came attended by servants well
armed, and several who had families brought them also, not forgetting to
bring, at the same time, a supply of provisions. They all knew that
some time might elapse before they could get assistance. Indeed, if, as
was not improbable, there was a general rising of the Caribs and blacks
on the island, the small number of troops stationed in the garrison
would be fully occupied in attempting to put them down, and perhaps none
could be spared to come to their relief. None of the party, however,
appeared alarmed. They held the people it was expected would attack
them in too much contempt not to feel perfectly secure with the
preparations they had had time to make. The Earl's chief annoyance
arose in not having himself received information of the intended rising,
as, of course, he felt himself responsible for the well-being of the
country. He, however, took care to exhibit no doubt or hesitation, and
did his utmost to keep up the resolution of those collected about him.
It should have been said, that the day after the _Cynthia_ left the
harbour, a boat with several men had contrived to escape from the side
of the ship.

It happened in the following manner. During the latter part of the
middle watch, while the night was excessively dark, there was a shout of
a man overboard. The wind was light. A boat was ordered to be lowered,
and to pull in the direction in which the man was supposed to have
floated. There was no cry, however, though a splash was heard, and
fears were therefore entertained that he had sunk, or had become the
prey of a shark. There was far more confusion than usual on board at
the time, and several voices were heard exclaiming, that he was crying
out, and that the sound came from a different direction to that in which
the first boat had gone. Without waiting for orders, another boat was
immediately lowered. It was known that several men had jumped into her,
and shoved off without an officer. When it was, as on the present
occasion, a matter of life and death, this was not of much consequence.
Away the boat pulled from the ship, and no officer took upon himself to
call her back. At length, however, it appearing certain that the man
must have sunk, or, what was too likely, been carried off by a shark,
the boats were recalled on board. One only returned. In vain the other
was summoned. No answer was made to the repeated calls of the
boatswain. A gun was fired; st