[14] A piece of eight was the name then given to the old Spanish dollar, value about four shillings and sixpence. [15] In ships of that date the belfry was quite an important, and very ornamental little structure just abaft the forecastle and forard of a space called "no man's land," where, between it and the boat on the booms amidships was stowed all the ropes, blocks, and tackles, likely to be wanted upon the forecastle. [16] Pole axe, a hatchet like a battle axe, with a short handle, and furnished with a sharp point at the back of its head. Used chiefly to cut away the rigging of an enemy attempting to board. It is also employed in boarding an enemy whose hull is more lofty than the boarder's, by driving the points of several axes into the enemy's ship's side, thereby forming a sort of scaling-ladder; hence it is often called a boarding-axe. [Illustration] CHAPTER V. AMONG THE GALLAPAGOS ISLANDS AND AT GORGONA ROAD IN PERU. [Sidenote: 1709] [Sidenote: _Mr. Hatley and our bark missing._] [Sidenote: _Abundance of Pope's bulls found in the "Marquiss."_] While engaged cruising among the Gallapagos, two more small prizes were however added to the fleet, but, at the same time, great anxiety was felt as to the safety of one of the recent prizes, a small bark under the command of a Mr. Hatley, which was lost sight of here, with only two days' water on board. And after several days of unsuccessful search she was "bewail'd as lost," it being supposed that Hatley and his prize crew of three men had been surprised and overpowered while asleep by the two Spaniards and three negro prisoners on board her.[17] Besides careening the frigates and landing their sick men while in Gorgona Road, arrangements were made with certain Spaniards of note among the prisoners for the purchase, or rather what Rogers called the ransom, of the large gallion-built ship, with the other small prizes and their cargoes; but the stout French-built ship, the "Havre de Grace," in attempting the capture of which Rogers' brother was killed, was not sold, but after being re-christened the "Marquiss," was re-fitted, and armed with nine guns, as an additional cruiser. It was in discharging cargo, before careening her, that "500 bales of Pope's bulls were found, which, taking up abundance of room in the ship, we throw'd overboard," says Rogers, "to make room for better goods, except what we us'd to burn the pitch off our ship's bottoms when we careen'd 'em." These bulls or indulgences, he says, "tho they cannot be read, the print looking worse than any of our old ballads, are sold here by the clergy for 3 Ryals to 50 pieces of eight each." [Sidenote: _The blind superstition of the Spaniards towards an image of the Virgin cast overboard._] [Sidenote: _A fancied miracle._] [Sidenote: _A mutiny design'd but prevented._] [Sidenote: _The civil behaviour of our men to Spanish ladies we had taken prisoners._]