_Passage from Madeira to St Catharines._
I have already mentioned that we weighed from Madeira on the 3d
November, after orders being given to rendezvous at St Jago, one of
the Cape Verd islands, in case of a separation. But next day, when we
were got to sea, the commodore, considering that the season was far
advanced, and that touching at St Jago would create additional delay,
thought proper for this reason to alter the rendezvous, and appointed
the island of St Catharines, on the coast of Brazil, to be the first
place to which the ships of the squadron were to repair, in case of
separation.
In our passage to the island of St Catharines, we found the direction
of the trade winds to differ considerably from what we had reason to
expect, both from the general histories given of these winds, and the
experience of former navigators. For the learned Dr Halley, in his
account of the trade-winds which prevail in the Ethiopic and Atlantic
Oceans, tells us that, from the lat. of 28° N. to 10° N. there is
generally a fresh gale of N.E. wind, which, towards the African
coasts, rarely comes to the eastward of E.N.E. or passes to the
northward of N.N.E. but on the American side the wind is somewhat
more easterly; though even there it is commonly a point or two to the
northward of east; that from 10° N. to 4° N. the calms and tornadoes
take place; and from 4° N. to 30° S. the winds are generally and
perpetually between the south and east. We expected to find this
account of the matter confirmed by our experience; but we found
considerable variations from it, both in regard to the steadiness of
the winds, and the quarters from whence they blew. For though we met
with a N.E. wind about lat. 28° N. yet, from lat. 25° N. to 18° N the
wind was never once to the northward of E. but almost constantly to
the southward of it. From thence, however, to 6° 20' N. we had it
usually to the northward of E. though not always, as it changed for a
short time to E.S.E. From 6° 20' N. to about 4° 46' N. the weather was
very unsettled, the wind being sometimes N.E. then changing to S.E.
and sometimes we had a dead calm, with small rain and lightning. After
this, to the lat. of 7° 30' S. the wind continued almost invariably
between S. and E. and then again as invariably between N. and E. till
we came to 15° 30' S. then E. and S.E. to 21° 37' S. After this, even
to 27° 44' S. the wind was never once between S. and E. though we
had it in all the other quarters of the compass; though this last
circumstance may be in some measure accounted for from our approach to
the coast of Brazil.
I do not mention these particulars with a view of cavilling at the
received accounts of these trade-winds, which, I doubt not, are
sufficiently accurate; but I thought it worthy of public notice, that
such deviations from the established rules do sometimes take place.
This observation may not only be of service to navigators, by putting
them on their guard against these hitherto unexplained and unnoticed
irregularities, but it is also a circumstance that requires to be
attended to in the solution of the great question about the causes
of trade-winds and monsoons; a question which, in my opinion, has not
been hitherto discussed with that clearness and accuracy which
its importance demands, whether it be considered in a naval or a
philosophical point of view.
On the 16th November, one of our victuallers made a signal to speak
with the commodore, and we shortened sail for her to come up with us.
The master came on board, and represented to Mr Anson, that, having
complied with the terms of his charter-party, he now desired to be
unloaded and discharged. On consulting the captain of the squadron,
it was found all the ships had still such quantities of provisions
between their decks, and were also so deep, that they could only take
in their proportions of brandy from the Industry pink, one of the
victuallers; and consequently the commodore had to continue the other,
the Ann pink, in the service of attending the squadron. Accordingly, a
signal was made next day for the ships to bring to, and the long-boats
were employed that and the three following days, till the 19th in the
evening, to take their proportions of the brandy in the Industry to
the several ships of the squadron. Being then unloaded, she parted
company, intending for Barbadoes; and there to take in a freight for
England. Most of the officers in the squadron took the opportunity of
this ship, to write to their friends at home; but I have been informed
she was taken by the Spaniards.
On the 20th November, the captains of the squadron represented to the
commodore, that their ships companies were very sickly; and that,
both in their own opinions and of their surgeons, it would tend to the
health of the men to let in more air between decks; but that the
ships were so deep in the water, that the lower-deck ports could not
possibly be opened. On this representation, the commodore ordered
six air-scuttles to be cut in each ship, in such places as had least
tendency to weaken them. On this occasion, I cannot but observe how
much it is the duty of all who have any influence in the direction
of our naval affairs, to attend to the preservation of the lives and
health of our seamen. If it could be supposed that motives of humanity
were insufficient for this purpose, yet policy, a regard to the
success of our arms, and the honour and interest of each individual
commander, all should lead to a careful and impartial examination of
every probable method proposed for preserving the health and vigour of
seamen. But hath this been always done? Have the late invented,
plain, and obvious methods for keeping our ships sweet and clean, by
a constant supply of fresh air, been considered with that candour
and temper which the great benefits they promise to produce ought
naturally to have inspired? On the contrary, have not these salutary
schemes been often treated with neglect and contempt? And have not
some, who have been entrusted with experimenting their effects, been
guilty of the most indefensible partiality in the accounts they have
given of these trials? It must, however, be confessed, that many
distinguished persons, both in the direction and command of our
fleets, have exerted themselves on these occasions with a judicious
and dispassionate examination, becoming the interesting nature of the
enquiry: But the wonder is, that any one should have been found so
irrational as to act a contrary part, in despite of the strongest
dictates of prudence and humanity. I cannot, however, believe
this conduct to have arisen from such savage motives as the first
reflection seems naturally to suggest; but am apt rather to impute
it to an obstinate, and, as it were, superstitious attachment to
long-established practices, and to a settled contempt and hatred to
all innovations, especially such as are projected by landsmen, or
persons residing on shore.
We crossed the equinoctial, with a fine fresh gale at N.E. on Friday,
the 28th November, at four in the morning, being thus, by estimation,
in long. 27° 59' W. from London. In the morning of the 2d December, we
saw a sail in the N.W. and made the Gloucester's and Tryal's signals
to chase; and half an hour after, let out our reefs, and chased with
the rest of the squadron. About noon a signal was made for the Wager
to take our remaining victualler, the Ann pink, in tow; but, at seven
in the evening, finding we did not near the chase, and that the Wager
was very far astern, we shortened sail, and recalled the chasing
ships. Next day but one we again discovered a sail, which, on a nearer
approach, we judged to be the same vessel. We chased her the whole
day, and though we rather gained upon her, night came on before
we could overtake her, which obliged us to give over the chase, to
collect the scattered squadron. We were much chagrined at the escape
of this vessel, supposing her to have been an advice-boat from Old
Spain to Buenos Ayres, sent to give notice of our expedition: But we
have since learnt that it was our East-India Company's packet, bound
to St Helena.
On the 10th December, being by our reckoning in lat. 20° S. and long.
36° 30' W. from London, the Tryal fired a gun to denote soundings. We
immediately tried, and found sixty fathoms, the bottom coarse ground
with broken shells. The Tryal, which was a-head of us, had at one
time thirty-seven fathoms, which afterwards increased to ninety,
after which she had no bottom; which happened to us also at our second
trial, though we sounded with a line of 150 fathoms. This is the shoal
laid down in most charts by the name of the _Abrollos_,[1] and
it appeared we were upon its verge; perhaps farther in it may be
extremely dangerous. We were then, by our different accounts, from
sixty to ninety leagues east of the coast of Brazil. Next day but one
we spoke a Portuguese brigantine from Rio Janeiro bound to _Bahia de
todos los Santos_, by which we learnt that we were thirty-four leagues
from Cape St Thomas, and forty from Cape Frio; which latter bore from
us W.S.W. By our own accounts we were nearly eight leagues from Cape
Frio; and though, on the information of this brig, we altered our
course, standing more southerly, yet, by our coming in with the land
afterwards, we were fully convinced that our own reckoning was more
correct than that of the Portuguese. After passing lat. 16° S. we
found a considerable current setting to the southward. The same took
place all along the coast of Brazil, and even to the southward of the
Rio Plata, amounting sometimes to thirty miles in twenty-four hours,
and once to above forty miles. If, as is most probable, this current
be occasioned by the running off of the water which is accumulated on
the coast of Brazil by the constant sweeping of the eastern trade-wind
over the Ethiopic Ocean, it were then most natural to suppose that
its general course must be determined by the bearings of the adjacent
shores. Perhaps in every instance of currents the same may hold true,
as I believe there are no examples of any considerable currents at any
great distance from land. If this could be ascertained as a general
principle, it might be easy by their assistance and the observed
latitude, to correct the reckoning. But it were much to be wished, for
the general interests of navigation, that the actual settings of the
different currents in various parts of the world were examined
more frequently and more accurately than appears to have been done
hitherto.
[Footnote 1: In the map of the world by Arrowsmith, the Abrolhos are
made a cluster of islands off the coast of Brazil, in lat. 18° 10' S.
long. 39° W. from Greenwich.--E.]
We began now to grow impatient for a sight of land, both for the
recovery of our sick, and for the refreshment and security of those
who still continued in health. When we left. St Helens, we were in
so good a condition that we only lost two men in the Centurion in our
long run to Madeira. But in this run, from Madeira to St Catharines,
we were remarkably sickly, so that many died, and great numbers were
confined to their hammocks, both in our ship and the others, and
several of these past all hopes of recovery. The disorders they in
general laboured under were those common to hot climates, and which
most ships bound to the south experience in a greater or less degree.
These were the fevers usually called _calentures_, a disease not only
terrible in its first instance, but of which the remains often proved
fatal to those who considered themselves as recovered; for it always
left them in a very weak and helpless condition, and usually
afflicted with fluxes or tenesmus. By our continuance at sea all these
complaints were every day increasing; so that it was with great joy we
discovered the coast of Brazil on the 18th December, at seven in the
morning.
The coast of Brazil appeared high and mountainous, extending from W.
to W.S.W. and when we first saw it, the distance was about seventeen
leagues. At noon we could perceive a low double land, bearing W.S.W.
about ten leagues distant, which we took to be the island of St
Catharines. That afternoon and the next morning, the wind being N.N.W.
we gained very little to windward, and were apprehensive of being
driven to leeward of the island: But next day, a little before noon,
the wind came about to the southward, and enabled us to steer in
between the N. point of St Catharines and the neighbouring island
of Alvoredo. As we stood in for the land we had regular soundings,
gradually decreasing from thirty-six to twelve fathoms, all muddy
ground. In this last depth of water we let go our anchor at five in
the evening of the 18th,[2] the N.W. part of St Catharines bearing
S.S.W. three miles off; and the island of Alvoredo N.N.E. distant two
leagues. Here we found the tide to set S.S.E. and N.N.W. at the rate
of two knots, the tide of flood coming from the southward.
[Footnote 2: There is an error in date here, as it has been already
said they first got sight of the coast of Brazil on the 18th,
obviously two days before. Hence, if the former date be right, this
ought to be the 20th.--E.]
We could perceive from our ships two fortifications at a considerable
distance from us, which seemed intended to prevent the passage of an
enemy between the island of St Catharines and the main. We could also
soon see that our squadron had alarmed the coast, as the two forts
hoisted their colours and fired several guns, signals, as we supposed,
for assembling the inhabitants. To prevent any confusion, the
commodore immediately sent an officer to compliment the governor, and
to request a pilot to conduct our ships into the road. The governor
returned a very civil answer, and ordered us a pilot. On the morning
of the 20th we weighed and stood in, and the pilot came aboard of us
about noon, and the same afternoon brought us to anchor in five and
a half fathoms, in a commodious bay on the continent, called by the
French Bon-port. From our last anchorage to this, we found every where
an oozy bottom, the water first regularly decreasing to five fathoms,
and then increasing to seven, after which we had five and six fathoms
alternately. The squadron weighed again next morning, in order to run
above the two fortifications formerly mentioned, which are called the
castles of Santa Cruiz and St Joam. Our soundings between the island
and the main were four, five, and six fathoms, with muddy ground. We
saluted the castle of Santa Cruiz in passing with eleven guns, and
were answered with an equal number. At one in the afternoon of the
21st December, the squadron came to anchor in five fathoms and a half,
Governor's Isle bearing N.N.W. St Joam's castle N.E. 1/2 E. and the
island of St Antonio S. At this time the squadron was sickly, and in
great want of refreshments, both of which we hoped to have speedily
remedied at this settlement, celebrated by former navigators for
its healthiness and abundance of provisions, and for the freedom,
indulgence, and friendly assistance given here to all the ships of
nations in amity with the crown of Portugal.