yi the VOYAGES of Book 1. 
Ti .On March 2 8 . “they faw the Coaft of Chili , lying Eaft 
South-eaft ; in the Evening they were but a League from 
Shore, the Coaft appearing high and mountainous. The 
Admiral was at this Time confined to his Bed, where, be- 
ing informed they were fo near the Coaft of Chili, he ex- 
preffed a great Defire to have put into the Port of Ghiloe, 
but declared that his Inftrudtions would not permit him ; 
but, on the contrary, required that the Fleet fhould be 
employed in fome Aclion of Importance againft the Spa- 
niards in Peru a Upon which, it was refolved to proceed 
immediately for the Iflands of Juan Fernandez , there to 
make the beft Preparations poffible for attacking the Spanijh 
Galleons in the Port of Arica , in cafe they were there, and 
to make themfelves Mailers of that Place, from whence 
they might be able to extend their Cohqueft, with the 
Afliftance of the Indians. On April 1 . being in 3 8 0 1 o', 
the Vice-admiral alio took to his Bed, and appeared to be 
fo much worn out with Fatigue, that they already con- 
jectured, they fhould lofe both him, and their Admiral, before 
the Voyage was concluded. On the 4th, about Noon, 
they had Sight of the Eland Juan Fernandez, lying to the 
Weft North- weft, in the Latitude of 33 0 50'*, the Ad- 
miral, fearing they might fall to the Northward, fent the 
Yacht before to feek for the Road. On the 5th, with much 
Difficulty, the Weather proving abfolutely calm, the whole 
Fleet came fafe to an Anchor in Sixty Fathom Water, in 
a fine Bay, lying North-weft and South-eaft. On the 6th, 
every Ship’s Company had Orders to provide themfelves, as 
loon as poffible, with as many Chevaux de Frize, and Pali- 
faftes, as they could ; and the Vice-admiral, being grown fome- 
what better, vifited all the Artillery of the Fleet. In the 
Evening the Griffin came in, which they had not feen fince 
the fecond of February : This V eftfel had been in the Height 
of 6 o°, without ever having a Sight of Cape Horn. The 
Captain declared there was fafe Anchorage in Valentine Bay 
for a whole Fleet; and that the contrary Intelligence, given 
to the Admiral by the Shallop of the Orange , was againft: 
his Confent. On the 7th, the Orange arrived alfo at the 
Rendezvous, having, in her Pafiage, twice feen the South- 
ern Continent, viz. once in 50°, and again in 41 0 . On 
the 8th, Five of the Seamen belonging to the Holland , 
being convifted of breaking into the Hold, and Healing 
thence feveral Barrels of Wine, were, for that Offence, 
condemned to be hanged. The Two next Days were 
fpent in cutting Wood, and in difpofmg all Things on 
board each Ship for the intended Attack upon the Spa- 
niards. In the Evening of the 10th, the Admiral was 
prevailed on to pardon the condemned Sailors. On the 
1 ith, the David came in, and brought Advice alfo of the 
Maurice , both having been Five or Six Days beating about 
the Bland, but had been hindered from getting in by con- 
trary Winds. On the 13th, in the Afternoon, all Things 
being ready, they failed. 
- 22. The moil Eafterly of the Two Iflands of Juan Fer- 
nandez, which is alfo the biggeft, lies in 33 0 40', South 
Latitude, about Seventy Leagues Weft from the Coaft of 
Chili . The Spaniards call the former commonly IJla de 
tierra, the latter IJla de Fuera. This more Eaftern Ifland, 
where the Naffiau Fleet anchored, is about Six Leagues in 
Circuit, and extends from Eaft to Weft about Two Leagues 
and an half. The Road is on the N. E. and from thence 
there is a very delightful Profpebt of beautiful Valleys co- 
vered with Clover. The Bottom of the Bay is either 
rocky, or a fine black Sand. There is very good and fafe 
Anchorage here, in about Thirty or Thirty-four Fathom 
Water. There cannot better Water be wiihed for, than 
is to be met with here ; and excellent Fifhing in the Bay 
of various kinds. There are many Thoufands of Sea 
Lions, and Seals, that come daily out of the Water to fun 
themfelves on fhore, of which the Seamen killed Numbers, 
not for Food only, but for Diverfion : Many of the Dutch- 
men fanned, that the Flefh of thefe Creatures tailed like 
Meat twice roafted or boiled , others were very well fatif- 
fied with them, and even affirmed, that their Flefh, when 
their Greafe and T allow was taken out, tailed as well as 
Mutton. Goats there are in great Numbers, but very 
hard to be taken ; and they are not either fo fat, or well- 
tailed, as thofe of St. Vincent . They found abundance of 
Palm-trees within Land, and, near the Bay, Three large 
1 
Quince-trees, the Fruit of which was very refrefhing; 
Other Wood, for Ufe and Firing, they found plenty ; but 
met, however, with none that was fit for Malls. There 
were formerly Ten or Twelve Indians conftantly here, for 
the Sake of Filhing, and making Oil . of the Seals and Sea 
Lions, but at this Time it was quite uninhabited. Three 
Soldiers, and Three Gunners, belonging to the Vice-admi- 
ral, were, by this time, fo fick of the Voyage, that they 
demanded -Leave to Hay here, and obtained it. 
23. From the nth to the 22d, they had a conftant 
South Wind : The Variation of the Needle here was found 
to be One Degree and an half, and Two Degrees, towards 
the Eaft. As it was impoffible to know how foon they 
might be obliged to fight, the neceffary Inftrudlions were 
diftributed to all the Captains, and the Fleet was directed 
to fail for the future in Three Divifions : The firft was 
compofed of the Amjlerdam, as Admiral, the Holland, the 
Eagle, and the Griffin : The fecond of the Delft , as Vice- 
admiral, the Concord, the David, and the Yacht: The 
third under the Orange, as Rear-admiral, with the Maurice, 
and the Hope. On May 8. being near the Coaft of Peru, 
they took a Spanijlo Bark, in which, befides the Captain, 
there were Four other Spaniards , and Six or Seven Indians 
and Negroes. They learned from thefe People, that the 
Plate Fleet had failed the Friday before, being the third 
of that Month; from Calao for Panama, confifting only of 
Five Sail, Two Ships of War, and Three Merchantmen 
richly laden. They were likewife informed, that the 
Spanijh Admiral was Hill at Calao , being a Ship of about 
800 Ton, mounted with 40 Pieces of Brafs Cannon, with 
Two Pataches of Fourteen Guns each, with Forty or Fifty 
Merchantmen of no Force at all ; that all the Shipping 
was towed afliore, and fecured there by Three ftrong Bat- 
teries, with other Stone-works, furnifhed with upwards of 
Fifty Pieces of Cannon, all ready prepared for the Recep- 
tion of the Dutch, of whofe Motions they had early and 
certain Intelligence : That the Viceroy had likewife formed 
Four Companies of Foot, each of them compofed of Four- 
fcore Men; but the Two beft Companies were put on 
board the Ships for Panama ; and that the Viceroy, hav- 
ing the Day before received an Account of the Approach, 
of the Dutch Fleet, had immediately fummoned the whole 
Force of Peru ; fo that it was not to be doubted, that he 
would foon have many thoufand Men in the Place. All 
this the Spaniards very readily told them ; and Experience 
afterwards ftiewed, that every Tittle of this Information 
was ftriclly true ; fo that nothing could be happier than 
taking this Prize at this Time. 
24. A Council was immediately called, in which it was 
refolved to delay the Attack no longer than till the next 
Day ; and, as the Admiral was abfolutely incapable of 
Fatigue, his Diftemper growing daily worfe and worfe, it 
was agreed, that the Vice-admiral fhould command, and 
his Brother-in-law Cornelius Jacobfon was appointed Ser- 
jeant Major. Befides the Five Companies of Soldiers that 
were on board the Fleet, it was now thought requifite to 
have as many Companies of Seamen, under the Command 
of the Captains Stolck , de Witte , Qusrinen, Tsbranfon, and 
Egbert Jon ; but, as there were not fmall V effels enough to 
land fo great a Body of Men, it was refolved, that the 
Soldiers fhould land firft, and having fortified themfelves 
on fhore, by throwing up Retrenchments, and making ufe 
of the Palifadoes carried along with them for that Purpofe, 
there to maintain themfelves till the next Day, when the 
Sailors fhould be landed alfo. On May 10. before Day, 
the Vice-admiral put himfelf at the Head of the Soldiers, 
with an Intent to have landed ; but, after having rowed 
for fome time along the Shore, he was obliged to retreat 
to the Fleet, finding it abfolutely impoffible to do any 
thing; though, if the Troops could have been landed, 
there was fome Appearance, that the Indians and Negroes 
would have joined them. The Admiral ordered, that the 
Greyhound Yacht fhould, in the Night, go in as near Shore 
as poffible, to afford an Opportunity of landing under the 
Prote&ion of her Guns. The Spaniards, however, were 
very foon aware of this ; and no fooner faw her under Sail, 
but they threw up a Battery near the only Place w'here 
’twas poffible to land Men, which, though mounted only 
with Two Pieces of Cannon, by an unlucky Shot difabled 
