d a great mortality, and
made death quite familiar to us, it being the usual thing to attend the
funeral of the friends we conversed with the day before. Though this
made us a kind of mechanic philosophers, (if I may use the term,) I do
not observe that it contributes towards rectifying the morals of the
inhabitants here, or making us better Christians."

On the 6th of August 1737, he at last succeeded in obtaining his
long-expected promotion as lieutenant from Admiral Digby Dent,
Commander-in-chief at Jamaica. This pleasing intelligence was
communicated in a letter to Lady Carteret, dated the 10th of October
1737, which mentions that he was appointed lieutenant of the Kinsale of
forty guns, and that the Admiral signed his commission only three hours
before his death. On the 28th July, he was removed from the Kinsale by
the Commander-in-chief, but on the 22nd of August he received his
confirmation from the Admiralty to the Diamond, which confirmed also
both the former. He returned to England in October 1739, when he visited
his friends in Guernsey and Jersey, and recruited his health, which was
naturally delicate, and had been seriously impaired by the West Indian
climate; but the imperious demands of active service soon called him
away.

It was in this year that the memorable voyage round the world was
projected, and shortly after the command was given to Commodore Anson,
who had the privilege of selecting the officers who were to serve under
him on that interesting and important enterprise, when Mr. Saumarez was
chosen as second lieutenant of the Centurion of sixty guns, his own
ship; besides which the squadron consisted of the Gloucester, fifty
guns, Captain Norris; the Severn, fifty guns, Captain Legge; of the
Pearl, forty guns, Capt. Mitchell; of the Wager, twenty-eight, Captain
Kidd; and the Tryal of eight guns, Captain E. Murray; besides the
Centaur store-ship and two victuallers, the Anna and Industry Pinks.

From numberless delays injurious to the expedition, it was not before
the 17th of September 1740 that the Commodore was able to leave St.
Helen's, and proceed on his intended voyage.

As the account of the proceedings of Commodore Anson has been published
in almost every naval history as well as in the biographical memoirs of
that illustrious navigator, it need not be repeated here, and we shall
therefore confine ourselves to the part in which the conduct of Lieut.
Saumarez was conspicuous.

Lieut. Sa