Part 25

_August 26._ The Padre aboard, who was zealous to conclude this Treaty with the _Indians_ to our Content, went this Morning a-shore, and return’d a-board in the Evening; while he was a-shore, he writ a Letter to the Priest of the place in our Favour, earnestly recommending a Trade, and expressing the many Civilities we shewed to him and the other _Spanish_ Prisoners, beyond their Expectation, adding that we were sensible of the smallest Favours, and would not fail of making very grateful Returns. He convinc’d the Inhabitants ashore, and also inform’d the Padre, how easily we could land, and burn the Church and Houses, and lay waste all the adjacent Parts; but that we were full of Charity, and very kind to those in our Power. This wrought so well on the People, that they promis’d faithfully they would only wait till to morrow, and if the Padre did not consent, would notwithstanding trade with us. They brought with them a naked _Indian_, who like a Savage view’d very narrowly every Part of our Ship; he was wonderfully taken with the Great Cabbin, where he lay on his Side, scarce satisfy’d after an Hour’s gazing wildly about him, till giving him a Dram of Brandy, and a few Toys to be rid of this Visitant, I obligingly led the Gentleman out, and giving him old Bays for Clothing, our Yall carried him ashore, to influence the rest by our kind Usage of him. At the same time all the rest of our Boats full of Casks, with the Men well arm’d, went up the Creek between us and the Village, for fresh Water, where they accidentally met one of the chief _Indians_ painted, and armed with Bows and Arrows: He came friendly, and advised them to go higher up the River, otherwise the Water would be brackish: They offer’d him a Dram out of a Quart Bottle of strong Brandy; he drank the major Part of it at once, and went away extreamly pleas’d, telling them we should be supply’d with what we wanted from the Village.

_August 27._ Last Night the Boats came from the Village Laden with Water, and brought a Letter from the _Tecames_ Padre, assuring us he would not obstruct our Trade. The Inhabitants also told us, that Cattle, Hogs and Plantains would be ready for us, and desir’d we should bring ashore Bays and other Goods to pay for ’em, which we did, and this Morning our Boats return’d with Black Cattle and Hogs, leaving Capt. _Navarre_, one of our chief Prisoners, and Mr. _White_ our Linguist, to deal with the _Indians_. This Morning we began to heel and clean our Ships Bottoms, and sent several of our best Sailors, and two Carpenters, to assist the _Marquiss_. Ashore our Men keep one half at Arms, while the rest load the Boats, left the _Indians_, who are generally treacherous, should watch an Opportunity to fall on ’em. Our People that came off the Shore took particular notice, that the red Paint with which the _Indians_ were at first daub’d, was a Declaration of War, and after we had amicably treated with them, they rub’d it off, but still kept their Arms. We sent them 3 large Wooden _Spanish_ Saints, that we had out of _Morell_’s Ship, to adorn their Church, which they accounted a great Present; and I sent a feather’d Cap to the chief _Indian’s_ Wife, which was likewise very well accepted, and I had a Present of Bows and Arrows in requital.

_August 28._ Yesterday in the Afternoon we made an end of heeling and cleaning our Ship; our Boats brought from the Shore at several times Water, Plantains, and other Provisions, with Hogs, and 2 Black Cattle. Our Linguist and Prisoner manage their Business beyond Expectation, selling very ordinary Bays at 1 Piece of Eight and half _per_ Yard, and other things in proportion, so that we have Provisions very cheap.

_August 29._ Capt. _Cooke_ buried one _John Edwards_, a Youth, who died of a Complication of Scurvey and the Pox, which he got from a loathsome Negro, whom we afterwards gave to the Prisoners, that she might do no further Mischief on board.

In the Afternoon we concluded how to proceed from this Place as follows.

At a Committee held on board the _Duke_ the _29th_ of _August, 1709_. in _Tecames_ Road.

_We have consider’d our mean Stock of Provisions, and that our Time is far spent; therefore do think it for the good of the Voyage to part with several Negroes, besides those taken in the last Prize, and to make as good a Contract as we can with two or more of the substantial Prisoners, and to return their Produce to Alderman_ Batcheller _and Company, our Owners in_ Bristol, _in the best manner we can, having no other Method to make an advantage of them; we now being design’d to cruize for the_ Manila _Ship: But if any Accident parts us, then our Place of Rendevouz is in the Latitude of Cape_ Corientes _in sight of Land. It is likewise agreed to sell the Hull of the last Prize, to carry the small Bark with us, and to turn one of the_ Guiaquil _Prisoners ashore here, in order to save Provisions._

Tho. Dover, _Pres._ William Stratton, Woodes Rogers, Tho. Glendall, Stephen Courtney, John Connely, William Dampier, John Bridge, Edw. Cooke, John Ballett, Robert Frye, Lan. Appleby. Cha. Pope,

Then we found it necessary to agree as follows.

August 29. 1709.

_In consideration of the great Risque that Capt._ Edward Cooke _and Capt._ Robert Frye _ran in attacking the_ Marquiss, _when in the Hands of the_ Spaniards, _we do in behalf of the Owners agree to give Capt._ Cooke _the Black Boy_ Dublin, _and Capt._ Frye _the Black Boy_ Emanuel _of_ Martineco, _as a free Gift._

Tho. Dover, _Pres._ Charles Pope, Woodes Rogers, John Connely, Stephen Courtney, John Bridge, William Dampier, John Ballet, William Stratton, Lan. Appleby.

[Sidenote: In Tecames Road.]

_August 30._ Yesterday _Peter Harry_ a _Frenchman_, and _Lazarus Luke_ a _Portuguese_, both good Sailors, ran from our Yall ashore. This _Peter Harry_ was he who shot a Centinel at _Guiaquil_ as beforemention’d. We did not punish him, because he was a Foreigner, and did not well understand _English_, but suppose he was afraid of a Prosecution in _England_. Yesterday Evening at the abovemention’d Committees aboard our Ship, after a long dispute, some Measures were agreed on contrary to my Expectations. If we had not grown irresolute since we left _Gorgona_, but continued our Design to put our old Ransomer ashore at _Manta_, and part with our Clog the _Marquiss_, which I so earnestly press’d the _9th_ instant, by this time in all human probability we should have made good our Bargain to the advantage of the Voyage, besides getting Provisions and Necessaries that we shall mightily want. The Goods that we might have vended there for ready Money, I fear will rot before we get the like Opportunity, Time being now so far spent, we must proceed as we agreed for the _Gallapagos_ to get Turtle to lengthen our Provisions, and then for the Coast of _Mexico_ to look for the _Manila_ Ship bound for _Acapulca_. The 2 Negroes given to Capt. _Cooke_ and Mr. _Frye_ in the Committee yesterday, is not an equivalent Gratuity for the Risques they voluntarily ran when they attack’d the _Havre de Grace_, now call’d the _Marquiss_. Such Actions ought sometimes to be particularly rewarded among us, else we may lose great Opportunities of Advantage, for want of due Encouragement to personal Bravery, and in this Action where there was but a few concerned, ’twas a fit and cheap way of encouraging the rest, without Offence to any. We put our young Padre ashore, and gave him, as he desir’d, the prettiest young Female Negro we had in the Prize, with some Bays, Linnen, and other things, for his good Services in helping to promote our Trade for Provisions here. We sent also a _Male_ Negro and Piece of Bays to the _Tecames_ Padre, in acknowledgment of his Kindness. The young Padre parted with us extremely pleas’d, and leering under his Hood upon his black Female Angel, we doubt he will crack a Commandment with her, and wipe off the Sin with the Church’s Indulgence. The _Indians_ ashore promise to bring our Men to us, if they can find ’em, we having offer’d ’em a large Gratuity to do it.

_August 31._ Yesterday in the Afternoon we put ashore our useless Negroes, I having concluded with Sen. _Navarre_, and taken the best Methods we could to be paid at _Jamaica_ for them, he had also 4 Bales of Bays, and one Piece of Camlet, and became obliged to our Owners for 3500 Pieces of Eight, to be remitted by way of _Portobello_, with the _English_ trading Sloops to _Jamaica_; which if he do, ’tis much better than to turn the Negroes ashore as Prisoners of War, as otherwise we must have done to save Provisions. Capt. _Courtney_ took one Obligation, and I the other, he having sign’d a Duplicate to us. We had the best Opinion of this Man’s Honesty and Ability, which made us trust him solely. In the Evening we clear’d our Prisoners, and put them all aboard the Prize, which we left in the Road with only one ordinary Anchor and Hawser, and no Rigging, except what belong’d to the Fore-sail and Fore-yard, which we left them to run the Vessel at High Water into the River. We turn’d ashore here our least responsible Hostage for _Guiaquil_, resolving to keep but two, which must be carried home. According to the last Conclusion in a Committee of the _29th_ instant, we came to sail at 6 this Morning. Capt. _Cooke_ lost 2 _Spanish_ Negroes, which he supposed swam ashore from his Ship in the Night. A fresh Gale at S. S. W. At Noon Cape _St. Francisco_ bore S. by W. 1/2 W. distant about 6 Leagues.

[Sidenote: _Description of Tecames._]

The Land to the Northward, which is the Limits of the Bay of _Tecames_, is a long bluff high Point, and looks white down to the Water. The next Land to the Southward of _Tecames_ is also white Cliffs, but not so high. I saw no Land on any part of the Shore, like those white Cliffs. Between them, which is about 3 Leagues, the Land is lower, full of Wood, and trimming inward makes a small Bay, and the Village of _Tecames_ lies in the Bottom, consisting of 7 Houses and a Church, all low built of split Bamboes, cover’d with Palmetto Leaves, and standing on Posts, with Hog-sties under them. These Houses have notch’d Pieces of Timber instead of Stairs to get up to ’em. The Village lies close by the Water-side, and may be seen when the Bay is open above 4 Leagues. ’Tis suppos’d they had sent off their best Furniture on notice of our Approach, for there was nothing of Worth in their Houses nor Church. The Women had only a Piece of Bays tied about their Middle. The Men are dextrous at hunting and fishing. There is a large Village about 4 Leagues off, where the Padre resides, and several _Indians_ live between these Villages. The next River, 3 Leagues to the Northward, is very large, and call’d _Rio de las Esmeraldas_, but shoal’d; the Country about is thinly inhabited by _Indians_, Mullattoes and Samboes. By the Village of _Tecames_ there’s a River into which a Boat may enter at half Tide; it flows here above 3 Fathom Water, the Flood runs to the Northward, and the Ebb to the Southward; there is an infinite Number of Plantains for 3 Days Journey into the Country, the nearest are about a League from the Houses, and were brought to our Boats down this River in their Canoes. Here runs a great Surf on the Shore, so that were it not in these Parts of the World, it would be but an ordinary Road. Ships generally come in from the Southward, or at least directly in with the Southermost white Land, and then bear away, because (as we were inform’d) there is an ugly Shole runs off the Northernmost white Land, about 2 Leagues into the Sea, being the Place where we had but 8 Fathom Water on the _23d_ instant, as I noted before. We now came in from abreast off Cape _St. Francisco_, Lat. 1°. 00´´. N. and this lies in about E.N.E. near 6 Leagues from Cape _St. Francisco_. We came no nearer than half a League of the Shore, because there is a small Shole off of a Point about half way between _Tecames_; and the Cape, which is an indifferent high Promontory, and as we made it, falls down like Stairs to the Water. We had good clean Ground where we rode near half a League from the Shore in 7 Fathom Water, but a League into the Bottom of the Bay, where the Houses lie, there’s not above 3 Fathom a good Musket-shot from the Shore. There is another River enters in by a single House between us and _Tecames_ Village, where we fetch’d our Water about 2 Leagues up this River; and it’s very narrow, and shoal’d all from the Entrance; we went in on half Flood. Here’s Sea and Land Breezes, as well as on all this Coast near the Main Land; the Sea Breeze at W. and W.S.W. the Land Breeze at S. and S. by E. The Sea Breeze comes generally in the Afternoon, and holds till Midnight, when comes the Land Breeze, which dies away calm towards the Middle of the Day. There’s a Rock under Water at quarter Flood, and a Shoal above a Cable’s Length off Shore, from the first Point as you go in for the narrow River where we water’d. A Ship ought not to come to an Anchor near the Shore, if High Water, in less than 6 Fathom, because at certain times, and out of course, as the _Indians_ told us, the Tide ebbs exceeding low. It’s dry Weather here, tho’ showry to the Northward, being the Limits of the Rains at this time of the Year. From _June_ to _December_ ’tis always dry, and from the Beginning of _January_ to the last of _May_ there are Showers now and then.

The _Indians_ about this Place are sometimes barbarous to the _Spaniards_, as our Prisoners tell us. Our People saw here about 50 armed with Bows and Arrows, and some good Fire-Arms; they are worse to engage than double the Number of _Spaniards_, so that it would have been folly in us to land Men here, where there is so little to be got; and the _Indians_ with poison’d Arrows and Fire-Arms would line the Bushes down to the Water-side, and no doubt we should have lost many of our Men, had we landed by force; so that we are all extremely obliged to Mr. _White_ our Linguist, for negotiating a Trade in so peaceable a manner with these poor mischievous Wretches, which must in Justice be ascrib’d to his good Management, he accomplishing it voluntarily with the Danger of his Life.

’Twas off this Cape that Sir _Francis Drake_ in 1578. took the rich Plate Prize; and Sir _Richard Hawkins_ was taken by the _Spaniards_ in this Bay off of _Tecames_ in 1594. both in Queen Elizabeth’s Time.

_Sept. 1._ At 6 this Morning Cape _St. Francisco_ bore S. E. distant 10 Leagues, from whence we take our Departure. Had fair Weather, Wind at S. W. by S. We saw many Water-snakes, one of ’em crawl’d up the Side of Capt. _Cooke’s_ Ship, but was beat off by his Men. The _Spaniards_ say their Bite is incurable.

_Sept. 6._ This day I had Capt. _Courtney_, Capt. _Cooke_, and Capt. _Dampier_ aboard, who dined with us. Capt. _Cooke_ complain’d of his Ship being crank, and that we need not have tack’d so near the Shore, since we might easily fetch the _Gallapagos_ without Tacking. All agree to this except our Pilot, who is very positive of seeing other Islands about 100 or 110 Leagues from the Main under the Equinox. He tells us he was at them formerly when he was a Buccaneer, and has describ’d ’em in one of the Volumes he calls his Voyages, and says that those Islands we were at lay to the Westward of them; but he must be mistaken, or we had seen them in the last Runs to and from these Islands.

_Sept. 8._ We are run over and beyond where our Pilot affirm’d the Islands were, and no sight of them; so we all agree that the Islands he was at when a buccaneering can be no other but those we were at, and are going to now; the nearest part of them lies 165 Leagues to the Westward of the Main Land.

_Sept. 10._ The _8th_ we made one of the _Gallapagos_ Islands, and in the Morning hoisted out our Pinnace; Capt. Dover and Mr. _Glendall_ went in her for the Shore. The _Dutchess_’s Pinnace return’d very soon laden with Turtle.

[Sidenote: _Arrival among the Gallapagos Islands._]

_ Sept. 11._ Yesterday we came to an Anchor in about 30 Fathom Water, about 2 Miles off Shore, being rocky at bottom. In letting go the Anchor the Buoy Rope was immediately cut off, and our Ship drove; so that we thought our Cable was also cut, but after driving about half a Mile the Ship rode very well. In the Evening our Boats that left us after we came to an Anchor, return’d laden with excellent good Turtle: We sent our Yawl and some Men ashore to turn those Creatures in the Night, but to no purpose, because we afterwards found they only came ashore in the Day. I sent away our Pinnace, and Lieut. _Frye_ to sound out a better anchoring Place, while we hove up the Anchor, and came to sail. Our Boat return’d, and by 10 a Clock we had our Ship again to an Anchor within less than a Mile off the Shore, right against a white sandy Bay. The outermost great Rock being near the Middle of the Island, bore N. by E. distant 6 Miles; the little Rock appearing like a Sail bore W. by S. about 4 Miles. Here we rode very smooth in good sandy Ground; the Wind amongst these Islands generally blows from the S. E. to the S. by W. I went ashore in the Pinnace, and carried Men to walk round the Sandy Bay to get Turtle. The Island is high like the rest, but some low Land on this side down to the Sea; it’s very rocky, dry and barren, with out Water, like those we have already seen.

_Sept. 12._ This Morning I sent to the _Dutchess_, who was at an Anchor a good distance from us, to know how they were stock’d with Turtle. At 10 the Boat return’d with an Account they had about 150 Land and Sea Turtle, but not generally so large as ours: We had no Land Turtle as yet, but about 150 Sea Turtle; the _Marquiss_ had the worst Luck.

_Sept. 13._ The _Dutchess_’s People having inform’d us where they got their Land Turtle, I sent our Pinnace, which at Night return’d with 37, and some Salt they found in a Pond; and the Yawl brought 20 Sea Turtle, so that we are very full of them. Some of the largest of the Land Turtle are about 100 Pound Weight, and those of the Sea upwards of 400: The Land Turtle lay Eggs on our Deck; our Men brought some from the Shore about the bigness of a Goose’s Egg, white, with a large thick Shell exactly round. These Creatures are the ugliest in Nature, the Shell not unlike the Top of an old Hackney Coach, as black as Jet, and so is the outside Skin, but shrivel’d and very rough; the Legs and Neck are long, and about the bigness of a Man’s Wrist, and they have Club Feet as big as one’s Fist, shaped much like those of an Elephant, with 5 thick Nails on the Fore Feet, and but 4 behind; the Head little, and Visage small, like a Snake, and look very old and black; when at first surpriz’d, they shrink their Neck, Head and Legs under their Shell. Two of our Men, with Lieut. _Stratton_, and the Trumpeter of the _Dutchess_, affirm, they saw vast large ones of this sort about 4 Foot high; they mounted 2 Men on the Back of one of them, who with its usual slow Pace carried them, and never minded the Weight: They suppos’d this could not weigh less than 700 Pound. I don’t affect giving Relations of strange Creatures so frequently done by others already in print; but where an uncommon Creature falls in my way, I shall not omit it. The _Spaniards_ tell us they know of none elsewhere in these Seas. This Morning we began heeling our Ship, and found that abundance of Worms had entered the Sheathing; we scrub’d, clean’d, and tallow’d as low as we could.

_Sept. 14._ Yesterday Afternoon we sent a Boat ashore for Wood, they brought off the Rudder and Boltsprit of a small Bark; we fancy’d it might be Mr. _Hattley_’s that we lost amongst these Islands when here before, but on view perceiv’d it to be much older. We also found 2 Jars, and a Place where Fire had been made on the Shore, but nothing to give us farther Hopes of poor Mr. _Hattley_. Our Pinnace came aboard and brought about 18 Bushells of Salt, and 18 Land Turtle more; the Men commend them for excellent Food, especially the Land Turtle, which makes very good Broth, but the Flesh never boils tender: for my own part, I could eat neither sort yet. Having got as much Turtle on board, as we could eat while good, we agreed to make the best of our Way to the Coast of _Mexico_, and this Morning our Consort and the _Marquiss_ were under Sail by 8 a Clock, but we lying farther in were becalm’d, and could not follow them. We caught a good quantity of Fish here, which we split and salted for our future Spending. About 12 a Clock, being calm, we weighed our Anchor, and with the Help of our Boats and Ships Oars got off the Shore.

_Sept. 15._ We had a fine Breeze, came up to the rest, and agreed to lye by with our Heads to the Eastward, till Midnight, being in sight of the Island and Rock where we lost poor _Hattley_, when last here. In the Morning we stood to the Westward amongst the Islands.

[Sidenote: _Departure from the Gallapagos Islands._]

_Sept. 16._ At 4 a Clock in the Afternoon we sent our Yawl for Capt. _Cooke_ and Capt. _Courtney_, with whom we agreed to bear away, seeing so many Islands and Rocks to the Westward, we did not care to incumber our selves amongst them in the Night. By 6 we found the Remedy worse than the Disease, and at Mast head could see all low Rocks almost joining from Island to Island, that we seem’d Land-lock’d for three Parts of the Compass, and no Way open but to the S.E. from whence we came, so we resolv’d to return that Way, and made short Trips all Night, keeping continual Sounding for fear of Shoals, and had from 40 to 60 Fathom Water. In the Morning we had got far enough to Windward to return. We could have no Observation by the Sun, being in our Zenith, tho’ we find the Weather here much colder than in any Latitude within 10 Degrees of each side the Equinox.

_Sept. 17._ Yesterday Afternoon I went a-board the _Marquiss_, being brought too between the two Islands, in sight of the rendezvous Rock I have so often mention’d: Mean while the _Dutchess_ (not being so well provided with Turtle as we) sent her Boat a-shore on another Island, where they got her Lading of excellent Turtle, leaving a vast Number a-shore that they could not bring away. We have as many a-board as we have Room for, being, as we suppose, enough to last us to the _Tres Marias_, if they live. At 7 we all join’d, and agreed to lie by, till 2 in the Morning, when we again jogg’d on with an easy Sail till Day-break. We were a-breast of the Thorowfare, where we tried for Water the last time. I order’d a Gun to be fir’d at a venture, to see if it were possible Mr. _Hattley_ could be there alive, and then seeing or hearing us, might make a Smoak a-shore, as a Signal, but we had no such good Luck; so that our Hopes of him are all vanish’d, and we finally conclude, that we can do no more for him than we have done already.

The 18th and 19th we saw several more Islands, one of ’em a large one, which we suppos’d reach’d near the Equinoctial, and abundance of small Islands betwixt us; the 19th at Noon, we had an indifferent good Observation. Lat. 2°. 2´´. N.

The _Gallapagos_ Islands need no further Description than I have at several Places given of them; only that I believe, as others before have observed, that the Turtle come a-shore in the sandy Bays of these Islands, all the Year round.