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[Page 2]
every body in the Ship who had never cross'd it before; from hence we had a prodigious Run, insomuch that on the 23rd of March we saw the dreary Inhospitable Coast of Tirra del Fuego and Staten Land, whose Summit is cover'd with everlasting Snow; Hitherto we had flatter'd ourselves that although we had left England by far too late in the Season to attempt doubling Cape Horn, yet as we had had such an Extraordinary Passage, and the Weather still continued pretty good, we should be able to effect it; with this View we stood to Westward with all the Sail we could carry, but were soon convinc'd to our Sorrow that our Passage by this Rout was impracticable. In short after beating about for five Weeks amidst incessant heavy Gales attended with Hail & Snow, and the most enormous Seas I have ever seen, we on the 23d of April bore away for the Cape of Good Hope. From this Sample you may easily suppose that due Credit is to be given to the Author of Anson's Voyage, though I often doubted it till it was confirm'd by our own woful Experience.
We arrived here on the 22d of May after a most extraordinary Passage, and after taking in our Water and other Necessaries, shall proceed to Van Diemans Land on the South Point of New Holland, from thence to New Zealand, & thence to Otaheite, were we expect to arrive some time in November next, which we shall probably leave again in March 1789 and proceed to the West Indies, touching at Mauritius & St Helena by the Way. At Jamaica we expect to continue till April or May 1790 as we shall bring from thence sundry Plants which would perish in cold Weather. Such are the Outlines of our Voyage, of which I wrote you an imperfect Sketch previous to our sailing from Spithead, but as it might perhaps miscarry, and could not inform you of Particulars, I now send you this Account. Such part of it as relates to our Disappointment in proceeding by the Way of Cape Horn, and safe arrival here, I am very desirous to have published and beg you will cause it to be inserted in the Public Papers as soon as possible.
[the following in a different hand]
NB. The above is manscribed from a Letter from the Master at Arms [Joseph Coleman] of the Bounty armed ship to the Revd J Hampson Tunbridge Wells, and is now sent to the Author of so benevolent a scheme upon supposition that so early and particular an account of the Bounty would be acceptable. It came by the French Packet to [Havre?] & here by last Friday's Post.
T. Wells
Aug 25th 1788