CHAP. I.

The Run from Plymouth to Madeira, and from thence through the Streight of Magellan.

[The longitude in this voyage is reckoned from London westward to 180, and eastward afterwards.]

OON after I returned from a voyage round the world

Soon aft Honourable Commodore Byron, I was appoint

ed to the command of his Majefty's floop the Swallow, by a commiffion bearing date the 1ft of July 1766; the Swallow then lay at Chatham, and I was ordered to fit her out with all poffible expedition. She was an old ship, having been in the service thirty years, and was in my opinion by no means fit for a long voyage, having only a flight thin fheathing upon her bottom, which was not even filled with nails to supply the want of a covering that would more effectually keep out the worm. I had been given to understand that I was to go out with the Dolphin; but the disparity of the two ships, and the difference in their equipment, made me think that they could not be intended for the fame duty; the Dolphin, which was sheathed with copper, being supplied with every thing that was requifite for a long and dangerous navigation; and the Swallow having only a scanty supply of common neceffaries. However, I ventured to apply for a forge, fome iron, a small skiff, and several other things VOL. I. which

Rr

1766.

Auguft.

1766. Auguft.

Friday 22.

September.

Sunday 7.

which I knew by experience would be of the utmost import ance, if it was intended that I should make another voyage round the world; but I was told that the veffel and her equipment were very fit for the fervice fhe was to perform, and none of the requifites for which I applied were allowed me. I was therefore confirmed in my opinion, that, if the Dolphin was to go round the world, it could never be intended that I fhould go farther than Falkland's Islands, where the Jason, a fine frigate, which was,. like the Dolphin, fheathed with copper, and amply equipped, would supply my place, I was however deficient in junk, an article which is effentially neceffary in every voyage, and for this I applied when I got to Plymouth, but I was told that a quan-tity fufficient for both the fhips had been put on board the Dolphin..

On Friday the 22d of August, 1766, the fhip's company having the evening before received two months pay, I weighed, and made fail from Plymouth Sound in company with the Dolphin, under the command of Captain Wallis, and the Prince Frederic ftore-fhip, commanded by Lieutenant James Brine. We proceeded together without any remarkable incident till the 7th of September, when we came to an anchor in Madeira road.

While I lay at this place, not being yet acquainted with my destination, I reprefented my want of junk, and the reply that had been made to my application for a supply by the commiffioner at Plymouth, in a letter to Captain Wallis, who sent me five hundred weight. This quantity however was fo inadequate to my wants, that I was foon afterwards reduced to the disagreeable neceffity of cutting off some of my cables to fave my rigging.

On

On the 9th, very early in the morning, the Lieutenant ac quainted me that, in the night, nine of my best men had fecretly fet off from the ship to fwim on fhore, having stripped themselves naked and left all their clothes behind them, taking only their money, which they had fecured in a handkerchief that was tied round their waift; that they proceeded together till they came very near the furf, which breaks high upon the fhore, and that one of them, being then terrified at the found, had fwum back again to the fhip, and been taken on board, but that the reft had ventured through. As the lofs of these men would have been very feverely felt, I immediately fat down to write a letter to the Conful, entreating his affiftance to recover them; but, before I had finished it, he fent me word, that all of them having, to the great aftonishment of the natives, been found naked on the beach, they had been taken into cuftody, and would be delivered up to my order. The boat was dispatched immediately, and as foon as I heard they were on board, I went upon the deck. I was greatly pleased to see a contrition in their countenances, which at once fecretly determined me not to inflict the punishment by which they seemed most heartily willing to expiate their fault; but I asked them what could have induced them to quit the ship, and defert the service of their country, at the risk of being devoured by sharks, or`dashed to pieces by the surf against the shore. They answered, that though they had indeed at fuch risks ventured to fwim on fhore, they never had any intention of deserting the fhip, which they were determined to stand by as long as she could swim; but that being well afsured they were going a long voyage, and none being able to tell who might live, or who might die, they thought it hard not to have an opportunity of spending their own money, and therefore determined, as they said, once more to

1766. September,

Tuesday 9, 1

1766. September.

Tuesday 9.

Friday 12.

get a fkinful of liquor, and then swim back to the ship, which they hoped to have done before they were miffed. As I had refolved to remit their punishment, I did not too severely fcrutinize their apology, which the rest of the ship's company, who stood round them, seemed very much to approve; but, observing that with a skinful of liquor they would have been in a very unfit condition to swim through the surf to the ship, I told them that hoping they would for the future expofe their lives only upon more important occafions, and that their conduct would thenceforward give me no cause of complaint, I would for this time be satisfied with the shame and regret which I perceived they suffered from a fenfe of their misbehaviour: I then admonished them to put on their clothes, and lie down, as I was confident they wanted reft; and added, that as I might poffibly during the course of the voyage have occafion for good fwimmers, I was very glad that I knew to whom I might apply. Having thus difmiffed thefe honeft fellows from their fears, I was infinitely gratified by the murmur of fatisfaction which inftantly ran through the fhip's company; and was afterwards amply rewarded for my lenity, there being no fervice during all the toils and dangers of the voyage which they did not perform, with a zeal and alacrity that were much to their honour and my advantage, as an example to the rest.

We failed again on the 12th, and I was then firft acquainted with the particulars of our voyage by Captain Wallis, who gave me a copy of his inftructions, and appointed Port Famine in the Streight of Magellan to be the place of rendezvous, if we should happen to be separated.

I was now convinced that I had been fent upon a fervice to which my veffel and her equipment were by no means

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