1764.^ much contemptuous negleft as the lion did the knight of
■ _— .--- r La Mancha, began to throw Hones at him: o f this infult
inday 30.. }y0wever he did not deign to take the leaft notice, but continued
ftretched upon the ground in great tranquillity till the
reft o f the party came up, and then he very leifurely rofe
and walked away.
December. On the xft of December, our cutter being thoroughly re-
Saturday paired, we took her on board, but the weather was fo bad
that we could not get off any water : the next day.we ftruck
ih e tents which had been fet up at the watering-place, and
got all ready for fea. The two wells from which we got
our waterbear about S. S. E.’of the Steeple rock, from which
they are diftant about two miles and an h a lf; but 1 fixed a
mark near them, that they might be ftill more eafily found
than by their bearings. During our flay in this harbour, we
founded every part o f it with great care, as high as a fhip
could go, and found that there is no danger but what may be
feen at low water ; fo that now frefh water is found, though
at fome diftance from the beach, it would be a very convenient
place for fhips to touch at, i f it were not for the rapidity
o f the tide. The country about the bay abounds with
guanicoes, and a great variety of wild fowl, particularly
ducks, geefe, widgeon, and fea-pies, befides many others
for which we have no name. Here is alfo fuch plenty of
excellent mufcles, that a boat may be loaded with them
every time it is low water. Wood indeed is fcarce ; however
in fome parts of this coaft there are bufhes, which in a cafe
of neceflity might produce a tolerable fupply o f fuel.
WedneT. 5. On Wednefday the 5th of December, I unmoored, in order
to get out, but the bell bower came up foul, and before we
could heave fhort upon the fmall bower, the tide of ebb
made ftrong; for at this place flack water fcarcely continues
ten
ten minutes ; fo that we were obliged to wait till it fhould be
low water. Between five and fix in the evening, we weighed,
and fleered out E. N. E. with a frelh gale at N. N. W.
1764.
December.
Wednef. 5.
c h a p . n r .
Courfe from Port Defire> in fearch o f Pepys’ Ifland, and
afterwards to the coafi of Patagonia, with a
Defcription of the Inhabitants.
A S loon as we were out o f the bay, we fleered for Pepys’
Ifland, Which is faid'to lie in latitude 47° S. Our latitude
was now 47°'23'S., longitude 65° 49' W .; Port Defire
bore S. 66 W. diftant twenty-three leagues; and Pepys’
Ifland, according to Halley’s Chart, E. q N. diftant thirty-
four leagues- The Variation here was 19° E. '
We continued our courfe the next day with a pleafantgale Thurfday 6:
and fine weather, fo that we began to think that this; part
of-the world was not wholly without a fummer. On the
7th, I fo u n dm yfe lf much farther to the northward than I Friday7;
expefled, and- therefore fuppofed the fhip’s. way had been
influenced by a current. I had now made eighty degrees,
calling, which is the diftance from the main at which Pepys
Ifland is placed in Halley’s chart, but unhappily we have no.
certain account of the place. The only perfon who pretends,
to have feen it,. is: Cowley, the account of whofe voyage is
now before me ; and all he fays of its fituation. is, that it lies
in latitude 47 S.; for he fays nothing o f its longitude: he
fays, indeed, that it has a.fine harbour; but he. adds, that