rendezvous at Juan Fernandez; and he further insisted, that should they
meet with no prize by the way, yet the boats alone would easily carry
them there. But this was a scheme that, however prudent, was no ways
relished by the generality of his people, for, being quite jaded with the
distresses and dangers they had already run through, they could not think
of prosecuting an enterprise further which had hitherto proved so
disastrous, and, therefore, the common resolution was to lengthen the
long-boat, and with that and the rest of the boats to steer to the
southward, to pass through the Straits of Magellan, and to range along
the east side of South America till they should arrive at Brazil, where
they doubted not to be well received, and to procure a passage to Great
Britain. This project was at first sight infinitely more hazardous and
tedious than what was proposed by the captain, but as it had the air of
returning home, and flattered them with the hopes of bringing them once
more to their native country, this circumstance alone rendered them
inattentive to all its inconveniences, and made them adhere to it with
insurmountable obstinacy, so that the captain himself, though he never
changed his opinion, was yet obliged to give way to the torrent, and in
appearance to acquiesce in this resolution, whilst he endeavoured
underhand to give it all the obstruction he could, particularly in the
lengthening of the long-boat, which he contrived should be of such a size
that, though it might serve to carry them to Juan Fernandez, would yet,
he hoped, appear incapable of so long a navigation as that to the coast
of Brazil.

AN UNHAPPY ACCIDENT.

But the captain, by his steady opposition at first to this favourite
project, had much embittered the people against him, to which, likewise,
the following unhappy accident greatly contributed. There was a