“But ah, messieurs, I love France as well as ever; and though I regard the English as brothers after the treatment I have received from them, I would not injure her or her people.”
Rayner therefore proposed that he should come on board the Lily and remain at Jamaica until he could return home.
The last scene had now to be enacted.
The marines and parties of seamen had been employed for some hours in digging holes under the fortifications, which were then filled with casks of powder, the whole being connected by carefully laid trains. The men were next embarked. One boat alone remained under each fort, the gunner and boatswain of the Lily and a warrant officer of the Ariel being ordered to fire the trains.
Rayner had taken command of one of the Lily’s boats. The men waited with their oars in their hands, ready to shove off at a moment’s notice. Mr Coles, the gunnel, who was in Rayner’s boat, ascended the bank match in hand. Presently he was seen rushing down again, faster probably than he had ever moved before.
“No time to lose, sir,” he shouted, as he leapt on board. “The fuse in this hot country burns faster than I calculated on.”
“Give way, lads!” cried Rayner.
The men bent to their oars. The other boats were seen pulling away at the same time. They had not got twenty fathoms from the shore, when a thundering report was heard, and up rose a portion of the large fort, filling the air with masses of stone and earth, and dust and smoke.
In another second or two the other forts followed suit. The whole atmosphere was filled with a dense black cloud and masses of lurid flame beneath, while thundering reports in rapid succession rent the air. A few seconds afterwards down came showers of stone and earth and pieces of burning timber, just astern of the boats. Had there been any delay they must have been overwhelmed. Fortunately they all escaped injury, and pulled away for their ships, which, with the prizes, had in the meantime got under way and were standing out of the harbour.
After a quick run the Ariel and Lily reached Port Royal to repair damages. Rayner was sent for on board the flagship.