6 



Porter's Voyage 



CHAPTER II. 



Transactions on the Coast of Brazils ; Arrival and Departure 

 from St. Catharines. 



The land we first discovered was high and irregular, and I 

 had every reason to believe it to be part of a group of islands to 

 the north of Cape Frio. I therefore hauled to the southward to 

 make the Cape, which we discovered about four P. M. 



For the two last days the ship has been surrounded with dol- 

 phins, of which we have succeeded in catching great numbers. 



On the 19th of January, 1813, made the island of St. Catlia- 

 rines, bearing S. W., and stood, for the passage between the East 

 Point and the island of Alvarade, until eight at night. Being 

 then at the distance of between twelve and fifteen miles, I lay off 

 and on until morning, when v/e ran in with light winds from the 

 north-east. 



Immediately on anchoring, I dispatched a boat with lieutenant 

 Downes, to inform the commander of the fort that we were Ame- 

 ricans, and in want of supplies, and to come to an understanding 

 about a salute. He returned in about two hours with offers of 

 civilities, and a promise from the commander, that he would send 

 an officer and pilot on board, in the morning, to take the ship 

 nearer in, and in a better place for taking in our water, &c. 



On the 21st I dispatched lieutenant Wilmer to the town of 

 St. Catharines, in one of the ship''s boats, accompanied by lieu- 

 tenant Gamble, Mr. Shaw, purser, doctor Hoffman, and midship- 

 man Feltus. I directed lieutenant Wilmer to wait on the go- 

 vernor, don Luis Mauricio da Silvia, v» ith my respects, and to 

 thank him for the civilities I had met with, and gave him orders 

 to return if possible the same day. I gave orders to Mr. Shaw 

 to endeavour to procure a supply of beef, flour, bread, and rum ; 

 to remain in town until it was ready, hire a vessel, and bring it 

 down. The weather was squally, with heavy rains, when they 

 started, as, mdeed, was the case the whole time we lay here. I 

 felt uneasy that the boat did not return in the evening, but 

 hoped, as the weather had grown much worse, that they had de- 

 termined on remaining that night ; however, at two o'clock in 

 the morning, lieutenants Wilmer and Gamble cam.e into my 

 cabin almost naked, and shivering with the wet and cold. They 

 informed me that the boat had been upset in a squall ; but that 

 all hands had saved themselves, after having been four hours on 

 her bottom. They fortunately were to windward of an island, 

 lying in the middle of the bay, where they drifted on shore and 

 lighted the boat. Thcj lost all their clotlies, as well as every 



