I Began, Therefore, Immediately After
My Return, To Draw Up An Account Of My Voyage, From Those Notes Which We
Pilots usual keep of all occurrences, and I compared it in my progress
with the journals of some friends who
Had formerly made the same voyage.
When I afterwards attentively perused my manuscript, it did not appear to
me worthy of being communicated to a gentleman of such scientific
character as Signor Hieronimo, whose talents I had duly appreciated, by
the perusal of his publications, which I received from you before my
departure from Venice. I therefore laid my manuscript aside, not wishing
that any one might peruse it; but as you have again urged the performance
of my promise, I now anxiously obey a request, which, as coming from you,
I must always consider a command. Apprehensive, likewise, of appearing
forgetful of your polite attentions, I prefer the danger of exposing my
ignorance, to the possibility of being charged with ingratitude or want
of attention. Being a sailor, and unused to composition, I pretend to
little more than copying the remarks of those who have sailed from our
continent to _Ethiopia_, without attempting to reduce my narrative into
lucid order, or to embellish it with fine writing. You will therefore
have the goodness to destroy this account, after its perusal, that the
errors I have committed, by compliance with your commands, may not draw
upon me the imputation of presumption.
The Portuguese ships which sail to the island of St Thomas from Lisbon,
for cargoes of sugar, usually put to sea in February, though some vessels
make this voyage at every period of the year.
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