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Tlio "Centurion" tikino tli-J Spani.sii Cinilon TO WfllClI AUE niEFIXKn, A MEMOIR OF LORD ANSON, AND TREFACE. LONDON : INGRAM, COOKE, AND CO. 3^7, STRAND. 1853. VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. IN- Tin: YKAUS 1740,'4I, 42, 43, 44 . BY GEORGE ANSON ESQ COMlMLED FROM PAPKRS AND OTIIl-R MATEni; .VLS OP THE RICH-r HONOURABLE fiEORGE LORD ANSON, AND J'lDLISnED fXDKR HIS DinKCTIOX. BY RICHARD WALTER, M.A. CKAM.A,N OP ,„S MUr>rv's .,„.. x„. C.XX.U.ON. ,X X„.VT KXPEiyXION. TO WHICH AIU; rUKFIXKD, A MEMOIR OF LORD ANSOX, AND PREFACE. VOL. 1. © MEMOIR OF LORD ANSON. r.KOBr.K, fhc ynunRcst snii of Willinni Ansnii. V'sq., of SliiiKhnrnuRli. Staffnrdi'Iiirc, wns Xinm in tlio pnriHli oj Ccilwicli, in tlint nmnty, on tlic •-'.'Inl of Apiil, I(!il7. IIih Krunlfiitlicr, Williiim An'-on, Wii« an eminent barrister in llie reiK" "i JaniM tlie I'ii'st, ami liiivin^' reiiliseil a liunil.Miine fortune, imreliascil tlic entato iiiul manor of Shuybjrough. TIio siibjeet of tliis memoir U reportoil to iiavp evinccil an onrly prcdileetion for ii sou life, liis attention being Rrently taken with tbe narratives of voyaRors; ami in January, ;7I2, lie entered the navy on board tlie Ruby, under the eommand of Captain IVtir Clianiberlain, wliiim lie aceonipanied into tlie Monnioiitli. and Mibseqiicntly this llampsliire frigate, in wliieh la'-t hliip be \va« made acting l.iuiitenant, about 17H>. by Mr Jolin Norris, tlion cnnniiaiuling tlio North .Sea (leet. Very little is known or recorded respoclinR the early career of this celebrated officer. In 1717 he appears to linve been a Lieutenant on board the .Montaifue, in the action between the llritiitb I'leet, under Sir GeorRo Hynp. and the Spani-ih Fl«t, luidcr Don Antonio Castanita. ^.■hen the latter were defeated with prcat loss. From the Slontai'ue, ^Ir. Anson was promoted to tlie rank cf Jlaster and Coniniander, l!)tli .lime, 1722, and appointed to the Weazlc slonp of war. In this veswl he maintained the cliaraeter of an active ofticer, pcrformlnR Rood Kcrvicc in the North Sea. and on the 1st of I'ebniary following, he was made I'oat Captain, and apiMiintcd to command the Scarborough frigate. He shortly afterwards proceeded to the Coast of America, for tlie protection of the infant colonies, then tbrcatencd, in consoqueneo of a rupture with Spain, lie apjiears to have executed this service greatly to the satisfaction of the colonists as well as the government at home, and received sonu- flattering and valualilo testimo- nials from the planters of South Carolina. His preseuceon that station deterred tbe Spaniards from their mcditute, he received two steps of promotion at once, being advanced to Kear-admiral of the White, passing over tho intervening step of tho Blue. lie had previously been retui-ned to Parliament for the borough of Ilcndon, and from that time to his death htf sat at the Board of Admiralty, with trifling intervals, occasionally hoisting his flag ; and he successively attained to the highest honours of his profession. In 1747 he took command of tho squadron, cruising ofl° Cape Finistcrre, and defeated Monsieur de la Jonquire, capturing six of his ships and a valuable convoy.* For this exploit he was advanced to the peerage on tho 13th .liinc, 1747, by the title of Lord Anson, Baron of Soberston, iu Hants. He asauiued the appropriate motto of " Nil difiipcraiidum." ■ The trfHAiire found in the captured ihlpn Kipotinted to /.WO,ono. It wiii Innded at riymnuth, Hrd being conveyed to Luadun in WDKirxni, wiia pamded Ihrnunh the f trreti tn the Bank in urand milttiry pn>ceMii>n, amidnt the Hi'vlamRiiona nf the inhabitant!. In the "venliig the City wan illiiminaled. The trcaiure taken by Anwn from the Spaniard! in the South Sean hat been computed at X'i\,IIQV, Ini'liiding thai found in the Acapiiico !hip. ^^G^^ iT MEMOIIl OF LOIM) ANSOX. In the sniiic yr.w In- pri'Mtly stroni^tlifiiiil his political iiifiTo^t Ipy iiiarryiiiK tlio tlilc^t ilaii^MitiT of Lmrd t'lmnuollin- llardnirlvi', an abli' lawyer niid inlhii'ntial sfati'siiian, hIik avaikil hiinsi'lf of cvny nii-Liis to further the interests of his rolalivi's anr llii> nso of the waters, lie died riither snddenly at Ms seat, Jloor l':irl:, on the (itli of ,lune ; his remains witc interred at Colwicli in tho connty of Stafl'ord. l.nnl An-.'in left no issne, and his l:idy ha\ iii^' ilie.l two years before him, he be'pieathed tliu hulk of liis property to h:ive been addicted to (.jainbliu'.;, pnd to liavcsufTercd from his inexperience. His dispositimi was .ecncrons and benevolent, and he i"i>sts-.ed itrcat fortitude of mind and indor.iit:ible res(dntio;i under iliHicidties, as the many cases recor likely to remain as long as the material endures. The figure is a licm rampant, and measures sixteen feet in height. On the pedestal, the following lines are inscribed : — " Stay traveller, awhile, smd view One who has travellc 1 more than yon : Quite roimd the globe, through each degree, Anson and I have ploughed the sea : Torrid and frigid zones have passed, V And— safe ashore arrived at last — In ease with dignity appear, // , in the House of Lords, /, here," m • S'l- CharlcJ Hanb-.ir/ Williaiiu, a cclsl)r.iteil wit oltli.-it lUr. PREFACE. Mb. HKNJA.Mtv HoniNs, a cdobrateJ cnsincpr-nfficor, appears to have Immm> tli .■ author (ir coniiiilcr iif " Ansim's Voyage Itoimd the World," althim);h niinoiinr'i-d in tlio titlt-piiKC as the production of Mr. Walter, t'liaplaiii of the Commodore's hliip. the C'oiitiirion. It has been remarked that, iiotwittistandiiip; the iiaire of a clerK.viiian appears as the avowed author, there cloi s iKitoceur, in the whole iletail, the mention of prayers or thnnksKiviiii; to the Almighty under :i:iy one of the many perils encountered, or especial relief from calamity, whieli nothing ahort of the intervention of nivine I'rovidenoo could liavo accomplished. Indeed the word I'rovidential is only once ca.sually nientinncd in the course 'if *ho narra- tive, at papte lOI., col. 1. Tlio skilful manner in which Mr. lli.hins exeeuti ' liis task, the earne.-itne.is and apparent truthfulne.is of t.. • narrative, with thegraphiedeaeriptionof tlie parts visited, created sucli an interest in the public mind, as to r-:mler the iiccount fif tliis voyage one of the most p(i]inlar books extant; throe large impressions of the original edition were called for in quick sueeeM.-,ion, and it has ever since }icld its place as a standard work. On the first appearance of tlie " Voy.igc," the Trench affected to treat the whole e.ti'air as romance: and it jnusl be ailmitted, that the accounts of subsequent navi- gators do not bear out the flattering description with which Mr. Hobins's poetic imagination has clothed s(mie portions of the history. Commodore llyron, who visited the isl.-md of Tinian, with the view of refreshing his men. in 17')'"'. complains of the disappointment he experienced at finding tiie reality fall so far short of the expi-etations he had been induced to entertain, from the account given in the book. At tills distance of time, the impartial reader, wlio reviews the measures which preceded and accompanied this cclcbrateii voyage, will not be inclined to accord such unlimited praise, as it has been the custom to attribute to those who had the conduct of the expedition. Whilst ho fully appreciates the fortitude and cnduraneo displayed under accumulated disasters ; and, above all, the indo- iiilt'ihlr' rcHolution which eventually enabled Anscm to .iiromplisli one object of the Voyage, and redeem his losses by the capture of the treasure ship, in the face of R-.ich fearful odd^, ; he cannot but be struck at a want of foresight and precaution in the preparations for the cxpe- dition, and nunc particularly in adopting such means as were then known to bo efficacious for preserving the health of the crews during their contemplated voyage; means which more particularly demanded increased at- tention, on account of the weak and inefficient state of tliese crew B as originally composed. It was onl^' twenty years after the return of Anson, that Cook traversed a more extensive range, and lost bu t onu man by sickness during an absence of three years from I'^ngland, the preservation of the health of his crews being entirely owing to the wi.se precautions adopted by that skilful and talented comnuinder, and only resorted to by Anson after the scurvy had made its appearance on his departure from Madeira, when the germ of the disease was sown, which proved 80 fatal to his people. There appears Um, on the part of Anson and his captains, a want of due cure and scrutiny as regards the equipment of the ships, notwith- standing that the long period of preparation afforded ample opportunity ; for mention is frequently m.;.le of tho loss of nnists, sails, and rig3:iiig, owing to iheir defectlw state. Tho great errors in tlu' reckotiing also, amount- ing in one case to ten degrees *ige- tables as often as they can bo procured, have almost, if not quite, anniliilatcd tho scurvy, which now but rarely ajipears, except under circumstances where these preea\i- tiiins arc negk'ctcd, and nuiy be said to e.\ist only in tho painful memory of those who have witnessed its fatal devastation. Contemporary liistorians, overlooking tlicse im|)0rtant nuitters, have reflected upon the conduct of Lord Anson on another aceo\mt. namely, that on some occjisions, particularly the destruction of the town of I'aytii, he ex- ceeded his orders. To set this charge at rest, wo append a transcript of his Instructions, which have never been heretofore puhlishetl with an editiim of the Voyage. The originals are recorded in the State I'apcr Ollicc : (Sii'ned) GEOUGl!: II. Insintcliunsfdroiir trus'ii miil wclNirloved Gsonau A.NsoN,«liH(i., commaitiler-in-fliie/ of our ihipt, means to eiicouingennd assist such design in tho best iiianncr you shall lie able; anil, in ease of any rrvn- liition or revolt from the oheilii'iice of tho King of .Spain, either amongst the Spaniards or the Indians in tlinsv parln, iind of any ni'W government lieiiig crealed by theiu. you are to insist u|hiii the most advuntageoiis csinditioiis for .iie commerce of our siilijwts to Ix' eairicil on with siirli government so to lie ereeteii, for whieh piirposi' you shall make provisional ajTreemeiits sulijeet to our future nppnibation and eonfiriu.i'ion. Hut in e.'is<> you shall not tliink proper to attack Cabin, or should miscarry m any attempt yon may niaki against tliat place, you are then to proceed to the northward us far iiH i'anania ; hut as there are numy jihurs along tho eojist which are consideriiblo, ami where the Spanish ships, in their passage between I'anaiua and Lima, do usually stop, it will lie proper for you to look into those places, and to annoy the Spaniards there as iiiucli as it shall be in your jHiwer, and if you shall meet with the Spanish men- of-war that carry the treasure from Lima to I'aiiama, you arc to endeavour to make yourself master of them. When yon lu. arrived at Panama, you will ))rohab!y have un opportunity to take or destroy such embarka- tions as you shall lind there; and as the town itself is re- presented not to be very strong, you are, if you shall thinic you have sutiicient force for that purpose, to make an at- tempt u|sin that town, and endeavour to take it, or bum, or destroy it. as you sliall think most for our service. And as you may possibly find an op|iortunity to send privately overland to I'ortobello or Darieii, you are by that means to endeavour to transmit to any of our hhips or f >rces that shall be on the coast, an account of what you have done or intend to do. And, lest any such intelligeneo sliould fall into the hands of the Spaniards, wo have ordered you to be furnished with a cipher, in which man- ner only you are to correspond with our ailiiiiral or tho commander in chief of any of our ships that maybe in the northern sens of America, or the commander in chief of our land forces. And as we have determined to send n large body of tnxips from hence as early as possible in the Spring, to make a descent ii)H>n some part of tho Spanish West Indies, and as we shall have a very considerable fleet in those seas, in case it should bo thought proper that any part of those ships or troops should go to I'ortobello or Daricn with a design to send tlic siiid triHips overland to Panama or Santa -Maria, you aro then to make the liest i!is[msition to assist them, by all means that to you shall be able, in making a secure settlement either at Panama or any other pla(« that shall be thought projier, and you are in such case to supply them with caimon from the ships under your command (if necessary), or with anything else that can be spared without too much weakening the nquadron. And if the land forces on board our said ships should be wanted to reinforce those that may come over- land to the coast of the South Sea, you may cause them to go on shore for that purpose, with the approbation of tho proper officers. When you have proceeded thnsfar, it must be in a groat measure left to yonr own discretion and that of a council of w.ir (when upon any difficulty you shall think fit to call them together) to consider whether you shall go farther to the northward, or remain longer at Panama ; In case the place should have been taken by our forces, or you can ony way hear that any of our forces may be expected on that side from the north side. Hut you will always take particular care to consider of a proper place for careening of the ships and for supplying them with provisions, cither for tlieir voyage homeward or for their continuing longer abroad. In case you shall bo so happy as to meet with success, yoti shall take tho first oppor- tunity of sending a ship on purpose or otherwise to ac- quaint us with it, and with every particular that may be necessary for us to be informed of, that we may take the proper measures thereupon. If you shall find no occasion for your staying longer in those seas, and shall judge if, best to go to the northward as far as Acapulco, or look um. PRKFACE. vu porl.i, liy itll dpHiitn ill tho of niiy rrvii- IIR of Spjlill. ariH in tlmsu IcmI liy tht'iii, IIS ciMiditionii ricil on with imrpoM' yiHi :i) our future (itfack Cnlim, niiiki iiKoixxt iiortlnvaril us 'CM aloiiR tlio panisii HliipK, n, ilo iiHiiiilly w pliU'i^H, mill it tiluill be in Spiiiiihli men- I'uiiimia. you tlu'in. ivill jirohnbly icli eiiibnrkii- vn itwlf i» re- in Nhall think II make an at- il, or bum, or rvice. unity to Rend i)U arc liy tlint our bhipH or t of what yim )i intclliRcnc-e -iIh, wo liave n wliic'h nian- Iniiral or tho may bo in the Icr in chiuf of arpc bmly of Sprint;, to Ipanisli West •rable fleet in •V tliat liny 'ortolicUo or overhuiil to lake tlie liest you Mhall be Panama or and you arc m the Hhipg anything nkening tlio ir said ships cnmo ovcr- ,uso them to ation of tho for the AinpuU-o ship which aalU from that place for Manila ot a certain tiinoof tlio year, and generally returns at a certain tlnio also, you may posiilbly in that ease thiiiU it most advlitabic to return the way of Cliina, wliicli jim are hereby authorisi'd to dliN(iTON, I'. l>nlltnH, to cause the land forces, which are to ro on iHiord His Majesty's ships iiiiiler your eommand, to be put on shore, on one particular occasion, with the approbation of tliu pro|ier ofTicers ; you are to undurslaiid it to lie Ills .Majesty's in- tention that the said hind forces are in no case to U^ put on shore, unless it shall bo previously approved by u council of \>a. . be held for that purimse. Wliereas a lefi written by the (iovernor of I'anamn tn the KinR of .~p.iin. has fallen into the hands of some of His Majesty's off.'crs. which letter contains very material advii-cs relatini; to the situatiim of the Spaniards, ami to the keepins of tl.i :r treasure in these parts, a copy of tho s:inio will, by our order, be herewith put into your liundit . and you are to have a regard to the intelli of your inability, by sickness or olherwiHc, to execute Hip. .Miijesty's orders, tlie ofliecr next to you in rniiK is hereby antbiirihcd and directed to talie ii|miii him tlie ei iiiniaiid of His .Majesty's ships that are to Ro with yon : ami to execute the orders eoiilaincd in your Instrinr- tious, as if they wwe directed to himself. f .4 ic in a great )f a council hink fit to lU shall go t Panama ; ir forces, or es may bo |f you will oper placo I them with lir for their lo 90 happy |rst oppor- ^-ise to ac- hat may be ly take the lo occasion Jl judge it. Iir look ouk THE AUTHOR'S DEDICATION. TO HIS GRACE, JOHN, DUKE OF BEDFORD, MAUftUIS OF TAVISTOCK, EAllL 01' IIKDIORD, UARON RUSSEL, BARON RUSSEL OF TIIORNUAUGlf, AND liARON HOWLAND OF STREATHAM ; ONK OR HIS MAJKSTV'S PHINCrPAL SECBETAniKS OK STATB, AND LORD LIEUTENANT A.VD CUSTOS ROTULORUM OF TUB COUNTY OK BEDFORD. My Lord, The following nurrative of a very singular naval acliiovcmcnt is addressed to your Grace, both on account of the infinite obligations wliicU tbe Commander-in-Chief ct all times jirofesses to have received from your friendship ; and ;ilso, as the subject itself naturally claims the patronage of one, under wliose direction, the British navy has rebumcd its ancient spirit and lustre, and has in one summer ennobled Itself by two victories, the most decisive, .nnd (if the strength and number of the captures bu considered) the most important, that are to be met with in our annals. Indeed, an uninterrupted scries of success, and a manifest superiority gained universally over tiie enemy, both in commerce and glory, seem to bo the necessary effects of a revival of strict discipline, and of an unbiassed regard to merit and service. These are marks tliat must distinguish the happy period of time in which your Graco presided, and .afford a fitter subject for history than for an address of this nature. Very signal advantages of rank and distinction, obtained and secured to the naval profession by your Grace's auspici.)us influence, will remain a lasting monument of your ixnwearied zeal and attachment to it, and bo for ever remembered with the highest gratitude, by all who shall be employed in it. As these were the generous rewards of past exploits, they will be likewise the noblest incentives, and surest pledges of the future. That your Grace's eminent talents, magnanimity, and disinterested zeal, whence the public has already reaped such signal benefits, may in all times prove equally successful in advaneUig the prosperity of Great Britain, is the ardent wsh of, ^ly IiOiiD, Your Grace's Most obedient, most devoted, so " Most humble Servant, RICHARD WALTER, THE AUTHORS INTRODUCTIOX. ■Ni/rAVTiiSTAXDiNO Uic Rrcat improvement of rin\ i'r.ifinn witliin tlio Inst two centuries, a viijiiRe idiiiid tlu' wm-Id is still considereJ as nn cntonirisc if a voi y sinRiiIiir nature ; and the puWic have never failed to he extremely inquisitive almut the various aceidcnts and turn» of for- tune, witli wliieh this imcomnion attempt is generally attended : and though the amusement expected in a .narration of this kind, is dnuhtless nno great wiurcc ef this curiosity, and a strong incitement witli llio hulk ship was separately involved in, or the imcommon instances of varying fortune, whicli attendcil the whole enterprise; each part, I conceive, must, from Its rude well-lmown outlines, appear worthy of a completer and more finished delineation : and if this be allowed with respect to the narrative part of the work, there can be no doubt about the moro useful and in- Btructive parts, which are almost cvorywhcro interwoven wlthlt.* Mr. Anson, before he set sail upon this expedition, besides the printed journals to those parts, took care to furnish liimsclf with the host manuscript accounts he could procure of all th Spaiiish sottlemouts upon the coasts of Chili, Pem, rnd Mexico; these lie carefully oompai'cd with the examinations of his prisoners, and the informations of several intelligent persons,' wlio fell into liis liands in the South Seas. lie had likewise tlio good fortune, in Bomo of his captjiros, to possess himself of a great number of letters and papers of a public nature, many of them written by tlio Viceroy of X'eru to the Viceroy of Santa Fee, to the Presidents of I'anama and Chill, to Don Ulas del.czo, admiral of tho galleons, and to divers other persons in public employments ; and in these letters there was usually inserted a re- cital of th. • -J they were intenu-xl to answer ; so that they contained a considerable part of the correspondcnco between these oiliccrg for some time pn.'vious to our arrival on that coast. Wo took besides many letters • A !■■ rllon of thit Intrndiit'tlnn which relHtpn to the thnrti and Qlana in the orlKinnl edition, ii here emitted, the alureiuid charts, &c. , bcInK new iibsuletii. sent from persons employed by the govcrinnont to tlioir friends and correspondents, whijh wore IVi'quontly tillod witli narrations of pulilio business, and sometimes con- tained undisguised ai imadversicms on the views and conduct of their supoiiors. l^'roni thi'^e materials thosi) accounts of the Spanish atl'aiis are takiu, which may at first sight ai>pey confronting his ideas cop>«xl on the paper, with the object he intends to represent, he finds in what manner lie has been deceived in its aiipearaiue, and henco ho in time acquires tlic habit of observing much more at one view, and retains what he sees with mure correctness, th.in he could ever have done, without his practice and pro- ficiency in drawing. If what has been said merits the attention of travellers of all sorts, it is, I think more particularly applicable to the gentlemen of the navy ; since, without drawing and planning, neitlier charts nor views of lands can be taken ; and without these it is sutlicicutly evident, that naviga- tion is at a full stand. It is doubtless from a persuasion of the utility of these qualifications, that his Majesty has established n drawing-master at I'ortsmouth, fur the instruction of those who are presumed to be hereafter intrusted with the eoiiimaud of his royal navy; and though some have been so far misled, as to suppose that the perfection of sea-olnt'ers consisted in a turn of mind and temiier resembling the boisterous element they h.id to deal with, and have condemned all literature and science as effeminate and derogatory to tliat ferocity, which they would falsely persuade us was the most unerring characteristic of courage : yet it is to be hoped, that such absurdities as these liave at no time been autho- r-'scd by the public opinion, and that the belief of them daily diminishes. If those who adhere to these mischiev- ous jiositions were capable of being influenced by reason, or swayed by example, I should tliink it sufficient for their conviction to observe, that tlie most valuable draw- ings iiiado during this voyage, though dune with such a degree of skill, that even professed artists can with difficulty imitate them, were tiiken by Mr. Peircy llrctt, one of Mr. Anson's lieutenants, and since captain of the Lion man-of-war ; who, in his memorable engagement with the Elizabeth (for the importance of the service, or the resolution with which it was conducted, inferior to none this age has seen) has given ample proof that a proficiency in the arts I have been hero recommending is extremely consistent with the most exemplary bravery, and the most distinguished skill in every function belong- ing to the duty of a sea-oflieer. Indeed, when the many branches of science are considered, of which even the comniiin practice of navigation is composed, and the many improvements which men of skill have added to this practice within these few years, it would induce one to believe, that the advantages of reflection and speculative knowledge were in no profession more eminent than in that of a sea-officer. For not to mention some cxpertness in geography, geometry, and astronomy, which it would be dishonourable for him to bo without (as his journal and his estimate of the daily position of the ship are no more than the practico of particular brandies of these arts), it may be well supposed that the management and working of a ship, the discovery of her most eligible position in the water (usually styled her trim), and the disposition of her sails in the most advantageous manner, are articles wherein the knowledge of mechanics cannot but be greatly assistant : and perhaps the application of this kind of knowledge to naval subjects may produce as great improvements in sailing and working a ship, as it lias already done in many other matters conducive to the ease and convenience of human life ; for when the fabric of a ship, and the variety of her sails are considered, together with the artifleial contrivances of adapting them to her different motions, as it cannot bo doubted but these things have been brought about by more than ordi- nary sagacity and invention, so neither can it be doubted but that a speculative and scientific turn of mind may find out the means of directing and disposing this com- plicated mechanism much more advantageously than can bo done by mere habit, or by a servile copying of what others may perhaps have erroneously practised in the 'ike emergency. But it is time to finish this digression, and to leave the reader to the perusal of the ensuing work ; which, with how little art soever it may be executed, will yet, from the importance of the subject, and the utility and excellence of the materials, merit some Blutf* of the public attention. 10 CONTENTS. rA4»D Mbmoir of tub AiTHon ... . . . ili PRRKAre ..'... ........... V Dkdication viij iNXnOULCTION . . ............. !X BOOK FIRST. Chap. I. Of the equipment of the squndron. The ineidonts relating tlioroto, from its first iippointment to its Betting sail from St, Helens .......... . . II. Tlie passage from St. Helens to the Island of Madeira; with n short account of that Island, and of our stay there ........... ... III. The history of the squadron commanded by I)on Joseph Pizarni IV. From Madeira to St. Catherine's V, Proceedings at St. Catherine's, and a description of tho place, with a short account of Bra.-:' . . YI. The run from St. Catherine's to port St. .lulinn, with some account of that port, and of the coimtvy to the southward of the river of Plato .....•••••■ VII. Departure from tho Bay of St. Julian, and the passage from thence to Straits Le Maire . . . Vm. From Straits Le Maire to Capo Noir IX. Observations and directions for facilitating the passage of our future Cruisers round Caue Horn . . X. From Cape Noir to the Island of Junn Fernandes ... (i U n 13 a? 24 i'O Chap. I. II. III. IV. V. Yl. VII. VUI. BOOK SECOND. The arrival of tho Centurion at the Island of J"an Fernimdea, with a description of that Island The arrival of the Gloucester and the Anna pinU at tho Island of Junn Fernandes, and tho transaotions at that place during this interval " • • A short narrative of what befel the Anna pink before she joined us, with an accoimt of tho loss of the Vager, and of tho putting back of tho Severn and Pearl, the two remaining ships ol tne squadron Conclusion of our proceedings at Juan Fernandes, from tho arrival of the Anna pink, to our final departure from thence ...... ....••• Our cruise, from tho time of our leaving Juan Fernandes, to the taking tho town of I'aita . . . The taking of Pulta, and our proceedings till wo left tho const of Peru . . . . ■ From our departure from Paita, to our arrival at Quibo • • Our procecv. ^s at Quibo, with an account of the place , , 3>) 4.') 5i et tJ7 11 ! sn CONTENTS. C HAP. IX. From Quibo to tlio Coast of Mexico . 00 X. An iiccmmt of the commcrco ciirrioil on bctwcon tlio tity of M.inihi ?n tlic Icland of Luconia, und tho iHii t of Acapiilco on tlio toast of Jltxico ... ..... XI. Our cruisu off thu port of Acapulco for tlio Manila ship . . • . . XII. Iii'scrlption of tho Harbour of Chcquctan, and of the adjacent coast and country XIII. Dm- proceedings at Chcquctan and on the ailjacent coast, till our setting sail for Asia • ;/ . 80 . 83 XIV. A brief account nf wliat iiiiglit have been expected from our squadron, had it arrived in the South Soas in good time , . 8i) m ki %.i BOOK THIRD. Chap. I. The run from the coast of Mexico to the Ladroncs or Mai-ian Islands liO II. Our arrival at Tinian, and an account of the island, and of our proceedings there, till the Centurion drove out to sc.t !I3 HI. Transactions at Tinian after the departure of tho Centurion . . « . . . 03 IV. Proceedings on board the Centurion, when driven out to sea 101 V. Kuiploymcnt at Tinian, till the final departure of the Centurion from thence ; with a description of the Ladroncs 103 VI. From Tinian to JIaeao 1"6 VII. rroeecdings at JIacao . . . • • . . M8 VIII. From Macao to Cape Espiritu Santo. Tho taking of tho Manila galleon, and returning back again 113 IX. Transactions in the river of Canton • • .218 X. rroccedingsatthccityof Canton, and the return of tho Centurion to England . . . . 123 li PAOB . . CO uconia, !>n(I n tho South BO 10 Centurion . !)3 . . 03 . 101 csci'iption of . . itti . 106 . . 108 ; back agnin 113 . 218 . . 123 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, BOOK I. CHAriER I. O/the equipment o/ the Si)uadron. The incidents relating thereto, from itsjlrst appointmetit to iti letting sail from St. Helens. The squadron under the command of Mr. Anson (of wliicli I here j)ropose to recite tlie most mate- rial proceedings) having undergone many changes in its destination, its fureo, and its equipment, in the ten months between its first apjjointment and its final sailing from St. Helens, 1 conceive the history of these alterations is a detail necessary to be made public, both for the honour of those who first planned and promoted this enterprise, and for the justification of those who have been en- trusted with its execution. Since it will from lience appear, that the accidents the expedition was afterwards exposed to, and which prevented it from producing all the national advantages the strength of the squadron and the expectation of the public seemed to presage, were principally owing to a series of intei-ruptions, which delayed the commander in the course of his px-eparations, and which it exceeded his utmost industry either to avoid or get removed. When in the latter end of the summer of the year 1739, it was foreseen that a war with Spain was inevitable, it was the opinion of sevei-al con- siderable persons then trusted with the admini- stration of affairs, that the most prudent step the nation could take, on the breaking out of the war, was att'ioUing that crown in her distant settle- ments ; 1^.^ by this means (as at that time there WIS the greatest probability of success) it was supposed that we should cut off the principal re- sources of the enemy, and reduce them to the necessity of sincerely desiring a peace, as they would hereby be deprived of tlie returns of that treasure by which alone they could be enabled to carry on a war. In pursuance of these sentiments, several pro- jects were examined, and several resolutions taken m council. And in all these deliberiitions it was from the first determined, that George Anson, Esq., then captain of the Centurion, should be employed as commander-in-chief of an expedition of this kind ; and he then being absent on a cruise, a vessel was dispatched to his station so early as the beginning of September, to order him to return with his ship to Poi-tsmontli. And soon after he came there, that is, on the 10th of Novem- ber following, he received a letter from Sir Charles Wager, ordering him to repair to London, and to attend the board of Admiralty ; where, when he arrived, he was infoi med by Sir Charles that two squadrons would be immedia,tely fitted out for two secret expeditions, which however would have some connection with each other ; that he, Mr. Anson, was intended to command one of them, and Mr. Cornwall (who hath since lost his life gloriously in the defence of his country's honour) the other. That the squadron under Mr. Anson was to take on board three independent compa- nies of a hundred men each, and Bland's regiment of foot ; that colonel Bland was likewise to embark " with his regiment, and to command the land forces ; and that, as soon as this squadron could be fitted for the sea, they were to set sail, with express ordei*s to touch at no place till they came to Java-Head, in the East Indies : that there they were only to stop to take in water, and thence to proceed directly to the city of Manila, situated on Luconia, one of the Philippine Islands. That the other squadron was to be of equal force with this commanded by Mr. Anson, and was intended to pass round Cape Horn into the South Seas, and there to range along that coast ; and after cruising upon the enemy in those parts, and attempting their settlements, this squadron in its return was to rendezvous at Manila, and there to join the squadron under Mr. Anson, where they were to i-efresh their men and refit their ships, and per- haps receive further orders. This scheme was doubtless extremely well pro- jected, and could not but greatly advance the- public service, and at the same time the reputa- tion and fortune of those concerned in its execu- tion ; for had Mr. Anson proceeded for Manila at the time and in the manner proposed by Sir Charles Wager, he would in all probability have arrived there before they had received any advice of the war between us and Spain, and conse- quently before they had been in the least pre- pared for the reception of an enemy, or had any apprehensions of their danger. The city of Manila might be well supposed to have been at that time in the same defenceless condition with all the other Spanish settlements, just at the breaking out of the war : that is to say, their fortificatiouB neglected, and in many places decayed ; their can- non dismounted, or useless, by the mouldering of their carriages ; their magazines, whether of mili- tary stores or provision, all empty ; their garrisons unpaid, and consequently thin, ill-affected, and VOL. I. 13 ANSON'S VOYAGE HOUND THE WOULD. dispii'itfd ; ami tlic royal chests in Poru, wlienee aloiio all tliL'se (lisordiTs could n-euive tliuir ro- dross, drained to tin- verv l)ottoni. This, from the intci"cr]>t('il letters of their viceroys and go- vernors, is well known to liave been the defence- less st;ite of Panama, and the otiier Spanish places on tlin coast of the Soutii Sea, for near a twelvo- montli after our declaration of war. And it can- not be sn)ipos( d tliat tlie city of Manila, removed still farther by almost half the circumference of the globe,should have experienced from tlieSpanish government a greater aharc of attention and con- cern for its SI eurity than I'anania and the other important ports in Peru and Chili, on which their possession of that immense empire depends. Indeed, it is well known, that Manila was at that time incapal)le of makini; any con^ideraMe de- fence, and in all probability would have surren- dered only on the appearance of our squadron before it. The consequence of this city, and the island it stands on, may be in some measure esti- mated, from the healthiness of its air, the excel- lency of its port and bay, the immber and wealth of its inhabitants, and the very extensive and beneficial commerce which it carries on to the l)nncipal ports in the East Indies and China, and its exclusive trade to Acapulco, the returns for which, being made in sihxu', are, upon the lowest valuation, not less tlriu three millions of dollars per annum. And en this scheme Sir Charles Wager was so intent, that in a few days after this first confer- ence, that is, on November 18, Mr. Anson re- ceived an order to take under his command the Argylc, Severn, Pearl, Wager, and Tryal slooj) ; and other orders were issued to liim in the siime month, and in the Deccmljer following, relating to the victualling of this squadron. But Mr. Anson attending the Admiralty the beginning of January, lie was informed by Sir Charles Wager, that, for reasons with which he, Sir Charles, was not ac- quainted, the exjjedition to Manila was laid aside. It may be conceived that Mr. Anson was ex- tremely chagrined at the losing the command of so infallible, so honourable, and in every respect so desirable an enterprise, especially too as lie had already, at a very great expense, made the neces- sary provision for his own accommodation in this voyage, which ho had reason to cx])ect would prove a very long one. However, Sir Charles, to render this disappointment in some degree more tolerable, informed liim that the expedition to the South Seas was still intended, and that he, Mr. Anson, and his squadron, as their fii-st destination was now countermanded, should be em]>loyed in that service. And on the lOth of January he received his commissicii, appointing him com- mander-in-chief of the forementioned squadron, which (the Argyle being in the course of their preparation changed for the Gloucester) was the same he sailed with above eight months after from St. Helens. On this change of destination, tlus equipment of the squadron was still prosecuted with as much vigour as ever, and the victualling, and whatever depended on the commodore, was so far advanced, that he conceived the ships might be capable of putting to sea the instant he should receive his final orders, of which he was in daily expectation. And at last, on the '28th of June, 1 740, the duke of Newcastle, principah secretary of state, delivered to Iiim his jnajesty's instruc- tions, dated January 'M, 1739, with an additional instruction from the lords justices, dated June l!t, 1710.' On the receipt of these, Mv. Anson immediately repaired to Spithcad, tvitii a resolu- tion to sail with the first fair wind, fiattering liim- self that all his delays were now at an end. For though he knew by the nmsters that his scjuadron wanted three hundnvl seamen of their comple- ment (a deficiency which, with all his assiduity, he liad not been able to get supplied), yet, as Sir Charles Wager infonned liim that an order from the board of Admiralty was despatched to Sir John Norris to s])are him the numl)crs which ho wanted, he doubted not of his complying there- with. But on his arrival at Portsmouth lie found himself greatly mistaken and disapjiointed in this ])ersuasion ; for on his ajiplication Sir John Norris t(jld him he could spare him none, for he wanted men for his own fleet. This occasioned an inevit- able and a very considerable delay, for it was the end of July before this deficiency was by any means supi)lied, and all that was then done was extremely sliort of his necessities and expecta- tion. For Admiral Balchen, who succeeded to the command at Spithcad after Sir John Norris had sailed to the westward, instead of three hundred able sailors, which Mr. Anson wanted of his com- I ^dement, ordered on board the squadron a hun- lired and seventy men only ; of whom thirty-two were from the hospital and sick quarters, thirty- seven from the Salisbury, with three officers of Colonel Lowther's regiment, and ninety-eight ma- rines, and these were all that were ever granted to make up the forementioned deficiency. But the commodore's mortification did not end here. It has been already observed, that it was at fii-st intended that Colonel Bland's i-egiment, and three independent companies of a hundred men each, should embark as land-forces on board the SJtjuadron. But this disposition was now changed, and all the land-forces that were to be allowed, were five hundred invalids to be collected from the out-pensionei-s of Chelsea college. As those out-))onsi()ners consist of soldiers who, from their age, \v(junds, or other infimiities, are incapa- ble of service in marching regiments, Mr. Anson was greatly chagrined at having such a decrepit detachment allotted him ; for he was fully per- suaded that the greatest part of them would perish long before they arrived at the scene of action, since the delays, he had already encountered, necessarily confined his [lassage round Cape Horn to the most rigorous season of tho year. Sir Charles Wager too, joined in opinion with tho commodore, tlu.t invalids were no ways proper for this service, and solicited strenuously to have them exchanged ; but he was told that persons, who were sifpposed to be better judges of soldiers than he or Mr. Anson, thought them the properest men that could be employem1i ippeaMl witU*iio in.-itfail of tivc luiiuhvd, there came on Ixiai'd no more than two Inindivd and tiftj-nine ; lor all those wlio had Hnihs and strength to walk out of I'ortsmoutli denci'ted, leaving behind tlieni only sufli as were literally invalids, most of them being sixty years of ai;e, and some of them nj)wards of seventy. Indeed it is diitieult to etmceive a more moving .scene than the embarkation of these un- ha]>i>y veterans : they were themselves extremely averse to the serviee they were enjpged in, and fully apprised of all the disasters they w<.>ro aftc^r- wards exposed to ; the aiiprehcnsioiis of were strongly marked by the concern tliat appei hi their countenances, which was mixed small degree of indignation, to be thus Imrried from their I'cpoae into a fatiguing employ, to which neither the strength of their bodies, nor the vigour of their minds, were any ways proportioned, and where, without seeing the face of an enemy, or in the least promoting the success of tlie enteri)rise tlit;i- wore engaged in, they would in all proba- bility uselessly perish by lingering and painful diseases ; and this too, after they had spent the activity and strength of their youth in tiieir coun- try's service. And I cannot but observe, on this melancholy incident, liow extremely unfortunate it was, both to this aged and diseased detachment, and to the expedition they were employed in ; that amongst all the out-pensioners of Chelsea Hospital, which were supposed to amount to two thousand men, t!ie most crazy and infirm only should be culled out for so fatiguing and perilous an undertaking. For it was well known, that liowever unfit invalids in general might be for this service, yet by a i>ru- dent choice, there might have been found among them five Imndred men, who had some remains of vigour left : and Mr. Anson fully expected, that the best of them would have been allotted him ; whereas the whole detachment that was sent to him, seemed to be made up of the most decrepit and miserable objects, that could be collected out of the whole body; and by the desertion above-mentioned, these were a second time cleared, of that little healtii and strength which were to be found amongst them, and ho was to take up with such as were nuich fitter for an iufinnary, than for any militai'y duty. And here it is necessary to mention another material particular in the equipment of this squad- ron. It was proposed to Mr. Anson, after it was resolved that he should be sent to the South-.Seas, to take with him two persons under the denomina- tion of agent-victuallers. Those who were men- tioned for this employment had formerly been in the Spanish West-Indies, in the South-Sea Com- ]mny's service, and it was supposed that by their knowledge and intelligence on that coast, they might often procure provisions for him by compact with the inhabitants, when it was not to be got by force of arms. These agent-victuallers wei-e, for this purpose, to be allowed to carry to the value of 15,000/ in merchandise <'n board the squadron ; for they had represented, that it would be much easier for them to procure provisions with goods, than with the value of the same goods in money. Whatever colours were given to this scheme, it wj»<; difficult to pei-suade the generality of mankind, that it was not principally intended for the enrich- ment of the agents, by the beneficial commerce t\\<^' i>roposed to cjirry on u|)on that co;ist. Mr. AiiHon, from the begiiming, objected both to the appointment of agent victuallers, and the allowing them to carry a cargo on board the s<|uadron : for he conceived, that in those few amicable ports wliere the squadron might touch, lie needed not their assistance to contract for any jirovisions the place afforded ; and on the ejicmy's coast, he did not imagine that they could ever ju'ocure liim the necessaries he should want, unless (which he was resolved not to comply with) the military opera- tions of his squadron were to be regulated by the ridiculous views of their trading projects. All that ho thought the Government ought to liave done on this ocunsion, was to put on board to the value of 2 or ;iOO0/. only of such goods, as the Indians, or the Spanish plantei-s in the less culti- vated part of the coast, might be tempted with ; since it was in such places only that he imagined it would be worth while to truck with the enemy for provisions : and in these places, it was suffi- ciently evident, a very small cargo would suffice. But though the commodore objected boHi to the appointment of these officei's, and to their I)rojcct ; yet, as they had insinuated that their hchenie, besides victualling the squadron, might contribute to settling a trade upon that coast, which might be afterwards carried on without difficulty, and might thereby prove a very con- siderable national advantage, they were much listened to liy some considerable persons : and of the 15,00U/. which was to be the amount of their cargo, the Government agreed to advance them 10,000 ujion imprest, and the remaining 5000 they raised on bottomry bonds ; and the goods pur- chased with this sum were all that were taken to sea by the squadron, how much soever the amount of them might be afterwards magnified by common re])ort. This cargo was at first shipped on board the Wager store-ship, and one of the victuallers ; no part of it being admitted on board the men-of- war. But when the commodore was at St. Cathe- rine's, he considered, that in case the squadron should be separated, it might be pretended that some of the ships were disappointed of provisions for want of a cargo to truck with, and therefore he distributed some of the least bulky commo- dities on board the men-of-war, leaving the re- mainder principally on board the Wager, where it was lost : and more of the goods perishing by various accidents to be recited hereafter, and no part of them being disposed of upon the coast, the few that came home to England, did not jn-oduce, when sold, above a fourth part of the original price. So troe was the commodore'g prediction about the event of this project, which had been by many considered as infallibly pro- ductive of immense gains. But to return to the transactions at Portsmouth. To supply the place of the two hundred and forty invalids who had deserted, as is mentioned above, there were ordered on board two hundred and ten marines detached from different regi- ments : these wei'e l-aw and undisciplined men, for they were just raised, and had scarcely any thing more of the soldier than their regimentals, none of them having been so far trained, as to bo permitted to fire. The last detachment of theso marines came on board the 8th of August, and 16 ANSON'S VOYAGE UOUM) THE WOHLD. on the 10th the sinmtlron sailed from S]n'tlica >St. ilclens, there to wait for a wind to proceed on the expedition. But the dehjys wc liad ah-eady suffered liad not yet spent all their influenee, for we wei-o now advanced into ji season of the year, wlieii tlio westerly winds are usually very constant, and very violent ; and it was thou<;ht i>roper tiiat we should jnit to sea in eoniiiany with the fleet com- manded liy Admiral Balchen, and the expedition under Lord Catlicart. And as we made up in all twenty -one men (if war, and a hundred and twenty- four sail of mci-chantinent and transports, we iiad no liojies of Kettinj; out of the chainiel with so lari>;e a nrmiher of ships, wifluiut the continuance of a fair wind, fur some considerable time. This was what we had every day less and less reason to expect, as the time of the equinox drew near ; so that our golden dreams, and our ideal jiossession of the Peruvian treasures, grew each day more faint, and the difficulties and dany;ers of the pas- .saf;e round Cape Horn in the winter season filled our imaginations in their room. For it was forty days from our arrival at St. Helens, to our final dejiarture from thence : and even then (havinjj ox'ders to proceed without Lord Cathcart) we tided it down the channel with a contrary wind. Hut this interval of forty days was not free from the displeasinp; fatigue of often setting sail, and lioiiig as often obliged to return ; nor exempt from dangers, greater than have been sometimes ex- perienced in surrounding the globe. For the wind eoming fair for the first time, on the 2;kl of August, we got under sail, and '\lr. Balchen showed him- self truly solicitous to have jiroceeded to sea, but the wind soon returning to its old quarter, obliged us to put back to St. Helens, not without consider- able hazard, and some damage received by two of the transports, which, in tacking, ran foul of each other : besides tliis, we made two or three more attempts to sail, but without any better success. And, on the 6th of Sei)tember, being retm*ned to an anchor at St. Helens, after one of these fruitless efforts, the wind blew so fresh, that the whole fleet struck their yards and to])masts to prevent their driving. And, notwithstanding this procaution, the Centurion drove the nextevening, and brought both cables a-liead, and we were in no small danger of driving foul of the Prince Frederick, a seventy- gun .ship, moored at a small distance under our stern ; which we happily escaped, by hev driving at the same time, and so preserving her distance : nor did wo think oiu'selves secure, till we at last let go the sheet-anchor, which fortunately brought us up. However, on the W\ of Septem))er, we were in some degree relieved from this lingering vexations situation, by an oi-der which Mr. Anson received from the lords justices, to pnt to sea the first opportunity with his own scjuadron only, if Lord Cathcart should not be ready. Being thus freed from the troublesome company of so large a fleet, our commodore resolved to weigh and tide it down channel as soon as the weather should become sufficiently muderate, and this might easily have been done with our own squadron alone full two months sooner, had the orders of the Admiralty, for suiJidying us with seamen, been punctually complied with, and had we met w ith none of those other delays mentioned in this narraticni. It is true, our ho|)es of a speedy departure were evi ii now somewhat dani])ed by a subsef|uent order which Mr. Anson received cm the 12th of S(>pteni- ber; for by that he was i-eciuii-ed to take under his convoy the St. All)ans with the Turkey fleet, and to join the Dragon, and the Winchester, with the Straits' and the American trade at Torbay or Ply- mouth, and to proceed with tliem to sea a.s far its their way and ours lay together : this incumbrance of a convoy gave; us some uneasiness, as we feared it might |)rove the means of lengthening our pas- sage to the Madeiras. However, Mr. Anson, now having the command himself, resolved to adhere to his former determination, and to tide it down the channel with tlu^ first moderate weather ; and that the junction of his convoy might occasion as little a loss of time as possible, he immediately sent directions to Torbay, that the fleets he was there to take under his care, might be in a readiness to join him instantly on his approach. And at last, on the Iftth of .September, he weighed from St. Helens ; and though the wintl was at first contrary, had the good fortune to get clear of the channel in four days, as will be more particularly related in the ensuing chajiter. Having thus gone through the respective steps taken in the equipment of this squadron, it is suffi- ciently obvious how different an aspect this expe- dition bore at its fii-st appointment in the beginning of January, from what it had in the latter end of September, when it left the channel ; and liow much its numbers, its strength, and the probability of its success were diminished, by the various inci- dents which took place in that interval. For instead of having all our old and ordinary seamen exchanged for such as were young and able, (which the cf)mmodore was at tii-st jiromised,) and having our numbers co!n])leted to their ftdl complement, we wcro obliged to retain our first crews, which were very indifferent ; and a deficiency of three hundred men in our numbers was no otherwise made up to us, than liy sending us on board a hundred and seventy men, the greatest part com- posed of such as were discharged from hospitiils, or new-raised marines who had never Ijeen at sea lieffire. And in the land-forces allotted us, the change was still more disadvantageous, for there, instead of three independent companies of a hun- dred men each, and Bland's regiment of foot, which was an old one, we had only four hundred and seventy invalids and marines, one i)art of them incapable for action by ago and infirmities, and the other part useless by their ignorance of their duty. But the diminishing the strength of the squadron was not the greatest inconvenience which attended these alterations; for the contests, representations, and difficulties M-hich they continually produced, (as we liave above seen, that in these cjuses the authority of the Admiralty was not always sub- mitted to,) occasioned a delay and waste of time, whicl., in its consequences, was the source of all the disasters to which this enterprise was after- wards exposed : for, by this means we were obliged to make our passage round Cape Horn in the most tempcstucuis season of the year, whence proceeded the se))aration of our siinadron, tl'.e loss of numbers of our men, and the inmiinent hazard of our total destruction ; and by this delay too, the enemy had been so well informed of our designs, tliat a person who had been employed in the South-Sea coiii- IG ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND TJIE WORLD. piitiy's service, ami an'ivcd from Panama tliroc or lour (lays bcfon; we loft I'ortsmoutli, was alilu to rclatt! to Mr. Anwoii most of the partieiilarH of tlie dfittination and Htn'ni;th of our squadron, from what lu' liad Icurnt amonj^st tlio .S|)aniardrt hcfori- he loft tlit'iii. And tliis was aft«'rwards continued by a more extraordinary cireiunstanee : for we shall tind, that when the Sjianiards (fully .satisfied that our e\])editic)n \va« intended for the South- Seas) had titted out a squadron to oppose ns, whieh had so far };otthe start of us, as to arrive before u.-i off' the island of Madeira, the commander of this squadron was so well instructed in the form and make of Mr. Anson's broad pennant, and liail imi- tated it so exactly, that ho thereby decoyed the Pearl, one of our s(juadron, within gun-shot of lihn, before the captain of the Pearl was able to discover Ills mistake. CHAPTER n. Tl':' Pdssapc /row St. Helms to the Is!aitil of Mn'h'irn ,- icith a short acruiint <>/ that Island, and of uiir slay there. On the 18th of September, 1710, the squadron, as w(! have observed in the preceding chapter, weighed from St. Helens with a contrary wind, the commodore proposing to tide it down the channel, as he dreaded less tlic inconveniences lie should thereby have to struggle with, than the risk he should run of ruining the entci-jirise, by an uncer- tain, and in all probability, a tedious attendance for a fair wind. The squadron allotted to this service consisted of five men-of-war, a shiop-of-war, and two victualling ships. They were the Centurion of sixty guns, four hundred men, George Anson, Es(i. conunander ; the Gloucester of fifty guns, three hundred men, Richard Norris, commander ; the Severn of fifty guns, three hundred men, the honourable Edward Legg, commander ; the I'earl of forty guns, two hundred and fifty men, Matthew Mitchel, com- mander; the Wager of twenty-eight guus, one Jiundred and sixty men. Dandy Kidd, commander ; and the Tryal sloop of eight guns, one hundred men, the lionourable John j\Iurray, commander. The two victuallers were pinks, the largest of about four hundred, and the other of about two hundred tons burthen ; these were to attend us, till the pro- visions we liad taken on board were so far con- fiumed as to make room for the additional ([uantity they carried w ith them, which, when we had taken into our ships, they were to be discharged. Besides the complement of men borne by the above-men- tioned ships as their crews, there were embarked on board the squadron about four hundred and seventy invalids and marines, under the denomination of land-forcea, as has been particularly mentioned in the jji-eceding chapter, w hieh were commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Craclierode. With this stjuad- ron, together with the St. Albans and the Lark, and the trade under their convoy, Mr. Anson, after weighing from St. Helens, tided it down the chan- nel for the first forty-eight hours ; and, on the 21)th, in the morning, we discovered off" the Ram- Head the Dragon, Winchester, South-Sea Castle, and Bye, with a number of merchantmen under their convoy : these we joined about noon the same day, our commodoi-e having orders to see them (together with the St. Albans and Lark) as far ' into the sea as their course and ours lay t'l- gother. When we came in sight of this last men- tioned fleet, Mr. Anson first hoisted his broad ! ]>ennant, and was saluted by all the men-of-war ' in cfore sui)pi)Sed, that this French or .Spanish squadron was sent out, n]ion advici- of our sailing in com- jiany with Adiiiiral IJakheii ami Lord Cathcai-t's expedition : and thence, from an ajipreheiision of being ovt r-niiitch which, hi strength, they were greatly superior. As the Spanish annamcnt then was so nearly con- nected with our expedition, and as the catastrophe it uiulerwent, though not effected by our foi'co, was yet a considerable advantage to this nation, produced in consecpienceof our equipment, I have, in the following chapter, given a summary account of their proceedings, from their first setting oiit from Spain in the year 1740, till he Asia, the only ship which returned to Europe of tl>e whole scjua- dron, arrived at the Groyne in the beginning of the year 1746. CHAPTER III. Tlw history of the t'liKiulrau commanilcu .'>.'/ Don Joff)ih /'(>(!»• »•(>. The squadron fitted out by the court of Spain to iittend our motions, and travei-sc our projects, we supposed to have beer the ships seen ott" Ma- deira, as mentioned in the preceding chapter. And as this force was sent out particularly against our expedition, I cannot but imagine that the following history of the ciisualtics it met with, as far as by intercepted letters and other infonnation the same has come to my knowledge, is a very essential part of the present work : for by this it will appear we were the occasion, that a considei-alile part of the naval power of Spain was divei'ted from the pro- secution of the ambitious views of that court in Europe ; and the men and ships, lost by the enemy in this undertaking, were lost in consequence of the precautions tliey took to secure themselves against our enterprises. This squadron (besides two ships intended for the West Indies, which did not part company till after they had left the Ma- deii'iis) was composed of the following men-of-war, commanded by Don Joseph Pizarro : The Asia of sixty-six guns, and seven hundred men ; this was the admiral's ship. The Guipuscoa of seventy-four guns, and seveij hundred men. lb AXSO.S S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. The Honniona of tifty-four gull^, nndfivo I'.undnil IllOU. The Kspor.m/a of fifty Rinif, and four liuiuln.l ;ii:il fifty iiirii. Till' St. KHtcvuii of'foity guns, and three hundixd and fifty tiicn. AimI a jiutuchf of twenty guns. Tlu!ae ships, over and ahove tlu'ir cnrnploment of s:iilors aixl inarinus, had on board an ohl S|>anish regiment of foot, intunded to reinforce tlic garri- sons on tlio coast of the Smith Seas. When this Hcet had cruised for some days to the leeward of till! Mu, at the moutli of that river, tlieir Admiral P'.zarro sent immediately to Buenos Ayres for a supply ai previsions ; for they had departed from Spain with only four months' ])rovi8ious on board. While they lay here exjiectiiig this supply, they received intelligence, by tlie treachery of the Portuguese povernor of St. Catherine's, of Mr. Anson's hav- ing arrived at that island on the 2 1st of December preceding, and of his preparing to put to sea again with the utmost expedition. Pizarro, notwith- standing his superior force, had his I'easons (and as some say, his orders likewise) for avoiding our squadron anywhere short of the South Seas. He was besides extremely desirous of getting round Cape Horn before ns, as he imagined that stej) alone would effectually battle all our designs ; and, therefore, on hearing that we were in his neigh- bourhood, and that wc should soon be ready to proceed for Cape Honi, he weighed anchor with the five large shijis, (the patache being disabled and condemned, and the nun taken out of her) after a stay of seventeen days only, and got under sail without his provisions, which arrived at Mal- donado witliin a day or two after his departure. But notwithstanding the precipitation with which he departed, we put to sea from St. Catherine's four days before him, and in some piu-t of our j)as- sage to Capo Horn, the two squadrons were so near together, that the Pearl, one of our ships, being separated from the rest, fell in with the Si)anish fleet, and mistaking the Asia for the Cen- turion, had got within gun-shot of Pizarro, before she discovered her eri'or, and nai-rowly escaped being taken. It being the 22d of January when the Spaniards weighed from Maldonado, (as has been already mentioned) they could not expect to get into the latitude of Cape Horn before the equinox ; and as they had reason to apprehend very tempestuous weather in doubling it at that season, and as the Spanish sailors, being for the most part accustomed to a fair-weather country, might be expected to be very averse to so dangerous and fatiguing a navi- gation, the better to encourage them, some part of theii- pay was advanced to them in European goods, which they wei'e to be permitted to dispose of in the South Seas, t*liat so the hopes of the great profit each man was to make on his small ven- ture might animate hun in his duty, and render him less disposed to repine at the labour, the hard- ships and the perils he would in all probability meet with before his arrival on the coast of Peru. Pizarro with his squadron liaving, towards the latter end of February, run the length of Capo Horn, he then !-ti)(id to the westward in order to (b>ubk' it ; but ill the night of the he-t day of Fe- bruary, <). .S., while with this view tiny were turn- ing to windward, the (iuipuscoa, the ilrnniona, and the Esperunza, were separated from the ad- miral ; and, on the Gth of March following, the (iuipuscoa w'as sejiarated from the other two ; and on the "th (being the day after we had ]iassed Straits lo Maire) there came on a most furious stoiTO at N. W., which, in despite of all their efforts, drove the whole squadron to the eastwiu'd, and obliged them, after several fruitle.-s atti-mpts, ! to bear away for the river of Plate, where Pizarro I ill the Asia arrived about the middle of May, and a few days after him the Esperanza and the Este- vaii. The Hermiona was su]>pos('d to founder at sea, for she was never heard i>{ more ; ami the Guipuscoa was run ashore, and sunk on the coast of Brazil. The calamities of all kinds, which this stfuadron unilerwcnt in this unsuccessful naviga- tion, can only be paralleled by what we ourselves experienced in the same climate, when buffeted by the same storms. There was indeed some diver- sity in our distn sses, which rendered it ditticult to decide whose situation was most worthy of com- miseration. For to all the misfortunes we had in common with each other, as shattered rigging, leaky shi])s, and the fatigues and desjumdency, which necessarily attend these disasters, there was superadded on board our squadron the ravage of a most destructive and incurable diseast-, and on board the Spanish squadron the devastation of famine. For this squadron, either from the hurry of their outset, their presumption of a supply at Buenos Ayres, or from other less obvious motives, departed from Spain, as has been already observed, with no more than four months' provision, and even that, as it is said, at short allowance only ; so that, when by the stoi-ms they met with oft' Cape Horn, their continuance at sea was pro- longed a month or more beyond their expecta- tion, they were thereby reduced to such infinite distress, that rat«, when fhey could be caught, were sold for four dollars a-jiiece ; and a sailor, who died on board, had his death concealed for some days by his brother, who, during that time lay in the same hammock with the corpse, only to receive the dead man's allowance of jirovisions. In this dreadful situation they were alanned (if their horrors were capable of augmentation) by the dibcoveryof a conspiracy among the marines,on board the Asia, the admiral's ship. This had taken its rise chiefly from the miseries they endured : for though no less was proposed by the conspira- tors than the massacring the officei-s and the whole crew, yet their motive for this bloody reso- lution seemed to be no more than their desire of relieving their hunger, by appropriating the whole ship's provisions to themselves. But their designs were prevented, when just upon the point of exe- cution, by means of one of their confessors, and three of their ringleaders were immediately put to death. However, though the conspiracy was suppressed, their other calamities admitted of no alleviation, but grew each day more and more destructive. So that by the complicnted distress of fatigue, sickness, and hunger, thMt in like manner half her hanilw, when die anchored in the l)ay i f Harraijan ; tiie K.H)>ernnzii, a fiftv-irnn .Hhip. wa** .still more niifortiinate, for of four hnmli-eil and fifty hands wiiich she hroiijjht from .Spain, only tifty-eiyht rcniain'-d alive, and tlio whole |-e;»i- meut of foot ]ierishecl except sixty men. Hut to ' ^ive the reailer a more distinct and particular | idea of what they nnderwciit upon this occasion, | 1 shall lay Ijofon- him a sliort account of th<; fate | of tlie (iuipuscon, from a letter written by Don ! JofM'pIi .Menfhnuetta her ca]>tain, to a person of 1 distinction at Lima ; a copy of which fell into our ' hands afterwards in the South Seas. i He mentions, that he sepanited from the Her- ' niiona and the Esperan/a in a foj;, on the 6tli of March, l»eini» then, as 1 suppose, to the y. K. if • .Statcn-Land, and plying to the westward ; that in ; tiie night after, it blew a furious stonn at N. W., which, at half an hour after ten, split his main- ; sail, that oldiged him to bear away witli his fore- j sail ; that tlie ship went ten knots an hour with a i prodigiojis sea, and often ran her gangway under I water ; that he likewise sprang his main-mast ; i and the nliip made so much water, that with four j pumps ami baling he could not free her. That ' on the 19th it was calm, but the sea continued so | high, that the ship in rolling opened all lier upper works and seams, and started the butt ends of lier I planking and the greatest part of her top timbers, the bolts being drawn by the violence of her roll. That in this condition, with other additional dis- astei-s to the hull and rigging, they continued beating to the westward till the l-'th : that they were then in sixty degrees of south latitude, in great want of provisions, numbers every day perishing by the fatigue of [lumjjing, and those who survived being quite dispirit<'d by labour, hunger, and the severity of the weather, they hav- ing two spans of snow upon the decks : that tlien finding the wind fixed in the western (piarter, and blowing strong, and consequently their passage to the westward impossible, they resolved to bear away for the river of Plate : that on the 22nd, they were obliged to throw overboard all the upper deck guns, and an anchor, and to take six turns of the cable round the ship to prevent her opening : that on the 4th of April, it being calm but a very high sea, the ship rolled so much that the main-mast came by the board, and in a few hours after she lost, in like manner, her fore-mast and her niizen-mast ; and that, to accumulate their misfortunes, they were soon obliged to cut away their bowsprit to diminish, if possible, the leakage at her head : that by this time he had lost two hundred and fifty men by hunger and fatigues : for those who were capable of working at the pumps (at which every officer without ex- ception took his turn) were allowed only an ounce and half of biscuit per dtetn ; and those who were so sick or so weak that tliey could not assist in this neces.sary labour, had no more than an ounce of wheat ; so that it was common for the men to fall down dead at the pumps : that, including the officers, they could only muster from eighty to a hundred persons capable of duty : that the south- west winds blew so fresh after they had lost their masts, that they could not immediately set 20 up jury masts, but wore obliged to drive like a wreck between the latitude-, of fliirty-two and twenty-eight till the 21th of .April, when they made the coast of Itraxil, at Hio d<' Putus, ten leagues to the southwai'il of the Island of St. Catherine's ; that here they came to an anchor, and that the ca;>tain was very desirous of proceed- ing' to St. Catherine's if ])ossiI)le, in order to save the hull of tlie ship, ami the guns and stores on board her ; Imt the crew instantly left off pumping, and being enraged at the hardships they hafl suf- fereil, and the nuniliers they had lost, (tliere beuig at that time no less that thirty deail bodies lying on the deck,) they all with one voice cried out " on slicnv. o<» shoiv," and ol)liged the captain to run the s!ii]i in directly for the land, where, tlio 5th day after, she sunk with her stores, and all her furniture on board her, but the remainder of tlio cix'W, whcmi hunger and fatigue had spared to the number of four hundred, got safe on shore. From this accoimt of the adventures and ca- t;istroj)lie of the Guipuscoa, wo may form some ciinjecture of the maimer in which the Ilerniiouu was lost, and of the distresses endured by the three remaining ships of the squadron, which got into the river of Plate. These last being in great want of masts, yards, rigging, and all kind of naval stores, and having no supi)ly at Buenos Ayres, nor in any other «f their settlenients, Pizarro de- spntcheil an advice boat with a letter of credit to Rio Janeiro, to purchase what was wanting fi-oui the Portuguese. He at the same time sent an exiiri-ss across the continent to San Jago, in Chili, to be thence forwarded to the viceroy of Peru, informing him of the disastei"s that had befallen his squadron, and desiring a remittance of 200,000 dollars from the royal chests at Lima, to enable him to victual and refit his remaining ships, that he might bo again in a condition to attempt the j)assage to the .*»oiith Seas, as soon as the season of the year shoulil be more favourable. It is men- tioned by the Spaniards as a most extraordinary circumstance tliat the Indian charged with this express, (though it was then the dejith of winter, when the Cordilleras are estctr(l from F'araRuay ; fnr a cnrjirntor, wlinni he ciitri-HtiHl with a larjji' »mn of inonry, ami liuil ."I'lit there to out iiiaHtr<, instead of prosecutiiij; the hiisinesH he was cinidoyefl in, had married in tlie fountry, and refuHotl to return. However, hy re- inovini; the ni.-iHts of tlio Esjieranza into the Asia, and inakint the imssasie round Cape Horn a second tinio ; hut the St. Estevan, in eoniing down the river Plate, ran on a shonl, and heat ofl" her rudch-r, on whieh, and other damages she received, she was eonilenined and broke np, and Pizarro in the Asia proceeded to sea without lier. Having; now the .summer before him, and the winds favourable, no doubt was made of his havinij a fortunate and speedy passaj;e ; but beinj; ott" Cape Horn, and (joinj^ ri;;lit before tlio wind in very moderate weather, tiioiip;h in a swelling; sea, by some miaconduct of the officer of the watch the ship rolled away her masts, and was a second time obliged to put back to the riv(>r of Plate in j;>'c"t distress. The Asia having considerably suffered in this aeeoiid unfortunate expedition, the Esperanza, wliieh had been left behind at Monte Video, was ordered to be refitted, the conmiand of her being fi'ivoii to Mindinuetta, who was captain of the Guipuscoa when she was lost. He, in the No- vember of the succeeding year, that is, in No- vember, 1742, sailed from the river of Plate for the South Seas, and arrived safe on the coast of Chili ; where his commodore Pizarro j>assing over land from Buenos Ayres met him. There were great animosities and contests between these two gentlemen at their meeting, occasioned principally by the claim of Pizarro to command the Esperanza, whieh Mindinuetta had brought round : for Min- dinuetta refused to deliver her up to him ; in- sisting, that as he came into the South Seas alone, and under no superior, it wa.s not now in the power of Pizarro to i-esume that authority which he had once parted with. However, the presi- dent of Chili interposing and declaring for Pizarro, Mindinuetta, after a long and obstinate struggle, was obliged to submit. But Pizarro Iiad not yet completed the series of his adventures ; for when ho and Mindinuetta came back by land from Chili to Buenos Ajtcs, in the year 1 74.5, they found at Monte Video the Asia, which near three years before they had left there. This ship they resolved, if possible, to carry to Europe, and with this view tliey refitted her in the best manner they could : but their great difficulty was to procure a sufficient number of hands to navigate her, for all the remaining sailors of the squadron to be met with in the neighbourhood of Buenos Ayres, did not amount to a hundred men. They endeavoured . to supply this defect by pressing many of the inhabitants of' Buenos AjTes, and putting on board besides all the English prisoners then in their custody, toge- ther with a number of Portuguese smugglere, whom they had taken at diflerent times, and some of the Indians of the country. Among these last there was a chief and ten of his followers, wlio had been 8urj)rised by a party of Spanish soldiers about three months before. The name of this chief was ()rellana,he U'longed to a very powerful tribe, which had (•onnuitted grviit ravages in th'j neij;hbourhuod of Huunos Ayres. With this motUy crew (all of theni,e\i'ept the Eur<>|>eun .Spaniards, extremely averse to tin- voyage) Pizarro si't sail from Monte Video in the ri\i'i' of I'iate, alu'Ut fli" beginning of November I74."i, and the native Spanianls beiiij; no strangers to the dissatisfactio;! of their foree(l men, treated both those, the Eng- lish jirisiptiers and the Indians, with great inso- lence and barbarity ; but more ])artieularly the Indians, for it was common for the meanest offi- cers in the ship to beat them most cruelly on the slightest ju'etences, and oftentimes only i'o exert their superiority. Orellana and his followti-s, though in ai>pearance sufficiently patient and sub- missive, meditated a severe revenge for ail these inhunuinities. As he conversed very well in .Spanish, (these Indians liaving in time of ]ieace a a gifat intercourse with JJuenos Ayres) he atl'ecteartner8 in the scheme he had i)rojected for re- venging his wrongs, and recovering his Iibert^\' ; but having sounded them at a distance, and jiot finding tliem so precipitate and vindictive as ha expected, he proceeded no further with them, but resolved to trust alone to the resolution of his ten faithful foUowei-s. These, it should seem, readily engaged to observe his directions, and to execute whatever conmiands he gave them ; and having agreed on the measures necessary to be taken, they first furnished themselves with Dutch knives sharp at the point, which being the common knives used in the >hip, they found no difficulty iu pro- curing : besides this, they employed theu" leisure in ."eeretly cutting out thongs from raw hides, of which there were great mimbei-s on board, and in fixing to each end of these thongs the double- headed shot of the small (juarter-deck guns ; this, wheu swung round their heads, accoi'ding to the practice of their country, was a most mischievous weapon, in the use of whieh the Indians about Buenos Ayres ai"e trained from their infancy, and conse<£uently are extremely expert. These par- ticulars being in good forwai'dness, the executiuii of their scheme was perhaps precipitated by a particular outrage committed on Orella;ia himself. J'oi one of the officers, who was a very brutal fellow, ordered Orellana aloft, which being what he was incapable of performing, the officer, un- der pretence of his disobedience, beat liim with such violence, that he left him bleeding on the deck, and stupified for some time with his bruises and wounds. This usage undoubtedly heightened his thii-st for i'e\enge, and made hun eager and impatient till the means of executing it wore iu his power ; so that, within a day or two after thif* incident, he and his followers opened their des- perate resolves in the ensuing manner. It was about nine in the evening, when many of ♦he principal officers were on the quarter-deck, indulging in the freshness of the night air ; the v/aist of the ship was filled with live cattle, and the forecastle was manned with its customarv watch. 21 10 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. il Orellaiia and his ooniiJiinionH, under cover of the night, having; prefiarcil their weapon.s, and thrown off their trousers and the more cumbrous part of their dress, came all toi;ether on the (|uaru?r-deck, and drew towards the door of the (;reat cabin. The boatswain immediately reprimanded them, and ordered them to lie jjono. On this Orellana spoke to his followers in his native language, when lour of them drew off, two towards each gangway, and tho chief and the six remaining Indians seemed to be slowly quitting the ijuarter-deck. When the detached Indians had taken possession of the gangway, Orelhina placed his hands hollow to his mouth, and bellowed out tho war-cry used by those savages, which is said to be the harshest and most terrifying sound known in nature. This hideous yell was the signal for beginning the mas- sacre : for on this they all drew their knives, and brandished their prepai'ed double-headed shot, and the six with their chief, who remained on tlie quarter-deck, immediately fell on the Spani- ards, who were intermingled with them, and laid near forty of them at their feet, of whom above twenty were killed on the spot, and the rest dis- abled, ilany of the oifieers, in the beginning of the tumult, pushed into the great cabin, whei-e they put out the lights, and barvicadoed the door. And I if the others, who had avoided the first fury of th ■ Indians, some endeavoured to escape along the gangways into the forecastle, but the Indians, jilaced there on purpose, stabbed the greatest part of them, as they attempted to pass by, or forced them off the gangways into the waist. Othei-s threw themselves voluntarily oA'er the barricadoes into the waist, and thought themselves happy to lie concealed amongst the cattle ; but the greatest part escaped up tlio main shrouds, and slieltered themselves either in the tops or rigging. And though the Indians attacked only the quarter- deck, yet the watch in the forecastle finding their communication cut off, and being terrified by the wounds of tho few who, not being killed on the spot, had sufficient strength to force their passage along tho gatigways, and not knowing either who their enemies were, or what were their numbci-s, they likewise gave all over for lost, and in great confusion ran up into the rigging of the fore-mast and bowsprit. Thus these eleven Indians, with a resolution perhaps without example, possessed themselves almost in an instant of the quarter-deck of a ?hip mounting sixty-six guns, with a crew of near five hundred men, and continued in peacable possession of this post a considerable time. For the officers in the groat cabin, (amongst whom were Pizarro and Mindinuetta) the crew between decks, and those who had escaped into the tops and rigging, were only anxious for their own safety, and were for a long time incapable of forming any project for suppressing the insurrection, and recovering tho possession of the ship. It is true, the yells of the Indians, the groans of the wounded, and the confused elanuuirs of the crew, all heightened by the obscurity of the night, had at first greatly mag- nified their danger, and had fillod them with the imaginary teiTors >vliich darkness, disorder, and an ignorance of the real strength of an enemy, never fail to produce. For as the Spaniards were sensi- ble of the disaffection of their pressed hands, and wer« also couscious of their barbarity to theii' pri- soners, they imaguicd the conspiracy was general, and considered their own destructio:! as infallible ; so that, it is said, some of them had once taken the resolution of leaping into the sea, but were pro vented by their companions. However, when the Indians had entirely cleared j the quarter-deck, the tumult in a great measure subsided ; for those who had escaped were kept silent by their feai-s, and the Indians were inca- pable of pursuing them to renew the disorder. Orellana, when he saw himself master of the quarter-deck", broke open the arm-chest, which, on a slight suspicion of mutiny, had been ordered there a few days before, as to a place of the greatest security. Here, he took it for granted, he should find cutlasses sufficient for himself and his com- panions, in the use of which weapon they were all extremely skilful, and with these, it was imagined, they proposed to have forced the great cabin : but ! oil opening the chest, there appeared nothuig but I fire-arms, which to them were of no use. There j were indeed cutlasses in the chest, but they were j hid by the fire-arms being laid over them. This I was a sensible disiippointment to them, and by 1 this time Pizarro and his companions in the grea.t I cabin were capable of conversing aloud, through j the cabin windows and port-holes, with those in the gun-room and between decks, and from hence they learnt, that the English (whom they prin- cipally suspected) were all safe below, and had not intermeddled in this mutiny ; and by other par- ticulars they at last discovered, thai none were concerned in it but Orellana and liis people. On this Pizarro and tho officers resolved to attack them on the quarter-deck, before any of the dis- I contented on board should so far recover their I first surprise, as to reflect on the facility and cer- I tainty of seizing the sliip by a junction with the I Indians in the present emergeiiey. With thi?. view Pizarro got together what arms were in the cabin, and distributed them to (hose who were with him : but there were no other fii'e-arms to be met with but pistols, and tor these they had neither powder nor ball. However, havi:ig now settled a eoiTespondenco with the gun-roi;iu, they lowered down a bucket out of tho cabin-w indow,. into which the gunner, out of one of the gun-room ]iorts, put a (juantity of pistol cartridges. When they had thus procured anmmnitioii, and had loaded their pistols, they set the cabin-door partly open, and fired some shot amongst the Indians on the quarter-deck, at first without effect. But at last Mindinuett;i, whom we have often mentioned, liad tho good fortune to shoot Orellana dead on the spot ; on which his faithful companions, aban- doning all thoughts of farther resistance, instantly leaped into the sea, where they every man pe- rished. Thus was ihis insurrection quelled, and the possession of the (]uartev-d'?k regained, after it had been full two houi-s in the power of this great and dar-ng chief, and his gallant and unhappy countrymen. I'i/arro, having escaped this imminent peril, steered for Europe, and arrived safe on the coast of Galicia, in the lieginning of tho year 174G, after having been absent between four and five years, and having, by his attendance on our expedition, diminished the naval jiower of Spain by above three thousand hands (the fiowcr of their sailors), and by four considtrable ships of war and a patache ■; ; 'J.'2i • was j^encral, i as iiitkllible ; iiico taken tlie jut were pro tirely cleared reat measure ad wcve kept IS were inea- the disorder, laater of the chest, which, Ijeen ordered )f the greatest ;cd, he sliould and his com- they were all A'as imagined, •It cabin : but d nothing but > use. There but they were • them. This ;hem, and by s in the gi-eat loud, through with those in d from heme in they prin- low, and had by other par- sxi none were i people. On ved to attack ly of the dis- recover their ility and cer- :ion with the With thi?. were in the who were fire-anus to ese they had " aving now -ro(;in, they bin-window,. le gun-room xes. When and had -door partly Indians on ct. But at mentioned, uia dead on nions, uban- e, instantly ry man pe- jiielled, Uiid ;ained, after wer of this nd unhappy nont peril, [n the coast 174G, after J five years, [expedition, by above [•ir sailors), I a pataehe ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLP. II ,ha For we have seen, that the Heiiniona foundered at sea ; the Guipuscoa was stranded, and sunk on the coast of Brazil ; the St. Estovan was con- denr-.-'d, and broke up in the river of Plate; and tiic Esp> V. nza being left in tlie South Seas, is doubt- less by this time incapable of returning to S]-.ain. So that the Asia only, with let's than one liundred hands, may bo considered as all the remains of that squadron with which Pi/arro fii-st put to sea. And whoever attends to the very large pro- ]>(irtion, which tliis scu'.adron bore to the whole navy of Spain, will, I lielievo, confess, that had our undertaking been attended with no other aply of fresh air, been considered with that candour and tenii)er, which the great benefits promised hereby ought naturally to have inspired ? On the contrary, have not these siilu- tary schemes been often treated with neglect and contempt 1 And have not some of those who have been entrusted with exi)erimenting their effocts, fceeu guilty of the most indefensible partiality, in the accounts thwy have given of these trials ? Indeed, it must be confessed, that many distinguished per- sons, both in the direction and command of our fleets, have exerted themselves on these occasions with a judicious and dispassionate examination, becoming the interesting nature of the inquiry ; but the wonder is, that any could bo found irra- tional enough to act a contrary part, in despite of the strongest dictates of prudence and humanity. I must, however, own, that I do not believe this conduct to have arisen from motives so savage, as the first reflection thereon does naturally sug- gest: but I rather impute it to an obstinate, and in some small degree superstitious, attachment to such practices as have been long established, and to a settled contempt and liatred of all kinds of innovations, especially such as are projected by landsmen and persons residing on shore. But let us return from this, I hope not, impertinent digression. We crossed tb.e equinoctial with a fine fresh gale at S.E., on Friday the 28th of November, at four in the morning, being then in the longitude of 27° 59' W. from London. And on the 2d of December, in the morning, we saw a sail in the N. W. quarter, and made the Gloucester's and Tryal's signals to chase ; and half an hour after, we let our reefs and chased with the squadron ; and about noon a signal was made for the Wager to take our remaining victualler, the Anna pink, in tow. But at seven in the evening, finding we did not near the chase, and that the Wager was very fur a-stern, we shortened sail, and made a signal for the cruisers to join the squadron. The next day but one we again discovered a sail, •which, on a nearer approach, we judged to bo the same vessel. We chased her the whole day, and though we ratlier gained upon her, yet night came on before we could overtake her, and obliged us to give over the chase, to collect our scattered squadron. We wore nuich chagrined at the cseai)e of this vessel, as wo then apprehended her to be an advice-boat sent from Old Si)aiu to Buenos Ayres, with notice of our expedition. But we have since learned that we were deceived in this conjecture, and tliat it was our East-India Com- pany's packet, bound to St. Helena. On the 10th of December, being \. y our accounts in th latitude of 200 S., and SG" 30' longitude west from London, the Tryal fired a gun to denote soundings. We immediately sounded, and found sixty fathom water, the bottom coarse ground with broken shells. The Tryal being a-licad of us, had at one time thirty- seven fathom, which afterwards increased to 90. And then she found no bottom, which happened to us too at our second trial, though we sounded with a hundred and fifty fathom of line. This is the shoal which is laid down in most charts by the name of the Abrollos ; and it appeared wo were upon the very edge of it; lierhaps farther in it may be extremely dangerous. M'e were then, by our diflerent accounts, from ninety to sixty leagues east of the coast of Brazil. The next day but one we spoke with a Portuguese brigantine from Rio Janeiro, bound to Bahia del Todos Santos, who informed us that we wore thirty-four leagues from Cape St. Thomas, and forty leagues from Cape Frio, which last bore from us W. S. W. By our accounts we were near e""lity leagues from Cape Frio ; and though, on the in- formation of this brigantine, we altered our course and stood more to the southward, yet by our coming in with the land afterwards, we were fully con- vin(?ed that our reckoning wivs much corrector than our Portuguese intelligence. We found a considerable current setting to the southward, after we had passed the latitude of 1 li" S. And the same took place all along the coast of Bi-nzil, and even to the southward of the river of Plate, it amounting sometimes to thirty miles in twenty- four hours, and once to above forty miles. If this current is occasioned (as it is most probable) by the running off" of the water accu- nmlated on the coast of Brazil by the constant sweeping of the eastern trade-wind over the Ethiopic Ocean, then it is most natunil to sup- pose, that its general course is determined by the bearings of the adjacent shore. Perhaps too, in almost every other instance of currents, the same may hold true, as I believe no examples occur of considerable currents being observed at any groat distiiuce from land. If this then could be laid down for a general principle, it would be always easy to correct the reckoning by the ob.served la- titude. But it were much to be wished, for tlio general interests of navigation, that the actual settings of the different currents which are known to take j)lace in various parts of the world, were examined more frequently and accurately than hitherto appears to have been done. We now begun to grow impatient fany died, and great numbers were confined to their hammocks, both in our own slii]) and in the rest of the squa- dron, and sevtjral of those past all hopes of re- covery. The disorders they in general labour under are such as are common to the hot climates, and what most ships bound to the soutliwai'd ex- perience in a greater or less degree. These are those kind of fevers which they usually call calentures : a disease, which was not only teiTiblc in its first instance, but cvea the remains of it m 24 !(! a gun tu denote indcd, and found I coai-se ground being a-head of n fathom, H'hicii d then she found too at our second lundred and fifty jal whieli is laid : of the Abrollos ; c very edge of it ; cniely dangerous. t accounts, from coast of Brazil, ith a Portuguese Lind to Bahiu del s that we wore 5t. Thomas, and L'h last bore from were near e'";hty liough, on the in- Itered our courae yet by our coming were fully con- much correcter D. We found a the southward, 'Ki^S. And the .st of Brazil, and river of I'late, it miles in tw'euty- ■ty miles. 1 (as it is most the water aceu- by the constant -wind over the natural to sup- termincd by the Perliaps too, in •cuts, the same amples occur of d at any great could be laid uld be always he observed la- wished, for t!:e that the actual hieh arc known the woi'ld, were Lccurately than t for a sight of sick, and for ose who as yet departed from condition, that Centurion, in > in this pre- -^atherine's we any died, und ;ir hammocks, t of the squa- . hopes of re- enerul labour ^e hot climates, louthward ex- |e. Tliese are usually call It only terrible remains of it ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. VJ^ ve«j n often prove fatal to those who considered tlicni- Helves as recovered from it. For it always left them in a very weak and helpless condition, and usually afflicted with fluxes and tenesmuses. And by our contiimance at sea all our complaints were every day increasing, so that it was with great joy that we discovered the coast of Brazil on the 1 btli of December, at seven in the morning. The coast of Brazil aiipoi.rcd high and moun- tainous land, extending liom the \V. to W.S.W., and when we first saw it, it was about seventeen leagues distant. At noon we perceived a low double land, bearing W.S.W., about ten leagues distant, which we took to be the island of St. Catherine's. That afternoon and the next morn- ing, the wind behig N.N.W., we gained very little to windward, and were apprehensive of being driven to the leeward of the island ; but a little before noon, the next day, the wind came about to the southward, and enabled us to steer in be- tween the north i)oint of St. Catherine's, and the neighbouring island of Alvoredo. As we stood in for the land, we had regular soundings, gradually decreasing from thirty-six to twelve fathom, all ntuddy ground. In this last depth of water we let go our anchor at five o'clock in the evening of the With, the north-west point of the island of St. Catherine's bearing S.S.W., distr.nt three miles ; and the island Alvoredo N.N.E., distant two leagues. Hero we found the tide to set S.S.E. iind N.N.W., at the rate of two knots, the tide of flood coming from the southward. We could from our ships observe two fortifications at a consider- able distance within us, which seemed designed to ^ircvent the passage of an enemy between the island of St. Catherine's and the main. And we could soon perceive that our squadron bad -ilarmed the coast, for we saw the two forts hoist their en- loiirs, and fire several guns, which we supposed to be intended for assembling the inhabitants To prevent any confusion, the conunodore immediately sent a boat with an officer on shore, to compli- ment the governor, and to desire a pilot to carry us into the road. The governor returned a very civil answer, and ordered us a pilot. On the morning of the 2fltli, we weighed and stood in, and towards noon the pilot came on board of us, who, the sitmc afternoon, brought us to an anchor in five fathom and a half, in a large connnodious bay on the continent side, called by the French, Bon Port. In standing from our last anchorage to this place, we everywliere foinid an oozy bottom, with a depth of water first regularly decreasing to five fathom, and then increasing to seven, after which we had six and five fathom alternately. The next morning we weighed again with the scjuadron, in order to run above the two fortifications wo have mentioned, which are called the castles of Santa Cruiz and St. Juan. And now the soundings be- tween the island and the main were four, five, and six fathom, with miuldy ground. As we passed by the castle of Santa Cruiz we saluted it with eleven guns, and were answered by an eqiml num- ber ; and at one in the afternoon, the squadron came to an anchor in five fathom and a half, the Governor's Island bearing N. N.W., St. Juan's Castle N.E.I E., and tlie island of St. Antonio south. In this position we moored at the island of St. Catherine's, on Sunday the 21st of Decem- ber, the whoU> ^.quadron being, as I have already mentioned, sickly, and in great want of refresh- ments : both which inconveniences we lioped to- have soon removed at this settlement, celebrated Ijy former navigators for its healthiness and its l)rovisions, and for the freedom, indulgence, and friendly assisUmce there given to the ships of all European nations in amity with the crown of Portugal. CHAPTER V. Procccilliips at St. Ciitlifrinc's, and a D'Srription of the ptaci; with a shurt Account o/l!ruzii. Olr first care, after having moored our sliips^ was to send our sick men on shore, each ship being ordered by the conmiodore to erect two- tents for that ])urpose : one of them for the re- ception of the diseased, and the other for the ac- connnodation of the surgeon and his a.ssistants. We sent about eighty sick from the Centurion, and the other sliips sent nearly as many, in pro- portion to the number of their hands. As soon as we had jicrformed this necessary duty, we scraped our decks, and gave our shiji a thorough cleansing ; then smoked it between decks, and after all washed every part well with vinegaiv These operation.s were extremely necessary ftir correcting the noisome stench on board, and de- stroying the vermin ; for front the number of our men, and the lieat of the climate, Iioth these nui- sances had increased upon us to a very loathsome decree, and besides being most intolerably offen- sive, they were doubtless in some sort productive of tlie si(!kness we had laboured under for a con- siderable time before our arrival at this island. Our next employment was wooding and water- ing our squadron, caulking our ships' sides and decks, overhauling the rigging, and securing our masts against the tempestuous weather we were, in all ]irobability, to meet with in our passage round Cape Horn, in so advanced and inconvenient a season. But before I engage in the particulars of these transactions, it will not be improper to give some account of the jjresent state of the island of St. Catherine's, and of the neighbouring country ; both as the circumstances of this ])lace are now greatly changed from what they were in the time of former writers, and as tlle^■e changes laid us undi-r many more difficulties and perplex- ities than we had reason to < xpect, or than other British shi])s, hereafter bound to the South Seas, may perhaps think it prudent to struggle with. This island is esteemed by the natives to be no- where above two leagues in biradth, thougli about nine in length ; it lies in 49'' 46' of west longitude from London, and extends from the south latitude of 27" ;(.'>' to that of 'iS". Although it be of a con- siderable height, yet it is scarcely discernible at the distance- of ten leagues, being then obscured inider the continent of Brazil, whose mountains are ex- eeediny;ly high ; but on a nearer api)roach it is easy ! to be distinguished, and nuiy be readily known by ' a lunnlier of small islands lying at each end, and j scattered along the east side of it. ' The north entrance of the harbour is in breadth ; about five miles, and the distance from thence to the island of St. Antonio is eight miles, and the ' couj'se from the entrance to St. Antonio is S.S.W ! I \V. About the middle of the island, the har- 26 Wi I i! I I 14 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. hour is contractod by two points of land to a nar- row channel, no more than a quarter of a mile broad ; and to defend this passage, a battery was erecting on the ]>oint of land on the island side. But this soonis to be a very useless work, as the channel has no more than two fathom water, and conseijuontly is navigable only for barks and bouts, and therefore seems to bo a passage that an enemy could have no inducement to attempt, especially as the common passage at the north end of tlio island is so broad and safe, that no squadron can be prevented from coming in by any of their fortifications, when the sea-breeze is uiade. How- ever, the Brigadier Don Joso Sylva de Paz, the governor of this settlement, is esteemed an expert engineer, and he doubtless undei-stands one branch of his business very well, which is the advantages which new works bring to those who are entrusted with the care of erecting them : for besides the battery mentioned above, there arc three other forts carrying on for the defence of the harbour, none of which are yet completed. The fii-st of these, called St. Juan, is built on a point of St. Catherine's near Parrot Island ; the second, in the form of a half moon, is on the island of St. Antonio ; and the third, which seems to be the chief, and has some appearance of a regular forti- fication, is on an island near the continent, where the governor resides. The soil of the island is truly luxuriant, pro- ducing fruits of most kuids spontaneously ; and the ground is covered over with one continued forest of trees of a perpetual verdure, which, from the exuberance of the soil, are so entangled with briars, thorns, and underwood, as to form a thicket absolutely impenetrable, except by some narrow pathways which the inhabitants have made for their own convenience. These, with a few spots cleared for plantations along the shore facing the continent, are the only uncovered parts of the island. The woods are extremely fragrant, from the many aromatic trees and shrubs with which they abound ; and the fruits and vegetables of all climates thrive here, almost without culture, and are to be procured in great plenty ; so that here is no want of pine-apples, peaches, grapes, oranges, lemons, citrons, melons, apricots, nor plantains. There are besides great abundance of two other productions of no small consideration for a sea- store, I mean onions and poti\toes. The provi- sions of other kinds arc however inferior to their vegetables : there are small wild cattle to be purchased, somewhat like buffaloes, but these are very indifferent food, their flesh being of a loose contexture, and generally of a disagreeable flavour,, which is probably owing to the wild calabash on which they feed. There are likewise great plenty of pheasants, but they are much inferior in taste to those we have in England, The other pi'ovi- sions of the place are monkeys, parrots, and fish of various sorts, which abound in the harbour, and are all exceedingly good, and arc easily caught, for there are a great number of small sandy bays very convenient for haulmg the seine. The water both on the island and the opposite continent is excellent, and preseryes at sea as well as that of the Thames, For after it has been in the cask a day or two it begins to, purge itself, and stinks most intolerably, and is soon covered over with a green scu.a : but this, in a few days, sub- sides to the bottom, and leaves the water as clear as crystal, and perfectly sweet. The French (who during their South Sea trade in Queen Anne's reign first brought this place into repute) usually wooded and watered in Bon Port, on the continent side, where they likewise anchored with great safety in six fathom water ; and this is doubtless the most commodious road for such ships as intend to make only a short stay. But we watered on the St. Catherine's side, at a plantation opposite to the island of St, Antonio. These are the advantages of this island of St. Catherine's ; but there are many inconveniences attending it, partly from its climate, but more from its new regulations, and the late form of government established there. With regard to the climate, it rmst be remembered that the woods and hills which surround the harbour pre- vent a free circulation of the air. And the vigor- ous vegetation which constantly takes place there, furnishes such a prodigious quantity of vai)our, that all the night and a great part of the morning a thick fog covers the whole country, and con- tinues till either the sun gathers strength to dis- sipate it, or it is dispersed by a brisk sea breeze. This renders the place close and humid, and pro- bably occasioned the many fevers and fluxes we were there afflicted with. To these exceptions I must not omit to add, that all the day we were pestered with groat nunibers of musquitoes, which are not much unlike the gnats in England, but more venomous in their stings. And at sun-set, when the musquitoes n tired, they were succeeded by an infinity of sand-flies, which, though scarce discernible to the naked eye, make a miglity buzz- ing, and wherever they bite raise a small bump in the flesh, which is soon attended with a i)ainful itching, like that arising from the bite of an English harvest-bug. But as the only light in which this place deserves our consideration, is its favourable situation for supplying and refreshing our cruisers intended for the South Seas, in this view its greatest inconve- niences remain still to be related ; and to do this more distinctly, it will not be amiss to consider the changes which it has lately undergone, both in its inhabitants, its pQliee, and its governor. In the time of Frezier and Slielvocke, this place served only as a retreat to vagabonds and outlaws, who fled thither from all parts of Brazil. They did indeed acknowledge a'sub'.ection to the crown of Portugal, and had a persovi among them whom they called their captaiix, who was considered in some sort as their governor : but both their alle- giance to their king, and their obedience to their captain, seemed to ))e little more than verbal. For as they had plenty of provisions but no money, they were in a condition to support themselves without the assistance of any neighbouring settle- ments, and had not amongst them the means of tempting any adjacent governor to busy his au- thority about them. In this situation they were extremely hospitable and friendly to such foreign ships as came amongst them. For these ships wanted only provisions, of which the natives had great store ; and the natives wanting clothes, (for they often despised money, and refused to take it) which the ships furnished them witli in oxchangi; for their provisions, both sides found their account in this traffic ; and their captain or governor had 2Q im ves the water as clear sweet. The French trade in Queen Anne's ;e into repute) usually Port, on the continent anchored with great and this is doubtless or such ships as intend But we watered on a plantation opposite of this island of St. many inconveniences ts climate, but more and the late form of ;re. With i-egard to •emembered that the )und the harbour pre- 5 air. And the vigor- ntly takes place there, s quantity of vapour, t part of the morning ole country, and con- :hers strength to dia- by a brisk sea breeze. and humid, and pro- fevers and fluxes we to these exceptions I , all the day we were i of musquitoes, which ;nats iii England, but ngs. And at sun-sot, , they were succeeded which, though scarce make a mighty buzz- ise a small bump in nded with a ])ainful the bite of an English ■li this place deserves mrable situation for Icruisers intended for its greatest inconvc- ited ; and to do this iniiss to consider the idergone, both in its Igovernor. Uielvocke, this place iibonda and outlaws, ts of Brazil. They ection to the crown 'among them whom was considered in Ibut both their alle- obedience to their fe than verbal. For )ns but no money, Inpport themselves loighbouring settle- leni the means of ir to busy his au- ituation they were lly to such foreign For these ships jh the natives had Inting clothes, (for ll refused to take 1 with in exchange lund their account or governor had ANSON'S A^OYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. Id neither power nor interest to restrain it or to tax it. But of late (for reasons which shall be hereafter mentioned) these honest vagabonds have been obliged to receive amongst them a new colony, and to sulimit to new laws and government. In- stead of their former ragged bare-legged captain (whom, however, they took care to keep innocent) they have now the honour to be governed by Don Jose S.ylv:i de Paz, a brigadier of the armies of Portugal. This gentleman has with him a garri- son of soldiers, and has consequently a more ex- tensive and a better suppoi-ted power than any of his predecessors ; and as he wears better clothes, and lives more splendidly, and has besides a much better knowledge of the importance of money than they could ever pretend to, so he puts in practice certain methods of procuring it with which they were utterly unacquainted. But it may be much doubted, if the inhabitants consider these methods as tending to promote either their interests, or that of their sovereign the king of Portugal. This is certain, that his behaviour cannot but be extremely embarrassing to such British ships as touch there in their way to the South Seas. For one of his practices was placing sentinels at all the avenues, to prevent the people from selling us any refreshments, except at such exorbitant rates as we could not afford to give. His pretence for this extraordinary stretch of power was, that he was obliged to preserve their provisions for up- wards of a hundred families, which they daily expected to reinforce their colony. Hence he appears to be no novice in his profession, by his readiness at inventing a plausible pretence for his interested management. However, this, though sufficiently provoking, was far from being the most exceptionable part of his conduct. For by the neighbourhood of the river Plate, a consider- able smuggling traffic is carried on between the Portuguese and the Spaniards, especially in the exchanging gold for silver, by which both princes are defrauded of their fifths; and in this prohibited commerce Don Jose was so deeply engaged, that in order to ingratiate himself with his Spanish correspondents (for no other reason can be given for his procedure) he treacherously despatched an express to Buenos Ayres in tlie river of Plate, where Pizarro then lay, with an account of the arrlv;, 1, anil of the strength of our squadron ; par- ticularly the number of ships, guns and men, and every circumstance which he could suppose our enemy desirous o. ueing acquainted with. And the same pei-fidy every British cruiser may expect, who touches at St. Catherine's, while it is under the gov(;rnment of Don Jose Sylva de Paz. Thus much, with what we shall be necessitated to relate in the course of our own proceedings may suffice a.s to the present state of St. Catherine's, and the character of its governor. But as the reader may be desirous of knowing to whi i causes the late new modelling of this settlen ent is owing ; to satisfy him in this particular, it will be necessary to give a short account of the adjacent continent of Brazil, and of the wonderful dis- covories which have been made there within these last forty years, which, from a country of but mean estimation, has rendered it now perhaps the most considerable colony on the face of the globe. This country was first discovered by Americus Vesputio, a Florentine, who had the good fortune to be honoured with giving his name to the im- mense continent, some time before found out by Columlms : he being in the service of the Por- tuguese, it was settled and planted by that nation, and, with the other dominions of Portugal, de- volved to the ci'own of Spain, when that kingdom became subject to it. During the long war be- tween Spain and the States of Holland, the Dutch possessed themselves of the northernmost part of Brazil, and were masters of it for some years. But when the Portuguese revolted from the Span- ish government, this country took part in the revolt, and soon repossessed themselves of the places the Dutch had taken ; since which time it lias continued without interruption under the j crown of Portugal, being, tiU the beginning of the I present century, only productive of sugar and I tobacco, and a few other commodities of very little I account. I But this countrj-, which for many years was I only considered for the produce of its plantations, 1 Imn been lately discovered to abound with the two i minerals which mankind hold in the greatest ^ esteem, and which they exert their utmost art I and industry in acquiring, I mean, gold and dia- j monds. Gold was first found in the mountains ; which lie adjacent to the city of Rio Janeiro. I The occasion of its discovery is variously related, but the most common account Is, that the Indians, lying on the back of the Portuguese settlements, were observed by the soldiers employed in an expedition against them to make use of this metal for their fish-hooks , and their maimer of procur- ing it being inquired into, it appeared that great quantities of it were annually washed from the hills, and left amongst the sand and gravel, wliich remained in the valleys after the running off or evaporation of the water. It is now little more than forty yeare since any quantities of gold worth notice have been imported to Europe from Brazil; but since that time the annual imports from thence have been continually augmented by the discovery of places in other provinces, where it is to be met with as plentifully as at first about Rio Janeiro. And it is now said, that there is a small slender vein of it spread through all the country, at about twenty-four feet from the surface, but that this vein is too thin and poor to answer the expense of digging ; however, where the rivers or r.iins have had any course for a considerable time, there gold is always to be' collected, the water having sepa- rated the metal from the earth, and deposited it in the sands, thereby saving the exjtenses of digging : so that it is esteemed au infallible gain to be able to divert a stream from its channel, and to ran- sack its bed. From this account of gathering this metal, it shoidd follow that there are properly no gold mines in Brazil ; and this the governor of Rio Grande (who being at St. Catherine's, fre- quently visited Mr. Anson) did most confidently affirm, assuring us, that the gold was all collected either from rivers, or from the beds of torrents after floods. It is indeed asserted that, in the mountains, largo rocks are found abounding with this metal ; and I myself have seen the fragment of one of these rocks with a considerable lump of gold entangled in it ; but even in this case, the workmen break off the rocks, and do not properly mine into them ; and the great expense in sub- sisting among these mountains, and afterwards in IC ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. Wf separating tlie metal frdin the atone, makes this method of procurinj; gold to be but rarely put in practice. The examininfj the bottoms of rivci-s, and the gullies of torr('iitH,and the wasliin;; the gold found therein from the suiid and dirt, with which it is always mixed, are works jjerformed by slaves, who ni'e principally negroes, kept in great num- bers by the Portuguese for these purposes. The regulation of the duty of these slaves is singular : for they are each of them obliged to furnish their master with the eighth part of an ounce of gold per diem ; and if they are either so fortunate or industrious as to collect a gi'eater quantity, the surplus is considered as their own property, and they have the liberty of disposing of it as they think fit. So that it is said some negroes who have accidentally fallen upon rich wasliing places have themselves purchased slaves, and have lived afterwards in great splendour, their original master having no other demand on them than the daily sujiply of the foromentioned eighth ; which as the Portuguese ounce is somewhat lighter than our troy ounce, may amount to about nine shillings sterling. The (juantity of gold thus collected in the Bra- zils, and returned annually to Lisbon, may be in some degree estimated from the amount of the king's fifth. This hath of late been esteemed one year with another to be one hundred and fifty aiToves of .32/. Portuguese weight, each of which, at 41. the troy ounce, makes very near .300,000/. sterling ; and consequently the capital, of which this is the fifth, is about a million and a half ster- ling. And the annual return of gold to Lisbon cannot be less than this, though it be difficult to determine how much it exceeds it ; ])erliaps wo may not be very much mistaken in our conjecture, if we suppose the gold exchanged for silver with the Spaniards at Buenos Ayi-es, and what is brought privily to Europe, and escapes the duty, amounts to near half a million more, which will make the whole annual produce of the Brazilian gold near two millions sterling ; a prodigious sum to be ibund in a country which, a few years since, was not known to furnish a single grain. I have already mentioned, that besides gold this country does likewise ]n'oduce diamonds. The discovery of these valuable stones is nnicli more recent than that of gold, it being as yet scarce twenty years since the first were brought to Europe. They are found in the same manner as the gold, in the gullies of torrents and ])e(ls of rivers, but only in particular places, and not so universally spread through the country. They wore often found in washing the gold before they were known to be diamonds, and were conse- quently thrown away with the sand and gravel separated from it. And it is very well reniem- '>ered, tliat numbers of very large stones, which ould have made the fortunes of the possessors, have passed unregarded through the h.'inds of those, who now with impatience support the mor- tifying reflection. However, about twenty years since, a pci-son acqtuiintod with the appearance of rough diamonds, conceived that these pebbles, as they were then esteemed, were of the same kind : but it is said, that there was a considerable inter- val between the first starting of this opinion, and the confirmation of it by proper trials and examin- ation, it proving difficult to persuade the inhabit- ants, that what they had been long accustomed to des] Jse, could be of the importance represente>rtuguese, who retired from the northern part of Brazil, when it was invaded and possessed by the Dutch. And being for a long time neglected and obliged to provide for their wn security and defence, the necessity of their fffairs produced a kind of government amongst 1 hem, which they found sufficient for the confined .nanner of life to which they were inured. And 28 lis and examin- ide the inhabit- iig accustomed ICC represented informed, that of tlicir places tones, whicli he to mark with, ced : it was at rs in Europe, he stones thus onds, many of histre, or any st-lndies. On !, in tho neigh- they liad first earcli for them L>re not without lerable masses [S of crystal in ice tho streams londs. :o tho king of amends should ectures seemed heir value, and lides ruining all ntity of Indian auld render the md would pre- my advantages ma his Majesty general search mond Company ? charter. This I paid by them if all diamonds r collecting too ing their value, ig above eight hom. And to oni acting the the company ring of inter- ulated a large round it, and are said to o to another being in the was thought er of pcoj)le, luontly smug- ht discoveries pits, and new many parts J considerable Its, who from ^lod Paulists, I Portugal, to more than a lo be descen- led from the [invaded and for a long lie for their kity of their pit amongst jhe confined lured. And ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 17 therefore rejecting and despising the authority and mandate of the cimrt of Lisbon, thoy were often engaged in a state of downright rebellion : and the mountains surrounding tliiir country, and the difficulty of clearing the few j)assages that open into it, generally put it in their power to make their own terms before they submitted. But as gold was found to abound in this country of the Paulists, the present king of Portugal (during whose reign almost the whole discover- ies 1 have mentioned were begun and completed) thought it incumbent on him to reduce this pro- vince, which now became of great conseijuence, to the same dependence and obedience with the rest of the country which, I am told, he has at last, though with great difficulty, hapi)ily effected. And the same motives which induced his majesty to undertake the reduction of the Paulists, has also occasioned the changes I have mentioned, to have taken place at the island of St. Catherine's. For the governor of Rio Grande, of whom I have already spoken, assured us, that in the neighbour- hood of this island there were considerable rivers which were found to be extremely rich, and that this was the reason that a garrison, a military governor, and a new colony was settled there. And as the harbour at this island is by much the securest and the most capacious of any on the coast, it is not improbable, if the riches of the neiglibourhood answer their expectation, but it m.iy become in time the prineii)al settlement in Brazil, and the most considerable pi.rt in all South America. Thus much I have thought necessjiry to insert, in relation to the present state of Brazil, and of the island of St. Catherine's. For as this last place has been generally recommended as the most eligible port for our cruisei's to refresh at, which are bound to the South Seas, I believed it to be my duty to instruct my countrymen, in the hitherto unsuspected inconveniences which at- tend tliat place. And as tlie Brazilian gold and diamonds are subjects about which, from their novelty, very few particulara have been liitherto published, I conceived this account I had collected of them would appear to the reader to be neither a trifling nor a useless digression. These sub- jects being thus despatched, I shall now return to the series of our own proceedings. When we first arrived at St. Catherine's we were employed in refreshing our sick on shore, in wooding and watering the squadron, cleansing our ships, and examining and securing our masts and rigging, as I have already observed in the fore- going chapter. At the same time Mr. Anson gave directions, that the ships' companies should be supplied with fresh meat, and that they should be victualled witli whole allowance of all the kinds of provision. In consefiuence of these ordei-s, we liad fresh beef sent on board us continually for our daily expense, and what was wanting to make up our allowance we received from our victualler the Ann.a pink, in order to preserve the provi- sions on board our squadron entire for our future service. The season of the year growing each day less favourable for our passage round Caj)e Hom, Mr. Anson was very desirous of leaving this place as soon as possible; and we were at first in hopes that our whole business would be done, and we should be in readiness to sail in about a fortnight from our arrival : but, on e\;.mininji the Tryai's masts, we, to our no small vexation, found inevitable enijdoymwit for twice that time. For, on a survey, it was found that the main-mast was sprung at the upper woulding, though it was thought capable of being secured by a couple of fishes ; but the fore-mast was reported to be unfit for service, and thereupon the carpentei-s wen> sent into the woods, to endeavour to find a stick proper for a fore-mast. But after a search of four days, they returned without having been able to meet with any tree fit for the purp,..-.e. This obliged them to come to a second consultation about the old fore-mast, when it was agreed to endeavour to secure it by ca-sing it witli three fishes : and in this work the carpenters were employed, till within a day or two of our sailing. In the mean time, the connnodore thinking it necessary to have a clean vessel on our arrival in the South Seas, ordered the Tryal to be hove down, as this would not occasion any loss of time, but might be completed while the carpenters were refitting her masts, which was done on shore. On the 27th of DeeembiT we discovered a sail in the offing, and not knowing but she might be a Spaniard, the eighteen-oared boat was manned and armed, and sent under the command of our second lieuteiiant, to examine her before she arrived within the protection of the forts. Sho ]iro\-ed to be a Portuguese brigantine from Rio Grande. And though our officer, as it a{>peared on inquiry, had behaved with the utmost civility to the master, and had refused to accept a calf, which the master would have forced on him as a present : yet the governor took great offence at our sending our boat ; and talked of it in a high strain, as a violation of the peace subsisting be- tween the ci'owns of Great Britain and Portugal. We at first imputed this ridiculous blustering to no deeper a cause than Don Jose's insolence ; but as we found he proceeded so far as to charge our officer with l)ehaving rudely, and opening letters, and particularly with an attempt to take out of the vessel, by violence, the very calf which we knew he had refused to receive as a present (a circumstiwice which wo were satisfied the governor was well acquainted with,) we had hence reason to suspect that he purposely sought this quarrel, and had more importiant motives for engaging in it, than the mere captious bias of his temper. What these motives were, it was not so easy for us to determine at that time ; but as we after- wards found by letters, which fell into our hands in the South Seas, that he had despatched an ex- press to Buenos Ayres, where Pizarro then lay, with an account of our squadron's arrival at St. Catherine's, together with the most ample and circumstantial intelligence of our force and con- dition, we thence conjectured that Don Jose had raised this groundless clamour, only to prevent our visiting the brigantine when she should put to sea again, least we might there find proofs of liis perfie Horn, or might be lost, and had given proper dire(!tions, that even in that case the expedition should not be abandoned. For the orders delivered to the ca])tains, tlie day before we .sailed from St. Catherine's, were, that in ca.sc of sei)aration, which they were with the utmost care to endi'avour to avoid, the first place of rendezvous should be the bay of port St. Julian ; describing the place from .Sir John Narborough's account of it. There they were to supply them- selves with as much salt as they could t.iko in, both for their own use, and for the use of the squadron ; and if, after a stay there of ten day*, they were not joined by the commodore, they were then to proceed through Straits le Maire round Cape Horn, into the South Sciis, where the next place of rendezvous was to be the island of Nostiu .Senora del Socoro, in the latitude of A^t" South, and longitude from the Lizard 71» 12' West. Tiiey were to bring this island to bear E.N.E, and to cruise from five to twelve leagues distance from it, as long as their store of wood and water would per- mit, both which they were to expend with the utmost frugality. And when they were under an absolute necessity of a fresii sujiply, they were to stand in, and endeavour to find out an anchoring-place ; and ill case they could not, and the weither made it dangerous to sujiply tlicir ships by standing off and on, tliey were then to meko the Ijest of their way to the island of Juan Fernandes, in the lati- tude of .53° 37' South. And as soon as they had there recruited their wood and water, they were to continue cruising off the anchoring-place of thftt island for fifty-six days ; in which time, if they were not joined by the commodore, tJiey might conclude that some accident had befallen him, and they were forthwith to put themselves under the command of the senior officer, who was to use his utmost endeavoui-s to annoy the enemy both by sea and land. That with these views their new commodore was to continue in those seas a6 long as his pi'ovisions lasted, or as long as they were recruited by what he should take from tho enemy, reserving only a sufficient quantity to carry him and the ships under his command to Macao, at tlie entrance of the river Tigris near Canton on the coast of China, wh(>re liaving sup- plied himself with a new stock of provisions, he was thence, without delay, to make the best of his way to England. And as it was found impossible as yet to unload our victualler the Anna pink, the commodore gave the master of her the same ren- dezvous, and the same orders to put himself under the command of the i-emaining senior officer. Under these ord(-rs the squadron sailed from St. Catherine's on Sunday the 1 8th of January, as hath been already mentioned in the preceding chapter. The next day we had very squally wea- ther, attended with rain, lightning and thunder, b!it it soon became fair again with light breezes, and continued thus till Wednesday evening, when it blew fresh again ; and increasing ail night, by eight the next morning it became a most violent storm, and wo had witii it so thick a fog, that it w.as impcssihie to see at the distance of two ships' length, so that the whole squadron dis- ajipcared. On this, a signal was made, by firing guns, to bring to with t!ie larboard taeks, the wind biMng then due east. We ourselves immediately handed the top-sails, bunted the main-sail, and lay to under a reefed mizen till noon, when the fon; dispei-sed, and we soon discovered all the ships of the squadron except the Pearl, which did not join us till near a month afterwards. The Tryal sloop was a great way to leeward, having lost her main- mast in this squall, and liaving been obliged, for fear of bilging, to cut away the raft. We bore down with the squadron to her relief, and the Gloucester was ordered to take her in tow, for the weather did not entirely aliate till the day aftoi", and even then, a great swell continued from 30 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. i!i tl;e caslward, in t'oiiscquciici.' of tho piVL-ciling Htorm. AfU-r this :i'.'ciili'iit wo stood to tho soutliward with little intorruptlon, and licro we cxpcriciui'd the same sottiuj; of thu ourrcnt, wliicli w>' hud observed before our arrival at St. Cathi-riiie's ; that is, wo j;tMic'rally found ourKolvos to tho soutli- ward of our reckoning,', by about twrniy miles each day. This error continued, with a littJ!,' variation, till we had passed the latitude of the river of I'lato ; and even then, we found that the same current, however ditti<'ult to bo aei-ouutod for, did yet undoubtedly take plaee ; for wo were not satisfied in dedueint; it from the error in our reckonin!?, but we aetually trieil it more tlum onee, when a eahu made it j)raeticable. When we had passed the latitude of the river of Plate, wo had soundings all along the coast of Patagonia. These soundings, whi-n well ascer- tained, being of great use in determining the position pf the ship, and wo having tried them juore frequently, in greater depths, and with more .attention, than I believe luul been done be- fore us, 1 bhall recite our observations as suc- cinctly as I can. In the latitude of StJ" b'l' we had sixty fathom of water, with a bottom of fine black and grey sand ; from thence, to 3!)" 5J', we varied our depths from fifty to eighty fathom, though wo had constantly the same bottom as ])e'foro ; between the last mentioned latitude, and A'.'i" 16', we had only fine grey sand, with the same variation of depths, except that we once or twice lessened our water to forty fathom. After this, we continued in forty fathom for about half a degree, having a bottom of coarse sand and broken shells, at which time we were in sight of land, and not above seven leagues from it. As we odged from the land, we met with variety of sound- ings ; fii"st black sand, tlien muddy, and soon after I'ough ground with stones ; but then increasing our water to forty-eight fathom, wo had a nmddy bottom to the latitude of 4()| 10'. We then re- turned again into thirty-six fathom, and kept shoaling our water, till at length we came into twelve fathom, having constantly small stones and pebbles at the bottom. Part of this time we had a view of C:i])e Blanco, which lies in about the latitude of AH" 52', and longitude west from London GG" 415'. This is 'the most remarkable land upon tho coast. Steering from lience S. by Fi. nearly, we, in a riui of about thirty leagues, deepened our water to fifty fathom, without once altering the bottom ; and then drawing towards the shore with a S.W. course, varying i-ather to the westward, we liad evei-ywhere a sandy bottom, till our coming into thirty fathom, where we had again a sight of land, distant from us about eight leagues, lying in the latitude of 48» 31'. We made' this land on the 17th of February, and at five in the afternoon we camo to an anchor upon the same bottom, in the latitude of 48" 58', the souther- most land then in view bearing S.S.W., the northermost N. .J E, a small island N.W., and the wostermost hummock AV. S.W. In this station wo found the tide to set S. by W. ; and weighing again at five the next morning, we, an hour after- wards, discovered a sail, upon which the Severn and tiloucester were both directed to give chase; but we soon perceived it to be the Pearl, which sepa- rated from us a few days after we left St. Cathe- rine's, and on this we nuide a signal for the Severn to rejoin the s(|uadron, leaving the Gloucester alone in the pursuit. And now we were surprised to see, that on the liloiietrstcr's a])|)roach, the people on hoard the J'eurl increased their sail, and stood from her. However, tho (Jloueester came up with them, but found them with their liiunniocks in thijir nettings, and everything ready for an engagement. At two in the afternoon the Pearl joined us, and running up under our stern, Lieut(Miant .Salt haili'd the commodore, and ae- ((U.iinted him that Captain Kidd died on the ^'Ist of January, lie likewise informed him, that ho had seen five large ships the lOth instant, which he for some time imagined to be our squadron : that he suffered the commanding ship, which wore a red broad pennant, exactly resendding that of the commodore, at the main top-mast head, to come within gun-shot of him before ho discovered his mistake ; but then finding it not to be the Centurion, ho haled close upon the wind, and crowded from them with all liis sail, and standing cross a ri]iling, wIhto they hesitated to follow him, ho Iiappily escaped. He made them to be five Spanish men of war, one of them exceedingly like the Gloucester, which was the occasion of his apprehensions when the Gloucester chased him. 15y their appearance ho thought they consisted of two ships of seventy guns, two of fifty, and one of forty guns. The whole squadron continued in chase of him all that day, but at night finding they could not get near him, they gave over the chase, and directed their course to the southward. And now had it not been for the necessity we were under of I'efitting tho Tryal, this piece of intelligence would have prevented our making any stay at St. Julian's ; but as it was impossible for that sloo]> to proceed round the Cape in her present condition, some stay there was inevitable, and therefore the same evcniing we came to an anchor again in twenty-five fathom water, the bottom a mixture of mud and sand, and the high hummock bearing S.W. by W. And weighing at nine in tho morning, we soon after sent the two cutters belonging to tho Centurion and Severn in shore, to discover the hai'bour of St. Julian, while the ships kept standing along the coast, at aboftt the diwtanco of a league from the land. At six o'clock wo anchored in the bay of St. Ju- lian, in nineteen fathom, the bottom muddy ground with sand, the northermost land in sight bearing N. and by E., tho southermost S. i E., and tho high hummock, to which Sir John Narborough formerly gave the name of Wood's Mount, W.S. W. Soon after, the cutter returned on board, having discovered the harbour, which did not appear to us in our situation, tho northermost point shutting in uj)on the southermost, and in appearance clos- ing the entrance. iieing come to an anchor in this bay of St. Julian, principally with a view of refitting the Tryal, tho carpenters were immediately employed in that business, and continued so during our whole stay at the place. The Tryal's main-mast having been cai'riod away about twelve feet below tho cap, they contrived to make tho remaining part of the mast servo again ; and the Wager was ordered to supply her with a spare main-top-mast, which the carpentera converted into a new fore-mast. And I cannot help observing, that tliis accident to thn 31 t < M 20 ANSON'S voya(;k round the world. Tryai's innat, wliiclj giivo us so inui-Ji iim-asinpss !it tliiit tiini',on aeeouiit nf tlio tleliiy il oeciwioiicd, Was, ill all iirobability, tfie mi-ans of pri"Hi'rviii<; tlic sloop, iiiul all her crow. For before this, licr masts, how well soever proportioned to a better climate, were miieli too lofty for these hij^h Sfiuthern latitiule8: so that had they weathered the prceediiig htorm, it would have been impos- sible lor them to have stood against those seas and tempests we afterwards eneountereil in jiassing round Capo Horn ; and th.e loss of masts, in that boisterous climate, would scarcely have been at- tended with less than the loss of the vessel, and of every man on board lier ; since it would have been imprficticable for the other ships to have given them any relief, during the continuance of those impetuous storms. Whilst wc stayed at this place, the commodore appointed the Honourable Ca])tain Hurray to suc- ceed to the Pearl, and Ca])tain Cheap to the Wager, and he ])ronioted Mr. Charles Saunders, his first lieutenant, to the command of tlie Tryal sloop. But Captain Saunders lying dangerously ill of a fever on board the Centurion, and it being the opinion of tlie surgeons that the removing him ou board his own ship, in his present condition, might tend to tlie hazard of his life; Mr. Anson gave an order to Mr. Saumarez, first lieutenant of the Centurion, to act as master and commander of the Tryal, during the illness of Captain Saunders. Here the commodore too, in order to case the expedition of all unnecessary exjiense, held a far- ther consultation with his captains about unload- ing and discharging the Anna pink ; but they re- presented to him that they were so far from being in a condition of taking any part of her loading on board, that they liad still great quantities of pro- visions in the way of their guns between-deeks, and that their ships were withal so very deep, that they were not fit for action without being cleared. This put the commodore under a necessity of retaining the pink in the service ; and as it was apprehended we should certainly meet with the Spanish squadron in passing the Cape, Jlr. Anson thought it advisable to give orders to the captains to put all their provisions, which were in the way of their guns, on board the Anna pink, and to remount such of their guns as liad formerly, for the ease of their ships, been ordered into the hold. This bay of St. Julian, where wc were now at anchor, being a convenient rendezvous, in case of separation, for all cruisers bound to the southward, and the whole coast of I'atagonia, from the river of Plato to the Sti-aits of Magellan, lying nearly parallel to their usual route, a short account of the singularity of this country, with a particular description of port St. Julian, may perhaps be neither unacceptable to the curious, noi' unworthy the attention of future navigators, as some of them, by unforeseen accidents, may be obliged to run in with the land, and to make some stay on this coast, in which case the knowledge of the country, its produce and uihabitants, cannot but be of the utmost consequence to them. To begin then with the tract of counti'y usu- ally styled Patagonia. This is the name often given to the southcmiost part of South America, which is unpossessed by the Spaniards, extending from their settlements to the Straits of Magellan. On the east side, this country is extremely remark- able fur a pcculiurify not to b'> paralhled in any other known part of the globv ; fur though the whole territory to the northward of the river oi Plato is full of wood, and stored with immense (lUantities of large timber trees, yet to the south- ward of the river no trees of any kind are to be met with, except a few peach-trees, first planted and cultivated by the Spaniards, in the neighbourhood of Uueiios Ayres: so that i>n the whole eastern coast of Patagonia, extending near four hundred leagues in length, and reaching as far back as any diseoveries have yet been made, no other wood has been found than'a few insignificant shrubs. Sir John Narborough in particuhir, who w;is sent out, by Iving Charles the second, ex]iressly to examine this country, and the Straits of Magellan, and who in pursuance of his orders wintered upon this coast in port St. Julian and port Desire, in the year lti70; Sir John Narborough, I say, tells us, that lie never saw a stick of wood in the counti-y, large enough to make the handle of a hatchet. liut though this country be so destitute of wood, it abounds with pasture. For the land appears in general to be made up of downs of a light dry gravelly soil, and produces great quantities of long coai-se grass, which grows in tufts interspersed with large barren spots of gravel between them. This grass, in many places, feeds immense herds of cattle : for the Spaniards at Buenos Ayres, having brought over a few black cattle ffoni Europe at their firet settlement, they have thriven prodi- giously by the plenty of herbage which they found here, and are now increased to that degree, and are extended so far into the country, that they are not considered as private property ; but many thousands at a time are slaughtered every year by the hunters, only for their hides and tallow. The manner of killing these cattle,beinga practicepecu- liar to that pai-t of the world, merits a more cu-cum- stantial description. The hunters employed on this occasion being all of them mounted on horseback (and both the Spaniards«and Indians in that part of the world are usually most excellent horsemen), they arm themselves with a kind of spear, which, at its end, instead of a bljfde fixed in the same line with the wood in the usual manner, has its blade fixed across ; with this instrument they ride at a beast, and suiTOund him. The liunter that comes behind him hamstrings him ; and as after this operation the. beast soon tumbles, without being able to raise himself again, they leave him on the ground, and pursue others, whom they serve ill the same manner. Sometimes there is a second party, who attend the hunters, to skin the cattle as tliey fall : but it is Siiid, that at other times the huntei-s choose to let them languish in tor- ment till the next day, from an opinion that the anguish, which the animal in the mean time endures, may buret the lymphatics, and thereby facilitate the separation of the skin from the carcase : and though their priests have loudly condemned this most barbarous practice, and have gone so far, if my memory does not fail me, as to excommunicate those who follow it, yet all their efforts to put an entire stop to it have hitherto proved ineffectual. Besides the numbers of cattle which are every year slaughtered for their hides and tallow, in the manner already described, it is often necessary for the purposes of agricultui-e, and likewise with other views, to take them alive, and without wound- 32 ANSON'S VOYAGK HOUND THi: M'OHLD. 21 u)!e eastern ing tlicni. Tliis is perfomieil with a most won- derful iiml aIuio»t iiicrediblo dexterity, mid prin- cipally by the use of a machine which the Eiij^lish who have resided at Buenos Ayres gi'iieraliy de- nominate a lash. It is made of a thonfj of several fathoms ill length, and very stronj;, with arunnin;; noose at one end of it : this the hunters (who in this ease are also mounted on horselmck) take in their light hands, it being first ])ro])ei]y coiled U]>, and iiuviiii; its end opjHisito to the noose thstened to the saddle ; and thus prepared, they ride at a lierd of cattle. When they arrive within a certain distance of a beast, they throw their thong at him with such exactness, that they never fail of tixinj; the noose about liis horns. The beast, when he finds himself entangled, generally runs, but the liorse, being swifter, attends hini, and jireveiits the thong from being too much strained, till a second hunter, who follows the game, throws another noose about one of its hind legs: and this being done, both horses (they being trained for this purpose) instantly turn ditt'erent ways, in order to strain the two thongs in contrary directions; on which the beast, by their opposite pulls, is pre- sently overthrown, and then the horses stop, keep- ing the thongs still ujion the stretch • being thus on the ground and incapable of resistan^tB, (for he is extended between the two hoi-ses) the liunters aliglit, and secure liim in such a manner, that they afterwards easily convey liim to whatever place they please. In the same manner they nooso horses, and, as it is said, even tigers ; and however strange this last circumstance may appear, there arc not \\anting pei-sous of credit wlio assert it. Indeed, it must Ijo owned, that the address both of the Spaniards and Indians in that part of the world, in the use of this lash or noose, and the cer- tainty with which they throw it, and fix it on any intended part of the beast at a considerable distance, are matters only to be believed from the rei)eated and concurrent testimony of all w ho have frequented that country, and might reason- ably be questioned, did it rely on a single wjiort, or had it been ever contradicted or denied by any- one who had resided lit Buenos AjTes. The cattle which arc'liilled in the manner I have already observed, ai*c slaughtered only for their hides and tallow, to which sometimes are added theii- tongues, and the rest of their Hesh is left to putrify, or to be devoured by the birds and wild beasts : but the gi'eatest jiart of this carrion falls to the share of the wild dogs, of which there are immense numbers to be found in that country. Thcyare supposed to have been originally produced by Spanish dogs from Buenos Ayres, who, allured by the great quantity of carrion, and the facility they had by that means of sulisisting, left their masters, and ran wild amongst the cattle; for they are plainly of the breed of the European dogs, an animal not originally found in America. But though '■ese dogs are siiid to be some thous;tnds in a com- pany, they hitherto neithcrdiminish norprevent the increase of the cattle, not daring to attack them, by reason of the numbers which constantly feed together; but contenting themselves with the carrion left them by the hunters, and perhaps now and then with a few stragglers who, by acci- rodigious!y increased, and run wild to a much greater distance than the black cattle: and though many of tlicni are excellent, yet their number makes tiietn of very little value ; the best of them being often sol(l, in a country where money is plenty and com- modities ve:"y dear, for not more than a dollar a- piece. It is not as yrt certain how far to the south- ward these herds of wild cattle and homes have extended themselves ; but then; is some reason to conjecture, that stragglers of both kinds are to be met with very near the Straits of Magellan ; and tiiey will in time doubtless fill the southern part of tliis continent with their breed, which cannot fail of proving of considerable advantiigo to such ships as niay touch upon the coast ; for the horses themselves are said to be very good eating, and as such to bi- prefen-ed by some of the Indians even before the black cattle. But whatever jilcnty of this kind may be hereafter found here, there is one material refrohment which this eastern side of Patagnnia seems to bo very defective in, and that is fresh water ; for the land being generally of a nitrous and saline nature, the ponds and stri-ams are frequently braekisli. However, as good water has been found there, though in small <|uantities, it is not improbable but, on a furtlier search, this inconvenience may be removed. Besides the cattle and hoi-ses which I have mentioned, there are in all parts of this country a good number of vicunnas or Peruvian .sheep; but these, by reason of their shyness and swiftness, are killed with difficulty. On the ea.storn coast, too, there abound immense <[uantities of seals, and a vast variety of sea-fowl, amongst which tlie most remarkable are the penguins : they are in size and shape like a goose, but instead of wings they have short stumps like fins, which are of no use to them except in the water ; their bills are narrow, like that of an albatross, and they stand and walk in an erect posture. From this, and their white bellies. Sir John Narborough has whimsically likened them to little children standing up in white aprons. The inhabitants of this eastern roast (to which I have all along hitherto confined my relation) ajijiear to be but few, and have rarely been seen more than two or three at a tune, by any ships that liave touched here. We, during our stay at tlie port of St. Julian, saw none. However, towards Buenos Ayres they are sufficiently nume- rous, and oftentimes very troublesome to the Spa- niards ; but there the gi-eater breadth and variety of the counti'y, and a milder climate, yield tliem a better protection ; for in that place the continent is between three and four hundred leagues in breadth, whereas at port St. Julian it is little more than a hundred : so that I conceive the same Indians, that frequent the western coast of Patagonia and the Straits of Magellan, often ramble to this side. As the Indians near Buenos Ayres exceed tliese southern Indians in number, so they greatly sur- pass tliem in activity and spirit, and seem in theii' manners to be nearly allied to those gallant Chilian Indians, who have long set the whole Spanish power at defiance, liave often ravaged their country, and remain to this hour independent. For the Indians about Buenos Avres have learnt to be 33 I 22 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. i ,!l excellent hnrseincn, anil arc cxtrpmoly export iii tlio ni.ui ii:< nu'iit of uli fiittiiit; woaimns, th')U:,'li ignoniiit ol \]w iisoof tiro-itnns, which the .Sp:uiiar(i.s aro very Mi'lifitoU!* to keep out of their iiandH. AikI of the vi:;our and resoluti'in of tlicso Iiulinn.'*, i1k> buhavioiir of Orcliana and his followers, wlioni wc liavo formerly nicntiniird, is a nionioraldc iiintanc . Indeed, wiTc we dispti'^cfl to aim at the nt»er ml- vorsiloii of the Spanish puwer in Aincriea, no means fieeiii more probable to etl"'" • it, than due encoii- rageinent and assistance K'^'" '" these Indians and tliose of Chili. Thus mueh nnvy suffice in relation to tlie eastern eo.xst of I'atan'onia. The western cctast is of le-s extent ; and by reason of the Andes which skirt it, and stretch ((uite down to the water, is a very rocky and dangerous shore. However, I shall be lier<'after necessitated to ni:ik(! further mention of it, aiul therefore shall not eid.".r'^e thereon at this time. But it nnist be remeinbi-red, that the bar at the entrance is often shiftiu',', and has many lioles in it. The tide flows here N. and S., and at full iaid chanjre, rises four fatliom. We, on our hrst arrival hero, sent an officer on shore, in order to procure a ([uantity of salt for the u.so of the squadron. Sir .John Narborouj;!! liavin^' observed, when he was l.ere, that the salt produced in that place was very white tiiid good, and that in February there was enough of it ti> till a thousand .ships ; but our officer returned with a sani()Ie which was very bad, and he told us, that even of this there was but little to be j;ot : I su))pose the wea- ther had been more rainy tluai ordinary, and liad destroyed it. CHAPTER VII. Departure from the Ban of St. Julian, end the las^age from thence toUlrnils Le Mairt-. The Tryal bcinj; nearly refitted, which was our principal occupation at this bay of St. .Julian, and the sole occasion of our stay, the conmiodore thought it nocessarv', ua wo were now directly bound for the South Seas and the enemy's coasts, to regulate the ])lan of his future oper.itions : and, therefore, on the 24tli of February, a signal was made for all captains, and a council of war was held on board the Centurion, at wliic'a were present the Honourable Edward Lcgg, Cajitaiu Matthew Mitciiel, tlie Honourable George Murray, Cajitain David Cheap, together with Colonel Mordaimt Cracherode, conmiander of the land forces*. Ai this council Mr. Anson proposed, that tlieir first attenipt,after theirarrival in the South Seas, should be the attack of the town and harbour of Baldivia, the principal frontier of the district of Chili ; Mr. Anson informing them, at the same tin)e, tliat it was an article contair.ed in his Majesty's in- structions to him, to endeavour to secure some port in the South Seas, where the ships of the squadron might be careened and refitted. To this proposition r.iade by the commodore, the council unanimously and readily agi'eed ; and in conse- quence of this rcsoluti<>n, new instructions were given to the captains of the squadron, by which, though they were still directed, in case of separa- tion, to make the best of tlieir way to the island of Nuestra Senora del .Socoro, yet (notwithstand- ing the ordei's they had formerly given them at St. Catherine's) ihey were to cruise off tliat island only ten ilays ; from whence, if not joined by the commodore, they were to proceed, and cruise off the harbour of lialdivia, making the land between tlio latitudes of 10" and 40' .'10', and taking care to keep to the southward of the port ; and, if in fourteen days they were not joined by tlie rest of the squadron, tiny were tlieu to quit this station, and to direct their course to the island of .Juan l-'eruande-', after which they were to i-egulate tliiir further proceedings by their former orders. The same directions were also given to the master of the Anna pink, and he was particularly instructe, to fall into the hands of the enemy. And as the separation of the squadron might prove of the utmost prejudice to His .Majesty's service, each captain was ordered to give it in cliargo to the respective otiicers of the watch, not to keep their Khip at a greater distance from the Centurion than two miles, as they would answer it at their peril ; and if any captain shoidd iind his .ship l"\vond the distance specified, he was to acquaint tiie commodore with the name of the officer, who had tlms neglected his duty. These necessary regulations being established, and the Tryal sloop eoin]tleted, the squadron weighed on Friday the 27th of February, at seven in the morning, and stood to the sea ; the Gloucester indeed found a difficulty in purchasing licr anchor, and was left a consideralde way a-stern, so that in the night we fired several :.;unH as a signal to her captain to make sail, but he did not come up to us till the next morning, when we found that they had been obliged to cut their cable, and leave tlieir best bower behind theni. At ten in the morning, tlie day after our departure. Wood's Mount, the liighland over St. Julian, bore from us N. by W. distant ten leagues, and we had fifty- two fathom of water. And now standing to the southw.ird, ve liad great expectation of falling in with I'izarro's squadron ; for, during our stay at port St. .Inliaii, there had generally been hard gales bet.ceeu tlu; W. N. W. and S. W., so that we Iiid iT.'.son to cunchidc the Spaniards had gained no ground upon us in that interval. And it was 1 .c prospect of meeting with them, that had f Juan 'o to ivjjnlatf former orders. » to tlu- inastrr larly instructed J sijjnals made wise to destroy be so unforln- ' enemy. And ni^lit prove of esty's service, it in eharfje to li, not to keep 1 the Centurion I'er it at their lin(i liis ahij) w to acquaint fie officer, who ig established, adron weighed t seven in the lie Gloucester li; her .inchor, ern, so that in signal to her |it come up to and that they and leave ten in the tare. Wood's , bore from e had fifty- ndinjij to the of lulling in oar stay at been hard W., so tliat i aniards Jiad rval. And ■ tlieni, that so very j our ships : j ittin"; roand ■ propcrest ' L'u to have i best of her j or the rest.' From our departure from St. Julian to the 4th if March, we had little wind, with thick lia^y weather, and Home ruin ; ami oar soundings wcru generally from forty to fifty fathom, with a Imttoni of black and grey sand, sometimes intcrniixid with pebble stones. On the -Uh of Mavcli we were in sight of Cape Virgin Mary, and not more than six or seven leagues distant Ironi it : this is the northern capo of the Straits of Magellan ; it lies in the latitude of 52° 'Jl' South, and lonci- tude from London 71° 11' West, and seeins to be a low flat land, ending in a jioiiit. OH' this Cape oar dejith of water was from thirty-five to forty-eight fathom. The afternoon of this day was very briglit and clear, with small breezes of wind, incliiiai)le to a calm, and most of the cap- tains took the opportunity of this favourable weather to pay a visit to the commodore ; l>ut while they were in company together, they wero ! ail greatly alarmed by a sudden flame, which burst oat on board the Gloacester, and which was succeeded by a cloud of smoke. However, they were soon relic-veil from their a]>prehensions, by receiving information, that the blast was occa- sioned by a spark of Hre from the forge, lighting on some gunpowder and other combustibles, which an officer on board was preparing for ase, in ease wc shoald fall in with the Spanish fleet ; and that it had been extinguished, without any damage to the ship. We here found what was constantly verifier- ininate in a vast number of ranged points which spin; up to a prodigious lieight, iiiid are all of them covered with everlasting snow ; the points themselves are on every side surrounded with frightful precipices, and oftm overhaiisj; in a most astonishing manner ; and the hills which bear them are generally sejiarated from each o?h(T by narrow clefts, which a|i])eared as if the country had been rent by earthi|uakes ; for these chasms are nearly ])erpendicular, and extend throagh the substance of the main rocks, almost to their very bottoms : so that nothing can be imagined more savage and gloomy, than the whole aspect of this coast. 1 b.avo above mentioned, tliat on the Tth of March, in the morning, we opened Straits Lc Maire, and soon after, or about ten o'clock, the Pearl and the Tryal being ordered to keep a-head c(f the si|uailroii, we entered them with fair weather and a brisk gale, and were harried throagh liy the rapidity of the tide in abimt two houi-s, though they are between seven and eight leagues in length. As these Sti-aits are often considered as the boundary between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and as we presumed wo had nothing now before ..-, but an open sea, till we should arrive on those opulent coasts where all our hopes and wishee centred, we could not help flattering ourselves that the greatest ditliculty of our pa-ssage was now at an enil, ami that our most sansiuine dreams were upon the point of being realised ; and hence we indulged our imaginations in those romantic scliemes, which the fancied possession of tliG Chilian gold and Peruvian silver might be con- ceived to inspire. These joyous ideas were heightened by the brightness of the sky, and the serenity of tho weather, which was indeed most remarkably pleasing ; for though the winter was now advancing apace, yet the morning of this day, in its brilliancy and mildness, gave place to none we had seen since oar departure from England. Thus animated by these delusions, wc traversed these memorable Straits, ignorant of the dreadful calamities that were then impending,and just ready to break upon us ; ignorant that the time drew near, when the sciuadron would bo separ.ated never to unite again, and that this day of cur passage was the la.st cheerful day that the greatest part of us would ever live to enjoy. 1 " On the 7tli of Jlureh, I entered the Straits Le Maire with a favoiiralilo fralc and flno weather ; but haiiik, the two sternniost vessels, fearing they would be dashed to pieces against the shore of Staten-land ; nor were our apprehensions without foundation, for it was with the utmost difficulty they escaped. And now the whole scjuadron, instead of j)ursuing tiieir intended coui-se to the S.W. were driven to the eastward, by the united force of the storm and of the currc.its ; so that next day in the mci'r.ing we found oui-selves near sevi.u leagues to the oast- ward of Staten-land, which then bore from us N.VV. The vio'encc of the current which had set US with so much precipitation to the eastward, together with the force and constancy of the •westerly winds, soon taught us to consider the doubling of Cape Horn as an enterprise that might prove too mighty for our efforts, though some amongst us had lately treated the difficulties which former voyagers were said to have met with in this undertaking, as little bettor than chimerical, and had supposed them to arise rather from timidity and unskilfuluess, than from the real embarrassments of the winds and seas ; but we were severely convinced, that tiieso censures were rash and ill grounded : for the disti-esses with which we struggled, during the three suc- ceeding months, will not easily be paralleled in the relation of ?.ny former naval expedition. Tiiis will, 1 doubt not, be readily allowed by those who shall caref'.dly peruse the ensuing narration. From the storm which cuine on before we l'.id well got clear of Straits Le Maire, we had a con- tinual succession of siitli tempestuous weather, ;is surpriscil the oldest and most expei-ienced mariners on board, and obliged them to confess, that what they had hitherto called storms were inconsiderable gales, com{)arcd with the violence of these winds, which raised such short, and at the same time such mountainous waves, as greatly surpassed in danger all seas known in any other part of the globe : and it was not without great reason, that this unusual appeai'ance rilled us with continual terror ; for had any one of these waves broke fairly over us, it mustj in all pxonability, !iave sent us to the bottom. Nor did we escape with t'lrror only ; for the ship rolling incessantly gunwt-le-to, gave us such quick and violent mo- tioas, that the men were in perpetual danger of being dashed to pieces against the decks, or sides of the ship. And though we were extremely care- ful t ) secure ourselves from these shocks, by grasping souje fixed body, y.-t many of our people were forced from their hohl ; some of \vliom were killed, and other.j greatly injured ; in particular, one of our best seamen was canted overboard and (h'owned, another dislocated his neck, a third was thrown into the main-hold and broke his thigh, and one of our boatswain's mates broke his collar- boiui twice ; not to mention many other accidents of the same kind. These tempests, so dreadful in themselves, though unattended by any other un- favourable circumstance, were yet i-endered more miseliicvouH to us by their inequality, and the deceitful intervals which they at sometimes afford- ed ; for though wo were oftentimes obliged to lie- to -for days together under a reefed mizen, and were sometimes reduced to lie at the mercy of the waves under our bare poles, yet now and then we ventured to make sail with oih courses double- reefed ; and the weather provuig more tolerable, would jjcrhaps encourage us to set our top-sails ; after \Nhich, the wind, without any previous notice, would return upon us with redoubled force, an-' would in an instant tear our sails from the yards. And that no circumstance might be wanting which could agj^randize our distress, these blasts gene- rally brought with them a great quantity of snow and sle^t, which cased our rigging, and froze our sails, thereby rendering them and our cordage brittle, and apt to snap upon the slightest strain ; adding great difficulty and la oour to the working of the ship, benumbing the limbs of our people, and making them incapable of exerting themselves with their usual activity, and even disabling many of them, by mortifying their toes and tingei-s. It were irxlee'd endless to enumerate the various dis- asters of different kinds which befel us ; and I shall only mention the most material, which wdl sufficiently evince the c;>'amltous condition of the whole squadron, during trie course of this navigation. It was on the7tli of March, as has been already observed, that we passed Straits Le Maire, and were immediately aiterwards driven to the east- ward by a violent storm, and the force of the cur- rent wiiich sot L.at way. For the lour or five succeeding days we had hard gales of wind from the same quarter, with i most prodigious swell ; so that though we stood, dnriiig all that tii. % towards the S.W., yet we had no reason .o imagine we had made any way to the westward. In this interval we had freijuent s([ualls of rain and snow, and shipped great <|uautities ef water ; after which, for three or four days, though the seas ran mountiiins high, yet the Weather was rather more moderate : but, on the Uith, we had again strong gales of wind with extreme cold, and at midnight the main top-sail split, and one of the straps of the main doail-eyes broke. From hence, to the 23rd, the weather was more favourable, though ofte.i intermixed with rain and sleet, and some hard gales ; but, as the waves did not sub- side, the ship, by labouring in this lofty sea, was now grown so loose in her upper works, that she let in the water at every jeam, so that every part within board was constaatly exposed to the sea- water, and scarcely any of the officers ever lay in dry beds. Imiecd' it was very rare, that two nighfci er passed without many »)f them being driven from their beds, by the deluge of water that came upon them. On the 23rd, we had a mr l violent storm o wind, hail, and vain, with a very great sea ; a'-.» no ANSON'S VOYAGK ROUND THE WORLD. though we handed the main top-sail Lofore the height of the siiuall; yet wc found the yard spnin;^; and soon after the foot rope of the main -sail l>reak- ing, the main-sail itself split instantly'to rags, and, in spite of our' endeavours to save, it, niiicli tlie greater part of it was blown ovorlioard. On this tile commodore made the signal for tlie squadron to bring-tc ; and the storm at l(?ngtli.flatti'uiiii; to a caliii, wi; hadanopportunity of JJettingdown our main top-sail yard to put the car])cnters at work upon it, and of repairing our I'igging ; after which, having bent a new main-sail, we got under sail again with a moderate breeze ; but in less than twenty-f(Uir hours we wore attacked by another storm still more furious than the former ; for it proved a perfect hui'rieane, and reduced us to the necessity of lying-to under our bare poles. As our ship kept the wind better than any of the rest, we were obliged in the afternoon to wear ship, in order to join the squadron to the leeward, which other- wise we should have been in danger of losing in the night : and as wc dared not venture any sail abroad, we were obliged to make use of an expe- dien^, which answei-ed our purpose ; this was putting the helm a-weather, and manning the fore- si. rouds : but though this method proved success- ful for the end intended, yet in the execution of it one of our ablest seamen was canted overboard ; and notwithstanding the prodigious agitation of the waves, we perceived that he swam very strong, and it was with the utmost concern that we found ourselves incapable of assisting him ; and we were the more grieved at his unhappy fate, since wo lost sight of him struggling with the waves, and con- ceived, from the manner in which he swam, that he might continue sensible, for a considerable time longer, of the horror attending his irretrievable situation.' Before this last mentioiied storn. was (|uite abated, we found two of our maiu-slivjuds and one n-.izen-jhroud broke, al' which wh knotted, and set up immediately ; and from he.ice we had an interval of three or four days '-ss tempestuous tlian usual, but accompanied v.ith a thick fog, in which we were obliged to fire guns almost every half liour, to keen jur squadron together. On the IJlst, we w<:re alarmed by a gun fired from the (Sloucester, --.nd a signal lUade by her to speak with ♦he conni.odore ; we immediately bore down to h.r, and were prepared to hear of some terrible disaster ; but we were '..pprised of it before we joined her, for we saw that lier niain-)ard was broke in the slings. This was a grievous misfor- tune to us all at tl'is junctui-e ; as it was obvious it wculd prove a hindrai\ce to our sailing, and would detain us the longer in these inhospitable latitudes. But our future success and safety was not to be promoted by repiiriig, but by resolution and activity ; and tlierefere, that tlii" ""Uicky incident might delay us as little as iiossible, 'he commodore ordered severai carpenters lo l.'o pi.t ' It was with reference to this nft'ctting circiimstinite thiit C'owper composoil his beautiful vcisi'.s on " The tust ttwiiy." One of tlio stanzas is ns follows ;~ " He long survives, who lives un hour In ocean, self-ujihcld : Ami so long he, with unspent power, Ills destiny ropullM : And ever, ii» the minutes flew, Kntreatt il 'lelp, or crieil— • Adieu.'" onboard the Gloucester from the other ships of the squadron, in order to repair her damage with tlie utmost expedition. And the captain of the Tryal complaining at the same time that his pumps were so bad, and the slooj) made so great a (luantity of water, that he was scarcely al)le to keep her free, the commodore ordered him a pump ready fitted from his own ship. It was very fortunate for the Gloncester and the Tryal, that tlie weather proved more favourable this day than for many Jays, both before and after ; since by this means they were enabled to rec^"iv(i the assistance which seemed essential to their preservation, and which they could scarcely have had at any other tune, as it would ha\e been extremely liaz&rdous to have ventured a boat on board'. The next day, that is, on the 1st of April, the weather returned again to its customary bias, the sky looked dark and gloomy, and the wind began to freshen and to blow in squalls ; however, •'. was not yet so boisterous, as to prevent our carrying our top-sail close reefed : but its appearance was such, as plainly prognosticated that a still severer tempest was at hand : and accordingly, on the 3d of A,,ril, there came on a storm, which both in its violence and continuation (for it lasted three days) exceeded all that we had hitherto encouu- tereil. In its first onset w received a furious shock from a sea which broke upon our larboard ijuartei", where it stove in the quarter gallery, and rushed into the ship like a deluge ; our rigging too sutt'ered extremely, for one of tho straps of the main dead-eyes was broke, as was also a marii-slu'oud and puttock-slii'oud, so that to ease tho stress upon the masts and slirouds, we lowered both our main and fore-yards, and furled all our sails, and in this posture we lay-to for three days, when the stonu somewhat abating, wo ven- tured to make sail under our courses only ; but even this we could not do long, for the next day, whicli was t!ie 7th, ve had another hard gale of wind, with lightning and rain, which obliged us to lie-to again till night. It was wonderful, that not- withstanding the hard weather we had endured, no extraordinary accident had happened to any of the s(iuadron since the breaking of the Gloucester's main-yard : but this wonder soon ceased ; for at three the next morning, several guns were tired to leeward a.s signals of distress. And the com- modore making a signal for the s(iuadrou to bring- to, we, at daybreak, saw the Wager a considerable way to leeward of any of the other ships ; and we soon perceived that she had lost her mizen-mast, and main top-sail yard. We immediately bore down to her, and i'ound this disaster had arisen from the badness of her iron-work ; for all tho chain-plates to windward had given way, upon the ship's fetching a deep roll. This proveil tho more unfortunate to the Wager, as her carpenter had been on board the Gloucester ever since the ',i 1 st of March, and the weather was now too severe to permit him to return : nor was tho Wager tlii' only ship of the squadron that had sutt'ered in the last tempest ; for, the next day, a signal of distress was made by tlu> Anna pink, and, upon speaking with the master, we learnt that they had broken their fore-stay and tho gammon of ' In Anson's Keport of the •'llstof Mnrcli, hcinukoBthu first mention of tho scurvy, ns follows: — "Men falling tlowii every day with scorbutic complaints.' w i.' u w I ii PI ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. tlis bowsprit, and wore in no small danger of having ail tlie jnasts eomc by the Ijoard : so that we were obliged to bear aw:iy until ihoy imil made all fast, after which we haled upon a wind again. And now, after all our Sdlicitude, and tlie nu- merous ills of every kind, to whieh we hail been incessantly e.\[)i)si'(l fur near Ibi'ty days, we had great consolation in the flattering hopes wo enter- tained, that our fatigues were drawing to a period, and that we should soon arrive in a more hospit- able climate, Avhere we should be ainjily repaid for all our jiast surferings. Foi', towards the latter end of March, we wei-e advanced, by our reckon- ing, near 10" to the westward of the westermost point of Terra del Fuego,and this allowance being double wiiat fonncr navigators havo thought ne- cessary to be taken, in order to compensate the drift of the eastern current, we esteemed ourselves to be well advanced within the limits of the south- ern ocean, and iiad therefore been ever since stand- ing to the nor' li ward, with as much expedition as the turbulence of the weather, and our frequent disasters, permitted. And, on the 13th of April, we were but a degree in latitude to the southward of the vest entrance of the Straits of Magellan ; so that we fully expected, in a very few days, to have experienced the celebi'ated tranciuulity of the Pacific Ocean. But these were delusions whieh only served to I'ender our disapi)ointment mt^rc terrible ; for the uext morning, between one and two, as we were standing to the northward, and the weather, whieli had till then been liazy, accidentiiUy cleared u]>, the pink de a signal for seeing land right a- lioad ; anil it being but two miles distant, we were all under the most dreadful apprehensions of running on shore ; which, l.ad either the wind blown from its usual ((uurter with its wonted vigour, or had not the moon suddenly siione out, not a ship amongst us could possibly have avoided: but the wind, which scnne few hours before blew in s<|uallsfrom the S.W. having fortunately shif'ted to ''''^.N.W., we were enabled to stand to the southward, and to clear ourselves of this unox- p'" ted danger ; so that by nocui we had gained an offing of near twenty leagues. By the latitude of this land we fell in with, it M'as agi'eed to be a part of Tei'ra del Fuego, near .i,i southern outlet described in Frezier's chart of the Straits of Magellan, and was supposed to be that point called by him Cape Noir. It was indeeii most wonderful, tlia* the currents should have driven us, to tiie eastward with such strength ; for the whole squadron esteemed themselves upwards of ten degrees more westerly than this land, so that in running down, by our account, about nineteen degrees of longitude, wo liad not really advanced above iialf tiiut distance. And now, instead of liaving our labours and anxieties relieved l)y aji- proacliing a warmer climate and more tranquil seas, \ve won^ to steer again to the southward, and were anuiii to combat those western blasts, which had so often terrified tis ; and this too, when we were weakened by our men falling sick, and dying apace, and when our spirits, de- jected by a long eontiiuiance at sen, and by our late disappointment, were nmch less capable of supporting us in thi; vai'ious dilHculties, which wo could not but expect in this new undertaking. Add to all this too, the discouragement we received by the diminution of th(> strength of the stjuadroii ; for, three days before this, we lost sight of the Severn and the Pearl in the mox'ning ; and though we spread our sJiips, and beat about for some time, yet we never saw them more ; whence we hc-d apprehensions that they too might have fallen in with this land in the i.ight, and by being less favoured by the wind and the moon than we were, might have run on shore and have perished. Full ; of these dejected thoughts and gloomy presages, j we stood away to the S.W., prepared by our late disaster to suspect that how large soever an al- l lowance we made in our westing for the drift of the eastern current, we might stiil, upon a second trial, perhaps find it insufficient. CIIAI'TER IX. Observations and dUeclions for /acililalin;, the passage c/ oiir/utu/c CrniSiVi ruiind Cape Horn. TiiF imjiroper season of the year in which we attempted to double Cape Horn, and to which is to be imputed the disiippointment (recited in the fore- going chapter) in falling in with Terra del v'uego, when we reckoned ourselves at leiust a hundred leagues to the westward of that whole coast, and eonse(iuently well advanced into the Pacific Ocean; this imseasonablo navigation, 1 say, to which we were necessitated by our too late dejiarturo from England, was the fatal source ol all the misfor- tunes we ai'ierwards encountered. For from hence ])rocceded the separal ion >. T our ships, the des' -'c- tion of our people, "lie ruin of our proje^, on Baldivia, tr of all our other views on the Spanish places, and the reduction of our squadron from the formidable condition in which it passed Straits Le Mairo, to a couple of shattered half-manned cruisers and a sloop, so far disal)led, that in many clhnates they scarcely durst have ])ut to sea. To prevent therefore, as much a-s in me lies, all hips hereafter bound to the South-Seas from suitering the siimo calamities, I think it my duty to insert in this place, such directions and observations, as either my own experience and reflection, or the convei-se of the most skilful navigators on board the s(juadroa could fiu-nish mo with, in relation to the ninst eligible manner of doubling Cape Horn, whether in regard to the season of the year, the coui-se proi)er to be steered, ov the places of refreshment both on the east and wcht side , " South America. And first with regai'd to the proper jilace for refreshment on the east side of South America. ]''or this purpose the island of St. Catherine's has been usually reconunended by former writers, and on their fait', we put in there, as has i'een fonuerly mentioned ■ but the treatment we met with, and the small stoi-e of refreshments we covld procure there, are sufficient reasons to I'cnder all ships for the future cautious, how they trust themselves in the giiveri'ment of Don Jose Silva de Paz ; for tliey may certainly depend on having their strength, condition and designs betrayed to the Spaniards, as far as the knowledge, the governor can procure of these particulai'8, will give leave. And as tlr>' treacherous conduct is inspired by tl n vie»vs of j)rivato gain, in the illicit commerce carried on to the ri>or of Plate, rather than by any national U /'^ B squadroTi ; sight of thi^ ; and though )r some time, nco we hi-d ave fallen in y being less lar. we were, jrished. Full my presages, 1 by our late 9ever an al- the drift of ion a second the passage c/ urn. in which wo which is to 1 in the f(>r'>- X del v'uego, t a hundred e coast, and [icific Ocean ; o which wo artui'o from the misfor- r from hence the des' -'c- projcv_, on the Spanish ■on from tlio ssed Straits lalf-manncd lat in many sea. To I, all hips suirering to insert vations, as I, or the on board relation to ;ipc Horn, year, the places of }ht side , " ]>lace for America, rinc's lias 'iters, and fonuerly with, and d procure ships for nselvcs in ; for they strength, Spaniards, n procure nd as th">- sieivs 2R ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WOPLD. very different from what we found in the latitude of sixty degrees and upwards, may be owing to a similar cause ; for a westerly wind almost perpe- tually prevails in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean : and this current of air being interrupted by those immense hills called the Andes, and by the mountains on Terra del Fuego, which to- gether bar up the whole country to the southward as far as Ca\w Horn, a part of it only can escape over the tops of those prodigious precipices, and tlie rest must naturally follow the direction of the (nmut, and must range down the land to the south- ward, and sweep with an impetuous and irreguhi'' blast rouud Cape Horn, and the southermost part of Terra del Fuego, However, not to I'ely on these speculations, we may, 1 believe, establisli, as iucontestable, these mattei-s of fact, that both the rapidity of the currents, and the violence of the western gales, are less sensible in the latitude of 61 or ()2 degrees, than nearer the shore of Terra del Fuego. But though I am satisfied, both fri. . mrown experience and the relations of other i ^ ' '■ ■ ■, of the importance of the precept I here a that of running into the latitude of 61 or ;■. grees, before any endeavours are made to stand to the westward ; yet I would advise no ships hereafter to trust so far to this management, as to neglect another most essential maxim, which is the making this passage in the height of summer, that is, in the months of December and January ; and the more distant the time of passing is taken from this season, the more disastrous it may be reasonably expected to prove. Indeed, if the mere violence of the western winds be considered, the time of our passage, which was about the equinox, was perhaps the most unfavourable sea- son ; but then it nmst be considered, that in the dei)th of winter there are many other inconveni- ences to be apprehended in this navigation, which are almost insuperable : for the severity of the cold, and the shortness of the days, would render it impracticable at that season to run so far to the southward .as is here recommended ; and the same reasons would greatly augment the alarms of sailing in the neighbourhood of an unknown shore, dreadful in its appearance in the midst of summer, and would make a winter navigation on this coast to be, of all others, the most dismaying and terrible. As 1 would, therefore, advise all ships to make their passage in December and Jauuary, if possible, so I would warn them never to attempt the seas to the southward of Capo Horn, after the month of March. And now as to the remaining consideration, that is, the properest port for cruisers to refresh at on their first arrival in the South Seas. On this head there is scarcely any cJioice, the island of Juan Fernandes being the only place that can be ])ru- deiitly reconnnended for this purpose. For though there are many j)orts on the western side of Pata- gonia, between the Straits of Magellan and the Spanish settlements, where ships might ride iu great safety, might recruit their wood and water, iind might procure some few refreshments ; yet that coast is in itself so terrible, from the i-ocks and breakers it abounds with, and from the vio- lence of the western winds, which blow constantly full upon it, that it is by no means advisable to fall iu with that land, :tt least till tue roads, chamiels, and anchorage in each part of it are accurately surveyed, and both the dangers and shelter it abounds with are more distinctly known. Thus having given the best directions in my power for the success of future cruisers bound to the South Seas, it might be expected that I should again resume the thread of my nari-ation. But as both in the preceding and subsequent parts of this work, 1 have thought it my duty not only to recite all such facts and to inculcate such maxims, as had the least appearance of proving beneficial to future navigators, but also occasionally to re- conunend such measures to the public, as I con- ceive are adajited to i)roniote the same laudable purpose, I cannot desist from the present subject without l)eseeching those to whom the conduct of our naval affairs is committed, to endeavour to remove the many ])erpkxities and embarrass- ments with which the navigation to the South Seas is, at present, necessarily encunibei-ed. An effort of this kind could not fail of proving highly honourable to themselves, and extremely benefi- cial to their country. For it is to me sufficiently evident, that whatever advantages navigation shall receive, either by the invention of methods that shall render its i)ractice less hazardous, or by the more accurate delineation of the coasts, roads and ports already known, or by the discovery of new nations, or new species of commerce ; it is evi- dent, I say, to me, that by whatever means navi- gation is promoted, the conveniences hence arising nmst ultimately i-edound to the emolument of Great Britain. Since, as our fleets are at present superior to those of the whole w .rid united, it must be a matchless degree of supineness or mean- spiritcdness, if we permitted any of the advan- tages which new discoveries, or a more extended navigation may produce to mankind, to be ravished from us. As therefore it appears that all our future ex- peditions to the South Seas must run a consider- able risk of proving abortive, whilst we arc under the necessity of touching at Brazil in our passage thither, an expedient that might relieve vs from this difficulty would surely be a subject,, .^hyot the attention of the public ; and this seems capa- ble of being effected, by the discovery of some jjlace more to the soutliward, where ships might refresh and supply themselves with the necessary sea-stock for their voyage round Cape Horn. And we have in reality the imperfect knowledge of two places, which might, perhaps, on examination, prove extremely convenient for this purpose : the first of them is Pcpys's Island, in the latitude of 47" south, and laid down, by Dr. Halley, about eighty leagues to the eastward of Cape Blanco, on tile coast of Patagonia ; the second is Falkland's Isles, in the latitude of 51°^ nearly south of Pepys's Island. The first of these was discovered by Captain Cowley, in his voyage rouud the world, in the year 16'ii6 ; who represents it as a commodious place for ships to wood !'i;d water at, and says it is provided with a very good and Ctpacious har- bour, where a thousand sail of ships might ride at anchor in great safety ; that it abounds with fowls, and as the shore is eitlier rocks or sands, it seems to promise great plenty of fish. The sc^md place, or Falkland's Isles, liave been seen by many ships, both Fi'euch and English, being the land laid down by Frezier iu liis chart of the extremity of South 40 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 20 I America, under the title of the New Islands. Woods Rogers, who ran along the N.E. coast of these isles in the year 1708, tells us, that they ex- tended about two degrees in length, and appeared with gentle descents from hill to hill, and seemed to be good ground, with woods ami harbours. Either of these ]>' ices, as they are islands at a considerable dist> c from the continent, may be supposed, from their latitude, to lie in a climate sufficiently temperate. It is true, they are too little known to ]>?. at present recommended for proper places of refreshment for ships bound to the southward : but if the Admiralty should think it advisable to order them to be surveyed, which may be done at a very small expense, by a vessel fitted out on purpose ; and if, en this examina- tion, one or both of these places should appear proper for tlis purpose intended, it is scarcely to be conceived of w,hat prodigious import a couve- nient station might prove, situated so far to the southward, and so near Cape Horn. The Duke and Duchess of Bristol were but thirty-five days from their losing sight of Falkland's Isles, tn their arrival at Juan Fernandes in the South Seas : and as the returning back is much facili- tated by the western winds, I doubt not but a voyage might be made Irom Falkland's Isles to Juan Fernandes, and back again, in little more than two months. This, even in time of peace, might be of great consequence to tliis nation ; and, in time of war, would make us masters of those seas. And as all discoveries of this kind, though ex- tremely honourable to those who direct and pro- mote them, may yet be carried on at an inconsi- dei'able expense, since small vessels are much the properest to be employed in this service, it were to be wishefl, that the whole coast of Patagonia, Terra del Fuego, and Staten-land, were carefully surveyed, and the numerous channels, roads, and harbours, with which they abound, accurately ex- amined ; this might open to us facilities of passing into the Pacific Ocean, which as yet we may be unacquainted with, and would render all that southern navigation infinitely securer than at pre- sent ; and particularly, an exact draught of the west coast of Patagonia, from the Straits of Ma- gellan to the Spanish settlements, might perhaps furnish us with better and more convenient ports for refreshment, and better situated for the pur- poses either of war or commerce, and above a fortnight's sail nearer to Falkland's Islands, than the island of Juan Fernandes. The discovery of this coast hath formerly been thought of such con- sequence, by reason of its neighbourhood to the Araucos and other Chilif.n Indians, Who are gene- rally at war, or at lea;>t on ill terms with their Spanish neighbours, tlat Sir John Narborough was purposely fitted rix^* in the reign of King Charles II., to survey the Straits of Magellan, the neighbouring coast of Patagonia, and the Spanish ports on that frontier, with directions, if possible, to procure some intercourse with the Chilian In- dians, and to establish a commerce and a lasting correspondence with them. His Majesty's views in employing Sir John Narborough in this expe- dition, were not solely the advantage he might hope to receive from the alliance of those savages, in restraining and intimidating the crown of Spain ; but he conceived, that independent of those motives, the immediate traffic with these Indians might prove extremely advantageous to the Eng- lish nation. For it is well known, that at the fii-st discovery of Chili by the Spaniainls, it abounded with vast quantities of gold, much beyond what it lias at any time produced since it has been in their possession. And hence it has been generally believed, that the richest mines are prudently con- cealed by the Indians, as well knowing that the discovery of them to the Spaniards would only excite in them a greater thirst for conquest and tyranny, and render their own independence pre- carious. But with respect to their commerce with the Eng'ish, these reasons would no longer infiuence them ; since it wouM be in our power to furnish them with arms and ammunition of all kinds, of which they are extremely desirous, to- gether with many other conveniences, which their intercourse with the Spaniards has taught them to relish. They would then, in all probability, open their mines, and gladly embrace a traffic of such mutual convenience to both nations ; for then their gold, instead of proving the means of enslav- ing them, would procui'e them weapons to assert their liberty, to chastise their tyrants, and to se- cure themselves for ever from the Spanish yoke ; whilst with our assistance, and under our protec- tion, they might become a considerable people, and miglit secure to us that wealth, which formerly by the house of Austria, and lately by the house of Bourbon, has been most mischievously lavished in the pursuit of universal monarchy. It is true that Sir John Narborough did not succeed in opening this commerce, which in ap- })earance promised so many advantages to this nation. However, his disappointment was merely accidental, and his transactions upon that coast (besides the many valuable improvements he fur- nished to geography and navigation) are rather an encouragement for future trials of this kind, than any objection against them ; his principal misfortune being the losing company of a small barque which attended him, and having some of his people trapanned at Baldivia. However, it appeared, by the precautions and fears of the Spaniards, that they were fully convinced of the practicability of the scheme he was sent to exe- cute, and extremely alarmed with the apprehen- sion of its consequences. It is said, that his Majesty King Charles the Second was so far pi'epossessed with the hopes of the advantages redounding from this expedition, and so eager to be infonned of the event of it, that having intelligence of Sir John Narborough's passing through the Downs, on his return, he had not patience to attend his arrival at court, but went himself in liis barge to Gravesend to meet him. The two most celebrated cliarts hitherto pub- lished of the southermost part of South America, are those of Dr. Ilalley, in his general chart of the magnetic variation, and of Frezier in his voyage to the South Seas. But besides these, there is a chart of the Straits of Magellan, and of some part of the adjacent coast, by Sir John Narborough above-mentioned, which is doubtksR infinitely exacter in that j)art than Frezier, and in some respects supcior to Halley, particularly in what relates to the longitudes of the different parts of those Straits. The coast from Cape 41 Til no ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WOIIU^. m m m 9 9 111 vP i O I iJlaneo to Terra del Fiien;o, aiul theni-u to Straits I Le M:iir<>, wo were in some meaHiirc capable of j correcting by our own observations, aa we ranged I that shore gcnf^raliy in sight of land. Tlie posi- I tion of the land, to the northward of the Straits I of Magellan, on the west aide, is doubtless laid i down in our chart but very imperfectly ; and yet I I believe it to be much nearer the truth than j what has hitherto been done: as it is drawn from ! the information of some of tlic Wager's crew, who I were shipwrecked on that shore, and afterwards I coasted it down ; and as it agrees pretty nearly I with the description of some Spanish manuscripts I have seen. ! The chaimel dividing Terra del Fuogo is drawn I from Frezier ; but in the Spanish manuscripts there are several channels delineated, and I have j reason to suppose, that whenever this country is thoroughly examined, this circumstance will prove i true, and Terra del Fuogo will be found to consist of several islands. I And having mentioned Frezier so often, I must not omit warning all future navigators, against I relying on the longitude of Straits Le Maire, ! or of any part of that coast, laid down in his chart ; the whole being being from 8 to 10 degrees too far to the eastward, if any faith can be given to the concurrent evidences of a great number of journals, verified in some particulars by astro- nomical observation. For instance : Sir John Narborough lays down Cape Virgin Mary in C5° 42' of West longitude from the Lizard, that is, in 71° 20' from London. And the ships of our srjuailron, who took their departure from St. Catherine's (where the longitude was rectified by an observation of the eclipse of the moon) found Cape Virgin Mary to be from 70° 46', to 71° ;»()' from London, according to their different reckonings : and there were no circumstances in our run that could render it considei'abl_, err: neous, so that it cannot be esteemed in less than 71 degrees of West longitude; whereas Frezier lays it down in less than CO degrees from Paris, 'lat is, little more than 63 degrees from London, which is doubtless 8 degrees short of its true '(uantity. Again, our squadron found Cape Virgin Mary and Cape St. Bartholomew, on the eastern side 'of Straits Le Maire, to be only 2° 8' dif- ferent in longitude, which in Frezier are distant near 4 degrees ; so that not only the longitude of Cape St. Bartholomew is laid down in him near 10 degrees too little, but the whole coast, from the Straits of Magellan to Straits Le Mah'e, is enlarged to near double its real extent. But to have done with Frezier, whose errors, the importance of the subject and not a fondness for cavilling, has obliged mo to remark (though his treatment of Dr. Ilalley might, on the present occasion, authorise much severer usage), I must, ill the iii>xt place, prirticularise wherein the chart I have hero mentioned differs from that of our learned countryman. It is well known that tin's gentleman was sent abroad by the public, to make such gcogrtiphical and astronomical observations as might facilitate the future practice of navigation; and particularly *•> determine ihe variation of the compass in such places as he should touch at, and if possible, to ascertain its genera! laws and affections. These things Dr. Hallcy, to his immortal repu- tation and the honour of our nation, in good measure accomplisiicd, particularly with regard to the variation of t'le compass ; a subject of all others the most interesting to those employed in the art of navigation. Ho likewise corrected the ])osition of the coast of Briizil, which had been very erroneously laid down by all former hydro- gra]>hei's ; and by a judicious comparison of the observations of others, has happily succeeded in settling the geography of many parts of the globe, where lie had not himself been. So that the chart he published, with the variation of the needle marked thereon, being the result of his labours on this subject, w;is allowed by all Europe to be far completer in its geography than any that had then appeared, and at the same time most sur- jirisingly exact in the quantity of variation as- signed to the different parts of the globe; a subject so very intricate and perplexing, that all general determinations about it had till then appeared impossible. But as the only means he had of correcting those coasts where he did not touch himself was the observations of others ; where those observa- tions were wanting, or were inaccurate, it was no imputation on his skill that his determinations were defective. And this, upon the best compa- rison I have been able to make, is the case with regard to that part of his chart which contains the south i)art of South America. For though the coast of Brazil, and the opposite coast of Peru on the South Seas, are laid down, I presume, with the greatest accuracy, yet from about the river of Plate on the east side, and its opposite point on the west, the coast gradually declines too much to the westward, so as at the Straits of Magellan to be, as I conceive, about fifty leagues removed from its true position : at least, this is the result of the observations of our squadron, which agree extremely well with those of Sir John Narborough. I must add, that Dr. Halley has, in the Philoso- ])hical Transactions, given the foundation on which he has proceeded in fixing port St. Julian in 76° ^ of west longitude (which the concurrent journals of our squadron place from 70° 4 to 71° ^): this, ho tells us, wiis an oliservation of an eclipse of the moon, made at that i)lace by Mr. Wood, then Sir John Narborough's lieutenant, and which is said to have happened there at eight in the evening, on the 18th of September, 1670. But Capt. Wood's journal of this whole voyage under Sir John Narborough is since published, together with this observation, in which he determines the longitude of ])ort St. Julian to be 73 degrees from London, and the time of the eclipse to have been different from Dr. Halley's account. But the numbers he has given are so faultily printed, that nothmg can be determined from them. CHAPTER X. Siom Cape Ifoir to the filand o/Juiin Fernandes Aftkr the mortifying disappointment of falling in V ith the coast of Terra del Fuogo, when we esteemed ourselves ten degrees to the westwai-d of it ; after this disappointment, I say, recited in the eighth chaj)ter, we stood away to the S.W. till the 22d of April, when we were in upwards of GO"* of i5!:'l 42 ANSON'S VOYAOK ROUND THE WORLD. South hitituJr, aiul by our account near 6° to the wcstwaid of (Jape Noir ; and in this run we had a aeries of as lavouriilflo weather as could well be expected in that part of the world, even in a better season : so that this interval, setting the inquie- tude of our thought* aside, was by far the most eligible of any wo enjoyed from Sti'aits Le Mairo to the West coast of America. 'I'liis moderate weather continued, with little variation, till the 2'lth ; but on the 24th, in the cveninpf, the wind be[;an to blow fresh, and soon increased to a pro- digious storm ; and the weather beinij extremely thick, about midnight we lost sight of the other four ships of the scjuadron, which, notwithstand- inf^ the violence of the preceding storms, had hitherto kept in company with us. Nor was this our sole misfortune ; for, the next morning, endeavouring to hand the top-sails, the clew-lines and bunt-lines broke, and the sheets being half ilown, every seam in the top-sails was soon split from to]) to bottom, and the main top-sail shook so strongly in the wind, that it earned away the top-lantern, and endangered the head of the mast ; however, at length, some of the most daring of our men ventured upon the yard, and cut the sail away close to the reefs, thougli with the utmost hazard of their lives. At the .same time, the foretop-sail beat about the yard with so much fury, that it was soon blown to pieces ; and that we might have full employment, the main-sail blew loose, which obliged us to lower down the yard to secure the sail, and the fore- yard being likewise lowered, we lay-to under a miaen : and b(!sides the loss of our toji-sails, we had much of our other rigging broke, and lost a main studding sail-boom out of the chains. On the 25th, about noon, the weather became more moderate, which enabled us to sway up our yards, and to repair, in the best manner we could, our shattered rigging ; but still we had no sight of the rest of our squadron, nor indeed were we joined by any of them again, till after our arrival at Juan Fernandes ; nor did any two of them, as we have since learned, continue in company to- gether : and this total separation was the more wonderful, as we had hitherto kept together for seven weeks, through all the reiterated tempests of this turbulent climate. It must indeed bo owned, that this separation gave us I'ooni to expect, that we might make our passage in a shorter time, than if we had continued together, because we could not make the best of our way without being i*etarded by the misfortunes of the other ships ; but then we had the .lelancholy reflection, that we ourselves were hereby deprived of the assistance of othei-s, and our safety would depend upon our single ship ; so that if a plank started, or any other accident of the same nature should take place, we must all irrecoverably perish ; or should we be driven on shore, we had the uncomfortable prospect of ending our days on some desolate coast, without any reasonable hope of ever getting away ; whereas with another ship in company, all these calamities are much less formidable, since, in every kind of danger, there would bo some probability that one ship at least might escape, and might be capable of preserving or relieving the crew of the other. The remaining part of this month of April we had generally hard gales, although we liad been everyday, since the 22d, edging to the northward; however, on the last day of the month, we flattered oui'selves with the hope.s of soon terminating all our sufferings, for wo that day found oui'sclves in tlie latitude of 52", 13', which being northward of the Straits of Magellan, we were assured that wo had completed our passage, and had arrived in the conflnes of the Southern Ocean ; and this Ocean being denominated Pacific, from the equa- bility of the sea.sons which are said to prevail there, and the facility and security with which navigation is there carried on, we doubted not but we shoidd be speedily cheered with the moderate gales, the smooth water, and the temperate air, for which that tract of the globe has been so re- nowned. And under the inHuence of these pleas- ing circumstances, we hoped to experience some kind of compensation for the complicated miseries which had so constantly attended us for the last eight weeks. But here we were again disap])ointed, for in the succeeding month of May, our snflermgs rose to a much higher pitch than they had ever yet done, whether we consider the violence of the storms, the shattering of our sails and rigging, or the diminishing and weakening of our crew by deaths and sickness, and the probable prospect of our total destruction. All this will be sufHciently evident, from the following circumstantial account of our diversified misfortunes. Soon after our passing Straits Le Maire, the scurvy began to make its appearance amongst us ; and our long continuance at sea, the fatigue we imderwent, and the various disappointments we n\et with, had occasioned its spreading to such a degree, that at the latter end of April there were but few on board, who were not in some degree attlictcd with it, and in that month no less than forty-three died of it on board the Centurion. But though we thought that the distemper had +hcn risen to an extraordinary height, and were willing to hope that as we advanced to the north- ward its malignity would abate ; yet, we found, on the contrary, that in the montli of May, we lost near double that number : and as we did not get to land till the middle of June, the mortality went on increasing, and the dise;ise extended itself so prodigiously, that after the loss of above two hun- dred men, we could not at last muster more than six fore-mast men in a watch capable of duty. This disease, so frequently attending all long voy.ages, and so pai'ticularly destructive to us, is surely the most singular and unaccountable of any that affects the human body. For its symptoms are inconstant and innumerable, and its progress and effects extremely irregular: for scarcely any two persons have the same complaints, and where there hath been found some conformity in the symptoms, the order of their appearance has been totally different. However, though it frequently puts on the form of many other diseases, and is therefore not to be described by any exclusive and infallible criterions; yet there are some symptoms which are more general than the rest ; and therefore, occurring the oftencst, deserve a more particular enumeration. These common ajipearances are large discoloured spots dispersed over the whole surface of the body, swelled legs, putrid gums, and, above all, an extraordinary las- situde of the whole body, especially after any ex- ercise, however inconsiderable ; and this lassitude 48 32 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. |,,'r:'- at last degenerates into a i)roiiencss to swoon on tlie least exertion of strength, or even on the least motion. This disease is likewise usually attencled with a strange dejection of the spirits, and with shiver- ings, tremblings, and a disposition to be seized with the most dreadfnl terrors on the sliglitest accident. Indeed it was most reniariiablo, in all onr reiterated experience of this malady, that whatever discou- raged our people, or at any time damped their l)opes, never failed to add new vigour to the dis- temjjer ; for it usually killed those who were in the last stiiges of it, and confined those to their ham- mocks who were before capable of some kind of duty ; 80 that it seemed as if alacrity of mind, and sanguine thoughts, were no contemptible preser- vatives from its fatal malignity. But it is not easy to complete the long roll of the various concomitants of this disease ; for it often produced putrid fevers, pleurisies, the jaun- dice, and violent rheumatic pains, and sometimes it occasioned an obstinate costivcness, which was generally attended with a difficulty of breathing ; and this was esteemed the most deadly of all tlie scorbutic symptoms: at other times the whole body, but more especially the legs, were subject to ulcers of the worst kind, attended with rotten bones, and such a luxuriancy of fungous flesh, as yielded to no remedy. But a most extmordinary circumstance, and what would be scarcely credible upon any single evidence, is, that the scars of wounds vhich had been for many years healed, were forced open again by this virulent distemper : of this, there was a I'emarkable instance in one of the invalids on board the Centurion, who had been wounded above fifty years before at the battle of the Boyne : for though he was cured soon after, and had continued well for a great number ot years past, yet on his being attacked by the scurvy, his wounds, in the progress of his disease, broke out afresh, and appeared as if they had never been healed : nay, what is still more astonishing, the callus of a broken '-one, which had been com- pletely formed for .'i long time, was found to he hereby dissolved, and the fracture seemed as if it had never been consolidated. Indeed, the effects of this disease were in almost evei'y instance won- derful ; for many of our people, though confined to their hammocks, appeared to have no inconsider- able share of health, for they ate and drank heartily, were cheerful, and talked with much seeming vigour, and with a loud strong tone of voice ; and yet on their being the least moved, though it was only from one part of the ship t6 the other, and that in their hammocks, they have immediately expired ; and others, who have con- fided in their seeming strength, and have resolved to get out of their hammocks, have died before they could well reach the deck ; and it was no un- common thing for those who were able to walk the deck, and to do some kind -of duty, to drop down dead in an instant, on any endeavours to act with their utmost vigour: many of our people having perished in this manner during the course of this voyage. *. Witli this terrible disease we struggled the greatest part of the time of oiuj^beating round Cape Horn ; and though it did n^jnpn rage with its utmost violence, yet we buiieq p less than forty-three men on board the Centurion, in the month of April, as hath been already observed ; but we still entertained hopes, that when we should have once secured our passage round the Cape, we should put a period to this and all the other evils which had so constantly pursued us. But it was our misfortune to find, that the Pacific Ocean was to us less hospitable than the turbulent neigh- bourhood of Terra del Fuego and Cape Horn : for being arrived, on the f!th of May, off the island of Socoio, which was the first rendezvous ap- ])ointed for the squadron, and where we hoped to have met with some of our companions, we cruised for them in that station several days. And here we were not only uisappointed in our hopes of being joined by our friends, and were thereby induced to favour the gloomy suggestions of their having all perished ; but we were likewise per- petually alamied with the fears of being drivea on shore upon this coast, which appeared too craggy and irregular to give us the least hopes that, in such a case, any of us could possibly escape imme- diate destruction. For the land had indeed a most ti'emendous aspect: the most distant part of it, and which appeared far within the country, being the mountains usually called the Andes or Cordil- leras, was extremely high, and covered with snow j and the coast itself seemed quite rocky and barren ; and the water's edge skirted with precii)ices. In some places indeed there appeared several deep bays running into the land, but the entrance into them was generally blocked up by numbers of little islands; and though it was not improbable but there might be convenient shelter in some of those bays, and proper channels leading thereto; yet as we were utterly ignoi-ant of the coast, had we been driven ashore by the western winds which blew almost constantly there, we did not expect to have avoided the loss of our ships, and of our lives. And this continued peril, which lasted for above a fortnight, was greatly aggravated by the diffi- culties we found in working the ship ; as the scurvy had by this time destroyed so great a part of our hands, and had in some degi'ee afTected almost the whole crew.' Nor did we, as we hoped, find the winds less violent, as we advanced to the northward; for we had often prodigious squalls which split our sails, greatly damaged our rigging, and endangered our masts. Indeed, during the greatest part of the time we were upon this coast, the wind blew so hard, that in another situation, where we had sufficient sea-room, we should certainly have lain-to ; but in the present exi- gency we were necessitated to carry both our < ourses and top-sails, in order to keep clear of this lee-shore. In one of these squalls, which was attended by several violent claps of thunder, a sadden flash of fire darted along our decks, which, di 'iding, exploded with a report like that of sp^fenil pistols, and wounded many of our men and officers as it jiasscd, marking them in different parts of the body : this flame was attended with a sti-ong sulphurous stench, and was doubtless of the. same nature with the larger and more violent blasts of lightning which then filled the air. It were endless to recite minutely the various ' In Anson's official report, 8th May, he states that " he had not men able to keep the deck sufficient to take in a topsail, all being violently afflicted with the scurvy, knd every day lessening our number by six, eight, or ten." H ANSON'S VOYAGl-: ROUND THE WORLD. 3^ le various disasters, fatigues and terroi-s wliieli we enoouii- tered on thin coast ; all these went on increasini; till the 2'Jd of May, at whieh time, tlie fury of iill the storms which we had hitherto eiiuountorwl seemed to be combined, and to liave conspii-ed our destruction. In this hurricane almost all our sails were split, and great part of our standing rig- ging broken ; and, about eight in the evening, a mountainous overgrown sea, took us upon our stjirbourd ijuarter, and gave us so prodigious a shock, that several of our shrouds broke with tlie jerk, by winch our masts were greatly endangered; our liallast and stores too were so strangely shifted, that the ship heeled afterwards two streaks to port. Indeed it was a most tremendous blow, and wo were thrown into the utmost consternation from the apprehension of instantly foundering ; and though the wind abated in a few liours, yet, as we hail no more sails left in a condition to bend to our yards, the ship laboured very much in a hollow sea, rolling gunwale to, for want of sail to steady her : so that we expected our masts, which were now very slenderly supported, to come by the board every moment. However, we exerted ourselves the best we could to stirrup our shrouds, to reeve new lanyards, and to mend our sails ; but while these necessary operations were can-ying on, we ran great risk of being driven on shore on the island of Chiloe, which was not far distant from us ; but in the midst of our peril the wind happily shifted to the southward, and we steered off the land with the mainsail only, the master and myself undertaking the management of the helm, while every one else on board was busied in securing the masts, and bending the sails as fast as they could be repaired. This was the last effort of that stormy climate ; for in a day or two after, we got clear of the land, and found the weather more moderate than we had yet expe- rienced since our passing Straits Le Maii'e. And now having cruised in vain for more than a fort- night in quest of the other ships of the squadron, it was resolved to take the advantage of the present favourable season and the offing we had made from this terrible coast, and to make the best of our way for the island of Juan Fernandes. For though our next rendezvous was appointed off the harbour of Baldivia, yet as we had hitherto seen none of our companions at this first rendez- vous, it was not to be supposed that any of them would be found at the second : indeed we had the greatest reason to suspect, that all but ourselves had perished. Besides, we were by this time reduced to so low a condition, that instead of at- tempting to attack the places of the enemy, our utmost hopes could only suggest to us the possi- bility of saving the ship, and some part of the re- maining enfeebled crew, by our speedy arrival at Juan Fernandes ; for this was the only road in that part of the world where there was any pro- bability of our recovering our sick, or refitting our vessel, and consequently our getting fhither was the only cliance we had left to avoid perishing at sea. Our deplorable situation then allowing no room for deliberation, we stood for the island of Juan Fernandes ; and to save time, which was now ex- tremely precious (our men dying, four, five and six in a day), and likewise to avoid being e igaged again with a leo-sliore ; wo resolved, if possible, to hit the island upon a mi'ridian. And, on the '28th of May, being nearly in the parallel upon whieh it is laid down, we had great expeetations of seeing it : but not finding it in tli'- position in which the charts had tiiught us to expect it, wo began to fear that we hail got too far to the west- ward ; andtherefore,tluiughthecommodore himself was strongly persuaded that he saw it on the morning of the 28th, yet his officers believing it to be only a cloud, to which opinion the haziness of the \\'eatlier gave some land of countenance, it was, on a consultation, resolved to stand to the eastward, in the parallel of the island ; as it was certain, that by this course wo should either fall in with the island, if we were already to the west- ward of it ; or should at least make the main-land of Chili, from whence wo might take a new de- parture, and assure ourselves, by running to the westward afterwards, of not missing the island a second time. On the ;{Oth of May we had a view of the con- 'inent of Chili, distant about twelve or thirteen k agues ; the land made exceeding high and unv'\-en, and appeared quite white ; what we saw beiuf,- doubtless a part of the Cordilleras, which are al>"ays covered with snow. Though by this view of il>e land we ascertained our position, yet it gave us groat uneasiness to find that we had so needlessly altered our course, when we were, in all probability, just upon the point of making the island ; for the mortality amongst us was now increased to a most dreadful degree, and those who remained alive were utterly dispirited by this new disappointment, and the prospect of their longer contmuance at sea : our water too began to grow scarce ; so that a general dejection pre- vailed amongst us, wliich added much to tile virulence of the disease, and destroyed numbers of our best men ; and to all these calamities there was added this vexatious circumstance, that \/hen, after having got a sight of the main, we tacked and stood to the westward in quest of the island, we ^^■ere so much delayed by cairns and contrary winds, that it cost us nine days to I'egain the westing, wliich, when we stood to the eastward, we ran down in two. In this desponding condi- tion, with a ci'azy ship, a great scarcity of fresh water, and a crew so univei-sally diseased, that there were not above ten fore-mast men in a watch capable of doing du*_), and even some of these lame, and unable to go Aloft : under these disheartening circunistanc«.s, I say, we stood to the westward ; and, on the 9th of June, at day-break, we at last discovered the long-wished-for island of Juan Fernandes. And with this discovery I shall close this chapter, and the first book ; after observmg (which will furnish a very strong image of our unparalleled distresses) that by our sus- pecting ourselves to be to the westward of the island on the 21Jth of May, and, in consequence of this, standing in for the main, we lost between seventy and eighty of our men, whom we should doubtless Iiave saved had we made the island that day, which, had we kept on our course for a few hours longer, we could not have failed to have done. END OF BOOK I. VOU I. 45 'l.\ Mi! II! 1 .1 f''- &4 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. BOOK II. CHAPTER I. The arrival 0/ ihe Ci'iititrion at the Island o/Juaii I'cr- iinndet, icilh %e were uiduced to set the sails, which fortunately tripped the anchor ; on wiiich we steei-ed along shore, till we came a-breast of the point that forms the eastern part of the bay. Ou the opening of the ici 1 in liight, and 8 we Imd been ice for a con- 3 tons remain- •ve endured a idily I'ecall the leiui alone of inic raised in wliich we eyed parent water, ur a hundred diNtuuee from diseased, who he distemper, to their hani- r strength that 3 deck to feast Bct. Thus we n the contcm- le, which still Ivaneed. But )efore wo had proper bay to 'ed to keep in !n from sixty- our boat next L>r, the current near the land, l)est bower in the shore. At IS derpatched ut the bay we [tgain at noon d grass ; for er vegetables, stay, had not w that even ed it was all lals too were yet we?-'' not ;envards uto tm less valu- pus quantity n board had discovered Ir, whicli we Wnt station ; ler proving Ih, in order lis occasion, aid, obliging I to keep on Itan was so lours before ^fter which, I surges and (crease our starting tt noon, J, \»e were Bly tripped shore, till Ifornis the tug of the ANSON'S VOYAGE HOUND THK WORLD. sa bay, the wind, that had befriended us thus far, shifti'd aiid blew from tlifuci' in s(|ualls ; but by means of the lioad-wav we had got, wi- liifl'cd close in, till tlu; anelmr iirought us up in tilty-six fatiiom. Soon after wo had thus got to our new berth, we discovered a sail, which we made no doubt was one of our s(|Ua(ln)n : and iiial! complement, he had buried thirty-four of his men; and those that renuiined wore so universally afflicted with the scurvy, that only himself, his lieutenant, ami three of ''is men, were able to stand by the sails. The Tryal eamo to an anchor within us, on tlic 12th, about noon, and wo carried our liiiwsers on board her, in order to moor our- selves nearer in-shore ; but the wind coming olf the land in violent gusts, prevented our mooring in tlie birth we intended, especially as our jjrinei- pal .attention was now employed on business lathcr of more importance ; for we were now extremely occupied in sending on shore materials to raise tents fur the reception of the sick, who died apace on board, and doubtless the distem]K'r was con- siderably augmented by tlui stench and filthiness in which they lay; for the number of the diseased ■was so great, and so few could be spared from the necessary duty of the s/iils to look after them, that it was impossible to avoid a great relaxation in the article of cleanliness, which had rens. Indeed, those who were well enough at ilicir first getting on shore, to creep out of their tents, iinil crawl about, were soon relieved, and recovered their heallll and strength in a very shoi't time ; but in the rest, the diseiise seemed to have aci|uire(| ii degree ot inveteracy which was altoijether without examjde. Having ]iroce('(led thus far, and got our sick on shore, 1 think it necessary, before I enter into any longer detail of our transactions, to give a ilistinct account of this island of Juan I'ernandes, its situa- tion, ])rn(hietioiis, and all its conveniences, 'i'liese particulars we were well enabled to be minutely instrnct<'il in, during onrtliri'e months' stay there; and as it is the only commodious place in those seas, where Ui'itisli cruisers can refresh and recover their men after their ])assage round Cape Horn, and where they may remain for some time without alarming the Si)anish coast, these its aarticularly industrious in directing the roads and coasts to be surveyed, anil other observations to be made, knowing, from his own ex])eri(>nee, of how great consei|ui'ne(! these materials might prove to any Uritisli vessels hereafter employed in those seas. Foi' the uncertainty we were in of its position, and our stamling in for the main on the 28th of .May, in order to secure a sultieieiit easting, when we were indeed extrenuly near it, cost us the lives of betwetn seventy and eitjhty of our men, by our lonu'er continuance at sea : from which fatal accident «e might have been exempted, liad we been furnished with such an account of its situation as we could fully have depended on. '['he island of Juan Fernanilcs lies in the lati- tude of 'MV 40' South, and is a hundred and ten leagues distant from the continent of Chili, It is said to have received its name from a Spaniard, who formerly procured a grant of it, and resided there some time with a view of settling it, but afterwards abandoned it. The island itself is of an irregular figure ; its greatest extent being l)etween four and five leagues, and its greatest breadth somewhat short of two leagups. The only safe anchoring at this island is oirthe North side, where there are three bays, but the nnddle- most, known by the name of Cund)erland Bay, is the widest and deepest, and in all respects much the best ; the other two bays, denominated the East and West bays, arc scarcely more than good landing-places, where boats may conveniently put their casks on shore. Cundiei'land b.ay is pretty well secured to the southward, lying only exposed from the N. by W. to the E. by S. ; and as the northerly winds seldom blow in that climate, and never with any violence, the danger from tliat quarter is not worth attendtng to. As Cumberland Bay is by far the most commodious road in the island, so it is advisable for all ships to anchor on the western side of this bay, within little more than two cables' length of the beach. Here they may ride in forty fathom of water, and bo, in a great measure, s1ielt(!red irom a largo heavy sea, which comes rolling in whenever an eastern or a western wind blows. It is however expedient, in this case, to cackle or ami the cables with an iron chain, or good rounding, ff the island, necessarily traced out by their various combinations a great number of romantic valleys ; most of which had a stream of the clearest water running through them, that tumbled in cascades from rock to rock, as the bottom of the valley, by the coui'se of the neigii- bouring hills, was at any time broken into a sud- den sharj) descent: some particular spots occurred in these valleys, where the shade anil fragrance of the contiguous woods, the loftiness of tlie over- hanging rocks, and the transparency and frequent falls of the neighbouring streams, presented scenes of such elegance and dignity, as would perhaps with difficulty bo rivalled in any other part of the globe. It is in this place, perhaps, that the simple productions of unassisted nature may be said to excel all the fictitious descriptions of the most animated imagination. I shall finish this article with a short account of that spot where the cominodore pitched his tent, and which he made choice of for his own residence, though I despair of conveying an adequate idea of its beauty. The piece of ground which he chose was a small lawn, that lay on a little ascent, at the distance of about half a mile from the sea. In the front of his tent there was a large avenue cut through the woods to the sea-side, which sloping to the water, with a gentle descent, ojieiied a prospect of the bay and the ships at anchor. This lawn was screened behind by a tall wood of myrtle sweeping i-ound it, in the form of a theatre, the ground on whicli the wood stood rising with a much sharper ascent than the lawn itself, though not so much but that the hills and precipices within land towered up considei-ably above the tops of the trees, and added to the grandeur of the view. There were, besides, two streams of crystal water, which ran on the right and left of the tent, within a hundred yards' distance, and were shaded by the trees which skii-ted the lawn on either side, and completed the symmetry of the whole. It remains now only that we speak of the animals and provisions which we met with at this place. Former writei-s have related, that this island abounded with vast numbers of goats, and their aitfouiits are not tobequestioiKcl, this jilace being tlie usual liaunt of the buecaiiei is and nrivateers, who foniierly frequented those sea^'. Ami there lire two instances ; oiit> of a Musqiiitii Iin'aan, and the other of Alexander Selkirk, a Si'i)telii;i;iri, wlio were left by ihi'ir respective shii)-*, iind lived alone upon this island for some years, and eoiiseqiieiitly weiv no strangers to its pruduee . Selkii-U, who was the last, after a stay of bi'tweeii four and five yeai-s, was taken olf the jilace by the lliiUe and Duchess jirivatei'i-s of Bristol, as tnay be seen at large in the jouriial of their voyage : his manner of life, during bis solitude, was in most particulars very remarkable ; but there is one circumstance he relates, which was so strangely verified by our own observation, that I cannot help reciting it. lie tells us, among other things, as he often caught mori' Koi'ts than he wanted, he sometimes marked their ears and let them go. This was afiont thirty- two years before our arrival at the island. Now it happened, that the fii-st goat that was killed by our people at their landing had his ears slit, whence wo concluded that he had doubtless been formerly under the power of Selkirk. This was indeed an animal of a most venerable aspect, dignified with an exceeding majestic beard, and with many other symptom-- of antiquity. During our stay on the island, i' met with others marked in tl'.e same manner, all the males being distinguished by an exuberance of beai'd, and every other characteristic of extreme age. Hut the great nmnbei's of goafs, wliieli former writers described to have been found ujioii this island, are at i)resent very much diminislied : for the Spaniards being informed of the advantages which the buceaiieei-s and privateei-s drew from the provisions which goat's-Hesh hero furnished them with, they have endeavoured to extirpate the breed, thereby to deprive their enemies of thia relief. For this pur[)ose, thev have put on shore great numbers of large dogs, wliieh have increased apace, and have destroyed all the goats in the accessible jiart of the country ; so that there now remain only a few amongst the crags and pre- cipices, where the dogs cannot follow them. These are divided into sejjarate herds of twenty or thirty each, which inhabit distinct fastnesses, and never mingle with each other : by this means we found it extremely difHcnlt to kill them ; and yet we were so desirous of their flesh, which we all agreed much resembled venison, that we got knowledge, I believe, of all their herds, and it was conceived, by comparing their numbers together, that they scarcely exceeded two hundred upon the whole island. I remember we hail once an opportunity of observing a remarkable dispute betwixt a herd of 'these animals and a number of dogs ; fov going ill our boat into the eastern bay, we saw some dogs running very eagerly upon the foot, and being willing to discover what game they were after, we lay upon our oai-s some time to view them, and at last we saw them take to a hill, and looking a little further, we observed upon the ridge of it a herd of goats, which seemed drawn up for their recep- tion ; there was a very narrow path skirted on each side by precipices, on which the msister of the herd posted himself fronting the enemy, the ' It was from the circumstiince of Alexander Selkirk's sojourn on this Ixjjiutiful island, that lie !" lirodiiccd his popular and interesting narrative of Rcbiiiji.u'Gl'ilSde. 49 38 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE AVORLD. ■ill rest of tlio goa+.-i beins; all iX'hiiul him, wliovo tlio grouiiil was '.lorc open : as t'.iis spot was iiiaeces- sible by any otlior patli, excepting where this champion had placed himself, the dogs, though they riin up-hill with great alacrity, yet wlien they came within about twenty yards of him, durst not encotniter him, (for he \V(nd(l infallilily have driven them down the precipiee) Init gave over the chase, and <|iiietly laid themselves 'lown, j)anting at a great rate. The dogs, who, as I have mentioned, are mas- ters of all tile aecessil)le parts of the island, are of various kinds, but some of them very liirge, and ai'e multiplied to a prodigious (!(\;;ree. They some- times came down to our habitations at night, and stole our provision ; and once or twice they set upon single persons, but assistance being at hand, they were driven off without doing any mischief. As at present it is rare for goats to full in their way, we conceived that they lived ;/rinci]taIly upon young seals ; and indeed same of oui' people had the curiosity to kill dogs sometimes and dress them, and they seemed to agree that they liad a fishy taste. Goat's-flesli, as I have vientioned, being scarce, we rarelj' being able to kill above one a day. and our people growing tired of fisi;, (which, as 1 shall hereafter observe, abounds at this place) they rt last condescended to eat seals, which ))y degrees they came to relish, and called it lamb. The seal, iiumbers of which haunt tliis island, hath been so often described by former writers, that it is uinecessary to say ai?; thing i)articul'ir about them in this place. Lnt there is another amphi- bious creature to bo met with here, called a sea- lion, that bears some resemlilance to a seal, though Tt is much larger. Tiiis too we ate, under the de- m mination of beef ; and as it is so oy^r'-'onlinary an ai imal, 1 conceive, it well merits a particul.n- annotation. Th(y are in size, wlien arrived ai their full growtli, from twelve to twenty feet 'ii length, and from eight to fiftee-i in cireunii'ereiue : they are extremely fat, so that after having cut throigh the skin, which is about an inch in tliick- iiess, there is at least a i'oot of fat before you can come at either lean or bones ; and we e.i)erienced, more than once, that the fat of some of ti\e largest affor ';■.'; us a butt of oil. They are likewise very full ot blood, for if they are deeply woundt 'i in ii do;; n placcLi, there will instantly gush out as uiary fountains of blood, sj)outing to a considerable dis- 1.;: je ; and to try \>hat (luantity of blood they contained, we shot one first, and then cut its throat, and measuring tlie Idood tliat came from him, we fouiid, that besides what remai'ied in tlu; vcsitels, which to be sure was considerable, we got at 'east two hogsheads. Their skins ar> covered wiiii short hair of a light dun colour, but their tails, and their fins, which servo them for feet on shore, are almost black ; their fins or feet are Jivided at the ends like fingers, the ^\<^b which joins them not reachiu'; to the extremif'-s. and each of tlipse extremities* is furnished with a nail. They have a distant resemblance to an overgrown seal, though in some particulars there is a niani- lest difference, ..specially in the males, wlio have a hirgo snout or trunk hanging down fiv>> or six inche." below the enil of the upper jaw ; th' i par- tieular *he females have not, and ibis renders the eouiiteuance of the mule and iemal;' easy to- bo distinguished from each other, and besides, the males are of a much larger size. One of them was till master of the Hoek, and from his driving off the other males, and keeping a great number of females to Irmself, ho was by the seamen ludi- oi'ously styled tie I5asliaw. These aiiiinals divide their time e(|iuilly lietween the land and sea, con- tinuing at sea .dl the summer, and coming on shore at the setting in of the winter, where they reside iluring thav whole season. In this interval they engender and. bring forth their young, and have generally twj at a birth ; these they suckle with their milk, they being at first about the size of a full-grown seal. During the time of these animals' contim aiiee on shore, they feed on the grass and verdu :'o which grows neai' tlu bank of the fresh-water s*reams ; and, when not employed in feeding, sleep ii) herds in the most miry places they can find out. As they seem to be of a very lethargic disposition, ....id not easily awakened, eacii herd was o1)served to ]ilace some of their males at a distance in the nature of se'itinels, who never failed to alarm them, whenever our men attempted to molest, or even to approach tlieiii ; and they were very capable of alarming, even at a consi- de-"-. ole distance, for the noise they make is very loi. I and of (liH'erent kinds, sometimes grunting like hogs, and at other times snorting like horses in full vigour. They often, especially the males, have furious battles with each other, principally about their f^.'inales ; and we were oie day ex- tremely surprised by the sight ef two animals, which at first appeared difl'erent from ail >\e had c\ev observed ; I ut, on a neai'cr approach, they proved to 'v two sea-lions, who hail been goring each other witli their teeth, and were covered over with blood : and the Bashaw before-men- tioned, who genei'ally lay surrounded with a seraglio of females, which no other male dared to ai)i)roach, had not acquired that envied \ni- emiuenee without many bloody contests, of which the niarl.s still remained in the luimerous scars which were visible in every part of his body. We killed many of them .'or food, jiarticularly for their hearts and tongues, which we esteemed ex- ceeding good eating, and ]n'eferable even to those of bullocks : and in general there was no diffi- eulty in Icilling them, foi they were incapalilo eif ■"'"•• of oseapi'-^ or re.-iisting, their motion being the! most unv leldy that can bo conceived, theii blubber, a'', the time they are moving, being agi- tated in large waves under their skins. However, a sailor one day being carelessly "mployed in skinning a young sea-lion, the female, from whence he had tiiken it, came upon him ir.ip"rceived, and glutting his head in her mouth, she witli Iut teeth scored his skull in notches in i; iiiiy jdaccs, and thei'e''y wounded him so desperately, that though all i)088ible care was taken of Inm he dii;d in a few days. Those a- e the priiici])al animals which wo found ui)on the island : for we saw but few birds, and those chiefly ha wks, blackbirds, r, ,vU, aiid humming- birds. We saw i,i:c the ])ardela, w!:icn burrows in the ground, and whicli former writers have mentioned to be found here ; but as we met with their holes, we 8U]>])osed that the dogs had de- stroyed them, as tliey have alnost don(> the cats, which were very numerous in Selkirk's time, but we saw not above one or two during our whole 6) id 1)csidca, the One of them •oni liis driving groat number ^ soain(>n liuli- , iiniiimls divide j I and sea, con- \ nd cnniin;^' on i or, wliero they i n tliis interval i nv jounj,', and J !So they suckle j about the size , time of these I !y food on the \ ir tin bank of j 1 not employed j )st miry places | r» 1)0 of a very , wakeuod, eacn I r)f tlioir males ' els, who never I men attempted i siu ; and they j en at a consi- ' make is very | mea grunting j !ig like horses , lly the males, , or, principally i o'le day ex- two animals, ! n\ ail vc had ! jiproaoh, they ■ j d been goring I were covered ' boforo-men- i ]idod with 81 male dared I envied jm •„>- I ■sts, of which |uoi'ous scars if his body, ticnlarly for i •stoemod ex- von to those |vas no diffi- •e ini-a]iable notion being ived, theii :, being agi- llowevor, inployed in •om whence [oeivod, and li her teeth ilaces, and bat though ■d in a few pi we found jbirds, and Ihumming- Tii burrows I tors have met witli had de- tho cats, J time, but lur wliolo ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND TPE WORLD. 39 stay. However, the rats still keep their ground, and continue here in great number-, and were very troublesome to us, by infesting our tents nightly. But that wliich furnished us with the most delicious repasts at this islaud, remains still to be described. This was t'i« rish, with which the whole bay was most plentiluHv stored, and with the greatest variety : for we found here cod of a prodigious size ; and by the report of some of our crew, who had been formerly employed in the Newfoundland tishei-y, not in less plenty than is to be met with on the banks of that island. We caught also cavallies, gropers, large breams, maids, silver-fish, congera of a peculiar kind, and above all, a black fish which we most esteemed, called by some a chimney-sweeper, in sliai)e ri?sembling a carp. Indoo;! *ho boiwh is everywhere so full of rocks and loose atones, that there is no possi Inlity of hauling the seine ; but with hooks and lines we caught v.-'iat mmibers we pleased, so that a boat with two or three lines w^ald return loaded with fish in about two or three houi-s' time. The only interruption we ever met with, arose from great tiuantitiosof dog-fish and Irrge sharks, which sometimes attended our boats ,ind prcveiited our sport. IJesides the fish wo have already mention- ed, wo found here sine delicacy in grf 'iter perfec- tion, both as to size, flavour and quantity, than is perhaps to be mei with ii any other part of the world : this was se.-. cri.w-tisli ; tlit^y generally weighed eight or nine pounds apiece, were of a most excellent taste, and lay in such abundance near the water's edge, that the boat-hooks often struck into them, in putting the boat to and from the shore. These arc tl.e most material articles relating to the accommodations, soil, vegetables, annuals, and other productions of the island of Juan I'er- nandes : by which it must appear how properly that ])laco was adapted for recovering us from the deplorable situation to which our tedious and un- fortunate navigation round (^ape Horn had reduced us. And having thus given the ri-ader some idea of the site and circumstances of this place, wliich was to be our residence for three mouths, I shall now p— ^coed, in the next chapter, to relate all that occiiiTcd to us in that interval, resuming my narration from the llUh day of Juno, being the day in which the Tryal sloop, having hy a squall been driven out to sea throe days before, came again to her moorings, the day in which we finished the sending our sick on shore, and about «ight days after our first anchoring at this island. CHxVPTER II. Tliefir>-ii:alo/tlii-Gloucexlc>- and the Anna pink al the islainl of Jitan Fcrnanilcs, and the transactions at that place iluriny this interval. The arrival of tlie Tryal sloop at this island, so soon after we came there ourselves, gave us great hopes of being speedily joined by the rest of the squadron ; and wo were for some days continually looking out, in expectation of their coming in sight, liat near a fortnight being elapsed, without any of them having appeared, we began to despair of ever meeting them again ; as we knew that had our ship continued so muchlongor at sea, we should every man of us have perished, and the vessel, occupied by dead bodies only, would have been left to the caprice oi' the winds and waves : and this we had great reason to fear was the fate of our consorts, as each hour added to the probability of those desj)onding suggestions. But on the -1st of June, some of our people, from an eminence on shore, discerned a ship to leeward, with her courses even \> ith the horizon : and they, at the same time, particularly observed, that she had no sail abi'oad except her courses and her main-topsail. This circumstaneo made them conclude that it was one of our squadron, which had probably suH'ered in her sails and rig- ging as severely as we had done : but they were pre\ oritod from foi-ming more definite conjoc^tures about her ; for, after viewing her for a short time, the weather grew thick and liazy, and they lost sight of her, On this report, and no ship appear- ing for some days, we were all under the greatest concern, suspecting that her people were in the utmost distress for want of water, and so dimin- ished and 'veakened by sickness, as ii' I tc be able to ply up CO windward ; so that we feared that, after having been in sight of the island, her whole crew would notwithstanding perish at sea. How- ever, on the ■2Gth, towards noon, we discerned a sail in the orth-east quarter, which we conceived to be the vciy same ship that had been seen before, and our conjectures proved true ; and about one o'clock she approached so near, that we could dis- tinguish her to be the Gloucester. As we had no doubt of her being in groat distress, the commodore immediately ordered his boat to her assistance, laden with fresh water, fish, and vegetables, which was a very seasonable relief to them ; for our ap- prehensions of their calamities appeared to be but too well grounded, as perhaps there never was a crew in a more distressed situation. They had already thrown overboai'd two thirds of their com- plement, and of those that remained alive, scarcely any were capable of doing duty, except the tlfficers and their servants. They had boon a considerable time at the small allowance of a pint of fresh water to each man for twenty-four hours, and yet they had so little left, that, had it not been for the sup- ply we sent them, they must soon have died of thirst. The ship jjlied in within three miles of the bay ; but, the wi ids and currents being contrary, she could not reach the road. However, she con- tinu(ul in the etting the next (Jay, but had no chance of coming to an anchor, unlo'", the wind and cur- rents shifted ; and thei-eforo the commodore re- peated his assistance, sending to her the Tryal's boat manned with the Centurion's peoi)le, and a further supply of water and other refreshments. Captain Jlitchel, the captain of the Gloucester, was under a necessity of detaining both this boat and that sent the preceding day ; for without the help of their crews ho had no longer strength enough to navigate the ship. In this tantalising situation the Gloucester coiit iiiuod for near a ''.^rtnight, with- out being able to fetch the road, though frequently attempting it, and at some times bidding very fair for it. On the !lth of July, we observed her stretch- ing away to the eastward at a considerable ( "stance, which we supposed was with a design to ge; to tlie southward of the island ; but as we sooii lost sight of her, and she did not appear fur ne|U^ a week^ we 61 -.■J~^ - JH •J! ill §ii , ll. ^\'i- ,( !;!■'! 'I: I::' 40 AM SON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. were prodigiously concerned, knowing that she uiusf be again iu extreme distress for want of water. After great impatience about her, wc discovered her again on the ICth, endeavouring to come round the eastern point of tlie island ; bu, he wind, stiil blowing directly from the bay, prevented her get- ting nearer than within four leagues of the land. On this. Captain Mitchel made signals of distress, and our long-boat was sent to him with a store of water, and plenty of fish, and other refreshments. And the long-boat being not to be spared, thf coxswain had positive ord^i-s from the commodore to return again immediately ; but the weather proving stormy the next day, and the boat not appearing, we much feared she was lost, which would have proved an iiTetrievable misfortune to us all : but, the third diiy after, wc were relieved from this anxiety, by the joyful sight of the long- boat's sails upon the water ; and we sent the cutter immediately to her assistance, who towed her along- side in a few hours. The crew of our long-boat had taken in six of the Gloucester's sick men to bring them on shore, two of which had died iu the boat. And now we learnt that the Gloucester was in a most dreadful conditiou,having scarcely a man in health on board, except those they received from us ; and, numbers of their sick dying daily, we found that, had it not been for the last supply sent by our long-boat, both the healthy and diseased must have all perished together for want of water. And these calamities were the more terrifying, as they appeared to be without remedy : for the Glou- cester had already spent a month in her endeavours to fetch the bay, and she was now no farther ad- vanced than at the firat moment she made the island ; on the contrary, the people on board her had worn out all their hopes of ever succeeding in it, by the many experiments thoy had made of its diflBculty. Indeed, the same day her situation grew more desperate than ever, for after she had received our last supply of refreshments, we again lost sight of her ; so that we in general despaired of her ever coming to an anchor. Thus was this unhappy vessel bandied about within a few leagues of her intended harbour, whilst the neighbourhood of that place and of those circumstances, which could alone i)ut an end to the calamities they laboured under, served only to aggravate their distress, .,y torturing them with a view of the relief it was not in their power to reach. But she was at last delivered from this dreadful situation, ata time when we least expected it ; for after having lost sight of her for several days, we wore pleasingly surprised, on the morn- ing of the 2.3rd of July, to see her open the N. W. point of the bay with a flowing sail ; when we immediately despatched what boats we had to lier assistance, and in an hour's tin\e iVnm onr tii-st perceiving her, she anchored safe within us in the bay. And now we were more particularly con- vinced of the importance of the assistance and refreshments we so often sent thorn, and how im- possible it would have been for a man of them to have survived, had wo given less nttentiou to their wants ; for notwithstanding tlu^ water, the greens, and fresh provisions which wo s-.ipplied them with, and the hands wo sent them to navigate the ship, by which the fatigue of their own jieople was diminished, their sick relieved, and the moi'tality abated ; notwithstanding this indulgent care -of m the commodore, they yet buried three-fourths of their crew, and a very small proportion of the remainder were capable of assisting in the duty of the ship. On their coming ; j an anchor, our first care was to assist them in mooring, and our next to send the sick on shore : these were now reduced by deaths to less than fourscore, of which we expected to lose the greatest pai-t ; but whether it was, that those farthest advanced in the distem- per were all dead, or that the greens and fresh provisions wc had sent on boai'd had prepared those which remained for a more speedy recovery, it happened, contrary to our expectations, that their sick were in general relieved and restoi'sd to their strength, in a much shorter time than our own had been when we first came to the island, and very few of them died on shore. I have thus given an account of the principal events relating to the arrival of the Gloucester, in one continued narration : I shall only add, that we never were joined by any other of our ships, except our victualler, the Anna pink, who came in abou» the middle of August, and whose history I shall n oi-e ])articularly relate hereafter. And i I shall 1 ow return to the account of our own trausacti )ns on board and on shore, during the interval of the Gloucester's frequent and ineffectual | attenif is to reach the island. | Ou ■ next employment, after sending our sick on shore from the Centurion, was cleansing our ship i and 1^ 'hng our water. The first of these measures j was indispensably necessary to our future health, I as the numbers of sick, and the unavoidable i negligence arising from our deplonible situation j at sea, had rendered the decks most intolerably | loathsome. And the filling our water v«|u}, a cau- tion that appeared not less essential to on^uture i security, as wc had reason to apprehend timi^iCl- j dents might oblige us to quit the island a jflgjlp y '• short warning ; for some appearances, wl9|H|Mre' had discovered on shore upon our first laiiMra^t gave us grounds to believe, that there were Spa-' nish cruisei's in these seas, which had left the island but a short time before our arrival, and I might possibly return there again, either for a j recruit of water, or in seai'ch of us : for as we could not doubt, but that the sole business they had at sea was to interce{it us, so we knew that this island was the likeliest jilaee, in their own ! ojiinion, to meet with us. The circumstances, I which gave rise to these reflections (in part of i which wo were not mistaken, as shall be observed | more at large hereafter), were our finding on shore I several jiicces of earthen jars, made use of iu ' those soas for water and other licpiids, which | iippoared to be fivsh broken : we saw, too, mimy i lieajis of ashes, and near them fish-bones and j pieces of lisli, besides whole fish scattered here and there, which plainly appeared to have been but a sliort time out of the water, as they weie ; but just beginning to decay. These appearai.ces | wore certain indications tliat there had been ghi})8 at this iilace but a short time before we «ianie there ; and as all Spanish merchantmen are in- \ Htructed to avoid the island, on ai^count of its being the connnon ren-sa-Fuero, lying about twenty-two leagues to the westward of Juan Fer- nandes ; and that he endeavoured to send his boat on shoi-e at this place f )r water, of which he could observe several strea'.ns, but the wind blew so stronf^ upon the short , and occasioned such a surf, that it was impoiesible for the boat to land ; though the attempt was not altogether useless, as they i-e- turned with a boat-load of fish. This island had been represented by former navigators as a ')arreu rock ; but Captain Mitchel assured the co;rmo- dore, that it was almost everywhere covered with trees and verduri', and was near four miles in length ; and added, that it appcand to him far from impossible but Home small bay might be found on i< which might afford sufticient sheltev for any si il'sirous of refreshing there. As foui luii^ ol' our squadron wej-e missing, this description "if tlio Isl:iiul of Masa-Fuero gave I'ise to a conjectuic, tli . some of them might possibly have fallen in uith that island, an' have mistaken it for the true placi of our rcndi . ous ; and this suspicion was the more plausible, ;i.s we had no dx'aught of eitner island that could bo re lied on. In consequence of this reasoning, Mr. An.son deternnned to send the Tryal sliM.p thit'icr, as soon as she could be fitted for the - \, in oider to examine all its bays and creeks, that we miglit be satisfied whether any of our missing ships were there or not. Fortius purpose, some of our li st hands were sent on board the Tryal the iitxt moi'ning, to overhaul and fix her rig^''" '"id our long-boat was employed in compli.ing her water ; and whatever stores and necessaries she wanted were irimiediately supplied, either from the Centurion or the Gloucester. But it was the 4th of August before the Tryal was in i-eadiness to sail, when having weighed, it soon after fell calm, and the tide set her very near the eastern shore : Captain Saunders hung out lights, and fired several guns to acquaint us with his danger : upon which all the boats were sent to his relief, who towed the sloop into the bay ; where she anchored tmtil the next niorning, and then weighing again, proceeded on her cruise witli a fair breeze. And now, after the Gli>uce8ter'8 arriral, we were eniployed iu earnest in examining and re- pairing our rigging ; but iu the stripping our 5J 42 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE AVORLD. foremast, wo were alarmed by discovering it was sprung just above the partners of tlio upper dock. The spring was two inches in depth, and twelve in circumference ; but the caqjcntcrs inspecting it, gave it as their opinion, that fishing it with two leaves of an anehor-stociv would render it as secui-e as ever. But our grcatosl difficulty in refitting was the want of cordage anl Cii.nvas ; for though \\\. had taken to sea much greater quan- tities of both than had e\cr been done before, yet the continued bad weather we met with had ocoasioned s'.ich a consumption of these stofcs, that we »vere driven to great straits : for after working im all our junk and old shrouds, to make twice-laia cordage, we weic at last obliged to unlay a cable to work into running I'igging. And with all the canvas and remnants of old sails that could be mustered, W3 could oidy make up one complete suit. Towards the middle of August, our men being indifferently recovered, they were permitted to quit their sick tents, and to build separate huts for themselves, as it 'vas imagined that, by living apart, they Would be much cleanlier, and conse- quently likely to recover their strength the sooner ; but at the same time particular orders were given, thai on the firing of a gun fi'om the ship, they should instantly repair to the water- side. Their employment on shore was now either the procuring of refreshments, the cutting of wood, or the making of oil from the blubber >-f the sea-lions. This oil served us for several uses, as burning in lamps, or mixing with pitch to pay the ships' sides, oi', when mixed with wood- ashes, to supply the use of tallow, of which we had none left, to give the ship boot-hose tops. Some of the men too were occupied in salting of cod ; for there being two Newfoundland fishermen in the Centurion, the commodore made use of them in laying in a considerable quantity of salted cod for a sea-store ; but very little of it was mado use of, as it was afterwards thought to bo as pro- ductive of the scurvy as any other kind of salt provisions. I have before mentioned, that we had a copper- oven on shore to bake bread for the sick ; but it happened that the greatest part of tbo flour, for the use of the squadron, was embarked on board our victualler the Anna pink : and I should have mentioned, that the Tryal sloop, at her arrival, had informed us, that on the 9tli of !May she had fallen in with our victualler, not far distant from the continent of Chili ; and had kept company with her for four days, when they were parted in a hard gale of wind. This gave us some room to hope that she was safe, and that she might soon join us ; but all June and July being past without any news of her, we suspected she was lost ; and at the end of July the commo- dore ordered all the ships to a short allowance of bread. And it was not in our bread only, that we feared a deficiency ; for since our arrival at this island, we discovered that our former purser had neglected to tiike on board Irirge quantities of several kinds of provisions, which the commodore had expressly ordered him to receive ; so that the supposed loss of our victualler was, on all accounts, a mortifj'ing considoration. However, on Sunday, the ICth of August, about noon, we espied a sail in the northern quarter, and a gun was immediately fired from the Centurion, to call off the people from shore ; who readily obeyed the summons, and repaired to the beach, where the boats waited to carry them on board. And now being prepared for the reception of this ship in view, whether friend or enemy, we had various speculations about her ; at first, many imagined it to be the Tryal sloop returned from her ciuise ; but as she drew nearer this opinion was ci .li'uted, by observing she was a. vessel with three masts ; and then other conjectures were eagerly can- vassed, some judging it to be the Severn, othera the Pearl, and several affirming that it did not belong to our squadron : but about three in the afternoon our disputes were ended, by a una- nimous persuasion that it was our victualler the Anna pink. This ship, though, like the Gloucester, she had fallen in to the northward of the island, had yet the good for •.unvi to come to aa anchor in the bay, at five in the afternoon. Her arrival gave us all the sincerest joy ; for each ship's company was now ;store<'. to their full allowance of bread, and we were now freed from the appre- hensions of our provisions falling short, before we could reach some amicable port ; a calamity, which in these seas is of all others the most irre- trievable. This was the last ship that joined us ; and the dangers she encountered, and the good fortune which she afterwards met with, being matters worthy of a separate narration, I shall refer them, together with a short account of the other ships of the squadron, to the ensuing chapter. CHAi T Til. A short narralhie af tehat be^t'll the Anna pink before the johicil VI, with ar account of the loss o/tlie Wtiffer, and (tf the pntlinij buck of the Severn and Fearl, the two remaining thips of the squadron. On the first ai)peurance of the Amia pink, it seemed wonderful to us how the crew of a vessel, which came to this rendezvous two months after us, should be capable of working their ship in the manner they did, with so little appearance of debility and distress : but this difficulty was soon solved when she i:inio tc an anchor; for we then found tiint they li.id been in harbour since the middle of -May, wliirh was near a month b' ioro we arrived at Juan I'Vrnaiides: so that then- Butter- ing . (the risk tliey luid run of shipwreck only excepted) were greatly short of what had been undergone by the rest of the squadron. It seems, on the 16th of May, they fell in with the land, which was tlien but four leagues distant, in the latitude of 45" 15' south. On the first sight of it, they wore ship and stood to the southward, but their fore-topsail splitting, and tlio wind being W.S.W., they drove towards the 'lore; and the captain at last, cither unable to cli.ir the land, or as others say, resolved to keep the sea no longer, steered for the coast, with a vie\\ of discovering some shelter amongst the many islands which then appeai'ed in sight: and about iour hours after tho first view of the land, the pink liad the fortune to come to an anchor, to the eastward of the island of Inchin ; but as they did not run suffieiently near to the east shore of that island, and had not hands to veer away tho cable briskly, they were S4 kurion, to call ily obeyed the ch, where the d. And now f this ship in had various any imagined n her cruise ; «an ccituted, tliree masts ; eagerly can- evern, othora at it did not three in the 1, by a una- 'ictualler tho e Gloucester, )i the island, iiii anchor in Her arrival eacli ship's uU allowance m the appre- rt, before we a calamity, le most irre- it joined us ; lid the good with, being tion, I shall count of the the ensuing ink be/ore she e Wager, and \carl, the two ina pink, it )f a vessel, loiiths after Iship in the learance of was soon \t we then since the I b' ioro we loir suffer- Ireck only 1 had been It seems, the land, it, in the light of it, Ivard, but |nd being and the land, or longer, bcoveriug nich then lafter tho Irtune to pe island Hiciently Iliad not ly were ansoin^s voyage round the world. 43 soon driven to tho eastward, deepening their water from twenty-five fathom to thirty-five, and still continuing to flrivo, they, the next day, the 17th of May, let go tliiir sheet-anchor ; which though it brought them up for a short time, yet, on the 18th, they di'ovo again, till they came into sixty- five fathom water, and were now within a mile of the .and, and expected to be forced on shore every moment, in a jilaeo where the coast was very high and hi sop too, that there was not the least prospect of saving tho shij) or cargo : and their boats being very leaky, and there being no ap])earance of a lauding- place, the whole crew, consisting of six- teen men and boys, gave themselves over for lost, for they apprehended, that if any of them by some exti'aordinary cluni'-e should get on shore, they would, in all iirobability, be massacred by the savages on the coast : for these, knowing no other Ei\'>i.eans but Spaniards, it might be expected they .vould treat all strangers with the same cruelty which they had ao often and so signally exerted against their Spanish neighboui's. Under these terrifying circumstances, the pink drove iieaver and nearer to the I'ocks which formed the shore : but at last, when the crew expected each instant to strike, they jierceived a small <>|ioning in the land, which raised their hopes : and imme- diately cutting away their two anchors, they steered for it, and found it to be a small channel betwixt an island and the main, which led them into a most excelleni harbour, which, for its security against all wimp's and swells, and tin; smoothness of its wate.'s, may perhaps compare with any in the known world. Anil this place being scarcely two miles distant from tho spot where they deemed their destructicjii inevitable, the horrors of ship- wreck and of immediate death, which had so long and so strongly possessed them, vanished almost instantaneously, and gave ])lace to the more joyous ideas of security, repose, and refresh- ment. In this hai'bour, discovered in this almost mi- raculous manner, the j)ink came to an anchor in twenty-five fathom water, with only a hawser, and a small anchor of about three hundred-weight : and here she continued for near two months refreshing her people, who were many of them ill of the scurvy, but w re soon restored to perfect health by the fresh pr /visions, of which they procured good store, and tho excellent water with which the adjacent shore abounded. But as this place may prove of the greatest importance to future navigators who may be forced upon this coast by the westerly winds, -which are almost perpetual in that part of the world ; I shall, before 1 enter into any farther particular of the adventures of the pink, givt; the best account I could collect of this port, its situation, conveniences and pro- ductions. Its latitude, which is'indeed an important point, is not well ascertained, the pink having no observation eitlior tho day before she came here, or within a day of her leaving it : but it is supjjosed that it is not very distant from 45" 30 south, and the large extent of the bay before the harbour renders this uncertainty the less material. The island of liichin lying before the bay is supposed to be one of the islands of Chonos, which are mentioned in tlie Spanish accounts, as spreading all along that coast; and are said by them to be inhabited by a barbarous people, famous for their hatred of the Spaniards, and for their cruelties to such of that nation as have fallen into theirhands: and it is possible too that tho land, near which the liarbniu- itself lies, may be another of those islands, a),.l that the continent may be considerably farther to the eastward. There are two coves where ships may conveniently heave down, the water being constantly smooth : and there are several fine runs of excellent fresh water, which fall into the harbour, and some of \liem so luckily situated, that the casks may be filled in the long-boat with a hose: the most re- markable of these runs is a fresh-water river, and hoi'e the pink's people got some few mullets of an exct'lent fiavour ; and they were persuaded that, in a proper season (it being winter when they were there) it abounded with fish. The principal refreshments they met with in this port were greens, as wild celery, nettle-tops, &c. (which after so long acontinuance at seathey devoured with greateager- ness); shell-fish, as cockles and muscles of an ex- traoi'dinary size, and extremely delicious ; and good store of geese, shags, and penguins. The climate, though it was the depth of winter, was not remark- ably rigorous; nor the trees, or the face of the country destitute of verduie ; and doubtless in the summer many other species of fresh provision, besides these here enumi rated, might be found there. And notwithstanding tho tales of the Spanish historians, in relation to the violence and barbarity of the inhabitants, it doth not appear that their numbers are sufficient to give the least jealousy to any ship of oi'dinary force, or that their disposition is by any means so mischievous or merciless as hath hitherto been represented : and besides all these advantages, it is so far re- moved from the Spanish frontier, and so little known to the Spaniards themselves, that there is reason to sujipose, that with proper precautions a ship might continue here undiscovered for a long time. It is also a place of great defence; for by possessing the island that closes up the harbour, and which is accessible in very few places, a small force might defend this port against, all the strength the Sjjaniards could muster in that part of the world ; for tliis island towards the harbour is steej) too, and has six fathom ^^■ater close to the shore, so that the pink anchoi-ed witli.n forty yards of it : whence it is obvious how impossible it would l " It was in consequence of the ututinous and bad con- duct of the shipwrecked seamen of the Wager, that Anson, in 1748, wlien he had the management of the Admiralty in the absence of the Duke of Bedford and Lord Sandwich, got an act passed (21 George 2nd.) for extending the dis- cipline of the navy to the crews of his Majesty's ships, wrecked, lost, or taken, and continuing to them their wages upon certain conditions."— yiarrotcV Life of lord Anson, I 67 ' \' ':■ 46 ANSON'S VOYAdE ROUND THE WORLD. Fihould arrive at Brazil, where they dmibted not to lie well received, and to luucure a passage to Great Britain. This project was at first sight infinitely more liuxardous and tedious than what was proposed by the captain ; but as it had the air of returning home, aniolent measures in agitation, in which Cozens was en- gaged as the ringleader : for which reason the captain, and those about him, constantly kept themselves on their guard. But at last tho pui-ser, having, by the captain's order, stopped the allow- ance of a fellow who would not work ; Cozens, though the man did not complain to him, inter- meddled in the affair with great eagerness ; and grossly insulting tho purser, who was then deliver- ing out provisions just by the captain's tent, and was himself sufficiently violent, the purser, enraged byhis scurrility and perhaps piqued by former (juar- rels, cried out " a mutiny 1 " adding, " that the dog had pistols," and then himself firedapistol at Cozens, which however missed him : but the captain, on this outcry and the report of the jiistol, rushed out of his tent ; and, not doubting but it had been fired by Cozens as the commencement of a mutiny, he immediately shot him in the head without farther deliberation, and though ho did not kill him on the spot, yet the wound proved mortal, and he died about fourteen days after. This incident, however displeasing to the people, did yet, for a considerable time, awe them to their duty, and rendered them more submissive to the captain's authority : but at last, when towards the middle of October the long-boat was nearly com- pleted, and they wore preparing to put to sea, the additional provocation he gave them by covertly traversing their project of proceeding through the Straits of Magellan, and their fears that he might at length ongase a party stifRcient to overturn this favourite measure, made thenj resolve to make use of the death of Cozens as a I'cason for depriving him of his command, under pretence of carrying liim a prisoner to England, to be tried for murder ; and he was accordingly confined under a guaitlj. But they never intended to carry him with them, as they too well knew what they had to apjirehend on their return to England, if their connnnnder should be present to confront them : and there- fore, when they were just ready to put to sea, they set him at liberty, leaving him, and the few who chose to take their fortunes with him, no other embarkaticm but the yawl, to which the barge was afterwards added, by the people tfli board her being jirevailed on to return back. When the shi]) was wrecked, there remained alive on board the Wager*near a hunng''-i *" the run, the vessel was scarcely able " . lin the number that first put to sea in lie. ,.i x their stock of pro- visions (being only what they had saved out of the ship) was extremely slender, and the cutter, the only boat they had with t' .i, soon broke away from the stern, and was staved to pieces ; so that when their provision and their water failed them, they had frecjuently no means of getting on sliori to search for a fresh supply. When the long-boat and cutter wore cone, the captain, and those who were left with him, pro- posed to pass to the northward in the barge and yawl : but the weather was so bad, and the diffi- culty of subsisting so great, that it was two months after the departure of the long-boat before he was able to ])ut to sea. It seems the place, where the Wager was cast away, was not a part of tlu; con- tinent, as was first imagined, l)ut an island at some distance from tho main, which afforded no other sorts of provision but shell-fish, and a few herbs ; and as the greatest part of what they had gotten from the ship was carried off in the long-boat, the captain and his people were often in gi'cat neces- sity, especin ly as they chose to preserve what little sea-pro vis' :)ns remained, for their store when they should go to the northwai'd. During their resi- dence at this island, which was by the seamen denominated Wager's Island, they had now and then a straggling canoe or two of Indians, which came and bartered their fish and other provisions with our people. This was indeed some little succour, and at another season might perhaps hav» been greater ; for as there were several Indian huts on the shore, it was supposed that in some years, during tlie height of summer, many of these 68 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 47 savages might resort thither to Hah : and froiii what has been related in the account of the Anna pinii, it should seem to be the general practice of those Indians to frequent this coast in the sum- mer-time for the benefit of iishing, and to retire in the winter into a better climate, more to the northward. And, on this mention of the Anna pink, 1 can- not but observe, how much it is to bo lamented that the Wager's people had no knowledge of her being so near them on the coast ; for as she was not above thirty leagues distant from them, and came into their neighbourhood about the same time the Wager was lost, and was a fine roomy ship, she could easily have taken them all on board, and have cai'ried them to Juan Fcrnundes. In- deed, I suspect she was still nearer to thoni than what is here estimated ; for several of the Wager's people, at different times, heard the report of a cannon, which I conceive could bo no other than the evening-gun fired from the Anna pink, espe- cially as what was heard at Wager's l.sland was about the siime time of the day. But to return to Captain Cheap. Upon the 1 Ith of December, the captain and his people embarked in the barge and the yawl, in order to proceed to the northward, taking on board with them all the provisions they could amass from the wreck of the ship ; but they had scarcely been an hour at sea, when the wind began to blow hard, and the soa ran so high, that they were obliged to throw the greatest part of their provisions overboard, to avoid immediate destruc- tion. This was a terrible misfortune, in a part of the world where food is so difficult to bo got : however, they still pei-sisted in their design, putting on shore as often as they could to seek subsistence. But about Ji fortnight after, another dreadful acci- dent befell them, for the yawl sunk at an anchor, and one of the men in her was di-owued ; and as the barge was incapable of carrying the whole company, they were now reduced to the hard necessity of leaving four marines behind them on that desolate shore. But they still kept on their course to the nortl truggling with their disasters, and gi'eatl_ ,d by the j)erverseness of the winds, and the . jiiont interruptions which their search after food occasioned : till at last, about the end of January, having made three un- successful attempts to double a headland, which they supposed to be what the Spaniards called Cape Tres Montes, it was unanimously resolved to give over this expedition, the difficulties of which appeared insuperable, and to return again to Wa- ger Island, where they got back about the middle of February, quite disheartened and dejected with their reiterated disappointments, and almost perish- ing with hunger and fatigue. However, on their return they had the good luck to meet with several pieces of beef whir\ had been washed out of the ship, and were swim- ming in the sea. This was a most seasonable relief to them, after the hardships they had endured ; and to complete their ge-'l f'^r'une, there came, in a short time, two car . ■■ .jians, amongst which was a native of Chil , • . spoke a little Spanish ; and the surgeon, w • ■ i^ with Captain Cheap, un- derstanding that lai.guage, he made a bargain witli the Indian, that if he would cari-y the captain and his people to Chiloe in the barge, he should have her, and all that belonged to her, for his pains. Ac- cordingly, on the 6th o'. March, the eleven persons to which the company was now reduced, embarked in the barge on this new expedition ; but aftcx* having proceeded for a f;'W days, the captain and four of his princi))al officers being on shore, the six, who together with an Indian remained in the bai'ge, put off with her to sea,"nd did not return. By tins means there were leli on shore. Cap- tain Cheap, iMr. Hamilton lieutenant of marines, the llonoui'able Mr. Byron, and Mr. Campbei, midshipmen, and Mr. Elliot, the surgeon. One would have thought that their distresses had long before this time been incapable of augmentation ; but they found, on i-eflection, that tlieir present situation was nmch more dismaying than anything they had yet gone through, being left on a desolate coast, without any provLsion, or th(i means of pro- curing any ; for their arms, ammunition, and every convenience they were masters of, except the tattered habits they had on, were all carried away in the barge. But when they had sufficiently x-evolved in their <>'.vu minds the various circumstances of this un- expected calamity, and were persuaded that they iiad no relief to hope for, they j)erccivcd a canoe at a distance, which proved to be that of the Indian, wio had undertaken to carry them to Chiloe, he am. Lis family being then on b ' it. He made no ('.ifficulty of coming to them , it seems he haJ left Captain Clie.ap and his pe(i| i little before t;) go a fishing, and had in the iiu i time com- mitted them to the care of the other Imlian, whom the sailors had carried to sea in the barge. But when he came on shore, and found the barge gone and his companion missing, he was extremely con- cerned, and could with difficulty be persuaded that the other Indian was not murdered ; but, being at last satisfied with thi; account that was given him, liT still undertook to carry theni to the . Spanish settlements, .nnd (as the Indians are well. skilled in fi.shiii;^ ami fowling) to procure them provisions by the way. ,' About the middle of March, Captain Cheap iand the four who were left with him, set out for Chiloe, the Indian having procured a number of canoes, li'id gotten many of his neighbours together for that purpose. Soon after they embarked, Mr. Elliot the surgeon died, so that there now remained only four of the whole company. At last, after a very complicated pa.ssage by land and water. Cap- tain Cheap, Mr. Byron, and Mr. Campbcl, arrived in the beginning of Juno at the island of Chiloe, where they were ro'^cived by the Spaniards with gi'cat humanity ; bui, on account of some quarrel among the Indians, Mr. Hamilton did not get thither till two months after. Thus, above a twelvemonth after the loss of the Wager, ended this fatiguing peregrination, which by a variety of misfortunes had diminished the company from twenty to no more than four,'and those too brought so low, that had their distresses continued but a few days longer, in all probability none of them would have survived. For the captain himself was with difficulty recovered ; and the rest wore so reduced by the severity of the weather, their labour, and their want of all kinds of necessaries, that it was wonderful how they supported them- selves so long. After some stay at Chiloe, the captain and the three who were with him were 59 48 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. Il i .{'"> Bent to Vnlparaiso, and thence to St. Jap;o, tlie capita! of Chili, wh(!rc tlioy continued above a year: but on the advice of a cartel being settled between Great Britain and Spain, CaptainClieap, Mr. Ryron, and Mr. Hamilton, were permitted to return to Europe on board a French ship. The other mid- shipman, Mr. Campbel, havin? chaii!;ed his reli- gion, whilst at St. Jago, chusc to p) back to Buenos Ayres with Pizarro and his officers, ■with whom he went afterwards to Spain on board the Asia ; and there havinj; failed in his endeavours to pro- cure a commission from tlio court of Spain, he returned to England, and attempted to get rein- stated in the Tiritish n.ivy ; and has since pub- lished a narration of his adventures, in which he complains of the injustice that had been done him, and strongly disavows his ever l)eingin the Spanish service : but ns the change of his religion, and his offering himself to the court of Spain (tliough not accepted) are matters which, he is conscious, are capable of being incontestably proved ; on these two heads he lias been entirely silent. And now, after this account of the accidents wliich befell the Anna pink, and the catastrophe of the Waj;er, I shall again resume the thread of our own story. CHAPTER IV. Condusinn nf otir procecdhi/is at Juan FernaniUs,from the. arrival of the Anna jiiiik, to ourjinaldeparlure/rom thence. About aweeli after thean-ival of our victualler, the Tryal sloop, that had been sent to the island of Masa-Fuero, returned to an anchor at Juan Fernandes, after liaving been round tliat island, without meeting any part of our squadron. As, upon this occasion, the island of Masa-Fuero was more particularly examined than, I dai-e say, it had ever been before, or perhaps ever will be again ; and as the knowledge of it may, in certain circumstances, be of great contsequence hereafter, I think it incumbent on me to insert the accounts given of this place, by the officers of the Tryal sloop. The Spaniards have generally mentioned tvo islands, under the name of Juan Fernandes, styling them the greater and the less : the greater being that island whei-e we anchored, and the less being the island we are now describing, which, because it is more distant from the continent, they have distinguished by the name of Masa-Fuei*o. The Ti'yal sloop found that it bore from the greater Juan Fernandes W. by S., and was about twenty- two leagues distant. It is much lai'ger than has been generally reported ; for former writers have represented it jus a barren rock, destitute of wood and water, and altogether inaccessible ; whereas our people found it was covered with trees, and that there were several fine fulls of water pouring down its sides into the sea : they found too, that there was a place where a ship might come to an anchor on the north side of it, though indeed the anchorage is inconvenient ; for the bank extends but a little way, is steep too, and has very deep water upon it, so that you must come to an anchor very near the shore, and there lie exposed to all the winds but a southerly one : and besides the inconvenience of the anchorage, there is also a reef of rocks running off the eastern point of the island, about two miles in length ; but there is littl(> danger to be feared from them, because they are always to be seen l)y the seas breaking over them. This place has at present one advantage beyond the island of Juan Fernandes ; for it abounds with goats, who, not being accustomed to bo disturbed, were no ways shy or apprehensive of danger, till tlii'V had been frequently fired at. Those animals reside here in great tranquillity, the Spaniards not having thought the island con- sidenible enough to be frequented by their enemies, and therefore they have not been solicitous in de- 8troyi;ig the provisions upon it ; so that no dogs have hitherto been set on shore there. And be- sides the goats, our people found there vast num- bers of seals and sea-lions : and upon the whole, they seemed to imagine, that though it was not the most eligible place for a ship to refresh at, yet in case of necessity it miglit afford some sort of shelter, and prove of considerable use, especially to a single ship, who might ajiprehend meeting with a superior force at Fernandes. The latter part of the month of August was spent in unloading the provisions from the Anna pink ; and here we had the mortification to find that great quantities of our provisions, as bread, rice, groats, &c. were decayed, and unfit for use. This was owing to the water the pink had made by her working and straining, in bad weather ; for hereby several of her casks had rotted, and her bags were soaked through. And now, as we had no farther occasion for her service, the com- modore, pursuant to liis orders from the board of Admiralty, sent notice to Mr, Gerard her master, that he discharged the Anna pink from the service of attending the squadron ; and gave him, at the same time, a certificate, specifying how long she had been employed. In consequence of this dismission, her master was at liberty, either to return directly to England, or to make the best of liis way to any port, where he thought he could take in such a cargo as would answer the interest of his owners. But the master, being sensible of the bad condition of the ship and of iior unfit- ness for any such voyage, wrote the next day an answer to the commodore's message, acquainting Mr. Anson that, from the great quantity of water the pink had made in her passage round Cape Horn, and since that, in the tempestuous weather he had met with on the coast of Chili, he had reason to apprehend that her bottom was very much decayed ; and that besides, her upper-works were rotten abaft ; that she was extremely leaky ; that her fore-beam was broke ; and that, in his opinion, it was impossible to pi-oceed to sea with her, before she had been thoroughly refitted : he therefore requested the commodore, that the car- penters of the squadron mig'* be directed to survey her, that their judgm> . i, of her condition might be known. In compliance with this desire, Mr. Anson immediately ordered the carpenters to take a careful and strict survey of the Anna pink, and to give him a faithful report under their hands of the condition in which they found her, directing them at the same time to proceed herein with such ch'cumspection, that, if they should be here- after called upon, they might be able to make oath of the veracity of their proceedings. Pursuant to these orders, the carpenters immediately set about 60 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND TlIK WOULD. 40 t was spont Lima pink ; I find tliat jread, rice, use. Tliis i made by •iitlier ; for ottod, and now, as we [?, the com- tho board icrard her pink from ; and gave specifying >nsequence rty, eitlier the best he could [le interest sensible her unfit- xt day an quaiiiting of water iind Cape weather , he had was very er-works ly leaky ; at, in his sea with tted : he t the car- reeted to condition lis desire, lentoi-s to nna pink, eir hands directing rein with be here- akc oath rsuant to set about the examination, and the next day inailt.' tlieir report ; whit'h was, that the pink had no leHs than fourteen knees and twelve beams broken and decayed ; that one breast-hook was broken, and another rotten ; that her water-ways were open and decayed ; that two standards were broken, as also several clamps, besides others which were rotten ; that all her iron-work was greatly decayed ; that her spirkiting and timbers were very rotten ; and that, having ripped off part of her sheathing, they found licr wales and outside planks extremely defective, and her bows and decks very leaky ; and in consequence of these defects and decays, they certified, that in their opinion she could not depart from the island without great hazard, unless she was first of all thoroughly refitted. Tlio thorough refitting of the Anna pink, pro- posed by the carpenters, was in our present situ- ation impossible to be complied with, as all the plank and iron in the squadron was insufficient for that purpose. And now the master finding his own sentiments confinned by the opinion of all the cai-pentei-s, he offered a petition to the commodore in behalf of his owners, desiring tliat, since it appeared he was incapable of leaving the island, Mr. Anson would plesise to purchase the hull and furniture of the pink for the use of the squadron. Hereupon the commodore ordered an inventory to be taken of every particular belong- ing to the pink, with its just value : and as by tills inventory it appeared that there were many stores which would be useful in refitting the other ships, and which were at present very scarce in the squadron, by reason of tiie great quantities that had been already expended, he agreed with Jlr. Gerard to purchase the whole together for three hundred pounds. The pink being thus broken up, Mr. Gerard, with the hands belonging to the pink, were sent on board the Gloucester ; as that ship had buried the greatest number of men in proportion to her complement. But after- wards, one or two of them were received on board the Centurion on their own petition, they being extremely averse to sailing in the same ship with their old master, on account of some particular ill usage they conceived they had suffered from him. This transaction brought us down to the begin- ning of September, and our people by this time wei-e so far recovered of the scurvy, that there was little danger of burying any more at present ; and therefore I shall now sum up the total of our loss since our departure from England, the better to convey some idea of our past suffer- ings, and of our present strength. We had buried on board the Centurion, since our leaving St. Helens, two hundred and ninety-two, and had now remaining on board two hundred and four- teen. This will doubtless appear a most extra- ordinary mortality : but yet on board the Glou- cester it had been much greater ; for out of a much smaller crew than ours they had buried the same number, and had only eighty-two remaining alive. It might be expected that on board the Tryal, the slaughter would have been the most terrible, as her decks were almost con- stantly knee-deep in water ; but it happened otherwise, for she escaped more favoui'ably than the rest, since she only buried forty-two, and had now thirty-nine rt'uiaining alive. The havoc of this disease had falK .1 still severer on the invalids and marines than on the nailoi-M ; for on board the Centurion, out of fifty invalids and seventy- nine marines, there remained only four invalids, including otticers, and eleven marines ; and on board the tiloucester every invalid perislied ; and out of forty-eight marines, only two escaped. From this account it appears, that the three ships together departed from England with nine hundn-d and sixty-one men on board, of whom six hundred and twenty-six were dead before this time ; so that the whole of our remaining crews, which were now to be distributed amongst three ships, amounted to no more than three hundred and thirty-five men and boys ; a number greatly insufficient fur the manning the Centurion alone, and barely capable of navigating all the three, with the utmost exertion of their strength and vigour. This prodigious reduction of our men was still the more tei'rifying, as we were hitherto imcertain of the fate of I'izarro's s(iuadrou, and had reason to suppose, that some part of it at least had got round into these seas : indeed, we were satisfied, from our own experience, that they must have suffered greatly in their passage ; but then every port in the South Seas was open to them, and the whole power of Chili and Peru would doubtless be united in refreshing and refitting them, and recruiting the numbers they had lost. Besides, we had some obscure know- ledge of a force to be refitted out from Callao ; and, however contemptible the ships and sailors of this pai't of the world may have been gene- rally esteemed, it was scarcely possible for any thing, bearing the name of a ship of force, to be feebler or less considerable than ourselves. And had there been nothing to be apprehended from the naviil power of the Spaniards in this part of the world, yet our enfeebled condition would nevertheless give us the greatest uneasiness, as we were incapable of attempting any of their considerable places ; for the risking of twenty men, weak as we then were, was risking the safety of the whole : so that we conceived we should be necessitated to content ouraelves with what few prizes we could pick up at sea, before we were discovered ; after which, we should in all proba- bility be obliged to depart with precipitation, and esteem ourselves fortunate to regain our native country, leaving our enemies to triumph in the inconsiderable mischief they had received from a squadron, whose equipment had filled them with such dreadful apprehensions. This was a subject on which we had reason to imagine the Spanish ostentation would remarkably exert itself ; though the causes ofour disappointment and their security were neitherito be sought for in their valour nor our miscolfiluct. Such were the desponding reflections which at that time arose on the review and comparison of our remaining strength with our original numbers: indeed our fears were far from being groundless, or disproportioned to our feeble and almost despe- rate situation. It is true, the final event proved more honourable tlian we had foreboded ; but the intermediate calamities did likewise greatly surpass our most gloomy apprehensions, and could they have been predicted to us at this island of Juan Fernanfies, they would doubtleas VOL. I. 61 Ui M ANSON'S VOYAfJK ROUND THK WORLD. I ■r?'! Hj; :i have it|)]>i>in'e(l iiisiirmiiuiit!i)>k>. liut to ruturn from tliis ili;iri'HHii)ii. Ill tlu! bf;'iiiuin;4 of Si'i'tiinlxr, as has l)oen al- rt-ady iniiit the ship about with great alacrity ; and as the chase appeared to be a large ship, and had mis- taken us for her consort, we conceived that who wiiH a man of war, and jn'obably one of I'i/.arro's si|uadi'on : this induced the commodore to order ; all thi otfieers' cabins to ))e knocked in less than an hcmr, we found that we liad both weathered and fore- reached upon lier considerably ; and now we were near enough to discover that she was only u merchantman, without so much as a single tier of guns. About half an hour after twelve, being then within a reasonabh! distance of her, we fired four shot amongst her rigging; on which they lowered their top-sails and bore down to us, but in very great confusion, their to]>-gallant sails and stay- sails all fluttering in the wind : this was owing to their having let run their sheets and halyards just as we fired i.*- them ; after which, not a man amongst them had courage enough to venture aloft (for there the shot I:.-«M?ti'i da tierra, with a few bales of cotton and tobacco ; which, tliougVi strong, was not ill flavoured. These were me principal goods on board her ; but we found besides, what was to us much more valuable than the rest of the cargo : this was some trunks of wrought piato, and twenty- three seroons of dollars, each weighing upwards of 2001bs. avoirdupois. The ship's burthen was about four hundred and fifty tons; she had fifty-tlu-ee 62 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THK WORLD. Al iimtantly If H«)Utll- fitH, aiivas about fty-tlu-ee sailors on board, both whites and blacks; she came from (.'allao, and had been twenty-sevi ii days at sea, before who fell into our hands. Slie was bound to the port of Valparaiso in the kingdom of Ciiili, and proposed to have returned from tiienee loaded with corn and Chili wine, some gold, dried beef, and small conlage, which at Cullao they con- vert into larger i"Ope, Our prize had l)ei'ii lu'il' upwards of thirty years ; yet as they lie in Iiai-- bour all the winter months, and tlie climate is favourable, they esteemed it no very great age. Her rigging was very indiftbreiit, as were like- wise her sails, which were made of cotton. She had only three four -pounders, which were altogether unserviceable, their carriages being ccareely able to support them ; and there were no small arms on board, except a few pistols, belong- ing to the i)assengers. The jirisoners informed us that they left Callao in company witii two other ships, whom they had parted with some days before, and that at first they conceived us to be one of their company ; and by the de8cri|)tion we ?,ave them of the ship we had chased from Juan Fernandes, they assured us, she was of their num- ber, but that the coming in sight of that island was directly repugnant to the inei'chaiits' instructions, who had exi)ressly forbid it, as knowing that if any English squadron was in those seas, tlie island of Fernandes w^s most probably the place of their rendez>ous. And now, after this slioi-t account of the ship diid her cargo, it is necessai-y that 1 should relate the ini])ortiviit intelligence which we met with on b'i'rd her, partly from the information of the prisoners, and partly from the letters and j)apei"8 ^.l• ci: fell into our hands. We here first learnt with certainty the force and destination of that squadi'on, which cruised off the Madeiras at our arrival there, and afterwards chased the Pearl in our passage to port St. Julian. This we now knew was a squadron composed of five large Spanishsliips, commanded by Adiuii-al Pizarro, and purposely fitted out to ti'averse our designs ; as hath been already more amply related in the 3rd cha])ter of the 1st book. And we liad, at the same time, the satisfaction to find, that Pizarro, after his utmost endeavours to gaii! his passage into these seas, had been forced back again into the river of Plate, with the loss of two of his largest ships : and buiiidus this disapi)oiiitment of PLz-iirro, which considering our great debility, was no unacceptable intelligence, we farther learnt that an embargo had been laid upon all shipping in these seas, by the viceroy of Peru, in the month of May preceding, on a suppo- sition that about that time we might arrive upon the coast. But on the account sent over-land by Pizarro of his own distresses, part of which they knew we must have encountered, as we were at Bea during the same time, and on their having no news of us in eight months after wo were known to set sail from St. Catherine's, they were fully persuaded that we were either shipwrecked, or ' had perished at sea, or at least had been obliged to put back again ; for it was conceived impossible for any ships to continue at sea during so long an in- terval : and therefore, on the application of the merchants, and the firm pereuasion of our having miscarried, the embai'go had been lately taken off. This last article made us flatter ourselves, that, wn the enemy was still a stranger to our liav ing got round CaiH) Horn, and the navigation of tlies7> seas was restored, we might meet with some consider- ' able captures, and might thereby indi'iMiiify our- I selves for the incapacity we weri' now under of attempting any of their considerable sittlemonts | on shore. And thus much we were certain of, | from the information of our prisoners, that, what- I ever our success might be as to the i>rizes wo ' might light on, we had nothing to fear, weak as ; we were, from the S|)anish force in this part of I thi' world ; though we discovered that we liad , been in most imminent peril from the enemy, when i we least ai>prehended it, and when our otlier dis- i tresses were at the greatest height ; for wo k>arnt, < from the lettei-s on board, that I'izarro, in tho ex- j press he despatched to the viceroy of I'eru, after j his return to the river of Plate, had intimated to him, that it wivs possible some part, at least, of tho , English squadron might get round: but that, as ho was certain fitim his own experience, that if they : did arrive ui those seas, it must be in a very weak | and defenceless condition, he advised the viceroy, in order to be secure at all events, to fit out what ships of force he had, and send them to tho south- ward, where, in all probability, they would inter- cept us singly, and before we had an opportunity of touching anywhere for refreslnnent ; in which case, he doubted not but we should prove an easy conquest. The viceroy of Peru approved of this advice, and immediately fitted out four ships of force from Callao ; one of fifty guns, two of forty guns, and one of twenty-four guns : three of them were stationed ott' the port of Conception, and one of them at the island of Fernjindes ; and in these stations they contuiued cruising for lis till the (jth of June, when not seeing anything of us, and con- ceiving it to be impossible that we could have kept the seas so long, they quitted their cruise and returned to Callao, fully ssitisfied that we had either perished, or at least liad been driven back. As the time of their quitting their station was but a few days before our arr'^al at the island of Fer- nandes, it is evident, that had we made that island on our fii-st si.'arch for it, without hauling in for the main to secure our easting, (a circumstance which at that tiino we considered as very unfortunate to us, on account of the numbei-s which wo lost by our longer continuance at sea) had we, 1 say, made the island on the 28th of May, when we first ex- pected to see it, and were in reality very near it, wo hj>d doubtless fallen in with some |)art of the Spanish squadron; and in the distressed eondilion we were then in, the meeting with a healthy well- jjrovided enemy wa'^ an incident that could not but have been perplexing, and might perhaps have proved i'atal, not only to us, but to the Tryal, the Gloucester, and the Anna pink, who separately joined us, and who were each of them less capable than we were of making any considerable resistance. I shall only add, that these Sjianish ships, sent out to intercept us, had been greatly shattered by a storm during their cruise ; and that, after their an-ivalat CalLio, they had been laid up. And our prisoners assured us, that whenever intelligence was received at Lima of our being in these seas, it would be at least two months before this armament could be again fitted out. The whole of tliis intelligence was as favourable as we in our reduced circumstances could wish for. 03 .V .; fi2 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. And now we were fully satisfied as to the broken jars, ashes, and fish-bones, which we had observed at our first landing at Jnan Fernandes, these things being doubtless the iclic" • of the craisers stationed off that port. Having thus batisfied ourselves in the material articles, and having gotten on board the Centurion most of the prisoners, and all the silver, we, at eight in the same evening, made sail to the northwai'd, in company with our prize, and at six the next morning discovered the island of Fernandes, whei-e, the next d y, both we and our prize cunc to an anchor. And here I cannot omit one remarkable incident which occuri'cd, when the prize and her crew came into the bay, where the rest of the squadron lay. -The Spaniards in the Carmelo had been sufficiently ■informed of the distresses we had gone through, and wert greatly surprised that we had ever sur- mounted them : but when they saw the Tryal sloop at anchor, they were still more astonished, that after all our fatigues, we had the industry (beside,< refitting ur other ships) to complete such a vessel "n so short a time, they taking ii fur granted that she had been built upon the spot. And it was with great difficulty they were prevailed on to be- lieve that she came from England with the "est of the squadron ; they at fii'st insisting, that it was impossible such a bauble as that could pass round Cape Horn, when the best ships of Spain were obliged to put back. By the time we arrived at Juan Fernandes, the letters found on board our prize- 'vere moi'e mi- nutely examined ; and, it appearing from them, and from the accounts of our prisoners, that several other merchantmen were bound from Ciillao to Valparaiso, Mr. Anson despatched the Tryal slonp the very next morning to cruise off the last-men- tioned port, reinforcing him with ten hands fronj on board his own ship, Mr. Anson likewise re- solved, on the intelligence recited abo /e, to separate the ships under his command, and employ them in distinct crui:'>es, as he thought that by this means we dhould not only increase our chance for pr'zes, but that we should li'Towise run a less risk of alarming the coast, and of being discovered. And now the spirits of our people being greatly raised^ and their despondency diasipated by this earnest of suaoess, they forgot all their past distresses, and resumed their wonted alacrity, and laboured inde- fatigably in completing our water, receiving our lumber, and in preparing to tal.e our farewell of the island : b'lt as these occupations took us up four or five days with all our industry, the com- modore, in that interval, directed that the guns belongingtothe Anna pink, being four six-pounders, four four-pounders, ani two swivels, should be liiounted on board the Carmelo, our prize : and having sent on board the Gloucester six passengers, and twrnty-three seam on to assist in navigating the ship, '>o directed Cap.'nin Mitch ;1 to leave the island as soon as ])ossible, the service requiring the utmost despai .;h, ordering him to proceed to ihe latitude of five degrees South, and there to cruise off t'le hlj^hland of Paita, at such a distance from shore as sliould prevent his being discovered. On this station he was to continue till he should bo joined by the commodore, whicli w )uld be whenever it should be known that the viceroy had fitied out Ihe ships at Callao, or on Mr. Ajobod's receiving any other intelligence, that should make it necessary to umto our strengl. These orders being delivered to the captain of the Gloucester, and all our business completed, we, on the Saturday following, being the 19th of September, weighed our anchor, in company with our prize, and got out of the bay, taking our last leave of the island of Juan Fernandes, and steer- ing to the eastward, with an intention of joining the Tryal sloop in her station off Valparaiso. CHAPTER V. Our cruise, from Ihe time 0/ our leavirn Juan .'eruandes, to the takiuij the tou-ii 0/ l-uHa. Althoigh the Centurion, witl' her prize, the Carmelo, weighed from the bay of Jn;in Fernandes on the lOtli of September, leaving tie Gloucester at anchor behind her ; yet, by the iTi^gularity and fluctuation of the winds in the offing, it was the 22nd of the same month, in the evening, before we lost sight of the island : after which, we continued oui course to the eastward, in order to reach our station, and to join the Tryal off Valparaiso. The next night, the weather prove '. squally, and we split our mamtop-sail, which we handed for the pres(>nt, but got it repaired, and set it again the next morning. And now, on the 24th, a little before sunset, we saw two sail *o '\iQ eastward ; on which, our \tYV/\ stood directly from us, to avoid giving any suspicion of on:: being cruisers ; whilst we, in the mean time, ma. ; j oursolves ready for an engagement, and steered towards he two ships we had disco .ered with all mr canvas. We soon perceived that one of thes,e, which had the appearance of being a very stout ship, made directly for us, whilst the other kept at a very great dis- tance. By seven o'clock: we were within pistol- shot of the nearest, and had a broadside ready to pour into her, the gunners having their matches in theii hands, and only waiting for orders to fire; but as we knew it was now impossible for her to escape us, Mr. Anson, before he permitted them to lire, ordered liie master to hail the ship in Spanish ; on which the commanding officer on board her, who proved to be Mr. Hughs, lieutencit of the Tryal, answerer! us in English, and inl< rmed us; that she was a prize taken by the Tryal a few days before, and that the other sail at a distance was the Tryal herself, disabled in her masts. We wove soon after joined by the Trjal ; and Captain ^aunders, her comman.\ •'- came on board the Centurion. He informed the commodore, that he had taken this ship the 18th instant ; that she wi.3 a prime sailer, and had cost him thirty-six houre' chase, before he could comt up with her ; that for som- time ho gained so little upon her, "'at he began to despair of taking her ; and the Spa \rd8, though aiarmed at first with seeing nothing but a cloud of sail in pursuit of them, the Tryal's hull being so low in the water that no part of it appeared, yet knowing ihe goodness of their ship, and find- ing how little the Try..l neared t!- ^m, they at length laid aside their fears, and, recommending them- selves to the blessed Virgin for protection, began to think themselves secure. And indeed their success was very near doing honour to their Ave Marias ; for, altering their course iu the night, and shutting up their windows to prevent any of 04 I ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 53 their lights from being seen, they had some chance of escaping ; but a small crevice i« one of the shuttere rendered all their invocations inefiectual ; for through this crevice the people on board the Tryal perceived a light, which they chased, till they arrived within gun-shot ; and then Captain Saunders alarmed them unexpectedly with a broad- aide, .. aen they flattered themselves they were got out of his reach : how(!ver, for some time after tiiey still kept the same sail abroad, and it was not observed i'.iat this flret salute had made any impression on them ; but, just as the Tryal was preparing to repeat her broadside, the Spaniards crqjt from their holes, lowered their sails, anil submitted without any opposition. She was one of the largest merchantmen employed in those seas, being about six hundred tons burthen, and was called the Arranzazu. She was bound from Callao to Valparaiso, and had nuicli the same cargo with the Carmelo we had taken before, except that her silver amounted only to aboui 5000/. sterling. But to balance this success, we had the mis- fortune to find th.at the Tryal had sprung her main-mast, and that her maintoj)-mast had come by tlie board ; and as we were all of us standing to the eastward the next morning, with a fresli gale at South, she had the additional ill-luck to spring her fore-mast : so that now she had not a mast left, on which she could carry sail. These unhappy incidents were still aggravated by the impossibility we were just then under of assisting her ; for the wind l)le\v so hard, and raised sucii a hollow sea, that wo could not venture to hoist out our boat, and consequently could have no communication with her ; so tluit we were obliged to lie-to for the greatest part of forty-eight hours to attend her, as we could have no thought of leaving her to herself in her present unhajipy situation : and as an accumulation to our misfor- tunes, we were all the while driving to the leeward of our station, at the very time when, by our intel- ligence, wo had reason to expect several of the enemy's ships would appear upon the coast, who would now gain the \)ovt of Valparaiso without obstruction. And I am verily persuadid, that the (wnbarrassment we received from the dismast- ing of the Tryal, and our absence fnmi our intemletl station occasioned thereby, deprived us of sonic very considerable cai)tui'cs. The weather proving somewhat more niod(>ra*e on the 27th, we sent our bo-it for the captain of the Tryal, who, when he came on board us, pro- duced an instrument, signed by himself and all his officers, representing that the sloop, besides being dismasted, was so very leaky in her hull, that even in moderate weather it was necessary to keep the pimips constantly at work, and that they were then scarcely sufficient to keep her free ; so that in the late gale, though they had all been eiigagi'd at the pumps by turuB, yet the water bad inci'oi' id upon them ; and, upon the whole, they apprehended her to be at i)resent bo very defective, that if they met with much bad weather, they must all inevitably perish ; and thei*efore they petitioneil the commo- dore to take some measures for their future safety. But the refitting of the Tryal, and the repairing of her lefects, was an undertaking that in the pre- sent conjuncture greatly ex«!eeded his power ; for we had no masts to spare her, we had no stores to complete her rigging, nor had we any port where she might be hove down, and her bottom examined: besides had a port and proper requisites for this j)urpose been in our possession, yet it would have been extreme imprudence, in so critical a conjunc- ture, to have loitered away so much time as would h-ave been necessary for these operations. Tho commodore therefore had no choice left him, but that of taking out her people, and destroying her: but, at the same time, as he conceived it necessary for his Majesty's service to keej) up the appearance of our force, he appointed the Tryal's prize (which had been often employed by the viceroy ot Peru as a man of war) to be a frigate in his Majesty's service, manning her with the Tryal's crew, and giving new commissions to the captain and all the inferior officers accordingly. This new frigate, when in the Spanish service, had mounted thirty- two guns ; but she was now to have only twenty, which were the twelve that were on board the Tryal, and eight that had belonged to tho Anna pink. When this affiiir was thus far regidat«d, Mr. Anson gave orders to (Japtain Saunders to put it in qxccution, directing him to take out of the sloop the arms, stores, ammunition, and every thing that could be of any use to the other ships, and then to scuttle her and sink her. And after Caj)tain Saunders had seen her destroyed, he was to proceed with his new frigate (to be called the Tryal's prize) and to cruise off the highland of Valparaiso, keeping it from hira N.N.W., at the distill I'o of twelve or fourteen leagues : for as all ships l)ound from Valparaiso to the northward steer that coui-se, Mr. Anson proposed by this means to .stop any intelligence, that might be despatched to Callao, of two of their ships being mi.ssing, which might give them apprehensions of the English squadron being in their neighbourhood. Tlie Tryal's j-.rize was to continue on this station twenty-four days, and, if not joined by the com- modore at the expiration of that tenn, she was then to proceed down the coa t to Pisco or Nasca, where she would be certain to meet with Mr. An- son. The commodore likewise ordered lieutenant Saiiniarez, who commanded the Centurion's prize, to keep company with Captain Saunders, both to assist Iiiui in unloading the sloop, and also that, by .spreading in their cruise, there might be less danger of any of the enemy's ships slipping by UTiobscrved. These orders binng des]iatched, the Centurion parted from them at eleven in the even- ing, on the 27tliof September, directing her course to the southward, with a view of cruising for somo day" to the windward of Valparaiso. And now by this disposition of our ships we flattered ourselves, that we had taken all tho advantages of the enemy that we possibly could with our small force, since our disposition was doubtless the most prudent that could be project- ed. For, as we might suppoao the Gloucester by this time to be drawing near her station oft" tho highland of Paita, we were enabled, by our sepa- rati! statioTis, to intercept all vessels employed either betwixt Peru and Chili to tho southward, or betwixt Panama and Peru to tho northward: since the principal trad(! from Peru to Chili being carried ou to the port of Valparaiso, the Centurion cruising to the windward of Valparaiso, woidd, in all pro'aability, meet with them, as it is the con- stant practice of those ships to fall in with the 66 54 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. itk coast, to the windward of that port : and the Gloucester would, in like manner, be in the way of the trade bound from Panama or the northwai'd, to any part, of Peru ; since the highland off which she was stationed is constantly made by all ships in that voyage. And whilst the Centurion and Gloucester were thus situated for inteiTupting the enemy's trade, the Tryal's prize and Centurion's prize were as conveniently stationed for prevent- ing all intelligence, by intercepting all ships bound from Valparaiso to the northward ; for it was on board these vessels that it was to be feared some account of us might possibly be sent to Peru. But the most prudent dispositions carry with them only a probability of success, and can never insure its certainty: since those chances, which it was reasonable to overlook in deliberations, arc sometimes of most powerful influence in execution. Thus in the jn-esent case, the distress of the Tryal, and the quitting our station to assist her (events which no degree of prudence could either foresee or obviate) gave an opportunity to all the ships, bound to Valparaiso, to reach that ])ort witliout molestation, during this unlucky interval. So that thougii, after leaving Captain Saunders, we were very expeditious in regaining our station, where we got the 20th at noon, yet in plying on and off till the (ith of Octoljer, we had not the good fortune to discover a sail of any sort : and then, having lost all hopes of making any advantage by a longer stay, we niade sail to the leeward of the port, in order to join our prizes ; but when we arrived on the station appointed for them, we did not meet '»'ith them, though we continued there four or five days. We supposed that some chase had occa- eioned their leaving their station, and therefore we proceeded down the coast to the highlan The ancients, as appears in many places, coiv ceived that of the live zones, into which they « 67 56 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. V^h'': divided the surface of the glohe, two only were habitable, supposing that all between the tropics was too hot, and all within the polar circle too cold, to be supported by mankind. The falsehood of this reasoning has beeii long evinced ; but the particular comparisons of the heat and cold of these various climates, has as yet been very imperfectly considered. However, enough is known safely to detemiine this position, that all places between the tropics are far from being the hottest on the globe, as many of those within the polar circles are far from enduring that extreme degree of cold, to which their situation should seem to subject them : that is to say, in other words, that the temperature of a place depends much more upon other circumstances, than upon its distance from the pole, or its proximity to the equinoctial. This proposition relates to the general temper- ature of places, taking the whole year round ; and in this sense it cannot be denied but that the city of London, for instance, enjoys much warmer sea- sons than the bottom of Hudson's Bay, which is nearly in the same latitude with it ; for there the severity of the winter is so great, that it will scarcely permit the hardiest of our garden plants to live. And if the comparison be made between the coast of Brazil and the western shore of South America, as, for example, betwixt Bahia and Lima, the difference will be still moreremai'kable; for though the coast of Brazil is extremely sultry, yet the coast of the South Seas in the same lati- tude is perhaps as temperate and tolerable as any part of the globe ; since in ranging along it we did not once meet with so warm weather as is frequent in a summer's day in England : and thiu was the more remarkable, as there never fell any rains to refresh and cool the air. The causes of this tempei-ature in the South Seas are not difficult to be assigned, and shall be hereafter mentioned. I am now only solicitous to establish the truth of this assertion, that the latitude of a place alone is no rule whereby to judge of the degree of heat and cold which obtains there. Perhaps this position might be more briefly confirmed by observing, that on the tops of the Andes, though under the equinoctial, the snow never melts the whole year round ; a cri- terion of cold, stronger than what is known to take place in many parts far removed within the polar circle. I have hitherto considered the temperature of the air all the year through, and the gross esti- mations of heat and cold which every one makes from his own sensation. If this matter be exam- ined by means of thermometei-s, which in respect to the absolute degree of heat and cold are doubt- less the most unerring evidences ; if this be ilone, the result will be indeed most wonderful ; for it will appear that the heat iu very high latitudes, as at Petersburg for instance, m at particular times much greater than any that has been hitherto observed between thi; tropics ; and that even at London, in the year 174(), there was the part of one day considerably hotter than what was at any time felt by a ship of Mr. Anson's squadron, in running from hence to C.tpe Horn and back again, and passing twice under the sun ; for in the sum. mor of that yenr, the thermometer in London (being one of those graduated according to the method of Fahrenheit) stood once at 78"; and the greatest height at which a thennometer of the same kind stood in the foregoing ship, I find to be 76" : this was at St. Catherine's, in the latter end of December, when the sun was within about three degrees of the vertex. And as to Petersburg, 1 find, by the acts of the Academy established there, that in the year 1734, on the 20th and 25th of July, the thermometer rose to 98" in the shade, that is, it Wiis twenty-two divisions higher than it was found to be at St. Catherine's ; which is a degree of heat that, were it not authorised by the regularity and circumspection with which the observations seem to have been made, would appear altogether incredible. If it should be asked, how it comes to pass then, that the heat in many places between the ti'opics is esteemed so violent and insufferable, when it appears, by these instances, that it is sometimes rivalled or exceeded in very high latitudes not far from the polar circle '. I should answer, that the estimation of heat, in any particular place, ought not to be founded upon that degree of heat which may now and then obtain there, but is rather to be deduced from the medium observed in a whole season, or perhaps in a whole year : and in this light it will easily appear, how much more intense the same degree of heat may prove, by being long continued without remarkable variation. For instance, in comparing together St. Catherine's and Petersburg, we will suppose the summer heat at St. Catherine's to be 7(j", and the winter heat to be twenty divisions short of it : I do not make use of this last conjecture upon sufficient observation ; but I am apt to suspect that the allowance is full largo. Upon this supposition then, the medium heat all the year round will be 6f)", and this perhaps by night as well as day, with no great variation : now those who have attended to thermometers will readily own that a continu- ation of this degree of heat for a length of time would by the generivlity of mankind be styled vio- lent and suffocating. But now at Petei-sburg, though a few times in the year the heat, by the thermometer, may be considerably greater than at St. Catherine's, yet, as at other times the cold is immensely sharper, the medium for a year, or even for one season only, would be far short of fi6*. For I find that the variation of the ther- mometer at Petersliurg is at least five times greater, from its highest to its lowest point, than what I have supposed to take place at St. Ca- therine's. But besides this estimation of the heat of a place, by taking the medium for a considerable time together, there is another circumstance which will still augment the apparent heat of the warmer climates, and diminish that of the colder, though I do not remember to have seen it remarked in any author. To explain myself more distinctly upon this head, I must observe, that the measure of absolute heat, niiirked by the thermometer, is not the certain criterion of the sensation of heat, with which human bodies ai-e affected : for as the presence and perpetual succession of fresh air is necessary to our respir-ation, so there is a species of tainted or stagnated air, which is often pro- duced by the continuance of great heats, which never fails to excite in us an idea of sultriness and suffocating warmth, much beyond what the mere heat of the air alone, supposing it pure and agi- (18 ANSON'S VOYAGE HOUND THE WORLD. Ol year, or short of the ther- ve times oint, than St. Ca- tatod, would occasion. Hence it follows that the mere inspection of the thenuometer will never determine the heat which the human body feels from this cause ; and hence it follows too, that the heat in most places between the tropics must be much more troublesome and uneasy, than the same degree of absolute heat in a high latitude : for the eijuability and duration of the tropical heat contribute to impregnate the air with a mul- titude of steams and vapours from the soil and water, and these being, many of them, of an im- pure and noxious kind, and being not easily i-e- moved, by reason of the regularity of the winds in those parts, which only shift the exhalations from place to place, without dispersing them, the atmosphere is by this means rendered less proper for respiration, and mankind are consequently affected with what they style a most intense and stifling heat : whereas in the higher latitudes these vapours .are probfibly raised in smaller quan- tities, and the irregularity and violence of the winds frequently disperse them ; so that, tlie air being in general pure and less stagnant, the same degree of absolute heat is not attended with that uneasy and suffocating sensation. This may suf- fice in general with respect to the present specu- lation ; but I cannot help wishing, as it is a sub- ject in which mankind, especially travellers of all sorts, are very much interested, that it were more thoi'oughly and accurately examined, and that all ships bound to the warmer climates would furnish themselves with thermometers of a known fabric, and would observe them daily, and register their observations ; for considering the turn to philo- sophical subject-.', which has obtained in Europe for the last fourscore years, it is incredible how very rarely anything of this kind has been at- tended to. For my own part, I do not recollect that I have ever seen any observations of the heiit and cold, either in the East or West Indies, which were made by mariners or officers of ves- sels, except those made by Mr. Anson's order, on board the Centurion, and by Captain Legge on board the Severn, which was another ship of our squadron. This digression I have been in some measure drawn into by the consideration of the fine weather we met with on the coast of Peru, even under the equinoctial itself, but the particularities of this weather I have not yet described : 1 shall now tliereforo add, that in this climate every circum- stance concurred tliat could render the open air and the daylight desirable. For in other coun- tries the scorching heat of the sun in summer renders th.e greater p.art of th-- ' y unapt either for labour or aniusement ; and the frequent raiuf are not less troublesome in the more temperate parts of the year. But in this happy climate the sun rarely appears : not that the heavens have at any time a dark and gloomy look ; but there is constantly a cheerful grey sky, just sufficient to screen the sun, and to mitigate the violence of its perpendicular rays, without obscuring the air, or tinging the daylight with an nnplea-sant or melan- choly hue. By this means all parts of the day are proper for labour or exercise abroad, nor is there wanting that refreshment and pleasing re- frigeration of the air, which is somethnes produced in other climates by rains ; for here the same effect is brought about by the fi-csh breezes from the cooler regions to the southward. It is i-eason- able to suppose that this fortunate complexion of the heavens is principally owing to the neighbour- liood of those vast hills, called the Andes, which running nearly parallel to the shore, and at a small distance from it, and extending themselves im- mensely higher than any other mountains upon the globe, form upon their sides and declivities a prodigious ti-act of country, where, according to the different approaches to tlie summit, all kinds of climates may at all seasons of the year be found. These mountains, by intercepting great part of the eastern winds which generally blow over the cor.- tinent of South America, and by cooling that part of the air which forces its way over their tops, and by keeping besides a prodigious extent of the atmosphere perpetually cool, by its contiguity to the snows with which they are covered ; these hills, I say, by thus extending the influence of their fi'ozen crests to the neighbouring coasts and seas of Peru, are doubtless the cause of the tempera- ture and equability which constantly prevail there- For when we were advanced beyond the equinoc- tial, whei'e these mountains left us, and had no- thing to screen us to the eastward, but the high lands on the isthmus of Panama, which are but mole-hills to the Andes, we then soon found that in a short run we had totally changed our climate, passing in two or three days from the temperate air of Peru to the sultry burning atmosphere of the West Indies. But it is time to return to our narration. On the 10th of November we were three leagues south of the southermost island of Lobos, lying in the latitude 6° 27' South. There are two islands of this name ; this, called Lobos de la Mar, and another, which lies to the northward of it, very much i-csembling it in shape and ap- pearance, and often mistaken for it, called Lobos de Tierra. We were now drawing near to the station appointed to the Gloucester, for which reason, fearing to miss her, we made an easy sail all night. The next morning, at day-break, we saw a ship in-shore, and to windward, plying up to the coast : she had passed by us with the favour of the night, and we soon perceiving her not to be the Gloucester, got our tacks on board, aTid gave her chase ; but it proving very little wind, so that neither of us could make much way, the commodore ordered the barge, his pinnace, and the Tryal's pmnace, to be nninned and amied, and to pursue the chase and board her. Lieu- tenant Brett, who commanded the barge, came up with her first, about nine o'clock, and running along-side of her, he fii-ed a volley of small shot between the masts, just over the heads of the people on board, and then instantly entered with the greatest part of his men ; but the enemy made no resistance, being sufficiently frightened ))y the dazzling of the cutlasses, and the volley they had just I'eceived. Lieutenant Brett ordered the sails to be trinnned, and bore down to the commodore, taking up in his way the two pinnaces. When he was arrived within about four miles of us he put off in the barge, bringing with him a number of the prisoners, who had given him some material intelligence, which he was desirous the commodore should be acquainted with as soou an possible. On his arrival we learnt, that the prize was called Nuestra Scnora del Carmin, of t)9 58 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 1i I' ■ r \ rV' M 'i I about two hundred and seventy tons burthen ; slie was commanded by Marcos Morena, a native of Venice, and had on board forty-three mariners : she was deep hiden with steel, iron, wax, pepper, cedar, plank, snuft", rosarios, European bale goods, powder-bl'ic, cinnamon, Romisli indulgences, and other species of merchandize : and tliough this cargo, in our pi-esent circumstances, was but of little value to us, yet with respect to the Spaniards, it was the most considerable capture that fell into our hands in this part of the world ; for it amounted to upwards of 400,000 dollars prime cost at Panama. This ship was bound to Callao, and had stop])ed at Paita in her psissage, to take in a recruit of water and provisions, and had not left that place above twenty-four hours, before she fell into our hands. I have mentioned that Mr. Brett had received some important intelligence from the prisoners, which h(! endeavoured to acquaint the commo- dore with immediately. The fii-st person he re- ceived it from (though upon further examination it was confirmed by the other prisonei-s) was one John Williams, an Irishman, whom he found on board the Sjianish vessel. Williams was a papist, who worked his pas8art of the cargo of the Manila ship. This vessel at Paita was esteemed a prime sailer, and had just received a new coat of tallow on her bottom ; and, in the opinion of the in'isoners, she might be able to sail the suc- ceeding morning. The character they gave us of this vessel, in which the money was to be shipped, left us little reason to believe that our ship, which had been in the water near two years, could have any chance of coming up with her, if we once f-utt'ered her to escape out of the jtort. And thex'efore, ius we were now discovered, and tlie coast would be soon alarmed, and as our cruising in these parts any longer would answer no purpose, the commodore resolved to surprise the place, having fii"st minutely informed himself of its strength and condition, and being fully satisfied, that tliere was little danger of losing many of our men in the attempt. This surprise of Paita, be- sides the treasure it promised us, and its being the only enterprise it was in our power to under- take, had these other advantages attending it, that we should in all j)robability supply ourselves with great quantities of live ]>rovision, of which we were at this time in want : and we should likewise have an opportunity of setting our pri- soners on shore, who were now very numerous, and made a greater consumption of our food than our stock that remained was capable of furnishing long. In all these lights the attempt was a most eligihle one, and what our necessities, our situation, and every prudential consideration, prompted us to. How it succeeded, and how far it answered our expectations, sliall be the subject of the following chapter. CHAPTER VI. The taking cf Paita, and our proceedings till we left the Coast of Peru. The town of Paita is situated in the latitude of 5" 1"2' south, in a most barren soil, composed-: only of sand and slate : the extent of it i^ }>i)^ small, containing in all le.ss than two hundred. families. The houses are only ground-floors ; tha walls built of split cane and nuid, and the roofs thatched with leaves : these edifices, though ex- tremely slight, are abundantly sufiicient for a climate, where rain is considered as a prodigy, and is not seen in many years : so that it is said, that a small quantity of rain falling in this country in the year 1728, it ruined a great number of buildings, which mouldered away, and as it were melted before it. The iidiabitants of Paita are principally Indians and black slaves, or at least ai mixed breed, the whites being very few. The port of PaiUi, though in reality little more than a bay, is esteemed the best on '"it part of the coast ; and is indeed a very secure '' commo- dious anchorage. It is greatly frequeu.'^d by all vessels, coming from the north ; since ."t is here only that the ships from Acapulco, Son- sonnate, Relaleijo and Panama, can touch and rcl'resh in their passage to Callao : and the length of these ^ oyiiges (the wind for the greatest part of tlio year being full against them) rcndei-s it impossible to perfonn them without calling upon the coast for a recruit of fresh water. It is tru", Paita is situated on so parched a spot, that it does not itself furnish a drop of fresh water, or any kind of greens or provisions, except fish and a few goats : but there is an Indian town called Colan, about two or three leagues distant to the northward, from whence water, maize, greens, fowls, &c. are brought to Paita on balsas or floats, for the couveniency of the ships that touch here ; and cattle are sometimes brought from Piura, a town which lies about fourteen leagues up in the country. The water brought from Colan is whitish, and of a disagreeable appearance, but it is said to 70 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 69 II g upon is tru", that it 'atur, or ish and called to the greens, r Heats, here ; 'lura, a in the whitish, said to be very wholesome : for it is pretended by the inhabitants, that it runs through large woods of sai-saparilla, and that it is sensibly impregnated therewith. This port of Paita, besides furnishing the northern trade bound to Callao with water and necessaries, is the usual place where pas- sengers from Acapnleo or Panama, bound to Lima, disembark ; for, as it is two hundred leagues from hence to Callao, the port of Lima, and as the wind is generally coutrary, the passage by sea is very tedious and fatiguing, but by land there is a tolerably good road parallel to the coast, with many stations and villages for the accommodation of travellers. The town of Paita is itself an open place ; its sole protection and defence being a single fort. It wiis of consequence to us to be well informed of the fabric and strength of this fort ; and by the examination of our prisoners we found, that there were eight pieces of cannon mounted in it, but that it had neither ditch nor outwork, being only surrounded by a plain brick wall ; and that the garrison consisted of only one weak company, but the town itself might possibly arm three liundred men more. Mr. Anson having informed himself of the strength of the place, resolved (as hath been said in the preceding chaptei-) to attempt it that very night. We were then about twelve leagues distant fi'om the shore, far enough to prevent our being discovered ; yet not so far but that, by making all the sail we could, we might arrive in the bay with our ships in the night. However, the com- modore prudently considered that this would be an improper method of proceeding, as our ships being such large bodies might be ea.sily discovered at a distance even in the night, and might thereby alarm the inhabitants, and give them an oppor- tunity of removing their valuable effects. He therefoi'c, as the strength of the place did not requii-e our whole force, resolved to attempt it with our boats only, ordering the eighteen-oareu barge, and our own and the Tryal's pinnaces, on that service ; and having picked out fifty-eight men to man them, well provided with arms and ammunition, he gave the command of the expe- dition to Lieutenant Brett, and gave him his necessary orders. And the better to prevent the disappohitment and confusion which might arise from the darkness of the night, and the ignoranije of the streets and passages of the place, two of the Spanish pilots were ordered to attend the lieutenant, and to conduct him to the most con- venient landing-place, and were afterwards to be his guides on shore ; and that we might have the greater security for their faithful behaviour on this occasion, the commodore took care to assure all our prisoners, that if the pilots acted properly, they should all of them be released, and set on shore at this place ; but in case of any m^conduct or treachery, he threatened them that the pilots should be instantly shot, and that he would carry all the rest of the Spaniards, who were on board him, prisoners to England. So that the prisoners themselves were interested in our success, and therefore we had no reason to suspect our con- ductoi-s either of negligence or pci-fidy. And on this occasion I cannot but remark a singulai' circumstance of one of the pilots employed by us in this business. It seenis (as we afterwards learnt) he had been taken by Captain Clipperton above twenty yeara before, and had been forced to lead Clipperton and his people to the surprise of Truxillo, a town within lanuttinn off, wlu'ii they heard him cailin;^ to ' them to take iiim in. The town was by this time . so thoroughly on fire, and the smoke covered the j beaeh so effectually, that they could scarcely sec I liim, though tlu'V heard his voice. The lieutenant ' instantly ordered one of tlie boats to his relief, who found him up to the chin in water, for ho j had waded as far as he durst, beini^ extriMiioly i frighten(;d with the u])|)rehensions of falling into j the hands of an enemy, enraged, as they doubtless I were, witli the j)illage and destruction of their town. On ini (Hiring into tJie Ciiiiso of liis stay- ! ing beliind, it w.as found that he liud taken that ■ morning too largo a dose of brandy, which liad thrown him into so sound a slee]!, that he did not awake till the fire came near enough to scorch I him. He was strangely amazed, on first opening his eyes, to see the place all in a bla/e on one j side, and several Spaniards and Indians not far , from him on the other. The greatness and sud- denness of his fright instantly reduced him to a , state of sobriety, and gave him sufficient presence of mind to push through the thickest of the smoke, as the likeliest means to escape the enemy ; and making the best of his way to the beach, he i-an as far into the water as he durst, (for lie could not swim) before lie ventured to look back. And here I cannot but observe, to the honour of our people, that though there were great (juan- tities of wine and spirituous liijuoi-s found in the place, yet this man was the only one who was known to liave so far neglected his duty, as to get drunk. Indeed, their whole behaviour, while they were on shore, was much more regular than could well have been expected from sailors, who had been so long confined to a shij) : and though part of this prudent demeanour must doubtless be imputed to the diligence of their officers, and to the excellent disci])lino to which they liad been long inured on board the conunodore, yet it was doubtless no snuill rej)utation to the men, that they should in general refrain from indulging tliemselves in those intoxicating liquors, which they found ready to their hands in almost every warehouse. And having mentioned this single instance of drunkenness, I cannot pass by another ovei-sight, which was likewise the only one of its kind, and which was attended with very particular circum- stances. There was an Englishman, who had formerly wrought as a ship-carpenter in the yard at Portsmouth, but leaving his country, liad after- wards entered into the Spanish service, and was employed by them at the port of Guaiaquil ; and it being well known to his friends in England that he was thtni in that part of the world, they put letters on board the Centurion, directed to him. This man being then by accident amongst the Spaniards, who were retired to the hill at Paita, lie was desirous (as it should seem) of acquiring some reputation amongst his new mastera Witli this ^-iew he came down unarmed to a sentinel of ours, who was placed at some distance from the fort towards the enemy, and pretended to be desirous of surrendering liimHelf, and of entering into our service. Our sentinel had a cocked pistol, but being deceived by the otiier's fair speeches, he was so imiu'udent as to let him approach much nearer than he ought ; so that the shipwright, watching his oppin'tuuity, rushed on the sentinel, and seizing his pistol, wrenched it out of his hand, and instantly ran away with it up the liill. By this time, two of our people, who seeing the fellow advance, had susi)ected his intention, were making towards him, and were thereby prepared to pur- sue him ; but he got to the top of the hill befoi'o they could reach him, and thc^n turning about, fired the pistol ; at which instant his purauers fired at him, and though he was at a great dis- tance, and the crest of the hill hid hhn as soon as they had fired, so that they took it for granted they had missed him, yet we afterwards learnt that he was shot through the body, and had fallen down dead the very next step he took after be was out of sight. The sentinel too, who had been thus grossly im})08ed upon, did not escape unpun- ished ; for he was ordered to be severely whi])t for being thus shamefully surprised upon his post, and for having given an example of carelessness, which, if followed in other instances, might prove fatal to us all. But to return : By the time our people had taken their com- rade out of the water, and were making the best of their way for the squadron, the fiames had taken possession of i> ery part of tlie town, and had got such hold, by means of combustibles that had been distii ited for that purpose, and by the slightness of the materials of which the houses were composed, and their aptitude to take fire, that it was sufficiently ajiparent no efforts of the enemy (though they flocked down in great numbers) could possibly put a stop to it, or pre- vent the entire destruction of the place, and all the merchandise contained therein. A whole town on fire at once, especially a place that burnt with such facility and violence, being a very singular and awful spectacle. Our detachment under Lieutenant Brett having safely joined the squadron, the commodore pre- j)ared to leave the place the same evening. He found, when he first came mU> the bay, six vessels of the enemy at anchor ; one of which was tlie ship, which, according to our inti Ujgence, was to have sailed with the treasure lo the coast of Mexico, and which, as we were pei-suaded she was a good sailer, we i-esolved to take with us : the others were two snows, a bark, and two row- galleys of thirty-six oars a-jtiece: these last, as we were afterwards informed, with many others of the same kind built at different ports, were intended to prevent our landing in tin; neighbourhood of Callao: for the Spaniards, on the first intelligence of our squadron and its force, expected that we would attempt the city of Lima. The commodore, having no occasion for these other vessels, liad ordered the masts of all five of them to he cut away on his fii-st aiTival ; smd now, at his leaving the place, they were towed out of the harbour, and scuttled and sunk ; and the command of the renjaining ship, called the Solidad, being given to Mr. Hughs, the lieutenant of the Tryal, who had with him a crew of ten men to navigate lier, thflisquadron towards midnight, weighed anchor, and sailed out of the bay, bemg now augmented -74 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND TIIK WORLD. 03 of entering locked ]>iHtol, iir speeches, [)roach much shii)wrif,'ht, the seiitmel, ; of his hand, he hill. By ng the fellow were making lared to pur- le hill before riling about, Ills pursuers a great dis- in as soon as for granted vards learnt id had fallen )ok after he ho had been cape unpun- i'erely whipt poll his post, carelessness, might prove their com- ing the best flames had le town, and onibustibles lurpose, and which the tude to take [lo efforts of in great t, or pre- ice, and all A whole that bui-nt a very 'tt having lore pro- ing. He X vessels was the ce, was to coast of laded she with us : two row- ast, as we lers of the intended irhood of telligence that we aniodoi'o, sels, had o be cut leaving harbour, d of the ig given al, who ate her, anchor, nnented to uix sail, that is the Centurion and the Tryal prize, together with the Carmelo, the Teresa, the Curmin, and our last acquired vessel the Solidad. And now, before I entirely quit the account of our transactions at this place, it may not perhaps be improper to give a succinct relation of the booty we made here, and of the loss the S])ainards sustained. I have before observed, that there were great quantities of valuable effects in the town; but as tlio greatest part of them were what we could neither dispose of nor carry away, the total amount of this merchandise can only be rudely guessed at. I'ut the Spaniards, in the re- presentations they nuidc to the court of Madrid (as we were afterwards assured), estimated their whole loss at a million and a half of dollars ; and when it is considered, that no small part of the goods we burnt there were of the richest and most expensive species, as broad-cloths, silks, cambrics, velvets, &c., I cannot but think their valuation sufficiently moderate. As to our parts, our ac- quisition, though inconsiderable in comparison of what we destroyed, was yet in itself far from despicable ; for the wrought plate, dollars and other coin, which fell into our hands amounted to upwards of ;iO,0()0/. sterling, besides several rings, bx'acelets, and jewels, whose intrinsic value we could not then determine ; and over and above all this, the plunder which became the property of the immediate captors, was very great : so that upon the whole it was by much the most important booty we made upon that coast. There remains, before I take leave of this place, another particularity to be mentioned, which, on account of the great honour which our national character in those parts has thence received, and the reputation which our commodore in particular has therei)y accjuired, merits a distinct and cir- cumstantial discussion. It has been already related, that all the prisoners taken by us in our preced- ing prizes were put on shoi-e, and discharged at this place ; amongst which there were some per- sons of considerable distinction, j)articularly a youth of about seventeen years of age, son of the vice-president of the Council of Cliili. As the barbarity of the buccaneers, and the artful use the ecclesiastics had made of it, had filled the natives of those countries with the most terrible ideas of the English cruelty, we always found our prisoners, at their first coming on board us, to be extremely dejected, and under great horror and anxiety. In particular, this youth, whom I last mentioned, having never been from home before, lamented his captivity in the most moving manner, regretting, in \ery j)laintive terms, his parents, his brothers, his sisters, and his native country ; of all which he was fully persuaded he had taken his last farewell, believing that he was now devoted, for the remaining part of his life, to an abject and cruel servitude ; nor was he singular in his feare, for his companions on board, and indeed all the Spaniards that came into our power, had the same desponding opinion of their situation. Mr. Anson constantly exerted his utmost endea- vours to efface these inhuman impressions they had received of us; always taking care, that as many of the principal people among them as there was room for, should dine at his table by turns ; and giving the strictest orders too, that they should at all times, and iu every cii-cumstauce, be treated with the utmost decency and humanity. But not- withstanding this precaution, it was generally observed, that for the first day or two they did not quit their feai-s, but suHjjected the gentleness of their usage to be only preparatory to some un- thought-of calamity. However, being confiiTned by time, they grew pei-fcctly easy in their situation and remarkably cheerful, so that it was often dis- putable, whether or no they considered their being detained by us as a misfortuni". For the youth 1 have above-meiitioni'd, who was near two months on board us, had at last so far con(|uei'ed his melancholy surmises, and had taken kucIi an affec- tion to Ml'. Anson, and seemed so much pleased with the manner of life, totally ditt'erent from all lie had ever seen before, that it is doubtful to me whether, if his own opinion had been taken, he would not have prefeiTed a voyage to England in the Centurion, to the being set on shore at Paita, where he was at liberty to return to his country and his friends. This conduct of the commodore to his prisoners, wliicli was contiimed without interru[)tion or devi- ation, gave them all the highest idea of his human- ity and benevolence, and induced them likewise (as mankind are fond of forming general opinions) to entertain very favourable thoughts of the whole English nation. But whatever they might bo dis- posed to think of Mr. Anson before the taking of the Teresa, their veneration for him was jn-odigi- ously increased by his conduct towards those women, whom (as I have already mentioned) he took in that vessel : for the leaving them in the possession of their apartments, the strict orders given to prevent all his people on board from ap- proaching them, and the permitting the pilot to stay with them as their guardian, were measures that seemed so different from what might be ex- pected from an enemy and a heretic, that the Spaniards on board, though they had themselves experienced his beneficence, were surprised at this new instance of it ; and the more so, as all this was done without his ever having seen the women, though the two daughters were both esteemed handsome, and theyoungest was celebrated for her uncommon beauty.' The women themselves, too, were so sensible of the obligations they owed him for the care and attention with which he had pro- tected them, that they absolutely refused to go on shore at Paita, till they had been permitted to wait on him on board the Centurion, to returji him thanks in pei-son. Indeed, all the prisoners left us with the strongest assurances of their grate- ful remembrance of his uncommon treatment. A Jesuit in particular, whom the commodore had taken, and who was an ecclesiastic of some dis- tinction, could not help exju'essiiig himself with great thankfulness for the civilities he and his countrymen had found on board, declaring that he should consider it as his duty to do Mr. Anson j usticc I "We have heard agreat deal of the continence of Scipio Africanus, when that conqueror of Spain refused to sec a beautiful princess tliat liud fallen into hisjjDwer. If Anson, under the eireunistanees of the times and conntry, bo denied the meed of praise bestowed on the Uonian general, as an example of stern Homan viitiie, he was an\ply repaid for liis generosity and humanity to his prisoners, by their cordial and grateful reniembranee of bis treatment, which was applauded and circulated through every comer of Spanish Amcncii."—liarruic's Li/c of Lord Anton, lb C4 ANSON'H VOYACil: HOUND THE WORLD. :* J ;. f ' I n'fi at all tiincH; adding, that his uaago of the men- jirisoiitTS waH hucIi as could iiuver he Ibrgot, and Huch as he could iicvor fail to acknowledge anil recite upon all occaf-ions; hut that hi.s bohavionr to the women was no extraordinary, and so ex- tremely honouRible, that he doubted all the regard due to his own eecle>-iaHtical character, would be scarcely sufHcient to render it credible. And in- deed we were afterwards informed, that both he and the rest of our iirisoncrs had not been silent on this head, but had, both at Lima and at other places, piven the j!;reatest enconnums to our com- modore ; the Jesuit in particular, as we were told, havinjj on his account interpreted in a lax and hypothetical sense that article of his Church, which asserts the impossibility of heretics being saved. And let it not be imagined, that the impressions which the Spaniards hence received to our advan- tage, is a matter of small import : for, not to men- tion several of our countrymen who have already felt the good effects of these )>rcpos8es8ions, the Spaniards are a nation, whose good opinion of us is doubtless of more consc(iuence than that of all tho world besides : not only as the commerce wo have formerly carried on with them, and perhaps may again hereafter, is so extremely valuable ; but also as the transacting it does so immediately depend on the honour and good faith of those who are entrusted with its management. But, how- ever, had no national conveniences attended it, the commodore's equity and good temper would not less have deterred liim from all tyranny and cruelty to those whom the fortune of war had put into his liands. I shall only add, that by his constant attachment to these humane and prudent maxims, he has acquired a distinguished reputation amongst the Creolian Spaniards, which is not confined merely to the coast of the South Seas, but is extended through all the Spanish settlements in America ; so that his name is frequently to be met with in the mouths of most of the Spanish in- habitants of that prodigious empire.' CHAPTER VII. From our departure from Paita, to our arrival at Quito. When we got under sail from the road of Paita (which, as I have already observed, was about midnight, on the 16th of November) we stood to the westward, and in the morning the commodore gave orders that the whole squadron should spread themselves, in order to look out for the Gloucester. For we now drew near to the station where Captain Mitchel had been directed to cruise, and hourly expected to get sight of him ; but the whole day passed without seeing him. And now a jealousy, which had taken its rise at Paita, between those who had been ordered on shore for the attack, and those who had continued on board, grew to such a height that the commo- dore, being made acquainted with it, thought it necessary to interpose his authority to appease it. The ground of this animosity was the plun- ' " Kven to this day the name of Anson is held in the highest respect in the Sjianish provinces of America, while tho fate of Paita is forgotten, or, if remembered, is so chiefly to reprobate the obstinacy of the governor."— Bar- row's Life of Lord Anson. der gotten at Paita, which those who had acted on shore had appropriated to themselves, and considered it as a reward for the risks they had run, and the resolution they had shown in that service. Hut those who had remained on board considered this as a very partial and unjust procedure, urging, that had it been left to their choice, they should have preferred tho acting on shore to the continuing on board ; that their duty, wliile their comrades were on shore, was extremely fatiguing ; for besides the labour of the day, they were constantly under arms all night to secure the prisoners, whose numbers exceeded their own, and of whom it was then necessary to be extremely watchful, to prevent any attempts they might liavo formed in that critical conjuncture ; that upon the whole it could not be denied, but that the ]>rcsence of a sufficient force on board was as necessary to the success of the enterprise as the action of the others on shore ; and therefore those who had con- tinued on board insisted, that they could not be deprived of their share of the plunder without manifest injustice. These were the contests amongst our men, which were carried on with great heat on both sides : and though the plunder in question was a very trifle, in comparison of the treasure taken in the place (in which there was no doubt but those on board had an equal right), yet as the obstinacy of sailors is not always regulated by the importance of the matter in dispute, the commodore thought it necessary to put a stop to this ferment betimes. And accor- dingly, the morning after our leaving of Paita, he ordered all hands upon the quarter-deck ; whei"c, addressing himself to those who had been detached on shore, he commended their behaviour, and thanked them for their services on that occasion : but then representing to them the reasons urged, by those who had continued on board, for an equal distribution of the plunder, he told them that he thought these reasons very conclusive, and that the expectations of their comrades were justly founded ; and therefore he ordered, that not only the men, but all the officers likewise, who had been employed in taking the place, should pro- duce the whole of their plunder immediately upon the quarter-deck ; and that it should bo impartially divided amongst the whole crew, ui proportion to each man's rank and commission : and to prevent those who had been in possession of the plunder from murmuring at this diminution of their share, the commodore added, that as an encouragement to others who might be hereafter employed on like services, he would give his entire share to be distributed amongst those wlio had been detached for the attack of the place. Thus this troublesome affair, which if permitted to have gone on, might perhaps have been attended with mischievous consequences, was by the commodore's prudence soon appeased, to the general satisfaction of the ship's company: not but there were some few, whose selfish dispositions were uninfluenced by the justice of this procedure, and who were inca- pable of discerning the force of equity, however glaring, when it tended to deprive them of any part of what they had once got into their hands. This important business employed the best part of the day, after we came from Paita. And now, at night, having no sight of the Gloucester, the commodore ordered the squadron to bring-to, that 76 ANSON'S VOYAGi: ROUND TllK WOUIiD. r.n Wfl might not pass liur in the durl;. Tiie lu xt inornin^ we ajjuin looked out for huv, and at ten \VL' saw a sail, to wliicli wo gavo chaHc ; and at two ill tiio afternoon wc came neur utiuugli to lior to dlHL'over licr to be the Glouooster, with a siuall vessel in tow. About an liour after, wo wore joined by tiiein ; and then wc learnt that Captain Mitchel, in the whole time of his eruisi;, hud only taken two prizi'w ; one of them heiiig a small snow, whoso eargo consisted chielly of wine, brandy, and olives in jars, with about 7000/. in sj)ecie ; and the other a large boat or laiiiudi, which the Gloucester's barge came up with near the shore. The prisoners on board thw vessel alleged, that they were very jioor, and that their lading consisted only of cotton ; though the circum- stances in which the barge surprised them, seemed to insinuate that they were more opulent than they pretended to be ; for the Gloucester's people found them at dinner upon pigeon-pie, served up in silver dishes. However, the officer who commanded the barge having opened several of the jars on board, to satisfy his curiosity, and iindiiig nothing in them but cotton, he was in- clined to believe the account the prisoners gave him : but the cargo being taken into the Gloucester, and there examined more strictly, they were agreeably surprised to find, that the whole was a very extraordinary piece of false package ; and that there was concealed amongst the cotton, in every jar, a considerable quantity of double doubloons and dollai-s, to the amount in the whole of near 12,000/. This treasure was going to I'aita, and belonged to the same merchants who were the proprietors of the greatest part of the money we had taken there ; so that, had this boat escaped the Gloucester, it is probable her cargo would have fallen into our hands. Besides these two prizes which we have mentioned, the Glou- cester's people told us, that they had been in sight of two or three other ships of the enemy which had escaped them ; and one of them we luid reason to believe, from some of our intel- ligence, was of an immense value. Being now joined by the Gloucester and her prize. it was resolved that we should stand to the northward, and make the best of our way either to Cape St. Lucas on California, or to Cape Cori- cutes on the coast of Mexico. Indeed the com- modore, when at Juan Fernandes, had determined with himself to touch in the neighbourhood of Panama, and to endeavour to get some con-es- pondence over-land with the fleet under the com- mand of Admiral Vernon. For when we departed from England, we left a large force at Portsmouth, which was intended to be sent to the West Indies, there to be employed in an expedition against some of the Spanish settlements. And Mr. Anson taking it for granted, that this enterprise had succeeded, and that Porto Bello perhaps might be then garrisoned by British troops, he hoped that on his aiTival at the isthmus, he should easily jirocure an intercoui-se with our countrymen on the other side, either by the Indians, who were greatly disposed m our favoui", or even by the Spaniai-ds themselves, some of whom, for projier rewards, might be induced to carry on this in- telligence, which, after it was once begun, might be continued with very little difficulty ; so that Mr. Anson flattered himself, that he might by this means have received a reinforcement of men from the other side, and that by settling a prudent plan of operations with our commanders in thu West-Indies, ho might have taken even Panama itself ; which would have given to the British nation tlio possession of that isthmus, whereby we should have been in effect masters of all tho treasures of I'eru, ami should have had in our hands an etiuivalent for any demands, however extraordinary, which we might have been induced to have maile on either of the branches of the house of Bourbon. Such were the projects which the commodore revolved in his thoughts at the island of Junu Fernandes, notwithstanding', the feeble condition to which he was then reduced. And indeed, had the success of our force in the West Iiiilies been answerable to the general expectation, it cannot be denied but these views would have been the most prudent that could have been thought of. But in examining the papers which were found on board the Carmelo, the first prize; we took, wc learnt (though I then omitted to mention it) that our attemiit against Carthagena had failed, and that there w;vs no probability that our fleet, in that part of the world, would engage in any new enterprise, that would at all facilitate this plan. And therefore Mr. Anson gav(> over nil hojjes of being reinforced aci'oss the isthmus, and conseiiuently had no inducement at present to proceed to Panama, as ho was incapable of attacking the place ; and there was groat reason to believe, that by this time there was a general embargo on all tho coast. Tho only feasible measure then which was left us, was to get as soon as possible to the southern parts of California, or to the adjacent coast of Mexico, there to cruise for the Manila galleon, which wo knew was now at sea, bound to the port of Acapulco. And we doubtt^d not to get on that station, time enough to intercept her ; for this ship docs not actually arrive at Acapulco till towards the middle of January, and we were now but in the middle of November, and did not con- ceive that our passage thither would cost ns above a month or five weeks ; so that we ima- gined, we had near twice as much time as was necessary for our purpose. Indeed there was a business which we foresaw would occiision some delay, but we flattered ourselves that it would be despatched in four or five days, and therefore could not interrupt our project. This was the recruiting of our water ; ibr the number of pri- soners we had entertained on board, since our leaving the island of Fernandes, had so far ex- hausted our stock, that it was impossible to think of venturing uj)on this passage to the coast of Mexico, till we had procured a fresh supply ; especially as at Paita, where we had some hopes of getting a quantity, we did not find enough for our consumption during the time we staid there. It was for some time a matter of deliberation, where we should take in this necessary article ; but by consulting the accounts of former navi- gators, and examining our prisoners, we at l;ist I'esolved for tne island of Quibo, situated at the mouth of the bay of Panama : nor wivs it but on good grounds that the commodore conceived this to be the properest place forwatcring the squadron. Indeed, there was a small island called Cocos, VOL. I. ;.i 'fj'^. ;iHi G6 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE AVORLD. •»vhicli was less out of our way than Quibo, where some of the buccaneers liavo pretended they found wate" ; but none of our prisoners knew anything of H, and it was thought too hazardous to risk the s.iifoty of the squadroi', and expose ourselves to the lia/.ard of not nier ting with water when we came there, on tlie mero authority of these legendary writers, of whoso misrepi-e- sentations and falsities we had almost daily ex- perience. Besides, by going to Quibo we were not without hopes that some of the enemy's ships bound to or from Panama might fall into our hands, ])articularly such of them as were put to sea before they had any intelligence of our flquadron. Having determined therefore to go to Quibo, we directed our course to the northward, being eight sail Iti comi)apy, and consequently having the appearance of a very formidable fleet ; and on the l!)th, at day-bi'eak, we discovered Cai)e Blanco, bearing S.S.E.iE. seven miles distant. This cape lies in the latitude of 4^" 15' south, and is always made by ships bound either to windward or t() leeward ; so that off this cape is a most excellent station to cruise upon the enemy. By this time we found that our last prize, the bolidad, w;. . far from answering the character given her of a good sailer ; and she and the Santa Teresa delaying us considerably, the commodore ordered them both to be cleared of everything that might prove useful to the rest of the shipn, and then to be burnt ; and having given proper instructions, and a rendezvous to the Gloucester and the other prizes, we proceeded in our course for Quibo ; .and, on the 22d in the morning, saw the island of Plata, bearing east, distant four leagues. H - re one of our prizes was ordered to stand close in with it, both to discover if there were any ships between that island and the continent, and like- wise to look out for a stream of fresh water, which was reported to be there, and which would have saved us the trouble of going to Quibo ; but she returned without having seen any ship, or findiiig any wat'U'. At three in the afternoon Point Manta bore S.E. by E., seven miles dis- tant ; and there being a town oftho same name in the neig! bourhood, Captain Mitchel took this op[)or- tunity of sending away sei'oral of his prisoners from ihe Gloucester in the Span'.oh launch. The boats were now daily employed in distributing provisions on board the Tryal and other prizes, {,;) complete their stock for 8i.\ months : and that the Centurion might be the bettor prepared to give the Manila ship (one of which we were told was of an immense size) a warm reception, the carpentjrs were ordered to fix eight stocks in the main and fore tops, wliich were properly fitted for the mounting of swivei guns. On the 2Jth we had a sight of the island of Gallc M"iring Fl.S.E.i^E., four leagues ;listant ; and Iroin hence we crossed the bay of P.^nama with a N.W. course, hoping that this would have carried us in a direct line to the island of Quibo. Hut we afterwards found that we ought to I'avc itood more to the wos.. "ard ; for the winds in a short time began to incline to that quarter, and made it difficult for us to gain the island. AikI now, after passing the -(juinoctial, (which we did on tlie 22d,) and k -ving the neighbourhood of the Cordilleras, and standing noru and more toAards the isthmus, where the communication of the atmosphere to the eastward and the westward was no longer interrupted, wc found in very few days an extraordinary alteration in the climate. For iiiStead of that uniform temperature, where neither the excess of heat or cold was to be complained of, wo had now for several days together close and sultry weather, resembling what wo had be- fore met with on the coast of Brazil, and in other ])arts between the tropics on the eastern side of America. We had besidee frequent calms and heavy rains ; which w.; at ftrit asciibed to the neighbourhood of the Line, where this kind of weather is generally found to prevail at all seasons of the year ; but observing that it attended us to the latitude of seven degrees north, we were at length induced to believe that the stormy season, or, as the Sjjaniards call it, the Vandevals, was not yet over ; thougli many writers, particularly Captain Shelvocke, positively assort, that this season begins in June, and is ended in November ; and our prisonei"s all affirmed the sain,- .'ling. But perhaps its end may not b., always con- stant, and it might ia.-,t this year longer than usual. On the 27th, Captain Mitchel having finished the clearing of his largest prize, she was scuttled, and set on fire ; but we still consisted of fivo ships, and were fortunate enough to find them ail good sailers ; so that wo never occasioned any delay to each other. Being now in a rainy cli- mate, which we had been long disused to, we found it necessary to caulk the decks and sides of the Centurion, to prevent the vain-water from running into her. On the .3rd of December we had a view of thu island of Quibo ; the east end of wiiich then bore from UE N.N.W., fonr leagues distiint, and the island of Qiiicara W.N.W., at about the same distance. Here wc struck ground A'ith sixty-five fathoms of line, and found the bottom to consist of grey sand, with black specks. When we had tliup got sight of the land, we found the wind to hang westerly ; and therefore, night coming on, we thought it advisable to stand off till morning, as there are said to be some shoals ia the entrance of the channel. At si\ the next morning Point Mariato bore N.E.iN., three or four leagues distant. In weathering this point, all the squad- ron, except the Cen' irion, wore very near it ; and the Gloucester, being the leewardmost ship, wa-s forced to tack and staiid to the southward, so that wo lost sight of her. At nine, the island Sebaco bore N.W. by N., four leagues distant ; but the wind stiii proving unfavourable, we were obliged to ply 0,1 and off for vhe succeeding twenty-four hours, and were frequently taken aback. How- ever, at eleven the Mi'xt morning, the wind happily settled in the S.S.W., and we bore away for tho S.S.F'j. end of tho islaad, and about three in the afti^noon entered the Canal Buono, passi i round a shoal which stretches off about two miles from the south point of the "sland. This Canal Bueno, or Good Channel, is at I'iast six miles in breadth ; and as we had tho wind I'.i'ge, we kept in a good depth of watti', generally from twenty-eight to thirty-three fathoms, and came not within a mile and a half diKtance of tho breakers ; though, in all probability, if it had been necessary, we might have ventured much nearer without incurring tho 7a in of the tward waa f few days late. For !re neither oniplained ther close ■0 had he- ld in other arn side of (jahns and bed to the is kind of all seasons >nded us to we were at •my sciison, levals, was partieularly , that this November ; sam,- ,'-.ing. ilways c in- longer than ing finished was scuttled, isted of five ind them ail lasioned any a rainy cli- msed to, we and sides of i-water fronj I view of th'j ch then bore ant, and the j lit the same | ith sixty-five | to consist of ' we had thu? i wind to hari^' ing on, we inorniiig, as | the entrance ; lorning Point i 'our leagues [U the squad- |near it ; and pst ship, was ward, so that iland Sebaco Int ; but the Iwere obliged twenty-four jack. How- wind happily tway for the three in the ,ssi ! round I) niili.3 from lanal Bueuo, in breadth ; ?pt in a good inty-eight to lithin a mile hough, in all ,, we might iicurring tiie I ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND TIIE WORLD. 67 least danger. At seven in the evening wo came to an anchor in thirty-three fathoms muddy ground ; the south point or' the island bearing S.E. by S., a remarkable high part of the island W. by N., and the island Sebaco E. by N. Being thus ai'rivcd at this island of Quibo, the account of the place, and of our transactions there shall be referred to the ensuing chapter. CHAPTER VIII. Our proceedings at Quibo, u-ith an account of the place. The next morning, after our coining to an anchor, an officer was despatched on shore to dis- cover the watering-place, who h.iving found it, returned before noon ; and then we sent the long- boat for a load of water, and at tiie same time we weighed and stood fai'tlier in with our ships. At tvo we CMine again to an anchor in twenty-two iathoniB. -all a bottom of rough griivel intennixed with bioken shells, the watering pliico now bearing fror^ us N.W.iN., only three quarters of a mile distant. This island of Quibo is extremely convenient for wooding and watering ; for the trees grow close to the high-water mark, and a large rapid stream of fresh water i"ms over the sandy Vieaeh into the s(>a : so that we were liUle more than two days iu laying in all the wood and water we wanted. The whole island is of a very moderate height, excei)fing one part. It consists of a con- tinued wood ;ipread over tlio whole surface of tlie country, which preserves its verdure all the year round. Amongst the other wood we found then; abundance of cassia and a few lime trees. It appeared singular to us that, considering the cli- mate and the shelter, W3 shouhi see no other birds tliere tiian parrots, panoqucts, and macaws ; in- deed of these last there were ])i;odigious flights. Next to these birds, tiie animals we found there in most plenty were monkeys and guanos, and these wo frequently killed for food ; 'or tlicmgh there were many herds of deer upon tin? place, yet ilii' difficulty of ])cnetrating the woods pre- vented our cominu' near them, so that though we saw tlicm often, we killed only two during our stay. Our prisoners assiind us tb.at this, island abounded with tigers ; anil ve diil once discover the print of a tiger's paw ipon the beach, but the tigers tli'inselves we never saw. The Spaniards, too, infornit'd us that ilu l'^ was often loiind in tl-' woods a most mischiev:;asserp<'nt, lallod the iiyiii';- snake, winch they siiid darted itself from tl-,(^ boughs of trees on either niao or beast tha*^ c ime within its reach ; and whose sting they bel'oved to bo incx itable death. Uesides these mischievous land aiiin'iils, the sea liereabc.uts is infested with great niiiubers of alligators of an cxtraordinai'y si/.e ; and wo often observed a large kind of flat- fish, jumping a considerable height out of the water, which we supposed to be the fish that is said frequently to destroy the pearl divers, by t'lasping them i . its fins as they rise from the bottom ; and we were told that the divers, for their seeurity, are mow always armed with a siiarp knife, which, when they are entangh d, tliey stick into the Jpi'My of the (ish, and thereby disengage theiu- Helves from its enibraees. Whilst the ship continued hero at anchor, the commodore, attended by .some of his officers, went ir. a boat (o examine a bay which lay to the north- ward ; .and they afterwards ranged all along the eastern side of the island. And in the places where they put on shore in the course of this expedition, they generally found the soil to be oxtreniely rich, and met with great plenty of excellent water. In ])!U"ticiilar, near tiie N.E. point of the island, they discovered a natural cascade, wliieh sur])asHed, an they conceived, everything of this kind which human art or industry has hitherto produced. It was a river of transparent water, about forty yards wide, which :'an down .a declivity of near a hundred and fifty yards in length. The channel it ran in was very irregular ; for it was entirely fiunied of rock, both its sides and bottom lieing made up of large detached blocks ; and by these the course of the water was frequently iiiterru]>tre, and great heaps of shells of fine mother- of-pearl scattered up and down in dill'ereiit places: these were thi remains left by the p.^arl-fisliera from Panama, who often frequent this jilace in the summer season ; for the j)earl oysters, which are *o he met w'th everywhere in the bay of Pa- nama, ;;rn so plentiful at Quibo, tlrnt Oy advancing a very little way into tlu sea, ymi miglit st')op dowM a;;d reach f hem from the bottom. They are usually very lunre, and out of ceriosity we opiined some of them with a view of tasting them, but we found them extremely tough and unpalatable. And having mer\tioned these oysti.Tsand the pearl- fishery, I must beg leave to recite a few particu- lars relating tluireto. The oysters most pi'o.lueiive of pearls are those found in considerable depths ; lor though what art; taken op by wading near shore are of the fiamo species, yet liie pearls found in tluni are very rave and very small, it is said too that the pearl ])ai'tak(s in so>ne degree of the (|iiality of tiie bottom on which t!i(! oyster is foimd ; so that if the bottom be muddy the pearl is dark and ill- coloured. The taking up oysters frotn great dejiths for the sake of the pearls they contain, is a work per* a 2 ^SM (J!! ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. fonned by negro slaves, of which the inhabitants of Panama and the neighliouriug coast formerly kept great numbers, which were carefully trained to this business. And these arc said not to be rsteemed complete divera till they have by de- grees been able to protract their stay under water so long, that the blood gushes out from their nose, mouth, and ears. And it is thu trac'.'tiou of the country, that when this accident has once befallen them, they dive for the future with nmcli greater facility than before ; and they have no apprehen- sion either that any inconvenience can attend it, the bleeding generally stopping of itself, or that there is any ])robaljility of their being ever sub- ject to it a second time. But to return from this ciigrossiou. Though the ])earl-oyster, as has been said, was incapable of being eaten, yet the sea at this place furnished us with another dainty, in the greatest ])lenty and perfection : this was the turtle, of Avhich we took here what cjuantity we pleased. 'J'here are generally reckoned four species of tur- tle ; that is, the trunk turtle, the loggerhead, the hi'wksbill, and tlie gr^ien turtle. The two fii-st aie rank and unwholesome ; the hawksbill (which itirnishes tlie tortoisesliell) is but indifi'erent food, though better than the other two ; but tlie green turtle is generally esteemed, by the greatest part of tli'ise who are acquainted with its taste, to be the n.ojt delicious of all eatables ; and that it is a most wholesome food, we are amply convinced by (lur own cx])erience : for we fed on this last spe- cies, or the green turtle, for near four months, and consequently, had it been in any degree noxious, its ill effects could not possibly liave escaped us. At this island we took what quantity we pleased with great facility ; for as they are an amphibious :inimal, and get on shore to lay their eggs, which tli"y generally depusit in a large liole in the sand, just above the high- water mark, covering them up, and leaving them to be hatched by the heat of the sun, we usually dispersed si'veral of our men along the beach, whose business it was to turn them on their backs when tliey came to land ; and the tur- tle being thereby prevented from getting away, we carried them off at our leisure : by this means we not only secured a sufKcient stock for the time we staid on the island, but we took a number of tliem with us to sea, which proved of great service both in lengthening out our store of provision, and ill heartening the whole crew with an almost con- stant su])ply of fresh and palatable food ; for the turtle being large, they generally weighing abcmt ■2li01bs. weight each, those we took with na lasted us near a month, and )>y that time we met with a fresh recruit on the coast of Mexico, where we often saw them in tlie heat of the day floating in groat numbers on the surface of the water fast asleep. When wo discovered them we usually sent out our boat with a man in the bow, who was a dexterous diver, and when the boat came within a few yards of the turtle, the diver plunged into the water, and took care to rise close upon it ; and seizing the shell near the tail, and pressing down the hinder partH, tin; turtle, when awakened, began to strike with its claws, which motion sujiported lioth it and the diver, till the boat came up and took them in. By this management we never wanted turtle for the succeeding four months in which we continued at sea ; and though, when at Quibo, we had already been three months on board, without otherwise putting our feet on shore, than in the few days we stayed at this island of Quibo, (except those employed in the attack of Paita,) yet in the whole seven months, from our leaving Juan Fernandes to our anchoring in the harbour of Cheqnetan, we buried no more in the whole squadron than two men ; a most incontest- able proof that the turtle, on which we fed for the last four months of this terra, was at least innocent, if not something more. Considering the scarcity of provisions on some part of the coast of these seas, it appears wonder- ful, that a species of food so very palatable and salubrious as turtle, and so much abounding in those parts, should be proscribed liy the Spaniards as unwholesome, and little less than poisonous. Perhaps the strange appearance of this animal may have been the foundation of this ridiculous and superstitious aversion, wliich is strongly rooted in all the inhabitants of that coast, and of which we had many instances in the course of this navi- gation. 1 have already observed, that we jiut our Spanish prisoners on shore at Paita, and that tlie Gloucester sent theirs to Manta ; but as we had taken in our prizes some Indian and negro slaves, we did not set these on shore with their mas- ters, but continued them on board, as our (irews were thin, to assist in navigating our ships. These poor people being possessed with the prejudices of the country they came from, were astonished at our feeding on turtle, and seemed fully per- suaded that it would soon destroy us ; but finding that none of us died, nor even suffVi'ed in our health by a continuation of this diet, they at last got so far the better of their aversion, as to lie persuaded to taste it, to which the absence of all other kinds of fresh provisions might not a little contribute. However, it was with great reluctance, and very s))aringly, that they first liegan to eat of it : but the relisli improving u]ion them by degrees, they at last grew extremely fond of it, and jire- ferred it to every other kind of food, and often felicitated each other on the happy experience they had acquired, and the dehcious and plentiful repasts it would be always in their power to pro- cure, wlien they should again return back to their country. Those who are acquainted with the mai.ner of life of these unhappy wretches, need not be told, that next to large draughts of sjtirituous licjuors, plenty of tolerable food is the greatest joy they know, and consequently the discovering a method which would always supply them with what (luaiitity they pleased, of a food more luxu- rious to the palate than any their haughty lords and masters could indulge in, was doubtless a cir- cumstance which they considered as the most for- tunate that could befal them. After this digression, which the prodigious quantity of turtle on this island of Quibo, and the store (if it we th^'uce took to sea, in some meiisurc led me into, I shall now return to our own pro- ceedings. In three days' time wo had completed our busi- ness at this jilace, and were extremely impatient to put to sea, that we might arrive time enough on the coast of Mexico to intercept the Manila galleon. Hut the -vind being contrary, detained us a night ; and the next day, when we got into the orting, (which we did through the .same chan- hO I months on feet on shore, his island of he attack of iis, from our loring in the more in tlic ust incontest- te fed for the :ast innocent, ions on some pears wonder- palatable and aboundin<; in the Spaniards in poisonous, f this animal ■ liis ridiculous ; trongly rooted I and of which j ; of tills navi- lat we iiut our , and that the ut as we had 1 negro slaves, th their mas- , as our crews ships. These the prejudices 're astonished led fully per- H ; but finding jiiVrcd in our t, they at last 'sion, as to be ;bsi'nce of all lit not a little lat reluctance, legaii to eat of ■m by degrees, f it, and pre- lod, and often ly experience and plentiful power to pro- back to their id with the Iches, need not of spirituous le greatest joy iscovoriug a y them with Id more luxii- laughty lords ubtless a eir- Ithe most for- le prodigious luibo, and the lome measure lour own pro- [U'A our busi- lely impatient Itime enough the Manila liry, detained we got into same cliau- ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. Li) nel by which we entered,) we were obliged to keep Iioveriiig about the island, in hopes of getting siglit of the Gloucester ; which, as 1 have in the last cliapter mentioned, was sejiarated from us on our first arrival. It was the 'jth of December, in the morning, when we put to sea ; and- continuing to the southward of the island, looking out for the Gloucester, we, on the 10th, at five in the after- noon, discerned a small sail to the northward of us, to which we gave chase, and, coming np with her, took her. She proved to be a barque from Panama, bound to Cheripc, an iiicoiisideralilo village on the continent, and was called the Jesu Nazareno. She had nothing ■ '^oard but some oakum, a bout a ton of rock-s; between 30/., and 40/. in specie, most of it i ing of small silver money, intended for purchu ,..ig a cargo of pvovisions at Cheripe. And on occasion of this prize I cannot but observe, for tiie use of future cruisers, that had we been in want of jirovisions, we liad by this capture an obvious method of BU])]ilying ourselves. For at Cheripe, whither she was bound, there is a constant store of provisions jn-epared for the ves- sels who go thither every week from I'anama, the market of Panama being chiefly supplied from thence : so that by ])utting a few of oni" hands on board our prize, we might easily have seized a large store without any hazard, since Cheripe is a j>lace of no strength. And as provisions are the sta])le commodity of that jjlaee and of its neigh- boui'hood, the knowledge of this circumstance may be of great use to sueh cruisers as find their ])rovisions grow scant, and yet are desirous of con- tinuing on that coast as lung as possible. But to return : On the 12th of Deccmbei', wo were at last relieved from the ]icrplexity we had suffered by the se|>aration of tiie Gloucester ; for on that day clie joi'icd li.-?, and informed us that in tacking to the southward, on our first arrival, she had sprung her foretop-niast, which had disabled her from working to windward, and prevented lier from joining us sooner. And now we scuttled and sunlc the -lesu Nazareno, the ])rize wo took last ; and having the greatest impatience to get into a jiro- p(^r station for the galleon, we stood all together to the westward, leaving the island of Quibo (not- withstanding all the impediments we met with) in about nine days after our first coming in sight of it. CHAPTER IX. From Qiiibo to the coast c^f Mexico. On the 12th of December we stood from Quibo to the westward, and the same day the commodore delivered fresh instructions to the captains of the men-of-war, and the commanders of our prizes, appointing tlicm the rendezvouses they were t() liiake, and the courses they were to steer, in case • if a separation. And first, tliey were directed to use all possible despatch in getting to the north- ward of the harbour of Acapuleo, where they were to endeavour to fall in with the land, between the latitudes of 18 and I'J degrees ; from thence, they were to boat n|i tlie coast at eight or ten leagues' distance from the shore, till they came abreast of Capo Corientes, in the latitude of 20" 20'. When 81 they arrived there, they were to continue cruis-ing on that station till the Itth of February ; and then they were to proceed to the middle island of tlie Tres Marias, in the latitude of 21" 25', bearing from Cape Corientes N.W. liy N., twenty-five leagues distant. And if at this island they did not meet the commodore, they wero there to le- cruit their wood and water, and then to make the best of their way to the island of Macao, on the coast of China. These orders being distributed to all the ships, we had little doubt of arri'int; soon upon our intended station, as we expected, upon the increasing our ofling from Quibo, to fall in with the regular trade-wind. Hut, to our ex- treme vexation, we were battled for near a month, either with tempestuous weather from th'j western ([uarter, or with dead calms and heavy rains, at- tended with a sultry air ; so that it was the 25th of December before we got a sight of the island of Cocos, which by our reckoning was only a hun- dred leagues from the continent ; and we liad the mortification to make so little way, that we did not lose sight of it again in five days. This island we found to be in the latitude of 5>' 20' north. It has a liigh hummock towards the western part, which descends gradually, and at last terminates in a low point to the eastward. From the island of Cotos we stood W. by N., and wcn'o till the 9th of January in running a hundred leagues more. We had at first flattered ourselves, that the uncer- tain weather and western gales we met with wero owing to the neighbourhood of the continent, from which, as we got moredistant, weexpected everyday to be relieved, by falling in with the eastern trade- wind : but as our hopes were ^'l long baffled, and our jiatieiice quite exhausted, we began at length to despair of succeeding in the great purpose we had in view, that of intercepting the Manila galleon ; and tills ])roduc(!d a general dejection amongst us, as we had at first considered this project as ahnost infallible, and had indulged ourselves in the most boundless hopes of the advantages we should thence receive. However, our despondency was at last somewhat alleviated, by a favourable change of the wind ; for on the !)th of January, a gale iVn- the first time sprang up from the N.K., and on this we took the Carnielo '" tow, as the Gloucester tlid the Carmin, making an fhe sail wo could to imi)rove the advantage, for we still stispcited tliat it was only a temporary gale, which would not last long ; but the next day we had the satisfaction to find, that the wind did not only continue in the same quarter, liut blew with so much lirisUness and steadinass, that we now no longer doubted of its being the true trade-wind. And as we advanced apace towards our station, our hojies began to revive, and (Mir former despair by degrees gave plac to more sanguine prejniliees ; for though the customary season of the arrival of the galleon at Acapuleo was already elapsed, yet wo were by this time unreasonable enough to flatter our- selves, that some accidental delay might, for our advantage, lengthen out her passage beyond its usual limits. When we got into the trade-wind, ve found no alteration in it till the )7th of January, when we were advanced to the latitude of 12" 50', but on that day it shifted to the westward of the north : this change we imputed to our having haulcMl up too soon, though we then eateemod ourselves lull 70 ANSON'S VOYACfE ROUND THE WORLD. 14 seventy leagues from the coast, wliich plainly shows tliut tlie trade-wind (lo(>s not take place but at a considerable diBtunc(! from the continent. After this, the wind was not so I'avourable to us as it had been : however, we still continued to advance, anil, on the 'ilith of January, being then to tlio northward of A('a[)ul(M), we tacked and stood to the eastward, with a view of making the I'and. In the iirecoding fortnight wc caught some turtle ou the surface of the water, and several dolphins, bo.iitos, and albieores. One? day, as ono of the sail-niakcr's mates was fishing from the end of the jib-loom, he lost liis hold, and droppeil into the soa ; and the ship, which was then going at the I'ate o.' six or seven knots, went directly over him : but as ive had the Carnielo in tow, we instantly called out to the jjeople on board her, who threw him over several ends r)f ropes, ono of which he fortunately caught hold of, and twisting it round his arm, they hauled him into the sliip, without his having received any other injury than a wi'ench in his arm, of which he soon recovered. When, on the 2()th of January, we stood to the eastward, we expected, by our reckonings, to have fallen in with the land on the 28th ; but though the weather was perfectly dear, we had no sight of it at sunset, and therefore we continued on our course, not doubting but we should sec it by the next morning. About ten at night we disco- vered a light on the larboard-bow, bearing from us N.N.E. The Tryal's prize, too, which was about a mile ahead of us, made a signal at the same time for seeing a sail r and as we had none of us any doubt but what jve saw was a ship's light, wo were all extremely animated with a firm i)ersua- sion that it. was the Manila galleon, which had been so long the object of our wishes : and what added to our alacrity, was our expectation of meeting with two of them instead of one, for we took it for granted that the light in vimv was carried in the top of one ship for a direction to her consort. VVo immediately cast oft" the Carnielo and pyesised forward with all our canvas, making ft e^g;{i>l''for the Gloucester to do tliasamo. Thus y/iet 0h^ed the light, keeping all ouJBiands to their Ijeapeptivo quarters, under an expectation of <»n- f^iAS in the next half hour, as wo sometimes • QCltfli^ived the chase to be about a mile distant, 90^ ^t other times to be within reach of our guns ; and some on board us ]>ositively averred, that lie- sides the light, they could plainly discern her sails. The commodore himself was .so fully persuaded that we should be soon alongside of hei", that ho sent for his first lieutenant, who commanded be- tween decks, and directed him to see all the great jjuns loaded with two round-shot for the first broadside, and after that with one round-shot and one gra))e ; strictly charging him, at the same time, not to suffei' a gun to be iii-ed, till he, the commo- dore, should give orders, which he informed the lieutenant wdukVuot be till we arrived within pis- tol-shot of the enemy. In this constant and eager attention we continued all night, always presum- ing that another (juarter of an hour would bring us up with tlii.s Manila ship, who.so wealth, with that of her Hui)i)osed consort, we now estimated by round millions. Hut when the morning broke, and daylight canu! on, we were most strangely and vexatiously disappointed, by tinding that the light which had occasioned all this bustle and ox- ]iectaucy, was only a fire on the shi "o. Indeed the circumstances of this deception re so extra- ordinary as to bo scarcely credible ; for, by our run during the night, and the distance of the land in the morning, there was no doubt to be made but this fire, when we first discovered it, was above twenty-five leagues from us : and yet I be- lieve there was no jyerson on board who doubted of its being a shi])'s light, or of its being near at hand. It was indeed ujion a very high moun- tain, and continued l)urning for several days after- wards ; it was not a volcano, but rather, as I sup- pose, stubble or heath set ou lire for some purpose of agriculture. At sun-rising, after this mortifying delusion, wo found ourselves about nine leagues off the land, which extended from the N.W. to E..\N. On this land we observed two remarkable hummocks, such as are usually called ])aps, which bore north from us : these, a Spanish pilot and two Indians, who were the only persons amongst us that pre- tended to have traded in this part of the world, affirmed to bo over the harbour of Acapulco. Indeed, we very much doubted their knowledge of the coast ; for wc found these paps to be in the latitude of 17° Si/, whereas those over Acapulco are said to be in 17 degrees only ; and we after- wards found our suspicions of their skill to be well grounded : however, they wore vm-y con- fident, and assured us, that the height of,:the mountains was itself an infallible mark of the harbour ; the coast, as they pretended (though falsely) being generally low to the eastward and westward of it. And now being in the track of. the Manila galleon, it was a great doubt with «8 (as it was near the end of January) whether she was'or >yafi not arrived : but examining our prisoners abb^t it, they assured us, that she was sometimes known to come in after the middle of February ; and they endeavoured to persuade us, that the fire we had seen ou shore was a proof that she was as yet at sea, it being customary, as they said, to make use of these fires as signals for her direction, when she continued longer out than ordinary. On this infonnation, strengthened by our propensity to believe them in a matter which so pleasingly flattened our wishes, we resolved to cruise for her for some days ; and wc accordingly spread our ships at the (hstance of twelve leagues from the coast, in such a manner, that it was impossible she should jiass us unobserved : however, not seeing her soon, we were at intervals inclineossiblc iwever, not inclined to already ; to refresh •sent situa- wero very nee, which onsult our or might cruise with is view tlio .iners very iider colour ^dco, to see ino of the might be erod. To [esputchcd •t ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. the 'ith of February, with a sufficient crew and two ofticers, who took with them a Spanisii pilot, and the Indian wlio had insisted on the practicability of this measure, and had undertaken to conduct it. Our burgn did not return to us again till the eleventh, when the uilcers acquainted Mr. Anson, that, agreeable to oar suspicion, there was nothing like a harbour in the place where the Sjianish pilots had at first asserted Aeapulco to lie ; that wlien they had satisfied themselves in this par- ticular, they steered to the eastward, in hopes of discovering it, and had coasted alongshore thirty- two leagues ; that in this whole range they met chiefly with sandy beaches of a great length, over which the sea broke with so much violence, that it was inipossibb for a boat to land ; that at the end of their run they could just discover two paps at a very great distance to the eastward, which from their appearance and their latitude, they concluded to be those in the neighbourhood of Aeapulco ; but that not having a sufficient quan- tity of fresh water and provision for their pa sage thither and back again, they were obliged to return to the conmiodore, to ac(|uaint him with their disappointment. On this intelligence we all made sail to the eastward, in order to get into the neighbourhood of that port, the commodore re- solving to send the barge a second time upon the same enterprise, when we were arrived within a moderate distance. And the next day, which was the 12th of February, we being Ijy that time con- siderably advanced, the barge was ag.nin dis- patched, and particular instructions givoi» ;>< the officers to preserve themselves from K^itt^ seen from the shore. On the thirteenth we espit^l a high land to the eastward, which we first inutgined to be that ovt the harbour of Aeapulco ; but we afterwards "ound that it was the high laud of Seguateneio, ii'here there is a small harbour, of which we shall have occasion to make more ample mention hereafter. And now, having waited six days without any news of our barge, we begsm to be uneasy for her safety ; but, on the seventh day, that is, on the lyth of February, she returned. The officer.4 informed the commodore, that tfiey had discovered the harbour of Acapulc**, which they esteemed to bear from us K.S.t... at least fifty leagues distant : that on the 17 th, about two in the morning, they were got within the island that lies at the mouth of the harbour, and yt't neither the Spanish pilot, nor tlu" Indian, who were with them, could give them any information where they then were ; but that while tliev were lying upc iheir oai-s in sus])ense what to do, being igno^ it that they were then at the very place they sought for, they discerned a ^mall light upon the surface of the water, on whii-i; si»ey instantly jdied ..lieir paddlos, and moving as siii.'ntly n-* po.sible towards it, tl»<^y found it to be is a. fish- ■ ■igranov', which they surprised, with thn-e negroes l.at belonged to it. It seems the negroes at first attempted to jump overboard : and being so near the land, * ey would easilv hate swum on shore ; but they were prevented by prt'senting a piece at tlii;m, on which they readily submitted, and vv taken into the barge. Tlio officers further addi d, that they had immediately ttUMied the canoi> udiif't >i(fHinst till! face of a rock, where it would inevi- tably be dashi'd to pieces by the fury of the sea. Thi" *' .y did to deceive those who pfrliaps might be sent from tlie town to search after the canoe ; for upon seeing several pieces of a wreck, they would immediately conclude that the ])cople on board her had been drowned, and would have no suspicion of their having fallen into our hands. When the crew of the barge had taken this pre- caution, they exerted their utmost strength in pulling out to sea, and by dawn of day had gained such an offing, as rendered it impossible for them to he seen from the coast. And now having gotten the three negroes in our possession, who were not ignorant of the transactions at Aeapulco, we were soon satisfied about the most material points which had long kept us in suspense : and on examination we found, that wo were indeed di8ai)pointed in our expectation of interce])ting the galleon before b.er ari'ival at Aeapulco ; but we learnt otluT circum- stances which still revived om- hopes, and which, we then conceived, woidd more than balance the opportunity we had already lost ; for though our negro prisoners informed us that the galleon airived at Aeapulco on our 9tli of January, which was about twenty days before we f(dl in with this coast, yet they at the same time told us, that the galleon had deliver.*! her cargo, and was taking in water and provisions for her return, and that the viceroy of Mexico had, by proclamation, fixed her departure fic)ni Aeapulco to the 14th of March, N. S. This last news was most joyfully received by us, as we had no doubt but she must certainly fall into our hands, and as it was much more eligible to seize her on her return, than it would have been to have taken her before her arrival, as the specie for which she had sold her cargo, and which she wouUl now have on board, would be prodigiously luori^ to be osteetnee by us than the cargo itsflf ; givat part of which would have perished on our hands, and no part of it could have been disposed of by us at so nd»a»- tageous a mai-t as Aeapulco. Thus we were a seco)id lime engaged m an eager expectation of meeting with this Manila ship, which, by the fame of its wealth, we h&d been taught to consider ns the most desirable prize that was to be met with in iiny part of the globe. As all our future projects will i-- in some sort regulatiMl with a view to the pof-^^sson of this celebrated galleon, and as tliecomnu'-i-- which Is carried on by means of t\w»v vessels ii'tween the city of Manilu and the ])ort of Aeapulco is jiorhajis the most v:ilii;\ble, in j'-oportion to its quantity, oi affi iii tlie known world, I shall en- •leavoux", in the ensiling chapter, to give as distinct an accoBni a* I % it with more distinctness than has Iritherto been done, at least in our lauguuge. 83 75*. ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND TME WORLD. CHAPTER X. An aeeount of the commerce carried on between thr cUy of Manila on the island of Litconia, and the port o/Aca- pulco on the coatt of Mexico. About tlio ond of the l,5tli century, and tlio beginning of the Kith, tiie discovory of new countries and of new branches of commerce was the reigninc; passion of several of the Earo))eaii princes, IJtit tiiose who engaged most deeply and fortunately in these pursuits were the kings of Spain and Portugal ; the first of these having discovered tlio immense and opulent continent of America and its adjacent islands, whilst the other, by doubling the Cape of Good Hope, had opened to Ills fleets a passage to the southern coast of Asia, usually called the East Indies, and by his settlements in that part of the globe became ])08- sessed of many of the manufactures and natural productions with which it abounded, and wliieh, for some ages, had been the wonder and delight of the more polished and luxurious part of man- kind. In the mean time, these two nations of Spain and Portugal, who were thus pi-osecutiiig the same views, though in different quartera of the world, grew extremely jealous of each other, and became .apprehensive of mutual encroachments, and there- fore, to quiet their jealousies, and to enable them with more tranquillity to ])ursue the propagation of the catholic faith in these distant countries, (they having both of them given distinguished marks of their zeal for their mother church, by their butcheryof innoceutpagans,) Pope Alexander VI. granted to the Spanish crown the property and dominion of all places either already dis- covered, ov that should be discovered, a hundred leagues to the westward of the islands of Azores, leaving all the unknown countries to the eastward of this limit, to the indusiry .and future disquisition of the Portuguese : and this boundary being after- v/r-'h removed two hundred and fifty leagues more to th Portuguese would be liereby prevented froTn nu'ddiing with their colonies in America ; and the Portuguese supposed that their East Indian Kcttlemeuts, and particularly the Spice Islands, which they had then newly discovered, were secured from any future atb'uipfs of the .Spanish n.ation. Ihil II "Kuis that till infallibility of the holy father bud, on tills occiision, deserted him, and for wiint III' being more (UMiversiuit in goograjihy, he bait nn( tor. '■'■'■n that tlie K|iniiiards, by pushing their I'^^cvveri' •■ l<> the wisl, and the Pt)rtiii;ucso to tlu itist, ini;:!u at last /noet with ■-•aeh other, and Vk- .t^iiin embroiled ; as it actually happened » f' >v years afterwards. For Fi-ederick who was an officer in the king of Pru'- tUgftlV servici-, having received some disgust from that court) either by the defalcation of his ])ay, or by iMiving his parts, as lu' conceived, too cheaply confidored, lie entered into the service of the king of Spain ; and being, as it appears, a man of ability, li ■ was very desirous of signalizing his talentH by f^m\y enlqi'l'ViHe, w]jit'|i nitjlit prove ■,l) )i|B I'oHliel' nuiBters, mid , , [■ ''1' ,,, .. extrnmnlj >i!xHi|ul(a ib |i| might teach them to estimate his worth by the greatness of the mischief he brought upon them ; this being the most obvious and natural turn of all fugitives, and more especially of those who, being really men of capacity, have quitted their cotmtry by reason of the small account that has been made of them. Magellan, in pursuance of these vindictive views, knowing that the Por- tuguese court considered their possession of the Spice Islands as their most important acquisition in the East Indies, resolved with himself to in- stigate the court of Spain to an enterprise which, by still pushingtheir discoveries, would give them a right to interfere both in the i)roperty and commerce of those renowned Portuguese settle- ments ; and the king of Spain approving of this project, Magellan, in the ye.ar 1519, set sail from the port of Seville, in order to carry this enterprise into execution. He hiid with him a considerable force, consisting of l\ve ships and two hundred and thirty-four men, with which he stood for the coast of Sotith America, and ranging along the shore, he at last, towards the end of Octobei', ITj-JO, had the good fortune to discover those straits, which hiive since been denominated from him, and which opened him a passage into the Pacific Ocean. And this first part of his scheme being thus happily accomplished, he, after som§. stay on the coast of Peru, -set sail-again to the '• westward, with a view of falKng.in with the Spice Islands. In this extensive run he first dincovered the LadroiKH or Mari.an Islands ; and continuing on his course', he at length reached the Philippine Islands, wliieh are the most eastern part of Asia, where, venturing on shore in .a hostile manner, and skirmishing with the Indians, he was slain. By the death of Magell.an, the original project of securing some of the Spice Islands was defeated ; for those who were left in command contented themselves with ranging through them, anherical figure. But though Spain did not hereby acquire the property of any of the Spice Islands, yet the dis- covery made in this expedition of the Philippine Islands was thought too considerable to be neg- lected ; for these wore not far distant from those jilaces which produced spices, r.nd were very well situated for the ('hincse trade, and for the com- merce of other parts of India ; and, therefore, a comnumieation was soon established and ciirefully supported between these islands and the Sj)anish colonics on the coast of Peru : so that the city of Manila (which was built on the island of Luconia, the chief of the Philippines) soon became the mart for all Indian commodities, which were bought up by the inhabitants, and were annually sent to t lie South Seas to be there vended on their accor.nc ; and the returns of this commerce to Manila, being princi|>ally made in silver, the place by degrees grew extremely opulent and consi- derable, and its trade so far increased sis to engage tho attention of the court of Spain, and to bo fiiipicntly controlled and regulated by royal edictii. a Si ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 73 th by tlie ■ on them ; il turn of liose who, tted their that hius suance of the Poi-- ou of tlio .cquisition fh" to in- ! ise which, give them pei'ty and 3se settle- ng of this sail from enterprise : iisideral)lc ' hundred lod for the ■ along the \ f Octobci", ' )ver those ' lated from j e into the ! lis scheme | if tor sonii^/.j iiin to the* j 1 the Spice i discovered | continuing j Philippine I irt of Asia, le manner, i •as slain. i lal project ; defeated ; j contented | and pur- i fter which | ood Hope, I iirrounded lonstrated, ' grossest i )f Its long ' equire the ;t the dis- Philippine o be neg- fom those very well tlie com- K>refore, a l\ carefully 11 Si)anish fhe city of Luconia, Icame the i'leh were annually 1 on their ►morce to the place Jnd consi- Ito engage Ind to bo jby royal In the infancy of this trade, it was caiTicd on from the port of Callao to the city of Manila, in 'vliich voyage the trade- wind continually favoured I hem ; so that notwithstanding these places were liistant between thi'ee and four thousand leagues, yet the voyage was often made in little more than two months : but then the return from Manila 'vas extremely ti'oublesomc and tedious, and is said to have sometimes taken them up above a twelvemonth, which, if they pretended to ply up within the limits of the trade-wind, is not at all to be wondei'ed at ; and it is asserted that, in their lii'st voyages, they were so im])rudent and unskil- i'ul as to attempt this course. However, that route was soon laid aside, by the advice, as it is said, of a Jesuit, who persuaded them to steer to the northward till they got clear of the trade-winds, 1 and then, by the favour of the westerly winds, I which generally prevail in high latitudes, to | stretch away for the coast of California. This has j l)een the practice for at least a hundred and sixty j \ears past : for Sir Thomas Cavendish, in the ' year 15'!S, engaged, off the south end of California, a vessel bound from Manila to the American coast. And it was in compliance with this new plan of navigation, and to shorten the run both backwards and forwards, that the staple of this eommerce to and from Manila was removed from Callao, on the coast of Peru, to the poi't of Acapuleo on the coast of Mexico, where it con- tinues fixed at this time. Sueh was the conmienc^fiaent, and such were the early regulations, of -tTii? '(Commerce ; but its present condition being a much more interesting subject, I must beg leave to dwell longer on this head, and to be indulged in a more particular narration, beginning \vith a description of the island of Luconia, and of the port and bay of Manila. The island of Luconia, though situated in the latitude of 13 degrees north, is esteemed to be in general extremely healthy, and tlie water that is found upon it is said to be the best in the world ; it produces all the fruits of the warm climates, and abounds in a most excellent breed of horses, sujiposi^d to be carried thither first from Spain : it is very well situated for the Indian and Chinese trade ; and the bay and port of Manila, which lies on its western side, is perhaps tlio most re- markable on the whole globe, the bay being a large ciroular basin, near ten leagues in diameter, and great part of it entirely land-locked. t)n ihc east side of this bay stands the city of Manila, which is very large and populous ; and which, at the beginning of this war, was only an open place, its principal defence consisting in .a small fort, which was in great measure surrounded on every side by houses ; but they have lately made considerable additions to its fortifications, though I have not yet learnt in what manner. The port, peculiar to the city, is called Cabite, and lies near two leagues to the southward ; and in this port all the ships employed in the Acapuleo trade are usually stationed. The city of Manila itself is in a very healthy situation, is well Wivtered, anro- hibitcd, would centre in Spain, eitlier in payment for Spanish connnodities, or in j;ains to the Spanish merchant ; wlu'reas now the only advantage which araies from it is, the enriching the Jesuits and a few particular persons besides, at the other ex- tremity of the world. Tliese arguments did so far influence Don Josejdi Patinho, who was tlien prime minister, but an enemy to the Jesuits, that about the year 17'2."), he had resolved to abolish this trade, and to have permitted no Indian com- modities to be introduced into any of tlie Spanish ports in the West Indies, but what were carried there in the register ships from Europe. But the powerful inti'igues of the Jesuits prevented this x'egulation from taking place. This trade from Manila to Acapulco and back again, is usually carried on in one or at most two annual ships, which set sail from Manila about July, and arrive at Acapulco in the December, January, or February following, and having there disposed of their efJccts, return for Manila some- time in March, where they generally arrive in June ; so that the whole voyage takes up very near an entire year ; for this reason, though there is often no more than one ship employed ut a time, yet there is always one ready for the sea when the other arrives ; and, therefore, the com- merce at Manila are provided with tliree or four stout ships, that, in case of any accident, the trade may not Ije suspended. Tlie largest of these ships, whose name I have not learnt, is described as little less than one of our first-rate men-of-war, and indeed she must be of an enormous size, for it is known that when slie was employed with other ships from the same port, to cruise for our China trade, she liad no less than twelve hundred men on board. Their other ships, though far inferior in bulk to this, are yet stout large ves- sels, of the burthen of twelve Jmndred tons and upwards, and usually cai-ry from three hundred and fifty to six hundred hands, passengers in- cluded, with fifty odd guns. As these are all king's ships, commissioned and paid by him, there is usually one of the captains, who is styled the general, and who carries the royal standard of Spain at the main-top gallant mast-head, as we shall more particularly observe hereafter. And now, having described the port of Manila stnd the shipping they employ, it is necessary to give a moi'o circumstantial detail of their navi- gation. The ship having received her cargo on board, and being fitted for the sea, generally weighs from the mole of Cabite about the middle of July, taking the advantage of the westerly monsoon, which then sets in, to carry them to sea. It appears that the getting through the Boccadero to the eastward nmst be a trouble- some navigation, and, in fact, it is somctimcb the «nd of August before thoy got clear of the land. When they imve got through this passage, and are clear of the islands, they stand to the north- ward of the cast, in order to got into tho latitude of 30 odd degrees, where they expect to meet with westerly winds, before which they run away for the coast of California. It is most remark- able that, by the concurrent testimony of all tho Spanish navigators, there is not one poi't, nor even a tolerable road, as yet found out betwixt the Philippine Islands and the coast of California and Alexico ; so that from tho time tho Manila ship first loses sight of land, she never lets go her anchor till she arrives on the coast of California, and very often not till she gets to its southernmost extremity ; and, therefore, as this voyage is rarely of less than six months' continuance, and the ship is deep laden with merchandise and crowded with jieople, it may appear wonderful how they can bo supplied with a stock of fresh water for so long a time ; and indeed their method of procuring it is extremely singular, and deserves a very par- ticular recital. 1 1 is well known to those who arc acquainted with the Spanish customs in the South Seas, that their water is preserved on ship-board, not in casks, but in earthen jars, which in some sort resemble the largo oil jars we often see in Europe. When the Manila ship first puts to sea, they take on board a much greater quantity of water than can be stowed between decks ; and the jars which contain it are hung all about the shrouds and stays, so as to exhibit at a distance a very odd appear- ance. And though it is one convenience of their jai-s that they are much more manageable than casks, and are liable to no leakage, unless they are broken, yet it is sufficiently obvious that a six, or even a three months' store of water could never be stowed in a ship so loaded, by any ma- nagement whatsoever ; and therefore without some other supply, this navigation could not bo per- fomied. A supply, indeed, they have; but the reliance upon it seems at first sight so extremely precarious, that it is wonderful such numbers should risk the perishing by the most dreadful of all deaths, on the expectation of so casual a circumstance. In short, their only method of recruiting their water is by the rains, which they meet with between the latitudes of 30" and 40" north, and which they are always prepared to catch. For this purpose they take to sea with them a great number of mats, which they place slopingly against the gunwale, whenever the rain descends ; these mats extend from one end of the ship to tho other ; and their lower edges rest on a large split bamboo, so that all the water which falls on the mats drains into the bamboo, and by this, as a trough, is conveyed into a jar ; and this method of supplying their water, however acci- dental and extraordinary it may at first sight appear, has never been known to fail them ; so that it is common for them, when their voyage is a little longer than usual, to fill all their water- jars several times over. However, though their distresses for fresh water are much short of what might be expected in so tedious a navigation, yet there are other in- conveniences generally attendant upon a long con- tinuance at sf ft, from which they are not exempted. The principal of these is the scurvy, which some times rages with extreme violence, and destroys great numbers of tho people ; but at other times 46 mm: any ma- thout some bo per- but the extremely numbers dreadful casual a ethod of vhich they and 40" pared to sea with hey place the rain nd of the s rest on er which , and by and this ver acci- rst sight them ; so .^oyage is ir water- fresh expected other in- ong con- (ompted. ;h some destroys er times ANSON'S VOYAGH ROUND THE WORLD. 75 their passage to Acapulco (of which alone I would bo here understood to speak) is performed with little loss. The length of time emplojcd in this passage, j so much, beyond what usually occurs in any otiior navigation, is perhaps in part to be imputed to j the indolence and unsUilfulnuss of the Spanish I sailors, and to an unnecessary degree of caution ! and concern for so rich a vessel ; for it is said that they never set their main-sail in the niglit, and often lie by unnecessarily. And indeed the instructions given to their captains (which I have I seen) seem to have been drawn up by such as I were more apprehensive of too strong a gale, I though favourable, than of the inconveniences and mortality attending a lingering a"d tedious voyage ; ' for the captain is particularly ordered to make his passage in ,the latitude of thirty degrees, if j possible ; and to be extremely careful io stand no farther to the northward than is absolutely neces- sary for the getting a westerly wind. This, ac- cording to our conceptions, appears to bo a very absurd restriction ; since it can scarcely be doubted, but that hi the higher latitudes the westerly winds are much steadier and brisker than in the lati- tude of thirty degrees ; so that the whole conduct of this navigation seems liable to very great cen- sure. For if, instead of steering E.N.E. into the latitude of thirty odd degrees, they at first stood N.E., or even still more northerly, into the lati- tude of forty or forty-fivn degrees, in part of which couree the trade-winds would greatly assist them, I doubt not but by this management they might considerably contract their voyage, and periiaps perform it in half the time which is now allotted ibr it ; for in the journals I have seen of these voyages, it appears, th.at they are often a month or six weeks after their Laying the land, before they get into the latitude of thirty degrees ; whereas, with a more northerly course, it might easily be done in a fourth part of the time ; and when they were once well aQvanced to the north- ward, the westerly winds would soon blow them over to the coast of California, and they would be thereby freed from the other embarrassments to which they are now subjected, only at the ex- pense of a rough sea and a stiff gale. And this is not merely matter of speculation ; for I am credi- bly informed that, about the year 1721, a French ship, by pursuing this course, ran from the coast of China to the valley of Vanderas, on the coast of Mexico, in less than fifty days. But it was said that this ship, notwithstiinding the shortness of her passage, suffered prodigiously by the scurvy, so that she had only four or five of her crew left when she arrived in America. However, I shall descant no longer on the pro- babil ity of performing this voyage in a much shorter time, but shall content myself with reciting the actual occurrences of the present navigation. The Manila ship having stood so far to the northward as to meet with a westerly wind, stretches away nearly in the same latituae for the coast of Cali- fornia. And when she has run into the longitude of ninety-six degrees from Cape Espiritu Santo, she generally meets with a plant floating on the sea, which, being called porra by the Spaniards, is, I presume, a species of sea-leek. On the sight of this plant they esteem themselves sufficiently near the Californian shore, and immediately stand to the southward ; and they rely so much on thia circumstance, that on the first discovery of tho ])lant the whole ship's company chant a solemn Te Deum, esteeming the difficulties and Iia^ards of their ])assage to bo now at an end ; and they constantly correct their longitude thereby, withcut over coming within sight of land. After falling in with these signs, as they denominate them, they steer to the southward, without endeavouring to fall in with the coast, till they have run into a lower latitude ; for as there are many islands and some shoals adjacent to California, the extreme caution of the Spanish navigators makes them very apprehensive of being eng.aged with the land ; however, when they draw near its southern ext'*e- niity, they venture to haul in, both for the sake of making Cape St. Lucas to ascertain their reckon- ing, and also to receive intelligence from the Indian inhabitants, whether or no there are any enemies on the coast ; and this last circumstance, which is a particular article in tho captain's instructions, makes it necessary to mention the late proceedings .of the Jesuits amongst the Californian Indians. Since tho first discovery of CalU'ornia, there have been various wandering misHJonaries who have visited it at different times, though to little ptu'pose ; but of late years the Jesuits, encouraged and supported by a large donation from the Mar- quis de Valero, a most munificent bigot, have fixed themselves u])()n tho place, and have estab- lished a very considerable mission. Their princi- l>al settlement lies just within Cape St. Lucas, where they have collected a gr(^at number of sa- vages, and have endeavoured to inure them to agriculture and other mechanic arts. And their ett'orts have not been altogether ineffectual ; for they have planted vines at their settlements with very good success, so that they already make a considerable quantity of wine, resembling in flavour the iid'erior sort of Madeira, which begins to be esteemed in tho neighbouring kingdom of Mexico. The Jesuits, then, being thus firmly rooted on California, they have already extended their ju- risdiction quite across the country from sea to sea, and are endeavouring to spread their influence farther to the northward ; with which view they have made several expeditions up the gulf between California and Mexico, in order to discover the nature of the adjacent countries, all which they hope hereafter to bring under their power. And being thus occupied in advancing the interests of their society, it is no wonder if some share of at- tention is engaged about the security of the Manila ship, in which their convents at Manila are so deeply concerned. For this purpose there are refreshments, as fruits, wine, water, &c., con- stantly kept in readiness for her ; and there is besides care taken, at Cape St. Lucas, to look out for any ship of the enemy, which might be cruising there to intercept her ; this being a station where she is constantly expected, and where she has been often waited for and fought with, though generally with little success. In consequence then of themeasures mutually settled between the Jesuits of Manila and their brethren at California, the captain of the galleon is ordered to fall in with the land to ihe northward of Cape St. Lucas, where the inhabitants are directed, on sight of the vessel, to make the proper signals with fires ; and on 87 76 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WOULD, . I'l * 1 *f vm i ',! ^il : . m tliscoverinf; these fires, tlio cnptain is to send liLs laiincli on shore with twenty men, well armed, who am to carry with them the letters from tlio convents iit Manila to the Californian missionaries, and arc to bring back the relreHli- nients which will be prepared for them, and likewise intelli<;enco whether or no there are any enemies on the coaHt. Aniirtieu- lOills l)f St. [)arien. Ho to in'ovcnt :, tlioro .iro th of June, thi; Iiiichest in till tlio arrison, (as hereafter,) ; for tiio re- her ail the tlie danpr though the rarely stays ter and re- 3, she steers n the island ered to look !Htiuels will likewise iu md on the insitructed ship, which or if, after seives that is then to eoast ; and ir to sjieak icure from lieir force, irsuant to and to en- [ngst those le enemy ; r in port, ill !■:. he is ime of his Iglecting to to the city after the that two he is then and he [ption, and of Cabite, , and the ed in this CllAl'TER XI. Oitr cru'iie (j/f Iht port ofAcapulco fw Vie Manila ship. I HAVK already mentioned, in the ninth chapter, that till! return of our barj;e from the port of Acapulco, whei'o she liad surprise . As this was the ;;d of March, and it was the l"th ol February when the Ijarge returned and bri.^ight us our intelligence, the commodore resolved 'o coiitinue tlie greatest part of the intermediate tiiue on his present sta- tion, to the westward of Acai>u!eo, conceiving that in this situation there would be less danger of his being seen from the shore, which was the only circumstance that could deprive us of the immense treasure on which we had at present so eagerly fixed our thoughts. During this interval we wei-e employed in scrubbing and cleansing our ships' bottoms, in bringing them into their most adran- tageous trim, and in regulating the ordei*s, signals, and stations, to be observed when we should aiTivc oft' Aeai)ulco, anil the time of the departure of the galleon should draw nigli. And now, on the fii-st of March, we nuide the high lands, usually called the j)aps, oMr Acapulco, and got with all ])ossible expedition into the sitnr.- tion i)resci'ibed by the Connnodore's orders. The distribution of our squadron on this occasion, botli for the intercepting the galleon and for the avoid- ing a discovery from the shore, was so very judi- cious, that it well merits to be distinctl\ dencribed. The order of it was thus : TheCentnrioi\ brought the paps over the harbour to bear N.N.E., at fifteen leagues' distance, which was a sufficient ofting to prevent our being seen by the enemy. To the westward of the Centurion there was stationed the Carnielo, and to the cast- ward were the Tryal prize, the Gloucester, and the Carmin. These were all ranged in a circular line, and each shi]) was three leagues distant from the next ; so that the Carmelo and the Carmin, w'hich wore the two extremes, were twelve leagues' distance from each other: and as the galleon could without doubt be discerned at six li agues' distance from cither extremity, the whole sweep of our squadron, within which nothing could p:uss undiscovered, was at least twenty-four leagues in extent ; and yet we were so connected by onr sig- nals, as to be easily and si)eedily infonned i iihut was seen iu any part of the line : and to render this disposition still more complete, and to prevent even the possibility of the galleon's escaping us in the night, the two cutters belonging to the Cen- turion and the Gloucester were both manned and sent in shore, and were ordered to lie all day at the distance of four or five leagues from the en- trance of the port, where, by reason of their small- ness, they could not possibly be discovered ; but in the night they were directed to stand nearer to the harbour's mouili,and as the light of the morn- iiiL' came on, they wcva to return back again to the- dav-posts. When the cutters should first disco - '-V t le Manila shi]>, one of them was ordered to return t j the squadro/i, and to make a signal wlii'tlur t'lo galleon stood to the eastward or to the westv* drd, whilst the other was to follow the galleon at a distance, and, if it grew dai'k, was to direct the squadron in their chase by showing false fires. Besides the care >ie had taken to prevent the galleon from passing; by ns unobserved, we had' not been inattentive to the m. uns of engaging her to advantage when we came uj) with her: for, con- sidering the thinness of our hands, and the vaunt- ing accounts given by the Spaniards of her size, her gun.-", and her strength, this was a considera- tion not to be neglected. As we supposed that none of our ships but the Centurion and the Glou- cester were capable of lying alongside of her, we took on board the Centurion all the hands beU/ng- ing to the Cannelo and the Carmin, except what were just sufficient to navigate those shii>s ; and Captaui Saunders was onlered to send from the Tryal prize ten Englishmen, and as many negroes, to reinforce the crew of the Gloucester : and for the encouragement of our iiegi-oes, of which wr- had a considerable number ou board, we promised them that on their good behaviour tliey should all ti'J IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I l^|2^ |2.5 ■^ 1^ 12.2 2.0 Its lU u |40 IL25 i 1.4 I llllim 1.6 y '^^■^ *?% Hiotographic Sciences Corporation U W: ;* MAIN STRUT WIBSVM.N.Y. MSSO (716) 873-4503 ^. <^>^ 4^ 70 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND 'Fini WORLD. .'1' have their freedom ; mid as tlicy fiad been iilinost every 'p, and were infonned by them, that, con- formable to their orders, they had left their station the diiy before, without having seen anything of the galleon ; and we found that the reason of their bcuig 80 far to the leeward of us was a strong current, which had driven the whole squadron to windward. And liere it is necessary to mention that, by fafprmation which was afterwards received, it appeared that this prolongation of our cruise was a v6ry prudent measure, and afforded us no con- temptible chance of seizing the treasure, on which we had so long fixed our thoughts. For it seems, after the embargo was laid on tlio galleon, as is befoi'e mentioned, the persons principally inter- ested in the cargo sent several expresses to Mexico to beg that she might still be peiinitted to depart. For as they knew, by the accounts sent from Paita, that we had not more than three hundred men in all, they insisted that there was nothing to be feared from us ; for that the galleon (carrying above twice as many hands as our whole 8<{uadron) would be greatly an overmatch for us. And though the viceroy was inflexible, yet, on the account of their representation, she was kept ready for the sea for near three weeks after the first order came to detain lier. When we had taken up the cutters, all the ships being joined, the commodore made a signal to speak with their commanders ; and upon inquiry into the stock of fresh water remaining on board the squadron, it was found to be so very '^nder, that we were under a necessity of quitting our station to procure a fj-esh supply ; and consulting what place was the moat jiroper for this purpose, it was agi-eed, that the harbour of Seguataneo or Che(|uetaii, being the nearest to us, was on that account the most eligible ; and it was therefore immediately k solved to make the best of our way thither. Ami that, even while we were recruiting our V ,.»4.r, we might not totally abandon our views upon il.e galleon ; which, perliaps upon certiiin intelligence of our being employed at Chequetan, might venture to slip out to sea. our cutter, under the command of Mr. IIu','hcs,tli(< lieutenant of t!;o Tryal j.rizi-, was ordcnil ti;iTuisc otf the purt of Acapuli-u fur twenty-lour days ; that if the v:alleon should set sail i:i that interval, we might he spee tiMKB of Seguataneo, which, by the description they gave of it, appimrcd to be the port, called by Dampier the harbour, of Che(|uetaii. The success of our boats was highly agreeable to us, and they were ordered out again the next day, to sound the har- bour and its entrance, which they had represented as very narrow. At their return they reported the place to be free from any danger ; so that on the seventh we stood in, and that evening came to an anchor in eleven fathoms. The Gloucester came to an anchor at the same time with us ; but the Carmelo and the Camiin having ^Skn to leeward, the Tryal prize was ordered td join them, and to bring them in, which in two or three days she effected. Thus, after a four months' continuance at sea, from the leaving of Quibo, and having but six days' water on board, we arrived in the harbour of Che(|uetan, the description of which, and of the adjacent coast, shall be the business of the ensuing chapter. ■ Ji/ '' 91 80 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WOULD. j^l ! CIIAriKil XII. DeittlplioH "fllii- harh'"if iif <'hfq;es, and planted with a ^reat nundjer of trees ; and on the tops of some small eminences there are several look-out t(>wers ; so that tlie face . >f the country affords u very aijreeable prospect. Itr the cultivated part, which is the part lure e not very unlike tlie hill of Petajilau hereafter mentioned, though much smaller. Three miles to the west- ward of this hummock is a white rock lying near the shore, which cannot easily be passed by un- observed. It is about two cables' length from the land, and lies in a large buy about nine leagues over. The westward point of this bay is the hill of I'ctaphin. This hill, too, like the fore-men- tioned hiiniinock, may be iit first mistaken for an island, though it be in reality a peninsula, which is joined to the continent by a low and nanow isthmus, covered over with shrubs and small ti'ces. The bay of Seguataiieo extends from this hill a great way to the westward ; .it a small distance from the hill, and op|)osite to the eiitraiK-e of the bay, there is an assi-mblage of rocks, which are white from tlie excrements of boobies and tropical birds. Four of these rocks are hi,.;h and large, and, together with several smaller ones, are, by the lielp of a little imagination, pretended to resemble the form of a cross, and are called the *• White Friai-s." These rocks bear W. by N, from Peta- plan ; and about seven miles to the westward of them lies the harbour of Chcquetan, which is still morn minutely distinguished by a largo and single rock, that rises out of tlie water a mile and a lialf distant from its entrance, and bears S. ^ W. from the middle of it. The.se are the infallible marks by which ths harbour of Che<|uetan mav Imj known to those who keep well in witli the land ; and I must add, that the coast is no ways to l)e dreaded from the middle of October to the beginning of May, nor is tl.ere then any danger from the winds ; though, in :!"• remaining part of the year, there are freijuent aial violent tornadoes, lieavy r.iins, and hard gales in all diivctions of the compass. Hut, as to those who kee]) at any considerable distance from the coast, then; is no other method to be taken by them for finding this harbour, than that of making it by its latitude : for there ar«! so many i-anges of mountains rising one upon the back of anoliier witliin land, tint no diav.ings of the appearance of the coa.st can be at all depended on, when off at sea : for every little change of distance or variation of position brings new mountauis in view, and pro- duces an infinity of ditt'ereiit prospects, which would render all attempts of delineating the aspect of the coast impossible. This may suffice as to the methods of discover- ing tlie harbour of Clie(|netaii. Its entrance is but about lialf-a-mile broad ; the two ])oints which form it, and which are faced with rocks that are almost periiendicular, bear from each other S.K. and N.W. The harbour is environed on all sidis, except to the westward, with higli mountains over- spread with trees. The pa.ssage into it is ver;. >-if>- on either side of the rock that lies olT the mei,;li of it, though we, both in coining in and going oui; left it to the eastward. The ground without the harbour is gravel mixed with stones, but within it is a soft mud : and it must be remembered that, in coming to an anchor, a good allowance should be made for a largt; swell, which frequently causes a great send of the si'a ; as likewise, for the ebbing and flowing of the tide, which we observed to be about five feet, and that it set nearly E, and W, The watering-])laco for fi-esh water lias the appearance of a huge standing lake, without any visible outlet into the sea, from which it is separated by a part of the strand. The origin of this lake is a spring, that bubbles out of the ground near half- a-mile within the country. We found the water a little brackish, but more considerably so towards the sea-side ; for the nearer we advanced towarils the spring-heiid, the softer and fresher it proved : this laid ns niuler a necessity of filling all our casks from the furthest part of the lake, and ocea-sioned lis some trouble ; and would have proved still more difficult, hatl it not been for our particular management, which, for the convenience of it, deserves to be ri'cominendcd to all who shall here- after water at this place. Our method consisted in making use of canoes which divw but little water ; for, loading them with a number of small ea.sks, they easily got up the lake to the spring- head, and the sniall casks being there filled, were in the saint; manner transported back again to the beach, where some of our hands always attended to start them into other casks of a larger sue. Though this lake, during our continuance tliere, appeared to have no outlet into the sea, yet thcix- is reason to suppose that in the wet uesison it overflows the strand, and communicates with the ocean ; for Dampier, who was formerly here, speaks of it as n large river. Indeed there inui-t D2 y which th? to thoHO \vhi> mat add, thiit m the inulillo nor is tl.oiv \ ough, in :!"• ' fr'-'iui'iit u.ii.\ i liard (jalts in , a» to tho>i- ICO from tln' ' be taken h; lat of tnal.in<; ' »ny ranjtes c:" k of anoUifi- ippoarance of , when off ai e or variation iew, anil pro- ., whicli would ' aspect of thf i of discovcr- i entrance is ) points wliii-h M-ks tliat avi- ch other S.K. d on all sides, )untains over- it is ver;. >'if<- ' the in<'u;li .if , nd roIml; ouij ■ id without the ?s, but within n.'nieinbcivd ii)d allowance ieh freipuntly s likewise, for e, which we t it set nearly ater has the 1, without any it is separated lof this lake is lid near hiilf- id the water a y so towards ufed towards ■r it proviil : all our casks lid occasioned proved still |ur |>artieular iiience of it, lio shall here- liod consisted w but little liber of small the spring- there filled, back again liands always Ls of a larger liuancc there, lea, yet then- let season it fttes with the merly here, theix: inuift ANSON'S VOYAGE HOUND TUE WOULD. 81 i be a very ^reat body of water amassed before the ' lakf! can rise high enough to overflow tin; strand ; ' for the neighbouring country i-s so low, tliat great ' part of it must be covered with water, befoi-o it I can run out over the beach. As the country in the neighbourhood, particu- larly the tract which we have already described, ! apjieai-ed to be well peopled, and cultivated, we ' hoped thence to have procured fresh provision and , otluT refreshments which we stood in need of. With this view, the morning after wo came to an i anchor, the ccnimodoiv ordered a party of forty ! men, well armed, to march into tho country, and ' to endeavour to discover some town or village, I wliere they were to attempt to sot on foot a eor- I respondence with tho inhabitants ; for we doubted not, if we could have any intercourse with them, I but that by presents of some of the coai-sc mer- ! chandise, with which our prizes abounded (which, though of little consequence to us, would to them I be extremely valuable) we should allure them to i furnish us with whatever fruits or fresh iirovisions ' were in their power. Our people were din^eted on ' this occasion to proceed with the gi-eatest ciicuni- ' spection, and to make as little ostentation of hostility as possible ; for we were sensible, that wo I could meet with no wealth heiv worth our notice, I and that what necessaries we i-eally wanted, wo i should in all probability be better supplied with i by an open amicable traffic, than by violence and I force of arms. But this endeavour of opening an i intercourse with the inhabitants proved inetfectual ; j for towards evening, tho party which had been i ordered to marcls into the country, returned greatly [ fatigued with their unusual exercise, and some of them so far spent as to have fainted by tho way, and to be obliged to be brought baclc upon the shoulders of their companions. They had marched in all, as they con-eived, about ten miles, in a beaten road, where they often saw the frc-;h dung of hoi-scs or mules. When they had got about five miles from the harbour, the I'oad divided between the mountains into two branches, one running to tho east, and the other to the west : after some deliberation about tho course they should take, they agreed to pui-sue the eastern road, which, when they had followed for some time, led them at once into a large plain or savannah ; on one side of which they discovered a sentinel on hoi-seback with a pistol in his hand : it was sup- posed that when they first saw him he was asleep, init his hoj-se startled at the glittering of their arms, and turning round suddenly rode off with his master, who was very near being unhorsed in the surprise, but he recovered his seat, and escaped with the loss only of his hat and his pistol, which he dropped on the ground. Our people ran after him, in hopes of discovering some village or habi- tation which he would retreat to, but as he had tlio advantage of being on hoi-seback, he soon lost sight of them. However, they were unwilling to come back without making faome discovery, and therefore still followed the track they were in ; but the heat of the day increasing, and finding no water to si'veral poles in the road, to which were affixed declarations, written in Spanish, encouraging the inhabitants to como down to the harbour, and to trafiie with us, giving the strongest assurances of a kind reception, and faithful |)aynient for any provisions they should bring us. This was doubtless a \ ery prudent iiiea- suron the division of the ])ath, taken the western road instead of the eastern, it would soou have led them to a village or town, which in some Spanish m:uiuscri|)ts is mentioned as being in the neighbourhood of this port, and which we afterwards learned was not above two miles from that turning. And on this occasion I cannot help mentioning another adventure, which hajipened to some of our jieoplo in t'.ie bay of Petajilan, as it may help to give the reader a just idea of the temper of the inhabitants of this part of the world. Some time after our arrival at Chcquetan, Lieutenant Brett was sent by the commodore, with two of our boats under his command, to examine the coast to the eastward, jiartieularly to make observations on the bay and watering-place of I'etaplan. As Mr. Brett, with one of the boats, was jireparing to go on shore towards the hill of I'etaplan, he, accidentally looking across the bay, i)erceived, oit tho opposite strand, three small squadrons of horse parading upon the beach, and seeming to advance towards the jilace where he proposed to land. On sight of this he immediately put off the boat, though he had but sixteen men with him, and stood over the bay towards thcni : and he soon came near enough to perceive that they were mounted ou very sightly horses, and were armed with carbines and lances. On seeing him make towards them, they for.i'.ed upon the beach, and seemed resolved to dispute his landing, firing several distant shot at him as he drew near ; till at last the boat being arrived within a reasonable distance of the most advanced squadron, Mr. Brett ordered his people to fire, upon which this i-esolute cavalry instantly ran in great confusion into the wood, through a small opening. In this precipitate Hight one of their horses fell down and threw his rider ; but, whether he was wounded or not wo could not leani, for both man and horse soon got up again, and followed the rest into the wood. In the mean time, the other two squadrons, who were di-awn up at a great distance behind, out of tho reach of our shot, were calm spectators of the rout of their comrades ; for they had halted on our first approach, ami never advanced after- wards. It was doubtless fortunate for our people that the enemy acted with so little prudence, and exerted so little spirit ; for had they concealed themselves till our ni n had landed, it is scarcely possible but the whole boat's crew must have filUen into their hands ; since tho Spaniards were not much short of two hundred, and the whole num- ber, with Mr. Brett, as hath been already men- tioned, only amounted to sixteen. However, the discovery of so considerable a force, collected in this bay of Pctaplan, obliged us constantly to keep a boat or two before it : for we were apprehensive that tho cutter, which wc had left to cruise off Acapulco, might, on her return, be suriirised bjr VOL. J. »3 82 ANSON'S VOYAGK ROUND THE WORLD. I (' i ^ the enemy, if hIk- did not reepivc timely informa- tion of her diingiT. Bnt now to proew'd witli the account of the liurbourof Cheijuetan. After our unHiipcessfiil ntt<'tn]>t to onj!;.i!;e the people of tlic eoniitry to fiirniHli us with the ne- ceasaries we wiiiited, we desisted from :iny more endeavours of tlie winie nature, and were oMitjed to 1)0 contented with what wo CDuld proeure lor ourBeives ill the ueiKhhourhood of Mk ]iort. We caught fish here in toh'ralile better understood, when I siiy it i? a flat fish, nmcli rcHemblini; the thorn-back. This fish, the tor])edo, is indeed of a most sinfrular nature, productive of the stranjiest effects on the human body : for whoever Imndles it, or happens even to «t>t ids foot upon it, is jire- sently seized with a numbness all over him ; but which is more distinguishable in that limb which was in innnediate contact with it. The same efTect too will be in some degree produced by touching the fisli with anything held in the hand ; for I myself had a considerable degree of numb- ness conveyed to my right arm,tlirougli a walking cane which I rested on the body of the fish for some time ; and I make no doubt but 1 should liBve been nmcli more sensibly affected, had not the fish been near expiring when I made the experiment : for it is observable- that this in- fluence acts with most vigour when the fish is first taken out of tlu; water, and entirely ceases yhp n it is dead, so that it may be then handled rt^even eaten without any inconvenience. I ■hall' only add that the numbness of my arm on this occasion did not go off on a sudden, as the accounts of some; naturalists gave me reason to expect, but diminished gradually, so that 1 had Bomo sensation of it retnaming till the ne.\c day. To the account given of the fisli wo mot with here, I must add, that though turtle now grew scarce, and we met with none in tiiis harbour of Ohequetan, yet our boats, which, as I have men- tioned, were stationed oH' Petaphm, often sup|.lied u"i therewith ; and fliough this was a food that we had now been so long as it were confined to, (for it was the only fresh provisions which we had tasted for near six months,) yet we were far from bcin^ cloyed with it, or from finding that the relish we had of it at all diminished. The animals we met with on shore were print'- pally guanos, with which the country abounds, and which are by some reckoned delicious food. We saw no beasts of prey here, except we should es- teem that amphibious animal, the alligator, as such, several of which our people discovered, but none of them very large. However, we were satisfied tliat there were great immbers of tigers in the woods, though none of them came in sight ; for we every morning found the lieacli near the water- ing place imprinted very thick with their footsteps: but we never apprehended any miochief from thorn; for they are l>y no means wo fierce as the Aniatic or African tiger, and are rarely, if ever, known to attack mankind. IJirds wi-re hero in sufficient, plenty ; for we had abundance of ])heasants of diiferent kinds, some of them of an nnctunmoii size, but they were very dry ami tast«'l( ss food. And besidi'S these we had a variety of smaller bii'ds, particularly parrots, wliieli we often killed for food. The fruits and vegetable refreshments Jit this place were neither plentiful, nor of the best kinds: there were, it is true, a few bushes sc:ittere(i about the woods, which supplied us with limes, but wo scarcely could procure enough for tmr prewnt use; and these, with a small plum of an agreeable acid, i calleil in Jamaica the hog-plum, to;;ether with i another fruit called the papali, wei ' the only fruitu to be found in the woods. Nor is there any other useful vegetable here wm'th mentioning, except brooklime : this inarticular of the coast lying to the westward of it, that to tho c.istward having been already de- scribed. As Mr. Anson was always attentive to whatever might be of conseiiuence to those who might frequent these seas hereafter ; and, as we had observed that there was a double land to the westward of Cheiiuetan, which stretched out to a considerable distanct;, with a kind of opening, which appeared not unlike the inlet to some harbour, the commodore, soon after we came to an anchor, sent a boat to diAcover it more accurately, and it was found, on a neai'er examination, that the two hills, which formed the double land, were joined together by a valley, and th:it there was no harbour nor shelter between them. Uy all that has been said, it will appear that the conveniences of this port of Clic(|uetan, par- ticularly in the articles of refreshment, are not altogether such as might be desired : but yet, upon the whole, it is a place of considerable consequence, and the knowledge of it nay be of great Imjjort to future cruisers. For it is the only secure harbour in a vast juttent of coast, except Acapuico, which is in tho hands of the enemy. It lies at a jjrojjer distance from Aca- puico for the convenience of such ships as nniy have any designs on the Manila galleon ; and it is a i)lace wliere wood and water may be taken in with great security, in despite of the efforts of the inhabitants of the adjacent district : for there is but one narrow path which leads through the woods into the country, and this is easily to bo secured bya verysmallparty,again8tallthestrongth the Spaniards in that neighbourhood can muster. After this account of Chequetan, and the coast contiguous to it, we 8h&,U return to tho recital of our own proceedings. n tlu< Af^iatic i cr, known to I in KuHiciant. JlllU'llSIllltS of II unconHuoii istiilrss food. :y of Hniiillcr ; often killed nent.s !'.t thiH lio hesl kinds: lattcroti iibout liuM's, but wo r pvcwnt UHo; ;iroeulilo acid, to>;ctlior with the only fruita lore any other ' ouinUt •'"cept ' 30,1 (luautitiea • JIM it was es- it fre(|uently, le it very uu- iiy of notice in I only mention e westward of an already da- ys attentive to 3 to those who •r ; and, as wo ble land to the 3tched out to a openin);, which lie harhour, the m anchor, sent ily, and it was 1 the two hills, joined tosether harbour nor ; appear that | ic(|uetan, par- nient, arc not red : but yet, considerable ] it may be of ' For it is the tent of coast, hands of the from Aca- ships as nia^- ; illeon ; and it may be taken the efforts of ict : for there through the easily to bo ill the strength can muster, ind the coast the recital of ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 83 ClIAl'TEll Xlll. Our proceedhiy-i it Chi-ijuflnn nnd on the atljacent coast, lilt o'lr tettittii suit for Atia. The next murr.in};, txhcr owv comint; to an anchor in the harbour of C'lu'<|uetan, wo sent about ninety of our men well armeil on shore, forty of wlioin were ordered to marcii into the ccmntry, as has been mentioned, and tlie remaining fifty were employed to cover the watering-place, and to pre- vent any interruption from the natives. Here we completed the unloading of the Car- mclo an( re given to the sentinels to let no |iers4in what- ever pass beytuid their yo^l : but notwithstanding this ]irecaution we miissed one Lewis Leger, who was the coninioJore's cook : and as he was a Frenchman, and suspected to be a papist, it was by some inuigined that he had deserted with a view of betraying all that he knew to the enemy ; but this appeared, by the event, to be an ill-groundcHl Hurniise ; for it was afterwards known that he had been taken by sonu; Indians, who carried him prisoner to A<'apuleo, from whence he was ti°ans- ferred to Mexir'o, and thence to Vera Cruz, where he was sliip|)ed on board a vessel bound to Old Spain : and the vessel being obliged by some acci- dent to put into Lisbon, Leger escaped on shore, and was by the British consul sent from tlieace to England ; where he brought the first authentic account of the safety of the commoe Espiritu Santo, on the island of Samal, before her ; 4nd that being the firat land she makes on her return to the Philippines, we could not have failed to have fallen in with her, by cruising a few days in that station. But the viceroy of Mexico ruined this project by keeping the galleon in the port of Acapulco all that year. The letter left in the canoe for Mr. Hughes, the commander of the cutter, (the time of whose return was now considerably elapsed.) directed him to go back immediately to his former station before Acapulco, where he would find Mr. Anson, who resolved to cruise for him there for a certain number of days ; after which, it was added, that the commodore would return to the southward to join the rest of the squadron. This last article was inserted to deceive the Spaninrds, if they got possession of the canoe, (as we afterwards learnt they did,) but could not impose on Mr. Hughes, who well knew that the commodore had no squadron to join, nor any intention of steering back to Peru. Being now in the offing of Chequetan, bound across the vast Pacific Ocean in our way to China, we were impatient to run off the coast as soon as possible ; for as the stormy season was approach- ing apace, and as we had no further views in the American seas, we had hoped that nothing would have prevented us from standing to the westward, the moment we got out of the harbour of Che- quetan: and it was no small mortification to us, that our necessary emplojTnent there had detained UB BO much longer than we expected ; and now we Were farther detained by the absence of the cutter, and the standing tewurds Acapulco in search of her. Indeed, as the time of her cruise had been expired for near a fortnight, we sus- pected that she had been discovered from the shore ; and that the governor of Acapulco had thereupon sent out a force to seize her, which, as she carried but six hands, was no very difficult entcii)ri8c. However, this being only conjecture, the commodore, as soon as he was got clear of the harbour of Che(iuetan, stood along the coast to the eiustward in search of her: and to prevent her from passing by us in the dark, we brought- to every night ; and the Gloucester, whose station was a league within us towards the shore, carried a light, which the cutter could not but perceive, if she kept along-shore, as we supposed she would do ; and as a farther security, the Centurion and the Gloucester alternately showed two false fires every half hour. Indeed, had she escaped us, she would have found ordera in the canoe to liave returned immediately before Acapulco, where Mr. Anson proposed to cruise for her some days. By Sunday, the '2d of May, we were advanced within three leagues of Acapulco, and having seen nothing of our boat, we gave her over for lost, which, besides the compassionate concern for our ship-mates, and for what it was apprehended they might have suffered, was in itself iv misfortune, which, in our present scarcity of hands, we were all greatly interested in : for the crew of the cutter, consisting of six nien and the lieutenant, were the very flower of our people, jiurpt.scly picked out for this service, and known to be every one of them of tried and approved ri'solution, and as skilful seamen as ever trod a deck. However, as it was the general belief among us that they were taken and carried into Acapulco, the com- modore's prudence suggested a project which wc hoped would recover them. This was founded on our having many Spanish and Indian prisoners in our possession, and a number of sick negroes, who could be of no service to us in the navigating' of the ship. The commodore therefore wrote a letter the same day to the governor of Acapulco, telling him, that he would release them all, pro- vided the governor returned the cutter's crew ; and the letter was despatched the same afternoon by a Spanish officer, of whose hpbonr we had a good opinion, and who was furiiished'«with a launch belonging to one of our prizes, and a crew of six other prisoners who all gave their parole for their return. The officer, too, besides the commodore's letter, carried with him a joint petition signed by all the rest of the prisoders, beseeching his Excellency to acquiesce in tBe' terais proposed for their liberty. Fi"om a coii- siderntion of the number of our prisoners, and the quality of some of them, we did not doubt but the governor would readily comply with Mr. Anson's proposal, and Iherefoi^ W3 kept plying on and off the whole night, intending to keep well in with the land, tlmt we miglit i-eceive an answer at the limited time, which was the next day, being Monday : but both on the Monday and Tuesday we wei-e driven so far off shore, that we could not hope to receive any answA* ; and on the Wednesday morning we found ourselVes fourteen leagues from the hai'bour of Acapulco ;T)ut as the wind was now favourable, we pressed forwards with all our U6 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 8S bscnco of tin- Acupuleo ill of her cruise light, we BUH- rcJ from the Aoapuico had her, which, as very difticult ily conjecture, ot clear of the T the coast to 1(1 to prevent ;, we brought- whose station shore, carried but perceive, ised she would Centurion and two false fires e escaped us, canoe to liave Ico, where Mr. ime days. rere advanced id having seen over for lost, ancern for our rehendcd they a misfortune, ands, we were \ crew of the :he lieutenant, [lie, purpt.sely wn to be every [vsolution, and k. However, us that thoy Ico, the com- ject which we was founded lian prisoner!} sick negroes, he navigating^ foi-e wrote a of Acapuico, Ihem all, pro- utter's crew ; me afternoon ur we had a' shed '« with a. 1, and a crew their parole besides the him a joint he prisoriers, iesce in tBe' Fi"om a con- risoners, and lot doubt but r with Mr. kept plying' to keep well ve an answer xt day, being 1 Tuesday we ive could not Wednesday leagues from lie wind was with all our sail, and did not doubt of gcttiii;; in with the land in a few huiirs. WhlKt we wen; thus stutidini; ill, the man at the mast-head called ixit that he Kkw a boat under sail at a conHidorablo dlHtJiiice t<) the south-fiustward : this we took fur granted was the answer of the gDVcriior td the commo- dore's messaijrt, and we instantly ed'.;fil towanls it ; but when we drew nearer, we found to oiir uii.speakable joy that it was our own cutler. While she was still at a distance, we imagined that she hud been disclutrgcd out of the |Mirt of Acapuico by the governor ; but when she drew nearer, the wan and meagre counti-nanccs of the crew, the length of their beards, and the feeble and hollow tone of their voices, convinced us that they had sutfcred much greater hardships than could be expected from even the severities of a Spanish prison. They wore obliged to be helped into the shij), and were immediately jnit to bed, .nnd with rest, and nourishing diet, which they were plentifully supplied with from the commo- dore's table, they recovered their health and vigour apace : and now we learnt that they hud kept the sea the whole time of their absence, whiah was above six weeks; that when they ilnislietl their cruise before Acapuico, and had just begun 10 jily to the westward in order to join the 8(|uadron, a strong adverso current li:id forced them down the coast to the eastward in spite of all their ettorts ; that at length their water being all ex- pended, they were obliged to search the coast farther on to the eastward, in fjuest of some con- venient landing-i)laee, where they might get a fi-esh supply ; that in this distress they ran upwards of eighty leagues to leeward, and found everywhere so large a surf, that there was not the lca.st possibility of their landing ; that they passed some da; s in this dreadful situation, without water, and having no other means left tlu-iu to allay their thirst than sucking the blood of the turtle which they caught ; and at last, giving up all hopes- of relief, the heat of the climate too augmenting their necessities, and rendering their sutterings insupportable, they abandoned them- selves to despair, fully persuaded that they should perish by the most terrible of all deaths ; but that they were soon after liappily relievetl by a most unexpected incident, fur there fell so heavy a rain, that by spreading their sails horizontally, and by putting bullet') in the centers of them to draw them to a point, they caught as much water as filled all their cask ; that immediately upon this fortunate supply thoy stood to the westward in quest of the commodore ; and being now luckily favoured by a strong current, they joined us in less than fifty hours, from the time they stood to the westward, after having been absent from us full forty-three days. Those who have an idea of the inconsiderable size of a cutter belonging to a sixty-gun ship, (being only an open boat about twenty-two feet in length,) and who will attend to the various accidents to which she was exposed during a six weeks' continuance alone, in the open ocean, on so impracticable and dangerous a coast, will readily own, that her return to us at last, after all the difficulties which she actually expe- rienced, and the hazards to which she was each liouv exposed, may be considered as little short of miraculous. I cannot finish the article of this cutter, with- out remarking how littio reliance navigators ought to have on the accounts of the liuceaneer writers: for though in this run of hers, eighty leagues to the eastward of Acapuico, she found no place where it was possible for u boat to hind, yet those writers have not been asliam<;d to feign harbours and convenient watering-places within these limits; thereby exposing such us should confide in their relations, to the risk of being destntyed by thii'st. And now having received our cutter, the sole object of our coming a second time before Aca- puico, the commodore resolved not to lose a nionieiit's time longer, but to run otf the ciutst with the utmost ex]>edition, both as the storiny seusoii on the coast uf .Mitxico was now approach- ing apace, and as we were apprehensive of having the westerly monsoon to struggle with when wo came upon the coast of China ; and therefore lie no longer stood towards Acapuico, as he now wanted no answer from the governor ; but yet he ivsolved ntTt to deprive his prisoner of the liberty, which he had i)roinised them ; so that they were all immediately embarked in two launches which belonged to our prizes, these from the Centurion in one launch, and those from the (jlouccster in the other. The launches were well c<|nipped with iiiusts, sails and ours ; and, lest the wind might prove unfavourable, they had a stock of water and provisions put on board them siilH- cioiit for fourteen days. There were discharged thirty-nine persons from on board the Centurion, and eighteen from the Gloucester, the greatest ))urt of them Spaniards, the rest Indians and sick negroes ; but as our crews wei-o very weak, we kept the mulattoes and some nf the stoutest of the negroes, with a few Indians, to assist us ; but wo disinissed every Spanish prisoner whatever. We have since learnt, that these two launches arrived safe at Acapuico, where the prisoners could not enough extol the humanity with which they had been treated ; and that the governor, before their arrival, had returned a very obliging answer to the commodore's letter, and had attended it with a i)resent of two bouts laden with the choicest refreshments and provisions which were to be got ot Acapuico ; but that these boats not having found our ships, were at length obliged to put back again, after liuving thrown all their pro- visions overboard in a stonn which threatened their destruction. The sending away our prisoners was our last transaction on the .\merican coast ; for no sooner had we partecl with tliein, than we and the Gloucester made sail to the S.W., proposing to gi't a good otting from the land, where we hoped, in a few days, to meet with the regular trade- wind, which tile accounts of former navigators had represented as much brisker and steadier in this ocean, than in any other part of the globe : for it has been esteemed no uncommon passage, to run from hence to the easternmost parts of .\sia in two months ; and we flattered oux-selves thr.t we were as ciipable of making an exiteditioim passage, as any shiiis that had ever run this course before us : so that we hoped soon to gain tin? coast of China, for which we were now bound. And confonnuble to the general idea of this navigation given by former voyagers, we consi- dered it as frcQ from all kinds of cnibarrnssracnt 17 v.r, ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND TIIK WORLD. l* ' of bad wcatlipp, fatifjuo, or Hickncan ; nnd oonBo- quontly we uiuli-rtciok it with alaorily, I'Hpcciany OH it wuH no conti'tiiiitililc Htt'p towardH our arrival at our native country, for wliicli many <>t' ua by UiIh lime hcgan to liavc j^real lon<;innH. Tlnm, on the <>r8ua Hhouiil arrivi- at the river of ('anton in China, where we expected to meet with many Euf^hsh nliipN, and nundiers of our countrymen ; and hoped to enjoy tiie advaiita);e)« of an amicable, well-freipiented port, inlmhitcd by a poliHiied p«!op!i', and aln)Ui'din!< with the coiivt'iiience" and indulj^enecH of a civilised life ; blesHini^a, which now for near twenty montliH hail never b«en once in our power, lint there yet remains (before we talie our leave of America) the eon- sideration of a matter well worthy of attention, the discuKhion of which hIwII Ikj rvforrcd to tiic oniiuing chapter. CHAPTER XIV. A briffaceoiinl o/trhat mitihl hair hftn exptcied fi-im our tquadron, had it arrived in the South Seat in ijood Unit. Aftkr the recital of the tninaactions of tlie cominudoro, and the ships under his command, on the coasts of I'eru and Mexico, as contiiined in the piTcedini^ part of this book, it will be no uso- IcHH iligreHsion to examine what the whole K(|uadron nii);ht have been capable of achievinj;, had it ar- rived in those seas in so <;ood a pli^bt, as it would probably have done, had the piufsage round Capo Horn been attempted in a moii! seasonable time of the year. This dis(|iii~>>tion may be serviceable to those wlio shall hereafu-r fomi projects of the like nature for that part of the world, or may be entrusted with their execution. And therefore I propose, in this chapter, to consider, as succinctly as I can, the numerous advantages which the pub- lic might have received fnmi the operations of the squadron, liad it set siiil from England a few months sooner. And first, I must suppose, that in the summer* time we might have got round Capo Horn with an inconsiderable loss, and without any damage to our sliips or rigging. For the Duke and Duchess of Ilristol, who between them iiad above three hundred men, buried no more than two, from the coiist of Brazil to Juan T'ernandes ; and out of a hundred and cighty-tlm-e hands which were on board the Duke, there were only twenty-one sick of the scurvy, when they arrived at that islanil : wlience, as men-of-war are inucli better jtrovided with all conveniences than privateers, we might, doubtless, hav<< appeared before Baldivia in full strength, and in a condition of entering imme- diately on action : and therefore, as that place was in a very defenceless state, its cannon incapable of service, and its garrison in great ncasure un- armed, it was impossible that it could have op- posed our force, or tiiat its half-starved inhabitant;:, most of whom arv convicts banished thither from other parts, could liave had any other tiionghts than that of submitting ; and Baldivia, which is a most excellent port, being once taken, we should imme- diately iiavc been t«>rrible to the whole kingdom of Chili, and should, doubtless, have aweetually soliciting the viceroy of Peru to furnish them with the necessary supplies of money for putting their provinces and places in a jiroper state of defence to o])po8e our designs. But the customary answer of the vice- roy to these representations was the emptiness of the iHiyal chest at Lima, and the ditticultieshe wa» under to support the expenses of his own govern- ment ; and in one of his letters (which we inter- cepted), ho mentioned liis apprehensions that he might even beneoi>Ksitated to stop the pay of the troojis, and of the garrison of Callao, the key of the whole kingdom of Peru. Indeed he did at times ivniit to these governors some part of their n a violent Imt wluilo coii- oinc, nt lea«t, would, (loubt- n of tliu 8pa- worlil, where i'<"r of the t'l-eoiiaii Spaniai'ds at tliat time, niii;iil b(> evinced li-oin a hundred in- staiicch ; but 1 hIiuII content invHelf with one, wiii<'ll is indeed eonelnsive. 'J'liis is the testiiiiiniy of the French inathemaiicians sent into AiiK'riea, to measure the nia^'iiitude of an e(|uatorial ilei;rcc of latitude. For in the relation of the iiuirdt r of a suri;eoii beloiiKin;; to their company in one ot tho cities of I'eru, and of the popular tumuli oc- casioned thereby, written by one of thoM' a-tj-o- nomers, the author confesses, that the iidialiitaiits, duriutr the uproar, all joined in impivcatious on theirhad j;overnm's,anil bestowed the most abusive laiiKiia^re u]ion the French, detesting them, in all probability, inon^ particularly as belon^in^ to a nation, to whose iniiience in the Spanisji councils the Spaniards iinpufi'd all their misfcu'tunes. And whilst the Creolian Spaniards were thus dissatit^fied, it appeai-s by the lettei-s we inter- cepted, that the Imlians, on almost evcy frontiir, were ripe for a revolt, and would have ta'lu>try '..) reconcile tin most danuerou;-* t^i^^ -, and to prevent them from ininiediately taking; up arms. Anioni; thts rest, iIk; pri'siilrM of Chili in par- ticular made largi conecvl.ns to the Arrancos, I and till- otia" Chilian 1 liaiis, by which, and by ' distributini; eua-idcral' p^esent.^ to tin ir leading ' mill, he at la^l L'icrof the times, and the strong diHlike of tho natives to the meiisurcs then pursued by thu Spanish court, sutticiently evince at least its pos- sibility. But not to insist on the jiresumption of a general revolt, it is suflicient for our purpose to conclude that tlio Arniucos would scarcely have failed of taking arms on our appearance ; for this alone would so far have embarrassed the enemy that they would no longer have thought of opposing us, but would have turned all their care to the Indian aHairs ; as they still remem- ber, with the utmost horror, thu sacking of their cities, the rifling of their convents, the captivity of their wives and daughters, and the desolation of their country by these resolute savages, in the last war between the two nations. For it nmst J)e i-eniembered, that this tribe of In<)iaii8 have been frequently successful against the Spaniards, and possess at this time a large tract of counti-j', which was formerly full of Spanisli towns and villages, whose inhabitants wen; all either de- stroyed or carried into captivity by the Arrauoos and the neighbouring Indians, who, in a war against the Spaniards, never fail to join their forces. But even independent of an Indian revolt, there were but two places on all the coast of the South Sea, which could be sujiposed capable of resisting our squadron ; these were the cities of Panama and Callao : as to the first of these, its foi'tifica- tions were so decayed, and it was so much in want of powder, that the governor himself, in an intercepted letter, acknowledged it was incapable (if being defended ; so that I take it for granted it would have given us but little trouble, espe- cially if we had opened a communication across the Isthmus with our fleet on the other side : and for the city and port of Callao, its conditii^n was not much better than that of Panama ; for its walls are built upon the ])lain ground, without cither outwork or ditch before them, and consist only of verj' slender feeble masonry, without any ear«.h behind them; so that a battery of five or six pieces of cannon, raised anywhere within four or live hundred paces of tlie place, would have had a full view of the whole rampart, and would have opened it in a short time ; and the breach hereby formed, aa tlie walls are so extremely thin, could not iiave been difficult of ascent : for the ruins w ould have been but little higher than the surface of the ground ; and it would have yielded this particular advantage to the assailants, that the bullt'tM, which grazed u|M)n it, would have driven befi);-e them sueli khivers of brick and stone, as would have pivvonted tin; garrison from form- ing behind it, »ii|i|H>sin!; that the troops employed in the defence <>t' the place, should have so fur Hurpassc-d tlie u'-u.-kl limits «f C'reolian bravery, as to resolve to stand a general assault : indeed, Huch a resolution cannot be imputed to them ; for the garrison and people were in general dis- satisfied with the xiceroy's l)C'liaviour, and were never ex|M?cted to act a vigorous p.irt. The vice- roy himself greatly apprehended that the commo- dore would maku him a vibitat Lima, the ca])ital of the kingdom of Peru ; to prevent which, if possible, he had ordered t«clve galleys to bo built at Ciuaiaquil and other places, which were intended to oppose the landing of our boats, and to hinder us from ])usliing our men on shore. But this was an impi-acticable project, and proceeded on tho supposition that our bhips, when we should land our men, would keep at sucli a distance, that these galleys, by drawing little water, would have been out of the r—'ch of their guns ; whereas tho com- modore, before he had made such an attempt, would doubtless have Ikimi possessed of several prixc ships, which he would not have hesitated to have run un shoiv for the protection of his boats ; and besides there were many places on that coast, and one in particular in the neighljourhood of Callao, where tln-re was good anchoring, though a great depth of water, within a cable's length of the shore ; so that the cannon of the men-of-war would have swept all the coa-st to above a mile's distance from the water's edge, and would have effectually jtrevented any force from assembling to oppose the landing and foiining of our men : and the place had this additional advanta<;e, that it was but two leagues distant fi-om the city of Lima ; so that we might have l)een at that city within four hours after we should have been first disco- vered from the shore. The place I have hero in view is about two leasues south of Callao, and just to the northward of the head-land called, in Frezier's draught of that coast, ilorro Solar. Here there is seventy or eighty fathoms of water within two cables' length of the shore ; and the Spaniards themselves were so apprehensive of our attempting to h-.nd there, that they had projected to build a fort close to the water ; but there being no money in the i-oyal chests, they could not go on with that work, and therefore they contented themselves with keeping a guard of a hundred hoi-se there, that they might be sure to receive early notice of our appearance on that coast. Indeed some of them (as we were told) conceiving our management at sea to be as pusillanimous as their own, pretended that the commodore would never dare to bring in his ships there, for fear that in so peat a depth of water their anchors could not hold them. And here let it not be imagined that I am pro- ceeding upon groundless and extravagant j)re- sumptions, when I conclude that fifteen hundred or a thousand of our people, well conducted, should liave been an over-match for any numbers the Spaniards could muster in South America. For not to mention the experience we had of them at Paita and Petaplan, it must be remembered, that our commodore was extremely solicitous to have all his men trained to the dextrous use of 100 ANSON'S VOYAGK ROUND THE WOKLl). Ml , linvo (Irivuii and Htciiit', OH I from fiu'in- opH etiiidoyc'd liiive 80 lur lian bravery, uult : iiiileud, tod to tlioin ; II Keiierul ove a mile's i would have a ass(-mbling uf our men : nta<;e, that it I'ity of Lima ; city within first dJHco- lave here in Callao, and 1 called, in orro Solar. ms of wator and the nsivc of our projected there being Duld not go contented a hundred to i'eeeive tiiat coast, conceiving laninious ns idore would re, for fear ir anchors I am pro- agant i)re- n hundred conducted, y numbers America, ad of them membercd, ilicitous to ous use of their fire-arms ; whereas the Spaniards in this ]iai-t ol the world were in great want of anns, and were very awkward in the maiiagenient of the few they had ; am' though, on their rejH-ated re- prcKentutions, the coui't of bpain had ordered m'veral tliuusand firelocks to lie ]>ut on board I'i/Jirro's H(|uadron, yet those, it is evident, could not have been in America time enough to have been employed against ns ; so that by our arms, and our readiness in the use of then), (not to insist on the timidity and soltness of our enemy,) wt; should in s«>me degree have had the same advan- tages which the Spaniards themselves had, in the first discovery of this country, against its naked and unarmed inhabitants. And now let it be considered what were the events which we had to fear, or what wei-o the circumstances which could liavo prevented us from giving law to all the coast of South America, and thereby cutting off from Spain the n-sources which she drew from those immense provinces. IJy sea there was no force cai)able of opposing us ; for how soon soi-ver we had sailed, I'izaiTo's Htpiadron could not have sailed sooner than it did, and therefore could not have avoided the fate it met with ; as we should have been masters of tiie ports of C'iiili, we could there have supplied our- selves with the provisions we wanted in the greatest ])lenty ; and from Baldivia to the equinoctial wo run no risk of losing our men by sickness, (that being of nil climates the most tem])erate and healthy,) nor of having our ships dis«tbled by bud weather ; and had we wanted hands to assist in the navigating our squadron, whilst a consi- derable part of our men were employed on shore, we could not have failed of getting whatever num- bers we pleased in the ports we should have taken, and the prices which would have fallen into our l)ands ; and I must observe that the Indians, who are the principal sailoi-s in that part of the world, are extremely docile and dextrous, and though they arc not fit to struggle with the inclemencies of a cold climate, yet in temperate se.-is they ui'c most useful and laborious seamen. Thus, then, it ap|)eai-s what important revolu- tions might have been brought about by our squa- dron, had it de|Mirted from England as early as it ought to iiavu done : and fnnn hence it is easy to conclude, what innnense advantages might have thence accrued to the public. For, as on our success it would have been impossible f-'V the kingdom of Spain to have received any treasure from the pnivinces bordering on the South Seas, or even to lutvu had any connnunication with them, it is certain that tlie whole attention of that monarchy nm^t have been innnedintely emplovi'd in regaining the possession of these inestiniablu territories, either by force or compact. By the tirst of these methods it was scarcely iiossible they could succeed ; for it nmst have been -y least a twelvemonth fri.>m our arrival, befinv any ships frimi Spain could t^"t into the South Seas, and those perhaps separated, . I isablcd,antl sickly ; and by that time they would have hud no port iu their possession, either to rL'n: an equivalent for those restrictions to their future ambition, which her ]irudence slionid have dictated to them. Having thus discussed the nrodigious weight which the operations of our s<|uadi'on might have added to the national influence of this king- dom, I shall here end this second book, rt^fer- ring to the next, the passage of the shattered remains of onr force across the Pacific Ocean, and all their future transactions till the commo- dore's arrival in England. EKD OF BOOK II. BOOK III. CHAPTER I. TAc run from Ihc coatt o/ Mexico to the Ladronet or MtirUiH itlaiidi. When, on the sixth of May, 1742, we left the coast of America, we stood to the S.W. with a view of meeting with thi N.E. trade-wind, which the accounts of former writers made us expect at seventy or eighty leagues' distance from the land : we liad besides another reason for standing to the soutliward, which was the getting into the latitude of 1 3 or 1 4" north ; that being the parallel where the Pacific Ocean is most usuf'ly crossed, and con8e((ncntly where the navigation is esteemed the safest: this last purpose we had soon answered, being in a day or two sufficiently advanced to the south. At the same time we were also farther from the shore than w-e had presumed was ueces- I sary for the falling in with the trade-wind : but In this particular we were most grievously disap- I pointed ; for the wind still continued to the wesl- j ward, or at best variable. As the getting into the N.E. trade, was to ns a nwtter of tine List con- setiuencc, we stood nun-e to the southward, and made many experhnents to meev with it; but all our efibrts were for a long time unsuccessful : so that it was seven weeks, from our leaving the coast, before we got into the true trade-wind. This was an interval, in which we believed wo should well nigh have reached the easternmost parts of Asia: but we were so battled with the conti'ary and variable winds, which for all that time ]>er- plexed us, that we were not as yet advnnce|)arture gradually varied, which we supposed was occasioiiecl by our running nearer their haunts or getting further from them. The trade-wind continued to favour us without any fluctuation, from tlio end of June till towards the end of July. But on the 26th of July, being then, as we esteemed, about three hundred leagues distant from the Lmlroncs, wo met with a westerly wuid, which did not come about again to the east- ward in four days' time. This was a most disjiirit- ing inc: 'ent, as it at once damped all our hopes of speedy relief, especially too as it was attended with a vexatious accident to the Gloucester: for in ono part of these four days the wind flattened to a calm, and tlio ships rolled very deep ; by which means the Gloucester's fcrecap split, and her top-mast came by the board, and broke her fore-yard directly in the slings.* As she was hereby rendered incapable of making any sail for some time, we were obliged, as soon as a gale sprang up, to take her in tow ; and near twenty of the healthiest and ablest of our seamen wore taken from the business of our own ship, and were employed for eight or Ion days together on board the Giouci'stor in re- pairing her damages : but these things, mortifying as we thought them, were but the beginning of our disasters ; for scarce had our ])eople finished their business in the Gloucester, before wo met with a most violent storm in the western board, which obliged us to lie-to. In the beginning of this storm our ship sprang :i leak, and lot in so much water, that all our people, officers included, were employed continually in working the pumps: and the next day we had the vexation to see the Gloucester, with her top-mast once more by the board ; and whilst we were viewing her with great concern for this new distress, we saw hor inain-top-mast, which had hitherto served as a jury main-mast, share the same fate. This completed our misfortunes, and rendered them without i-csource ; for we knew the Gloucester's crew wore so few and feeble, that without our assistance thoy could not be relieved : and our sick were now so far increased, and those that remained in health so continually fatigued with the additional duty of our pumps, that it was impossible for us to lend them any aid. Indeed we were not as yot fully ajjprised of the deplorable situation of the Gloucester's crew ; for when the storm abated, (which during its continuance pre- vented all communication with them,) the Glou- cester bore up under our stern ; and captain Mitchel informed the commodore, that besides the loss of his masts, which was all that had appeared to us, the ship had then no less than seven feet of water in her hold, although his ofiicei's and men had been kept constantly at the pumps for the last twenty-four houi-s. This last circumstance was Indeed a most terri- ble accumulation to the other exti'aordinary dis- tresses of the Gloucester, and required, if possible, the most speedy and vigorous assistance ; which Captain Mitchel boggod the commodore! to send him : but the debility of our people, and our own immediate preservation, rendered it impossible for the commodore to comply with his request. All that could be done was to send Our boat on board for a more particular condition of the ship ; and it was soon suspected that the taking her people on board us, and then destroying !ior, was the only measure that could be prosecuted in the present emergency, both for the security of their lives and of our own. Our boat soon returned with a representatioi of the state of the Gloucester, and of her severe, defects, signed by Captain Mitchel and all his • " On tho ISth of .luno tlic (iloucostcr fninul lior maiti- niiist nprunf^ at tlie lieiid, which, upon cxaminntion, wiis discovered to be entirely mttcn. On tho i'Jth of July tho GlnucesttT carried away her forctop-niast iind fore yard. My sliip's conipiiny lire now inisonibly nffllctod with the scurvy, tho ship very Iciiky, tho mm and olticors tliat were well beinK only alilo to make ono spoil at tho l)uinp." — Ans:t tremely alarming, no day passing in which we did not bury eight or ten, and sometimes twelve, of our men ; and those, who had hitherto continued healthy, began to fall down apace. Indeed we made the best use we could of ihe present calm, by employing our carpenters in searching after the leak, which was now considerable, notwith- standing the little wind we had : the cai*pentei-s at length discovered it to be in the gunner's fore- store-room, where the water rushed in under the breast- hook, on each side of the stem; but though they found where it was, they agreed that it was impossiljle to stop it, till we should get into port, and till they could come at it on the outside; how- ever, they did the best they could within-board, and were fortunate enough to reduce it, which was a considerable relief to us. We had hitherto considered the calm which succeeded the storm, and which continued for some days, as a very great misfortune ; since the currents were driving us to the northward of our parallel, and we thereby risked the missing of the Ladroncs, which we now conceived ourselves to be very near. But when a gale sprang up, our con- dition was st>ll worse ; for it blew from the S.W,, and consequently was directly opposed to the course we wanted to steer : and though it soon veered to the N.E., yet this sei-ved only to tantalise us, for it returned back again in a very short time to its old quarter. However, on the 22d of August we had the satisfaction to find that the current was shifted, and had set us to the southward : and the t2.'5d, at day-bi'eak, we were cheered with the discovery of two islands in the western board : this gave us all great joy, and raised our drooping spirits; for before this, a universal dejection had seized us, and we almost despaired of ever seeing land again : the neai-est of these islands we after- wards found to be Anatacan ; we judged it to be full fifteen leagues from us, and it seemed to be high land, though of an indifferent length : the other was the island of Serigan ; and had rather the appearance of a high rock, than a place we could hope to anchor at. We were extremely impatient to get in with the nearest island, where we expected to meet with anehoring-ground, and an opportunity of refreshing our sick : but the wind proved so variable all day, and there was so little of it, that we advanced towards it but slowly; however, by the next morning we were got so far to the westward that we were in view of a third island, which was that of Paxaros, though marked in the chart only as a rock. This was small and very low land, and we had passed within less than a mile of it, in the night, without seeing it: and now at noon, being within four miles of the island of Anatacan, the boat was sent away to examin 'he anehoring-ground and the produce of the place ; and we were not a little solicitous for her return, as we then conceived our fate to depend upon the report we should receive : for the other two islands were obviously enough incapable of funiishing us with any assistance, and we knew not then that there were any others which we could reach. In the evening the boat came back, and the crew informed us that there was no place for a ship to anchor, the bottom being everywhere foul ground, and all, except one small spot, not less than fifty fathoms in depth ; that on that spot there was thu-ty fathoms, though not above half a mile from the shore ; and that the bank was steep too, and could not be depended on : they farther told us, that they had landed on the island, but with some difficulty, on account of the greatness of the swell ; that they founle taken in the proa. The Spaniard was immediately examined as to the produce and circumstances of this island of Tinian, and his account of it surpassed even our most sanguine hopes ; for ho informed us that it was uninhabited, which, in our present defenceless condition, was an advantage not to be despised, especially as it wanted but few of the conveniences that could be expected in the most cultivated country ; for he assured us, that there was great plenty of very good water, and that there were an incredible number of cattle, hogs, and poultry running wild on the island, all of them excellent in their kind ; that the woods produced sweet and sour oranges, limes, lemons, and cocoa-nuts in great plenty, besides a fruit jteculiar to these islands (called by Dampier, bread-fruit) ; that from the quantity and goodness of the provisions produced here, the Spaniards at Guam made use of it as a store for su])plying the garrison ; that ho himself was a Serjeant of that garrison, and was sent there with twenty-two Indians to jerk beef, which he was to load for Guam on board a small bark of about fifteen tons, which lay at an- chor near the shore. This accoimt was received by us with inexpres- sible joy : pai't of it we were oui-selves able to verify on the spot, as wo were by this time near enough to discover several numerous herds of cattle feeding in di.'crent places of the island ; and we did not any ways doubt the rest of his relation, as the appearance of the shore prejudiced us greatly in its favour, and made us hope, that not only our necessities might be there fully relieved, and our diseased recovered, but that, amidst those pleasing scenes which were then in view, wo might procure ourselves some amusement and relaxation, after the numerous fatigues we had undergone : for the prospect of the country did by no means resemble that of an uninhabited and uncultivated place, but had much more the air of a magnificent planta- tion, where large lawns and stately woods had been laid out together with p'reat skill, and where tlie whole had been so artfully combined, and so judiciously adapted to the slopes of the hills, and the inequalities of the ground, as to produce a most striking effect, and to do honour to the in- vention of the contriver. Thus (an event not un- like what we had already seen) we were forced open the moat desirable and salutary measures by accidents, which at first si^^-ht we considered as the greatest of misfortunes ; for had we not been driven by th(! contrary winds and currents to the northward of our CDurse, (a circumsUince, which at that time gave us the most terrible apprehen- sions.) we should, in all probability, never have arrived at this delightful island, and corsequently, wo should have missed of that place, where alone all our wants could be most amply relievtKl, our sick recovered, and our enfeebled crew once more re- freshed, and enabled to put again to sea. The Spanish serjeant, from whom \Vf^ received the account of the island, having infomtcd us that there were some Indians on shore under his command, employed in jerking beef, and that there was a barque at anchor to take it on board, we were desirous, if possible, to prevent the Indianu from escaping, who doubtless would have given the governor of Guam intelligence of our arrival ; and we therefore immediately dispatched the pin- nace to secure the barque, which the serjeant told us was the only embarkation on the place ; and then, about eight in the evening, we let go our anchor in twenty-two fathoms ; and though it was almost calm, and whatever vigour and spirit was to be found on board was doubtless exerted to the utmost on this pleasing occasion, when, after having kept the sea for some months, we were going to take possession of this little paradise, yet we were full five hours in furling our sails : it is, true, wo were somewhat weakened by the crews of the cutter and pinnace, which were sent on shore ; but it is not less true, that, including those absent with the boats and some negro and Indian prisoners, all the hands we could muster capable of standing at a gun amounted to no more than seventy-one, most of which number, too, were in- capable of duty ; but on the greatest emergencies this was all the force we could collect, in our present enfeebled condition, from the united crews of the Centurion, the Gloucester, and the Tryal, which, when we departed from England, consisted altogether of near a thousand hands. When we had furled our sails, the remaining part of the night was allowed to our people for their repose, to recover them from the fatigue they had undergone ; and in the morning a pa4||y was sent on shore, well armed, of which I myself was one, to make ourselves masters of the landing- jilace, as we were not certain what opposition might be made by the Indians on the island : we landed without difficulty, for the Indians having perceived, by our seizure of the barque the night before, that we were enemies, they immediately fled into the woody parts of the island. We found on shore many huts which they had inhabited, and which saved us both the time and trouble of erecting tents ; one of these huts which the Indians made use of for a store-house was very lansje, being twenty yards long and fifteen broad ; this we immediately cleared of some bales of jerked beef, which we found in it, and converted it into an hospital for our sick, who, as soon as the place was ready to receive them, were brought on shore, being in all a hundred and twenty-eight : numl>crs of these were so very helpless, tliat we were obliged to carry them from the boats to the hospital upon our shoulders, in which humane employment (as before at Juan Fernandes) the commodore him- self, and every one of his officers, were engaged 106 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WOULD. 95 IP remaining without distinction ; and, notwithstandinp the {»rcat debility and tlio dyin;; iis|>cpt3 of thi- (greatest part of our sick, it is almost incredible how soon they began to feel the salutary influence of the land ; for, though we bul•i(^d twenty-one men on this and the preceding diiy. yet we did not lose above ten men more during our whole two months' stay here ; and in general, our diseased received so much benefit from the fruits of the island, particularly the fruits of the acid kind, that, in a week's time, there were but few who were not so far i-ccovcrcd, as to l)e able to move about without help. And now being in some sort established at this place, we were enabled more particularly to exa- mine its qualities and productions ; and that the reader may the better judge of our manner of life here, and future navigators be better apprised of the conveniences wc met with, I shall, before I proceed a)iy farther in the history of our own ad- ventures, throw together the most interesting par- ticulars that came to our knowledge, in relation to the situation, soil, produce, and conveniences of this island of Tinian. This island lies in the latitude of 15'' 8' north, and longitude from Acapuico 1 14" .'jO' west. Its length is about twelve miles, and its breadth about half as much ; it extending from the S.S.W. to N.N.E. The soil is everywhere dry and healthy, and somewhat sandy, which being less disposed than other soils to a rank and over luxuriant vege- tation, occasions the meadows and the bottoms of the woods to be much neater and smoother than is custonuuy in hot climates. The land rises by easy slope, from the very beach where we watered to the iniilille of the island; though the general course of its ascent is often interrupted and tra- veraed by gentle descents and valleys; and the inequalities that are formed by the different com- binations of these gradual swellings of the ground, arc HU)St beautifully divei-sified with large lawns, which are covered with a very tine trefoil, inter- mixed with a variety of HowerM,and are skirted by woods of tall and well-spread trees, most of them celebrated either for their aspect or their fruit. The turf of the lawns is quite clean and even, and the bottoms of the woods in many phiccs clear of all buphcs and underwoods ; aiul the woods them- selves usually terminate on the lawns with a regu- lar outline, not broken, nor confused with strag- ghng trees, but apjiearing as unifonn, as if laid out by art. Ilerco arose a great variety of the most elegi'nt and entertaining prospects, formed 1-j .0 nuxture of these woods and lawns, and their varii'Us intersections with each other, as they spread themselves differently through the valleys, an(: over the slopes and declivities with which the place abounds. The fortunate animals, too, which for the greatest part of the year are the sole lords of this happy soil, partake in some mea- sure of the romantic cast of the island, and arc no small additio.i to its wonderful scenery: for the cattle, of which it is not uncommon to see herds of some thousands feeding together in a large meadow, are certainly the most remarkable ui the world ; for they are all of them milk-white, except their ears, which are gtnerally black. And though there arc no inhabitants here, yet the clamour and frequent paraditig of domestic poultry, which range tlic woods in great numbers, perpetually excite the ideas of tho neighbourhood of farms and villages, and greatly contribute to the cheerfulness and beauty of the place. The cattle on the island wc computctl were at least ten thousand ; aiul we had no ditticulty in getting near them, as they were not shy of us. Our first method of killing them was shooting them ; but at last, when, by accidents to be hereafter recited, we were obliged to husband our anmmnition, our men i-an them down with ease. Their Hcsh was extremely well tasted, and was believed by us to b.- much more easily digested, than any we had ever met with. The fowls too were exceeding good, and were like- wise run down with little trouble ; for they could scarcely fly further than a hundred yards at a flight, and even that fatigued them so much, that they could not readily rise again ; so that, aided by tiie openness of the woods, wo could at all times furnish oui-selvcs with whatever number wo wanted. Besides the cattle and the poultry, we found here abundance of wild hogs : these were most excellent food ; but as they were a very fierce animal, we were obliged either to shoot them, or to hunt them with large dogs, which we found upon the placj at our landing, and which belonged to the detachment which was then upon the Lsland amassing provisions for the garrison of Guam. As these dogs had been purposely trained to the kill- ing of the wild hogs, they followed us very readily, and hunted for us ; but though they were a large bold breed, the hogs fought with so nmch fury, that they frequently destroyed them, so that we by degrees lost the greatest part of them. But this place was not only extremely grateful to us from the plenty and excellence of its fresh provisions, but was as much perhaps to be admired for its fruits and vegetable productions, which were most fortunately adapted to the cure of the sea scurvy, which had so terribly reduced us. For in the woods there were inconceivable quantities of cocoa-imts, with the cabbages growing on the same tree : there were besides guavoes, limes, sweet and sour oranges, and a kind of fruit, pecu- liar to these islands, called by the Indians, rima, but by us the bread-fruit, for it was constantly eaten by us during our stay upon the island instead of bread, and so universally j)referred to it, that no ship's bread was expended during that whole interval. It grew upon a tree which is somewhat lofty, and which, towards the top, divides into large and spreading branches. The lea\es of this tree are of a remarkable deep green, are notched about the edges, and are generally from a foot to eighteen inches in length. The fruit itself grows indifferently on all parts of the branches ; it is in shape rather elliptical than round, is covered with a rough rind, and is usually seven or eight inches long ; each of them grows singly and not in clusters. This fruit is fittest to be used when it is full grown, but is still green ; in which state its taste has some distant resemblance to that of an artichoke bot- tom, and its texture is not very different, for it is soft and spongy. As it ripens it grows softer and of a yellow colour, and then contracts a lus- cious taste, and an agreeable gniell, not unlike a ripe peach ; but then it is esteemed unwholesome, and is said to produce fluxes. Besides the fruits already enumerated, there were many other vege- tables extremely conducive to the cure of the malady we had long laboured under, such as water-melons, dandcUon, creeping purshun, mmt. 107 96 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. tscnryy-frnss, and sorrel ; all which, together with the fresh meats of the place, we devoured with great eagerness, prompted thereto by the strong inclination which nature never fails of exciting in scorbutic disorders for these powerful specifics. It will easily be conceived from what hath been already said, that our cheer upon this island was in some degree luxurious, but I have not yet recited all the varieties of ])rovi8ion which we here indulged in. Indeed we thought it prudent totally to abstain from fish, the few we caught at our first ai-rival having surfeited those who ate of them ; but considering how much we had been inured to that species of food, we did not regard this circumstance as a disadvantage, especially as the defect was so amply supplied by the beef, pork, and fowls already mentioned, and by great plenty of wild fowl ; for I must observe, that near the centre of ihe island there were two considerable pieces of fresh water, which abounded with duck, teal, and curlew: not to mention the whistling plover, which we found there in prodigious plenty. And now perhaps it may be wondered at, that an island, so exquisitely furnished with the conve- niences of life, and so well adapted, not only to the subsistence, but likewise to the enjoyment of mankind, should be entirely destitute of inhabit- ants, especially as it is in the neighbourhood of other islands, which in some measure depend upon this for their support. To obviate this diffi- culty, I must observe, that it is not fifty years since the island was depopulated. The Indians we had in our custody assured us, that formerly the three islands of Tinian, Rota, and Guam, were all full of inhabitants ; and that Tinian alone con- tained thirty thousand souls: but a sickness raging amongst these islands which destroyed multitudes of the people, the Spaniards, to reciniit their numbers at Guam, which were gi-eatly dimi- nished by this mortality, ordered all the inhabit- ants of Tinian thither ; where, languishing for their former habitations, and their customary method of life, the greatest part of them in a few years died of grief. Indeed, independent of that attachment which all mankind have ever shown to the places of their birth and bringing up, it should seem, from what has been already said, that there were few countries more worthy to be regretted than this of Tinian. These poor Indians might reasonably have ex- pected, at the great distance from Spain where they were placed, to have escaped the violence and cruelty of that haughty nation, so fatal to a large proportion of the whole human race : but it seems their remote situation could not protect them from sharing in the common destruction of the western world, al' vhe advantage they received from their distance being only to perish an age or two later. It may perhaps be doubted, if the number of the inhabitants of Tinian, who were banished to Guam, and who died the repining for their native home, was so great as what we have related above ; but, not to mention the concuiTent assertion of our prisoners and the commodious- ness of the island and its gi-eat fertility, there are still remains to be met wth on the place which evince it to have been once extremely populous, for there are in all parts of the island a great number of ruins of a very particular kind ; they usually cons!**, of two rows of square pyramidal pillars, each pillar being about six feet from the next, and the distance between the rows being about twelve feet ; the pillars themselves arc about five feet square at the base, and about thir- teen feet high, and on the top of each of them there is a semi-globe, with the flat part upwards ; the whole of the pillars aiid semi-globe is solid, being composed of sand and stone cemented to- gether and plastered ovc. If the account our prisoners gave us of these structures was true, the island must indeed have been extremely populous, for they assured us that they were the foundations of particular buildings set apart for those Indians only who had engaged in some religious vow ; and monastic institutions are often to be met with in many Pagan nations. However, if these ruins were originally the basis of the common dwelling- houses of the natives, their numbers must liave been considerable, for in many parts of the island they are extremely thick planted, and sutticiently evince the great plenty of former inhabitants. But to return to the present state of the island. Having mentioned the conveniences of this place, the excellence and quantity of its fruits and provisions, the neatness of its lawns, the stateli- ness, freshness, and fragi-ance of its woods, the happy inequality of its surface, and the variety and elegance of the views it afforded, I must now observe that all tliese advantages were greatly enhanced by the healthiness of its climate, by the almost constant breezes which prevail there, and by the frequent sliowei's which fall, and which, though of a very short and almost momentary dui-ation, are extremely grateful and refreshing, and are perhaps one cause of the salubrity of the air, and of the extraordinary influence it was ob- served to have npon us, in increasing and invigo- rating our appetites and digestion. This was so remarkable, that those among our officers who wei-e at all other times spare and temperate eaters, who, besides a slight breakfast, made but one mo- derate repast a day, were here, in appearance, transformed into gluttons ; for instead of one rea- sonable flesh-meal, they were now scarcely satis- fied with three, and each of them so prodigious in quantity, as would at another time have produced a fever or a surfeit : and yet our digestion so well corresponded with the keenness of our appetites, that we were neither disordered nor even loaded by this repletion ; for after having, according to the custom of the island, made a large beef break- fast, it was not long before we began to consider the approach of dinner as a very desirable though somewhat tardy incident. And now having been thus large in my enco- miums on this island, in which, however, I con- ceive I have not done it justice, it is necessary I should speak of tin ' circumstances in which it is defective, whether in point of beauty or utility. And first, with respect to its water. I must own that before I had seen this spot I did not conceive that the absence of running water, of which it is entirely destitute, could have been so well replaced by any other means as it is in this island ; for though there are no streams, yet the water of the wells and springs, which are to be met with everywhere near the surface,is extremely good ; and in the midst of the island there are two or three considerable pieces of excellent water, whose edges are as neat and even as if they had 108 feet from the ho rows bcinj; homsclves arc inrl al)out thir- each of them jiart ui)ward8 ; -globe is solid, J cemented to- o iiccount our 8 was true, the mely populous, he foundatiouB r those Indians religious vow ; to be met with , if these ruins nnon dwelling- srs must have ts of the island ind sutticiently habitants, fiut ! island, iencos of this if its fruits and IS, the stateli- its woods, the the variety and I, I must now were greatly climate, by the vail there, and II, and which, )8t momentary ;nd refreshing, alubrity of the ince it was ob- ng and invigo- This was so officei's who perate eaters, but one mo- appearance, id of one rea- 3carcely satis- prodigious in bave produced [estion so well )ur appetites, even loaded according to beef break- In to consider jirable though I in my enco- Ivever, I con- necessary I tn which it is ' utility. •. I must ot I did not ag water, of have been so it is in this lams, yet the l!h are to be 1 extremely dere are two it Avater, I if they had ANSON'S VOYAdE ROUND Till': WORLD. 97 been basons purposely made for the decoration of the place. It must however be confessed that, with regard to the beauty of the prospects, the want of rills and streams is a very great defect, not to be (jonipensated either by large pieces of standing water, or by the noighbourlu, )d of the sea, though tliat, by reason of tlie smalliioss of the inland, generally makes a jiart of every extensive view. As to the residence upon the island, the princi- pal inconvenience attending it is the vast nuniboi's of musqiiitos and various oiher species of Hies, together with an insect called a tick, which, tluiugli principally attached to the cattle, would yet fre- quently fasten upon our limbs and bodies, and if not perceived and removed in time would bury its head under the skin and raise a painful inHamnia- tion. We found here too centipedes and scor- pions, which wo supposed were venomous, but none of us ever received any injury from them. But the most important and formidable excep- tion to this place remains still to be told. This is the inconvenience of the road, and the little secu- rity thei'u is at some seasons for a ship at anchor. Tlie only proper anclioring-jilacc for ships of bur- then is at the S.W. end of the island. In this place tliof/'enturion anchored in twenty and twenty- two fathom water, ojiposite to a sandy bay, and about a mile and a half distant from the shore. The bottom of this road is full of sharp-pointed coral rocks, which, during four mouths of the year, that is from the middle of Jime to the mid- dle of October, renders it a very unsafe jilace to lie at. This is the season of the western mon- soons, when near the full and change of the moon, but more particularly at the change, the wind is usually variable all round the compass, and seldom fails t»j blow with such fury that the stoutest cables are not to be confided in. What adds to the danger at these times is the excessive rapidity of the tide of Hood, which sets to the S.E. between this island and that of Aguiguan, a small island near the southern extremity of Tinian. This tide run& at first with a vast head and overfall of water, and occasions such a hollow and overgrown sea as is scarcely to be conceived ; so that (as will be here- after more particularly mentioned) we were under the dreadful apprehension of being pooped by it, though we were in a sixty-gun ship. In the re- maining eight months of the year, that is, from the middle of October to the middle of June, there is a constant season of settled weather, when, if the cables are but well anned, there is scarcely any danger of their being so much as rubbed ; so that during all that interval it is as secure a I'oad as could be wished for. 1 shall only add, that the anchoring bank is very shelving, and stretches along the S.W. end of the island, and that it is entirely free from shoals, except a reef of rocks which is visible and lies about half a mile from the shore, and affords a narrow passage into a small sandy bay, which is the only jilace where boats can possibly land. After this account of the island and its produce, it'is necessary to return to our own history. Our first undert.aking after our arrival was the removal of our sick on siiorc, as hath been men- tioned. Whilst we were thus employed, four of the Indians on shore, being part of the Spanish Serjeant's detachment, came and surrendered themselves to us, so that with those we took in the j>roa we had now eight of them in our custody. One of the four who submitted uiulertook to show us the most convenient place for killing cattle, and two of our men were ordered to attend him on that service ; but one of them unwarily trusting the Indian with his firelock and pistol, the Indian escaped with them into the woods : his country- men who remained behind were api>rehensive of suH'ering for this )ierfidy of their conn-ade, and therefore begged leave to send one of their own party into the coimtry, who they engaged should both bring back the arms and itersuadc the whole detachment from Ouam to submit to us. The connnodore granted their request, and one of them was despatched on this en-and, who returned next day and brought Viack the firelock and pistol, but assured us he had met with them in a pathway in the wood, and j)rntested that he had not been able to meet with any one of his eonntrymen. This report had so little the air of ti'utli, that we sus])eeted there was some treachery carrying on, and therefore, to jirevent any future communica- tion amongst them, we inunediately ordered all the Indians who were in our power on board the ship, and did not peiTuit them to return any more on shore. When our sick were well settled on the island, we employed all the hands that could be spared from attending them, in arming the cables with a good rounding several fathom from the anchor, to secure them from being rulibed by the coral rocks which here abounded. And this being com- jileted, our next attention was our leak, and in oriler to raise it out of water, we, on the lirst of September, began to get the guns aft to bring the ship by the stern ; and now the carpenters, being able to come at it on the outside, rij)ped off the old sheathing that was left, and caulked all the seams on both sides the cut-water and leaded them over, and tlu'n now sheathed the bows to the surface of the water. Hv this means we conceived the defect was sufficiently secured ; but upon our beginning to bring the guns into their places, we had the mortification to jicrceive that the water rushed into the ship in the old place with as nmch violence as vYcr. Hereupon we were necessitated to begin again ; and that our secoiul attempt might bo more effectual we cleared the fore store-room, and sent a hundred and thirty barrels of powder on board the small Sjianish bark we had seized here, by which means we raised the ship about three feet out of the water forwards, and the carpenters rii)ped off the sheathing lower down, and new caulked all the seams, and afterwards laid on new sheathing ; and then, supposing the leak to be effectually stop])ed, we began to move the guns forwards ; but, the upper deck guns were scarcely in their places, when, to our .imazement, it burst out again ; and now, as we duret not cut away the lining within board, lest a but-end or a plank might start, and wo might go down immediately, we had no other resource left than chincing and caulking within-board ; and indeed by this means the leak was stopped for some time ; but when our guns were all in their jilaces, and our stores were taken on board, the water again forced its way through a hole in the stem, where one of the bolts was driven in ; and on this we desisted from all farther efforts, being now well assured that the VOL. I. 109 SMI ANSON'8 VOYA{JK noUNH TIIK WOULD. f I if I ill! ii l! ' (lofiTt WAS ill llii'> Htcni itsi'lf, nnii tlml it \\;\» nut to hi- ri'ini'.licil till wj' nIidiiIiI h.ivf iin <)|i|)iii-tiiiiity of In iivini; down. Tdwiinis iln> iiiiililli- of Si'[>(rmli(-r M('vcr:il nf onr HII'U WlTi- toliT.ll'lv rcroMliil l}\ lllrir ri".ic|i|U'l- nil rilini'i" ; :iii<> tnistcil lo for t!ii> r.'iiiDval of lliis ili'iailfnl inalailv. Thi> |iImi'i' wlicro his tent was |>ili'luMl •III this ociMsion was near the well, wIioikv- we tjot nil our w.iii'f, and was liidcfd ;i most clff^iiiit spot. As llio cnw on ho.ird wore now vciiifon'cd hy till- ri rovcri'd hands rcinnied from (ho island, wi' iM'U'iiii |o M'lid our casks on shore to lie lilted iii>, wliich till now could not he done, for the coopi-rs Were nol well eiioiiirh to work. VVe liUewis(> \veii;)ie,l onr nnchoi-s that we mii;ht examine onr rallies, which we suspected hail l>y this time rc- ceivi'd consiileralile dama;;e. And as the ni>w moon was now apiiroachiiij;, when we a|i|ireliended vitdent jjales, tlie commodore, for onr grciter Hccnritv, ordered that |mrt of the cahles next to the nnciioi-s to he armed with the chains of the fire-j;ra|)iiels ; and they were hesides cackled twenty fatiiom from the aiicliors,and seven fathom from the service, with a jjood rounding; of l)loi> iiij; weather the wind mijjhi have less juiwer upon the ship lo make lier ride a strain. Tims cHectually prepared, as wo conceived, \vc expected the new moop, which was the lUtli of Septemlier, aiitl ridiiii; safe that and tin- three sncceodins; days (tli(>iii;li the weather proved V(a, leaving behind us on tlio island, Mr. .Vusoii, with many more of our ofVieei's, and great part of our crew,ainounting in the whole to !i hundred and thirteen persons. Thus were we all, both at sea and on .shore, reduced to tho utmost despair by this catastro|ihe, those on slioro conceiving they had no means left them ever to leave tho isl.ind, and we on board utterly imjire- (lared to struggle with the fury of the so:is and winds wo were now exposed to, and expecting each moment to be our la^t. CHAPTER III. Trantai-lhms at Tinion itHir tin- ikparlurc of th,- I'l'iitiirinn, Tiii3 storm which drove the Centurion to sea, I blew with too much turbulence to permit either I the oommodoiv or any of the peojile on shore to I hear the guns, which she fired as signals of dia- I tress ; and the freijiieiit glare of the lightning li.ad 1 |)revented the explosions from being observed. . So that, when at day-break, it was perceived from I the .shoi-e that the ship was missing, there was the utmost consternation amongst them. For much the greatest jiart of them immediately concluded ] that she was lost, and intreated the commodore I that the boat might be sent round the island to i look for the wi-eck ; and those who believed her .Siife, had scarcely any expectation that she would ever be able to make the island again. For the wind continued to blow strong at east, and they knew how poorly she was maimed and provided for struggling with so tempestuous a gale. And if the Centurion was lost, or should bo incapable of returning, there appeared in either case no possibility of their ever getting off the island ; for they were at least six hundred leagues from Macao, which was their neai'cst port ; and they wero I masters of no other vessel tlian the small Spanish bark of about fifteen tons, which they seized at their first arrival, and which would not even hold liU loroil a-sfrrii, t it liroKc »li <'aliiii (llllltll'SS IlilVC licit Ipccii for (I |ii('ccs ; Imt iiicly liniiHfd, ml <'ii;lit tin; lot ;il);iti' ; so y wliicli jiIdiic ir, wliicli was itly cut. I'roiu lie liottnni we lo lliirly livo viiy mil' wliiilc coiiM not t'liiil This was a near tin- ((Iro Inn;;. In tliin rst licuti'iiaiit, (ItTi'il several ,vii,asa si;;iial 111(1 ill a short 1! o'cioi'k, ami j>iist,atti'ii(lc(l till' bank and 11(1 us on the itf ouroHici'i"s, '^ in the wliolt; 1. Thus wero ilnci'd t() t\w ;lii)so on shorn thorn over to iittt'vly »in]>ro- llio seas and lud oxiiocting art tire of tfii' lurion to 8(a, |iormit oitlicr on slioro to |ii;. !ir» a fourth part of their number. And the elmtiee of their luiii:^ tal.iii dlt' the island by tlic casual arrival of any oilier sliip was altdiictlicr desiiiratc ; as perhaps no l!iiro|>i'aii slii|i had cNcr aiichoi-( d here bcl'nrc, and it were madiu'ss to cNpect that like iiicidi'iits should scud aiidllicr here in a hundred a'^cs to cdiiic. So that their dcspoiidiug Ihonnhts could only si'iji^cst to thi rii the iiiclaii- elioly prospi'ct of s|i sn|>))osed, wius, that she was driven so far to the leeward of the island that she could not regain it, and that she would conseipiently be obliged to bear away for Macao on the coast of China : that as it was necessary to be j>roparcd against all events, he had, in this ciuse, con- sidered of a method of carrying them oft' the island, and joining their old slii]) the Centurion again at Macao : that this method was to hale the Spanish bark on shore, to saw her asunder, and to lengthen her twelve feet, which would enlarge her to near * " An ontprprisiiiR KnKlisfimun, Jolin Oxnaiii by name, liaviiiR been active in liis attacks upon tlic Spaniards, was at Icngtli taltcn prisoiuT at tlio PcbiI I.slands, by an cxpcilition ilospatclicd from I'nnnina, under tliu ponininiid of .Iiinn dcl)rt^^'a, in I.'.7,'>. Being carried totliat placo, and qui'stiiined by tlic goveinar, as to wlietlicr lie liad th'i Qii(H)n of lOngland's coinniission, or n licence from any (itlier prince or state? lie replied, that he bad no com- mission, but that he acted upon his own authority, and at his own risk. Upon tliis answer, Oxnain and his men were condemned to death, and the whole, except five boys, wcroexeoiitud."— BMcnut lack (which was inili ed the coni- ' modore's secret opinion) ; since, if sIk; did return, i they should only throw away a few days' appli- I cation ; but, if slie did not, tlieir silniition, ami I the season of the year, iti|iiired their nlniost I despatch. I These remonstrances, thouf;h not without effect, 1 did not inimedialely operate so [lowerfully as Mr, ! Alison could have wi^li"d : be iudi rd raised thei- I spirits, by siiowiie^ IIk in the possibility of their ^jettinj; away, of whiidi they lia'l b( fore (lespaired ; I but then, from their eontideiice id' this resource, ■ they grew less apprehensive of their situation, gave i a greater scope t(» their hopes, and flattered tliem- I selves that tile Centurion would reltirii and prevent \ the execution (d' the commodore's scheme, whitdi I they emild easily for 'see would lie a work of con- I siderable labour : by this iikmiiis it was some days I before they were all of them beartily eiii;ai;ed ill I the project ; but at last, being in general convincecl ! of the iiiipossibility of tlu! ship's return, they set I themselves zealously to the different tasks allotted i them, and wcri* as industrious and as ea;rer an I their eummander could desire, punctually assem- j bliiig at daybreak at the rendezvous, whence they I wen- distributed to their different einployinents, which they followed with unusual vigour till night I came on, .\nd here I must interrupt the course of this transaction for a niomeiit, to relate an incident which for soim^ time gave Mr. Anson more concern than all the preceding disasters. \ few days after the shij) was driven posiiig that it was the ship returning ; but presently a second sail was descried, which ipiite destroyed their first conjecture and made it diffi- cult to guess what they were. The connnodorc eagerly turneil his glass towards them, anorly oppned for tlio reception of hiindHpikcH, and 'fi !)«• ri'iiuivfil, mill coiuvalftl liis people in the ud- jaeent thiekots, jirepared to neeiire tlie Indians when they should land. Hut after the proaH luxl FitoiMl in within a (piartor of a mile of the land, they suddenly Htop))ed short, and remaining there motionless for near two hours they then made ttail a-^ain and stood to the soulhwiird. But to I'eturu to the jirojeeted enlar;;enient of the bark. If we examine how they were pr»-pared for j;oinf; through with this uudertakin;;, on which their safety depended, we shall find that, independent of other niattei"s which were of as much import- ance, the lenfjtheninj; of the hark alone was at- tended with ureat diiliculty. Indeed, in a proper j)iaee, where all the necessary materials and tools were to he had, the emharrassmeiit would have Injen much less ; hut some of these tools were to be made, and many of the materials were waut- injf, and it required no small degree of invention to supply all these deficiencies. And when the hull of the bark should be completed this was but one article, and there were many others of ecjual wei;;Iit which were to be well considered : these were the rigging it, the victualling it, and, lastly, the navigating it for the space of six or seven hundred leagues, through unknown seas, whei-c no one of the company had ever jjassed before. In some of these particulars such obstacles occur- red that, without the intervention of very extra- ordinary and unexpected accidents, the possibility of the whole enterprise would have fallen to the ground, and their utmost industry and ell'orts must have been fruitless. Of all these circumstances I shall make a short recital. It fortunately happened that the carpcntei-s, both of the Gloucester and of the Tryal, with their chests of tools, were on shore when the ship drove out to sea ; the smith too was on shore, and had with him his forge and some tools, but unhappily his bellows had not been brought from ou board, so that he was incapable of working, and without his assistance they could not hope to i>rocced with their design. Their first attention therefore was to make him a pair of bellows, but in this they were for some time puzzled by their want of lea- ther ; however, as they had hides in sufficient plenty, and they had found a hogshead of lime, which the Indians or Spaniards had i)repared for their own use, they tanned some hides with this lime ; and though we may suppose the workman- sliip to be but inditt'erent, yet the leather they thus made served tolerably well, and the bellows (to which a gun-barrel served for a pipe) had no other inconvenience than that of being somewhat strong scented from the imperfection of the tanner's work. Whilst the smith was preparing the necessary iron-work, others were employed in cutting down trees and sawing them into planks ; and this being the mt^c laborious task, the commodore wrought at it himself for the encouragement of his people. As there were neither blocks nor cordage sufficient for tackles to hale the bark on shore, it was pro- posed to get her up on roUere, and for these the body of the cocoa-nut tree was extremely useful, for its smoothness and circular turn prevented much labour, and fitted it for tlie purjjose with very little workmanship : a number of these trees were therefore felled and the ends of them pro- 13: in the meantime a dry-dock was dug for the Imrk, and ways laid from thence quite into the sea, to facilitate the bringing her up. And besides those who were thus occupied in ju-eparing measures for till! future enlargement of the bark, a i>art_» was constantly ordered for the killing and pre- ]mring of provisions for the rest : and thougli in these various employments, some of which (h-- manded considerable dexterity, it might have been expectid there woultl have been great confusion and delay, yet good order being once established, and all hands engaged, their ]>reparationH ad- vanced apace. Indeed the common men, I pre- sume, were not the less tractable for their want of sjjirituous liijuors ; for, there being neither wine nor brandy on shore, the juice of the cocoa-nut was their constant drink, and this, though ex- tremely pleasant, was not at all intoxicating, but kej)t them very cool and orilerly. And now the officers began to consider of all the articles necessary for tlio fitting out the bark ; when it was found, that the tents on shore, and the spare cordage accidentally left there by the Centurion, together with the sails and rigging already belonging to the bark, would serve to rig her indiffeirntly well, when she was lengthened : and as they had tallow in plenty, they proposed to pay her bottom with a mixture of tallow and lime, which it was known was well adapted to that purpose : so that with respect to her ecjuip- ment, she would not have been very defective. There was, however, one exeejjtion, which would have proved extremely inconvenient, and thai was her size : for as they (-.juld not make her (juite forty tons burthen, she would have been incapa- ble of containing half the crew below the deck, and she would have been so top-heavy, that if they wei-e all at the same time ordered upon deck, there would be no small hazard of her overset- ting ; but this was a difficulty in'i ><) bo removed, as they could not augment her beyond tli(> size already proposi'd. After the manner of rigging and fitting up the bavk was considered and regu- lated, the next essential point to be thought on was, how to procure a sufficient stock of provisions for their voyage ; and here they were greatly at a loss what course to take ; for they had neither grain nor bread of any kind onshore, their bread- fruit, which would not keep at sea, having all along supplied its place : and thcgh tliey liad live cat- tle enough, yet they had no salt to cure beef for a sea-store, nor would meat take salt in that climate. Indeed, they had preserved a small quantity of jerked beef, which they found upon the place at their landing ; but this was greatly disproportioned to the run of near six hundred leagues, which they were to engage in, and to the number of hands they should have on board. It was at last, how- ever, resolved to take on boai'd as many cocoa-nuts as they possibly could ; to make the most of their jerked beef, by a very sparing distribution of it ; and to endeavour to supply their want of bread by rice ; to furnish themselves with which, it was proposed, when the bark was fitted up, to make an expedition to the island of Rota, where they were told that the Spaniards had large planta- tions of rice under the care of the Indian inhabit- ants : but as this last measure was to be executed by force, it became necessai-y to exsimiue what ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND Tlli: WOULD. 101 hundspikes, and 11); for the l)ark, into tlic HL'ii, to 1(1 lii'siiks tliusu iriiij; iiieuKUi'L-M .' l)ai-k, ii j)art» illiii^ and \>ve- ; and tliou;{li in L' of wliic'li di'- liglit liavi> bfcu groat confusion ICC I'Htahlislied, ivparations ad- on nu-n, I pre- ir their want of ;; neither wine I' tile cocoa-nut is, tliouirli ex- itoxicating, but consider of all ; out the bark ; on siiore, and ft there hy the is and rii,'giiig ihl servo to rig as longthonod : thoy proposed I of tallow and ■ell adapted to 't to her equip- very defective. I, which Would It, and thai was iiake her (|uite e been incapa- (dow the deck, heavy, that if red 111)011 deck, f her overset- II bo removed, Olid tlie size of rigging d and regu- thought on of provisions re greatly at a had neither their brcad- uing all along had live cat- urc beef for a that climate, quantity of place at their oportioncd to which they ber of hands at last, how- ny cocoa-nuts most of their ibution of it ; lit of bread which, it was up, to make wliere they arge planta- dian inhabit- bc executed amine what ler nniiiiunition hud boon left nn shoro, aiul to |iiv- H(>rvo it oarofiiily ; and on this iiii|iiiry, tiiey had the inoi'tiHcation to tiiid, that the utmost that could be collected by the strictest search, did not amount to more than ninety charges of powder for their firoloeks, which was considerably short of (mo a-iiicce for each of the company, and was indeed a very slender stock of ammunition, for such us were to eat no grain or bread for a month, but what they were to procure by force of nrms. But the most alaiTiiing circumstance, and what, without the providential interposition of very im- probable events, had rendered all their schemes abortive, remains yet to be related. The general idea of the fabric and equipment of the vessel was settled in a few days ; and when this was done, it was not difficult to make some estimation of the time necessary to complete her. After this, it was natural to expect that the officers would con- sider on the coui-se thoy were to steer, and the land they were to make. These reflections led them to the disheartening discovery, that there was neither compass nor quadrant on the island. In- deed the commodore had ))rought a pocket-com- pass on shore for his own use ; but Lieutenant Brett liad borrowed it to determine the i)osition of the neighbouring islands, and ho liad been driven to sea in the Centurion, without returning it : and as to a quadrant, that could not be expected to bo found on shore, for as it was of no use at land, there could be no reason for bringing it from on board the ship. It was eight days, from the departure of the Centurion, before they were in any degree relieved from this terrible perplexity : at last, in rummaging a chest belonging to the Spanish bark, they found a small compass, which, though little better than the toys usually made for the amuse- ment of school-boys, was to them an invaluable treasure. And a few days after, by a similar piece of good fortune, they found a quadrant on the sea-shore, which had been thrown overboard amongst other lumber belonging to the dead : the quadrant was eagerly seized, but on examination, it unluckily wanted vanes, and therefore in its present state was altogether useless ; however, fortune still continuing in a favourable mood, it was not long before a person out of curiosity pull- ing out the drawer of an old table, which had been driven on shore, found therein some vanes, which fitted the quadrant very well ; and it being thus completed, it was examined by the known latitude of the place, and was found to answer to a suffi- cient degree of exactness. And now, all these obstacles being in some de- gree removed, (which were always as much as possible concealed from the vulgar, that they might not grow remiss with the apprehension of labouring to no purpose) the work proceeded very successfully and vigorously : the necessary iron- work was in great forwardness ; and the timbers and planks (which, though not the most exquisite performances of the sawyer's art, were yet suffi- cient for the purpose) were all prepared ; so that, on the Gth of October, being the fou rteenth day from the departure of the ship, they haled the bark on shore, and, on the two succeeding days she was sawn asunder, (though with great care not to cut her planks) and her two parts wei-e sepai-ated the proper distance from each other, and, the mate- rials being all ready before-hand, tlu^y, the next day, being the J'lli of Oetobor, went mi with great des])atcli in their jirojiosvd enlarneiiient of her ; and by this time thoy hud ail their fiitiiro oiiera- tions so fairly in view, and wer«! so iiiueli iiu:>tei-H of them, that they wore nhU) to dotermiiio when the whole would \n'. finished, and had accordingly fixed the r)tli of November for the day of their putting to sea. But their projects and lalmuis were now drawing to u speedier and happier conclu- sion ; for on the 1 1th of October, in the afternoon, one of the Gloucester's men, being upon a hill in the middle of the island, perceived the Centurion at a distance, and running down with his utmost speed towards the landing-place, ho, in the way, saw some of his comrades, to whom he hallooed out with great ecstacy, "The ship, the ship! " This being lu^ard by Mr. Uordon, a lieutenant of niu- riiies, who was convinced by the fellow's transport that his report was true, Mr. Gordon ran towards the place where the commodore and his people were at work, and being fresh and in breath, easily outstripped the Gloiicester'a man, and got before him to the commodore, wlio, on hearing this happy and imexpected news, throw down liis axe with which he was then at work, and by his joy liroke through, for the first time, the o(|uablc and unva- ried character which ho had hitherto preserved ; the othoi-s, who wore with him, instantly ran lo.vii to the sea-side in a kind of frenzy, eager to I'east themselves with a sight they had so ardently wished for, and of which they had now for a considerable time despaired. By five in the evening, the Cen- turion was visible in the offing to them all ; and, a boat being sent off with eighteen men to reinforce her, and with fresh meat and fruits for the refresh- ment of her ei-ew, she, the next afternoon, happily came to an anchor in the road, wliere the commo- dore immediately came on board her, and was received by us with the sincerost and heartiest acclamations : for, from the following short recital of the feai-s, the dangers and fatigues we in the ship underwent, during our nineteen days' absence from Tiuian, it may be easily conceived, that a harbour, refreshments, repose, and the joining of our comniander and shipmates, were not l(?s.s pleasing to us, than our i-eturii was to them. CHAPTER IV. Proceedings on hoard the Cfiilurion, when ilriucn out to sea. The Centurion being now once more safely arrived at Tinian, to the mutual respite of the labours of our divided ci'ew, it is high time that the reader, after the relation already given of the projects and employment of those left on shore, should be apprised of the fatigues and distresses, to whicli we, who were driven ott" to sea, wei-e exposed during the long interval of nineteen days that we were absent from the island. It has been already mentioned, that it was the 22nd of September, about one o'clock, in an ex- tremely dark night, when by the united violence of a prodigious storm, and an exceeding rapid tide, we wore driven from our anchors and forced to sea. Our condition then was truly deplorable ; we were in a leaky ship, with thi-ee cables in our 113 i ; I I II Ml ; 1 !^ ' lO'i ANSON'8 VOYAGE HOUND TIIK WORLD. ll;»\VHt s, to one i.f wliii-li ll'iii'^ mir only rciii;iiiiiiiL,' nni'liiii' ; wr liu'l not a mm on lici.ii'il liishnl, nor a jiiirt liurriMl in ; our >lii'()iiils wnc Imisc, ami mir ti'l>-inasts iinri';:,-! il, ami wi- lunl striii-k our I'.irc and main janl^ dose tlnwti lift'on' tin- sloi'in came oil, Ko tliat tliciv w.Tc no Miils wv conlil Hot, except our nii/.i-n. In this (Ircailfui <'xtn'riiity vi- conlil niusti'i' no inov(! Ktri'n'4;th on Imanl, to iiavii;ato the ship, tiiun a liumlri'il ami cit^'iit liamls, several negroes ami Indians inelmird : tliis was si'areely thu fourth pui't of onr eonij)lenient ; ami of these the greater ininiluT were eitlier iioys, or siu'h as, hoiiii^ lately r;'eovereil Ironi the scurvy, hail no; yet nrriveil at half their forniir vigour. No sooner were we at wa, hut hy the violence df the storm, aiul till! worlvini; ectatioii of seeing it ; but wc were unhappily disa|)pointed, and were thereby convinced that a. current had driven us to the westward. And as we could not judge how much we might hereby have deviated, and, coiiseijuently, how long we might still exj>ect to be at sea, we had great ap- lireheii.sions that our stock of water might prove deficient ; for we were doubtful about tho quan- tity we had on board, and found many of our casks so decayed, as to be half-leaked out. How- ever, we were delivered from our uncertainty tho next (lay, by having a sight of the ishind of Guam, by which we discovered that the currents had driven us forty-four leagues to the westward of our accounts. This sight of land having satisfied us of our situation, we kept jdyiiig to the east- ward, though with excessive labour, for tho wind continuing fixed in the eastern board, we wiTe obliged to tad; often, and our crew were so weak, that without the as,Mstance of every man on Ijoard, it was not in our jiower to put the ship about. This severe employment lasted till the lltli of October, being the nineteenth day from our de- parture ; wiien arriving in the offing of Tinian, we were reinforced from the shore, as hath been al- ready mentioned ; aud on the evening of tho same day, we, to our inexpressible joy, came to an anchor in the road, thereby pKoouriiig to our shipmates oil shore, as well as to oui-selves, a cessjition from the fatigues and apprehensions which this disastrous incident had given rise to. > The nautitul reailer will be burpristd at this piissago. Tlic firBt object should have l>een to heave up the anchor; fur how was it possible for the ship to perforin, even if they had succeeded in swaying the yards up and making sail, with tlie sheet anchor at the end of 2(H) fathoms ''4(X) yards) of cable towing at the bows ? Hi how iamS''4UUynr(!s) '. This was a 'atiire pnserva- x'liinirrit to our I III- III iiiii-Hliip, li rhe auciiiir ia iio>t inii'rehtinj» it was till- only Mi'i-iiriii;; it, wo tii'sami h:i/.ari|iH ; ami thiivforo nin--iimrniM; of ilil tin; siverest lien we had in- having; brimy;ht )«iii;; iliirk, and were obliged to [Inished till the ■tit of a ni;,'ht'a •Imr at our bow. II the iiiorniii;;;, •lure, wlien wo e same day wo now eiinijiiei'ed, disiudi'r wliieh jur lirst drivinr Ktlie use ol our | • tile first time ' I' re};aiiiiii|^ the onnnodoi'e ia a our aeeiiunts, I i-westot Tinian; ' ■r, liaviiiL; then kinu: the i:iland ! ere in full ex- I vi'ro unhappily j [nvinceJ that a ' ,vard. And .as ' )iiii,'lit hereby ! ANSON'S VOYAUK llOLNL) TilK \VOULL». 103 CHAl'Tiai V. Smiilnj/nifiit rtl TViiiim, till Ihe Jlitnt ileimrtiire «f lln- C-uliiriiin /ciiwi thtnct / Kilk a tl.tiTiii'.ion o/ the In- Wiir.N the eonimmlore eiime on board tlie Cen- turion, on lu'r return to 'I'iniiiii, as alrrady ini'ii- tioiii'd, he rt'solveil to ntay no liiiii^ir at tin' isjaiid than was absolutely ni'ei-sNirv to emnpleti' our stoeU of water, ii work whieli \>i' iiiiimiliatily set (airsrlvcH about, itut the Ions of mir lonu;-boat, wliieh was staved a^'aiiist our poop, when we were drivi n out to sea, put us to y;ri'al iiieonveiiieiiees in (^rttiii;; our water mi board ; lor we were obliijed to rait otfall our easks, and the tide ran so stroiii;, that, brsides the freipieiit ililavs mid dillieultiis it oeeasioned, we more than miee lost the whole raft. Nor was this our only misfortune ; for, on the Nth of Oetober, beinf; but the third day alter our ari'i\al, a sudden ^iist of wind bnniLjlit home our anchor, fureeil us oH'the bank, and ili'ove the ship out to sra a second time. The eoinmodore, it w true, and the jirineipal oHicers, were now - ^-lp|ll•ilon.'. tu ilnd tlieiii out, UH iiiir prisiiiiei'H all assiirefl us that it was impossible for them to get eir, unil, i-ulisii|lienlly, (hat it was im|iossibii- lor tliem to si ml any intel- ligence aliout us to (iuam. Itiit win ii tin- (,'eutu- rion drove out to sea, and left llie ci>iiiliiiiili>re on shore, he one day, attended by some of bis otfiec-rs, endeavoured to make the tour of the i>laMu. In this expedition, being on a rising gruiiinl, they perceived ill the \alley beneath llit-iii the appear- ance of a small thicket, which, by obseiNih;; inni-o nicely, they I'ouiid had a pro;;ressive iniitioii. This at first surprised them ; but they soon di.-icoM-red that it was no more than several lar'.;e cocoa- bushes, which were dragged along the '.M-ound, by pel-sons ciiiicealeil beneath them. They imme- diately conelndeil that these were some ol tin- Ser- jeant's i)ai'ty (which was iiuieed line); ainlthcru- fore the eoininoilore and bis people made after them, in hopes of Hniling out ilieir reUiat. The Indians soon percei\ed iliey wt-re discovered, and hurried aw.iy with precipitation ; but Mr. .Anson was so near them, that be did not lose sight of them till they arrived at their cell, which he and his officers entering found to be abiiiiiloiied, there being a ]iassiiL,'.' from it down a precipice contrived for the coliveliiellee of liigllt. Tiny t'elUld here an old firelock or two, but no oilnr arms. How- evi-r, there was a tcreat iiuantity of provisions, particularly salted s|iareribs of pork, wbich were excellent; and from what our peopU- saw here, tlii-y concluded, that the extraordinary a]-petite which they bad found at this island was not con- lined to themselves alone ; for, it being about noon, the Indians had laid out u very pleiaii'iil repast, considering their numbei-s, and bad their bread- fruit and cocoa-nuts prepared ready for eating, and in a manner which plainly evinced that, with them too, a good meal was neither an uncoinnioa nor an unheeded article. The coiiiiiiodon having in vain endeavoured to discover llu- path by which the Indians had esea|)ed, he and bis officers eon- tented themselves with sitting dow ii to the dinner which was thus luckily fitted to their present appetites ; after which they returned back to their old habitation, displeased at missing the Indians, as they liojied to have engaged them in our ser- vice, if tin y could have had any conference with them. But notwithstanding what our ]irisoner8 had asserted, we were aftei-wards assured, that these Indians were carried off to (jluam long before wi; left the place. Hut to return to om* history. On our coming to an anchor again, after our second driving off to sea, w i; laboured indefatigably in getting in our water ; and lia\ ing, by the "iOth of Oetober, completed itto fifty tons, which we sui>posed would be sufficient for our passage to Macao, we, on the next day, sent one of each mess on shore, to gather as large a ((uaiitity of oranges, lemons, cocoa-nuts, and other fruits of the island, as they possibly could, for the use of themselves and messmates, when at sea. And these pur- veyors returning on board us on the evening of the same day, we then set fire to the bark and proa, hoisted in our boats, and got under sail, steering away for the south end of (he island of Formosa, ami taking our leaves, for the third and last time, of the island of Tinian : an island whichj 115 104 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. I E .■' ffi whether we consider the excellence of its pro- ductions, the beauty of its appearance, the elegance of its woods ami lawns, the healthiness of its air, or the adventures it gave rise to, may in all these views bo truly styled romantic. And now, postponing for a short time our run to Formosa, and thence to Canton, I siiall uiter- rupt the narration with a description of that range of islands, usually called the Ladrones, or Marian Islands, of which this of Tinian is one. These islands were discovered by Magellan in the year 1521 ; and by the account given of the two he first fell in with, it should seem that they were the islands of Saypan and Tinian ; for they are described in his expedition as very beautiful islands, and as lying between fifteen and sixteen degrees of north latitude. These characteristics are particularly a])plicable to the two above-men- tioned places ; for the pleasing appearance of Tinian hath occasioned the Spaniards to give it the additional name of Buenavista ; and Saypan, which is in the latitude of la" 22' uoi-th, affords no contemptible prospect when seen from the sea. There are usually i-eckoned twelve of these islands ; but if the small islets and rocks are counted in, then their whole number will amount to above twenty. They were fornierly most of them well inhabited ; and, even not sixty yeai"s ago, the t hree principal islands, Guam, Rota, and Tinian, together, are said to have contained above fifty thousand people : but since that time Tinian has been entirely depopulated ; and only two or three hundred Indians have been left at Rota to cultivate rice for the island of Guam ; so that now no more than Guam can properly bo said to be inliabitcd. This island of Guam is the only settle- ment of the Spaniards ; here they keep a governor and garrison, and here the Manila ship generally touches for refreshment in lier passage from Aca- pulco to the Philippines. It is esteemed to be about thirty leagues in circumference, and contains, by the Spanish accounts, near four thousand in- habitants, of which a thousand are said to live in the city of San Ignatio de Agand, where the governor generally resides, and where the houses are represented as considerable, being built with stone and timber, and covered with tiles, a very uncommon fabric for these warm climates and savage counti-ies : besides this city there are upon the island thirteen or fourteen villages. As this is a post of some consecjuence, on account of the refreshment it yields to the Manila ship, there are two castles on the seashore ; one is the castle of St. Angelo, which lies near the road, where the Manila ship usually anchors, and is but an insig- nificant fortress, mounting only five guns, eight- pounders ; the other is the castle of St. Lewis, which is N.E. from St. Angelo, and four leagues distant, and is intended to ])rotect a road where a small vessel anchors, which arrives li(,re every other year from Jlanila. This fort mounts the same number of guns as the former : and besides these forts thct-e is a battery of five pieces of can- non, on an eminence near the seashore. The Spanish troops emph)yed on this island consist of three companies of foot, from forty to fifty men each ; and this is the principal strength the governor ha tion, that it would do honour to any nation, how- ever dexterous and acute. For if we consider the aptitude of this proa to the particular navigation of these islands, which, lying all of them nearly under the same meridian, and within the limits of the trade-wind, require the vessels made use of in passing from one to the other to be particularly fitted for sailing with the wind upon the beam ; or, if we examuie the uncommon simplicity and ingenuity of its fabric and contrivance, or the extraordinary velocity with which it moves, wo shall, in^ each of these'articles, find it worthy of our admiration, and meriting a place amongst the mechanical pi-oductions of the most civilised nations, where arts and sciences have most eminently flourished. As former navigators, though they have mentioned these vessels, have yet treated of them imijcrfectly ; and, as I conceive that, besides their curiosity, they may furnish both the ship- wright and seaman with no contemptible observa- tions, I shall hero insert a very exact description of the built, rigging, and working of these vessels which I am well "nablcd to do ; for one of them, as I have mentioned, fell into oui hands at our first arrival at Tinian, and Mr. Brett took it to pieces, on jjurpjse to delineate its fabric and I dimensions with greater accui-acy : so that the following account may be relied on. i The name of flying proa givtm to these vessels, j is owing to the stiffness with wmch they aail. Of j this the Spaniards assert such stories as ap[)car , altogether incredible to those who have never seen I these vessela move ; nor ai'e the Spaniards the | 118 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 105 1(1 so apjire- ;d them the it Inhabited, refreshment harbour or : of that of lily ; nor is t is not un- proposes to be forced to This is an •ommercc at ided to tlio leavours for i part of the ! to comply this is cer- my islands ; of Mexico known any ; though in jonimoa for eellcut har- irs that the e extremely itants ; and greater, as s been said, eretofore on bold wcll- rom some of del'jctive in II particular, pels used by an invciv latioii, liow- consider the navigation hem nearly lie limits of use of in iirticularly the beam ; licity and or the moves, we wortlty of inongst the d nations, cTiiinently ougli they troattfd of lat, besides the ship- e obsorva- lescription se vessels of them, ,ds at our took it to ibric and that the 30 veasels, r sail. Of as appear lever seen iards the only people who relate these extraordinary tales of their celerity. For those who shall have the curiosity to inciuire at the dock at Portsmouth, about a trial made there some years since with a very imperfect one built at that place, will meet villi accounts not less wonderful than any the Sj ■> liards have given. However, from some rude estimations made by our people of the velocity with which they croiised the hori/.onata distance, while we lay at Tinian, I cannot help believing that, with a brisk trade-wind, they will i-un near twenty miles an hour : which, though greatly short of what the Spaniards report of them, is yet a jirodigious degree of swiftness. But let us give a distinct idea of its fig4ire. The construction of this i)roa is a direct contra- diction to the practice of all the i-est of mankind. For .08 the rest of the world make the hcail of their vessejs different from the stern, but the two sides alike ; the pi'oa, on the contrary, has her head and stern exactly alike, but her two sides very different ; the side intended to be always the lee- side being flat ; and the windward-side made rounding, in the manner of other vessels ; and, to prevent her oversetting, which, from her small brtadtli, and the straight run of her leeward-side, would, without this precaution, infallibly happen, there is a frame laid out from lier to windward, to the end of which is fastened a log fashioned into the shape of a small boat, and made hollow : the weight of the frame is intended to balance the proa, and the small boat is by its buoyancy (as it is always in the water) to prevent her oversetting to windward ; and this fi-amo is usually called an outrigger. The body of the proa (at least of that we took) is made of two pieces joined endways, and sewed together with baric, for there is no iron used about her : she is about two inches thick at the bottom, which at the gunwale is reduced to less than one : the mast is supported by a shroud, and by two stays : the sail is made of matting, and the mast, yard, boom, and outriggers, are all made of bamboo : the heel of the yard is always lodged in one of the sockets, acccvding to the tack the proa goes on ; and when she alters her tack, they bear away a little to bring her stern up to the wind, then by easing the halyard and raising the yard, and carrying the heel of it along the lee-side of the proa, they fix it in the o|)positc socket ; whilst the boom at thi"- same time, by lotting Hy one sheet, and haling the other sheet, shifts into a contrary situation to what it had before, and that which was the stern of the proa now becomes the head, and she is trimmed on the other tack. When it is necessary to reef or furl tlio wiil, this is done by rolling it round the boom. The proa generally carries six or seven Indians ; two of which are placed ill the head and stern, who steer the vessel alternately with a paddle according to the tack she goes on, he in the stern being the stcei-sman ; the other Indians arc employed either in balhig out the water which she accidentally ships, or in setting and trimming the sail. From the descrip- tion of these vessels it is sufficiently obvious how dexterously they arc fitted for ranging this collec- tion of inlands called the Ladrones : for as tltese islands lie nearly N. and S. t ' each other, and are all within the limits of tlio trade-wind, the proas, by sailing most excellently on a wind, and with cither end foremost, can run from one of these islands to the other and back again, only by shift- ing the sail, without ever putting about ; and, ))y the flatnessof their lee-side, and their small breadth, they are capable of lying much nearer the wind than any ot'.ier vessel hitherto known, and thereby have an advantage which no vessels that go large can ever pretend to : the advantage I mean is that of running with a velocity nearly as great, and perhaps sometimes greater than that with which the wind blows. This, however paradox- ical it may appear, is evident enough in similar instances on shore : for it is well known that the sails of a windmill often mo\o faster than the wind ; and one great superiority of common wind- mills over all others, that ever were, or ever will be contrived to move with a horizontal motion, is analogous to the case we have mentioned of a vessel upon a wind and before the wind : for the sails of a horizontal windmill, the faster they move, the more they detract from the impulse of the wind upon them ; whereas the common windmills, by moving perpendicular to the torrent of air, are nearly as forcibly acted on by the wind when they are in motion as when they are at rest. Thus much may suffice as to the description and nature oi these singular embarkations. 1 must add that vessels bearing some obscure resemblance to these are to bo met with in various parts of the East Indies ; but none of them, that I can learn, to be compared with those of the Ladrones, either in their construction or celerity ; which should induce one to believe that this was originally tlio invention of some genius of these islands, and was afterwards imperfectly copied by the neighbour- ing nations : for though the Ladrones have no immediate intercourse with any other people, yet there lie to the S. and S.W. of them a great num- ber of islands, which are supposed to extend to the coast of New Guinea. These islands are so near the Ladrones that canoes from them havo sometimes, by distress, been driven to Guam; and the Spaniards did onco despatch a bark for their discovery, which left two Jesuits amongst them, who were afterw.ards murdered : and the inhabit- ants of the Ladrones with their proas may, by like accident, have been driven amongst these islands. Indeed I should conceive that the same range of islands extends to the S.E. as well as the S.W. and that to a prodigious distance : for Sehouten,. who traversed the south part of the Pacific Ocean in the year l(il5, met whh a large double caiioo full of people, at above a thousand leagues distance from the Ladrones towards the S.E. If this double canoe was any distant imitation of the flying proa,, which is no very improbable conjecture, this can only be accounted for by supposing that there is a range of islands, near enough to each other to be cajjablc of an accidental coininunication, which is extended from the Ladrones thither. And indeed all those who have crossed from America to the East Indies in a southern latitude, have never failed of meeting with several very small islands scattered over that immense ocean. And as there may be henne some reason to supjiose that the Ladrones are only a part of an extensive chain of islands spreading themselves to the southward towards the unknown boiindariei of the Pacific Ocean ; so it appears from the Spanish chart, elsewhere spoken of, that the name cImiui is extended from the northward of the 117 i ■' pi ,;!■ JOC ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. Ladrdiies to Japan : so that in this h^;ht tlie LadroUL'S will )»■ oiilyoni; small ])ortioii of a ran^jo ol' iMhinds, rcachijig from Japan ]ii'i'lia))s to tliu unknown soiitlicrn oontinont. After this sh. . i acfour.t of tliLv,',' phu-cs, 1 shall now return to the prosfcutiou of our voyage. CHAPTER VI. Jfrom Tniian to Macao- I HAVK already montioued, that, on the 21st of Octoln'r, in the ivcning, we took our leave of the island of Tinian,stieringtheproper course forMacao inCliina. The eastern nuinsoon was now, we reck- oned, fairly settled ; and we had a constant ily for us, our people were now in full health ; so that there were no complaints of fatigue, but all went through their attendance on the pumps, and every other duty of the ship, with ease and cheerfulness. Having now no other but our sheet-anchor left, except our pri/.c-anchors, which were stowed in the hold, and were too light to he depended on, we were under great concern how we should manage on the coast of China, where we were all entire strangc.'rs, and where we should doubtless be frequently under the necessity of coining to an anchor. Our sheet-anchor beini; obviously much too heavy for a coasting anchor, it was at length I'esolved to f^^; two of our largest prize-anchors into one stock, and to ]>lace between tlu'ir shanks two guns, four jiouuders, whieli was accordingly executed, and it was to serve as a best bower : and a third priy-e-isnchor being in like manner joined with our stream-anchor, witli guns between them, we thereby made a small bower; so that, besides our sheet-anchoi", we had again two others at our bows, one of which weigl.eil 3900 and the other 2900 pounds. The 3d of November, about three in the after- noon, we saw an island, which at first we ima- gined to be the island of liotel Tobago Ximo : but ■on our nearer aiiproach we found it to be much smaller than that is usually reju'esented ; and about an hour after we saw another island, five same bottom, from whence our soundings gradually decreased from thirty-five to twenty-five fathom ; but soon after, to our great surprise, they jumped back again to thirty fathom : this was an alteration wc could not very well account for, since all the charts laid down regular soundings every- where to the northward of Pedro Blatico ; and for this reason we kept a very careful look-out, and altered our coui-se to N.N.W., and having run thirty-five miles in this direction, our soundings 118 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 107 fk, lyin;^ ivo or not being ineii- -•liarts, was the .11(1 of Formosa, I double its ex- for tlie rocks of ( till two in the n us W.N.W., of Formosa at V W., about five ksag'ood berth, W., and so left Indeed we had ur tliough they as a siiip's hull, :t'rs on all sides, m them at least I'd, whence they Pile course from , is S.W. by W. iiirteen leaguf ^ ; which they lie, I, and in 23" 50' ling to our most ouie of our ac- ! roclca of Vele ou the foreeas- 1, and the whole tlie utmost con- it difficult for but liaving at t was ])orceived } furnace ; and as extinguished n its rise from had begun to wo(jd-work. witli a view of to have been ation, we found of fires on the lagined, were and as signals not our viewsj of Macao as we steered ore northerly, of China, to the rock so lit direction for led tliis course uently brought but it was the orning, before had forty-two 1 mixed with twenty miles 1 fathom, and )ur soundings to twenty-five surprise, they this was an ount for, since ndings every- anco ; and for look-out, and having run lur Boundhigs Mlt agamgraduailydiminished to twenty-two fathom, and we at last, about Tnidnight, got sight of tiic niain- liind of C.'liina, lioaring N. by W., four leagues distant : we tluii brouglit the shi]) to, with her head to the si ;i, proposing to wait for the morning ; and before sunrise wo were surprised to find our- selves hi the midst of an incredil)le number of fish- ing-boats, wliicli seemed to cover the surface of the sea as far as the eye could reach. I may well style their number increilililr, since I cannot be- lieve, upon the lowest est i mate, that there were so few as six thousand, most of them manned with five hands, and none c.f those sve saw with less than three. Nor was this swarm of fishing vessels peculiar to this sjiot ; for, as we ran on to the westward, wo found them as uliundant ou every part of the coast. We at first doubted not but we should procure a jiilot from them to carry us to Macao ; but though many of them came close to the ship, and we endeavoured to tL'Uiiit them by sliowing them a number of dollars, a most alluring bait for Chinese of all ranks and profes- sions, yet we could not entice them on board us, nor j)rocuro any directions from them ; though, I presimie, the only diflieulty was their not com- prehending what we wanted them to do, for wo could have no communication with them but by signs : indeed we often pronounced the word Macao ; Init this we had reason to suppose they imderstood in a different sense ; for in return they sometimes held up fish to us, and we after- wards learnt, that the Chinese name for fish is of a somewhat similar sound. But what surprised us most, was the inattention and want of curiosity, wliieli wc observed in this herd of fishermen : a sliip like ours had doubtless never been in those seas before ; perhaps, there might not be one, amongst all the Chinese employed in this fishery, who had ever seen any European vessel ; so that we might reasonably have expected to have been considered by them as a very uncommon uiid extraordinary object ; but though many of their vessels came close to the ship, yet they did not appear to lie at all interested about us, nor did they deviate in the least from their course to regard us ; which insensiliility, especially in mari- time persons, alxmt a matter in their own profes- sion, is scarcely to be credited, did not the general behaviour of the Chinese, in other instances, fur- nish us with continual proofs of a similar turn of mind : it may jicrhaps be doubted, whether this cast of temper be the eft'eet of nature or educa- tion ; but, in either case, it is an incontestible symptom of a mean and eonteni|)tiblc disposition, and is alone a sufHcient confutation of the extra- vagant panegyrics, which many liypothetical wri- ters have besti 'wed on the higenuity and capacity of this nation. But to return : Not being able to procure any information from the Chinese fishermen al)out our proper course to Macao, it was necessary for us to rely entirely on our own judgment ; and concluding from our latitude, which was 22° 42' North, and from our soundings, whicli were only seventeen or eighteen fathoms, that wi." were yet to the eastward of Pedro Blanco, we stood to the westward : and for the assistance of future navigators, who may hereafter doubt about the parts of the coast they are upon, I must observe, that besides the latitude of Pedro Blanco, which is 22° 1 9', and the depth of water, which to the westward of that rock is almost everywhere twenty fiitlxims, there is another circumstance whicli will give jjreat assist- ance in judging of tlio ]ifpsition ol' the ship : this is the kind of ground ; for, till we came within thirty miles of Pedro B!aiu-o, we had constantly a sandy bottom ; but there the Ijottom changed to soft and muddy, and continued so (piite to the island of Macao ; only while wc were in sight of Pedro Blanco, and very near it, we IkmI for a short space a bottom of greenish mud, intermixed with sand. It was on the .'ith of November, at midnight, when we first made the coast of China ; an about six miles distant from Macao. Here we saluted the castle of Macao with eleven guns, which were returned by an equal number. The next day the commodore paid a visit in person to the governor, and was siiluted at his landing by eleven guns : which were returned liy the Centurion. Mr. Anson's business in this visit, was to solicit the governor to grant us a supply of provisions, and to furnish us with such stores as were necessary to refit the ship. The governor seemed really inclined to do us all the service he could, and assured the commodore, in a friendly nijinner, that he would privately give us all the : ■ sistance in his power ; but he, at the same time, frankly owned, that he darod not openly furnish us with anything we demanded, unless we first jirocured an order for it from the viceroy of Can- ton ; for that he neither loceived provisions for his garrison, nor any other necessaries, but by permission from the Chinese government ; and as tlioy took care only to furnish him from day to day, he was indeed no other than their vassal, whom they could at all times compel to subniit to their own terms, only by laying an embargo on his provisions. On this declaration of the sovornor, Mr. Anson resolved himself to go to Canton, to procure a license from the viceroy ; and he accordingly hired a Chinese boat for himself and his atten- diints ; but just as he was ready to embark, the hoppo, or Chinese custom-house officer at Macao, refused to grant a [lerinit to the boat, and ordered the watermen not to proceed, at their peril. The commodore at first endeavoured to prevail with the lioi)po to withdraw his injunction, and to grant a jjermit ; and the governor of Macao employed his interest with the hoppo to the same purpose. Ml". Anson, finding the officer inflexible, told him the next day, that if he longer refused to grant the permit, he would man and arm his own boats to carry him thither ; asking the hoppo, at the same time, who he imagined would dare to oppose him. This throat immediately brought about what his intreaties had laboured for in vain. The per- mit was granted, and Mr. Anson went to Canton. On his arrival there, he consulted with the super- cargoes and oflicers of the English ships, how to procure an order from the viceroy for the neces- saries he wanted. But in this he had reason to suppose that the advice they gave him, though doubtless well intended, was yet not the most pru- dent. For as it is the custom with these gentlemen never to apply to the supreme magistrate himself, whatever difficulties they labour under, but to transact all matters relating to the government by the mediation of the principal Chinese mer- chants, Mr. Anson was advised to follow the same method upon this occasion, the English promising (in which they were doubtless sincere) to exert all their interest to engage the merchants in his favour. And when the Chinese mercliants were ajiplied to, they readily undertook the management of it, and promised to answer for its eMccess ; but after near a month's delay, and reiterat'^d excuses, during which interval they pretended io be often upon the point of completing the business, they at last (being pressed, and measures being taken for delivering a letter to the viceroy) threw off the mask, and declared they neither had applied to the viceroy, nor could they ; for he waa too great a man, they said, for them to a]tproacli on any occa- sion. And, not contented with having themselves thus grossly deceived the commodore, they now used all their pei-suasion with the English at Canton, to prevent them from intermeddling with anything that regarded him, representing to them, that it would in all probability embroil them with the government, and occasion them a great deal of unnecessary trouble ; which groundless insinua- tions had indeed but too much weight with those they were applied to. It may be difficult to assign a reason for this perfidious conduct of the Chinese mercliants: interest indeed is known to exert a boundless influence over the inhabitants of that empire ; but how their interest could be affected in the present case, is not easy to discover ; unless tlicy appre- hended that the presence of a ship of force might damp their Manila trade, and therefore acted in this manner with a view of forcing the commodore to Batavia; but it might be as natural in this light to suppose, that they would liave been eager to have got him despatched. I therefore rather impute their behaviour to the unparalleled pusillanimity of the nation, and to the awe they are under of the government ; for as such a ship as the Centurion, fitted for war only, hail never been seen in those parts before, she was the horror of these dastards, and the merchants wen; in some degree terrified even with the idea of her, and could not think of applying to the viceroy (who is doubtless fond of all opportunities of fleecing them) without repre- senting to themselves the pretences which a hungry and tyrannical magistrate might possibly find, for censuring their intermeddling in so unusual a transaction, in which he might pretend the interest of the state was immediately concerned. However, be this as it may, the commodore was satisfied that nothing was to be done by the interposition of the merchants, as it was on his pressing them to deliver a letter to the viceroy, that they had declared they durst not intenneddle, and had con- fessed, that notwithstanding all their pi'etences of serving him, they had not yet taken one step to- wards it. Mr. Anson therefore told them, that he would proceed to Batavia, and refit his ship there; but informed them, at the same time, that this was impossible to be done, unless he was supplied with a stock of provisions sufficient for his j)assage. The merchants, on this, undertook to procure him jtrovisions, but assured him, that it was what they durst not engage in openly, but pro])osed to manage it in a clandcsti'ie manner, by putting a quantity of bread, flour, and other provisions on board the English ships, which were now ready to sail ; and these were to stop at the mouth of the Typa, where the Centurion's boats were to receive it. This article, which the merchants repre.sented as a matter of great favour, being settled, the com- modore, on the KJtli of December, I'eturned from Canton to the ship, seemingly resolved to proceed to Batavia to refit, as soon as he should get his supplies of provision on board. But Mr. Anson (who never intended going to Batavia) found, on his return to the Centurion, that her main-mast was sprung in two places, and that the leak was considerably increased ; so that, upon the whole, he was fully satisfied, that though he should lay in a sufficient stock of provisions, yet it would be impossible for him to put to sea 121 I)» hii ;i ■■) I 110 ANSON'S voyagp: round the world. without refitting: for, if he left the port with llis slii(> ill her ])n'sciit (roiidition, Hhe would Ik; iii the utmost ilaiiiicr of f'ounileriiiti; ; and thcrcfon', notwitliHtaiidiiv^j tlio ditKcultics ho had met witii, lie resolved at all (•v<'iitH to have her liove '.own, before he left Ahicao. He was fully coiiviiuvd, by what he had oliserved at Canton, that his great caution not to injure tlic East-India Com- pany's ntlairs, and tlie regard he liad shown to theadvieo of their oIKcirs, had occasioned all llis enil)arrassiiiciits. For he now saw clearly, that if he had at first carried his ship into the river of Canton, and had immediately ap- plied liimself to tlio mandarins, who are the chief ofliccrs of state, instead of employing the merchants to apply for him; lie would, in all pro- bability, have had all his requests granted, and would have Ijccn soon de:^patchcd. He had alreaily lost a month, by the wrong measures he had been put upon, but he resolved to lose a.s little more time as possible; and therefore, the 17th of December, being th(? next day after his return from Canton, he wrote a letter to the viceroy of that place, aeiiuainting him, that he was commander-in- chief of a scpiadroii of his Britannic Majesty's shi]is of war, which had been cruising for two years past in the South Seas against the Spaniards, who were at war with the king his master ; that, in his way back to England, he had put into the port of Macao, having a considerable leak in his ship, and being in great want of provisions, so tliat it was impos- sible for him to proceed on his voyaf^e, till his ship was repaired, and he was supplied with the neces- saries he wanted ; that he had been at Canton, in hopes of being admitted to a personal audience of his excellency; but being a stranger to the customs of the country, he had not been able to inform himself what stops were necessary to be taken to procure such an audience, and therefore was obliged to apply to him in this manner, to desire his excellency to give order for his being permitted to employ carpenters and proper work- men to refit his ship, and to furnish himself with provisions and stores, thereby to enable him to pursue his voyage to Great Britain with this mon- soon, ho])ing, at the same time, that these orders would bo issued with as little delay as possible. Jest it might occasion his loss of the season, and ne might be prevented from departing till next winter. This letter was translated into the Chinese lan- guage, and the commodore delivered it himself to the hoppo or chief officer of the emperor's customs at Macao, desiring him to forward it to the viceroy of Canton, with as much expedition as he could. The officer at first seemed unwilling to take charge of it, and raised many objections about it, so that Mr. Anson suspected him of being in league with the merchants of Canton, who had always shown a great appivhension of the commodore's having any immediate intercourse with the viceroy or mandarins ; and therefore the commodore, with "ome resentment, took back his letter from the ippo, and tohl him he would immediately send an officer with it to Canton in his own boat, and would give him positive orders not to return with- out an answer from the viceroy. The hoi)po per- ceiving the (Mimmodore to be in earnest, and fearing to be called to an account for his refusal, begged to be entrusted with the letter, and promised to deliver it, and to jirocure an answer as soon sm possible. And now it was soon seen how justly -Mr. Anson had at last judged of tin; ])roper man- ner of dealing with the Chinese ; for this letter v/as written but the 17th of Deeember, as hath been already observed; and, on tile l!)tli in the morning a mandarin of the first rank, who was governor of the city of Janson, together with two mandarins of an inferior elass,and a great retinue of officers and servants, having with them oit,diteen half galleys decorated with a greater number of streamers, and furnished with music, and full of men, came to grapnel a-head of the Centurion ; whence the mandarin sent a message to the com- modore, felling him that he (the mandarin) was ordered, by the viceroy of Canton, to examine the condition of the shi|), and desiring the sliii)'s boat might be sent to fetch him on board. The Cen- turion's boat was immediately tlespatclied, and preparations wei'e made for receiving him ; for a hundred of the most sightly of the crew were unifonnly dressed in the regimentals of the marines, and were drawn up under arms on the main-deek, against his arrival. When ho entered the ship he was saluted by the drums, and what other military music there was on board ; and passing by the new-formed guard, ho was met by the com- modore on the quart;-r-deck, who conducted him to the great cabin. Here the mandarin explained his commission, declaring that his business was to examine a'l the particulars mentioned in the com- modore's letter to the viceroy, and to confront them with the representation that had been given of them ; that he was particulai'ly instructed to inspect the leak, and had for that purpose brought with him two Chinese carpenters ; and that for the greater regularity and despatch of his business, he had every head of enquiry separately written down on a sheet of paper, with a void space op])osite to it, where he was to insert such infonnation and remarks thereon, as he could procure by his own observation. This mandarin appeared to be a person of very considerable parts, and endowed with more frank- ness and honesty, than is to be found in the gene- rality of the Chinese. After the proper inquiries had been made, ])articularly about the leak, which the Chinese cai'pentcrs reported to be as dangerous as it had been represented, and consequently that it was impossible for the Centurion to proceed to sea without being refitted, the mandarin expressed himself satisfied with the account given in the commodore's letter. And this magistrate, as he was more intelligent than any other person of his nation that came to our knowledge, so likewise was ho more curious and inquisitive, viewing each part of the ship with particular attention, and ap- pearing greatly surprised at the largeness of the lower deck guns, and at the weight and size of the shot. The commodore, observing his astonishment, thought this a proper ot»portunity to convince the Chinese of the prudence of granting him a siieedy i and ample supply of all he wanted: with this view he told fhemandarin, and those who were with him, that, besides the demand- '.le made for a general supply, he had a jiartieulur complaint against the proceed- ings of the custom-house of Macao ; that at his first arrival the Chinese boats had brought on b )ard plenty of greens, and variety of fresh pi-o- visions for daily use, for which they had always 112 'ev as soon a-s !C'ii how justly U! ])rop('r iiiaii- f'or tliis letter iuIkt, iis liatli 10 l!)tli ill tho ■anli, who was ether with two I iireat retinue them eit,'litecn or number of ie, and full of lie Centurion ; ijo to the com- laudarin) was examine the ho slii])'a hoat •d. The Con- ^patehed, and ing him ; for he erew were )f the marines, he main-deek, cred tho ship 1 what other ; and passing ?t hy the com- onducted liim irin explained usineas was to m1 in the com- il to confront id been given instructed to rpose brought d that for tho s business, lie written down o op])osite to uniiation and by Ilia own erson of very more frank- in the gene- per inquiries e leak, which as dangerous quently that proceed to in ex])rcs8ed iven in the strate, as he lerson of his so likewise lowing each ion, and ap- ness of the 1 size of tho stonishment, :;onvineo tho ini a speedy 1 this view he th him, that, leral supply, the proceed- that at his brought on f fresh pro- had always ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. Ill been i)aid to their full satisfaction, but that the custom-house officers at Macao ha mandarins, had informed themselves of his wants, and were eye-witnesses of the force and strength of his ship, they might be satisfied it was not for want of power to supply himself, that ho desired the jiermission of tlie govcrnnicnt to purchase what |)r(>visions he stood in need of ; that they must Ix? convinced that the Centurion alone was capable of destroying the whole navigation of the port of Canton, or of any otlior port in China, without running the least risk from all the force tho Chinese could collect ; that it was true, this was not tho manner of ]iro- ceeding between nations in friendship with each other ; but it was likewise true, that it was not customary for any nation to permit the ships of their friends to starve and sink in their ])orts, when those friends had money to supjily their wants, and only desii'od liberty to lay it out ; that they must confess, he and his people had hitherto behaved with great modesty and reserve ; but that, as his wants were each day increasing, hunger would at last )>rovo too strong for any restraint, and necessity was acknowledged in all countries to bo superior to every other law ; and therefore it could not bo expected that his crew would long continue to starve in the midst of that plenty to which their eyes were every day witnesses : to this the commodore added, (though perhaps with a less serious air) that if by the delay of supplying him with provisions his men should be reduced to the necessity of turning cannibalr, and preying upon their own species, it was easy to be foreseen that, independent of their friendship to their com- rades, they would, in point of luxury, prefer the plump well-fed Chinese to their own emaciated shipmates. The first mandarin acquiesced in the justness of this reasoning, and told the commo- dore, that he should that night proceed for Canton ; that on his arrival, a council of mandarins would be summoned, of which he himself was a member ; and that by being employed in the present com- mission, he was of course the commodore's advo- cate ; that, as ho was fully convinced of the urgency of Mr. Anson's necessity, he did not doubt but, on his representation, the council would be of tho same opinion; and that all that was demanded would be amply and speedily granted : and with regard to the commodore's complaint of the custom-house of Macao, ho undertook to rectify that immediately by his own authoi-ity ; for desir- ing a list to be given him of tho quantity of provisions necessary for the expense of the ship for a day, he wrote a permit under it, and delivered it to one of his attendants, directing him to sec that quantity sent on board early every morning ; and this order, from that time forwards, was punctually complied with. When this weighty affair was thus in some de- gree regulated, tho commodore invited him and his two attendant mandarins to dinner, tolling them at the same time, that if his provisions, either in kind or quantity, was not what they might ex- pect, they must thank tliemselves for having con- fined him to so hard an allowance. One of his dishes was beef, which the Chinese all dislike, thcuigh Mr. AuMin was not appri^-ed of it ; this seems to bo derived from the Indian superstition, wliieh for some ages jiast has made a great progress in China. However, liis '^niesfs did Tiot ertirily fast ; for the three mandarins completely finished tho white i)art of four lai'ue fowls. liut they were extremely embarrassed with their knives and forks, and were quite iii<'ai>able of making use of tliem : so that, after some fruitless attemjits to helji tlieni- aelves, which wore sufficiently awkward, one of the attendants was obiiged to cut their meat in small liieees for them. l>ut whatever iliffieulty tliey might have in eomplving with the I'uropetin manner of eatinir, they seenn d not to be novices in drink- ing. Tho commodore excused liimseU" in this part of the eutertaimueiit under the pretence of illness; but there lieiiig iniother gentleman pres^ nt, of a florid any one of the bolts being worn away and loose in the joining of the stem where it was scarfed. At last, all things being prepared, they, on the 22nd of February, in the morning, liove out the first course of the Centurion's starboard side, and had the satisfiiction to find that her bottom ap- 121 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 113 tiniation of the 2(1 in a different confined to the However, not- it should seem iiniodore to the vhich he could lied him, had at January, in the he commodore's y of Canton's iiturion, and for y wanted ; and, smiths and car- jr all the work 3t to the amount • the necessary the masts : this n unreasonable 3 them to work tJiey would not cd that the car- nt of about six and that the work by weight, unds a hundred •ty-six shilhngs lodore exerted t business com- the Centurion, ictom : for this despatched to , called in their iig intended to rve as a maga- n : at the same in one of the ■nt was pitched ins, and near a )n set to work But all these tlie careening or the Chinese oil, were far the 2(ith of ;uid the neccs- purchased at tly from the )m the delays ■chants. And idditional pcr- 3t was broken ncrs, and was ich had been ade the most Ives the best ship, the car- he leak, they whilst the ds. The leak lot mark, and he bolts being of the stem they, on the love out the ard side, and bottom ap- peared sound and good; and, the next day, (having by that time completed the new sheathing of the first coui-se) they righted her again to set up anew tliecareening rigging, which stretched much. Thus they continued lieaviug down, and often righting tlie ship from a suspicion of tlieir careening tackle, till the ;)rd of March ; when, having completed the piiying and sheathing the bottom, which proved to be everywhere very sound ; they, for the last time, righted the ship, to their great joy ; for not only the fatigue of careening Jmd been consider- able, but they had been apprehensive of being attacked by the Spaniards, whilst the ship Wiu» thus incapacitiited for defence. Nor were their fijars altogether groundless ; fur they learnt after- wards, by a Portuguese vessel, that tlie Sjianiards at Manila had been infonned that the Centurion was in the Typa, and intended to careen there ; and that thereupon the governor liad summoned his council, and had proposed to them to endeavour to burn her whilst she was careening, which was an enterprise which, if properly conducted, might have put them in great danger : they were farther told, tliat ihis scheme was not only proposed, but resolved on ; and that a captain of a vessel had actually undertaken to perform the business for forty tliousand dollars, which he was not to receive unless he succeeded ; but the governor pretending tliat there was no treasure in the royal chest, and insisting that the merchants should advance the money, and they refusing to comply with the demand, the afiair was dropped : perhaps the merchants suspected that the whole was only a pretext to get forty thousand dollai-s from thein ; and indeed this was aftinned by some who bore the governor no good will, but with what truth it is difficult to ascertain. As soon as the Centurion was righted, they took in her powder, and gunner's stores, and proceeded in getting in their guns as fast as possible, and then used their utmost expedition in repairing the fore- mast, and in completing the other articles of her refitment. And being thus ejnployed, they were alarmed, on the lOth of March, by a Chinese fish- erman, who brought tliem intelligence that he had been on board a large Spanish ship off the Grand Ladrone, and that there were two more in com- pany with her : he added several particulars to his relation ; as that he had brought one of their officers to Macao ; and that, on this, boats went off early in the morning from Macao to them : and the better to establish the belief of his veracity, he said he desired no money, if his information should not prove true. This was presently believed to be the forementioned expedition from Manila ; and the commodore immediately fitted his cannon and small arms in the best manner he could for defence; and having then his pinnace and cutter in the offing, which had been ordered to examine a Por- tuguese vessel, which was getting under sail, he sent them the advice he had received, and directed them to look out strictly : but no such ships ever appeared, and they were soon satisfied the whole of the story was a fiction ; though it was difficult to conceive what reason could induce the fellow to be at such extraordinary pains to impose on them. It was the beginning of April before they had new-rigged the ship, stowed their provisions and nater on board, and hiid fitted her for the sea ; and before this time the Chinese grew very uneasy, and extremely desirous that she should be gone ; either not knowing, or pretending not to believe, that this was a point the commodore was as eagerly set on as they could be. On the Urd of Ajirii, two mainl-iirin boats came on board from Macao to urge his departure ; and this having been often done before, though there had been no pretence to suspect Mr. Anson of any afiected delays, he at this Ja-st message answered them in a determined tune, desiring them to give him no further trouble, for he Wfiuld go when he thought proper, and not before. On this rebuke the Chinese (though it was not in tlieir power to compel him to be gone) immediately iirohibited all provisions from being carried on board him, and took such care that their injunctions should be complied with, that from that time forwards nothing could be purchased at any rate what- ever. On the (ith of April, the Centurion weighed from the Tvpa, and warped to the southward; and, by the 1 r)th, she was got into Macao road, com- pleting her water as she passod along, so that there remained now very few articles more to attend to; and her whole business being finished by the 19th, she, at throe in the afternoon of that day, weighed and made sail, and stood to sea. CHAPTER VIII. From iffirnn to Cnyic Espiritn Santo: Vie taklnri o/ {lie Mitiiihi ihiUcun, ami returning buck again. The commodore was now got to sea, with his ship v(^y well refitted, his stores replenished, and an additional stock of provisions on board: his crew t6o was somewhat reinforced ; for he had entered twenty-three men during his stay at Macao, the greatest part of which were Lascars or Indian siiilors, and some few Dutch.' He gave out at Macao, that he was bound to Batavia, and thence to England; and though the westerly mon- soon was now set in, when that passage is con- sidered as impracticable, yet, by the confidence he had expressed in the strength of his ship, and the dexterity of his jieople, he had persuaded not only his own crew, but the people at Macao like- wise, that he proposed to try this unusual experi- ment ; so that there were many lettei-s put on board him by the inhabitants of Canton and' Macao for their friends at Batavia. But his real design was of a very different nature : for he knew, that instead of one annual ship from Acapnlco to ^lanila there would be this year, in all proliability, two ; since, by being before Acapulco, he had prevented one of them from putting to sea the preceding season. He therefore resolved to cruise for these returning vessels off Cape Espiritu Santo, on the island of Samal, which is the first land they always make in the Philippine Islands. And as June is gene- rally the month in which they arrive there, he doubted not but he should get to his intended " > The number of men I have now borne is two hundred and one, amongst which are included all the officers and boys which I had out of the Gloucester, Tryal prize, and Anna pink, so that I have not before the mast more than forty-five able seamen."— ..liMon'f official report. I. VOL. I. 152 114 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. , I ;i- . f / Bbttion time cnoiii.;!! to iiitorcppt tlirm. It is tnio llu'V wc-rc sjvid to 1)1' stout vi'j.scIs, nioimtini; t'ortv- ioiir ijiins a-iiiorc, ami farrviiiu aliovc live liiiinlrfil huiiils, ami iiiiKlit 1"" tx|tcctfcl to return in coni- jMiiiy ; ami lie iiini.sclf hail Imt two linniircd ami twunty-Hi'Vi'n hamlMoii lioanljol' «liicli near lliii'ty were lioys : liiit this ilisiiroixirtion of sti'cn;ith lleons escape him. Indeed, at Macao it was incnndient on him to kee]) tliese views extremely secret; for there heini,' a ureal interconi'se and a nmtnal con- nexion of interests between that ]iort and Manila, he had reason to fear, that if his desii^ns were dis- covered, intellij;ence would be innnediately sent to Manila, and meu.sures woulil be taken to provc^nt the j^alleons from falliiifjinto his hands: but beinu; now at sea, and entirely clear of the coast, he summoned all his people on tlii> i|uarter-deck, and infornu'd them of his resolution to cruise for the two Manilla ships, of whose wealth tb.ey were not ignorant, lie told them he should choose ii station, where he could not fail of meotini; with them ; and though they Avere stout ships, and full manned, yet, if his own people behaved with their accustomed spirit, he was certain he should prove too hard for them both, and that one of them at least could not fail of becoming liis prize : he further added, that many ridiculous tales had been propagated about the striMigfh of the sides of these ships, and their being impenetrable to cannon-shot ; that these iictions had been princi- pally invented to palliate the cowardice of those who had formerly engaged them ; l)Ut he hoped there were none of those present weak enough to give credit lo so absurd a story: for his own part, ho did assure them upon his word, that, whenever he met with tliem, he would fight them so near that they should find, his bullets, instead of being stopped by one of their siiles, should go through them both. This s])eech of the commodore's was received by his people with great joy : for no sooner had he ended, than they expri'ssed their approbation, according to naval custom, by three strcmious cheers, and all declared their determination to succeed or perish, whenever the op])ortunity pre- sented itself. And now their hopes, which since their departure from the coast of Mexico, had entirely subsided, were again revived ; and they all persuaded themselves, that, notwithstanding the various casualties and disap]H)iiitments they had hitherto met with, they should yet be repaid tho price of their fatigues, and should at last return homo enriched with the si)oils of the enemy : for firmly relying on the assurances of the commodore, that they should certainly meet with the vessels, they were all of them too ssmguine to doubt a moment of mastering them ; so that they con- sidered themsdves as having them already in their poaspRsion, And this cnnfidenoc wa.any, that, the commodore having taken some ( 'hiiiese sliee]> to sea with him for his own pro- vision, anil one tlay in(|uiring of his butcher, why, i'or sonu< time past, he had seen no mutton at his table, i'.skiug him if all the sheeji were killed, the butcher very seriously replied, that there were iniU'ed two sheep left, but that if his honour would give him leav(>, he ]n'oposed to keep those for the entertainment of the general of the iralleona. When the Centurion left the port of Macao, she stood for some days to the westward ; and, on tho first of May, they saw ])art of the island of For- mosa ; and, standing tlwiice to the southward, they, on the Itli of May, were in the latitude of the Bashee islands, as laid down by Dampier ; but they suspected his account of inaceuracy, as they ti)und that he had been cousidei-ably mistaken in tho latitude of tho south eml of Formosa : for this reason they kept a good look-out, and about seven in the evening discovered from the mast- head fiv(> small islands, which were judged to bo the Bashees, and they had afterwards a sight of Hotel Tobago Xuno. By this means they had an opportunity of correcting the position of tho Bashee Islands, whicli ';ul been hitherto laid down twenty-five leagues too far to the westward : for by their observations, they esteemed tho middle of these islands to be in "Jl" 4' north, and to bear from Botel Tobago Ximo S.S.l*]. twenty leagues distant, that island itself being in '21° TiT' north. After getting a sight of the Bashee islands, they stood between the S. and S.W. for Cape Espiritu •Santo ; and, the 20th of May at noon, they iirst discovered that eajw, which about four o'clock they brought to bear S.S.W., about eleven leagues distant. It appeared to be of a moderate height, with several round Innnmocks on it. As it was known that there were sentinels placed upon this cape to make signals to the Acapulco ship, when she first falls in with the land, the commodore inmiediately tacked, and ordered the top-gallant sails to be taken in, to prevent being discovered ; and, this being the station in which it was resolved to cruise for the galleons, they keptthe cape between the south and the west, and endeavoured to con- fine themselves between the latitude <^f 12" .^O' and 13° 5', the cape itself lying, by their observa- tions, in 12° 40' north and in 4° of east longitude from Botel Toliago Ximo. It was the last of May, by the foreign style, when they arrived off this capo ; and, tho month of June, by the same style, being that in which the Manila ships are usually expected, the Centurion's jieople were now waiting each hour with the utmost impatience for the hai'i)y crisis which was to bal- ance the account of all their past calamities. As from this time there was but small employment for the crew, the commodore ordcreil them almost evei-y day to be exercised in the management of the great guns, aiid in the use of their small arms. This had been his practice, more or less, at all convenient seasons during the whole coui-se of liis voyage ; and the advantages which he received from it, in his engagement with the galleon, were an ample recompense for all his care and atten- tion. Indeed, it sho\ild seem that there are few particulars of a commander's duty of more import- ance than this, how much soever it may have 126 I'ncc Wiw BO • ship's c'()in- fiiUtMi soino lis own pro- nitclitT, why, initton at liin i\' Uiil>il, the L then- wero his lioiioiir :() kcfji thoMi! fthc ij;ali(i>nH. i)f Macao, who ; and, on tlio iland of l''or- <; Houtliwiird, in latitiido of | by Danipii'i- ; ' nai-euracy, as I ably nii.stakeii L-'ormosa : lor i nt, and about I )ni thv' mast- | judged to bo ■ •ds a sight of ' uiiH tlii-y had j ijsition of th« ] ?rto hiid down | westward : for i 'd the middlo I 1, and to boar I ivonty leagues j " 57' nortli. i p islands, thoy Cape Espiritu j [)on, tiiey iirst ! 1 four o'eloek 'Icvcu leagues lerate height, As it was :t\ upon this ship, whoa coniniodoro top-gallant discovered ; was resolved ■ape between red to con- if 12' 50' heir observa- ;>st longitude Foreign stylo, 1, the month in which the Centurion's th the utmost h was to bal- iiniitics. As employment them almost nagement of small arms. ' less, at all coui'se of his ho received galleon, were e and atten- herc arc few more import- it may have ANSON'S VOYACJK ROUND TIIK WOUFJ). llTi been sometmiea overlooked or misunderstood : for it will, 1 suppose, be eonfrssed, that in two ships of war, ((luul in the iniinber of their men and guns, the dispro|)ortion of strength, arising from a greater or less dexterity in the use of their great guns and small arms, is what can scarcely be balanced by any other circumstances whatever. For, as these are theweajKjns with which tlu'y are to engage, what greater ine<|uality can then; be betwixt two contending parties, than that one side should perfectly understand the use of their weapons, and should have tho skill to i-inploy them in the most efl'ectual nianner for the annoy- ance of their enemy, while tin? other side should, by their awkward management of them, render them rather terribleto themselves, than mischiev- ous to their antagonists I This seems so plain and natural a conclusion, that a ])erson unaei|uainted with these aftairs would suppose the lirst cai-e of a conmiander to bo tho training his people to the use of their arms. But human atl'airs arc not always conducted by the plain dictates of connnon sense. There are many other ])rinciples which influence our trans- actions : and there is one in jiarlicular, which though of a very erroneous complexicui, is scarcely fver excluded from our most serious deliberations ; 1 mean custom, or tho ])ractice of those who have ]>receded us. This is usually a power too mighty for reason to grapple with; and is the most terrible to those who oppose it, as it has much of super- stition in its nature, and pui-sues all those who (|ucstion its authority with unrelenting vehemence. However, in these later ages of the world, some hicky encroachments have been made upon its prerogative ; and it may reasonably be hoped, that tho gentlemen of the navy, whose particular profession hath of late been considerably improved by a number of new inventions, will of all others be the i-eadiest to give up those practices which liave nothing to plead but prescription, and will imt suppose that every branch of their business hath already received all tho perfection of which it is capable. Indeed, it must be owned, that if a dexterity in the use of small arms, for instance, ?iath been sometimes less attended to on board our sliijjs of war, than might have been wished for, it hath been rather owing to unskilful nu^thods of teaching it, than to negligence: for the common sailoi-s, how strongly soever attached to their own prejudices, are very quick-sighted in finding out the defects of others, and have ever shown a great contempt for the fonnalities practised in the train- ing of land troops to the use of their arms ; but when those who have undertaken to instruct the seamen have contented themsehes w-ith incul- cating only what was useful, and that in the sini- I)lest manner, they have constantly found their people sufficiently docile, and the success hath even exceeded their expectation. Thus on board Mr. Anson's ship, where they were only taught the shortest method of loading with cartridges, and were constantly trained to fire at a mark, vhich was usually hung at the yard-arm, and where some little reward was given to the most expert, the whole crew, by this management, were rendered extremely skilful, quick in load- ing, all of them good marksmen, and some of them most extraordinary ones ; so that I doubt not but, in the use of small aims, they were more than a match for double their number, who had not been haliitiiated to tlu; same kind of exercise. Hut to retnri' : It was the last of May, N.S. as hath been already said, when the ('cntui'ion arrived oil' Capo I'lsjiiritu ^anlo ; and eonseijiuMifly the ne\t day began the" month in which the galleons were to be expected. Tla; commodore therefore made all necessary preparations foi- receiving tlu-m, having hoisted out his long-boat, and lashed her along- aside, that the ship might be ready for engaginj^, if they fell in with (he galleons in the night. All this tinu; too he was very solicitous to keep at such a distance from the cai>e, as not to be discovered: but it hath been since learnt, that notwithstanding his care, he was seen from the land *, and advice of him was sent to Manila, whert; it was at first dis- believed, but on reit<'rated intelligence (for it seems he was seen more than once) the merchants were alarmed, and the governor was applied to, who undertook (the eomnuM'ce su])j)lying the nieessary sums) to tit out a force consisting of two sliijis of thirty-two guns, one of twenty guns and two sloops of ti'ii guns, each, to attack the Centurion on her station : and some of theno vessels did actually weigh with this \'u\\v ; but tho principal ship not being ready, iindthe monsoon being against them, the commerce and the governor disagreed, and the enterprise was laid aside. This freiiuent dis- covery of tho Centurion from tho shore was some- what extraordinary ; for tho pitch of the cape is not high, and she usually kept from ten to fifteen leagues distant ; though once indeed, by an in- draught of the vide, as wiis supposed, they found themselves in the morning within seven leagues of the land. As the month of June advanced, tlie expectancy and impatience of the commodore's people each day increased. And I think no better idea can be given of their great eagerness on this occasion, than by copying a few paragraphs from the jour- nal of an officer, who was then on board ; as it will, I presume, be a more natural jiicture of the full attachment of their thoughts to the business of their cruise, than can be given by any other means. The paragraphs I have selected, as they occur in oider of time, are as follow : " May ,'U, Exercising our men at their quarters, in great expectation of meeting with the galleons very soon ; this being the eleventh of June their style." " June ,3, Keeping in our stations, and looking out for the galleons." " June 5, Begin now to be in great expectation, this being the middle of June their style." " June 1 1 , Begin to grow impatient at not seeing the galleims." " j une 1 .3, The wind having blown fresh easterly for the forty-eight hours past, gives us great ex- pectations of seeing the galleons soon." " Juno 15, Cruising on and ott", and looking out strictly." " June 1 .9, This being tho last day of June, N.S. the galleons, if they arrive at all, must appear soon." From those samples it is sufficiently evident, how completely the treasure of the galleons had engrossed their imagination, and how anxiously they passed the latter part of their cruise, when 127 K '2 ll/l r ! 1 1 n • i f iff; ■■? L IIU ANSON'S VOYAGK HOUND THE WORLD. the certjiiiity of tlio iiiTiviil of these vessels wafi ilwiiidleil down to {n'oliiibility only, nnil that |>ro- hability bceimie eiieli hour iii(>n> and more donht- ful. However, on tlie 'JOth of June O. S., heinj; just a inontli from their ivrrivul on tlieir stjition, they were reheved from this Htiite of uncertainty ; when, at sun-rise, they diseovered a siiil from the raiust-head, in tlu' S.K. i|uarter. On this, a general joy spread throui,'Ii the whole slii]! ; for they had no doubt hut this was cue of the ;;alleons, and they expected soon to see tin; other. The conimodoro instantly stood towards her, and at half an hour after seven they were near enoui4;li to see lier from tlie (Jenturion's deck ; at w "eh time the galleon fired a ^uii, and took in jier to]i-^,'allant sails, which wiis supposed to be a si;^nal to her consoi-t, to hiusten her up ; and therefore tin; Centurion fired a f^un to leeward, to anuisu her. The eom- niodoro was surprised to find, that in all this time the galleon did not chanijo her course, but con- tinued to bear down njxjn him ; fctr he hardly believed, what afterwards appeareil to bo the Civse, that she knew his ship to be the Centurion, and resolved to fii^ht him. About noon the commodore was little more than a league distant from the j,'!>lleon, and could fetch her wake, so that she could not now escape ; and, no second ship appearinj;, it was concluded that she had been separated from her consort. Soon after, the galleon hauled up her fore-sail, and broui;ht-to under top-sails, with her liead to the northward, hoisting Spanish colours, and having the standard of Spain flying at the top-gallant mast-head. Mr. Anson, in the mean time, had prepared all things for an engagement on board the Centurion, and had taken all possible care, both for the most effectual exertion of his small strength, and for the avoiding the confusion and tumult, too frequent in actions of this kind. Ho picked ont about thirty of his choicest hands and best marksmen, whom he distributed into his tops, and who fully answered his expectation, by the signal services they performed. As he liad not hands enough remaining to quarter a sufficient number to each great gun, in the customary man- ner, he therefore, on his lower tier, fixed only two men to each gun, who were to be solely employed in loading it, whilst the rest of his people were divided into different gangs of ten and twelve men each, which wore constantly moving about the decks, to run out and fire such guns as were loaded. By this management he was enabled to make use of all his guns ; and, instead of firing broadsides with intervals between them, he kept up a constant fire without intermission, whence he doubted not to procure very signal advantages ; for it is common with the Spaniards to fall down upon the decks when they see a broadside prepar- ing, and to eontiiuie in that posture till it is given; after which they rise again, and, presuming the danger to be some time over, work their guns, and fire with gi-eat briskness, till another broad- side is ready : but the firing gun by gun, in the manner directed by the commodore, rendered this practice of theii-s impossible. The Centurion being thus prepared, and nearing the galleon apace, there happened, a little after noon, several squalls of wind and rain, which often obscui'ed the galleon from their sight ; but when- ever it cleared up, they observed her resolutely lying-to ; and, towards one o'clock, the Centurion hoisted her broaistol-shot, keeping to the leeward with a view of preventing them from putting before the wind, and gainuig tho i)oi-t of Jalapay, from which they were about seven lea';ues distant. And now the engagement began in earnest, and, for the fii"st half hour, Mr. Anson over-reached the galleon, and lay on her bow ; where, by the great wideness of his polls he could travei-se almost all his guns upon the enemy, whilst the galleon could only bring a part of lid's to bear. Immediately on the commence- ment of the action, the mats, with which the gal- leon had stuffed lier netting, took fire, and burnt violently, blazing up half as high as the mi/.cn- top. This accident (supposed to be caused by the Centurion's wads) threw the enemy into great confusion, and at tlic sam^ time alarmed the commodore, for he feai-ed lest the galleon should be burnt, and lest he liimself too might suffer by her driving on board him : but the Spaniards at last freed themselves from the fire, by cutthig away the netting, and tumbling the whole mass which was in flames, into the sea. But still tho Centurion kept her first advantageous position, firing her cannon witli great regularity and brisk- ness, whilst at the same time the galleon's decks lay open to her top-men, who, having at their fii-st volley driven the Spaniards from their tops, made prodigious havoc with their small arms, killing or wounding every officer but one that ever appeared on the quarter-deck, and wounding in ])ai-ticular the general of the galleon himself. And though the Centurion, after the first half hour, lost hci original situation, and was close along- side the jrvlleon, and the enemy continued to fire briskly r.)r near an hour longer, yet at last the conimo 'lore's grape-shot swept their decks so efTectually, and the number of their slain and wounded was so considerable, that they began to fall into great disorder, especially as tlie general, who was the life of the action, was no longer capable of exerting himself. Their embarrassment was visible from on board the commodore. For tho ships were so near, that some of the Spanisli officers were seen running about with great assi- duity, to prevent the desertion of th«ir men from their quarters : but all their endeavoui-s were in vain ; for after having, as a last effort, fired five or six guns with more judgment than usual, they gave up the contest ; and, the galleon's coloui'S being singed off the ensign-staff in the beginning of the engagement, she struck the standard at her main-top-gallant mast-head, the person who was employed to do it having been in imminent peril 128 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE AVOULD. 117 k, the C'pntiirioii tlniirs, slio l)cin;» liny. And tlio rilH to have iicg« tiiiic, QH liu then tip and himljcr, I with tlie chasc- ork, and pit'vent gh his gt-neral ge till they wore I'tiirnwl the tire id tlie C'enturidii and aft, that it' • l)narding ; the ir sprit-Hail-yard p, tlio Centurion thin ])ist(il-shot, \ of preventing ind, and gaining; hey were ubuut the engagement t half hour, Mr. and lay on her ;ss of liin ports guns upon the nly bring a part the commence- which the gal- tire, and burnt I as the nii/.cn- le caused by the emy into great lu alarmed the galleon should might sutfer by he Spaniards at Src, by cuttuig lie whole mass But still tho geous position, irity and brisk- galleon's decks ng at their tirst " eir tops, made arms, killing one that ever d wounding in himself. And irst half hour, IS close along- )ntinued to fire yet at last the heir decks so leir slain and they began to 18 the general, was no longer mbarrassment iniodore. For )f the Spanish vith great assi- li«ir men from oui-s were in fort, fired five an usual, they Icon's colours the beginning tandard at her rson who was nminent peril of being killed, had not the commodore, who per- ceived what he wiis atiout, given express orders to liis people to desint from tiring. Thus was the Centurion |>osHessed of this rich prixe, amounting in value to near a niillion and a half of dollars. .She was culled tho Nostra Signora de Cabadonga, and was commanded by the gene- ral Don Jeronimo de Montero, a I'lu'tiiguese by birth, and the most ajjproved ottieer for skill ami courage of any em]>loyeortaiit to be postponed; for us the navigation to Canton was through seas but little known, anil where, from the season of the y»'ar, much bad weather might be expected, it was of great :)nse(|Uence that the treasure should be sent on board the Centurion, which ship, by the presence of the coiumander-iii-cliief, the greater number of her hantis, and her other advantages, was doubt- less much safer against all the casualties of winds and seas than the galleon; and the securing the j)risouers was a matter of still more consequence, as not only the possession of the treasure, but tho lives of the captors, depended thereon. This was indeed an article which gave the connnudore much trouldo and discjuietuile ; for they were above double the number of his own jieople ; and some of them, when they were brought on lioard the Centurion, and ha the security of the ship; for they being seven or eight feet high, it would have been extremely difficult for the .Spaniards to have clambered u]) ; and still to augment that difficulty, four iiwivel- guns, loaded with musket-bullets, were planted at the mouth of each funnel, and a sentinel with a lighted match constantly attended, prepared to tire into the hold amongst them, in case of any disturbance. Their officers, who amounted to seventeen or eighteen, were all lodged in the first lieutenant's cabin, under a constant guard of six men ; and the general, as he was wounded, lay in the commodore's cabin with a sentinel always with luni ; and they were all informed, that any violence or disturbance would be punished with instant death. And that the Centurion's jjcoplo might be at all thnes prepared, if, notwithstanding these regulations, any tumult should arise, the small arms were constantly kept loaded in a proper place, whilst all the men went armed with cutlasses and pistols ; and no officer ever pulled off his clothes, and when he slept had always Ids arms lying ready by him. These measures were obviously necessary, con- sidering the hazards to which the commodore and his people would have been exposed, had they teen less careful. Indeed, the sufferings of the poor prisoners, though impossible to be alleviated, were much to be commiserated ; for the weather was extremely hot, the stench of the hold loathsome, beyond all conception, and their allowance of water 1'29 : ~n til .','■ 1 118 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. but just sutticient to keep tliem alive, it not being praeticiible to spare them more than at the rate of a pint a day ibr each, the orow themselves having only an allowance of a pint and a half. All this considered, it was wonderful that not a man of them died diirini^ their Ion;:; conliiK'men<, except three of the wounded, who tliod the same night they were tiiken: though it must beconfoKsed, that the greatest part of them were strangely nie- tamorphos(Ml by the heat of the hold ; for when they were first talicn, tliey were sightly, rolnist fellows ; bui when, after above a montii's imprisonment, they were discharged in the river of Canton, they were reduced to nu're skeletons; and their air and looks corresponded much more to the concep- tion formed of ghosts and spectres, than to the figure and appearance of real men. Thus eni])loyed in securing the treasure and the prisoners, the commodore, as hath becsn said, stood for the river of Canton ; and, on the 30th of Juno, at six in the evening, got sight of Capo Delangano, which tlien bore west ten leagues distant ; and the next day he made the Basliee islands, and the wind being so far to the northward, that it was ditKcult to weather them, it was resolved to stand through between Grafton and Monmouth islands, wliere the passage seemed to be clear ; but in getting through, the sea had a very dangerous aspect, for it rippled anu foamed, as if it had been full of breakers, which was still more terrible, as it was then night. But tiie shiiis got through very safe (the prize always keej>ing a-head), and it was found thattheappearancc which had alarmed thoni had been occasioned only by a strong tide. 1 must here observe, that though the Bashee islands are usually reckoned to be no more than five, yet there; arc many lyoro lying about them to the west- W'lrd, which, as the channels ar.iongst them are not at all known, makes it advisable for ships rather to pass to the northwanl or southward, than through them ; and indeed tlie conunodoro pro- posed to have gone to tlio northward, between them an.l Formosa, had it been possible for him to have weathered them. From hence the Cen- turion steering the proper course for the river of Canton, she, on the 8tli of July, discovered the islaml ()♦' Snpata, the westernmost of the Lema islands, being the double-poaked rock, formerly referr<;d to. This island of Supata they made to be a hundred and thirty-nine leagues distant from Grafton's island, and to bear from it north. 82° 37' west : and, on the 1 1 th, having taken on board two Chinese pilots, one for the Centurion, and the other for the prize, they camo to an anchor off the city of Macao. By this time the particulars of the cargo of tlie galleon were well ascertained, and it was fotmd th.it sh; had on board l^UIJ-IU;} |)ieces of eight, and 35,'i8"2 oz. of virgin silver, besides some cochi- neal, and a few other commodities, which, however, wer(! but of small account, in Lom])arison of the specie. And this being the commodore's last prize, it hence appears, that all ihe treasu.e taktn by the Centurion was not much short of 400,00(1/. inde- pendent of the ships and merchandise, which she « ither burnt or destroyed, and which, by the most reasonable estimation, could not amount to "'^ little iW <)00,00()/. more : fo that the whole loss of the enemy, by our squadron, did doubtless cxceoil a million stwling. To wlsich, if there be added the great expense of tho court of Spain, in fitting out Pizarro, and in paying the additional chni-ges in Americn, incurred on our ..» count, together with tlie" loss of their men-of-war, tlie total of al! these articles v.'ill be a most exorbitant sum, and is the strongest conviction of the utility of this expedition, which, with all its numerous disadvan- tages, did yet prove so extremely prejudicial to the enemy. I shall only add, that there wore taken on board the galleon several draughts and journals, from some of which many of the parti- culars recited in the 1 0th chai)ter of the second book arc collected. Among the rest there was found a chart of all the ocean, between the Philip- pines and the coast of Mexico, which .was what was made use of by the galleon in her own navi- gation. CHAPTER IX. 'I'yansactiont in the river a/ Canton. The commodore having taken pilots on board, proceeded with his prize for the river of Canton ; and, on the Nth of July, came to an anchor short of the Bocca Tigris, which is a narrow ])assago fci-ming the mouth of that river: this entrance he [)roposed to stand through the next day, and to run up as far as Tiger Island, which is a very safe road, secured from all winds. But whilst the Centurion and her prize were thus at anchoi*, a boat with an ofticer came off from the mandarin, conniianding the forts at Bocca Tigris to examine what the shijjs were, and whence they came. Mr. x\.nson informed the officer, that his shi]> was a ship of war, belonging to the king of Great Britain ; and that the other in company with him was a prize he had taken ; that ho was going into Canton river to shelter himself against the hur- ricanes whieh wore then coming on ; and that as soon as the monsoon shifted, he should proceed for England. The officer then desired an account of what men, guns, and anmiunition were on board, a list of all .vlr'ch he said was to be sent to the government of Canton. But when these articles ■wove repeated to i-im, particularly when he was told that there were in the Centurion four I indred firelocks, and between three and four handrcd barrels of powder, he shrugged u]i his shoulders, and seemed to be terrified with the bare recital, saying, that no ships ever came into Canton river armed in that manner ; adding, that ho durst not set down the whole of this force, lest it should too nuich alarm the regencj'. After ho had finished his in([uirios, and was preparing to depart, he desired to leave two cu«tom-house officers behii>d him ; on which the commodore told him, that though as a man-of-war lie was ))rohibited from tra ling, and had nothing to do with customs or duties of any kind, yet, for the satisfaction of the Chii'eso, ho would permit two of tli<>ir people to be left Oil board, who might til "iiselves be witnesses how piinctually he s'lould comply with his instruc- tions. Tlioofficerseomed amazed when Mr. Anson mentioned being exempted from all duties, and told I'iiii, that the emperor's duty must be paid by all ships that came into his ports ; and it is supposed, that on this occasion, private directions were given by him to the Chinese pilot, not to carry the '■om- modorc through the Bor .t Tigris; which nakes 130 'pain, in fittin;; itional chiK'ges ount, fofjother tlie total of al! taut sum, and utility of this I'oiis disadvan- prejiuHcial to at tlicro wore draughts and f of the parti- of the second BSt tliero was len the Philip- ieh ,was what 101' own navi- nlon. ots on board, av of Canton ; anclior sliort rrow pasKago s entrance ho day, and to is a very safe It whilst the at anchor, u le mandarin, s to cNaminu they came, his shi]> was lyj; of Great iiy with him IS goiug into 1st the hur- aiid that as iild proceed d an account re 0!i board, sent to the icse articles hen he was our ; mdred ur handred 8 shoulders, oare recital, -an ton river o durst not ?t it should er he had g to depart, icers behii.d him, that ibited from customs or ;tion of the leople to bo o witnesses Ills iustruc- Mr. Anson ies, and told paid by all a supposed, were given y the '•om- lich nakes ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 119 it necessary, more particularly, to describe that entrance. The Bocca Tigris is ;i narrow passage, little more than musket-shot over, I'orined liy two points of land, on each of which there is a fort, that on the stiirboard side being ;v buttery on the water's edge, with eighteen embrasures, but where there were no more than twelve iron camion mounted, seem- ing to bo four or six pounders.; the fort on the Jarbor.rd side is a largo castle, resembling lliose old buildings which here in Kngland we often find distinguished by that name; it is situated on a high rock, and did ma api>ear to lio furnished with more tiian eiL'lit or ten ci.mioii, none of which were supposed to exceed six-potiinlers. Tlicse are the defences which secure th(! ri\ er of Can- ton ; and which the Chinese (extremely defective in all military skill) have imagined were suffi- cient to prevent any enemy from forcing his way through. But it is obvious, from the description of these forts, that they could have given no obstruction to Mr. Anson's passage, even if they had been well supplied with gunnei-s aud stores ; and therefore, ♦hough the pilot, after the Chinese (jfficer had been on ))oard, refused at first to take charge of the ship, till he had leave from the forts, yet as it was iiocessary to get through witliout any delay, for fear of the bad weather which was hourly expected, the commodore weighed on the l.'ith, and orderecl the pilot to carry him by the forts, thivatening hhn I that, if the ship ran aground, he would instantly hang him up at the yard-arm. The [)ilot, aw.il I by these threats, carried the shii) throogli -aiely, I the forts not attempting to disijuto the jjassage. I Indeed the poor pilot did not escape the resent- ment of his countrymen, for when he came on I shore, he was seized arid sent to prison, and was I rigorously disciplined with theban'.ioo. However, . ho found means to get at Mr. Anson afterwards, I to d(?siro of him some I'i-compensi; for the ehastise- j ni"nt he had oudcrgone, and of which he then I carried very signit.cant niark-i about him; and \ Mr. Anson, in coinmiseratien of his sufferings, I gave him such a sum of I'oney, as would at any I time have enticed x Chinese to have uudei'gone a i dozen liastinadings. I Nor wa''. ilie pilot the only person that suffered ! on this occasion ; ♦or the conmiodore soon after i seeinr some royal junks pass by him from Bocca I Tig-is towards Cantor, he learnt, on inquiry, that ! the mandarin comn^cnding 'he forts was a pri- I soiier on board thorn ; that he was already turned i cut, and was nf «• carrying to Canton, where it I v>'as expected he would be severely punished for j having permitted the ships to jiass; and the I commodore urging the unreasonableness of this procedure-, fiom the inability of the forts to have done otherwise, explaining to the Chinese the great superiority his ihijis would have liad over th<. forts, by the numner and size of t! "ir guns, the Chinese seemed to acquiesce in his rca^ oning, and allowed that their forts could not havest. ppetl him ; but they still asserted, that the nan arin would infallibly suffer, for not Ivaviug done, what all his judges were convinced, \v-> -, impossible. To such indefensible absurdities are iliose obliged to submit, who think themselves concerned to support their authority, when the necessary force is waaiuig. But to return : On the 1 ()th of July the commodore sent his second lieutenant to Canton, with a letter to the viceroy, inlormiiig him of tin? reason of the Cen- turion's putting into that jtort ; aii(l that the eominodore himself soon proposed to repair to Canton, to pay a visit to the viceroy. The lieu- tenant was very civilly received, and was ])romised that an answer should be sent to the commodore the next day. In the mean time Mr. Anson gave leave to several of the officers of the galleon to go to Canton, they engaging their jiarole to return in two days. When these prisoners got to Canton, the regency sent for them, and examined them, inquiring particularly by what means they had fallen into Mr. Anson's power. And on this occasion the j)risoiiers were honest enough to declare, that as the kings of Great Britain and of .S])ain were at war, they had proposed to theui selves the taking of the Centurion, and had bore down upon her with that view, but that the event had been contrary to their hopes : however, they acknowledged that they had been treated by ihe eoinmodore, much lu'tter than they believed tiny should have treated him, had he fallen into their hands. This confession from an enemy had great '•eight rtith the Chinese, who, till then, thougli they had i-evered the commodore's power, had yet sus])eeted his morals, and had considered him rather as a lawless free'iooter, than as one com- missioned by the state for the revenge of public injuries. But they now changed their opinion, and regardtd him as a more important ]ierson ; to which perhaps the vast treasure of his prize might not a little contribute ; the acquisition of wealth being a matter greatly adapted to the estimation and reverence of the Chinese nation. In this examination of the Spanish prisoners, thougli the Chinese had no reason in the main to doubt of the account which was given them, yet there were two circumstances which appeared to them so singular, as to deserve a more ample ox])laiiatiou; one of them was the great dispro- portion *o^itien between the Centurion and the galleon ; tlrc other wa stlie humanity, with which the peo])le of the galieou u ere treated after tlioy were taken. The mandarins therefore asked the Spaniards, how they came to be overpowered by so inferior a force : and how it happened, since the two nations wei'e at war, that tliey were not put to death when they came into the hands of the English. To the tii-st of these inquiries the Spaniards replied, that though they had more hands than the Centurion, yet she being intended solely for war, had a gieat superiority in the size of her guns, and in many other articles, over the galleon, which was a vessel fitted out principally for tniftic : and as to the second question, they told the Chinese, that amongst the nations of Europe, it was not customary to [lut to death those who submitted ; though they readily owned, that the commodore, from the natural bias cf his temper, had treated both them and their country- men, who had formerly been hi his power, with very unusual courtesy, much beyond what 'ley could have expected, or than was reijuircd b\ the customs established between nations at war with each other. These replies fully satisfied the Chinese, and at the same time wrought very powerfully in the commodore's favour. On the 20th of July, in the morning, three 181 / i I V'. I fi^ I ■t >;-■ W ■ i' .■;i!l': li ' ) 130 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. raandariiiR, with a f;rcat number of boats, and a vast retinue, came on board the Centurion, and delivered to the commodore tlie viceroy of Canton's order ibr a daily supply of provisions, a.d for pilots to carry the ships up the river as far as the second bar ; and at th • same time tlicy delivered hiui a messapio from t ir viceroy, in answer to the letter sen t to Canton, The substance of the mes- sage was, that the viceroy desired to be excused from receiving tho commodore's visit, during the then excessive liot weather ; because the assem- bling the mandarins and soldiers, necessary to that coi'emouy, would prove extremely incon- venient and fatiguing ; but that in lSci)tember, when the weather would be moi'c temperate, he should be glad to see both the commodore himself, and the English captain of tho other ship that was with him. As Mr. Anson knew that an express had been despatched to the court at i'ekin, with an account of the Centurion and her prize being arrived in the river of Canton, he bad no doubt but the principal motive for putting off this visit was, that the regency at Canton '.night gain time to receive the emperor's instructions, about their behaviour in this unusual afiiiir. When the mandarins had delivered their message, ihoy began to talk to the conmiodore about the duties to be paid by his ships : but lie immediately told them, that he would n^v.-r submit to any demand of that kind ; that as 'le neither brought any merchandise thither, nor intended to carry any away, he could not be reasonably deemed to be within the meaning of the emperor's orders, which were doubtless calculated for trading vessels only ; adding;, that no Juties wci-e ever demanded of men-of .,r, by nations accustomed to their reception, and that his master's orders expressly forbade him fi-om paying any acknowledgment for his ships anchoring in any ])oi i. whatever. Tlie mandarins being thus cut short on the subject of the duty, they said they had another matter to mention, which was the only remaining one tliey had in charge ; this wjis a rc-quest to the commodore, that he would release the pri- soae.; ''e had taken on board the galleon ; for that the viceroy of Canton apprehended the emperor, his lUaster, might be disi)leased, if ho should be informed, that persons, who were his allies, and carried on a great commerce with his subjects, W'^r-^ under confinement in his donnnions. i\lr. . iuson was himself extremely desirous to get rid of the Spaniards, having, on his first arrival, sent about a Imndred of them to Macao, and those who remained, which were near four hundred more, wer(> on many accounts, a great incum- brar.ce to him. However, to inhanee the favour, ho at first raised some difficulties ; but permitthig liimself to be ])revailcd on, he at last told the mandarins, that to show his readiness to oblige thi> viceroy, lie wouUl release the prisoners, whenever they, the Chinese, would send boats to fetch them off. This matter being thus adjusted, the mandarins departed ; and, on the 28th of Jul^, two Chinese junks were sent from Canton, to take on board the prisonera, and to carry them to Macao. And the commodore, agreeably to his promise, dismiised them all, and ordered his purser to send with them eight days' provision for their subsistence, during their sailing down the river ; this being despatched, tho Centurion and her prize came to her moorings, about tlie second bar, where they proposed to continue till the ii'onsoon sliifted. Though the ships, in consequence of tho vice- roy's permit, found no difficulty in purchasing provisions for their daily consumption, yet it was impossible for the commodore to i)roceed to Eng- land, without hiying in a large quantity both of provisions and stores for his use, during the voyage : the procuring tliis supjjly was attended with much embarrassment ; for there were jieople at Canton who had undertaken to furnish him with biscuit, and whatever else he wanted ; and his linguist, towards the middle of September, liad assured him, from day to day, that all was ready, and would be sent on board liini imme- diately. But a fortnight being elapsed, and nothing being brought, the commodore sent to Canton to inquire more particularly into tlic reasons o<' tins disappointment : and he had soon IV.-? vexation to bo informed, that tlie wliole was iiii illusion ; that no order liad been procured from the viceroy, to furnish liim with his sea-stores, as had been pre- tended ; that there was no biscuit baked, nor any one of Ihe articles in readiness, which had been promised him ; nor did it appear, that the con- tractors had taken the least step to comply with ihoir agreement. This was most disagreeable news, and made it suspected, that the furnishing the Centurion for her return to Great Britain might prove a more troublesome matter than had been hithei'to imagined ; especially, too, as the month of September was nearly olapsed, witliout Mr. Anson's having received any message from tlie viceroy of Canton. And here perliaps "t m.ght be expected t' * some satisfactory ace mt should be given of .no motives of t' Cliinese for this faithless procedure, liut as I have already, in a former chapter, made some kind of conjectures about a similar event, I shall not repeat them again in this place, but shall observe, that after all, it may pei-haps he im- possible for a European, ignorant of the customs and manners of that nation, to be fully appr icd of the i-eal incitements to this behaviour, liiaeed, thus much may undoubtedly be asserted, that in artifice, falsehood, and an attacliment to all khids of lucre, many of the Chinese are difficult to be paralleled by any other people ; but then the combination of these talents, and the manner in which they are apjilied in particular cinei-gencies, are often beyond the reach of a foreigner's pene- tration ; so that though it may be saf'dy concluded, tliat the Chhiese had some interest in thus amusin.r, the commodore, yet it may not be easy to nssigu the individual views by which they were inHu- tiiced. And that I may not be thought too severe in ascribing to this nation a fraudulent and selfisli turn of temper, so contradictoi-y to ihe character given of theii in tho legendary accounts of tho Roman missionaries, 1 shall here mention an ex- traordinary ti'ansaction or two, which 1 hope will be some kind of confirmation of what 1 liavo advanced. Wlien the commodore lay first at Slacao, one of his officers, who had been extremely ill, desired leave of him to go on shore every day on a neigh- bouring island, imagining that a walk upon tlic laud would contribute greatly to the restoring of his health : the commodoi'e would have dissuaded 132 bout tlie second ntinue till tlie cc of the vice- ill piirelmsiiig tioii, vet it was roceud to Kiig- miitity both of ie, during the V was attended ire were peojjle o furnish him ) wanted ; and of September, Y, that all was I'd Jiini innne- ;d, andnotliinj; t to Canton to reasons o*' tins u? vexaiion to illusion ; that the viceroy, to had been jjre- )aked, nor any liieli had been that the coii- > comply with disagreeable the furnishing Great Britain itter than had i', too, as the ipsed, witliout message from expected t' * ) given of .110 ;ss procedure, hapter, made lilar event, I ace, but shall 'haps 1)6 iiu- the customs ully appj ,ed our. Iiiaeed, Tted, that in to all khids liflicult to be ut tlien the maimer in emergencies, jner's pene- y concluded, ims anmsinf, isy to assign were inHu- it too severe t and selfish le chai'actor lunts of the nion an cx- 1 hope will hat I have Macao, one ' ill, desired on a neigh- k upon tlie lestoriiig of iissuniled ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 121 him, suspecting the tricks of the Chinese, but the officer continuing importunate, in the end the l)oat was ordered to carry liim. The first day he was put on shore he took his exercise, and re- turned witliout receiving any molestation, or even aeeing any of the hihabitants ; but the second day, he was assaulted, soon after his arrival, by a great number of Chinese who had been hoeing rice in the neighbourhood, and who beat him so violently with the handles of their hoes, that they soon laid him on the ground incajiable of resist- ance ; after which they robbed hini, taking from him his sword, the hilt of which was silver, his uionoy, his watch, gold-headed cane, snuff-box, slcevc-buttons and hat, with several other trinkets: in tlie n'can time the boat's crew, who were at some little distance, and liad no arms of any kind with tliem, were incapable of giving him any assistance ; till at last one of them fiev/ on the follow who had the sword in his possession, and V resting it out of liis hands drew it, and with it was preparing to fall on the Chinese, some of whom he could not Jiave failed of killing ; but the officer, perceiving what he was about, immediately ordered him to desist, thinking it more prudent to submit to the present violence, than to embroil liis commodore in an inextricable squabble with the Chinese government, by the death of their subjects ; which calmness in this gentleman was the more meritorious, as he was known to be a ;)ersoii of an uncommon spirit, and of a somewhat liatty temper: by this means the Chinese reco- vered the possession of the sword, which th.ey soon perceived was prohibited to be made use of against them, and carried off their whole booty unmolested. No sooner were they gone, than a Chinese on horseback, very well dressed, and who had tlie air and appearance of a gentleman, came down to the shore, and, as far as could be under- stood by his signs, seemed to censure tlie conduct of his countrymen, and to commiserate the ofKcer, being wonderfully officious to assist in getting him on board the boat: but notwithstanding this be- J;avio;;r, it was shrewdly suspected that he was an ncconijilico in the theft, and time fully evinced til . jn-,; 'te of those suspicions. ■t'i'i.i 10 boat returned on board, and reported V ' u 1.1,1 passed to the commodore, he imme- .«u\ .1 COT. r>lained of it to the mandarin, who .0,' "e his ship supplied; but the man- i-eplied, that the boat ought not to atteiK;. 1 darin c.^r liave gone on shore, promising, however, that if the thieves could be found out, they should be l)unished ; tliougli it appeared plain enough, by his manner of . vcring, that he would never give himself any trouble in searching them out. However, a considerable time afterwards, when some Chinese boats were selling provisions to the Centurion, the person who had wrested the sword from the Chinese came with great eagerness to I he commodoro, to assure him that one of the jirincipal thieves was then in a provision-boat .i.ng-f'de the ship; and the officer, who had been tobbed, viewing the fellow in this report, and well remembering his face, ordci-s were im- mediately given to seize hun ; and he was accor- dingly secured on board the ship, where stiningc discoveries were now made. This thief, on his being first apprehended, ex- pressed 80 much fright in his countenance, that it was feared he would hav e died upon the spot ; the mandarin too, who attended the ship, had visibly no small share of concern on the occasion. Indeed he had reason enough to lie alarmed, since it was soon evinced that he liad been privy to the whole robbery ; for the conmiodorc declaring that he would not deliver up the thief, but woi.ld himself order him to be shot, the mandarin immediately l)ut off the magisterial air, with which he had at first pretended to demand him, and begged his rel._>ase in the most abject manner : and the com- modore appearing inflexible, tliiic came on board^ in less than two hours' time, five or six of the neighliouring nuindarins, who all joined in the same intreaty, and, with a view of facilitating their suit, offered a large sum of money for the fellow's liberty. Whilst they were thus soliciting, it was discovered that the mandarii) '.vlio was the most active amongst them, and who seemed to be most interested in the event, was the very gontlem.in who came to the officer, just after the robbery, and who pi-etended to be so much displea.sed with the villany of his countrymen. And, on further inquiry it was found that he \^ as the mandarin of the island ; and that ho had, by the authority of his office, ordered the peasants to commit that infamous action. And it seemed, as far as could bo collected from the broken hints which were casually thrown out, that he and his brethi'en, who were all privy to the transaction, were terrified with the fear of being called before the triljunal at Canton, where the first article of their punishment would be the stripping them of all they were worth; though their judges (howevor fond of infiicting a chastisement so lucrative to themselves) were per- haps of as tainted a complexion as the delincjuents. Mr. Anson was not displeased to have caught the Chinese in this dilemma ; and he entertained him- self for some time with their perplexity, rejecting their money with scorn, appearing inexorable to theii- prayers, and givhig out that the thief should certainly be shot ; Init as ho then foresaw that lie should be forced to take slielter in their ports a second time, when the influence he might hereby ac] r >5 over the magistrates ' luld be of great service to him, he at length p^,. Itted himself to be persuaded, and as a favour released his prisoner, but not till the mandarin had collected and returned all that had been stolen from the officer, even to the minutest trifle. But notwithstanding this instance of the good intelligence between the magistrates and criminals, the strong addiction of the Chinese to lucre often prompts them to break through this awful con- federacy, and jmts them on defrauding the autho- rity that i)i'otects them of its proper quota of the pillage. For not long after the above-mentioned transaction (the former mandarin, attendant on the ship, being, in the meantime, relieved by an- other), the commodoro lost a topmast from hiB stern, which, after the most diligent iiKjuiry, could not be traced : and as it was not bis own, lut had been borrowed at Macao to litave down by, and was not to be replaced in that part of the world, he was extremely desirous to recover it, and pub- lished »• considerable reward to any who would briiig it him again. There were suspicions from the first of its being stolen, which made him con- clude a reward was ':he likeliest method of gettins it back : according!}, soon after, the niaiidxrintoll 133 il ii l'2'2 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. him tliat Roino of liis, tlic mandarin's, people had found tin; topmast, ilcsirlnfj tlio commodore to send his boats t<» fetch it, which liciii!^ done, the iiuin- durin's pcDjile received the promised reward ; Ijiit the commodore told the mandarin tiiat he would make him a present hesides for the care he had taken i;i directing it to be searched for ; and ac- cordingly Mr. Alison gave a sum of money to his i linguist, to be delivered to the mandarin ; but the linguist knowing that the people had been pa'd, and ignorant that a further present had been pro- mised, kept the money himself : however, the mandarin fully confiding in Mr. Anson's word, and suspecting the linguist, he took occasion, one morn- ing, to admire the size of the Centurion's masts, and thence, on a i)retei>ded sudden recollection, he made a digression to the topmast which had been lost, and asked Mr. Anson if he had not got it again. Mi". Anson presently poi-ceived the bent of this ccinversation, and inquired of liim if lie had not received the money from the lingnist, and finding ho haiftor it was put on board, hoping to make a second profit of the dead carcascB which they expected would be thrown overboard ; and two-tliirds of th(; hogs dying before the Cen- turion was out of sight of land, many of the Chi- nese boats followed her only to pick up the carrion. These instances may serve as a specimen of the manners of this celebrated nation, which is often recommended to the rest of the world as a pattern of all kinds of laudable qualities. But to return : The commodore, towards the end of September, having found out (as has been said) that those who had iDiitraeted to supply him with sea-provisions and stores had deceived him, and that the viceroy had not sent to him according to his promise, he saw it would be im])ossible for him to sni-niount the embarrassment he was under without going liimself to Canton, and visiting the viceroy ; and therefore, on the 27th of September, he sent a message to the mandarin who attended the Cen- turion, to inform him that he, the conimodoi'e, intended, on the first of October, to proceed in his boat to Canton ; adding, that the day after he got there, ho should notify his arrival to the viceroy, and should desire him to fix a time for his audience; to which the mandarin returned no other answer, than that he would acquaint the viceroy with the commodore's intentions. In the meantime all things were prepared for this rxi)edition ; and the boat's crew in jiartieiilar, which Mr. Anson pro- posed to take with him, were clothed in a unifonn dress, resembling that of the watermen on the Thames ; they were in number eighteen and a coxswain ; they had scarlet jackets and blue silk waistcoats, the whole trimmed with silver buttons, and with silver badges on their ja' kcts and caps. As it was jipprehended.and even asserted, that the payment of the customary duties for tlie Centurion and her prize, would be demanded by the regency of Canton, and would bo insisted on previous to the granting iv permission for victualling the ship for her future voyage ; the commodore, who was resolved never to establish so dishonourable a pre- cedent, took all possible precaution to prevent the Chinese from facilitating the success of their un- reasonable pretensions by having him •" their power at Canton : and therefore, for X\\^ .security of his ship, and the great treasure on board her, he a])poiuted liis first lieutenant, Mr. Brett, to be captain of the Centurion under him, giving him proper instructions for his conduct ; directing him, ])articulai'ly, if he, the commodore, should be de- tained at (.'anton on account of the duties in dis- pute, to take out the men from the Centurion's prize, and to destroy her ; and then to proceed down the river through the Bocca Tigris, with the Centurion alone, and to remain without that entrance till he received further orders from Mr. Anson. These necessary stejis being taken, which were not unknown to the Chinese, it should seem as if their delil)erations were in some sort embarrassed thereby. It is reasonable to imagine that they were in general very d. sirous of getting the duties to be paid them ; n'.. perhaps soLly in consider- ation of the amount of those dues, but to keep up their reputation for address and subtlety, and to avoid the imputation of receding from cUtims on which they had already so frequen..'.y insisted. However, as they now foresaw that they had no loi ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 123 s put on board, the dead carcases rown overboard ; ; before tlie Con- iiany of tue Chi- ■k up t lie carrion, specimen of the n, wiiich is often Olid as a i)attcrn But to return : 11(1 of September, 1) that tiioso who h sea-provisions that the viceroy his promise, ho im to surmount r without going lie viceroy ; and iber, lie sent a ended the Cen- tlie commodoi"C, proceed in his lay after ho got 1 to the viceroy, for his audience; 10 other answer, nci'voy with the > meantime all 'dition ; and the Mr. Anson pro- ed in a uniform ternien on the eighteen and a •s and blue silk 1 silver buttons, 'vcta and caps. iserted, that the r the Centurion by the regency on jirevious to lliiig the ship )dore, who was lourable a pre- to prevent the ■ss of their uii- ' him •■■' their .' thu- oecurity on board her, ■. Brett, to be 11, giving him directing him, should be dc- '•■ duties in dis- le Centurion's ■n to proceetl I Tigris, with without that lers from Mr. n, which were uKl seem as if embarrassed ine that they ; ing the duties | in consider- ; ut to keep up i Wlety, and to I >in claims on j n.ly insisted. they had no other method of succeeding than by violence, and tliat even against this the commodore was pre- pared, they were at last disposed, I conceive, to let the aH'air drop, rather than entangle themselves in a hostile measure, which they found would only expose them to the risk of having the whole navigation of their jiort destrcyed, without any certain prospect of gaining their favourite point thereby. However, thi' i there is reason to imagine that these were their ihoughts at that time, yet they could not de|)art at once from ihe evasive conduct to which they hat' hitlierto adhered. For when the commodore, on the morning of the first of October, was preparing to set out for Canton, his linguist came to him from the mandarin who attended his ship, to tell him that a letter had been received from vhe viceroy of Canton, desiring the commodore to i)ut off his going thither for two or three days : but in the afternoon of the same day another linguist came on board, wlio, with much seeming fright, told Mr. Anson that the viceroy had expected him up that day, that the council w;us assembled, and the troops had been under arms to receive him ; and that the viceroy was highly offended at the disappointment, and had sent the commodore's linguist to prison chained, supposing that the whole had been owing to the linguist's negligence. This ])lausible talc gave the commodore greatconcern, and made him apprehend that there was some treachery designed liim, which ho could not yet fatliom ; and though it afterwards appeared that the whole was a fiction, not one article of it having the least foundation, yet (for reasons best known to themselves) this falsehood was so well supported by the artifices of the Chinese merchants at Canton, that, three days afterwards, the commodore received a letter signed by all the supercargoes of the English ships then at tiiat place, expressing their great uneasiness at what had happened, and intimating their fears that some insult would be offered to his boat if ho came thither before the viceroy was fully satisfied about the mistake. To this letter Mr. Anson replied, that he did not believe there had been any mistake; but was i)'.'"suaded it was a forgery of the CliiiK i- to prevent his visiting the viceroy ; that therofon; he would cci'tainly come up to Canton on the Kith of October, confident that the Chinese would not dare to offer him an insult, as well knowing it would be properly returned. On the Kith of October, tlie commodore con- tinuing firm to his resolution, all the supercargoes «)f the English, Danish, and Swedish ships came on board the Centurion, to accompany him to Canton, for which place he se', out in his barge the same day, attended by his own boats, and by those of the trading ships, which on this occasion came to form liis retinue ; aiil as he passed by Wanipo, where the European vessels lay, he was saluted by all of them but the French, and in the evening he arrived safely at Canton. His reception at that city,and the most material transactions from hence- forward, till liis arrival in Great Britain, shall be the subject of the ensuiug chapter. CHAPTER X. Proccfdinijs at the fily of Canton, mul the rettiyn of the CeiiluriuH to Enijland. WiiF.N the commodore arrived at Canton ho was visited by the principal Chinese merchants, who affected to appear very much pleased that lie had met with no obstruction in getting thither, , and who theiiee pretended to conclude, iliat the viceroy was satisfied about the former mistake, the reality of which they still insisted on ; they added, that as soon as the viceroy should be in- formed that Ml-. Anson was at Canton, (which they promised should be done the next morning) they wen; persuaded a day would be immediately appointed mr tlie visit, which was the prin- cipal business that had Iirought the commodore thither. The next day the merchants returned to Mr. Anson, and toltl him, that the viceroy was then so fi.lly emjiloyed in preparing his despatclies for I'ekin, that there was no getting admittance to him for some da\s; but that they had engaged one of the officers of his court to give them infor- mation, as soon as ho should bo at leisure, when tiiey jirojiosed to notify ^Ir. Anson's arrival, and to endeavour to fix the day of audience. The commodore was by this time too well acquainted with their artifices, not to perceive that this was a falsehood ; and had he consulted only his own judgment, he would have applied directly to the viceroy by other hands : but the Chmeso mer- chants Jiad so far prepossessed the supercargoes of our ships with chimerical fears, tliar, they (the su])ercargoes) were extremely a])pi'ehensi\e of being embroiled with the government, and of suffering in their interest, if those measures were taken, which appeared to ^Mr. Anson at that time to be the most i)rudential : and therefore, lest the malice and double-dealing oi the Chinese might have given rise to some sinister incident, which would be afterwards laid at his door, lie resolved to continue passive, as long as it should appear that he lost no time, by thus iiuspcnding his own opinion. With this view, lie jiroiiiised not to take any immediate stop liiin:-elf for getting admittance to the viceroy, j)rovided the Chinese, with whom lie contracted for provisions, would let him see that his bread was baked, his meat salted, and his stores prepared with the utmost despatch ; but if by the time when nil was in readiness to be shipped off", (whith it was sup- posed would be in about forty days) the merchants should not have procured the viceroy's permission, then the commodore proposed to apply for it him- self. These were the terms Mr. Anson thought proper to oft'er, to (piiet the uneasiness of the supercargoes ; and notwithstanding the apparent equity if the conditions, many difficulties and objections were urged ; nor would the Chinese agree to them, til! the commodore had consented to pay for every article he bespoke before it was put in hand. However, at last the contract being passed, it was some satisfaction to the commodore to be certain that his preparations were now going on, and being himself on the spot, lie took care to hasten them as much as possible. During this interval, in which the stores and provisions were getting ready, the merchants con- izb 124 ANSON'S VOY; JE ROUND THE WORLD. tinually entertained Mr. Anson with accounts of tlioir various enilcavours to j^ut a license from the viceroy, and their frequent disaf)pointments ; wliich to him was now a matter of amusement, as lie was fully satisfied there was not one word of truth in any thinj; they said. But when all was completed, and wanted only to be shipped, which was about the '24th of November, at which time too the N.E. monsoon was set in, he then resolved to apply himself to the viceroy to demand an audience, as he was persuaded that, without this ceremony, the procuring a permission to send his stores on boiird would jneet with great difficulty. On the 21th of November, therefoi'e, Mr. Anson sent one of his officers to the mandarin, who connnanded the guard of the pruicii)al gate of the city of Canton, with a letter directed to the vice- roy. When tliis letter was delivered to the man- darin, he received the officer who brought it very civilly, and took down the contents of it in Chinese, and promised that the viceroy should be imme- diately acquainted with it ; but told the officer, it was not necessary for him to wait for an answer, because a message would be sent to the commo- dore himself. On this occasion Mr. Anson had been under great difficulties about a proj)er interpreter to send with his officer, as lie was well aware that none of the Chinese, usually employed as lin- guists, could be relied on : but ho at last prevailed with Mr. Flint, an English gentleman belonging to tlie factory, who spoke Chinese perfectly well, to accompany his officer. This person, who upon this occasion and many others was of singular service to the commodore, had been left at Canton when a youth, by the late Captain Rigby. The leaving him there to learn the Chinese language was a stej) taken by that captain, merely from his own persuasion of the great advantages which the East India Company might one day receive from an English interpreter ; and though the utility of this measure has greatly exceeded all t) it was expected from it, yet I have not heard that it lius been to this day imitated: but we imprudently choose (except in this single instance) to carry on the vast transactions of the port of Canton, either by the ridiculous jargon of broken English which some few of the Chinese have learnt, or by the sus- pected interpretation of the linguists of other nations. Two days after the sending the above-mentioned letter, a fire broke out in the suburbs of Canton. On the first alarm, Mr. Anson went thither with his officers, and his boat's crew, to assist the Chinehe. When he came there, he found that it had begun in a sailor's shed, and that by the slightuess of the buildings, and the awkwardness of the Chinese, it wivs getting head apace : but he perceived, that by pulling down some of the adja- cent sheds it might easily be extinguished ; and particularly observing that it was running along a wooden cornice, which would soon communicate it to a great distance, he ordered his people to begin with tearing away that cornice ; this was presently attempted, and would have been soon executed ; but, in the mean time, he was told, that, as there was no mandarin there to direct what was to be done, the Chinese would make him, the commodore, answerable for whatever should be ])ulled down by liis orders. On this his people desisted ; and he sent them to the English factory, to assist in securing the Company's treasure and effects, as it was easy to foresee that no distance was a protection against the rage of such a fire, where so little was done to jmt a stop to it ; for all this tin\e the Chinese contented themselves with viewing it, and now and then holding one of their idols near it, which they seemed to ex])ect should check its progress : however, at last, a mandarin came out of the city, attended by four or five him- dred firemen : these made some feeble efforts to j'uU down the neighbouring houstJS ; but by this time the fire had greatly extended itself, and was got amongst the merchants' warehouses ; and the Chinese firemen, wanting both skill and spirit, were incapable of checking its violence ; so that its fury increased upon them, and it was feared the whole city would be destroyed. In this gene- ral confusion the viceroy himself came thither, and the connnodore was sent to, and was entreated to afford his assistance, being told that he might take any measures he should think most prudent in the present emergency. And now he went thither a second time, carrying with him about forty of his peo]ilo ; who, upon this occasion, ex- erted themselves in such a manner, as in that country was altogether without example: for they were rather animated than deterred by the flames and falling buildings amongst which they wrought ; so that it was not uncommon to see the most for- ward of them tumble to the ground on the roofs, and amidst the ruins of houses, which their own efforts brought down with them. By theu- boldness and activity tlie fire was soon extinguished, to the amazement of the Chinese; and the buildings being all on one floor, and the materials slight, the seamen, notwithstanding their daring beha- viour, happily escaped with no other injuries than soriie considerable bruises. The fire, though at last thus luckily extinguish- ed, did great mischief during the time it contumed; for it consumed a hundred shops and eleven streets full of warehouses, so that the damage amounted to an immense sum ; and one of the Chinese merchants, well known to the English, whose name was Suceoy, was supposed, for his own share, to have lost near two hundred thousand pounds sterling. It raged indeed with unusual violence, for in many of the warehouses there were large quantities of camphor which greatly added to its fury, and produced a column of exceeding white flame, whicli shot up into the air to such a pro- digious height, that the flame itself was plainly seen on board the Centurion, though she was thirty miles distant. Whilst the commodore and his people were labouring at the fire, and the terror of its becom- ing general still possessed the whole city, sevei-al of the most considerable Chinese merchants came to Mr. Anson, to desire that he would let each of them have one of his soldiers (for such they styled his boat's crew from the uniformity of their dress) to guard their warehouses and dwelling-houses, which, from the known dishonesty of the populace, they feared would be pillaged in the tumult. Mr. /.nson granted them this request ; and all the men that he thus furnished to the Chinese behaved g I'eatly to the satisfaction of their employers, who a'terwards highly applauded their great diligence a id fidelity. By this means, the resolution of the English at 136 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. 126 mpany's treasure ; that no distanue of such a fire, itop to it ; for all tlieinselves with ling one of tlieir expect ishould ast, a mandarin "our or five hun- feeblc efforts to ies ; but bv tliis itself, and was houses ; and the ilvill and spirit, iolence; so that 1 it was feared . In this gene- ■ came thither, d was entreated 1 that he might k most prudent now he went vitli him about is occasion, ex- ner, as in that ample: for they d by the flames 1 they wrought ; B the most for- id on the roofs, liieh their own )' then- boldness guished, to the the buildings laterials slight, • daring beha- ■r injuries than :ily extinguish- le it continued; " eleven streets age amounted )f the Chinese Inglish, whose his own sliare, ousand pounds isual violence, re were large y added to its iceeding white to such a pro- If was plahily lugh she was people were ■ of its becom- 3 city, several rehants came Id let each of h they styled )f their dress) elling-houses, the populace, tumult. Mr. ; and all the nesc behaved iployers, who ■eat diligence le English at the fire and their trustinesH, and punctuality else- where, wa.s the general subject of conversation amongst the Chinese : and the next morning, many of the prineipal inhabitants waited on the connno- dore to thank him for his assistance ; frankly owning to him, that they could never have extin- guished the fire themselves, and that he had savi'd tlieir city from being totally consumed. And soon after a message came to the commodore from the viceroy, appointing the 30th of November for his audience ; which sudden resolution of the viceroy, in a matter that had been so long agitjited in vain, was also owing to the signal services performed ly Mr. Anson and his people at the fire, of which the viceroy himself had been in some measure an eye-witness. The fixing this business of the audience was, on all accounts, a circumstance wliieh Mr. A nson was much pleased with ; as he was satisfied that the Chinese government would not have determined this point, without having agreed aniong themselv(!S to give up their pretensions to the duties they claimed, and to grant him all he could reasonably ask ; for as they well knew the commodore's sen- timents, it would have been a i)iece of imprudence, not consistent with the refined cunning of the Chinese, to have admitted him to an audience, only to liave contested with him. And therefore, being himself perfectly easy about the result of his visit, he made all necessary preparations against the day ; and engaged Mr. Flint, whom I have mentioned before, to act, as interpreter in the conference ; who, in this affair, as in all others, acquitted himself much to the commodore's satis- faction ; repeating with great boldness, and doubt- less with exactness, all that was given in charge, a part which no Chinese linguist would ever have performed with any tolerable fidelity. At ten o'clock in the morning, on the day ap- pointed, a mandarin came to the commodore, to let him know that the viceroy was ready to receive him ; on which the commodore and his retinue immediately set out : and as soon as he entered the outer gate of the city, he found a guard of two hundred soldiers drawn up ready to attend him ; these conducted him to the great parade before the emperor's palace, where the viceroy then resided. In this parade, a body of troops, to the number of ten thousand, were drawn up under arms, and made a very fine appearance, being all of them new clothed for this ceremony : and Mr, Anson and his retiime Iiaving passed through the middle of them, he Avas tlien con- ducted to the great hall of audience, where he found the viceroy seated under a rich canopy in the emperor's chair of state, with all his council of mandarins attending : here ther? was a vacaat seat prepared for the commodore, in which he was placed on his arrival : he was ranked the third in order from the viceroy, >.here being above him only the head of the law, and of the treasury, who in the Chinese government take place of all mili- tary oflicers. When the commodore was seated, he addressed himself to the viceroy by his inter- preter,and began with reciting the various methods he had formerly taken to get an audience ; adding, that he imputed the delays he had met with to the insincerity of those he had employed, and that he had therefore no other means left, than to send, as he had done, his own officer with a letter to the S? gate. On the mention of this the viceroy stopped the intori>reter, and bade him assure Mr. Anson, that the first knowledge they had of his being at Canton was from that letter. Mr. Anson tlien ])roceeded, and told him, that the subjects of the king of Great Britain trading to China had com- ])lained to him, the conmiodore, of the vexatious imjmsitions both of the merchants and inferior custom-house officers, to which they were fre- (juentiy necessitated to submit, by reason of the difticulty of getting access to the mandarins, who alone could grant them redress: that it was his Mr. Anson's) duty, as an ofticer of the king of ireat Britain, to lay before the viceroy these grievances of the British subjects, which he hoped the viceroy would take into consideration, and would give orders, that for the future there should be no just reason for complaint. Here Mr. Anson paused, and waited some time in expectation of an answer ; but nothing being said, he asked his interprctei', if he was cerUiin tlie viceroy understood what he had urged ; the interpreter told him he was certiiin it was understood, but he believed no reply would be made to 'it. Mr. Anson then represented to the viceroy the case of the ship llastingfield, which, having been dismasted on the coast of China, had arrived in the river of Canton but a few days before. The people on board this vessel had been great sufferera by the fire ; the captain in particular had all his goods burnt, and had lost besides, in the confusion, a chest of treasure of four thousand five hundred tahel, which was supposed to be stolen by the Chinese boat men. Sir. Anson therefore desired that the captain might have the assLstance of the government, as it was apprehended the money could never be recovered without the interposition of the mandarins. And to this request the vice- roy made answer, that in settling the emperor's customs for that ship, some abatement should be made in consideration of her losses. And now the connnodore having despatched the business with which the officers of the East-India Company had entrusted him, he entered on his own affairs ; acquainting the viceroy, that the proper season was now set in for returning to Europe, and that he waited only for a license to ship off his provisions and stores, which were all ready; and that as soon as this should be granted him, and he should have gotten his necessaries on board, he intended to leave the river of Canton, and to make the best of his way for England. The viceroy replied to this that the license should be imme- diately issued, and that everything should be ordered on board the following day. And finding that Mr. Anson had nothing farther to insist on, the viceroy continued the conversation for some time, acknowledging in very civil tenns how much the Chinese were obliged to him for his signal ser- vices at the fire, and owning that he had saved the city from being destroyed : and then observuig that the Centurion had been a good while on their coast, he closed his discourse, by wishing the commodore a good voyage to Europe. After which, the commodore, thanking him for his civility and assistance, took his leave.' I The following is Anson's own account of these proceed- ings :— " Finding I cuuld not obtain the provistoni and stores to enable me to proceed to ti:urope, I was under the necessity of visiting tlie Vice King, notwitlistanding Ihs 187 h: u .* l.Ull'lli liJG AN80N'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. As soon (iH tlic cnniiiiodore was out of tlio liall of audioiipp, ho was iniicli pressed to go into a uoij^lihourin;; apartment, wliere there was an en- tertainment provided ; hut findinf;, on incjuiry, that the viceroy himself was not to he present, h(! deelined the invitation, and departed, attended in the same manner as at liis arrival ; only at his leaving the city he was saluted by three guns, which are as many as in that country are over fired on any ceri'mony. Thus the commodore, to his great joy, at last finished this troublesome affair, which, for the preceding four montlis, had given him great disf[uictu(h>. Indeed he was highly pleased with procui'ing a license for the shipping of his stores and provisions ; for thereby he was enal)lcd to return to Great Britain with the first of the monsoon, and to prevent all intel- ligence of his being expected : but this, though a very important point, was not the circumstance which gave him the greatest satisfaction ; for lie was more particularly attentive to the authentic precedent established on this occasion, by which his majesty's ships of war arc for the future exempted from all demands of duty in any of the ports of China. In pursuance of the promises of the viceroy, the provisions were begun to be sent on board tlie day after the audience ; and, four days after, the commodore embarked at Canton for the Cen- turion ; and, on the 7th of December, the Centurion and her prize unmoored, and stood down the river, passing through the Bocea Tigris on the 10th. And on this occasion I must observe, that the Chinese had taken care to man the two forts, on each side of that passage, with as many men as they could well contain, the greatest part of them armed with pikes and match-lock muskets. These garrisons affected to show themselves as much as possible to the ships, and were doubtless intended to induce Mr. Anson to think more re- verently than ho had hitherto done of the Chinese military power : for this purpose they were equipped with much parade, having a great number of colours exposed to iew ; and on the castle in particular there were laid considerable heaps of large stones ; and a soldier of unusual si7,e, dressed Europeans witc of opinion that tlie Emperor's duties woiiUI be insisted upon, and that my refusing to pay them would ciiibnri.iss the trude of tlio East India Company : not knowing what moans they might make use of, when tlioy liad mo in tlieir power, I gave ordtrs to Captain Brett, whom upon tliis occasion 1 had appointed captain nnder nic, that, if he found mo detained, lie should destroy the gaileon (out of which I had removed all the treasure, amounting to one million three Imndred and thirteen thousand eight liundred and forty-three pieces of eight, and tliirty-fivc thiuisand six hundred and eiglity-two oimcts of virgin silver and plate) and proceed with tho Centurion without the river's mouth, out of gun-ahut of tho two forts. " Contrary to the genor.il opinion of tho Europeans, the Vice-King received me with groat civility and politeness, having ten thousand wldiers drawn up, and his council o' Mandarins attending tho audience, and granted mc every thing I desired. I had great reason to be satisfied with the success of my visit, having obtained tlio principal point I had in view, wliich was establishing a precedent upon record that the Emperor's duties and measuragc had not been demanded from me, by which means His Majesty's ships will bo under no difflcultiea in entering into any of tho Emperor of China's ports for the {ntnic."—Amon't official repot t. in very sightly armour, stalked about on the parapc't with a battle-axe in his hand, endeavouring to i)ut on ftS important and martial an air as possible, though some of the observers on boitrd the Centurion shrewdly suspected, from the ap- pearance of his armour, that instead of steel, it wa.s composed only of a particular kind of glitter- ing paper. The Centurion and her prize being now without the river of Canton, and consequently upon the point of leaving the Cliinesc jurisdiction, I beg leave, before I quit all mention of the Chinese affairs, to subjoin a few remarks on the dispo- sition and genius of that extraordinary people. And though it may be supposed, that observations made at Canton oiily, a place situated in the corner of the empire, are very imperfect materials on which to found any general conclusions, yet as those who have had opportunities of examining the inner parts of the country, have been evi- dently influenced by very ridiculous prepossessions, and as the transactions of Mr. Anson with the regency of Canton were of an uncommon nature, in which many circumstances occurred, different perhaps from any which have happened before, I hope the following reflections, many of them drawn from these incidents, will not be altogether un- acceptable to the reader. That the Chinese are a very ingenious and in- dustrious people is sufficiently evinced from the great number of curious manufactui*es which are established amongst them, and which are eagerly sought for by the most distant nations ; but though skill in the handicraft arts seems to be the most important qualification of this people, yet their talents therein are but of a second-rate kind ; for they are much outdone by the Japanese in those manufactures which are common to both countries; and they are in numerous instances incapable of rivalling the mechanic dexterity of the Europeans. Indeed, their principal excellence seems to be imitation ; and they accordingly labour under that poverty of genius which constantly attends all servile imitators. This is most eonspicuous in works which require great truth and accuracy, as in clocks, watches, fire-arms, &c., for in all these, though they can copy the different parts, and can form some resemblance of the whole, yet they never could arrive at such a justness in their fabric as was necessary to proc'uce the desired effect. And if Ave pass from tlieir manufactures to artists of a superior class, as painters, statuaries, &c., in these matters they seem to be still more defective; their painters, though very numerous and in great esteem, rarely succeeding in the drawing or colour- ing of human figures, or in the grouping of large compositions ; and though in flowers and birds their performances are much more admired, yet oven in these some i)art of the merit is rather to Lo imputed to the native brightness and excellency ri the colours, than to the skill of the painter ; since it is very unusual to see the light and shade justly and naturally handled, or to find that ease and grace in the drawing which are to be met with in the works of European artists. In short, there is a stiff'ness and minuteness in most of the Chinese productions, which are extremely dis- pleasing : and it may perliaps be asserted with great truth, that these defects in their arts are entirely owing to the peculiar turn of the people, 188 ANSON'S VOYAGE HOUND THK WORLD. 127 I about on the ' id, endeavoHring urtial nn air an orvers on bosCrd rl, from the ap- itead of steel, it [• kind of glitter- ing now without ucntly upon the isdiction, I beg of the Chinese s on the dispo- rdinary people, lat observations situated in the erfect materials iclusions, yet as s of examining have been evi- i prepossessions, Vnson with the ommon nature, urred, different pened before, I ^ of them drawn altogether un- jenious and in- inced from the ;ures which are lich are eagerly ns ; but though to be the most ople, yet their -rate kind ; for anese in thogp both countries; ?s incapable of the Europeans. I 3 seems to be I our under that Hy attends all conspicuous in d accuracy, as or in all these, parts, and can hole, yet they } in their fabric desired effect. tures to artists tuaries, &c., in lore defective; 18 and in great ving or colour- iping of large ers and birds 3 admired, yet it is rather to md excellency the painter ; ght and shade find that ease re to be met its. In short, 1 most of the xtremely dis- asserted with heir arts are >f the people, amongst Nvhom nothing groat or spirited is to bo met with. If wenoxtexatnincthe Chinese literature, (taking ouraccounts from the writiTH who liavi'riulpii> ourid I lo represent it in the most Ihvnurablo light) wt; ! shall find that on this head tlu'ir obstiiuu-y inul I absurdity ai'i" most wonderful : for tliougli, fur j many ages, they have l)eeii surrounded by nations j to whom tlie use of letters was familiar, yet tiii'v, | the Ciiincso aloiio, have hitherto neglected to avail themselves of that almost divine invention, and have contiini(!d to adhere to the rude and inartifi- cial method of representing words by arbitrary marks ; a methud which necessarily renders the nuMiber of their charactei-s too great for human memory to manage, makes writing to be an art that requires prodigious application, and in which 110 man can be otherwise than partially skilled ; whilst all reading, and understanding of what is written, is attencled with infinite obscurity and confusion ; for the connexion l^etwecn these marks, and the words they represent, cannot be retained in books, bt'.t must be delivered down from age to ago by oral tradition : and how uncertain tins must prove in such a complicated subject, is sufh- ciently obvious to those who have attended to the variation which all verbal relations undergo when they are transmitted through three or four hands only. Hence it is easy to conclude that the his- tory and inventions of past ages, recorded by these perplexed symbols, must frequently prove unin- telligible ; and consequently the learning and boasted antiquity of the nation must, in numerous instances, be extremely problematical. But we ai'o told by some of the missionaries, that though the skill of the Chinese in science m indeed much inferior to that of the Europeans, yet the morality and justice taught and practised by them are most exemplary. And from the descrip- tion given by some of these good fathei-s, one should be induced to believe that the whole emi)ire was a well-governed affectionate family, wlii-ro the only contests were, who should exert the most humanity and beneficence : but our preceding relation of the behaviour of the magistrates, tnerchants and trades- men at Canton sufficiently refutes these Jesuitical fictions. And as to their theories of morality, if wo may judge from the specimens exhibited in the works of the missionaries, we shall find them solely employed in recommending ridiculous attachments to certain immaterial points, instead of discussing the proper criterion of human actions, anosui"0, and external decency, so universally prevailing in that empire. Thus much for the general disposition of the jH'ople : but I cannot dismiss this sidijeet without ar its vefined wisdom and l)olicy, was cou- ((uered t.bout an age since by a handful of Tartai-s; and even Jiov, by the cowardice of the iidiabitants, and the want of proper military regulations, it continues exposed not only to the attempts of any potent state, but to the ravages of every petty invader. Nor is the state provided with ships of consider«ble force to protect them : for at Canton, where doubtless their princijial naval power is stationed, we saw no more than four men-of-war junks, of about three hundreii tons burthen, and moinited only with eight or ten guns, the largest of which did not exceed a four-pounder. Tliis may suffice to give an idea of the defenceless state of the Chinese empire. But it is time to rettu-n to the commodore, whom I left with hi? two ships without the Bocca Tigris ; and who, on the r.'th of December, anchored before the town of ilacao. Whilst the ships lay here, the merchants of IMac.io finished their agreement for the galleon, for which they had offered GOOO dollars ; this was much short of her value, but the impatience of the connnodore to get to sea, to which the mer- chants were no strangers, prompted them to insist (in so uneqiuil a bargain. I.l •. Anson had learnt enough from the English at C tnto'i to conjecture, that the war betwixt Grc. t Britain and Spain was still continued ; and that probably the French might cng.ge in the assistance of Spain, before he could arrive in Great Britain ; and therefore, knowing that no intelligence could get to Europe of the prize he had tjiken, and the treasure ho had on board, till the return of the merchantmen from Canton, he was resolved to make all possible expedition in getting back, that he might be him- self the first messenger of his own good fortune, and might thereby prevent the enemy from form- ing any projects to intercept him : for these rea- sons, he, to avoid all tlelay, accepted of the sum offered for the galleon ; and she being delivered to the merchants, the I5th of December 1743, the 139 vii K , ii i 'j ! V 1' I i 1' 1 -; i= i '? ^ • 1 128 ANSON'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD. Centurion, the Haino f Sunda, and eontiinu'd tlnu-e wnodinj; and wal inj^ till the 8th ; when she \v( iKhe0, and a pinn.ico ^ft bcliind him, all B on tho western k for a north-oust I'acitic, proceeded nil absence of two with only his own , a scamnn named ; Kingston, at the day's illness sinco VOI,. I. 141