3 1 2 L O R D A N S O N ’ S V O Y A G E
The Cutter, in this expedition, hud difcovered the bay where we
intended to anchor, which, we found, was to the weftward of our
prefect Ration ; and, the next morning, the weather proving favourable,
we endeavoured to weigh, in order to proceed thither:
But though, on this' occafion, we muftered all the ftrength we
could, obliging even the fick, who were fcarce able to keep on their
legs, to aflift u s ; yet the capftan was fo weakly manned, that it was
near four hours before we hove the cable right up and down: after
which, with "our utmoft efforts, and with many forges and fome
purchafes we made ufe' of, to increafe our power, we found ourfelves
incapable o f ftarting the anchor from the ground. However
at noon, as a frefh gale blew towards the bay, we were induced to
let the fails, which' fortunately tripped the anchor; and then we
fleered along fhore,. till we came a-breaft o f the point that forms
the eaftern part of the bay. Oil the opening o f the bay, the wind
that had'befriended us thus for, fhifted, and blew from thence in
fqualls; but,' by means of the head-way we had got, we loofed
clofe in, till the anchor brought us up in fifty-fix fathom. Soon
after we had thus got to our new birth, we difcovered a fail, which
we made no doubt was one o f our fquadron; ' and, on its nearer approach,
we found it to be the Tryal Sloop. We immediately fent
fome o f our hands on board her; by whofe affiftance foe was
brought to an anchor between us and the land. We foon found that
the Sloop had not been exempted from the fame calamities' which
we had fo feverely fe lt : for her Commander, Captain Saunders,
waiting on the Commodore, informed him, that, out o f his fmall
complement, he had buried thirty-four o f his men ; and thofe that
remained were lb univerfally afflidled with the fcurvy,. that only
himfelf, his Lieutenant, and three o f his men, were able to Hand
by the fails. The Tryal came to an anchor within us, on the 12 th
about noon ; and we carried our hawfers on board her, in order to
moor ourfelves nearer in Ihore : but the wind, coming off the land
in violent gulls, prevented our mooring in the birth we intended.
Indeed, our principal attention was employed on bufinefs rather
o f
R O U N D t h e W O R L D . 113
o f more importance; for we were now extremely occupied in
fending on Ihore materials to raife tents for the reception of the
fick who died apace on board: and doubtlefs the diftemper was
considerably augmented by, the flench, and.filthmefs m which they
lay • for the number of the difeafed was fo great, and fo few could
be foared from the neceffary duty of the foils to look after them,
that it was impoffibie to avoid a great relaxation ui the article of
cleanlinefs, which had rendered the Ihip extremely loathfome between
decks. Notwithftanding our defire of freeing the fick from
their hateful fituation, and their own extreme impatience to get
on Ihore, we had not hands enough to prepare the tents for their
reception before the 16th ; but on that and the two following days
we font them all on Ihore, amounting to a hundred and fixty-feven
oerfons befides twelveor fourteen who died m the boats, on their
being expofed to the frelh air. The greateft part o f our fick were
fo infirm, that we were obliged to carry them out of the flup in
their hammocks, and to convey them afterwards in the fame manner
fmm the water-fide to their tents, over a ftony beach. This
was a work o f confiderable fatigue to the few who were healthy;
and therefore the Commodore, according to his accuftomed humanity
not only affifted, herein with his own labour, but obliged, his
Officers, without diftindtion, to give their helping hand The extreme
weaknefs of our fick may, in fome meafure, be collated
from the numbers who died after they had got on ftore; for it
had generally been found, that the land, and the refrefhments it
produces, very foon recover moil ftages of the fea-fcurvy • and we
flattered ourfelves, that thofe who had not per.ffied on this firft
expofure to the open air, but had lived to be placed in their tents,.
would have been fpeedily reftored to their health and v.gour: yet,
to our great mortification, it was near twenty days after their
ing before the mortality was tolerably ceafed ; and, for the foil ten
or twelve days, we buried rarely lefsthan fix each day and many
of thofe who furvived recovered by very flow and infenfible degrees.
Indeed, thofe who were well enough at their firft getting