gs, and picquets round the town. Terms of capitulation had been
drawn out by the authorities, which, as the town was taken by assault,
were not agreed to. All found in arms were considered prisoners of war;
everything belonging to the Republic was given up. The citizens were not
molested, and allowed to keep their private effects. I was much amused at
the genuine _sang-froid_, or more properly speaking, the French
philosophy, of the people who kept the coffee-houses. They moved about as
gay as if nothing had happened, everything was regularly paid for, and the
most perfect discipline observed.

Having taken on board some of the principal French officers and a party of
our troops, we arrived at our former anchorage, Fort Royale Bay, the next
morning. Fort Royale, which was of considerable strength, had been
bombarded for several days, when it was decided to carry it by storm. On
the third day after our anchoring, at 3 A.M., the attack took place. The
gun and flat-bottomed boats were covered by the bomb-ships and frigates. A
landing was soon effected; the bamboo ladders for two men to mount abreast
were placed against the outer bastion of the fort. The soldiers and
sailors vied with each other who should mount first. Unfortunately, some
of the ladders gave way, and the men were precipitated to the ground; and,
what was still more unfortunate, some few fell on the bayonets of those
below and were shockingly wounded. In about ten minutes the outer works
were carried, and a marine's jacket, for want of other colours, was
hoisted on the flagstaff. The enemy retreated to the inner work, but it
availed them little. In less than a quarter of an hour they were compelled
to give way. Several of them were cut down by the sailors, who had thrown
away their pistols after discharging them. Most of them had abandoned
their half-pikes before mounting, as they declared they were only in their
way, and that they preferred the honest cutlass to any other weapon. The
sailors and soldiers behaved well on this occasion; those who did not form
the escalade covered those who did by firing incessant volleys of
musketry, which brought down those of the enemy who were unwise enough to
show their unlucky heads above the parapet. In about twenty minutes the
British flags were floating on the flagstaffs, the French officers
surrendered their swords, and were sent on board the _Boyne_. I forgot to
mention that an explosion had taken place in one of the