VOYAGE TO NEW SOUTH WALES. 
on the outfide of the entrance into the bay. After the pre- 
parations which had been made for anchoring, and the dif- 
pofition fhown by the Sirius to run in, we were not a little 
furprifed to fee her, at two o'clock, throw out the fignal for 
the convoy to keep nearer the commanding officer ; then 
make fail and bear away, fleering fouth-wefl. At fix in 
the evening we loft fight of the ifland, running with a 
fmart top-gallant, and fteering fail, breeze at north-eaft. A 
fmall Portugueze brig lay at anchor in Port Praya, which 
was the only vefTel of any kind at that time there. This 
bay is rendered memorable by the action that took place 
there, on the i6th of April 1781, between Commodore 
Johnftone and Monfieur Suffrein ; in giving an account of 
which, the French admiral (in a letter faid to be written by 
him) humoroufly thus obferves : "In leading into the bay, 
I was fome time at a lofs to diftinguifh which was the 
commodore's fhip: but on getting more in, I at length 
" faw his pendant blufhing through a foreft of mafts ; the 
" Romney being fecurely placed in fhore of the merchant 
fhips and fmaller men of war." 
The entrance into this bay appeared to be about a mile, 
between two bluff points, which makes it fecure from every 
E 2 wind. 
