With this Resolution, and under these Measures, we set Sail from the Island of St. Juan Fernando the 23d of September, (being the same there as our March is here) and keeping the Coast of Chili on Board, had good Weather for about a Fortnight, [Octob. 14.] till we came into the Latitude
of 44 Degrees South; when finding the Wind come squally off the Shore from among the Mountains, we were oblig’d to keep farther out at Sea, where the Winds were less uncertain; and some Calms we met with, till about the Middle of October, [16.] when the Wind springing up at N. N. W. a pretty moderate Gale, we jogg’d S. E. and S. S. E. till we came into the Latitude of 55 Degrees; and the 16th of November, found our selves in 59 Degrees, the Weather exceeding cold and severe. But the Wind holding fair, we held in with the Land, and steering E. S. E. we held that Course till we thought ourselves entirely clear of the Land, and enter’d into the North Sea, or Atlantick Ocean; and then changing our Course, we steer’d N. and N. N. E. but the Wind blowing still at N. N. W. a pretty stiff Gale, we could make nothing of it till we made the Land in the Latitude of 52 Degrees; and when we came close under Shore, we found the Winds variable; so we made still N. under the Lee of the Shore, and made the Point of St. Julien the 13th of November, having been a Year and seven Days since we parted from thence on our Voyage Outwardbound.
Here we rested ourselves, took in fresh Water, and began to kill Seals and Fowls of several Sorts, but especially Penguins, which this Place is noted for; and here we stay’d, in Hopes our Fregate would arrive, but we heard no News of her; so, at Parting, we set up a Post, with this Inscription, done on a Plate of Lead, with our Names upon the Lead, and these Words;
Gone to Madagascar, December 10, 1692.
(Being in that Latitude the longest Day in the Year;) and I doubt not but the Post may stand there still.
From hence we launch’d out into the vast Atlantick Ocean, steering our Coast E. by N. and E. N. E. till we had sail’d, by our Account, about 470 Leagues, taking our Meridian Distance, or Departure, from St. Julian. And here a strong Gale springing up at S. E. by E. and E. S. E. encreasing afterwards to a violent Storm, we were forc’d by it to the Norward, as high as the Tropick; not that it blew a Storm all the while, but it blew so steady, and so very hard, for near 20 Days together, that we were carry’d quite out of our intended Course: After we had weather’d this, we began to recover ourselves again, making still East; and endeavouring to get to the Southward, we had yet another hard Gale of Wind at S. and S. S. E. so strong, that we could make nothing of it at all; whereupon it was resolv’d, if we could, to make the Island of St. Helena, which in about three Weeks more we very happily came to, on the 17th of January.
It was to our great Satisfaction that we found no Ships at all here, and we resolv’d not by any Means to let the Governor on Shore know our Ship’s Name, or any of our Officers Names; and I believe our Men were very true to one another in that Point, but they were not at all shy of letting them know upon what Account we were, &c. so that if he could have gotten any of us in his Power, as we were afterwards told he endeavour’d by two or three Ambuscades to do, we should have pass’d our Time but very indifferently; for which, when we went away, we let him know we would not have fail’d to have beat his little Port about his Ears.
We stay’d no longer here than just serv’d to refresh ourselves, and supply our Want of fresh
Water; the Wind presenting fair, Feb. 2. 1692, we set Sail, and (not to trouble my Story with the Particulars of the Voyage, in which nothing remarkable occur’d) we doubled the Cape the 13th of March, and passing on without coming to an Anchor, or discovering ourselves, we made directly to the Island of Madagascar, where we arriv’d the 7th of April; the Sloop, to our particular Satisfaction, keeping in Company all the Way, and bearing the Sea as well as our Ship upon all Occasions.
To this Time I had met with nothing but good Fortune; Success answer’d every Attempt, and follow’d every Undertaking, and we scarce knew what it was to be disappointed; but we had an Interval of our Fortunes to meet with in this Place: We arriv’d, as above, at the Island on the 13th of March, but we did not care to make the South Part of the Island our Retreat; nor was it a proper Place for our Business, which was to take Possession of a private secure Place to make a Refuge of: So after staying some Time where we put in, which was on the Point of Land a little to the South of Cape St. Augustine, and taking in Water and Provisions there, we stood away to the North, and keeping the Island in View, went on till we came to the Latitude of 14 Degrees: Here we met with a very terrible Tornado, or Hurricane, which, after we had beat the Sea as long as we could, oblig’d us to run directly for the Shore to save our Lives as well as we could, in Hopes of finding some Harbour or Bay where we might run in, or at least might go into smooth Water till the Storm was over.