m we proceeded towards Teneriffe. The wind which had been gene-
■ Apn1- . rally from the weft, veered round by the north, as we advanced to
Tucfday *6. the fouthward, and fettled in the n . e . trade, accompanied with fine
pleafant weather, which, on the 26th, in latitude 30° 54' north, afforded
me an opportunity o f obtaining feveral fets o f lunar diftances with the
different fextants in the fhip. Thefe were twelve in number, o f the following
eminent makers in London, (viz.) Ramfden, Dollond, Trough-
ton, Adams, and Gilbert, though the greater number were made by Mr.
Ramfden. They all agreed exceedingly well together, and their mean
refult (hewed the longitude to be 160 21' 32"'; the chronometer made the
longitude 160 31' 15" weft; and as there could be no doubt of the latter
being neareft the truth, the refult of the lunar obfervations, by the
feveral fextants, appeared to be 9' 43" too far to the eaftward. On the
other fide of the moon, my lunar obfervations were 15' to the weft o f the
true or nearly the true, longitude, as was proved on our making the
Madeiras. This evinces the accuracy with which thefe obfervations are
in general capable o f being made with good inftruments, and by a careful
obferver, .
Thurfday.8. In the morning of the 28th, the pic of Teneriffe was feen bearing by
compafs s.w. about fixteen leagues diftant; and, in the evening, as we approached
the roadftead of S“ Cruz, we were met by the mafter attendant,
who placed the fhip in what, he faid, he conceived the beft birth in the
roadftead, and the Chatham in our immediate neighbourhood.
When the (hip was fecured, an officer was fent to inform the governor
o f our arrival, and to folicit his permiffion to take on board fuch wine,
and refreffiments as we required; but having underftood that he had
waved a return of falute to fome of His Majefty’s {hips that had lately
vifited Teneriffe; I did not choofe to rifk a refufal, however polite, to
comply with this compliment. The officer was civilly received; and the
coritraftor was, the next morning, directed to fupply the different articles
of which we Hood in need.
Accompanied by Mr. Broughton, Mr. Menzies, and fome of the other
Friday a9. officers, on friday forenoon, I waited on his excellency Sen’ Don ^Antonio
Guitierres, the governor general of the Canaries, who then redded
in the city of S“ Cruz. His excellency received us with the politenefs ‘ 79>-
ufual on thefe oceafions, and affured us of his readinefs to afford us every 1 ■
afliftance; but apologized that the poverty of the country prevented his
inviting us to his table; Attended by the fame party, on funday I vifited Sunday 1.
the city of Lagoona, and after fatisfying our curiofity with its external
appearance, we returned to S“ Cruz, and dined with Mr. Rhoney, an
Irifc gentleman, to whofe hofpitality we were greatly indebted. Had we
not fortunately met with him immediately on our landing, we ffiould
have been much inconvenienced, as there did not appear another perfon
on the illand who was inclinable to offer us (helter from the fcorching
rays of the fun, or to afford us the fmalleft refrefhment.
We had the mortification, this morning, of finding the fmall bower
cable cut through nearly in the middle, which feemed to have been occa-
fioned by an anchor lying at the bottom. The lofs of an anchor in a
fituation where no other could be procured, was a matter of ferious concern
; no pains were fpared 'to regain it until the afternoon of the 5th, Thurfday j .
when all our exertions proved ineffectual; and being apprehenfive that
other loft anchors might be in its vicinity, we weighed, Went further out,
and again anchored in 30 fathoms, water on a Toft dark oozy bottom
intermixed with fmall white (hells, having the northernmoft church fteeple
in a line with the centep of the jetty, bearing by compafs N. 48 w .
and the fouthernmoft fort s. 71 w, about three quarters of a mile
from die town. This anchorage appeared to be far preferable to our former
fituation, being nearly as convenient to the landing place, without
the hazard o f damaging the cables by anchors which fmall veffels .might
have loft nearer in ffiore; and which is the. only danger to be appre-
hended here, as the bottom is good holding ground, and, to all appearance,
perfeSly free from rocks.
The furf that had beaten with great violence on the ffiores for fome days
paft, and for (heltering againft which the pier of S“ GrUz is but ill contrived,
had much retarded the Chatham’s bufinefs of taking on board fhingle
ballad, and prevented the completion of that objeCt until late on faturday Saturday 7,
night, when we put to (ea, and direCted our courfe to the fouthward; ■'
The ballad which.the Chatha m had now taken on board certainly pre-'
■ V o l . I . C vented
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