Some Say That This Island Got
The Name Isola De Plata From The Spaniards, From The Circumstance Of
Sir Francis Drake Having Carried To This Place Their Ship The Cacafoga,
Richly Laden With Silver, Which They Name Plata.
The anchorage is on the east side, about the middle of the island, close
to the shore, within two
Cables length of the sandy bay, in eighteen or
twenty fathoms, fast ooze, and smooth water, the S.E. point of the
island keeping off the force of the south wind which usually blows here.
In this sandy bay there is good landing, and indeed it is the only place
which leads into the island. A small shoal runs out about a quarter of a
mile from the east point of the island, on which shoal there is a great
rippling of the sea when the tide flows. The tide here has a strong
current, setting to the south with the flood, and to the north when it
ebbs. At this east point also there are three small high rocks, about a
cable's length from the shore; and three much larger rocks at the N.E.
point. All round the isle the water is very deep, except at the
before-mentioned anchorage. Near the shoal there are great numbers of
small sea-tortoises, or turtle, formerly mentioned as found at the
Gallapagos. This island of Plata is four or five leagues W.S.W. from
Cape San Lorenzo.
After remaining one day at this isle, we continued our voyage to Cape
Santa Helena, in lat. 2 deg. 8' S. This cape appears high and flat,
resembling an island, covered on the top with thistles, and surrounded
by low grounds, but without any trees. As it jets far out to sea, it
forms a good bay on its north side, a mile within which is a wretched
Indian village on the shore, called also Santa Helena; but the ground in
its neighbourhood, though low, is sandy and barren, producing neither
trees, grass, corn, nor fruit, except excellent water-melons; and the
inhabitants are forced to fetch their fresh water from the river
Calanche, four leagues distant, at the bottom of the bay. They live
chiefly on fish, and are supplied with maize from other parts, in
exchange for Algatrane, which is a bituminous substance issuing from
the earth near this village, about five paces above high-water mark.
This substance, by means of long boiling, becomes hard like pitch, and
is employed as such by the Spaniards. To leeward of the point, directly
opposite the village, there is good anchorage, but on the west side the
water is very deep. Some of our men were sent under night in canoes to
take the village, in which they succeeded, and made some prisoners; but
the natives set fire to a small bark in the road, alleging the positive
orders of the viceroy.
We returned from thence to the island of Plata, where we anchored on the
26th September, and sent some of our men that evening to Manta, a
small Indian village on the continent, seven or eight leagues from
Plata, and two or three leagues east from Cape Lorenzo. Its buildings
are mean and scattered, but standing on an easy ascent, it has a fine
prospect towards the sea-side. Having formerly been inhabited by the
Spaniards, it has a fine church, adorned with carved work; but as the
ground in the neighbourhood is very dry and sandy, it produces neither
corn nor roots, and only a few shrubs are to be found. The inhabitants
are supplied with provisions by sea, this being the first place at which
ships refresh, when bound from Panama to Lima and other parts of Peru.
They have an excellent spring of fresh water between the village and the
sea. Opposite to this village, and a mile and a half from the shore,
there is a very dangerous rock, being always covered by the sea; but
about a mile within this rock there is safe anchorage, in six, eight,
and ten fathoms, on hard clear sand; and a mile west from this, a shoal
runs a mile out to sea. Behind the town, and directly to the south, a
good way inland, there is a very high mountain rising up into the
clouds, like a sugar-loaf; which serves as an excellent sea-mark, there
being no other like it on all this coast. [161]
[Footnote 161: The great Chimborazo is probably here meant, about 135
English miles inland from Manta, and almost due east, instead of south,
as in the test. - E]
Our men landed about day-break, a mile and a half from the village, but
the inhabitants took the alarm, and got all away, except two old women,
from whom we learnt that the viceroy, on receiving intelligence of
enemies having come across the isthmus of Darien into the South Sea, had
ordered all their ships to be set on fire, all the goats in the isle of
Plata to be destroyed, and that the inhabitants on the coast should keep
no more provisions than were necessary for their present use.
We returned to our ship at Plata, where we remained for some time
unresolved what course to pursue. On the 2d of October, the Cygnet of
London, Captain Swan, came to anchor in the same road. This was a
richly-loaded ship, designed for trading on this coast, but being
disappointed in his hopes of trade, his men had forced Captain Swan to
take on board a company of buccaneers he fell in with at Nicoya, being
those we heard of at Manta, who had come by land to the South Sea under
the command of Captain Peter Harris, nephew to the Captain Harris who
was slain before Panama. As the Cygnet was unfit for service, by reason
of her cargo, Captain Swan sold most of his goods on credit, and threw
the rest overboard, reserving only the fine commodities, and some iron
for ballast.
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