We Found
Good Anchorage At This Middle Island, And Gradual Soundings From
Twenty-Four To Four Fathoms Close By The
Shore; and between this and the
least or southern island the depth was about the same as where we were,
Having no shoal between but what was visible, as a rock lay off the S.W.
point and a shoal off the N.E. point of the same, with another at a
great distance from that point of the least island, but neither were
above half a mile from the shore.
Sailing from these islands, we saw land on the 1st November, which
proved to be the point of California, or that headland called Cape St
Ducas. It was now necessary to put in execution the rules we had
formerly laid down for cruizing, as also to settle our regulations about
plunder. Accordingly, my station was to be the outermost in the Duke,
the Duchess in the middle, and the Marquis nearest the shore; the
nearest ship to be at the least six leagues, and nine at the most from
shore, and the bark to ply between ship and ship, carrying advice. By
this means we could spread out fifteen leagues, and might see any thing
that passed in the day within twenty leagues of the shore; and to
prevent any ships passing in the night, we were to ply to windward all
day, and to drive to leeward all night. On the 5th November, the Duchess
went nearest shore, and the Marquis took the middle station. We were
much encouraged by considering that in this very place, and about the
same time of the year, Sir Thomas Candish took the Manilla ship.
On the 16th we sent our bark to look for fresh water on the main, and
next morning she returned to us, reporting that they had seen wild
Indians, who paddled to them on bark-logs. These Indians were fearful of
coming near our people at first, but were soon prevailed upon to accept
a knife or two and some baize, for which they gave in return two
bladders of water, two live foxes, and a deer skin. Till now, we thought
that the Spaniards had missionaries among these people, but finding them
quite naked, with no appearance of any European commodities, nor a
single word of the Spanish language, we concluded that they were quite
savage, and we dispatched the bark and a boat a second time, in hopes of
procuring some refreshments, with some trifles to distribute among the
natives. On the 19th our men returned, having become very familiar with
the Californians, who were the poorest wretches that could be imagined,
and had no manner of refreshments whatever to afford us. They brought
off some Indian knives made of sharks teeth, and a few other
curiosities, which I preserved to shew what shifts may be made. It was
now the 9th of December, near a month after the time when the Manilla
ships generally fall in with this coast, and we were much embarrassed by
the impossibility of procuring any intelligence respecting them.
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