Ch. V. SOUTH AMERICA, 345 



CHAP. V. 



Voyage of the Delivrance to Louisburgh in V IJU 

 Roy-ale or Caps Brston, where foe was alfo 

 taken, 



•y^HE captain of the Delivrance, after this, in all 

 ^ appearance, fortunare efcape, confulted with his 

 officers v.hat courfe was moil advifeable to ftceh 

 Among them was one who had often been at Louif- 

 burgh in the ifland of Cape Breton, near Newfound- 

 land; and had a perfedt knowledge of the fituation and 

 nature of the place. He likewife informed us, that in 

 the beginning of the fummer, two men of war were 

 every year fent thither, to carry money and troops for 

 that place and Canada: and likewife to protedb the 

 cod-ñíhcry. 



As this was the conilant pradice in time of the moil 

 profound peace, it was natural to fuppo/e, that in » 

 war with a maritime power, the number of íhipa 

 would be increafed : at leaft, this precaudon had ne- 

 ver been omitted in the laft war under Lewis XIV", the 

 place being of the ucmoft importance to Frarnze, as 

 the key of Canada, the moft fccure port for the fiih- 

 ery, and carrying on a very confiderable commerce 

 with the iflands of St. Domingo and Martinico, 

 Thefe reafons and this courfe appearing lefs dangerous 

 than that towards the coaft of ¿pain, determined the 

 captain to purfue what. he thought the fafeft method, 

 and make for Cape Breton : befides, the condition of 

 our fhip fcarce permitted any choice, as affording litde 

 hopes that fne ever would be able to reach any port in 

 Spain. We had likewife been informed at Concep- 

 tion, a little before our departure, that a company had 

 been formed in London for fitting out thirty privateers 

 from twenty to thirty guns, and to be ftacicned fo as to 



intercept 



