by him conducted to the captain-general; and, after some treaty, hostages were given on both sides, one of the majors continuing with us, and Lieutenant-colonel Nott was sent to them; Captain Hamilton also going with him as an interpreter. But, notwithstanding the treaty, the captain-general continued his works, joining our trench. to the enemies trench, through which they used to come from the fort to the well; our centries were placed under the walls, and at the gate of the fort, and that evening our guns were also mounted upon the battery.

About twelve of the clock in the night, there was a canoe let over the fort-walls, it being situated by the sea-side, which run on board a sloop that came close in with the shore, under the covert of the dark night; our men let fly a whole volley upon them, which made them hasten away. Captain Hamilton came to the centry at the fort-gate, and ordered him to acquaint the major-general, that there was a ship seen off; upon which this relator was dispatched away to Old Road, to give Admiral Wright notice of it, but, in the interim, a brigantine was sent in pursuit of the sloop; the admiral immediately ordered two frigates to weigh, and put out in search of the said ship and sloop; which they did, and the next day, the thirteenth, returned without seeing any vessels.

During the whole action upon this island there were two frigates that cruised about, to take any French vessels which might arrive there, either by design or chance, but they met with none.

On Monday, the fourteenth, the fort was surrendered to the captain-general, upon the same articles that it was before delivered up to the French. After the enemy marched out, and the English flag was put up, the king's and queen's healths were drank, and the great guns three times fired, three vollies being also made by the whole army. The fort was quadrangular, consisting of four flankers with a curtain between each; on each flanker were mounted five guns; the walls were of stone, about twenty feet high, surrounded with a deep ditch twelve feet wide, over which was a narrow wooden bridge. the middle of the fort were two mounts thrown up for batteries; there was also a well, but, upon firing the guns, the water would instantly dry away. There was store of provision, liquors, and powder, but they wanted shot.

In

In retaking this island, we had about an hundred men killed and wounded; the island in general is very strong, there being several small fortifications and breast-works all around, except where it is naturally fortified with hills or shoals. The inhabitants were about eighteen-hundred men, besides women and children, and negroes, all which, except the negroes, which were to be divided as plunder, were transported to the island of Hispaniola; only some particular persons had the favour granted them to be carried up to Martinico.

After a week's refreshment, the major-general, on Sunday, the twentieth of the said month of July, embarked with his own regiment in the sloops, and the marine regiment on board the frigates, and set sail for the island of St. Eustace; and the same evening, lying

VOL. IX.

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before the said island, he sent Captain Hamilton on shore, with a flag of truce, to summon the island to surrender, who returned with an answer from the governor, that he would defend it to the utmost.

The next morning, the twenty-first, the frigates began to batter against the fort, and the major-general landed at the same time with his men under a high cliff, which they ascended; being got up, they had not marched far, before they perceived some Dutch colours in the woods; upon which a party was sent to discover them, who returned with an account, that it was Colonel Scorer, the governor of the island for the Dutch, when the French took it, with one-hundred men under his command, who came from Saba, and landed there three days before; but, not having strength enough to take the fort, into which the inhabitants were fled, he designed to get what plunder he could, and so go off again. He refused to join with the major-gene ral, because he was first landed, and so accordingly went off the next day. The major-general proceeded in his march towards the fort, and incamped within musquet-shot from it, under the rising of a small hill.

The next day the marine regiment landed, and, the shovels, pick. axes, &c. being brought on shore, they began their intrenchments, running their trench along by the fort, within musquet-shot from it.

After five days siege, the enemy sent out a flag of truce, with ar. ticles; but they were so high in their demands, that the major-gene. ral refused them, and returned an answer, if they did not descend to more reasonable terms, within three days, he would grant them no quarter. Within the prescribed time, they came out again with a flag of truce, and surrendered themselves and their fort upon quarter for life, and to march out with their baggage. Their fort contained six. teen great guns; it was surrounded with double rows of stakes, the intervals filled with earth, and without that strong palisadoes, and ou the outside of them a deep ditch, over which was a narrow bridge leading into the gate, admitting but one at a time; the besieged were about sixty men, the women and children being sent off some time be. fore; they had a well for water, and about twenty barrels of flour, some salt fish and pork, and a small quantity of ammunition; they behaved themselves very briskly, during the siege, especially the go. vernor, who was very active in firing the great guns, &c.

In taking this island, we had not above eight men killed and wounded. The major-general, leaving one company upon the island, under the command of Lieutenant John Mac-Arthur, returned to St. Christopher's with the whole fleet, carrying the inhabitants prisoners thither, and afterwards transporting them to Hispaniola. Lieutenant Pilkinton was afterwards sent down with a company out of the Duke of Bolton's regiment, to relieve Lieutenant Mac-Arthur, and he still continues there, for the defence of the said island.

The inhabitants of the island of St. Bartholomew's who were brought up prisoners from thence to Nevis, being sent down to St. Christopher's, before that island was retaken, there met with their wives and families; and, after that island was retaken, they were de. sirous to live under an English government; upon which the captain.

that brought him to the country-man's house, and went a-board the shallop again, to land upon the firm continent; but then he met with new difficulties, for the small vessel could not get near the shore for the ice; so that two seamen were forced to take the king in their arms, and carry him to the shallop: At last, his majesty, with our whole fleet of tenders, (the men of war returning for England) arrived at a place called Orangie Poldar; here his majesty was complimented by the Prince of Nassau Sarbrach, camp-marshal, the Count of Berka, the emperor's extraordinary envoy, Monsieur Catonna, the Spanish ambassador, the deputies of the States of Holland, the Prince of Friezeland, Count Horn, and several other persons of the highest quality, who attended him to Houslaerdike. where he reposed himself for some hours. It was thought his ma, jesty would have continued here for some days, till all things were ready for the magnificent entry, they were resolved to make for him. But he told them, he desired none of those honours, well knowing that the glory of a prince does not consist in appearing, but in acting. The king therefore went the same day to the Hague, and arrived there about six in the evening, accompanied with the lords already mentioned, and surrounded with the guards of the body. And, in regard the king's coming was in a manner a kind of sur prise, his entrance was also without any ceremony. So that all that could be done, in testimony of the publick joy, was only by some peals of cannon, and ringing the bells.

Nevertheless, the burgesses of the Hague had prepared, a long time before, for his majesty's publick entry, and had been at considerable charges to make a glorious appearance; and all the towns adjoining had prepared to be present at the solemnity. In a word, all the Hollanders were willing to see the king in publick, and to assure themselves, with their own eyes, that a prince, whom they love so infinitely, and of whom the common enemy had spread so many false reports, was still alive, and returned into their provinces, which obliged the States to intreat his majesty to make a publick entry; which he refused a long time, in that such ceremonies were but the loss of that time, which he had resolved to spend altogether in action. At length, all that they could obtain from the king was, that he would dine about a quarter of a league from the Hague, at a house of the Earl of Portland's, and return in his coach through the midst of the burgesses, ranged in files, from the court to the end of the city; which was done on Thursday, February the twenty-second, about four of the clock in the afternoon, to the inexpressible satis faction of the people, all the inhabitants of the towns round about being got together; and perhaps there never was seen at the Hague such a vast concourse of people.

I shall not spend time in describing all the particulars of this en try, which had nothing of extraordinary magnificence, except the three triumphant arches, which surpassed, in beauty and magnifi cence, all that was ever made in France, under the reign of Lewis the Fourteenth, upon the like occasions. There you might see re presented the principal actions of the king, in honour of whom thay

and the several Princes. Sect. IV. Containing particular Observations on the Manners, Customs, Nature, and comical Humours of the Dutch Boars or Peasants; the Nature of their Habitations, Way of Living, and Manner of treating Strangers, especially the English. Sect. V. Of the Nature of the Country in general, its Situation, the Way of Travelling, Expences, &c. Sect. VI. Of the People of Holland in general, their several Ranks and Degrees, with their Manners, Humours, and Dispositions. Sect VII. Of their Religion, the different and incredible number of Sects among the People, particularly in Amsterdam. Sect. VIII. Of their way of Trade, Intrigues in Over-reaching, and manner of Increase in Wealth, &c. Sect. IX. Of their Military Forces by Sea and Land, with their State Revenues, &c.

SECT. I.

The Accidents that fell out in our Voyage, &c.

WE departed from London, Thursday January the sixteenth,

1690, about nine in the morning, and came that night to Citting. bourn; the next day, about noon, we came to Margaret, in the isle of Thanet; and, the same evening, we went on board the frigate that carried his majesty's musick, which lay then in the road, with the rest of the fleet, commanded by Admiral Rooke. Early the next morning, being Saturday the seventeenth, the king arrived from Gravesend, attended by the Dukes of Norfolk and Ormond, the Farls of Devonshire, Dorset, and Portland, and other grandees of the court: About noon, the signal being given from the admiral, the whole fleet, consisting of twelve men of war, seven yachts, and many tenders, set sail, with a fair gale. On Tuesday the twentieth, we came in sight of the coast of Holland, near the island of Goree; but, the weather being darkened with fogs, and the shore choaked up with heaps of ice, piled up one upon another, it was not for us to come near: However, the king put himself into a shallop to get to the land, notwithstanding the danger that threatened him; and, when all the rest were terrified with the perils, wherein his majesty ventured hi person, and the seamen themselves were not in a little terror, it was observed, that he himself was the only person nothing at all dismayed. In the mean time, the fogs grew thicker and thicker, inso. much that we, who were in the man of war, soon lost. sight of the shallop where the king was; and, night coming on, his majesty was for ten hours exposed to all the injuries of the air, and the waves of the sea, which sometimes came into the shallop; so that the lords, who were with him, had their cloaths all covered with ice. However, the next morning his majesty landed in the island of Goree, and went into a country-man's house, which had no more room to receive him, and all the lords of his train, than one miserable chamber and a kitchen; but it was a welcome retreat after so great a hazard. After the king had shifted his linnen and his cloaths, and had been compli mented by the magistrate of the island, who offered him his house, which his majesty refused, he took coach again in the same coach

that brought him to the country-man's house, and went a-board the shallop again, to land upon the firm continent; but then he met with new difficulties, for the small vessel could not get near the shore for the ice; so that two seamen were forced to take the king in their arms, and carry him to the shallop: At last, his majesty, with our whole fleet of tenders, (the men of war returning for England) ar. rived at a place called Orangie Poldar; here his majesty was complimented by the Prince of Nassau Sarbrach, camp-marshal, the Count of Berka, the emperor's extraordinary envoy, Monsieur Ca tonna, the Spanish ambassador, the deputies of the States of Holland, the Prince of Friezeland, Count Horn, and several other persons of the highest quality, who attended him to Houslaerdike. where he reposed himself for some hours. It was thought his ma, jesty would have continued here for some days, till all things were ready for the magnificent entry, they were resolved to make for him. But he told them, he desired none of those honours, well knowing that the glory of a prince does not consist in appearing, but in acting. The king therefore went the same day to the Hague, and arrived there about six in the evening, accompanied with the lords already mentioned, and surrounded with the guards of the body. And, in regard the king's coming was in a manner a kind of sur So that all that prise, his entrance was also without any ceremony. could be done, in testimony of the publick joy, was only by some peals of cannon, and ringing the bells.

Nevertheless, the burgesses of the Hague had prepared, a long time before, for his majesty's publick entry, and had been at considerable charges to make a glorious appearance; and all the towns adjoining had prepared to be present at the solemnity. In a word, all the Hollanders were willing to see the king in publick, and to assure themselves, with their own eyes, that a prince, whom they love so infinitely, and of whom the common enemy had spread so many which false reports, was still alive, and returned into their provinces, obliged the States to intreat his majesty to make a publick entry; which he refused a long time, in that such ceremonies were but the loss of that time, which he had resolved to spend altogether in action. At length, all that they could obtain from the king was, that he would dine about a quarter of a league from the Hague, at a house of the Earl of Portland's, and return in his coach through the midst of the burgesses, ranged in files, from the court to the end of the city; which was done on Thursday, February the twenty-second, about four of the clock in the afternoon, to the inexpressible satis faction of the people, all the inhabitants of the towns round about being got together; and perhaps there never was seen at the Hague such a vast concourse of people.

I shall not spend time in describing all the particulars of this en、 try, which had nothing of extraordinary magnificence, except the three triumphant arches, which surpassed, in beauty and magnifi cence, all that was ever made in France, under the reign of Lewis the Fourteenth, upon the like occasions. There you might see re presented the principal actions of the king, in honour of whom thay м m 3