A Continuation of a Voyage to New Holland Part 8

In the afternoon with the help of a seabreeze I ran into 7 fathom and anch.o.r.ed; then carried a small anchor ash.o.r.e and warped in till I came into 3 fathom and a half. Where having fastened her I made a raft to carry the men's chests and bedding ash.o.r.e; and before 8 at night most of them were ash.o.r.e. In the morning I ordered the sails to be unbent, to make tents; and then myself and officers went ash.o.r.e. I had sent ash.o.r.e a puncheon and a 36 gallon cask of water with one bag of rice for our common use: but great part of it was stolen away before I came ash.o.r.e, and many of my books and papers lost.

THEY FIND WATER UPON THE ISLAND.

On the 26th following we, to our great comfort, found a spring of fresh water about 8 miles from our tents, beyond a very high mountain which we must pa.s.s over: so that now we were, by G.o.d's Providence, in a condition of subsisting some time; having plenty of very good turtle by our tents, and water for the fetching. The next day I went up to see the watering-place, accompanied with most of my officers. We lay by the way all night and next morning early got thither; where we found a very fine spring on the south-east side of the high mountain, about half a mile from its top: but the continual fogs make it so cold here that it is very unwholesome living by the water. Near this place are abundance of goats and land-crabs. About 2 mile south-east from the spring we found 3 or 4 shrubby trees, upon one of which was cut an anchor and cable, and the year 1642. About half a furlong from these we found a convenient place for sheltering men in any weather. Hither many of our men resorted; the hollow rocks affording convenient lodging; the goats, land-crabs, men-of-war-birds and b.o.o.bies good food; and the air was here exceeding wholesome.

AND ARE BROUGHT BACK TO ENGLAND.

About a week after our coming ash.o.r.e our men that lived at this new habitation saw two ships making towards the island. Before night they brought me the news; and I ordered them to turn about a score of turtle to be in readiness for their ships if they should touch here: but before morning they were out of sight, and the turtle were released again. Here we continued without seeing any other ship till the second of April; when we saw 11 sail to windward of the island: but they likewise pa.s.sed by.

The day after appeared 4 sail, which came to anchor in this bay. They were His Majesty's ships the Anglesey, Hastings and Lizard; and the Canterbury East India ship. I went on board the Anglesey with about 35 of my men; and the rest were disposed of into the other 2 men-of-war.

We sailed from Ascension the 8th; and continued aboard till the 8th of May: at which time the men-of-war, having missed St. Jago, where they designed to water, bore away for Barbados: but I being desirous to get to England as soon as possible took my pa.s.sage in the ship Canterbury, accompanied with my master, purser, gunner, and 3 of my superior officers.