Af HI C A. 19 
fny hopesi Cloudy weather and st thick fog 
enabled us to pafs through the Channel without 
being obferved by the Englifli, and we gained 
the open fea, cleavirlg the waves in perfed: fe- 
^urityj without ever fufpeding that the flames 
of waf had burft forth in every quarter around 
us. Sailing fometimes at a quick, and fome- 
times at a flow rate, we followed the Mercury^ 
another veflel belonging to the Company, 
'which was purfuing the fame courfe, and 
which was commanded by our commodore. 
Thus far nothing remarkable occurred in our 
voyage ; but we were foon about to feel a part 
of the general convulfion. As I knew that 
in a pafl^age of three, four, and perhaps fix 
months, I fliould experience many tedious and 
dull moments, I took the precaution of fur- 
nifliing myfelf with a few books before my 
departure. 'Among my travels, and works on 
natural hiftory, I had the relation of M. De la 
Caille, which for amufement I read in prefer-^ 
ence to any other ; but I remember that, hav- 
ing one day fallen upon a paflage very anti-* 
philanthropic, and full of fanaticifm, I immedi- 
ately threw down the book in a paffion, with 
a refQlution of perufmg it no longer* The 
C 2 paff^g® 
