356 A VOYAGE TO Book IX. 



he made bu: little ufe of, living continually aboard the 

 ihip. 



As to n-y papers, on our departure from Fernando 

 de Norona, 1 had made a packet of all the plans and 

 relations which might have been of fervice to the enemy; 

 alfo the Vice-roy's letters and other papers committed 

 to my care, that on an exigency they might be ready 

 to be funk. I had alfo defired of the captain, the fu- 

 percargo, and other officers, that in cafe it was my fate 

 fuddenly to fall in the a£lion, they would do me that 

 kind office. Accordingly, when I faw that there was 

 no poffibility either of oppofing or getting clear of the 

 cnem.y, I threw them into the v,^ater, with fome bullets 

 faftened to them, to difappoint the alertnefs of the 

 enemy, v. ho other wife would unqueftionably have been 

 for laying hold of them : but my papers relating to the 

 menfuration of the degrees of the meridian, together 

 with the phyfical and aftronomical obfervations and hi- 

 ftorical narratives, I kept by me, the contents being of 

 univerfal concern, and no detriment could refult from 

 the enemy's knowledge of them : but as among men 

 who feemed to mind nothing but what was filver or 

 gold, they would have ran a great riik of being abufed 

 or confounded among a muldtude of others, I thought 

 proper to acquaint the captains on what fervice I had 

 been, and as thofe papers tended to the improvement of 

 navigation, took the liberty of recommending them to 

 their favour: upon which, after having looked on them 

 with fomc attention, they laid them afide, and carried 

 them afterwards to the commander of the fquadron, 

 with whom they remained, till; together with myfci¿ 

 they were fent to England. 



CHAP. 



