683 an expedition was organized to go pirating against the
Spaniards in the Pacific, or the "South Sea." Dampier was of this
number, also Captain John Cook, Captain Edward Davis, and Lionel Wafer
who wrote the journal of the voyage. The scheme was hatched on the
coast of Hispaniola, and after taking two prizes, French vessels, to
Virginia to be sold, the company seventy strong, and most of them old
hands at this game, stood out from the Chesapeake in an eighteen-gun
ship called the _Revenge_.

Off the coast of Guinea they found a large Danish ship which better
suited their purpose, wherefore she was carried by boarding. They
christened her the _Batchelor's Delight_, and abandoned their old
vessel which was burned, "that she might tell no tales." In February
of 1684, they rounded Cape Horn and made for the island of Juan
Fernandez, which several of the company had previously visited with
Watling. Then sailing northward, the ship visited the Galapagos
Islands to catch turtle, and bore away for Cocos which was missed
because of adverse winds and faulty navigation. On this stretch of the
voyage, the _Batchelor's Delight_ passed what was known as the Isle of
Plate, or Drake's Island, in latitude 2 min. 42 sec. S., which has an
alluring lost treasure story of its own. Says Esquemeling:

"This island received its name from Sir Francis Drake and his famous
actions, for here it is reported by tradition that he made the dividend
or sharing of that quantity of plate which he took in the Armada of
this sea, distributing it to each man of his company by whole bowls
full. The Spaniards affirm to this day that he took at that time
twelve score tons of plate, and sixteen bowls of coined money a man,
his number being then forty-five men in all. Insomuch that they were
forced to heave much of it overboard, because his ship could not carry
it all. Hence was this island called by the Spaniards themselves the
Isle of Plate, from this great dividend, and by us Drake's Isle."[4]

The mainland of South America, or New Spain, was sighted near Cape
Blanco, where Captain John Cook died, and Edward Davis, then
quartermaster, was elected commander. He cruised for some time along
the coast, learning among other interesting news that at Point Saint
Elena, "many years before a rich Spanish ship was driven ashore for
want of wind to work her, that immediately after she struck she heeled
off to seaward and sank in seven or eight fathoms of