Mr Pengre, In A Little Treatise
Concerning The Transit Of Venus, Published In 1768, Gives Some Account Of
Land Having Been Discovered By The Spaniards In 1714, In The Latitude Of
38 Deg., And 550 Leagues From The Coast Of Chili, Which Is In The Longitude Of
110 Deg.
Or 111 deg.
West, and within a degree or two of my track in the Endeavour;
so that this can hardly be its situation. In short, the only probable
situation it can have must be about the meridian of 106 deg. or 108 deg. west; and
then it can only be a small isle, as I have already observed.
I was now taken ill of the bilious cholic, which was so violent as to
confine me to my bed, so that the management of the ship was left to Mr
Cooper the first officer, who conducted her very much to my satisfaction.
It was several days before the most dangerous symptoms of my disorder were
removed; during which time, Mr Patten the surgeon was to me, not only a
skilful physician, but an affectionate nurse; and I should ill deserve the
care he bestowed on me, if I did not make this public acknowledgment. When
I began to recover, a favourite dog belonging to Mr Forster fell a
sacrifice to my tender stomach. We had no other fresh meat on board, and I
could eat of this flesh, as well as broth made of it, when I could taste
nothing else. Thus I received nourishment and strength from food which
would have made most people in Europe sick: So true it is, that necessity
is governed by no law.[13]
On the 28th, in the latitude of 33 deg. 7' S., longitude 102 deg. 33' W., we began
to see flying-fish, egg-birds, and nodies, which are said not to go above
sixty or eighty leagues from land; but of this we have no certainty. No one
yet knows to what distance any of the oceanic birds go to sea; for my own
part, I do not believe there is one in the whole tribe that can be relied
on, in pointing out the vicinity of land.
In the latitude of 30 deg. 30' S., longitude 101 deg. 45' W., we began to see men-
of-war birds. In the latitude of 29 deg. 44', longitude 100 deg. 45' W., we had a
calm for nearly two days together, during which time the heat was
intolerable; but what ought to be remarked, there was a great swell from
the S.W.
On the 6th of March, the calm was succeeded by an easterly wind, with which
we steered N.W. till noon the 8th, when being in the latitude of 27 deg. 4' S.,
longitude 103 deg. 58' W., we steered west; meeting every day with great
numbers of birds, such as men-of-war, tropic, and egg-birds, podies,
sheer-waters, &c. and once we passed several pieces of sponge, and a small
dried leaf not unlike a bay one. Soon after, we saw a sea-snake, in every
respect like those we had before seen at the tropical islands. We also saw
plenty of fish, but we were such bad fishers that we caught only four
albacores, which were very acceptable, to me especially, who was just
recovering from my late illness.
[1] "The remembrance of domestic felicity, and of the sweets of
society, called forth a sigh from every heart which felt the tender
ties of filial or parental affection. We are the first Europeans, and,
I believe, I may add, the first human beings who have reached this
point, where it is probable none will come after us. A common report
prevails, indeed, in England, concerning Sir Francis Drake, who is
said to have visited the antipodes, which the legend expresses by "his
having passed under the middle arch of London bridge:" but this is a
mistake, as his track lay along the coast of America, and probably
originates from his having passed the periaeci, or the point in 180 deg.
longitude on the same circle of north latitude, on the coast of
California." - G.F.
To the vanity of Englishmen, not always accompanied, it is to be
feared, by political honesty, the expedition of Drake afforded the
highest gratification. Swarms of wits, accordingly, who are never
wanting in any reign, either to eulogize what the government has
sanctioned, or to infuse something of literary immortality into
popular enthusiasm, were in requisition on this extraordinary
occasion, and, as usual, vied with each other in bombast and the
fervour of exaggeration. If one might credit the legends, Sir Francis
accomplished much more than a visit to the antipodes, much more
indeed, than ever man did before or since. Witness an epigram on him
preserved in the Censura Literaria. vol. iii, p. 217: -
Sir Drake, whom well the world's end knew,
Which thou didst compasse round,
And whom both poles of heaven once saw
Which north and south do bound:
The stars above would make thee known,
If men were silent here;
The Sun himselfe cannot forget
His fellow-traveller.
This is evidently a quaint version of the quaint lines said, by
Camden, to have been made by the scholars of Winchester College: -
Drace, pererrati quem novit terminus orbis,
Quemque simul mundi vidit uterque Polus;
Si taceant homines, facient te sidera notum.
Sol nescit comitis non memor esse sui.
Abraham Cowley seems to have availed himself of the chief thought here
embodied, in his pointed epigram on the chair formed from the planks
of Drake's vessel, and presented to the university of Oxford. His
metaphysical genius, however, has refined the point with no
small dexterity - the four last lines, more especially, displaying no
small elegance. The reader will not despise them: -
To this great ship, which round the world has run,
And matcht in race the chariot of the sun;
This Pythagorean ship (for it may claim
Without presumption, so deserved a name),
By knowledge once, and transformation now,
In her new shape, this sacred port allow.
Drake and his ship could not have wish'd from fate
An happier station, or more blest estate;
For lo!
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