March'.- ^ le ^ay was pfealantly fpent amongft our new acquaintance, who readily
1 affifted me in making arrangements for procuring a fupply of the abundant
refrelhments which this luxuriant country afforded. In doing this,
my firft: care and principal objeft was, immediately to adopt the mod
efficacious meafures that could be devifed, for eradicating the inveterate
fcorbutic diforder which now prevailed, and which had greatly increafed
amongft the crews of both veffels. The number of fcorbutic patients
rendered incapable of attending to their duty on board the Difcovery,
amounted to feventeen. On board the Chatham their number was not
fo great, though the difeafe was making a rapid- progrefs; and I learned
from Mr. Puget, that on his making inquiry into the caufe of it, he
had found that the fame pernicious pra&ice had been indulged in on
board the Chatham, which had taken place on board the Difcovery during
our late long and tedious paffage, that of permitting the fat fkim-
■ mings of the boiling falted meat to be eaten by the people with their
pulfe, and to be ufed for frying their fifh; but it did not appear that this
unwholefome indulgence had been carried to fuch an extent on board the
Chatham, as it had’ been on board the Difcovery. In confequence of
this information, I deemed it expedient that the whole crews of both vef-
fels fhould, in addition to the regular allowance offrefh beef and greens,
and new fsft bread from the Ihore, be daily ferved with a quantity of
grapes, apples, and onions; and I had foon the happinefs of finding,
that this1 falutary diet was attended with the defired effeft of intirely
eradicating the difeafe.
Whilft we were waiting for the return of the courier difpatched to His
-Excellency the Prefident, my time was not unprofitably employed; for I
embraced that opportunity to vilit the feveral warehoufes, and by fo doing
obtained a complete knowledge of the quality of the ftores and provifions
they were capable of affording us. When this was done, I made the necef-
fary arrangements for receiving them On board the inftant we fhould be at
liberty to accept them. In the courfe of my inquiries I had the mortification
to learn, that there was not a fpar, either at Valparaifo, or in the
country within our reach, of a fize fufficient to be converted into a mail,
for the purpofe of replacing our difabled one on board the Difcovery.
1 This
This was a matter o f very ferious concern; but as a new mat could not
here be procured, the only expedient we had the power of referring to, 1---- ----- >
was-to Life our beft endeavours to repair the old one. This I purpofed
to do by turning the mat end for .end, by which means the moft defective
parts would fall below the deck; where, by the addition of the
fljhes we had on board by way of-further fecurities, I was in hopes, that
with-great care -and attention to the performance of the work, we fhould
be able to render it fufficiendy ftrong to anfwer the pu-rpofe of .carrying
the veffel to England.
The town of‘Valparaifo not affordingany taverns or places for the
reception and accommodation of ftrangers, we were obliged to intrude on
die faofpitality of. its worthy inhabitants for fuch -conveniencies when we
vifited the Ihore. Thefe civilities were .conferred in .fo bandfome a manner
ns at once,to -relieve us from any idea of our being intruders; the
pleafure that every one manifefted in entertaining us, completely removed
every -fenrime-nt excepting! that of gratitude ,on . our parts, for
«he repeated a£ts>of kindnefs they fo very obligingly ibeftowed. Amongft
the. firft to whom we were indebted in thefe refpecls was.Don Juan Bar-
rara, the collector of the -king’s duties, and. Don Praeta, the captain of
the port. We firft became known to thefe gentlemen in their public
capacity, and -they had the goodnefs to introduce us to many, others of
their friends, all of whom treated us with -the greateft politenefs, attention,
and holpitality ; but as their houfes were not more than fufficiendy; large
for -theaccommodation o f their-own refpeSive families, a lodging on Ihore
was not to be eafily procured. The very indifferent Hate . of my health
at< this time however, required that I lliould avail myfelf of this opportunity
of 1 leeping on Ihore, and taking as; much of the exercife o f the
country as my ftrength would permit; for this reafon I was induced to
apply to the governor, to allot apartments for myfelf and a few of the
officers in feme of the public buildings of the town, .with which he very
obligingly -complied; and in the event of our equipment in this port
meeting-with the approbation of His E-xcellency the Prefident of .Chill»
Of which -there was little doubt, the Cafa de Exercicios was appointed
for >our-reception and-refidence. This building had been eretled home
years