ver it. Before I could even
support him he fell back in his bed and was dead. Adams and I stood for
a moment like persons petrified, so sudden and shocking was the event.
We bore him at sunset to our field of the dead in the savannah, and
there the hands of his friends and brother-officers laid him beside the
grave of his late captain. Adams, however, got away and reached Jamaica
in safety. Thus ended, in gloom and almost hopeless despondency, that,
to us prisoners, ever memorable year of 1778. For what we could tell to
the contrary then, we might have to remain till peace was restored, or
till England succumbed to the enemies gathering round her.

Proud of our country as we were, and confident of the bravery of her
sons, what had we to hope for? Although at sea the ancient supremacy of
our flag had been ably upheld, on shore, either from want of good
generals or from our pernicious military system--perhaps from both
causes combined--no brilliancy had been shed on the British arms;
indeed, we only heard of defeats, ill-conducted expeditions, and
disasters of all sorts, which often made our hearts sink to the very
depths of despondency.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

ATTACKED WITH FEVER.--MAMMY GOBO, MY BLACK NURSE.--RECOVERY.--DEATH OF
DELISLE.--SAIL FOR JAMAICA.--PROMOTED.--JOIN THE PORCUPINE.--CHASE.--A
MISHAP.--BECALMED.--PROVISIONS RUN SHORT.--SUFFERINGS.--A FRESH BREEZE
BRINGS US RELIEF.--JAMAICA AGAIN.

I had long held out against the attacks of that arch enemy, the yellow
fever, to which so many of my companions in misfortune had succumbed.
Several vacancies having occurred in the house, Manby had gone there and
left me to the society of Tom Rockets and my cocks and hens. I,
however, had got so accustomed to the place that I had no wish to go
elsewhere. Impunity had made me fancy that I was proof against the
fever. It found me out, however. In an instant I was struck down. I
entreated that I might be left where I was. Tom made me up as
comfortable a bed as he could, and covered me with a boat-cloak and a
blanket. Strange as it may seem, in that climate I felt excessively
cold, and thought that nothing would warm me. Hour after hour I lay
shivering as if nothing could ever make me warm again, and expecting all
the time that I was about to die, and thinking that those I loved most
on earth would perhaps never gain tidings of my fate. Then I felt so
hot that I had a longing to jump into the nearest stre