A Voyage to the South Atlantic and round Cape Horn into the Pacific Ocean, etc./Chapter 11
1794.
Sept. 2.At ten in the morning of the second of September, we anchored in James's Bay, Saint Helena, and found riding there an outward-bound East-Indiaman and an American brig, from the Cape of Good Hope to Boston. I waited on the Governor, who received me with great politeness and gave me a general invitation to his house. The same civility I also received from the Lieutenant Governor, and was offered a supply of everything I wanted from the Company's Stores. I now became acquainted with the war between Great Britain and France; but it was very uncertain when a convoy would arrive. I determined, therefore, as my vessel was a very fine sailer, to make my stay here as short as possible; and accordingly, by Sept. 13.the thirteenth, the Governor having made up his packet, we sailed for England in perfect health.
On 23.the twenty-third of September, being in Latitude 4° 38′ 9″ North and Longitude 23° 22′ West, the wind varied to the Westward; and 28.on the twenty-eighth, in Latitude 24° 22′ North and Longitude 24° 3′ West, it got to the Northward of West, and continued to be variable between the North East and North, North West to South West. From this time we had very changeable, squally and thick weather till we made land. On October 11.the eleventh of October, the head of our mizzen-mast was gone; and on 15.the fifteenth, in a squall, the head of the main-mast sprung. On approaching the Western Isles we housed the boats, knocked down the try works, and fresh painted the ship, in order to assume as much as possible the appearance of a man of war. We saw several sail, between this arrangement and our making land, but did our utmost to avoid them.
On Nov. 1.the first of November, we made the Eddystone Light-house, and after reaching as high as we could, we hove to Dartmouth and sent the letters on shore. In the course of the night, we reached Portland; and stood off and on for day-light, when we ran up and anchored in Cowes road, Isle of Wight.
This voyage occupied twenty-two months, and after doubling Cape Horn, we met only with one English and two Spanish ships in the Pacific Ocean; nor did we touch at any known port but Rio Janeiro in going out, and Saint Helena on our return home. It is not the least of my satisfactions to mention, that except the loss of one man by an unforeseen accident, the whole of the crew consisting only of twenty-five men and boys, were preserved during this long, fatiguing, and perilous voyage.
FINIS.