FLIGHT OF GRAND-MAISON AND OTHERS.
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away by the owner of the boat, they bribed a French carpenter, who was engaged working in some of the back woods of Antigua, to join them in their enterprise, and make them a pair in that retired place. Grand-Maison, who served a very rich master,* took the charge of bringing a sufficient quantity of provisions from his home; and between them they procured five muskets, a few pairs of pistols, some cutlasses, twenty or thirty pounds of powder, and lead in proportion. But thinking themselves not strong enough to man the shallop, Grand-Maison, who was very much beloved by the negroes, engaged two of them, who were esteemed excellent rowers, to accompany him. All things being duly prepared, they stole away from their masters by night, hurried to the beach, and the carpenter having sawn in two the post to which the boat was fastened, they departed, and made for Guadaloupe. After struggling manfully against the current and contrary winds for some time, running many risks of their lives, and putting back into Antigua once or twice, they changed their resolution, and made for St. Christopher's—arriving in Cabsterre, a district of that island, at the very time M. de Chambre was on the point of sailing for Martinique, to rejoin M. de la Barre, w ith all the French ships of war. M. Sannois, captain of that district, welcomed the adventurers, and treated them very kindly ; and upon hearing their story, sent them to M. de St. Laurent, who, after examining them, and finding them well informed of the strength and natural barriers of Antigua—and more particularly, as Baston gave him a plan of the coast, shewing the best landingplaces, and offered himself as a guide to the troops, to lead * It must be remembered, that at the time we are now speaking of, surgeons did not hold that respectable rank in society as they now— that is, most of them—deservedly fill. Not so very many years ago, naval surgeons in particular were very little thought of; and even in the British navy, they were required to perform the office of barber, as well as attend to the bodily ailments of the crew.