Chap. L George Anson, Ejq ; , 343 
On the 1 2th of OBober the Ship’s Company launched 
their new VFffel, which they called the Speedwell , and began 
to o-et on board their Provifions. The Captain on his fide 
now turned his Thoughts to providing for his own Security •, 
and therefore defired, that the Queftion might be afked of 
the Deferters, whether they would follow his Fortunes, and 
endeavour to proceed to the Northward ? which was accord- 
ingly done, and eight of them readily embraced the Pro- 
pofal ; upon which the Ship’s Company agreed to make a 
proportionable Divifion of military Stores and Provifions, for 
the Ufe of the Captain, and thofe who (laid with him : And, 
at the fame time, to keep up that Appearance of Regularity 
that had hitherto been preferved in their Proceedings, they 
drew up another Paper, containing the Motives to their 
Conduft, in the following Words : 4 Thefe are to certify 
4 the Right Honourable the Lords Commiffioners for exe- 
4 curing the Office of Lord High Admiral of Great Bri - 
4 tain. That we whofe Names are under-mentioned, do 
4 beg Leave to acquaint your Lordfhips, Ihat Captain 
4 David Cheap , our late Commander in his Majefty’s Ship 
& Wager , having publicly declared, that he will never go 
4 off this Spot, at his own Requeft defires to be left be- 
c hind ; but Captain Pemberton , of his Majefcy’s Land- 
4 Forces, having confined him a Prifoner for the Death of 
4 Mr. Henry Cozens , Midfiiipman, with Lieutenant Ha- 
4 milton for breaking his Confinement, did infill on deli- 
4 vering them, upon the Beach, to the Charge of Lieutenant 
4 Beans : But he, with his Officers and People, confuting 
4 the ill Confequences that might attend carrying two Pri- 
4 foners off in fo fmall a Veffel, and for fo long and tedious 
4 a Paffage as we are likely to have •, and as they might have 
4 Opportunities of airing fuch Things in fecret, as may 
4 prove deftfudive to the whole Body •, and alfo, in regard 
4 to the chief Article of Life, as the greatefl Part of the 
4 People muft be obliged at every Place we flop, to go on 
4 fhore in Search of Provifions ; and there being now no lefs 
4 than eighty-one Souls in this fmall Veffel, which we hope 
4 to be delivered in : We therefore, to prevent any Diffi- 
4 culties to be added to the unforefeen we have to encoun- 
4 ter with, think proper to agree, in order to prevent Mur- 
4 der, to comply with Captain Cheap ’ s Requeft. The 
4 Surgeon alfo begs Leave to be left with him. Dated on 
4 board the Speedwell Schooner, in Cheap Bay , this 14th 
4 Day of Odioher , 1741.’ 
This Paper was figned by the Lieutenant, Mailer, Boat- 
fwain, Gunner, Carpenter, Surgeon’s Mate, and two Mailer’s 
Mates, as well as by Captain Pemberton ,and the Surgeon of 
the Land-Forces. It was figned the very Day that the 
People embarked •, and as we are now come to that Point, 
it will be neceffary to give a diflinlt Account of their Em- 
barkation. The Number of Perfons engaged in this bold 
Defign of palling through the Streights of Magellan in 
Boats was eighty-one, of whom fifty-nine took their Paf- 
fage in the Speedwell , twelve in the Cutter, and ten in the 
Barge but however it was not long before iome of them 
changed : For thofe who were in the Barge altered their 
Sentiments in a Day or two, and returned to Captain 
Cheap *, fo that now the Expedition was reduced to two 
fmall Veffels, with feventy-one Men on board. In the 
very Entrance of the Streights of Magellan they found them- 
felves obliged to abandon the Cutter : This was on the 
third of November , and gave thofe who were in the Speed- 
well inexpreffible Concern ; however, on the fixth they 
met with her again, and took her in Tow, but that very 
Night (he broke loofe, with one James Steward in her, and 
was never feen more. 
This Accident, and fome Difputes that arofe among them- 
felves, oc.cafioned fuch Feuds and. Animofities among our 
Adventurers, that a Party took it into their Heads to be 
fet afhore ; to which the reft, finding themfelves exceed- 
ingly crouded, readily agreed •, but at the fame rime infill- 
ed upon having a Certificate from them, that this was not 
an Ad of Compulfion, but the Refult of their own De- 
fire. And this Certificate, as I have hitherto given all their 
Papers, I think it alfo neceffary to tranfcribe. 4 Thefe 
4 are to certify the Right Honourable the Lords Commif- 
4 fioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral 
4 of Great Britain , &c. That we whofe Names are under- 
4 mentioned, fince the Misfortune of iofing the. Cutter, 
N UMB. 24. 
4 have confidered the Inconvemencies and Difficulties to 
4 be attended, where fo great a Number of People are to 
4 be carried off : Therefore we have requefted, and defired 
4 of the Officers and Company remaining of the fame VeL 
4 fel, to put us on fhore, with fuch Neceffaries of Life, as 
4 can be conveniently fpared out of the Veffeh We of cur 
4 own Free-will and Choice do indemnify all Perfons from 
4 ever being called to an Account, for putting us afhore, 
4 or leaving us behind, contrary to our Inclinations. Wit- 
4 nefs our Hands, on board the Speedwell Schooner, in the 
4 Lat. 50° 40' South, this 8th Day of November , 1741/* 
This was figned by Matthew Langley Gunner’s Mate, and 
ten more, who were landed on the Coaft of Patagonia , 
The Scheme they went upon was the finding the Cutter 5 or, 
if they did not fucceed in that, making a Canoe themfelves, 
in order to return to Captain Cheap. 
It is impoffible to defcribe the Miferies they endured in 
their Paffage thro’ the Streights , where, from time to time, 
they went afhore, to fhoot and fifh, but with very little 
Succefs : They likewife law the Indians , who inhabit the 
Country, frequently, but could obtain very little Affiflance 
from them ; and yet, in the midft of all this Mifery and 
Diftrefs, they made a Market of each others Necefljtiesj fo 
that, by the 15th, Flour was fold amongft them at twelve 
Shillings a Pound in the Morning, and before Night at a 
Guinea •, and in the mean time many perifhed, for v/ant 
of having Money or Effelts, to purchafe what was neceffary 
to fuflain them. By the End of the Month there were 
fix or eight dead of mere Plunger ; and one Thing Mr. 
Bulkeley informs us of, that is very fingular, viz. that all 
thefe People grew light-headed a little before their Death ; 
and, Iofing all Senfe of their Mifery, laughed and jelled 
till the very Moment they expired. On the 6th of Sep- 
tember they went afhore on. the South Side of the Sir eight, 
and purchafed from the Indians two Dogs, three Geefe, and 
a Piece of a Seale. Thefe Indians , as they defcribe them, 
are People of a middle Stature, and well fhaped. Their 
Complexion of a tawny Olive-colour •, their Hair exceeding 
black, but not very long : They have round Faces, and 
fmall Nofes, their Eyes little and black their Teeth are 
fmooth and even, dole fet, and of an incomparable White- 
nefs j they are very altive in Body, and run with a furpri- 
fing Agility ; they wear on their Heads white feathered 
Caps, their Bodies are covered with the Skins of Seales, and 
Guianacoes or Indian Sheep: As for the Women, they fled 
at the Sight of them, fo that they were able to give no 
Delcription of them. 
On the 7th they entered Frejh water Bay , where they 
filled one Cafk with Water. On the 8th they arrived at 
Elizabeth’ s IJland , where they met neither with Wood nor 
Water, as they expelled. On the nth they ran the Boat 
on Shore ; and after they got her off, were fo fortunate as 
to meet with frefih Water, with which they filled all their 
Cafks at once. The fame Day they lav/ Cape Virgin Mary,. 
which is at the oppofite Extremity of the Streights, through 
which they had now paffed in about a Month ; the Length 
of them, according to their Computation, being 116 
Leagues. On the 12 th, having doubled the Cape, and 
fleering along-fhore, they faw three Men on ITorfeback, 
riding towards them ; when they were over-againft them, 
the People flopp’d, and made Signals, waving their Hats, 
as if they defired to fpeak with them ; upon which they 
edged clofe to the Shore : Here they faw Seventeen more ; 
five of them only were on Horfeback, and rode in a Line 
before, and the reft were on Foot, and had a confiderable 
Drove of Cattle : They anchored within a Mile of the 
Shore, and the People ftill continued riding along the 
Beach, waving white Handkerchiefs to them, and making 
other Signs, by which they invited them on fhore, to 
which they were well enough inclined, and did all they 
could both that Night and the next Morning to compafs it ; 
but to no manner of Purpofe, the Wind blowing fo ftrong, 
that they were obliged to quit the Bay. 
On the 1 6th they arrived at Penguin Eland, and pro- 
ceeded from thence to Port Defire, where they met with 
Sele and Fowl in abundance. The Carpenter being on 
fhore here, found a Parcel of Bricks, fome of which had 
Letters cut in them: Upon one, thefe Words were very 
legible, 44 Captain Stir ait on, i€> Cannon, 168 7 Which they 
4 T conceived 
