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arrived at Saint Bartholomew's, where we were without interruption permitted to anchor, in consequence of there then remaining so few military on board. The inhabitants, although considerably surprised at the Britannia's revisiting the island, found no difficulty in discovering the true cause of our return; they were aware of the apprehensions we had entertained previous to our first departure, of both the disinclination and inability of the patriots to realize our expectations, and naturally imputed the Britannia's reappearance to a confirmation of those fears.

Immediately after our arrival, Mr. Hudson engaged a schooner, and sailed for Saint Thomas's, for the purpose, as we understood, of making the requisite arrangements preparatory to the execution of the intended speculation; however, previous to departing he expressed his determination of returning within a few days, in order to meet Colonel C - who had not yet arrived. Shortly after Mr. H. sailed, Colonel Gilmore took a final leave of us, and proceeded for the same destination on board a

French ship, taking with him all his baggage.

The Dowson, whose prolonged absence excited much conjecture and surprise, did not arrive until a few days subsequent to Mr. Hudson's return to St. Bartholomew's. It appeared that this vessel, on her passage from Grenada, had been driven out of her course, and touched at the islands of Santa Cruz and Saint Thomas's, for provisions, and her delay was occasioned by the adventures she encountered at the latter place, where a party of her officers, including Colonel Campbell, were arrested, the ship's jolly-boat seized, and the sailors imprisoned. The Dowson was likewise for a short period in the possession of Captain Westrop, of His Majesty's sloop of war Childers. With the cause of these events and detention I was never informed. After some time, the parties were released, and the ship again restored to them, with peremptory orders for their immediate departure from the island; and so determined was the Governor to enforce a prompt submission to this mandate that he ordered a shot to be fired

at her from the fort before she could get under weigh, which the Dowson, when on point of sailing, returned from an eighteen pound carronade.

Mr. Hudson's manner, on returning from Saint Thomas's, strongly indicated his having failed in making satisfactory arrangements at that island, and Colonel C

appeared in a great measure to have withdrawn from the previously concerted project, and to have relinquished the idea of further intercourse with this gentleman, who still, however, continued to entertain hopes of being able to prosecute his plan, and again renewed his solicitations to me and my friend Captain for our personal support; but our determination was fixed, and we therefore declined any sort of co-operation, at the same time insinuating to him our suspicion of the piratical nature of his project. To this observation he made no reply, but appeared tacitly to acknowledge the correctness of our conjecture.

In a few days after, the actual nature of the enterprize became a subject of general

notoriety, in consequence of Mr. Hudson acknowledging to several individuals that his plan was to conduct an armed party against the town of San Martha, for the purpose of plundering it, and afterwards decamping with the booty.

Shortly after our arrival at Saint Bartholomew's, the remaining officers and men (six in number) were put on shore, but we were still permitted to remain on board, through the special favour of the Supercargo, who further extended his kindness by continuing to us our customary rations, an indulgence which could only be protracted a few days longer, as he had determined on proceeding to Port au Prince, in the island of Saint Domingo, in the hope of being there enabled to dispose of the artillery and military stores.

On Saturday the 21st, we finally quitted the Britannia, it having been intimated to us that she would sail in the course of that day. When put ashore we were utterly devoid of even the means of procuring a single meal; without a friend upon the island to whom we could make application for relief;

in every respect destitute and pennyless, and reduced by a long train of disappointments, and the wretchedness of our present hopeless situation, to a state of the most desponding misery.

On landing, we should have been even at a loss where to deposit our portmanteaus and trunks, had not a gentleman, who witnessed our embarrassment, granted us permission to secure them in one of his warehouses.

The apprehended period of penury and want had now apparently arrived, when our friend Mr. Ritchie, to whose kind and feeling heart we had already been so deeply indebted, again sympathising in our sufferings, voluntarily, and in the most handsome manner, advanced us, from his own purse, a sum sufficient to meet the exigencies of the present moment.

Shortly after taking leave of Mr. R., my friend Captain proceeded with a gentleman for a few days to one of the small neighbouring islands. The remainder of the day I spent in endeavouring to procure a lodging, but was unable to discover

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