Part 23

_May 27._ At 6 last Night the Body of the Eastermost Island bore S. E. by S. distant 4 Leagues, from whence we took our Departure for the Main. Last Night died _Paunceford Wall_, a Land-man. A fresh Gale at S. E. with cloudy Weather.

[Sidenote: _From the Gallapagos Islands towards Peru._]

_May 30._ Fair Weather with moderate Gales from the S. S. E. to the S. by E. We are forced to water the Bark and Galleon every Day with our Yall: ’Tis a very great Trouble to hoist our Boat out daily; now that our Men are so very weak. Senior _Morell_, and the other Prisoners, tell us, that it frequently proves Calm between these Islands and the _Terra firma_, at this time of the Year, which if it should now happen, but for a few Days, would very much incommode us for Want of Water. Had we supplied our selves well at Point _Arena_, we should, no doubt, have had time enough to find the Island _S. Maria de l’Aquada_, reported to be one of the _Gallapagos_, where there is Plenty of good Water, Timber, Land and Sea Turtle, and a safe Road for Ships. This was the Place we intended for, and would have been very suitable to our Purpose, which was to lie some Time concealed. It’s probable there is such an Island, because one Capt. _Davis_,[133] an _Englishman_, who was a buccaneering in these Seas, above 20 Years ago, lay some Months and recruited here to Content: He says, that it had Trees fit for Masts; but these sort of Men, and others I have convers’d with, or whose Books I have read, have given very blind or false Relations of their Navigation, and Actions in these Parts, for supposing the Places too remote to have their Stories disprov’d, they imposed on the Credulous, amongst whom I was one, till now I too plainly see, that we cannot find any of their Relations to be relied on: Therefore I shall say no more of these Islands, since by what I saw of ’em, they don’t at all answer the Description that those Men have given us.

Nothing more remarkable happen’d till the 6th of _June_, but that _Thomas Morgan_, a _Welch_ Land-man, died the 31st of _May_; _George Bishop_, another Land-man, the 4th of _June_; and that we had Advice from some of our Men on board the Galeon, that the Prisoners and Blacks there had form’d a Plot to murder the _English_, and run away with the Ship in the Night. We examin’d the _Spaniards_ who positively denied it; yet some of the Blacks own’d there had been such a Discourse betwixt some Negroes and _Indians_, but they did not believe they were in earnest: So we contented our selves to disperse those Prisoners into several Ships, as the best Way to break the Cabal.

_June 6._ Yesterday at 4 a Clock in the Afternoon we spied a Sail, and at the same time saw the Land, the _Dutchess_ being a Mile a Head, gave chase first, we followed, and about 7 in the Evening the _Dutchess_ took her; we immediately sent our Boat aboard, and took out some of the Prisoners. She was a Vessel of about 90 Tun, bound from _Panama_ to _Guiaquil_, call’d the St. _Thomas de Villa nova_ and St. _Demas_, _Juan Navarro Navaret_ Commander. There were about 40 People aboard, including 11 Negro-Slaves, but little of _European_ Goods, except some Iron and Cloth. Captain _Courtney_ sent to tell me, the Prisoners he had knew nothing of our being in these Seas, and brought no News from _Europe_, but confirm’d the Story that they expected the Arrival of a Squadron from _England_, my Lord _Peterborough_, Admiral and General, by Sea and Land, which was dreaded every Day, and that they were inform’d he design’d to secure some Port in the North Sea, and send part of his Squadron to the South Sea. They had a Passenger of Note on board, call’d Don _Juan Cardoso_, he was going to be Governour of _Baldivia_, and said he had been taken not long before in the North Sea, by _Jamaica_ Cruisers. We bore away by Agreement for the Island _Gorgona_. This Morning we saw _Gallo_, near the Shore, a small Island, and the Main to the North of it, which by the Shore is low Land. Our late Prize ran aboard the _Havre de Grace_, and lost her Main Top-mast, but did little Damage to the other Ship. The _Dutchess_ took the Prize into a Tow. We had a good Observation. Lat. 2°. 00´´. N.

_June 7._ Yesterday at 2 in the Afternoon we made the Island of _Gorgona_; about 4 the Body bore E. N. E. 5 Leagues.

_June 8._ Yesterday at 4 in the Afternoon we got to an Anchor, about a good Cable’s Length from the Shore in 30 Fathom Water, on the East side of the Island; the Southermost point of it in sight bore S. E. about 3 Miles, and the Rocks off the North Point bore N. half W. a Mile and a half.

_June 8._ At 8 this Morning we spied a Sail to the Southward of the Island, between it and the Main; our Pinnace being a-shore for Water, the _Dutchess_’s Boat went first after her, ours followed on the other side of the Island, that if the Prize bore away, she might meet her on the West Side. In the mean time I took in Water from the Island.

[Sidenote: _In Gorgona Road._]

_June 9._ Yesterday in the Afternoon our Boats return’d and brought the Prize with them, being a small Bark of about 35 Tuns, call’d the _Golden Sun_; she belong’d to a Creek within this Island, on the Main, and was bound for _Guiaquil_, _Andros Enriques_ Master, with 10 _Spaniards_ and _Indians_, and some _Negroes_; no Cargo but a very little Gold Dust, and a large Gold Chain, together about 500 _l._ value, which were secur’d aboard the _Dutchess_. The Prize design’d to purchase Salt and Brandy with ’em. The Prisoners said they had no Notice of us, so that News does not spread in this Country so fast as we believ’d, especially this Way; the Land being, as I am informed, full of Woods and Rivers, and bad for Travellers or Posts. About 6 in the Evening there was a Consultation on board the _Dutchess_, with some of my Officers, Capt. _Dover_ and others; being discompos’d I was not with them, but resolved to act in consortship, according to their Agreement. After they had examin’d the Prisoners, they resolved to go to _Malaga_, an Island which had a Rode, where we design’d to leave our Ships, and with our Boats row up the River, for the rich Gold Mines of _Barbacore_, call’d also by the _Spaniards_, the Mines of St. _Juan_, from a Village about two Tides up the River of that Name; there we design’d to surprize Canoes, as fitter than our Boats to go against the Stream; for this Time of the Year being subject to great Rains, which makes a strong Fresh down the River, our Pilot, an old _Spaniard_, did not propose to get up to the Mines in less than 12 Days. I had often before suspected his Knowledge, but according to their Resolutions on board the _Dutchess_ we came to sail about 12 a Clock at Night, and steer’d N. E. for the Place. In the Morning I discours’d Captain _Morrel_, as I had done several Times before, and all the rest of the Prisoners, who agreed that this Island, call’d _Malaga_, was an unfrequented Place, and not fit for Ships, that ever they heard of. I had also 2 Prisoners aboard, that were taken in the last Prize, who had been at the said Island very lately; I examin’d ’em separately, and they agreed, that a Ship could not be safe there, and the Place being so narrow, ’twas impossible to get in, but with the Tide, which ran very strong; that the Entrance was full of Shoals, and had not Water enough, but at Spring Tides, for our Ships to get out or in; besides that if a Ship gets loose (as we must moar Head and Stern) she would turn all adrift, and very much endanger the whole; they added that the River was so narrow before we could get to the Mines, that the _Indians_ and _Spaniards_ might fell Trees a cross, and cut off our Retreat, there being thick Woods on the Banks of the River, from whence the _Indians_ would gall us with their poison’d Arrows; for those about the Mines were in Amity with the _Spaniards_, and a bold and a very numerous People. Upon this Information I was surpriz’d that the Council had not inform’d themselves better before they resolved on going to this Place, and immediately sent Mr. _White_ our Linguist with the two Prisoners, on board the _Dutchess_, to undeceive Capt. _Courtney_ and his Officers, and to desire his Company with some of the rest without Loss of Time, that we might agree how to act for our Safety and Interest, and not to proceed farther on