16 CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 



Majesty's ship Acteon, was mortally wounded in a drawn 

 action with a French frigate. On the several high platform 

 points that surround the bay are also mounted some 

 guns, each of these posts being guarded by a single negro 

 family. From the imposing appearance of these batteries, 

 it is, doubtless, that the Governor-general expects that all 

 vessels will notify their intention of sailing; nor could I 

 refrain from a smile, when, after informing me that this was 

 a necessary ceremony, even for ships of war, he assured me 

 that on hoisting a flag, he would immediately make a signal 

 to the batteries to let us pass ! ; perfectly satisfied as I was, 

 that the vessels might be almost out of sight of the Island 

 before a gun could be fired. 



The bay of Porto Praya, however, possesses the greatest 

 capability of being strongly fortified against shipping, and 

 the town might, by a simple wall in those places where the 

 sides of the platform are not perpendicular, be secured 

 from a coup de main. The town must however in this case 

 be supplied with water from the rain collected in cisterns. 

 There are here no regular European troops, a few officers ex- 

 cepted, and the militia ; one of whom may be seen standing 

 centinel every ten yards in the town, perfectly in character 

 with the fortifications, this corps being composed of the most 

 ragged, bare-legged, sans-culotte vagabond-lookingwretches 



