hing
but pleasant. Scarcely had we got clear of the town when the crack of
rifles showed us that an enemy was in our rear. Our road led us through
numerous woods more or less dense. We had got to about the centre of
the first, when on either flank bright jets of flame were seen darting
out like the flashes of fire-flies from among the trees. I could almost
have fancied that they were fire-flies had not the flashes been
accompanied by sharp reports, and had we not felt the bullets whizzing
about our ears. By proceeding, however, in the careful way in which we
made our advance, we kept the enemy at bay, and they saw that we were
not a force to be trifled with. It would have been useless barbarity to
have punished our prisoners for what they could not help, but we told
them that we should hold them responsible if any serious attack was made
on us. Still it was somewhat provoking to have our men hit without
being able to go in pursuit of our nimble adversaries, for, of course,
they were off and away the instant we made a movement towards them.
Thus we proceeded as rapidly as the nature of the ground would allow.
Whenever we reached the habitation of one of our prisoners, we thanked
him for the assistance he had afforded us, and allowed him to remain, on
his undertaking not only not to act against us that day, but to do his
best to prevent his countrymen from attacking us. This was very
judicious; for although, I believe, fresh skirmishers came on, the old
ones gradually withdrew, and thus we never had, at a time, any very
large force with which to contend. Several of our men had been wounded,
but none had been killed that we were aware of. However, when, at seven
o'clock in the morning, we reached the place of debarkation, we found
that, exclusive of the wounded, one seaman and six soldiers were
missing. What had become of them we could not tell, but as they were
not seen to fall, it is more than probable that they deserted to the
enemy. When I returned on board the Charon, Captain Symonds was pleased
to say that the general was highly satisfied with the way the expedition
had been conducted. Whatever may be thought of General Arnold, I may
here remark that he was a first-rate soldier and a clever man, as was
proved by all the expeditions he planned and the exploits he performed.

Thus ended the year 1780. Who could then tell the important events the
following one was to bring forth?

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE