en of events which redound to the honour of our marine
commanders. We have, in recounting the transactions of the preceding
year, mentioned a small armament equipped at Dunkirk, under the command
of M. de Thurot, who, in spite of all the vigilance of the British
commander stationed in the Downs, found means to escape from the harbour
in the month of October last, and arrived at Gottenburgh in Sweden, from
whence he proceeded to Bergen in Norway. His instructions were to make
occasional descents upon the coast of Ireland: and, by dividing the
troops, and distracting the attention of the government in that kingdom,
to facilitate the enterprise of M. de Confians, the fate of which we
have already narrated. The original armament of Thurot consisted of five
ships, one of which, called the mareschal de Belleisle, was mounted with
forty-four guns; the Begon, the Blond, the Terpsichore, had thirty guns
each; and the Marante carried twenty-four. The number of soldiers put
on board this little fleet did not exceed one thousand two hundred and
seventy, exclusive of mariners, to the number of seven hundred; but two
hundred of the troops were sent sick on shore before the armament sailed
from Dunkirk; and in their voyage between Gottenburgh and Bergen they
lost company of the Begon, during a violent storm. The severity of the
weather detained them nineteen days at Bergen, at the expiration of
which they set sail for the western islands of Scotland, and discovered
the northern part of Ireland in the latter end of January. The intention
of Thurot was to make a descent about Derry; but before this design
could be executed, the weather growing tempestuous, and the wind blowing
off shore, they were driven out to sea, and in the night lost sight of
the Marante, which never joined them in the sequel. After having been
tempest-beaten for some time, and exposed to a very scanty allowance
of provisions, the officers requested of Thurot that he would return to
France, lest they should all perish by famine; but he lent a deaf ear
to this proposal, and frankly told them he could not return to France,
without having struck some stroke for the service of his country.
Nevertheless, in hopes of meeting with some refreshment, he steered to
the island of Islay, where the troops were landed; and here they found
black cattle, and a small supply of oatmeal, for which they paid a
reasonable price; and it must be owned, Thurot himself behaved with
great mode