AFRICA, 163 
divers, emboldened by their example, had ha- 
zarded a fimilar fub-aqueous pilgrimage, and 
endeavoured to found the fides of this ill-fated 
veffel. It was natural for me, who had loft in 
It the only treafures on which my hopes w6re 
founded, to put in a claim upon this occafion ; 
and if by my efforts I obtained only a piece 
of a rope, or fome wretched and broken (herds, 
they would have appeared to me precious re- 
lics, worthy of being carried away and pre- 
ferved in remembrance of my misfortune. 
The cargo of the velTel had confifted chiefly 
of porcelain from China and Japan. Other 
planters, as I have faid, in imitation of the nrft, 
had gone to fearch the wreck, and had been 
equally fuccefsful ; but the bufmefs, becoming 
at laft too arduous, had been abandoned. I 
was refolved, however, to revive the attempt. 
The calmnefs of the weather appeared to be 
favourable to the enterprife, and I was the 
more eager to engage in it, from the opportu- 
nity it would afford me, if I fucceeded, of pre- 
fenting fome elegant porcelain to my fair 
hofteifes, as well as to fome of their neigh- 
bours, by whom, during my vifits to Siaber, 
M 2 I had 
