In This Passage The
Strength Of The Wind Drove Them So Fast, That They Had To Fasten Their
Boat Astern
With two strong hawsers to preserve her, and to diminish the
velocity of their course; but the heavy rolling waves
Broke both
hawsers, and they lost their boat, by which they were reduced to great
difficulty, having now no means of getting on shore in search of
provisions.
Next day, being the 16th December, they saw a boat making towards them
from the westwards, which occasioned various conjectures; but at length
turned out to belong to the fleet of Van Noort. This unexpected meeting
gave great joy to the seamen, and the men in this boat were received
with much respect by de Weert. They were all in perfect health and
vigour; and, among other things respecting their voyage, told of having
caught above 2000 birds at the great Penguin Island. This intelligence
made the sailors in the Faith extremely anxious to get there, and
several of them were bold enough to tell Captain de Weert, that it was
necessary they should go there, where they might as well wait for a fair
wind as in any other place, and besides, that it was only a league out
of their way. But de Weert declared he would on no account part company
from Van Noort. This general came in person next day to visit de Weert;
and the day following, being the 18th December, the whole fleet joined
him. The wind changing to S.W. on the 22d, they all set sail; and after
proceeding two or three hours, de Weert requested the loan of a boat
from general Van Noort, with three or four men, that he might go before
to direct Captain de Cordes to get ready to sail with the fleet; but he
could not find the Fidelity.
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