in reason, this is as much as we can expect.  The lieutenant not coming nigh us since our first landing, I went with the people up to him at the governor’s, about two miles from this port, to endeavour to prevail with him to get us dispatch’d, acquainting him of the call and necessity there was for our assistance on board the two distress’d ships at Rio Janeiro.  He said he had spoke to the governor, and could not get us dispatch’d till another vessel came in.  I told him, as the garrison were in want of provisions, what we were living on here would carry us off, and if any misfortune should attend the vessel expected in with the provisions, we should be put very hard to it for a subsistence.  He promis’d to acquaint the governor; on which I took my leave.

February the 17th, this evening came into this garrison three seamen, giving an account of their belonging to a vessel with provisions and stores for this place, from Rio Janeiro, that they had been from thence three months, and had been off the bar waiting an opportunity to come in; that not having any fresh water aboard, they were oblig’d to come to an anchor ten leagues to the southward of this port, that a canoe was sent with those three men to fill the water, but the wind coming in from the sea, and blowing hard, oblig’d the vessel to put to sea, and leave them ashore, from whence they travelled here, and believ’d the vessel was gone to St Catharine’s.  The governor, not satisfy’d with this report, took them for spies, and kept them as such.  However, in a day or two afterwards, he dispatch’d a pilot and two seamen for the island St Catharine, to bring the vessel round, in case she should be there.

I took this opportunity of sending a letter by them to the Honourable Captain Murray, commander of his majesty’s ship the Pearl, at Rio Janeiro; desiring them to order it to be dispatch’d by the first ship from St Catharine’s to the Rio Janeiro.

“Honourable Sir,

“I take it as a duty incumbent on me to acquaint you that his majesty’s ship the Wager was wrecked on a desolate island on the coast of Patagonia, in the latitude of 47 00 S. and W. longitude from the meridian of London 81 30, on the 14th of May, 1741.  After lengthening the longboat, and fitting her in the best manner we could, launched her on the 13th of October, and embarked and sailed, on the 14th, with the barge and cutter, to the number of eighty-one souls in all.  Captain Cheap,—­at his own request, tarried behind, with Lieutenant Hamilton, and Mr Elliot, the surgeon.  After a long and fatiguing passage, coming through the Streights of Magellan, we arrived here the 28th of January, 1741-2, bringing into this port alive to the number of thirty, viz.

Robert Beans, lieutenant
John Bulkeley, gunner
John Cummins, carpenter
Robert Elliot, surgeon’s mate
John Jones, master’s mate
John Snow, ditto
John Mooring, boatswain’s mate
John Young, cooper