298 THE LIFE OF 



ferved famples. Thofe ufcd for furniture and 

 iliip-building are very hard and durable; and 

 the opinion of the bed informed Portiigucfe is, 

 that without arrogating any fuperiority of va- 

 lour and feamanfhip to their failors, no Britifh 

 iiiip could cope with one of theirs of equal 

 force, owing to the fuperior ilrength of the 

 timber,- in this opinion I, however, do not 

 coincide with them. 



On or about the lil of June we failed from 

 Erazil v/ith a convoy of one hundred and fifteen 

 fail, moft of them very large fhips ; and after a 

 tedious paffage, during which nothing material 

 occurred, we reached the river Tagus oil the 

 $th September, 1798. On entering the har- 

 bour, and before 1 difcmbarked, an opportu- 

 nity offering, I difpatched a fccond letter to 

 the Duke of Portland, recapitulating what 1 

 had before wrintcOj concerning the mutiny, and 

 mentioning my intention of awaiting his Grace's 

 commands at Lifbon. 



CHAP. XXIV. 



^he author arrives at Lifhon, writes to the Minijiers, 

 and offers to Jiirrender himJeJf. — Is arrejled. — Ap- 

 plies to the Conjid -General for Madeira^ zvho can 

 Qbiain nojatisfa^ory anjwer from the Intendant of 



Police 



