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An. 1691

Their Arrival in the Downs^[9].

American Continent^[1], till you are North of the Line^[2], you have a brisk constant gale.

This was the way that we took, and in our pas- sage before we got to the Line^[2], we saw three Ships, and making towards them, we found two of them to be Portuguese, bound to Brazil^[3]: The third kept on a Wind, so that we could not speak with her; but we found by the Portuguese it was an English Ship, called the Dorothy, Capt. Thwayt Commander, bound to the East Indies^[4]. After this we kept Company still with our 3 Consorts till we came near England^[5], and then were separated by bad weather; but before we came within sight of Land, we got together again, all but the James and Mary. She got into the Channel^[6] be- fore us, and went to Plymouth^[7], and there gave an account of the rest of us; whereupon our Men of War who lay there, came out to join us, and meeting us, brought us off of Plymouth^[7]. There our Consort the James and Mary came to us again, and from thence we all sailed in company of seve- ral Men of War towards Portsmouth^[8]. There our first Convoy left us, and went in thither. But we did not want Convoys, for our Fleets were then, re- pairing to their Winter Harbours, to be laid up; so that we had the company of several English Ships to the Downs^[9], and a Squadron also of Dutch sailed up the Channel^[6], but kept off farther from our English Coast, they being bound home to Holland^[10]. When we came as high as the South Foreland^[11], we left them standing on their course, keeping on the back of the Goodwin Sands^[12]; and we lufft in for the Downs^[9], where we anchored September the 16th, 1691.

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