University of Virginia Library

CHAP. IX.

MEan while we lay at Anchor before Cayboa, our two

chiefest Commanders, Captain Sawkins and Captain
Sharp, taking with them to the number of threescore men,
more or less, went in the Ship of Captain Cook unto the
mouth of the River where Puebla Nueba is situated. The
day of this action, as I find it quoted in my Journal, was
May 22. 1680. When they came unto the Rivers mouth,
they put themselves into Canoas, and were piloted up the
River towards the Town by a Negroe, who was one of our
Prisoners. I was chosen to be concerned in this action, but
hapned not to land, being commanded to remain in Captain
Cooks ship, while they went up to assault the Town.
But here at Puebla Nueba, the Inhabitants were too well
provided for the reception of our party. For at the distance
of a mile below the Town, they had cut down great
Trees, and laid them cross the River, with design to hinder
the ascent of any Boats. In like manner on shoar before
the Town it self, they had raised three strong breast-works,
and made other things for their defence. Here therefore
Captain Sawkins running up to the breast-works, at the head
of a few men, was killed; a man who was as valiant and
couragious as any could be, and likewise next unto Captain
Sharp, the best beloved of all our company, or the most part
thereof. Neither was this love undeserved by him; for
we ought justly to attribute unto him the greatest honour
we gained in our Engagement before Panama, with the Spanish
Armadilla, or Little Fleet. Especially, considering that
as hath been said above, Captain Sharp was by accident absent
at the time of that great and bloody fight.

We that remained behind on board the Ship of Captain
Cook, carryed her within the mouth of the River of Puebla
Nueba, and entred close by the East shoar, which here is
crowned with a round hill. Here within two stones cast
of shoar, we had four fathom water. Within the Point
openeth a very fine and large River, which falleth from a
sandy Bay, at a small distance from thence. But as we were
getting in, being strangers unto the place, we unwittingly
ran our ship on ground, nigh unto a Rock which lyeth on
the westward shoar: for the true Channel of the said River
is nearer to the East than West shoar. With Captain
Sawkins, in the unfortunate assault of this place, there dyed
two men more, and three were wounded in the Retreat,
which they performed unto the Canoas in pretty good or-
der. In their way down the River, Captain Sharp took a
Ship, whose lading consisted of Indigo, Otto, Manteca, or
Butter and Pitch; and likewise burnt two vessels more, as
being of no value. With this he returned on board our
ships, being much troubled in his mind, and grieved for the
loss of so bold and brave a partner in his Adventures, as
Sawkins had constantly shewed himself to be. His death
was much lamented, and occasioned another party of our
men to mutiny, and leave us returning over land, as Captain
Coxon and his company had done before.

Three days after the death of Captain Sawkins, Captain
Sharp, who was now Commander in chief, gave the ship
which he had taken in the River of Puebla Nueba, and
which was of the burthen of one hundred Tuns, more or
less, unto Captain Cook, to Command and Sail in. Ordering
withal, that the old vessel which he had, should go with
those men that designed to leave us; their Mutiny, and our
Distraction being now grown very high. Hereupon Captain
Sharp coming on board La Trinidad, the greatest of
our ships, asked our men in full Councel, who of them were
willing to go or stay, and prosecute the design Captain
Sawkins had undertaken, which was to remain in the South
Sea, and there to make a compleat Voyage; after which,
he intended to go home round about America, through the
Straights of Magallanes. He added withal, that he did not
as yet fear, or doubt in the least, but to make each man who
should stay with him, worth one thousand pound, by the
fruits he hoped to reap of that Voyage. All those who
had remained after the departure of Captain Coxon, for love
of Captain Sawkins, and only to be in his company, and
under his Conduct, thinking thereby to make their fortunes,
would stay no longer, but pressed to depart. Among this
number I acknowledge my self to have been one, as being
totally desirous in my mind, to quit those hazardous adventures,
and return homewards in company of those who
were now going to leave us. Yet being much afraid and
averse to trust my self among wild Indians any farther, I
chose rather to stay, though unwilling, and venture on that
long and dangerous Voyage. Besides which danger of the
Indians, I considered that the Rains were now already up,
and it would be hard passing so many Gullies, which of necessity
would then be full of water, and consequently create
more than one single peril unto the undertakers of that
Journey. Yet notwithstanding, sixty three men of our
company were resolved to encounter all these hardships, and
to depart from us. Hereunto they took their leave of us,
and returned homewards, taking with them the Indian
Kings Son, and the rest of the Indians for their guides overland.
They had, as was said above, the ship wherein Captain
Cook sailed to carry them: and out of our Provision as
much as would serve for treble their number.

Thus on the last day of May they departed, leaving us

employed about taking in water, and cutting down wood,
at the Island of Cayboa afore-mentioned, where this mutiny
hapned. Here we caught very good Tortoise, and Red
Deer. We killed also Alligators of a very large size, some
of them being above twenty foot in length. But we could
not find but that they were very fearful of a Man, and
would fly from us very hastily when we hunted them.
This Island lyeth S. S. E. from the mouth of the River above-mentioned.
On the South-East side of the Island is
a shoal, or spit of sand, which stretcheth it self the space
of a quarter of a League into the Sea. Here therefore just
within this shoal, we anchored in the depth of fourteen fathom
water. The Island on this side thereof maketh two
great Bays, in the first of which we watered, at a certain
pond not distant above the cast of a stone up from the Bay.
In this pond, as I was washing my self, and standing under
a Manzanilla-tree, a small shower of rain hapned to fall on
the tree, and from thence dropped on my skin. These
drops caused me to break out all over my body into red
spots, of which I was not well for the space of a week af-
ter. Here I eat very large Oysters, the biggest that ever
I eat in my life; insomuch, that I was forced to cut them
into four pieces; each quarter of them being a good mouthful.

Three days after the departure of the Mutineers, Captain
Sharp ordered us to burn the ship that hitherto had sailed
in, only out of design to make use of the Iron-work
belonging to said Vessel. Withal, we put all the Flour
that was her lading into the last Prize, taken in the River

of Puebla Nova; and Captain Cook, as was said before, was
ordered to command her. But the men belonging to his
company would not sail any longer under his command.
Hereupon, he quitted his vessel and came on board our Admiral,
the great Ship above-mentioned, called La Trinidad,
determining to rule over such unruly company no longer.
In his place was put one, whose name was John Cox, an Inhabitant
of New-England, who forced Kindred, as was
thought, upon Captain Sharp, out of old acquaintance, in
this conjuncture of time, only to advance himself. Thus
he was made, as it were, Vice-Admiral unto Captain Sharp.
The next day three of our Prisoners, viz. an Indian, who
was Captain of a ship, and two Mulatos, ran away from us,
and made their escape.

After this it was thought convenient to send Captain

Peralta prisoner in the Admiral, on board the Ship of Mr.
Cox. This was done, to the intent he might not hinder the
endeavours of Captain Juan, who was Commander of the
Money-ship we took, as was mentioned at the Island of Tavoga.
For this man had now promised to do great things
for us, by Piloting and conducting us unto several places of
great Riches. But more especially to Guayaquil, where he
said we might lay down our Silver, and lade our vessels
with Gold. This design was undertaken by Captain Sawkins,
and had not the head-strongness of his men brought
him to the Island of Cayboa, where he lost his life, he had
certainly effected it before now. That night we had such
thunder and lightning, as I never had heard before in all my
life. Our Prisoners told us, that in these parts it very often
causeth great damages both by Sea and Land. And
my opinion gave me to believe, that our Main-mast received
some damage in this occasion. The rainy season
being now entred, the wind for the most part was at N. W.
though not without some calms.