( ^44 ) 

 was fure it had but lately been thrown^ 

 overboard, and that he would venture 

 any wager we faw an Englifli cruizer 

 before long. In about half an houw 

 after, we faw two fail to leeward, from 

 off the quarter-deck ; for they kept no 

 look out from the maft-head, and we 

 prefently obferved they were in chace of 

 us. The French and Spaniards on 

 board, now began to grow a good deal 

 alarmed, when it fell flark calm ; but 

 not before the fhips had neared us fo 

 much, that we plainly difcerned them to 

 be Englifli men of war ; the one a two- 

 decker, the other a twenty- gun Ihip. The 

 French had now thoughts, when a 

 breeze ftiould fpring up, of running the 

 fhip on flbore upon Porto Rico j but 

 when they came to confider what a fet 

 of banditti inhabited that ifland, and: 

 that in all probability they would have 

 their throats cut for the fake of plunder- 



