memoir was advanced to the rank of Commander, in the Thorn sloop of war; and in the month of April 1795, he had the good fortune to capture la Belle Creole, a large schooner, sent by the notorious and infamous Victor Hugues, from Guadaloupe, with a banditti, to assist in carrying into effect a plan that had been concerted between himself and the disaffected inhabitants of St. Pierre, for burning that town, and the massacre of all those who were inimical to them. The papers found on board the prize proved the existence of this diabolical conspiracy, the detection of which was considered of such great importance that the French royalists of Martinique presented our officer with a gold-hilted sword, value 200 guineas, for the service he had thus rendered that colony.
On the 25th of the following month, Captain Otway fell in with, and after a spirited night action of 35 minutes, during which the enemy made two attempts to board the Thorn, captured le Courier National, a French corvette, of 18 guns and 119 men, of whom 7 were killed and 20 wounded. The Thorn was sickly at the time, and had only 80 hands, including officers and boys, on board; of these, her commander and 5 others were wounded, but not a man was as slain.
During the Carib war in the island of St. Vincent, we find Captain Otway actively employed in co-operation with the army, particularly in an attack made upon Owia, which was surprised and taken by the Thorn, and a party of soldiers belonging to the 60th regiment. He afterwards landed his crew, and in conjunction with a detachment of troops, stormed the strong post of Chateau Bellair, the loss of which obliged the enemy to retire into the interior of the island. Captain Otway on this occasion received a slight wound, and had 25 of his crew killed and wounded. For these and other services, he received the unanimous thanks of the House of Assembly; and on the 30th Oct. 1795, was promoted to the rank of Post-Captain, in the Mermaid of 32 guns, which ship he joined at Grenada in the course of the following month.
The island of Grenada, like those of St. Lucia and St. Vincent, was at that period in a state of insurrection. The slaves had all revolted and joined the French part of the inhabitants, whilst the flames of rebellion were fanned by the ma-
