we expect in a time of open war?  The captain said, I am afraid, very bad.  Then Mr Cummins spoke in this manner to the captain:  Sir, I always took you for an honourable gentleman, and I believe you to be such; on your honour, sir, I beg you will give the true sentiments of your mind, whether through the Streights is not the surest and safest way to preserve our lives, notwithstanding we have a thousand difficulties to encounter with any way?  The captain answered, I really think going to the northward is the safest way; for suppose we should be drove off to sea, when on the other side the land, what is to be done then?  I said, Sir, it is our business to keep the shore, to prevent all accidents that may happen that way.  Then Lieutenant B——­s made an objection, Suppose you have the wind blowing right in, and a tumbling sea, as to endanger the boat, what are we to do?  I made answer, Sir, if you remember when we were riding at St Julian’s, it blowed a very hard gale of wind right in from the sea; yet, even then, the sea did not run so high as to endanger a boat riding at anchor:  Another instance I bring you from St Catherine’s, when we had such hard gales that the Trial lost her masts, and the Pearl separated from the squadron; yet, at that time, there was no sea comparable to what we have met with this side the land.  The lieutenant allowed this to be fact.  Then the captain said, I will allow you to have water at Port Desire; but do you consider the lengthening your distance, by keeping along shore, and rounding every bay, and some of those bays are very deep?  I told him, that undoubtedly there was water all along the coast, and that we had no business to round the bays, but to steer from one head-land to the other.  Then Lieutenant B——­s made a second objection, Suppose we are forced into a bay, and shoal water?  I answered, We should always have a boat a-head, and our draught of water will not be above four or five feet at most; and if we should be so unfortunate as to lose our boat, we must keep the lead a-going.  The l——­t replied, That was true, and there could not be a great deal of difficulty in it.  This was the only time the l——­t ever spoke in public on the affair; he always allowed, when absent from the captain, that going through the Streights was the best way; but in the captain’s presence he sided with him, and was for going to the northward.

Sunday the 9th, at three this afternoon, I went with Mr Cummins, the master, and boatswain, as desired, to the captain, to give him our opinions, believing going through the Streights the surest way to preserve life; it was therefore agreed, That if the wind did not set in against us, at the sun’s crossing the Line, that the captain would go that way.  The captain asked every man’s opinion, and found the people unanimous for the Streights of Magellan.  To-day being fair weather, launched the yawl to go a fowling, shot several geese, ducks, shaggs, and sea-pies.  Heeled the long-boat for planking.