September. 1766. these men would have been very feverely felt, I immediately fat down to write a letter to the Tuefday 9. Conful, entreating his affistance to recover them; but, before I had finished it, he fent me word, that all of them having, to the great astonishment 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 difpatched immediately, and as foon as I heard they were on board, I went upon the deck. I was greatly pleafed to fee a contrition in their countenances, which at once fecretly determined me not to inflict the punishment by which they feemed moft heartily willing to expiate their fault; but I asked them what could have induced them to quit the fhip, and defert the fervice of their country, at the risk of being devoured by sharks, or dashed to pieces by the surf against the fhore. They anfwered, that though they had indeed at fuch rifks ventured to fwim on fhore, they never had any intention of deferting the fhip, which they were determined to ftand by as long as she could fwim; but that being well affured 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 faid, once more to get a fkinful of liquor, and then fwim back to the fhip, which they hoped to 1766. September. have done before they were miffed. As I had refolved to remit their punishment, I did not too feverely fcrutinize their apology, which the Tuesday 9. reft of the ship's company, who stood round them, feemed very much to approve; but, obferving that with a skinful of liquor they would have been in a very unfit condition to swim through the furf to the fhip, I told them that hoping they would for the future expose 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 fatisfied with the fhame and regret which I perceived they fuffered from a fenfe of their mifbehaviour: 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 courfe of the voyage have occafion for good swimmers, I was very glad that I knew to whom I might apply. Having thus difmiffed these honeft fellows from their fears, I was infinitely gratified by the murmur of fatisfaction which inftantly ran through the ship'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 reft. 1766: September. Friday 12. We failed again on the 12th, and I was then first acquainted with the particulars of our voyage by Captain Wallis, who gave me a copy of his instructions, and appointed Port Famine in the Streight of Magellan to be the place of rendezvous, if we fhould happen to be feparated. I was now convinced that I had been sent upon a fervice to which my veffel and her equipment were by no means equal, but I determined at all events to perform it in the best manner I was able. We proceeded on our voyage without any remarkable event till we anchored off Cape Virgin Mary, where we faw the Patagonians, of which I have given fome account in a letter to Dr. Matty, which was published in the fixtieth volume of the Tranfactions of the Royal Society, and which it is not neceffary here to repeat, as it is in general the fame as those which have been given by Commodore Byron and Captain Wallis. When we entered the Streight, I was ordered to keep a-head of the Dolphin and the store. fhip, to pilot them through the fhoals; but my ship worked fo ill, that we could but very feldom make her tack without the help of a boat to tow her round: however, with much labour, and at no inconfiderable rifk, we anchored in December. Port Famine, on Friday the 26th of December, Friday 26. At 1766. December. At this place we unhung our rudder, and added a piece of wood to it, in hopes that by making it broader, we should obtain fome advantage in Friday 26 working the fhip; in which however we were altogether difappointed: After many difficulties and dangers, we got into Inland Bay on the 17th of February; and before we made fail again, I represented the condition of my ship by letter to Captain Wallis, and requested him to confider what was beft for his Majefty's fervice, whether she should be difmiffed, or continue the voyage. Captain Wallis replied, that as the Lords of the Admiralty had ordered the Swallow on this service, with the nature of which I was well acquainted, he did not think himself at liberty to alter her destination, We continued therefore for fome time to navigate the Streight together, and as I had paffed it before, I was ordered to keep a-head and lead the way, with liberty to anchor and weigh when I thought proper; but perceiving that the bad failing of the Swallow would fo much retard the Dolphin as probably to make her lose the season for getting into high southern latitudes, and defeat the intention of the voyage, I proposed to Captain Wallis, that he should lay the Swallow up in fome cove or bay, and that I fhould attend and affift him with her boats till the Streight should be passed, which would pro bably 1767. February. Tuesday 17. 1767. bably be in much less time than if he conFebruary tinued to be retarded by my ship; and I urged, as an additional advantage, that he might com, plete not only his stock of provifions and ftores, but his company, out of her, and then fend her back to England, with fuch of his crew as ficknefs had rendered unfit for the voyage: propofing alfo, that in my way home, I would examine the caftern coaft of Patagonia, or attempt fuch other discoveries as he fhould think proper. If this was not approved, and my knowledge of the South Seas was thought neceffary to the fuccefs of the voyage, I offered to go with him on board the Dolphin, and give up the Swal low to be commanded by his first lieutenant, whofe duty I would perform during the rest of the voyage, or to make the voyage myself with only the Dolphin, if he would take the Swallow back to Europe; but Captain Wallis was still of opinion, that the voyage fhould be prosecuted by the two ships jointly, pursuant to the orders that had been given. The Swallow was now become fo foul, that with all the fail fhe could fet, fhe could not make fo much way as the Dolphin, with only her top-fails and a reef in them: we continued in company, however, till Friday the 10th of Friday 10. April, when the western entrance of the Streight was open, and the great South Sea in fight. Hitherto I had, purfuant to my directions, kept a-head April. |