Page:Colnett - Voyage to the South Pacific (IA cihm 33242).djvu/131

 Cape As the fever began again to make its appearance among ome of my crew, and the ret being extremely clamorous to depart, I was obliged, however, reluctantly, to ubmit. At length after thirteen months captivity, we obtained permiion to ail, with orders to go to Nootka, and take poeion of the Princes Royal, whoe crew I had with me, although the Spaniards mut have well known it was impoible for me to have fallen in with her there, as appeared by the orders which the Spanih commander had on board, when I met with him by accident ome time afterwards at the Sandwich Iles. Thus on the approach of winter, in a mierable veel, badly equipped, and wore victualled, we ailed from St. Blas, altogether in uch a ituation, that from the numberles accidents we uffered in conequence of our bad outfit, my arrival at Macao appeared almot miraculous.

On my arrival at China, the reident agent D. Beal, Eq., who had taken no mall degree of pains to inform himelf of every particular concerning my capture, paid uch of the crew as urvived the wages due to them, and requeted me once more to embark in the ame concern, on a voyage to Japan and Corea. I readily conented, and he fitted me out at great expene, and in his intructions to me, dated Canton, July 25, 1791, He ays—"After the mortifications and diappointments you have already experienced, from the capture of your veels by the Spaniards, it may be an additional circumtance of regret, hould diappointment and ill-fortune till purue you: you mut, however, conole yourelf, by reflecting that no imputation rets againt your character or conduct, for the violence and depredations committed by the Spaniards". This language from o repectable a character was truly pleaing, and as an additional proof of his confidence, he ent his brother with me as upercargo. But afterwards how great was my urprie, on hearing Mr. Mears had taken advantage of my abence, and publihed in England an account of me o contrary St. Lucas, which is the North Cape of the Gulf of California, is ixty-five leagues; and the outhernmot is ditant from Cape Corientes, which is the South Cape