Dampier in command of the _Roebuck_--Voyage to New Holland--Visits the
shore--The first kangaroo seen--Failure of attempt to catch a native--
The ship, refitted at Timor, sails for New Guinea--Coasts along the
shore--Beautiful birds seen--Intercourse with the natives-Provisions
obtained--A volcano seen--A waterspout nears the ship--Meets a Chinese
vessel, and hears of the Dutch settlements--Goes to Batavia--Rotten
state of the _Roebuck_--Sails for England--Founders off Ascension--The
crew landed--Residence on the island--Taken off by the _Anglesey_--Sails
for Barbadoes--Dampier returns to England--His services overlooked--
Sails in command of a squadron for the South Seas--Rounds Cape Horn--
Fight with a French ship--Clipperton runs off with the tender and his
commander's commission--Attempts to take the galleon--Defeated--Headed
by Funnell, the crew mutiny, and part go off in a prize--Puna
plundered--The _Saint George_ destroyed--Her guns and stores put on
board a prize--Sails for the East Indian Archipelago--Taken by the
Dutch, and imprisoned--Escapes--Reaches England--Loss of credit--Joins
Captain Woodes Rogers as pilot on board the _Duke_--She, with the
_Duchess_, Captain Courtney, sails for the South Seas--Come off Juan
Fernandez--Discover Alexander Selkirk, the original of "Robinson
Crusoe"--His residence on the island--The sick landed--The ships sail--
Prizes captured--Guayaquil attacked and plundered--The Manilla galleon
captured--Rich booty--Prisoners well treated--Another galleon attacked--
Privateers beaten off--Sail by way of Guam for Java--Sickness of crew--
The _Marquis_ sold--The ships return home--Dampier falls into poverty--
Time and place of his death unknown.
The desire to discover new countries having revived among the English in
the reign of William the Third, we next hear of Dampier in 1699, in
command of the _Roebuck_, a king's ship fitted out for a voyage to
examine the coasts of New Holland and New Guinea. She carried twelve
guns and a crew of fifty men, with provisions for twenty months, but was
old and crazy. She sailed from the Downs on the 14th of January, and
after touching at the Cape de Verdes, shaped a course round the Cape of
Good Hope. On the morning of the 2nd of August the mainland of New
Holland was seen, but no anchorage being found, and bad weather coming
on, she was obliged to stand off until the 5th, when she again stood in,
and brought up in Shark's Bay. Among the animals Dampier saw on shore
was one he describes as a sort of raccoon, differing from that of the
West Indies chiefly as to the legs, for these have very short fore legs,
but go jumping on the hind ones as the others do. This probably is the
first description given of the small kangaroo of New Holland. He
mentions different sorts of blossoming trees of several colours, but
mostly blue, and smelling very sweet and fragrant. There were also
beautiful and variegated flowers growing on the ground. The great want
was for water, and for this a long search was made at different parts of
the coast. At length a boat was sent ashore with an armed party
carrying pickaxes and shovels. Three natives were seen, who retired;
but when they observed the men beginning to dig, a large number
collected, and with angry gestures ordered the strangers to begone.
At length, Dampier, accompanied by an active fellow, went forward to try
and conciliate them; but still they kept aloof. Being anxious to
capture one who might show them water, the commander allowed his
companion to try and run one of them down. On being overtaken, they
faced about, threatening their pursuer and Dampier with their spears.
The former, though armed with a cutlass, was unable to keep them at bay,
and Dampier, to save his life, was compelled to fire over their heads.
The savages, seeing no harm was done, only uttered the words, "Pooh,
pooh!" On this Dampier again fired, and one native fell, enabling the
sailor to escape. Dampier on this turned back with his men, abandoning
his attempt to capture a native, and being very sorry for what had
happened. One only of the party, who appeared to be the chief, had his
face painted with white pigment, to make him look more fierce.
In vain search was made for the huts of the natives. Some animals were
seen resembling wolves, lean as skeletons,--probably dingoes. At last
some brackish water was found, and the _Roebuck_ proceeded to Timor.
Here the ship, being refitted and the crew refreshed, Dampier sailed on
the 20th of December for the coast of New Guinea. It was made on the
1st of January, 1700, and appeared to be high, level land, covered with
trees. The party who went on shore in the boats obtained fruits of
unknown kinds, and a stately land fowl, about the size of a poultry-yard
cock, sky-coloured with a white spot, surrounded by others of a reddish
hue on the wings, and a huge bunch of feathers on the crown, was shot.
Beating up to the northward against currents and adverse winds,
occasionally anchoring, an island named Sabuda was reached. Here they
found a tribe closely resembling the natives of Mindanao, of a tawny
skin. The voyagers also saw negroes having curly hair, like those who
had at first obtained for the country the name of New Guinea. Still
farther north, shell-fish of an enormous size were found. On the
passage the ship touched upon a shoal, but got off without damage, and
came to an anchor. Here cockles were procured weighing ten pounds, much
smaller than some previously seen, the shell of which alone weighed
seventy-eight pounds! Pigeons were obtained, and bats of enormous size
were seen here. Rounding the northern end of the island, Dampier
endeavoured to get to the eastward, but made slow progress. On the way
the ship nearly ran on an island not laid down in the charts. To
commemorate his escape, he named the place Providence Island.
Crossing the Line and passing Admiralty Islands, a mountainous land was
approached, well wooded with large plantations, and cleared patches on
the hill-sides. Numerous boats and proas came off, and as Dampier was
anxious to establish an intercourse with the natives, he endeavoured to
induce them to come alongside. They would not, however, venture near,
but eagerly received some beads, knives, and other toys, floated to them
in a bottle. They endeavoured to induce the _Roebuck_ to come to an
anchor, but this she was prevented doing by the current. When they saw
her standing off, they approached, launching showers of stones after her
from their slings. The crew had got ready their small arms, and a gun
was fired, which either killed or wounded one of the savages. In
consequence of this event, Dampier named the place Slinger's Bay.
On the 3rd of March an island, marked in the Dutch charts as Gerret
Denijs, was reached, covered by lofty thickly-wooded mountains. On the
sea-shore were numerous large cocoa-nut trees, and small huts were seen.
The inhabitants were black,--a strongly-limbed people with round
heads,--their hair curled, short, and dyed of different colours, red,
white, and yellow. Although they had round faces, with broad bottle
noses, yet their countenances would have been pleasant, had they not
disfigured them by painting and wearing great rings through their noses
as big as a man's thumb. They had also holes in their ears, in which
they wore similar ornaments. Their canoes were ingeniously formed with
outriggers on one side, the head and stern especially being adorned with
carved work, of fowls, fish, or a human hand. They managed their
paddles with great dexterity. Their weapons were lances, swords, and
slings, and some had bows and arrows. As she proceeded northward the
ship was followed by a canoe. To each of the natives in it Dampier gave
a knife, a looking-glass, and a string of beads. He showed them
pumpkins and cocoa-nuts, intimating that he wished to have some more of
the same description. On this they produced three out of their boat.
When shown nutmegs they intimated that they had such growing on their
island. They also recognised gold-dust.
Another canoe afterwards came off, the natives appearing tractable and
well disposed. Seeing a deep bay where the ship might ride at anchor
safely, Dampier steered into it. When the ship was about five miles
from the shore, six canoes came off, with about forty men in them. He
made signs to them to go ashore, but they would not attend to him. He
therefore sent a shot over their heads, when they pulled away as fast as
they could. They had, however, no sooner got ashore, than others came
off. One, a large, well-built boat, had forty men in her. Soon after
another of smaller size made her appearance, with several others. As
the ship lay becalmed, and it appeared probable that the savages
intended to make an attack, the gunner was ordered to fire one of the
guns loaded with round and small shot. The last dropped into the water
short of them, but the round shot flew a hundred yards beyond them,
between two of their canoes. This so frightened the natives, that they
rowed away with all speed. A light breeze having sprung up, the ship
neared the shore, when a vast number of people were seen peeping from
behind the rocks on shore. Another gun was fired to scare them, as it
was important to keep them at a distance while the boats were obtaining
wood and water. The ship brought up at the mouth of a small river, up
which it was hoped water might be procured. A boat was sent on shore,
and on seeing her approach the natives came off and threw cocoa-nuts
into her. While the pinnace remained here, the yawl was sent up to
search for water, and soon returned with the casks full. Dampier
afterwards sent ashore various articles, to purchase hogs, yams, and
other roots; but the natives, although they admired axes and hatchets,
would give only cocoa-nuts, and always made signs to their visitors to
begone.
During another visit the natives showed more confidence. The men wore
feathers in their heads, and had lances in their hands. The women had
no ornaments, but wore bunches of green branches before and behind, on a
string round their waists. They carried on their heads large baskets
full of yams. During the next visit the people were more shy than at
first. They had also carried off all the cocoa-nuts from the trees, and
driven away the hogs. The sailors made signs to them, to know what had
become of their hogs, when the natives, pointing to some houses at the
bottom of the bay, intimated by the noises they made that there were
hogs and goats up there, expressing by signs, such as holding out their
hands at different distances from the ground, the animals they meant.
Wood was abundant; but though the natives fully understood the word
cocoas, they did not bring any more. Dampier himself went on shore and
visited some of their huts, which were poor buildings. The doors were
made fast, as the inhabitants had fled. While he was thus employed, the
men in the yawl filled two hogsheads and the barricoes, or breakers,
with water. On his return on board, the officers and men requested
leave to go and obtain the hogs; but he was unwilling to yield to their
wishes, fearing that they would deal roughly with the natives. At last
he consented, ordering them to act cautiously for their own safety, and
to return at once should rain come on, to be exposed to which in that
climate was considered dangerous. The great guns were got ready to
cover them, should the natives appear hostile. As soon as the boat
approached, the savages crowded to the shore, shaking their lances, some
wading into the sea, holding up a shield in one hand and a lance in the
other.
The sailors held up such commodities as were likely to attract them, but
to no purpose, the natives still waved them off. The seamen at length,
resolved to have some provisions, fired their muskets to scare them
away. This had the desired effect, and all disappeared, with the
exception of two or three, who still stood in a menacing posture. One,
however, being shot in the arm, he dropped his target and ran off. None
were seriously hurt, the object of the seamen being to frighten rather
than injure the savages. They then landed, and found a number of tame
hogs running about the house. Nine were shot, and with these, as it had
begun to rain, they returned on board. In the evening, the rain having
ceased, another party went on shore, when eight more hogs and a little
live pig were captured. The natives by this time showed a disposition
to be friendly, and brought down a number of cocoa-nuts, which they left
on the shore.
These, with some nets and images, were brought off in a canoe. Next day
the canoe was sent back with a couple of axes, two hatchets, some
knives, looking-glasses, and other articles in her, thus amply repaying
the natives for the provisions of which they had been deprived.
Sailing from the bay two days afterwards, a volcano was seen to the
north-west sending forth a large pillar of fire, which shot up for two
or three minutes, and then sank down until scarcely visible, then again
rising and blazing as before. It was on an island, between which and
the mainland, on the following day, the ship passed, there being a good
channel between them.
All night the volcano vomited forth flame and smoke, and at every
explosion a dreadful sound was heard like that of thunder. The
intervals between these explosions were about half a minute. Some were
faint in comparison to others, yet even the weakest vented a good deal
of fire, and the largest made a roaring noise, and sent up a large flame
thirty yards high, at the same time a stream of fire was seen running
down the side of the mountain, reaching to the bottom.
The following day, as the ship had got to the other side, the stream of
lava could no longer be perceived. Several other islands were seen and
named. One was called Sir George Rooke's Island, another Crown Island,
and a third Sir Robert Riche's Island.
On the 12th the sky looked very red, but soon after the sun was up there
was a squall to windward, when on a sudden one of the men called out
that he saw something astern. It was a waterspout beginning to work
within a quarter of a mile of the ship in the wind's eye. She was at
once put before the breeze. It came very swiftly, whirling the water up
in a pillar about six or seven yards high. As yet no pendulous cloud
from whence it might come could be seen. In about four or five minutes
it came within a cable's length of the ship, when a long pale stream was
observed descending from the clouds to the whirling water. Almost
immediately afterwards the threatening column passed off to leeward.
After passing the island of Ceram about eight at night, a large vessel
was seen on the weather side. As it was possible she might prove an
enemy, the men went to their guns with matches lighted. The small arms
were got upon the quarter-deck, and every preparation made for a fight;
but as they were on opposite tacks, she was soon at a distance. The
following morning, both vessels being becalmed, Dampier sent his yawl
aboard the stranger, which proved to be a Chinese vessel, laden with
rice, arrack, tea, porcelain, and other commodities, bound for Amboyna.
The master gave the English a good deal of important information, and
told them that the Dutch had settled at several places in the Eastern
Archipelago.
The _Roebuck_ was now steered for Batavia, as she required considerable
repairs, having become foul and crazy, though it was not suspected in
how rotten and ruinous a condition she was.
While here, Dampier heard that the Dutch had sent two vessels to capture
him, supposing that he was a pirate.
The _Roebuck_ sailed from Batavia on the 17th of October, and had a
quick run across the Indian Ocean. On the 30th of December she reached
the Cape of Good Hope, and from thence stood directly for Saint Helena,
where she remained for some days. Just as she had made the island of
Ascension, it was discovered that a dangerous leak had been sprung. The
chain pumps were set going, but the water still gained on the crew. On
the morning of the 23rd February, in the hopes of being able to stop the
leak, the ship was steered in for the bay, and came to an anchor.
Dampier devised a plan for stopping the leak; but either through the
carelessness or ignorance of the carpenter, it was only made worse.
Notwithstanding all his endeavours to check it, the water rushed in with
such force that it was very evident the ship could not be kept afloat.
The boats were accordingly hoisted out, and the anchor being weighed,
the vessel was warped in nearer the shore until she had only three
fathoms and a half under her keel. A raft was now constructed to carry
the men's chests and bedding ashore.
Before eight o'clock at night most of them had landed. In the morning
the sails were unbent to make tents, and the next day a spring of fine
water was found, and goats, land crabs, man-of-war birds, and boobies
were seen; turtles in abundance could also be obtained, so that the
ship's company had no fear of starving. Some lived in the tents, and
others sheltered themselves in the holes of the rocks.
About a week after the crew landed two ships were seen, and Dampier
ordered his men to turn a dozen turtles, should they send on shore; but
they stood off the land.
He and his people resided on this island until the second of April, when
eleven sail appeared to windward, but passed by. The day following
three ships of war and an East Indiaman came into the bay and anchored.
Dampier, with about thirty-five of his men, went on board the
_Anglesey_, while the rest were disposed of between the other two
men-of-war. The _Anglesey_ was bound for Barbadoes, where she arrived
on the 8th of May, 1701. Dampier was extremely anxious, however, to get
home to vindicate his character for the loss of his ship. In a short
time he succeeded in obtaining a passage on board the _Canterbury_, East
Indiaman, in which he at length reached England.
Although during his voyage he had made many important additions to
geographical knowledge, he was much distressed at the loss of his ship
and his papers; and, as the Earl of Pembroke no longer presided at the
Admiralty, he obtained no reward for his services, nor promise of
further employment. No one in authority seemed to consider that he had
been sent to sea in a rotten old ship, unfit for the service, and that
she had foundered not from any fault of his, but through sheer old age
and decrepitude.
After the death of William the Third, followed by the War of the Spanish
Succession, privateering was actively carried on. A company of
merchants had fitted out two vessels, the _Saint George_ and the _Cinque
Ports_, to cruise against the Spaniards in the South Seas. The command
of these vessels was given to Dampier,--a proof of the estimation in
which he was held. He hoisted his flag in the former, which earned
twenty-six guns and one hundred and twenty men. The other was commanded
by Captain Stradling, who acted throughout very independently of his
superior. They sailed from the Downs in April, 1703, but were kept some
time at Kinsale, into which port they had put. It was not until
September that they finally got to sea. Their first object was to
capture the flotilla which sailed from Buenos Ayres, or, should they
fail in so doing, to go round Cape Horn and wait for the treasure-ships
from Baldivia, and to seize the famed Manilla galleon.
The ill-disciplined crew soon quarrelled among themselves, but Dampier
managed to keep them in subjection, until, rounding Cape Horn, they
reached Juan Fernandez. Here they encountered a French cruiser, which
they attacked; but after a seven hours' fight she got away, both parties
having suffered considerable loss. They afterwards failed to reach the
latitude intended before the treasure-ships had sailed from Baldivia.
Their next enterprise, which was to surprise the fleet in the Bay of
Santa Maria, also failed, although Dampier captured a few small vessels
sailing thence. At Nocoya John Clipperton, Dampier's chief mate, ran
off with the tender, carrying away his captain's commission, as well as
most of the ammunition and stores.
The _Saint George_ now sailed for the northward, and, to the great joy
of the crew, espied the Manilla galleon. She was attacked, but the guns
of the _Saint George_, carrying only five-pound shot, could do nothing
against the twenty-four-pounders of the galleon, and, much shattered,
she was compelled to haul off. The crew, now more than ever
discontented at this misfortune, rose in mutiny; and Funnell, who was
Dampier's steward, putting himself at their head, was allowed to take
one of the prizes,--a brigantine of seventy guns and thirty-four men,--
with a portion of the stores, guns, and ammunition, to sail for India.
Dampier had now but twenty-five men left, but, notwithstanding this,
after refitting his vessel, he attacked and plundered the town of Puna.
After this it was found that the _Saint George_ was so unsound and
rotten as to be unfit to keep at sea. He accordingly shipped her guns,
ammunition, and stores into a brigantine which he had taken, and
abandoned her. In his new vessel he sailed for the Indian Archipelago,
where, not having his commission to show, he was seized by the Dutch and
thrown into prison. At last, however, he obtained his freedom, and
returned home poorer than when he set out; while the owners of the
_Saint George_, who had gained nothing by the adventure, bitterly
complained of her loss.
Dampier had now no longer sufficient interest to obtain the command of a
ship; but another privateering expedition being set on foot by some
Bristol merchants, who equipped two ships, the _Duke_ and _Duchess_, he
agreed to go as pilot.
The command was given to Captain Woodes Rogers, with whom Dampier sailed
on board the _Duke_, of three hundred tons, thirty guns, and one hundred
and seventy men. Captain Dover was her second captain, and she had
three lieutenants. The _Duchess_ was commanded by Captain Courtney, a
gentleman of fortune, who had provided a large portion of the funds for
the expedition. Mr Edward Cook went as her second captain, with three
lieutenants. She was two hundred and seventy tons burden, and carried
twenty-six guns, and one hundred and fifty-one men. Both ships had
legal commissions from H.R.H. Prince George of Denmark, Lord High
Admiral, to cruise on the coast of Peru and Mexico, in the South Seas,
against Her Majesty's enemies, the French and Spaniards. The crews were
of a mixed character and very undisciplined. One-third were foreigners
of most nations, while of her Majesty's subjects there were tinkers,
tailors, haymakers, pedlars, fiddlers, one negro, and about ten boys.
It was hoped, notwithstanding, that as soon as they had learned the use
of their arms and got their sea legs, they would be brought under
discipline.
Showing a mutinous disposition, before long many of the crew had to be
put in irons, and the rest taking warning, without any misadventure,
both ships got round Cape Horn, and steered for the island of Juan
Fernandez. Here it was their intention to obtain water. On coming off
it at night they observed a fire on shore, which caused them much
anxiety, as it was supposed that these were French ships there, which
they must either engage or go without the water they so much needed.
Some supposed that the fire was lighted by a Spanish garrison, others by
a body of Frenchmen, or a crew of pirates. Both the ships were got
ready to engage should it become necessary.
On beating up to the island in the morning, no strange ships were seen
in either of the bays into which they could look. The voyagers
accordingly came to the conclusion that if any ships had been there,
they had made their escape during the night on seeing the approach of
the English. Boats were sent on shore, and after some time the pinnace
returned, bringing an abundance of crayfish, and a wild-looking man
dressed in goat-skins.
Who this stranger was it soon became known. It will be remembered in
the previous voyage made by Dampier, about four years before, that the
_Cinque Ports_, commanded by Captain Stradling, separated from him. The
master of this vessel was Alexander Selkirk, a Scotchman, born at Largs,
in the county of Fife, who had been bred a sailor from his youth. He
was considered by Dampier as the most experienced and best man on board.
Having had a dispute with Captain Stradling, and considering from the
leaky state of the _Cinque Ports_ that she might never reach England, he
had desired to be put on shore at this island of Juan Fernandez, with
which he was well acquainted, having been there before to obtain wood
and water.
After some reflection he changed his mind, and requested to be taken off
again; but to this Captain Stradling would not consent, and the _Cinque
Ports_ sailing away, he was left to his fate.
No sooner did he come up the side than he was recognised by Captain
Dampier, who was heartily glad to see him, and strongly recommended him
to Captain Rogers, who at once gave him the rank of mate on board. He
it was who had made the fire on shore the previous night on seeing the
approach of the ships which he guessed were English.
During the four years he had been on the island he had not conversed
with a single human being. On his first coming on board the _Duke_, he
had so greatly forgotten his language that it was difficult to
understand him, for he seemed to speak his words by halves. He was
offered a dram, but would not touch it, having drunk nothing but water
since his being left there. It was some time, indeed, before he could
even relish the ship's provisions.
He had, during his stay, seen several vessels pass by, but only two came
to an anchor. As he cautiously approached to discover their
nationality, he found them to be Spaniards, and immediately retired; but
having been seen, he was pursued, and had great difficulty in escaping
from them. They followed him into the woods, where he climbed to the
top of a tree close to the foot of which they passed in chase of some
goats, which they shot, but failed to discover him.
When landed, he had with him his clothes and bedding, with a gun, some
powder, bullets, and a hatchet, a knife, a kettle, and his Bible,
besides some mathematical instruments and books. For the first eight
months he had great difficulty in bearing up against the melancholy
feelings which oppressed him at being left alone in so desert a place.
He occupied himself, however, in building two huts with pimento-trees,
which he covered with long grass, and lined with the skins of goats he
had killed with his gun. He had, however, but a pound of powder, and
when that was nearly expended he produced fire by rubbing two sticks of
pimento-tree on his knee. The lesser hut served him as kitchen, and in
the larger he slept and employed himself in reading, singing psalms, and
praying; so that, as he remarked, he was a better Christian while in
this solitude than he had ever been before.
At first he never ate until hungry, partly because his grief took away
his appetite, and partly because he had neither bread nor salt. He also
never went to bed until he could watch no longer. From the pimento wood
he manufactured torches, which served him as a light at night, while he
enjoyed its fragrant smell. He might have caught fish, but he could not
eat them for want of salt, as they disagreed with him, except crayfish,
which were as large as English lobsters, and very good. These he
sometimes boiled, at others broiled, as he did his goat's flesh, with
which he made very good broth.
He kept an account of five hundred goats which he had killed, and of as
many more which he caught, and, having marked them on the ear, let go.
When his powder failed, he caught the animals, nimble as they were, by
chasing them, and from constant practice he ran with wonderful swiftness
through the woods and up the rocks and hills. On one occasion, while
thus engaged, he nearly lost his life by falling over a precipice. When
he came to his senses, he found the goat dead under him. He there lay
for twenty-four hours, and was then scarcely able to crawl to his hut,
which was about a mile off. On reaching it he did not move again for
ten days. He at last got accustomed to eat his meat without bread or
salt. During the season he had plenty of good turnips, which had been
sown by Captain Dampier's crew, and now covered several acres of ground.
Cabbage-trees also afforded him good cabbage. He seasoned his food
with the fruit of the pimento-trees, which is similar to Jamaica pepper.
He also found black pepper, which had some useful medicinal qualities.
On wearing out his shoes, not thinking it necessary to manufacture fresh
ones, he went barefooted, and thus his feet became so hard that he could
run over the roughest ground without suffering. When he first took to
wearing them on board his feet swelled and caused him considerable
uneasiness. He employed part of his time in cutting his name on trees,
with the date of his landing, and other particulars. At first he was
greatly annoyed by cats and rats, which had been landed from some ships
touching there, and had now greatly increased. The rats gnawed his feet
and clothes while he was asleep, so he bethought himself of encouraging
the cats by giving them the goats' flesh. By this means so many of them
became tame that they would assemble round him in hundreds, and kept the
rats at bay. He likewise tamed some kids, and, to amuse himself, would
now and then dance and sing with them and his cats.
When his clothes wore out, he made himself a coat and cap of goat-skins,
which he stitched together with thongs of the same material. A nail
served him for a needle. When, in time, his knife wore out from
constant grinding, he made others of some iron hoops which had been left
on shore. Finding in his chest some linen cloth, he manufactured some
shirts, using a nail as a needle, and employing the worsted of an old
stocking to stitch them, and he had his last shirt on when discovered.
Had the vessels he had seen been Frenchmen he would have gone among
them, but he preferred the risk of dying on the island to falling into
the hands of Spaniards, who would, he believed, have murdered him, or
made him a slave in the mines, as they were supposed to treat all the
strangers they could get hold of.
He described the climate as genial, the winter lasting only during June
and July, when there was but little frost, though occasionally heavy
rains. He saw no venomous or savage creature on the island, the only
beasts, besides rats and cats, being goats, the ancestors of which had
been left there by Juan Fernandez, the discoverer. Besides the
pimento-trees, some of which were sixty feet high, and some large
cotton-trees, the only trees of value were some bearing black plums,
which, however, growing among the mountains and rocks, were difficult to
get at. The trees and grass were verdant all the year round, and it was
evident that the soil was fertile in the extreme.
Alexander Selkirk was the true original of Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe."
He afterwards entered the Royal Navy as a lieutenant, but obtained no
higher rank.
Many of the men who had been suffering from scurvy were here landed and
sheltered in tents, and by means of two or three goats which Selkirk
caught for them each day, and the vegetables with which they were
supplied, they soon recovered.
Sailing from Juan Fernandez, a look-out was kept for Spanish vessels.
Quarrels and disputes arose among the officers, but they were settled by
the judicious management of the captain, and by the sensible regulations
laid down for their government.
On the ist of April they took a vessel of five hundred tons, laden with
dry goods and negroes, commanded by two brothers, Joseph and John Morel.
Many others were taken, differing in value. From these they gained
useful information as to the condition of the various places on the
coast. Their first exploit was an attack on the town of Guayaquil, when
Dampier commanded the artillery. Though the Spaniards were prepared, it
was captured without much loss of life, the soldiers, notwithstanding
that they numbered many more than the English, having fled into the
woods at the approach of the invaders. The vessels getting up the
river, the guns were brought to bear on the town, by which the
privateers had it completely in their power, when, having taken
possession instead of burning it down, they offered to ransom it for
twenty-seven thousand dollars, besides the plunder they picked up, which
amounted to the value of about two thousand pounds. These terms were
agreed to, and the money paid to them. They likewise sold the goods
taken on board their various prizes to the Morels and the other
Spaniards, though at a quarter of their value. But this was better than
destroying the merchandise which they could not carry off. Sailing
northward, the _Duke_ and _Duchess_, with one of the prizes which they
had fitted out as a ship of war, attacked a Manilla galleon with number
of merchants and several ladies on board. She carried twenty guns,
twenty pattereroes, and one hundred and ninety-three men. After an
engagement which lasted about three glases, she struck her colours,
having nine men killed, ten wounded, and several blown up with powder.
Captain Rogers was himself badly wounded in the face, and one man was
slightly wounded. The prize was called by the high-sounding name of
_Nuestra Senora de la Incarnation Disenganio_. Though not so
richly-laden as they had expected, the silks, satin, and china not
having arrived at Manilla before she sailed, she still contained in gold
and silver to the value of twelve thousand pounds, besides other
articles of commerce. She was carried into Porto Seguro, where the more
valuable part of her cargo was transferred to the privateers. Her
passengers, especially the ladies, were so well treated, that they
warmly expressed their gratitude. Indeed, both on this occasion and at
Guayaquil, the females who fell into the power of the privateers
experienced no injury.
From the prisoners they learned that another larger and far more
richly-laden galleon was coming from Manilla, but it was stated that she
had already reached her destination. This, however, Captain Rogers did
not believe. Leaving a guard in charge of the prisoners on board a
prize in the harbour, the _Duke_ and _Duchess_, with another vessel
called the _Marquis_, which had been fitted out, put to sea, to watch
for the Manilla ship. Before long a stranger was seen approaching, and
the other vessels being at a distance, she mistook the _Duke_ for her
consort, the galleon lately captured, and allowed Captain Rogers to get
up to her.
He attacked her gallantly, but she was heavily armed and strongly
manned, and, before he could venture to run alongside, had triced up her
boarding nettings.
The _Duchess_ and _Marquis_ soon came up and joined the fight, but after
engaging her for seven hours and making with their small shot but little
impression on her thick hull, the captain agreed that it would be folly
to run the risk of losing their masts, and therefore, hanging on to her
until dark, so as to prevent her entering Porto Seguro, they edged away,
and allowed her to escape without further molestation. She proved to be
the _Vigonia_, of about nine hundred tons, carrying forty heavy guns and
as many pattereroes, with a crew of about four hundred and fifty men.
Captain Rogers was here again wounded. The crew of the galleon were
well protected by bales placed between the guns. How many men she lost
it was impossible to ascertain, but two were seen to drop from the tops.
On the 10th of January the three ships sailed from Porto Seguro, and
steered for the island of Guam, where they arrived on the 10th of March.
They anchored under Spanish colours, but on making themselves known
were well received by the Governor, who treated them with perfect
confidence and supplied them with provisions, they in return
entertaining him and his officers on board, while the English were
courteously received on shore. Thence they sailed by the north of
Gilolo, stopping at Bouton to take in provisions and water, till they
reached Batavia. Here the surgeon and several other persons died of
fever, contracted on shore. The _Marquis_ was found to be so rotten
that her goods were transferred to the other two vessels, and she was
sold.
At the end of October they left Java, and putting into the Cape, waited
there for the homeward-bound fleet, in company with which--twenty-five
sail in all, Dutch and English--after passing round to the north of
Shetland, they anchored in the Texel in July of the following year.
Here they had to wait for some time for a convoy, but at length, on the
14th of October, the two ships came to an anchor off Erith, thus ending
their long and perilous voyage.
Their skilful and talented pilot probably landed here, but from that day
forward nothing of his history is known. Owing to the falsehoods and
misstatements published by Clipperton and Funnell, his character has
been much maligned. He, too, probably died in poverty, as he was
already advanced in life on his return from his last voyage; and the
prize money obtained was not distributed until eight or nine years
afterwards.
He bitterly repented of his early life among the buccaneers; even when
with them his conduct was always humane; and he was induced to remain in
their company more for the sake of adventure than for obtaining booty.
He at all events escaped from that hardness of moral feeling which is
too generally the consequence of associating with abandoned companions.
Few voyagers have added so much to our knowledge of distant parts of the
world, and the accuracy of his remarks has been acknowledged by all
those who have visited the countries he describes.
His conduct must not be judged by the opinions of the present day, when
even privateering is looked down upon and condemned by all right
thinking men. Whatever his countrymen may have thought of him, foreign
voyagers speak of him in the highest terms. Humboldt says that no
navigator could be compared to him. Malte-Bran terms him the learned
Dampier, and French and Dutch discoverers style him the incomparable,
the eminent, the skilful, the exact Dampier.