( 3*8 ) 



recent enough example in the Spanifti Galleons, 

 which were loft here fome years ago, for having 

 neglected the precaution I have juft now mention- 

 ed. The Chevalier d* Here, captain of a fhip who 

 accompanied them, did his utmoft to prevail with 

 the general of the Flota to wait for the day before 

 he entered the Gulf : he could not prevail, and did 

 not think proper to throw himfelf headlong with 

 him over this precipice. 



Our captain, who had very good advice given 

 him on this head, was fully refolved to profit by 

 it •, but too much eafinefs, on his fide, was attended 

 with the fame confequences as the prefumption of 

 the Spanifti general had been. His firft pilot, 

 who imagined himfelf one of the moft expert men 

 in the world, and his lieutenant, who did not 

 know what it was to doubt of any thing, were of 

 opinion to continue their courfe, and the captain 

 had not courage to oppofe them. He advifed, in- 

 deed, to fleer at leaft north eaft, and the fequel 

 fhewed, that if his opinion had been followed, we 

 mould have efcaped being fhipwrecked. But he 

 could only obtain a north-north-eaft courfe 5 the 

 pilot affuring him that the currents fet with impe- 

 tuofity to the eaftward, which was indeed true near 

 the lands on the other fide, but they fet to the 

 weftward on that on which we were. 



At feven o'clock, the land ftill appeared at a 

 good diftance, and we could not fee it at firft from 

 the tops ; half an hour after, one of the failors, by 

 means of the flafhes of lightening, obferved that 

 the water had changed its colour. He took no- 

 tice of it, but his information was received with 

 derifion, and he was told that was only the ligh- 

 tening which made the water look white. He ftill 



per- 



