had been before us, that he was gone home in the packet-boat, and left us a very indifferent character.  I answer’d, I believ’d the lieutenant you’d give but a very bad account of himself, having kept no journal, nor made any remarks since the loss of the ship, nor perhaps before; that we doubted not but to acquit ourselves of any false accusations, having with us a journal, which gave an impartial relation of all our proceedings.  The journal was read by several gentlemen of the factory, who treated us, during our stay at Lisbon, with exceeding kindness and benevolence.

On the 20th of December, we embark’d on board his majesty’s ship the Stirling Castle for England:  Here we had again the happiness of experiencing the difference between a British and a foreign ship, particularly in regard to cleanliness, accommodation, diet, and discipline.  We met with nothing material in our passage, and arrived at Spithead on the 1st of January, 1742-3.  Here we thought of nothing but going ashore immediately to our families, but were told by the captain, we must not stir out of the ship till he knew the pleasure of the l——­ds of the A——­y, having already wrote to them concerning us.  This was a very great affliction to us, and the more so, because we thought our troubles at an end.  The carpenter and myself were in view of our habitations; our families had long given us over for lost, and on the news of our safety, our relatives look’d upon us as sons, husbands, and fathers, restor’d to them in a miraculous manner.  Our being detain’d on board gave them great anxiety; we endeavour’d to console ’em as well as we could, being assured, that we had done nothing to offend their l——­s; that if things were not carried on with that order and regularity which is strictly observ’d in the navy, necessity drove us out of the common road.  Our case was singular; since the loss of the ship, our chiefest concern was for the preservation of our lives and liberties, to accomplish which, we acted according to the dictates of nature, and the best of our understanding.  In a fortnight’s time, their l——­ps order’d us at liberty, and we instantly went ashore to our respective habitations, having been absent from thence about two years and six months.

After we had staid a few days with our families, we came to London, to pay our duties to the l——­ds of the A——­y.  We sent in our journal for, their l——­ps’ inspection:  They had before received a narrative from the l——­t, which narrative he confesses to be a relation of such things as occur’d to his memory; therefore of consequence could not be so satisfactory as a journal regularly kept.  This journal lay for some time in the a——­y o——­e, when we were order’d to make an abstract, by way of narrative, that it might not be too tedious for their l——­ps’ perusal.  After the narrative was examined into, their l——­ps, upon our petition, were pleased to fix a day for examining all the officers lately belonging to the Wager.  The gentlemen