My Plan Being Approved, We Proceeded To Windward, Having Secured Our
Masts And Bent A New Set Of Sails On The 26th, After Which We Stood To
The Southward, Expecting To Make Our Passage In About Five Weeks.
The
carpenters were now set to work to build a new boat that we might have
the means of watering our ship.
On the 31st, while working the pumps,
the water not only came in in greater quantity than usual, but was as
black as ink, which made me suspect some water had got at our powder;
and on going into the powder-room, I found the water rushing in like a
little sluice, which had already spoiled the greatest part of our
powder, only six barrels remaining uninjured, which I immediately had
stowed away in the bread-room. It pleased God that we now had fair
weather, as otherwise we might have had much difficulty to keep our ship
afloat. We found the leak on the larboard side, under the lower cheek of
the head, where a shot had lodged and afterwards dropt out, leaving room
for a stream of water. We accordingly brought down our ship by the
stern, and secured the leak effectually. At this time we had an abundant
stock of provisions. Each man had a quart of chocolate and three ounces
of rusk for breakfast; and had fresh meat or fresh fish every day for
dinner, having plenty of the latter about the ship, so that we could
almost always make our choice between dolphin and albicore.
On the 6th May we made the westermost of the islands of Juan Fernandez,
otherwise called Mas a Fuero, distant twelve leagues N.E. by N. and
the day after, our carpenters had completed our new boat, which could
carry three hogsheads. On the 12th we saw the great island of Juan
Fernandez, bearing E. 1/2 S. being in latitude, by observation, 33 deg. 40'
S. a joyful sight at the time, though so unfortunate to us in the
sequel. We plied off and on till the 21st, but could not get as much
water on board daily in that time as supplied our daily expenditure,
owing to the smallness of our boat, which made it necessary for us to
anchor in the roads till that purpose was accomplished, in order for
which I prepared to raft twenty tons of casks on shore. We worked in and
anchored in forty fathoms, carrying a warp on shore, which we fastened
to the rocks, of three hawsers and a half in length, which both steadied
the ship, and enabled us to haul our cask-raft ashore and aboard. By
this means we were ready to go to sea again next morning, having filled
all our water casks; but had no opportunity of so doing for four days,
during which we continued to anchor in the same manner.
On the 25th May, a hard gale came upon us from seaward, bringing with it
a great tumbling swell, by which at length our cable parted.
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