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At the same time, having perfect confidence in the honour of Captain Thurot, I am ready to remain on board, in order, my friends, to save you and your families from inconvenience or anxiety." "In that case, so am I," exclaimed Captain O'Brien. "I had my suspicions from the first that all was not right, and I deserve some punishment for allowing myself and you to be entrapped." "Very kind!"
On October 8, Murray still reports the 'attachment' of Choiseul and Belleisle. On October 21 he declares that Conflans has orders to attack the English fleet lying off Havre. The sailing of Thurot is also announced: 'I cannot comprehend the object of so small an embarkation. As late as October 26, Charles was still left in the dark as to the intentions of France.
While cruising in search of Conflaus, the autumnal equinox drove the intrepid Thurot into the Northern ocean, and compelled him to winter among the frozen friths of Norway and the Orkneys. One of his five frigates returned to France, another was never heard of, but with the remaining three he emerged from the Scottish Islands, and entered Lough Foyle early in 1760.
"She is a sloop of war I thought so from the first," he exclaimed, "and from the cut of her canvas I have little doubt that she is English." As he spoke, the stranger's ensign blew out from her peak. "Yes, I knew I was right she is the Champion, depend on it. If the breeze favours her, far as she is to leeward, she'll be up to Captain Thurot before noon," he continued.
If one man in Scotland gets possession of two thousand pounds, what remains for all the rest of the nation? WILKES. 'You know, in the last war, the immense booty which Thurot carried off by the complete plunder of seven Scotch isles; he re-embarked with three and six-pence. Here again Johnson and Wilkes joined in extravagant sportive raillery upon the supposed poverty of Scotland, which Dr.
"Is this vessel, then, not a Jersey privateer, as we were led to suppose?" asked Mr Ferris, with some little trepidation in his voice. "No, sir; I must own that she is the Coquille, belonging to Dunkirk, and that I am Captain Thurot, of whom you may possibly have heard," answered the captain.
"You shall have the word of honour of two Irish gentlemen," answered Captain O'Brien, "that should yonder vessel not prove to be the Champion, or any other man-of-war, everything shall be arranged as you wish; the stores and men shall be sent off to you, and your first lieutenant restored, if we can find him." Still Captain Thurot hesitated.
Here they were lying repairing some slight damages they had received, when a courier arrived in hot haste with the information that a French squadron of three frigates, under the command of Captain Thurot, had attacked the town of Carrickfergus and plundered the place, and had had the audacity to demand contributions from Belfast, which he threatened to treat in the same way.
Nevertheless, in hopes of meeting with some refreshment, he steered to the island of Islay, where the troops were landed; and here they found black cattle, and a small supply of oatmeal, for which they paid a reasonable price; and it must be owned, Thurot himself behaved with great moderation and generosity.
Thurot got away but did not divert any of the main force guarding the Channel. The Toulon fleet also eluded the English for a time but went to pieces outside the Straits largely on account of mismanagement on the part of its commander. The remnants were either captured or driven to shelter in neutral ports by the English squadron under Boscawen.
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