ips
sailed for the coast of America. A Spanish vessel was captured on the
3rd of May, bound for Lima with timber, before news of the pirates being
on the coast was known at the settlements.

Notwithstanding this, Cook and Eaton, uniting their forces, determined
to attack Truxillo. Three vessels were shortly afterwards captured,
laden with flour. On board one of them were eight tons of quince
marmalade, but the pirates were bitterly disappointed on learning that
they had missed a vessel containing eight hundred thousand pieces of
eight, which had shortly before been landed. Finding that the garrison
of Truxillo was prepared for them, they steered for the Galapagos, which
lie under the equator, and are uninhabited. They abound, however, in
land turtle and enormous iguanas; there was also abundance of sea
turtle. So numerous, indeed, were the land turtle, that a large ship's
company might subsist on them for many months together.

Depositing a portion of their flour in a hut built on one of the
islands, they again sailed for the mainland. As they were standing off
Cape Blanco, Captain Cook died, and, as he was much respected, his crew
carried him on shore to be buried. While they were engaged in digging
the grave three Indians appeared, two of whom were captured. They
informed the pirates that large herds of cattle were to be found in the
neighbourhood. Two boats were therefore sent, under the guidance of the
Indians, to obtain a supply.

Dampier, considering that the enterprise was dangerous, returned with a
part of the men on board; the rest continued their sport and slept on
shore. Next morning they discovered that their boat, which they had
left on the beach, was destroyed, and that they were watched by a party
of fifty armed Spaniards. The enemy, however, afraid to encounter them
openly, remained among the trees, and kept firing from thence at them.
The latter thought it prudent to retreat to an isolated rock which they
had seen when landing, just appearing above the water. Wading off to
it, almost up to their necks, amidst a shower of bullets, they gained
its highest point. Here they hoped to hold out until the Spaniards had
retired; but what was their horror to find that the water was rising,
and that in a short time the rock would be entirely covered!
Fortunately their position was seen from the ships, and a boat sent to
rescue them.

On the death of Captain Cook, the quartermaster, Edward Davis,