167 



profpe& of feeing the troops on fhore, the fort 

 taken, and the whole affair decided before we 

 flept : but, in the evening, chagrin and difap- 

 pointment, only, were our lot : the great ex- 

 pectations of the day having ended in bring- 

 ing fome of the fhips to an anchor off the 

 mouth of the river, and placing the troops in 

 an unhappy dilemma, from which it was out 

 of the power of man to extricate them, until 

 the unerring operations of nature fhould fend 

 back the waters of the ocean to their relief. 



The fhips were anchored fo near the river 

 as to prevent the efcape of any of the enemy's 

 veffels, and the troops on board were ordered 

 to lie on their arms, upon deck, during the 

 night, to prevent a furprize ; and to be in readi- 

 nefs to ad againft the fort, at any hour they 

 might be called upon. 



At eight o'clock in the morning the flag 

 of truce which had been fent off to the fort re- 

 turned. Due fecrecy was of courfe obferved 

 regarding the reply : and prefently the boat 

 was again difpatched to the fort : but as the 

 little fchooner fleet was ordered to return to 

 the fhips, at the flood of tide, inftead of pro- 



M 4 



