Thursday, December 23rd.
All the night past we had a fresh wind. But in the morning, from top-mast head, we descried a hummock of land. In the evening we saw it again. We found afterwards that what we had seen was the westernmost island of Juan Fernandez; which is nothing but a mere rock, there being no riding, nor scarce landing, near to it.

Here my observation was that I could see neither fowl nor fish near this island; both which things are usually to be seen about other islands. Having told my observation to our pilot, he gave me for answer, that he had made many voyages by this island, and yet never saw either fowl or fish any more than I. Our reckoning this day was an E.S.E. way, and hereby thirty-six leagues. By observation, lat. 33¡ 30« S.

Saturday, December 25th.
Yesterday in the afternoon, at three o'clock, we saw the other island, making two or three hummocks of land. This morning we were about eight leagues distant from it, the island bearing E.S.E. from us. At eight the same morning we were right abreast with it. Here therefore are two islands toge ther, the biggest whereof is three leagues and a half in length, nearest N.W. and S.E., the other, and lesser, is almost one league, and no more in circumference. At ten o'clock we sent off from the ship one of our canoes, to seek for the best landing and anchoring for our vessel. As we approached, both islands seemed to us nothing but one entire heap of rocks. That which lies more to the N. is the highest, though we could not now see the tps thereof, for the clouds which covered it. In most places it is so steep that it becomes almost perpendicular. This day being Christmas-day, we gave in the morning early three vollies of shot for solemnization of that great festival. I reckoned an E. by S. way. By a clear observation from the middle of the island, lat. 33¡ 45« S., and M.D. ninety-nine leagues. In the evening of this day, we came to an anchor at the south end of the island, in a stately bay that we found there, but which lies open from the S, to to the S.E. winds. We anchored in eleven fathom water, and at the distance of onely onefurlong from the shore. Here we saw multitudes of seals covering the bay everywhere, insomuch that we were forced to kill them to set our feet on shore.

Sunday, December 26th.
This day we sent a canoe to see if we could find any riding secure from the southerly winds; these being the most constant winds that blow on these coasts. The canoe being gone, our commander sent likewise what men we could spare on shore, to drive goats, whereof there is great plenty in this island. They caught and killed that day to the number of threescore, or thereabouts. The canoe returning to the ship made report that there was good riding in another bay, situate on the North side of the island, in fourteen fathom water, and not above one quarter of a mile from the shore. Moreover that there was much wood to be had, whereas in the place where we had first anchored, not one stick of wood nor tuft of grass was to be found.

The next day, being the 27th, between two and four o'clock in the morning, we had a tempest of violent winds and fierce showers of rain. The same day we got in two hundred jars of water, bringing them the full distance of a league from the place of our riding. In the meanwhile, others were employed to catch goats, as they had done the day before.

The next morning being come, very early before sunrise, we went farther to the northward, to seek for our ship, which we feared we had lost. But we were not gone far, when we soon spied her at sea. Hereupon we passed a point of land, and entered a certain bay, which was about a mile deep, and not above half a league over. Into this bay we put, and instantly made a fire, thereby to show the ship whereabouts we were. Here we found good watering and wooding close to the shore. In this bay also we saw another sort of amphibious animal, which I imagined to be the same that by some authors is called a Sea-Lion. These animals are six times bigger than seals. Their heads are like that of a lion, and they have four fins not unlike a tortoise. The hinder parts of these creatures are much like fins, but are drawn after them, being useless upon the shore. They roared as if they had been lions, and were full of a certain short and thick hair, which was of a mouse colour; but that of the young ones was somewhat lighter. The old ones of these sea-lions are between twelve and fourteen feet long, and about eleven or twelve feet in circumference. A seal is very easily killed, as we often experimented, but two of our men with great stones could not kill one of these animals. That day in the afternoon there came a canoe from on board the ship with provisions for us, they fearing lest we should be starved. In like manner the launch came with men to cut wood. They told us that the ship came to an anchor in the other bay, but that within half an hour the cable broke, and they were forced to leave their anchor behind them and get out to sea again.

Night being come, we made our beds of fern, whereof there is huge plenty upon this island; together with great multitudes of trees like our English box, which bear asort of green berries, smelling like pimento, or pepper.

All this day the ship was forced to ply off at sea, not being able to get in

.

December 30th. The morning of this day we employed in filling water and cutting down wood. But in the afternoon, eight of us eleven went aboard the ship, all in one and the same canoe, sending her ashore again with provisions for the men that were there. This day in like manner we could not get into the harbour, for no sooner the ship came within the parts of land but the wind, coming out of the bay, blew us clear out again. Thus we were forced to ply out all that night and great part of the following day.

On the next day, having overcome all difficulties and many dangers, we came to an anchor in the afternoon, in fifteen fathom water, at the distance of a cable's length from shore. Here it was observable that we were forced to keep men ashore on purpose to beat off the seals, while our men filled water at the sea-side, at high-water mark, for the seals covet hugely to lie in fresh water. About this island fish is so plentiful that, in less than one hour's time, two men caught enough for our whole company.

Saturday, January 1st, 1681. This day we put up a new main-top, larger than the old one, and we caught cray-fish that were bigger than our English lobsters.

The next day, being January 2nd, died a chief man of our company, whose name was John Hilliard. This man, until our weighing anchor from the port of Coquimbo, had been our Master all the space of this voyage. But from that time we chose John Cox for the starboard, and John Fall for the larboard watch. The disease whereof he died was dropsy. That evening we buried our dead companion, and gave him a volley for his funeral, according to the usual custom.

On January 3rd we had terrible gusts of wind from the shore every hour.

The island had excellent land in many valleys belonging thereunto. This day likewise we fetched our anchor which we left in the other bay when the ship broke her cable.

Tuesday, January 4th, 1681. This day we had such terrible flaws of wind, that the able of our ship broke, and we had undoubtedly been on shore had not the other held us fast. At last it came home and we drove outward. By the way it caught hold of a rock, and held some time, but at last we hauled it up, and the wind came with so much violence that the waves flew as high as our main-top, and made all the water of a foam.

January 5th, the same huge gusts of wind continued all the night last past, not- withstanding which this day at noon it was brave and calm. But in the morning the anchor of our ship gave way again, and we drove to the eastward mor than half a mile; till at last we happened to fasten again in sixty fathom water. Here in this bay, where we rode at anchor, did run a violent current, sometimes into and at other times out of the bay, so that all was uncertain with us. But our greatest discomfort was, that our men were all in a mutiny against each other, and much di- vided among themselves, some of them being for going home towards England, or our foreign plantations, and that round about America through the Straits of Magellan, as Captain Sawkins had designed to do; others of them being for staying longer, and searching farther into those seas, till such time as they had got more money. This day at noon our anchor drove again; whereupon to secure ourselves from that dangerous place, we sailed thence into the West bay, anchored there in twenty-five fathom water; and moored our ship one quarter of a mile from shore.

On Thursday, January 6th, our differences being now grown to a great height, the mutineers made a new election of another person to be our chief captain and commander, by virtue whereof they deposed Captain Sharp, whom they protested they would obey no longer. They chose therefore one of our company, whose name was John Watling, to command in chief, he having been an old privateer, and gained the esteem of being a stout seaman. The election being made, all the rest were forced to give their assent to it, and Captain Sharp gave over his command, whereupon they immediately made articles with Watling, and signed them.

The following day, being the 7th, we burnt and tallowed the starboard side of our ship. In this bay where we now anchored, we found a cross cut in the bark of a tree, and several letters besides. Hereupon, in another tree up the gulley, I engraved the two first letters of my name, with a cross over them. This day likewese William Cook, servant to Captain Edmund Cook, being searched, we found a paper with all our names written in it, which it was suspected he designed to have given to the Spanish prisoners. For these reasons this evening our Captain thought it convenient t put him in irons, which was accordingly done.

The next day we finished the other side of our ship.

Sunday, January 9th. This day was the first Sunday that ever we kept by command and common consent, since the loss and death of our valiant commander, Captain Sawkins. This generous-spirited man threw the dice overboard, finding them in use on the said day.

January 10th. This day the weather was very clear and settled again. We caught every day in the bay where we now were great plenty of fish; and I saw the same day a shoal of fish a mile and more long.

On the next day, being the 11th, we filled our water and carried our wood on board the ship. Moreover, our two canoes went to the other side of the island to catch goats, for on the barren side thereof are found and caught the best; and by land it is impossible to go from one side of the island to the other.

Wednesday, January 12th. This morning our canoes returned from catching goats, firing guns as they came towards us to give us warning. Being come on board, they told us they had espied three sail of ships, which they conceived to be men-of- war, coming about the island. Within half an hour after this notice given by our boats, the ships came in sight to leeward of the island. Hereupon we immediately slipped our cables and put to sea, taking all our men on board that were ashore at that time.

Upon the island of Juan Fernandez grow certain trees that are called by the name of bilby trees. The tops of these trees are excellent cabbage, and of them is made the same use that we do of cabbage in England. Here fish abound in such quantity, that on the surface of the water I have taken fish with a bare and naked hook, that is to say unbaited. Much fish is taken here of the weight of twenty pounds; the smal- lest that is taken in the bay being almost two pound weight. Very good timber for building of houses and other uses is likewise found upon the island. It is distant from the main continent ninety-five leagues, or thereabouts, being situate in 33¡ 40« S. The plats of the island lie N.W. and S.E. Being got out of the bay we stood off the sea, and kept to windward as close as we could. The biggest of these Spanish men-of-war, for such they proved to be, was of the burden of eight hundred tons, and was called El Santo Christo, being mounted with twelve guns. The second, named San Francisco, was of the port of six hundred tons, and had ten guns. The third was of the carriage of three hundred and fifty tons, whose name I have forgot. As soon as they saw us, they instantly put out their bloody flags, and we, to show them that we were not as yet daunted, did the same with ours. We kept close under the wind, and were, to confess the truth, very unwilling to fight them, by reason they kept all in a knot together, and we could not single out any one of them, or seperate him from the rest. Especially considering that our present commander Watling had showed himself at their appearance to be faint-hearted. As for the Spaniards themselves, they might have easily come to us, since we lay by several times; but undoubtedly they were cowardly given, and peradventure as unwilling to engage us as we were to engage them.