Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp1.djvu/444

 on our boats, as they opened the point of land between the fleet and that fort, gave us considerable annoyance. Two of the Pompée’s men were killed by the bursting of a shell. A road was cut through a very thick wood to the top of Morne Vanier, which overhung Pigeon Island: a 9-inch hawser was next carried up and secured to the stumps of trees, and from this hawser tackles were attached to the guns. The sailors, delighting in such work, ran down the hill with the tackle-falls, as the guns flew up with almost incredible velocity, notwithstanding the depth of the mud, the incessant rain, and the steep acclivity of a newly cut road.

“There is something indescribably animating to the mind of British seamen, whenever they are ordered to land with a great gun. The novelty of getting on shore, and the hopes of coming into action, give a degree of buoyancy to their spirits, which carries them to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. A hundred sailors, attached by their canvas belts to a devil-cart, with a long 24-pounder slung to its axletree, make one of the most amusing and delightful recollections of former days. On this occasion, when the Governor, the worthy and gallant Villaret, was told how they were dragging the cannon along, he replied, ‘It is all over with us.’

“Works were in the mean time thrown up behind some brushwood on the top of the hill; and in the evening of the 3d, a battery of one 13-inch mortar, and three 8-inch howitzers, was ready to open from Morne Vanier against Pigeon Island. It began at six o’clock the same evening, and continued with very little intermission till day-light the next morning, when the fort hung out a flag of truce and surrendered. This was no sooner perceived at Fort Royal, than the Amphitrite, a beautiful frigate of 44 guns, lying in the Carenage, was set on fire and destroyed.

“Having reduced Pigeon Island, Commodore Cockburn was directed to cross the bay, and take possession of the anchorage at Negro Point. This was immediately effected, in a small but beautiful sandy cove. All the guns and mortars intended for the investment of fort Bourbon, on the side of Tartanson, were landed. * * * * A brigade of 600 seamen formed a strong battery within 1200 yards of Bourbon, on the side of the river Monsieur. The lower-deck guns of the Intrepid were landed at Paradise bay, where the enemy had abandoned two strong forts. The navy, without any interruption to their labours, advanced with their guns to Tartanson, where ‘the sailors’ battery’ was constructed; and on the 19th Feb. we had completely invested the fort * * * *.

&#042; * * * “Sunday the 19th, at 5-30 P.M., was the time agreed on for commencing the attack: at the same minute the fire from all our batteries opened. The scene was awfully grand; and as the evening advanced, was magnificent beyond all description. The whole hemisphere was 