Mr Randal Was Sent With Some Jars, To Try What Could Be Done; And
As He Did Not Appear Again When Very Late At Night, I Became
Apprehensive He Was Either Lost, Or, Not Finding Water On The Island,
Had Gone In Search Of It To The Continent.
At length he came back, with
his jars filled, and any one may guess our unspeakable joy on being thus
opportunely delivered from the jaws of death.
He did not bring above
sixty or seventy gallons, and I was at great pains to restrain my men
from using it immoderately, allowing only a quart to be distributed
immediately to each man. What made me the more strict on this occasion
was, that Mr Randal assured me we should hardly get any more, the
breakers were so very dangerous. That very night we chanced to have a
shower of rain, on which we used every expedient for catching it, in
sheets, blankets, and sails. During our long thirst we had continually
wished for rainy weather, and had often good reason to expect it, by
seeing many louring black clouds, which seemed every minute ready to
discharge their burdens, yet never did before to any purpose. Next day I
sent our boatswain to make another essay; but after going round the
whole island, and wasting the entire day in search of a smooth beach, he
could not see a single spot where he might venture on shore. Thinking we
had a sufficient stock to carry us to Quibo, we weighed next day; and
while ranging near the island, we saw a smooth beach, on which I sent
our canoe again, which brought back nine jars full of water.
[Footnote 275: It may not be improper to state, that in such extremity
for want of water, great relief has been experienced by remaining
immersed for some time in the sea; the lymphatics of the skin absorbing
water to supply and relieve the system very materially. - E.]
We now pursued our course to the S.E. and arrived in a few days at
Quibo, anchoring at the same place where we had been formerly. We
pursued our business of wooding and watering at this island with
tolerable chearfulness, yet without any great hurry; chiefly because we
were now within eighty leagues of Panama, and it was requisite for us to
deliberate very seriously on our scheme of surrendering to the
Spaniards. We considered Panama as well calculated for treating on this
subject, not being any way strong towards the sea; and as we had a good
ship, we thought it no difficult matter to settle the terms of our
surrender, before giving ourselves into their hands. We also reckoned on
some assistance from the factors of the South Sea company, resident
there, who, in case a peace were actually concluded in Europe, might
intercede for us, and procure us a passage for Europe. Yet as there was
something extremely disagreeable in the idea of a surrender, especially
to such enemies as the Spaniards, we were in no great hurry,
particularly as we were here somewhat at our ease, enjoying many
conveniences to which we had long been strangers. The free use we made
of the excellent fruits growing on this island brought the flux among
us, which weakened us very much, and interrupted our work for some days,
yet in the main did us little hurt, or rather tended to preserve us from
the scurvy. We deliberated and consulted as to our future conduct; but
our views were so discordant, and our minds so distracted, that we could
come to no resolution, except that of continuing here, in hopes of
something happening to our advantage.
The island of Quibo or Coibo is almost in the same parallel with
Panama, [276] being about twenty-four English miles from N. to S. and
twelve from E. to W. It is of moderate height, covered all over with
inaccessible woods, always green; and, though never inhabited, abounds
with papaws and limes, and some other fruits I never saw before, which
are nearly as good, though wholly neglected, as those that are most
carefully attended to in other islands in similar latitudes, whence it
may be inferred that the soil is fertile; and, if ever inhabited and
cleared, it promises to be as productive as the best of our West-India
islands. The pearl-fishers, not being able to follow their occupation
during the vandevals, or black stormy months, from the beginning of
June to the end of November, have a few scattered huts in several parts
of this island and of Quivetta, used by the divers during their
season, in which they sleep and open their oysters, so that the sandy
beach is covered with fine mother-of-pearl shells. In wading only to the
middle, we could reach large pearl oysters with our hands, which at
first pleased us much; but we found them as tough as leather, and quite
unpalatable. Having no seyne, I can say little about other kinds of
fish. We occasionally observed a large kind of flat fish, which often
sprung a great way out of the water, which are said to be very
destructive to the divers; for, when these return to the surface, unless
they take great care, these fish wrap themselves round the divers, and
hold them fast till drowned. To guard against this, the divers always
carry a sharp-pointed knife, and on seeing any of these fish above them,
present the point over their heads, and stick it into the fish's belly.
They are also subject to great danger from alligators, which swarm in
this part of the sea; and some of us fancied we saw one swimming below
the surface near Mariato Point, only a few leagues from hence. This
island has a great variety of birds, also great numbers of black monkeys
and guanoes, which last mostly frequent the streams of fresh water. Some
of these guanoes are of extraordinary size, being of a grey colour with
black streaks, those about the head being brown.
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