Woodes Rogers

“ All the Spaniards I discours’d allow that this rich Country is not a tenth peopled, nor are half the Indians far within Land civilized, tho’ they affirm their King has in the West Indies more Subjects of several Colours, than in all Spain, or the rest of his Dominions in Europe (which may be true) and I believe they are such Subjects, as no Christian King can boast of; for the King of Spain is able to match the Skins of his Americans to any Colour, with more Variety and Exactness than a Draper can match his Cloth and Trimming. ”

“ Among men-of-war anchored in roadsteads or in port such events are even now, of course, not uncommon. But in those days, judging from entries in Rogers' log, few days passed at sea without actual communication by boat between the ships, the crews of which must have had constant practical experience, both in lowering and hoisting in boats. While, though this must often have been done with a high sea running, there is no record of a mishap to a boat or crew during the entire cruise—a fact speaking volumes for the fine boatmanship of the sailors of this period. ”

“ PERU, properly so called, is about 1000 Leagues long, but the Breadth various, from 100 to 300 Leagues. The best known Part of it lies on the South Sea, and is divided into the 3 Audiences of Quito in the North, Lima in the Middle, and La Plata in the South. The Air of Quito is temperate enough, tho’ under the Line; the Soil is fruitful, abounds with Cattle and Corn, and they have Mines of Gold, Silver, Quick-silver and Copper; they have also Emeralds and Medicinal Drugs. The Audience of Lima is most noted, because of its Capital of the same Name, being the Residence of the Viceroy of Peru. ”

“ Like the big salmon of the literary fisherman, a sail is soon sighted, "A brave lusty ship of sixty guns. So much the better," says the writer, "for though we have but fifty, the enemy hath more goods in his hold, and it blows a brave chasing gale. ”

“ All the Men of War join’d us Yesterday Afternoon, but one or two with the fishing Doggers, who were cruizing off to the North East of Shetland. After mutual Salutations both by the Dutch and English Ships, one of the Men of War was sent out to see for the missing Ships. Mean while the Fleet lay by, and having little Wind, the Boats came to and fro all Night, and supply’d us with what we wanted. The Inhabitants of those Islands came aboard with what Provisions they had, being very poor People, who subsist most by Fishing. ”

“ Fire!—Starboard, well done my hearts! they lie heads and points aboard the prize. Board him bravely. Enter, enter. Are you fast lashed? Yea, yea. Cut up his decks, ply your hand-grenades. They cry quarter!—Good: quarter is granted provided you lay down arms; open your hatches, haul down all sails and furl them. Loose the lashings, and we will sheer off and hoist out our boats; but if you offer to fire or make sail again, expect no quarter for your lives." Boats are then lowered, and the captain, officers, and part of the crew of the prize taken on board the young beginner's ship. ”

“ Being a Fellow of mean Birth, he murder’d all the Gentlemen in company, lest any of them should rival him; and having form’d a Guard of Ruffians about him, he became so jealous of his new Dignity, and was so conscious of what he deserv’d, that when any of the Men talk’d together, he concluded they were plotting against him, and sent his Ruffians to murder them. Abundance of the rest and the Women falling sick, he barbarously left them to the mercy of the Natives, and sail’d to the Island Margarita with 230 Men. ”

“ THE first European who discover’d the South-Sea, was Basco or Vasco Nuñes de Balboa a Spaniard, in 1513. He was the first who landed on the Isthmus of Darien, and made war with their Caciques or Princes; who not being able to resist his Fire-Arms, and perceiving that the chief Design of the Spaniards was to find Gold, one of the Caciques told Vasco, that since they were so fond of that which he and his Countrymen valu’d so little, he would conduct them over the Mountains to another Sea, upon which they might find a Country where the People had all their Utensils of Gold. ”

“ We may perceive also by his story," adds Rogers, "the truth of the maxim 'that necessity is the mother of invention,' since he found means to supply his wants in a very natural manner, so as to maintain life, tho not so conveniently, yet as effectually as we are able to do with the help of all our arts and society. It may likewise instruct us how much a plain and temperate way of living conduces to the health of the body and the vigour of the mind, both which we are apt to destroy by excess and plenty, especially of strong liquor. ”

“ Being in a readiness to sail, the Flag came off Shore, was saluted first by the Dutch, and then by all the English Ships; but a contrary Wind prevented our sailing. Most of the Goods sold at the Cape were taken out of the Duke, being in much worse Package than those aboard the Dutchess and Batchelor; so that most of our Bales that could be come at, have been open’d, and we find abundance of Damage, our Ship having been so long leaky, that we have not a tight Place in the Ship fit to secure dry Goods. ”

“ Captain Rogers rarely complained of hardships and was not easily frightened, but when lying in his boat under the mangrove bushes, he remarks, "that the muskitoes pester'd and stung him grievously; while when at anchor across the tide on a dark night with a small [Pg 75] rolling sea, the boat being deep laden and cramm'd with men," he says, "that though engaged about a charming undertaking he would rather be in a storm at sea than there." ”

“ The Snow falls seldom in the Vallies, but in great Quantity in the Mountains, from whence it is melted in the Summer, and fructifies the Vallies and Plains with Rivulets. In the Spring the Fields are adorn’d with beautiful Flowers of all Colours and sorts, and of an admirable Scent, from whence they distil a fine Liquid called Angels Water, which makes a noble Perfume. The choicest Flowers and Plants that we cultivate grow wild there; they have Groves of Mustard Trees higher than a Man on Horseback, and the Birds build their Nests in them. ”

“ The power that drives the great hull against the rolling masses of water seems to have no sympathy with either the ship or the waves; and drenched from stem to stern, the vessel reels and staggers on her way, kept only to her work by careful use of helm. ”

“ Last Night our Boat and Bark return’d, having rounded the Island, found no Water, but Plenty of Turtle and Fish. This Morning we join’d the Dutchess, who had found no Water. About 12 a Clock we compar’d our Stocks of Water, found it absolutely necessary to make the best of our way to the Main for some, then to come off again; and so much the rather, because we expected that 2 French Ships, one of 60, and another of 40 Guns, with some Spanish Men of War, would suddenly be in quest of us. ”

“ The climate is so good that the trees and grass are verdant all the year. He saw no venomous or savage creature, nor any sort of beast but goats on the Island. The first of these having been put ashore here on purpose for a breed, by Juan Fernandez, a Spaniard, who settled there with some families till the continent of Chili began to submit to the Spaniards, which tempted them to quit this island, tho capable of maintaining a number of people, and of being made so strong that they could not easily be dislodg'd. ”

“ In the Night, we had much Rain with Lightning and Squalls of Wind, by which the Havre de Grace lost her main Top-mast. This Morning died Jonathan Smyth, a Smith by Trade, and Armourer’s Mate of our Ship. I went on board the Havre de Grace and Dutchess, and lent them what was necessary for their Assistance. Our Men being very much fatigued, many of them sick, and several of our Good Sailors dead, we are so weak, that should we meet an Enemy in this Condition, we could make but a mean Defence. Every thing looks dull and discouraging, but it’s in vain to look back or repine in these Parts. ”

“ Rogers also describes the "land turtles alias tortoises caught in the Gallapagos islands as the ugliest creatures in nature, with a shell black as jet not unlike the top of an old hackney coach; the neck long about the bigness of a mans wrist, with club feet as big as ones fist shaped like those of an elephant, the head little and visage small like a snake looking very old and black." He adds: "they lay eggs on our deck about the size of gooses, white with a large thick shell exactly round."
Negroes muster'd and encourag'd to fight if there should be occasion. ”

“ We had Showers of Rain, with Thunder and Lightning last Night, and few Nights are without Rain, but ’tis pretty dry in the day-time. This day I got a fine Tree for the Main-mast; the Island is so cover’d with Trees, that we are forced to clear a Place for a Yard to work in. The Wood that we us’d for Masts and Yards is 3 sorts, but the best is Maria Wood, of the Colour and Grain of our English Oak, all of the Cedar Kind, good Timber, but very heavy. There are several other sorts fit for Masts, but Care must be taken not to use any that is short-grain’d, or soft and white when green. ”

“ And by this we may see, that solitude and retirement from the world, is not such an unsufferable state of life as most men imagine, especially when people are fairly call'd, or thrown into it unavoidably, as this man was, who in all probability must otherwise have perished in the seas, the ship which he left being cast away not long after, when few of the company escaped. ”

“ The Houses are mean, built of Wood, Mud and Straw, it is cover’d by high Mountains on the East side, and very subject to Distempers from November till the End of May, during which time they have no Rain, or very little. ’Tis as hot here in January, as in our Dog-days; they are much pester’d with Gnats and Earthquakes. He observes that it never rains in New Spain in a Morning. This Town is dirty, and ill furnish’d with Provisions, so that a Man can scarce live for a Piece of Eight per Day. ”

“ Dover's kinsman and assistant, died on board the "Duke," "being," says Rogers, "a very good-temper'd sober man well belov'd by the whole ships company, having read prayers for us once a day ever since we passed the Equinox." A day seldom passed now without a record by Rogers of the death of one or two of the best of his crew, there being sixty sick men on board the "Duke" and eighty in the "Dutchess" at one time; and though there was no want of doctors in either ship, the store of medicines began to run very short. ”

“ The highest part of the Island appears in the Road not much higher than a large Ship’s Top-Mast head. The Soil is a hungry white clayish Earth, mix’d with Sand and Rocks. There’s no fresh Water, or green things on the Islands: Here’s abundance of Vultures, alias Carrion-Crows, which look’d so like Turkeys, that one of our Officers at landing bless’d himself at the sight, and hop’d to fare deliciously here. He was so eager, that he would not stay till the Boat could put him ashore, but leap’d into the Water with his Gun, and getting near enough to a parcel, let fly at ’em ”

“ But in Kelly and Woodes Rogers' days the log chip, reel, line, and half minute glass were the mariner's sole means of finding his longitude, or distance, sailed east or west.
Steam and patent logs have much simplified such calculations, which required many corrections not only for leeway but for errors in the log line and glass; "Shortness of the knots in a line," says Kelly, "being on the safer side, that a ship be not ahead of her reckoning; it being better to look for land before we come at it than to be ashoar before we expect it." ”

“ There are few Gold Mines in this Country, but abundance of Silver, and tho’ not so rich as those of Peru, are much easier to be work’d, with less Expence of Money, and far less Danger of Mens Lives. Their other chief Commodities are Iron, Steel, Copper, but none of ’em much wrought, Hides, Wool, Cotton, Sugar, Silk, Cochineal, Scarlet-Dy, Feathers, Honey, Wax, Balm, Amber, Ambergrise, Salt, abundance of Medicinal Drugs, Cocoa, Cassia, Gold in the Sands of their Rivers, Figs, Oranges, Citrons, and other Fruit peculiar to the Climate, besides all those common in Europe ”

“ This Morning we got our Smiths Forge put up ashore, set our Coopers to work in another place, and made a little Tent for my self to have the Benefit of the Shore. The Dutchess has also a Tent for their sick Men; so that we have a little Town of our own here, and every body is employ’d. A few Men supply us all with Fish of several sorts, all very good; as Silver-fish, Rock-fish, Pollock, Cavallos, Oldwives, and Craw-fish in such abundance, that in a few hours we could take as many as would serve some hundreds of Men. There were Sea-Fowls in the Bay as large as Geese, but eat fish. ”

“ He does not dissemble that the Missionaries have a Despotical Power over the Natives, tho he gives it another Turn, and pretends that ’tis necessary in order to convert and force them to work. He says the Jesuits are Captains, teach them the Use of Arms, and how to draw up into Squadrons and Battallions; which he boasts they can do as well as the Europeans. The Jesuits obtain’d this Power, on the specious Pretence of reducing those Indians to the Obedience of the Spaniards, which they would not submit to till within these few Years. ”

“ We admire the Master and Passengers should be so ignorant of a thing so necessary to be known by ’em, for we never had the least word or intimation from them of what you write. The Example you give us of a Trade here allow’d by the French King and Duke of Anjou, we don’t admire at, because it is for the Benefit of the Spaniards; and we know the English Ships are protected no farther than in Anchor-Ground: and since we took this Vessel at Sea, we shan’t part with her unless on our own Terms. ”

“ Ovalle says the Gold Mines are so many, that from the Confines of Peru to the Straits of Magellan there is no part of the Country without ’em; but they are not so much follow’d as in Peru, and they don’t so much apply themselves to the Silver Mines, because those of Gold are wrought with less charge; their Silver is dug from hard Rocks, ground to Powder in their Mills, and then refin’d with Quicksilver, which is laborious as well as expensive; whereas they have no other trouble with the Gold than to wash the Earth from it ”

“ The Yard is slung in the Middle, and a Man sits at each End with a Paddle to steer her, so that when they go about, they don’t turn the Boat as we do to bring the Wind on the other side, but only change the Sail, so that the Tack and Sheet of the Sail are used alike, and the Boat’s Head and Stern are the same, only they change them, as Occasion requires, to sail either Way; for they are so narrow that they could not bear any Sail, were it not for Booms, that run out from the Windward Side, fasten’d to a large Log shap’d like a Boat, and near half as long, which becomes contiguous to the Boat. ”