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[Page 7]
one half of my plants there, I was to go immediately to Jamaica, and having given the remainder there to persons appointed to receive them, I was then with such plants as were directed by His Majesty to be put on board, to return to England.
This was the sole design of my voyage, to complete which I sailed from Spithead o the 23rd December 1787. On the 23rd March 1788 I doubled Staten Land and attempted to make my passage round Cape Horn between the latitude of 59º So and 61º So, but I met with such dreadful tempestuous weather and mountainous seas, with hail and snow storms, that altho I tryed it for 30 days I could not accomplish it.
I therefore (as my people were getting ill, and I had the honor to have the most discretionary orders to do as I thought best for the good of the voyage), determined to bear away for the Cape of Good Hope on the 22nd of April and repassed Staten Land the next day.
On the 24th May, anchored at the Cape of Good Hope, and having refitted and completed my stores and provisions I sailed on the 1st July 1788. Arrived at Van Diemans Land on the 20th August and having completed wooding and watering I sailed from thence the 4th September.