Tuesday the 4th, at the time of serving at the storehouse, about twelve o'clock, I went to the captain, with the master, carpenter, and boatswain, and read to him the paper; he answered he would consider of it, and give his answer: Here follows a copy of the paper signed:--
"We whose names are under-mentioned, do, upon mature consideration, as we have met with so happy a deliverance, think it the best, surest, and most safe way for the preservation of the body of people on the spot, to proceed through the Streights of Magellan for England. Dated at a desolate island on the coast of Patagonia, in the latitude of 47 deg. 00 min. south, and west longitude from the meridian of London 81 deg. 40 min. in the South Seas, this 2d day of August, 1741.
John Bulkeley, gunner.
John Cummins, carpenter.
Thomas Clark, master.
John King, boatswain.
John Jones, master's mate.
John Snow, ditto.
Robt. Elliot, surgeon's mate.
The Hon. John Byron, midshipman.
Alexander Campbell, ditto.
Isaac Morris, ditto.
Thomas Maclean, cook.
John Mooring, boatswain's mate.
Henry Stevens, seaman.
Benjamin Smith, seaman.
John Montgomery, seaman.
John Duck, seaman.
John Hayes, seaman.
James Butler, seaman.
John Hart, seaman.
James Roach, seaman.
Job Barns, seaman.
John Petman, seaman.
William Callicutt, seaman.
Richard Phipps, boatswain's mate.
John Young, cooper.
Richard Noble, quarter-master.
William Rose, ditto.
William Hervey, quarter-gunner.
John Bosman, seaman.
William Moore, ditto.
Samuel Stook, ditto.
Samuel Cooper, ditto.
David Buckley, quarter-gunner.
George Smith, seaman.
Peter Deleroy, seaman.
James M'Cawle, seaman.
John George, seaman.
John Shorclan, seaman.
Richard East, seaman.
William Lane, seaman.
William Oram, seaman.
Moses Lewis, seaman.
Nicholas Griselham, seaman.
"We whose names are under-mentioned, have had sufficient reasons, from the above-mentioned people, to consent to go this way. Signed by
Captain Robert Pemberton, commander of his majesty's land forces.
William Fielding, lieutenant
Robert Ewers, lieutenant
Wednesday the 5th, this day I went with the master, carpenter, master's mates, and midshipmen, to the captain, to acquaint him with what was done, and resolved on, and farther told him, it was a duty incumbent on us to preserve life before any other interest. He answered, Gentlemen, I desire time to consider of it, and will give you my final determination; on which we took our leave, and came away.
Thursday the 6th, hard gales at W.S.W. and rainy weather. At noon we went with Mr Cummins to Captain P--mb--rt--n's tent, to have some farther conference for our future deliverance: While we were there, the captain sent his service to Captain C----p for a pair of pocket-pistols, his own property, which had been refused him on his request some time before. The servant was answered, by the captain's favourite and prime minister the steward, The captain is ill, and I can't let you have 'em. This answer not being satisfactory to Captain P--mb--rt--n, he sent a second time, and insisted on the delivery of his pistols, but was answered, they could not be come at before the captain was up; but a little time after it was judged proper to send Captain P--mb--rt--n his pistols. From Captain P--mb--rt-- n's we went to the L----t's tent; while there, the L----t was sent to Captain C----p, about an hour after the carpenter and myself were sent for; when we came to him, he said, Gentlemen, I have maturely considered the contents of your paper, so far as it regards the preservation of the people on the spot: This paper has given me a great deal of uneasiness, insomuch that I have not closed my eyes till eight o'clock this morning, for thinking of it, but, I think, you have not weighed the thing rightly; do you know we are above one hundred and sixty leagues distant S.W. from the Streights of Magellan, with the wind against us? Then think on the distance to be run afterwards on the other side the Streights, with the wind always against us, and where no water is to be had. I answered, Sir, you say it is above one hundred and sixty leagues to the Streights, but let the navigators work it, and they will find it not above ninety leagues; yourself and lieutenant are undoubtedly navigators and judges, therefore will certainly find it as I say. Mr Cummins acquainted him, accordingly to his calculation, the vessel would carry a month's water, at a quart a man per diem; and, sir, do you consider, after running along shore to the northward this side the land, that we have one hundred leagues to run right out to sea to the island of Juan Ferdinandez, and five hundred chances to one if we meet the commodore there, or any of the squadron, nor do we know but the commodore may have shared the same fate with ourselves, or perhaps worse? The captain answered, It's a thousand to one if we see the commodore at Juan Ferdinandez; for, gentlemen, to let you into a secret, which I never discovered before, we shall meet him at Baldavia, his orders were from ---- to go there with the squadron, it being a place of little or no force. Mr Cummins answered, Sir, 'tis agreed, the commodore is at Baldavia, but we make it in our bargain, when we go from hence, that we will put ashore at every place when we want water, whenever the weather will permit, without any obstruction. The captain replied, There is no occasion for that, we will water at the islands, and take a vessel going along. Mr Cummins said, Sir, what shall we do with a vessel, without provisions, for ninety souls? The captain answered, We will take a vessel loaded with flour from Chili, there being a great many trading vessels that way, and then we will proceed through the Streights of Magellan. Mr Cummins said, How shall we take a vessel without guns, not having any but muskets, and our enemies know, as well as ourselves, that we have a squadron in these seas, therefore, undoubtedly are well armed, and keep a good look-out? The captain's answer to this was, What are our small arms for, but to board 'em? The carpenter said, Sir, if a shot should take the boat under water, it would not be in my power to stop a leak of that kind, where the plank is so thin, that in some places it is not above three quarters of an inch thick. The captain then said, Gentlemen; I am agreeable to any thing, and willing to go any way, for the preservation of the people; but at the same time would have you consider of it, the wind being always against us on the other side the land, and we have above seven hundred leagues to the river Plate. I answered the captain, 'Tis not above five hundred and ninety leagues from hence to Cape St Antonio's; and, as I have before said, let the navigators work it, and reason take place, which is what we chiefly desire to be governed by: Another inducement we have to go the way proposed is, that we may be assured of water and provision. I allow that, says the captain, and we may save our own; but how do you know whether we may not meet enemies in the Streights? I replied to the captain, We can have no enemies to encounter there, but Indians in their canoes, and those we can master at our pleasure. The captain then seemed to countenance our opinion again, and said, When we come to St Julian's we shall be sure of salt in plenty for our provisions, without which our fowls will not keep above two or three days: Besides, when we come to the river Plate, we may meet with a prize, they not being acquainted with any English vessel like ours, with schooner's sails, by which means we may run up the river and take a larger vessel: If we fail here, we may go ashore, and get what cattle we please, but what business have we at the Rio Grand? We must go to the Rio Janeiro. I told him, we should be obliged to stop at every place along shore for supplies; at St Catharine's the governor will give us a certificate, so that we shall be known to be the people that were there in the squadron. The captain said, That's true, and I can get bills of credit in any part of Brazil; besides, the people may be separated, some in the Flota, and some in other ships, with less hands we may go to Barbadoes. Mr Cummins told him, we might venture to England with, twelve hands. Yes, you may, says the captain, with thirty. It is to be observed, during all this debate, the lieutenant spoke not a word. The carpenter asking him the reason of his silence in all the consultation, he answered, I'll give my opinion hereafter. The captain said, I knew nothing of his being acquainted with it, till Mr Bulkeley told me yesterday; but at the same time, Mr B----s, I expect, you will be the first that will sign the paper. I imagined the captain meant our paper, and immediately answered, with some warmth, As he had refused signing at first, and at the same time agreed to the proposal, that I had signed so close, that there was no room left for his name, and now it was too late for him to sign. The captain surprized me, by saying, I don't mean your paper; I told him, Any other, which should be contrary to ours, would never be signed by us. Mr Cummins said to the captain, Sir, 'tis all owing to you that we are here; if you had consulted your officers, we might have avoided this misfortune, considering the condition the ship was in, she was not fit to come in with the land, all our men being sick, and not above three seamen in a watch; suppose the mast had gone by the board, as was every moment expected. The captain made answer, Gentlemen, you do not know my orders; there never were any so strict given to a commander before, and had I but two men living besides myself, I must, and was obliged to go to the first rendezvous, which was the island of Nostra Senhora di Socora: I was obliged to go there at all events. I made answer to this, Sir, if that is the case, it seems plain the thing was designed we should be here: But, sir, I am of opinion, notwithstanding the commodore had his orders from ---- to go with the squadron to Baldavia, that at the same time those orders were so far discretional, that if the squadron was disabled, care was to be taken not to endanger his majesty's ships. Yes, that (says the captain) was settled at St Julian's: Notwithstanding what has been said, gentlemen, I am agreeable to take any chance with you, and to go any way; but would have you consider of it, and defer your determination till all is ready to go off the spot. I then told the captain, You have known, sir, from the time you saw the proposal, that the people are uneasy, and the work is at a stand, and in this situation things will be until this affair is settled; therefore the sooner you resolve the better. The captain replied, I design to have a consultation among my officers: Have you any more objections to make? I answered, Yes, sir, one more; which is, when you go from hence, you are not to weigh, come to an anchor, or alter course, without consulting your officers. The captain said, Gentlemen, I was your commander till the ship parted, or as long as any stores or provisions were getting out of her. We told him, we had always taken care to obey his orders in the strictest manner, which he allowed us to have done; and he added, You were the officers that I placed my whole dependence in. We answered, Sir, we will support you with our lives, as long as you suffer reason to rule: And then we parted. After this consultation, the captain seldom came out of his tent, which occasioned. great disturbances among the people.
Friday the 7th, the wind at W.N.W. with rain. This day the navigators worked the bearings and distance along shore, from one place to another, to know the true distance: Hereupon it was agreed to proceed through the Streights of Magellan, according to Sir John Narborough's directions, which give us great encouragement to go that way. Captain P----n drawed his men up, and dismissed 'em again. Great uneasiness among the people.
Saturday the 8th, this morning went to the lieutenant, for him to acquaint the captain all his officers were ready to give sufficient reasons for going through the Streights of Magellan, desiring a consultation might be held in the afternoon. At three o'clock the captain sent for me and Mr Cummins; when we came, the master and boatswain were sent for, but they were gone in search of subsistence, as limpetts, muscles, &c. The captain said, Gentlemen, I don't doubt but you have considered upon the business you are come about; therefore I am determined to take my fate with you, or where the spirit of the people leads, and shall use my best endeavours for their preservation; but I am afraid of meeting contrary winds, for after the sun has crossed the Line we must expect to meet 'em. I made answer, By all accounts the wind hangs from N.W. to the S.W. above three parts of the year, which is in our favour. Mr Cummins told him, There was fresh water to be got as well on one coast as the other, and if Sir John Narborough's treatment was so ill in a profound peace, what must we expect in a time of open war? The captain said, I am afraid, very bad. Then Mr Cummins spoke in this manner to the captain: Sir, I always took you for an honourable gentleman, and I believe you to be such; on your honour, sir, I beg you will give the true sentiments of your mind, whether through the Streights is not the surest and safest way to preserve our lives, notwithstanding we have a thousand difficulties to encounter with any way? The captain answered, I really think going to the northward is the safest way; for suppose we should be drove off to sea, when on the other side the land, what is to be done then? I said, Sir, it is our business to keep the shore, to prevent all accidents that may happen that way. Then Lieutenant B----s made an objection, Suppose you have the wind blowing right in, and a tumbling sea, as to endanger the boat, what are we to do? I made answer, Sir, if you remember when we were riding at St Julian's, it blowed a very hard gale of wind right in from the sea; yet, even then, the sea did not run so high as to endanger a boat riding at anchor: Another instance I bring you from St Catherine's, when we had such hard gales that the Trial lost her masts, and the Pearl separated from the squadron; yet, at that time, there was no sea comparable to what we have met with this side the land. The lieutenant allowed this to be fact. Then the captain said, I will allow you to have water at Port Desire; but do you consider the lengthening your distance, by keeping along shore, and rounding every bay, and some of those bays are very deep? I told him, that undoubtedly there was water all along the coast, and that we had no business to round the bays, but to steer from one head-land to the other. Then Lieutenant B----s made a second objection, Suppose we are forced into a bay, and shoal water? I answered, We should always have a boat a-head, and our draught of water will not be above four or five feet at most; and if we should be so unfortunate as to lose our boat, we must keep the lead a-going. The l----t replied, That was true, and there could not be a great deal of difficulty in it. This was the only time the l----t ever spoke in public on the affair; he always allowed, when absent from the captain, that going through the Streights was the best way; but in the captain's presence he sided with him, and was for going to the northward.