s Majesty's arms. We
had nigh double the usual complement of officers usual in private ships,
to prevent Mutinies, which ofttimes happen in long voyages, and that we
might have a large provision for a succession of officers in case of
Mortality. In the _Marquis_ we had Captain Blokes, commander-in-chief of
the whole Armament, a Mariner; a Second Captain, who was a Dr. of
Physick, and also acted as President of our Committee (having much
book-learning), and Commander of the Marines; two Leftenants; a Sailing
Master; a Pilot that was well acquainted with the South Seas, having
been in those latitudes twice before; a Surgeon and his Mate, or
Loblolly Boy; Self as Secretary and Purser; two young lawyers, designed
to act as Midshipmen; Giles Cash, as Reformado,--that was the title of
courtesy given to those who were sent to sea in lieu of being hanged; a
Gunner and his crew; a Boatswain, cooper, carpenter, sailmaker, smith,
and armourer, ship's corporal, Sergeant of Marines, cook; a Negro that
could shave and play the fiddle; and the Ship's company as aforesaid,
one-third of whom were foreigners of every nation under the Sun; and of
those that were His Majesty's subjects, many Tinkers, Tailors,
Haymakers, Pedlars, &c.--a terribly mixed Gang, requiring much
three-strand cord to keep 'em in order.

On the 2nd August, 1748, we weighed from King's Road, by Bristol, and at
ten at night, having very little wind, anchored between the Holms and
Minehead. Coming on a fresh gale at S.E. and E.S.E., we ran by Minehead
at six in the morning. Next day the wind veered to N.E. and E.N.E.; on
the 4th there was but little wind, and smooth water; on the 5th we saw
Land; and finding that we had overshot our port, which was Cork, came to
an anchor at noon off the two rocks near Kinsale. At eight at night we
weighed, having a Kinsale Pilot on board, who was like to have
endangered our safety, the night being dark and foggy, and the Pilot not
understanding his Business; so that he nearly turned us into the next
Bay to the westward of Cork, which provoked Captain Blokes to chastise
him publicly on the quarter-deck. Our two consorts got into Cork before
us, and we did not anchor in the Cove until the 7th August, at three in
the afternoon. We stayed here until the 28th of the month, getting in
stores and provisions, and replacing as many of our tailors and
haymakers as we could with real Sailors that could work the Ship. Our
crew, however, were cont