gio A V O Y A G E T O Book IX. 



the French frigates to go in, and, under Englifh co- 

 lours, in order ihe better to conceai their courfe and 

 in cafe we found any (hips of the enemy, to take the 

 bed: precaiidons in their power for defence. But to 

 oar great fatisfadion, we faw, on our approach, two 

 forts wiih the Fortuguefe flag flying, and a brigantine 

 with an enfign and long pennant of the fame nation. 

 "We were the more furprized at this, as according to 

 ,aU the accounts we had received, the ifland was a de- 

 fart, having been forfaken by the Portuguefe as not 

 fufceptible of tillage: but on our arrival we were in- 

 formed, that the French Eaft India company had made 

 a fettiement on it as a convenient place for their fhips 

 to put in at for refremments : but the court of Portu- 

 gal being unwilling that either the French or any other 

 nation Hiould have a fettiement fo near the coaft of 

 Brazil, obliged them to evacuate it. This refolution 

 was taken about feven years fmce, after which, thefe 

 and .other forts were ereded, and a colony fettled on 

 the ifland. § 



We now began to confider whether it was poffiblc 

 to procure any true account of the ftate of affairs in 

 Europe; or whether Portugal, in the prefent war, 

 i^iight have gor;ie farther than a neutrality. But as 

 this could not be immediately determined, it was 

 thought adviieable for the three frigates to agree on 

 iignals of certain import to be made at going into this 

 harbour. In order to get in it is necelTary to weather 

 -^the iiknd on the north fide, as the force of the current 

 to the fouthward is fuch, that it cannot be done at 

 leail: under four or five days or more, beating to wind- 



§ In this ifland there is only a garrifon of foldiers (which is 

 relieved every fix months from Pernambuco) except male felons, 

 •^who are tranfported from the coaft of Brazil hither, where their 

 ftations are no better than ilaves to thegarrifon ; unlefs they may 

 be proper to adt the part of Noevolus in Juvenal's ninth Satire, 

 for here it may be faid 'Avre? £(p£Ax£Tfitt »ky^^oiy.ivca^oi, as there is not 

 a woman on the iilaiid, A. 



ward 



