C H A P . I.
The Paffage to the Coaji of Patagonia, with feme Account
of the Natives.
[The longitude in this voyage is reckoned from the meridian of London.]
HAVI NG received my commiffion, which was dated I?66.
the 19th o f June 17 66, I went on board the fame , J“Ke 19' .
day, hoifted the pendant, and began to enter feamen,
but, according to my orders, took no boys either for my-
felf or any o f the officers.
The ffiip was fitted for the fea with all poffible expedition,
during which the articles o f war, and the aft o f
parliament were read'to the ffiip’s company: on the 26th o f Sat. July 26.
July we failed down the river, and on the 16th o f Auguft, Sat. Aug. 16.
at eight o’clock in the morning, anchored in Plymouth
Sound.
On the 19th I received my failing orders, with directions Tuefday 19,
to take the Swallow floop, and the Prince Frederick ftore-
lhip under my command: and this day I took on hoard,
among other things, three thoufand weight o f portable
foup, and a bale o f cork jackets. Every part o f the ffiip
was filled with ftores and neceflaries o f various kinds, even
to the fteerage and ftate-room, which were allotted to the
flops and portable foup. The furgeon offered to purchafe
an extraordinary quantity o f medicines, and medical ne-
ceffaries, which, as the ffiip’s company might become fickly,
6 he