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The French came a third time while I was on the island, and came
to
anchor in the bay on Saturday [Saturday 8, July 1693, according to Captain Dobbins]
, some time before night; and
acquainted us who they were and what they intended, by hoisting up
their white colors. None of the people appearing to oppose them, and
having, at this time, my aged grandparents, Mr. James Sands and his
wife, before mentioned, to take the care of, with whom I then dwelt;
knowing also that if they landed they would make his house the chief
seat of their rendezvous, as they had done twice before, and not
knowing what insults or outrage they might commit on them, I advised
to the leaving their house and betaking themselves to the woods for
shelter, till they might return under prospects of safety; which
they consented to. Accordingly we took our flight into the woods,
which were at a considerable distance, where we encamped
that night [Saturday 8 to Sunday 9]
as well as the place and circumstances would allow, with some
others, that for the like reasons fell into our company. The next
morning, being Lord’s day morning, I expressed my desire to go
occultly and see the conduct of the French, and their proceedings.
One of the company offered to go with me. We went together, and
placed ourselves on the top of a hill, where were small bushes and a
large swamp behind us; but in fair sight of the house I went from,
my grandfather’s house. It seems the French had not
landed till that morning, for we had not long been seated there
before we saw them coming from the water-side in two files (which
made a long train) with their colors flying, and, if I mistake not,
their trumpet sounding. I did not then think of counting their
number. Thus they came in triumph, and as absolute lords of the soil
and all belonging thereto—as indeed they were for the time; but
their reign was but short, as the sequel will prove. (My companion
in this discovery was Mr. Thomas Mitchell who then, and many years
after, was an inhabitant on Block Island, alias New Shoreham.)
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In this manner they went to the house, and immediately set up their
standard on a hill on the back side of it, and directly shot and
killed three hogs fatted with whey in a sty, and then killed the
geese, as there were many there. Having had but little sleep the
night before, I proposed to Mr. Mitchell to keep a good look-out,
and watch their motions, till I endeavored to sleep a little, and
thus to proceed interchangeably; when I made the hard ground my
lodging for the time, which was long. Upon my awaking, he lay down;
and as he lay and slept, the French fired many guns at the house,
and I heard several bullets whistling over my head. Suspecting they
had made some discovery of us, I awakened him, telling him what I
had observed; therefore that it was advisable to shift our quarters.
Accordingly, as we were moving from the place,
we espied a large
ship about a league to leeward of the township, riding at anchor
(the fog at sea had been very thick till then), which happened to be
Captain Dobbins, in The Nonesuch man-of-war, stationed in those
seas, which we at first sight supposed. This ship appearing put the
Frenchmen into a great surprise, by their motions, by running up to
their standard on the hill, then down again, and others doing the
like. The man-of-war still making all sail possible, there being but
a small breeze of wind at south-west, and right ahead, according to
the sailor’s phrase, they soon left the house and with all speed and
seeming confusion hastened to their vessel….
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Soon after these privateers took to their heels, hoping to get out of
the man-of-war’s reach, the fog thickened, and the wind rose and
blew hard at south-west, so that we quickly lost sight of them both.
The French kept close upon the wind, in hopes to weather a place
called No Man’s Land, lying southward of Martha’s Vineyard; but the
wind scanting on them, and blowing hard, they ran into a place (if I
mistake not) called Buzzard’s Bay, which emphatically proved so to
them. There they were land-locked, and could not get out, although
the French vessel was quickly out of sight by reason of the thick
fog which continued. Yet as if the Nonesuch had tracked them by the
print of their heels in the ocean, or had followed them in their
wake, she came in upon them, Providence so ordering, and took them.
When they saw, to their astonishment, the man-of-war so unexpectedly
overtaking them, about forty of their men went on shore and were
disarmed and seized by the people that dwelt near the place, and
sent prisoners to Boston. The others on board Captain Dobbins took
and made prisoners of war, and their ship became a rich prize, which
we saw about three days after [Wednesday 12, according to Captain Dobbins]
following him into Newport, where she
was condemned.
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