relaxation in themeafures I had adopted at the commencement of our
voyage; but on the contrary, the moft rigid obfervance had been paid
to all thofe circumftances, which had been proved from experience to be
the happy and effeftual means of preferving that moft valuable of all
bleflings, health. All thefe precautions and falutary meafures on this
occafion feemed to have loft their effeft, for the number of our fcorbutic
invalids increafed, and with them alfo my folicitude, which may probably
be more eafy to imagine than to defcribe. The baneful effects which feldom
fail to be confequent on this diforder at fea, filled my mind with apprehen-
fions for the fafety of our patients; and having prefumed that we had at
length profited fo much by the experience and indefatigable labours of that
renowned navigator Captain Cook, as that by due attention we could on
a certainty proteft feafaring people from the fatal confequences hitherto
infeparable, under fimilar circumftances, from this malignant diforder, the
difappointment which I felt on this occafion was inexpreflible. This was
the fecond inftance in which it had appeared during the voyage. The firft
was on our paflage from Nootka to the Spanilh fettlements in New
Albion; but I was then in fome meafure able to account for its appearance,,
our people having been for many of the preceding months ex-
p.ofed in a very arduous and fatiguing fervice to moft inclement weather,
with only the very fmall portion of r'efrelhments we were enabled to procure
during that time. Thefe reafons did not now exift, and I remained
in the greateft uncertainty concerning the caufe. of its origin, until at
length it appeared to have been derived from a fource from whence I Ieaft
expected it; namely, from a difobedience of my pofitive injunftions
and orders on the part of the cook, who had been ftriftly forbidden on
any account whatever to allow the Ikimmings of the boiling falted’meat
to be eaten by the people. O f this difobedience the Chip’s cook, a fteady,
grave, and valuable man, came aft on the quarter deck and made a voluntary
confeflion; and ftated, that he had not only aided in direft oppofi-
tion to my repeated injunftions in the prefent inftance, but alfo on the former
occafion; though he had not been induced at any other time during
the voyage, by the importunities of the people, to tranfgrefs, in giving to
the crew the Ikimmings of the boilers to mix with their pulfe, which at
both
both thbfe times; but particularly the prefent, they had been able -to ,
procure in great abundance from their Spanilh friends. , ’ - 1 y ' 1
■ On his examination it appeared that he had been lefs fcrupulous in
complying with the demands of the people, in confequence of arguments
that had been frequently urged and fupported by fome on board, who
feemed to be acquainted with the opinions; o f the prefident of the Royal
Society, and who ftated, that he conceived that "pulfe with any kind of
greafe was not only -a wholfome food, but alfo very antifcorbutic.
When the great infipidity of peas or beans alone, without the aid of
butter, or other qualifying material, is taken into confideration, it is not
much to be wondered at that a deviation from reftriftive rules in thofe
refpefts Ihould have taken place, with people fo totally indifferent and
carelefs of themfelves as are the generality of feamen. The .very unre-
ferved and feeling manner in which the cook acknowledged his tranfgref-
fion, and the contrition he fhewed for having thus departed from his
duty, intitled him. to my full forgivenefs; on which he earneftly aflured me,
that he would in future attend ftriftly to my direftions,. and I had reafon
to believe that he performed his promife. The cook’s name was John
Brown, which I feel a fatisfaftion in recording, from his having been the
means of eftablilhing a faft of fo much importance to maritime perfons,
by the two experiments which his honefty compelled; him to make
known, at the rifle of a punilhment for difobedience of orders.
All <>ur antifeptics were reforted’to, but they did not feem to-aft fo
well as on. the former occafion; and fince’the number of fcorbutic patients
increafed daily, I had reafon to believe that the pernicious indulgence
which had produced the difeafe, had been a very general practice
amongft the crew.
With the wind blowing a fteady gale, chiefly between N. N. E. and N. w .,
attended with fair and pleafant weather, we made as much progrefs as
could well be expefted in our crippled condition. In the courfe of the
preceding week we procured feveral very good lunar obfervations for the
longitude, which, when reduced by Arnold’s No. 14 to the 18th at noon, WedneC >8;
Jhewed their refults to be as follow:
E .e 2- The