,
as he wished to enter on board a British ship of war; he was at once
appointed midshipmen's steward, and a better one we never had.

"Mr Foley was hoping that we should be sent to cruise off the north
coast of the island, but instead of that we were ordered to carry
despatches to Commodore Moore, who commands on the Leeward Islands
station. Having delivered them, we were on our way back, when we fell
in with the _Buckingham_, Captain Tyrrell. While in company with her we
captured a French merchantman, and her crew being brought on board our
ship, Peter heard from some of them that four privateers had run in for
shelter under a strong battery in Grand Anar Bay, on the island of
Martinico. He having told me, I at once gave information to our
commander, who forthwith went on board the _Buckingham_ to communicate
it to Captain Tyrrell, and he at once resolved to stand in and destroy
the privateers and the fort. Our prisoners, who had no idea that what
they had been talking about had been understood, were very much
astonished at seeing us suddenly alter our course and steer in for the
bay. There, sure enough, were the four privateers with springs on their
cables, and their guns run out, anchored under a strong-looking fort,
mounting ten guns at least. The _Buckingham_ ran in as close as she
could venture, when she dropped her anchor, and we brought up under her
stern and immediately began blazing away at the vessels, which, as well
as the fort, opened fire on us. Though the privateers each mounted not
less than twenty guns, they could not long stand the _Buckingham's_
heavy shot; indeed, had we been alone we should have taken them. Still,
thinking that the fort would drive us away, they held out longer than we
had expected. Though we were struck several times, and a good many
round shot passed between our masts, not a man on board was hit. We
were wondering when they would give in, when, as a puff of air cleared
the smoke off for a few seconds, we observed that one of them had a list
to starboard. Her next broadside again concealed her from view, and in
a couple of minutes, when the wind again blew away the smoke, all we
could see were her masts as she slowly went to the bottom. I was
expecting that the rest would share the same fate; one of them was to
meet with a more terrible disaster--almost the next instant a thundering
sound was heard, flames burst out of her deck, her masts shot upwards
like sky-rockets,