PREFACE, :^ni 



fuffer none to enter into their miffions, who may re-;- 

 port either the ftrength or the weaknefs of their con:- 

 dition, or penetrate into the myfteries of their policy. 



Another point worthy of notice is, the account 

 of the little ifland of Fernando de Norona. This, 

 fo inconfiderable in itfelf, lb unfit for habitation, from 

 its being fometimes three or four years without rain, 

 was abandoned by the Portuguefe yet, being within 

 fixty or feventy leagues of the coafb of Brazil, was oc- 

 cupied by the French Eaft India company ; which in- 

 duced its former mafters to repofiefs it, and to fortify 

 it hkewife, notwithftanding the aforementioned incon- 

 venience. The building; here no lefs than feven forts 

 to cover and command three harbours, in the largeft 

 of which there is a garrifon of a thoufand regular 

 troops, relieved conftantly once in fix months frorc^ 

 tcrnambuca, plainly proves, that either the force of 

 the Portuguefe is much greater in thofe parts than we 

 commonly apprehend in Europe ; or, which is more 

 probably the truth, that they are to the lall degree 

 jealous and lufpicious of that enterprizing nation, who, 

 in virtue of the great law of convenience, are for ap- 

 propriating to their own ufe whatever they find them- 

 felves in a condition to feize and to fecure. This give? 

 us the true caufe of that furprize and uneafinefs which 

 the Portuguefe, during the laft war, exprelTed, when a 

 French fquadron, with a body of land troops on board, 

 intended againft our fettlements in the Eaft Indies, 

 touched there, on account of an epidemic difeafe among 

 their troops ; which, it feems, the Portuguefe miftook 

 for the epidemic thirft of gold and were fo apprehenfiv^ 

 of their' making^a vifit to their mines, that though 

 they could not well refufe them relief in their diftrefs, 

 yet they took almoil the fame precautions as if declared 

 enemies had landed in their country. 



Another point of great utility, that will refult from 

 ^he perufal of this work, is the obtaining a clear and 



candid 



