destruction of the works at St. Luce, a seaport town, about 12 or 13 miles to the westward; and as it was necessary to obtain good information respecting the military strength of St. Gilles, the intended place of debarkation, Lieutenant-Colonel Keating resolved to land at an intermediate village for that purpose, taking with him a black pilot, named Johnson, to whom alone he communicated his intentions. This man had been taken prisoner by Captain Willoughby, in whose boat the Lieutenant-Colonel proceeded from St. Paul’s.
On the 2d Oct., after dark, Lieutenant-Colonel Keating asked for the Otter’s yawl, into which he got, accompanied by two or three of his own officers, and followed by Captain Willoughby; the latter impelled by curiosity to know how the military commander was about to act, but not suspecting that he intended any thing further than to reconnoitre the coast, and select a proper place for landing the next day. We have no doubt that our readers will consider the captain’s subsequent situation as one of the most unpleasant he could possibly have assigned himself.
At midnight, after rowing for some time with their oars muffled, and every one perfectly silent, Johnson pointed to a small open bay, and Lieutenant-Colonel Keating immediately desired to be landed:– the pilot followed him, but neither of the military officers did the same. Seeing this, and feeling it a point of honor not to allow him to proceed unattended, Captain Willoughby instantly jumped onshore; but with the exception of some orders given to the boat’s crew, to guard them against surprise, &c. not a word was spoken by any individual.
Lieutenant-Colonel Keating, Captain Willoughby, and the pilot, now walked into a middling sized village, inhabited by blacks, sword in hand, and still maintaining the most profound silence. At length perceiving a faint light, occasioned by the embers of an almost extinguished fire, Johnson pointed to, and entered the hut where it was, asking in a gentle tone for permission to light his segar, which request was granted in a rough voice by a man half asleep, in one corner of the cottage. Nearly two minutes elapsed before another word
