the South' Sea. . 283 



of meeting with Pirates, who were faid to be on theCoaft 

 of Brafil, where Ships in their Return generally put in, 

 and among the reft one of 300 Men, that had been fitted 

 out at Jamaica for the South Sea ; not to take Notice here 

 of fome Obligations the chief Men among them ow'd Mon- 

 ti cur Piffon > all thefe Confiderations did not prevail with 

 them, whofe original Unworthinefs got the upper Hand. 

 On the .1 2th of March they made the beft of their way, 

 and got clear of us, by help of the Fog, fo that by Five in 

 the Evening we had loft Sight of them. It avaifd us little 

 to hang out Lights at Night $ they anfwer'd us not, and to . 

 as little Purpofe we fired fome Cannon the next Morning 

 at Break of Day. 



We were not much concern'd to lofe the Company of 

 Ships ofS. Malo y on which there is fo little relying, than 

 it is become a Proverb as fuch, even among the People of 

 the fame Province ; but we had reafon to be concerned for 

 having follow' d them in the moft foolifii Navigation ima- 

 ginable, which had brought us into 58 Degrees 40 Minutes 

 Latitude, when we might pafs with all Safety at leaft 40 

 Leagues more Northward, and have fliortned our Voyage 

 by fix Days, without running fo far into thofe hard Cli- 

 mates, where much muft be endured, and Dangers unfore- 

 feen may be met with. 



In fliort, whilft we were taken up, looking out for them Uwxpethd 

 in the Fog, we difcover'd, about 3 Quarters of a League Ice on March 

 Weft from us, a Shoal of Ice, which might be at leaft 200 l ^JJ u r in 

 Foot high above the Water, and above 3 Cables long. It r o /^** s 

 was at firft Sight taken for an unknown Ifland, but the Latitude^ and 

 Weather clearing up a little, it perfectly appear'd to be Ice, 68 Degrees 

 whofe blewilh Colour in fome Parts look'd like Smoaki^^J^ 

 the fmall Pieces of Ice we immediately fiw floating on both H ' 

 fides of the Ship, left us no farther room to doubt. 



We were becalm'd in a very rolling Sea, and fcarce had AnothcrFk.it 

 a fmall Gale at S. W. made us advance 2 Leagues N. E. that of Ice. 

 is, E. N. E. as to the Globe, before we fpy'd at E. and by 

 N. about a League and a Quarter from us, another Float 



O 0 2 of 



