Severn

Posted by Brian Stephens on Tuesday 29th of April 2014 21:20

The Gentleman's magazine. v. 11 (1741).
Letter by way of Portugal, from Capt. Legge, of his Majesty's ship Severn, one of Commodore Anson's squadron dated at Rio Janerio, July 1741, brings the following account:
That Commodore Anson, with the fleet under his command, sailed from the Island of St. Catherine on the 19th of January last, and, after meeting with hard gales of wind, in which the Pearl lost company, anchored the 19th of Feb. at Port St. Julian's, that during the time the Pearl was separated, Capt. Kidd, the Commander thereof died, and the ship was chased off Pepy's Island by a squadron of Spanish men of war of five sail; that the Commodore appointed Capt.
Murray to succeed him at Port St. Julian's. They then left St. Julian's Feb. 7 and March 7, passed the Straits of La Maire with great success and fair weather, but the next day they met with fresh gales, which from that time increased to such hard gales from N.N.W. to W.N.W. with such prodigious seas as exceeded any they had seen before which tore their shrouds and sails, and sprung their yards and masts. That on the 10th of April they were in latitude 55d. 55m. and longitude 91d. 54m. and that night they lost sight of the Commodore and all the squadron except the Pearl, and on the 13th in the morning they saw the land at day-break from the W.N.W. to the S.E. very high, and not above 5 leagues distance, upon sight of which they endeavoured to wear which they were more that an hour before they could perform then stood to the westward as much as the winds would permit them; but the winds coming to N.W. and by W? and W.N.W. and blowing a almost continual storm for 40 days, together exceeding great seas they beat most of their time under reef?s courses, that on the 1st of June they spoke with a Portuguese vessel bound to Ba?ia who told them Cape Frio bore W.S.W. 30 leagues; and on the 6th of June by the great mercy of God, they arrived safe in this Port where they were received with exceeding great friendship and humanity after having lost a great number of men by fatigue and sickness.