allowed to leave the place.
Reports had just been going about to the effect that we were all to be
forthwith exchanged, and therefore, when we found that they were false,
an overpowering despondency sprung up among us. To increase the misery
of our condition, a report reached the commandant, invented by some
malicious person, or perhaps by the authorities themselves, to increase
the harsh treatment to which we were subjected, to the effect that we
had formed a plot to set fire to the village, and that, taking advantage
of the confusion thus created, we intended endeavouring to make our way
to the sea, and then to seize some small vessel and escape in her to
Jamaica. It was not likely that a number of officers who had given
their parole to remain quiet would be guilty of an act so dishonourable
as to endeavour to escape. It was, however, believed, and we were in
consequence even more severely treated than before. I say believed, but
I should be more correct if I said that the authorities pretended to
believe it. We had now a guard constantly set over us, and whenever we
went out we were narrowly watched. The food with which we were
furnished was worse than ever, and when we complained of the purveyors
or hucksters the commandant replied that he could not interfere, and
that we must take what was offered us, and be thankful that it was no
worse. Often many of our poor fellows had not the bare necessaries of
life, and it was only by great exertion that I was able to procure them,
as I have described, for myself and a few of my more intimate friends.
I had not supposed that so degenerate a race of Frenchmen existed, for
when they saw us all rapidly sickening and advancing towards the grave,
instead of relaxing their system of tyranny, they only increased their
ill-treatment, and made us believe that they really wished to put us to
death by inches.

On the 4th, poor young Bruce, a midshipman of the Minerva, died, and was
buried in the savannah among many of our countrymen who had already
fallen victims to disease. Captain Stott, we heard, was sinking fast,
and on the 15th he too succumbed to sickness and, I truly believe, a
broken heart. Some of his friends attended him to the last, and a large
body of us went up to keep guard, to prevent his body being carried
away, as had been the case with Captain Williams.

As soon as he was dead, we lieutenants carried him to our own house and
in the morning we sent a deputat