hence on the 18th of January 1741, and soon after
began to meet with uncertain, stormy weather, in which the
Tryal sloop lost her mainmast, and was towed by one of the
squadron; the rest separated from us, but as our rendezvous was
at St. Julien's, a port on the coast of Patagonia, or, as
others term it, Terra Magellanica, in 49 deg. 30' South, we
rejoined them there, by which we heard of Pizarro's squadron,
from whom we narrowly escaped off Pepy's Island. We stayed here
eight days, employed in putting all our lumber on board the
store-ship, and were in hopes of meeting with the Spanish
squadron.

"The coast here is a sulphureous and nitrous soil, abounding
with salt lakes, but destitute of verdure, shrub, tree, or
fresh water, and seems the seat of infernal spirits; nor indeed
was there the trace of any animals, besides seals and birds. We
here took in salt and refitted the sloop.

"Captain Kidd's death made a revolution by promotion amongst
us, and I was appointed first lieutenant of the Commodore; but
my predecessor, to whose command the sloop descended, was taken
dangerously ill, and became incapable of taking possession of
his charge. I was ordered to take the command until his
recovery; and here I must confess to you, I was sanguine enough
to flatter myself with the same addition of good fortune, some
favourable crisis in my behalf: but I was born to be
unfortunate.

"We sailed hence on the 27th of February 1741: my station was
a-head of the squadron, to keep sounding and make timely
signals of danger.

"The 4th of March we discovered the entrance of the Strait of
Magellan, and on the 7th passed through the Strait le Main,
lying at the extremity of Terra del Fuego, between that and
Staten Land.

"This day was remarkably warm and favourable, and though in
latitude 55 deg. 50' South, we began to look on the conquest of the
Peruvian mines and principal towns in the Pacific sea as an
amusement, which would naturally occur. From this time forward,
we met with nothing but disasters and accidents. Never were the
passions of hope and fear so powerfully agitated and exercised;
the very elements seemed combined against us. I commanded the
sloop at the time of the separation of the ships that returned
home, being statio