24 TRAVELS IN 
not afraid of proceeding to the fame excefs^ 
I faw him with a lanthorn in his hand go down 
to the fore magazine, which contained upwards 
of ten tons of gunpowder deftined for Cey- 
lon, and without the lead precaution bring 
up a fufficiency to make cartridges ; for it is 
to be remarked that none were ready prepared, 
nor was there ever a thought entertained of 
making fuch a provilion. 
After baffling all our manoeuvres, and pierc- 
ing us on ail fides, the privateer bore away 
from us about eleven at night ; and, though it 
foon got to a great diftance, we ftill continued 
our fire. What a glorious moment for pol- 
troons! How they then moved about with 
much alertnefs, and trod the deck with a firm 
ftep ; raifmg their voices, and challenging the 
enemy whom they no longer heard ! Their 
fear however was not as yet allayed, and no 
one ventured to retire to reft. Imitating the 
example fet me, I pafFed the whole night in 
the open air, ftretched out upon a bag between 
two rows of mufkets ; but I was every mo- 
ment difturbed by the calling out of the fenti- 
nels, who were continually haunted by the 
noife of the Englifh cannon : one may thence 
eafily 
