436 THE SEEVICES OF LIEUT.-COIONEL FEANCIS EOWEMAE, E.A. 
half to the northward of the Grand Cul de Sac. He proceeded and 
took post on the Vigie, a high commanding ground forming the north 
shore of the Careenage, which is a peninsula, the neck not more than 
150 yards wide. A battery of three 12-prs. [No. 1] was found here 
pointing into the Choc Bay. The French had taken no pains to dis¬ 
able the guns they left on their batteries, except by putting into a few 
of them old nails and files which were soon taken out. 
The 4th regiment was ordered to take post on these high grounds 
forming the south side of the Careenage immediately opposite the Yigie. 
In this space of ground were found four batteries with many of the guns 
unspiked and a good quantity of ammunition. There is a battery of two 
12-prs. [No. 2] on a small detached rock (to which you ascend by a 
rope ladder). A little to the southward is another of three 12-prs. 
[No. 3] on the slope of a hill en barbette, commanding a small sandy 
bay on its left. A third one of five 18-prs. [No. 4] is strong and 
well made with embrasures and entirely of stone. This battery is 
well situated for the defence of the entrance of the Careenage, it is 
nearly on a level with the water, and about 200 yards from the rock 
battery. A fourth one [No. 5] of four 18-prs. is on the side of a hill 
very high and steep from the water, about a mile further up the har¬ 
bour than the last mentioned one en barbette. There is also a well 
made stone battery on the opposite shore intended to protect the 
entrance of the Careenage, but this has no guns on it; this battery 
would rake the ship fore and aft that was firing at the five gun battery. 
The enemy did not attempt to defend any of these batteries, they only 
left a man on each, who at the approach of the English struck the 
white rag and ran off. They had several small cannon on Morne 
Fortune, but made little use of them. 
Every circumstance had hitherto turned in our favour as well as we 
could possibly wish ; we were landed without loss, we are in possess¬ 
ion of the enemies’ batteries and strong ground, and nothing appears 
to be in the way to prevent the capitulation of the island in a day or 
two. But how uncertain are all human affairs, and how little ought 
we to depend on anything in this world, even the fairest appearances ! 
Our two commanders congratulated each other on the success of 
their endeavours hitherto, but little did they think what a storm was 
gathering over their heads at the very moment of their joy. 
This afternoon two of our cruisers came into the fleet from the 
windward, firing guns and making signals for a fleet. In a very little 
time after, a numerous fleet was discovered standing from Martinique 
toward St. Lucia; half an eye was quite sufficient to distinguish it to 
be French composed of large men-of-war, frigates, and small vessels 
crowded with men. 
I will leave you to form some idea of our thoughts and our situation 
at this moment. Gloomy as you probably think they were, I promise 
you most of us were in high spirits ; our little army was tolerably 
well situated ; our navy could not be so for they had not time. 
The Comte d’Estaing, for it was no less a person, sent most of his 
small vessels into the Gros Hot, a bay a few miles to windward of us, 
and cruised off and on with the ships of war till the morning. During 
