Cape St. Lucas, which is the North Cape of the Gulf of California, is ſixty-five leagues; and the ſouthernmoſt is diſtant from Cape Corientes, which is the South Cape
As the fever began again to make its appearance among ſome of my crew, and the reſt being extremely clamorous to depart, I was obliged, however, reluctantly, to ſubmit. At length after thirteen months captivity, we obtained permiſſion to ſail, with orders to go to Nootka, and take poſſeſſion of the Princeſs Royal, whoſe crew I had with me, although the Spaniards muſt have well known it was impoſſible for me to have fallen in with her there, as appeared by the orders which the Spaniſh commander had on board, when I met with him by accident ſome time afterwards at the Sandwich Iſles. Thus on the approach of winter, in a miſerable veſſel, badly equipped, and worſe victualled, we ſailed from St. Blas, altogether in ſuch a ſituation, that from the numberleſs accidents we ſuffered in conſequence of our bad outfit, my arrival at Macao appeared almoſt miraculous.
On my arrival at China, the reſident agent D. Beal, Eſq., who had taken no ſmall degree of pains to inform himſelf of every particular concerning my capture, paid ſuch of the crew as ſurvived the wages due to them, and requeſted me once more to embark in the ſame concern, on a voyage to Japan and Corea. I readily conſented, and he fitted me out at great expenſe, and in his inſtructions to me, dated
He ſays—"After the mortifications and diſappointments you have already experienced, from the capture of your veſſels by the Spaniards, it may be an additional circumſtance of regret, ſhould diſappointment and ill-fortune ſtill purſue you: you muſt, however, conſole yourſelf, by reflecting that no imputation reſts againſt your character or conduct, for the violence and depredations committed by the Spaniards". This language from ſo reſpectable a character was truly pleaſing, and as an additional proof of his confidence, he ſent his brother with me as ſupercargo. But afterwards how great was my ſurpriſe, on hearing Mr. Mears had taken advantage of my abſence, and publiſhed in England an account of me ſo contrary
