difficulty. Indeed, in a proper place-, where all the neceffary materials
and tools were to be had, the embarraffinent would have-
been much lefs; but fome of thefe tools were to be made, and
many o f the materials were wanting; and it required no fmall
degree of invention to fupply all thefe deficiencies. And when
the hull of the bark ffiould be compleated, this was but one article
j and there were others of equal weight, which were to be
well confidered : Thefe were the rigging it, the victualling it, and
laftly, the navigating it,^ for the fpace of fix or feven hundred
leagues, thro’ unknown Teas, where no one o f the company had
ever palled before: And in thefe particulars fuch obftacles occurred,
that without the intervention o f very extraordinary and unexpected
accidents, the poflibility of the whole enterprize would
have fallen to the ground, and their utmolt indultry and efforts
mult have been fruitlefs. O f all thefe eircumftances I ffiall make
a Ihort recital.
It fortunately happened that the Carpenters, both of the Glou-
cejler and of the Tryal, with their cherts of tools, were on Ihore
when the Ihip drove out to fea j the Smith too was on ihore, and
had with him his forge and feveral o f his tools, but unhappily his
bellows had-not been brought from on board ; fo that he-was incapable
of working, and without his affiftance they could not hope
to proceed with their defign. Their firft attention therefore was
to make him a pair of bello ws, but-in this they were for fome time
puzzled, by their want of leather; however, as they had hides in
fufficient plenty, and they had found a hogfhead.of lime, which
the Indians or Spaniards had prepared for their own ufe, they tanned
a few. hides with this lime,- and though we may fuppofe the
workmanlhip to be but indifferent yet the leather they thus procured
anfwered the intention tolerably well, and the bellows (to
which a gun-barrel ferved for a pipe) had no other inconvenience
than that of being fomewhat ftrong Rented, from the imperfection.
of the Tanner-s work,. 7 .
Whilffi
Whilft the Smith was preparing the neceffary iron-work, others '
were employed-in cutting down trees, and fawing them into planks;
and this being the moft laborious talk, the Commodore wrought at
it himfelf for the encouragement of his people. But there being
neither blocks nor cordage fufficient for tackles to hale the bark on
fliore, this occafioned a new difficulty; however, it was at length-
refolved to get her up on rollers-; fince for thefe the body of the
coco-nut tree was extremely well fitted ; as its fmoothnefs and circular
turn prevented much labour, and fuited it to the purpofe with
very little workmariihip. A number of thefe trees were therefore
felled, and the ends of them properly opened for the infertion
of hand-fpikes; and in the mean time a dry dock was dug to receive
the Bark, and ways were laid from thence quite into the fea,
to facilitate, the bringing her up. Neither were thefe the whole of
their occupations ; fince befides thofe who were thus bufieddn.pre-
paring meafures towards the future enlargement of the Bark, a party
was conftantly ordered to kill and -provide provifions for the reft-
And though in- thefe various employments, fome of which demanded
confiderable dexterity, it might have been expe&ed there Would
have been great confufion and delay, yet good order being once
eftabliffied, and all hands engaged, their preparations advanced
apace- Indeed, the common men, I prefume, were not the lefs
tradable from their want of fpirituous liquors: For, there being
neither wine nor brandy on ihore, the juice o f the coco-nut was-
their conftant drink.; and this, though extremely pleafant, was not.
at all intoxicating, but kept them very temperate and orderly.
The main.work now proceeding fuccefsfully, the officers began
to confider of all the articles which would be neceffary to the fitting
out the Bark for the fea: On this confultation it was found, that the
tent on ihore, and the fpare cordage accidentally left there by the
Centurion together with the. fails and rigging already belonging to the
Bark, would ferve to rig her indifferently well, when ihe was
lengthened. And as they.had tallow in plenty, they propofed to pay.
her bottom with a mixture of tallow and lime, which it was known
was not ill adapted to that purpofe; So that with refpedto hen
equipment,.