at
one time, and instantly afterwards murdering those with whom they have
been familiar. The Dutch found it impossible to procure any kind of
refreshments from them, though such surely were among them, for
quantities of cow-dung were seen; and their bow-strings were made of ox
sinews: besides, a soldier who went ashore from the Greyhound yacht,
while she lay at anchor, reported to the vice-admiral, that he had seen
a large herd of cattle feeding in a meadow.[137]

[Footnote 137: This is not at all likely to have been true. The cattle,
the dung, and the sinews mentioned in the text, are more likely to have
been of some species of the seal tribe--E.]

On the 27th of February, 1624, the admiral made a signal for sailing,
the wind being then N. so that hopes were entertained of getting from
the bay of Nassau to the west; but a storm came on in the evening at W.
and blew hard all night. March 3d, they had an observation at noon, when
they were in lat, 59 deg. 45' S. with the wind at N.W. Hitherto it had been
the opinion of nautical men, that it was easy to get from the Straits of
Le Maire to Chili, but hardly possible to pass from Chili by that strait
into the Atlantic, as they imagined that the south wind blew constantly
in these seas: but they now found the case quite otherwise, as the
frequent tempests they encountered from W. and N.W. rendered it beyond
comparison easier to have passed through the Straits of Le Maire from
the South Sea than from the Atlantic.

The wind still continuing strong from the west on the 6th, the admiral
held a council to consider of a proper rendezvous for the fleet, in case
of separation, or of being forced to winter, if these west winds should
still continue to oppose their entry into the South Sea. Some proposed
the Terra del Fuego, and others the Straits of Magellan. But the
majority were of opinion, that it was best to wait two months for a fair
wind, and to use their utmost endeavours to get into the South Sea. On
the 8th they were in 61 deg. S. on the 14th in 58 deg., and on the 18th, 19th
and 20th they had a fair wind at S.E. with warm weather, so that they
were now in hopes of having accomplished their purpose. On the 24th they
lost sight of the Maurice and David, the fleet being now reduced to
seven sail; and the same evening they were in lat. 47 deg. S. The 25th,
having still a fair wind and good weather, they reached 45 deg. S. and were
then in great hopes of overcoming all diffi