1772. By the healthy condition of the crews of both fhips at our
November. W jfcy j thought to have made my flay at the Cape very
■ fliort. But, as' the bread we wanted was unbaked, and the
fpirit, which I found fcarce, to be colle&ed from different
parts out of the country, it was the 18th of November before
we had got every thing on board, and the 23d before we
could put to fea. During, this flay the crews of both fhips
were ferved every day with freffi- beef or mutton, new baked
bread, and as much greens as they could eat. The fhips
were caulked and paintedand, in every refpect, put in as
good a condition as when they left England. Some alterations
in the officers took place in the Adventure. Mr. Shank
the firft lieutenant, having been in an ill Rate of health
ever fince we failed from Plymouth, and not finding him-
felf recover here, defired my leave to quit, in order to return
home for the re-eftabliffiment of his health. As his
requeft appeared to be well-founded, I granted him leave
accordingly, and appointed Mr. Kemp, firft lieutenant in
his room; and Mr. Burney, one of my midfhipmen, fecond,
in the room of Mr. Kemp.
Mr. Forfler, whofe whole time was taken up in the pur-
fuit of Natural Hiflory and.Botany, met with a Swedifh
gentleman, one Mr. Sparrman, who underftood fomething
of thefe fciences, having ftudied under Dr. Linnasus. He
being willing to embark with us, Mr. Forfler ftrongly importuned
me to take him on board; thinking that he would
be of great affiftance to him in the courfe of the voyage.
I at laft confented, and he embarked with us accordingly,
as an affiftant to Mr. Forfler; who bore his expences on board,
and allowed him a yearly flipend befides.
Mr.
mBr
Mr. Hodges employed himfelf here in drawing a view of NoJ,^zb’er
-the Cape, town, and parts adjacent, in oil colours; which '----*---
was properly packed up, with fome others, and left with
Mr. Brandt, in order to be forwarded to the Admiralty by
the firft fhip that ffiould fail for England.
C H A P. II.
Departure from the Cape o f Good Hope, in fearch o f a
Southern Continent.
HAVING at length finiffied my bufinefs at the Cape,
and taken leave of the Governor and fome others of
the chief officers, who, with very obliging readinefs, had
given me all the affiftance I could defire, on the 3 2d of Novem- Sunday
her we repaired on board; and at three o’clock in the afternoon,
weighed, and came to fail with the wind at N. by W. As
foon as the anchor was up, we faluted the fort with fifteen
guns, which was immediately returned; and after making
a few trips, got out of the bay by feven o’clock, at which time
the town bore S. E. diftant four miles. After this we flood
to the Weftward all night, in order to get clear of the land;
having the wind at N. N. W. and N. W. blowing in fqualls,
attended with rain, which obliged us to reef our topfails.
The fea was again illuminated for fome time, in the fame
manner as it was the night before we arrived in Table Bay.
Having got clear of the land, I directed my courfe for
Cape Circumcilion. The wind continued at N. W. a moderate
gale, until the 24th; when it veered round to the ToeKay 24;
Eaftward. On the noon of this day, we were in the latitude
D 2 of