_=Edward Davis=; his Third visit to the =Galapagos=. One of
those Islands, named =Santa Maria de l'Aguada= by the
Spaniards, a Careening Place of the Buccaneers. Sailing thence
Southward they discover Land. Question, whether Edward Davis's
Discovery is the Land which was afterwards named =Easter
Island=? =Davis= and his Crew arrive in the =West Indies=._
[Sidenote: 1687. Davis sails to the Galapagos Islands.] Davis again sailed
to the _Galapagos Islands_, to victual and refit his ship. Lionel Wafer
was still with him, and appears to have been one of those to whom fortune
had been most unpropitious. Wafer does not mention either the joining
company with the French Buccaneers, or the plunder of _Guayaquil_; and
particularises few of his adventures. He says, 'I shall not pursue all my
coasting along the shore of _Peru_ with Captain Davis. We continued
rambling about to little purpose, sometimes at sea, sometimes ashore, till
having spent much time and visited many places, we were got again to the
_Galapagos_; from whence we were determined to make the best of our way
out of these seas.'
At the _Galapagos_ they again careened; and there they victualled the
ship, taking on board a large supply of flour, curing fish, salting flesh
of the land turtle for sea store; and they saved as much of the oil of the
land turtle as filled sixty jars (of eight gallons each) which proved
excellent, and was thought not inferior to fresh butter.
[Sidenote: King James's Island.] Captain Colnet was at the _Galapagos
Isles_ in the years 1793 and 1794, and found traces, still fresh, which
marked the haunts of the Buccaneers. He says, 'At every place where we
landed on the Western side of _King James's Isle_, we might have walked
for miles through long grass and beneath groves of trees. It only wanted a
stream to compose a very charming landscape. This Isle appears to have
been a favourite resort of the Buccaneers, as we found seats made by them
of earth and stone, and a considerable number of broken jars scattered
about, and some whole, in which the Peruvian wine and liquors of the
country are preserved. We also found daggers, nails, and other implements.
The watering-place of the Buccaneers was at this time (the latter part of
April or beginning of May) entirely dried up, and there was only found a
small rivulet between two hills running into the sea; the Northernmost of
which hills forms the South point of _Fresh Water Bay_. There is plenty of
wood, but that near the shore is not large enough for other use than
fire-wood. In the mountains the trees may be larger, as they grow to the
summits. I do not think the watering-place we saw is the only one on the
Island, and I have no doubt, if wells were dug any where beneath the
hills, and not near the lagoon behind the sandy beach, that fresh water
would be found in great plenty[59].'
Since Captain Colnet's Voyage, Captain David Porter of the American United
States' frigate Essex, has seen and given descriptions of the _Galapagos_
Islands. He relates an anecdote which accords with Captain Colnet's
opinion of there being fresh water at _King James's Island_. He landed, on
its West side, four goats (one male and three female) and some sheep, to
graze. As they were tame and of their own accord kept near the
landing-place, they were left every night without a keeper, and water was
carried to them in the morning. 'But one morning, after they had been on
the Island several days and nights, the person who attended them went on
shore as usual to give them water, but no goats were to be found: they had
all as with one accord disappeared. Several persons were sent to search
after them for two or three days, but without success.' Captain Porter
concluded that they had found fresh water in the interior of the Island,
and chose to remain near it. 'One fact,' he says, 'was noticed by myself
and many others, the day preceding their departure, which must lead us to
believe that something more than chance directed their movements, which
is, that they all drank an unusual quantity of water on that day, as
though they had determined to provide themselves with a supply to enable
them to reach the mountains[60].'
Davis and his men had leisure for search and to make every kind of
experiment; but no one of his party has given any description or account
of what was transacted at the _Galapagos_ in this his third visit. Light,
however, has been derived from late voyages.
[Sidenote: The Island S^{ta} Maria de l'Aguada, a Careening Place of the
Buccaneers.] It has been generally believed, but not till lately
ascertained, that Davis passed most of the time he was amongst the
_Galapagos_, at an Island which the Spaniards have designated by the name
of _S^{ta} Maria de l'Aguada_, concerning the situation of which the
Spaniards as well as geographers of other countries have disagreed. A
Spanish pilot reported to Captain Woodes Rogers that _S^{ta} Maria de
l'Aguada_ lay by itself, (i. e. was not one of a groupe of Islands) in
latitude 1 deg. 20' or 1 deg. 30' S, was a pleasant Island, well stocked with
wood, and with plenty of fresh water[61]. Moll, DeVaugondy, and others,
combining the accounts given by Dampier and Woodes Rogers, have placed a
_S^{ta} Maria de l'Aguada_ several degrees to the Westward of the whole of
Cowley's groupe. Don Antonio de Ulloa, on the contrary, has laid it down
as one of the _Galapagos Isles_, but among the most South-eastern of the
whole groupe. More consonant with recent information, Pascoe Thomas, who
sailed round the world with Commodore Anson, has given from a Spanish
manuscript the situations of different Islands of the _Galapagos_, and
among them that of _S^{ta} Maria de l'Aguada_. The most Western in the
Spanish list published by Thomas is named _S^{ta} Margarita_, and is the
same with the _Albemarle Island_ in Cowley's chart. The _S^{ta} Maria de
l'Aguada_ is set down in the same Spanish list in latitude 1 deg. 10' S, and
19 minutes in longitude more East than the longitude given of _S^{ta}
Margarita_, which situation is due South of Cowley's _King James's
Island_.
Captain Colnet saw land due South of _King James's Island_, which he did
not anchor at or examine, and appears to have mistaken for the _King
Charles's Island_ of Cowley's chart. On comparing Captain Colnet's chart
with Cowley's, it is evident that Captain Colnet has given the name of
_Lord Chatham's Isle_ to Cowley's _King Charles's Island_, the bearings
and distance from the South end of _Albemarle Island_ being the same in
both, i. e. due East about 20 leagues. It follows that the _Charles
Island_ of Colnet's chart was not seen by Cowley, and that it is the
_S^{ta} Maria de l'Aguada_ of the Spaniards. It has lately been frequented
by English and by American vessels employed in the South Sea Whale
Fishery, who have found a good harbour on its North side, with wood and
fresh water; and marks are yet discoverable that it was formerly a
careening place of the buccaneers. Mr. Arrowsmith has added this harbour
to Captain Colnet's chart, on the authority of information communicated by
the master of a South Sea whaler.
From Captain David Porter's Journal, it appears that the watering-place at
_S^{ta} Maria de l'Aguada_ is three miles distant from any part of the
sea-shore; and that the supply it yields is not constant. On arriving a
second time at the _Galapagos_, in the latter part of August, Captain
Porter sent a boat on shore to this Island. Captain Porter relates, 'I
gave directions that our former watering-places there should be examined,
but was informed that they were entirely dried up.'
[Illustration: GALLAPAGOS ISLANDS, _Described by_ Ambrose Cowley _in
1684_.]
Cowley's chart, being original, a buccaneer performance, and not wholly
out of use, is annexed to this account; with the insertion, in unshaded
outline, of the _S^{ta} Maria de l'Aguada_, according to its situation
with respect to _Albemarle Island_, as laid down in the last edition of
Captain Colnet's chart, published by Mr. Arrowsmith. This unavoidably
makes a difference in the latitude equal to the difference between
Cowley's and Captain Colnet's latitude of the South end of _Albemarle
Island_. In Captain Colnet's chart, the North end of _S^{ta} Maria de
l'Aguada_ is laid down in 1 deg. 15' S.
The voyage of the Essex gives reasonable expectation of an improved chart
of the _Galapagos Isles_, the Rev. Mr. Adams, who sailed as Chaplain in
that expedition, having employed himself actively in surveying them.
[Sidenote: 1687. Davis sails from the Galapagos to the Southward.] When
the season approached for making the passage round _Cape Horne_, Davis and
his company quitted their retreat. The date of their sailing is not given.
Wafer relates, 'From the _Galapagos Islands_ we went again for the
Southward, intending to touch no where till we came to the Island _Juan
Fernandez_. In our way thither, being in the latitude of 12 deg. 30' S, and
about 150 leagues from the main of _America_, about four o'clock in the
morning, our ship felt a terrible shock, so sudden and violent that we
took it for granted she had struck upon a rock. When the amazement was a
little over, we cast the lead and sounded, but found no ground, so we
concluded it must certainly be some earthquake. The sea, which ordinarily
looks green, seemed then of a whitish colour; and the water which we took
up in the buckets for the ship's use, we found to be a little mixed with
sand. Some time after, we heard that at that very time, there was an
earthquake at _Callao_, which did mischief both there and at _Lima_.'
[Sidenote: Island discovered by Edw. Davis.] 'Having recovered our fright,
we kept on to the Southward. We steered SbE 1/2 Easterly, until we came
to the latitude of 27 deg. 20' S, when about two hours before day, we fell in
with a small low sandy Island, and heard a great roaring noise, like that
of the sea beating upon the shore, right ahead of the ship. Whereupon,
fearing to fall foul upon the shore before day, the ship was put about. So
we plied off till day, and then stood in again with the land, which proved
to be a small flat Island, without the guard of any rocks. We stood in
within a quarter of a mile of the shore, and could see it plainly, for it
was a clear morning. To the Westward, about twelve leagues by judgement,
we saw a range of high land, which we took to be Islands, for there were
several partitions in the prospect. This land seemed to reach about 14 or
16 leagues in a range, and there came thence great flocks of fowls. I, and
many of our men would have made this land, and have gone ashore at it, but
the Captain would not permit us. The small Island bears from _Copiapo_
almost due East [West was intended] 500 leagues, and from the _Galapagos_
under the line is distant 600 leagues[62].'
Dampier was not present at this discovery; but he met his old Commander
afterwards, and relates information he received concerning it in the
following words. 'Captain Davis told me lately, that after his departing
from us at _Ria Lexa_, he went, after several traverses, to the
_Galapagos_, and that standing thence Southward for wind to bring him
about the _Tierra del Fuego_, in the latitude of 27 deg. S, about 500 leagues
from _Copayapo_ on the coast of _Chili_, he saw a small sandy Island just
by him; and that they saw to the Westward of it a long tract of pretty
high land, tending away toward the NW out of sight[63].'
[Sidenote: Question whether Edward Davis's Land and Easter Island are the
same Land, or different.] The two preceding paragraphs contain the whole
which either in Wafer or Dampier is said concerning this land. The
apprehension of being late in the season for the passage round _Cape
Horne_ seems to have deterred Davis from making examination of his
discovery. The latitude and specified distance from _Copiapo_ were
particulars sufficient to direct future search; and twenty-five years
afterwards, Jacob Roggewein, a Dutch navigator, guided by those marks,
found land; but it being more distant from the American Continent than
stated by Davis or Wafer, Roggewein claimed it as a new discovery. A more
convenient place for discussing this point, which has been a lasting
subject of dispute among geographers, would be in an account of
Roggewein's voyage; but a few remarks here may be satisfactory.
Wafer kept neither journal nor reckoning, his profession not being that of
a mariner; and from circumstances which occur in Davis's navigation to the
_Atlantic_, it may reasonably be doubted whether a regular reckoning or
journal was kept by any person on board; and whether the 500 leagues
distance of the small Island from the American coast mentioned by Davis
and Wafer, was other than a conjectured distance. They had no superior by
whom a journal of their proceedings would be required or expected. If a
regular journal had really been kept, it would most probably have found
its way to the press.
Jacob Roggewein, the Dutch Admiral, was more than any other navigator,
willing to give himself the credit of making new discoveries, as the
following extracts from the Journal of his expedition will evince. 'We
looked for _Hawkins's Maiden Land_, but could not find it; but we
discovered an Island 200 leagues in circuit, in latitude 52 deg. S, about 200
leagues distant to the East of the coast of _South America_, which we
named _Belgia Austral_.' That is as much as to say, Admiral Roggewein
could not find _Hawkins's Maiden Land_; but he discovered land on the same
spot, which he named _Belgia Austral_. Afterwards, proceeding in the same
disposition, the Journal relates, 'We directed our course from _Juan
Fernandez_ towards _Davis's Land_, but to the great astonishment of the
Admiral (Roggewein) it was not seen. I think we either missed it, or that
there is no such land. We went on towards the West, and on the anniversary
of the Resurrection of our Saviour, we came in sight of an Island. We
named it _Paaschen_ or _Oster Eylandt_ (i. e. Easter Island).'
_Paaschen_ or _Easter Island_ according to modern charts and observations,
is nearly 690 leagues distant from _Copiapo_, which is in the same
parallel on the Continent of _America_. The statement of Davis and Wafer
makes the distance only 512 leagues, which is a difference of 178 leagues.
It is not probable that Davis could have had good information of the
longitudes of the _Galapagos Islands_ and _Copiapo_; but with every
allowance, so large an error as 178 leagues in a run of 600 leagues might
be thought incredible, if its possibility had not been demonstrated by a
much greater being made by the same persons in this same homeward passage;
as will be related. In the latitude and appearance of the land, the
descriptions of Davis and Wafer are correct, _Easter Island_ being a
mountainous land, which will make partitions in the distant prospect and
appear like a number of Islands.
Roggewein's claim to _Paaschen_ or _Easter Island_ as a new discovery has
had countenance and support from geographers, some of the first eminence,
but has been made a subject of jealous contest, and not of impartial
investigation. If Roggewein discovered an Island farther to the West of
the American coast than _Davis's Land_, it must follow that Davis's land
lies between his discovery and the Continent; but that part of the _South
Sea_ has been so much explored, that if any high land had existed between
_Easter Island_ and the American coast, it could not have escaped being
known. There is not the least improbability that ships, in making a
passage from the _Galapagos Isles_ through the South East trade-wind,
shall come into the neighbourhood of _Easter Island_.
Edward Davis has generally been thought a native of _England_, but
according to Lussan, and nothing appears to the contrary, he was a native
of _Holland_. The majority of the Buccaneers in the ship, however, were
British. How far to that source may be traced the disposition to refuse
the Buccaneers the credit of the discovery, and how much national
partialities have contributed to the dispute, may be judged from this
circumstance, that _Easter Island_ being _Davis's Land_ has never been
doubted by British geographers, and has been questioned only by those of
other nations.
The merit of the discovery is nothing, for the Buccaneers were not in
search of land, but came without design in sight of it, and would not look
at what they had accidentally found. And whether the discovery is to be
attributed to Edward Davis or to his crew, ought to be esteemed of little
concern to the nations of which they were natives, seeing the discoverers
were men outlawed, and whose acts were disowned by the governments of
their countries.
Passing from considerations of claims to consideration of the fact;--there
is not the smallest plea for questioning, nor has any one questioned the
truth of the Buccaneers having discovered a high Island West of the
American coast, in or near the latitude of 27 deg. S. If different from
_Easter Island_, it must be supposed to be situated between that and the
Continent. But however much it has been insisted or argued that _Easter
Island_ is not _Davis's Land_, no chart has yet pretended to shew two
separate Islands, one for Edward Davis's discovery, and one for
Roggewein's. The one Island known has been in constant requisition for
double duty; and must continue so until another Island of the same
description shall be found.
[Sidenote: 1687. At the Island Juan Fernandez.] Davis arrived at _Juan
Fernandez_ 'at the latter end of the year,' and careened there. Since the
Buccaneers were last at the Island, the Spaniards had put dogs on shore,
for the purpose of killing the goats. Many, however, found places among
precipices, where the dogs could not get at them, and the Buccaneers shot
as many as served for their daily consumption. Here again, five men of
Davis's crew, who had gamed away their money, 'and were unwilling to
return out of these seas as poor as they came in,' determined on staying
at _Juan Fernandez_, to take the chance of some other buccaneer ship, or
privateer, touching at the Island. A canoe, arms, ammunition, and various
implements were given to them, with a stock of maize for planting, and
some for their immediate subsistence; and each of these gentlemen had a
negro attendant landed with him.
From _Juan Fernandez_, Davis sailed to the Islands _Mocha_ and _Santa
Maria_, near the Continent, where he expected to have procured provisions,
but he found both those Islands deserted and laid waste, the Spaniards
having obliged the inhabitants to remove, that the Buccaneers might not
obtain supply there. The season was advanced, therefore without expending
more time in searching for provisions, they bent their course Southward.
They passed round _Cape Horne_ without seeing land, but fell in with many
Islands of ice, and ran so far Eastward before they ventured to steer a
Northerly course, that afterwards, when, in the parallel of the _River de
la Plata_, they steered Westward to make the American coast, which they
believed to be only one hundred leagues distant, they sailed 'four hundred
and fifty leagues to the West in the same latitude,' before they came in
sight of land; whence many began to apprehend they were still in the
_South Sea_[64], and this belief would have gained ground, if a flight of
locusts had not alighted on the ship, which a strong flurry of wind had
blown off from the American coast.
[Sidenote: 1688. Davis sails to the West Indies.] They arrived in the
_West Indies_ in the spring of the year 1688, at a time when a
proclamation had recently been issued, offering the King's pardon to all
Buccaneers who would quit that way of life, and claim the benefit of the
proclamation.
It was not the least of fortune's favours to this crew of Buccaneers, that
they should find it in their power, without any care or forethought of
their own, to terminate a long course of piratical adventures in quietness
and security. Edward Davis was afterwards in _England_, as appears by the
notice given of his discovery by William Dampier, who mentions him always
with peculiar respect. Though a Buccaneer, he was a man of much sterling
worth; being an excellent Commander, courageous, never rash, and endued in
a superior degree with prudence, moderation, and steadiness; qualities in
which the Buccaneers generally have been most deficient. His character is
not stained with acts of cruelty; on the contrary, wherever he commanded,
he restrained the ferocity of his companions. It is no small testimony of
his abilities that the whole of the Buccaneers in the _South Sea_ during
his time, in every enterprise wherein he bore part, voluntarily placed
themselves under his guidance, and paid him obedience as their leader; and
no symptom occurs of their having at any time wavered in this respect, or
shewn inclination to set up a rival authority. It may almost be said, that
the only matter in which they were not capricious was their confidence in
his management; and in it they found their advantage, if not their
preservation.