find it again, is, that it is to the west of the islands he was at with the other buccaneers, which must be those we were twice at.  We had no occasion to look out for this island on the present trip, though I believe it might easily have been found without farther directions.  In these islands there are many kinds of sea-fowl, and some land-birds, particularly hawks and turtle-doves, both so very tame that we often knocked them down with sticks.  I saw no kind of beasts, but there are guanas in abundance, and land-tortoises almost on every island, besides vast numbers of turtles or sea-tortoises.  It is very strange how the land-tortoises have got here, as there are none on the main, and they could not have come of themselves.  Some of these islands are the haunts of seals, but not in such numbers as at Juan Fernandez, neither is their fur so good.  A very large one made at me three several times, and if I had not happened to have a pike-staff headed with iron, he might have killed me.  I was on the level sand when he came open-mouthed at me from the water, as fierce and quick as an angry dog let loose.  All the three times he made at me, I struck the pike into his breast, which at last forced him to retire into the water, snarling with an ugly noise, and shewing his long teeth.  This animal was as big as a large bear.

[Footnote 228:  In Cowley’s voyage, formerly given, one of these islands, which he calls the Duke of York’s Island, is said to have abundance of wood and water, but none to be had in any of the rest.  Perhaps the Duke of York’s Island of Cowley, and Santa Maria del Aguada of Morel, may be the same.—­E.]

On the 1st October we made the main-land of Mexico, which Captain Dampier immediately recognized as near the place where he had attacked the lesser Manilla ship in the St George.  Our men began again to fall sick, and two of them dropped down on the deck in a kind of scorbutic appoplexy, but recovered on being let blood.  The 2d we made Cape Corientes, on the coast of Mexico, in lat. 20 deg. 25’ N. which we knew by our charts.  Captain Dampier had been here, but it was a long time ago, and he did not seem to remember much of the matter; yet when he came to land at different places, he very readily recollected them.  Our purpose now was to look for the islands called Tres Marias, to procure some refreshments, but found this somewhat difficult, being very uncertain as to their true situation.  In the afternoon of the 4th, Cape Corientes bore E.N.E. about ten leagues, and next morning, being fine clear weather, we discovered two islands at the distance of about fourteen leagues, one bearing N. by W. and the other N. by E. At noon we had an observation, and found our latitude 20 deg. 45’ N.