THE LAST AMICABLE PORT.

In leaving St. Catherine's, we left the last amicable port we proposed to
touch at, and were now proceeding to a hostile, or at best a desert and
inhospitable coast. And as we were to expect a more boisterous climate to
the southward than any we had yet experienced, not only our danger of
separation would by this means be much greater than it had been hitherto,
but other accidents of a more pernicious nature were likewise to be
apprehended, and as much as possible to be provided against. And
therefore Mr. Anson, in appointing the various stations at which the
ships of the squadron were to rendezvous, had considered that it was
possible his own ship might be disabled from getting round Cape Horn, or
might be lost; and had given proper directions that even in that case the
expedition should not be abandoned. For the orders delivered to the
captains the day before we sailed for St. Catherine's were that in case
of separation--which they were with the utmost care to endeavour to
avoid--the first place of rendezvous should be the Bay of Port St.
Julian. If after a stay there of ten days, they were not joined by the
Commodore, they were then to proceed through Straits le Maire round Cape
Horn into the South Seas, where the next place of rendezvous was to be
the island of Nuestra Senora del Socoro.* They were to bring this island
to bear east-north-east, and to cruise from five to twelve leagues'
distance from it, as long as their store of wood and water would permit,
both which they were to expend with the utmost frugality. And when they
were under an absolute necessity of a fresh supply, they were to stand
in, and endeavour to find out an anchoring-place; and in case they could
not, and the weather made it dangerous to supply their ships by standing
off and on, they were then to make the best of their way to the island of
Juan Fernandez. And as soon as they had recruited their wood and water,
they were to continue cruising off the anchoring-place of that island for