enterprize of greater +importance; which he at length carried into execution with great courage +and perseverance. + +His character for bravery and seamanship being now established, he soon +found a sufficient number of persons willing to adventure a part of +their fortunes in a privateering voyage which he proposed. He +accordingly sailed from Plymouth on the 24th May, 1572, in the Pasco, a +ship only of seventy tons, having for his consort the Swan of 250 tons, +commanded by his brother John Drake, with seventy-three men and boys, +and provisions for a year. Such were the mighty preparations he had made +for attacking the power of Spain in the West Indies, in which he +considered himself justified, in order to make reprisals for the losses +he had formerly sustained from the Spaniards. In this voyage he +surprised and plundered the famous town of Nombre de Dios; and soon +afterwards had a distant view of the South Sea from the top of a high +tree, which inflamed him with the desire of conducting an English ship +thither, which attempt he had perhaps never thought of but for that +circumstance. + +In this expedition he acquired immense riches for his owners, and +considerable wealth for himself; and being of an honourable and generous +disposition, he scorned to avail himself of advantages, which most other +men would have considered as their right. Of this we have the following +remarkable instance. Having presented a cutlass to a captain or caçique +of the free Indians inhabiting the isthmus of Darien, the caçique gave +him in return four large ingots of gold, which he immediately threw into +the common stock, saying, "My owners gave me that cutlass, and it is +just they should receive their share of its produce." His return to +England from this successful expedition was equally fortunate, as he +sailed in twenty-three days from Cape Florida to the Scilly islands. +Arriving at Plymouth on Sunday, the 9th August, 1573, during divine +service, the news of his return was carried to church, on which few +persons remained with the preacher, all the congregation running out to +welcome the adventurous Drake, who had been absent fourteen months and +sixteen days in this voyage. + +The wealth he gained in this expedition he generously expended in the +service of his country, equipping no less than three frigates at his own +expence, which he commanded in person, and with which he contributed +materially to the reduction of the rebellion in Ireland, under the +supreme command of the earl of Essex. After the death of that nobleman, +he chose Sir Christopher Hatton for his patron, then vice-chamberlain to +the queen, and afterwards lord high-chancellor of England. By his +interest, not without great opposition, captain Drake obtained a +commission from queen Elizabeth for the voyage of which it is now +proposed to give an account, and which he had long meditated. Being thus +provided with the royal authority, his friends contributed largely +towards the intended expedition, while he applied himself with all +diligence to get every thing in readiness for the important undertaking; +having in view to attack the powerful monarchy of Spain, in its richest +yet most vulnerable possessions on the western coasts of America, with +what would now be considered a trifling squadron of five small barks. + +The ships, as they were then called, fitted out for this bold +enterprize, were, the Pelican, afterwards named the Hind, of 100 tons, +admiral-ship of the squadron, under his own immediate command as +captain-general; the Elizabeth, vice-admiral, of 80 tons, commanded by +Captain John Winter, who was lieutenant-general of the expedition; the +Marigold, a bark of 30 tons, Captain John Thomas; the Swan, a fly-boat +of 50 tons, Captain John Chester; and the Christopher, a pinnace of 15 +tons, Captain Thomas Moon. These ships were manned with 164 able-bodied +men, including officers, and were provided with an ample supply of +provisions, ammunition and stores, for so long and dangerous a voyage. +Captain Drake likewise provided the frames of four pinnaces, which were +stowed on board in pieces, ready to be set up as occasion might require. +He is also said to have made provision for ornament and delight, +carrying with him a band of musicians, together with rich furniture and +much silverplate, all the vessels for his table, and many of those +belonging to the cook-room, being of that metal. This magnificence is +stated by his biographers, to have been intended as a display for the +honour of his country among foreign nations. + + +SECTION II. + +_Narrative of the Voyage from England to the Straits of Magellan_. + +All things being duly prepared. Captain Drake sailed with his squadron +from Plymouth Sound, about five in the afternoon of the 15th November, +1577, giving out that he was bound for Alexandria in Egypt, which had +been made the pretended object of the voyage, to prevent the court of +Spain from taking measures for its obstruction. In consequence of a +violent storm, in which some of the ships sustained damage, he was +forced to put into Falmouth haven, whence he returned to Plymouth. +Having repaired all defects, he once more set sail on the 13th December +of the same year. Avoiding as much as possible to come near the land too +early, he fell in with Cape Cantin, on the Barbary coast, on the 25th, +and came to the island of Mogadore on the 27th. In the channel of one +mile broad, between that island and the main, he found a convenient +harbour, where he caused one of his pinnaces to be built. + +While thus engaged, some of the inhabitants came to the shore with a +flag of truce, on which the admiral sent a boat to enquire what they +wanted. One of his men remained as a pledge with the natives, two of +whom came off to the ship. These informed the admiral by signs, that +they would next day supply the ships with good provisions; in return for +which proffered civility, the admiral rewarded them with shoes, some +linen, and two javelins, and sent them again on shore. Next day, they +came again to the shore, according to promise; on which occasion, an +Englishman, named Fry, leapt on shore among them from the boat, +considering them as friends; but they perfidiously made him a prisoner, +threatening to stab him if he made any resistance. They then mounted him +on horseback, and carried him into the interior; but he was afterwards +sent back in safety to England. + +The pinnace being finished, they sailed from Mogadore on the 30th +December, and arrived at Cape Blanco on the 17th January, 1578. On the +voyage from Mogadore to Cape Blanco, they took three _Canters_, or +Spanish fishing-boats, and three caravels. Here they found a Portuguese +caravel at anchor, bound to the Cape Verd islands for salt, in which +there were only two mariners. They took possession of this ship, and +carried her into the harbour of Cape Blanco, where they remained four +days, during which time the admiral trained his men on shore, to prepare +them for land service on occasion. At this place they took such +necessaries as they wanted from the fishermen, as also one of their +barks or canters of 40 tons, leaving behind a small bark of their own, +called the Benedict. Leaving this place on the 22d January, they were +told by the master of the Portuguese caravel, which they carried along +with them, that abundance of dried _cabritos_ or goats might be procured +at Mayo, one of the Cape Verd islands, which were yearly prepared there +for the ships belonging to the king of Spain. + +They arrived at Mayo on the 27th January, but the inhabitants refused to +trade with them, being expressly forbidden to have any intercourse with +foreigners, by orders from their sovereign. Next day, however, the +admiral sent a company of 72 armed men on shore under the command of Mr +Winter and Mr Doughty, to take a view of the island, and to see if any +refreshments could be procured. They marched accordingly to the chief +place of the island; and, after travelling three days through the +mountains, they arrived there before day-break on the fourth day. The +inhabitants were all fled, but this part of the island seemed more +fertile and better cultivated than any of the rest. They rested here +some time, banqueting on delicious grapes, which they found in +perfection at that season of the year, though the depth of winter in +England. Mayo abounds with goats, wild poultry, and salt; this last +being formed in great quantities among the rocks, by the heat of the +sun; so that the natives have only the trouble of gathering it into +heaps, and sell it to their neighbours, from which they derive great +profit. They found here cocoa-nut trees, which have no branches or +leaves but at the top of the tree, where the fruit grows in clusters. +They then marched farther into the island, where they saw great numbers +of goats, but could not get any. They might have furnished themselves +with some dried carcasses of old goats, which the natives laid purposely +in their way; but not caring for the refuse of the island, they returned +to the ships. + +Leaving Mayo on the 31st of January, they sailed past the island of St +Jago, whence three pieces of cannon were fired at them, but without +doing any injury. This is a large fine island, inhabited by the +Portuguese; but the mountains are said to be still occupied by Moors, +who fled thither to deliver themselves from slavery, and have fortified +themselves in places of difficult access. Near this island they saw two +ships under sail, one of which they took, and it turned out a valuable +prize, being laden with wine. The admiral detained this ship, which he +committed to the charge of Mr Doughty, and took the Portuguese pilot, +named Nuno da Silva into his service, sending the rest away in his +pinnace, giving them some provisions, a butt of wine, and their apparel. +That same night they came to the island of _Fuego_, or the burning +island. It is inhabited by Portuguese, having a volcano on its northern +side, which is continually throwing out smoke and flames; yet seems to +be reasonably commodious. On the south of Fuego there is a very sweet +and pleasant island, called by the Portuguese _Ilha Brava_, the brave or +fine island. This is cloathed with evergreen trees, and has many streams +of fresh water which run into the sea, and are easily accessible; but it +has no convenient road for ships, the sea being every where too deep for +anchorage. It is alledged that the summit of Fuego is not higher in the +air, than are the roots of Brava low in the sea. + +Leaving these islands, and approaching the line, they were sometimes +becalmed for a long time together, and at other times vexed with +tempests. At all times, when the weather would permit, they had plenty +of dolphins, bonitos and flying-fish; several of the last dropping in +their flight on the decks, unable to rise again, because their finny +wings wanted moisture. Taking their departure from the Cape de Verd +islands, they sailed 54 days without seeing land; and at length, on the +5th April, 1578, got sight of the coast of Brazil, in lat. 33° S. The +barbarous people on shore, discovering the ships, began to practice +their accustomed ceremonies to raise a storm for destroying their ships, +making great fires, and offering sacrifices to the devil.[23] The 7th +April they had thunder, lightning, and rain, during which storm they +lost sight of the Christopher, but found her again on the 11th; and the +place where all the ships met together, which had been dispersed in +search of her, was named Cape _Joy_, at which place the ships took in a +supply of fresh water. The country here was pleasant and fertile, with a +sweet and temperate climate; but the only inhabitants seen were some +herds of deer, though some footsteps of men, apparently of great +stature, were noticed on the ground. Having weighed anchor, and sailed a +little farther along the coast, they came to a small and safe harbour, +formed between a rock and the main, the rock breaking the force of the +sea. On this rock they killed some sea-wolves, a species of seals, which +they found wholesome food, though not pleasant. + +[Footnote 23: This idea is uncharitable and absurd, as the navigators +could not know any thing of the motives of these fires, and much less +about the alleged sacrifices. The fires might have been friendly +signals, inviting them on shore.--E.] + +Going next to lat. 36° S. they sailed up the Rio Plata, and came into 53 +and 54 fathoms, fresh water, with which they filled their water casks; +but finding no convenient harbour, went again to sea on the 27th of +April. Sailing still onwards, they came to a good bay, having several +islands, one of which was well stocked with seals and the others with +sea fowl, so that they had no want of provisions, together with plenty +of water. The admiral being ashore on one of these islands, the natives +came about him, dancing and skipping in a friendly manner, and willingly +bartered any thing they had for toys; but they had the strange custom of +refusing to accept of any thing, unless first thrown down on the ground. +They were a comely strong-bodied people, swift of foot, and of lively +dispositions. The Marigold and Christopher were dispatched in search of +a convenient harbour, and soon returned with news of having found one, +into which all the ships removed. Here the seals were so numerous, that +above 200 were killed in about an hour. The natives came boldly about +them, while working ashore, having their faces painted, their only +apparel being a covering of skin with the fur on, wrapped about their +waists, and a kind of wreaths round their heads. Each man had a bow, +about an ell long, and only two arrows. They even seemed to have some +notion of military discipline, as they ranged their men in an orderly +manner; and they gave sufficient proof of their agility, by stealing the +admiral's hat from his head, which could not be recovered.[24] While in +this bay, the admiral took every thing out of the fly-boat that could be +of any use; she was then laid on shore and burnt, and all her iron work +saved for future use. + +[Footnote 24: Harris observes, that these were of the nation named +Patagons by Magellan. But no notice is taken of their stature being +above the ordinary height.--E.] + +Sailing from this place, the fleet came to anchor in Port St Julian on +the 20th June, where they saw the gibbet still standing, on which +Magellan had formerly executed some of his mutinous company. Here also +Admiral Drake executed one Captain Doughty, the most suspected action of +his life. Mr Doughty had been guilty of certain actions, tending towards +contention or mutiny, and was found guilty partly on his own confession, +and partly by proof, taken in good order and as near as might be +according to the forms of the law of England. Having received the +communion from Mr Fletcher, chaplain of the admiral's ship, in which +Captain Drake participated along with him; and after embracing Drake, +and taking leave of all the company, Mr Doughty prayed fervently for the +welfare of the queen and whole realm, then quietly laid his head on the +block. The general then made a speech to the whole company assembled, +exhorting them to unity and obedience, sacredly protesting that he had +great private affection for Mr Doughty, and had been solely actuated in +condemning him to an ignominious death, by his care for the welfare of +the voyage, the satisfaction of her majesty, and the honour of his +country. + +Leaving this place on the 17th August, they fell in with the eastern +entrance of the Straits of Magellan on the 20th of that month. The 21st +they entered the straits, which they found very intricate, with various +crooked turnings; owing to which, having often to shift their course, +the wind was frequently adverse, making their passage troublesome and +dangerous, especially in sudden blasts of wind; for, although there were +several good harbours, the sea was too deep for anchorage, except in +some narrow creeks or inlets, or between rocks. On both sides of the +straits, there are vast mountains covered with snow, their tops reaching +in many places to great heights, having often two or three ranges of +clouds below their summits. The air in the straits was extremely cold, +with almost continual frost and snow; yet the trees and plants retained +a constant verdure, growing and flourishing in spite of the severity of +the climate. At the south and east parts of the straits there are +various islands, through between which the sea breaks in, as at the main +entrance. The breadth of the straits in some places was only a league, +which was the narrowest, but in most places two, and in some three +leagues across. The 24th August, they came to an island in the straits, +where they found vast quantities of penguins, a sort of water fowl, as +large as a goose, but which does not fly, and of which they killed 3000 +in less than a day. + + + + +SECTION III. + +_Incidents of the Voyage, from the Straits of Magellan to New Albion._ + + +The 6th September, they reached the western extremity of the straits, +and entered into the great South Sea or Pacific Ocean. On the 7th, the +fleet encountered a storm, by which they were driven one degree to the +southwards of the straits, and more than 200 leagues in longitude back +from that entrance.[25] They were driven even so far as the lat. of 57° +20' S. where they anchored among the islands, finding good fresh water +and excellent herbs.[26] Not far from thence, they entered another bay, +where they found naked people, ranging about the islands in canoes, in +search of provisions, with whom they had some intercourse by way of +barter. Continuing their course towards the north, they discovered +three islands on the 3d October, in one of which there was an incredible +number of birds. On the 8th October, they lost company of the Elizabeth, +the vice admiral, commanded by Captain Winter. At his return home, they +found that Mr Winter had been forced to take refuge from the storm in +the straits, whence he returned to England, though many of us feared he +and his people had perished. + +[Footnote 25: This is a gross error, probably a misprint for 20 leagues +of longitude, as the quantity in the text would have driven them far to +the eastwards of the straits, into the Atlantic, which is impossible, +the whole of Tierra del Fuego being interposed.--E.] + +[Footnote 26: This too is erroneous, as Cape Horn, not then known, is +only in lat. 55° 58' 30' S.] + +Having now got back to the western entrance of the straits, they made +sail for the coast of Chili, which the general maps represented as +trending N.W. but which they found to the east of N. so that these +coasts had not been fully discovered, or very inaccurately represented, +for the space of 12 degrees at least, either for the purpose to deceive, +or through ignorance. Proceeding northwards along the coast of Chili, +they came to the island of Mocha, in 38° 30' S. latitude, on the 29th +November, where they cast anchor. The admiral went here ashore with ten +men, and found the island inhabited by a people who had fled from the +extreme cruelty of the Spaniards, leaving their original habitations on +the continent, to enjoy their lives and liberties in security. These +people at first behaved civilly to the admiral and his men, bringing +them potatoes and two fat sheep, promising also to bring them water, and +they received some presents in return. Next day, however, when two men +went ashore with barrels for water, the natives suddenly assailed and +killed them. The reason of this outrage was, that they mistook the +English for Spaniards, whom they never spare when they fall into their +hands. + +Continuing their course along the coast of Chili, they met an Indian in +a canoe, who mistook them for Spaniards, and told them of a great +Spanish ship at St Jago, laden for Peru. Rewarding him for this +intelligence, the Indian conducted them to where the ship lay at anchor, +in the port of Valparaiso, in lat. 33° 40' S.[27] All the men on board +were only eight Spaniards and three negroes, who, supposing the English +to have been friends, welcomed them with beat of drum, and invited them +on board to drink Chili wine. The English immediately boarded and took +possession; when one of the Spaniards leapt overboard, and swam ashore +to give notice of the coming of the English. On this intelligence, all +the inhabitants of the town, being only about nine families, escaped +into the country. The admiral and his men landed, and rifled the town +and its chapel, from which they took a silver chalice, two cruets, and +an altar cloth. They found also in the town a considerable store of +Chili wine, with many boards of cedar wood, all of which they carried on +board their ships. Then setting all the prisoners on shore, except +one named John Griego, born in Greece, who was detained as a pilot, the +admiral directed his course for Lima, the capital of Peru, under the +guidance of this new pilot. + +[Footnote 27: More correctly, 33° 00' 30" S. and long. 71° 38' 30" W. +from Greenwich.--E.] + +Being now at sea, they examined the booty in their prize, in which they +found 25,000 pezos of pure gold of Baldivia, amounting to above 37,000 +Spanish ducats. Continuing their course for Lima, they put into the +harbour of Coquimbo, in lat. 29° 54' S. where the admiral sent fourteen +men on shore for water. This small company being espied by the +Spaniards, they collected 300 horse and 200 foot, and slew one of the +Englishmen, the rest getting back to the ship. From thence they went to +a port named _Taropaca_ in Peru, in lat 20° 15' S. where landing, a +Spaniard was found asleep on the shore, having eighteen bars of silver +lying beside him, worth about 4000 Spanish ducats, which they carried +away, leaving him to his repose. Going again on shore, not far from +thence, in search of water, they met a Spaniard and an Indian, driving +eight Peruvian sheep, laden with fine silver, each sheep having two +leather bags on his back, in each of which were about fifty pounds +weight. These they carried on board, finding in the whole of these bags +800 pounds weight of silver. From thence they went to _Arica_, in lat. +18° 40' S. in which port they plundered three small barks of fifty-seven +bars of silver, each bar being in shape and size like a brick-bat, and +weighing about twenty pounds. Not having sufficient strength, they did +not assault the town, but put again to sea, where they met another small +bark, laden with linen, part of which was taken out, and the bark +dismissed. + +They came to Calao, the port of Lima, in lat. 12° 10' S. on the 13th +February, 1579, where they found twelve ships at anchor, with all their +sails down, without watch or guard, all their masters and merchants +being on shore. On examining the contents of these ships, they found a +chest full of dollars, with great store of silks and linen, and carried +away all the silver, and part of the other goods to their own ships. +Here the admiral got notice of a very rich ship, called the Cacafuego, +which had sailed for Paita, in lat. 5° 10' S. Pursuing her thither, they +learnt, before arriving at Paita, that she had sailed for Panama. In +continuing the pursuit to Panama, they took another, which paid them +well for their trouble; as, besides her ropes and other tackle, she +yielded eighty pounds weight of gold, together with a large golden +crucifix, richly adorned with emeralds. + +Continuing to pursue the Cacafuego, the admiral promised to give his +gold chain to the first person who descried the chase, which fell to the +share of Mr John Drake, who first discovered her, one morning about +three o'clock. They came up with her about six, gave her three shots, +which struck down her mizen-mast, and then boarded. They found this ship +fully as rich as she was reported, having thirteen chests full of +dollars, eighty pounds weight of gold, a good quantity of jewels, and +twenty-six tons of silver in bars.[28] Among other rich pieces of plate +found in this ship, there were two very large gilt silver bowls, which +belonged to her pilot. On seeing these, the admiral said to the pilot, +that these were fine bowls, and he must needs have one of them; to which +the pilot yielded, not knowing how to help himself; but, to make this +appear less like compulsion, he gave the other to the admiral's steward. +The place where this rich prize was taken was off Cape San Francisco, +about 150 leagues from Panama, and in lat. 1° N. [00° 45'.] When the +people of the prize were allowed to depart, the pilot's boy told the +admiral, that the English ship ought now to be called the _Cacafuego_, +not theirs, as it had got all their rich loading, and that their +unfortunate ship ought now to be called the _Cacaplata_, which jest +excited much mirth.[29] + +[Footnote 28: Without calculating on the jewels, for which there are no +data, the silver and gold of this prize could hardly fall short of +250,000_l_--worth more than a million, in effective value, of the present +day.--E.] + +[Footnote 29: This forecastle joke turns on the meaning of the words, +Cacafuego and Cacaplata, meaning Fartfire and Fartsilver.--_Harris_.] + +Having ransacked the Cacafuego of every thing worth taking, she was +allowed to depart; and continuing their course westwards, they next met +a ship laden with cotton goods, China dishes, and China silks. Taking +from the Spanish owner a falcon of massy gold, having a large emerald +set in his breast, and chasing such other wares as he liked, the admiral +allowed this ship to continue her voyage, only detaining her pilot for +his own use. This pilot brought them to the harbour of Guatalca, in the +town adjacent to which, he said, there were only seventeen Spaniards. +Going there on shore, they marched directly to the town-house, where +they found a judge sitting, and ready to pass sentence on a parcel of +negroes, who were accused of plotting to set the town on fire. But the +arrival of the admiral changed affairs, for he made both the judge and +the criminals prisoners, and carried them all aboard the ships. He then +made the judge write to the citizens, to keep at a distance, and make no +resistance; after which the town was plundered, but the only thing +valuable was about a bushel of Spanish dollars, or rials of plate. One +of the people took a rich Spaniard fleeing out of town, who ransomed +himself by giving up a gold chain and some jewels. At this place the +admiral set some of his Spanish prisoners ashore, together with the old +Portuguese pilot he took at the Cape Verd islands, and departed from +thence for the island of Cano. While there, he captured a Spanish ship +bound for the Philippine islands, which he lightened of part of her +merchandise, and allowed her to proceed. At this place the admiral +landed every thing out of his own ship, and then laid her on shore, +where she was repaired and graved; after which they laid in a supply of +wood and water. + +Thinking he had in some measure revenged the public injuries of his +country upon the Spaniards, as well as his own private losses, the +admiral began to deliberate about returning home; but was in some +hesitation as to the course he ought to steer. To return by the Straits +of Magellan, the only passage yet discovered, he concluded would throw +himself into the hands of the Spaniards, who would probably there waylay +him with a greatly superior force, having now only one ship left, which +was by no means strong, though very rich.[30] He therefore, on maturely +weighing all circumstances, determined to proceed by way of the +Moluccas, and following the course of the Portuguese, to get home by the +Cape of Good Hope. Endeavouring to put this design in execution, but +being becalmed, he found it necessary to steer more northwardly along +the coast of America, in order to get a wind; in which view he sailed at +least 600 leagues, which was all the way he was able to make between the +16th of April and the 3d June. + +[Footnote 30: We have no account of the loss of any of the squadron, +except that the Elizabeth was lost sight of after passing the Straits of +Magellan. Perhaps the other vessels had been destroyed, to reinforce the +crew of the Hind, weakened by the diseases incident to long +voyages.--E.] + +On the 5th June, being in lat. 43° N. they found the air excessively +cold, and the severity of the weather almost intolerable; for which +reason they returned along the coast to the southward, till in lat. 38° +N. where they found a very good bay, which they entered with a +favourable wind.[31] The English had here a good deal of intercourse +with the natives, whose huts were scattered along the shores of this +bay. These people brought presents of leathers and net-work to the +admiral, who entertained them with so much kindness, that they were +infinitely pleased. Though the country is very cold, the natives +contrive to erect their houses in a very ingenious manner to defend +themselves from the severity of the weather. Surrounding them by a deep +trench, they raise great pieces of timber on its outer edge, which close +all in a point at the top, like the spire of a steeple. Their fire is in +the middle of this conical hut, and they sleep on the ground strewed +with rushes, around the fire. The men go naked, but the women wear a +kind of petticoat of bull-rushes, dressed in the manner of hemp, which +is fastened round their waists, and reaches down to their hips; having +likewise a deer-skin on their shoulders. The good qualities of these +women make amends for their ordinary dress and figure, as they are very +dutiful to their husbands. + +[Footnote 31: This bay of Sir Francis Drake, on the western coast of +North America, is nearly in lat 58° N. as stated in the text, and long. +122° 15' W. from Greenwich. It is now named by the Spaniards, the Bay of +San Francisco in California, on the southern side of which they have a +mission of the same name--E.] + +Soon after his arrival, the admiral received a present from the natives +of feathers and bags of tobacco, which was given in much form by a +numerous concourse of the Indians. These convened on the top of a hill +or rising ground, whence one of their number harangued the admiral, +whose tent was pitched at the bottom of the hill. When this speech was +ended, they all laid down their weapons on the summit of the hill, +whence they descended and offered their presents, at the same time +civilly returning those which the admiral had before given them. All +this time the native women remained on the top of the hill, where they +seemed as if possessed, tearing their hair, and howling in a most savage +manner. This is the ordinary music of their sacrifices, something of +that nature being then solemnizing. While the women above were thus +serving the devil, the men below were better employed, in listening +attentively to divine service, then performing in the admiral's tent +These circumstances, though trivial in themselves, are important in +ascertaining the first discovery of California by the English. + +News of the arrival of the English having spread about the country, two +ambassadors came to the admiral, to inform him that the king was coming +to wait upon him, and desired to have a token of peace, and assurance of +safe conduct. This being given to their satisfaction, the whole train +began to move towards the admiral, in good order, and with a graceful +deportment. In front came a very comely person, bearing the sceptre +before the king, on which hung two crowns, and two chains of great +length. The crowns were made of net-work, ingeniously interwoven with +feathers of many colours, and the chains were made of bones. Next to the +sceptre-bearer came the king, a very comely personage, shewing an air of +majesty in all. This deportment, surrounded by a guard of tall +martial-looking men, all clad in skins. Then followed the common people, +who, to make the finer appearance, had painted their faces, some black, +and some of other colours. All of them had their arms full of presents, +even the children not excepted. + +The admiral drew up all his men in line of battle, and stood ready to +receive them within his fortifications. At some distance from him, the +whole train of natives made a halt, all preserving the most profound +silence, except the sceptre-bearer, who made a speech of half an hour. +He then, from an orator, became a dancing-master, and struck up a song, +being joined in both by the king, lords, and common people, who came all +singing and dancing up to the fences which the admiral had thrown up. +The natives then all sat down; and, after some preliminary compliments, +the king made a solemn offer of his whole kingdom and its dependencies +to the admiral, desiring him to assume the sovereignty, and professing +himself his most loyal subject; and, that this might not seem mere empty +compliment, he took off his illustrious crown of feathers from his own +head, with the consent and approbation of all his nobles there present, +and placing it on the head of the admiral, invested him with all the +other ensigns of royalty, constituting the admiral, as far as in him +lay, king of the whole country. The admiral, as her majesty's +representative, accepted of this new-offered dignity in her name and +behalf; as from this donation, whether made in jest or earnest, it was +probable that some real advantage might redound hereafter to the English +nation in these parts. After this ceremony, the common people dispersed +themselves about the English encampment, expressing their admiration and +respect for the English in a most violent and even profane manner, even +offering sacrifices to them, as in the most profound devotion, till they +were repressed by force, with strong expressions of abhorrence, and +directed to pay their adorations to the supreme Creator and Preserver of +all things, whom only they ought to honour with religious worship.[32] + +[Footnote 32: The whole of this story, of a king and his nobles, and the +investiture of Drake in the sovereignty of California, which he named +New Albion, is so completely absurd as not to merit serious +observation.--E.] + +After this ceremony, the admiral and some of his people penetrated to +some distance into the interior country, which they found to be +extremely full of large fat deer, often seeing about a thousand in one +herd. There were also such immense numbers of rabbits, that the whole +country seemed one vast warren. These rabbits were of the size of those +of Barbary, having heads like our own rabbits in England, with feet like +those of a mole, and long tails like rats. Under the chin on each side, +they have a bag or pouch in the skin, into which they store up any food +they get abroad, which they there preserve for future use. Their flesh +is much valued by the natives, and their skins are made into robes for +the king and nobles. This country seemed to promise rich veins of gold +and silver; as wherever they had occasion to dig, they threw up some of +the ores of these metals.[33] Partly in honour of England, and partly +owing to the prospect of white cliffs which this country presented from +the sea, the admiral named this region New Albion. Before his departure, +he erected a monument, on which was a large plate, engraven with the +name, picture, and arms of queen Elizabeth, the title of her majesty to +the sovereignty of the country, the time of its discovery, and Drake's +own name. In this country the Spaniards had never had the smallest +footing, neither had they discovered this coast of America, even for +several degrees to the southwards of New Albion. + +[Footnote 33: This surely is a gross falsehood, as even the Spaniards, +so much experienced in mines of the precious metals, have found none in +California, though possessing missions among its rude and scanty +population in every corner, even in this very spot.--E.] + + + + +SECTION IV. + + +_Continuation of the Voyage, from New Albion to England._ + + +Sailing from this port of New Albion, [now called by the Spaniards the +Bay of San Francisco,] they had no sight of land till the 13th October, +1579, when, in the morning of that day, they fell in with certain +islands in lat. 8° N.[34] They here met many canoes, laden with +cocoa-nuts and other fruits. These canoes were very artificially +hollowed, and were smooth and shining, like polished horn. Their prows +and sterns were all turned circularly inwards; and on each side there +lay out two pieces of timber, or out-riggers, a yard and a half long, +more or less, according the size of the canoes. They were of +considerable height in the gunwales; and their insides were ornamented +with white shells. The islanders in these canoes had large holes in the +lower parts of their ears, which reached down a considerable way, by the +weight of certain ornaments. Their teeth were as black as jet, +occasioned by chewing a certain herb with a sort of powder, which they +always carry with them for that purpose.[35] + +[Footnote 34: These probably were some of the Caralines, being in the +direct route from Port Sir Francis Drake to the Moluccas.--E.] + +[Footnote 35: Areka nut and betel leaf, with pounded shell-lime.--E.] + +The 18th October they came to other islands, some of which appeared to +be very populous, and continued their course past the islands of +_Tagulada, Zelon,_ and _Zewarra._ The first of these produces great +store of cinnamon; and the inhabitants are in friendship with the +Portuguese. Without making any stop at these islands, the admiral +continued his course, and fell in with the Moluccas on the 14th +November. Intending to steer for Tidore, and coasting along the island +of Motir, which belongs to the king of Ternate, they met the viceroy of +that king, who came fearlessly on board the admiral's ship. He advised +the admiral by no means to prosecute his voyage to Tidore, but to sail +directly for Ternate, as the king, his master, was a great enemy to the +Portuguese, and would have no intercourse with him, if at all connected +with Tidore or the Portuguese. Upon this, the admiral resolved on going +to Tidore, and came to anchor before the town early next morning. + +He immediately sent a messenger to the king, with a present of a velvet +cloak, and to assure him that his only purpose in coming to his island +was to trade in a friendly manner. By this time the viceroy had been to +the king, whom he had disposed to entertain a favourable opinion of the +English, so that the king returned a very civil and obliging answer, +assuring the admiral that a friendly intercourse with the English was +highly pleasing to him, his whole kingdom, and all that it contained, +being at his service; and that he was ready to lay himself and his +dominions at the feet of the glorious queen of England, and to +acknowledge her as his sovereign. In token of all this, he sent his +signet to the admiral, delivering it with much respect to the messenger, +who was treated with great pomp and ceremony at court. + +Having a mind to visit the admiral on board ship, the king sent before +hand four large canoes, filled with his most dignified attendants, all +in white dresses, and having large awnings of perfumed mats borne over +their heads on a frame of canes or bamboos. They were surrounded by +servants, all in white; outside of whom were ranks of soldiers, and +beyond them were many rowers in well-contrived galleries, three of these +on each side all along the canoes, raised one above the other, each +gallery containing eighty rowers.[36] These canoes were well furnished +with warlike implements and all kind of weapons, both offensive and +defensive, and were filled with soldiers well appointed for war. Bowing +near the ship in great order, they paid their reverence to the admiral, +saying that their king had sent them to conduct his ship into a safer +road than that it now occupied. + +[Footnote 36: This surely is a great exaggeration, employing 480 rowers +to each canoe.--E.] + +The king himself came soon afterwards, attended upon by six grave and +ancient persons. He seemed much delighted with English music, and still +more with English generosity, which the admiral expressed in large +presents to him and his attendants. The king promised to come aboard +again next day, and that same night sent off great store of provisions, +as rice, poultry, sugar, cloves, a sort of fruit called _Frigo_, and +_Sago_, which is a meal made out of the tops of trees, melting in the +mouth like sugar, and tasting like sour curds, but when made into cakes +will keep fit for eating at the end of ten years. The king did not come +on board next day, according to promise, but sent his brother to excuse +him, and: to invite the admiral on shore, while he remained as a pledge +for his safe return. The admiral declined going ashore himself, but sent +some gentlemen of his retinue along with the king's brother, detaining +the viceroy till their return. + +They were received on shore by another of the king's brothers with +several nobles, and conducted in great state to the castle, where there +was a court of at least a thousand persons, the principal of whom were +sixty grave counsellors, and four Turkish envoys dressed in scarlet +robes and turbans, who were there to negociate trade between the Turkish +empire and Ternate. The king came in under a glorious canopy, +embroidered with gold, and guarded by twelve men armed with lances. He +was dressed in a loose robe of cloth of gold, having his legs bare, but +with leather shoes or slippers on his feet. Several circular ornaments +of gold were braided among his hair, a large chain of gold hung from his +neck, and his fingers were adorned with rich jewels. A page stood at the +right-hand side of his chair of state, blowing cool air upon him with a +fan, two feet long and a foot broad, curiously embroidered, and enriched +with sapphires. The English gentlemen were kindly received; and, having +heard their message, he sent one of his counsellors to conduct them back +to the ships. The king of Ternate is a prince of great power, having +seventy islands under his authority, besides Ternate, which is the best +of the Molucca islands. His religion, and that of all his subjects, is +Mahometism, in obedience to which they keep the new moons and many +fasts, during which they mortify the flesh all the day, but make up for +their abstemiousness by feasting in the night. + +Having dispatched all his affairs at Ternate, the admiral left the +place, and sailed to a small island to the southwards of Celebes, where +he remained twenty-six days. This island is all covered with wood, the +trees being of large size, tall, straight, and without boughs, except at +the top, the leaves resembling our English broom. There were here vast +numbers of shining flies, no bigger than our common flies in England, +which, skimming at night among the trees and bushes, made them appear as +if all on fire. The bats in this island were as large as our ordinary +poultry, and there was a sort of land cray-fish, which burrowed in the +ground like rabbits, being so large that one of them was a sufficient +meal for four persons. + +Setting sail from thence, and being unable to proceed westwards on +account of the wind, the course was altered to the southwards, yet with +much danger, by reason of the shoals which lie thick among these +islands. Of this they had most dangerous and almost fatal experience on +the 9th January, 1580, by running upon a rock, on which they stuck fast +from eight at night till four in the afternoon of next day. In this +distress, the ship was lightened by landing three tons of cloves, eight +pieces of ordnance, and some provisions on the rock; soon after which, +by the wind chopping round, they happily got off. + +On the 18th of February, they fell in with the fruitful island of +_Baratene_,[37] having in the mean time suffered much from cross winds +and dangerous shoals. They met with a friendly reception from the people +of this island, who were handsomely proportioned, and just in all their +dealings. The men wore no cloathing, except a slight covering round +their middles, but the women were covered from the waist to the feet, +having likewise many large heavy bracelets of bone, horn, or brass, on +their arms, the smallest weighing two ounces, and having eight or ten of +these on at once. This island affords gold, silver, copper, sulphur, +nutmegs, ginger, long-pepper, lemons, cocoas, frigo, sago, and other +commodities, and linen was found to be in much request by the natives, +as of it they make girdles and rolls for wearing on their heads. Among +the productions of this island, there was a particular sort of fruit, +resembling barberries in size, form, and husk, very hard, yet of a +pleasant taste, and becoming soft and easy of digestion when boiled. In +short, they met with no place in the whole voyage that yielded greater +abundance of every comfort than this island, excepting Ternate. + +[Footnote 37: No circumstance in the text serves to indicate what island +is here meant, except that it appears to have been to the eastward of +Java.--E.] + +Leaving Baratene, they sailed to Java Major, where also they were +courteously and honourably entertained. This island was ruled over by +six kings, who lived in entire peace and amity with each other, and they +once had four of them on board at one time, and very often two or three +together.[38] + +[Footnote 38: The names of the kings or princes of Java, when Sir +Francis Drake was there, were Rajah Donaw, R. Rabacapala, R. Bacabatra, +R. Tymbanton, R. Mawgbange, and R, Patemara.--_Hakluyt_.] + +The Javans are a stout and warlike people, well armed with swords, +targets, and daggers, all of their own manufacture, and are very curious +and ingenious, both in the fashion of their weapons, and in giving them +an excellent temper. They wear turbans on their heads, the upper parts +of their bodies being naked; but, from the waist downwards, they have a +pintado, or a silken wrapper, trailing on the ground. They manage their +women quite differently from the Moluccans; for, while these will hardly +let them be seen by a stranger, the Javans will very civilly offer a +female bedfellow to a traveller. Besides being thus civil and hospitable +to strangers, they are good humoured and sociable among themselves; for +in every village they have a public-house, where the inhabitants meet +together, each bringing their shares of provisions, and joining the +whole in one social feast for the keeping up of good fellowship. + +The Javans have a peculiar mode of boiling rice. It is put into an +earthen pot of a conical form, open at the large end, and perforated all +over with small holes, which is placed within a larger earthen pot full +of boiling water. The rice swells and fills the holes of the inner pot, +so that very little water gets in, and by this mode of boiling the rice +is brought to a firm consistency, and cakes into a sort of bread, of +which, with butter or oil, sugar, and spices, they make several very +pleasant dishes. The lues venerea prevails among the inhabitants of this +island; but, instead of expelling the poison by salivation, they drive +it out by perspiration, sitting for this purpose in the sun for some +hours, by which the pores are opened, giving free vent to the noxious +particles of the disease. + +While in Java, the following words in the native language were taken +notice of, and are recorded by Hukluyt. + + Sabuck, silk. Gula, black sugar. + Sagu, bread. Tadon, a woman. + Larnike, drink. Bebeck, a duck. + Paree, rice in the husk. Aniange, a deer. + Braas, boiled rice. Popran, ointment. + Calapa, cocoa nuts. Coar, the head. + Cricke, a dagger. Endam, rain. + Catcha, a mirror. Jonge, a ship. + Arbo, an ox. Chay, the sea. + Vados, a goat. Sapelo, ten. + Gardunge, a plantain. Dopolo, twenty. + Hiam, a hen. Treda no. + Seuit, linen. Lau, understand you? + Doduck, blue cloth. Bayer, go! + Totoppo, a cap. Adadizano, I will fetch it. + Cabo, gold. Suda, enough. + +Having news of some great ships being at no great distance, and not +knowing whether they might prove friends or enemies, the admiral set +sail from Java, sailing directly for the Cape of Good Hope, which was +the first land he fell in with; neither did he touch at any, till he +arrived at Sierra Leona on the coast of Guinea. He passed the cape on +the 18th June, 1580, and by the facility of the navigation round that +southern promontory of Africa, found how much the Portuguese had imposed +upon the world by false representations of its horrors and dangers. He +arrived at Sierra Leona on the 22d July, where were elephants, and +abundance of oysters fastened on the twigs of trees, hanging down into +the water, where they grow and multiply. With these, and lemons, with +which they were abundantly supplied, his people were much refreshed. + +After two days stay at that place, taking in a supply of wood and water, +and procuring refreshments, they sailed from thence on the 24th July. +Next day, they were in lat. 25° 30' N. under the tropic of Cancer, fifty +leagues from land. Being completely supplied with all necessaries, they +continued their voyage, without stopping any where, and arrived at +Plymouth on Monday the 26th of September, 1580, having been absent two +years, nine months, and thirteen days. By their reckoning, the day of +their arrival was only Sunday the 25th, as in going completely round the +world in the same course with the sun, that luminary had risen once +seldomer to them than to those who remained stationary, so that they had +lost a day in their computation. + +SECTION V. + +_Reception of Sir Francis Drake in England, and same Notices of his +remaining Actions_. + +The fame of his return from this wonderful voyage round the world soon +spread over England, and all strove to express their sense of the +worthiness of Captain Drake, by praises and other testimonies of regard. +Several collections were made of poems, epigrams, and songs, celebrating +him and his ship in the highest strains. Yet, in the midst of almost +universal applause, some endeavoured to censure his conduct, and to +place this great exploit in a wrong light. These persons alleged, that +his circumnavigation of the globe served only to amuse the minds of the +vulgar, while the main purpose of the voyage had been plunder, of which +they pretended he had acquired sufficient to exempt the nation from +taxes for seven years. They also set forth, as war had not been +proclaimed against Spain, that it was dangerous to own such an +adventurer, lest the nation might be made to pay dearly for his prizes: +For, as the merchants had great effects in Spain, their goods might +possibly be seized to make good his depredations. + +The Spanish ambassador also assailed him with very warm memorials, +styling him the Master Thief of the Unknown World. The friends and +patrons of Drake, finding themselves wounded through his sides, took all +manner of pains to vindicate his conduct, alleging that he had the +queen's commission and authority to justify him in making reprisals; +that by so much wealth as he had brought home the nation would be +enriched; that the Spaniards had already done us much injury; and, if +the king of Spain were disposed to seize the effects of our merchants, +the public ought to receive this treasure as an equivalent; which, were +it returned, would break the spirit of our brave tars, who otherwise +were more likely to humble the pride of the Spaniards. + +In the mean time, matters remained long in suspense, during which Drake +must have suffered considerable anxiety, lest, after all his toils +abroad, he might be deemed a pirate at home. The queen long delayed to +declare her sentiments, perhaps wishing to see what effects her conduct +might have with the court of Spain, which was probably withheld from +precipitating hostilities, by the hope of being able to recover this +great treasure. To keep up this hope, she artfully consented to part +with some small sums to Mendoza, the Spanish ambassador. At length, +matters coming to a crisis, she threw off the veil, and giving notice to +Captain Drake of her intentions, she visited him on the 4th April, 1581, +on board his ship, then at Deptford, where she was magnificently +entertained; and, after dinner, she was graciously pleased to confer the +honour of knighthood on Captain Drake, telling him that his actions did +him more honour than the title she had conferred. A prodigious crowd +attended the queen on this occasion, so that the bridge laid from the +ship to the shore broke down with their weight, and more than 200 +persons fell into the Thames, yet no one was drowned, or even materially +hurt. After this public approbation from the sovereign, all ranks of +people redoubled their congratulations, and henceforward the reputation +of Sir Francis Drake continually increased, so that he became a kind of +oracle in maritime affairs, both to the nation and the court.--Here, +strictly speaking, we ought to conclude our account of this illustrious +navigator; yet it may not be amiss to give a short sketch of his +succeeding actions. + +The war with Spain still continuing, he went out in 1585, general by sea +and land, of an expedition to the West Indies, where he took the cities +of St Jago, St Domingo, and Carthagena, and the fort and town of St +Augustine; returning from this expedition with great glory and +advantage, the profits amounting to £60,000, after defraying all +charges, of which £20,000 were divided among the seamen, and £40,000 +came clear to the undertakers or adventurers. In 1587, he had the +command of another fleet, with which he sailed to the bay of Cadiz, and +thence to the Tagus, where he destroyed 10,000 tons of shipping, which +the king of Spain had collected for the purpose of invading England. He +likewise brought home the St Philip, a very rich prize, said by the +writers of these times to have been the first carack ever taken and +brought home to England. + +In the glorious year 1588, by commission from the queen, Sir Francis +Drake was appointed vice-admiral of the fleet of England, then fitted +out for opposing the _invincible_ Spanish Armada. In this arduous +service, on which the independence and existence of England depended, he +performed even more than his former actions gave reason to expect. In +the very beginning of the fight, he captured two very large ships of +war, one commanded by the Spanish vice-admiral Oquendas, and the other +by Don Pedro de Valdez. This latter officer defended his ship with great +gallantry for a long time; and at length, on surrendering, and +delivering his sword to Sir Francis, he addressed him to the following +effect: "That they had all resolved to have died fighting, if they had +not fallen into his hands, whose valour and fortune were so great, that +Mars and Neptune seemed to aid him in all his enterprises." To requite +these Spanish compliments with solid English kindness, Sir Francis +lodged Don Valdez in his own cabin, and entertained him at his table. +Drake's crew were recompensed by the plunder of the Spanish ship, in +which were found 55,000 ducats in gold, which they joyfully shared. Sir +Francis performed many other signal services on this memorable occasion +against the Armada, and particularly distinguished himself by advising +the employment of fire-ships, which some have alleged he then invented. + +He was next year admiral of a great fleet, sent to Portugal for the +purpose of restoring Don Antonio to the throne of that kingdom. This +expedition, though it did not succeed in its grand object, occasioned +considerable damage to Spain, on which it retorted the compliment of an +invasion, and by which it was rendered unable to repeat another attempt +of the same nature. On the whole, therefore, Sir Francis spoiled no less +than three Spanish invasions. In 1595, he went upon another conjunct +expedition against the Spanish West Indies, in which he performed signal +services; but aiming at still greater, and being unsuccessful, he died +in the harbour of Porto Bello, on the 28th of January, 1596, as is said, +of a broken heart, occasioned by his disappointment. His body, being put +into a leaden coffin, was committed to the deep, under a general +discharge of all the artillery of the fleet. In his person, though of +low stature, Sir Francis Drake was well made, with a fresh and fair +complexion, having large lively eyes, light-brown hair, and an open +cheerful countenance. He was naturally eloquent, gracefully expressing +what he clearly conceived. He was thoroughly versant, not only in the +practical part of his profession, but in all the sciences connected with +it, being able to discharge all the offices necessary in a ship as +occasion required, even that of the surgeon. In his conduct as a naval +commander he was skilful and valiant, just to his owners, kind to his +seamen, loyal to his sovereign, and merciful to his enemies after +victory. His many glorious exploits justly entitle him to high fame; and +he died, at fifty-five, in the ardent pursuit of glory, in the cause of +his queen and country. + + * * * * * + +The fame of this Voyage round the World, with the wealth brought home by +Sir Francis Drake, and the desire of rivalling him in riches and +reputation, inspired numbers of young men of all ranks with the +inclination of trying their fortunes at sea. Men of rank and fortune +fitted out ships at their own expence, manning them with their +dependants. Others, in lower situations, hazarded their persons as +subaltern officers in these ships, or in men-of-war belonging to the +queen. This spirit grew to such a height, that honest John Stowe informs +us that there were many youths, from eighteen to twenty years of age, +towards the close of Queen Elizabeth's reign, who were capable of taking +charge of any ship, and navigating to most parts of the world. + +So alarmed were the Spaniards by the courage and conduct of Sir Francis, +and his maritime skill, that they ordered that no draughts or discourses +should be published of their discoveries in America, lest they might +fall into his hands. What most surprised them was, that he should find +his way so easily through the Straits of Magellan, which they had +hitherto been unable to perform. They therefore resolved immediately to +have these straits completely explored and discovered, by means of ships +fitted out in Peru. For this purpose, Don Pedro Sarmiento, who was +thought the best seaman in the Spanish service, was sent from Lima, and +actually passed from the South Sea into the Atlantic, and thence to +Spain. He there proposed to plant a colony in the straits, and to +fortify them in such a manner as might prevent all other nations from +passing through them. This project was so well relished by Philip II +that a fleet of twenty-three ships was fitted out, with 3,500 men, under +the command of Don Diego Floris de Valdez; and Sarmiento, with 500 +veterans, was appointed to form a settlement in the straits. + +This fleet was extremely unfortunate, insomuch that it was between two +and three years before Sarmiento arrived with his people in the straits +of Magellan. On the north side, and near the eastern entrance, he built +a town and fort, which he named Nombre de Jesus, and in which he left a +garrison of 150 men. Fifteen leagues farther on, at the narrowest part +of the straits, and in lat. 53° 18' S.[39] he established his principal +settlement, which he named _Ciudad del Rey Felippe_, or the City of King +Philip. This was a regularly fortified square fortress, having four +bastions; and is said to have been in all respects one of the +best-contrived settlements ever made by the Spaniards in America. At +this place Sarmiento left a garrison of 400 men and thirty women, with +provisions for eight months, and then returned into the Atlantic. These +transactions took place in the years 1584, 5, and 6. Sarmiento, after +several fruitless attempts to succour and relieve his colony, was taken +by an English vessel, and sent prisoner to London. + +[Footnote 39: The Narrows of the Hope are eighteen leagues of Castile, +or about forty-eight English miles from Cape Virgin, the northern cape +at the eastern mouth of the straits, in lat. 52° 5' S. long. 69° W. from +Greenwich.--E.] + +The Spanish garrison, having consumed all their provisions, died mostly +of hunger, perhaps aided by the scurvy, in their new city. Twenty-three +men quitted it, endeavouring to find their way by land to the Spanish +settlements, but are supposed to have all perished by the way, as they +were never more heard of. Sarmiento fell into discredit with the king of +Spain, for deceiving him as to the breadth of the straits, which he +asserted did not exceed a mile over; whereas the king was certainly +informed that they were a league broad, and therefore incapable of being +shut up by any fortifications. However this may be, even supposing the +report of Sarmiento true, and that his fortress could have commanded the +straits, even this could have proved of little or no service to Spain, +as another passage into the South Sea was discovered soon afterwards, +without the necessity of going near these straits. + + +SECTION VI. + +_First Supplement to the Voyage of Sir Francis Drake; being on Account +of Part of the foregoing Navigation, by Nuno da Silva_.[40] + +Nuna da Silva, born in Oporto, a citizen and inhabitant of Guaia, saith, +that on the 19th January, 1578, while at anchor with his ship in the +harbour of St Jago, one of the Cape de Verd islands, he was made +prisoner by the admiral of six English ships, and detained because +discovered to be a pilot for the coast of Brazil. Setting sail, +therefore, with the said admiral from Brava, they held their course for +the land of Brazil, which they descried on the first April, being in the +latitude of 30° S. whence they held on their course for the Rio Plata, +where they provided themselves with fresh water. + +[Footnote 40: Hakluyt, IV. 246.--This narrative was written by Nuno da +Silva, the Portuguese pilot who accompanied Sir Francis Drake from the +Cape Verd islands to Guatalco on the western coast of New Spain, and was +sent from the city of Mexico to the viceroy of Portuguese India, in +1579.--E.] + +From thence they proceeded to the latitude of 39° S. where they +anchored. They here left two of their ships behind them, and continued +on with four only, that which had formerly belonged to Nuno being one of +these. They next came into a bay, in lat. 49° S. called _Bahia de las +Ilhas_, or the Bay of Islands, where Magellan is said to have wintered +with his ships, when he went to discover the straits which now bear his +name. They entered this bay on the 20th June, and anchored within +musket-shot of the shore. They here found Indians cloathed in skins, +their legs downwards from the knees, and their arms below the elbows, +being naked. These Indians were a subtle, great, and well-formed race, +strong, and tall in stature, being armed with bows and arrows. Six of +the English going here on shore to fetch water, four of the Indians came +into their boat before they landed, to whom the Englishmen gave bread +and wine; after eating and drinking of which heartily they went on +shore, and when at some distance, one of them cried to them, and said, +_Magallanes! este he minha terra_; that is, Magellan, this is my +country. Being followed by the sailors, they slew two of them with their +arrows; one of whom was an Englishman, and the other a Hollander; on +which the others made their escape to the boat, and put off from the +shore. + +Leaving this place on the 17th of August, they came to the mouth of the +straits on the 21st or 22d, but did not enter them till the 24th, owing +to the wind being contrary. The entry into the straits is about a league +in breadth, both sides being naked flat land. Some Indians were seen on +the north side, making great fires; but none appeared on the south side +of the straits. This strait is about 110 leagues long, and a league in +breadth; and for about half-way through, is straight and without +turnings; from thence, to about eight or ten leagues from the farther +end, it has some capes and turnings, at one of which there is a great +cape or head-land, which seems as if it went down to join the southern +land; and here the passage is less than a league across, after which it +again runs straight. Although there are thus some crooks and turnings, +none of them are of any importance, or any dangerous obstacle. The +western issue of these straits, about eight or ten leagues before coming +out, begins to grow broader, and is then all high-land on both sides to +the end; as likewise all the way, after getting eight leagues in from +the eastern entrance, the shores along these first eight leagues being +low. In the entry to the straits, we found the stream to run from the +South Sea to the North Sea, or Atlantic. + +After beginning to sail into the straits, with the wind at E.N.E. they +passed along without let or hindrance either of wind or weather, and +because the land on both sides was high, and covered with snow, the +whole navigation being fair and clear of shoals or rocks, they held +their course the whole way within musket-shot of the north-side, having +always nine or ten fathoms water on good ground; so that everywhere +there was anchorage if need were. The hills on both sides were covered +with trees, which in some places reached to the edge of the sea, where +there were plains and flat lands. They saw not any large rivers, but +some small brooks or streams that issued from rifts or clefts of the +land. In the country beside the great cape and bending of the strait, +some Indians were seen on the south side, fishing in their skiffs or +canoes, being similar to those formerly seen on the north side at the +entrance into the straits; and these were the only natives seen on the +south side during the whole passage. + +Being out of the straits on the eastern side on the 6th of September, +they held their course N.W. for three days, and on the third day they +had a storm at N.E. which drove them W.S.W. for ten or twelve days with +few sails up; after which, the storm increasing, they took in all their +sails, and drove under bare poles till the 30th September. Having lost +sight of one of their ships, of about 100 tons, and the wind growing +more moderate, they hoisted sail, holding their course N.E. for seven +days, at the end of which they came in sight of certain islands, for +which they steered, meaning to have anchored among them, but the weather +would not permit; and the wind coming N.W. they made sail to the W.S.W. +Next day they lost sight of another ship, in very foul weather; so that +the admiral was now left alone, as my ship had been left in the bay +where they remained some time before entering the straits. With this new +storm of adverse wind, they had to proceed southwards, till they came +into the latitude of 57° S. where they entered a bay in an island, and +anchored in twenty fathoms, about a cannon-shot from the shore. After +remaining here three or four days, the wind changed to the south, and +they again made sail to the northwards for two days, when a small +uninhabited island was descried, where they procured many birds and +seals. + +Next day they again proceeded, holding their course N. and N.N.E. and +came to the island of Mocha, in 38° 30 S. five or six leagues from the +main, where they anchored in twelve fathoms, a quarter of a league from +the shore. This island is small and low land, all full of Indians. Here +the admiral and twelve Englishmen landed, on purpose to seek fresh water +and provisions, and bought two sheep in exchange of other things from +the Indians, together with a little maize, and some roots of which the +Indians make bread; and being now late, went on board ship for the +night. Next day the admiral again landed with twelve men armed with +muskets, and sent two men with vessels to fetch water. Some Indians lay +in ambush at the watering-place, who suddenly fell upon the two +Englishmen, and made them prisoners; which being perceived by the +admiral and those with him, they advanced to rescue their companions, +but were so sore assailed by stones and arrows, that all or most of them +were hurt, the admiral receiving two wounds from arrows, one in his face +and the other on his head; so that they were compelled to retreat to +their boat, without hurting any of the Indians, who were so bold as even +to carry away four of their oars. + +They sailed from hence along the coast to the northwards, with a +southern wind, for six days, passing the harbour of St Jago, and put +into another haven, where they took an Indian, who was fishing in a +canoe, giving him some linen, knives, and other trifles. Not long after +there came another Indian to the ship, whose name was Felippe, and who +spoke Spanish. He gave notice to the English admiral of a certain ship +being in the harbour of St Jago, which they had overpassed six leagues. +So, taking this Indian as their guide, they went back to St Jago, where +they took the said ship, in which were 1770 _botijas_, or Spanish pots, +full of wine, besides other commodities. They then landed, and took a +quantity of sacks of meal, and whatever else they could find, taking +also the ornaments and relics from the church. They departed then from +thence, taking with them the captured ship, with two of her men, running +along the coast till they came to the latitude of between 30° and 31° S. +where they had appointed to meet, in case of separation. They here +anchored right over against a river, whence they filled six butts of +fresh water, having twelve armed men on land to defend those who filled +the casks. While busied in this work, they saw a company of armed men +coming towards them, half Spaniards and half Indians, being about 250 +horse and as many foot, on which they made all haste to get into their +boat, escaping with the loss of one man. + +They set sail again that same night, going about ten leagues farther +along the coast, where they took in some more fresh water, but were soon +obliged to quit this place also, by the appearance of some horsemen. +Proceeding thirty leagues farther along the coast, still to the +northwards, they went into a bay or haven, in a desert or uninhabited +place, but seeing some persons daily on the shore, they did not venture +to land. At this place, the English put together the pieces of a small +pinnace, which they had brought ready framed with them from England. +Having launched this pinnace, the English captain went into her with +fifteen men, accompanied by John the Greek, who was chief boatswain, +being master of the ship formerly taken in the harbour of St Jago. At +this time they went to look for the two vessels they had parted from +formerly in a storm, and also in hopes of being able to procure fresh +water; but seeing always persons on shore, they durst not land, and +returned again to the ship without hearing of their other ships. They +now took all the ordnance out of their ship, and new dressed and rigged +her; after which, arming the pinnace with a small piece of ordnance, +they resumed their course to the northwards. + +Having sailed thirteen days, they came to an island about the shot of a +culverin from the main, where four fishermen told them of fresh water on +the main; but understanding it was but scanty, and somewhat distant from +the shore, they continued their course. Next day they espied some +fishers houses on shore, when the English captain landed and took three +of the fishers, taking away half of the fish that lay packed on the +shore. The day following they took a bark laden with fish belonging to +the Spaniards, in which were four Indians, and bound it by a rope to the +stem of their ships; but the Indians in the night cut her loose, and +went away. Next day the English captain went ashore to certain houses, +where he found 3000 pezos of silver, each being equal to a rial of +eight, or Spanish dollar; getting also seven Indian sheep, some hens, +and other articles, all of which he brought on board, and resumed his +voyage. Two days after, going to the harbour of Arica, they found two +ships, one of which was laden with goods and Spanish wares, out of which +they only took 200 botijas, or pots of wine, and from the other +thirty-seven bars of silver, each weighing ten or twelve pounds. They +meant also to have landed at this place; but seeing some horsemen coming +towards them, they desisted. + +Next morning they burnt the ship which was laden with Spanish wares, and +took the other along with them, continuing their course, the captain +sailing along shore in the pinnace, while the ship kept about a league +farther out to sea, going in search of a ship of which they had +intelligence. After sailing in this manner about forty-five leagues, +they found the ship of which they were in search, at anchor in a haven; +but having intelligence a few hours before, of an English pirate or +sea-rover, she had landed 800 bars of silver belonging to the king of +Spain; but the English durst not go on shore to search for it, as many +Spaniards and Indians stood there as a well-armed guard. They found +nothing, therefore, in this ship except three pipes of water. Taking +this ship out to sea about a league, they hoisted all her sails and let +her drive, doing the like with the ship they took at Arica, and that +also they had taken at St Jago, continuing their course with their own +ship and pinnace. + +When about seven leagues from Calao de Lima, they spied three ships, one +of which they boarded, and took three men out of her, and then continued +their course for Calao, which haven they entered about two or three +hours after night-fall, sailing in among the middle of seventeen ships +which lay there at anchor. Being among these ships, they enquired for +the ship which had the silver on board; but learning that all the silver +had been carried on shore, they cut the cables of all the ships and the +masts of the two largest, and so left them. At this time, there arrived +a ship from Panama, laden with Spanish wares and merchandise, which +anchored close by the English ship, while the English captain was +searching among the other ships for the silver. When the ship of Panama +was anchored, a boat came off from the shore to examine her, but coming +in the dark to the English ship, was told by one of the Spanish +prisoners she was the ship of Michael Angelo from Chili; on which one of +the Spaniards from the boat came up the side, but coming upon one of her +cannon, he was afraid and they made off, as the ships in these seas +carry no guns. The Panama ship hearing of this, cut her cables and put +to sea; which being perceived by the English, who were close by, they +followed in their pinnace. On getting up with her, the English called +out for them to surrender, but the Spaniards killed one of their men by +a musket-shot, on which the pinnace returned. The English ship then set +sail and overtook the Spanish ship, when the crew took to their boat and +escaped on shore, leaving their ship to the English, who took her, and +continued her course to the northwards. + +Next day the English saw a boat under sail making towards them, which +they suspected to be a spy, and soon afterwards perceived two great +ships coming to meet them, which they supposed had been sent on purpose +to fight them. On this they cast loose the Panama ship, in which they +left John the Greek and two men they had taken the night before in Calao +harbour; and then made all sail, not once setting eye again upon the two +great ships, which made direct for the Panama ship. The English +continued their course to the northwards along the coast; and some days +afterwards met a frigate or small vessel bound for Lima, laden with +wares and merchandise of the country, whence the English took a lamp +and fountain of silver. They enquired of the people in this ship if +they had met a ship, which they understood was laden with silver; on +which one pilot said he had not seen any such, while another said he had +met her about three days before. This frigate was taken by the pinnace, +in which the English captain sailed close by the shore, the English ship +keeping about a league and a half from land. On receiving this +information, the English let the frigate go, and continued their course +to the northwards. + +Two days afterwards, they came to the harbour of Payta, where they found +a ship laden with Spanish wares, which was boarded and taken by the +pinnace, without resistance, most of the crew escaping on shore. From +this ship, the English took the pilot, with all the bread and other +provisions. About two days after, they boarded a ship belonging to +Panama, from which they only took a negro. Next day, being the 1st +February, they met another ship of Panama, laden with fish and other +victuals, having also forty bars of silver and some gold, but I know not +how much, which they took, sending the passengers in a boat to the land, +among whom were two friars. Next day, the English captain hanged a man +of the Panama ship, for secreting two plates of gold, which were found +about him, after which that ship was turned adrift. + +Towards noon of the 1st March, they descried the ship laden with silver, +being then about four leagues to seawards of them: and, as the English +ship sailed somewhat heavily, being too much by the head, they hung a +quantity of botijas, or Spanish earthen pots which had contained oil, +and now filled with water, over the stern of their ship, to give her a +better trim and to improve her sailing. The treasure ship, thinking the +English vessel had been one of those which usually sail upon that coast, +made towards her, and when near, the English captain hailed her to +surrender: As the Spanish captain refused, the English fired some +cannons, by one of which the Spanish ship's mast was shot over board, +and her master being wounded by an arrow, she presently yielded. +Thereupon the English took possession of her, and sailed with her +directly out to sea all that night, and the next day and night. Being +entirely out of sight of land, they began to search their prize on the +third day, removing her cargo into their own ship, being 1300 bars or +wedges of silver, and fourteen chests of rials of eight, besides some +gold, but how much of that I know not, only that the passengers said +there was great store. They told me also, that 300 of the silver bars +belonged to the king, and all the rest to the merchants. That done, they +allowed the ship to go away with all her men, putting into her the three +pilots they had hitherto carried with them. + +From thence they sailed onwards for Nicaragua, and descried land about +the 13th March, being an island named Canno, not very high, about two +leagues from the main land, where they found a small bay, in which they +anchored in five fathoms close to the shore, remaining there till the +20th. On that day a bark passed close to the land, which was captured by +the English pinnace, being laden with sarsaparilla, and botijas or pots +of butter and honey, with other things. Throwing all the sarsaparilla +overboard, the English removed all their cannon into this bark, and then +laid their own ship on shore to new caulk and trim her bottom. This +being done, and taking in a supply of wood and water, they held their +course along shore to the westwards, taking the Spanish bark along with +them. After two days, they removed the men from her, giving them the +pinnace. Among these were four sailors, bound for Panama, meaning to go +thence for China, one of whom had many letters and patents, among which +were letters from the king of Spain to the governor of the Philippines, +as also the charts which are used in that voyage. + +Continuing their course, the English descried, on the 6th of April, a +ship about two leagues out to sea, which they took early next morning, +in which was Don Francisco Xarate. Continuing their course, they came to +the haven of Guatalco on Monday the 13th April, where they remained at +anchor till the 26th of that month, on which day they sailed to the +westwards, putting me, Nuno da Silva, on board a ship then in the said +harbour of Guatalco. + +SECTION VII. + +_Second Supplement, being the Voyage of Mr John Winter, after parting +from Sir Francis Drake_.[41] + +We passed Cape Deseado into the South Sea on the 6th September, 1578, +and run to the N.W. about 70 leagues, when the wind turned directly +against us, with extremely foul weather, as rain, hail, snow, and thick +fogs, and so continued for more than three weeks, during which time we +could bear no sail, and were driven into the latitude of 57° S. On the +15th September, the moon was eclipsed, beginning to be darkened +immediately after sun-set, about six in the evening, being then the +vernal equinox in this southern hemisphere. This eclipse happened in +England on the 16th before one in the morning, which is about six hours +difference, agreeing to one quarter of the circumference of the globe, +from the meridian of England to the west. + +[Footnote 41: Hakluyt, IV. 253.--This narrative is said to have been +written by Edward Cliffe, mariner. Only so much of the narrative is +given here as relates to the voyage of Winter, after parting from Sir +Francis Drake. One circumstance only may be mentioned, respecting the +Patagons.--"These men be of no such stature as the Spaniards report, +being but of the height of Englishmen; for I have seen men in England +taller than I could see any of them. Peradventure the Spaniards did not +think that any Englishmen would have come hither so soon, to have +disproved them in this and divers others of their notorious lies; +wherefore they presumed more boldly to abuse the world."--Yet even +recent voyagers have presumed to _abuse the world_, with reporting that +the Patagons are of gigantic stature.--E.] + +The last of September, being a very foul night, we lost the Marigold, a +bark of about thirty tons, the Pelican, which was our general's ship, +and our ship the Elizabeth running to the eastwards, to get to the land. +Of this we got sight on the 7th October, falling into a very dangerous +bay, full of rocks; and that same night we lost company of Mr Drake. +Next day, very difficultly escaping from the dangerous rocks among which +we were embayed, we got again into the Straits of Magellan, where we +anchored in an open bay for two days, making great fires on the shore, +that Mr Drake might find us, if he also came into the straits. + +We then went into a sound, where we remained about three weeks, naming +it _The Port of Health_, as most of our men, having been sick with long +watching, wet, cold, and bad diet, did wonderfully recover their health +here in a short space, for which praised be God. We found here muscles +of very great size, some being twenty inches long, yielding very +pleasant meat, and many of them full of seed pearls. We came out of this +harbour on the 1st November, abandoning our voyage by compulsion of Mr. +Winter, sore against the will of the mariners. Mr. Winter alleged that +he despaired of having winds to carry him to the coast of Peru, and was +also in fear that Mr. Drake had perished. So we went back again to the +eastwards through the straits, to St. George's island, where we laid in +a quantity of a certain kind of fowl, very plentiful in that island, the +meat of which is not much unlike that of a fat English goose. They have +no wings, but only short pinions, which serve them in swimming, being of +a black colour, mixed with white spots on their bellies and round their +necks. They walk so upright, that they seem afar like little children; +and when approached they conceal themselves in holes under ground, not +very deep, of which the island is full. To take them, we used sticks +having hooks fastened at one end, with which we pulled them out, while +other men stood by with cudgels to knock them on the head; for they bit +so cruelly with their hooked bills, that we could not handle them when +alive.[42] + +[Footnote 42: It is almost unnecessary to remark that these were +penguins.--E.] + +Departing from St. George's island, we passed Cape Virgin[43] on the +11th November, going out of the straits into the southern Atlantic +ocean, and directed our course to the N.E. till the last day of that +month, when we arrived at an island in the mouth of the _Rio de la +Plata_, or River of Silver. On this island there is an incredible number +of seals, some of which are sixteen feet long, not fearing the approach +of men. Most of our men were ashore in this island for fifteen days, +setting up a pinnace; during which time the seals would often come and +sleep beside our men, rather resisting them than giving place, unless +when mortal blows forced them to yield. Having finished our pinnace, we +went to another island, where we watered, and afterwards departed on the +1st January, 1579. We went to the northwards till the 20th of that +month, when we came to an island on the coast of Brazil, near a town +called St Vincent, inhabited by the Portuguese, which is in lat. 24° S. +Here we lost our pinnace in foul weather, together with her crew of +eight men. And here also our ship was in great danger, in consequence of +a strong current, which almost forced her on shore before we were aware, +so that we had to drop anchor in the open sea, broke our cable and lost +our anchor, and had to let fell another, in weighing which afterwards +our men were sore distressed; for, owing to the heaving of the ship with +the sea, the capstan ran round with so much violence as to throw the men +from the bars, dashed out the brains of one man, broke the leg of +another, and severely hurt several more. At length we hove up our +anchor, and ran to a place called Tanay. where we rode under the lee of +an island, whence we had a supply of wood and water. + +[Footnote 43: Called Cape Victory by Mr Cliffe.--E.] + +While at this place, three Portuguese came aboard in a canoe, desiring +to know who we were and what we wanted. Our captain made answer, that we +were Englishmen, and had brought commodities with us for their country, +if they would trade with us, at which they seemed much surprised, as +they said they had never before heard of any English ship being in that +country. So they went ashore, taking one of our men with them to speak +with the governor of the town, while we detained one of the Portuguese +as a pledge. Soon after there came another canoe on board, in which was +one Portuguese, all the rest being naked natives of the country. From +this man we had two small oxen, a young hog, and several fowls, with +pome-citrons, lemons, oranges, and other fruits, for which our captain +gave them linen cloth, combs, knives, and other articles of small value. +In the mean time, the governor of the town sent word that we should have +nothing, unless the ship was brought into the harbour, to which our +captain would not consent, lest they might betray us. + +Receiving back our man, and returning the Portuguese pledge, we went +afterwards to the island of St. Sebastian, where we took fish. At this +place the Portuguese would have betrayed us, had not a Brasilian slave +informed us by signs, that they were coming in canoes to take us, as it +actually fell out: For, next morning, they came on in twelve or fourteen +canoes, some of these having forty men; but being on our guard they +retired. That same night, two of our men carried away our boat, +deserting to the Portuguese. Leaving this place, we had sight of Cape St +Augustine in lat. 8° S. We afterwards had sight of the isle of Fernando +Noronha, within three degrees of the equator. We crossed the line on the +13th of April, and got sight of the north star on the 19th of that +month. + +From the 1st to the 5th of May, we sailed about 100 leagues through the +_Sea of Weeds_, under the tropic of Cancer. Holding our course from +thence to the N.E. till we were in lat. 47° N. we changed our course on +the 22nd May to E.N.E. The 29th of May we had soundings in seventy +fathoms on white ooze, being then in lat. 51° N. The 30th of May we got +sight of St Ives on the north coast of Cornwall, and arrived on the 2nd +of June at Ilfracomb, in Devonshire. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +VOYAGE OF SIR THOMAS CANDISH ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1586--1588.[44] + +INTRODUCTION. + + +It was the constant policy, during the reign of queen Elizabeth, to +encourage, as much as possible, the flame of public spirit in private +individuals, by shewing the utmost readiness on all occasions to honour +all who performed any remarkable service to their country, though +sparing of such marks of favour on other occasions. By this wise +conduct, and by her frequent public discourses on the glory resulting +from an active life, she excited many of the young nobility, and +gentlemen of easy fortunes, to hazard their persons and estates in the +public service, exciting a desire of fame even among the wealthy, and by +this means uniting the rich, who desired to purchase honour, and the +indigent, who sought to procure the means of living, in the same +pursuits. It thus happened in her reign, that such men were of most use +to their country, as are scarcely of any utility in other reigns; for, +merit being then the only recommendation at court, those were most +forward to expose themselves in generous undertakings, who would at any +other time have thought themselves excused from such dangers and +fatigues. + +[Footnote 44: Hakluyt, IV. 816. Harris, Col. I. 23. Callender, Voy. I. +424. The earliest account of this voyage, according to the Bibliotheque +Universelle des Voyages, I. 113, appears to have been published in Dutch +at Amsterdam, in folio, in 1598. But must assuredly have been a +translation from the English.--E.] + +Thus the earls of Cumberland and Essex, Sir Richard Greenvile, Sir +Walter Raleigh, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Robert Dudley, and, many other +persons of rank and fortune, employed great sums of money, and exposed +themselves to the greatest dangers, in expeditions against the +Spaniards, making discoveries in distant parts of the world, and +planting colonies, which were the glory of those times. Among these, no +one distinguished himself more than the gentleman whose voyage forms the +subject of this chapter: whether we consider the expence he incurred, +the difficulties he encountered, or the success of his enterprise; all +of which proceeded from that greatness of mind and ardent desire of +fame, which taught him to despise danger and to encounter fatigue, at an +age when most men of fortune think the season of youth a sufficient +excuse for the indulgence of luxury and ease. + +Thomas Candish, or Cavendish, of Trimley, in the county of Suffolk, +Esquire, was a gentleman of an honourable family and large estate, which +lay in the neighbourhood of Ipswich, then a place of very considerable +trade. This circumstance gave him an early inclination for the sea, +which he gratified as soon as he came of age, by selling part of his +estate, and employing the money in equipping a stout bark of 120 tons, +called the Tiger, in which he accompanied Sir Richard Greenvile in his +voyage to Virginia in 1585. In this expedition he underwent many dangers +and difficulties, without any profit, but returned safe to Falmouth on +the 6th October of the same year. This want of success did not +discourage him from undertaking still greater and more hazardous +expeditions. Having, in his voyage to Virginia, seen a considerable part +of the Spanish West Indies, and conversed with some persons who had +sailed with Sir Francis Drake in, his circumnavigation, he became +desirous of undertaking a similar voyage, as well for repairing the loss +he had sustained in this first expedition, as to emulate that great and +fortunate commander, who was now raised to the highest honours in his +profession. + +Returning home, therefore, he immediately applied himself to make such +preparations as were necessary for the accomplishment of his new design; +and either sold or mortgaged his estate, to procure a sufficient sum for +building and equipping two such ships as he deemed requisite for the +voyage; using such diligence, that his carpenters were at work upon his +largest ship within a month, and in six months more his little squadron +was entirely finished, and completely supplied with every necessary for +the voyage. + +The narrative of this voyage is chiefly taken from that given by Harris, +compared and corrected from that in the collection of Hakluyt, which is +said to have been written by Mr. Francis Pretty of Eye, in Suffolk, a +gentleman who sailed, in the expedition. In Hakluyt, this +circumnavigation is thus styled:--"The admirable and prosperous voyage +of the worshipful Mr. Thomas Candish of Trimley, in the county of +Suffolk, Esquire, into the South Sea, and from thence round about the +circumference of the whole earth, began in the year of our Lord 1586, +and finished 1588." + + +SECTION I. + +_Narrative of the Voyage from England to the Pacific_. + +The larger ship of this little squadron was named the Desire, of 140 +tons burden, and the lesser the Content of 60 tons, to which was added a +bark of 40 tons, called the Hugh Gallant, all supplied at his own +expence with two years provisions, and manned with 123 officers and men, +most of them men of experience, and some of whom had served under Sir +Francis Drake. For their better encouragement, he entered into a fair +agreement with them, with respect to the proportions in which all prizes +should be shared among them. He was likewise careful in providing maps, +sea charts, and draughts, and all such accounts as could be procured of +voyages already made into those parts which he intended to visit. +Likewise, by means of his patron, Lord Hansdon, the lord-chamberlain, he +procured a commission from Queen Elizabeth. + +Having thus completed his preparations, he set out from London on the +10th July, 1586, for Harwich, where he embarked in the Desire, and +sailed thence for Plymouth, where he arrived on the 18th, and waited +there for some of his company till the 21st of that month, when he +hoisted sail on his intended voyage. On the 25th of that month, one Mr. +Hope died, of a wound received in a duel, during their stay at Plymouth. +Next day, they fell in with five ships of Biscay, well manned, coming, +as they supposed, from the great bank of Newfoundland, which attacked +the Desire; but Mr. Candish gave them so warm a reception, that they +were glad to sheer off, and continued their course without giving him +any farther disturbance. As it grew dark, and he feared losing sight of +his consorts, Mr. Candish did not continue the chase. + +They fell in with the island of Fuertaventura, on the 1st August, whence +they sailed for Rio del Oro and Cape Blanco, and thence along the coast +of Guinea, with which navigation Mr Brewer, who sailed in the Desire, +was well acquainted. The men now began to complain much of the scurvy, +wherefore it was resolved to put them on shore for their recovery on the +first opportunity. They made Sierra Leona on the 23d of August, and +reached its southern side on the 25th, where they had five fathoms at +the lowest ebb; having had for about fourteen leagues, while running +into this harbour, from eight to sixteen fathoms. At this place they +destroyed a negro town, because the inhabitants had killed one of their +men with a poisoned arrow. Some of the men went four miles up the +harbour in a boat, on the 3d September, where they caught plenty of +fish; and going on shore, procured some lemons. They saw also some +buffaloes, on their return to the ship. The 6th they went out of the +harbour of Sierra Leona, and staid one tide three leagues from the point +at its mouth, the tide there flowing S.W. + +The 7th they departed for one of the islands which lie about ten leagues +from the point of Sierra Leona, called the Banana isles,[45] and +anchored that same day off the principal isle, on which they only found +a few plantains. At the east end of this island they found a town, but +no inhabitants, and concluded that the negroes sometimes resort thither, +by seeing the remains of their provisions. There is no fresh water on +the south side of this island that they could find; but there is in +three or four places on its north side. The whole island was one entire +wood, except a few small cleared spots where some huts stood, and these +were encompassed by plantain-trees, the fruit of which is an excellent +food. This place is subject to severe thunder-storms, with much rain, in +September. + +[Footnote 45: Harris erroneously names these the islands of Cape Verd, +which are at a vast distance from Sierra Leona. The Banana isles are in +lat. 8° N. and long. 12° 30' W. from Greenwich. In Hakluyt these are +called the isles of Madrabumba, and are said to be ten leagues from the +point of Sierra Leona.--E.] + +Leaving these islands and the African coast on the 10th September, and +holding their course W.S.W. obliquely across the Atlantic, they fell in +with a great mountain in Brazil, on the 31st of October, twenty-four +leagues from Cape _Frio_. This mountain has a high round top, shewing +from afar like a little town. On the 1st November, they stood in between +the island of St Sebastian and the main; where they carried their things +on shore, and erected a forge, and built a pinnace, repairing also every +thing that was out of order, in which work they were detained till the +23d of November. Sailing from this place on the 26th, they fell in with +the coast of South America again in lat. 47° 20' S. whence they +proceeded along shore till they came to lat. 48° S. finding a steep +beach all along. On the 27th of November they came to a harbour, into +which Candish first entered, giving it the name of Port Desire, from +that of his ship.[46] Near this harbour they found an island or two well +stocked with seals, and another in which there were vast numbers of grey +gulls.[47] + +[Footnote 46: As laid down in modern maps, the latitude of Port Desire +is only 47° 15' S.] + +[Footnote 47: Probably penguins.--E.] + +This haven of Port Desire was found very favourable for careening and +graving of ships, as the tide there ebbed and flowed considerably. At +this place the savages wounded two of the Englishmen with their arrows, +which were made of canes or reeds, tipt with sharpened flints. These +savage natives of the country round Port Desire were exceedingly wild +and rude, and as it would seem of a gigantic race, as the measure of one +of their foot marks was eighteen inches long.[48] This agrees well with +the assertion of Magellan, though some pains have been taken to +represent that as fabulous. Magellan called this country Patagonia, and +its inhabitants Patagons, meaning to signify that they were five cubits, +or _seven feet and a half high_. Hence, as the Portuguese are not +commonly very tall, we need not wonder if they styled them giants. If we +take the usual proportion of the human foot, as between a fifth and a +sixth part of the height of the whole body, the account given by +Magellan agrees very exactly with this fact afforded us by Mr Candish; +and it will be seen in the sequel, that this is not falsified by any of +our subsequent navigators. When any of these savages die, he is buried +in a grave constructed of stones near the sea-side, all his darts being +fastened about his tomb, and his treasure, consisting of shells, laid +under his head. + +[Footnote 48: Without meaning to impugn the received opinion, that the +Patagons are beyond the ordinary size of man, it may be permitted to +say, that the evidence, in the text, the only one here adduced, is +altogether inconclusive; and the subsequent reflections are evidently +those of Harris, not of Candish.--E.] + +They left Port Desire on the 28th December, and anchored near an island +three leagues to the southward. The 30th they came to a rock, much like +the Eddystone at Plymouth, about five leagues off the land, in lat 48° +30' S. and within a mile of it had soundings in eight fathoms, on rocky +ground. Continuing their course along shore S.S.W. they found vast +numbers of seals every where on the coast. January 2d, 1587, they fell +in with a great white cape in lat. 52° S. and had seven fathoms within a +league of the cape. Next day they came to another cape, in lat. 52° 45' +S. whence runs a long beach about a league to the southwards, reaching +to the opening into the Straits of Magellan.[49] January 6th, they +entered the straits, which they found in some places five or six leagues +wide, but in others considerably narrower. The 7th, between the mouth of +the straits and its narrowest part, they took a Spaniard, who had been +left there with twenty-three others of that nation, being all that +remained alive of four hundred, who had been landed three years before +in these straits. This Spaniard shewed them the hull of a small bark, +supposed to have been left by Sir Francis Drake. + +[Footnote 49: The cape at the north side of the eastern entrance into +the Straits of Magellan, is named Cape Virgin, and is in lat 52° 28' S. +The great white cape in lat. 52° S. is not so easily ascertained. Cape +Blanco, on this coast, is in lat. 47° S. which cannot have any reference +to the white cape of the text.--E.] + +The eastern mouth of the straits is in lat. 52° S. From thence to the +narrowest part is fourteen leagues W. by N. From thence to Penguin +Island is ten leagues W.S.W. by S. They anchored at Penguin Island on +the 8th January, where they killed and salted a great store of seals, to +serve as sea provisions in case of need. Leaving this place on the 9th, +they sailed S.S.W. The fortress built in these straits by the Spaniards, +called _Ciudad del Rey Felippe_, had four bulwarks or bastions, in each +of which was one large cannon, all of which had been buried, and their +carriages left standing. The English dug them all up, and carried them +away. Tins city seemed to have been well contrived, especially in its +situation in regard to wood and water; but miserable was the life this +forlorn remnant of Spaniards had endured for the last two years, during +which they had hardly been able to procure any other food than a scanty +supply of shell-fish, except when they had the good fortune to surprise +a deer, coming down from the mountains in search of water. + +The object of the Spaniards, in erecting this fortress, was to have +fortified the straits, so as to have excluded all other nations from any +passage into the South Sea: but, besides the barrenness of the soil, and +excessive severity of the climate their most implacable enemies, the +Indians, frequently assailed them, so that they were reduced to the last +extremity of distress. All the stores they had brought from Spain were +expended, and none could be procured in the country, which produced +nothing but deer, and when hunting these for the preservation of their +lives, they were sure to be fallen upon by the Indians. At length almost +all the Spaniards died in their houses, and the stench of the putrefying +carcasses became so intolerable to the few survivors, that they were +forced to quit the fortress, and to range along the seacoast living upon +roots, leaves, and sea weeds, or any animals they could occasionally +fall in with. In this miserable extremity they had determined to attempt +exploring their way to the Rio Plata, and were already on their way, +when this Spaniard was taken by the English. + +Mr Candish named the haven where the fortress stood _Port Famine_, owing +to the utter want of all necessaries. It is in lat. 53° S. Leaving this +place on the 14th, they ran five leagues S.W. to Cape Froward, in the +southernmost part of the straits, in lat. 54° S. Sailing five leagues W. +by N. from this cape, they put into a bay, called Muscle Cove, from the +great quantities of muscles found there. Leaving that place on the 21st, +and sailing N. by W. ten leagues, they came to a fair bay, which Candish +named Elizabeth Bay. Leaving that place on the 22d, they found a good +river two leagues farther on, up which a boat was towed for three miles. +The country about this river was pleasant and level, but all the other +land on both sides of the straits was rugged, mountainous, and rocky, +inhabited by a strong and well-made, but very brutish kind of savages, +who are said to have eaten many of the Spaniards, and seemed much +disposed to have feasted also on English flesh; but they failed in their +attempts to circumvent them. Discovering a plot laid by these savages to +entrap him and his men, Candish gave them a volley of musquetry, which +slew several of them, and the rest ran away. + +Leaving this river, they sailed two leagues farther, to an inlet named +St Jerome's channel; whence, proceeding three or four leagues W. they +came to a cape to the northward, whence the course to the western +entrance of the straits is N.W. and N.W. by W. for about thirty-four +leagues; so that the entire length of these straits is ninety leagues. +This western entrance is in lat. 52° 40' S. nearly under the same +parallel with the eastern mouth. In consequence of storms and excessive +rains, they were forced to remain in a harbour near this western mouth +of the straits till the 23d of February. By the excessive rains, pouring +down with extreme fury in torrents from the mountains, they were brought +into extreme danger; and were also much distressed for want of food, as +the excessive severity of the weather hardly permitted their landing, +to range the country in search of a supply In their passage through +these straits, it was observed that there were harbours on both shores, +at every mile or two, tolerably safe and convenient for small ships. + + +SECTION II. + +_Transactions on the Western Coast of America_. + +The weather moderating, they entered into the great South Sea, or +Pacific Ocean, on the 24th February, 1587, observing on the south side +of the entrance a very high cape, with an adjoining low point; while, at +the northern side of the entrance there were four or five islands, six +leagues from the main land, having much broken and sunken ground among +and around them. In the night of the 1st March, there arose a great +storm, in which they lost sight of the Hugh Gallant, being then in lat. +49° S. and forty-five leagues from the land. This storm lasted three or +four days, in which time the Hugh sprung a leak, and was tossed about in +this unknown sea, devoid of all help, being every moment ready to sink. +By great exertions, however, she was kept afloat; and on the 15th, in +the morning, she got in between the island of St Mary and the main, +where she again met the admiral and the Content, which two ships had +secured themselves during two days of the storm, at the island of Mocha, +in lat. 38° S'.[50] + +[Footnote 50: Mocha is in lat. 38° 20', and the isles of St Mary in 37°, +both S.] + +At this place some of the company went ashore well armed, and were met +by the Indians, who gave them a warm reception with their bows and +arrows. These Indians were of the district in Chili called Araucania, a +country rich in gold, and consequently very tempting to the avaricious +Spaniards, which accordingly they had repeatedly invaded, but to no +purpose, as the natives always defended themselves so valiantly, that +their enemies could never subdue them. On the present occasion, +mistaking the English for Spaniards, these brave and desperate Araucans +gave Candish a hostile welcome. After this skirmish, Candish went with +his ships under the lee of the west side of St Mary's island, where he +found good anchorage in six fathoms. This island, in lat. 37° S. abounds +in hogs, poultry, and various kinds of fruit; but the inhabitants are +held under such absolute slavery by the Spaniards, that they dare not +kill a hog, or even a hen, for their own use; and although the Spaniards +have made them converts to Christianity, they use them more like dogs +than men or Christians. + +The admiral went ashore on the 16th March, with seventy or eighty men +well armed, and was met by two Indian chiefs, who conducted him to a +chapel, round which were several store-houses, well filled with wheat +and barley, as clean and fair as any in England. He accordingly provided +his ships with a sufficient store of grain from this place, and laid in +besides an ample supply of hogs, hens, potatoes, dried dog-fish, and +maize or Guinea wheat. The admiral invited the two principal Indians to +an entertainment on board; and the wine having sharpened their wit, to +perceive that the admiral and his men were not Spaniards, as they had +hitherto supposed them, they began to talk very freely about the gold +mines, saying that the English might procure gold to their full content, +by going into the country of the Araucans. But not fully understanding +them, as the information was mostly given by signs, the admiral did not +prosecute this proposed adventure, but proceeded on his voyage. + +Leaving the island of St Mary on the 18th in the morning, they sailed +all that day N.N.E. ten leagues. The 19th they steered in with the land, +E.N.E. and anchored under an island in the Bay of Conception, in lat. +36° 36' S. The 30th they came into the Bay of Quintero, in lat. 32° 45' +S. and next day a party of fifty or sixty men, well armed, marched seven +or eight miles into the country. In their march, they saw vast herds of +wild cattle, with horses, dogs, hares, rabbits, partridges, and other +birds, with many fine rivers, well stocked with wild fowl. Having +travelled as far as they conveniently could for the mountains, and +having rested and refreshed on the banks of a pleasant river, they +returned in good order to the ships at night, without meeting any +remarkable adventure; although a party of 200 horse had been abroad all +that day in search of them, upon information of some Spaniards who had +seen them the preceding day, but durst not venture to attack them, +keeping always at a distance on the hills. They had at this time a short +conference with three Spanish horsemen, through the medium of the poor +half-starved Spaniard they took on board in the Straits of Magellan; +but, in spite of his many oaths and protestations never to forsake +Candish, he took the opportunity to mount on horseback behind one of his +countrymen, and got off. + +Next day, the 1st April, some of the English being on shore filling +their water-casks, the Spaniards became bolder, and watching an +opportunity when the sailors were hard at work, poured down with their +200 horse from the hills, slew some of them, and made a few prisoners. +But this glorious victory was soon snatched from their hands by the +arrival of a reinforcement of fifteen English, who rescued the +prisoners, killed twenty-four of the Spaniards, and drove the rest back +to the mountains. After this, they continued in the road till the 5th, +and watered there in spite of the Spaniards. On the 5th they weighed +anchor, and went to a small island about a league from the bay, which is +full of penguins and other sea fowl, of which they provided themselves +with what store they wanted; after which they sailed N. and N. by W. in +order to prosecute their voyage. + +The 15th April they came to _Moro Moreno_, in lat. 23° 30' S. under the +tropic of Capricorn, where there is an excellent harbour, made by means +of an island, having an entrance for ships at either end. The admiral +went ashore here with thirty men, and was met by the Indians, who +brought them water and wood on their backs. These are a simple sort of +people, living in a wild and savage manner, in great dread of the +Spaniards. They brought the admiral and his company to their houses, +about two miles from the harbour. These were only constructed of a few +rafters laid across upon forked sticks stuck in the ground, having a few +boughs laid over them by way of a roof. Their beds were the skins of +wild beasts laid on the ground; and their food little else than raw +stinking fish. When any of them dies, he is buried with all his arms and +goods, as bows and arrows, and even his canoe is laid in the earth along +with him. Their canoes, if such they may be called, consist of two skin +bags, like large bladders, blown up with quills at one end, and fastened +together by the sinews of some wild beast; yet in these they think +nothing of venturing to sea, loading them even with great quantities of +fish, part of which they have to give in tribute to the Spaniards, the +rest being kept to stink for their own eating. + +On the 3d May, they came into a bay on which were three small towns, +Paracca, Chincha, and Pisco, which latter is in lat. 13° 20' S.[51] They +landed here, and took some provisions, as wine, bread, poultry and figs, +from the houses, but could not get ashore at the best of these towns, +owing to the sea running too high. By this time; they had made two +valuable prizes, laden with sugar, melasses, maiz, cordovan leather, +_montego de porco_, packs of painted calicoes, Indian coats, marmalade, +hens, and other articles, which would have yielded £20,000, if there had +been any opportunity for selling their cargoes. That not being the case, +they took out as much as could be conveniently stowed in their own +ships, burning their two prizes with the rest of their contents. + +[Footnote 51: Pisco, the principal of these towns, is in lat. 16° 43' +S.] + +The 26th May, they came into the road Payta, in lat. 5° 4' S. the town +being very neat and clean, and containing about 200 houses. Landing here +with sixty or seventy men, Candish had a skirmish with the inhabitants, +whom he beat out of the town, forcing them to take refuge in the hills, +whence they continued to fire at the English, but would not venture a +fair battle on the plain ground. Having possessed themselves of the +town, the English marched after the enemy on the hill, and put them +completely to the rout, seizing all their baggage, which they brought +back with them to the town. They here found all sort of household stuff, +together with warehouses well filled with various kinds of goods, and +twenty-five pound weight of silver in pieces of eight. After taking away +what plunder they found convenient, they set fire to the town, which was +burnt to the ground, and destroyed likewise a bark at anchor in the +roads; after which they set sail for Puna. + +They arrived at Puna, in lat. 3° 10' S. on the 25th of May, when they +found a ship of 250 tons at anchor in the harbour. After sinking her, +they went ashore. The lord of this island, styled the Caçique of Puna, +was an Indian by birth, but having married a Spanish woman, he became a +Christian, and made all his subjects follow his example. He had a +sumptuous and well-contrived palace near the shore, with curious gardens +adjoining, and fair prospects, both to the water and up the country. All +the inhabitants of this island were kept continually employed in +fabricating cables, such abundance of which are made here by the Indian +subjects of this caçique; that most of the ships navigating the South +Sea are supplied from hence. This island is nearly as large as the isle +of Wight in England, being about forty English miles from S.W. to N.E. +and sixteen in the opposite direction. It enjoys a great share in the +blessings of nature; for, although it has no mines of gold or silver, it +affords every thing in abundance that is necessary to the comforts of +life. The pastures are excellent, and are well stored with horses, oxen, +sheep, and goats, yielding abundance of milk; it has also plenty of +poultry, turkeys, ducks of a large size, and pigeons. The caçique has +several orchards, yielding a great variety of fine fruits, as oranges, +lemons, figs, pomegranates, pumpkins, melons, and many others; with a +variety of odoriferous plants, as rosemary, thyme, and the like. One of +these gardens or orchards was planted with the bombast cotton tree, +which grows in pods, in each of which there are seven or eight seeds. + +The 29th of May, Candish went to an island near Puna, into which the +caçique had conveyed all the valuable furniture of his palace, with +other things of value. These stores were all discovered, and plundered +of every thing thought worth carrying on board the ships, and the rest +destroyed. The church also of Puna, which stood near the palace, was +burnt down, and its five bells carried to the ships. On the 2d June, the +English were attacked by 100 Spaniards, who killed or took prisoners +twelve of their men, losing forty-six of their own in the encounter. +Candish landed again that same day with seventy English, and had another +battle with the Spaniards, who were joined by 200 Indians armed with +bows and arrows. The English were victorious, after which they made +great havock of the fields and orchards, burnt four ships on the stocks, +and left the town of 300 houses a heap of rubbish. Besides this +principal town, there were two others on the island of 200 houses each, +so that Puna was the best settled island on all this coast. + +Setting sail from Puna on the 5th June, they sailed to Rio Dolce, where +they watered. They passed the equinoctial on the 12th, continuing their +course northwards all the rest of that month. The 1st July, they had +sight of New Spain, being four leagues from the land in 10° N. The 9th +they took a new ship of 120 tons, in which was one Michael Sancius, a +native of Provence, a very skilful coasting pilot for these seas, whom +Candish retained as his pilot, and from whom he got the first hint of +the great ship Anna Maria, which he afterwards took on her voyage from +the Philippine islands. Taking all the men, and every thing of any value +from the ship of Sancius, they set her on fire. The 26th they came to +anchor in the mouth of the river Capalico, and the same night went in +the pinnace with thirty men to Guatalco, two leagues from that river, in +15° 70' N. and burnt both the town and custom-house, which was a large +handsome building, in which there were laid up 600 bags of indigo, and +400 bags of cacao, every bag of the former being worth forty crowns, and +each of the latter worth ten. These cacaos serve among the people of +these parts both as food and money, being somewhat like almonds, yet not +quite so pleasant, and pass in trade by way of small change, 150 of them +being equal in value to a rial of plate. + +They set sail from Capalico on the 28th, the sea running so high that +they could not fill their water casks, and came to Guatalco that same +night. Next day Candish went ashore with thirty men, marching two miles +into the woods, where he took a _mestizo_ belonging to the custom-house +of that town, having with him a considerable quantity of goods, both +which and their master were carried to the ships. The 24th August, +Candish went with thirty men in the pinnace to the haven of _Puerto de +Navidad_ in lat. 19° 24' N. where Sancius had informed him there would +be a prize; but, before their arrival, she had gone twelve leagues +farther to fish for pearls. They here made prisoner of a mulatto, who +had been sent to give notice of the English, all along the coast of New +Gallicia, and got possession of all his letters. They likewise burnt the +town, and two ships of 200 tons here building, after which they returned +to the ships. + +They came on the 26th into the bay of St Jago, where they watered at a +good river, which yielded them plenty of fish, and where they found some +pearls. This bay is in lat. 19° 18' N. Leaving this bay on the 2d +September, they came next day into the bay of Malacca, a league westward +from port Navidad, and a good place for ships to ride in. That day, +Candish went ashore with about thirty men, to an Indian town named +Acatlan, about two leagues from the road.[52] This town or village +consisted of twenty or thirty houses and a church, which they +demolished, and then returned at night to the ships. Leaving this bay on +the 4th, they came on the 8th to the road of Chacalla, eighteen leagues +from Cape Corientes. On the 9th, Candish sent a party of forty men, +guided by Sancius, which, after marching through woods and deserts, +lighted upon a few families, some of which were Indians, and others +Spanish and Portuguese, all of whom were brought to the ships. The women +were ordered to fetch plantains, lemons, oranges, and other fruits, in +reward for which all their husbands were set free, except a Spaniard +named Sembrano, and Diego, a Portuguese. + +[Footnote 52: Guatlan is the name of a bay on this coast, and which is +probably corrupted in the text to Acatlan.--E.] + +On the 12th they arrived at the island of St Andrew, which is very full +of wood, and where they found plenty of fowls and seals, together with a +sort of serpents, or lizards rather, called _Iguanos_, having four feet +and a long sharp tail, which they found good eating. Leaving this isle, +they came to the road of Mazatlan on the 24th, lying under the tropic of +Cancer. The river here is large within, but much obstructed by a bar at +its mouth. The bay abounds with fish, and there are abundance of good +fruits up the country. Departing from this bay on the 27th, they came to +an island, a league north from Mazatlan,[53] where they heeled their +ships, and rebuilt their pinnace. On this isle, they found fresh water, +by digging two or three feet into the sand, otherwise they must have +gone back twenty or thirty leagues for water, being advised by one +Flores, a Spanish prisoner, to dig in the sands, where no water or sign +of any could be perceived. Having amply supplied the ships with water, +they remained at this island till the 9th October, and then sailed from +Cape San Lucar, the S.W. point of California, in lat. 22° 50' N. which +they fell in with on the 14th, observing that it much resembled the +Needles at the Isle of Wight, which had been before noticed by Sir +Francis Drake. Within this cape, there is a large bay, called by the +Spaniards _Aguada Segura_,[54] into which falls a fine fresh-water +river, the banks of which are usually inhabited by many Indians in the +summer. They went into this bay, where they again watered, and remained +waiting for the Accapulco ship till the 4th November, the wind +continuing all that time to hang westerly. + +[Footnote 53: In our best modern maps no such island is to be found; but +about the same distance to the S. is a cluster of small isles.--E.] + +[Footnote 54: Probably that now called the bay of St Barnaby, about +twenty miles E.N.E. from Cape San Lucar.--E.] + +The 4th November, putting to sea, the Desire and Content beat to and fro +to windward off the head land of California; and that very morning one +of the men in the admiral, going aloft to the topmast, espied a ship +bearing in from seaward for the cape. Putting every thing in readiness +for action, Candish gave chase, and coming up with her in the afternoon, +gave her a broadside and a volley of small arms. This ship was the Santa +Anna of 700 tons burden, belonging to the king of Spain, and commanded +by the admiral of the South Sea. Candish instantly boarded, finding the +Spaniards in a good posture of defence, and was repulsed with the loss +of two men slain and four or five wounded. He then renewed the action +with his cannon and musquetry, raking the St Ann, and killing or +wounding great numbers, as she was full of men. The Spaniards long +defended themselves manfully; but the ship being sore wounded, so that +the water poured in a-main, they at last hung out a flag of truce, +praying for quarter, and offering to surrender. This was immediately +agreed to by Candish, who ordered them to lower their sails, and to send +their chief officers to his ship. They accordingly hoisted out their +boat, in which came the captain, the pilot, and one of the chief +merchants, who surrendered themselves, and gave an account of the value +of their ship, in which were 122,000 pezos in gold, with prodigious +quantities of rich silks, satins, damasks, and divers kinds of +merchandise, such as musk, and all manner of provisions, almost as +acceptable to the English as riches, having been long at sea. + +The prize thus gloriously obtained, Candish returned to _Aguada_, or +_Puerto Seguro_, on the 6th November, where he landed all the Spaniards, +to the number of 150 persons, men and women, giving them plenty of wine +and victuals, with the sails of their ship and some planks, to build +huts or tents for them to dwell in. The owners of the prize being thus +disposed of, the next thing was to share the booty; which ungracious +work of distribution soon involved Candish in all the troubles of a +mutiny, every one being eager for gold, yet no one satisfied with his +share. This disturbance was most violent in the Content; but all was +soon appeased and compromised by the candid and generous behaviour of +Candish. The 17th of November, being the coronation day of queen +Elizabeth, was celebrated by discharges of ordnance, and vollies of +small shot, and at night by fireworks. Of the prisoners taken in the +Spanish ship, Candish reserved two Japanese boys, three natives of the +island of Luzon or Manilla, a Portuguese who had been in China and +Japan, and a Spanish pilot, who was thoroughly versant in the navigation +between New Spain and the Philippine islands. Accapulco is the haven +whence they fit out for the Philippines, and the Ladrones are their +stated places of refreshment on this voyage. + +Having dismissed the Spanish captain with a noble present, and +sufficient provision for his defence against the Indians, and removed +everything from the prize which his ships could contain, Candish set the +Santa Anna on fire on the 19th November, having still 500 tons of her +goods remaining, and saw her burnt to the water's edge. + + +SECTION III. + +_Voyage Home to England_. + +This great business, for which they had so long waited, being now +accomplished, they set sail cheerfully on their return for England. The +Content staid some short time behind the Desire, which went on before, +expecting she would soon follow, but she never rejoined company. +Pursuing the voyage, therefore, in the Desire, Candish directed his +course for the Ladrones across the Pacific Ocean, these islands being +nearly 1800 leagues distant from this harbour of _Aguada Segura_ in +California. This passage took forty-five days, from the 19th November, +1587, to the 3d January, 1588. On this day, early in the morning, they +had sight of Guam, one of the Ladrones, in lat. 13° 40' N. and long. +143° 30' E. Sailing with a gentle gale before the wind, they came within +two leagues of the island, where they saw sixty or seventy canoes full +of savages, who brought cocoas, plantains, potatoes, and fresh fish, to +exchange for some of their commodities. They gave them in return some +pieces of old iron, which they hung upon small cords and fishing lines, +and so lowered down to the canoes, getting back, in the same manner, +what the savages offered in exchange. In the course of this traffic the +savages crowded so much about the ship, that two of their canoes were +broken; yet none of the savages were drowned, as they were almost as +familiar with the water as if they had been fishes. The savages +continued following the ship, and would not quit her company till +several shots were fired at them; though 'tis ten to one if any of them +were killed, as they are so very nimble, throwing themselves immediately +into the water, and diving beyond the reach of danger on the slightest +warning. + +These islanders were large handsome men, extraordinarily fat, and of a +tawny colour, mostly having very long hair, some wearing it tied up in +large knots on the crown of their heads, like certain wooden images at +the heads of their canoes. Their canoes were very artificially made, +considering that they use no edge-tools in their construction; and are +about seven or eight yards in length, by half a yard only in breadth, +their heads and stems being both alike, and having rafts made of canes +or reeds on their starboard sides, being also supplied both with masts +and sails. These latter are made of sedges, and are either square or +triangular. These canoes have this property, that they will sail almost +as well against the wind as before it. + +On the 19th January, at day-break, Candish fell in with a head-land of +the Philippine islands, called _Cabo del Espiritu Santo_. The island +itself [Samar] is of considerable size, consisting of high land in the +middle, and depressed in its east and west extremities; the latter of +which runs a great way out to sea. It is in lat. 30° N. being distant +110 leagues from Guam and about 60 leagues from Manilla, the chief of +the Philippines.[55] Samar is a woody island, and its inhabitants are +mostly heathens. Candish spent eleven days in sailing from Guam to this +place, having had some foul weather, and scarcely carrying any sail for +two or three nights. Manilla, at this time, was an unwalled town of no +great strength, yet containing vast riches in gold and valuable +commodities, and inhabited by six or seven hundred Spaniards. It has a +constant annual correspondence with Accapulco in New Spain; besides +which twenty or thirty vessels come thither yearly from China, for +conducting its trade with the _Sangueloes_: These are Chinese merchants, +very sharp and sensible men in every thing relating to trade, extremely +ingenious in all kinds of mechanical contrivances, and the most expert +embroiderers on silk and satin of any in the world. They will execute +any form of beast, fowl, or fish, in gold, silver, or silk, having all +the just proportions and colours in every part, and giving all the life +and beauty to their work, as if done by the best painter, or even as +nature has bestowed on the originals. The trade of these men with +Manilla must be very profitable, as they bring great quantities of gold +there, and exchange it against silver, weight for weight.[56] + +[Footnote 55: The latitude of Cape Espiritu Santo, as given in the test, +is grossly erroneous, being only 12° 35' N. and its long. 125° 30' E. +from Greenwich. The difference of longitude from Guam, Guaham, or +Guaci, the most southerly of the Ladrones, is 17° 45' nearly east, and +consequently 355 marine leagues. This island is divided from Luzon, or +Luçonia, the principal island of the Philippines, by the narrow straits +of San Bernardino; and Cape Espiritu Santo is about 100 leagues, in a +straight line, from the city of Manilla, which lies to the N.W. Cape +Espiritu Santo is at the N.W. extremity of the island of Samar.--E.] + +[Footnote 56: This surely is an egregious error, as such acute merchants +as the Chinese are here represented, and actually are, could never be so +foolish as to give gold for silver, weight for weight. Before the +present scarcity of bullion, the ordinary European price of exchange, +was fourteen for one; and perhaps the then price in China might be +lower, as twelve, eleven, or ten; but equality is quite +inconceivable.--E.] + +The same day on which he fell in with Cape Espiritu Santo, 14th of +January, 1588, Candish entered in the evening into the straits of San +Bernardino, between Samar or Cambaia, and the island of Luzon. The 15th +he fell in with the island of _Capul_, passing a very narrow strait +between that island and another, in which the current of the tide was +considerable. In this passage, a ledge of rocks lay off the point of +Capul, but was passed without danger. Within the point was a fair bay, +with a good harbour, having anchorage in four fathoms, within a cable's +length of the shore. Coming to anchor here about ten in the morning, the +Desire was immediately boarded by a canoe, in which was one of the seven +chiefs of the island. Passing themselves for Spaniards, the English +traded with these people for cocoa-nuts and potatoes, giving a yard of +linen for four cocoa-nuts, and as much for about a quart of potatoes, +which they found sweet and excellent food, either boiled or roasted. + +The caçique or chief who came on board had his skin curiously streaked +or painted [tatooed], full of strange devices all over his body. Candish +kept him on board, desiring him to send his servants, who paddled his +canoe, to bring the other six chiefs to the ship. They came accordingly, +attended by a great train of the natives, bringing vast quantities of +hogs and hens, and a full market of cocoa-nuts and potatoes; so that the +English were occupied the whole day in purchasing, giving eight rials of +plate for a hog, and one for a hen. At this place, a justly-merited +punishment was inflicted on a Spanish pilot, taken in the Santa Anna, +who had plotted to betray them to the Spaniards, and for which he was +hanged. Candish remained here for nine days, all the time receiving +ample supplies of fresh victuals, good water, and wood for fuel. The +islanders are all pagans, who are said to worship the devil, and to +converse with him. They are of a tawny complexion, and go almost naked; +the men wearing a small square piece of cloth in front, woven from +plantain-leaves, and another behind, which is brought up between their +legs, both being fastened to a girdle round their waists. They are all +circumcised, and have also a strange custom, hardly practised any where +else but in Pegu, having a nail of tin in a perforation through the +glans, which nail is split at one end and rivetted; but which can be +taken out as they have occasion, and put in again. This is said to have +been contrived, on the humble petition of the women, to prevent +perpetrating an unnatural crime, to which they were much addicted. + +On the 23d of January, Candish summoned all the caçiques of this island, +and an hundred more, who had paid him tribute, and then revealed to them +all, when assembled, that he and his men were Englishmen, and the +greatest enemies the Spaniards had in the world. At the same time he +generously restored them, in money, the value of all the tribute they +had paid to him, in hogs, cocoa-nuts, potatoes, and the like. This +unexpected generosity astonished the whole assembly, who applauded his +bounty, and offered to join him with all the forces of their respective +districts, if he would go to war with the Spaniards. They seemed much +pleased with finding that Candish and his people were English, and +thankful for the kindness with which they had been treated. On taking +leave, they rowed round the ship awhile in their canoes, as if in +compliment to the English; and Candish caused a gun to be fired at their +departure. + +Setting sail on the 24th, Candish ran along the coast of Luzon, steering +N.W. between that island and _Masbate_. In the islands thereabout, the +Spaniards were observed to keep a strict watch, making great fires, and +discharging their pieces all night, having been much alarmed by the +arrival of the English. The island of _Panama_ is in many places plain +and level, affording many large, tall, and straight trees, fit for +masts, and has several mines of very fine gold, which are possessed by +the natives. To the south of this is the island of the Negroes, which is +very large, almost as big as England, and is in lat. 9° N.[57] It +appeared to consist mostly of low land, and to be very fertile. + +[Footnote 57: Negro island reaches from lat. 9° 15' to 11° 45' N. and is +consequently two and a half degrees from N. to S. about 174 English +miles, but does not any where exceed thirty miles from E. to W.--E.] + +At six in the morning of the 29th of January, they began to pass through +the straits between Panama and Negro islands, and, after proceeding +sixteen leagues, they found a fair opening in these straits, trending +S.W. by S. About this time, being rejoined by their boat, which had been +sent before them in the morning, Candish sent a Spanish prisoner on +shore, with a message to his captain, who commanded a ship which lay at +Panama the night before, desiring him to provide an abundant supply of +gold against the return of the Desire, as he meant to pay him a visit at +Manilla, and as that was a long voyage, it merited good entertainment. +He said farther, that he would have come now, to weigh some of his +Spanish gold in English scales, if he had possessed a larger boat for +landing his men on the island. + +Proceeding on the voyage, they saw Batochina on the 8th of February, an +island near Gilolo, in the lat. of 1° N. The 14th of that month they +fell in with eleven or twelve small flat low islands, almost level with +the sea, in lat. 3° 10' S. near the Moluccas. March 1st, having passed +the straits between Java Major and Java Minor, they anchored under the +S.W. part of Java Major, where they saw some people fishing in a bay +under the island. The admiral sent a boat to them, in which was a negro +who could speak the _Moresco_[58] language, which is much used in Java. +But, being frightened at the approach of the boat, they all got on shore +and ran away into the woods. One of them, however, came back to the +shore, on being called to by the negro, and directed where to find fresh +water; besides which, he undertook to carry a message to the king of +that part of the island from the admiral, certifying that he had come to +purchase victuals, or any commodities the country afforded. In +consequence of this message, nine or ten canoes belonging to the king +came off, on the 12th March, loaded with all sorts of provisions as deep +as they could swim; bringing oxen, hogs, hens, geese, eggs, sugar, +cocoa-nuts, plantains, oranges, lemons, wine, and arrack. + +[Footnote 58: Probably the Malay is here meant, and called Moresco or +Moors, an ordinary term for Mahometans.--E.] + +At the same time two Portuguese came off to visit Candish, and to +enquire about their king, Don Antonio, then residing in England. These +persons gave him a full account of the manners and customs of the people +of this island. The king of this part was held in prodigious awe by his +subjects, over whom he exercised absolute power, insomuch that no man +was permitted to make a bargain without his leave, on pain of death. He +had an hundred wives, and his son fifty; who may possibly be happy +enough while he lives; but when he dies, and his body is burnt, and the +ashes collected into an urn, the tragedy of his wives begins five days +afterwards. They are then all conducted to an appointed place, where the +favourite wife throws a ball from her hand, and where it stops marks the +place of their deaths. Being come there, and turning their faces to the +east, they all draw their daggers and stab themselves to the heart; +after which they smear themselves with their own blood, and thus die. + +The men of this island are excellent soldiers, being hardy, valiant, and +desperate to the last degree, sticking at nothing commanded by their +king, however dangerous; and, should he even command them to plunge a +dagger into their own breast, or to leap from a precipice, or into a den +of wild beasts, they instantly obey: For the displeasure of their +sovereign is as certain death as the point of a sword, or the fangs of a +beast of prey. Their complexion is tawny, like the other natives of +India, and they go entirely naked; but their women are of a fairer hue, +and are more modestly cloathed than the men. + +After this relation of the Portuguese, having satisfied the Javans for +the provisions they had supplied, and received a promise of good +entertainment to the English when they might return to their island, +Candish took leave of them, making a present to their king of three +large cannon. Next day, being the 16th of March, he made sail for the +Cape of Good Hope, spending all the rest of that month, all April, and a +part of May, in traversing the vast ocean between the island of Java and +the southern extremity of Africa, making many observations on the +appearances of the stars, the weather, winds, tides, currents, +soundings, and bearings and positions of lands. + +On the 11th of May, land was espied bearing N. and N. by W. and towards +noon more land was seen bearing W. which was believed to be the Cape of +Good Hope, being then about forty or fifty leagues from that southern +promontory of Africa.[59] The wind being scanty, they stood off to the +southwards till midnight; and, the wind being then fair, stood their +course directly west. On the 12th and 13th they were becalmed, with a +thick and hazy atmosphere. The weather cleared upon the 14th, when they +again saw land, which proved to be Cape _Falso_, forty or fifty leagues +short, or to the eastwards of the Cape of Good Hope.[60] This Cape +Falso is easily known, having three hills directly over it, the highest +in the middle, and only a little distance from each other; the ground +being much lower by the sea-side. Besides which, the Cape of Good Hope +bears W. by S. from this cape. They discovered the Cape of Good Hope on +the 16th of May, observing the head-land to be considerably high, having +two hummocks at the westerly point, a little off the main, and three +others a little farther into the sea, yet low-land still between these +and the sea. By the Portuguese the Cape of Good Hope is said to be 2000 +leagues from Java; but by their reckoning they made it only 1850 +leagues, which took them just nine weeks in the run. + +[Footnote 59: Either this is a gross error, or it means that their +reckoning still made that distance from the Cape, as nothing nearly +approaching to such a distance can possibly be seen.--E.] + +[Footnote 60: Captain Falso is only ten leagues E. from the Cape of Good +Hope; but perhaps Cape Aguillas may be meant in the text, which is about +thirty-five leagues E.S.E. from the Cape.--E.] + +By break of day on the 8th June, they were within seven or eight leagues +of St Helena, of which island they had merely a glimpse that day, as, +having little or no wind, they had to stand off and on all night. Next +day, having a tolerably good wind, they stood in with the shore, sending +the boat before, and came to anchor in a good bay, under the N.W. side +of the island, in twelve fathoms, only two or three cables length from +the shore. This island lies in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, almost +at equal distances from the main land of Africa and that of Brazil, in +Lat. 15° 43' S. between five and six hundred leagues from the Cape of +Good Hope. + +Candish went here on shore, and entered the church, to which there was a +fair causeway; having a _frame between two bowls_, and a cross of +freestone adjoining. Within it was hung with painted cloth, on which +were represented the Blessed Virgin, the story of the Crucifixion, and +other holy legends, hung round the altar. The valley in which this +church stands is extremely pleasant, and so full of fruit-trees and +excellent plants, that it seemed like a very fair and well-cultivated +garden, having long rows of lemon, orange, citron, pomegranate, date, +and fig-trees, delighting the eye with blossoms, green fruit, and ripe, +all at once. These trees seemed nicely trimmed, and there were many +delightful walks under the shelter of their boughs, which were +pleasant, cool, and shady. At some distance there rises a fine clear +spring, which diffuses itself in many fine rivulets, all through this +valley, watering all its parts, and refreshing every plant and tree. In +the whole of this great garden there is hardly any unoccupied space; as, +where nature may have left any part empty, there art has supplied the +deficiency, so as to fill the whole space to advantage. This island also +affords great abundance of partridges and pheasants, both being larger +than ours in England. There are also turkeys, both black and white, with +red heads, about as large as those in England, and their eggs much the +same, only altogether white. There is also plenty of _cabritos_, or wild +goats, as big as asses, and having manes like horses, and their beards +reaching down to the ground. These are so numerous, that their herds or +flocks are sometimes a whole mile in length. It contains also vast herds +of wild-swine, which keep chiefly in the mountains, as do likewise the +wild-goats. These swine are very fat, but so excessively wild that they +are never to be got at by a man, unless when asleep, or rolling +themselves in the mire. + +Having taken in all necessaries that this place produced, Candish set +sail for England on the 20th of June, standing N.W. by W. It is +observable, that the wind at St Helena is generally off the shore. On +Friday, the 23d of August, he steered E. and E. by S. for the +northernmost of the Azores; and on the 29th, after midnight, he got +sight of the islands of Flores and Corvo, in lat. 39° 30' N. whence he +shaped his course N.E. He met a Flemish vessel on the 3d September, +bound from Lisbon, from which he had the joyful news of the total defeat +of the Spanish Armada. On the 9th September, after receiving a farewell +from the wind in a violent storm, which carried away most of his sails, +Candish arrived at the long-desired haven of Plymouth. + +There had not hitherto been any voyage of so much consequence, or +attended by such uninterrupted success as this: As plainly appears from +the length of time occupied by that of Magellan, which extended to three +years and a month; that of Sir Francis Drake extending to upwards of two +years and ten months; while this voyage by Candish was less than two +years and two months. We need not wonder, therefore, that a young +gentleman like Mr Candish, who was entirely devoted to a desire of +acquiring glory and renown, should contrive some extraordinary manner of +displaying his good fortune. Some accounts accordingly inform us, that +he brought his ship into Plymouth harbour under a suit of silken sails, +which, if true, may be thus explained. We have already mentioned, from +his own narrative, that he encountered a violent storm, just before his +arrival, which tore all his sails to pieces. In this distress, he would +probably use those he had taken in the South Sea, made of what is called +silk-grass, having a strong gloss and beautiful colour, which might +easily deceive the eyes of the vulgar, and pass upon them for sails made +of silk. This much is certain, however, that though he might be vain and +expensive in such matters, yet all came fairly out of his own pocket; +and those who had sailed with him, from the prospect of raising their +fortunes, had not the least reason to complain, as he made a fair and +full distribution of the prizes, by which he gained universal credit and +esteem. + +To shew his duty and diligence, as well as to discharge respectfully the +obligations he owed his patron, Lord Hunsdon, the near relation of Queen +Elizabeth, and then lord-chamberlain, he wrote the following letter to +him on the very day of his arrival at Plymouth. + +_To the Right Honourable the Lord Hunsdon, &c._ + +_Right Honourable_, + +As your favour heretofore hath been most greatly extended towards me, so +I humbly desire a continuance thereof; and though there be no means in +me to deserve the same, yet the uttermost of my services shall not be +wanting, whensoever it shall please your honour to dispose thereof. I am +humbly to desire your honour to make known unto her majesty the desire I +have had to do her majesty service in the performance of this voyage; +and, as it hath pleased God to give her the victory over part of her +enemies, so I trust, ere long, to see her overthrow them all. For the +places of their wealth, whereby they have maintained and made their +wars, are now perfectly discovered; and, if it please her majesty, with +a small power she may take and spoil them all. + +It hath pleased the Almighty to suffer me to circumcompass all the whole +globe of the world, entering in at the Straits of Magellan, and +returning by the Cape of Buena Esperança. In which voyage I have either +discovered, or brought certain intelligence of, all the rich places of +the world that ever were known or discovered by any Christian. I +navigated along the coasts of Chili, Peru, and Nueva Espanna, where I +made great spoils. I burnt and sunk nineteen sail of ships, great and +small. All the villages and towns that ever I landed at, I burnt and +spoiled; and, had I not been discovered upon the coast, I had taken a +great quantity of treasure. The matter of most profit unto me was a +great ship of the king's, which I took at California, which ship came +from the Philippines, being one of the richest for merchandize that ever +passed these seas, as the royal register, accounts, and merchants did +shew; for it amounted in value to ***** in Mexico to be sold: which +goods, for that my ships were not able to contain the least part of +them, I was enforced to set on fire. + +From the Cape of California, being the uppermost part of all New Spain, +I navigated to the Philippine islands, hard upon the coast of China, of +which country I have brought such intelligence as hath not been heard in +these parts; the stateliness and riches of which country I fear to make +report of; lest I should not be credited: for, if I had not known +sufficiently the incomparable wealth of that country, I should have been +as incredulous thereof as others will be that have not had the like +experience. + +I sailed along the islands of the Moluccas, where among some of the +heathen people I was well intreated, and where our people may have trade +as freely as the Portuguese, if they will themselves. From thence, I +passed by the Cape of Buena Esperança; and found out, by the way +homeward, the island of St Helena, where the Portuguese used to refresh +themselves; and, from that island, God hath suffered me to return into +England. All which services, together with myself, I humbly prostrate at +her majesty's feet, desiring the Almighty long to continue her reign +among us; for at this day she is the most famous and most victorious +prince that liveth in the world. + +Thus, humbly desiring pardon for my tediousness, I leave your lordship +to the tuition of the Almighty. + + _Your honour's most humble to command, + Thomas Candish_. + + Plymouth, this 9th + of September, 1588. + * * * * * + +There are many circumstances in this voyage, besides the wonderful +facility with which it was accomplished, that deserve to be considered. +As, for instance, the adventuring to pass a second time into the South +Sea, after it was not only known that the Spaniards were excessively +alarmed by the passage of Sir Francis Drake, but also that they had +received succours from Spain, and had actually fortified themselves +strongly in the South Sea. Also the nice search made by Candish, and the +exact description he has given us of the Straits of Magellan, are very +noble proofs of his skill and industry, and of his desire that posterity +might reap the fruits of his labours. The attack of the Accapulco ship, +likewise, considering the small force he had along with him, was a noble +instance of true English bravery, which was justly rewarded by the queen +with the honour of knighthood. + +His account of the Philippines, and his description of several islands +in the East Indies, are very clear and curious, and must at that time +have been very useful; but particularly his map and description of +China, which gave great lights in those days. We may add to all this, +the great care he took in the instruction of his seamen, many of whom +afterwards distinguished themselves by navigating vessels in the same +stupendous course, and thereby filling all the known world with the fame +and reputation of English seamen. It is not therefore surprising that we +find the best judges, both of our own and other nations, bestowing very +high praise on this worthy gentleman, who, in the whole conduct of his +voyage, shewed the courage and discretion of a great commander, with all +the skill and diligence of an able seaman; of both which eminent +characters he has left the strongest testimonies in his accurate account +of this circumnavigation. + +The wealth brought home by Sir Thomas Candish from this successful +voyage must have been considerable; an old writer says it was sufficient +to have purchased _a fair earldom_, a general and vague expression, +having no determinate meaning. Whatever may have been the amount of the +sum, which he acquired with so much hazard and so great honour, he +certainly did not make such prudent use of his good fortune as might +have been expected; for in the space of three years the best part of it +was spent, and he determined to lay out the remainder upon a second +expedition. We need the less wonder at this, if we consider what the +writers of those days tell us, of his great generosity, and the +prodigious expence he was at in procuring and maintaining such persons +as he thought might be useful to him in his future naval expeditions, on +which subject his mind was continually bent. Such things require the +revenues of a prince; and as he looked upon this voyage round the world +as an introduction only to his future undertakings, we may easily +conceive that, what the world considered extravagance, might appear to +him mere necessary disbursements, which, instead of lessening, he +proposed should have laid the foundations of a more extensive fortune. +All circumstances duly considered, this was neither a rash nor +improbable supposition; since there were many examples in the glorious +reign of Queen Elizabeth, of very large fortunes acquired by the same +method in which he proposed to have increased his estate. Besides, it +clearly appears, by his will, that he not only did not die in debt, but +left very considerable effects behind him, notwithstanding his heavy +expences, and the many misfortunes of his second expedition, of which it +is proper to subjoin a brief account.--_Harris_. + +In the Collection of Hakluyt, vol. IV. p. 341-355, is a long enumeration +of nautical remarks, of the latitudes, soundings, distances of places, +bearings of lands, variations of the compass, time spent in sailing +between the several places enumerated, time of remaining at any of +these, observations of winds, &c. &c. &c. written by Mr Thomas Fuller of +Ipswich, who was master of the Desire in this voyage round the world; +but which are too tedious and uninteresting for insertion.--E. + + +SECTION IV. + +_Second Voyage of Sir Thomas Candish, intended for the South Sea, in +1591_.[61] + +Though not a circumnavigation, owing to various misfortunes, it appears +proper to insert this narrative, giving an account of the unfortunate +end of the renowned Candish, by way of appendix to his circumnavigation. +From the happy success of his former voyage, and the superior strength +with which he undertook the second, in which, after ranging the Spanish +coast of the South Sea, he proposed to have visited the Philippine +islands and China, he certainly had every reason to have expected, that +the profits of this new enterprise would have fully compensated for its +expences, and have enabled him to spend the remainder of his days in +honourable ease and affluence. + +[Footnote 61: Hakluyt, IV. 361.--This narrative, as we learn from +Hakluyt, was written by Mr John Lane, or Jane, a person of good +observation, who was employed in this and many other voyages.--E.] + + * * * * * + +The ships fitted out on this occasion, entirely at his own expence, were +the galleon named the Leicester, in which Sir Thomas Candish embarked +himself as admiral, or general of the expedition; the Roebuck +vice-admiral, commanded by Mr Cocke; the Desire rear-admiral, of which +Mr John Davis was captain;[62] the Dainty, a bark belonging to Mr Adrian +Gilbert, of which Mr Randolph Cotton had the command; and a pinnace +named the Black. + +[Footnote 62: The author of this narrative informs us that he sailed on +this voyage along with Mr Davis.--E.] + +§ 1. _Incidents in the Voyage, till the Separation of the Ships_. + +With this squadron we sailed from Plymouth on the 26th of August, 1591. +The 29th November, we fell in with the bay of St Salvador on the coast +of Brazil, twelve leagues to the N. of Cabo Frio, where we were becalmed +till the 2d December, when we captured a small bark, bound for the Rio +Plata, laden with sugar, haberdashery wares, and negroes. The master of +this bark brought us to an isle, called Placencia or _Ilha Grande_, +thirty Portuguese leagues W. from Cabo Frio, where we arrived on the 5th +December, and rifled six or seven houses inhabited by Portuguese. The +11th we departed from this place, and arrived on the 14th at the island +of St Sebastian; whence Mr Cocke and Mr Davis immediately departed, with +the Desire and the Black pinnace, on purpose to attack the town of +Santos. + +We anchored at the bar of Santos in the evening of the 15th, and went +immediately in our boats to the town. Next morning about nine o'clock, +we reached Santos, and being discovered, we immediately landed, being +only twenty-four of us, our long-boat being still far astern. By this +promptitude, we took all the people of the town prisoners in the church, +being at mass, and detained them there all day. The great object of Sir +Thomas Candish in assaulting this town was to supply our wants, +expecting to have got every thing of which we stood in need, when once +in possession: But such was the negligence of Mr Cocke, who commanded on +this occasion, that the Indians were allowed to carry every thing out +of the town in open view, and no one hindered them; and next day, our +prisoners were all set free, only four poor old men being kept as +pledges to supply our wants. By this mismanagement, the town of Santos, +which could easily have supplied a fleet the double of ours with all +kinds of necessaries, was in three days left to us entirely naked, +without people, and without provisions. Sir Thomas Candish came up eight +or ten days afterwards, and remained till the 22d January, 1592, +endeavouring by treaty to procure what we were once possessed of, but to +little purpose; and we were then forced to depart, through want of +provisions, glad to procure a few baskets of cassavi meal, going away +worse provided than we had come there. We accordingly left Santos on the +22d January, and burnt the town of St Vincent to the ground. + +We set sail on the 24th, shaping our course for the Straits of Magellan. +On the 7th February we had a violent storm, and on the 8th, our fleet +was separated by the fury of the tempest. Consulting with the master of +our ship, our captain concluded to go for Port Desire, in the latitude +of 48° S. hoping that Sir Thomas would go there likewise, as he had +found great relief there in his former voyage. Our captain had not been +able to get directions, what course to take in such a contingency as had +now occurred, though he had earnestly proposed such a measure. In our +way, we fortunately fell in with the Roebuck, which had been in extreme +danger, and had lost her boat. We arrived together at Port Desire on the +6th March. The Black pinnace came in there also on the 16th; but the +Dainty came not, having gone back for England, leaving their captain, Mr +Randolph Cotton, aboard the Roebuck, with nothing but the clothes he +wore. He now came aboard our ship, being in great habits of friendship +with Captain Davis. + +On the 18th Sir Thomas brought the galleon into the roads, and came +himself into the harbour in a boat he had got built at sea, for his +long-boat and light-horseman were both lost during the storm, together +with a pinnace he had set up at Santos. Being on board our ship, the +Desire, Sir Thomas informed our captain of all his extremities, and +complained severely of his company, and particularly of several +gentlemen in his ship, proposing to go no more on board his own ship, +but to proceed for the rest of the voyage in the Desire. We were all +grieved to hear such hard speeches of our good friends; but having +spoken with the gentlemen in the Leicester, we found them faithful, +honest, and resolute in their proceedings, although it pleased our +general to conceive of them otherwise. + +The 20th March we departed from Port Desire, Sir Thomas being in the +Desire with us. The 8th of April we fell in with the Straits of +Magellan, having sustained many furious storms between Port Desire and +the straits. The 14th we passed the first straits, and got through the +second, ten leagues beyond the first, on the 16th. We doubled Cape +Froward on the 18th, which cape is in 53° 30' S. The 21st we were forced +by a furious storm to take shelter in a small cove with our ships, four +leagues beyond the cape, and on the southern shore of the straits, where +we remained till the 15th of May; in which time we endured much +distress, by excessive storms, with perpetual snow, and many of our men +died of cold and famine, not having wherewithal to cover their bodies +nor to fill their bellies, but living on muscles, sea-weeds, and water, +with an occasional supply of meal from the ships stores.[63] All the +sick men in the galleon were most uncharitably put on shore into the +woods, exposed to the snow, the air, and the cold, which men in health +could hardly have endured, where they ended their days in the utmost +misery, Sir Thomas remaining all this time in the Desire. + +[Footnote 63: It would appear that this expedition had been very +improvidently undertaken, with a very inadequate supply of provisions, +and, as will afterwards appear, of naval stores, trusting perhaps to +obtain supplies from the enemy, as had been attempted in vain at Santos. +Either delayed by these views, or from ignorance, the passage through +the straits was attempted at a very improper season, three months after +the antarctic mid-summer and during the autumnal equinoctial gales. +November, December, and January are the summer months, and best fitted +for these high southern latitudes.--E.] + +Seeing these great extremities of cold and snow, and doubting a +disastrous end to the enterprize, Sir Thomas asked our captain's +opinion, being a person of great experience in the utmost parts of the +north, to which he had made three voyages of discovery in the employ of +the London merchants. Captain Davis said, that he did not expect the +snow to be of long continuance, for which he gave sufficient reasons +from his former experience, and hoped therefore that this might not +greatly prejudice or hinder the completion of the enterprize. Yet Sir +Thomas called all the company together, telling them that he proposed to +depart from the straits upon some other voyage, either proceeding for +the Cape of Good Hope, or back again to Brazil. The company answered, +that they desired rather to wait God's favour for a wind, if he so +pleased, and to submit to any hardships, rather than abandon the +intended voyage, considering that they had been here only for a short +time, and were now only forty leagues from the South Sea; yet, though +grieved to return, they were ready to perform whatever he pleased to +command. So he concluded to leave the straits, and make sail for the +Cape of Good Hope. + +When Sir Thomas Candish returned on board the Desire, from talking with +the company, Captain Davis requested he would consider the extremity of +our estate and condition, the slenderness of his provision, and the +weakness of his men, being in no case for undertaking that new +enterprise; as, if the other ships were as ill appointed as the Desire, +it would be impossible to perform his new design, having no more sails +then were then bent, no victuals, no ground tackle, no cordage save what +was already in use; and, of seventy-five persons in the Desire, the +master only had knowledge enough for managing the ship, and there were +only fourteen sailors besides, all the rest being gentlemen, +serving-men, or tradesmen. Captain Davis laid these persuasions before +both the general and Mr Cocke; and in fine, in consequence of a +petition, delivered in writing by all the chief persons of the whole +company, the general determined to depart from the Straits of Magellan, +and to return again for Santos in Brazil. + +Accordingly, we set sail on the 15th of May, the general being now on +board the galleon, his own ship. The 18th we were free of the straits; +but on passing Cape Froward, we had the misfortune to have our boat sunk +at our stern in the night, by which she was split and sore injured, and +lost all her oars. The 20th of May, being athwart Port Desire, the +general altered his course during the night, as we suppose, by which we +lost him. In the evening he stood close by the wind to leewards, having +the wind at N.N.E. and we stood the same course, the wind not altering +during the night, and next day we could not see him. We were then +persuaded that the general was gone for Port Desire in quest of relief +or that he had sustained some mischance at sea, and was gone there to +seek a remedy. Our captain then called all hands together, the general's +men among the rest, asking their opinion what was to be done, when every +one said he thought the general was gone to Port Desire. + +Our master, who was the general's man, and careful for his master's +service, and also a person of good judgment in sea affairs, represented +to the company how dangerous it was for us to go to Port Desire, +especially if we should there miss the general; as we had now no boat +wherewith to land, neither any anchors or cables which he could trust to +in such rapid streams. Yet as we all concluded that it was most probable +the general had gone there, we shaped our course for Port Desire, and on +our way met the Black pinnace by chance, which had also parted company +from the general, being in a miserable plight. So we both proceeded for +Port Desire, where we arrived on the 26th of May. + + +§ 2. _Disastrous result of the Voyage to Sir Thomas Candish_.[64] + +Various accounts of the disappointments and misfortunes of Sir Thomas +Candish, in this disastrous voyage, are still preserved, but the most +copious is contained in his own narrative, addressed to Sir Tristram +Gorges, whom he constituted sole executor of his will. In this, Sir +Thomas attributes his miscarriage to the cowardice and defection of one +of his officers, in the following terms:--"The running away of the +villain Davis was the death of me, and the decay of the whole action, +and his treachery in deserting me the ruin of all." + +[Footnote 64: This portion of the voyage is taken from the supplement in +the Collection of Harris, to the circumnavigation of Sir Thomas +Candish.--E.] + +In this letter he complained also of mutinies, and that, by adverse +winds at S W. and W.S.W. he had been driven 400 leagues from the shore, +and from the latitude of 50° to that of 40° both S. He says also, that +he was surprised by winter in the straits, and sore vexed by storms, +having such frosts and snows in May as he had never before +witnessed,[65] so that forty of his men died, and seventy more of them +sickened, in the course of seven or eight days. Davis, as he says, +deserted him in the Desire, in lat. 47° S. The Roebuck continued along +with him to lat. 36° S. In consequence of transgressing his directions, +Captain Barker was slain on land with twenty-five men, and the boat +lost; and soon afterwards other twenty-five men met with a similar fate. +Ten others were forsaken at Spiritu Santo, by the cowardice of the +master of the Roebuck, who stole away, having six months provisions on +board for 120 men, and only forty-seven men in his ship. Another mutiny +happened at St Sebastians by the treachery of an Irishman, when Mr +Knivet and other six persons were left on shore. + +[Footnote 65: Sir Thomas Candish seems not to have been aware, that the +month of May, in these high antarctic or southern latitudes, was +precisely analogous with November in the high latitudes of the north, +and therefore utterly unfit for navigation.--E.] + +Intending again to have attempted passing through the straits, he was +tossed up and down in the tempestuous seas of the Southern Atlantic, and +came even at one time within two leagues of St Helena, but was unable to +reach that island. In his last letter, he declares that, rather than +return to England after so many disasters, he would willingly have gone +ashore in an island placed in lat. 8° in the charts. In this letter, he +states himself to be then scarcely able to hold a pen; and we learn that +he soon afterwards died of grief. The Leicester, in which Candish +sailed, came home, as did the Desire. The Black pinnace was lost; but +the fates of the Roebuck and the Dainty are no where mentioned. + +The miscarriage of this voyage was certainly prejudicial to the rising +trade and spirit of naval adventure in England. The ruin of Sir Thomas +Candish threw a damp on such undertakings among the English gentlemen; +and, on the return of these ships, several able and experienced seamen +were turned adrift, to gain their livings as they best might. These +thorough-bred seamen went to other countries; and, as knowledge is a +portable commodity, they made the best market they could of their +nautical experience in Holland and elsewhere. Among these was one Mr +Mellish, who had been a favourite of Sir Thomas Candish, and the +companion of all his voyages. This person offered his services to the +East India Company of Holland, then in its infancy; and, his proposals +being accepted, he was employed as pilot in the circumnavigation of +Oliver van Noort, which falls next in order to be related. + + +§ 3. _Continuation of the Voyage of the Desire, Captain Davis, after +parting from Sir Thomas Candish_. + +Not finding our general at Port Desire, as we had expected, and being +very slenderly provided, without sails, boat, oars, nails, cordage, and +other necessary stores, and very short of victuals, we were reduced to a +very unpleasant situation, not knowing how to proceed. Leaving +ourselves, however, to the providence of the Almighty, we entered the +harbour, and, by the good favour of God, we found a quiet and safe road, +which we knew not of before. Having moored our ship, by the help of the +boat belonging to the Black pinnace, we landed on the southern shore of +the bay, where we found a standing pool, which might contain some ten +tons of fresh water, by which we were greatly relieved and comforted. +From this pool we took more than forty tons of water, yet left it as +full as at first. At our former visit to this harbour, we were at this +very place and found no water, wherefore we persuaded ourselves that the +Almighty had sent this pool for our relief. We found here such +remarkably low ebbs as we had never before seen, by means of which we +procured muscles in great plenty. Providence also sent such great +abundance of smelts about our ship, that all the people were able to +take as many as they could eat, with hooks made of crooked pins. By +these means we husbanded the ship's provisions, and did not spend any of +them during our abode at this place. + +Considering what was best to be done in our present circumstances, that +we might find our general, and as it was obvious we could not refit our +ship for sea in less than a month, our captain and master concluded to +take the pinnace and go in search of the general, leaving the ship and a +considerable part of the men till the return of the general, who had +vowed he would return again to the straits. Hearing of this +determination, two pestilent fellows, named Charles Parker and Edward +Smith, secretly represented to the men, that the captain and master +meant to leave them to be devoured by cannibals, and had no intention to +come back; on which the whole company secretly agreed to murder the +captain, master, and all those who were thought their friends, among +whom I was included. This conspiracy was fortunately known to our +boatswain, who revealed it to the master, and he to the captain. To +appease this mutiny the captain found it necessary to desist from his +intentions, and it was concluded not to depart, but to wait at Port +Desire for the return of the general. After this the whole company, with +one consent, made a written testimonial of the circumstances by which we +had lost company of the general, and the indispensable necessity of +returning home. + +In this testimony or protest, dated Port Desire, 2d June, 1592, it is +represented, that the shrouds of the ship are all rotten, the ropes all +so decayed that they could not be trusted; the sails reduced to one +shift all worn, of which the topsails were utterly unable to abide any +stress of weather; the ship unprovided with pitch, tar, or nails for +repairs of any kind, and no means of supplying these wants; the +provisions reduced to five hogsheads of salt pork, and such quantity of +meal as admitted only an allowance of three ounces for a man each day, +and no drink remaining except water. This instrument is signed by John +Davis and Randolph Cotton, the captains of the Desire and Black pinnace, +and thirty-eight more, but the name John Jane, or Lane, does not appear +among them. + +After this, they proceeded to refit the ship with all expedition, for +which purpose they built a smith's forge, making charcoal for its +supply, and made nails, bolts, and spikes. Others of the crew were +employed in making ropes from a piece of cable; and others again in all +the necessary repairs of the ship, sails, and rigging; while those not +fit for such offices, gathered muscles and caught smelts for the whole +company. Three leagues from Port Desire there is an island, having four +small isles about it, on which there are great abundance of seals, and +where likewise penguins resort in vast numbers at the breeding season. +To this island it was resolved to dispatch the Black pinnace +occasionally, to fetch seals for us to eat, when smelts and muscles +failed, for we could get no muscles at neap-tides, and only when the ebb +was very low. + +In this miserable and forlorn condition we remained till the 6th of +August, 1592, still keeping watch on the hills to look out for our +general, suffering extreme anguish and vexation. Our hope of the +general's return becoming very cold, our captain and master were +persuaded that he might have gone directly for the straits; wherefore it +was concluded to go there and wait his coming, as there we could not +possibly miss seeing him if he came. This being agreed to by the whole +company, we set sail from Port Desire on the 6th August, and went to +Penguin island, where we salted twenty hogsheads of seals, which was as +much as our salt could do. We departed from Penguin island towards night +of the 7th August, intending for the straits. The 14th we were driven +among certain islands, never before discovered, fifty leagues or better +from the shore, east-northerly from the straits.[66] Fortunately the +wind shifted to the east, or we must have inevitably perished among +these islands, and we were enabled to shape our course for the straits. + +[Footnote 66: These are doubtless the Falkland Islands, or Malouines, +but to which no name seems to have been affixed on this occasion.--E.] + +We fell in with the cape [Virgin] on the 18th of August, in a very thick +fog, and that same night came to anchor ten leagues within the straits' +mouth. The 19th we passed the first and second narrows, doubled Cape +Froward on the 21st, and anchored on the 22d in a cove, or small bay, +which we named _Savage Cove_, because we here found savages. +Notwithstanding the excessive coldness of this place, yet do these +people go entirely naked, living in the woods like satyrs, painted and +disguised in a strange manner, and fled from us like so many wild deer. +They were very strong and agile, and threw stones at us, of three or +four pounds weight, from an incredible distance. We departed from this +cove on the 24th in the morning, and came that same day into the N.W. +reach of the straits, which is its last or most western reach. On the +25th we anchored in a good cove, within fourteen leagues of the South +Sea, where we proposed to await the return of our general, as the strait +at this place is only three miles broad, and he could not possibly pass +unseen. + +After we had remained here a fortnight, in the depth of winter, our +victuals fast consuming, and our salted seals stinking most vilely, our +men fell sick and died pitifully, through famine and cold, as most of +them had not clothes sufficient to defend them from the extreme rigour +of winter. In this heavy distress, our captain and master thought it +best to depart from the straits into the South Sea, and to proceed for +the island of Santa Maria in lat. 37° S. on the coast of Chili, which is +situated in a temperate climate, where we might find relief, and could +wait for our general, who must necessarily pass by that island. We +accordingly set sail on the 13th September, and came in sight of the +South Sea. The 14th we were driven back into the straits, and got into a +cove three leagues from the South Sea. We again stood out, and being +eight or ten leagues free of the land, the wind rose furiously at W.N.W. +and we were again forced to return into the straits, not daring to trust +to our sails in any stress of weather. We again got into the cove, +three leagues from the eastern mouth of the straits, where we had such +violent weather that one of our two remaining cables broke, and we were +almost in despair of saving our lives. Yet it pleased God to allay the +fury of the storm, and we unreeved our sheets, tacks, halyards, and +other ropes, and made fast our ship to the trees on shore, close by the +rocks. We laboured hard to recover our anchor again, which we could not +possibly effect, being, as we supposed, entirely covered over in the +ooze. + +We were now reduced to one anchor, which had only one whole fluke; and +had only one old cable, already spliced in two places, and a piece of +another old cable. In this extremity of trouble it pleased God that the +wind came fair on the 1st October, on which we loosed our land fastnings +with all expedition, weighed our anchor, and towed off into the channel; +for we had repaired our boat when in Port Desire, and got five oars from +the Black pinnace. On weighing our anchor we found the cable sore +broken, holding only by one strand, which was a most merciful +preservation. We now reeved our ropes and rigged our ship the best we +could, every man working as if to save our lives in the utmost +extremity. Our company was now much divided in opinion as to how we +should proceed for the best; some desiring to return to Port Desire, to +be there set on shore, and endeavour to travel by land to some of the +Spanish settlements, while others adhered to the captain and master: But +at length, by the persuasion of the master, who promised that they would +find wheat, pork, and roots in abundance at the island of St Mary, +besides the chance of intercepting some ships on the coasts of Chili and +Peru, while nothing but a cruel death by famine could be looked for in +attempting to return by the Atlantic, they were prevailed upon to +proceed. + +So, on the 2d of October, 1592, we again made sail into the South Sea, +and got free from the land. This night the wind again began to blow very +strong at west, and increased with such violence that we were in great +doubt what measures to pursue. We durst not put into the straits for +lack of ground tackle, neither durst we carry sail, the tempest being +very furious, and our sails very bad. In this extremity the pinnace bore +up to us, informing she had received many heavy seas, and that her ropes +were continually failing, so that they knew not what to do; but, unable +to afford her any relief; we stood on our course in view of a lee shore, +continually dreading a ruinous end of us all. The 4th October the storm +increased to an extreme violence; when the pinnace, being to windward, +suddenly _struck a hull_, when we thought she had sustained some violent +shock of a sea, or had sprung a leak, or that her sails had failed, +because she did not follow us. But we durst not _hull_ in this +unmerciful storm, sometimes _trying_ under our main-course, sometimes +with a _haddock_ of our sail; for our ship was very _leeward_, and +laboured hard in the sea. This night we lost sight of the pinnace, and +never saw her again. + +The 5th October, our foresail split, on which our master brought the +mizen-sail to the foremast to make the ship work, and we mended our +foresail with our spritsail. The storm still continued to rage with the +most extreme fury, with hail, snow, rain, and wind, such and so mighty +that it could not possibly in nature be worse; the seas running so +lofty, and with a continual breach, that we many times were in doubt +whether our ship did sink or swim. The 10th, the weather dark, the storm +as furious as ever, most of the men having given over labour from +fatigue and in despair, and being near the lee-shore by the reckoning +both of the captain and master, we gave ourselves up for lost, past all +remedy. While in this extremity of distress, the sun suddenly shone out +clear, by which the captain and master were enabled to ascertain the +latitude, and thereby knew what course to steer, so as to recover the +straits. Next day, the 11th October, we saw Cape Deseado, being the +southern point of the entrance into the straits, for the northern point +is a dangerous assemblage of rocks, shoals, and islands. The cape was +now two leagues to leeward, and the master was even in doubt whether we +might be able to steer clear of it; but there was no remedy, as we must +either succeed or be irretrievably lost. + +Our master, being a man of spirit, made quick dispatch, and steered for +the straits. Our sails had not been half an hour abroad for this purpose +when the foot-rope of the fore-sail broke, so nothing held save the +oilet-holes. The sea continually broke over our poop, and dashed with +such violence against our sails, that we every moment looked to have +them torn to pieces, or that the ship would overset. To our utter +discomfort also, we perceived that she fell still more and more to +leeward, so that we could not clear the cape. We were now within half a +mile of the cape, and so near shore that the counter surge of the sea so +rebounded against the side of our ship, that the horrors of our +situation were undescribably awful. While in this utmost extremity, the +wind and the sea raging beyond measure, and momentarily expecting to be +driven upon the rocks, our master veered away some of the main-sheet: +Whether owing to this, or by some counter current, or by the wonderful +interposition of God, our ship quickened her way and shot past the rock, +where we all thought she must have perished. Between this and the cape +there was a small bay, so that we were now somewhat farther from the +shore; but on coming to the cape, we again looked for nothing but +instant death; yet God, the father of mercy, delivered us, and we +doubled the cape little more than the length of our ship. When past the +cape, we took in all our sails, and, being between the high lands, the +wind _blowing trade_, or steadily in the direction of the straits, we +spooned before the sea under bare poles, three men being unable to +manage the helm, and in six hours we were driven twenty-five leagues +within the straits. + +In this time we freed our ship from water, and when we had rested a +while, our men became unable to move, their sinews being stiff, and +their flesh as if dead. Many of them were so covered and eaten with +lice, that there lay clusters of them in their flesh as large as peas, +yea, some as big as beans. In this state of misery we were constrained +to put into a cove to refresh our men, where we moored to the trees as +we had done before, our only anchor being to seaward. We here continued +till the 20th of October; and being unable to continue longer, through +the extremity of famine, we again put off into the channel on the 22d, +the weather being then reasonably calm. Before night the wind blew hard +at W.N.W. The storm waxed so violent that our men could scarcely stand +to their labour; and the straits being full of turnings and windings, we +had to trust entirely to the discretion of the captain and master to +guide the ship during the darkness of the night, when we could see no +shore, and the straits were in some places scarcely three miles broad. +When we first passed these straits, our captain made so excellent a +draught of them, as I am confident cannot in any sort be made more +correct. Which draught he and the master so carefully considered, that +they had every turning, creek, and head-land so perfectly in their +memory, as enabled them, even in the deepest darkness of the night, +undoubtingly to convey the ship through that crooked channel. + +The 25th October we came to an island in the straits, named Penguine +Isle, where the boat was sent ashore to seek relief, as it abounded +with birds, and the weather was calm; so we came to anchor near the +island, in seven fathoms. While the boat was ashore, where we got +abundance of penguins, there rose a sudden storm, by which our ship was +driven over a breach, and our boat sunk at the shore. Captain Cotton and +the lieutenant, who were both on shore, leapt into the boat, and freed +it of water, throwing away the birds, and with great difficulty got back +to the ship. All this time the ship was driving upon the lee-shore; and +when we got on board, we helped to weigh the anchor and make sail. Thus, +in a severe storm, we got clear of the straits on the 27th October; and +on the 30th we got to that Penguin Island which is three leagues from +Port Desire, where we purposed to seek relief. Immediately on coming to +this isle, our boat was sent ashore, and returned laden with birds and +eggs, the men reporting that the penguins were so thick on the isle, +that even ships might be laden with them, as they could not step without +treading on these birds; at which news we greatly rejoiced. + +Then the captain appointed Charles Parker and Edmund Smith, with twenty +others, to go on shore, and remain on the island, on purpose to kill and +dry these penguins: promising to send others when the ship was safe in +harbour, not only for expedition, but to save the small store of +victuals that remained in the ship. But Parker and Smith, with the rest +of their faction, remembering that this was the place where they +intended formerly to have slain the captain and master, thought it was +meant here to leave them on shore out of revenge, and refused to land. +After some altercation, these men were allowed to proceed in the ship, +and ten others were left in the island. The last day of October we +entered the harbour of Port Desire. The master, having at our being +there before taken notice of every creek in the river, ran our ship +aground in a very convenient place on the sandy ooze, laying our anchor +out to seawards, and mooring her with the running ropes to stakes on +shore, in which situation the ship remained till our departure. + +The 3d November our boat was sent off for Penguin Island, with wood and +water, and as many men as she could carry; but, being deep laden, she +durst not proceed, and returned again the same night. Then Parker, +Smith, Townsend, Purpet, and five others, desired that they might go by +land, and that the boat might fetch them from the shore opposite the +isle, being scarcely a mile across. The captain bid them do as they +thought best, only advised them to carry weapons, as they might meet +with savages; so they accordingly carried calivers, swords, and targets, +departing by land on the 6th November, while the boat went by sea. But +these nine men were never more heard of. On the 11th, when most of our +men were at the island, only the captain, master, and five more +remaining in the ship, there came a great multitude of savages to the +shore beside the ship, throwing dust into the air, leaping and running +about like so many beasts, having vizards on their faces like dogs, or +else their faces actually resembled dogs. We greatly feared they would +have set the ship on fire, for they would suddenly make fire, at which +we were greatly astonished. They came to windward of the ship, and set +the bushes on fire, so that we were enveloped in a very stinking smoke; +but coming within shot of us, we fired at them, and hitting one on the +thigh, they all fled instantly away, and we never heard or saw them +more. Hence we judged that these savages had slain our nine men, who +were the ringleaders of those who would formerly have murdered our +captain and master, with the rest of their friends; so that God +evidently drew just judgment upon them, and we supplicated his divine +Majesty to be merciful to us. + +While we lay in this harbour, our captain and master went one day in the +boat to see how far the river could be penetrated, that if need enforced +us, it might be known how far we might proceed by water. They found that +this river was only navigable by the boat for twenty miles. On their +return, the boat was sent to Penguin Island, by which we learnt that the +penguins dried to our entire satisfaction, and were in infinite numbers. +This penguin is shaped like a bird, having stumps only in place of +wings, by which it swims under water as swiftly as any fish. They live +upon smelts, which are found in vast abundance on this coast. In eating, +these penguins seem neither fish nor flesh. They lay large eggs; and the +bird is about as large as two ducks. All the time we remained at Port +Desire, we fared well on penguins and their eggs, young seals, young +gulls, and other birds of which I know not the names, all of which we +had in vast abundance. In this place also we found plenty of an herb +called scurvy-grass, which we eat fried in seal-oil along with eggs, +which so purified the blood, that it entirely removed all kind of +swellings, of which many had died, and restored us all to as perfect +health as when we first left England. + +We remained in this harbour till the 22d of December, 1592, in which +time we had dried 20,000 penguins. In this time also the captain, with +the master and I, made some salt, by filling some holes in the rocks +with sea-water, which in six days was changed to salt by evaporation, it +being now Midsummer in this southern hemisphere. Thus did God feed us in +the desert, even as with manna from heaven. The 22d December we departed +from Port Desire for Penguin island, where, with great difficulty, we +got 14,000 of the dried birds on board, during which we had nearly lost +our captain; and had not our master been very expert in the set of the +tides, which ran in many cross directions, we had lost our ship. + +We now shaped our course for Brazil, under a regulated allowance of +provisions, so that our victuals might last six months, in which time we +hoped we might get back to England, though our sails were very bad. This +allowance was, two ounces and a half of meal for each man, two days only +in the week, or five ounces for a week; three days a week, three +spoonfulls of oil were allowed to each man; two days a week, a pint of +peas among four men; and every day five dried penguins among four men, +with six quarts of water each day to four men. With this allowance, +praised be God, we lived, though weak and feeble. + +The 30th January, 1593, we arrived at the isle of Placencia, or Ilha +Grande, in Brazil, the first place at which we touched when outwards +bound. The ship laying off at sea, the captain went aland in the boat +with twenty-four men, being the whole night before he could reach the +shore. He landed next day at sun-rise, hoping to catch the Portuguese in +their houses, and by that means to procure a supply of casava meal; but +on coming to the houses, we found them all burnt to the ground, so that +we thought no one had remained on the island. The captain then went to +the gardens, whence he brought a quantity of fruits and roots for the +company, and returned on board. He then brought the ship into a fine +creek, where she was moored to the trees on each side, at a place where +we had plenty of fresh water. Our case being very desperate, we +presently set to work to trim and repair our water-casks, the coopers +making new hoops; while others laboured to repair the sails, keeping +always a guard on shore, and every man having always his weapons ready +at hand. The 3d February, thirty men well armed went to the gardens, +three miles from where the ship lay, to dig cassavi-roots, to serve our +company instead of bread. This was again repeated on the 5th. They +laboured in quietness all the morning; and about ten o'clock, the heat +being extreme, they came to a rock near the side of the wood, where they +boiled cassavi-roots for dinner. After dinner, some went to sleep, and +others to bathe in the sea, no one keeping watch, not a match lighted, +nor even a piece charged. While in this unprovided state, and out of +sight from the ship, there came suddenly upon them a multitude of +Portuguese and Indians, who slew them all to the number of thirteen, two +only escaping, one of these very sore hurt, and the other not touched, +from whom we learnt the circumstances of this sad massacre. + +We manned the boat with all speed, and went ashore, if happily we might +succour our men; but we found them all slain, and laid naked in a row, +with their faces upwards, and a cross set up beside them. We saw also +two large pinnaces coming from Rio de Janeiro, full of men, who, as we +supposed, were intended to take us. We were now much reduced, as of +seventy-six persons we had on board when we left England, there were now +only twenty-seven of us remaining, thirty-two having died formerly, and +thirteen being slain in this place. Between those formerly slain by the +savages at Port Desire, and those now in the island of Placencia by the +Portuguese, all those who had conspired to murder our captain and master +were now cut off, the gunner only excepted. Our casks were so greatly +decayed, that we could not take in a sufficient supply of water, and +what we had was exceedingly bad. Having lost several muskets on shore, +which had belonged to our slain men, with good store of powder and shot, +we expected to be beaten from our decks by means of our own weapons, by +the Portuguese on the island, joined by those coming from Janeiro: and +as we were moored to the trees, for want of cables and anchors, we were +in dread of having our mooring ropes cut. In this miserable state we +knew not what measures to pursue. To depart with only eight tons of bad +water, and in bad casks, were to run the risk of starving at sea, and to +remain seemed inevitable ruin. These were severe alternatives; but in +our perplexity we preferred trusting to the hand of God than to the +mercy of our enemies, and concluded to depart. Wherefore, on the 6th +February, we unmoored and removed our ship into the channel, putting all +our ordnance and small arms in readiness in case of an assault, and +having a small gale of wind, we put to sea in deep distress. + +Thus bemoaning our sad estate, and recounting our past misfortunes, we +came to Cape Frio; being much crossed for three weeks by contrary winds, +and our water running short, we were reduced to the utmost distress and +perplexity. Some of the people were desirous of going into Bahia, and +submitting to the Portuguese, rather than die of thirst; but our captain +persuaded them against this measure. In this extremity, it pleased God +to send us such abundant rain, that we were enabled to supply ourselves +with water. On getting into the hot climate near the line, our dried +penguins began to corrupt, and there bred in them many loathsome worms, +an inch in length. These worms increased with astonishing rapidity, +devouring our victuals so fast that we now seemed doomed to die of +famine, as before of thirst We were even in danger of being eaten up by +these worms, which devoured every thing except iron. They so gnawed the +timbers of our ship, that we feared they would eat holes through her +sides. We used every possible contrivance to destroy these noisome +vermin, but they seemed only to increase so much the more, so that at +last they would eat our flesh, and bite us like mosquitoes when we were +asleep. + +In this woeful plight, after we had passed the equator towards the +north, our men began to fall sick of a most terrible disease, such as, I +believe, was never before heard of. It began with a swelling in their +ankles, which in two days rose up as high as their breasts, so that they +could not breathe. It then fell into the scrotum, which, with the penis, +swelled in a most grievous manner, so that they could neither stand, +walk, nor lie; and many of them became frantic with grief and distress. +Our captain, with extreme distress of mind, was in so miserable a +condition, that he wished to die; yet, while scarcely able to speak for +sorrow, he continued to exhort us all to patience and reliance on God, +desiring us to accept our chastisement like dutiful and thankful +children. In this state of misery and wretchedness, several died raving +mad, and others in a most loathsome state, or in dreadful pain and +agony. None in the ship remained in perfect health, except the captain +and one boy; the master also, though oppressed with extreme labour and +anxiety, bore up with spirit, so that his disease did not overcome him. + +At length all our men died except sixteen, five only of whom were able +to move. These were, the captain, who was in good health, the master +indifferent, Captain Cotton and myself swollen and short-winded, yet +better than the other sick men, and the boy in good health. Upon us five +the whole labour of the ship rested. The captain and master, as happened +to be necessary, took in and left out the topsails. The master by +himself attended to the sprit-sail, and all of us the capstan, being +utterly unable to work sheets and tacks. Our misery and weakness were so +extreme, that we were utterly unable to take in or set a sail; so that +our top-sails and sprit-sail were at length torn in pieces by the +weather. The captain and master had to take their turns at the helm, +where they were inexpressibly grieved and distressed by the continual +and sad lamentations of our few remaining sick men. + +Thus lost wanderers on the ocean, unable to help ourselves, it pleased +God, on the 11th of June, 1593, that we arrived at Beerhaven in Ireland, +and ran the ship there on shore. The Irish helped us to take in our +sails, and to moor the ship so as to float her off next tide; for which +slender aid it cost the captain ten pounds, before he could get the ship +into a state of safety. Thus, without men, sails, victuals, or other +means, God alone guided us into Ireland. Here the captain left the +master and three or four more of the company to keep the ship; and +within five days after our arrival, he and some others got a passage in +a fishing-boat to Padstow in Cornwall. For the merciful preservation of +this our small remnant, and our restoration to our country, be all +honour and glory to God, now and for ever.--_Amen_. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +VOYAGE OF OLIVER VAN NOORT ROUND THE WORLD IN 1598--1601.[67] + + * * * * * + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The inhabitants of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, after their +separation from the Spanish monarchy, found themselves extremely at a +loss for means to supply the expences of the long and vigorous war in +which they were engaged for the defence of their liberties. This gave +them the more uneasiness, as their great enemy, Philip II. carried on +the war against them, more by the length of his purse than the force of +his arms, and because the riches, of the Spanish monarchy were derived +from sources of commerce and colonization that were prohibited to them, +even if they had submitted themselves to the yoke of Spain. The sense, +therefore, of these difficulties, joined to the vast advantages they +were likely to reap by overcoming them, induced the government and +people of Holland to prosecute the advancement of trade in general with +the greatest vigour, and particularly to establish a commercial +intercourse with the East and West Indies, the great sources of wealth +to their tyrannical oppressor and enemy, from whom they had revolted. + +[Footnote 67: Harris, I. 31.--Two editions of this voyage were published +in Dutch, both in folio; one at Rotterdam without date; and the other at +Amsterdam in 1602. _Bib, Univer. des Voyages_, I. 115.] + +Among other inducements to this course of proceeding, they were not a +little encouraged by the progress made by their neighbours, the English; +seeing that even private persons, and with a small force, had been able +to disquiet the Spaniards exceedingly; and had at the same time acquired +great riches to themselves. Another cause of attempting expeditions like +the present, was their having failed in their first scheme of finding a +new passage to the East Indies, than that with which the Spaniards and +Portuguese were acquainted, which they had often and unsuccessfully +endeavoured to explore by the north-east, with great hazard and expence. +Their first voyages to the East Indies proving more fortunate even than +they themselves had expected, they were tempted to proceed farther, and +to distress their enemies likewise in the South Sea, which hitherto had +only been done by the English. + +The distressed states of Holland, however, were not hitherto so +powerful at sea as to attempt acting offensively against the king of +Spain on that element; but contented themselves with giving power and +authority to any of their subjects who were inclined to venture upon +expeditions of this nature, at their own risk and expence, so as at the +same time to join their own private advantage with the public good, by +fitting out squadrons for these distant and hazardous voyages. This +policy, though arising in some measure from necessity, was conducted +with such wisdom and address, that the king of Spain soon found himself +more distressed by the armaments of the Dutch merchants, than by all the +forces of the United States. This is a plain proof; that the surest way +to render any government powerful, is to interest the people in general +in its support: For this raises such spirit among them, and is followed +by such unexpected consequences, as no art or force can withstand. + +In the beginning of the year 1598, some eminent merchants in the united +provinces, among whom were Peter van Bueren, Hugo Gerritz, and John +Bennick, formed a design of sending some stout ships through the Straits +of Magellan into the South Sea, to cruise against the Spaniards; to +which design they were chiefly instigated by the reports of many English +seamen, who had served in these parts, under Drake, Candish, and +Hawkins, and other experienced officers. The purpose of the present +expedition, was to cruise upon the coasts belonging to the Spaniards, +and to force the enemy of peace to bear the expences of those wars in +which he obliged other people unwillingly to engage. They also proposed +by it to gain nautical experience, if it should be found practicable to +continue the voyage by the Philippines, and so round by the Cape of Good +Hope, circumnavigating the globe. + +As the success of this important enterprise greatly depended upon the +choice of a _general_, for so in those days the Dutch, and most other +nations, denominated the commander in chief, whether by sea or land, the +adventurers took great care to provide themselves with a person of +established character, both in regard to conduct and courage. The person +chosen on this occasion was Oliver van Noort, a native of Utrecht, in +the flower of his age, and who had a strong passion to acquire glory. To +him they communicated their scheme, which he readily embraced; and their +terms being speedily adjusted, they proceeded to fit out two stout +vessels one named the Maurice, and the other the Henry Frederick, +together with two yachts, railed the Concord and the Hope, the whole +being manned by 248 persons of all ranks and conditions. + +Of this small fleet, Oliver van Noort was appointed admiral, and sailed +in the Maurice; James Claas van Ulpenda was captain of the Henry +Frederick, with the title of vice-admiral, Captain Peter van Lint +commanded the Concord, and John Huidecoope was captain of the Hope. +These were all men of experience in sea affairs, and capable of +maintaining their authority on all occasions, and were all interested in +the success of the voyage, by means of shares in the outfit; a proper +precaution then, and ever since usual among the Dutch in all such cases, +to prevent their expeditions from suffering by private views, or want of +hearty concurrence in their officers: which, among other nations, is +often the cause of failure, and for which this method is, perhaps, the +only cure. + +All things being in readiness, and crews provided for all the vessels, +the proprietors presented a petition to the Board of Admiralty of +Rotterdam, upon which all who were concerned were summoned to compeer: +and, on the 28th June, 1598, the rules and regulations for the +government of all concerned in this expedition, having been previously +drawn up by the company of adventurers, revised by the admiralty and +approved of by the Stadtholder, Prince Maurice, were publicly read over +to them, and every man sworn to obey them. These sailing orders are +called Artykelbreefs by the Dutch, and are never suffered to be put in +force, till they have received this kind of sanction from the state, +when they become the law of the voyage, to which all concerned are +subject, and must undergo the penalties contained in them, for breach of +any of the articles. This circumstance is worthy of remark and imitation +by other nations, and is a strong proof of the care paid by that +republic to the commercial welfare of its citizens. + + +SECTION I. + +_Narrative of the Voyage_. + +On the 13th of September, 1598, the Maurice and Concord sailed from the +port of Gocree; and, being joined by the Henry Frederick and Hope, from +Amsterdam, the whole fleet proceeded for Plymouth, where their English +pilot, Mr Mellish, who had been the companion of Sir Thomas Candish in +his navigations, was to take in his apparel and other necessaries. They +sailed from Plymouth on the 21th September, the wind then blowing a +fresh gale at N.E. Next morning, being out of the channel, they +perceived that the boat belonging to the vice-admiral was missing, in +which were six men, which gave them considerable uneasiness, insomuch +that they had some intention of returning to Plymouth in search of them. +They met, however, with an English privateer, which soon made them alter +their intentions; by assuring them that their men had run away with the +boat, and could not be recovered, on which they resolved to proceed on +their voyage. At this time considerable jealousies sprung up, respecting +the capacity and conduct of the vice-admiral, which were soon increased +by his losing his other boat and one man, and which could not be +recovered by all their care. This carelessness occasioned much murmuring +and discontent among the seamen, which the vice-admiral daily increased +by his haughty behaviour, and by his contempt for advice, which no man +needed more than he. + +The 4th October, they met a small fleet of English, Dutch, and French +ships, returning from Barbary, from whom they had accounts of a terrible +pestilence then raging in that country, which had swept away 250,000 +persons in a very short space of time. The 6th, they came between the +islands of Teneriff and Grand Canary, and on the 3d November, they came +in sight of the coast of Guinea. December 4th they were off Cape Palma, +in lat. 3° 30' N.[68] and on the 10th came in sight of Princes Island, +in lat. 1° N.[69] Sending their boats ashore to this island, carrying a +flag of truce, they were met on the shore by a negro, bearing a similar +flag, from whom they demanded a supply of provisions, which was accorded +on fair and friendly terms; but, while settling the terms, they were +suddenly surprised by a party from an ambush, which cut off several of +them, one of whom was Mr Mellish, their English pilot. The Portuguese +pursued them to their boats, which they briskly attached, killing the +admiral's brother, and had nearly captured the whole party. In revenge +of this outrage, it was determined in a council of war to attack the +castle; but finding this enterprize too hazardous, they contented +themselves with burning all the sugar ingenios. After this exploit, +having provided themselves with fresh water, they set sail on the 17th. + +[Footnote 68: Cape Formosa is probably here meant, which is in 4° 18' +N.--E.] + +[Footnote 69: The latitude of Princes Island is 1° 40' N.--E.] + +They reached Cape Gonçalves on the 25th, where the wind usually blows +from the land all night, and from the sea all day. Here they found two +Dutch ships, which informed them of the loss of Captain Sleerhagen and +most of his company at Princes Island; as also of the voyage of Peter +Verhagen, who had entered the river of Congo, and had afterwards buried +thirty-eight of his company at Cape Gonçalves, whence he had gone some +time before their arrival to Annobon. + +January 1st, 1589, they passed the island of Annobon, in lat. 2° S. [1° +30' S.] and on the 28th of that month had the sun in their zenith. The +5th of March they reached Cape St Thomas on the coast of Brazil, in lat. +22° S. [21° 15']. The 6th they passed Cape Fair, and came that evening +to Cape Frio, and on the 9th reached Rio de Janeiro. After some loss of +time, and having several of their men cut off by their grand enemy the +Portuguese, they went to the island of St Sebastian, in lat. 24° S. +where the comforts of a good harbour, plenty of fresh water, and an +abundant supply of wood gave them much satisfaction; but no fruits were +to be had at that season. + +They encountered a heavy storm on the 14th of March, by which the +vice-admiral and the Hope were separated from the admiral, but they met +again on the 17th. The scurvy now began to make rapid progress among the +company; which, together with the approach of the antarctic winter, +determined them to put in at St Helena. Missing that island, they next +endeavoured to fall in with the island of Ascension, or some other +island where they might procure refreshments; but their hard fortune +brought them to a very barren and desolate island in the lat. of 20° 30' +S.[70] where they could procure no refreshments, except a few fowls +called _Malle Mewen,_[71] which they knocked down with clubs. + +[Footnote 70: The island of Trinidad is nearly in the indicated +latitude.--E.] + +[Footnote 71: These were probably young unfledged sea-gulls, called in +provincial English _Malls, Maws_, and _Mews,_ not unlike the Dutch names +in the text; where perhaps we ought to read Malle _or_ Mewen.--E.] + +Soon leaving this inhospitable place, they put to sea again, and on the +1st of June, while endeavouring to reach Ascension, they got back to the +coast of Brazil. Not being suffered to land any where on the continent, +they sailed to the isle of Santa Clara, an island of about a mile round, +and as much from the continent, in lat. 21° 15' S. This island afforded +little else beyond herbs, but they found here a sour fruit resembling +plums, which cured all their sick men in fifteen days. They sailed from +thence for Port Desire, in lat 47° 40' S. on the 16th June, and reached +that place on the 20th September, after enduring much bad weather. They +procured abundance of penguins and fish, at an island three miles south +from Port Desire; killing to the number of 50,000 penguins, which are +nearly as large as geese, and procured a vast quantity of their eggs, by +which their people were greatly refreshed, and the sick restored. Going +up the river on the 5th October, and landing in the country, they found +animals resembling stags, together with buffaloes, and ostriches in +great numbers, and even found some of the nests of these birds, in which +were as far as nineteen eggs. The 20th, the admiral went ashore to view +the country, leaving orders with those who were left in charge of the +boats, not to leave them a moment on any account: But they, having a +mind also to see the country, ventured upon a short ramble, when they +fell into an ambush of the savages, who slew three of their number, and +wounded the fourth. These savages were very tall portly men, painted, +and armed with short bows, and arrows headed with stone. + +Leaving Port Desire on the 29th September, they reached Cape Virgin at +the entrance into the Straits of Magellan on the 24th November. The land +here is low and plain, and from the whiteness of the coast somewhat +resembles the chalk cliffs of England in the channel. In many attempts +to enter the straits, they were beaten back by tempests of wind, +accompanied by rain, hail, and snow. They lost their anchors, and broke +their cables, and sickness, together with contention, which is worse +than any disease, were added to their other calamities. All these so +retarded the progress of the voyage, that it was near fifteen months +after leaving Holland before they could make their way into the straits. +They observed the land to trend from Cape Virgin to the S.W. and the +mouth of the straits to be fourteen miles distant from that cape, and +half a mile wide.[72] On the 25th November, they saw some men on two +islands near Cape Nassau, who shook their weapons at the Hollanders, as +in defiance. The Dutch landed, and pursued the savages into a cave, +which they bravely defended to the last man, and were all slain on the +spot. Going now into this dark cave, the Dutch found the women and +children of the slain savages, when the mothers, expecting present death +to themselves and their infants, covered their little ones with their +own bodies, as if determined to receive the first stab. But the Dutch +did them no other injury, except taking away four boys and two girls, +whom they carried on ship board. + +[Footnote 72: These must necessarily be Dutch miles, 15 to the degree, +each equal to nearly 4.66 English miles. By the mouth of the straits in +the text, must be understood what is called the Narrows of the +Hope.--E.] + +From one of these boys, after he had learnt the Dutch language, they had +the following intelligence. The larger of the two islands was named +_Castemme_ by the natives, and the tribe inhabiting it _Enoo_. The +smaller island was called _Talche_. Both were frequented by great +numbers of penguins, the flesh of which served the natives as food, and +their skins for cloathing. Their only habitations were caves. The +neighbouring continent abounded in ostriches, which they also used as +food. The natives of these dreary regions were distinguished into +tribes, each having their respective residences. The _Kemenetes_ dwelt +in _Kaesay;_ the _Kennekin_ in _Karamay_; the _Karaiks_ in _Morina_: All +these are of the ordinary size, but broad-breasted, and painted all +over; the men tying up their pudenda in a string, and the women covering +their parts of shame with the skins of a penguin; the men wearing their +hair long, while that of the women was kept very short; and both sexes +going naked, except cloaks made of penguin skins, reaching only to the +waist. There was also a fourth tribe, called _Tirimenen_, dwelling in +_Coin_, who were of a gigantic stature, being ten or twelve feet +high,[73] and continually at war with the other tribes. + +[Footnote 73: This absurdity might be pardoned in the ignorant savage +boy, who knew neither numerals nor measures; but in the grave reporters +it is truly ridiculous, and yet the lie has been renewed almost down to +the close of the eighteenth century.--E.] + +The 28th November, the navigators went over to the continent, or north +side of the straits, seeing some whales at a distance, and observed a +pleasant river, about which were some beautiful trees with many parrots. +Owing to this fine prospect, they called the mouth of this river _Summer +Bay_. The 29th they made sail for _Port Famine_, where the land trends +so far to the south, that the main land of Patagonia and the islands of +Terra del Fuego seemed, when seen afar off, to join together. They found +here no remains of the late city of King Philip, except a heap of +stones. The straits are here four miles wide, having hills of vast +height on both sides, perpetually covered with snow. At Port Famine they +cut down wood to build a boat, and found the bark of the trees to be hot +and biting like pepper.[74] Not finding good water at this place, and +indeed doubting if it were Port Famine, they proceeded onwards, and +found a good river two miles farther west on the 1st December. Next day +they doubled Cape Froward, with some danger, on account of bad anchorage +and contrary winds. + +[Footnote 74: The Wintera aromatica, the bark of which is called +Winter's bark, said to have been first discovered by Captain Winter in +1567, on the coast of Terra Magellanica. The sailors employed this bark +as a spice, and found it salutary in the scurvy.--E.] + +Passing four miles beyond this cape, they anchored in a large bay, where +was a plant resembling sneezwort, which they found serviceable in the +scurvy; also another plant, which rendered those who eat of it +distracted for a time. They here fell in with two ships belonging to the +fleet under Verhagen, which had been driven back out of the South Sea, +one of which was commanded by Sebaldt de Weert, who told them he had +been five months in the straits, and had only thirty-eight remaining +out of 110 men, and not being able to bear up against the storms in the +South Sea, had been forced to put in here, while the rest of the fleet +under Verhagen held on their course.[75] These ships wished to have +joined the expedition under Van Noort, but were forced to remain in the +straits for want of provisions, which the others could not spare. They +afterwards got back to Holland on the 13th July, 1600. + +[Footnote 75: The voyage of Verhagen, or so much of it rather as relates +to the adventures of Sebaldt de Weert, follows the present voyage of Van +Noort in the Collection by Harris, vol. I. pp. 37-44; and is, therefore, +retained in the same situation on the present occasion.--E.] + +Van Noort and his ships left this bay on the 2d January, 1600, directing +their course for Maurice bay, which they found to extend far to the +eastwards, and to receive several rivers, the mouths of which were +filled with vast quantities of ice, which seemed never to melt. It was +now near midsummer of this southern clime, and the ice was so thick that +they could not find its bottom with a line of ten fathoms. The land here +seemed a congeries of broken islands, yet appearing like one continued +mass, owing to the height of the mountains. They were here much +distressed by hunger and continual rains, and two of their men were +slain by the savages, while gathering muscles, which formed their chief +subsistence. After weathering many storms in _Meniste_ bay, and having +several encounters with the savages, they set sail on the 17th, and were +driven into Penguin bay, or Goose bay, three miles from Meniste bay, and +receiving its name from the vast multitude of penguins found there. At +this place, James Claas van Ulpenda, the vice-admiral, was arraigned +before a council of war, for various breaches of the articles sworn to +before proceeding on the voyage. Having a fair trial, and sufficient +time allowed him for his defence, he was condemned to be turned ashore +in the straits, with a small supply of provisions, and allowed to shift +for himself among the wild beasts and more savage inhabitants, which +sentence was accordingly executed, so that he doubtless soon fell a prey +either to hunger or the natives, who are implacable enemies to all +strangers. + +They entered another bay on the 1st February, which they called Popish +bay, probably owing to some cross erected on its shore, and in which +they were exposed to much danger. On the 27th, they saw at a distance a +huge mountain of ice in Penguin bay. The 28th they passed Cape Deseado, +or Desire, into the South Sea, bidding adieu to the many dismal +prospects of the Straits of Magellan. Their company, originally 248 men, +was now reduced to 147, but was soon still farther lessened by losing +company of the Henry Frederick, which never rejoined. Waiting for that +ship in vain till the 12th March, they sailed to the island of Mocha on +the coast of Chili, in lat. 38° 22' S. and six miles [twenty English] +from the continent. This island is remarkable by a high mountain in the +middle, which is cloven at the top, and whence a water-course descends +into the vale land at its foot. They here bartered knives and hatchets +with the natives for sheep, poultry, maize, _bartulas_,[76] and other +fruits. The town consisted of about fifty straw huts, where the Dutch +were regaled with a sour kind of drink, called _cici_, made of maiz +steeped in water, which is the favourite drink of the Chilese at their +feasts. Polygamy is much practised among these people, who buy as many +wives as they can afford to maintain; so that a man who has many +daughters, especially if they be handsome, is accounted rich. If one man +kill another, he is judged by the relations of the deceased, as they +have no laws or magistrates among them, so that the murderer may +sometimes buy off his punishment by giving a drinking-bout of _cici_. +Their cloathing is manufactured from the wool of a large kind of sheep, +which animal they also employ to carry burdens. They would not sell any +of these, but parted freely with another kind, not very different. + +[Footnote 76: This probably means battatas or potatoes, a native +production of Chili.--E.] + +From thence they went to the island of St Mary, in lat. 37° S. eighteen +miles [ninety-five English] from Mocha, where they fell in with a +Spanish ship carrying lard and meal from Conception to Valdivia in +Araucania, which they chased and took. The pilot of this ship informed +them that they would not be able to return to the island of St Mary, +owing to the south wind, and that two Spanish ships of war were waiting +for them at Arica. Upon this information they resolved to sail for +Valparaiso, and by that means quite lost all chance of being rejoined by +the Henry Frederick, which might otherwise have got up with them. +Besides, they concluded that the missing ship had failed to find St +Mary's isle, owing to its being wrong placed in the map of Plancius, in +lat. 38° S. which error they themselves had fallen into, had they not +been set right by the observations of Mr Mellish. They were farther +confirmed in the resolution of not returning to the island of St Mary, +by hearing of the misfortune which had there befallen Simon de Cordes, +who was there butchered with twenty-three of his men, after being +invited on shore in a friendly manner by the Indians, owing to the +treachery of the Spaniards endeavouring to get possession of his two +ships, and sending intelligence to Lima and all about the country of the +arrival of the Dutch in these seas, with a list of their ships, and the +names of all their commanders. For these reasons they proceeded to +Valparaiso, where they took two ships and killed some Indians, but all +the Spaniards escaped on shore. Valparaiso is in lat. 35° 5' S. And +about eighteen miles inland, [100 English miles] is the town of St Jago, +abounding in red wine and sheep. They kill these animals merely for the +sake of their tallow, with which alone they load many vessels. Here they +received letters from the captain of the Flying Hart, one of the +squadron under Verhagen, who had been treacherously captured by the +Spaniards; owing, as he alleged, to the wrong placement of the island of +St Mary in the map, by which he had been misled. + +At Valparaiso they intercepted some letters giving an account of the +wars in Chili between the Spaniards and the Indians, who it seems were +in rebellion, had sacked the town of Valdivia, putting vast numbers of +Spaniards to the sword, and carrying off many captives. They burnt the +houses and churches, knocking off the heads of the popish images, +crying, "Down go the gods of the Spaniards." They then crammed the +mouths of these images with gold, bidding them satisfy themselves with +that, for the sake of which their votaries had committed so many +barbarous massacres of their nation. They afterwards laid close siege to +the city of Imperial, and had almost starved the Spanish garrison into a +surrender. The valiant Indians who undertook this enterprise were about +5000, of whom 5000 were cavalry, 100 were armed with muskets, and 70 had +corslets, all of which were plunder they had taken from the Spaniards. +They so mortally hate the Spaniards, that they rip up the breasts of all +they overcome, tearing out their hearts with their teeth, and they +delight to drink their favourite liquor from a cup made of a Spaniard's +skull. + +These Indians [the Araucans] are for the most part very stout, and +skilful soldiers, and commit the management of all their military +affairs to the direction of one supreme general, whose orders are +implicitly obeyed. Their method of election to this high dignity is very +singular; for he who carries a certain log of wood on his shoulders the +longest, and with the smallest appearance of weariness, is saluted +general by the army. In this trial several carried the log four, five, +and six hours; but at length one carried it twenty-four hours on end, +and this person was now general. The whole of Chili, from St Jago to +Valdivia, is one of the most fertile and most delightful countries in +the world. It abounds in all kinds of cattle and fruit, has many rich +gold mines, and its climate is so sweet and salubrious as to exclude the +use of medicine, being health and life in itself. + +They entered the bay of Guasco[77] on the 1st April, where they remained +till the 7th. The 11th they came into a large bay, named _Moro Gorch_, +in lat. 18° 30' S. ten miles from which is _Moro Moreno_, from which the +shore runs to Arica, and all this coast, up to the hill of St Francis, +is very much subject to south winds, though the adjoining seas have the +winds variable and uncertain. On the 20th the whole air was darkened by +an _Arenal_ which is a cloud of dust, and so thick that one cannot see a +stone's throw. These are raised by the wind from the adjoining shore, +and are very common in these parts. The 25th they were within view of +the famous city of Lima in Peru. At this time they learnt the value of +the treasure of which the Spaniards had deprived them, in the ships they +took on the coast of Chili. Nicholas Peterson, the captain of one of +these prizes, acquainted Van Noort that he had been informed by a negro +of a great quantity of gold having been on board the ship, as he +believed to the amount of three tons, having helped to carry a great +part of it on board. On this information the admiral closely examined +the Spanish pilot, who at first denied all knowledge of any gold; but +another negro having corroborated the information, with some farther +circumstances, the pilot at last owned that they had on board fifty-two +chests, each containing four arobas of gold, and besides these 500 bars +of the same metal, weighing from eight to ten and twelve pounds each; +all of which, together with what private stock belonged to any of the +company, the captain had ordered to be thrown overboard in the night, +when first chased, amounting in the whole to about 10,200 pounds weight +of gold; and, from its fineness, worth about two million pieces of +eight, or Spanish silver dollars. Upon this the admiral ordered the ship +and all the prisoners to be searched, but there was only found a single +pound of gold dust, tied up in a rag, in the breeches pocket of the +Spanish pilot. The prisoners owned that all this gold was brought from +the island of St Mary, from mines discovered only three years before; +and that there were not more than three or four Spaniards on that +island, and about 200 Indians, only armed with bows and arrows. + +[Footnote 77: Perhaps Huasco in lat. 28° 27' S. or it may possibly have +been Guacho, in 25° 50' S.--E.] + +The 5th September they came in sight of the Ladrones, and came on the +16th to Guam, one of these an island of about twenty Dutch miles in +extent, and yielding fish, cocoa-nuts, bananas, and sugar canes, all of +which the natives brought to the ships in a great number of canoes. +Sometimes they met 200 of these canoes at one time, with four or five +men in each, bawling out _hiero, hiero,_ meaning iron; and often in +their eagerness they run their canoes against the ships, overturning +them and losing all their commodities. These islanders were a sly subtle +people, and honest with good looking after; for otherwise, they would +sell a basket of cocoa-nut shells covered over with a small quantity of +rice, as if full of rice. They would also snatch a sword from its +scabbard, and plunge instantly into the water, where they dived like so +many ducks; and the women were as roguish as the men, stealing as +impudently, and diving as expertly to carry off their prizes. + +The 17th of September they sailed for the Philippines; and on the 20th +they met with ice, though then only in the latitude of 3° N.[78] On the +16th October they came to Bayla bay, in a very fertile land, at which +place they procured abundance of all kinds of necessaries for their +ships, by pretending to be Spaniards. The Spaniards, who are lords here, +make the Indians pay an annual capitation tax, to the value of ten +single rials for every one above twenty years of age. The natives of +these islands are mostly naked, having their skins marked with figures +so deeply impressed, [_tatooed_] that they never wear out. Being +discovered to be Dutch, but not till they had gained their ends, they +sailed for the Straits of Manilla, all the coasts near which appeared +waste, barren, and rocky. Here a sudden squall of wind from the S.E. +carried away some of their masts and sails, being more furious than any +they had hitherto experienced during the voyage. The 23d some of the +people went ashore, where they eat palmitoes and drank water so +greedily, that they were afterwards seized with the dysentery. The 24th +they entered the straits, sailing past an island in the middle, and came +in the evening past the island of Capul, seven miles within the straits, +near which they found whirlpools, where the sea was of an unfathomable +depth, so far as they could discover. + +[Footnote 78: This surely is an error for 18°, Guam being in lat. 18° +20' N. yet even here, the fact of meeting ice so far within the tropic +is sufficiently singular.--E.] + +They now crowded sail for Manilla, which is eighty miles from Capul, but +wanted both a good wind to carry them, and good maps and a skilful pilot +to direct them to that place. The 7th November they took a junk from +China, laden with provisions for Manilla. The master of this junk told +them there were then at Manilla two great ships, that come every year +from New Spain, and a Dutch ship also which had been brought from +Malacca. He said also that the town of Manilla was walled round, having +two forts for protecting the ships, as there was a vast trade to that +place from China, not less than 400 junks coming every year from +Chincheo, with silk and other valuable commodities, between Easter and +December. There were also two ships expected shortly from Japan, laden +with iron and other metals, and provisions. The 15th they took two +barks, laden with hens and hogs, being part of the tribute to the +Spaniards, but became food to the Dutch, who gave them a few bolts of +linen in return. + +They passed the islands of _Bankingle_ and _Mindoro_, right over against +which is the island of _Lou-bou_. at the distance of two miles, and +between both is another small island, beside which there is a safe +passage for ships. The island of Luzon is larger than England and +Scotland,[79] and has a numerous cluster of small islands round about +it; yet is more beholden to trade for its riches, than to the goodness +of its soil. While at anchor, in 15° N. waiting for the ships said to be +coming from Japan, Van Noort took one of them on the 1st December, being +a vessel of fifty tons, which had been twenty-five days on her voyage. +Her form was very strange, her forepart being like a chimney, and her +furniture corresponding to her shape; as her sails were made of reeds, +her anchors of wood, and her cables of straw. Her Japanese mariners had +their heads all close shaven, except one tuft left long behind, which is +the general custom of that country. The 9th, they took two barks, one +laden with cocoa wine and arrack, and the other with hens and rice. + +[Footnote 79: Luzon is certainly a large island, but by no means such as +represented in the text.--E.] + +The 14th of December they met the two Spanish ships returning from +Manilla to New Spain, on which a very sharp engagement took place. +Overpowered by numbers, the Dutch in the ship of Van Noort were reduced +to the utmost extremity, being at one time boarded by the Spaniards, and +almost utterly conquered; when Van Noort, seeing all was lost without a +most resolute exertion, threatened to blow up his ship, unless his men +fought better and beat off the Spaniards. On this, the Dutch crew fought +with such desperate resolution, that they cleared their own ship, and +boarded the Spanish admiral, which at last they sunk outright. In this +action the Dutch admiral had five men slain, and twenty-six wounded, the +whole company being now reduced to thirty-five men. But several hundreds +of the Spaniards perished, partly slain in the fight, and partly drowned +or knocked in the head after the battle was over. But the Dutch lost +their pinnace, which was taken by the Spanish vice-admiral; and this was +not wonderful, considering that she had only twenty-five men to fight +against five hundred Spaniards and Indians. + +After this action, Van Noort made sail for the island of Borneo, the +chief town of which island is in lat. 5° N. while Manilla, the capital +of Luçon, is in lat. 15° N. On the way to Borneo, they passed the island +of _Bolutam_, [Palawan or Paragua,] which is 180 miles in length from +N.E. to S.W. They came to Borneo on the 26th December, putting into a +great bay, three miles in compass, where there was good anchorage, and +abundance of fish in a neighbouring river, and the fishermen always +ready to barter their fish for linen. Van Noort sent a message to the +king, desiring leave to trade; but suspecting them to be Spaniards, he +would come to no terms till his officers had examined them with the +utmost attention, after which they had trade for pepper with a people +called _Pattannees_, of Chinese origin. Both these and the native +Borneans were fond of Chinese cotton cloth, but the linen from Holland +was a mere drug, and quite unsaleable. In the mean time, the Borneans +laid a plot to surprise the ship; for which purpose, on the 1st January, +1601, they came with at least an hundred praws full of men, pretending +to have brought presents from the king, and would have come on board the +ship; but the Dutch, suspecting their treachery, commanded them to keep +at a distance from the ship, or they would be obliged to make them do so +with their shot, on which the Borneans desisted. + +Borneo is the largest of all the islands in the East-Indies; and its +capital, of the same name, contains about 300 houses, but is built in a +dirty marshy soil, or rather in the water, so that the inhabitants have +to go from one house to another in their praws. The inhabitants all go +constantly armed, from the noble down to the fisherman; and even the +women are of so martial a disposition, that on receiving an affront, +they instantly revenge it, either with a dagger or a javelin. This a +Dutchman had nearly proved to his cost; for having offended one of these +viragoes, she set upon him with a javelin, and had surely dispatched +him, if she had not been prevented by main force. They are Mahometans, +and so very superstitious, that they would rather die than eat of +swine's flesh, nor will they keep any of these animals about them. The +better sort have a cotton garment from the waist down, with a turban on +their heads; but the common people go entirely naked. They continually +chew betel and areka, which is also a common practice in many other +parts of India. + +On the 4th January, four Borneans came to the ship, intending to have +cut the cables, that she might drive on shore and become their prey; but +the Dutch fortunately discovered them, and drove them away with shot, +when they left their praw behind, which the Dutch took, to serve instead +of their own boat, which they had lost at the Philippines. Seeing no +hope of any profitable trade at this place, they now left it, intending +for Bantam, not much pleased either with the country or the people. The +day after leaving Borneo, they met a junk from Japan bound for Manilla, +which informed them of a great Dutch ship being forced by tempests into +Japan, all her company having died by sickness and famine except +fourteen. They came first to _Bongo_, in lat. 34° 40' N. [Bungo in about +lat. 33° N.] whence the emperor of Japan ordered them to remove to +_Atonza_, in lat. 36° 30' N. [Osaka in lat. 34' 55' N.] They alleged +that they were allowed to trade, and to build a new ship, with liberty +to dispose of themselves afterwards as they pleased. From this account, +it was not doubted that this was the admiral of Verhagen's fleet;[80] +and dismissing the Japanese vessel, they passed the line a third time, +and proceeded for Bantam, in no little fear and danger, for want of an +experienced pilot and good charts. + +[Footnote 80: This was the ship in which William Adams sailed as pilot, +as related on a former occasion, being the Hope, commanded by James +Mahu, one of five ships from Rotterdam. We have already had occasion to +meet with two of these in the Straits of Magellan.--E.] + +The 16th they took a junk belonging to Jor or Johor, in which they +procured an experienced and skilful pilot, who came in good time to +save them from shipwreck, which they had otherwise most probably +suffered in these dangerous seas, so thick set with shoals and islands +on every side, with which they were entirely unacquainted; and besides, +they were now reduced to one anchor, and one solitary cable almost worn +out. The 28th they came to Jortan in the island of Java, where they had +news of several Dutch ships being at Bantam. The city of Jortan consists +of about 1000 houses built of timber, and its king commands over a +considerable portion of that end of the island, and had lately conquered +_Balambuan_, a small island S.E. from Jortan. The people in these parts +are said to be Mahometans; yet, as pagods are still in use, they seem to +retain some mixture of the old Indian superstitions, or at least some +remnant of paganism is tolerated among the common people. Their chief +priest at this time was an old man, said to be an hundred and twenty +years of age, who had a large household of wives, who fed the old man +with their milk. + +Sailing past Jortan, they saw a large Portuguese ship of 600 tons, +sticking fast among the shoals. She was bound for Amboina, on purpose to +have engrossed all the trade of that place; at least such was the report +of the Portuguese; but Van Noort strongly suspected she had been sent +out to cruize for the purpose of intercepting him. He was, therefore, +the less concerned for her misfortune, and the less careful in assisting +her crew, originally of between six and seven hundred men, many of whom +were still on board, and in great danger of perishing. The 5th of +February, they passed the straits between _Balambuan_ and _Bally_, +leaving Java on the N.E.[81] On the 11th, finding themselves in lat 13° +S. they directed their course for the Cape of Good Hope. On the 18th, +having the sun vertical at noon, their latitude was 11° 20' S. and here +a calm began which lasted eleven days. The 11th March they were in lat. +24° 45' S. and in 28° 10' S. on the 24th. + +[Footnote 81: This is an obvious error, as the Straits of Bally are at +the _east_ end of Java, which they must consequently have left on the +N.W. of their course.--E.] + +The 19th of April, having been considerably retarded by cross winds and +calms, they were under the necessity to lessen their allowance of water. +At night of the 24th they observed light, as of a fire, on land, about +four miles to the N.W. although they reckoned themselves 200 miles from +the cape, and were not aware of having approached any other land. The +25th, being calm weather, they were enabled to mend their sails, and at +night another fire was observed; and in the morning of the 26th they saw +land. The 3d May they saw land between the east and north, about six +miles off, resembling the end of an island, by which they reckoned +themselves near the cape, and now shaped their course for the island of +St Helena, where they arrived on the 26th. They here refreshed +themselves with fish and some flesh, and laid in a supply of wood and +water; but found goats and fowls hard to be got, and could not procure +any oranges. + +Leaving St Helena on the 30th May, they crossed the line for the fourth +time on the 14th of June; and on the 16th met a fleet of six Dutch +ships, under Admiral Heemskirk, bound for India. These had fought with +thirteen Spanish ships near the island of Sal, and had lost their +pinnace and vice-admiral; the former having been taken by the Spaniards, +and the latter having parted company. The 8th July they were in lat. 27° +N. when they fell in with considerable quantities of the sea-weed called +_saragossa_. By the 13th they were in lat. 32° 30' N. after which they +had a calm of fifteen days, the sea being all covered with weeds. The +22d they had to go upon short allowance of bread, and that too much worm +eaten. August 1st, being in lat. 40° N. they passed the island of +Flores, forty-five miles to the westward, by their estimation. They met +three ships belonging to Embden on the 18th, from whom they procured +bread and flesh, in exchange for rice and pepper; and from whom they +learnt that they were so near England, that they might expect to see the +Lizard next day. About noon of the 26th August, 1601, they arrived in +safety before the city of Rotterdam, where they were received with the +utmost joy, on their return from so long and perilous a voyage, which +had occupied three years, bating eighteen days. + + +SECTION II. + +_Voyage of Sebald de Weert, to the South Sea and Straits of Magellan, in +1598_.[82] + +"Though not a circumnavigation, it seems necessary to give an account of +this voyage of Sebald de Weert, by way of supplement to that of Oliver +de Noort; because De Weert was fitted out with the intention of sailing +by the Straits of Magellan to India, and because it is difficult to find +so good a description of these famous straits as he has given. De Weert +was one of the best seamen in Holland, and lived to distinguish himself +afterwards by many more successful enterprises; and I persuade myself +the reader will be pleased to see the firmness of an able commander, +struggling against a long series of misfortunes. This has always been +esteemed one of the best written, and most curious of all the Dutch +voyages, and is therefore given at large."[83]--_Harris_. + +[Footnote 82: Harris, I. 36.] + +[Footnote 83: So far Harris; but on the present occasion several trivial +and minute circumstances are omitted or abbreviated.--E.] + +§ 1. _Incidents of the Voyage from Holland to the Straits of Magellan_. + +The fleet fitted out for this expedition consisted of the Hope of 500 +tons, with 130 men, commanded by James Mahu, admiral; the Love or +Charity of 300 tons, and 110 men, commanded by Simon de Cordes, +vice-admiral; the Faith of 320 tons, and 100 men, of which Gerard van +Beuningen was captain; the Fidelity of 220 tons, with 86 men, captain +Jurian Buckholt; and a yacht of 150 tons and 112 men, called the Merry +Messenger, captain Sebald de Weert. These five ships were well provided +with all manner of provisions, cannon, small arms, ammunition, money, +merchandise, and stores necessary for a long voyage; and the pilot on +whose knowledge and experience they chiefly depended, was an Englishman +named William Adams,[84] besides whom there were three other Englishmen +on board the admiral. + +[Footnote 84: Of the adventures of this person in Japan, we have +formerly had occasion to give an account in vol. VIII. p. 64, of this +Collection, preceded by a brief abstract of the voyages of Schald de +Weert.--E.] + +The fleet sailed from the road of Goeree in the Maese on the 27th June, +1598; but, owing to contrary winds, had to remain at anchor in the Downs +on the coast of England, till the 15th July. The wind being then fair, +they set sail on that day, and on the 19th were on the coast of Barbary. +Towards the end of August, they arrived in the harbour of St Jago, one +of the Cape de Verd islands, where they remained till the 10th +September, although the climate was very unhealthy, and the pilots, +particularly Mr Adams, remonstrated against continuing there; by which +the officers were so much offended, that they resolved never more to +call the pilots to council, which seems to have been the source of all +their subsequent misfortunes, and of that restless spirit of mutiny and +discontent, which possessed the seamen in this fleet. + +In the afternoon of the 11th September, they were off the desert island +of Brava, and the bottom being rocky, so that they could not anchor, +they stood off and on all night, and coasting along next morning they +found some fresh water, which was hard to be got, as the ships could not +come to anchor, on account of a bad bottom. The boats, however, of +Captains Beuniugen and Buckholt, went ashore with empty casks, which +they filled and brought on board, though then night and the ships under +way. Captain de Ween went ashore in a small sandy bay, and looking about +for fresh water, he saw some Portuguese and negroes coming towards him, +who told him the French and English ships used to get fresh water near +that place, but remained always under sail. They said also, that no +refreshments were to be had at this island, but these might be had in +the island of Fuego. After the departure of the islanders, de Weert +discovered four or five ruinous small huts, the door of one being walled +up, which he found full of maize. On this discovery, he remained there +with three men, lest the Portuguese might carry off the maize in the +night, and sent some others in the boat to give notice to the admiral of +this discovery. Fortunately a small vessel belonging to the bishop of St +Thomas, taken by the Dutch at Praya, arrived in the bay, to which de +Weert removed all the maize. He also took two female sea tortoises, in +which were above 600 eggs, of which they made many good meals. The +Portuguese and negroes, finding the Dutch busied in carrying away their +maize, came down the mountain, making a great noise; but de Weert, +having two fusils, fired at them and made them retire. + +On the return of de Weert, he found the admiral very sick, and a council +assembled in the Hope. He in the first place advised them to remain no +longer at the Cape Verd islands, and then resigned his command to the +vice-admiral, de Cordes. On advising with the other captains, and +learning the quantity of water in each ship, de Cordes gave orders that +such as had most should give part to the others, and that the allowance +of provisions and water should be diminished, and as fresh water was not +to be expected for three or four months, they were directed to gather +rain-water when that could be had. The greatest part of the men in the +admiral's ship being sick, two or three of them were removed into each +of the other ships, in exchange for sound men. The fleet sailed from +Brava on the 15th September, and on the 22d a signal was made from the +admiral for the other captains. They found the admiral, James Mahu, +beyond hope of recovery; and that night he and his supercargo, Daniel +Restan, both died. He was of a mild and gentle disposition, honest, +careful, diligent, and very kind to the seamen, and was much lamented by +the whole fleet. Opening the letters of the directors of the expedition, +which were directed to be opened in such a case, de Cordes was appointed +admiral, and Benningen vice-admiral; Sebald de Weert being promoted to +the command of the Faith, and Dirke Gernitsz China to that of the yacht. +These alterations did not please the seamen, who were attached to their +former commanders. + +By the 4th October, the scurvy raged much among the seamen, especially +in the Hope, on which de Cordes ordered a day of prayer to be observed +in the fleet, to implore the mercy of God and a happy voyage. They were +then in the lat. of 1° 45' S. At length the scurvy increased so much in +the Hope, that the admiral had not men enough to work his ship, and it +was resolved to steer for some island where fresh provisions might be +procured. They steered accordingly for Annobon, where they hoped to get +fresh meat and oranges. Towards night, the admiral, who sailed in the +van, fired a gun as a signal of seeing land, though all the pilots then +thought the land at the distance of 100 leagues. They accordingly +approached the land, and anchored on the coast of _Manicongo_, in lat. +3° S.[85] They here lost company of the small ship belonging to St +Thomas, in which were eleven sound men, and some thought she had +deserted, while others thought she had run aground: But they afterwards +found she had gone to Cape Lope Gonzalves, where the men quitted her, +going aboard the ship of Baltazar Musheron, which was bound to America. + +[Footnote 85: The latitude in the text falls near Point Palmas, on the +coast of Yumba, in what is called the Kingdom of Congo. Mayumba bay, +perhaps the Manicongo of the text, is in lat. 4° 30' S.] + +After several ineffectual attempts to procure refreshments for their +men on the coast of Africa and the island of Annobon, they put to sea on +the 3d January, 1599, from that island, with the intention of sailing +direct for the Straits of Magellan. The 22d they passed the shelves and +rocks on the coast of Brazil, called the _Abrolhos_. The 9th March, one +of the seamen in the vice-admiral's ship was hanged, for repeatedly +breaking open the cupboard belonging to the cook, and stealing bread. +About this time, the sick beginning to recover, got such good appetites +that their allowance was not sufficient. The 12th, being near the Rio +Plata, the sea appeared as red as blood, and some of the water being +drawn up was found full of small red worms, that leaped out of it like +fleas. + +§ 2. _The Fleet passes through the Straits of Magellan into the South +Sea, and is forced to return_. + +The 6th of April, the fleet got into the Straits of Magellan, and +towards evening cast anchor under the smaller of the two Penguin isles, +fourteen leagues within the mouth of the straits. They here saw vast +numbers of those birds called _plongeons_ or divers, because they dive +into the water to catch fish. They killed there ten or fourteen of them +with sticks, and might have killed as many as would have served the +whole fleet, but would not lose the opportunity of a fair wind. The 9th +they proceeded through the straits; and next day the admiral sent fifty +men on shore, to look for inhabitants or cattle, but after travelling +three leagues along shore, they found nothing. They arrived in a fine +bay on the 15th, twenty-one leagues from the mouth of the straits, +called _Muscle bay_ by the English, because of the great quantities of +muscles found there, and here they provided themselves abundantly with +fresh water and wood. The 17th they sailed between two rocky shores, so +close and so high that they hardly thought to have got through. The +mountains on both sides were covered with snow. On the 18th, they cast +anchor in a bay on the north side of the straits, in lat. 54° S. called +_Great bay_, having good anchorage on fine sand. In this bay there are +three small islands, the least of which is farthest east. + +In these parts, there grow great quantities of trees, resembling bay +trees, but somewhat higher, the bark of which is very bitter, and has a +hot taste like pepper.[86] They here found abundance of muscles, some of +which were a span long, and when boiled, the fish of three of them +weighed a pound. The wind being contrary, they lay here at anchor till +the 23d of August,[87] without taking the sails from the yards, to be +ready to sail on a change of wind. In the mean while they suffered much +from cold, in so much that they lost above an hundred men, among whom +was Captain Buckholt, who was succeeded by Baltazar de Cordes. Storms +were so frequent and violent during this time, that the ships could not +ride quietly at anchor, and the seamen were forced to be continually at +work to keep them right. They were also forced to go often on shore, in +rain, snow, and hail, to get in fresh water, wood, muscles, and such +other food as they could find, by which they were greatly fatigued. The +scarcity of victuals was so great, and the climate so severe, that they +were almost starved with hunger and cold, and their appetites so +insatiable, that they devoured roots or any thing else they could find, +raw and uncooked. Most of the seamen had no watch-coats or other warm +cloathing, to enable them to support the fatigue of watching and their +daily labour, having made no provision of such things, as they believed +themselves bound to warm climes. To remedy this evil, the general +ordered cloth to be distributed among them. + +[Footnote 86: In Harris these are erroneously called _Pimento_, but they +must have been the _Wintera aromatica_. The Pimento, or _Myrtus +Pimenta_, is a native of the warm regions of America and the West India +islands, producing Pimento, All-spice, or Jamaica pepper.--E.] + +[Footnote 87: This date, here anticipated, refers to the day when they +afterwards set sail.--E.] + +It was found that many of the seamen, when at their meals, were in use +to sell their victuals to others at high prices, and afterwards +satisfied their hunger with raw muscles and green herbs, which +occasioned them to fall into dropsies and other lingering sickness, of +which several died: For this reason, the captains and other officers +were ordered to be present at all their meals, to see and oblige them to +eat their allowances. + +The 7th May the vice-admiral was sent, with two boats, to an island +opposite Great bay, to catch sea-dogs.[88] He found there seven small +boats or canoes, with savages on board, who were of a reddish colour +with long hair, and, as well as he could observe, seemed _ten or eleven +feet high_. On seeing the Dutch boats, the savages went on shore and +threw many stones at the Dutch, so that they did not venture to land. +The savages then took courage, and came towards them in their canoes; +and coming within musket-shot, the vice-admiral made his men give them a +general discharge, by which four or five of the savages were slain, and +the rest so frightened that they escaped again on shore. They then +pulled up some trees, which appeared afar off to be a span thick; but +the vice-admiral chose to let them alone, and returned to the ships. The +26th of May, as some seamen were on shore, looking for muscles, roots, +and herbs, and were dispersed, expecting no danger, a number of savages +fell upon them suddenly, killed three of them, whom they tore in pieces, +and wounded two, who were rescued by the admiral. All these savages were +naked, except one, who had the skin of a sea-dog or seal about his +shoulders. They were armed with wooden javelins, which they threw with +great strength and dexterity. The points of these javelins were like +cramp-irons, tied to the shafts with the guts of sea-dogs, and would run +so deep into the flesh, that it was almost impossible to get them out. + +[Footnote 88: Seals are probably here meant.--E.] + +While the fleet lay in this bay, the admiral ordered his long-boat to be +put upon the stocks, to be enlarged and altered into a pinnace, which +was named the Postillion, and the command of her was given to the second +pilot of the Hope. Having no provisions for making broth, Captain de +Weert landed on the 27th July, in order to catch seals; and while he was +ashore, so great a storm arose that he was obliged to remain two days +and two nights, before he could get back to his ship, and caught +nothing. After enduring great hardships in this _Green bay_,[89] and +which the Dutch named the Bay of de Cordes, they set sail on the 23d of +August, having the wind at N.E. but next day the weather became so calm, +that they were obliged to put into a great bay on the south side of the +straits. Here, to perpetuate the memory of so dangerous and +extraordinary a voyage into these straits, to which no nation had +hitherto sent so many or such large ships, the general instituted a new +order of knighthood, of which he made his six principal officers +knights. They bound themselves by oath, never to do or consent to any +thing contrary to their honour or reputation, whatever might be the +dangers or extremities to which they were exposed, even death itself; +nor to do or suffer to be done any thing prejudicial to the interests of +their country, or of the voyage in which they were now engaged. They +also solemnly promised, freely to expose their lives against all the +enemies of their nation, and to use their utmost endeavours to conquer +those dominions whence the king of Spain procured so much gold and +silver, by which he was enabled to carry on the war against their +country. This ceremony was performed ashore on the eastern coast of the +straits, in as orderly a manner as the place and occasion would permit, +and the order was named of _The Lion set free_, in allusion to the +Belgic lion, the cognizance of their country, which they professed to +use all their endeavours to free from the Spanish yoke. After this +ceremony, a tablet was erected on the top of a high pillar, on which the +names of the new-made knights were inscribed, and the bay was named the +_Bay of Knights_. + +[Footnote 89: This seems the same formerly named Great bay.--E.] + +Leaving this bay on the 28th of August, they put into another bay a +league farther on, where they were again becalmed. The admiral at this +time gave orders to Captain de Weert to go back in his boat to the Bay +of Knights, to remove the tablet to a more convenient situation. When +about to double the point of the bay on this errand, de Weert saw eighty +savages sitting on the shore, having eight or nine canoes beside them; +and, as soon as the savages saw the boat, they set up a dismal noise, +inviting the Dutch to land, by means of signs. But, having only a small +number of men, de Weert turned back towards the ships; on which the +savages ran across the woods along shore, always hallowing, and making +signs for the Dutch to land. When the general was informed of this +adventure, he dispatched three boats well armed on shore, but the +savages were not to be seen, though they had left their marks behind +them, having dug up the interred body of a Dutchman, and left his body +on the ground, barbarously disfigured. On going to the knights tablet, +the Dutch also found it had been broken by the savages. + +Early in the night of the 3d September, they got out from the Straits of +Magellan into the South Sea, with a fair wind, and continued their +voyage to the W.N.W. with the wind at N.E. till the 7th, having all that +time fine weather. This day, however, the sea began to swell and rise so +high, that the vice-admiral had to lie to and hoist his boat on board, +which was likewise done by the Fidelity. While de Weert was sailing +directly in the wake of the admiral, who led the fleet, an accident +happened on board the yacht, which had the wind of the Fidelity, which +obliged both the Faith and the Fidelity, the former being de Weert's +ship, to furl their sails, and lie to for assisting the yacht. The +admiral continued his course, thinking that the other ships continued to +follow him, and that the fog prevented them from being seen by the +watch. The vice-admiral also was obliged to furl his sails shortly +after, the fog being so thick as to prevent them from seeing each other, +though very near. + +On the 8th the two yachts lost sight of the ships, but these three kept +company all that day; and next day the whole fleet rejoined to their +great joy. After joining, Derick Geritz sent the Postillion to the +admiral, to request the assistance of his carpenters; but they were +sick, and those from the Faith and Fidelity went on board the yacht. +This proved afterwards a serious loss to these ships, as they never got +their carpenters back. The wind shifted all of a sudden, and the sea +became so rough and stormy that the yacht had to furl her sails, as was +done by the vice-admiral, who was ahead of the Faith, and by the +Fidelity. In the ensuing night the yacht and vice-admiral made sail +again, without advertising the other two ships by signal, so that they +continued to lie to. When day broke next morning, Captains Baltazar de +Cordes and Sebalt de Weert, of the Fidelity and Faith, were extremely +troubled at not seeing any of the other ships. De Weert, who was now the +senior captain, was also much troubled by the unprovided state of his +ship, having no master, only two old pilots, and a very small number of +seamen, mostly sick and weak through the cold and damp weather, though +they kept a fire burning night and day. + +The N.E. wind became so violent on the 16th September, that the two +ships were every moment in danger of sinking. The gallery of the Faith +was rent open above an inch, and the sea broke so violently over the +Fidelity, that her men were almost constantly up to their knees in +water. She likewise sprung a leak, owing to which they were forced to +keep her pumps constantly going day and night, yet could hardly keep her +afloat. At last, after much search, the leak was found and stopt. In +this deplorable situation these two ships remained for twenty-four +hours, _spooning_ under bare poles. The seamen also became much +dissatisfied, though allowed two ounces of dried fish a day to each man, +with a reasonable quantity of biscuit. But they were much discontented +with this scanty allowance, having been used in the straits to fill +themselves with muscles, of which they could not now brook the want, so +that the captains had much ado to pacify them. + +In the night of the 26th September they fell in with the land to the +north of the straits by mistake, thinking themselves to have been twenty +leagues from the land; and in the morning the Faith was in great danger, +as the wind drifted her towards the coast, on which were two rocks, +which they avoided with the utmost difficulty. The Fidelity, which was a +considerable way in front, had discovered the rocks in time, and had +easily given them a wide birth. They were only three leagues from the +straits when they fell in with the land; and as the westerly wind now +blew so hard that they were unable to bear up against it, the two +captains now resolved to regain the straits, and to wait there in some +safe road or bay for a fair wind, when they did not doubt of rejoining +the other ships, as it had been agreed to wait at the island of St. Mary +on the coast of Chili for two months, in case of separation. About +evening, therefore, of the 27th September, they arrived at the southern +point of the straits' mouth, and were drifted by the current six or +seven leagues within the straits, where they anchored in a very good +road. + +§ 3. _Incidents during their second Residence in the Straits of +Magellan_. + +From the 27th to the 30th of September they had tolerably good weather, +but the wind then began to blow so furiously from the S.W. that they +were forced to drop three anchors a-piece to keep them from being driven +on shore. As the summer of these antarctic regions was now approaching, +they were in hopes of fair weather; yet during two months that they +remained in the straits, they scarcely had a fair day in which to dry +their sails. For twenty days that they remained in this bay, to which +they gave the name of the _Bay of Trouble_, they endured incredible +hardships, being forced to go on shore daily in search of a few birds, +which, with muscles and snails found upon the rocks, formed their sorry +subsistence. Being unable to subsist any longer in that bay, they set +sail on the 18th October, and found a better bay about a league farther +within the straits. The 22d they were nearly destroyed by a violent +storm, but the weather became calm next day. The constant employment of +the seamen was to go on shore in search of muscles for their sustenance +at low water, and when the tide was in to fetch wood and fresh water, so +that they had no time to dry themselves, though they kept up a good fire +continually. In short, during the whole nine months spent in these +straits, now and formerly, they scarcely had an opportunity once to dry +their sails, so frequent were the returns of rain and storms. The men +also were exposed to wet, cold, and high winds, which kept them +continually uncomfortable, and always at work. The seamen now began to +murmur, alleging there would not be enough of biscuit for their return +to Holland, if they remained here any longer. Having notice of this, de +Weert went into the bread-room, as if to examine their store; and, on +coming out, he declared, with a cheerful countenance, there was enough +of biscuit and other provisions for eight months, though in fact there +was not more than sufficient for four. + +At length, on the 2d December, the wind changed to the N.E. and they +immediately weighed anchor, but could not get out into the South Sea, +owing to whirlwinds rising from between the high hills and the bottom of +the bay. The Faith was driven at one time so near the shore that a +person might have stepped ashore from her gallery, and had certainly +been lost if the wind had not abated. Next day, the storm being over, +the two ships got out of Close bay, as they called it, with the ebb, but +they never afterwards anchored together, and that day they cast anchor +at the distance of a league from each other. The 8th of December they +had a more violent storm than ever, which lasted two days, and during +which the waves rose sometimes higher than the masts. The storm abating +on the 10th, de Weert went in his boat, intending to go aboard the +Fidelity; but on doubling the point which lay between them, was +overwhelmed with grief to see no ship, nor any signs of shipwreck, so +that he thought she had foundered. Going next day farther towards a +gulf, he was rejoiced to see a mast behind a low point, where he found +the Fidelity, with which ship he had to leave his small boat to assist +in fishing for her anchors and cables, which she had lost in the late +storm. He then took his leave, returning to his own ship, little +dreaming he had taken his last farewell of Captain de Cordes. + +The 10th, going ashore in the boat for victuals as usual, and having +doubled a point, they saw three canoes with savages, who went +immediately on shore, and scrambled up the mountains like monkeys. The +Dutch examined the canoes, in which were only a few young divers, some +wooden grapnels, skins of beasts, and other things of no value. Going on +shore to see if the savages had left any thing, they found a woman and +two children, who endeavoured to run away, but was taken and carried on +board, shewing few signs of fear or concern. She was of a middle size +and reddish colour, with a big belly, a fierce countenance, and her +hair close cut as if shaven, whereas the men wear their hair long. She +had a string of snail-shells about her neck by way of ornament, and a +seal's skin on her shoulders, tied round her neck with a string of gut. +The rest of her body was quite naked, and her breasts hung down like the +udders of a cow. Her mouth was very wide, her legs crooked, and her +heels very long. + +This female savage would not eat any of their boiled or roasted meats, +so they gave her one of the birds they had found in the canoes. Having +pluckt off the long feathers, she opened it with a muscle shell, cutting +in the first place behind the right wing, and then above the stomach. +After that, drawing out the guts, she laid the liver a short time on the +fire, and eat it almost raw. She then cleaned the gizzard, which she eat +quite raw, as she did the body of the bird. Her children eat in the same +manner, one being a girl of four years of age, and the other a boy, who, +though only six months old, had most of his teeth, and could walk +alone.[90] The woman looked grave and serious at her meal, though the +seamen laughed heartily at her strange figure, and unusual mode of +feeding. She afterwards sat down on her heels like an ape; and she slept +all gathered up in a heap, with her infant between her arms, having her +breast in his mouth. After keeping her two days on board, de Weert set +her on shore, giving her a gown and cap, with necklace and bracelets of +glass beads. He gave her also a small mirror, a knife, a nail, an awl, +and a few other toys of small value, with which she seemed much pleased. +He cloathed the boy also, and decorated him with glass beads of all +colours; but carried the girl to Holland, where she died. The mother +seemed much concerned at parting with her daughter, yet went into the +boat without resistance or noise. She was carried to the shore, a league +west from the ship, to a place which she pointed out, where the seamen +found a fire and some utensils, which made the seamen believe that the +savages had run away on seeing the boat. + +[Footnote 90: They had no means to ascertain his age, and must have +concluded him only six months old from his small size; but from his +teeth and walking alone, he was more likely to have been two years old, +and his diminutive size was probably occasioned by the miseries of the +climate, and wretchedness of every kind to which these outcasts of +nature are subjected.--E.] + +When the boat returned, a new storm arose, during which the waves often +overtopped the masts, and tossed the ship so violently that they +momentarily expected she would have been overset or split in pieces; +but, by the blessing of God, she got out of this bay, to which they gave +the name of _Unfortunate Bay_. Next day they cast anchor towards evening +in the channel of the straits, but finding the anchor had no buoy +attached, and the weather being too violent to allow of supplying one, +they had again to weigh, and put before the wind, and at length got into +the bay of Cordes, fourteen or fifteen leagues farther eastwards, near +the middle of the straits. In this passage they kept as near as possible +to the south side of the channel, that they might be seen by the +Fidelity, and even fired a gun off the mouth of a bay in which they +supposed she lay, as a signal, to which they imagined that they heard +another gun in answer from their consort, and continued their course in +the full belief of being followed by the Fidelity. In this passage the +strength of the wind drove them so fast, that they had to fasten their +boat astern with two strong hawsers to preserve her, and to diminish the +velocity of their course; but the heavy rolling waves broke both +hawsers, and they lost their boat, by which they were reduced to great +difficulty, having now no means of getting on shore in search of +provisions. + +Next day, being the 16th December, they saw a boat making towards them +from the westwards, which occasioned various conjectures; but at length +turned out to belong to the fleet of Van Noort. This unexpected meeting +gave great joy to the seamen, and the men in this boat were received +with much respect by de Weert. They were all in perfect health and +vigour; and, among other things respecting their voyage, told of having +caught above 2000 birds at the great Penguin Island. This intelligence +made the sailors in the Faith extremely anxious to get there, and +several of them were bold enough to tell Captain de Weert, that it was +necessary they should go there, where they might as well wait for a fair +wind as in any other place, and besides, that it was only a league out +of their way. But de Weert declared he would on no account part company +from Van Noort. This general came in person next day to visit de Weert; +and the day following, being the 18th December, the whole fleet joined +him. The wind changing to S.W. on the 22d, they all set sail; and after +proceeding two or three hours, de Weert requested the loan of a boat +from general Van Noort, with three or four men, that he might go before +to direct Captain de Cordes to get ready to sail with the fleet; but he +could not find the Fidelity. + +The Faith was now grown very foul, and unable consequently to keep up +with the fleet; for which reason, being off the Bay of Knights, where +she met the ebb current, she was forced to go in there. The 23d she was +again opposed by adverse currents in a narrow channel, and unable to +follow the other ships. The 24th they tried again, but were unable to +get round a point, behind which the fleet of Van Noort lay at anchor; +and finding it impossible to double that point with the present wind, de +Weert resolved to wait till it changed, that he might not fatigue his +men by persisting in vain attempts. But, although the wind was contrary, +Van Noort proceeded farther on, in search of a more secure anchorage, by +which de Weert lost sight of the fleet, though not far off, in +consequence of an intervening high point of land. + +Despairing of being able to rejoin the fleet of Van Noort, and finding +it impossible to subsist his men without a boat, de Weert ordered the +pieces of one which were in the hold to be taken out, that they might be +put together. This was on the 25th December; but having the wind at +north next day, he attempted to get next day into a small bay, a league +farther on than the Bay of Knights, in which the boat might be more +conveniently built: but the violence of the wind forced him back into +the Bay of Cordes, five leagues farther to the east. Here, on the 26th +and 27th, they endured so great a storm, that the seamen began to murmur +again, as having been a whole fortnight without procuring any muscles, +having nothing to subsist upon in all that time but a scanty allowance +of biscuit and oil. Seeing their insolence, de Weert called them into +the cabin, giving them good words, and even desired their advice as to +what was best to be done in this difficult conjuncture. Some were of +opinion, that they should proceed to Rio de la Plata in the boat, +abandoning their ship, and give themselves up to the Spaniards. Others +were for going to St Helena in quest of provisions. The pilot, John +Outgetz, was for going to Guinea or the Gold Coast of Africa, where he +was known, having made five voyages there. None of these opinions +pleased de Weert, who told them, that he could not come to any +determination without the consent of Captain de Cordes. + +In the mean time, the boat being now ready, de Weert went ashore in her +on the 1st January, 1600, to get her properly caulked. In the afternoon, +having doubled the southerly point, two boats were seen, which belonged +to Van Noort, who had put back to the Bay of Knights in search of the +Faith. Next day, Van Noort returned back, promising to make search for +the Fidelity. De Weert also sent his boat, with his ensign and one of +his pilots, on the same search, and gave them a letter for Van Noort, +requesting a supply of biscuit sufficient for two months. The boat came +back on the 5th with the general's answer, saying, That he was not sure +of having enough of biscuit for his own men, neither knew he how long he +might be at sea, and therefore could not spare any. This answer +afflicted de Weert; and having now no hopes of being again rejoined by +de Cordes, he resolved to proceed for Penguin Island, to lay in a large +store of these birds, and then to follow the fleet of Van Noort, if the +wind proved fair. Before sailing, he wrote a letter for de Cordes, which +he left buried at the foot of a tree, and nailed a board to the tree, on +which was painted, _Look at the bottom of this tree_. + +On the 11th January, 1600, de Weert made sail for Penguin Islands, and +next day came to anchor under the smaller of these islands, where he +immediately landed with thirty-eight men in tolerable health, leaving +the pilots and other seamen on board. Leaving three men to keep the +boat, the rest fell to killing birds, of which there were a prodigious +quantity in the island. In the mean time the wind grew nigh and the sea +very stormy, by which the boat was thrown so high upon the rocks, and so +filled with water, that the boat-keepers were unable to get her off, or +to heave out the water, and so much tossed by the surges that they +expected every minute to have her stove to pieces. In this extremity the +seamen were almost in despair. Without the boat it was impossible for +them to return on board. They had no carpenters, no tools, and no wood, +with which to repair their boat, as there was no wood whatever on the +island. They were all wet, as they had waded into the water as high as +their shoulders to draw the boat from the rocks, and they were starving +with cold. Fortunately, at low water, the boat being aground, they +recovered an axe and some tools, with a few nails, which revived their +hopes of being able to get back to the ship. But as it was impossible to +get the boat drawn ashore before night for repairs, they were obliged to +pass the night on shore in the open air, where they made a fire of some +broken planks from the boat, and eat some birds half-roasted, without +bread, and with so little water that they could not quench their thirst. + +As soon as day appeared on the 13th, every one went cheerfully to work, +in repairing that side of the boat which was most injured, which was +quite refitted before night. Next day the other side was repaired; and +having loaded her with 450 penguins, they went aboard on the evening of +the 14th, having been three days on shore. While they were catching +penguins on the 12th, they found a savage woman, who had hid herself in +one of the holes. At the time when Van Noort landed here, there was a +band of savages on the island, by whom two of his men were slain; in +revenge of which Van Noort had destroyed them all but this woman, who +was then wounded, and who now shewed her wounds to the seamen. She was +tall and well-made; her hair cut quite close to her head, and her face +painted, having a kind of cloak on her body, made of the skins of beasts +and birds, neatly sewed together, and reaching down to her knees, +besides which she had a skin apron; so that the savages on the north +side of these straits appear to be more modest in their apparel than +those on the south side. By the dead body of one of these savages, who +had been slain by Van Noort, it appeared that the men wore their hair +very long; besides which his head was ornamented with fine feathers, and +he had others round his body. They use bows and arrows, the arrows being +very neatly pointed with hard flints. De Weert gave this woman a knife, +who informed him by signs, that he would find a greater plenty of birds +in the larger island. They left her where she was, though she requested, +by signs, to be transported to the continent. They now went to the +larger island, in order to get a larger supply of birds. + +The old penguins weigh from twelve to sixteen pounds, and the young ones +from eight to twelve. They are black on the back, with white bellies, +and some have a white ring round their necks, so that they are almost +half white half black. Their skin is much like that of a seal, and as +thick as the skin of a wild boar. The bill is as long as that of a +raven, but not so crooked; the neck short and thick, and the body as +long as that of a goose, but not so thick. Instead of wings, they have +only two fins or pinions, covered with feathers, which hang down as they +walk upright, and by means of which they swim with great strength. They +have black feet, like those of a goose, and they walk upright, with +their fins or pinions hanging down like the arms of a man, so that when +seen at a distance they look like so many pigmies. They seldom come +ashore except in the breeding season, and then they nestle together, +three or four in one hole, which they dig in the downs as deep as those +of rabbits, and the ground is so full of them, that one is liable almost +at every step to sink into them up to the knees. They feed entirely on +fish, yet their flesh has not that rank fishy taste which is so common +in sea-fowl, but is extraordinarily well tasted. _Penguin_, the name of +this bird, is not derived from the Latin _pinguedo_, fatness, as the +Dutch author of this voyage would have it, and therefore spells the word +_pinguin_. Neither is the conjecture of the French editor of this voyage +better founded, who supposes they were so called by the English from a +Welsh word signifying _white-head_; and from which it has been argued +that these savages are descended from a colony of Britons, supposed to +have settled in America, about the year 1170, under Madoc, prince of +North Wales. The truth is, the name of penguin was given to these birds +by the savages. + +The ship reached the greater Penguin Island on the 15th January, that +island being a league from the small one; and here they found such +abundance of these birds, that many ships might have been amply supplied +by them instead of one, for they procured above 900 of them in less than +two hours. Next day, while busy in salting the penguins, a heavy storm +came on from the N.W. by which the ship was driven out of sight of the +island, and to so great a distance that de Weert lost hopes of getting +back to it again; on which he reduced the men to an allowance of four +ounces of biscuit daily. They got back however on the 17th; but, when +going to land, a fresh storm came on with such violence, that they +resolved to weigh anchor and get out of the straits: but the sea was so +rough that they durst not attempt this, lest the capstan should fly +round. At last the anchor lost its hold; and to save the ship from being +cast away, they had to cut the cable and make sail, being in great +sorrow for the loss of their anchor, as they now had one only remaining. + + + +§ 4. _Voyage from the Straits to Holland_. + +This sad accident constrained de Weert to quit the straits, which he did +on the 21st January, having a S.W. wind, chopping sometimes round to +E.N.E. having now spent nine months in those seas, in a dangerous and +dismal condition. In the afternoon of that day, having got into the main +sea, they allowed their boat to go adrift, being rendered quite +unserviceable by the late storms. The 24th in the morning, they found +three small islands to windward, not marked in any maps, which they +named the _Sebaldine Islands_. These are in lat. 50° 40' S. sixty +leagues from the continent,[91] and contained abundance of penguins; but +they could not catch any, having no boat. On the 1st February, a seaman +was condemned to be hanged, for having stolen a bottle of wine and a bag +of rice from the hold; and, when just about to be turned off, he was +pardoned at the intercession of the crew, on condition that they should +not again beg the life of any one found guilty of stealing provisions. +In the evening of the 3d the same person was found drunk, and +consequently must have again stolen wine, and was convicted of having +stolen both wine and victuals, for which he was now hanged, and his body +thrown into the sea. + +[Footnote 91: In vol. VIII. p. 68, note 3, these Sebaldines have been +already noticed as the north-westermost of the Falklands.--E.] + +They passed the line on the 15th March; and their wine being now reduced +to one pipe, that was reserved for the use of the sick, and no more was +allowed to the crew. The 28th they saw Cape Monte on the coast of +Guinea, when the captain was much displeased with the pilots, for having +steered a different course from what he had directed. The seamen also +were discontented with the captain, who would not land, because he had +no boat, and only one anchor: but, being satisfied that he had biscuit +enough for four months, at a quarter of a pound daily to each man, and +two ounces of rice, he made the ship's head be turned to seawards. In +the night of the 1st April, they discovered some fire at a distance, +thinking it were a ship; but when day broke, it was known to have been +on the shore, towards which they had been insensibly driven by the +current. By this time their whole stock of penguins was expended, and +they must have been reduced to a very small allowance of biscuit and +rice for their whole sustenance, but during five weeks that they +steered along the coast of Africa, making very little progress in +consequence of calms, they caught abundance of many kinds of fish, both +large and small. Being uncertain how long they might remain on the +coast, and fearing the want of provisions, de Weert ordered a small boat +to be built by the pilot, who had been bred a ship-carpenter. This boat +was finished in twelve days; but they had no need of her, for the wind +became fair on the 24th April, and they made sail in the direction of +the Açores. + +The 3d May was held as a day of thanksgiving and prayer; and on the 21st +they passed the tropic of Cancer, catching every where such abundance of +fish, that, besides supplying their immediate wants, they salted and +dried a considerable store. On getting near the Açores, they found no +more fish, and had to use those they had dried and salted; and by this +food many distempers were produced among them, particularly the scurvy. +The men became as it were parched within, and so thirsty that they could +not be satisfied with drink; and their bodies were covered all over with +red spots, like a leprosy. The 7th, the captain was informed that some +of the men had stolen biscuit; but he durst not punish the guilty, as +they were the only vigorous and healthy men in the ship, and nothing +could be done without them. + +The ship got into the English Channel on the 6th July, when the captain +landed at Dover to purchase an anchor and cable; but not being able to +procure any, he sailed again that night. On the 13th, while off the +mouth of the Maese, waiting the tide, and having a pilot on board, the +wind came suddenly contrary, and forced him into the channel of Goeree, +where a seaman died, being the sixty-ninth who died during the voyage. +The thirty-six who remained alive gave thanks to God, who had preserved +them through so many dangers, and had vouchsafed to bring them home. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +VOYAGE OF GEORGE SPILBERGEN ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1614--1617.[92] + +SECTION I. + +_Narrative of the Voyage, from Holland to the South Sea_. + + +As the directors of the Dutch East-India Company were still anxious to +make trial of the route to India by the Straits of Magellan, they +appointed George Spilberg, or Spilbergen, to make this attempt in 1614, +as admiral of six ships, the Great Sun, the Full Moon, the Huntsman, and +a yacht called the Sea-mew, all belonging to Amsterdam, with the Eolus +of Zealand, and the Morning-star belonging to Rotterdam. Spilbergen was +a person of established reputation for knowledge and experience, and was +allowed to chuse most of his officers. The ships were all equipped in +the best possible manner, and were ready a little after Midsummer; but +as the admiral was of opinion that they would arrive in the Straits of +Magellan at an improper season, if they sailed so early, the directors +thought proper to postpone the commencement of the voyage till the month +of August. + +[Footnote 92: Harris, I. 44. Callender, II. 191.] + +The fleet sailed accordingly from the Texel on the 8th of August, 1614, +with a strong gale at S.E. Without any remarkable accident, except +several severe storms, they reached the latitude of Madeira on the 3d +October. Proceeding thence by the Canaries, they lost sight of these +islands on the 10th, and came in view of Brava and Fogo, two of the Cape +de Verd islands, on the 23d. Having happily passed the _Abrolhos_, +dangerous shoals running far out to sea, on the 9th December, they +discovered the coast of Brazil on the 12th of that month. On the 19th +they were off the bay of Rio de Janeiro; and on the morning of the 20th +they anchored in the road of _Ilas Grandes_, between two large fine +islands covered with trees, in thirteen fathoms water. Next day they +anchored at another island, about half a league distant, where they +caught good store of fish, besides many crocodiles or alligators, each +about the length of a man. They anchored behind another island on the +23d, where they found two small huts, and a heap of human bones on a +rock. Here they set up tents on shore for their sick, which were all +landed that night, under the protection of three distinct guards of +soldiers, lest they might be attacked by the Portuguese, who were at no +great distance. + +The 28th, the boats were sent for wood and fresh water to a river about +two leagues from where the ships lay, and about noon next day brought +off as much as they could carry. They went back for a farther supply, +and were obliged to remain on shore all night, as their boats got +aground with the ebb-tide. On getting to the ships on the 29th, they +reported, that they had heard a confused sound of voices, as of many +people, in the woods. The 30th, three boats were sent again to the +watering-place, with nine or ten soldiers to protect the seamen when on +shore. Shortly after, being out of sight of the fleet, several +cannon-shot were heard from the Huntsman, which had been stationed to +command the watering-place, on which the admiral sent three armed boats +to see what was the matter. On coming to the Huntsman, they were told +that five canoes, full of well-armed Portuguese and Mestees, had +attacked the three boats, and slain all their men. The Dutch armed boats +pursued the canoes, of which they soon came in sight; but on following +them round a point, saw two stout frigates or armed barks riding at +anchor, to which the canoes retired for protection, and the boats had to +return to the admiral with the dismal news of the fate of their +companions. + +A conspiracy was discovered on the 1st January, 1615, of certain persons +who proposed to have run away with one of the ships, and for which two +men were executed, several others being put in irons, and distributed +among the other ships of the fleet. Before leaving this place, orders +were given, if any ship lost company of the rest, that her commander was +to set up a conspicuous mark in the haven of de Cordes, or some other +usual landing place in the straits; and, after waiting a certain fixed +time, was to proceed for the isle of Mocha on the coast of Chili, as the +place of rendezvous. Having no fit provisions for the sick, they +resolved also to remove from the Islas Grandes to the isle of St +Vincent. Here they were delayed by the Portuguese, who appear to have +captured some of their men; for, having taken a bark with eighteen +Portuguese on the 26th January, the Portuguese of St Vincent refused to +give a smaller number of Hollanders in exchange for these, though also +offered many fair manuscripts, pictures, plate, and other things +belonging to the jesuits, which had been taken in the prize. + +They departed from St Vincent in the beginning of February, having first +burnt their prize and some buildings on shore, and furnished themselves +amply with oranges and pomecitrons. In lat. 52° 6' S. they were +distressed by a severe storm on the 7th March, which continued several +days, and separated the ships. On the 21st a mutiny broke out, for which +several of the most notoriously guilty were capitally punished. They +entered the straits on the 28th, but were forced out again, by adverse +winds and currents. They entered again on the 2d of April, and saw a man +of gigantic stature climbing a high hill on the southern shore of the +straits, called _Terra del Fuego_, or the land of fire. They went ashore +on the 7th, when they saw two ostriches, and found a large river of +fresh water, beside which grew many shrubs producing sweet +black-berries. Being in lat. 54° S. the mountains were all covered with +snow, yet they found pleasant woods, in which were many parrots. To one +inlet or bay they gave the name of _Pepper haven_, because the bark of a +tree found there had a biting taste like pepper. + +On the 16th of April they had some friendly intercourse with a party of +savages, to whom they gave various trifling articles in exchange for +pearls. But on the 1st May, some of the people were surprised by the +natives while on shore, and two of them slain. On the 6th of May they +got into the South Sea, not without terror, having no anchorage that +day, and being in much danger from many shoals and islands at the mouth +of the straits, between the northern and sourthern shore. + +SECTION II. + +_Transactions in the South Sea, along the Western Coast of America_. + +They were welcomed into the great South Sea by a terrible storm, and +were fearful of being cast away on certain islands a little without the +straits, which, from their likeness to the islands of Scilly, they named +the _Sorlings_. On the 21st they had sight of the coast of Chili and the +isle of Mocha. This island is low and broad on the north, and is full of +rocks on the south. The 26th endeavours were made to enter into traffic +with the natives of this island. The chief and his son dined on board +the admiral, seemingly rejoiced to see such large and well-armed ships +sent against the Spaniards, and all the native Chilese were delighted to +see the soldiers mustered and exercised. The Dutch here procured great +plenty of sheep, in exchange for hatchets and ornaments of coral and +such like toys, getting two sheep for one hatchet. But the natives +brought every thing to the boats, and would not suffer any of the Dutch +to go near their houses, being very jealous of their wives, even more so +than Spaniards. These sheep resembled camels, having long legs and +necks, hare lips, hunches on their backs, and are used as beasts of +draught and burden. + +They left Mocha on the 27th of May, and next day came to the coast not +far from the island of St Mary, where the land was much broken and very +rocky. The 29th they cast anchor at the island of St Mary, whence a +Spaniard came on board, having a pledge left for him ashore. This man +invited the admiral and others to dine on shore; but one of the boats +observed a body of soldiers marching to the place at which they were to +have dined; on which appearance of treachery, the Spanish messenger was +made prisoner. The Dutch landed next day in force, on which the +Spaniards set their church on fire and fled; having four of their men +slain, while two of the Dutch were wounded. They here found much +poultry, and took 500 sheep, with other spoil. Learning at this place of +three Spanish ships fitted out in April expressly against them, the +admiral of which carried forty brass guns, and the whole manned by 1000 +Spaniards, Spilbergen resolved to go in search of them at Conception and +Valparaiso, and afterwards on the coast of Arica. A farther squadron, of +similar force, was also said to be in preparation at _Calao de Lima_. In +consequence of this intelligence, the Dutch gunners were ordered to have +every thing in readiness for battle, rules of military discipline were +established, and each ship and every person received distinct orders for +conducting the expected battle, in which it was resolved to conquer or +die. + +Sailing from the island of St Mary on the 1st June, 1615, they passed +not far from the town of _Aurora_,[93] where the Spaniards kept a +garrison of 500 men, which were continually disquieted by the +unconquered natives of Chili. On the 3d they came to the island of +_Quinquirina_, within which is the town of Conception, inhabited by many +Indians and about 200 Spaniards. The 12th they entered the safe and +commodious road of Valparaiso, in which was a Spanish ship, but which +was set on fire by its own mariners, who escaped on shore. The 13th at +noon, they were in lat. 32° 15' S.[94] and in the afternoon came into +the fair and secure harbour of Quintero. Here they took in wood and +water, and caught abundance of fish. But they found the inhabitants +every where aware of them, and prepared to receive them, so that nothing +of any importance could be effected. They came next to _Arica_ in lat. +12° 40' S.[95] to which place the silver is brought from the mines of +Potosi, whence it is shipped for Panama. Finding no ships there, they +proceeded along the coast, and took a small ship on the 16th, in which +was some treasure, but it was mostly embezzled by the sailors. + +[Footnote 93: Arauco, a fortress on the northern frontier of the +independent country of Araucania, but somewhat inland, not far to the +N.E. of the island of St Mary.--E.] + +[Footnote 94: Quintero is in lat. 32° 44' S.] + +[Footnote 95: This is a great error, as Arica is in lat 18° 28' S.] + +They soon after had sight of eight ships, which the master of the prize +said were the royal fleet sent out in search of the Hollanders, contrary +to the opinion of the council of Peru; but Dou Rodrigo de Mendoza, the +Spanish admiral, a kinsman to the viceroy, insisted on putting to sea, +alleging that two even of his ships could take all England, and much +more those _hens_ of Holland, who must be spent and wasted by so long a +voyage, and would assuredly yield at first sight. On this, the viceroy +gave him leave to depart, with orders to bring all the Hollanders in +chains. Mendoza then swore that he would never return till the +Hollanders were all taken or slain, and set sail from Calao, the haven +of Lima, on the 11th July. The flag ship was the Jesu Maria, of +twenty-four brass guns and 460 men, which was said to have cost the king +158,000 ducats. The vice-admiral was the Santa Anna, of 300 men, +commanded by Captain Alvarez de Piger, who had before taken an English +ship in the South Sea, and this ship cost 150,000 ducats, being the +handsomest that had ever been seen in Peru. The other ships were the +Carmelite and St Jago of eight brass cannon and 200 men each; the Rosary +of four guns and 150 men; the St Francis having seventy musketeers, and +twenty sailors, but no ordnance; the St Andrew of eighty musketeers, +twenty-five sailors, and no cannon; and an eighth, the name and strength +of which is not mentioned. + +The adverse fleets drew near on the evening of the 17th July, when the +Spanish vice-admiral sent a message to his admiral, advising to postpone +battle till next morning. Mendoza was, however, too impatient to follow +this advice, and set upon the Great Sun, in which was Admiral +Spilbergen, about ten that night, when they exchanged broadsides. The St +Francis being next to the Jesu Maria, attacked the Dutch admiral; but +being beaten off, fell upon the yacht, and by her was sent to the +bottom. At this instant, the yacht was attacked by the Spanish admiral, +and had soon shared the fate of her former antagonist, but was succoured +by two boats full of men, one from the Dutch admiral, and the other from +the vice-admiral; on this occasion, the Dutch admiral's boat was +unfortunately mistaken by the Huntsman, and sent to the bottom by a +cannon-shot, and all her men drowned except one. + +Next morning, five of the Spanish ships sent word to their admiral that +they meant to do their best to escape: But the Dutch admiral and +vice-admiral set upon the Spanish admiral and vice-admiral, and an +obstinate engagement ensued, in which the Eolus, another of the Dutch +ships, also partook. The two Spanish ships were lashed together, for +mutual support. At length, all the men forsook the vice-admiral, going +on board the admiral's ship, in which they afterwards confessed they +found only fifty men alive. Being reduced to great distress, the Spanish +seamen several times hung out a white flag, in token of surrender, which +was as often hauled down by the officers and other gentlemen, who chose +rather to die than yield. + +After some time, being sore pressed by the Hollanders, the men belonging +to the Spanish vice-admiral returned to their own ship, and renewed the +fight; on which occasion the Dutch vice-admiral was in imminent danger +of being taken, as the Spaniards boarded her, but were all repelled or +slain. Being no longer able to continue the fight, the Spanish admiral +fled under cover of the night, and escaped the pursuit of Spilbergen; +but her leaks were so many and great that she went to the bottom, as did +likewise another of the Spanish ships called the Santa Maria.[96] The +Dutch vice-admiral and the Eolus bestirred themselves so briskly, that +the Spanish vice-admiral hung out a white flag, on which the Dutch +vice-admiral sent two boats to bring the Spanish commander on board, but +he refused going that night, unless the Dutch vice-admiral came to fetch +him, or sent a captain to remain in pledge for him. At this time ten or +twelve of the men belonging to the Eolus remained on board, contrary to +orders, wishing to have a first hand in the plunder. These men assisted +the Spaniards in their efforts to prevent the ship from sinking: But all +their labour being in vain, they shewed many lights, and cried out aloud +for help, which was too late of being sent, and they went to the bottom. +Next morning the Dutch sent out four boats, which found thirty Spaniards +floating on pieces of the wreck, and crying out for mercy; which was +shewn by the Dutch to some of the chiefs, but the rest were left to the +mercy of the sea, several of them being even knocked on the head by the +Dutch, contrary to orders from their officers. Before this ship went +down her commander expired of his wounds. In this engagement forty +Dutchmen were wounded and sixteen slain, on board the admiral, +vice-admiral, and Eolus; and in the rest eighteen were wounded and four +slain. + +[Footnote 96: There is no such name in the list of the Spanish fleet, so +that we may suppose this to have been the one formerly mentioned without +a name.--E.] + +The Dutch now made sail for Calao de Lima, but were becalmed. The 20th +they passed by the island [St Lorenzo], and saw fourteen ships in the +haven, but could not get near for shoals. They went, therefore, to the +road of Calao in search of the Spanish admiral, but learned afterwards +at Payta that his ship had sunk. The Spaniards fired upon them from the +shore, and a ball of thirty-six pounds weight had nearly sunk the +Huntsman. They saw also on shore a considerable army, commanded by the +viceroy in person, consisting of eight troops of horse and 4000 foot. +Going beyond reach of shot from the shore, the Dutch cast anchor off the +mouth of the haven, where they remained till the 25th of July, expecting +to capture some Spanish ships, but all that appeared made their escape +by superior sailing, except one bark laden with salt and eighty jars of +molasses. + +In regard that they were now on an enemy's coast, where they had no +opportunity of repairing their losses, orders were issued by Spilbergen +to act with great caution, in case of falling in with the fleet of +Panama, and especially to take care not to separate from each 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° 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° 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° S. near fifty miles from +the nearest land; the middle, or inner Lobos, in lat. 6° 22' S. is only +about nine miles from the coast of Peru; and the northern Lobos is in +lat. 5° 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, a monastery, and many +good buildings; and has an excellent harbour, to which many ships resort +from Panama, whence their cargoes are transmitted by land to Lima, to +avoid the dangers of the wind and the seas at that place. While at the +island of Lobos, the Dutch took two birds of enormous size, not unlike +an eagle in beak, wings, and talons; their necks being covered with down +resembling wool, and their heads having combs like those of a cock. They +were two ells in height, and their wings, when displayed, measured three +ells in breadth.[98] + +[Footnote 98: Probably the Condour, or Vultur Gryphus of naturalists, +which is of vast size, sometimes measuring sixteen feet between the tips +of the wings when extended. + +At this place we have omitted a vague rambling account of the kingdoms +of Peru and Chili, as in 1616, which could have conveyed no useful +information, farther than that Don Juan de Mendoza, Marquis des Montes +Claros, was then viceroy of Peru.--E.] + +The Dutch set sail from Payta on the 21st of August, and anchored on the +23d in the road off the mouth of the Rio Tumbez, in lat. 3° 20' S. They +here agreed to return to the isle of Coques, in lat. 5° S.[99] that they +might endeavour to procure refreshments. But they were so distressed by +storms of wind, with rain and excessive thunder, that they in vain +endeavoured to get to that island till the 13th September, and in the mean +time became very sickly. Proceeding therefore towards the north they came +in sight of New Spain on the 20th September, in lat. 13° 30' N. when the +weather became again very tempestuous. After much bad weather they came in +sight of a pleasant land on the 1st October, but were unable to land. +Beating off and on till the 11th of that month, they then entered the +harbour of Accapulco, within shot of the castle, and hung out a flag of +truce. Two Spaniards came on board, with whom they agreed to exchange +their prisoners for sheep, fruits, and other provisions, which was +accordingly performed. On the 15th Melchior Hernando, nephew to the +viceroy of New Spain, came on board, to take a view of the fleet which +had vanquished that of his king, and was kindly entertained by the +Dutch admiral. The castle of Accapulco was found to be well fortified, +and had seventy pieces of brass cannon mounted on its ramparts; and the +Dutch were here informed that their intended arrival had been known eight +months before. + +[Footnote 99: This is probably the northern Lobos, in lat 5° 8' S. +formerly mentioned in a note.--E.] + +They set sail from Accapulco on the 18th of October, and soon afterwards +took a bark bound for the pearl fishery, which they manned and took into +their service as a tender. On the 1st November they anchored before the +port of _Selagua_, in lat. 19° 8' N. At this place they were informed of +a river abounding in a variety of excellent fish, and having extensive +meadows on its banks well stocked with cattle, together with citrons and +other fruits in great plenty, all of which they much wanted; but the +company they sent to endeavour to procure these conveniences returned +empty handed, after a smart engagement with the Spaniards. They sailed +thence on the 11th November for the port of Nativity, in lat. 20° 40' N. +where they furnished themselves with necessaries, and from whence they +set sail on the 20th. + + +SECTION III. + +_Voyage Home from America, by the East Indies and Cape of Good Hope_. + +The 26th November, 1615, being in lat. 20° 26' N. they determined on +shaping their course for the Ladrones across the great Pacific Ocean. On +the 3d December, to their great astonishment, they saw two islands at a +great distance, and next day a vast rock in lat. 19° N. fifty leagues +from the continent of America.[100] The 5th they saw another new island, +having five hills, that at first appeared like so many distinct islands. +The new year 1616 was ushered in with distempers that proved fatal to +many of the sailors. On the 3d of January they came in sight of the +Ladrones, where they landed and procured refreshments. Setting sail from +thence on the 26th January, they arrived at the Philippine islands on +the 9th February, but the Indians refused to trade with them, because +enemies of the Spaniards, though some among them, for that very reason, +would willingly have transferred all the trade and riches of the country +to them. In _Capul_, where they arrived on the 11th, the people gave +them fat hogs and poultry in exchange for mere trifles. Having thus +procured abundant refreshments, they set sail on the 16th, passing +through the straits towards the bay of Manilla. + +[Footnote 100: The three Marias are nearly in the indicated latitude, +but are only about thirty leagues from the western coast of N. +America.--E.] + +They anchored in these straits on the 19th, where they saw a curious +fabric erected on the top of trees, looking at a distance like a palace, +but they could not imagine what it was. The 24th they passed the high +and flaming hill of _Albaca_, and came in sight of the other end of the +straits [of St Bernardino] on the 28th, when they anchored before the +island, of _Mirabelles_, remarkable for two rocks which tower to a vast +height in the air. Behind this island is the city of Manilla, and here +the pilots wait for the ships from China, to pilot them safe to the +city, as the passage is very dangerous. On the 5th of March they took +several barks, which were going to collect the tribute paid by the +adjacent places to the city of Manilla. They had now intelligence of a +fleet of twelve ships and four gallies, manned by 2000 Spaniards besides +Indians, Chinese, and Japanese, sent from Manilla to drive the Dutch +from the Moluccas, and to reduce these islands under the dominion of +Spain. On this news they discharged all their prisoners, and resolved to +go in pursuit of the Manilla fleet. + +The 11th March they got into a labyrinth of islands, whence they knew +not how to get out, but their Spanish pilot carried them safe through +next day. The 14th they anchored all night before the island of _Paney_, +by reason of the shoals; and on the 18th they sailed close past the +island of Mindanao. The 19th they came again close to the shore, and +brought provisions from the islanders at a cheap rate. They reached Cape +_Cudera_ on the 20th, where the Spaniards usually water on their voyages +to the Moluccas. Till the 23d, having a perfect calm, they made no +progress except with the tide; and when between _Mindanao_ and _Tagano_ +they were stopt by an adverse current. The people here professed great +enmity against the Spaniards, and offered to assist the Dutch with fifty +of their vessels against that nation. The 27th they passed the island of +_Sanguin_, and came on the 29th to Ternate, in which island the Dutch +possessed the town of _Macia_, where they were made most welcome by +their countrymen. They observed that the straits of _Booton_ was full of +shoals, without which the water was deep. On the east there is good +fresh water, and two leagues to the west lies a very rocky shoal. On the +8th of April, Cornelius de Vicaneze went for Banda, where the soldiers +were landed, after being long on board ship. + +Being detained in the Moluccas and at Bantam in the service of the Dutch +East India Company till the 14th December, 1616, admiral Spilbergen then +sailed from Bantam for Holland, in the Amsterdam of 1400 tons, having +also under his command the Zealand of 1200 tons, leaving the ships with +which he had hitherto sailed in India. On the 1st January, 1617, the +Zealand parted company, and on the 24th of that month the Amsterdam +anchored at the island of Mauritius. They doubled the Cape of Good Hope +on the 6th March, and arrived at St Helena on 30th of that month, where +they found the Zealand. Leaving that island on the 6th April, they +passed the line on the 24th of that month, and arrived safe in Holland +on the 1st July, 1617, having been absent two years, ten months, and +twenty-four days; nearly nine months of which time were spent in India, +without prosecuting the direct purpose of their circumnavigation. + +The directors of the Dutch East India company bestowed the highest +commendations on Spilbergen for his prudence and good conduct in this +voyage, which contributed both to the advantage of the company, his own +reputation, and the glory of his country. The Dutch company may be said +to have dated their grandeur from the day of his return, both in respect +to reputation, power, and riches; the former resulting from his +successful circumnavigation of the globe, and the others from their +conquests in the Moluccas, in which he not only assisted, but likewise +brought home the first intelligence. On his return to Holland, +Spilbergen confirmed the report of Magellan respecting a gigantic people +inhabiting the straits, named _Patagons_. He said that he had gone +several times on shore, and had examined several graves of the natives, +and saw several savages at different times in their canoes, all of whom +were of the ordinary size; or rather under. But one day he observed a +man on shore, who first climbed one hill and then another, to look at +the ships, and at last came to the sea-side for that purpose, and this +man was allowed by all who saw him to be even taller than those spoken +of by Magellan. This is likewise confirmed by the accounts given to Van +Noort and De Weert, by a boy they took from the savages; who said there +were only two tribes of these giants, all the other savages being of the +ordinary size.[101] + +[Footnote 101: Without pretending to give any opinion on this subject, +it may be remarked, that the account from the savage boy is worthy of +little credit, as a kind of nursery tale, and given by one who certainly +could hardly have sufficient language to express himself. The solitary +giant seen looking at the ships from a distance, may have been of the +ordinary size, magnified to the eye in looking through a hazy +atmosphere.--E.] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1615-1617, BY WILLIAM CORNELISON SCHOUTEN AND +JACQUES LE MAIRE, GOING ROUND CAPE HORN.[102] + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The States General of the United Provinces having granted an exclusive +privilege to the Dutch East India Company, prohibiting all their +subjects, except that company, from trading to the eastwards beyond the +Cape of Good Hope, or westwards through the Straits of Magellan, in any +of the countries within these limits, whether known or unknown, and +under very heavy penalties; this prohibition gave great dissatisfaction +to many rich merchants, who were desirous of fitting out ships and +making discoveries at their own cost, and thought it hard that their +government should thus, contrary to the laws of Nature, shut up those +passages which Providence had left free. Among the number of these +discontented merchants was one Isaac Le Maire, a rich merchant of +Amsterdam, then residing at Egmont, who was well acquainted with +business, and had an earnest desire to employ a portion of the wealth he +had acquired in trade in acquiring fame as a discoverer. With this view +he applied to William Cornelison Schouten of Horn, a man in easy +circumstances, deservedly famous for his great skill in maritime +affairs, and his extensive knowledge of trade in the Indies, having been +thrice there in the different characters of supercargo, pilot, and +master. + +[Footnote 102: Harris, I.51. Callender, II. 217. + +It is proper to remark, that in this and several of the subsequent +circumnavigations, considerable freedom has been taken in abbreviating +numerous trivial circumstances already noticed by former voyagers: But +whereever the navigators treat on new topics of discovery, or other +subjects of any importance, the narratives are given at full length. Had +not this liberty of lopping redundancies been taken, this division of +our collection must have extended to a very inconvenient length, without +any corresponding advantage.--E.] + +The main question proposed to him by Le Maire was, Whether he thought it +possible to find a passage into the South Sea, otherwise than by the +Straits of Magellan; and if so, whether it were not likely that the +countries to the south of that passage might afford as rich commodities +as either the East or the West Indies? Schouten was of opinion that such +a passage might be found, and gave several reasons as to the probable +riches of these countries.[103] After many conferences, they came to the +determination of attempting this discovery, under a persuasion that the +States did not intend, by their exclusive charter to the East India +Company, to preclude their subjects from discovering countries in the +south by a new route, different from either of those described in the +charter. + +[Footnote 103: The idea of rich countries is here surely wrong stated, +as none such could possibly be conceived to the south of the Straits of +Magellan. The expected rich countries must have been to the westwards of +these straits, and in the tropical regions far to the north, in the hope +of not trenching upon the exclusive trade to the East Indies.--E.] + +In consequence of this determination, it was agreed that Le Maire +should advance half of the necessary funds for the expence of the +proposed voyage, while Schouten and his friends were to advance the +other moiety. Accordingly Le Maire advanced his part of the funds; and +Schouten, with the assistance of Peter Clementson, burgomaster of Horn, +Jan Janson Molenwert, one of the schepens or aldermen of that city, Jan +Clementson Keis, a senator of that city, and Cornelius Segetson, a +merchant, produced the rest. These matters being adjusted, in spring +1615, the company proposed to equip two vessels, a larger and a less, to +sail from Horn at the proper season. That all parties might be +satisfied, it was agreed that William Cornelison Schouten, in +consideration of his age and experience, should command the larger ship, +with the entire direction of the navigation during the voyage; and that +Jaques le Maire, the eldest son of Isaac, should be supercargo. Every +thing was got ready in two months for the prosecution of the enterprise, +and a sufficient number of men engaged as mariners: but, as secrecy was +indispensable, they were articled to go wherever the masters and +supercargoes should require; and, in consideration of such unusual +conditions, their wages were considerably advanced beyond the ordinary +terms. + + +SECTION I. + +_Journal of the Voyage from the Texel to Cape Horn_. + +The larger of the two vessels prepared for this voyage was the Unity, of +360 tons, carrying nineteen cannon and twelve swivels; having on board +two pinnaces, one for sailing and another for rowing, a launch for +landing men, and a small boat, with all other necessaries for so long a +voyage. Of this vessel William Cornelison Schouten was master and pilot, +and Jaques le Maire supercargo. The lesser vessel was named the Horn, of +110 tons, carrying eight cannons and four swivels, of which Jan +Cornelison Schouten was master, and Aris Clawson supercargo. The crew of +the Unity consisted of sixty-five men, and that of the Horn of +twenty-two only. The Unity sailed on the 25th of May for the Texel, +where the Horn also arrived on the 3d June. + +The proper season being now arrived, in their judgment, they sailed from +the Texel on the 14th of June, and anchored in the Downs on the 17th, +when William Schouten went ashore at Dover to hire an experienced +English gunner. This being effected, they again set sail the same +evening; and meeting a severe storm in the night between the 21st and +22d, they took shelter under the Isle of Wight. Sailing thence on the +25th, they arrived at Plymouth on the 27th, where they hired a carpenter +named Muydenblick. Sailing finally from Plymouth on the 28th June, with +the wind at N.E. and fair weather, they proceeded on their voyage. + +Distinct rules were now established in regard to the allowance of +provisions at sea, so that the men might have no reason to complain, and +the officers might be satisfied of having enough for the voyage. The +rate fixed upon was, a cann of beer for each man daily; four pounds of +biscuit, with half a pound of butter and half a pound of suet weekly; +and five large Dutch cheeses for each man, to serve during the whole +voyage. All this was besides the ordinary allowance of salt meat and +stock-fish. Due orders were likewise issued for regulating the conduct +of the men and officers. Particularly on all occasions of landing men in +a warlike posture, one of the masters was always to command: and in such +ports as they might touch at for trade, the supercargo was to go on +shore, and to have the exclusive management of all commercial dealings. +It was also enjoined, that every officer should be exceedingly strict in +the execution of his duty, but without subjecting the men to any +unnecessary hardships, or interfering with each other in their several +departments. The officers were also warned against holding any +conversation with the men, in regard to the objects of the voyage, all +conjectures respecting which were declared fruitless, the secret being +solely known to the first captain and supercargo. It was also declared, +that every embezzlement of stores, merchandises, or provisions, should +be severely punished; and, in case of being reduced upon short +allowance, any such offence was to be punished with death. The two +supercargoes were appointed to keep distinct journals of all +proceedings, for the information of the company of adventurers, that it +might appear how far every man had done his duty, and in what manner the +purposes of the voyage had been answered. + +On the 11th July they had sight of Madeira, and on the 13th they passed +through between Teneriff and Grand Canary, with a stiff breeze at N.N.E. +and a swift current. The 15th they passed the tropic of Cancer; and the +20th in the morning fell in with the north side of Cape de Verd. +Procuring here a supply of water, by leave of the Moorish alcaide or +governor, for which they had to pay _eight states_ of iron, they left +the cape on the 1st August, and came in sight of the high land of Sierra +Leona on the 21st of that month, as also of the island of _Madre bomba_, +which lies off the south point of Sierra Leona, and north from the +shallows of the island of St Ann. This land of Sierra Leona is the +highest of all that lie between Cape Verd and the coast of Guinea, and +is therefore easily known. + +On the 30th of August, they cast anchor in eight fathoms water on a fine +sandy bottom, near the shore, and opposite a village or town of the +negroes, in the road of Sierra Leona. This village consisted only of +eight or nine poor thatched huts. The Moorish inhabitants were willing +to come on board to trade, only demanding a pledge to be left on shore +for their security, because a French ship had recently carried off two +of the natives perfidiously. Aris Clawson, the junior merchant or +supercargo, went accordingly on shore, where he drove a small trade for +lemons and bananas, in exchange for glass beads. In the mean time some +of the natives came off to the ships, bringing with them an interpreter +who spoke many languages. They here very conveniently furnished +themselves with fresh water, which poured down in great abundance from a +very high hill, so that they had only to place their casks under the +waterfall. There were here whole woods of lemon-trees, and lemons were +so cheap that they might have had a thousand for a few beads, and ten +thousand for a few common knives; so that they easily procured as many +as they wished, and each man had 150 for sea store. The 3d September +they found a vast shoal of fish, resembling a shoemaker's knife. + +They left Sierra Leona on the 4th September; and on the 5th October, +being in lat 4° 27' S. they were astonished by receiving a violent +stroke on the bottom of one of the ships, though no rock appeared to be +in the way. While forming conjectures on the occasion of this shock, the +sea all about the ship began to change colour, appearing as if some +great fountain of blood had opened into it. This sudden alteration of +the water seemed not less wonderful than the striking of the ship; but +the cause of both was not discovered till after their arrival in Port +Desire, when the ship was laid on shore to clean her bottom, when they +found a large horn, of a substance resembling ivory, sticking fast in +the bottom. It was entirely firm and solid, without any internal cavity, +and had pierced through three very stout planks, grazing one of the ribs +of the ship, and stuck at least a foot deep in the wood, leaving about +as much on the outside, up to the place where it broke off.[104] + +[Footnote 104: This must have been a Narvai, or Narwhal, the Monodon +Monoceros, Licorne, or Unicornu Marinum, of naturalists, called likewise +the Unicorn Fish, or Sea Unicorn.--E.] + +On the 25th of October, when no person knew whereabouts they were except +Schouten, the company was informed that the design of the voyage was to +endeavour to discover a new southern passage into the South Sea; and the +people appeared well pleased, expecting to discover some new golden +country to make amends for all their trouble and danger. The 26th they +were in lat. 6° 25' S. and continued their course mostly to the south +all the rest of that month, till they were in lat 10° 30' S. The 1st +September they had the sun at noon to the north; and in the afternoon +of the 3d they had sight of the isle of Ascension, in 20° S. otherwise +called the island of Martin Vaz, where the compass was observed to vary +12° to the east of north. The 21st, in lat. 38° S. the compass varied +17° in the same eastern direction. The 6th December, they got sight of +the mainland of South America, appearing rather flat, and of a white +colour, and quickly after fell in with the north head-land of Port +Desire, anchoring that night in ten fathoms water with the ebb-tide, +within a league and a half of the shore. Next day, resuming their course +southwards, they came into Port Desire at noon, in lat. 47° 40' S. They +had very deep water at the entrance, where they did not observe any of +the cliffs which were described by Van Noort, as left by him to the +northward on sailing into this haven, all the cliffs they saw being on +the south side of the entrance, which therefore might be those mentioned +by Van Noort, and misplaced in his narrative by mistake. + +In consequence of this error, they overpassed Port Desire to the south, +so as to miss the right channel, and came into a crooked channel, where +they had four and a half fathoms water at full sea, and only fourteen +feet at low water. By this means the Unity got fast aground by the +stern, and had infallibly been lost, if a brisk gale had blown from the +N.E. But as the wind blew west from the land, she got off again without +damage. Here they found vast quantities of eggs upon the cliffs; and the +bay afforded them great abundance of muscles, and smelts sixteen inches +long, for which reason they called it _Smelt Bay_. From this place they +sent a pinnace to the Penguin Islands, which brought back 150 of these +birds, and two sea lions. + +Leaving Smelt Bay on the 8th December, they made sail for Port Desire, a +boat going before to sound the depth of the channel, which was twelve +and thirteen fathoms, so that they sailed in boldly, having a fair wind +at N.E. After going in little more than a league, the wind began to veer +about, and they cast anchor in twenty fathoms; but the ground, +consisting entirely of slippery stones, and the wind now blowing strong +at N.W. they drifted to the south shore, where both ships had nearly +been wrecked. The Unity lay with her side to the cliffs, yet still kept +afloat, and gradually slid down towards the deep water as the tide fell. +But the Horn stuck fast aground, so that at last her keel was above a +fathom out of the water, and a man might have walked under it at low +water. For some time, the N.W. wind blowing hard on one side, kept her +from falling over; but, that dying away, she at length fell over on her +bends, when she was given over for lost; but next flood, coming on with +calm weather, righted her again. Having escaped this imminent danger, +both ships went farther up the river on the 9th, and came to King's +Island, which they found full of black sea-mews, and almost entirely +covered with their eggs; so that a man without moving from one spot +might reach fifty or sixty nests with his hands, having three or four +eggs in each. They here accordingly were amply provided with eggs, and +laid in several thousands of them for sea store. + +The 11th the boats were sent down the river in search of fresh water, on +the south side, but found it all brackish and unpleasant. They saw +ostriches here, and a sort of beasts like harts, having wonderfully long +necks, and extremely wild. Upon the high hills, they found great heaps +of stones, under which some monstrous carcass had been buried, some of +the bones being ten or eleven feet long, which, if having belonged to +rational creatures, must have been the bones of giants.[105] They here +had plenty of good fish and fowls, but no water could be found for some +days. + +[Footnote 105: Giants indeed; for thigh bones of ten or eleven feet +long, and these are the longest in the human body, would argue men of +_thirty-one feet high_!--E.] + +On the 17th December, the Unity was laid ashore on King's island, in +order to clean her bottom, and next day the Horn was hauled on shore for +the same purpose, but providentially at the distance of about 200 yards +from her consort: For, on the 19th, while burning a fire of dry reeds +under the Horn, which was necessary for the object in view, the flame +caught hold of the ship, and they were forced to see her burn without +being able to do any thing to extinguish the fire, as they were at least +fifty feet from the water side. They launched the Unity at high water on +the 20th, and next day carried on board all the iron-work, anchors, +cannon, and whatever else they had been able to save belonging to the +Horn. + +On the 25th some holes full of fresh water were found, which was white +and muddy, yet well tasted, and of which a great quantity was carried +on board, in small casks on the men's shoulders. At this place, they +found great numbers of sea lions, the young of which are good to eat. +This creature is nearly as big as a small horse, their heads resembling +lions, and the males having long manes on their necks of tough coarse +hair; but the females have no manes, and are only half as large as the +males. They are a bold and fierce animal, and only to be destroyed by +musket shot. + +January 18th, 1616, they departed from Port Desire: and on the 18th, +being in lat. 51° S they saw the Sebaldine [or Faulkland] islands, as +laid down by de Weert. The 20th, being in lat. 53° S. and by estimation +twenty leagues to the South of the Straits of Magellan, they observed a +strong current running to the S.W. The 22d the wind was uncertain, and +shifting, and the water had a white appearance, as if they had been +within the land; and holding on their course, S. by W. they saw land +that same day, bearing from them W. and W.S.W. and quickly afterwards +saw other land to the south. Then attempting, by an E.S.E. course, to +get beyond the land, they were constrained to take in their topsails, by +the wind blowing hard at north. In the forenoon of the 24th they saw +land to starboard, at the distance of a league, stretching out to the +east and south, having very high hills all covered with snow. They then +saw other land bearing east from the former, which likewise was high and +rugged. According to estimation, these two lands lay about eight leagues +asunder, and they guessed there might be a good passage between them, +because of a brisk current which ran to the southward in the direction +of that opening. At noon they made their latitude 54° 46',[106] and +stood towards the before-mentioned opening, but were delayed by a calm. +At this place they saw a prodigious multitude of penguins, and such +numbers of whales that they had to proceed with much caution, being +afraid they might injure their ship by running against them. + +[Footnote 106: They were here obviously approaching the Straits of Le +Maire, discovered on the present occasion, the northern opening of which +is in lat. 54° 40' S. the southern in 55° S. and the longitude 65° 15' +W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +In the forenoon of the 25th they got close in with the eastern land, and +upon its north side, which stretched E.S.E. as far as the eye could +carry. This they named _States Land_, and to that which lay westward of +the opening they gave the name of _Maurice Land_.[107] The land on both +sides seemed entirely bare of trees and shrubs, but had abundance of +good roads and sandy bays, with great store of fish, porpoises, +penguins and other birds. Having a north wind at their entrance into +this passage, they directed their course S.S.W. and going at a brisk +rate, they were at noon in lat. 55° 36' S. and then held a S.W. course +with a brisk gale. The land on the south side of the passage or Straits +of _Le Maire_, and west side, to which they gave the name of _Maurice +Land_, [being the east side of the Terra del Fuego] appeared to run +W.S.W. and S.W. as far as they could see, and was all a very rugged, +uneven, and rocky coast. In the evening, having the wind at S.W. they +steered S. meeting with prodigious large waves, rolling along before the +wind; and, from the depth of the water to leeward, which appeared by +very evident signs, they were fully convinced that they had the great +South Sea open before them, into which they had now almost made their +way by a new passage of their own discovering. + +[Footnote 107: The former of these names is still retained, but not the +latter; the land on the west of the Straits of Le Maire being Terra del +Fuego; and the cape at the N.W. of the straits mouths is now called Cape +St Vincent, while the S.W. point is named Cape St Diego.--E.] + +At this place the _sea-mews_ were larger than swans, their wings when +extended measuring six feet from tip to tip. These often alighted on the +ship, and were so tame as to allow themselves to be taken by hand, +without even attempting to escape. The 26th at noon they made their +latitude 57° S. where they were assailed by a brisk storm at W.S.W. the +sea running very high, and of a blue colour. They still held their +course to the southwards, but changed at night to the N.W. in which +direction they saw very high land. At noon of the 27th they were in 56° +51' S. the weather being very cold, with hail and rain, and the wind at +W. and W. by S. The 28th they had great billows rolling from the west, +and were at noon in 56° 48' S. The 29th having the wind at N.E. they +steered S.W. and came in sight of two islands W.S.W. of their course, +beset all round with cliffs. They got to these islands at noon, giving +the name of _Barnevelt's Islands_, and found their latitude to be 57° +S.[108] "Being unable to sail _above_ them, they held their course to +the north; and taking a N.W. course in the evening from Barnevelt's +islands, they saw land N.W. and N.N.W. from them, being the lofty +mountainous land covered with snow, which lies to the south of the +straits of Magellan, [called Terra del Fuego,] and which ends in a sharp +point, to which they gave the name of _Cape Horn_, which is in lat. 57° +48' S."[109] + +[Footnote 108: Only 56°, so that by some inaccuracy of instruments or +calculation, the observations of the latitude, in this voyage, seem all +considerably too high.--E.] + +[Footnote 109: The course in the text within inverted commas, from +Barnevelt's islands to Cape Horn, is evidently erroneously stated. It +ought to have run thus. "Being unable to pass to the north of these +islands, they held their course S.W. seeing land on the N.W. and N.N.W. +of their course, which ended in a sharp point, which they named _Cape +Horn_."--Cape Horn is in lat. 56° 15' S. and long. 67° 45' W. from +Greenwich.--E.] + +They now held their course westwards, being assisted by a strong current +in that direction; yet had the wind from the north, and had heavy +billows meeting them from the west. The 30th, the current and billows as +before, they were fully assured of having the way open into the South +Sea, and this day at noon they made their latitude 57° 34' S. The 31st +sailing west, with the wind at north, their latitude at noon was 58° S. +But the wind changing to W. and W.S.W. they passed Cape Horn, losing +sight of land altogether, still meeting huge billows rolling from the +west with a blue sea, which made them believe they were in the main +South Sea. February 1st, they had a storm at S.W. and sailed N.W. and +W.N.W. The 2d, having the wind at W. they sailed southwards, and came +into the lat. of 57° 58' S. The 3d they made their latitude 59° 25' S. +with a strong wind at W. but saw no signs of any land to the South. + + +SECTION II. + +_Continuation of the Voyage, from Cape Horn to the Island of Java._ + +Altering their course to the northwards, they plainly discerned the +western mouth of the Straits of Magellan, bearing east from them, on the +12th February; and being now quite sure of their new and happy +discovery, they returned thanks to the Almighty for their good fortune +over a cup of wine, which was handed three times round the company. To +this new-found passage or straits, leading from the Atlantic into the +Pacific, they gave the name of the _Straits of Le Maire_, though that +honour ought justly to have been given to _Schouten,_ by whose excellent +conduct these straits were discovered. + +By the 27th of February they were in lat. 40° S. with fair weather, +continuing their course to the north; but on the 28th, they determined +to sail for the island of Juan Fernandez, to give some rest and +refreshment to their sickly and wearied company. That day their latitude +at noon was 35° 53' S. In the evening they shortened sail, fearing to +fall in with the land in the night. Next day, being the 1st of March, +they saw the islands of Juan Fernandez to the N.N.E. and got up to them +at noon, being in the lat. of 35° 53' S.[110] The smaller of these +islands is that to the westwards, [Masafuero,] which is very barren and +rocky. The greater [Juan Fernandez,] to the eastwards, though also very +high and mountainous, is yet fruitful and well shaded with trees. This +island affords plenty of hogs and goats; and there is such excellent +fishing all round, that the Spaniards come hither for that purpose, and +transport vast quantities of fish from hence to Peru. + +[Footnote 110: The latitude of Juan Fernandez is only 33° 42' S. The two +islands mentioned in the text under this name, are Juan Fernandez and +Masafuero; the former in long. 77° 80', the latter in 79° 40', both W. +from Greenwich. Or perhaps, the second island may be the Small Goat's or +Rabbit Island, off its S.W. end, called _Isola de Cabras_, or _de +Conejos_.--E.] + +The road or haven of Juan Fernandez, [named la Baia, or Cumberland +Harbour,] is at the east end of the island; but they shaped their course +to the west end, where they could find no place in which to anchor. The +boat being sent in search of an anchorage, brought an account of a +beautiful valley, full of trees and thickets, and refreshed by streams +of water running down from the hills, with a variety of animals feeding +in this pleasant spot. The boat brought also great store of fish on +board, being mostly lobsters and crabs, and reported having seen many +sea wolves. Finding the island inaccessible, they took a considerable +quantity of fish, and procured a supply of fresh water, after which they +determined to pursue their voyage. + +The 11th March they passed the tropic of Capricorn to the north, the +wind in general being E.S.E. and they held their course N.N.W. till the +15th, when being in lat. 18° S. they changed their course to W. The 3d +April they were in 15° 12' S. being then much afflicted with the flux, +and that day they saw a small low island which they got up to at noon. +Finding no bottom, they could not come to anchor, but sent some men +ashore in the boat. They found nothing here fit for refreshment, except +some herbs which tasted like scurvy grass, and saw some dogs which +could neither bark nor snarl, and for which reason they named it Dog +Island. It is in lat. 15° 12', and they judged it to be 925 leagues west +from the coast of Peru.[111] The interior of this island is so low, that +it seemed mostly overflowed at high water, its outskirt being a sort of +dike or mound, overgrown with trees, between which the salt water +penetrates in several places. + +[Footnote 111: Dog Island is in lat. 15° 18' S. and long. 137° W. about +1200 marine leagues west from the coast of Peru under the same parallel. +By the description in the text it seems one of those which are usually +termed _lagoon_ islands--E.] + +The 14th, sailing W. and W. by N. they saw a large low island in the +afternoon, reaching a considerable way N.E. and S.W. At sun-set, being +about a league from this island, a canoe came to meet them, in which +were some naked Indians of a reddish colour, having long black hair. +They made signs to the Dutch to go on shore, and spoke to them in a +language which was not understood; neither did the Indians understand +them, though spoken to in Spanish, Moluccan, and Javan. Getting near the +coast, no bottom could be found, though only a musket-shot from land. +They now sailed S.S.W. along the island, making ten leagues during the +night, and continued along the shore on the 15th, many naked people +continually inviting them to land. At length a canoe came off, but the +natives would not venture into the ship, yet came to the boat, where the +Dutch gave them beads, knives, and other trifles; but they found them +thievishly disposed, much like the natives of the Ladrones, and were so +fond of iron, that they stole the nails from the cabin windows, and the +bolts from the doors. Their skins were all pictured over with snakes, +dragons, and such like reptiles, and they were entirely naked, except a +piece of mat before them. A boat was sent ashore well armed, and +immediately on landing, about thirty of the natives rushed from a wood, +armed with clubs, slings, and long staves or spears, and would have +seized the boat and taken away the arms from the soldiers; but on +receiving a discharge of musquetry they run off. Not being able to +anchor here, they called this the _Island without ground_. It is low, +and mostly composed of white sandy ground, on which are many trees, +which were supposed to be cocoas and palmitos. It is not broad, but of +considerable length, being in lat. 15° S. and about 100 leagues from Dog +Island.[112] + +[Footnote 112: Sondre-ground, or Without-ground, is in lat. 15° 12' S. +and 143° 25' W. long.--E.] + +Finding nothing could be done here, they held on their course to the +west, and on the 16th came to another island, about fifteen leagues +north from the former. This seemed all drowned land, yet its skirts were +well clothed with trees. Here also they found no ground, and it yielded +nothing but a few herbs, with some crabs and other shell-fish, which +they found good eating. It afforded them also good fresh water, which +they found in a pit not far from the shore. The pottage or soup, which +they made of certain herbs gathered here, proved serviceable to those +who were afflicted with the flux. They called this _Water Island_,[113] +because it supplied them with fresh water. + +[Footnote 113: Water-land is in lat. 15° S. and 146° W. long.--E.] + +Sailing from this island westwards, they came on the 18th to another +island 20 leagues distant from the last, and extending a considerable +way N.W. and S.E. Dispatching the boat in search of anchorage, a bottom +was found near a point of land, in 25 and 40 fathoms, about a +musket-shot from the shore, where also was a gentle stream of fresh +water. This news induced them to send back the boat with some casks for +water: But after using much pains to get on shore, and searching in the +wood to find a spring, they were frightened away by seeing a savage. On +getting back to their boat, five or six more of the savages came to the +shore, but on seeing the Dutch put off they soon retired into the woods. +Although they thus got rid of the savages, they encountered other +adversaries of a formidable nature; for they were followed from the +woods by innumerable myriads of black flies, so that they came on board +absolutely covered with them from head to foot, and the plague of flies +began to rage in the ship in a most intolerable manner. This persecution +lasted three or four days, on which account they called this _Fly +Island_,[114] and by the help of a good breeze of wind, they left it as +fast as they could. + +[Footnote 114: The next island W. or rather S.W. from Water-land, and +nearly at the distance in the text, is now called Palliser's +island.--E.] + +Continuing their course westwards from the 19th of April to the 9th of +May, when they were in lat. 15° 20' S. and estimated their distance from +Peru 1510 leagues to the west, they perceived a bark coming towards +them, on which they fired a gun or two to make them strike. But those +who were in her, either not understanding the language of cannon, or +unwilling to obey, made off as fast as they could; on which the Dutch +sent their boat with ten musqueteers to intercept them. Some of the +savages in the bark leapt overboard, and the rest surrendered without +resistance, on which the Dutch used them kindly, dressing those that +were wounded, and saving the lives of some who had leapt into the sea. +Besides the men, there were eight women and several children, being in +all twenty-three, remaining in the bark. They were a cleanly neat kind +of people, of a reddish colour, and entirely naked except the parts of +shame. The men wore their long black curled hair, but that of the women +was cut short. + +The bark was of a singular figure and construction, consisting of two +canoes fastened together, in the midst of each of which were two planks +of red wood to keep out the water, and several others went across from +one canoe to the other, being made fast and close above, and projected +over a good way on each side. At the end of one of the canoes, on the +starboard side, there stood a mast, having a fork at its upper end, +where the yard lay; the sail being of mats, and the ropes of that kind +of stuff of which fig-frails are made in Spain. Their only furniture +consisted of a few fishing-hooks, the upper part of which was of stone, +and the other of bone, tortoise-shell, or mother-of-pearl. They had no +water on board, instead of which they satisfied themselves with the +liquor of a few cocoa-nuts; in default of which they drank sea-water, +which even the children did heartily. The Dutch sent them all again on +board their vessel, where the women welcomed their husbands with joyful +embraces, after which they made away to the south-east.[115] + +[Footnote 115: This double canoe seems to have belonged to the Society +islands, and was perhaps bound towards Otaheite, by the course which it +followed on getting rid of the Dutch.--E.] + +The 10th of May, Schouten continued his course W.S.W. and that day saw +some very high land to larboard, S.E. by S. about eight leagues off. The +11th they came to a very high island, and about two leagues south from +this to one much lower; and the same day sailed over a bank where they +had fourteen fathoms on a stoney bottom, about two leagues from the +land, and being past this bank could find no bottom. At this time +another bark, or double canoe like the former, came up to them, having a +small loose single canoe in her, to put out upon occasion. She sailed so +fast that few Dutch ships could have outstripped her. She was steered +behind by two oars, one in each canoe, and when they have a mind to +tack they use oars forwards. Sending their boat to sound at one of these +islands, ground was found a cannon-shot from the shore, in twelve, +fourteen, and fifteen fathoms, but shelvy. The savages in the bark made +signs as if directing them to the other island, but they anchored at the +former in twenty-five fathoms on a sandy bottom, a cannon-shot from +shore. + +This island, in lat. 16° 10' S. is one entire mountain, looking like one +of the Molucca islands, and all covered with cocoa-nut trees, for which +reason they named it Cocoa island.[116] The other island is much lower +than this, but longer, and stretches east and west. While at anchor off +Cocoa island there came three _ships_,[117] and nine or ten canoes about +them, having three or four men in each. Some of these holding out white +flags in token of peace, the Dutch did so likewise. The canoes were flat +before and sharp behind, hewed each out of one piece of a red kind of +wood, and sailed very swiftly. On coming near the Unity, some of the +savages leapt into the sea and swam to the ship, having their hands full +of cocoa-nuts and _ubes-roots,_[118] which they bartered for nails and +beads, giving four or five cocoa-nuts for a nail or a small string of +beads, so that the Dutch that day procured 180 cocoa-nuts. This traffic +brought so many of the natives on board, that the Dutch could hardly +stir about the ship. + +[Footnote 116: Cocas, or Boscawen island, is in 16° 32' S. and long. +169° 35' W. The other island mentioned in the text, Traitors, or Keppel +island, is a few leagues S.S.W. from Cocos.--E.] + +[Footnote 117: These ships must have been large double canoes.--E.] + +[Footnote 118: These _ubes_-roots were perhaps the same that are called +_eddoes_ by modern navigators among the South Sea islands.--E.] + +The boat was now sent to the other island to see for a more convenient +place in which to anchor; but she was presently beset by a vast number +of canoes filled with a mad sort of people, armed with clubs, who +boarded the boat and attacked the Dutchmen. On firing their muskets, the +savages laughed at them for making so much noise and doing so little +hurt; but, on the next discharge, one of them being shot through the +breast, they learnt to pay more respect to the muskets, and to keep +their due distance for the future. The savages were lusty, +well-proportioned men, and most expert swimmers, but naked and thievish, +and very fantastical in the fashion of their hair, some having it +short, others long, some curled, and others plaited or folded up in +various forms. + +On the 12th the savages came again in their canoes, laden with cocoas, +bananas, _ubes-roots_, hogs, and fresh water, contending violently who +should get first on board. Those who were behind, being unable to get +over the throng of canoes and men before them, leapt into the sea, and +diving under the canoes, swam to the ship with bunches of cocoas in +their mouths, and climbed up the side like so many rats, and in such +swarms that the Dutch had to keep them off with cudgels. The Dutch +bartered with them that day for so many cocoas, as to produce twelve for +each of their men, being eighty-five in number. The natives wondered +much at the size and strength of the Dutch ship; and some of them even +dived under her bottom, knocking it with stones, as if to try how strong +it was. The king of these savages sent a black hog on board as a +present, charging the messenger to take no reward. Shortly after he came +in person, in a large ship of their fashion, attended by thirty-five +single canoes; and when at a small distance from the ship, he and all +his people began to bawl out as loud as they could, being their manner +of welcoming strangers. The Dutch received him with drums and trumpets, +which pleased him much; and he and his attendants shewed their sense of +this honourable reception by bowing and clapping their hands. The king +gave them a present after his fashion, which they requited with an old +hatchet, some rusty nails and glass beads, and a piece of linen, with +all which he seemed much pleased. This king was not distinguished from +his subjects by any external mark of dignity, but merely by the +reverence they shewed him, as he was equally naked with all the rest; +but he could not be prevailed on to come on board the Unity. + +At noon on the 13th, the Dutch ship was surrounded by twenty-three large +double canoes, or ships of their fashion, and forty-five single canoes, +in all of which there could not be less than seven or eight hundred men. +At first they pretended to come for the purpose of trade, making signs +of friendship, and endeavouring to prevail upon the Dutch to remove +their ship to the other island, where they would be better accommodated. +Yet, in spite of all these fair pretences, the Dutch suspected that some +mischief was intended by the savages, who now began to environ the ship +all around, and then, with a great outcry, made a sudden attack. The +king's ship was the foremost in the action, and rushed with such +violence against the Unity, that the heads of the two canoes composing +it were both dashed to pieces. The rest came on as well as they could, +throwing repeated showers of great stones on board; but the Dutch, +having been on their guard, so galled them with musquetry, and with +three great guns loaded with musket-balls and nails, that all the +savages were fain to quit their canoes, and seek for safety in the +water. Being thus put to the rout, they dispersed as quickly as +possible. These treacherous savages were inhabitants of the lower, or +more southerly, of the two islands, which therefore the Dutch named +_Traitor's Island_. + +Schouten sailed from Cocoa Island that same day, holding a course to the +W. and W. by S. and came on the 14th to another island, about thirty +leagues from Cocoa Island, to which he gave the name of _Hope +Island_,[119] because expecting there to meet with refreshments. Finding +no ground for anchorage, the boat was sent to sound along shore, and +found a stony bottom about a musket-shot from the shore, in some places +having forty, and in others twenty and thirty fathoms, and then no +bottom at all next throw of the lead. Some ten or twelve canoes came off +to the ship, bartering a small quantity of flying fishes for beads, the +articles being reciprocally exchanged by means of a rope let down from +the stern of the ship. From this peddling traffic the Indians soon after +withdrew, and endeavoured to board and carry away the boat which was +employed in sounding; but met with such a reception from guns, pikes, +and cutlasses, that after two of them were slain, they were glad to +hurry away as fast as they could. This island was mostly composed of +black cliffs, which were green on the top, and seemed well stocked with +cocoa-trees. There were several houses seen along the sea side; and in +one place was a large village close beside a strand, or landing-place. +As there was no convenient anchorage at this place, the ground being +extremely rough, Schouten proceeded on his voyage to the S.W. meaning to +pursue the originally intended discovery of a southern continent. + +[Footnote 119: Hope Island is in lat. 16° 32' S. and in 177° 25' W. +longitude.--E.] + +The 18th May, being in lat. 16° 5' S. and the west wind becoming very +unsteady, they began to consult as to the farther prosecution of their +voyage. Schouten represented that they were now at least 1600 leagues +westward from the coast of Peru, without having made the expected +discovery of a southern land, of which there was now no great +probability of success, having already sailed much farther west than +they at first intended. He said also, if they persisted in following +their present course, they would assuredly come to the southern side of +New Guinea; and if they were unable to find a passage through that +country, to the west or north, they would inevitably be lost, since it +would be impossible for them to get back again, by reason of the east +winds which continually reign in these seas. For these reasons, and +others which he urged, he proposed, that they should now alter their +course to the northwards, so as to fall in with the north side of New +Guinea.[120] This proposal was embraced by all the company, and it was +immediately determined to change the course to N.N.W. Accordingly, +holding their course in that new direction, they saw two islands at noon +of the 19th, about eight leagues from them, N.E. by E. and seeming to be +a cannon-shot distant from each other.[121] Upon this they steered N.E. +with fair weather and a scanty wind, meaning to approach this island, +but could only get within a league of it on the 21st, when they were +visited by two canoes, the people in which began immediately to threaten +them with loud cries, and at the same time seemed preparing to dart +their _assagays_ or spears: but, on a discharge from the ship, they made +off in haste, leaving two of their companions behind them who were +slain, and a shirt they had stolen from the ship. Next day other natives +came to the ship on friendly and peaceable terms, bringing cocoa-nuts, +ubes-roots, and roasted hogs, which they bartered for knives, beads, and +nails. + +[Footnote 120: It is almost needless to mention, that if Schouten had +continued his course in the former parallel of between 15° and 16° S. he +must have fallen in with the group of islands now called the New +Hebrides, and afterward with the northern part of New South Wales.--E.] + +[Footnote 121: This was only one island, in lat. 15° S. and long. 180° +10' W. which they named Horn Island.--E.] + +The natives of this island were all as expert swimmers and divers as +those in Traitor's Island, and as well versed in cheating and stealing, +which they never failed to do when an opportunity offered. Their houses +stood all along the shore, being thatched with leaves, and having each a +kind of penthouse to shed off the rain. They were mostly ten or twelve +feet high, and twenty-five feet in compass, their only furniture within +being a bed of dry leaves, a fishing-rod or two, and a great club, even +the house of their king being no better provided than the rest. At this +island the Dutch found good convenience for watering; and on the 26th +they sent three of their principal people on shore as hostages, or +pledges, of friendship with the islanders, retaining six of them aboard +in the same capacity. The Dutch pledges were treated on shore with great +respect by the king, who presented them with four hogs; and gave strict +orders that none of his people should give the smallest disturbance to +the boat while watering. The natives stood in great awe of their king, +and were very fearful of having any of their crimes made known to him. +One of them having stolen a cutlass, and complaint being made to one of +the king's officers, the thief was pursued and soundly drubbed, besides +being forced to make restitution; on which occasion the officer +signified, that it was well for the culprit that the king knew not of +his crime, otherwise his life would certainly have been forfeited. + +These islanders were extremely frightened at the report of a gun, which +would set them all running like so many madmen. Yet on one occasion the +king desired to hear one of the great guns let off, and being set for +that purpose under a canopy, with all his courtiers about him, in great +state, the gun was no sooner fired than he ran off into the woods as +fast as possible, followed by his attendants, and no persuasions of the +Dutch could stop them. The 25th and 26th the Dutch went ashore to +endeavour to procure hogs, but were unable to get any, as the islanders +had now only a few left, and would only part with cocoas, bananas, and +ubes-roots; yet the king continued his wonted kindness and respect, and +he and his lieutenant took the crowns from their own heads, and set them +on the heads of two of the company. These crowns were composed of the +white, red, and green feathers of parrots and doves. The doves of this +island are white on the back, and black every where else except the +breast; and each of the king's counsellors has one of these birds +sitting beside him on a stick. + +The ship being completely supplied with fresh water on the 28th, +Schouten and Le Maire went ashore with the trumpets, with which music +the king was highly gratified. He told them of his wars with the +inhabitants of the other island, and shewed several caves and thickets +where they were in use to place ambuscades. It plainly appeared that he +was fearful of the Dutch having some design of seizing his country, as +he would fain have engaged them to go to war with the other island, and +even offered to give them ten hogs and a good quantity of cocoas, if +they would be gone from his island in two days. Yet he made them a visit +aboard, praying when he entered the ship, and praying also at every +cabin he entered. He used always to pray likewise every time the Dutch +came ashore to visit him. His subjects also shewed great submission to +the Dutch, kissing their feet, and laying them on their own necks, with +all the marks of awe and fear they could express. + +The 30th of May was a day of great ceremony, in consequence of the king +of the _other island_[122] coming to visit the king of this. This king +was accompanied by a train of 300 naked Indians, having bunches of green +herbs stuck about their waists, of which herb they make their drink. To +make sure of a welcome, this king brought with him a present of sixteen +hogs. When the two kings came in sight of each other, they began to bow +and to mutter certain prayers; on meeting they both fell prostrate on +the ground, and after several strange gestures, they got up and walked +to two seats provided for them, where they uttered a few more prayers, +bowing reverently to each other, and at length sat down under the same +canopy. After this, by way of doing honour to the stranger king, a +messenger was sent aboard, requesting to send the drums and trumpets +ashore, which was done accordingly, and they played a march to the great +entertainment of the two kings. After this a solemn banquet was +prepared, for which they began to make ready their liquor, and in the +following strange and abominable manner. A number of Indians came into +the presence of the two kings and their attendants, bringing a good +quantity of _cana_, the herb of which they make their drink, each of +whom took a large mouthful thereof, and having chewed it a while, put it +from their mouths into a large wooden trough, and poured water on the +chewed herb. After stirring it some time, they squeezed out all the +liquor, which they presented in cups to the two kings.[123] They also +offered of it to the Dutch, who were ready to vomit at the nastiness of +its preparation. + +[Footnote 122: No _other island_ is to be found in modern maps near Horn +Island, the nearest being the Feejee Islands, a numerous group, about +thirty leagues S.S.W. It is therefore probable that Horn Island may have +consisted of two peninsulas, united by a low narrow neck, appearing to +Schouten as two distinct islands.--E.] + +[Footnote 123: In the Society Islands, as related by modern navigators, +an intoxicating liquor is prepared nearly in a similar manner, by +chewing the _ava_, or pepper-root.--E.] + +The eating part of this entertainment consisted of ubes-roots roasted, +and hogs nicely dressed in the following manner: Having ripped open +their bellies and taken out the entrails, they singed off the hair, and +put hot stones into their bellies, by which, without farther cleaning or +dressing, they were made fit for the royal feast.[124] They presented +two hogs dressed in this manner to the Dutch, with all the form and +ceremony used to their kings, laying them first on their heads, then +kneeling with much humility, they left them at their feet. They gave the +Dutch also eleven living hogs; for which they got in return a present of +knives, old nails, and glass beads, with which they were well pleased. +The natives of this island were of a dark yellow colour, so tall, large, +strong, and well-proportioned, that the tallest of the Dutch could only +be compared with the smallest among them. Some wore their hair curled, +frizzled, or tied up in knots, while others had it standing bolt upright +on their heads, like hog's-bristles, a quarter of an ell high. The king +and some of his chief men had long locks of hair, hanging down below +their hips, bound with a few knots. The women were all very ugly +figures, short and ill-shaped, their breasts hanging down to their +bellies like empty satchels, and their hair close cropped. Both sexes +were entirely naked, except a slight covering in front. They seemed +altogether void of any devotion, and free from care, living on what the +earth spontaneously produces, without any art, industry, or cultivation. +They neither sow nor reap, neither buy nor sell, neither do any thing +for a living, but leave all to nature, and must starve if that fail them +at any time. They seem also to have as little regard for the dictates of +decency and modesty, as for those of civil policy and prudence; for they +will use their women openly in the largest assembly, even in presence of +their king, whom, in other respects, they so greatly reverence. To this +island the Dutch gave the name of Horn Island, from the town in Holland +whence they fitted out; and named the haven in which they anchored +_Unity Bay_, after their ship. This bay, resembling a natural dock, is +on the south side of the island, in the latitude of 14° 16' S.[125] + +[Footnote 124: Modern voyagers describe this mode of dressing more +minutely. A pit is dug in the earth, which is lined with heated stones, +on which the hog is placed, having hot stones in its belly, and is +covered with other hot stones, when the pit is covered up like a grave. +After remaining a sufficient time in this situation, the _barbacued hog_ +is said to be nicely dressed.--E.] + +[Footnote 125: The latitude and longitude of Horn Island have been given +in a former note, but its most extreme south point may reach to 15° 16' +S.--E.] + +Leaving Horn Island on the 1st of June, they saw no other land till the +21st, when they made towards a very low island bearing S.S.W. by W. from +them, in lat. 4° 47' S. near which were several sands stretching N.W. +from the land, as also three or four small islands very full of trees. +Here a canoe came to the Unity, of the same odd fashion with those +formerly described. The people also were much like those formerly seen, +only blacker, and armed with bows and arrows, being the first they had +seen among the Indians of the South Sea. These people told them, by +signs, that there was more land to the westwards, where their king +dwelt, and where there were good refreshments to be had. On this +information, they sailed on the 22d W. and W. by N. in the lat. of 4° +45' S. and saw that day at least twelve or thirteen islands close +together, lying W.S.W. from them, and reaching S.E. and N.W. about half +a league, but they left these to larboard. The 24th, the wind being S. +they saw three low islands to larboard, S.W. of their course, one of +them very small, the other two being each two miles long, all very full +of trees, to which they gave the name of _Green Islands_.[126] The +shores of these islands were rugged and full of cliffs, presenting no +place for anchoring, wherefore they proceeded on their voyage. + +[Footnote 126: These Green Islands of Schouten are laid down in our best +modern maps in lat. 4° S. and long. 205° 20' W. The other two groups +mentioned at this place in the text and without names, seem to have been +the _Four Islands_ and the _Nine Islands_ of Carteret, to the S.E. of +Green Islands.--E.] + +On the 25th, being St John the Baptist's day, they sailed past another +island, on which were seven or eight hovels, which they named St John's +Island. [Lat. 3° 40' S. long. 206° 20' W.] At this time they saw some +very high land to the S.W. which they thought to be the western point of +New Guinea.[127] They reached this coast by noon, and sailed along, +sending their boat in search of an anchorage, but no bottom could then +be found. Two or three canoes filled with a barbarous people attacked +the boat with slings, but were soon driven away by the muskets. These +people were very black, entirely naked, and spoke a quite different +language from that of the islanders they had seen hitherto. They kept +fires burning on the coast all night, and some of them came lurking +about the ship in their canoes; but though the Dutch, on discovering +them, did every thing they could to conciliate, they would not +understand any signs made for procuring provisions, but answered all +with horrible noises and outcries. + +[Footnote 127: This land was discovered afterwards to be separate from +New Guinea, and is now named New Ireland, having another large island +interposed, called New Britain.--E.] + +At night, they anchored in a bay in 40 fathoms on uneven ground. About +this place the country was high and verdant, and afforded a pleasant +prospect, being, as they guessed, 1840 leagues west from the coast of +Peru. In the morning of the 26th, three canoes came to the ship, quite +full of these barbarians, being well armed after their manner, with +clubs, wooden swords, and slings. The Dutch treated them kindly, giving +them several toys to procure their favour; but they were not to be won +by kindness, neither could they be taught good manners except by the +language of the great guns: For they presently assaulted the ship with +all their force, and continued till ten or twelve of them were slain by +cannon-shot. They then threw themselves into the water, endeavouring to +escape by swimming and diving; but they were pursued in the water by the +boat, when several were knocked in the head, and three prisoners taken, +besides four of their canoes, which were cut up as fuel for the use of +the ship. Though these savages would not formerly understand any signs, +they were now more apt, and understood that hogs and bananas were +demanded in ransom for the prisoners. One wounded man was set at +liberty, but the Dutch exacted ten hogs for the others. This island +afforded a sort of birds that are all over bright red. North of it lay +another island, of which they made no other discovery, except its +position in regard to this. The Dutch concluded that these people were +of the _Papuas_ nation, because of their short hair, and because they +chewed betel mixed with chalk. + +In the evening of the 28th, they sailed from hence, and next day held a +course to the N.W. and N.W. by N. with a shifting wind till noon, and +then a calm. They had the point of the island in view till evening, +though they sailed along the coast, which was full of bays and turnings, +and trended N.W. and N.W. by W. This day they saw other three high +islands, which lay northwards five or six miles from the greater one, +being then in the latitude of 3° 20' S. The 30th in the morning, several +canoes of these black Papuas came off to the ship, and being allowed to +come aboard, broke certain staves over the Dutch, in sign of peace. +Their canoes were more artificially made and ornamented than the others, +and the people seemed more civilized and more modest, as they had the +pudenda covered, which the others had not. Their hair was rubbed over +with chalk, their black frizly locks appearing as if powdered. They +affected to be poor, and came to beg, not bringing any thing to the +ship, yet the four islands whence they came appeared, to be well stored +with cocoas. + +On the 1st June, the Dutch came to anchor between the coast of New +Guinea and an island two miles long. They were soon after surrounded by +twenty-five canoes, full of the same people who had broken staves the +day before in token of peace, and who came now fully armed in guise of +war. They were not long of entering on the work they came about. Two of +them laid hold of two anchors which hung from the bows of the ship, and +endeavoured with their girdles to tug the ship on shore. The rest lay +close to the ship's sides, and gave a brisk onset with slings and other +weapons; but the great guns soon forced them to retire, with twelve or +thirteen killed, and many more wounded. After this, the Dutch sailed +peaceably along the coast, with a good gale of wind, continuing their +course W.N.W. and N.W. by W. The 2d they were in lat. 3° 12' S. and saw +a low land to larboard, and right before them a low island. Continuing +W.N.W. with a slight current at E.N.E. they sailed gently along. The 3d +they saw high land, bearing W. about 14 leagues from the other island, +and in lat. 2° 41' S. The 4th, while passing these four island, they +suddenly came in view of twenty-three other islands, some great, some +small, some high, and others low, most of which they left to starboard, +and only two or three to larboard. Some of these were a league distant +from the others, and some only a cannon-shot. Their latitude was in 2° +30' S. a little more or less. + +On the 6th in the morning, the weather being variable and even sometimes +stormy, they had in the morning a very high hill before them, bearing +S.W. which they thought to have been _Geeminassi_ in Banda; but, on a +nearer approach, they discovered three other hills more like it in the +north, some six or seven leagues distant, which they were convinced were +that hill of Banda.[128] Behind these hills lay a large tract of land, +stretching east and west, of very great extent, and very uneven. In the +morning of the 7th, they sailed towards these mighty hills, some of +which they found were volcanoes, for which reason they named this +_Vulcan's Island_. It was well inhabited and fall of cocoa-nut trees, +but had no convenient place for anchorage. The inhabitants were naked, +and extremely fearful of the Dutch, and their language so different from +that of all the neighbouring people, that none of the blacks could +understand them. More islands appeared to the N. and N.W. but they +proceeded to a very low island, bearing N.W. by W. which they reached in +the evening. The water here was observed to be of several colours, +green, white, and yellow, perhaps occasioned by the mixture of some +river, as it was far sweeter than ordinary sea water, and was full of +leaves and boughs of trees, on some of which were birds, and even some +crabs. + +[Footnote 128: They still had the north-western end of Papua or New +Guinea between them and Banda, from which they were distant at least +twelve degrees of longitude.--E.] + +On the 8th, continuing their course W.N.W. having a high island on the +starboard, and another somewhat lower to larboard, they anchored in the +afternoon in 70 fathoms on a good sandy bottom, about a cannon-shot from +the land, at an island in 3° 40' S. which seemed an unhealthy place, +yielding nothing of any value except a little ginger. It was inhabited +by Papuas or blacks, whose ridiculous mode of dress, and their own +natural deformity, made them appear little short of a kind of monsters. +Hardly any of them but had something odd and strange, either in the +bigness or position of their limbs. They had strings of hog's teeth hung +about their necks; their noses were perforated, in which rings were +fastened; their hair was frizled, and their faces very ugly. Their +houses also were extremely singular, being mounted on stakes, eight or +nine feet above the ground. Before noon of the 9th, they anchored in a +more convenient bay, in 26 fathoms, on a bottom of sand mixed with clay. +There were two villages near the shore, whence some canoes brought off +hogs and cocoas, but the Indians held them at so dear a rate that the +Dutch would not buy any of them. + +Though they had now sailed so long upon this new land, yet were they +unable to determine with any certainty if it actually were the coast of +New Guinea, as their charts neither agreed with each other, nor with the +coast in view. This coast for the most part ran N.W. by W. sometimes +more westerly, and at other times more northerly. Yet they held on their +course W.N.W. along the coast, having quiet weather though dull winds, +but assisted by a stream or current setting along the coast to the +westwards. Proceeding in this manner, they came into the lat. of 2° 58' +S. at noon of the 12th. Continuing their course on the 13th and 14th, +the coast in sight was sometimes high and at other times low. The 15th, +still pursuing the same course, they reached two low islands about half +a league from the main, about the latitude of 2° 54' S. where they had +good anchorage in 45 and 46 fathoms. Seeing the country well stored with +cocoas, two boats well armed were sent with orders to land and procure +some cocoa-nuts. But they were forced to retire by the Indians, in spite +of their muskets, at least sixteen of the Dutch, being wounded by arrows +and stones thrown from slings. + +In the morning of the 16th, they sailed in between the two low islands, +and anchored in a safe place in nine fathoms. They landed that day on +the smaller island, where they burnt some huts of the natives, and +brought away as many cocoa-nuts as gave three to each man of the +company. The barbarous natives became now more tractable; as on the 17th +they came to make their peace-offerings of cocoas, bananas, ginger, and +certain yellow roots [turmeric] used instead of saffron. They even +trusted the Dutch so far as to come on board, when peace was entirely +restored, and their hearts won by a few nails and beads. They continued +bartering on the 18th, for cocoas and bananas, procuring fifty nuts and +two bunches of bananas for each man of the company, with a smaller +quantity of cassava and _papade_. These cassavas and papades are East +India commodities, the former being also to be had particularly good in +the West Indies, and far preferable to what they got here. The people +make all their bread of this substance, baking it in large round cakes. +This smaller island, which is the more easterly, the natives named +_Mosa_; the other over against it they call _Jusan_, and the farthest +off _Arimea_, which, is very high, and about five or six leagues from +the coast of New Guinea.[129] These places had probably been visited +before by Europeans, as they had among them some Spanish pots and jars. +They were not nearly so much surprised at the report of the great guns +as the others had been, neither were they so curious in looking at the +ship. + +[Footnote 129: These names are not to be found in our modern general +maps, though certainly infinitely better for all the uses of geography +than the absurd appellations so much in use among voyagers.--E.] + +On the 21st at noon, sailing along the land as before N.W. they were in +lat. 1° 13' S. The current drove them to a cluster of islands, where +they anchored in thirteen fathoms, and were detained all day of the 22d +by storms of thunder and rain. Setting sail in the morning of the 23d, +six large canoes overtook them, bringing dried fish, cocoas, bananas, +tobacco, and a small sort of fruit resembling plums. Some Indians also +from another island brought provisions to barter, and some vessels of +China porcelain. Like other Savages, they were excessively fond of beads +and iron; but they were remarkably distinguished from the natives in the +last islands, by their larger size, and more orange-coloured +complexions. Their arms were bows and arrows, and they wore glass +earrings of several colours, by which latter circumstance it appeared +that they had been previously visited by other Europeans, and +consequently that this was not to be considered as a discovery. + +The 24th, steering N.W. and W.N.W. and being in lat. 0° 30' S. they +sailed along a very pleasant island, which they named Schouten's Island, +after their master,[130] and called its western point Cape of Good Hope. +The 25th they passed an extensive tract of uneven land on their larboard +hand, stretching from E.S.E. to W.N.W. The 26th they saw three other +islands, the coast stretching N.W. by W. The 27th they were in lat. 0° +29' S. still seeing much land to the south, some of which were very high +and some low, which they passed, continuing their course to the north of +west. The 29th they felt the shock of an earthquake, which shook the +ship to that degree that the men ran terrified out of their births, +believing the ship had run a-ground, or had bilged against some rock. On +heaving the lead they found the sea unfathomable, and their ship clear +from all danger of rocks or shoals. The 30th they put into a great bay, +out of which they could find no opening to the west, and resumed +therefore a northern course. Here the ship trembled again with loud +claps of thunder, and was almost set on fire by the lightning, had it +not been prevented by prodigious rain. + +[Footnote 130: The centre of Schouten Island is in lat. 0° 30' S. and +long. 223° W. It is nearly 24 leagues long from E. to W. and about eight +leagues from N. to S. In some maps this island is named _Mysory_, +probably the native appellation, and it lies off the mouth of a great +bay, having within it another island of considerable size, called +_Jobie_, or Traitor's Island.--E.] + +The 31st, continuing a northern course, they passed to the north of the +equator, and being encompassed almost all round by land, they anchored +in twelve fathoms on good ground, near a desolate island which lay close +by the main land. The 1st of August they were in lat. 0° 15' N. The 2d +and 3d being calm, they were carried by the current W. and W. by N. This +day at noon their latitude was 0° 35' N. when they saw several whales +and sea-tortoises, with two islands to the westwards. They now reckoned +themselves at the western extremity of the land of New Guinea, along +which they had sailed 280 leagues. Several canoes came off to them in +the morning of the 5th, bringing Indian beans, rice, tobacco, and two +beautiful birds of paradise, all white and yellow. These Indians spoke +the language of Ternate, and some of them could speak a little Spanish +and Malayan, in which last language Clawson the merchant was well +skilled. All the people in these canoes were finely clothed from the +waist downwards, some with loose silken robes, and others with breeches, +and several had silken turbans on their head, being Mahometans. All of +them had jet black hair, and wore many gold and silver rings on their +fingers. They bartered their provisions with the Dutch for beads and +other toys, but seemed more desirous of having linen. They appeared so +fearful and suspicious of the Dutch, that they would not tell the name +of their country, which however was suspected to be one of the three +eastern points of Gilolo, and that the people were natives of Tidore, +which was afterwards found to be the case. + +In the morning of the 6th they set sail, holding a northern, course, +intending to go round the north point of Gilolo. The 7th they saw the +north point of Morty, or Moraty, N.E. of Gilolo. Contending with +variable winds and adverse currents it was the 19th before they could +get into the bay of _Soppy_ in Gilolo, where they anchored in ten +fathoms on sandy ground, about a cannon-shot from shore. Here they +procured poultry, tortoises, sago, and rice, which was a great relief +for the company, still consisting of eighty-five men in health and +vigour. Leaving Soppy on the 25th August they came to the desert island +of Moro on the 1st September, and, on closer examination, found it +composed of several islands close together. They saw here a worm, or +serpent, as thick as a man's leg and of great length. On the 5th they +anchored off the coast of Gilolo. At this place some of the seamen went +ashore unarmed to catch fish, when four Ternatese soldiers rushed +suddenly out of the wood sword-in-hand while the Dutchmen were drawing +their net, intending to have slain them; but the surgeon called out to +them _Oran Hollanda_, that is, _Holland men_, on which the soldiers +instantly stopped, throwing water on their heads in token of peace, and +approaching in a friendly manner, said they had mistaken the Dutchmen +for Spaniards. At the request of the seamen they went on board, where, +being well treated, they promised to bring provisions and refreshment to +the ship, which they afterwards did. + +Sailing thence on the 14th they got sight of Ternate and Tidore on the +16th, and anchored on the 17th in the evening before Malaya in Ternate, +in eleven fathoms sandy ground. Here captain Schouten and Jaques Le +Maire went ashore, and were kindly entertained by the general Laurence +Real, admiral Stephen Verhagen, and Jasper Janson, governor of Amboina. +On the 18th they sold two of their pinnaces, with most of what had been +saved out of the unfortunate Horn, receiving for the same 1350 reals, +with part of which they purchased two lasts of rice, a ton of vinegar, a +ton of Spanish wine, and three tons of biscuit. On the 27th they sailed +for Bantam, and on the 28th of October anchored at Jacatra, now Batavia. +John Peterson Koen, president for the Dutch East India Company at +Bantam, arrived there on the 31st of October, and next day sequestered +the Unity and her cargo, as forfeited to the India company for illegally +sailing within the boundaries of their charter. + + * * * * * + +In consequence of the seizure of the Unity, captain Schouten and Jaques +Le Maire, with others of their people, embarked at Bantam in the +Amsterdam and Zealand on the 14th December, 1616, on which they set sail +for Holland. On the 31st of that month Jaques Le Maire died, chiefly of +grief and vexation on account of the disastrous end of an enterprise +which had been so successful till the arrest of the ship and cargo. He +was, however, exceedingly solicitous about his journal, which he had +kept with the utmost care during the voyage, and left a recommendation +that it should be published, that the world might know and judge of the +usage they had received. The Amsterdam arrived in Zealand on the 1st +July, 1617, where her consort had arrived the day before. Thus was this +circumnavigation of the globe completed in two years and eighteen days; +which, considering the difficulties of the course, and other +circumstances of the voyage, was a wonderfully short period.[131] + +[Footnote 131: In the Collection of Harris this voyage is succeeded by a +dissertation on the high probability of a southern continent existing, +and that this supposed continent must be another _Indies_. Both of these +fancies being now sufficiently overthrown by the investigations of our +immortal Cook, and other modern navigators, it were useless to encumber +our pages with such irrelevant reveries.--E.] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +VOYAGE OF THE NASSAU FLEET ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1623-1626, UNDER THE +COMMAND OF JAQUES LE HERMITE.[132] + +[Footnote 132: Harris I. 66. Callend. II. 286.] + +INTRODUCTION. + + +The government of the United Netherlands, considering it proper to +distress their arch enemy the king of Spain by every means in their +power, determined upon sending a powerful squadron into the South Sea, +to capture the ships of his subjects, to plunder the coasts of his +dominions, and to demolish his fortifications. Accordingly, in autumn +1622, a final resolution for this purpose was entered into by the States +General, with the concurrence of their stadtholder, Prince Maurice of +Orange, who even advanced a considerable sum of money towards it from +his own funds; and a fleet of no less than eleven ships of war, besides +smaller vessels, were ordered to be fitted out for the expedition, by +the several admiralties of the Union and the East India Company. This +fleet was in condition for putting to sea in spring 1623, when the +command was intrusted to Jaques Le Hermite, an able and accomplished +seaman of great experience, who had been long in the service of the East +India Company, and was now appointed admiral of the fleet; Hugo +Schapenham being vice-admiral. The ships fitted out on this occasion by +the admiralty of Amsterdam were,-- + +1. The Amsterdam of 800 tons, admiral, carrying twenty brass cannon and +twenty-two iron, with 237 men, commanded by Leenders Jacobson Stolk, as +captain, Peter Wely being supercargo, Engelbert Schutte commander of the +soldiers on board, Frederick van Reneygom fiscal or judge-advocate, John +van Walbeck, engineer, and Justin van Vogelair engineer extraordinary. + +2. The Delft of 800 tons, vice-admiral, having twenty brass and twenty +iron cannon, with 242 men, commanded by captain Cornelius de Witte. + +3. The Eagle of 400 tons, captain Meydert Egbertson, of twelve brass and +sixteen iron cannon, with 144 men. + +4. A yacht called the Greyhound, of sixty tons, captain Solomon +Willelmson, carrying four brass cannons and twenty men. + +The admiralty of Zealand fitted out only one ship for this expedition. + +5. The Orange of 700 tons, captain Laurence John Quirynen, and carrying +likewise the rear-admiral, John William Verschoor. Her complement of men +was 216.[133] + +[Footnote 133: Her number of guns is not mentioned, but she could hardly +have less than thirty-six from her size--E.] + +The admiralty of the Maes furnished the following ships: + +6. The Holland of 600 tons and 152 men, carrying ten pieces of brass and +twenty of iron ordnance. In this ship was Cornelius Jacobson, who was +counsellor to admiral Le Hermite, but the ship was immediately commanded +by captain Adrian Troll. + +7. The Maurice of 360 tons and 169 men, having twelve brass and twenty +iron cannon, commanded by captain James Adrianson. + +8. The Hope of 260 tons and eighty men, with fourteen iron cannon, +captain Peter Hermanson Slobbe. + +The admiralty of North Holland also provided the following ships: + +9. The Concord of 600 tons and 170 men, with eighteen brass and fourteen +iron cannon, captain John Ysbrandtz. + +10. The King David of 360 tons and seventy-nine men, with sixteen pieces +of brass cannon, captain John Thomason. + +11. The Griffin of 320 tons, and seventy-eight men, with fourteen iron +cannon, captain Peter Cornelison Hurdloop. + +The whole of this fleet of eleven sail, carrying 294 pieces of cannon, +had 1637 men, of whom 600 were regular soldiers, divided into five +companies of 120 men in each. The East India Company contributed largely +to the expence, but does not appear to have equipped any ships on this +occasion. + + + + +SECTION I. + +_Incidents of the Voyage from Holland to the South Sea_. + +This armament, usually called the Nassau fleet, was by far the most +considerable that had hitherto been sent against the Spaniards in the +new world, and none so powerful has since navigated along the western +coast of America in an hostile manner. It sailed on the 29th April, +1622, from Goeree roads, all but the Orange, which joined next day. + +On the 7th June, while chasing a Barbary corsair, a Christian slave, who +happened to be at the helm, ran the corsair on board the Dutch +vice-admiral, and immediately he and other slaves took the opportunity +of leaping on board to escape from slavery. The captain of the corsair, +who happened to be a Dutch renegado, followed them, and demanded +restitution of his slaves; but the vice-admiral expostulated so strongly +with him on the folly and infamy of deserting his country and religion, +that he sent for every thing belonging to him out of the corsair, and +agreed to go along with the fleet, to the regret of the Turks, who thus +lost their captain and seventeen good men. + +On the 5th July the fleet anchored in the road of St Vincent, which is +extremely safe and commodious, where they procured refreshments of +sea-tortoises, fish, goats, and oranges. The islands of St Vincent and +St Antonio are the most westerly of the Cape Verds, being in from 16° +30' to 18° N. latitude, and about two leagues from each other. The bay +of St Vincent, in which they anchored, is in lat. 16° 56' N. and has a +good firm sandy bottom, with eighteen, twenty, and twenty-five fathoms +water. The island of St Vincent is rocky, barren, and uncultivated, +having very little fresh water, though they found a small spring which +might have served two or three ships. By digging wells they procured +plenty of water, but somewhat brackish, to which they attributed the +bloody flux, which soon after began to prevail in the fleet. The goats +there, of which they caught fifteen or sixteen every day, were very fat +and excellent eating. The sea-tortoises which they took there were from +two to three feet long. They come on shore to lay their eggs, which they +cover with sand, leaving them to be hatched by the heat of the sun. +Their season of laying eggs is from August to February, remaining all +the rest of the year in the sea. They caught every night great numbers +of these animals while ashore to lay their eggs, and the sailors found +them wholesome and pleasant food, eating more like flesh than fish. + +This island is altogether uninhabited, but the people of St Lucia come +here once a year to catch tortoises, for the sake of an oil they prepare +from them; and to hunt goats, the skins of which are sent to Portugal, +and their flesh, after being salted and dried at St Jago, is exported to +Brazil. There are no fruit-trees in this island, except a few wild figs +in the interior; besides which, it produces colocinth, or bitter apple +which is a very strong purge.[134] This island has a very dry climate, +except during the rainy season, which begins in August and ends in +February, but is not very regular. + +[Footnote 134: Cucumis Colocynthis, a plant of the cucumber family, +producing a fruit about the size of an orange, the medullary part of +which, when ripe, dried, and freed from the seeds, is a very light, +white, spongy substance, composed of membranous leaves, excessively +bitter, nauseous, and acrid.] + +The island of St Antonio is inhabited by about 500 negroes, including +men, women, and children, who subsist chiefly on goats, and also +cultivate a small quantity of cotton. On the sea-side they have +extensive plantations of lemons and oranges, whence they gather great +quantities every year. These were very readily supplied to the Dutch by +the negroes in exchange for mercery goods, but they saw neither hogs, +sheep, nor poultry in the island. + +Sailing from St Vincent's on the 25th July, they anchored in the road of +Sierra Leona on the 11th August. Here on the 15th some of the crew being +on shore, eat freely of certain nuts resembling nutmegs, which had a +fine taste, but had scarcely got on board when one of them dropt down +dead, and before he was thoroughly cold he was all over purple spots. +The rest recovered by taking proper medicines. Sierra Leona is a +mountain on the continent of Africa, standing on the south side of the +mouth of the river Mitomba, which discharges itself into a great bay of +the sea. The road in which ships usually anchor is in the lat. of 8° 20' +N. This mountain is very high, and thickly covered with trees, by which +it may be easily known, as there is no mountain of such height any where +upon the coast. There grow here a prodigious number of trees, producing +a small kind of lemons called _limasses_, (limes?) resembling those of +Spain in shape and taste, and which are very agreeable and wholesome, if +not eaten to excess. The Dutch fleet arrived here at the season when +this fruit was in perfection, and having full leave from the natives, +the people eat them intemperately; by which, and the bad air, the bloody +flux increased much among them, so that they lost forty men between the +11th of August and the 5th September. Sierra Leona abounds in +palm-trees, and has some ananas, or pine-apples, with plenty of wood of +all sorts, besides having an exceedingly convenient watering-place +opposite to the anchorage. + +They sailed from Sierra Leona on the 4th September, on which day the +admiral fell sick. On the 29th they were off the island of St Thomas, +just on the north side of the line, and anchored on the 1st of October +at Cape Lopo Gonzalves, in lat. 0° 50' S. At this place the surgeon of +the Maurice was convicted on his own confession of having poisoned seven +sick men, because they had given him much trouble, for which he was +beheaded. On the 30th of October they anchored in the road of Annobon, +where they obtained hogs and fowls, and were allowed to take in water, +and to gather as many oranges as they thought proper. The east end of +this island, where are the road and village, is in lat. 1° 30' S. and +long. 6° E. from Greenwich. The island is about six leagues in circuit, +consisting of high and tolerably good land, and is inhabited by about +150 families of negroes, who are governed by two or three Portuguese, to +whom they are very submissive. If any of them happen to be refractory, +they are immediately sent away to the island of St Thomas, a punishment +which they greatly dread. The island abounds in ananas, bananas, +cocoa-nuts, tamarinds, and sugar-canes; but the principal inducement for +ships touching here is the great plenty of oranges, of which the Dutch +gathered upwards of 200,000, besides what the seamen eat while on shore. +These oranges were of great size and full of juice, some weighing three +quarters of a pound, and of an excellent taste and flavour, as if +perfumed. They are to be had ripe all the year round, but there is one +season in which they are best and fittest for keeping, which was past +before the Dutch arrived, and the oranges were then mostly over ripe and +beginning to rot. The island also produces lemons, and has plenty of +oxen, cows, goats, and hogs, which the negroes bartered for salt. On the +S.E. part of the island there is a good watering-place, but difficult to +find, which is commanded by a stone breast-work, whence the negroes +might greatly annoy any who attempted to water by force. They grow here +some cotton, which is sent to Portugal. The natives are treacherous, and +require to be cautiously dealt with. + +The fleet left Annobon on the 4th November, and on the 6th January, +1624, they were in lat. 44° 40' S. where they saw many sea-gulls, and +much herbage floating on the water, whence they supposed themselves near +the continent of South America. On the 19th the sea appeared as red as +blood, proceeding from an infinite quantity of a small species of +shrimps. On the 28th they lost sight of their bark, in which were +eighteen men, three of them Portuguese. These people, as they afterwards +learnt, having in vain endeavoured to rejoin the fleet, determined to +return to Holland. Being in want of water, they sailed up the Rio de la +Plata till they came into fresh water, after which they continued their +voyage, suffering incredible hardships, and the utmost extremity of +want, till they arrived on the coast of England, where they ran their +vessel on shore to escape a privateer belonging to Dunkirk, and +afterward got back to Holland. + +The 1st February the fleet came in sight of land, being Cape de +Pennas.[135] Next day they found themselves at the mouth of the straits. +This is easily distinguished, as the country on the east, called _Saten +Land_, is mountainous, but broken and very uneven; while that on the +west, called _Maurice Land_ by the Dutch, or Terra del Fuego, has +several small round hills close to the shore. The 6th they had sight of +Cape Horn; and on the 11th, being in lat. 58° 30' S. they had +excessively cold weather, which the people were ill able to bear, being +on short allowance. On the 16th they were in lat. 56° 10' S. Cape Horn +being then to the east of them, and anchored on the 17th in a large bay, +which they named _Nassau bay_.[136] Another bay was discovered on the +18th, in which there was good anchorage, with great convenience for +wooding and watering, and which they called Schapenham's bay, after the +name of their vice-admiral. + +[Footnote 135: This seems to be what is now called Cape St Vincent, at +the W. side of the entrance into the Straits of Le Maire.--E.] + +[Footnote 136: The centre of Nassau bay is in lat. 55° 30' N. long. 68° +20' W. This bay is formed between Terra del Fuego on the north, and +Hermite's island south by east, the south-eastern extreme point of which +is Cape Horn. This island appears to have been named after admiral Le +Hermite.--E.] + +On the 23d a storm arose with such violence that nineteen men belonging +to the Eagle were compelled to remain on shore; and next day, when the +boats were able to go for them, only two of these men were left alive, +the savages having come upon them in the dark, and knocked seventeen of +them on the head with their slings and wooden clubs, the poor Dutchmen +being all unarmed, and not having offered the least injury or insult to +the savages. Only five of the dead bodies were found on the shore, which +were strangely mangled, all the rest having been carried away by the +savages, as it was supposed, to eat them. After this, every boat that +went ashore carried eight or ten soldiers for their security; but none +of the savages ever appeared again. + +The vice-admiral went on the 25th in the Greyhound to visit the coast. +On his return he reported to the admiral, that he found the Terra del +Fuego divided into several islands, and that it was by no means +necessary to double Cape Horn in order to get into the South Sea, as +they might pass out from Nassau bay to the west into the open sea, +leaving Cape Horn on the south. He apprehended also, that there were +several passages from Nassau bay leading into the Straits of Magellan. +The greatest part of the _Terra del Fuego_ is mountainous, but +interspersed with many fine vallies and meadows, and watered by numerous +streams or rivulets, descending from the hills. Between the islands +there are many good roads, where large fleets may anchor in safety, and +where there is every desirable convenience for taking in wood, water, +and ballast. The winds, which rage here more than in any other country, +and with inexpressible violence, blow constantly from the west, for +which reason such ships as are bound westerly ought to avoid this coast +as much as possible, keeping as far south as they can, where they are +likely to meet with southerly winds to facilitate their westerly course. + +The inhabitants of the Terra del Fuego are as fair as any Europeans, as +was concluded by seeing a young child; but the grown-up people disguise +themselves strangely, painting themselves with a red earth after many +fanciful devices, some having their heads, others their arms, their legs +and thighs red, and other parts of their bodies white. Many of them have +one half of their bodies red, from the forehead to the feet, and the +other side white. They are all strong made and well-proportioned, and +generally about the same stature with Europeans. Their hair is black, +which they wear long, thick, and bushy, to make them the more frightful. +They have good teeth, but very thin, and as sharp as the edge of a +knife. The men go entirely naked, and the women have only a piece of +skin about their waists, which is very surprising, considering the +severity of the climate. Their huts are made of trees, in the form of a +round tent, having a hole at the top to let out the smoke. Within they +are sunk two or three feet under the surface of the ground, and the +earth taken from this hollow is thrown upon the outside. Their +fishing-tackle is very curious, and is furnished with hooks made of +stone, nearly of the same shape with ours. They are variously armed, +some having bows and arrows artificially headed with stone; others long +javelins or spears, headed with bone; some have great wooden clubs, some +have slings, and most have stone knives, or daggers, which are very +sharp. They are never seen without their arms, as they are always at war +among themselves; and it would appear that the several tribes paint +differently, that they may distinguish each other; for the people about +the island of _Torhaltens_, and about _Schapenham bay_, were all painted +black, while those about _Greyhound bay_ were painted red. + +Their canoes are very singular, being formed of bark, fortified both on +the inside and outside with several pieces of small wood, and then +covered over by bark, so as to be both tight and strong. These canoes +are from ten to fourteen, and even sixteen feet long, and two feet +broad, and will contain seven or eight men, who navigate them as swiftly +as our boats. In manners, these people resemble beasts more than men, +for they tear human bodies in pieces, and eat the raw and bloody flesh. +They have not the smallest spark of religion, neither any appearance of +polity or civilization, being in all respects utterly brutal, insomuch +that if they have occasion to make water, they let fly upon whoever is +nearest them. They have no knowledge of our arms, and would even lay +their hands on the edges of the Dutchmen's swords; yet are exceedingly +cunning, faithless, and cruel; shewing every appearance of friendship at +one time, and instantly afterwards murdering those with whom they have +been familiar. The Dutch found it impossible to procure any kind of +refreshments from them, though such surely were among them, for +quantities of cow-dung were seen; and their bow-strings were made of ox +sinews: besides, a soldier who went ashore from the Greyhound yacht, +while she lay at anchor, reported to the vice-admiral, that he had seen +a large herd of cattle feeding in a meadow.[137] + +[Footnote 137: This is not at all likely to have been true. The cattle, +the dung, and the sinews mentioned in the text, are more likely to have +been of some species of the seal tribe--E.] + +On the 27th of February, 1624, the admiral made a signal for sailing, +the wind being then N. so that hopes were entertained of getting from +the bay of Nassau to the west; but a storm came on in the evening at W. +and blew hard all night. March 3d, they had an observation at noon, when +they were in lat, 59° 45' S. with the wind at N.W. Hitherto it had been +the opinion of nautical men, that it was easy to get from the Straits of +Le Maire to Chili, but hardly possible to pass from Chili by that strait +into the Atlantic, as they imagined that the south wind blew constantly +in these seas: but they now found the case quite otherwise, as the +frequent tempests they encountered from W. and N.W. rendered it beyond +comparison easier to have passed through the Straits of Le Maire from +the South Sea than from the Atlantic. + +The wind still continuing strong from the west on the 6th, the admiral +held a council to consider of a proper rendezvous for the fleet, in case +of separation, or of being forced to winter, if these west winds should +still continue to oppose their entry into the South Sea. Some proposed +the Terra del Fuego, and others the Straits of Magellan. But the +majority were of opinion, that it was best to wait two months for a fair +wind, and to use their utmost endeavours to get into the South Sea. On +the 8th they were in 61° S. on the 14th in 58°, and on the 18th, 19th +and 20th they had a fair wind at S.E. with warm weather, so that they +were now in hopes of having accomplished their purpose. On the 24th they +lost sight of the Maurice and David, the fleet being now reduced to +seven sail; and the same evening they were in lat. 47° S. The 25th, +having still a fair wind and good weather, they reached 45° S. and were +then in great hopes of overcoming all difficulties. The 28th they got +sight of the coast of Chili, bearing E.S.E. and in the evening were +within a league of the shore, which appeared high and mountainous. + + + + + +SECTION II: + +_Transactions of the Fleet on the Western Coast of America_. + +The admiral was at this time confined to bed, and wished to have put +into the port of Chiloe; but his instructions did not allow of this +measure, requiring the performance of some action of importance against +the Spaniards in Peru. It was therefore resolved to proceed for the +island of Juan Fernandez, to make the best preparations in their power +for attacking the Spanish galleons in the port of Arica, if found there, +and to gain possession of that place, after which it was proposed to +extend their conquests by the aid of the Indians. On the 1st April, +being then in lat. 38° 10' S. the vice-admiral took to his bed, quite +worn out with fatigue, so that they expected to lose both the admiral +and him. On the 4th they had sight of Juan Fernandez, in lat. 33° 50' S. +and next day came to anchor in sixty fathoms in a fine bay. The 6th +orders were issued to provide all the ships with as many +cheveaux-de-frize and pallisades as they could. The Griffin joined the +fleet in the evening, not having been seen since the 2d February. She +had been in the lat. of 60° S. and had got into the South Sea without +seeing Cape Horn. The Orange arrived on the 7th, having twice seen the +southern continent on her passage, once in lat. 50°, and the other time +in lat. 41° S.[138] The David came in on the 7th, bringing advice of the +Maurice, both vessels having been five or six days beating about the +island, but hindered from getting in by contrary winds. + +[Footnote 138: No land whatever could be seen in these latitudes in the +eastern Pacific, so that they must have been deceived by fog, banks, or +islands of ice.--E.] + +The larger and more easterly of the two islands of Juan Fernandez is in +the latitude of 30° 40' S. five degrees west from the coast of Chili; +this island being called by the Spaniards _Isla de Tierra_, and the +smaller or more westerly island _Isla de Fuera_, which is a degree and +a half farther east.[139] + +[Footnote 139: Isola de Tierra, the eastermost of these islands of Juan +Fernandez, in lat. 33° 42' S. and long. 79° 5' E. is about 15 English +miles from E. to W. by 5-1/2 miles in its greatest breadth from N. to S. +Besides this and Isola de Fuera, mentioned in the text, there is still a +third, or smallest island, a mile and a half south from the S.W. end of +the Isola de Tierra, called Isola de Cabras or Conejos, Goat or Rabbit +island, three English miles from N.W. to S.E. and a mile in +breadth.--E.] + +The more easterly and larger island, at which the Nassau fleet anchored, +is about six leagues in circuit, and is about two leagues and a half +long, from east to west. The road is on the N.E. part of the island, +from whence there is a beautiful prospect of valleys covered with +clover. The ground of this bay is in some places rocky, and in others a +fine black sand, and it affords good anchorage in thirty to thirty-five +fathoms. The island produces excellent water, and fish are to be had in +abundance in the bay, and of various kinds. Many thousand seals and +sea-lions come daily on shore to bask in the sun, of which the seamen +killed great numbers, both for food and amusement. Some of the Dutch +fancied that the flesh of these animals tasted as if twice cooked, while +others thought, after the grease and tallow were carefully taken out, +that it was as good as mutton. There were many goats in the island, but +difficult to be taken, and neither so fat nor so well tasted as those of +St Vincents. There were plenty of palm-trees in the interior, and three +large quince-trees near the bay, the fruit of which was very refreshing. +They found also plenty of timber for all kinds of uses, but none fit for +masts. Formerly, ten or twelve Indians used to reside here, for the sake +of fishing and making oil from the seals and sea-lions, but it was now +quite uninhabited. Three gunners and three soldiers belonging to the +vice-admiral, were so sick of the voyage, that they asked and obtained +leave to remain here. + +Every thing being in readiness, the fleet departed from _Isla de Tierra_ +on the 13th April. On the 8th May, being near the coast of Peru, they +took a Spanish bark, in which, besides the captain, there were four +Spaniards, and six or seven Indians and Negroes. From these, they learnt +that the Plate fleet had sailed on the 3d of the month from Calao de +Lima for Panama, consisting of five treasure ships, three rich +merchantmen, and two men of war. They were also informed that the +Spanish admiral was still at Calao, his ship being of 800 tons burden, +and mounting 40 brass cannon; besides which, there were two _pataches_ +of 14 guns each, and forty or fifty unarmed merchant vessels. All these +vessels were said to have been hauled on shore, and secured by three +strong batteries and other works, furnished with upwards of fifty pieces +of cannon, all ready prepared for the reception of the Dutch, of whose +motions the Spaniards had received early and certain intelligence. The +viceroy had likewise formed four companies of foot, of eighty men each, +but the two best companies had gone with the ships to Panama; and, +having just learnt the approach of the Dutch fleet, the viceroy had +summoned the whole military force of Peru, so that many thousand men +must soon be expected at Lima for its defence. + +After several consultations, the vice-admiral made an attempt to land at +Calao with the soldiers on the morning of the 10th May, but finding it +impossible with any chance of success, was obliged to return to the +fleet. On the 12th about midnight, three of the Dutch captains, with +twelve armed boats, each provided with a small cannon and a considerable +quantity of fire-works, made an attack on the port, while a false attack +was made at the same time in another part, to draw off the attention of +the Spaniards. The twelve boats entered the port, and distributed their +fire-works plentifully among the Spanish merchant ships, by which thirty +or forty of them were set on fire and consumed, some of them very large. +In this hardy enterprise, the Dutch had seven men killed, and fifteen +wounded, mostly in the vice-admiral's boat, which had attempted to board +one of the _pataches_ and was beaten off. About the dawn of day, nine of +the flaming ships drifted towards the Dutch fleet, which was therefore +obliged to weigh and take shelter behind the island of Lima. On the 13th +this island was taken possession of, and a strong intrenchment thrown up +for its defence, under cover of which the Dutch laid their shallops on +shore to careen them. + +On the 14th Cornelius Jacobson sailed with a division of the fleet, to +cruize off La Nasca, Pisco, and other towns to the south of Lima. A rich +prize was taken on the 23d, coming from Guayaquil; and that same day, +the rear-admiral was detached with two ships and two companies of +soldiers to attempt taking Guayaquil, but they found it too strongly +defended. On the 27th an attempt was made to destroy the Spanish +admiral's ship in the port of Calao, by means of a fire-ship containing +2000 pounds of gun-powder, besides fire-works and shells, confined by a +brick arch six feet thick; but after navigating her very near the +galleon, a bank was found on the outside of her which they could not +pass, and they were therefore obliged to retire. + +Admiral Jaques Le Hermite, who had been in a declining state of health +from the time they left Sierra Leona, died on the 2d June, and was +buried next day in the island of Lima. The Spanish viceroy having +refused to ransom the prisoners made by the Dutch, and the ships being +straitened for provisions especially water, twenty-one Spaniards were +hung up at the mizen yard-arm of the Dutch admiral's ship on the 15th +June. That same evening, Cornelius Jacobson returned with his +detachment, having made an ineffectual attempt on Pisco, which he found +strongly fortified, and defended by 2000 men, besides a body of 200 +horse which scoured the country. In this attempt he had five men killed +and sixteen wounded, and thirteen deserted to the enemy. At this time +the scurvy prevailed to a great height in the fleet, so that some of the +ships had not sufficient men in a sound state to man their boats; but +one day a Swiss, who was very ill of the scurvy, scrambled up to the top +of the highest hill in the island of Lima,[140] where he found plenty of +a kind of herb with which he had been well acquainted in his own +country, and by eating which he soon recovered his health. This becoming +public, his example was universally followed, by which the best part of +the men were saved from death, and in a short time recovered their +health and spirits. On the 5th August, the vice-admiral was installed as +admiral, the rear-admiral succeeding him as vice-admiral, and Cornelius +Jacobson was advanced to be rear-admiral. + +[Footnote 140: The island of San Lorenzo, a little to the south of +Calao, is evidently here meant.--E.] + +The new vice-admiral soon after returned from his expedition to the road +of Puna and Guayaquil, where he had burnt two ships and captured a +third. He had also taken Guayaquil after considerable loss, and finding +it untenable, and not having boats to carry away the booty, he had set +it on fire, burning a great quantity of rich goods in the warehouses, +after which he reimbarked his men. The Dutch fleet sailed from the +island of Lima on the 14th of August, and anchored that same evening in +a bay behind the Piscadores islands, about twenty-three miles north, +where they watered. Continuing their course on the 16th, they came in +sight of the island of Santa Clara, or Amortajado, on the 24th, +intending once more to visit Guayaquil. The fleet anchored on the 25th +in the road of the island of Puna, whence all the people had fled, both +Spanish and Indians, so that no intelligence could be procured of the +strength and dispositions of the enemy. On the 27th, the guns, ballast, +and stores of all kinds were removed from three of the largest ships, +which were laid ashore to be careened. On the 28th, news came of the +second attempt upon Guayaquil having miscarried, through the fault of +some of the officers, the troops being defeated and obliged to reimbark, +with the loss of twenty-eight men. On the 1st September, the three +largest ships being careened, they began to careen the rest. + +It was resolved in a council of war not to prosecute the originally +intended expedition to Chili at this time, but to proceed for Acapulco, +in order to cruize for the Manilla ship; and afterwards, if the +condition of the fleet permitted, to return to the coast of Chili. +Accordingly, having set fire to the town of Puna, they sailed from +thence on the 12th September, and on the 20th October had sight of the +coast of New Spain. On the 28th at day-break they were within half a +league of an island which lies before the port of Acapulco and anchored +in the evening within sight of the fort, which had been rebuilt the year +before, on a point running out to sea, in order to protect the Manilla +ships, which might ride safely at anchor under the cannon of that +fortress. On the 1st November, a strong detachment of the fleet was sent +to anchor twenty leagues west from Acapulco, to look out for the +galleon, the admiral and the Orange remaining before the port, and the +other ships spread along the coast, that they might be sure of +intercepting the galleon. On the 29th, water becoming scarce, and no +appearance of the galleon, it was resolved to proceed with all diligence +for the East Indies. + + +SECTION III. + +_Voyage Home from the Western Coast of America_. + +Proceeding therefore across the Great Pacific Ocean, they saw some very +low land towards the west on the 15th January, 1625, over which the sea +broke with great violence, and which they conjectured to be the island +of Galperico.[141] On the 23d the scurvy had made much progress, that +there were hardly men enough to work the ships. In the evening of the +25th, they were off the coast of Guam, one of the Ladrones or Mariane +islands, the inhabitants coming two leagues out to sea to meet them, +with all sorts of refreshments, which they exchanged for old iron, and +next morning 150 canoes came off with fruits and garden stuffs. On the +27th a good watering-place was found, where fifty soldiers were landed +to protect the seamen. In the beginning of February, the natives brought +them considerable quantities of rice, giving 70 or 80 pounds weight in +exchange for an old hatchet. On the 5th, by a general muster, 1260 men +were found to remain in the fleet, including 32 Spanish and Negro +prisoners, so that they had lost 409 since leaving Holland. + +[Footnote 141: The relation of the voyage is too vague even to +conjecture what island is here meant, but from the direction of the +course towards Guam or Guaham it may possibly have been that now called +Dawson's island, about 600 leagues nearly east from Guam.--E.] + +The island of Guam, Guaham, or Guaci, one of the group named by the +Spaniards _Islas de las Velas, Ladrones_, or _Mariane_ Islands, is in +lat 13° 40' N.[142] The soil is tolerably fertile producing vast +quantities of cocoas, and the natives grow rice in several places. The +Dutch procured here about 2000 fowls, but the natives would not part +with their cattle for any price. The people of this island are larger +than other Indians' strong and well-proportioned, and are mostly painted +red, the men going entirely naked, and the women having a leaf to cover +their nakedness. Their arms are _assagaies_, or javelins and slings, +both of which they use with great dexterity. Their canoes are very +convenient, and go before the wind at a great rate; neither are these +islanders afraid of putting to sea even in a storm; as, in case of their +vessels being overset, they turn them up again immediately, and bale out +the water. They were also very expert in cheating; for when the Dutch +came to examine the bags of rice they had bought so cheap, they found +the insides full of stones and dirt; besides which, they stole every +thing they could lay hold of. Such persons also as land on this island +ought to be very cautious, as the Dutch had several of their people +slain here, through their own folly. + +[Footnote 142: Lat. 13° 20' N. long. 143° 20' E. from Greenwich.] + +Proceeding on the voyage, they saw an island on the 14th of February, in +the latitude of 10° 30' N. which they took to be the island of +Saavedra.[143] Next day, about nine in the morning, they saw another +island, not laid down in the charts, in lat. 9° 45' N.[144] the natives +of which came out to them in canoes with fruits and other refreshments, +but as the ships were sailing at a great rate, they were not able to get +on board. The people seemed much like those of Guam, and the island +seemed very populous and highly cultivated. It was now resolved to +continue their course to the island of Gilolo, and thence to Ternate. +The 2d March, they had sight of the high mountain of [illegible], on the +coast of Moco, at the west end of the great island of [illegible] or +_Gilolo_, on the west side of which the Molucca islands are situated. +They arrived at _Malaya_, the principal place in Ternate, on the 4th in +the evening. The 5th, or, according to the computation of the +inhabitants, the 6th, Jacob Le Feare, governor of the Moluccas, came to +visit the admiral, from _Taluco_, where he then resided. The fleet +proceeded on the 4th of April to Amboina, and on the 28th sailed for +Batavia, where they arrived on the 29th of August. Here the fleet was +separated, part being sent on an expedition against Malacca, and others +to other places, so that here the voyage of the Nassau fleet may be said +to end, without having completed the circumnavigation, at least in an +unbroken series. + +[Footnote 143: The island of Saavedra is in 10° 30'N. Not far from this +is the isle of [illegible] in Lat. 10° 10' N. and Long. [illegible] E. +from Greenwich.--E.] + +[Footnote 144: This probably was the isle of [illegible], mentioned in +the previous note.--E.] + + + * * * * * + +After this expedition, there occurs a wide chasm in the history of +circumnavigations, all that was attempted in this way, for many years +afterwards, being more the effect of chance than of design.--_Harris_. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, IN 1683-1691, BY CAPTAIN JOHN COOKE, ACCOMPANIED +BY CAPTAIN COWLEY, AND CAPTAIN WILLIAM DAMPIER.[145] + +INTRODUCTION. + + +In the Collection of Voyages and Travels by Harris, this voyage is made +two separate articles, as if two distinct voyages, one under the name of +Captain Cowley, and the other under that of Dampier; though both are +avowedly only separate relations of the same voyage, which was commanded +by Captain Cooke, and ought to have gone under his name. On the present +occasion both relations are retained, for reasons which will appear +sufficiently obvious in the sequel; but we have placed both in one +chapter, because only a single circumnavigation, though somewhat +branched out by the separation of the original adventures. This chapter +is divided into three sections: the _first_ of which contains the +narrative of the principal voyage, so far as related by Captain Cowley; +along with which the observations of Dampier upon many of the places, +visited during the voyage, are introduced. The _second_ continues the +adventures of Cowley on his return from India to Europe, after +separating from his first companions. The _third_ resumes the relation +of the voyage, as written by Dampier, and gives a continuation of the +enterprise, after the separation of Cowley. + +[Footnote 145: Dampier's Voyage round the World, and Cowley's do. both +in a Coll. of Voyages in four vols. 8vo, published at London in 1729. +Also Harris, I. 77. and Callender, II. 528.] + +In the remainder of this introduction, taken from the Collection by +Harris, an account is given of the origin of this voyage, together with +a sketch of the previous adventures of Dampier, before engaging in this +enterprise, in both of which are contained some notices of the lawless, +yet famous Buccaneers, respecting whom a more detailed account is +proposed to be inserted in a subsequent division of this work. Dampier +published an account of this voyage, to be found in a Collection of +Voyages, in four volumes 8vo, printed at London in 1729, for James and +John Knapton, and which have been used in preparing the present relation +of this voyage for the press.--E. + + * * * * * + +The adventures of the _Buccaneers of America_, however blameable, will +render these men ever famous by their wonderful exploits. They usually +fitted out small vessels in some of our colonies of America, and cruised +in these till they were able to make prize of some larger ships. As +their designs required the utmost secrecy, they very often took masters +and pilots on board under false pretences, and did not explain to them +the true nature of their expeditions till out to sea, when they were +absolute masters. This was the case with Captain Cowley on the present +occasion, a very intelligent man and able navigator, who happened to be +in Virginia in 1683, and was prevailed upon to go as master of a +privateer, said to be bound for _Petit Goave_, a French port in the +island of St Domingo, where these people used to take commissions. In +reality, however, their purpose was to take what prizes they could, +without the formality of a commission. + +It is proper to state, that this voyage, at least in part, is the same +with the _first_ voyage of Captain Dampier round the world. Before +proceeding to the incidents of the voyage, we shall give a concise +account of the grounds on which it was undertaken, and the commanders +who were engaged in it; and this the rather, that the original journal +of Captain Cowley, published by Captain Hacke, gives very little +information on these subjects, probably because Cowley was ashamed of +having engaged in such an expedition. + +Among the Buccaneers who did so much mischief in the Spanish West +Indies, was one John Cooke, a native of the island of St Christophers, a +brisk bold man, who so distinguished himself as to be promoted to the +rank of quarter-master in the ship commanded by Captain Yankey. On +taking a Spanish prize, which was converted into a privateer, Cooke +claimed the command of her, according to the custom, of the Buccaneers; +and being extremely popular, soon engaged a sufficient number of men to +serve under him. The great majority of the Buccaneers at this time being +French, and dissatisfied to see an Englishman invested with such a +command, merely by the choice of the crew, without any commission, they +plundered the English of their ships, goods, and arms, and turned them +ashore on the island of _Avache_, on the coast of St Domingo, usually +called _Ash_ by English seamen. On this occasion, an old Buccaneer, +named Captain _Tristian_, having more humanity than the rest, carried +Captain Davis, Captain Cooke, and eight other Englishmen to Petit Goave; +where, while Captain Tristian and many of his men were ashore, these +Englishmen made themselves masters of the ship, sending all the French +in their turn ashore, and sailed to Avache, where, by using Captain +Tristian's name to the governor, they procured all the rest of their +countrymen to be sent on board. + +Being now sufficiently strong to set up for themselves, they resolved to +make prize of whatever came in their way, and accordingly took two +French ships, one laden with wine, and the other of considerable force, +in which they embarked, carrying her and their prize goods to Virginia, +where they arrived in April 1683. After selling their wines and other +goods, they purchased provisions, naval stores, and every thing else +that might be wanted during a long voyage, and fitted out their prize +ship as a privateer, naming her the Revenge. According to the narrative +of Cowley, she carried eight guns and 52 men, while Dampier gives her 18 +guns and 70 men.[146] + +[Footnote 146: This difference, at least in regard to the size and force +of the ship, will be found explained in the sequel, as they took a +larger ship on the coast of Africa, which they used during the voyage, +and named the Revenge after their own ship. The additional number of men +mentioned by Dampier is not accounted for.--E.] + +Before proceeding to the narratives of this voyage, it is proper to give +a concise account of Captain William Dampier, extracted from his own +works, being an extraordinary character and an eminent navigator, whose +many discoveries ought to recommend his memory to posterity, as a man of +infinite industry, and of a most laudable public spirit. Captain William +Dampier was descended of a very respectable family in the county of +Somerset, where he was born in 1652. During the life of his father and +mother, he had such education as was thought requisite to fit him for +trade; but losing his parents while very young, and being of a roving +disposition, which strongly incited him to the sea, those who now had +the care of him resolved to comply with his humour, and bound him about +1669 to the master of a ship who lived at Weymouth, in Dorsetshire. With +this master he made a voyage to France that year, and in the next went +to Newfoundland; but was so pinched by the severity of that climate, +that on his return he went home to his friends, almost tired of the sea. +Soon after his return, however, hearing of a ship bound for the East +Indies from London, he went there in 1670, and entered before the mast +in the John and Martha, in which he made a voyage to Bantam. + +He returned to England in January, 1672, and retired to the house of his +brother in Somersetshire, where he remained all the ensuing summer. In +1673, he entered on board the Prince Royal, commanded by the famous Sir +Edward Spragge, and was in two engagements that summer against the +Dutch. He afterwards returned to his brother's house, where he met with +one Colonel Hellier, who had a large estate in Jamaica, and who +persuaded him to go over to that island, where he was some time employed +in the management of that gentleman's plantation. Not liking the life of +a planter, which he continued somewhat more than a year, he engaged +among the logwood cutters, and embarked from Jamaica for Campeachy, in +August 1675, but returned to Jamaica in the end of that year. In +February 1676, he went again to Campeachy, where he acquainted himself +thoroughly with the business of logwood cutting, in which he proposed to +advance his fortune; for which purpose he returned to England in 1678. +While in Campeachy, he became acquainted with some Buccaneers, who gave +him an inclination for that kind of life, in which he was afterwards +engaged, but of which in the sequel he became much ashamed. + +He returned from England to Jamaica in April 1679, intending to become a +complete logwood cutter and trader at the bay of Campeachy; but changed +his mind, and laid out most part of what he was worth in purchasing a +small estate in Dorsetshire. He then agreed with one Hobby to make a +trip to the continent, before returning to England. Soon after +commencing this voyage, coming to anchor in Negril bay at the west end +of Jamaica, they found there Captains Coxon, Sawkins, Sharpe, and other +privateers, with whom all Mr Hobby's men entered, leaving only Mr +Dampier, who also at length consented to go with them. This was about +the end of 1679, and their first expedition was against Portobello. This +being accomplished, they resolved to cross the isthmus of Darien, and to +pursue their predatory courses against the Spaniards in the South Sea. +On the 5th April, 1680, they landed near _Golden Island_, between three +and four hundred strong; and carrying with them sufficient provisions, +and some toys to gratify the Indians, through whose country they had to +pass, they arrived in nine days march at _Santa Maria_, which they +easily took, but found neither gold nor provisions, as they expected. + +After staying three days at Santa Maria, they embarked in canoes and +other small craft for the South Sea. They came in sight of Panama on the +23d April, and in vain attempted to take _Puebla Nova_, where their +commander Captain Sawkins was slain. They then withdrew to the isles of +_Quibo_, whence they sailed on the 6th June for the coast of Peru; and +touching at the islands of _Gorgonia_ and _Plata_, they came in the +month of October to _Ylo_, which they took. About Christmas of that year +they arrived at the island of Juan Fernandez, where they deposed Captain +Sharpe, who had the chief command after the death of Sawkins, and +elected Captain Watling in his stead. Under his command they made an +attempt upon Arica, but were repulsed with the loss of twenty-eight men, +among whom was their new commander Watling. After this they sailed for +some time without any commander; and, arriving at the island of _Plata_, +they split into two factions about the choice of a new commander. Before +proceeding to the election, it was agreed that the majority, together +with the new commander, should keep the ship, and the minority should +content themselves with the canoes and other small craft. On the poll, +Captain Sharpe was restored, and Mr Dampier, who had voted against him, +prepared, together with his associates, to return over land to the Gulf +of Mexico. + +Accordingly, on the 17th April, 1681, they quitted Captain Sharpe, +without electing any commander, and resolved to repass the Isthmus of +Darien, though only forty-seven men. This was one of the boldest +enterprises ever ventured upon by so small a number of men, yet they +succeeded without any considerable loss. Landing on the continent on the +1st of May, they repassed the isthmus in twenty-three days; and on the +24th embarked in a French privateer, commanded by Captain Tristian, with +whom they joined a fleet of nine buccaneers, on board of which were +nearly 600 men. With this great force they were in hopes of doing great +things against the Spaniards; but, owing to various accidents, and +especially to disagreement among the commanders, they had very little +success. Dampier and his companions, who had returned over land from the +South Sea, made themselves masters of a _tartan_, and, electing Captain +Wright to the command, they cruised along the Spanish coast with some +success, and went to the Dutch settlement of Curaçoa, where they +endeavoured to sell a good quantity of sugar they had taken in a Spanish +ship. Not being able to effect this purpose, they continued their voyage +to the Tortugas islands, and thence to the Caraccas, where they captured +three barks, one laden with hides, another with European commodities, +and the third with earthenware and brandy. + +With these prizes they sailed to the island of _Roca_, where they shared +them, and then resolved to separate, though only consisting of sixty +men. Twenty of these, among whom was Dampier, proceeded with their share +of the goods in one of these barks to Virginia, where they arrived in +July, 1682. After continuing there some time, a considerable part of +them made a voyage to Carolina, whence they returned to Virginia. Having +spent the best part of their wealth, they were now ready to proceed upon +any plan that might offer for procuring more. Soon after Captain Cooke, +of whom some account has been already given, came to Virginia with his +prize, and published his intention of going into the South Sea to cruise +against the Spaniards. Dampier, who was his old acquaintance, and knew +him to be an able commander, readily agreed to go with him, and induced +most of his companions to do the same, which was of much consequence to +Cooke, as it furnished him with a full third of his crew. + +SECTION I. + +_Narrative of the Voyage by Captain Cowley, till he quitted the Revenge +on the Western Coast of America_.[147] + +They sailed from Achamack in Virginia on the 23d August, 1683, taking +their departure from Cape Charles in the Revenge of eight guns and +fifty-two men, John Cooke commander, and bound for the South Sea; but +Captain Cowley, who had charge of the navigation of the Revenge as +master, not being then let into the secret object of the enterprise, +steered a course for Petit Goave in St Domingo, in which he was indulged +for the first day, but was then told that they were bound in the first +place for the coast of Guinea. He then steered E.S.E. for the Cape de +Verd islands, and arrived at _Isola de Sal_, or the Salt island, in the +month of September. They here found neither fruits nor water, but great +plenty of fish, and some goats, but the last were very small. At this +time the island, which is in the latitude of 16° 50' N. and longitude +23° W. from Greenwich, was very oddly inhabited, and as strangely +governed. Its whole inhabitants consisted of four men and a boy, and all +the men were dignified with titles. One, a mulatto, was governor, two +were captains, and the fourth lieutenant, the boy being their only +subject, servant, and soldier. They procured here about twenty bushels +of salt, the only commodity of the island, which they paid for in old +clothes, and a small quantity of powder and shot; and in return for +three or four goats, gave the governor a coat, of which he was in great +want, and an old hat. The salt in which this island abounds, and from +which it derives its name, is formed naturally by the heat of the sun +from the sea-water, which is let into great ponds about two English +miles in extent. + +[Footnote 147: The original narrative of this voyage, written by Captain +Cowley, is contained in the fourth volume of the Collection of Voyages +published in 1729 by James and John Knapton, usually denominated +Dampier's Voyages, and has been used on the present occasion.--E] + +This island is about nine leagues from N. to S. and about two leagues +from E. to W. and has abundance of salt ponds, whence it derives its +name, but produces no trees, and hardly even any grass, some few poor +goats feeding scantily upon shrubs near the sea. It is frequented by +wild fowl, especially a reddish bird named _Flamingo_, shaped like a +heron, but much larger, which lives in ponds and muddy places, building +their nests of mud in shallow pools of standing waters. Their nests are +raised like conical hillocks, two feet above the water, having holes on +the top, in which they lay their eggs, and hatch them while standing on +their long legs in the water, covering the nest and eggs only with their +rumps. The young ones do not acquire their true colour, neither can they +fly till ten or eleven months old, but run very fast. A dozen or more of +these birds were killed, though very shy, and their flesh was found lean +and black, though not ill tasted. Their tongues are large, and have near +the root a piece of fat, which is esteemed a dainty. + +From hence they sailed to the island of St Nicholas, twenty-two leagues +W.S.W. from the island of Salt, and anchored on the S.W. side of the +island, which is of a triangular form, the longest side measuring thirty +leagues, and the two others twenty leagues each. They here found the +governor a white man, having three or four people about him, who were +decently cloathed, and armed with swords and pistols, but the rest of +his attendants were in a very pitiful condition. They dug some wells on +shore, and traded for goats, fruits, and wine, which last was none of +the best. The country near the coast is very indifferent, but there are +some fine valleys in the interior, pretty well inhabited, and abounding +in all the necessaries of life. + +The principal town of this island is in a valley, fourteen miles from +the bay in which the Revenge came to anchor, and contains about 100 +families, the inhabitants being of a swarthy complexion. The country on +the sea is rocky and barren, but in the interior there are several +vallies, having plenty of grass, and in which vines are cultivated. The +wine is of a pale colour, and tastes somewhat like Madeira, but is +rather thick. + +From thence they went to Mayo, another of the Cape de Verd islands, +forty miles E.S.E. from St Nicholas, and anchored on its north side. +They wished to have procured some beef and goats at this island, but +were not permitted to land, because one Captain Bond of Bristol had not +long before, under the same pretence, carried away some of the principal +inhabitants. This island is small, and its shores are beset with shoals, +yet it has a considerable trade in salt and cattle. In May, June, July, +and August, a species of sea-tortoises lay their eggs here, but are not +nearly so good as those of the West Indies. The inhabitants cultivate +some potatoes, plantains, and corn, but live very poorly, like all the +others in the Cape de Verd islands. + +After continuing here five or six days, they resolved to go to the +island of St Jago, in hopes of meeting some ship in the road, intending +to cut her cable and run away with her. They accordingly stood for the +east part of that island, where they saw from the top-mast head, over a +point of land, a ship at anchor in the road, which seemed fit for their +purpose: but, by the time they had got near her, her company clapped a +spring upon her cable, struck her ports, and run out her lower tier of +guns, on which Cooke bore away as fast as he could. This was a narrow +escape, as they afterwards learnt that this ship was a Dutch East +Indiaman of 50 guns and 400 men. + +This is by far the best of the Cape de Verd islands, four or five +leagues west from Mayo; and, though mountainous, is the best peopled, +having a very good harbour on its east side, much frequented by ships +bound from Europe for the East Indies and the coast of Guinea, as also +by Portuguese ships bound to Brazil, which come here to provide +themselves with beef, pork, goats, fowls, eggs, plantains, and +cocoa-nuts, in exchange for shirts, drawers, handkerchiefs, hats, +waistcoats, breeches, and all sorts of linen, which are in great request +among the natives, who are much addicted to theft. There is here a fort +on the top of a hill, which commands the harbour. This island has two +towns of some size, and produces the same sort of wine with St Nicholas. + +There are two other islands, Fogo and Brava, both small, and to the west +of St Jago. Fogo is remarkable, as being an entire burning mountain, +from the top of which issues a fire which may be seen a great way off at +sea in the night. This island has a few inhabitants, who live on the +sea-coast at the foot of the mountain, and subsist on goats, fowls, +plantains, and cocoa-nuts. The other islands of this group are St +Antonio, St Lucia, St Vincent, and Bona Vista. + +They sailed thence for the coast of Guinea, and, being near Cape Sierra +Leona, they fell in with a new-built ship of forty guns, well furnished +with water, all kinds of provisions, and brandy, which they boarded and +carried away.[148] + +[Footnote 148: They appear to have named this ship the Revenge, and to +have destroyed their original vessel.--E.] + +From thence they went to Sherbro river, also on the coast of Guinea, +where they trimmed all their empty casks and filled them with water, not +intending to stop any where again for water till their arrival at Juan +Fernandez in the South Sea. There was at this time an English factory in +the Sherbro river, having a considerable trade in _Cam-wood_, which is +used in dying red; but the adventurers do not appear to have had any +intercourse with their countrymen at this place. They were well +received, however, by the negro inhabitants of a considerable village +on the sea-shore, near the mouth of this river, who entertained Cowley +and his companions with palm-wine, in a large hut in the middle of the +town, all the rest of the habitations being small low huts. These +negroes also brought off considerable supplies to the ship, of rice, +fowls, honey, and sugar canes, which they sold to the buccaneers for +goods found in the vessel they had seized at Sierra Leona. + +Going from thence in the month of December, along the coast of Guinea, +to the latitude of 12° S. they crossed the Atlantic to the opposite +coast of Brazil, where they came to soundings on a sandy bottom at +eighty fathoms deep. Sailing down the coast of Brazil, when in lat. 4° +S. they observed the sea to be as red as blood, occasioned by a +prodigious shoal of red shrimps, which lay upon the water in great +patches for many leagues together. They likewise saw vast numbers of +seals, and a great many whales. Holding on their course to lat. 47° S. +they discovered an island not known before, which Cowley named _Pepy's +Island_,[149] in honour of Samuel Pepys, secretary to the Duke of York +when Lord High Admiral of England, a great patron of seamen. This island +has a very good harbour, in which 1000 ships might ride at anchor, and +is a very commodious place for procuring both wood and water. It +abounded in sea-fowl, and the shore, being either rocks or sand, +promised fair for fish. + +[Footnote 149: An island in the southern Atlantic, in lat. 46° 34' S. +called _Isle Grande_, is supposed to be the discovery of Cowley. +According to Dalrymple, it is in long. 46° 40' W. while the map +published along with Cook's Voyages places it in long. 35° 40' W. from +Greenwich.--E.] + +In January 1684 they bore away for the Straits of Magellan, and on the +28th of that month fell in with the _Sebaldine_ or Falkland islands, in +lat. 51° 25' S. Then steering S.W. by W. to the lat. of 53° S. they made +the Terra del Fuego. Finding great ripplings near the Straits of Le +Maire, they resolved to go round the east end of States Land, as had +been done by Captain Sharp in 1681, who first discovered it to be an +island, naming it _Albemarle_ island. A prodigious storm came on upon +the 14th February, which lasted between a fortnight and three weeks, and +drove them into lat. 63° 30' S. This storm was attended by such torrents +of rain, that they saved twenty-three barrels of water, besides dressing +their victuals all that time in rain water.[150] The weather also was so +excessively cold, that they could bear to drink three quarts of burnt +brandy a man in twenty-four hours, without being intoxicated. + +[Footnote 150: It was discovered by the great navigator Captain Cook, +who at one time penetrated to lat. 71° 10' S. that the solid ice found +at sea in high southern latitudes affords perfectly fresh water, when +the first meltings are thrown away.--E.] + +When the storm abated, they steered N.E. being then considerably to the +west of Cape Horn, and got again into warm weather. In lat. 40° S. they +fell in with an English ship, the Nicholas of London, of 26 guns, +commanded by Captain John Eaton, with whom they joined company. They +sailed together to the island of Juan Fernandez, where they arrived on +the 23d March, and anchored in a bay at the south end of the island in +twenty-five fathoms. Captain Watling, who succeeded Captain Sharp, was +there in 1680, and named it _Queen Catharine's_ island. At his +departure, he accidentally left a Moskito Indian, who still remained, +having a gun, a knife, a small flask of powder, and some shot. In this +desolate condition, he found it equally hard to provide for his +subsistence, and to conceal himself from the Spaniards, who had notice +of his being left there, and came several times to take him. He had +chosen a pleasant valley for his residence, about half a mile from the +coast, where he had erected a very convenient hut, well lined with +seal-skins, and had a bed of the same, raised about two feet above the +ground. By the help of a flint, he had converted his knife into a saw, +with which he had cut the barrel of his gun to pieces, which he +fashioned into harpoons, lances, fishing-hooks, and a long knife, by +heating them in a fire. All this cost him much labour, but enabled him +to live in sufficient comfort. On seeing the ships at sea, he guessed +them to be English, and immediately dressed two goats, and a large +quantity of cabbage, to entertain them on landing. He was also much +pleased, when they landed on the island, to see two of his old +acquaintances, Captains Cooke and Dampier, who had belonged to the ship +by which he was left on the island. + +The island of Juan Fernandez is in lat. 34° 15' S. [33° 42'] about 420 +English miles from the coast of Chili. The whole island is a pleasant +mixture of hills and vallies, the sides of the hills partly covered with +wood, and partly savannas, or places naturally clear of wood, bearing +fine grass. Among the woods are what are called cabbage-trees, but not +so large as in other parts of the world. The goats which feed on the +west end of the island are much fatter and better than those at the east +end, though the latter has better and greater plenty of grass, with +abundance of excellent water in the vallies, while the west end is a dry +plain, the grass scanty and parched, and has hardly any wood or fresh +water. Though fertile, this island has no inhabitants, who might live +here in plenty, as the plain is able to maintain a great number of +cattle, and the sea affords vast quantities of seals, sea-lions, +snappers, and rock-fish. The sea-lions are not much unlike seals, but +much larger, being twelve or fourteen feet long, and as thick as a large +ox. They have no hair, and are of a dun colour, with large eyes, their +teeth being three inches long. One of these animals will yield a +considerable quantity of oil, which is sweet and answers well for +frying. They feed on fish, yet their flesh is tolerably good. The +snapper is a fish having a large head, mouth, and gills, the back red, +the belly ash-coloured, and its general appearance resembling a roach, +but much larger, its scales being as broad as a shilling. The rock-fish, +called _baccalao_ by the Spaniards, because resembling the cod, is +rounder than the former, and of a dark-brown colour, with small scales, +and is very good food, being found in vast abundance on the coasts of +Peru and Chili. This island has only two bays fit for anchorage, with a +rivulet of fresh water in each, and both at the east end, and so +conveniently situated that they might easily be fortified, and defended +by a slender force against a powerful army, being inaccessible from the +west, by reason of the high mountains. Five Englishmen, left by Captain +Davies, secured themselves here against a great number of Spaniards. + +After remaining fourteen days at this island, they left it on the 8th +April, 1684, steering N.N.E. till off the bay of Arica, whence they +sailed to Cape Blanco, in hopes of meeting the Spanish Plate fleet from +Panama; but if they had gone into the bay of Arica, they must have taken +a Spanish ship which lay there, having 300 tons of silver on board. In +lat. 10° S. on the 3d May, they were forced to capture a ship laden with +timber, much against their inclination, lest they should be known +through her means to be on the coast. They then sailed to the southern +island of _Lobos_, in lat. 70° S. about forty-three English miles from +the coast of Peru, where they landed their sick for refreshment, heeled +their ships, and scraped their bottoms, to render them fitter for +action. + +This island is named _Lobos del Mar_, to distinguish it from another +which is nearer the continent, and called therefore _Lobos de la Tierra. +Lobos del Mar_ is properly a double island, each a mile in circuit, +separated by a small channel which will not admit ships of burden. A +little way from shore, on the north side, there are several scattered +rocks in the sea, and at the west end of the eastermost isle is a small +sandy creek, in which ships are secure from the winds, all the rest of +the shore being rocky cliffs. The whole of both islands is rocky and +sandy, having neither wood, water, nor land animals; but it has many +fowls, such as boobies, and above all penguins, about the size of a +duck, and with similar feet; but their bills are pointed, their wings +are mere stumps, which serve them as fins when in the water, and their +bodies are covered with down instead of feathers. As they feed on fish, +they are but indifferent eating, but their eggs are very good. Penguins +are found all over the South Sea, and at the Cape of Good Hope. The road +for ships is between the before-mentioned rock and the eastmost island. + +They were now very eager to make some capture, as their provisions, +especially water, were very scanty, so that the subsistence of their +prisoners, as well as themselves, gave them much anxiety. By information +of their prisoners, they were also convinced that their being in these +seas was known to the Spaniards, who consequently would keep all their +richest ships in port. After much consultation, therefore, it was +resolved to make an attempt on Truxillo, in lat. 8° 4' S. a populous +city about six miles from the port of _Guanehagno_, though the +landing-place was of difficult access, as at that place there was a +strong probability of making a considerable booty. They sailed therefore +with this design on the 18th May, their whole number of men fit for duty +being one hundred and eight. Soon after weighing anchor, three ships +were descried under sail, which they chased and captured, being laden +with flour from Guanehagno to Panama. In one of them was found a letter +from the viceroy of Peru to the president of Panama, intimating that +there were enemies on the coast, and that he had sent these three ships +to supply their wants. It was also learnt from the prisoners, that the +Spaniards were erecting a fort near their harbour of Guanehagno, in +consequence of which the design on Traxillo was abandoned. Besides a +large loading of flour, the three captured ships had a good quantity of +fruits and sweetmeats, which made them agreeable prizes to the English, +who were now very short of provisions; but they had landed no less than +800,000 dollars, on hearing that there were enemies in these seas. + +It was now resolved to carry their prizes to some secure place, where +the best part of the provisions they had now procured might be laid up +in safety, for which purpose they steered for the _Gallapagos_ or +_Enchanted Islands_,[151] which they got sight of on the 31st May, and +anchored at night on the east side of one of the easternmost of these +islands, a mile from shore, in sixteen fathoms, on clear white hard +sand. To this Cowley gave the name of _King Charles's Island_. He +likewise named more of them, as the Duke of Norfolk's Island immediately +under the line, Dessington's, Eares, Bindley's, Earl of Abington's, King +James's, Duke of Albemarles, and others. They afterwards anchored in a +very good bay being named York Bay. Here they found abundance of +excellent provisions, particularly guanoes and sea and land tortoises, +some of the latter weighing two hundred pounds, which is much beyond +their usual weight. There were also great numbers of birds, especially +turtle-doves, with plenty of wood and excellent water; but none of +either of these was in any of the other islands.[152] + +[Footnote 151: These islands, so named by the Spaniards from being the +resort of tortoises, are on both sides of the line, from about the Lat. +of 2° N. to 1° 50' S,. and from about 88° 40' to 95° 20' both W. from +Greenwich.--E.] + +[Footnote 152: Cowley mentions having found here a [illegible] thing of +its nature of quantity.--E.] + +These Gallapagos are a considerable number of large islands, situated +under and on both sides of the line, and destitute of inhabitants. The +Spaniards, who first discovered them, describe them as extending from +the equator N.W. as high as 5° N. The adventurers in this voyage saw +fourteen or fifteen, some of which were seven or eight leagues in +length, and three or four leagues broad, pretty high yet flat. Four or +five of the most easterly were barren and rocky, without either trees, +herbs, or grass, except very near the shore. They produced also a sort +of shrub, called dildo-tree, about the bigness of a man's leg, and ten +or twelve feet high, without either fruit or leaves, but covered with +prickles from top to bottom. The only water in these barren isles, was +in ponds and holes in the rocks. Some of the isles are low and more +fertile, producing some of the trees that are known in Europe. A few of +the westermost isles are larger than the rest, being nine or ten leagues +long, and six or seven broad, producing many trees, especially Mammee +figs, and they have also some pretty large fresh-water streams, and many +rivulets. The air is continually refreshed, by the sea-breeze by day and +the land-winds at night, so that they are not troubled with such +excessive heats, neither are they so unwholesome as most places so near +the equator. During the rainy season, in November, December, and +January, they are infested with violent tempests of thunder and +lightning; but before and after these months have only refreshing +showers, and in their summer, which is in May, June, July, and August, +they are without any rains. + +They anchored near several of these islands, and frequently found sea +tortoises basking in the sun at noon. On a former occasion, Captain +Davies came to anchor on the west side of these islands, where he and +his men subsisted on land-tortoises for three months, and saved from +them sixty jars of oil. He also found several good channels on that +side, with anchorage between the isles, and several rivulets of fresh +water, with plenty of trees for fuel. The sea also round these islands +is well stored with good fish of a large size, and abounds in sharks. +These islands are better stored with guanoes and land-tortoises than any +other part of the world. The guanoes are very tame, of extraordinary +size, and very fat. The land-tortoises are likewise very fat, and so +numerous that several hundred men might subsist upon them for a +considerable time. They are as pleasant food as a pullet, and so large +that some of them weighed 150 and even 200 pounds, being two feet to two +feet and a half across the belly; whereas in other places they are +seldom met with above 30 pounds weight. There are several kinds of +land-tortoises in the West Indies, one of which, called _Hackatee_ by +the Spaniards, keeps mostly in fresh-water ponds, having long necks, +small legs, and flat feet, and is usually between ten and fifteen pounds +weight. A second, and much smaller kind, which they call _Tenopen_,[153] +is somewhat rounder, but not unlike in other respects, except that their +back shells are naturally covered with curious carved work. The +tortoises in the Gallapagos isles resembles the _Hackatee_, having long +necks and small heads, but are much larger. + +[Footnote 153: This word in the text is probably a misprint for +_Terrapin_, a trivial name for a species of land or fresh-water +tortoise, found also in the warmer parts of North America--E.] + +In these islands there are also some green snakes, and great numbers of +remarkably tame turtle-doves, very fat, and excellent eating. There are +large channels between some of these islands, capable of receiving ships +of moderate burden. On the shoals there grows great abundance of +sea-weed, called _turtle-grass_, owing to which these channels abound in +_green turtles_ or sea-tortoises. There are several kinds of turtles or +sea-tortoises, as the _Trunk, Loggerhead, Hawksbill_, and _Green_ +turtles. The first is larger than the rest, and has a rounder and higher +back shell, but is neither so wholesome nor so well tasted; and the same +may be said of the Loggerhead, which feeds on moss from the rocks, and +has its name from its large head. The Hawksbill, so named from having a +long small mouth, like the beak of a hawk, is the smallest species, and +is that which produces the so-much-admired tortoise-shell, of which +cabinets, boxes, combs, and other things are made in Europe, and of this +shell each has from three to four pounds, though some have less. The +flesh of this kind is but indifferent, yet better than that of the +Loggerheads; though these, which are taken between the _Sambellos_ and +_Portobello_, make those who eat the flesh purge and vomit excessively, +and the same is observed of some other fish in the West Indies. + +The laying time of the sea-tortoises is about May, June, and July, a +little sooner or later, and they lay three times each season, eighty or +ninety eggs each time, which are round and as large as an hen's egg, but +covered only with a thin white skin, having no shell. When a tortoise +goes on shore to lay, she is usually an hour before she returns, as she +always chuses her place above high-water mark, where she makes a large +hole with her fins in the sand, in which she lays her eggs, and then +covers them two feet deep with the sand she had raked out. Sometimes +they go on shore the day before, to take a look of the place, and are +sure to return to the same spot next day. People take the tortoises on +this occasion, while on shore in the night, turning them over on their +backs, above high-water mark, and then return to fetch them off next +morning; but a large Green tortoise will give work enough to two stout +men to turn her over. The Green tortoise gets its name from the colour +of the shell, having a small round head, and weighs from 200 to 300 +pounds. Its flesh is accounted the best of any, but there are none of +this kind in the South Sea. The sea-tortoises found at the Gallapagos +being a bastard kind of Green tortoises, having thicker shells than +those of the West Indies, and their flesh not so good. They are also +much larger, being frequently two or three feet thick, and their bellies +five feet broad. + +They remained twelve or fourteen days at the Gallapagos, during which +time Captain Cooke lived on shore in a very poor state of health. They +also landed 1500 bags of flour, with a large quantity of sweetmeats and +other provisions, on York Island, which they might have recourse to on +any emergency. From one of their prisoners, an Indian of _Realejo_, they +had a flattering account of the riches of that place, which he alleged +might be easily taken, and for which enterprise he offered to serve them +as a guide. Setting sail therefore from the Gallapagos on the 12th June, +they shaped their course in lat 4° 40' N. with the intention of touching +at the _Island of Cocos_, [in lat. 5° 27' N. and long. 87° 27' W. from +Greenwich.] This island is seven or eight leagues in circuit, but +uninhabited, and produces a pleasant herb near the sea coast, called +_Geamadael_ by the Spaniards. It is so environed with steep rocks as to +be inaccessible, except on the N.E. where ships may safely ride in a +small bay. + +Missing this island, they continued their course towards the continent +of America, and reached Cape _Blanco_, or _Trespuntas_, on the coast of +Mexico, in lat. 9° 56' N. in the beginning of July. This cape gets the +name of _Blanco_, or the White Cape, from two high steep taper white +rocks, like high towers, about half a mile distant. The cape itself is +about the same height with Beachy-head, on the coast of Sussex, being a +full broad point jutting out to sea, and terminated with steep rocks, +while both sides have easy descents to the sea from the flat top, which +is covered with tall trees, and affords a pleasant prospect. On the N.W. +side of the cape the land runs in to the N.E. for four leagues, making a +small bay, called _Caldera Bay_, at the entrance to which, at the N.W. +side of the cape, a rivulet of fresh water discharges itself into the +sea through very rich low lands abounding in lofty trees. This rich +wooded vale extends a mile N.E. beyond the rivulet, when a savanna +begins, running several leagues into the country, here and there +beautifully interspersed with groves of trees, and covered with +excellent long grass. Deeper into the bay, the low lands are cloathed +with mangroves; but farther into the country the land is higher, partly +covered with woods, and partly consisting of hilly savannas, not so good +as the former, and here the woods consist of short small trees. From the +bottom of this bay one may travel to the lake of Nicaragua over hilly +savannas, a distance of fourteen, or fifteen leagues.[154] + +[Footnote 154: The bay of Caldera in the text is evidently the gulf of +Nicoya, from the bottom of which the lake of Nicaragua is distant about +fifty English miles due north. The latitude of Cape Blanco in the text, +9° 56' N. is considerably erroneous, its true latitude being only 9° 27' +N.] + +Captain Cooke had been very ill ever since their departure from Juan +Fernandez, and died as soon as they came within two or three leagues of +Cape Blanco, which indeed is a frequent incident at sea, as people who +have been long ill often die on coming in sight of land. Coming to +anchor a few hours after a league within the cape, near the mouth of the +before-mentioned rivulet, in 14 fathoms on clear hard sand, his body was +immediately carried on shore for interment, under a guard of twelve +armed men. While the people were digging his grave, they were joined by +three Spanish Indians, who asked many questions, and were at length +seized, though one of them afterwards escaped. The other two were +carried aboard, and confessed that they were sent as spies from Nicoya, +a small Mulatto town twelve or fourteen leagues from the cape, and +seated on the banks of a river of the same name,[155] being a convenient +place for building and refitting ships. The president of Panama had sent +intelligence to this place of the English being in these seas, in +consequence of which the inhabitants, who mostly subsist by cultivating +corn, and by slaughtering great numbers of cattle which feed on their +extensive savannas, had sent their ox hides to the North Sea by way of +the lake of Nicaragua, as also a certain red wood, called in Jamaica +_Blood wood_, or Nicaragua wood, which is used in dying. These +commodities are exchanged for linen and woollen manufactures, and other +European goods. + +[Footnote 155: There is no river at Niceya, but it is seated on a bay or +harbour within the gulf of the same name.--E.] + +Learning from their prisoners that there was a large cattle pen at no +great distance, where cows and bulls could be had in abundance, and +being very desirous of having some fresh beef which had long been very +rare among them, twenty-four of the English went ashore in two boats, +under the guidance of one of the Indians, and landed about a league from +the ships, hauling their boats upon the dry sand. Their guide conducted +them to the pen, in a large savanna two miles from the boats, where they +found abundance of bulls and cows feeding. Some of the English were for +killing three or four immediately, but the rest insisted to wait till +morning, and then to kill as many as they needed. On this difference of +opinion, Dampier and eleven more thought proper to return aboard that +night, expecting to be followed by the rest next day. Hearing nothing of +them next day at four p.m. ten men were sent in a canoe to look for +them; when they found their comrades on a small rock half a mile from +the shore, up to their middles in water, having fled there to escape +from forty or fifty Spaniards, well armed with guns and lances, who had +burnt their boat. They had taken shelter on this rock at low water, and +must have perished in an hour, as it was then flowing tide, if they had +not been relieved by the canoe, which brought them safe on board. + +On the 19th July, Edward Davis, quarter-master of the Revenge, was +elected captain, in the room of Captain Cooke. They sailed next day from +Cape Blanco towards Realejo, with a moderate breeze at N. which brought +them in three days over against that port, in lat. 12° 26' N. This place +is easily discovered from sea, by means of a high-peaked burning +mountain about ten miles inland, called by the Spaniards _Volcano vejo_, +or the old volcano, which is so high that it may be seen twenty leagues +out at sea, besides which there is no other similar mountain on all that +coast. To make this harbour, the mountain must bear N.E. and keeping this +coarse will bring a ship directly into the harbour, the entrance of +which may be seen at three leagues off. This harbour is inclosed by a +low isle, a mile in length, a quarter of a mile broad, and a mile and a +half from the main land. It has a channel or entrance at each end of the +island, that on the east, being narrow and having a strong tide, is +seldom used, but that on the west is much larger and more commodious. In +taking this entry, however, ships must beware of a certain sandy shoal +on the N.W. point of the isle, and when past this must keep close to the +isle, as a sand-bank runs half way over from the continental shore. This +port is able to contain 200 ships. + +About two leagues from the port, the town of Realejo stands in a fenny +country, full of red mangrove trees, between two arms of the sea, the +westermost of which reaches up to the town, and the eastermost comes +near it, but no shipping can get so far up.[156] On entering the bay in +their canoes, they found the country apprized of their approach, and +fully prepared for their reception, wherefore the enterprise against +Realejo was laid aside. Pursuant to a consultation between the two +commanders, Eaton and Davis, they sailed on the 27th July for the gulf +of Amapalla or Fonseca. + +[Footnote 156: The account in the text appears applicable to what is now +called _El Viejo_, or the old town, nearly 12 miles from the port, but +modern Realejo stands almost close to the entrance of the bay or +harbour.--E.] + +This is a large gulf or branch of the sea, running eight or ten leagues +into the country, and nearly of the same breadth. The S.E. extreme point +is called Cape _Casurina_, or _Casiquina_, in lat. 12° 53' N. and long. +87° 36' W. and the N.W. point is Cape Candadillo, in lat. 18° 6' N. and +long. 87° 57' W. Within this bay are several islands, the principal of +these being named _Mangeru_ and _Amapaila_. Mangera is a high round +island, two leagues in circuit, inclosed on all sides by rocks, except +on its N.E. side, where there is a small sandy creek. The soil is black +and shallow, full of stones, and produces very lofty trees. It has a +small town or village in the middle inhabited by Indians, and a handsome +Spanish church. The inhabitants cultivate a small quantity of maize and +plantains, having also a few cocks and hens, but no beasts except dogs +and cats. From the creek to the town there is a steep rocky path. +_Amapalla_ resembles the other isle in soil, but is much larger, and has +two towns about two miles asunder, one on its northern end, and the +other on the east. The latter is on a plain on the summit of a hill, and +has a handsome church. The other town is smaller, but has also a fine +church. In most of the Indian towns under the Spanish dominion, the +images of the saints in their churches are represented of the Indian +complexion, and dressed like Indians; while in the towns inhabited by +Spaniards, the images have the European complexion and dress. There are +many other islands in the bay, but uninhabited. + +Captain Davis went into the gulf with two canoes to procure some +prisoners for intelligence, and coming to Mangera, the inhabitants all +ran away into the woods, so that only the priest and two boys were +taken. Captain Davis went thence to the isle of Amapalla, where the +inhabitants were prevented from retiring into the woods by the +secretary, who was an enemy to the Spaniards, and persuaded them the +English were friends; but by the misconduct of one of the Buccaneers, +all the Indians run away, on which Davis made his men fire at them, and +the secretary was slain. After this the casique of the island was +reconciled to the English, and afterwards guided them wherever they had +occasion to go, especially to places on the continent where they could +procure beef. + +A company of English and French Buccaneers landed some time afterwards +on this island, whence they went over to the continent, and marched by +land to the _Cape River_, otherwise called _Yare_, or _Vanquez_ river, +which falls into the gulf of Mexico, near _Cape Gracias a Dios_, on the +Mosquito shore. On reaching that river near its source, they constructed +bark canoes, in which they descended the stream into the gulf of Mexico. +They were not, however, the first discoverers of this passage, as about +thirty years before, some English went up that same river to near its +source, from the gulf of Mexico, and marched thence inland to a town +called New Segovia, near the head of Bluefield's river. + +While in this bay of Amapalla, some difference arose between the two +captains, Davis who had succeeded to Cooke in command of the Revenge, +and Eaton of the Nicholas, when they resolved to separate: But they +first deemed it proper to careen their ships, for which this place +afforded every convenience, and to take in a supply of fresh water. Both +ships being in condition for sea, Captain Eaton took 400 sacks of flour +on board his ship, and agreed with Captain Cowley to take the charge of +the Nicholas as master. From this period therefore, which was in the end +of September, the voyages of Cowley and Dampier cease to be the same, +and require to be separately narrated. + + +SECTION II. + +_Continuation of the Narrative of Cowley, from leaving the Revenge, to +his Return to England_. + +On leaving the gulf of Amapalla, the Nicholas steered for Cape +Francisco, in lat. 0° 50' N. near which they encountered dreadful +storms, attended by prodigious thunder and lightning. From thence they +proceeded to the latitude of 7° S. but found the country every where +alarmed. They went next to Payta, in lat. 4° 55' S. where they took two +ships at anchor, which they set on fire, because the Spaniards refused +to ransom them. Leaving the coast, they went to the island of _Gorgona_, +in lat. 2° 50' N. about four leagues from the main, which the privateers +usually called _Sharp's Island_. This is about two leagues long by one +league broad, having a good harbour on its west side, and affording +plenty of wood and water. It is a common saying in Spanish South +America, that it rains often in Chili, seldom in Peru, and always at +Gorgona, where they allege there never was a day fair to an end. Though +this be not strictly true, it is certain that this island has rain more +or less at all seasons, on which account, perhaps, it has always +remained uninhabited. They sailed from Gorgona W.N.W. till in lat. 30° +N. when they steered W. by N. to lat. 15° N. till they considered +themselves beyond danger from the rocks of _St Bartholomew_; after which +they returned into the lat. of 13° N. in which parallel they continued +their voyage for the East Indies. + +They had a regular trade-wind, and a reasonably quick passage across the +Pacific Ocean, except that their men were mostly ill of the scurvy; and +on the 14th of March, 1685, being in lat. 13° 2' N. they came in sight +of the island of Guam. By Captain Cowley's calculation, this run across +the Pacific Ocean extended to 7646 miles, from the island of Gorgona to +Guam.[157] They came next day to anchor in a bay on the west side of the +island, and sent their boat on shore with a flag of truce. The +inhabitants of a village at that place set fire to their houses, and ran +away into the interior, on which the boat's crew cut down some cocoa +trees to gather the fruit, and on going again on board were threatened +by a party of the natives, who sallied out from some bushes on purpose +to attack them. A friendly intercourse was however established between +the English and the natives, and trade took place with them till the +17th, when the natives attacked the English suddenly, but were beat off +with heavy loss, while none of the English were hurt. + +[Footnote 157: Gorgona is in long. 78° 33' Guam in 216° 40', both W. +from Greenwich. The difference of longitude is 138° 07', which gives +9530 statute miles, or 2762 marine leagues, so that the computation in +the text is considerably too short.--E.] + +On the 19th the Spanish governor of the island came to a point of land +not far from the ship, whence he sent his boat on board with three +copies of the same letter, in Spanish, French, and Dutch, desiring to +know who they were, whence they came, and whither they were bound. +Captain Eaton answered in French, saying that they had been fitted out +by some gentlemen in France to make discoveries, and were come in quest +of provisions. In reply the governor invited Captain Eaton on shore, who +landed with a guard of twenty men doubly armed, and was politely +received. On the 18th the governor sent ten hogs on board, together with +a prodigious quantity of potatoes, plantains, oranges, papaws, and red +pepper, in return for which Captain Eaton sent a diamond ring to the +governor worth twenty pounds, and gave swords to several Spanish +gentlemen who came off with the provisions. Next day the governor sent +to procure some powder, of which he was in want, as the natives were in +rebellion, and Captain Eaton gave him two barrels, for which to the +value of 1400 dollars were offered in gold and silver, but Eaton refused +to accept the money, in consequence of which the governor sent him a +diamond ring, worth fifty pounds. Every day after this the governor sent +them some kind of provisions, and about the end of March, when about to +sail, the governor sent them thirty hogs for sea store, with a large +supply of rice and potatoes. + +On one occasion the Indians attacked a party of the English, who were on +shore to draw the sein, but were beaten off with much loss; yet they +afterwards endeavoured to prevail on Captain Eaton to join them in +driving out the Spaniards, which he positively refused. On the 1st +April, leaving the bay in which they had hitherto remained, the Nicholas +anchored before the Spanish fort; and after several civilities on both +sides, set sail in the afternoon of the 3d April with a fair wind. + +This island of Guam is about fourteen leagues long by six broad, and +contains several very pleasant vallies, interspersed with fine fertile +meadows, watered by many rivulets from the hills. The soil in these +vallies is black and very rich, producing plenty of cocoas, potatoes, +yams, papaws, plantains, _monanoes_, sour-sops, oranges, and lemons, +together with some honey. The climate is naturally very hot, yet is +wholesome, as constantly refreshed by the trade-wind. The Indian +natives are large made, well proportioned, active and vigorous, some +being seven feet and a half high, and go mostly naked, both men and +women. They never bury their dead, but lay them in the sun to putrefy. +Their only arms are slings and lances, the heads of these being made of +human bones; and on the decease of any one his bones make eight lances, +four from his legs and thighs, and as many from his arms. These lance +heads are formed like a scoop, and jagged at the edges like a saw or +eel-spear; so that a person wounded by them dies, if not cured in seven +days. + +The great annual ship between Manilla and Acapulco touches here for +refreshments, and the Spaniards said there were sometimes eight ships in +one year at this place from the East Indies. They said also, that they +had built a ship here, in 1684, of 160 tons, to trade with Manilla, and +pretended to have a garrison here of 600 men, most of the Indians being +in rebellion. + +The Nicholas sailed from Guam W. by S. and on computing that they were +206 leagues from that island, they changed to due W. The 23d, when they +reckoned themselves 560 leagues west of Guam, they met with a very +strong current, resembling the race of Portland, and fell in with a +cluster of islands in lat. 20° 30' N. to the north of Luçonia, [the +_Bashee Islands_.] They sent their boat ashore on the northermost of +these islands, in order to get some fish, and to examine the island, on +which they found vast quantities of nutmegs growing, but saw no people, +and as night was drawing on they did not venture to go any distance from +the shore. To this island they gave the name of _Nutmeg Island_, and +called the bay in which they anchored _English Bay_. They observed many +rocks, shoals, and foul ground near the shore, and saw a great many +goats on the island, but brought off very few. + +On the 26th of April they were off Cape Bojadore, the N.W. point of +Luçonia, and came soon after to Cipe _Mindato_, where they met the S.W. +monsoon, on which they bore away for Canton in China, where they arrived +in safety and refitted their ship. They had here an opportunity of +making themselves as rich as they could desire, but would not embrace +it; as there came into the port thirteen sail of Tartar vessels, laden +with Chinese plunder, consisting of the richest productions of the East. +The men, however, would have nothing to do with any thing but gold and +silver, and Captain Eaton could not prevail upon them to fight for +silks, as they alleged that would degrade them into pedlars. The Tartars +therefore quietly pursued their affairs at Canton, unconscious of their +danger. + +Having repaired the ship, Captain Easton sailed for Manilla, intending +to wait for a Tartar ship of which they had information, bound from that +port, and half laden with silver. They even got sight of her, and chased +her a whole day to no purpose, as she was quite clean, and the Nicholas +was as foul as could well be. They then stood for a small island, to the +north of Luçonia, to wait for a fair wind to carry them to Bantam. +Instead of one island, they found several, where they procured +refreshments.[158] Learning from an Indian that in one of these islands +there were plenty of beeves, they sent a boat thither with thirty men, +who took what they wanted by force, though the island was well +inhabited. + +[Footnote 158: The indications in the text are too vague to point out +the particular islands at which the Nicholas refreshed. Immediately +north from Luçonia are the Babuvanes Isles, in lat 19° 30', and still +farther, the Bashee Islands, in 20° 30', both N.] + +Leaving these islands about the middle of September, 1685, they were for +three days in great danger on the banks of _Peragoa_, in lat. 10° N. +after which they came to a convenient bay in an island not far from the +northern coast of Borneo, where they set up a tent on shore and landed +every thing from the ship, fortifying themselves with ten small guns, in +case of being attacked by the natives, and hauled their ship on shore to +clean her bottom. At first the natives of the island avoided all +intercourse with the English; but one day the boat of the Nicholas came +up with a canoe in which was the queen of the country with her retinue, +who all leaped into the sea to get away from the English. They took up +these people with much difficulty, and entertained them with so much +kindness that they became good friends during two months which they +continued afterwards at this island. At this time the Spaniards were at +peace with the sovereign of Borneo, and carried on an advantageous trade +there from Manilla; of which circumstance Captain Eaton and his people +got intimation, and passed themselves for Spaniards during their +residence. + +This great island is plentifully stored with provisions of all kinds, +and many rich commodities, as diamonds, pepper, camphor, &c. and several +kinds of fine woods, as specklewood and ebony. Cloves also were there to +be had at a reasonable price, being brought there from the neighbouring +islands by stealth. The animals of Borneo, as reported by Cowley, are +elephants, tigers, panthers, leopards, antelopes, and wild swine. The +king of Borneo being in league with the Spanish governor of the +Philippines, the English passed themselves here as Spaniards, and were +amply supplied by the natives during their stay with fish, oranges, +lemons, mangoes, plantains, and pine-apples. + +The Nicholas sailed from this place in December, 1685, proceeding to a +chain of islands in lat. 4° N. called the _Naturah_ islands,[159] whence +they went to Timor, where the crew became exceedingly mutinous; on which +Captain Cowley and others resolved to quit the Nicholas, in order to +endeavour to get a passage home from Batavia. Accordingly, Cowley and +one Mr Hill, with eighteen more of the men, purchased a large boat, in +which they meant to have gone to Batavia, but, owing to contrary winds, +were obliged to put in at Cheribon, another factory belonging to the +Dutch in Java, where they found they had lost a day in their reckoning +during their voyage by the west. They here learnt the death of Charles +II. and that the Dutch had driven the English from Bantam, which was +then the second place of trade we possessed in India. The Dutch were +forming other schemes to the prejudice of our trade, wherefore Cowley, +with Hill and another of the Englishmen, resolved to make all the haste +they could to Batavia, to avoid being involved in the subsisting +disputes. They were kindly received by the governor of Batavia, who +promised them a passage to Holland. + +[Footnote 159: The Natuna Islands, in long. 108° E. from Greenwich.--E.] + +Cowley and his remaining companions embarked at Batavia in a Dutch ship +in March, 1686. They arrived in Table bay at the Cape of Good Hope on +the 1st June, where they landed next day, and of which settlement, as it +then existed in 1686, Cowley gives the following account:-- + +"Cape Town does not contain above an hundred houses, which are all built +low, because exposed to violent gales of wind in the months of December, +January, and February. The castle is very strong, having about eighty +large cannon for its defence. There is also a very spacious garden, +maintained by the Dutch East India Company, planted with all kinds of +fruit-trees, and many excellent herbs, and laid out in numerous pleasant +walks. This garden is near a mile in length and a furlong wide, being +the greatest rarity at the Cape, and far exceeding the public garden at +Batavia. This country had abundance of very good sheep, but cattle and +fowls are rather scarce. We walked out of town to a village inhabited by +the _Hodmandods_, or Hottentots. Their houses are round, having the +fire-places in the middle, almost like the huts of the wild Irish, and +the people lay upon the ashes, having nothing under them but +sheep-skins. The men seemed all to be _Monorchides_, and the whole of +these people were so nasty that we could hardly endure the stench of +their bodies and habitations. Their women are singularly conformed, +having a natural skin apron, and are all so ignorant and brutish that +they do not hesitate to prostitute themselves publicly for the smallest +imaginable recompense, of which I was an eye witness. Their apparel is a +sheep-skin flung over their shoulders, with a leather cap on their +heads, as full of grease as it can hold. Their legs are wound about, +from the ankle to the knees, with the guts of beasts well greased. + +"These people, called _Hodmandods_ by the Dutch, are born white, but +they make themselves black by smearing their bodies all over with soot +and grease, so that by frequent repetition they become as black as +negroes. Their children, when young, are of a comely form, but their +noses are like those of the negroes. When they marry, the woman cuts off +one joint of her finger; and, if her husband die and she remarry again, +she cuts off another joint, and so on however often she may marry. + +"They are a most filthy race, and will feed upon any thing, however +foul. When the Hollanders kill a beast, these people get the guts, and +having squeezed out the excrements, without washing or scraping, they +lay them upon the coals, and eat them before they are well heated +through. If even a slave of the Hollanders wish to have one of their +women, he has only to give her husband a piece of tobacco. Yet will they +beat their wives if unfaithful with one of their own nation, though they +care not how they act with the men of other nations. They are worshipers +of the moon, and thousands of them may be seen dancing and singing by +the sea-side, when they expect to see that luminary; but if it happen +to be dark weather, so that the moon does not appear, they say their god +is angry with them. While we were at the Cape, one of the _Hodmandods_ +drank himself dead in the fort, on which the others came and put oil and +milk into his mouth, but finding he was dead, they began to prepare for +his burial in the following manner:--Having shaved or scraped his body, +arms, and legs, with their knives, they dug a great hole, in which they +placed him on his breech in a sitting posture, heaping stones about him +to keep him upright. Then came the women, making a most horrible noise +round the hole which was afterwards filled up with earth." + +On the 15th June. 1686, Cowley sailed from the Cape, the homeward-bound +Dutch fleet consisting of three ships, when at the same time other three +sailed for Bolivia. On the 22d of June they passed the line, when Cowley +computed that he had sailed quite round the globe, having formerly +crossed the line nearly at the same place, when outward-bound from +Virginia in 1683. On the 4th August they judged themselves to be within +thirty leagues of the dangerous shoal called the _Abrolhos_, laid down +in lat. 15° N. in the map: but Cowley was very doubtful if any such +shoal exist, having never met with any one who had fallen in with it, +and he was assured by a pilot, who had made sixteen voyages to Brazil, +that there was no such sand. The 19th September, Cowley saw land which +he believed to be Shetland. They were off the Maes on the 28th +September, and on the 30th Cowley landed at Helvoetsluys. He travelled +by land to Rotterdam, whence he sailed in the Ann for England, and +arrived safe in London on the 12th October, 1686, after a tedious and +troublesome voyage of three years and nearly two months. + +SECTION III. + +_Sequel of the Voyage, so far as Dampier is concerned, after the +Separation of the Nicholas from the Revenge._[160] + +This is usually denominated Captain William Dampier's _first_ Voyage +round the World, and is given at large by Harris, but on the present +occasion has been limited, in this section, to the narrative of Dampier +after the separation of Captain Cowley in the Nicholas; the observations +of Dampier in the earlier part of the voyage, having been already +interwoven in the first section of this chapter. + +[Footnote 160: Dampier's Voyages, Lond. 1729, vol. I. and II. Harris, +II. 84.] + +This voyage is peculiarly valuable, by its minute and apparently +accurate account of the harbours and anchorages on the western coast of +South America, and has, therefore, been given here at considerable +length, as it may become of singular utility to our trade, in case the +navigation to the South Sea may be thrown open, which is at present +within the exclusive privileges of the East India Company, yet entirely +unused by that chartered body.--E. + + * * * * * + +Captain Eaton in the Nicholas having separated from the Revenge, left +the Gulf of Amapalla on the 2d September, 1684, as formerly mentioned, +which place we also left next day, directing our course for the coast of +Peru. Tornadoes, with thunder, lightning, and rain, are very frequent on +these coasts from June to November, mostly from the S.E. of which we had +our share. The wind afterwards veered to W. and so continued till we +came in sight of Cape St Francisco, where we met with fair weather and +the wind at S. + +Cape St Francisco, in lat. 0° 50' N. is a high full point of land, +covered with lofty trees. In passing from the N. a low point may be +easily mistaken for the cape, but soon after passing this point the cape +is seen with three distinct points. The land in its neighbourhood is +high, and the mountains appear black. The 20th September we came to +anchor in sixteen fathoms near the island of _Plata_, in lat. 1° 15' S. +This island is about four miles long and a mile and half broad, being of +some considerable height, and environed with rocky cliffs, except in one +place at the east end, where the only fresh-water torrent of the isle +falls down from the rocks into the sea. The top of the island is nearly +flat, with a sandy soil, which produces three or four kinds of low small +trees, not known in Europe, and these trees are much overgrown with +moss. Among these trees the surface is covered with pretty good grass, +especially in the beginning of the year, but there are no land animals +to feed upon it, the great number of goats that used to be found here +formerly being all destroyed. Is has, however, a great number of the +birds named Boobies and Man-of-war birds. Some say that this island got +the name _Isola de Plata_ from the Spaniards, from the circumstance of +Sir Francis Drake having carried to this place their ship the Cacafoga, +richly laden with silver, which they name _Plata_. + +The anchorage is on the east side, about the middle of the island, close +to the shore, within two cables length of the sandy bay, in eighteen or +twenty fathoms, fast ooze, and smooth water, the S.E. point of the +island keeping off the force of the south wind which usually blows here. +In this sandy bay there is good landing, and indeed it is the only place +which leads into the island. A small shoal runs out about a quarter of a +mile from the east point of the island, on which shoal there is a great +rippling of the sea when the tide flows. The tide here has a strong +current, setting to the south with the flood, and to the north when it +ebbs. At this east point also there are three small high rocks, about a +cable's length from the shore; and three much larger rocks at the N.E. +point. All round the isle the water is very deep, except at the +before-mentioned anchorage. Near the shoal there are great numbers of +small sea-tortoises, or turtle, formerly mentioned as found at the +Gallapagos. This island of _Plata_ is four or five leagues W.S.W. from +Cape _San Lorenzo_. + +After remaining one day at this isle, we continued our voyage to Cape +_Santa Helena_, in lat. 2° 8' S. This cape appears high and flat, +resembling an island, covered on the top with thistles, and surrounded +by low grounds, but without any trees. As it jets far out to sea, it +forms a good bay on its north side, a mile within which is a wretched +Indian village on the shore, called also Santa Helena; but the ground in +its neighbourhood, though low, is sandy and barren, producing neither +trees, grass, corn, nor fruit, except excellent water-melons; and the +inhabitants are forced to fetch their fresh water from the river +_Calanche_, four leagues distant, at the bottom of the bay. They live +chiefly on fish, and are supplied with maize from other parts, in +exchange for _Algatrane_, which is a bituminous substance issuing from +the earth near this village, about five paces above high-water mark. +This substance, by means of long boiling, becomes hard like pitch, and +is employed as such by the Spaniards. To leeward of the point, directly +opposite the village, there is good anchorage, but on the west side the +water is very deep. Some of our men were sent under night in canoes to +take the village, in which they succeeded, and made some prisoners; but +the natives set fire to a small bark in the road, alleging the positive +orders of the viceroy. + +We returned from thence to the island of Plata, where we anchored on the +26th September, and sent some of our men that evening to _Manta_, a +small Indian village on the continent, seven or eight leagues from +Plata, and two or three leagues east from Cape Lorenzo. Its buildings +are mean and scattered, but standing on an easy ascent, it has a fine +prospect towards the sea-side. Having formerly been inhabited by the +Spaniards, it has a fine church, adorned with carved work; but as the +ground in the neighbourhood is very dry and sandy, it produces neither +corn nor roots, and only a few shrubs are to be found. The inhabitants +are supplied with provisions by sea, this being the first place at which +ships refresh, when bound from Panama to Lima and other parts of Peru. +They have an excellent spring of fresh water between the village and the +sea. Opposite to this village, and a mile and a half from the shore, +there is a very dangerous rock, being always covered by the sea; but +about a mile within this rock there is safe anchorage, in six, eight, +and ten fathoms, on hard clear sand; and a mile west from this, a shoal +runs a mile out to sea. Behind the town, and directly to the south, a +good way inland, there is a very high mountain rising up into the +clouds, like a sugar-loaf; which serves as an excellent sea-mark, there +being no other like it on all this coast. [161] + +[Footnote 161: The great Chimborazo is probably here meant, about 135 +English miles inland from Manta, and almost due east, instead of south, +as in the test.--E] + +Our men landed about day-break, a mile and a half from the village, but +the inhabitants took the alarm, and got all away, except two old women, +from whom we learnt that the viceroy, on receiving intelligence of +enemies having come across the isthmus of Darien into the South Sea, had +ordered all their ships to be set on fire, all the goats in the isle of +Plata to be destroyed, and that the inhabitants on the coast should keep +no more provisions than were necessary for their present use. + +We returned to our ship at Plata, where we remained for some time +unresolved what course to pursue. On the 2d of October, the Cygnet of +London, Captain Swan, came to anchor in the same road. This was a +richly-loaded ship, designed for trading on this coast, but being +disappointed in his hopes of trade, his men had forced Captain Swan to +take on board a company of buccaneers he fell in with at Nicoya, being +those we heard of at Manta, who had come by land to the South Sea under +the command of Captain Peter Harris, nephew to the Captain Harris who +was slain before Panama. As the Cygnet was unfit for service, by reason +of her cargo, Captain Swan sold most of his goods on credit, and threw +the rest overboard, reserving only the fine commodities, and some iron +for ballast. Captains Davis and Swan now joined company; and Harris was +placed in command of a small bark. Our bark, which had been sent to +cruise three days before the arrival of the Cygnet, now returned with a +prize laden with timber, which they had taken in the Gulf of Guayaquil. +The commander of this prize informed us, that it was reported at +Guayaquil, that the viceroy was fitting out ten frigates to chase us +from these seas. This intelligence made us wish for Captain Eaton, and +we resolved to send out a small bark towards Lima, to invite him to +rejoin us. We also fitted up another small bark for a fire-ship, and set +sail for the island of _Lobos_ on the 20th October. + +Being about six leagues off Payta on the 2d of November, we sent 110 men +in several canoes to attack that place. _Payta_ is a small sea-port town +belonging to the Spaniards, in lat. 5° 15' S. built on a sandy rock near +the sea-side, under a high hill. Although not containing more than +seventy-five or eighty low mean houses, like most of the other buildings +along the coast of Peru, it has two churches. The walls of these houses +are chiefly built of a kind of bricks, made of earth and straw, only +dried in the sun. These bricks are three feet long, two broad, and a +foot and a half thick. In some places, instead of roofs, they only lay a +few poles across the tops of the walls, covered with mats, though in +other places they have regularly-constructed roofs. The cause of this +mean kind of building is partly from the want of stones and timber, and +partly because it never rains on this coast, so that they are only +solicitious to keep out the sun; and these walls, notwithstanding the +slight nature of their materials, continue good a long time, as they are +never injured by rain. The timber used by the better sort of people has +to be brought by sea from other places. The walls of the churches and of +the best houses are neatly whitened, both within and without, and the +beams, posts, and doors are all adorned with carved work. Within they +are ornamented with good pictures, and rich hangings of tapestry or +painted calico, brought from Spain. The houses of Payta, however, were +not of this description, though their two churches were large and +handsome. Close by the sea there was a small fort, armed only with +muskets, to command the harbour, as also another fort on the top of a +hill, which commanded both the harbour and lower fort. The inhabitants +of Payta are obliged to bring their fresh-water from Colon, a town two +leagues to the N.N.E. where a fresh-water river falls into the sea; and +have also to procure fowls, hogs, plantains, maize, and other provisions +from that and other places, owing to the barrenness of the soil in its +own neighbourhood. The dry and barren tract of this western coast of +America begins at Cape Blanco in the north, and reaches to Coquimbo in +30° S. in all of which vast extent of coast I never saw or heard of any +rain falling, nor of any thing growing whatever either in the mountains +or vallies, except in such places as are constantly watered, in +consequence of being on the banks of rivers and streams. + +The inhabitants of Colon are much given to fishing, for which purpose +they venture out to sea in _bark-logs_.[162] These are constructed of +several round logs of wood, forming a raft, but different according to +the uses they are intended for, or the customs of those that make them. +Those meant for fishing consist only of three or five logs of wood about +eight feet long, the middle one longer than the rest, especially +forewards, and the others gradually shorter, forming a kind of stem or +prow to cut the waves. The logs are joined to each other's sides by +wooden pegs and _withes_, or twisted branches of trees. Such as are +intended for carrying merchandise are made in the same manner and shape, +but the raft consists of twenty or thirty great trunks of trees, thirty +or forty feet long, joined together as before. On these another row of +shorter trees are laid across, and fastened down by wooden pegs. From, +this double raft or bottom they raise a raft of ten feet high, by means +of upright posts, which support two layers of thick trees laid across +each other, like our piles of wood, but not so close as in the bottom of +the float; these being formed only at the ends and sides, the inner part +being left hollow. In this hollow, at the height of four feet from the +floor of the raft, they lay a deck or floor of small poles close +together, serving as the floor or deck of another room; and above this, +at the same height, they lay just such another sparred deck. The lower +room serves for the hold, in which they stow ballast, and water casks or +jars. The second room serves for the seamen and what belongs to them. +Above all the goods are stowed, as high as they deem fit, but seldom +exceeding the height of ten feet. Some space is left vacant behind for +the steersman, and before for the kitchen, especially in long voyages, +for in these strange vessels they will venture to make voyages of five +or six hundred leagues. + +[Footnote 162: I suspect this to be a mistaken translation of +_barco-longo_, long barks, or rafts rather, as the subsequent +description indicates.--E] + +In navigating these vessels, they use a very large rudder, with one mast +in the middle of the machine, on which they have a large sail, like our +west country barges on the river Thames. As these machines can only sail +before the wind, they are only fit for these seas, where the wind blows +constantly one way, seldom varying above a point or two in the whole +voyage from Lima to Panama. If, when near Panama, they happen to meet a +north-west wind, as sometimes happens, they must drive before it till it +changes, merely using their best endeavours to avoid the shore, for they +will never sink at sea. Such vessels carry sixty or seventy tons of +merchandise, as wine, oil, flour, sugar, Quito cloth, soap, dressed +goats skins, &c. They are navigated by three or four men only; who, on +their arrival at Panama, sell both the goods and vessel at that place, +as they cannot go back again with them against the trade-wind. The +smaller fishing barks of this construction are much easier managed. +These go out to sea at night with the land-wind, and return to the shore +in the day with the sea-breeze; and such small _barco longos_ are used +in many parts of America, and in some places in the East Indies. On the +coast of Coromandel they use only one log, or sometimes two, made of +light wood, managed by one man, without sail or rudder, who steers the +log with a paddle, sitting with his legs in the water.[163] + +[Footnote 163: On the coast of Coromandel these small rafts are named +_Catamarans_, and are employed for carrying letters or messages between +the shore and the ships, through the tremendous surf which continually +breaks on that coast.--E.] + +The next town to Payta of any consequence is _Piura_, thirty miles from +Payta, seated in a valley on a river of the same name, which discharges +its waters into the bay of _Chirapee_ [or Sechura.] in lat. 5° 32' S. +This bay is seldom visited by ships of burden, being full of shoals; but +the harbour of Payta is one of the best on the coast of Peru, being +sheltered on the S.W. by a point of land, which renders the bay smooth +and the anchorage safe, in from six to twenty fathoms on clear sand. +Most ships navigating this coast, whether bound north or south, touch at +this port for fresh water, which is brought to them from _Colon_ at a +reasonable rate. + +Early in the morning of the 3d November, our men landed about four +miles south of Payta, where they took some prisoners who were set there +to watch. Though informed that the governor of Piura had come to the +defence of Payta with a reinforcement of an hundred men, they +immediately pushed to the fort on the hill, which they took with little +resistance, on which the governor and all the inhabitants evacuated +Payta, but which we found empty of money, goods, and provisions. That +same evening we brought our ships to anchor near the town, in ten +fathoms a mile from shore, and remained six days in hopes of getting a +ransom for the town; but seeing we were not likely to have any, we set +it on fire, and set sail at night with the land-breeze for the island of +Lobos. The 14th we came in sight of _Lobos de Tierra_, the inner or +northern island of Lobos, which is of moderate height, and appears at a +distance like _Lobos del Mare_, the southern island of the same name, at +which other island we arrived on the 19th. The evening of the 29th we +set sail for the bay of Guayaquil, which lies between Cape _Blanco_ in +lat. 4° 18', and the point of _Chanday_, or _Carnera_, in 2° 18' both S. +In the bottom of this bay is a small isle, called _Santa Clara_, +extending E. and W. and having many shoals, which make ships that intend +for Guayaquil to pass on the south side of this island. + +From the isles of Santa Clara to _Punta arena_, the N.W. point of the +island of Puna, is seven leagues [thirty statute miles] N.N.E. Here +ships bound for Guayaquil take in pilots, who live in a town in Puna of +the same name, at its N.E. extremity, seven leagues [twenty-five miles] +from Punta arena. The island of Puna is low, stretching fourteen leagues +E. and W. and five leagues from N. to S.[164] It has a strong tide +running along its shores, which are full of little creeks and harbours. +The interior of this island consists of good pasture land, intermixed +with some woodlands, producing various kinds of trees to us unknown. +Among these are abundance of _Palmitoes_, a tree about the thickness of +an ordinary ash, and thirty feet high, having a straight trunk without +branches or leaf, except at the very top, which spreads out into many +small branches three or four feet long. At the extremity of each of +these is a single leaf, which at first resembles a fan plaited together, +and then opens out like a large unfolded fan. The houses in the town of +Puna are built on posts ten or twelve feet high, and are thatched with +palmito leaves, the inhabitants having to go up to them by means of +ladders. The best place for anchorage is directly opposite the town, in +five fathoms, a cable's length from shore. + +[Footnote 164: Puna is nearly forty English miles from N.E. to S.W. and +about sixteen miles from N.W. to S.E.] + +From Puna to Guayaquil is seven leagues, the entrance into the river of +that name being two miles across, and it afterwards runs up into the +country with a pretty straight course, the ground on both sides being +marshy and full of red mangrove trees. About four miles below the town +of Guayaquil, the river is divided into two channels by a small low +island, that on the west being broadest, though the other is as deep. +From the upper end of this island to the town is about a league, and the +river about the same in breadth, in which a ship of large burden may +ride safely, especially on the side nearest the town. The town of +Guayaquil stands close to the river, being partly built on an ascent, +and partly at the foot of a small hill, having a steep descent to the +river. It is defended by two forts on the low grounds, and a third on +the hill, and is one of the best ports belonging to the Spaniards in the +South Sea. It is under the command of a governor, and is beautified by +several fine churches and other good buildings. From this place they +export cocoas, hides, tallow, sarsaparilla, drugs, and a kind of woollen +cloth called Quito-cloth. The cocoas grow on both sides of the river +above the town, having a smaller nut than those of Campeachy.[165] +Sarsaparilla delights in watery places, near the side of the river. + +[Footnote 165: The _cacao_, or chocolate-nut is probably here meant, not +the cocoanut.--E.] + +Quito is a populous place in the interior of the country, almost under +the line, being in lat. 0° 12' S. and long. 78° 22' W. from Greenwich. +It is inclosed by a ridge of high mountains, abounding in gold, being +inhabited by a few Spaniards, and by many Indians under the Spanish +dominion. The rivers or streams which descend from the surrounding +mountains carry great abundance of gold dust in their course into the +low grounds, especially after violent rains, and this gold is collected +out of the sand by washing. Quito is reckoned the richest place for gold +in all Peru,[166] but it is unwholesome, the inhabitants being subject +to headaches, fevers, diarrhaes, and dysenteries; but Guayaquil is +greatly more healthy. At Quito is made a considerable quantity of +coarse woollen cloth, worn only by the lower class all over the kingdom +of Peru. + +[Footnote 166: Quito was annexed to the empire of Peru, not long before +the Spanish conquest, but is now in the viceroyalty of New Granada.--E.] + +Leaving our ships at Cape Blanco, we went in a bark and several canoes +to make an attempt on Guayaquil, but were discovered, and returned +therefore to our ships, in which we sailed for the island of Plata, in +lat. 1° 15' S. where we arrived on the 16th December. Having provided +ourselves with water on the opposite coast of the continent, we set sail +on the 23d with a brisk gale at S.S.W. directing our course for a town +called _Lovalia_, in the bay of Panama. Next morning we passed in sight +of Cape _Passado_, in lat. 0° 28' S. being a very high round point, +divided in the middle, bare towards the sea, but covered on the land +side with fruit-trees, the land thereabout being hilly and covered with +wood. Between this and Cape San Francisco there are many small points, +inclosing as many sandy creeks full of trees of various kinds. Meaning +to look out for canoes, we were indifferent what river we came to, so we +endeavoured to make for the river of St Jago, by reason of its nearness +to the island of _Gallo_, in which there is much gold, and where was +good anchorage for our ships. We passed Cape St Francisco, whence to the +north the land along the sea is full of trees of vast height and +thickness. + +Between this cape and the island of Gallo there are several large +rivers, all of which we passed in our way to that of St Jago, a large +navigable river in lat. 2° N.[167] About seven leagues before it reaches +the sea, this river divides into two branches, which inclose an island +four leagues in circuit. Both branches are very deep, but the S.W. +channel is the broadest, and the other has sand-banks at its mouth, +which cannot be passed at low-water. Above the island the river is a +league broad, having a straight channel and swift current, and is +navigable three leagues up, but how much farther I know not. It runs +through a very rich soil, producing all kinds of the tallest trees that +are usually met with in this country, but especially red and white +cotton-trees, and cabbage-trees of large size. The _white cotton-tree_ +grows not unlike an oak, but much bigger and taller, having a straight +trunk, without branches to the top, where it sends out strong branches. +The bark is very smooth, the leaves of the size of a plum-tree leaf, +dark green, oval, smooth, and jagged at the ends. These trees are not +always biggest near the roots, but often swell out to a great size in +the middle of their trunks. They bear _silk-cotton_, which falls to the +ground in November and December, but is not so substantial as that of +the cotton-shrub, being rather like the down of thistles. Hence they do +not think it worth being gathered in America; but in the East Indies it +is used for stuffing pillows. The old leaves of this tree fall off in +April, and are succeeded by fresh leaves in the course of a week. The +_red cotton-tree_ is somewhat less in size, but in other respects +resembles the other, except that it produces _no cotton_. The wood is +hard, though that of both kinds is somewhat spongy. Both are found in +fat soils, both in the East and West Indies. + +[Footnote 167: Nearly in the indicated latitude is the river of Patia, +in the province of Barbacoas. The river St Jago of modern maps on this +coast is in lat. 1° 18' N. in the province of Atacames, or +Esmeraldas.--E.] + +The _cabbage-tree_ is the tallest that is found in these woods, some +exceeding 120 feet in height. It likewise is without boughs or branches +to the top, where its branches are the thickness of a man's arm, and +twelve or fourteen feet long. Two feet from the stem come forth many +small long leaves of an inch broad, so thick and regular on both sides +that they cover the whole branch. In the midst of these high branches is +what is called the cabbage, which, when taken out of the outer leaves, +is a foot in length, and as thick as the small of a man's leg, as white +as milk, and both sweet and wholesome. Between the cabbages and the +large branches many small twigs sprout out, two feet long and very close +together, at the extremities of which grow hard round berries, about the +size of cherries, which fall once a year on the ground, and are +excellent food for hogs. The trunk has projecting rings half a foot +asunder, the bark being thin and brittle, the wood hard and black, and +the pith white. As the tree dies when deprived of its head, which is the +cabbage, it is usually cut down before gathering the fruit. + +As the coast and country of Lima has continual dry weather, so this +northern part of Peru is seldom without rain, which is perhaps one +reason why this part of the coast is so little known. Besides, in going +from Panama to Lima, they seldom pass along the coast, but sail to the +west as far as the Cobaya Islands, to meet the west winds, and thence +stand over for Cape St Francisco. In returning to Panama, they keep +along the coast, but being deeply laden, their ships are not fit to +enter the rivers, the banks of which, and the seacoast, are covered with +trees and bushes, and are therefore convenient for the natives to lie in +ambush. The Indians have some plantations of maize and plantains, and +also breed fowls and hogs. On the 27th December, 1684, we entered the +river of St Jago [_Patia_] with four canoes by the lesser branch, and +met with no inhabitants till six leagues from its mouth, where we +observed two small huts thatched with palmito leaves. We saw at the same +time several Indians, with their families and household goods, paddling +up the river much faster than we could row, as they kept near the banks. +On the opposite, or west side, we saw many other huts, about a league +off but did not venture to cross the river, as the current was very +rapid. In the two huts on the east side we only found a few plantains, +some fowls, and one hog, which seemed to be of the European kind, such +as the Spaniards brought formerly to America, and chiefly to Jamaica, +Hispaniola, and Cuba, where, being previously marked, they feed in the +woods all day, and are recalled to their pens at night by the sound of +conch shells. + +We returned next morning to the mouth of the river, intending to proceed +to the isle of _Gallo_, where we had directed the ships to meet us. This +small uninhabited island, in lat. 3° N.[168] is situated in a spacious +bay, three leagues from the river _Tomaco_, and four and a half from an +Indian village of the same name. It is moderately high, and well stored +with timber, having a good sandy bay at its N.E. end, near which is a +fine stream of fresh water; and over against the bay there is good +anchorage in six or seven fathoms. There is only one channel by which to +approach this island, in which are four fathoms, and into which it is +necessary to enter with the flood, and to come out with the ebb. The +river _Tomaco_ is supposed to have its origin in the rich mountains of +Quito, and takes its name from that of a village on its banks.[169] The +country on this river is well peopled by Indians, among whom are a few +Spaniards, who traffic for gold with the natives. This river is so +shallow at the mouth, that it can only be entered by barks. The town of +_Tomaco_ is small, and situated near the mouth of the river, being +chiefly occupied by the Spaniards, who trade in this neighbourhood. From +this place to that branch of the river St Jago where we were then at +anchor is five leagues. + +[Footnote 168: The lat. of Gallo is only 1° 57' N. That assigned in the +text would lead to the isle of Gorgona, in 2° 54' N. but the description +of our author suits much better with Gallo.--E.] + +[Footnote 169: The island and point of Tomaco are placed in modern maps +at the mouth of the Mira, off which are many islands, in lat. 1° 40'N.] + +As the land here is low and full of creeks, we left the river on the +21st December, and crossed these small bays in our canoes. In our way we +saw an Indian hut, whence we took the master and all his family, and +rowing forwards, we came to Tomaco at midnight. We here seized all the +inhabitants, among whom was one Don Diego de Pinas, a Spanish knight, +whose ship was at anchor not far off to load with timber, and in which +we found thirteen jars of good wine, but no other loading. An Indian +canoe came to us, in which were three natives, who were straight and +well-limbed, but of low stature, having black hair, long visages, small +eyes and noses, and dark complexions. Several of our men, who had gone +seven or eight leagues up the river, returned on the 31st, bringing with +them several ounces of gold, which they had found in a Spanish house, +whence the inhabitants had fled. + +On the 1st January, 1685, while going in our canoes from Tomaco to +Gallo, we took a packet of letters in a Spanish boat bound from Panama +to Lima, by which the president of Panama wrote to hasten the Plate +fleet from Lima, as the armada from Spain had arrived in Porto Bello. +This intelligence made us change our intention of proceeding to Lavelia, +instead of which we now proposed to make for the _Pearl Islands_, not +far from Panama, past which all ships bound from the south for Panama +must necessarily pass. We accordingly sailed on the 7th, and next day +took a vessel of ninety tons, laden with flour; and continuing our +voyage with a gentle wind at S. we anchored on the 9th at the island of +_Gorgona_, on its west side, in thirty-eight fathoms clean ground, two +cables length from shore, in a sandy bay, the land round which is very +low. + +_Gorgona_ is in lat. 2° 54' N. twenty-five leagues from Gallo, and is +remarkable for two high risings or hills called the Saddles. This island +is two leagues long by one league broad, and is about four from the +continent, having another small isle at its west end. It is full of tall +trees, and is watered by many rivulets, having no animals except +monkies, rabbits, and snakes. It is very subject to heavy rains, and the +only observable difference in the seasons here is, that the rains are +more moderate in summer. The sea around is so deep that there is no +anchorage except at the west end, where the tide flows eight feet. +Muscles and periwinkles are here in great plenty, and the monkies open +the shells at low water. There are also abundance of pearl oysters, +fixed to loose rocks by their beards, four, five, and six fathoms under +water. These resemble our oysters, but are somewhat flatter and thinner +in the shell, their flesh being slimy and not eatable, unless dried +beforehand and afterwards boiled. Some shells contain twenty or thirty +seed pearls, and others have one or two pearls of some size, lying at +the head of the oyster, between the fish and the shell; but the inside +of the shells have a brighter lustre than even the pearls. + +The 13th January we pursued our voyage for _Isla del Rey_, being two men +of war, two tenders a fire-ship, and a prize vessel. With the trade-wind +at S. we sailed along the continent, having low land near the sea but +seeing high mountains up the country. On the 16th we passed Cape +_Corientes_, in lat. 5° 32' N. being a high point with four small +hillocks on the top, and at this place found a current setting to the +north. The 21st we came in sight of Point _Garachina_, in lat. 7° 20' +N.[170] The land here being high and rocky, and without trees near the +shore. Within the point there is plenty of oysters and muscles. About +twelve leagues from this point are the islands called _Islas del Rey_, +or the Pearl Islands.[171] Between these and the Point of Garachina +there is a small flat barren island, called _Galleria_, near which we +came to anchor. + +[Footnote 170: Carachina Point is in lat. 8° 10' N.] + +[Footnote 171: The Isla del Rey is a considerable island in the bay of +Panama, and the Archipelago de las Perlas are a multitude of [illegible] +islets N. by W. from that island.--E.] + +The _King's_ or _Pearl_ Islands, are a considerable number of low woody +isles, seven leagues from the nearest continent, and twelve leagues from +Panama, stretching fourteen leagues from N.W. by N. to S.E. by S. Though +named Pearl Islands in the maps, I could never see any pearls about +them. The northermost of these isles, called _Pachea_ or _Pacheque_, +which is very small, is eleven or twelve leagues from Panama; the most +southerly is called St Paul's Island, and the rest, though larger, have +no names. Some of them are planted with bananas, plantains, and rice by +negroes belonging to the inhabitants of Panama. The channel between +these islands and the continent is seven or eight leagues broad, of a +moderate depth, and has good anchorage all the way. These isles lie very +close together, yet have channels between them fit for boats. + +At one end of _St Paul's_ Island, there is a good careening place, in a +deep channel inclosed by the land, into which the entrance is on the +north side, where the tide rises ten feet. We brought our ships in on +the 25th, being spring tide, and having first cleaned our barks, we sent +them on the 27th to cruise towards Panama. The fourth day after, they +brought us in a prize coming from Lavelia, laden with maize or Indian +corn, salted beef and fowls. _Lavelia_ is a large town on the bank of a +river which runs into the north side of the bay of Panama, and is seven +leagues from the sea; and _Nata_ is another town situated in a plain on +a branch of the same river.[172] These two places supply Panama with +beef, hogs, fowls, and maize. In the harbour where we careened, we found +abundance of oysters, muscles, limpits, and clams, which last are a kind +of oysters, which stick so close to the rocks that they must be opened +where they grow, by those who would come at their meat. We also found +here some pigeons and turtle-doves. + +[Footnote 172: From the circumstances in the text Lavelia seems to be +the town now named San Francisco, near the head of the river Salado, +which runs into the gulf Parita, on the _west_ side of the bay of +Panama.--E.] + +Having well careened our ships by the 14th February, and provided a +stock of wood and water, we sailed on the 18th, and came to anchor in +the great channel between the isles and the continent, in fifteen +fathoms, on soft ooze, and cruised next day towards Panama, about which +the shore seemed very beautiful, interspersed with a variety of hills +and many small thickets. About a league from the continent there are +several small isles, partly ornamented with scattered trees, and the +_King's Isles_ on the opposite side of the channel give a delightful +prospect, from their various shapes and situations. The 18th we went +towards Panama, and anchored directly opposite Old Panama, once a place +of note, but mostly laid in ashes by Sir Henry Morgan, and not since +rebuilt. New Panama is about four leagues from the old town, near the +side of a river, being a very handsome city, on a spacious bay of the +same name, into which many long navigable rivers discharge their waters, +some of which have gold in their sands. The country about Panama affords +a delightful prospect from the sea, having a great diversity of hills, +vallies, groves, and plains. The houses are mostly of brick, and pretty +lofty, some being handsomely built, especially that inhabited by the +president; the churches, monasteries, and other public edifices, making +the finest appearance of any place I have seen in the Spanish West +Indies. It is fortified by a high stone wall, mounted by a considerable +number of guns, which were formerly only on the land side, but have now +been added to the side next the sea. The city has vast trade, being the +staple or emporium for all goods to and from Peru and Chili; besides +that, every three years, when the Spanish _armada_ comes to Porto Bello, +the _Plate fleet_ comes here with the treasure belonging to the king and +the merchants, whence it is carried on mules by land to Porto Bello, at +which time, from the vast concourse of people, everything here is +enormously dear. + +The Spanish armada, which comes every three years to the West Indies, +arrives first at Carthagena, whence an express is dispatched by land to +the viceroy at Lima, and two packets are also sent by sea, one for Lima, +and the other for Mexico, which last I suppose goes by way of _Vera +Cruz_. That for Lima goes first by land to Panama, and thence by sea to +Lima. After remaining sixty days at Carthagena, the armada sails to +Porto Bello, where it only remains thirty days to take in the royal +treasure brought here from Panama, said to amount to twenty-four +millions of dollars, besides treasure and goods belonging to the +merchants. From Porto Bello the armada weighs always on the thirtieth +day, but the admiral will sometimes stay a week longer at the mouth of +the river, to oblige the merchants. It then returns to Carthagena, where +it meets the king's money from that part of the country, as also a large +Spanish galleon or patache, which, on the first arrival of the armada at +Carthagena, had been dispatched along the coast to collect the royal +treasure. The armada, after a set stay at Carthagena, sails for the +Havannah, where a small squadron called the _flota_ meets it from Vera +Cruz, bringing the riches of Mexico, and the rich goods brought by the +annual ship from Manilla. When all the ships are joined, they sail for +Spain through the gulf of Florida. + +Porto Bello is a very unhealthy place, on which account the merchants of +Lima stay there as short time as possible. Panama is seated in a much +better air, enjoying the sea-breeze every day from ten or eleven in the +forenoon till eight or nine at night, when the land-breeze begins, and +blows till next morning. Besides, on the land side Panama has an open +champaign country, and is seldom troubled with fogs; neither is the +rainy season, which continues from May till November, nearly so +excessive as at Porto Bello, though severe enough in June, July, and +August, in which season the merchants of Peru, who are accustomed to a +constant serene air, without rains or fogs, are obliged to cut off their +hair, to preserve them from fevers during their stay. + +The 21st February, near the Perico islands opposite to Panama, we took +another prize from Lavelia, laden with beeves, hogs, fowls, and salt. +The 24th we went to the isle of Taboga, six leagues south of Panama. +This island is three miles long and two broad, being very rocky and +steep all round, except on the north side, where the shore has an easy +dope. In the middle of the isle the soil is black and rich, where +abundance of plantains and bananas are produced, and near the sea there +are cocoa and _mammee_ trees. These are large and straight in their +stems, without knots, boughs, or branches, and sixty or seventy feet +high. At the top there are many small branches set close together, +bearing round fruit about the size of a large quince, covered with a +grey rind, which is brittle before the fruit is ripe, but grows yellow +when the fruit comes to maturity, and is then easily peeled off. The +ripe fruit is also yellow, resembling a carrot in its flesh, and both +smells and tastes well, having two rough flat kernels in the middle, +about the size of large almonds. The S.W. side of this isle is covered +with trees, affording abundant fuel, and the N. side has a fine stream +of good water, which falls from the mountains into the sea. Near this +there was formerly a pretty town with a handsome church, but it has been +mostly destroyed by the privateers. There is good anchorage opposite +this town a mile from the shore, in sixteen to eighteen fathoms on soft +ooze. At the N.N.W. end is a small town called _Tabogilla_, and on the +N.E. of this another small town or village without a name. + +While at anchor near _Tabogilla_, we were in great danger from a +pretended merchant, who brought a bark to us in the night, under +pretence of being laden with merchandise to trade with us privately, but +which was in reality a fire-ship fitted out for our destruction. But on +her approach, some of our men hailed her to come to anchor, and even +fired upon her, which so terrified the men that they got into their +canoes, having first set her on fire, on which we cut our cables and got +out of her way. This fire-ship was constructed and managed by one Bond, +who formerly deserted from us to the Spaniards. While busied next +morning in recovering our anchors, we discovered a whole fleet of canoes +full of men, passing between Tabogilla and another isle. These proved to +be French and English buccaneers, lately come from the North Sea across +the isthmus of Darien, 200 of them being French and 80 English. These +last were divides between our two ships, under Captains Davis and Swan; +and the Frenchmen were put into our prize, named the Flower, under the +command of Captain Gronet, their countryman, in return for which he +offered commissions to Captains Davis and Swan, from the governor of +Petite Goave, as it is the custom of the French privateers to carry with +them blank commissions. Captain Davis accepted one, but Captain Swan had +one already from the Duke of York. + +Learning from these men that Captain Townley was coming across the +isthmus of Darien with 180 Englishmen, we set sail on the 2d March for +the gulf of _San Miguel_ to meet Townley. This gulf is on the east side +of the great Bay of Panama, in lat. 8° 15' N. long. 79° 10' W. thirty +leagues S.E. from Panama; from whence the passage lies between Isola del +Rey and the main. In this gulf many rivers discharge their waters. Its +southern point is Cape _Carachina_, in lat. 8° 6' N. and the northern, +named Cape _Gardo_, is in lat. 8° 18' N. The most noted rivers which +discharge themselves into this gulf, are named _Santa Maria, Sambo_, and +_Congo_. This last rises far within the country, and after being joined +by many small streams on both sides of its course, falls into the north +side of the gulf a league from Cape Gardo. It is deep and navigable for +several leagues into the country, but not broad, and is neglected by the +Spaniards owing to its nearness to the river of Santa Maria, where they +have gold mines. _Santa Maria_ is the largest of the rivers in this +gulf, being navigable for eight or nine leagues, as far as the tide +flows, above which it divides into several branches fit only for canoes. +In this river the tide of flood rises eighteen feet. About the year +1665, the Spaniards built the town of Santa Maria, near six leagues up +this river,[173] to be near the gold mines. I have been told, that, +besides the gold usually procured out of the ore and sand, they +sometimes find lumps wedged between the fissures of rocks as large as +hens eggs or larger. One of these was got by Mr Harris, who got here 120 +pounds weight of gold, and in his lump there were several crevices full +of earth and dust. + +[Footnote 173: In modern maps the river which seems to agree with this +description of the Santa Maria, is called _Tlace_, one of the principal +branches of which is named Chuchunque. The gold mines of Cana and Balsa +are placed on some of its branches, on which likewise there are several +towns, as Nisperal, Fichichi, Pungana, Praya, and Balsa.--E.] + +The Spaniards employ their slaves to dig these mines in the dry season; +but when the rivers overflow, as the mines cannot be then worked, the +Indians wash the gold out of the sands that are forced down from the +mountains, and which gold they sell to the Spaniards, who gain as much +in that way as they do by their mines. During the wet season, the +Spaniards retire with their slaves to Panama. Near the mouth of the +Santa Maria, the Spaniards have lately built another town, called +_Scuchadores_,[174] in a more airy situation than Santa Maria. The land +all about the gulf of San Miguel is low and fertile, and is covered with +great numbers of large trees. + +[Footnote 174: This probably is that named Nisperal in modern geography, +the appellation in the text being the Spanish name, and the other the +name given by the Indians.--E.] + +While crossing the isthmus, Gronet had seen Captain Townley and his crew +at the town of Santa Maria, busied in making causes in which to embark +on the South Sea, the town being at that time abandoned by the +Spaniards; and on the 3d March, when we were steering for the gulf of +San Miguel, we met Captain Townley and his crew in two barks which they +had takes, one laden with brandy, wine, and sugar, and the other with +flour. As he wanted room for his men, he distributed the jars among our +ships, in which the Spaniards transport their brandy, wine, and oil. +These jars hold seven or eight gallons each. Being now at anchor among +the King's islands, but our water growing scarce, we sailed for Cape +Carachina, in hopes of providing ourselves with that necessary article, +and anchored within that cape, in four fathoms on the 22d. We here found +the tide to rise nine feet, and the flood to set N.N.E. the ebb running +S.S.W. The natives brought us some refreshments, but as they did not in +the least understand Spanish, we supposed they had no intercourse with +the Spaniards. + +Finding no water here, we sailed for _Porto Pinas_, about fifty miles to +the S. by W. in lat. 7° 33' N. which is so named from the vast numbers +of pine-trees which grow in its neighbourhood. The country here rises by +a gentle ascent from the sea to a considerable height, and is pretty +woody near the shore. At the entrance into the harbour there are two +small rocks, which render the passage narrow, and the harbour within is +rather small, besides which it is exposed to the S.W. wind. We sent our +boats into this harbour for water, which they could not procure, owing +to a heavy sea near the shore; wherefore we again made sail for Cape +Carachina, where we arrived on the 29th March. On our way we took a +canoe, in which were four Indians and a Mulatto, and as the last was +found to have been in the fire-ship sent against us, he was hanged. + +On the 11th of April we anchored among the King's isles, where we met +with Captain Harris, who had come with some men by way of the river of +Santa Maria. The 19th, 250 men were sent in canoes to the river +_Cheapo_, to surprise the town of that name. The 21st we followed them +to the island of _Chepillo_, directly opposite the mouth of the river +Chepo, or Cheapo, in the bay of Panama, about seven leagues from the +city of Panama, and one league from the continent. This is a pleasant +island, about two miles long, and as much in breadth, low on the north +side, but rising by a gentle ascent to the south. The soil is very good, +and produces in the low grounds great store of fine fruits, as +plantains, mammees, sapotas, sapadillos, avogato pears, star-apples, and +others. Half a mile from shore there is good anchorage, opposite to +which is a very good spring of fresh-water near the sea. + +The _Sapadillo_-tree is altogether like a pear-tree, and the fruit +resembles a bergamot pear, but somewhat longer. When first gathered it +is hard and the juice clammy; but after keeping a few days it becomes +juicy and sweet. It has two or three black kernels, resembling +pomegranate seeds. The _Avogato_-tree is higher than our pear-trees, +having a black smooth bark, and oval leaves. The fruit is about the size +of a large lemon, green at first, but becomes yellow when ripe, having a +yellowish pulp as soft as butter. After being three or four days +gathered, the rind comes easily off, and as the fruit is insipid it is +commonly eaten with sugar and limejuice, being esteemed a great +provocative by the Spaniards, who have therefore planted them in most of +their settlements on the Atlantic. It has a stone within as large as a +horse-plum. The _Sapota_-tree, or _Mammee-sapota_, is neither so large +nor so tall as the wild mammae at Taboga, nor is the fruit so large or +so round. The rind is smooth, and the pulp, which is pleasant and +wholesome, is quite red, with a rough longish stone. There are also here +some wild _mammee_-trees, which grow very tall and straight, and are fit +for masts, but the fruit is not esteemed. The tree producing the +_star-apples_ resembles our quince-tree, but is much larger, and has +abundance of broad oval leaves. The fruit is as big as a large apple, +and is reckoned very good, but I never tasted it. + +The river _Chepo_, or _Cheapo_, rises in the mountains near the north +side of the isthmus, being inclosed between a northern and southern +range, between which it makes its way to the S.W. after which it +describes nearly a semicircle, and runs gently into the sea about seven +leagues E. from Panama, in lat. 9° 3' N. long. 79° 51' W. Its mouth is +very deep, and a quarter of a mile broad, but is so obstructed at the +entrance by sands as only to be navigable by barks. About six leagues +from the sea stands the city of _Cheapo_, on the _left_ bunk of the +river.[175] This place stands in a champaign country, affording a very +pleasant prospect, as it has various hills in the neighbourhood covered +with wood, though most of the adjacent lands are pasture-grounds to the +north of the river, but the country south from the river is covered with +wood for many miles. + +[Footnote 175: In modern maps the town of Chepo is placed on the _right_ +bank of the river, as descending the stream, and only about five miles +up the river.--E.] + +Our men returned from Cheapo on the 24th, having taken that town without +opposition, but found nothing there worth mention. The 25th we were +joined by Captain Harris, and arrived at Taboga on the 28th, when, +finding ourselves nearly a thousand strong, we meditated an attack on +Panama; but, being informed by our prisoners that the Spaniards there +had received considerable reinforcements from Porto Bello, that design +was laid aside. The 25th May we had intelligence from some prisoners +that the Lima fleet was daily expected, whereupon we anchored in a +narrow channel, a mile long and not above seven paces wide, formed by +two or three small islands on the south side of the island of +_Pacheque_. Our fleet now consisted of ten sail, only two of which were +ships of war, that commanded by Captain Davis having 36 guns and 156, +while Captain Swan's carried 16 guns and 140 men. The rest were only +provided with small arms, and our whole force amounted to 960 men. We +had also a fire-ship. + +Hitherto we had the wind at N.N.E. with fair weather, but on the 28th of +May the rainy season began. On that day, about 11 a.m. it began to clear +up, and we discovered the Spanish fleet three leagues W.N.W. from the +island of Pacheque, standing to the east, we being then at anchor a +league S.E. from that isle, between it and the continent. We set sail +about three p.m. bearing down upon the Spaniards right before the wind, +while they kept close upon a wind to meet us. Night coming on, we only +exchanged a few shots at that time. As soon as it began to be dark, the +Spanish admiral shewed a light at his top, as a signal for his fleet to +anchor. In half an hour this was taken down; but soon after a light +appeared as before, which went to leewards, which we followed under +sail, supposing it to be still the admiral; but this was a stratagem of +the Spaniards to deceive as, being at the top-mast head of one of their +barks, and effectually succeeded, as we found in the morning they had +gained the weather-gage of us. They now bore down upon us under full +sail, so that we were forced to make a running fight all next day, +almost quite round the bay of Panama, and came at length to anchor over +against the island of Pacheque. As Captain Townley was hard pressed by +the Spaniards, he was forced to make a bold run through the +before-mentioned narrow channel, between Pacheque and the three small +islands; and Captain Harris was obliged to separate from us during the +fight. Thus our long-projected design vanished into smoke. + +According to the report of some prisoners taken afterwards, the Spanish +fleet consisted of fourteen sail, besides _periagoes_, or large boats of +twelve or fourteen oars each, and among these there were eight ships of +good force, mounting from eight to forty-eight guns, with two +fire-ships, and computed to contain 3000 men. In the morning of the 30th +we saw the Spanish fleet at anchor, three leagues from us to leeward, +and by ten a.m. they were under sail with an easy gale from the S. +making the best of their way to Panama. In this affair we had but one +man slain, but never knew the loss sustained by the Spaniards. Captain +Gronet and his Frenchmen never joined us in this fight, laying the fault +upon his men, wherefore he was ordered in a consultation to leave us; +after which we resolved to sail for the islands of Quibo, or Cobaya, in +quest of Captain Harris. + +We sailed on the 1st June, 1685, with the wind at S.S.W. passing between +Cape Carachina and _Islas del Rey_. The 10th we came in sight of _Moro +de Puercos_, a high round hill on the coast of Lavelia, in lat. 7° 12' +N. round which the coast makes a turn northwards to the isles of Quibo. +On this part of the coast there are many rivers and creeks, but not near +so large as those on the east side of the bay of Panama. Near the sea +this western coast of the bay is partly hilly and partly low land, with +many thick woods, but in the interior there are extensive savannahs or +fruitful plains, well stored with cattle. Some of the rivers on this +side produce gold, but not in such abundance as on the other side; and +there are hardly any Spanish settlements on this side, except along the +rivers leading to Lavelia and Nata, which are the only places I know of +between Panama and _Pueblo nova_. From Panama there is good travelling +all over Mexico, through savannahs or plains; but towards Peru there is +no passage by land beyond the river Chepo, by reason of thick woods and +many rivers and mountains. + +We arrived at the isle of _Quibo_ on the 15th June, where we found +Captain Harris. This isle is in lat 7° 26' N. and long. 82° 13' W. It is +near seven leagues long by four broad, being all low land, except at its +N.E. end, on which side, and also to the east, there is excellent water. +It abounds in many kinds of trees, among which are great numbers of deer +and black monkeys, the flesh of which is reckoned very wholesome; and it +has some guanas and snakes. A sand-bank runs out half a mile into the +sea from the S.E. end of this island, and on its east side, a league to +the north of this, there is a rock a mile from the shore, which is seen +above water at last quarter of the ebb. In all other places there is +safe anchorage a quarter of a mile from the shore, in six, eight, ten, +and twelve fathoms, on clean sand and ooze. The isle of _Quicarra_, to +the south of Quibo, is pretty large; and to the north of it is a small +isle named Ranchina, which produces great plenty of certain trees called +_Palma-Maria_. These are straight, tough, and of good length, and are +consequently fit for masts, the grain of the wood having a gradual twist +or spiral direction; but, notwithstanding the name, they have no +resemblance to palms. To the N.E. of Quibo are the small islands of +_Canales_ and _Cantarras_, in the channels between which there is good +anchorage. These islands have plenty of wood and water, and appear at a +distance as if part of the continent; and as the island of Quibo is the +most considerable, these isles are generally named collectively the +Quibo islands. + +Having failed in our designs at sea, it was agreed to try our fortune on +land, and the city of Leon, near the coast of Nicaragua in Mexico, was +pitched upon, as being nearest us. Being in want of canoes for landing +our men, we cut down trees to make as many as we had occasion for, and +in the mean time 150 men were detached to take _Puebla nova_, a town on +the continent, near the Quibo island,[176] in hopes of getting some +provisions. They easily took that town, but got nothing there except an +empty bark, and returned to us on the 26th June. Captain Knight came +back to us on the 5th July, having been farther to the west, but meeting +with no prize, he had gone south to the bay of Guayaquil, where he took +two _barco-longas_, with wine, oil, brandy, sugar, soap, and other +commodities. Knight learnt from his prisoners that certain merchant +ships, designed to have accompanied the Spanish fleet to Panama, +remained behind at Payta, which he might easily have taken if he had +been provided with a stronger force. + +[Footnote 176: The only place in modern geography resembling the name, +and agreeing with the description in the text, is San Pablo on the S. +coast of Veragua, in lat. 8° 9' N. and long. 83° W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +Our canoes being all ready, we sailed from Quibo on the 20th July +towards Realejo, a port a small way to the N.W. of Leon, being now 640 +men, with eight ships, three tenders, and a fire-ship. Coasting along to +the N.W. we passed the gulfs of Dulce and Nicoya, and the _Isla del +Cano_, the land along the coast being low and covered with wood, but +almost destitute of inhabitants. August 8th, in lat. 11° 20' N. we got +sight of _Volcano viejo_, or Old Volcano, the sea-mark for Realejo, +bearing from us N.E. by N. when we made ready to land next day. +Accordingly, we sent 520 men on the 9th in thirty-one canoes to attack +the harbour of Realejo. The weather was fair and the wind favourable +till two p.m. when a tempest arose, attended by thunder and lightning, +which almost overwhelmed us in the sea. It subsided, however, in half an +hoar, as did the agitation of the waves; it being observable in these +hot climates that the waves soon rise and soon fall. It became calm +about seven p.m. but as we could not get ready to land that night before +day, being then five leagues from shore, we remained nearly in the same +place till next evening, that we might not be discovered. + +About three next morning another tornado had nearly put an end to us and +our enterprise, but it did not last long, and we entered the creek, on +the S.E. side of the harbour, leading to Realejo in the night, but durst +not proceed further till day-break. We then rowed deeper into the creek, +which is very narrow, the land on both sides being very marshy and full +of mangrove trees, through among which it is impossible to pass, and +beyond these, where the ground is firm, the Spaniards had cast up a +small entrenchment. We rowed as fast as we could and landed 470 men, the +remainder, among whom I was, being left to guard the canoes. + +The city of Leon stands twenty miles up the country in a sandy plain, +near a peaked burning mountain, called _El Rico_, or the Volcano of +Leon, the way to that city from where our people landed being through a +champaign country covered with long grass. Between the landing place and +the city were several sugar works, and about midway a beautiful river, +but fordable. Two miles before coming to the city there was an Indian +town, whence a pleasant sandy road led to the city. The houses in Leon +were large and built of stone, but low and roofed with tiles, having +many gardens among them, with a cathedral and three other churches. It +stands in an extensive sandy plain or savannah, which absorbs all the +rain, and being entirely free from wood, it has free access to the +breezes on all sides. These circumstances render it a healthy and +pleasant place, but not of much commerce, all the wealth of its +inhabitants consisting in cattle and sugar works. + +Our people began their march for Leon at eight a.m. the van consisting +of eighty of the briskest men, being led by Captain Townly. He was +followed by Captain Swan with 100 men, and Captain Davis, assisted by +Captain Knight, brought up the rear with 170 men.[177] Captain Townley, +being two miles in advance of the rest, and having repulsed a body of +seventy horse about four miles short of Leon, pushed forwards with his +vanguard, and entered the city without farther resistance at three p.m. +He was then opposed by 500 foot and 200 horse, first in a broad street, +and afterwards in the great market-place; but the horse soon galloped +off, and were followed by the foot, leaving the city to the mercy of our +people. Captain Swan reached the city at four p.m. Davis about five, and +Knight with the remainder at six. The Spaniards only killed one of our +men, who was very old and had loitered behind, refusing to accept +quarter, and took another named Smith. The governor sent word next day, +offering to ransom the town; on which our officers demanded 30,000 +pieces of eight, or Spanish dollars, together with provisions for 1000 +men for four months, which terms being refused, our people set the city +on fire on the 14th of August, and rejoined the canoes next morning. +Smith was exchanged for a gentlewoman, and a gentleman who had been made +prisoner was released, on promise to deliver 150 oxen for his ransom at +Realejo, the place we intended next to attack. + +[Footnote 177: Only 350 men are here accounted for, though 470 are said +to have marched on this enterprise, leaving a difference of 120 men: +perhaps these made a separate corps under Knight, as he seems to have +fallen considerably in the rear of Davis.--E.] + +In the afternoon of the 16th we came to the harbour of Realejo in our +canoes, our ships having come there to anchor. The creek leading to +Realejo extends north from the N.W. part of the harbour, being nearly +two leagues from the island at the mouth of the harbour to the town. The +first two-thirds of this distance the creek is broad, after which it +closes into a deep narrow channel, lined on both sides by many +cocoa-trees. A mile from the entrance the creek winds towards the west, +and here the Spaniards had thrown up an entrenchment, fronting the +entrance of the creek, and defended by 100 soldiers and twenty guns, +having a boom of trees thrown across the creek, so that they might +easily have beaten off 1000 men, but they wanted courage to defend their +excellent post; for on our firing two guns they all ran away, leaving us +at liberty to cut the boom. We then landed and marched to the town of +Realejo, a fine borough about a mile from thence, seated in a plain on a +small river. It had three churches and an hospital, but is seated among +fens and marshes, which send forth a noisome scent, and render it very +unhealthy. The country round has many sugar works and cattle pens, and +great quantities of pitch, tar, and cordage are made by the people. It +also abounds in melons, pine-apples, guavas, and prickly pears. + +The shrub which produces the _guava_ has long small boughs, with a white +smooth bark, and leaves like our hazel. The fruit resembles a pear, with +a thin rind, and has many hard seeds. It may be safely eaten while +green, which is not the case with most other fruits in the East or West +Indies. Before being ripe it is astringent, but is afterwards loosening. +When ripe it is soft, yellow, and well tasted, and may either be baked +like pears, or coddled like apples. There are several sorts, +distinguished by their shape, taste, and colour, some being red and +others yellow in the pulp. The _prickly-pear_ grows on a shrub about +five feet high, and is common in many parts of the West Indies, thriving +best on sandy grounds near the sea. Each branch has two or three round +fleshy leaves, about the breadth of the hand, somewhat like those of the +house-leek, edged all round with spines or sharp prickles an inch long. +At the outer extremity of each leaf the fruit is produced, about the +size of a large plum, small towards the leaf and thicker at the other +end, where it opens like a medlar. The fruit, which is also covered by +small prickles, is green at first, but becomes red as it ripens, having +a red pulp of the consistence of a thick syrup, with small black seeds, +pleasant and cooling to the taste. I have often observed, on eating +twenty or more of these at a time, that the urine becomes as red as +blood, but without producing any evil consequence. + +We found nothing of value in Realejo, except 500 sacks of flour, with +some pitch, tar, and cordage. We also received here the 150 oxen +promised by the gentleman who was released at Leon; which, together with +sugar, and other cattle we procured in the country, were very welcome +and useful to us. We remained in Realejo from the 17th to the 24th of +August, when we re-embarked. On the 25th Captains Davis and Swan agreed +to separate, the former being inclined to return to the coast of Peru, +and the latter to proceed farther to the north-west; and as I was +curious to become better acquainted with the north-western parts of +Mexico, I left Captain Davis and joined Captain Swan. Captain Townley +joined us with his two barks, but Captains Harris and Knight went along +with Swan. On the 27th Davis went out of the harbour with his ship, but +we staid behind for some time, to provide ourselves with wood and water. +By this time our men began to be much afflicted with fevers, which we +attributed to the remains of a contagious distemper that lately raged at +Realejo, as the men belonging to Captain Davis were similarly infected. + +We sailed from Realejo on the 3d September, steering to the north-west +along the coast, having tornadoes from the N.W. accompanied with much +thunder and lightning, which obliged us to keep out to sea, so that we +saw no land till the 14th, when we were in lat. 13° 51' N. We then came +in sight of the volcano of Guatimala. This presents a double peak like +two sugar-loaves, between which fire and smoke sometimes burst forth, +especially before bad weather. The city of Guatimala stands near the +foot of this high mountain, eight leagues from the South Sea, and forty +or fifty from the gulf of Amatique, at the bottom of the bay of +Honduras.[178] This city is reputed to be rich, as the country around +abounds in several commodities peculiar to it, especially four noted +dyes, indigo, otta or anotto, cochineal, and silvestre.[179] Having in +vain endeavoured to land on this part of the coast, we proceeded to the +small isle of _Tangola_. a league from the continent, where we found +good anchorage, with plenty of wood and water. + +[Footnote 178: This description agrees with the situation of St Jago de +Guatemala, in lat. 14° 25' N. long. 31° 18' W., which is about thirty +statute miles from the South Sea. The modern city of Guatemala, standing +nine miles to the S.E., is only about sixteen miles from the sea at the +head of a bay of the same name.--E] + +[Footnote 179: This last is an inferior species of cochineal, gathered +from the uncultivated opuntia, while the true cochineal is carefully +attended to in regular plantations. Both are the bodies of certain +insects gathered by the Indians and dried for preservation, constituting +the most valuable scarlet dye.--E] + +A league from thence is the port of _Guataico_, in lat. 15° 52' N. long. +36° 20' W. one of the best in Mexico. On the east side of the entrance, +and about a mile from it, there is a small isle near the shore, and on +the west side a great hollow rock, open at top, through which the waves +force a passage with a great noise to a great height even in the calmest +weather, which affords an excellent mark for seamen. This port runs into +the land about three miles in a N.W. direction, and is about one mile +broad. The west side affords the securest anchorage, the other being +exposed to S.W. winds, which are frequent on this coast. We landed here +to the number of 140 men, of whom I was one, on the 8th September, and +marched about fourteen miles to an Indian village, where we found +nothing but _vanillas_ drying in the sun. The _vanilla_ grows on a small +vine, or bindwood shrub, which winds about the stems of trees, producing +a yellow flower, which changes to a pod of four or five inches long, +about the the size of a tobacco-pipe stem. This is at first green, but +becomes yellow when ripe, having black seeds. When gathered they are +laid in the sun, which makes them soft and of a chesnut colour, when +they are squeezed flat by the Indians. The Spaniards buy this commodity +at a cheap rate from the Indians, and afterwards preserve it in oil. + +The 10th we sent four of our canoes to wait for us at the port of +_Angelos_, about ten miles W. from Guataico, and on the 12th we sailed +from Guataico. The 23d we landed 100 men at Angelos, where they got salt +beef, maize, salt, hogs, and poultry but could bring little on board, +being at a distance from the shore. Hearing of a stout ship lately +arrived at Acapulco from Lima, and as Captain Townley was much in need +of a better ship, it was agreed to endeavour to cut that ship out of the +harbour. _Acapulco_ is a town and harbour in lat. 16° 50' N. long. 99° +44' W. on the western coast of New Spain, and belonging to the city of +Mexico, being the only place of commerce on this coast, and yet there +are only three ships that come to it annually. Two of these go every +year between this port and Manilla in Luconia, one of the Philippines, +and the third goes once a year to and from Lima in Peru. This last comes +to Acapulco about Christmas, laden with quicksilver, cacao, and dollars, +and waits the arrival of the Manilla ships, from which she takes in a +cargo of spices, calicos, muslins, and other goods of India and China, +and then returns to Lima. This is only a vessel of moderate size; but +the two Manilla ships are each of about 1000 tons burden. + +These Manilla ships arrange their voyages in such a way that one or the +other is always at Manilla. One of them sails from Acapulco about the +beginning of April; and after sixty days passage across the Pacific +Ocean, touches at Guam, one of the Ladrones, to procure refreshments. +She remains here only three days, and pursues her voyage for Manilla, +where she arrives in the mouth of June. The other ship, being ready +laden at Manilla with India commodities, sets sail soon after for +Acapulco. From Manilla she steers a course to the latitude of 36° or 40° +N. before she can fall in with a wind to carry her to America, and falls +in first with the coast of California, and then is sure of a wind to +carry her down the coast to Acapulco. After making Cape Lucas, the S. +point of California, she runs over to Cape _Corientes_, in lat. 20° 26' +N. whence she proceeds along the coast to _Selagua_, where the +passengers for Mexico are landed, and then continues along the coast to +Acapulco, where she usually arrives about Christmas. + +This port of Acapulco is very safe and convenient, and of sufficient +capacity to contain some hundred ships without danger. There is a low +island across the entrance, stretching from E. to W. about a mile and a +half long by a mile in breadth, having a deep channel at each end, +through either of which ships may enter or go out, providing they go in +with the sea-breeze, and out with the land-wind, which regularly blow at +stated times of the day and night. The channel at the west end of the +isle is narrow, but so deep as to have no anchorage, and through this +the Manilla ship comes in; but the Lima ship takes the other channel. +The harbour runs eight miles into the land to the north, when it closes +up and becomes narrow, after which it stretches a mile to the west. At +the entrance of this channel, and on the N.W. side, close to the shore, +stands the town of Acapulco, near which is a platform or battery with a +good number of guns; and on the east side of the channel, opposite the +town, there is a strong castle, having not less than forty pieces of +large cannon, and the ships usually ride at the bottom of the harbour, +under the guns of this castle. + +Captain Townley went with 140 men in twelve canoes to endeavour to cut +out the Lima ship; but finding her at anchor within 100 yards of both +the castle and platform, found it impossible to effect his purpose, so +that he was obliged to return much dissatisfied. We accordingly sailed +on the 11th November along the coast to the N.W. between Acapulco and +Petaplan, where we found every where good anchorage two miles from +shore, but the surf beat with such violence on the coast that there was +no safe landing. Near the sea the country was low, and abounding in +trees, especially spreading palm-trees, some of which were twenty or +thirty feet high in the stem, but of no great size. This part of the +country was intermixed with many small hills, mostly barren, but the +vallies seemed fertile. The hill of Petaplan, or Petatlan, sends out a +round point into the sea, called Cape _Jequena_, in lat. 17° 27' N. +which appears from sea like an island, and a little farther west there +is a knot of round hills, having an intervening bay, in which we +anchored in eleven fathoms. We here landed 170 men, who marched fourteen +miles into the country, when they reached a wretched Indian village, +deserted by the inhabitants, so that we only found one mulatto-woman and +four young children. + +Proceeding on the 18th about two leagues farther to the N.W. we came to +a pretty good harbour named _Chequetan_, having the convenience of a +good fresh-wafer river and plenty of wood. On the 19th we landed +ninety-five men, having the mulatto-woman for their guide, at +_Estapa_,[180] a league west from Chequetan. The guide now conducted +them through a pathless wood along a river, and coming to a farm-house +in a plain, they found a caravan of sixty mules, laden with flour, +chocolate, cheese, and earthenware, intended for Acapulco, and of which +this woman had given them intelligence. All this they carried off, +except the earthenware, and brought aboard in their canoes, together +with some beeves they killed in the plain. Captain Swan went afterwards +on shore, and killed other eighteen beeves, without any opposition. We +found the country woody but fertile, and watered by many rivers and +rivulets. + +[Footnote 180: Istapha is to the eastward of Petatlan, but Chequetan is +not delineated in modern maps, neither are any rivers noticed for a +great way either N.W. or S.E. from Petatlan.--E.] + +Sailing on the 21st to the N.W. the land appeared full of rugged hills, +with frightful intervening vallies. On the 25th we passed a high hill +having several peaks, in lat. 18° 8' N. near which there is a town named +_Cupan_,[181] but we could not find the way to it. The 26th, 200 men +were sent to find out the way to _Colima_, said to be a rich place, but +after rowing twenty leagues along shore they could not find any place +fit for landing, and saw not the least sign of any inhabitants, so that +they returned to the ships on the 28th. Soon after we got sight of the +volcano of Colima, remarkable for its height, six leagues from the sea, +in lat. 19° 5' N. It shewed two peaks or summits, both of which always +emit either fire or smoke. The valley at the foot of this mountain is +said to be fertile and delightful, abounding in cacao, corn, and +plantains, and is said to be ten or twelve leagues wide towards the sea, +and to reach far into the country. It is watered by a deep river named +Colima, but which is so obstructed by a sand-bank at its mouth, as not +even to allow admission to canoes; but there is no landing on this part +of the coast, owing to the impetuosity of the surf. The town of Colima +is the chief place of this part of the country. + +[Footnote 181: Probably Texupan, in lat. 18° 17' N. is here meant.--E.] + +The 29th, 200 men were sent in canoes to attempt to land, and if +possible to find a road to the town of _Selagua_, seated, as we were +told by the Spaniards, at the N.W. end of the vale of Colima, but they +were unable to land, owing to the violence of the waves. We came in +sight of the port of _Selagua_ on the 1st December. This is a bay in +lat. 19° 8' N. parted in the middle by a rocky point, so that it appears +like two havens, in either of which there is safe anchorage in ten or +twelve fathoms, though the western harbour is the best, and has besides +the advantage of a fresh-water rivulet. We saw a considerable number of +armed Spaniards on the land, to whom we made a visit next morning with +200 men, but they soon fled. In the pursuit our people found a broad +road, leading through a wooded and rocky country, which they followed +for four leagues, but found not the least appearance of any +inhabitants, and therefore turned back. On their return they took two +straggling mulattoes, who said the broad road led to the city of +_Oarrah_,[182] four long days journey into the country, and that these +men came from that city to protect the Manilla ship, which was expected +to set her passengers ashore at this place. The Spanish maps place a +town called Selagua hereabouts, but we could not find any appearance of +it. + +[Footnote 182: Guadalaxara, the latter part of which is pronounced +_achara_, is probably here meant. It is 160 miles inland from the port +of Selagua.--E.] + +We pursued our voyage on the 6th December towards Cape Corientes, in +hopes of meeting the Manilla ship. The land on the coast was moderately +high, sprinkled with many rugged points, and full of wood, having +several apparently good ports between Selagua and Cape Corientes, but we +did not touch at any of them. Cape Corientes, of which we came in sight +on the 11th, in lat. 20° 28' N. is pretty high, being very steep and +rocky towards the sea, but flat on the top. I found its longitude from +the Lizard in England, by our reckoning, 121° 41' W.[183] As the Manilla +ship is obliged to make this point on her voyage to Acapulco, we took up +a station here with our four ships in such a manner that we judged she +could hardly escape us; but as we were in want of provisions, fifty or +sixty men were sent in a bark beyond the cape to endeavour to get some. +They returned, however, on the 17th, not having been able to double the +cape, but left forty-six men in four canoes, who intended to attempt to +get beyond by rowing. + +[Footnote 183: It is only in long. 105° 88' W. from Greenwich; that in +the text, from computation or dead reckoning, being considerably +erroneous in excess.--E.] + +The 18th December we sailed to the isles of _Chametly_, eighteen leagues +to the east of Cape Corientes. These are five small low and woody +islands, surrounded with rocks, and lying in form of a half-moon a mile +from the shore, having safe anchorage in the intermediate space. These +isles are inhabited by fishers, who are servants to some of the +inhabitants of _Purification_, a considerable town or city fourteen +leagues up the country.[184] We anchored at these isles on the 20th, and +here provided ourselves with wood and water, and caught great abundance +of rock-fish. Next day sixty of our men were sent under Captain Townley +to surprise an Indian village, seven or eight leagues to the N.W. + +[Footnote 184: Villa de la Purificacion is considerably to the S.E. of +Cape Corientes, but the isles of Chametly are omitted in modern maps. +Puerto de Navidad, in lat. 19° 20' N. seems the haven belonging to +Purificacion.--E.] + +On the 24th the four canoes left by Captain Townley's bark returned to +the ships. They had got beyond the cape by means of rowing to the valley +of _Valderas_, or _Val d' Iris_, the valley of flags, at the bottom of a +deep bay, inclosed between Cape Corientes on the S.E. and point +_Pontique_ on the N.W. In this delightful valley they landed +thirty-seven men, who advanced three miles into the country, and were +attacked by 150 Spaniards, horse and foot. Our men retreated into an +adjoining wood, whence they kept up a heavy fire on the Spaniards, +killing their leader and fourteen troopers, besides wounding a great +many, while four of our men were slain and two wounded. Owing to this +loss the Spaniards took to flight, and our people were enabled to +re-embark. This valley is about three leagues broad, and is bounded +towards the inland country by an easy ascent, affording a delightful +prospect of extensive pastures well stored with cattle, interspersed +with pleasant groves of guavas, orange-trees, and lime-trees. The sandy +bay affords a safe landing, and has a fresh-water river, navigable by +boats, but becomes brackish in the end of the dry season, which is in +February, March, and April. + +We continued cruizing off Cape Corientes till the 1st January, 1686, +when we sailed for the valley of _Valderas_, proposing to provide +ourselves with some beef, of which we were in great need. At night we +anchored in sixty fathoms, a mile from shore. On the 7th we landed 240 +men, fifty of whom were kept together in a body to watch the motions of +the Spaniards, while the rest were employed in providing cattle. We +killed and salted as much beef as would serve us for two months, and +might have procured a great deal more if we had not run out of salt. By +this time our hopes of meeting the Manilla ship were entirely vanished, +as we concluded she had got past us to the S.E. while we were employed +in procuring provisions, which we afterwards learnt had been the case, +by the information of several prisoners. The loss of this rich prize was +chiefly owing to Captain Townley, who insisted on taking the Lima ship +in the harbour of Acapulco, when we ought to have provided ourselves +with beef and maize, as we might then have done, instead of being now +forced to procure provisions at the critical time of her coming on the +coast. We were likewise deceived by the hope of falling in with rich +towns and mines on this coast, not then knowing that all the wealth of +this country is in the interior. Seeing that we were now entirely +disappointed in our hopes, we parted company, Captain Townley going back +to the S.E. while we in Captain Swan's ship went to the west. + +The 7th January we passed point Pontique in lat. 20° 38' N. ten leagues +from Cape Corientes, being the N.W. point of this bay of the valley of +Valderas. A league beyond this point to the W. there are two little +isles called the _Pontiques_, and beyond these to the north the shore is +rugged for eighteen leagues. The 14th we came to anchor in a channel +between the continent and a small white rocky isle, in lat. 21° 15'. The +20th we anchored a league short of the isles of _Chametly_, different +from those formerly mentioned under the same name, being six small isles +in lat 28° 11' N. three leagues from the continent.[185] One or two of +these isles have some sandy creeks, and they produce a certain fruit +called _penguins_. These are of two sorts, one red and the other yellow. +The plant producing the latter is as thick in the stem as a man's arm, +with leaves six inches long and an inch broad, edged with prickles. The +fruit grows in clusters at the top of the stem, being round and as large +as an egg, having a thick rind, inclosing a pulp full of black seeds, of +a delightful taste. The red penguin grows directly out of the ground, +without any stalk, sometimes sixty or seventy in a cluster, no bigger +than onions, but the shape of nine-pins, the cluster being surrounded +with prickly leaves eighteen inches or two feet long. + +[Footnote 185: In modern maps these are called the isles of _Mazatlan_, +and are placed in lat. 28° 15' N. The name given in the text appears +taken from a town on this coast called Charmela, in lat 22° 50' N. but +improperly.--E.] + +Captain Swan went with 100 men in canoes to the north, to find out the +river _Culiacan_, supposed to be in lat. 24° N.[186] and said to have a +fair and rich town of the same name on its banks; but after rowing +thirty leagues he could not find the river, neither was there any safe +landing place on the coast. Seven leagues N.N.W. from the Chametla or +Mazatlan isles, our men landed in a small lake or river, having a narrow +entrance, called _Rio de Sal_ by the Spaniards, in lat. 23° 30' N.[187] +They here procured some maize at an adjacent farm; and learnt at another +landing place of an Indian town five leagues distant, to which they +marched. Coming near the place we were encountered by a good number of +Spaniards and Indians, who were soon beat off. On entering the place we +only found two or three wounded Indians, who told us the town was named +_Mazatlan_, and that there were two rich gold-mines at the distance of +five leagues. + +[Footnote 186: The mouth of the river of Cullacan is in 24° 45' N. and +the town of that name is about eighty-five or ninety statute miles up +the river, supposed to have been an ancient seat of the Mexican nation, +before their removal to the vale and lake of Mexico.--E.] + +[Footnote 187: The Rio Rastla de Panuco, in 23° 45' N. is certainly here +meant.--E.] + +On the 2d February 80 men were landed in the river _Rosario_.[188] We +came to a pretty little town of the same name, a considerable way up +that river, where we were assured by some prisoners that the gold-mines +were not above two leagues from thence; but as we had present occasion +for provisions, we carried about ninety bushels of maize on board from +this place, without searching for the mines. As this small supply was +insufficient for our necessities, we resolved to return to the S.E. to +the _Rio San Jago_,[189] where we anchored on the 11th. This is one of +the most considerable rivers on the west coast of New Spain. The country +having a good appearance, Captain Swan sent seventy men to look for a +town. After rowing up and down for two days, they landed in a corn +field, and, while busy in gathering maize, they seized an Indian, who +told them of a town called _Santa Pecaque_, four leagues farther. + +[Footnote 188: The mouth of this river is in lat. 28° N. about fifty +miles S.E. from Cape Mazatlan, where Dampier seems to have been then at +anchor among the Mazatlan isles.--E.] + +[Footnote 189: So called by Dampier from the town of St Jago on its +banks. Its proper name is the _Rio Grande_, or river of _Tololotlan_. +The mouth of this river forms a large bay, in lat 21° 30' N. in which is +the considerable island of St Blas.--E.] + +Returning to the ship with this intelligence, Captain Swan went with 140 +men in eight canoes, and landed five leagues up the river, which was +there about a pistol shot across with high banks. He marched from thence +through fertile plains and woods for three or four hours, and on +approaching St Pecaque the Spaniards evacuated the place, so that we +entered unopposed. This town is situated in a spacious plain on the side +of a wood, being neatly built, with a market-place in the middle, but +not large, and has two churches. There are silver-mines five or six +leagues from this town, the ore from which is carried on mules to +Compostella to be refined. _Compostella_, the capital of this part of +Mexico, is twenty-one leagues from _Pecaque_, being inhabited by seventy +families of Spaniards, and by five or six hundred mulattoes and Indians. +Finding great plenty of maize, sugar, salt, and salt fish at this place, +Captain Swan divided his men into two parts, one of which kept +possession of the place, while the other half were employed to carry +these articles to the canoes, which was done turn and turn about, with +the assistance of some horses. We continued this work for two days; but +on the 19th Captain Swan learnt from a prisoner that 1000 men had +marched from St Jago, a rich town three leagues from Pecaque on the +river, for the purpose of attacking us. On this Captain Swan wanted our +people to march altogether with what provisions we could carry; but they +refused to obey him till all the provisions should be carried on board, +and he was forced to allow half of them to go on with fifty-four loaded +horses. They had not gone a mile from Pecaque when they were attacked by +the Spaniards from an ambush, and were all slain on the spot. Captain +Swan marched to their relief, but came too late, finding the whole party +slain and stripped naked; yet the Spaniards never once attempted to +engage him, having certainly paid dear for their victory. + +Returning on board with the rest of his men, and what provisions had +been carried off, Captain Swan resolved to sail for Cape Lucas in +California, in hopes of trafficking with the Indians there and in the +_lake_ or gulf of California. We accordingly sailed on the 21st with the +wind at N.W. and W.N.W. and anchored at the islands of _Santa Maria_, in +eight fathoms on clean sand. There are three islands, usually called the +_Three Marias_,[190] stretching fourteen leagues from S.E. to N.W. of +moderate height, stony, barren, and uninhabited, in lat 21° 30' N. +[long. 106° 15' W.] from which Cape St Lucas in California is forty +leagues W.N.W. and Cape Corientes twenty leagues E.S.E. We anchored off +the east end of the middle island, which we called Prince George's +island. These islands produce some cedars, and we found near the sea a +green prickly plant, with leaves like those of the _penguin_ plant, and +roots like those of the _sempervivum_, but much longer, the Indians of +California subsisting mostly on these roots. We baked and eat some of +these roots, which tasted like boiled burdock roots. I had been long +afflicted with dropsy, and was here buried in the sand for half an hour, +covered up to the neck, which brought on a profuse sweat, and I believe +with good effect, for I began to recover soon after. We careened here; +but as there is no fresh water to be had at this place in the dry +season, we had to return to the valley of Valderas, but finding the +river brackish we sailed three leagues nearer Cape Corientes, and +anchored beside a small round isle four leagues north of that cape, and +half a mile from the shore, opposite to a rivulet on the continent, +where we filled our water casks. + +[Footnote 190: In reality _four_, the fourth or most northwesterly, +being named St Juanica.--E.] + +Being now sufficiently convinced of our mistaken notion of the riches of +this coast, founded on an erroneous idea that the commerce of this +country was carried on by sea, whereas it is entirely conducted by land +on mules, we now resolved to try our fortune in the East Indies. With +this view we sailed from Cape Corientes on the 31st March, and next +noon, being thirty leagues from the cape, clear of the land-winds, we +had the wind at E.N.E. in which direction it continued till we were +within forty leagues of Guam. In all this long passage across the +Pacific, nearly in the lat. of 13° N. we saw neither fish nor fowl +except once, when by my reckoning we were 5975 miles west from Cape +Corientes in Mexico, and then we saw a vast number of _boobies_, +supposed to come from some rocks not far off, which are laid down in +some hydrographical charts, but we saw them not. + +May 20th, at four p.m. being in lat. 12° 55' N. and steering W. we +discovered, to our great joy, the island of Guam, eight leagues off, +having now only three-days provisions left. _Guam_ is one of the +Ladrones, in lat. 13° 15' N. and long. 216° 50' W. consequently its +meridional distance from Cape Corientes on the coast of Mexico is 111° +14', or about 7730 English miles. It is twelve leagues long by four +broad, extending north and south, and is defended by a small fort +mounted by six guns, and a garrison of thirty men with a Spanish +governor, for the convenience of the Manilla ships, which touch here for +refreshments on their voyage from Acapulco to Manilla. The soil is +tolerably fertile, producing rice, pine-apples, water and musk melons, +oranges, limes, cocoa-nuts, and bread-fruit. This last grows on a tree +as big as our apple-trees, with dark green leaves. The fruit is round +and as large as a good penny-loaf,[191] growing on the boughs like +apples. When ripe it turns yellow, with a soft and sweet pulp; but the +natives pull it green, and bake it in an oven till the rind grows black. +They scrape off the rind, and the inside is soft and white, like the +crumb of new-baked bread, having neither seed nor stone; but it grows +harsh if kept twenty-four hours. As this fruit is in season for eight +months in the year, the natives use no other bread in all that time, +and they told us there was plenty of it in all the other Ladrone +islands. + +[Footnote 191: This vague description may now safely be changed to the +size of a three-penny, or even four-penny loaf--E.] + +On the 31st May we came to anchor near the middle of the west side of +this isle, a mile from shore, as there is no anchoring on its east side +on account of the trade-winds, which force the waves with great violence +against that side. The natives are of a copper-colour, strong-limbed, +with long black hair, small eyes, high noses, thick lips, white teeth, +and stern countenances, yet were very affable to us. They are very +ingenious in building a certain kind of boats, called _proas_, used all +over the East Indies. These are about twenty-six or twenty-eight feet +long, and five or six feet high from the keel, which is made of the +trunk of a tree like a canoe, sharp at both ends. They manage these +boats with a paddle instead of a rudder, and use a square sail, and they +sail with incredible swiftness, twenty or even twenty-four miles in an +hoar. One side of these boats is quite flat and upright like a wall from +end to end, but the other side is rounded and full-bellied like other +vessels. Along this side, parallel with the boat, at the distance of six +or seven feet, a log of light wood, a foot and a half wide, and sharp at +both ends, is fastened by means of two bamboos eight or ten feet long, +projecting from each end of the main boat, and this log prevents the +boat from oversetting. The English call this an out-lier, or out-rigger, +and the Dutch _Oytlager_. The air of this island is accounted +exceedingly healthy, except in the wet season between June and October. +The Indians inhabit small villages on the west side of this island near +the shore, and have priests among them to instruct them in the Christian +religion. By means of a civil letter from Captain Swan to the Spanish +governor, accompanied by some presents, we obtained a good supply of +hogs, cocoa-nuts, rice, biscuits, and other refreshments, together with +fifty pounds of Manilla tobacco. + +Learning from one of the friars that the island of _Mindanao_, inhabited +by Mahometans, abounded in provisions, we set sail from Guam on the 2d +June with a strong E. wind, and arrived on the 21st at the Isle of St +John, one of the _Philippines_. These are a range of large islands +reaching from about the latitude of 5° to about 19° N. and from long. +120° to 126° 30' E. The principal island of the group is _Luzon_, or +Luçonia, in which Magellan was slain by a poisoned arrow, and which is +now entirely subject to the Spaniards. Their capital city of Manilla is +in this island, being a large town and sea-port, seated at the +south-west end, opposite to the island of Mindora, and is a place of +great strength and much trade, especially occasioned by the Acapulco +ships, which procure here vast quantities of India commodities, brought +hither by the Chinese and Portuguese, and sometimes also by stealth by +the English from fort St George or Madras; for the Spaniards allow of no +regular trade here to the English and Dutch, lest they should discover +their weakness, and the riches of these islands, which abound in gold. +To the south of Luzon there are twelve or fourteen large islands, +besides a great number of small isles, all inhabited by, or subject to, +the Spaniards. But the two most southerly, Mindanao and St John, are not +subjected by the Spaniards. + +The Island of St John, or _San Juan_, is about the lat. of 9° N. on the +east side of Mindanao, and about four leagues from that island, being +about thirty-eight leagues in length from N.N.W. to S.S.E. and about +twenty-four leagues broad in the middle, having a very rich and fertile +soil. _Mindanao_, next to Luzon, is the largest of the Philippines, +being sixty leagues long by forty or fifty leagues broad. Its southern +end is in lat. 5° 30' N. the N.W. extremity reaching to 9° 40' N. The +soil is generally fertile, and its stony hills produce many kinds of +trees, most of which are unknown to Europeans. The vallies are supplied +with brooks and rivulets, and stored with various sorts of ever-green +trees, and with rice, water-melons, plantains, bananas, guavas, nutmegs, +cloves, betel-nuts, _durians, jacks_, or _jackas_, cocoa-nuts, oranges, +&c.; but, above all, by a species of tree called _libby_ by the natives, +which produces sago, and grows in groves several miles in length. The +poorer people feed on sago instead of bread for several months of the +year. This tree resembles the cabbage-tree, having a strong bark and +hard wood, the heart of which is full of a white pith, like that of the +elder. They cut down the tree and split it open, taking out the pith, +which they stamp or beat well in a mortar, after which, putting it into +a cloth, and pouring in water, they stir it well, till the water carries +all the farinaceous substance through the cloth into a trough. After the +farinaceous matter has settled to the bottom, the water is poured off, +and the sago is baked into cakes, which they use as bread. The sago, +which is carried from hence to other parts of the East Indies, is dried +into small grains, and is used with milk of almonds as a remedy against +fluxes, being of an astringent quality. + +The other fruits of this island, being well known or described by +various authors, need not be here mentioned. The nutmegs here are very +large and good, but the natives do not care for propagating them, being +afraid lest the Dutch, who monopolize the spice islands, should be +induced to pay them a hostile visit. This island also produces abundance +of animals, both wild and tame, as horses, cows, buffaloes, goats, wild +hogs, deer, monkeys, and others; also guanas, lizards, snakes, +scorpions, and centipeds. These last are not thicker than a goose-quill, +but five inches long, and they sting fiercer even than scorpions. Of +tame fowl, they have only ducks and hens; but have plenty of wild birds, +as pigeons, parrots, parrakeets, turtle-doves, bats as large as our +kites, and an infinite number and variety of small birds. Their wild +hogs feed in the woods in prodigious herds, and have thick knobs growing +over their eyes. There are mountains in the interior of this island, +which afford considerable quantities of gold. Their chief fish are +bonitos, snooks, cavallies, breams, and mullets; and they have abundance +of sea-tortoises; and the island has many harbours, creeks, and rivers. + +Considering the situation of this island, so near the Line, its climate +is by no means excessively hot, especially near the sea, where the +sea-breeze cools the air by day and the land-breeze at night. The wind +blows from the east between October and May, and then blows from the +west till October. The west wind produces the wet season, which is +heaviest in July and August, and, gradually lessening in September, +ceases in October, when the east wind brings fair weather, which lasts +till May. The inhabitants of this island, though all resembling each +other in colour and stature, and all Mahometans, differ considerably in +language and government. The mountaineers, or _Hillanoons_, who inhabit +the interior, and are masters of the gold-mines, are also rich in +bees-wax, both of which they exchange with the _Mindanayans_ on the +coast for foreign commodities. The _Sologus_ inhabit the N.W. end of the +island, and traffic with the inhabitants of Manilla and some other +adjacent islands, but not with the Mindanayans. The _Alfoores_ were +formerly under the same government with the Mindanayans, but were +separated from them by falling to the share of the younger children of +the sultan of Mindanao, who has of late laid claim to their allegiance. + +The Mindanayans, properly so called, are of low stature, with small +limbs, little heads, straight bodies, small eyes short noses, wide +mouths, thin red lips, and sound black teeth, having black lank hair, +and tawny complexions, but rather brighter than other Indians. They are +ingenious and nimble, much addicted to indolence, obliging to strangers, +but implacable when once disobliged. They wear turbans on their heads, +formed of a cloth tied once round, the ends of which hang down, and are +ornamented with lace or fringe. They also wear breeches, over which +they have a kind of frocks, but have neither shoes nor stockings. The +women tie their long black hair in a knot, which hangs down behind, +being smaller featured than the men, with very small feet. Their +garments consist of a piece of cloth sewed together at both ends, +forming a kind of petticoat, with a frock reaching a little below the +waist. They covet the acquaintance of white men, and are very free with +them, as far as they have liberty. When any strangers arrive at the city +of Mindanao, the men come aboard and invite them to their houses, where +they immediately ask if any of them wish to have a _pagally_, or female +friend, which they must accept, and return the favour by some small +present, which is repeated from time to time, in return for which they +eat, drink, and sleep, in their friend's house. + +The capital is named Mindanao, like the island, being on the south-west +side, two miles from the sea, on the bank of a small river, in lat. 7° +N. The houses are built on posts, fourteen to twenty feet high, +consisting only of one floor, but divided in many rooms by partitions. +The house or palace of the sultan rests on 150 great posts, being much +higher than any of the others, and had great broad stairs leading up to +it from the ground. In the hall there were twenty pieces of iron cannon +upon field carriages, and the general and other great men have also some +cannon in their houses. The floors are generally well covered with mats, +and they have no chairs, but usually sit cross-legged. Their ordinary +food is rice, sago, and some small fish; but the better people use +buffaloe beef, and fowl, with a great deal of rice, every one using +their fingers, as they have no spoons. The inhabitants of the city of +Mindanao speak both the Mindanayan and Malay languages, and their +prayers are in Arabic, in which also they retain some Turkish words. +Some of the old people of both sexes can speak Spanish, as the Spaniards +had formerly several forts in the island, and had assuredly reduced the +whole if they had not been afraid of an attack from the Chinese at +Manilla, on which account they withdrew their troops from Mindanao, when +the father of the present sultan laid hold of the opportunity to gain +possession of their forts, and to expel them from the island. At present +they are most in fear of the Dutch, for which reason they have often +invited the English to make a settlement among them, believing them not +so ready to encroach as either of the other nations. + +The chief trades in this city are goldsmiths, blacksmiths, carpenters, +and shipwrights, for they build good ships both for war and trade. Their +chief commodities for export are gold, bees-wax, and tobacco; the two +first being purchased from the mountaineers, and the last grows in all +parts of the island in great plenty. They exchange these commodities for +calicoes, muslins, and China silks. The Mindanao tobacco is reckoned as +good as that of Manilla, and yet ten or twelve pounds of it may be +bought for a rial, or the eighth part of a dollar. The natives are +generally afflicted with a dry itchy scurf all over their bodies, and by +scratching, the skin peels off in small white flakes, like the scales of +small fish, leaving broad white spots all over their bodies; but they +did not seem to make any great account of this disease, which is not +infectious. They are also troubled with small-pox; but their most common +diseases are fevers, agues, fluxes, and violent griping pains in their +bowels. They have many wives, but I could not learn their marriage +ceremonies. + +They are governed by a sultan, who has no great revenue, yet is so +absolute that he even commands the private purse of every one at his +pleasure. The reigning sultan was between fifty and sixty years old, and +had twenty-nine concubines besides his wife or sultana. When he goes +abroad he is carried in a couch on the shoulders of four men, and is +attended by a guard of eight or ten men. His brother, named Rajah Laut, +a shrewd person of good conversation, is both chief minister and +general, and both speaks and writes Spanish very readily. In war they +use swords and lances, and every one, from the highest to the lowest, +constantly wears a _criss_ or dagger, much like a bayonet. They never +fight any pitched battles, but construct small wooden forts defended by +guns, whence the adverse parties endeavour to surprise each other in +small parties, and never give or take quarter. + +We came first to anchor on the N.E. side of the island, but learning +from the natives that the city of Mindanao was on the W. side, we again +set sail and anchored on the 4th July on the S.W. side of a very deep +bay in fifteen fathoms, the land within the bay on the E. side being +very high and woody, but watered by several rivers. On its W. side, +bordering on the sea, there were large plains covered with long grass, +on which were vast herds of deer, of which we killed as many as we +thought fit. We remained here till the 12th, when we again set sail, and +arrived on the 18th at the entrance of the river of Mindanao, in lat. 7° +N. and long. 124° 35' E. from Greenwich.[192] We here anchored in +fifteen fathoms on clean hard sand, two miles from the shore. Soon +afterwards Rajah Laut came on board, accompanied by one of the sultan's +sons, and asked in Spanish, Who we were? Being told we were English, he +asked if we came to settle among them, of which they had formerly some +promise, and were now in hopes of its being effected, to serve to +protect them against the Dutch, whom they greatly dreaded. Had we +properly considered the matter, it might have been much for our +advantage, Mindanao being conveniently situated between the Spice +islands and the Philippines, and besides the three islands of +_Meangis_,[193] only about twenty leagues from hence, abound with spice +and cloves. We were also well filled for such a settlement, having among +our company all manner of artificers, as carpenters, bricklayers, +shoemakers, tailors, and the like, as also abundance of tools, arms, +cannon, and sufficient ammunition to begin with; and, notwithstanding +the great distance from England, we might easily have had supplies from +thence, providing ships set out the latter end of August, proceeding +round Cape Horn, and so directly across the Pacific for Mindanao, or +else coasting along the western shore of America as far as was +necessary, and then stretching across to have the advantage of the +trade-wind. By this way the voyage might be accomplished in six or seven +months, which would at least require eight or nine by the Cape of Good +Hope. + +[Footnote 192: In Harris, this longitude is made 23° 12' W. from the +Lizard by some strange error, being 235° 25' W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +[Footnote 193: It does not appear what islands these were, unless +perhaps the Silibabo islands, about half way between Mindanao and the +northern end of Gilolo, but considerably farther distant than is stated +in the text.--E.] + +Rajah Laut invited Captain Swan ashore, and promised to furnish what +provisions we wanted, and desired him in the mean time to secure our +ship within the river, for fear of the approaching westerly monsoon, +which Captain Swan agreed to after some deliberation. The river being +narrow, and having not above eleven feet water on the bar in +spring-tides, we had much ado to get our ship a quarter of a mile above +its mouth, where we moored head and stern in a hole, so that she lay +always afloat. The city of Mindanao is a mile in length, but not very +broad, stretching along the right bank of the river as you go up, though +there are some houses also on the opposite side. The inhabitants +frequently came aboard of our ship, and invited our men to their +houses, where they were kindly entertained after their manner with +tobacco and betel, and such of them as had money, or other articles of +value, did not want their _pagalies_, or female friends. Captain Swan +was entertained daily by Rajah Laut, and those of our men who had no +money had boiled rice, with scraps of fowl and buffalo beef given them. +Yet, after all these outward shews of friendship, we soon after began to +discover that Rajah Laut had sinister intentions. The sheathing on our +ship's bottom being much eaten by worms, we began in November to remove +the old sheathing, to see whether the main plank remained sound; on +seeing which, Rajah Laut shook his head, saying he had never seen a ship +with two bottoms. Besides, he did not perform his promise of providing +us with beef, pretending he could not get any; and he borrowed a +considerable sum in gold from Captain Swan, which he never repaid. + +These circumstances at length induced most of our men to think of +leaving Mindanao, especially those who had not much money; and as our +ship was new sheathed and tallowed on the 10th December, they began to +urge our commander to depart in continuation of our voyage. Accordingly, +Captain Swan appointed the 13th January, 1687, for all our company to be +on board and ready to sail; but many being unwilling to depart so soon, +having dispersed about the country at the instigation of Rajah Laut, and +even Captain Swan not being very ready to come aboard, by reason of some +insubordination among the men, they deposed him from the command, and +chose Captain Teat in his room. After this we weighed in the morning of +the 13th January, and sailed out of the river, having Captain Swan and +forty-four more of the men on shore, besides sixteen others we had +buried there. + +We coasted along the south side of the island to the west, and passed +next day in sight of _Chambungo_,[194] another town in this island, +thirty leagues west from the river of Mindanao, and said to have a good +harbour. On the 10th February we coasted along the west side of the +Philippine islands, and while passing Panga,[195] a large island +inhabited by the Spaniards, we saw many fires, which we supposed were +intended to give notice of our approach, it being rare to see a ship on +this coast. The 18th we anchored in ten fathoms at the N.W. end of the +island of _Mindora_. This is a large island, the middle of which is in +lat 12° 45' N. its length from N.W. to S.E. being forty leagues. While +here, a canoe with four Indians came from Manilla, who told as that the +harbour of Manilla was seldom without twenty or thirty vessels, Chinese, +Portuguese, and Spaniards, and if we had a mind to trade clandestinely, +they would deliver letters from us to certain merchants there. + +[Footnote 194: Probably Sambuang, at the western extremity of Mindanao, +in lat. 6° 52' N. long. 122° 20' E. from Greenwich.--E.] + +[Footnote 195: Pany, or Panai.--E.] + +We sailed again on the 21st, and came on the 23d to the S.E. end of +Luçonia, where we took two Spanish barks from _Pagassanam_,[196] a small +town on the N.E. part of this island, having goods on board for the +Acapulco ship. This great island of Luçonia extends in length through +six degrees of latitude, from 12° 30' to 18° 40' both N. and is +surrounded by many small isles, especially at its north end, Mindora +being the chief of these isles, which communicates its name to the +straits which run between it and the main island of Luçonia. The surface +of this large island is partly composed of large pasture plains, and +partly of mountains, the latter of which afford some gold; and the +plains, or savannahs, are stored with buffaloes, bullocks, horses, +sheep, goats, and hogs. The inhabitants are Indians, who live in little +towns, under the Spanish jurisdiction, and are instructed in the Romish +religion by Spanish priests. + +[Footnote 196: Perhaps the gulf on Pangasian is here meant, on the E. +side of Luzon, in lat. 16° N.] + +_Manilla_ is the chief city, or rather the only one, in the island, +seated at the foot of a ridge of high hills, fronting the harbour, near +the S.W. point of the island, in lat. 14° 38' N: This city is defended +by a strong wall, and is composed of well-built spacious houses, covered +with pan-tiles, the streets being broad and regular, with a large +market-place in the middle, and has many fair churches and convents. The +harbour is large; and, besides the two great Acapulco ships, contains +abundance of small vessels belonging to the place, besides usually +thirty or forty stout Chinese junks; and the Portuguese also have +liberty to trade to this place. Many Chinese merchants also reside +constantly in this city. A league from the city, nearer the sea, there +is a strong fortress to defend the harbour, where the great ships lie at +anchor. Most of this account I received from Mr Coppinger, our surgeon, +who had formerly been thither, sailing from the Coromandel coast. + +The time of the year being now too far spent for our purpose, we +resolved to sail for Pulo Condore, a knot of small islands on the coast +of Cambodia, and to return in May to lie in wait for the Acapulco ship. +We accordingly made sail from the island of Luçonia on the 26th of +February; and coming into the lat. of 14° N. we steered our course W. +for Pulo Condore,[197] and in our way got sight of the south end of the +_Pracel_ shoals, being three small isles, or large spots of sand, just +above water, only a mile from us. We came in sight of Pulo Condore on +the 13th March, and anchored next day on the north side of that island, +in ten fathoms, on clean hard sand, two miles from the shore. + +[Footnote 197: This course ought rather to have been called W.S.W. as +Pulo Condore is lat. 8° 40' N.] + +Pulo Condore is the chief of a group of isles, and the only one of them +that is inhabited, in lat. 8° 44' N. long. 106° 5' E. forty leagues S. +by E. from the mouth of the river of Cambodia, otherwise called the +_Japanese_ river. Two of these isles are tolerably high and large, and +the rest very small. The principal isle, off which we anchored, is five +leagues long from E. to W. and three leagues broad, but in some places +not a mile. The other large isle is three miles long from N. to S. and +between these, at the west end of the largest, there is a convenient +harbour, the entrance being on the north, where the two isles are a mile +asunder. On the largest isle there grows a tall tree, three or four feet +diameter, which the inhabitants cut horizontally half through, a foot +from the ground, after which they cut out the upper part in a slope, +till it meets the transverse cut, whence a liquor distils into a hollow +made in the semicircular shelf, or stump, which, after being boiled, +becomes good tar, and if boiled still more, becomes perfect pitch, both +of these answering well for marine use. Such a tree produces two quarts +of this juice daily for a month, after which it dries up, but recovers +again. + +There are mango trees in this island, the fruit of which the +inhabitants pickle with salt, vinegar, and a little garlic, while green. +On straight trees of a foot diameter, grapes, both red and white, and of +a pleasant taste, much like those of Europe, grow in clusters about the +body of the tree, like the cocoas. This isle also abounds in wild +nutmeg-trees, which resemble our walnut-trees, and the fruit grows among +the boughs, in the same manner as walnuts. This fruit resembles the true +nutmeg, but smaller, and has neither smell nor taste. Besides hogs, +guanas, and lizards, these islands have various birds, as parrots, +parakeets, turtle-doves, and wild poultry. The sea affords limpits, +muscles, and tortoises. These isles have many brooks of fresh water +running into the sea for ten months of the year; and they are very +conveniently situated for trade with Japan, China, Manilla, Tonquin, +Cochin-china, and other places. + +The inhabitants are originally from Cochin-china, being of a middle +stature and well shaped, but of much darker colour than the natives of +Mindanao, having lank black hair, small black eyes, and small noses, yet +tolerably high, with small mouths, thin lips, and white teeth. They are +civil, but very poor, their only employment being to collect tar, and to +prepare a little oil from tortoises, both of which they export to +Cochin-china. They offer their women to strangers for a small matter; a +custom universal in Pegu, Siam, Cochin-China, Cambadia, Tonquin, and +India, as also on the coast of Guinea. They are pagans, worshipping +chiefly the elephant and the horse, besides images of birds and fishes, +but I saw none resembling the human shape. + +Having careened our ship, and laid in a supply of fresh water, we sailed +from Pulo Condore on the 21st of April, steering W. by S. for the bay of +Siam, and on the 23d came to the isle of _Ubi_, off the S.W. cape of +Cambadia, forty leagues W. of Condore. This isle is seven or eight +leagues in circuit, and is higher land than any of the Condore isles. It +has good water on the north side, where there is also good anchorage, +but the best anchorage is on the W. side, opposite a small bay. On the +24th we entered the bay of Siam, which is very deep, and went among the +islands at the bottom of the bay, in one of which we found a small +village inhabited by fishermen, but no fish, so we turned back, and did +not return to the isle of _Ubi_ till the 13th, and were detained there +by storms till the 21st, when we sailed for Condore, where we anchored +on the 24th. Here five or six of our men, going on board a Malay +vessel, were stabbed by the crew. Having provided our ship with wood and +water, we sailed from Condore on the 4th June, intending to proceed for +Manilla; but, by contrary winds, were forced to steer for _Pratas_, a +small low island inclosed with rocks, in lat. 21° N. between Canton and +Manilla; and the east winds continuing, were obliged to approach the +coast of China, where we anchored on the 25th June, at the east end of +the island of St John, on the coast of Quan-tong, or Canton, in China, +in lat. 22° 30' N.[198] They have here great plenty of rice, with hogs, +buffaloes, goats, and some oxen. The inhabitants were Chinese, and were +consequently, at this time, under the dominion of the Tartars. + +[Footnote 198: This Island of St John is probably that named Sancianor, +or Tchang-te-huen, in lat. 21° 33' N. long. 112° 25' E. to the S.W. of +the bay of Canton. The latitude in the text would lead deep among the +islands of that bay, which does not appear to have been the case.--E.] + +In this island we found a small town in marshy ground, the houses of +which were small, mean, and ill-furnished, but built on posts, the +inhabitants principally subsisting by the cultivation of rice. While we +lay here at anchor, a Chinese junk rode beside us, which was flat both +at the head and stern, having many little huts, three feet high, on her +deck, thatched with palmito leaves. Her cabin was large, having an +altar, on which was a lamp continually burning. The hold was divided +into several compartments, the bulkheads between which were so tight, +that if a leak should spring in any of these divisions, the goods in the +others would receive no damage. Every merchant has his own room, or +division, in the hold, in which he stows his own goods, sometimes +lodging along with them. These junks have only two masts, a main and +fore, the latter having a square-sail and yard, and the former a sail +that is narrow aloft, like a sloop's main-sail. In fine weather they +have also a top-sail, which, in foul weather, they lower to the deck, +yard and all. The main-mast of one of their largest junks is equal in +size to that of our third-rate men of war, but all of one piece, not +built. + +Fearing the approach of a storm, and wanting sea-room, we weighed on the +3d June, and stood out to sea; but next day we were assailed by the most +violent tempest at N.E. I ever saw, which lasted at intervals for three +days, when the weather became quite serene. We then refitted our ship, +but our men were so terrified by the last storm, and dreading the +approach of full moon, that we resolved to steer for the _Pescadores_, +or _Fisher Isles_, in lat. 23° 40' N. off the western side of +_Tai-ouan_, or Formosa. This is a numerous group of islands in the +Straits of Formosa, having a good harbour between the two eastermost; +and on the west side of the most easterly there is a large town with a +fort, in which was a garrison of 300 Tartars. The houses in this town +were low, yet neatly built; and on the other island, on the west side of +the harbour, there was another small town near the sea, inhabited by +Chinese. Most of the islands in this group have some Chinese +inhabitants. We were very civilly treated by the Tartar governor, who +sent us some presents, and among the rest a heifer, the beef of which +was excellent; but would not allow us to trade, or even to land on the +isle. + +We sailed thence on the 29th July, passing the S.W. end of Formosa, a +large island reaching from lat. 22° to 25° 18' both N. and in long. 121° +E. It was formerly well inhabited by the Chinese, and frequented by the +English; but the Tartars have since spoiled the harbour, lest the +Chinese should fortify themselves there. On the 6th August we came to +anchor on the east side of the northermost of the _Five Islands_, or +_Bashees_, in fifteen fathoms. These islands are from the latitude of +20° 26' to 21° 13' both N. and long. 121° 50' E. Contrary to our +expectations, we found three or four large towns on the island at which +we anchored. The westmost of these islands, which the Dutch among us +named _Orange_ isle, is the largest, being seven or eight leagues from +N. to S. and two from E. to W. There are two other large islands to the +S. of this; the northern of which we named _Grafton_ isle, which is four +leagues from N. to S. and a league and a half from E. to W. The other, +and most southerly, we named _Monmouth_ isle, being three leagues from +N. to S. and one from E. to W. Two other isles, lying E. and W. between +Monmouth isle and the S. end of Orange isle, we called _Bashee_ isle, +from a certain liquor we drank there, and _Goat_ isle. + +_Orange_ isle is the largest, but barren, rocky, and uninhabited, and +has no anchorage on its coasts. _Monmouth_ and _Grafton_ isles are both +hilly, but well inhabited. _Goat_ isle and _Bashee_ isle are flat, the +former having a town. The hills in all these isles are rocky; but the +intermediate vallies are fertile in grass, plantains, bananas, +pine-apples, pompions, sugar-canes, potatoes, and some cotton, and are +well supplied with brooks of fresh water. They are also well stored +with goats and hogs, but have hardly any fowls, either wild or tame. The +natives are short and thick, with round faces and thick eye-brows, with +hazel-coloured eyes, rather small, yet larger than those of the Chinese. +Their noses are short and low; their mouths and lips middle-sized, with +white teeth; and their hair is thick, black, and lank, which they cut +short. Their complexion is of a dark copper colour, and they go all +bare-headed, having for the most part no clothes, except a clout about +the middle, though some have jackets of plantain leaves, as rough as a +bear-skin. The women have a short petticoat of coarse calico, reaching a +little below the knees, and both sexes wear ear-rings of a yellow metal +dug from their mountains, having the weight and colour of gold, but +somewhat paler. Whether it be in reality gold or not, I cannot say, but +it looked of a fine colour at first, which afterwards faded, which made +us suspect it, and we therefore bought very little. We observed that the +natives smeared it with a red earth, and then made it red-hot in a quick +fire, which restored its former colour. + +The houses of the natives are small, and hardly five feet high, +collected into villages on the sides of rocky hills, and built in three +or four rows, one above the other. These rocky precipices are framed by +nature into different ledges, or deep steps of stairs as it were, on +each of which they build a row of houses, ascending from one row to +another by means of ladders in the middle of each row, and when these +are removed they are inaccessible. They live mostly by fishing, and are +very expert in building boats, much like our Deal yawls. They have also +larger vessels, rowed by twelve or fourteen oars, two men to each bank. +They never kill any goats themselves, but feed on the guts and skins, +which last they broil after singing off the hair.[199] They also make a +dish of locusts, which come at certain seasons to devour their potatoes; +on which occasions they catch these insects in nets, and broil or bake +them in earthen pans, when they are tolerable eating. Their ordinary +drink is water; but they make also a kind of liquor of the juice of +sugar-canes, boiled up with black-berries, allowed afterwards to ferment +four or five days in jars. It then settles and becomes clear, when it +affords a strong and pleasant liquor, which they call _bashee_, +resembling our English beer both in taste and colour. I can give no +account of their language, as it has no affinity either to Chinese or +Malay. Their weapons are lances headed with iron, and they wear a kind +of armour of buffalo-hide without sleeves, reaching below their knees, +where it is three feet wide, and as stiff as a board, but close at the +shoulders. + +[Footnote 199: This is rather inexplicable, as we cannot conceive how +they got the guts and skins without killing the goats.--E.] + +I could not perceive that they had any worship, neither saw I any idols +among them. They seemed to have no government or precedency, except that +the children were very respectful to their parents. They seem, however, +to be regulated by some ancient customs, instead of laws, as we saw a +young lad buried alive, which we supposed was for being guilty of theft. +The men have each only one wife, and she and her children were very +obedient to the head of the family. The boys are brought up to fishing +along with their fathers; and the girls work along with their mothers in +the plantations in the vallies, where each family plants a piece of +ground proportional to their numbers. They are a civil quiet people, not +only among themselves, but in their intercourse with strangers; for all +the time we were here, though they came frequently aboard, exchanging +their yellow metal, goats, and fruits, for iron, we never saw them +differ either among themselves or with our men, though occasions of the +latter were not wanting. They have no coins, neither any weights or +scales, but give their pieces of yellow metal by guess. During our stay +here, we provided ourselves with seventy or eighty fat hogs, and great +plenty of potatoes, for our intended voyage to Manilla. + +On the 25th September, we were forced out to sea by a violent storm, +which lasted till the 29th, when we made the best of our way back to the +Bashees, which we reached on the 1st October. This last storm so +disheartened our men, that they resolved to give up the design of +cruising before Manilla; and, by the persuasions of Captain Read, who +now commanded, and Captain Teat, our master, it was determined to sail +for Cape Comorin, and thence into the Red Sea. As the eastern monsoon +was at hand, our nearest and best way had been to pass through the +Straits of Malacca; but Teat persuaded the men to go round by the east +side of the Philippines, and thence, keeping south of the Spice islands, +to pass into the Indian ocean by the south of Timor. + +We sailed from the Bashees on the 3d October, by the east of the +Philippines, and on the 15th, being to the south of Luçonia, directed +our course west for Mindanao. On the 16th we anchored between two small +isles, in lat. 5° 10' N. four leagues from the island of Mindanao. While +here, we learnt from a young prince of one of the isles, that Captain +Swan and some of his men were still at Mindanao, and in great esteem for +their services against the Alfoores: but I was since informed, that he +and his surgeon, when going on board a Dutch ship in the road, were +overset by the natives and drowned, by order of rajah Laut, as we +supposed, who had seized all his gold. + +We sailed on the 2d November for Celebes, and anchored at its N.E. end +on the 9th. The 30th, while steering between two shoals, in lat. 3° S. +ten leagues from Celebes, we saw three waterspouts towards evening. A +waterspout is a piece of a cloud hanging down in a sloping direction, +sometimes bending like a bow, but never perpendicular. Opposite to its +extremity the sea begins to foam, and the water is then seen gently +moving round in a circle, increasing to a rapid whirling motion, rising +upwards, an hundred paces in circumference at the bottom, but lessening +gradually upwards to the size of a spout, through which the sea-water +appears to be conveyed into the cloud, as is manifest by its blackness +and increase of bulk. After this the cloud, which was before immoveable, +drives along for half an hour, accompanied by the spout. When the +sucking is over, and breaks off, all the water which was below the +spout, or pendulous cloud, falls again into the sea with a terrible +clashing noise. These spouts are, however, more frightful than +dangerous. + +We had sight of the Isle of Bouton on the 1st December, and anchored +there on the 5th, where we staid till the 11th, procuring eggs, fowls, +potatoes, and other provisions from the natives, who are Mahometans, and +speak the Malay language. Continuing our voyage, we saw the N.W. point +of Timor on the 28th, and on the 29th stood S. towards New Holland, +which we fell in with on the 4th January, 1688, in lat. 16° 50' S. _New +Holland_ is a vast tract of land, but whether island or continent is +hitherto unknown.[200] We anchored at a point of land, three leagues to +the east of which is a deep bay. The land was low and sandy, the points +only excepted, which were rocky, as were some islands in the bay. We +found here no fresh water, except by digging. There were various trees, +and among these the tree producing dragon's-blood. We saw no +fruit-trees, nor so much as the track of any animal, except one footstep +of a beast, which seemed the size of a large mastiff. There were a few +land-birds, but none bigger than a black-bird, and scarcely any +sea-fowl; neither did the sea afford any fish, except tortoises and +manatees,[201] both of which are in vast plenty. + +[Footnote 200: It is now known to be a vast island, stretching from the +lat. of 11° 40' to 38° 40', both S. and from long. 109° 40' to 154° 50' +both E. being 1870 miles from N. to S. and 2400 miles from E. to W.] + +[Footnote 201: The Lamentin, or Trichechus Manatus australis of +naturalists.--E.] + +The inhabitants are the most miserable wretches in the universe, having +no houses or coverings but the heavens, and no garments except a piece +of the bark of a tree tied round the waist. They have no sheep, poultry, +or fruits, and subsist wretchedly on a few shell-fish, such as cockles, +muscles, and periwinkles, living without any government or order, and +cohabit promiscuously like brutes. Their bodies are straight, thin, and +strong-limbed, having great heads and eye-brows, with round foreheads. +Their eye-lids are constantly half closed, to keep out flies, which are +here very numerous and troublesome. They have large bottle noses, thick +lips, and wide mouth; and both men and women, young and old, wanted the +two front teeth of the upper jaw. They have no beards, and their hair is +short and curled like the negroes, their complexion being equally black +with them. Their weapons are a kind of wooden swords or clubs, and long +straight poles sharpened at one end. Of their language I can only say +that they speak much in the throat. We landed several times, and brought +the natives to some degree of familiarity with us, by giving them some +old clothes, but could never prevail on them to assist us in carrying +water or any other thing, as they seemed quite averse from labour. + +We sailed hence on the 12th March, and on the 7th April got sight of +Sumatra, whence we directed our course for the Nicobar islands, which we +came in sight of on the 4th May, and anchored next day in a small bay at +the N. end of the island of Nicobar Proper, in lat. 7° 30' N. This +island produces plenty of cocoa-nuts, and _mallories_, a fruit as large +as the bread-fruit of Guam, which the natives boil in covered jars. + +Mr Hall, Mr Ambrose, and I, being desirous to leave the unruly crew +among whom we had sailed so long, were set ashore at this island, +intending to proceed for Acheen. We accordingly left this island on the +5th May, accompanied by four Malays and a Portuguese, in a Nicobar +canoe, not much bigger than one of the London wherries used below +bridge. On the 18th we had a violent storm, when we expected every +moment to be swallowed up by the waves; but on the 19th, to our great +joy, we saw _Pulo Way_, near the N.W. end of Sumatra, as was supposed, +but it turned out to be the golden mountain of Sumatra, and at length +arrived at Acheen in June. In July I went with Captain Weldon to +Tonquin, and returned to Acheen in April, 1689. In September of that +year I went to Malacca, and came back about Christmas, 1690. Soon after +I went to Fort St George or Madras, where I remained five months, and +came back to Bencoolen, an English factory on the west coast of Sumatra. + +Before relating my return to England, it may be proper to give some +account of _Jeoly_, the painted prince, who afterwards died at Oxford. +He was purchased along with his mother at Mindanao by Mr Moody; and when +Mr Moody and I went together to Bencoolen, he gave me at parting half +the property of this painted prince and his mother, leaving them to my +care. They were born in the island of _Meangis_, which abounds in gold, +cloves, and nutmegs, as he afterwards told me. He was curiously painted, +down the breast, behind, between the shoulders, and most of all on the +fore part of his thighs, in the nature of flower-work. By what I could +understand, this painting was done by pricking the skin, and rubbing in +the gum of a tree called _damurer_, used instead of pitch in some parts +of India. He told me, that the natives of his country wore gold +ear-rings, and golden bracelets about their arms and legs; their food +being potatoes, fowls, and fish. He told me also, that being one day in +a canoe with his father and mother, they were taken by some fishers +belonging to Mindanao, who sold them to the interpreter of Rajah Laut, +with whom he and his mother lived as slaves for five years, and were +then sold for fifty dollars to Mr Moody. Some time afterwards, Mr Moody +gave me the entire property of both, but the mother soon died, and I had +much ado to save the son. After my arrival in the Thames, being in want +of money, I first sold part of my property in Prince Jeoly, and by +degrees all the rest. He was afterwards carried about and shewn for +money, and at last died of the small-pox at Oxford. + +During my stay at Bencoolen I served as gunner of the fort; but when my +time was expired, I embarked with my painted prince in the Defence, +Captain Heath, in order to return to England. We sailed on the 25th +January, 1691, in company with three other ships, and arrived at the +Cape of Good Hope in the beginning of April. After a stay of six weeks, +we set sail on the 13th May for St Helena, where we arrived on the 20th +June. We left this island on the 2d July, and came to anchor in the +Downs on the 16th September, 1691, after an absence of twelve years and +a half from my native country. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, BY WILLIAM FUNNELL, IN 1703-1706.[202] + +INTRODUCTION. + + +This voyage has usually passed under the name of Captain William +Dampier; but as he proceeded only to the South Seas, and the +circumnavigation was entirely completed by Mr William Funnell, who +sailed originally as his mate, it seemed proper to place his name in the +title of the voyage, instead of that of Captain Dampier, with whom, in +this voyage, we have much less to do. It is just however to state, that +it was on the credit of Captain Dampier, and in expectation that he +would be able to do great things against the Spaniards in the South Sea, +that this expedition was undertaken. The point aimed at was plunder, +rather than discovery, yet there was something remarkable done even in +this way; and the unknown islands met with by Mr Funnell, in his passage +between the South Sea and India, strongly confirmed the reports of +former navigators, of large, populous, and well-cultivated countries in +those parts.[203] The narrative of Funnell also is well digested, and +may be read with much satisfaction, as giving a fair and agreeable +account of his adventures. + +[Footnote 202: Funnel's narrative in Dampier's Voyages, vol. IV. pp. +1.--208. Harris, I. 131. Callender, III. 66. and III. 145.] + +[Footnote 203: All these fancies are now shewn to be imaginary.--E.] + +This expedition was undertaken at the beginning of the Succession war, +in the reign of Queen Anne; and high expectations were raised from it, +of performing great exploits against the Spaniards, who had accepted the +Duke of Anjou as their king. The merchants believed that a very +profitable expedition might be made into these parts, with a reasonable +force, where the buccaneers, with small and ill-provided vessels, had +performed such extraordinary things; and therefore, having obtained the +best information they could as to the proper manner of accomplishing the +design, they cheerfully contributed to the expences necessary for the +purpose. With this view, they at first fitted out two ships of 26 guns +and 120 men each, which were designed for the South Seas. One of these +was named the St George, commanded by Captain William Dampier, in which +Mr William Funnell sailed as chief mate. The other was the Fame, +commanded by Captain John Pulling. Both ships were amply supplied with +warlike stores, and well victualled for nine months; and had commissions +from Prince George, the queen's husband, lord-high-admiral, to proceed +against the French and Spaniards; and the officers and crews of both +were hired on the principles of sharing in the expedition, _no purchase +no pay_. + +While they lay in the Downs, some difference arose between the two +captains, on which Captain Pulling went away with his ship, the Fame, +intending to cruize among the Canary Islands, and never afterwards +joined. Before sailing on the originally-proposed expedition, Dampier +was joined by a small ship, the Cinque-ports galley, Captain Charles +Pickering, of ninety tons, carrying 16 guns and 63 men, well victualled +and provided for the voyage. The original plan of the voyage was to go +first up the Rio Plata, as high as Buenos Ayres, in order to capture two +or three Spanish galleons, which Dampier alledged were usually there. If +this part of the expedition succeeded, so as to get to the value of +about 600,000_l_. it was to be proceeded in no farther; but if his first +object failed, they were then to cruize on the coast of Peru, to +intercept the ships which bring gold from Baldivia to Lima. Should this +again fail of success, they were to attempt some rich towns, as Dampier +might direct. After this, they were to go to the coast of Mexico, at +that time of the year when the great galleon usually comes from Manilla +to Acapulco, which is commonly reported to be worth fourteen millions of +dollars. + +On their arrival at Madeira, learning that the galleons from Buenos +Ayres had already arrived in safety at Teneriffe, that part of the +expedition was laid aside. "How well we pursued the latter part of our +instructions, the subsequent history of our voyage will sufficiently +declare; in recording which I have used the greatest sincerity, +narrating every thing exactly in the manner in which it happened, and +setting down all that appeared worthy of notice, with all truth and +plainness: so that I flatter myself the whole will be found useful, and +that the latter part especially will be esteemed new, curious, and +interesting, as it contains many things not before published or +known."[204] + +[Footnote 204: This introduction is from the pen of Harris; and the last +paragraph, marked by inverted commas, is given in the words of +Funnell.--E.] + + + + +SECTION I. + +_Narrative of the Voyage, till the Separation of Funnell from Dampier._ + + +We sailed from the Downs on the 30th April, 1703, and anchored on the +18th May at Kinsale, in Ireland. We here refitted and victualled our +ship, and were joined by the Cinque-ports, and left Kinsale on the 11th +September. We reached Madeira on the 25th, where we did not come to +anchor, but plied off and on for our boats, which were sent ashore for +necessaries. By a good observation, I made this island to be in lat 32° +20' N. and long. by my account, 18° 5' W. from London.[205] October 6th, +we saw Mayo, one of the Cape de Verd islands, in lat. 15° 12' N. long. +23° 20' W. off which we plied all night; but the surf ran so high that +we durst not send our boats ashore for salt. We accordingly bore up next +day for St Jago, and anchored at noon of the 7th in Prior bay [Port +Praya] in that island. This is one of the most fruitful of the Cape Verd +Islands, abounding in hogs, poultry, guinea fowl, monkeys, maiz, +oranges, lemons, dates, water-melons, plantains, bananas, and other +fruits, having good water, but troublesome to get at, and wood is very +dear. The inhabitants of this island were formerly Portuguese, banished +thither for murders, thefts, and other crimes; but are now mostly all +black, in consequence of these men having issue by their female slaves, +which were Guinea negroes. Yet they still retain the vices of their +progenitors, thieving being more common here than in any place I ever +visited, insomuch that they will take a man's hat from his head at noon +day and in the midst of company. In trading with them, it is necessary +not to let them have your goods before theirs are delivered, or you are +sure to lose them. We here watered and refreshed ourselves; and here a +disagreement took place between Captain Dampier and his +first-lieutenant, who was turned ashore at midnight, with his chest and +servant. At four next morning, being the 13th October, we sailed from St +Jago, not fully resolved where next to touch at. + +[Footnote 205: Lat. 32° 33' N. long. 17° 5' W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +On the 22d October we caught four fish; a shark, a dolphin, a +jelly-fish, and an old-wife. The shark and dolphin are well known, and +need not be described in this place. The _Jelly-fish_ was about fourteen +inches long and two inches deep, having sharp teeth, a sparkling eye, +and long extended mouth. It has a prodigiously high fin on its back, of +a slimy substance, except that its rays, which are thirty-two in number, +are firm and stiff. It has also one small fin under the throat, of the +same slimy substance with the large one on its back. The greater part of +the body is of a silver colour, with numerous small dark spots and +circular bands, all the rest of its substance being a green jelly-like +substance, whence the name. The _Old-wife_ is about two feet long and +nine inches high in the back, having a small mouth, a large eye, and a +large broad fin beginning at the hinder part of the head, and reaching +to the tail. It has also a large broad fin on each side near the gills, +and a pretty large one under the belly. The body is deep blue, and the +fins a very light blue, tipt with yellow. The head has many spots, and +the body is regularly streaked longways. + +We passed the equator on the 2d November, about forty-five leagues west +from the meridian of St Jago. On the 8th, in lat. 10° 20' S. we saw +three small islands on the coast of Brazil, called the islands of St +Ann, not above a stone's throw from each other, and very full of wood, +as is the whole coast of Brazil. These islands are about four miles from +the main, and are much troubled with southerly winds, which blow in +gusts, so that ships ought here to lay their best anchor to the south, +and all little enough sometimes for their safety. They produce nothing +except wood, and are frequented by vast flocks of sea fowl, called +boobies by our sailors. The _booby_ is about the size of a duck, some +entirely white and others grey, having feet like a duck, and subsist +mostly on flying-fishes, which they catch while in the air. I have made +many a meal on these birds, but it was for want of other victuals, for +they taste very fishy, and are apt to make one sick, if not previously +well salted. They are so silly, when weary of flying, that they will +light upon your hand, if held out to them. + +We anchored at the island of _Le Grand_, in lat, 23° 30' S.[206] on the +24th of November. This is a very woody island, on which are several good +springs of water. It is about nine miles in circuit, and three miles +from the main, the woods being infested with many savage animals, which +make a most hideous noise in the night. It produces sugar, rum, and +several kinds of fruits, but all very dear, on account of supplying the +town of St Paul with necessaries. _St Paul_ is 300 miles inland from Le +Grand; but by the vast high mountains which are between, it is reckoned +a distance of sixty days journey. Near St Paul there is said to be a +gold mine, which is accounted the richest hitherto known. We here +wooded, watered, and refitted our ships; and our new first-lieutenant, +falling out with the captain, went ashore, together with eight of our +men, and left us. Here also Charles Pickering, captain of the +Cinque-ports, departed this life, and was succeeded in the command by +his first-lieutenant, Mr Thomas Stradling. At this island there are good +fish of various sorts, one of which, called the _Silver-fish_, is about +twenty inches long, and eight deep, from back to belly, having five +small fins immediately behind the head, and one large fin from the last +of these to the tail; one middle-sized fin on each side near the gills, +and a large fin from the middle of the belly to the tail, which last is +half-moon shaped. The eyes are large, the nostrils wide, and the mouth +small. It is a thin fish, and full of bones, of a fine transparent +white, like silver. + +[Footnote 206: Isla Grande is only in lat 30° N. and St Paul's, stated +in the text, as 300 miles distant, is hardly 200, and is at within +twenty-five miles of the coast farther south.--E.] + +Leaving the isle of Le Grand on the 8th December, we passed the islands +of Sebalt de Weert[207] [_Falklands_] on the 29th. In lat. 57° 50' S. we +had a terrible storm, in which we lost company of our consort, the +Cinque-ports, on the 4th January, 1704. When in lat 60° 51' S. on the +20th, believing we had sufficiently passed Cape Horn, we tacked to the +N. and got sight of the island of _Mocha_ on the 4th February. This +island is in lat. 38° 20' S. twenty miles from the coast of Chili, and +is well inhabited by Indians, who are always at war with the Spaniards, +and indeed with all white men, because they consider them all as +Spaniards. It is a high island, four leagues long, having many shoals +on its west side, which extend a league or more out to sea. It is about +112 miles to the northward of Baldivia. + +[Footnote 207: Called Sibbil de Ward Islands in the narrative of +Funnell.--E.] + +We saw the island of Juan Fernandez on the 7th February, and on the +10th, while passing the great bay, we saw the Cinque-ports, which had +arrived three days before. We accordingly anchored in the great bay, in +thirty-five fathoms. At this island we wooded, watered, and refitted our +ships, giving them a heel to clean their sides as low as we could, which +took up much time, and occasioned both companies to be much on shore. In +this island there are abundance of cabbage-trees, which are excellent, +though small. The cabbage-tree, which is a species of palm, has a small +straight stem, often ninety to one hundred feet long, with many knots or +joints, about four inches asunder, like a bamboo-cane. It has no leaves +except at the top, in the midst of which the substance called cabbage is +contained, which, when boiled, is as good as any garden cabbage. The +branches of this tree we commonly twelve or thirteen feet in length, and +at about a foot and a half from the tree the leaves begin, which are +about four feet long and an inch and a half broad, the leaves growing so +regularly that the whole branch seems one entire leaf. The cabbage, when +cut out from among the roots of the branches, is usually a foot long and +six inches diameter, and as white as milk. From the bottom of the +cabbage there spring out several large bunches of berries, like grapes, +each bunch being five or six pounds weight. The berries are red, and +about the size of cherries, each having a large stone in the middle, and +the pulp tastes like that of haws. + +The sea-lion is so called, as I suppose, because he roars somewhat like +a lion, and his head also has some resemblance to that animal, having +four large teeth in front, all the rest being short, thick, and stubbed. +Instead of feet and legs, he has four fins; the two foremost serving +him, when he goes ashore, to raise the fore part of the body, and he +then draws the hind part after him. The two hinder fins are of no use on +land, but only when in the water. This animal is very fat, for which +reason we killed several of them, from which we made a ton of oil for +our lamps; and, while at this island, made use of it also for frying our +fish. They have short light-coloured hair while young, becoming sandy +when old. Their food is fish, and they prey altogether in the water, but +come on land to sleep, when five, six, or more of them huddle together +like swine, and will often lie still three or four days, if not +molested. They are much afraid of men, and make off as fast as they can +into the water. If hard pressed, they will turn about, raising their +bodies on their fore fins, and face you with their mouths wide open, so +that we used to clap a pistol to their mouth, and fire down their +throat. Sometimes five or six of us would surround one of these +monsters, each having a half pike, and so prick him till he died, which +commonly was the sport of two or three hours. + +While we were at this island, a difference took place between Captain +Stradling and his men, which was at last compromised by Captain Dampier. +On the 29th February we descried a sail, on which all hands hurried on +board, and we slipped our cables and stood out to sea. The Frenchman, +for so he afterwards proved, immediately tacked and stood from us, while +we followed the chase with all sail, and got up with him about eleven at +night, but did not deem it convenient to engage till day. During the +chase our pinnace towed under water, and was cut adrift. Captain +Stradling's boat also got loose, in which were a man and a dog. + +At sun-rise next morning, 1st March, we began to engage the French ship, +which was of about 400 tons burden, and thirty guns, well manned. We +fought her very close, broadside to broadside, for seven hours; and then +a small gale springing up, she sheered off. In this action our consort +only fired ten or twelve guns at the commencement, when she dropt +astern, and never again came up during the whole fight, in which we had +nine men slain and several wounded. We were desirous to have had another +trial with the Frenchman, knowing it would be of bad consequences to let +him go, as he would discover our being in these seas to the Spaniards; +but our captain opposed this, saying, he knew where he could get to the +value of 500,000_l_. at any time. So we concluded to return to Juan +Fernandez, to get our anchors, long boats, and several tons of water +already casked, together with a ton of sea-lion oil, which we had left +there. Captain Stradling also had left five of his men, who were gone to +the west part of the island, and knew nothing of our going away after +the enemy. He had also left all his sails, besides those at the yards, +and a great many other stores. + +We had then the wind at S. directly off Juan Fernandez, so that it was +difficult to go there; and while beating up we saw two sail, to which +the Cinque-ports was very near, and they fired several shots at her, but +she rowed away to us, and reported them to be two French ships of about +36 guns each; on which the two captains thought it convenient to bear +away for the coast of Peru, leaving Captain Stradling's five men, with +his other stores, which he could ill spare, and now we had neither of us +any boats. We accordingly stood for the coast of Peru on the 6th March, +and fell in with it on the 11th, in lat. 24° 53' S.[208] The land here +was very high, having three distinct ranges of hills behind each other, +that nearest the water the lowest, and the farthest off the highest. We +coasted along shore to the northward, and passed the port of _Capaipo_ +on the 14th, said to be a very good harbour, fenced from almost all +winds. The land is here inhabited by Indians, who make good wines; and +it is said to abound in good meat, corn, and other provisions, and from +this port they export wine, money, and other goods for Coquimbo. We +would willingly have gone ashore for refreshments, but could not for +want of boats. + +[Footnote 208: There must be a material error here, as they afterwards, +in sailing along the coast _to the northwards_, passed Copaipo, which is +in lat. 27° 13' S. and they consequently must have fallen in with the +coast of Chili, improperly named Peru in the text, considerably farther +south.--E.] + +Continuing along the coast, which is the highest and most mountainous I +ever saw, we were surprised, on the 19th of March, to see the waves +changed to a red colour for seven or eight leagues, though on sounding +we had no ground at 170 fathoms; but on drawing up some of the water, we +found the colour owing to a vast quantity of fish-spawn, swimming on the +surface. We were now in lat. 16° 11' S. having passed the three famous +ports of Arica, Ylo, and Arequipa. The 22d March we were off the +harbour of Callao de Lima, when we saw two ships steering for that port, +to which we gave chase, and soon came up with the sternmost, which +proved to be the ship we had fought with off the island of Juan +Fernandez. We were very eager to stop her from going in, to prevent the +Spaniards from having intelligence of us, and hindering their merchant +ships from putting to sea, and did not question our taking her, being +all now in health; whereas on the former occasion, between twenty and +thirty of our men were very sick and weak. But Captain Dampier was +averse to attack her; and while the matter was disputing, both ships got +into the port of Lima, from whence twenty ships such as ours could not +have forced them out. This proceeding gave great offence to most of the +crew, and might have proved of bad consequence, had we not taken two +very considerable prizes a few days afterwards, one of 150 and the other +of 200 tons. We took out of these every thing that we thought useful, +and then dismissed them. + +The 5th of April, we began to prepare for the great exploit our captain +meditated, of landing on the coast and plundering some rich city; for +which purpose our carpenters were ordered to fit up the launches or long +boats we had taken from our prizes, so as to land our men in safety, and +to fit two swivels in each launch. On the 11th we took a bark of fifty +tons, laden with plank and cordage, as if sent on purpose for our +present service. This was in sight of _Gallo_, under which island we +anchored next day with our prize, which we kept to use in the intended +enterprise. The island of _Gallo_ is in lat. 2° 45' N. long. 76° 38' W. +from London,[209] and about five leagues from the main; being two +leagues long and one league broad. When approached from the south, it +shews three hummocks which seem at a distance as three separate islands, +the land between being very low; but when to the N.W. of the S. end you +will see a small island, or rock rather, resembling a ship under sail. +From this island the main land is in sight, being very low near the sea, +but prodigiously high up the country. We anchored off the N.W. part of +this island, two cables length from the shore, in thirty-five fathoms on +hard sand, the N. point bearing N. 1/2 W. and the S. point S.W. The +watering place goes in with a full gap, over which, on the hill, is a +plain spot of red earth, bearing N.W. 1/2 N. but there are several other +good watering places in the island. The best anchorage is on the N.E. +part at _Legnetta_, where a ship may wood and water quite secure from +any enemy. The island is very woody, affording large timber, which is +often shipped hence for Peru. There are here a few wild monkeys, with +abundance of lizards; among which is one called the _lion-lizard_, about +the size of a man's arm, one that I measured being three feet eleven +inches from the head to the end of the tail. It has a kind of large comb +on its head, standing up like a helmet, as if to defend its head, and +when attacked it erects this comb, which otherwise lies in a deep groove +on the head, just fitted for its reception, so that it can hardly be +seen when down. This animal has very large eyes, and a large mouth, in +which are a great many small sharp teeth. The skin is rough and of a +dark colour, full of black, yellow, and bluish spots. It runs very +swift, yet our dog caught many of them. + +[Footnote 209: Lat. 1° 56' N. long. 78° 50' W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +After remaining here five days, we began to hoist our anchors to set +sail, when we discovered a ship standing in for the island, which we +took. She was a small vessel of fifty tons, commanded by a Mestizo, on +board of which we found a Guernsey man, who had been taken by the +Spaniards, while cutting logwood in the Bay of Campeachy above two years +before, and must have continued a prisoner during life if we had not +released him. On sailing from Gallo, our purpose was to attack the town +of Santa Maria, not far from this on the continent to the E. expecting +there to have found a great quantity of gold, brought thither from the +adjacent mines of the same name. But this design miscarried, whether +from fear, confusion, or the enemy having early intelligence of our +motions, which enabled them to cut off many of our men. This, however, +is certain, that we were quite sick of our fruitless attempts on shore +by the 1st May, and immediately re-embarked. We were now so short of +provisions, that five boiled green plantains were allotted for six men; +but, when almost out both of hope and patience, a vessel came and +anchored close beside us at midnight, which we took without resistance. +This proved a most valuable prize, being a ship of 150 tons, laden with +flour, sugar, brandy, wine, about thirty tons marmalade of quinces, a +considerable quantity of salt, and several tons of linen and woollen +cloth; so that we had now a sufficient supply of provisions even for +four or five years. I was put aboard of this prize on behalf of Captain +Dampier and his company, and the master of the Cinque-ports, in behalf +of Captain Stradling and his crew. + +We carried our prize into the Bay of Panama, and anchored under the +island of Tobago on the 14th of May. Here Captains Dampier and Stradling +disagreed, and the quarrel proceeded to such length, that they could not +be reconciled, so that at last it was determined to part company, all +the men being at liberty to go with which captain they pleased, in +consequence of which five of our men went over to Captain Stradling, and +five of his men came to us. We were now informed by the prisoners, that +there were 80,000 dollars on board our prize, which had been taken on +board at Lima clandestinely, and were concealed at the bottom of the +hold in the run of the ship. But Captain Dampier would not credit this, +neither would he wait till we should rummage her to the bottom, lest +delay might mar his great designs. Having, therefore, taken on board a +quantity of provisions from the prize, she was dismissed; and we set +sail in the St George on the 19th May, leaving the Cinque-ports behind, +intending again to proceed for the coast of Peru. + +We took a vessel of 120 tons on the 7th June, bound from Truxillo for +Panama, and laden with flour, sugar, brandy, and other articles, with +some bales of flowered silk. In her we found a packet of letters, and +the first of these we happened to read was from the captain of the ship +we had fought off Juan Fernandez, and fell in with again going into +Callao. It was directed to the president of Panama, and stated, "That he +had fought with two English privateers off Juan Fernandez, the smaller +having only fired eight or ten guns at him, and then fell astern and did +not come up again during the fight, as he believed for want of wind; +while the large ship fought him yard-arm and yard-arm for more than six +hours, killed a great many of his men, and wounded such numbers, that he +had landed thirty-two at Lima, each of whom had lost a leg, an arm, or +an eye, and he had been nearly taken, as at parting they had given +themselves over for lost, not having a sufficient number of men left to +defend themselves." By other letters, we learnt that the two French +ships we afterwards saw near Juan Fernandez had picked up a boat at sea, +in which were an Englishman and a dog; had been in at the island of Juan +Fernandez, and had taken up our anchors, cables, and long-boats, with +all Captain Stradling's stores, as also his five men and our negro who +were left there. We learnt also, that the Spaniards had fitted out two +men of war against us, one of thirty-two, and the other thirty-six brass +guns, all twenty-four pounders, each having 350 sailors and 150 +soldiers, all picked men, and had been cruizing for us in the Bay of +Guayaquil, between point St Helena and Cape Blanco, from the 7th to the +12th. + +We were forced to go under an easy sail, as our prize sailed very +heavily, wherefore we went into _Sardinas_ Bay, in lat. 1° 20' N. where +we anchored with our prize in ten fathoms, about four miles from the +shore, for the purpose of rummaging her. We durst not go farther in, +because of many shoals and sand-banks, which were very imperfectly laid +down in all our charts. The sea-coast is inhabited by Indians, but not +in any great numbers, and has several small fresh-water rivers. From +hence, all the way south, till we came to the Bay of _Atacarnes_, in +lat. 0° 54' N. the sea-side is composed of white cliffs; and there are +many shoals as far as _Punta de la Galera_, in lat. 0° 48' N. Six +leagues S.W. of Sardinas Bay is the great river of St Jago, the mouth of +which is about three quarters of a mile wide, but has no good anchorage +till well within. This river is seldom used by ships, being out of the +way, yet the country here produces abundant provisions of all sorts. We +careened our ship and rummaged our prize in the Bay of Sardinas, and +watered at one of the fresh-water rivers, which was as white as milk, +and both smelt and tasted very strong of musk, occasioned by many +alligators swimming in it. We shot several of these creatures, one of +which measured thirty feet in length, and was bigger about than a +bullock. + +The alligator is covered over with great scales from head to tail, +having very large sharp teeth, and very long claws. It is amphibious, +living both on land and in the water, and when lying on shore is often +mistaken at a distance for a great tree fallen down. It runs very fast +on the land, and is of such strength that one of them will take a horse +or a cow into the water, and there devour it. They will seize on any +thing, either on land or in the water, and often make great havock among +cattle near their haunts, which are usually in fresh-water rivers. The +Indians are not greatly afraid of them, either on land or in the water. +In the former case, they run in circles, and this unwieldy animal is +unable to turn his body quickly, so that they easily get away from them. +The Indians also go into the water to seek them, taking in one hand a +piece of iron pointed and baited at both ends, with two cross pieces a +little below the points. Holding this iron by the middle, when the +alligator rises to bite, which he always does with, the head above +water, the Indian holds out the iron to him which he snaps at, and it +fastens in his mouth, keeping his jaws open like a gag. The female lays +about 100 eggs at a time, as large as goose eggs; but quite spherical, +and having shells as thick almost as those of an ostrich. The flesh of +the alligator is not fit to be eaten, being very strong and musky; and +the very water of the rivers they frequent was so strong of musk that a +draught of it was like to suffocate us, yet there are no instances of +its being injurious to health. + +Being off the Bay of Guayaquil on the 21st June, we saw a ship, and came +up with her next day, being one of the Spanish men of war fitted out to +take us, carrying thirty-two guns. We did all we could to gain the +weather-gage, but carrying away our fore-top-mast, were obliged to come +to action from the leeward, so that she kept a good distance from us, +and we could not use our small arms. Dividing our crew into two equal +parts, one managed the guns while the other looked on, and when those at +the guns were weary, the others took their places, alternately +refreshing those who were not employed, by which means we fired much +faster than the enemy, making about 560 discharges, while they only made +110 or 115. We thus fought from noon till half past six, though at such +distance that our shot would hardly reach him, while his flew over us. +Growing dusk, both ceased firing, none of our men being either killed or +wounded, and only two through carelessness had their hands and faces +scorched. We lay-to all night, expecting in the morning to renew the +fight; but he had made sail from us in the night. + +We now returned to the Bay of Atacames in search of provisions, for +which purpose we sent our boat ashore with twenty men, who soon +returned, saying they had found an Indian village of fifty houses, but +the inhabitants were all fled and had left nothing behind. In the river +we found a fine bark of about fifty tons, with as much new plank in her +as would have built another of equal size; and we took another of about +ten tons, laden with plantains. This we resolved to retain, instead of a +long-boat. She had two masts and two square-sails, and having fitted her +for our purpose, we called her the Dragon. The country in the +neighbourhood of this bay is very pleasant, being well wooded and +watered. About seven leagues to the N.E. is the Bay of _St Mattheo_, the +land about it being very high, and there are many shoals about it, +running two leagues out to sea. For three or four leagues the water is +only from four fathoms to six, and this bay has white cliffs both to the +north and south. In the bottom of the bay there are two rivers running +into the sea, both of which are what the seamen call _alligator water_, +that is, white and musky as before described. On each side of these +rivers there are shoals of sand; and near their mouths are fine groves +of tall spreading green trees, which are the marks by which they may be +found, as their mouths are narrow, and not discernible at a distance. +These rivers are seldom frequented by the Spaniards, except for +refreshments, for which they are well adapted, as all the adjoining +country abounds with every kind of provisions that this part of the +world produces. About two leagues up these rivers there are several +Indian villages, who furnish the Spanish ships which come here with +cocoa-nuts, plantains, bananas, and other kinds of fruit. + +The _cocoa-tree_ is generally from fifty to an hundred feet high, and +for the most part straight and slender. The leaves are four fathoms, or +four and a half long, at the very top of the tree, and serve excellently +for thatching houses. At the bottom of the leaves the cocoa nuts grow in +clusters of ten, fifteen, or twenty, hanging by a small string which is +full of joints. Each nut, with its outer rind, is larger than a man's +head, and within this outer rind is a hard woody shell which will hold +near a quart of liquid. The nut or kernel lines the inside of this +shell, and within this kernel is about a pint and half of pure clear +water, very cool, sweet, and pleasant. The kernel also is very good and +pleasant; but when old, we scrape it all down, and soak it in about a +quart of fresh water for three or four hours, which is then strained, +and has both the colour and taste of milk, and will even throw up a +thick head not unlike cream. This milk, when boiled with rice, is +accounted very wholesome and nourishing by the doctors, and was given to +our sick men. When the nut is very old, the kernel of itself turns to +oil, which is often used to fry with, but mostly for burning in lamps. +The outer end of the nuts may be applied to the purposes of flax, and of +it the natives make a kind of linen, and it is also manufactured into +ropes and cables, which are sold in most parts of America and the West +Indies. The shell of this nut makes very pretty drinking cups, and it +also burns well, making a fierce hot fire. Thus the cocoa-tree affords +meat, drink, oil, clothing, houses, firing, and rigging for ships. + +The _plantain-tree_ is only about thirteen or fourteen feet high and +four feet round, its leaves being eight or nine feet long and two broad, +ending in a round point. The fruit grows at the bottom of the leaves, on +a great stalk, in a pod about eight inches long and the size of a black +pudding, being of a fine yellow colour, often speckled with red. The +inside of this is white, but the plantain itself is yellow like butter, +and as soft as a pear. There sometimes grow fifty or sixty of these pods +on one stalk, and five or six stalks on one tree. They are an excellent +fruit, and most parts of the East and West Indies abound with them. The +_banana_ tree is much the same with the plantain, but the fruit is only +about six inches long, fifty or sixty of them growing on one stalk, and +is extraordinarily mellow, sweet, and good. + +We left the bay of Atacames on the 31st July, accompanied by our prize +the Dragon, and passing the Bay of Panama, came to the Bay of Nicoya on +the 16th August, in lat 9° 30'N. in which we anchored near certain +islands near the centre of the bay, called Middle Islands, where we +careened. While here, Mr Clippington, the chief mate, having quarrelled +with Captain Dampier, drew over twenty-one men to his party, and making +himself master of the bark, in which was all our ammunition and the best +part of our provisions, hoisted anchor, and went without the islands, +whence he sent us word that he would put ashore at an Indian house all +our powder, shot, and other ammunition, reserving only what was +necessary for his own use, which he did accordingly, and we sent our +canoes to fetch it on board. + +These islands in the Bay of Nicoya are extremely pleasant and fruitful, +abounding in all things necessary for life, such as birds of various +kinds, several sorts of fish, and amphibious animals, particularly +turtles and guanas. Among the birds is a very beautiful one called the +_Maccaw_, having feathers of all the colours of the rainbow. It is in +shape like a large parrot, with a white bill, and black legs and feet. +The _carrion crow_ is as big as a small turkey, which it perfectly +resembles in shape and colour; but its flesh smells and tastes so strong +of muck that it is not eatable. The _pelican_ is almost as big as a +swan, being mostly white with brown tips to the wings, having a long +bill with a large cross joining the lower part of the bill, and hanging +down the throat like a bag or satchel of great size, into which it +receives oysters, cockles, conchs, and other shell-fish, which it is +unable to break, and retains them there till they open, when it throws +them out and picks out the meat. They are good food, but taste a little +fishy. Their feet are broad, and webbed like ducks, being water fowl, +yet they commonly roost on rocks or trees, and always sit with their +heads to the wind, varying their posture as that changes. They are heavy +birds and fly slowly, and always when sitting rest their long bills +upon their breasts. The _Guana_ is an amphibious animal, found both on +land and in the water. It is about three feet long, some more some less, +and is very ugly, having large sharp scales, black and green, from the +fore part of the head to the end of the tail. The mouth is furnished +with numerous large and sharp teeth, and it has four long claws on each +foot. They commonly breed in holes about the roots of old trees near the +water. When stewed with some spice, their flesh is very white and eats +well, making also good broth; but if not extraordinarily well boiled, it +is very dangerous meat, making men very sick and often occasioning +fevers. + +There are several kinds of _turtles_, or sea tortoises, but we account +the green turtle the best meat. When they want to lay their eggs, they +go on shore in some sandy bay, where they make a hole in the sand with +their fins, two feet and a half deep, in which one turtle will deposit +from eighty to ninety eggs, which they cover over with the sand, leaving +them to hatch by the heat of the sun. They lay in this manner two or +three times every year, and go immediately off to sea, leaving their +young when hatched to shift for themselves; which, as soon as they get +out of the eggs and from the sand, retire to the sea. The eggs are round +and white, as large as those of a duck, being covered with a thin tough +skin, but no shell. I have seen of the green turtle 200, 350, and even +400 pounds weight. The lean of this animal looks like beef, but the fat +is as green as grass, yet is very wholesome food. The _pearl-oyster_ is +much about the size of our common oyster, but thick and broad, and hangs +to the rocks by a long string or beard, like that of a muscle. The pearl +is found in its thickest part, and some have six or seven pearls. The +Spaniards often make voyages to this gulf of Nicoya and to California in +quest of pearls, employing Indian divers, who go down in seven or eight +fathoms, and bring up eight, ten, or twelve oysters at a time, which are +opened by other men on board. The meat of this oyster is very green and +fat, and eats tolerably well, boiled or stewed. The _great-oyster_ grows +to the rocks, not hanging from them by a beard. When opened, one part of +the meat is of a fine red colour like a cherry, and the rest a fine +white. I have often eat of this oyster, for want of better victuals; and +they are so large, that one of them cut in pieces and stewed is a +sufficient meal for five or six men. The _muscles_ here are so large +that one will suffice for a meal to two men, and they are tolerably good +when, stewed with pepper and vinegar. + +We sailed from the Gulf of Nicoya on the 23d September, and were in lat. +13° 7' N. on the 7th October, when we got sight of two high mountains, +commonly called the Volcanoes of Guatimala. That which is to the north +of the city is the highest, and affords a fine prospect from the sea; +and in the year 1534 threw out a torrent of water, which totally +overwhelmed the old city of St Jago de Guatimala, and occasioned the +building of a new city at the distance of thirty-five miles S.E. The +other mountain is really a volcano, which rages terribly in the rainy +season, from April to November, sometimes throwing out stones as big as +a house, and with such prodigious eruptions of flame, that one may see +to read a letter in a dark night at the distance of six miles. This is +to the south of Guatimala. + +The 9th October we took a bark of eighty tons in ballast, but which had +a small quantity of provisions, which were very acceptable. This bark +was commanded by a Spaniard named Christian Martin, born in the +Canaries, but brought up in London, who had formerly been servant to +Captain Eaton, and came with him to the South Sea in quality of gunner; +but, falling out with the men, he ran away from them in the island of +Gorgonia, where he lay concealed for six days till the ship departed. He +then cut down two trees, which he drew to the water side, and bound +together with withes, fixed a mast, and made a sail of two shirts which +he had with him. Then filling a bag with oysters, he put off early in +the morning from Gorgonia, and got next day in the afternoon into the +river Bonaventura. He was here ill used by the Spaniards, who sent him +to Lima, where he was set at liberty. We were now sixty-four men and +boys, all in good health and spirits, and on the 23d November, captured +a small bark of sixty tons from California laden with plank, but having +also several parcels of pearls, that had been fished on that coast. +December 4th we came into the Bay of Nativity, or _Puerto Nauidad_, in +lat. 19° 22' N. where we took a new ship of about sixty tons, laden with +ammunition and military stores for the Acapulco ship, for which we were +now in search, and for the sight of which our people longed as earnestly +as if there had been no difference between seeing and taking her; +neither was it long before they had their wish in one respect, but not +in the other. We took from our prize what ammunition was left; for, on +perceiving our design, the ship's company quitted her, having first +thrown overboard the best part of her cargo, and left the rest scattered +about in the utmost confusion. + +Being off the volcano of Colima on the morning of the 6th December, we +descried a sail to which we gave chace, and soon came up with her, when +she proved to be the great Acapulco ship or Manilla galleon, which we +had so long wished to fall in with. As we were well provided, we gave +her a great many broadsides before she could get any of her guns cleared +for action, as she had not suspected us of being an enemy, and was not +at all prepared for us. Martin, who was still a prisoner on board our +ship, advised us to lay her aboard immediately, while the Spaniards were +all in confusion, as we might then easily succeed by boarding; but if we +gave them time to get out their great guns, they would certainly tear us +to pieces, and we should lose the opportunity of acquiring a prize worth +sixteen millions of dollars. Thus it accordingly happened; for the time +being wasted in disputing, between those of us that were for boarding, +and those of a different opinion, she got out one tier of guns, and then +proved too hard for us, so that we could not lie along side of her to do +her any damage. Our five pound shot, which was the biggest we had, +signified little against such a ship; but when any of her eighteen and +twenty-four pound shot struck our ship, which was much decayed, it drove +in a piece of plank of three or four feet. Being thus greatly damaged, +and having received a shot between wind and water in our powder room, by +which two feet of plank were driven in on each side of our stern, orders +were given to stand off from the enemy. + +Our design being thus disappointed, all our men became much +discontented, and were for going home, seeing we could do no good in +these parts, either for ourselves or owners; our ship also being ready +to fall in pieces of herself, and having provisions only for three +months at short allowance. Captain Dampier requested that we would +consent to prolong our cruize for six weeks longer; after which he +promised to permit us to sail for India to some factory, where we might +all dispose of ourselves as we thought best for our advantage. To this +we all agreed, and we accordingly cruized along shore to the S.E. in +sight of land, passing the noted ports of Acapulco,_Puerto de los +Angelos_, Guatalco, and several others; when we proposed to seek out a +proper place in which to water our ships and bark, previous to our +intended voyage to the East Indies; and, after some consideration, the +Gulf of Amapalla or Fonseca was fixed upon for that purpose. + +On the 5th January, 1705, we met with such vast quantities of fish, that +in half an hour we caught near three score _albicores_, from sixty to +ninety pounds weight each, besides vast quantities of other fish. The +_albicore_ is about four or five feet long, weight from 50 to 100 and +even 150 pounds. It has eleven fins on its back, one pretty large, a +second of middle size, and nine small yellow fins near the tail; one +large fin on each side near the gills; and one near the middle of the +belly. This is a very fleshy fish, having hardly any bones besides the +back bone, and is extraordinary good eating. It has prodigious strength, +while in the water, and preys mostly on flying fish, as do dolphins and +bonetoes. On the 6th of this month, a new revolution took place in our +affairs, as thirty of our men agreed to remain along with Captain +Dampier in the South Sea; but with what view or on what terms, we +others, who were not in the secret, never knew. Our company, who were +not of Dampier's party, consisted of thirty-three men; and, +notwithstanding this new arrangement, we all sailed to the Gulf of +Amapalla, where we anchored on the 26th January. + +That same day, all the remaining provisions were equally divided between +the two companies by the agent for the owners, and we had four pieces of +cannon, with a proper proportion of small arms and ammunition, assigned +for us, for our defence during the voyage to India. Our next care was to +take in water, for which purpose we landed on the island of _Conchagua_; +and after some search, we found a large bottom behind the hills, in +which was a large plantain walk, and a large reservoir of rain water, +which came from the mountains. This was very inconvenient, as we were +forced to carry all our water over a high hill, which we could hardly +climb by ourselves; but there was no alternative, and we set to work to +cut down the bushes in our way, to make a clear path. After this, as the +hill was very steep on the land side towards the bottom whence we had to +fetch water, we cut steps in the hill with axes and shovels; and our +sail-maker made a hose or canvass pipe of ninety fathoms long, which +carried the water from the top of the hill down to our water cask at its +foot towards the sea. We then fell to work, each man having a six gallon +keg, in which the water was carried to the top of the hill, where it was +emptied into the hose. We were thus employed four days, in which time +we filled twenty-six tons, which we carried on board. The 31st January, +we all went to the plantain walk, where we cut down as many plantains as +we could carry, with which we returned on board our ship, meaning to set +sail next day. + +This evening, two of the men who had agreed to remain with Captain +Dampier, left him and came over to us, so that our number was now +thirty-five, viz. thirty-four English, and a little negro boy we had +taken from the Spaniards. While we were employed in watering our bark, +the men on board the St George were busied in refitting that ship as +well as they could; the carpenter stopping up the shot-holes in the +powder-room with tallow and charcoal, not daring, as he said, to drive a +nail, for fear of making it worse. The four great guns, which usually +stood between decks, were put down into the hold, there being sixteen +besides, which was more than they now had men to manage, as there only +remained twenty-eight men and boys with Captain Dampier, who were mostly +landsmen, a very insignificant force indeed with which to make war on a +whole nation. + + +SECTION II. + +_Sequel of the Voyage of William Funnell, after his Separation from +Captain Dampier_. + +We left the Gulf of Amapalla on the 1st February, 1705, where Captain +Dampier remained at anchor in the St George, having a fine gale of wind +at N.E. While in any of the harbours on the coast of Mexico, we were +seldom allowed any thing except flour, only that we used to go on shore, +and found on the rocks plenty of concks, oysters, muscles, and other +shell-fish, on which we made many a hearty meal. Being now bound, as we +hoped, for a land of plenty, we bore hunger and short commons with great +patience, of which we had much need, as our allowance was no more than +half a pound of coarse flour a day to each man, and two ounces of salt +meat every other day. Our vessel was a small bark of about seventy tons +with two masts, which we had taken from the Spaniards, which was so +eaten with worms while in the Gulf of Amapalla, that she already began +to grow very leaky. To add to our distress, we had no carpenter, neither +had we a doctor or any medicines, if any of us happened to fall sick, +and we had no boat to aid us if our vessel should fail. The carpenter, +doctor, and boat being all left with Captain Dampier. Yet, trusting to +God's providence, who had already delivered us out of so many dangers, +we proceeded on our voyage to India; and a bolder attempt was perhaps +never made by such a handful of men in so frail a bark, and nothing but +our anxious desire to revisit our native country could have supported us +under all the difficulties and dangers of this extensive voyage. + +The prospect of our difficulties gave us spirit and resolution to +provide against them; and in a council, which we held on this occasion, +we determined on the course we were to pursue, and the allowance of +provisions during the course. We knew the wind we now had was merely a +land breeze, and that by running 100 leagues out to sea we should fall +in with the regular trade-wind, which blows always N.E. or E.N.E. our +first purpose was, therefore, to get into the latitude of 13° N. which +is that of Guam, and then to bear away before the wind in that parallel. +This resolution was formed on the 2d February, all which day and most of +the ensuing night we had fine calm weather, and caught abundance of +_yellow-tails_, which swam about the vessel. This fish is about four +feet long, having twenty fins on its back; a middling one behind the +head, a large one on the middle of the back, and eighteen small ones +between that and the tail. It has a large fin on each side near the +gills, and thirteen under the belly, viz. a middling one under the +gills, a large one near the middle of the belly, which goes in with a +dent, and eleven small ones between that and the tail, which is yellow +and half-mooned. This fish has a very great head, with large eyes, and +is good eating, having no bones except the back-bone. It is all white, +except the tips of the fins and the tail, which, are yellow. These fish +were very acceptable to us, as we fed upon them for three days, saving +our other provisions. On the 3d February, five or six turtles came near +our bark, two of which we caught, which also served to save our scanty +store of provisions, which otherwise had not sufficed to keep us from +starving. + +On the evening of the 3d February, having a brisk gale from the land at +N.E. we took our departure from _Mount St Miguel_ in the Gulf of +Amapalla, steering S.W. and S.S.W. till we were in the lat. of 10° N. +when falling in with the tradewind, we set our course W.N.W. we then +made studding-sails to our main and main-top sails, which we hoisted +every morning at day-break, and hauling down at sun-set, as it commonly +blew so fresh in the night that we had usually to furl our top-sail; but +the wind commonly abated at sun-rise. During our whole voyage we +steadily adhered to the rule of diet we had laid down, the slenderness +of which may be judged of by the following particulars. + +From the 3d of February to the end of that month, we fed entirely on +plantains, making two meals a day, and allowing two plantains to each +man for a meal. We had then recourse to our flour, of which half a pound +was allowed daily to each man, and two ounces every other day of salt +beef or pork; but the meat had been so long in salt, that it shrunk one +half when boiled, wherefore we concluded it was better to eat it raw, +which we did as long as it lasted. By the beginning of April that began +to fail, so that we were reduced to flour alone, which was sore spoiled, +being full of maggots, spiders, and other vermin, so that nothing but +the extremity of want could have induced us to eat it. It was surprising +to behold this strange alteration in the flour, which only a few days +before was white and fine, and was now in a manner all alive, the +maggots tumbling over each other in prodigious numbers. On strict +enquiry, these maggots seemed to proceed from the eggs of spiders +deposited among the flour, out of which the maggots were bred, and then +fed voraciously on the flour. Words can only faintly describe the +miseries of our situation, which was somewhat alleviated by work, and +our spirits were buoyed up by the hopes of accomplishing our long and +difficult voyage. Some occasional assistance we derived by now and then +catching a dolphin. At other times we saw many sea fowl, such as +boobies, noddies, and others, which would come and perch on some part of +our rigging, and happy was he that could catch one. In this manner we +spent ten weeks, at the end of which we were in a very melancholy +condition, and nothing but the hope of seeing land could possibly keep +us from despair. + +The 10th of April, we observed the clouds to gather more than usual in +the horizon, which is a sure indication of land, as it is common between +the tropics to be foggy over the land, though perfectly clear at sea; +wherefore we kept an anxious look-out all this night, and early in the +morning of the 11th, we saw the island of _Magon_ W. ten leagues +distant. This is a high woody island, very plain, and green on the top. +When within a mile of this island, we lay to, and several fishing boats +came to us, bringing us fish, yams, eggs, potatoes, and other +provisions, to our great joy. The men in these boats were very tall and +large-limbed, of tawny complexions, with long black hair reaching to +their middles, and were all utterly stark naked, not even covering their +parts of shame. In exchange for what we had of these people we offered +them money, which they looked at and returned, making signs to give them +tobacco, which we did, and they seemed much pleased. We also gave them +some old shirts, which they tore in pieces and wrapped round their +heads. We would have given each a dram of brandy, but they were afraid +of it; only one man accepted a glass, which he drank off, but we thought +he would never have closed his mouth again, he seemed so astonished at +the heat it left in his mouth and stomach, that I believe he thought +himself on fire. He lay down and roared like a bull near half an hour, +when he fell asleep; and we being in haste, put him into his boat, +making signs to his companions to take care of him. + +These islanders seemed a very civil people, yet we did not venture to +allow too many of them to come on board at once. When they first came +near us, they tied two sticks together in form of a cross, which they +held up, as we supposed, to signify to us that they had some knowledge +of Christianity; whereupon we shewed them a crucifix, we had taken from +the Spaniards, at the sight of which they all bowed their bodies, and +came on board. This island of Magon, as I reckoned, is in lat. 15° N. +and we made its longitude by computation, 120° 9' W. from _St Miguel_, +or 7029 English miles, allowing 58-1/2 miles to the degree of longitude +in this parallel.[210] + +[Footnote 210: From the sequel, this island of Magon appears almost +certainly to have been one of the Ladrones, perhaps to the N.E. of Guam, +now named Rota. Point Candadillo, near San Miguel, the N.W. cape of the +Gulf of Amapalla, is in long. 87° 58' W. and the Ladrones are in long. +216° W. from Greenwich, so that the difference, or run across the +Pacific, is 128° 2', which, at 58-1/2 miles, extend to 7590 miles, +besides the allowance for difference of latitude.--E.] + +On mature deliberation, we resolved to proceed directly from this place +to New Guinea, without putting in at the island of Guam, which was in +sight. The weather continued fair, and the wind brisk and favourable, +till we came into the latitude of 4° N. when we had a calm for seven +days, during which time we had no means of relieving our hunger, except +by taking large draughts of water, and then lying down to sleep. On the +3d May we had a fine gale, which continued till the 5th, and then died +quite away before we got sight of land; but about ten that night we were +all sensible of a very odoriferous smell, whence we concluded that we +were near land, on which we examined our charts, but found none laid +down. Next morning, however, we saw land at no great distance. This day +also we caught two bonetoes, which were most welcome, as they made a +hearty meal to our whole company. This fish is commonly about three feet +long and two in circumference, having a very sharp head, with a small +mouth, full eyes, and a semilunar tail. It is very fleshy, and makes +good broth. About noon we were in sight of three small islands, all low +land, but very green and pleasant, especially to us, who had been so +long of seeing any land. We had this day an observation of the sun, by +which we found our latitude to be 50' N. and as the eastermost of these +islands was four leagues S.E. of the ship, it must of consequence be in +lat. 0° 42' N.[211] + +[Footnote 211: The only islands in modern maps which agree with the +slight notice in the text, are Frevilla, or St David's Isle,, nearly in +lat. 1° N. and long. 135° E. from Greenwich: Yet it is singular that +Funnell should have passed through the numerous group of the Carolines +without seeing any of them.--E.] + +As we were fearful of entering upon an unknown coast in the dark, we +stood off all night, which was well for us, as we found ourselves at +day-break next morning, 7th May, within a ship's length of a great reef +of rocks, which extended from one island to the other, and thinking to +have gone between the islands, we had nearly run upon this dangerous +ledge. Having a small breeze from shore we were fortunately able to +stand off, and went to the westermost island, because we saw many shoals +off the others. The rocks we were so near running upon were off the +northmost isle, which we named the Island of _Deceit_. On getting near +the westermost island which was the biggest of the three, forty or fifty +of their flying proas came off, in which there might be 450 men, +allowing ten to each proa, and we could also see multitudes of people on +the shore looking at us as we passed. The flying proas kept at a +distance from us, till we beckoned and made signs for them to come near, +and at length one came within a ship's length, in which were ten men +entirely naked, in the midst of whom was a grave old man of a pleasant +countenance, entirely naked like the rest, except that he had a +four-cornered cap on his head without a crown. By the respect shewn him +by all the rest in the boat, we judged this man to be a king or prince. +On their approach, they sung a song which continued near a quarter of an +hour, and had a very pretty tune. When this was done, they came almost +close to our vessel, and then sung another song, which was begun by the +old man, and followed by all the rest in the boat. At the end of which, +they put themselves in a posture of prayer, making many bows and cringes +towards us; and then one of the men in the boat, who had a very sore +leg, held it up to us, as if desiring us to cure it, whence we supposed +they had never seen white men before, and deemed us more than mortals. + +After some time, we made signs to let them know we wanted victuals and +drink, when they shook their heads as if by way of denial. Seeing us +proceeding towards the island, one of the men in the boat blew a horn, +on which all the other boats made boldly towards us; and thinking they +meant to board us, we fired a junket over their heads to intimidate +them, at the noise of which they seemed much surprised and drew back, +menacing us at a distance with their paddles, and still following. +Seeing such multitudes on the shore, and finding we could have nothing +from them but by force, and besides not having anchors and cables on +which we could depend, or any boat in which to land, we concluded that +we could do no good here; and on examining our water, which was found +sufficient for eighteen days, at a quart each man daily, we resolved to +quit these islands, and trust to Providence for guiding us to some more +friendly place, where we might supply our wants. So we left these +islands, naming the westermost the Island of _Disappointment_, because +we made certain of procuring water here, but could not. + +These three islands were all low, flat, and almost even with the water, +yet full of trees of various sorts, all very green and flourishing; and +doubtless, if we had possessed a boat, we must have found something +beneficial to ourselves, perhaps useful to our country, as we might also +at several other islands which we afterwards passed. The inhabitants of +most of these islands were a very large and strong-boned race of men, +having long black lank hair reaching to their middles, and were all +entirely naked, not so much as covering their parts of shame; and I +certainly never saw such, a parcel of stout-limbed men together in all +my life. These islands, therefore, are abundantly peopled, though they +were utterly averse from any communication with us, perhaps from a +notion that all whites are Spaniards; and yet it is not quite clear that +even the Spaniards have ever attempted to form a settlement at any of +these islands. + +We left these islands with a fresh breeze at E. steering S.W. and +continually met with weeds and grass on our way, which made us believe +we were not far from land, yet we had no ground with 100 fathoms. Early +in the morning of the 9th May, we descried the coast of New Guinea, more +than eighteen or nineteen leagues distant. We now saw the necessity of +constructing a boat, with a few old boards and such other materials as +we had, though not quite suitable for the purpose; and though neither +strong nor handsome, it proved exceeding useful in the sequel. On the +9th we had very bad weather, the wind shifting to every point of the +compass. This part of New Guinea appeared very mountainous, black, and +rocky, without harbour, bay, or road, in which we might anchor in +safety. The mountains seemed so bleak and barren, and the vallies so +deep and narrow, that at first we conceived the country to be +uninhabited; neither did we afterwards see any inhabitants or signs of +any. That same day we passed two small islands, each about a league in +length, which were very low, and well clothed with small green trees. At +the same time we saw part of the great island of Gilolo, at the distance +of eight leagues, and held our course W.S.W.[212] intending to pass +through between that island and New Guinea, into the East Indian Sea. + +[Footnote 212: The only way of explaining this part of the text, is by +supposing Funnel may have mistaken the island of Waygoo for a part of +New Guinea, and even the N.W. point of that island is at least sixty +leagues from the S.W. leg or peninsula of Gilolo, to which the direction +of his course certainly points.--E.] + +We had very bad weather till the 11th of May, and the night being very +dark, we missed the common passage, and found ourselves among many +small islands; and as the wind was at E. we resolved to look out for +some passage among these islands to the south. After infinite difficulty +and much danger, we at length made our way through a strait, which we +named _St John's Straits_, after the name of our bark. At this time we +were boarded by a large Indian proa, on board of which was a freeman of +Amboina, whom we acquainted with our great want of victuals, having had +nothing for a great while to support us except a scanty allowance of +spoilt flour and water, and so very little of that as hardly sufficed to +keep us alive. He told us, if we would go to the island of _Manissa_, +which was then in sight, he would be our pilot, where he had no doubt we +might have enough of rice for our money to carry us to Batavia. We +accordingly proceeded for Manissa, passing by the island of _Keylan_, +which is small and high, but well inhabited, and clothed with many kinds +of trees. Its chief produce is rice, and a few cloves; and on this +island there is a Dutch corporal with six soldiers, whose only business +is to see all the clove trees cut down and destroyed. From thence we +proceeded to Manissa, where we arrived about midnight, and came to +anchor in a small bay at the N.W. end of the island, when our Dutch +pilot sent two men ashore with a letter to the governor, acquainting him +of our urgent wants. + +Early of the 23d May, a Dutch corporal and two soldiers came on board, +and read to us a general order from the Dutch East-India Company, that +if any ships, except their own, came there to anchor, they were not to +be supplied with any thing whatever. We told him that extreme want of +provisions had constrained us to put in here, and that we should not +have touched any where before reaching Batavia, if we could possibly +have subsisted; wherefore we requested he would inform the governor of +our urgent wants. This he engaged to do, seeing us in a very weak +condition, and came back about four in the afternoon, saying that we +could have no provisions here, but might be supplied at Amboina. We were +forced therefore to leave this unfriendly place, and to attempt going to +Amboina, if the wind would serve. _Manissa_ is about fifteen miles from +S.E. to N.W. and about eight in breadth, in lat. 3° 25' S. and about +twenty miles west from the island of _Bonou_. It is a remarkably high +island, and pretty well inhabited by Malays, as are all the Molucca +Islands. It is surrounded by shoals almost on every side, and some of +these stretch a league and a half from the shore, so that it is very +dangerous to come near, unless with very good charts, or with an +experienced pilot. It has several good springs of fresh water, and the +Dutch have a small fort with six guns on its S.W. side. It is governed +by a Dutch serjeant, having under him three corporals, a master gunner, +and twenty European soldiers; and produces vast plenty of rice and +cloves, both of which are sent to Amboina. The inhabitants are mostly +fishers, and catch such abundance of fish as not only supplies +themselves, but enables them also to carry a great deal to Amboina. + +We stood to the S.W. having the wind at S.S.E. and blowing fresh, so +that we sailed under our courses, and were now much out of heart, not +expecting to reach Amboina, the S E. monsoon being now set in; which was +right against us. Almost in despair, we continued our course till we +were over against the island of _Bouro_, and then the wind veering to +the S.S.W. we stood away S.E. but finding a strong current setting to +leeward, we rather lost ground, and seeing no likelihood of getting to +Amboina, we, by general consent, shared among us all that was eatable on +board, each man's share being six pounds and three quarters of flour, +and five pounds of bran, every one resolving to use his share as +sparingly as possible. On the 25th, the wind veered to S.S.E. when we +tacked to S.W. and soon weathered the island of _Amblow_. This is a +small island of moderate height, in lat. 4° 5' S. tolerably furnished +with trees, but not inhabited. On the 26th, we had a fine fresh gale at +S.E. when we tacked and stood away N.E. for the island of Amboina. +Continuing the same course all the 27th, we got sight of Amboina early +in the morning of the 28th, bearing due N. about six leagues distant. We +now stood directly for the island, and about noon came just off the +harbour, a joyful sight to us then, though we soon had cause to think it +the worst thing that had befallen us. + +As we entered the harbour of Amboina, we met two Dutch ships coming out, +laden with cloves and bound for Batavia. The captain of one of these +came on board our bark, desiring to know whence we came and whither we +were bound, and required to have a journal of our voyage, promising to +return it when he again met us at Batavia. We gave him the best answers +we could to all his questions, and the agent of our owners gave him a +succinct relation of our voyage, which was of happy consequence to us, +as to that we afterwards owed our preservation as will appear in the +sequel. We stood into the harbour that night, and next morning, which, +according to our account, was Tuesday, but with the Dutch Wednesday, two +Dutch _orambies_, as they call the vessels used at that place, came on +board us, each of which was paddled by forty men. In these vessels came +the fiscal and several Dutch gentlemen, with eighty soldiers, who +immediately took possession of our bark. They also went below and sealed +up all our chests, after which the two orambies towed us farther into +the harbour, so that by noon we were up as high as the town of Amboina, +where they moored our bark in the ordinary anchorage. + +We continued on board till the 31st, two days, not knowing how they +meant to dispose of us; in which time they would not supply us with any +victuals, though we offered a crown a pound for beef, pork, or bread. In +the evening of this day they took us all on shore, lodging us in two +rooms near the Stadt-house, our bark, with all our money and goods, +being taken from us, except what we happened to have about our persons, +and soon after our vessel and goods were sold by auction. We were fed +with bad meat, which our stomachs could ill digest, being very weak with +having been so long on short allowance, and if we desired to have better +we had to buy it with our own money. Several of us had fortunately some +money about us, and as long as that lasted we purchased provisions from +our keeper. For a Spanish dollar, which was worth five shillings and a +penny, he would only give us five Dutch _skellings_, or the value of +about two and six-pence; and even for this he gave us no more victuals +than we could have bought for five-pence, if we had been at liberty to +go into the town; so that, instead of five shillings for the Spanish +dollar, we in reality had only five-pence. During my leisure, I had many +opportunities of enquiring into the condition of Amboina, by which I was +enabled to draw up a pretty large account of the island and its +inhabitants, which I flatter myself will be acceptable to the public, as +the Dutch are careful to prevent any accounts of this place from being +published. + +This _island of Amboina_, so famous, or rather infamous, for the +cruelties and injustice formerly committed there by the Dutch upon the +English, is twelve leagues long from N. to S. being high and +mountainous, with intermediate vallies, which are very fertile, but the +hills are in a great measure barren. The soil of the vallies is black, +and affords salt-petre. The middle of the island is in lat. 3° 40' S. +The original inhabitants of the island are Malays, who are of middle +stature and tawny complexions. The women are brighter than the men, and +have long black hair, reaching to the calves of their legs. They have +round faces, with small mouths, noses, and eyes. Their dress is a linen +or cotton waistcoat, reaching only below their breasts, and a cloth +round their waists, four yards long and a yard broad, which serves as a +petticoat, as the Dutch women only are permitted to wear petticoats; +neither are any of the men allowed to wear hats, except the king or +rajah. The natives are numerous, yet the Dutch possess the whole +sea-coast, and have here a strong castle, built of stone, mounted by +sixty pieces of cannon, besides several small forts in other parts of +the island. Near the castle is a small town of about 100 houses, of +stone, brick, or timber, inhabited by the Dutch. None of the houses +exceed one storey, as the place is subject to earthquakes, which would +endanger the houses if higher, and even low as they are they often fall. +While we were there we had a great earthquake for two days, which did +much mischief as the ground opened in several places, and swallowed up +several houses with their inhabitants. Several of their people were dug +out of the ruins, but most of them dead, and many others had their legs +and arms broken by the fall of the houses. Where we were, the ground +swelled up like a wave of the sea, but no damage was done. + +This island is governed by a council of five, consisting of the +governor, the senior merchant, or _ober koop-man_, the Malay king, the +captain of the fort, and the fiscal, which last is the judge. There are +said to be on the island 350 Dutch soldiers, with 120 or 130 Dutch +freemen and petty officers, and about as many Chinese, who reside here +for the benefit of trade, though not allowed to participate in the spice +trade, which the Dutch reserve entirely to themselves. I thus estimate +that the Dutch are able to muster in this island about 550 fighting men, +including themselves and the Chinese; for they can count very little on +the Malays, who would gladly join any other nation against them. The +Malay women are said to be very loose, and not ashamed of having +intercourse with men. They are soon ripe, being often married at nine +years of age, and are said to have children by ten or eleven. All who +reside near the coast must live under the Dutch government, which is +very dissolute and tyrannical, and they are severely punished for even +small faults, being often reduced to slavery, and condemned to wear an +iron on their legs for life. Those dwelling near the coast under the +controul of the Dutch are a kind of Christians; but those in the +interior, among the hills, are Mahometans, and are always at war with +the Dutch. When these hill Malays take any prisoners, they never give +quarter; but, after detaining their prisoners a few days, without meat +or drink, they are produced in public, and have their breasts ripped +open, and their hearts taken out, all the Malays present making great +rejoicings. The heads of these slaughtered prisoners are then embalmed +with spice, and those who can shew the greatest number of Dutch heads +are held in highest honour. In retaliation, when the Dutch take any of +these hill Malays, they load them with irons, and after keeping them +some days in prison, they cut off their ears and noses, and after being +kept some time longer in prison, they are publicly racked to death. + +When any of the Malays, living under the Dutch government, are found +guilty of thieving, their ears and noses are cut off, and a great iron +chain is fastened to their legs, in which condition they are made slaves +for life. While we were there, about 500 poor wretches were in this +condition, who were kept constantly employed, in sawing timber, cutting +stones for building, carrying burdens, or other work. They are let out +of prison at sunrise, the men being kept in one prison and the women in +another, and are kept hard at work till noon, when they return to prison +for an hour, being allowed for dinner a pint of coarse boiled rice for +each. They return again to work at one o'clock, and return to prison at +six in the evening, when they have a similar allowance for supper. Soon +afterwards they are locked up in their lodgings, where they lie on the +bare boards, having only a piece of wood for a pillow. Sometimes these +poor wretches make shift to escape, but are used with great severity if +again caught. One of the female slaves having escaped, and being +retaken, cut her own throat to avoid the severe punishment awaiting her, +when she was dragged out by the hair all round the town, and then hung +on a gibbet by the feet. Such as are in debt, and cannot satisfy their +creditors, are turned over by their creditors to the Dutch company, who +send them to work among their slaves, having the same allowance of +boiled rice with the rest, with two-pence a day towards paying their +debts; but they seldom get free till carried out dead. + +Though the poor natives are thus harshly treated, the Dutch wink at the +faults of their countrymen, who are seldom punished for any crime, +unless it be for murder, as in any other case they get off for a small +sum of money, even for a great fault. The women slaves belonging to the +free Dutch burgesses have all reasonable indulgence, but are obliged to +find their own clothes and provisions, and pay an acknowledgement of +about a sixpence daily, in default of which they are severely used. If +they bring the daily tribute, they may whore or steal, and have no +questions asked, provided no complaint is made against them. The chief +products of this island are cloves, ginger, pepper, rattans, canes, and +a few nutmegs. + +The clove-tree is rather slender, and is from twelve to thirty or even +forty feet high, having small branches, with tapering leaves about five +inches long and two broad, which smell strong of cloves, when rubbed +between the fingers. The cloves grow out at the tips of the branches, +ten, twelve, or fourteen in a cluster, being white at first, then green, +and lastly of a dark copper colour, in which state they are ripe and fit +for gathering. At this period, they spread cloths or sheets on the +ground round the bottom of the tree to a good distance, and shake the +tree, when all the ripe cloves fall down. This is repeated every six or +seven days for four or five times, till all the cloves have ripened and +are shaken off. The usual time of gathering is October and February, +those got in October, which is the end of their winter, being called +_winter cloves_, and are not accounted so strong and good as the others. +These are commonly preserved in small jars of about a quart each, of +which great quantities are sent to various parts of the world. Those +gathered in February are termed summer cloves, being better and stronger +than the others, as ripening in the best part of the summer; whereas the +former have not above a month of fair weather, all the rest of their +winter season, which is our summer, being rainy and cloudy, so that the +cloves want sun to ripen them. It is a common opinion, but extremely +erroneous, that cloves, nutmegs, and mace grow all on one tree. One +clove-tree commonly produces sixty, seventy, or eighty pounds of cloves +in one season; and every sixth year they are sure to have a double crop. + +There are a vast number of clove-trees on this island, which are +carefully looked after, and a register of them is kept in the books of +the company, being all numbered once every year, and they are not +allowed to increase beyond a certain limited number, for fear of +lessening the price, all beyond being cut down. All these trees belong +to the Company, or the free burgesses, every burgess having only a fixed +number; and if any one is found to have more than his allowance, he is +severely fined, and all his trees forfeited to the company. Besides, the +burgesses are bound to deliver the whole produce of their trees to the +company at six-pence the pound. If any freeman or other is convicted of +having sold or conveyed cloves from the island, to the value of ten +pounds, his whole property is forfeited to the company, and he becomes a +slave for life. The inhabitants used formerly to cheat the Dutch in the +sale of their cloves, in the following manner. They hung up their cloves +in a large sheet by the four corners, and set a large tub of water +underneath, which the cloves, being of a very hot and dry nature, drew +up by degrees, and thus made a large addition to their weight. But the +Dutch are now too cunning for them, as they always try the cloves, by +giving them a small filip on the head with the forefinger: if thoroughly +ripe, and no deceit has been used, the head breaks off like a piece of +thin brittle glass; but if watered, the clove is tough, and will sooner +bend than break. + +The _nutmeg-tree_ is much like the peach, and there are a few of these +in this island, but they grow mostly on the island of Banda, whence two +or three ship-loads are exported yearly. The fruit of this tree consists +of four parts. The first and outer rind is like that of a green walnut. +The second, which we call _mace_, is dry and thin. The third is a tough +thin shell, like that of a chesnut; and the fourth is the _nutmeg_, +being the kernel included in that shell. + +There are said to be some gold-mines in the island of Amboina; and a +Malay once shewed me some of the ore, which, he said, came from these +mines: but he said, at the same time, that he would be severely punished +if the Dutch knew of his having any, as they wish, as much as possible, +to keep this from the knowledge of all other Europeans. + +Once every year the Dutch have to send a large force from Amboina on the +following business, about the 20th of October. On this occasion the +governor is attended by about seventy-five _orambies_, or boats of the +country, some rowed by 100 paddles, some eighty, fifty, or forty paddles +each, and in each of which there are two Dutch soldiers. I reckon +therefore in this fleet 150 to 160 Dutch soldiers, and about 5250 +Malays, allowing seventy to each _oramby_ on the average. These +seventy-five _orambies_ are divided into three squadrons. The +van-division of twenty _orambies_, is always commanded by a member of +the council, who carries a yellow flag. The rear-squadron consists also +of twenty _orambies_, and is commanded by the fiscal, having a red flag. +The rest form the centre-squadron, and attend the governor, who has a +serjeant and corporal, with twelve Dutch soldiers, for his body guard, +and carries a blue flag. The governor is also attended by the Malay king +and all their princes or chiefs, lest they should rebel in his absence. +In this order the fleet proceeds to visit and victual the eastern, or +Banda islands, especially those that produce cloves or nutmegs; and at +every island it goes to, it is joined by additional boats. This cruize +generally lasts for six weeks, during which they cut down and destroy +all the clove and nutmeg-trees they can find, except those which are +reserved for the use of the company. All or most of these islands would +produce cloves, but they will not suffer them, having enough at Amboina +alone to supply all Europe. On all of these islands the Dutch keep a few +soldiers, three, six, nine, or twelve, according to their size, whose +only business is to see the trees cut down, or at least to take care +that they do not increase; as they are very jealous lest the English or +French should serve them as they did the English at Amboina. During this +annual expedition, the governor levies tribute from all the petty kings +and chiefs of these islands, and commonly returns to Amboina at the end +of six weeks. + +The island of Amboina produces beavers, hogs, and deer, besides other +animals. Among its birds are crocadores, cassawaries, birds of paradise, +and others. The _crocadore_, or _cockatoo_, is of various sizes, some as +large as a hen, and others no bigger than a pigeon, being all over +white, except a crest of feathers on the top of their head, which is +always either yellow or red. This bunch of feather usually lies flat, in +a dent, or hollow, on the crown of the head, unless when the bird is +frightened, when it is erected, and opens like a fan. The flesh and legs +of this bird are very black, and they smell very sweet. When they fly up +and down the woods, they cry _crocadore, crocadore_, or _cockatoo, +cockatoo_, whence their name. The _cassowary_ is as large as a Virginia +turkey, having a head nearly the same with the turkey, with a long stiff +bunch of hair on his breast, also like the turkey. His legs are almost +as thick as a man's wrist, having five great claws on each foot. The +back is high and round, both it and the pinions being covered with long +hair instead of feathers. The female of this bird lays an egg so large +that its shell will hold an English pint of fluid, having a thick shell, +spotted with green and white, and exactly like China-ware. I never +tasted the eggs of this bird, but its flesh is good eating, resembling +that of a turkey, but stronger. + +The _birds of paradise_ are about the size of pigeons, and are never +seen here alive, neither is it known whence they come. I have seen +several of them at Amboina preserved in spice, in which state they are +sent as rarities to several parts of the world. These birds are said to +resort, in February and March, when the nutmegs are ripe, to Banda and +Amboina, where they feed on the outer rind of the nutmeg, after which +they fall to the ground, quite stupified, or as it were dead drunk, when +innumerable ants gather about them, and eat them up. There are here many +kinds of fish, but the most remarkable is the _sea-porcupine_, which is +about three feet long, and two and a half feet round, having large eyes, +two fins on the back, and a large fin on each side, near the gills. Its +body is all beset with sharp spines, or quills, like a porcupine, whence +its name is derived. + +All round Amboina the bottom is sand, but the water is so deep that +there is no anchorage near its shores, except to leeward, or on the west +side, where a ship may anchor in forty fathoms, close to the shore in +the harbour. This harbour runs so deep into the island as almost to +divide it into two, which are joined by so narrow a neck of land that +the Malays often haul their canoes across. On the east side of the entry +into the harbour there is a small fort of six guns, close to which the +depth is twenty fathoms. About a league farther up is the usual +anchorage for ships, close under the guns of the great castle, which has +been called _Victoria_ ever since the massacre of the English at this +place. About two miles farther to the N.E. and within the harbour, is +the place where the English factory formerly stood; and near it is the +hole into which the English were said to have been thrown after the +massacre. Few of us who were now here but expected the same fate; and +some of the inhabitants did not scruple to say that our only protection +was our journal, which had been sent to Batavia by the Dutch ship we met +when going into the harbour; as by this it would soon be known all over +India that a part of Captain Dampier's crew had arrived at Aniboina, +which would cause us to be enquired after. + +A little to the eastward of Amboina there are several other small +islands, the most noted of which are _Boangbessay_ and _Hinomsa_, only a +small distance east from Amboina. These two islands are moderately high, +and not above a third part so large as Amboina. They are both well +fortified, and produce store of cloves. The chief place for nutmegs is +the island of _Banda_, which also belongs to the Dutch, being in lat. 4° +20' S. 28 leagues S.S.E. from Amboina. This island is said to have the +form of a man's leg and foot, and is well fortified. The governor of +Amboina is supreme over all the spice islands, even to _Ternate_ and +_Tidore_, which are also spice islands belonging to the Dutch, and are +about forty miles to the north of the equator. We were so troubled at +Amboina by musquitoes, a sort of gnats, that we had every night to put +ourselves into a bag before we could go to sleep, as otherwise these +insects bit us so intolerably that we could get no rest. Wherever they +bit, there commonly rose a red blister, almost as broad as a silver +penny, which itched so violently that many cannot forbear from +scratching, so as to cause inflammations that sometimes aid in the loss +of a limb. During our stay, we were allowed to walk in a paved yard +about sixty yards square; but were not permitted to go into the town, +that we might not learn their strength, or make any discoveries +prejudicial to them. + +We remained at Amboina from the 31st of May to the 14th of September, +1705, when three of their sloops were ready to sail with cloves to +Batavia, in which twenty-five of our men were sent away to Batavia, ten +of us being left behind, who they said were to be sent in another +vessel, almost ready to sail. On the 27th September, a Malay man was +brought to the Stadt-house to be tried for his life, being accused by +his own wife of having murdered his slave. The slave had been dead six +months, when the wife falling out with her husband, she went to the +fiscal in the heat of her rage and revealed the murder, on which the +husband was thrown into prison, but it was generally believed that he +was wrongfully accused by his wife. During his trial the earthquake took +place, formerly mentioned, which made the court break up, fearful the +house might fall on their heads. At this time I observed that it is an +error to suppose that it is always calm during an earthquake; for we had +a fine fresh gale at S.S.W. both days on which the earthquake happened. +Next day the court sat about eleven o'clock, continuing the trial; and +while the wife was in her greatest violence in the accusation of her +husband, the earth shook again with much violence, which obliged the +court again to break up. + +That same day, the 28th September, I and four more of our men were sent +off for Batavia in a Chinese sloop, the other five men being promised to +be sent after us in a short time, but we never heard of them afterwards. +We sailed westwards till we came to the island of Lancas, in lat. 5° 27' +S. and by my estimation, 2° 21', or 155 miles W. from Amboina. We then +steered W. by N. till we made two islands called the _Cabeses_, whence +we procured some hundred cocoa nuts. The eastermost island, to which we +sent our boat, is low and uninhabited, but has been planted full of +cocoa-nut trees by the Dutch, for the use of their vessels going between +the spice islands and Batavia, as it is a kind of miracle to see any +other ship in these parts except those belonging to the Dutch. Off this +island we met our own bark which had brought us from America to Amboina, +the Dutch having fitted her up with a main-mast and converted her into a +very good vessel. This island is in lat. 5° 23' S. and nearly W. by N. +from the island of Lancas, about forty-five miles distant, and has a +shoal extending about two miles from the shore. To the S.W. of this is +the other island of _Cabeses_, a pretty high island, on which the Dutch +always keep a corporal and two soldiers, who go two or three times all +over the isle to see that no cloves are planted, and if they find any to +cut them down and burn them, lest any other nation might be able to +procure that commodity, in which case Amboina would become of little +value, as cloves are its only valuable product. + +We next passed by the S. end of the island of _Bouton_, or _Booton_, +which is pretty large, and in the lat. of 5° 45' S. We steered W. from +thence, between the islands _Celebes_ and _Zalayer_ or _Salayr_. The +S.W. leg or peninsula of Celebes is very high land. Celebes is composed +of very high land, very well inhabited, being a very large island, +extending through seven degrees of latitude. On the west side of its +southern end the Dutch have a factory named Macasser, where they have a +fortress of about seventy guns, and a garrison of 600 or 700 Dutch +soldiers. The chief product is rice, with which they supply most of +their eastern islands from hence. There are said to be gold-mines in +this island, of which the Dutch are not yet masters, as the inhabitants +are often at war with them, and have hitherto been able to keep them +from those parts of the island. Between the south end of Celebes and the +island of Salayr there are three small low islands, and the best channel +is through between the island next to Salayr, and another small isle to +the northward. This is called the _second_ passage, the first, third, +and fourth of these passages being very dangerous, so that ships +generally avoid them if possible. I would willingly give an account of +every island I have occasion to mention, but as that is not in my power, +I must rest satisfied with what I am able to say consistent with truth. + +The island of _Zalayer_, or _Salayr_, is of moderate height, inhabited +by Malays, and planted all round with cocoa-trees, the natives being +obliged to send a considerable quantity of nuts and oil to the Dutch at +Macasser as tribute. We steered from hence W. by N. till we had passed a +dangerous shoal called the Porill, after which we stood to the S.W. and +saw in the night a small island just in our way, which we were unable to +weather, and therefore stood off till daylight, when we were to the S. +of that isle, when we tacked and stood again S.W. and soon after saw two +other small isles bearing from N. to N.W. For about two miles of our +course at this time, the sea was so transparent that we could plainly +discern the bottom, which was never less than five or more than six +fathoms, yet appeared only two to the eye. We passed over this shoal +about a league to the S. of these two small islands, this being the +narrowest part of the shoal, for it is five or six leagues in breadth +farther to the south; yet is it every where without danger, as it has +very uniform soundings, seldom over or under five or six fathoms. To the +north of these islands, however, it is very dangerous, being all over +foul rocky ground, and having in some places not more than four or five +feet water; it is proper, therefore, always to keep to the south of +these islands, where the passage is perfectly safe. Yet in the Dutch +charts, these dangers are laid down to the southward, which should have +been to the northwards, and they lay down the safe shoals to the +northward, whereas we now went to the southwards, as they always do. +The captain of our vessel had a chart on board, which shewed these +things exactly as I have now described, but which I compared with +several others, also on board, which I found quite different. I asked +our captain the reason of this, when he told me that all these shoals +and dangerous places were well known to the Hollanders, but they did not +wish they should be known by others, but rather that strangers might +lose their ships among these rocks and shoals, as we certainly had done, +if we had sailed according to these common charts. + +We entered the harbour of Batavia on the 21st October, and sent +immediately on landing to join the rest of our men, who were still +detained in custody. We were soon afterwards visited by the first major, +who desired us to transmit to the general, through him, an account of +the losses we had sustained by our being taken prisoners at Amboina, and +we should receive compensation for our effects, loss of time, and +imprisonment. We each accordingly drew up accounts of our losses, which +we sent by the major to the governor, who sent us back word that we +should speedily have our freedom. On the 27th we were sent for to the +fort, where most of our money was returned; but we could have no +satisfaction for our goods, imprisonment, and loss of time, the +governor-general saying that he had given us all that had been sent to +him as ours by the governor of Amboina, and that we were now at liberty +to go where we pleased. As our vessel had been taken from us for the use +of the Dutch Company, we desired he would be pleased to find us some +ship for our return home, which he promised; with which arrangement we +were forced to be satisfied, and took lodgings in the city of Batavia, +till an opportunity might offer for our return to Europe. In the course +of seven weeks residence here, I made all the observations I could upon +this place and its inhabitants. I found the city in as good a condition +as could be wished, and the people seemed to be as prudent and as +industrious as any I had ever seen: But, as the descriptions already +published of this place are so exact as to render my observations +superfluous, I shall content myself with a very short description, +referring the curious reader to the large accounts that have been +published by Dutch, French, and English writers, but especially the +first. + +BATAVIA is the chief place belonging to the Hollanders in India, and +receives all the productions of India, Japan, and China. The Malays are +the original natives; but besides these and the Dutch, who are the +masters, it is inhabited by Portuguese, Chinese, Persians, and negroes. +The town is large and handsome, having seven churches, belonging to the +Dutch, Portuguese, Malays, and Chinese.[213] The town has many spacious +houses built in the European manner, and is walled and moated all round, +the ramparts being well provided with cannon. In the middle of the city +there is a spacious square, in which is the stadt-house, where all +public matters are transacted. This city is usually governed by a member +of the States-General of the United Netherlands, with the title of +Governor-General of India, all other governors of the possessions +belonging to the Dutch Company being subordinate to his authority. The +inhabitants are well pleased in the governor-general being often +changed, as all prisoners are released at the installation of a new one, +except those charged with murder. He has twelve counsellors to assist +him, who are called the _rads_, or lords of India, and are mostly such +as have formerly been governors in other places, as in Ceylon, Amboina, +Malacca, &c. + +[Footnote 213: This seems to indicate that, of the seven _churches_, +some belong to the Dutch Calvinists and Portuguese Roman Catholics, +while others are Mahometan places of worship for the Malays, and idol +temples, or _pagodas_, frequented by the Chinese.--E] + +The city is divided by many canals, over which there are bridges almost +at the end of every street, together with booms to lay across, that no +boats may go in or out after sunset. The chief product of the adjoining +country is pepper, of which the Dutch export great quantities every +year; and there are also some few diamonds and other precious stones. +The chief fruits here are plantains, bananas, oranges, lemons, +mangostans, and rumbostans. The _mangostan_ is about the size of a +golden rennet, quite round, and resembling a small pomegranate, the +outer rind being like that of the pomegranate, but of a darker colour, +but the inside of the rind of a fine red. The fruit lies within the +rind, commonly in four or five cloves, of a fine white, very soft and +juicy, within each clove having a small black stone or pip. The pulp is +very delicious, but the stone is very bitter, and is therefore thrown +away, after sucking the fruit The _rumbostan_ is about the size of a +walnut after the green outside peel is off, and is nearly of the shape +of a walnut, having a thick tough outer rind of a deep red colour, full +of red knobs, within which is a white jelly-like pulp, and within that +is a large stone. The pulp is very delicate, and never does any harm, +however much of it a man may eat, providing he swallow the stones; but +otherwise they are said to produce fevers. + +This island of Java, on the north side of which Batavia is situated, +extends about ten degrees from east to west, or nearly 700 English +miles. The weather is here extremely regular, and the inhabitants know +how to use it to the best advantage. During the eastern monsoon, the +land-winds are at S.E. Sometimes more southerly; and the sea-winds blow +from the N.E. fine pleasant gales. This easterly monsoon is accounted +the good monsoon, being fine clear and fair weather, and begins in +April, ending in October. The other, or westerly, is called the bad +monsoon, consisting of blustering rainy weather, accompanied with much +thunder and lightning, especially in December, January, and February. +This bad monsoon begins in November and ends in March or the beginning +of April; during which the land-winds are W.S.W. or S.W. and the +sea-winds at N.W. and W.N.W. + +The anchoring ground all along the north side of Java, from Madura to +Batavia, is a fine oozy bottom, free from rocks. The principal places on +this side of the island are Batavia, Bantam, Japara, Samarang, Surabon, +Taggal, Quale, and Rambang; all of which are possessed by the Dutch. +These settlements afford abundance of rice, with which the Dutch supply +all their out-factories near Java, and also produce excellent plank for +ship-building. The principal place for ship-building is _Rambang_, where +the free burgesses of Batavia usually go to build their small vessels, +as sloops and brigs. Ships of five, six, and seven hundred tons, often +load with timber at Rambang, Quale, Japara, and other places; and each +ship, after being fully laden, takes a great raft or float of the +largest timber, which she tows along with her to Batavia. Some of these +rafts are said to be thirty feet square, and draw twenty feet water. +There are commonly six ships employed in this timber trade, and they +usually make four voyages yearly in the good monsoon, for in the bad +they cannot do any thing. Ail this timber is for the most part landed on +the island of _Ormrust_, between four and five leagues from Batavia, +where there are about 200 ship-carpenters, who are constantly in full +employ, and here the Dutch careen their ships. This island is well +fortified, being, to use a sea phrase, all round a bed of guns. + +We had notice on the 2d December, 1705, that all of us who wished to +return to England should immediately go on board the homeward-bound +Dutch East India fleet, which we did accordingly, and sailed next day. +This fleet consisted of twelve ships, as well provided in all respects +as any I had ever seen, and we made the voyage in good order. We arrived +at the Cape of Good Hope on the 3d February, 1706. The Dutch have here a +strong fortress, and about half a mile from this is a fine town of 150 +houses, with a small church. The country in the neighbourhood is very +high, and the mountains are mostly barren, producing only a few shrubs; +but the country is full of lions, tigers, elephants, and other wild +beasts, which give great disturbance to the settlers, for which reason +the government gives a reward of fifty-two guilders for killing a lion, +equal to four pounds six and eight-pence, and twenty-four guilders, or +forty shillings, for killing a tiger. While we were there, a certain +Scotsman killed four lions, three tigers, and three wild elephants, for +all of which he got the rewards. The Dutch make here a great quantity of +an excellent wine, called Cape wine, which is sold by retail at +eight-pence a quart. + +We sailed from the Cape the 24th of March, excellently provided with +every thing requisite for the voyage. We were now twenty-four sail, +having nine English and fifteen Dutch ships. On the 17th April we made +the island of Ascension, but did not touch there even for turtle, +although their season of laying, having been so well provided with fresh +provisions at the Cape that we had no occasion for more. On the 19th +there happened a great earthquake, when the ship seemed for some time as +if she run along the ground, on which we heaved the lead on both sides, +but had no ground at 200 fathoms. The whole fleet felt the shock at the +same time; so that for about ten minutes every ship was making signals +and firing guns. On the 14th June we saw four sail of French privateers, +which were waiting for us; but after looking at us for some time, and +observing the regular order in which we sailed, they did not think it +adviseable to make any attempt against us, and bore away. This shewed +the great advantage of the regular order observed by the Dutch in +sailing, in which on this occasion they were imitated by the English +ships in company. + +On the 30th June we were in lat. 62° 40' N. the highest north I was ever +in, and I could not help noticing the great difference in point of cold +here and in 60° S. There we had continual showers of snow or hail, with +bitter cold weather; while here the weather was fair, and the cold +moderate. In the evening of the 3d July we saw the Faro Islands. On the +5th we met with eight Dutch men of war, which were cruizing on purpose +to convoy us safe home, accompanied by four victuallers and three of the +Company's privateers. On the 15th July we all arrived safely in the +Texel, and got on the 17th to Amsterdam. After this, I and the rest of +our company went to see several parts of Holland, and we arrived on the +26th August, 1706, in England, after many dangers by sea and land, being +only 18 of us out of 183. The news of our misfortunes reached home +before us, and every body was solicitous to have an account of our +adventures, especially while under the power of the Dutch at Amboina. +These importunities led me to believe that a faithful relation of our +voyage would be acceptable to the public, and I hope some of the +descriptions, observations, and discoveries contained in this small +performance may be found useful, and not altogether destitute of +entertainment. + + + + +SECTION III. + +_Brief Account of Stradling, Clipperton, and Dampier, after their +respective Separations, till their Returns to England._ + +The reader may remember that Captain Dampier, in the St George, left +_Captain Stradling_ in the Cinque-ports on the 19th of May, 1704, at +King's Island, in the Bay of Panama. The force under Captain Stradling +was too insignificant to maintain him long in the South Sea, for which +reason he went to the island of Juan Fernandez in search of shelter and +refreshments. They were in so forlorn a condition at this time, that +Alexander Selkirk[214] chose rather to remain by himself in that island, +than to run the hazard of returning to the South Sea in the +Cinque-ports. In this he shewed great judgment, as the Cinque-ports +actually foundered on the coast of _Barbacora_ (Barbacoas), and only +Captain Stradling, with six or seven of his men, were saved, and sent +prisoners to Lima. Captain Stradling was alive there at the time when +Woods Rogers came into the South Sea, but what became of him afterwards +is unknown. + +[Footnote 214: This person, on whose simple adventures the romance of +Robinson Crusoe was soon afterwards founded, will be more particularly +mentioned in a subsequent chapter of this book.--E.] + +The next person who left Captain Dampier was his mate, _Mr Clipperton_ +of whom we shall have occasion to say much in a succeeding voyage round +the world. Clipperton was certainly a man of parts and resolution, and +probably would not have deserted from Captain Dampier, if he had not +thought that his commander was resolved to remain in his old crazy ship +in the South Sea till she foundered. Finding many of the crew of the +same opinion, he thought proper to leave him at the middle islands, as +already related, where it was plain to every one that the St George was +no longer fit for going to sea. Mr Clipperton set sail on the 2d +September, 1704, having twenty-one men, in a small bark of ten tons, +with two masts and two square sails, two swivels, two or three barrels +of powder, and some shot. With this inconsiderable force, he ventured +into Rio Leon, on the coast of Mexico, where he took two Spanish ships +riding at anchor. One of these was very old and worm-eaten, which he +immediately sunk. The other was new, and had goods on board to a +considerable value, and for her Captain Clipperton demanded a ransom of +10,000 dollars, by two of his prisoners whom he set on shore. The +prisoners spoke so handsomely of Clipperton that the governor resolved +to treat with him, and sent him word that he did not think his offer +unreasonable, but the owners were entirely ruined, and the town so poor +that it was impossible to comply with his terms; but if 4000 dollars +would content him, which was all they could raise, that sum should be +sent aboard, and the governor would rely on the honour of Captain +Clipperton for the release of the ship. Clipperton accepted this +proposal, but as his bark was in want of provisions and water, he sent +word to the governor, that every kind of provisions and drink were not +to be considered as within the capitulation. This was readily agreed to, +the money was sent on board, and as soon as the provisions were got out +of her, the ship was honourably restored. + +Clipperton went thence to the Bay of Salinas, where his little vessel +was drawn on shore, and cleaned and effectually refitted, after which he +resolved in this cockle-shell to sail for the East Indies, which he +actually did, keeping in the latitude of 18° N. and reached the +Philippine Islands in fifty-four days. While among these islands, a +Spanish priest came off to his bark in a canoe, and Clipperton detained +him till furnished with a supply of fresh provisions, and then set him +at liberty. His next scheme was to sail for the English settlement of +Pulo Condore, in lat 8° 40' N. off the river of Cambadia, and actually +came there: But finding that the English had been massacred by their +Indian soldiers on the 3d March, 1705, for which reason no relief or +safety could be expected there, he bore away for Macao, a port belonging +to the Portuguese on the coast of China, where he and his people +separated, every one shifting for himself as well as they could. Some +went to Benjar,[215] in order to enter into the service of the English +East India Company, while others went to Goa to serve the Portuguese, +and some even entered into the service of the Great Mogul, being so bare +after so long a voyage, that any means of providing for themselves were +desirable. Clipperton returned to England in 1706, and afterwards made +another voyage round the world in the Success, of which an account will +be found in its proper place. + +[Footnote 215: This is perhaps an error for Bombay; yet it may have been +Benjarmassin, on the southern coast of Borneo.--E.] + +It is not easy to conceive a worse situation than that in which Captain +Dampier was left at the close of the year 1704, when Mr Funnell and his +people separated from him, being only able to retain twenty-eight of his +men, and even these were prevailed upon to stay, by representing that it +was easy to surprise some Spanish village, and that the fewer they were, +each would have the greater share in the plunder. After some +consultation, they resolved to attack Puna, a hamlet or village of +thirty houses and a small church, the inhabitants of which are well to +pass, and are under the command of a lieutenant. Dampier landed here in +a dark night, and, surprizing the inhabitants in their beds, got +possession of the place with very little trouble. + +After plundering this town, they repaired to the island of _Lobos de la +Mar_, and took a small Spanish bark by the way, well furnished with +provisions. They now resolved to quit their own ship, and to endeavour +to sail for the East Indies in this small bark; and accordingly left the +St George at anchor under the island of Lobos, after taking every thing +valuable out of her. They then sailed across the Pacific Ocean to the +East Indies, and arrived at the Dutch settlements, where their bark was +seized, and they were turned adrift to shift for themselves as they best +might. Dampier returned naked to his owners, with a melancholy relation +of his unfortunate expedition, occasioned chiefly by his own strange +temper, being so self-sufficient and overbearing that few or none of his +officers could bear with him; and when once disputation gets in among +those who have the command, success is not to be expected. Even in this +distress, he was received as an eminent man, notwithstanding his +faillings, and was introduced to Queen Anne, having the honour to kiss +her hand, and to give her majesty some account of the dangers he had +undergone. The merchants were so sensible of his want of conduct, that +they resolved never to trust him any more with a command; and this, with +the poverty resulting from his late unlucky voyage, obliged him to make +the tour of the world once more as pilot to the Duke, commanded by +Captain Woods Rogers, the relation of which voyage forms the subject of +next Section. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD BY CAPTAIN WOODS ROGERS, AND STEPHEN COURTNEY, IN +1708-1711.[216] + + +INTRODUCTION. + +It has been universally allowed by all competent judges, that there +never was a voyage of this nature so excellently adjusted or so well +provided in all respects, as the present, or in which the accidents that +usually happen in privateers were so effectually guarded against; owing +to the abilities of the gentlemen at Bristol, who both charged +themselves with the expence of fitting out this expedition, and took +care of every thing relating to its being properly fitted out. Their +first care was in the choice of proper officers, in which they were very +fortunate. Captain Woods Rogers, who had the chief command, being a +bold, active, and indefatigable officer, not too ready to give up his +opinion to others, and not apt to be flattered by other people giving up +theirs to him. He had been a great sufferer by the French; but his most +singular qualities, and which chiefly recommended him to the command of +this expedition, were a peculiar felicity in maintaining authority over +his seamen, and a wonderful readiness in devising expedients under the +most difficult circumstances. + +[Footnote 216: A Cruizing Voyage round the World, &c. by Captain Woods +Rogers, 8vo. London, 1712. Voyage to the South Sea, and round the World, +&c. by Captain Edward Cooke, 2 vol. 8vo. London, 1712. Harris, I. 150. +Callender, III. 231.] + +Captain Stephen Courtney, the second in command, was a gentleman of +birth, fortune, and amiable character, who had contributed considerably +to the expence of the voyage, and went in the expedition that he might +see how it was conducted, and either be able to prevent miscarriages, or +at least to make a faithful report of its incidents. Captain Thomas +Dover, the third in command, was a proprietor also. He was bred a +physician, and afterwards made a noise in the world by recommending the +use of crude mercury. He was a man of rough temper, and could not easily +agree with those about him, yet his morose disposition hindered him from +making any party to support him in his ill humours. Captain Cooke, +fourth in command, was second to Captain Courtney. The pilot in the +larger ship was Captain William Dampier, who was now to proceed for the +fourth time into the South Sea, where his name and exploits were well +known and terrible to the Spaniards. The adventurers were also extremely +careful in the choice of inferior officers, and even as far as possible +in procuring the best private men that could be found. + +In the next place, the proprietors established rules for the proper +conduct of the voyage, which were digested in the following articles of +instruction, and signed by a committee of proprietors at Bristol, on the +14th July, 1708. + +"For the better government and regulating the affairs of the present +voyage of the ships Duke and Duchess, we do hereby appoint and +constitute Captain Woods Rogers, Captain Thomas Dover, Captain William +Dampier, Mr Charlton Vanbrugh, Messrs Green, Fry, Charles Pope, +Glendall, Bullet, and Wasse, all of these officers on board the Duke, +to be the council on board that ship: We also appoint Captain Stephen +Courtney, Captain Edward Cooke, Messrs William Stratton, Bathe, John +Rogers, White, and the master, officers on board the Duchess, to be +council on board that ship, in case of the ships being separated from +each other. But, when in company, the whole officers of both ships above +named, are conjunctly to come on board either ship at the summons of +Captains Rogers, Dover, and Courtney, or any two of them, and to be the +council referred to in our general orders, to determine all matters and +things that may arise or be necessary for the general good daring the +whole voyage. In case of the death, sickness, or desertion of any of the +above officers in either ship, the rest who are of the council of that +ship shall convene on board their own ship, and chose another fit person +into that office and council." + +"We farther require and direct, that all attempts, attacks, and designs +upon the enemy, either by sea or land, shall be first consulted and +debated, either in the particular council if separated, or in the +general council if together; and as the majority shall conclude how and +when to act or do, it shall be indispensably and cheerfully put in +execution, and without unnecessary delay. In case of any discontents, +differences, or misbehaviours among the officers and men, which may tend +to the disturbance of good order and government on board, either the men +or persons may appeal to the captain to have a hearing by a council, or +the captain shall call a council to have the matter heard and decided, +and may prefer or displace any man according to desert. All decisions +and judgments of the council shall be finally determined by the majority +of voices; and in case of an equality, Captain Dover is to have a double +voice as president, and we do accordingly order and appoint him +president of the council. All matters transacted in this council shall +be registered in a book by the clerk appointed for that purpose." + +It was agreed between the owners and those employed in this voyage, that +all prizes were to be divided after the following rule. Two-third parts +of the clear profits were to belong to the owners, and one-third to the +officers, seamen, and landsmen, which last was to be distributed +according to the following proportions. + + _If wholly on Shares_. _If part on Shares, and + part on Wages_.[217] + A captain, _Shares_ 24 + Second captain, 20 _Wages_. _Shares_ + First lieutenant, 16 £3 8 + Second lieutenant, 10 2 10 5 + Third lieutenant, 8 2 4 + Master, 10 2 10 5 + First mate, 6 2 3 + Second mate, 4 1 15 2-1/2 + Surgeon, 10 2 10 5 + Surgeon's mate, 6 1 10 3 + Owner's agent, 10 2 10 5 + Pilot, 8 2 10 4 + Carpenter, 6 2 3 + Carpenter's mate, 4 1 10 2 + Boatswain, 6 2 3 + Boatswain's mate, 4 1 10 2 + Gunner, 6 2 3 + Gunner's mate, 3-1/2 1 10 1-3/4 + Cooper, 5 1 10 2-1/2 + Cooper's mate, 3-1/2 1 5 1-3/4 + Midshipman, 4 1 10 2 + _Shares_. _Wages_. _Shares_. + + Quarter-master, 3 1 10 1-1/2 + Sailors, 2-1/2 1 8 1-3/4 + Land-men, 1-1/2 14 0-3/4 + + +[Footnote 217: The wages were probably monthly, though not so +explained.--E.] + +"We have two relations of this voyage, one by Captain Rogers, and the +other by Captain Cooke, both in the form of journals. On the present +occasion I shall chiefly follow that written by Captain Woods Rogers, +taking occasionally explanatory circumstances and descriptions from +Captain Cooke: But as they agree pretty well in their relations, I do +not think it necessary to break the thread of the discourse, but shall +proceed as near as may be in the words of Captain Rogers."--_Harris_. + +Besides using as the ground-work of the present chapter, the narrative +drawn up by Harris from the publications of Captain Woods Rogers and +Edward Cooke, we have carefully employed both of these original works on +the present occasion; yet have not deemed it at all necessary or +adviseable to retain the minute and tedious nautical remarks, and have +chiefly attended to such interesting circumstances as had not been +sufficiently illustrated in the preceding chapters of this book.--E. + + +SECTION I. + +_Narrative of the Voyage, from England to the Island of Juan Fernandez_. + +Our force on this voyage consisted of the Duke of 300 tons, carrying +thirty guns and 170 men, Captain Woods Rogers commander, with Captain +Thomas Dover as second captain, and three lieutenants; and the Duchess +of 270 tons, with twenty-six guns and 150 men, commanded by Captain +Stephen Courtney, having Captain Edward Cooke as second captain, and +three lieutenants. Both ships had commission from George Prince of +Denmark, husband to Queen Anne, and Lord High Admiral of England, to +cruize on the coasts of Peru and Mexico in the South Sea, against the +French and Spaniards, and to act jointly and separately. + +On the 15th June, 1708, we went down to King-road, to fit our ships for +sea and the better to keep our men on board, where we continued till the +1st August, when we weighed anchor and towed down about five miles below +the Holmes. We made sail at one next morning, and got into Cork harbour +on the 5th August, where we remained till the 27th adjusting all things, +taking on board additional men provided there for us, and discharging +some we had brought from Bristol, who were found unfit for the voyage. +Our complement of men in both ships was now 333, of which above a third +were foreigners from most nations, several of her majesty's subjects we +had on board being tinkers, tailors, haymakers, pedlars, fiddlers, and +the like, with one negro and ten boys; yet we hoped to be well manned +with this motley crew, when they had got their sea-legs and had learnt +the use of arms. We had double the number of officers usual in +privateers, which was meant to prevent mutinies, so usual in long +voyages, and to secure a succession in case of deaths. Our holds were +so full of provisions, that our cables, and a great deal of our bread +and some water casks were between decks, and having 183 men in the Duke, +and 151 in the Duchess, we were obliged to send our sheet, cable, and +other new store cordage on shore at Cork, to make room for our men and +provisions, yet were so much crowded and lumbered that we could not have +engaged an enemy, without throwing much provisions and stores overboard. + +Having agreed upon signals between our two ships, and appointed places +of rendezvous in case of separation, and how long to wait at each for +one another, we took sailing orders from the Hastings man of war on the +1st September, the better to keep company of her and a fleet bound to +the southward and westward. We sailed that day, and the next we and our +consort stood out from the fleet to chase a sail we saw to windward, +when we had the satisfaction to find that our ship sailed as well as any +in the fleet, not excepting the man of war, so that we hoped we should +find our heels, although so deeply laden. We found the chase to be a +small vessel coming from Baltimore to join the fleet. On the 4th, +Captain Paul of the Hastings proposed to Captain Courtney and me, after +he left the fleet, which would be soon, to cruise in company a few days +off Cape Finister, and obligingly supplied us with some scrubbers, iron +scrapers for the ships bottoms, a speaking-trumpet, and some other +things of which we were in want, and would not accept any thing in +return, as our voyage was to be so long, saying he hoped our owners +would restore the same articles for his ship on his return. That +evening, calling our crews on deck, we informed them whither we were +bound, and the objects of our expedition; that if any disputes or +mutinies had arisen, we might have sent home the refractory in the man +of war. Only one poor fellow was dissatisfied, who was to have been +tithing-man that year, and feared his wife might have to pay forty +shillings for his default; but seeing all around him pleased with the +hope of plunder, he too became easy, and drank as heartily as any one to +the success of the voyage. + +We gave chase to a ship on the 10th September, about six in the morning, +which we came up with about three in the afternoon, when she shewed +Swedish colours. On examining the master, we found he had come round +Scotland and Ireland, and suspected he had contraband of war, as some of +the men, whom we found drunk, told us they had gunpowder and cables on +board; wherefore we resolved to examine her strictly, putting twelve of +our men on board, and taking the Swedish master and twelve of his men +aboard our ships. Next morning, having examined the men and searched the +ship, we found it difficult to prove her a legal prize, and, not willing +to lose time in carrying her into a port for farther examination, we let +her go without embezzlement. She was a frigate-built ship, of about 270 +tons, and twenty-two guns, belonging to Stadt, near Hamburgh. The crew +of the Duke mutinied, headed by our boatswain and other three inferior +officers, alleging the Swede was a good prize, and had much contraband +goods on board, though we could find none: but being supported by my +officers, well armed, I at length pacified the men, after putting ten of +the mutineers in irons, and soundly whipping a sailor who had excited +the rest. This mutiny would not have been easily got the better of, but +for the number of our officers, whom we now found very useful in +bringing our crews under good discipline, a very difficult matter in +privateers, and without which it is utterly impossible to succeed in +distant and important enterprises. We sent home Giles Cash, our +boatswain, in irons, on board the Crown galley, with letters to our +owners, justifying our severity; and next morning I discharged our +prisoners from their irons, on their humble submission, and solemn +promise of dutiful behaviour in future. + +On the 18th, between Fuertaventura and Grand Canary, we chased and took +a small Spanish ship, bound from Teneriff to Fuertaventura, having +several men and women passengers, and laden with a variety of goods. +Next day we bore away for Oratavia Roads, where, after much discussion, +we sold the vessel for 450 dollars, retaining all her goods. The 30th +September we put into the harbour of St Vincent, one of the Cape de Verd +islands, coming to anchor in ten fathoms within the rock. Seeing several +men on shore, though the island is not inhabited, Captain Cook went in +the pinnace, well armed, to see who they were, and found them some +Portuguese from St Antonio, come to catch turtles or sea-tortoises, who +told him we could have wood and water at this island, which is in lat. +16° 55' N. long. 24° 50' W. from Greenwich. It has great plenty of +Guinea fowl, with some hogs and goats; and we caught abundance of fish +in the road. In the woods there are great numbers of spiders as large as +walnuts, and their webs are very troublesome to get through, being very +numerous, and as strong as ordinary threads. + +While here, new disturbances arose among the men, in relation to the +effects taken in the late prize; as we had here an opportunity of +purchasing various things, and every one wished to have the means of +purchasing. To put an end to all these heart-burnings, and to fix the +people in a resolution of doing their duty, we determined to settle this +affair by framing such articles as might inspire the seamen with courage +and constancy, and make them as willing to obey as the officers to +command, without giving our owners any cause of complaint. It cost us +some trouble to adjust these articles, but they effectually answered our +purpose, and all our people readily agreed to abide by them. + +After staying two days here, in which we heeled our ships, and got wood +and water on board, our boat returned with limes and tobacco; but our +linguist, who had been sent ashore to procure refreshments, did not make +his appearance. Soon after there came a boat from that part of the +island where the governor resides, on board of which was the +deputy-governor, a negro, who brought limes, tobacco, oranges, fowls, +potatoes, hogs, bananas, musk-melons, watermelons, and brandy, all of +which we bought of him, paying in prize goods we had taken out of the +bark at the Canaries, and at a cheap rate; for they are a poor people, +and are ready to truck for any thing they want at any price, in such +payments as they can make. Being ready to sail, we called a council to +consider what was to be done in respect to the absence of our linguist, +who had promised the deputy-governor to wait for him at the water-side, +but had broke his word; and therefore, as his absence seemed to be +entirely his own fault, it was unanimously resolved that we ought to +leave him behind, rather than our two ships should wait for one man, +who had disobeyed orders. We were the more inclined to this, that others +might learn, by this example, to comply with their instructions when +sent ashore, and might come aboard again without delay, after completing +their business, and not flatter themselves that fair words and fine +excuses were to atone for breach of duty, to humour the fancies of +individuals, at the expence of delaying the voyage. This was certainly +but an indifferent place for our linguist to be left in; but he knew the +people and the language, and might easily get a passage home. We +persisted therefore in our resolution, and gave orders for sailing as +soon as possible, that we might not lose the proper season, and be +obliged to double Cape Horn at a wrong time of the year. + +Captain Dampier and others in our ships, who had formerly put in at St +Jago, another of the Cape Verd islands, said that this island of St +Vincent, though not so much frequented, is preferable to St Jago for +outward-bound ships, as its road is much better, has better land, and is +more convenient for wood and water. The island is mountainous and +barren, its plainest part being over against the sandy bay where we +anchored. The wood growing upon it is short, and only fit for fuel. We +watered at a little stream that flows from a spring down the hill, and +is good fresh-water, the others in that neighbourhood being brackish. It +was formerly inhabited and had a governor, but is now only frequented by +the inhabitants of the other islands in the season for catching turtle, +these islanders being mostly negroes and mulattoes, and very poor. The +stock of wild goats on this island has been mostly destroyed by the +inhabitants of St Nicholas and St Antonio. The heat at this place was so +excessive to us, newly from Europe, that several of our men became sick, +and were blooded. There are a few wild asses; and some of our officers +wounded one, after a long chase, yet he held out, and tired them. + +These islands are named from Cape Verd, on the coast of Africa, whence +they lie about 170 leagues to the west.[218] They are ten in number, of +which St Jago, St Nicholas, Bonavista, St Antonio, Brava, Mayo, and +Fuego are inhabited. _St Jago_ is much the largest and best, and is the +seat of the chief governor. Besides sugar and tobacco, this island +produces a small quantity of indigo, which, with goat-skins and some +other articles, are sent to Lisbon. The capital is named likewise St +Jago, and is the see of a bishop. There is another town, named _Ribera +grande_, said to consist of 500 houses, which has a good harbour. The +air of this island is rather unwholesome, and the soil is very unequal, +the vallies producing some corn and wine. The goats are fat and good +eating, the females usually producing three or four kids at a birth, +once in four months. _St Nicholas_ is the best peopled next after St +Jago. _Mayo_ has a great deal of salt, formed by the heat of the sun in +pits, or ponds, into which the sea-water is let from time to time, and +might furnish many thousand tons yearly, if there were vent for it. The +fine _Marroquin_ leather is made from the goat-skins brought from these +islands. + +[Footnote 218: The difference of longitude between the cape and islands +is seven degrees W. or 140 marine leagues.--E.] + +We sailed from St Vincent on the 8th October; and in our passage to the +coast of Brazil some new disputes arose among the men. After various +consultations, it was determined that one Page, second mate of the +Duchess, should be removed into the Duke, whence Mr Ballet was to remove +into the Duchess. Captain Cooke was sent to execute this order, which +Page refused to obey, but was brought away by force. Being accused of +mutiny, he requested leave to go to the head before entering on his +defence, which was permitted, when he jumped overboard, meaning to swim +to the Duchess, while both captains were absent; but he was brought back +and punished, which ended this dissension. The 18th November we anchored +before Isla Grande, on the coast of Brazil, in eleven fathoms. While +here new quarrels arose, and matters had like to have come to a great +height in the Duchess, when Captain Courtney put eight of the +ringleaders in irons, which frightened the rest, and probably prevented +an attempt to run away with the ship. On the 23d two men deserted from +the Duchess, but were so frightened in the night by tigers, as they +supposed, though only monkeys and baboons, that they took refuge in the +sea, and hallooed with all their might till they were fetched on board: +yet, on the 25th, two Irish landmen stole away into the woods; but both +were taken next day, and put in irons. + +This island is remarkably high land, having a small cliff and a tip +standing up on one side, in the middle of the highest land, easily seen +in clear weather; and there is a small island without _Isla Grande_ to +the southward, rising in three little hummocks, the nearest hummock to +the great island being the smallest. There is also a singularly round +white rock on the larboard side, nearest Isla Grande, at the entrance +between it and the main going in. On the starboard-side of this entrance +there are several islands, and even the main land has much the +appearance of islands till well in. The best way is, when you have +opened the coves on the starboard-side going in, which are inhabited, to +get a pilot to carry you to the watering-cove on Isla Grande; otherwise +send a boat to the watering-cove, which lies round the inner and western +point of the island, and is near a league in the passage between small +islands, but room enough and bold. It is the second cove, under the +first high mount, round behind the first-seen point, after getting in +between, the two islands. This is the cove at which we watered; and we +sounded all the passage going in, having seldom less than ten fathoms. +There are other two very good coves, but we had not time to sound them. +The town is N.E. from this cove, about three leagues distant. + +_Isla Grande_ is about nine leagues long, consisting of high land, as in +the main, and all near the water is thickly covered with wood. The +island abounds with monkeys and other wild beasts, and has plenty of +good timber for various uses as well as fuel, with excellent water; and +oranges, lemons, and guavas grow wild in the woods. From the town we +procured rum, sugar, and tobacco, and the last is sold very dear, though +not good for smoking, being too strong. We got also fowls and hogs, but +the latter were scarce and dear; likewise maize, or Indian corn, +bananas, plantains, guavas, lemons, oranges, and pine-apples are in +great plenty; but they have no bread except _cassada_, which they call +_faranada pan_, or bread of wood. Beef and mutton were cheap, but no +great quantity to be had. We had fine pleasant weather most of the time +we were here, but hot like an oven, as the sun was quite vertical. The +winds we did not much observe, as they were little and variable, but +commonly between the N. and E. + +I had Neuhoff's account of Brazil on board, and from all the enquiry and +observation I could make, I found his description of the country, with +its animals and productions, to be just. I particularly enquired +respecting the monster called the _liboya_, or roebuck-serpent, thinking +it fabulous; but the Portuguese governor assured me that they are +sometimes found thirty feet long, and as big round as a barrel, being +able to swallow a roebuck at one morsel, whence it has its name; and he +told me that one of these enormous serpents had been killed near the +town, a short time before our arrival. The principal products of Brazil +are red wood, bearing the name of the country; sugar, gold, tobacco, +snuff, whale oil, and various kinds of drugs; and the Portuguese build +their best ships in this country. Brazil has now become very populous, +and the people take great delight in arms, especially about the gold +mines, to which people of all kinds resort in great numbers, especially +negroes and mulattoes. Only four years ago [in 1704] these people +endeavoured to make themselves independent, but have now submitted. Some +men of repute told me that the gold mines increase fast in +productiveness, and that the gold is got much easier in them than in any +other country. + +The indigenous Brazilian women are very fruitful, and have easy labours, +on which occasion they retire into the woods, and bring forth alone, and +return home after washing themselves and their child; the husbands lying +a-bed for the first twenty-four hours, being treated as if they had +endured the pains of child-birth. The _Tapoyers_, who inhabit the inland +country to the west, are the most barbarous of the natives, being taller +and stronger than any of the other tribes, and indeed than most +Europeans. They wear, by way of ornament, little sticks thrust through +their cheeks and underlips, and are said to be cannibals, using poisoned +arrows and darts. They live chiefly by hunting and fishing, shifting +their habitations according to the seasons. Their kings, or chiefs, are +distinguished by a particular manner of shaving their crowns, and by +wearing their nails very long. Their priests are sorcerers, making the +people believe that the devils appear to them in the form of certain +insects, and they perform their diabolical worship in the night, when +the women make dismal howlings, in which consists their principal +devotion. They allow polygamy, yet punish adultery with death. When the +young women are marriageable, but not courted, their mothers carry them +to the chiefs, who deflower them, and this is deemed a great honour. +Some of these people were considerably civilized by the Dutch, while +they possessed a part of Brazil, and did them good service under the +conduct of their native chiefs. + +Leaving Isla Grande on the 30th November, we continued our voyage far to +the south, where we endured great cold, owing to which, a third part of +both ships companies fell sick while passing round Cape Horn, for which +reason we bore away for the island of Juan Fernandez, which we had some +difficulty to find, owing to its being laid down differently in all the +charts. Even Captain Dampier was much at a loss, though he had been +there so often, and had as it were a map of the island in his head, +which exactly agreed with it when we came there. This ought to induce +sea-officers to prefer their own proper business to amusement, since, +with all this knowledge, we were forced to make the main land of Chili, +in order to find this island, and did not strike it at the last without +considerable difficulty. + +We arrived at the island of _Juan Fernandez_ on the 1st February 1709, +and having a good observation the day before, when we found our lat. 34° +10' S.[219] In the afternoon we hoisted out our pinnace, in which +Captain Dover set off to go on shore, though not less than four leagues +from the ship. As it grew dark, we observed a light on shore, which some +were of opinion was from our boat, but it was evidently too large for +that, and we hung up a light to direct our boat, firing our quarter-deck +gun, and showing lights in our mizen and fore shrouds, that our boat +might find us, as we had fallen to leeward of the island. Our boat came +aboard again about two in the morning, having turned back on seeing the +light ashore when within a league, and we were glad they had got off so +well, as it now began to blow. We were all convinced that the light +which we had seen was from the shore, and therefore prepared our ships +for an engagement, supposing it might proceed from some French ships at +anchor, which we must either fight or want water. All this stir and +apprehension, as we afterwards found, arose from one poor man, who +passed in our imaginations for a Spanish garrison, a body of Frenchmen, +or a crew of pirates, and it is incredible what strange notions some of +our people entertained about this light; yet it served to show their +tempers and spirits, and enabled us to guess how our men would behave, +in case there really were enemies on the island. + +[Footnote 219: Juan Fernandez is in lat 33° 40' S. long. 79° W. Massa +Faera, in the same latitude, is in long. 80° 50' W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +While under these apprehensions, we stood to the back of the island in +order to fall in with the southerly wind, till we were past the island. +We then stood back for it again, and ran close aboard the land that +begins to form its N.E. side. The flaws came heavy off the land, and we +were forced to reef our top-sails when we opened the middle bay, where +we expected to have found our enemy, but saw all clear, and no ships +either there or in the other bay near the N.E. end. These are the only +bays in which ships can ride that come here for refreshments, the middle +one being the best. We now conjectured that there had been ships here, +but that they had gone away on seeing us. About noon of the 2d February, +we sent our yawl on shore, in which was Captain Dover, Mr Fry, and six +men, all armed; and in the mean time we and the Duchess kept turning in, +and such heavy squalls came off the land that we had to let fly our +top-sail sheets, keeping all hands to stand by our sails, lest the winds +should blow them away. These flaws proceed from the land, which is very +high in the middle of the island; but when they passed by, we had little +or no wind. As our yawl did not return, we sent the pinnace well armed, +to see what had occasioned the yawl to stay, being afraid there might be +a Spanish garrison on the island, who might have seized her and our men. + +Even the pinnace delays returning, on which we put up a signal for her +to come back, when she soon came off with abundance of cray-fish, +bringing also a man cloathed in goat-skins, who seemed wilder than the +original owners of his apparel. His name was _Alexander Selkirk_, a +Scotsman, who had been left here by Captain Stradling in the +Cinque-ports, and had lived alone on the island for four years and four +months. Captain Dampier told me he had been master of the Cinque-ports, +and was the best man in that vessel; so I immediately agreed with him to +serve as a mate in the Duke. During his stay, he had seen several ships +pass by, but only two came to anchor at the island, which he found to be +Spaniards, and therefore retired from them, on which they fired at him, +but he escaped into the woods. Had they been French, he would have +surrendered to them; but chose rather to run the risk of dying alone on +the island than fall into the hands of the Spaniards, as he suspected +they would either put him to death, or make him a slave in their mines. +The Spaniards had landed before he knew what they were, and came so near +him that he had much ado to escape; for they not only shot at him, but +pursued him into the woods, where he climbed up a tree, at the foot of +which some of them made water, and killed several goats just by, yet +went away without discovering him. + +He told us that he was born in Largo, in the county of Fife in Scotland, +and was bred a sailor from his youth. The reason of his being left here +was a difference with Captain Stradling; which, together with the ship +being leaky, made him at first rather willing to stay here than to +continue in the ship; and when at last he was inclined to have gone, the +captain would not receive him. He had been at the island before to wood +and water, when two of the men were left upon it for six months, the +ship being chased away by two French South-Sea ships; but the +Cinque-ports returned and took them off, at which time he was left. He +had with him his clothes and bedding, with a firelock and some powder +and bullets, some tobacco, a knife, a kettle, a bible, with some other +books, and his mathematical instruments. He diverted himself and +provided for his sustenance as well as he could; but had much ado to +bear up against melancholy for the first eight months, and was sore +distressed at being left alone in such a desolate place. He built +himself two huts of pimento trees, thatched with long grass, and lined +with goat-skins, killing goats as he needed them with his gun, so long +as his powder lasted, which was only about a pound at first. When that +was all spent, he procured fire by rubbing two sticks of pimento wood +together. He slept in his larger hut, and cooked his victuals in the +smaller, which was at some distance, and employed himself in reading, +praying, and singing psalms, so that he said he was a better Christian +during his solitude than he had ever been before, or than, as he was +afraid, he should ever be again. + +At first he never ate but when constrained by hunger, partly from grief; +and partly for want of bread and salt. Neither did he then go to bed +till he could watch no longer, the pimento wood serving him both for +fire and candle, as it burned very clear, and refreshed him by its +fragrant smell. He might have had fish enough, but would not eat them +for want of salt, as they occasioned a looseness; except cray-fish, +which are as large as our lobsters, and are very good. These he +sometimes boiled, and at other times broiled, as he did his goat's +flesh, of which he made good broth, for they are not so rank as our +goats. Having kept an account, he said he had killed 500 goats while on +the island, besides having caught as many more, which he marked on the +ear and let them go. When his powder failed, he run down the goats by +speed of foot; for his mode of living, with continual exercise of +walking and running, cleared him of all gross humours, so that he could +run with wonderful swiftness through the woods, and up the hills and +rocks, as we experienced in catching goats for us. We had a bull-dog, +which we sent along with several of our nimblest runners to help him in +catching goats, but he outstript our dog and men, caught the goats, and +brought them to us on his back. On one occasion, his agility in pursuing +a goat had nearly cost him his life: as, while pursuing it with great +eagerness, he caught hold of it on the brink of a precipice, of which, +he was not aware, being concealed by bushes, so that he fell with the +goat down the precipice to a great depth, and was so bruised and stunned +by the fall, that he lay senseless, as he supposed, for twenty-four +hours, and when he recovered his senses found the goat dead under him. +He was then scarcely able to crawl to his hut, about a mile distant, and +could not stir out again for ten days. + +He came at length to relish his meat well enough without bread and salt. +In the proper season he had plenty of good turnips, which had been sowed +there by Captain Dampier's men, and had now spread over several acres of +ground. He had also abundance of cabbage, from the cabbage-palms, and +seasoned his food with the fruit of the pimento, which is the same with +Jamaica pepper, and has a fine flavour. He found also a species of black +pepper, called _malageta_, which was good for expelling wind and curing +gripes. He soon wore out all his shoes and other clothes, by running in +the woods; and, being forced to shift without, his feet became so hard +that he ran about every where without inconvenience, and it was some +time after he came to us before he could wear shoes, as his feet swelled +when he first began again to wear them. After he had got the better of +his melancholy, he sometimes amused himself with carving his name on the +trees, together with the date of his being left there, and the time of +his solitary residence. At first he was much pestered with cats and +rats, which had bred there in great numbers from some of each species +which had got on shore from ships that had wooded and watered at the +island. The rats gnawed his feet and clothes when he was asleep, which +obliged him to cherish the cats, by feeding them with goats flesh, so +that many of them became so tame that they used to lie beside him in +hundreds, and soon delivered him from the rats. He also tamed some kids, +and for his diversion would at times sing and dance with them and his +cats: So that, by the favour of Providence and the vigour of his youth, +for he was now only thirty years of age, he came at length to conquer +all the inconveniences of his solitude, and to be quite easy in his +mind. + +When his clothes were worn out, he made himself a coat and a cap of goat +skins, which he stitched together with thongs of the same, cut out with +his knife, using a nail by way of a needle or awl. When his knife was +worn out, he made others as well as he could of some old hoops that had +been left on the shore, which he beat out thin between two stones, and +grinded to an edge on a smooth stone. Having some linen cloth, he sewed +himself some shirts by means of a nail for a needle, stitching them with +worsted, which he pulled out on purpose from his old stockings, and he +had the last of his shirts on when we found him. At his first coming on +board, he had so much forgotten his language, for want of use, that we +could scarcely understand him, as he seemed to speak his words only by +halves. We offered him a dram, which he refused, not having drank any +thing but water all the time he had been on the island, and it was some +time before he could relish our provisions. He could give us no farther +account of the productions of the island than has been already, except +that there were some very good black plums, but hard to come at, as the +trees which bear them grow on high mountains and steep rocks. There are +many pimento trees, some of them being sixty feet high and two yards +round; and we saw cotton trees still higher, and near four fathoms round +the stems. The climate is excellent, and the trees and grass are quite +verdant the whole year. The winter lasts no longer than June and July, +and is not then severe, there being then only slight frosts and a little +hail, but sometimes very great rains. The heat of summer is equally +moderate, and there is not much thunder or tempestuous weather. He saw +no venomous, or savage creature on the island, nor any other beasts +besides goats, bred there from a few brought by Juan Fernandez, a +Spaniard, who settled there with a few families, till the continent of +Chili began to submit to the Spaniards when they removed to that country +as more profitable. This island, however, might maintain a good many +people, and is capable of being made so strong that they could not be +easily dislodged. + +We got our smith's forge ashore on the 3d February, and set our coopers +to work to repair our water casks. They made a little tent also for me +on shore, to enjoy the benefit of the land air. The two ships also set +up tents for their sick, so that we had presently a kind of small town, +in which all who were able were busily employed. A few men supplied us +with excellent fish, in such abundance that they could take as many in a +few hours as would serve 200 men for a meal. There were some sea-fowl in +the bay, as large as geese, but they eat fishy. The governor, for so we +called Mr Selkirk, never failed to procure us two or three goats every +day for our sick men, by which, with the help of cabbages and other +vegetables, and the wholesome air, our men soon recovered from the +scurvy, and we found this island exceedingly agreeable, the weather +being neither too hot nor too cold. We spent our time till the 10th in +refitting our ships, taking wood on board, and laying in a stock of +water, that which we brought from England, St Vincents, and Isla Grande, +being spoilt by the badness of our casks. We also boiled up and refined +eighty gallons of oil of sea-lions, which we used in lamps to save +candles, and might have prepared several tons, if we had been provided +with vessels. The sailors sometimes used this oil to fry their fish, for +want of butter, and found it sufficiently agreeable. The men who worked +ashore in repairing our rigging, eat the young seals, which they +preferred to our ship's provisions, alleging that it was as good as +English lamb. We made all the haste we could to get every thing on +board, as we learnt at the Canaries that five stout French privateers +were coming in company into the South Sea. + +This island of Juan Fernandez is about fifteen English miles in length +from E. to W. and five miles where broadest, but averaging little more +than two miles in breadth, and is mostly composed of high rugged land. I +know of nothing in its neighbourhood which may endanger a ship, except +what is distinctly visible. We anchored in the great bay, [La Baia or +Cumberland harbour] on the N.E. side, about a mile from the bottom of +the bay, our best bower being dropt in forty fathoms, and the stream +anchor carried in with the shore, where it was laid in about thirty +fathoms. We here had plenty of several sorts of fish, as silver-fish, +snappers, bonitoes, cavallos, pollocks, old wives, and cray-fish of +great size. The wind blows here generally off the shore, sometimes in +heavy squalls, but for the most part calm, and where we were moored the +water was very smooth, owing to the winding of the shore. Mr Selkirk +told us it had never blown towards the land above four hours, all the +time he had been there. It is all hills and vallies, and would doubtless +produce most plants usual in such climates, if manured and cultivated, +as the soil promises well in most parts, and already grows turnips and +some other roots, which I suppose were formerly sowed. It has plenty of +wood and water, and abundance of wild goats. + +There are such numbers of great sea-lions and other seals of various +sorts, all having excellent furs, in every bay, that we could hardly +walk about along shore for them, as they lay about in flocks like sheep, +their young ones bleating for their dams like so many lambs. Some of +these sea-lions are as big in the body as an English ox, and they roar +like lions. They are covered with short hair of a light colour, which is +still lighter on the young ones. I suppose they live partly on fish and +partly on grass, for they come on shore by means of their fore paws, +dragging their hind parts after them, and bask themselves in the sun in +great numbers. They cut near a foot deep of fat, and we killed a good +many of them for the sake of their oil, which is of good quality, but +they are difficult to kill. Both sea-lions and seals were so numerous on +the shore, that we had to drive them away before we could land, and they +were so numerous as is hardly credible, making a most prodigious noise. + +There are but few birds. One sort, called _pardelas_ by the Spaniards, +burrow in the ground like rabbits, and are said to be good eating. There +are also _humming-birds_, not much larger than bumble bees, their bills +no thicker than a pin, their legs proportional to their bodies, and +their minute feathers of most beautiful colours. These are seldom taken +or seen but in the evenings, when they fly about, and they flew +sometimes at night into our fire. There is here a sort of cabbage tree, +of the nature of a palm, producing small cabbages, but very sweet. The +tree is slender and straight, with circular knobs on the stem fourteen +inches above each other, and having no leaves except at the top. The +branches are about twelve feet long, and at about a foot and a half from +the body of the tree begin to shoot out leaves, which are four feet long +and an inch broad, and so regularly placed that the whole branch seems +one entire leaf. The cabbage, which grows out from the bottom of the +branches, is about a foot long and very white; and at the bottom of this +there grow clusters of berries, weighing five or six pounds, like +bunches of grapes, as red as cherries and larger than our black-heart +cherries, each having a large stone in the middle, and the pulp eats +like our haws. These cabbage trees abound about three miles into the +woods, the trunk being often eighty or ninety feet high, and is always +cut down to get the cabbages, which are good eating; but most of them +grow on the tops of the nearest mountains to the great bay. + +We found here some Guinea pepper, and some silk cotton trees, besides +several others with the names of which I am not acquainted. Pimento is +the best timber, and the most plentiful at this side of the island, but +it is very apt to split till it is a little dried. We cut the longest +and cleanest to split for fire wood. In the nearest plain, we found +abundance of turnip greens, and water-cresses in the brooks, which +greatly refreshed our men, and quickly cured them of the scurvy. Mr +Selkirk said the turnips formed good roots in our summer months, which +are winter at this island; but this being autumn, they were all run up +to seed, so that we had no benefit of them excepting their green leaves +and shoots. The soil is a loose black earth, and the rocks are very +rotten, so that it is dangerous to climb the hills for cabbages without +great care. There are also many holes dug into the ground by a sort of +birds called _puffins_, which give way in walking, and endanger the +breaking or wrenching a limb. Mr Selkirk said he had seen snow and ice +here in July, the depth of the southern winter; but in September, +October, and November, the spring months, the climate is very pleasant, +and there are then abundance of excellent herbs, as purslein, parsley, +and sithes. We found also an herb, not unlike _feverfew_, which proved +very useful to our surgeons for fomentations. It has a most grateful +smell like balm, but stronger and more cordial, and grew in plenty near +the shore. We gathered many large bundles of it, which were dried in the +shade, and sent aboard for after-use, besides strewing the tents with it +fresh gathered every morning, which tended much to the recovery of our +sick, of whom, though numerous when we came here, only two died +belonging to the Duchess. We found the nights very cold, and the days +not near so warm as might have been expected in so low a latitude. It +hardly ever rains, instead of which there fall very heavy dews in the +night, which serve the purposes of rain, and the air is almost +perpetually serene. + +The 13th February we held a consultation, in which we framed several +regulations for preserving secrecy, discipline, and strict honesty in +both vessels: and on the 17th we determined that two men from the Duke +should serve in the Duchess, and two of her men in the Duke, to see that +justice was reciprocally done by each ship's company to the other. The +28th we tried both pinnaces in the water under sail, having a gun fixed +in each, and every thing else requisite to render them very useful small +privateers. + + +SECTION II. + +_Proceedings of the Expedition on the Western Coast of America_. + +In the evening of the 13th March[220] we saw a sail, and the Duchess +being nearest soon took her. She was a small bark of sixteen tons from +Payta, bound to Cheripe for flour, having a small sum of money on board +to make the purchase, being commanded by a _Mestizo_, or one begotten +between a Spaniard and an Indian, having a crew of eight men, one a +Spaniard, another a negro, and all the rest Indians. On asking for news, +we were told, that all the French ships, being seven in number, had left +the South Sea six months before, and no more were to come there; adding, +that the Spaniards had such an aversion to them, that they had killed +many Frenchmen at Callao, the port of Lima, and quarrelled with them so +frequently that none of them were suffered to come ashore there for some +time before they sailed. + +[Footnote 220: It is quite obvious that they had now left Juan +Fernandez, but this circumstance and its date are omitted by +Harris.--E.] + +After putting some men aboard the prize, we haled close upon a wind for +the isle of _Lobos_, and had we not been informed by our prisoners, had +endangered our ships by running too far within that isle, as there are +shoals between the island and the main, having a passage for boats only +in that direction to get into the road which is to leeward of these +islands in a sound between them. This sound is a mile long and half a +mile wide, and has from ten to twelve fathoms on good ground. The only +entrance for ships is to leeward of the islands. We went in with a small +weather tide, but I could never observe it to flow above three feet +while we were there. On the eastermost island there is a round hummock, +behind which is a small cove, very smooth, deep, and convenient enough +for careening a ship; we here hauled up and fitted our prize, which we +named the _Beginning_. The highest part of the island of Lobos, as seen +from the road, did not seem much higher than the top-mast head of a +large ship. The soil is a hungry white clayish earth, mixed with sand +and rocks; and there is no fresh water, nor any green thing to be seen +on either of the islands. They are frequented by many vultures or +carrion crows, and looked so like turkeys that one of our officers was +rejoiced at the sight, expecting to fare sumptuously, and would not wait +till the boat could put him ashore, but leapt into the water with his +gun, and let fly at a parcel of them; but, when he came to take up his +game, it stunk most abominably, and made us merry at his expence. The +other birds here are pelicans, penguins, boobies, gulls, and one +resembling teal, which nestle in holes under ground. Our men got great +numbers of these birds, which they said were good meat after being +skinned. + +We found abundance of bulrushes and empty jars, which the Spanish +fishers had left on shore; for all over this western coast of America, +they use earthen jars instead of casks, for containing oil, wine, and +all other liquids. There are here abundance of sea-lions and seals, the +latter being much larger than those we saw at Juan Fernandez, but their +fur not so fine. Our people killed several of these, on purpose to eat +their livers; but a Spaniard on board died suddenly after eating them, +and I forbade their use, and we learnt also from our prisoners that the +old seals are very unwholesome. The wind commonly blows here fresh from +the south, veering to the east, and coming over the land to where we +lay, brought with it a most noisome smell from the seals on shore, which +gave me a violent headach, and offended every one else extremely. We +found nothing so offensive at Juan Fernandez. + +Our prisoners told as, that the widow of the late viceroy of Peru was +soon expected to embark in a Spanish man of war of thirty-six guns for +Acapulco, with her family and riches; on which voyage she would either +stop at Payta for refreshments, or pass in sight of that place, as is +customary. They said also that about eight months before, a ship had +passed Payta for Acapulco, loaded with flour and liquors, and having +200,000 dollars on board. Also, that they had left signior Morel at +Payta, in a ship laden with dry goods, who was expected to sail shortly +for Lima; and that a stout French-built ship richly laden, and having a +bishop on board, was shortly expected at Payta. This is the common place +for refreshments, and is frequented by most ships from Lima or other +parts to windward, on their way to Panama or other ports on the western +coast of Mexico. On this information, we determined to spend as much +time as possible cruising off Payta, so as not to discover that we were +in these seas lest we should thereby hinder our other designs. + +In pursuance of this plan, we took a galleon on the 1st April, of 500 +tons burden, commanded by two brothers, Joseph and Juan Morel, laden +with dry goods and negroes; and next day we took another prize. We now +determined to make an attack on the town of _Guayaquil_; and on the 11th +April, in a grand consultation, this enterprize was fully resolved upon, +and a paper of instructions was drawn up for the guidance of the +officers who were to command, so that each might be taught and kept to +his duty. This enterprize was to be conducted by the three captains, +Rogers, Courtney, and Dover. Captain Dover was to command the van +division, consisting of seventy marines; Rogers the centre company, of +seventy-one men, mostly officers and sailors; and Courtney the +rear-guard, of seventy-three men; while Captain Dampier, with a reserve +of twenty-two men, was to bring up some pieces of cannon, to be employed +if necessary. Our force therefore on this occasion consisted of 238 +men.[221] Captain Cooke was to remain in the Duchess with forty-two men, +and Captain Fry in the Duke with forty, our entire force being 320 men, +while we had about 266 prisoners in both ships, including Indians and +Negroes. + +[Footnote 221: The enumeration in the text gives only 236 men.--E.] + +Every thing being arranged, we bore in for Cape _Blanco_ on the 13th, of +which we had sight about noon, bearing E.S.E. ten leagues off. On the +15th in the morning we saw a ship near the shore, and having little +wind, the Duke's boat, commanded by Captain Fry, and that of the Duchess +by Captain Cooke, rowed directly for her, going off in such haste that +neither of them had the swivel guns commonly used in the boats, neither +had they their full complement of men, and only ten muskets and four +pistols, with not much powder and shot, and no water. They rowed very +hard for six leagues to get up with the ship, and on Mr Fry getting +near, she hoisted Spanish colours. We could plainly see that she was +French-built, and therefore concluded that it must be the ship we had +long looked for, which was to carry the bishop. Our ships being almost +out of sight, and the chase near the coast, making the best of her way +to run ashore in a sandy bay, we resolved to lay her on board, one of +our boats on each bow, I[222] being then on her weather quarter, and +Captain Fry on her lee. It was our intention to pretend that we were +friends, till we should get out of the way of her stern-chase guns; but +the Duke's men, conceiving the Spaniards were going to give us a +volley, poured in their shot. We then laid in our oars, and fell to with +our small arms. We kept up a constant fire for a long time, which was +returned by the Spaniards, who killed two of Captain Fry's men, and +wounded one of his and two of mine. One of the dead men was John Rogers, +our second lieutenant, and brother to Captain Woods Rogers, who had +behaved himself gallantly. Finding the enterprize too difficult, Captain +Fry drew off his boat, as I did soon after. Captain Fry then put some of +his men aboard my boat, giving us some powder and shot, and taking in +our wounded men, on which he stood away towards our ships, while I +resolved to keep the chase if possible from running on shore, and rather +than fail to clap her on board. Seeing our design, the enemy edged off +to sea, and we after them. Our ships came up apace, while we kept close +to the Spaniard, sometimes firing at him. At length the Duchess got up +and fired a shot or two, on which she struck, and we immediately +boarded. The men begged for quarter, and we promised them all civility. +This ship was of 270 tons, commanded by Don Joseph Arizabella, and had +come from Panama bound for Lima, where she was to have been fitted out +as a man of war, the captain having his commission on board for that +purpose. She had seventy negroes on board, with many passengers. The +loading was bale goods, with some things belonging to the bishop, and a +considerable quantity of pearls; but the bishop had been landed at Point +St Helena, whence he was to go by land to Guayaquil. Many of the +passengers were considerable merchants at Lima, and the briskest +Spaniards I ever saw. After the capture of this ship, Captain Cooke +remained on board, sending her captain and the rest of the prisoners to +the Duke and Duchess. + +[Footnote 222: This particular action is related by Harris in the words +of Captain Cooke, who commanded the boat from the Duchess.--E.] + +We now proceeded on our intended expedition against Guayaquil, sending +the _Beginning_ ahead to _Punta arena_, or Sandy Point, on the island of +Puna, to see if there was any force to oppose us; but she only found a +Spanish bark, quite empty, riding close under the point. She had been +sent to load salt, but her men had abandoned her on seeing us approach. +At five in the afternoon, our whole force intended for the attack upon +Guayaquil, being embarked in boats, rowed for that place; and at eleven +at night we could see a light in the town, on which we rowed as easy as +we could and in silence, for fear of being discovered; till we were +within a mile of the place. We then heard a sentinel call to another, +and after conversing for some time, bid him bring fire. Perceiving we +were now discovered, we rowed to the other side of the river, opposite +the town, whence we saw a fire lighted up at the place where the +centinels had talked, and soon after we could see lights all over the +town and at the water side, heard them ring the alarm bell, fire several +vollies, and saw a fire lighted on the hill where the beacon was kept, +all on purpose to give notice to the town and neighbourhood that we were +come into the river. + +Our boats were now moored with grapplings, and so hot a dispute took +place among some of our officers, that they were heard on shore; but as +the Spaniards did not understand what they said, an English prisoner was +brought to the shore to interpret what they heard. By the time he came, +the dispute was over; but this Englishman afterwards joined us, and gave +us this account. We held a council in the stern sheets of one of our +boats, to consider whether we should land immediately or wait till +day-light; and, as the barks were not come up, in which were the +artillery and half of our men, and as we did not know the ground +sufficiently to act in the dark, it was agreed to wait till day, by +which time it was hoped the barks would join. We accordingly fell down +the river a short way, to meet our barks, hearing several musket shots +by the way. On the 23d April at day-break, we saw one of our barks at +anchor within a mile of the town, close under the shore, and the other +coming up the river with the tide of flood. We then rowed up to our +bark, which had fired the shots we heard in the night at some fishermen +passing by, whom they took. + +All our force being now joined, we proceeded up the river, and sent a +flag of truce on shore, accompanied by Don Joseph Arizabella, the +governor of Puna, and another prisoner; and then towed up our barks over +against the town, where we came to an anchor. When Captain Arizabella +came with our flag of truce before the corregidor or mayor of +Guayaquill, he enquired our numbers, which the captain magnified, on +which the corregidore said we were boys, not men. To this the captain +answered, he would find them men, and brave ones too, for they had +fought him gallantly in their open boats, although he had slain the +brother of their commander and others; and therefore advised him to +agree for the ransom of the town, as even if he had 3000 men he would be +unable to withstand the English. To this the corregidore replied, _My +horse is ready_. + +After bringing our barks to anchor, we went up the river after some +vessels, six of which we secured and brought to anchor beside our barks. +We also took possession of two new ships of about 400 tons burden each. +Soon after this, the governor came on board one of the prizes, to treat +for the ransom of the town and ships, but could not then agree, but +promised to meet the captains again at seven in the evening, but did not +keep his sword. This evening our boats took some canoes having silver on +board. On the 24th in the morning, the governor came off again to treat, +but no agreement could be made; and at four in the afternoon we landed +all our men in good order, when the Spaniards only fired one volley and +then fled. Our men pursued them to where their cannon were placed, which +they soon gained possession of, only one gunner, an Irishman, remaining +by them till he was wounded in four places, of which he soon afterwards +died. We marched through both towns in a compact body, driving the enemy +before us, and then placed three guards in the three churches, setting +fire to five or six houses which stood near to a wood into which the +Spaniards had fled, that they might not have the cover of these houses +to annoy our guard, which stood within pistol shot. All night they kept +firing at our sentinels from the woods, yet without doing us any harm. +Several parties also of horse and foot came out of the wood, as if to +attack us, but made no attempt. In the mean time, the pinnace belonging +to the Duchess, in which was Lieutenant Connely and twenty-two men, went +up the river, landed at every house near its banks, and brought away all +the plate and other articles of value they could find. In this service, +they had some skirmishing with the enemy, in which one of our men was +wounded. + +On the 25th the enemy appeared numerous in the woods, whence they +sometimes came out and skirmished with our guards, in which one of our +men was wounded. We spent the afternoon in sending off provisions from +the town to our ships, and in disposing all things in readiness in case +of being attacked in the night, as the enemy appeared numerous about +the outskirts. For this reason, all the captains concentrated our whole +force at the main guard, where we had our cannon in readiness. +Messengers arrived with a flag of truce in the morning of the 26th, to +treat for ransoming the town, but could not agree; but in the afternoon +it was at length agreed to pay 30,000 dollars for its ransom, giving +three hostages, and we were to remain at Puna till they had time to +raise the sum, as the inhabitants had carried away their money, and +being so dispersed that it was impossible to collect the money while we +were there, even the inhabitants of the adjacent country having carried +off their valuable effects into the interior. + +In the morning of the 27th, the hostages for the ransom were sent on +board one of our barks, together with a boatload of brandy; and, as +agreed upon with the Spaniards, we took down our union jack, hoisted a +flag of truce, and fired a signal gun, that the Spaniards might come +freely into the town, and that no hostilities should take place on +either side during the time we had agreed to wait for the money. The +purpose of admitting the Spanish inhabitants was to prevent the Indians +and Negroes from robbing; and I am apt to believe they had already +robbed as much as we had plundered, for we had taken many of them loaded +with goods, while going our rounds, which they confessed to have stolen; +and we were afterwards informed, that the inhabitants, in their hurry, +had given much plate and money to Negroes to carry out of town, which +they could never hear of afterwards. + +The 29th in the morning we took a small Spanish bark, coming from +Cheripe to Guayaquil, on board of which were 330 bags of meal, and 140 +arobas or hundred-weights of sugar, with some onions, quinces, and +pomegranates. This, with the six barks and two great ships ransomed with +the town of Guayaquil, made 14 prizes taken in the South Sea. The +plunder taken in Guayaquil, exclusive of the ransom, was very +considerable. We found 230 bags of flour, beans, peas, and rice; 15 jars +of oil, besides 160 jars of other liquor; some cordage, iron ware, and +nails; about four half jars of powder; about a ton of pitch and tar; 150 +bales of dry goods; a few packs of indigo, cacao, and arnotto; about a +ton of loaf-sugar; a considerable parcel of clothes and other +necessaries, and to the value of about £1200 in plate, ear-rings, and +other trinkets; besides four pieces of cannon, and about 200 useless +muskets. We left abundance of goods in the town, besides liquors of all +sorts, and a variety of naval stores, and several warehouses full of +cacao. We left also several ships on the stocks, and two new ships still +unrigged, of above 400 tons each, which cost upwards of 80,000 crowns; +and we also restored four barks, leaving two others to bring down the +ransom. Thus it appears that the Spaniards had a good bargain; but the +agreed ransom, though small, was far better for us than to burn what we +could not carry away. The hostages informed us, that during our treaty +80,000 dollars belonging to the king had been sent out of the town, +besides plate, jewels, and other things of the greatest value. Hence it +is certain, if we had landed at the first, giving them no time at all, +that we had been much greater gainers, and might have made 200,000 +dollars, in ready money, plate, and jewels. Yet Guayaquil had not been +so poor for forty years as now, there having been a great fire about a +year and half before we took it, in which the best part of the town was +burnt down, and had occasioned great expence for its rebuilding. + +As it was, we thought ourselves well off, and great care was taken that +all concerned in the expedition should be satisfied, by which our people +were much gratified, and afterwards shewed great alacrity in executing +our other enterprizes. This is of the utmost consequence with +privateers; for, if the men have the smallest jealousy of being ill +treated in this respect, disputes arise which do infinitely more +mischief than the value of what can be got by such sinister practices. +Among all the men who landed in this enterprize, the only man who drank +a cup too much was one John Gabriel, a Dutchman, who served in the +company commanded by Captain Rogers. When we were evacuating the town, +he was missing, and was supposed to be either taken or slain. But he had +found some excellent brandy in the house where he was quartered, of +which he drank so liberally that he fell fast asleep on the floor, and +was in that condition when we evacuated the town. The master of the +house returned soon after, and found the Dutchman stretched out at full +length, and so dead asleep that he could hardly distinguish whether he +were living. Calling in some of his neighbours, and securing the +Dutchman's weapons, they set him on his feet, and with some difficulty +brought him to his senses, when he was not a little alarmed at finding +himself in such company. At length the Spaniard restored his arms, and +desired him to make all the haste he could after his comrades, who were +not yet embarked. + +On the 2d May, which was the day appointed for payment of the ransom, no +boat appeared, and we began to be uneasy for our money; but at length +the boat arrived, and brought us 22,000 dollars. We received the money, +and sent back a message that we proposed to sail from Puna next morning, +and should carry away the hostages, if the rest of the money were not +then sent. We staid however till the 6th, when Captain Courtney was +anxious to depart, lest we should be attacked by the French and Spanish +ships from Lima. I endeavoured in vain to convince him that we were in +no danger, as they could not by this time have received notice at Lima, +and have fitted out a force sufficient to attack us. We sailed however, +and came to anchor in the afternoon a few leagues from Point Arena. Next +morning, when we were preparing to sail, Mr Morel, a gentleman from Puna +related to our prisoners, and another gentleman from Guayaquil, brought +us 3500 dollars, in farther payment of our ransom. This put us into such +good humour, that we discharged all our prisoners except the Morels, the +three hostages, and three or four more. The gentleman from Guayaquil had +a gold chain and some other things of value, for which we sold him our +bark, the _Beginning_, having no farther use for her. We also gave +Captain Arizabella three negro women, and another to Mr Morel, and +returned their wearing apparel to most of our prisoners who were now +liberated, so that we parted good friends. + +_Guayaquil_ is divided into two parts, called the old and new towns, +which together contain about 500 houses, and are joined by a long wooden +bridge for foot passengers, near half a mile long. It is situated in low +boggy ground, so dirty in winter that it is difficult to go from house +to house. There is but one regular street along the river side, leading +to the bridge, and from it along the old town. Besides this, there is a +handsome parade or square in front of the church of St Jago, but that +church is in ruins. Besides this, there are three other churches, St +Augustin, St Francis, and St Dominic; before which last is another +parade, and a half-moon battery fitted for mounting six guns, but there +were none while we were there. There is also a chapel, and there had +been a church dedicated to St Ignatius, belonging to the jesuits, but it +was burnt down in the great fire. These were all decently adorned with +altars, carved work, and pictures, and that dedicated to St Augustin had +an organ, but all their plate had been carried away by the priests and +students, who fled into the woods. Some of the houses were of brick, +particularly about the parades, and the rest of timber or split bamboos, +and some of them were decently furnished. Some of the inhabitants had +calashes, but I know not what use they could be of, all the +neighbourhood being so boggy that there was not road for them. + +The boggy ground about Guayaquil was full of the largest toads I ever +saw, some being as big as an English two-penny loaf. The town was said +to contain 2000 inhabitants of all sorts, including Indians, Negroes, +and Mulattoes. An Englishman who joined us here, told us that, in the +preceding December, on occasion of a public rejoicing for the birth of +the prince of the Asturias, which lasted for three weeks, they had +mustered 1100 foot and 500 horse, all armed, which came from the +surrounding country, besides a much greater number unarmed, the greater +part of whom must have been Indians. Guayaquil is well situated for +trade and ship-building, being fourteen leagues from Point Arena and +seven from Puna, up a large river, into which fall several smaller ones, +and on which there are many villages and farms. The water of this river +is fresh for four leagues below the city, and all along its banks grow +great quantities of mangroves and _sarsaparillas_, and on account of +this last the water is thought salutary against the lues. But during +floods, when it brings down many poisonous plants from the mountains, +among which is the _manchinilla_ apple, it is not reckoned wholesome. +All birds that eat of this apple are sure to die, and we saw hundreds of +them dead, floating on the water. + +The seasons here are very improperly denominated summer and winter. The +winter is reckoned from the beginning of December to the end of May, in +all which season it is sultry, hot, wet, and unhealthy. From the end of +May to the beginning of December, which they call summer, the weather is +serene, dry, and healthy, and not so violently hot as in what they +denominate winter. The cacao is ripe and mostly gathered between June +and August. Of the other fruits of this country, some are ripe and +others green during the whole course of the year. Guayaquil is the chief +city of a province of that name in the kingdom of Peru, governed by a +president with five or six orders of judges, forming a royal +_audiencia_, or chief court of judicature, and accountable only to the +viceroy in military affairs,[223] and every province has a government of +the same nature. The governors are appointed, or more properly purchase +their offices, at the court of Old Spain, and are for life or good +behaviour. If any one die or misbehave, the viceroy may name another +during his time, which ought only to be for five years; but he sometimes +gets those of his own placing confirmed by an order from Spain, by which +means he derives a considerable portion of his unknown profits. The late +viceroy of Peru continued in office fourteen years, several intended +successors having died on the way. Scarcely does the king of Spain live +in greater splendour than the viceroy does at Lima, where the chief +courts of judicature are held, to which appeals are brought from all the +courts and provinces of this extensive kingdom. I was told on good +authority that the last viceroy, who died about four years ago, left at +least eight millions of dollars to his widow and family, besides vast +sums given in charity during his life, and building many churches, +friaries, and nunneries. He left a better character than any viceroy had +done for an age past. + +[Footnote 223: This province is now in the kingdom or viceroyalty of New +Granada, and audiencia of Quito.--E.] + +The province of Guayaquil abounds in excellent timber of several kinds, +so that it is the chief place in all Peru for building and repairing +ships, of which there are seldom less than seven or eight on the stocks +here at one time. Its chief commodity is cacao, with which it supplies +most parts on the South Sea, and we were told it never exported less +than 30,000 _carguas_ yearly, and sometimes double that quantity, a +_cargua_ being eighty-one pounds weight, which only costs here two +dollars and a half. They have also a considerable trade in salt and +salt-fish, from Cape St Helena, which is mostly sent to Quito and other +places of the inland country. It exports also a vast quantity of timber +to Truxilo, Chana, Lima, and other places, where it is scarce. They +export also from hence rice and cotton, with some dried or jerked beef. +This province has no mines of gold or silver, but abounds in all sorts +of cattle, which are very cheap, especially on the island of Puna, where +we amply supplied ourselves. Their only grain is maiz, so that all their +wheat flour is brought from Truxilo, Cherisse, and other places to +windward, or to the south, as the wind blows here always from the south. +They procure several kinds of woollen cloth, among which, are very +strong and good bags, from Quito. Their wines, brandy, olives, oil, and +sugar, come from Piscola, Nasca, and other places to windward. All kinds +of European goods are brought from Panama, being brought there overland +from Portobello on the Gulf of Mexico; and the trade of this port is so +considerable as to employ forty sail every year, besides coasters. A +market is also held daily on bark logs, or boats, every day, on the +river before the town, containing every thing afforded by the interior +country in great plenty. + +The other towns in the province are governed by lieutenants, or +deputies, appointed by the corregidore. Above half of these towns border +on the same river or its branches, so that their inhabitants can all +come to the capital in two tides, though some are many leagues distant. +_Porto Vaco_ was formerly the capital. In the whole province, the +Spaniards reckon 10,000 inhabitants, but I believe there are many more, +including all the mixed races between Spaniards, Indians, and negroes, +which they divide and subdivide into eleven denominations. Few of the +prisoners who fell into our hands were healthy or sound, and nearly half +of the native Spaniards applied to our doctors for remedies against the +French disease, which is so common here that it is reckoned no scandal. + +On the 11th May, with a strong gale at S.S.W. we bore away for the +Gallepagos islands, being in a very sad condition; for we had upwards of +twenty men ill in the Duke, and near fifty in the Duchess, seized with a +malignant fever, contracted, as I suppose, at Guayaquil, where a +contagious disease had reigned a month or five weeks before we took it; +which swept away ten or twelve persons every day, so that all the +churches were filled, being their usual burying places, and they had to +dig a great deep hole close by the great church, where I kept guard, and +this hole was almost filled with putrefying bodies: and our lying so +long in that church, surrounded by such noisome scents, was enough to +infect us all. In twenty-four hours more we had fifty men down and the +Duchess upwards of seventy, and in the next twenty-four hours, ten more +fell sick in each ship. We discovered land on the 17th, and on the 18th, +at day-break, we were within four leagues of two large islands almost +joining each other, having passed that we first saw during the night. We +sent repeatedly ashore here in search of water, but could find none, +though the people went three or four miles up into the country, and +they reported that the island was nothing but loose rocks like cinders, +very rotten and heavy, and the earth so parched that it broke into holes +under their feet. This made me suppose there had been a volcano here; +and though there is much shrubby ground, with some green herbs, there +was not the smallest signs of water, neither was it possible for any to +be contained on such a surface. In short, we found these islands +completely to disappoint our expectations, and by no means to agree with +the descriptions of former voyagers. We had also the misfortune to lose +company of one of our barks, in which was Mr Hately, with five of our +men, two Spanish prisoners, and three negroes.[224] + +[Footnote 224: Mr Hately, being unable to rejoin his companions, was +forced to land at Cape Passado in lat. 0° 25' S. on the coast of +Guayaquil, where he and his people were barbarously used by a mixed race +between the Indians and negroes; but were rescued by a priest, and sent +to Lima, where he was kindly treated.--E.] + +In a consultation on the 26th May, we resolved to proceed for the island +of Plata in quest of water, and then to come immediately off the coast +again, having information of two French ships, one of sixty and the +other of forty-six guns, together with a Spanish man of war, that would +soon be sent in search of us. It was also our intention to refit our +ships there, and not to go near the main, our ships being out of order, +and our men very weak and sickly, several of them having already died. +We accordingly sailed on the 27th, and in another conversation on the +30th, it was agreed to go first to _Gorgono_, to see if there were any +English ships there; and afterwards to sail for _Maugla_, Malaga, or +_Madulinar_,[225] where there are some Indians at enmity with the +Spaniards, who, as the pilots informed us, come seldom there, and were +not likely to procure any intelligence of us from thence. They told us +also, if we could induce the Indians to trade with us, we might have +hogs, fowls, plantains, bananas, and other refreshments. + +[Footnote 225: The island of Gorgona is on the coast of New Granada, in +lat. 2° 54' N. and long. 78° 35' W.] + +While on our course towards Gorgona, the Duchess took the _San Thoma de +Villa nova_ of ninety tons, having about forty people on board, +including eleven negro slaves, and but little European goods, except +some cloth and iron. Next day we made the island of _Gorgona_,[226] and +on the 8th of June our boats brought in another prize, a small bark of +fifteen tons belonging to a creek on the main. She was bound to +Guayaquil, having ten Spaniards and Indians on board, and some negroes, +but had very little cargo, except a small quantity of gold dust and a +large gold chain, together of about 500_l_. value, which were secured +aboard the Duchess. In a consultation, held on the 19th June, proceeding +upon information procured from our prisoners, it was resolved to proceed +to Malaga, at which there was an anchorage, where we proposed to leave +our ships, and to row up the river for the rich gold mines of Barbacore, +[_Barbaceas_][227] called also the mines of St Pean, from a village of +that name about two tides up the river. At that place we proposed to +seize canoes, as fitter than our boats for going up against the stream, +in which, at this season of the year, according to the information of an +old Spanish pilot, there are such strong freshes, that he did not expect +we should reach the mines in less than twelve days. But having +discoursed with several of the prisoners, we found the island of Malaga +an unsafe place for our ships, and besides, they represented the river +as so narrow, that the Indians would be able to assail us with poisoned +arrows, and the Spaniards might easily cut off our retreat, by felling +trees across from bank to bank. On this information, we held another +consultation, in which it was agreed to desist from this enterprize, and +we came accordingly back to Gorgona, in so very weak a condition that we +could hardly have defended ourselves, if attacked. + +[Footnote 226: It is somewhat difficult to ascertain what island is here +meant. There are some islands at the mouth of the _Rio de Mira_, in lat. +1° 38' N. on one of which is _Punta de Mangles_, or Cape Mangles, +resembling one of the names in the text; but from the context, the +island for which they were next bound appears to have been that now +called _Del Gallo_, in lat. 1° 55' N. not above ten miles south from the +river they proposed to enter.--E.] + +[Footnote 227: Barbacoas is one of the provinces of New Granada, having +a town of the same name in the _Rio Telemli_, which joins the _Rio +Patia.--E.] + +We arrived at Gorgona on the 13th June, where we anchored in forty +fathoms, and resolved to careen our two ships in succession, beginning +with the Duchess. Our sick men were removed into the galleon, and the +sick officers to the French-built ship. We landed tents for the +cooper's and armourer's crews, and cleared a place for tents to +accommodate the sick on shore. All this was performed with so much +diligence, that by the 28th both ships were careened, caulked, rigged, +and restored fit for sea. On the 29th, we set up tents ashore for the +sick, who were already much recovered, though the Spaniards had +represented this island as unhealthy; yet by walking about on shore they +soon gathered strength enough to return to their duty. We here fitted +out the French-built ship, with twenty guns, putting Captain Cooke into +her, with a crew taken from the other two ships, resolving to carry her +home with us, and to employ her as a third cruizer while in these seas; +and this great work employed us from the 29th June to the 9th July, +calling her the _Marquis_. She had thirty-five men from the Duke and +twenty-six from the Duchess, making a crew of sixty-one British, to +which were added twenty negroes. + +Our next care was to get rid of our prisoners, who were a great burden +to us, and we resolved therefore to set them on shore, after trying +every possible method to engage them in a scheme for trading with us. +For this purpose I proposed going to Panama, to remain six days near +that place, till they should bring the money we could agree for, as the +price of our prize goods; and to this the two Morels and Don Antonio +agreed, provided we would take 60,000 dollars for the whole. I then +proposed to give them up the galleon and all the goods and negroes, if +they would give us 120,000 dollars for the whole. They told us that +trading in these seas with strangers, especially the English and Dutch, +was so rigidly prohibited, that they would have to give more than the +original cost in bribes, to procure licence to deal with us, and could +not therefore assure us of payment, unless we agreed to take a low +price. Finding it therefore not worth while to waste time, and knowing +we should run much risk in treating with them, we at length resolved to +set them all ashore, hoping the Morels and Don Antonio would get money +for us, to prevent us from burning the ships we could not conveniently +carry away. At parting, I made them sensible that we had treated them +like generous enemies, and said we would sell them good bargains for +what money they might be able to bring us in ten days, after which we +should burn or carry away all that was not then disposed of. We +accordingly landed seventy-two prisoners on the 10th July. On the 16th +the Morels came off with what money they had been able to procure, and +bought some of our goods, behaving with much honour, and putting great +confidence in us. On the 18th, a negro belonging to the Duchess was +bitten by a small brown speckled snake, and died in twelve hours. There +are many snakes in this island of Gorgona, and I saw one above three +yards long, and as thick as my leg. The same morning the Mr Morels went +off a second time in our bark for money; and this day one of the same +kind of snakes that killed our negro was found on the forecastle of the +Duke, having crawled up the cable, as we supposed, as they were often +seen in the water. + +On the 2d of August we were like to have had a mutiny, for the steward +informed me that he understood many of the men had entered into a secret +agreement, and he had heard some ringleaders boasting that sixty men had +already signed the paper, but knew not the nature of their design. I +immediately convened the officers in the cabin, where we armed +ourselves, and soon secured four of the principal mutineers, putting the +fellow who wrote the paper in irons. By this time all the people were on +deck, and we had got their paper from those we had in custody; the +purport of it being to refuse accepting the intended distribution of +plunder, and not to move from this place, till they had what they termed +justice done them. Not knowing how far this mutiny might have been +concerted with the people of the other ships, we agreed to discharge +those in confinement, on asking pardon, and faithfully promising never +to be guilty of the like again. + +We sailed from Gorgona on the 11th August, and as our ships were now +rather thinly manned, I engaged thirty-two of our negro prisoners to +join our company, placing Michael Kendall, a free Jamaica negro, who had +deserted to us from the Spaniards, as their leader, and charging him to +exercise them in the use of arms. At the same time I supplied them with +clothes, desiring them to consider themselves now as Englishmen, and no +longer slaves to the Spaniards. After this we stood over to the bay of +_Jecames_, [Atacames,] where the Indians are free; and with much ado +entered into trade with them, by the help of a priest. We sent them +three large wooden saints to adorn their church, which they took as a +great present; and I sent a feathered cap to the wife of the chief which +was well accepted. We here sold some of our prize goods to good account, +so that we had provisions very cheap. We sailed from hence on the 1st +September, intending for the Gallapagos, and on the 8th we made one of +these islands. + +Next day we came to anchor in about thirty fathoms; and in the evening +our boats brought us off a lading of excellent turtle, having sent our +yawl and several men ashore previously to turn over these creatures in +the night; but to no purpose, as we afterwards found they only came +ashore in the day. The island off which we lay was high, rocky, and +barren, with some low land next the sea, but now water was to be found, +like those we had seen formerly. On the 12th the Duchess, which lay at +anchor a good distance from us, had got about 150 land and +sea-tortoises, but not generally so large as ours; while we had 120 +turtles, but no land-tortoises as yet. The Marquis had the worst luck. +On the 13th, I sent our pinnace to the place where the Duchess got +land-tortoises, which returned at night with thirty-seven, and some salt +they had found in a pond; and our yawl brought us twenty sea-turtles, so +that we were now well provided. Some of the largest land-tortoises +weighed 100 pounds; and the largest sea-turtles were upwards of 400 +pounds weight. The land-tortoises laid eggs on our deck; and our men +brought many of them from the land, pure white, and as large as a +goose's egg, with a strong thick shell, exactly round. + +These are the ugliest creatures that can well be imagined, the +back-shell being not unlike the top of an old hackney-coach, as black as +jet, and covered with a rough shrivelled skin. The neck and legs are +long, and as big as a man's wrist, and they have club-feet as large as a +fist, shaped much like those of an elephant, having five knobs, or thick +nails, on each fore-foot, and only four on the hind-feet. The head is +small, with a visage like that of a snake; and when first surprised they +shrink up their head, neck, and legs under their shell. Some of our men +affirmed that they saw some of these about four feet high, and of vast +size; and that two men mounted on the back of one of these, whom it +easily carried at its usual slow pace, not appearing to regard their +weight. They supposed this one could not weigh less than 700 pounds. The +Spaniards say that there are no others in these seas, except at the +Gallapagos, but they are common in Brazil. + +The 15th, being under sail with a fine breeze, we agreed to lay to till +midnight. The 16th, seeing many islands and rocks to the westwards, we +agreed to bear away, not caring to encumber ourselves among them during +the night; but by six in the evening, from the mast-head, we could see +so many low rocks, almost joining from island to island, that we seemed +land-locked for more than three parts of the compass, and no way open +except the S.W. whence we came. We resolved therefore to return that +way, making short trips all night, and continually sounding, for fear of +shoals, having from forty to sixty fathoms. The 18th and 19th we saw +several more islands, one of them very large, which we supposed to be +near the equator. At noon of the 19th we had an observation, making our +latitude 2° 2' N. We saw in all at least fifty islands, some of which we +searched, and others we viewed from a distance, but none had the least +appearance of fresh water.[228] Signior Morel told me that a Spanish +man-of-war had been to an island in lat. 1° 20' or 30' S. 140 Spanish +leagues west from the island of _Plata_, and to which they gave the name +of _Santa Maria del Aguada_, a pleasant island with a good road, full of +wood, and having plenty of water, with turtle and sea-tortoises in +abundance. This I believe to have been the same island in which Davis +the buccaneer recruited; and all the light he has left by which to find +it again, is, that it is to the west of the islands he was at with the +other buccaneers, which must be those we were twice at. We had no +occasion to look out for this island on the present trip, though I +believe it might easily have been found without farther directions. In +these islands there are many kinds of sea-fowl, and some land-birds, +particularly hawks and turtle-doves, both so very tame that we often +knocked them down with sticks. I saw no kind of beasts, but there are +guanas in abundance, and land-tortoises almost on every island, besides +vast numbers of turtles or sea-tortoises. It is very strange how the +land-tortoises have got here, as there are none on the main, and they +could not have come of themselves. Some of these islands are the haunts +of seals, but not in such numbers as at Juan Fernandez, neither is their +fur so good. A very large one made at me three several times, and if I +had not happened to have a pike-staff headed with iron, he might have +killed me. I was on the level sand when he came open-mouthed at me from +the water, as fierce and quick as an angry dog let loose. All the three +times he made at me, I struck the pike into his breast, which at last +forced him to retire into the water, snarling with an ugly noise, and +shewing his long teeth. This animal was as big as a large bear. + +[Footnote 228: In Cowley's voyage, formerly given, one of these +islands, which he calls the Duke of York's Island, is said to have +abundance of wood and water, but none to be had in any of the rest. +Perhaps the Duke of York's Island of Cowley, and Santa Maria del Aguada +of Morel, may be the same.--E.] + +On the 1st October we made the main-land of Mexico, which Captain +Dampier immediately recognized as near the place where he had attacked +the lesser Manilla ship in the St George. Our men began again to fall +sick, and two of them dropped down on the deck in a kind of scorbutic +appoplexy, but recovered on being let blood. The 2d we made _Cape +Corientes_, on the coast of Mexico, in lat. 20° 25' N. which we knew by +our charts. Captain Dampier had been here, but it was a long time ago, +and he did not seem to remember much of the matter; yet when he came to +land at different places, he very readily recollected them. Our purpose +now was to look for the islands called _Tres Marias_, to procure some +refreshments, but found this somewhat difficult, being very uncertain as +to their true situation. In the afternoon of the 4th, Cape Corientes +bore E.N.E. about ten leagues, and next morning, being fine clear +weather, we discovered two islands at the distance of about fourteen +leagues, one bearing N. by W. and the other N. by E. At noon we had an +observation, and found our latitude 20° 45' N. + +The sight of these islands was very satisfactory, for though our men had +their fill of land and sea-turtle, which kept them from the scurvy, they +were but weak, as that is but a faint food, except they had enough of +bread or flour to eat with it; whereas they only had a pound and a +quarter of bread or flour to five men per day, on purpose to husband our +stock till we came to live entirely on salt-meat, when we should be +under the necessity to allow more. On the 6th I sent a pinnace to the +eastern island, to look if there were any good road, or convenience for +wooding and watering; but the officer reported that the island had foul +ground for near half a mile from the shore, with bad anchorage and worse +landing; and though there was abundance of wood, no water was to be had. +This was bad news for us, as our water began to grow scarce. We now bore +up for the middle island, which Captain Dampier believed he had been at +when he sailed with Captain Swan, and on which occasion they found +water. On the 8th our boat returned from the middle island, they and the +boat of the Duchess having landed at several places on the S.E. side of +the island, where was plenty of good water. They saw no signs of any +people having been there lately, but found a human skull on the ground. +This was supposed to have belonged to one of two Indian chiefs, who were +left there by Captain Swan, about twenty-three years before, as Dampier +told us: for victuals being scarce with these buccaneers, they would not +carry the poor Indians any farther, after they had served their turns, +but left them to starve on this desolate island. The Marquis and bark +having separated from us, we kept a light up all night, and made a fire +on the island, that they might see where to find us at anchor; but not +seeing them next morning at day-break, I proposed to have gone in search +of them; but Captain Courtney and the rest made light of the matter, +believing they might soon come in without assistance, which they +afterwards did. + +The supply of cattle, hogs, and plantains we procured at Atacames lasted +us to the Gallapagos, and we had fed on turtle ever since till the last +two days, which was a great refreshment to our men, and husbanded our +stock of European provisions. On the 9th, I sent an officer to view the +other side of the island, who told me, on his return, it was much better +than where we were, having several sandy bays, on which he had seen the +tracks of turtle. On this intelligence I sent the boat back in the +evening; and it came back next morning with a full load of turtle, +leaving another load ready turned; and, what was of much more +consequence, they found good water; whereas that we had gotten hitherto +purged the men excessively. As we wooded, watered, and furnished +ourselves with fresh provisions here, and as these islands are little +known, some account of them may be acceptable. + +The _Tres Marias_, or Three Marias, off the western coast of +Guadalaxara, in the kingdom of Mexico, are in a range stretching from +S.E. to N.W. of about forty-five English miles in length. The largest +island is the N.W. which appeared a high double land, and above five +leagues in length: the middle island about three leagues; and the +south-eastermost hardly two leagues. There also are high lands, full of +trees; and near the least island there are two or three small broken +white islets, one of which was so like a ship under sail, that we gave +the signal for a chase. The S.E. end of the island is in lat. 21° 10' N. +long. 105° 56' W. and the N.W. point of the N. island is in lat. 21° 40' +N. long. 106° 26' W. the distance from each being about two marine +leagues. These islands have abundance of parrots of different sorts, +with pigeons and other land-birds, of which we killed great numbers. +There were also many excellent hares, but much smaller than ours. We saw +likewise abundance of guanas, and some racoons, which barked and snarled +at us like dogs, but were easily beaten off with sticks. The water is +more worthy of remark than any other thing we saw here, as we only found +two good springs, which ran in large streams; the others being bitter +and disagreeable, proceeding, as I suppose, from being impregnated by +shrubs or roots growing in the water, or from some mineral. + +The turtle we found here are of a different sort from any I had ever +seen, though very good. Though it is ordinarily believed that there are +only three sorts of sea-turtles, yet we have seen six or seven sorts at +different times, and our people have eaten of them all, except the very +large _whooping_ or _loggerhead_ kind, which are found in great plenty +in Brazil, some of them above 500 pounds weight. We did not eat of +these, because at that time our provisions were plentiful. At the +Gallapagos, both males and females were observed to come on shore only +in the day time, quite different from what I had heard of them at other +places; whereas all we caught here were by turning them over in the +night, when the females come on shore to lay their eggs and bury them in +the dry sand. One of these whom we caught had 800 eggs in her belly, 150 +of which were skinned over and ready for being extruded at once. Some +authors alledge that these eggs are six weeks in hatching, which I can +hardly credit, as the sun makes the sand in which they are deposited +excessively hot, and they are only covered by a very thin film or skin, +instead of a shell. In order to ascertain this point, I made some of our +men ashore watch one carefully, and mark the place and time of laying +her eggs. In less than twelve hours they found the eggs addled, and in +about twelve hours more they had young ones completely formed and alive. +Had we remained some time longer, I might have thoroughly satisfied +myself and others, respecting the quick production of tortoises; for I +am apt to credit the report of several of our men, who asserted that +having found eggs in the sand, and looked for them three days afterwards +in the same place, they then found nothing but films; which shews that +the young ones are hatched in that time. They assured me also that they +had seen the young brood run out of the sand every day, making directly +in great numbers for the sea. + +There were few fish about the shores of this island, these being of the +ordinary sorts usually met with in these seas; but the abundance of +turtle at this time amply made up for this defect. The chief officers +fed here deliciously, being scarcely ever without hares, turtle-doves, +pigeons, and parrots of various colours and sizes, many of which had +white or red heads, with tufts of feathers on their crowns. We found +good anchorage at this middle island, and gradual soundings from +twenty-four to four fathoms close by the shore; and between this and the +least or southern island the depth was about the same as where we were, +having no shoal between but what was visible, as a rock lay off the S.W. +point and a shoal off the N.E. point of the same, with another at a +great distance from that point of the least island, but neither were +above half a mile from the shore. + +Sailing from these islands, we saw land on the 1st November, which +proved to be the point of California, or that headland called Cape St +Ducas. It was now necessary to put in execution the rules we had +formerly laid down for cruizing, as also to settle our regulations about +plunder. Accordingly, my station was to be the outermost in the Duke, +the Duchess in the middle, and the Marquis nearest the shore; the +nearest ship to be at the least six leagues, and nine at the most from +shore, and the bark to ply between ship and ship, carrying advice. By +this means we could spread out fifteen leagues, and might see any thing +that passed in the day within twenty leagues of the shore; and to +prevent any ships passing in the night, we were to ply to windward all +day, and to drive to leeward all night. On the 5th November, the Duchess +went nearest shore, and the Marquis took the middle station. We were +much encouraged by considering that in this very place, and about the +same time of the year, Sir Thomas Candish took the Manilla ship. + +On the 16th we sent our bark to look for fresh water on the main, and +next morning she returned to us, reporting that they had seen wild +Indians, who paddled to them on bark-logs. These Indians were fearful of +coming near our people at first, but were soon prevailed upon to accept +a knife or two and some baize, for which they gave in return two +bladders of water, two live foxes, and a deer skin. Till now, we thought +that the Spaniards had missionaries among these people, but finding them +quite naked, with no appearance of any European commodities, nor a +single word of the Spanish language, we concluded that they were quite +savage, and we dispatched the bark and a boat a second time, in hopes of +procuring some refreshments, with some trifles to distribute among the +natives. On the 19th our men returned, having become very familiar with +the Californians, who were the poorest wretches that could be imagined, +and had no manner of refreshments whatever to afford us. They brought +off some Indian knives made of sharks teeth, and a few other +curiosities, which I preserved to shew what shifts may be made. It was +now the 9th of December, near a month after the time when the Manilla +ships generally fall in with this coast, and we were much embarrassed by +the impossibility of procuring any intelligence respecting them. On +examining our provisions, we found only bread on board for seventy days, +even at our present short allowance, and it would require not less than +fifty days for our run across the Pacific to Guam, one of the Ladrones; +wherefore we resolved to continue our cruize here no longer than other +eight days. Being in want of water also, it was agreed upon that the +Marquis should go first into a harbour for that necessary article, while +the Duke and Duchess continued on the look-out, and then these other +ships to do the same in succession. + +On the 21st December, while bearing up for the port in which was the +Marquis, the man at the mast-head, about nine in the morning, gave +notice that he saw a sail besides the Duchess and bark, seeming about +seven leagues from us. We immediately hoisted our ensign, and bore for +the strange sail, as did the Duchess; and as it fell calm, I sent the +pinnace to endeavour to make out what she was. All the rest of the day +we had very little wind, so that we made hardly any way, and as our boat +did not return we remained in much anxiety, not knowing whether the ship +in sight were our consort the Marquis, or the Manilla ship. In this +uncertainty, I sent Mr Fry in our yawl to the Duchess, to endeavour to +learn what this ship was, and as soon as the yawl was gone I hoisted +French colours and fired a gun, which the stranger answered, and in some +measure cleared our doubts. Mr Fry soon returned, bringing the joyful +news that the ship in sight really was the Manilla galleon for which we +had waited so long, and of which we were now almost in despair of +meeting. This revived our courage, and every one actively prepared for +the engagement; all our melancholy reflections on the shortness of our +provisions for the run to Guam being now dispelled, and nothing now +occupied our thoughts but of our being masters of the mighty treasure +supposed to be on board this ship, while every moment seemed an hour +till we could get up with her. We gave orders for the two pinnaces to +keep with her all night, shewing false fires from time to time, that we +might know whereabout they and the chase were; and it was agreed, if +the Duke and Duchess could get up with her together, that we should +board her at once. Before night we had made a clear ship, and had every +thing in readiness for action at day-light; and all night long we kept a +sharp look-out for the boats false fires, which we frequently saw and +answered. + +At day-break of the 22d December, 1709, we saw the chase about a league +from us on our weather bow, the Duchess being a-head of her to leeward +about half a league. About six a.m. our boat came aboard, having kept +very near the chase all night without receiving any damage, and told us +that the Duchess passed the chase in the night, at which time the chase +fired two shots at her, which were not returned. Having no wind, we got +out eight sweeps, with which we rowed for near an hour, when there +sprung up a small breeze. I ordered a large kettle of chocolate to be +prepared for the ship's company, having no spirituous liquor to give +them, and then went to prayers; but were disturbed before these were +finished, by the enemy firing at us. To deter as from attempting to +board, they had barrels hung at their yard arms, which resembled barrels +of powder. About eight a.m. we began to engage by ourselves, for the +Duchess being still at leeward, had not been able to get up, as there +was very little wind. At first the enemy fired at us with their +stern-chase guns, which we returned with those on our bows, till at +length we got close on board each other, when we gave her several +broadsides, plying our small arms very briskly; which last the enemy +returned as thick for a time, but did not fire their great guns half so +fast as we. After some time, we shot a little a-head, laying the enemy +athwart hawse close aboard, and plied her so warmly that she soon +lowered her colours two-thirds down. By this time the Duchess had got +up, and fired about five guns with a volley of small arms; but as the +enemy had submitted she made no return. + +We now sent our pinnace on board the prize, and brought away the captain +and other officers; from whom we learnt that a larger ship had come from +Manilla along with them, having forty-six brass guns and as many +swivels, but they had parted company with her about three months before, +and supposed she had got to Acapulco by this time, as she sailed better +than this ship. Our prize had the following high-sounding name _Nostra +Senoria de la Incarnacion Disenganio_, commanded by the Chevalier Jean +Pichberty, a Frenchman. She had twenty guns and twenty pattereroes, with +193 men, of whom nine were killed, ten wounded, and several sore +scorched with gun-powder. We engaged her three glasses, in which time +only I and another were wounded. I was shot through the left cheek, the +bullet carrying away great part of my upper jaw and several of my teeth, +part of which dropt on the deck, where I fell. The other was William +Powell, an Irish landman, who was slightly wounded in the buttock. After +my wound, I was forced to write my orders, both to prevent the loss of +blood, and because speaking gave me great pain. We received little +damage in our rigging during the engagement, except that a shot disabled +our mizen-mast. On the 23d, after we had put our ship to rights, we +stood in for the harbour where the Marquis was, distant about four +leagues to the N.E. sending our surgeons on board the prize to dress her +wounded men. We same to anchor in the harbour about four p.m. where we +received the compliments of all on board the Marquis on our sudden and +almost unlooked-for success, which gave us all much satisfaction. We +found that ship in good condition and ready to sail, and all on board +her in high spirits, eager for action. At eight the same evening we held +a consultation on two important points: _first_, what we should do with +our hostages; and, _secondly_, how we should act in regard to the other +Manilla ship, which we still thought there was a strong probability of +our taking, if we could remain here a little longer. As the hostages +from Guayaquil, and the Chevalier Pichberty, brother to the famous +Monsieur du Cass, appeared to be men of strict honour, we thought it was +best to make the best terms we possibly could with them, and then set +them at liberty. We had more difficulty in settling the other point in +discussion, as to the mode of attacking the other Manilla ship. I was +desirous of going out along with the Marquis on that service; but as +some reflections had been cast on the Duchess for not engaging our late +prize so soon as it was thought she might have done, Captain Courtney +was absolutely bent on going out with his own ship and the Marquis, and +having a majority in the committee, my proposal was overruled, and we in +the Duke were reluctantly constrained to remain in harbour. It was +agreed, however, that we should put ten of our best hands on board the +Duchess, the better to enable her to engage the great Manilla ship, if +she were fallen in with; and she and the Marquis sailed on +Christmas-day. As soon as they were gone, we put part of the goods from +our bark into the prize, in order to send away our prisoners in the +bark; and as there were still due 4000 dollars of the Guayaquil ransom, +we agreed to sell them the bark and her remaining cargo for 2000 +dollars, taking the Chevalier de Pichberty's bill for 6000 dollars, +payable in London, which he readily gave us, together with an +acknowledgment under his hand that we had given him a good bargain. This +matter being settled, we had only to look to our own safety while our +consorts were out on their cruize for the Manilla ship. We posted two +centinels on a hill, whence they had a clear view of the sea, with +instructions to give us notice by a signal whenever they saw three ships +in the offing, that we might have time to secure our prisoners, and to +get out to the assistance of our consorts, as we expected they might +have hot work, this other Manilla ship being much stronger and better +manned than the one we had taken, and better provided in all respects. + +On the afternoon of the 26th, our sentries made the appointed signal of +seeing three ships; on which we immediately put all our prisoners into +the bark, from which we removed her sails, and took away all our men, +except two lieutenants and twenty-two men, whom we left to look after +our prize and the prisoners. As the prisoners, though 170 in number, +were secured in the bark, without sails, arms, rudder, or boat, and +moored near a mile distant from our prize, there were more than +sufficient for guarding them and giving them provisions and drink during +our absence. This being arranged, we immediately weighed and stood to +sea, in order to assist our consorts in attacking the great ship. +Captain Dover thought proper to go on board the prize, instead of one of +our lieutenants, whom he sent to me. I was still in a very weak +condition, my head and throat being very much swelled, so that I spoke +with great pain, and not loud enough to be heard at any distance; +insomuch that all the chief officers and our surgeons wished me to +remain in the prize, but I would not consent. We got under sail about +seven p.m. and saw lights several times in the night, which we supposed +to be false fires in the boats of our consorts. In the morning of the +27th at day-break, we saw three sail to windward, but so far distant +that it was nine o'clock before we could make out which were our +consorts and which the chase. At this time we could see the Duchess and +the chase near together, and the Marquis standing to them with all the +sail she could carry. We also made all the sail we could, but being +three or four leagues to leeward, and having a very scant wind, we made +little way. At noon they bore S.E. from us, being still three leagues +right to windward. In the afternoon we observed the Marquis get up with +the chase, and engage her pretty briskly; but soon fell to leeward out +of cannon shot, where she lay a considerable time, which made us +conclude that she was somehow disabled. + +I sent away my pinnace well manned, with orders to dog the chase all +night, making signals with false fires that she might not escape us; but +before our boat could get up to them, the Marquis made sail again +towards the chase, and went to it again briskly for more than four +glasses. At this time we saw the Duchess steer ahead to windward, clear +of the enemy, as I supposed to stop her leaks or repair her rigging. +Meanwhile the Marquis kept the enemy in play, till the Duchess again +bore down, when each fired a broadside or two, and left off because it +grew dark. They then bore south of us in the Duke, which was right to +windward, distant about two leagues; and about midnight our boat came to +us, having made false fires, which we answered. Our people had been on +board both the Duchess and Marquis, the former of which had her foremast +much disabled, the ring of an anchor shot away, one man killed and +several wounded, having also received several shots in her upper works +and one in her powder-room, but all stopt. The Duchess had engaged the +enemy by herself the night before, which was what we took to be false +fires, being too distant to hear the guns. At that time they could +perceive the enemy to be in great disorder, her guns not being all +mounted, and neither her nettings nor close quarters in order; so that, +if it had been my good fortune in the Duke to have gone with the +Duchess, we all believed we might then have carried this great ship by +boarding; or, if the Duchess had taken most of the men out of the +Marquis, which did not sail well enough to come up to her assistance in +time, she alone might have taken her by boarding at once, before the +Spaniards had experienced our strength, and become afterwards so well +provided as encouraged them to be driving, giving us every opportunity +to board them if we pleased. + +Captain Cooke sent me word that he had nearly fired away all his powder +and shot, but had escaped well in masts, rigging, and men; wherefore I +sent him three barrels of powder and a proportion of shot; and I also +sent Lieutenant Fry to consult with our consorts how we might best +engage the enemy next morning. All this day and the ensuing night the +chase made signals to us in the Duke, thinking us her consort, which we +had already taken; and after dark she edged down towards us, otherwise I +should not have been up with her next day, having very little wind and +that against us. In the morning of the 28th, as soon as it was day, the +wind veered at once, on which we put our ship about, and the chase fired +first upon the Duchess, which was nearest her in consequence of the +change of wind. The Duchess returned the fire briskly; and we in the +Duke stood as near as we possibly could, firing our guns as we could +bring them to bear upon the enemy. At this time the Duchess was athwart +her hawse, firing very fast, and such of her shot as missed the enemy +flew over us and between our masts, so that we ran the risk of receiving +more harm from the Duchess than the enemy, if we had lain on her quarter +and across her stern, which was my intention. We therefore took our +station close along side, board and board, where we kept plying her with +round shot only, using neither barshot nor grape, as her sides were too +thick for these, and no men appeared in sight. + +She lay driving, as we did also close aboard of her, the enemy keeping +to their close quarters, so that we never fired our small arms unless +when we saw a man appear, or a port open, and then we fired as quick as +possible. We continued thus for four glasses, about which time we +received a shot in our main-mast which much disabled it. Soon after +this, the Duchess and we, still both firing, came back close under the +enemy, and had like to have fallen on board of her, so that we could +make little use of our guns. We then fell astern in our birth alongside, +and at this time the enemy threw a fire-ball into the Duke from one of +her tops, which blew up a chest of loaded arms and cartouch-boxes on our +quarter-deck, and several cartridges in our steerage, by which Mr +Vanburgh, the agent of our owners, and a Dutchman, were very much burnt; +and it might have done us much more damage if it had not been soon +extinguished. After getting clear, the Duchess stood in for the shore, +where she lay braced to, mending her rigging. The Marquis fired several +shots, but to little purpose, as her guns were small. We continued close +aboard for some time after the Duchess drew off; till at last we +received a second shot in our main-mast, not far from the other, which +rent it miserably; insomuch that the mast settled towards the wound, and +threatened to come by the board. Our rigging also being much shattered, +we sheered off and brought to, making a signal to our consorts for a +consultation; and in the interim got ordinary fishes up to support our +main-mast as well as we could. + +Captains Courtney and Cooke, with other officers, came aboard the Duke, +in obedience to the signal, when we took the condition of our three +ships into consideration. Their masts and rigging were much damaged, and +we had no means of procuring any repairs. If we again engaged the enemy, +we could not propose to do any more than we had done already, which +evidently had not done her much harm, as we could perceive that few of +our shots penetrated her sides to any purpose, and our small arms +availed still less, as not one of their men were to be seen above board. +Our main-mast was so badly wounded that the least additional injury +would bring it down, and the fore-mast of the Duchess was in as bad a +state. The fall of these masts might bring down others, and we should +then lie perfect butts for the enemy to batter at, and his heavy guns +might easily sink us. If we should attempt to carry her by boarding, we +must necessarily run the risk of losing many of our men, with little +prospect of success, as they had above treble our number to oppose us, +not having now in all our three ships above 120 men fit for boarding, +and these weak, as we had been long short of provisions. If, therefore, +we attempted to board and were beaten off, leaving any of our men +behind, the enemy would learn our strength, or weakness rather, and +might go to the harbour and retake our prize, in spite of every thing we +could do to hinder. Our ammunition also was now very short, and we had +only, enough to engage for a few glasses longer. All these circumstances +being duly considered, together with the difficulty of procuring masts, +and the time and provisions we must spend before we could get them +fitted we resolved to desist from any farther attempt upon the enemy, +since our battering her signified little, and we had not sufficient +strength to carry her by boarding. We determined therefore to keep her +company till night, and then to lose her, after which to make the best +of our way to the harbour where we had left our prize, to secure her. + +We had engaged this ship first and last about seven glasses, during +which we in the Duke had eleven men wounded, three of whom were scorched +with gun-powder. I was again unfortunately wounded by a splinter in my +left foot, just before the arms chest was blown up on the quarter-deck; +and so severely that I had to lie on my back in great pain, being unable +to stand. Part of my heel-bone was struck out, and all the foot just +under the ankle cut above half through, my wound bleeding very much +before it could be stopped and dressed, by which I was much weakened. In +the Duchess above twenty men were killed and wounded, one of the slain +and three of the wounded belonging to my ship, which had been lent when +I was left in the harbour. The Marquis had none killed or wounded, but +two of her men were scorched by gun-powder. The enemy was the +_Vigoniae_, a brave and lofty new ship, admiral of Manilla, and this her +first voyage. She was calculated to carry 60 guns, and had above 40 +mounted, with as many pattereroes, all brass, and, as we were informed, +had a complement of 450 men, of whom 150 were Europeans, besides +passengers. We were told also that several of her crew had formerly been +pirates, who had all their wealth on board, and were resolved to defend +it to the last extremity. The gunner was said to be a very expert man, +and had provided extraordinarily for defence, which enabled them to make +a desperate resistance; and they had filled all her sides between the +guns with bales of soft goods, to secure the men. + +During the whole action she kept the Spanish flag flying at her +mast-head. We could observe that we had shattered her sails and rigging +very much, and had slain two men in her tops, besides bringing down her +mizen-yard; but this was all the visible damage we had done them, though +we certainly placed 500 round shot in her hull, which were six-pounders. +These large ships are built at Manilla of excellent timber, which does +not splinter, and their sides are much thicker and stronger than those +of the ships built in Europe. Thus ended our attempt on the biggest +Manilla ship, which I have heard related in so many ways at home, that I +have thought it necessary to give a very particular account of the +action, as I find it set down in my journal. Generally speaking, the +ships from Manilla are much richer than the prize we had taken; for she +had waited a long time for the Chinese junks to bring silks, which not +arriving, she came away with her cargo made out by means of abundance of +coarse goods. Several of the prisoners assured me that a Manilla ship +was commonly worth ten millions of dollars; so that, if it had not been +for the accidental non-arrival of the junks from China that season, we +had gotten an extraordinarily rich prize. After my return to Europe, I +met a sailor in Holland who had been in the large ship when we engaged +her, and who communicated to me a reason why we could not have taken her +at all events. Her gunner kept constantly in the powder-room, and +declared that he had taken the sacrament to blow up the ship if we had +boarded her, which accordingly made the men exceedingly resolute in her +defence. I the more readily gave credit to what this man told me, as he +gave a regular and circumstantial account of the engagement, conformable +to what I have given from my journal. + +It is hardly to be doubted that we might have set this great ship on +fire, by converting one of our ships into a fireship for that purpose: +But this was objected to by all our officers, because we had goods of +value on board all our ships. The enemy on this occasion was the better +provided for us, having heard at Manilla, through our British +settlements in India, that two small ships had been fitted out at +Bristol for an expedition into the South Sea, and of which Captain +Dampier was pilot. On this account it was that they had so many +Europeans on board the great ship, most of whom had all their wealth +along with them, for which they would fight to the utmost; and it having +been agreed to pay no freight on the gun-decks, they had filled up all +the spaces between the guns with bales of goods, to secure the men. The +two ships were to have joined at Cape Lucas, expecting to meet us off +Cape Corientes or Navidad. + +We returned again into our port on the coast of California on the 1st +January, 1710, and being resolved to make as quick dispatch as possible +for our passage to the East Indies, we immediately parted with our +prisoners, giving them the bark with a sufficiency of water and +provisions to carry them to Acapulco. We then occupied ourselves to the +7th in refitting and laying in a stock of wood and water; and had much +satisfaction in finding as much bread in our prize as might serve for +our long run to Guam, with the aid of the scanty remains of our old +stock. After a long disputatious negotiation, it was settled that Mr Fry +and Mr Stratton were to take charge of our prize, which we named the +Bachelor, though under Captain Dover, but they were not to be +contradicted by him in the business, as his business was to see that +nothing was done in her contrary to the interest of our owners and ships +companies, he being in the nature of agent, only with the title of chief +captain. At the same time, we put on board of this ship 35 men from the +Duke, 25 from the Duchess, and 13 from the Marquis, making in all 73 +men, which, with 36 Manilla Indians, called _Las-Cars_, and some other +prisoners we still had remaining, made up her complement to 115 men. + +SECTION III + +_Sequel of the Voyage, from California, by Way of the East Indies, to +England_. + + +WE weighed anchor on the 10th January, 1710, from Porta Leguro, on the +coast of California, but were becalmed under the shore till the +afternoon of the 12th, when a breeze sprang up which soon carried us out +of sight of land. Being very slenderly provided, we were forced to allow +only a pound and a half of flour, and one small piece of beef, to five +men in a mess, together with three pints of water a man, for twenty-four +hours, to serve both as drink and for dressing their victuals. We also +lowered ten of our guns into the hold, to ease our ship. On the 16th the +Bachelor made a signal that she could spare us some additional bread, +having discovered a considerable store of bread and sweet-meats, though +very little flesh meat. Accordingly, we in the Duke had a thousand +weight of bread for our share, the Duchess had as much, and the Marquis +five hundred weight; and in return we sent them two casks of flour, one +of English beef; and one of pork, as they had only left forty-five days +provisions of flesh. We now agreed to proceed in a W.S.W. course till we +reached the latitude of 13° N. and to keep in that parallel till we +should make the island of Guam, being informed by our Spanish pilot that +the parallel of 14° was dangerous, by reason of certain islands and +shoals, on which a Spanish ship had been lost some time ago. + +On the 11th March we had sight both of _Guam_ and _Serpana,_ the former +bearing W.S.W. five leagues off, and the latter N.N.W. seven leagues. +The Spaniards say there is a great shoal between these islands, but +nearest to Serpana. While running along the shore of Guam there came +several flying proas to look at us, but run past with great swiftness, +and none of the people would venture on board. The necessity of our +stopping at this island for a supply of provisions was very great, our +sea store being almost exhausted, and what remained being in a very +ordinary condition, especially our bread and flour, of which we had not +enough for fourteen days, even at the shortest allowance. In order to +procure provisions readily, we endeavoured to get some of the natives on +board from the proas, that we might detain them as hostages, in case of +having to send any of our men to the governor. While turning into the +harbour under Spanish colours, one of the proas came under our stern, in +which were two Spaniards, who came on board in consequence of being +assured that we were friends. Soon after we sent a respectful letter to +the governor, to which we next day received a civil answer, and a +generous offer of any thing we needed that the island could supply. +Several of our officers went ashore to wait upon the governor on the +16th, and were well received and elegantly entertained; making the +governor a present of two negro boys dressed in rich liveries, twenty +yards of scarlet cloth, and six pieces of cambric, with which he seemed +to be much pleased, and promised in return to give us every assistance +in his power. + +Next day, accordingly, we had a large supply of provisions, our share in +the Duke being about sixty hogs, ninety-nine fowls, twenty-four baskets +of maize, fourteen bags of rice, forty-two baskets of yams, and 800 +cocoa-nuts. We afterwards got some bullocks, fourteen to each ship, +being small lean cattle, yet gladly accepted, to which were afterwards +added two cows and two calves to each ship; and we made a handsome +present to the deputy governor, who was very active in getting our +provisions collected. Leaving Guam, we proposed to go for some way +directly west, to clear some islands that were in the way, and then to +steer for the S.E. part of Min-danao, and from thence the nearest way to +Ternate. In the afternoon of the 14th April we made land, which bore +from us W.N.W. ten leagues, and which we supposed to be the N.E. part of +Celebes. This day we saw three water-spouts, one of which had like to +have fallen on board the Marquis, but the Duchess broke it before it +reached her by firing two guns. On the 18th May, we passed through +between the high land of New Guinea and the island of Gilolo, and on the +20th we made another high island which we took to be Ceram, yet, +notwithstanding the skill and experience of Captain Dampier, we were at +a loss to know whether it were Ceram or Bouro. On the 24th, at noon, we +made our latitude 4° 30' S. and estimated our longitude at 237° 29' W. +from London, and being in the latitude of the southern part of +Bouro,[229] we imputed our not seeing it to the currents setting us to +the westwards. We designed to have touched at Amboina for refreshments, +but the S.E. monsoon was already set in, and we were out of hope of +being able to reach that place. In a consultation on the 25th, we +resolved not to spend time in searching for Bouro, and also to desist +from attempting to go to Amboina, and to make the best of our way for +the Straits of Bouton, where we hoped to get sufficient provisions to +carry us to Batavia. We got into a fine large bay in Bouton, where we +sent our pinnace on shore, which brought off some cocoa nuts, reporting +there were plenty to be had, and that the Malay inhabitants seemed +friendly. + +[Footnote 229: The south part of Bouro is only in lat. 3° 50' S. and +about 283° W. from Greenwich, or London.--E.] + +Up this bay we saw several houses and boats, and many of the Malay +natives walking about on the beach. We here sent our boats for +provisions and pilots while the ships turned up the bay nearer to the +town. On sounding frequently we could find no ground, but the natives +told us of a bank opposite the town on which we might anchor. In the +meantime abundance of people came off to us, bringing wheat, cocoa-nuts, +yams, potatoes, papaws, hens, and several other kinds of birds, to truck +for cloths, knives, scissars, and toys. These people were to appearance +very civil, being Mahometans of middle stature and dark tawny +complexions, but their women somewhat clearer than the men. The men that +came off were all naked, except a cloth round their middles, but some of +the better sort had a sort of loose waistcoat, and a piece of linen +rolled round their heads, with a cap of palm leaves to keep off the +scorching rays of the sun. Along the shore we saw several weirs for +catching fish. In turning up, the prize lost ground considerably, as the +current was strong against us, wherefore the Duchess fired a gun in the +evening to recall us and the Marquis, and which we ran out and drove all +night. The names of these two islands forming this bay are _Cambava_ and +_Waushut_, being in lat. 5° 13' S. and long 238° W. from London.[230] +Being much in want of water and provisions, we made another effort to +get back to this bay; and on the 30th, a proa came to us from the king +of Bouton, having a noble on board without either shoes or stockings, +and a pilot to carry us up to the town. He brought each commander a +piece of striped Bouton cloth, a bottle of arrack, some baskets of rice, +and other articles, as presents from the king; yet the first thing he +said on coming aboard, was to ask us how we durst venture to come here +to anchor, without first having leave from the great king of Bouton? + +[Footnote 230: Cambaya, a considerable island to the W. of Bouton, is in +lat. 5° 20' S. and long. 237° 40' W. from Greenwich, nearly in the +situation pointed out in the text.--E.] + +This proa brought us letters from our officers that had been sent to +wait upon the king, and to endeavour to procure provisions, which stated +that they had been well received, and that the town in which the king +resided was large and fortified, and had several great guns. We sent +back a present to the king by his messenger, and five guns were fired by +each of our ships at his departure, with which he seemed well pleased. +We wooded and watered at the island of _Sampo,_ and several proas came +off to us with fowls, maize, pompions, papaws, lemons, Guinea corn, and +other articles, which they trucked for knives, scissars, old clothes, +and the like. The people were civil, but sold every thing very dear; and +as our officers staid longer at the town than was intended, we began to +suspect they were detained, as the Mahometans are very treacherous. We +heard from them, however, every day; and on the 5th Mr Connely came +down, and told us there were four lasts of rice coming down from the +king, for which it had been agreed to pay 600 dollars, and that Mr +Vanburgh had been detained in security of payment. The rice came next +morning, and was distributed equally among our four ships, some great +men coming along with it to receive the money. At this time also we in +our turn detained a Portuguese who came from the king, till our boat +should be allowed to return; and after this, provisions became more +plentiful and cheaper. + +The town of _Bouton_ is built on the acclivity of a hill, and on the top +of the hill is a fort surrounded by an old stone wall, on which some +guns and pattereroes are placed. The king and a considerable number of +people dwell in this fort, in which a market is held every day for the +sale of provisions. The king has five wives, besides several concubines, +being attended by four men carrying great canes with silver heads, who +are called _pury bassas,_ and who seem to manage all his affairs. His +majesty goes always bare-footed and bare-legged, being for the most part +clad like a Dutch skipper, with a sort of green gauze covering strewed +with spangles over his long black hair; but when he appears in state, he +wears a long calico gown over his jacket, and sits on a chair covered +with red cloth. He is always attended by a sergeant and six men armed +with match-locks; besides three others, one of whom wears a head-piece +and carries a large drawn scymitar, another has a shield, and a third a +large fan. Four slaves sit at his feet, one holding his betel box, +another a lighted match, the third his box of tobacco for smoking, and +the fourth a spitting bason. The petty kings and other great men sit on +his left hand and before him, every one attended by a slave, and they +chew betel or tobacco in his presence, sitting cross-legged, and when +they speak to him they lift their hands joined to their foreheads. + +The town of Bouton is very populous, and beside it runs a fine river, +said to come from ten miles up the country. The tide ebbs and flows a +considerable way up this river, which has a bar at its mouth, so that +boats cannot go in or come out at low water. At least 1500 boats belong +to this river, fifty of which are war proas, armed with pattereroes, and +carrying forty or fifty men each. Fifty islands are said to be tributary +to this king, who sends his proas once a year to gather their stated +tribute, which consists in slaves, every island giving him ten +inhabitants out of every hundred. There is one mosque, in Boutan, which +is supplied with priests from Mocha, the people being Mahometans. They +are great admirers of music, their houses are built on posts, and their +current money is Dutch coins and Spanish dollars. On the 7th our pinnace +returned with Mr Vanburgh and all our people, having parted from his +majesty on friendly terms, but could not procure a pilot. We resolved, +however, not to stay any longer, but to trust to Providence for our +future preservation: wherefore we began to unmoor our ships, and +dismissed our Portuguese linguist. + +Next day, the 8th June, we made three islands to the north of +_Salayer._ On the 10th our pinnace came up with a small vessel, the +people on board of which said they were bound for the Dutch factory of +Macasser on the S.W. coast of Celebes. The pinnace brought away the +master of this vessel, who engaged to pilot us through the Straits of +Salayer and all the way to Batavia, if we would keep it secret from the +Dutch, and he sent his vessel to lie in the narrowest part of the +passage between the islands, till such time as our ships came up. On the +14th we passed the island of Madura, and on the 17th we made the high +land of Cheribon, which bore S.W. from us. This morning we saw a great +ship right ahead, to which I sent our pinnace for news. She was a ship +of Batavia of 600 tons and fifty guns, plying to some of the Dutch +factories for timber. Her people told us that we were still thirty Dutch +leagues from Batavia, but there was no danger by the way, and they even +supplied us with a large chart, which proved of great use to us. Towards +noon we made the land, which was very low, but had regular soundings, by +which we knew how to sail in the night by means of the lead; in the +afternoon we saw the ships in the road of Batavia, being between thirty +and forty sail great and small; and at six in the evening we came to +anchor, in between six and seven fathoms, in the long-desired port of +Batavia, in lat 6° 10' S. and long. 252° 51' W. from London.[231] We had +here to alter our account of time, having lost almost a day in going +round the world so far in a western course. + +[Footnote 231: The latitude in the text is sufficiently accurate, but +the longitude is about a degree short. It ought to have been 253° 54' W. +from Greenwich--E.] + +After coming in sight of Batavia, and more especially after some sloops +or small vessels had been aboard of us, I found that I was quite a +stranger to the dispositions and humours of our people, though I had +sailed so long with them. A few days before they were perpetually +quarrelling, and a disputed lump of sugar was quite sufficient to have +occasioned a dispute. But now, there was-nothing but hugging and shaking +of hands, blessing their good stars, and questioning if such a paradise +existed on earth; and all because they had arrack for eight-pence a +gallon, and sugar for a penny a pound. Yet next minute they were all by +the ears, disputing about who should put the ingredients together; for +the weather was so hot, and the ingredients so excessively cheap, that +a little labour was now a matter of great importance among them. + +Soon after our arrival at Batavia we proceeded to refit our ships, +beginning with the Marquis; but on coming down to her bends, we found +both these and the stern and stern-port so rotten and worm-eaten, that +on a survey of carpenters she was found incapable of being rendered fit +for proceeding round the Cape of Good Hope, on which we had to hire a +vessel to take in her loading. We then applied ourselves to refit the +other ships, which we did at the island of Horn, not being allowed to do +so at _Onrust_, where the Dutch clean and careen all their ships. We +hove down the Duke and Duchess and Bachelor, the sheathing of which +ships were very much worm-eaten in several places. In heaving down, the +Duchess sprung her fore-mast, which we replaced by a new one. When the +ships were refitted, we returned to Batavia road, where we rigged three +of them, and sold the Marquis, after taking out all her goods and +stores, and distributing her officers and men into the others. During +our stay at Batavia, the weather was exceedingly hot, and many of our +officers and men fell sick, among whom I was one, the prevalent disease +being the flux, of which the master of the Duke and gunner of the +Duchess died, and several of our men. A young man belonging to the +Duchess, having ventured into the sea to swim, had both his legs snapped +off by a shark, and while endeavouring to take him on board, the shark +bit off the lower part of his belly. We were allowed free access to the +town and markets, yet found it difficult to procure salt-meat, so that +we had to kill bullocks for ourselves, and pickled the flesh, taking out +all the bones. Arrack, rice, and fowls were very cheap, and we bought +beef for two _stivers_, or two-pence a pound. + +There are various descriptions of this famous city, yet, as what I have +to say may serve to exhibit a state of things as they were when we were +there, I flatter myself that the following succinct account may neither +be found useless nor disagreeable. The city of Batavia is situated on +the N.W. side of the famous island of Java, in lat. 5° 50' S.[232] +During the whole year the east and west monsoons, or trade-winds, blow +along shore; besides which it is refreshed by the ordinary land and sea +breezes, which greatly cool the air, otherwise it would be intolerably +hot. The summer begins here in May, and continues till the end of +October, or beginning of November, during all which period there is a +constant breeze from the east, with a clear serene sky. The winter +commences in the end of October, or beginning of November, with +excessive rains, which sometimes continue for three or four days without +intermission. In December the west-wind blows with such violence as to +stop all navigation on the coast of Java. In February the weather is +changeable, with frequent sudden thunder-gusts. They begin to sow in +March; June is the pleasantest month; and in September they gather in +their rice, and cut the sugar-canes. In October they have abundance of +fruits and flowers, together with plants and herbs in great variety. +Around the city there is an extensive fenny plain, which has been +greatly improved and cultivated by the Dutch; but to the east it still +remains encumbered by woods and marshes. The city of Batavia is of a +square form, surrounded by a strong wall, on which are twenty-two +bastions, and has a river running through it into the sea. About the +year 1700 there was a great earthquake in Java, which overturned some +part of the mountains in the interior of the island, by which the course +of the river was altered; and since then the canals in Batavia and the +neighbourhood have not been nearly so commodious as formerly, nor has +the entrance of the river been so deep; and for want of a strong current +to keep it open, the Dutch have been obliged to employ a great machine +to preserve the navigation of the mouth of the river, so as to admit +small vessels into the canals which pervade the city. Batavia lies in a +bay in which there are seventeen or eighteen islands, which so +effectually protect it from the sea, that though large, the road is very +safe. The banks of the canals are raced on both sides with stone quays, +as far as the boom, which is shut up every night, and guarded by +soldiers. All the streets are in straight lines, most of them being, +above thirty feet broad on both sides, besides the canals, and they are +all paved with bricks next the houses. All the streets are well-built +and fully inhabited, fifteen of them having canals for small vessels, +communicating with the main river, and shut up by booms, at which they +pay certain tolls for admission; and these canals are crossed by +fifty-six bridges, mostly of stone. There are numerous country-seats +around the city, most of them neat and well contrived, with handsome +fruit and flower gardens, ornamented with fountains and statues; and +vast quantities of cocoa-nut trees planted in numerous groves, every +where afford delightful shade. Batavia has many fine buildings, +particularly the Cross-church, which is handsomely built of stone, and +very neatly fitted up within. There are two or three other churches for +the Dutch presbyterians, and two for the Portuguese catholics, who are a +mixed race, besides one church for the Malay protestants. In the centre +of the city is the town-house, handsomely built of brick in form of a +square, and two stories high. In this all the courts are held, and all +matters respecting the civil government of the city are determined. +There are also hospitals, speir-houses, and rasp-houses, as in +Amsterdam, with many other public buildings, not inferior to those of +most European cities. + +[Footnote 232: The latitude of Batavia is 6° 15' S. and its longitude +106° 7' E. from Greenwich.--E.] + +The Chinese are very numerous, and carry on the greatest trade here, +farming most of the excise and customs, being allowed to live according +to their own laws, and to exercise their idolatrous worship. They have a +chief of their own nation, who manages their affairs with the company, +by which they are allowed great privileges, having even a representative +in the council, who has a vote when any of their nation is tried for his +life. These high privileges are only allowed to such of the Chinese as +are domicilled here, all others being only permitted to remain six +months in the city, or on the island of Java. The Chinese have also a +large hospital for their sick and aged, and manage its funds so well, +that a destitute person of that nation is never to be seen on the +streets. + +The Dutch women have here much greater privileges than in Holland, or +any where else; as on even slight occasions they can procure divorces +from their husbands, sharing the estate between them. A lawyer at this +place told me, that he has known, out of fifty-eight causes depending at +one time before the council-chamber, fifty-two of them for divorces. +Great numbers of native criminals are chained in pairs, and kept to hard +labour under a guard, in cleaning the canals and ditches of the city, or +in other public works. The castle of Batavia is quadrangular, having +four bastions connected by curtains, all faced with white stone, and +provided with watch-houses. Here the Dutch governor-general of India, +and most of the members of the council of the Indies reside, the +governor's palace being large, and well-built of brick. In this palace +is the council-chamber, with the secretary's office, and chamber of +accounts. The garrison usually consists of 1000 men; but the soldiers +are generally but poorly appointed, except the governor's guards, who +have large privileges, and make a fine appearance. + +The governor-general lives in as great splendour as if he were a king, +being attended by a troop of horse-guards, and a company of halberdeers, +in uniforms of yellow sattin, richly adorned with silver-lace and +fringes, which attend his coach when he appears abroad. His lady also is +attended by guards and a splendid retinue. The governor is chosen only +for three years, from the twenty-four counsellors, called the _Radts_ of +India, twelve of whom must always reside in Batavia. Their soldiers are +well trained, and a company is always on duty at each of the gates of +the city and citadel; and there are between seven and eight thousand +disciplined Europeans in and about the city, who can be assembled in +readiness for action on a short warning. + +Besides Europeans and Chinese, there are many Malays in Batavia, and +other strangers from almost every country in, India. The Javanese, or +ancient natives, are very numerous, and are said to be a proud barbarous +people. They are of dark complexions, with flat faces, thin, short, +black hair, large eyebrows, and prominent cheeks. The men are +strong-limbed, but the women small. The men wear a calico wrapper, three +or four times folded round their bodies; and the women are clothed from +their arm-pits to their knees. They usually have two or three wives, +besides concubines; and the Dutch say that they are much addicted to +lying and stealing. The Javans who inhabit the coast are mostly +Mahometans; but those living in the interior are still pagans. The women +are not so tawny as the men, and many of them are handsome; but they are +generally amorous, and unfaithful to their husbands, and are apt to deal +in poisoning, which they manage with much art. + +Batavia is very populous, but not above a sixth part of the inhabitants +are Dutch. The Chinese here are very numerous; and the Dutch acknowledge +that they are more industrious and acute traders than themselves. They +are much, encouraged, because of the great trade carried on by them, and +the great rents they pay for their shops, besides large taxes, and from +sixteen to thirty per cent. interest for money, which they frequently +borrow from the Dutch. I was told, that there were about 80,000 Chinese +in and about Batavia, who pay a capitation-tax of a dollar each per +month for liberty to wear their hair, which is not permitted in their +own country ever since the Tartar conquest. There generally come here +every year from China, fourteen or sixteen large flat-bottomed junks, of +from three to five hundred tons burden. The merchants come along with +their goods, which are lodged in different partitions in the vessels, as +in separate warehouses, for each of which they pay a certain price, and +not for the weight or measure of the cargo, as with us, so that each +merchant fills up his own division as they please. They come here with +the easterly monsoon, usually arriving in November or December, and go +away again for China in the beginning of June. By means of these junks +the Dutch have all kinds of Chinese commodities brought to them, and at +a cheaper rate than they could bring them in their own vessels. + +Batavia is the metropolis of the Dutch trade and settlements in India, +and is well situated for the spice trade, which they have entirely in +their own hands. There are seldom less than twenty sail of Dutch ships +at Batavia, carrying from thirty to fifty and sixty guns each. Abraham +van Ribeck was governor-general when we were there. His predecessor, as +I was informed, had war with the natives of the island, who had like to +have ruined the settlement; but, by sowing divisions among the native +princes, he at length procured peace upon advantageous conditions. This +is one of the pleasantest cities I ever saw, being more populous than +Bristol, but not so large. They have schools for teaching all necessary +education, even for Latin and Greek, and have a printing-house. There +are many pleasant villas, or country seats, about the city; and the +adjacent country abounds in rice, sugar-plantations, gardens, and +orchards, with corn and sugar-mills, and mills for making gunpowder. +They have also begun to plant coffee, which thrives well, so that they +will shortly be able to load a ship or two; but I was told it is not so +good as what comes from Arabia. + +We sailed from Batavia on the 11th October, 1710, and on the 19th came +to anchor in a bay about a league W. from Java head, and remained till +the 28th, laying in wood and water. The 15th December we made the land +of southern Africa, in lat 34° 2' S. And on the 18th we anchored in +Table Bay in six fathoms, about a mile from shore. We remained here +till the 5th April, waiting to go home with the Dutch fleet, and on that +day fell down to Penguin Island, whence we sailed on the 5th for Europe. +On the 14th July we spoke a Dane bound for Ireland, who informed us that +a Dutch fleet of ten sail was cruizing for us off Shetland, which +squadron we joined next day. On the 28d we got sight of the coast of +Holland, and about eight p. m. came all safe to anchor in the Texel, in +six fathoms, about two miles off shore. In the afternoon of the 24th I +went up to Amsterdam, where I found letters from our owners, directing +us how to act as to our passage from thence home. On the 30th we got +some provisions from Amsterdam. On the 22d August we weighed from the +Texel, but the wind being contrary, had to return next morning. We +weighed again on the 30th, and on the 1st October came to anchor in the +Downs, and on the 14th of that month got safe to _Eriff_, where we ended +our long and fatiguing voyage. + + * * * * * + +It appears, by incidental information in Harris, I. 198, That the outfit +of this voyage did not exceed £14,000 or £15,000, and that its gross +profits amounted to £170,000, half of which belonged to the owners; so +that they had £85,000 to divide, or a clear profit of £466 13s. 4d. _per +centum,_ besides the value of the ships and stores.--E. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, BY CAPTAIN JOHN CLIPPERTON, IN 1719-1722.[233] + +INTRODUCTION. + + +About the beginning of 1718, some English merchants resolved to fit out +two ships for a cruizing voyage to the South Sea, in hopes of having +equal success with the expedition under Woods Rogers, and provided two +fine ships, the Speedwell and Success, every way fit for the purpose. +But as the war which was expected between Great Britain and Spain did +not take place so soon as was expected, they applied for commissions +from the Emperor Charles VI. who was then at war with Philip V. King of +Spain. Captain George Shelvocke, who had served as a lieutenant in the +royal navy, was accordingly sent with the Speedwell to Ostend, there to +wait for the imperial commissions, and to receive certain Flemish +officers and seamen, together with as much wine and brandy as might +serve both ships during their long voyage, being cheaper there than in +England. This was in November 1718, and both to shew respect to the +imperial court, and to have the appearance of a German expedition, the +names of the ships were changed to the Prince Eugene and the Staremberg. + +[Footnote 233: Harris, I. 184.] + +Having taken on board six Flemish officers and ninety men, Captain +Shelvocke sailed from Ostend for the Downs, where the other ship had +waited for him some time. War having begun between Great Britain and +Spain, and finding that the Flemings and Englishmen did not agree, the +owners laid aside all thoughts of using the imperial commission, and to +send back all their Flemish officers and men to Flanders, with an +allowance of two months wages, and procured a commission from George I. +restoring the original names of their ships. The Speedwell carried +twenty-four guns and 106 men, and the Success thirty-six guns and 180 +men; the former commanded by Captain George Shelvocke, who was to have +had the chief command in the expedition, and the other by Captain John +Clipperton, who had formerly sailed with Dampier as mate, and of whose +adventures after his separation from Dampier, an account has been +already given. + +In consequence of some change of circumstances, perhaps owing to some +improper conduct when in Flanders, the proprietors now took the chief +command from Shelvocke, and conferred it upon Clipperton, a man of a +blunt, rough, and free-speaking disposition, but of a strict regard to +his duty and rigid honesty. Though somewhat passionate, he was soon +appeased, and ever ready to repair any injury he had done when heated +with anger, and had much justice and humanity in his nature. Under +Captain Shelvocke in the Speedwell, Simon Hately was appointed second +captain; he who had formerly lost company with Woods Rogers among the +Gallapagos islands, and had remained a considerable time prisoner among +the Spaniards. + +The instructions for this voyage from the owners were, that they were to +proceed in the first place for Plymouth, whence they were to sail with +the first fair wind for Cape Horn or the Straits of Magellan, as was +found most convenient for their passage into the South Sea. They were +then to cruize on the coasts of Chili, Peru, and Mexico, and to +endeavour, if possible, to meet and capture the Manilla ship. To prevent +all disputes and disorders, they were enjoined to be careful above all +things not to separate from each other, and to undertake nothing of +importance without holding a council of officers, stating the question +to be debated in writing, and drawing up the resolution in writing, with +the reasons on which they were grounded, which were to be signed by all +the officers. All these precautions proved in a great measure useless, +as the expedition wore an unfortunate aspect from the very beginning. +The ships were forced to remain three months at Plymouth, waiting for a +wind; in which time every thing fell into confusion, and factions were +formed, in which the crews of both ships were involved, from the +captains down to the cabin boys. Captain Shelvocke highly resented the +affront offered him in being deprived of the chief command; and Captain +Clipperton, knowing the other's resentment, and being a boisterous man +of strong passions which he could not conceal, there was nothing but +debates and disputes. Every post carried complaints to the proprietors, +and brought down instructions, reproofs, and exhortations to concord. It +had been fortunate for the proprietors, if they had removed one or both +of the commanders; but every one had too much concern to retain his +friend in post, so that private views proved the cause of public +ruin.--_Harris_. + + +SECTION I. + +_Narrative of the Voyage, from England to Juan Fernandez_. + +Having at length a fair wind, the two ships sailed in company from +Plymouth on the 13th February, 1719. It singularly happened that the +Speedwell had still on board the whole stock of wine, brandy, and other +liquors, designed for the supply of both ships. On the 19th at night, +there arose a violent storm, and on the 20th the storm abated about two +in the afternoon, when Captain Clipperton in the Success made sail, +steering S. by E. while Captain Shelvocke in the Speedwell bore away +N.W. So that they never again saw each other, till they afterwards met +by mere accident in the South Sea. + +Being now at sea without his consort, and very indifferently provided, +Captain Clipperton found himself under the necessity of using a +discretionary power of dispensing in some respect from his instructions; +but which freedom he rarely exercised, and then with the utmost caution. +In all essential points he carefully complied with the instructions, +constantly consulting with his officers, and doing his utmost to +prosecute his voyage with effect. The first place of rendezvous +appointed in case of separation was the Canaries, for which he sailed +with such expedition that he arrived there on the 6th of March. Having +taken in refreshments there, for which he had much occasion, as all his +liquors were in the Speedwell, Clipperton cruized on that station for +ten days, as directed by his instructions, but not meeting his consort, +he resolved to proceed to the next place appointed for that purpose, the +Cape de Verd islands. + +The Canary Islands, or _Islands of Dogs_, so named by the Spaniards when +discovered by them in 1402, because they found here a great number of +these animals, were known to the ancients by the name of the Fortunate +Islands, because of their fertility and the excellent temperature of +their air. They are seven in number, Lancerota, Fuerteventura, Grand +Canary, Teneriffe, Geomero, Hiero or Ferro, and Palma. _Grand Canary_ is +far distant from the others, and contains 9000 inhabitants, being the +seat of the bishop, the inquisition, and the royal council which governs +all the seven islands. In Teneriffe is the famous mountain called +_Terraira,_ or the Peak of Teneriff, supposed to be the highest in the +world, and which may be distinctly seen at the distance of sixty +leagues. There is no reaching the top of this mountain except in July +and August, because covered at all other times with snow, which is never +to be seen at other places of that island, nor in the other six, at any +season of the year. It requires three days journey to reach the summit +of the peak, whence all the Canary islands may be seen, though some of +them are sixty leagues distant. _Hiero_ or _Ferro_ is one of the largest +islands in this group, but is very barren, and so dry that no fresh +water is to be found in it, except in some few places by the sea, very +troublesome and even dangerous to get it from. "But, to remedy this +inconvenience, Providence as supplied a most extraordinary substitute, +as there grows almost in every place a sort of tree of considerable +size, incomparably thick of branches and leaves, the latter being long +and narrow, always green and lively. This tree is always covered by a +little cloud hanging over it, which wets the leaves as if by a perpetual +dew, so that fine clear water continually trickles down from them into +little pails set below to catch it as it falls, and which is in such +abundant quantity as amply to supply the inhabitants and their +cattle."[234] + +[Footnote 234: This strange story seems entirely fabulous.--E.] + +These islands are generally fertile, and abound with all kinds of +provisions, as cattle, grain, honey, wax, sugar, cheese, and skins. The +wine of this country is strong and well-flavoured, and is exported to +most parts of the world; and the Spanish ships bound for America usually +stop at these islands to lay in a stock of provisions. About 100 leagues +to the west of these islands, mariners are said to have frequently seen +an island named _St Baranura,_ which they allege is all over green and +very pleasant, full of trees, and abounding in provisions, as also that +it is inhabited by Christians; but no person can tell what sect or +denomination they are of, nor what language they speak. The Spanish +inhabitants of the Canaries have often attempted to go there, but could +never find the way; whence some believe that it is only an illusion or +enchanted island, seen only at certain times. Others allege a better +reason, saying that it is small and almost always concealed by clouds, +and that ships are prevented from coming near it by the strength of the +currents. It is certain however, that there is such an island, and at +the distance from the Canaries already mentioned.[235] + +[Footnote 235: This island of St Baranora, or St Brandon, is merely +imaginary.--E.] + +Leaving Gomera on the 15th March, Clipperton came in sight of St +Vincent, one of the Cape de Verd islands, in the evening of the 21st, +and came to anchor in the bay next morning. He here found a French ship, +and the Diamond belonging to Bristol, taking in a cargo of asses for +Jamaica. Continuing here for ten days, in hopes of meeting the +Speedwell, but in vain, the crew of the Success became much +disheartened, so that Clipperton had much difficulty in persuading them +to persist in the enterprize. The _Cape de Verd islands,_ called _Salt +islands_ by the Dutch, derive their name from Cape de Verd on the coast +of Africa. The sea which surrounds them is covered by a green herb, +called _Sergalso_ or cresses by the Portuguese, resembling +water-cresses, and so thickly that hardly can the water be seen, neither +can ships make their way through it but with a stiff gale. This herb +produces berries, resembling white gooseberries, but entirely tasteless. +No one knows how this herb grows, as there is no ground or land about +the place where it is found floating on the water, neither can it be +supposed to come from the bottom, as the sea is very deep, and is in +many places quite unfathomable. This sea-weed begins to be seen in the +lat. of 34° N. where it is so thick that it seems as if islands, but is +not to be met with in any other part of the ocean. + +The _Cape de Verd islands_, when first discovered by the Portuguese in +1572, were all desert and uninhabited, but they now inhabit several of +them. They are ten in number, St Jago, St Lucia, St Vincent, St Antonio, +St Nicolas, Ilha Blanca, Ilha de Sal, Ilha de Maio, Ilha de Fogo, and +Bonavista. They now afford plenty of rice, flour, Tartarian wheat, +oranges, lemons, citrons, bananas, ananas or pine-apples, ignames, +batatas, melons, cucumbers, pompions, garden and wild figs, and several +other sorts of fruits. They have vineyards also, which produce ripe +grapes twice a year; and have abundance of cattle, both great and small, +but especially goats. The capital city is St Jago, in the island of that +name, in which resides the governor who commands over all these islands +under the King of Portugal. It is also the residence of an archbishop, +whose see extends over all these islands, and over all the conquests of +the Portuguese on this side of the Cape of Good Hope. These islands +afford good convenience for ships on long voyages procuring a supply of +fresh water. On the east side of Maio there is a little river, and as +the island is uninhabited, there is nobody to hinder one from taking it: +There is also water to be had on St Antonio, where also good +refreshments may be had, of oranges, lemons, and other fruits; and the +Portuguese on this island are so few in number, that they cannot prevent +one from taking what they please. + +May the 29th having an observation, Clipperton found his latitude to be +52° 15' S. being then off Cape _Virgin Mary_, the northern point at the +eastern entrance into the straits of Magellan, distant from _Fuego_, one +of the Cape de Verd islands, 1580 leagues, the meridional distance being +36° 4' W.[236] Next day they entered the straits. Proceeding onwards to +Queen Elizabeth's island, the pinnace was sent off to a fresh-water +river on the main, which was found frozen up. They saw large flocks of +geese and ducks at this place, but they were very shy. By some accident +the surgeon's mate was left ashore at this place by the boat, and when +brought on board next morning he was almost dead with the cold. They +remained some time at Queen Elizabeth's island, which is dry and mostly +barren, yet they found plenty of sallad herbs, which were of infinite +service, the crew being much afflicted by the scurvy. The principal herb +was _smallage_ of extraordinary size, which they eat raw, or boiled in +their broth, and of which they brought away a considerable quantity of +juice in bottles. On the 14th June, the empty water casks were sent +ashore to be filled, and the carpenters went to look out for a proper +piece of timber for a mizen-mast. They found abundance of wild fowl and +shell fish on shore, which were most welcome to all the company, as they +found their appetites to increase, while the necessity compelled the +enforcement of short allowance. They anchored on the 22d in a fine bay, +which they named _No-bottom Bay_, because of its great depth of water. +The trees here are lofty, and so loaded with snow as to be a most +astonishing sight. On the 29th there came to them a canoe in which were +two men, a woman, and a boy. These were of middle stature, with dark +complexions, broad, round faces, and low features, with low foreheads, +lank short black hair, and no clothing except a piece of skin to cover +their middles. The most extraordinary circumstance about them, was a +fine streak round their wrists of an azure colour. They seem to be very +jealous of their women, as they would on no account permit the woman who +was along with them to come on board. Clipperton ordered them bread and +cheese, and a dram of brandy, which last they refused to take, but they +eat the bread and cheese voraciously. They had a fire in the middle of +their canoe, which was made of the bark of trees sewed together, and +they brought with them some wild geese and ducks, which they exchanged +for knives. They had bows and arrows, together with some fishing tackle, +and went away after two hours stay, making signs that they would return. + + +[Footnote 236: The meridional distance between these two stations is 49° +25' W. Mayo being in long. 28° 15', and Cape Virgin Mary in long. 72° +40' both W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +Next day the pinnace went ashore, and returned in the evening with the +Indian canoe filled with large muscles, which our people bought from the +Indians, for knives, bread, and other trifles. In the beginning of July +the weather was very moderate. Clipperton found the savages in these +straits by no means so mischievous as they are usually represented, of +which they had two remarkable instances: As, on one occasion, one of the +crew was on shore two nights and a day, and was well used by the +natives; and, on another occasion, one of the natives being left +accidentally all night in the ship, the natives came for him next day +without fear; so that, if well treated, they do not seem to be +treacherous. In another canoe which came to the ship there were several +women, each having a necklace of five or six rows of small shining +shells, very nicely strung, resembling mother-of-pearl. All this time +the crew was very sickly, scarcely a day passing in which one or more +did not die, which was generally attributed to the want of something +comfortable to drink in this rigorous climate, all the liquors intended +for the voyage having been left in the Speedwell. The weather was +sometimes fair and moderate for two or three days together, but was +continually varying, and perhaps for two or three days following they +had continual snow, rain, and sleet, with frequent great flows of wind +that were intolerably sharp and piercing. William Pridham, the +master-gunner, died on the 7th July, and was buried ashore next day, +having a strong, plank with an inscription driven into the ground at the +head of his grave. + +On the 20th July, Captain Mitchell and Lieutenant Davidson went in the +pinnace, furnished with all necessaries, in order to make a discovery of +a passage on the southern side of the straits, through which a French +tartan is said to have gone into the South Sea in May, 1713, and to +examine if there were any anchorage beyond Cape _Quad_. The pinnace +returned on the 29th, having found the passage, but so narrow that it +was deemed too hazardous. Their provisions falling short, they were +forced to return before they had satisfied themselves sufficiently; yet +they found several good bays for anchoring in, to the N.W. of Cape +_Quad_. They got a seal from some Indians, which they broiled and eat, +and said that it was as good as venison. On the 1st of August, Captain +Mitchell and three other officers went a second time to examine to look +for the new passage. But, after the strictest examination, they could +not find that it led into the South Sea, but only into an icy bay, and +at all events was too narrow for their ship. On the return of Captain +Mitchell, it was resolved to prosecute their way through the straits, +which they did with much difficulty, getting into the South Sea on the +18th of August, but in so weak and sickly a condition as to be utterly +incapable of attempting any enterprize for some time, having been long +on short allowance of only one piece of beef or pork to a mess of six +men. In pursuance, therefore, of his instructions, Captain Clipperton +bore away for the island of Juan Fernandez, the third and last appointed +place of rendezvous with the Speedwell. + +The Success accordingly anchored at Juan Fernandez on the 7th September, +and search was made for any testimony of the Speedwell having been +there, but to no purpose. Captain Clipperton resolved, in compliance +with his instructions, to remain here, or cruizing in the neighbourhood, +for a month; and also had an inscription cut on a conspicuous tree +fronting the landing-place, to the following purport: "_Captain John---- +W. Magee, 1719_." This William Magee was surgeon of the Success, and +well known to Captain Shelvocke and all his company; and Clipperton +omitted his own name in the inscription, because he had been formerly in +the South Sea, and had been long a prisoner among the Spaniards, for +which reason he did not wish to give them notice of his return into this +sea. The sick were all landed on the 8th, and every convenience afforded +by the island made use of to promote their recovery. The weather was +very changeable all the time of the Success continuing here, with much +rain, and some hard gales of wind. They took, however, a considerable +number of goats, which not only served them for present subsistence, but +enabled them to increase their sea store, as they had an opportunity of +salting a good many; for some French ships, that had been at the island, +had left a considerable quantity of salt ready made. They likewise +cleaned the ship's bottom, and took on board a supply of wood and water. +It was now evident that the Success would have to act singly in these +seas, as Clipperton was fully of opinion that the Speedwell was lost, or +at least gave out so among the company, to prevent them from continually +cursing Shelvocke for running away with their liquors, which some of the +sick men did with their dying breaths. + +The beauty and fertility of this island, compared with the dangers and +difficulties unavoidable in the South Sea, tempted four of the men to +remain in the island, and they actually ran away into the mountains. As +it was very inconvenient to lose so many good hands, Captain Clipperton +took measures for recovering them, but ineffectually. At last, a +fortnight after their desertion, and only the day before the ship was to +leave the island, two of them were caught by the goat-hunters and +brought aboard. They confessed that they had been hard put to it for the +first five days, being forced to subsist entirely on the cabbage-trees, +which are here in great plenty; but having accidentally found some fire, +left by the goat-hunters, it served them in good stead, as it enabled +them to cook their victuals. That same evening they brought on board +all the goats-flesh they had salted, together with four casks of +seal-oil, and every thing else they had on shore. A cross was set up on +shore, at the foot of which a bottle was buried, containing a letter for +Captain Shelvocke, appointing another place of rendezvous, with certain +signals by which to know each other if they happened to meet at sea. + +SECTION II. + + +_Proceedings of the Success in the South Seas_. + + +Clipperton left Juan Fernandez on the 7th October, leaving two men +behind, as successors to Governor Selkirk, but of whose adventures we +have no mention. He now steered his course to the northwards, till in +the parallel of Lima, where he proposed to commence operations, though +in a very indifferent condition, having lost thirty men since passing +the equator. On the 25th, being in the latitude of Lima, they captured a +snow of forty tons, laden with sand and rubbish for manure, on board of +which were seven Indians and two negroes, their master having been left +sick on shore. The only thing she contained worth taking were two jars +full of eggs, two jars of treacle, and two dollars. Next day they +captured a ship of 150 tons, laden with timber from Guayaquil, in which +were two friars, sixteen Indians, and four Negroes. On the 30th they +took a ship of 400 tons, bound from Panama to Lima, which had been taken +by Captain Rogers at Guayaquil ten years before. She had many passengers +on board, and a loading of considerable value. Another prize was taken +on the 2d of November, being a vessel of seventy tons, on board of which +was the Countess of _Laguna_ and several other passengers, with a great +sum of money, and 400 jars of wine and brandy, which was very +acceptable. Captain Clipperton desired the countess to inform him, +whether she thought proper to remain in the prize, or to accept of such +accommodations as he was able to give her in the Success. She chose to +continue in the prize, on which he sent an officer of marines with a +guard, to prevent her from being molested, and with strict orders not to +allow any person to enter her cabin, except her own domestics. He also +sent part of the wine and brandy on board the other prizes, for the use +of his seamen who had charge of them. + +Although Captain Clipperton had now so many prizes, that above a third +of his company was detached to take charge of them, he was still as +eager to take more as if he had commanded a squadron of men of war, +instead of a single privateer weakly manned. On the 12th November, a +London-built pink of about 200 tons was discovered at some distance, +bound from Panama to Lima with a cargo of woad, of very little value to +Clipperton, yet he added this to the number of his prizes. The master of +this vessel, being a shrewd fellow, soon saw the error Clipperton had +fallen into, and resolved to turn it to his advantage. Guessing by the +number of prizes already attending the English ship, that he could not +spare many men to take possession of his ship, and having above a dozen +passengers, he directed them to hide themselves in the hold, along with +a Frenchman who served as boatswain, with orders to seize as many of the +English as went down below, assuring them that he with the ship's +company would be able to manage the rest. When this ship struck, +Clipperton sent Lieutenant Sergeantson with eight men to take possession +of her; who, on coming on board, ordered all he saw on deck into the +great cabin, at the door of which he placed a sentinel. Thinking every +thing was now secure, he ordered the topsails to be hoisted, in order to +stand down towards the Success; after which, the men went down into the +hold, to see what loading was in the ship. On this the concealed +passengers sallied out, knocked most of them down, and the boatswain +came behind Mr Sergeantson, whom he knocked down likewise, and then +bound all the Englishmen in the hold. In the mean time, the crew in the +great cabin, Spaniards, Indians, and Negroes, secured the sentinel. +Having thus recovered possession of the ship, the Spanish captain +resolved on getting ashore at all events, in which design he ran his +ship among the rocks, where he with his crew and prisoners were all in +considerable danger. He then ordered all the English prisoners to be +unbound, and all got safe on shore, after which Lieutenant Sergeantson +and his men were all sent prisoners to Lima. + +The viceroy was so much pleased with this hardy action of the Spanish +shipmaster, that he ordered a new vessel to be built for him at +Guayaquil, ordering all the traders in Peru to be taxed for defraying +the expence, as a reward for the service rendered on this occasion to +the public, and an encouragement for others to behave in like manner. On +the arrival of the prisoners at Lima, they were all strictly examined, +when one of them gave a full account of every thing he knew, +particularly of the two men who remained on the island of Juan +Fernandez, and of the letter left in a bottle for the Speedwell, the +consort of the Success. On this information, a small vessel was fitted +out and sent to Juan Fernandez, with orders to fetch away the two men +and the bottle containing the signals, which was accordingly done. + +Perceiving on the 20th November, that the last-taken, prize had been +recovered by her crew, as on making the signal to tack, she was seen to +make all possible sail towards the land, Captain Clipperton immediately +suspected what had happened; and finding it impossible to get up with +her, he began to consider what was best for him to do, to prevent the +bad effects which might reasonably be expected from her crew getting on +shore and communicating the alarm. Wherefore, he very prudently +determined to set all his Spanish prisoners at liberty, as well to save +provisions, which he could not very well spare, as that their good usage +from him might be speedily known, in hopes of the same being returned to +those of his men who had fallen into the hands of the Spaniards. + +On the 24th we took another prize of about 200 tons, laden with timber +from Panama to Lima, having on board forty negroes and thirty Spaniards, +most of the last being passengers. On the 27th he came to anchor with +all his prizes at the island of Plata, where he began seriously to +reflect how best to turn the expedition to the profit of the owners, as +well as of himself and crew. He knew well that all the coast was now +alarmed, and that two men-of-war were fitting out on purpose to take +him, one of fifty and the other of thirty guns. He had no expectations +of the ships and goods he had taken being ransomed in that pan of the +world, and believed they would prove of little value if brought home; +and reflecting on what had formerly been proposed by Captain Woods +Rogers on a similar occasion, of sending a cargo of such prize goods to +Brazil, he resolved to try that experiment. Accordingly, he fitted out +the bark in which he had taken the Countess de Laguna, armed her with +eight guns, and gave her a crew of thirteen Englishmen and ten negroes, +with what provisions and stores he could spare, calling her the +_Chickly_. Into this vessel he put a cargo of European commodities, +valued at upwards of ten thousand pounds, and on the 27th November, +1719, he sailed for Brazil under the command of Captain Mitchell. As +soon as she was gone, he gave up his other prizes to the Spaniards, +taking out of them whatever he thought worth keeping, and detaining one +of the Spanish masters to serve him as pilot, with all the negroes; +after which he sailed from La Plata to resume his cruize on his former +station. + +The 12th December he took a vessel bound from Cherisse for Panama with +provisions, which employed the launch and pinnace of the Success a whole +day in bringing on board the flour and other provisions out of the +prize. Having got as much flour out of her as they could well stow away +in the Success, Clipperton ordered the main-mast of the prize to be cut +away, lest she should overset, and then dismissed her. From the people +of this prize, they learnt that Lieutenant Sergeantson and his men had +been carried prisoners to Lima. On the 27th they anchored in _Guanchaco_ +bay, where they found two ships at anchor, which had been abandoned by +their crews, and every thing taken out of them, except some bread and a +few jars of water. These ships were set on fire. It was now resolved to +bear away for the Gallapagos islands for refreshments, and accordingly +anchored in York road, on the north side of the Duke of York's island, +on the 9th January, 1720, immediately under the equinoctial line. They +here found good water, scrubbed and cleaned their ship's bottom, and +after ten days proceeded to the northwards, in order to cruize on the +coast of Mexico. The circumstance of finding good water at this place, +sufficiently justifies Captain Cowley from the aspersions thrown upon +him by later writers, who allege that he gave a fanciful and untrue +account of these islands, as they had not been able to find water or +anchorage at such of them as they tried. + +Having returned to the American coast, they fell in with a ship on the +21st of January, which they took after a long chase. This proved to be +the Prince Eugene, on board of which was the Marquis of _Villa Roche_ +and all his family, bound from Panama, where he had been president, to +Lima. This was the very ship in which Captain Clipperton had been +circumvented and taken in his last voyage in these seas,[237] when he +had been very indifferently used by the marquis, who was now at his +mercy, and whom he used, notwithstanding, with all civility. On the 8th +March, a priest who was on board the prize, and the boatswain of that +ship, desired leave to go on shore at the island of _Velas_,[238] which +was granted on condition that they would induce the inhabitants to bring +some bullocks to the shore, to exchange them for such goods as they +might think proper to accept in payment. This they promised, and on the +16th they returned with four bullocks, together with some fowls and +fruit as a present to the marquis, but said their alcalde, or governor, +would on no account permit them to trade with the English. They also +learnt that Captain Mitchell had been ashore at this place, and had shot +some of their cattle, but on 200 men appearing under arms, had been +forced to retire. This story seemed the more probable, as these people +had some linen and other articles of clothing belonging to Captain +Mitchell's men. Next day some letters from the marquis were intercepted, +which were by no means conformable to the strict honour to which the +Spanish nobility usually pretend, as they were meant to stir up the +inhabitants of Velas to surprise the men belonging to Captain +Clipperton, and to seize his boat when it went ashore for water. Upon +this Captain Clipperton confined the marquis for some days; yet allowed +him and his lady to go ashore on the 20th, leaving their only child as +an hostage; and soon after the prize was restored to her captain. + +[Footnote 237: The circumstance here alluded to no where appears in the +narratives of any of the former circumnavigations.--E.] + +[Footnote 238: Perhaps Velas point is here meant, in lat. 10° 9' N. on +the coast of that province of Mexico called _Corta Rica_.--E.] + +On the 14th April, the marquis and his lady came on board, accompanied +by the alcalde, and an agreement being made for their ransom, the lady +and child were sent ashore, and the marquis remained as sole hostage. In +the whole of this transaction, Clipperton seems to have been outwitted +by the marquis, who lately broke his word, and by this the crew of the +Success were provoked to murmur against their captain for trusting him. +On the 20th of April, the Success anchored in the Gulf of Amapala, or +Fouseca, in lat. 13° N. and not being able to water there, repaired to +the _Island of Tigers_,[239] where they procured water with great ease. +They went to the island of Gorgona, in lat. 2° 53' N. for the same +purpose, on the 4th June. On the 24th of that month they took a prize +which had once been in their hands before, now laden with timber and +cocoa-nuts; and on the 11th August, anchored with their prize at the +island of _Lobor de la Mar_, in lat. 6° 95' S. where they set up tents +on shore, scrubbed and cleaned their ship's bottom, and took whatever +seemed of any value out of the prize. + +[Footnote 239: Perhaps the Isla del Cana, in lat. 8° 46' N. is here +meant, or it may have been one of the islands in the Gulf of +Amapala.--E.] + +While here, a plot was entered into by the crew, for seizing the captain +and officers, whom they proposed to leave on the island of Lobos, and +then to run away with the ship; but this was happily discovered on the +6th September, the two principal ringleaders severely punished, and the +rest pardoned. On the 17th, they took a fishing-boat with a considerable +quantity of well-cured and salt fish. On the 1st November they went into +the Bay of Conception, on the coast of Chili, in lat. 36° 35' S. in +chace of a vessel which outsailed them and escaped; whence they bore +away for Coquimbo, in lat. 29° 50' S. and took a ship laden with sugar, +tobacco, and cloth, on their passage between these two places. On the +6th in the afternoon, on opening the harbour of Coquimbo, they saw three +men-of-war at anchor with their topsails loose, which immediately +slipped their cables and stood after them. The Success hauled close upon +a wind, as the prize did likewise, on which the best sailing Spanish +man-of-war gave chase to the prize, which she soon came up with and +took. The two other ships crowded all sail after the Success, till +afternoon, when the biggest carried away her mizen-mast, on which she +fired a gun and stood in for the shore, which favoured the escape of the +Success. + +In the re-captured prize, they lost their third lieutenant, Mr James +Milne, with twelve men. The captain of the Spanish man-of-war which took +him, was the famous Don Blas de Lesso, who was governor of Carthagena +when that place was attacked by Admiral Vernon. At first Don Blas +treated Mr Milne very roughly, being enraged at having missed taking the +English privateer, and had only retaken a Spanish prize, and in the +first transport of his passion struck Mr Milne over the head with the +flat of his sword. But on coming to himself he sent for Mr Milne, and +generously asked his pardon, and finding he had been stripped by the +soldiers, ordered him a new suit of clothes, and kept him some time in +his own ship. He afterwards procured his liberty at Lima, paid his +passage to Panama, giving him a jar of wine and another of brandy for +his sea-store, and put 200 dollars in his pocket to carry him to +England. This unlucky accident of losing the prize revived the +ill-humour among the crew of the Success, who did not indeed enter into +any new plot, but became much dejected. + +On the 16th they gave chase to another ship, which, after exchanging a +few shots, bore away and left them. This was a fortunate escape, as she +was a ship of force commanded by one Fitzgerald, which had been fitted +out on purpose to take Captain Shelvocke; but knowing this not to be the +ship he was in search of, and doubting her strength, had no great +stomach to engage. These repeated disappointments, as they broke the +spirit of the crew, had a very bad effect on Captain Clipperton, who now +began to take to drinking, which grew at last to such a pitch that he +was hardly ever quite sober; owing to which unhappy propensity he +committed many errors in his future proceedings. + +It was now determined to proceed to the northward in search of plunder, +as also to procure a supply of provisions, especially flour, having +expended all their stock of that article, and being now reduced to three +pounds of Indian corn for a mess of six men per day. Having but +indifferent fortune, and being in sight of point _Helena_ in lat. 2° 10' +S. they resolved to bear away for the Gallapagos islands, on the 27th +November, having in the first place set ashore the prisoners belonging +to the vessel in which Mr Milne was taken. In their passage to these +islands, they suspected an error in their log-line, which was found +three fathoms too short, making an error in their computation on this +run of about fifty-two miles. On the 4th of December they lost their +purser, Mr Fairman, and the same day found themselves near the +Gallapagos, being in lat. 0° 36' N. with a strong current running to the +S.W. against which they had to contend. On the 6th the pinnace was sent +to look out for an anchorage at one of the islands, but returned without +finding any, having seen many tortoises on shore. Upon this the pinnace +and yawl were sent out to bring off some of these animals, and returned +with sufficient fish to serve the whole company for a day, but had been +unable to land for turtle, in consequence of a prodigious surf on the +shore. This island was a mere rock in lat. 0° 9' N. and the ground all +about it was foul, with soundings from fifty to eighty fathoms. Leaving +this island, they proceeded to another in the S.W. but could find no +anchorage. Being unwilling to lose more time, they made the best of +their way for the island of _Cocos_,[240] where they hoped to procure +fish, fowls, and cocoa-nuts. On the 7th they saw several islands in the +N.E. through which they passed, and got clear of them all by the +9th,[241] but as the people daily fell sick, they grew very apprehensive +of the dangerous situation they might incur in case of missing the +island of which they were now in search. On the 17th they had the +satisfaction of seeing the long-wished for island in the N.W. at the +distance of nine leagues; and on the 18th, after coming to anchor, all +of them went on shore that could be spared from the necessary duty of +the ship, in order to build a hut for the reception of the sick, who +were then carried on shore and comfortably lodged. They here had plenty +of fish, fowls, eggs, and cocoa-nuts, with other refreshments. The +captain here opened the last hogshead of brandy for the use of the +company, giving every man a dram daily as long as it lasted; and on +new-year's-day 1721, he allowed a gallon of strong beer to every mess. +By means of abundant nourishing food and much ease, the crew began to +recover their health and spirits, and were soon able to take on board +wood and water, though with considerable difficulty, as a very heavy +swell set in from the northwards at the full and change of the moon, so +that they had to wait till after the spring-tides were over, before they +were able to get any thing off. + +[Footnote 240: The island of Cocos, nearly north from the Gallapagos, is +in lat. 5° 20' N. and long. 87° 53' W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +[Footnote 241: These were probably some of the most northerly of the +Gallapagos.--E.] + +On the 17th January, 1721, Captain Clipperton made the necessary +dispositions for sailing, but it was three days before he could get his +people on board, and then no less than eleven of them were missing, +three Englishmen and eight negroes. It is not easy to conceive what +could have induced the former to hazard themselves at this island, so +far removed from the continent, and so little likely to be frequented by +ships, and whence they had so very small a chance of ever getting off. +It must be attributed to their dread of the dangers and fatigues to +which they had been continually exposed, and to their living almost +continually on short allowance, whereas they were here sure of plenty of +provisions, with no other fatigue but the trouble of procuring and +dressing them. Perhaps they might have received some assurance from the +marquis, of having a ship sent for them when he obtained his liberty, +which was at least a hazardous contingency; and there is great reason +to doubt was never performed. + +Leaving the island of Cocos on the 20th, they arrived on the coast of +Mexico on the 25th, when they met with an extraordinary adventure. +Discovering a sail about seven in the evening, they gave chase and sent +their pinnace to board, which came up with the chase about eleven. On +the return of the pinnace, her people reported that this was a Spanish +ship named the Jesu Maria, but now in possession of Captain Shelvocke, +who had now only forty of his men remaining, all the rest being dead or +dispersed. He said that he had lost the Speedwell at the island of Juan +Fernandez, where he staid five months, and built a bark out of the wreck +of the Speedwell. Putting to sea in this bark, he had coasted along +Chili and Peru, meeting several ships, but could not take any, till at +length he captured the Jesu Maria at Pisco near Lima. Shelvocke's people +differed much in their stories, but it appeared that there was no +regular command among them; and, as used to be the practice in the +buccaneers, they had chosen a quarter-master, every thing being carried +by a majority of votes, being all equal, and snared every thing among +themselves, contrary to the articles of agreement with their owners. + +On the 27th, Mr Clipperton sent for the purser of the Jesu Maria, who +gave but a dark account of their proceedings, only that he was not +allowed to take any account of the treasure for the owners. Captain +Shelvocke afterwards came on board the Success, accompanied by Mr Dod, +his lieutenant of marines, who proposed to remain in the Success, having +been very ill used by the other crew for his attachment to the interest +of the owners, at least so he said, and was credited by Captain +Clipperton and his officers. Next day, Shelvocke sent on board the +Success six chests of pitch and _dammer_, two barrels of tar, and six +slabs of copper; and Captain Clipperton gave him _twenty-four_ quarter +deck guns,[242] some round shot, a compass, and a few other necessaries. +Shelvocke's people laid out a great deal of money with the crew of the +Success, in the purchase of clothes, shoes, hats, and other necessaries; +and there remained with them two of Shelvocke's officers, Mr Hendric the +purser, and Mr Dod the lieutenant of marines. + +[Footnote 242: This must be a gross error, as the Success originally +carried only _twenty-four_ guns; and accordingly, in the subsequent +account of the circumnavigation of Shelvocke, only two quarter-deck guns +are mentioned.--E.] + +Still keeping to the northward on the coast of Mexico, the Success +afterwards saw the Jesu Maria several times; and at length, in the +beginning of March, it was resolved to propose a conjunct attempt on the +Manilla ship on her way to Acapulco. Accordingly on the 13th March, in a +general consultation by the officers of both ships, it was agreed to +make the attempt jointly, both ships boarding her at once, as the only +chance of taking her. On the 15th, in another consultation, Captain +Clipperton and his officers agreed to certain articles, which were sent +to Captain Shelvocke, proposing, if he and his crew would refund all the +money they had shared among themselves, contrary to the articles agreed +upon with the owners, and put the whole into a joint stock, thus all +their faults should be forgiven, both companies uniting, and should then +proceed together to cruise for the Acapulco ship. This proposal was very +indifferently received by Shelvocke and his men, who did not care to +part with what they possessed, and declined to give any answer to this +proposal. Perceiving, therefore, that nothing good was to be expected +from their quondam consort, considering also that the usual time of the +Manilla ship arriving at Acapulco was already elapsed, that most of +their remaining men were weak and sickly, and that they were only +victualled for five months at their present short allowance, Captain +Clipperton and his men thought it was now proper for them to proceed for +the East Indies without loss of time, in order to preserve what little +they had got for their owners and themselves. It was therefore resolved +upon to put this plan into immediate execution, without any farther +consultation with Shelvocke, and to leave the coast of America directly. +They were now to the S.S.E. of Port Marquis, in lat. 16°50'N. and +accordingly on the 18th March shaped their course for crossing the +Pacific ocean towards the Ladrone islands. + +The Manilla ships usually leave the Philippine islands about the +beginning of July, and arrive at the Ladrones about the beginning of +September, whence they proceed for Acapulco, where they are expected to +arrive about the middle of January. They generally remain at Acapulco, +till towards the latter end of April, and then sail for Manilla. This, +though the general rule, is liable to some alterations, according as the +trade-winds set in earlier or later. From this account, it is plain +that the ship they had now proposed to wait for must have been the +galleon on her passage from Acapulco for Manilla, which always has a +prodigious quantity of silver on board. + +SECTION III. + +_Voyage of the Success from the Coast of Mexico to China._ + +The Success performed the voyage from the coast of Mexico to the +Ladrones in fifty-three days, arriving in sight of the island of Serpana +on the 10th May, 1721. This island is in lat. 13°42'N. though usually +laid down in the Spanish maps in 14°.[243] In this passage they lost six +of their men, and the rest were reduced to so weak and low a state, that +the sight of this island gave them great joy. They determined however to +proceed to Guam, as best known to Europeans, and where they were most +likely to procure provisions; but in their present weakly condition it +might have been better to have gone to Serpana, where the Spaniards have +not so great a force as at Guam. They anchored in the road at this +island on the 13th May, and sent their pinnace ashore with a flag of +truce to obtain provisions. But the people informed them that, without +leave of the governor, they could not trade with them. Application was +therefore made to the governor for this purpose, which was favourably +received for the present; and Mr Godfrey, the owners agent, who had been +sent up to the governor at Umatta, returned on the 16th to the Success +in one of the country proas, with a message from the governor, +intimating, that they should be furnished with provisions, if they +behaved civilly and paid honestly. The launch arrived soon after, +bringing on board some cattle, bread, sugar, brandy, fruit, and +vegetables; and on the 17th the governor sent a handsome present of +palm-wine, sugar, and brandy, with a large quantity of chocolate. + +[Footnote 243: Serpana is probably some small island close to Guam, not +inserted in general maps. The centre of Guam is in 13°30'N.] + +The _Island of Guam_, in lat. 13°30'N. long 145°30'E. from Greenwich, is +nearly ten leagues long from N. to S. and five leagues from E. to W. It +has several villages, the most remarkable being Amatta, Atry, Agana, +Anigua, Asa, Hugatee, and Rigues. The natives are formerly said to have +amounted to 150,000 souls, but at this time did not exceed a tenth of +the number, of which a few hundreds remained independent in the +mountains, in spite of every effort to reduce them under the Spanish +dominion. The natives are strong, active, vigorous, and war-like, but +are represented as cruel, vindictive, and treacherous, though perhaps +the Spaniards have exaggerated their bad qualities, to extenuate their +own tyranny and oppression. The Spanish garrison at this island at this +time consisted of 300, relieved from time to time from Manilla, and the +King of Spain is said to have allowed 30,000 dollars yearly for the +maintenance of this port, the only use of which is to give refreshments +to the annual ship which goes between Manilla and Acapulco. + +Having agreed with the governor of Guam for the ransom of the Marquis de +Villa Roche, that nobleman went ashore on the 18th May, accompanied by +the agent, the first lieutenant, and the doctor; and the Success gave +him a salute of five guns at parting. For six days after, the launch was +continually employed in bringing wood, water, and provisions on board, +during which time the governor requested to be supplied with some arms +and ammunition in exchange, and accordingly Captain Clipperton sent him +twelve fuzees, three jars of gunpowder, sixty rounds of shot, four pair +of pistols, and several cutlasses, swords, and daggers. On the 25th a +letter was sent on board, demanding the jewels belonging to the marquis, +some consecrated plate, and two negroes, who were Christians; as also +requiring to have a certificate signed by the captain and officers of +the Success, that peace had been proclaimed between Britain and Spain; +besides which, this letter intimated that Mr Godfrey and Mr Pritty were +detained till all these demands were complied with. In reply, Captain +Clipperton sent a letter, containing a certificate, that he had been +informed by the Solidad, the last prize taken on the coast of Chili, +that peace had been concluded between Britain and Spain; but threatning, +if the agreed ransom for the marquis, and the two gentlemen now +detained, were not sent off in twenty-four hours, that he would demolish +all the houses on shore, burn the ship in the harbour, and do all the +mischief he could at the Philippine Islands. + +Soon after, a letter was received from the governor, saying that he +would pay for the consecrated plate, and desiring to have more powder +and shot; to which Clipperton made answer that he could not spare any +more. The yawl went ashore on the 28th for more provisions; but the +people were told that no more could be had, unless they sent more powder +and shot. Upon this Clipperton weighed anchor, and stood in for the +harbour, sending the pinnace a-head to sound. The people on shore had +raised a battery during the sham treaty about the ransom of the marquis, +from which they fired on the pinnace. The pinnace now returned to +Clipperton, and reported that the only channel they could find lay +within pistol-shot of the shore; yet at six in the afternoon Clipperton +persisted to carry the Success into the harbour, making directly for the +ship that lay there at anchor. The _Spaniards_ carried her into +shoal-water,[244] where she was exposed to two fires, one from the new +battery on land, almost directly over head, and the other from the ship. +At nine she got foul of the rocks, when they had to cut away two of +their anchors, endeavouring to get her off, all the while the enemy +plying them warmly with shot and stones from the new battery on the +hill, so that they suffered severely in the hull and rigging of the +ship. They also had three men wounded, besides losing the first +lieutenant, Mr Davidson, an honest man and a good officer. Thus the +Success had to remain in a miserable situation, exposed during the whole +night to the continual fire of the enemy; and the surface of the water +being as smooth as a mill-pond, the ship was easily seen in the night, +while her unfortunate crew had no other mark to fire at but the flashes +of the enemy's guns. + +[Footnote 244: This unexplained circumstance probably meant, that the +Success had at this time _Spanish_ pilots, who betrayed her.--E.] + +In this dangerous emergency, Captain Clipperton being overcome with +liquor, and quite unable to command, the officers came to the resolution +of running clear from the enemy as soon as they could get the ship +afloat, and signed a paper to indemnify Mr Cook if he would assume the +command. By four in the afternoon of the 29th they got the ship afloat, +and cut away their small bower anchor, but ran aground again in ten +minutes. At nine they carried out the kedge-anchor, but the hawser broke +in heaving. They now carried out another hawser, having a lower-deck gun +fixed to it, as they had now lost all their anchors, and were still +aground. At two in the morning of the 30th the enemy repeatedly called +upon them to surrender, or they might expect no quarter. At five they +carried out the main-top-mast shrowd hawser, with another gun, still +plying the enemy with their great guns and small-arms, though they were +able to do little harm; while the enemy never missed them, especially +directing their shot at the boats of the Success, whenever they saw them +in motion. At eleven in the forenoon of the 30th they carried out the +remains of their best bower-cable, with two lower-deck guns, which they +dropped right a-head in five fathoms water. They now cleared the hold, +ready to start their water to lighten the ship; got their upper and +lower-deck guns forwards, to bring her by the head as she hung abaft on +the rocks, and kept two guns constantly firing from the stern-ports at +the enemy's battery, but could not get them to bear. During the last +twenty-four hours they had fortunately only one man wounded; but the +ship was wretchedly injured between wind and water, and her rigging torn +to pieces. + +At six in the afternoon of the 30th the ship floated, when they cut away +their yawl, having been sunk by a shot. They hove taught their cable, +and then cut it away, together with the two hawsers, and sent the +pinnace a-head to tow the ship off. Just as the ship got afloat, the +enemy fired with great briskness from their new battery, their shot +raking through the Success between wind and water, killed one of her +men, and wounded two others. + +The Success had now remained fifty hours as a fair mark for the enemy to +fire at, during which they lost both their bower-anchors and cables, +with the stern and kedge-anchors, four hawsers, four lower-deck guns, +nineteen barrels of powder, two men killed and six wounded; and had they +not now got off, it was believed they must have been sunk before +morning. At ten in the forenoon of the 31st they hove to, and began to +splice their rigging, not a rope of which had escaped the shot of the +enemy. The masts and yards were all sore wounded; and the carpenters had +to work during the whole night, stopping-the shot-holes in the hull. +They stowed away most of their guns in the hold, barred up the ports, +hoisted in the launch and pinnace, and at noon steered away west under +an easy sail, hoping to save their passage before the western monsoon +set in; the carpenters being fully occupied in fishing the masts and +yards, and the rest of the crew in mending the rigging. At six in the +evening of the 31st May, 1721, the body of the island of Guam bore E. +seven leagues distant, and they then took their departure; being in 15° +20' N. designing now for China. + +The conduct of Captain Clipperton at Guam was certainly exceedingly +erroneous. He ought on no account to have permitted the marquis to go on +shore till he had received the money for his ransom, and all the +provisions of which he stood in need. The marquis had before behaved +very ill to him, and had no title to any favour; and if he had kept the +marquis, the governor of Guam would not have had any opportunity of +putting his schemes in execution. Clipperton committed also an egregious +error in pretending to attack the town, and the ship in the harbour. +Though drunkenness is rather an aggravation than an excuse for +misconduct, yet it is to be considered that Clipperton was a mere +sailor, who had not the benefit of a liberal education, and that he fell +into this sad vice from disappointment and despair. On all occasions he +had shewn a humane and even generous disposition, with the most +inflexible honesty, and a constant regard to the interest of his owners. +He is therefore much to be pitied, for having fled to the bottle under a +load of misfortunes too heavy for him to bear. + +The voyage upon which they had now to enter was very dangerous, the run +from Manilla to China being estimated at 400 leagues; besides that the +distance they had now to sail was much greater. They had only received a +very moderate addition to their former scanty stock of provisions; and +their vessel had been so roughly handled in the late unfortunate affair, +that they were very apprehensive she would not last out the voyage. On +careful examination, she was found to be in a very shattered condition, +having scarcely a whole timber in her upper works, and one of her +_fashion pieces_ being shot through, which is a principal support of the +after-part of the ship, they were obliged to strap her, to keep her +together. As it blew pretty fresh, they durst not carry sail, and for +nearly a week together had to scud almost under bare poles, through +variable winds, bad weather, and a rough sea. This was a melancholy +situation for the people, in seas with which they were little +acquainted, and sailing by charts on which they could not depend. Yet +they found the accounts and charts of Dampier much superior to those +laid down by persons of much greater figure, so that without these they +had hardly been able to have extricated themselves from their +difficulties. The 24th June they were in sight of the _Bashee_ Islands, +in lat. 20° 45' N. long. 121° 40' E. On the 31st they saw the +_island-shoals_ of _Pralas_, in lat. 21° N. long. 116° 20' E. The 1st +July they fell in with other islands, not laid down in any of their +charts, which perplexed them sadly, not being able to form any certain +judgment of their true course. They anchored under one of these islands +in thirteen fathoms, and sent away one of their boats to endeavour to +procure intelligence how Macao bore from them, that being the port to +which they were bound. The pinnace returned on the 2d July, bringing a +boat in which were three Chinese sailors, or fishermen, whom they could +not understand, and all they could learn from them was, that Canton bore +from them to the S.W. + +On the 3d July, finding they had got too far to leeward of Macao, and +being unable to procure a pilot, they resolved to sail for _Amoy_, as +the only course that was left them, and accordingly arrived before that +port in the evening of the 5th; but being afraid to enter it in the +night, they plied off and on till daybreak of the 6th. They here noticed +great numbers of snakes in the sea, brought down by the rivers that +empty themselves upon that coast. The entrance into the port of _Amoy_ +is sufficiently conspicuous, in consequence of a high mountain, on the +top of which is a tower, or pagoda, which may be seen at the distance of +twenty leagues out to sea, and has a small island immediately before the +mouth of the bay. The river _Change-neu_[245] discharges itself here +into the sea, forming a spacious bay about eight leagues in circuit, +where ships may ride at anchor in great safety, the only difficulty +being in getting into port, which they happily accomplished in the +evening of the 6th July, being well pleased to find themselves once more +in a place where they might hope to procure refreshments, and be able to +repair their ship; or if that were impracticable, whence they might +procure a passage home. Clipperton was as much rejoiced as the rest; +for, having had his full share of afflictions and misfortunes at sea, he +was happy in the prospect of securing a small sum of money for his own +use, and sending home what belonged to the owners, if the ship were +really past repairing, as his people reported. + +[Footnote 245: No name resembling _Amoy_ is to be found on the coast of +China in any of our best maps, and the text gives no distinct indication +of its situation. The river _Changeneu_ of the text, perhaps refers to +_Tchang-tcheou_, a city in the province of Fokien, having a large bay in +lat. 24° 30' N. long. 118° 15' E. and _Amoy_ may have been some +corruption of the port of discharge at the mouth of the river which +passes Tchang-tcheou.--E.] + +They had no sooner anchored in the port than ten custom-house officers +were placed on board. At Amoy, as in most other ports in China, the +customs are under the direction of a single mandarin, called the Hoppo, +or Hoppou. The Chinese are justly reputed the craftiest people in the +world; and it is their invariable maxim to appoint the cunningest man +they can find to the office of hoppo. It may be added, that the people +of Amoy are reputed to be less nice in the principles of honour and +honesty even than any others in China. The first thing demanded by these +custom-house officers was, what the ship was, and what was her business +at this port. Clipperton made answer, that the ship belonged to the King +of Great Britain, and had put in there from stress of weather, in order +to obtain a supply of provisions and other necessaries. The officers now +demanded an exact account of the number of men and guns, the nature and +amount of the cargo, and the time they intended to stay, all of which +they set down in writing, and then departed. + +Next morning the men mutinied, and insisted that Clipperton should pay +them their prize-money immediately, as the Success was in no condition +to proceed to sea. The man who made this demand was one John Dennison; +and when Mr Taylor interposed in behalf of the captain, one Edward +Boreman told him he had better desist, unless he had a mind to have a +brace of bullets through his head. There was now an end of all +regularity on board, the authority of the captain being completely +overthrown. The country people supplied the ship with abundance of rice, +with some cattle and fowls, together with wood and water, for which they +were paid. On the 12th the officers went ashore to wait upon the hoppo, +who had a fine palace. He treated them with great civility, giving them +leave to anchor in the harbour, and to remain there till the adverse +monsoon was over; but for this he demanded 1700 dollars as port-charges, +equal to near £400 sterling, and soon afterward received that sum in +ready money. + +It may be remembered that Mr Mitchell went out from. England as second +captain under Clipperton. On his going to Brazil, he was succeeded by Mr +Davidson, who was slain in the unfortunate affair at Guam; to whom Mr +Cook succeeded as second captain. He now demanded to receive thirty +shares of the prize-money in that capacity, in which he was supported by +the men, whom he courted by a continual compliance with all their +humours. Captain Clipperton and the rest of the officers, seeing the +turn matters were likely to take, were very desirous that some allowance +should be reserved for the officers who were absent, and had been taken +prisoners, and for Mr Hendrie and Mr Dod, who had joined them from the +Speedwell: but all their endeavours were fruitless, as the men would not +listen to any such allowances. While these disputes were going on, the +men went ashore as they pleased, without asking leave; and when the +captain endeavoured to correct this licence, the whole company stood +out, and would not submit to controul. After this every thing fell into +confusion, and the men refused to work till they should receive their +prize-money. They even applied to the chief mandarin of the place, +styled _Hyhuug_ by the Chinese, to interpose his authority for obliging +their captain to comply with their demands. This magistrate then +summoned Captain Clipperton to appear before him, and demanded to know +the reason why he refused to give the men satisfaction; on which the +captain produced the articles, which contained expressly that they were +not to receive their prize-money till their return to London. But +Captain Cook, as he was now styled, gave quite a different account of +this matter to the mandarin; on which a guard of soldiers was sent +aboard the Success, with a peremptory order to Captain Clipperton +immediately to settle the shares, and to pay them to the men, with which +he was forced to comply. + +This distribution was accordingly made on the 16th September, pursuant +to the order of the chief mandarin; and as no allowance was reserved for +those who had been made prisoners, or for the representatives of those +who had died, or the two gentlemen who formerly served in the Speedwell, +the prize-money stood thus: + + The share of money and silver plate, dollars 280 + The share of gold, 100 + The share of jewels, 39 + ----- + Total share of a foremast-man, 419 + +Which, at 4s. 8d. the dollar, amounted to £97:15:4 sterling. According +to this distribution: The share of the captain amounted to £1466, 10s. +The second captain had £733, 5s. The captain of marines, the lieutenants +of the ship, and the surgeon, had each £488:16:8. Although Captain Cook +and his associates were thus able to carry their point, yet Captain +Clipperton prevailed on the mandarin to set apart one half of the cargo +for the benefit of the owners; which amounted, in money, silver, gold, +and jewels, to between six and seven thousand pounds. This was +afterwards shipped at Macao in a Portuguese ship, called the Queen of +Angels, commanded by Don Francisco de la Vero. This ship was +unfortunately burnt at Rio de Janeiro, on the coast of Brazil, on the +6th June, 1722; so that the owners, after deducting salvage, only +received £1800. + +The people and mandarins at Amoy have so conducted themselves for a long +time, that, even among their own countrymen, this port has the +appellation of _Hiamuin booz_, or Amoy the roguish. The fishermen on the +coast, when they meet any European ship that seems intended for that +port, pronounce these words with a very significant air; but, for want +of understanding the language, or perhaps from confidence in their own +prudence, this warning is seldom attended to. The custom of this port is +to disarm every ship that enters it, sending two frigates or armed +vessels, called _chan-pans_, full of men, to ride close by the vessel, +to ensure the execution of all orders from the _hoppo_ and chief +mandarin. Besides the enormous imposition under the name of port +charges, already mentioned, they have other strange methods of getting +money. Thus, though the small craft of the country are at liberty to +carry all sorts of provisions on board for sale, yet every one of these +must in the first place go to one of the _chan-pans_, and pay there a +tax or consideration for leave to go to the strange vessel. By this +means, though provisions are here very plentiful, and ought therefore to +be cheap, the price is enhanced at least a third. The mandarins have +also a practice of sending presents of wine, provisions, and expensive +curiosities, to the captain and other officers; of all which, when the +ship is ready to sail, they send an exact memorial with the prices +charged, the last article being so much for the clerk drawing up the +account; and all this must be discharged in money or commodities, before +their arms and ammunition are returned. + +During a stay of ten weeks at this port, they sufficiently experienced +all the artifices of this covetous and fraudulent people, from whom +Captain Clipperton had no way to defend himself, and was therefore +obliged to submit to all their demands. Towards the end of September, +the season and their inclinations concurred to deliver them from this +place; for by this time, even the common men began to be weary of the +people, who shewed themselves finished cheats in every thing. On the +25th September, their arms and ammunition were restored, and that same +day the Success weighed from the harbour, going out into the road or +gulf, in order to proceed for Macao, to have the ship surveyed, as the +men insisted she was not in a condition for the voyage home. Captain +Clipperton affirmed the contrary, well knowing that the men insisted on +this point merely to justify their own conduct, and to avoid being +punished in England for their misbehaviour in China. + +They weighed anchor from the Bay of Amoy, in the province of +_Tonkin_,[246] on the 30th September, and anchored in the road of +_Macao_ on the 4th October. This place had been an hundred and fifty +years in the hands of the Portuguese, and had formerly been one of the +most considerable places of trade in all China, but has now fallen much +into decay. The way in which the Portuguese became possessed of this +place gives a good specimen of Chinese generosity. In prosecuting their +trade with China from India and Malacca, being often overtaken by +storms, many of their ships had been cast away for want of a harbour, +among the islands about Macao, on which they requested to have some +place of safety allowed them in which to winter. The Chinese accordingly +gave them this rocky island, then inhabited by robbers, whom they +expelled. At first they were only allowed to build thatched cottages; +but, by bribing the mandarins, they were permitted in the sequel to +erect stone houses, and even to build forts. One of these, called _the +Fort of the Bar_, is at the mouth of the harbour, and terminates at a +rock called _Appenka_, where there is a hermitage of the order of St +Augustine. There is another fort on the top of a hill, called the Fort +of the Mountain; also another high fort, called _Nuestra Senhora de +Guia_. The city of Macao stands on a peninsula, having a strong wall +built across the isthmus, with a gate in the middle, through which the +Chinese pass out and in at pleasure, but it is death for a Portuguese to +pass that way. + +[Footnote 246: This surely is an error for Fo-kien. Amoy has been before +stated in the text as N.E. from Macao, whereas the _kingdom_ of Tonquin +is S.W. from that port.--E.] + +Some travellers have reported that the Portuguese were sovereigns of +Macao, as of other places in India: But they never were, and the Chinese +are too wise a people to suffer any thing of the kind. Macao certainly +is as fine a city, and even finer, than could be expected, considering +its untoward situation: It is also regularly and strongly fortified, +having upwards of 200 pieces of brass cannon upon its walls. Yet, with +all these, it can only defend itself against strangers. The Chinese ever +were, and ever will be, masters of Macao, and that without firing a gun +or striking a blow. They have only to shut up that gate and place a +guard there, and Macao is undone; and this they have actually done +frequently. Without receiving provisions from the adjacent country, the +inhabitants of this city cannot subsist for a day; and besides, it is so +surrounded by populous islands, and the Chinese are here so completely +masters of the sea, that the Portuguese at Macao might be completely +starved on the slightest difference with the Chinese. The Portuguese +have indeed the government over their own people within the walls of +this city; yet Macao is strictly and properly a Chinese city: For there +is a Chinese governor resident on the spot, together with a hoppo or +commissioner of the customs; and these Chinese mandarins, with all their +officers and servants, are maintained at the expence of the city, which +has also to bear the charges of the Portuguese government.[247] + +[Footnote 247: The East India Company found all this to be true a few +years ago, when its Indian government thought to have taken Macao from +the Portuguese. Had this account of the matter been read and understood, +they would not have unnecessarily incurred a vast expence, and suffered +no small disgrace at Canton.--E.] + +In spite of all this, the Portuguese inhabitants were formerly very +rich, owing to the great trade they carried on with Japan, which is now +in a great measure lost. Yet, being so near Canton, and allowed to +frequent the two annual fairs at that place, and to make trading voyages +at other times, they still find a way to subsist, and that is all, as +the prodigious presents they have to make on all occasions to the +Chinese mandarins, consume the far greater part of their profits. Each +of their vessels, on going up to Canton, has in the first place to pay +£100 sterling for leave to trade. They are next obliged to make a +considerable present, for permission to have their goods brought on +board by the Chinese, to whom they must not only pay ready money for all +they buy, but have sometimes to advance the price beforehand for a year. +After all this, they have to make another present for leave to depart, +at least double the amount of what they formerly paid for liberty to +trade; and they have to pay heavy duties to the emperor for every thing +they buy or sell, besides their enormous presents to his ministers. + + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Residence of Captain Clipperton at Macao, and Returns from thence to +England._ + + +On entering the port of Macao in the Success, Captain Clipperton saluted +the fortress, which compliment was returned. He then went on shore, +where he prevailed on the captain of a Portuguese ship of war, formerly +mentioned, to carry the property belonging to his owners to Brazil. At +this place, the crew of the Success found themselves considerably at a +loss, as the Portuguese commander declared himself entirely in favour of +Captain Clipperton. Captain Cook, therefore, and another of the officers +of the Success, went up to Canton, to consult with Mr Winder, supercargo +of an English East Indiaman, and son to one of the principal owners, as +to what should be done with, the Success. On their return, the ship was +surveyed, condemned, and sold for 4000 dollars, which was much less than +her worth. This was, however, no fault in Captain Clipperton, who, to +shew that he still adhered to his former opinion, that the ship was fit +to proceed to England, agreed with the persons who purchased her for a +passage to Batavia, a convincing proof that he did not believe her in +any danger of foundering at sea. + +The ship being sold, the crew naturally considered themselves at liberty +to shift for themselves, and to use their best endeavours each to save +what little remained to him, after their unfortunate expedition. All +were satisfied that Captain Mitchell, with his crew and cargo, had +either gone to the bottom or fallen into the hands of the Spaniards, so +that they had no hopes of any farther dividend from that quarter; yet it +was some consolation that they were so near the English factory at +Canton, and as six dollars were required for a passage to that place in +one of the Chinese boats, twenty of them agreed to go there immediately, +in hopes of getting a passage from thence to England. Mr Taylor, one of +the mates of the Success, was of the number: But before the boat set +sail, he had some presentiment of danger, and chose rather to lose his +money, by waiting for another opportunity. He had reason to be satisfied +with himself for this conduct; as he soon learnt that the boat tad been +taken by a pirate, and the people stript of all their property. After a +short stay at Macao, Mr Taylor had an opportunity of going up to Canton +in an armed boat along with a mandarin, for which he and the rest of the +crew belonging to the Success, who went along with him, paid twenty +dollars each. In their passage up, they had satisfactory proof that in +some cases there may be frugality in expence, as they saw a pirate take +a boat in sight of that in which was the mandarin. This plainly shewed +that the government winks at these things, perhaps deeming it good +policy to raise thereby a considerable revenue, partly by presents from +the pirates, and partly by sums paid by merchants and passengers for +protection. From this, and many other circumstances which might be +adduced, the boasted wisdom of the Chinese is nothing more than the +science of dexterously hiding their robberies from the inspection of the +law: In which, perhaps, they are as much exceeded by some northern +nations as in the use of the compass, of which they pretend to be the +original inventors, and perhaps with justice; but both in the management +of the compass, and in this political trade of pirating, they are +equally clumsy. + +Mr Taylor and his company arrived at the English factory in Canton on +the 4th November, where they were well received, and promised all +assistance for getting home. There were at this time ships ready to +sail, first for several ports in India and then for Europe. The captains +of these vessels, on being solicited by the gentlemen of the factory to +take Captain Clipperton's men on board, agreed to carry them for five +pounds a man, which they all accordingly paid, esteeming it a very great +favour. Mr Taylor and two or three more embarked in the Maurice, Captain +Peacock, then riding at Wanapo, [Wampoa,] about three leagues below +Canton, the place where European ships lie; and the rest of the company +were distributed among the other ships. They sailed on the 9th, in +company with the Macclesfield, an English East-Indiaman, and the +House-of-Austria, belonging to Ostend. Mr Taylor arrived safely at +Batavia in the month of December; sailed thence by the Cape and St +Helena, and arrived in London in May 1722. The rest of the company +returned also, some sooner and some later. + +As for Captain Mitchell, who was sent to Brazil with a small crew, he +was never more heard of, having probably been destroyed at the island +of Velas, where he went ashore to procure fresh provisions. This has +generally been considered as the greatest blemish in the management of +Captain Clipperton, but I confess without just cause, in my opinion; as +the great stress laid on that measure by Captain Rogers, might very well +have induced Captain Clipperton to try what might be done in this way, +especially as his owners had very strongly recommended the account of +Captain Rogers to be his rule and guide. I also think the proposal in +itself was very reasonable, and such as an officer who had the good of +the expedition at heart had good grounds for trying. It was well known +that the prize goods could produce little or nothing in the South Sea, +as the Spanish governors demanded such exorbitant sums for liberty to +trade, that no advantage could be derived from such a commerce, either +in buying or selling. He knew also that it was to little purpose +carrying these goods to Europe; and it was certainly much preferable to +send them to a place where they might sell to advantage, and where the +produce might be so invested as to procure a considerable profit on the +voyage from Brazil to London. The vessel in which Captain Mitchell +sailed was very fit for the purpose, and every way well provided; and +having a crew of thirteen English and ten negroes, was quite sufficient +for the navigation. + +Captain Clipperton sailed from Macao to Batavia, in his own ship the +Success, after she was sold; and got a passage to Europe in a Dutch +ship. He arrived at Galway in Ireland, where he left his family, in +June, 1722; being then in a very bad state of health, partly occasioned +by his great fatigues, but chiefly through the concern he was under for +the loss sustained by his owners in this unfortunate enterprize. It may +be objected, that he ought to have returned from Holland to England, to +give his owners the best account in his power respecting the events of +the voyage. But, as he sent home their moiety of the profits in the +Portugueze ship, which, had it not been destroyed by the way, had nearly +covered the expence of fitting out the Success, taking in the money she +sold for; and if we consider the reduced state of his health when he +went to Galway, where he did not live above a week, he may well be +excused for this step. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD BY CAPTAIN GEORGE SHELVOCKE, IN 1719-1722.[248] + +INTRODUCTION. + + +In the introduction to the former voyage, a sufficient account has been +given of the motives on which the expedition was founded, and the +original plan of acting under an imperial commission; together with +motives for changing this plan, and the reason of advancing Captain +Clipperton to the chief command. In the new scheme of the voyage, +Captain Shelvocke retained the command of the Speedwell, carrying +twenty-four guns and 106 men, Mr Simon Hately being his second captain, +an officer who has a good character given of him in the account of the +former voyage by Captain Rogers. The marines were under the command of +Captain William Betagh. Captain Shelvocke has himself written an account +of the expedition, and another was published by Captain Betagh, so that +the following narrative is composed from both. Shelvocke's narrative is, +strictly speaking, an apology for his own conduct, yet contains +abundance of curious particulars, written in an entertaining style, and +with an agreeable spirit; while the other is written with much acrimony, +and contains heavy charges against Captain Shelvocke, yet contains many +curious circumstances.--_Harris_. + +[Footnote 248: Harris, I. 198. Callender, III. 502.] + +This is one of the best written voyages we have hitherto met with, yet +extends rather to considerable length, considering its relative +importance. On the present occasion, therefore, it has been endeavoured +to lop off as many of its redundances as could be conveniently done +without injury, yet leaving every circumstance of any interest or +importance. The principal omission, or abbreviation rather, on the +present occasion, is the leaving out several controversial matters, +inserted by Harris from the account of this voyage by Betagh; which +might have sufficient interest among contemporaries, a few years after +the unfortunate issue of this misconducted enterprise, but are now of no +importance, near a century later.--Ed. + + + + + +SECTION I. + +_Narrative of the Voyage from England to the South Sea._ + + +Sailing from Plymouth on the 13th February, 1719, in company with the +Success, we kept company no longer than to the 19th, when, between nine +and ten at night, we had a violent storm at S.W. which increased so, +that by eleven we were under bare poles. At midnight a sea struck us on +our quarter, which stove in one of our dead lights on the quarter and +another on our stern, by which we shipped a vast quantity of water +before we could get them again fastened up, and we were a considerable +time under great apprehension of foundering. On the 20th we could not +see the Success; and this storm so terrified the greatest part of the +crew, that seventy of them were resolved to bear away for England, +alleging that the ship was so very crank she would never be able to +carry us to the South Sea. But by the resolution of the officers they +were brought back to their duty. + +As the Canaries were the first place of rendezvous, we continued our +course for these islands, where we arrived on the 17th March, and +cruised there the time appointed by our instructions.[249] We next +sailed for the Cape de Verde Islands, and arrived at Maio on the 14th +April.[250] A little before arriving here, Turner Stevens[251] the +gunner very gravely proposed to me and the rest of the officers to +cruize in the Red Sea; as there could be no harm in robbing the +Mahometans, whereas the Spaniards were good Christians, and it was a sin +to injure them. I ordered him immediately into confinement, after which +he became outrageous, threatening to blow up the ship. Wherefore I +discharged him at his own request, and left also here on shore my chief +mate, who had challenged and fought with Mr Brooks, my first lieutenant. + +[Footnote 249: Clipperton arrived there on the 5th, and sailed thence on +the 15th of March.--E.] + +[Footnote 250: Clipperton came to St Vincent on the 24th March, and +cruized in that neighbourhood for ten days, so that he must have sailed +about the 31st, at least a fortnight before the arrival of +Shelvocke.--E.] + +[Footnote 251: Called Charles Turner by Betagh.--E.] + +On the 18th, we went to _Port Praya_, in the island of St Jago, but +finding nothing here but fair promises, I resolved to proceed to the +island of St Catharine on the coast of Brazil, in lat. 20° 30' S.[252] +in hopes of obtaining every thing necessary for our passage into the +South Sea, as, according to the account of it by Frezier, it abounds in +all the necessaries of life, such especially as are requisite in long +voyages. We sailed therefore from Port Praya on the 20th of April, and +had a very bad passage, as we were twenty-one days before we could pass +the equinoctial. White between the two tradewinds, we had usually slight +breezes, varying all round the compass, and sometimes heavy squalls of +wind, with thunder, lightning, and rain. In short, the most variable +weather that can be conceived, insomuch that we were fifty-five days +between St Jago and St Catharines. On the 4th June we made Cape Frio, +bearing W. seven leagues off our lat. by observation, 23° 41' S.[253] On +the 5th we met and spoke a ship, to which I sent Captain Hately to +enquire the news on the coast, and gave him money to buy tobacco, as the +Success had our stock on board. She was a Portuguese from Rio de Janeiro +bound to Pernambuco, and had no tobacco; but Hately had laid out my +money in unnecessary trifles, alleging they would sell for double the +money at the next port. + +[Footnote 252: This island is in 27° 10' S.] + +[Footnote 253: Cape Frio is in 22° 33' S.] + +[Captain Betagh gives a very different account of this matter, asserting +that Shelvocke hoisted imperial colours and made the Portuguese ship +bring to, on which Hately went aboard with a boat's crew well armed, and +put the Portuguese captain in such a fright, that he not only sent all +sorts of refreshments on board the Speedwell, but a dozen pieces of silk +flowered with gold and silver, worth about three pounds a yard, several +dozens of China plates and basons, a Japan cabinet, and three hundred +moidores in gold; ninety-six of which were afterwards found on Hately, +when made prisoner by the Spaniards, when he had nearly been put to +death for piracy on their account.][254] + +[Footnote 254: It is almost unnecessary to point out, that this +paragraph is an addition by Harris to the narrative of Shelvocke, +extracted from the journal of Betagh.--E.] + +We anchored at the island of St Catharine on the 23d June, where the +carpenter went ashore with a gang to fell trees, and saw them into +planks. The captain and inhabitants of the island came off to us daily +with fresh provisions, which saved our sea-stores while we lay here. I +also bought twenty-one beeves, 200 salted drom-fish of large size, and +150 bushels of cassado meal, called by the Portuguese _farina de fao_. +This is about as fine as our oatmeal, and from it a very hearty food is +prepared with little trouble. I also bought 160 bushels of _calavances_, +partly for money at a dollar the bushel, and partly in exchange for +salt, measure for measure; and likewise provided a quantity of tobacco +for the crew. + +The account given of this island by Frezier is very exact, only that he +takes no notice of an island between the island of _Gall_ and the +continent of Brazil, nor of a reef of rocks. To arrive at the proper +anchoring place at this island of St Catharine, it is necessary to +proceed in the channel between that island and the continent till within +or near two small nameless islands, over against the northernmost of +which is the watering place on the island of St Catharine, near the +entrance of a salt-water creek, opposite to which you may safely anchor +in six or seven fathoms on fine grey sand. The isle of St Catharine is +about eight leagues and a half long, but no where exceeds two leagues +broad; and at one place the channel between it and the continent is only +a quarter of a mile broad. The island is covered all over with +impassable woods, except where cleared for the plantations. Even the +smallest island about it is covered in like manner with a great variety +of trees, between which the ground is entirely covered with thorns and +brambles, which hinder all access; and the main land of Brazil may be +justly termed a vast continued wilderness. Sassafras, so much valued in +Europe, is so common here that we laid in a good quantity for fuel. It +has great abundance of oranges, both China and Seville, lemons, citrons, +limes, bananas, cabbage-palms, melons of all sorts, and potatoes. It has +also very large and good sugar-canes, of which they make little use for +want of utensils, so that the little sugar, molasses and rum they have +is very dear. They have very little game, though the woods are full of +parrots, which are good eating. These birds always fly in pairs, though +often several hundreds in a flock. Maccaos, cockatoes, plovers, and a +variety of other birds of curious colours and various shapes, are to be +seen in abundance; particularly one somewhat larger than a thrush, +having a spur on the joint of each wing. Flamingoes are often seen here +in great numbers, of a fine scarlet colour, and appear very beautiful +while flying. This bird is about the size of a heron, and not unlike it +in shape. + +The fishery is here abundant, as fish of several excellent sorts are in +great plenty, and there is the best convenience almost everywhere for +hauling the seine. All the creeks and bays are well stocked with +mullets, large rays, grantors, cavallies, and drum-fish, so named from +the noise they make when followed into shallow water, and there taken. +Some of them weigh twenty or thirty pounds each, their scales being as +large as crown pieces. The Portuguese call them _moroes_. The salt-water +creek formerly mentioned may be gone up three or four miles, to be near +the watering-place; and every rock or stone, even the roots of the +mangrove trees, afford a delicious small green oyster. Likewise on the +rocks at the sea-side there are _sea-eggs_, which resemble _dock-burrs_, +but usually three or four times as large, of a sea-green or purple +colour. In the inside they are divided into partitions, like oranges, +each cell containing a yellow substance, which is eaten raw, and +exceeds, in my opinion, all the shell-fish I ever tasted. They have +prawns of extraordinary size, and we sometimes caught the _sea-horse_ in +our nets. On the savannahs of Areziliba, on the continent opposite the +southern end of St Catharine, they have great numbers of black cattle, +some of which we had from thence at a very reasonable price. + +The Portuguese on this island are a parcel of banditti, who have taken +refuge here from the more strictly governed parts of Brazil. Emanuel +Mansa, who was captain of the island in the time of Frezier, was still +their chief. They enjoy the blessings of a fertile country and wholesome +air, and stand in need of nothing from other countries except clothing. +They have fire-arms sufficient for their use, and have often need of +them, being greatly infected with tigers; for which reason every house +has many dogs to destroy these ravenous animals, which yet often make +great havock. I have been told that a tiger has killed eight or ten dogs +in a night: But when any make their appearance in the day, they seldom +escape, as the inhabitants are fond of the diversion of hunting them. +These animals are so numerous, that it is quite common to see the prints +of their paws on the sandy beach. We could not see any of the fine +dwelling-houses mentioned by Frezier; neither have they any place that +can be called a town, nor any kind of fortification, except the woods, +which are a secure retreat from any enemy that may attack them. I cannot +say much about the Indians of those parts, as I never saw above two or +three of them. + +On the 2d July we saw a large ship at anchor, under Parrots Island, +about five miles from where we lay. After securing the watering-place, +and what we had there ashore, I sent the launch, well manned and armed, +under a lieutenant, to see what she was. The launch returned about noon, +reporting that she was the _Ruby_, formerly an English man-of-war, but +now one of the squadron under Martinet, and commanded by Mons. La +Jonqniere. She was in, the Spanish service, but most of her officers and +crew were French, to the number of about 420. Yet they had no intention +to molest us, having quitted the South Sea on report of a rupture +between France and Spain. M. La Jonquiere was a man of strict honour, +and sent me intimation of his good intentions, with an invitation to +dinner, which I accepted, and was well entertained. About this time I +heard that Hately had plundered the Portuguese ship, formerly mentioned, +of 100 moidores, and had distributed part of the money among the boat's +crew, to engage them to secrecy. I examined into this as strictly as +possible, intending, if found guilty, to have delivered him up to the +captain of St Catharine's, but I could not get sufficient proof. This +man also committed so many vile actions in the island of St Catharine, +that oar people were often in the utmost danger, from the resentment of +the Portuguese; which bad conduct I could neither prevent nor punish, as +he had become a great favourite with my mutinous crew. + +M. La Jonquiere, with several of his officers and passengers, came on +board the Speedwell to dine with me, on the 6th July. While they were on +board, Hudson my boatswain raised a mutiny, which was easily quelled by +the assistance of the French gentlemen: But the boatswain was sent home +in the French ship. On the 15th July, we saw a large ship bearing in +for the harbour; but on discovering us, she turned out again. This +circumstance alarmed M. La Jonquiere, suspecting she might be our +consort, so that he put to sea next morning. The large ship appeared +again on the 25th under French colours, being the Solomon of St Malo of +forty guns and 160 men, commanded by M. Dumain Girard, bound for Peru +and Chili. + +At this time great heart-burnings arose in my crew: for, having heard +that the people on board the Duke and Duchess had been indifferently +treated in regard to their prize-money when they got home, they resolved +to secure themselves in time. With this view, and by the advice of +Matthew Stewart, chief-mate, they drew up a paper of articles respecting +plunder, and sent me a letter insisting on these articles being made the +rule of our voyage; to which at last I was obliged to agree, rather than +suffer them to proceed in a piratical manner. + +On the 3d August the St Francisco Zavier came into the harbour, a +Portuguese man of war of forty guns and 300 men, bound from Lisbon for +Macao in China, commanded by Mons. Riviere, a Frenchman. We departed +from the island of St Catharine on the 9th August. Its northern point +being in lat. 27° 20' S. and long. 50° W. from the Lizard.[255] I kept +the lead constantly sounding all along the coast of Patagonia, and had +regular soundings. From the lat. of 40° to 30° 38' both S. we frequently +saw great shoals of seals and penguins, which were always attended by +flocks of pintadoes, birds about the size of pigeons. The French call +these birds _damiers_, as their black and white feathers on their back +and wings are disposed like the squares of a draught-board. These were +also attended by albatrosses, the largest of all sea-fowl, some of them +extending their wings twelve or thirteen feet from tip to tip. While +passing the mouth of the Rio. Plata, the sea was covered with prodigious +quantities of large seaweed, which often greatly incommoded us and +deadened our way. On getting farther south we were freed from this +inconvenience; after which we saw abundance of things floating on the +surface of the sea, like white snakes. We took some of these up, but +could not perceive them to have any appearance of life, neither had they +the shape of any kind of animal, being only a long cylinder of a white +jelly-like substance, perhaps the spawn of some large fish. + +[Footnote 255: Only 27° S. and 48° 30' W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +As we advanced to the southward, the appetites of our people increased +with the cold, which occasioned disputes in the ship. Even at my own +table, Captain Betagh of the marines insisted on a larger allowance in +such coarse terms, that I confined him till he wrote me a submissive +letter, on which I restored him. But this squabble constrained me to +allow an extraordinary meal to the people daily, either of flour or +calavances; which reduced our stock of provisions, and consumed our +wood and water, proving afterwards of great inconvenience. Whales, +grampuses, and other fish of monstrous size, are in such vast numbers on +the coast of Patagonia, that they were often offensive to us, coming so +close to us that it seemed impossible to avoid striking them on every +scud of a sea, and almost stifling us with the stench of their breaths, +when they blew close to windward. Being ignorant of the Greenland +fishery, I cannot pretend to say whether that trade might not be carried +on here; but this I may venture to affirm, that the navigation here is +safer, and I am apt to believe it has a greater chance of being +successful.[256] + +[Footnote 256: This southern whale-fishery is now carried on to a +considerable extent.--E.] + +On the 19th September, about midnight, perceiving the water all at once +to be discoloured, we sounded, and had 25 fathoms, on which we stood out +from the land, but did not deepen our water in five leagues. This bank +must lie very near the entrance into the Straits of Magellan. On this +bank we saw great numbers of blubbers, appearing like the tops of +umbrellas, curiously streaked with all sorts of colours, being an +entirely different species from any I had ever seen before. We now +steered for the Straits of _Le Maire_, and met with very foggy weather +on approaching the coast of _Terra del Fuego_. The fog cleared up on the +23d September, when we had sight of stupendous mountains on that +southern land, entirely covered with snow. The nearest point of land was +at least eight leagues from us, in the S.W. but before we could +ascertain our situation the mist returned. At four next morning, +proceeding under easy sail to the S.E. it proved very clear at +day-break, and I found we had fallen in with the land about five leagues +N.W. from the straits of Le Maire. We had now a full, but melancholy +prospect of the most desolate country that can well be conceived, +appearing a congeries of chains of mountains in succession, one behind +the other, perpetually cloathed in snow. + +Hitherto we had not been sensible of any current, either favourable or +adverse, after getting to the south of the Rio Plata. But this afternoon +we were hurried with incredible rapidity into the straits of Le Maire; +and when we had gained about the middle of the passage, the tide +slackened. On sounding we had twenty-seven fathoms on a rocky bottom. We +had a dear view of _Staten-land_, which yields a most uncomfortable +prospect of a surprising height, quite covered with snow to the very +wash of the sea, so that it seems more like a white cloud than firm +land. These straits seemed to answer well to the map of Frezier; being +about seven leagues through and six wide, and extend almost due north +and south. Now the return tide rushed upon us with a violence equal to +that which brought us in, and it was astonishing with what rapidity we +were driven again to the north, though we had a fresh gale at N.W. so +that we seemed to advance six knots by the log; whence I judged this +tide ran not less than ten knots. In short, we were carried quite out of +the straits to the north in about an hour. Upon this shift of tide there +arose such a short sea, and so lofty at the same time, that we +alternately dipped our bowsprit and poop-lanterns into the water; our +ship all the while labouring most violently, and refusing to answer the +helm. The tide shifted again at midnight, and we shot through the +straits, steering S. with a brisk gale at N.W. without seeing the land +distinctly on either side: And, in the morning, had a good offing to the +southward. + +We found it very cold before we got thus far; but now we began to feel +the utmost extremity of coldness. The bleak western winds had of +themselves been sufficiently piercing; but these were always accompanied +by snow or sleet, which beat continually on our sails and rigging, cased +all our masts, yards, and ropes with ice, and rendered our sails almost +useless. We had been so much accustomed to most severe storms, that we +thought the weather tolerable when we could carry a reefed main-sail; as +we were often for two or three days together lying-to under bare poles, +exposed to the shocks of prodigious waves, more mountainous than any I +had ever seen. We now sensibly felt the benefit of our awning, without +which we could scarcely have lived. The wind continued to rage without +intermission from the westward, by which we were driven to the latitude +of 61° 30' S. and had such continued misty weather, that we were under +perpetual apprehension of running foul of ice islands: But, thank God, +we escaped that danger, though under frequent alarms from fog banks and +other false appearances. Though the days were long, we could seldom get +sight of the sun, so that we had only one observation for the variation +in all this passage, which was in lat. 60° 37' S. 5° W. of the straits +of Le Maire, when we found it 22° 6' E. On the 1st October, as we were +furling the main-sail, one William Camell, cried out that his hands and +fingers were so benumbed that he could not hold himself: And, before +those near could assist him, he fell down and was drowned. On the 22d +October, our fore-top-mast was carried away, and we rigged another next +day. Having contrary winds from the time we passed the straits of Le +Maire, with the most uncomfortable weather, we made our way very slowly +to the west and northwards, the hopes of getting soon into a wanner and +better climate supporting us under our many miseries. + + +SECTION II. + +_Proceedings in the South Sea, till Ship-wrecked on the Island of Juan +Fernandez._ + +At length, on the 14th November at noon, our spirits were cheared by +seeing the coast of Chili; yet here we found ourselves under very great +difficulties. Our tedious passage and extraordinary consumption of +provisions, had so reduced our wood and water, and even our food, that +it was necessary to repair to some place where our wants might be +supplied; but it was difficult to resolve where that might be done. We +first tried Narborough island, but finding the road unsafe, sailed for +the mouth of St Domingo river on the continent, where we had +twenty-eight fathoms, shoaling as we advanced from eighteen to less than +five as fast as a man could heave the lead. Finding this place too +hazardous, we stood out to sea, and were blown farther north than we +designed. Being greatly at a loss where to procure wood and water, one +Joseph de la Fontaine, a Frenchman, proposed going to the island of +Chiloe, assuring us that the towns of _Chaiao_ and _Calibuco_, the +former on the island and the latter on the continent, were rich places, +where we could not fail of procuring whatever we wanted. Cliacao was, he +said, the usual residence of the governor, and at Calibuco was a wealthy +college of Jesuits, having considerable magazines, always well stocked +with provisions of all kinds. This person at the same time insinuated +among the people, that our expedition would probably turn out +unfortunate, if we passed this place, as Captain Clipperton must by this +time have alarmed the coast, in consequence of which there would be an +embargo on all ships trading to leeward. + +My chief inducement for making an attempt on Chiloe was to procure such +additional supply of provisions, as might enable us, in case the coast +were already alarmed, to retire to some unfrequented island, to remain +till the Spaniards should suppose we had abandoned the South Sea; after +which we could resume our cruize, when they were under no apprehensions +of being molested. Accordingly, on the 30th November, we entered the +channel which divides the island of Chiloe from the main land of Chili, +and stood in for the harbour of Chacao under French colours, intending +to have attacked the towns of Chacao and Calibuco by surprise. Our +pilot, however, seemed as much a stranger to the navigation here as I +was, and as the wind began to blow fresh with thick weather, I came to +anchor in thirteen fathoms, at ten in the morning, between the point of +_Carelampo_ and the small island of Pedro Nunez. Soon after coming to +anchor, the tide made outwards with prodigious rapidity, and the wind +increased greatly, between which the sea became very boisterous, all the +channel in which we lay appearing one continued breach or surf. Our ship +consequently made a vast strain on her cable, which parted at two in the +afternoon, and we could have no hopes to recover our anchor, as the buoy +had been staved and sunk about an hour before we were thus set adrift. I +did not think it adviseable to risk another anchor, and therefore +immediately crossed over for the island of Chiloe, in a boisterous gale +with thick rainy weather, surrounded on all hands with seeming shoals, +and in a manner bewildered in an unknown navigation. When within a mile +of Chiloe, we ranged along shore to the southward,[257] in hope of +discovering the town of Chacao. We passed two commodious bays, which had +no appearance of any town, and came to a point of land marked by a high +pyramidal rock. After getting round this point, we found ourselves +entirely out of the tideway, and quite sheltered from all other +inconveniences, and came therefore to anchor opposite a cross on the +north side of the harbour, having just sufficient day-light to enable us +to get into this place of shelter. + +[Footnote 257: The direction was more probably to the eastward--E.] + +Next morning, I sent the second lieutenant, in the pinnace well manned +and armed, to look out for the two towns; and sent at the same time Mr +Hately in the launch, to endeavour to find a watering-place. He soon +returned, accompanied by an Indian, who had shewn him a very convenient +place where we could at once procure both wood and water, even under the +command of our guns from the ship, and free from all danger of being +surprised. I accordingly sent back the launch with casks to be filled, +and several people to cut wood, all well armed, together with an +officer of marines and ten men to keep guard. The Indians gave us hopes +of a sufficient supply of provisions; but came in the evening to our +people who were on shore, to acquaint them that the natives were +forbidden to bring any thing to us. As the pinnace had not yet returned, +this information gave me much concern, fearing that the enemy had taken +her, and had by that means learnt what we were. On the 3d December, +about seven in the evening, a Spanish officer came to us, in a boat +rowed by eight Indians, being sent by the governor of Chiloe to enquire +what we were. Meaning to pass upon him for a French captain well known +in these seas, I ordered none of my people to appear on deck but such as +could speak French or Spanish, and hoisted French colours. When the +officer came on board, I told him my ship was the St Rose, +homeward-bound, that my name was _Janis le Breton_, and that I entreated +the governor to spare me what provisions he could conveniently afford, +that being my only business on the coast. The officer heard me with much +civility, seeming to give implicit credit to all I said; even staid on +board all night, and went away next morning, to all appearance well +satisfied. + +On the 5th in the morning, two boats came towards us full of armed men; +but, after taking a view of us, went to a small island in the mouth of +the harbour. On the 6th we saw a white flag hoisted on shore, to which I +sent my launch completely manned and armed, but they found no person +near the flag, to the shaft of which a letter was fastened, and a dozen +hams lying close by. The letter was from _Don Nicholas Salvo_, governor +of Chiloe, intimating strong doubts of our ship being the St Rose, +complaining of the behaviour of the people in our pinnace, and desiring +me to leave the coast. I returned an answer in as proper terms as I +could devise, and next morning had another letter, couched in the utmost +civility, but absolutely refusing me any refreshments, and demanding the +restitution of the Indians said to have been made prisoners by our +pinnace. In fact I knew less of our pinnace than he did, and believed +that he actually had the people in his hands of whom he now complained. + +Despairing of ever seeing my people, and still ignorant where Chacao was +situated, having no chart of the island on which I could depend, I +determined to change my style of writing to the governor, and try what +could be done by threatening to use force. I therefore wrote, that I +was determined to have provisions by fair means or foul. Next day I sent +my first lieutenant, Mr Brooks, with twenty-nine men well armed in the +launch, ordering him to bring off all the provisions he could find. +Shortly after, a boat came with a message from the governor, offering to +treat with me, if I would send an officer to Chacao: But I answered, +that I would treat no where but on board, and that he was now too late, +as I had already sent eighty men on shore to take all they could find. + +In the evening the launch returned, accompanied by a large piragua, and +both were completely laden with sheep, hogs, fowls, barley, and green +peas and beans. Soon afterwards, the pinnace arrived with all her crew, +but so terrified that I did not expect them to be again fit for service +for one while. The officer told me, that he had been forced to fight his +way through several canoes, filled with armed Indians, from whom he got +clear with the utmost difficulty, and had been under the necessity of +making his passage quite round the island, a course of not less than +seventy leagues.[258] This proceeded only from excess of terror, as they +only met one boat with unarmed Indians and a Spanish sergeant, who came +off to them without the least shew of violence, as some of them +afterwards confessed, but with this addition, that there were great +numbers of people on shore, who they were apprehensive would come off to +them. The only excuse the officer could allege was, that the tide had +hurried him away, and he forgot in his fright that he had a grappling in +the boat, with which he might have anchored till the tide turned. + +[Footnote 258: The circuit of the island of Chiloe by sea, could hardly +be less than 350 English miles; an arduous navigation in an open boat +upon an utterly unknown coast.--E.] + +By this strange mismanagement, I missed a favourable opportunity of +seizing the town of Chacao, which I might easily have done if I had +appeared before it within forty-eight hours after our arrival, when the +governor was totally unprovided for resistance. But now, having a whole +week allowed for mustering the force of the island, he had collected +near a thousand armed Spaniards, as I learnt from the Indian prisoners +in the pinnace. I therefore laid aside all thoughts of going to the +towns, in the hopes of furnishing ourselves from the Indian farms and +plantations, in which I kept one of our boats constantly employed. By +the 16th, our decks were full of live cattle, together with poultry and +hams in abundance, and such quantities of wheat, barley, potatoes, and +maize, that I was quite satisfied. On a moderate computation, we had +added four months provisions to the stock we brought from England, so +that I was well pleased with the effects of our stay at Chiloe, and +prepared to depart. I might certainly have done much more for my own +credit and the profit of my owners, had if not been for the +mismanagement of the officer in the pinnace. + +_Chiloe_ is the first of the Spanish possessions on the coast of Chili, +reckoning from the south; and, though it produces neither gold nor +silver, is a fine island, and is considered as of great consequence; +insomuch that the Spaniards would be under great apprehensions when +strange ships enter its ports, did they not confide in the number of its +inhabitants, which is extraordinary for this part of the world. The body +of this island is in lat. 42° 4' S. being about thirty leagues in length +from N. to S. and not above six or seven leagues from E. to W.[259] It +is watered by several rivers, and produces many kinds of useful trees, +yielding an agreeable prospect, by the great number of Indian farms and +plantations dispersed at small distances from each other, on rising +grounds among the woods. Within this great island there is an +archipelago or cluster of smaller islands, the number of which is not +well known; yet the smallest of these is said to be well inhabited, and +to abound in cattle. Among these islands there are very uncertain and +violent currents, which are by no means safe. I would recommend all +strangers to go in at the north end of the great island, giving the +northern point of the island a good birth, and then to keep the island +side of the channel on board, running along shore to the southward +(eastward). Passing two bays, which seem commodious, you come to a +point, almost contiguous to which is a high rock, somewhat like a +pyramid; and passing between that rock and a small high island near it, +you run directly into a harbour resembling the mouth of a river, which +forms a safe anchorage. In going in, take care not to come nearer shore +than having the depth of five fathoms, as the nearer to the small island +the less water; wherefore keep the lead going, and be bold with the +shore towards the north side of the harbour, which has the greatest +depth, while the south side is shoaly.[260] + +[Footnote 259: Chiloe reaches from lat. 41° 50' to 43° 50', both S. and +from long. 73° 18' to 74° 24', both W. extending 135 English miles in +extreme length, by 35 in medium breadth. See vol. V. p. 592, for an +account of the Archipelago of Chiloe.--E.] + +[Footnote 260: Shelvocke seems here to describe the harbour leading to +the town or village of San Carlos.--E.] + +My pilot carried me the contrary way to that here directed, advising me +to keep near the main land of Chili, which I did till I got to +_Carelampo_ Point, having several small islands to the southward of my +course, which proved unfortunate for me by the loss of my anchor. The +soil of Chiloe is very fertile, producing all sorts of European fruits +and grains, and has fine pasture lands, in which great numbers of cattle +are grazed, particularly sheep. The air is wholesome and temperate; yet +I suspect the winter may be rigorous, being bounded on the west by an +immense ocean, without any land to screen it from the cold moist vapours +brought thither by the tempestuous westerly winds, which generally reign +in these latitudes, and which must render it uncomfortable in the winter +months, as the parallels of latitude to the south of the equator are +much colder than those in the same degrees to the northwards. + +In this island they have abundance of very handsome middle-sized horses, +which the natives are said to manage with great dexterity. They have +also an animal, called _guanaco_ or _carneso de tierra_, that is, sheep +of the country, which very much resembles a camel, but not nearly so +large. They have long necks, and I have seen one of them between five +and six feet high. Their wool or soft hair is very fine. They smell very +rank, and move with a very slow majestic pace, which hardly any violence +can make them quicken; yet they are of great service at the mines in +Peru, where they are employed in carrying the ore and other things. +Their flesh is very coarse, as we experienced, having salted some of +them for our future use. Besides these, the inhabitants have European +sheep and great numbers of hogs, but not many black cattle. The island +has plenty of fowls, both wild and tame. Among the former is a small +species of goose, found on the banks of the rivers, which are +beautifully white, and of an excellent taste. The tame poultry are of +the same kinds with our own. + +The natives are almost in all respects the same with those on the +continent of Chili, of moderate stature, with deep olive complexions, +and coarse shaggy black hair, some of them having by no means +disagreeable features. They seem naturally of fierce and warlike +dispositions; but the oppressions of the Spaniards, and the artifices of +the jesuits, who are the missionaries in these parts, have curbed and +broken their spirits. Frezier says, that the Indians on the continent, +to the southward of this island, are called _Chonos_, who go quite +naked; and that there is a race of men of extraordinary size in the +inland parts of the country, called _Cacahues_,[261] who are in amity +with the _Chonos_, and sometimes accompany them to the Spanish +settlements in Chiloe. Frezier says, that he has been credibly informed +by eye-witnesses, that some of these were about nine or ten feet high. I +had sight of two of these Indians, who came from the southward of St +Domingo river, one of whom was a cacique, who did not seem to me to +differ in their persons from the ordinary natives of Chiloe. They were +decently clothed in _ponchos, monteras_, and _poulains_. The _poncho_ is +a sort of square carpet, having a slit or hole cut in the middle, wide +enough to slip over the head, so that it hangs down over the shoulders, +half before and half behind, under which they generally wear a short +doublet. On their heads they have a _montera_, or cap nearly like those +of our postillions, and their legs are covered by the _poulains_, a kind +of knit buskins, or hose without feet. In short, their appearance has +little or none of the savage. Their habitations are firmly built of +planks, but have no chimneys, so that they are very black and sooty +within. + +[Footnote 261: See an account of the native tribes, inhabiting the +southern extremity of South America, vol. V. p. 401.] + +They inclose some of their land for cultivation, by means of rails or +paling; and although they have plenty of every thing necessary to a +comfortable subsistence, they have no bread, from wanting mills in which +to grind and prepare their wheat They use a miserable substitute, making +a kind of cakes of sea-weeds, which from use is much esteemed by them, +and was not even disliked by some of our men. Besides this, they prepare +their maize in several manners to answer the purpose of bread, and they +use potatoes and other roots with the same intention. They prepare a +liquor called _chicha_ from their Indian corn, in imitation of their +neighbours on the continent of Chili; but the Spaniards endeavor to curb +their propensity to the use of this liquor, as their drinking bouts have +often occasioned seditions and revolts. Such of the natives as have no +European weapons, use pikes, darts, and other arms of the country. Among +these is a running noose on a long leathern thong, called a _lays_, +which they use with surprising dexterity for catching cattle, horses, or +other animals, even when at full career. From all that I could see of +the natives of Chiloe, or hear respecting the Chilese, they seem to +resemble each other in all things, which is not wonderful, considering +the near neighbourhood of this island to the continent of Chili. They +use small drums, the heads of which are made of goats skins with the +hair on, and give a very dull sound. + +The natives of Chiloe carry on a small woollen manufacture, consisting +of _ponchoes_ and other articles of clothing, formerly mentioned. They +also export considerable quantities of cedar, both in plank, and wrought +up into boxes, chests, desks, and the like, with which they supply all +Chili and Peru. They have no European trade; but the Spaniard who came +to me from the governor expressed his astonishment that no trading ships +ever put in there, saying they had plenty of money among them, with a +safe port, free from the danger of going to the northward among the +Spanish ships of war; as a great deal of business might be done here, +before intelligence could be sent as far as Lima, and the ships could be +fitted out and sent so great a way to wind-ward. It is observed of the +Chilese, that, differing from all other nations ever heard of, they have +no notion of a Supreme Being, and consequently have no kind of worship; +and they are such enemies to civil society that they never live together +in towns and villages, so that their country seems thinly inhabited, +though very populous, the whole nation being dispersed in farms at a +good distance, every family having its own plantation, and raising its +own necessaries. + +Though thus scattered, they are not wholly independent, each tribe being +subject to a chief, called a cacique, whose dwelling is conveniently +situated among them, for the more speedy summoning them together on +affairs of importance. This is done by the sound of a sort of horn, on +hearing which all his vassals repair to him without delay. The chief +commands them in war, and has an absolute power of dispensing justice +among his subjects, who all consider themselves as his relations, he +being as it were the head of his family, and his authority hereditary. +In all these respects the inhabitants of Chiloe resemble their +neighbours on the continent, excepting that their caciques are stript +in a great measure of their power and influence, by the tyranny of the +Spaniards, who keep them under the most servile slavery, while the +missionaries blind them by a superstitious and imperfect conversion to +Christianity, of which not one of these natives know any thing more than +merely that they were baptized; all their devotion consisting of mere +idolatry of the cross, or the images of saints; for the Spanish clergy +use no manner of pains to enlighten their minds, but probably think it +better, by keeping them in ignorance, to make them more contented under +the rigorous government of the Spaniards. Under this delusion, the +caciques have changed their lawful prerogatives for the vain ostentation +of being allowed to wear a silver-headed cane, which places them on a +footing outwardly with a Spanish captain. Yet have they sometimes +rebelled against their proud oppressors, deeming death preferable to +slavery, as may be seen in the account of Frezier's voyage. + +The vessels used in Chiloe are peculiarly constructed, as, for want of +nails and other articles of iron, the planks of which their boats are +constructed are sewed together very ingeniously with oziers. These boats +are all constructed of three pieces only, the keel or bottom being one +piece, and the sides two others; and they are rowed with oars, in the +same manner as with us, more or fewer according to their size. + +Having nothing farther to detain us in Chiloe, I determined upon +proceeding to the island of Juan Fernandez, as directed in my +instructions; but my men took it into their heads that great things +might be done by a short trip to the Bay of Conception, to which also +they were induced by the Frenchman who persuaded us to come to Chiloe. +He pretended that there were always five or six ships in the road of +Conception, besides others daily coming in or going out, and that these +had often both ways considerable sums of money or silver, with other +valuable things, on board; and, though large ships, they were of little +or no force, neither were there any fortifications at that place to +protect them; so that we could not meet any opposition in taking them, +even if there were twenty sail. He said their, cargoes consisted chiefly +of corn, wine, brandy, flour, and jerked beef; and that the ships bound +for Conception always brought money to purchase their cargoes; besides +that considerable booty might be made for rich trading passengers, who +carry on a considerable trade over land between Conception and Buenos +Ayres. He also alleged, that we could not fail of having any ships we +might take ransomed; and that we should certainly make our fortunes, if +we could only reach Conception before they had notice of our being in +these seas. This man therefore advised my people to endeavour to prevail +on me to make the best of my way to Conception, before the governor of +Chiloe could send our deserter thither; after which all the coast would +be alarmed, and we should have no opportunity of meeting with any thing +till the Spaniards had imagined we were gone from the South Sea. + +In similar cases, all are fond of delivering their sentiments; and, as +it is impossible to keep a ship's company in so much awe in so remote a +part as in short voyages, my men did not fail to speak their minds +somewhat insolently. One William Morphew, who had been in these seas +several years, took upon him to tell me, that it did not signify much if +we arrived two or three days sooner or later at Juan Fernandez. He said +also, that I was a stranger here, but the Frenchman and he were well +acquainted with these seas, and every body hoped I would be advised to +go to Conception; hoping I would not put a mere punctilious adherence to +orders in balance against so fair a prospect, or almost certainty of +success, if we arrived there in time. In short, they all assured me that +they had the interest of the proprietors in view, as much as their own, +and that they would perish sooner than injure them in any respect. They +said at the same time, if I had not success in my proceedings nobody +could be blamed but myself, and entreated me not to let slip this +opportunity, in which they would stand by me with all fidelity. + +On our way to Conception, we made the islands of Mocha and St Mary on +the 23d December, and arrived that same evening in the Bay of +Conception, but could not be certain whether there were any ships in the +road. I immediately gave orders to man and arm our boats and sent them +up that same night, in order to surprise any ships that might be there; +and with strict orders, if they found them too strong, to endeavour to +prevent them from sending any thing on shore till I were able to work +the ship up to them. This I endeavoured to do all night, but to very +little purpose; for at day-light next morning I could not discern any +thing above us. Captain Hately returned about noon of the 24th, +informing me that he had taken a ship of about 150 tons, lately arrived +from Baldivia, and having only a few cedar plants on board, with no +person in her but the boatswain, an old negro, and two Indian boys. He +had left her in the charge of Mr Brooks, my first lieutenant, with +orders to bring her down the first opportunity; and had taken, while on +his return, a small vessel, of about twenty-five tons, near the island +_Quiri-quinie_, which lies in the harbour or bay of Conception, where +this small vessel had been taking in pears, cherries, and other fruits, +to sell at Conception. Immediately after taking this small vessel, I +could perceive with my glass another small boat come in between the +islands of _Quiri-quinie_ and _Talgaguana_, passing within pistol-shot +of my pinnace, and yet Captain Hately did not engage her. For this his +only excuse, after he came on board, was, that he did not mind her; +though our boat's crew said she was full of men. + +On the 26th about noon, Mr Brooks brought down the prize, and anchored +about half a mile short of us. The boatswain of this prize had not been +two hours in the Speed-well, till he told us of a vessel, laden with +wine, brandy, and other valuable things, riding at anchor in the Bay of +Herradura, about two leagues to the north of us, and bound for Chiloe. +On receiving this information, I ordered Mr Randal, my second +lieutenant, with twenty five men, to go in the Mercury, which name we +gave to the captured flour bark, and, accompanied by the Spanish +boatswain of the other prize, to go in search of the vessel in the Bay +of Herradura, with positive orders not to land or to make any other +hazardous attempt. But they returned next evening with the following +melancholy story. + +On getting into the bay, they found the vessel hauled dry ashore, when +Randal ordered his people to land and bring away what they could find in +her, while he and three or four more kept the bark afloat. The people +found the bark empty, but seeing a small house hard by, they suspected +her cargo might be lodged there, and the inferior officer along with +them ordered them to examine that house. The poor fellows went +accordingly, without any officer at their head, and without any regard +to order, every one endeavouring to be foremost. Their career was soon +stopped, as they had hardly got beyond the top of the bank when they +discovered the enemy coming furiously towards them. Some of the seamen +were of opinion they might have retreated at this time in safety, if +they had not been astonished at the strange manner in which they were +attacked, by a number of horses galloping up to them without riders, +which caused them for some time to stand amazed, not knowing what way to +proceed; but on a little reflection they bestirred themselves to make +the best of their way to the Mercury, in which they all succeeded except +five, who were made prisoners. Fortunately for them, the Mercury had by +some accident got aground, or they must all have been cut off, as the +Spaniards thought fit to retire on getting within musket-shot of the +Mercury. They now got the bark afloat, but as the water was still very +low, and they were obliged in going out of the bay to keep very near to +a point of land, the Spaniards galled them from that point, under the +shelter of the wood. They soon passed this point, having a fair wind, +all lying close in the bottom of the bark, so that on this occasion only +one man was wounded, who was shot through the thigh. The Spaniards came +down upon them in this affair after the following singular manner. They +were preceded by twenty or more horses abreast, two deep, and linked +together, behind which extraordinary van-guard came the enemy on +horseback, lying on the necks of their horses, and driving the others +before them, never seen to sit up on their saddles, except to fire their +muskets, or when there was no danger. When they got near our people, +they threw their _lays_ or running nooses to catch them, and accordingly +ensnared James Daniel, one of my foremast-men, who was a good way into +the water, and whom they dragged out again at the rate of ten knots. The +Spaniards in Chili are universally dexterous in the use of this running +noose, for I have seen a Spaniard bring a man up by the foot as he ran +along the deck, and they are sure of any thing they fling at, at the +distance of several fathoms. + +These misfortunes and disappointments made my crew extremely uneasy, and +might have had bad consequences, if we had not been agreeably surprised +by seeing a large ship coming round the northern point of the island of +_Quiri-quinie_.[262] It was at this time almost dark, so that her people +could not perceive what we were, and stood on therefore without fear, so +that she came towards us, and was taken without resistance. This ship +proved to be the St Fermin, of about 300 tons, last from _Cadaco_,[263] +having only a small cargo, consisting of sugar, molasses, rice, coarse +French linen, some woollen cloth and bays of Quito, a small quantity of +chocolate, and about five or six thousand dollars in money and wrought +plate. I sent Mr Hendric, the owners agent, to inspect her cargo, and to +order every thing of value out of her into the Speedwell, and the ship's +company sent their agent likewise. They returned in the afternoon, +bringing all the bales, boxes, chests, portmanteaus, and other packages, +with a large quantity of sugar, molasses, and chocolate, and about +seventy hundred weight of good rusk, with all her other stores and +eatables. Don Francisco Larragan, the captain of this ship, begged to be +allowed to ransom her, which I willingly consented to, and allowed him +to go in his own launch to Conception to raise the money, accompanied by +a merchant, one of the prisoners. + +[Footnote 262: A small island in the entrance of the Bay of +Conception.--E.] + +[Footnote 263: Callao, or the port of Lima, is perhaps here meant.--E.] + +In the mean time we were very busy in searching the prize, lest any +thing might have been concealed; and every one who came at any time from +the St Fermin was strictly searched by some of our people appointed for +the purpose, that they might not appropriate any thing of value. Our +carpenter also was employed in making a slight spar-deck over the +Mercury, as she might be of great use while cruizing along the coast. On +the 30th December a boat came off to us with a flag of truce from the +governor of Conception, and an officer, who acquainted us that two of +our people, taken in the late skirmish, were still alive, but very much +wounded. He brought also a present of seven jars of very good wine, and +a letter from Don Gabriel Cano, the governor, in which he demanded to +see my commission, as also that I should send ashore Joseph de la +Fontaine, who had been servant to one of the mates belonging to Captain +La Jonquiere, and some other things that I thought unreasonable, +engaging to enter into a treaty, if I would comply with these +requisitions. At length a formal treaty was begun, in which I demanded +16,000 dollars for the ransom of the St Fermin alone, while they offered +only 12,000 for both the ships and the bark. Finding all his Spanish +_puncto_ tended only to entrap us, I set fire to the Solidad, one of our +prizes; and, giving them time to comply with my proposals it they would, +I set the St Fermin also on fire. + +We sailed from the bay of Conception on the 7th January, 1720, intending +for Juan Fernandez; and on the 8th we observed the sea to be entirely of +a red colour, occasioned, as the Spaniards say, by the spawn of the +_camarones_, or pracous. On the 9th, the plunder taken in the St Fermin +was sold by the ship's agent at the mart, and brought extravagant +prices. The account being taken, and the shares calculated, the people +insisted for an immediate distribution, which was made accordingly, and +each foremast-man had after the rate of ten dollars a share, in money +and goods. On the 11th we saw the island of Juan Fernandez; and at noon +it bore from us five leagues W.S.W. the meridional distance from +Conception being 275 miles[264] W. From that day to the 15th, I stood +off and on, waiting for my boats which were employed in fishing. In this +time I sent the Mercury ashore to stop her leaks, while the boats caught +so many fish, that we salted the fill of five puncheons. I could find no +marks of Captain Clipperton having been here for a long time; but at +length some of my men saw accidentally the words _Magee_ and Captain +John cut upon a tree. Magee was the name of Clipperton's surgeon, but no +directions were left, as agreed upon in his instructions to me, so that +it was evident he never meant I should keep him company, or ever join +him again. + +[Footnote 264: The difference of longitude between Conception and Juan +Fernandez is six degrees of longitude W. and, consequently, 360 minutes +or marine miles.--E.] + +Being by this certified of the arrival of Clipperton in the South Sea, I +directly made the best of my way from Juan Fernandez, being in a pretty +good condition as to provisions, by the additional stock of fish caught +here, all our casks being filled. On the 21st, while sailing along there +with the design of looking into _Copiapo_, I put Mr Dodd, second +lieutenant of marines, into the Mercury, with a reinforcement of eight +men, and sent her next evening to cruize close in with the land, while I +kept with the Speedwell in the offing, to prevent being discovered from +the land. On this occasion I took care to give the officer commanding +the Mercury a copy of my commission, with all necessary instructions how +to proceed, appointing the _Moro_, or head-land of Copiapo, to be our +place of meeting. The business of the Mercury was to look into the port +of Copiapo, called _Caldera_,[265] near which there are some gold-mines, +and from whence considerable quantities of gold are exported in small +vessels; and our bark had the advantage of being of that country build, +so that she could not excite suspicion. Next day I hove in sight of the +head-land of Copiapo, and lay to the southward, that I might not be seen +from that port, which is to the northward of the _Moro de Copiapo_. +While here, opposite a small island which lies athwart the mouth of +Copiapo river, I sent the pinnace to fish between that isle and the +main, and soon after saw a vessel crowding all sail towards us. She at +first seemed too large for the Mercury, yet turned out to be her; when +the officer told me he had looked into the port, but could see no +shipping; but he had looked into a wrong place, and having made him +sensible of his error, I sent him again to the right place, which was +about six leagues farther north. + +[Footnote 265: The port of Caldera, or English harbour, is about twelve +or fifteen miles to the N. of Copiapo river, having a considerable +interposed promontory.--E.] + +Next morning our pinnace returned, bringing only a few penguins which +she had taken on the island in the bay of Copiapo. The Mercury had +looked into Caldera, but saw nothing; and instead of making use of the +land-wind to come off to me, had kept along shore in the bottom of the +bay till the land-wind came in so strong that she was nearly lost on the +lee-shore. On the 27th, I sent Mr Brooks, my first lieutenant, and Mr +Rainor, first lieutenant of marines, to relieve Mr Randal and Mr Dodd in +the Mercury, which I had fitted with a gang of oars, and, upon trial, +she was found to make way at the rate of three knots, which might render +her extremely useful in a calm. The 5th February, I dispatched Mr Brooks +ahead in the Mercury, to see if there were any ships in the harbour of +Arica, in lat. 18° 26' S. and next day, at one p.m. having ranged along +shore, by the breakers of _Pisagua, Camarones_, and _Victor_, I got +sight of the head-land of Arica, with a ship at anchor on its northern +side, and saw the Mercury standing out of the bay, by which I judged the +ship was too warm for her, and therefore made all haste to get up to her +with the Speedwell. On coming up, we found that the ship was already +taken, and the Mercury only accidentally adrift. This prize was called +the Rosario, of 100 tons, laden with cormorants dung, which they use for +manuring the land which produces the cod-pepper, or _Capsicum_, from the +cultivation of which they make a vast profit in the vale of Arica. The +only white face in this ship was the pilot, whom I sent ashore to see if +the owner would ransom his ship, the cargo being worth gold to them, but +entirely useless to us. Next morning I received a letter from Miguel +Diaz Gonzale, the owner of the ship, insisting pitifully on his poverty +and distress, having a large family to provide for, and promising to +meet me at Hilo or Quaco, to treat for a ransom. + +We soon after took a small bark of ten tons, laden with _guana_, or +cormorants dung, and having also some dried fish, which lay within a +mile of Arica. By this time all the adjacent country was up in arms, and +great numbers had come down to the coast, well mounted and armed, and +seemingly well disciplined. To try their courage, I ordered the Mercury +and launch to draw near the shore, as if we had really intended to land, +though the landing-place here is altogether impracticable for European +boats; and I also cannonaded the town briskly. Our balls made no +execution, yet ploughed up the sand in front of the Spanish horse, +throwing it all over them: But neither this, nor the approach of my +small craft, made any impression, for they stood firm, and at least +shewed the countenance of as good troops as could be wished. This much +disappointed me, as it shewed my men that the Spaniards were far from +being cowards, as they had been represented. As soon as it was dark, +Gonzales came off to me, and I agreed to let him have back his ship and +six negroes on receiving 1500 dollars, reserving right to take any thing +out of her that might be useful to us; and at ten next night he brought +me the agreed sum, being the weight of 1300 dollars in ingots of virgin +silver, called _pinnas_ by the Spaniards, and the rest in coined +dollars. He also made great enquiry for English commodities, for which +he offered high prices, complaining that the French only supplied them +with paltry goods and mere trifles, for which they carried off vast +sums. He added, that he supposed the English merchants were all asleep, +or too rich, as they did not come near them: And, although their ports +were not so open as in other parts of the world, they yet know how to +manage matters tolerably well; and that their governors, being generally +Europeans, who seldom remained above three years in the country, used +any means to improve their time, and could easily be gained so as to act +very obligingly. He said much more as to the blindness of the English, +in suffering the French pedlars to carry on, uninterruptedly, the most +considerable branch of traffic in the world. Before leaving me, he +desired me to carry his ship two or three leagues out to sea, and then +to turn her adrift, on purpose to deceive the governor and the king's +officers; and, if I would meet him at _Hilo_ (_Ilo_,) about twenty-five +leagues to the north-westwards, he would purchase from me any coarse +goods I had to dispose of, which might be done there with all imaginable +secrecy. At this time also, the master of the small bark came off in a +_balsa_. This is an odd sort of an embarkation, consisting of two large +seal skins, separately blown up, like bladders, and made fast to pieces +of wood. On this he brought off two jars of brandy and forty dollars; +which, considering his mean appearance, was as much as I could expect. +One part of his cargo was valuable, being a considerable quantity of +excellent dried fish. + +The port of _Arica_, formerly so famous for the great quantities of +silver shipped from thence, is now much diminished in its riches, and +appears mostly a heap of ruins, except the church of St Mark, and two or +three more, which still look tolerably well. What helps to give it a +very desolate appearance is, that the houses near the sea are only +covered with mats. Being situated on the sea-shore, in an open +roadstead, it has no fortifications of any kind to defend or command the +anchorage, the Spaniards thinking it sufficiently secured by the heavy +surf, and the rocky bottom near the shore, which threaten inevitable +destruction to any European boats, or other embarkation, except what is +expressly contrived for the purpose, being the _balsas_ already +mentioned. To obstruct the landing of an enemy, the Spaniards had +formerly a fort and entrenchments, flanking the storecreeks; but being +built of unburnt bricks, it is now fallen to ruins. In 1680, when +Dampier was here, being repulsed before the town, the English landed at +the creek of _Chacota,_ to the south of the head-land, whence they +marched over the mountain _(Gordo)_ to plunder Arica. Earthquakes also, +which are frequent here, have at last ruined the town, and Arica is now +no more than a little village of about 150 families, most of them +negroes, mulattoes, and Indians, with very few whites. On the 26th +November, 1605,[266] the sea, violently agitated by an earthquake, +suddenly overflowed, and broke down the greatest part of the town, and +the ruins of its streets are to be seen at this day. What remains of +Arica is not now liable to such an accident, being situated on a little +rising ground at the foot of the head-land. Most of the houses are only +constructed of a sort of fascines, made of flags or sedges, bound +together, called _totora_, set up on end, crossed by canes and leather +thongs; or are made of canes set on end, having the intervals filled +with earth. The use of unburnt bricks is reserved for churches and the +stateliest houses; and as no rain ever falls here, they are only covered +with mats, so that the houses seem all in ruins when seen from the sea. +The parish church, dedicated to St Mark, is handsome enough. There are +also three religious houses, one a monastery of seven or eight +_mercenarians_, a second is an hospital of the brothers of _St John of +God_, and the third a monastery of Franciscans, who formerly had a house +a short way from town, in the pleasantest part of the vale, near the +sea. + +[Footnote 266: Perhaps this date ought to have been 1705.--E.] + +The vale of Arica is about a league wide next the sea, all barren ground +except where the old town stood, which is divided into small fields of +clover, some small plantations of sugar-canes, with olive-trees and +cotton-trees intermixed, and several intervening marshes, full of the +sedges of which they build their houses. Growing narrower about a league +eastward at the village of _St Michael de Sapa_, they begin to cultivate +the _agi_, or Guinea pepper, which culture extends over all the rest of +the vale, in which there are several detached farms exclusively devoted +to its culture. In that part of the vale, which is very narrow, and +about six leagues long, they raise yearly to the value of above 80,000 +crowns. The Spaniards of Peru are so much addicted to this spice, that +they dress no meat without it, although so hot and biting that no one +can endure it, unless accustomed to its use; and, as it cannot grow in +the _Puna_, or mountainous country, many merchants come down every year, +who carry away all the Guinea pepper that grows in the districts of +_Arica, Sama, Taena, Locumba_, and others, ten leagues around, from all +of which it is reckoned they export yearly to the value of 600,000 +dollars, though sold cheap. It is hard to credit that such vast +quantities should go from hence, as the country is so parched up, except +the vales, that nothing green is to be seen. This wonderful fertility is +produced by the dung of fowls, which is brought from _Iquique_, and +which fertilizes the soil in a wonderful manner, making it produce four +or five hundred for one of all sorts of grain, as wheat, maize, and so +forth, but particularly of this _agi_, or Guinea pepper, when rightly +managed. When the plants are sufficiently grown in the seed-bed to be +fit for transplanting, they are set out in winding lines like the letter +S, that the furrows for conveying the water may distribute it equally to +the roots of the plants. They then lay about the root of each plant of +Guinea pepper as much _guana_, or bird's dung formerly mentioned, as +will lie in the hollow of the hand. When in blossom, they add a little +more; and, lastly, when the pods are completely formed, they add a good +handful more to each plant, always taking care to supply them with +water, as it never rains in this country; otherwise, the salts contained +in the manure, not being dissolved, would burn the plants, as has been +found by experience. It is also for this reason that this manure is laid +on at different times, as already explained, the necessity of which has +been found by long use, and by the superior value of the crops thus +produced. + +For the carriage of this _guana_, or fowl's dung, the people at Arica +generally use that sort of little camels which the Indians of Bern call +_Llamas_, the Chilese, _Chilihneque_, and the Spaniards, _Carneros de la +tierra_, or native sheep. The heads of these animals are small in +proportion to their bodies, and are somewhat in shape between the head +of a horse and that of a sheep, the upper lips being cleft like that of +a hare, through which they can spit to the distance of ten paces against +any one who offends them, and if the spittle happens to fall on the face +of a person, it causes a red itchy spot. Their necks are long, and +concavely bent downwards, like that of a camel, which animal they +greatly resemble, except in having no hunch on their backs, and in being +much smaller. Their ordinary height is from four feet to four and a +half; and their ordinary burden does not exceed an hundred-weight. They +walk, holding up their heads with wonderful gravity, and at so regular a +pace as no beating can quicken. At night it is impossible to make them +move with their loads, for they lie down till these are taken off, and +then go to graze. Their ordinary food is a sort of grass called _yeho_, +somewhat like a small rush, but finer, and has a sharp point, with which +all the mountains are covered exclusively. They eat little, and never +drink, so that they are very easily maintained. They have cloven feet +like sheep, and are used at the mines to carry ore to the mills; and, as +soon as loaded, they set off without any guide to the place where they +are usually unloaded. They have a sort of spur above the foot, which +renders them sure-footed among the rocks, as it serves as a kind of hook +to hold by. Their hair, or wool rather, is long, white, grey, and +russet, in spots, and fine, but much inferior to that of the Vicunna, +and has a strong and disagreeable scent. + +The _Vicunna_ is shaped much like the Llama, but much smaller and +lighter, their wool being extraordinarily fine and much valued. These +animals are often hunted after the following manner: Many Indians gather +together, and drive them into some narrow pass, across which they have +previously extended cords about four feet from the ground, having bits +of wool or cloth hanging to them at small distances. This so frightens +them that they dare not pass, and gather together in a string, when the +Indians kill them with stones tied to the ends of leather thongs. Should +any _quanacos_ happen to be among the flock, these leap over the cords, +and are followed by all the _vicunnas_. These _quanacos_ are larger and +more corpulent, and are also called _viscachas_. There is yet another +animal of this kind, called _alpagnes_, having wool of extraordinary +fineness, but their legs are shorter, and their snouts contracted in +such a manner as to give them some resemblance to the human countenance. +The Indians make several uses of these creatures, some of which carry +burdens of about an hundred-weight. Their wool serves to make stuffs, +cords, and sacks. Their bones are used for the construction of weavers +utensils; and their dung is employed as fuel for dressing meat, and +warming their huts. + +Before the last war, a small fleet called the _armadilla_ used to resort +yearly to Arica, partly composed of kings ships, and partly those of +private persons. By this fleet, European commodities were brought from +Panama, together with quicksilver for the mines of _La Paz, Oruro La +Plata,_ or _Chuguizaca, Potosi_, and _Lipes_; and in return carried to +Lima the king's fifth of the silver drawn from the mines. Since the +galleons have ceased going to Porto-Bello, and the French have carried +on the trade of supplying the coast of the South Sea with European +commodities, Arica has been the most considerable mart of all this +coast, and to which the merchants of the five above-mentioned rich, +towns resort. It is true that the port of _Cobija_ is nearer _Lipes_ and +_Potosi_; but being situated in a barren and desert country, where +nothing can be procured for the subsistence of man or beast, the +merchants chuse rather to go to Arica, though more distant, as they are +sure to find at that place every thing they need. Besides, they find no +great difficulty in bringing there their silver privately in a mass, and +compounding with the corregidores or chief magistrates to avoid paying +the royal fifth. + +On leaving Arica, we sailed for the road of Ilo, about 75 miles to the +N.W. where we arrived that same afternoon, and saw a large ship with +three small ones at anchor. The great ship immediately hoisted French +colours, being the _Wise Solomon_ of 40 guns, commanded by Mons. +Dumain, who was resolved to protect the vessels that were beside him, +and to oppose my coming into the road. As it grew dark before I could +get into the road, I sent my third lieutenant, Mr La Porte, a Frenchman, +to inform Mr Dumain who we were: But my officer no sooner got on board +than he was tumbled out again, the Frenchman calling him a renegado; and +Mr Dumain sent me word he would sink me if I offered to anchor there. La +Porte also told me, that to his knowledge the French ships often +accepted Spanish commissions, when there were English cruizers on this +coast, having great privileges in trade allowed them for this service; +and he could plainly see that the French ship was double manned, by +means of inhabitants from the town, who were partly French; and, as he +supposed, would come to attack me as soon as the wind was off shore. +While thus talking, the French ship fired several guns at us, as if to +shew that they were ready, and meant shortly to be with us. At first, +this bravado heated me not a little, and I had some design of turning +the Mercury into a fire-ship, by the help of which I might have roasted +this insolent Frenchman: But, having reflected on the situation of +affairs at home, and fearing my attacking him might be deemed +unjustifiable, notwithstanding his unwarranted conduct, I thought it +best to stand out of the harbour. + +On the 12th February, the moiety of the money taken at Arica was divided +among the company according to their shares. On the 22d we found +ourselves in the heights of _Calao,_ the port of Lima; on which I furled +all my sails, resolving to get away in the night; knowing, if we were +discovered from thence, that we should certainly be pursued by some +Spanish men of war, as there are always some in that port. On the 26th, +the officers in the Mercury desired to be relieved, and I spoke to +Captain Hately, whose turn it was to take the command of that bark. This +gentleman had been long a prisoner among the Spaniards in this country, +which he was well acquainted with, having travelled between Payta and +Lima by land, on which occasion he had observed several rich towns, +which made him conceive we might do something to purpose, by cruizing +along the coast, as far as the island of Lobos, in lat. 7° S. I approved +of this, as it was probable we might meet some of the Panama ships, +which always keep well in with the land, in order to have the benefit of +the land-breezes. As the company of the Mercury seemed delighted with +this project, I augmented their complement, giving them a month's +provisions on board. I also lent Captain Hately my pinnace, mounted his +bark with two of our quarter-deck guns, and gave him a copy of my +commission, although it was very likely we should have frequent sight of +the Mercury, between our present intended separation, and our intended +rendezvous at the island of Lobos, not above sixty leagues from where we +then were. + +When every thing was ready for their departure, Captain Betagh, whose +turn it was to relieve the marine officer in the Mercury, being +unwilling to go, went among our people with a terrified countenance, +saying, that he and those with him in the Mercury were going to be +sacrificed. Hearing this, I addressed my ship's company, telling them I +could not conceive what this pestilent fellow meant by making such an +uproar. I appealed to them all, if it had not been customary to relieve +the officers in this manner, ever since we had this vessel in company, +and asked them if ever they knew me select any man for going upon an +enterprise, and had not, on the contrary, left it always to their own +choice to go on any particular service out of the ship. I then desired +to know who among them were of Betagh's opinion? Upon this, they all +declared with one voice, that they had never entertained any such +opinion; but, on the contrary, that I should always find them obedient +to my commands. In the next place, I ordered the Mercury along side, and +acquainted her crew with the speech Betagh had made in the Speedwell, +and desired to know if any of them were apprehensive of being sold or +sacrificed. At this they all set up a loud huzza, and requested they +might go on the intended cruize in the Mercury. Accordingly Hately and +Betagh went on board that bark, and put off from us, giving us three +cheers, and stood right in for the land. + +It may be proper to take some notice of the proceedings of the Mercury +after she left me, as I have been informed from some of themselves and +some prisoners. The very next day they took a small bark laden with +rice, chocolate, wheat, flour, and the like; and the day following, +another. On the 4th day, they took a ship of near 200 tons, in which +were 150,000 dollars. Flushed with this success, Betagh prevailed upon +Hately, and most of the people in the Mercury, not to rejoin me, saying, +they had now enough to appear like gentlemen as long as they lived, but +it would be a mere nothing when the owner's part was taken out, and the +rest divided into 500 shares. He therefore thought, since fortune had +been so kind to them, they ought to make the best of their way to India, +as they had sufficient provisions and all other requisites for the +voyage, and Captain. Hately was well able to conduct them to some port +in the East Indies. This plan was accordingly resolved on, and they fell +to leeward of the place of rendezvous. But, weighing with himself the +prodigious extent of the run, and its many hazards, and well knowing the +treatment he might expect in India, if his treachery were discovered, +Captain Hately became irresolute, and could not determine what was best +to be done, so that he kept hovering on the coast. In the mean time, +some of his crew went away in his boat to surrender themselves to the +enemy, rather than be concerned in such a piratical undertaking. Betagh +and his accomplices still kept Hately warm with liquor, and at length +brought him to the resolution of leaving the South Sea. But they had no +sooner clapped their helm a-weather for this purpose than they saw a +sail standing towards them, which proved to be a Spanish man of war, +which caught them, and spoilt their India voyage. The English prisoners +were very indifferently used; but Betagh, being a Roman Catholic, and of +a nation which the Spaniards are very fond of,[267] was treated with +much respect, and was even made an officer. + +[Footnote 267: He seems to have been a Fleming, taken on board at +Ostend, when the voyage was originally intended to have proceeded under +an imperial commission.--E.] + +In the morning of the 29th February, we saw a vessel at anchor in the +road of _Guanchaeo_, and anchored alongside of her at eleven a.m. She +was called the Carmasita, of about 100 tons, having only two Indian men +and a boy on board, and her only loading was a small quantity of timber +from Guayaquil. From these prisoners, I was informed of a rich ship +being in the cove of Payta, having put in there to repair some damage +she had sustained in a gale of wind. On this information I put +immediately to sea, but in purchasing our anchor, the cable parted, and +we lost our anchor. Our prize being new and likely to sail well, I took +her with us, naming her the St David, designing to have made her a +complete fire-ship as soon as we should be rejoined by the Mercury, in +which there were materials for that purpose. Next day we looked into +Cheripe, whence we chased a small vessel, which ran on shore to avoid +us. Next morning, being near Lobos, our appointed rendezvous with the +Mercury, I sent ashore my second lieutenant, Mr Randal, with two letters +in separate bottles, directing Captain Hately to follow me to Payta, to +which port I now made the best of my way, and arrived before it on the +18th of March, and sent Mr Randal to look into the cove, to bring me an +account of what ships were there, that I might know what to think of the +information we had received from our prisoners. + +On the 21st, I steered directly in for the cove of Payta, which I +entered under French colours about four in the afternoon. We found only +a small ship there, of which Mr Brooks took possession in the launch. +About seven p.m. we came to anchor within three quarters of a mile of +the town. The town seemed to be moderately large and populous, and there +might probably be some land-forces for its defence, being the rendezvous +of the ships which trade between Panama and Caloa; yet, as the taking of +this place was treated in our instructions as a matter of importance, I +consulted with my officers as to the best manner of making the attempt. +Leaving the charge of the ship with the master, Mr Coldsea, and a few +hands, to look after the negroes we had on board, and with orders to +bring the ship nearer to the town, for the more expeditiously embarking +any plunder we might make; I landed with forty-six men, well armed, +about two in the morning of the 22d, and marched directly up to the +great church without the slightest opposition, for we found the town +entirely deserted by the inhabitants. + +At day-light, we observed large bodies of men on the hills, on both +sides of the town, which we expected would have come down to attack us; +but, on marching up towards them, they retired before us. Hitherto we +had taken no prisoners, except an old Indian and a boy, who told us that +Captain Clipperton had been here some time before, and had set some +prisoners ashore, who assured them he meant not to do them any injury; +but that the inhabitants, not thinking fit to trust him, had removed all +their valuable effects into the mountains, among which were 400,000 +dollars belonging to the king, which had been a fine prize for +Clipperton, who certainly would have found no greater difficulty in +taking this town than I did. + +I was constrained suddenly to halt, in consequence of hearing a gun +fired from the ship, soon after which word was brought me that she was +ashore. I hurried off as fast as I could, carrying with us the +union-flag, which I had planted in the church-yard; and, as we were +re-embarking, the enemy came running down the hill, hallooing after us. +When I got on board, I found the ship entirely afloat, but within her +own breadth of the rocks; and, as the water was quite smooth, we soon +warped her off again. We then returned to the town, whence the Spaniards +retired as peaceably as before. The remainder of the day was employed in +shipping off what plunder we could find, which consisted of hogs, brown +and white _calavances_, beans, Indian corn, wheat, flour, sugar, and as +many _cocoa nuts_[268] as we were able to stow away, together with pans +and other conveniences for preparing it, so that we were now amply +provided with excellent breakfast meat for the rest of our voyage, and +were, besides, full of other provisions. + +[Footnote 268: Cacao, chocolate-nuts, are almost certainly here +meant.--E.] + +At eight in the morning of the 23d, a messenger came in to know what +ransom I would take for the town and the ship, for which I demanded +10,000 dollars in twenty-four hours. At eight next morning, I had a +letter from the governor, signifying, that as I wrote in French, neither +he nor any one about him could understand its contents; but if I would +write in Latin or Spanish, I might depend on a satisfactory answer. In +the afternoon, I sent for one of our quarter-deck guns on shore, which +was mounted at our guard, and was fired at sun-set, midnight, and break +of day. The messenger returned in the morning of the 24th, accompanied +by the master of the ship we had taken, and on hearing of their arrival, +I went on shore to know what they had to propose. I understood from them +that the governor was determined not to ransom the town, and did not +care what become of it, provided the churches were not burnt. Though I +never had any intention to destroy any place devoted to divine worship, +I answered that I should have no regard to the churches, or anything +else, when I set the town on fire; and I told the master of the vessel, +he might expect to see her in flames immediately, if not ransomed +without delay. This seemed to make a great impression, and he promised +to return in three hours with the money. I then caused every thing to +be taken out of the town that could be of any use to us, after which I +ordered the town to be set on fire in several places; and, as the houses +were old and dry, it instantly became a bonfire. + +In the midst of this conflagration, the people in the Speedwell made +many signals for me to come on board, and kept continually firing +towards the mouths of the harbour. As I could only guess the meaning of +all this, I went on board as soon as possible in a canoe, having only +three men along with me. Before I could reach the ship, I could +distinctly see a large ship, with a Spanish flag at her +fore-topmast-head, and her fore-topsail a-back. At this sight, two of my +three men were ready to faint, and if it had not been for my boatswain, +I doubt if I should have got on board; and if the Spanish admiral had +acted with vigour, he might have taken the ship long enough before I got +to her. It is bare justice to Mr Coldsea to say, that he fired so +smartly on the Spaniard as to induce him to act with great precaution, +which had been quite unnecessary if he had known our weakness. His +caution, however, gave me the opportunity of getting on board: and, in +the mean time, my officers were so unwilling to leave our guard-gun +ashore, that they spent a great while in getting it into the boat, so +that I was afraid the enemy would attack us before our people could get +on board. The Spaniard was, however, in no hurry, thinking, no doubt, +that we could not well escape him, yet was within pistol-shot of us +before the last of our men got on board, being about fifty in all. We +now cut our cable, but our ship fell round the wrong way, so that I had +just room enough to fall clear of the enemy. Being now close together, +the formidable appearance of the enemy struck an universal damp on the +spirits of my people; some of whom, in coming off from the shore, were +for jumping into the water and swimming on shore, which a few actually +did. + +The enemy was a fine European-built ship, of 50 guns, and the +disproportion was so great between us, that there seemed no hopes of +escaping, as we were under his lee. I endeavoured to get into shoal +water, but he becalmed me with his sails, and confined us for the best +part of an hour, during which he handled us very roughly with his +cannon, making very little use of his small-arms, never allowing us a +moment's ease, but as soon as his broadside was ready, he gave his ship +the starboard helm, bringing as many of his guns to bear as possible, +and at the same time kept me from the wind. We returned his fire as +briskly as we could; but, in our precipitate retreat from the town, most +of our small arms were wetted, so that it was long before they were of +any use. During this action, there was a strange contusion on shore, +where the people had flocked down from the hills to extinguish the fire +in Payta, in which some of them were busily employed, while others stood +on the shore, spectators of our engagement. I was long in despair of +getting away from the Spaniard, expecting nothing less than to be torn +in pieces by his superior fire, unless we could have an opportunity of +trying our heels with him while our masts remained standing. I expected +every minute that he would board us, and hearing a hallooing among them, +and seeing their forecastle full of men, I concluded that they had come +to this resolution; but soon saw that it proceeded from our ensign being +shot down, on which I made another be displayed in the mizen-shrouds, on +sight of which they lay snug as before, keeping close upon our quarter. +Intending at length to do our business at once, they clapped their helm +hard a-starboard, in order to bring their whole broadside to bear, but +their fire had little effect, and it muzzled themselves, which gave us +an opportunity to get away from them. + +This certainly was a lucky escape, after an engagement of three glasses +with an enemy so much our superior; for he had 56 guns and 450 men, +while we had only 20 guns mounted and only 73 men, of whom 11 were +negroes and two Indians. He had farther the vast advantage over us of +being in perfect readiness, while we were in the utmost confusion; and +in the middle of the engagement, a third of my people, instead of +fighting, were hard at work in preparing for an obstinate resistance; +particularly the carpenter and his crew, who were busy in making +port-holes for stern-chase guns, which, as it happened, we made no use +of. Yet were we not unhurt, as the loss of my boat and anchor were +irreparable, and may be said to have been the cause of that scene of +trouble which fell upon us soon after; as we had now only one anchor +remaining, that lost at Payta being the third, and we had not now a boat +of any kind. I have since learnt that some of our shots in the +engagement were well directed, and that we killed and wounded several of +the enemy. + +Having thus got away from the _Peregrine_, I slipped off in the evening +with much ado from the Brilliant, her consort, on board of which Betagh +now was, and even desired to be the first to board me. I was now in a +very uncomfortable situation, not having the smallest hope of meeting +with the Success; and I had learned at Payta, that the Spaniards had +laid on an embargo for six months, so that we had nothing to expect in +the way of prizes; and, having seen our prize taken, we had reason to +expect that all our designs were discovered by the enemy. Having now +only one anchor and no boat, it is not to be wondered that I gave up all +idea of making an attempt on Guayaquil, which I at first proposed, +having intelligence that there were several ships of considerable value +in that river, in consequence of the embargo, which might have done me +some service, if I had been better provided. In this situation, it was +resolved, in a committee of my officers, to return to the southwards, or +to windward, as the Spaniards must necessarily continue their trade with +Chili, in spite of their embargo; after which we proposed to water at +Juan Fernandez, and then to cruize on the coast of Conception, +Valparaiso, and Coquimbo, for the coasting traders, among whom we might +supply ourselves with anchors, cables, and boats, and a vessel to fit +out as a fire-ship. I also proposed, before leaving the coast of Chili, +to make an attempt on La Serena or Coquimbo. After all this, I proposed +to proceed for the coast of Mexico, and thence to the _Tres Marias_ and +California, as the most likely means of meeting with the Success; +besides which, the former of these places might be commodious for +salting turtle, to serve as sea stores, and the latter for laying in a +stock of wood and water; after which we might lie in the track of the +Manilla ship. But if we could not succeed in that attempt, we might then +satisfy ourselves with cruizing for the Peruvian ships, which bring +silver to Acapulco for purchasing the Indian and Chinese commodities. + +My plan being approved, we proceeded to windward, having secured our +masts and bent a new set of sails on the 26th, after which we stood to +the southward, expecting to make our passage in about five weeks. The +carpenters were now set to work to build a new boat that we might have +the means of watering our ship. On the 31st, while working the pumps, +the water not only came in in greater quantity than usual, but was as +black as ink, which made me suspect some water had got at our powder; +and on going into the powder-room, I found the water rushing in like a +little sluice, which had already spoiled the greatest part of our +powder, only six barrels remaining uninjured, which I immediately had +stowed away in the bread-room. It pleased God that we now had fair +weather, as otherwise we might have had much difficulty to keep our ship +afloat. We found the leak on the larboard side, under the lower cheek of +the head, where a shot had lodged and afterwards dropt out, leaving room +for a stream of water. We accordingly brought down our ship by the +stern, and secured the leak effectually. At this time we had an abundant +stock of provisions. Each man had a quart of chocolate and three ounces +of rusk for breakfast; and had fresh meat or fresh fish every day for +dinner, having plenty of the latter about the ship, so that we could +almost always make our choice between dolphin and albicore. + +On the 6th May we made the westermost of the islands of Juan Fernandez, +otherwise called _Mas a Fuero_, distant twelve leagues N.E. by N. and +the day after, our carpenters had completed our new boat, which could +carry three hogsheads. On the 12th we saw the great island of Juan +Fernandez, bearing E. 1/2 S. being in latitude, by observation, 33° 40' +S. a joyful sight at the time, though so unfortunate to us in the +sequel. We plied off and on till the 21st, but could not get as much +water on board daily in that time as supplied our daily expenditure, +owing to the smallness of our boat, which made it necessary for us to +anchor in the roads till that purpose was accomplished, in order for +which I prepared to raft twenty tons of casks on shore. We worked in and +anchored in forty fathoms, carrying a warp on shore, which we fastened +to the rocks, of three hawsers and a half in length, which both steadied +the ship, and enabled us to haul our cask-raft ashore and aboard. By +this means we were ready to go to sea again next morning, having filled +all our water casks; but had no opportunity of so doing for four days, +during which we continued to anchor in the same manner. + +On the 25th May, a hard gale came upon us from seaward, bringing with it +a great tumbling swell, by which at length our cable parted. This was a +dismal accident, as we had no means whatever by which to avoid the +prospect of immediate destruction. But Providence interposed in our +behalf: For had we struck only a cable's length to the east or west of +where we did, we must all have inevitably perished. When our ill-fated +ship touched the rock, we had all to hold fast by some part of the ship +or rigging, otherwise the violence of her shock in striking must have +tossed us all into the sea. Our three masts went all away together by +the board. In short, words are wanting to express the wretched condition +in which we now were, or our astonishment at our unexpected and +unfortunate shipwreck. + +SECTION III. + +_Residence on the Island of Juan Fernandez._ + + +Having all got on shore in the evening, my officers gathered around me +to bear me company, and to devise measures for procuring necessaries out +of the wreck; and having lighted a fire, wrapped themselves up in what +they could get, and slept very soundly, notwithstanding the coldness of +the weather, and our hopeless situation. I would have set the people to +work that very night, in endeavouring to save what we could from the +wreck, but they were so dispersed that we could not gather them +together, and all opportunity was lost of saving any thing, except some +of our fire-arms. But while the people were employed in building tents, +and making other preparations for their residence on the island, the +wreck was entirely destroyed, and every thing in her was lost, except +one cask of beef and one of _farina de pao_, which were washed on shore. +Thus all our provisions were gone, and every thing else that might have +been useful. I had saved 1100 dollars belonging to the owners, which +happened to be in my chest in the great cabin, all the rest of their +treasure being in the bottom of the bread-room for security, which +consequently could not be come at. + +I now took some pains to find out a convenient place in which to set up +my tent, and at length found a commodious spot of ground not half a mile +from the sea, having a fine stream of water on each side, with trees +close at hand for firing, and building our huts. The people settled +around me as well as they could, and as the cold season was coming on, +some thatched their huts, while others covered theirs with the skins of +seals and sea-lions. Others again satisfied themselves with water-butts, +in which they slept under cover of trees. Having thus secured ourselves +from the weather, we used to pass our time in the evenings around a +great fire before my tent, where my officers usually assembled, +employing themselves in roasting cray-fish in the embers; sometimes +bewailing our unhappy fate, and sinking into despondency; and at other +times feeding ourselves with hopes that something might yet be done to +set us again afloat. On this subject I first consulted with the +carpenter, who answered, that he could not make bricks without straw, +and then walked from me in a surly humour. From him I went to the +armourer, and asked what he could do for us in his way that might +contribute to build a small vessel. To this he answered, that he hoped +he could do all the iron work, as he had fortunately saved his bellows +from the wreck, with four or five _spadoes_ or Spanish swords, which +would afford him steel, and there could be no want of iron along shore; +besides, that we should doubtless find many useful things when we came +to work in good earnest. He desired therefore, that I would get some +charcoal made for him, while he set up his forge. + +Upon this encouragement, I called all hands together, and explained to +them the great probability there was of our being able to build a vessel +sufficient to transport us from this island; but that it would be a +laborious task, and must require their united best endeavours. To this +they all consented, and promised to work with great diligence, begging +me to give them directions how to proceed. I then ordered the men who +had axes on shore, before the wreck, to cut wood for making charcoal, +while the rest went down to the wreck to get the boltsprit ashore, of +which I proposed to make the keel of our intended vessel; and I +prevailed on the carpenter to go with me, to fix upon the properest +place for building. The people found a great many useful materials about +the wreck; and among the rest the topmast, which had been washed on +shore, and was of the greatest importance. + +We laid the blocks for building upon on the 8th June, and had the +boltsprit ready at hand to lay down as the keel; when the carpenter +turned short round upon me, and swore an oath that he would not strike +another stroke on the work, for he would be slave to nobody, and thought +himself now on a footing with myself. I was at first angry, but came at +length to an agreement with him, to give him a four-pistole piece as +soon as the stern and stern-posts were up, and 100 dollars when the bark +was finished, and the money to be committed to the keeping of any one he +chose to name. This being settled, he went to work upon the keel, which +was to be thirty feet long; the breadth of our bark, by the beam, +sixteen feet, and her hold seven feet deep. In two months we made a +tolerable shew, owing in a great measure to the ingenuity of Poppleston, +our armourer, who never lost a minute in working with his hands, or +contriving in his head. He made us a small double-headed maul, hammers, +chisels, and a sort of gimblets or wimbles, which performed very well. +He even made a bullet-mould, and an instrument to bore cartouch-boxes, +which he made from the trucks of our gun-carriages, covering them with +seal-skins, and contrived to make them not only convenient, but neat. He +contrived to execute any iron-work wanted by the carpenter, and even +finished a large serviceable boat, of which we stood much in need. + +In the beginning of this great work the people behaved themselves very +well, half of them working regularly one day, and the other half the +next, seeming every day to grow easier under our misfortunes. They +treated me with as much respect as I could wish, and even in a body +thanked me for the prospect of their deliverance; while I never failed +to encourage them by telling them stories of the great things that had +been accomplished by the united efforts of men in similar distresses. I +always pressed them to stick close to the work, that we might get our +bark ready in time; and told them that we fortunately had three of the +best ports in Chili within 120 leagues of us. This inspired them with +life and vigour, and they often declared that they would exert their +utmost endeavours to finish her with all expedition. At last, however, +we became a prey to faction, so that it was a miracle we ever got off +from this place. For, after completing the most laborious part of the +work, they entirely neglected it; and many of my officers, deserting my +society, herded with the meanest of the ship's company. I was now +convinced in a suspicion I had long entertained, that some black design +was in embryo; for when I met any of my officers, and asked what they +were about, and the reason of their acting so contrary to their duty, by +diverting the people from their work, some used even to tell me they +knew not whether they would leave the island or not, when my bundle of +sticks was ready; that they cared not how matters went, for they could +shift for themselves as well as the rest. When I spoke with the common +men, some were surly, and others said they would be slaves no longer, +but would do as the rest did. In the midst of these confusions, I +ordered my son to secure my commission in some dry place among the woods +or rocks, remembering how Captain Dampier had been served in these +seas. + +At length, I one afternoon missed all the people, except Mr Adamson the +surgeon, Mr Hendric the agent, my son, and Mr Dodd, lieutenant of +marines, which last feigned lunacy, for some reason best known to +himself. I learnt at night that they had been all day assembled at the +great tree, in deep consultation, and had framed a new set of +regulations and articles, by which the owners in England were excluded +from any share in what we might take for the future, divested me of all +authority as captain, and regulated themselves according to the _Jamaica +discipline_.[269] Even the chief officers, among the rest, had concurred +in electing one Morphew to be their champion and speaker, who addressed +the assembly to the following purport: "That they were now their own +masters, and servants to none: and as Mr Shelvocke, their former +captain, took upon him still to command, he ought to be informed, that +whoever was now to be their commander, must be so through their own +courtesy. However, that Mr Shelvocke might have the first offer of the +command, if the majority thought fit, but not otherwise. That Mr +Shelvocke carried himself too lofty and arbitrarily for the command of a +privateer, and ought to have continued in men-of-war, where the people +were obliged to bear all hardships quietly, whether right or wrong." + +[Footnote 269: This expression is not explained, but seems to have been, +according to the model of the Buccaneers, all prizes to be divided among +the captors.--E.] + +Some persons present, who had a regard for me, represented, "That they +had never seen or known me treat any one unjustly or severely; and that +however strict I might be, they had no one else to depend upon, and that +they ought all to consider how many difficulties I had already brought +them through. That, although they were not now in the hands of our +enemies, no one could tell how soon others might come upon them: and, if +they ever looked to get back to England, there was no other way but by +going round the world, for which there was no one capable of undertaking +the charge except Captain Shelvocke. They ought also to consider his +commission, and the respect due to him on that account; besides the +protection that would afford them, should they happen to fall into the +hands of the Spaniards." + +This remonstrance had some effect on the common men, but they were +diverted from the thoughts of returning to obedience by no less a +person than my first lieutenant, Mr Brooks, who had made Morphew his +confidant even on board ship: for having served before the mast before +he was made my lieutenant, he had contracted a liking for forecastle +conversation. They were also supported and encouraged by Mr Randal, my +second lieutenant, who was brother-in-law to Brooks, and by others. The +first remarkable outrage committed by this gang of levellers was to Mr +La Porte, my third lieutenant, whom Morphew knocked down on the beach, +while Brooks stood by and witnessed this brutality. This affair came +soon after to be fully explained; for the men framed a new set of +articles, putting themselves upon the Jamaica discipline, and declaring, +as I had been their captain, I might be so still; and that they were +willing to allow me six shares, as a mark of their regard, though I +ought only to have four, according to the Jamaica articles. Most of the +officers were reduced, according to the same plan: for instance, Mr La +Porte, Mr Dodu, and Mr Hendrie were declared midshipmen; and as the +superior officers consented to this scheme, it could not be prevented +from being carried into execution. Mr Coldsea the master was the only +person who preserved a kind of neutrality, neither promoting nor +opposing their designs. In this distressed emergency, I thought it +lawful, and even necessary, to submit to their demands, and therefore +signed their articles, in conjunction with the rest of my officers. + +I now thought to have got them to work on our bark; but, instead of +listening to me, they demanded what little money I had saved belonging +to the owners, with which I was obliged to comply, being 750 dollars in +virgin silver, a silver dish weighing 75 ounces, and 250 dollars in +coin. Even after this I was treated worse than ever, having only the +refuse of the fish allowed me, after they had chosen the best, being +glad, after a hard day's work, to dine upon seal; while Morphew and his +associates feasted on the best fish the sea afforded. They next took the +arms out of my custody, of which hitherto I had taken great care; +because, having only one flint to each musket, and very little +ammunition, I foresaw that we would be undone if this were wasted. I +represented all this to them, yet they squandered away the small +remainder of powder and bullets in killing cats, or any thing else they +could get to fire at.--This is a concise history of our transactions in +the island of Juan Fernandez, from the 24th May to the 15th August, +during which no person could suffer more than I did, or have a more +uncomfortable prospect. + +On the 15th of August we were put into great confusion by the sight of a +large ship, on which, before she crossed the bay, I ordered all the +fires to be put out, and the negroes and Indians to be confined, lest +the ship might be becalmed under the land, and any of them should +attempt to swim off to her, as I conceived she might possibly be a +man-of-war come to seek us, having received advice of our shipwreck; yet +I knew, if she discovered what we were about, we should soon have the +whole force of the kingdom of Chili upon us. Our apprehensions were soon +over, as the ship bore away large, and kept at too great a distance to +see any thing of us. On this occasion I got most of our people under +arms, and was glad to see them in some measure obedient to command; +telling them that I was pleased to see their arms in such good order, I +was impertinently answered, that this was for their own sakes. Before +they dispersed, I represented to them the necessity of using their best +endeavour to get our bark afloat, instead of caballing against their +captain, which, in the end, might be very prejudicial to them all; as, +if discovered by the Spaniards, we might expect to be all made slaves in +the mines. I told them we still had a great deal of work to do, and had +never above ten of the most considerate to labour, and seldom above six +or seven; while they knew I was always one of the number, to shew a good +example. But the more I tried to reclaim them, the more obstinately they +ran into confusion, interrupting every thing that tended to do them +service. + +Next day they divided among themselves on a new scheme, being no less +than to burn our bark, and to build two large shallops, or pinnaces, in +lieu of her. Morphew and his friend Brooks were the favourers of this +new design, aiming doubtless at a separation by this means: but as this +must be determined by a majority, they assembled to debate this matter +in front of my tent, carrying on their deliberations with much clamour +on both sides. In order to put them off this ruinous plan, I represented +to them the impracticability of building the boats, as our tools and +other materials were already worn out and expended. The workmen, and a +considerable majority of the rest, sided with me: but at night the +carpenter sent me word, if I did not pay him the money agreed upon at +first, I should never see his face again; wherefore, although his terms +had not been implemented, I was obliged to raise the money for him. The +most provoking part of this proposal about the boats was, that the +fellows who chiefly promoted it were those who had never done an hour's +work since we were cast away. Not gaining this point, they openly +declared I should not be their captain, and that none but Brooks should +command them, which was probably what that young man aspired to from the +commencement of the mutiny; and had undoubtedly succeeded, had it not +been for the people in the boatswain's tent, who still refused their +consent to my being left on the island, though fond of thinking +themselves their own masters, and of refusing to submit to regular +command. + +To complete our confusion, there arose a third party, who resolved to +have nothing to do with the rest, proposing to remain on the island. +There were twelve of these, who separated from the rest, and never made +their appearance except at night, when they used to come about the tents +to steal powder, lead, and axes, and any thing else they could lay their +hands, on. But in a little time I found means to manage them, and took +from them all their arms, ammunition, axes, and other plunder, and +threatened to have them treated as enemies, if they came within +musket-shot of our tents. These divisions so weakened the whole body, +that they began to listen to me, so that I got most of them into a +working humour. Even Brooks came to me with a feigned submission, +desiring to eat with me again, yet in the main did not lessen his esteem +for Morphew. His dissimulation, however, proved of infinite service in +contributing to the finishing of our bark, which required the united +efforts of all our heads and hands. For, when we came to plank the +bottom, we had very vexatious difficulties to encounter, as our only +plank consisted in pieces from the deck of our wreck, which was so dry +and stubborn that fire and water had hardly any effect in making it +pliable, as it rent, split, and flew in pieces like glass; so that I now +began to fear that all our labour was in vain, and we must quietly wait +to be taken off by some Spanish ship, and be led quietly to prison after +all our troubles. + +By constant labour, and using a variety of contrivances, we at length +finished our bark, but in such a manner that I may safely assert, a +similar bottom never before swam on the sea. Our boat also was launched +on the 9th September; and our bark being now in a fair way of being +completed, it remained to consider what provisions we could get to +support us during our voyage, all our stock being one cask of beef, five +or six bushels of _farina de poa_, or cassada flour, and four or five +live hogs. I made several experiments to preserve both fish and seal, +but found that this could not be done without salt. At length we fell +upon a contrivance for curing conger eels, by splitting them, taking out +their backbones, dipping them in sea-water, and then drying them in a +great smoke; but as no other fish could be cured in a similar manner, +our fishers were directed to catch as many congers as they could. At +this time several of our people who had not hitherto done any work, +began to repent of their folly, as they grew weary of living on this +island, and now offered their services to go a-fishing, making some idle +excuses for being so long idle, asking my pardon, and promising not to +lose a moment in future. The new boat was sent to try her fortune, and +returned at night with a great parcel of various kinds of fish, among +which were about 200 congers, which was a good beginning, and which were +divided among the tents to be cured. Our boat was carefully hauled on +shore every night, and strictly guarded, to prevent any of our people +from stealing her, and making their escape. By her means also, Mr +Brooks, our only diver, tried what could be recovered from that part of +the wreck which had not been drifted on shore; but could only weigh one +small gun, and two pieces of a large church candlestick, belonging to +our owners. + +Our boat was daily employed in fishing, for which purpose the armourer +supplied hooks; and our men made abundance of lines of twisted ribbons, +a great quantity of which had been driven on shore. Others of the men +were employed in making twine stuff for rigging, patching up old canvass +for sails, and a variety of other necessary contrivances to enable us to +put to sea; and our cooper put our casks in order; and at length we set +up our masts, which were tolerably well rigged, and our bark made a +decent figure. My spirits were however much damped, by the extreme +difficulty of caulking her tight, as her seams were bad, our tools +wretched, and our artists very indifferent. When this was done, so as we +could, our bark was put into the water to try her fitness, on which +there was an outcry of, A sieve! a sieve! Every one now seemed +melancholy and dispirited, insomuch that I was afraid they would use no +farther means; but in a little time, by incessant labour, we brought her +into a tolerable condition. Having repaired the ship's pumps, and fitted +them to the bark, the people exclaimed that this was only a poor +dependence; but I exhorted them to have patience, and continue their +assistance in doing every thing that could be thought of for her +security. The cooper also made a set of buckets, one for every man, to +serve to bale her, in case of necessity. Next spring-tide, which was on +the 5th October, 1720, we put her again into the water, naming her the +_Recovery_, when she answered tolerably well, when we resolved to run +the hazard of going to sea in her, and made all possible dispatch in +getting our things on board. Yet, after all, a dozen of our people chose +to remain on shore, together with as many negroes and Indians. + +Our sea-stock, besides the small quantity of beef and cassada flour +formerly mentioned, consisted of 2300 eels cured in smoke, weighing one +with another about a pound each, together with about sixty gallons of +seal-oil, in which to fry them. On our first landing, as the weather was +then too coarse for fishing, we had to live on seals, the entrails of +which are tolerable food; but the constant and prodigious slaughter we +made among them, frightened them from our side of the island. Some of +the people eat cats, which I could not bring myself to, and declared +they were sweet nourishing food. When the weather allowed us to fish, we +were delivered from these hardships; but some of our mischievous crew +set the boat a-drift, so that she was lost: after which we contrived +wicker boats, covered with sea-lions skins, which did well enough near +shore, but we durst not venture in them out into the bay, and +consequently were worse provided with fish than we might otherwise have +been. We fried our fish in seal-oil, and eat it without bread or salt, +or any other relish, except some wild sorrel. Our habitations were very +wretched, being only covered by boughs of trees, with the skins of seals +and sea-lions, which were often torn off in the night, by sudden flaws +of wind from the mountains. + +The island of Juan Fernandez is in lat 33° 40' S. and long. 79° W. being +at the distance of about 150 marine leagues, or 7° 30' from the coast +of Chili. It is about fifteen English miles long from E. to W. and five +miles at the broadest, from N to S. entirely composed of mountains and +valleys, so that there is no walking a quarter of a mile on a flat. The +anchoring place is on the north side of the island, and is distinguished +by a little mountain, with a high peak on each side. It is not safe to +anchor in less than forty fathoms, and even there, ships are very much +exposed to sharp gales from the north, which blow frequently. There +cannot well be a more unpleasant place to anchor in, as the bay is +surrounded by high mountains, and is subject to alternate dead calms and +sudden stormy gusts of wind. This island enjoys a fine wholesome air, +insomuch that out of seventy of us, who remained here five months and +eleven days, not one among us had an hour's sickness, though we fed upon +such foul diet, without bread or salt; so that we had no complaints +among us, except an incessant craving appetite, and the want of our +former strength and vigour. As for myself, from being corpulent, and +almost crippled by the gout, I lost much of my flesh, but became one of +the strongest and most active men on the island, walking much about, +working hard, and never in the least afflicted with that distemper. The +soil is fertile, and abounds with many large and beautiful trees, most +of them aromatic. The names of such as we knew were the _Pimento_, which +bears a leaf like a myrtle, but somewhat larger, with a blue blossom, +the trunks being short and thick, and the heads bushy and round, as if +trained by art. There is another tree, much larger, which I think +resembles that which produces the jesuit bark. There are plains on the +tops of some of the mountains, on which are groves of the _Indian +laurel_, mentioned by Frezier in his description of Chili. These have a +straight slender body, from which sprout small irregular branches all +the way from the root to the top, bearing leaves like the laurel, but +smaller. _Palm-trees_ are found in most parts of the island, growing in +smooth joints, like canes, some thirty and some forty feet high. Their +heads resemble the cocoa-nut tree, except that their leaves are of a +paler green, and bear large bunches of red berries, bigger than sloes, +which taste like haws, and have stones as large as those of +heart-cherries. That which we call the _palm-cabbage_ is the very +substance of the head of the tree; which being cut off and divested of +its great spreading leaves, and all that is hard and tough, consists of +a white and tender young shoot or head, having its leaves and berries +perfectly formed, and ready to replace the old one. When in search of +these, we were forced to cut down a lofty tree for each individual +cabbage. + +One good property of the woods which cover this island is, that they are +every where of easy access, as there is no undergrowth, except in some +of the deepest valleys, where the fern grows exceedingly high, and of +which there are very large trees, with trunks of considerable +solidity.[270] Some of the English who had been formerly here, had sowed +turnips, which have spread much, as have also two or three plantations +of small pompions; but my men never had patience to let any of these +come to maturity. We found also plenty of water-cresses and wild sorrel. +Some of the hills are remarkable for a fine red earth, which I take to +be the same with that of which the inhabitants of Chili make their +earthenware, which is almost as beautiful as the red porcelain of China. +The northern part of the island is well watered by a great many streams +which flow down the narrow valleys; and we found the water to keep well +at sea, and to be as good as any in the world. Down the western peak, +contiguous to the Table Mountain, there fall two cascades from a +perpendicular height of not less than 500 feet. These are close +together, and about 12 feet broad. What with the rapid descent of these +streams, and the numerous palm-trees growing close beside them, adorned +with vast clusters of red berries, the prospect is really beautiful. We +should have had no want of goats, could we have conveniently followed +them in the mountains. The Spaniards, before they settled in Chili, left +a breed of goats here, and have since endeavoured to destroy them, by +leaving a breed of dogs, but without effect. Cats are also very +numerous, exactly resembling our household cats in size and colour; and +those of our men who eat of them, assured me they found more substantial +relief from one meal of their flesh, than from four or five of seal or +fish; and, to their great satisfaction, we had a small bitch, which, +could catch almost any number they wanted in an hour. There are not many +sorts of birds; but the sea on the coast abounds with a greater variety +of fish than almost any place I was ever in. + +[Footnote 270: These must have been some species of palm, having +palmatad leaves resembling ferns.--E.] + +Seals and sea-lions also abound; called _lobos de la mar_ by the +Spaniards, from their resemblance to wolves. They have a fine iron-grey +fur, and when full grown are as big as a large mastiff. They are +naturally surly, and snarl at the approach of any one. Instead of tails, +they have two fins behind, with which they make shift to get on much +faster than the sea-lions, which are large unwieldy creatures, and +prodigiously full of oil. + + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Farther Proceedings in the South Sea, after leaving Juan Fernandez._ + + +We departed from Juan Fernandez on the evening of the 6th October, +having nothing to subsist upon except the smoked congers, one of which +was allowed to each man for twenty-four hours; together with one cask of +beef, four live hogs, which had fed all the time we were ashore on the +putrid carcases of seals, and three or four bushels of cassada meal. We +were upwards of forty men, crowded together, and lying on the bundles of +eels, with no means of keeping ourselves clean, so that all our senses +were offended as greatly as possible. The only way we had of procuring +water, was by sucking it from the cask with a gun-barrel, used +promiscuously by every one. The little unsavoury morsels we daily eat, +created incessant quarrels, every one contending for the frying-pan; and +our only convenience for a fire, was a tub half filled with earth, which +made cooking so tedious, that we had the continual noise of frying from +morning to night. I proposed that we should stand for the Bay of +Conception, as being the nearest to us; and we were hard put to it every +day, while the sea-breeze continued; for, not having above sixteen +inches free board, and our bark tumbling prodigiously, the water ran +over us perpetually; and having only a grating deck, and no tarpaulin to +cover it but the top-sail of our bark, our pomps were barely sufficient +to keep us free. + +At four in the morning of the 10th, we fell in with a large ship, and I +could see by moon-light that she was Europe-built. Our case being +desperate, we stood towards her, and being rigged after the fashion of +the South Seas, they did not regard us till day-light. Not being then +quite up with her, they suspected us by the brownness of our canvas, +wore ship, hauled close upon the wind, fired a gun, and crowded sail +away from us, leaving us at a great rate. It fell calm two hours after, +when we had recourse to our oars, and neared her with tolerable speed. +In the mean time, we overhauled our arms, which we found in bad +condition, a third of them wanting flints, and we had only three +cutlasses, so that we were by no means prepared for boarding, which yet +was the only means we had of taking the ship. We had only one small +cannon, which we could not mount, and were therefore obliged to fire it +as it lay along the deck; and we had only two round shot, a few +chain-bolts, the clapper of the Speedwell's bell, and some bags of +stones. We came up with her in four hours; but I now saw that she had +guns and pattereroes, with a considerable number of men, whose arms +glittered in the sun. The enemy defied us to board them, and at the same +time gave us a volley of great and small shot, which killed our gunner, +and almost brought our foremast by the board. This unexpected reception +staggered many of my people, who before seemed most forward, so that +they lay on their oars for some time, though I urged them to keep their +way. Recovering again, we rowed quite up to them, and continued to +engage till all our small shot was expended, which obliged us to fall +astern to make some slugs, and in this manner we made three attacks +without success. All night we were busied in making slugs, and provided +a large quantity before morning, when we came to the determined +resolution either to carry her by boarding, or to submit to her. At +day-break, I accordingly ordered twenty men in our yawl to lay her +athwart hawse, while I proposed to board her from the bark; but, just as +we were on the point of making the attempt, a gale sprung up, and she +went away from us. We learnt afterwards that she was the _Margaretta_, +having formerly been a privateer from St Malo, mounting forty guns. In +the several skirmishes, we had none killed, except Gilbert Henderson our +gunner. Three were wounded, Mr Brooks being shot through the thigh, Mr +Coldsea in the groin, and one of the crew in the small of the back. Mr +Coldsea lingered in a miserable condition for nine or ten months, but at +length recovered. + +We were now in a worse condition than ever, and the sea being too rough +for our uncomfortable vessel, I proposed to stand to the north to get +into fairer weather, but to take Coquimbo in our way, to try what might +be done there. This was agreed to; but the very morning in which we +expected to have got into Coquimbo, a hard gale of wind sprung up, which +lasted four days, during which we every hour expected to founder, being +obliged to scud under bare poles, with our yawl in tow, and having only +a very short rope for her. This storm so frightened many of our people, +that they resolved to go ashore at the first place they could find. At +length, calling to mind the account given by Frezier of the island of +_Iquique_, I mentioned the surprisal of that place, being but a small +lieutenancy, where we might probably get some wholesome provisions, and +a better vessel. This was approved, and the sun again shining, so that +we lay dry, we acquired fresh vigour, and directed our course for that +island. Next evening we saw the island, which seemed merely a high white +rock, at the foot of the high land of _Carapucho_. Our boat set off for +the island about sun-set, and had like to have been lost among the +breakers. At length they heard the barking of dogs, and saw the light of +some candles; but, aware of the danger of landing in the dark, they made +fast their boat to a float of weeds for want of a grapnel, and waited +till day-light. They then rowed in between the rocks, and were +ignorantly welcomed on shore by some Indians. Going to the house of the +lieutenant, they broke open the door, and rummaged it and the village, +finding a booty more valuable to us in our present situation than gold +or silver. This consisted of 60 bushels of wheat flour, 120 of +calavanses and corn, some jerked beef, mutton, and pork, a thousand +weight of well-cured fish, four or five days eating of soft bread, and +five or six jars of Peruvian wine and brandy, besides a good number of +fowls and some rusk. They had also the good fortune to find a boat to +bring off their plunder, which otherwise had been of little use to us, +as our own boat was fully laden with men. + +In the mean time, we in the bark were carried away by the current to the +northward, out of sight of the island; and as they had not loaded their +boats till the height of the day, they had a laborious task to row off, +being very heavily laden. We were under melancholy apprehensions, +fearing that our people might have remained on shore and deserted us; +but towards evening we perceived two boats coming fast towards us, as +heavily laden as they could be with safety. Words cannot express our joy +when they came aboard. The scene was now changed from famine to plenty. +The loaves of soft bread were distributed, and the jars of wine +broached: But I took care they should drink of it moderately, allowing +each man no more than half a pint a-day. After living a day or two on +wholesome food, we wondered how our stomachs could receive and digest +the rank nauseous congers fried in train-oil, and could hardly believe +we had lived on nothing else for a month past. I was assured by my +second lieutenant, who commanded the boat on this occasion, that the +Indians seemed rather pleased at our plundering the Spaniards; so +natural is it for bad masters to find enemies in their servants. + +The _island of Iquique_ is in the lat. of 19° 50' S.[271] about a mile +from the main land, and only about a mile and a half in circuit, the +channel between it and the coast of Peru being full of rocks. It is of +moderate height, and the surface consists mostly of cormorant's dung, +which is so very white that places covered with it appear at a distance +like chalk cliffs. Its smell is very offensive, yet it produces +considerable gain, as several ships load here with it every year for +Arica, where it is used as manure for growing capsicums. The only +inhabitants of this island are negro slaves, who gather this dung into +large heaps near the shore, ready for boats to take it off. The village +where the lieutenant resides, and which our people plundered, is on the +main land close by the sea, and consists of about sixty scattered +ill-built houses, or huts rather, and a small church. There is not the +smallest verdure to be seen about it, neither does its neighbourhood +afford even the smallest necessary of life, not even water, which the +inhabitants have to bring in boats from the _Quebrada_, or breach of +_Pisagua_, ten leagues to the northward; wherefore, being so miserable a +place, the advantage derived from the _guana_ or cormorant's dung seems +the only inducement for its being inhabited. To be at some distance from +the excessively offensive stench of the dung, they have built their +wretched habitations on the main, in a most hideous situation, and still +even too near the guana, the vapours from which are even there very bad, +yet not quite so suffocating as on the island. The sea here affords +abundance of excellent fish, some kinds of which I had never before +seen; one of them resembling a large silver eel, but much thicker in +proportion. The inhabitants of this desolate and forbidding place cure +these fish in a very cleanly manner, and export large quantities of +them by the vessels which come for the guana. + +[Footnote 271: There is no island on the coast of Peru in that latitude. +Iquique is a town on the main land, about thirty miles from the sea. The +islands called _los Patillos_, or the Claws, are near the coast, in lat. +20° 45' S. and probably one of these may have got the name of _Iquique_, +as being under the jurisdiction of that town. The mountain Carapacha of +the text, is probably the hills of Tarapaca of our maps.--E.] + +We were informed by two Indian prisoners, that the lieutenant of Iquique +had a boat at Pisagua for water, of which we began to be in need, for +which reason I sent Mr Randal in search of her. He failed in this +object, but brought off a few bladders full of water, and three or four +_balsas_, very artificially sewed and filled with wind, which are used +for landing on this dangerous coast. On these the rower sits across, +using a double paddle; and as the wind escapes from the skin bags, he +has a contrivance for supplying the deficiency. These are the chief +embarkations used by the fishermen, and are found very serviceable for +landing on this coast, which has hardly a smooth beach from one end of +it to the other. We intended to have looked into the port of Arica, but +heard there was a ship there of force, on which we continued our course +to the northwards to La Nasca. Off that port we met a large ship about +two hours before day, and though we rowed very hard, it was ten o'clock +before we got up with her. After a brisk dispute of six or seven hours, +we were obliged to leave her, in consequence of the sea-breeze coming in +very strong. She was called the Francisco Palacio, of 700 tons, 8 guns, +and 10 patereroes, with a great number of men, and well provided with +small arms; but was so deeply laden that, in rolling, the water ran over +her deck and out at her scuppers; indeed she had more the appearance of +an ill-contrived floating castle, than of a ship, according to the +present fashion of Europe. Thus we had the misfortune, on this forlorn +voyage, to meet with the two best equipped and armed private ships at +that time in the South Sea. In this action we had not above twenty +fire-arms that were of any use, owing to the improvidence of our people +at Juan Fernandez; yet were they so impatient of this disappointment, +that some of them were for immediately surrendering to the enemy. To +prevent this, I ordered four men whom I thought I could trust to take +the charge of our two boats; but two of these went away with the best +boat, and my first lieutenant and Morphew plotted to have gone away with +the other, but were hindered by blowing weather, and so weak was my +authority that I was forced to dissemble. + +Next day we stood into the road of Pisco, where we saw a very fine ship, +and resolved immediately to board her; and to our great satisfaction, +the captain and his people met us with their hats off, beseeching us to +give them quarter. This was a good ship, of about 200 tons, called the +Jesu Maria, almost laden with pitch, tar, copper, and plank, but nothing +else. The captain offered 16,000 dollars for her ransom, but I could not +comply, as the Recovery was disabled in her masts in boarding, and also +we had now a vessel in which we could at least enjoy cleanliness, which +we had been entire strangers to ever since our departure from Juan +Fernandez; wherefore we made all dispatch in getting every thing out of +the bark. The Spanish captain of the Jesu Maria informed me, that the +Margaretta had arrived some time before at Calao, where she had given a +full account of her rencounter with us; her captain and three men having +been killed in the action, and a priest with several others wounded. She +was now ready to put to sea again to cruize for us, with the addition of +ten guns and fifty men. A frigate of twenty-eight guns, called the +Flying-fish, was already out with the same intention; and advice had +been sent respecting us along the coast, both to the north and south, +with orders to equip what strength there was to catch us. All night, the +people of Pisco were on the alert, continually firing guns, to give us +an earnest of what we were to expect if we attempted to land, but we had +no such intention. + +Having cleared our bark next morning, we gave her to the Spanish captain +of the Jesu Maria; and as soon as the breeze sprung up, we weighed and +stood to sea. While going out, we met our own boat with the two men who +had deserted us, and who now edged down upon us, imagining we had been +Spaniards. The two fellows were almost dead, having neither eat nor +drank for three days, and had just been ashore on a small island near +the harbour of Pisco, to kill some seals that they might drink their +blood. Their only excuse for leaving us was, that they had fallen +asleep, during which the breeze had wafted our bark away from them. We +had only a transient view of Pisco, which seemed pleasantly situated +among orchards and vineyards. We proceeded along the coast very +cautiously, knowing that we were almost in the mouths of our enemies, +and that the least act of indiscretion might throw us into their hands. +We ventured, however, to look into the roads of Guanchaco, Malabriga, +and Cheripe, where we saw no shipping, after which we passed through +between the island of _Lobos de Tierra_ and the continent. + +Being near the _Saddle_ of Payta on the 25th November, I thought of +surprising that place in the night, though our force was much diminished +since our last attack; but as it grew calm while we were endeavouring to +get into the harbour, we thought it better to delay till morning, as our +vessel being Spanish would deceive the inhabitants, and prevent them +from suspecting us. In the morning, being observed from the shore making +many short trips to gain ground to windward, the Spaniards sent off a +large boat full of men to assist in bringing in our ship, and to enquire +the news. Seeing them making towards us, I ordered none of our men to +appear but such as had dark complexions and wore Spanish dresses, +standing ready to answer such questions as they might ask in hailing, +and to give them a rope when they clapped us on board. Some of our men +also were concealed under our gunwales, with their muskets ready to +point into the boat, to command them to make her fast, and this +stratagem succeeded. I examined the prisoners as to the condition of the +town, which they assured me was then extremely poor, having neither +money nor provisions, and shewed me a small bark on shore, lately sent +in by Captain Clipperton with some of his prisoners, on the arrival of +which every thing of value had been removed into the country. Yet we +held on our way with Spanish colours flying, and came to the anchorage. + +As soon as we were anchored, I sent Mr Brooks to attack the town with +twenty-four men, only those who rowed appearing, and the rest with their +arms lying in the bottom of the boats; so that when they landed, they +even found the children playing on the beach. These took the alarm +immediately, and ran away on seeing our armed men. In an instant the +whole place was in confusion, and happy were they who could escape, the +town being left destitute, and they were too nimble to be overtaken. Our +party ransacked Payta, but found it as poor as our prisoners reported; +so that they only found a few bales of coarse cloth, about five +hundred-weight of dried dog-fish, two or three pedlars packs, and an +inconsiderable quantity of bread and sweetmeats. We had better fortune +while at anchor, as we took a vessel in which were about fifty jars of +Peruvian wine and brandy; her master having come by stealth from Calao, +where orders had been given, that none but ships of force should venture +to sea. My people in the town were in no haste to re-embark, and when it +grew dark, some of the Spaniards began to assemble, and learning that +there were only eighteen English in the town, came down the hills with +great boldness. At first our people took refuge in the largest church, +meaning to have defended themselves there; but at length they marched +out, formed in a line, and kept beating their drum; and one of them +having fired a musket, the Spaniards hastily retreated, and our men +embarked without any more alarm. + +From Payta we directed our course for the island of Gorgona, in the bay +of Panama, and in our passage to that place built a tank or wooden +cistern in our vessel, sufficient to contain ten tons of water. In our +way we made the island of Plata, Cape St Francisco, Gorgonella, or +Little Gorgona, and on the 2d of December arrived at the island of +Gorgona. We had here the advantage of being able to fill our watercasks +in the boat, the water running in small streams from the rocks into the +sea, and we cut our wood for fuel close to high-water mark; so that in +less than forty-eight hours we completed our business, and hurried away +for fear of those vessels which we understood had been sent in search of +us. Having got out of the track of the enemy's ships, we consulted as to +the properest manner of proceeding, when the majority were for going +directly for India. Upon this we changed the name of our vessel, from +the Jesu Maria to the Happy-Return, and used our best endeavours to get +off from the coast of America. The winds and currents were however +contrary, and some of our people who were adverse to this plan did some +secret damage to our tank, so that the greatest part of our water leaked +out. Owing to this, and our provisions being much exhausted by long +delays from contrary winds or dead calms, we were incapable of +attempting so long a run: Wherefore, on purpose to procure what we +wanted, I proposed making a descent on Realejo, on the coast of Mexico, +in 11° 50' [12° 28' N.] In our way thither, we fell in with Cape Burica, +in 8° 20' [_exactly_ 8° N.] and then, on second thoughts, I judged it +might be safer to make an attempt on the island of Quibo, in lat. 7° +30' N. where, according to the account given by Captain Rogers. I +guessed there were inhabitants, who lived plentifully on the produce of +their island. + +On the 31st January, 1721, we entered the channel between the islands of +_Quibo_ and _Quivetta_, in lat. 7° 18' N. in twenty fathoms water, and +anchored opposite a sandy bay, which promised to afford convenience for +wooding and watering. Sending our boat to view the bay, my people +reported that there was a good close harbour a little to the south, but +no signs of inhabitants, except three or four huts by the shore, which +they supposed had formerly been used by pearl-fishers, as there were +great quantities of mother-of-pearl-shells scattered about these huts. +On attentive consideration, I resolved not to shut up our vessel in a +close harbour, for fear of bad consequences, and remained therefore at +anchor in the open channel. At day-break next morning, we saw two large +boats under Spanish colours, rowing in for Quivetta, which gave me some +apprehensions they had some intelligence of us, and intended an attack. +The mulattoes on the coast of Mexico are remarkable for their courage, +and have sometimes done very bold actions, even in such paltry vessels +as these we now saw: These, however, steered into a small cove on the +island of Quivetta, which satisfied us they had no intentions to attack +us. I now sent Mr Brooks in our yawl to attack them, when he found them +all ashore, and brought away their piraguas with two prisoners, a negro +and a mulatto, the rest taking refuge in the woods. We took all their +provisions, consisting of a small quantity of pork, with plantains, some +green, some ripe, and some dried. Of this last there was a considerable +quantity, which, on being pounded, made a pleasant-tasted flour, +indifferently white, and supplied us with bread for a month. The mulatto +mortified us greatly by telling us that a vessel laden with provisions +had passed near us in the night, but promised to bring us to a place +where we might supply ourselves without hazard, provided we were not +above two or three days about it, wherefore we made all possible +dispatch in getting in our wood and water. + +We weighed from this place on the 16th January, steering for _Mariato_, +being the westernmost point of the gulf of St Martin. In going out from +the channel of Quibo, we were in imminent danger of being forced by the +current upon two rocks at a small distance from each other, off the +northern point of Quivetta; but having cleared them, we steered through +_Canal bueno_, or the good channel, so called from its safety, being +free from rocks or shoals. Over against the south entrance of these +straits, at the distance of a league from point Mariato, is the island +of Cebaco, in my opinion about ten leagues in circumference. I ran along +the south end of that island, and in the evening of the 19th got safe in +between it and point Mariato, and anchored in six fathoms, over against +a green field, being the only clear spot thereabout. Our pilot advised +us to land about three hours before day, when we should be in good time +for the plantations. Accordingly, I went at two in the morning in our +own boat, the two lieutenants being in the two piraguas, and left my son +with a few hands to take care of the ship. Our pilot carried us a little +way up the river of St Martin, and out of that through several branches +or narrow creeks, among groves of trees, so close that we had not room +to row. Not approving of this navigation, I kept a watchful eye on our +guide, suspecting he had no good design in his head. We landed just at +day-break, in a fine plain, or savannah; and, after a march of three +miles, came to two farm-houses, whence the inhabitants made their +escape, except the wife and children belonging to one of them. We had +the satisfaction of seeing that this place answered the description +given by our guide, being surrounded by numerous flocks of black cattle, +with plenty of hogs, and fowls of several sorts, together with some +dried beef; plantains, and maize; and, in the mean time, we had a +breakfast of hot cakes and milk. + +When it was broad day, I saw our ship close by us, on which I asked our +guide, why he had brought us so far about? when he said there was a +river between us and the shore, and he was not sure if it were fordable. +I therefore sent some to try, who found it only knee deep, on which, to +avoid carrying our plunder so far by land, I ordered our boats to leave +the river of St Martin, and to row to the beach over against the ship. +We had not been long at the farmhouse till the master of the family came +to us, bringing several horses with him, and offering to serve us as far +as he could. This offer we kindly accepted, and we employed him to carry +every thing we thought fit to our boats. He then went among his black +cattle, and brought us as many as we thought we could cure, as we had +but little salt, and could not afford water to keep them alive at sea, +so that we killed them as soon as they came on board. We preserved them +by cutting their flesh into long slips, about the thickness of one's +finger, and then sprinkled them with a small quantity of salt, not using +more than four or five pounds to the hundred-weight. After lying two or +three hours in the salt, we hung it up to dry in the sun for two or +three days, which perfectly cured it, much better than could have been +done by any quantity of the best salt. + +Having thus procured all we proposed at this place, we departed from +thence nest morning, having our decks full of fowls and hogs, among the +latter of which was one having its navel on its back.[272] The Spaniards +say that this animal, although but small even at its full growth, is a +terrible creature to meet wild in the woods. Returning through the +_Canal bueno_, we stopt at Quibo to complete our water; and on leaving +that island, gave the largest piragua to our two prisoners, to enable +those who were on the island of Quivetta to return home. The wine and +brandy we had lately taken had the effect of dividing my ship's company +into two parties, those who were formerly so firmly united being now +inveterate enemies; insomuch, that in one night the ringleaders of both +have solicited me to espouse their cause, assuring me that the other +party had a design on my life, and urging me to murder those who were of +the opposite faction. It is wonderful how this evil was diverted, as I +could use no other means than calm advice on both sides, and it was +utterly out of my power to hinder them from getting drunk as often as +they pleased; in which condition they often fell all to skirmishing with +each other, and I had more than once my clothes almost torn off my back +in endeavouring to part them. It was happy this trade of drinking did +not last long, as, while the liquor lasted, I found it was unsafe to lay +my head on my pillow, which almost wearied me out of my life. Their free +access to the liquor shortened the term of this miserable folly, by soon +expending the baneful cause. The necessities of hunger obliged them to +act jointly and vigorously at Mariato; but they soon relapsed again, and +were as distracted as ever so long as the liquor lasted. My land as well +as sea-officers were now obliged to learn to steer, and to take their +turns at the helm with the seamen, such being the pass to which they had +brought themselves by sinking my authority, that they had lost their +own, and were even in a worse condition than I; as the crew had, for +their own sakes, to have recourse to me on all emergencies, obeying me +punctually while these lasted, and abusing me plentifully when these +were over. + +[Footnote 272: The Pecary, Tajacu, or Mexican hog, the Sus Tajapin of +naturalists, is here meant, which is an indigenous animal of the warmer +parts of America, and is found in one of the West India islands. It has +no tail, and is particularly distinguished by an open glandular orifice +on the hinder part of the back, which discharges a fetid unctuous +liquid; and which orifice has been vulgarly mistaken for the navel.--E.] + +On the 25th January, we discovered a sail in the morning, about two +leagues to leeward, to which we gave chase for some time; but seeing she +was Europe-built, and fearing she might be a man of war belonging to the +enemy, I hauled on a wind, and in half an hour it fell dead calm. We +soon after saw a boat rowing towards us, which proved the pinnace of our +consort the Success, commanded by her first lieutenant, Mr Davison. This +was a most unexpected meeting to us both, Mr Davison being surprised to +find me in such a condition, and I no less so to find the Success in +these seas. I gave him an account of our misfortunes, and of all that +had befallen us during the long interval of our separation, and he +related all the remarkable incidents that had befallen them. A breeze of +wind springing up, I bore down upon the Success, and went aboard of her; +when I gave Captain Clipperton, and Mr Godfrey, our agent-general, the +whole history of my voyage, expecting to have been treated by them as +belonging to the same interest, but found them unwilling to have any +thing to do with me, now that my ship was lost. I trusted, however, that +Captain Clipperton would let me have such necessaries as he could spare, +on which he said, I should know more of his mind next day. Among other +discourses, he told me that he was just come from the island of _Cocos_, +his people very sickly, and on short allowance. I then offered my +service to pilot him to Mariato, which was not above thirty leagues +distant, where he might have refreshed his company, and supplied his +wants; but he was resolved to make the best of his way for the _Tres +Marias_, where he said there was plenty of turtle to be had, and so I +left him for the night. + +Next morning, as I was going again on board the Success with some of my +officers, Captain Clipperton spread all his canvass, and crowded away +from us. On this I returned to my ship, fired several guns, and made +signals of distress, which were not regarded by him, till his officers +exclaimed against his barbarity, and at last he brought to. When I had +again got up with him, I sent Mr Brooks to know the reason of his +abrupt departure, and to request the supply of several necessaries, +which I was willing to pay for. On these terms, he spared me two of his +quarter-deck guns, sixty round shot, some musket-balls and flints, a +Spanish chart of the coast of Mexico, with part of China and India, a +half-hour glass and half-minute glass, a compass, and about three +hundred-weight of salt: But all my arguments could not prevail with him +to let me have any thing out of his medicine-chest for Mr Coldsea, who +was still very ill of his wound. For what we now had from the Success, +we returned some bales of coarse broad-cloth, as much pitch and tar as +he would have, and some pigs of copper: I gave him also a large +silver-ladle for a dozen _spadoen_, or Spanish swords. This being +concluded, I offered my services, assuring him I had a pretty good ship, +and that our cargo was of some value: To this he answered, if my cargo +were gold, he had no business with me, and I must take care of myself. +Mr Hendric, our agent, Mr Rainer, and Mr Dodd, our lieutenant of +marines, weary of the hard work imposed upon them, desired my leave to +go on board the Success, which I consented to, and Captain Clipperton +left us to shift for ourselves, being now near the island of Cano. + +I was now for returning southwards, to try our fortunes in the bay of +Panama, but the majority opposed me through fear, insisting to go to the +Tres Marias, to salt turtle at these islands, and then to stretch over +for India. We accordingly directed our coarse that way, but as the wind +near the land continued in the west, and the coast of Mexico trended +nearly N.W. by W. we crept so slowly to windward, that we began to be +very short of provisions before we got the length of Realijo, on which +our design of landing there was renewed; but this intention was soon +frustrated, as we were blown past that place by a _tequante peque_, for +so the Spaniards on this coast call a violent gale at N.E. As we +continued our voyage along shore, we again fell in with the Success, +then in quest of _Sonsonate_, expecting there to receive the ransom of +the Marquis of _Villa Roche_ who had been some time a prisoner on board. +We ranged close under her stern, and asked how Captain Clipperton and +the rest of the gentlemen did, but received no answer, and the Success +steered one way, while we went another. After this, calms, contrary +winds, and unaccountable currents, so delayed our proceedings, that were +reduced to a very short allowance, which we were forced to diminish +daily, and had been reduced to very great distress, had we not from time +to time found turtle floating on the surface of the sea, for which we +kept a good look-out, being able to discover them even at great +distances, by the sea-birds perching on their backs. On sight of these, +we were forced often to forego taking advantage of the wind; and, +besides often losing some of our way in pursuit of them, they had still +a worse effect, as dressing them occasioned a great consumption of our +water. + +Being now threatened with almost certain perdition if means were not +fallen upon to avoid a state of absolute famine, I proposed that we +should attempt to plunder some small town as we coasted along shore. At +this time _Guotalco_ was the nearest port; but, as we were standing in +for it, we saw a sail a considerable way to leeward, which we considered +more proper for us to endeavour to capture than to venture on shore, for +which purpose we bore down upon her, which proved to be the Success. +When sufficiently near, I made the private signal formerly concerted +between us, but Captain Clipperton hauled his wind, and did not lie by a +moment for us to get up with him. We were now so for to leeward of +Guatalco, that it was in vain to beat up for that port, especially on an +uncertainty. We were now reduced to a small daily allowance of +calavances, which not being sufficient to keep us alive, we had recourse +to the remainder of our smoked congers which had been neglected for some +months, and had been soaking and rotting in the bilge-water, so that +they were now as disgusting food as could be. Under these calamitous +circumstances, we again met the Success near port _Angels_, in lat. 15° +50' N. long. 96° 25' W. Having exchanged signals, we stood so near each +other that a biscuit might have been chucked aboard, yet did not +exchange a word, as Clipperton had ordered his officers and ship's +company to take no notice of us: Yet was Captain Clipperton so sensible +of the difficulties and hazards we had to encounter in our design of +going for India, that he said the child just born would be grey-haired +before we should arrive there. We were now in a most miserable +situation, wandering upon an inhospitable coast in want of every thing, +and all the land we had seen was so wild and open to the sea, that it +would have been impossible for us to have landed any where, and nothing +could have urged us to make the attempt but the extreme want we were now +in. + +On the 12th March, being off the port of Acapulco towards evening, we +saw a ship between us and the shore, which turned out to be the Success, +when Clipperton not only answered my private signal, but also that for +speaking with me. After his late inhumane behaviour, I would hardly have +trusted him, had we not been so near Acapulco, where I thought he meant +to cruize for the Manilla ships, and now wished to have our assistance, +wherefore I bore down alongside. He now sent his second lieutenant, +Captain Cooke, with a very obliging letter to me, stating that he was +cruizing for the homeward-bound Manilla ships, and desired me to assist +him in the enterprise, with which view he desired me to come on board +next morning, to consult on the best plan of attacking her, and proposed +an union of the two companies. I was well pleased at this offer, and +returned an answer that I should be with him early. I then read his +letter to my people, who all expressed their readiness to join in the +enterprise; but, as Clipperton had used us so unhandsomely, they desired +me to have some security for their shares, signed by Clipperton, Godfrey +the agent, and the rest of the officers in the Success. + +I went aboard the Success next morning, accompanied by Brooks and +Randal, my lieutenants, and was received with much apparent civility, +all animosities being forgotten, and we seemed now in the most perfect +harmony. I first told Captain Clipperton and Mr Godfrey of the paper +expected by my officers and men, entitling them to such shares as were +allowed by the original articles, to which they readily consented, and +drew up an instrument fully answerable to what my people desired. We +then proceeded to our consultation, when it was agreed that I should +send most of my people on board the Success as soon as the Manilla ship +appeared, leaving only a boat's crew with me to bring me away in case I +should have an opportunity to use my vessel as a fire-ship, or smoker, +in case she should prove too hard for the Success. We also determined to +board her at once, as otherwise we should have much the worst of the +contest, owing to her superior weight of metal, and her better ability +to bear a cannonade. Clipperton assured me he was certain of the time +this ship was to sail from Acapulco, being always within a day or two +after Passion-week, of which time a fortnight was yet to come. Before +returning to my own ship, I informed Captain Clipperton of our scarcity +of water, when he told me he had eighty tons, and would spare me as much +as I wanted, or any thing else his ship afforded. I had now the +pleasure of enjoying my command as fully as ever, and my whole remaining +crew, from the highest to the lowest, expressed their satisfaction at +our present prospects. Morphew, the ringleader of all our disorders, +fearing my resentment might fall heavily on him, contrived to insinuate +himself into the favour of the captain and officers of the Success, by a +submissive deportment, and presents, and, in the end, left me on the +14th March, being received on board that ship. On the 15th, Mr Rainer +came on board my ship, to visit his old ship-mates, and staid all night. +I constantly reminded Clipperton of our want of water, and he as often +promised to supply us with a large quantity at once. + +We thus continued to cruize in good order, and with great hopes, till +the 27th March, when I had to suffer the most prodigious piece of +treachery that could be imagined. We used to cruize off and on, at a +convenient distance from the shore, so as not to be discovered from the +land, yet so that it was impossible for any ship to leave the port of +Acapulco without being seen by us. As my ship did not sail so well as +the Success, Clipperton used to shorten sail, particularly at night, and +shewed us lights on all necessary occasions. Towards evening of that +day, he stretched about two leagues a-head of us, and I could not see +that he lowered even a topgallant-sail for us to come up with him. I +kept standing after him however, till almost a-shore on the breakers, +when I had to tack and stand out to sea. Next morning no ship was to be +seen, which reduced us to the most terrible apprehensions, considering +our sad situation for want of water, and our vast distance from any +place where we could expect to procure any, as we had now no other +choice but either to beat up 220 leagues to the _Tres Marias_, or to +bear away for the gulf of Amapala, at a much greater distance. I was +afterwards informed, by some of Clipperton's officers, whom I met with +in China, that he had done this cruel action absolutely against the +repeated remonstrances of his officers, who abhorred such an act of +barbarity. I also learnt afterwards, by some Spaniards from Manilla, +that the Acapulco ship sailed about a week after we desisted from +cruizing for her. This ship was the _Santo Christo_, carrying upwards of +forty brass guns, and was exceedingly rich. + +In the sad situation we were now reduced to, every thing was to be +hazarded, and any experiment tried that promised the smallest chance of +success. We continued our course therefore, under terrible +inconveniences, distressed for water and provisions, and weak in point +of number; yet so far from being united by our common danger, that our +people could not be restrained within the bounds of common civility. The +winds and weather being favourable, we found ourselves before the port +of _Sansonate_ [273] on the 30th March, about sun-set, when we +discovered a ship of good size at anchor in the harbour. Being a fine +moonlight evening, I sent my first lieutenant in the yawl, with some of +our best hands, to see what she was. Soon afterwards we heard some guns +fired, and on the return of the lieutenant, he reported that she was a +stout ship, having at least one tier of guns. Little regarding her +apparent strength, or our own weakness, as we thought our necessities +made us a match for her, we continued plying in all night, and prepared +to engage her. At sun-rise the land-breeze blew so fresh from the shore, +that we worked in but slowly; and in the mean time we received all their +fire on every board we made, but without returning a single shot. Their +boat also was employed in bringing off soldiers from the shore, to +reinforce their ship; and they hung up a jar of about ten gallons of +powder, with a match, at each main and fore-yard-arm, and at the +bowsprit end, to let fall on our deck, in case we boarded them, which +contrivance, if it had taken effect, would have made an end of both +ships, and all that were in them. Seeing them so desperate in their +preparations, I could not but expect a warm reception; but as our case +would not admit of delay, at ever so hazardous a rate, we were not to be +dismayed. About eleven in the forenoon the sea-breeze set in, and, to +make our small force as available as might be, I ordered all our three +guns to be placed on that side from which we were likely to engage. As +the sea-breeze freshened we ran fast towards them, during which our +small arms were effectually employed to break their powder-jars before +we should board them, which we did without delay, and they submitted +after exchanging a few shots. + +[Footnote 273: The port of Aeazualte, at the mouth of the river +Samsonate, in the province of that name.--E.] + +This ship was named the _Sacra Familia_, of 300 tons, six guns, and +seventy men, having a great many small arms, shot, and hand-granades. +She had arrived some time before from Calao, with wine and brandy; but +had now nothing on board except fifty jars of gunpowder, a small +quantity of rusk, and some jerked beef; so that she was hardly worth the +risk and trouble of capture. But as she had the character of sailing +better, and was much better fitted than our ship, I resolved to exchange +ships, and we all went aboard the prize, which had been fitted out in +warlike manner, and commissioned, for the express purpose of taking us, +if we chanced to fall in her way. To do justice to my people, our small +arms were handled with much dexterity on this occasion; but, having been +chiefly directed at the powder-jars, the only person killed on board the +prize was the boatswain, and one person slightly wounded; while on our +side no damage was sustained. A merchant, made prisoner at this time, +seemed inclined to purchase the _Jesu Maria_, which we had quitted; and +hearing her cargo consisted of pitch, tar, and copper, he consented to +my demands, and went ashore to raise the sum agreed upon. We had so few +provisions, that we could not afford to keep any prisoners, and +therefore dismissed all the whites, Indians, and others, except some +negroes, whom we detained to assist in working the ship: and, that we +might lose as little time as possible, we set immediately to work, +overhauling our sails and rigging, that we might get our new ship ready +for sea. + +While thus employed, I received a letter from the governor of the place, +which none of us could understand; but learnt by the messenger, that it +intimated some account of a truce concluded between the crowns of +Britain and Spain, and that the governor requested me to stay five days, +that he might satisfy me by shewing me the articles of accommodation. I +thought this odd, telling the Spanish gentleman I had not met with a +friendly or peaceable reception; asking him why they had thus armed +themselves in so desperate a manner, and why the governor had not rather +sent me a flag of truce in the morning before we engaged, giving me this +intimation? Saying also, if this story were true, we ought to have found +the alleged intelligence on board the prize, as she came from Lima, +whence they pretended the news came. It was likewise extraordinary, that +none of the officers in the prize should know any thing of the matter: +yet I had so great a regard for even the name of peace, that I would +wait fifteen days, if the governor would supply us with provisions and +water, otherwise I would not consent to stay twenty-four hours. I sent +also a short answer to the governor, excusing our imperfect knowledge of +the Spanish language. In this letter I stated if peace were actually +concluded between our sovereigns, that I was ready to act as he desired, +on due proof; and hoped, as we were now friends, that he would allow us +to have refreshments from his port. On receipt of this, the governor +expressed great satisfaction, and seemed to make no difficulty in +complying with my request. Our boats went therefore ashore every +morning, under a flag of truce, and we received for the first four days +eight small jars of water daily. On the fifth day they reduced us to +five jars, and during the whole time only one small cow was sent us. + +On this occasion a boat came off full of men, among whom were two +priests, who brought with them a paper in Spanish, which they called the +articles of peace; but so wretchedly written and blotted, that we should +have been puzzled to read it, had it even been in English. I therefore +desired the priests to translate it into Latin, which they promised to +do, and took the paper with them. They also told me, that the governor +meant to send for some Englishmen who lived at Guatimala, if I would +continue three days longer in the road; to which I answered, that he +might take his own time. Two days after, on our boat going ashore as +usual, the governor ordered her and her crew to be seized. I was all day +in suspence, not imagining the governor would make such a breach of the +law of nations; but in the evening two of the boat's crew came off in an +old leaky canoe, bringing a letter from the governor, and another from +Mr Brooks, my first lieutenant, who was one of the prisoners. The +governor required me to deliver up the _Sacra Familia_, and that we +should all surrender, otherwise he would declare us pirates; and Mr +Brooks told me he believed the governor meant to bully me. The governor +proposed two ways for conveying us from the Spanish dominions, one of +which was by Vera Cruz overland, and the other by sea to Lima. But I +liked neither of these, not chusing a journey of 1300 miles at least +through a country inhabited by a barbarous people, nor yet a voyage to +Lima under their guidance. My two men told me, that Frederick Mackenzie +had let the governor into the secret of our necessities, and of my +design of procuring water at the island of Tigers, in the gulf of +Amapala, which he said he would take care to prevent, and believed he +now had us safe enough, knowing our only boat remaining was a small +canoe. My two men who brought these letters offering their service, and +a third volunteering to accompany them, to bale out the water from their +wretched canoe, I sent a letter in French to the governor, offering, if +I could be assured of a safe conduct for ourselves and effects to +Panama, and thence by way of Portobello to one of the British colonies, +we would enter into a farther treaty, which he might signify, if he +meant to comply, by firing two guns, and by sending off my people with +the usual supply; otherwise necessity would compel us to sail that +night. Receiving no reply whatever, I weighed before day next morning, +and made sail, leaving the Jesu Maria behind, a much more valuable ship +than the one I took away. + +On going to sea, we reduced ourselves to a pint of-water in the +twenty-four hours, and directed our course for the gulf of Amapala, +about thirty-five leagues S.S.E. [274] meaning to water there on the +island of Tigers. The loss of my officer and boat's crew sensibly +diminished the number of white faces among us, and so lessened our +strength, that we should never have been able to manage this great ship, +with her heavy cotton sails, but for our negro prisoners, who proved to +be very good sailors. The loss of our boat was a great inconvenience to +us; but as I meant only to provide water enough to serve us to Panama, +where we were determined to surrender ourselves, if it were really +peace, I thought we might contrive to get such a quantity of water as +might suffice, in two or three days, by means of our canoe. The winds +being favourable, we reached the gulf in ten days, but we could find no +water, after an anxious and hazardous search. Surrounded on all sides +with the most discouraging difficulties, we weighed anchor again on the +13th of April, when I brought our people to a resolution not to +surrender on any account, let the consequence be what it might. We had +not now forty gallons of water in the ship, and no other liquids, when +we came to an allowance of half a pint each for twenty-four hours, even +this being too large, considering we could get none nearer than the +island of Quibo, which was about 160 leagues from the gulf of Amapala, +and we were forty-three in number, including our negroes. + +[Footnote 274: About forty-two marine leagues E.S.E.] + +We accordingly steered for Quibo, having very uncertain winds and +variable weather, and were thirteen days on this short allowance. No one +who has not experienced it can conceive our sufferings in this sultry +climate, by the perpetual extremity of thirst, which would not permit us +to eat an ounce of victuals in a day. We even drank our urine, which +moistened our mouths indeed, but excited our thirst the more. Some even +drank large draughts of sea-water, which had like to have killed them. +[275] On the 25th April we came to the island of _Cano_, in lat. 8° 47' +N. which, by the verdure, promised to yield us water, if our canoe could +get on shore. In this hope we came to anchor off the north-west side of +this island, when it was as much as we could do to hand our sails, stop +our cable, and execute the other necessary labours, so greatly were we +reduced. We imagined we could see a run of water, yet dreaded the +dangerous surf which broke all round those parts of the island we could +see. Mr Randal was sent with some jars, to try what could be done; and +as he did not appear again when very late at night, I became +apprehensive he was either lost, or, not finding water on the island, +had gone in search of it to the continent. At length he came back, with +his jars filled, and any one may guess our unspeakable joy on being thus +opportunely delivered from the jaws of death. He did not bring above +sixty or seventy gallons, and I was at great pains to restrain my men +from using it immoderately, allowing only a quart to be distributed +immediately to each man. What made me the more strict on this occasion +was, that Mr Randal assured me we should hardly get any more, the +breakers were so very dangerous. That very night we chanced to have a +shower of rain, on which we used every expedient for catching it, in +sheets, blankets, and sails. During our long thirst we had continually +wished for rainy weather, and had often good reason to expect it, by +seeing many louring black clouds, which seemed every minute ready to +discharge their burdens, yet never did before to any purpose. Next day I +sent our boatswain to make another essay; but after going round the +whole island, and wasting the entire day in search of a smooth beach, he +could not see a single spot where he might venture on shore. Thinking we +had a sufficient stock to carry us to Quibo, we weighed next day; and +while ranging near the island, we saw a smooth beach, on which I sent +our canoe again, which brought back nine jars full of water. + +[Footnote 275: It may not be improper to state, that in such extremity +for want of water, great relief has been experienced by remaining +immersed for some time in the sea; the lymphatics of the skin absorbing +water to supply and relieve the system very materially.--E.] + +We now pursued our course to the S.E. and arrived in a few days at +Quibo, anchoring at the same place where we had been formerly. We +pursued our business of wooding and watering at this island with +tolerable chearfulness, yet without any great hurry; chiefly because we +were now within eighty leagues of Panama, and it was requisite for us to +deliberate very seriously on our scheme of surrendering to the +Spaniards. We considered Panama as well calculated for treating on this +subject, not being any way strong towards the sea; and as we had a good +ship, we thought it no difficult matter to settle the terms of our +surrender, before giving ourselves into their hands. We also reckoned on +some assistance from the factors of the South Sea company, resident +there, who, in case a peace were actually concluded in Europe, might +intercede for us, and procure us a passage for Europe. Yet as there was +something extremely disagreeable in the idea of a surrender, especially +to such enemies as the Spaniards, we were in no great hurry, +particularly as we were here somewhat at our ease, enjoying many +conveniences to which we had long been strangers. The free use we made +of the excellent fruits growing on this island brought the flux among +us, which weakened us very much, and interrupted our work for some days, +yet in the main did us little hurt, or rather tended to preserve us from +the scurvy. We deliberated and consulted as to our future conduct; but +our views were so discordant, and our minds so distracted, that we could +come to no resolution, except that of continuing here, in hopes of +something happening to our advantage. + +The island of _Quibo_ or _Coibo_ is almost in the same parallel with +Panama, [276] being about twenty-four English miles from N. to S. and +twelve from E. to W. It is of moderate height, covered all over with +inaccessible woods, always green; and, though never inhabited, abounds +with papaws and limes, and some other fruits I never saw before, which +are nearly as good, though wholly neglected, as those that are most +carefully attended to in other islands in similar latitudes, whence it +may be inferred that the soil is fertile; and, if ever inhabited and +cleared, it promises to be as productive as the best of our West-India +islands. The pearl-fishers, not being able to follow their occupation +during the _vandevals_, or black stormy months, from the beginning of +June to the end of November, have a few scattered huts in several parts +of this island and of _Quivetta_, used by the divers during their +season, in which they sleep and open their oysters, so that the sandy +beach is covered with fine mother-of-pearl shells. In wading only to the +middle, we could reach large pearl oysters with our hands, which at +first pleased us much; but we found them as tough as leather, and quite +unpalatable. Having no seyne, I can say little about other kinds of +fish. We occasionally observed a large kind of flat fish, which often +sprung a great way out of the water, which are said to be very +destructive to the divers; for, when these return to the surface, unless +they take great care, these fish wrap themselves round the divers, and +hold them fast till drowned. To guard against this, the divers always +carry a sharp-pointed knife, and on seeing any of these fish above them, +present the point over their heads, and stick it into the fish's belly. +They are also subject to great danger from alligators, which swarm in +this part of the sea; and some of us fancied we saw one swimming below +the surface near Mariato Point, only a few leagues from hence. This +island has a great variety of birds, also great numbers of black monkeys +and guanoes, which last mostly frequent the streams of fresh water. Some +of these guanoes are of extraordinary size, being of a grey colour with +black streaks, those about the head being brown. Quibo is a most +convenient place for procuring wood and water, as the wood grows in +abundance within twenty yards of the sea, and there are several streams +of fresh water crossing the beach. + +[Footnote 276: This is a material error. Panama is in lat. 9° N. long. +80° 21' W. while the centre of Quibo is in lat. 7° 28' N. and long. 82° +17' W. from Greenwich.--E.] + +Having got clear of this place, and nothing thought of but our speedy +return to Europe by surrendering at Panama, we met with strong adverse +currents, together with calms and contrary winds, by which we were +detained for several days under the mountains of _Guanachu_. [277] On +the 15th. May, a small bark bore down upon us, mistaking us for +Spaniards. She was called the Holy Sacrament, and came last from +Cheriqui, laden with dried beef, pork; and live hogs. Her master was +much surprised at first, but soon recovered on being told we were bound +for Panama, and readily offered to pilot us thither, as he was bound for +that port; and begged us to take his bark in tow, as he could not fetch +the land, and his hogs were almost dead for want of water, while his +vessel was ready to sink, being so leaky that his people were no longer +able to stand to the pumps. I took her in tow, sending some of my people +to assist in pumping the bark, and even spared some water and maize for +supplying the hogs. The master came on board of my ship, but had heard +no news of any peace or truce between Britain and Spain. + +[Footnote 277: Perhaps the Sierra de Canataqua are here meant, which +pervade the country between Montijo Bay and the Bay of Panama, ending in +Point Mariato, of which they seem to have been detained.--E.] + +It may seem strange that this opportunity of supplying ourselves with +provisions made no change in our plans; but every one of us was so worn +out by a continual want of all necessaries, and so disheartened by a +perpetual succession of misfortunes, that we were tired of the sea, and +willing to embrace any opportunity of getting ashore, almost at any +rate. I was rejoiced at this bark having fallen into our hands; because, +if we found the story of the governor of Sansonate false, we might be +thoroughly enabled to go to India, with this help. To ascertain this, I +meant to anchor a great way short of Panama, keeping possession of the +bark, in case the president might not agree to safe and honourable +terms, when we still had it in our power to redress ourselves, by +keeping out of his hands. All this while, however, we had not determined +who should be the bearer of the flag of truce; for my people, after so +much treachery among them, feared that the messenger might only make +terms for himself with the governor, and not return again: Wherefore, my +son was chosen as the fittest person for the purpose, as being sure of +his return, for my sake. + +On the 17th another bark came down upon us, but after coming pretty +near, sheared off; on which I sent Mr Randal in our canoe, to inform +them of our design, but they hoisted Spanish colours on his approach, +and fired at him. Next morning we looked into the bay, where we found +this bark at anchor, but she renewed her fire on our approach. On this, +at his own request, I sent the master of the Holy Sacrament in a canoe, +with four negroes and a flag of truce, to inform the people in the other +bark of our intentions. A gale of wind interrupted this plan, and forced +the canoe on shore, I dare say without danger to their lives, as they +seemed to land of choice. On the 19th we saw a sail ahead of us +standing along shore, on which we let go the bark we had in tow, in +which were four of our own people and five Spaniards, spreading all the +sail we could, so that by night we were at a considerable distance from +the bark. I was for lying-to all night, for the bark to come up, but the +majority insisted we should crowd sail all night, so that by day-break +of the 20th we were within less than gun-shot of the chase. I +immediately hoisted our colours, fired a gun to leeward, and sent a man +to wave a white flag on our poop, in token of truce: But they +continually fired at us, having their decks full of men, who kept +hallooing and abusing us with the grossest epithets. Still I made no +return, till I came close on their quarter, and then sent one of their +countrymen to our boltsprit-end, to inform them we were bound for +Panama, and wished to treat with them peaceably: But the only reply they +made was by continuing their fire, calling us _borachos_ and _peros +Ingleses_, drunkards and English dogs; so that at length I thought it +full time to begin with them. I therefore met them with the helm, and +soon convinced them of their error, giving them so warm a reception that +they soon sheered-off. We just missed catching hold of them, and as it +fell calm, we continued to engage her for two or three hours at the +distance of musket-shot. A breeze at length sprung up, when we neared +them, and their courage subsided in proportion as we approached. Their +captain still encouraged them to fight, bravely exposing himself in an +open manner, till he was at length shot through the body, and dropt down +dead; on which they immediately called out for quarter, and thus ended +the dispute. + +We now commanded them to hoist out their launch; but they answered, that +their tackle and rigging were so shattered that they could not possibly +comply; wherefore I sent Mr Randall and two or three more in our canoe, +who found all her people most submissively asking mercy. Mr Randall sent +the most considerable of the prisoners on board my ship, who informed me +their vessel was _La Conception de Receva_, belonging to Calao, but last +from Guanchaco, of 200 tons burden, laden with flour, loaves of sugar, +boxes of marmalade, and jars of preserved peaches, grapes, limes, and +such like. She mounted six guns, and carried above seventy men, being +one of the ships that had been fitted out and commissioned purposely to +take us; so that she was the second of these armed merchantmen we had +taken. In this engagement, the Spanish captain and one negro were +killed, and one or two slightly wounded; but their masts, sails, and +rigging were much shattered. On our part, the gunner only was slightly +wounded, and a small piece was carried out of the side of our main-mast. +We had now above eighty prisoners of all sorts, and not exceeding +twenty-six of ourselves. When the Spanish gentlemen came off board, they +would not give me time to ask the reason of not hearkening to our +peaceable offers; but immediately laid the whole blame on their dead +captain, Don Joseph Desorio, who vowed he would listen to no terms but +his own, and was resolved to take us by force. There were several +persons of note among our prisoners, particularly Don Baltazzar de +Abarca, Conde de la Rosa, an European nobleman, who had been governor of +Pisco on the coast of Peru, and was now on his return for Spain; also a +Captain Morell, who had been formerly taken by Captain Rogers; and +several others. We treated them all with the utmost civility, at which +they wondered; because, from prejudice against our cruizers, and +conviction of their own harsh behaviour towards their prisoners, they +expected to have been dealt with very roughly. + +In the situation where we now lay, we were in the track of all the ships +bound for Panama, not above thirty miles from that place, our numbers +being very few, and even part of our crew sick. For these reasons we +were as expeditious as possible in examining the contents of our new +prize, and removing them into our own ship; and, though the far greater +part of the work was done by our prisoners, it took us full two days. +Owing to this, and to faint winds and calms, we did not rejoin our bark +till the 22d. As we bore down towards her, and came pretty near, we were +astonished to see her broach to and fall off again, though all her sails +were set; and, what amazed us still more, we could not see any person on +her deck. I sent the boat on board, and the officer immediately called +out to me, that there was not a man on board, but that all her decks and +quarters were covered with blood. By this melancholy appearance, it +seemed evident that the Spaniards had overpowered and murdered my four +men who were sent to assist them, doubtless taking the opportunity of my +men being asleep: Yet it is probable the murderers lost their own lives; +for, being four leagues from land, and having no boat, they probably +jumped into the sea on the re-appearance of our ship, thinking to swim +to land, and met the death they so justly merited. + +This tragical affair spoiled the satisfaction we had enjoyed for two +days past, on account of our prize, and raised an universal melancholy +among us. On seeing this sudden change, our prisoners became much +alarmed, looking at each other, as if fearful we might revenge on them +the fate of our unhappy companions: And, on my side, I became alarmed +lest their dreadful apprehensions might stir them up to some desperate +attempt, they being eighty in number, while we were not at this time +above seventeen on board, and when altogether only twenty-five that +could stand on our legs. I was therefore compelled to appear somewhat +stern, in ordering all our prisoners into the stern gallery, except the +nobleman and a few of the chiefs, while we kept a strict guard in the +great cabin. The Spanish gentlemen lamented the murder of our men, and +their own hard fate, in having been in some measure witnesses, and let +fall some expressions, by which I perceived they were afraid I meant to +shew some severities to their people on this occasion. Having a good +interpreter between us, I assured them I was not of any such revengeful +disposition, and besides, that the laws of my country would restrain me, +if I were, as I acted by my king's commission, whose orders strictly +forbid all acts of inhumanity or oppression towards our prisoners; on +which assurance they might rest satisfied of their safety. In reply to +this, they begged me to think myself secure, as to themselves and +countrymen, now my prisoners, declaring on their honour that they would +make no attempt against us, and that they could never make a sufficient +return for the generous treatment I had given them. Notwithstanding this +declaration, I took measures to secure our numerous prisoners of the +meaner sort; for which purpose, after taking out of the Holy Sacrament +all her jerked beef that remained fit for use, I placed them in that +vessel, under the command of Espina, former commander of the Conception +after the death of Desorio. + +Next day, being as willing to get rid of them, as they were to get back +their own ship, I took every thing out of the Conception that could be +of use to us, sufficient for twelve months provisions of bread, flour, +sugar, and sweetmeats,[278] both for ourselves and the Success, which we +expected to meet with at the Tres Marias. I took also away her launch +and negroes, the latter to assist us in working our ship, not having +sufficient strength to manage her in the long run before us of 175 +degrees. I then delivered up the Conception to Espina and the rest, +after being three days in our possession: which was not only an act of +generosity to our prisoners, but an act of prudence with regard to +ourselves. The next great point to be managed, was to get our people to +consent to sail so far north as California, previous to our intended +voyage to the East Indies, for which we were not in so good a condition +as we could wish, though much better than before, and even than we had +any reason to have expected, every thing considered. We had a good ship, +with fifteen guns and sufficient ammunition, together with a reasonable +quantity of provisions; but we still wanted to complete our wood and +water for so long a voyage, the procuring of which was necessarily our +first care. The ship's company were for going to Quibo for this purpose, +as nearest us, but that place was attended by two important +inconveniences. The first was the danger of the road, as the stormy +season was coming on, and we were but indifferently provided with ground +tackle, which must expose us to many dangers. The second was, that Quibo +was but at a small distance from Panama, and we had reason to fear the +Spaniards might send a ship of war from thence in search of us; as we +had now no hopes that peace had taken place, and had consequently laid +aside all thoughts of surrendering. On these considerations, we plied up +to the island of Cano, where we soon did our business, having a good +boat. + +[Footnote 278: Betagh charges Shelvocke on this occasion, with the +concealment of a considerable treasure, taken in the Conception, of +which some account will be given at the conclusion of the voyage.--E.] + +On our passage to that island, the sweetmeats of all kinds were divided +among our messes; and one day a man complained that he had got a box of +marmalade into which his knife could not penetrate, and desired +therefore to have it changed. On opening it, I found it to contain a +cake of virgin silver, moulded on purpose to fill the box, weighing 200 +dollars; and on examining the rest, we found five more of the same kind. +These cakes of silver, being very porous, were nearly of the some weight +with so much marmalade, and were evidently contrived for the purpose of +defrauding the king of Spain of his fifths, which he exacts from all +silver procured in the mines of Peru. We doubtless left many such cakes +behind in the Conception, so that this contrivance served them both to +wrong their king, and to deceive their enemies. A similarly vexatious +affair occurred in a prize taken by the Success, in which there was a +considerable quantity of _pinos_, or masses of virgin silver, in the +form of bricks, artfully plaistered over with clay, and dried in the +sun. As the Spaniards in Peru never burn their bricks, Clipperton and +his people took these for real bricks, and threw a great number of them +overboard as so much rubbish, and did not discover the deception until +four or five only remained. Every thing taken in the Conception, was +divided according to the articles settled at Juan Fernandez, which gave +me only six shares, instead of sixty; and the people refused to allow me +an hundred pounds, which I had laid out of my own money, for necessary +supplies at the island of St Catharines. + +I now found myself under many difficulties as to the course we were to +pursue, because the company knew well enough that there was no necessity +of going farther than the lat. of 13° N. for going to the East Indies. I +had therefore to represent the advantage of cleaning and repairing our +ship at Porto Segnro, in California, and I had much difficulty to +persuade them. I at last brought them to my purpose, when we sailed from +Cano northwards. Having inconstant gales and bad weather, we went +between seventy and eighty leagues out to sea, in hopes of meeting more +settled weather. When at sixty leagues from the land, the winds still +continued variable, but at between seventy and eighty, they settled at +E.N.E. and N.E. at which distance we continued till in lat. 20° N. not +being sensible of any currents in all that distance, and being also +entirely out of the way of the frightful ripplings and overfalls of +water which we used frequently to meet with nearer the land. These used +often to alarm us when becalmed in deep water, hearing a noise as of the +fall of water in passing through a bridge, a considerable time before it +came up to us, and which afterwards passed us at a very great rate. All +the effect this had on the ship, was to make her answer the helm wildly, +if we had any wind; and when we happened to meet any of these moving +waters very near the shore, we could not perceive that we either gained +or lost ground, though we sometimes continued in them for a quarter of +an hour. I have seen these overfalls to come both from the eastward and +the westward. By getting well out to sea, we not only got clear of these +inconveniences, but also were out of the way of the _vandevals_, or +black season, which had already begun on the coast; for at Cano, and in +going there, we felt very hard gusts, with black rolling water, frequent +and violent thunder and lightning, and heavy showers of rain. + +In this passage we were continually accompanied by vast shoals of fish, +as dolphins, bonitas, albicores, and angel-fish. These last are shaped +like salmon, and have scales like them, but have tails like dolphins, +and nearly resemble them when, in the water, appearing in all the +beautiful colours displayed by the dolphin. Besides, they are the best +for eating of any fish that swim near the surface. We were continually +pestered with flocks of the birds called boobies, and their intolerably +stinking dung proved an indescribable nuisance, in spite of all the +pains that could be taken to clean our decks, yards, and tops. We +reached the islands of _Tres Marias_ in the beginning of August, but +could see no signs of Captain Clipperton having been there. We were also +disappointed in our expectation of procuring water; as, after the +strictest search we could make in all the three islands, nothing like a +spring could be found, though former writers mention their having found +water in abundance. After spending three days in our ineffectual search +for water in these islands, I thought it best to stand over for the main +land of California, as well for procuring what was wanting to our ship, +as in hopes of meeting once more with the Success. + + +END OF VOLUME TENTH. + + * * * * * + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A General History and Collection of +Voyages and Travels, Volume X, by Robert Kerr + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, VOLUME X *** + +***** This file should be named 13130-8.txt or 13130-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/1/3/13130/ + +Produced by Robert Connal, Graeme Mackreth and PG Distributed +Proofreaders. 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