$4 A VOYAGE TO 



i7*p- orders to their cruizers to let us pafs unmolcfled. This, as 



April. 



far as related to the French, we had fuflicicnt reafon to 

 think true ; as Mr. Brandt had already delivered to Captain 

 Gore, a letter from Mr. Stephens, inclofing a copy of Monk 

 de Sartine's orders, taken on board the Licorne. With re^ 

 fpect to the Americans, the matter Hill relied on report; but 

 Baron Flettenberg allured us, that he had been exprefsly 

 told, by the Commander of a Spanifh fhip, which had 

 touched at the Cape, that he, and all the officers of his 

 nation, had received orders to the fame effect. Thefe affur- 

 anccs confirmed Captain Gore in the refolution he had 

 taken, of maintaining, on his part, a neutral conduct; and 

 accordingly, when, on the arrival of the Sybil, to convoy 

 the India fhips home, it was propofed to him to accompany 

 them on their paffage, he thought proper to decline an offer, 

 the acceptance of which might, in cafe we had fallen in 

 with any of the enemies fhips, have brought him into a 

 very difficult and embarraffing fituation. 



During our flay at the Cape, we met with every proof of 

 the molt friendly difpofition toward us, both in the Gover- 

 nor and principal perfons of the place, as well Africans as 

 Europeans. At our firft arrival, Colonel Gordon, the Com- 

 mander of the Dutch forces, with whom, on our former 

 viiit here, I had the happinefs of being on a footing of in- 

 timacy and friendfhip, was abfent on a journey into the in- 

 terior parts of Africa, but returned before our departure. 

 He had, on this occafion, penetrated farther up the coun- 

 try than any other traveller had done before him, and made 

 great additions to the valuable collection of natural curi- 

 olities with which he has enriched the Mufcum of the Prince 

 of Orange. Indeed, a long rclidcncc at the Cape, and the 

 2 _ powerful 



