340 ' The V O Y 
own bad Behaviour ; but, no doubt, the circulating fuch 
Stories had a very ill Effedt on the Minds of the Seamen, 
and, by depreffing their Spirits, contributed to produce the 
Mifchiefs, that they feemed to predict, The Squadron re- 
mained here about a Week, in which time they overhaled 
and repaired their Rigging, fupplied themfelves with Salt, 
and received their Proportion of Stores out of the Trial and 
Am Pink *, but, as they were not able to meet with Water 
•on that Coaft, their Allowance was reduced to a Quart a 
Man, and three Pints for the Sick. 
On the 27th, the Squadron failed •, and the Gloucejler , 
not being able to purchafe her Anchors, cut, and put to Sea, 
leaving her heft Bow-er, and a third of a Cable, behind. On 
March 4. they had Sight of Cape Virgin Mary , at the En- 
trance of the Streights of Magellan , bearing South-weft by 
South. On the 6th, they firft faw Terra del Fuego , an high 
rocky Shore, full of Precipices, the Tops of which were 
covered with Snow. 
7. On the 7th, at five in the Afternoon, the Signal was 
made to lie-to ; and, at four in the Morning, the Commo- 
dore fired ten Guns, as a Signal to make Sail. About 
feven, they had Sight of the Three Brothers on Terra del 
Fuego , at the very Entrance of the Streights of le Maire. 
At ten, they entered the Streights, with a brifk Gale, and a 
ftrong Current fetting in. CapeDiego on Terra del Fuego bore 
North-weft by Weft, diftant three Leagues •, and the oppo- 
fite Cape of St. Antonio on States-land Eaft North-eaft. 
Having the Wind and Tide with them, they were, by two 
in the Afternoon, quite through the Streights ; fo that a 
finer Paffage was never made. Thefe Streights of le Maire 
lie in the Latitude of 55 0 45' South, in a manner, due 
North and South. They are between feven and eight 
Leagues wide ; and the Paflfage through is very little more. 
The Land on both Sides confifts of high craggy Rocks, 
covered with Snow. The oppofite Capes, on the South 
Side of thefe Streights, are Cape Gonzales on Terra del 
Fuego , and Cape St. Bartholomew on States-land. The Wea- 
ther now began to grow extremely cold *, and, as they had 
hard Gales, and a rolling Sea from the South-weft, both 
Ships and Men buffered exceedingly, more efpecially the 
Gloucejler and the Wager. 
On the 27th, the Gloucejler made a Signal of Diftrefs, 
having broken her Main-yard j on which the Commodore 
ordered two Carpenters and a Smith, from the Pearl , to afiift 
in repairing it. On the 31ft, her Main-yard broke again ; 
and, on April 1. the Commodore ordered the Carpenter 
of the Wager on board her. On the 3d, fhe fhipped a Sea, 
that wafhed the Barge off the Boom, ftove the Pinnace, and 
filled her Long-boat full of Water, by which fhe buffered 
very much. On the 7th, a like Accident happened to her. 
On the 8th, the Wager loft her Mizen-maft ; and, upon 
a Roll of a Sea, all her Chain-plates broke to Windward. 
On the 9 th, the Ann Pink made a Signal of Diftrefs, having 
broke her Fore-Ray, and damaged her Bowfprit. 
8. On March 10. being in the Latitude of 54 0 South, 
they had Sight of two Ifiands, which bore from them North 
North-weft, about the Diftance of eight Leagues. They 
loft Sight this Day of the Severn and the Pearl-, which Ships 
repaffed the Streights of le Maire , and took Shelter on the 
Coaft of Brafil. On the 1 2th, they had very hard Gales 
at Weft ; and, between fix and feven in the Morning, a 
prodigious Sea broke into the Wager which carried Mr. 
Bulkeley , the Gunner of the Ship, who was Handing upon 
Deck, over the Wheel, bulged the Cutter, and filled the 
Long-boat full of Water. The Boatfwain was for heaving 
the Cutter overboard •, but the Gunner infifted upon having 
the Captain’s Directions, who was fick in his Cabin. He 
ordered her by all means to be faved •, which was accord- 
ingly done. The Carpenter of the Wager was all this time 
on board the Gloucejler. On the 13 th, the Commodore 
being then on the Weather-quarter of the Wager , bore down 
under her Lee, in order to fpeak with Captain Cheap •, and 
accordingly the Captain being brought upon Deck, the 
Commodore afked him, If the Carpenter was returned from 
the Gloucejler. The Captain anfwered. No , and I amfur- 
prifed Captain Mitchell ftiould detain him, when he knows 
I muft want him about my Mizen-maft. The Commodore 
told him. He would fpeak with the Gloucejler , and order 
kirn on board. He then afked the Captain, Why he did 
3 
AGES of Book L 
not fet the Main-top-fail, and make more Sail Captain 
Cheap anfwered, My Rigging is all gone, and broke fore- 
and-aft ; and my People almoft all taken ill, and down ; 
but I will fet him as. boon as poffible. The Commodore 
defired he would, and make what Sail he could after him. 
On the 14th, the Carpenter returned from the Gloucejler , it 
being the only Day in a Fortnight a Boat could live in the 
Sea. As boon as the Carpenter came on board, he waited 
on the Captain ; who ordered him to look on the Chain- 
plates and Chains, and to give his Opinion of the Mali’s 
going away. The Carpenter looked as ordered, and told 
Captain Cheap , That the Chain-plates were all broken. The 
Captain fhook his Head, and faid. Carpenter, That is not 
the Reafon of the Mali’s going away. The Carpenter, as 
the Mali was gone, not caring to charge it on any one’s 
Mifmanagement, or to occafion any Uneafinefs about what 
was now paft Prevention, fitted a Cap on the Stump of the 
Mizen-maft, got up a lower Studding-fail-boom of forty 
Feet, and hoifted a Sail to keep the Ship to. This Day, 
they faw Land in the Latitude of 54 0 5 , which, without 
doubt, was the Black Cape on the Coaft of Terra del Fuego. 
For fome Days after this, the Weather was moderately 
good ; and, having long enough doubled Cape Horne , there 
feemed to be no great Danger of parting Company. 
9. On April 19. there were fome hard Gales ; and they 
loft Sight of the Gloucejler and Wager , the latter of which 
they never faw again ; a very ftrange Accident, confider- 
ing they had now'' better Weather than at any time fince their 
palling the Streights, and w^re but at a moderate Diftance 
from the Ifiand of Juan Fernandez. But we fhall hereafter 
refume this Subjedt, tho’ a very difagreeable one. 
They were now extremely afflidted with the Scurvy 
aboard the Centurion. On board the Gloucejler , the 
People were in a miferable Condition, there being fo many 
confined to their Beds, that they had fcarce enough to do 
the Bufinefs of the Ship, and at the fame time fo extremely 
peftered with Rats, that they could hardly bleep, their fick 
Men having their Toes eaten off ; and, as there were ten or 
twelve died a Day, their Corpfes were dreadfully disfigured 
by thefe rapacious Enemies. On May 16. they had Sight 
of Land, which bore Eaft North-eaft, which they took to be 
the Ifiand of Socora. The next Morning, it blowing fo 
hard, and the Wind frequently veering, a Confutation was 
held, in which it was very prudently refolved to bear away 
for the Ifiand of Juan Fernandez , in order to refrefh and 
refit. About two in the Afternoon their Fore-ftay blew 
from the Stay ; and foon after, the Fore-fail Iplit to Pieces. 
About Noon, they faw feveral high Mountains, covered 
with Snow *, and the next Day at ten, having then mode- 
rate Weather, they faw them very plain ; and then they 
feemed to them to be Elands. 
On the 2 1 ft, the Ship’s Company of the Gloucejler were 
reduced to a Pint of Water per Day, except the Sick, who 
were ftill allowed a Quart. On the 23 d, the high Land 
bore Eaft South-eaft, diftant about two Leagues, in the La- 
titude of about 48° South, a ftrong Current fetting here to 
the Weftward. On the 23d, they had little Wind in the 
Morning j but, towards Night, hard Gales, a very great 
Sea, and a violent Swell ; which did much Damage to their 
Rigging and Sails. They likewife fhipped a great Sea, 
which diftreffed them exceedingly, being now in a moft 
deplorable Condition, not a Top-fail-yard in the Ship, nor 
a Carpenter, whofe Health would permit him to work, in 
order to repair them ; fo that they were forced to bend a 
Sprit-fail for a Top-fail, the Ship at the fame time very 
leaky, and not Men enough in Health to work her. On 
the 30th, they faved a Butt of Rain-water. On June 1. 
they faved a Puncheon, which was of great Service for the 
Relief of their Sick. The Weather was fo moderate during 
the fucceeding Week, that the few Men who were well had 
not fo much Fatigue as before ; and on the 8th, about four 
in the Afternoon, they faw, to their great Joy, the Eland 
of Juan Fernandez , their firft Place of general Rendefvous, 
lying Weft by South, at the Diftance of about thirteen 
Leagues. On the 9th, freih Gales, and cloudy, with fome 
Showers of Rain, and a great Sea, the Body of the Ifiand 
being then diftant about four Leagues. 
10. On the 10th, about two in the Afternoon, they an- 
chored in twenty Fathom Water, under the Land. The 
firft 
