The squadron then made sail for Barbadoes in order to revictual, and, after coming in for a heavy gale, arrived there on January 12. On the 11th, news was received by a vessel from England, which had been spoken, that Denmark had joined the coalition against France.
It is perhaps noteworthy that the highest records in any of these logs are those during the gale on January 8, 9, and 10, when the Canopus attained ten knots per hour, and made six hundred and sixty-one miles in three days.
Rear-Admiral Cochrane joined the squadron with the Northumberland, and acted as second in command to Sir John Duckworth. He had held the same post under Nelson in June 1805, for the few days when the fleet was in West Indian waters.
From Barbadoes they went on to St. Christopher. It is an instance of the difficulties of warfare in the then state of the Navy, that thirteen men took the opportunity of the Canopus being anchored close inshore to desert from her, by swimming ashore in the night. No doubt similar trouble was felt on other ships of the squadron.
“On February 1, Kingfisher brought intelligence that a Danish schooner belonging to Santa Cruz had, on January 25, seen a squadron of French men-of-war, seven of the line and four frigates, in the Mona passage. The master was on board the Alexandre, a 74, and the Brave, a three-decker, where he was informed they were part of a squadron of ten of the line, and ten frigates and one brig, which had sailed from Brest forty days before, and had separated in crossing the Atlantic.
“February 2. At four the Superb made signal for the flag-officers of the squadron.”
On February 3 this intelligence of the arrival of the enemy at St. Domingo was confirmed, and great must have been the joy thereat.
On February 6 took place the battle of St. Domingo. The log gives an account which is bare of all detail, except that which is entirely nautical.
“At daylight the frigates ahead six or seven miles.
“Extent of land N.E. by E., and N.W. by W.; nearest part three or four leagues. Acasta made signal for one sail W.N.W. at a quarter past six, ‘That the strange sail had been observed to fire guns.’