ly influence
and poisons the atmosphere to some distance. We in consequence gave it a
wide berth. I also found a number of sponges, and some beautiful shells
and sea-eggs. We had been enjoying ourselves for nearly three weeks at
this agreeable place, when a sloop of war arrived with orders from the
commodore to join him off the east end of Porto Rico, as he had
information that a French squadron had been seen by an American schooner
off the Caicos Islands steering for St. Domingo, which report in the
sequel proved a tarnation Yankee lie. When near the Platform we
experienced a heavy squall, which carried away the foretop-mast and
jib-boom, and, most singular to relate, although some miles from the shore
after the squall had passed, we found some scores of very small crabs on
the decks. I leave this phenomenon to longer heads than mine--although mine
is not the shortest--to explain. We had seen two waterspouts in the morning
between us and the land. It might possibly have happened that the suction
which forms them drew up these unfortunate crabs and crabesses, and
discharged them with unrelenting fury, through the medium of a dark,
lowering cloud upon our decks. They being too small to eat, were given to
the Muscovy ducks, who found them a great treat, and soon made mincemeat
of them. We soon got up another top-mast and jib-boom out, and the
following morning signalled the ships lying in the mole.

Five days after we joined the squadron near the Mona passage, when the
commodore acquainted the captain that the intelligence he had received
respecting the French squadron was all an American humbug. The next
morning we spoke three ships bound to Jamaica, from whom we took seven
good seamen, and procured a newspaper, which informed us of the gallant
action off Camperdown, and that Bonaparte had frightened men, women and
children by his threatening to invade England, take up his residence in
Portland Place, turn the royal palaces into stables, make a riding-school
of St. Paul's and a dancing academy of Westminster Abbey! The
cockpitonians said he might whisper that to the marines, for the sailors
would not believe him. Here, reader, I beg you will pause and reflect that
you must die; and may your departure be like that of our worthy captain of
marines, who died as he lived, in charity with all his frail fellow men.
His loss was much regretted by nearly all on board. His messmates declared
they could have spared another man, loo