" Unfortunately the boats
were unable to find Anson, and he never received either the letter or the
present.)
CHAPTER 25.
DELAYS AND ACCIDENTS--SCURVY AGAIN--A LEAK--THE GLOUCESTER ABANDONED.
When on the 6th of May, 1742, we left the coast of America, we stood to
the south-west with a view of meeting with the north-east trade wind,
which the accounts of former writers made us expect at seventy or eighty
leagues distance from the land. We had, besides, another reason for
standing to the southward, which was the getting into the latitude of 13
or 14 degrees north, that being the parallel where the Pacific Ocean is
most usually crossed, and consequently where the navigation is esteemed
the safest. This last purpose we had soon answered, being in a day or two
sufficiently advanced to the south. At the same time we were also farther
from the shore than we had presumed was necessary for falling in with the
tradewind; but in this particular we were most grievously disappointed,
for the wind still continued to the westward, or at best variable. As the
getting into the north-east trade was to us a matter of the last
consequence, we stood more to the southward, and made many experiments to
meet with it, but all our efforts were for a long time unsuccessful, so
that it was seven weeks from our leaving the coast before we got into the
true trade wind.
CONTRARY AND VARIABLE WINDS.
This was an interval in which we believed we should well-nigh have
reached the easternmost parts of Asia, but we were so baffled with the
contrary and variable winds which for all that time perplexed us, that we
were not as yet advanced above a fourth part of the way.
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