THE SEEVICES OF LIEUT.-COLONEL FEANCIS DOWNMAN, E.A. 501 
to stay here till the arrival o£ our unfortunate hero, or to make his 
escape. If he has taken the former resolution, it in some measure 
accounts for his lamb-like behavour with respect to our little fleet, for 
should any of his ships get disabled, particularly in their masts, he 
would be quite unfit to risk an action with such a fleet as Byron's and 
Barrington's united. He would not only lose (most probably) a num¬ 
ber of his large ships, but all his small craft, and thereby expose and 
leave open to us all the French islands, for these small vessels are the 
only transports they possess in this country. Let us even suppose 
while their present army (which by most accounts is 8,000 or 9,000 
men) remains in this island, we should be unable to conquer them, 
yet if we beat their fleet we command at sea, and if occasion required 
our quitting the place for one of more consequence we might easily 
do it, and by the vigour of our naval force totally prevent their return 
to Martinique or any other island. From the movements of the 
French fleet and army it is natural enough to conclude that d'Estaing 
is either about to act a very spirited part, or the contrary, that is, 
that he means to fight Byron, or to run away on the first intimation 
he may receive of his being in these seas. I hope with all my soul he 
will stick to the former. 
We are informed that Byron met with a gale of wind on the coast 
of America, that the Somerset was lost on Cape Sable and the Bedford 
dismasted. 
December 26th .—The French army remain as usual hard at work in 
strengthening their situation as they retire. Their fleet remained at 
anchor all last night, but this morning got under way and are stand¬ 
ing off and on, their small craft as before. In the evening the fleet 
again came to under the shore, but more to windward than before. 
A very rainy day. 
December 27 th.—R ained all last night. All hands very quiet. The 
French fleet remained as they were last night. This morning very 
thick and rainy. About nine o'clock the French fleet showed a num¬ 
ber of signals and hoisted their colours, and four of their frigates 
are going leeward ; they returned about noon. Their large boats are 
on shore and ranged along the beach as if to receive troops on board. 
Their small vessels have got nearer to the shore than usual, and their 
army have been making many movements, such as denote a re-embark¬ 
ation or a resolution to maintain themselves on the heights opposite 
their shipping, to which they have moved several of their cannon and 
have made new works. This afternoon the wind blew fresh. Much 
rain. 
December 28th .—Quite all last night, which was very windy with 
rain, this morning the same. The French fleet is in the same position. 
A part of their army either embarked during the night or is gone to 
some other quarter, as many tents are struck from the wood before us, 
and many of their flat bottomed boats or launches are ranged along 
the beach. This afternoon is very fine. The French army seem to get 
further from us, and it is believed they are preparing to re-embark 
their troops. The fires made by the French army this evening burnt 
