Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is enclosed in _underscores_.
Superscript characters are preceded by ^. Small capital text has been
changed to all capital. Additional notes will be found near the end of
this eBook.
AN
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT
OF ALL THE
VOYAGES ROUND THE WORLD,
PERFORMED BY
ENGLISH NAVIGATORS;
INCLUDING THOSE LATELY UNDERTAKEN
By ORDER of his PRESENT MAJESTY.
THE WHOLE
Faithfully Extracted from the JOURNALS of the
VOYAGERS.
DRAKE, undertaken in 1577-80
CAVENDISH, 1586-88
COWLEY, 1683-86
DAMPIER, 1689-96
COOKE, 1708-11
ROGERS, 1708-11
CLIPPERTON and SHELVOCKE, 1719-22
ANSON, 1740-44
BYRON, 1764-66
WALLIS, 1766-68
CARTERET, 1766-69
COOK, 1768-71
TOGETHER WITH
That of SYDNEY PARKINSON, Draftsman to JOSEPH BANKS, Esq; who
circumnavigated the Globe with Capt. COOK, in his Majesty’s Ship the
ENDEAVOUR.
AND
The Voyage of Mons. BOUGAINVILLE round the World, Performed by Order of
the French King.
Illustrated with Maps, Charts, and Historical Prints.
IN FOUR VOLUMES.
To which is added,
An APPENDIX. Containing the JOURNAL of a VOYAGE to the NORTH POLE, by
the Hon. Commodore PHIPPS, and Captain LUTWIDGE.
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
VOLUME THE SECOND.
═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
LONDON:
Printed for F. NEWBERY, the Corner of St. Paul’s Church-Yard.
────────────
M DCC LXXIV.
THE
VOYAGES
OF
CAPTAIN COOKE.
The rich cargo of the annual ship from Manilla to Accapulco, has ever
been the object which private adventurers to the South Seas have had in
view, while, on the other hand, the annual ship from Accapulco to
Manilla has been the pursuit of the ships of war. This difference has
arisen from the different constitution of the two ships; for the
galleon, when she sets sail from Manilla, being deep laden with a
variety of bulky goods, (such as Chinese silks and manufactures, vast
quantities of Indian stuffs, callicoes, and chintz, besides the minuter
articles of goldsmiths work, embroidery, &c. wrought at Manilla by the
Chinese,) she has not the conveniency of mounting her lower tier of
guns, but generally carries them in her hold. Her hands too are as few
as are confident with the safe navigation of the ship, that she may be
the less encumbered by the stowage of provisions so that being but
weakly manned, and indifferently provided for defence, she is thereby
more exposed to the attacks of small privateers, and more easy to be
made their prey; and, though she does not contain so great a treasure as
the other, yet she is sufficiently rich to recompense the undertakers,
and to enrich the captors, her cargo being generally estimated at three
millions of dollars.
But the ship from Accapulco making her return chiefly in silver and
gold, and having little or no bulky goods on board, as her cargo lies in
less room, her lower tier is always mounted before she leaves the port,
and her crew is augmented with a supply of sailors, and with one or two
companies of foot, which are intended to reinforce the garrison at
Manilla. Besides, there being many merchants who take their passage to
Manilla on board the galleon, her whole number of hands on her return is
usually little short of 600 fighting men; so that she is more than a
match for such small privateers as are generally sent upon hazardous
expeditions, and a prize only for a royal ship of war; and has therefore
never been attempted by any other.
The voyage we are now about to relate was purposely fitted out with a
view to intercept the Manilla ship at the instance of Dampier, in
concluding of whose character (from reading the accounts written by
himself) we were led into an error, which the present voyage, written by
Captain Cooke, has enabled us to correct. The ill success that attended
the voyage to the South Seas, under the immediate command of Dampier, of
which a brief relation is given in the first volume of this work, was so
far from discouraging that enterprizing officer from pursuing his
favourite project of making prize of the Manilla ship, that, after his
return, when he had wearied the merchants of London with fruitless
solicitations, he repaired to Bristol, where his representations were
better understood, and where they were attended with better effect. By
his solid remonstrances he prevailed upon nineteen of the principal
merchants and gentlemen of that city to unite and form a company, for
the purpose of fitting out two private ships of war, to shew what
advantages might be derived from a well-conducted enterprize against the
Spaniards in the South Seas: and it may, perhaps, be attributed to his
judgment and experience, that they were more properly adapted to the
service on which they were to be sent, and were better provided against
every accident to which they might be exposed, than any privateers that
ever were fitted out before them. Add to this, that their crews were
furnished with better regulations, and subjected to stricter rules, and
under severer penalties, than men listed to go on hazardous adventures
are generally willing to submit to.
Their principal officers were gentlemen of experience, or highly
interested in the success of the voyage; being the first subscribers,
and the chief promoters of the undertaking and these also were assisted
with a second set of officers, equally able and experienced, who, in
case of accidents, were ready to supply the places of those who might be
disabled.
But, besides being awed by penalties from trespassing the articles of
agreement that were signed by every man on board from the highest to the
lowest, they were likewise encouraged by rewards to behave gallantly;
every common sailor who should lose a limb in time of action being
entitled to a douceur of 30l. and so in proportion to officers according
to their respective ranks: yet, notwithstanding all these precautions,
we find them ever ready to mutiny.
The two ships, thus fitted up and regulated, were called the Duke and
Dutchess; the first, of 300 tons, 36 guns, and 183 men, was commanded by
Woodes Rogers; the other, of 270 tons, 30 guns, and 151 men, by Captain
Stephen Courtney.
Captain Rogers, who commanded in chief, was a bold, active man, an
indefatigable officer, one who would not give up his opinion readily to
others, nor be flattered by other people’s giving up their opinion,
without being convinced, to him. He had been, according to Harris, a
large sufferer by the French, and was naturally no great friend to that
nation; but his most singular quality, and that which indeed recommended
him to this command, was a peculiar art he had of maintaining his
authority, and at the same time preserving his influence, over his
seamen; an _art_, or _gift_ rather, in which Captain Dampier was
remarkably deficient.
Captain Courtney was a man of birth, fortune, and of many amiable
qualities; he contributed largely to the expence of the voyage, and took
a share in it to superintend the management, and to interpose and
qualify the differences that might arise in the course of a tedious and
dangerous navigation; being a person of an admirable temper, and
remarkable for moderation in all his decisions, in which almost all men
were ready to acquiesce.
Besides these two gentlemen, who were first in command, Dr. Thomas Dover
(the same, who, about forty years ago, so effectually recommended the
use of quicksilver in a little book, entitled Dr. Dover’s Last Legacy to
his Country, that ladies as well as gentlemen of rank and fortune
bespangled the floors and carpets with quicksilver, and scattered their
diamonds wherever they met to dance, or to play) was second Captain on
board the Duke; and Captain Edward Cooke, our author, was second to
Captain Courtney.
Dover was a considerable contributer to the voyage, but he was of a
rough ungovernable temper, seldom pleased with either measures or men;
but incapable of forming any party to support his own notions, because
no party could ever be brought to approve them.
Captain Cooke was an able and experienced seaman, had been twice taken
prisoner, and twice released by the enemy, and now embarked his All in
this bottom with a view to make one effort more to gain a fortune.
Captain Dampier, who projected the voyage, was made pilot on board the
Duke to direct it. Of him the reader has already heard enough in the
former volume of this work; and from the character of the leaders it is
natural to infer, that they were choice in the appointment of their
inferior officers, and that even the common men were not of the meaner
sort.
The general instructions of the owners were, first, to repair to Ireland
to take in provisions, and then to proceed with all possible expedition
to the South Sea; if luckily they met with any prizes by the way, they
were either to send them home or to America, as should best suit; they
were ordered by all means to keep together, and to act in concert; to
undertake no enterprize of consequence without first deliberating the
matter in a general council of officers in both ships; to be
particularly careful in assisting each other in every circumstance of
necessity; and that in giving relief in times of danger, or in supplying
provisions or water in case of want, they should be as one ship, and
that on no pretence the one should be suffered to want while the other
had any thing to supply; but, as they were to share alike in all
advantages, they should share alike too in all sufferings.
Thus fitted out and thus instructed, and the officers of both ships
being provided with legal commissions to cruise against her Majesty’s
enemies, the French and Spaniards, in the South Seas, on the first of
August, 1708, they unmoored from King road, and on the 4th of the same
month cast anchor at the Cove in Cork, where they continued victualling,
and adjusting their men, changing some and enlisting others, among whom
were many foreigners, till the first of September, when they sailed in
company with the Hastings man of war, having first agreed, in case of
separation, to meet at Madeira, there to take in wine and brandy for the
remainder of the voyage.
[Here it is necessary to apprize the reader, that, as there are two very
authentic accounts of this voyage, one written by Captain Rogers, and
one written by our author, we shall endeavour to reduce them into ONE,
by supplying from Captain Rogers what is wanting in Captain Cooke, and
shall, contrary to the method pursued in Harris, continue the narrative
in the person of Captain Cooke, though sometimes we may be obliged to
use the words of Captain Rogers. And this being premised, we will now
proceed:]
On the 10th of September, says Captain Cooke, we spied a sail, which we
chaced and came up with. She happened to be a Swede, bound for Cadiz;
and though from several circumstances there was reason to suspect that
she had contraband goods on board, yet it being difficult to prove it,
and we being in haste, dismissed her. This caused a mutiny on board the
Duke, headed by the boatswain and three inferior officers, who persuaded
the men not to give her up. Captain Rogers confined the authors of this
disorder, in which there was not one foreigner concerned. He put ten of
the mutineers in irons, a sailor being first soundly whipped for
exciting the rest to join him; others less guilty he punished and
discharged; but the chief officers continued armed, fearing what might
happen, the ship’s company seeming too much to favour the mutineers.
They had afterwards a great deal of trouble with these fellows, who did
more mischief when in irons than before, by stirring up the men to
release them, pretending that they suffered in the cause of the crew,
and therefore the crew ought to rise and release them. This determined
the Captain to make some examples, but not to irritate too much; he
therefore began by removing the boatswain from his office, and
appointing another in his room, without intending anything further. But
on the 14th this intestine storm rose higher than ever; for then a
sailor with the best part of the ship’s company at his heels, went up to
the Captain, and demanded the boatswain out of custody. With this man
the Captain desired to speak alone, and when he came upon the
quarter-deck, the officers seized him, and caused one of his chief
comrades to whip him. Thus by different corrections of the like kind,
the officers on board the Duke broke the combination, and allayed the
tumult. The boatswain they sent home in the Crown galley in irons; the
other prisoners they released upon their humble submission; such among
them as were petty officers they restored to their commands, and all on
board were forbidden to disobey or reproach them: and thus ended an
insurrection, which, had it succeeded, would have put a stop at once to
the farther prosecution of the voyage.
On the 15th, finding ourselves to the southward, and at the same time
somewhat to the eastward of Madeira, we changed our place of rendezvous,
and bore away for the Canaries.
On Saturday the 18th, at five in the morning, we saw a sail right
a-head, to which we gave chace. About 10, we came up with and took her,
being a small Spanish bark bound from Teneriff to Fuertaventura, with
several men and women passengers on board, and laden with sundry sorts
of goods. Next day we bore away for Oratavia-road, where we stood off
and on, and sent away the prize’s boat with one of our owners agents, a
priest, and the master of the prize, to treat about the ransom of her,
and to get wine, provisions, and other necessaries, for the refreshment
of both the ships. About eight next morning, a boat came from the town,
with a letter from the English merchants residing there, wherein they
expostulated with us for making prize of the bark, alledging that there
was a free trade agreed to in these islands between her Majesty of Great
Britain and the Kings of France and Spain, so religiously observed by
the latter, that they had caused an English ship taken there by a French
privateer, to be restored; and farther, representing the danger that
might arise to themselves, living by permission in an enemy’s country,
if the bark was not immediately given up, for which reprisals would be
made on them; as also, that we should be answerable at home for
interrupting the settled commerce. This letter was signed by the Consul
and three capital merchants. Our Captains immediately returned for
answer, that, having no instructions relating to the Spanish vessels
trading among those islands, they could not justify the releasing of the
ship on their bare opinions, without some order or proclamation of her
Majesty, the English being protected there only on anchoring ground, and
the bark being taken in the open seas; that, in case Mr. Vanbrugh, the
owners agent, was not restored, they would carry away all the prisoners
they had; and, if they apprehended any detriment to the factory, they
might ransom the bark, and seek their redress in England. They desired
dispatch, there being no time to lose; and, upon sending back Mr.
Vanbrugh, they would release the prisoners. At night another letter came
in answer to theirs, from the Consul, importing, that the English
men-of-war were civilly received there, and never committed any
hostilities; and that it was strange we should insist on ransoming any
Spaniards, who were never made prisoners in England, or elsewhere; and
the Governor there delivered up to him any English prisoners that were
brought in by Spanish privateers; wherefore he insisted, that those in
our custody should be dismissed, and the bark discharged, accepting a
present of wine in return. With this from the Consul at the city of
Laguna, came another letter from the merchants at Oratavia-port, much to
the same purport, only offering to pay to the value of 450 pieces of
eight, the sum demanded for the bark, in wine, brandy, sugar, oil,
barley, and greens, to prevent incensing the natives against them, not
doubting but that reparation would be made them in England. Our Captains
replied, by threatening to cruise among the islands to avail themselves
for their loss of time, and to cannonade the town of Oratavia, unless
they received instant satisfaction. On the 22d, at four in the morning,
we stood in for the shore, making a clear ship; but, soon after, we saw
a boat coming with our owners agent, and Mr. Cross, one of the English
merchants, bringing five buts of wine, and other refreshments. We lay
off the town, took the goods out of the prize, sold the bark to Mr.
Cross, and put the prisoners on board her. Thus ended this troublesome
business, which being unanimously approved of at a council of officers
of both ships, they proceeded on their voyage; and, seeing a sail to the
westward, gave chace to her, but, night coming on, lost her.
On the 24th we crossed the Tropic of Cancer, and, the Sunday following,
performed the ceremony of dipping the men of both ships who had not
crossed it before; a ceremony that causes a good deal of mirth among the
common men.
On the 30th we passed by Santa Lucia, one of the Cape de Verd islands,
and by eight in the morning came in sight of St. Vincent, and about
eleven came to an anchor in ten fathom water within the rock.
As we knew the island not to be inhabited, we were not a little
surprized to see some people on shore; and, in order to learn who they
were, and what their business was, I armed the pinnace, and went on
shore, when we found them to be Portuguese come from the island of St.
Anthony to catch turtle, who told us we might here wood and water.
This island lies in lat. 16 deg. 55 min. N. and in 25 deg. 36 min. W.
long. from the meridian of London. There are on it Guinea-hens, hogs,
and goats, and about the shore plenty of fish. In the woods there are
spiders as large as little birds, whose webs are not easily broken
through, being woven with a substance nearly as strong as ordinary
thread.
The Cape Verd islands are eleven in number, St. Anthony, St. Vincent,
St. Lucia, St. Nicholas, Sal, Bona Vista, Mayo, St. Jago, Fogo, Romes,
and Brava; and take their general name from a promontory on the African
shore. They belong to the Portuguese, but are not all inhabited.
While we lay at St. Vincent’s, new disturbances arose among the men in
relation to plunder; for here they had an opportunity of trading, and
therefore every man wished to have something to exchange. The effects
taken in the late prize occasioned a general murmur throughout both the
ships; to put an end to which, and to fix the people in a firm
resolution of doing their duty, we determined to settle the matter at
once, by framing such articles, as, without giving our owners any ground
of complaint, might inspire the seamen with courage and constancy, and
make them as willing to obey as their officers were ready to command. It
cost some trouble to adjust the articles; but that was fully
compensated, by their effectually answering the purpose. And now, having
composed all differences, the men again chearfully returned to their
duty, all but two or three of the Duke’s men, who made their escape on
shore among whom was their linguist, who probably had no mind to be left
behind; but, having staid beyond his leave of absence, and paid no
regard to the orders that were sent him to repair on board, it was
thought proper, by way of example, to depart without him. Accordingly on
the 7th of October we unmoored, and, on the 8th, after lying by all
night for our consort, we set sail together for the coast of Brazil. But
on our passage thither some fresh disputes arose among our men and,
after various consultations to accommodate the differences, it was
resolved, that Mr. Page, who was our second mate, should be sent to
serve on board the Duke, and Mr. Ballet to come from the Duke to serve
on board the Dutchess in his room. This was not to be effected without
force, Page refusing to obey the order; and when it was on the point of
being put in execution, he resisted; but, being overpowered, and carried
on board the Duke, he was there charged with mutiny. He desired to go to
the head, for a necessary purpose, before he made his defence, and was
permitted so to do; when he instantly jumped over-board, with the design
of getting back again to the Dutchess, but was taken up, tried, and
punished, which put an end to the disturbance for that time.
On Wednesday the 27th we crossed the Line, and on Sunday the 14th of
November saw land at a great distance, and at noon made Cape Frio, on
the coast of Brasil. On the 18th we anchored before Islo Grande, and on
the 19th moored our ship in ten fathom water. Here one of our men going
from the ship without leave, giving the first Lieutenant foul language,
and threatening soon to be revenged, was put in irons; and his messmates
and confederates demanding his release, or desiring to share in his
punishment, seven voluntarily went into irons.
On the 21st I went on shore in the pinnace with a present to the
Governor, and to acquaint him we were friends. At our first landing they
fired several shot, taking us for French; but afterwards made an
apology, and received us civilly. On the 23d two of the mutineers were
whipped, and put in irons again. On the 24th four of the eight men in
irons were released, on their submission; and two men went on shore,
designing to leave the ship, and, having bargained with a canoe to carry
them to the main, they were by mistake put ashore at a distant part of
the island, where, finding themselves on an uninhabited coast, they
began to relent and, after staying a night in the woods, where they were
terrified with the roaring of wild beasts, they came in sight of the
ship, and made signs of repentance, humbling themselves in the most
suppliant manner, and on their knees, with their hands lifted up,
endeavouring to move compassion. After some time the boat went off, and
brought them on board, where they were confined in irons till the next
day, and then ordered to be flogged and released.
On the 25th two Irish landmen stole away from the Duke, and secreted
themselves in the woods, in like manner as the two seamen had done from
the Dutchess. About four next morning the watch on the quarter-deck
spied a canoe, and hailed her to come on board; but the rowers not
answering, but striving to escape, the Duke’s pinnace pursued the canoe,
fired into her, and mortally wounded one of the Indian rowers. He that
owned and steered the canoe was a Friar, and had a quantity of gold on
board, which, after running the canoe ashore, he had just time to hide
before the Duke’s pinnace reached the land. A Portuguese, who was in the
canoe, and who had no gold to lose, would not follow the Friar; but, on
the contrary, knowing the English to be friends, called the Father back,
who, upon his return, was carried with the wounded Indian on board the
Duke, where the poor man was dressed by the surgeon, but died in a few
hours. The officers in both ships were very sorry for this unfortunate
accident, and entered their protest against it, and caused the man to be
buried on shore in a very solemn manner. The friar, however, who had
lost his gold, was not to be appeased, but threatened to seek for
justice in Portugal or England.
In towing the ship about the easternmost part of the island, we spied
the Duke’s two men waiting for a canoe to carry them over to the main;
and two of our Lieutenants manned the boat, and, landing some men in a
convenient place to get behind them, to prevent their escaping to the
woods, they rowed to the place where the fellows were seen to lurk. When
they found themselves beset, they endeavoured to fly; but, being
intercepted, they were brought on board, put in irons, and sent to their
own ship, where they were afterwards severely punished.
On the 27th the principal officers on board both ships went in their
pinnaces to the town of Angra dos Reys on the main, carrying the ships
music along with them. They were kindly received and entertained by the
Governor and Fathers, who with their servants are the principal
inhabitants, there not being more than 50 or 60 low-built houses in the
place. They have a guard-house, where, at our landing, we were received
by the Governor, with about 20 men under arms, and treated with a
dinner, sweet-meats, and rum. The Governor and Fathers desired we would
go to see their Franciscan monastery and church, that day being a
festival with them, and the people coming from the plantations in the
country to celebrate it. We complied; and, at their request, our music,
consisting of trumpets, hautboys, and violins, played in a gallery
belonging to the church, and assisted in heightening the solemnization,
to the no small satisfaction of the Fathers. After divine service we
likewise joined in procession with them, and accompanied them from the
church in the evening, every one carrying a large wax candle in his
hand, according to the custom of the country on such occasions. The
procession being closed, we were conducted into a great hall, and
treated by the Fathers with an elegant supper of fish, sweet-meats, and
fruits of various sorts in the highest perfection. At our coming away,
they gave us some volleys with their small arms, and we returned the
compliment by a flourish of trumpets, &c.
Fifteen days journey up the country there is said to be a very rich gold
mine and it was not long since the French plundered a bark with 800
weight of gold-dust on board, which it was bringing from the mine. Some
men of credit told me, that the mines here are more profitable than even
Mexico or Peru; but that the Tapoyars, who inhabit the inland plains,
are an unconquerable race of men, taller and stronger than the
Portuguese, and not to be brought to labour. The Brasilian women are
very fruitful, have easy labours, retire to the woods, where they are
delivered alone, and return no more till after a certain time allotted
for purification.
On Tuesday the 30th of November we weighed anchor; but a tornado coming
on, we tacked, and stood under the island till its fury abated. On the
1st of December both ships sailed out of the bay, and pursued their
course to the southward till the 21st, without meeting with any
remarkable occurrence; but on that day a young man fell from the
mizen-top-sail yard, and fractured his skull.
On the 23d we made land, which I supposed to be Falkland’s Island, in
lat. 51 deg. 25 min. S. by estimation.
On the 24th, as we ran along shore, the land looked like some part of
England, having several good bays and valleys, but believe it to be
wholly uninhabited.
On the 5th of January, 1709, we had a violent gale of wind at
north-west, and very bad weather. At two in the afternoon we reefed both
courses, then lowered our fore-yard, and lay by till five, at which time
our waste was filled with water, and we expected the ship to sink every
moment: got down our fore-yard as well as we could, and loosed the
sprit-sail to wear the ship, which at last we accomplished; but in
wearing we thought we should have foundered with the weight of water
that was in her waste. Thus we scudded before the wind, the Duke
following, and at nine shipped a sea in the poop, as we in the cabbin
were going to supper. It beat in all the cabbin-windows and bulk-head,
and hove the first Lieutenant halfway between the decks, with several
muskets and pistols that hung there, darting a sword that was against
the bulk-head of the cabbin through my man’s hammock and rug, which hung
against the bulk-head of the steerage; and, had not the bulk-head of the
great cabbin given way, all we who were there must inevitably have been
drowned before the water could have been discharged. Our yaul was staved
on the deck, and it was a wonder that many were not killed with the
shutters, the bulk-head, and the arms, which were driven with a
prodigious force; but Providence delivered us from this and many other
dangers; only one man or two were hurt, and some bruised; but not one
rag of dry cloaths was left us, our chests, beds, and bedding, being all
soaked in sea-water. Next day the storm abated, and we continued our
course, coasting very far to the south, where we endured much cold, by
which many of our men were greatly affected, insomuch that a third part
of both ships companies fell sick, occasioned, as I suppose, by their
being long wet and cold. We were now in lat. 61 deg. 48 min. S. long.
from Falkland’s Isles 18 deg. 5 min. W.
Monday 17, by a good observation I found that we were got round Cape
Horn, Terra del Fuego, and the Straits of Magellan, and to the northward
of Cape Vileria. On the 19th I reckoned we were to the northward of Port
St. Stephen on the coast of Patagonia in the Great South Sea.
On Monday the 31st, at eight in the morning, made the Island of Juan
Fernandez, where we designed to wood and water. In the afternoon Capt.
Dover went off in the pinnace to get some provisions, and in the evening
saw a fire ashore, which made us conclude there were ships in the road,
as we were assured the island had no inhabitants: we therefore made the
signal for the boat to return, and she accordingly come on board about
twelve at night.
Tuesday Feb. 1, we rowed and towed into the great bay, and came to an
anchor in 50 fathom water. All this day we had a clear ship expecting a
rencounter; but were much disappointed when, instead of a valuable
prize, we discovered only an odd figure of a man, who had been the sole
resident on the island for more than four years. His name was Alexander
Selkirk, a Scotchman, who had been Master of the Cinque-ports, the ship
that accompanied Dampier in his voyage to the South Seas, and was, as
Dampier said, one of the best men in her. Captain Rogers immediately
agreed with him to be his mate. It was this man who made the fire in the
night when he saw our ships, which he judged to be English. During his
stay here, he saw several ships pass by; but only two came to an anchor.
As he went to view them, he found them to be Spaniards, and retired from
them; upon which they shot at him. Had they been French he would have
submitted, but chose to risque his dying alone on the island rather than
fall into the hands of the Spaniards, because he apprehended they would
either murder, or make a slave of him in the mines; for he feared they
would spare no stranger that might be capable of discovering the South
Seas. The Spaniards had landed before he knew what they were, and they
came so near him that he had much ado to escape; for they not only shot
at him, but pursued him to the woods, where he climbed to the top of a
tree, at the foot of which they charged their pieces, and killed several
goats just by, but went off again without discovering him. He told us,
that he was born at Largo, in the county of Fife, and was bred a sailor
from his youth. The reason of his being left here was a difference
between him and his Captain, which, together with the ship’s being
leaky, made him willing rather to stay here, than go along with him at
first, and when he was at last willing to go his Captain would not
receive him. He had been at the island before to wood and water, when
two of the ship’s company were left upon it for six months, till the
ship returned, being chaced thence by two French South Sea ships. He had
with him his cloaths and bedding, with a firelock, some powder, bullets,
and tobacco; a hatchet, a knife, a kettle, a bible, some practical
pieces, and his mathematical instruments and books. He diverted and
provided for himself as well as he could; but for the first eight months
he had much ado to bear up against melancholy, and the terror of being
left alone in such a desolate place. He built two huts in
Piemento-trees, covered them with long grass, and lined them with the
skins of goats which he killed with his gun as he wanted, so long as his
powder lasted, which was but a pound, and that being almost spent, he
got fire by rubbing two sticks of Piemento wood together upon his knee.
In the lesser hut, at some distance from the other, he drest his
victuals, and in the larger he slept, and employed himself in reading,
singing psalms, and praying; so that he said he was a better Christian
while in this solitude than ever he was before, or than, he was afraid,
he should ever be again.
At first he never eat any thing till hunger constrained him, partly for
grief, and partly for want of bread and salt, nor did he go to bed till
he could watch no longer. The Piemento wood, which burnt very clear,
served him both for fire and candle, and refreshed him with its fragrant
smell. He might have had fish enough, but could not eat them for want of
salt, because they occasioned a looseness, except crayfish, which are as
large as lobsters, and very good. These he sometimes boiled, and at
other times broiled, as he did his goat’s-flesh, of which he made good
broth. He kept an account of 500 that he killed while there, and caught
as many more, which he marked in the ear and let go. When his powder
failed he took them by speed of feet, for his way of living and
continual exercise cleared him of all gross humours, so that he ran with
wonderful swiftness through the woods and up the rocks and hills, as we
perceived, when we employed him to catch goats for us. We had a bull-dog
which we sent with several of our nimblest runners to help him to catch
goats; but he distanced and tired both the dog and the men, caught the
goats, and brought them to us on his back. He told us that his agility
in pursuing a goat had once like to have cost him his life. He pursued
it with so much eagerness that he catched hold of it on the brink of a
precipice of which he was not aware, the bushes hiding it from him so
that he fell with the goat down the precipice a great height, and was so
bruised with the fall that he narrowly escaped with his life; and, when
he came to his senses, found the goat dead under him. He lay there about
twenty-four hours, and was scarce able to crawl to his hut, which was
about a mile distant, or to stir abroad again in ten days. He came at
last to relish his meat without salt or bread. He had a constant supply
of good turneps, which had been sown there by Captain Dampier, and have
now overspread some acres of ground. He had good cabbage from the
cabbage-trees that grow wild upon the island, and seasoned his meat with
the fruit of the Piemento-trees, which is the same as Jamaica-pepper,
and smells deliciously. He found also a black-pepper, called Malageta,
which was very good to expel wind and strengthen the stomach. He soon
wore out all his shoes and cloaths by running in the woods; and at last,
being forced to shift without them, his feet became so hard that he ran
every where without difficulty; and it was some time before he could
wear shoes after we found him; for, not being used to any so long, his
feet swelled when he came to wear them again. After he had conquered his
melancholy, he diverted himself sometimes with cutting his name upon the
trees, sometimes with contrivances to vary and increase his stock of
tools, and sometimes in clear evenings in counting the stars. He was at
first much pestered with cats and rats that had bred in great numbers
from some of each species which had got ashore from ships that put in
there to wood and water. The rats gnawed his feet and cloaths while he
slept, which obliged him to cherish the cats with his goat’s flesh, by
which many of them became so tame, that they would be about him in
hundreds, and soon delivered him from the rats. He likewise tamed some
kids; and, to vary his diversions, would now and then sing and teach
them to dance; so that by his natural flow of humour, and the vigour of
his youth, being now but 30 years old, he came at last to conquer all
the inconveniences of his solitude, and to be very easy. When his
cloaths were worn out, he made himself a coat and a cap of goats-skins,
which he stitched together with little thongs of the same that he cut
with his knife. He had no other needle but a nail; and, when his knife
was worn out to the back, he made others of some iron hoops that were
ashore, which he beat thin, and ground upon stones. Having some linnen
cloth by him, he sewed himself some shirts with a nail, and stitched
them with the worsted of his old stockings, which he pulled out on
purpose. He had his last shirt on when we found him on the island. At
his coming on board us, he had so much forgot his language for want of
use, that we could scarce understand him; for he seemed to speak his
words by halves. We offered him a dram; but he would not touch it,
having drank nothing but water since his being there; and it was some
time before he could relish our victuals. He could give us no account of
any other product of the island than what we have mentioned, except some
black plumbs, which are very good, but hard to come at, the trees which
bear them growing on high mountains and rocks.
[Illustration: _Alexander Selkirk Makes his Cats and Kids dance before
Capt^n. Cook and his Company._]
The officers that went first on shore were invited to his retreat; but
the way to it being very rugged and intricate, only a very few of them
had curiosity enough to visit it. He had conceived an irreconcileable
aversion to an officer on board the Cinque Ports, who, he was informed,
was on board the Duke; but, not being a principal in command, he was
prevailed upon to wave that circumstance, and to accompany Captain
Dampier, for whom he had a friendship. He was very useful while the
ships staid at Juan Fernandez, in supplying them with fresh provisions,
and in facilitating the business of taking in wood and water. He said,
he had seen snow and ice in July, which is the middle of winter in that
climate; but the months of September, October, and November, are
inconceiveably pleasant; the air being perfumed with a fragrance that
cherishes and revives the spirits, and has a wonderful effect upon
animals, as well as men, which Selkirk remarked by their playwardness
and plumpness. He particularly directed us to a plant not much unlike
feverfew, of a most grateful and cordial scent, with which we strewed
the tents of the sick, who were thereby much comforted, and their cure
facilitated. We gathered many bundles of it, dried them in the shade,
and sent them on board.
On the 13th of February, a general council of officers was held on board
the Duke, when many necessary regulations were agreed to, for the
maintenance of order, discipline, and secrecy; among which, two
inspectors were appointed from on board the Duke, to take account of all
prizes taken by the Dutchess; and the like number from the Dutchess, to
register such as should be taken by the Duke.
While we continued in this bay the carpenters fitted up the pinnaces,
the frames of which were ready prepared at Bristol, at our first setting
out.
On the 14th the pinnaces were launched, and having each a gun fitted to
her prow, were tried in the bay, to see how they would sail, being
intended to serve as small ships of war, to examine the harbours where
the large ships could not venture to approach the shore. And now, having
all things in readiness, we began to prepare for our departure, all our
sick men being recovered, except two who died, and were buried on the
island.
On the 15th we cleared the bay, and pursued a northerly course till the
24th, when we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, and shot some Tropic
birds about the size of a partridge, with only a single feather in their
tails, but that very long, and very taper. We had now the sea as smooth
as a pond; and, having little to do, we ordered the men to attend
prayers regularly twice a day; prohibited gaming, to prevent the artful
from taking advantage of the simple; and imposed a penalty against
swearing, by which that vice was almost excluded the ships company.
On Monday the 28th I ordered three of our men to be put in irons, for
cutting the meat in the steep-tub, and hiding it; and on the 2d of
March, Captain Courtney caused them to be whipped and pickled, by way of
example.
On Thursday the 14th of March, Captain Rogers, Captain Dover, and
Captain Dampier, came on board the Dutchess; and concluded, that the
strict observation of Lent having prevented the Spaniards from
trafficking in those seas, the most eligible plan would be to bear away
under an easy sail for Lobos, and there to supply ourselves with boats
to land at Guayaquil; but in the afternoon, saw a sail, gave chace, and
took her. She came from Guayaquil, and was bound for Cheripe to load
flour, and had been out 16 days. The crew were all Indians, except one
Spanish passenger. They had nothing on board but about 50l. in money to
pay for their cargo, and told us, that part of the new town of Guayaquil
had lately been burnt; that the Jesus Maria, formerly a man-of-war, was
coming from Lima to be there rebuilt; that another large ship was
expected from Panama at Payta; and that they had heard nothing of any
English men-of-war or privateers being in those seas.
On the 16th we made the island of Lobos, and in the evening anchored in
the road. It lies in lat. 6 deg. 5 min. S. about 16 leagues from the
continent, is barren, and affords neither wood nor water; but there is
good riding for ships, and harbours proper for repairing and careening.
Here the prize was fitted up, and it was agreed, that I should go out in
her with 35 men, to cruise in company with the Dutchess; and with that
view she was new named, and called _The Beginning Galley_.
On the 26th, at day-break, we saw a ship standing to the southward, and
soon came up with her. She was a bark of 50 tons, bound from Guayaquil
to Truxillo, with timber and cocoa-nuts. It was agreed, that Captain
Courtney should stand in with her in the night; and that I should
continue to cruise till farther orders, which on the 27th I received,
and the same evening came to an anchor by the Duke and Dutchess in
Lobos-road. Next day, the prisoners being examined, reported, that a
ship of 36 brass guns was expected from Lima with the Viceroy of Mexico
and his mother on board; and that they were bound to Panama. Upon this
intelligence it was resolved in full council to cruise in quest of this
ship, and if she escaped to attack Guayaquil.
While the Duke lay at Lobos, the carpenters built a large boat to land
men, in case of an attack; and, having made all necessary preparations,
and the sick men from both ships being put on board the last prize,
which was called the _Increase_, our first Lieutenant was ordered to
command the _Beginning Galley_; and on the 31st of March we left Lobos,
and agreed to cruise six leagues to the windward of the Saddle of Payta,
as the most likely station to succeed in our enterprize.
On the 2d of April we fell in with a large ship, of 400 tons, from
Panama, heavily laden with dry goods, commanded by Captain Morel, and
thought to be one of the largest merchant-ships in all those seas. He
had 50 or 60 blacks on board, besides several passengers.
The next day we took another prize of small value, having only about 90
or 100l. in plate, and a small quantity of timber. She was of 50 tons
burden, commanded by Juan Perezillo Bastillo, who told us that a bishop
was coming by sea from Panama to Lima with 200,000 pieces of eight, and
a considerable quantity of family plate; but no ship appearing in sight
from the 3d to the 9th, it was then upon consultation agreed to call in
the cruisers, and to attempt the conquest of Puna and Guayaquil. This
resolution being taken in council, it was next debated, who should
command in chief on shore; and, after a warm contest, it was at length
agreed, that Captain Rogers and Captain Courtney should each command a
company of seamen, and Captain Dover a party of landmen; that Captain
Dover should give the word of command the first night, and the other two
Captains take their turns.
On Sunday the 10th, Mr. Vanbrugh, the owners agent, was removed from the
council, and Mr. Samuel Hopkins was chosen in his room; the charge
against him was founded on killing the Indian, as already mentioned, and
engaging to vote with Captain Rogers upon all occasions. Captain Dover
likewise charged him with insolence, and with disobeying orders.
On the 12th, the attack of Guayaquil was finally settled, and the whole
fleet set sail for that harbour. Some new regulations were framed, and
fresh encouragement proposed to animate the men to behave resolutely.
The three commanding officers selected each their respective parties,
Captain Dover the marines, and the Captains Rogers and Courtney two
parties of sailors, 75 men in each; Captain Dampier commanded the
artillery, and was to form a body of reserve, to act as occasion should
offer. The whole number employed in this service amounted to 238
effective men. The care of the ships and prizes was at the same time
entrusted to the Captains Cooke and Fry, who, besides a small complement
of sailors, had 226 Indians and blacks on board.
Friday 15. Saw a sail near the shore, and, having little wind, the
Duke’s boat commanded by Captain Fry, and ours by myself, made directly
for her, going off in such haste that neither of us had the swivel guns
we used to carry, nor our full complement of men. The Duke’s boat
nearing her first, she put out Spanish colours, fired a gun, and hoisted
her Spanish flag at the main-top-mast head. The Duke’s boat then lay by
for us to come up. We saw she was French-built, and, by the description
the prisoners had given us, concluded it must be the ship we had been so
long cruising for, which was to carry the Bishop. Our ships being almost
out of sight, and the Spaniards so near the coast, we resolved to lay
her on board on each bow, and accordingly fell to it. The dispute was
hot for a long time, we keeping a constant fire, and the enemy returning
it, who killed two of Captain Fry’s men, besides wounding one of his and
two of mine. One of the killed was Mr. John Rogers, our second
Lieutenant, and brother to Captain Rogers. The Duke’s boat, finding the
enterprize desperate, bore away; and some time after we did the like:
but Captain Fry having put some of his men aboard of us, given us some
powder and shot, and taken in our wounded, I made again to the chace,
resolving to keep her from the shore, and, rather than fail, to clap her
aboard. The Spaniards, perceiving our design, edged off to sea, and we
followed them. Our ships came up apace, and the Dutchess having fired a
shot or two, she struck her colours, and surrendered. The men begged for
good quarter, and we promised them all civility. This ship came from
Panama, and was bound for Lima, to be fitted out for a man of war. There
were 70 blacks, and many passengers, with a considerable quantity of
pearls, on board: the lading consisted of bale goods, and some things
belonging to the Bishop; but they had set him, with his attendants,
ashore at point St. Helena, from whence he was to go by land to
Guayaquil. While the French possessed this vessel, she was called La
Lune d’Or. She was of 270 tons burden, and commanded by Don Joseph de
Arizabella.
Saturday 16. Took a small bark laden with hides, and some flour, and
buried our Lieutenant, being all much concerned for the loss of so good
an officer.
Sunday 17. All things being now in order, our men went aboard the two
barks in order to land, and Captain Fry and I took charge of the ships,
prizes, and prisoners.
Monday 18. At one in the morning, being near the island Santa Clara, our
two barks with the land forces left us.
Tuesday 19. The boats rowed with 45 men towards the island Puna, and
came to a grappling close under the land, out of sight of the look-outs.
We seized the Governor of the island, and sent our carpenter and two or
three hands along the shore, to cut all the bark-logs and canoes in
pieces, for fear they should get away and alarm the town of Guayaquil.