sent her boat on board with an officer, who informed us that the ship he came from was the Squirrel, commanded by Captain Masterton.  We went on board of her, and Captain Masterton immediately sent one of the cutters he had with him to land us at Dover, where we arrived that afternoon, and directly set out for Canterbury upon post-horses; but Captain Cheap was so tired by the time he got there, that he could proceed no farther that night.

The next morning he still found himself so much fatigued, that he could ride no longer; therefore it was agreed that he and Mr Hamilton should take a post-chaise, and that I should ride:  but here an unlucky difficulty was started, for upon sharing the little money we had, it was found to be not sufficient to pay the charges to London; and my proportion fell so short, that it was, by calculation, barely enough to pay for horses, without a farthing for eating a bit upon the road, or even for the very turnpikes.  Those I was obliged to defraud, by riding as hard as I could through them all, not paying the least regard to the men, who called out to stop me.  The want of refreshment I bore as well as I could.

When I got to the Borough, I took a coach and drove to Marlborough-street, where my friends had lived when I left England; but when I came there, I found the house shut up.  Having been absent so many years, and in all that time never having heard a word from home, I knew not who was dead or who was living, or where to go next, or even how to pay the coachman.  I recollected a linen-draper’s shop, not far from thence, which our family had used.  I therefore drove there next, and making myself known, they paid the coachman.  I then enquired after our family, and was told my sister had married Lord Carlisle, and was at that time in Soho-square.  I immediately walked to the house, and knocked at the door; but the porter not liking my figure, which was half French half Spanish, with the addition of a large pair of boots covered with dirt, he was going to shut the door in my face, but I prevailed with him to let me come in.

I need not acquaint my readers with what surprise and joy my sister received me.  She immediately furnished me with money sufficient to appear like the rest of my countrymen; and till that time I could not be properly said to have finished all the extraordinary scenes which a series of unfortunate adventures had kept me in for the space of five years and upwards.

A VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH-SEAS, IN THE YEARS 1740, AND 1741: 

CONTAINING