I5S L O R D A N S O N ’S V O Y A G E
was at liberty, either to return diredtly to England, or to make
the belt of his way to any Port where he thought he could take
in fuch a cargo as would aiifwer the intereft o f his Owners; But
the Mailer, being fenfible of the bad condition o f the fhip, and
o f her unfitnefs for any fuch voyage, wrote the next day an
anfwer to the Commodore’s melfage, acquainting Mr. Anfon, that,
from the great quantity of water the Pink had made in a paffage
round Cape Horn, and, fince that, in the tempeftuous weather
fhe had met with on the coaft of Chili, he had reafon to apprehend
that her bottom was very much decayed. He added, that
her upper-decks were rotten abaft"; that Ihe was extremely leaky ;
that her fore-beam was broken; and that, in his opinion, it was
impoffible to proceed to fea with her before Ihe had been thoroughly
refitted: and he therefore requelled the Commodore, that
the Carpenters o f the Iquadron might be direfted to furvey her,
that the judgement o f her condition might be known. In compliance
with this defire, Mr.Anfon immediately ordered the Carpenters
to take a careful and llri£t furvey o f the Anna Pink, and
to give him a faithful report, under their hands, .of the condition
in which they found her; directing them, at the fame time, to
proceed herein with fuch circumfpeftion, that, i f they lhould be
hereafter called upon, they might be able to make oath o f the
veracity o f their proceedings. Purfuant to thefe orders, the Carpenters
immediately fet about the examination, and the next day
made their report; which was, that the Pink had no lefs than
fourteen knees and twelve beams broken and decayed; that one
breaft-hook was broken, and another rotten ; that her water-ways
were open, and decayed; that two ftandards and feveral clamps
were broken, befides others which were rotten ; that all her ironwork
was greatly decayed -, that her fpirkiting and timbers were
very rotten; and that, having ripped off part of her fheathing,
they found her wales and outfide planks extremely defective, and
her bows and decks very leaky ; and, in confequence of thefe defe
r s and decays, they certified, that, in their opinion, Ihe could
R O U N D T H E W O R L D . 159
not depart from the Illand without great hazard, unlefs Ihe was
firft o f all thoroughly refitted.
The thorough refitting of the Anna Pink, propofed by the Carpenters,
was, in our prefent fituation, impoffible to be complied
with, as all the plank and iron in the Iquadron was infufficient for
that purpofe. And now the Mailer finding his own fentiments confirmed
bv the opinion of all the Carpenters, he offered a petition to
the Commodore in behalf of his owners, defiring that, fince it appeared
he was incapable of leaving the Bland, Mr. Anfon would
pleafe to purcbafe the hull and- furniture of the Pink for the ufe of
the Iquadron. Hereupon the Commodore ordered an inventory to -
be taken of every particular belonging to the Pink, with its juft
value : and as by this inventory it appeared, that there were many
ftores which would be ufeful in refitting the other Ihips, and which
were at prefent very fcarce in the fquadron, by reafon of the great
quantities that had been- already expended, he agreed with Mr. Ger
a r d t o purchAe the whole together for 300/; The Pink being,
thus broken up, Mr. Gerard, with the hands belonging to the Pink,
were fentr on board the Gloucefer-, as that fhip had buried the-
greateft number of men, in proportion to her complement. But
afterwards one or two of them were received on board the Centurion,
on their own petition, they being extremely averfe to failing;
in the fame fhip with their old Mailer, on account of fome particular
ill-ufage they conceived theyhad buffered from him.
This tranfacftion brought us down to thebeginningof September;;
and our people, by this time, were fo far recovered of the fcurvy,.
that there was little danger of burying any more at prefent; and,,
therefore, I lhall now fum up the total of ourlofs fince our departure
from England, the better to convey fome idea of our pall fuffer-
ings, and of our prefent ftrength. We had buried on board the
Centurion, fince our leaving St. H elen stwo hundred and ninety-
two, and had now remaining on board two hundred and fourteen..
This will doubtlefs appear a moll extraordinary mortality: but yet
©n board the Gloucejler it had- been much greaterfor-out of a much.
finallerr