PORTER^S JOURNAL 



147 



appearance of ships under their top-gallant-sails. The 

 spirits of the crew had been highly excited by the prospect 

 of making prizes, and the disappointment had occasioned 

 no trifling degree of dejection and despondency among 

 them ; but they did not murmur ; they were sensible that, 

 if* we were not successful, we had not ourselves to accuse, 

 as we had not avoided the enemy by remaining in port ; nor 

 had we been neglectful in our search for him. There were 

 few on board the ship who did not now despair of making 

 any captures about the Gallipagos Islands ; and I believe 

 that many began to think that the information we had re- 

 ceived respecting the practice of British vessels frequenting 

 those islands, as well as the flattering expectations which 

 this information had given rise to, had been altogether de- 

 ception. But I could not so lightly lay down the opinions, 

 which had caused me to visit those islands, and had been 

 formed on information that could not be doubted. I de- 

 termined not to leave the Gallipagos so long as there re- 

 mained a hope of finding a British vessel among them. 

 The current continued to carry us with great rapidity to 

 the northwest, and light and baflling winds, but more fre- 

 quently calms, only served to increase our impatience, and 

 weaken our hopes of recovering our lost ground ; for 

 we had, by the 28th of April, been drifted as far to the 

 north as 1" 8', notwithstanding every exertion we could 

 make to get to the southward, by keeping on the most ad- 

 vantageous tacks. Our wood and water, two articles of 

 the highest importance to us, began to grow short, and 

 there scarcely remained a hope of finding any of the latter 

 article at any of the islands, unless it could be had at James'. 

 Of this I had my doubts, although it has been asserted by 

 some, that it furnishes it in considerable quantities. I how- 

 ever determined to visit it, not with an expectation of pro- 

 curing water, but with a hope of finding there some Eng- 

 lish vessels, as I thought it not improbable that they might 

 have put in there to take on board wood and tortoises, and 

 were waiting for a change of current to enable them to 

 reach Banks' Bay. Under every circumstance, I consi- 

 dered it adviseable to endeavour to reach James' Island, 

 and should I prove unsuccessful there, determined to ex- 

 tend my search among the group ; for I could not be per- 

 suaded that they were entirely abandoned by the whalers. 



