570 THE SERVICES OF LIEUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS DOWNMAN, R.A. 
delay being that he did not hear our guns, as he was distant 10 miles 
to leeward. 
December 28th. — A fine day, showery towards night. This after¬ 
noon fired two guns and hoisted a flag to inform Admiral Parker of 
our seeing a fleet to windward of Martinique. He did not seem to 
take any notice of it. This night very rainy and windj? in squalls. 
December 31st. —A very fine day. We can discover six or seven 
sail to leeward of the island. 
January lst } 1780. —A very smart shock of an earthquake this 
evening about 8 o'clock made the house shake very much. The ships 
seen yesterday, prove to be Admiral Rowley with three French 
frigates and two sloops all of which he has taken since he went out; 
they are the three we saw to leeward on the 21st, one of them is 
La Fortune of 42 guns, the other La Blanche of 32 guns, and the 
third is the new Ellis privateer of Bristol, copper bottomed, 28 guns, 
which had been taken by the enemy and made a frigate of. These 
three ships had been carrying the few remaining troops (after the 
affair at Charlestown) to the Grenadines. We saluted Admiral Rowley 
as he passed, which he returned. We are informed that d'Estaing lost 
four frigates on the bar of Charlestown, and upwards of 1,000 of his 
troops killed in the attack he made on the English. May he ever 
meet with the like misfortunes when he takes the part of rebels. 
I sent the following letters and amounts the 10th December, 1779, 
by the packet:— 
1. A letter to Cox and Mair containing three bills for £70, £50, 
and £40. A letter to Colonel Farrington, and an account of 
late Lieutenant Walker's effects. 
2. Letter to the Board (duplicate) about Lieutenant Edwards. 
3. Letter to the Board with medicine account. 
4. Muster rolls and pay list for my detachment for Sept., Oct., 
Nov., and Dec., 1779. 
5. Letters to Mrs. Hunter, Mrs. D., and Miss Day, with order on 
my agent for £10. 
6. Letter to Donaldson. 
January 2nd } 1780. —A fine clear day. Two of the French prizes 
are at anchor in the Gros Lot, the other one is in tow of one of our 
men-of-war, having lost her inizzen-mast in attempting to escape. It 
is by no means an unpleasant prospect that we now enjoy from our 
mountain, a number of prizes at anchor in our harbour and three very 
fine frigates going in. Admiral Parker makes use of his ships, which 
Byron never did. Parker has taken nine or ten St. Domingomen, he 
has also taken and destroyed 15 ships within our sight and he has 
taken three frigates. 
January 3rd. —This morning very fine and clear. We can see six 
or seven sail of ships to leeward of Fort Royal harbour. We fired 
two guns from our hill, and hoisted the colours to inform the Admiral, 
who, soon after, got under way with his ships. Commodore Colling- 
wood with his division came down from the windward and joined 
Admiral Parker; the whole, consisting of 16 sail are at 12 o'clock 
