40' S. The Wind Getting Daily More
And More Towards The East.
We here unloaded the Guest, which went
along with us to carry such provisions as we could not stow
In the other
four ships; after which we took out her masts, sails, yards, and all
other tackle; broke up her upper works for fire-wood, and left her hull
floating in the sea, following our own course southwards. We passed the
tropic of Capricorn on the 24th July, the wind N.E. by N. our course
E.S.E. On account of our having been so long near the line, by reason of
leaving England too late in the season by six or seven weeks, many of
our men fell sick; for which reason the general sent written orders to
the captain of each ship, either to make Saldanha bay or St Helena for
refreshment.
The 1st August we were in 30 deg. S. at which time we got the wind at S.W.
to our great comfort, for by this time many of our men were sick of the
scurvy; insomuch, that in all our ships, except the admiral, they were
hardly able to manage the sails. This wind held fair till we were within
250 leagues of the Cape of Good Hope, and then came clean contrary at E.
continuing so for fifteen or sixteen days, to the great discomfort of
our men; for now the few that had continued sound began also to fall
sick, so that in some of the ships the merchants had to take their turn
at the helm, and to go into the tops to hand the top-sails along with
the common mariners.
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