Page 147
An.1684
Bay of Guiaquil. Isle of St. Clara.
Fire-wood, and put aboard as many plank as we could conveniently stow, for other uses: Here be- ing plank enough of all sorts, which we had brought hither in the first Prize that we took, and left here.
The 26th day in the evening, we saw a small Bark about 3 leagues N. N. W. from the Island, but we supposing her to be our own Bark, did not go after her. The next morning she was 2 leagues South of the Island, standing off to Sea; but we did not now chace her neither, although we knew she was not our Bark; for being to Windward of us, she could have made her escape, if we had chased her. This Bark, as we were afterward informed, was sent out purposely to see if we were at this Island. Her orders were, not to come too near, only to ap- pear in fight; they supposing that if we were here we should soon be after her; as indeed it was a won- der we had not chaced her: but our not doing so, and lying close under the Island undiscern'd by them, was a great occasion of our coming upon Puna after- wards unexpectedly, they being now without fear of any Enemy so near them.
The 28th day we scrubd our Ships bottomis, in- tending to sail the next day towards Guiaquil; it be- ing concluded upon to attempt that Town before we returned again to Plata. Accordingly, on the 29th day in the morning, we loosed from hence, steering directly for the Bay of Guiaquil. This Bay runs in between Cape Blanco on the South side, and Point Chandy on the North. About 25 leagues from Cape Blanco, near the bottom of the Bay, there is a small Island called Santa Clara, which lies East and West: It is of an indifferent length, and it appears like a dead Man stretched out in a Shroud: The East end represents the Head, and the West end the Feet. Ships that are bound into the Rive. of Guia- quil pass on the South side, to avoid the shoals which lie on the North side of it; whereon formerly Ships have