Our provisions
(particularly our bread) being spoiled, and obliged to be thrown
overboard, we were necessitated to be put upon short allowance. As we
had no hopes of being able to support ourselves upon what was left until
our arrival at Lima, I determined to run for the nearest island, where I
might obtain a fresh supply, and then renew our attempt to beat round
the Cape. I was in some doubts where to proceed, but after running
eastward for a fortnight, we discovered land on the lee bow, which I
considered to be the uninhabited Island of New Georgia; but as we
approached it, we thought that we perceived people on the beach, and
when within five miles we could plainly distinguish that they were
soldiers in their uniforms, ranged up, rank and file. The colour of
their clothes could not be made out with the glass, but it was easy to
be distinguished that they had yellow facings; from which I inferred
that they were our enemies the English. "Peste!" thought I, "is it
possible that these grasping islanders have made a settlement on this
place? Where will they go to next?" The different companies appeared to
be from one to two dozen in number; sometimes they stood quite still, at
others they walked a little way on the beach; but they constantly
adhered to their rank-and-file position, and as I could not perceive
that they had any muskets in their hands, I inferred that they were
merely practising the marching evolutions. No houses or fortifications
were distinguishable, and I determined to run the ship nearer in, that I
might observe their motions.
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