'the peace, but to give me the means of im' proving myself as an officer. It may ap< pear to you that I have lengthened out my conversation with Sir Ralph. I have, how

ever, retrenched a great part of it; for I am ashamed to repeat the many flattering things he said to me. Upon the whole, of ' all the men I ever met with, (General Stuart 'excepted,) he is the one to whom I feel 'most obliged. I do not know if you are one ' of those who will blame me for refusing 'such advantageous offers. My dislike to 'this country is the chief cause-nothing 'would induce me to remain in it at present, but a sense of duty. Since chance has

thrown me here, I feel it would be unbe' coming to leave it during the war, as long 6 as my health will permit me to serve. In 'case of an invasion of either England or Ireland, I should regret not being there; 'but the ardour for serving at home has been 'too general, this war, for me to hope to gain

any credit, were I to apply, as you desire 'me, for leave to return upon that score.

VOL. II.

Y

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My appointments are settled at 1,2007. I 'am to receive them from the beginning at 'that rate; and as I have hitherto lived

upon my original appointment of thirty 'shillings, I shall have a remittance to send to you or James. The letters which Sir

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Ralph brought out are the only ones I have received from the family for a very consider'able time past. You all complain of me: I am, however, not so guilty as you imagine; but my letters must have miscarried.

I

have written to you all repeatedly since 'that to General Stuart, to which you allude. I sent 600l. to James, the 4th Sept. to pay

himself, and all my other debts, and some from B. Major Anderson to you. I hope 'you have since received these bills-James 'will of course pay you the 261. you were so good as to pay to Rymer.

'I have begun "Edward," and am much 'entertained with him: I shall defer saying 'more, till I have read him through. I shall ' endeavour to deserve the quotation you have 'applied to me-and am persuaded, if I suc

'ceed, I shall be happy; though, for want of a

poet,

I should be one of the many who die ' unrecorded. I was much disappointed at • General Stuart not coming out; so many ' of my friends were to have attended him. 'As things are likely to turn out, it is, per

haps, better for them that they are to be employed elsewhere. I do not think that ' either Oakes or Major Stewart could have 'stood this climate. I understand they are

going to Portugal. The Brigands are still ' in these woods: it is hardly possible to expect to reduce them. The Blacks are 'the only troops equal to scour these woods; 'the British are unequal to such service. I 'have always kept them to guard the coast, ' and have employed two corps I have of 'Blacks for the more active service; but the four British and one German regiment I had originally are no longer strong enough 'for even the guard of the coast; they are 'completely expended, between two and 'three thousand of them are dead, the rest 'sick. My situation here is extremely irk

'some, and requires constant vigilance. The

Blacks, to a man, are our enemies; the 'few Whites who are not so are afraid to be

our friends. I am convinced that nothing 'but my exertions, and the attention I have 'paid, would have kept the island in our pos'session-but it is every moment in danger: be prepared, therefore, to hear that it is 'wrested from us-I wish sincerely I was quit of it.

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'I shall keep myself disengaged, that 'the moment the war is over I may ven'ture to return to you. I long to see us once

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more assembled in Clifford Street; and nothing I could get in this vile climate could compensate to me for the loss of the sa⚫tisfaction which that meeting will afford me. 'Believe me, my dear Father,

• Your affectionate Son,

'J. MOORE.'

'St. Lucia, 12th Feb., 1797.

My dear Father, I received your letter

lately of the 3d December, part of which ' was written by my Mother.

'I wrote to you some time ago all that passed

' on the arrival of Sir Ralph. However un

pleasant it was for me to return to this 'island, I saw it was necessary, and what 'Sir Ralph wished. He was sensible of the necessity of vigilance in this quarter, particularly as he could supply it with no troops. He brought out no officer with him, ' and he found none here whom he could 'trust, but such as were usefully employed ' elsewhere.

'I flattered myself, however, that my re' turn was temporary, and in case of any ex'pedition, that I should be employed in it. In this I am disappointed. An expedition ' is about to sail. Sir Ralph has written to

me to regret the impossibility of removing me from St. Lucia. He fears that in his 'absence the French may make some attempt ' from Guadaloupe, upon this, or some other

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of the British settlements. Thus after toil

ing here these ten months, I am deprived ' of serving in the manner I should like; in 'that which would tend to my improvement,