on the 16th, where some of our youngsters
expected to find grapes growing, and were much disappointed on
discovering that none were to be found there, especially in March, and
two days after we once more returned to Rhode Island without having made
another capture. We were quickly sent off again, and, having bagged a
prize, returned on the 3rd of April, when we were ordered up the river
to relieve the Cerberus as the advance-ship off Providence, our station
being between the Island of Prudence and the mainland. A glance at the
map will show the number of islands in that fine estuary, which
terminates in Providence Bay. On one of them, called the Island of
Hope, near which the ship was generally at anchor, to vary the monotony
of a sea life we employed ourselves in the cultivation of gardens. Our
horticultural knowledge was not very extensive, but we managed during
our stay to raise various crops of quick-growing esculents, and on our
departure we disposed of our property to our respective brother-officers
belonging to the ship which relieved us. Our life was, however, far
from one of Arcadian simplicity, for we were constantly aroused by war's
rude alarms, and had every night to row guard in three flat-bottomed
boats ahead of the ship, to prevent a surprise. The enemy were ever on
the alert, endeavouring to find some means of destroying us. This was
but natural, as we were completely putting a stop to their commerce, on
which their existence mainly depended. We had, however, a number of
spies employed, who brought us information of all the plots formed
against us. Some brought us information, influenced by a spirit of
loyalty to the king, and a belief that they were serving a good cause;
but others were mercenary wretches, who were willing to be employed by
those who paid them the highest. The reports of these latter, though it
was necessary to employ them, were always received with great caution by
our captain. He could scarcely conceal the disgust he felt for them.
One morning, about ten days after our arrival, as we were washing decks
at sunrise, while I happened to be looking over the ship's side, I
observed a small boat standing towards us from Prudence Island. As she
drew near, I saw that there were two men in the boat. They were dressed
as ordinary seamen. One was a young man of nineteen or twenty; the
other was much older, with his hair already turning grey--a stout,
strong-featured, healthy-looking