visited the Dutch General, and desired the privilege of buying provisions
that I wanted, which was granted me. In this road we lay till the 17th of
October following, when, having fitted the ship, recruited myself with
provisions, filled all my water, and the season of the year for returning
towards Europe being come, I set sail from Batavia, and on the 19th of
December made the Cape of Good Hope, whence departing January 11 we made
the island of St. Helena on the 31st; and February the 21st the island of
Ascension; near to which my ship, having sprung a leak which could not be
stopped, foundered at sea; with much difficulty we got ashore where we
lived on goats and turtle; and on the 26th of February found, to our
great comfort, on the south-east side of a high mountain, about half a
mile from its top, a spring of fresh water. I returned to England in the
Canterbury East India ship. For which wonderful deliverance from so many
and great dangers I think myself bound to return continual thanks to
Almighty God; whose divine providence if it shall please to bring me safe
again to my native country from my present intended voyage; I hope to
publish a particular account of all the material things I observed in the
several places which I have now but barely mentioned.

...

A VOYAGE TO TERRA AUSTRALIS.

1699.

CHAPTER 1. DEPARTURE AND PROVISIONING EN ROUTE.

THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM THE DOWNS.

I sailed from the Downs early on Saturday, January 14, 1699, with a fair
wind, in His Majesty's Ship the Roebuck; carrying but 12 guns in this
voyage and 50 men and boys with 20 months' provision. We had several of
the King's ships in company, bound for Spithead and Plymouth, and by noon
we were off Dungeness.

A CAUTION TO THOSE WHO SAIL IN THE CHANNEL.

We parted from them that night, and stood down the Channel, but found
ourselves next morning nearer the French coast than we expected; Cape de
Hague bearing south-east and by east 6 leagues. There were many other
ships, some nearer, some farther off the French coast, who all seemed to
have gone nearer to it than they thought they should. My master, who was
somewhat troubled at it at first, was not displeased however to find that
he had company in his mistake: which as I have heard is a very common
one, and fatal to many ships. The occasion of it is the not allowing for
the change of the variation since the making of the charts; which Captain
Halley has observ