A third
islander declared it was impossible for the ship to enter that channel,
which was scarcely navigable for a boat. He asserted that he had seen the
vessel at anchor beyond the isle of Amber; so that if the wind arose in the
morning, it could either put to sea or gain the harbour. Different opinions
were stated upon this subject, which, while those indolent Creoles calmly
discussed, Paul and I observed a profound silence. We remained on this spot
till break of day, when the weather was too hazy to admit of our
distinguishing any object at sea, which was covered with fog. All we could
descry was a dark cloud, which they told us was the isle of Amber, at the
distance of a quarter of a league from the coast. We could only discern on
this gloomy day the point of the beach where we stood, and the peaks of
some mountains in the interior part of the island, rising occasionally from
amidst the clouds which hung around them.
"At seven in the morning we heard the beat of drums in the woods; and soon
after the governor, Monsieur de la Bourdonnais, arrived on horseback,
followed by a detachment of soldiers armed with muskets, and a great number
of islanders and blacks. He ranged his soldiers upon the beach, and ordered
them to make a general discharge, which was no sooner done, than we
perceived a glimmering light upon the water, which was instantly succeeded
by the sound of a gun.
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