37 2 L O R D A N S O N ’ S V O Y A G E
This fpeech of the Commodore was received by his people with
great joy. Since no fooner had he ended, than they exprefled their
approbation, according to naval cuftom, by three ftrenuous cheers ;
and declared their determination to fucceed, or perifli, whenever
the opportunity prefented itfelf. Immediately too their hopes,which
on their departure from the coaft of Mexico had entirely fublided,
were again revived; and they perfuaded themfelves, that, not-
withftanding the various cafualties and difappointments they had
hitherto met with, they ftiould yet be repaid the price of their fatigues,
and (hould at laft return home enriched with the fpoils of
the enemy. For, firmly relying on the afliirances of the Commodore,
that they fhould certainly meet with the galeons, they were
all of them too fanguine to doubt a moment of mattering them j
fo that they confidered themfelves as having them already in their
poffeffion. And this confidence was fo univerfally fpread through
the whole Ihip’s company, that the Commodore who had taken
fome Chinefe flieep to fea with him for his own provifion, enquiring
one day o f his Butcher, why he had lately feen no mutton at his
table, and alking him i f all the flieep were killed; the fellow very
ferioufly replied, that there were indeed two flieep left, but that if
his Honour would give him leave, he propofed to keep thofe for
the entertainment of the General of the galeons.
When the Centurion left the port of Macao., Ihe flood for fome
days to the weftward; and, on the firft of May, they faw part
of the I Hand of Formofa; and, fleering thence to the fouthward,
they, on the 4th of May, were in the latitude of the Bajhee IJlands.
as laid down by Damfier : But they fufpefted his account o f in ■
accuracy, as they knew that he had been confiderably miftaken in
the latitude of the South end o f Formofa s and therefore they kept
a good look-out, and about feven in the evening difcovered from
the maft-head five fmall Iflands, which were judged to be the
Bajhees. As they afterwards faw Botel Tobago Xima ; they by
this means found an opportunity o f correcting the pofition of
the Bajhee IJlands, which had been hitherto laid down twenty-five
^ leagues