porter's journal. 



57 



laid before him the same plan, in which he concurred, pro- 

 vided we could obtain the necessary supplies of provi- 

 fiions. 



My stock of provisions, agreeably to the purser's report, 

 was as follows: 184 barrels of beef, 114 barrels of pork, 

 21,763 pounds of bread, 1741 gallons of spirits, 201 gal- 

 lons of vinegar, 108 gallons of molasses, and 10 boxes of 

 spermaceti and 1 7 of tallow candles ; which on two thirds al- 

 lowance of beef, and half allowance of bread, other articles 

 in the same proportion as the beef, were sufficient to serve 

 us as follows : 



Beef, 36 weeks and 5 days 



Pork, 22 do. 5 do. 



Bread, 22 do. 1 do. 



Spirits, 13 do. 2 do. 



Vinegar, 6 do. 4 do. 



Molasses, 7 do. 5 do. 

 I estimated that it would not take me more than two 

 months and a half to get round to Conception, where I was 

 confident of procuring an abundant supply of jerked beef, 

 tish, flour, and wine. I calculated, that the prizes we 

 should make in the Pacific, would supply us with such ar- 

 ticles of naval stores as we should require ; and although 

 there was considerable responsibility attached to the pro- 

 ceeding, and the undertaking was greater than had yet been 

 engaged in by any single ship on similar pursuits, time did 

 not admit of delay. Immediately on getting to sea, I di- 

 rected my course to the southward. 



The intelligence given me by the captain of the Portu- 

 guese vessel, was such as I could place the utmost confi- 

 dence in ; for his description of the captured vessel answer- 

 ed exactly to that of the Hornet. He stated to me, that 

 she had been cruising off Bahia, in company with a very 

 large frigate, to intercept a British sloop of war at that 

 place ; but that she had separated from the frigate, and 

 was bound to the southward, when she was captured off 

 the Albrothas shoal. He further stated, that the American 

 frigate had sunk a British frigate, after a desperate engage^ 

 ment, in which the British vessel had lost her masts. 



Before I proceed farther, however, it is necessary that I 

 should say something of St. Catharines. 



This island has been settled by the Portuguese about seven- 

 vol.. I. 8* 



