Sir
Hugh Palliser came down to see them executed in such a manner as might
effectually answer the purpose intended.

On the 22d of June the ship was again completed for sea, when I sailed from
Sheerness; and on the 3d of July joined the Adventure in Plymouth Sound.
The evening before, we met, off the Sound, Lord Sandwich, in the Augusta
yacht, (who was on his return from visiting the several dock-yards,) with
the Glory frigate and Hazard sloop. We saluted his lordship with seventeen
guns; and soon after he and Sir Hugh Palliser gave us the last mark of the
very great attention they had paid to this equipment, by coming on board,
to satisfy themselves that every thing was done to my wish, and that the
ship was found to answer to my satisfaction.

At Plymouth I received my instructions, dated the 25th of June, directing
me to take under my command the Adventure; to make the best of my way to
the island of Madeira, there to take in a supply of wine, and then proceed
to the Cape of Good Hope, where I was to refresh the ships' companies, and
to take on board such provisions and necessaries as I might stand in need
of. After leaving the Cape of Good Hope, I was to proceed to the southward,
and endeavour to fall in with Cape Circumcision, which was said by Monsieur
Bouvet to lie in the latitude of 54 deg. S. and in about 11 deg. 20' E. longitude
from Greenwich. If I discovered this cape, I was to satisfy myself whether
it was a part of the continent which had so much engaged the attention of
geographers and former navigators, or a part of an island. If it proved to
be the former, I was to employ myself diligently in exploring as great an
extent of it as I could, and to make such notations thereon, and
observations of every kind, as might be useful either to navigation or
commerce, or tend to the promotion of natural knowledge. I was also
directed to observe the genius, temper, disposition, and number of the
inhabitants, if there were any, and endeavour, by all proper means, to
cultivate a friendship and alliance with them; making them presents of such
things as they might value; inviting them to traffic, and shewing them
every kind of civility and regard. I was to continue to employ myself on
this service, and making discoveries either to the eastward or westward, as
my situation might render most eligible; keeping in as high a latitude as I
could, and prosecuting my discoveries as near to the South Pole as
possible, so long a