merly called the Resolution, so celebrated under thé
command of Captain Cook. These ships were soon
joined b^ ©thers> coming from Nantucket, in America:
their masters announced that they were all bound for
the coast of Brazil and the Faulkland islands, to carry
on -the whale fisheryThere. The Dunkirk vessels
were manned* chiefly, by English sailors, were full of
English goods, and were supposed to belong to adventurers
in London, and to t e really intended to try a
trade, undec French colours, with the Spanish coasts of
Chili and Peru.
Praya hay was rendered somewhat interesting^foo,
by having been, mat Tong before, the scene mf action
between the English and French' squadrons, under The.
respective commands of Commodore Johnstön'è and Admiral
de J|uffren. The latter,* in attacking the British
ships of war and Indiamen in a neutral port* committed
a -gross violation o f the rights of nations. . Böme- tlmè
afterwards, while commanding the French fleet in the
East Indies, he complained to oné-’Of the present -passengers
in the Lion* who went in a flag of tiuce‘‘OÓ'
public affairs to the French head quarters1, of the conduct
of the British admiral authorizing a small French*^è|sél
to betaken out, by force', from the neutral port of Tranf-
quebar, belonging to the Dane#,- On thé coast 'of Coro-
naandei,- and being reminded of the example he had
set at Praya, he replied, that “ the'object, in the former
“ instainbe, pps foo trifling drake it Worth .the infratS
« tion o fJa .publiG iaWfD Such a)te, the maxims o f polit
deal morality . ; j|
The Portuguese maintain no force, -atf/St. Jago,.capable
of insuring a proper rfespect do their flag there; and so
far ayedheyTipm drawing any revenue from: the£pk
that supplies are; sent to .’it from Forth gal: None of these
islands are, indeed,/ enebiiraged by; ithe!:jreghlatiohs of
the , parent'State: A trade for sla%es from; Afefoa is
established at ISt. Jtf©; and that trade is a monopoly
to rhererown. The,1-gov,Amor; ddS&ives his chief*profit
from the sale# o f cattle to thepdiif)#' w^repcidl therey/terd.
of the amount of Those sales he claims a moiety. Such
is the-state of the inhabitants, without any regular coim-
munication with other countries^That their sole dependence
for a supply of whatever their own island cannot
afford, is upon vessels stopping, .casually, ther|^ They
set little value upon money, Which mighfclitlong useless
Jgt their hands; preferring to batter what®fyer\t©p'y have
to. sell, for a return, principally, -of. corn H clothing,
rather than any quantity of; specie that would bp offered
to them.
The very scanty provisions they had to dispose*tei,J
to the Lion and Hindustan, could be no inducement To
«delay. The water, too, was neither goodf -ncCr^easy tobe
had: it was drawn from wells, and that which afforded
St, Jag*>.