70 T R A V E L S I N 
He had written to Europe to afk leave of the 
company to reiign his office. Having received 
and filled it with honour, he wiihed alfo in 
quitting it to Be without reproach ; and he had 
laboured, therefore, day and night to put every 
thing in order previous to his departure, which 
he intended ihould take place the moment the 
veffel arrived with the intelligence that his re- 
fignation was accepted. This ieduious appli- 
cation, at an unfavourable period, before his 
ftrength was thoroughly re-eftablithed, had oc- 
cafioned the relapfe. I hoped that the repofe 
^nd tranquillity likely to refult from a total re- 
miflion of the fundions of office, and the 
anxieties attached to it, would be produdive 
of the effeas he expeded, and one day regain 
him the health he had loft. But the veffel from 
Europe was not arrived, and fomething, I con- 
ceived, ought In the mean time to be done. As 
he had often expreffed a defire to vifit the in- 
terior parts of the colony, and as I had myfelf 
farther obfervations to make in the charming 
country of the Auteniquas, I refolved, if pof- 
fible, to revive this defire, and lead him of his 
pwn accord to propofe the expedition. 
Accprdinglyj fitting one evening with othef 
perfons 
