Chap. 1. George; Anson, Efq ; yy 
from feme, who had gone that Voyage before; Captain 
Rogers, in the Duke , failed from Brijiol in the Month of 
June 1708; Captain Clipper ton in the Month of February 
1719 ; Yet, perhaps, there was not fo much in this Cir- 
cumftance as fome People imagine ; fince Sir John Nar- 
brough , who was an experienced Seaman, failed for the 
Streights of Magellan on the 26th of September 1669 ; and 
othe^ Inftances might be given of great Officers, who chofe 
this Seafon of the Y ear. „ 
They continued their Courfe, without meeting with any 
Accident of Importance, till, on October 28. they came to 
an Anchor in the Road of Funchal , off the Illand of Ma- 
deira, where they found two Privateer Sloops, who faluted 
the Commodore with nine Guns ; and were anfwered by 
feven. As this was a proper Place for taking in Water, 
Wine, and other Refreffiments, the Squadron made fome 
Stay, tho’ it was late in the Year. On the 30th, they cele- 
brated the Anniverfary of his Majefty’s Coronation; and, 
in the Beginning of the fucceeding Month, got every thing 
on board as faff as poffible, that they might be able to fail 
without Delay. 
4. While they continued in Funchal Road, Captain Nor- 
ris , of the Gloucejler , who was in a very ill State of Health, 
obtained Leave to return home; which occafioned fome 
Alteration in the Command : For Captain /Chi, of the Wager, 
Was made Captain of the Pearl , Captain Mitchell was re- 
moved from the Pearl into the Gloucejler , Captain Murray 
fucceeded Captain Kidd in the Wager , and Lieutenant Cheap 
was made Captain of the Trial Sloop. They had notice 
here of ten Sail, fuppofed to be Spanijh Ships, which were 
cruifmg on-andmff to the Weftward ; but one of the Pri- 
vateers, which was difpatched by the Commodore to look 
for them, returned without feeing them. 
On November 5; they left the Ifland of Madeira ; and 
proceeded on their Voyage, the Gloucejler having the In- 
dujiry Pink in Tow. On the 17th, they lay-to, to unlade 
the Induflry Tender; which took up two or three Days, and 
then fhe was difeharged. They had; all this time; very 
pleafant Weather ; and, on the 28 th; paffed the Line with 
a fair Wind. On the 30th, being in the Latitude of 4 0 
25' South, they obferved with great Aftonifhment, that 
the Sea glittered, and appeared like Fire, in the Night ; 
which, however, is a Phenomenon not very unufual in thofe 
Seas. In the Beginning of the Month of December , the 
Crew began to be fickly ; which they attributed chiefly to 
the heavy Rains they met with after they paffed the Equi- 
noffial. On the 13 th of that Month about Noon, they 
croffed the Tropic of Capricorn ; and, on the 19th, had 
Sight of the Wand of St. Catharine" s. 
On the 20th about Noon, they came to an Anchor; and 
the next Day, failing nearer to the Fort, came to an An- 
chor again, and faluted the Governor with eleven Guns. 
This Ifland, which lies upon the Coaft of Brafil , in the La- 
titude of 2 7 0 30' South, is very convenient for the Refrefh- 
ment of fuch Ships as are bound to the South Seas ; for it 
abounds with Oranges, Lemons, and other Fruits of that 
kind. Cabbage and Banana-trees, with excellent Potatoes, 
. frefh Water every-where in plenty, and vaft Quantities of 
Herbs, which feldom fail to relieve the Sick. The Go- 
vernor owns the Authority of the King of Portugal ; but, 
in other refpebts, the Wand produces no great Advantage 
to that Crown. As foon as the Squadron had anchored, 
the Commodore ordered a Tent to be fet up for the Ufe of 
the Sick, who were furnifhed with frefh Provifions, and 
whatever elfe was requifite for People in their Condition ; 
and in the mean time the Rigging was overhaled, the 
Trial Sloop had her Mails taken out, repaired, and fitted 
up again ; and all the Ships took in Wood, Water, and 
Provifions, with all the Expedition poffible. 
5. On January 18. 1741, about nine in the Morning, 
they failed from St. Catharine' s, the Governor of the Fort 
faluting them with eleven Guns ; and the Commodore re- 
turned the like Number. Notwithftanding the Care taken 
of th e, Trial Sloop at the Wand of St. Catharine' s, fhe was 
ftill in a very crazy Condition ; and on the 24th, the Plead 
of her Main-malt being carried away, and her Fore-maft 
iprung, the Gloucefter was forced to take her in Tow. On 
February 8 , the Men were put to fhort Allowance, having 
two Quarts of Water a Day. On the 1 ith, they had Sight 
of Land, which appeared low, flat, and fandy. Oh the 1 3 th^ 
they found themfelves off Cape Blanco , which appears, at 
a Diftance, like a long Table, the adjacent Country flat 
and low. For feveral Days afterwards, they faw abundance 
of Penguins, a Bird we have before deferibed, and other 
Water-fowl. On the 17th in the Afternoon, a Sail appear- 
ing, the Commodore made a Signal for the Gloucejler to 
chafe ; which fhe accordingly did, and, coming up with 
her about eleven, found her to be the Pearl , which had 
been feparated from the Squadron by an hard Gale on the 
2 2d of the laft Month. She had been chafed on the 7th by 
five large Spanijh Men of War, and efcaped from them in. 
the Night. Having thus rejoined the Squadron, they failed 
along-lhore in Search of the River of St. Julian . The next 
Day, they anchored on the Coaft in thirty-three Fathom 
Water, and lent in a Boat nearer the Shore to look for the 
Harbour. They had obferved, for feveral Days, that the 
Sea was difcoloured in many Places, and looked like Blood ; 
a thing often obferved before, and ufually attributed to a 
kind of Shrimps or Cray-fifti. The Land appeared rocky 
and barren, with feveral white Cliffs. They faw likewife a 
Mountain about eight Miles diftant, lying South-weft 
by Weft, Draped like a Sugar-loaf, and is called 
Woods-hill ; which is looked upon as the Mark of the Har- 
bour of St. Julian. The next Day, they entered the Har- 
bour fo famous for having received the Squadron com- 
manded by Magellan , when he firft difeovered a Paffage 
this Way into the South Sea, and for the Stay made here 
by Sir Francis Drake , in his Voyage round the World, as 
well as for the Mutinies of both their Crews in this Har- 
bour. 
6. Port St. Julian , on the Coaft of Patagonia , lies in 
the Latitude of 49 0 1 F South, and in the Longitude of 80® 
Weft from London. There is a Bar before the Harbour, 
where, at Low- water, there are not above ten Feet Water. 
The Harbour’s Mouth is in the Middle of the Bay, which 
cannot be difeovered without, becaufe of one Point Ihutting 
in the other. Juft without the Bar, lies a fmall flat Ifland, 
about a League from Land, which Drake called the IJland 
of true JiJiice, becaufe he there tried and executed Mr. 
Doughty. Over-againft this Ifland, the Land is high ; two 
Leagues farther to the South, it is low, and runs into a 
great Plain and Beach lying South South-weft and North 
North-eaft. At the South End of this Beach are high round 
Hills ; but the Sea-fide is a fteep white Cliff, moderately 
high, with a black Streak in it. The Hill over this Cliff 
rifes, as is before obferved, in the Form of a Sugar-loaf, 
having fome black Buffies on the Sides, tho’ there is neither 
Tree nor Bufti to be feen in the Neighbourhood. In the 
Middle of the Harbour, there is from feventeen to nineteen 
Feet Water, the Bottom a fine black Sand. The Flood 
runs here South South-weft, and the Ebb North North-eaft, 
at the Rate of two Miles and an half in the Hour. The 
Commodore hoifted his Long-boat, and lent on flhore two 
Lieutenants, with a Detachment, to examine the Country, 
and to go to the Salt-ponds, which lie about a League to 
the North-weft ; in which Expedition they employed two 
Days, and then returned with a confiderable Quantity of 
Salt ; but without feeing any Inhabitants. 
As this was the firft Land they had touched at fince their 
Departure from St. Catharine' s, and Captain Kidd of the 
Pearl dying in his Paffage, he was fucceeded by Captain 
Murray out of the Wager ; who had for his Succeffor Cap- 
tain Cheap , who commanded the Trial Sloop ; and his Lieu- 
tenant, Mr. Sanders , was appointed Commander of the 
Trial. There was a Report at this time in the Squadron, 
that Captain Kidd ftiould fay upon his Death-bed, That 
this Voyage, in which they had engaged with fo much 
Chearfulnefs, and fuch high Expectations of acquiring im- 
menfe Fortunes, would, in the End, produce Poverty, 
Vermin, Famine, Death, and DeftruCfion. I am perfuaded, 
from the Language, as well as the Spirit, of this pretended 
Prophecy, that it could never fall from the Lips of a Gentle- 
man bred in the Service. A11 Englijh Officer knows his 
Duty too well to make the Increafe of his Fortune the 
Caufe of his ferving his Country chearfully ; and would ne- 
ver breathe Difcontent amongft his Sailors by any fuch De- 
claration. I am therefore convinced, that this was after- 
wards invented by fuch, as wanted an Excufe to colour their 
own 
