Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Another problem was finding reliable crews. Only a very rare
breed of mariner was prepared to brave the dangers of a long voyage
with a less than fifty per cent chance of returning. It was well-known
on the waterfronts that although the sailors who had come home
on the
Desire
had profited handsomely from the voyage they had
numbered but forty out of an original complement of a hundred and
twenty-three. Seasoned mariners preferred short, privateering voy-
ages offering less risk and more profit. Even to man such ventures as
those captains often had to resort to royal warrants of impressment
or take aboard a proportion of unskilled volunteers drawn from the
ranks of the criminal and the desperate. Too many of Cavendish's
crewmen were unreliable, faint-hearted and potentially mutinous.
Some deserted at Plymouth. Others made trouble later.
But the major weakness of the new venture was divided leader-
ship. Cavendish found himself running rapidly through his own re-
sources and it was probably for this reason and against his better
judgement that he now involved others in the enterprise. After the
success of his first venture there were many young gallants eager
to join his next. These gentleman adventurers could provide money,
men and influential contacts. Cavendish, irrevocably committed to
the voyage, had little choice but to admit some of these applicants to
his company and his counsels.
Worst of all, as things turned out, he had to take John Davis into
partnership. Davis, one of the truly great navigators of the age, was
some ten years older than Cavendish, had accomplished three re-
markable Arctic voyages in search of a northwest passage and had
essayed expeditions to the East Indies by both easterly and west-
erly routes. He was highly respected in maritime circles and had ex-
cellent connections at court. In theory he and Cavendish had much
to gain from each other and much to give to a joint venture. But
they were both individualists, accustomed to sole command and
their coming together was to have fatal results. In retrospect, Davis
