S62 AVOYAGETO Book IX, 



From the ifland of Tobago, they conthiued their 

 courfe to Martinico, and in order to this fleered all 

 the night of the 20th betwixt the ifland of Barbadoes 

 and St. Vincent. On the 3Cth, when they imagined 

 themfelves betwixt thofe iflands, having (leered N. one 

 quarter northerly, they had no fight of any land. On . 

 the firft of July they were in 14° 30^ lat. and by efti- 

 mate a degree welt of T<obago : and thus the fri- 

 gate fhould have been not far from the ifland and 

 to windward of Martinico; but they (till were out 

 of fight of all land. So great a difference in the 

 iliort time of two daysdail was conjedlured to proceed 

 from currents ; but the greateft perplexity was to de- 

 termine whether they let to the eaft or weft. This 

 doubt, however, was removed by confidering that it 

 was impofiible they could have paifed through the knot 

 of ifiands, from Granada to Martinico, without fee- 

 ing at leaft one of them, even if it had been in the 

 night time, as befides their magnitude, the great 

 concern they were under of meeting the enemy, caufed 

 them to keep a very careful lookout. It was there- 

 fore concluded that the frigate could not be to the 

 weft of Martinico, but that the currents had drove 

 her to the eaftward. Accordingly they fteered S, W. 

 one quarter wefterly, in order to fall in v/ith it ; and 

 after failing thus thirty leagues without making any 

 land, other refieftions arofe, though ftill with fome 

 appreheniion that they v/ere to the v/eft of Marti- 

 nico; and now the courfe was altered to north, with- 

 out knowing the place whtre the fliip a(5i:ually was, in 

 order to avoid the danger, that if fhe was on the 

 weft fide, by fteering as the day before fhe would fall 

 to leeward of the harbours of Puerto- Rico or St, 

 Domingo; and thus find it extreamly difficult to 

 reach any port. The wind Was at £. N. E. and 

 keeping as clofe to it as pofiible, on the fourth at 

 halt an hour after three in tlie afternooOj they made 



the 



