(for we had now lost sight of
our squadron) we had the additional mortification to find ourselves bearing
for the land on our lee-shore, having thus far persevered in the course we
held, from an error in conjecture: For the weather was unfavourable for
observation, and there are no charts of that part of the coast. When those
officers who first perceived their mistake endeavoured to persuade the
captain to alter his course, and bear away, for the greater surety, to the
westward, he persisted in making directly, as he thought, for the island of
Socoro; and to such as dared from time to time to deliver their doubts of
being entangled with the land stretching to the westward, he replied, That
he thought himself in no case at liberty to deviate from his orders, and
that the absence of his ship from the first place of rendezvous would
entirely frustrate the whole squadron in the first object of their attack,
and possibly decide upon the fortune of the whole expedition. For the
better understanding the force of his reasoning, it is necessary to
explain, that the island of Socoro is in the neighbourhood of Baldivia, the
capture of which place could not be effected without the junction of that
ship, which carried the ordnance and military stores.

The knowledge of the great importance of giving so early and unexpected a
blow to the Spaniards, determined the captain to make the shortest way to
the point in view; and that rigid adherence to orders, from which he
thought himself in no case at liberty to depart, begot in him a stubborn
defiance of all difficulties, and took away from him those apprehensions
which so justly alarmed all such as, from ignorance of the orders, had
nothing present to their minds but the dangers of a lee-shore.[116]

We had for some time been sensible of our approach to the land, from no
other token than those of weeds and birds, which are the usual indications
of nearing the coast; but at length we had an imperfect view of an
eminence, which we conjectured to be one of the mountains of the
Cordilleras. This, however, was not so distinctly seen, but that many
conceived it to be the effect of imagination; but if the captain was
persuaded of the nearness of our danger, it was now too late to remedy it;
for at this time the straps of the fore jeer blocks breaking, the fore-yard
came down, and the greatest part of the men being disabled through fatigue
and sickness, it was some time before it could be got up