sailing round the left wing, aided by
a favourable wind, escaped under darkness." The astonishment next
morning, he continues, was great, as was Carleton's rage. The latter
started to pursue in such a hurry that he forgot to leave orders
for the troops which had been landed; but, failing to discover the
fugitives, he returned and remained at Valcour till nightfall, when
scouts brought word that the enemy were at Schuyler's Island, eight
miles above.

The retreat of the Americans had been embarrassed by their injuries,
and by the wind coming out ahead. They were obliged to anchor on the
12th to repair damages, both hulls and sails having suffered severely.
Arnold took the precaution to write to Crown Point for bateaux, to tow
in case of a southerly wind; but time did not allow these to arrive.
Two gondolas had to be sunk on account of their injuries, making three
of that class so far lost. The retreat was resumed at 2 P.M., but the
breeze was fresh from the southward, and the gondolas made very
little way. At evening the British chased again. That night the wind
moderated, and at daybreak the American flotilla was twenty-eight
miles from Crown Point,--fourteen from Valcour,--having still five
miles' start. Later, however, by Arnold's report, "the wind again
breezed up to the southward, so that we gained very little either by
beating or rowing. At the same time the enemy took a fresh breeze from
northeast, and, by the time we had reached Split Rock, were alongside
of us." The galleys of Arnold and Waterbury, the _Congress_ and the
_Washington_, had throughout kept in the rear, and now received the
brunt of the attack, made by the _Inflexible_ and the two schooners,
which had entirely distanced their sluggish consorts. This fight was
in the upper narrows, where the Lake is from one to three miles wide;
and it lasted, by Arnold's report, for five glasses (two hours and a
half),[12] the Americans continually retreating, until about ten miles
from Crown Point. There, the _Washington_ having struck some time
before, and final escape being impossible, Arnold ran the _Congress_
and four gondolas ashore in a small creek on the east side; pulling to
windward, with the cool judgment that had marked all his conduct, so
that the enemy could not follow him--except in small boats with which
he could deal. There he set his vessels on fire, and stood by them
until assured that they would blow up with their flags flying. He then
retreat