536 THE SERVICES OF L1EUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS DOWNMAN, R.A. 
The Boyne and Medway of the line, the Venus, Diamond and Aurora 
frigates, with two or three prizes and some store ships, being all that 
are left here by Byron, all left the Gros Hot and came into the 
Careenage as a much safer place in case M. d'Estaing should pay us 
another visit in the absence of our mighty Mingo. The Centurion of 
50 guns came in from the windward this afternoon. 
May 4th. —This morning early we saw to our astonishment six French 
ships of the line, two frigates and a sloop at very little distance from 
the Gros Ilot. The sloop looked into the Cul de Sac and Careenage, 
the frigates into the Gros Ilot, they then stood from the shore to the 
large ships, upon which the whole of them immediately wore round, 
and about 8.30 a.m. stood towards Martinique in a regular line. The 
atmosphere very thick so we can see but a little distance from the 
shore. The Boyne, Medway and Centurion are drawn in a line across 
the entrance of the Careenage, behind are the batteries ; the frigates 
and all other vessels are warped up much within the large ships. Can 
the Devil, or anybody account for the wonderful and extraordinary 
management of this mingo of the great canoes ? He left us three or 
four days ago with twenty sail of the line and his back is no sooner 
seen than we are again blocked by the French. 
May 10th. —This morning early we saw a large fleet off the north end 
of Martinique beating up. In the evening they were not far from the 
Gros Ilot. 'Tis our friend Byron come back again, he has shewn him¬ 
self to our islands to leeward—he looked into Martinique, saw there 
17 sail of the line and a number of frigates, also into Dominique and 
Guadeloupe where many vessels might have been taken without loss, 
but it is beneath the dignity of a vice-admiral of the Blue to attack any¬ 
thing less than a ship of war ! 
May 11th. —This morning his whole fleet anchored in the Gros Ilot. 
The ships that were in the Careenage are ordered to join him directly. 
He is afraid d'Estaing will come out and eat him at a mouthful. 
May 18th. —This afternoon the frigate Porcupine from England ar¬ 
rived. By her we learn that the Pearl got to England on March 24th 
with the general's despatches on taking this island. The frigate sailed 
on the 27th, she has brought money for the army, but no letters to 
relieve us from an anxious suspense. No letters in answer to the Pearl. 
May 19th. —Very early this morning we were roused by cannon 
firing from our fleet at Gros Hot. Commodores Rowley and Graves 
are made Rear-admirals of the Blue, and Rear-admiral Barrington vice 
of the Blue. 
May 24th. —Five hundred of our recovering soldiers with their officers 
went on board Byron's fleet. This afternoon a small ship entered the 
Gros Ilot from windward, supposed to be the packet or ship with des¬ 
patches in answer to General Grant's letters by the Pearl. She saluted 
the Admiral with 13 guns. About 12 o'clock at night the mail and 
General Grant's despatches arrived at head-quarters from Gros Ilot. 
May 25th. —This morning at day-break signals were made in the 
fleet at Gros Ilot for all boats, etc. to be on board and the top-sails 
loosed ; at the same time a frigate came down to the Careenage to re- 
