CHAPTER VIIL 



ARRIVAL AT TUMBEZ ; RETURN TO THE GALLIPAGOS. 



As I before observed, we passed on the 8th of June to 

 the northward of Abington island, and from thence made 

 the best of our way for the river Tumbez, intending, how- 

 ever, to touch at the island of La Plata on my way there, 

 to leave a letter for lieutenant Downes. I judged, from 

 the difficulties which I had experienced in getting to wind- 

 ward, that he would not be enabled to reach Charles' 

 Island, and consequently would not receive my instructions 

 to go to the island of Cocos, a route now by no means ne- 

 cessary, as our want of water had been amply supplied by 

 our last prizes. I still, however, felt desirous of joining 

 him as soon as possible, and, feeling much confidence iu 

 his punctuality, felt it incumbent on me to repair to the ap- 

 pointed rendezvous with all despatch. 



Nothing of consequence transpired from the time of 

 leaving the Gallipagos to our making the land of Peru, in 

 the latitude of 0"^ 47' 28 " south, on the 14th. The begin- 

 ning of our passage the winds blew from the southeast, but, 

 as we approached the coast, they gradually hauled to the 

 south, and when we made the land they blew from th<^ 

 south-southwest. I had felt some uneasiness on account 

 of the difficulty I should meet with in getting to the south- 

 ward ; but the captains of the prizes assured me we should 

 have the wind and current both favourable as we approach- 

 ed in shore, which proved to be the case. In this run we 

 saw no vessels, although I kept my prizes spread in every 

 direction on the lookout. Every favourable opportunity 

 that offered I embraced, to supply ourselves from our 

 prizes with such things as were necessary for the ship, and, 

 among other precious articles, I was so fortunate as to ob- 

 tain a new cable sufficiently large for the Essex. 



On the night of the 16th discovered the land ahead, bear- 

 ing S. by E. ; and as we had, the preceding day, been beat- 

 ing up along shore, I had expected in the morning to be up 



