6
VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH SEAS.
1793.Governor Phillips ſailed the day before me, and was ſo kind, among other civilities, as to be the bearer of a table of the rate of the time-keepers to Phillip Stephens, Eſq. as well as of letters to the owners and my friends. On my return from taking leave of him, and at the diſtance of about two cables length of his ſhip, I ſtruck with an harpoon the largeſt turtle I ever ſaw: it weighed at leaſt five hundred weight. Governor Phillips, on obſerving our exertions on the occaſion, immediately ſent a boat to our aſſiſtance, and I requeſted his acceptance of the prize.
On the arrival of a ſhip off Santa-Cruz at the mouth of Rio Janeiro, the Patrimore or harbour maſter comes on board, takes charge of the veſſel, carries her into the harbour and moors her in a good birth. Sometimes the mate is firſt taken out, as was the ceremony with me, to undergo an examination; but the captain is not ſuffered to leave the ſhip without orders; neither will any ſupplies be admitted until a viſit has been made by the officers of police, to inquire into the health of the crew, from whence you come, whither you are bound, what is the particular object of your voyage, and the time you wiſh to ſtay. The mates are then taken on ſhore to be examined, when their declaration with that of the commanding officer, is laid before the Viceroy whoſe official permiſſion muſt be given before any commercial