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We departed from cape Francois in a merchant 

 fhip belonging to Havre called Louis de Bourbon^ 

 and commanded by one of the ableft navigators I 

 have known : but we were fcarce out at fea when 

 we perceived that me made water in two places, 

 fo that during the whole pafTage, which lafted for 

 ninety two days, they were obliged to pump morn- 

 ing and evening, which together with the fcarci- 

 ty of provifions, which, indeed, had been laid in, 

 in abundance, but had been by no means mana- 

 ged during the firft month, occafioned our cap- 

 tain to be frequently upon the point of touching 

 at the Azores. We mould have been reduced 

 to greater inconveniencies ftili, had we fallen into 

 the fnare which a captain of an Englifh fhip 

 laid for us, whom we fell in with about half 

 way. 



He had left Jamaica, in company with a fleet, 

 of which, as he faid, he had been at firft the beft 

 failor but in loading his fhip, having been fo im- 

 prudent as to flow all his provifions in the fame 

 place, it happened, that in proportion as thefe 

 were confumed, his veffel loft her trim, and by 

 degrees that advantage he had over the reft, fo 

 that at Jaft he was left behind by the whole fleet : 

 we met him, indeed, alone and going fo flowly, 

 that compared with him our veffel, which was by 

 no means a flyer, went like a bird \ and he was afraid 

 that his provifion mould entirely fail him, before 

 he could reach England. He told us his uneafi- 

 nefs at this, and to explain himfelf better, invited 

 himfelf to dine on board us. He was anfwered, 

 that he mould be very welcome, and our captain 

 fliortened fail to wait for him. 



B b 4 During 



