ard for some days with the intention of attacking
Barbadoes, but without gaining ground, had abandoned his plan, and
bore away for St. Kitts. On his arrival there, he landed eight
thousand men, and took possession of greater part of the island:
General Frazer, with a small party of six hundred men, was obliged to
retire to Brimstone Hill Fort.

Sir Samuel Hood, notwithstanding the superiority of the enemy,
(twenty-nine sail of the line,) resolved on a sudden and unusually
bold manoeuvre, namely, to sail and attack the enemy's fleet at
anchor. It was for this purpose that he had put to sea with twenty-two
sail of the line, and proceeded to Antigua, where he took in
provisions, and embarked the twenty-eighth and two companies of the
thirteenth regiment, under command of General Prescott.

Captain Saumarez, according to the orders he had received, proceeded
for Antigua, and keeping "well to windward," as he had been directed
to do, fell in with the Triumphante and Terrible, two French
line-of-battle ships, of the squadron which had been attacked by
Admiral Kempenfelt on the 12th December, and which had been detached
by Comte de Guichen to Martinique. These ships immediately gave chase;
but, night coming on, Captain Saumarez had recourse to stratagem in
order to effect his escape, which would otherwise have been impossible
in consequence of the Tisiphone having carried away her fore-top-mast
in a squall, an accident which was fortunately not observed by his
pursuers: he now made night-signals by hoisting lights and burning
false fires; which having led the enemy to suppose he was
communicating with an English squadron, they abandoned the pursuit
after a chase of half-an-hour.

At the moment the fore-top-mast was carried away, Mr. Robb, one of the
midshipmen, who was looking out at the fore-top-gallant-mast-head,
fell on the forecastle without receiving any injury. This young
gentleman was an _eleve_ of Captain Saumarez, continued with him to
the end of that war, and embarked with him on board the Crescent in
1793. After the capture of _La Reunion_, he was promoted to the rank
of lieutenant.

The fore-top-mast of the Tisiphone was soon replaced; and next day, on
reaching English Harbour, he learned that Sir Samuel Hood, with his
squadron was at anchor in Basseterre Roads, St. Kitts, where he had
three times repulsed the enemy of a much superior force, but which had
now taken up such a position as rendered it impossible