Page:Voyages in the Northern Pacific - 1896.djvu/38

20 She was armed with ten nine-pounders, and had a patent boarding defence all round her bulwark. Her commander was Captain Anthony Robson, under whom I served as chief officer.

I went on board in August, 1813, and after taking our cargo on board, we dropped down to Gravesend the latter end of September, completed our stores, wood and water, at the Motherbank, and on the 26th of November, 1813, sailed under convoy of his majesty's ship Laurel, Captain Proby, in company with the Brazil fleet. On the 24th of January we crossed the equinoctial line in the longitutelongitude [sic] of 24° 0′ west, having much thunder, lightning, and rain. A strong current setting to the northward, on the 31st, we made the land about Pernambuco on the Brazil coast, spoke several catamarans, which are made of four or five logs of wood, trunneled together, and well lashed. They are rigged with a large lug-sail, and are used to fish and trade along the Brazil Coast, manned with four or five negroes. February 9th, we saw Cape Frio in the latitude of 23° 1′ south, and longitude 41° 45′ west, and on the 10th we came-to in Rio de Janeiro harbor. We lost no time in preparing to wood and water the ship, the season for doubling Cape Horn being far advanced; several of our crew deserted, and we had great difficulty in procuring others.

On the 19th of February, having completed our stores, etc., we sailed from Rio, intending to touch at the Falkland islands, and refit, previous to doubling the Cape. On the 14th of March we saw the Falkland Islands, stood away to the