happen, either for action or surrenders He told me ifhewasonly
fortunate enough to carry away one. of her masts; he might-then
stand a chance to escape. I: replied,, that as I was. of a neutral nation,
anddiffered from him in warlike sentiments* I should take my
stationsat the head of the skip; but whilst I was going there* the
prize-master called put, “ Oh, I know h er! it is le Grand Decidé,f
hoist the French colours!”' and his conjecture was right, for it was-
that very privateer, the captain of which told the prize-master he
should have eome up with the Jason, last evening, but that he was
prevented'by an English frigate which chased him: his ship* however,
made her escape by superior-sailing y *> Well,” answered the
prize-master, « this is the .third time the enemy have been prevented
attacking us by being engaged in pursuing other vessels; buty”
continued he, “ Mon cher ami* you do well, in sailing to the coast
of Guiana; it isI an; ^excellent station for a privatper*. not. only'in
regard to the ships that are sailing for thatcountry, but particularly
for the rich Guineamen which are constantly making that coast,”
The captain said this was exactlyhis. intention, and;then wished us
all a happy voyage,
_ March 1__Martinico appeared N. W. and more to the north,
Dominica. The prize-master finding the wind unfavourable for
making Guadaloupe, thought it best torsteer directly, for Martinico.
I t was a very pleasant sight whilst we- were passing through, the
channel which separates Martinico and Dominica; but the former
island seems much better cultivated than the latten In sailing
along the coast of Martinico many people hailed us with, their
speaking trumpets, asking us from whence we came, and what cargo
we had: when the prize-master replied he- was» from- the coast.of
Guiana and had several narrow escapes of being taken, they called
* Le Grand D e c id e s well known for her extraordinary fast sailing; by which she
has*defied all attempts to take her. Report says since, she has foundered at s^ej, and a ll
her crew perishedo
u t44 è. la bonheur.” (how fortunate); but when they understood that
this.was a prize taken by a privateer, they called out, ** Oh le vo-
leur,” (öh thé robber^; As thêse two terms are somewhat similar in
sound, the prize master wished he cötild take it as a mere play upon
the words, but as thé wotd voleur or- róbbèr was so very stirongly
repeated whenever he mentioned the word privateer, he could no
longer mistake the sentiments of the inhabitants, and then begän
to löëe his téhafper. “ I know well,” said he, “« that thè pèople Iffi
Martinico hatè thé privateers p none ’Érl*'; fitted ©ut 'Ifejfê'/’iröÉ^ïtfi-
standing thére hre so many from the other islands; and if it. had
not been for this cursed wind so contrary, for Guadaloupe, I Èfévér
would have desifëd to havé touched here.” Änd I on foy pärt,
fot this f èi^y’ rea^lr, ’siAsheÄ thè; mbrè t©^ét. Söóh aSétpïaïnted vdth
foe inhabitants öf Martini!?©.*'
Tt seems then not;fobe a mere romantic dream öf mme* tue
hópihg that in our tmië pïiv^èérmg'Mhfi4bé èrbofilh^a', lot hëté af©
already the inhabitants of a considerable island Who do not fit out
any vessels of that description, and the reason assigned is, that they
consider it as a downright robbery. These openly avowed sentiments
afe an appeal to all civilized governments to amend the
code of war.
When we entered the bay of St. Pierre, the wind began to fail,
the current run strong, and the Jason neither having a full cargo,
nór answering well the helm, became-adrift, and all the exertions of
the officers and crew were in vain; this exasperated them, and they
wished the ship had gone to the bottom before they saw her; however
at last the breeze began to increase, and by the aid of a pilot
we came to anchor very near the town.
St. Pierre makes a fine appearance in approaching it from the sea.
The town is situated in a beautiful bay, and intermixed with many
very dark shaded trees, which contrast most delightfully with the light
coloured green of the sugar canes on the surrounding plantations;