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66-578: The Raja Ampat archipelago straddles the equator and forms part of the Coral Triangle , an area of Southeast Asian seas containing the richest marine biodiversity on earth. The Coral Triangle itself is an approximate area west-southwest of the Philippines , east-northeast and southeast of the island of Borneo , and north, east and west of the island of New Guinea, including the seas in between. Thousands of species of marine organisms, from

132-477: A biogeographic crossroads between Indonesia, Micronesia and the Arafura Sea . 1,508 fish species, 537 coral species (a remarkable 96% of all scleractinians recorded from Indonesia are likely to occur in these islands and 75% of all species that exist in the world), and 699 mollusk species, the variety of marine life is staggering. Raja Ampat is identified as the epicenter of restricted-range reef fishes, in

198-560: A former crewmate who may have inspired Daniel Defoe 's Robinson Crusoe . Others influenced by Dampier include George Anson , James Cook , Horatio Nelson , Charles Darwin , and Alfred Russel Wallace . William Dampier was born at Hymerford House in East Coker , Somerset , in 1651. He was baptised on 5 September, but his precise date of birth is not recorded. He was educated at King's School, Bruton . Dampier sailed on two merchant voyages to Newfoundland and Java before joining

264-674: A further delay at the Texel , they dropped anchor at the Thames in London on 14 October 1711. Dampier may not have lived to receive all of his share of the expedition's gains. He died in the Parish of St Stephen Coleman Street , London. The exact date and circumstances of his death, and his final resting place, are all unknown. He may have been buried in St Stephen’s Church, but the building

330-593: A hundred miles from it. In danger of sinking, he attempted to make the return voyage to England, but the ship foundered at Ascension Island on 21 February 1701. While anchored offshore the ship began to take on more water and the carpenter could do nothing with the worm -eaten planking. As a result, the vessel had to be run aground. Dampier's crew was marooned there for five weeks before being picked up on 3 April by an East Indiaman and returned home in August 1701. Although many papers were lost with Roebuck , Dampier

396-713: A new North Raja Ampat Regency ( Kabupaten Raja Ampat Utara ), and with Misool and Kofiau and their surrounding small islands forming a new South Raja Ampat Regency ( Kabupaten Raja Ampat Selatan ), leaving the residue of the existing Regency to cover the northern part of Salawati Island (the rest of Salawati Island still lies within Sorong Regency) and Batanta Island (which forms Selat Sagawin District). Archipelago An archipelago ( / ˌ ɑːr k ə ˈ p ɛ l ə ɡ oʊ / AR -kə- PEL -ə-goh ), sometimes called an island group or island chain ,

462-401: A recovery time for the reef spanning decades. A zebra shark breeding and release initiative started in 2022, aiming to release 500 sharks by 2032. The wild population was formerly abundant, but a fishing industry that ballooned starting in the 1990s reduced the population to perhaps just 20 individuals. The main occupation for people around this area is fishing since the area is dominated by

528-478: A second ship, Duchess . Commanded by Woodes Rogers , this voyage was more successful: Selkirk was rescued on 2 February 1709, and the expedition amassed £147,975 (equivalent to £27.8 million today) worth of plundered goods. Most of that came from the capture of a Spanish galleon, Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación y Desengaño , along the coast of Mexico in December 1709. In January 1710, Dampier crossed

594-472: A seven-hour battle but were driven off. Dampier succeeded in capturing a number of small Spanish ships along the coast of Peru, but released them after removing only a fraction of their cargoes because he believed they "would be a hindrance to his greater designs." The greater design he had in mind was a raid on Santa María, a town on the Gulf of Panama rumoured to hold stockpiles of gold from nearby mines. When

660-644: A small canoe which they modified after first capsizing and then, after surviving a great storm at sea, called at "Acheen" ( Aceh ) in Sumatra . Dampier returned to England in 1691 via the Cape of Good Hope , penniless, with his only possessions being his journals and a tattooed slave known as Jeoly. Originally from Miangas , Jeoly and his mother were captured by slave traders and brought to Mindanao . They were bought for sixty dollars by one Mister Moody, who later passed on ownership to Dampier. When his mother died, Jeoly

726-521: A spirit, while the seventh egg did not hatch and turned to stone and worshipped as a king in Kali Raja (Wawiyai, Waigeo). Historically the 'four' kingdoms were Waigeo , Salawati , Sailolof , Misool , and Waigama . Locally Waigama is not considered one of the Raja Ampat , while Sailolof is not considered one of the Raja Ampat by Tidore . The first recorded sighting and landing by Europeans of

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792-590: A whole has a larger Muslim population because of its extensive history with the Sultanate of Tidore . Religion in Raja Ampat (2010) Most of the islands make up the Raja Ampat Regency , a regency ( kabupaten ) forming part of Southwest Papua . It came into existence in 2004, before which the archipelago was part of Sorong Regency . The southern part of the island of Salawati is not part of

858-576: Is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands , or sometimes a sea containing a small number of scattered islands. Archipelagos are sometimes defined by political boundaries. For example, while they are geopolitically divided, the San Juan Islands and Gulf Islands geologically form part of a larger Gulf Archipelago. The word archipelago is derived from the Ancient Greek ἄρχι-( arkhi- , "chief") and πέλαγος ( pélagos , "sea") through

924-478: Is composed of four marine areas – the waters around northern Salawati, Batanta, and southwestern Waigeo, Mayalibit Bay in central Waigeo, the waters southeast of Misool, and waters around the Sembilan Islands north of Misool and west of Salawati. The oceanic natural resources around Raja Ampat give the area significant potential as a tourist area, drawing divers, researchers and others with an interest in

990-658: Is now Australia, and Dampier's intention was to travel there via Cape Horn . The expedition set out on 14 January 1699, too late in the season to attempt the Horn, so it headed to New Holland via the Cape of Good Hope instead. Following the Dutch route to the Indies, Dampier passed between Dirk Hartog Island and the Western Australian mainland into what he called Shark Bay on 6 August 1699. He landed and began producing

1056-697: The Royal Navy in 1673. He took part in the two Battles of Schooneveld in June of that year. Dampier's service was cut short by a catastrophic illness, and he returned to England for several months of recuperation. For the next several years he tried his hand at various careers, including plantation management in Jamaica and logging in Mexico, before he eventually joined another sailing expedition. Returning to England, he married Judith around 1679, only to leave for

1122-619: The breadfruit plant, and made frequent documentation of the taste of numerous foods foreign to the European palate at the time, such as flamingo and manatee. After impressing the British Admiralty with his book A New Voyage Round the World , Dampier was given command of a Royal Navy ship and made important discoveries in western Australia, before being court-martialed for cruelty. On a later voyage he rescued Alexander Selkirk ,

1188-489: The "miserablest" people he had ever seen who "differ but little from brutes." Among his fellows were a significant number of Spanish sailors, most notably Alonso Ramírez, a native of San Juan , Puerto Rico ; Ramírez would later be released after being imprisoned by another pirate, Duncan Mackintosh . Later that year, by agreement, Dampier and two shipmates were marooned on one of the Nicobar Islands . They obtained

1254-700: The Admiralty. Dampier aggressively defended his conduct, but he was found guilty. His pay for the voyage was reduced, and he was dismissed from the Royal Navy . According to records held at the UK's National Archives , the Royal Navy court martial held on 8 June 1702 involved the following three charges: The War of the Spanish Succession had broken out in 1701, and English privateers were being readied to act against French and Spanish interests. Dampier

1320-459: The Coral Triangle with over 100 species of endemic reef fishes, and also an extremely high diversity of reef coral species (over 600 475 species). The Raja Ampat Islands have at least three ponds containing harmless jellyfish, all in the Misool area. The submarine world around the islands was the subject of the documentary film Edies Paradies 3 (by Otto C. Honegger), which has been broadcast by

1386-775: The Italian arcipelago . In antiquity , "Archipelago" (from Medieval Greek * ἀρχιπέλαγος and Latin archipelagus ) was the proper name for the Aegean Sea . Later, usage shifted to refer to the Aegean Islands (since the sea has a large number of islands). Archipelagos may be found isolated in large amounts of water or neighbouring a large land mass. For example, Scotland has more than 700 islands surrounding its mainland, which form an archipelago. Archipelagos are often volcanic, forming along island arcs generated by subduction zones or hotspots , but may also be

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1452-471: The Mololo Cave site, excavations show that early people were processing tree resins and hunting native animals. Pottery-making communities moved into Raja Ampat about 3500–3000 years ago and may have brought Austronesian languages to the area. The name of Raja Ampat ( Raja means king, and empat means four) comes from local mythology that told of a woman who found seven eggs, in one version this woman

1518-638: The Pacific in Duke , accompanied by Duchess and two prizes. They stopped at Guam before arriving in Batavia . Following a refit at Horn Island (near Batavia) and the sale of one of their prize ships, they sailed for the Cape of Good Hope where they remained for more than three months awaiting a convoy . They left the Cape in company with English ships, with Dampier now serving as sailing master of Encarnación . After

1584-646: The Philippines. Spanish witnesses saw the predominantly English crew as not only pirates and heretics but also cannibals. Leaving Swan and 36 others behind on Mindanao, the rest of the privateers under new Captain John Read sailed on to Manila, Poulo Condor in modern-day Vietnam, China, the Spice Islands , and New Holland (Australia). Contrary to Dampier's later claim that he had not actively participated in actual piratical attacks during this voyage, he

1650-737: The Raja Ampat Islands was by the Portuguese navigator Jorge de Menezes and his crew in 1526, en route from Biak , the Bird's Head Peninsula , and Waigeo , to Halmahera ( Ternate ). Islam first arrived in the Raja Ampat Islands in the 15th century due to political and economic contacts with the Bacan Sultanate . During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Maluku -based Sultanate of Tidore had close economic and political ties with

1716-614: The Raja Ampat Regency. Instead, it constitutes the Salawati Selatan and Salawati Tengah Districts of Sorong Regency. Raja Ampat Regency is subdivided into the following districts ( kecamatan ): Note: (a) including the Boo Islands , which lie some distance to the west of Kofiau. (b) Not to be confused with Salawati Tengah District of Sorong Regency, Salawati Tengah District of Rajah Ampat Regency actually forms

1782-630: The South in Misool, it ranges from 26 to 28 °C (79 to 82 °F) (Water temperature chart in Misog ol). The islands are part of the Vogelkop-Aru lowland rain forests ecoregion. The rainforests that cover the islands are the natural habitat of many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. Two species of bird-of-paradise , the red bird-of-paradise ( Paradisaea rubra ) and Wilson's bird-of-paradise ( Diphyllodes respublica ), are endemic to

1848-620: The Swiss television network Schweizer Fernsehen . In March 2017 the 90-metre-long (295 ft) cruise ship Caledonian Sky owned by British tour operator Noble Caledonia got caught in a low tide and ran aground in the reef. An evaluation team estimated that 1,600 square metres (17,000 sq ft) of the reef was destroyed, which will likely result in a compensation claim of $ 1.28 million – $ 1.92 million. A team of environmentalists and academics estimated much more substantial damage, with potential losses to Indonesia estimated at $ 18.6 million and

1914-457: The book, A New Voyage Round the World , in 1697 was a popular sensation, creating interest at the Admiralty . In 1699, Dampier was given command of the 26-gun warship HMS  Roebuck , with a commission from King William III (who had ruled jointly with Queen Mary II until her death in 1694). His mission was to explore the east coast of New Holland , the name given by the Dutch to what

1980-711: The capture of Spanish ships on the Pacific coast of that isthmus. The pirates then raided Spanish settlements in Peru , with diminishing returns over time as the Spanish became aware of their presence. After a failed raid on the city of Arica , a group of the buccaneers, Dampier included, left the group in April 1681 and re-crossed the Isthmus of Darién. The remainder of the expedition continued on and rounded Cape Horn in November of

2046-580: The coast of Peru. He and his remaining men embarked in a Spanish prize for the East Indies, where they were thrown into prison as pirates by their supposed allies the Dutch but later released. Now without a ship, Dampier made his way back to England at the end of 1707. In 1708, Dampier was engaged to serve on the privateer Duke , not as captain but as pilot. Duke beat its way into the South Pacific Ocean round Cape Horn in consort with

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2112-426: The destruction this causes among reefs has posed a threat to tourism. The crown-of-thorns starfish, which "can grow around as big as a trash-can lid" and is covered in sharp, stinging spines, has proliferated due to increasing nitrogen in the water from human waste, which in turn causes a spike in phytoplankton on which the starfish feed. In 2019, local divers began the task of reducing starfish populations by injecting

2178-681: The east, there is a strait that separates Batanta from Salawati . In 1759 Captain William Wilson sailing in the East Indiaman Pitt navigated these waters and named a strait the 'Pitt Strait', after his vessel; this was probably the channel between Batanta and Salawati. The islands have a tropical climate, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 33 °C (68 to 91 °F). Water temperature in North Raja Ampat ranges from 28 to 30 °C (82 to 86 °F), while in

2244-475: The first Englishman to explore parts of what is today Australia , and the first person to circumnavigate the world three times. He has also been described as Australia's first natural historian, as well as one of the most important British explorers of the period between Sir Francis Drake (16th century) and Captain James Cook (18th century); he "bridged those two eras" with a mix of piratical derring-do of

2310-561: The first known detailed record of Australian flora and fauna. The botanical drawings that were made are believed to be by his clerk, James Brand. Dampier then followed the coast north-east, reaching the Dampier Archipelago and Lagrange Bay , just south of what is now called Roebuck Bay , all the while recording and collecting specimens, including many shells. From there he bore northward for Timor . Then he sailed east and on 3 December 1699 rounded New Guinea, which he passed to

2376-595: The first maps of the Galápagos during this period. Cooke died in Mexico, and a new leader, Edward Davis , was elected captain by the crew, taking the ship Batchelor's Delight , with future Captain George Raynor in the crew. Dampier transferred to the privateer Charles Swan 's ship, Cygnet , and on 31 March 1686 they set out across the Pacific to raid the East Indies , calling at Guam and Mindanao in

2442-473: The force of seamen he led against the town met with unexpectedly strong resistance, however, he withdrew. In May 1704, Cinque Ports separated from the St George and, after putting Alexander Selkirk ashore alone on an island for complaining about the vessel's seaworthiness, sank off the coast of what is today Colombia. Some of its crew survived being shipwrecked but were made prisoners of the Spanish. It

2508-399: The former and scientific inquiry of the latter. His expeditions were among the first to identify and name a number of plants, animals, foods, and cooking techniques for a European audience, being among the first English writers to use words such as avocado, barbecue, and chopsticks. In describing the preparation of avocados, he was the first European to describe the making of guacamole , named

2574-489: The galleon's 18- and 24-pounders , and, suffering serious damage, they were forced to break off the attack. The failure to capture the Spanish galleon completed the break-up of the expedition. Dampier, with about thirty men, stayed in the St George , while the rest of the crew took a captured barque across the Pacific to Amboyna in the Dutch settlements . The undermanned and worm-damaged St George had to be abandoned on

2640-436: The islands of Waigeo, Gam, and Batanta. The recently discovered palm tree Wallaceodoxa raja-ampat is endemic to the Raja Ampat Islands. Raja Ampat is considered the global epicentre of tropical marine biodiversity and is referred to as "The Crown Jewel" of the Bird's Head Seascape, which also includes Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay. The region contains more than 600 species of hard corals , constituting about 75% of

2706-543: The islands, especially with Gurabesi . During this period, Islam became firmly established, and local chiefs began adopting Islam. As a consequence of these ties, Raja Ampat was considered a part of the Sultanate of Tidore. After the Dutch invaded Maluku, it was claimed by the Netherlands. The English explorer William Dampier gave his name to Dampier Strait , which separates Batanta Island from Waigeo Island. To

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2772-547: The land area and has a population of 64,141 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 66,839. This excludes the southern half of Salawati Island, which is not part of this regency but instead constitutes the Salawati Selatan and Salawati Tengah Districts of Sorong Regency . Archaeological evidence indicates that the Raja Ampat Islands were first visited by humans over 50,000 years ago. At this time, Misool and Salawati were connected to New Guinea , while Waigeo and Batanta formed an island called Waitanta. At

2838-408: The largest extant fish species on earth, also thrive in this region. In the northeast region of Waigeo Island, local villagers have been involved in turtle conservation initiatives by protecting nests or relocating eggs of leatherback , olive ridley , and hawksbill turtles . Their works are supported by the local government and NGOs . Raja Ampat Marine Recreation Park was designated in 2009. It

2904-530: The marine life there. According to Conservation International , marine surveys suggest that the marine life diversity in the Raja Ampat area is the highest recorded on Earth. Diversity is considerably greater than any other area sampled in the Coral Triangle composed of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and East Timor . The Coral Triangle is the heart of

2970-550: The north. He traced the south-eastern coasts of New Hanover , New Ireland , and New Britain , charting the Dampier Strait between these islands (now the Bismarck Archipelago ) and New Guinea. En route, he paused to collect specimens such as giant clams. By this time, Roebuck was in such bad condition that Dampier was forced to abandon his plan to examine the east coast of New Holland while less than

3036-465: The result of erosion , deposition , and land elevation . Depending on their geological origin, islands forming archipelagos can be referred to as oceanic islands , continental fragments , or continental islands . Oceanic islands are mainly of volcanic origin, and widely separated from any adjacent continent. The Hawaiian Islands and Galapagos Islands in the Pacific , and Mascarene Islands in

3102-578: The same year. Dampier made his way to Virginia , where in 1683 he was engaged by the privateer John Cooke . Cooke entered the Pacific via Cape Horn and spent a year raiding Spanish possessions in Peru, the Galápagos Islands , and Mexico. This expedition collected buccaneers and ships as it went along, at one time having a fleet of ten vessels. Ambrose Cowley , one of the buccaneers who later wrote an account of his own circumnavigation, produced

3168-682: The sea a few months later. In 1679, Dampier joined the crew of the buccaneer (pirate) Captain Bartholomew Sharp on the Spanish Main of Central America, twice visiting the Bay of Campeche , or "Campeachy" as it was then known, on the north coast of Mexico. This led to his first circumnavigation, during which he accompanied a raid across the Isthmus of Darién in Panama and took part in

3234-476: The sea. They live in a small colony of tribes that spreads around the area. Although traditional culture still strongly exists, they are very welcoming to visitors. Raja Ampat people have similarities with the surrounding Moluccan people and Papuan people , as they speak Papuan and Austronesian languages. The Muslim proportion is much higher compared with other Papuan areas. However, the West Papua province as

3300-552: The shared maritime heritage of those parts of the world first visited or described by him. His account of the expedition was published as A Voyage to New Holland in 1703. On his return from the Roebuck expedition, Dampier was court-martialled for cruelty . On the outward voyage, Dampier had his lieutenant , George Fisher, removed from the ship and jailed in Brazil. Fisher returned to England and complained about his treatment to

3366-610: The shelf. The islands of the Inside Passage off the coast of British Columbia and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are examples. Artificial archipelagos have been created in various countries for different purposes. Palm Islands and The World Islands off Dubai were or are being created for leisure and tourism purposes. Marker Wadden in the Netherlands is being built as a conservation area for birds and other wildlife. The largest archipelago in

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3432-432: The south Indian Ocean are examples. Continental fragments correspond to land masses that have separated from a continental mass due to tectonic displacement. The Farallon Islands off the coast of California are an example. Sets of islands formed close to the coast of a continent are considered continental archipelagos when they form part of the same continental shelf, when those islands are above-water extensions of

3498-466: The southeast portion of Salawati Island. (c) the Ayau Islands (including Ayau District) lie some distance to the north of Waigeo. Taking account of the 2,757 people of Salawati Selatan and Salawati Tengah Districts which are administratively in Sorong Regency , the total population of the archipelago added up to 69,596 in mid 2022. There are proposals to divide the current Raja Ampat Regency into three, with Waigeo and its surrounding small islands forming

3564-452: The starfish with a 10% vinegar solution; the dead starfish can then be eaten by local fish. The high marine diversity in Raja Ampat is strongly influenced by its position between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as coral and fish larvae are more easily shared between the two oceans. Raja Ampat's coral diversity, resilience, and role as a source for larval dispersal make it a global priority for marine protection. Its location results in it being

3630-460: The tiniest cleaner shrimp and camouflaged pygmy seahorses to the majestic cetaceans and whale sharks , thrive in these waters. Administratively, the archipelago is part of the province of Southwest Papua . Most of the islands constitute the Raja Ampat Regency , which was separated from Sorong Regency in 2004. The regency encompasses around 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 sq mi) of land and sea, of which 8,034.44 km constitutes

3696-417: The world by number of islands is the Archipelago Sea , which is part of Finland . There are approximately 40,000 islands, mostly uninhabited. The largest archipelagic state in the world by area, and by population, is Indonesia . William Dampier William Dampier (baptised 5 September 1651; died March 1715) was an English explorer, pirate, privateer , navigator, and naturalist who became

3762-532: The world's coral reef biodiversity, making Raja Ampat quite possibly the richest coral reef ecosystem in the world. The area's massive coral colonies, along with relatively high sea surface temperatures , also suggest that its reefs may be relatively resistant to threats like coral bleaching and coral disease , which now jeopardize the survival of other coral ecosystems around the world. The Raja Ampat islands are remote and relatively undisturbed by humans. The crown-of-thorns starfish eats Raja Ampat's corals, and

3828-443: The world's known species, and more than 1,700 species of reef fish – including on both shallow and mesophotic reefs. Compared to similarly-sized ecosystems elsewhere in the world, Raja Ampat's biodiversity is arguably the richest in the world. Endangered and rare marine mammals , such as dugongs , whales (such as blue , pygmy blue , Bryde's , Omura's , sperm ), dolphins , and even orcas occur here. Endangered whale sharks,

3894-420: Was Boki Tabai, daughter of Al-Mansur of Tidore and wife to Gurabesi . Three of the seven hatched and became kings who occupied Raja Ampat Islands, the fourth hatched and settled in Waigama but later migrated to Kalimuri ( Seram ). In another version, the fifth egg hatched into a woman (Pin Take) who later washed away to Biak , married Manar Makeri , and later gave birth to Gurabesi . The sixth egg hatched into

3960-413: Was able to save some new charts of coastlines, and his record of trade winds and currents in the seas around Australia and New Guinea. He also preserved a few of his specimens. Many plant specimens were donated to the Fielding-Druce Herbarium (part of the University of Oxford ), and in September 1999, they were then loaned to Western Australia for the 300 year celebration. In 2001, the Roebuck wreck

4026-450: Was appointed commander of the 26-gun ship St George , with a crew of 120 men. They were joined by the 16-gun Cinque Ports with 63 men, and sailed on 11 September 1703 from Kinsale , Ireland. The two ships made a storm-tossed passage round Cape Horn, arriving at the Juan Fernández Islands off the coast of Chile in February 1704. While watering and provisioning there, they sighted a heavily armed French merchantman, which they engaged in

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4092-401: Was destroyed by bombing in 1940, and was not rebuilt. Dampier’s will was proven on 23 March 1715, and it is generally assumed he died earlier that month, but this is not known with any certainty. His estate was almost £2,000 in debt. Dampier influenced several figures better known than he: Gabriel García Márquez, the Literature Nobel Prize, mentioned him in his dictator novel: "The Autumn of

4158-474: Was in fact selected in 1687 to command one of the Spanish ships captured by Cygnet ' s crew off Manila. On 5 January 1688, Cygnet "anchored two miles from shore in 29 fathoms" on the northwest coast of Australia, near King Sound . Dampier and his ship remained there until 12 March, and while the ship was being careened Dampier made notes on the fauna and flora and the indigenous peoples he found there. Dampier wrote that Aboriginal Australians were

4224-477: Was inconsolable and wrapped himself in his dead mother's clothes. Dampier claimed in his diaries that he became close with Jeoly, however, eager to recoup the money he lost while at sea, he sold Jeoly to the Blue Boar Inn on Fleet Street . Jeoly was exhibited as a "prince" to large crowds until he died of smallpox three months later. Numerous false stories about the tattooed foreigner were afterwards written, including his title as "Prince Giolo". The publication of

4290-407: Was located in Clarence Bay , Ascension Island, by a team from the Western Australian Maritime Museum . Because of his widespread influence, and also because so little exists that can now be linked to him, it has been argued that the remains of his ship and the objects still at the site on Ascension Island – while the property of Britain and subject to the island government's management – are actually

4356-436: Was now left to the St George to make an attempt on the Manila galleon , the main object of the expedition. The ship was sighted on 6 December 1704, probably Nuestra Señora del Rosario . It was caught unprepared and had not run out its guns. But while Dampier and his officers argued over the best way to mount an attack, the galleon got its guns loaded and the battle was joined. The St George soon found itself out-sized by

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