stood against the seas and tempests we afterwards encountered
in passing round Cape Horn; and the loss of masts, in that boisterous
climate, would scarcely have been attended with less than the loss of
the vessel and all on board, as it would have been impracticable for
the other ships to have given them any assistance whatever, during the
continuance of these impetuous storms.

While at this place, the commodore appointed the honourable Captain
Murray to succeed to the Pearl, and Captain Cheap to the Wager. He
promoted Mr Charles Saunders, first lieutenant of the Centurion, to
the command of the Tryal sloop; but, as Mr Saunders lay dangerously
ill of a fever in the Centurion, and the surgeons considered his
removal to his own ship might hazard his life, Mr Saumarez had
orders to act as commander of the Tryal during the illness of Captain
Saunders.

At this place, the commodore held a consultation with his captains
about unloading and discharging the Anna pink; but they represented
that, so far from being in a condition for taking her loading on
board, their ships still had great quantities of provisions in the way
of their guns between decks, and that their ships were so deep and so
lumbered that they would not be fit for action without being cleared.
It was therefore necessary to retain the pink in the service; and, as
it was apprehended that we should meet with the Spanish squadron in
passing the cape, Mr Anson ordered all the provisions that were in
the way of the guns to be put on board the Anna pink, and that all the
guns which had been formerly lowered into the holds, for the ease of
the ships, should be remounted.

As this bay and harbour of St Julian is a convenient rendezvous, in
case of separation, for all cruizers bound to the southwards, or to
any part of the coast of Patagonia, from the Rio Plata to the Straits
of Magellan, as it lies nearly parallel to their usual route, a
short account of the singularity of this country, with a particular
description of Port St. Julian, may perhaps be neither unacceptable to
the curious, nor unworthy the attention of future navigators, as some
of them, by unforeseen accidents, may be obliged to run in with the
land and to make some stay on this coast; in which case a knowledge of
the country, and of its productions and inhabitants, cannot fail to be
of the utmost consequence to them.

The tract of country usually called Patagonia, or that southern
portion of South A