A Cruising Voyage Around the World

by Woodes Rogers

In 1539 Alonso de Camargo a Spaniard pass’d the same Straits, and arriv’d at the Port of Arequipa in Peru; but much shatter’d, having lost one of his Ships, and another leaving him, return’d to Spain. After him several other Spaniards pass’d the same way, and they planted a Colony and Garison at the North End, to block up the Passage to other Nations; but without success, the Garison being all starved or destroy’d by the Indians.

The 15th of Novemb. 1577. the famous Sir Francis Drake set out from Plymouth with five Sail, and having touch’d at several places by the way, enter’d the Straits the 21st of August following. He found them very dangerous, because of the many Turnings, contrary Winds, and sudden Blasts from high Mountains cover’d with Snow on both sides, and their Tops reaching above the Clouds, and no anchoring but in some narrow River or Creek. The 24th he came to an Island in the Straits, where there were so many Fowls call’d Penguins, that his Men kill’d 3000 in a day, which serv’d them for Provisions. The 6th of September he enter’d the South-Sea, where he met with dreadful Storms, and one of his Ships was drove back into the Straits, thro which she return’d to England; as Sir Francis Drake did July 24. 1580. being the first Sea-Captain that ever sail’d round the World, and brought his Ship home, which was accounted a great Honour to the English Nation.

July 1. 1586. Mr. Tho. Candish, afterwards Sir Thomas,[117] sail’d from Plymouth with three Ships, and the 6th of January after enter’d the Straits, having met with a severe Storm near the mouth of ’em. He took the Remainders of a Spanish Garison there, who from 400 were reduc’d to 23 by Famine; and those of King Philip’s City, which had been built in the Straits, were in the same miserable Condition, so that they abandon’d the Place. They found Cannibals in some part of the Straits, who had eat many of the Spaniards, and design’d the like to the English, had they not been kept off by their Guns. Mr. Candish was stop’d here a considerable while by a furious Storm and bad Weather, which reduc’d him to Want of Provisions, till the 24th of February that he got into the South-Sea, and bought Provisions of the Indians. Mr. Candish return’d to England, after having sail’d round the World, the 9th of September next Year. He again attempted the Passage of the same Straits in 1591, but without Success; Account of the Straits of Magellan. as Mr. Fenton[118] did in 1582. as Floris did at the same time; the Earl of Cumberland in 1586. Mr. Chidley in 1589. and Mr. Wood in 1596. Sir Richard Hawkins pass’d them in 1593. but was taken by the Spaniards; and Mr. Davis[119] the Discoverer to the N W. pass’d and repass’d those Straits, but was forc’d back by contrary Winds. So that our Countrymen, tho they did not all succeed in the Attempt, yet have been the most fortunate in passing them of any other Nation: for the Dutch pass’d them in 1597. with five Ships, of which only one return’d. Five other Dutch Ships pass’d them in 1614. when they lost one of them. In 1623. the Dutch Nassaw Fleet, so call’d because the Prince of Orange was the greatest Adventurer, attempted it with fifteen brave Ships, and 2 or 3000 Men; but were repuls’d, wherever they came to land, by the Spaniards, so that they could not settle there.

Other Nations attempted it likewise, and particularly Don Garcia de Loaisa, a Knight of Malta and a Spaniard, with seven Ships and 450 Men; and tho he pass’d the Straits, he died himself, and all his Ships were afterwards taken by the Portuguese or others. Vargas Bishop of Placentia sent 7 Ships to attempt it, one of which only succeeded, went to Arequipa a Port on the South-Sea, and discover’d the Situation of the Coast of Peru; but went no further. Ferdinand Cortez, the Conqueror of New Spain, sent two Ships and 400 Men in 1528. to discover the way to the Moluccas thro the Straits, but without success. Two Genoese Ships were the first that attempted it in 1526, after Magellan, but could not effect it. Sebastian Cabot try’d it also by Commission from Don Emanuel King of Portugal, but could not do it. Americus Vespusius was sent by the same Prince, but could neither find the Straits nor the River of La Plata. Simon Alcasara a Spaniard attempted it likewise with several Ships and 440 Men, but came back without performing it, his Men having mutiny’d. All these Attempts by the Spaniards, &c. happen’d before Sir Francis Drake perform’d it.

In the Reports made of those Straits upon Oath to the Emperor Charles V. those who attempted this Passage give the following Account, viz. That from the Cape of 11000 Virgins at the Entrance of the North Sea, to the Cape of Desire at the Entrance of the South-Sea, is 100 Spanish Ls. that they found in this Strait three great Bays of about 7 Leagues wide from Land to Land, but the Entrances not above half a League, and encompass’d with such high Mountains, that the Sun never shines in them, so that they are intolerably cold, there being a continual Snow, and the Nights very long: That they found good Water with Cinamon-Trees, and several others, which tho they look green burnt in the Fire like dry Wood: That they found many good sorts of Fish, good Harbours with 15 fathom Water, and several pleasant Rivers and Streams: That the Tides of both Seas meet about the middle of the Straits with a prodigious Noise and Shock; but some of the Portuguese, who had pass’d the Straits, say they are only high Floods which last about a month, rise to a great height, and sometimes fall so low and ebb so fast, that they leave Ships on dry ground. The Reader may find more of this in Herrera’s History: but others differ in their Accounts, and particularly Spilberg a Dutchman, who mentions a Port here that he call’d Famous, by way of Eminency, the adjacent Soil producing Fruit of various Colours and excellent Taste, and affording Brooks of very good Water. He mentions 24 other Ports besides those that he did not see, and particularly the Piemento or Pepper-Harbour, so call’d because of the Trees which grow there of an Aromatick Smell, whose Bark tastes like Pepper, and is more hot and quick than that of the East-Indies. The Spaniards having brought some of it to Seville, it was sold there for two Crowns a pound.

The last of our Countrymen who pass’d them was Sir John Narborough,[120] who set out from the Thames, May 15. 1669. with two Ships. He had K. Charles II’s Commission, was furnish’d out at his Majesty’s Charge, and enter’d the Straits October 22. following. He says, that from the Entrance of this Strait to the Narrow there’s good Anchorage, and not much Tide, but in the Narrow the Tide runs very strong. The Flood sets into the Straits, and the Ebb out, keeping its Course as on other Coasts. It rises and falls near 4 Fathom perpendicular, and it is high Water here on the Change of the Moon at eleven a clock. When he came to the Narrow, he found the Tide very strong, which endanger’d the running of his Ships upon the steep Rocks on the North side. From the first Narrow to the second is above 8 Ls. and the Reach betwixt them 7 Ls broad. He found a Bay on the North Account of the Straits of Magellan. side at the Point of the second Narrow, where one may ride in 8 Fathom Water in clear sandy Ground half a mile from the Shore. In the Channel of the second Narrow he found 38 Fathom Water, and several Bays and Cliffs with little Islands. He exchang’d several Trifles with the Natives for Bows and Arrows, and their Skin-Coats. They were of a middle Stature, well limb’d, with round Faces, low Foreheads, little Noses, small black Eyes and Ears, black flaggy Hair of an indifferent Length, their Teeth white, their Faces of an Olive-Colour, daub’d with Spots of white Clay and Streaks of Soot, their Bodies painted with red Earth and Grease, their Clothing of the Skins of Seals, Guianacoes and Otters, wrapt about them like the Scotch Highlanders Plads. They had Caps of the Skins of Fowls with the Feathers on, and pieces of Skins on their feet to keep them from the ground. They are very active and nimble, and when about Business go quite naked; only the Women have a piece of Skin before them, and differ from the Men in Habit only by want of Caps, and having Bracelets of Shells about their Necks. They seem to have no manner of Government nor Religion, live by Hunting and Fishing, and are arm’d with Bows and Arrows; the latter 18 Inches long, and headed with Flint Stones. These People Sir John found in Elizabeth-Isle, which lies near the second Narrow. In Port Famine Bay, S. Lat. 53. 35. he found good Wood and Water, and abundance of Piemento Trees. Their Language is guttural and slow. Sir John is of opinion, that the Mountains contain Gold or Copper. He computes the whole Length of the Straits at 116 Leagues. For the rest we refer to him.

I have insisted the longer on these Straits, partly because they are so much talk’d of, and partly to justify our going to the South-Seas by the way of Cape Horne, which is far more safe: so that in all probability the Straits of Magellan will be little frequented by Europeans in time to come.

The Land on the North side of the Straits is call’d Patagonia, and that on the South Terra del Fuego, because of the numerous Fires and the great Smoke which the first Discoverers saw upon it. It extends the whole Length of the Straits, and lies from East to West about 130 Leagues, according to Ovalle; and before the Discovery of the Straits of St. Vincent, otherwise call’d Le Maire’s Straits, was suppos’d to join to some part of the Terra Australis. Ovalle says, that on the Continent of Chili, near the Straits of Magellan, there’s a People call’d Cessares, who are suppos’d to be descended from part of the Spaniards that were forc’d ashore in the Straits, when the Bishop of Placentia sent the Ships abovemention’d to discover the Molucca Islands. ’Tis suppos’d they contracted Marriages with some Indian Nation, where they have multiply’d, and taught them to build Cities and the Use of Bells. Ovalle says, that when he wrote the History of Chili, he receiv’d Letters and other Informations that there is such a Nation in those parts, and that one of the Missionaries had been in the Country with Captain Navarro, and found the People to be of a white Complexion with red in their Cheeks; by the Shape of their Bodies they seem’d to be Men of Courage and Activity, and by the Goodness of their Complexion ’twas probable they might be mix’d with a Race of Flemmings, who had been ship-wreck’d in those parts. But there being no farther Account of these People since Ovalle’s Account of Chili in the Year 1646. we believe this Relation to be fabulous.

Account of the Straits of Magellan.

M. de Beauchesne Gouin, who is the last that attempted the Passage of the Straits of Magellan, that we have heard of, came to an anchor at the Virgins Cape in the mouth of this Strait the 24th of June 1699. and the Wind being contrary, he lay at anchor betwixt the Continent and Terra del Fuego. He weighed again, the Winds being still contrary, and on the third of July anchor’d at Port Famine in the Straits, where the Spaniards had built a Garison, but were forc’d to quit it for want of Provisions. He observes, that from the Mouth of the Straits to this place, the Climate seem’d to be as temperate as in France, tho now the coldest Season of the Year in those parts. He found abundance of Wood for Firing, but the greatest Inconveniency he met with there, was from the great Storms of Snow, tho it did not lie long, being carry’d off by Rains which come from the West. He is of opinion that a Settlement might easily be made here, in a part of the Country extending above 20 Leagues; and that he was inform’d the Islands of St. Elizabeth in the Straits are proper enough for Corn and Cattel, if planted with them. He sent his Sloop ashore on Terra del Fuego, where he saw Fires, and found the savage Natives by 50 or 60 together in Companies, and some of them came aboard his Ship that lay 5 Ls. from the shore. They were very peaceable and friendly, but more miserable than our Beggars in Europe, having no Clothes but a strait Coat of wild Beasts Skins, that comes no lower than their knees, and pitiful Hutts made up of Poles cover’d with Skins of Beasts; and this is all the shelter they have against the Extremity of the Weather. They came in such multitudes to beg from him, as soon made him weary of their Company; so that he weigh’d again the 16th of August, and stopt at Port Galand to leave some Letters there for those who were to follow him from France, as had been agreed on. And here he observes, that both the Climate and the Navigation of the Straits are very unequal; and that from this place to the Entrance of the South-Sea there’s nothing but extraordinary high Mountains on each side, from whence come very impetuous and frightful Torrents, and scarce any place for Anchorage to be found, or one Day without either Rain or Snow. He adds, that he found an Island opposite to the Mouth of the Strait of St. Jerom, that is set down in none of our Maps. This Island, he says, has two good Harbours, which may be of great consequence to those who pass this way. He took possession of it, call’d it by the name of the Island Louis le Grand; the largest Harbour he nam’d Port Dauphin, and the lesser, which is very convenient, Port Philippeaux. After having given this Character of those Straits, he says one may be sure of a Passage thro them, provided it be in the proper Season, but ’tis very difficult in the Winter. He came out of those Straits into the South-Sea on the 21st of January, 1700. and went to view the Harbour of San Domingo, which he says is the Spanish Frontier, and the only Place where a new Settlement can be made there, the rest being all possess’d already. He arriv’d there the 3d of February, 1700. and on the 5th anchor’d on the East of an Island call’d by different Names, but the latest Authors call it St. Magdalens Island. He sent his first Lieutenant to view and take possession of it, who brought him word that it was a very pleasant place, and shew’d him some fine beautiful Shrubs and Pease-Blossoms that he found upon the East side of it; from whence he conjectures that it may be a proper place to inhabit, tho he owns that the Climate is very moist, and they have frequent Rains and Mists, which he ascribes to the high Mountains. He made ready to discover four other Islands, which lie in view of this Isle and the Main Land, and sounded as he went on, but durst not venture to go among ’em with so large a Ship, because there blew a strong North-West Wind, follow’d by a thick Mist, which made him lose sight of Land; so that to his great sorrow he could not compleat the Discovery of that Frontier. He adds, that ’tis full of high Mountains down to the very Sea; but was afterwards inform’d by a Spaniard who winter’d in those parts, that there’s a very good Harbour for Ships to ride in, where they may be moor’d to tall Trees, and that there are very few Inhabitants on this Coast, but some wandring Savages, like those on the Straits of Magellan.