A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Xii Part 15

On the 26th and 27th, being in lat.i.tude 34 16', and becalmed, we had several observations, by which we determined the longitude of the ship to be 323 30'; and it appeared that we were several degrees to the eastward of our reckoning.

At six in the evening, of the 30th of January, we saw land, and on the 4th of February, we anch.o.r.ed in Table Bay, at the Cape of Good Hope.

Our run from Prince's Island to the Cape was, by our reckoning, 89 degrees longitude, which makes the longitude of the Cape 345 W.; but the longitude of the Cape being, by observation, 342 4', it appeared that the ship was three degrees to the eastward of her reckoning.

SECTION XII.

_An Account of our Transactions at the Cape of Good Hope, and of the Return of the Dolphin to England_.

As soon as the ship was at anchor, I sent an officer on sh.o.r.e, with the usual compliments to the governor, who received him with great civility, telling him that we were welcome to all the refreshments and a.s.sistance that the Cape afforded, and that he would return our salute with the same number of guns.

We found riding here a Dutch commodore, with sixteen sail of Dutch East Indiamen, a French East India ship, and the Admiral Watson, Captain Griffin, an East India packet-boat, for Bengal. We saluted the governor with thirteen guns, and he returned the same number; the Admiral Watson saluted us with eleven guns, and we returned nine; the French ship afterwards saluted us with nine guns, and we returned seven.

Having got off some mutton for the ship's company, with plenty of greens, I sent the surgeon on sh.o.r.e to hire quarters for the sick, but he could procure none for less than two shillings a day, and a stipulation to pay more, if any of them should take the small-pox, which was then in almost every house, in proportion to the malignity of the disease. The first expence being great, and it appearing, upon enquiry, that many of our people had never had the small-pox, so that the increase was likely to be considerable, besides the danger, I requested the governor's permission to erect a tent upon a s.p.a.cious plain, at about two miles distance from the town, called Green Point, and to send my people on sh.o.r.e thither during the day, under the care of an officer, to prevent their straggling. This permission the governor immediately granted, and gave orders that they should suffer no molestation.

In this place, therefore, I ordered tents to be erected, and the surgeon and his mate, with proper officers, to attend; at the same time strictly charging that no man should be suffered to go into the town, and that no liquor should be brought to the tents. All the sick, except two, left the ship early in the morning, with their provisions and firing; and for those that were reduced to great weakness, I ordered the surgeon to procure such extraordinary provisions as he should think proper, particularly milk, though it was sold at an excessive price. About six in the evening they returned on board, and seemed to be greatly refreshed. At the same time, being extremely ill myself, I was obliged to be put on sh.o.r.e, and carried about eight miles up the country, where I continued all the time the ship lay here; and when she was ready to sail, returned on board without having received the least benefit.

No time, however, was lost in refitting the vessel: The sails were all unbent, the yards and top-masts struck, the forge was set up, the carpenters were employed in caulking, the sail-makers in mending the sails, the cooper in repairing the casks, the people in overhauling the rigging, and the boats in filling water.

By the 10th of February, the heavy work being nearly dispatched, twenty of the men who had had the small-pox, were permitted to go ash.o.r.e at the town, and others, who were still liable to the distemper, were landed at some distance, with orders to go into the country, and return in the evening, which they punctually obeyed: This liberty, therefore, was continued to them all the while the vessel lay at this port, which produced so good an effect, that the ship's company, except the sick, who recovered very fast, had a more healthy and vigorous appearance than when they left England. We purchased here the necessaries that we endeavoured to procure at Batavia, at a reasonable price, besides canva.s.s and other stores; we also procured fresh water by distillation, princ.i.p.ally to shew the captains of the Indiamen, and their officers, that, upon an emergency, wholesome water might be procured at sea. At five o'clock in the morning, we put fifty-six gallons of salt water into the still, at seven it began to run, and in about five hours and a quarter afforded us two-and-forty gallons of fresh water, at an expence of nine pounds of wood, and sixty-nine pounds of coals. Thirteen gallons and two quarts remained in the still, and that which came off had no ill taste, nor, as we had often experienced, any hurtful quality. I thought the shewing this experiment of the more consequence, as the being able to allow plenty of water not only for drink, but for boiling any kind of provision, and even for making tea and coffee, especially during long voyages, and in hot climates, conduces greatly to health, and is the means of saving many lives. I never once put my people to an allowance of water during this whole voyage, always using the still when we were reduced to five-and-forty tons, and preserving the rain water with the utmost diligence. I did not, however, allow water to be fetched away at pleasure, but the officer of the watch had orders to give such as brought provisions of any kind, water sufficient to dress it, and a proper quant.i.ty also to such as brought tea and coffee.

On the 25th, the wood and water being nearly completed, and the ship almost ready for sea, I ordered everybody to go on board, and the sick tents to be brought off; the people being so well recovered, that in the whole ship's company there were but three men unable to do duty, and happily, since our leaving Batavia, we had lost but three. The next day, and the day following, the carpenters finished caulking all the out-works, the fore-castle, and the main-deck; we got all our bread on board from the sh.o.r.e, with a considerable quant.i.ty of straw, and thirty-four sheep for sea-stores. In the mean time I came on board, and having unmoored, lay waiting for a wind till the evening of Thursday the 3d of March, when a breeze springing up, we got under sail. While we were on sh.o.r.e at Green Point, we had an opportunity of making many celestial observations, by which we determined Table Bay to lie in lat.i.tude 34 2' S., longitude, from Greenwich, 18 8' E. The variation of the needle, at this place, was 19 30' W.

On the 7th, being in lat.i.tude 29 33' S., longitude, by account, 347 38', the ship was eight miles to the northward of her dead reckoning.

On the 13th, having sailed westward 360 degrees from the meridian of London, we had lost a day; I therefore called the latter part of this day Monday, March 14th.

At six o'clock in the evening, of Wednesday the 16th, we saw the island of St Helena, at the distance of about fourteen leagues; and at one the next morning, brought-to. At break of day, we made sail for the island, and at nine, anch.o.r.ed in the bay. The fort saluted us with thirteen guns, and we returned the same number. We found riding here the Northumberland Indiaman, Captain Milford, who saluted us with eleven guns, and we returned nine. We got out all the boats as soon as possible, and sent the empty casks to be filled with water; at the same time several of the people were employed to gather purslain, which grows here in great plenty. About two o'clock, I went on sh.o.r.e myself and was saluted by the fort with thirteen guns, which I returned. The governor and the princ.i.p.al gentlemen of the island did me the honour to meet me at the water-side, and having conducted me to the fort, told me, that it was expected I should make it my home during my stay.

By noon the next day, our water was completed, and the ship was made ready for sea; soon after, she was unmoored, to take advantage of the first breeze, and at five in the afternoon, I returned onboard. Upon my leaving the sh.o.r.e, I was saluted with thirteen guns, and soon after, upon getting under way, I was saluted with thirteen more, both which I returned; the Northumberland Indiaman then saluted me with thirteen guns, so did the Osterley, which arrived here the evening before I made sail, and I returned the compliment with the same number.

On the 21st, in the evening, we saw several men of war birds; and at midnight, heard many birds about the ship. At five o'clock in the morning of the 23d, we saw the Island of Ascension; and at eight, discovered a ship to the eastward, who brought-to, and hoisted a jack at her main-topmast-head, upon which we shewed our colours, and she then stood in for the land again. We ran down close along the north-east side of the island, and looked into the bay, but seeing no ship there, and it blowing a stiff gale, I made the best of my way.

On Monday the 28th, we crossed the equator, and got again into north lat.i.tude.

On Wednesday, the 13th of April, we pa.s.sed a great quant.i.ty of gulph weed; and on the 17th, we pa.s.sed a great deal more. On the 19th, we saw two flocks of birds, and observing the water to be discoloured, we thought the ground might be reached, but, upon sounding, could find no bottom.

At five o'clock in the morning of Sunday the 24th, we saw the peak of the island of Pico bearing N.N.E. at the distance of about eighteen leagues. We found, by observation, that Fyal lies in lat.i.tude 38 20'

N., longitude 28 30' W. from London.

No incident worth recording happened till about noon on the 11th of May, when, being in lat.i.tude 48 44' N., longitude 7 16' W. we saw a ship in chace of a sloop, at which she fired several guns. We bore away, and at three, fired a gun at the chace, and brought her to; the ship to windward, being near the chace, immediately sent a boat on board her, and soon after, Captain Hammond, of his majesty's sloop the Savage, came on board of me, and told me, that the vessel he had chaced, when he first saw her, was in company with an Irish wherry, and that as soon as they discovered him to be a man of war, they took different ways; the wherry hauled the wind, and the other vessel bore away. That he at first hauled the wind, and stood after the wherry, but finding that he gained no ground, he bore away after the other vessel, which probably would also have escaped, if I had not stopped her, for that he gained very little ground in the chace. She appeared to be laden with tea, brandy, and other goods, from Roscoe in France; and though she was steering a south-west course, pretended to be bound to Bergen in Norway. She belonged to Liverpool, was called the Jenny, and commanded by one Robert Christian. Her brandy and tea were in small kegs and bags; and all appearances being strongly against her, I detained her, in order to be sent to England.

At half an hour after five, on the 13th, we saw the islands of Scilly; on the 19th, I landed at Hastings in Suss.e.x; and at four the next morning, the ship anch.o.r.ed safely in the Downs, it being just 637 days since her weighing anchor in Plymouth Sound. To this narrative, I have only to add, that the object of the voyage being discovery, it was my constant practice, during the whole time of my navigating those parts of the sea which are not perfectly known, to lie-to every night, and make sail only in the day, that nothing might escape me.

_A Table of the Lat.i.tudes and the Longitudes West of London, with the Variation of the Needle, at several Ports, and Situations at Sea, from Observations made on board his Majesty's Ship the Dolphin; and her Nautical Reckoning during the Voyage which she made round the World in the Years 1766, 1767, 1768, under the Command of Captain Samuel Wallis_.

Long.

Time Lat.i.tude Longitude observed by Vari Names of Places. when. in. supposed. Dr Maskeline's -ation.

Method.

1766.

Lizard Aug. 22. 50 0 N. 5 14' W. ------- 21 O' W.

Funchall R. Madeira Sept. 8. 32 35 N. 18 0 W. 16 40' W. 14 10 W.

Port Praja St Jaga Sept. 24. 14 53 N. 23 50 W. ---------- 8 20 W.

Port Desire Dec. 8. 47 56 S. 67 20 W. 66 24 W. 23 15 E.

Cape Virgin Mary Dec. 17. 52 24 S. 70 4 W. 69 6 W. 23 0 E.

1766.

Point Possessum Dec. 23. 54 30 S. 70 11 W. 69 50 W. 22 40 E.

Point Porpa.s.s Dec. 26. 53 8 S. 71 0 W. 71 30 W. 22 50 E.

Port Famine Dec. 27. 53 43 S. 71 0 W. 71 32 W. 22 30 E.

1767.

Cape Froward Jan. 19. 54 3 S. -------- -------- 22 40 E.

Cape Holland Jan. 20. 53 58 S. -------- -------- 22 40 E.

Cape Gallant Jan. 23. 53 50 S. -------- -------- 22 40 E.

York Road Feb. 4. 53 40 S. -------- -------- 22 30 E.

Cape Quod Feb. 17. 53 33 S. -------- -------- 32 35 E.

Cape Notch Mar. 4. 43 22 S. -------- -------- 23 0 E.

Cape Upright Mar. 18. 53 5 S. -------- -------- 22 40 E.

Cape Pillar April 11. 52 46 S. 76 0 W. -------- 13 0 E.

At Sea April 21. 12 30 S. 96 30 W. 95 46 W. 12 0 E.

At Sea May 4. 28 12 S. 99 0 W. 96 30 W. 6 0 E.

At Sea May 20. 21 0 S. 99 0 W. 106 47 W. 5 0 E.

At Sea May 23. 20 20 S. 116 54 W. 112 64 W. 5 0 E.

At Sea June 1. 10 38 S. 132 0 W. 127 45 W. 5 9 E.

At Sea June 3. 19 30 S. 132 30 W. 129 50 W. 5 40 E.

Whitsunday Island June 7. 19 26 S. 141 0 W. 137 56 W. 6 0 E.

Q. Charlottes's Isl. June 8. 19 18 S. 141 4 W. 138 4 W. 5 20 E.

Egmont Island June 11. 19 20 S. 141 27 W. 138 30 W. 6 0 E.

D. of Glouces. Isl. June 12. 19 11 S. 143 8 W. 140 6 W. 7 10 E.

D. of c.u.mtberl. Isl. June 13. 19 18 S. 143 44 W. 140 34 W. 7 0 E.

Pr. Wm. Henry's Isl. June 15. 19 0 S. 144 4 W. 141 6 W. 7 0 E.

Osnaburgh Island June 17. 17 51 S. 150 27 W. 147 30 W. 6 0 E.

K. Geo. } S.E. end June 19. 17 48 S. 151 30 W. 148 15 W. 6 0 E.

III's Isl.} N.W. end July 4. 17 30 S. 152 0 W. 150 0 W. 5 50 E.

D. of York's Island July 27. 17 28 S. 152 12 W. 150 16 W. 6 0 E.

Sir C. Saunders's IslJuly 28. 17 28 S. 153 2 W. 151 4 W. 6 30 E.

Lord Howe's Island July 30. 16 46 S. 156 38 W. 154 15 W. 7 40 E.

Solly Island July 31. 16 28 S. 157 22 W. 155 30 W. 8 0 E.

Boscawen's Island Aug. 13. 15 50 S. 177 20 W. 175 10 W. 9 0 E.

Aug. Keppel's Island Aug. 13. 15 53 S. 177 23 W. 175 13 W. 10 0 E.

Wallis's Island Aug. 17. 13 18 S. 180 0 W. 177 0 W. 10 0 E.

Piscadores } S. end Sept. 3. 1 0 N. 195 0 W. 192 30 W. 10 0 E.

Islands } N. end 11 20 N. 195 25 W. 193 0 W. 10 0 E.

Pinias Sept. 30. 14 58 N. 215 40 W. 214 10 W. 6 20 E.

At Sea Oct. 17. 16 10 N. 218 0 W. 216 25 W. 5 15 E.

Grafton's Island Oct. 29. 21 4 N. 241 0 W. 239 0 W. 1 3 W.