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The First Separate Map of the Galapagos Islands
The French edition of the charmingly detailed Dampier/Moll map of the Galapagos Islands, "discovered by Capt. John Eaton," the first map to focus exclusively on the archipelago.
Published about 150 years prior to Charles Darwin's visit, the map is based upon a manuscript map drawn by William Ambrosia Cowley. Cowley was sailing master of a pirate ship captained by John Eaton in 1684 when they made landfall at the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Cowley's narrative of the voyage entitled Cowley's Voyage Around the Globe was published in the Collection of Original Voyages by William Hacke from London in 1699.
In Cowley's manuscript journal he recorded his first observations of the land:
"Then we came to an Anchor in a very good Harbour, lying toward the Northernmost end of a fine Island, under the Equinoctial Line: Here being great plenty of Provisions, as Fish, Sea and Land Tortoises, some of which weighed at least 200 Pound weight, which are excellent good Food. Here are also abundance of Fowls, viz. Flemingoes and Turtle Doves; the latter whereof were so tame, that they would often alight upon our Hats and Arms, so as that we could take them alive, they not fearing Man, until such time as some of our Company did fire at them, whereby they were rendered more shy."
