their cables and stand out to sea with the soldiers still on board. They were pursued with great promptitude by Captain Wood, but escaped in consequence of the Favorite unfortunately losing her fore-top-mast. A general attack was now made by the British troops, led on by Brigadier-General Campbell, who charged the enemy on Pilot Hill, and gained a most decisive victory. In this brilliant affair the Buffs and 8th regiment particularly distinguished themselves, as did also the St. George’s Island cavalry. The loss sustained by the brigands was immense; and that of the British likewise very severe, no quarter being given on either side.
Leaving the reader to comment on the conduct of Captain Otway, we shall return with the latter to the little Mermaid; in which ship, on his return from Grenada to Guadaloupe, Aug. 8, 1796, he fought a most gallant action close under the batteries at Basse-terre, with la Vengeance, a French frigate of the largest class; and notwithstanding her vast superiority, compelled her to return to that anchorage from which she had been sent with orders either to take or sink the Mermaid. The enemy, on this occasion, acknowleged a loss of 12 men killed and 26 wounded; and so exasperated was Victor Hugues at the result of the combat, that he not only broke the French Captain’s sword, for what he termed his cowardly conduct, but with his characteristic cruelty, deprived some English officers and men who were confined in Basse-terre prison, of water for the space of 24 hours, as a punishment for their venturing to cheer when they saw la Vengeance towed into port by the boats which had gone out to her rescue. The Mermaid had not a man hurt; and although much cut up in her sails and rigging, came out of action with all her spars, the fore-top-gallautmast excepted, in perfect order. La Vengeance likewise suffered considerably in her sails and rigging, and was also much damaged in her hull.
In the month of April, 1797, the Mermaid, in company with the Hermione and Quebec frigates, had a smart affair with the forts at Jean Rabel, St. Domingo, and succeeded in cutting out twelve sail of merchantmen. Captain Otway soon after exchanged into the Ceres, of 32 guns, the boats of which ship captured la Mutine French privateer, of 18 guns and 90
