50 THE SEA. 



Two of the vessels, the Severn and the Pearl, became separated from the fleet, and were 

 no more seen by them on the veyage. 



But their worst trouble was a terrible outbreak of that insidious disease, the scurvy. 

 In April, May, and part of June, the loss on the Centurion alone was two hundred men, 

 and at length they could not muster more than six fore-mast hands in a watch capable of 

 duty. The symptoms of this horrible complaint are various ; but apart from the universal 

 scorbutic manifestations on the body, diseased bones, swelled legs, and putrid gums, there 

 is an extraordinary lassitude and weakness, which degenerate into a proneness to swoon, 

 and even die, on the least exertion of strength, and a dejection of spirits which leads the 

 invalid to take alarm at the most trilling accident. Let the reader imagine what all this 

 meant on closely-packed ships, tempest-tossed off the dreaded Horn. When at length 

 the Centurion reached the famed Crusoe Island, Juan Fernandez, the lieutenant "could 

 muster no more than two quartermasters, and six fore-mast hands capable of working." 

 Without the assistance of the officers, servants, and boys, they might never have been 

 able to reach the island after sighting it, and with such aid they were two hours in 

 trimming the sails. When their sloop, the Tryal, followed them to this haven of refuge, 

 only the captain, lieutenant, and three men were able to stand by the sails. When, ten 

 days later on, the Gloucester was seen in the offing, and Anson had sent off a boat laden 

 with fresh water, fish, and vegetables for the crew, it was found that they had already 

 thrown overboard two-thirds of their complement. It took them, with some assistance 

 sent by Anson, a month before they could fetch the bay, contrary winds and currents, but 

 more their utterly exhausted condition, being the causes. They were now reduced to eighty 

 out of an original crew of three hundred men. Severe as have been the sufferings from 

 scurvy endured on many of the Arctic expeditions, there is no case on record as painful as 

 this. The three ships which reached Juan Fernandez had on board when they left England 

 961 men ; before the ravages of the disease were stopped the number was reduced to 335, 

 scarcely sufficient to man the Centurion alone. And it must be remembered that all this 

 time they were uncertain of the movements of Pizarro and his fleet, which might appear among 

 them at any moment. The refreshment obtained at the island, fresh water, vegetables, 

 fruit, fish in abundance, a little goat's flesh, and seal-meat, proved of great value to those 

 of the crew whose constitutions were not thoroughly undermined by the fell disease ; but it 

 was as much as they could do to effect the many repairs required on the vessels, to the 

 extent even of removing and replacing masts. 



Of the beauty of many parts of Juan Fernandez the chaplain speaks in enthusiastic terms. 

 " Some particular spots occurred in these valleys, where the shade and fragrance of the 

 contiguous woods, the loftiness of the overhanging rocks, and the transparency and frequent 

 falls of the neighbouring streams, presented scenes of such elegance and dignity, as would 

 with difficulty be rivalled in any other part of the globe. ... I shall finish this 

 article with a short account of the spot where the commodore pitched his tent, and which 

 he made choice of for his own residence, though I despair of conveying an adequate idea 

 of its beauty. The piece of ground which he chose was a small lawn, that lay on a little 

 ascent, at the distance of about half a mile from the sea. In the front of his tent there was 

 a large avenue cut through the woods to the seaside, which, sloping to the water with a 



