rigate was now kept away, and ran out of the fire of the battery.
It was then about an hour before sunset, and in the West Indies the sun
does not set as it does in the northern latitudes. There is no
twilight: he descends in glory, surrounded with clouds of gold and
rubies in their gorgeous tints; and once below the horizon, all is dark.

As soon as it was dark, we hauled our wind off shore; and a consultation
being held between the captain, Mr Phillott, and O'Brien, the captain
at last decided that the attempt should be made. Indeed, although
cutting out is a very serious affair, as you combat under every
disadvantage, still the mischief done to our trade by the fast-sailing
privateers was so great in the West Indies, that almost every sacrifice
was warrantable for the interests of the country. Still Captain
Kearney, although a brave and prudent officer--one who calculated
chances, and who would not risk his men without he deemed that necessity
imperiously demanded that such should be done--was averse to this
attack, from his knowledge of the hay in which the brig was anchored;
and although Mr Phillott and O'Brien both were of opinion that it
should be a night attack, Captain Kearney decided otherwise. He
considered that although the risk might be greater, yet the force
employed would be more consolidated, and that those who would hold back
in the night dare not do so during the day. Moreover, that the people
on shore in the battery, as well as those in the privateer, would be on
the alert all night, and not expecting an attack during the day, would
be taken off their guard. It was therefore directed that everything
should be in preparation during the night, and that the boats should
shove off before daylight, and row in-shore, concealing themselves
behind some rocks under the cliffs which formed the cape upon one side
of the harbour; and, if not discovered, remain there till noon, at which
time it was probable that the privateer's men would be on shore, and the
vessel might be captured without difficulty.

It is always a scene of much interest on board a man-of-war when
preparations are made for an expedition of this description; and as the
reader may not have been witness to them, it may perhaps be interesting
to describe them. The boats of men-of-war have generally two crews; the
common boats' crew, which are selected so as not to take away the most
useful men from the ship; and the service, or fighting boat