But The Viceroy Durst Not Trust Me
So Far As To Unman His Ships, Lest I Should Come Against Him.
In the
night he sent all his frigates into the river, and sent some person to
propose peace, but received a flat denial.
The 12th, the nabob sent
Lacandas to inform me that five or six frigates had gone to the
northwards, having four or five fire-boats, which they meant to let
drive upon us in the night, and therefore wished me to keep a good
look-out. I acknowledged his kindness, and was glad of his care, though
needing no such admonition, as I was equally suspicious of their
practices when out of sight as when they rode near us. The nabob had
this intelligence from the Jesuits, with whom he kept on fair terms, for
his better security, if he should have been put to the worst. As the
frigates, or other vessels in the offing, could not well discern the
place where our ships rode during the darkness of the night, by reason
of the shadow of the shore, they had lights made for them ashore for
guiding them where to find us during their hellish incendiary plans.
Having observed this light, night after night, always in the same place,
and seeing it as before on the night of the 13th, I sent William Gurdin
ashore with twenty men, armed with muskets and pikes, directing them to
endeavour to surround this fire-blazer, supposing him to be some traitor
inhabiting the neighbourhood.
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