Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/52

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42
VOYAGE IN SEARCH
[1791.

The great tower ſituated about the middle of the town, E.S.E.

At ſun-riſe each of the forts returned our ſalute of nine guns with an equal number. On the noon of the preceding day, we had ſaluted the town with fifteen, as it returned us gun for gun.

A packet-boat from Spain caſt anchor to-day in the road-ſtead.

We had agreed to take a journey to the peak on the morrow, and ſubſequently to viſit the other high mountains of the iſland in ſucceſſion. The French Conſul very obligingly did all that was in his power, to facilitate the execution of our deſign, and gave us letters of recommendation to M. de Cologant, a very reſpectable merchant, reſident at Orotava.

About four o'clock the next morning, our party aſſembled upon the Mole to the number of eight; namely, Develle, one of the officers of our ſhip, Piron, Deſchamps, Lahaye, and myſelf, with three ſervants, one of whom underſtood the Spaniſh language, and ſerved as our interpreter. We found the mules that were to carry us at the ſea-ſide; but it was more than an hour before we could ſet out upon our journey, it being no eaſy matter to aſſemble our guides, ſome of whom, knowing that we could not ſet off without them,

made