( 36i ) 



after which you perceive on the fame hand, being 

 the right, another point, behind which lies the fort, 

 and a large quarter of a league farther than the town 

 cf Matanzas, between two rivers which wafh its 

 walls on each fide. About ten o'clock an officer 

 was fent to the fort in a canoe, who did not find 

 the commandant at home. He informed the lieu- 

 tenant of the pretended neceflity we were in ; but 

 this officer told him, he could not take it upon 

 himfelf to grant him the permiffion he demanded ; 

 that all 4}e could do was to fend a courier to the 

 Havannah, to know the intentions of the go- 

 vernor of that city, who was his general ; and 

 that if this fuited us, we might wait at anchor 

 on the other fide, where we lhould be in more 

 fafety. 



This anfwer, together with the declaration which 

 the pilots then thought fit to make, that they could 

 not undertake to carry the velTel into the bay of 

 Matanzas, by reafon they were not fufficiently ac- 

 quainted with it, at Jaft determined the captain 

 to continue his courfe, with all his adventure on 

 board, for the fake of which he had made us lofe 

 at leaft fifteen days of our moft precious time. 

 The next day at fix in the morning, we had ftill be- 

 hind us and within fight the Pan of Matanzas, 

 from which we reckoned ourfelves diftant from 

 1 2 to fifteen leagues ; and, on the 27th, at five in 

 the morning, we difcovered the land of Florida, 

 from the maft-head. 



Upon feeing this, we fteered north-north-eaft ; 

 two hours afterwards, we fteered a little more 

 eaftward, but at nine o'clock kept our former 

 courfe, and found ourfelves in the real current of 

 3 • ^ 



