on board the "Duke," "When," he says, "they were very merry, and in their cups propos'd the Pope's health to us. But we were quits with 'em by toasting the Archbishop of Canterbury; and to keep up the humour, we also proposed William Pen's health, and they liked the liquor so well, that they refused neither;" while as "in the evening it came on blowing with thick showers," the Governor, the fathers and friars, made a night of it on board the frigates, not being landed till next morning, "when we saluted 'em with a huzza from each ship, because," as Rogers says, "we were not overstock'd with powder, and made them a handsome present of butter and cheese from both ships in consideration of the small presents and yesterday's favours from 'em, and as a farther obligation on 'em to be careful of our letters which we took this opportunity to deliver into their own hands." [Illustration: _The Bird "Alcatros."_] FOOTNOTES: [6] J. Seller's "Practical Navigation," 1694. [7] Bilboes, long bars of iron with shackles sliding on them, and a lock at the end, used to confine the feet of prisoners as the hands are by handcuffs. [8] Main-geers; an assemblage of tackles coming down to the deck at the main mast, by which the mainyard was hoisted or lowered in ships of that time. [Illustration] CHAPTER III. FROM GRANDE TOWARDS JUAN FERNANDEZ. [Sidenote: 1708] A voyage of near 6,000 miles now awaited the little frigates before reaching Juan Fernandez, the first place they expected to refresh at after leaving the Isle de Grande. A good stock of necessaries was, therefore, laid in here, and a letter, giving an account of their proceedings so far, left with the Governor of Angre de Reys, to be sent to England by the first opportunity. [Sidenote: _The bird Alcatros._] They did not clear the Brazilian coast until December 3rd, and little is recorded in Rogers' journal until the 6th, when, in close, cloudy weather, "At length did cross an albatross, Thorough the fog it came." Rogers[9] spells it "Alcatros, a large bird," he says, "who spread their wings from eight to ten feet wide." The whole of this part of the voyage might, indeed, be described in quotations from the "Ancient Mariner," for we read that, December the 13th, "in the afternoon the little 'Duke's' mainsail was reef'd, which was the first time since we left England." For "Now the storm blast came, and he Was tyrannous and strong; He struck with his o'ertaking wings, And chased us south along." Again, "And now there came both mist and snow, And it grew wondrous cold." Or, as Rogers says, "We find it much colder in this latitude than in the like degree North, though the sun is in its furthest extent to the southward, which may be ascribed to our coming newly out of warmer climates, or 'tis probable the winds blow over larger tracts of ice than in the same degree of N. latitude."