Ch.V, south AMERICA. 



C H A P. V. 



Voyage of the Delivrance to Louisburgh In 

 I IJle Roy ALE Cape Breton, where Jhe 

 was aljh taken* 



THE captain of the Delivrance, after this, in 

 all appearance, fortunate efcape, confulted with 

 his officers what courfe was mofl advifeable to fteer. 

 Among them was one w ho had often been at Louif- 

 burgh in the ifland of Cape Breton, near Newfound- 

 land ; and had a perfect knowledge of the fituation 

 and nature of the place. He likev/ife informed us, 

 that in the beginning of the fummer, two men of war 

 were every year fent thither, to carry money and 

 troops for that place and Canada : and hkewife to pro- 

 ted the cod-fifhery. 



As this was the conftant practice in time of the moft 

 profound peace, it was natural to fuppofe, that in a 

 war with a maritime power, the number of fiiips 

 would be encreafed : atleaft, this precaution had ne- 

 ver been omitted in the lad war under Lewis XiV, the 

 place being of the utmoft importance to France, as 

 the key of Canada, the moft fecure port for the fifli- 

 ery, and carrying on a very confiderable commerce 

 with the iflands of St. Domingo and Martinico. 

 Thefe reafons and this courfe appearing lefs dangerous 

 than that towards the coaft of Spain, determined the 

 captain to purfue what he thought the fafeft method, 

 and make for Cape Breton : befides, the condition of 

 our fliip fcarce permitted any choice, as affording lit- 

 tle hopes that Ihe ever would be able to reach any port 

 in Spain. We had likewife been informed at Concep- 

 tion, a httle before our departure, that a company had 

 been formed in London for fitting out thirty privateers 

 |rom twenty to thirty guns, and to be Rationed fo as 



to 



