' 195- touch at St. Helena in her way home, or that the next convoy from the
■ - ■ Eaft Indies fhould arrive, under the protection of which, I fhould hope
fafely to arrive in England in the courfe of the autumn. As the fervice
which Captain Brifac had to perform required the utmoft difpatch, our
boats aflifted tbofe of the Sphinx in recruiting her water, after which,
on the following day, fhe immediately failed for the coaft of Braftl.
Tuefday-7. Underftanding that our field pieces, would be of ufe to His Majelly’s
forces on the coaft of Africa, and- confidering that the purpofe for which
they had originally been put on board the Difcovery was now completely
ferved, and that they could not be of the leaft poflible fervice to us in
performing the remainder o f our voyage to England, I availed myfelf
of the Arnifton being engaged to carry troops from St. Helena to the
fquadron under Admiral Sir George Keith Elphinftone, to confign, by
that conveyance, the four pieces of ordnance, and the remaining parts
of their ammunition we had on board, to the commanding officer of
the expedition deftined againft the cape of Good Hope ; and I was made
Friday 10. happy on this occalion to have it alfo in my power to aflift with our
boats in the embarkation of the troops on board the Arnifton.,
The leak was foon difcoyered to be in the bows of the Difcovery,
and our carpenters were immediately employed in ufing their belt endeavours
to flop and prevent any further inconvenience from it.
On funday morning arrived the Orpheus of London, commanded by
Mr. Bowen, to whom were entrufted duplicates of thofe difpatches from
Admiral Sir George Keith. Elphinftone, with which Captain Brifac had
failed on the 8th, with direftions to the governor of St. Helena to ufe
his utmoft endeavours to forward them immediately to General Clarke
at St. Salvador. The Chatham at this time being nearly, ready for fea,
I confidered that it would be furthering His Majefty’s fervice to charge
Mr. Puget, with the care of thefe duplicate difpatches, with which, after
receiving the following order from me, he departed for the coaft of
Brafil the following day.
Monday 1,3. “ Confidering it to.be expedient, and for the good, of His Majefty’s.
fervice, that.you fhould, proceed immediately to St. Salvador, in order to
carry Tome difpatches from Rear Admiral the Honorable Sir George
Keith
Keith Elphinftone, to Major General Clarke, commander of His Majefty’s
forces, deftined to aft with the faid rear-admiral; and the faid Ma- <
jor General having been direfted to rendezvous at St. Salvador ; you
are hereby required and direfted to proceed, without lofs of time, to
the faid port, in order to deliver the inclofed difpatches accordingly;
and, after having performed that fervice, you will communicate to the,
commanding officer of His Majefty’s naval forces at that port, the nature
of the fervice on which you have been employed, and that you havé
my direftions; after delivering the faid difpatches! -to ufe ybnr utmoft
exertions, for the purpofe o f immediately proceeding to England, that
you may be enabled to carry into effeft fuch further orders' as you have
received from me. But fhould you not meet With any naval officer, fénior
to yourfelft at that port, you will inform Major-General Clarke, that I
conceive it to be a rhattef of great moment, that as little detention as
poflible fhould take'place to'retard yóur proceeding t& England as before
exprefled. If, before your arrival at the port of St. Salvador, the
feid troops and fquadron fhould have departed, you are to ufe"the utmoft
precaution not to promulgatfe the caufe which carried you thither,
but having, with all expedition, completed'your water, See. See. you are
to proceed' to England as already direfted : and, as it is b f the utmoft
importance' to prevent thefe orders, difpatches, and private fignals,
from falling into the hands of thé énëriiy, yóu are to keep the“ fame in a
leaden box, in Order that they may be thrown into the féa, in cafe Of
capture. And that you may-avoid, as much as poflible, falling in with
the enemy’s cruizêïs, on your approaching the cOaft of Europe, you
will confider, aS circumftaftees may point out, of the propriety of proceeding
round the north part Of Ireland, either to the firft convenient
port on the coaft of' Scotland or England, which you can make ; from'
whence you will immediately repair to the Admiralty office, and. there
deliver the difpatches with which you are charged..
“ But in the- event of your reaching St. Salvador before General
Glarke fhould have arrived, and finding no other Britilh officer there with
whom you may judge it proper to entruft the difpatches committed to
your care; you-are to continue there fourteen days, and after the expiration
1795*
Juft.
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