COMMUNICATIONS. 
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in number, and were confequently much too weak to refift tlie 
detachment that, they mufi: be fure, would be fent from Mefu- 
rata to revenge the violences of which they had been guilty, he 
had not the fmalleft doubt of their being already returned to the 
refuge of their mountains; but that at any rate, their own num- 
bers, confidering how well they were armed, were amply fuffi^ 
cient to defend them from the attacks of fuch petty marauders; 
Pleafed with aii opinion which gave them the profpe6l of but 
little danger, they freili primed their mufkets and piftols, and 
iinging as they went, drove merrily on. 
At fix o'clock they encamped upon a hill directly oppofite to 
the enemy's mountains, that were now within twelve or fifteen 
miles ; and having lighted, by Mr. Lucas's advice, about feventy 
fires, for which the dry brufli-wood that was near them furnifhed 
the means, they had foon the fatisfaftion of obferving, that the 
fires of the enemy, who probably miilook them for the troops 
of Mefurata, were ail extinguilhed, 
Feb. 7 th. The next morning at day-break, in the midfl of 
a florm from the S. W. of violent rain and wind, they left the hill; 
andaftera tempeftuous march of four hours, they difcerned through 
the heavy atmofphere, which now began to clear, a party of fifty 
K2 m 
