esolved to cut the anchor away, for fear
of endangering the ship, there being no possibility of securing it without
putting our fore-mast in extreme danger, the shrouds and chain-plates being
all broke.

Fourteen days before the loss of the ship, the wind at S. and S.S.W.,
steered N.W. by N., and N.N.W. by the compass: Laid the ship to for the
first four nights; the meaning of this I could not learn. I ask'd the
lieutenant the reason of our bearing for the land on a lee shore, when we
had a fair wind for our rendezvous, which I had always thought was for the
island of Juan Ferdinandez. The lieutenant told me the rendezvous was
alter'd to an island in the latitude of 44 S. Upon this I said to the
lieutenant, this was a very great misfortune to us, that we can do nothing
with the ship in the condition she is in upon a lee shore, and am surpriz'd
that we should be obliged to go there. The lieutenant told me, he had said
every thing to dissuade the captain from it, but found him determined to go
there. The fifth night, and every night after, made sail; the wind to the
westward. I never relieved the lieutenant, but I ask'd him, what he thought
of a lee shore with the ship in this condition? he always reply'd, he could
not tell. We saw rock-weed in abundance pass by the ship. The Honourable
J---n B---n, midshipman, being on the quarter-deck, said, We can't be far
off the land by these weeds. The lieutenant and mate being by, I said,
Gentlemen, what can we do with the ship in the miserable condition she is
in on a lee shore? The lieutenant answer'd, Whenever I have been with the
captain since our first lying-to, I always persuaded him to go for Juan
Ferdinandez; therefore I would have you go to him, he may be persuaded by
you tho' he will not by me. I said, If that was the case, my going to him
is needless. In a quarter of an hour afterwards, the captain sent for me,
and said, Gunner, what longitude have you made? I told him 82,30. What
distance do you reckon yourself off the land? I answer'd, About 60 leagues;
but if the two islands we saw are these which are laid down in your chart
to lie off Brewer's Streights, and the same current continues with the
western swell, we can't be above a third part of the distance off the land.
The captain made answer, As for the currents, there is no account to be
given for 'em; sometimes they set one way, and sometime another. I said,
Sir, very true, but as the ship has been always under reeft