1^6 DISCOVERIES OF THE ENGLISH. 
Thus rid of the ** monsieurs," they sailed on, 
without farther interruption, to Bristol. 
The rough usage through which Towrson had 
passed in this voyage did not deter him or his 
employers from undertaking another on the fol- 
lowing year. Soon after setting sail they fell in 
with two unfortunate Dantzic hulks, which they 
searched for some proof of property belonging to 
the French, with whom England was now at war. 
The Dantzickers stoutly denied this ; but our 
countrymen, finding the cargo exceedingly valu- 
able, made a most eager investigation into the 
point, and at length persuaded themselves, that 
it might be fairly considered as French. Here- 
upon the question came to be, how it might best 
be turned to account. To have carried it home 
and sold it would have interfered too much with 
the objects of the voyage. They finally deter- 
mined, therefore, merely to take whatever appear- 
ed conducive to their own personal use and com- 
fort. They laid in therefore a large stock of 
wine, with aquavitae, chesnuts, compasses, can- 
dles ; and at last found it convenient to appro- 
priate such a variety of articles, that Towrson took 
pity on the Dantzickers, and caused some por- 
tion to be restored. They now sailed direct to 
the African coast, where they were not long of 
falling in with five sail of Portuguese, with whom 
