_The =Cygnet=. At the =Philippines=, =Celebes=, and =Timor=. On
the Coast of =New Holland=. End of the =Cygnet=._
[Sidenote: 1687. October.] From the _Bashee Islands_, the Cygnet steered
at first SSW, with the wind at West, and on that course passed 'close to
the Eastward of certain small Islands that lie just by the North end of
the Island _Luconia_.'
[Sidenote: Island near the SE end of Mindanao. Candigar.] They went on
Southward by the East of the _Philippine Islands_. On the 14th, they were
near a small low woody Island, which Dampier reckoned to lie East 20
leagues from the SE end of _Mindanao_. The 16th, they anchored between the
small Islands _Candigar_ and _Sarangan_; but afterwards found at the NW
end of the Eastern of the two Islands, a good and convenient small cove,
into which they went, and careened the ship. They heard here that Captain
Swan and those of the crew left with him, were still at the _City of
Mindanao_.
[Sidenote: December. 27th. Near the SW end of Timor.] The Cygnet and her
restless crew continued wandering about the Eastern Seas, among the
_Philippine Islands_, to _Celebes_, and to _Timor_. December the 27th,
steering a Southerly course, they passed by the West side of _Rotte_, and
by another small Island, near the SW end of _Timor_. Dampier says, 'Being
now clear of all the Islands, and having the wind at West and WbN, we
steered away SSW,[83] intending to touch at _New Holland_, to see what
that country would afford us.'
The wind blew fresh, and kept them under low sail; sometimes with only
their courses set, and sometimes with reefed topsails. [Sidenote: 31st.]
The 31st at noon, their latitude was 13 deg. 20' S. About ten o'clock at
night, they tacked and stood to the Northward for fear of a shoal, which
their charts laid down in the track they were sailing, and in latitude
13 deg. 50' S. [Sidenote: 1688. January. Low Island and Shoal, SbW from the
West end of Timor.] At three in the morning, they tacked again and stood
SbW and SSW. As soon as it was light, they perceived a low Island and
shoal right ahead. This shoal, by their reckoning, is in latitude 13 deg. 50',
and lies SbW from the West end of _Timor_.[84] 'It is a small spit of sand
appearing just above the water's edge, with several rocks about it eight
or ten feet high above water. It lies in a triangular form, each side in
extent about a league and a half. We could not weather it, so bore away
round the East end, and stood again to the Southward, passing close by it
and sounding, but found no ground. [Sidenote: NW Coast of New Holland.]
This shoal is laid down in our drafts not above 16 or 20 leagues from _New
Holland_; but we ran afterwards 60 leagues making a course due South,
before we fell in with the coast of _New Holland_, which we did on January
the 4th, in latitude 16 deg. 50' S.' Dampier remarks here, that unless they
were set Westward by a current, the coast of _New Holland_ must have been
laid down too far Westward in the charts; but he thought it not probable
that they were deceived by currents, because the tides on that part of the
coast were found very regular; the flood setting towards the NE.
[Sidenote: In a Bay on the NW Coast of New Holland.] The coast here was
low and level, with sand-banks. The Cygnet sailed along the shore NEbE 12
leagues, when she came to a point of land, with an Island so near it that
she could not pass between. A league before coming to this point, that is
to say, Westward of the point, was a shoal which ran out from the
main-land a league. Beyond the point, the coast ran East, and East
Southerly, making a deep bay with many Islands in it. On the 5th, they
anchored in this bay, about two miles from the shore, in 29 fathoms. The
6th, they ran nearer in and anchored about four miles Eastward of the
point before mentioned, and a mile distant from the nearest shore, in 18
fathoms depth, the bottom clean sand.
People were seen on the land, and a boat was sent to endeavour to make
acquaintance with them; but the natives did not wait. Their habitations
were sought for, but none were found. The soil here was dry and sandy, yet
fresh water was found by digging for it. They warped the ship into a small
sandy cove, at a spring tide, as far as she would float, and at low water
she was high aground, the sand being dry without her half a mile; for the
sea rose and fell here about five fathoms perpendicularly. During the neap
tides, the ship lay wholly aground, the sea not approaching nearer than
within a hundred yards of her. Turtle and manatee were struck here, as
much every day as served the whole crew.
Boats went from the ship to different parts of the bay in search of
provisions. [Sidenote: Natives.] For a considerable time they met with no
inhabitants; but at length, a party going to one of the Islands, saw there
about forty natives, men, women, and children. 'The Island was too small
for them to conceal themselves. The men at first made threatening motions
with lances and wooden swords, but a musket was fired to scare them, and
they stood still. The women snatched up their infants and ran away
howling, their other children running after squeaking and bawling. Some
invalids who could not get away lay by the fire making a doleful noise;
but after a short time they grew sensible that no mischief was intended
them, and they became quiet.' Those who had fled, soon returned, and some
presents made, succeeded in rendering them familiar. Dampier relates, 'we
filled some of our barrels with water at wells, which had been dug by the
natives, but it being troublesome to get to our boats, we thought to have
made these men help us, to which end we put on them some old ragged
clothes, thinking this finery would make them willing to be employed. We
then brought our new servants to the wells, and put a barrel on the
shoulders of each; but all the signs we could make were to no purpose, for
they stood like statues, staring at one another and grinning like so many
monkies. These poor creatures seem not accustomed to carry burthens, and I
believe one of our ship-boys of ten years old would carry as much as one
of their men. So we were forced to carry our water ourselves, and they
very fairly put off the clothes again and laid them down. They had no
great liking to them at first, neither did they seem to admire any thing
that we had.'
'The inhabitants of this country are the most miserable people in the
world. The Hottentots compared with them are gentlemen. They have no
houses, animals, or poultry. Their persons are tall, straight-bodied,
thin, with long limbs: they have great heads, round foreheads, and great
brows. Their eyelids are always half closed to keep the flies out of their
eyes, for they are so troublesome here that no fanning will keep them from
one's face, so that from their infancy they never open their eyes as other
people do, and therefore they cannot see far, unless they hold up their
heads as if they were looking at something over them. They have great
bottle noses, full lips, wide mouths: the two fore-teeth of their upper
jaw are wanting in all of them: neither have they any beards. Their hair
is black, short, and curled, and their skins coal black like that of the
negroes in _Guinea_. Their only food is fish, and they constantly search
for them at low water, and they make little weirs or dams with stones
across little coves of the sea. At one time, our boat being among the
Islands seeking for game, espied a drove of these people swimming from
one Island to another; for they have neither boats, canoes, nor bark-logs.
We always gave them victuals when we met any of them. But after the first
time of our being among them, they did not stir for our coming.'
It deserves to be remarked to the credit of human nature, that these poor
people, in description the most wretched of mankind in all respects, that
we read of, stood their ground for the defence of their women and
children, against the shock and first surprise at hearing the report of
fire-arms.
[Sidenote: March.] The Cygnet remained at this part of _New Holland_ till
the 12th of March, and then sailed Westward, for the West coast of
_Sumatra_.
[Sidenote: 28th. An Island in Lat. 10 deg. 20' S.] On the 28th, they fell in
with a small woody uninhabited Island, in latitude 10 deg. 20' S, and, by
Dampier's reckoning, 12 deg. 6' of longitude from the part of _New Holland_ at
which they had been. There was too great depth of water every where round
the Island for anchorage. A landing-place was found near the SW point, and
on the Island a small brook of fresh water; but the surf would not admit
of any to be taken off to the ship. Large craw-fish, boobies, and
men-of-war birds, were caught, as many as served for a meal for the whole
crew.
[Sidenote: April. End of the Cygnet.] April the 7th, they made the coast
of _Sumatra_. Shortly after, at the _Nicobar Islands_, Dampier and some
others quitted the Cygnet. Read, the Captain, and those who yet remained
with him, continued their piratical cruising in the Indian Seas, till,
after a variety of adventures, and changes of commanders, they put into
_Saint Augustine's_ Bay in the Island of _Madagascar_, by which time the
ship was in so crazy a condition, that the crew abandoned her, and she
sunk at her anchors. Some of the men embarked on board European ships, and
some engaged themselves in the service of the petty princes of that
Island.
Dampier returned to _England_ in 1691.