THE fleet was now, twenty-nine fhips of the CHAP, line, befides frigates and tranfports, manned VI. with 15,000 failors; and having on board the two regiments of Harrison and Wentworth, fix 1741: regiments of marines, command by the Colonels Fleming, Robinfon, Lowther, Wynyard, Douglas and Moreton, of 1,000 men each, and fome detachments from other regiments from England; three battalions from North America, and a body of negroes from Jamaica, making in all, upwards of 12,000 men. HAVING a windward current, the whole fleet got off Cape Tiberon on the 8th of February, being then 115 fail in company; and the fame day the vice admiral was joined by Capt. Dandridge in the Wolf floop, whom he had fent to look into Port Louis, and on his report of " Having feen there nineteen fail of large fhips, one having a flag at the main-top-maft head, and another a broad pendant flying; the vice admiral immediately made a fignal for general and flag officers, and communicated to them the report he had received from Capt.. Dandridge: whereupon it was refolved to fteer. directly to the ifle of Vache, to obferve the motions of the French, and to procure intelligence of their force and intentions. And this refolution was the more prudent, being founded on an abfolute neceffity, to be fecured from an auxiliary power being left to command all the fuccours and fupplies of provifions to the fleet, as well as being left mafters of the British trade; which, as there was the utmoft reafon to apprehend the French would attempt, the admiraldetermined either to deftroy or fecure their fleet from performing that danger they feemed to be meditating. VOL. I. IN PART I. IN purfuance of this refolution, the vice admiral made the best of his way to windward with the fleet; and, on the 12th, got to anchor 1741. with most of the men of war, and some of the transports under the ifle of Vache, about twỏ leagues to the weftward of Port Louis; the rest being working up after him. But it was afterwards discovered, that Capt. Dandridge had been deceived in his view by the haziness of the weather, and that the fhips in Port Louis were only merchantmen unrigged, excepting one frigate of forty guns, whofe main-top-maft head lying in a line with the white gable end of a houfe, occafioned the mistake about the flag. HOWEVER, to be certain beyond all dispute, on the 15th Capt. Bofcawen and Capt. Knowles, were fent by the vice admiral with a meffage to the governor of Port Louis; the purport of which was, that the fleet was forced by strong breezes into the bay, and that the admiral defired leave to wood and water. They returned with a very polite anfwer, and brought an account of the Marquis d'Antin's being failed for Europe: foon after Capt. Rentone came into the fleet, and confirmed the report that the marquis had failed with his fquadron for France on the 26th of January, being the time when the British fleet were in their way to Port Louis; and being collected together on that occafion, without any cruizers out, was the reason why the marquis paffed undifcovered. It was generally apprehended, that the French fquadron was folely intended to affift the Spaniards in fafely convoying home their treasure; but it afterwards appeared, by the inftructions that fell into the hands of Admiral Vernon, that the marquis was ordered, either jointly with the Spa-· niards. niards under Rodrigo de Torres, or feparately, to CHAT. fall on the British fleet; and had Sir Chaloner O- VI, gle unluckily been detained any longer, it is hardly to be doubted but they would jointly have 1741. attacked Jamaica, the favourite view they had at heart. THIS fudden retreat of the French greatly furprized the British admiral, as he could not tell what to attribute it to; whether for want of provisions, or a desire to return to Europe for fome more favourable views there: but it foon after evidently appeared, the marquis was obliged to return for want of provisions, as in his paffage to Europe he loft above 3,000 men, and the reft that furvived were reduced each to three ounces of bread a day, and that half worms and dirt. UPON this extraordinary occafion, the principal council of war affembled on the 16th, when it was unanimously refolved, "That the fleet, "after having taken in wood and water at Iros, "Tiberon, and Donna Maria bays, should thence "proceed directly to Carthagena.” On the 17th the fleet failed from the isle of Vache, and the day following came to anchor in the abovementioned bays; where the seven following days they were employed in watering the fhips: and detachments from the American regiments, and from the negroes, were daily fent on fhore to cut fafcines and picquets, which they could not fo conveniently get where they were going, and might want on their first arrival. On the 23d Capt. Warren joined the fleet, and on the receipt of his intelligence, a general council of war was held the 24th, by the four princi pal military and naval officers, when it was refolved, "Vigorously to attack Carthagena both by land and fea." Q ? ON PART On the 25th the vice admiral weighed with the . I. whole fleet from Iros bay, being in all 124 fail; when the Weymouth, Experiment, and Spence 1741 floop, were dispatched ahead over to Carthagena, to found Punto Canoa bay, for the fafer anchoring the fleet. ON the 4th of March, in the evening, Admiral Vernon anchored with the whole fleet in Playa Grande, to windward of the town of Carthagena, lying between that and point Canoa; and to harrafs the Spaniards, the vice admiral ordered his fmall frigates and fire-fhips to get in shore and lie in a line, as if he intended a descent to windward of the town, which had its effect, in drawing forces that way, and fetting them at work to intrench themselves. THE city of Carthagena is fituate in the latitude of 10 deg. 26 m. North, and was begun to be built in the year 1532 by Peter de Heredia; but was finished by Georgio Robledo about eight years after the foundation was laid. It ftands on the Spanish continent, to the east of the gulph of Darien, almost directly fouth of Jamaica, and 110 leagues N. E. of Panama. It gives title to a confiderable government of the fame name, and is reckoned a province of New Granada, or according to fome writers, of New Andulafia, but by others is annexed to the Golden Caftile. The fituation of its port was found fo convenient for the Spanish fleets, and fuch quantities of rich merchandize were brought down near to it, by the confluence of the great rivers of Santa Martha and the Magdalena, that the town encreased in wealth, number of people, ftately edifices, and in a jurifdiction over five or fix petty cities; till in the year 1585, it was facked by the valour of a few English, under the command of Sir Francis Drake, Drake. But before it was perfectly repaired, CHAP. the city received a greater blow from five priva- VI. teers, led on by a difgufted Spaniard; who furprized the governor afleep, feized a prodigious 1741. treasure, and burnt the place to ashes. Yet for all this the city raifed its head again, numbered above 20,000 inhabitants, whereof 4,000 were Spaniards, the reft Mefticoes and flaves; and improved daily in riches and magnificence, till taken by the French under Monfieur de Pointi in 1697, who got a booty of nine millions of money. The city foon after recovered itself by its flourishing trade, being the first place the galleons touch at outwardbound, and of late the general station of the Spanish men of war in these parts; and when Admiral Vernon appeared before it, was the principal, beft fortified, and moft populous city in America. THE governor of Carthagena was thoroughly fenfible of the activity of the British admiral, and expecting nothing less than a siege, in conjunction with Don Blas de Lezo, who commanded the Spanish squadron then lying in the harbour of Carthagena, made all neceffary preparations for the reception of the British fleet; omitting nothing to put the place in a good posture of defence; which had a garrifon of 4,000 men, befides negroes and Indians. THOUGH the fea washes the walls of Carthagena, the town is inacceffible on that fide on account of the furff; and De Pointi was convinced that the fea upon all this coaft is a natural invincible rampart, and that Carthagena is approachable only by the lake which makes the harbour. An eminent naval officer, who served in the expedition as engineer to Admiral Vernon, has also reported, that nature has fortified the city againft any |