our sick, it is almost incredible how
soon they began to feel the salutary influence of the land. For though we
buried twenty-one men on this and the preceding day, yet we did not lose
above ten men more during our whole two months' stay here; and in general
our diseased received so much benefit from the fruits of the island,
particularly the fruits of the acid kind, that in a week's time there
were but few who were not so far recovered as to be able to move about
without help; and on the 12th of September all those who were so far
relieved as to be capable of doing duty were sent on board the ship. And
then the Commodore, who was himself ill of the scurvy, had a tent erected
for him on shore, where he went with the view of staying a few days for
the recovery of his health, being convinced, by the general experience of
his people, that no other method but living on the land was to be trusted
to for the removal of this dreadful malady. As the crew on board were now
reinforced by the recovered hands returned from the island, we began to
send our casks on shore to be fitted up, which till now could not be
done, for the coopers were not well enough to work. We likewise weighed
our anchors that we might examine our cables, which we suspected had by
this time received considerable damage. And as the new moon was now
approaching, when we apprehended violent gales, the Commodore, for our
greater security, ordered that part of the cables next to the anchors to
be armed with the chains of the fire-grapnels, and they were besides
cackled twenty fathoms from the anchors and seven fathoms from the
service, with a good rounding of a 4 1/2 inch hawser, and to all these
precautions we added that of lowering the main and fore yards close down,
that in case of blowing weather the wind might have less power upon the
ship to make her ride a-strain.

A FURIOUS STORM.

Thus effectually prepared, as we conceived, we expected the new moon,
which was the 18th of September; and riding safe that and the three
succeeding days (though the weather proved very squally and uncertain),
we flattered ourselves (for I was then on board) that the prudence of our
measures had secured us from all accidents. But on the 22nd the wind blew
from the eastward with such fury that we soon despaired of riding out the
storm; and therefore we should have been extremely glad that the
Commodore and the rest of our people on shore, which were the greatest of
our hands,