The latter part of the month of August was spent in unlading the provisions from the _Anna_ pink, when we had the mortification to find that great quantities of our provisions, as bread, rice, grots, etc., were decayed, and unfit for use. This was owing to the water the pink had made by her working and straining in bad weather; for hereby several of her casks had rotted, and her bags were soaked through. And now, as we had no farther occasion for her service, the commodore, pursuant to his orders from the Board of Admiralty, sent notice to Mr. Gerard, her master, that he discharged the _Anna_ pink from attending the squadron, and gave him, at the same time, a certificate specifying how long she had been employed. In consequence of this dismission, her master was at liberty either to return directly to England, or to make the best of his way to any port where he thought he could take in such a cargo as would answer the interest of his owners. But the master being sensible of the bad condition of the ship, and of her unfitness for any such voyage, wrote the next day an answer to the commodore's message, acquainting Mr. Anson, that from the great quantity of water the pink had made in her passage round Cape Horn, and since, that in the tempestuous weather she had met with on the coast of Chili, he had reason to apprehend that her bottom was very much decayed. He added that her upper works were rotten abaft; that she was extremely leaky; { 150} that her fore beam was broke; and that, in his opinion, it was impossible to proceed to sea with her before she had been thoroughly refitted; and he therefore requested the commodore that the carpenters of the squadron might be directed to survey her, that their judgment of her condition might be known. In compliance with this desire, Mr. Anson immediately ordered the carpenters to take a careful and strict survey of the _Anna_ pink, and to give him a faithful report, under their hands, of the condition in which they found her, directing them at the same time to proceed herein with such circumspection that, if they should be hereafter called upon, they might be able to make oath of the veracity of their proceedings. Pursuant to these orders, the carpenters immediately set about the examination, and the next day made their report; which was, that the pink had no less than fourteen knees and twelve beams broken and decayed; that one breast hook was broken, and another rotten; that her water-ways were open and decayed; that two standards and several clamps were broken, besides others which were rotten; that all her iron-work was greatly decayed; that her spirkiting and timbers were very rotten; and that, having ripped off part of her sheathing, they found her wales and outside planks extremely defective, and her bows and decks very leaky; and in consequence of these defects and decays, they certified that in their opinion she could not depart from the island without great hazard, unless she was first of all thoroughly refitted.