The Object Of The Spaniards, In Erecting This Fortress, Was To Have
Fortified The Straits, So As To Have Excluded All Other Nations From Any
Passage Into The South Sea:
But, besides the barrenness of the soil, and
excessive severity of the climate their most implacable enemies, the
Indians, frequently assailed them, so that they were reduced to the last
extremity of distress.
All the stores they had brought from Spain were
expended, and none could be procured in the country, which produced
nothing but deer, and when hunting these for the preservation of their
lives, they were sure to be fallen upon by the Indians. At length almost
all the Spaniards died in their houses, and the stench of the putrefying
carcasses became so intolerable to the few survivors, that they were
forced to quit the fortress, and to range along the seacoast living upon
roots, leaves, and sea weeds, or any animals they could occasionally
fall in with. In this miserable extremity they had determined to attempt
exploring their way to the Rio Plata, and were already on their way,
when this Spaniard was taken by the English.
Mr Candish named the haven where the fortress stood Port Famine, owing
to the utter want of all necessaries. It is in lat. 53 deg. S. Leaving this
place on the 14th, they ran five leagues S.W. to Cape Froward, in the
southernmost part of the straits, in lat. 54 deg. S. Sailing five leagues W.
by N. from this cape, they put into a bay, called Muscle Cove, from the
great quantities of muscles found there.
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