( 37^ ) 



During dinner-time the converfation turned upon 

 our courfe, and he afked us where we believed we 

 were. The captain fhewed him, at which he ap- 

 peared furprized. He affured us afterwards that 

 we were at leaft two hundred leagues farther ad- 

 vanced than we thought we were ; which he en- 

 deavoured to prove by the lafl lands he had ob- 

 ferved. This gave great plealure to the moft part 

 of our people, who were already very uneafy at fo 

 long a paffage, and at being obliged to ftruggle 

 continually againft boiftrous winds and a tempeftu- 

 ous fea, in a very crazy vefTel. But 1 hadfome fufpiei- 

 cn'that the Englifh Captain only faid we were fo far 

 advanced, in order to induce us to part with fome 

 of our provifions. I communicated my fufpicion 

 to our captain, who told me he was of the fame 

 opinion, and contented himfelf with treating our 

 gueft genteelly and evading his demand. He 

 continued his courfe upon his own reckonings 

 which he found fo juft, that he entered the chan- 

 nel the fame day, and almofl the fame hour, he had 

 faid fome time before he would do. 



On the fecond of December, without any ap- 

 parent neceffity, we went into Plymouth harbour, 

 but our captain had certainly fome bufinefs there. 

 We found there la 'Thetis a King's frigate, which a 

 gale of wind had entirely difabled, though it was 

 her firft voyage from Havre de Grace, where fhe 

 had been built. She was under the command of 

 the Chevalier de Fontenay, who was bound for 

 the American iflarJs againft the pirates, who had 

 lately tak n a grdat many vefiels. As foon as he 

 knew T $M in the harbour, he did me the honour 

 of paying me a vifit, before I could have the op- 

 portunity of paying my duty to him, and carried 

 me on board his vefleJ, where I fpent in a very 



agreeable 



