July. 1764. from defertes, a name which has been given them from their barren and defolate appearance: the Friday 13. next day we stood in for the road of Funchiale, where, about three o'clock in the afternoon, we came to an anchor. In the morning of Saturday Saturday 14. the 14th, I waited upon the Governor, who received me with great politenefs, and faluted me with eleven guns, which I returned from the ship. Sunday 15. The next day, he returned my vifit at the house of the Conful, upon which I faluted him with eleven guns, which he returned from the fort. I found here. his Majefty's ship the Crown, and the Ferret floop, who alfo faluted the broad pendant. Having completed our water, and procured all the refreshment I was able for the companies of both the ships, every man having twenty pounds. weight of onions for his sea stock, we weighed anThurfd. 19. chor on Thursday the 19th, and proceeded on our Saturday 21. voyage. On Saturday the 21ft, we made the ifland of Palma, one of the Canaries, and foon after examining our water, we found it would be neceffary to touch at one of the Cape de Verd islands for a fresh fupply. During the whole of our course from the Lizard, we obferved that no fish followed the ship, which I judged to be owThuifd. 26. ing to her being fheathed with copper. By the 26th, our water was become foul, and ftunk intolerably, but we purified it with a machine, which had been put on board for that purpose: it was a kind of ventilator, by which air was forced through the water in a continual stream, as long as it was neceffary. In 1764. July. Friday 27. In the morning of the 27th, we made the island of Sal, one of the Cape de Verds, and feeing feveral turtle upon the water, we hoifted out our jolly boat, and attempted to strike them, but they all went down before our people could come within reach of them. On the morning of the 28th, we Saturday 28. were very near the island of Bona Vista, the next Sunday 29. day off the Ifle of May, and on Monday the 30th, Monday 30. we came to an anchor in Port Praya bay. The rainy season was already fet in, which renders this place very unfafe; a large fwell that rolls in from the fouthward, makes a frightful furf upon the fhore, and there is reafon every hour to expect a tornado, of which, as it is very violent, and blows directly in, the confequences are likely to be fatal; fo that after the 15th of Auguft no fhip comes hither till the rainy season is over, which happens in November; for this reafon I made all poffible hafte to fill my water and get away. I procured three bullocks for the people, but they were little better than carrion, and the weather was fo hot, that the flesh ftunk in a few hours after they were killed. Thursday 2. On Thursday the 2d of Auguft, we got again Auguft. under fail, with a large cargo of fowls, lean goats, and monkies, which the people contrived to procure for old shirts, jackets, and other articles of the like kind. The intolerable heat, and almost inceffant rain, very foon affected our health, and the men began to fall down in fevers, notwithstanding all my attention and diligence to make 1764. them fhift themselves before they flept, when they Augu4. Wednef. 8. September. were wet. On Wednesday the 8th, the Tamar fired a gun, upon which we fhortened fail till fhe came up: we found that he had fuffered no damage but the carrying away of her top-fail-yard; however, as we were obliged to make an easy fail till fhe had got up another, and the wind feemed to be coming again to the fouthward, we lost a good deal of way. We continued, to our great mortification, to obferve that no fifh would come near enough to our copper bottom for us to ftrike, though we faw the sea as it were quickened with them at a little distance. Ships in thefe hot latitudes generally take fish in plenty, but, except sharks, we were not able to catch one. No event worthy of notice happened till Tuefday the 11th of September, when, about three o'clock in the afternoon, we faw Cape Frio, on the coaft of Brazil; and about noon, on Thursday Thurf. 13. the 13th, we anchored in eighteen fathom, in the great Road of Rio de Janeiro. The city, which is large, and makes a handfome appearance, is governed by the Viceroy of Brazil, who is perhaps, in fact, as abfolute a fovereign as any upon earth. When I vifited him, he received me in great form; above fixty officers were drawn up be fore the palace, as well as a captain's guard, who were men of a good appearance, and extremely well clothed his Excellency, with a number of perfons of the first distinction, belonging to the place, September. Thurf. 138 place, met me at the head of the stairs, upon which 1764. fifteen guns were fired from the nearest port: we then entered the room of ftate, and after converfing about a quarter of an hour in French, I took my leave, and was difmiffed with the fame form that had been used at my reception. He offered to return my visit at a house which I had hired on fhore, but this I declined, and foon after he returned it on board. The people in my own fhip, who had as much fresh meat and greens as they could eat every day, were very healthy, but there being many fick on board the Tamar, I procured a place for them on fhore, where they foon recovered. I alfo engaged a number of Portuguese caulkers, as the feams of both the ships were very open, who, after having worked fome time, rendered them perfectly tight. While we lay here, Lord Clive, in the Kent Indiaman, came to the port. This ship had failed from England a month before us, and had not touched any where, yet the came in a month after us; so that her paffage was just two months longer than ours, notwithstanding the time we loft in waiting for the Tamar, which, though the Dolphin was by no means a good failer, failed fo much worfe, that we feldom spread more than half our canvas. The Kent had many of her people down in the fcurvy. On Tuesday the 16th of October, we weighed Tuesday 16. anchor, being impatient to get to fea, for the heat here was intolerable; but we lay four or five days above the bar, waiting for the land breeze to carry September. 1764. us out, for there is no getting out with the fea breeze, and the entrance between the two first forts Tuesday 16. is so narrow, and fo great a sea breaks in upon them, that it was not without much danger and difficulty we got out at laft, and if we had followed the advice of the Portuguese pilot, we had certainly lost the ship. As this narrative is published for the advantage of future navigators, particularly those of our own nation, it is also neceffary I fhould obferve, that the Portuguese here, carrying on a great trade, make it their business to attend every time a boat comes on fhore, and practise every artifice in their power to entice away the crew: if other methods do not fucceed, they make them drunk, and immediately fend them up the country, taking effectual care to prevent their return, till the ship to which they belong has left the place; by this practice I lost five of my men, and the Tamar nine: mine I never recovered, but the Tamar had the good fortune to learn where her's were detained, and by fending out a party in the night, furprised them, and brought them back. CHAP. |