Title
A Voyage to the East Indies: Page 37
Description
25th, Captn. Bull open’d his private Instructions, which he had receiv’d from Sr. Edwd. Hughes relative to separation, and found the Rendezvous to be at the Cape of good Hope. Still a fresh Gale, & the Ship was so far to the Westward as to forbid all hopes of getting to the Cape for a fortnight. We remain’d in the same Latitude for three Weeks but contrary winds prevented our running down our Longitude. We had seen large Flights of Birds every Day for some Time.
Augst. 1 The Soldiers were almost all incapable of any kind of duty great Numbers of Men being confin’d to their Beds by the Scurvy. The Ship’s Company were likewise affected but not in so great a Degree. It is amazing how fluctuating the Spirits are of a Person in this Disease. Clouds often appear on the Horizon like Land, which being what they ardently wish’d for, they frequently call’d out Land when it was not so. Hearing the Report, the poor Wretches below, from themselves invigorated and endeavour’d to get on Deck to look at it. But when they found their Expectations disappointed they sunk into the contrary Extreme, & some have been so far gone in those Langours as to be pronounc’d dead. 6th. One of the soldiers died in the Scurvy. On the 7th the joyful Discovery of Land was made. In the Morning it blew fresh, but in the Evening [end page 37]
Augst. 1 The Soldiers were almost all incapable of any kind of duty great Numbers of Men being confin’d to their Beds by the Scurvy. The Ship’s Company were likewise affected but not in so great a Degree. It is amazing how fluctuating the Spirits are of a Person in this Disease. Clouds often appear on the Horizon like Land, which being what they ardently wish’d for, they frequently call’d out Land when it was not so. Hearing the Report, the poor Wretches below, from themselves invigorated and endeavour’d to get on Deck to look at it. But when they found their Expectations disappointed they sunk into the contrary Extreme, & some have been so far gone in those Langours as to be pronounc’d dead. 6th. One of the soldiers died in the Scurvy. On the 7th the joyful Discovery of Land was made. In the Morning it blew fresh, but in the Evening [end page 37]
