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A collection of voyages: Containing I. Captain William Dampier's voyages round the world... II. The voyages of Lionel Wafer... III. A voyage round the world: containing an account of Capt. Dampier's expedition into the South Seas... By W. Funnell... IV. Capt. Cowley's voyage round the globe. V. Capt. Sharp's journey over the Isthmus of Darien... VI. Capt. Wood's voyage... VII. Mr. Robert's adventures and sufferings amongst the corsairs of the Levant...

William Funnell, William Ambrosia Cowley, Bartholomew Sharp et al.
London: Printed for James and John Knapton, 1729

Rare Books & Special Collections
Rare Books Collection RB 910.4 D16

We thank our donor...

Conservation treatment of A collection of voyages... was funded through the generosity of an anonymous donor in May 2018.

Synopsis

This volume is the last in a four-volume set.  It contains a further five stories by voyagers and buccaneers describing their adventures around the world, particularly in the South Seas.  Outlined below are some of their most interesting and important discoveries.

William Funnell

The first book within A collection of voyages is that of Mr William Funnel’s voyage to the South-Seas… in the ship St George, Captain William Dampier Commander. Funnell was a sailor and explorer who acted as Mate on board one of the two ships destined for the South Seas.  Funnell sailed on the St. George with Dampier; John Pulling commanded the other, Fame.  There were 120 men on each vessel.  The first chapter outlines their intentions:

“Our proposals were to go into the River of Plate, to Buonas Aires, to take two or three Spanish Galleons which Captain Dampier gives an account are usually there: And if by that Expedition we got to the value of 600000 Pounds, then to return again without proceeding further: But if we missed of Success there, then to cruise upon the Coast of Peru, for the Valdivia Ships, which commonly are said to bring down store of Gold to Lima: But if that Design should also fail, then to attempt some rich Towns, according as Capt. Dampier should think fit: And after that, we were at the usual time of the Year to go down upon the Coast of Mexico, to seek for a great Galleon, which trades from Manila, one of the Philippine Islands, to Acapulco on the Coast of Mexico; and which is commonly reported to be worth thirteen or fourteen Millions of Pieces of Eight.  The reason we did not go to Buonas Aires, was because upon our Arrival at Madera, we had Advice that the Galleons before-mentioned were arrived at Teneriff.”

The voyage itself has often been attributed to William Dampier, and certainly it was made possible on account of his reputation and an “expectation that he would be able to do great things against the Spaniards in the South Sea”.[1]   However, the circumnavigation was entirely the work of Funnell, and though the journey’s purpose was one of plunder not discovery, he managed to document, in fascinating detail, so much of what he observed on previously unknown islands, and confirm the reports of earlier navigators of large, well-cultivated countries in the region.[2]

Funnell took particular care to document the animals he encountered on his voyage, and here we see his captivating interpretation of what he named the “Jelly-fish”.  He described the creature has having “a very sharp Sett of Teeth, a very curious sparkling Eye, a long extended Mouth, a monstrous high Fin on his Back, being of a slimy Substance, only the Ribs which stretched it out (being 32 in number) were firm and stiff.  He had one small Fin under his Jaw, of the same slimy substance.  That part which is without small Spots, is a perfect green Jelly, whence he was called by us a Jelly-fish: The rest of him was firm, of a Silver-colour, with small Spots, and Streaks or Partings, as is express’d in the Figure.

The intriguing "Ceawau" fish he described as having “had a large Mouth, and Teeth. He was an extraordinary good Fish; and his Head, when boiled, was nothing but a pure good Jelly.  He was full of small Spots and Partings, as is express’d in the Figure.  And the Tip of his Fins and Tail was yellow.  The “Cassawaris” he described as being: “about the bigness of a large Virginia Turkey.  His Head is the same as a Turkey’s; and he has a long stiff hairy Beard upon his Breast before, like a Turkey.  He hath two great Legs, almost as thick as a Man’s Wrist, with five great Claws upon each Foot: He has a high round Back; and instead of Feathers only long Hairs; and the same upon the Pinions of his Wings.  It lays an Egg so big, that it will hold a Pint.  The Shell is pretty thick, spotted with green and white, and looks exactly like China Ware.  I never tasted the Eggs, but the Bird it self is extraordinary good Victuals, as I have tried several Times.  It tastes very like a Turkey, but much stronger."

 

Captain Cowley

The second book is Captain Cowley’s voyage round the globe.  William Ambrosia (Ambrose) Cowley was an English buccaneer of the 17th century.  During his voyage around the world, he surveyed the Galápagos Islands, publishing the first known chart of the Islands in 1864.  He named each Island mostly after English kings and noblemen, and although these have since been replaced with Spanish names, there remains a cove east of Isabela Island which bears his name.[3]

Captain Cowley’s voyage… begins with his departure from Cape Charles in Virginia and his arrival, shortly thereafter, on the Island of Salt (Sal, Cape Verde).  Cowley described the Island as having “no Fruits, nor good fresh Water, but Plenty of Fish; and the land affordeth Goats, tho’ they are very small… In this Island there is an abundance of Salt, which is made naturally by the Sun near the Seaside; the Salt-Ponds being near two English Miles long.”  He then sailed on to another island, which he described as “not before known… It was not inhabited, and I gave it the name Pepys’s Island.”  Cowley had named it after Samuel Pepys, Secretary to the Admiralty.

Cowley’s “Pepys” was in fact a phantom island, misidentified, and now believed to be a portion of the South American coast between Cape Tres Puntas and Santa Cruz.  A number of attempts were later made to try to locate the Island, including those by Commodore Bryon (1764), Banks and Solander (1769), Pernetty (1763-64), Bougainville (1769) and even La Pérouse (1785) – all to no avail.

Cowley’s voyage concluded with a short stop at the Isle of Plate, a failed attempt to land at Paita and his arrival at Nevis, from which he got passage back to England.

Captain Sharp

The third book is Captain Sharp’s journey over the Isthmus of Darien, and expedition into the South Seas.  Also a buccaneer, Bartholomew Sharp was born in England c1650.  He served on a privateer vessel and also commanded his own in the West Indies, attacking Dutch ships in the Leeward Islands.[4]    When the Third Anglo-Dutch War ended and Sharp’s commission expired, he turned to piracy; his first major raid was reportedly on Segovia in Central America.[5]  Later, he was part of a fleet that attacked Portobelo, raiding the city in 1680 and taking several merchant ships, and distributing their booty in Bocas del Toro.

Sharp’s journal documents the buccaneers’ entertainment and adventures as he sailed through the Pacific.  It began: “On Monday the 5th of April in the Year 1680, I landed at Golden Island with my Company, to the Number of 330 Men, with a full Design to go and attack the Town of Santa Maria, a Place which the Indians inform’d us was very rich…”

Sharp’s voyage was certainly a tumultuous one.  He and the pirates marched towards Santa Maria, meeting King Golden-Cap of the Kuna people along the way, the latter agreeing to send his son and a host of buccaneers with them if they would rescue his pregnant daughter who was being held captive at a nearby Spanish garrison.  The men charged the walls of Santa Maria, the Spanish surrendering in the process and relinquishing the King’s daughter.

The pirates then entered the Gulf of Panama, fighting other ships along the way.  Their captain, Peter Harris, was wounded in one of these battles and, on his death two days later, John Coxon was given command of their ship.  Coxon was soon replaced by Richard Sawkins for cowardice, the latter also to meet with death in a battle near Puebla Nueva.

Command of the ship was then handed to Bartholomew Sharp.  He wasted little time in capturing a Spanish sailing ship which had been out patrolling for the English.  He tortured their prisoners, killing a friar in front of all of the men, an act that sparked debate amongst the crew over Sharp’s fitness to lead.  Sharp was removed from command in January 1861 but reluctantly reinstated by the crew after his replacement too had been killed.  Sharp had remained angry over his ousting and imprisoned fellow buccaneer, Edmund Cooke, whom he suspected had played a central part.  Shortly thereafter many others left the voyage, including William Dampier and Lionel Wafer.[6]  Sharp and the remaining buccaneers continued around South America, taking ships and plundering towns along the way.  Sharp was also credited with being the first Englishman to travel around Cape Horn when a storm pushed the ship south forcing him to navigate the rocky headland.

The Spanish later demanded Sharp’s prosecution for piracy.  He was brought before the High Court of Admiralty, to which he presented a valuable set of maps taken from the El Santo Rosario in July 1681, receiving a full pardon in the process.[7]  By 1700, however, he had amassed a debt so large that he tried to flee from Danish colonial authorities but was captured and died two years later in prison.[8]

 

Captain Wood

The fourth book is Captain Wood’s voyage through the streights of Magellan.  It described the navigator’s journey from September 1669, when His Majesty’s ship, Sweepstakes, set sail for the Isle of May.  He sailed on to “Pengwin Island" and eventually to the highest point between Cape St. George and the “Streights of Mallegan”, where he engraved his name and called the place Mount Wood.  A few miles from here, Wood came across what he thought was a sheep: “…looking about me, I perceived somewhat to have a Motion behind a Bush, which I supposed to be one of the Country Sheep, or a Deer, and made me move towards it to shoot it: But I found the same to be a Man, and one of the Natives of the Country, who perceiving I had discovered him, stood up and removed a little further off behind an Hill, where he was met by six more with their Bows and Arrows, which made me think it most adviseable to return…”.  Throughout the book, Wood continued to describe the geographical features, inhabitants (and their shelters), and food sources of the islands he visited.  His writing manner tended to be advisory, offering future voyagers warnings about where and how to dock, and pointers on the locations of fresh food and water.

A. Roberts

The fifth book is Mr. Roberts voyage to the Levant; with an account of his sufferings amongst the corsairs; their villainous way of living; and his description of the Archipelago Islands. Together with his relation of taking, and retaking of Scio, in the year 1692.  In it, Roberts described the islands in and around Greece’s archipelago, which he called “Cesalonia”, “Zant”, “Prodonalis”, “Sapienza”, “Venetica” and “Caravilies”, amongst many others.  His descriptions were generally brief, containing a few notes only about the islands’ geographical features, inhabitants and industry where applicable.

Original Condition

Textblock split in two at the beginning of Captain Cowley's book; spine leather and associated labels also split in half.  Leather on the front board beginning to lift along the joint.  Board corners slightly bumped with some loss of leather.  Half of the headband at the head of the book missing and cloth-tape call number label lifting from the tail of the spine.

Restoration by Anthony Zammit

Textblock resewn, bringing the two separate halves back together. New brown cloth applied to front and rear hinges for strength, and endpapers tipped back in.  Leather on both front and back boards lifted along the joint edge and new custom-dyed Japanese paper inserted and pasted between this and the spine, also for added strength.  Lifted cover leather glued back down, making the book whole again.  Board corners consolidated with a little glue between the separated layers and cloth-tape call number label carefully removed.

Footnotes:

[1] Funnell, Andy, “1703:Privateering around the world with William Funnell”, Funnell’s Wood: Family trees and fallen leaves, 3 February 2007, accessed online 1 June 2018
http://www.funnell.org/archives/1703-privateering-around-the-world-with-william-funnell/

[2] Funnell, Andy, “1703:Privateering around the world with William Funnell”, Funnell’s Wood: Family trees and fallen leaves, 3 February 2007, accessed online 1 June 2018
http://www.funnell.org/archives/1703-privateering-around-the-world-with-william-funnell/

[3] Department of Geological Sciences, Cornell University, Galapagos geology on the web: A brief history of the Galapagos, Discovery, pirates and whalers, January 2001, accessed online 29 May 2018
http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/GalapagosWWW/Discovery.html

[4] “Bartholomew Sharp”, Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia, 12 January 2018, accessed online 30 May 2018
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Sharp

[5] “Bartholomew Sharp”, Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia, 12 January 2018, accessed online 30 May 2018
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Sharp

[6] “Bartholomew Sharp”, Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia, 12 January 2018, accessed online 30 May 2018
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Sharp

[7] “Bartholomew Sharp”, Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia, 12 January 2018, accessed online 30 May 2018
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Sharp

[8] “Bartholomew Sharp”, Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia, 12 January 2018, accessed online 30 May 2018
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartholomew_Sharp

Lee Hayes
June 2018