next day. At day-light in the morning, got every thing in readiness for going into the harbour, which then bore S. by E. of us, about three miles distant. Got out the pinnace, and sent her ahead of us, into the harbour, with Mr. Kendrick, the third officer, and six hands, he having a knowledge of the best anchoring ground, having been in the port before, with his father, in the ship Columbia, in the year 1788, and met with a friendly reception. But to our disappointment, we soon found that government had taken a different turn. No sooner had the pinnace got on the anchoring ground, than a shore boat came off, sent by the governor, to order her on shore, which Mr. Kendrick complied with, and waited on the governor. When we saw the

pinnace taken on shore, we immediately tacked, and stood out of the harbour, until they should return. At 11 o'clock the pinnace returned, and Mr. Kendrick informed us, that the governor would, not permit us to anchor in the harbour; that there was an act of government, passed since the ship Columbia was there, that no foreigners should be allowed to anchor in the road; however, he sent his compliments to Capt. Roberts, and informed him that he might send his boat on shore for water, or any other thing that he could supply him with. The captain immediately went on shore, to wait on the governor, took along with him a few water casks, his sea-letter, and the Spanish ambassador's letter of friendship between the United States and his most Catholick majesty, in hopes it would gain us permission to go into the road. At two of the clock, the captain returned, with about 160 gallons of water, a number of fine cod fish, some pumpkins, a quantity of fine radishes, and about a bushel of small potatoes, of an inferior sort.

As the governor would not permit us to come into the harbour, and finding it impossible to get a sufficient supply of water by means of our boats, on account of the boisterous wind we found to prevail; the governor gave the captain a letter to the governor of Valparaiso, in the province of Chili, recommending to him to furnish us with every necessary supply. We sent the pinnace the third time, to the shore, for a bullock that the governor ordered to be killed for us, which, at that time, was very acceptable, and sent him in return a few bottles of gin and brandy, two large hams, and a cheese. At 5 o'clock, the pinnace returned with the meat, VOL. IV.

Ff

some

some more cod fish and vegetables, hoisted her in, and made sail; stood on our course, with a fresh gale, for Valparaiso on the main continent. About 7° 30' E. of the above island, and in the latitude 33° 3' south, we observed the variation of the magnetic needle, between Massafuero and the island Juan Fernandez, to be from 13° E. to 14°; and found it the same from thence to the continent. We likewise found it to have a regular decrease from the westernmost part of Terra del Fuego, in our way, as far as the longitude of 86° west, and the latitude 32° south.

The first and second of June, the weather continued thick and cloudy, with much rain; passed by several bunches of kelp, a sea lion, and a number of seals. The night of the second, we ran under an easy sail, sounding every four hours, but no bottom. This we did on account of the different accounts we had of the distance of the above island from the continent, which we found to be all erroneous. Lord Anson's account came the nearest of any we have had, which is 110 leagues.

Our meridian distance, at noon, was 308 miles, the latitude 33° 15', and the longitude, by account, 73° 42' west. A pleasant gale still continuing during the third day, passed by a number of seals, which these seas abound with. At 5 o'clock, in the evening, rounded to, and sounded; no ground with 120 fathom line. At midnight, sounded again; no bottom; went under short sail all the night, with a light breeze from the southward. At 6 o'clock, made all sail, and at 8, A. M. saw the land from E. by S. to E. N. E. At noon, the extremes of it bore from S. E. by E. to N. E. by N. 5 or 6 leagues distant; our latitude then, by meridian observation, 33°; longitude, by account, 72° 14′ W. and meridian distance from Juan Fernandez, 382 miles, which, with the bearings of the land, places the island 390 miles west of the continent. This I take to be very near the true distance, as we had a fair wind all the way from the island, until we made the land, and paid particular attention to the log, being desirous of ascertaining their true distance apart; and all the accounts we had, differed much in regard to it. As our latitude at noon, as above, was 33° S. agreeing within two miles of the latitude that the nautical directory 'places Valparaiso in, which is 33° 2′ S. and the land about 5 leagues distant from us, we hoisted a signal at the foretopmast head

*

for

for a pilot; but fearful of not getting any before night, and considering the probability of its not being customary, we thought most proper to prepare the pinnace, and proceed to a point of land, bearing E. of us, which we supposed the most likely for the harbour of Valparaiso. Accordingly, at 1 o'clock, which was the 4th of June, by log, we hoisted out' the pinnace; I went in her myself, and 6 hands, with the captain's orders to obtain a pilot, if possible, and the governor's permission to come into the harbour; that if I could not get a pilot, I should sound, and examine the harbour, so as to form a sufficient knowledge of conducting the ship, in safety. I left the ship about half after one o'clock, with a fresh breeze from the southward, and considerable of a sea running.

At 4 o'clock, opened the harbour and fortification of Valparaiso, which was then about 5 leagues from the ship. When I got well into the harbour, so as to open the village, I saw two ships lying there; I immediately hoisted a flag, to show of what nation we were. I then soon saw two boats coming off from the shore, to meet me, being custom-house boats; they soon got me in custody. The commandant of the port was on board one of them, who ordered me into his boat, to conduct me to the governor. I no sooner was landed, than a guard of soldiers took me in charge; and at a moderate calculation, there were not less than 500 spectators. The governor closely examined me, in regard to what we wanted, and the nature of our voyage, to which my answer was, that we were fitted out from Boston, in New-England, under the authority of the United States, and were bound to the N. W. coast (to try the possibility of a passage, so long looked for in vain, for the good of all civilized nations); that the cause of out putting in here, was the necessity of water, and other refreshments, of which we stood greatly in need.

After many questions, he desired I would bring the ship into the harbour; and sent an Irishman along with me, by whose means I made known to the governor the nature of my business. About sun-set, I went on board of my boat, to go off to the ship, went out of the harbour about three miles, saw the ship to windward, about four leagues distant; found it impossible to get up with her that night, the weather having a very unsettled appearance. I thought it most pru

dent

dent to put back into the harbour, and wait for the next morning; and when landed, was conducted to the governor's as before. I spent the evening there with the governor, and a number of gentlemen from St. Jago, the capital of Chili. They were very inquisitive during the course of the evening, in regard to the voyage, and the affairs of the United States. At 11 o'clock, the governor ordered supper for me, as I was to remain at the custom-house during the night, with my boat's crew and guard, to be prepared for going off to the ship at day-light; but he did not sup himself before two o'clock, being their custom. Supper was laid in the best manner, and consisted of a great variety of dishes, and a good desert after it, grapes, apples of the best kind, and a variety of sweetmeats. After supper, I was conducted to the custom-house, to wait for the morning. At day-light, went on board of my boat, with the Irishman along with me, to afford us his assistance in getting the ship into the harbour. When I got out of the bay, I saw the ship to windward, bearing S. W. about three leagues distant. I hoisted the signal given me for coming into the harbour, when they immediately bore down for us, and at 8 o'clock, A. M. got on board, stood into the harbour, with light, baffling airs, got the boat ahead, and towed the ship into the harbour. When within three hundred fathoms of the mooring ground, the wind took us off the land, which obliged us to drop the anchor in thirty fathoms water, and run a warp to the Spanish ships; by which means we hauled to the proper mooring ground.

We here anchored for the first time since we sailed from Boston, being then six months and sixteen days out, during which time we had a boisterous, disagreeable passage.

At noon, the commandant of the port came on board, to direct the mooring of the ship, and the governor sent his compliments to the captain, that he should wait on him at three o'clock, which he accordingly did. Hauled the ship into the mooring ground, dropped the best bower in fifteen fathom water, and got the small bower cable fast to an anchor on shore, and hove tight on both, being the securest way of mooring in this harbour, the starboard cables out to the northward, and the larboard cables run on shore fast to anchors or piles there. It is necessary to have the best cables and anchors out to the northward, on account of the

northerly

northerly winds, which sometimes blow very heavy, and heave in a heavy swell, the road being open to the northward.

When the governor came on board, he closely examined the captain in regard to the nature of his voyage; he likewise requested the liberty of examining his charts, which was complied with. The captain then gave him to understand, that he should be under the necessity of applying to government for the supplies he then stood in need of; but the governor's answer was, that he had it not in his power to afford us any supplies without consulting the captaingeneral at St. Jago, nor could he suffer any of us to go on shore. After the governor had examined Meares's and Portlock's draughts, he requested the loan of them, to send to the captain-general, and desired the captain to write to him, and state the necessity that he was under, in regard to the supplies that he was in need of. The captain-general being an Irishman, was of course acquainted with the English language, which enabled us to make known, in a proper light, the nature of our cause. Accordingly, the next day, being the 5th, the captain wrote in regard to the supplies that he was in need of, that he would give bills to the amount on the Spanish ambassador at Philadelphia.

From the 5th to the 21st, we waited with impatience for an answer from Sir Ambrose Higgins, the vice-roy, and the draughts which the governor requested to have sent him, which were Meares's and Portlock's. In the mean time, we were industriously employed in overhauling and getting our ship ready for sea, and taking our stock of water on board, which amounted to six thousand gallons.

The morning of the 21st, the governor came on board, being his third visit since our arrival; he brought with him an answer to our letter, with all the books and charts, among which were the sea letter from General Washington. The vice-roy expressed in his letter the great satisfaction he had, in seeing "his immortal name stamped with his own hand," for the first time. The letter we received was equal to our wishes, the copy of which follows.

SIR,

I received your agreeable favour, dated at Valparaiso, the 4th instant, wherein you are pleased to communicate your safe arrival, at that port, in the ship Jefferson, after a

long