ted the French
captain's compliments to ours; regretted the little interruption he had
given to our occupation; remarked that the weather was cold, and as he
had been ordered off in a hurry, he had not had time to provide himself;
and as there was always a proper feeling among _braves gens_, requested
a few gallons of rum for himself and followers.

This request was answered with a _polite note_, and the spirits
required. The British captain hoped the commandant and his party would
make themselves comfortable, and have a _bon repos_. The captain,
however, intended the Frenchman should pay for the spirits, though not
in money, and sent in the bill about one o'clock in the morning.

All at that hour was as still as death; the French guard had refreshed
themselves, and were enjoying the full extent of our captain's
benefaction, when he observed to us that it was a pity to lose the boat
which was left on shore, as well as the other brass guns, and proposed
making the attempt to bring off both. Five or six of us stripped, and
lowering ourselves into the water very gently, swam ashore, in a
breathless kind of silence that would have done honour to a Pawnee Loup
Indian. The water was very cold, and at first almost took away my
respiration. We landed under the battery, and having first secured our
beat without noise, we crept softly up to where the end of the hawsers
lay by the side of the guns, to which we instantly made them fast.
About a dozen French soldiers were lying near, keeping watch, fast
asleep.

We might easily have killed them all; but as we considered they were
under the influence of our rum, we abhorred such a violation of
hospitality. We helped ourselves, however, to most of the muskets that
were near us, and very quietly getting into the boat, put off and rowed
with two oars to the ship. The noise of the oars woke some of the
soldiers, who, jumping up, fired at us with all the arms they had left;
and I believe soon got a reinforcement, for they fired both quick and
well; and, as it was starlight and we were naked, our bodies were easily
seen, so that the shot came very thick about us.

"Diving," said I, "is not running away;" so over we all went, except
two. I was down like a porpoise, never rising till my head touched the
ship's copper. I swam round the stern, and was taken in on the side
opposite the enemy. My captain, I daresay, would have disdained such a
compromise; but though I was as proud