A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 12 by Robert Kerr

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SECTION XIV.

_The Passage from Batavia to the Cape of Good Hope, and from thence to
England_.

We continued our course, without any event worthy of notice, (except
that one of my best men unhappily fell overboard and was drowned,) till
Monday the 10th of February, when, at six o'clock in the morning, we saw
the coast of Africa, bearing from N.N.W. to N.E. distant about seven
leagues: It made in several high hills, and white sandy cliffs, and its
latitude was 34 deg. 15' S. longitude 21 deg. 45' E.; the variation here was 22 deg.
W. and our depth of water fifty-three fathom, with a bottom of coarse
brown sand.

I stood in for the land, and when I was within about two leagues of it,
I saw a great smoke rising from a sandy beach. I imagined the smoke to
be made by the Hottentots; yet I was astonished at their chusing this
part of the coast for their residence, for it consisted of nothing but
sand-banks as far as we could see, without the least bush or a single
blade of verdure, and so heavy a sea broke upon the coast, that it was
impossible to catch any fish.

On Wednesday the 12th, at three o'clock in the afternoon, we were
abreast of Cape Lagullas, from which the coast lies W.N.W. to the Cape
of Good Hope, which is distant about thirty leagues. The next day we
passed between Penguin Island and Green Point, and worked into Table Bay
with our top-sails close reefed, there being a strong gale, with hard
squalls, at S.S.E. At three o'clock in the afternoon, we anchored, and
saluted the fort, which was returned. The Dutch told me, that none of
their ships could have worked in such a gale of wind, and that we seemed
to come in faster than they were generally able to do when the wind was
fair.

The next morning, I waited upon the governor, who had sent his coach
and six to the water-side for me. He was an old man, but a favourite
with all ranks of people: He received me with the greatest politeness,
and not only offered me the company s house in the garden for my
residence while I should continue at the Cape, but his coach whenever I
should think fit to use it. As I was one day at dinner with him, and
some other gentlemen, I took occasion to mention the smoke that I had
seen upon one of the sandy beaches on a desolate part of the coast, and
the surprise with which it had struck me: They then told me that another
ship, some time before, had fallen in with that part of the coast, and
had seen large smokes as I had done, although the place was uninhabited,
and supposed to be an island: To account for the smokes, however, they
told me also, that two Dutch East Indiamen had, about two years before,
sailed from Batavia for the Cape, and had never afterwards been heard
of; and it was supposed that one or both of them had been shipwrecked
there, and that the smokes which had been seen were made by some of the
unfortunate crew: They added, that they had more than once sent out
vessels to look for them, but that there broke so dreadful a sea upon
the coast, they were obliged to return without attempting to go on
shore. When I heard this melancholy account, I could only regret that I
had not known it before, for I would then certainly have made every
effort in my power to have found these unhappy wretches, and taken them
from a place where, in all probability, they would miserably perish.

The cape is certainly a most excellent place for ships to touch at; it
is a healthy climate, a fine country, and abounds with refreshments of
every kind. The company's garden is a delightful spot, and at the end of
it there is a paddock belonging to the governor, in which are kept a
great number of rare and curious animals, and among others, when I was
there, there were three fine ostriches, and four zebras of an uncommon
size. I gave all the people leave to go on shore by turns, and they
always contrived to get very drunk with cape wine before they came back.
Many ships came in while we lay here; some were Dutch, some French, some
Danes, but all were outward-bound.

Having continued here three weeks, and during that time refreshed our
men, and completed our water, I took leave of the good old governor on
the 6th of March, and on the 7th, sailed out of the bay, with a fine
breeze at S.E.

On Sunday the 16th, at six in the morning, we saw the island of St
Helena, bearing W. by N. at the distance of about sixteen leagues, and
about noon, a large ship, which shewed French colours. We pursued our
course, and a few days afterwards, as we were sailing with a fine gale,
and at a great distance from land, the ship suddenly received a rude
shock, as if she had struck the ground: This instantly brought all who
were below upon the deck in great consternation, and upon looking out we
saw the water to a very large extent, tinged with blood; this put an end
to our fears, and we concluded that we must have struck either a whale
or a grampus, from which the ship was not likely to receive much damage,
nor in fact did she receive any. About this time also we had the
misfortune to bury our carpenter's mate, a very ingenious and diligent
young man, who had never been well after our leaving Batavia.[47]

[Footnote 47: "By the tenderness and care of the Honourable Mr Byron,
our excellent commodore, in causing the crews to be served with portable
soup, and with the greatest humanity distributing provisions to the sick
from his own table, that dreadful disease the sea-scurvy was rendered
less inveterate and fatal, and we lost a less number of men, than any
other ship in such a voyage: For, to the honour of that humane
commander, let it be known to posterity, that under him the Dolphin and
Tamar encompassed the earth, and in so long a voyage through various
seas and climates, and after sailing several thousand leagues under the
torrid zone, lost six men only out of each ship, including those that
were drowned: A number so inconsiderable, that it is highly probable
more of them would have died had they staid on shore."]

On the 25th, we crossed the equator, in longitude 17 deg. 10' W. and the
next morning, Captain Cumming came on board, and informed me that the
Tamer's three lower rudder-braces on the stem were broken off, which
rendered the rudder unserviceable. I immediately sent the carpenter on
board, who found the condition of the braces even worse than had been
reported, so that the rudder could not possibly be new hung; he
therefore went to work upon a machine, like that which had been fixed to
the Ipswich, and by which she was steered home: This machine in about
five days he completed, and with some little alterations of his own, it
was an excellent piece of work. The Tamar steered very well with it, but
thinking that it might not be sufficient to secure her in bad weather,
or upon a lee-shore, I ordered Captain Cumming to run down to Antigua,
that he might there heave the ship down, and get the rudder new hung,
with a fresh set of braces which he had with him for that purpose; for
the braces with which the ship went out, being of iron, were not
expected to last as long as ours, the lower ones, with the sheathing,
being of copper.

Pursuant to these orders, the Tamar parted company with us on the 1st of
April, and steered for the Caribbee Islands. When we came into latitude
34 deg. N. longitude 35 deg. W. we had strong gales from W.S.W to W.N.W. with a
great sea, which broke over us continually for six days successively,
and run us into latitude 48 deg. N. longitude 14 deg., W. On the 7th of May, at
seven o'clock in the morning, we made the islands of Scilly, having been
just nine weeks coming from the Cape of Good Hope, and somewhat more
than two-and-twenty months upon the voyage; the 9th, the ship came to
anchor in the Downs, and on the same day I landed at Deal, and set out
for London.

* * * * *

[The reader will find a short but interesting memoir of Byron prefixed,
for the first time, to the Narrative of the Shipwreck of the Wager,
published at Edinburgh by Ballantyne, 1812. All that it is thought
necessary to quote from it here is, that in 1769, about three years
after his return from this circumnavigation, he was appointed governor
of Newfoundland, which office he held till 1775; that then he was
promoted to the rank of rear-admiral of the blue, and successively to
that of rear-admiral of the white and red; that he was appointed to
command the squadron directed to watch and oppose the French fleet under
Count d'Estaign, over which, however, owing to circumstances no prudence
or bravery could control, he obtained no decisive advantages; that in
1779, he was promoted to the rank of vice-admiral of the white; and that
he died in 1786, at the age of 73, generally respected and beloved for
his eminent professional and moral qualities.--E.]

CHAPTER II.

AN ACCOUNT or A VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, IN THE YEARS 1766, 1767, AND
1768, BY SAMUEL WALLIS, ESQ. COMMANDER OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP THE
DOLPHIN.

SECTION II.

_The Passage to the Coast of Patagonia, with some Account of the
Natives._

[The longitude in this voyage is reckoned from the meridian of London.]

Having received my commission, which was dated the 19th of June 1766, I
went on board the same day, hoisted the pendant, and began to enter
seamen, but, according to my orders, took no boys either for myself or
any of the officers.

The ship was fitted for the sea with all possible expedition, during
which the articles of war and the act of parliament were read to the
ship's company: On the 26th of July we sailed down the river, and on the
16th of August, at eight o'clock in the morning, anchored in Plymouth
Sound.

On the 19th I received my sailing orders, with directions to take the
Swallow sloop, and the Prince Frederick store-ship, under my command:
And this day I took on board, among other things, three thousand weight
of portable soup, and a bale of cork jackets. Every part of the ship was
filled with stores and necessaries of various kinds, even to the
steerage and state-room, which were allotted to the slops and portable
soup. The surgeon offered to purchase an extraordinary quantity of
medicines, and medical necessaries, which, as the ship's company might
become sickly, he said would in that case be of great service, if room
could be found to stow them in; I therefore gave him leave to put them
into my cabin, the only place in the ship where they could be received,
as they consisted of three large boxes.

On the 22d, at four o'clock in the morning, I weighed and made sail in
company with the Swallow and Prince Frederick, and had soon the
mortification to find that the Swallow was a very bad sailer.

We proceeded in our voyage, without any remarkable incident, till
Sunday the 7th of September, when, about eight o'clock in the morning,
we saw the island of Porto Santo, bearing west; and about noon, saw the
east end of the island of Madeira.

About five o'clock we ran between this end of the island and the
Deserters. On the side next the Deserters is a low flat island, and near
it a needle rock; the side next to Madeira is full of broken rocks, and
for that reason it is not safe to come within less than two miles of it.

At six in the evening we anchored in Madeira road, about two-thirds of a
mile from the shore, in twenty-four fathom, with a muddy bottom: About
eight the Swallow and Prince Frederick also came to an anchor; and I
sent an officer on shore to the governor, to let him know that I would
salute him, if he would return an equal number of guns, which he
promised to do; the next morning, therefore, at six o'clock, I saluted
him with thirteen guns, and he returned thirteen as he had promised.

Having taken in a proper quantity of water at this place, with four
pipes and ten puncheons of wine, some fresh beef, and a large quantity
of onions, we weighed anchor on the 12th, and continued our voyage.

At six-o'clock in the morning of Tuesday the 16th, we saw the island of
Palma, and found the ship fifteen miles to the southward of her
reckoning. As we were sailing along this island, at the rate of no less
than eight miles an hour, with the wind at east, it died away at once;
so that within less than two minutes the ship had no motion, though we
were at least four leagues distant from the shore. Palma lies in lat.
28 deg. 40' N. long. 17 deg. 48' W.

On the 20th we tried the current, and found it set S.W. by W. one mile
an hour. This day we saw two herons flying to the eastward, and a great
number of bonnettos about the ship, of which we caught eight.

In the night between the 21st and 22d we lost our companion the
Swallow, and about eight in the morning we saw the island of Sal,
bearing S. 1/2 W., at noon it bore S. 1/4 W. distant eight leagues; and
at noon on the 23d, the nearest land of the island of Bonavista here
from S. to W.S.W. distant seven or eight miles, the east end, at the
same time, bearing W. distant two leagues. In this situation we sounded,
and had only fifteen fathom, with rocky ground; at the same time we saw
a very great rippling, which we supposed to be caused by a reef,
stretching off the point about E.S.E. three miles, and the breakers
without us, distant also about three miles in the direction of S.E. We
steered between the rippling and the breakers, but after hauling the
ship off about half a mile, we had no soundings. The Prince Frederick
passed very near the breakers, in the S.E., but had no soundings; yet
these breakers are supposed to be dangerous. The middle of the isle of
Sal is in lat. 16 deg. 55' N. long. 21 deg. 59' W.; the middle of Bonavista is
in lat. 16 deg. 10' long. 23 deg. W.

On the next day, at six in the morning, the isle of May bore from W. to
S.W. six leagues; and soon after the Swallow again joined company. At
half an hour after ten the west end of the isle of May bore north at the
distance of five miles, and we found a current here, setting to the
southward at the rate of twenty miles in four-and-twenty hours. The
latitude of this island is 15 deg. 10' N. longitude 22 deg. 25' W.

At noon the south end of the island of St Iago bore S.W. by W. distant
four leagues; and the north end N.W. distant five leagues. At half an
hour after three we anchored in Port Praya, in that island, in company
with the Swallow and Prince Frederick, in eight fathom water, upon sandy
ground. We had much rain and lightning in the night, and early in the
morning I sent to the commanding officer at the fort, for leave to get
off some water, and other refreshments, which he granted.

We soon learnt that this was the sickly season, and that the rains were
so great as to render it extremely difficult to get any thing down from
the country to the ships: It happened also, unfortunately, that the
small-pox, which is extremely fatal here, was at this time epidemic; so
that I permitted no man to go ashore who had not had that distemper, and
I would not suffer even those that had to go into any house.

We procured, however, a supply of water and some cattle from the shore,
and caught abundance of fish with the seine, which was hauled twice
every day: We found also in the valley where we got our water, a kind of
large purslain, growing wild in amazing quantities: This was a most
welcome refreshment both raw as a sallad, and boiled with the broth and
pease; when we left the place we carried away enough of it to serve us a
week.

On the 28th, at half an hour after twelve, we weighed and put to sea; at
half an hour after six in the evening the peak of Fuego bore W.N.W.
distant twelve leagues, and in the night the burning mountain was very
visible.

This day I ordered hooks and lines to be served to all the ship's
company, that they might catch fish for themselves; but at the same time
I also ordered that no man should keep his fish more than
four-and-twenty hours before it was eaten, for I had observed that
stale, and even dried fish, had made the people sickly, and tainted the
air in the ship.

On the first of October, in lat. 10 deg. 37' N. we lost the true trade-wind,
and had only light and variable gales; and this day we found that the
ship was set twelve miles to the northward by a current; on the third we
found a current run S. by E. at the rate of six fathom an hour, or about
twenty miles and a half a day: On the seventh we found the ship nineteen
miles to the southward of her reckoning.

On the 20th, our butter and cheese being all expended, we began to serve
the ship's company with oil, and I gave orders that they should also be
served with mustard and vinegar once a fortnight during the rest of the
voyage.

On the 22d we saw an incredible number of birds, and among the rest a
man-of-war bird, which inclined us to think that some land was not more
than sixty leagues distant: This day we crossed the equator in longitude
23 deg. 40' W.

On the 24th, I ordered the ship's company to be served with brandy, and
reserved the wine for the sick and convalescent. On the 26th the Prince
Frederick made signals of distress, upon which we bore down to her, and
found that she had carried away her fore-top-sail-yard, and to supply
this loss, we gave her our sprit-sail top-sail-yard, which we could
spare, and she hoisted it immediately.

On the 27th she again made signals of distress, upon which I brought-to,
and sent the carpenter on board her, who returned with an account that
she had sprung a leak under the larboard cheek forward, and that it was
impossible to do any thing to it till we had better weather. Upon
speaking with Lieutenant Brine, who commanded her, he informed me that
the crew were sickly; that the fatigue of working the pumps, and
constantly standing by the sails, had worn them down; that their
provisions were not food, that they had nothing to drink but water, and
that he feared it would be impossible for him to keep company with me
except I could spare him some assistance. For the badness of their
provision I had no remedy, but I sent on board a carpenter and six
seamen to assist in pumping and working the ship.

On the eighth of November, being in latitude 25 deg. 52' S. longitude 39 deg.
38', we sounded with 160 fathom, but had no ground: On the ninth, having
seen a great number of birds, called albatrosses, we sounded again with
180 fathom, but had no ground.

On the 11th, having by signal brought the store-ship under our stern, I
sent the carpenter, with proper assistants, on board to stop the leak;
but they found that very little could be done: We then completed our
provisions, and those of the Swallow, from her stores, and put on board
her all our staves, iron hoops, and empty oil jars. The next day I sent
a carpenter and six seamen to relieve the men that had been sent to
assist her on the 27th of October, who, by this time, began to suffer
much by their fatigue. Several of her crew having the appearance of the
scurvy, I sent the surgeon on board her with some medicines for the
sick. This day, having seen some albatrosses, turtles, and weeds, we
sounded, but had no ground with 180 fathom.

On the 12th, being now in latitude 30 south, we began to find it very
cold; we therefore got up our quarter cloths, and fitted them to their
proper places, and the seamen put on their thick jackets. This day we
saw a turtle, and several albatrosses, but still had no ground with 180
fathom. We continued to see weeds and birds on board the ship, but had
no ground till the 18th, when we found a soft muddy bottom at the depth
of fifty-four fathom. We were now in lat. 35 deg. 40' S. long. 49 deg. 54' W.;
and this was the first sounding we had after our coming upon the coast
of Brazil.

On the 19th, about eight o'clock in the evening, we saw a meteor of a
very extraordinary appearance in the north-east, which, soon after we
had observed it, flew off in a horizontal line to the south-west, with
amazing rapidity: It was near a minute in its progress, and it left a
train of light behind it so strong, that the deck was not less
illuminated than at noon-day. This day we saw a great number of seals
about the ship, and had soundings at fifty-five fathom, with a muddy
bottom. The next day the seals continued, and we had soundings at
fifty-three fathom, with a dark-coloured sand; upon which we bent our
cables.

On the 21st we had no ground with 150 fathom. Our lat. at noon was 37 deg.
40' S. long 51 deg. 24' W.

On the 22d we had soundings again at seventy fathom, with a dark brown
sand, and saw many whales and seals about the ship, with a great number
of butterflies, and birds, among which were snipes and plovers. Our lat.
at noon was 38 deg. 55' long. 56 deg. 47' W.

Our soundings continued from forty to seventy fathom, till the eighth of
December, when, about six o'clock in the morning, we saw land bearing
from S.W. to W. by S. and appearing like many small islands. At noon it
bore from W. by S. to S.S.W. distant eight leagues; our latitude then
being 47 deg. 16' S. long. 64 deg. 58' W. About three o'clock Cape Blanco bore
W.N.W. distant six leagues, and a remarkable double saddle W.S.W.
distant about three leagues. We had now soundings from twenty to sixteen
fathom, sometimes with coarse sand and gravel, sometimes with small
black stones and shells. At eight in the evening the Tower rock at Port
Desire bore S.W. by W. distant about three leagues; and the extremes of
the land from S. by E. to N.W. by N. At nine, Penguin Island bore S.W.
by W. 1/2 W. distant two leagues; and at four o'clock in the morning of
the ninth, the land seen from the mast-head bore from S.W. to W. by N.

At noon, Penguin island bore S. by E. distant fifty-seven miles; our
latitude being 48 deg. 56' S. longitude 65 deg. 6' W. This day we saw such a
quantity of red shrimps about the ship that the sea was coloured with
them.

At noon the next day, Wednesday the 10th, the extremes of the land bore
from S.W. to N.W. and Wood's Mount, near the entrance of St Julian's,
bore S.W. by W. distant three or four leagues. Our latitude was 49 deg. 16'
S. our longitude 66 deg. 48' W.; and our soundings were from forty to
forty-five fathom, sometimes fine sand, sometimes soft mud.

At noon, on Thursday the 11th, Penguin Island bore N.N.E. distant
fifty-eight leagues. Our latitude was 50 deg. 48' S. our longitude 67 deg. 10'
W.

We continued our course till Saturday the 13th, when our latitude being
50 deg. 34' S. and our longitude 68 deg. 15' W. the extremes of the land bore
from N. 1/2 E. to S.S.W. 1/2 W. and the ship was about five or six miles
distant from the shore. Cape Beachy-head, the northermost cape, was
found to lie in latitude 50 deg. 16' S. and Cape Fairweather, the
southermost cape, in latitude 50 deg. 50' S.

On Sunday the 14th, at four in the morning, Cape Beachy-head bore N.W.
1/2 N. distant about eight leagues; and at noon, our latitude being 50 deg.
52' S. and longitude 68 deg. 10' W. Penguin island bore N. 35 deg. E. distant 68
leagues. We were six leagues from the shore, and the extremes of the
land were from N.W. to W.S.W.

At eight o'clock in the morning of Monday the 15th, being about six
miles from the shore, the extremes of the land bore from S. by E. to N.
by E. and the entrance of the river St Croix S.W. 1/2 W. We had twenty
fathom quite cross the opening, the distance from point to point being
about seven miles, and afterwards keeping at the distance of about four
miles from each cape, we had from twenty-two to twenty-four fathom. The
land on the north shore is high, and appears in three capes; that on the
south shore is low and flat. At seven in the evening, Cape Fairweather
bore S.W. 1/2 S. distant about four leagues, a low point running out
from it S.S.W. 3/4 W. We stood off and on all night, and had from thirty
to twenty-two fathom water, with a bottom of sand and mud. At seven the
next morning, Tuesday the 16th, we shoaled gradually into twelve fathom,
with a bottom of fine sand, and soon after into six; we then hauled off
S.E. by S. somewhat more than a mile: then steered east five miles,
then E. by N. and deepened into twelve fathom. Cape Fairweather at this
time bore W. 1/2 S. distant four leagues, and the northermost extremity
of the land W.N.W. When we first came into shoal water, Cape Fairweather
bore W. 1/2 N. and a low point without it W.S.W. distant about four
miles. At noon Cape Fairweather bore W.N.W. 1/2 W. distant six leagues,
and a large hummock S.W. 1/2 W. distant seven leagues. At this time our
lat. was 51 deg. 32' W. long. 68 deg. W.

At one o'clock, being about two leagues distant from the shore, the
extremes of three remarkable round hills bore from S.W. by W. to W.S.W.
At four, Cape Virgin Mary bore S.E. by S. distant about four leagues. At
eight, we were very near the Cape, and upon the point of it saw several
men riding, who made signs for us to come on shore. In about half an
hour we anchored in a bay, close under the south side of the Cape, in
ten fathom water, with a gravelly bottom. The Swallow and store-ship
anchored soon after between us and the Cape, which then bore N. by W.
1/2 W. and a low sandy point like Dungeness S. by W. From the Cape there
runs a shoal, to the distance of about half a league, which may be
easily known by the weeds that are upon it. We found it high water at
half an hour after eleven, and the tide rose twenty feet.