ars afterwards.

Our intentions had not been kept so secret but that they had become
known on board, and, our appearance on our return fully corroborating
the truth of the reports which had been going about, we were put under
arrest by Captain Baines, who then sent for us, to know the cause of our
quarrel. We explained it as well as we could; but, as may be supposed,
we neither of us had a very good case to make out. "Well, gentlemen,"
said our commander, "this is a point I do not wish to decide myself, but
I shall leave it to the arbitration of the gun-room officers, and to
their decision you must bow." The next day, therefore, the gun-room
officers held a court, and, feeling very stiff and very sore, and
looking, I doubt not, very foolish--though we did our best to appear
like heroes--we stood before them. Having both of us pleaded our cause,
it was decided that we had no business to use the language we had
employed, and that we were both in the wrong. We were in consequence
ordered to shake hands, and be friends, or else to look out for squalls.
Had we possessed more sense, this we might have done before we had cut
each other half to pieces, not to speak of spoiling a shirt and a pair
of breeches apiece. Thus ended the first and only duel in which I was
ever engaged, and Dick and I from that time forward became very good
friends.

About this time, some serious disputes having arisen with the Caribs of
Saint Vincent, who had become very troublesome to the settlers, the
British Government formed the design of removing them altogether from
the island and of placing them on some part of the mainland, where they
might enjoy their own manner of life without interfering with civilised
people. To effect this object an expedition was sent to the island
under the command of Major-General Dalrymple, consisting of two
regiments from America and various bodies of troops collected from the
other islands and from on board all his Majesty's ships of war on the
station. At this distance of time of course I cannot pretend to be able
to give any minute description of the details of the affair. I know
that there were some gentlemen who acted as commissioners who went on
shore to try and arrange matters with the Caribs; but the savages, after
agreeing to terms, not showing any intention to abide by them, the
troops were ordered to land. It was very easy to give the order, but
not so easy to execute it, for at the time there ha