buildings; there being no less than three convents of men, and two of women; and eight churches, including those belonging to the convents, and the one in the Jesuits' College. The college is a fine structure, and is seated on an elevation in the pleasantest part of the city. Since the expulsion of that order, it has been suffered to go to decay, and will probably in a few years, be no better than a heap of ruins. Fayal, although the most noted for wine, does not raise sufficient for its own consumption. This article is raised on Pico, where there is no road for shipping; but being brought to De Horta, and from thence shipped abroad, chiefly to America, it has acquired the name of Fayal wine.

The bay, or road of Fayal, is situated at the east end of the isle, before the Villa de Horta, and facing the west end of Pico. It is two miles broad, and three quarters of a mile deep, and hath a semicircular form. The depth of water is from twenty to ten, and even six fathoms, a sandy bottom; except near the shore, and particularly near the S. W. head, off which the bottom is rocky, also without the line, which joins the two points of the bay, so that it is not safe to anchor far out. The bearing before-mentioned, taken when at anchor, will direct any one to the best ground. It is by no means a bad road, but the winds most to be apprehended are those which blow from between the S.S. W. and S.E.; the former is not so dangerous as the latter, because, with it, you can always get to sea. Besides this road, there is a small cove round the S. W. point, called Porto Piere, in which, I am told, a ship or two may lie in tolerable safety, and where they sometimes heave small vessels down. A Portuguese captain told me, that about half a league from the road, in the direction of S.E., in a line between it and the south side of Pico, lies a sunken rock, over which is twenty-two feet water, and on which the sea breaks in hard gales from the south. He also assured me, that of all the shoals that are laid down in our charts and pilot-books about these isles, not one has any existence but the one between the islands of St. Michael and St. Mary, called Hormingan.-This account may be believed, without relying entirely upon it. He further informed me, that it is forty-five leagues from Fayal to the island of Flores; and that there runs a strong tide between Fayal and Pico, the flood setting to the N.E., and the ebb to the S.W., but that out at sea, the direction is east and west. Mr. Wales having observed the times of high and low water, by the shore, concluded that it must be high water at the full and change about twelve o'clock, and the water riseth about four or five feet.

The distance between Fayal and Flores was confirmed by Mr. Rebiers, lieutenant of the French frigate, who told me, that, after being by estimation two leagues due south of Flores, they made forty-four leagues, on a S.E. by E. course by compass, to St. Catherine's Point, on Fayal.

I found the latitude of the ship at anchor in the bay

By a mean of seventeen sets of lunar observations, taken before we arrived, and reduced to the bay by the watch, the longitude was made

By a mean of six sets after leaving it, and reduced back by the watch

Longitude by observation

Ditto, by the watch

Error of the watch on our arrival at Portsmouth

True longitude by the watch

38° 31′ 55′′ N.

28

24 30 W.

28

53 22

I found the variation of the compass, by several azimuths, taken by different compasses on board the ship, to agree very well with the like observations made by Mr. Wales on shore; and yet the variation thus found is greater by 5o, than we found it to be at sea; for the azimuths taken on board, the evening before we came into the bay, gave no more than 16° 18′ west variation, and the evening after we came out, 17° 33′ west.

I shall now give some account of the variation, as observed in our run from the Island of Fernando de Noronho to Fayal. The least variation we found was 37′ W., which was the

day after we left Fernando de Noronho, and in the latitude of 33' S., longitude 32° 16′ W. The next day, being nearly in the same longitude, and in the latitude of 1° 25′ N. it was 1° 23′ west; and we did not find it increase till we got into the latitude of 5o N., longitude 31° west. After this our compasses gave different variations, viz., from 3° 57′ to 5° 11′ W., till we arrived in the latitude of 26° 44′ north, longitude 41o west, when we found 6o west. It then increased gradually, so that in the latitude of 35° N. longitude 40° W., it was 10° 24′ W.; in the latitude of 38° 12′ N., longitude 321° W., it was 14° 47′; and in sight of Fayal 16° 18′ W., as mentioned above.

Having left the bay at four in the morning of the 19th, I steered for the west end of St. George's Island. As soon as we had passed it, I steered E. S. for the Island of Tercera ; and after having run thirteen leagues, we were not more than one league from the west end. I now edged away for the north side, with a view of ranging the coast to the eastern point, in order to ascertain the length of the island; but the weather coming on very thick and hazy, and night approaching, I gave up the design, and proceeded with all expedition for England. On the 29th we made the land near Plymouth. The next morning we anchored at Spithead; and the same day I landed at Portsmouth, and set out for London, in company with Messrs. Wales, Forsters, and Hodges.

Having been absent from England three years and eighteen days, in which time, and under all changes of climate, I lost but four men, and only one of them by sickness, it may not be amiss, at the conclusion of this journal, to enumerate the several causes to which, under the care of Providence, I conceive this uncommon good state of health experienced by my people was owing. In the Introduction, mention has been made of the extraordinary attention paid by the Admiralty, in causing such articles to be put on board as, either from experience or suggestion, it was judged would tend to preserve the health of the seamen. I shall not trespass upon the reader's time in mentioning them all, but confine myself to such as were found the most useful. We were furnished with a quantity of malt, of which was made Sweet Wort. To such of the men as showed the least symptoms of the scurvy, and also to such as were thought to be threatened with that disorder, this was given from one to two or three pints a day each man; or in such proportion as the surgeon found necessary, which sometimes amounted to three quarts. This is, without doubt, one of the best antiscorbutic sea medicines yet discovered; and, if used in time, will, with proper attention to other things, I am persuaded, prevent the scurvy from making any great progress for a considerable while. But I am not altogether of opinion that it will cure it at sea.

Sour Krout, of which we had a large quantity, is not only a wholesome vegetable food, but, in my judgment, highly antiscorbutic; and it spoils not by keeping. A pound of this was served to each man when at sea, twice a week or oftener, as was thought necessary. Portable Broth was another great article, of which we had a large supply. An ounce of this to each man, or such other proportion as circumstances pointed out, was boiled in their pease, three days in the week; and when we were in places where vegetables were to be got, it was boiled with them, and wheat or oatmeal every morning for breakfast; and also with pease and vegetables for dinner. It enabled us to make several nourishing and wholesome messes, and was the means of making the people eat a greater quantity of vegetables than they would otherwise have done. Rob of Lemon and Orange is an antiscorbutic we were not without. The surgeon made use of it in many cases, with great success. Amongst the articles of victualling, we were supplied with Sugar in the room of Oil, and with Wheat for a part of our Oatmeal; and were certainly gainers by the exchange. Sugar, I apprehend, is a very good antiscorbutic; whereas oil (such as the navy is usually supplied with), I am of opinion, has the contrary effect.

But the introduction of the most salutary articles, either as provisions or medicines, will generally prove unsuccessful, unless supported by certain regulations. On this principle, many years' experience, together with some hints I had from Sir Hugh Palliser, Captains Campbell, Wallis, and other intelligent officers, enabled me to lay a plan whereby all was to be governed. The crew were at three watches, except upon some extraordinary occasions. By this means they were not so much exposed to the weather as if they had been at watch and watch; and had generally dry clothes to shift themselves, when they happened to get

wet. Care was also taken to expose them as little to wet weather as possible. Proper methods were used to keep their persons, hammocks, bedding, clothes, &c., constantly clean and dry. Equal care was taken to keep the ship clean and dry betwixt decks. Once or twice a week she was aired with fires; and when this could not be done, she was smoked with gunpowder mixed with vinegar or water. I had also frequently a fire made in an iron pot at the bottom of the well, which was of great use in purifying the air in the lower parts of the ship. To this and to cleanliness, as well in the ship as amongst the people, too great attention cannot be paid; the least neglect occasions a putrid and disagreeable smell below, which nothing but fires will remove. Proper attention was paid to the ship's coppers, so that they were kept constantly clean. The fat which boiled out of the salt beef and pork, I never suffered to be given to the people; being of opinion that it promotes the scurvy.

I was careful to take in water wherever it was to be got, even though we did not want it. Because I look upon fresh water from the shore to be more wholesome than that which has been kept some time on board a ship. Of this essential article we were never at an allowance, but had always plenty for every necessary purpose. Navigators in general cannot, indeed, expect, nor would they wish to meet with, such advantages in this respect, as fell to my lot. The nature of our voyage carried us into very high latitudes. But the hardships and dangers inseparable from that situation, were, in some degree, compensated by the singular felicity we enjoyed, of extracting inexhaustible supplies of fresh water from an ocean strewed with ice. We came to few places where either the art of man or the bounty of nature had not provided some sort of refreshment or other, either in the animal or vegetable way. It was my first care to procure whatever of any kind could be met with, by every means in my power; and to oblige our people to make use thereof, both by my example and authority; but the benefits arising from refreshments of any kind soon became so obvious, that I had little occasion to recommend the one or to exert the other.

It doth not become me to say how far the principal objects of our voyage have been obtained. Though it hath not abounded with remarkable events, nor been diversified by sudden transitions of fortune; though my relation of it has been more employed in tracing our course by sea, than in recording our operations on shore; this, perhaps, is a circumstance from which the curious reader may infer, that the purposes for which we were sent into the southern hemisphere were diligently and effectually pursued. Had we found out a continent there, we might have been better enabled to gratify curiosity; but we hope our not having found it, after all our persevering searches, will leave less room for future speculation about unknown worlds remaining to be explored. But, whatever may be the public judgment about other matters, it is with real satisfaction, and without claiming any merit but that of attention to my duty, that I can conclude this account with an observation which facts enable me to make, that our having discovered the possibility of preserving health amongst a numerous ship's company, for such a length of time, in such varieties of climate and amidst such continued hardships and fatigues, will make this voyage remarkable in the opinion of every benevolent person, when the disputes about a southern continent shall have ceased to engage the attention, and to divide the judgment of philosophers.

END OF VOL. I.

LONDON:

BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.