r of those who
might be disposed to exert their ingenuity, in so daring an
attempt, to carry their plan into execution with a greater
probability of success; but I am thoroughly convinced, that so
strict an attention to duty was paid by the whole of the marines
employed on this service, that such an attempt would have
terminated in the destruction of those who appeared most active
and forward in it. Two of the principals were brought on board
the Sirius, severely punished, and sent on board another
transport, properly secured in heavy irons.

On the 23d, the wind inclined to the north-west, and, after
heavy rain, settled in that quarter; by the favour of this change
we proceeded to the southward, at the rate of between 70 and 100
miles in 24 hours. On the 26th, the wind shifted to the
northward, and from that to the north-east; our latitude at this
time was 42 deg.. 10'. north, and the longitude 11 deg.. 36'.
west; variation of the compass, 20 deg.. 19'. west.

On the 29th in the evening, (as we intended making the islands
of Porto Sancto and Madeira) being but a little distance from the
former, and the weather being hazy, we shortened sail, to prevent
the convoy from falling suddenly in with the land in the night:
at day-light the next morning, we saw the Deserters off Madeira,
bearing west-south-west, five leagues distant; we had passed the
island of Porto Sancto in the night, having steered to pass eight
or nine leagues to the eastward of it; we found the ship set this
last 24 hours 12 miles to the southward of the log. At noon the
south-easternmost Deserter bore by compass north 17 deg.. west,
by which we made its latitude 32 deg.. 29'. north, and its
longitude by the time-keeper 16 deg.. 38'. west of Greenwich; the
variation of the compass was here 17 deg.. 00' west: from hence,
with a light breeze from the northward, we steered south half
west, by compass, and at five P.M. on the 1st of June, we made
the Salvages; which was rather sooner than we expected, by the
distance we had run from the Deserters off Madeira, and the
latitude observed the preceding noon, by which we judged
ourselves not less than 17 leagues from them. At midnight we were
exactly in their parallel, and saw them very distinctly by the
light of the moon, which was very clear; their latitude, deduced
from the preceding, as well as following meridian observations,
is 30 deg.. 12'. north, which is 12 miles to the northward of
what they are gene