We looked in on our way down to the harbour on our two French friends. We found them in high spirits, for they had just received information that they were to accompany the Count de Grasse, and other French officers, who were about to return home, on board the Sandwich, Sir Peter Parker’s flag-ship, on their parole. As Sir Peter was on the point of sailing in charge of a homeward-bound convoy, Sir George Rodney remained as commander-in-chief at Jamaica. A short time after, Admiral Pigot arrived out from England to supersede him, and Sir George returned home in the Montague.
At length, after lying idle for some time, Admiral Pigot, with his flag on board the Formidable made the signal for the whole fleet to put to sea.
A report reached us just before this that we and the other ships were to return to England, and highly delighted every one was at the thoughts of going home. We were, however, kept cruising for some time, till we fell in with the fleet of Admiral Graves off Havanna; thence we proceeded to Bluefields, on the south coast of Jamaica, towards its western end.
Here Admiral Graves, whose flag was flying aboard the families, received orders to convoy a hundred sail of merchantmen, together with the French prizes, consisting of the Ville de Paris, no guns, the Glorieux and Hector; of 74 guns each, and the Ardent and Jason, of 64 guns each. The men-of-war accompanying them were the Canada, our ship the Cerberus, of 74 guns each, and the Pallas, of 36 guns.
“It’s to be hoped that we shall have fine weather,” said Nettleship one day at mess. “Even now we’re obliged to keep the pumps going every watch. It’s a wonder the hull and rigging hold together; while we’re terribly short-handed, and, as far as I can judge, the rest of the ships are in no better condition, and the prizes are still more battered.”
“What an old croaker you’ve become,” cried Tom. “I thought you would have been the last person to talk in that way.”
Others, joining Tom, made the same sort of remarks.
“I’m not croaking. I only say that never fleet put to sea in a worse condition; but I do hope we shall be blessed with fine weather, and not meet with a heavy gale, or have to encounter an enemy of superior force.”
Those watching us from the shore could certainly not have supposed that the fine-looking fleet sailing along the coast of Jamaica was unable to cope with the fiercest gale that it was likely to encounter.
As we got away from land we found that the Jason had not joined us, being employed in completing her water, while during a calm the officers of the Ardent sent a memorial to the admiral stating that she was totally unseaworthy; and they had therefore the good fortune to be ordered back to Jamaica to refit.