CHAPTER IL 
TRANSACTIONS ON THE COAST OF BRAZILS; ARRIVAL AND DE¬ 
PARTURE FROM ST* CATHARINE’S. 
The land we first discovered was high and irregular, and I 
had every reason to believe it to be a part of a group of islands to 
the north of Cape Frio ; I therefore hauled to the southward to 
make the cape, which we discovered about 4 P. M. Ran down 
and hove-to off the pitch of it, to meet the arrival of vessels bound 
to Rio Janeiro, this being the point they endeavour to make 
from the north as well as south, with the exception of some few 
coasting vessels, and is considered as eligible a place as any in 
those seas for cruizing against the enemy’s commerce. Lay to un¬ 
der easy sail until the morning of the 27th, when we discovered a 
saik to which we gave chase. On approaching her, discovered from 
her rig, that she was a Portuguese vessel bound to the westward; 
I therefore considered it advisable to disguise the ship as a mer¬ 
chantman, and, on passing her,, hoisted English colours, on dis¬ 
covering which, she hoisted the Portuguese flag. In the after¬ 
noon, discovered another sail to the southward, which bore the 
appearance of a British brig of war, to which we gave chace, and 
did not succeed in getting within gun-shot until about 10 o’clock, 
when we succeeded in bringing her to; but as I was answered in 
Portuguese, and it appearing that there was no person on board 
who could speak or understand English, I concluded that she was 
a Portuguese vessel; and as it came on to blow a fresh gale of 
wind, and as the boat could not board her without great risk, I 
concluded on permitting her to proceed without further delay. 
In the morning, I discovered that we had run sp far to the 
westward during the chase, as to bring us within 5 leagues of the 
entrance of Rio ; I therefore made all sail to endeavour to beat up 
to Cape Frio ; but it came on to blow so fresh, as to render our 
attempts fruitless, and, as I saw no hopes of succeeding until a 
