|
RESEARCHED BY PETER KILLACKEY
A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay
by Watkin Tench
|
CHAPTER IV.
The Passage from Teneriffe to Rio de Janeiro, in the Brazils.
In sailing from Teneriffe to the south-east, the various and picturesque
appearances of the Peak are beautiful to the highest degree. The stupendous
height, which before was lost on the traveller, now strikes him with awe
and admiration, the whole island appearing one vast mountain with
a pyramidal top. As we proceeded with light winds, at an easy rate, we saw it
distinctly for three days after our departure, and should have continued
to see it longer, had not the haziness of the atmosphere interrupted our view.
The good people of Santa Cruz tell some stories of the wonderful extent
of space to be seen from the summit of it, that would not disgrace the memoirs
of the ever-memorable Baron Munchausen.
On the 18th of June we saw the most northerly of the Cape de Verd Islands,
at which time the Commodore gave the fleet to understand, by signal,
that his intention was to touch at some of them. The following day we made
St. Jago, and stood in to gain an anchorage in Port Praya Bay.
But the baffling winds and lee current rendering it a matter of doubt
whether or not the ships would be able to fetch, the signal for anchoring
was hauled down, and the fleet bore up before the wind. In passing along them
we were enabled to ascertain the south end of the Isle of Sal
to be in 16 deg 40 min north latitude, and 23 deg 5 min west longitude.
The south end of Bonavista to be in 15 deg 57 min north, 23 deg 8 min west.
The south end of the Isle of May in 15 deg 11 min north, 23 deg 26 min west;
and the longitude of the fort, in the town of Port Praya,
to be 23 deg 36 1/2 min west of Greenwich.
By this time the weather, from the sun being so far advanced in the
northern tropic, was become intolerably hot, which, joined to the heavy rains
that soon after came on, made us very apprehensive for the health of the fleet.
Contrary, however, to expectation, the number of sick in the ship
I was embarked on was surprisingly small, and the rest of the fleet were
nearly as healthy. Frequent explosions of gunpowder, lighting fires
between decks, and a liberal use of that admirable antiseptic, oil of tar,
were the preventives we made use of against impure air; and above all
things we were careful to keep the men's bedding and wearing apparel dry.
As we advanced towards the Line, the weather grew gradually better
and more pleasant. On the 14th of July we passed the Equator,
at which time the atmosphere was as serene, and the temperature of the air
not hotter than in a bright summer day in England. From this period,
until our arrival on the American coast, the heats, the calms, and the rains
by which we had been so much incommoded, were succeeded by a series of weather
as delightful as it was unlooked for. At three o'clock in the afternoon
of the 2nd of August, the 'Supply', which had been previously sent a-head
on purpose, made the signal for seeing the land, which was visible
to the whole fleet before sunset, and proved to be Cape Frio, in latitude
23 deg 5 min south, longitude 41 deg 40 1/4 min west.
Owing to light airs we did not get a-breast of the city of St. Sebastian,
in the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, until the 7th of the month, when we anchored
about three quarters of a mile from the shore.
A Narrative of the Expedition
to Botany Bay
by Watkin Tench |
|
|