Three of these people being taken on board the Dolphin, they ate whatever food was offered them; but, like the Patagonians, would drink only water:--like them too, they were highly diverted with a looking-glass, in which they at first looked with astonishment, till, having become a little more familiar with it, they smiled at its effect; and finding a corresponding smile from the figure in the glass, they burst into most immoderate fits of laughter.
The Captain going on shore with them, presented some trinkets to their wives and children, and received some of their arms, and pieces of mundic, of the kind found in the tin mines of Cornwall. These Indians went off in canoes, the sails of which were made of the seal-skin.
The ships sailed on the 3d of February, and came to an anchor in York Road on the same day. The next morning Captain Wallis, with a party, went on shore near Batchelor’s River, and saw many Indian huts, and several dogs, which ran away the moment they were noticed: they likewise saw ostriches, and collected various kinds of fish and vegetables. There is a cataract near this river, the noise of which is tremendous, as it falls more than 400 yards, partly ever a very steep descent, and partly in a perpendicular line.
They sailed on the 14th, and came to anchor again the same day in York Road, after having lost ground by the contrary winds. The next morning they were driven with such violence by the current, as to be in momentary expectation of being dashed against the rocks, from which they were frequently not half the length of the ship; but they were providentially preserved, and came to an anchor in BUTLER’S BAY, which was so called from the name of one of the mates, who discovered it. They kept this station till the 20th, when they encountered a most violent storm, attended with hail and rain, which increased till the evening, the sea breaking over the forecastle upon the quarter-deck; yet, as the cables did not part, they were again wonderfully preserved from destruction. They remained here eight days, taking in wood and water, and repairing the little damage the ship had sustained in the storm. They catched fish of various kinds, among which were muscles near six inches in length; and procured plenty of vegetables. The mountains in this neighbourhood had the most rugged and desolate appearance; but their height could not be ascertained, as their heads were lost in the clouds; and some of them, on the southern shore, were so exceedingly desolate, as not to produce even a single blade of grass; while the vallies were equally barren, and almost covered with snow.
On the 1st of March they sailed again, and anchored on the same day in a bay which they called LION’S COVE, from whence they sailed on Monday; and on the five following days encountered such terrible weather, that they had no prospect before them but that of immediate destruction: and the crew on board the Dolphin were so prepossessed that the Swallow could not ride out the storm, that they imagined they saw some of her hands coming over the rocks towards them.
The storm at length subsided; but the weather being intensely cold, each of the men was furnished with a thick jacket, made of the woollen stuff called Fearnought. During a week which they remained at this place, they were at two-thirds allowance, brandy excepted.
On the 15th both ships were safely anchored in a place called SWALLOW HARBOUR, from whence they sailed the next morning; and on the following day the Swallow, being driven among breakers, made signals of distress; but she was happily relieved by a breeze from the shore.
This day the waves ran high, and there was so thick a fog, that they narrowly escaped shipwreck among a number of small islands; but the weather clearing up a little in the afternoon, they came safely to an anchor in a bay under Cape Upright.
On the 19th two canoes, having on board several Indians, came a-longside the Dolphin, who had with them a quantity of seal’s flesh, blubber, and penguins, which they ate without any kind of dressing. A seaman having catched a fish bigger than a herring, gave it to one of them, who killed it by a bite near the gills, and instantly devoured it. These people would not drink any liquor but water, but they eagerly ate provisions of any kind, boiled, roasted, raw, salt, or fresh. Though the weather was very cold, they had no covering but a seal-skin, and even that they did not wear when they were rowing. It was remarked that they had all sore eyes, probably occasioned by the smoke of their fires, and they lived in such a nasty way that they smelt as rank as a fox. They had a kind of javelin, pointed with bone, which they used in striking fish. The Captain presented them with a few baubles, with which they departed well satisfied.
Twenty-two of the sailors staying one night on an island, thirty of the natives hurried to their boat, and began to make free with its contents; but the sailors had just time to hinder their depredations, which enraging them, they ran to their canoes, and armed themselves with poles and javelins; but the sailors giving them some small presents, peace and harmony were soon restored.
The 30th of the month proving a fine day, they employed themselves in drying the sails of the ships, which were damaged by having been long wet. Several Indians went on board the next day, and proved to be the people which the boat’s crew had seen on shore.
On the 1st of April some of the natives brought several of the birds called Race-horses, which they sold to the sailors. The next day eight Indians brought six of their children on board, whom the Captain gratified with bracelets and necklaces. These people were exceedingly tender in the treatment of their children; and a circumstance happened which proves that they are not less delicate in other respects.--A boat was ordered on shore to get wood and water; at this time some of the Indians were on board, and others in their canoes a-longside the ship: the latter eyed the boat attentively; and, on her putting off, called aloud to their companions, who, without speaking, instantly handed down the children, and jumped into the canoes, which were hurried after the boat, while the Indians cried out in a most distressful tone. When the ship’s boat was near land, some women were seen among the rocks, to whom the Indians called out aloud, and they all ran away; but the boat’s crew having remarked their jealous fears, lay on their oars, to convince them that no injury was intended. The Indians landed, drew their canoes on shore, and hastily followed the objects of their affection.
On the 5th, at the request of the Surgeon, orders were given that no more muscles, of which they had hitherto collected plenty, should be brought on board, as the crew began to be troubled with fluxes. On the 10th the two ships sailed in company; and on the 11th they lost sight of each other, and did not meet again during the whole voyage. This day the Dolphin cleared the Streight of Magellan, in which she had laboured with innumerable difficulties, and escaped most imminent dangers, in a passage of almost four months, viz. from December the 17th, 1766, to the 11th of April, 1767.
Captain Wallis now proceeds to a description of the places in which the ships anchored, during their passage through the Streight; but as a minute recital of bearings, distances, and soundings, would be unintelligible to most of our readers, and possibly disgusting to them all, we shall omit these particulars; extracting only such anecdotes as may furnish real improvement or entertainment.
In the year 1581 the Spaniards built a town, which they named Phillipville, and left in it a colony of four hundred persons. These were all starved to death except twenty-four, all of whom but one proceeded in search of the river Plata, and most probably perished, as no tidings were ever heard of them: the remaining man, whose name was Hernando, was taken on board by Sir William Cavendish, in the year 1587, and brought to England; and the place was called Port Famine, from the melancholy fate of these unfortunate men. Wood and water abounds at this place; geese, ducks, teal, &c. are in great abundance, and there is no want of fish; so that the face of things must be greatly changed since the Spaniards died there of hunger.
Cape Holland Bay, where fish are catched in great plenty; and the adjacent country produces plenty of cranberries and wild celery, but there are no birds. At Cape Gallant Bay there is wood, water, vegetables, and fish; as there is also at Elizabeth’s Bay, and York Road. Butler’s Bay abounds with rock-fish, muscles, wild-fowls, &c. Lion Cove and Goodluck Bay produce scarce any thing but wood and water. Muscles and rock-fish are found at Swallow Harbour, the mountains round which are desolate beyond description. Upright Bay produces excellent water, and some wild-fowl and fish.
On Sunday the 12th of April they held a westward course, during which a number of sheerwaters, pintadoes, gannets, and other birds, flew about the ship; the upper works of which being open, and the cloaths and bedding constantly wet, the sailors in a few days were attacked with colds and fevers. The 27th of this month proving a fine day, the sick were brought on deck, and nourished with salop, and portable soup, in which wheat was boiled. The violent gales soon returned, so that the beds were again wet through, and it was feared that the ship would lose her masts: they therefore began to think of altering their course, in hope of better weather; and the rather, as the number of sick encreased so fast, that there was danger of soon wanting hands to navigate the vessel.