overseer allowing
these irregularities should pay half that sum, to be demanded, or
distrained for, by any civil or military officer; that every free negro,
or mulatto, should wear a blue cross on his right shoulder, on pain of
imprisonment; that no mulatto, Indian, or negro, should hawk or sell any
thing, except fresh fish or milk, on pain of being scourged; that rum
and punch houses should be shut up during divine service on Sundays,
under the penalty of twenty shillings; and that those who had petit
licenses should shut up their houses on other nights at nine o'clock.

ACTION AT SEA OFF HISPANIOLA.

Notwithstanding these examples and regulations, a body of rebellious
negroes still subsisted in places that were deemed inaccessible to
regular forces; and from these they made nocturnal irruptions into
the nearest plantations, where they acted with all the wantonness
of barbarity: so that the people of Jamaica were obliged to conduct
themselves with the utmost vigilance and circumspection; while
rear-admiral Holmes, who commanded at sea, took every precaution to
secure the island from insult or invasion. He not only took measures
for the defence of Jamaica, but also contrived and executed schemes for
annoying the enemy. Having in the month of October received intelligence
that five French frigates were equipped at Cape Francois, on the island
of Hispaniola, in order to convoy a fleet of merchant-ships to Europe,
he stationed the ships under his command in such a manner as was most
likely to intercept this fleet; and his disposition was attended with
success. The enemy sailed from the Cape to the number of eight sail,
on the sixteenth; and next day they were chased by the king's ships the
Hampshire, Lively, and Boreas; which however made small progress, as
there was little wind, and that variable. In the evening the breeze
freshened; and about midnight the Boreas came up with the Sirenne,
commanded by commodore M'Cartie. They engaged with great vivacity for
about twenty-five minutes, when the Sirenne shot a-head, and made the
best of her way. The Boreas was so damaged in her rigging, that she
could not close with the enemy again till next day, at two in the
afternoon, when the action was renewed off the east end of Cuba, and
maintained till forty minutes past four, when Mr. M'Cartie struck. In
the meantime, the Hampshire and Lively gave chase to the other four
French frigates, which steered to the southward with al