his real intentions, had caused a report to be industriously spread, by means of neutral traders, that he was bound to St. Domingo, for the purpose of taking on board the seamen who had escaped on shore after Sir John T. Duckworth’s action, in the month of Feb. preceding.
This report not being credited by Captain Carteret, who was carefully watching the enemy, he purchased a small vessel at St. Lucia, and sent her with a letter to the President of Nevis, at which island she arrived time enough for sixty-five deeply laden West Indiamen to put to sea from St. Kitts, under the protection of Captain Kenneth M‘Kenzie, of the Carysfort frigate, who ran to leeward with his change and escaped unseen by Rear-Admiral Villaumez, who had quitted Fort Royal bay very suddenly on the 1st July, probably with a view of cutting off Captain Carteret, whose men were on the yards, bending a new suit of sails, at the moment when the French squadron was observed under weigh. The Scorpion, it should be observed, had hastened back from St. Lucia, and was at this time watching the enemy so closely, that one of them was enabled to throw a shot over her before the sails could be set and trimmed. Captain Carteret’s confidence in the zeal and activity of those under his command, and his dependance on the Scorpion’s superior sailing, however, proved well-founded, for the enemy’s second shot fell alongside, and the third astern. Having thus escaped out of range, he continued to dog the enemy, who proceeded to Montserrat, Nevis, and St. Kitts, but only succeeded in capturing seven merchant vessels which had missed the above-mentioned convoy; nine others were effectually protected by the fort on Brimstone Hill, and a battery near the beach of the latter island.
Rear-Admiral Villaumez next stood for Tortola, in hopes of capturing tHe greater part, if not the whole of the fleet there assembled, ready to proceed on its homeward bound voyage. Fortunately, however. Captain Carteret had also sent a despatch to Sir Alexander Cochrane, which induced that zealous officer to hasten towards the same place, and thereby compelled the enemy to abandon his design. By this means two-hundred and eighty sail of valuable merchantmen were rescued from
