A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY TO THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN, AND ROUND THE WORLD % In which the Coait of North-weft America has been carefully examined and accurately furveyed . UNDERTAKEN BY HIS MAJESTY'S COMMAND, Principally with a View to afcertain the exigence of any Navigable Communication between the North Pacific and North Atlantic Occam ; and performed in the years 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794 and 1795, IN THE DISCOVERY SLOOP OF WAR, AND ARMED TENDER CHATHAM, UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN GEORGE VANCOUVER. Dedicated, by Permiffion, to HIS MAJESTY. A NEW EDITION, WITH CORRECTIONS, ILLUSTRATED WITH NINETEEN VIEWS AND CHARTS. IN SIX VOLUMES. VOL. VI. Eonfecn : i PRINTED IOR JOHN STOCKS ALE, PICCADILLY. 1801. Ilet, Printer, Sali&ury-fquare. VOYAGE TO THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN; AND ROUND THE WORLD. CHAPTER X. Proceed to the Southward along the exterior Coaji of King George the Third's Archipelago — Arrive in Port Conclu/lon — TranfaSlions there — Two Boat Excur/tons — Complete the Survey of the Continental Shores of North-Weft America — Agronomical and nautical Obfervations. Jr~"\UR attention being now directed to the \^J? furvey of the exterior coaft of George the Third's archipelago, at the dawn of day, on Tuefday the 2Qth of July^ with a frefli wefter- ly breeze, we made fail along the fhore, to the fouthward ; cape Crofs bearing by com- pafs N. 08 E. diftant four or five miles. From this cape the coaft takes a direction S. 31 E. about feven leagues to another promontory, that obtained the name of Cape Edward; Vol. VL B g# '2 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jULY,> off which lies a duller of fmall illets and rocks. The coaft between thefe capes is much broken, and has feveral openings in it that appeared likely to afford fiielter ; but the vaft number of rockr and fmall iflets, fome producing trees, and others intirely barren, that extend to the diftance of three or four miles from the Ihore, will render the entering of fuch harbours unpleafant and dangerous, until a more competent knowledge of their feveral fttuations may hereafter be ac- quired : that which appeared td be the eafieft of accefs, lies about two leagues to the northward of cape Edward, and as it is in latitude 5 7° 44\. I was led to confider this opening as Portlock's harbour. We did not reach cape Edward until the afternoon, as the wrefteriy breeze was foon fucceeded by faint variable airs, that blew di~ redly towards the fhore, which was vifible only at intervals, owing to the thick foggy and rainy weather, and which rendered the view we had obtained of this part of the coaft, by no means fatisfadoty. During the night the wind fettled in the wefterrt quarter, notwithstanding which, by its blowing gently, our diftance from the ftiore was increafed to about three leagues, and at day-light the next morning, (Wednefday 3o) cape Edward bore by eompafs N. 27 W. diftant twelve miles ; from whence the coaft bends more to the eaftward, and takes a diredion about S. 30 E, 1794.] ROUND THE WORLD. 3 S. 30 E. to a very confpicuous opening, which I fuppofed to be that reprefented in fome late pub- lications, as leparating the land on which mount Edgcumbe is fituated from the adjacent Ihores, and named the Bay of Iflands by Captain Cook, wrho imagined at the time he pafled it, that fuch a feparation did exift. We were oppofite to this bay about eight in the morning, but the inter- mediate fpace between the bay of Iflands and cape Edward was paffed in very thick foggy weather; this difadvantage, in addition to the diftance we had been from the land, may fub- jecSl the delineation of that fhore to fome error. Near the land forming the fouthern fide of the bay of Illands are feveral fmall iflets, and from the fouth point of the bay, which I called Point Amelia, the coafl: extends S. 5 E. fixteen miles, to cape Edgcumbe, having nearly in the middle of that fpace an opening, with two fmall iflets lying before it, and prefenting an appearance of a good harbour, which I called Port Mary ; the other parts of the coafl that were pafled at the diftance of about a league, are indented with fmall open bays. As the day advanced a brifk gale from the N. W. attended us, with fair and pleafant wea- ther, which enabled us to afcertain the fhip's fituation. At noon the latitude was found to be 5 7° 4Vi longitude 224° IQ*. The moft nor- B 2 thern 4 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [j'ULY, them part of the coaft at this time in fight bore by compafs N. N. W. port Mary N. 22 E. eight miles diftant; and cape Edgcumbe S. 80 E. four or five miles diftant. This cape, by the fame observations was found to be in latitude 5/° 2\ longitude 224° 25^, which is one mile to the fouth and eighteen miles and an half to the eaftward of its fituation, as ftated by Captain Cook. We had now alfo a very good view of mount Edgcumbe, and notwithstanding that it muffc be confidered as high land, yet it was in- tirely free from fnow, and feemed to us but an inconfiderable hill, when compared with the mountains we had generally feen, extending along the fhores of this continent. Cape Edgcumbe forms the north- weft point of a fpacious opening, that branches into feveral arms, and is called by Mr. Dixon Norfolk Sound ; its oppofite or fouth- eaft point, which I have diftinguiftied by the name of Point Wodehouse, lies from the cape S. 50 E. at the diftance of Seventeen miles. One of the northern branches of the found, by its communication with the bay of Iflands makes, it feems, the intermediate part of the fea-coaft an illand. On the northern ftde of the found, two leagues within cape Edgcumbe, are, w7hat appeared to us, two iflands, and N. N. W. from point • Wodehoufe, lies an extenfive group of iflets and rocks that extend three or four miles from 1 ROUND THE WORLD. 5 from the fhore, which, from that point, with little variation, takes a courfe S. 36 E. This part of the coaft is much broken into fmall open- ings, with iflets .and detached rocks lying off it. W e had advanced about fixteen miles only from point Wodehoufe at eight in the evening, after which, the night was pafied in ufing our endea- vours to retain our ftation near this part of the coaft; but we found ourfelves on Thurfday morn- ing the 3 lM, much further from the land than we hadexpe&ed; we had, however, a favorable breeze from the weftward, with which we ftood to- wards the fhore, but the weather becoming thick and foggy, we were under the neceffity to haul off the coaft until ten in the forenoon, when the land being again vifible, about four miles from lis, we relumed our examination, paffing fome fmali openings, with feveral iflets and detached rocks lying near to them ; byt of which we were precluded any diftindi view by the hazimefs of the weather. This difadvantage had attended us almoft ge- nerally fmce our departure from Crofs found, and although I have reafon to believe that we had nearly afcertaincd the general line of the coaft, yet it is pofiible that there may be open- ings or harbours that we were unable to notice, as .circumftances would not admit of our devot- B.3 ing 6 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [AUGUST, ing fufficient time to a more minute exami- nation. By noon we had paffed the fouth extremity of this archipelago, which was now found to ftretch a few miles further fouth than Mr.Whid- bey had eftimated ; our obfervations placed it in latitude S<§° 10', longitude 325° 3 7 J7. It con- ftitutes a very remarkable promontory, that ter- minates in a high bluff rocky cliff, with a round, high rocky iflet lying clofe to it, and by its fhores on its eaftern fide taking a fliarp northerly di- rection, it becomes a very narrow point of land, which having been feen by Captain Colnett in his mercantile expedition to this coaft, was by him named Cape Ommaney, and the opening between it and cape Decifion, Chriftian Sound. Our conjectures of foon finding a port in this neighbourhood, did not long remain uncon- firmed, for after advancing feven or eight miles from cape Ommaney, we difcovered on the eaft- ern fhore of the archipelago an opening that took a fouth-weft direction ; and as it appeared likely to anfwer all our purpofes we worked into it, with a frefh breeze dire&ly againft us until feven in the evening ; when we anchored off a cove about half a league within the entrance of the harbour. On Friday morning the ift of Auguft the veffels were moored head and flera in this cove, there not being fufficient room for them 1794.] ROUND rim WORLD. 7 them to fwing ; and whilft thofe on board were fb employed, accompanied by Mr. Whidbey and Mr. Johnftone, (who were each to undertake a diftinft expedition, and by which means we en- tertained the hope of being enabled to connect the furveys of the prefent, with thofe of the two preceding feafonsy I rowed to the entrance of the port, in order to be better able to arrange the mode of conducing that fervice ; this ap- peared to be no difficult talk, as there were two given points before us, and both were nearly in view. The one was cape Decifion, where our examination of the continental fhorc had finiflied the former feafon, and the other was point Gardner, from whence Mr. Whidbey had re- turned on his laft excurfion from Crofs found. Mr. Whidbey was directed to recommence his refearches from that point, whilft Mr. Johnftone proceeded to cape Decifion, there to begin his examination along the eaftern fhore of the found northward, until the two parties fliould meet, or be otherways informed by notes which each party was to leave in confpicuous places for the government of the other, defcribing the extent of their refpefiive furveys. The fpace now to be explored occupied about a degree of latitude, and although I hoped that the examination of it with tolerable weather, would not employ the boats more than a week ; B 4 yet 8 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [AUGUST, yet in order that it fhould not be left unaccom- plifhed for want of provifions, each of the par- ties was provided for a fortnight. The Difco- very's yawl and large cutter wras to proceed with Mr. Whidbey and Mr. Swaine ; and the Chat- ham's cutter, and the Difcovery's fmall cutter, with Mr. Johnftone and Mr. Barrie ; with this arrangement both parties departed early in the morning of Saturday the 2d, in the profecution of their refpe&ive purfuits. The ftation we had taken, though fufficiently commodious for our purpofe, was extremely folitary ; there were no inhabitants on the adja- cent fhores, nor was there the fmalleft appearance of any part of our neighbourhood being a place of their refort, fo that our time was not likely to be very intereftingly employed, or our attention diverted from fuch neceffary concerns as the ordinary fervices of the veflels now required. Thefe confifted principally in repairing our fails and rigging in the beft manner we were able. This had now become a bufinefs of conftant employment. Some of the carpenters were caulking, others cutting fuch fpars and timbers for plank us were wanted ; and the brewers on fhore were making fpruce beer, which with a little famphire, and fome halibut, caught with our hooks near the entrance of the harbour, were the only refrefhments the place afforded. The 17940 BOUND THE WOBLD. Q The five following days we had light variable winds, attended by much rain ; but the weather being more pleafant on Friday the 8th, I was employed in making a furvey of the harbour. Its fouthern point of entrance isfituated N. 15E. about two leagues from cape Ommaney, its oppofite point lying N. 7 W. two miles diftant, The depth of water in mid-channel between thefe points is 7 5 fathoms, but decreafes to 8 or 10 clofe to the {bores, without rocks or fands, excepting near the points, which are fufficiently evident to be avoided. South fouth- weft, about half a mile from the north point of entrance, is a moft excellent and fnU£ bafon about a third of a mile wide, and half a mile long ; but its en- trance is by a very narrow7 channel half a mile in length, in a direction S. 70 W., with fome iflets and rocks lying off its fouth point ; thefe are fteep nearly clofe to them, as are the fhores on both fides, which vary from a fixth to a twelfth of a mile afunder, with a clear navigable paffage from eight to twelve fathoms deep in the mid- dle, and five fathoms on the fides. The found- ings are tolerably regular in the bafon, from 30 in the middle, to 10 fathoms clofe to the fhores. Immediately within its north point is a fine fandy beach, and an excellent run of water, as is the cafe alfo at its head, with a third fandy beach juft within its fouth point of entrance. In 10 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [AUGUST, In the vicinity of thefe beaches, efpecially the firft and third, is a fmall extent of low land ; but the other parts of the fhores are compofed of fteep rugged cliffs on all fides, furrounded by a thick foreft of pine trees, which grew with more vigour than in the other parts of the harbour. From its entrance to the head, it extends about a league in a direction S. 33 W"., free from any interruption, although it is inconvenient from its great depth of water. Near the fouthern fide of entrance lies a fmall iflet and fome rocks, but thele are entirely out of the way of its naviga- tion. The foundings cannot be confidered as very regular, yet the bottom in general is good ; in fome places it is ftony, in others fand and mud ; but in the cove where the veffels were at anchor the bottom is rocky. The head of this cove approaches within the fourth of a mile of the head of another cove, whofe entrance on the outfide is about two miles to the fouth of the fouth point of this harbour. In the entrance of that cove the depth is feven fathoms, weeds were feen growing acrofs it, and to the north of it is a fmall iflet with fome rocks. The fur- rounding fhores are generally ftqep and rocky, and were covered w7ith wood nearly to the wa- ter's edge, but on the fides of the adjacent hills were fome fpots clear of trees, and chiefly occu- pied by a damp moift moorifh foil, in which were 1794.] BOUND THE WORLD. 1 1 were feveral pools of water. The furface pro- duced fome berry bufhes, but the fruit at this feafon of the year was not ripe. This little in- formation I procured from fome of our gentle- men, who had made fome excurfions about the neighbourhood. In the above cove on the weft fide were found a few deferted Indian habita- tions, which were the only ones that had been met with. Our not having been vifited here by any of the natives, was rather 'a mortifying cir- cumftance, as they generally occalioned us fome entertainment, and frequently added fome. va- riety to fuch refrefhments, as by our own efforts we were enabled to procure. From Saturday the gth to Wednefday the 13th, the weather had been moftly boifterous, unfbttled, and rainy ; this kind of weather lince our arrival had prevented our making any lunar obfervations, but had afforded me fufficient op- portunities for afcertaining very fatisfa&orify the rates of the chronometers, by fuch means as were in my power on board, not having ere6led the obfervatorv on {bore : for as a convenient fitua- tion could not be found near the fhip, and as I was in hopes we fhould not long be detained at this ftation, I was not particularly anxious to land the inftruments ; and under the circum- ftances of the weather, I had not much to regret that they had remained unremoved. Other 12 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, Other objects began to claim our ferious at- tention. The plan that I had adopted for draw- ing our laborious examination of this coaft \o a conclufion, by the furveys on which the boats were now employed, I had fully expected would have been accomplifhed in a week or ten days at the furtheft, but the whole time for which they had been provided was now expired, and Friday the 15th arrived without bringing any relief to our very anxious concern for their wel- fare. This unpleafant ffcate of fufpence conti- nually brought to our recollection the various untoward accidents to which our expeditions in fuch fmall open boats had been liable ; and when we adverted to the very treacherous beha- viour of the Indians experienced by Mr. Whid- bey in his late excurfion from Crofs found, and the iimilar difpofition that had been fhewn to us the preceding feafon by thofe people who inhabit the countries not far diftant to the fouth-eaft- ward, our minds were filled with apprehenfion, and every hour increafed our folicitude for the return of our abfent friends. The fervice that each party had to perform, called them, if not into the immediate neighbourhood of thefe un- friendly people, at leaft into the vicinity of the places to which they frequently refort ; and as they are by nature of a cunning, defigning, and avaricious difpofition, they were much to be feared 1/94.] ROUND THE WORLD. 13 feared ; for although they could not be con- fidered as a courageous tribe, yet the very un- warrantable and impolitic conduct of the feveral traders on this coal!, in fupplying them fo amply with fire-arms and ammunition, and in teaching them the ufe of thofe deftru£tive weapons, has not only given the natives a degree of confidence that renders them bold and importunate, but the dread which they before entertained of mufketry is greatly leffened by their becoming fo familiar to them ; and they are now fo well furnifhed, as to confider themfelves when in their large canoes nearly on an equality with us, and of courfe are daily becoming formidable, efpecially to the parties in our fmall boats. Thefe dif- treffing confiderations, in addition to the pro- tracted abfence of our friends, gave us but too much reafon to be appreheniive, that we had at length hazarded our little boats, with the fmaU force they were able to take for their defence, once too often. Whilft we endured this irkfome anxiety, it is a tribute that is juftly due to the meritorious ex- ertions of thofe under my command, that I fhould again acknowledge the great cenfolation I derived on all painful occafions like this, by having the moft implicit confidence in the difcretion and abilities of my officers, and the exertions and ready obedience of my people. Thefe happy reflections left 14 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [AUGUST, left me no grounds for entertaining the moll: dis- tant idea that any precaution would be wanting to guard againft, or effort unescerted to avert, fa far as human prudence could dictate, the threat- ening dangers to which I was confeious they muft neceflarily be expofed. In the hourly hope that thefe confoling reflec- tions would once more be proved to have been well founded, by the fafe return of the boats, I directed that every thing fhould be got in readi- nefs to proceed with all difpatch in fuch direction as circumflances might require ; for which pur- pofe the veffels were moved to the oppofite lide of the harbour, as being a more convenient fitua- tion for our immediate departure. Here we re- mained in the moft uncomfortable ftate of fuf- penfe that can be imagined until Tuefday the lgth ; when, in the midft of a deluge of rain, writh the wind blowing very ftrong from the S. E. w7e had the indifcribable fatisfa£tion of fee- ing the four boats enter the harbour together from the northward. The parties foon reached the veffels, all well, and communicated the glad tidings of their having effectually performed the fervice, and attained the object that had been expecled from this expedition. The accomplifhment of an undertaking, the laborious nature of which will, probably, from the perufal of the foregoing fheets, be more eafily conceived 3 794.] HOUND THE WORLD. 15 conceived than explained : a fervice that had de- manded our conftant and unwearied attention, and had required our utmoft abilities and exertions to bring thus to a conclufion, could not, after the indefatigable labours of the three preceding years, fail of exciting in the boloms of our little com- munity, fenfations of a nature fo pleafmg and fa- tisfa&ory, that few are likely to experience in the fame degree, who were not participators in its execution; and to the imagination of thofe alone, mull I refer the happinefs we experienced on this interefting event. In order that the valuable crews of both veffels, on whom great hardfhips and manual labour had fallen, and who had uniformly encountered their difficulties with unremitting exertion, cheerful- nefs and obedience, might celebrate the day, that had thus terminated their labours in thefe regions ; they were ferved with fuch an additional allow- ance of grog as was fully lufiicient to anfwer every purpofe of feftivity on the occafion. This foon prompted a defire for mutual congratula- tions between the two veffels, expreffed by three exulting cheers from each ; and it may be eafiiy conceived that a greater degree of heart- felt fa- tisfa6lion was fcarceiy ever more reciprocally ex* perienced, or more cordially exchanged. We had now no reafon for remaining in this port, which, in confequence of this vifit, ob- tained l6 A VOYAGE CP DISCOVEHY [AUGUST^ taincd the name of Fort Conclusion, except- ing that which a continuation of the inclement weather produced, which detained us until the evening of Friday the 22d. But before I proceed to the recital of fubfequent occurrences, it is ne- ceffary that I ihould advert to the manner in which the late furvey in the boats had been exe- cuted- Agreeably to the dire&ions Mr. Whidbey had received, he proceeded to the ftation where his former refearches had ended ; here he arrived about noon on the 3d, after paffing clofe along the weftern fliore of the ftrait, until he w7as op- pofite to the branch leading to the eaftward. In his way he palled feveral openings on the weft- ern fliore, feme of which he had reafon to fup- pofe communicated with the ocean in a wefterly dire&ion, and others feemed to afford tolerably well fheltered anchorage. The weather at this time was fo thick and rainy, that the party had but a very imperfed: view of the inlet before them. They, however, continued along its lar- board fhore, in a direction N. 65 E. for about fix miles and an half, paffing feveral fmall rocky bays, and at this inlet arrived at a high fteep bluff rocky point, named by me Point Nepean, fituated in latitude 5 7° lo', longitude 226° 6; ; off which lies a ledge of rocks about half a mile, and from this point the coaft takes a more nor- th erly ROUND THE WORLD. 17 therly dire&ion ; but the weather became fo thick that the party was obliged to ftop about two miles beyond it, where the operation of the fame caufe detained them until eight o'clock the next morning ; when, with very hazy impleafant weather, they refumed their inquiries, and paffed between a coaft much indented with fmall bays, and vail numbers of fmall iflets and rocks, both above and beneath the furface of the water. The weather cleared up towards noon, and en- abled Mr. Whidbey to obferve the latitude to be 5/° 18', on a fmall iflet, elofe to a point named by me Point Pybus, lying from point Nepean N. 38 E. ten miles and an half diftant. From this ftation a tolerably diftind: view was obtained of the inlet, in which the party had advanced thus far nearly in the dark. It was now feen to be a fpacious arm of the fea, containing, in moft directions, many iflands, iflets, and rocks ; the country on the left hand fide, being that fhore the party had coaftcd, excepting about point Nepean, feemed in general to be but moderately elevated, and although it is compofed of a rocky fubftance, produced a very fine foreft, chiefly of pine timbers; but the oppofite fide of the inlet was too far off for us to notice any thing refpeft- ing it. From this ftation the party proceeded ftill along a very rocky fhore, about fix miles further, in a direction N. 41 E; to a point called Vol. VL C , by 18 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST/ by me Point Gambier, which forms the fouth point of a branch leading to the north weft ward : its oppofite point of entrance, named by me Point Hugh, lying from it N. 29 E. at the diftance of five miles. Beyond this-, another cx- tcnfive branch appeared to ft retch to the north- ward, but the former being the object of their firft inquiry, they proceeded along its weftern fliore; this is low, and in many places is termi- nated by fandy beaches. On one of thefe, about ten miles from point Gambler, they refted for the night, which was very ftormy from the fouth- ward, with continual rain, and dark gloomy weather ; this lafted until ten in the forenoon of the 5th, when the wind moderating, and the weather permitting them to fee fome little dif- tance before them, they proceeded, with a favor- able breeze, up this branch of the ocean, called by me Seymour's Channel, which, at this place, is from two to three miles wide, and which kept gradually increafmg to its head, where in a di- rection of N. E. and S. W. it is nearly two leagues acrofs : on the weftern fide are many fmall bays, and it terminates, at its north- weft extremity, in a fmall brook of frefh water, in la- titude 5 7 0 51', longitude 226°, lying from point Hugh N. 33 W. diftant twenty-nine miles. One mile from the fouth point of the brook is an xffand, about three miles and an half long, and half 1704.] ROUND THE WORLD. KJ half a league broad ; and half a mile from the fouth point of that ifland lies another, about the fame width, and fix miles long ; both thefe iflands lie in the above direction, and occupy the middle of the branch, having a great number of iflets on their north -eaft fides, and fome rocks on their oppofite fliores. Here were feen five In- dians, who were very fhy. The party caught fome young ducks, but they were very fiihy, and bad eating. The adjacent country is moderately high, and was covered with timber of large growth, excepting towards point Hugh, which is a lofty rocky promontory, from whence extends a ledge of rocks, where the fea broke with con- fiderable force. O winir to the badnefs of the weather thefe rocks were not pa fled until ten at night on the Oth, and even then not without the mod imminent danger, occafioned by a heavy rain and tht darknefs of the night, which pre- vented the party from difcovering their perilous fituation until they were nearly among!! the breakers, when, by timely and great exertion, they happily p ailed clear of them, and refled for the night, about a mile on the north- eaft fide of that point. The rain continued, with a firrong gale from the fouth ward, until the forenoon oi the 7 th, when the atmofphere becoming more clear, their fituation was difcovered to be on the weftern fide of the branch which was feen from > 10 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [ AUGUST,. point Gambler, extending to the northward,, about four miles in width; but was now feen to take a more wefterly direction, nearly parallel to Seymour's channel, which the party had quitted ; and making the intervening fhore a long narrow ffcrip of land. The oppofite or north-call fide of this northern branch is compofed of a compact range of ilupendous mountains, chiefly barren, and covered With ice and fnow. The route of the party was along the fouth-wefi: fide ; this is nearly Itraight, compact, and free from rocks or other interruptions, and favoured by a S. E. breeze, they advanced about twelve leagues from point Hugh ; where they flopped for the nighty oppoiite to a high round ifland, lying in the middle of the channel. From this llation, fituated in latitude 58° 1/, longitude 226° o\ in the morning of the 8th, they departed writh calm rainy weather, and pur- fbed their refearches along the weltcrn fhore, which now took a diredtion ' N. 10 W. eight miles, to a point named by me Point Ardo, where this branch divided into three arms ; that which appeared to be a continuation of the arm they had been navigating took a north-eafterly direction ; the fecond, lying about a league to- the N. W. not more than hall a mile wide, took a noith -wefterly direction, and, apparently, made the land on its fouth-weft fide an ifland. About 1794.] BOUND THE WORLD. 21 three leagues up this arm is a fmal! iflet nearly in mid-channel, This afforded another inftance of the partial exiftence of the ice, which here in- tirclv blocked up this arm, whilft the others were free from any fuch inconvenience. The third and wideft arm took a general courfe N. 81 W. and is about a league in width; this agreeably to our ufual practice was firft purfued along the fouthern fhore about five leagues to point Young, forming the eaffc point of a cove, with an ifland and rock in its entrance, and another at the bottom of the cove. At this point the width of the arm decreafed to about half a league, and from it the fouthern fhore ftretched N. 42 W. At the diftance of about feven miles the eaft point of another fmall cove was reached, with an iflet lying near it. At the back of this iflet was an Indian village, and ano- ther was feeii on an oppofite point lying north, .about a league and a half from this cove, on the land forming the north fide of the arm, and feem- ed to be the north- weft point of the land before mentioned, appearing to be an ifland. As Mr. W hidbcy advanced from this cove, the fhore {till continuing the fame line of direction, ..he recognized the fpot, from whence in his ex- cur (ion from Crofs found, on the night of the 3 8th of July he had retired, in confequence of the hofhle behaviour of the natives, and he now C 3 became 22 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, became fatisfied that he had been mifiaken in fuppofmg at that time the branch to be clofed ; as it was now evident that it communicated with that which the party had thus navigated, making the intermediate land, which had hi- therto been considered as a part of the continent, one extcnfive ifiand, which I called Admiralty Island. In order however that no doubt fhould in fu- ture arife, Mr. Whidbey proceeded to point Re- treat. After palling the village, which from that point lies S. 3 3 E. at the diftance of about ten miles, the boats v^ere followed by many large and fmall canoes ; and as the evening w7as draw- ing near, to get rid of fuch troublefome vifitors a mufket was fired over their heads, but this as be- fore had only the effect of making them lefs ce- remonious ; this was proved by their exertions in paddling to come up with our party, which they did very faft, until another fliot w^as fired at the largeft canoe, and was fuppofed to have ftruck her, as the Indians all fell back in the canoe, and were quite out of fight; they, however, managed to bring their canoe's frern in a line with the boat's fterns : in that fituation they paddled back- wards with all their ilrength, and at the fame time fcreened every part of their perfons, by the height and fprcading of their canoes' bows, ex- cepting their hands, which, in the aft of paddling only 3794-] ROUND THE WORLD. 23 only became vifiblc, fo very judicioufly did they provide for their fafety in their flight; in which, having gained fome distance from our party, who had quietly purfued their courfe, the canoes flop- ped for a fhort time, as if for confutation, but foon made the beft of their way back to the vil- lage, and Mr. Whidbey proceeded without fur- ther interruption to point Retreat. In this route the party .paffed by the fouth-weft fide of a very narrow ifland, about half a mile broad, and about a league and an half long;; this before had been palled on its north-eaft fide, in the night of the 18th of July, but it was then fo dark that it was not difcovered to be an ifland. The channel, about three fourths of a mile wide, which was now purfued, is by rocks and illets rendered equally unfafe and intricate with that mentioned on the former furvey, fo that the communication between thefe two extenfive branches of the ocean is, by thefe impediments, very dangerous for the navigation of {hipping. In this fouth- wcft channel, about a league from point Retreat, on the fouthern fhore, is a deep cove, wThich, with the narrow ifland lying before it, forms a very fhug harbour, of good accefs by the paffage round to the north of point Retreat; as the rocky part of the channel lies to the fouth-eaft of this cove, to which Mr. Whidbey gave the name of Bart lo w's Cove. The fhores of Admiralty ifland, C 4 which 24 A. VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [ AUGUST, which now had been completely circumnavi- gated,< and found to be about fixty leagues in cir- cuit, are, excepting at this and its fouth-eaflern part, very bold, afford many convenient bays, likely to admit of fafe anchorage, with fine {beams of frefh water flowing into them, and prefented an afpeft very different from that of the adjacent continent, as the ifland in general is moderately elevated, and produces an uninter- rupted foreft of very fine timber trees, chiefly of the pine tribe; whilftthe ihores of the continent, bounded by a continuation of thofe lofty frozen mountains, which extend fouth-eaftward from mount Fairvveather, rofe abruptly from the wa- ter-fide, and were covered with perpetual fnow, whilfb their fides were broken into deep ravines or vallies, filled with immenfe mountains of ice. Such was the contraft exhibited at point Re- treat, where Mr. Whidbey had an opportunity of feeing feveral'of the points that had been fixed by his former obfervations, and which, on the prefent cccafion, affifted him in correcting his furvey, for he had thus far been able to procure but one obfervation for the latitude, fmce his leaving port Conclufion. From point Ftetreat the party returned to Bar- low's cove, where they refted for the night. The next morning a ftrong gale blew from the S. E. with a very heavy fall of rain ; this greatly im- peded 1794-] ROUND THE WORLD, 25 peded their progrefs in their way down this paf- fage, which dividing Admiralty ifland from the continent,, obtained the name of Stephens's Passage ; the point on which the northern village is fituated, was found to be, as had before been conjectured, the weft point of entrance into the narrow icy arm., in which was again feen the iflet noticed the preceding morning in an E. S. E. direction, whence it was clearly afcertained, that the intermediate land, forming the north fide of Stephens's paffage was an ifland, which after the Billiop of Salisbury, I named Douglas's Island ; it is about twenty miles long, and fix miles broad in the middle, but becomes narrow towards each end, particularly that to the eall- ward, where it terminates in a fharp point : the channel between this ifland and the main land, being rendered by the ice impaffable, the boats were fleered over to the fouthern fihore for pro- tection againft the fouth-eaft wind, which had now become fo violent, that it was late in the evening before they had paffed the fouthernmoft village ; and after they had proceeded about three miles to the eaftward of it, they refted for the night. Although the party had been a considerable time within fight of the village of thefe un- friendly people, not a iingle individual had been feen ; but they were heard making a molt hide- ous 26 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, ous and extraordinary noife in their houfes, the found of which reached the refting place of our party, by whom it was fuppofed, that fome perfon of confequence had been hurt by the fhot fired the preceding evening at the large canoe, and which not improbably had been the occafion of their hafty retreat. In the morning of the I Oth they were vifited by an old Indian man, and a boy, who after receiving fome prefents went about their bufmefs, and our party pro- ceeded to the arm leading to the north-eaft from Stephens's palfage, having its weftern point of entrance, which I have called Point Salis- bury, fituated in latitude 58° 1 1/, longitude 220° 3L, in which the great quantity of floating ice, with a ffcrong northerly wind againft them, fo retarded their progrefs, that a paffage was with great difficulty effected ; the weather here was feverely cold, with frequent ihowers of fleet and rain. From its entrance it extended N. 1 1 E., about 1 3 miles, where the ihores fpread to the eaft and weft, and formed a bafon about a league broad, and two leagues acrofs, in aN.W. and S. E. direction, with a fmall ifland lying; nearly at its north-eafi: extremity. From the {bores of this bafon a compact body of ice ex- tended fome diftance nearly all round ; and the adjacent region wTas compofed of a clofe con- nected continuation of the lofty range of frozen mountains, 1794-] ROUND THE WORLD* 27 mountains, whole fides, almoft perpendicular, were formed entirely of rock, excepting clofe to the wrater fide, where a few fcattered dwarf pine trees found fufficient foil to vegetate in ; about thefe the mountains were wrapped in perpetual froft and fnow. From the rugged gullies in their fides were projected immenfe bodies of ice, that reached perpendicularly to the furface of the water in the bafon, which admitted of no land- ing place for the boats, but exhibited as dreary and inhofpitable an afpeel as the imagination can poffibly fiiggeft. The rife and fall of the tide in this fituation was very confiderable, ap- pearing to be upwards of eighteen feet. The examination of this bafon, &c. engaged the party until near noon of the 1 1th, when they returned along the eaftern fnore, which is a continua- tion of the fame range of lofty mountains rifing abruptly from the water fide ; by dark they reached the illand mentioned on the /th, as lying in the middle of Stephens's paflage ; here they took up their lodging; for the night, which was very ftormy from the fouth-caftward, and attended with a heavy rain. In the morning of the 12th the wind became more moderate, but the rain continued with an extremely unpleafant crofs fca, which the violence of the wand during the night had occafoned. This greatly retarded their progrefs down the paifagc, the eaftern fhore of 28 A VOYAGE PF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, of which was found to be much indented with fmall bays, and to take a general di region from a fpot oppofite to the ifland they had quitted S. 4 1 E,, about twelve miles, to a point which I named Point Styleman, forming the north- weft point of a harbour, fituated in latitude 5 7 53', longitude 22(3° 22y; the oppofite point of its entrance lying from it S. 33 E., at the diftance of two miles. This harbour, which obtained the name of Port Snettisham, firft extends about a league from its entrance in a north-eaft direc- tion, where on each fide the fhores form an ex- tenfive cove, terminated by a fandy beach, with a fine ftrearn of frefh water. On the north- weft fide of entrance is a fmall cove, in which there is alfo a run of wrater, with an iflet lying before it. The Chores are high and fteep, and produce very few trees. Several fmokes were feen, but none of the inhabitants made their appearance. From the fouth point of this port, which I called Point Anmer, the fhore takes a direction S. 2Q E., nine or ten miles, to a point, that obtained the name of Point Coke, and which forms the north point of a deep bay, about four miles wide, which I called Holk- h am Bay ; this the party did not reach until the morning of the 13th, when, nearly in the middle of it, were found three fmall iflands ; to the wrefternmoft of which a fhailow bank ex- tended 1794-] ROUND THE WORLD. 2$ tended from each fide of the bay, which is bounded by the {till continued lofty range of mountains. Much floating ice was feen within the illands. From point Coke, in a dire&ion S. 43 W., two miles and an half, are two rocky iflets, nearly in the middle of the branch, and from the fouth point of this bay, which 1 called Pott,tt Astley, the Ihores are very rocky, and contain many fmall open coves, taking a fouth- erly diredion thirteen miles, to a point which obtained the name of Point Windham, fili- ated in latitude 5/°31/, longitude 230° 36'. This point forms the eafiern point of entrance into Stephens's paflage ; here they again arrived in the fpacious part of the inlet noticed from point Gambier. As the party advanced feveral iflets were feen in various directions, and from point Windham^ on the eallern fide, were fome bays ; the fhores took a general direction S. 25 E>, twelve miles and an half, to a point named by me Point Ho bart, being the north point of a fmall branch, where the party reftcd for the night, and on the following morning they found its points of entrance to lie from each other N. 1 I W. and S. 1 1 E., about a league afunder. From its en- trance it extends S. 70 E., five or fix miles, where it terminated. Some iflets and funken rocks lie near its fouth point, which I called Point 80 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST* Point Walpole* From point Hobart extends a bank of fand a little diftance from the fhore, but there is a clear parage between it and the iflets, within wThich, it forms a fnug harbour, with foundings at a confiderable diftance from the fliore from ten to fix fathoms water, fand and muddy bottom. It is bounded by lofty mountains, and from their bafe extends a fin all border of low land forming; the lhoi*es of the harbour, which I called Port Houghton. On quitting this place many rocks were feen along the fhores, which took a dire&ion S. 12 W., fix miles and a half, to a very confpicuous low pro- jecting point, which obtained the name of Cape Fanshaw, fituated in latitude 5/° ll1 , longi- tude 220°44j/. Here was feen an old deferted village, and a fpacious branch of the inlet eight miles wide, leading to the eaftward and fouth- eaft. From its very extenfive appearance in thefe 'directions, Mr. Whidbey became apprehenfive, left their utmoft exertions fhould not enable them to draw- their labours to a conclufion dur- ing his prefent excurfion, and for this reafbn he loft no time in proceeding along its northern fhore, which from cape Fanlhaw takes a direction. S. 60 E., fixteen miles, to a 1owt narrow point of land two miles long, and half a mile broad, ftretching fouth from the general line of the coaft on 1704.] ROUND THE WORLD. 3t on each fide of it; but this diftance, owing to the badnefs of the weather, and a ftrong gale from the eaftward, was not reached before the 15th in the afternoon. At this low point, whbh I called Point Vandeput, the wTidth of the branch decreafed to about three miles and an half, in a fouth direction, to a fteep bluff point, where, as alfo from this ftation, the lliores of the branch took a more foutherly courfe. South from this point a fhoal extends about a mile, and on its eaftern fide a fmall bay is formed, from whence the eaftern fhore trends S. 34 E., {even miles, to another point, where a fhoal ftretches out about three fourths of a mile from the fhore; this prevented the boats approaching the point, although feveral attempts were made, in the hope of gaining fheltcr from the inclemency of the weather, but it was to no effed, and the party was obliged to remain cold, wet, and hun- gry (having no provisions cooked) in the boats, until the morning of the 1 5th ; w hen the wea- ther became fair and clear, and fhewed their fituation to be before a fin all extent of low fiat land, lying immediately before the lofty moun- tains, w7hich here rofe abruptly to a prodigious height immediately behind the border. A few miles to the fouth of this margin the mountains extended to the water fide, where a part of them prefented 32 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, presented an uncommonly awful appearance, riling; with an inclination towards the water to a raft height, loaded with an immenfc quantity of ice and fnow, and overhanging their bafe, which feemed to be infufEcient to bear the ponderous fabric it fuftained, and rendered the view of the paffage beneath it, horribly magnificent^ Soon after paffing this very remarkable pro- montory, the arm of the fea over which it hangs appeared to be entirely clofed by a beach, ex- tending all round the head of it ; at the fouth- caft extremity was a large body of ice, formed in a gully between the mountains that approach the water-fide, from whence, much broken ice feemed to have fallen, and had entirely covered the furface of the water in that direction. From the fbuth-weft corner iffued a narrow ftream of very white water, that feemed to have obtained this appearance by the melting fnow draining through the low land that was feen lyin by which means an inland navigation for canoes and boats is found from the fouthern extremity of Admiralty inlet, in latitude 47° 3', longitude 237° 18', to the northern extremity of Lynn canal, in lati- tude 59° 12', longitude 224 34'. By this in- formation it likewife appeared, that our conclu- fions at the end of the laft feafon, relpe&ing capq Vol. VI. D Decifion 34 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [AUGUST, Dccifibn being a continental promontory were not precifely correal, as, by the (hallow boat paf- fage difcovered by Mr. Brown, that cape is found to be feparated above the level of high water mark from the continent. Mr. Whidbey obferves, that in no one inftancc: during his refearches, either in the fevera! branches of Prince William's found, in thofe extending from Crofs found, or, in the courfe of his prcfent excurfion, did he find any immenfe bodies of ice on the iflands ; all thofe which he had feen on iHore, were in the gullies or vallies of the con- ned:ed chain of lofty mountains fo frequently mentioned, and which chiefly conftituted the continental fhore from Cook's inlet to this fta- tion ; though, in different places thefe mountains are at different diftances from the fea fide. He like wife obferves that all the iflands, or groups of iflands, were land of a moderate height, when compared with the ftupendous mountains that compofe the continental boundary, and were ftill feen to continue in a fouth-eaftern dire&ion from this- (hallow paflage> wThilffc the land to the weftward affumed a more moderate height, was free from fnow, and produced a foreft of lofty pine trees. Thefe obfervations more particu- larly applying to the former, than to the fubfe- quent, part pf this furvey, I have, for that reafon, thought 17.Q4.] HOUND THE WORLD. 35 thought proper to introduce them in this placed and fhall now refume the fubjedl of Mr. Whid- bey's excurfion. The day being fair and pleafant, Mr. Whidbey. wifhed to embrace this opportunity of drying* their wet clothes, putting their arms in order,- and giving a thorough cleaning to the boats, which, from the continual bad weather, had now become an objed: of real neceffity. Fot this purpofe the party landed on a commodious beach ; but before they had finifhed their bufmefs a large canoe arrived, containing fome women and chil- dren, and fixteen flout Indian men, well appoint- ed with the arms of the country, but without any fire-arms. They behaved in a very friendly manner on the beach far a little time, but theif conduct afterwards put on a very fufpicious ap- pearance; the children withdrew into the woods; and the reft fixed their daggers round their wrifts, and exhibited other indications, not of the mofl friendly nature. To avoid the chance of any thing unpleafant taking place, Mr. Whidbey con- fidered it moll humane and prudent to depart, and he continued his route down the branch along its fouth-weft fhore, paffing fome iflets that lie near it. The Indians did the fame, but kept on the oppofite fhore, and in the courfe of a little time the canoe difappeared. In the hope of be- ing quit of thefe people the party flopped to dine i / D 2 near 36 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [AUGUST* near the high bluff obferved from point Vande- put, but before they had finithed their repaft the fame Indians, who mud have turned back un- perceived, for the purpofe of croffing over to fol- low the boats, were fcen coming round the point of the cove in which was the party, and not more than a quarter of a mile from their dinner ftation ; as the canoe approached a mufket was fired over it, in order to deter the Indians from advancing ; but this, as on former occafions, feemed to encourage them, and they appeared to come forward with more eagernefs, but on a fecond (hot being fired at the canoe they inftant- ly retreated with all poffible fpeed, and werefoon again behind the. point : yet as Mr. Whidbey fuf- peded they might be inclined to attempt by fur- .prife, that which they dared not venture to do openly, he haftened the meal of his party, and put off from the fliore ; this was fcarcely effect- ed, when his conjedures were proved to have been well founded, by the appearance of a number of armed people ifiuing from the woods, exactly at the fpot where our party had dined ; and nearly at the fame infiant of time, the canoe was again fcen paddling round the point of the cove. This conduct, on the part of the Indians, great- ly attracted the obfervation of the party, and whilfr they were watching the motions of thefe people, their attention was fudclenly and moft agreeably If $4>] ROUND THE WOftLfc. Zf agreeably called to an object of more pleafing concern ; that of the boats under Mr. John- {tone's direction, coming within fight about two miles diftant. The ftratagem thus pra&ifed by thefe Indians is alone fufficient to fhew, that our apprehen- fions on baard, for the fafety of our abfent- friends, had not been without reafon ; and it is one, amongft many other circumftances, which taught me to believe, that we were but jufi: in time, for the accomplifhment of the arduous and hazar- dous lervice in which we had been fo long en- gaged; as the very unjiiftifiable conduit of the traders on this coaft, has encouraged the inhabi- tants to attempt fuch a<5ts of hoftility, that the means wTe pofiefled to repel their attacks, would, in all probability, have been infufficient for our protection, had it been our lot to have tried the experiment one year later. On the fight of the two other boats all the Indians difappeared, and our two parties were not long before their forces were united. It was im- mediately understood that Mr. Johnftone had examined the coaft: from cape Decifion to this flation. On this occafion Mr. Whidbey re- marks, that it is not poffible for language to de- scribe the joy that was manifefted in every coun- tenance, on thus meeting their comrades: and kjlow-adventurers, by which happy circum- D 3 ftancc* 38 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, fiance, a principal objed: of the voyage was brought to a conclufion ; and the hearty con* gratulations that were mutually exchanged by three cheers, proclaimed not only the pleafure that was felt in the accomplifhment of this laborious fervice, but the zeal with which it had been carried into execution, and the laudable pride that had been entertained by both parties, in having been inftrumental to the attainment of fo grand an object. The little fquadron now proceeded to a cove about a league to the weftward, where they took up their abode for the night. In the courfe of the evening no fmall, portion of facetious mirth paffed amongft the feamen, in confequence of our having failed from old England on the Jirjl of April, for the purpofe of difcovering a north-weft paflage, by following up the difcoveries of De Fuca, De Fonte, and q. numerous train of hypo* theticai navigators, :. 3 Early in the morning of the 17th both parties fat out on their return to port Conclufion, and being favored with a frefh gale from the S. E. they made great progrefs under fail. In the event of the two parties meeting, and confequently a finifhing ftroke being put to the examination of the fhores of North- Weft Ame- ?ica, within the limits of my commiffion ; Mr. Whidbey had my diredions to take pofteffion of the HOUND THE WORLD, 3§ the faid continent, from New Georgia north- weft ward to cape Spencer, as alfo, of all the ad~ jacent iflands we had difcovered within thofe limits; in the name of, and for, His Britannic Majefty, his heirs, and fucceflbrs: this, on the parties flopping to dine, was carried into execu- tion ; the colours were difpiaycd, the boats' crews drawn up underarms, and pofteffion taken under the difcharge of three vollies of mufketry, with all the other formalities ufual on fuch occa- sions, and a double allowance of gfog was ferved to the refpc rence, until they arrived at port Conclusion, whefc the wind blowing Very hard from the fouthward, brought with it © heavy confufed fea, which, with the meeting of the tides, produced a kind of race. Here the boats, for fome time, were in a moft critical lituation, but by the great exer- tions of their crews, they were at tehgth pre* P 4 ferved, 40 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUS ferved, and arrived fafe, as has been before re- lated- It now remains to recount the circumftances attendant on Mr. Johnftone's expedition ; who, from cape Decifion, found the exterior coaft firft take a dire&ion N. 30 W. about three leagues, and then N. 10 W. about the fame diftance, to the north point of a harbour about a mile wide ; the intermediate fhore, between it and cape Der cilion, has in it many fmall open bays, and at fome diftance from it, lie many rocks. This ftation was reached in the afternoon of the 3d, the harbour was found free and eafy of accefs, by keeping near the fouthern fliore ; in general it is about a mile wide. At firft it takes a north- caft courfe for about a league, and then termi- nates in a S. S. E. dire&ion, about a league fur- ther, having fome iflets and rocks in it, notwith- standing which it affords very excellent flielter, with foundings from ] 7 to 34 and 1 2 fathoms water. It is conveniently fituated towards the .ocean, has its north point in latitude 56° 1 7 1', -longitude 225° 58' , and obtained the name of Port Malmesbury. Its north point, which I have called Point Harris, is rendered very remarkable, by its being a projecting point, on which is a fingle hill, appearing from many points of view like an ifland, with an iflct and feme rocks extending near a mile to the fouth- weft 1794.] ROUIsP THE Ayoi?LD. 41 wsft of it- North from hence, three miles and an half, and then N. N. E. about the fame dif- tancc, is the fouth point of a large bay, full of innumerable ifiets and rocks, with a great num- ber of very fmall branches in various directions; its examination occupied much time, and its fouthern extremity reached to the . latitude of 50° 15', longitude 226° 15; ; its eaftern branch to latitude 50° 28', longitude 220° 3 8; ; and its northern extremity to latitude 50° 33', longitude 220° 3 2'. Between the two latter the party met w ith about a dozen of the natives, who occupied a fingle habitation on the fhore, and were the firfl people Mr. Johnftone's party had feen on this expedition. The 5th was very ftormy, w7ith much rain, but the 0th was fair and pleafarit, which enabled them to finifh the examination of this intricate found, and in the evening they reached its north-wTeft point of entrance, which I called Point Ellis, where they remained during the night. It is fituatcd in latitude 56" 31/, longitude 225° 5(Y. This alfo forms the fouth-eaft point of another fmall inlet, w hich is equally intricate, and as much incommoded with iflets and rocks. The examination of this em- ployed the whole of the 7 th. It forms a narrow arm, extending from point Ellis N. 50 E. for ten , miles, where it terminates. Here they found a fingle houfc, fimilar to that before mentioned, and AL A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, and containing about as many inhabitants. From hence they returned along the northern fide of this arm, from half a mile to half a league in width, and about feven miles from its head to its north point, which forms alfo the fouth point of a bay or inlet, full of iflets and rocks, the north point of which, called by me Point Sullivan, lies in latitude 56° 38', longitude 225° 5l£'. From point Sullivan the fliores were lefs rocky, and became firm and compact, taking a direc- tion N. 9 W. thirteen miles, to a confpicuous point, which after Vice Admiral Kingfroill, ob- tained the name of Point Kingsmill. From this point, which is the fouth point of the fpa- cious inlet, up which Mr. Whidbey had purfued his refearches to the north-eal];ward ; the fhqres trended N. 4J E, fix miles and a half to another point, which I called Point Cqknwallis, and which forms the fouth- weft pojnt of entrance into an arm leading to the ibuth-eaft. Tfhc fpace between thefe two points is occupied by two bays, each taking a fouth-cailcrly dire&ion, from a mile to half a league wide, and four or five miles deep, in which as ufual along the coail were many iflets and dangerous rocks. The ex- amination to this extent, employed the party until the loth in the morning, when they quit- ted the main inlet, and purfued the arm leading to the fouth- caftward, wh^ch fi;ft took a direc- tion I7 pofed to be the continental fhore. This 3 79^-3 1 ROUND THE WORLD. 45 This hope Induced Mr. Johnftone to perfevere, but inftead of the channel ftretching; to the eaft- ward as it was wifhed, and expecled to do, it ex- tended to the weft ward of fouth, and communi- cated with a bay in the north- weft part of Cla- rence's (trait, which had been examined bv Mr. Johnftone on the 1 1 th of September, 1.793 ; but this communication was not at that time afcer- tained, in confequence of the numerous iflets, rocks, and (hoals, that exift in that bay, and ren- der it intirely unnavigable for (hipping. The party ijow diftin6tly faw port Prote6tion and the adjacent fhores, and having taken the neceflary angles that their further furvey would demand, they returned by the way they had arrived; but the progrefs of the boats was rendered very (low by the numberlefs rocks and iflets, and the ex- amination of the fevera! little bays into which the fhores were broken. To the caftward were feeu high diftant mountains covered with fnow, but the land in their neighbourhood was, compara- tively fpeaking, low, of a very uneven furfacc, much divided by water, and covered with wood. Mr. Johnftone unwilling to loofe any advantage that prefented itfelf, (lopped but a (liort time on the night of the 1 2th, in order that he might take the benefit of the flood the next morning, which returning about half after one, they pro- 'seeded with it clofe along the eafternihore round 4(5 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUStf, every cove and corner ; for they could riot by any other mode have determined its boundary, as they were at this time furrounded by a very thick fog, that obfeured every diftantobjed until about ten in the forenoon, when a frefti wefterly breeze brought fair and clear weather, and difcovered their fituation to be near the weft point of a fmall branch, in latitude 56° 50 longitude 226* 10'. The adjacent fhores in all directions, but particularly to the north-weft, were lined with iflets and rocks, that extended nearly two miles into the opening, which was here about two leagues acrofs. This branch about a mile wide ftretched about five miles in an eaftwardly direction, and there it terminated ; but before the party had reached this extent, Mr. Johnftone ftates, that the re- mains of no lefs than eight deferted villages were feen ; fome of them were more decayed than the others, but they were all uniformly fituated on the fummit of fome precipice, or fteep infular rock, rendered by nature aim oft inacceffible, and by art and great labour made a ftrong defence; which proved, that the inhabitants had been fubject to the incurfions of hoftile vifitors. Thefe fortified places were well conftructed with a ftrong platform of wood, laid on the moft elevated part of the rock, and projecting fo far from its fides as to overfpread the declivity. The edge of the ]794\] HOUND THE WORLD. 4j the platform was furrounded by a barricade raifed by logs of wood placed on each other. In the vicinity of thefe ruins were many fepulchres or tombs, in which dead bodies wTere depofited. Thefe were made with a degree of neatnefs fel- dom exhibited in the building of their habita- tions. A wooden frame was raifed about ten feet from the ground, the upper half of which was inclofed, and in the open part below in many, though not in all of them, was placed a canoe ; the flooring of the upper part was about five feet from the ground, and above that the fides and top were intirely clofed in with boards, within which wrere human bodies in boxes wrap- ped up in ikins or in matting. Thefe reperto- ries of the dead, were of different fizes, and feme of them contained more bodies than the others ; in the largeft there were not more than four or five, lying by the lide of each other, not one ap- pearing to be placed above the reft ; they wrere generally found near the water fide, and very frequently on fome confpicuous point. Many of thefe facred monuments feemed to have been credled a great length of time, and the rnoft an- cient of them had evidently been repaired and flrengthened by additional fupportess of more; modern workmanfhip. Hence it would appear, that whatever might be the enmity that exifted between the feveral trihes when living, their re- mains 4 8 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVEKY ^AUGUST, mains when dead were refpe&cd and fuffered to reft quietly and unmolested. Having fatisfied their curiofity in thefe re- fpe6ts, and having gained the head of the arm, they (topped to dine in a cove a little way from its termination. Hitherto the party had not fcen any of the natives, but at this time they were vifited by feveral who came chiefly from the head of the arm, where they muft have been fecreted, or they could not have efcaped being noticed. The number of thefe people accumu- lated very faffc, and in a very little time, they amounted to upwards of an hundred, amongft whom were a chief, and feveral of the Indians feen at the ifthmus on the preceding Thurfday and Sunday. Whatever might be the real inten- tion, or the difpofition of thefe ftrangers, their numbers and general appearance, induced Mr* Johnftone to dellre them to keep at a greater diftance ; this the Indians did not feem inclined to do, although every fign to that effect was made, and our party armed in readinefs for their defence. As their numbers increafed, fo were they encouraged to advance ; on fome mufkets being fired they flopped for a Ihort time, but foon again followed the boats as they returned down the arm, keeping juft without the reach of mufketry. Although thefe people had amongft them fome guns, and were othcrways well armed with 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. 40 with their native weapons, Mr. Johnftone did not impute to them any hoftile intention, but attributed the ardour with which they had ftriven to join our party, to a defire of bartering away their fea otter fkins, of which they appeared to have many, for European commodities. The fituation of the party on this occafion was in a very confined place, and being furrounded by fuch a tribe of armed Indians, with reafon to ap- prehend there might be others at no great dif_ tance, it became prudent to avoid, if poffible, a nearer intercourfe, by which alone the true fpirit of their defign could have been known, and in which they muft have been greatly interefted, as they continued to follow the boats, until after they had gained a more open fituation. One of the canoes now advanced before the reft, in which a chief ftood in the middle of it, plucking the white feathers from the rump of an eagle, and blowing them into the air, accompanied by fongs and other expreffions, which were received as tokens of peace and friendfhip. The canoe was now permitted to come alongfide Mr. John- Hone's boat, to whom the chief inftantly pre^ fented a fea otter fkin, for which Mr. Johnftone made him a fuitable return, with every expreffion likely to be underftood of his pacific difpofition ; the Indians feemed to be fmcere in their profef- fions alfo, as they now came to the boats un- Vol. VI. E armed, 50 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, armed, and with the utmoft confidence in their fecurity. Expreffions of mutual friendfhip were now exchanged, and on its being fignified to the chief, that as night was approaching the canoes fliould no longer follow the boats, he returned to the reft of his countrymen ; but they ftill continued to paddle after our boats until a muf- ket or two were difcharged, when they all drop- ped a-flern and were no more feen. However fatisfa£lory the latter part of the natives' condudl may appear to be, as to their friendly intentions, yet a diftruft which prudence on fuch occafions ought alwrays to fuggeft, in- duced Mr. Johnftone to proceed as far as he con- veniently could before he flopped for the night ; but as the fhore was quite fleep and compact they continued to row until after midnight, when they came to a grapnel, and refled in the boats. This day had proved extremely fatiguing to the people, as they had been nearly the whole of the twenty-four hours on their oars. In this route they had reached the main arm of Prince Fre- derick's found, and had found the fhores to form a large rounding, though not lofty promontory, in wThich were feveral fmall open bays, and near it feveral detached rocks. This promontory ob- tained the name of Point "Macartney, the weftern extremity of which is fituated in lati- tude 57° til* longitude 220° 12'. From hence the I7Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD- 51 the fhore trends N. 1 5 E. about a league/ where the width of the found is about feven miles acrofs, in a direction N. 47 W. to point Nepean. From this ftation N. 28 E., at the diftance of about a league and a half lies a fmall ifland, with patches of rocks from this point reaching nearly to its fhores. The promontory ffcill took a rounding dire&ion about N. 65 E., five miles further, from whence the fouthern Ihore of the found extends N. 75 E. feventeen miles, to the weft point of a fmall cove, the only opening in the fhore from point Macartney ; but off the little proje&ing points between this cove and that point, are detached rocks lying at no great diftance from the ftiore. This extent was not reached until the afternoon of the l6th, in con- sequence of the wind blowing hard from the eaftward, attended with a heavy rain, againft which they contended with their utmoft exer- tions, left the exhaufted ftate of their provifions lliould oblige them to retire before they could join the other party. This cove extended S. 34 E. about a league, where it terminated, and ac- cording to our furvey, formed a narrow ifthmus between it and the head of Duncan's channel, about two miles acrofs in a northern direction ; and is another ftriking inftance of the very ex- tenfive, and extraordinary infular ftate of the region lying before the weftern coaft of the E 2 American 52 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, American continent, between the 47th and 5gth degrees of north latitude. Having dined, the party refumed their furvey along the fouthern fide of the found, which took nearly an eaft direction. They had not far ad- vanced, when about five in the evening they had the joyful fatisfa£tion of meeting Mr. Whidbey and his party as before recited. Mr. Johnftone ftated, that the part of the eo&xk that had claimed his attention during his laffc excurfion is a peninfula, connected with the more eaftern land by the laft mentioned narrow ifthmus, and that it is by no means fo high or mountainous as the land compofing the adjacent countries on the oppofite or north-eaftern fide of the found, which at no great diftance confifted of very lofty, rugged, dreary, barren mountains, covered with ice and fnow ; but that the land compofing the peninfula was chiefly of moderate height, and produced a noble foreft of large and ftately pine trees of clean and ftraight growth, amongft w7hich were a few berry bufhes and fome alders. The ftiores along the bays and arms they had vifited were in general low, and prefented a probability that if the wood were cleared away, the foil of the country might be advantageoufly employed under cultivation. Thefe bays and arms abounded with a greater number of falmon and fea otters, than Mr. John- ftone 1 794-] ROUND THE WORLD. 53 ftone had obferved on any other part of the coaft ; and as they were found in the greateft abundance at the heads of thofe places, it was inferred that falmon, and other fmall fifh, form a large proportion of the food of the fea otters, which are thus induced to frequent thefe inland channels, to which at this feafon of the year fuch fifties refort. Mr. Whidbey in his obfervations on Admi- ralty ifland, remarks, that notwithftanding this iftand feemed to be compofed of a rocky fub- ftance covered with little foil, and that chiefly confifiing of vegetables in an imperfedl ftate of difTolution, yet like the peninfula juft adverted to, it produced timber, which he confidered as fuperior to any he had before noticed on this fide of America. He alfo ftates, that in his two laft excurfions feveral places were feen, where the ocean was evidently incroaching very rapidly on the land, and that the low borders extending from the bafe of the mountains to the fea fide, had, at no very remote period of time, produced tall and ftately timber ; as many of their dead trunks were found Handing eredl, and {till rooted fail in the ground, in different ftages of decay ; thofe being the moll perfect that had been the leaft fubje& to the influence of the fait water, by which they were furrounded on every flood tide : fuch had been the incroachment of the E 3 ocean 54 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, ocean on thefe fhores, that the fhorter ftumps in fome inftances at low water mark, were even with, or below the furface of the fea. This fame appearance has been noticed before in port Chalmers, and on this occafion Mr* Whidbey quotes other inftances of fimilar in- croachments not only in Prince William's found, but alfo in Cook's inlet ; where he obferved fimilar effects on the fhores, and is of opinion from thefe evidences, that the fhallow banks occupying lb large a part of Gray's harbour, have recently been produced by the operation of one and the fame caufe : and it is not lefs reafonable to conclude, that the waters of the North Pa- cific, have, poffibly for ages, had a general ten- dency to produce the fame effed, on all the coaft comprehended within the limits before men- tioned. A return of fair and clear weather on the 1 8th enabled them to fee that large trad: of broken land lying between Crofs found and cape Om- maney, which has been defcribed as having a range of high mountains capped with fnow ex- tending through it ; but from thefe ftill con- tinuing to have the appearance of being difunitcd in feveral places, it tended to corroborate our former opinion ; and although as before we had not had an opportunity of afcertaining the fad, I have been induced to confider the country as being 1794\] ROUND THE WORLD. 55 being divided into many iflands, and have for that reafon termed it an archipelago. The ftrait that feparates this land from the eaftern lhore, which after Lord Chatham, I have called Chat- ham Strait, Mr. Whidbey confiders as likely to be one of the mod profitable places for pro- curing the fkins of the fea otter, on the whole coaft ; not only from the abundance obferved in the pofleffion of the natives, but from the im- menfe number of thofe animals, feen about the fhores in all directions. Here the fea otters were in fuch plenty that it was eafily in the power of the natives to procure as many as they chofe to be at the trouble of taking. I was alfo given to underftand by Mr. Brown of the Jackal, who followed us through thefe regions, that the fea otter's fkins which he procured there were of an extremely fine quality. The principal object which His Majefty ap- pears to have had in view, in directing the un- dertaking of this voyage having at length been completed, I truft the precifion wTith which the furvey of the coaft of North Weft America has been carried into effect, will remove every doubt, and fet afide every opinion of a north-weft paf- fage> or any water communication navigable for ftiipping, exifting between the North Pacific, and the interior of the American continent, within the limits of our refearches. The difcovery that E 4 RQ 56 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, no fuch communication does exift has been zea- loufly purfued, and with a degree of minutenefs far exceeding the letter of my commifljpn or inftrudions ; in this refpe£t I might poffibly have incurred the cenfure of difobedience, had I not been intrufted with the mod: liberal, difcre- tionary orders, as being the fitteft and moft likely means of attaining the important end in quef- tion. The very detached and broken region that lies before fo large a portion of this coaft, rendered a minute examination altogether unavoidable : this had frequently the good effed: of facilitating the labours of our furvey, by its leading us through narrow, fhallow, intricate channels, which cut off extenfive trails of broken land, and by thus fhewing their feparation from the continent, their further examination became unimportant to the object of our inquiry. For this reafon I have confidered it effential to the illuftration of our furvey, to ftate very exactly not only the track of the veffels when navigating thefe regions, but likewife thofe of the boats when fo employed, as well when I was prefent myfelf, as wThen they were conducted by Mr. Whidbey or Mr. Johnftone, on whom the execution of that laborious and dangerous fervice principally fell, and to whom I feel myfelf in- debted for the zeal with which they engaged in it 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. 5/ it on all occafions. The perufal of thefe parts of our voyage to perfons not particularly intereftcd, I am confeious will afford but little entertain- ment ; yet I have been induced to give a detailed account, inftead of an abftra£t, of our proceed- ings, for the purpofe of illuftrating the charts accompanying this journal ; of fhewing the manner in which our time day by day had been employed ; and, for the additional purpofe, of making the hiftory of our tranfa<5iions on the north- weft coaft of America, as conchtfive as pof- Jible, again ft all fpeculative opinions refpeddng the exiftence of a hyperborean or mediterranean ocean w7ithin the limits of our furvey. I fhall now conclude the account of our trans- actions at this place by the infertion of fuch agronomical and nautical obfervations as were made during the time we palled at this ftation. On the 2d of Auguft in port Conclufion the chronometers fttew the following longitudes, viz, Arnold's No. 14, 225° 3f; Arnold's No. 176, 225° 38'; and Kendall's, 225° 347 30"; the true longitude being 225° 37' 30v/, it appeared that Arnold's No. 14 was 30/ to the weft ward, Ar- nold's No. 176, 30' to the eaftward, and Ken- dall's 2/ 30;/ to the weft ward of the true lon- gitude. By eighteen fets of obfervations taken between the 2d and 18th of Auguft on fhore with the artificial 58 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVEKY [ AUGUST, artificial horizon, Arnold's No. 14 was found to be faft of mean time at Greenwich at noon on the 1 8th of Auguft — 4h 38y 1 3" 30//V And to be gaining on mean time per day at the rate of, 24 00 Arnold's No. 1 76, fail of meantime at Greenwich on ditto 10 13 33 00 And gaining per day at the rate of, — — 49 37 Kendall's faft of mean time at Greenwich on ditto 9 8 30 00 And gaining per day at the rate of, — - — 26 II The mean variation by two compafles and eighteen fets of ob- fervations, differing from 24° Q1 to27°10/,was — 25° 30' The latitude of the place of obfervation by four meridional al- titudes, taken on fhore with the artificial horizon — 50 14 55 BOOK 1794.] POUND THE WORLD. 59 BOOK THE SIXTH. PASSAGE TO THE SOUTHWARD ALONG THE WESTERN COAST OF AMERICA; DOUBLE CAPE HORN; TOUCH AT ST. HELENA; ARRIVE IN ENGLAND. CHAPTER I. Depart from Port Condujion- — Arrival at Nootka — Tranfaflions there — Vifit Maquinna at Tah- jjiek — Agronomical Obfervatlons for correcting the Survey between Cape Douglas and Cape Dectjion, THE preparations that had been made for our departing immediately on the return of the boats, proved of little importance, as the S. E. gale which commenced on the day of their arrival, continued with little variation to blow very violently from the direction in which I pur- pofed to fteer, attended with very heavy rain, and thick foggy weather until Friday the 2 2d in the evening, when the atmolphere became fomewhat clearer, and the wind more moderate, Although it continued to be contrary to our purfuit, yet being completely tired of remaining in this inactive folitary fituation, I determined to put to fea, and with the Chatham departed from port Conclufion. We plied towards the ocean, but 60 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUGUST, but made little progrefs, as we were ftill attended by adverfe winds and thick foggy weather. It was not until the morning of Sunday the 24th that we reached the open ocean, in ac- complifhing of which, we w^ere in imminent danger of lofmg the veffels about twelve o'clock the preceding night, by being driven on cape Ommaney. The faint variable winds, and the great irregularity of the tides, fat us fo near to that promontory, and the rock that lies near it, that it required our utmoft efforts in towing to keep the velfels off from the land, and confe- quently from the inevitable definition that muft have followed. A very heavy weftern fvvell at this time broke with great fury not half a mile from us ; and as no anchorage, or even bottom could be found, our fituation for fome time was moft ferioufly alarming ; from which however, we were moft providentialiy extricated, by a gentle breeze fpringing up from the N. W. when in the moft perilous and critical ftate that can be imagined. This breeze by two in the morning, enabled us to gain a fufficient diftance from the fhore, to allow the boats, which had been employed in towing the fhip from the rocks, to be taken on board. In the execution of this bufmefs we had the misfortune of lofmg Ifaac Wooden, one of the cutter's crew, who unfortunately fell over- board ; 1794-] ROUND THE WORLD. 6l board ; and although a boat was inftantly fent to his affiftance, yet as he was no fwimmer, and as in falling he unluckily ftruck his head againft the boat's gunwale, he funk fo immediately that no help could be afforded him. This poor fel- low had aliifted in moll of the boat excurfions, was highly regarded by his comrades, and much regretted by his officers ; in fhort, he was a good man, and an active failor ; and to commemorate his unexpected and melancholy fate, I named the rock which lies off cape Ommaney, Wood en's Rock. At day-light we had a frefh gale from the N. W. and having now finally accomplished fo much of my commiffion, as appertained to the difcovery of any navigable water communica- tion, from the North Pacific into the interior of the American continent, my attention became dire6led to the adjuftment of thofe differences that had arifen in my negociation with Senr- Quadra as to the ceffion of Nootka ; under the idea that a Sufficient time had now elapfed, fince the departure of Lieutenant Broughton, for the arrival of the neceflary inftru6lions at that place, by w7hich I might be enabled to regulate my future conduct, with refpeft to the reflitution of thofe territories to the dominion of our Moft Gracious Sovereign. ti 62 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [AUGUST, In this 'expectation our courfe was directed fouth-eaftward towards Nootka, paffing about three leagues to the weft ward of the Hazy iflands ; thefe form a group of fmall rocky iflets a league in extent, lying S. 7 E. at the diftanee of 1(5 leagues from cape Ommaney ; S. 62 W. from cape Decifion; and three leagues weft from Coronation ifland, which is the neareft land to them. At noon the fouthernmoft land in fight; being cape de St. Bartolom, forming the north point of entrance into Puerto del Baylio Bucareli^ and difcovered by Scnr Quadra in 1775, bore by compafs 8. 87 E. ; the neareft flhore was a con~ fpicuous promontory, which I diftinguifhed by the name of Cape Addington after the fpeaker of the Houfe of Commons, N. 73 E., diftant four or five leagues ; Warren's ifland in the en- trance of Clarence's ftrait, N. Q E. ; mount Calder,N. 1 E.; Coronation illand from N. 13 W. to N. 30 W. ; and cape Ommaney, N. 44 W* In this fituation the obferved latitude was 55* 2Q!/, and the longitude, agreeably to the pofition of feveral confpicuous ftations as fixed by former obfervations, and now very accurately correfpond- ing, was found to be 225° 58' ; but by the chro- nometers, allowing their rate and error as afcer- tained at port Conclufion, the longitude was by Kendall's chronometer 226° 41 , by Arnold's No. 14/ 226° 3' 45", and by No. 170, 226° 15( 30"; hence 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. 63 hence it would appear, that fome alteration in their rate of going had taken place fince the laft ohfervations were made in port Conclufion, on the evening of the 1 8th ; and particularly in No. 1/(3, which it is neceffary to remark, had been there taken on Ihore for the purpofe of obfer- vation. In the afternoon we paffed cape del St. Bar- tolom, which, according to our obfervations, is fituated in latitude 55° 12f;, longitude 220° 34'. From this cape, in a direction S. 21 E. at the diftance of 1 4 miles, and 1 2 miles from the neareft part of the contiguous fhore, lies a very low flat rocky iilet, furrounded by rocks and breakers, that extend fome diftance from it ; from thefe circumftances, and from its being fo far diftant from the main land, it is rendered one of the moft dangerous impediments to naviga- tion that we had met with on the exterior coalt; and hence it obtained the name of the Wolf Rock. S. 1 1 W. from this rock, at the diftance of three leagues, lies a fmall high ifland, named by Mr. Dixon, Forrefter's Ifland ; between thefe we pafled, and fo far as we became acquainted with the channel, it appeared to be clear and free from interruption. After paffmg Forrefter's iiland (Monday 25) our courfe was directed towards the north- wreft point of Queen Charlotte's iilands, with an in- tention 64 A VOYAGE OV DISCOVERY [AUGUST, tentioii of examining their exterior coaft, for the purpofe of correcting any error that might have occurred in our former furvey ; but this we were unable to accomplifh, on account of the thick hazy or foggy weather which for the mod part obfcured the land from our view, and when vifible, it was feen but indiftindily. This wea- ther was attended by calms, or light variable winds, fo adverfe to our purfuit, that it was not until Monday the Hit of September, that we gained fight of the wefternmoft of Scot's iflands. At noon this iiland bore by compafs N. 8 E. and our obferved latitude being 50° 2l', fhewed the longitude to be 230° 35' ; but by the chro- nometers allowing the rate as before ftated, Ken- dall's chronometer gave 230° 46' 45" ; Arnold's No. 14, 230° 45' 45" \ and No. 1 76, 23 1° o' ]5/;. Now, although we were not pofitively certain as to the identical part of the ifland to which thefe calculations applied, (it being but juft vifible in the horizon) yet, concluding the longitude as had been afcertained by its bearings, and the ob- ferved latitude of the fhip to be moil corred ; the former opinion, that the chronometers had varied fmce our laft obfervations by them in poit Conclufion, was now very much ftrengthened, as we were thoroughly convinced that no error, cither in making the prefent or any of the former obfervations, had taken place ; the moffc parti- cular I7Q4.} round the world. 65 cular care and attention having ever been ob- ferved throughout the whole voyage on all fuch occafions. The wind at N. W. gradually increafed to a gentle gale, accompanied by clear and pleafant weather, which brought us by fix in the evening of the following day, Tuefday the 2d, to an an- chor in Friendly cove, Nootka found ; here we found His Catholic Majefty's armed velfels the Princifla, Aranfalu, and the St. Carlos, belonging to the eftablifhment at St. Bias, with the Phoe- nix bark, commanded by Mr. Hugh Moor, from Bengal ; the floop Prince le Boo, one of Mr, Brown's fquadron, commanded by Mr. Gordon from China, who had been employed in collect* ing furs during the fummer upon this coaft, moftly to the northward of Nootka ; befide thefe Englifh traders, was the Wafhington, JL Kendrick, commander, of Bofton in America ; who had been employed in the fame purfuit, but whofe velfel was now under repair. The Princiffa commanded by Sen1" Fidalgo had arrived from St. Bias only the day before, and had brought hither Brigadier General Don Jofe Manuel Alava, colonel of the regiment of Puebla, and governor of Nootka. The appointment of this gentleman as gover- nor of Nootka had taken place in confequence of the death of our highly valuable and much Vol- VL F efteemed 66 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [SEPT. efleemed friend Sen1 Quadra, who in the month of March had died at St. Bias, univerfally la- mented. Having endeavoured, on a former occafion, to point out the degree of admiration and refped with which the conduct of Sen- Quadra towards our little community had im* prefTed us during his life, I cannot refrain, now that he is no more, from rendering that juftice to his memory to which it is fo amply intitled, by Hating, that the unexpected melancholy event of his deceafe operated on the minds of us all, in a way more eafily to be imagined than defcribed ; and whilft it excited our in oft grateful acknow- ledgments, it produced the deepeft regret for the lofs of a chara&er fo amiable, and fo truly orna- mental to civil fociety. The Difcovery having in the courfe of the day greatly outfailed the Chatham, the latter did not arrive until after dark ; for this reafon, our formal vifit to the governor was deferred until the day following. Mr. Puget had come down the coaft from Woody point, much nearer to the Hiore than we had done ; and from him I learned that between the entrance of the found, and the breakers which are about feven or eight miles to the wxftward of it, he had met with much fea- weed ; growing about two miles from the Ihore in very irregular depths of wrater, from five to ten fathoms, rocky bottom, until within about two 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD* 6/ two miles of Friendly cove, when the fea-weed difappeared, and the depth of wrater greatly in- creafed. On Wednefday morning the 3d, we waited upon the governor, who ftill refided on board the Princiffa, where we were received by him and Senr Fidalgo with marks of the mo ft polite and friendly attention. I was foon given to under- ftand by Senr Alava, that his appointment to this government had taken place as above Hated for the particular purpofe of finifhing the pending negociation, refpe&ing the ceffion of thefe terri- tories; which, in confequence of the different conftru6tion put on the firft article of the Spa- nifli convention, of the twenty-eighth of October l/90> by tl\e Jate Senr Quadra and myfelf, had, fince the month of September 1 7Q2, been intirely fufpended. The prefent governor however was ftill unprovided with the credentials neceflary for finifhing this bufinefs; but on his departure from St. Bias in June, thefe documents were hourly expected, and a veffel was waiting there in rea- dinefs to be difpatched to this port, provided they arrived in time for her reaching Nootka on or before the 15 th of October ; but in the event of her not being able to effect a paffage by that time, (he was to repair to Monterrey. In confe- quence of this arrangement Senr Alava purpofed to remain here until that period fliould arrive; F 2 and 6S A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [SEPT. and ds no communication from England, either of a public or private nature, had yet reached me, I confidered it to be highly probable, that a du- plicate of my inftrudtions for the like purpofe might be tranfmitted by the fame conveyance. Under this impreffion, and the confederation of many other circumftances relative to the fitua- tion of both vefTels, I thought it moft advifeable to determine on remaining till that period with Sen1' Alava; indeed it was not very likely, from the various important duties we had now to exe- cute, with the inadequate means we poflelTed for doing fo, that we fhould be enabled to proceed much before that time. Our ftore of cordage was completely exhaufted, nor had we a fathom of rope but what wras then in ufe; the whole of it was much worn, and had been fpliced in feveral places, and therefore it became neceffary to con- trive fome means for procuring a fupply before xvc could venture to fca again. The quantity which our Spanifh friends, or the trading veflels in this port, were likely to afford us, was very inadequate to our neceffities, which obliged us to refort to the expedient of converting fome of our cables into cordage. This would necefTarily prove a tedious bufmefs, efpecially as we had to conftrudl a machine for that purpofe. The Chatham was not only in a fimilar predicament with refped: to cordage, but Ihe required caulk- 1 ROUND THE WORLD* 69 ing, and immediate repair in fome of her plank, that was found to be rotten. Both veflels de- manded many fpars to be cut and prepared; the fails and cafks flood in need of great repair ; and it had become efTentiaily important, that the ob- fervatory fhould be eredied on fliore, for the pur- pofe of afcertaining more pofitively the rate and error of our chronometers, in order to correal our furvey from cape Douglas to cape Decifion]; for notwithftanding that I had little doubt in my own mind of the mode that had been purfued, yet I was fenfible that correfponding obferva- tions at this place would be very fatisfadtory. With thefe objects in contemplation, our time was not likely to be unprofitably employed; and although I would gladly have poftponed the exe- cution of thefe feveral talks until our arrival in a more fouthern clime, where we had reafon to believe the weather wrould be more favorable to our wifhes, and where the neceffary refrefhments of which we all flood fo much in need, might have been procured in great abundance ; yet it would have been highly indifcreet, and extremely dangerous, for the vefTels to have put to fea again, until afupply of cordage could be provided. In addition to this, other circumftances feemed to demand, that I fhould remain within the reach of any difpatches that might have been forwarded through New Spain ; which could only be done F 3 by 70 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [SEPT. by flaying here, or reforting to fome of the fouth- ern Spanifh fettlements, where we fhould lofe the advantage of procuring the fpars and plank which were now required ; and as moft of our bufmefs muft have been ill executed on board the vefTels, I felt little encouragement, w7hen I refie&ed on the treatment we had experienced the preceding year from the acting governor of California, to exped: being indulged with per- miflion for performing it on fhore, in any of the ports under his jurifdidion. Thefe weighty confiderations induced me to refolve on continuing at Nootka until all our im- portant operations were completed ; and if in the mean time I fliould receive any inftrudions for the government of my conduct, as to the refti- tution of thefe territories, by the expected Spanifh packet, or by any other conveyance, I fhould be upon the fpot to ad with Sen1' Alava as the nature of my orders might require. I took an early opportunity of reprefenting to Senr Alava our neceffitous condition, ^nd re- quefted his permiffion to ered our obfervatory and tents on fhore. To this requeft he gave his moft hearty concurrence, and feemed very ear- neflly to regret, that the flate of their eftablifh- ment precluded him frpm adminiftering to our wants in that effedual manner, to which he was prompted by his inclinations, Senr 3 7Q4.J ROUND THE WORLD. 7i Senr Saavadra, who had remained in charge of Nootkafince our former vifit, joined our party on board the PrincifTa, where the day paflTed in mak- ing inquiries about the civilized world, and in deploring the turbulent and unhappy {late of Eu- rope. The melancholy circumftances that had been detailed by Mr. Brown, were now con- firmed by thefe gentlemen to the clofe of the year 1793 ; and we became much concerned by the events that had happened, and alarmed at the fatal conlequences which it was natural to fup^ pofe they rnuft produce. The weather was gloomy with continual rain, but it did not prevent Maquinna and Clewpaneloo, writh fome other chiefs, and a few of the natives, from vifiting the veffels. The two former re- ceived fuch compliments as were fuitable to their rank, with which they were highly fatisfied ; and the latter difpofed of a fcanty fupply of fifh at a very exorbitant price. Fifli had become of great value amongft thefe people, as, either from the badnefs of the feafon during the preceding furrw mer, or from their neglect and inattention irt providing their ufual fupply for the winter, they had experienced the greateft diftrefs for want of provifions during that period ; and had not Senr* Saavadra adminiftered to their relief, many of them would probably have fallen a facrifice to the fcarcity. And although the provident care F 4 he 72 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [sEPT, he had taken was inadequate to all that was de- manded of him, yet the affiflance he had been able to afford them, was, much to the credit of the natives, acknowledged by them with the molt grateful expreffions. The governor, Sen5 Fidalgo, Saavadra, and fome others of the Spanifh officers, honored us with a return of our vifit on Thurfday morning the 4 th ; but in confequence of our reduced ftock of powder, I was under the neceffity of declining the ufual ceremony of faluting, which was very politely excufed and difpenfed with by the whole party. The weather continued very rainy and un- pleafant until Saturday morning the 6th, when the clouds difperfed with a breeze from the weft- ward, and the weather became clear and agree- able. The tents, obfervatory, and inftruments, were now fet on fhore; the fails dried and un- bent, and our various fervices were put in a train for execution, in which we were affifted by fome Spanifh caulkers and carpenters, who were em- ployed on board the Chatham ; and on Monday following, the 8th, having conftrudted a machine, we began making rope from the materials of a new bower cable. Whilft the wind continued in the weftern quarter, it regularly died away every evening ; and though the night light airs prevailed from the I704.] HOUND THE WORLD, 73 the land, which were fucceeded by the refrefhing wefterly breeze from the fea in the day time, accompanied by cheerful pleafant weather ; which, with the advantage of the fociety we here met, made our time pafs as agreeably as could well be expedied in thefe rude and diftant re- gions. On Wednefday the 10th the wind again blew frefh from the S. E. and exhibited another of the very rare inftances of lightning and thunder in this country, which with torrents of rain con- tinued moil: of the night. The wind returned again to the weftward on Thurfday evening the 11th, and brought with it fair and pleafant weather ; with which the Aranfafu failed for St. Bias, and through Senr Alava's civility, I tranfmitted by this opportu- nity a letter to the Admiralty, ftating our having accomplished the furvey of North Weft Ame- rica, and the expectation I was in of receiving their final inftrudtions for the accompiifhment of the other objects of my commiffion. Both wind and weather, as might reafonably be expelled on the approach of the autumnal equinox, became now very changeable ; on the 13 th the atmofphere wTas dark and gloomy, with drifting fbowers ; and the wind from the S. E., which in the afternoon fuddenly fhifted to the IS". E., blew in heavy fqualls, accompanied by a very 74 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [SEPT. very heavy fall of rain. Notwithftanding that the wind came directly from the land, yet towards midnight, when the gale feemed to be at its height, an extremely heavy fwell rolled in from the ocean, and broke with great fury on the fliores of the found that were expofed to its in- fluence ; and even thofe of this little cove were by the furge greatly annoyed. This kind of wea- ther continued until Wednefday the l/th, and much retarded our feveral works, which could not yet be confidered as in any ftate of forward- nefs. The violence of the equinoctial gales from this time feemed to have abated, and a feries of fair weather, with regular land and fea breezes, enabled our people to make all the progrefs that the tedious nature of their feveral labours would permit. Since our arrival we had occafionally been vi- fited by Maqtiinna, Clevopaneloo, with fome of the inferior chiefs, and many of the inhabitants, who fold us a few fifh, and brought to market fome venifon ; but moft of thefe people had now retired to their winter habitations up the found. Thefe Senr Alava exprefTed a defire to vifit, and as we all knew that fuch an excurfion would be highly flattering to Maqahma, and to the other chiefs and people, a party was formed with three of our boats, and a Spanifh launch to carry the luggage. Notwithftanding that we w7ere well perfuadcd / ) ROUND THE WORLD. ?5 perfuaded of the friendly difpofition of the na- tives, yet I confidered it necefiary that the boats Ihould be equipped for defence, as on all other fuch occafions. The fettled Hate of the wea- ther had now not only favored and forwarded all our tranfa6Hons, but was extremely inviting to the relaxation we had in view, Senrs Alava and Fidalgo, with Mr. Menzies, accompanied me in the Discovery's yawl ; Mr. Paget, attended by fome of the officers of the Chatham, was in the cutter ; Lieutenant Swaine, with fome of the gentlemen of the Difcovery, were in our large cutter ; and with thofe in the Spanifh. launch, our party confided of fifty-fix officers and men. No doubt was entertained that Maquinna, who had been informed of the honor intended him, would be in readinefs to receive us, and for this reafon our courfe was firfi directed towards Tahflieis, the place of his refi- dence. But as we were not much affifted by the wind, it was near fun-fet before we arrived at a very pleafant fpot not far from Maquinna s village, where we pitched our tents ; and as the day was too far advanced, our ceremonial vifit was deferred until the next day, and a meflage to that effect was fcnt by Clewpaneloo, who had attended us from the fhips. But Maquinna, who with his people was in readinefs to receive US; inftantly difpatched a mefienger, requefting that 76 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [SEPT. that we would repair to his refidence that evern ing. This however we thought proper to de- cline, but in order that Maquhma might be fa- tisfied of our intentions to vifit him in the morn- ing, fome of the gentlemen walked to the vil- lage, and explained to him, that it was the late- nefs of the hour only that prevented our then complying with his requeft. Matters being comfortably arranged for the night, centinels were planted, as well to avoid any furprize from the natives, as to prevent our own people from ftraying to their habitations, from whence difputes or mifunderftandings might have arifen ; ftrict orders were iflued to this effect, and being uniformly adhered to, the night palfed without the leaft interruption. After breakfaft on Friday morning the 20th, we proceeded with the four boats to Tahfheis, and were welcomed on our approach to the fhore by a vociferous old man, exclaiming <( WacoJlt> Wacojh by which he meant to exprefs friend- fiiip, and the good intentions of the natives to- wards us, Thefe fentiments being returned in a fimilar manner by our party, we landed, and were received by Maquhma and two of his bro- thers,. WhaclaJJe pultz, and Tatooclifeatltcu$r with repeated expreffions of V Wacofli" until we were almoft ffcunned with their gratulations. This ceremony being concluded, we were conduced through 1/0)4.] ROUND THE WORLD. 77 through the village to Maquinnas habitation, where we were led to feats prepared and covered with clean mats at the upper end of the houfe. Having taken our feats, about thirty men be- gan eac h to beat with a ftick on a hollow board, in order to alfemble the inhabitants of the vil- lage to that fpot ; this fummons being readily obeyed, Maquinna informed the alfembled crowd with great earneftnefs, and in a fpeech of fome length, that our vifit was to be confidered as a great honor done to him, and that it had taken place in confequence of the civil and or- derly behaviour of all the inhabitants of the found under his authority towards the Englifh and the Spaniards. This, he obferved, was not the cafe with Wkanant/Ji, or any other chief whofe people committed ac°ts of violence and depredation on the veflels and their crews that vifited their country ; but that fuch behaviour was not pra who, he faid, was highly pleafed by the trouble he had taken in paying him this diftant vifit ; and that, as a proof of Maquinna s fincerity, he was then about to make fome return for the repeated inftances of friendfhip he had experienced, by placing a fea otter fkin at the feet of Senr Alava, 1 then re- ceived a fimilar compliment, as did Senr Fidalgo and Mr. Puget, after which Senr Alava and my- felf were each prefented with a fecond fea otter fkin, which concluded the ceremonies of this vifit. The day was not yet far advanced ; and being fair and pleafant, we amufed ourfelves in (trolling through the village ; and found it, although ex- tenfive, far from being numeroufly inhabited. This was accounted for by Maquinna, who (rated, that many families were ftill abfent, not having Vol. VI G yet. 82 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [SEPT, yet procured their ftock of provifions for the en- fuing winter feafon ; at which time, if all their habitations are fully occupied, its population can- not be much lefs than eisht or nine hundred perfons. Maqut?ma\ habitation was confider- ably larger than any of the others, and had a very fuperior advantage over them all by being lefs filthy ; it was at prefent not more than half occupied, nor w^as it intirely covered in, though it did not appear to have been recently erected ; but we r emained ignorant of the reafon why fo large a proportion of the roof remained unfinifh- ed. The conftrudtion of the Nootka houfes, efpecially with refped: to their infide, has been fo fully treated by Captain Cook, as to preclude any material addition from my pen; yet it is Angularly remarkable, (although particularly re- prefented in Mr. Webber's drawing of the vil- lage in friendly Cove) that Caotain Cook fhould not have taken any notice whatever in his journal, of the immenfe pieces of timber Which are raifed, and horizontally placed on wooden pillars, about eighteen inches above the roof of the iargeft houfes in that village ; one of wrhich pieces of timber was of fize fufficicnt to have made a lower maft for a third rate man of war. Thefe, to- gether v/ith the large images, were at that time fuppofed to denote the habitation of the chief, or principal pcrfon of the tribe ; and the opinion then 3 ROUND THE WORLD. 83 then formed, has been repeatedly confirmed by obfervations made during this voyage. One or more houfes in many of the deferted villages, as well as in moft of the inhabited ones we had vifited, were thus diftinguifhed. On the houfe of Maquin?ia were three of thefe immenfe fpars ; the middle piece was the largeft, and meafured at the but-end nearly five feet in diameter ; this extended the whole length of the habitation, which was about an hundred feet Ions;. It was placed on pillars of wood ; that which fupported it within the upper end of the houfe was about fifteen feet in circumference, and on it was carved one of their diftorted reprefentations of a gigantic human figure. We remained totally unacquainted with the intention of, or the pur- pofe that was to be anfwered by, thefe fingulaf roof trees ; but it is natural to fuppofe that they muft be directed to fome important object, as the raifing of fuch immenfe mafics of timber twelve or fourteen feet from the ground, and placing them firmly on the pillars by which they are fupported, muft, to a people fo totally devoid of mechanical powers, be a moft tedious and labo- rious operation. Our curiolity being fatisfied, and our pockets completely emptied by the unremitting foiici- tations of the inhabitants of Tahfheis, of the ftock of trinkets with which wre had been provided, 0 2 we 84 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [SEPT. we proceeded to the upper end of the arm, which afforded me an opportunity of explaining to Senr Alava the manner, in which the numerous channels and branches in the continent he had feen delineated on our charts, terminated; as this ended in the fame way, by a low border of land in the front of a valley, through which fome fmaU ftreams of water were difcharged ; but the adjacent fhores were infinitely lefs high than we had been accuftomed to obferve ; where having ftrolled a little about in the Ikirts of the woods, we returned to our encampment. Here we found Maquinna with feveral of our Tahfheian friends^ who were vefy folicitous that we fhould return and partake ih the evening of an entertainment fimilar to that we had received in the morning ; but as we had appointed to be at home on Sun- day morning, and had promifed a vifit to our friend Clewpaneloo at his principal refidence, called Mooetchee, which was at a considerable diftance from Tahfheis, it was not in our power to com- ply with the civil folicitations of Maqmnna and his fraternity. 0 We were honored at dinner with the com- pany of Maquinna, mod of his family, and many of the other chiefs ; who, with the moffc un- equivocal affurances of their friendship, and with cxpreffions of the great pleafure they had derived from I7Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. 85 from our vifit, bad us farewell after dinner, and we departed. As Mooetchee 1$ fituated near the upper part of the next branch to the eaftward of Tahfheis channel, our route was directed back by the way we had come ; and having reached in the even- ing the dividing nomt of thefe two arms of the fea, which is fituated about N. 0 E. fix or feven miles from Friendly cove, we pitched our tents for the night, in order to have the day before us for vifiting Clewpancloo, whofe habitation was about feven or eight miles from vis ; towards which place, after break fail, on Saturday morning the 27th, we proceeded ; and as our vifit was not intended to be a very long one, the Spanifh launch was left in a pleafant Situation, in order to pitch the encampment, and provide a dinner againft our return ; by wdiich means our journey- to the iliip the next day would be materially lhortened. Our progrefs was not very rapid, as both wind, and the ftream which I believe in general runs down, were adverfe to our purfuit, which was through a region fb wild and inhos- pitable in its appearance, as* occafioncd Sen1" Alava frequently to exprefs his altonifhment, that it could ever have been an objedi of con- tention between our rcfpecftive Sovereigns. The fhores either conftituted impenetrable foreits, produced from the finuies of a rugged rocky G 3 country, 86 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [SEPT. country, or were formed by ftupendous barren precipices, rifmg perpendicularly from the water to an immenfe height ; fo that, excepting the ice and cataracts to which we had been accuftomcd in many other inftances, Senr Alava was enabled from this fhort excurfion to form a very com- plete idea of the general character of thofe coun- tries to the northward of this ftation, which had fo long occupied our time and labour. It was nearly three in the afternoon before wc reached the village of Mooetchee, which con- fided of a few houfes huddled together in a cove, with as little regularity in the difpofal of them as was apparent in the condud: of its inhabitants, who crowded about us, and produced us much inconvenience, although with the moll inoffen- five and peaceable defign. Our friend Clewpa- neloo, though their chief, feemed not to Doffefs fufficient influence to reftrain this behaviour, even within his own habitation, to which we were conduced by a very narrow pail age be- tween the houfes ; the filth of which, and the combination of fo many offenfive exhalations, rendered it highly necefiary to our feelings, that as much difpatch as poflible fhould be ufed in the distribution of our prefects, which, when effected, would leave us perfectly at liberty to depart, without giving the leaft offence to our holt or to any of his friends. On this occafion, ceremonies '1/Q4. J ROUND THE WORLD. 87 ceremonies iirnilar to thofe pra£tifed at Tahfhies were liere obierved ; but the want of order and decorum, independently of the difference in point of numbers between Tahfheis and Mooetchee, evinced the inferiority of Maqulnnas authority, when compared with that of the neighbouring chiefs ; amongft whom Cleivpaneloo was reputed to be one of the for ft in wealth and power ; and I certainly noticed as many of their large fquar.e boxes, in which they generally ykccp their valu- ables, in his habitation, as I had done in almoft all the other houfes collectively taken, but what they contained we did not entirely, learn ; yet. if credit were to be gi-v&Q to our landlord, they were all well appropriated, being, according to his account, filled with the "linns of the lea otter, bear, deer, martm, and other animals of the country, or with copper, iron, cloth, and other European commodities. Our part- being performed, and our {lore of prefects cxhauired, we returned to our boats, ac- companied by Cle-ivpanekoy who made us in re- turn pre (cuts limiSar to thofe we had received from jSlaquhma ; to which he added one infi- nitely more valuable than ail the red. This was a very fine buck, juit killed ; which bein^ depo- rted in cur boat, we took leave oi Mooetchee, amiult reiterated acclamations of " Y/acofli, IVa- cout,'' wi'ch repeated intreatics of the moll friendly G 4 nature 88 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [SEPT. nature to prolong our ftay; but as the day was now far advanced, no time was loft in making the beft of our way towards the ftation wh<:re the Spanifh launch had been left ; this we reach- ed in the evening, and found every thing com- fortably prepared for our reception. As we bent our way homewards the next morning, we flopped at an anchoring place called by the natives Mowenna, in great repute with the traders on this coaft, and particularly fo with the Americans, # It is fituated on the weftern lide of the found, between four and five miles to the northward of Friendly cove, over which it poffeftes (though further from the fea) feveral advantages in point of fecurity and accommoda- tion. The land in its neighbourhood continues to be low to a greater diftance than about Friendly cove, and feems to be compofed of lefs rocky materials. The extent of this harbour is but fmall, but being well protected againft all winds, and its diftance from the ocean prevent- ing its being much afFe&ed by the fwell, feveral vefifels might ride here in perfedl fafety ; and as it has a fair navigable channel out of it in a foutherly direction, veflels can fail out of this harbour whenever the land wind prevails to pufh them clear of the found, with infinitely more eafe than from Friendly cove ; out of which, they are fir ft obliged to warp a conhderablc dif- tance.* 1794-] ROUND THE WORLD. 89 tance, and to anchor not only in an inconvenient depth of water, but on an uneven rocky bottom ; in addition to which, in the event of the wind fuddenly fetting in ftrong from the fea, their fituation becomes by no means pleafant. The departure from Friendly cove, although not dif- ficult in the fummcr feafon, yet (as I have been given to underftand) is fubject in the winter to great, and indeed dangerous, inconvenience, from the heavy fea which rolls in ftormy weather into the found; efpecially during the S. E. gales, againft which, from its vicinity to the ocean, it is not fufficiently protected. As a military eftab- lifhment however, it is greatly to be preferred to Mowenna, as nothing can pafs or repafs into the found unobferved at Friendly cove. About noon we arrived on board. Nothing of any moment had occurred during our ab- fence ; the weather, which had been favorable to our excurfion, had been fo likewifc to the fe- veral employments of re-equipment, though we had yet much remaining to perform. On Monday afternoon the 29th, arrived a very fmali fhip called the Jenny, belonging to Brifto! ; the fame veffel that had vifited Nootka in Oc- tober, 1 7Q2, then rigged as a three- mailed fchoo- ner, and commanded by Mr. Baker, who had proceeded in her to England, with the cargo of furs he had then collected. She was now com- manded 90 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVER If [oCTOBF-R, manded by a Mr. John .Adamfon, who had re- turned with her from England, and had in the courfe of the preceding fummer in the neighbour- hood of Queen Charlotte's iflands, collected up- wards of two thoufand lea otter {kins, with which he was bound to the Chinefe market, and from Canton was to be employed as packet in the fer- vice of the Baft India Company. He brought us the agreeable intelligence of having met Mr. Brown in the Jackal on the coaft, in the latitude of 5'4°, for whofe fafety we had entertained feme apprehenfion ; for when we left Mr. Brown in port Althorp, it was his intention to proceed to the fcuthward through the inland navigation, and as the inhabitants of thofe fhores had a6led a very fufpicious part towards Mr. Whidbey, we were fearful left Mr. Brown's ftnall force might not have been equal to his protection. The ferenity of the weather continued to favor our operations with little interruption. The wind blew for a few hours on the afternoon of Tuefday the 30th, from the S. E attended v ith rain; but the N. W. wind again prevailed, and the weather became fair and p^aflint the next morning, Wednesday the lit of O&cher. On the day f allowing, Thurfday the^nd, I was honored with the company of the Governor, Senrs Fidalgo, Saavadra, and moftof the Span; ill officers to dine on board the Dilcovery. The very $7Q4.] HOUND THE WORLD. § 1 very exhaufted ftate of my {lores, and flock of articles ncceflary on fuch occafions, had pre- cluded my receiving this pleafure fo frequently as I could have wifhed. I was very agreeably furprized by receiving a meflage t rom the governor on Saturday the 4th, in the afternoon, purporting that the expedied Spanifh packet from St. Bias was in the ofSng ; thefe however were but fhort-lived hopes, for wc no fooncr had recourfe to our glaifcs, than wc became of opinion that the veflel in qucftion was the Jackal. But as the wind at this time blew ftrong from the S. E. attended with dark, rainy, hazy weather, and as fhe could not reach the port before dark, ftus frood to lea again ; during the night the S. E. gale increafed with inceffant rain, and a very heavy fwell rolled into the found; the next day, Sunday the oth, the weather was more moderate, and in the evening the Jackal arrived. It was now that I received the information of Mr. Brown's having pafled through the (hallow paffage mentioned in ML Wh id bey's laft furvey in the boats, which appertaining immediately to the region then under conlideration, I thought it moll properly introduced in the narrative of that expedition. Since our feparation with the Jackal, Mr. Brawn had collected upwards of a thoufand prime fea otter fkiiis, and feverai of inferior quality. Moil of thefe had been pro- cured Q2 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [oCTOBERj cured from thofe people, whofe conduct had put on fuch a fufpicious appearance in the opinion of Mr. Whidbey and his party, in his way from Crofs found : they had behaved very properly to Mr. Brown, whofe readinefs to enter into a traf- fic with them might probably operate in gaining their good opinion; for it had been evident, on many occafions, that our difmclination to a com- mercial intercourfe had excited the difpleafure of fevcral tribes we had met with ; this opinion was confirmed, by their ufual formalities on firffc vifiting the veffels, which generally concluded with a deiire to open a negociation for the dif~ pofal of their merchandize. As the month of October advanced, we knew perfectly well, both from our former and prefent experience, that the fummer feafonof this country was fail drawing to a conclufion, and as moil of our material bufinefs with the Ihore was now nearly finifhed, I took the advantage of Monday, being a fair day, to receive on board the obfer- vatory inftruments and tents. Our fuel and w7ater was yet, however, to complete, which would unavoidably detain us three or four days longer, fo that waiting the ftipulated time, after which the Spanifh packet was not to be ex- pected, could now be of little moment, when compared to the importance her arrival might poffibly be of, in expediting our return to Eng- land. 1 7940 ROUND THE WORLD, 03 land. This, however did not happen, nor did any circumflance worthy of notice take place during this anxious interval. At midnight on the lOth we put to fea, in company with the Chatham. The Princiffa, Captain Fidalgo, with Governor Alava on board, was to follow us the next day. Monterrey was appointed as the next rendezvous, where thefe officers entertained little doubt of our meeting a reception, and every re- fpe6l fuitable to our fituation and wifhes. In this opinion I was induced to concur, from a con- verfation that had lately paffed between Senr Alava and myfelf, when I became acquainted that the reprefentation I had made to Sen1* Quadra of the treatment we had received on our former vifit to New Albion, had in confequence of his deceafe been tranfmitted to the viceroy at Mexi- co, whofe very humane and liberal intentions towards us, had no doubt, been materially mif- underftood by Senr Arrillago. Having bad farewell to Nootka, and made fuch remarks on our ordinary tranfactions there as appeared to me deferving attention, I fhali now proceed to flate the refult of our labours at the obfervatory, and fhew from what authority I deduced the longitude of the various flations in our late furvey, which in many inftances differs materially from the longitude affigned to them by Captain Cook, I have already ftated my reafons C)4 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [OCTOBER, reafons for fubfcribing to our own calculations irt preference to thofe made by Captain Cook ; and mult again repeat, that I have prefumed ib to do, under the conviction of our having had the means of being accurate, more fully in our power than fell to the lot of that renowned and illuftri- ous navigator. On September 6th , in Nootka found the chro- nometers fhew the following longitudes; viz. Arnold's No. 14, 232° 32' 50;/; Arnold's No. 176, 232° 32' 53". The true longitude being 232° 31' 30", it appeared that Arnold's No. 14, and Kendall's, were each of them 1° 0' 4 0/;, and Arnold's No. 176, 44' 25lf to the weftward of the true longitude. On the 6th of O&ober at noon, Arnold's No. 176 was found by the mean of twenty-nine days equal altitudes, to be fafi: of mean time at Green- wich - 10h 4Q' 45" 567// And to be gaining on mean time per day at the rate of, 4157 Arnold's No. 14, faft of mean time on the fame day, 4 57 10 56 And gaining on mean time per day at the rate of, - 2 3 4 Kendall's, fail of mean time on ditto, - - - 9305256 And nainimi on mean time per dav, -• 28 30 By 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. Q5 By obfervations taken on fhore with the arti- ficial horizon, between the Oth of September and 11th of October, 17Q4, the chronometers were found to be gaining on mean time, viz. Arnold's No. i;6, 41" 57,n; Arnold's No. 14, 23" 0!/l ; and Kendall's, 28" 2Qin per day; by which it appeared, that when opportunities did not offer cf obtaining equal altitudes for afcertaining the rates of the chronometers, common altitudes if taken with care, would anfwer the fame pur- pofc; this is exemplified by the above obferva- tions, as the difference of the rate between twro of the chronometers was only one fourth, and that of the other, viz. Arnold's No. 1/6, rather more than half a fecond, "which is accounted for by the very unequal rate in general of that chro- nometer. The latitude, longitude, variation, and incli- nation of the magnetic needle, were found to be the fame as on our firft vifit to this place in the year If® 2, CHAPTER 96 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [oCTOBEK, CHAPTER If. Depart from Nootla Sound — Violent Storm — Ar- rive at Mo?iterrey— Receive on board theDeferters from the Chatham and Dadalus — -Excur/ton into the Country — Examine a very remarkable Moun- tain— Agronomical and Nautical Obfervations. ALIGHT breeze from the land favored out progrefs out of Nootka found, and by day- light on Friday the 17th, we were about three leagues from the land, when the wind fuddenly died away, and was fucceeded by a calm with thick hazy weather continuing the whole of the day, and giving the veffels an appearance of being ftationary ; the depth of water continued to be the fame from noon until midnight, 75 fathoms, muddy bottom. At this time the haze was fuc- ceeded by a very thick fog, without the leaft breeze of wind ; and although by the depth in- creafmg we imagined that wre were proceeding from the coaffc, yet our motion was fo flow, that by fix in the evening of Saturday the 1 8th, we were fiill in foundings at the depth of 100 fa- thoms, muddy bottom, and by the lead when on the ground, the veflel feemed to lie as if at anchor. Thi? l794-] ROUND THE WORLD. Q7 This obfcurity in the atmofphere had prevented our feeing the Chatham fmce the preceding evening, but the ferenity of the weather, and the apparent ftationary fituation of the Difcovery, made me conclude that fhe could not be far off. Our powder being much exhaufted, the fog fignal had not been made ; but in order to afcertain the fa£i, a gun was now fired, and to our great aftonifhment it was not anfwered. i The fog and calm ftill continued, and the depth of w7ater gradually increafed, at eight o'clock we had 105 fathoms, with fandy bottom. The fog now dif* perfed, and the calm was fuceeded by a light breeze from the E. N. E.; another gun was now fired, and a falfe fire burnt as a fignal to our confort, but neither was anfwered. After re- peating thefe fignals in the fame manner, at three o'clock on Sunday morning the 19th to no effect, we made all fail, fteering to the S. S. E. At day-light the high land over Nootka and Clayoquot, was ftill in fight, bearing by compafs from N. 6 W. to E. N. E.; our diftance from the coaft was 10 or 12 leagues. The foundings we had gained at midnight at the depth of 135 fathoms, proved to be at the diftance of about feven leagues from point Breakers, and fome- thing more from the general line of the coaft to the eaftward of that point. This I confidered to be the edge of a bank of foundings that appeared Vol. VI, H to g8 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [OCTOBER, to lie along the coali, which commenced a-breaft of cape Lookout, and terminated a little to the northward of Nootka. Near the entrance of De Fuca's ftraits it feemed to ftretch further into the ocean, as at the diftance of eight leagues from thole fhores we had only 58 fathoms water, with muddy bottom. In looking round for the Chatham a vefTel was difcovered a-ftern, for which we immedi- ately fhortened fail, but foon finding it to be the Spanifh fhip PrincilTa, we again dirc&ed our courfe as before with all fail fpread to a pleafant eafterly breeze and fair weather ; with this how- ever we were not long indulged, for in the even- ing the w7ind veered to the S. S. E., and by Monday the 20th in the afternoon, increafed to lb ftrong a gale as to oblige us to clofe-reef our topfails. The w7ind fixed in the fouth-eaftern quarter, and became variable, with fometimes^ clear, and at others cloudy weather : this gale did not reduce us below our topfails, although w7e plied not only againfHt* but againft a very heavy fouth-wefterly fwell to fo little purpofe, that by noon on Friday the 24 th we had by our reckoning (for we were unable to gain any cb- iervation) only reached the latitude of 4*7° 3 2% longitude 232° 12'. In the evening the wind veered to the S. S. W., wTith which we made a tolerably good progrefs to the fouth-eafbvard until )794«] ROUND THE WORLD* Qg until Sunday morning the 26th, when it became light and variable, with alternate calms, and a very heavy fwell from the W. S. W. This uncomfortable weather was fucceeded by a frelli breeze from the N. E., which as uftial veered to the S. E. on Monday morning, and in the afternoon increafed to a gale fo violent, as to make it neceffary that we fhould ftrike the topgallant-mafts, and bring to, under the ftorm ftayfails ; this gale was attended with an ex- tremely heavy rain until midnight, when the ftorm fuddenly moderated, and the wind veer- ing to the S. W. we ftood to the S.E. under our courfes and clofe- reefed topfails. The obferved latitude on Tuefday the 28th was 44° 14;, longitude by account 233° 27' ; in the afternoon all our canvafs was again fpread, but by Wednefday morning the 2Qth the wind had relumed its fouth-eaftern direction, with hard fqualls and heavy rain, which again reduced us to the forefaii and llorm ftayfails. Since our departure from Nootka we had con- ftantly been incommoded by a very heavy weft- erly and fouth-weft fweli, which at this time was greatly increafed, notwithstanding the fea> raifed by the violence of the wind from the fbuth- eaft ; thefe together caufed a very confufed agi- tation of the ocean, and although the fhip was made as fnug as poffible by the top-gallant mafts H 2 being 100 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV. being flruck, and by every thing, that conve- niently could be taken from aloft, yet fhe was extremely uncomfortable, and fhipped great quan- tities of water. About noon the gale moderated, and on the wind returning to the S.W., we again made fail to the fouth-eaftward. The afternoon was tolerably fair ; vaft flocks of wild geefe and ducks were obferved, flying to the fouthward, which indicated that in a more northern climate the winter had fet in with much feverity. The wind, although variable between S. E. and £>. W. was moderate, with frequent calms, and the weather, comparatively fpeaking with that wre had So recently experienced, might be con- fidered as tolerably fair, notwitbftanding which, we made little progrefs until Monday morning the 3d of November, wrhen the wind feemed fixed in the north- weft quarter, with very pleafant wxather. To this favorable gale we fpread all our fails, fleering for cape Mendocino; the fouth- ern promontory of which, at noon, bore by com- pafs S. .51 E., and with the coaft to the north of it, in fight to the N. E., was about 9 or 1 0 leagues- diftant. The obferved latitude 40° 42', longi- tude according to our former calculations of the iituation of cape Mendocino, 235° 30;, the vari- ation 14° cafcwardlv. At this time the longitude by the chronome- ters agreeably to the Nootka rate, was by Ken* dall's, 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. • 101 dall's, 235° 27x; Arnold's No. 14, 235° 22"; and No. 176, 235° 55'. As we drew in with the fhores of the northern part of the cape, having fmce noon fleered S. E. by compafs about three leagues, wre fuddenly came into difcoloured water, with a very irre- gular fea ; but foundings could not be gained w ith the hand line, nor at the rate we wTere then going, could bottom have been reached at a greater depth than from 7 to 1 0 fathoms. As I intended before we proceeded to Mon- terrey to vifit the bay of Sir Francis Drake, and from thence in our boats to acquire a better knowledge than we had hitherto gained of port Bodega, our courfe alter palling this promontory was directed along the coail to the fouth-eaft foj that purpofe. In the evening about fun-fet a very fingular appearance was obferved over the interior moun- tains, immediately behind the high land of this lofty projecting promontory. An immenfe body of very denfe clouds enveloped the fummits of thofe mountains, rifmg in a confufed agitated ffcate like volumes of fteam from a boiling caul- dron of great magnitude ; thefe expanded to the northward, and obfcured all that part of the hori- zon, whilft to the fouthward, it was perfectly clear and unclouded. From our own experience, as* well as from the information wre had derived H 3 from 102 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV, from the Spaniards, we had long been led to con^ fider cape Mendocino as fituated on the divi^ fionary line between the moderate and boifterous climates of this coaft. For this reafon, however unfcientific it may appear, we could not avoid entertaining an idea, that from the immenfe ac- cumulation of exhalations, which the ftupendous mountains in this immediate neighbourhood arreft, arofe thofe violent fouth-eaft ftorms, with which, further to the northward, we fo frequents ly contended, and by which, the coaft of New Albion to the fouthward of this ftation, is ceiv tainly but feldom, and never in fo violent a de- gree affedled. This extraordinary appearance in- clined us tp believe that fome turbulent weather was not far remote, but from what quarter we could not guefs, as the fteady favorable north- weft gale, and the appearance of clear and fettled weather, in the direction we were fteering, did not give us reafon to apprehend any inconve- nience from the wind lifting to the fouth-eaft- ward ; and its blowing from the oppofite point had always been confidered as the harbinger of moderate and pleafant wreather. This general rule was on Tuefday morning the 4th partly confirmed, and partly contradicted, as the vapours yvc had obferved collecting on the preceding gvening, were now found to have been deftined to difcharge their fury from a quarter we htid 1 794. J HOUND THE WORLD. 103 leaft expelled. During the night we had made fuch progrefs along the coaft, that by four in the morning it became neceffary to haul to the wind, in order that we might not overfhoot our in- tended port before day-light. At this time the wind at N. N. W. attended with a moft tre- mendous fea from the fame quarter, had in- creafed to fuch a degree of violence, as allowed us to haul off the ftiore under our forefail and ftorm ftayfails only ; but the forefail, though a very good one, not being able to refift the vio- lence of the ftorm, was about fun-rife on Wed- nefday the 5th, blown nearly to pieces ; this was immediately replaced with the beft we had, the topgallant- mafts were ftruck, and the fhip made as fnug as poffible ; but unable to feud with fafety before the ftorm, we lay to, with the fliip's head to the weftward, under the ftorm ftayfails, it being impoffible to {how more can- vafs, and of courfe too hazardous to fteer for that part of the coaft I wifhed to make, or to attempt running under our bare poles into a port, of which we had fo little knowledge as that of the bay of Sir Francis Drake ; to keep the fea, was therefore our only prudent alternative. During this ftorm I felt a high degree of fatis- fa&ion, that we had not made a more fpeedy paftage from Nootka to Monterrey, as from the direction in which it had blown, I confidered, H 4 that 104 A, TOY AGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV. that had we been arrived in that port, we fhould have been expofed to the whole of its fury, and the violence of the fea that had attended it. As Monterrey was now lying S. 50 E. of us, I could not fuppofe from the diftance of that port, that the gale had not reached fo far, for excepting the ftorms we experienced at and off New Zealand, this was certainly the moft violent of any we had met with during this voyage ; the fhip however was by no means fo uncomfortable as we had found her on many other occafions. The waves, although extremely high, were long and regular, the Iky was hard and clear, and intirely free from clouds. About the horizon and a few degrees above it, wras feen a bright glaring haze ; and as this at intervals became more perceptible, the violence of the wind was conftantly obferved to be increafed. In this fituation we remained until the ftorm moderated, though it ftill blew extremely hard: we now wore and flood for the land under the forefail and ftorm ftay fails, in the hope, that by the time we fhould anive near the fhore, now at the diftance of 45 leagues, the violence of the ftorm would in a great meafure have abated. It was not however before ten at night that it had fufficiently moderated to allow of our fetting the clofe- reefed topfails ; at midnight we had the topgallant fails (et for about an hour, but the wind I794«] ROUND THE WORLD. 105 •wind foon again increafed, and feeing the land at no great diflance about two o'clock in the morning of Tuefday the Oth, wre hauled off fhore, and plied under an eafy fail to wait the return of day, when finding ourfelves about three or four leagues from point Anno Nuevo, point Pinos in fight bearing by compafs S. E. i E. and hav- ing a moderate breeze with fine pleafant weather, we fleered for Monterrey, where about two in the afternoon we anchored, and moored nearly in our former fituation. Here we found the Chatham, fhe having ar- rived in the evening of the 2d. By Mr. Puget I was informed, that whilfl we were becalmed and flationary off Nootka, the Chatham on the evening of the 3 / th of October was favored with a light breeze from the eaflward, which gra- dually increafed ; with this Mr. Puget fleered to the fouth-eafl, concluding we were doing the fame, and he was not undeceived until noon of the 18th, when the fog with them had fuffi- ciently difperfed, to fhew that the Difcovery was not within their vifible horizon. Mr. Puget was equally at a lofs with ourfelves, to account for the feparation that had then taken place ; but as he confidered that we had preceded the Chat- ham, and fhe having at that time a pleafant breeze from the eaflward, he thought it mofl advifeable to make the befl of his way to the fouthward, lOS A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV. fouthward, and on the IQth in the morning whilft he continued to be within fi^ht of Nootka, the Chatham had increafcd her diftance near 40 leagues from the fhore. This circumftance, in confequcnce of the fucceeding winds, afforded the Chatham a fuperior advantage in getting to the fouthward, and which in all probability was confiderably augmented, by her having flood further from the coaft to the fouth-weftward* than we had done during the prevalence of the fbuth-eafterly winds. On reference to the jour- nals it appeared Mr. Puget had been enabled fb to do, by the wind having been much further to the fouthward with the Chatham than with the Difcovery ; by which means on the wind's Ihifting to the S. W. as is moll frequently the cafe after the fouth-eafterly gales, our confort made much better flants along the coaft to the fouthward, than we were able to do, becaufe we were fo much nearer to it. The Chatham had to contend with nearly the like boilterous wea- ther we had experienced until flie had paffed cape Mendocino on the 30th of the preceding month ; when, at the diftance of 40 leagues from the cape the weather wasplcafant, with wefterly and north- w ell: winds. The greateft diftance flic had on this paffage been from the coaft, was Hated by Mr. Puget at Q3 leagues from cape Difap- pointment, and from thence, fouthward to cape Mendocino I794'] HOUND THE WORLD. 107 Mendocino from 60 to 70 leagues ; the greateft diftance we had been from the coaft did not exceed 78 leagues off Deftru&ion ifland, but to the fouthward of cape Lookout we were not more than from 16 to 40 leagues from the land. The north-weft ftorm we had fo lately con- tended with, and to which I had confidered this anchorage as dangeroufly expofed, Mr. Puget informed me had been here felt, at the fame time ; but that the gale had been principally from the weftward ; and although it certainly blew ftrong, yet it neither prevented the ufual communication with the fliore, nor would have caufed any apprehenfion for the fecurity of vef- fels riding in the bay, if tolerably well provided with anchors and cables. Indeed the Chatham rode it out, with cables that had been long in ufe, and were in the laft ftage of being fervice- able. This was by no means an unpleafant fad: to afqertain, as it tended to prove, that although the weather may be extremely boifterous out at fea, and in the offing, yet this bay may be ap- proached with the greateft facility, and will afford extremely good fhelter againft thofe winds, to which, apparently, it is moft expofed. Our profeffional inquiries being mutually fatis- fied, I had the pleafure to underftand from Mr, Puget, that he had met the moft cordial recep- tjpn from our former friencj Seiar Arguello, the lieutenant 108 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV, lieutenant of the Prefidio, who then, as on our firft vifit to this place, in the abfence of the governor of the province, officiated in that capa- city. From this gentleman we were likely to meet very different treatment to that which we had received from Senr Arrillago, whofe reftric- tive arrangements on our laft vifit to Monterrey, had obliged us to feek that hofpitality and pro- tection from the untutored inhabitants of the Sandwich iilands, which we defpaired of obtain- ing in any of the ports under his jurifdi&ion. Senr Arrillago having been ordered to fome in- ferior eftablifhment, had reiigned his authority at this place, and had departed about two months previoufly to our arrival, and a lieutenant in the Spanifh. army, Don Diego de Borica, had been appointed fome time fince, to the government of this province, and was now daily expected at Monterrey. As foon as the ftifp wasfecured, an officer wras fent to the Prefidio with the ufual ceremonious compliments, and with an apology for our not having faluted. On landing I was received by Scnr Arguello, to whofe kind and benevolent offices we had before been greatly indebted, with marks of the greateft friendfhip and refpedt. He exprefi'ed the fatisfattion he fhouki receive by having it now in his power to fupply us with the various ncceiiary refrefhmcnts the country afforded ; 1794.] HOUND THE WORLD. 10§ afforded ; and being without the ieaft reftraint, he fhould endeavour to adminifter to our amufe- snent and recreation. Whatever means he pof- feffed that were likely in any way to contribute to the happinefs or comfort of the prefent time, or to our future welfare, he was now impower- ed, by the orders that had been tranfmitted to this government from the viceroy of New Spain, fcduloufly to afford, and prompted by the intereft he felt in our accommodation, he fhould with great pleafure carry thofe orders into effect. The people who, on our firft vifit to this Prefidio, had deferted from the Daedalus and Chatham, we found here, with di regions for their being delivered up to me ; but as the gover- nor of the province was fo fbon expected, I de- ferred taking any fteps in this bufmefs until he fliould arrive ; nor did 1 erect our tents or obfer- vatory on ihore for the fame reafon, as I con- fidered it would be more reipediful to fubmk thefe matters to the approbation of Governor Borica himfelf than to Senr Arguello, from whom I only fohcited permiffion to recruit our wood and water, and to obtain fome neceffary re- frefhments. On Friday morning the 7 th I receiv ed from Senr Argucllo the only letter that had arrived at this place for me ; this letter was from the Conde Uevilla Gigedo, the late viceroy or New Spain, m 110 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [NOV. in reply to one I had written to his excellency on the 22d of May, 1/93. In the moft polite and friendly terms the count informed me of Mr. Broughton's fafe arrival at Madrid, and exprefled the higheft approbation of the conduct of Senr Fidalgo, whofe fervices I had reprefented to him we had been greatly indebted to, on heaving the Chatham down at Nootka. Thofe very oblig- ing offers he had before made, in wifhing to con- tribute to our health and welfare, by whatever means of affiffcance this country could beflow, were in this letter repeated. It was dated on the 20th of October, 1 793, about the time when we firft felt the influence of Senr Arrillago's dif- inclination towards our little fquadron. It was addreffed to me at Monterrev, with directions there to remain for my reception, until it Ihould be underftood I had taken my leave of thefe re- gions, and in the event of my fo doing, without repairing to this place again, the letter was then to be tranfmitted to me in England. From thefe circumftances it would appear, that the corre- fpondence I kad been thus honored with, was not intirely of that complimentary nature that Sen* Arrillago had thought proper to confider it ; and that the viceroy did expeSi that I fhould make, at haft, a fecond vifit to Monterrey, was evidently proved by the deferters having been fent hither, inftead of being forwarded to Nootka, as he had formerly 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. Ill formerly intended to do, but which determina- tion, Sen" Arguello informed me, he had been induced to alter, under the perfuafion of this being the moil likely place of our meeting with them. Not having received official intelligence at this port from England, and there being here no dif- patches waiting the arrival of Sen3" Alava, through wThich channel I might poflibly have obtained fome fort of information, by which my future proceedings might, in fome degree, have been regulated, I could not help feeling very great dif- appointment, anxiety, and concern* I was not, however, totally deftitute of hope, that fome let- ters might have arrived at St. Diego. To aicer- tain this fa£t, notwithstanding that it was from hence to St. Diego more than four hundred Eng- liih miles, Senr Arguello very obligingly ordered an extraordinary courie/to be ready the next day, whofe return from St, Diego might be expected in ten or twelve days, and before the expiration of that time, I had no idea of quitting this fta- tiom Under the circumftances of the mortify- ing difappointment I now felt, I was unable to form any plan for our future operations, except- ing that which I had before meditated, of re* maining here a fufficient time to recruit the health and ftreng-th of our little communitv. For, aotwitbftandiiig that we were not materially 0* J 12 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV, fedled with indifpofitlon, yet the health of mod of us demanded care and attention. The fatigu- ing fervice in which we had now been fq long employed, and the very fqw frefh meals we had been enabled to obtain fince the middle of the preceding month of March, muft be fufiicient to convince the judgment, without the appear- ance of actual dileafa, that three weeks or a month would be well dedicated in availing ourfelves of the refreshments and recreation, in which w7e had now fo favourable an opportunity to indulge. Frefh beef, which was extremely good, was daily and unlimitedly ferved to the crew of each vefTel ; but vegetables were a fcarce commodity, owing to the drynefs of the feafon, which gave the country an appearance of being parched up ; and the few articles which had been produced on the fmall portion of land allotted here to the purpofe of garden ground were nearly exhaufted. We, however, w ere not apprehenfive of wanting fufficient variety to cover oar tables, as in the; immediate neighbourhood of the bay there were an immenfe number of wild geefe, ducks, plovers* curlews, and other wild fowl ; to wrhich, by little excurfions into the country, our fportfmen added an abundance of very fine quails and fome hares, which afforded us .excellent repafts in ad- dition to their amufement. It was fomething fingular that none of thefe fpecies of wild fowl, had if §4. ^ HOUND THE WORLD. 113 had been found in any degree fo numerous on either of our former vifits to Monterrey. The weather was fair and pleafant, with a mo* derate breeze from the fea, which in the evening brought in the Princifla. We had confidered this veflel to have been to the northwrard of cape Mendocino, whilft we contended with the north- weft: ftorm to the fouth of it, and an idea had arifen, from the appearance of the evening that preceded the gale, that the Princifla mud, in that fituation, have experienced much blowing weather from the fouth-eaftward ; but on in- quiry this wras not found to be altogether the cafe ; Hie was, however, to the north of the pro- montory in queftion at that time, and her pro- grefs, like ours, had been greatly retarded by contrary winds ; but on the l ft: of November, in the latitude of 45° 30', fhe having generally kept about 30 leagues from the coaft: ; thefe adverfe winds were fucceeded by a pleafant gale from the north weft, which continued during the remain- der of the paffage. This fa<£t, though not proving cape Mendocino to be fo Angularly fituated as we had fuppofed it to be, with refped: to moderate or boifterous weather, yet ferves to fhew that it has an influ- ence on the winds that prevail during the winter feafon, as the fouth-eafterly ftorm s are fcarcely ever known to the fouth ward of cape Mendo- Vol, VI, I cino ; 134 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV. cino; where, whilft the north-weft gale reduced us to our ftorm ftay fails for twenty-four hours, the Princifia to the north of it, felt nothing of its fury ; but, on the contrary, had only a mo- derate north- weft gale, to which the whole of her canvafs was fpread. We had the pleafure to meet our friends in the PrincifTa very well, though much difappointed, like ourfelves, in not receiving any official com- munications from Mexico ; but as the courier was in readinefs to depart the next morning, Senr Alava embraced this opportunity to make the neceflary inquiries at St. Diego. In the night the wind blew ftrong from the northward ; and on the return of the day it con- fiderably increafed from the north-weft. Not- withftanding the veflels rode without the leaft inconvenience or apparent danger, yet, as our cables had been a long time on board, and had endured great trials, the topgallant malls were got down, the yards and top-mafts ftruck, and the veflels made perfectly fnug; by noon, how- ever, the wind moderated, and we had a return of fair and pleafant weather ; all hands were nowr employed in different fervices, amongft which, recruiting our ftock of fuel and water, was no inconfiderable labour ; no difficulty was experi- enced in procuring the former, but the drynefs of the feafon had rendered the latter very fcarce. The 1 7Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. 115 The wells that we had dug, on our firfl: vifit to Monterrey, though not perfectly dry, afforded too fmall a quantity to anfwer our demand, and we had no means of obtaining a fufliciency of water nearer than up a valley about half a mile to the eaftward of the Prefidio, and full that diftance from the fea-fide, where a iluggifh flream oofed through the bed of a water-courfe, compofed of a loofe fandy foil; and here, by finking feveral cafks, temporary wells were formed, which af- forded only a fcanty fupply, though the water was extremely good. This mode of procuring it was very tedious, and the diftance which the cafks, when filled, had to be rolled, through a loofe fandy gully, to the boats, was very great, and proved to be a very laborious talk, yet the water was infinitely preferable to any that could have been collected from the ftagnated brackidi pools, in the vicinity of the Prefidio. On Sunday part of the fhip's company were indulged with a run on fhore, and the day fol- lowing, Monday the 10th, we were bufily em- ployed in facilitating, as much as poffible,the pro- Curing of our water, by the beft arrangement in, our power, notwithstanding which we could not prevent its being a very laborious bufmefs. The weather continued to be remarkably pleafant, and on Tuefday evening, the 11th, Senr Don Diego Borica arrived at the Prefidio, 1 2 where 11$ A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV. where, the next morning, accompanied by Mr. Puget and moft of the officers of both veflels, I waited upon him, to congratulate him on his fafe arrival, and to acquaint him with my reafons for viiiting the countries under his jurifdidlion ; thefc attentions, I had the pleafure to find were per- fectly fatisfa&ory, and were received in a manner that was highly compatible with the refpediive flations that each of us had the honour to fill. The indulgence I had folicited, and which had been granted by Sen1" Arguello, was now very politely extended by the governor, with further permiffion to eredl our tents and obfervatory on fhore, under the direction of our officers, and pro- tection of our own guard, to which he very obliginglv added the affurance of doing every thing in his power that could in any way con- tribute to make our ftay as pleafant and agree- able as their limited fociety and the lonelinefs of the country would afford. After this introductory difcourfe, we under- ltood from Senr Borica, that accompanied by his wife and daughter, a young lady about eleven years of age, and a fuitable number of attend- ants, he had come from Mexico to this place on horfeback ; as no other mode of conveyance was to be procured. They were provided with a fmall camp equipage, which was occafionally pitched, either as a retreat from the heat of the fum I / g4.] HOUND THE WORLD. 1 1 7 fun, or for reft during the night. Upwards of eight months had been employed in performing this journey, through a country very thinly in- habited, and which afforded but little comfort- able accommodation for travellers. In the evening an exprefs arrived from Mexi- co, which brought difpatches from the viceroy of Ne w So aim to the governor, together with the long expected inftru61ions to Senr Alava, refped> ing the ceffion of Nootka to the crown of Great Britain, but nothing addreffed to me accompa- nied thefe credentials; and, from a converfation witji Sen* Borica, I was not flattered with the leaft probability of receiving any intelligence from St. Diego, becaufe it was not likely, had any difpatches for me arrived there, that he fhould have remained ignorant of the circum- fhxnce ; and as the deftination of Senr Alava was well known to the officers commanding the fouthern pofls of this province, letters for either of us would raoft likely, immediately on their arrival, have been tranfmitted hither. The embarrafTment I had been long under was now very materially increafed, and I was greatly at a lofs as to what meafures were beft to be pur- fued. From this dilemma, however, I was very unexpectedly relieved the next day, Wednefday the 12th, by Senr Alava very obligingly confid- ing to me that part of his inftrudions which I 3 ftatecj, J J 8 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV. ftatcd, that no further altercation would take place with refpedl to the precife meaning of the firft article of the convention of the 20th of Oc- tober, l/QO, as the documents tranfmitted by the late Senr Quadra and myfelf, had enabled our refpe&ive courts to adjufl that matter in an amicable way, and nearly on the terms which I had fo repeatedly offered to Sen1" Quadra in Sep- tember 1 792. In addition to which the Spanifh minifter's letter fet forth, that this bufmefs was not to be carried into execution by me, as a frefli commiffion had been iffued for this pur- pofe by the Court of London.* The fame was announced to governor Borica by the new viceroy of Mexico, the Marquis de Branciforte, with in- ftrudions to receive the perfon acting under this commiffion into their Prefidios. Having maturely confidered the feveral parts of this intelligence, I concluded that from the length of our voyage, and the various accidents to which the fervice in which we were employed would neceffarily render us liable, Government did not expe<5i we fhould remain longer in thefe feas, than the furvey of the American coaft might require ; and in truth we wrere not now in a fit condition to protradt our ftay in thefe regions. * This however was not the fa6l, as the frefli inftrudkions were addrefTed in the firft inftance to me. The 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD, HQ The very exhaufted ftate of our ftores and provifions not only demanded fuch Supplies as were not eafily within our reach, but as the Dis- covery had been frequently aground, it was highly probable that her bottom might Hand in need of fome very material repair, of which we had re- mained intirely ignorant, not having been fo fortunate as to meet with a proper Situation for the purpofe of her undergoing this necelTary ex- amination. One of the great objects of our voyage, the Survey of the coaft of North Weft America, be- ing now accomplilhed, and relying on the au- thenticity of the intelligence I had derived from Sen1* Alava, I did not long hefitate, but deter- mined on making the belt of my way towards England, by the way of cape Horn, agreeably to my inftru&ions ; and as I had no intention of vifiting any part of the American coaft to the northward of the 44th degree of South latitude, I purpoSed that our courSe from hence fhould be directed towards that latitude without ftopping, unlefs we fhould be So fortunate as to fall in with the Gallapagos iflands, whofe undefined Situation I much wifhed correctly to aScertain ; and of courSe it would necefTarily be Some time before wre reached our next refting place. On this account it became highly expedient that we ihould Sail from hence with as great a quantity I 4 Of 120 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [NOV. of water as we might be enabled to procure, for the reception of which the coopers were directed to repair, and put into order every cafk on board capable of holding water ; in many cafes this was attended with great trouble, from the length of time they had been in ufe, and the hard fer- vice that many of them had endured, Although the very great diftance, and the bad~ nefs of the road we had to pafs in getting the water down to the fea-fide, made the obtaining of this indifpenfable article a very tedious and fatiguing bi^finefs, yet as we were in the mean time benefitting from the air, the exercife of the fhore, and the excellent refrefhments of the coun- try, I could not confider our detention here as a lofs of time, becaufe I was affured that it would be attended with the ineftimahle advantage of fecuring to us all, that ftate of health which the remainder of our voyage we had yet to perform homewards, would neceHarily require. Some doubts having arifen in my mind, as tq the fafe arrival in England of the copies (which I had forwarded thither) of our furvey of the American coaft to the northward,, from Fitz- hugh's found to cape Decifion, and fouthward from this port to the 30th degree of north lati- tude, I deemed it expedient that a duplicate of the former papers, together with a copy of our furvey during the preceding fummer, as alfo that of ^ 79^0 ROUND THE WOULB. 121 of the Sandwich iflands, fhould from hence be tranfmitted to the Admiralty ; that in the event of any mifchance having befallen the others, or any unfortunate accident happening hereafter to us, our labours might not be intirely loft to our country. The like information, in conformity to my original promife to my much lamented friend the late Senr Quadra, had been folicited by SenrAIava, for the ufe and information of the Spanifh court, and with which of courfe I complied. The preparation of thefe documents would necefiarily occupy fome time, but I had little doubt of their being finifhed by the time we fhould in other refpefts be ready to depart. The deferters from the Chatham and Daeda- lus had, at my requeft, been delivered up to me, at leaft fuch of them as were the fubjefe of Great Britain. An account of expences, amount- ing to three hundred and twenty-five dollars and an half, was exhibited againfl: them ; but as I did not confider myfelf authorized to difcharge this debt, (though of its having been incurred by the deferters. I could entertain no doubi;) of which I acquainted Governor Borica, by letter, on Sunday morning the 1 0th, and at the fame time added, that I fhould reprcfent the bufinefs fully to the Board of Admiralty, and that I had no doubt that the ftridleft juilice would be done. With this the governor feemed to be completely fatisfied^ 122 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVEBY [NOV. fatisfied, and in his letter to this effe&, after ex- preffing the greateft approbation, he, in virtue of the harmony and good underftanding that con- tinued to exiffc between us, lolicited my good of- fices in behalf of the deferters before mentioned. The weather, fince the 8th, had been delight- fully pleafant ; in the day time the wind blew a gentle gale from the fea, and during the night a calm, or gentle breeze, prevailed from the land, fo that the precaution we had taken of finking our yards and topmafts, fince the moment of our having done fo, ceafed to be neceffary. This agreeable weather caufed the water in the bay to be fo very tranquil, that landing was eafily effe&ed on any of its fhores, and rendered our intercourfe with the country extremely pleafant. The fame caufe operated to invite the excur- fions of fevera! parties into the country on foot and on horfeback. Thefe were rendered further agreeable and pleafant, by the friendly and at- tentive behaviour of our Spanifli friends, of which I was feldom able to avail myfelf, not only from the various matters of bufmefs in which I was deeply engaged, but from the very debilitated ftate of my health, under which I had feverely laboured during the eight preceding months ; I was, however, on Wednefday the 1 gth able to join in a party to the valley through which the Monterrey river flows, and was there gratified with 17Q4.J ROUND THE WORLD. 123 with the fight of the moft extraordinary moun- tain I had ever beheld. On one fide it prefented the appearance of a furnptuous edifice fallen into decay ; the columns which looked as if they had been raifed with much labour and induftry, were of great magnitude, feemed to be of an elegant form, and to be compofed of the fame cream- coloured ftone, of which I have before made mention. Between thefe magnificent columns were deep excavations, refembling different paf- fages into the interior parts of the fuppofed build- ing, whofe roof being the fummit of the moun- tain appeared to be wholly fupporfed by thefe columns riling perpendicularly with the moft minute mathematical exa&nefs. The whole had a moft beautiful appearance of human ingenuity and labour ; but fince it is not poffible, from the rude and very humble race of beings that are found to be the native inhabitants of this coun- try, to fuppofe they could have been capable of raifing fuch a ftrucSture, its being the produdion of nature, cannot be queltioned, and it may not be prepofterous to infer, that it has been from fimilar phenomena that man has received that architectural knowledge, by which he has been enabled to raife thole ma fly fabricks, which have ftood for ages in all civilized countries. In this excurfion I had an opportunity of fee- ing what before I had been frequently given to underftand ; 124 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [xO\% underftand ; that the foil improved in richnefs and fertility, as we advanced from the ocean into the interior country. The fituation we had now reached was an ex- tenfive valley between two ranges of lofty moun- tains, whole more elevated parts wore a fteril and dreary afpedl, whilft the fides and the interven- ing bofbm feemed to be compofed of a luxuriant foil. On the former fome pine trees were pro- duced of different forts, though of no great fize, and the latter generally fpeaking was a natural pailure, but the long continuance' of the dry wca^ ther had robbed it of its verdure, and had ren- dered it not very interefting to the eye ; yet the healthy growth of the oak, both of the EngliOa and holly-leaved kind, the maple, poplar, willow, and ftone pine, diftrihuted over its fnrface as well in clumps as in f ngle trees, with a number of different fhrubs, plainly fhewed the Superior excellence of the foil and fubftratum in thefe fituations, to that which was found bordering on. the fea fhore. The fame uninterrupted ferenity of the wea- ther continued, and on Friday evening the cou- rier from St. Diego returned, but he brought no kind of intelligence whatever; and the 24th the day fixed for the return of the exprefs to Mexico, I embraced that opportunity lor tranfimtting to the Admiralty a brief account of our 1/94-] HOUND THE WORLD. 125 our tranfadiions during the preceding fummer, and a copy of our furveys made in that and the former year, which had been prepared for that purpofe. Thefe documents, agreeably to the advice of the governor and our other Spanifh friends, I took the liberty of addreffing to the marquis of Branciforte, viceroy of New Spain, and requeued that he would do me the favor of forwarding them to England by the moft early and fafe conveyance. All expectation of Mr. Broughton's return and oi his refuming; the command of the Chatham being now at an end, I appointed Lieutenant Paget to that office, Mr. Baker, and Mr. Swaine I removed to be the fir ft and fecond lieutenants of the Difcovery ; Mr. Thomas Manby I ap- pointed to the vacant lieutenantcy, and Mr. H. Humphreys, to be the mafler of the Chatham in his room. Our bufmefs with the fliorc now began to draw nigh to a conclufion ; the yards, topmafts, and topgallant-mafts were got up, and the rigging put into condition for fea fcrvice, but a fufficient ftock of water was however not yet obtained ; whilll: this w^as completing, I difpatched Lieu- tenant Swaine on Thurfday morning the 2/th with three boats over to the miffion of Sta Cruz, in order to procure a fupply of garden fluff, as the continuation of the dry weather, here, had made 126 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [NOV. made every fpecies of efculent vegetables ex- tremely fcarce. Mr. Swaine returned on Satur- day evening the 2Qth, having been tolerably iuccefsful, fo that with our live {lock and the other refreshments that Monterrey had afforded, we were likely to take our leave of it, with as good a ftore for the prefervation of health, and to be as well provided for the long and diitant paf- fage we had to perform, as from any port in the known world. The two following days were employed in receiving on board the tents, obfer- vatory, inftruments, and all other matters from the fhore, and in getting the fhip in readinefs to proceed. The variety of objects that had occupied my time whilft at Monterrey, had, as at Nootka, pre- cluded my attending to little more of our agro- nomical bufinefs, than thaf of afcertaining the rate and error of the chronometers, according to the meridian of thefe places as fixed by our for- mer obfervations : yet I had confidered thefe to be of fufficient authority to anfwer all the pur- pofes of correcting our furvey of the coaft in the refpe&ive vicinity of thofe ftations. By com- parative obfervations made by Mr. Whidbey with Mr. Ramfden's circular inftrument, and thofe made with the artificial horizon by myfelf, I was in hopes of adducing further reafons in fup- port of the means I had adopted for fixing of the longitude, 1794-] KOUND THE WOULD. 127 longitude, and for correcting our general furvey of this coaft during the preceding fummer, be- tween Trinity iflands and cape Decifion ; and I had the fatisfa£tion to find the fame correfpond- ing accuracy at Monterrey as had appeared at Nootka. On the 13th of November in the bay of Mon- terrey the chronometers fhewed the following longitudes : Arnold's No. 14, - - 238° 0; 50" Ditto, i;6, - - 238 33 5 Kendall's - - - 237 59 15 The true longitude being 238° 25/ 45/;, Arnold's No. 14 ap- peared to be 247 55", Kendall's, 2& 30!/ to the weft ward, and Arnold's No, iro, 71 20" to the eaftwo ; of the true longitude, And by altitudes taken on fiiore with the artificial horizon on the 28th of November, Arnold's No. 14 was found to be faft of mean time at Greenwich, at noon on that day, - - - 5h 19' 23/; QUl And to be gaining on mean time per day at the rate of - . 24 1 Arnold's No. 1 76 was faft of mean time at Greenwich, - 11 28 21 30 And gaining on mean time per day at the rate of « - 50 25 128 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [NOV. Kendall's fall of mean time at Green wich, - - 9h 58' 23" And gaining on mean time per day at the rate of * 30 53' By equal altitudes taken on fhore with the circular instru- ment between the 1 3th and 29th of November, the following are the rates at which the chrono- meters were found to be gaining per day ; (viz.) Arnold's No. 14, - - 23 55 Ditto 1/6, - - 50 1Q Kendall's, - - - 30 52 The very inconfidcrablc difference between the rates thus found, and thofe afcertained by the artificial horizon, muit be received as a proof of the corrc£inefs of that method, which fhould be reforted to, whenever better authority cannot be had. The above true longitude, latitude, variation, and inclination of the marine dipping needle, were found to correfpond with our obfervations made on our former vifit to this place in De- cember; 1/92. CHAP, 1794.] ROUND THE WORLD. 129 CHAPTER ill. Leave Monterrey — Some Account of the three Mariat Jflands — Proceed to the Southward— Ajlronomi- cal and nautical Obfervattons. THE method that had been purfaed to pre- ferve as great a regularity as was poffible in the rate of the chronometers, had fo far fuc- ceeded with No. 14, that its rate as afcertained at Nootkaand at Monterrey, differed only 547// ; this made me very anxious to fall in with fome place whofe longitude had been fettled by pro- fefled aftronomers, by which means the accuracy of our calculations would be confirmed, or the error they might have been liable to, would by fuch comparifon become apparent; leaving it at the difcretion of geographers, or of thofe who might hereafter follow us, to adopt or reject fuch correction as their own judgment might direct. For this purpofe, no ftation appeared to me to be fo eligible as cape St. Lucas, at the fouth extre- mity of the peninfula of California, (on a mode- rate computation not more than eight or ten days fail from Monterrey,) as at St. Jofeph's, in the immediate neighbourhood of that promontory, Vol. VI. K the 3 SO A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [DEC. the tranfit of Venus had been obferved, and other aftronomical obfervations had been made by pro- fefTors in that fcience, whence its pofitive fitua- tion had been corre&ly determined. But as our obfervations during the preceding autumn for fixing the longitude of the coaft of New Albion, fouthward from hence to the 30 th degree of north latitude, had been all reduced to port St. Diego as a central ftation, and the rate of the chrono- meters for correcting that furvey had been there afcertained ; I deemed it expedient to freer firft for the ifland of Guadaloupe, for the purpofe of examining whether the fituation we had before affigned to that ifland from the refult of thofe obfervations, wrould agree with the longitude in which we had now placed Monterrey. With a frefh breeze from the N. E. attended with fair and pleafant weather, on Tuefday the 2d of December w7e quitted Monterrey, and bad adieu to governor Alava, and the reft of our Spa- in Hi friends, from whofe great kindnefs and hof- pitality we had not only derived much relaxation and happinefs, but by their attention to our future wants, we had every profpedt of a continuation of that health, which now feemed to be eftab- lifhed, by the refrefhments we had there pro- cured. From Monterrey bay our courfe was dire6led to the S. E* but in the evening the gale died awray, ]794.] ROUND THE WORLD. 131 away, and after about twelve hours calm, it was fucceeded by light variable adverfe winds, which continued until near noon on Thurfday the 4th, when it fixed in the weftern quarter, blowing a pleafant gentle breeze. The obferved latitude was 35° 2Q', longitude 238° 16'. The coaft of New Albion was ftill in fight> bearing by com- pafs from N* E. to N. W. by N. This was the laft we faw of it ; the wind between W. N. W. and N. N. W. gradually increafed to a pleafant gale, which by the evening of Monday the 8th brought us in fight of the illand of Guadaloupe; this we pafled in the night, and from the obfer- vations made on the preceding and following day, which exa&ly agreed with the lliips run by the log, I had the fatisfaiiion of finding its fitua- tion exactly to correfpond with that which we had before affigned to it ; hence it is fair to pre- fume, that the whole of this coaft which has fallen under our examination, has been laid down relatively corredtly, however our longitude may be found to vary from other navigators or obfervers. Having afcertained this fa6l, and being un- willing to lofe any opportunity by which the ad- vancement of geography might in the flighteft degree be furthered, I fteered over to the coaft of California, for the purpofe of fixing in our way towards cape St. Lucas, the pofition of fome of K 2 the 132 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [DEC. the moft projecting points between that promon- tory, and the part where we had quitted its fhores the foregoing autumn; but in fo doing I had no intention of approaching fufficiently near to at- tempt a minute delineation of the coaft. At day-light in the morning of Tuefday the gth we had fight of the ifland of Cerros, bearing by compafs from E. N. E. to N. E. about ten leagues diftant. This is reprefented in the Spa- nifh charts to be about ten leagues long, and to be lying before an extenflve bay, on the fhores of the peninfula. The fouth-weftern point of this bay is a very projecting promontory named Monro Hcrmolb : weft from thence is laid down a fmaller ifland called Natividad. To thefe as the day advanced we drew fomewhat nearer, but the land was ftill too far off to admit of our forming any correct judgment as to the productions of the country, or the fhape of its fhores. Thole of the ifland of Cerros wore an uneven broken appear- ance, though on a nearer view they feemed to be all connected. The fouthern part, which is the higheft, is occupied by the bafe of a very remark- able and lofty peaked mountain, that defcends in a very peculiar rugged manner, and by projecting into the fca, forms the fouth-weft end of the ifland into a low craggy rocky point ; this as we patted at the diftance of five or fix leagues, feem- ed, like the other part of the ifland, to be defti- tute 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. 133 tutc of trees, and nearly fo of all other vegetable productions. Natividad appeared to be more moderately elevated, and at noon bore by compafs N. /O E. ; the fouth-eaft point of the ifland of Cerros, N. 46 E. ; the peaked mountain, N. 37 E. ; its fouth-weft point, N. 27 E.; its north- wefternmoft part in fight, N. 20 E. ; and ifle de St. Benito, which is a fmall ifland, feemingly with fome rocks and iflets about it, N, 1 1 W. diftant eight or nine leagues. In this fituation the obferved latitude was 27° 51', longitude by Arnold's No. 14, 244° 38f , by Kendall's 244° %W and by Arnold's No. 176, 244° 54'. The variation, by the furveying compafs, was at this time 8° eaftwardly. The weather continued to be fair and pleafant, and, with a gentle breeze from the north- weft, we proceeded along the fhore. In the afternoon we had fight of what we fuppefed was Morro Hermofo, which at that diftance appeared to be infular, and, like Natividad, feemed to be mo- derately elevated. Although we were too far diftant to attempt an accurate delineation of thefe fhores, yet we were enabled pretty clearly to as- certain the pofition of their moft prominent points, and, from the refult of our calculations, the illand of Cerros appeared to form on its weft- ern fide a deep bay, between its north-weft and fouth-weft points, which are about five leagues K 3 apart* 134 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [DEC. apart, in a dire&ionN. 20 E. and S. 20 W. ; the peaked mountain being the part whofe fituation we were beft able to fix, is in latitude 28° 8', longitude 244° 58'. From this mountain the ifland St. Benito lies N. 65 W. at the diftance of twenty miles, and the ifland of Natividad S. 4 E. diftant fourteen miles. The latter ap- peared to be about four miles long, in a S. E. and N. W. dire&ion, and, like the ifland of Cer- ros, prefented a barren and dreary afpedt. Be- hind it was the point which we had taken for Morro Hermofo, in latitude 27° 52', longitude 245° 7'. The channels round thefe iflands, and between them and the main land, are, in the Spanilh charts, reprefented as clear and navigable ; we were not, however, fufficiently nigh to them to fatisfy ourfelves in this particular. During the night our courfe was directed more foutherly, which, although it kept us within fight of the land, yet by the morning of Wednefday the I0th5 it had increafed our diftance further from the coaft than I had re^fon to expert, from the way in which it has been laid down. We were now at the diftance of 12 to 14 leagues, and whether the parts in fight were or were not immediately on the fea iliore, it was not poffible for us to de- termine, but the fliore was fufficiently marked to admit of our making the neceflary obferyations, as we failed along it, for the objedt I had in view. I7Q4.J ROUND THE WORLD. 135 view. The northernmoft point in light at noon, being the fame land that had formed the north- ern extremity ever fince the morning, bore by compafs N. 3 W. diftant feventeen leagues, a particular high part, appearing to form the north point of a bay or opening on the coaft, N. 3 7 E. at the fame diftance ; and what appeared to form a very confpicuous point, from whence the coaft feemcd to take a very eaftwardly turn, N. 25 E. diftant thirteen leagues. In this fituation the obferved latitude was 20° 48', longitude 245° 26$'; and, if the above eftimations be correal, the latter point will be found to lie in latitude 2/° 207, longitude 245° 4Qf . Several turtles were feen at this time on the furface of the fea, one of wThich was taken by our fmall boat. To- wards fun-fet the weather became cloudy, the wind veered to the fouthward, and threatened us with a heavy rain, but by midnight the wind re- fumed its north-weft direction, and the weather became fair and pleafant. Not being in fight of the coaft, on Thurfday morning the ] 1th, I fteer- ed more to the eaftvvard, and by day-light on Friday the 12th we were within fight of a high round mountain, which we fappofed was on the main land of the peninfula, bearing by compafs N. E. i E. The part of the ocean in which we had now arrived abounded with bonitos, albicores, and K 4 various 136 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [DEC. other fifhes of the tropical regions, with a great many turtles. Thefe feemed fo perfectly indif- ferent to any interruption that we occaiioned them, either by paffing near to, or even over them, that I was induced to fend the fmall boat to take fome of them up, and in about half an hour (he returned loaded with thirteen very fine green ones, each weighing from feventy to two hundred pounds. They all proved to be ex- tremely good eating. Some of them were ftuck with the turtle peg, but moft of them were taken into the boat unhurt. The obferved latitude at noon was 25° 11', longitude 24/° 48* , and the variation of the compafs 9° eaftwardly. The above high round mountain at this time bore N. 30 E. diftant 25 leagues, and land fuppofed by us to be an ifland, S. 35 E.; to the eaftward of which our courfe was directed until two in the afternoon, when our conjectures were difcovered to have been ill founded ; for, inftead of this land proving to be an iiland, it formed the weft point of a fpacious open bay, the contiguous fhores to which were very low, and bounded by breakers, whilft the more interior country rofe in fmall detached hillocks, giving the whole from the deck the appearance of a group of iflands, but from the m aft- head it was feen to be all con- nected, for which reafon we hauled our wrind, and palTed to the weftward of this land, which, in l794-l ROUND THE WORLD. 137 in every point of view, even at a very little dis- tance, feemed to be infular, owing to the lownefs of the land to the eaftward of the elevated part that forms the point, and which, in a fouth-eaft and north-weft direction, appeared to occupy an extent of about five miles. It is higheft in the centre, from wThence its north- wei tern extremity fhoots out and defcends gradually to a low point of land, with an even furface, but in every other part the acclivity was fteep and irregular; and the furface, broken into deep chafms, terminates at the water-fide in abrupt rocky cliffs. On its northern fide lies an iflet with fome rocks at a little difcance from the fiiore, on which there was an appearance of fome verdure and fertility, but where its furface was rocky and broken it had a fteril and barren afpect. In the evening we paf- fed within about five miles of this point, which I fuppofed was the fouth point of the bay de la Magdalina, and which, according to our obferva* tions, is fituated in latitude 24° 5 3', longitude 24/° 5 0! , from whence, in a fouth-eaft diredlion, at the diftance of about three or four leagues, is another elevated part of the coaft, which, like the former, at a little diftance, has the appearance of being infular. As the coaft, for fome extent to the fouth-eaftward of this ftation,is in the Spanifii charts reprefented as low, and dangerous to ap- proach, we ftretched to the fouth-eaft ward during the 1S8 A VOYAGE 6F DISCOVERY [DEC. the night, and on Saturday morning the 13 th, there being no land in fight, we ftood to the eaftward, and foon regained a diftant view of the coaft, w^hich was high and mountainous. Being favored with a fine gale from the north- weft, and delightfully pleafant weather, we made great progrefs towards the land, for which we continued to fteer until nine in the evening; when, being in 80 fathoms water, and conceiv- ing the land to be not far off, we hauled to the wind and plied under an eafy fail, with found- ings from 80 to 90 fathoms, until five on Sunday morning the 14th, when we again ftood towards the land, and to our great furprize, at day -light, found it to be eight leagues diftant, and bearing by compafs from N. 54 E. to S. 68 E. By ten in the forenoon we were within about three leagues of the fhore, at which time we bore "away, and fteered for cape St. Lucas. The parts of the coaft to which we were now oppofitc were in a great meafure compofed of fteep white rocky cliffs, from whence the country rofe with a very broken and uneven furface to a ridge of ftunendous mountains, which were vifible at a great diftance into the ocean. The fhores jut out into fmall projecting points that terminate in abrupt cliffs, and having lefs elevated land behind them, gave them at firft the appearance of being detached iflands along the coaft, but, on a newer 1794*1 ROUND THE WORLD. 13Q a nearer approach, this did not feem to be the cafe. The general face of the country was not very inviting, being deflitute of trees and other vegetable productions. The obferved latitude at noon was 25° 12', longitude 250°, and the variation of the compafs 7° eaftwardly. At this time the northernmoft part of the exterior coaft of California in light bore by compafs N. 15 E. the near eft fhore N. 03 E. diftant three leagues, and a point to the northward of, and intercepting our view of cape St. Lucas S. 39 E. diftant fix leagues, be- yond which the cape foon appeared, and was found to lie from that point S. 47 E. diftant two leagues. In the afternoon we paffed this point, or promontory, which gradually, though not very regularly, defcendsfrom the range of moun- tains before mentioned, and terminates at its fouth extremity in a hummock of low, or very moderately elevated land, that had the fame rocky fteril appearance as that we had been op- pofite to in the morning. The weather had been very favorable to the object I had had in view in thus direding our courfe to the fouth ward. According to our ob- fervations cape St. Lucas is fituated in latitude 22° 52' longitude 250° lO' 18/7. The very fharp turn which the coaft takes from that point towards the gulph of California, enabled us in a very 340 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [DEC. very precife manner to afcertam the moft pro- jecting part of the cape, which according to the Spanifh charts, and the information I had pro- cured from the Spaniards themfelves, is fituated under the fame meridian as their eftablifhment of St. Jofeph, and which agreeably to the Spantfh printed chart compiled by Miguel Coftanfo in 1770, is ftated to be in latitude 23° 3' 42", lon- gitude 250° 171 SO11. On the confirmation of our calculations by this authority I derived much gratification, as I had now great reafon to pre- fume, that the pofitioji of the weftern coaft of America between cape St. Lucas in California, and cape Douglas in Cook's inlet, as heretofore ftated by me, would be found tolerably correal. The very trivial variation that had occurred in the rate of Arnold's No. 1 4 for the preceding two or three months, induced me to place my principal reliance upon it, and by which the lon- gitude of cape St. Lucas differed from the above, only l' 12;/. By Arnold's No. 82 on board the Chatham, the longitude of the cape was 250° Q'; Arnold's No. 17O, gave 250° Zf ; and Ken- dall's, 250° 21' 30". From thefe feveral refults it fhould fecm, that Arnold's No. 176 varied moft from the truth ; and as I have had occafion before to obferve, this deviation may poffibly have arifen by the motion it received on its being 1/94.] ROUND TKE WOBLD. 141 being taken on fhore, for the purpofe of difcovcr- ing its rate of going. As the fituation of the Marias iflands lying be- tween cape St. Lucas and cape Corientes before the port of St. Bias, had been varioufly defined by different perfons, and as thefe iflands were nearly in our route, an opportunity was likely to be afforded me for determining their pofition ; and on confidering the length of the paffage we had yet to perform, I w7as induced to hope we might at thofe iflands be able to recruit our ftock of wTater ; for thefe reafons our courfe was directed towards the Marias, with a frefli gale from the northward, and delightful weather. The fea ftill abounded with fifh, and feveral turtle were feen ; but as our former fupply was not yet exhauffced, and as the gale w7as too favorably tempting to admit of a moment's de- lay, they remained unmolefted. # According to Dampier, the iflands for which we were then fleering are fituated E. S. E. at the diftance of 40 leagues from cape St. Lucas ; ac- cording to the Spaniili chart 47 leagues ; and by the Spanifli MS. chart they are ftated to be 60 leagues from that promontory. This irrecon- cilable difference rendered it no eafy talk to de- termine on which to rely ; the difference in the Spanifh charts rendered the accuracy of each equally queftionable* and our own experience had J42 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [DEC. had proved both of them to be very erroneous in feveral inftances. Under this uncertainty, about nine o'clock on Monday the 15th, at night, being then 42 leagues from cape St. Lucas, and in the direction in which the Marias were faid to lie, we plied under an eafy fail until the next morning? Tuefday the lGth, when we made all fail, {leering to the E. S. E. which courfe, by nine in the forenoon, brought us in fight of thofe iflands, bearing by compafs E. \ N. ; in this direction we inftantly fleered, but as we were not fufficiently up with the land to gain anchorage before dark, the night was palled in preferving our fituation with the land, and in the morning of Wednef- day the 1 7th, we fleered for the pafTage between the north ernmoft and the middle, or Prince George's ifland, fo diftinguifhed by Dampier. The mo ft northern and largeft ifland of this group, is about thirteen miles long, in a S. E. by E. and N. W. by W. direction, which is alfo nearly the line in which thefe iflands feem- ed to lie from each other. As we pafTed along the north ernrn oft ifland it appeared to be but moderately elevated, notwithftanding that we had defcried it at the diftance of near 1 8 leagues ; its high eft part is towards the fouth, from whence it gradually defcends and terminates in a long low point at its north- weft extremity, which according to our obfervations is fituated S. 08 E> and ROUND THE WORLD-. 3 43 and at the diftance of 04 leagues from cape St. Lucas. A low detached iflet, and a remarkably fteep white cliffy rock, lie off this point of the ifland, whofe fhores are alfo compofed, but par- ticularly fo on its fouth-weft fide, of fteep white rocky cliffs ; the fame fort of fubftance feemed to be its principal component part, and although in fome places it was tolerably well covered with low fhrubs, yet upon the whole it prefented but a dreary and unprodudtive fcene. Its fouth-eaft- ern extremity, which likewife defcends gradually from the fumrnit of the ifland, terminates alfo in a low projecting point with fome rocks lying off from it. On either fide is a fmall bay ; that on the eaftern fide is bounded by a beach, alter- nately compofed of rocks and fand, and as we gained foundings of 35 fathoms at fome diftance as we palfed by it, little doubt was entertained of its affording good anchorage, provided the bottom fhould be good ; as it is protected againlt the general prevailing winds. The furf however broke with fome violence on its fhores, and as it did not feem from the fcanty portion of its vegetable productions, and the apparent drynefs of the foil, to poffefs what we principally, and indeed only wanted, wrater ; we proceeded to- wards thatftation which Woods Rogers defcribes to have occupied, and where about the fame feafon of the year, he procured a great fupply of excellent 144 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY £l)BCP excellent water. This was on the north-eaft fide of Prince George's ifland. In our way thi- ther wc paffed between Prince George's and the north wefternmoft ifland, in a paffage about fix miles wide, with foundings from 20 to 40 fa- thoms, fandy bottom, and,fo far as we became acquainted with its navigation, it is free from danger or interruption. The fouth-weft fide of Prince George's ifland is bounded by detached rocks lying at a fmall difiance from its fhores ; thefe in general, but more fo on its northern and caftern fide, defcend gradually from the center of the ifland (whofe fummit is nearly as high as that of the northernmoft ifland,) and terminate at the water-fide in a fine fandy beach. This was infinitely more verdant than the other ifland, as its vegetable productions extended from the more elevated parts to the wafti of the fea, and grew with fome luxuriance though we did not per- ceive any trees of great fize on the ifland, nor did it feem to afford any ftreams or runs of frefli water. Some gullies wTere feen as we paffed along, which in addition to the cheerful appear- ance of the country, flattered us w7ith the hope, that on further examination they would be found to afford us the fupply of water we needed. Having fhortly after noon, reached the fpot pointed out by former vifitors as mofl likely to furnifh this effential article, we anchored on a clear I794-] ROUND THE WORLD. 145 clear fandy bottom, in 10 fathoms water, about three quarters of a mile from the Ihore, on the north-eaftern fide of Prince George's ifland; its eaft point bearing by compafs S. 16 E. about two miles and a half diftant ; its north-eaft point, N. 68 W. diftant two miles ; the north point of the northernmoft ifland, N. 46 W. about fix leagues diftant ; and the moft fouthern ifland, which is the fmalleft, from S. 21 E. to S. 45 E, about four leagues diftant. Two boats were immediately difpatched with Mr. Whidbey and Mr, Manby in different direc- tions in queft of water, which however* if found, could not be got on board without fome diffi- culty, on account of the furf which broke on every part of the flhore, but not fo violently as to prevent the parties from landing. In the evening both returned ; Mr. Whidbey had ex* tended his exeurfion to the north-weftward from our anchorage, without finding any water, and Mr. Manby had been equally unfuccefsful to the fouth-eaftward round the fouth point of the ifland. Gn its fouth-eaft fide the beds of many fpacious water courfes were ieen, which in the rainy feafon appeared to give vent to copious ftreams, as fome of them were twenty feet in width. In fome a moiftnefs was obferved> and Mr. Manby was of opinion, that by digging wells, water might have been procured. A fupply by Vol. VL t thh ]/l6 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [DEC, this means was however precarious, and as we could not devote any time to uncertainties, I determined to depart without further delay, and at eight o'clock we were again under fail. Our vifit to thefe iflands not having afforded us an opportunity of making a very accurate de- lineation of their fllores, or of acquiring fuch information as might render them objefts wor- thy the particular attention of future vifitors to thefe feas, I have not fabjoined any fkctch of them, and fhall content myfelf by noticing, that the anchorage we quitted, is fituated according to our obfervations made on the preceding day, and the day after we failed (not having obtained any obfervations on the day of our arrival and departure) in latitude 21° 28', longitude 253° 54'; and that in a dire&ion N. 50 W. and S. 50 E. ; thefe iflands occupy a fpace of about 1 4 leagues ; the length of the northernmoft has been already ftated, its breadth is about nine miles ; the next in lize and direction is Prince George's iiland, this is about eight leagues in circuit ; and the third, or fouth-eafternmcft, is about nine miles round. In navigating near them we obferved no danger ; fome detached iflcts and rocks are about the Ihores, but all are fufficiently confpicuous to be avoided ; and the regularity of the foundings, fo far as our exami- nation extended, gave us reafon to believe, that fecure I7Q4,] BOUND THE WORLD. 14f fecure anchorage might be obtained againft the prevailing winds, at a commodious diftance from the fhore. From the gentlemen who had landed (being myfelf from the the ill ftate of my health unable to go on fliore) I became acquainted, that the foil of Prince George's ifland feemed to be prin- cipally of a fandy nature, on which the chief valuable production was lignum vita, befides whichy was an almoft impenetrable thicket of fmall trees and bufhes of a thorny nature, toge- ther with the prickly pear, and fome plants of the orange and lemon tribe ; the whole growing as clofe to the water fide as the wafli of the furf would permit. Some of the lignum vita which was cut clofe to the beach and brought on board, worked up full eight inches in diameter at heart; this wood was very ponderous, of a clofe black grain, and extremely hard. Before this time I did not recoiled: to have met with this fpecies of wood growing on any of the ifland s in thefe feas, and it is not improbable, that in the more inte- rior parts of this ifland the trees may be of a much larger fize. About the outikirts of the wroods, for excepting where in the rainy fealbn the defcending waters had formed a path, the thicket wTas impenetrable ; many birds were feen, thofe of the larger kind were hawks of feverai forts, green parrots with yellow heads, paroquets, L 2 pigeons, 148 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY Qf>6C* pigeons, doves, and a variety of fmall birds, many of which were of beautiful plumage. Pelicans, gulls, curlews, terns, and fandpipers were ob- served, but no quadrupeds were feen, although in the fand on the bottom of fome of the water- courfes Mr. Manby noticed the footing of an animal, which he confidered to be about the fize of a fox ; many turtle tracks were on the beach, and nearly a hundred of dead manatee, or fea- cows, were lodged at fome diftance beyond the prefent range of the furf. The carcaffes of thefe animals, from their then fcate of putrefa&ion, were confidered by Mr. Manby to have been fo left about ten or twelve days before, and as they all feemed to be nearly in the fame flate of de- cay, the only conjecture that could be reafonably formed, was, that thqy had been fo depofited in a violent foutherly ftorni. They were eagerly de- voured by the vultures, hawks, and other birds of prey that had aflembled about them in great numbers, and it appeared to be not improbable that the carnivorous animals of the Marias are frequently regaled with fuch fumptuous repafts, for, befides the fea-cows that remained intire, the fkeletons of many hundreds of the fame or fimilar animals had been in like manner caft on ihore, at more remote and different periods. A variety of fifh common to the tropical regions were feen in great numbers about the fhores ; amongft j 7Q4.] ROUND THE WOR^D. }4Q amongft thefe the fharks were very * bold and daring, they followed the boats, and made re- peated attempts to catch the oars, in which one of them at length fucceeded, but with the lofs of five of its teeth, which were left in the blade of the oar. A few fnakes and guannas were alfb feen, and fome of the latter were very good eat- ing. No traces of human vilitors were per- ceived, though on fhore fome drift wood was found, with evident marks of its having been worked or hewn with European tools. This appeared to me to be the fubftance of the information we acquired by calling at thefe iflands, which are not more than lOo leagues from Acapulco, and in the immediate vicinity of St. Bias. In the Spanifli M. S. chart they are placed weft from that port, at the diftance of about 20 leagues, which appeared to correfpond exa£tly with our obfervations, in refpe6l to the bearings from cape St. Lucas, and to differ only three leagues in the diftance from that promon- tory ; this was further proved (fo far as eftimated diftances could be relied upon) by the diftant view wre had had of the continent in that direc- tion at our laft place of anchorage ; notwith- ftanding which, thefe iflands do not feem to have engaged or attra&ed the attention of the Spanifli government. As on leaving the Marias it was my intention L 3 to 150 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [©EC. to make cape Corientes, in order to afcertain its latitude and longitude, our courfe was directed between the iflands and the main land ; fteering well to the eaftward at firft, in order that we might avoid a fhoal faid to extend fome diftance from the fhores of the fouthernmoft of the Ma- rias ; at midnight we purfued a more foutherly courfe, but the wind, though attended with fine pleafant weather, was fo moderate, that at day^ light on Thurfday the 18th, the iflands we hcd Jeft were ftill in fight, bearing by compafs the fouthernmoft from N. 82 W. to N. 72 W.; Prince George's ifland,fromN> 7oW. toN.64 W.; the eaft point of the northernmoft, N. 58 W.; and a diftant view of the continental fliore from N. E. by N. to E. by S. This was too remote to form any judgment refpc<5ting the country, further than its appearing to have a very lofty and uneven furface, fwelling into various emi- nences of different forms and magnitude. The obferved latitude at noon was 21°, lon- gitude 254° 2 7;, and the variation of the com- pafs 7° 30'' eaftwardly. In this fituation the high land over cape Corientes bore by compafs S. 25 E., land appearing like a fmall ifland, lying at fome diftance from the continent S. 0(3 E.; the northernmoft part of the main land in fight N. N. E., and the fouthernmoft of the Marias flands N. 58 W., diftant nine leagues, Mych to 17Q4.] ROUND THE WORLD. 151 to our furprize, in the afternoon we approached a fmall black rugged rock, or, more properly /peaking, a clofely connected duller of fmalt rocks, which though deferving of attention, from their fituation, and the fafety of the navigation between cape Corientes, St. Bias, and the Marias, yet they are not inferted in either of the Spanifh charts, nor do they appear to have- been noticed by any former vifitor with whole obfervations I have become acquainted. The fpace they oc- cupy does not appear to exceed the dimenfions of a large {hip's hull, nor are they much higher, They are at a great diftanee from any land, and, fo far as we could perceive on paffing by them at the diftanee of about half a league, the water near them appeared to be deep in every direction. We could not gain foundings clofe round them with the hand-line, nor did this fmall rocky group feem to be fupported by any bed of rock or fhailow bank. The fliores of the main land, to the eaftward of them, at the diftanee of about eight leagues, appeared to be broken, and about ten miles within them are two fmall iflands. Thefe rocks, according to our obfervations, are fituated in latitude 20° 45', longitude 254° 2/', lying from the land mentioned at noon as ap- pearing like an inlet S. 7 0 W. fix leagues dis- tant, and from the fouthernmoft of the Marias S. 36 E. at the diftanee of 12 or 13 leagues. L 4 In 152 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [DEC. In the evening the breeze that had been very moderate all day, freftiened, and towards mid- night we palTed cape Corientes, at the diftance of about five leagues ; this time was rather un- favourable for the fixing of its pofition ; but as it was ftill in fight at day-light the next morn- ing, Friday the ] Qth, bearing by compafs N.8E, and having been conftantly within our view during the night, I fhould fuppofe that it's fituation as refulting from our obfervations will be liable to no very material error. Thefe placed cape Corientes in latitude 20° 22', longitude 254° 40' ; from whence if this ftatement be cor- real, the above rocky group will be found to lie N- 26 W. at the diftance of nine leagues. The American coaft to the fouthward of cape Corientes not continuing to take a direction fa- vorable to our route, we were no longer defirous of keeping near its fliores, and I therefore made the beft of our way towards the ifland of Cocoa and the Gallipagos, with an intention of flopping at one or both of thofe places. At noon the ob- ferved latitude was 1Q° 15', longitude 254° 48'; the coaft at this time was ftill in fight, bearing by compafs north, from N. 85 E. and its neareft part N. E. about ten leagues from us. We were now accompanied by many of the tropical fifhes, and oceanic birds, and notwithftanding that we had a frefh breeze from the north-weft ward, the weather 17Q4.] ROUND THE WOBLD. 153 weather was very fultry and unpleafant. The thermometer within thefe two days had rifen from 70 to 83, and the heat that we now ex- perienced was attended with a degree of oppref^ five inconvenience, that exceeded any thing of the fort I had ever before felt, under fimilar cir- cumflances of fuch an alteration in the height of the mercuiy. The unpleafantnefs of the at- mofphere on Saturday morning became greatly increafed by the north- weflerly wind dying away, and by its being fucceeded by calms of light va- riable airs. The atmofphere was perfectly clear, ferene, and unincumbered either with fogs or clouds, which made it very difficult to account for the extraordinary change in the climate be- tween our then ftation and the three Marias illands, as the diftance did not exceed 70 leagues. This may poffibly be acounted for by the project- ing promontory of cape Corientes, and other parts .of this mountainous country intercepting thofe cool refrefhing gales from the north that are fo grateful and acceptable to the human conftitution. That part of the globe we had now to pafs over having been little frequented by perfons pof- fefling the means of making due obfervations on the vertical inclination of the magnetic needl^ I purpofed to procure fome obfervations at different intervals when the fhip was fufficiently ffceady for 154 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVER Y [DEC* for this purpofc. This day in latitude 18° 20', longitude 255° 40', the marked end, north face eaft, ihcwed - - 38° 1 7' Ditto Ditto Weft, 38 3 Ditto South face Eaft, 34 3 Ditto Ditto Weft, 30 20 Mean vertical inclination of the north point of the marine dipping needle - - - 30 41 The horizontal inclination or variation was about 0o° eaftwardiy. A continuation of very light winds made our progrefs very flow, through an ocean on whofe furface great numbers of turtles, in every direc- tion, were lying afleep, and we had only to lower down the boat, and without interrupting the pro- grcfe of the fhip, make choice of as many as we required ; though under our prefent circum- ftances we would readily have waved the acquir lition of thefe luxuries for a little more wind, as with that which now prevailed, the fhip's mo- tion through the water was fcarcely perceptible. We had again fight of the American coaft ovx Sunday morning the 2lft; it bore by compafs from N. 5 E. to eaft, to N. 72 E. ; but at fo re- mote a diftance that we loft every appearance of it by noon, when the obferved latitude was 1 7° 50', longitude 255° 52'., During the two pre- ceding 179'*-] BOUND THE WORLD. 155 ceding days we had very light variable winds from the eaftward and S. E. with alternate calms, and very oppreffive fultry weather ; but by Thurfday the 25th we had fome little alleviation, as the wind then blew a moderate fteady breeze from the north- weft ward. Whilft the light winds continued we were greatly incommoded by a very heavy fwell from the fouth-eaftwardf which made the fhip extremely uneafy ; this had now in a great meafure fubfided ; but the wea- ther though perfectly clear was ftill very hot and fbltry, the thermometer night and day varying from 81 to 83. Had it not been for our anxious folicitude to get forward, and the exceffive heat of the weather, our fituation would have been by no means unpleafant ; the ocean was tranquil, and abounded with a great variety of fifh ; its furface as it were was covered with turtles, and the numerous fea fowls hovering over, and diving for their prey, prefented fuch an animated fcene, as the ocean, unaffifted by intervening land, or other objects, is feldom, I believe, found to ex- hibit. We were here at no lofs to provide a re-« paft for this our fourth Chriftmas day fince we had quitted the civilized world ; and with the addition of the frefli beef, mutton, and poultry we had brought from Monterrey/ the officers tables prefented fuch an appearance of luxury as is \ )50 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY £DEC. is not frequently feen in fuch diftant regions of the ocean. In addition to our frefh provilions, and what the fea afforded, the people were ferved fuch an extra allowance of grog as was fufficient for the celebration of the day, and to call to their recolIe6lion their friends and favorites at home ; on which occafion, though perhaps the circum- ftance may appear too trivial here to be noticed, yet as the fentiment arofe fpontaneoufly from the gratitude of the crew, I am induced to mention it ; the memory of Senr Quadra, and the health of Tamaahmaah w7ere not forgotten. The fame light baffling winds continued to impede our progrefs, wThich was tardy and irk- fome beyond all defcription ; in addition to which, fome of our water cafks were found to have leaked out ; this, very contrary to my wifhes, obliged me to reflrain.the allowance of water to three quarts a man per day. So very flowly did we proceed, that by Wednefday the 3lft at noon we had only reached the latitude of 13° 5o', longitude 25Q° 51 30" ; the latter was deduced from 1 1 0 fets of lunar distances, as fol- low, writh the fun and aldebaran on different fides of the moon between the 2/th and 3 ift of De- cember. Thofe taken on the 2/th, and brought forward by Arnold's No. 14, gave the following rcfults. The t794«3 hound the world. 157 The mean of 6 fets 2) a§ weft of her, by Mr. Whidbey, 259° 38 50* 4 ditto Mr. Baker, 259 32 45 6 ditto Mr. Manby, 259 52 45 6 ditto Mr, Orchard, 259 50 21 6 ditto, taken on 29th, by Mr. Whidbey, 259 45 40 6 ditto Mr. Baker, 259 37 35 6 ditto Mr. Manby, 259 55 22 6 ditto Mr. Orchard, 259 56 35 6 Ji abaidebaraneaft of her, Mr. Whidbey, 259 52 , 2 6 ditto Mr. Baker, 260 14 17 4 ditto Mr. Manby, 260 8 10 6 ditto Mr. Orchard, 259 55 38 6])a§ weft of her, taken 3 1 ft Mr. Whidbey, 259 46 50 6 ditto Mr. Baker, 259 41 47 6 ditto Mr. Manby, 259 47 43 6 ditto Mr. Orchard, 259 47 2 4 D ah aldebaran eaft of hetv Mr. Whidbey, 259 52 4 6 ditto Mr. Baker, 259 58 10 6 D ab aldebaran eaft of her, Mr. Manby, 259 55 7 6 ditto Mr. Orchard, 260 1 52 3 ditto Myfeif, 259 58 25 3days'obfervations,in28fets, Mr. Whidbey, 259 47 5 ditto 23 Mr. Baker, 259 48 55 ditto 28 Mr. Manby, 259 55 51 ditto 29 Mr. Orchard, 259 54 19 The mean of the whole, collectively taken, being the refult of 116 fets of lunar diftances, fhewed the longitude, at noon on the 3lft of December, 1794, to be - - 259 51 45 At which time Arnold's No. 14lhewed 260 6 30 No. 176 - 260 53 36 Kendall's - - 260 46 45 And by the dead reckoning - 260 i Hence, 158 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [DEC Hence, as I confidered the longitude deduced from the lunar obfervations to be correal, or nearly lb, it will appear evident that the chrono- meters, lince the commencement of the very hot weather, had been gaining considerably lefs than the rate we were allowing as afcertained at Mon- terrey ; for which reafon a new rate was, from thele and fubfequent obfervations, found and adopted for pointing out our longitude, by the chronometers, from this ftation fouthward to the illand of Cocos. By this mode No. 14, at iloon, on the 31 ft of December, appeared to be faft of mean time at Greenwich, - - 5*1 31' 361' 4o/;/ And to be gaining on mean time per day at the rate of, 20 No* 176, faft of mean time at Greenwich on the fame day, II 51 59 45 And to be gaining on mean time per day at the rate of, 415 Kendall^ faft of mean time on the fame day, - - 10 11 43 45 And to be gaining on mean time per day at the rate of, - 2 1 35 CHAP. 1794*J ROUND THE WORLD. 15Q CHAPTER IV. Vlfit the IJland of Cocos — Some Defcription of that IJland — Agronomical and nautical Obfervathm there — Proceed to the Southward — Pafs between Wenmans and Culpepper s IJlands — See the Gal* lipagos IJlands, and afcertaln their Situation. DURING our paflage thus far from Monter- rey, it did not appear that we had been much afFe£led by currents, the log and the ob- fervations having in general correfponded very nearly, and the difference between the longitude, by the dead reckoning, and that which I confi- dered to be the true longitude, had not exceeded half a degree, the dead reckoning having been in general to the eaftward of the truth. The wind in the north- wellern quarter con- tinued to blow a fteady breeze, and as we ad- vanced to the fouth-cafcvvard it increafed in its force ; the heat was lefs oppreffive, and the mer- cury in the thermometer fell to a general tempe- rature of about 78 ; the atmofphere was com- monly clear, and the fea, which was remarkably fmooth, abounded with immenfe numbers of •flying fifhj dolphins, bonttos, albicores, and a great l60 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [JAN/ great variety of fmaller fifh ; of turtles we eafily procured as many as we could difpenfe with. By noon on Monday the 5th we had reached the latitude of Q° 2fU and the longitude, brought forward from the preceding lunar obfervations* with the new rates of the chronometers, was fhewn by Arnold's No. 14 to be 263 ' 3& 15", No. 176, 203° 34' 15", and by Kendall's 263a 40'; the dead reckoning at this time fhewed 265° 33;; whence it became evident that we were now materially affe&ed by a current fetting to the weftward, as this deviation had been gra- dually increafing fmce the 3 lit of December, and by our daily obfervations for the latitude, the di- rection of this current feemed to be irregularly between the north, fometimes correfponding.* and at others to the fouth of the obfervations. In this fituation the vertical inclination of the magnetic needle was as under : Marked end North face Esft ~ 24° 50' Ditto ditto Weft - 25 30 Ditto South face Eaft> - 24 45 Ditto ditto Weft, - 24 30 Mean inclination of the marine dip- ping needle - - - 24 54 The variation being about fi degrees eaft- wardiy. The two fucceeding days we were fet to the ■fouth ward, at the rate of about half a mile per hour> 1795*] ROUND THE WORLD* l6l hour, and on Wednefday the 7th the wind from the north-eaftward again became very light, and I found it neceflary to begin diftilling frefh water from the fea ; by this procefs, without any great additional expenditure of fuel, a fupply of from twelve to eighteen gallons of frefh water was pro- cured in the courfe of each day ; and although it could not be confidered of the firft quality, yet it was perfectly frefh, and applicable to all the pur- pofes of cooking. In this refped; it was highly acceptable, as by the affiftance of the diftilled wTater, we were enabled to appropriate to greater advantage the abundant refrefhments which the lea ftill continued to afford, and which were fome compenfation for the very tedious and tardy pro- grefs that the faint baffling winds permitted us to make. Since Wednefday we had frequently noticed very ftrong riplings on the furface of the water, but felt fcarcely any effe£l from currents. The obferved latitude on Sunday the 1 1th was 7° 4 7', longitude, by Arnold's No. 14, 200° 27'; No. 1 76, 20o° 20' ; Kendall's, 266° 33; ; and by the dead reckoning 208° 32' ; fo that admitting No. 14, as I conceived it to be, neareft the truth, the error in the reckoning, fince the-Sth, had only in- creafed icy. The variation of the compafs was now about 8° eaftwardly. During the lafl week the clouds, particularly in the northern quarter, Vol. VI. M had 1$% A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [jAN* had fometimes hung about the horizon very dark and heavily, but they had now difperfed without any rain, excepting about noon on the preceding day, when we had a fmart ftiower that lafted nearly two hours, and was the firft rain that had fallen with us fince our arrival at Monterrey in the beginning of November laft. As we thus gently advanced to the fouth-eafi- ward, the riplings on the furface of the water became more frequent, and were attended with a greater degree of agitation, making a ruftling hilling noife, like a tide in Ihoal water ; and though wc felt fomething of their influence, they feemed infinitely more to affect the Chatham in her fteerage ; yet, from the refult of our obfer- vations, they did not appear to be the confequence of any current, which gave rife to an idea, that probably the fpace we were then paffing over was of very uneven bottom. To afcertain this fad: foundings were tried, but no bottom was found in thefe riplings with 140 to 1/0 fathoms of line. During the night of Monday the 12th, and until noon the following day, we had a frefh breeze from the N. N. E., which afterwards veered round to the eaftward and E. S. E, nearly in the direction in which I wifhed to ftcer. On Wednefday noon we had reached the latitude of 5° 3/;, longitude 263° 31', approaching nearly to the parallel of the ifland of Cocos, and'about two or 1795.] Sound the would. l63 or three degrees of longitude to the "weft ward of its meridian, according to the different ac counts of its fituation in the ocean ; and as we had no indication whatever of our having left it to the weftward of us, our courfe was directed eaft- wardly, as the moft probable means of finding the ifland. We were ft ill attended by vaft numbers of fifh, varying both in fizc and fpecies ; few birds were now about us, and the abundance of turtles was fo much decreafed, that, on Thurfday the 15th, notwithftanding the day was for the moft part calm, our boat's crew caught only two. The weather ftill continued clear, and gave us fb good a view all around us, that had any land been within the limits of our horizon, it could not have efcaped our notice. After having palled to the fouth of the 6th degree of north latitude, we again found ourfelves under the influence of the current, that, during the 14th, had fetus 18', in a direction S. 4/. E., and, during the laft twenty-four hours, at the fame rate, in a direc- tion N. 62 E. A light breeze fpringing up foon afternoon from the north, we purfued our eaft- wardly courfe, intending to incline a little to the fouthward. This however we were prevented doing, from the current continuing to fet to the E. N. E. at the rate of a mile per hour; fo that at noon the following day, Friday the iCkh, ourob- M 2 ferved J 64 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY JAN.] ferved latitude was 5° 5l', and the longitude 26Q° 32'. The tranquil ftate af the wind and fea, which with fo little interruption had for fuch a length of time attended us, now feemed likely to un- dergo a very material change. A very heavy fwell rolled from the weftward, and the atmof- phere became loaded w ith denfe, heavy clouds, particularly between the S. E. and S. W. ; in this direction our view was limited to a very few miles. The wind now blowing a gentle breeze from the N. W. a more foutherly courfe was pur- fued, in the hope of regaining what we had loft by the current having driven us to the north- ward. Towards midnight, after about three hours calm, the wind came from the fouthward, and obliged us to fteer again to the eaftward ; this I much regretted, as we had not, with all our efforts, yet been able to get fo far fouth, as the latitude afligned to the ifland we were in queft of, which according to Lord Anfon's voy- age is ftated to be in 5° 20', and by the Bucca- neers in 5° 157. I could not help being appre- henfive, that a continuation of thefe adverfe w inds and currents would oblige us to pafs to the northward of the ifland without feeing it; for, by our obfervations on Saturday the 1 7th, after making every allowance, inffcead of our being in latitude 6° 22% which was (hewn by the reckon- ing, , 7Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. ] 65 ing, the rcfults of our meridional and d uble al- titudes (which agreed extremely well together) proved our latitude to be 5° 46', and that we were alio feveral miles to the eaftward of our ac- count, the longitude being 2/0° 3 7;. The va- riation at this time was 8|° ealtwardly. Between this and the preceding noon, we had palTed over upwards of a degree of longitude, without being able to fee far to the fouth of the latitude of 5° 30 ', owing to very thick hazy gloomy weather ; hence it was very poffible, that we might have palTed to the northward of the ifland of Cocos. This was confidered by fome on board to have been highly probable, from the circumftance of our being now attended by vaft numbers of the different fpecies of birds that are generally found frequenting the Ihores of the un- inhabited tropical iflands ; but this did not amount to proof, as thofe birds might have been attracted to the neighbourhood of our then fitua- tion by the great numbers of bonitos, albicores, and other fillies, with which the fea at that time abounded : and as we were fuceefsful in taking as many of them as we could make ufe of, they made us araole amends for the deficiency of turtle, which did not appear to be an object of much regard, as I believe molt: of us began to be tired of that food, which was only ufed to diverfify our other provifions. M 3 The \66 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jA&. The currents with which we had met, {hewed that little reliance was to be placed on the lon- gitude, aligned to any land in this part of the ocean, from the teftimony of thofe who had fo long firice vifited thefe regions, but who had not been provided with the means we pofTefTed for afcertaining the ftrength and direction of thefe ftreams. For fome days paft we had been fet confider- ably to the eaftward, and as, from the feveral au- thorities I had confulted, it did not appear that we had yet reached the moft eaftern fituation ^ffigned to the ifland in queftion, the prefump- tion was that it was flill to the eaftward of our prefent track ; and although I fhould have been greatly mortified to have been obliged to abandon an object that had fp much attracted my atten- tion, yet, from the reduced ffcate of our water in confequence of this unexpectedly tedious paffage, and the worn- out and defective ftate of our wa» ter- calks, the reaching; of the ifland of Cocos became a matter more of neceffity than choice ; as I was very unwilling to enter any port in the continent. There feemed, however, no profpeCt of e£Fe£ting this, unlefs we fhould be able to ihape luch a courfe as would counteract the ftrength of the adverfe north-eafterly current. For this purpofe, with the wind at S. S, W. we lleered to the S. E. and in the evening had a to- lerably 1793-3 ROUND THE WOPvLD. \Gj krahly diftinct view a-head, but the fbuth-weft horizon was ftill obfcurcd in dark denfe clouds, and haze; the night was moftly calm, but in the following morning, Sunday the I 8th, the wxather was ferene and clear, attended with a gentle breeze from the N. VV, with which we fteered to the fouth and at noon wrere in latitude 5° 33' > longitude 2/1° 7'; having been fee during the laft twenty-four hours 1 3' to the north, and 1 1' to the eaft of our reckoning. The clear weather w7as not of long continue pre. in the fouthern quarter, although the or : fide of the horizon retained its former appear ; for by furi-fet we could not fee a mile from the fhip in the eaftern, fouthern, or fouth weftern quarters. The various kinds of birds became more numerous, and having at length reached the ftated parallel of the ifland, we plied during the night, which was attended by variable winds, fome rain, and dark gloomy weather. This con- tinued until noon the next day, Monday the lQth, when the obferved latitude was 5° 14', longitude 2/1° Q' ; being 10/ to the north, and 41 to the eaft of what the log fhewed. The wrcather now- admitted of an extcnfive view all round, but no, land was in fight; and as the number of birds was confiderably leffened, fome additional reafons wTere offered in fupport of the former opinion, that we had left the ifland to the fouth- weft ward M 4 of 168 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY f JAN", of us. Of this however I was by no means con- vinced, as in my feveral traverfes over the Pacific Ocean, I had leldom found thai fuch indications amounted to a proof of the very near vicinity of land. With the wind between the fouth and S. W. although I had continued during the night to the fouth -eaflwani, we were not able to keep our fouthing; for the obferved latitude at noon the following day, Tuefday the 20th, was 5° 16', the longitude 2/1° 52;, which was 24' further north, and 10' further eaft than was given by our reckoning. In the courfe of the laft three of four days wc had, in different inftances, been deceived for a flurt time both by night and day, by very heavy dark douds which affumed the appearance of land. Shortly after noon a fimilar refemblance was fecn from the maft-head at a great diftance, bearing E. N. E. which was not given credit to as being land, until aided by a gentle breeze and the current, we had approached nearer to it by three leagues, when it was decided beyond all queftion to be land. Concluding it to be the long-looked for ifland of Cocos, at the diftancc of 1 4 or if) leagues, the glad tidings were com- municated by fignal to our little confort. All the turtles had now left us, but we had ftill many fillies and lea fowl attending us, though thefe wxrc 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. l6g were not quite fo numerous as on the preceding evening. The night was calm or accompanied with light variable winds, which continued with rain and dark gloomy weather until noon the next day, fo that no obfervations could be ob- tained for afcertaining the ihip's fituation : we had however made fome progrefs, as the ifland now bore by compafs N. 73 E. to N. 81 E. not more than 6 or 7 leagues from us. In this we had been much affifted by the current fetting us directly towards the land, the fouth-weft extre- mity of which appeared in this point of view, to rife abruptly from the fea in fteep rugged cliffs to a considerable height ; and then In a moderate afcent to its moll elevated part; this was a hill of no very great fize; from whence it defcended with a more uniform declivity to its northern ex- tremity, which appeared like a detached iflet. " The wind, which had been variable in the evening, became very light, and I was not with- out my apprehenfions that the current might force us paft the ifland, before we might have an opportunity of making choice of a fituation for anchoring. That no time might be loft, about two in the following morning, being then fuffi- ciently near the land for one of our boats to be in with the fhores by day-light, Mr. Whidbey was difpatched in the cutter to make the neceffary examination. During this and the three or four preceding I/O A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY K [jA5T. preceding nights the fea had prefented a very lu- minous appearance, but I was not able to afeertain with fatisfaction the caufe of it. Alter the boat had left the fliip, we ufed our utmoft endeavours to prefer ve our ftation to the fouth-wcft of the iiland, but to no effect ; the current foon after day-light drove us beyond its weflern end, and although our head was to the fouth-weft, we were driven at a great rate pafl: its northern fide, within a few miles of its fhores. Thefe appeared to be indented into fmall bays, with rocks and iilets lying near them; but they by no means exhibited that inviting appearance which has been reported of them by Lionel Wafer'* and others. The fhores were chiefly compofed of broken perpendicular cliffy precipices, beyond which the furfaee rofe unevenly to the fummit of the itland; the whole compofing one rude connected thicket of fmall trees near the fhore, but on the more elevated and interior parts many large fprcadmg trees were feen; fome cocoa nut trees were alio obferved in the chafms of the rocky precipices, but they did not feem now to jiourifn in inch abundance, as was molt likely the cafe when their fruit g&ve a name to the ifland. Being intireJy without wind, the current fat us fall to the north-eaftward from the land, * v ide Collection of Voyages to the Southern Hemifphere, in 2 vols. 8vo. publilhed in 17B8. which 179 5.] HOUND THE WORLD. 171 which at noon bore by compafs from S. 1/ W* to S. 35 W. diftant feven or eight miles. The weather at this time afforded us a good opportu- nity for afcertaining the fhip's place, which by feveral correal obfervations was found to be in lati- tude 5° 40', longitude 2/3° 8'. By thefe and other obfervations that had been made on the 20th, the fhip appeared to have been fet by the current during the two days 6o miles, in a direction N. 50 E. ; thisfhewed that the ifland, which we did not confxder to be more than moderately high when firffc feen, was upwards of 20 leagues diftant. In the morning, as we were driving near to the fhores of the ifland, fome falls of w7ater wTere pbferved defcending from the cliffs into the fea, and as w7e flood much in need of this neceffary article, as more of our calks were found to have leaked out, no fmali degree of impatience was ex- perienced for the return of the boat, as her long ablence had been attributed to want of fuccefs in finding a fafe place for anchorage. This however did not prove to be cafe, for her fuppofed deten- tion was wholly occasioned by the great diftance to which the current had fet the (hip from the ifland. About four o'clock I had the fatisfadtlon of being informed by Mr, Whidhey, that the fhores abounded with ftreams and falls of moil: excellent w7ater, together with fome cocoa nuts, and plenty of wood for fuel, eafily to be pro- cured ; A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY fjAX. cured; efpecially in two fmall bays, both of which afforded anchorage fufficiently flicltered from the prevailing winds at this feafon of the year; the one on the north-eaft, the other on the north-weft part of the ifland. Mr. Whidbey gave the preference to the moffc eaftern, for which, therefore, with a light breeze from the north, we immediately fleered, but were unable to ftem the current till about nine at night, w hen the wind frefhened from the N; E. ; and with this, about four on Friday morning, the 23d, we reached the fituation Mr. Whidbey had chofen, and moored in 33 fathoms wTater, fandy and gravelly bottom, and (fo far as we became ac- quainted,) good holding ground, and free from rocks. The eaft point of the bay, which is a fmall conical iflct lying clofc to the north-eaft extremity of ihc ifland, bore by compafs S. 5 1 E. d'iftant half a mile ; the weft point of the bay S. 75 W. ; a fteep rocky iflet lying off it bore from S. 87 W. to N. Go W. ; and the watering place at the mouth of a very fine ftream empty- ing itfelf over a fandy beach, S. 13 W. about three Quarters of a mile diftant; the Chatham moored within us in 20 fathoms water, on the fame kind of bottom. , As foon as the fhip was fecured I went on fhore, and found that all our wants could be €alily lupplied; that although there was fome furf 17Q5.] HOUND THE WORLD. 173 furf on the beach it was inconfiderable, and that not only water and fire- wood, but that cocoa nuts were alfo to be procured in great abun- dance. No time was now loft in fetting; about obtaining a due fupply of thefe effential articles, and in the performing fuch other bufmefs as had become requifite on board ; where, at noon, by the mean of four obfervations, with different perfons and inftruments, the latitude was (hewn to be 5° 35' 15;/. This differing fo materially from the latitude as dated in Lord Anfon's and other voyages, and the general appearance of this ifland fo little correfponding with the defcriptian given of the ifland of Cocos, efpecially by Dam- pier, and Wafer, gave rife to fome doubts in my mind as to its being the identical ifland fo de- fcribed by thofe gentlemen. Be that as it may, the advantages it afforded us, not only in the articles already mentioned, but in an abundance of very fine fifh, were very important ; and as the foil was apparently capable of affording a variety of ufeful vegetables, this ifland did not fail to at- tratl our particular attention ; and being anxious to acquire every information refpediing it that the fhort flay I purpafed to make would allow of, I difpatched Mr. Whidbey on Saturday morn- ing, the 24th, in the large cutter, to take a flkelch of its fhores. This fervice he performed, and returned about four in the afternoon, having found 174 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jAN. found them to be compofed of fteep perpendi- cular rocky eliffi, with fbme iflets and rocks ly- ing near them ; on w hich the fee broke with fo much violence as to preclude any attempt to land in any part, excepting in the bay to the weftward of Lhe anchorage we had taken, where Mr. Whid- bey had been before, and in that in which the veflels were moored ; which were the only two fituations on the ifland to which veffels could refort. On Sunday morning I made a fhort ex- curfion to the weftern bay, and although a more copious ftream of frefh water was found to flow into it, yet it is certainly not fo eligible a fituation for procuring the good things which the ifland afforded as that which we occupied. It was about half ebb when wre reached its fhores, where wre landed with tolerable convenience. x After we had breakfafted, we fatisfied our curiofity in taking a view of the adjacent country; this was confined by an impenetrable thicket nearly to the limits of the fandy beach, which compofes the bottom of the bay, where, on our return to the boats, we found fome difficulty in re-embarking, owing to an increafe of the furf which at that time broke upon the beach. At the place on fhore, where our operations were going on, I had obferved evident marks of European vifitors, from the trees having been felled with axes and fawrs, whilit the decayed Hate 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 1J$ flate of the remaining flumps proved that they had not been very recently cat down. In this weflern bay, near to the frefh- water brook, a bottle was fufpended on a tree, containing a note directed to the commander of any vetlel that might vifit the ifland, and figned " James Col- nett;" flating, that the fhip Ilatler, South-fea whaler, of London, had arrived on the 26th of July, 1793, and, after procuring wood, water, and other refreshments, had proceeded on her voyage, all in good health: that, previously to her departure, a breed of hogs and goats had been left on the ifland, and a variety of garden feeds had been fown, but the fpot where thefe valuable articles had been depofTted did not happen to fall wTithin the limits of our obfervation. By the time we reached the veilcls the rain fell very heavily, and I became acquainted, 021 my arrival on board, that the furf had fo much increafed, as very materially to retard our bu- finefs with the fhore. The rain was accom- panied by a freft gale from the S. W. at the commencement of which the current, which, though by no means regular in its force, (feme- times being barely perceptible, at others run- ning at leaft at the rate of two miles per hour,) yet had hitherto fet uniformly to the E. N. E. now changed its direction and fet to the welt- ward, but at a very gentle rate, 176 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [jANV This uncomfortable weather continued, though with fome intermiffion, during the 20th; we, however, made great progrefs in completing our water and fuel, and having nearly exhaufted the neighbouring fhores of their cocoa nuts, I dif- patched two boats with Mr. Manby, the next morning, to the wefiern bay, where they were produced in great plenty, to procure a full fup- ply of them. The boats returned about noon, not having been very fuccefsful, as the heavy furf prevented their landing in that part of the bay where the fruit was moffc abundantly pro- duced. By the afternoon wTe had taken on board about thirty-five tons of water, with as much wrood as we could flow; and having thus finiflied all our bufinefs with the fhore, we quitted this ifland in the evening, and made the beft of our way to the fouthward. Having adverted to the fituation and advan- tages which this fmall fpot of land poffeffes, I lhall now more particularly notice fuch matters as occurred to our obfervation whilft we remained there. It does not appear from any account writh which I am acquainted, to whom we are in- debted for the difcovery of this valuable little ifland; nor, indeed, do the feveral defcriptions of the ifland of Cocos much accord with each other, I7Q5..] kotJNl) THE WORLD. 1 77 or agree with what we found to be its fituation or appearance. The ifland Seen by Lord Anfon, of which he was within fight for five days, and confidered by him to be the iiland of Cocos, is ftated in his voyage to be Situated 13/ to the South of what was found by our calculations to be the latitude of this iiland; and fhould this error in the latitude be confidered as reconcilable, it is likely we may both intend the fame iiland. I have not the leaft doubt that the ifland wre laffc quitted is the fame which Chipperton vifited, and called it the iiland of Cocos. He, I fhould fuppofe, anchored in the we Hern bay, but his defcription is too confined to draw from thence any Satisfactory conclufion; but the greateft dif- ference is in the accounts given of the iiland of Cocos by Dampier and Lionel Wafer; thefe differ fo very materially from our observations, in point of extent of fituation and appearance, that their reprefentations rauft either be exceS- fively erroneous, or they mull belong to fome other ifland. After taking all thefe circum- ftances into confideration, it appeared to me by no means unlikely, that fome other ifland might exift not very far remote from this, to which thefe apparently contradictory reports might more properly apply. Two opinions were formed reSpe'tting an in- scription that was found cut on a rock near to Vol. VI, N our 178 A VOYAGE GF DISCOVERY [jANr. our watering place; the letters, which had been originally but ill executed, were much defaced. Look T as' you goe for ye I Coco. This I confidered as purporting, " Look to u fouth as you go, for the ifland of Coco/' but the more prevailing opinion amongft us wasr that it meant, " Look as you 2:0 for the ifland of " Coco," meaning this identical ifland. The defaced character after the word " look" might poffibly have originally been intended to fignify the north, yet as we met with no other in its vicinity, it is probable that this latter opinion was moil correal ; for which reafon I have adopted the name of Cocos for the ifland in quefdon. According to the fketch made by Mr. Whidbey, the iiland of Cocos is about four leagues in cir- cuit, lying in a N. E. and S. W. direction ; it is. about four miles long, and two miles broad, with, feveral detached rocks and iflets fcattered about its fhores ; thofe lying off its fouth-weft part extend to the greateft diftance, which is nearly two miles, but they cannot be confidered as dan- gerous becaufe they are fufficiently high to be* feen and avoided. The fmall bay in which we had anchored at the north-eaft end of the ifland is greatly to be preferred to the other weftward of it; for the fmall iflet that lies off its north- weft point adds greatly to its protection from- the 17Q5 ] HOUND THE WORLD. \J Q the wind and fea. The width of the bay from point to point of the two iflets that form each of its extremities is about a mile,, in a direction S. 52 E. and N. 52 W\ and from this line its extent to the bottom of the bay is alfo about a mile; the foundings are regular from 12 to 50 fathoms, and veffels may ride very fnugly within lefs than half a mile of the beach, in about 20 fathoms water, but in a lefs depth the bottom did not appear to be fo free from rocks. The weftern bay is more extenfive and more expofed, and its foundings are neither fo regular, nor is the bottom fo good ; but from the abundance and great variety of vegetable productions that grow clofe to the verge of high water mark in both bays, it fhould feem that neither of them are fubje6i to very violent ftorms, or heavy feas. The climate was conlidered by us as temperate and falubrious, for although the thermometer was ufually between 78 and 80, we did not feel that oppreffive heat which we had experienced further to the northward ; and notwithftanding that our people were greatly expofed to the heavy rains that fell while tranfa6ling our bufmefs on Ihore, yet not the leaft interruption from want of health took place, which in various other tropi- cal iflands frequently attends the execution of fimilar fervices. N 2 This 180 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jAN, This ifland cannot be confidered as having a pleafant appearance in any one point of view, for although its inland furface is much diverfmed by hills and vallies ; yet the only Tow land of any extent that we were certain it poffefles is in the bottom of the two bays, each of which form the extremity of one of thefe valleys bounded by craggy precipices, from the foot of which extends a narrow ftrip of low flat land that terminates in a beach at the water fide, refembling more the dreary profpe£l exhibited at the heads of the feveral branches of fea we had fo recently ex- plored on the coaffc of North Weft America, than any thing elfe I could compare them to. Every other part of the fhore feemed to be com- pofed of fteep, broken precipices of rock, of which fubftance the interior of the ifland was apparently compofed, as the naked cliffs were fre- quently feen protruding their barren fides through the thicket, which otherwjfe covered the furface of the ifiand. This thicket, fo far as we were enabled to afcertain> was chiefly compofed of a great variety of trees of a moderate fize, with an impenetrable underwood of the vine or fupple- jack kind* which oppofed any excurfion into the country ; fome attempts were, I believe, made to penetrate thither by the water courfe, but this, frorji rocky precipices and other obitruftions, was found to be equally impracticable ; our know- I ledge ] 7Q5.] BOUND THE WORLD. }Q\ Ledge of its productions muft confequently be confined to our obfervations on the fmall margin between the woods and the fea Ihore, the only part that was acceffible to us. In refpcct of its future utility, the firft object of confideration to maritime people is the abundant fupply of water that it affords. This abounds in every part of the ifland, and is to be eafily procured at the Nations to which veffels can refort. From its purity and limpid appearance, and from its being deftitute of any colour or unpleafant tafte, either from dead leaves or other putrid or rotten mat- ter, though very heavy rains had fallen during the time wc had been at anchor there, it may reafonably be inferred that the larger ftreams of water have a more remote and permanent fource than the accidental fhowers that at this feafon of the year may defcend upon the ifland. The foil in the immediate neighbourhood of the ftreams that fall into each of the bays is of a poor, loofe, fandy nature ; but at a little diftance be- hind the beach, and in the fiffures of the rocks, a rich black mould was obferved, apparently ca- pable of affording much vegetable nourifliment; and this may alfo be the cafe in other parts of the ifland, although we had no power of afcer- taining the fad. All its vegetable productions appeared to grow luxuriantly, and covered the ifland in one entire wildernefs. On the rocky N 3 cliffs 182 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jAN. cliffs near the fea fide, whofe uneven furface ad- mitted the growth of vegetables, a coarfe kind of grafs is produced, that afforded an excellent re- treat for the different kinds of fea fowl which reforted thither to rooft and build their nefls, or. more properly fpeaking to lay their eggs, as they are at little pains to form a neffc of any defcrip- tion. About thefe cliffs grew a very particular kind of tree, fomething like the cloth plant of the South Sea illands, but much larger ; fome of thefe grow to the height of about thirty feet, are of a lightifh coloured bark, free from branches to the top, which is fomewhat bufhy, and for that reafon was called by us the umbrella tree. There were fome few other trees whofe foliage ftrongly refembled that of the bread fruit, but as no one of them was in bearing near the beach, I was not able pofitively to determine their fpe- cies. Many of the trees that compofed the fo- re ft, efpecially in the interior and elevated parts of the ifland, feemed to be of confiderable fize, fpreading out into large branches towards their tops, which in point of height greatly furpaffed the others. I was inclined to believe that thefe trees were of the fame fort with thofe from which we principally obtained our fuel, although near to the fea- fide they did not grow fo large as on the hills ; Mr. Manby, who moft commonly iuperintended that fervice, gave me the follow-? 17Q5.] BOUND THE WORLD. } #| ing account of them. This tree is very gene- rally produced all over the illand, its trunk grows very ftraight to the height of twenty or thirty feet before it throws out its branches, wdiich are fo clofe, large, and fpreading, as to afford ex- tremely good flielter againft both fun and rain ; the ftems of feveral were capable of fquaring to twelve or fourteen inches ; the grain is clofe, fomewdiat variegated, and reddifh towards the heart ; it yielded to the axe with tolerable eafe, to the faw it was equally fitted, and being free from knots, it fplit without much labour ; its leaves are of a dark green colour, fmooth at the edge, and not much unlike the laurel, though rather longer ; the feed refembiing a fmall acorn is borne in clufters. The wood is w^ell calculated for burning. Mr. Manby defcribes another fort, (which we cut for fuel alfo,) as having a whitifh fmooth bark, growing tall and ftraight, and pro- ducing but few branches. Its leaf is large, and in fhape refembiing that of the horfe-chefnut, of a light green colour, with a velvet furface ; it appeared to be fit for little elfe than fire- wood, and not the raofi proper even for that purpofe, as it has a thick pith in the center of it that occupies a large portion of the ftem or branches. The wood is of a white clofe grain, fplits readily, but does not burn remarkably well. The cocoa- nut trees, which grow not onlv on the fea-fhore N i but 184 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jAN. but high up on the fides of the hills, were the only trees we faw that bore any fruit, although, in one of the rivulets, an unripe guava was picked up, which, moft probably, had come from the interior country ; in addition to thefe, we noticed an abundance of different forts of fern, fome of which produced a ftem nearly fix inches in diameter, and grew to the height of nearly twenty feet ; thefe, as well as I recollect, were exa&ly of the fame defcription as thofe com- monly found in New Zealand. Such were the moft general vegetable productions of this ifland that fell under our obfervation, to which we fur- thcr added the feeds of apples, peaches, melons, pumkins, with beans, peas, &c. Thefe were fown by Mr. Swaine, in a fpot cleared for that purpofe, where he was of opinion they w7erq likely to thrive. With refpect to the animal kingdom, fifli and fowl feemed to be in great abundance, and we entertained hopes that future vifitors may benefit by Captain Colnett's liberality ; as juft before Mr. Swaine left the ifland a young hog, in very excellent condition, wTas feen by him and fome of his party, but on his di (covering our people he haftily retreated into the thicket. Although at no very ereat diftance from the ifland we had feen inch numbers of turtle, it was Angularly re- markable that there was not the moft diftant . flgu !7<)5-D BOUND THE WORLD. 185 fign of their referring to thcfc fhores. The land abounded with white and brown rats, and vafi numbers *£ land crabs. All the birds of the oceanic tribe, common to the tropical regions, repaired hither in great flocks, and were by no means bad eating. Befides thefe were feen hawks, a fpecies of brown and white herons, rails, a kind of blackbird, and a few others, that chiefly in- habited the woods ; which, with fome ducks and teals, were what was obferved principally to compofe the feathered race. A great variety and abundance of excellently good fifh. frequented the fhores ; fharks alfo were very numerous, and the moft bold and voracious I had ever before feen. Thefe affembled in the bay in large fhoals, conftantly attended on our boats in all their mo- tions, darting at the oars, and every thing that by- accident fell, or was thrown overboard. They fre- quently took the fifh from the hooks before they could be got clear of the water, and wThat was ftill more fmgular, when one of their own fpecies was fo taken, and they perceived he could no longer defend himfelf, he was ii/.jantly attacked, torn to pieces, and devoured by his companions, whilffc yet alive; and, notwithftanding that thefe monflers fubjeCtcd themfelves to be greatly annoyed by the harpoons, knives, &c. of our people, by which they received many deep wounds, yet even that did not deter them from renewing the attack upon the 186 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [jAN". the one which was caught, until every part of the vi&im's flefli was thus torn from its bones. On. this occafion we had an opportunity of obferving, that it is erroneous to fuppofe the ftiark is under the neceffity of turning on his back for the pur- pofe of taking his prey, as thefe fharks mo ft com- monly attained their obje6l without nrft turning themfclves, as has been generally believed. The general warfare that exifts between lea- faring perfons and thefe voracious animals, af- forded at firft a fpecies of amufement to our people, by hooking, or otherways taking one for the others to feaft upon, but as this was attended V/ith the ill confequence of drawing immenfe numbers round the fhip, and as the boatfwain and one of the young gentlemen had nearly fallen a facrifice to this diverfion, by narrowly efcaping from being drawn out of the boat by an im- menfe ly large fhark, which they had hooked, into the midft of at leaft a fcore of thefe vora- cious animals, I thought proper to prohibit all further indulgence in this fpecies of entertain- ment ; which, independently of its being likely to be attended with ferious confequences, was in it&tf of too cruel a nature to be witneffed with- out pain. Thefe fharks appeared to be of three diftincl forts ; the moft numerous were of the tyger kind, thefe were beautifully ftreaked down their fides ; the other forts w7cre the brown and the 1795-3 BOUND THE WORLD. 187 the blue fharks ; and it was fingularly remark- able, that although they all voracioufly devoured the two former fpecies, yet when one of the latter was caught, it remained unmolefted by the reft, and even when killed, and cut up, its flefh was not eaten by its companions. The other kinds of fifh that fell under my no- tice, befide thofe common to the tropical feas, were two forts of bream, the large fnapper of the Weft Indies, a fort of rock fifh, and another kind commonly called yellow tail ; theie were all very excellent, and took the hook readily ; and to thofe who may follow us, and ftand in need of refrefhrnents, they may prove a moft de- firable refource ; and there can be little doubt but that perfons under fuch circumftances would foon fall upon fome expedient, to evade the in- convenience to which they might be liable from the extreme vigilance of the iliarks. Nor is it improbable, that on a more minute examination, the furface of this little bland may be found to produce many articles of refrefliment; but as wc did not ftand much in need of any, excepting the necefTary article of water, our attention was not directed to fuch inquiries, being wholly en- grofTed in ufing every poflible means of difpatcfy in providing ourfelves with thofe few particulars with which we could not difpenfe. We 3 88 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [jAN, We happily flood in no great need of fearch- ing for refrefhments at any great diftance from the fliores of the ifland ; for, excepting that I continued to be in a very feeble and debilitated llate, there was not on board either of the veffels a finale individual who was not in the higheft health imaginable. In confequence of the in- difpofition under which I had fo long laboured, I was only able to go once on fliore in each of the bays, or I might poffibly have acquired more knowledge refpedling this fmall though valuable {pot of land. The comfort we derived from the water, and the few other fupplies there obtained juftly entitled it to our consideration ; and as from its fituation it is not unlikely that it may become a place of importance to thofe whofe purfuits may direct them to this part of the Pa- cific Ocean, I truft I fliall be excufed for having; dwelt fo long on a fubjedi which I could not but regard as deferving attention ; not only as far as it rcfpe&s the productions of the ifland, but alfo to fhew, that the defcription of the ifland of Cocas given by Dam pier from the obfervations of others, and that ftated by Lionel Wafer from his own, are either extremely inapplicable to its prefent circurn fiances and appearance, or have reference to fome other ifland in its neighbour* hood. It is much to be regretted that Dampier had 3 BOUND THE WORLP. had not himfelf ■ vifited this ifland, as from the great accuracy of moft of the obfervations made by that judicious traveller, few doubts could have arifen concerning the identity of the ifland he meant to defcribe. I am more inclined to at- tribute this deviation from the truth to mifre- prefentation, than to any other caufe, from cur having acquired a tolerably competent know- ledge of that part of the ocean between the 5th and 6th degrees of north latitude, for at lealt four degrees of longitude to the weftward of the ifland in queftion, in which fpace there is not much likelihood of there being any other ifland. For the purpofe of commemorating our vifit to the ifland of Cocos, I directed that the date of our arrival, with the names of the velTels and the commanders, fhould be cut on the fame rock where the other infeription was found : the two former I underftocd was executed, but It feems that fome obftacle arofe to prevent the infertion of the latter. The reafons before Hated for fuppofmg that this ifland may hereafter prove ufeful to thofe who may traverfe thefe feas, de- manded that the utmoft attention fliould be paid to the fixing with accuracy its true pofition. By therefult of all our obfervations, comprehending 152 fets, taken between the 2Qth of December and the lGth of January 1 7Q5 ; and 155 (fets taken afterwards between the 28th of Ja- nuary, 3 gO A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jABT. nuary, and the lOth of February following, the longitude of the anchorage deduced thus from 3 06 fets of lunar diftances from the fun and ftars, each fet as ufual containing fix obfervations, ap- peared to be as follow : The mean of 37 fets on both fides 5 before our arrrival by Mr. Whidbey, 272Q 54' 46 'r 37 ditto ditto Mr. Baker, 273 1 43 37 ditto ditto Mr. Manby, 273 3 3 33 ditto ditto Mr. Orchard, 273 4 58 3 ditto ditto Myfelf, 273 2 55 32 ditto after our departure Myfelf, 273 8 42 34 ditto ditto Mr. Whidbey, 273 10 38 36 ditto ditto Mr. Baker, 273 14 55 25 ditto ditto Mr. Manby, 272 53 15 21 ditto ditto Mr. Orchard, 273 21 53 The mean of the whole 306 fets collec- lively taken, and reduced to the anchorage by Arnold's No. 14, according to its new rate, fliewed the true longitude to be — 273 5 34 From this authority, and from feveral fets of altitudes of the fun carefully taken whilffc in the bay, the errors and rates of the chronometers were found to be as follow : Arnold's No. 14, faft of mean time at Green- wich at noon on the 27 th of January 1795, 5*41' Zn 20m And to be gaining per day on mean time at the rate of — — 20 2 Arnold's No. 176, faft of mean time at Greenwich at fame time, — 12 11 18 20 And to be gaining per day on mean time, 41 5 Kendall's ROUND THE WORLT)V 1QI Kendall's faft of mean time at Greenwich at fame time, — — 1 0h 2 1' i9{! 2QI!* And to be gaining per day on mean time 21 35 The latitude by twenty meridional alti- tudes of the fun and fea horizon, by the back obfervation taken by tive different obfervcrs with different inftruinents, and varying from 5° 337 to 5° 377 20", llrewed the mean refult to be — . — — 5° 357 12/' The longitude according to the Monterrey rate was, By Arnold's chronometer, No* x4v 273° 36' 40" Ditto ditto 176, 274 47 55 And by Kendall's, — 274 55 10 By which it appeared that No. 14 was 31' 5*? No. 176, 421 20" y and Kendall's chronometer^ 1° 49' 3 5" to the eaftward of the true longitude. The variation of the compafs by four fets of azimuths differing from 8° 14; to 7°217, fhewed the mean refult to be — 7® 45AeaftwardIy8 The vertical inclination of the magnetic nee- dle, Marked End, North Face Eaft, IQ° 4f Ditto ditto Weft, 20 1 7 Ditto South Face Eaft, ig 17 Ditto ditto Weft, 1 9 40 Mean inclination of the north point of the magnetic dipping needle, 19 45 The rife and fall of the tides were, by the fhore, found to he very confiderable and regular twice J 92 A VOYAGF OF DISCOVERY [JAN\ twice in the twenty-fjur Hours without any ap- parent ftream, and were not in the leaft influ- enced by the currents. The night tides appeared to he the higheft, and were eftimated to rife nearly ten feet perpei licularly, though the furf was too high to admit of any correct meafure- ment. The time of high water was pretty clearly afcertained to be about 2h 10/ after the moon pafles the meridian. Having, as before ftated, put to fea from the ifland of Cocos, on the evening of the 27th of January, and having no intention of flopping fhort of the ifland of Juan Fernandez, or fome port on the coaft of Patagonia, for the purpofe of again recruiting our wrater and flore of fire- wood;, the fliip's courfe was directed fouthwardly, but with fo gentle a breeze during the night> that although we had all fail fet, yet, in the morning of Wednefday the 28th, the ifland con- tinued in fight until about nine in the forenoon, when it bore by compafs N. 30 W., diftant forty- fix miles ; fhortly after this time we loft fight of it, not from its being beneath the horizon, but from its being obfcured by clouds and an hazi- nefs in the atmofphere. At noon the obferved latitude was 4°43/, the longitude 2/3a if\ bjr w7hich it appeared that, fince quitting our an- chorage., a current had fet us in a direction §. 12 E., eighteen miles. In the afternoon fuch immenfe 1795-] ROUND THE WOKLB. 1 Q3 immenfe fhoals of fifli were playing about on the furface of the water as to be miftaken at fir ffc for breakers. During the night the wind was very- light from the weftward, and on the following morning, Thurfday the 2-Qt-h, the weather was calm, with very heavy rain ; but in the forenoon, although the atmofphere continued very gloomy, we procured the neceflary obfervations to fhew the latitude to be 3°29', the longitude 273° 25', whence we appeared to have been fet by a cur- rent 46 miles, in & direction S. 5 E.; a few tur*- ties were this day about the fliip, fome of which were taken. In the afternoon we had a light breeze variable between the eafl and S. S. E., with which we flood to the fouth-weflward ; the night was nearly calm with very heavy rain, but the next morning, Friday the 30th, we had again a fouth -eaflerly breeze with fome rain, which in the forenoon ceafed, and permitted us to obferve the latitude at noon to be 2° 35*', which was 3o' to the fouth of what was fhewn by the log. With a moderate breeze, varying between S. by W. and S. E. we ftood on fuch tacks, as would enable us to make the beft of our wray to the fouth ward, and at noon on Saturday the 3lft the obferved latitude was 2°il/, the longi- tude 2/2° 12', from which it appeared that the current during the lafl twenty-four hours had fet us 12 miles to the fouth, and from the 2Qth Vol. VL O at 1Q4 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [fE1(. at noon 41 miles to the weft ward. Since leav- ing the ifland of Cocos we had obferved many riplings on the water, and had experienced an uncomfortable irregular fvvell from the fouth- ward. On Sundciy the lft of February the wea- ther became more pleafant, and the wind at S. S. E. blew fo fteady a breeze, that I concluded we had at length reached the regular trade wind. In the forenoon we paffed by fome fea weed and drift wood, a cocoa-nut, and a ftick of fugar cane about nine feet long ; all of which, except- ing the former, appeared to have been no great length of time in the water. The obferved la- titude at noon was 1°317, longitude 2700 20/; the former agreed exactly with the log, but by the latter we appeared to have been fet fmce the preceding noon 10 miles in a weft direction. The vaft numbers of fifli that ftill attended us afforded us a very profitable amufement, and in any birds were ftill about us. The wTind which now hung far to the fouth, obliged us to make a much more wefterly courfe than I could have wilhed, as I had entertained hopes of being able to pafs near enough to the Gallipagos iflands to have had an opportunity of afcertaining their true fituation ; but as the wefternmoft of them are faid to be under the meridian of the ifland of Cocos, which was now nearly three dcgrr.es to the eaftward of us, the chance of fucceeding in this }7Q5.]] round the world. 195 this expectation was now fo little, that I gave up every idea of accomplifhing that object. Land was difcovered on Monday forenoon to the W. S. W.; it then appeared to be a very fmall ifland, which at noon bore by compafs S. 72 W., eight or nine leagues diftant. - As our obferved latitude was 1° 2rQ', longitude 2&B64$r, and the variation of the compafs 8° eaftwardly, we appeared to have been fet in the courfc of the laft twenty-four hours 10 miles to the north, and 28 miles to the weft ward. The influence of this current fetting to the W. N. W. was very perceptible, for although with a light air of wind during the afternoon our courfe was directed to the fouth- weftward, yet fo rapidly were we driven in the above direction of the current, that, at fun-fet, this ifland bore by compafs S. 40 W., and another ifland, which had been difcovered about an hour and an half before, bore, at the fame time, N. 72 W. During the night we had a light breeze from the S. S. W., with which we flood to the S. E.; but fo far were we from fteni - ming the current, that, at day-light on the fol- lowing morning, Tuefday the 3d, the firft of thefe iflands bore by compafs S. 08 E., diftant fix leagues, and the fecond N. 1 7 W., 12 miles dif- tant. At fuch a rate had we been driven by the current between thefe iflands, that, notwithftand- ing we ufed every endeavour to-prefcrve our fta- O 2 tiou igQ A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [FEB, tion by keeping as the wind veered on the moft advantageous tacks, yet, at noon, the firft ifland bore by compafs E. by S., at the diftance of nine leagues, and the other N. N. E. f E., at the dif- tance of 1 7 miles. In this fituation the obferved latitude was 1° 28', longitude 267°4Q/, by which the current appeared to have fet us, fince the preceding day at noon, ten miles to the north, and fifty miles to the weft ward. In paffing between thefe iflands, which lie from each other N. 42 W. and S. 42 E., at the diftance of twenty-one miles, we obferved nei- ther danger nor obftruCtion ; the fouthernmoft, which is the largeft, did not appear to exceed four miles in circuit, and the northernmoft about half a league ; the former is fituated in latitude 1°22/ 30'7, and longitude 208° lG'. Its north- weftern fide forms a kind of long faddle hill, the northern part of which is higheft in the middle, and fhoots out into a low point, which at firft fight was confidered by us to be an iflet, but was afterwards believed to be united. A fmall peaked neck or iflet lies off its fouth-weft fide, which, like all the other parts of it, excepting that to- wards the north, is compofed of perpendicular naked rocky cliffs. On the low north-weft part we faw what we fuppofed to be trees, but we were by no means certain, for the ifland in ge- neral prefented to us a very dreary and unpro- ductive ROUND THE WORLD. 3 fhores, and finding that the windward cur- rent was the ftrongeft near to the land, the night was employed in making fhort trips be- tween the fhores of the ifland and the flat rock before mentioned, frequently trying for found- ings with 100 fathoms of line without fuccefs. On Saturday the 7th, we were nearly up with the weftern extremity of the ifland, and as the wea- ther was fair and pleafant with a very gentle breeze of wind, I wifhed, whilft the ftiip was turning up along fhore, to acquire fome know- ledge of wThat the country confifted, and for that purpofe immediately after break faft Mr. Whid- bey, accompanied by Mr.Mcnzies, was difpatched with orders to land fome where to the fouthward of the weftern extremity of the land then m fight, which had been named Cape Berkeley, The part of the ifland we were now oppofite to, and that which we were near to the preceding evening forming its north -weftern fide, either fhoots out into long, low black points, or termi- nates in abrupt cliffs of no great height, without any appearance of affording anchorage or flieltcr for (hipping. The furf broke on every part of the fhores with much violence, and the country wore a very dreary defolate afpe6t, being deftitute of wood and nearly fb of verdure to a conflder- able 202 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [FEB. able diftance from the fea fide, until near the fummit of the mountains, and particularly on that which formed nearly the north-weftern part of the illand ; where vegetation, though in no very ftouriiliing ftate, had exiftence. The obferved latitude at noon, being then within four or five miles of its fhores, was 7|; north, the longitude 268° 2Q|'; in which fitua- tion the fteep flat rock, called Rodondo rock, bore by compafs N. 26 W. ; the eafternmoft part of the ifland now in fight, N. 78 E., and cape Berkeley m a line with more diftant land, fup- pofed by us to be another ifland, fouth. As we advanced, the regular round mountain affumed a more peaked fhape, and defcending with fome inequalities, terminated at the north-weft extre- mity in a low barren rocky point, fituated accord- ing to our obfervations in latitude 2l north, 26SC> 30' eaft. From it the fteep flat rock lies N. 2 W., diftant 1 2 miles ; and the Ihores of the north-weft fide of the ifland, fo far as we traced them, took a direction about N. 50 E. fixteen miles; the wind for the moft part of the day continued light and variable between the weft and S. W., but with the help of the current which ftill continued to run in our favour, we pafled in the afternoon to the fouth of cape Berkeley, from whence the fhores to the fouth- ward of that point take a rounding turn to the caftward, 1795.J HOUND THE WORLD. 203 eaftward, and fhoot out into low rocky points. The interior country exhibited the moft flutter- ed, broken, and confufed landfcape lever beheld, feemingly as if formed of the mouths of innu- merable craters of various heights and different fizes. This opinion was confirmed about five in the afternoon on the return of Mr. Whidbey and his party, from whom I underftood, that about two leagues to the eaft fouth-eaftward of cape Berkeley, a bay had been difcovcred round a very remarkable hummock, which feemed likely to afford tolerably good anchorage and fhclter from the prevailing winds ; but as Mr. Whidbey had little time to fpare, and as the fhores afforded neither fuel nor freCh water, he was not very particular in this examination, but endeavoured to gain fome knowledge concerning the general productions of the country. During the fhort time the gentlemen were fo employed on fhore, thofe remaining in the boat, with only two hooks and lines, nearly loaded her with ex- ceedingly fine fifh, fufficient for ourfeives, and fome to fpare for the Chatham. Our opinion, that this part of the ifland had been greatly fub- jecPc to volcanic eruptions, appeared by this vifit to have been well founded ; fmce it fnould feem, that it is either indebted for its elevation above the furface of the ocean to volcanic powers, or that at no very remote period it had been fo pro- fufely 204 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [FEB, fufely covered with volcanic matter, as to render its furface incapable of more than the bare cxift- cnce of vegetables ; as a few only were found to be produced in the chafms or broken furface of the lava, of which the fubftratum of the whole ifland feemed to be compofed. Inftead of the different fpecies of turtles which are generally found in the tropical, or equatorial regions, thefe Ihores, how ever fmgular it may feem, abounded with that defcription of thofe animals which are ufually met with in the temperate zones, border* ing on the ardlic and antardtic circles : the pen- guin and feals alfo, fome of which latter I under- Hood, were of that tribe which are confidered to be of the fur kind, were feen, as like wi fe fome guanas and fnakes ; thefe, together with a few birds, of which in point of number the dove bore the greateft proportion, were what appeared prin- cipally to compofe the inhabitants of this ifland ; with which, from its very uncommon appear- ance, I was very defirous to have become better acquainted ; but we had now no time to fpare for fuch an inquiry, nor fhould I indeed have been able pcrfonally to have indulged my curio - iky, as I ftill continued to labour under a very indifferent ftateof health, which in feveral other inftances had deprived me of fimilar gratifica- tions. At fun-fet the fleep flat rock bore by compafs N. 5 W. 1795.] X10UND THE WORLD. 205 N. 5 W. and the land in fight from N. 56 W. to S. 9 E. ; the former, being the north-weft point of the ifland, and the latter, the land that was fiated at noon to be in a line with it, ftill at a considerable diftance from us ; both of which feemed to form very projecting points, from whence the fliores retired far to the eaftward; but whether only a deep bay was thus formed, or whether the land was here divided into tw6 feparate iflands, our diftance wras too great to determine. In the evening the wind frefhened from the S. S. W. with which we plied to the fouthward, and having jftill the ftream in our favor, wc kept near the fhore where the current continued to be the ftrongcfL At midnight this breeze was fucceeded by a calm, which lafted until day-light the next morning, when, with a light breeze, and the affiftance of the current, we made feme progrefs along fhore- As we advanced, land fur- ther diilant, and apparently detached, was dif- covercd to the S. S. E.; at noon the obferved latitude was 18i; fouth, the longitude 268° 23' ; in this fituation we were oppofite to the land mentioned the preceding day at noon. This takes a circular form, and fhoots into feveral fmall low projecting points. From the mofi confpicuous of thefe, called cape Douglas, the adjacent fhores take on one fide a north-eaft- warcllv, 206 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [pEB. wardly, and on the other a foutherly, direction. The above, being the neareft fliore, bore by com- pafs N. 78 E. diftant five miles; the fouthern- moft part of this land in fight S. 39 E. ; the weft point of the laft-difcovered detached land, which is named Chriftopher's point, S. 28 E. ; and cape Berkeley N. 14 W. The land wre were now abreaft of bore a ftrong refemblance to that feen the preceding day, equally barren and dreary towards the fea-fide, but giving nourifhment to a few fcattered vegetable productions on the more elevated part, which rofe to a table moun- tain of confiderable height and magnitude, and is the fourth mountain of this table-like form of which this land is compofed. ^ The wind, during the afternoon and night, blew a gentle breeze from the fouthward, but as we continued to be a flirted by the current fetting to windward, we made fome progrefs in that di- rection, and were fjfficiently to the fouthward the next morning, Monday the Qth, to ascertain pretty clearly that the lait-difcovered land, now bearing S. 54 E. diftant nine leagues, was dif- tintl from the fecond difcovered land, or ifland ; and that its weftcrn part, Chriftopher's point, lies from the fouth point of the fecond-difcovered land, which is called cape Hamond, S. 13 E. at the di&hxce of twenty miles, 'I x.uo concluded our examination of thcfe fhores, 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 20J fhores, which proved to be thofe of the Gallipagos iflands. The wind now feemed to be fettled in the fouth-eaftern quarter, blowing a fteady plea- fant gale ; and as the weather was fine, we were once more flattered with the pleafmg hopes of having at length reached the regular fouth -eaft trade wind; we therefore made the beftofour way to the fouth- weft ward with all fail fet, and at noon obferved we were in latitude 441 fouth, The longitude by the feveral chronometers, agree- ably to their rates as afcertained at the ifland of Cocos, was by Arnold's No. 14, 2C70 54y 30/V Ditto 176, 2Q7 52 45 Kendall's, 267 52 3Q But by the dead reckoning it ap- peared to be - - 2 72 2 O The variation of the furveying compafs w7as 8° eaft wardly, and the vertical inclination of the marine dipping needle was, Marked End, North face Eaft, - 2° 50' Ditto ditto Weft, - 2 45 Ditto South face Eaft, - 2 30 Ditto ditto Weft, - 2 SO Mean inclination of the north point of the marine dipping needle, 2 29' The very exa£t corrofpondencc of the longi- tude by the chronometers, and which had uni- formly been the cafe ever fince oui^ departure from the ifland of Cocos, induced me to believe, that 208 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [FEB. that atleaft the relative portion in point of lon- gitude oF that ifland with thefe would be Found corrcd: ; and I truft, that the means adopted to aFcertain the longitude oF the Former, will not be Found liable to any material error. On reFerence to the relative pofition oF the land to which our attention had been directed fince the 6th oF this month, the delineation of its fhores From our obFervations, wrill be Found to bear a very ftriking reFemblance to that oF the wefternmoft oF the Gallipagos, as laid down in Captain Cook's general chart ; and although the iituation of Wenman's ifland does not corre&ly agree, yet the correfpondence oF the larger por- tions oF the land with the above chart, is doubt- lefs a Further confirmation oF their being the fame as is therein intended to be reprefented ; From whence I fhould FuppoFe,* that the firft -and third portions oFland Feen by us conftituted Albemarle ifland, and that the Fecond was Narborough's ifland* TheFe names were given by the Buc- caneers, as alFo that oF Rodondo rock to the fteep flat rock, and Chriftopher's point to the weft point oF the third land ; and under this perfua- Fion, this is the Fouth-weft point oF Marlborough ifland, which is Fituated according to our obfer- * This conje&ure was on my return to England fully confirmed by the information I received in confequence of Captain Colnett's vifit to thefe iflands. vatlons 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 20Q vations in latitude 50' fouth, longitude 268° 34' eafl. From thefe conclufions, all the objects I had had in view in fleering this fouth-eaflwardly courfe from Monterrey appeared to have been accomplifhed ; fince I had not entertained the moft diftant intention of flopping, to make fur- veys or correal examinations of any iflands we might fee. But as the fituation of thofe which were lying not far out of our track had been va~ rioufly reprefented, I anxioufly wiflied to obtain fuch information as would place this matter out of all difpute for the future; and having been enabled to effe6l this purpofe to my fatisfa&ion, it was fome recompence for the very irkfome and tedious pafTage we had experienced in con- fequcnce of the light baffling winds that had conflantly attended us after we had palled cape Corientes; fmce which time, to our flation this day at noon, our progrefs upon an average had not been more than at the rate of 10 leagues per day. I fhall now proceed to flate, what little more occurred to my knowledge or obfervation re- fpe&ing that part of the Gallipagos iflands that we were now about to leave. The climate ap- peared to be Angularly temperate for an equato- rial country. Since our departure from the ifland of Cocos the mercury in the thermometer had Vol. VI. F feldom Q10 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [FEB. feldom rifen above 78, and for the three pre- ceding days it had moftly been between the / 4th and 76th degree ; the atmofphere felt light and exhilarating, and the wind which came chiefly from the fouthern quarter was very cool and refrefhing. The fhores appeared to be fteep and bold, free from fhoals or hidden dangers ; fome riplings wrere obferved, which at firft were fup- pofed to be occalioned by the former, but as foundings were not gained when we were in them, thefe riplings were attributed to the meet- ing of currents. The lofty mountains of which this land is principally compofed, excepting that which forms its north-weftern part, appeared to us in general to defcend with much regularity from a nearly flat or table fummit, and to termi- nate at the bafe in projecting points on very low level land ; fo that, at a diftance, each of thefe mountains appeared to form a diftind: ifland. This circumffcance may probably have given rife to the different ftatements of former viiitors con- cerning the number of this group of iflands ; all of them however agree in their affording great ftores of refrefhment in the land and fea turtles, in an abundance of moft excellent fifli of feveral forts, and in great numbers of wild .fowl. Our having feen but few turtles whilff in the neigh- bourhood of thefe iflands, is no proof that thefe animals do not refort thither ; for in the fea we favv 1795'] ROUND THE WORLD. 211 faw neither feals nor penguins, yet the fliores were in a manner covered with them ; and in ad- dition to this, the parts of the coaft.that were pre- fentedto our viewconfifted principally of a broken, rugged, rocky fubftance, not eafily acceffible to the fea turtle, which moft commonly, and par- ticularly for the purpofe of depofiting its eggs, reforts to fandy beaches. With refped; to fifh, we had ample proof of their abundance, and of the eafe with which they are to be taken; but in regard of that great defideratum, frefli water, fome affert that the iflands afford large ftreams, and even rivers ; whilft others ftate them to pof- fefs only a very fcanty portion, or to be nearly deftitute of it. This however is but of little im- portance, as, from their vicinity to the Cocos, where perpetual fprings feem to water every part of the ifland, veffels {landing in need of a fupply, may eafily procure a fufficient quantity for all purpofes ; and fince we faw in their neighbour- hood many whales which we conceived to be of the fpermaceti kind, it is not unlikely that thefe fliores may become places of defirable refort to adventurers engaged in taking thofe animals. Notwithstanding that our vifit did not afford an opportunity for difcovering the moft eligible places to which veffels might repair; it never- thelefs, by afcertaining the a£lual fituation of the weftern fide of the group, has rendered the P 2 talk 212 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [FEB, talk of procuring fuch information more eafy to thofe, who may wifli to benefit by the advan- tages thefe iflands may be found to furnifh. I fnall now take my leave of the Gallipagos iflands, and with them alfo of the North Pacific Ocean, in which we had pafled the laft three years. CHAP. ROUND THE WORLD, 213 CHAPTER V. Proceed to the Southward — The Difcovery fpftng* her Main- mafl— Scurvy makes its Appearance — * Pafs the Iflands of Maffaftiero and Juan Fernan- dez— Arrive at Valparaifo — Vifit St. Jago, the ' capital of Chili. ON taking our final leave of the North Pacific Ocean, 1 could not avoid feeling fome re- gret in reflecting, that although I was convinced we had very effectually delineated its eaftern fhores, yet that the geography of a very large portion of that coait which gives bounds to its weflern limits, ftili remained very imperfedtly, and indeed almoft intirely, unknown to Euro- peans. The examination of thefe parts however, had not formed an object of the prefent expedi- tion; nor could we, without a complete re- equipment of both veffels in fome eftablifhed ar- fenal, have undertaken a fervice of that nature with any reafonable profped: of fuccefs, had it been within the limits of my commiffion. The length of time we had now been abfent from our native foil, the unpleafant intelligence we had P 3 recently 1\& A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [FEB. recently received of the ftate of Europe, and the defire we had of adding our little ftrength to the means adopted for the reftoration of good order and tranquillity at home, all combined to recon- cile us to any difappointment which the thirft for exploring or difcovering new countries might have infpired ; and operated to fatisfy our minds as to the neceffity of making the beft of our way towards thofe regions, where our fervices in ano- ther line of duty might poffibly be more accept- able to our country. Our progrefs however was not equal to our wifhes, for by Wednefday the 11th at noon, we had only reached the latitude of 2° 3' fouth, when the vertical inclination of the magnetic needle was obferved to be, Marked End, North face Eaft, o° 40r Ditto Ditto Weft, 0 SO Ditto South face Eaft, 0 30 Ditto Ditto Weft, o 20 Mean inclination of the north point, 0 30 The variation of the compafs at this time was 7° 45' eaftwardly. The wind between S. E. and E. S. E. blew a fteady but very gentle breeze, and although the atmofphere was moftly free from clouds, yet the weather was temperate and pleafant ; the ther- mometer night and day remaining between 75 and J 795.3 ROUND THE WORLD. , 215 and 76. On Thurfday the 12th, in the after- noon, the vertical inclination of the magnetic needle was found to be as under ; Marked End, North face Eaft, 1° 32' Ditto Ditto Weft, 1 38 Ditto South face Baft, 1 40 Ditto Ditto Weft, 1 17 Mean inclination of the fouth point y l 32 The variation of the compafs, 7° 50' eaftwardly. The fame light winds with pleafant weather continued until the following day, when, after about ten hours calm, a breeze fprang up from the S. E. which gradually increafed, and the next day, Friday the 13th at noon, the latitude was obferved to be 4° 15' fouth, longitude 265o 15'. The vertical inclination of the marine dip- ping needle was as follows : Marked End, North face Eaft, 5° 37' Ditto Ditto Weft, 5 32 Ditto South face Eaft, 5 55 Ditto Ditto Weft, 6 3 Mean inclinationof the fouth point, 5 46 And the variation of the compafs, g° 7; eaftwardly. Since our departure from the Gallipagos iflands we had felt the influence of a current fetting to the wxftvvard, though this did not appear to be of great ftrength, as the error of the dead reckr oning in longitude to this fituation in the ocean had not increafed more than a degree. P 4 The 2l6 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [fEB. The extremely bad failing of the Chatham had, throughout this voyage, very materially retarded the progrefsof our labours, but fmce our laft departure from Monterrey the evil feemed to have much increafed ; and confidering that our operations to the fouthward might acquire fome advancement from our preceding her, I informed Mr. Puget, that I fhould make the bell of my way with the Difcovery towards the ifland of Juan Fernandez ; and in the event of his not arriving there before our departure, he was pro- vided with further inftru 20' Ditto .Ditto Weft, 36 17 Ditto South face Eaft, 35 23 Ditto Ditto Weft, 35 15 Mean inclination of the fouth point, 35 4Q Variation of the compafs, 24° 5'' eaftwardly. 21 & A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MARCH, The trade wind during the two fucceeding days was light and variable in the eaftern quarter, and on Sunday the lffc of March we feemed to have reached the variable winds, having a frefti breeze, attended with a very heavy fvvell from the north-weflwarcl. The obferved latitude at noon was 23° 24;> longitude by Arnold's No. 14, - 255° 3; 176, - 254 52 Kendall's, - 254 53 And by the dead reckoning, 26o 25 The variation of the compafs was 4° eaft- wardly. In the afternoon we again reached the temperate zone ; and notwithftanding that fmce our departure from the Gallipagos iflands we had palTed under a vertical fun, the height of the mercury in the thermometer had at no time ex- ceeded 77 degrees. The north- weft wind continued with fair pleafant weather until the evening of Monday the 2d, when it veered to the north, and became light and variable between the N. N. E. and E. N. E. On Wednefday the 4th, in latitude 26° 45/, longitude by Arnold's No. 14, 258° 3g', we paffed feme drift wood, and we had many birds and fifties about the fhip. Some good lunar obfervations had been lately procured by fome of the officers, which {hewed the longitude to be about 5! to the weft ward of Arnold's No. 14, 18' 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 21 Q 18' to the eaftward of No. 1 76, and 3' to the eaft- ward of Kendall's chronometer; the dead reck- oning at the fame time fhewing 26-1° 10'; the variation was 4° eaftwardly, and the thermometer from 73 to 75. From this time our progrefs was much retarded by the wind being adverfe, and varying between fouth and E. S. E. ; the weather however con- tinued fair and pleafant until the morning of Sunday the 8th, when the breeze frefliened, at- tended by fome fliowers and fmart fqualls ; in one of thefe,the heavieft we had experienced for a great length of time, the head of the main ma ft was difcovered to have been very badly fprung, about five feet below the rigging and about feven feet above, and oppofite to its former defective part. The fails on the mainmaft were immediately taken in, and on further examination of the wound, the head of the maft was feen to be in a very weak and fhattered condition. No time was loft in relieving it of its weight, by getting every thing down upon deck that was above the top, and the carpenters were immediately em- ployed in preparing two anchor ftocks as fijiies to fupport the maft-head. At noon the obferved latitude was 8% the longitude 259° 32; ; the va- riation of the compafs 5° 3/ eafterly, and the thermometer from 70° to 72°. The weather Was tolerably favorable for applying fuch remedies to 220 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MAfcCtf, to the defect in the mail as we pofteflTed ; and on Monday afternoon, the gth, it being as well fecured as was in our power, the mizentop-maft was fubfti tilted for a main top -mail, that being as much as the weak ftate of the lower maft was capable of fuftaining, and the maintop-gallant- maft was got up for a mizen-top-maft. By this unfortunate accident our quantity of canvas was fo reduced, that our progrefs towards the ap- pointed rendezvous was rendered very flow ; we however made the beft of our way, with winds very variable both in refpetl to force and direc- tion, though generally attended with moderate pleafant weather. Without the occurrence of any circumftance worthy of recital, we paiTcd on until Saturday the 14th, when we found ourfelves in latitude 33° 137, longitude 202° 43', and variation 4° eaftwardly. At this time, to my utter aftonifhment and fur- prize, I was given to underftand from Mr. Men- zies that the fea fcurvy had made its appearance amanrft fome of the crew. This was a circum- iuancc for which it was not eafy to account. The high ftate of health which every individual on board the fhip (myfelf excepted) had appeared to enjoy for fome months before, and the re- freshments we had been conftantly in the habit pf procuring fmce our arrival at Monterrey, to- gether with the very pleafant weather that had attended I795\3 ROUND THE WORLD. 221 attended us fince that period, all confpired to render the caufe of this unfortunate malady the more inexplicable, efpecially as there had not been the fmalleft abatement or relaxation in the meafures I had adopted at the commencement of our voyage ; but on the contrary, the moll rigid obfervance had been paid to all thofe circum- ftances, which had been proved from experience to be the happy and effectual means of preferr- ing that moft valuable of all bleffings, health. All thefe precautions and falutary meafures on this occafion feemed tojiave loft their effect, for the number of our fcorbutic invalids increafed, and with them alfo my folicitude, wdiich may probably be more eafy to imagine than to de- fcribe. The baneful effects which feldom fail to be confequent on this diforder at fea, filled my mind with apprehenfions for the fafety of our patients ; and having prefumed that we had at length profited fo much by the experience and indefatigable labours of that renowned navigator Captain Cook, as that by due attention we could on a certainty protect feafaring people from the fatal confequences hitherto infeparable, under fimilar circumftances, from this malignant dif- order, the difappointment which I felt on this occafion was inexpreffible. This was the fecond. inflance in which it had appeared during the voyage. 222 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [mARCiL voyage. The firft was on our paffage from Nootka to the Spanifh fettlements in New Albion ; but I was then in fomc meafure able to account for its appearance, our people having been for many of the preceding months expofed in a very ar- duous and fatiguing fervice to moft inclement weather, with only the very fmall portion of re- frefhments we were enabled to procure during that time. Thefe reafons did not now exift, and I remained in the greateft uncertainty con- cerning the caufe of its origin, until at length it appeared to have been derived from a fource from whence I leaft expected it : namely, from a difobedience of my pofitive injunctions and orders on the part of the rook, who had been ftri&Iy forbidden on any account whatever to allow the fkimmings of the boiling falted meat to be eaten by the people. Of this difobedience, the fhip's cook, a fteady, grave, and valuable man, came aft on the quarter deck, and made a voluntary corifeffion ; and ftated, that he had not only a&ed in dircdl oppofition to my repeated injunc- tions in the prefent inftance, but alfo on the former cccafion ; though he had not been in- duced at any other time during the voyage, by the importunities of the people, to tranfgrefs, in giving to the crew the fkimmings of the boilers to mix with their pulfe, which at both thofe times, 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 223 times, but particularly the prefent, they had been able to procure in great abundance from their Spanifh friends. On his examination it appeared that he had been lefs fcrupulous in complying with the de- mands of the people, in confequence of argu- ments that had been frequently urged and fup- ported by fome on board, who feemed to be ac- quainted with the opinions of the prefiderit of the Royal Society, and who ftated, that he con- ceived that pulfe with any kind of greafe was not only a wholefome food, but alfo very anti- fcorbutic. When the great infipidity of peas or beans alone, without the aid of butter, or other quali- fying material, is taken into confideration, it is not much to be wondered at that a deviation from reftriclive rules in thofe refped's fhould have taken place, with people fo totally indifferent and carelefs of thcmfelves as are the generality of feamen. The very unreferved and feeling man- ner in which the cook acknowledged his tranf- greffion, and the contrition he fliewed for hav- ing thus departed from his duty, intitled him to my full forgivenefs ; on which he earneftly af- fured me, that he would in future attend ftri&ly to my directions, and I had reafon to believe that he performed his promife. The cook's name was John Brown, which I feel a fatisfadlion in recording, ?224 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [MARCH, recording, from his having bceen the means of eftablifhing a fadt of fo much importance to ma- ritime perfons, by the two experiments which his horefty compelled him to make known, at the rifk of a punifhment for difobedience of orders. All our antifeptics were reforted to, but they did not feem to a£i fo well as on the former occa- fion ; and fince the number of fcorbutic patients increafed daily, I had reafon to believe that the pernicious indulgence which had produced the difeafe, had been a very general practice amongft the crew. With the wind blowing a fteady gale, chiefly between N. N. E. and N. W., attended with fair and pleafant weather, we made as much pro- grefs as could well be expected in our crippled condition. In the courfe of the preceding week we procured feveral very good lunar obfervations for the longitude, which, when reduced by Ar- nold's No. 14 to Wednefday the 18th at noon, fhewed their refults to be as follow : The mean of 31 fets taken by Mr. Whidbey, 273° 25f 55/; Ditto 18 ditto Mr. Baker, 273 36 43 Ditto 30 ditto Mr. Swaine, 273 32 30 Ditto 37 ditto Mr. Manby, 273 13 37 Ditto 30 ditto Mr. Orchard, 273 17 44 The mean of the whole 136 fets colle£tively taken Ihewed what I confidered the true, or nearly the true longitude, to be - 273 25 30 By I795-] ROUND THE WORLDS 225 By Arnold's chronometer No. 14, the longitude was - - - 273° 5' 30;/ 176 ditto 272 7 Kendall's, ditto ditto 273 7 45 From thefe ftatcmcnts it fhould fecm, that the chronometers were at this time materially gain- ing on the rate now allowed. The dead reck- oning fhewed 280° if. The obferved latitude was 33° 5cV fouth, and the variation of the com- pais Q° 15' eaftwardly. At day-light in the morning a ftrange fail had been difcovered at a great diftance aftern, or ra- ther upon our weather quarter ; fhe was foou found to be drawing up to us, although we had all the fail fet that we were able to carry ; and as flie appeared to be a brig, little doubt was entertained of her being the Chatham ; the opi- nion of her being our confort was confirmed about four in the afternoon by her anfwering the private fignal, and as fhe had now evidently the advantage of us in point of failing, we did not fliorten fail, but left her to overtake us ; which however was not effected until about nine o'clock on Friday forenoon the 20th, when Mr. Fuget came on board, and I had the pleafure to under- ftand from him, that, like ourfclves, they had had very fine weather ever fince our feparation ; and that on the 2d of March he had met with a large Spanifh merchant iliip named the Rofalie, Vol. VI, Q Antoniq 126 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [MARCH, Antonio Jofeph Valaro, mafter, laden with cocoa and jefuit's bark from Guayaquil, and bound round cape Horn to Rio de la Plata, and from thence to Cadiz ; having quitted the former place on the 20th of the preceding January. The commander of this veffel mentioned the lofs of the fhip Edward of London, which had been unfortunately caft away at a place called Man- quiva, and that feveral other Britifh veffels, which had been very fuccefsfully employed in the fouth- ern whale fifhery, had vifited different ports on the coaft of Peru and Chili, where they had been well received ; and that the Englifh were in high eftimation in thofe countries. From this gentleman Mr. Puget became informed, that the anchorage at Juan Fernandez was confidered as very bad and greatly expofed ; that a Spanifh frigate had lately been loft there ; and that the ifland afforded but very few refrefhments. On thefe accounts he ftrongly recommended, that in cafe the Chatham ftood in need of any articles of naval ftores, that flie fhould repair to the port of Valparaifo, as being the moft likely place on the coaft of Chili for procuring fuch fupplies. After Mr. Puget had obtained this information, and exchanged with Sen1* Valaro fome mutual, though trivial marks of civility, they parted, and, each veffel purfued her courfc with a pleafant gale at E. N. E0 which enabled the Chatham the 1795.] BOUND THE WORLD. 227 the next morning to crofs the fouthern tropic in the longitude of 257° 40', about a degree and a half to the eaflward of our track acrofs that line, about forty hours before them. The winds had permitted the Chatham to fleer a more eaflerly courfe than we had been enabled to do, w^hich, / with our reduced rate of failing, had contributed to form this early junction, and had obtained me a great degree of fatisfa6tion, as it had rendered our flopping at Juan Fernandez intirely unnecefTary. The very unferviceable and damaged flate of our mainmafl demanded, that we fhould without delay repair to fome port more eligible than this ifland was likely to prove for adminiflering to our neceffities, efpecially as the head of the mafl, in addition to the former accident, had upon a more minute furvey been found to be very rotten. A defedl of fo ferious a nature, admitting of no delay in the application of the mofl effectual re- medy, left no doubt in my mind refpedling the meafures that it w^uld be mofl defirable to pur- fue for the accomplifhment of that objeft. In confequcnce of the flrong injunctions con- tained in my inflru&ions, not to vifit any of the Spanifh fettlements on this coafl, excepting in the event of the mofl abfolute neceffity, I deemed it expedient to fubmit to Mr. Puget, and the principal officers of the Difcovery, the flate and condition of the mafl from the carpenters written Q 2 report, *228 A TOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MARCH, report, together with that part of my fecret in- ftru&ions relative to the matter in queftion. Thefe having been maturely taken into their conlideration, they were unanimoufly of opinion, that for the good of His Majefty's fervice in- trailed to my care and execution, and for the prefervation of His Majefty's ihip, it was indif- peniibly neceffary that the Difcovery fhould im- mediately repair to the neareft port, for the pur- pofe of procuring a new mainmaft ; fmce the difabled one, with every repair that it was pof- libie to give it, would {till be very inadequate to the fervice that might be demanded of it in thofe boifterous feas, which at this feafon of the year we mult neceffarily expect to encounter in paf- fmg round cape Horn. The port of Valparaifo feeming ta be the moil likely to fupply our wants, and being the neareft to us, our courfe was directed thither with a frefii northerly breeze, and fair and picafant wea- ther. At noon the obferved latitude was 33° 55' iouth, the longitude by Arnold's chronometer, No. 14, 277° 30f I/O, 270 31 Kendall's -ditto 277 32 And by the dead reckoning, 284 1Q And the variation of the compafs was 1 0° eaft- crly. About four o'clock in the afternoon the ifland of ] 705,] HOUND THE WORLD. 22Q of MafTafucro was feen bearing by compafs E. N. E., 11 or ] 2 leagues diftant. The wind at this time blowing a frefh breeze rather to eaft- ward of north, our courfe wras directed to the fouthward of this ifland ; but from its diftance, and the approach of night, we were unable to fee much of it. At midnight we were palling within about 4 leagues of its fouthern fide, its centre then bearing by compafs N. 15 W. The latitude of the fhip by the log fmce noon was at this time 34° 3' fouth, the longitude by Arnold's No. 14, according to the la It rate was 278° 50', and by the lunar obfervations brought forward by No. 14, allowing the fame rate, 279° 1 f\ but as the chronometers were evidently gaining, and that very materially, the true longitude of this ifland was deduced from fubfequent obfervations, which fhewed its centre to be in 27Q°26/ eaft. Its latitude from the preceding and following days obfervations, which with the fhip's run agreed exceedingly well together, was 33°4Qf fouth. This ifland did not appear to exceed three leagues in circuit : its furface is hilly, rugged, and uneven, and it appeared to terminate ab- ruptly in rocky cliffs at the water's edge. Dur- ing the wght we had a frefli breeze with feme o o fqualls, which continued the next morning, Sun- day the 21 ft, when the jury maintop-fail yard was carried away ; not in confequence of a prefs Q 3 of 230 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MARCH, of fail, but like many others of our materials, from being quite worn out and rotten. This was immediately replaced with another, of whofe Ihrength and qualities we had not a much better opinion. At about ten in the forenoon the ifland of Juan Fernandez was feen bearing by compafs N. 60 E. The latitude was Ihewn by obferva- tions at noon to be 33° 5 6' fouth, longitude by Arnold's No. 14, - 280° 16' 30" 176, - 279 18 Kendall's, 280 15 By the laft lunar obfervations brought forward by No. 14, 280 37 30 And by the dead reckoning, 28(3 51 The variation of the compafs at this time 1 3° eaftwardly. We had fenfibly felt the influence of a current during the laft two days, fetting to the eaftward at the rate of ten miles per day. In this fitua- tion the fouth-weft point of Juan Fernandez, or rather what we fuppofed to be Goat ifland, bore by compafs N. 39 E., at the diftance of 18 miles. In the afternoon we paffed the fouthern fide of Juan Fernandez, at the diftance of about 14 miles, which was too indiftin&ly feen to attempt any delineation of its fhores. Its fouth-weft point appeared by our calculations to be fituated in la- titude 33°45/ fouth, and longitude corrected by fubfequent obfervations, 2fel° 8' Af eaft. Its afped ROUND THE WORLD. 231 afped in this point of view was not very inviting; the point terminates in a high fteep bluff, its caftern part feemed to be lefs elevated, and the whole compofed a group of broken irregular hills, forming altogether as rude and grotefque a fcene as the imagination can well fancy. The wind feeming now to be fixed in the northern quarter, and being to the fouthward of our port, our courfe was directed to regain the parallel of its latitude ; this was accomplifhed by Monday noon, being then by obfervation in lati- tude 32° 55' fouth, true longitude 285° 30'; the wind was ftili at N. N. W., with fair and plea- fant weather ; the thermometer from 00 to 08, and the variation of the compafs ]3°42/ eaft- wardly. Having now got to the northward of Valparaifo, our courfe was fo ordered as to pre- ferve that iituation. This however proved to be a very unneceifary precaution, as towards mid- night, in latitude 32° 51;, the wind, after becom- ing light and variable, wTas fuccceded by a freih breeze at fouth, that feemed to be equally fteady and fixed in its direction as the northerly wind had been before ; fo that we had now again to haul to the fouthward, in order that we might keep to windward of our port. On Tuefday forenoon, the 24th, we gained a diftant view of the lofty coaft of Chili to the caftward. The obferved latitude at noon was Q 4 32° 53' 332 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [mARGK, 32°53/fouth. The land at this time was too far off to diftinguifh any of its particular parts. The wind blew frefli from the fouth, with which we made great progrefs towards the land, and by fun-fet the fhores were diftinctly feen to extend by compafs from N. 50 E. to S. 08 E., about 10 leagues diftant. In this point of view the fea coaft appeared to be compofed of hills of various fhapes and fizes confiderably elevated ; behind thefe the interior country rofe to a very lofty range of ffcupendous mountains wrapped in per- petual fnow. Thefe were the Andes, and when firft feen, which was Ihordy after noon, were at the diftance, I fhould imagine, of nearly 4 a leagues ; but we had not an opportunity of mak- ing the neceffary obfervations for afcertaining that fail. We continued to ftand in fiiore until ten at night, when, concluding we were within three or four leagues of the land, we tacked and flood to the W. S. W. under as much fail as we could venture to carry, for the purpofe of fetch- ing, if poflible, to windward of Valparaifo. At two o'clock on V/ ednefday morning the 25th, we again ftood in for the land, which was very indiftinclly feen, owing to a denfe haze in which it was enveloped. The wind at S. S. E. wras light, and" it was not until about ten in the forenoon that we were in with the fhores ; on which there was no one circumftance that could indicate J ROUND THE WOPxLD. 233 indicate our beinsr in the nigfhbourhood of Val- paraifo, nor point out whether we were to the north or fouth of that port, excepting our own reckoning, which fhewed it to be in the former direction, I did not think it prudent in our crip- pied fituation to rifle a difappointment, and for that reafon we ftood off fliore until an obferva- tion for the latitude could be procured ; which by the help of a double altitude, was accomplifhed about eleven o'clock, when we bore away in la- titude 33° lo' fouth, for a point not far diilant from the place where we expelled to find the bay of Valparaifo. At noon the above point, which was the moft northern part of the coaft in. Ught, and appearing like a fmall rocky iiland, lying clofe to a low or moderately elevated pro- jecting point of land, and terminating at the fea- ilde in a round hummock like a bell, bore by compafs N. 43 E.; a rugged rocky iflet lying clofe to the main land, near the fouth point of a fmall fandy bay, being the nearefc fhore, N. 64 E., two or three miles diilant; and the fouthernmofi part of the coait in fight, S. E. by S. The view we had thus gained of the coafts of the kingdom of Chili prefented but little to at- tract the attention., or excite the curiofity, of grangers. Thofe parts immediately on the fea fhore wrere compofed of rude cliffs and rocky pre- cipiccs; againft which , the weftern fwell broke with 234 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MARCH, with unremitting violence. Above thefe cliffs the country was varioufly broken by irregular eminences, fome formed of naked barren rocks, and others conhfting of a reddifh fubftance almoft equally unproductive, on which fome verdure appeared here and there, with a few ftunted fhrubs and bullies, fome of which were at great diftances from each other; but nothing like a tree was to be feen, and the landfcape, bounded by the frozen fummits of the lofty Andes tower- ing above the lower barren mountains that de- icend from them towards the fea coaft, exhibited an extremely dreary, defolate, and inhofpitable picture. As we proceeded, a low fteep bluff point of land, beyond that which terminated our north- ern view of the coaft at noon, was now feen lying in a direction from it, N. 51 E. about three leagues diftant, and which proved to be the weft- era point of entrance into Valparaifo bay. Our attention was now directed in queft of the " great rock or fmall ifland" defcribed by Sir Richard Hawkins in 1593, as lying " a league " or better to the fouth of, and a good mark and fure ilgii of, the port/' At firft I was at a lofs to difcover which of the two noticed at noon was Sir Richard's rock, as both are much further from the bay of Valparaifo than he de- fcribes them to be; but as wre advanced; I had no doubt 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 235 doubt of the moft northern being the ft great 44 rock or fmall ifland." This lies upwards of three leagues, in a direction S. 51 W. from the point of Angels, which is the weft point of Val- paraifo bay, and is rendered ftill more confpi- cuous for pointing out the port, by being fituated clofe to a very projecting point called by the Spaniards Pr Quraumilla, from whence the fhores of the main land to the fouthw7ard take a direc- tion fome degrees to the eaffovard of fouth, and thofe to the northward, as before ftated, towards Valparaifo. It is alfo the fouth- weftern point of a fpacious open bay bounded by a fandy beach, where anchorage might probably be found, but w hich muffc be much expofed ; and as feveral rocks were obfervcd lying at a very little diftancc from the lhore, the chance is that the bottom may be compofed of the fame materials. On the north-eaft fide of this bay a houfe and fome fmaller habitations near it were feen, and the country in its neighbourhood appeared to be lefs fteril and forbidding than thofe parts to which we were oppofite in the morning. Its furface, though unequal, was lefs broken ; and although it could not boaft of a luxuriant vegetation, }et the naked, rugged precipices, that formed a bar- rier againfl: the ocean on each fide of the bay, wrere no longer the general charadleriftic of the interior country, wThich prefented a furface of fome 236 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MARCH, fome foil, on whofc withered herbage both flocks of flieep and herds of cattle were feen grazing, on the fides of the hills. Along thefe fliorcs, which feemed to behold, we palled at the diftance of from half a mile to half a league, without difcovering any danger which is not fufliciently confpiclious ; to. be avoided ;. and, with the affiftance of a fine fbuth- erly breeze, by two in the afternoon we were abreaft of the point of Angels, off which fome rocks extend to the diftance of about half a cable's length. Thefe we palled at about twice that diftance, without gaining foundings. In failing round this point, the country fuddenly opened upon us, and prefented a fcene to which we had lonsr been intire ftranorers; the whole of the bay was now exhibited to our view termi-* Rated by a fandy beach; near the upper margin of which, and on the fides of the adjacent hills was feen the town of Valparaifo ; and although from its fituation it could not boaft of much pleafantnefs, yet in this point of view it appeared to be neat, of confiderable extent, and built with regularity; the churches rofe above the othc? buildings, and the whole being defended by fe- veral forts, all confpired at once to announce, that we were again approaching towards the civilized World. ]n the bav and near to the fhore rode fevcrat T/ic TO fVJV ^'VALPARAISO on //„■ Coast of CHILI 17Q3-] 5 ROUND THE WORLD. 23? fail of merchant fhips, engaged in their refpeefcive occupations; to and from which boats were paf- fmg and re-paffing to the fhore, where a very lively fcene was exhibited of men and cattle; the wrhole exhibiting that fort of commercial in- tercourfe between diitant countries, that the arts and civilization can alone carry into effect. This pleafmg profpeel of at length drawing towards our native country, after fo long an abfence arnongft the rude, yet hofpitable, nations of the earth, was however not unmixed with forebod- ings of a painful nature, lei! the intelligence re- fpe&ing the diftra&ed ftateof Europe, w hich wc had but too much reafon to apprehend would meet us on vifilinC thefe fhores, (hould be of a more melancholy complexion than we had an- ticipated. The wind from the fouthward blowing di- tectly out of the bay, obliged us to make ferae trips for the purpofe of reaching a proper filia- tion for anchoring, which was accomplifhcd about three o'clock in 10 fathoms water, muddy bottom. An officer was immediately difpatched to in- form the governor of our arrival, of the occafion of our vifit, and of the affiitance we required. A fiiip that had been feen in the offing in the morning anchored foon after us, and, together with the Difcovery and Chatham, made ten fail of 238 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MARCH, of veffels riding in the bay; of thefe five fhips and two brigs were Spanifh merchantmen, and the other the Lightning of Briftol, a South-fea whaler, commanded by a Mr. Cook; from whom we received little encouragement to hope for fuch a reception at Valparaifo, as we confidered we had a right to exped:, or as our fituation de- manded. Soon after we had anchored, however, and daring the abfence of Mr. Manby, who was the officer font to the governor, a Spanifh officer came on board with congratulations on our ar- rival from Senr Don Lewis Alava, a colonel in the army, governor of this port, and brother to our friend of that name at Monterrey. This meflagc was accompanied by the ftrongeft alTurances on the part of the governor of afford- ing us every affiftance that we might require, and which might be in his power to beftow, and with hopes that he fhould focn have the pleafure of feeing myfelf and officers on fhore, where we might depend upon receiving every civility; ad- ding, that the time we might remain at Valpa- raifo fhould pafs as agreeably as it wras in the power of himfelf and the inhabitants of the town to render it. It was not eafy to reconcile two reports fo very oppofite, though I did not hefitate to give more credit to the latter than to the former, efpecially as our firft impreffions were received from one not 1795.] ROUND THE WORLD. 23$ not perfe&ly fober. Had I entertained any doubts, my fufpenfe would not have been of long duration, for on the return of Mr. Manby, every thing the Spanifh officer had ftated was con- firmed; and we now underflood, that if thofe on board the Lightning laboured under any un- comfortable reftri&ions impofed by the governor, it was to be attributed folely to their own indis- cretion and improper conduct, which had ren- dered fuch meafures on the part of the command- ing officer indifpenfibly neceffary for the prefer- vation of good order. Mr. Manbv informed me that Senr Alava had llated to him, that notwithstanding he did cot entertain the leafl doubt that Don Ambrofio Higgins de Vallenar, the prelident and captain general of the kingdom of Chili, would confirm all the promifes which he then made ; yet it was necefiary, before any material operations fhould take place, to obtain his excellency's fan&ion and approbation for their being carried into effedt. For this purpofe he fhould difpatch a courier that evening to the capital, St. Jago de Chili, the refidence of the Prefident, and where he now was, and he hoped it would be convenient to me to make fome communication to his excellency by the fame conveyance, on the fubjeel of our vifit, and the fuccours wre required. With this requefl of the governor's I infiantly complied ; £40 A voVAge of discovery [march* Complied ; the meffenger was then difpatched> and we were given to underftand that a reply might be expelled on the Saturday or Sunday following; in the mean time there was no re- ftraint on the officers vifiting the town; the markets were open to us to obtain fuch imme- diate refrefliments as we might require ; and we were equally at liberty to recruit our flock of water and of fuel. On thefe agreeable communications being made, the garrifon was faluted with thirteen guns, and on this compliment being equally re- turned, I waited upon the governor, whilft the veflels were mooring by the bower anchors in a N. N. E. and S. S. W. direction, a cable each way ; the fouthern anchor in ten fathoms, the northern in fixteen fathoms water, on a bottom of ft iff muddy clay. The point of Angels bear- ing by compafs N. 35 W. diftant about a mile ; the fainting fort on the weftern fide of the bay, N. 53 W. about half that diftance ; the gover- nor's houfe in another fort, S. 86 W. about three cables diftant; a rocky point running off from the town, being the neareft fnore, S. 7 W. one cable and a half diftant; a redoubt on a hill, S. 5 E. ; a confpicuous white church in the vil- lage of Almandrel, S. 65 E.; the eafternmoft fort, Ni 83 E.; a remarkably lofty, rugged, fnowy mountain, terminating partly in a flat, and partly in I7@5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 241 in a peaked fummit, being a part of the Andes, N. 61 E.; the eaft point of the bay, N. 57 E. about a league diftant; a more diftant point, N. 1 7 E. three leagues off ; and the northernmoft part of the coaft in fight, N. 6 W. On Thurfday morning the 26th, accompanied by Mr. Puget and feveral of the officers of both veffels, I paid my formal vifit to governor Alava, and had the pleafure of receiving every mark of polite and hofpitable attention from him, with repeated affurances that nothing Ihould be want- ing on his part to relieve our wants, or to render Valparaifo as pleafant and agreeable to us as its circumftances would allow. Thefe ceremonies being concluded we returned to the veffels, where our vifit was Ihortly repaid by the governor, at- tended by mod of the principal officers and in- habitants of the town ; and on their coming on board they were faluted with thirteen guns, From all thefe gentlemen we received the moft preffing intreaties to vifit their families ; which civilities we did not fail to accept, expreffmg our thanks for the cordiality with which they had been fo obligingly made. The day was pleafantly fpent amongfl our new acquaintance, who readily affifted me in making arrangements for procuring a fupply of the abun- dant refreffiments which this luxuriant country Vol, VI. R afforded. 242 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MARCH, afforded. In doing this, my firft care and prin- cipal objedl was, immediately to adopt the moft efficacious meafures that could be devifed, for eradicating the inveterate fcorbutic diforder which now prevailed, and which had greatly in- creafed amongft the crews of both veffcls. The number of fcorbutic patients rendered incapable of attending to their duty on board the Difcovery, amounted to feventeen. On board the Chatham their number was not fo great, though the dif- eafe was making a rapid progrefs ; and I learned from Mr. Puget, that on his making inquiry into the caufe of it, he had found that the fame pernicious pra&ice had been indulged in on board the Chatham, which had taken place on board the Difcovery during our late long and tedious palfage, that of permitting the fat fkimmings of the boiling fait meat to be eaten by the people with their pulfe, and to be ufed for frying their fifh ; but it did not appear that this unwholefome indulgence had been carried to fuch an extent on board the Chatham, as it had been on board the Difcovery. In confequence of this information, I deemed it expedient that the whole crews of both velfels fliould, in addition to the regular al- lowance of frefh beef and greens, and new foft bread from the fihore, be daily ferved wirh a quan- tity of grapes, apples, and onions ; and I had foon the 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 243 the happinefs of finding, that this falutary diet was attended with the defired efFed; of intirely eradicating the difeafe. Whilft we were waiting for the return of the courier difpatched to his excellency the Prefident, my time was not unprofitably employed ; tor I embraced that opportunity to vifit the feverat warehoufes, and by fo doing obtained a complete knowledge of the quality of the ftores and provi- fions they were capable of affording us. When this was done, I made the neceffary arrangements for receiving them on board the inftant we fhould be at liberty to accept them. In the courfe of my inquiries I had the mortification to learn, that there was not a fpar, either at Valparaifo, or in the country within our reach, of a fize fufficient to be converted into a maft, for the purpofe of replacing our difabled one on board the Difcovery. This was a matter of very ferious concern ; but as a new maft could not here be procured, the only expedient we had the power of refbrting to, was to ufe our beft endeavours to repair the old one. This I purpofed to do by turning the maft end for end, by which means the moft defective- parts would fall below the deck; where, by the addition of the jijhes we had on board by way of further fecurity, I was in hopes, that with great care and attention to the performance of the work, w7e fhould be able to render it Sufficiently R 2 ftrong 244 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [MARCH, ftrong to anfvver the purpofe of carrying the vef- fel to England. The town of Valparaifa not affording any ta- verns or places for the reception and accommo- dation of ftrangers, we were obliged to intrude on the hofpitality of its worthy inhabitants for fuch conveniences when we vifited the fhore. Thefe civilities were conferred in fo handfome a manner as at once to relieve us from any idea of our being intruders ; the pleafure that every one manifefted in entertaining vis, completely re- moved every fentiment excepting that of grati- tude on our parts, for the repeated ad:s of kind- nefs they fo very obligingly bellowed. Amongft the firft to whom we were indebted in thefe re- fpedts was Don Juan Barrara, the colle&or of the king's duties, and Don Praeta, the captain of the port. We firft became known to thefe gentle- men in their public capacity, and they had the goodnefs to introduce us to many others of their friends, all of whom treated us with the greatefl politenefs, attention, and hofpitality ; but as their houfes were not more than fufficiently large for the accommodation of their own refpe<5iive fami- lies, a lodging on fhore was not to be eafily pro- cured. The very indifferent Hate of my health at this time however, required that I fhould avail my fel f of this opportunity of .fleeping on fhore, and taking as much of the exercife of the coun- try ]7<)5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 245 try as my ftrength would permit ; for this reafon 1 was induced to apply to the governor, to allot apartments for myfelf and a few of the officers in fome of the public buildings of the town, with which he very obligingly complied ; and in the event of our equipment in this port meeting with the approbation of his Excellency the Prefident of Chili, of which there was little doubt, the Cafa de Exercicios was appointed for our recep- tion and refidence. This building had been erected fome years ago as a chapel of eafe, for the purpofe of accommodating the country inhabi- tants who came into the town on Sundays to at- tend divine fervice, but who frequently could not find room in the churches ; and it had like wife been appropriated for the penitential acknow- ledgments of the women, Our time on board was bufily employed in making every thing ready to proceed in the fer- vice we had to perform, the inftant we fhould receive the fandion of the president for fo doing. On Saturday evening the 28th, agreeably to our calculations, the courier returned, and I had the fatisfa&ion to receive from his Excellency Senr Don Ambrofio Higgins de VaHcnar, pref.uent and captain general of the kingdom of Chili, the moft ample confirmation of ail the liberal offers which had been made to us by Governor Alava; together with a letter containing the moil polite R 3 congratu- 246 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MARCH* congratulations on our having thus far fafely ac- complished the great obje& of our expedition, and having at length arrived in a country where nothing ihould be wanting within the reach of his power to fupply, that could in any way con- tribute to the reftoration of our health, adminifter to our future comforts, or tend to re-equip the veffels, and repair the damages which they had I fuftained. Thefe obliging and friendly offers were further accompanied by a communication to governor Alava, ftating, that if myfelf and fome of the principal officers Ihould be inclined to vifit the capital, we had his Excellency's permif- fion to do fo ; and in the event of our under- taking a journey to St. Jago, the governor was re- quelled by the Prefident to employ his good offices, in feeing that we were properly provided for the excurfion. I embraced the earlieft opportunity to return my moft grateful acknowledgments to the Pre- fident, for his extreme politenefs and liberality towards us ; and I loft no time in fetting hard to work on the various fervices which now de- manded our attention. My frft and principal objedi was to get out the main-maft ; for this purpofe, on Monday morning the 30th, the fhip was moved nearer in fhore, and moored in four fathoms, to infure more effectually fmooth water for performing that operation. After this was accom- I7Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 247 accomplifhed, on the following morning, the maft was hauled up on to the beach betwxei} Valparaifo and the village of Almandrel, where a tent was erected, and at the governor's exprefs defire a guard of marines from the Difcovery was polled there, to prevent thefts, or other improper condud: on the part of the inhabitants, as fome of the pinnace's covering had been fiolen the preceding night. Whether this application from the governor proceeded from a fentiment of delicacy towards us, or whether he confidered that our marines would be more adequate to the protection of our property than the Spanifh foldiers, is not eafy to decide ; but it appeared to be a very unprece- dented and extraordinary circumfiance, that a guard fhould here be requefted by the governor from an Englifh man of war, to do duty in the dominions of his Catholic majefty. The marines, however w7ere landed with a ferjeant, and planted as centinels, with pofitive orders from me. on no account to hurt any of the inhabitants, even though they fhould be detected in the very a6t of thieving ; but to fecure their perfons, that they might be dealt with according to their own Jaws. On the mail being examined we had the mor- tification to find, that the damage it had fuf- tained was greater than we had lufpeded, as it It 4 248 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MARCH, was fprung nearly two thirds through, a little below the hounds. Some Spanifh carpenters, in addition to our own, were immediately fct to work upon it ; and as both the vefTels required much caulking, the artificers of the country were alfo hired for this fervice. Our fail- makers wTere employed in repairing the old and making fome new fails ; the coopers in fetting up cafks for the reception of flour, and repairing thofe made ufe of for w7ater ; and the armourer was making the neceffary iron work for the repair and fecurity of the mainmaft and other purpofes, whilft thofe remaining on board wrere varioufly employed about the rigging, and in the hold for the recep- tion of a quantity of fhingle ballaft. Not being yet pofitively determined- whether our route home ftiould be round cape Horn, or through the ftraits of Magellan, and our cables and hawfers being worn to the laffc extremity, a fupply of each fort was ordered to be made for both vefTels, accord- ing to the dimenfions we required; for although we had found an abundance of fmall white cord- age in the warehoufes, there were no cables ; there being little demand at Vaiparaifo for fuch ftores ; nor was there any tarred rope of any de- fer iption, the cordage from four inches in cir- cumference downwards, being all white rope, fuch as the Spanifh trading vefTels in thefe feas ufe for running rigging, Thefe feveral fervices were 1795 ] ROUND THE WORLD. were all put into a regular train of execution; but as the following day was the anniverfary of our departure from Falmouth, and the com- mencement of the fifth year of our labours, all- work was fufpended, and the people as ufual had the day to themfelves. They were all ferved with a double allowance of grog, and an excel- lent dinner, compofed of the various good things that this country fo abundantly afforded. All our operations were cheerfully refumed the next morning, Wednefday, April the 1 ft ; and on my vifiting the artificers employed on the maft, I had the mortification to underftand, that on framing the heel of the maft for the purpofe of its becoming the head, that end, near to the place where the cheeks were to be fixed on to it, was found to be extremely decayed, and fcarcely in a better ftate than the other extremity. It was however, though rotten, not fprung, and having no refource but that of applying the beft remedy in our poffefiion, two ftout cheeks made of our fpare anchor flocks, together with two {kxong fijhes, w7ere fixed to the maft below the partners of the main deck, and continued up to its head ; and even with thefe additional fecu- rities, it would be but a crippled flick to depend upon : yet as we had no alternative, we were compelled to make the bell fhitt we could, which would neceffarily oblige us to be particularly cautious 250 A Vr0YAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRII^ cautious, and to prefs it as little as poffible in our paflage homewards. The obfervatory, with the requisite inftru- ments, was fent on fhore, and, as ufual, com- mitted to the charge of Mr. Whidbey, for the purpofe of making fuch obfervations as were now become neceffary for afcertaining the rates and errors of the chronometers, and for finding the latitude and longitude of Valparaifo. Having made this and fome other arrangements for car- rying into effedt the re-equipment of the veflels, I determined to avail myfelf of the obliging per- miffion of the prefident to vifit the capital of Chili, and ordered preparations to be made for an excurfion to St. Jago. Our party was to confift of Mr. Puget and Lieutenant Johnftone of the Chatham, and Lieu- tenants Baker and Swaine, and Mr. Menzies of the Difcovery. I had already made known to governor Alava my intention of vifiting St. Jago, who very obligingly gave directions, as Valparaifo did not afford any travelling carriages, that we iliould be provided with a proper number of horfes and mules for the expedition; the former for our riding, and the latter for carrying our luggage. I now had the pleafure of finding that his Ex- cellency the Prefident, together with his polite invitation to the capital, had alfo fent two dra- goons from St. Jago, who wrere natives of Ire- land, 1795*3 ROUND THE WORLD. 251 land, in his Catholic Majefty's fervice, for the purpofe ot beii*g our guides and interpreters, and for rendering us every other fervice that we might require on the journey. Thefe people had been long in New Spain ; they feemed to be highly delighted with the charge now intrufted to their care, and not a little proud of the power and confequence that was attached to it ; for, as on this occafion they bore the immediate order of the Captain-general, they had authority to do many a£is from which, in the capacity of dra- goons only, they were prohibited. This power* amongft other things, permitted them to take any horfe or horfes whatfoever, whether in the ftables or at pafture, for the purpofe of facilitating the fervice on which they were employed ; but as our vifit to St. Jago was purely for recreation, I would not permit any compulfory meafures to be reforted to for our accommodation ; and a fufficient number of horfes were procured, at twelve dollars each, for the journey thither, and back again to Valparaifo. Every thing being prepared, we fet out early on Friday morning the 3d, with a numerous cavalcade; for, notwithstanding this country had been fettled a great length of time, we were given to underftand that we fhould find no ac- commodation on the road between thefe two principal towns of the kingdom of Chili, except- ing 252 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [APRIL, ing fuch as might be met with in the villages through which we might pafs or occafionally ftop at, and thefe would confift only of a ftied or un- inhabited empty houfe. A fupply of provifions might be depended upon, but there wTere neither beds, feats, tables, nor any fort of convenient or neceflary articles or uteniils to prepare them for our table ; all thefe, with our cook, we were obliged to take with us ; and, left we fhould be difappointed of the promifed flicker, we were provided with a tent, which wras packed in con- venient travelling trunks, and carried on the backs of the mules, according to the ufual method of travelling in this country. I could not, how- ever, help expreffing my concern that the poor beafts Hiould be fo much loaded, and I objected to the weight propofed to be carried, efpecially the poles of the tent, which 1 fufpeded would prove too inconvenient a burthen for them to move under • indeed this circumftance produced fome altercation between the muleteers and the dragoons ; but as there wras no appeal againft the injunctions of the latter, the muleteers and my- felf were obliged to acquiefce, and twelve mules were completely loaded with our tent and bag- gage. The horfes that had been hired we thought rather too fmall, and not of fufficient ftrength ; for, befides the weight of their rider, they had each a moft enormous heavy faddle to carry ; „ f/u- yy./j-./ VALPAKAiso ..///„ diftaut vieiv „r;/„ ^yi)ES . !795'] ROUND THE WORLD. fi53 carry ; but our Irifh guides undertook to anfwef for their abilities, and the event proved that their judgment was to be depended upon. From the town of Valparaifo, which is fituated on a narrow trad of very uneven ground at the foot of the deep rocky precipices, which, at no great diftance from the water-fide, compofe the fhores, there is no pafs immediately into the country but for foot paffengers; for the main road which leads into the interior parts of the country, approaches the fea-lhore through the village of Almandrel, whither our route was neceffarily di- rected . This village is pleafantly fituated, and is on a more extenfxve border of low land than the town of Valparaifo ; but it is bounded in a fimi- lar way behind, by fteep and nearly barren hills. The valleys and plains, however, in its imme- diate neighbourhood, are fertile, and large gar- dens were both cultivated for profit, and deco- rated for amufement. From Almandrel a tole- rably good, though rather fiieep, road had been made, in a zigzag way, over a ridge of hills, of confiderable extent and elevation, the fummit of which occupied us full two hours in reaching. The old road between thefe two towns being a very bad one, and dangerous to pafs, his excel- lency had determined that a new and more eli- gible line of road fhould be made; and for the more immediate convenience of the inhabitants 254 A VOY . :>i. D l S COVERT I^APRTL'; of St Jago and Vaiparaiib, this new road, whicli is about fixteen yaHs ™ide. fia 3 ^ecn begun froni each place, and b) chat means an eafierand more pleafant communication with the adjacent coun- try had already been afforded to the inhabitants of each of thefe towns than they had hitherto enjoyed. We were informed by our guides, that the whole of the new road was not yet finifhed, but was at that time in a progreffive ftate towards completion, and that we fhould meet the people employed upon it as we pro- ceeded. Under the prefent circumftances of this road, and whilft the dry feafon may continue, it is doubtlefs as commodious a pafs as could have been well defigned ; but, from the loofenefs of the foil, and the acclivity of the hills along the fides of which it is carried, it appeared to us that it would be liable to great injury in the winter feafon ; which, we were told, is frequently fub- je£fc to extremely heavy rains, that muft necef- farily rufli with great impetuofity down the fides of this fteep mountainous country. Having gained the top of the road, which paffes over a depreffed part of that ridge of lofty hills whkh bind the fea coafr, wTe arrived in a fpa- cious plain, nearly on a level with the fummit of the hills we had now left behind us. This plain extended to a coniiderable diftance, in a norths eafterly, 1795-] ROUND THE WOELD. 255 eafterly, eafterly, and fouth-eaft direction, where it finifhed at the bafe of another ridge of hills, beyond Which were feen other ranges varioufly diverfified, and rifing in fucceffion one after another; until our view was terminated by the hoary head of the lofty Andes, wrapped in undif- folving fnow. Had the intervening plain, and the furrounding rifing hills, exhibited the verdant productions of nature, affifted by the hand of man, the landfcape would have been beautiful in the extreme, but this was not the cafe ; and the apparent fterility of the wide wafle, that now encompafied us on every fide, rendered that abundant fupply of good things which we had been daily accuftomed to fee in the market of Valparaifo, a circumftance not eafily to be ac- counted for. Inftead of numerous villages, fertile paftures, and fields in high cultivation, which I had ex- pected to find, after paffmg over the hills near the fea fiiore, an extenfive open defert now ap- peared before us, deftitute of wood, and nearly fo of verdure ; as a few ftunted trees only, and fome grovelling fhrubs, were fcattered at a great diftance from each other; and, excepting near the banks of the fluggifh rills of water that crept through the plain, vegetation was fcarccly per- ceptible; whilfl the few miferable inhabitants that exifted on its furface, lived in wretched little hovels. 256 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, hovels, or huts, made principally of mud. The frames of thefe dwellings, of which we had feen about a dozen, were rudely conftrucled of wood, and plafiiered over with a thick coating of mud; this ferved as a wall, whiSft the unfmoothed fur- face of the ground formed the floor, and little or no covering appeared on the roof ; the whole feeming fcarcely to afford a lliade againft the fcorching rays of the fun ; for againft wind and rain thefe humble -manfions could afford no fhelter. At one of thefe mean abodes, about fifteen miles from Valparaifo, we flopped to dine. The infideof the dwelling more forcibly difplayed the poverty of its inhabitants than had been exhi- bited by its external appearance ; for it hardly contained the raoft common neceiTaries to the exiftence of human life ; a dirty table, a ftool, a wretched bed in one corner, and five or fix crolTes, comprehended all its furniture; yet it was not without fome decorations of a religious nature; and what ftill more attracted our notice, thofe who refided in it not only indulged in the luxury of taking the mattee, which is an infufion of an herb imported from Paraguay, but to our furprize, the very few utenfils they pofleffcd for their moft common domeftic purpofes were chiefly made of filver. The land about thefe miferable hovels was, like the wide furrounding wafte, 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD; 25/ wafte, in a perfect ftate of nature, without the veftige of any labour having been ever bellowed upon it/not even in the cultivation of a garden. The few wretched people who inhabit this dreary wild, feemed to rely intirely on the bountiful hand of Providence for their daily fubfiftencc ; and to pafs away their lives, without entertaining a wifh to procure the leaft addition to their hap- pincis or comfort, at the expence of any exertion. Indolence and fuperftition appeared to influence the whole of their condudt, which was marked with a greater degree of uncleanlinefs and thofe charadleriftics that diftinguifh the very loweft order of fociety, than I had before writneffed amongft any people who had ever had the advan- tage of living amongft thofe connected with the civilized world. The mules which carried our luggage were on the road before us, making the beft of their way to the place where wre purpofed to reft for the night, excepting one fumpter mule, which had accompanied us with fome articles of provifions and provender for the day ; and by adding to our own ftores the fupplies which thefe hovels were able to furnifh, confuting of poultry, eggs, potatoes, onions, and fruit, we made an excellent repaft, wrhilft our horfes were alfo rcfrefhed, and prepared to proceed with us over this extenfive defert. Having now travelled fome miles be- Vol. VI. S ' yond 25 8 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL* yond the extent to which the new road from Valparaifo had been carried, we found the old one infinitely 3efs commodious, and the difference between the two was very great indeed. Iii- ftead of the fmooth regular furface over which we had palfed from Valparaifo along the new road, this could only be confidered as a beaten track, fometimes leading along, or through, deep and irregular ravines and gullies, deftitute of the appearance of any labour having ever been applied to reduce the inequalities of its furface, or to re- move any of thofe impediments which continu- ally interrupted our travelling. The making of the new road had doubtlefs been a work of great labour ; and to a people who are not very induftrioufly inclined, and who are all bigotted to former practices and original habits, it is no wonder that the manifeft advantages that muft refult to the inhabitants of the country from his Excellency's wife undertaking, fhould be overlooked, or rather not feen by them; and that the execution of his judicious plan Ihould have deprived him, amongft the lower orders of the people, of aiuch of his popularity. For as the thought }iad firft originated with the Prefident, rather than not indulge a contradictory fpirit, which our guides informed us had Ihewn itfelf amongft the bulk cA the people, the inhabitants fecmcd to be more willing to facrifice their own future 3^Q5»] ROUND THE WORLD. 15Q future intereft and comfort by oppofmg this be- neficial defign, than to do any thing which might promote its fuccefs. Little variation occurred, in the fcehery already defcribed, in our journey in the afternoon, as we faw few objects to attract our attention until to- wards the evening, when we arrived at the vil- lage of Cafa Bianco, or, the white houfe. Here our guides propofed we fliould reft for the night, and after travelling twenty-eight miles in a way to which we were little accuftomed, we all gladly agreed to the meafure. Cafa Blanco is a hamlet, confiftiiig of a neat church and about forty houfes in its neighbour- hood; which, with fomc inclofures of land under cultivation, formed a pleafmg contrail to the barren naked country through which our day's journey had been directed. The principal perfon of the village appeared to be the curate, who hav- ing been made acquainted with our approach, wras prepared to meet us, and gave us a like hof- pitable reception wTith that which had been fo generally fliewn by all the good people of this country with whom wre had hitherto met. In the exercife of his humanity and good willies, our reverend friend feemed to be much hurt that he had fo little to beftow ; but as we fortunately did not Hand much in need of his aiiiftance, ex- cepting in one refpedl, that of providing us with S 2 a lodging, 2'50 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY . [APRIL, a lodging, wc foon relieved him from his em* barraflmcnt. This gentleman immediately fur- nifhed us with a houfe, over which he held fome authority; a manfion preciiely of the defcription which, we had been given to underftand, we fliould find on the road for our accommodation, This houfe, if the ftrudhire could be entitled to fuch a name, was fituated nearly in the centre at the village, and was fo rudely formed, that it could hardly be eonfidercd as the wrork of a civi- lized people. Its walls were made of dried pieces of earth cut fquare into the fhape of bricks, which had been laid on each other when in a wet Hate, and plaftered over with the fame fubftance ; but by drying unequally the plafler had fallen off in, many places. Its infide wras open like a barn, and conilfted of but one apartment, which con- tained nothing; but our basgasje, that had arrived O COO' fome hours before us ; and had the weather been rainy, it would have afforded us but very im- perfect fhelter. The floor was no other than the ground in its natural, unlevelled ftate ; but though it Was not remarkable for its cleanlinefs, it was fpacious, and in that refpe£t more fuitable to the purpofes of our party, than the tent we had brought with us. As it, however, was totally deftitute of all kinds of furniture, we were obliged to refort to our neighbours for fuch temporary conveniences as we fhould want, which they very readily 17Q5.] KOUND THE WORLD. '2(3 1 readily fupplicd : and whilft our fupper was pre- paring we vifitcd the inhabitants in the village, by whom we were received with the moft cheer- ful affability ; particularly by the younger parts of the fex, amongft whom we noticed feveral faces which, even by the fide of our fair country- women, might have been confidered as pretty, had not the intolerable nafty cuftom of painting both red and white, deftroyed the natural delicacy* of their complexion, and impaired the effect of the agreeable affemblage of their features. Their affiduity to pleafe was however very engaging, and the evening palled fo plcafantly, that the fatigue of the day's journey was, I believe, intirely forgotten by moft of us. The houfes of this village being all whitc-wafhed, gave it a neat appearance, which, as we approached, imprefled us with a belief that we fhould find thefe dwel- lings infinitely fuperior to the wretched hovels w^e had palled in the courfe of the day ; but we had the mortification to difcover, on accepting the invitations of the principal people, that the fame want of cleanlinefs prevailed, and that wretchednefs, indolence, and fuperftition was exhibited here in as great a degree, as amongft the cottagers on the fun-parched defert. The only difference that we could difcern, between thofe people and the inhabitants of Cafa Blanco, confifted in the fuperiority of the external habi- S 3 liments 262 A. VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, liments of the latter, who had evidently dreffed thcmfelves in their beft attire for the occafion. Our time was agreeably engaged until fupper was ferved, when we were favoured with the company of every inhabitant, I believe, belonging to the village ; the principal perfons partook of our repaft, whilft the others feemed to be equally gratified in the opportunity that wras afforded them, of fatisfying their curiofity with a fcene fb novel and unexpected in their country. The glafs went cheerfully round, and our new friends did not retire until a late hour. Our blankets were then fpread, but the night did not pafs fo pleafantly as the evening had promifed ; for our reft was moft tormentingly difturbed by the ver- min, which had been generated by the former filth of our habitation, and which now took re- venge upon us ftrangers, for having endeavoured to difpoffefs them of their ftrong holds by fweep- irig out the place. When we arofe in the morning we found ourfelves but little refrefhed, owing to the great annoyance we had fuffered from my- riads of bugs and fleas. Early the next morning we again fet out, and foon arrived at the foot of that range of hills that gives bounds to the plain on which Cafa Blanco is fituated. Thefe hills appeared to nth with a quicker afcent, and to a greater height above the plain we were then quit- ting, than the firft ridge had feemingly done from the !795-] EOUND THE WORLD. 203 the fea fide at Almandrcl. The new road here led acrofs the lefs elevated part of the ridge, not- withftanding which, it was fo fteep that it was necelfary to cut the road in the fame zigzag dia- gonal way as before, and in its courfe from the bale to the fummit of the hills, it made twenty- five returns or angles. On this intermediate part of the new road the labourers were at work ; and we imderffcood from our guides, that as a fufficient number of people could not be procured to carry the whole of the defign into execution at once, his Excellency the President (having the comfort, convenience, and intereft of the inhabitants much at heart) had, in order to facilitate the intercourfe between thefe two great towns, ordered the moft difficult and dangerous parts of the new line of road to be fir ft made paflable and commodious. The road here was of the fame width, and equally well made, with the part before defcribed ; but as the foil confifted of the fame loofe fandy materials, it muff: neceflarily be liable in the winter feafon to the fame difad vantage I have before ftated, from the defcenaing torrents of rain. We had here for the nrft time an opportunity of feeing the peafantry of the country in a la- bouring capacity, and we could not help remark- ing, that their inactivity in the performance of their work could only be equalled by theiruqable S 4 means 264 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, means they pofTeffed for carrying it into exe- cution. There were about fifty men at work with common pick-axes and ihovels ; and to fupply the place of wheel-barrows for the re- moval of the earth from the higher to the lower fide of the road, the hide of an ox was fpread on the ground, and when as much earth wTas thrown upon it as would require the ftrength of two men to remove, the corners of the hide were drawn together by each of them, and in that ftate dragged to the depreffed fide of the road, and emptied where requisite, to preferve a gentle flope in the breadth ; or elfe difcharged over the brink, and fent down the fide of the hill. The rocky parts, which were frequently met with, were blown up with gunpowder; and the fragments, which fometimes were very large, inftead of being beaten into fmall pieces for the purpofe of making a more folid foundation for the paffing of carriages, were all moved to the lower fide of the road, and, like the earth, thrown from thence down the hill. By this injudicious practice the earth from the higher fide . which in moft places might have been contrived to have made a parapet along the brink, was not only carried down by thefe mafly fabricks of rock, but in many places the ground was torn up by them m their paflage down ; and as it appeared to us that the brink was to be left in this open ragged ftate, I795.J ROUND THE WORLD. 2(35 ftate, the defcending rains mull foon caufe gul- lies that will injure the road, and do it confider- able damage. The fuperintendents, however, feemed to have been aware that the torrents of water, defcending from the upper fide of the hill above where the line of road paffes, might have the effect in rainy weather of wafhing away the loofe materials of which the road is compofed ; for a channel was cut alons; the fide of the road neareft the mountain to receive fuch water, and to carry it down its inclined plane ; but it ap- peared to us to be too fmall, and too much like a gutter to anfwer the purpofe for which it was intended. The lower fide, or brink, had neither bank of earth, nor rail of wood, as a fence ; nor did we underftand that any fort of protection wTas defigned to be made, the want of which gave it a very unfinished naked appearance, and in fome places, where the lower fide pafTed over a fteep part of the hill, or over perpendicular pre- cipices formed by the rock, it appeared to be dangerous in a high degree ; for in the night, or in the event of a horfe taking fright, or falling near this outer unprotected fide, there can be little chance of the animal or its rider efcaping unhurt. Indeed it did not appear to us to be prudent to venture too near to this fide in the daytime, as the road had already crumbled down the 260 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, the hill, and had fallen into deep holes in many- places. The labourers, I was informed, received their provifioiis, and a rial and an half per clay, which according to the rate at which we received the dollar, (viz.) at three Shillings and nine-pence each, makes the amount of their daily wages about feven-pence fterling, and the value of their food cannot exceed a groat. Thefe circumltances made it appear to us very extraordinary, that in a country where the expence of labour did not exceed eleven pence per day, more perfons - were not employed in agriculture, and other rural im- provements ; especially as the foil and climate feemed to be well adapted for cultivation, and the fituation of the country infured a ready mar- ket for every kind of produce ; of which, there could be no doubt- an abundance would eafily be procured, to reward the labours of induftry. By the introduction of a greater proportion of the common ncceffarics of life, and by the ob- taining a few of its comforts, it is rcafonable to fuppofe that a general fpirit for exertion would be tiiifmed amonglt the lower orders of the people, who might be taught, by encouragement, to prefer a life of diligence and a&ivity to that fu- pineneis winch at prefent dilgraccs the larger part of the community. The fubmiffive obedi- ence I7Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. iQj ence that is here paid to every regulation or re- ftraint impofed by the priefts, gave us rcafon to believe that it might be within their power to infift that each individual {hould employ himfelf, or be employed by others, a certain number of hours each day, either in his own garden, or in the general husbandry of the country ; for which certain rewards, proportionate to the exertion, ihould be affirmed as an incentive to a 'life of induftry. This would Toon produce an inclina- tion for employment, which would not only pro- mote the general happinefs of the people, but would be the means of fecuring to every one, in proportion to his diligence, the comforts that would certainly arifc from this change in the prefent oeconomy of their lives. Inftead of the univerfal apathy to work that feemed to per- vade the whole of the labouring qriafs, who were dragged to their employment, without any felf- impulfe, like an ox to the yoke, their daily la- bour would be undertaken with alacrity ; and, in looking forward to the advantages that would refult from their exertion, they might foon be flimulated to prefer the habits of induftry to thofe of fupinenefs and indolence. On reaching the top of this range of hills, we could plainly difcern the neat looking village of Cafa Blanco, which added greatly to the appear- ance gf the country we Lad left behind. The road 268 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [APRIL, road forward to St. Jago dcfcends on the north eaft fide of thefc hills, but it had not fo many angles or returns in it as that by which we had afcended on the other fide, becaufe the interme- diate valley, between this range of hills and the mountains before us which we had yet to pafs, was confiderably more elevated from the level of the fca, than the plain on which Cafa Blanco is iltuated. After breakfaft, we proceeded on our journey along a very narrow^ path, which, without a guide, might have been eafily miftaken, as there were many fimilar to it, in various directions,, through a ibrcfl of fmall trees, that continued for about four miles. About four in the after- noon wre flopped at a mud hovel, at the difiance of nearly live miles from the mountain of Praow\ The country we had palled through polfeffed little to entertain, and lefs to intcreft, the tra- veller ; its general character was fimilar to that over which we had palled before, excepting that it wras more wooded, without any objects to vary the fcene ; and beins; much fatigued with our new mode of conveyance, and the heat of the i weather, the advice of the dragoons to make this fpot our refting place for the night, was willingly acceded to by all parties. Some lamb and poul- try were foon procured for dinner, which was diefcd by our cook, and both proved to be very good. 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 26(J good, Our tabic was fpread under the fhade of fome vines clofe to the hovel, where we were attended by a few peafants brought thither by curiofity, who conduced themfelves very re- fpe&fully. Vvre retired very early to our blan- kets, which, as before, were fpread in the hovel on the bare ground. By the recommendation of our guides, we wrere on horfeback at three the next morning, that we might avoid the intenfe heat to which, they ffcated, we fliould be expofed in afcending the lofty fummits of Fraovv ; we aeeompliftaed this before fun-rife by the new road, which made thirty- two paffes or returns on its fide, cut out in a manner fimilar to the other parts of it over which we had already travelled. In afcending at this early hour, we found the air fo very cool, that We defcended Praow to the north-eaft, by fewer paiies than we had afcended on its oppo- fite fide, as the valley in which St. Jago is built is much higher than the other two acrofs which we had travelled ; the general character of the country being that of an inclined plane rifing to- wards St. Jago, although itsfurface is broken by the ridges of mountains before defcribed. The road flill continued in an eaftern direction, and \vas here as well made and as broad as the turn- pike roads in England. On either fide were fe- veral fmall orchards, and a few plantations with fome indifferent pailure land, on w7hich cattle were feen grazing under the fhade of a few fcat- tercd trees ; but the general want of cultivation gave the face of the country a barren and wild appear- ROUND THE WORLD. T] Y appearance, deftitute of any feature that could indicate our approaching fa large and populous a city as that of St. Jago ; the only people we faw were two or three travellers, and a few mu- leteers. We flopped to breakfaft about fifteen miles from the capital, whofe lofty fpires w7ere now plainly difcerned, towering above the numerous houfes wdiich the city appeared to contain. Not- withvhmding our prefent vicinity to fo large a town, we found no other place for the accom- modation of travellers than the mud hovel, wTherc we were entertained in the lame way as we had been before; and where, like the others at which we had ftopped, there was no fign of any im- provement whatever, either in the building, or in any other refpe£i that might add to the com- fort of life ; the fame want of cleanlinefs, and wretched condition which I have before had oc- cafion to remark, continued here to debafe the character of the inhabitants, who, notwithstand- ing their external appearance of wretchednefs and mifery, wore neverthelefs a contented look, and together with a cheerful countenance pcf- feiTed a diipOiition to oblige that was extremely grateful to our feelings, though their exceffive indolence and inatli vicy create d in us a mixed fentirnent of pity and reproach. In addition to the ufual fupplies we had found on our journey, ** c IJI A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [aPIUI, we here procured foine excellent water melons of luxuriant growth and in high perfe&ion, which were very refrefhing and acceptable. Having finifhed our breakfaft we again refumed our journey ; the road was level, broad, and firm, and we had not travelled far, before on each fide .of it were feen plantations and vineyards, in each of which a neat white houfe was generally fituated at a little diftance frbm the road. The appear- ance of cultivation and fertility in thefe low lands, when contrafted with the flupendous fum- mits of the Andes, produced a moft agreeable effect, and rendered this part of our journey very pleafant and entertaining. After a fmart ride of nearly two hours, we arrived at a houfe about a mile from the capital, where fatigue, and a jour- ney of ninety miles, made it neceflary that we fhould halt ; not only for the purpofe of taking fome reft and refrefhmcnt, but alfo that we might equip ourfelves for the vifit of ceremony we were about to make to the Captain General* From hence I difpatched one of the dragoons who had attended us with a letter to his Excellency, an- nouncing our arriv&l in the vicinity of the capital, and Hating, that with his permiffion we would do ourfelves the honor of paying our rcfpedls to him at the palace in the evening; and I gave further directions to the dragoon, to procure and fend from St. Jago, carriages fufficient to convey thither 1 7p5. j| hound The world. 2*3 thither the whole party. In the mean time our dinner was provided and ferved, and it was our intention as foon as that: Ihould be over to drefs ourfeives in all our bcffc appaiel, that we might make as uniform an appearance on this occaiion as our feveral flocks of clothing would enable us to do ; for the extreme length of the voyage had deprived moft of the party of the principal parts of their wardrobe, and we had fcarcely a coat or hat that was fit for common ufe, much lefs for an occafion like this. In the midlt of our en- deavours to make as fmart an appearance as w7e could contrive, the dragoon returned, accompa- nied by an officer from the Captain General, whom he fent for the purpofe of compliment- ing us and congratulating us on our arrival, and of defiring that we would immediately re- pair to the palace, on horfes which he had fent for the purpofe of conveying us in & fuitable man^ ner to the capital. Although it was by no means my intention to have made fo public an entry as this arrangement of the Preiident's would neceffarily expofe us to, yet it appeared to me that we could not decline it without giving umbrage, or perhaps offence ; wq therefore endeavoured to equip ourfelves in the beft manner we were able, and in doing fo we referved our uniforms, which were extremely rot- ten and unfit for any fervice on horfeback, for Vol. VI T the 274 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, the purpofe of appearing in on our vifit of cere- mony to his Excellency. The frefh. horfes which had been fent from St. Jago, we had imagined to be like thofe which had brought us from Valpa- raifo, but, to our great aftonifhment, thofe which had now arrived from the Prelident under the care and dire&ions of another officer, feemed to be very high-bred animals ; and were all richly caparifoned with fine faddles and bridles, and faddle cloths richly decorated, and fringed with gold and filver lace, according very ill with the drefs in which we were under the neceffity of appearing. All my former objections to a public entry were now greatly increafed, and I became very defirous that we might be permitted to vifit St. Jago in a more private manner; but on re- prefenting this to the officers, inftcad of acceding to the wifhes of myfelf and party, whips and fpurs were inftantly produced, that nothing might be wanting to complete our appearance on horfe- back in every particular. The ufe of the fpurs however was generally declined by us all, left fome embarrafTment or mifchance fbould take place from their being unintentionally applied, /whilft our thoughts were engaged by the new obje&s that were likely to attrad: our attention as we paired through the ftreets of the city. Trivial as this circumftance may appear, yet to the officer who had charge of this efcort it was a matte 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 275 a matter of the firft importance. He not only ufed all his eloquence to perfuadeus to wear the fpars, but even expoftulated with us on the im- propriety of appearing without them, and the un- reafonablenefs of our declining fb efTential a part of drefs ; all his intreaties were not, however, fufficient to overcome our objections, and to his great mortification we mounted without them, and proceeded towards the capital, with a true military ftep, attended by the two officers, and our former guides the dragoons. The inconvenience we experienced on firft fet- ting out, from being equipped in this very extra- ordinary manner, w7as greatly increafed by the crowds of people who had aflembled to fee our cavalcade pafs along, in which they were fully gratified by the flownefs of our pace, until we arrived at the palace; where, on our alighting^ we were received by a guard which was turned out on the occafion, and were conducted inform to the audience chamber. Here we were received by his Excellency Don Ambrofio Higgins de Vallenar, with that fort of unafFedied welcome in which neither ceremony nor flattery appeared, and which amply repaid us for all the little fuf- ferings we had endured in the courfe of our jour- ney. This polite and cordial reception we had indeed anticipated from the reports we had re- ceived, before our departure from Valparaifo, and T 2 afterwards 276 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, afterwards on the road to St. Jag6. His Ex- cellency's character, not only in refpecfi of his great attention and urbanity to ftrangers, but of his parental care and conftant folicitude for the general happinefs and comfort of all the people who lived under his government, were the con- ftant topics of our converfation ; and it is not to be wondered at if, on this occafion, \ve became inftantly impreffed with the juftice which report had done to his virtues, by his congratulations and ^earty welcome to the capital of Chili, which were delivered by him in our pwn language with a fluency that greatly excited our aftonifhment, when we were informed by his Excellency, that he had now been refident in New Spain twenty- four years, during which time very few opportu- nities had occurred to him for fpeaking Englifh, We now learned from Don Ambrofio himfelf that he was a native of Ireland, from whence he had been abfent upwards of forty years, that at an early period of his life he had entered into the Englifh army ; but not obtaining in that fervice the promotion he had expe&ed, he had embraced more advantageous offers on the continent. His firft commiffion in the fervice of his Catholic Majefty was in the corps of engineers, from whence he exchanged into the dragoons, and was foon raifed to the rank of lieutenant-colonel; in this fituation he ferved for fom^jtime in. Old Spain, ROUND THE WORLD. 277 Spain, and afterwards in this country, until he obtained the diftinguifhed poft of military com- mander on the frontiers of Chili, and governor of Conception. In thisfervice he was employed twelve years, and had the good fortune, by the conftant exercife of his humanity, and an uniform attention to the comforts of the native inhabi- tants of the country, fo to fubdue the natural fiercenefs of their difpofitions, as to induce them to fubmit to the government of Spain. For this effential fervice he was promoted about the year 1783 to the exalted ftation he now fills; fincc which time he has been honoured with repeated marks of approbation and diftin&ion by his Ca- tholic Majefty, who has been pleafed to confer upon him the orders of Charles the Third, and St. James, with the rank of lieutenant-general in the Spanifh army. A room of confiderable dimenfions was allotted to me in the palace, and a large apartment ad- joining to it was appropriated to the ufe of Mr. Puget and the reft of the officers, in which were a fufficient number of fmall beds for the party, covered with thin gauze, as a protection againft the mufquitos. The two dragoons who had at- tended us from Valparaifo were now appointed to be ufeful to us in the capacity of fervants ; and every other matter was attended to, ordered, and fettled, that evening, which could in any way T 3 contribute *278 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [AFRII,, contribute to render our ftay at St. Jago, and our refidence in the palace, as pleafant as poffible. Nor did the politenefs of the Prefident end here, for, previoufly to the fupper being announced, he introduced to our acquaintance Don Ramon de Rofas, the corrigidor, and Don Francis Caf- jkda, a captain of dragoons, who received the Prefidcnt's directions to ufe his utmoft endeavours in fhewing us every thing in St. Jago worthy the attention of ftrangers, and to make us known to the principal families refiding in the city. The lupper, confifung of a great variety of hot diflies, was ferved up on filver, at which no perfon was prefent but Don Ambrofio the Pre- fi dent, Don Ramon de Rofas and ourfelves; all fort of ceremony was now laid afide, and agreeably to the repeated intreaties of his Excellency, w7e con- fidered and felt ourfelves as much at home as if we had been partaking a repaft in England with our moft intimate acquaintances. The firft part of our converfation was chiefly engroffed by in- quiries refpe&ing our late difcoveries on the north- weft coaft of America. In this I was very happy to learn, that no part of our condudl, or tranf- adlions with any of the fubje<5ts of his Catholic Majefty, appeared to have given the leaft caufe for jealoufy, or complaint againft our little com- munity ; and I was alfo much gratified by the very handfome compliments that were paid to myfelf* 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. I 27Q myfelf and officers, on the fuccefsful labours of our voyage. After the curiofity of the Prefident, and Don Ramon was fomewhat fatisfied on this fubjedl, the former, with great indignation, re- counted a circumftance which I cannot forbear to mention, although, being a matter only of con- verfation, it may poffibly appear too extraneous. At the time when his Excellency was the go- vernor at Conception, and during the late Ame- rican, French, and Spanifh war with England, an enterprize was meditated and planned by the Court of Great Britain againft that place, which was then the feat of government in the kingdom of Chili. When Sir Edward Hughes failed with his fleet from England to the Eaft Indies, it was generally believed that he was to have a£ted only in defence of our eftablifhments in that quarter, but before that admiral had reached the firft place of his deftination in the Eaft Indies, the Prefident ftated to us, that he was in pofleffion of a copy of Sir Edward Hughes's orders, which had been tranfmitted to him at Conception from Old Spain, by which documents he became informed, that an attack was purpofed to be made by that fleet from the Eaft Indies on the Spanilh fettle- ments in South America, and that Conception was the place againft which the enterprize would firft be attempted. In confequence of this in- telligence a general alarm took place throughout T 4 all A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [apIUL, all the eftablifhments on the coaft ; the fortifica- tions, which had been much neglected, were re- paired and ftrengthened ; the number of troops attached to each were greatly augmented; and every preparation was made for the purpofe of ailing vigoroufly on the defenfive ; and to this circumftance alone his Excellency attributed the abandoning of the defign, that had been concerted by the Britifli Cabinet. Soon after fupper was ended, a number of la- dies made their appearance at the iron grating that protected the window of the palace, beg- ging our acceptance of nofegays, and requefting that we would join the reft of their party, affem- bied at a little diftance from the palace ; but as I thought it would be more refpedtful to pay our compliments to his Excellency in the audience- room, which formality wras fixed for the fuc- ceeding morning, before we fhould vifit any one eife in the city, we declined their obliging invi- tation for the prefent, with a promife of acknow- ledging their civility the following day. We did not retire until an early hour, when we found our beds tolerably good, but we could not help being much difgufted at the infutferable uncleanlinefs of our apartments ; the floors of which, but more particularly that appointed for the refidence of the officers, were covered with 1th and dirt. Application was inftantly made to 3 795;] HOUND THE WORLD. 28 1 to the dragoons, to procure us fome bruihes or brooms in order to fweep it out, but, to our great mortification, they told us that fuch things were not in common ufe at St. Jago ; fo that the only alleviation we could obtain was that of wa- ter to fprinkle the duft, which was fo thick in the officers' apartment, that it would rather have required a fhovel than a brufli for its removal. Every Sunday morning the Prefident has a levee, which is ufually attended by the military people, and the principal inhabitants of the city and furrounding country. For the purpofe of being formally introduced at this levee, we made ourfelves as fmart as the exhaufted ftate of our refpe&ive wardrobes would allow, and then re- paired to the audience- chamber ; this room, which is fpacious, was neatly, but not extrava- gantly, furnifhed ; the anti-chamber was large in proportion, and the entrance to each was from the ground, through large folding doors. In the anti-chamber were the portraits of the feveral prefidents of Chili, from the firft eftablifhment of the Spanifti authority in this part of the country, to the prefent governor, whofe portrait was one of the number. The infide walls of thefe rooms were covered with glazed tiles, refembling thofe from Holland, for about eight or ten feet from the floor, which had a good efFed:, and was a great relief to the dead white plafter of the re- maining 282 A VOYAGE CP DISCOVERY ^APRII/, maining part up to the ceiling. At the upper end of the audience-room was a fmall ftage, raifed a few feet from the floor, upon which was placed the chair of ftate, ornamented with a canopy of red damafk, and decorated with the portraits of their Catholic Majefties, which were placed on each fide of the Prefident's chair. The levee was attended by about one hundred and twenty perfons, the greater part of whom appeared in the regimentals of the eftablifhed militia of the country ; and, in fuch a well dreffed company, our thread-bare uniforms fufFered much by com- panion. I had, however, taken the precaution to apologize to his Excellency for the reduced Hate of our apparel, and he did not fail, on in- troducing us to his friends, to enumerate the hardfhips we had undergone, to ftate the length of time we had been abfent from the civilized world, and to conclude, on every occafion, with ibme panegyric on the laborious undertaking in which we had been fo long engaged. This very polite and friendly attention foon relieved us from any embarrailment which, at firft, it was natural we fliould feel in being thus unexpect- edly thrown into a circle of gentlemen, who made a very fplendid appearance, and who feemed to have great pride in conforming to the falhion of the day, and the etiquette of court parade* From all the (rentlemen, to whom we were made known, ^795.] HOUND THE WORLD. 283 known, -we received the moft flattering congra- tulations on our arrival at St. Jago, accompanied by very friendly invitations to their houfes ; and every one appeared to be anxious to make our time pafs as pleafantly as the circumftances of the place would permit. The fpecimen w7e had already received from our very hofpitable friends at Valparaifo, left us no room to doubt the fin- cerity of thefe firangers, whofe kind foiicitude to gratify our inclinations' on every trivial occa- sion, -w^Si infinitely greater than could reafonably have been expected. After we had feverally paid our compliments to- the Prefident, the levee broke up, and we followed the reft of the party, accompanied by Don Ramon and Captain Caf- fada, to the, levee of the Bifhop of Chili, which always commences on the conclufion of the Pict fidents. -Here we were again received with the fame polifcencfs and affability which had marked our reception at Don Ambrofio's. The Bifhop is addrefied by the title of IlhjlrlJJima, and the palace in wrhich he conftantly refides, in point of magnificence and ihow, exceeded, in a great de- gree, every houfe in St. Jago, not excepting the Prefident' s, to whom the Bifhop is the next per- fon in rank and confequence. The rooms here were not fo large as thofe of the royal palace, but they were fufficiently capacious and well proportioned ; the walls were hung with yellow m 284 A VOYAGE OF BiSCOVSRV [APRIL* iilk, feftooned at the top, the furnitufe was ra- ther gaudy than elegant, yet every objed; befpoke the richnefs and exalted ftation of the illuftrious owner. The Rifhop was dreiled in a loofe cle- rical garment of purple iilk, buttoned clofe, with a fort of apron that extended round his waift, and reached below his knees. This part of his drefs, I was given to underftand, is commonly worn in Spain by the dignitaries of the church. The fame perfons who had attended the levee of his Excellency, repaired with us to the pa- lace of the Bifhop; but their deportment here, in point of refpedl, far exceeded that which had been fhewn to the Prefident. Many priefts at- tended the levee, one of whom always condu&ed to the Bifhop the perfon who was to be intro- duced, who when fufiiciently near, bent one knee, and received in that fubmiffive attitude the benediction of the church. On this occa- fion, the Bifhop with one hand made the figure of a crofs over the head of the perfon intro- duced, whilft he prefented a ring which he wore on a finger of the other, to receive an additional homage, paid by touching it with the lips, as in • the a6l of kiffing. This ceremony was not re- ftrifted to a tew, for we did not perceive any one in the group that did not go through it; and, as 1 had made it a conftant rule to conform, on all occafions, to the innocent manners and cuf- toms 1795*7 HOUND THE WORLO. 285 toms of whatever country we might chance to viftt, I fhould not have h^fitated to perform the like ceremony on our introduction, had the itighteft hint been given, either by Don Ramon or Captain Caffada, that it would be expelled from us ; but, as their filence left us completely to our own feelings, we each of us limply made our bow, which appeared to be as well accepted, and to receive as gracious a benediction, as if we had adopted the other cuftomary formality. The Bilhop made many very pertinent inqui- ries refpe£ting the countries we had vifited* and feemed to have great pleafure in the little infor- mation we were able to afford him ; for at this time, we had not an interpreter with us, who fa perfectly comprehended what we defcribed in Englifh as to make a faithful tranflation of it to the Prelate ; and I do not recollect that I ever felt more real regret, than on this occafion, that 1 did not fufficiently underftand the Spanifh language to hold a convention with this apparently intel- ligent gentleman, who was pleafed to embrace every opportunity of heftowing fome encomium on our late refearches, and to offer his congratula- tions on our having fo happily concluded them. From the Bifhop's palace we were conduced, by our friends, to the houfes of the judges and great officers of ftate, in all of which we expe- rienced the fame cordiality and friendlinefs, and received 256 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRK, received the fame preffing intreattes to vifit their families as had uniformly been offered by every perfon with whom we had become acquainted fmce our firft arrival in- this hofpitable country. About two o'clock we returned to the palace, where we found the Prefident waiting our arrival for dinner, which was ferved up on a plain deal ill conftruiied table, by no means correfponding with the magnificence of the dinner fervice, w7hich was entirely compofed of filver. The company confifted of the Prefident, Don Ramon de Rofas, Captain CalTada, and ourfelves ; and the conversation turned chiefly on the late la- bours of our furvey, and the difcoveries we had made on the coaft of North-Weft America, which were repeatedly honoured with the moll flatter- ing commendations from the Captain General, who appeared to be extremely interefted in the events which we related. After drinking coffee, which is always brought in as foon as the cloth is removed, every one re- tired to his private apartment, a cuftom which fo generally prevails in this kingdom, that, be- tween the hours of three in the afternoon and fix in the evening, no perfon is feen in the ftreets, the (hops are fliut up, and the fame ftill- nefs prevails as if it were actually night. Accuf- tomed as we had hitherto been to a life of con- ftant anxiety, and to be fatisfied with little reft, wc 17950 ROUND THE WORLD. 287 we were at firft greatly at a lofs to difcover how we fhould employ the hours which were thus dedicated to fleep by the fociety in which we were now living ; but the exercife of the morn- ing, the heat of the weather, the want of occu- pation, and the natural inclination to fleep after a hearty meal, foon reconciled us to the practice of the country; and we all indulged in a fiefta, (or afternoon s nap) and enjoyed it I believe full as much as the molt voluptuous Spaniard in the capital. Accompanied by our new friends, we were in- troduced in the evening to the family of Senr Cotappas, a Spanifh merchant of confiderable eminence. A defcription of this gentleman's manfion will ferve to convey an idea of the man- ner in which all the houfes in the city of St. Jago are built. This, like moft of the principal habitations, formed a quadrangle, inclofing an open area, or court-yard, of about thirty yards fquare, one fide of which is a dead wall that runs parallel to the fireet ; and, as none of the houfes are more than one {lory in height, this wall to- tally obfcures every appearance of the buildings within. The entrance into the fore-court from the ftreet, was through a gateway in this wall, to which the houfe fronted, occupying the oppo- fite fide, whilft the wings, or two remaining fides 28S A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, of the r]uare to the right and left, were, as is moft commonly the cafe, divided into offices for Servants, and fleeping apartments. Senr Cotap- pas's houfc confifted of an anti-chamber, a large kind of dining-parlour, and bed-chamber. All the rooms were very fpacious, the principal one meafured about fixty feet in length, twenty-five feet in breadth, and I fhould think the height of it was about equal to the breadth. This room was fuperbly, or rather finely, furnifhed ; from the ceiling were fufpended two glafs luftres, or chandeliers ; and on the walls were fome paint- ings, the fubje&s of which were taken from the facred writings ; at each end of the room were large folding doors. The company we here met were divided into two parties ; the ladies were jfeated on cufliions on one fide of the room, and the gentlemen were fitting oppofite to them on chairs, amongft whom we were inftantly fur- nifhed with feats, The entertainments of the evening confifted in a concert and ball, in both of which the ladies had the principal fhare, and feemed to take great pleafure in excelling in both the accomplifhments of mufic and dancing. The whole of the concert was performed by the la- dies ; one led the band on the piano-forte, whilft the others filled up the accompaniments on vio- lins, flutes, and the harp ; the whole was ex- tremely 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 28Q tremely well conducted, and afforded us a mu- iical treat, to which we had been long intire ftrangers. We fhould have been extremely happy to have aviled ourfelves of the preffmg intreaties of Senr Cotappas to join with the ladies in dancing, but as their country dances appeared to be very difficult, and as no one amongft us could recol- left the figures of any of thofe we had been ac- cuftomed to in England, we were under the mortification of acknowledging our ignorance, and declining the intended civility of the mafler of the houfe. From this difappointment in the pleafures of the evening we were, however, in fome meafure relieved, by fome of the ladies, who had retired from the dance, fending us a meflage, fequefting we would join their party on the cufhions ; with this we inftantly complied, and confidered ourfelves greatly indebted for this mark of eondefcenfion, as it was departing from the eftabliflied rules of their fociety on fuch oc- cafions. The generality of the ladies in St. Jago are not wanting in perfonai charms, and moft of thofe we had the pleafure of meeting this even- ing might rather be confidered handfome than otherways; they are, in general, brunettes, with expreffive black eyes, and regular features ; but a want of that neatnefs, which is fo much valued amongft Englifhmcn, and fo much the pride of Vol. VL U my 200 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AFRli, my fair countrywomen, was confpicuous in many particulars/ efpecially in the total neglect of their teeth, which are fuffered to become intolerably dirty. This inattention was ilot only in a very high degree offenfive, but it appeared to us in- compatible with the pains that feemed to have been taken in the decoration of their perfons ; for, at this affembly, they were all fuperbly drefled, agreeably to the falhion of the country. The mod fingular part of their drefs was a fort of bell-hooped petticoat, that reached from the waift to juft below the knees, though fome of them did not wear them quite fo low; imme- diately beneath this external part of their drefs appeared the under linen garment, the bottom of which, as well as the taifels of their garters, was fringed with gold lace. The general deportment of the ladies was lively and unreferved ; and they very obligingly loft no opportunity of relieving us from every little embarralTmerit, to which the difadvantages we laboured under, in not underftanding their language, frequently expofed us; and I verily believe that there were few occafions, during the whole of our voyage, in which our want of knowledge of the Spanifh language was more fincerely regretted ; as it deprived us of the plea- fure of enjoying the lively failles of wit which we had reafon to believe occurred very often in the female 3 795.} BOtftfD TfrE WORLD. 2Ql female circles, by the laughter and applatife that their converfation fo frequently occafioned. This was certainly an evidence of their natural inge- nuity, though it did not amount to a proof of their minds having been duly cultivated ; and it is not without concern that I ftate, from the tef^ timony of their own countrymen, that the edu- cation of the female part of the fociety in St* Jago is fo fcandaloufly negleded, as to confine the knowledge of reading and writing to a few of the ladies only. Some of them had the good- nefs to give us thcit names in writing, that we might the more eafily difcover and learn the true pronunciation of them ; thefe were always writ- ten in large letters; but I do not mean from this circumftance, or frorh our having received but few of their names, to infer, that the education of the fex is as much confined as was reprefented to us; yet the circumftance of their being totally un- acquainted with any other language than the dia- led; of the Spanifh fpoken at St. Jago„ evinced that their education had been very little attended to. Excepting the inftances which are unhappily to be found amongft the fex in England, the fe- male part of the fociety polTefs a charaderiftic delicacy of fentiment and expreffion ; but here fuch a degree of levity is obfervable in the con- dud: of the ladies, not only in their converfation, but in dancing and on other occafions, as to give U 2 a ftranger '2Q2 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [aPEIL, a ffcranger, and particularly an Englifhman, no reafon to entertain a very exalted opinion of their virtue, but rather to imprefs him with no- tions prejudicial to the female chara&er. I muft, however, in juftice to all thofe ladies with whom I had the honour of being acquainted, and they were very many, beg leave to ftate, that I difco- vered nothing that could impeach the fidelity of the married women, nor attaint the chara&er of the fingle ladies ; notwithftanding that the man- ners and cuftoms of the country in which they live fan6tion a freedom of fpeech, and a fami- liarity of behaviour, that tended, in our opinion, to abridge the fex of a portion of that refped; from the men, of which, as Englifhmen, we did not like* to fee them deprived. To them wTe were indebted for the moft civil and obliging attention that can be imagined during our refidence in the capital; their doors were always open to receive us ; their houfes were in a manner our homes ; their en- tertainments were formed for the fole purpofe of affording us amufement ; and no endeavour was omitted that could, in any way, contribute to the pleafure we received in mixing with their fociety. Nor were we lefs indebted to all thofe gentlemen to whom we became known, who exercifed the Utmoft of their powers to render our ftay at St, Jago agreeable, by fhewing us every thing wor- thy of our notice, and by communicating every in- formation J7Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD." 203 formation that was either ufeful or entertaining. We were under particular obligations to Don Ramon de Rofas and Captain CafTada, for their unremitted attention, and goodnefs in introduc- ing us to all the refpedable families refiding in St. Jago. The time that we remained in the capital of Chili, paffed nearly in the fame manner as I have already defcribed, without the occurrence of any incidents to require a particular relation; for this reafon I {hail pafs over the feveral pleafant en- gagements we had in the different families dur- ing out* refidence in this hofpitable place, and proceed to give fome account of the public buildings in the city, and to detail fuch other in- formation as we were enabled to colled:, and which, probably, may not be unacceptable to my readers. In doing this, how ever, I fhall not pledge jnyfelf for the authenticity of the fails, nor the precHion of the circumftances I am about to re- late, becaufe I was not fufficiently acquainted with the Spanifh language to. put the queftions that I wifhed to have refolved in a proper way myfelf, nor to acquire the information I fought for, in fo correct a manner as is defirable in in- quiries of this nature ; in addition to this difad- vantage, I found it almoft impoffible, on a va- riety of occafions, to make our interpreters tranf- late our queftioris on fubje&s on which they U 3 were 2QI A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [aeRIL, were not converfant, fo as to obtain, trom thofe who were able to reply to them, fatisfactoi:y an- fwers. The city of St. Jago, including the detached houfes, or fuburbs, I ihould fuppofe, cannot be lefs than three or four miles in circumference ; but this is only by eftimation, as I did not con- verfe with any one who could, or did, anfwer me this queftion ; but as the ftreets ru*i at right an- gles to each other, and fome of them are little fhort of a mile in length, this computation cannot be very erroneous. The city is well fupplied with water from the river Mapocho, which has its iburce in the mountains, at fome diftance from the capital, and is made to branch off in fuch a manner, on its approaching the town, as to pafs through the principal ftreets. This, in a hot cli- mate, cannot but be fuppofed a very great luxury, and as conducing extremely to the health of the inhabitants; but the fame want of cleanlinefs that pervades the infides of the houfes, here ma- -mfeftcd itfelf in the open air, and inftead of this ftream becoming the means by which the ftreets might have been kept conftantly fweet, it is ren- dered a moft infutFerabie nuifance, by the pro- digious quantity of filth which is emptied into it from the houfes. As no care was taken that a fufficiency of water Ihould be brought down tp carry the foil and naitinefs away, nor to re- move 1795.] ROUND THE WORLD. 2c)5 move it in places where it formed obftru<£tions to the current, and produced the moft oftenlive exhalations; and as the ftreets, which are narrow, are partially paved with fmall ftones in the mid- dle, and with only a few flag-ftones for foot paf- fengers 'on the fides, our walking about the town was, from thefe circumftances, rendered very un- pleafant The river before mentioned, from whence the city is fupplied with water, overflowed its banks, in the month of June, 1783, in confequpnee of an inundation, and rufhed down towards St. Jago, with fuch impetuous fury, that it demolifhcd almoft all the dams that defended the country, did confiderabb damage in the town, and filled every individual with fear and condensation left a fecond inundation Ihould fucceed ; in which cafe, from the extremely defencelefs ftate in which thefe torrents had left the city, there was great reafon to apprehend that not a (ingle edifice would be left (landing in the capital. The pre- fent Captain- General gave immediate orders that plans Ihould be made by the moft able and ex- perienced engineers and archite&s, for the pur- pofe of replacing a wall, or dam, that had prin- cipally defended the city from the river, and which had been deftroyed, at this time, by the inundating force s of its waters; but, notwith- ftanding that the defign he had in view was for U 4 the 2Q6 a voyage of discovery £april, the protection of St. Jago and the furrounding country, and to infure the fafety, interefts, and comforts of the inhabitants, yet, a popular party was made againft him, as in the inftance of the, new road, which he projected, and is now carry** ing into execution between this place and Val- paraifo, and, after experiencing much fatigue, perplexity, and expence, it was not until the month of January, 1 792, that he effected his purpofe fo far, as to begin the excavation for the new wall, or dam, againft the fide of the river. This will long remain a monument of his pa- triotifm and perfeverance, and he has now the gratification of hearing many of thofe who had before oppofed the undertaking, acknowledge this valuable defign to be an effectual protection againft any future danger. The wall is faid to have a foundation fourteen feet below, and to rife as many feet above, the furface of the water ; it appeared to be a very itrong work, well executed, and capable of refitt- ing any force or weight of water that may come againft it. It not only affords complete fecurity to the town, but ferves as an agreeable walk for the recreation of the inhabitants. On the fide next to the water a parapet wall is raifed, fuffi- ciently high to prevent any accident in walking ; it is about a quarter of a mile in length, and, at convenient diftances, flights of eafy and commo- dious 1795.] N BOUND THE WOKLD. 2QJ dious fiairs are judicioufly placed to afccnd the wall, from whence a commanding view is ob- tained of St. Jago and the adjacent country. The whole is built with brick and lime*mortar, and, on the firft ftone being laid, an obelilk, in imi- tation of that in St. Peter's fquare, and many others in Rome, was ere&ed, on the pedeftal of which is the following infcription, in Spanifli : D. O. Ml In the reign of Charles the Fourth : and During the Government of this Kingdom, by Don Ambrofio Higgins de Vallenar ; Who ordered Thefe dams to be conformed in the year 1/92. There were two very fumptuous fabrics erect- ing in St. Jago, which, when fmifhed, as I was informed by the Prefident, would be unequalled in New Spain ; the one is the Cafla de Moneda, or the money -honfe, and the other is the cathedral. At the diftance of about five quadras* to the fouthward of the principal fquare, is ere&ing, by * Thirty-ilx quadras make a mile. order 1Q8 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, order of his Catholic Majefty, the Money-Houfe, or Mint. The lituation is open, healthy, and well chofen for this extenlive and fpacious build- ing, which appeared to be conftruding upon the plan of the public offices contained within Somer- itt-Houfe in London, though the ftru&ure is by no means equal to that edifice, either in fize or magnificence. It is intended for the refidence of all the officers and people belonging to the Mint. The apartments for the former are large and commodious, and the rooms for the latter are very convenient. To thefe are added a fort of hofpital for the fick, and a chapel for divine fer- vice. Large places are to be fitted up for the reception of the materials and implements ufed in afiaying the precious metals, and feparating them from the ere. The walls are built with large bricks, and the cement, or mortar, is from lime procured by the calcination of fhells. Part of the in fide was plaftered w ith a moft delicate white fubftance, that had the appearance of being very durable. Moft of the iron- work ufed in the building, and fuch as is neceffary for the imple- ments, &c. ufed in the bufmefs of coining, is im- ported from Old Spain. Patterns for the bal- conies, halutrers, and rails, have been tranfmitted from St. Jago to Rifcay, which have been fent back in iron, moft perfectly and fatisfaftorily executed. All the wood made ufe of in this fa- bric )7Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. brie is oak, excepting tor the doors and windows, which are made of cyprefs. The principal front is to the north, and is about one hundred and fifty yards in length. Befides the door, or grand entrance, which is adorned with eight columns, there ar£ eighteen inferior windows, and eighteen fuperior balconies. The two other fronts look to the ,eaft and to the weft, and are each of them one hundred and feventy-eight yards in length ; thefe are decorated in the fame manner as the principal front, with pillars and balconies, be- tween which are various efcutcheons, with de- vices alluding to the purpofe for which the build- ing is ere<5ted. The court-yard is forty-five yards iquare, the whole adorned with columns, archi- trave, frize and cornice, which extend round the court at fome little diftance from the building. The principal entrance leads into a fpacious laloon ; on the right are the apartments deftincd for the fuperintendent, and on the left are to be thofe of the auditor ; befide thefe, in the o cLer twq fronts, are the public offices, the hall for drawing bills, the office for weighing; , La Ligua, Quillota, Los Andes, Melipilla, St. Jo- feph, Anconcagua, St. Ferdinand, Curico, Talca, Linares, Nueva, Bilboa, Caugeres, and others of lefs importance. The kingdom of Chili is ftated to extend, in a northern and fouthern direction, from the un- inhabited parts of Atacama, which divides it from the vice-royalty of Peru, to the ftraits of Magel- lan ; and, in a weftern and eaftern direction, from the ocean to the foot of the Cordilleras, which divides it from the vice- royalty of Buenos Vol. VI. X Ayres; 306 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [AVRlLf Ayres ; but I cannot help being of opinion, that the kingdom of Chili does not extend further fouth than the fouthern extremity of the iiles de Chiloe, as J fhould confider the American coaft, to the fouthward of thofe ifiands, to be that of Patagonia. It is divided into two bifhopricks, or provinces, St, Jago and Conception, each of which are under the immediate care and direction of an Intendant ; Brigadier Don Francifco La Mata Linares has the charge of the latter ; and the fur- ther title of Chief Intendant of the province of St. Jago is added to the reft of the pofts of honour and places of emolument enjoyed by the prefent Captain-General Don Ambrofio Higgins deVal- lenar ; the value of whofe appointments amount, annually, to thirty thoufand dollars, whilft thofe of Don La Mata Linares do not exceed ten thou- fand dollars. Thefe provinces are each fubdi- vided into fmall diftrids, which originally were known by the name of Corregimientos, but are now called Subdelegaciones. There is about a million of fpecie coined at St. Jago every year, which is the fund from whence the falaries of the ftate officers, the mi- litary eftablifhment, and other incidental ex- pences of the government, are defrayed. The army confifts of a battalion of infantry in Con- ception; two fquadrons of horfe, one company of dragoons, and two of artillery. The cavalry ROUND THE WORLD. 307 of this country are all well mounted, and ex- tremely expert horfemen, and were they as fkil- ful in the ufe of fire-arms as they are in the ma- nagement of the fword and the lance, they would not be inferior to any troops of this defcription in Europe. I was given to underftand, that in cafe of an attack upon Valparaifo, the principal fea- ■ port of the kingdom, an army of eight thoufand men, confifting of cavalry and militia, could there be afTembled for its defence in twenty- fours hours. The country, to the fouthward of the river Biobio, in the province of Conception, is inha- bited by a nation of very fierce Indians, who formerly committed great depredations on the frontiers under the Spanifh authority, and lived in a continual ftate of hoftility with their civi- lized neighbours; but, in confequence of the hu- mane, judicious, and political arrangements which have been made, from time to time, by Don Ambrofio Higgles, the number of the turbulent fpirits has been much reduced, and the natives now ceafe to be regarded with any apprehenfion by the Spaniards. In the diftricl which they occupy, I was given to underftand, there were ten thoufand warriors, a robuft and hardy race of men ; but fo far had the wife adminiftration of the prefent Captain- Gep^ral fucceeded, in fub- duing the natural ferocity of thefe Indians, and in bringing them over to fupport the authority X 2 and 308 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [APRIL, and interefts of the crown of Spain ; that Don Ambrofio did not entertain the leaft doubt of their co-operating with the forces of His Catho- lic Majefty, fhould it be neceflary to call them forth againft the invafion of a foreign enemy. Independently of the warfare which thefe people had, for many years, carried on againft the Spaniards, they were fubjedl to continual in- furre&ions and internal commotions amongft themfelves. During the time that Don Am- brofio had the chief military command on this frontier, he happily fttcceeded in terminating the feuds which had fo long prevailed amongft the feveral tribes compofmg this great nation, and had introduced amongft the ferocious inhabitants of this country, a fpirit of induflry, and a defire to excel each other in the cultivation of the ground, the breeding of cattle, and other peace- ful arts; but upon his being promoted to the elevated fituation which he now fills, with fo much honor to himfelf, and benefit to the coun- try, he was under the neceffity of leaving the guardianfhip of thefe children of nature, and of repairing to the capital. Soon after his depar- ture from the frontiers, frefti animofities, and new caufes for jealoufy, arofe amongft the diffe- rent tribes, which ended in a war, that was fo- rioufly .carried on by all parties. Their peaceful and domeftic occupations no longer engaged their attention, / 1795«3 ROUND THE WORLD. 3QQ attention, and their agriculture and breeding of cattle, which had become the fources from whence they were enabled to derive many comforts, were abandoned and totally neglected. Don Am- brofio, with the fame warmth of heart and in- tereft for the happinefs and profperity of the In- dians, which, during his refidenct: amongft them, had produced fo valuable an effedi on their tem- pers and difpontions, reprefented to the Court of Madrid the commotions that continued to exift amohgft the Auraucan and other tribes on that frontier ; and, at the fame time, propofed fuch meafures as, in his opinion, were mofl: likely to reconcile the differences, and eflablifti a perma- nently good undemanding between the contend- ing chiefs of the four Butalmapus, which are the four diftridls into which this nation qf Indians is divided. In confequence of this reprefentation, and the meafures recommended by the Captain-General, he was directed by the Spanifli court to repair to the camp of Negrete, and there to hold a convo- cation, for the purpofe of hearing and redreffing thofe grievances which were ftated by the feveral chiefs to be the caufes of all their difcontents : and, as the preliminary fpeech of the Prefident, on this occalion, tends greatly to exhibit the na- tural chara&er and general difpofition of thefe people, I have been tempted tQ infert.a, tranfla- X 3 tion 310 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, tion of it from the Indian language, under the impreffion that, to thofe of my readers who may- be curious in tracing the gradations of the hu- man character, from a favage up to a civilized Irate, it may not be unacceptable. " The fpeech of Field -Marflial Don Ambrofio Higgins de Yallenar, Prefident, Governor, and Captain-General of the kingdom of Chili, to the Auraucan and other Indian nations, met in convocation in the camp of Negrete, on the 4th day of March, 1793. '* Chiefs, my antient and honourable friends ; full of joy and fatisfa&ion that I now meet upon this happy ground of Negrete, as formerly on that of Longuilmo, the great chiefs and princi- pal leaders of the four Butalmapus, into which this valuable country is divided, that ftretches from the fouth of this great river Biobio to the outer parts of the moft fouthern continent, and from the Cordilleras to the great ocean ; I falute you all with joy, and with the utmoft fmcerlty of my heart. I am ordered by the king, my maftcr, to falute you in His Majefty's name, and to congratulate you on the felicity of this'aufpi- cious day, which, through my mediation, on ac- count of the love I bear you all, has reftored the ineftimable bleffings of peace to the four Bu- talmapus, " With 1795-]' HOUND THE WORLD. 311 (C With the utmbft precifion and difpatch, I have taken care to remove every obftacle that im- peded the attainment of this moil welcome ob- ject. I have alfo been indefatigable in difpofing the minds of thofe to peace who were reftlefs and prone to revenge, or to take great umbrage on little oecafions ; and I have been unwearied in all the conferences I have had with the feveral chiefs, fince my arrival at the fort of Angels, and in this encampment, during the time that I have waited for the arrival of thofe more diftant lead- ers, who are now colle&ed with the other mem- bers of this affembly. I have patiently and fully examined the complaints of fome, and heard the excufes of others, on the diftreffmg fubjedt of your diffentions, your animofities, and your wars, fo that nothing now remains for me to learn of all their direful caufes. To-day, however, the fun fliines bright, and I fee, with heart-felt joy, that on my once again drawing nigh unto you, a friendly difpofition appears in all, to terminate the unhappy differences which long, too long, have fubfiflxd amongft you ; and I perceive that you are prepared, once more, to unite in thofe facred bonds of peace, in the full enjoyment of which I left you, on my feparation from you, and departure for St. Jago. I rejoice that you all wifh to bury, under the fod of this encamp- jncnt, your animofities, heart-burnings, dif- X 4 putes, 312 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, putes, and differences ; and may the prefent meeting be a commencement of perpetual feli- city to all the children of man who refide in the countries that extend from Biobio to Chiloe. " Recoiled: your fituation, O my friends, when I was appointed by His Majefty to the military command of this frontier, and deftined to fit down among you. There are many amongft you, who can remember the miferable ftate in which I found the whole country ; it was de- ftroyed on both fides the river, it was defolate and laid wafte, and all its inhabitants were fuffering the dreadful calamities of unceafing furious wars, brought on by their own intemperance and un- ruly paifions ; many of whom were obliged to retire, with their women and children, to the mountains, and were reduced at laft to the ne- ceifity of feeding on their faithful dogs that fol- lowed them ! The great chiefs and Indians of the Butalmapus were witnefs of thefe things. Before I left you, however, (on his Majefty being gracioufly pleafed to promote me to the prefi- dency of the kingdom) your houfes wTere rebuilt, your fields fmiled with a yellow harveft, and your paftures were richly decorated with the herds of your cattle. Your women provided you with comfortable garments; the high-minded and un- ruly young men obeyed the voice of the chiefs ; and none of thofe excelfes were pra&ifed, which, fince I795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 313 fmce my departure, have exceeded the cruelties and profligacy of your antient barbarifm ; to which you would probably have altogether re- turned, had it not been for the zeal of your Com- mander General, who reported your proceedings to me, and happily fufpended, until I fhould be fent amongft you, the fatal effe&s of your dif- cords. u I do not, however, wifh to fupprefs the merit to which you have a juft: claim, or to con- ceal, that, in the midft of all thefe diflurbances, you rigoroufly obferved the promifes you made me in Longuilmo. The Spanifh fettlements, fituated on the fouthern fide of this great river, have been, by you, moft fcrupuloufly refpeded, their perfons have been held facred, their cattle have not been difturbed, and in no one circum- ftance have you broken the faith and goodwill which you pledged yourfelves to maintain. Of all this have I been made acquainted, from time to time, by the feveral commanders on the fron- tier; and for this honourable part of your con- dud: I give you all due thanks. What I then promifed I likewife have ftridly performed ; I have recommended the four Butalmapus to the protection of the king ; I have fupplicated him to continue to them his paternal affiftance ; and His Majefty, with that greatnefs of foul, and piety 3 14 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVKilY [}\.PRJi;, piety of heart, which fb' eminently diftinguiifo his royal character, has been pleafed to order, that you fhall be fupported and protected fo long as you may deferve the bleffings of his favor, by adhering to the good, feparating yourfelves from the bad, and evincing, by the general tenor of your conduct your fubordination and obedience. '* The humanity, good fenfe, patience, and pcr- feverance, of the Captain General, very confpi- cuoufly appear upon this occafion ; and it is not jefs pleafing to obferve, that, even amongft thefe untaught nations of the earth, their political en- gagements are fcrupuloufly fulfilled ; and that the diftreffes consequent on inteftine warfare, have not the power to make them violate their treaties, or to break thofe promifes which they folcmnly pledge themfelves to perform. The territorial poffeffions of fuch of the In- dians as have fubmitted to the authority, and placed themfelves under the protection, of the Spanifli crown, have been all confirmed to them by treaty ; to be ufed, cultivated, or difpofed of, agreeably to their own wifhes or determinations; ^lld, as an incitement to their future induftry and repofe, I was informed by Don Ambrofio, that he had purchafed from them a large tract ot land, which he had divided, and laid out ad- vantagcoufly, for the purpofes of agriculture and breeding 17Q5.] BOUND THE WOBLD. 315 breeding cattle ; and had left it in their poflef- fion, under the direction of proper perfons to fee his defisms carried into effect. Whilft we were under the hofpitable roof of the Prefident, I had an opportunity of feeing a chief and fix of the Indians, who had come to the palace to pay an annual vifit of refpe6t to the Captain General. Thefe people were of a mid- dling {tature, they were ffcout and well made, of regular features, and not unlike the North-W eft American Indians ; they were dreffed after the Spanifh fafliion of the country ; but if an opinion can be correctly formed of the tribe they belong to from fo fmall a fample, they would, by no means, anfwer the expectations I had formed of their prowefs and military character. Thefe In- dians were accompanied by a Spanifh gentleman, who refides amongft them In one of their vil- lages, and is called Captain of Indians ; and I underftood, that to each tribe an officer, of fimilar rank, is attached, who prefides over their interefrs, correlponds with the Captain- General, and, on all occalions, adts as their advifer and interpreter. The exterior commerce of the kingdom is principally carried on from the fea-ports of Con- ception, Coquimbo, and Valparaifo ; but the lat- ter has the greateft fhare of trade, arifing from its central fituation, and its vicinity to the capi- tal : Sl6 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY f APRIL L 9 tal : the diftance from St. Jago was formerly thirty leagues ; but it will be decreafed, when the new line of road is completed, to twenty-two leagues. From St. Jago, to the top of the firft lull towards Vaiparaifo, a diftance of about fix leagues, the road is finiflied ; between the foot of the hill and the city there are three bridges built with bricks over three fwampy places, which before were frequently almoft impaflable, and in many other parts, where the road is deprelTed, it is paved acrofs, to give a free courfe to the rain waters, and at the fame time, to prevent any damage from their paffing over the loofe mate- rials of which the road is compofed. This ex- tent of road is now become the general refort of the inhabitants, either for walking, riding on horfeback or in carriages ; ar^d the valuable cha- racter who firft projected it, whenever the multi- plicity of his bufinefs would allow him to take any recreation of this nature, is conftantly at- tended thither by a numerous company of the inhabitants, and on fuch oecafions he derives a confiderable degree of fatisfa&ion in proving how eafily he can travel up the firft hill from St, Jago in his coach, with the affiftance of four mules only. The meafured diftance between St. Jago and Buenos Avres I could not learn, but I underftood that 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 317 that the poft travels from thence to the capital of Chili in twenty days ; and that the country, from Buenos Ayres until it reaches the foot of the Cor- dilleras, which run in a northern and fbuthern di- rection, and pafs to the eaftward of St. Jago, is one intire defert, without trees or any other fort of vegetation; and that it is fo completely a level plain, that even a hillock does not appear on its furface. The neareft filver mine to St. Jago is at the diftance of about feven leagues, and the neareft gold mine is to the north-eaft of the city, at the diftance of about thirty leagues. The value and importance of this rich country to Old Spain is fully exhibited in the feveral or- dinances, rules and directions, wThich, from time to time, have been iffued to the Intendants of the provinces, and enforced by the fupreme council of the Indies, at the exprefs command of His Ca- tholic Majefty. Thefe are comprehended under diftinCt titles, or heads, as they have reference, or apply to, the ecclefiafticai or civil govern- ment of the kingdom. The principal obfervances are thofe refpe&ing the tenths and contributions for the endowment of the churches, and the fup- port of the religious orders ; the collection of the public revenues, the appropriation of the royal eftates, the adminiftration of juftice, the regula- tion 313 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [APRIL, tion of the internal police, and the delegation of powers and authority in the event of foreign wars or domeftic infurreilions. I was fo fortunate as to obtain a tranflation of moft of thefe rules by which the archbifhops and chief officers of ftate regulate their conducl ; and as it does not appear to me, that I can fhew the rigid attention which is, and has ever been, paid by the Spanifli court to the interefts of thefe wealthy eftablifhments, fo well, as by quoting feme few of the royal commands, I have ex- tracted three for this purpofe. " Number 150. " By the Bull of Alexander the Vlth, dated the l6th of November, 1501, and confirmed lince by fucceffive fupreme pontiffs, the Tenths of the Indies belong to my royal crown, and half of a year's falary on the benefices conferred by me ; with full dominion, abfolute and irre- vocable, to affift the churches with a fufficient fum annually, for the decorous maintenance of the divine law, and for a competent falary to the prelates and other minifters of the holy gofpel, who ferve at the altar. In virtue of which, the fundamental difpofition of the ritual has been promulgated, that thefe objects may be duly ful- filled. My crown remains under the obligation of fupplying, at the expence of the reft of the rents of its patrimony, the fum deficient to which thefe 17Q5,] ROUND THE WORLD. 310 thefe, annually, may not amount, for the endow- ments and other holy purpofes; and therefore it is incumbent upon ail thofe ailing under my royal authority to be watchful over, to have good difcretion in the adminiftration of the decimal productions, and to divide them amongft the parties interested, with due exadinefs and inte- grity, that the holy churches, parifhes, and hos- pitals, under the immediate Sovereign protection, may not feel any injury or w7rong, nor my royal exchequer be called upon for its pledged refpon- fibility. I therefore command, that the royal officers do affiil at all the public fales and ac- counts of the tenths, and that they like wife attend to the erections and repairs of the churches, and duly examine the expence of each, and that they ultimately prevent all frauds and impositions, to the end that the participants may have their right, and that my royal eftates may not be charged with any refponfibility for deficiencies. Having confidered that the new eftablifhment and fyftem of intendancies may offer doubts, on the method propofed for carrying the feveral re- gulations into effed:, I have thought proper, con- formably to the true Spirit of the laws already in being, to annex the following commands, for the purpofe of facilitating the new arrangement, and to infure the moft exadt execution of all the mat- ters it contains." Here 320 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERS [apRII^ Here follow directions for the calling of meet- ings, and a lift of the officers commanded to at- tend them, with a great number of rules for fe- curing to the government a due adminiftration of their feveral functions. And it will be feen, by the following extracts, that the happinefs of the people, the prefervation of good order, and the improvement of the country, are objects not lels regarded by the Spanifli monarchy, than the eftablifhment of its religious perfuafion, or pro^ fiting by the immenfe wealth which South Ame* rica is capable of yielding, " Confiding in the care and attention which has been manifefted by the Intendants of pro- vinces, I command that they do, by means of themielves, or fubal tern judges, gain a thorough knowledge of the lives, inclinations, and cuftoms of the people fubjedt to their government ; that they chaftife the lazy, and thofe of bad inten- tions, who, far from fupporting the good order and police of their refpedfive towns, caufe in- quietudes and fcandal, disfiguring, with their vices and lazinefs, the good face of things, de- fpifing the lawTs, and perverting the defigns of thofe amongft them who are virtuoufly difpofed. They are not, however, under colour or pretext of their authority, to be inquifitive, or to meddle in the life, genius, private purfuits, or domeftic concerns of individuals, nor to take cognizance of 1795.] ROUND THE WORLD. 321 of reports or uneftablifhed accufations that can- not influence the good example of the people* nor diilurb the tranquillity of the public govern- ment. V For the due adminiflration of juftice, and the circumftances which have already been pro- vided for by the foregoing articles, it appears, that whatever may conduce to the happinefs or pros- perity of my vaffals, fhould and ought to be di- ligently attended to and obferved by the magis- trates and officers of police. For this efpecial purpofe, I order that the Intendants do procure* from engineers of the greatcft renown and abili- ties, topographical maps of their refpective pro- vinces, in which are to be diftinguifhed their boundaries, mountains, wroods, rivers, lagoons, and all other matters worthy of note ; and to this end, the engineers fo employed are to execute their commiffions with all the promptitude* ex- adtnefs, and punctuality of expreffion poffible ; they are to become acquainted with the tempe- rature and qualities of the feveral foils, and of the natural productions, not only of the animal and vegetable, but of the mineral, kingdoms ; of the mountains, valleys, paftures, and meadows ; of the rivers which are capable of being widened* made navigable, and ultimately to cbmrtiunicate with the ocean ; the expellee of fuch undertak- ings, and the benefits that would refult to my Vol, VL Y fubjeds 322 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [APRIL fubje&s from carrying fuch works into effedt. They are to make themfelves perfectly fatisfied in what places new channels or aquedudts might be- made, which would be ufeful for the watering of the lands under cultivation, and for the pur- pofe of reducing labour by the eredlion of mills. To report the ftate of the bridges ; pointing out thofe which require repairing, and the paffes over which additional ones ought to be thrown. What roads can be amended, improved or fhort- £fted what protection or guards are neceffary for their fecurity. In what parts are growing tim- bers, ufeful for ffoip-building in the provinces, or valuable in the European arfenals ; they are to certify and report upon the induffcry and com- merce of the diftricts ; the fea-ports capable of fheltering veffels, which from their fituation and utility ought to be kept open, and fuch as are prejudicial that had better be fhut. The In- tendants will alfo inform themfelves of the means of bettering the condition of my people, by aug- menting their comforts, and by confer ving the happhiefs and profperity of my dominions. With thefe objects before them, they are to take efpc- eial care, that, in' the towns or villages, within their refpective provinces, they do not allow of Vagabonds without deftination, nor people with- out inclination to work ; but that they make the fturdy,- and of competent age to manage armsr 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD; 323 arms, inlift into my royal regiments* engage in fny marine fervice, or on board fllips of com- merce ; or elfe that they order fuch perfons to be employed in the repairing or erecting fuch public works, as (hall be judged molt proper, according to the circumftances of each individual's cafe. Should any fuch perfons be unfit for work, and mendicants by profefiion, they fhall be taken up, put into hofpitals, and there be employed each according to his ftrength; but if it can be proved that they are reftlefs unquiet fubje6ls of no re- fponfibility, and bad character, the penalties eftablifhed by the laws of the Indies are to be inflidled, and fuch vagrants are to be fent to hard labour in the mines, or to the Prefidios." Thefe ordinances are alfo the firft of a great number of regulations, which follow for the en- couragement of induftry, the cultivation of the furface, and extending the mineral property of thefe kingdoms, in which is difplayed no lefs zeal and concern for the profperity and comforts of all the inhabitants, whether of Spanifh extraction or the native Indians, than for the intereft which the Spanifh crown poiTefles in fecuring to itfclf the monopoly of this valuable part of its extenfive empire. For as the kingdom of Chili cannot but be regarded as capable of producing great wealth, as well from its furface as from its inex- Y 2 hauftible 324 A VOYAGE 0F DISCOVERY [APRIL, hauftible mineral produ&ions, it may fairly be efteemed as one of the richeft territories belong- ing to his Catholic Majefty. In order, however, to promote the growth of the greateft quantity of corn and number of cattle, encouragement fhould be given to the lower orders of the people to become induftrious, and to prefer the pleafant purfuits of cultivation to that fupine and ina&ive way of life to which they have been fo long ac- cuftomed; for if a fpirit of induftry were gene- rally diffufed amongfl them, and due rewards held out for working the valuable metals, the prefent habits of indolence would probably be overcome; and as there does not exift any phy- fical impediment to exertion, either from climate or any local circumftance, it is not poffible to as- certain what might be the fum of the return from the productive labour of this highly favored country, when fuch labour fliould be properly directed to the feveral fources of its latent wxaltlu The influence of the eeclefiaftical orders over the minds of the people, and the preference which is> given by them, and the generality of the inha- bitants, to an mfeiefs unworthy life of lazlnefs and beggings will continue to operate againft any change^ and it is much to be apprehended, that nothing but a totally new modification of their prefent fcheme of Society, can infurc to the indi- viduals^ 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 325 Yiduals, and to the Hate under which they are protected, the advantages that a reform in their, political fyftem promifes in future to bellow.. Confidering that the time w-e had now been abfent from the vefFels had been of fufficient length to accomplifti the feveral fervices I had left to be performed, preparations were made for >our return to Valparaifo ; and after expreffing •our moft grateful acknowledgments for the weighty obligations conferred upon us, by the unremitting .attention to our prefent comforts, and anxious concern for our future wrelfare, which on every occaiion had been exhibited by his Excellency the Prcfident, and making offer of our be ft thanks for the friendly, hofpitable, and polite entertainment we had received from .other individuals during our ftay in the capital, we took our leave, and proceeded from St. Jago toward Valparaifo. The fame mode of convey- ;ance as that to which we had before reforted., was now adopted for our journey back to the fea coaft. Neither the road we had to retrace, nor the country on either fide of it, prefented any thing in the courfe of our travelling worthy of ^remark, that I have not fufficiently noticed on ,our journey to St. Jago, .excepting that the load., which from the loofen.cfs of the materials with which it is formed, had fufFered, as I fufpedted it would, very much by the defcending waters Y 3 from 326 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [apR1£, from the mountains, and in many places it was greatly injured by the rain that had fallen during our refidence at St. Jago ; and it is much to be feared, unlefs fome means can be adopted for its fecurity, and to prevent the injurious effects of the defcending torrents, that this valuable defign proje&ed by Don Ambrofio will in a great mea- furebe defeated. Oa our arrival at Valparaifo I found moft of our buiinefs in a ftate of forwardnefs ; the main- maft had been repaired and was got on board, but on our attempting to rig the main-yard, on Thurfday the l6th, it was found to be rotten nearly half through in the middle of it, and in this ftate mtirely unfit for fervice ; this was a mortification I did dot expect to have met with, and as there was no pofiibility of procuring at this place a fpar of fufficient fize to replace it, the only means we had of repairing the defe6l was by making a temporary yard out of a fpare maintopmaft, with the addition of the yard arms of the yard which was decayed, and which I was extremely forry to obferve v/ere by no means in a perfectly found condition. Although a further detention at Valparaifo was pow unavoidable, yet that was not the only circumftance which produced me concern on this occafion ; for this additional difafter was of fo ferious a nature, that when I came to reflect on 1 795.3 ROUND THE WORLD. 327 on the difabled condition of our main-maft, and that our main-yard would be in three pieces, I was under the cruel neceffity of giving up aH farther thoughts of recommencing our furvey of tt'.ie coaft to the fouth ward of the iflands of -Chiloe, and to determine on making the beft of our way from this port round cape Horn to St. Helena. I could not, however, avoid having fome appre- henfion left our very ^crippled ftate fhould prove kifufficient to preferve the velfel amidft the boif- terous feas we had to encounter in this paflage, notwithftanding that every precaution within cur power that could be devifed was reforted to, for the purpofe of making the mail .and yard as fecure as poffiblc. The regret I felt in being thus compelled to abandon the examination of this almoft unknown, yet interefting part of the coaft, is not to be de~ (bribed ; becaufe I had anxioufly hoped that I fhould have been enabled by our re-equipment at Valparaho, to have carried into effe6fc-the whole of the commiflion which his Majefty had been pleafed to entruft to my execution ; but under all the circumftanccs of both the veHels' condi- tion, I did not confider myfelf warranted to in- dulge my inclinations ;at fthe hazard of his Ma- jefty's fhips under my command, and at the riik -of the lives of fo many valuable men, wTho had cheerfully endured the fatigues of our former fu£- Y 4 vey, 328 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL, vey, and who, after fo long an abfence from their native country were intitled, in a peculiar man- ner, to every care and protection that were in my power, for the purpofe of infuring them a fafe return to their families and friends. The main-yard was fent on fhore, and the , carpenters were immediately employed upon it; but as I could not flatter mvfelf that it would be in a ftate fit to be received again on board in lefs than eight or ten days, I employed this interval in examining the floresand provifions with which we had been fupplied, in attending to the repairs of the veffels, vifiting the obfervatory on fhore, and making fome obfervations on the harbour and town of Valparaifo; with which, and the refill t of the aftronomical and nautical obferva- tions made during our flay, 1 fliall conclude this chapter. The caulkers were yet bufy on the decks and other parts of the Difcovery, and the rigging de- manded infinitely more repair than I had fup- pofed it would have required, owing to the very •irotten and decayed ftate of almoft every rope on board. In thefe effential fervices the artificers were conftantly engaged, whilft the reft of the crew were employed in procuring a full fupply of water, and fuch a ftock of flour and other provifions as I confidered would be necefTary until we fliouid arrive at St. Helena. Ships I7Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD* ■ 32Q Ships deftined to the port of Valparaifo, fhould endeavour during the fummer months to make the coaft well to the fouthward of the bay, in order that a fair wind may be infured for enter- ing the bay. The fouthcrly wands, which in general extend from do to 70 leagues from the coaft, moitly prevail until the month of May ; and from the middle of that month during all the months of June, July, Auguft, and Septem- ber, I was given to underftand the prevailing w7inds were from the north. Thefe winds are commonly attended wTith great quantities of rain, and very foggy weather, but they do not often blowT with much violence. As foon as the wind returns to the fouthward the dry feafon com- mences, and fo it continues with little variation during the remainder of the year. Thefe winds,. however5 frequently blow very ftrong, fo as to break vefiels adrift, though well fecured by an- chors on the fhore, near to the town of Val- paraifo. Within four or five leagues of the point of Angels, which is the weftern point of the bay, is a low rocky point, near to which is a de- tached high barren rock ; thefe points lie from each other S. 51 W. and N. 51 E. To the northward of the above low rocky point, are fome fcattered rocks, that lie about two miles from the point, and about a fourth of that dif- diftance from the fhorc, and to the northward of thefe o30 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APKIL, thefe rocks is a fandy bay, on the north eaft-fide of which is a houfe. In this bay I was led to believe that anchorage might be had, though the fituation is certainly very much expofed. The point of Angels, (off which are alio fome rocks lying very near to it,) may be approached by failing at the diftance of half a league from the fhore, and as foon as the point is paffed the town of Valparaifo is inftantly difcovered. About feven miles to the north-eaft from this point is a clutter of rocks lying at fome diftance from the fhore, on which the fea breaks violently ; but we had no ^opportunity of afcertaining their fitu- ation with any degree of precifion. The bay is about four miles wide, and about a mile deep ; apparently free from any fort of danger ; but as it is greatly expofed to the northerly winds, the trading veifels conftantly moor with two good anchors and cables in that direction, and with other cables faft to anchors on fhore, in five ar fix fathoms water, foil fandy bottom, near to the cuftom-houfe ; by which means it is expe&ed that the officers of the revenue may be enabled to prevent any contraband trade, by vigilantly attending to their duty in the day time, and by a rowing guard during the night. The depth of the water gradually increafes with the diftance from the fhore to 35 fathoms, and the bottom becomes more tenacious. In the depth of fix- teen 1795\3 ROUND THE WORLD. 331 teen fathoms, in which we took our ftation, it was a very ftifF clay. Here we moored a cable each way to the northward and to the fouthward, the point of Angels bearing by compafs N. 35 W., the fort in the town N. 80 W., the redoubt on the hills S. 5 E., the church at Almandrel S. 05 E., the eaft fort N. 83 E., the eaft point of the bay N. 5 7 E., and the neareft fhore S. 7 W., a ca- ble's length diftant. On the top of a hill, on the eaft fide of the bay, is an open or barbet battery, lately erefted with ftone and brick, and capable of mounting ten guns ; this battery commands all that fide of the bay, the beach, and the village of Almandrel. On the fummit of another hill is a ftone redoubt, of a circular form, with eleven embrafures ; thefe command the beach and village of Almandrel to the eaft ward, the bay to the northward, *md the town and harbour of V alparaifo to the north- weftward. Although this fortification was in a rnoft negle&ed and ruinous condition, we were given to understand, that the principal magazine was inclofed within its ruins. The largeft and moft confidcrable fortification is in the middle of the town, within which is the refidence of the governor. It is fituated on a fmall eminence, one fide of which is open to the fea, and is fepa- rated from it only by a very narrow pafs. The height of the lower wall, which is ftrong, and well 332 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [APItfL, well built with mafonry, is about fifteen feet to the embrafures ; of which, there are fix that front the fea, two face the ftreet to the eaftward, and two look into the market-place to the weftward. The upper part of the hill is furrounded by ano- ther ftrong Hone wall, about ten feet in height, and half wTay up the hill ; a third wall crofles it^ which fhews three embrafures to the fea, imme- diately over the fort, and the governor's houfe below. At the place where this wall terminates, which is near the fummit of the eminence, the fide of the hill falls perpendicularly down into a deep gully, by which the fort is enconipafled, and which migrht be the means of rendering this for- tification unafTailable, and a place that might long be maintained, were it not for other hills within mufkct-fliot, which command every part of it. The fpace inclofed by the lower wall is about four hundred yards in length, and in fome places about one hundred in breadth ; here are the barracks for the troops, and at the upper end is a building, in which a court is held, for the regulation of the police of the town. A door, in that fide of the wall which faces the market- place, is the only entrance, and leads by a wind- ing flair- cafe to different parts of the fortification. There is one other fortification, about half a mile from the fort, fituated on the weft fide of the bay, at the foot of a high hill, and but little ele- vated 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 333 vated above the level of the lea. This Ihews a face of five embrafures to the eaft, and in that direction commands the weft fide of the bay three embrafures to the northward are fo difpofed, as to be able to open upon any veflel the inftant (he pafTes round the point of Angels ; whilfi two others to the fouthward, command the fhips ly- ing in the harbour or the bay. We computed that thefe feveral places contained about feventy pieces of cannon, many of which were without proper carriages, and fome were lying difmounted under the walls of the lower battery in the town. From the weftern fort fome rocks extend into the bay, and the bottom is too foul for vefTcis of any force to anchor nearer to this fortification than about four hundred yards ; but they may approach and anchor in a very eligible fituation, within about two hundred and fifty yards of the garrifon or principal fortrefs; and neither of thefe places, in their prefent fituation, would be able to refift a well directed fire even from two or three frigates. It appeared to us to be very extraordinary, that, under the exifting circumftances of Europe, and during a war between Spain and France, the fortifications at Valparaifo fhould remain m fuch a negle&ed, ruinous, and defencelefs ftate, and that no meafures fhould either be rcforted to, or appear to be in contemplation, (or putting them ; d b into 334 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [ApRll, into a more refpedlable condition : efpecially as it is from this port that the kingdom of Perti principally depends for its fupply of gra,iri ; in return for which fugar, tobacco, indigo, and fpi- rits, are imported into Valparaifo. Tar we found not only to be a very fcarce but dear article, as the expence of the quantity which was neceffary for our new cables, was nearly equal to that of the workmanfhip and raw material of wThich they were compofed. The houfes in Valparaifo, on account of the earthquakes which frequently happen in South America, like thofe at St. Jago, confift of the ground floor only ; the walls are built with mud, and plaftered over with a preparation of lime 5 they are convenient, w7ell adapted to the climate, and are in general handfomely furnifhed. In the town and in the village of Almandrel there arc fix churches, within the diocefe of the archbiftiop of St. Jago, but under the direction of a vicar* who refides at Valparaifo, and is amenable for his condud: to the archbifhop. The town and its neighbourhood are under the jurifdi&ion of the governor, w7ho receives his appointment, with a falary of four thoufand dollars per annum, front the king of Spain ; but he is neverthelefs under the immediate orders and controul of the Cap- tain-General. All civil and military caufes are heard at St. Jago. Capital offences are feldont committed } i795-} ROUND' THE WORL0. 335 committed ; a man was found guilty on a charge of felony, and hanged about three years before our arrival, a punifhment that, we lijnderftood, was feldom known to be inflicted. I could not afcertain what were the revenues of the king of Spain on the exports and imports at Valparaiso, the collection of which is an im- portant part of the governor's bulinefs : nor was I able to fatisfy myfelf as to the amount of dol- lars which are annually fent from this port to Old Spain, but I had reafon to believe it was not lefs than one million and an half. The quantity of gold and fdver coined into money at Mexico is prodigious ; I obtained an account of the coin- age there, from the lft of January to the 3lft of December, 1 7Q3, by which it appeared that the total amount was as under : In gold. In filver. TotaL pefos, or hard dollars, pefos, pefos, 884,202. 23,428,080. 24,312,942, This, however, was the greateft quantity of fpe- cie ever known in one year to have been coined in the money-houfe at Mexico. In anfwer to a letter, which by the defire of Senr Don Ambrofio I had written to him, ac- quainting him with our fafe return to Valparaifo, he had the goodnefs to exprefs the moft ferious concern for the decayed ftate in which I had the misfortune to find our main-yard ; and in a let- ter 33$ A TOY AGE OF DISCOVERY [APRIL* ter to Governor Alava, he dire&ed him to uie his utmoft endeavours to fupply us with a new one, by fearching amongft the traders in the port ; and Hating that he had underftood from the ftiip Mercury, a main-yard for the Difcovery might be procured. Although we could not on this occafion avail ourfelves of the Prefidents kind attention, yet thefe letters breathed not only fa much friendiinefs and anxiety for the preferva- tion of our little community, but exhibited fuch carneft fblicitude for the fafe return of our expe- dition to Europe, left the important information we had to communicate fhould be loft to the world, that I cannot refift noticing this circumftance as an additional proof of the goodnefs and magna- nimity of his Excellency the Prefident of Chili* The wind, which had been generally in the fouthern quarter, blowing gently, and fubfiding into a calm towrards the evening of Thurfday the 23d, changed to the north, and was accompanied by a very heavy rain, that continued with little intermiffion all the following day, Friday the 24th. ATter the rain ceafcd, the weather was cloudy and unpleafant until Saturday the 25th, when the wind returned to the 3. S. W. with fair and moderate weather, notwithftanding which the Chatham's fmall bower cable* in confequence of its being completely worn out, broke, which obliged Mr. Puget to warp the veffel J7Q5 ] ROUND THE WORLD. 337 vcOcl nearer in fhore, and to moor to an anchor on the beach ; after which the anchor, with the remainder of the cable, was recovered. On the Monday following, (the 2/th) the carpenters finifhed the main yard, and it was got on board and rigged, the caulkers had nearly finifhed their hufinefs ; and, as I was very anxious to take our departure, I gave orders for the obfervatory and inftruments to be received on board, and the vef- fels to be made ready for proceeding to fea the firft favourable opportunity. It was not, however, until Tuefday the 5 th of May, that we had fuffi- cient wind to encourage us to unmoor, which was done about fix in the morning, with a light breeze of wind from the fouth ; but this foon dying away, we returned nearly to the place from whence we had come. On a frefh breeze Spring- ing up, about noon the next day, from the fouth and S. by W., we unmoored, and after faluting the fort with thirteen guns, (which were equally returned) and taking our leave of Governor Alava, and the reft of our very hofpitable friends at Valparaiso, we made fail from the port, in company with the Chatham and a Spanifh brig and fehooner. The trade of this port is carried on in fhips from two hundred and fifty to feven hundred tons burthen ; in which is annually exported to Lima about fifteen thoufand tons of wheat and Vol. VI. Z wheat- 888 A VOYAGE' OF DISCOVERY [MAY, heat- flour, large quantities of fmall cordage, dried fait fifh, and apples, pears, and peaches, in great abundance. All goods imported are landed on a {oft fandy hank lying before the cuftom- houfe, and from thence carried into the ware- houfes, or removed to diftant parts of the coun- try on the' backs of mules ; by which conveyance the articles for exportation are in like manner brought down to the fliore. Moil kinds of ve- getables, and a great variety of fruits, as well thofe of the northern parts of Europe, as thofe common in the tropical countries, were here pro- cured in great plenty, were all excellent of their kinds, and were very cheap: the water was extremely good, though the mode of obtaining it was fomewhat tedious, as we were obliged to fill our cafks from pipes of a fmall bore, through wrhich it was -conducted from the refervoir in the market-place down to the water-fide. Although there was no perceptible current in the bay, the rife and fall of the tide was evidently about three "reefcP 1 3WBiicjto>d Vyr iao *° nr{ oxib a \ c nT : -]Sb Ajironomical and Nautical Obfervations. On the 27th of March, 1795, Kendall's chro- nometer, according to the laft rate, fhewed- the longitude to be — 287° 46' 50" Arnold's No. 14, — 287 53 35 Ditto 1 170, — 280 30 50 The I7Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 33Q The true longitude, as afcertained at the ob- fervatory, by 39 fets of lunar diftances, was 288° 28' 52". By which it appears, that Kendall's chrono- meter was 42' 2/7; Arnold's No. 14, 357 17"; and Arnold's No. 176, l°58/2// to the weftward of true longitude. By equal altitudes, taken on the 26th of April, 17Q5, Kendall's chronometer was found to be faft of mean time at Greenwich, on that day at noon, — — 10h 59' 23" 15"' And to be gaining on mean time, per day, at the rate of 29 34 Arnold's No. 14, faft of mean time, at Greenwich, ditto 0 15 10 15 And to be gaining on mean time, per day, at the rate of 25 10 Arnold's No. 1 76, faft of mean time at Greenwich, ditto 13 28 33 15 And to be gaining on mean time, per day, at the rate of 58 57 The latitude of the obferva- tory, by twelve meridional altitudes of the fun was found to be — 33° 1; 30" The variation, by two different compalTes, and by fix fets of obfervations on each, 1 4° 49' eaft- wardly. Z 2 The 340 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [MAY, The vertical inclination of the magnetic nee- dle : Marked end North, face Eaft, 44° 57' Ditto, ditto, Weft, 44 40 Ditto, South, faceEaft, 43 45 Ditto, ditto, Weft, 43 40 Mean inclination of the marine dip- ping needle, — 44 15 CHAP. 1795*] ROUND THE WORLD. 341 CHAPTER VI. Quit Valparaifo — Proceed to the Southward — Pafs to the South of Cape Horn — Ufelefs Search for the I/la Grande — Part Company with the Chatham — Arrive at St. Helena — Join the Chatham there — Leave St. Helena — Capture the Macajhar Dutch Eajl Indiaman — Proceed to the Northward — Difcover a Number of Vejfels under Convoy of his Majeftys Ship Sceptre — Join the Convoy, and proceed with it to the Shannon — Difcovery pro- ceeds from thence to the River Thames. — Agro- nomical and Nautical Obfervations. HAVING appointed with Mr. Puget our next rendezvous to be at St. Helena, with a frefti breeze varying between S. S. W. and S. by E. we left the bay of Valparaifo, Thurfday the 7th, and palled the point of Angels, fleering to the W. S. W. The weather was clear and pieafant, yet a heavy fwell from the S. S. W. in- dicated very boifterous weather in that quarter ; the wind, however, continued to blow a gentle gale from the fouth-weftern quarter, with wrhich we made confiderable progrefs. From the ex- tremely worn-out flate of our fails, the foretop- Z 3 mail 342 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [MAY maft ftayfail fplit, and on a furvey of our other fails and cables, we were under the neceffity of condemning a beft bower cable, a foretopfail, and maintopmaft ftayfail, which were unbent, and replaced by others that could fcarcely be con- ftdered to be in a much more ferviceable con* dition. The obferved latitude, on Saturday the Qth, was found to be 33° 2l' fouth, the longitude, by Arnold's chronometer, No. 14, 282° 5' ; by No. 1 ;6, 282° 36' 30;/ ; by Kendall's, 282° 0' 45!} ; and by the dead reckoning 282° 251 ; the varia- tion of the compafs 13° 15' eaftwardly. The wind veered for'a few hours to the north-weft, and blew a frefli gale, wTith which we diredled our courfe towards the S. S. E. until it returned to its former fouth -wreftern quarter, when we fhould have been able to have made great progrefs to the fouth ward, had we not been repeatedly under the neceffity of fhortening fail for the Chatham, which was far a-ftern. Some petrels, and fix or eight pintados, were feen about the Ihip on Tuefday the 12th, and two days afterwards feveral large albatroffes were obferved at no great diftance. The weather continued to be pleafant until Tuefday the 1 9th, when the wind changed to the north-weft, and was at- tended by very thick difagreeable fqually weather. Our courfe was again directed to the S. S. E. ; and 1705.] HOUND THE WORLD. 343 and it gave me concern that we were not able to avail ourfelves of this favourable wind, without rifking a feparation from the Chatham; for, notwithftanding the additional quantity of baliaft which Hie had taken on board at Valparaifo, {he did not appear to be improved in her failing: about noon her fignal was made with a gun to make more fail. The wind increafed from the wxft and north-weft, accompanied by very heavy fqualls of hail and rain; in the courfe of the night falfe fires were burnt, to denote our fitua- tion to our confort, and on the next forenoon, Wednefday the 20th, her fignal was again re- peated to make more fail; but as we ftill kept increafing our diftance from her, about noon I ordered the mainfail to be hauled up, and a reef taken in each of the topfails. At this time, in latitude 50° 50' fouth; longitude, by Arnold's No. 14, 280° 33' 45" ; by No. 1 76, 281° 32/ 30;/; by Kendall's chronometer 280° 25' 30/; ; and by the dead reckoning 281° 1 1' ; the variation of the compafs was obferved to be 1 7° eaft- wardly ; and cape Noir to bear by compafs, ac- cording to the Spanifti charts, 3. 42 E. diftant 100 leagues, but, by our calculations, it bore by compafs S. 46 E. and was at the diftance of 107 leagues. As we proceeded to the fouthward the weather gradually changed for the worfe, and the wind, Z 4 which, 344 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [MAY, which, with little interruption, had hitherto been agreeable to our wifhes, now became turbulent, and blew at times in very heavy fqualls ; in one of thefe, about three o'clock on Friday afternoon, the 22nd, we carried away the maintopfail flieet: this obliged us to take in the fail ; on the gale increafing the foretopfail was furled ; and, fearful of any ferious accident, either to our main-yard or niaft, I direded the mainfail to be taken in, and the topgallant yards and mafts to be ft ruck, in order that the weak parts might be {trained as little as could be helped ; about an hour after- wards, the {larboard bumkin was alfo carried away, and the wind at W. S. W. continued to blow with great violence until midnight, when it became fomewhat more moderate, and we were enabled to fet the mainfail and ftorm ftay- fail. Falfe fires were burnt during the night as fignals to the Chatham. Towards the next morning, Saturday the 23d, after lowering the topfails, and hauling up the mainfail, in a heavy fquall of wind and hail, we wore the fhip, to wait for our confort. In the afternoon, al- though the wind continued nearly from the fame quarter, the weather became more moderate, and we were able to get up our topgallant yards and mafts, and to make the beft of our way towards the fouth, direding our courfe as much to the eaftwaxd as the variation of the wind would per- mit 1/95.] ROUND THE WORLD. 345 mit. This favourable change, however, was not of long duration ; for, in the afternoon of Mon- day the 25th, on the wind veering to the weft and north-weft, we were obliged to clofe-recf the fore and maintopfails, and take in the mizen- topfail. The gale continued to increafe with 10 much violence, that, by feven o'clock on Tuef- day morning the 20th, we were under the ne~ ceffity of handing our topfails, and getting the topgallant yards and mails down upon deck, to relieve the mafts, and to make the fhip as fnug as poffible. The obferved latitude at noon was 50° 41 fouth ; by Arnold's chronometer No. 14, the longitude appeared to be 285° 52; 30/;; by No. 280° 05; ; by Kendall's, 285° 32' 15"; and by the dead reckoning 280° 33'. According to obfervations which had been procured in the two preceding days, it appeared, that the dead reckoning had erred thirteen miles in latitude, and twenty-five miles in longitude, the fhip having been fet fo far to the north-eaftward. The wind continued to blow very hard, varying between W. S. W. and W. N. W. until towards the evening, when it altered to the eaft, and E. S. E. brought with it a very heavy fall of fnow, and blew fo violently, that our weather maintopfail fheet gave way, and obliged us to take in the fail. About fix o'clock the next morning, Wednefday the 27th, the wind again changed 346 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jVIAY, changed to the S. W. and the weather became fufficiently moderate and clear to get up the topgallant yards and mails, and to fet our reefed topfails. Notwithftanding that at this time there was no great preffure on any part of the rigging, io extremely rotten and decayed were our prin- cipal ropes and fails, that our {larboard maintop- fail fheet broke, the gib-boom fnapped fhort off about the middle, and the wind fplit the mizen- topfail. Jail before nine o'clock in the forenoon, an ifland was feen bearing by com pals N. 15 W. which at firft we fuppofed to be Diego Ramirez; but as that is rcprefented by former navigators to be a fingle ifland in the latitude of 5(3° 38' fouth, longitude 29 1° 34; ; as the land in fight foon put on the appearance of being much broken ; as we had foundings about two in the afternoon at the diftance of three leagues in the depth of eighty fathoms, in the latitude of 56° 28' fouth, longi- tude 2Q 1° 23;; and as captain Cook had palled between the illands of St, Ildefonfo and Tierra del Fuego, in the latitude of 55° 53' fouth, lon- gitude 2QQ° Iq' ; I had every reafon to believe that we had been miitaken, and that the land we had feen at nine o'clock was St. Ildefonfo' s ifles, which at this time bore by compafs W. S. W. the wind was lefs boiftcrous on the fucceeding day, Thurfday the 28th, but the weather con- tinued to be unpleafant, being very dark and gloomy, 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD* 347 gloomy, with frequent heavy fhowers of fnow. About eleven o'clock at night, in a fquall of hail, rain, and fnow, the maintopfail was fplit and was replaced by another, which although whole and the beft we had, was in a very unferviceable condition. Notwithstanding the fnow continued to fall fo very heavily that no obfervation for the latitude could be procured, yet by four double altitudes of the fun taken by two perfons with different inftruments, the latitude was found to be 56° 5 fl ; the longitude carried on by the dead reckoning, and corrected by Arnold's chronometer No. 14, appeared to be 203° '6Q1 , and the variation of the compafs 23° eaftwardly. Confidering that we were now fufficiently ad- vanced to the fouthward to avoid any inconve- nience or interruption from the illands which lie off cape Horn, I determined to fhape fuch a courfe to the north-eaftward, as we proceeded in our route to St. Helena, as might afford me an opportunity of feeing and determining the filia- tion of the Ifla Grande, the fouthern point of which is ftated to be in latitude 45° 30;, longi- tude 313° 20'. On Friday the 30th we were again vifited by ftrong gales and heavy fqualls of % wind from the weft and north-weftern points, which frequently reduced us to our courfes ; as we proceeded towards the north-eaft, the latitude b7 348 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY fjUNE, by an indifferent obfervation appeared to be 55° 28', and the longitude at noon brought forward by Arnold's chronometer No. 14, was according to the dead reckoning 2990 9'. On Monday the lft of June, about fix in the morning, I ordered the foretopfail to be taken in, for the purpofe of allowing the Chatham to come up with us, as fhe wTas at this time far affcem. At day-light the next morning, Tuefday the 2d, Ihe was in fight from the main top, but not from the deck. Our latitude on Thurfday the 4th, by the dead reckoning fmce the preceding day being 4 6° 10', and the longitude brought forward by Arnold's chronometer No. 14, 310° 8', it was rcafonable to conclude, as we had a frefb breeze from the weft and fouth-weft, that we were ap- proaching very rapidly towards Ifla Grande ; and as I was very folicitous to examine the fpace al- lotted to this ifland, I continued our courfe to the northward, that we might fall into its parallel fome leagues to the weftward of the fpot affigned to it ; but in the afternoon we were again vifited by a very furious ftorm at firft from the N. W. but foon afterwards from the S. W. which 'obliged us to fteer to the eaftward, under the forefail and clofe-reefed maintopfail on the cap, in order that we might keep a-head of the fea which ran exceflively high, and broke with great violence. 17Q5.J ROUND THE WORLD. 34Q violence. Under this reduced canvas, we out- failed the Chatham fo much as to lofe fight of her. The fouth-wefi gale continued to blow very hard until the morning of Friday the 5 th, when it moderated, and was attended by clear, though feverely cold weather. We now flood to the northward, and had the pleafure of rejoining the Chatham. At noon our obferved latitude was 45° 30', longitude 312° 55' ; in this fituation I efteemed it to be a very fortunate circumftance that the weather was fine, and that the horizon was remarkably clear in all directions, excepting between the N. W. and N. N. E.; fo that had any land been above our horizon within the dif- ftance of from ten to twenty leagues, it could not poffibly have efcaped our notice. Between the limits above-mentioned, which were occupied by a haze, we could alfo have difcerned land at the diftance of five or fix leagues, and as it was in this direction that we were fleering, we mud have fallen in with it had any land there exifted. From noon our courfe was diredled about N. by E. which by eight in the evening brought us to the latitude of 45° 4y, longitude 313° 3'. The weather continued to be tolerably clear until the clofe of the day, but no land was within our view, nor had we the leaft reafon, from any of the ufual indications, to fuppofe ourfelves in its vici- nity, 350 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jUNE, nity, excepting from the numbers, of birds that were about the fhip. According to Mr. Arrowfmith's comprehend ve chart, (in which the Ifla Grande is placed agree- ably to the affigned fituation of it by Mr. Dai- ry triple,) the track of Dr. Halley is laid down about a degree to the weftward of our path, crof- fing the fame parallel in the longitude of about 311° 55'; from which circumftance it is pro- bable, that thofe on board that veflel faw a con- fiderable diftance to the weftward of them. Since therefore we met with no drift wood, nor other circumftance to indicate our vicinity to lend ; (and had any been near to us in a weft- wardly direction, fuch indications moll likely would, from the generally prevailing winds, have been prefented to us), I was led to conclude, that if M. La Roche did difcover any ifland under the parallel of 45° fouth, that fuch land mull have been to the eaftward of our track. Under this perfuafion, about eight in the even- ing, as the weather had the appearance of being fine, and the wind moderate, I fteered a more eaftwardly courfe, with an intention, fhould the winds prove favorable, to continue about this parallel until we fhould pafs the meridian of South Georgia; from the fhores of which ifland, it is with great reafon fuppofed, La Roche fteered to 1795-1 ROUND THE WORLD. 351 to the north, and in that route fell in with Hla Grande, it is therefore mod likely, that if any fueh land has exiftence, it will be found not very far remote from the fituation affigned to it by Captain Cook ; a fad I was very defirous of eftabiifhing. On Saturday morning the 6th, although the weathejr was gloomy, with the wind .from the north, yet it admitted of our feeing diftin&ly all around us for feveral leagues ; we continued to ftand to the eaftward until four in the afternoon, when in latitude 45° 61 fouth, longitude 314° 5(/, the atmofphere was fufficiently clear to have feen any land above our horizon at the diftance of fix or eight leagues, but nothing of the kind was within the limits of our view. The wind now veered to the N. E. and eaft, and blew a frefh gale, with which we flood to the north, in the night to the S. E. and on the following morning, Sunday the /th, to the S. S. E. and fouth, fo that we were unable to regain the parallel of 45° with- out employing more time than I had now to ap- propriate to this examination; being, from the extremely bad condition of our fails and rigging very anxious to loofe no opportunity of making the beft of our way to St. Helena; and for this reafon I gave up all further thought of fearching for Ifla Grande, and continued our courfe towards the N. Ui E. This 352 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [jUNE^ This fhort invefiigation, however, will ferve to fhevv that no fuch ifland exifts in or about the latitude of 45° fouth, between the meridians 3 12 ' and 315°20/ of eaft longitude ; and that, as I have already mentioned, Dr. Halley moft likely determined the fame point, namely, that there was no fuch ifland, a degree further to the westward. At midnight the Chatham was clofe along fide of us, but by four o'clock the next morning, Monday the 8th, fhe was nearly out of fight aftern of the Difcovery, our mainfail and top- gallant-fails were therefore taken in to wait for her nearer approach ; at day-light flie was feen about three miles aftern, and having at this time a Iteady frefh gale with fair weather, her fignal was made to make more fail, and repeated with a gun feveral times until about ten o'clock, when the Chatham neither making fail, nor ex- hibiting any reafon indicative of her wranting affiftance, I concluded that fome caufe of no very ferious nature had retarded her progrefs; and juft as we had fet our ftudding fails, I had the plea- fore to fee her employed in the fame bufinefs alfo. Shortly after noon the wind veered to the S. V/. and having increafed our diftance from the Chatham very confiderably, we fhortened fail to wait for her coming up, concluding that fhe 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 353 fhe would foon overtake us under our then re- duced .quantity of canvas. In thefe expectations however we. were difappointed; at ten at night the wind had again freshened from the N. N. W. ; we now burnt a falfe fire to denote our fituation to our confort, but this was not anfwered, and by two the next morning, Tuefday the Qth, the wind veered to the weftward, and blew a very ftrong gale, during which, left we fliould lofe the Chatham, we hauled up the mainfail and clofe-reefed the topfails ; but as at day-light flie was not in fight from the maft-head, and as I did not know in what direction to fearch for her, I could not but confider the inferiority of her failing had at length completed our feparation, and in the hope that we fhould meet ail well at St. Helena, our next rendezvous, we made the beft of our way thither, by continuing ourcourfe to the north-eaftward. The obferved latitude at noon was 36° 45j, longitude according to Ar- nold's chronometer No. 14, 324° 43', and the variation of the compafs 0° eaftwardly. The wind continued to blow very hard at times, at- tended by heavy rains, and thick cloudy fqually weather, in which our fails frequently fplit, and our topfail- fheets and other effential parts of the rigging gave way, until Saturday the 20th, when it became more moderate, and in latitude 34 38/ fouth, longitude 347° 10/, brought forward by Vol, VI. A a Arnold's 354 A. VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [.FITLY, Arnold's chronometer No. 14, the flilp appeared to have been fet twenty- five miles of latitude towards the north, and thirty-four miles of lon- gitude towards the eaft of the reckoning. About half paft five o'clock on Sunday morn- ing the 2 1 ft, Richard Jones, one of the feamen, unfortunately fell overboard from the main chains and was drowned. The accident had no fooner happened than a grating was thrown overboard, and the lhip was inftantly hove to, for the pur- pofe of affording him every affiftance; but this was to no effect, for the poor fellow funk im- mediately, and was never more feen. By this melancholy event the fervice loft a very able feaman, and his comrades a good member of their fociety. On the following day at noon, Monday the 22d, in latitude 32° 3' fouth, lon- gitude 351° 15', it appeared that the fhip wTas nine miles of latitude to the northward, and twenty-five miles of longitude to the eaftwardof our reckoning ; and that the variation of the compafs by two fetsof azimuths was now 11° 20f weftwardly. The eaftwardly variation feemed to have ccafcd about the l6th of June, as in la- titude 35° 43l fouth, longitude 232° 5', it had decreafed to lOy, and fince that period the weft- erly variation had been gradually increafing as we proceeded to the northward. No circumftances of importance, or fuch as . are 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 355 are worthy to be recorded, took place, until about two oclock in the afternoon of Thurfday the 2d of July, when after experiencing tolerably plca- iant weather for the preceding ten days, the ifland of St. Helena was difcovered bearing by compafs N. by E.; about eight in the evening we fhortened fail, and hauled our wind on the ftarboard tack, as the ifland now extended by comoafs from N. 3 W. to N. 35 W. at the dif- tance of about five leagues ; at day-light the next morning, Friday the 3d, we made fail forSt.HJena bay, and about fix o'clock we had the happinefs of difcovering the Chatham in the foutli eaitern quarter. As we were now faft approaching a port from whence it was reafonable to expe£l that opportunities would frequently occur, dur- ing the time of our re-equipment there, to com- municate with our friends in England, I deemed it expedient that the order fhjuld be publicly read, which I had received from the Lords of the Admiralty, directing me to demand the log books and journals which had been kept, and the charts, drawings, &c. which had been executed by the officers, petty officers, and gentlemen on board the Difcovery ; and directing alio, that I fhould enjoin them and the whole of the crew not to divulge where they had been, until they fiiould have permiffion fo to do : and a copy of this order was fent to Mr. Puget, with my di- A a 2 re&ions 356 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jULY, regions to enforce the fame on board the Chat- ham alio. As we approached the bay of St. Helena, I had the mortification to fee a fleet of large {hips (landing out, and apparently bound to the north- ward. This fleet I confidered to be from the Eaft Indies, and that it was moft probably bound to England, under the protection of w7hich I fhould have been happy to have performed the remainder of our voyage ; for we were in no fituation to contend with the enemy's fhips of equal force, nor to have efcaped from thofe of fuperior weight of metal. At half paft eight o'clock we anchored in 16 fathoms water, and moored with a cable each way. In the bay of St. Helena we found the Arnifton Eaft India- man, and an American bring. After faluting the fort with thirteen guns, which were re- turned, accompanied by Mr. Puget, I paid my compliments to the governor, and underftood from him, that the fleet of fliips which we had feen depart from the ifland as w7e had approached it in the morning, was, as I had imagined, a fleet of Eaft Indiamen, together with feverai fail of Dutch prizes under the convoy of His Majefty's fhip Sceptre, commanded by Captain Effington. I was received by the governor of St. Helena with his accuftomed politenefs, and having un- derftood from him that hoftilities had taken place 1795«1 ROUND THE WORLD. 35? place between the Court of London, and the United States of Holland, I fent an officer on board a Dutch Eaft Indiaman which I had per- ceived to be coming into the bay, and took pof- feffion of her as a prize. The great plenty of excellent refreftiments with which we had been fupplied during our relidence amongft our very hofpitable friends at Valparaifo, had not only eradicated every appear- ance of the fcurvy before our departure from that port, but had ib completely re-eftablifhed the health of every individual on board (myfelf ex- cepted) that although we had now been fifty- eight days at fea, during which time we had ex^- perienced much bad weather, particularly in that part of the pafTage as we had approached the weftern coaft of Patagonia, and until we had pa£Ted round cape Horn and proceeded fome dis- tance to the north-eaftward ; and had alfo been obliged to make great exertions, and to endure great fatigue, owing to the repeated accidents that had befallen our fails and rigging,, and the additional labour at the pumps confequent on the leak in the fore part of the veffel ; I had the inexpreffible happinefs of feeing all my officers and men return to a Britifli fettlement, after an abfence from England of more than four years and a quarter, perfectly well in health, and with conftitutions apparently unimpaired by the ex- A a 3 tremely 358 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jULY, tremely laborious fervice in which they had been fo long employed, and to which without a mur- mur they had, at all times, and in all weather, uniformly fubmitted with great zeal and ala- crity. Notwithftanding that I had the additional fa- tisfa&ion to hear, from Mr. Puget, that the crew of the Chatham were now in a convalefcent ftate, yet I was much concerned to become ac- quainted that their health, as well as that of the officers, had fuffered very materially indeed in their late paffage from Valparaifo. Although, previoufly to our departure from that port, every precaution within our power had been taken to make both veffels as equal as it were poffible to the tafk which they had to perform at the then advanced feafon of the year, through fo tempef- tuous and inhofpitable a region ; yet the fmall- nefs of the Chatham had made her more liable to the influence of the bad weather than the Difcovery, and this will ferve to account for her progrefs having been fo very frequently inter- rupted. For fixteen days together Mr. Puget had been under the neceffity of keeping in the dead lights, and from the violence of her motion her decks and fides had become open and fo leaky, that his people were conftantly in a wet humid ftate when they retired from the deck, on which, previoufly to their making cape Horn, fivq *795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 35Q five men only in a watch were able to do duty ; the reft being rendered incapable of it by rheu- matic complaints. Veflels of the Chatham's fize Ihould certainly make choice of the fummer fea- fon to infure a good paflage round the fouthern promontory of America; for although the pre- vailing winds in the winter months of May, June, and July, may expedite their voyage, yet this ad- vantage is more than counterbalanced by the fhortnefs of the days, the feverity of the climate, and the very ftormy weather which is attendant on this time of the year ; this Mr. Puget t repre- fented as having had the effect of keeping the Chatham, comparatively fpeaking, almoft under water during the greater part of the paflage, in which he ftated, that nothing of importance had occurred flnce the period of our leparation, and that the reafon why our laft fignals were not an- fwered on the night of the 8th of June, was, that the fupply of falfe fire on board the Chatham was at that time totally expended. From Mr. Puget I alfo underftood, that in and about the latitude affigned to La Roche's ifla Grande, the Chatham, like the Difcovery, had been vifited by a great number of birds, which, with fome lea weed, were the only indications he had no- ticed of the vicinity of land. My firft care was to take fuch precautions on our arrival at St. Helena, as were moffc likely to prom A a 4 efficacious $60 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [JULY, efficacious in preferring to the crews of both vef- lels that ineflimable bleffing, health, of which, on board the Difcovery, we were in fuch com- plete enjoyment. For this purpofe fome frefh provifions w7ere procured from the ifland, and occafionally ferved to both fhip's companies, w ith a plentiful fupply of efculent vegetables; the con- valefcents from the Chatham were fent on fhore, and fuch regulations were adopted as appeared to be, in my judgment, moft likely to infure this defirable object ; w hich, at all times, and on all occafions, throughout the voyage, had been a confideration with me of the firft necefiity and higheft importance. After thefe arrangements were made, the ob~ fervatory, as ufual, was committed to the charge of Mr. Whidbey ; and now that the fliip was itationary, the carpenters were employed in icarching for the leak in the fore part of the vef- fel, w hich, at times, during our late palfage from Valparaifo, had greatly increafed our labours, by our efforts to keep the fhip free from the great quantity of water which it admitted. Notwith- ftanding that our main yard had, by great care and attention, brought us fafely thus far, yet, as I found it would be poffible to procure a new one at St. Helena, meafures were inftantly taken for replacing it with one, on which we could more fecurely depend ; whilft other parts of the crew 1705.] tlOUND THE WOELT?. 36 1 crew were employed in the necefTary duties about the fhtfi and in obtaining a full fupply of water* According to our reckoning, this day was Monday the 6th of July, but at St. Helena we found it (agreeably to our calculations) to.be only Sunday the 5th of July : for, by our having failed round the world, in an eaftern direction, we had, fmce our departure from England, gained one day ; but as it was now become expe- dient that we fhould fuhfcribe to the eftimation of time, as underftood by Europeans and the reft of the civilized world, to which we were now faft approaching, our former reckoning was abandoned, the day we had gained dropped, and after noon this day. we recommenced Sunday the 5 th of July. His Majefty's f&tp the Sphinx, commanded by Captain Brifac, arrived on Tuefday, charged with di (patches from Admiral Sir George Keith Elphinftone, ( now Lord Keith,) to General Clarke at Stv Salvador, on the coaft of Brazil, who, with his army, was waiting at that port, until he fhould receive inftru6Hons from Sir George that might enable him to co-operate with that admiral in the reduction of the cape of Good Hope. A convoy, I underftood, was foon ex- pelled to fail from St. Salvador, and as I had reafon to believe the Chatham's re-equipment would not take more than a week, 1 determined to 302 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jtJLY, to lend her thither for he purpofe of going with the firft convoy which fhould fail from thence to England, -nd that I would be content to remain here unt'l fome Britilh veflfel of force fhould touch at St. Helena in her way home,. or that the next convoy from the Baft Indies fhould arrive, under the protection of which, I fhould hope fafely to arrive in England in the courfe of the autumn. As the fervice which Captain Brifac had to per- form required the utmoft difpatch, our boats affrfted thofe of the Sphinx in recruiting her wa- ter, after which, on the following day, Tuefday the /th, ftie immediately failed for the coaft of BrafiL Underftanding that otir field-pieces would be of ufe to His Majqfty's forces on the coaft of Africa, and confidering that the purpofe for which they had originally been put on board the Difco- very was now completely ferved, and that they could not be of the leaft poffrble fervice to us in performing the remainder of our voyage to Eng- land, I availed myfelf of the Arnifton being en- gaged to carry troops from St. Helena to the fquadron under Admiral Sir George Keith El- phinftone, to confign, by that conveyance, the four pieces of ordnance, and the remaining parts of the ammunition we had on board, to the commanding officer of the expedition deftined againft the cape of Good Hope ; and, on Friday the 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 363 the 1 oth, I was made happy on this occafion to have it alfo in my power to affift with our boats in the embarkation of the troops on board the Ar- nifton. The leak was foon difcovered to be in the bows of the Difcovery, and our carpenters were immediately employed in ufing their beft endea- vours to ftop and prevent any further inconveni- ence from it. On Sunday morning arrived the Orpheus of London, commanded by Mr. Bowen, to whom were entrusted duplicates of thofe difpatches from Admiral Sir George Keith Elphinftone, with which Captain Brifac had failed on the 8th, with directions to the governor of St. Helena to ufe his utmoft endeavours to forward them im- mediately to General Clarke at St. Salvador. The Chatham at this time being nearly ready for fea, 1 confidered that it would be furthering his M^jefty's fervice to charge Mr. Puget with the care of thefe duplicate difpatches, with which, after receiving" the following order from me, he depa^u d for the coaft of Bralil the following day, Monday the 13th. " Considering it to be expedient, and for the good of His Majefty's fervice, that you Ihould proceed immediately to St, Salvador, in order to carry fome difpatches from Rear Admiral the Honourable Sir George Keith Elphinftone, to Major 364 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [jULY, Major- General Clarke, commander of his Ma- jefty's forces, deftined to ad: with the faid rear- admiral ; and the faid major-general having been dire&ed to rendezvous at St. Salvador; you are hereby required and directed to proceed, without lofs of time, to the faid port, in order to deliver the inclofed difpatches accordingly ; and, after having performed that fervice, you will communicate to the commanding officer of his Majefty's naval forces at that port, the nature of the fervice on which you have been employed, and that you have my directions, after deliver- ing the faid difpatches, to ufe your utmoft ex- ertions, for the purpofe of immediately proceed- ing to England, that you may be enabled to carry into efFed: fuch further orders as you have received from me. But fhould you not meet with any naval officer, fenior to yourfelf, at that port, you will inform Major-General Clarke, that I conceive it to be a matter of great mo- ment,, that as little detention as poffible fhould take place to retard your proceeding to England, as before expreflcd. If, before your arrival at the port of St. Salvador, the faid troops and fquadron fhould have departed, you are to ufe the utmoft precaution not to promulgate the caufe which carried you thither, but having, with all expe- dition, completed your water, &c. &c. you are to proceed to England as already direded : and, as *7Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 3<35 as it is of the utmoft importance to prevent thefe orders, difpatches, and private fignals, from fall- ing into the hands of the enemy, you are to keep the fame in a leaden box, in order that they may be thrown into the fea, in cafe of capture. And that you may avoid, as much as poffible, falling in with the enemy's cruizers, on your approach- ing the coaft of Europe, you will confider, as circumftances may point out/ of the propriety of proceeding round the north part of Ireland, either to the firft convenient port on the coaft of Scot- land or England, which you can make ; from whence you will immediately repair to the Ad- miralty office, and there deliver the difpatches with which you are charged. u But in the event of your reaching St. Sal- vador before General Clarke fhould have arrived, and finding no other Britifh officer there with whom you may judge it proper to entruft the difpatches committed to your care ; you are to continue there fourteen days, and after the expi- ration of that time you are to proceed as herein before directed ; for which this 111 all be your order. Dated on board his Majefty's floop Dif- covery, in St. Helena bay, this J 2th of July, 1/Q5. George Vancouver/1. To Lieutenant Peter Puget* commanding His Ma'jeftfs armed tender Chatham" 366 A VOYAGE OP DISCOVERY [.JULY, Previoufly to Mr. Puget's departure from St* Helena, we were given to underftand, by Mr. Bowen, that it had been decreed, by the national affembly of France, that the Difcovery and Chat- ham fhould pafs the feas unmolefted by the French cruizers, notwithftanding the exiffcing war between the two countries. This agreeable intelligence induced me to alter the plan which I had formed of waiting at this ifland for convoy. The Baft India fhips, under the protection of the Sceptre, had not yet been failed fo long from St. Helena, as to diveft me intirely of the hope that we might overtake them, before they fhould have reached thofe latitudes in which we fhould be likely to meet with any thing unpleafant from the enemy's fhips of force, in confequence of their commanders being unacquainted with the national decree in our favor, or in the event of any new matter having arifen between the powers at war to caufe its being revoked. Every effort was therefore now made to expedite our re-equipment ; the main yard, by the affiftance of the carpenters belonging to the Amifton, was likely to be ready in the courfe of a day or two, in which time, I had reafon to believe, our own artificers would have flopped the leak in the fhip's bows ; and as I entertained hopes that* foon after this fcrvice fhould be performed, the Difcovery would, in all other refpedls, be fit for ^ fea, 17 05.] ROUND THE WORLD. 36/ fea, I determined to fail immediately, and not to wait for the uncertain arrival of any other veflel, which might afford us protection during the re- mainder of our voyage to England. The fupply of vegetables which St. Helena afforded us was very ample ; but fruits of all kinds were found to be extremely fcarce, owing to the want of rain. So fevere and continued had been the drought for the three preceding years, that moft of the trees, which were not indigenous to the country, had withered and fallen into decay, and amongft the exotics that had died were fix plants of the bread fruit, which had been left by Captain Bligh on his return in the Providence from the iflands in the Pacific Ocean. The lofs of thefe valuable plants was very much regretted, as they appeared to thrive, and it was hoped, would have come to perfection. The herbage had fufFered alfo in the fame proportion* and, in the courfe of the period above mentioned, up- wards of fixteen hundred head of cattle had died upon the ifland. The flieep were very lean and poor, and the quantity of frefli provifions that could be obtained was by no means equal to the fupply I could have wifhed to have procured. On Tuefday the 14th I had the pleafure to behold dur new main yard in fuch a flate of for- wardnefs that it would be ready to be got on board and rigged the following day, and I had the additional 368 A VOYAGE OF DXSCOVEKY [.JULY., additional fatisfa&ion of feeing, that by the un- remitted attention of the refpe&ive officers who had the fuperintendance of the feveral fervices which had become necefTary to be carried into effe6t, little elfc now remained to be done than to prepare the vexTel for our departure. Much of my time, fince our arrival at St. Helena, had been employed about the concerns of the Dutch prize Macaffar, and in making the beft arrangements within my power, to fecure a fafe paffage for her to England. The fhip was in a very bad leaky condition, and although we were able to give her fome repair, yet it was to- tally out of our power to relit her, and put her in a proper ftate for fo long a voyage, efpecially as there was little chance of her reaching any Bri- tifh port before the commencement of the winter. Having, from long experience, been convinced of the {kill and refources which Lieutenant John- ftone poffeffed, and which, on many trying oc- cafions throughout the voyage, he had eminently difplayed, I derived great fatisfadlion in com- mitting the charge of the Macaffar to his care. For this efpecial purpofe he received my direc- tions to quit the Chatham previoufly to her de- parture for St. Salvador ; and in addition to the people that were to be engaged at St. Helena, to navigate the prize home, I fpared, from the crew pf the Difcovery, feventeen able feamen, on whofe exertions 1795.3 %)UND THE WORLD* S6g txertions I could with confidence rely, to carry Mr. Johnftone's orders, with promptitude, into cffeft. With this fupply of men on whom he could depend, and with the kind affurances which I received from Governor Brooke, that no affift- ance in his power Ihould be wanting in the man- ning and re-equipment of the prize, I entertained great hope that, under the protection of the firft fconvoy that fhould arrive at St. Helena bound to England, little danger was to be apprehended of the Macaflar's fafe arrival, in fome port of Great Britain. In the bay of St. Helena, on the 4th of July> the chronometers fliewed the following longi- tudes : Arnold's Nb. 14^ a 354° l' 35" Ditto, 170, - 355 20 5 Kendall's) - - 35235 5 The true longitude, 354 11 o By which it appeared that Arnold's chrono- meter, No. 14, was Q' 25", and Kendall's 1°35; 25" to the weftward, and that Arnold's No. 176 was 1° Q1 5" to the eaftward of the true longi- tude : and, by altitudes taken on this day, the 14th of July, Arnold's No. 14 was found at noon to be flow of mean time At Greenwich, - l?h 10/ 42" 50n( And to be gaining on mean time, per day, at the rate of 24 SO a Vol, VL B b Arnold's 370 A VOYAGE OF DISC<#ERY [jULY, Arnold's No* 176, flow of mean time at Greenwich, Qh 18/ 2Qf! 50fl* And to be gaining oil mean time, per day, at the rate of 57 Kendall's flow of mean time at Greenwich - 12 15 3 20 And to be gaining on mean time, per day, at the rate of 28 22 On Wednefday the 15 th I had the pleafure of receiving our new main yard on board, it was immediately rigged, and the fliip in every other refpeCt made ready to proceed to fea. After pay- ing my refpedts to the governor, and returning him my beft thanks for his hofpitality and oblig- ing attention to the neceflities of our little com- munity whilft at St. Helena, I left Lieutenant Johnfton on board the Macaffar, with full di- rections in writing, by which he would be en- abled to govern himfelf in conducting the velTel, of which he was put in charge to England* and about fix o'clock on the following evening, with a light breeze of wind from the S. E. we diredled our courfe to the north-weflward, anxioufly look- ing forward to that happy hour which fhould once more land us amongft our refpe&ive friends, from whofe fociety we had fufFered fo long and fo painful an abfence. The weather continued to be very pleafant, and we made great progrefs to the north- weft ward. On 17Q5.] ROUND THE WORLD. 371 On Saturday the 25 th we crofied the equator in longitude 21° 35' weft from Greenwich, where the variation, by two fets of azimuths, w^as found to be 9° 20' weftwardly. From this time no- thing occurred worthy of remark until Wednes- day the 5 th of Auguft ; when one of the Cape de Verd i {lands wTas feen, bearing by compafs N. 16 E. The weather had continued to be very pleafant, and although the winds, fince the conclusion of the preceding month, had veered from the fouth-eaftern to the weft and north- wreftern quarters, yet we had not been prevented from making our north-weftern courfe good, agreeably to my wifties. Our people, ever fince our departure from St, Helena, had been occafionally employed in mend- ing the fails and rigging, and, on all fuitable op- portunities, they had exercifed with the great guns and fmall arms ; whilft the extremely plea- fant weather which had attended us, had greatly contributed to our becoming well acquainted with the management of both. About four o'clock in the afternoon of Thurs- day the 20th, three veftels wrere difcovered to the northward, and at eight in the evening eight fail were feen from the maft-head, bearing by com- pafs N. 8o W. All our canvafs was immediately fpread, in the hope of our being able to overtake them; being in great hopes that the veflels in ' B b 2 fight 3,72 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUG* fight would prove to be the convoy which had left the bay of St. Helena on the morning of our arrival there; in the event of which, I fhould be happy to avail myfelf of the protection we fhould derive by accompanying fo flrong a fleet to Eng- land. At day-light the next morning, Friday the 21 ft, five lliips only were in fight from the maft-head, but at feven in the morning nine fail of large veffels were fo clearly difcerned as to leave in my mind no doubt of their being a part of the fleet for which we had kept fuch an anxious, though hitherto unfuccefsful, look out, under convoy of hisMajefty's fhip Sceptre, commanded by Captain Effington. About five in the after- toon a boat, from the General Goddard Eaft- Indiaman, came on board, and confirmed us in the opinion we had at firft formed, and which every hour fince had ferved to ftrengthen, that the fleet before us was a convoy confifling of twenty- four fail of Indiamen, under the protec- tion of the Sceptre, Upon receiving this infor- mation, I ordered a boat to be hoifted out, and I waited upon Captain Effington, by whom I was received with that unafFe&ed hearty welcome,, and unreferved fincerity, which are known by every one who has the happinefs of his friend- lhip, to be the true type of his valuable character. After putting my felf under Captain Effington's orders, and receiving fuch inflru&ions as were deemed *795*] ROUND THE WORLD. 373 deemed to be ncceffary by him, for the regulation of his Majefty's floop under my command, now attached to the fleet which he was convoying to England; I repaired on board the Difcovery, and by fpreading an additional quantity of canvafs, we foon had the pleafure of joining company with the Sceptre. The fatisfa&ion I experienced, in the protect tion we had derived by overtaking and uniting our little force with fo powerful a fleet, was greatly increafed by my now underftanding from Captain Effington, that he was of opinion the agreeable tidings communicated to me at St. Helena, by Mr. Bowren, of a French decree having pafled the national aflembly, in favor of the Difcovery and Chatham, was premature, and that, in the event of our having unfortunately met with an enemy of fuperior force, to whom of neceflity we muft have yielded, we lliouid have had little chance of efcaping the horrors of a French prifon, in addition to the cruel mortification of lofing to our country much of the information which had been collected during the voyage. This reflection had the effect of reconciling my mind to the flow progrefs which I was now well aware would ne- ceiTarily be attendant on the conclufive part of our paflage to England. Having been fo fortu- nate hitherto, as to have loft only one man out oj btith vejfels In confequence of difeafe, and as few by B b 3 accidents 374 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [AUG. accidents as I could rcafonably have expelled, when I duly confidered the length of our abfence from home, and the nature of the fervice on which we had been fo long employed ; I do con- fefs that, under the peculiar circumftances of our defencelefs fituation, I fhould have regarded it as a very painful tafk to have been compelled to the neceffity of expofmg my excellent officers and valubale crew, who were now, comparatively fpeaking, almoft within reach of the welcome embraces of their neareft and deareft affections, to a conflict with an enemy, whofe fuperiority in point of force wre had not originally been fitted out to meet, nor w7ere we but in a very humble way prepared to refill, and from whom, in point of failing, when I adverted to the fhattered con- dition of our mails and rigging, I entertained no hope of our being able to efcape. I was, there- fore, reconciled to the delays unavoidable in ef- corts of this nature, though they became greatly augmented by the deplorable condition of many of Captain Ellington's Dutch prizes, fome of which, I underftood, had been with great diffi- culty prevented from foundering. Although our progrefs was neceflarily much retarded, yet our time palTed pleafantly away, by having at length regained the power of devoting it, on all fuitable occafions, to the comforts of a friendly intercourfe with our furrounding coun- trymen, 1795.] ROUND THE WORLD. 375 trymen, from the pleafurcs of whofe fociety we had been fo long eftranged. Nothing very material occurred until Tuefday, ift of September ; when, after contending with a frefh gale from the north and north-weftern quarters, which had commenced the preceding day, and had been attended wTith fome heavy fqualls of wind and rain; about nine o'clock in the forenoon, in about the latitude of 46° 12' north, longitude 2g° 32' weft, one of the Dutch prizes made a fignal of diftrefs : we immediately hove to, and I fent the cutter to her affiftance, but Ihe was found to be almoft a wreck, and in fuch a deplorably bad condition that it was im- poffible to fave her, and Ihe was therefore aban- doned, by order of Captain Effington, and fet on fire about fix o'clock in the evening. After per- forming this fervice our cutter returned to the lhip, and in the a& of hoifting her on board fhe was by accident ftove intirely to pieces. I do not recoiled: that my feelings ever fuffered fo much on any occafion of a fimilar nature, as at this moment. The cutter was the boat I had conftantly ufcd ; in her I had travelled very many miles ; in her I had repeatedly efcaped from dan- ger; fhe had always brought me fafely home; and, although Ihe was but an inanimate conve- niency, to which, it may poffibly be thought, no affe&ion could be attached, yet I felt myfelf under B b 4 fuch Sj6 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [SEPT.. fuch obligation for her fervices, that when fhe was dallied to pieces before my eyes, an involun- tary emotion fuddenly feized my breaft, and I \vas compelled to turn away to hide a, weaknefs (for which, though my own gratitude might find an apology) I fhould have thought improper tQ have publicly manifefted. The wind changed on Saturday the 5th, from the north-wreft to the oppoiite quarter, and blew a very hard gale, with fqualls chiefly from E.byS. about fix in the evening another of the Dutch prizes was obferved to have made the fignal of diftrefs. We were diredted to give her affift-i ance ; and the relief we were enabled to afford her was very falutary, and had become effen-. tially neceffary, as we found her in a very leaky ftate, and her crew in a very difabled fickly con- dition. The wind again veered to its former direction, and though it continued to be fqually and unpleafant, it had been more moderate dur- ing the two laft days ; in one of thefe from the north-weft, on Tuefday morning the §th, about feven o'clock, we fprung our maintepmaft, an accident that might have been attended with the. moft ferious confequences, had \ve nqt been m a fituation that afforded us the moft ample protege tion, and which I had no doubt we Ihould be able to maintain until we fhould arrive in fome port of Great Britain, although our quantity of canvafs J ROUND THE WOULD. 377 canvafs fliould hereafter be materially reduced, as we had been repeatedly obliged to fhorten fail for the convoy. All the upper fails were taken in, the ma ft ftruck, and the carpenters immedi- ately employed to remedy and provide for the difafter in the beft manner we were able ; this bufmefs was completed about noon, and a top- iriaft with the topgallant rigging was again fet up. Notwithftanding that the weather was not very favourable to aftronomical purfuits, Mr. Whidbey procured fix fets, and Mr. Orchard three fets of lunar diftances, by the mean refult of which the true longitude, at noon, was found £o be — - — 20° 13' 0" weft Py Arnold' 5 chronometer , No. 14, 20 14 5 weft Ditto, 176, 19 48 30 weft By Kendall's, — 20 0 30 weft The obferyed latitude 51 2 0 Variation of the compafs, 22 wefterly. By our courfe having judicioufly been directed far to the weftward, it was moft probable that the coaft of Ireland would be the firft land in the Britifh dominions with which we fhould fall in. For thofe Ihores, as the wind and other cir- cumftances had allowed, we had been fteering for feveral days, and as our diftance from Eng- land every day and every hour decreafed, fo our Jiappinefs became augmented in the grateful an- ticipation 3?S A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY £sEPT\ ticipation of once more breathing our native air* once more repofmg in the bofom of our country and expecting friends. Every breafr, as may be naturally imagined, was alive to fenfations of the mod plcafant nature, infeparable from the fond idea of returning home, after fo long an abfence, in an adventurous fervice to promote the general good, when unappalled by the confcioufnefs of defervcd reproach. In the midft of thefe agree- able reflexions, however, prefages of a melan- choly caft would frequently obtrude upon the mind, and damp the promifed joys in contem- plation. Few of us had been bleifed with any tidings from our families or friends fmce our laft Reparation from them ; and in the courfe of fuch a lapfe of time what changes might not have taken place, what events might not have hap- pened to difappoint our hopes ; rob us of our prefent peace ; or cloud the fanfhine of our fu- ture days ! Thefe were confideratlons of a moft painful nature, and tinged our joyful expectations with fohcitude and apprehenfion ! At length, about five o'clock on Saturday morning the 12th, a fignal was made by one of the headmoft (hips, that denoted flie was within fight of land, and foon afterwards, from our maft-head, the glad tidings were announced that land was plainly to be feen, bearing by compafs E. S. E. At eleven in the forenoon it was known to 1795-] ROUND THE WORLD. 379 to be the weftcrn coaft of Ireland, and arrange- ments were immediately made by the Sceptre for keeping the (hips together, and for entering the Shannon ; where Captain Ellington propofed to remain with his convoy until a force more equal to the protection of the valuable fleet he had thus fafely brought into his Majefty's dominions, fhould arrive, to efcort it from thence to Eng- land. Having communicated to Captain Effing- ton fuch parts of my orders from the Lords of the Admiralty, under which I had failed, as ap- plied to the government of my conducl on the prefent occafion, 1 received his orders to repair immediately to London ; and the following day, Sunday the 13th, after having feen the Difco- very fafely moored, with the reft of the fleet, in the Shannon, and giving fuch inflrudions, as circumilances demanded, to my firft lieutenant Mr. Baker, in whofe zeal for the fervice, and abilities as an officer, a long experience juftified me in implicitly confiding ; I refigned my com- mand of the Difcovery into his hands, and with fuch books, papers and charts as had been pre- vioufly fele&ed, as being eflential to the illuffcra- tion of the fervices we had performed, I took leave of my officers and crew; not, however, without emotions which, though natural, on parting with a fociety with whom I had lived fo long, ihared fo many dangers, and from whom I 380 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY [SEPT. had received fuch efTential fervices, are yet more eafily to be imagined than I have the power to defcribe : and in the courfe of a few days I ar- rived at the Admiralty, where I depofited my feveral documents. Before I bid farewell to the Difcovery,* I muft beg leave to arreft the attention of my readers for a few minutes, for the purpofe of taking a fhort view of the geographical knowledge which had been obtained of the earth, previoufly to the expedition which I have had the honour to com- mand, and the happinefs of bringing thus to a conclufion ; and alfo to notice fuch parts of the globe as yet remain to be explored to make that fpecies of information complete. The effecting a paflage into the oriental feas round the cape of Good Hope, the difcovery of America, and the opening of a communication between the Atlan- tic and Pacific Oceans, by paffing cither through the ftraits of Magellan, or round the iflands lying off the fouthern extremity of Tierra del Fuego, engaged the minds and utmoft exertions of the moft illuftrious navigators during the three Ml centuries. Thefe enterprises have been duly appreciated and juftly celebrated for the impor- tant lights they have thrown upon the fciences of geography and nautical aftronomy ; for the improvements they have caufed in the arts ; * Arrived all well in the Thames the 20th of Odlober, 1795. for I7g5. j ROUND THE WORLD. 381 for the commercial intercourfe which, by their means, has been opened and eftablifhed with all the maritime parts of the w7orld ; and, laftly, for the happy introdu&ion of civilization amongft numerous tribes of our fellow creatures. In the firft attempts to accomplifli thefe ex- tenfive objects, Great Britain took no part ; but no fooner did fhe perceive the importance of which they were likely to be to her confequence and profperity as a maritime ftate, than her fpirit for the attainment of fuch valuable acquisitions to fcience became roufed. In the courfc of a very few years, no fach eflential benefits have been fecured to mankind, nor has fo much geo- graphical knowledge been acquired, as fince the commencement of discovery undertaken, and. fuccefsfully accomplifhed,. by the unremitted la- bours of Britifh navigators; whofe primary con- liderations have been to direct their inquiries to., objedts of an ufeful nature, and to inveftigate and fupport the truth, by a plain narrative of thofe fads, which fell within the fphere of their obfer- vation, rather than to give encouragement, by the obtrufion of fpecious opinions, to hypothefes, however ingenious. In confequence of a ftri6l adherence to this principle, the geography of the earth is now placed beyond the influence of conje&ure, and is determined by fuch incontro- vertible evidence, that the fmall {paces that yet remain 382 A VOYASE OF DISCOVERY [sBF'f/ remain unexplored in the Pacific or Indian oceans are too infignificant to become an object of en- terprize : there are, however, parts of the coafts^ both of Afia and America, which would yet afford employment for the labourers in the fci- ence of discovery. The Afiatic coaft, from the latitude of about 35° to the latitude of 52° north is at prefent very ill defined ; and the American coaft, from about the latitude of 44° fouth, to the fouthern extre- mity of Tierra del Fuego, is iikewrife very little known ; and I entertain no doubt, had not our late examination on the coaft of North-Weft America, fo delayed our return to the fouthern hemifphere, as to prevent my carrying the orders I had received into effect, that I fhould have de- rived great fatisfa£iion from a furvey and invefli- gation of the fhores of that interefting country. If, however, by that portion of his Majefty's commands, which I have had the honour to exe- cute, it fnall appear that a decifion may as juftly now take place, refpedting any navigable com- munication between the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, within the limits of our fur- vey, as on the hypothecs which gave as a coun- terpoife to the globe a fouthern continent, and which the indefatigable diligence of Captain Cook completely fubverted, I friould hope that the purpofe for which his Majefly commanded the 2 795.] ROUND THE WORLD* 383 the expedition to be undertaken, will not be considered as having failed for want of zeal or perfeverance, though it fhould hereafter be found incomplete for want of judgment and ability. There were few objects to which I had paid more attention, or had more fmcerely at heart* than that of obferving fuch a conduit, at all times, towards the feveral tribes of Indians, with 1 whom we fhould frequently meet, as fhould pre- vent the neceffity of our reforting to any mea- sures that might endanger the lives of a people, whofe real intentions were always likely to be mifunderftood, from a want of knowledge in us of their refpedive diale&s or languages. After having refided, as it were, arnongft them for more than two years, without having had the leaft oc- cafion to fire afhet in anger, I had fondly hoped that I fhould have been enabled ftO ;have com- pleted our refearches in thofe before untrodden regions, without the lofs of life to a fingle indi- vidual belonging to the countries we might yet find it neceffary to vifit. In this my anxious con- cern for the great caufe of humanity I was, how* ever, difappointed. The number of Indians from Traitor's cove which fell in the unprovoked attack upon our boats, on the 12th of Auguft, ] 793, could not be afcertained ; but, independently of this unfortunate affair, I do not knowT of more than 384 A VOtAGE OP DISCOVERY [gEi*f , than two men who afterwards loft their lives irt confequence of our expeditions, from the Dis- covery or Chatham. Thefe unlucky events did not, however, fail to produce in my mind much forrow and regret, from which I could find no relief but in the confoling reflection, that nothing but the moft urgent neceffity, for our own pre- fervation, would have compelled us to have adopted coercive meafures. From the firft moment of my appointment, to the hour in which I refigned the ftation I had fo long held, the health of every individual under my command had been my fir ft care; and I had now the unfpeakable happinefs of beholding the fame perfons return on board the Difcovery to the river Shannon, in perfect health, as had failed with me from the river Thames, excepting fuch of the officers as had officially been fent home, or had been promoted in the Chatham • the feven- teen feamen left at St. Helena, to affift in navi- gating the Macaffar to England*, and the under- mentioned individuals, who were unhappily loft in the courfe of the expedition. John Browm, carpenter's mate, drowned by accident, in the execution of his duty, off the fouth Foreland, 3d of February, 1791. Neil Coil, marine, died of the flux, communis # Arrived all well the 22d of November, 1795. cated 1795.] ROUND THE WORLD. 385 cated to the Difcovery, at the cape of Good Hope, by an infected fhip from Batavia, 7th of Auguft, 1791. Jofeph Murgatroyd, one of the carpenter's crew, miffing at fea the 2lft of January, 1793. John Carter, feamen, poifoned by eating muf- "cles, in Poifon cove, 15th June, 1 7Q3. Ifaac Wooden, drowned by accident, in the execution of his duty, off Wooden's rock, the 24 th of Auguft, 1794. Richard Jones, drowned by accident, in the execution of his duty, betwrecn the port of Val- paraifo and the ifland of St. Helena, 2 1 ft of June, 1 7Q5. By this lift it will appear that, from the 15th of December, in the year 1 790, to this 13th day of September, l/95> comprehending a fpace of four years eight months and twenty- nine days, we had loft out of our complement of one hun- dred men, only one man by difeafe : and at the time of our parting w7ith the Chatham* at St. Helena, fhe had not, in the courfe of the whole voyage loft a fmgle man, either in confequence of ill health, or from any accident whatever. The unfortunate lofs of thefe five men from theDifcovery produced in me infinite regret, but when I adverted to the very dangerous fervice in which we had been fo long employed, and the * Arrived all well 17th of October 1795. Vol. VI, C c many 386 A VOYA&E OP DISCOVERY [SEP*, many perilous fituations from which we had pro- videntially been extricated, with all poffible ado- ration, humility, and gratitude, I offered up my unfeigned thanks to the Great Disposer of all human events, for the protection which thus, in his unbounded wiidom and goodnefs he had been pleafed, on all occafions, to vouchfafe unto us, and which had now happily reftored us to our country, our families, and our friends. END OF THE JOURNAL, NOTES ( 387 ) NOTES AND MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. C^INCE my return to England I have had fe* k3 veral converfations with Captain Colnett, relative to the capture of his veffel at Nootka, and the treatment that himfelf, officers, and crew, received from the Spaniards during the time they remained at that place, and afterwards whilft they were prifoners at St. Bias; from the whole of which it will appear, that he had been ex- tremely ill ufed, and that no dependence is to be placed on the accounts given to Sen1' Quadra, or myfelf, by the American commanders, who are Hated to have been eye-witnefles of mod of the tranfadiions. The documents and papers which x Captain Colnett has fince produced to me, fully prove that the Americans wilfully mifreprefented the whole affair, to the prejudice of his character* and the intereft of his Britannic Majcfty's fub- je&s, engaged in commercial purfuits on the coaft of North Weft America. Having been particularly careful to ftate all the important circumftances that came to my C c 2 knowledge 388 frOTES Att0 knowledge during my negotiation with Sen* Quadra, whether they were fuch as tended tor eftablifli the claims, or militate againft the pre- tenfions, of the Brttifli crown to the territories at Nootka, I have thought it proper, in addition to what has been already related, to give the follow- J o ing brief account of the capture of the Argonaut, as reprefented to me by Captain Colnett. The fettlement wh^ch. Captain Colnett had in contemplation to make at Nootka, had been con- certed at Macao, in November, 178Q, at the time he entered into copartnerfhip with feveral Englifh gentlemen refident at that place. On this occafion, Captain Colnett made it his particular bufinefs to become informed with re- fpedfc to the property which thole gentlemen held in the two veffels, the North Weft America and Ephigenia, then on the coaft of Nootka; fm as to the land, he entertained no doubt of its be- longing to Great Britain, as the fubje6ls of that ftate were the firft European people who had dif- covered the country; and he was further w7ell fatisfied-, that no other power whatever had a right todifpoffefs the gentlemen with whom he had engaged, of their property at Nootka, becaufe he and they considered it to be exclufively their own. The intention of forming a fettlement was known to Mr,. Hudfon before his departure in the Princefs Royal from Macao ; and on his> arrival MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS* 3SQ arrival before Captain Colnett at Nootka, fuch intention was mod probably communicated to the Spaniards and the native Indians, who ap- peared to have been long in expectation of the Argonaut's arrival, and had referved the greateft part of their furs for the purpofe of exchanging them with Captain Colnett, for the articles w7ith which, they had learned, his veffel would be freighted. * Under the ideas which Captain Colnett enter-? taincd, that this part of the coaft of North Weft ^America belonged to Great Britain, he had no fear of entering any of its ports, becaufe he was duly authorized by the South Sea company to trade in thofe feas, and had leave to abfent him- felf from his Majefty's fervice, being at that time a lieutenant in the royal navy. As a defence againft hoftile Indians, the Argonaut had twelve carriage guns, befide fwivels and fmall arms; but not apprehending any thing unfriendly from the inhabitants of Nootka, nor having become ac- quainted before he left China, that any difference exifted between the courts of London and Ma- drid, when he arrived off Nootka, on the 3d of July, 1/90, the guns of the Argonaut wrere dif~ mounted, and were all in the hold of the veffel. About nine o'clock that evening, when at the diftance of about three leagues from the entrance into the port, a boat was obferved coming to- CcS wards 3gO NOTES AND wards the Argonaut ; but, as the weather was very hazy, it could not be difcovered to what na- tion it belonged. On being hailed, the perfons in her laid upon their oars, and requefted, in Spa- nifli, permiffion to come on board, with which Captain Coined inftantly complied. Soon after another Spanifli boat, and one belonging to an American veffel, came alongfide his veffel, and Captain Colnett now underftocd that there were two Spanifli men of war, and an American fhip and Hoop, at anchor in Friendly cove. On re- ceiving this information, Captain Colnett hefi- tated for fomc time, whether he fhould, or not, go into Friendly cove; as he had fome doubts as to the propriety of putting himfelf under the command of Spanifli fhips of war. This objec- tion being made known to Don Martinez, who had arrived in the firft boat, he requeiled, through an interpreter, that Captain Colnett would, never- thelefs, afford him fome affiftance, as the veffels under his command were in great diftrefs for the want of provifions and other neceffaries ; and as he had paid fome attention to Mr. Fludfon, the commander of the Princefs Royal, one of the four veffels under Captain Colnett's directions (as would be feen by a letter which he produced to Captain Colnett from Mr. Hudfon) Martinez hoped Captain Colnett would not be wanting in a return of civility, and intreated him, in the raoft MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 3Ql mod earnefl manner, to enter Friendly cove; pledging his word of honor, not only as com" mander in chief of all the fhips belonging to his Catholic Majefty, on the northern coafts of the Pacific Ocean, but alfo as nephew to the viceroy, and in his capacity at Nootka, as the reprefen- tative of the king of Spain; that Captain Colnett fhould be at liberty to depart whenever he might think proper ; Don Martinez Hating, at the fame time, that he was then at Nootka for the fole ^ purpofe of watching the operations and proceed- ings of the Pwuffians. Thefe allurances induced Captain Colnett to conlider Don Martinez as an officer of higji rank and character; and as he did not entertain the molt diftant idea that any falfehood was attempted to be impofed upon him, or that he w as in the leaft danger of being treated by Martinez with duplicity, he fullered the Spa- nilh launches to tow the Argonaut into port, where (lie did not arrive until midnight. The next morning Don Martinez invited Cap- tain Colnett to breakfaft on board the PrincilTa, and afterwards accompanied him on his return to the Argonaut, where Captain Colnett ordered fuch provifions and {tores as he could fpare to be got to hand, gave a lift of them to Don Martinez, and, at the fame time, requefted, his acceptance of them, with which civility he appeared to be highly pleafed and thoroughly fatisfied, Don C c 4 Martinez 3Q2 NOTES AND Martinez had not been long on board the Argo- naut before he fele&ed Captain Colnett's boat- fwain from the reft of the crew, who being a na- tive of Gibraltar, {poke the Spaniih language very fluently. After fome converfation with this man, Don Martinez demanded him of Captain Colnett, as a fubjedl of his Catholic Majefty, and as the boatfwain was very defirous of leaving the Argonaut, Captain Colnett remitted the balance then due from him on account of his wages, and difcharged him from his fervice. This circum- itance was by no means a pleafant one to Captain Colnett; but, as Don Martinez feemed to be ex- tremely anxious to obtain the releafe of this man, Captain Colnett did not think it would have been prudent to have refilled his application. His doubts, however, of the profeffed fmcerity of Don Martinez, became increafed, by his foori difcovering that the Indians declined all fort of trade with the Argonaut. This induced him to determine upon leaving Friendly cove with all poffible difpatch, and he acquainted Don Marti- nez that he purpofed to depart in the courfe of the day. Upon this the Spanifii officer offered his launch to affift the Argonaut out of the cove; and it was at this time agreed, that the articles with which Captain Colnett could fupply Don Martinez, fnould be fent to him by the return of the Spanifh launch, The promifed affillance of this MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATION'S. 393 this boat not arriving fo foon as Captain Colnett had expected, he fent one of his mates to Don Martinez, for the purpofe of reminding him of his engagement, and to procure the launch ; but, to his great furprize, inftead of the officer re- turning with the Spanifh boat, Captain Colnett received a meilage from Don Martinez, defiring that he would inftantly repair on board the Prin- ciffa, and produce his fhip's papers for his exami- nation. With this requeft Captain Colnett im- mediately complied, and Don Martinez had fcarcely looked at them, before he pofitively af- ferted that they were all forgeries, although he did not underftand a fmgle word of the language in which they were written. With this declaration he threw them on the table, and infilled that the Argon tut fliould not fail from Nootka until he fhouli think proper to -grant permiffion for her departure. On Captain Colnett complaining of this breach of promife and good faith, Martinez quitted the cabin in an apparent rage, and in- ftantly difpatched an armed party from the deck, who, after knocking Captain Colnett down, ar- retted him, and detained him as a prifoner on board the PrinciiTa. Don Martinez then fent his launch on board the Argonaut; ftruck the Bri- tifh, and hoifted Spanifh, colours; ordered the Columbia, an American fliip, to fire into the Argonaut if fhe attempted to unmoor; made the officers 3Q4 NOTES AND officers prifoners, and put the crew into irons, After this the veffel was unloaded, and every in- dividual was robbed of fuch parts of his private property as was chofen by the Spaniards. In this lituation the Argonaut, officers, and crew, remained for ten days, when the Princefs Royal appeared in the offing; and on Mr. Hudfon, her commander, being perceived by Martinez to be coming near the Ihore in his boat, he fent out his launch armed, feized the boat, and brought Mr. Hudfon on board the PrincifTa, where a letter was prepared for him to fign, ordering the offi- cer, whom he had left in charge of his vciTel, to deliver her up without any refinance. At the yard-arm was rove a rope, with which Mr. Hud- fon was threatened to be hanged, if he declined figning the letter, or if the (loop under his com- mand fhould fire at the launch then ready to carry the propofed letter, and which, under thefe circurnftances, he was compelled to fign onboard the PrincifTa. From the 5th to the 14th of July, l /QO, ar- rangements wTere making on board the Argonaut for the confinement of the officers and crew during their paffage from Nqotka to St. Bias, whither Captain Colnett was given to underftand they would be fent as prifoners. The treatment which Captain Colnett received whilit on board the FrincifTa had- nearly proved fatal MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 3f)5 fatal to him; he was feized with a violent fever, attended with a delirium, which did not abate until he was removed on board his own veffel ; here he was made a clofe prifoner, and confined to the mate's cabin, a place not fix feet fquare. Such parts of the Argonaut's cargo as Martinez thought proper to reject, were returned into the veffel again, and all the officers, and fixteen of the crew, who were Britifh fubje6ts, were, on the 14th of July, fent in the Argonaut under con- finement from Nootka to St. Bias. Notwithftanding the great diftin&ion with which it had been reprefented to Sen1 Quadra, and urged by him to me, Captain Colnett had been received on his arrival at this port, and which he does not deny, in point of treatment, was infinitely better than he had experienced during the lime he was under the power and directions of Martinez; yet the remainder of his cargo, ftores and provifions, was taken from out of his veffel at St. Bias, and a part only of the former was afterwards reftored, whilft the wages--, of the Spanifh navy that were paid to him, for himfelf, officers, and crew, were nearly counter- balanced by the heavy expences brought againft his fhip's company during the time of their cap- tivity, for their maintenance, medical and other a fli ft a nee. The hardfhips which were endured, according to 806 KOTES AND to Captain Colnett's reprefentation, by himfelf, his officers, and the fixteen Britifh feamen, daring a paffage of thirty-two days to St. Bias, are not to be defcribed ; but as a detail of thefe circum- ftauces would lead me into extraneous matter, unconnected with the objed (the eeffion of the territories at Nootka) which made a ftatement of Captain Colnett's tranfaciions in Friendly cove neceilary in the former part of my journal, I fhall forbear to mention any thing on that head, and only infert a paffage, tranflated from the Spanifh paflport, granted by the viceroy of Mexico to Captain Colnett, at the time of the reftoration of his vefTel, and his liberation from the Spanifh territories in America ; by which it will appear, that although Don Eftevan Martinez had no efpe- ciai directions to capture either the Argonaut, Princefs Royal, or any other Britifh fhip, yet all veffels not belonging to his Catholic Majefty, might have been retained at Nootka as good and lawful prizes: this will neccflarily leave the reader in fame doubt as to the means that were pur- fued by the American traders then at Nootka, to preferve the privileges which they feem to have enjoyed ; and I lhall conclude this relation of the bufinefs from the teftimony of Captain Colnett, by briefly flating how he conducted himfelf, on receiving a fubiequent paffport from the viceroy of Mexico. " The f Miscellaneous observations. 3C)7 The conduct of this officer" (Don Eftevail Jofj Martinez) " was founded on laws and royal orders, which not only do abfolutely prohibit the negociation, eftablifhment, and commerce, of aliens on our coafts of the fouth feas of bath Americas; but ordain alfo, that they the faid aliens, fhall be looked upon and treated as de- clared enemies, without its being; underftood to be a breach of the good faith, or contrary to the treaties of peace ; for in that concluded in the year 1/So, and confirmed in the fecond article of that in 1/03, the arrival of all alien veffels, or their introduction, paffage, or commerce on the faid coafts, are completely prohibited* " Under thefe circumftances, agreed to by the treating parties, and pofitive declarations of the court of Spain, the veffels Argonaut and Princefs Royal might have been retained as good and law- ful prizes ; but, being defirous to preferve that harmony which at pre fen ts exifts between our court and that of London, and confidering aifo that the fovereigns of both kingdoms will, upon reafonable and juft terms, amicably agree to the reftoration of the faid veffels, I grant a free and fafe paffport to their Captains James Colnett and Thomas Hudfon, that they may proceed to Ma- cao, or fail to any other place they may choofe, with the exprefs prohibition that they fhall not put into any port or bay of our coafts without feme 3^8 NOTES AND fome very preffing neceffity, or eftablifh them* felves there, or trade in them with the Indians* becaufe they may do this in other places or iflands not the dominions of his Catholic Majefty." After Captain Colnett had received this pair- port, he petitioned the viceroy that he might be permitted to difpofe of the remaining part of his cargo on the coaft of North Weft America, but this was pofitively refufed by the viceroy, who flated that he was bound to give that preference to the fubje6ts of his Catholic Majefty. Not- withftanding that he did not grant Captain Col* nett this indulgence, he tranfmitted to him another paffport, in which Captain Colnett was directed to proceed to Nootka, with orders to the commanding officer there, to deliver up the Princefs Royal, which velTel had been directed to tepair to that port, after having been fome months employed in the Spanifh fervice. On Captain Colnett' s return to Nootka he did not find the Princefs Ptoyal there, nor could he learn any tidings of her deftination, and therefore he made the beft of his way from Nootka to Macao, agree* ably to the injunctions contained in the fecond paffport from the viceroy of Mexico. In the year 1/Q2, the fur trade, between the north-weft coaft of America and China, gave employment to upwards of twenty fail of fhips and veflels, whole names, and the countries to which MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 309 which they belong, I have thought proper to in^ fert, for the purpofe of fhewing that my opinions, refpe£ting the value of this trade, were not only founded upon obfervation, but confirmed by the practice of feveral European ftates, and adven* turers from the Afiatic, Chinefe, and American ihores* Ships and vefiels. Commaiulers. To what country belon; Ship Butterworth, - - Brown, London. Sloop Le Boo, F*" • Sharp, ditto. Cutter Jackal, * Steward, ditto. Brig Three Brothers, * illaer, ditto* Schooner Prince William Henry, Ewen, ditto. Ship Jenny, - • rSaJcer* JDriitol. Brig Halcyon, *- - Barclay, JKengal. Brig Venus, * ohepneiaj ditto. Snow 1 - «■ «• ivioor, Canton « Brig Coftid^e, ditto. Brig - - - Barnett, ditto. Ship Columbia, - - Gray, Bolton, Amen Sloop Adventure, - *> Haiwell, ditto. (Built at Clayoquot, tender to the Columbia) J Ship Jefferfort, * Roberts, ditto. Brig Hope, In graham, ditto. Brig Hancock, Crowell, ditto*. Brig Walhington, Kendrick, ditto. Ship Margaret, Magie, New York, Ship Ephigenia, Viana, Portugal. Brig Fenis and St. Jofeph, Andrede, ditto. Unknown, France. Befide thefe, the vellels already mentioned in my journal, belonging to his Catholic Majefty, frequently reforted to the port of Nootka. When fueh a fpirit for enterprize as this, is thus 400 NOTES ANft thus manifeftcd by the people of fo many diffe- rent nations, and direded from all quarters of the globe to thefe fhores, there can remain no move doubt, with refped to the commercial advan- tages which are likely to be attendant on fuch /peculations, than that many unjuft proceedings will take place amongft the feveral perfons con- cerned, who, in the avidity for promoting their refpe&ive mterefts, become competitors for the commodity of which each is in purfuit, and de- ftroy the general bene;, s which, under wife and good regulations would refult to all. A retro* fpediive view of thefe eircumftances, and the be- haviour of Senr Quadra, in the negociation which, with him I had the honour to conduct, refpeft* * ing the ceffion of the territories at Nootka to the crown of Great Britain ; will ferve to fhcw in wrhat an important light the court of Spain be- holds her interefts in this valuable country, and wrhat alfo are the commercial advantages that moft probably would accrue to the adventurers on the coaft, were their dealings properly re- trained, and their general conduct wifely regu- lated. Although we did not meet with any Ruffian veffels at Nootka, yet I am clearly of opinion the people of that nation arc more likely than thofe of any other to fucceed in procuring furs, and the othet valuable commodities, from thefe fhores / MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 401 fhores, with which a moft beneficial trade might be eftablifhed between North-Weft America, Japan, and the northern parts of China, Of this I was well perfuaded, from the accounts I re- ceived from Symloff, and from my own obfer- vations on the general conduit of the Ruffians towards the Indians, in the feveral places where we found them under their controul and direc- tion. Had the natives about the Ruffian eftab- lifhments in Cook's inlet, and Prince William's found been oppreffed, dealt hardly by, or tfeated by the Ruffians as a conquered people, fome 1 uneafinefs amongft them would have been per- ceived, fome defire for emancipation would have been difcovered ; but no fuch difpofition ap- peared, they feemed to be held in no reftraint, nor did they feem to wifh, on any occafion what- ever, to elude the vigilance of their directors* For fome of our commodities that were valuable to them, they would offer their furs in ex- change ; but in no inftance did they propofe any thing of the kind for fale to the difad vantage of their employers. The Ruffians, moft likely, un- able to reduce the inhabitants of the infular coun- try to the fouth-eaftward from Crofs found, have preferred to fit down amongft thofe to the weft- ward ; where, from the compa&nefs of the coaft, and the lofty impaffable mountains which ap- Vol. VI. D d poach 402 ATOT£S AND proach the lea fhore, the natives are reftrained from indulging in the wandering life to which their more eaftern neighbours are accuftomed, and who being a much more warlike race, may poffibly have been found by the Ruffians to be lefs tradable. Notwithftanding that our furvey of the coaft of North-Weft America has afforded to our minds the moft fatisfa&ory proof that no navi- gable communication whatever exifts between the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, from the 30th to the 56th degree of north lati- tude, nor between the water of the Pacific, nor any of the lakes or rivers in the interior part of continent of North America ; yet, as it is very difficult to undeceive, and more fo to convince the human mind, when prepoflcffed of long adopted notions, however erroneoufly they may have been founded, and efpecially when circum- ftances may be reforted to which have the ap- pearance of being capable of furnifhing new mat- ter for ingenious fpeculative opinions, it may not be improper to ftate, that although, from un- avoidable circumftances, Mr. Broughton* was compelled, in his examination of Columbia river, to defift from attempting to afcertain the navi- gable extent of the feveral fmall branches which * Now a poft captain in the royal navy. fall MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 403 fall into that river, yet that gentleman was tho- roughly convinced from the view he had ob- tained of each, and the circumftances attendant on them all, that no one of thofe branches ad- mitted of any navigable communication what- ever with the interior country. With refped: to the ancient difcoveries of De Fuca, they appear to be upheld by tradition alone, and ought therefore to be received with great latitude, and to be credited with ftill more caution. A celebrated writer on geography* ap- pears to have been perfectly convinced that this oral teftimony was correal, although he candidly acknowledges that " wre have no other than ver- bal report of De Fuca's difcovery ; he commu- nicated the information to Mr. Lock at Venice, and offered to perform a voyage," I prefume, for the further exploring of thofe regions, " on con- dition of having payment of the great loffes he had fuftained, to the value of fixty thoufand du- cats* when captured by Sir Thomas Cavendifli in the South Seas. John de Fuca, the Greek pilot, in 1592, failed into a broad inlet, between the 4/th and 48th degrees, w7hich led him into a far broader fea, wherein he failed above twenty days, there being at the entrance on the north -weft * Sqe Dalrymple's plan for promoting the fur trade. 1789. D d 2 coaft. 404 tfOTES AN1> coaft, a great head-land or iiland, with an ex- eceding high pinnacle or fpired rock, like a pil- lar, thereupon." This is the whole that can be collected from the information of this fuppofed navigator; which Mr. Dairy m pie fays exactly correfponds with the difcoveries of the Spaniards, who " have recently found an entrance in the latitude of 47° 45/ north, which in twenty-feven days' courfe brought them to the vicinity of Hudfon's bay." On mak- ing inquiries of the Spanifh officers attached to the commiffion of Senr Melafpina> as alfo of Senr Quadra, and feveral of the officers under his or- ders, who, for fome time paft, had been em- ployed in fuch refearches refpedting fo important a circumfbnee, I was given to underftand by them all, that my communication was the firll intelligence they had ever received of fuch dif- coveries having been made ; and as to the navi- gators Be Fuca, De Fonte, and others, thefe gen- tlemen expected to have derived intelligence of them from us, fuppofing, from the Englifh pub- lications, that we were better acquainted with their achievements than any part of the Spanifh nation. A commander of one of the trading \cffels met with fuch a pinnacle rock in the la- latitude of 47° 47', but unluckily there was no opening near it, to identify it being the fame which MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 405 which the Greek pilot had feen ; but this cir- cumstance can eafily be difpenfed with, for the fake of fupporting an hypothecs, only by fuppof- ing the opening to be further to the northward. That fuch a rock might have been feen in that latitude is not to be queftioned, becaufe we faw numbers of them, and it is well known, that not only on the coaft of North- Weft America, but on various other coafts of the earth, fuch pinnacle rocks are found to exift. On thefe grounds, and on thefe alone, ftands the ancient authority for the difcoveries of John De Fuca; and however erroneous they may be, feem to have been acknowledged by raoft of the recent vifitors to this coaft, who as well as myfelf, (as is too frequently and injudicioufly the cafe) have been led to follow the ftream of ihe cur- rent report. By my having continued the name of De Fuca in my journal and charts, a tacit ac- knowledgment of his difcoveries may poffibly, on my part, be inferred ; this however, I muft pofitively deny, becaufe there has not been feen one leading feature to fubftantiate his tradition : on the contrary, the fea coaft under the parallels between which this opening is fa id to have ex- ifted, is compad; and impenetrable : the fhores of the continent have not any opening whatever, that bears the leaft fimilitude to the defcription D d 3 of 406 NOTES AND of De Fuca's entrance ; and the opening which I have called the fuppojed fir arts of Juan de Fuca, inftead of being between the 47th and 48th de- grees, is between the 48th and 4gth degrees of north latitude, and leads not into a far broader fea or mediterranean ocean. The error, how- ever, of a degree in latitude may, by the advo- cates for De Fuca's merits, be eafily reconciled, by the ignorance in thofe days, or the incorrc£i- nefs in making fuch common agronomical ob- fervations ; yet wc do not find that Sir Francis Drake, who failed before De Fuca, was liable to fuch miftakes. The difcoveries of the Portuguefe or Spanifh admiral De Fonte, De Fonta, or De Fuentes, ap- pear to be equally liable to objections, as thofe faid to have been made by De Fuca. Little re- liance, I truft, will hereafter be placed on that publication of De Fonta's account/* wherein it is ftated that " He failed 260 leagues in crooked channels, amongft iflands, named the Archipe- lago of St. Lazarus, and on the 14th of June 1640, he came to a river which he named Rio de los Reyes, in 53° of north latitude ; he went up it to the north-eaftward 60 leagues ; it was frefh 20 leagues from the mouth, the tide rifmg * See Dahymple's plan for promoting the fur trade. 1789. 24 fecf? MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS, 407 24 feet, the depth not lefs than four or five fa- thoms at low water all the way into lake Belle, which he entered the 22d of June ; in this lake there was generally fix or feven fathoms ; and at a particular tkne of tide there is a fail in the lake; that from a .good port flickered by an ifland on the fouth fide of lake Belle, De Fonta on the lfi of July failed in his boats to a river which he named Parmentiers ; that he pafled eight falls, in all thirty-two feet perpendicular, from its fource in lake Belle, into a large lake which he reached the &th of July, This lake he named De Fonte; it is lOo leagues long, and Go broad, lying E.N.E. and W. S. W. in length, having in fome places 00 fathoms depth, abounding with cod and ling." It is here necelfary to interrupt the thread of De Fonta's curious narrative for a moment, in order, if poffible, to reconcile the nature of his voyage with his ftatement of fa£ls. After his ar- rival in Rio de los Reyes, he failed in his fhip 60 leagues to lake Belle ; 40 leagues of this diffcance were frefh water ; and then in his boats, through that lake and the river Parmentiers ; where, after palling eight falls he arrived in lake de Fonte, which he finds abounding with cod and ling ; but the extent of lake Belle is not mentioned, nor whether the water in lake de Fonte was frefh or felt, though from common reafoning, it is natu- re d 4 ral 408 NOTES AND ral to conclude, that fince the water in Rio de los Reyes was frefh at the diftance of 40 leagues from the lake whence the river derives its origin, that the water in lake De Fonte, where cod and ling are faid to abound, muft be frefh alfo. But to return to the narrative. Lake de Fonte contained " feveral very large iflands, and ten fmall ones : from the E. N. E. extremity of this lake, which he left the 14th of July, he pafled in ten hours with a frefh wind and whole ebb a lake, which he named Strait Ronquillo, 34 leagues long, and two or three broad, with 20, to 26 and 28 fa- thoms depth. On the l/th he came to an In- dian town, where he learnt there was a fhip in the neighbourhood ; to this fhip he failed, and found on board only one man advanced in years and a youth ; the man was the greateft in the mechanical part of rnathcmaticks he had ever feen : he learnt they were from Bofton in New England, the owner named Gibbons, who was major general of Maltachufett's, and the whole fhip's company came on the 30th of July. On the Oth of Auguft De Fonta made the owner fome valuable prefents, and took fome provifions from them, and gave Captain Shapely, the com- mander of the vefTel, one thoufand pieces of eight for his fine charts and journals. On the 1 1th of Auguft De Fonta arrived at the firft fall in the river MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 40Q river Parmentiers, and on the l6th on board his fliip in lake Belle. The extenfive archipelago, in which Dc Fonta had failed through crooked channels 2C)0 leagues; the river navigable for fhipping that flowed into it, up which he had failed in his (hip 6.0 leagues; the wa,ter becoming frefh after he had entered and palTed in it 20 leagues; its communicating by other lakes and rivers with a palTage, in which a Ihip had arrived from Bollon in New England; are all fo circumftantially particularized, as to give the account, at firft light, an air of proba- bility, and on examination, had it been found reafonably connected together, which is by no means the cafe ; a trifling difference in point of defcription or fituation would have been par- doned. The Rio de los Reyes Mr. Dalrymple ffcates (according to the Spanifh geographers, under the authority of which nation De Fonta is faid to have failed) to be in the 43d ; according to the Englifh in the 53d; and according to the French, in the 03d degree of north latitude, on the weft- ern coafl of North America. If it be neceflary to make allowance for the ignorance of De Fonta, or the errors in his obfervations, any other pa- rallel along the coaft may be afligned with equal correiln:fs. Under 410 NOTES AND Under the 4 3d parallel of north latitude on this coaft, no fuch archipelago nor river does cxift ; but between the 4/th and 57th degrees of north latitude, there is an archipelago compofed of innumerable iflands, and crooked channels ; yet the evidence of a navigable river flowing into it, is ftill wanting to prove its identity ; and as the fcrupulous exa&nefs with which our furvey of the continental fliore has been made within thefe limits, precludes the poffibility of fuch a river having been paffed unnoticed by us, as that defcribed to be of Rio de los Reyes, I remain in full confidence, that fome credit will hereafter be given to the teftimony refulting from our re- fearches, and that the plain truth undifguifed, wTith which our labours have been reprelented, will be juftlyappreciated, in refutation of ancient unsupported traditions. I do not, however, mean pofitively to deny the difcoveries of De Fonta, I only wilh to invefti- gate the fad:, and to afcertain the truth; and I am content with having ufed my endeavours to prove their improbability as published to the world. The broken region which fo long occu- pied our attention, cannot poffibly be the archi- pelago of St. Lazarus, fmce the principal feature by which the identity of that archipelago could be proved is that of a navigable river for Ihipping flowing MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. 411 flowing into it, and this certainly does not exift in that archipelago which has taken us fo much time to explore; hence the fituation cannot be the fame, and for that reafon I have not affixed the name of De Fonta, De Fonte, or Fuentes to any part of thofe regions. It is however to be remembered, that our geography of the whole coaft of North Weft America is not yet complete, and that the French navigators, who have ftated the archipelago of St. Lazarus to be in the 63d degree of north latitude, may not yet be in an error. The ftupendous barrier mountains certainly do not feem to extend in fo lofty and connected a range to the northward of the head of Cook's inlet, as to the fouth-eaftw^ard of that ftation; and it is poffible that in this part, the chain of mountains may admit of a communication with the eaftern country, which feems to be almoft impradicable further to the fouthward. In this conjedure we are fomewhat warranted by the fimilarity obferved in the race of people inhabit- ing the Ihores of Hudfon's bay and thofe to the porthward of North Weft America. In all the parts of the continent on which wc landed, we nowhere found any roads or paths through the woods, indicating the Indians on the coaft having any intercourfe with the natives of the 412 NOTES, &C. the interior part of the country, nor were there any articles of the Canadian or Hudfon's bay traders found amongft the people with whom we met on any part of the continent or external fea fliores of this extenfive country. F I N I S, (Ttlorgan £S