THE SERVICES OF LIEUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS DOWNMAN, R.A. 51 
What is very strange, they fish in this manner where the water is six 
or eight fathoms deep. 
After remaining a few days with my friends,, I returned to the fort. 
From this time to the giving up the island my time was spent as 
agreeably as I could wish. I never was the least ill, and therefore, 
could have nothing to make me dissatisfied with the place. The 
commanding officer. Captain Roberts, and all the others were extreme¬ 
ly good natured, and we lived together in the most sociable and friendly 
manner. 
In the month of June, 1763, 1 we were informed that a peace was 
concluded, and that the island and Martinique were to be restored to 
France. We directly set to work and embarked all our cannon and 
artillery stores on board the “ Loyalty,” an old very large cat. 2 
On the 2nd July, a schooner arrived with French troops, a poor 
miserable looking set of fellows. On the 4th, they landed and marched 
into the fort, and we marched out and immediately embarked. One of 
our men, by way of plaguing Monsieur when he struck the English 
flag, cut the halyards, and they were a considerable time before they 
could hoist their white rag. This, though very foolish and wrong, 
occasioned a great deal of mirth to our people. On the 5th, we sailed 
for Basse Terre. On the 6fch, the French took possession of Fort 
Royal, and all the English troops embarked. The lower sort of French 
were exceedingly insolent to our people when they were embarking, 
though the others were most sincerely affected on our going away, well 
knowing the loss they would soon sustain. 
On the 7th, all the English set sail for the island of Dominique, 
which was ceded to England. Our ship sprung so many leaks that 
with the greatest hard labour of everyone on board, we could not 
prevent the water from gaining upon us. On the 8th, we came off 
Prince Rupert's bay, but did not get in till the 9th in the afternoon, 
and but for the assistance we received from the men-of-war, the ship 
would have gone down before we came to anchor. Another ship was 
ordered alongside of us, and all the guns and stores were taken out 
immediately. 
I went on shore at this place, but was so bitten by the mosquitoes 
that I was obliged to get on board again. There are no buildings 
here, except several huts where some English people live, who are 
but lately arrived, and sell a few goods. In a few days after this I 
went in a canoe two or three miles up a river to get some plantain trees 
for our ship. I met three Caribbs in a canoe in this river, who were 
killing fish with bows and arrows. I had the pleasure to see them 
strike several. They are so very dexterous at it that they will strike 
them at seven or eight yards distance, and though the fish is swimming 
1 By the peace of Paris in 1763. Among other conditions, England gave up the islands 
Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Lucia ; also the principal part of Cuba with the Havannah. In 
exchange she received the promontory of Florida and the countries east and south-east of the 
Mississippi. 
2 An old term for a collier. 
