As an introduction, we think proper to acquaint the reader with our reasons for causing the following sheets to be made publick to the world. The chief motive, which induced us to this task, was to clear our characters, which have been exceedingly blemish’d by persons who (next to Heaven) owe the preservation of their lives to our skill, and indefatigable care; and who having an opportunity of arriving before us in England, have endeavour’d to raise their reputation on the ruin of our’s.

It will appear to the reader, on perusal of the following pages, that this journal was attempted to be taken from us by violence at Rio Janeiro; that we have preserved it, at the hazard of our lives; that there was no journal kept after the loss of the ship, by any officers but ourselves; and if we had not been careful in making remarks on each day’s transactions, persons must have continued in the dark, in relation to all the subsequent proceedings.

It is a very usual thing to publish voyages, especially when the navigators have met with any extraordinary events. We believe, our expedition, though it was not a secret, is allowed to be an extraordinary one, and consequently attended with extraordinary events: indeed while the commodore was with us, every thing went well, but when the squadron separated, things began to have a new face; after the loss of the Wager, there was a general disorder and confusion among the people, who were now no longer implicitly obedient. There were two seamen particularly, who propagated this confusion, they said they had suffer’d ship-wreck in his majesty’s ship the Biddeford, and received no wages from the day that the ship was lost; that when they were out of pay, they look’d upon themselves as their own masters, and no longer subjected to command. The people however were not altogether infected, but still continued to pay a dutiful respect to their commander; but when the captain had rashly shot Mr Cozens (whose fate the reader will find particularly related) they then grew very turbulent and unruly, the captain daily lost the love of the men, who with their affection lost their duty.