1767. "We continued therefore" for Tome .‘time to navigate the
February.^ together, and as I had pafféÜJit;''before, I was or-
■ dered to. keep ahead and lead the -way, with liberty to anchor
and weigh when I thought proper ; but perceiving that
the bad failing of the Swallow would fo muc.jx retard .dip
Dolphin as probably to make her lofe the fe.afon,for, getting
'into high fouthern latitudes, and defeat tlxe intention .of the
•voyage! I propofed to Captain Wallis, that he fhould lay
the Swallow tip in fome cove or bay, and that I fltould
attend and affift him with her boats till the Streight .fliould
be palfed, which would probably be in much lefs time than
i f he contintied to he retarded by my fhip;: and I urged as
an additional advantage that he might complete not only
his Hock of provifions and ftores, but his company,} out of
her, and then fénd hér back to England, with fuch o f his
crew as ficknefs had rendered unfit for the voyage: propo-
fing alfo, that in my way home, I would examine the eaftem
coaft o f Patagonia, or attempt fuch other difeoyeries as he
-fhould think proper. If this was not approved, and my
knowlege of the South Seas was thought neccflliry to the
fuccefs of the voyage, I offered to gó with him on board the
Dolphin, and give up the Swallow to be commanded by .his
Firft Lieutenant, whofe duty I would perform during the
reft o f the voyage, or to make the voyage myfelf With only
the Dolphin, i f he would take the Swallow back to Europe ;
hut Captain Wallis was ftill o f opinion that the voyage fhould
be profecuted by the two fhips jointly, purfuant to the orders
that had been given.
The Swallow was now become fo foul, that with all the
fails: Ihe could fef Ihe could not make fo much way as the
Dolphin, with only her top-fails and a reef in them: we
continued in company, however, till Friday the loth of
3 April,
April.
Friday 10.
April, when the weftern entrance of the Streight was open,
and the great South Se^a in fight. Hitherto I had;J^urfuant
to my diredtions, kept 'ahead, but now the- Dolphin being
nearly abreaft'of us, fee' liei forefail,' which foon earned her
ahead of u s ; and before nine’ o’clock iri the evening, as fhe
ihewed no lights, we loft fight of her. M had a fine
eafteirn breeze, of which we made the heft nfe we could
during the night,Jcarrying all our‘ fmaltTails, t ° " jhfe
top-gallant' budding fails',: hotWitliftandmg the danger to
which it expofed tis f but at day-break the next morning, we
could'hut juft fee the Dolphin’s top-fails abOvd the horizon,.
we;<;ouj3perceive,* however, that-Die had ftuddrng; fails fet,
'arid at nine o’clock, we had enurclyloft fight of h e r , we
•judged that Ihe Was then clear o f the' Streight’s mouth, but
;Wfe, who were ftill had but light and variable
air's.1 Frorri this tiinC', I gave up all hdpe'of feeing the-
■ ySiphin. itgain till'we ffipuhl'affiye 'in' England, no plan of
Operation having been fettled,' nor any place of rendezvous-
'appointed, as had been done from England to the Streight..
I thought myfelf the more unfortunate in this reparation, as-
no part o f the woollen cloth, linen, heads; feiflars, knives,
and' other aitleryUvare, and toys, which were intended for
the ufe of both fhips, and were fo neceffary to obtain re-
frefhments from Indians, had, during the nine months we
had failed together, been put on board the Swallow, and as
we were not provided either with a forge or iron, which
many cifcumftances might render abfblutely neceflal-y to the
: prefervation of the fhip: I had the farisfaftion, however, to
fie no marks o f defpondenCy among my people, whom I
encouraged, by telling them, that although the Dolphin was
the beft fhip, I did not doubt but that I fhould find more
than equivalent advantages in their courage, ability, and
good conduct.
1767 *•
April;.
Friday 10.
Saturday-i rv