L O R D A N 'S -O IT 'S V O Y A G K
G I I A P . IX .
©bfervations a n d d ire â tb n s- for fa c ilita tin g th e paffage;
o f o u r fu tu re C ru iz e rs ro u n d Gape Horn.
—> H E improper feafon of the year* iii which we attempted to.»
8. double Cape Horn, and to which' is to be imputed the dif-
*“ ■ s appointment (recited in the foregoing chapter) of falling,
in with Terra del Fuego, when we reckoned onrfelves above a hun.
dred leagnesto the weftward of that whole.coaffi; and-.confequently.
well advanced into the: Paeifick Ocean;:this unfealbnable nav,i-r
gation, I fay,. to’which we were rieceffitatedby out too late departure
from England, was the fatal fonrce: of all the misfortunes we,*
afterwards.encountered. For* from hence, proceeded the feparatioh
of oür fhips, the deftrufMon of. our people, the, ruin of our
projeffl on Baldivid, and o f all our other vdews on the Spanifo
places ; and the reduction o f our fquadron, from the formidable
condition in which it paffed Streights h e Maire, to a.couple of.:
fhattered half-manned cruifèrs and a floop,. fo far difabled, that in
many climatés they fc'arcely durft have put to fea. T o prevent,
therefore, ■ as much as ill me lies, all fhips hereafter bound to the
South Seas from fufFering the' famé calamities^, I think it my duty,
to infert in this place filch direftions and obfervations, as either .
my own experience and reflection, or the converfation of the moft
fkilful Navigators on board the fquadron, Gould furnilh mé
with, in relation to the moft eligible manner of doubling Cape
Horn, whether in regard to the feafon o f the year, the courfe
proper to be fleered, or the places of refrefhment both on the Eaft
and Weftffide o f South America.
And, firft, with regard to the proper place for refrefhment on the
Eaft-flde *of South America. For this purpofe the Ifland of St. Catherine’s
has been ufually recommended by former writers, and on
their
R O U N D T H E W O' R L D. 8.5
' their faith we put in there, as has been: formerly mentioned : but':
the treatment we met with, andthefmall flore of refrefhments we
could procure there; are fufficient réafôns to render all ftups foe
the future cautious how they truft themfelves in the government of,-
D'On JM ’Â lw A e P a z i for they may certainly depend-on having
their ftrength, condition, and defigns, betrayed to theSpumards, as
far as the knowledge the governor can procure of thefe particulars ■
w ill give him. leave» And as this treacherous condua is- infpjrecl •
by the views .of private gain, in the illicit commerce;carried on to *
the river of Plate, rather than by any national affeaion-which the
Portuguek bear the Spaniards, the fame perfidy may perhaps be.
expfeaed ' from moft of the Governors * of the Brdzih coaft : fmee -
thefe fmuggling engagements are doubtlefs. very extenfive and ge- -
neral And thoughthe. Governors: fhouidthemfelvesdeteft fo faath--
left a procedure, yet, .as drips are perpetually palling from feme or
other o f t\se-Bra%il ports to .the river of Plirteg the Spaniards could-
fcarcely fail of receiving; by this means, cafual intelligence of any
Britijh fhips upon the coaft; which, however imperfect'iuch 111- -
telligence might be, .would provs'of dangerous import to-the- views* •
and interefts of thofé cruifèrs who were thus difeov-êred.. -
For the Spanijh trade in the South-Seas' running all m one track.
from'.North to South,-with"very little deviation.: to the eaftwardor-
weftward, it is in thé power of two or three cruifèrs,-properly fia-,
tioned in different parts o f this track, to pôffèft themfelves of-every.
fhip that.puts to fea : but this is only fo long as they can continue
concealed from the- neighbouring coaft for the inftant an. enemy’ ,
is known to be >in thofo feas, all navigation is prohibited, and con-' -
fequently all captures are at an end ;' fin’ce the Spaniards,' well ap-*
prized of thefe advantages of the enemy, fend expreffes along the
coaft, and lay a general ’embargo on-all itheir trade.; a meafure-
which, they prudently-forefee, will not only prevent their veflels from. :
being taken; but will foon lay any cruifèrs, who have not ftrength
fufficient to attempt their places, under a neeeflity of returning:
home:. . Hence then appears- the great importance of concealing al