Galapagos Islands Notes Source Whalesite |
C H A P. XIII.
Buccaneers under John Cook arrive at Juan Fernandez. Account of William, a Mosquito Indian, who had lived there three years. They sail to the Galapagos Islands; thence to the Coast of New Spain. John Cook dies. Edward Davis chosen Commander.
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1684.May. . . .
The Buccaneers, finding they were expected on the coast, determined to go with their prizes first to the GalapagoThey sail to They arrived in sight of the Galapagos on the 31st; but were not enough to the Southward to fetch the Southern Islands, the wind being from SbE, which Dampier remarks is the common trade-wind in this part of the Pacific. Many instances occur in South Sea navigations which shew the disadvantage of not keeping well to the South in going to the Galapagos. The two ships anchored near the North East part of one of the Easternmost Islands, Duke of Norfolk's It was during this visit of the Buccaneers to the Galapagos, that the chart of these Islands which was published with |
Cowley's voyage was made. Considering the small opportunity for surveying which was afforded by their track, it may be reckoned a good chart, and has the merit both of being the earliest survey known of these Islands, and of having continued in use to this day; the latest charts we have of the GalapagosAt the Galapagos Where Cook and Eaton first anchored, appears to be the Duke of Norfolk's Island of Cowley's chart. They found there sea turtle and land turtle, but could not stop only one night, on account of two of their prizes, which being deeply laden had fallen too far to leeward [North] to fetch the same anchorage. The day following, they sailed on to the next Island Westward (marked King James's IslandJune. An errorMistake made by Concerning Fresh |
1684. Cowley, after assigning names to the different Islands, adds, "We could find no good water on any of these places, save on the Duke of York's [i. e. King James's] Island. But at the North end of Albemarle Island there were green leavesHerbage on the Animal food was furnished by the Galapagos Islands in profusion, and of the most delicate kind; of vegetables nothing of use was found except the mammee, the leaves just noticed and berries. The name Galapagos which has been assigned to these Islands, signifies Turtle in the Spanish language, and was given to them on account of the great numbers of those animals, both of the sea and land kind, found there. Guanoes, an amphibious animal well known in the West Indies, fish, flamingoes, and turtle-doves so tame that they would align upon the *. The latter part of the above extract is from Cowley's Manuscript.—Captain Colnet when at the Galapagos made a similar remark. He says, "I was perplexed to form a conjecture how the small birds which appeared to remain in one spot, supported themselves without water; but some of our men informed me that as they were reposing beneath a prickly pear-tree, they observed an old bird in the act of supplying three young ones with drink, by squeezing the berry of a tree into their mouths. It was about the size of a pea, and contained a watery juice of an acid and not unpleasant taste. The bark of the tree yields moisture, and being eaten allays the thirst. The land tortoise gnaw and suck it. The leaf of this tree is like that of the bay-tree, the fruit grows like cherries; the juice of the bark dies the flesh of a deep purple." Colnet's Voyage to the South Sea, p. 53. |
1684. At the Sea Turtle.The sea turtle at the Galapagos are of the larger kind of those called the Green Turtle. Dampier thought their flesh not so good as the green turtle of the West Indies. Dampier describes the Galapagos Isles to be generally of good height: "four or five of the Easternmost Islands are rocky, hilly, and barren, producing neither tree, herb, nor grass; but only a green prickly shrub that grows 10 or 12 feet high, as big as a man's leg, and is full of sharp prickles in thick rows from top to bottom, without leaf or fruit. In some places by the sea side grow bushes of Burton wood (a sort of wood which grows in the West Indies) which is good firing. Some of the Westernmost of these Islands are nine or ten leagues long, have fertile land with mold deep and black; and these produce trees of various kinds, some of great and tall bodies, especially the Mammee.Mammee Tree. The heat is not so violent here as in many other places under the Equator. The time of year for the rains, is in November, December, and January." At Albany Bay, and at other of the Islands, the Buccaneers built storehouses, in which they lodged 5000 packs of their prize flour, and a quantity of sweetmeats, to remain as a reserved store to which they might have recourse on any future occasion. Part of this provision was landed at the |
1684. On June the 12th, they sailed from the Galapagos Islands for the Island Cocos, where they proposed to water. The wind at this time was South; but they expected they should find, as they went Northward, the general trade-wind blowing from the East; and in that persuasion they steered more Easterly than the line of direction in which Cocos lay from them, imagining that when they came to the latitude of the Island, they would have to bear down upon it before the wind. Contrary however to this expectation, as they advanced Northward they found the wind more Westerly, till it settled at SWbS, and they got so far Eastward, that they crossed the parallel of Cocos without being able to come in sight of it. |
C H A P. XVI.
Buccaneers under Edward Davis. At Amapalla Bay; Cocos Island; The Galapagos Islands; Coast of Peru. Peruvian Wine. Knight quits the South Sea. Bezoar Stones. Marine productions on Mountains. Vermejo. Davis joins the French Buccaneers at Guayaquil. Long Sea Engagement.
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1685. Wafer has not given the date of this visit, which was the second made by Davis to the Galapagos; but as he stopped several weeks in the Gulf of Amapalla for the recovery of his sick, and afterwards made some stay at Cocos Island, it must have been late in the year, if not after the end, when he arrived at the Galapagos, and it is probable, during, or immediately after, a rainy season. The account published by Wafer, excepting what relates to the Isthmus of Darien, consists of short notices set down from recollection, and occupying in the whole not above fifty duodecimo pages. He mentions a tree at the Island of the Galapagos where they careened, like a pear-tree, "low and not shrubby, very sweet in smell, and full of very sweet gum." Davis and Knight took on board their ships 500 packs or sacks of flour from the stores which had formerly been deposited at the Galapagos. The birds had devoured some, in consequence of the bags having been left exposed. 1686. * Dampier. Manuscript Journal. |
C H A P. XVII.
Edward Davis; his Third visit to the Galapagos. One of those Islands, named Santa Maria de l'Aguada by the Spaniards, a Careening Place of the Buccaneers. Sailing thence Southward they discover Land. Question, whether Edward Davis's Discovery is the Land which was afterwards named Easter Island? Davis and his Crew arrive in the West Indies.
1687. At the Galapagos they again careened; and there they victualled the ship, taking on board a lrage supply of flour, curing fish, salting flesh of the land turtle for sea store; and they saved as much of the oil of the land turtle as filled sixty jars (of eight gallons each) which proved excellent, and was thought not inferior to fresh butter. Captain Colnet was at the Galapagos in the years 1793 and 1794, and found traces, still fresh, which marked the haunts of the Buccaneers. He says, "At every place where we landed |
1687. Since Captain Colnet's Voyage, Captain David Porter of the American United States' frigate Essex, has seen and given descriptions of the Galapagos Islands. He relates an anecdote which accords with Captain Colnet's opinion of ther being fresh water at King James Island. He landed, on its West side, four goats (one male and three female) and some sheep, to graze. As they were tame and of their own accord kept near the landing-place, they were left every night without a keeper, and water was carried to them in the morning. "But one morning, after they had been on the island several days and nights, * Colnet's Voyage to the Pacific, pp. 156-7 |
1687. Davis and his men had leisure for search and to make every kind of experiment; but no one of his party has given any description or account of what was transacted at the Galapagos in this his third visit. Light, however, has been derived from late voyages. The Island * Journal of a Cruize to the Pacific Ocean, by Captain David Porter, in the years 1812-13 & 1814. |
S ta Maria de l'Aguada.given by Dampier and Woodes Rogers, have placed a S ta Maria de l'Aguada several degrees to the Westward of the whole of Cowley's groupe. Don Antonio de Ulloa, on the contrary, has laid it down as one of the Galapagos Isles, but among the most South-eastern of the whole groupe. More consonant with recent information, Pascoe Thomas, who sailed round the world with Commodore Anson, has given from a Spanish manuscript the situations of different Islands of the Galapagos, and among that that of S ta Maria de l'Aguada. The most Western in the Spanish list published by Thomas is named S ta Margarita, and is the same with the Albemarle Island in Cowley's chart. The S ta Maria de l'Aguada is set down in the same Spanish list in latitude 1° 10' S, and 19 minutes in longitude more East than the longitude given of S ta Margarita, which situation is due South of Cowley's King James's Island. Captain Colnet saw land due South of King James's Island, which he did not anchor at or examine, and appears to have mistaken for the King Charles's Island of Cowley's chart. On comparing Captain Colnet's chart with Cowley's, it is evident that Captain Colnet has given the name of Lord Chatham's Isle to Cowley's King Charles's Island, the bearings and distance from the South end of Albemarle Island being the same in both, i.e. due East about 20 leagues. It follows that the Charles Island of Colnet's chart was not seen by Cowley, and that it is the S ta Maria de l'Aguada of the Spaniards. It has lately been frequented by English and American vessels employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery, who have found a good harbour on its North side, with wood and fresh water; and marks are yet discoverable that it was formerly a careening place of the buccaneers. Mr. Arrowsmith has added this harbour to Captain Colnet's chart, on the authority of information communicated by the master of a South Sea whaler. |
S ta Maria de l'Aguada. From Captain David Porter's Journal, it appears that the watering place at S ta Maria de l'Aguada is three miles distant from any part of the sea-shore; and that the supply it yields is not constant. On arriving a second time at the Galapagos, in the latter part of August, Captain Porter sent a boat on shore to this Island. Captain Porter relates, "I gave directions that our former watering-place there should be examined, but was informed that they were entirely dried up." Cowley's chart, being original, a buccaneer performance, and not wholly out of use, is annexed to this account [see p. 144]; with the insertion, in unshaded outline, of the S ta Maria de l'Aguada, according to its situation with respect to Albemarle Island, as laid down in the last edition of Captain Colnet's chart, published by Mr. Arrowsmith. This unavoidably makes a difference in the latitude equal to the difference between Cowley's and Captain Colnet's latitude of the South end of Albemarle Island. In Captain Colnet's chart, the North end of S ta Maria de l'Aguada is laid down in 1° 15' S. The voyage of the Essex gives reasonable expectation of an improved chart of the Galapagos Isles, the Rev. Mr. Adams, who sailed as Chaplain in that expedtion, having employed himself in surveying them. 1687. |
PART II.
VOYAGES and DISCOVERIES in the SOUTH SEA, AFER THE RETREAT OF THE BUCCANEERS. |
C H A P. V.
Voyage of M. de Beuchesne Gouin.
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1700. |
PART II. |
C H A P. X.
Voyage of the Ships Duke and Dutchess, of Bristol, round the World. . . . .
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May.On May the 8th, the Duke and Dutchess, with four prize vessels, sailed from the coast of Peru for the Galapagos Islands, carrying with them some Spaniards who had been delivered as hostages for payment of the ransom, the terms agreed upon not having been fulfilled by about 3000 dollars. In the passage to the Galapagos, the fever broke out on board the ships, and immediately spread in an alarming manner. "This day, the 11th, say the Journal, Captain Courtney was taken ill, and Captain Dover went on board the Dutchess to prescribe for him. Twenty of our men have been taken ill within this twenty-four hours of a malignant fever, we suppose contracted at Guayaquil". At the |
Part II. Unfortunately, and rather unaccountably, Captain Rogers had neglected to take a supply of fresh water on board his ships whilst they were in the Bay of Guayaquil. Since their arrival at the Galapagos, ten men of the crews had died, and the sickness still raged: they were now threatened with a scarcity of water, on which accounts it was determined in a consultation, to stand over to the Continent to water the ships, and to return to the Galapagos to llok for Simon Hatley and his men. The Island of the Galapagos first made by the Duke and Dutchess was the King Charles's Island of Cowley's chart; and it is probable, that his Rendezvous Rock is the Dalrymple Rock of Captain Colnet's chart. Captain Rogers in expressing his regret that he had not watered his ships before he sailed to the Galapagos, says that he was thereby prevented from giving himself time to look for the Island Santa Maria de l'Aguada, "reported to be one of the Galapagos where there is good water, timber, and a safe road, where it is said Captain Davis the Buccaneer lay some months and recruited to content." On the evening of the 26th they made sail from the Galapagos, and on June June. the 5th they made the Continent. The same day, they captured a small vessel from Panama bound for Guayquil, having on board some passengers and negroes. The |
CHAP. 10. July.July the 11th, they landed a number of prisoners on the main land. On the 18th, a negroe belonging to the Dutchess was bit by a small brown-speckled snake, and died within twelve hours after. Snakes.There are many snakes on Gorgona, some very large. Woodes Rogers saw one as thick as his leg and three yards long. He describes an animal caught at Gorgona, which he calls a Sloth;Animal called The ships remained at Gorgona till August, with tents erected on shore for the sick. During that time they had frequent communication with the Spaniards on the main, many of whom came to purchase prize goods, for which they paid sometimes in money and sometimes in provisions. The most valuable of the prize goods that were not disposed of, were taken into the Duke, Dutchess and Marquis, and the prize vessels, the Marquis excepted, were purchased by their former possessors. Captain Rogers proposed that the Marquis should be sent to Brasil, where he thought her cargo might be disposed of to much advantage; but the majority of the council opposed such a separation. |
PART II. The 18th, they took a small bark from Panama bound for Guayaquil, with 24 negroes in her. They learnt by this vessel that two large French ships were cruising in search of them. On the 24th, they anchored in the Bay de AtacamesBay de Atacames. Westward from the Bay of Atacames, about half way towards Cape San Francisco, is a point off which runs a small shoal, on which account it is recommended not to approach nearer than within half a league of the shore; and also not to anchor in less depth than six fathoms near this shore, because the tides sometimes, out of the ordinary course, ebb exceedingly low. On the 31st, the three ships, with a tender, left the coast |
CHAP. 10. Here they supplied themselves with land and sea turtel, fish, good salt, and wood. No fresh water was found, nor was it now much sought after. Search was made for the bark which Simon Hatley had commanded, but nothing was seen that gave any information concerning her or her people. The rudder and bowsprit of a small vessel were found, which at first were supposed to have belonged to Hatley's; but on examination that appeared to be much older. Of the Island The Galapagos Islands, from their proximity to the Continent, havd not constantly the regular trade-wind, and the sea near them is subject to strong currents. Captain Colnet remarked, in the month of June, near the Galapagos, a current so strong and irregular as to change the ship's course agains the helm, though sailing at the rate of 3½ miles per hour*. The dif- * Colnet's Voyage, p. 45-46. |
Part II. September the 17th, Captain Rogers sailed from the Galapagos Islands for the coast of New Spain, with the intention to look out for the arrival of the Galeon from the Philippines, and afterwards to sail for the East Indies. |
Notes.
The Galapagos extracts are those used by John Woram in his now defunct website at "galapagos.to" Sidenotes or margin notes which appear in the outer margins of the original publication are displayed here in the right margin. James Burney (13 June 1750 – 17 November 1821) was an English rear-admiral, who accompanied Captain Cook on his last two voyages. He later wrote two books on naval voyages and a third on the game of whist. [Wikipedia.] |
Source.
James Burney.
This transcription was made from the volume at Google Books.
Last updated by Tom Tyler, Denver, CO, USA, Sep 11 2022.
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Galapagos Islands Notes Source Whalesite |