A Voyage to New Holland | Page 5

all the material things I observed in the
several places which I have now but barely mentioned.
...

A VOYAGE TO TERRA AUSTRALIS.

1699.

CHAPTER 1.
DEPARTURE AND PROVISIONING EN ROUTE.
THE AUTHOR'S DEPARTURE FROM THE DOWNS.
I sailed from the Downs early on Saturday, January 14, 1699, with a
fair wind, in His Majesty's Ship the Roebuck; carrying but 12 guns in
this voyage and 50 men and boys with 20 months' provision. We had
several of the King's ships in company, bound for Spithead and
Plymouth, and by noon we were off Dungeness.
A CAUTION TO THOSE WHO SAIL IN THE CHANNEL.
We parted from them that night, and stood down the Channel, but
found ourselves next morning nearer the French coast than we expected;
Cape de Hague bearing south-east and by east 6 leagues. There were
many other ships, some nearer, some farther off the French coast, who
all seemed to have gone nearer to it than they thought they should. My
master, who was somewhat troubled at it at first, was not displeased
however to find that he had company in his mistake: which as I have
heard is a very common one, and fatal to many ships. The occasion of it
is the not allowing for the change of the variation since the making of
the charts; which Captain Halley has observed to be very considerable.
I shall refer the reader to his own account of it which he caused to be
published in a single sheet of paper, purposely for a caution to such as
pass to and fro the English Channel. And my own experience thus
confirming to me the usefulness of such a caution I was willing to take

this occasion of helping towards the making it the more public.
Not to trouble the reader with every day's run, nor with the winds or
weather (but only in the remoter parts, where it may be more
particularly useful) standing away from Cape la Hague, we made the
start about 5 that afternoon; which being the last land we saw of
England, we reckoned our departure from thence: though we had rather
have taken it from the Lizard, if the hazy weather would have suffered
us to have seen it.
HIS ARRIVAL AT THE CANARY ISLANDS.
The first land we saw after we were out of the Channel was Cape
Finisterre, which we made on the 19th; and on the 28th made Lancerota,
one of the Canary Islands of which, and of Allegrance, another of them,
I have here given the sights, as they both appeared to us at two several
bearings and distances.
SANTA CRUZ IN TENERIFE; THE ROAD AND TOWN, AND
SPANISH WRECK.
We were now standing away for the island Tenerife where I intended to
take in some wine and brandy for my voyage. On Sunday, half an hour
past 3 in the afternoon, we made the island and crowded in with all our
sails till five; when the north-east point of the isle bore west-south-west
distance 7 leagues. But, being then so far off that I could not expect to
get in before night, I lay by till next morning, deliberating whether I
should put in at Santa Cruz, or at Oratavia, the one on the east, the
other on the west side of the island; which lies mostly north and south;
and these are the principal ports on each side. I chose Santa Cruz as the
better harbour (especially at this time of the year) and as best furnished
with that sort of wine which I had occasion to take in for my voyage: so
there I come to an anchor January 30th, in 33 fathom water, black slimy
ground; about half a mile from the shore; from which distance I took
the sight of the town.
In the road ships must ride in 30, 40, or 50 fathom water, not above half
a mile from the shore at farthest: and if there are many ships they must
ride close one by another. The shore is generally high land and in most
places steep too. This road lies so open to the east that winds from that
side make a great swell, and very bad going ashore in boats: the ships
that ride here are then often forced to put to sea, and sometimes to cut
or slip their anchors, not being able to weigh them. The best and

smoothest landing is in a small sandy cove, about a mile to the
north-east of the road, where there is good water, with which ships that
lade here are supplied; and many times ships that lade at Oratavia,
which is the chief port for trade, send their boats hither for water. That
is a worse port for westerly