Leaving Tabago

According to our resolutions, we set out on June 1, 1685, passing between Point Garachina and the King’s Islands. The wind was at south-south-west rainy weather, with tornadoes of thunder and lightning.

Isle Of Chuche

On June 3, we passed by the island Chuche, the last remainder of the isles in the Bay of Panama. This is a small, low, round, woody island, uninhabited; lying four leagues south-south-west from Pacheca.

In our passage to Quibo Captain Branly lost his main-mast; therefore he and all his men left his bark, and came aboard Captain Davis’s ship.

Captain Swan also sprung his main-top-mast, and got up another; but while he was doing it and we were making the best of our way we lost sight of him, and were now on the north side of the bay; for this way all ships must pass from Panama whether bound towards the coast of Mexico or Peru.

The Mountain Called Moro De Porcos

The 10th day we passed by Moro de Porcos, or the mountain of hogs. Why so called I know not: it is a high round hill on the coast of Lavelia.

The Coast To The Westward Of The Bay Of Panama

This side of the Bay of Panama runs out westerly to the islands of Quibo.

This coast:

• has many rivers and creeks but none so large as those on the south side of the bay.
• is partly mountainous, partly low land, and very thick of woods bordering on the sea

A few leagues within land it consists mostly of savannahs which are stocked with bulls and cows.

The rivers on this side are not wholly destitute of gold though not so rich as the rivers on the other side of the bay.

The coast is but thinly inhabited, for except the rivers that lead up to the towns of Nata and Lavelia I know of no other settlement between Panama and Puebla Nova.

The Spaniards may travel by land from Panama through all the kingdom of Mexico, as being full of savannahs; but towards the coast of Peru they cannot pass further than the river Cheapo; the land there being so full of thick woods and watered with so many great rivers, besides less rivers and creeks, that the Indians themselves who inhabit there cannot travel far without much trouble.

Isles Of Quibo, Quicaro, Rancheria

We met with very wet weather in our voyage to Quibo; and with south-south-west and sometimes south-west winds which retarded our course.

On June 15, we arrived at Quibo and found there Captain Harris, whom we sought.

The island Quibo or Cabaya is in latitude 7 degrees 14 minutes north of the Equator. It is about 6-7 leagues long and 3-4broad.

The land is low except only near the north-east end. It is all over plentifully stored with great tall flourishing trees of many sorts; and there is good water on the east and north-east sides of the island.

Here are some deer and plenty of pretty large black monkeys whose flesh is sweet and wholesome: besides a few iguanas, and some snakes.

I know no other sort of land-animal on the island.

There is a shoal runs out from the south-east point of the island, half a mile into the sea; and a league to the north of this shoal point, on the east side, there is a rock about a mile from the shore, which at the last quarter ebb appears above water.

Besides these two places there is no danger on this side, but ships may run within a quarter of a mile of the shore and anchor in 6, 8, 10, or 12 fathom, good clean sand and oaze.

There are many other islands lying some on the south-west side, others on the north and north-east sides of this island; as the island Quicaro, which is a pretty large island south-west of Quibo, and on the north of it is a small island called the Rancheria; on which island are plenty of palma-maria-trees.

The Palma-Maria-Tree

The palma-maria is a tall straight-bodied tree, with a small head, but very unlike the palm-tree.

It is greatly esteemed for making masts, being very tough, as well as of a good length; for the grain of the wood runs not straight along it, but twisting gradually about it.

These trees grow in many places of the West Indies, and are frequently used both by the English and Spaniards there for that use.

The Isles Canales And Cantarras

The islands Canales and Cantarras are small islands lying on the north-east of Rancheria. These have all channels to pass between, and good anchoring about them; and they are as well stored with trees and water as Quibo.

Sailing without them all, they appear to be part of the Main. The island Quibo is the largest and most noted; for although the rest have names yet they are seldom used only for distinction sake: these, and the rest of this knot, passing all under the common name of the keys of Quibo. Captain Swan gave to several of these islands the names of those English merchants and gentlemen who were owners of his ship.

June 16th Captain Swan came to an anchor by us: and then our captains consulted about new methods to advance their fortunes: and because they were now out of hopes to get anything at sea they resolved to try what the land would afford. They demanded of our pilots what towns on the coast of Mexico they could carry us to. The city of Leon being the chiefest in the country (anything near us) though a pretty way within land, was pitched on.

But now we wanted canoes to land our men. So we cut down trees for these islands have plenty of large trees.

While this was doing we sent 150 men to take Puebla Nova (a town upon the Main near the innermost of these islands) to get provision.

It was in going to take this town that Captain Sawkins was killed in the year 1680, who was succeeded by Sharp.

Our men took the town easily, although there was more strength of men than when Captain Sawkins was killed.

They returned again the 24th day, but got no provision there. They took an empty bark in their way, and brought her to us.

Captain Knight Joins Them

On July 5, Captain Knight came to us.

He had been cruising a great way to the westward but got nothing beside a good ship. At last he went to the southward, as high as the Bay of Guayaquil, where he took a bark-log, or pair of bark-logs as we call it, laden chiefly with flour.

She had other goods, as wine, oil, brandy, sugar, soap, and leather of goats’ skins: and he took out as much of each as he had occasion for, and then turned her away again.

The master of the float told him that the king’s ships were gone from Lima towards Panama: that they carried but half the king’s treasure with them for fear of us, although they had all the strength that the kingdom could afford: that all the merchant-ships which should have gone with them were laden and lying at Payta, where they were to wait for further orders.

Captain Knight, having but few men, did not dare to go to Payta, where, if he had been better provided, he might have taken them all; but he made the best of his way into the Bay of Panama, in hopes to find us there enriched with the spoils of the Lima fleet; but, coming to the King’s Islands, he had advice by a prisoner that we had engaged with their fleet, but were worsted, and since that made our way to the westward; and therefore he came hither to seek us.

He presently consorted with us, and set his men to work to make canoes. Every ship’s company made for themselves, but we all helped each other to launch them, for some were made a mile from the sea.