1768. ROUND THE WORLD. 31 



for a pilot to carry us to sea, who came off to us ; 

 but the wind preventing us from getting out, we took 

 on board a plentiful supply of fresh heei', yams, and 

 greens for the ship's company. On the 2d, a Spanish 

 packet arrived, with letters from Buenos Ayres for 

 Spain, commanded by Don Antonio de Monte Negro y 

 Velasco, who with great politeness offered to take our 

 letters to Europe : I accepted the favour, and gave 

 him a packet for the secretary of the Admiralty, 

 containing copies of all the papers that had passed 

 between me and the Viceroy ; leaving also duplicates 

 with the Viceroy, to be by him forwarded to Lisbon. 



On Monday, the 5th, it being a dead calm, we 

 weighed anchor and towed down the bay ; but, to 

 our great astonishment, when we got abreast of Santa 

 Cruz, the principal fortification, two shot were fired 

 at us. We immediately cast anchor, and sent to the 

 fort to enquire the reason of what had happened ; 

 our people brought us word, that the commandant 

 had received no order from the Viceroy to let us pass ; 

 and that, without such an order, no vessel was ever 

 sufiered to go below the fort. It was now, therefore, 

 become necessary, that we should send to the Vice- 

 roy, to enquire why the necessary order had not 

 been given, as he had notice of our departure, and 

 had thought fit to v/rite me a polite letter, wishing 

 me a good voyage. Our messenger soon returned 

 with an account, that the order had been written 

 some days, but, by an unaccountable negligence, not 

 sent. 



We did not get under sail till the 7th ; and, when 

 we had passed the fort, the pilot desired to be dis- 

 charged. As soon as he was dismissed, we were left 

 by our guard-boat, which had hovered about us from, 

 the first hour of our being m this place to the last ; 

 and Mr. Banks, having been prevented from going 

 ashore at Rio de Janeiro, availed himself of her de- 

 parture to examine the neighbouring islands, where, 

 particularly on one in the mouth of the liarbour. 



