thered to us about twenty sail of other ships, bound for
Newfoundland, with some Dutch vessels going for Nantz, Rochel, and St.
Martin's, so that in all we made thirty sail. Here we put ourselves in
a posture of defence, having noticed that four English frigates, of
sixty guns each, waited for us near Aldernay. Our admiral, the Chevalier
Sourdis, having given necessary orders, we sailed thence with a
favourable gale, and some mists arising, totally impeded the English
frigates from discovering our fleet. We steered our course as near as we
could to the coast of France, for fear of the enemy. As we sailed along,
we met a vessel of Ostend, who complained to our admiral, that a French
privateer had robbed him that very morning; whereupon we endeavoured to
pursue the said pirate; but our labour was in vain, not being able to
overtake him.

Our fleet, as we sailed, caused no small fears and alarms to the
inhabitants of the coasts of France, these judging us to be English, and
that we sought some convenient place for landing. To allay their fright,
we hung out our colours; but they would not trust us. After this we came
to an anchor in the bay of Conquet in Brittany, near Ushant, there to
take in water. Having stored ourselves with fresh provisions here, we
prosecuted our voyage, designing to pass by the Ras of Fontenau, and not
expose ourselves to the Sorlingues, fearing the English that were
cruising thereabouts. The river Ras is of a current very strong and
rapid, which, rolling over many rocks, disgorges itself into the sea, on
the coast of France, in 48 deg. 10 min. latitude; so that this passage
is very dangerous, all the rocks, as yet, being not thoroughly known.

Here I shall mention the ceremony, which, at this passage, and some
other places, is used by the mariners, and by them called baptism,
though it may seem little to our purpose. The master's mate clothed
himself with a ridiculous sort of garment, that reached to his feet, and
on his head he put a suitable cap, made very burlesque; in his right
hand he had a naked wooden sword, and in his left a pot full of ink: his
face was horribly blacked with soot, and his neck adorned with a collar
of many little pieces of wood. Thus apparelled, he commanded every one
to be called who had never passed through that dangerous place before;
and then, causing them to kneel down, he made the sign of the cross on
their foreheads, with ink, and gave every one a stroke on the shou