?6 LORD A N S O N ’S V OY A G E
C H A P . VIII.
From Streights Le Maire to Cape Noire.
WE had.fcarcely reached the fouthern extremity of the
Streights o f L e Maire, when our flattering hopes were
inftantly loft in the apprehenfions of immediate de«-
ftruftion: for, before the fternmoft fhips o f the fquadron were
clear of the Streights, the ferenity of the Iky was fuddenly ob-
fcured, and we obferved all the prefages of an impending (form ;
and prefently the wind ftlifted to the fouthward, and blew in fuch
violent fqualls, that we were obliged to hand our top-fails, and
reef our main-fail ; whilft the tide too, which had hitherto favoured
us, at once turned furioully againft us, and drove us to the
eaftward with prodigious rapidity, fo that we were in great anxiety
for the Wager and the Anna Pink, the two fternmoft veflels, fearing
that they would be dafhed to pieces againft the Ihore o f
Staten-land: nor were our apprehenfions without foundation; for
it was with the utmoft difficulty they efcaped. And notv the whole
fquadron, inftead of purfuing their intended courfe to the S. W.
were driven to the eaftward, by the united force of the ftorm and
of the currents.; fo that next day, in the morning, we found our-
fc-lves near feven leagues to the eaftward of Streights L e Maire,
which then bore from us N. W. The violence of the current,,
which had-fet us with fo much precipitation to the eaftward, together
with, the fiercenefs and couftancy of the wefterly winds, foou
taught us to- confider the doubling of Cape Horn as an enterprize
that might prove too mighty for our efforts ; though fome amongft
us had lately treated the difficulties which former voyagers were faid.
to have met with, imthis undertaking, as little better than chimerical,
and had fuppofed them toarife rather from timidity and un-
fkilfulnefs,. than from, the real emharxaffments of the winds and
feast;
R O U N D T H E WO R L D . 77
feas: but we were now feverely convinced, that thefe cenfures-
were rafh and ill-grounded; for the diftreffes with which we
ftruggled, during the three fucceeding months, will not eafily 1J?
paralleled in the relation o f any former naval expedition. This
will, I doubt not, be readily allowed by thofe who (hall carefully
perufe the enfuing narration.
From the ftorm, which came on before we had well got clear or
Streights Le Maire, we had a continual fucceffion o f fuch tem-
peftuous weather,as furprized the oldeft and moft experienced mariners
on board, and obliged them to confefs, that what they had-
hitherto called ftorms were inconfiderable gales, compared with
the violence of thefe winds, which raifed fuch fhort, and at the
fame time fuch mountainous waves, as greatly furpaffed in danger
all feas known in any other part o f the globe: and it was not without
great reafon, that this unufual'appearance filled us with continual
terror ; for, had any one of thefe waves broke fairly over us, ft
muft, in all probability, have fent us to the bottom. Nor did we •
efcape with terror only; for the fhip rolling inceffantly gunwale-to,
cave us fuch quick and violent motions, that the men were in perpetual
danger of being dallied to pieces againft the decks, or (ides of
the (hip. And though we were’ extremely' careful to fecure our-
felves' from thefe (hocks, by grafping fome fixed body, yet many
of our people were forced from their hold, fome of whom were'
killed and others greatly injured ; in particular, one of our beft fea-
men was canted over-board, and drowned; another diflocated his
neck ; a third was thrown into the main-hold, and broke his thigh ;:
and one of our Boatfwain’s Mates broke his collar-bone twice ; not:
to mention many other accidents of the fame kind.-. Thefe tern-
pefts, fo dreadful in themfelves, though unattended By any other
unfavourable circumftance, were yet rendered'more mifchievous to ns
by their inequality, and the deceitful intervals-which-they at
fome times afforded ;■ for though.we were oftentimes obliged to lie-
to, for days together, under a reefed mizen; and'were frequently
reduced to lie at the mercy of. the waves under our bare poles,, yet
2. now»