A Voyage to Terra Australis Volume I Part 22

After making their dispositions, the two commanders sent to inform the Portuguese governor, that His Britannic Majesty, considering the probability of an attack from the French upon the island, had sent troops to a.s.sist in its defence; and they demanded permission for the forces to land. A council was called by the governor; and it being agreed that even were they inclined yet no effectual resistance could be made, the permission was given, and a place a.s.signed for the encampment of the troops to the west of the town. A part of the 85th was afterwards quartered in the Loo Fort and in that of St. Diego, which command both the town and the road; and the men were employed in putting these fortifications into a state of defence.

These arrangements caused no change in the administration of the government, nor in the trade of the island; but the governor was said to be not satisfied that his conduct would be approved. On the day of our arrival, he received intelligence of peace being concluded between Portugal and Spain, but that the war with France was continued; and before we sailed, His Majesty's sloop Voltigeur brought despatches from the Court of Lisbon, which directed the governor to receive the British troops; and it was supposed that every thing connected with the defence of the island would be committed to them. This was the state of things when I took leave of captain Bowen and of colonel Clinton.

Water, wine, and fresh beef, were the supplies procured at Madeira. Wine for the ship's company was charged at the enormous price of 5s. 8d. per gallon, and the beef at 10d. per pound; I therefore took only small quant.i.ties of each. For good Madeira, we paid as much as 42. the pipe.

Fruit and onions were in abundance, and probably were not of less advantage to the health of the people than the more expensive articles.

The lat.i.tude observed in Funchal Road was 32 37' 44" north. The longitude, as given in the Requisite Tables, is 17 6' 15" west; but in the _Connoissance des Temps_ for 1792, it is laid down by a member of the Academy of Sciences, probably the _Chevalier de Borda_, at 16 56' from Greenwich. Arnold's watch No. 1736, in my care, gave 16 22' 42", and the greatest longitude shown by any of the six time keepers was 16 54' 26".

This was given by Earnshaw's watch No. 465, which had kept an uniform rate during fifteen months previously to its being brought on board. We made use of this watch to reduce some lunar observations taken a few days before arriving, and others after sailing, to the place of anchorage; and the result was as follows:

Ten sets of distances, east and west of the moon, taken by Mr. Crosley in Funchal Bay and afterwards, with a Troughton's s.e.xtant, 16 59' 21" W.

Eight sets,* east and west, taken by me with a Troughton's circle and two s.e.xtants, before and afterwards, 16 51 28 -------------- West longitude of Funchal by lunar observations, 16 55 24 --------------

[* Four of these are uncorrected for the errors of the lunar and solar tables. They were taken Aug. 29, on which day no observation of the moon was made at Greenwich; and the errors observed on the 27th and 30th were so irregular, that no proportion can be made between them with any prospect of accuracy. Were the errors of the 30th applied, the longitude of Funchal would be 4' less.]

We were therefore induced to prefer the 16 56', in the Connoissance des Temps, as being nearer the true longitude of Funchal from Greenwich, than the 17 6' 15" of the Requisite Tables.

Every person had returned on board on Friday morning; and a young man, a native of Ireland, who had been sent here sick in a French cartel, applying to go the voyage, I ordered him to be entered, on the surgeon reporting him to be a fit man for His Majesty's service.

FROM MADEIRA--TOWARDS THE CAPE

On quitting Funchal Road, we were taken aback, at two o'clock, by the east-north-east wind, about two miles off Brazen Head. It blew so strong as to make it necessary to clew down all the sails; and until next morning [SAt.u.r.dAY AUGUST 8], nothing above close-reefed top sails could be carried with safety. At noon, the log gave 162 miles from Funchal; but the cloudy weather did not admit of taking observations.

SUNDAY 9 AUGUST 1801

At daybreak of the 9th the island Palma was in sight, bearing S. 72 E.

ten or twelve leagues. Albacores and bonitas now began to make their appearance, and the officers and men were furnished with hooks and lines, and our harpoons and fizgigs were prepared. This day I ordered lime juice and sugar to be mixed with the grog; and they continued to be given daily to every person on board, until within a short time of our arrival at the Cape of Good Hope.

SAt.u.r.dAY 15 AUGUST 1801

We carried fair, and generally fresh winds, until the 15th in the morning, when St. Antonio, the north-westernmost of the Cape-Verde Islands was in sight. At eight o'clock, the extremes bore N. 69 E. and S. 13 W., and the nearest part was distant four miles; in which situation no bottom could be found at 75 fathoms. A boat was observed near the sh.o.r.e, and our colours were hoisted; but no notice appeared to be taken of the ship.

The north-west side of St. Antonio is four or five leagues in length; and rises abruptly from the sea, to hills which are high enough to be seen fifteen, or more leagues from a ship's deck. These barren hills are intersected by gullies, which bore marks of much water having pa.s.sed down them. By the side of one of these gullies, which was near the place where we lost sight of the boat, there was a path leading up into the interior of the island. The south-west and south points are low; they lie N. 14 W. and S. 14 E. and are five or six miles asunder. Between them, the land hollows back so as to form somewhat of a bay, which, if it afford good anchorage, as it is said to do, would shelter a ship from all winds between north and east-south-east. We did not observe any beach at the head of the bay, perhaps from having pa.s.sed at too great a distance.

No observations could be taken for fixing the situation of this island; but in 1795, Mr. Crosley and myself made the high land near the south-west point to lie in 17 00' north, and by uncorrected lunar observations, in 25 12' west; which agrees well with the position of the north-west point, as given by captain Vancouver.* The variation from azimuth on the evening of the 14th, before making the land, was 13 51'

west, and 13 3' this evening, when four leagues to the west of it; the compa.s.s being placed on the binnacle, and the ship's head south-south-west (magnetic) in both cases. The true variation here, at this time, I judge to have been 12 24' west. Captain Vancouver observed 12 32', in 1791; but it does not appear how the ship's head was directed.

[* _Voyage round the World_, Vol. I. page 10.]

Some distant land opened from the south point of St. Antonio, at S. 75 E.; which I took to be a part of the island St. Lucia.

During the three days before making St. Antonio, the wind varied from the regular north-east trade, to east-north-east, and as far as south-east-by-east; and about the time of seeing the land, it dwindled to a calm. For three days afterwards it was light, and variable between north and south-east; after which it sometimes blew from the north-west and south-west, and sometimes from the eastward. These variable winds, with every kind of weather, but most frequently with rain, continued until the 23rd [SUNDAY], in lat.i.tude 11 north and longitude 23 west; when a steady breeze set in from the south-westward, and the weather became more settled and pleasant. The clouds were sufficiently dense to keep off the intense heat of the vertical sun, but did not often prevent us from obtaining daily observations for the lat.i.tude and longitude. At the same time with the south-west wind came a swell from the southward, which made the ship plunge considerably; and so far opened her leaks, that she again made two inches of water in the hour.

THURSDAY 27 AUGUST 1801

On the 27th, in lat.i.tude 6 north and longitude 17 west, a noddy was caught, and next day a swallow was found dead in my sleeping cabin. This poor little bird had been our companion for three or four days before, and had become a favourite. It was generally seen darting past the lee scuttles and ports, apparently after the flies which were carried out by the streams of air; sometimes it alighted upon the boats which hung on the ship's quarters, and more than once rested itself in the cabin where, at length, it was found dead.

WEDNESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 1801

The south-western winds continued to blow without intermission, and drove us, much against my inclination, far to the eastward, towards the coast of Africa. One or two attempts were made to go upon the western tack; but this could not be done with any advantage until the 2nd of September, when we were in lat.i.tude 3 50' north, and longitude 11 west. The wind had veered gradually round, from south-west to south, as we approached the African coast, to the direction of which it kept at nearly a right angle. I had not fully adverted to the probability, that the winds blowing upon this coast would prevail to a greater extent at this season than at any other time of the year; otherwise, as I wished to avoid Africa, I should have pa.s.sed some degrees to the westward of the Cape-Verde Islands, and probably have carried the north-east trade to the 12th, or perhaps to the 10th degree of north lat.i.tude; and in 8, or at furthest in 6, the south-east trade might have been expected.

Captain Cook, in his second voyage, experienced the same south-western winds, and was carried so far eastward, that he crossed the equator in longitude 8 west. Monsieur de la Perouse also experienced them, and both were here at the same season with ourselves; that is, in the months of August and September, when the African continent had received its greatest degree of heat.

Although I preferred to avoid Africa, it is by no means certain that a good pa.s.sage to the Cape of Good Hope may not be made, especially at this season, by steering round the Bight of Benin with the south-west and south winds. It is probable, that on approaching the meridian of Greenwich the wind would be found to return to the south-west, and perhaps more westward, and enable a ship to reach the 10th degree of south lat.i.tude before meeting the south-east trade; in which case, the circuit to be made before attaining the western winds beyond the southern tropic, would be much shortened. The East-India-Company's ships bound to St. Helena, do, I believe, now generally follow that route.

The leakiness of the ship increased with the continuance of the south-west winds; and at the end of a week, amounted to five inches of water an hour. It seemed, however, that the leaks were mostly above the water's edge, for on tacking to the westward they were diminished to two inches. This working of the oak.u.m out of the seams indicated a degree of weakness which, in a ship destined to encounter every hazard, could not be contemplated without uneasiness. The very large ports, formerly cut in the sides to receive thirty-two-pound carronades, joined to what I had been able to collect from the dock yard officers, had given me an unfavourable opinion of her strength; and this was now but too much confirmed. Should it be asked, why representations were not made, and a stronger vessel procured? I answer, that the exigencies of the navy were such at that time, that I was given to understand no better ship could be spared from the service; and my anxiety to complete the investigation of the coasts of Terra Australis did not admit of refusing the one offered.

THURSDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 1801

The wind was at south when we tacked to the westward; but it shortly veered to south-by-east, and as far as south-east-by-south, which enabled me to look up for the small _Isle Sable_, or St. Paul, said to lie in 0 25' south, and about 18 west. I was desirous of ascertaining the true position of this, and of some other small islands, laid down in the neighbourhood of the equator. They are placed so much in the tracks, both of outward and homeward bound ships, that it was not improbable some one of the vessels missed at different times, might have suffered shipwreck upon them; and the hope that we might be the happy means of restoring to their country and friends some unfortunate fellow creatures, perhaps countrymen, was an additional incitement to look after them.

MONDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 1801

On the 7th, our lat.i.tude was 0 43' north, and we expected to cross the equator some time in the following night. It was a part of my plan for preserving the health of the people, to promote active amus.e.m.e.nts amongst them, so long as it did not interfere with the duties of the ship; and therefore the ancient ceremonies used on this occasion, were allowed to be performed this evening; and the ship being previously put under snug sail, the seamen were furnished with the means, and the permission, to conclude the day with merriment. At noon next day, the lat.i.tude was 0 17' south, and longitude 17 7' west; so that the _line_ had been crossed in nearly 17, about seven in the morning [TUESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER].

From the longitude of 11, we had been constantly attended by that species of the pelican called man-of-war bird by our seamen, and _fregate_ by the French; but not one of them was to be seen at this time, although we were drawing near to the supposed situation of St. Paul. At four in the afternoon, our lat.i.tude was judged to be 0 29' south; and the course then steered was west, by compa.s.s, for a current of ten miles to the north had fully counteracted the western variation on the two preceding days. On the 9th [WEDNESDAY], the lat.i.tude was 0 43' south, and longitude 18 35'. We ran northward four hours, finding the current had not prevailed as before; and then steered in the parallel of the island. Next day at noon [THURSDAY 10 SEPTEMBER], our situation was in 0 22' south and 20 5' west; and seeing no land, nor any signs of being in its neighbourhood, I gave up the search after the island, and hauled south-westward on our way to the Cape of Good Hope.

In the morning, I had observed the variation with Walker's meridional compa.s.s, when the ship's head was W. by N. (magnetic); upon the binnacle it gave 14 30', and on the booms 13' 0' west. Thus the difference, arising from a change of place in the compa.s.s, appeared to diminish sensibly as we approached the magnetic equator. The true variation I judge to have been 13 11' west.

During the two nights of our search for St. Paul's, the quant.i.ty of sail was so reduced that not more than ten or twelve leagues should be pa.s.sed between dusk and daylight; by which means the view astern, in the morning, nearly reached to the horizon of the preceding evening, and any thing, a little elevated above the surface of the water, could scarcely escape being seen from the mast head, more especially as we were fortunate in having distinct views towards each setting and rising sun.

The look-out, also, was particularly attended to; for at this time was commenced the system which, in all similar cases, I intended to pursue throughout the voyage. A part of this plan was an order to the three warrant officers to take charge of the look-out betwixt dark and daylight, and to be answerable for the vigilance with which it should be executed, both in their own persons, and in those who were placed upon the same duty under them. The leisure usually enjoyed by this cla.s.s of officers, particularly by the gunner and carpenter, I conceived to admit of this abridgment, without injury to their ordinary sea duties.

I had twice before crossed the equator, at the respective distances of twenty-six and seventy-three miles to the west of where our search for the Isle of St. Paul ceased; and Mr. Thistle, the master, had crossed the parallel of 25' south, in longitude 22 12', a few months before; indeed if the Isle had existed between the longitudes of 20 and 25, it must have been repeatedly seen. I therefore think it may be a.s.serted, that there is no land between 17 and 25 west, either in, or about the lat.i.tude of 25' south. The track of Mons. de la Perouse cuts that parallel in longitude 16; and he saw no other marks of the vicinity of land than the man-of-war birds which had followed him for several days.

If the presence of these birds be any indication of land, I should suppose that there was some lying between the 11th and 16th degrees of west longitude; and if such an island as St. Paul exist, it will probably be found within those limits.

Having lost all hope of finding this island, I could have wished to recross the equator and run in the lat.i.tude of 55' north; in which parallel the isle _Pennedo de St. Pedro_, sometimes also called St. Paul, is said to be situate. In Arrowsmith's general chart, it is marked in 24 west longitude, whilst another authority places it to the west of 27,*

but I considered that the search might carry me as far as 29, and perhaps further; and my orders being silent with respect to these islands, I did not think myself authorized to thus occupy so much time; and we therefore hauled to the south-westward on the afternoon of the 10th, as before mentioned. On the following day [FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11], a gannet was seen, which seemed to imply that our situation of 1 south, and 21 west, was not far removed from some island or rock; for I do not recollect to have seen this bird at a greater distance from land than thirty leagues.

[* _Voyage of La Perouse_, page 50 of the London translation. I am lately informed, that Pennedo de St. Pedro lies in lat.i.tude 0 55' north, and longitude 27 0' west; that it makes like four sail of ships, and is covered with birds, but affords no water.]

The trade wind varied from south-south-east to east-south-east, and commonly blew fresh, with frequent squalls. The swell from the southward, with which these winds were for some days accompanied, caused the ship to work so much, that she soon let in as great a quant.i.ty of water on this tack, as she before had done on the other; I therefore judged it advisable to alter the plan of keeping within seven points of the wind, and to go with it upon the beam; and also to put in practice every means of lightening the upper works, for they seemed to be very inadequate to support the weight with which they had been unavoidably loaded. Two eighteen-pound carronades, stern chacers, were taken off the upper deck and struck into the hold; the spare rudder, and a variety of other things which a want of room had obliged us to stow in the main and mizen channels, were taken within board; and every exterior weight concentrated as much as possible. After this was done, the tremulous motion caused by every blow of the sea, exciting a sensation as if the timbers of the ship were elastic, was considerably diminished; and the quant.i.ty of water admitted by the leaks was also somewhat reduced.

SUNDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 1801

On the 13th, in lat.i.tude 4 44' south and longitude 23 17' west, a swallow, a gannet, and two sheerwaters were seen; and from six to eight in the evening, the officer of the watch and myself thought the water to be much smoother than before, or than it was afterward. Had it been in an unknown sea, I should have been persuaded that some island, or shoal, lay at no great distance to the south-eastward of our situation at that time.

SUNDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 1801

The trade wind continued, with some little variety in its direction, to blow fresh until the 20th, when it became light, and sometimes calm. We were then approaching the small island Trinidad. Many gannets were seen at twenty-four leagues off, but none at a greater distance. On the 23rd [WEDNESDAY], the island was in sight; and at noon, when our lat.i.tude was 20 1' south, and longitude 29 13' west, a peaked hummock near the eastern extremity bore S. 25 W., nine or ten leagues. The western extremity bore S. 29 W., and at first appeared to be a bluff head; but it afterwards a.s.sumed the form of a conical rock, and was, in all probability, the _Nine Pin_ of captain D'Auvergne's chart. One of the rocks called Martin Vas, was visible from the main top, and angled 49 43' to the left of the peaked hummock; its bearing was consequently very near S. 25 E.

Mons. de la Perouse, who sent a boat on sh.o.r.e to Trinidad, lays down the lat.i.tude of the south-east point at 20 31' south, and longitude from lunar observations, 28 37' west of Greenwich. The lat.i.tude appeared to agree with our observations; but in the longitude there is some difference. According to Earnshaw's two time keepers, No. 465 and 543, which kept better rates than the remaining four, the longitude of the Nine Pin is 29 25' west; which being reduced to the south-east point, will place it in 29 23', or 46' west of the French navigator.* The longitude in captain D'Auvergne's plan of Trinidad, constructed 1782, is 29 55', or 32' still further west. From two sets of distances of the star _Altair_ to the west, and two of _Aldebaran_ east of the moon, I made the longitude of the south-east point to be 29 19' west; the difference from the time keepers, which I consider to have given the best longitude, being no more than 4'.

[* The error of No. 465 was found, at the Cape of Good Hope, to be 10'

57", 2 to the east, and of No. 543, to be 39' 21", 5 east, contracted in 96 days upon their English rates. To obtain the above longitude, a proportional part of these errors according to the number of days, has been applied to the keepers; and the difference between them is then no more than 2".]

THURSDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 1801

Azimuths taken upon the binnacle in the morning, with three compa.s.ses, and the ship's head at S. W. by S., gave variation 3 54'; and in the evening, at S. W., 3 50'; but next morning, when Trinidad was just disappearing from the deck in the N. 60 E., other azimuths then showed the variation to be 1 35' west, the ship's head being S. S. W.; it therefore appears, that there is a difference off the north, and off the south-west sides of the island. From the first observations I deduce the true variation to be 4 14' west, and from the last 1 50' west. Captain D'Auvergne marks the variation 0 45' west, in 1782; but under what circ.u.mstances it was ascertained, does not appear.

TUESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 1801