obtain credit; and people will hardly believe that human nature could possibly support the miseries that we have endured.' All the difficulties related we have actually endured, and perhaps must endure more: Till the commodore's arrival we cannot know our fate; at present we are out of all em ployment, and have nothing to support ourselves and fami lies, but the profits arising from the sale of our journal; which perhaps may be the sum total we shall ever receive for our voyage to the South Seas. A VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH SEAS. N Thursday the 18th of September, 1740, sailed from St Hellens his majesty's ship Centurion, Commodore Anson, with the Gloucester, Pearl, Severn, Wager, and Tryal, and two store-ships; this squadron was designed round Cape-Horn into the South Seas, to distress the Spaniards in those parts. The ships were all in prime order, all lately rebuilt. The men were elevated with hopes of growing immensely rich, and in a few years of returning to Old England loaden with the wealth of their enemies. Saturday, the 20th, the Ram-head bearing N. by W., distant four leagues, the commodore hoisted his pendant, and was saluted by every ship in the squadron, with thirteen guns each. This day joined company with us his majesty's ships Dragon, Winchester, South-Sea-Castle, and RyeGalley, with a large convoy of merchant ships. Thursday, the 25th, we parted company with the Winchester and the South-Sea-Castle, with their convoys, bound for America. On Monday, we parted company with the Streights and Turkey convoys. Friday, October the 3d, at eight in the morning, we saw two brigantines to the south-east; the commodore gave a signal to chace, at nine fired two shots to bring 'em to, at ten spoke with the chace, being two brigs from Lisbon, bound for New York. Sunday, the 26th, about five in the morning, the Severn shewed lights, and fired several guns a-head; soon after we saw saw the land bearing W. by S., and at noon the east end of Madeira bore north, distant five leagues. Wednesday, we moored in Fonchiale road, so called from a city of that name, which is the metropolis of the island of Madeira; here we employed most of our time in getting aboard water, and stowing our dry provisions between decks, Tuesday, November the 4th, Captain Kidd our commander was removed on board the Pearl, and the Honourable Captain Murray succeeded him in the Wager. Captain Norris of the Gloucester having obtained leave to return to England, on account of his ill state of health, occasioned the above removals. While we lay at Madeira, we were informed of ten sail of ships cruising off and on, to the westward, these ships were judged to be French, and had been seen every day for a week before our arrival: The commodore sent out a privateer sloop, but she returned the day following, without seeing 'em, so that we can give no account of 'em. On Wednesday, the 5th, we sailed from Madeira. On the 20th the Industry store-ship parted company, and on Friday the 28th, by account, we crossed the equinoctial. On the 17th of December, we saw the island of St Catharine, at noon, the northmost land in sight bore W.N.W., and the southmost S.W. by W. Variation per amplitude 12 57 easterly. On the 18th, the north end of the island of St Catharine bore N.W. by W., distant seven leagues, and the island of Gaul bore N.W., distant six leagues. On the 19th we anchored in St Catharine's bay, in upward of twelve fathom water, the island Gaul on the coast of Brazil, bearing N. by E., distant four leagues. On the 20th, we anchored in St Catharine's road, and the day following, we moored between the island of St Catharine and the main. On Monday, the 22d, the commodore ordered fresh beef for the sick people. On the 27th, came in a Portuguese brig from Rio Janeiro, for the Rio Grand: While we lay here, the people were generally employed in over-hauling the rigging, and getting aboard water. On the 17th of January, 1741, we sailed from St Catharine's, the commodore saluted the fort with eleven guns, the fort returned the same number. On On Thursday, the 22d, we lost sight of the Pearl. On Tuesday, the 17th of February, the Pearl joined the squadron, and on the 19th we came to anchor off the river of St Julian's, on the coast of Patagonia; St Julian's hill bearing S.W. by W., and the southmost laud in sight S. by E., distant from the shore three leagues. This day our captain, the Honourable George Murray, took command on board the Pearl, Captain Kidd having died on the voyage since we left St Catharine's. Captain Kidd was heard to say, a few days before his death, that this voyage, which both officers and sailors had engaged in with so much cheerfulness and alacrity, would prove in the end very far from their expectations, notwithstanding the vast treasure they imagined to gain by it; that it would end in poverty, vermin, famine, death, and destruction. How far the captain's words were prophetic will appear in the course of our journal. Captain Cp suc ceeded Captain Murray on board the Wager. On the 26th of February, we sent on board the Pearl twelve butts and two puncheons of water, the Pearl having, while she was separated from us, been chased by five large Spanish men of war, the commander in chief being distinguished by a red broad pendant with a swallow's tail at his main-top-mast head, and a red flag at his ensign-staff: During the chace, the Pearl, in order to clear ship, threw overboard and stove fourteen tons of water; she likewise stove the long-boat, and threw her overboard, with oars, sails, and booms, and made all clear for engaging, but night coming on, at seven o'clock lost sight of the enemy, at five in the morning saw the Spanish ships from the mast-head, two points on the lee-quarter, still giving chace, and crowding all the sail they could, but at nine the Pearl lost sight of 'em entirely. We judged this to be admiral Pizarro's squadron, sent out in pursuit of Commodore Anson. Had our ships united fallen in with 'em, 'tis probable we might have given a good account of 'em. While we lay at St Julian's we saw the sea full of shrimps, and red as if they were boiled, the water appeared tinctured to that degree, that it looked like blood. On the 27th, we sent on board the Pearl four puncheons of water more; at six in the morning, the commodore made signal to weigh, at eight weighed, and came to sail ; this day we lost sight of the Gloucester, The The 28th, the Gloucester came into the squadron again. On the 7th of March we passed through the Streights of Le Mair; Cape Diego, on the island of Terra de Fuego, bore N.W., three leagues, and the west end of the island, Staten Land, bore E.N.E., distant four leagues, the squadron under reeft courses. On the 10th, we lost sight of the Ann pink, on the 12th carried away the rails and timbers of the head on both sides. On the 16th, the Ann pink joined the squadron again. On the 30th, the Gloucester broke her main-yard in the slings. April the 1st, the commodore ordered Mr Cummins, the carpenter, on board the Gloucester. On the 8th, carried away the mizen-mast, two feet above the awning; there was no sail on the mast. Upon the rowl of a sea, all the chain-plates to windward broke, lat. 56, 31, long. 87. 4, west. At noon Cape St Bartholomew bore north, 84 deg. E., distant 229 leagues. The 10th, lost sight of the Severn and Pearl, lat. 56, 29, long. 85 west. At ten last night fell in with two small islands; at eight in the morning the islands bore N.N.W., by the compass distant eight leagues, in the latitude 54, 00 south; we took 'em for the islands which lay off Brewer's Streights, lat. 54, 50 south, long. 84, 56 west. On the 12th, we had very hard gales at west, with the largest swell I ever saw; I was officer of the watch (though I was gunner of the ship, I had the charge of a watch during the whole voyage); we had our larboard tacks on board: Between six and seven in the morning, holding by the topsail hallyards to wind-ward, there broke a sea in the ship, which carried me over the wheel, bilged the cutter, and canted her over the sheet's bottom up athwart the barge; it likewise half filled the long-boat; the boatswain was for heaving the cutter overboard, I order'd him to do nothing with her till I had acquainted the captain, who was then very ill in his cabin: The captain desired me to use all means to save the cutter; at the same time I ask'd leave to skuttle the long-boat, and get the sprit-sail yard and jib in, for fear of endangering the bowsprit; which he ordered to be done, and told me, it was a very great misfortune that he should be ill at such a time. When I came from the captain, I found the lieutenant on the deck, got the cutter in her place, skuttled the long-boat, and got the sprit-sail yard |