63 



of t'he day, we, at laft, returned without being 

 able to find our Ship. 



We hailed a great number of veffels with 

 inquiries, but could not obtain any accurate 

 tidings of the Bridgewater, One had no 

 knowledge of her whatever ; — another knew 

 her, but could not tell where fhe lay ;~a 

 third had never heard her name. Some had 

 feen her, but fald fhe had fhlfted her birth ; 

 — fome thought fhe had dropped down to 

 St. Helen's ; — fome believed fhe lay at the 

 Motherbank, — and others underftood that fhe 

 had failed. Amidft all thefe contradidory 

 reports we could neither find the flilp, nor 

 learn any certain intelligence refpedling her : 

 hence, after a moft tirefome and fatiguing 

 round, and Gonfuming nearly a whole day In 

 queft of the Bridgewater, It only remained 

 to us to return to Portfmouth, and, again, wait 

 for further orders. 



Previous to going into the boat we had 

 been informed at therTranfport-Office, that 

 the veifel, we inquired fpr, had received in- 

 ftrudions to fall without delay : It is there- 



