<i7^ I'HS LIFE OF 



tlon ; to this demand, according to Ibme ac-' 

 counts, he received no anfwer; but, according 

 to others, the Viceroy fent him a brace of good, 

 fubftantial, holder piftoJs, — a hint, one would 

 think, fufficient for afoldier. In. the mean timc^ 

 the Admiral became acquainted with the tranf- 

 a<5lionj and Captain Thompfon, one morningj 

 came to me, dciiring me to, promife, that I 

 would not attack Minchin in that country. As 

 my fituation was fuch, that it would neither have 

 been picaling nor prudent to quarrel with the 

 exalted characters who had fo nobly and gene- 

 rouOy prorecled me, I readily gave my word, 

 which fatisfied them ; but Minchin was not fo 

 eafily perfu.ided of his fafety j he therefore kept 

 clofe to the boufe, equally defpifed by the offi- 

 cers of the fleet, of the army, and the inhabitants 

 of the town. 



During our abode at Rk de Janeiroy Enfigns 

 Minchin and Prater made various applications 

 to the Viceroy, foliciting his Excellency to pay 

 them, for themfclves and the foldiers, their full 

 pay, according to the Britifh eftabliihment, from 

 the day of their arrival in that country. The 

 Viceroy declined complying with this requeft, 

 allcdging that he had no authority to grant it; 

 that the trifle he had ordered to be paid to 

 every indi vidual, without diftiniflion of age, fex, 

 or rank, was an acl of hofpitaiity. which hp h^d 



taken 



