OF ANSON AND COOK. 271 



pldow afterward, it is nevertheless worthy of remark, 

 for as yet they had suffered no privations or unusual 

 hardships, except from contrary winds. The causes 

 of disease lay entirely within themselves. 



After a stormy and tedious navigation of three 

 months round Cape Horn, scurvy carried off 43 more 

 in the month of April, and double that number in 

 May, 1741. Those who remained alive now became 

 more dispirited and melancholy than ever ; which 

 41 general dejection added to the virulence of the disease, 

 and the mortality increased to a frightful degree." On 

 9th June, when in sight of Juan Fernandez, the de- 

 bility of the people was so great that, 200 being 

 already dead, the lieutenant could muster only two 

 quarter-masters and six foremast men able for duty 

 in the middle watch ; so that, had it not been for the 

 assistance of the officers, servants, &c. they would 

 have been unable to reach the island, to such a 

 condition was a crew of 400 men reduced in the 

 course of a few months ! 



I have noticed the cutting of holes for the admis- 

 sion of air between decks, and the dejection of the 

 men. The narrative proceeds to say, that the com- 

 modore's principal attention was now devoted to get- 

 ting the sick on shore, as they were dying fast on 

 board, " the distemper being doubtless considerably 

 augmented by the stench and filthiness in which they lay, 

 for few could be spared to look after them, which ren- 

 dered the ship extremely loathsome between decks" 

 The officers suffered least, as being the best fed and 

 best lodged. Within a year, out of upwards of 1200 

 men, composing the crews of the squadron who had 

 sailed from England, 335 alone remained. 



The fate of the Spanish squadron which sailed 

 nearly at the same time was still more horrible. The 

 Esperanza, of 50 guns, lost 392 out of 450 men, and 

 the other ships almost as large a proportion. It is 

 true that, in doubling Cape Horn, they encountered 

 the severest weather and the greatest privations. 



