lexander Cochrane, in the Tonnant, of eighty guns, waiting to
receive us, and to take the command of the whole fleet. The
secret of our destination likewise, which up to that moment had
been kept, transpired almost as soon as we cast anchor off the
island; and it was publicly rumoured that our next point of
debarkation would be somewhere on the shores of the Bay of
Chesapeake. Nor are these the only interesting public
occurrences of which no notice has as yet been taken. On the 4th
of June our little army was reinforced by the arrival of the 21st
Fusiliers, a fine battalion, mustering nine hundred bayonets,
under the command of Colonel Patterson. On the evening of the
29th a squadron of four frigates and several transports appeared
in the offing, which by mid-day on the day following were all at
anchor in the roads. They proved to be from the Mediterranean,
having the 21st, 29th, and 62nd Regiments on board, of which the
two latter were proceeding to join Sir George Prevost's army in
Canada, whilst the former attached itself to that under the
command of General Ross. By this very acceptable reinforcement,
our numbers were increased to upwards of three thousand effective
men, and a greater confidence in themselves, as well as a better
grounded hope of success in whatever they might undertake, was at
the same time given to the troops.

Having already dwelt sufficiently upon my own personal Adventures
at Bermuda, I shall not waste time by a particular detail of the
various preparations which during this interval were making
throughout the fleet. Stores of provisions, fresh water,
ammunition, clothing, &c., were provided, and magazines for the
future supply of the expedition established; when, on the 3rd
of August, all things being complete, the ships once more got
under weigh, and stood towards America.

THE CHESAPEAKE

During the whole of this day the wind was light and unsteady,
consequently little progress was made, nor did the white rocks of
Bermuda disappear till darkness concealed them; but towards
morning a fresher and more favourable breeze springing up, the
rest of the voyage was performed in reasonable time, and without
the occurrence of any incident worthy of notice. The heat,
indeed, became more and more oppressive every day, and the
irksomeness of renewed confinement was more sensibly experienced
from the long holiday which we had enjoyed on shore; but, in
other respects, everything returned to i