R O U N D T H E WO R L D .
■ was for a while obliterated by the joy o f our efcape from 1767.
thofe that were path <-—•—
From the 16th, when we were firft driven from our anchoring
ground, to this time, we fuffered an uninterrupted
feries of danger, fatigue, and misfortunes. The Ihip worked
and failed very ill, the weather was dark and tempeftuous,
with thunder, lightning, and rain, and the boats, which I
was obliged to keep always employed, even when we were
under fail, to procure us water, were in continual danger of
being loft, as well by the hard gales which conftantly blew,
as by the fudden gufts which frequently rufhed upon us
with a violence that is fcarcely to be conceived. This diftrefs
was the more fevere as it was unexpected, for I had experienced
very different weather in thefe parts about two years
before with Commodore Byron. It has generally been
thought, that upon this.coaft the winds are conftantly.from
the S. to the S.W. though Frazier mentions his having had
ftrong gales and high feas from the N. N. AV. and N. W.
quarter, which was unhappily my cafe.
Having once more got my people and boats-fafe on board,
I made fail from this turbulent climate, and thought myfelf
fortunate not to have left any thing behind me except the
wood, which our people had cut for firing.
The ifland of Mafafuero lies in latitude 33° 45' S., longitude
8o° 46'W.of London. Its fituation is weft o f Juan Fernandes,
both being nearly in the fame latitude, and by the globe, itis-
diftant about thirty-one leagues. It is very high and mountainous,
and at a diftance appears like one hill or rock: it is o f
a triangular form,, and. about feven or eight leagues in circumference.
The fouth part, which we faw when we firft
made the ifland, at the diftance o f three and twenty leagues,
is