and those who are not fast sailers, and cannot obtain their who!»
crew, should be ordered to sail under convoy. . Thé Jason, since she
was taken, has . got more than a sufficient number of men to
manage her guns, as well as for the manoeuvring the «hip, besides
twö men for the watch at the mast-head; and some Mulattoes, remarkable
for their sharp sight, are, as soonas it grows dark, ordered
to patrole the deck, to, see whether they can 'discover any vessel.
There are only two officers on board the Jason; the prize-master,
and what they denominate tKe second, which is the mate; .but theerew
seem not to be under much, discipline ; they often gather.in groups
on the quarter deck, and entertain themselves with stories suitable
to. their profession. The prize-master seeing me often uneasy in my
present situation, said to me, “ Oh Sir,1 never had the.least inten-
tion. to go.a privateering myself, at first; for making a decent fortune
at Guadaloupe, and wishing to return to my native country,. I exchanged
my money for colonial goods, in expectation of selling
them well in Europe; but, before I arrived there, war had commenced
without any previous declaration having been :made; as it
should have been, wherefore the ship in which 1 was with my goods
was taken, and 1 lost by this all my property. Now I have engaged
myself in a privateer in hopes to make another fortune, and serve
my country at the same time by fighting against her enemy.” In
answer to this, I replied, that the unfortunate manner in which-the
war had commenced without a declaration must have ruined many
individuals, but I thought the line in which bë had now chosen to
re-establish his fortune was a very hazardous one, and most uncertain,
as all depended merely on chance, and very much resembled
gaming, where, in general more is lost than gained;* but that if
any person wished to serve his country in time of war, against the
* The owner o f one o f these privateers lived in Guadalonpe, and the, prize-master told
me that he had made a very large fortnne in commerce, and was still encrêasing it by
fitBng opt cruisers; but I Have since learnt that he became a bankrupt by this very
practice, and died of grief.
enemy, he might do it more properly, by entering into the army
or.huyyj as privateers in general avoid ooming to any action with
armed ships; choosing to attack only defenceless vessels, where, by
witnessing many distressing scenes, the persons so employed become
hardened in time, and insensible to the misery of those who fall
into their hands'. 1
1 Fèb.-23.-—We saw a large ship N. E. in consequence o f which
the captains of the privateers, made signals for the prizes to disperse,
as they did themselves: this strange sail seemed to direct hér course
■towards one o f the privateers; but Wé soon lost sight of èvery vessel,
and never fell in with them again.
Feb. :2’7.!—We were quite close to a large island lying to the west,
and bearing it was Barbadoes, I expressed some surprize that they
should venture so near an enemy’s country; but the prize-inaster
replied, “ Aye, we know pretty well where the cruizer s are; we are
in very; little danger of falling in with them here.?
:FcbJ28.-^About midnight heard several.guns firing neat our ship,
and learnt in the morning that an armed schooner in chase of another
vessel had passed very near the Jason, otherwise, as the prize-
master-observed, it was very likely we should have been engaged
with this armed schooner.
o jFdb. S9.r-—Towards the e vening appeared a large &hip, but a t a
great distance.: -she seemed; to . make sail towards us; but in the
caussenf half an hour another large ship came in sight, and the
prize-master with the glass thought-heeoiuld pereeive they were
making signals to»each:other, “ Oh,” saidihe, “ we arelost; they are
consulting how to catch us : .the- only :icbanceswe have of escaping
them is entirely altering our course when it hecömes iquite dark/’
Andtbis he d id : however ffie next morning one of itheseshipswds
in sight again, making all sail towards us. ' As soon as she came to
a proper distance she shewed French colours, and fired two shots at
us. The prize-master had every thing prepared for wfiat migljt
D