ate. While consulting what to do, they saw
the boat belonging to the ship coming towards them, carrying a Spanish
flag, on which they began to prepare for an engagement, but were
astonished beyond measure, on its nearer approach, to find that it
belonged to their consort the Tienhoven, which they concluded had
foundered. Captain Bowman was himself on board the boat, and shewed
how well he had followed his instructions, as, by the commodore's
orders in case of separation, this was to be the first place of
rendezvous; whence, after cruizing six weeks, they were to repair
to lat. 28 deg. S. and cruize there a similar time: But, in case of not
meeting the commodore in either of these places, they were then to
open their sealed instructions, and follow them exactly. As soon as
Captain Bowman was on board the commodore, he made a signal agreed
on to his own ship, to acquaint them that the two ships were their
consorts, After this, the Eagle and African entered the harbour.

When leisure permitted, Captain Bowman gave an account of the dangers
he had encountered in passing the Straits of Magellan: That he had met
with many storms on the coast of America, and that his ship was in a
very bad condition, having only arrived at Juan Fernandez the evening
before his consorts, both of which he believed had been lost in
the hurricane at the time of their separation. The three captains
afterwards dined together very cheerfully in the Tienhoven, where they
recounted and reciprocally commiserated their past misfortunes, and
rejoiced at their present happy meeting. As it still continued a dead
calm, they were unable to come to anchor at the place intended, but
they next day got close beside the Tienhoven, anchoring in forty
fathoms, within musket-shot of the shore. The sick were now landed,
and proper persons sent ashore along with them to construct cabins
or huts for their accommodation; and to search for provisions and
refreshments.

According to the author of this voyage, the island of Juan Fernandez
is one of the finest and best situated in the world, having a
pleasant, wholesome, and temperate climate, fit to restore health to
the sick, and to give a constant flow of spirits to those who are
in health, which this author personally experienced, having here
recovered from a complication of disorders to perfect health. The
hills are covered with tall trees of various kinds, fit for all kinds
of uses; and the vallies are fertile, and a