290 THE LIFE Of 



I very foon, however, found an opportunity to 

 give him all the mortification fuch infolence de- 

 ferved ; but, though my conducfl on this occa- 

 Hon was generally applauded, fome of thofe 

 higheft in rank felt themfelvesdifpleafed. They 

 were hurt that I fhould dare to reduce a Por- 

 tugueze gentleman to fuch a ftate of humility; 

 and though the Rear- Admiral never noticed 

 the bufinefs to me, I learnt that he was highly 

 difpieafed. He even took the advantage of his 

 privileged fituation, and behaved on another 

 occafion with a rudenefs that Ihould not long 

 have gone without the chaftifement it merited, 

 had not prudence prevented me. I however 

 hinted to him that on our arrival in the Tagus, 

 where we fliould once more be upon an equal 

 footing, I would fpeak to him in a plain and 

 efFeclual language. 



The firft fcrious inconvenience my impru- 

 dence brought upon mc, was an attack with ant 

 intention to murder. The plan was not fo pri- 

 vately laid but that it came to the knowledge of 

 Mr. Drumm.ond and my fervant ; by him it 

 was communicated to me. At firft I treated it 

 as a trifle ; but one night Drummond having 

 been followed by miflake for me, I looked upon 

 it in another light. In this country the negroes 

 are the alTallins, and in the execution of their 

 hellilh bulinefs they ftrip thcmfelves naked, 



they 



