At the time of her capture, they were, by the reckoning of the frigate, about fourteen hundred miles from the Lizard.

In a fortnight, therefore, with the wind at all propitious, Newton hoped to set his foot upon his native land.

He crowded all the sail which prudence would allow; and, with the wind upon his quarter, steered his course for England.
The men sent with him in the brig consisted of two able seamen, and three of the gang which had been collected from the gaols and brought round from the eastward.

Captain Northfleet spared the former, as it was necessary that a part of the crew should be able to steer and navigate the vessel; the latter, with the sincere hope of never seeing them again, taking it for granted that they would run away as soon as they arrived at Plymouth.

With the two prisoners, they were sufficient to work the vessel.
During the first ten days the wind was generally in their favour; and the brig was not far off from the chops of the Channel, when a low raking vessel was perceived bearing down upon them from the N.W.