1765. April. CHAP. VIII. The Run from the Weflern Entrance of the Streight of Magellan, to the Islands of Dif appointment. H AVING cleared the Streight, we pursued our course to the weftward, as appears by Friday 26. the track in the chart, till Friday, April the 26th, when we discovered the island of Mafafuero, bearing W. N. W. W. distant about fixteen leagues; but as to the northward it was hazey, the island of Don Juan Fernandes was not in fight. During this run, the variation had gradually decreased from 22° to 9° 36′. E. We bore away for Mafafuero, and at fun-fet, being within about seven leagues of it, we brought to, and afterwards kept the wind all night. At Saturd. 27. day-break the next day, we bore away again for the island, at the fame time fending an officer, with a boat from each fhip, to found the eastern fide of it. About noon, the middle of the island bore W. diftant about three miles, and as I faw the boats run along the shore, without being able to land any where for the furf, I bore down to the north part of the island, off which a reef runs for the distance of about two miles, and lay by for them. This island is very high, and the greater part of it is covered with wood; but towards the north end, where I lay, fome spots feemed to have been cleared, which great numbers of goats were 1765. April. cleared, upon feeding, and they had a green and pleasant ap-n pearance. When the boats returned, the officer Satyrd. 37. informed me that he had found a bank, on the eaft fide of the island nearest to the south point, at a confiderable diftance from the shore, where we might anchor, and oppofite to which there was a fine fall of fresh water; but near the north point, he faid, he could find no anchorage. The boats brought off a great quantity of very fine fish, which they had caught with hook and line near the fhore; and as foon as we had taken them on board, which was late in the afternoon, we made fail, and worked to windward in the night. At feyen o'clock in the morning, we anchored Sunday 28. with the fmall bower, on the bank which the boats had discovered, in twenty four fathom, with black fandy ground. The extreme points bore from S. to N. W. and the fall of water bore S. S. W. distant about a mile from the fhip's ftation. This part of the inland lies north and fouth, and is about four miles long: the foundings are very regular, from twenty to fifteen fathom, within two cables' length of the fhore. Soon after we were come to an anchor, I. fent out the boats to endeavour to get fome wood and water, but as I observed the shore to be rocky, and a furf to break with great violence upon it, I ordered all the men to put on corkjackets, which had been fent with us to be made ufe of upon fuch occafions. By the help of thefe jackets, which not only affifted the men in fwimming, but prevented their being bruised against the 1-65. the rocks, we got off a confiderable quantity of April. water and wood, which, without fuch affiftance, Sunday 28, we could not have done: there was, however, another fpecies of danger here, against which corkjackets afforded no defence, for the sea abounded with fharks of an enormous fize, which when they faw a man in the water, would dart into the very furf to seize him: our people, however, happily efcaped them, though they were many times very near: one of them, which was upwards of twenty feet long, came close to one of the boats that was watering, and having feized a large feal, inftantly devoured it at one mouthful; and I myself faw another of nearly the fame fize, do the fame thing under the ship's ftern. Our people killed and fent off feveral of the goats, which we thought as good as the best venisfon in England; and I observed, that one of them appeared to have been caught and marked, its right ear being flit in a manner that could not have happened by accident. We had also fish in such plenty, that one boat would, with hooks and lines, catch, in a few hours, as much as would ferve a large fhip's company two days: they were of various forts, all excellent in their kind, and many of them weighed from twenty to thirty pounds. This evening, the furf running very high, the gunner and one of the seamen who were on fhore with the waterers, were afraid to venture off, and the boat therefore, when she came on board the last time, left them behind her. The 1765. April. The next day we found a more convenient watering-place, about a mile and a half to the northward of the fhip, and about the middle-way be- Monday ag, tween the north and fouth points of the island, there being at this place lefs furf than where the boats first went on fhore. The tide here fet twelve hours to the northward, and twelve to the fouthward, which we found very convenient, for as the wind was foutherly, with a great fwell, the boats could not otherwife have got on board with their water. We got off ten tons of water from the new watering-place this day, and in the afternoon, I fent a boat to fetch off the gunner and feaman, who had been left on fhore at the old wateringplace the night before; but the furf was ftill fo great, that the feaman, who could not fwim, was afraid to venture: he was therefore again left behind, and the gunner ftayed with him. As foon as this was reported to me, I sent another boat to inform them that as, by the appearances of the weather, there was reafon to believe it would foon blow hard, I was afraid I might be driven off the bank in the night, the confequence of which would be that they must be left behind upon the island. When the boat came to the furf, the people on board delivered my meffage, upon which the gunner fwam through the furf, and got on board her; but the feaman, though he had a cork-jacket on, faid he was fure he fhould be drowned if he attempted to get off to the boat, and that, chufing rather to die a natural death, he was determined at all events to remain upon the illand: 1765 inland: he then took an affectionate leave of the April. Monday 29. Tuesday 30. people, wishing them all happiness, and the people on board returned his good wishes. One of the midshipmen, however, just as the boat was about to return, took the end of a rope in his hand, jumped into the fea, and fwam through the furf to the beach, where poor John still continued ruminating upon his fituation, in a dejected attitude, and with a moft difconfolate length of countenance. The midfhipman began to expoftulate with him upon the ftrange refolution he had taken, and in the mean time having made a running knot in his rope, he dexterously contrived to throw it round his body, calling out to his companions in the boat, who had hold of the other end of it, to haul away; they inftantly took the hint, and the poor feceder was very foon dragged through the furf into the boat: he had, however, swallowed fo great a quantity of water, that he was to all appearance dead, but being held up by the heels, he foon recovered his fpeech and motion, and was perfectly well the next day. In the evening, I removed Captain Mouat from the Tamar, and appointed him Captain of the Dolphin, under me; Mr. Cumming, my Firft Lieutenant, I appointed Captain of the Tamar, taking Mr. Carteret, her First Lieutenant, on board in his room, and gave Mr. Kendal, one of the mates of the Dolphin, a commiffion as Second Lieutenant of the Tamar. On the 30th, at feven o'clock in the morning, we weighed, and steered to the northward, along the east and north eaft fide of the island, but could |