n, silenced the guns of one, called the Morne-rouge; but at the
same time could not prevent his ship from running aground. The enemy
perceiving her disaster, assembled in great numbers on the hill,
and lined the trenches, from whence they poured in, a severe fire of
musketry. The militia afterwards brought up a cannon of eighteen pound
ball, and for two hours raked her fore and aft with considerable effect:
nevertheless, captain Jekyll returned the fire with equal courage and
perseverance, though his people dropped on every side, until all his
grape-shot and wadding were expended, and all his rigging cut to pieces;
to crown his misfortune, a box, containing nine hundred cartridges,
blew up on the poop, and set the ship on fire: which, however, was
soon extinguished. In the meantime, the captain threw out a signal
of distress, to which no regard was paid,* till captain Leslie of the
Bristol, coming from sea, and observing his situation, ran in between
the Rippon and the battery, and engaged with such impetuosity, as made
an immediate diversion in favour of captain Jekyll, whose ship remained
aground, notwithstanding all the assistance that could be given,
till midnight, when she floated, and escaped from the very jaws of
destruction.

* In all probability it was not perceived by the Commodore.

At seven in the evening, all the other large ships, having silenced the
guns to which they had been respectively opposed, joined the rest of the
fleet. The four bombs being anchored near the shore, began to ply the
town with shells and carcasses; so that in a little time the houses were
in flames, the magazines of gunpowder blew up with the most terrible
explosion; and about ten o'clock the whole place blazed out in one
general conflagration. Next day, at two in the afternoon, the fleet came
to an anchor in the road of Bassaterre, where they found the hulls of
divers ships which the enemy had set on fire at their approach: several
ships turned out and endeavoured to escape, but were intercepted and
taken by the English squadron. At five, the troops landed without
opposition, and took possession of the town and citadel, which they
found entirely abandoned. They learned from a Genoese deserter, that
the regular troops of the island consisted of five companies only, the
number of the whole not exceeding one hundred men; and that they had
lain a train to blow up the powder magazine in the citadel: but had been
obliged to retreat