In Cowley's voyage, formerly given, one of these
islands, which he calls the Duke of York's Island, is said to have
abundance of wood and water, but none to be had in any of the rest.
Perhaps the Duke of York's Island of Cowley, and Santa Maria del Aguada
of Morel, may be the same. - E.]
On the 1st October we made the main-land of Mexico, which Captain
Dampier immediately recognized as near the place where he had attacked
the lesser Manilla ship in the St George. Our men began again to fall
sick, and two of them dropped down on the deck in a kind of scorbutic
appoplexy, but recovered on being let blood. The 2d we made Cape
Corientes, on the coast of Mexico, in lat. 20 deg. 25' N. which we knew by
our charts. Captain Dampier had been here, but it was a long time ago,
and he did not seem to remember much of the matter; yet when he came to
land at different places, he very readily recollected them. Our purpose
now was to look for the islands called Tres Marias, to procure some
refreshments, but found this somewhat difficult, being very uncertain as
to their true situation. In the afternoon of the 4th, Cape Corientes
bore E.N.E. about ten leagues, and next morning, being fine clear
weather, we discovered two islands at the distance of about fourteen
leagues, one bearing N. by W. and the other N. by E. At noon we had an
observation, and found our latitude 20 deg. 45' N.
The sight of these islands was very satisfactory, for though our men had
their fill of land and sea-turtle, which kept them from the scurvy, they
were but weak, as that is but a faint food, except they had enough of
bread or flour to eat with it; whereas they only had a pound and a
quarter of bread or flour to five men per day, on purpose to husband our
stock till we came to live entirely on salt-meat, when we should be
under the necessity to allow more. On the 6th I sent a pinnace to the
eastern island, to look if there were any good road, or convenience for
wooding and watering; but the officer reported that the island had foul
ground for near half a mile from the shore, with bad anchorage and worse
landing; and though there was abundance of wood, no water was to be had.
This was bad news for us, as our water began to grow scarce. We now bore
up for the middle island, which Captain Dampier believed he had been at
when he sailed with Captain Swan, and on which occasion they found
water. On the 8th our boat returned from the middle island, they and the
boat of the Duchess having landed at several places on the S.E. side of
the island, where was plenty of good water.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 314 of 431
Words from 163473 to 163978
of 224764
