Fortnight of any Veſſels arriving on their Coaſt with Slaves, might ſettle Signals for the debarquing them at an unfrequented Part of the Coaſt, but whether any Exceptions were made to the Price, or that the Portugueſe dread Diſcovery, and the ſevereſt Proſecution on ſo notorious a Breach of the Law, I cannot tell but it has hither to proved abortive.
However, Stratagems laudable, and attended with Profit, at no other Hazard (as I can perceive) then loſs of Time, are worth attempting; it is what is every Day practiſed with the Spaniards from Jamaica.
Upon this Coaſt our Rovers cruiz’d for about nine Weeks, keeping generally out of Sight of Land, but without ſeeing a Sail, which diſcourag’d them ſo, that they determined to leave the Station, and ſteer for the Weſt-Indies, and in order thereto, ſtood in to make the Land for the taking of their Departure, and thereby they fell in, unexpectedly, with a Fleet of 42 Sail of Portugueſe Ships, off the Bay of los todos Santos, with all their Lading in for Liſbon, ſeveral of them of good Force, who lay too waiting for two Men of War of 70 Guns each, their Convoy. However, Roberts thought it ſhould go hard with him, but he would make up his Market among them, and thereupon mix’d with the Fleet, and kept his Men hid till proper Reſolutions could be form’d; that done, they came cloſe up to one of the deepeſt, and ordered her to ſend the Maſter on Board quietly, threat’ning to give them no Quarters, if any Reſiſtance, or Signal of Diſtreſs was made. The Portugueſe being ſurprized at theſe Threats, and the ſudden flouriſh of Cutlaſhes from the Pyrates, ſubmitted without a Word, and the Captain came on Board; Roberts ſaluted him after a friendly manner, telling him, that they were Gentlemen of Fortune, but that their Buſi-
