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nature and charge of the sloop brought upon me, that really life is not
worth preserving at the expense of such hardships. 6
So wrote Philip Saumarez, recently promoted to command of
the Tryall, on the death of her captain. Anson had missed the best
weather and for over two months his weak and dwindling crews had
to work the ships against storms which beat down almost relent-
lessly out of the west and north. Snow, hail, fog and mountainous
seas beset the fleet as it steered well to the south, hoping to give the
spiny edge of the continent a wide berth:
March 11th 1741 . . . at 4 p.m. had set weather foresail, in doing
which our men suffered extremely. The vessel frequently rolling them
under water as they lay upon the yard, several of them were so be-
numbed as to be obliged to be helped in . . .
March 19th 1741. The whole part squally with snow . . . Our
people much began to grow sickly and impatient at the long run of
tempestuous weather . . .
March 23rd 1741. Blew very hard with a large, hollow sea break-
ing continually over us. Our masts and rigging all coated with frozen
snow and ice . . .
April 24th 1741 . . . at 5 a.m., the wind increasing, attempted to
hand the main topsail but, being at the time weakly manned and the
clew lines and buntlines breaking and the sheets half flown, . . . the
sail soon split, and by its violent shakings endangering the head of the
mast, we were obliged to cut him from the yard. At 8 brought to hand
the foresails, but then at the first shake split and beat about the yard
in such a manner as rendered it impracticable to go out and hand him.
It soon beat to pieces. Our mainsail at the time blowing loose and the
clew grommets, buntlines and leech lines breaking, were obliged to
lower the yard down to secure the sail. On lowering the fore-yard down
likewise, the ship falling broad off in the hollow of the seas, laboured
 
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