They
told me I should certainly get a good share of prize money for the
recapture of the Polly of Southampton, and probably also for the
other prize of Duguay-Trouin's that was retaken. The two frigates
sent in chase of the privateer had failed to come up with her, but
they had seized the prize lying off the point, which proved to be
an Indiaman richly laden.
The knowledge that I should soon have some money of my own was very
grateful to me, and I felt a natural elation of spirits at the
wonderful change that had come over my fortunes.
I hoped that while I was on the admiral's ship I should see and
take my part in a good set battle between our squadron and the
French; but in this I was disappointed. Admiral Benbow was on his
way to Dunkirk, to lie in wait for the French admiral Du Bart and
pursue him if he should put to sea. We cruised off the port for
upwards of a month without any encounter with the enemy; and when
at last, towards the end of August, we gave chase to some of their
vessels which had slipped out, we failed to overtake any of them
save a small privateer of ten guns, which struck her colors on the
first demand we made.
And then in September we learned that peace was proclaimed. The
treaty about whose terms the diplomatists had been wrangling for
seven or eight months had at last been signed at Ryswick, and the
war was at an end. But none of the officers believed that the peace
would endure. 'Twas impossible, they said, that Dutch William would
ever be a friend of French Lewis, and they prognosticated that the
lifelong struggle between the two kings would yet be fought out to
a bitter end.
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