He had desired a seaman whom he could trust, to put into one of the boats a couple of muskets and a quantity of ammunition, several blankets, and various other articles, besides provisions for two or three months for one person, and, as soon as it was dark, the men pulled on shore with the boat, found the Commodore on the beach waiting for them, and supplied him with all these necessaries.  They then rejoined their ship, without the Admiral’s having the least suspicion of what had been done, and shortly after the fleet made sail on a wind, with their heads off shore.  The next morning, the three smaller vessels parted company, and by sunset had gained many miles to windward, after which they were not again seen.

The Admiral had sent for Philip to give him his instructions, which were very severe, and evidently framed so as to be able to afford him hereafter some excuse for depriving him of his command.  Among others, his orders were, as the Dort drew much less water than the Admiral’s ship, to sail ahead of him during the night, that, if they approached too near the land as they beat across the Channel, timely notice might be given to the Admiral, if in too shallow water.  This responsibility was the occasion of Philip’s being always on deck when they approached the land of either side of the Straits.  It was the second night after the fleet had separated that Philip had been summoned on deck as they were nearing the land of Terra del Fuego; he was watching the man in the chains heaving the lead, when the officer of the watch reported to him that the Admiral’s ship was ahead of them instead of astern.  Philip made enquiry as to when he passed, but could not discover; he went forward, and saw the Admiral’s ship with her poop-light, which, when the Admiral was astern, was not visible.  “What can be the Admiral’s reason for this?” thought Philip; “has he run ahead on purpose to make a charge against me of neglect of duty? it must be so.  Well, let him do as he pleases; he must wait now till we arrive in India, for I shall not allow him to desert me; and, with the Company, I have as much, and I rather think, as a large proprietor, more interest than he has.  Well, as he has thought proper to go ahead, I have nothing to do but follow.  ’You may come out of the chains there.’”

Philip went forward:  they were now, as he imagined, very near to the land, but the night was dark and they could not distinguish it.  For half an hour they continued their course, much to Philip’s surprise, for he now thought he could make out the loom of the land, dark as it was.  His eyes were constantly fixed upon the ship ahead, expecting every minute that she would go about; but no, she continued her course, and Philip followed with his own vessel.

“We are very close to the land, sir,” observed Vander Hagen, the lieutenant, who was the officer of the watch.

“So it appears to me:  but the Admiral is closer, and draws much more water than we do,” replied Philip.