Page:The History of the Island of Dominica.djvu/125

 paid dearly, the conequence of their great imprudence, by the los of their lives; being driven, with fixed bayonets, over the ramparts of the fort, and dahed to pieces by the rocks at the foot of it.

The enemy began the attack between three and four o'clock in the morning of Monday, the eventh of September that year; but they had intended to have made their invaion much earlier, having et out on the expedition from Martinique between the ame hours the preceding evening, but were detained by calm weather in the channel between the two ilands.

This was a very providential event for the Englih inhabitants of Dominica, as there is every reaon to believe, that had the attack been made an hour ooner than it was, many of them would have been maacred in their beds; if not by the French oldiers, there was