THE SERVICES OF LIEUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS DOWNMAN, R.A. 571 
standing towards Fort Royal. In the evening we could perceive that 
some of them stood into the harbour. When the Admiral left the 
Gros Ilot he ordered all the prizes down to the Careenage, where they 
soon arrived and anchored off the mouth of it, not a very grateful 
sight to the Frenchmen who are constantly going in and out in their 
canoes to and from the town. A remarkably fine night. 
January 4tli. —A most beautiful morning. The island of Martinique 
is exceedingly free from clouds and fogs, and the houses are dis¬ 
tinguishable with the naked eye. Our fleet are lying off the mouth of 
Fort Royal harbour, seemingly becalmed; late in the evening it 
returned to anchor in the Gros Ilot. 
January 5th. —As fine a morning as the last and Martinique equally 
clear. There is not a French ship of war in Fort Royal harbour. 
January 6th. —Remarkably fine day. All the prizes left the 
Careenage and came to in the Choc Bay. 
January 7th. —A clear delightful day. Admirals Parker and 
Rowley, and Commodore Collingwood dined on the Morne. The 
Admiral set sail with all his prizes for Antigua, and intends to look 
after M. de la Motte Piquet and his fleet. Nine ships of the line 
under Commodore Collingwood are left to protect us. 
January 10th. —A fine day but hazy. Martinique is not to be seen, 
and our prospect is much abridged by the thickness of the air, but the 
days are cool and pleasant notwithstanding. In the evening a smart 
shower of rain fell, but it did not continue long. 
January 12th. —-Commodore Collingwood got under way from Choc 
Bay and continued off and on the shore all day. He was joined by a 
large ship from the windward. A good deal of rain this day and 
during the night. 
January 13th. —A fine clear morning. Our Commodore and his 
fleet are off Fort Royal harbour; in the afternoon they returned to 
St. Lucia, but did not come to anchor. This day has been remarkably 
fine, the night equally so. 
January 14th. —The fleet is separated and a good way to leeward. 
We imagine this is owing to the currents, which are, on this coast, 
very strong and very variable. One day setting to the northward, the 
next night perhaps to the southward, and in a few hours to the west¬ 
ward and north-west, and if the breeze is not pretty strong, ships are 
very soon carried a considerable distance, whichever way the current 
sets. 
January 15th. —A fine day. Our fleet are attempting to get to 
windward, but go on but slowly. I this day received a very ex¬ 
traordinary letter of no older date than on the 14th December, 1764, 
directed to Lieut. D. at New York. On the first page are written a 
few lines from my late aunt Price and a few from my friend Doctor 
Hicks. On the 2nd and 3rd is a long letter from the Doctor’s sister 
for whom I had a sort of penchant. This letter was entrusted to a 
friend, who promised to take a great deal of care of it. I think he 
performed that part of his promise for the letter is really in high 
preservation, considering it is only fifteen years since it was written. 
