Galapagos Islands/a>  Notes  Source  Whalesite

      Before we proceed, something must be said of the Gallapagos Islands, or the enchanted Isles; so call'd by the Spaniards who discover'd them.

There are a great number of 'em, and all uninhabited, lying under, and on both sides of the AEquinoctial. The Eastermost of them is about 110 leagues from the Continent. Map-makers do not place them far enough to the Westward. The Spaniards (from whose Draughts alone they are taken) report them to be many in number, stretching N. W. from the Line, as far as 5 deg. N. but Dampier says, he did not see above 14 or 15. Some of 'em are 7 or 8 leagues long, and 3 or 4 broad. They are of a good height, most of 'em flat and even at the top; 4 or 5 of the Eastermost are rocky, barren, and hilly, producing neither Tree, Herb, nor Grass, except by the Sea-side, and a green prickly Shrub about 10 or 12 foot high, without either Leaf or Fruit; with Bushes of Burton-Wood, which is very good Firing. There's Water on these barren Islands in Ponds and holes among the Rocks. Some other of these Islands are mostly plain and low, and the Land more fertile, producing Trees of divers sorts, unknown to us. Some of the Westermost of them are 9 or 10 leagues long, and 6 or 7 broad; the Mould deep and black. In these are Groves of Mammee-Trees, pretty big Rivers; and in the less Islands are Brooks of good Water. The Sieur de Lussan (who was here with the Freebooters in the Year 1687, after having commended these Isles for their plenty of Land and Sea-Turtle and Fish) writes, Mais d'un autre Cote ces avantages sont combatus par le manquement d'eau, dont ces Isles sont entierement depourvues. But on the other side, all these Advantages are frustrated by the want of Water, of which these Islands are entirely destitute. Cowley tells us, They cou'd find no good Water,

but in one of the Islands lying under the AEquinoctial; whereas Dampier says, there are several pretty big Rivers and Brooks of good Water, as above mention'd. Now the Reader has by these Contradictions had a taste of the Difficulties we encounter with in writing after Travellers; the least we can expect is, that we shall not be accountable for the Errors of Originals, when with great Pains we have endeavour'd to distinguish the best by Comparison with others. The latter informs, that he never met with a place so well stor'd with Land-Turtle, and multitudes of Guano's, as fat and large as any he ever saw, and so tame, that a Man may knock down 20 in an hours time with a Club: Land-Turtle are in such plenty, that 5 or 600 Men might subsist on 'em alone for several months, without any other sort of Provision; they are extraordinary fat, and so sweet, that no Pullets eat finer; one of the largest will weigh 200 pound weight. There are green Snakes on these Islands, but no other Land-Animal; tame Turtle-doves are found here somewhat less than a Pigeon, excellent Meat. Here are good Channels between these Islands, fit for Ships to pass, and in some places Shoal-water, where there grows plenty of Turtle-grass, a sign that there Isles are plentifully stor'd with Sea-Turtle too; the sort here is, a bastard green, and the Shell thicker than other green Turtle in the West-Indies, but their Flesh not so sweet; they are larger than other green Turtle, and the best Feeding for those Animals are among these Islands, here being plenty of Grass. They live here the greatest part of the Year, and then go 100 leagues out to the Continent to lay. The Air of the Galapagos is temperate enough,

considering the Clime; here's constantly a fresh Sea-breeze all day, and cool Winds in the night: The Rains fall in November, December, January, at which time there are Storms mixt with Thunder and Lightning; after these Months come moderate refreshing Showres, and Weather always fair in May, June, July, and August. The first Isle, Capt. Dampier writes, they came to, lies under the AEquator; the next is 2 leagues from that, both rocky and barren; they anchor'd at the North side, a quarter of a mile from Shore, in 16 fathom: 'Tis steep all round this Island, and no anchoring, only at this place, where 'tis but ordinary riding, for the Ground is so steep, if an Anchor starts it never holds again, and the Wind is commonly off from the Land, except in the Night, when the Land-wind comes more from the West. Here's no Water but in Ponds or in the Rocks: That island they first anchor'd at, has Water on the North end, falling down in a stream from high steep Rocks on the sandy Bay, where it may be taken up. Capt. Davis, an Adventurer in the South Sea, staid here three mnonths, and all that while he and his Men fed on nothing but Land-Turtle, so fat, that he sav'd 60 Jars of Oyl out of those he spent, which Oyl serv'd for the same uses as Butter. He found very convenient places to careen in, and good Channels between the Islands, with very good Anchoring-places. Capt. Harris, another South-Sea Adventurer, came hither also, and met with some Islands that had plenty of Mammee-trees, and pretty large Rivers, the Sea plentifully stored with such Fish as at John Fernando's, but larger and fatter; here are particularly abundance of Sharks. The North part of the second Island

they anchor'd at lies 28 m. North of the AEquinoctial. These Isles have plenty of Salt. Being once got out of the verge of the coasting Trade-Wind, in sailing from these Islands to the East- Indies, it blows a very brisk Gale. Capt. Davis steering W.S.W. from thence, till he met the true Trade at E.S.E. steer'd dire&ly South clear from the Line, till he got to the Southward of the Tropic of Capricorn, and so quite without the Trade: Here's a soaking Current, not very strong, but yet so that a Ship could get very little by turning. This is recommended as a very good Stage to the East-Indies, by passing about Terra del Fuego. These Islands are not distinguish'd by Names, except in Cowley's Voyage, and the Chart done for him; his Account of 'em is as follows.

"The first we saw of these Islands lay near the Latitude of 1 deg. 30 m. It makes, high Land, and I call'd it King Charles's Island: We had sight of three more, which lay to the Northward of this: that next to it I call'd Crossman's Island; the next to that, Brattle's; and the third, Sir Anthony Dean's Island. We saw many more to the Westward, one of which, I call'd Eures's Island, another d'Assigny's, and another Bindlos's. We anchor'd in a very good Harbour, lying toward the Northermost end of a fine Island under the AEquinoctial, which I call'd the Duke of York's Island, to the Eastward of which is another fine round Island, and to that I gave the Name of The Duke of Norfolk's,Island: To the Westward of The Duke of York's Island lies another, which I nam'd The Duke of Albemarle's. In the latter is a commodious Bay where you may ride Land-lock'd; and before that Bay lies another Island, which I call'd Sir"

"John Narborough's. Between York and Albemarle Island lies a small one, which I call'd by my own Name, or Cowley's Enchanted Island; for having had a sight of it, upon several Points of the Compass it appear'd always in as many different forms, sometimes like a ruin'd Fortification, sometimes like a great City, &c. To the Bay in York Island I gave the Name of Albany Bay, and to another place, that of York Road. Here are excellent good Water, Wood, &c. and a rich Mineral Ore. To the Northward we saw three more fine Islands; the Eastermost I call'd The Earl of Abingdon's: Then sailing along between the other two, I call'd the Westermost by the Name of the Lord Culpeper, and the Eastermost by that of the Lord Wenman."

'Twas this Voyager who gave Name to Pepys Island, he having it seems a particular fancy to christen the Places he came to, as Seamen generally affect to do, by which means they are oft confounded, Charts render'd different one from another, to the puzling those that use 'em; tho' every Nation wou'd chuse that Appellation which was given by one of themselves, yet when a Name has prevail'd, 'twill always stand. The Vanity of Sharp, to call John Fernando Queen Catherine's Island, has not lost the old Name; and 'tis likely all the fine Denominations given the Galapagos by Cowley will not be found any where but in his own Chart and Voyage, whatever the Fame of those Persons may deserve. We have been the longer about these Islands, because our English Voyagers give the fullest Account of 'em of any; and 'tis probable, that as we become more acquainted with that Passage Eastward, and the South-Sea Trade, they will be found very

commodious to both. We must now continue our Survey of the Coast; and the next Place to be mention'd is

      Cape Passao . . .

      Margin notes have been omitted.

      The map is from the New York Public Library as indicated above.

South Sea Company.
      A View of the Coasts, Countries and Islands within the limits of the South-Sea Company. Containing an account of the discoveries, settlements, progress and present state ... From the River Aranoca to Terra del Fuego,and from thence thorugh the South Sea to the farthest bounds of the late Act of Parliament ... Illustrated with a general map, and particular draughts of the most important places; by Herman Moll
London: J. Morphew, 1711.
pp.119-125.

Galapagos Islands/a>  Notes  Source  Whalesite