244 > 



was fure it had but lately been thrown 

 overboard, and that he would venture 

 any wager we faw an Englifli cruizer 

 before long. In about half an hour 

 after, we faw two fail to leeward, from 

 off the quarter-deck ; for they kept no 

 look out from the maft-head, and we 

 prefently obferved they were in chace of 

 us. The French and Spaniards on 

 board, now began to grow a good deal 

 alarmed, when it fell ftark calm ; but 

 not before the (hips had neared us fo 

 much, that we plainly difcerned them to 

 be Englifli men of war ; the one a two- 

 decker, the other a twenty- gun fliip. The 

 French had now thoughts, when a 

 breeze fhould fpring up, of running the 

 fliip on (hore upon Porto Rico 5 but 

 when they came to confider what a fet 

 of banditti inhabited that ifland, and 

 that in all probability they would have 

 their throats cut for the fake of plunder- 

 ing 





