With these prizes they sailed to the island of Roca, where they shared them, and then resolved to separate, though only consisting of sixty men.  Twenty of these, among whom was Dampier, proceeded with their share of the goods in one of these barks to Virginia, where they arrived in July, 1682.  After continuing there some time, a considerable part of them made a voyage to Carolina, whence they returned to Virginia.  Having spent the best part of their wealth, they were now ready to proceed upon any plan that might offer for procuring more.  Soon after Captain Cooke, of whom some account has been already given, came to Virginia with his prize, and published his intention of going into the South Sea to cruise against the Spaniards.  Dampier, who was his old acquaintance, and knew him to be an able commander, readily agreed to go with him, and induced most of his companions to do the same, which was of much consequence to Cooke, as it furnished him with a full third of his crew.

SECTION I.

Narrative of the Voyage by Captain Cowley, till he quitted the Revenge on the Western Coast of America.[147]

They sailed from Achamack in Virginia on the 23d August, 1683, taking their departure from Cape Charles in the Revenge of eight guns and fifty-two men, John Cooke commander, and bound for the South Sea; but Captain Cowley, who had charge of the navigation of the Revenge as master, not being then let into the secret object of the enterprise, steered a course for Petit Goave in St Domingo, in which he was indulged for the first day, but was then told that they were bound in the first place for the coast of Guinea.  He then steered E.S.E. for the Cape de Verd islands, and arrived at Isola de Sal, or the Salt island, in the month of September.  They here found neither fruits nor water, but great plenty of fish, and some goats, but the last were very small.  At this time the island, which is in the latitude of 16 deg. 50’ N. and longitude 23 deg.  W. from Greenwich, was very oddly inhabited, and as strangely governed.  Its whole inhabitants consisted of four men and a boy, and all the men were dignified with titles.  One, a mulatto, was governor, two were captains, and the fourth lieutenant, the boy being their only subject, servant, and soldier.  They procured here about twenty bushels of salt, the only commodity of the island, which they paid for in old clothes, and a small quantity of powder and shot; and in return for three or four goats, gave the governor a coat, of which he was in great want, and an old hat.  The salt in which this island abounds, and from which it derives its name, is formed naturally by the heat of the sun from the sea-water, which is let into great ponds about two English miles in extent.

[Footnote 147:  The original narrative of this voyage, written by Captain Cowley, is contained in the fourth volume of the Collection of Voyages published in 1729 by James and John Knapton, usually denominated Dampier’s Voyages, and has been used on the present occasion.—­E]