Page 111
An. 1684
Cape Blanco.
S. S. W., Winds which we did not expect. We thought at first that the Wind would come about a- gain to the South; but when we came to sail off West to the Island Cocos, we had the Wind at S. W. by S. and could lye but W. by N. Yet we stood that course till we were in the lat. 5 d. 40 m. North; and then despairing, as the Winds were, to find the Island Cocos, we steer'd over to the Main; for had we seen the Island then we could not have fetched it, being so far to the North of it.
The Island Cocos is so named by the Spaniards, because there are abundance of Coco-nut Trees growing on it. They are not only in one or two places, but grow in great Groves, all round the Island, by the Sea. This is an uninhabited Island, it is 7 or 8 leagues round, and pretty high in the mid- dle, where it is destitute of Trees, but looks very green and pleasant, with an Herb called by the Spaniards, Gramadael. It is low Land by the Sea side.
This Island is in 5 d. 15 m. North of the Equator; it is environed with Rocks, which makes it almost in- accessihle:only at the N. E. end there is a small Harbor where Ships may safely enter and ride secure. In this Harbour there is a fine Brook of fresh Water run- ning into the Sea. This is the account that the Spa- niards give of it, and I had the same, also from Cap- tain Eaton, who was there afterward.
Any who like us had not experienced the nature of the Winds in these parts, might reasonably expect that we could have, sailed with a flown sheet to Ria Lexa; but we found our selves mistaken, for as we came nearer the shore, we found the winds right in our Teeth; but I shall refer my Reader to the Chap- ter of Winds, in the Appendix, for a further account of this.
We had very fair weather and small winds in this Voyage from the Gallapagos, and at the beginning of July we fell in with Cape Blanca, on the Main of Mexico.