done in ten or twelve, This delay was a moft unpleafing circum-
ftance, produGive of much difcontent and ill-humour amongft our
people, of which thofe only can have a tolerable idea, who have
had the experience of a like fituation. For befides the peevilhnefs
and defpondency, which foul and contrary winds and a lingering
voyage never fail to create on all occafions, we, in particular, had
very fubftantial reafons to be greatly alarmed at this unexpefted impediment
; fince, as we had departed from England much later
than we ought to have done, we had placed almoft all our hopes of
fuccefs in the chance o f retrieving in fome meafure at fea, the
time we had fo unhappily wafted at Spithead and St. Helens. However,
atlaft, on*Monday, OStober the 25th, at five in the morning,
we, to our great joy, made the land, and in the afternoon came to
an anchor in Madera Road, in forty fathom water; the Brazen-
Head bearing from us E by S, the Loo N N W , and the great
Church N N E. We had hardly let go our anchor, when an
E nglijh privateer floop ran under our ftern, and faluted the Commodore
with nine guns, which we returned with five. And the
next day, the Conful of the lfland vifiting the Commodore, we
faluted him with nine guns on his coming on board.
This lfland of Madera, where we are now arrived, is famous
through all our American fettlements for its excellent wines, which
feem to be defigned by Providence for the refrefliment of the inhabitants
of the Torrid Zone. It is fituated in a fine climate, in the
latitude of 32: 27 North; and in the longitude from London
(by our different reckonings) of 18° i to 19° | Weft, though laid
down in the charts in 170. It is compofed of one continued hill, of
a confiderable height, extending itfelf from Eaft to Weft : The declivity
o f which, on the South-fide,is cultivated and interfperfed with
vineyards ; and in the midft of this flope the Merchants have fixed
their country-feats, which help to form a very agreeable profpedt.
There is but one confiderable town in the whole lfland ; it is named
Foncbiale, and is feated on the South part of the lfland, at the bottom
tom of a large bay. Towards the fea, it is defended by a high
wall, with a battery of cannon, befides a caftle on the Loo, which
is a rock {landing in the water at a fmall diftan.ce from the fliore.
Foncbiale .is the only place of trade, and, indeed, the only place
where it is poffible. for, a boat to-land. And even here the beach
is covered with large, ftones, and a'violent furf continually beats
upon i t ; fo that the Commodore did not care to venture the {hips
long-boats to fetch the water off, there was fo much danger o f
their being loft ; and therefore ordered the Captains of the fqua-
dron to employ Portuguefi boats on that ferviee.
We continued about a week at this lfland, watering our {hips,
and providing the fquadron with wine and other refrefliments.
Here, on the 3d o f November, Captain Richard Norris fignified, by
a letter to the Commodore, his defire to quit his command on board
the Gloucefier, in order to return to England for the recovery o f
his health. This requeft the Commodore complied with; and
thereupon was pleafed to appoint Captain Matthew Mitchell to-
command the Gloucefier in his room, and to remove Captain Kidd'
from the Wager to the Pearl, and Captain Murray from the Fry at
Sloop, to the Wager, giving the command of the Fryal to Lieute-
nant Cheap. Thefe promotions being fettled, with other, changes-
in the Lieutenancies, the Commodore, on the following day, gave-
to the Captains their orders, appointing St. Jago, one of the Cape-
de Verd Iflands, to be the firft place of rendezvous, in cafe o f fepa-
ration; and direfting them, i f they did not meet the Centurion.
there, ’to make the belt of their way to the lfland o f St. Catherine's,
on the coaft of Brazil. The water for the fquadron being the
fame day completed, and each fliip fupplied with as much wine
and other refrelhments as they could take in, we weighed anchor
in the afternoon, and took our leave o f the lfland o f Madera.
But before I go on with the narration of our own-tranfaftions, I
think it neceffary to give fome account of the proceedings o f the
enemy, and of the maafures they had taken to render all our deigns.
abortive.
D Whea