xvi AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 
a prisoner of war in Bridgetown... I was introduced 
to him; and, finding him an officer of most amiable 
manners and superior education, I helped him a 
little in money matters, and did him other trivial 
acts ‘of kindness. He told me that he had been 
brought up for the marine marchande ; and that he 
never thought he should be reduced to the necessity 
of going on board a privateer; but the English 
cruisers having nearly put an end to French com- 
merce by sea, there was no other way left open for 
him to get on in the world.. He was sorry he could 
make me no return, as he was a prisoner in a 
foreign land; but he would write a letter for me, 
which possibly might be of service to me on some 
future day. Next morning, Lieutenant Flagelle pre- 
sented me with a letter, in which he requested that 
all captains of French men-of-war and of privateers 
in the Caribbean Sea would treat me with kindness 
and attention, should misfortune throw me into 
their power. 
It was at Barbadoes that I made the acquaintance 
of Captain Beaver, who commanded the Acasta 
frigate of 44 guns. I was told, some years ago, that 
this scientific officer died an admiral, whilst at 
anchor at the Cape of Good Hope. Mr. Maxwell, 
the navy agent in Barbadoes, had given a large 
dinner party at his country house near Bridgetown. 
I sat next Captain Beaver at dinner. During the 
dessert, he amused the company with a facetious 
story of an interview which formerly had taken 
place betwixt Lord Melville and John Bedingfeld 
