no way better than when it fell into our hands, except being cleaner, and supplied with provisions. On the 12th of October, a schooner bearing a flag of truce, arrived from Victor Hughes; in it came Captain Eiston, of the 35th regiment,[70] for a supply of money and baggage for our captured countrymen, with which he returned in two days to Point à Pitre. General Prescott had taken the precaution to order all the batteries along the coast, as well as those on the passes of the Palmiste, to be destroyed, their guns spiked, and magazines blown up; but, owing to the shortness of the time allowed for it, and the weakness of the force employed, the enemy soon got them repaired to use against us. Captain Bowen, in the Terpsichore, was dispatched to Trois Riviere, to destroy a battery there,[71] where he saw and fired on the enemy, who were marching in great force towards the heights of Palmiste. On which he returned, and informed the Admiral of this, by whom the intelligence was instantly forwarded to General Prescott, who had sent Captain Thomas of the 28th regiment (his aid-de-camp) to request some seamen to reinforce his garrison, which were most readily granted by the Admiral. While Captain Thomas was on board the Boyne, the enemy, to his great astonishment, were seen on the heights of Palmiste. As there were a few royalists about the General, some of whose slaves were with the enemy, of course he ought to have received earlier information of their approach; but this shews how all intelligence was withheld from us. For ten days after the General had withdrawn the whole of his force into the fort, he occasionally sent parties into the town, as the Boyne still kept the enemy quiet there; but in a short time they got some guns up to an eminence, named by us the White-house Battery, that obliged the Admiral to weigh anchor: but he still continued to hover about the coast, occasionally sending reinforcements and provisions, and keeping up a constant intercourse with General Prescott in the fort. In the course of this business the Boyne was frequently engaged with the different batteries, and was exposed to great danger from the mortars, which the enemy began to play upon us with much judgment. On the 20th of October, the battery on Houelmont opened on the Terpsichore, but without effect. Our garrison in the fort threw some shells which drove them from thence; they, however, soon returned again to their guns. The next day they again attacked the frigate, and hit her; which obliged Captain Bowen to get near the land, out of the direction of their guns. On the 23d, the White-house Battery, having several heavy guns mounted, began a smart fire on the Boyne, which was returned from her lower deckers; afterwards we engaged a battery, into which the enemy had just come, at the N. W. end of the town, from whence we drove them; but being obliged to haul off shore occasionally, they at length completed their purpose,