He returned from England to Jamaica in A_A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 10 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.

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.]

A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 10 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. · 第 10 / 15 章

He returned from England to Jamaica in April 1679, intending to become a