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      GALAPAGOS, or Galipagos, some islands of the S. sea; also called the Enchanted Isles. They are many, and of different sizes; the larger of them are Mascarin, Tobacco, Devil, Health, Barnabas, and Santiago, this being the only one in which there is sweet water. The English captain Cowley gave them other names at his own discretion, calling the first Charles, the second Crosman, the third Bindlos, the fourth Eures, the sixth Norfolk, and after the same manner christening several others. All these islands are barren and desert, but the climate is mild, delightful, and healthy. They are situate almost under the equinoctial line, and some rather to the s. of it, by a degree and some minutes, others being to the n. by two degrees. They are about 200 leagues to the w. of the coast of Puerto Viejo of Peru. They abound greatly in tortoises; and from this circumstance they take their name. The largest of them should be about 10 leagues

long, and six wide. Amongst them are many capacious channels, fit for the navigation of large vessels. [These islands lie between lat. 1° 45' n. and 1° 31' s.; and between long. 89° 2' and 92° w. There are only nine of them of any considerable `size, the largest of which is about 65 miles in length, and 45 in width, called by the English Albemarle. A number of small isles lie w. from these, on both sides the equator; one of which, Gallego isle, lies in the first degree of n. lat. and 102° of w. long. Many of these isles are well wooded, and some have a deep black mould. Vast quantities of the finest turtle are to be found among these islands, where they live the greatest part of the year; yet they are said to go from thence over to the main to lay their eggs, which is at least 100 leagues distant.]

      Galapagos, another, a small island of the gulf of California, or Mar Roxo de Cortés, very close to the coast, between the cape San Marcos and that of Las Virgenes.

Source.

G. A. Thompson
      The Geographical and Historical Dictionary of America and the West Indies: Containing an Entire Translation of the Spanish Work of Colonel Don Antonio de Alcedo ... with Large Additions and Compilations from Modern Voyages and Travels, and from Original and Authentic Information,
Volume 2
London: J. Carpenter, etc., 1812
Volume 2
pp.124-125