Trade we might have in those Seas, I shall add the following
Observations from M. _de Beauchesne_; who says, that tho he was look’d
upon as a Free-Booter, and that the then _Spanish_ Governours on those
Coasts were forbid to trade or suffer the People to trade with any but
their own Subjects in those Seas, and that at _Valdivia_ and other
places they fir’d at him when he approach’d their Harbours, and deny’d
so much as to sell him any Provisions, or to suffer him to wood or
water; yet at _Rica_ some particular Persons traded with him to the
Value of 50000 Crowns, and told him, That that place was not so proper
for them to act so manifestly contrary to Law, but if he went to a place
more retir’d, they would buy all he had, tho both his Ships were full of
Goods. Accordingly, when he came to _Hilo_, a great number of Merchants
bought all that he had of Value at good rates. He owns that the Cloth he
had on board was half rotten, that the Merchants were vex’d at their
Disappointment, and express’d their Resentment that he should come to
those parts so ill provided: but in other places the People bought all
to the very Rags he had on board, and brought him Provisions in
abundance to sell, tho they were forbid doing so on pain of Death; and
the Officers themselves conniv’d at it.
He return’d by the way of Cape _Horne_ in 58 deg. 15 min. _January_
1701. and had as good a Passage and Season as could be desir’d, but saw
no Land on either side till the 19_th_ of _January_ 1701. when he
discover’d a small Island about 3 or 4 Ls. round, in Lat. 52. odd min.
not mark’d in our Maps, with strong Currents near it; and on the 20_th_
he came to the Isle of _Sebald de Wert_, which is a marshy Land with
some rocky Mountains, no Trees, but abundance of Sea-Flow.
[Sidenote: _Account of the Straits of Le Maire._]
It is proper here likewise to give an Account of the Straits of _Le
Maire_, so call’d from _James Le Maire_ an _Amsterdam_ Merchant, their
Discoverer in 1615. They lie in S. Lat. 55. 36. and are form’d by the
_Terra del Fuego_ on the West, and an Island by the _Dutch_ call’d
_Staten-landt_, or the Country of the States, on the E. The Straits are
8 Leagues wide, with good Roads on each side, and plenty of Fish and
Fowl. The Land on both sides is high and mountainous. The Discoverers
saw very large Fowls bigger than Sea-Mews, and their Wings when extended
above a Fathom long each. They were so tame that they flew into the
Ships, and suffer’d the Sailors to handle them. In Lat. 57. they saw two
barren Islands, which they call’d _Barnevelt_; and the South Cape of
_Terra del Fuego_, which runs out in a Point to Lat. 57. 48. they nam’d
Cape _Horne_. Some compute this Strait to be only 5 Leagues in Length.
_Ovalle_[121] says, that in 1619 the King of _Spain_ being inform’d that
_Le Maire_ had discover’d these Straits, he sent two Vessels to make a
further Discovery of ’em. These Ships came to the East side of the
Straits of _Magellan_, where the Crew found a sort of Giants higher by
the Head than any _Europeans_, who gave them Gold in exchange for
Scissars and other Bawbles; but this can’t be rely’d on. They went thro
this Strait in less than a day’s time, it being not above 7 Leagues in
length.
I return now to my Journal.
_Jan. 16._ Fresh Gales of Wind with cloudy Weather. These 24 hours we
had extraordinary smooth Water, as if we were close under Land:
Indifferent warm Weather. Wind from the W S W. to W by N.
_January 20._ Yesterday at three in the Afternoon we saw high Land
bearing E by N. dist. about 10 Ls. being the Land about Port _St.
Stephen’s_ on the Coast of _Patagonia_ in the _South-Sea_, describ’d in
the Draughts. S. Lat. 47.
_Jan. 22._ Fair Weather, with fresh Gales of Wind from W by S. to the W
N W. Last night _George Cross_ died; he was a Smith by Trade, and
Armourer’s Mate. We and the _Dutchess_ have had a great many Men down
with the Cold, and some with the Scurvey; the Distemper that this Man
died of. The _Dutchess_ had always more sick Men than we, and have so
now: They buried but one Man that died of Sickness, and tell us they
hope the rest will recover. We have but one Man whose Life we doubt of,
tho most want a Harbour. This day Capt. _Courtney_ and Capt. _Cook_
din’d with us. At two a clock we saw the Land on the Coast of
_Patagonia_, being very high, distant about 14 Ls. Lat. 44. 9. S.
_Jan. 26._ Fresh Gales with Clouds and Rain. We spoke with our Consort
this day, who complains their Men grow worse and worse, and want a
Harbour to refresh ’em; several of ours are also very indifferent, and
if we don’t get ashore, and a small Refreshment, we doubt we shall both
lose several Men. We are very uncertain of the Latitude and Longitude of
_Juan Fernandez_, the Books laying ’em down so differently, that not one
Chart agrees with another; and being but a small Island, we are in some
doubts of striking it, so design to hale in for the main Land to direct
us.
_Jan. 27._ Fair Weather, smooth Water, pleasant Gales of Wind, veerable
from the W. to the N W. had a good Amplitude, found the Variation to be
10 deg. Eastward. This is an excellent Climate. Lat. 36. 36. S.
_Jan. 28._ We have had moderate Weather. At six a clock we saw the Land,
the Eastermost appearing like an Island, which we agree to be the Island
of _St. Mary_ on the Coast of _Chili_: it bore E by N. dist. 9 or 10 Ls.
Our Consort’s Men are very ill; their want of Clothes, and being often
wet in the cold Weather, has been the greatest cause of their being more
sick than our Ships Company.
_Jan. 31._ These 24 hours we had the Wind between the S. and S W by W.
At seven this morning we made the Island of _Juan Fernandez_; it bore W
S W. dist. about 7 Ls. at Noon W by S. 6 Ls. We had a good Observ. Lat.
34. 10. S.
[Sidenote: _We Make the Isle of Juan Fernandez._]
_February 1._ About two yesterday in the Afternoon we hoisted our
Pinnace out; Capt _Dover_ with the Boats Crew went in her to go ashore,
tho we could not be less than 4 Ls. off. As soon as the Pinnace was
gone, I went on board the _Dutchess_, who admir’d our Boat attempted
going ashore at that distance from Land: ’twas against my Inclination,
but to oblige Capt. _Dover_ I consented to let her go. As soon as it was
dark, we saw a Light ashore; our Boat was then about a League from the
Island, and bore away for the Ships as soon as she saw the Lights. We
put out Lights abroad for the Boat, tho some were of opinion the Lights
we saw were our Boats Lights; but as Night came on, it appear’d too
large for that. We fir’d one Quarter-Deck Gun and several Muskets,
showing Lights in our Mizen and Fore-Shrouds, that our Boat might find
us, whilst we ply’d in the Lee of the Island. About two in the Morning
our Boat came on board, having been two hours on board the _Dutchess_,
that took ’em up a-stern of us: we-were glad they got well off, because
it begun to blow. We are all convinc’d the Light is on the shore, and
design to make our Ships ready to engage, believing them to be _French_
Ships at anchor, and we must either fight ’em or want Water, _etc._
_Febr. 2._ We stood on the back side along the South end of the Island,
in order to lay in with the first Southerly Wind, which Capt. _Dampier_
told us generally blows there all day long. In the Morning, being past
the Island, we tack’d to lay it in close aboard the Land; and about ten
a clock open’d the South End of the Island, and ran close aboard the
Land that begins to make the North-East side. The Flaws[122] came heavy
off shore, and we-were forc’d to reef our Top-sails when we open’d the
middle Bay, where we expected to find our Enemy, but saw all clear, and
no Ships in that nor the other Bay next the N W. End. These two Bays are
all that Ships ride in which recruit on this Island, but the middle Bay
is by much the best. We guess’d there had been Ships there, but that
they were gone on sight of us. We sent our Yall ashore about Noon, with
Capt. _Dover_, Mr. _Frye_, and six Men, all arm’d; mean while we and the
_Dutchess_ kept turning to get in, and such heavy Flaws came off the
Land, that we were forc’d to let fly our Topsail-Sheet, keeping all
Hands to stand by our Sails, for fear of the Wind’s carrying ’em away:
but when the Flaws were gone, we had little or no Wind. These Flaws
proceeded from the Land, which is very high in the middle of the Island.
Our Boat did not return, so we sent our Pinnace with the Men arm’d, to
see what was the occasion of the Yall’s stay; for we were afraid that
the _Spaniards_ had a Garison there, and might have seiz’d ’em. We put
out a Signal for our Boat, and the _Dutchess_ show’d a _French_ Ensign.
Immediately our Pinnace returned from the shore, and brought abundance
of Craw-fish, with a Man cloth’d in Goat-Skins, who look’d wilder than
the first Owners of them. He had been on the Island four Years and four
Months, being left there by Capt. _Stradling_ in the _Cinque-Ports_; his
Name was _Alexander Selkirk_ a _Scotch_ Man, who had been Master of the
_Cinque-Ports_, a Ship that came here last with Capt. _Dampier_, who
told me that this was the best Man in her; so I immediately agreed with
him to be a Mate on board our Ship. ’Twas he that made the Fire last
night when he saw our Ships, which he judg’d to be _English_. During
his stay here, he saw several Ships pass by, but only two came in to
anchor. As he went to view them, he found ’em to be _Spaniards_, and
retir’d from ’em; 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_ in these
parts, because he apprehended they would murder him, or make a Slave of
him in the Mines, for he fear’d they would spare no Stranger that might
be capable of discovering the _South-Sea_. 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 pursu’d him into
the Woods, where he climb’d to the top of a Tree, at the foot of which
they made water, and kill’d 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_ in _Scotland_, and was bred a Sailor from his Youth.
The reason of his being left here was a difference betwixt him and his
Captain; which, together with the Ships being leaky, made him willing
rather to stay here, than go along with him at first; and when he was at
last willing, the Captain would not receive him. He had been in the
Island before to wood and water, when two of the Ships Company were left
upon it for six Months till the Ship return’d, being chas’d thence by
two _French South-Sea_ Ships.
[Sidenote: _Account of Alexander Selkirk._]
He had with him his Clothes 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 had much ado to bear up against Melancholy, and the Terror
of being left alone in such a desolate place. He built two Hutts with
Piemento Trees, cover’d them with long Grass, and lin’d them with the
Skins of Goats, which he kill’d with his Gun as he wanted, so long as
his Powder lasted, which was but a pound; and that being near spent, he
got fire by rubbing two sticks of Piemento Wood together upon his knee.
In the lesser Hutt, at some distance from the other, he dress’d his
Victuals, and in the larger he slept, and employ’d 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
constrain’d 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, serv’d him both for Firing and Candle, and
refresh’d him with its fragrant Smell.
He might have had Fish enough, but could not eat ’em for want of Salt,
because they occasion’d a Looseness; except Crawfish, which are there as
large as our Lobsters, and very good: These he sometimes boil’d, and at
other times broil’d, as he did his Goats Flesh, of which he made very
good Broth, for they are not so rank as ours: he kept an Account of 500
that he kill’d while there, and caught as many more, which he mark’d on
the Ear and let go. When his Powder fail’d, he took them by speed of
foot; for his way of living and continual Exercise of walking and
running, clear’d him of all gross Humours, so that he ran with wonderful
Swiftness thro the Woods and up the Rocks and Hills, as we perceiv’d
when we employ’d him to catch Goats for us. We had a Bull-Dog, which we
sent with several of our nimblest Runners, to help him in catching
Goats; but he distanc’d and tir’d both the Dog and the Men, catch’d the
Goats, and brought ’em 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 pursu’d it
with so much Eagerness that he catch’d hold of it on the brink of a
Precipice, of which he was not aware, the Bushes having hid it from him;
so that he fell with the Goat down the said Precipice a great height,
and was so stun’d and bruis’d with the Fall, that he narrowly escap’d
with his Life, and when he came to his Senses, found the Goat dead under
him. He lay there about 24 hours, and was scarce able to crawl to his
Hutt, which was about a mile distant, or to stir abroad again in ten
days.
He came at last to relish his Meat well enough without Salt or Bread,
and in the Season had plenty of good Turnips, which had been sow’d there
by Capt. _Dampier_’s Men, and have now overspread some Acres of Ground.
He had enough of good Cabbage from the Cabbage-Trees, and season’d his
Meat with the Fruit of the Piemento Trees, which is the same as the
_Jamaica_ Pepper, and smells deliciously. He found there also a black
Pepper call’d _Malagita_, which was very good to expel Wind, and against
Griping of the Guts.
He soon wore out all his Shoes and Clothes by running thro the Woods;
and at last being forc’d to shift without them, his Feet became so hard,
that he run every where without Annoyance: and it was some time before
he could wear Shoes after we found him; for not being us’d to any so
long, his Feet swell’d when he came first to wear ’em again.
After he had conquer’d his Melancholy, he diverted himself sometimes by
cutting his Name on the Trees, and the Time of his being left and
Continuance there. He was at first much pester’d 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 gnaw’d
his Feet and Clothes while asleep, which oblig’d him to cherish the Cats
with his Goats-flesh; by which many of them became so tame, that they
would lie about him in hundreds, and soon deliver’d him from the Rats.
He likewise tam’d some Kids, and to divert himself would now and then
sing and dance with them and his Cats: so that by the Care of Providence
and Vigour of his Youth, being now but about 30 years old, he came at
last to conquer all the Inconveniences of his Solitude, and to be very
easy. When his Clothes wore out, he made himself a Coat and Cap of
Goat-Skins, which he stitch’d 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 wore to the back, he made others as well as he could of
some Iron Hoops that were left ashore, which he beat thin and ground
upon Stones. Having some Linen Cloth by him, he sow’d himself Shirts
with a Nail, and stitch’d ’em with the Worsted of his old Stockings,
which he pull’d out on purpose. He had his last Shirt on when we found
him in the Island.
At his first coming on board us, he had so much forgot his Language for
want of Use, that we could scarce understand him, for he seem’d to speak
his words by halves. We offer’d him a Dram, but he would not touch it,
having drank nothing but Water since his being there, and ’twas some
time before he could relish our Victuals.
He could give us an account of no other Product of the Island than what
we have mention’d, except small black Plums, which are very good, but
hard to come at, the Trees which bear ’em growing on high Mountains and
Rocks. Piemento Trees are plenty here, and we saw some of 60 foot high,
and about two yards thick; and Cotton Trees higher, and near four fathom
round in the Stock.
[Sidenote: _In the Road of Juan Fernandez._]
The Climate is so good, that the Trees and Grass are verdant all the
Year. The Winter lasts no longer than _June_ and _July_, and is not then
severe, there being only a small Frost and a little Hail, but sometimes
great Rains. The Heat of the Summer is equally moderate, and there’s not
much Thunder or tempestuous Weather of any sort. He saw no venomous or
savage Creature on the Island, nor any other sort of Beast but Goats,
&c. as above-mention’d; the first of which had been put ashore here on
purpose for a Breed by _Juan Fernando_ a _Spaniard_, who settled there
with some Families for a time, till the Continent of _Chili_ began to
submit to the _Spaniards_; which being more profitable, tempted them to
quit this Island, which is capable of maintaining a good number of
People, and of being made so strong that they could not be easily
dislodg’d.
_Ringrose_[123] in his Account of Capt. _Sharp_’s Voyage and other
Buccaneers, mentions one who had escap’d ashore here out of a Ship which
was cast away with all the rest of the Company, and says he liv’d five
years alone before he had the opportunity of another Ship to carry him
off. Capt. _Dampier_ talks of a _Moskito Indian_ that belong’d to Capt.
_Watlin_,[124] who being a hunting in the Woods when the Captain left
the Island, liv’d here three years alone, and shifted much in the same
manner as Mr. _Selkirk_ did, till Capt. _Dampier_ came hither in 1684,
and carry’d him off. The first that went ashore was one of his
Countrymen, and they saluted one another first by prostrating themselves
by turns on the ground, and then embracing. But whatever there is in
these Stories, this of Mr. _Selkirk_ I know to be true; and his
Behaviour afterwards gives me reason to believe the Account he gave me
how he spent his time, and bore up under such an Affliction, in which
nothing but the Divine Providence could have supported any Man. By this
one may see that Solitude and Retirement from the World is not such an
unsufferable State of Life as most Men imagine, especially when People
are fairly call’d or thrown into it unavoidably, as this Man was; who in
all probability must otherwise have perish’d in the Seas, the Ship which
left him being cast away not long after, and few of the Company escap’d.
We may perceive by this Story the Truth of the Maxim, That Necessity is
the Mother of Invention, since he found means to supply his Wants in a
very natural manner, so as to maintain his Life, tho not so
conveniently, yet as effectually as we are able to do with the help of
all our Arts and Society. It may likewise instruct us, how much a plain
and temperate way of living conduces to the Health of the Body and the
Vigour of the Mind, both which we are apt to destroy by Excess and
Plenty, especially of strong Liquor, and the Variety as well as the
Nature of our Meat and Drink: for this Man, when he came to our ordinary
Method of Diet and Life, tho he was sober enough, lost much of his
Strength and Agility. But I must quit these Reflections, which are more
proper for a Philosopher and Divine than a Mariner, and return to my own
Subject.
We did not get to anchor till six at night, on _Febr._ 1. and then it
fell calm: we row’d and tow’d into the Anchor-ground about a mile off
shore, 45 fathom Water, clean Ground; the Current sets mostly along
shore to the Southward. This Morning we clear’d up Ship, and bent our
Sails, and got them ashore to mend, and make Tents for our sick Men. The
Governour (tho we might as well have nam’d him the Absolute Monarch of
the Island) for so we call’d Mr. _Selkirk_, caught us two Goats, which
make excellent Broth, mix’d with Turnip-Tops and other Greens, for our
sick Men, being 21 in all, but not above two that we account dangerous;
the _Dutchess_ has more Men sick, and in a worse condition than ours.
[Sidenote: _In the Road of Juan Fernandez._]
_Febr. 3._ Yesterday in the Afternoon we got as many of our Men ashore
as could be spar’d from clearing and fitting our Ship, to wood and
water. Our Sail-makers are all mending our Sails, and I lent the
_Dutchess_ one to assist them. This Morning we got our Smiths Forge put
up ashore, set our Coopers to work in another place, and made a little
Tent for my self to have the Benefit of the Shore. The _Dutchess_ has
also a Tent for their sick Men; so that we have a little Town of our own
here, and every body is employ’d. A few Men supply us all with Fish of
several sorts, all very good; as Silver-fish, Rock-fish, Pollock,
Cavallos, Oldwives, and Craw-fish in such abundance, that in a few hours
we could take as many as would serve some hundreds of Men. There were
Sea-Fowls in the Bay as large as Geese, but eat fish. The Governour
never fail’d of getting us two or three Goats a day for our sick Men, by
which with the help of the Greens and the Goodness of the Air they
recover’d very fast of the Scurvy, which was their general Distemper.
’Twas very pleasant ashore among the green Piemento Trees, which cast a
refreshing Smell. Our House was made by putting up a Sail round four of
’em, and covering it a-top with another Sail; so that Capt. _Dover_ and
I both thought it a very agreeable Seat, the Weather being neither too
hot nor too cold.
We spent our time till the 10_th_ in refitting our Ships, taking Wood on
board, and laying up Water, that which we brought from _England_ and
_St. Vincent_ being spoil’d by the badness of the Casks. We likewise
boil’d up about 80 Gallons of Sea-Lions Oil, as we might have done
several Tuns, had we been provided with Vessels, _&c._ We refin’d and
strain’d it for the use of our Lamps and to save our Candles, tho
Sailors sometimes use it to fry their Meat, when straiten’d for want of
Butter, _&c._ and say ’tis agreeable enough. The Men who work’d ashore
on our Rigging eat young Seals, which they prefer’d to our Ships
Victuals, and said was as good as _English_ Lamb; tho for my own part I
should have been glad of such an Exchange.
We made what haste we could to get all Necessaries on board, being
willing to lose no time; for we were inform’d at the _Canaries_ that
five stout _French_ Ships were coming together to these Seas.
_Febr. 11._ Yesterday in the Evening having little or nothing to do with
the Pinnance, we sent her to the South End of the Island to get Goats.
The Governour told us, that during his stay he could not get down to
that end from the Mountains where he liv’d, they were so steep and
rocky; but that there were abundance of Goats there, and that part of
the Island was plainer. Capt. _Dampier_, Mr. _Glendal_, and the
Governour, with ten Men, set out in company with the _Dutchess_’s Boat
and Crew, and surrounded a great parcel of Goats, which are of a larger
sort, and not so wild as those on the higher part of the Island where
the Governour liv’d; but not looking well to ’em, they escap’d over the
Cliff: so that instead of catching above a hundred, as they might easily
have done with a little precaution, they return’d this Morning with only
16 large ones, tho they saw above a thousand. If any Ships come again to
this Island, the best way is to keep some Men and Dogs at that part of
the Island, and sending a Boat to them once in 24 hours they may victual
a good Body of Men; and no doubt but amongst those Goats they may find
some hundreds with Mr. _Selkirk_’s Ear-mark.[125]