March the 6th, for several days the people very uneasy at the vessel’s not arriving, the wind having been fair for above three weeks past, and little or no provisions in store, which makes them doubtful of any to be dispatch’d to their relief.  This day we are resolv’d to go by land, if the governor will only allow us a guide; we acquainted the lieutenant with our resolution; he went with me and Mr Jones to the governor, we obtain’d leave to go, with the promise of a guide.  Captain Pemberton, being at the governor’s, desired to go with us; the governor told him the journey was so difficult and tedious, it would be impossible for him to encounter with it.  The captain answer’d, that he had a company on board his majesty’s ship the Severn, where his duty call’d him, and was determin’d, with the governor’s leave, to share his fate with us by land, which was granted.  The governor told us, notwithstanding the present scarcity of provisions in the place, that he had so great a regard for an Englishman, that whilst he had any thing for himself, we should not want, for which we thank’d him heartily.  This governor is certainly a gentleman of a noble generous spirit, of exceeding humanity and goodness, and I believe him to have a sincere regard for an Englishman.

March the 9th, this morning Mr Jones went over with me to the north side, to make an agreement for six people to go to St Catharine’s; while we were here, the governor received letters from St Catharine’s, which gave an account of four vessels on their passage for this port; on the news of this we put by our journey:  It was very lucky we had not set out on this journey before we heard the news; for on the nineteenth, the vessels for Rio Janeiro arrived, and brought an account that the Severn and Pearl were sail’d from thence for the island of Barbadoes.  Those vessels not only brought the soldiers provisions, but also a pardon.

On the 20th, the brigadier arriv’d, and had all the soldiers drawn up, where their pardon was read to them:  He acquainted them with what money was come, which was not above a third part of their arrears, but the remainder was on the passage.  The money he had for them should be paid directly, as far as it would go, if they would take it; but they cry’d out with one voice, The whole or none, and a great disturbance there was, some was for revolting to the king of Spain, some began to change their notes, and were for taking part of the money, and the rest insisted upon the whole.  To quell this disturbance, the commandant, whom they look’d upon more than the brigadier, or the governor, used his utmost endeavours.  They told the commandant they were no longer soldiers than while they were in the king’s pay, and let those who are for the king, draw off one way by themselves; you are our commander, we trust in you to answer for us, what you do we will stand by with our lives:  On which the commandant deliver’d his command up, shouldering his firelock, and took the place of a common soldier,