JOURNAL OF THE SHIP BEARING PRINCE CHARLES TO SCOTLAND
[The dates given in this Journal are aU ' New Style ' or by the Gregorian Calendar, which was then used in France, while in British records of the sanie jieriod the'julian Calendar or ' 0kl Style ' was in use, in which the dates are eleven days later. Thus July 2nd of the Journal corresponds with June 21st of British chronology.— Tr.]
In the name of God and of the very holy Trinity.
The présent journal is to be commenced to be of use to me, Darbé, commanding the frigate Dutillet ^ of Nantes, equipped for war with 18 guns, 24 ' pierriers,'^ and a crew of 67 men, for a voyage to Scotland. — [See Translator's Appendix A., page 109.]
Friday, 2ud July 1745, at 5 in the morning, I raised the anchor
from the roads of Mindin ■* in company with the Dryade, the J"
the Fauvelle, the King's Frigate, six lighters'^ of the King and 84 boats, convoyed by the three frigates above, for the coast of Brittany, wind east. I lay to at Bonne Anse to wait for the passengers, who arrived one after the other in large boats,^ so that at 7 in the evening I sent to land a little boat to embark three who had remained behind, who were H.R.H. the Prince of Wales,^ the Chevalier Scheriden [Sheridan], and Monsieur Walsh. There also arrived by the barques Mr. O'Kelly, Chamberlain ; Mr. MacDonald ;
Colonel M ; Colonel M , Captain of the Guards; M. Touliann,
Captain ; Mr. MacDanald (Macdonald), banker at Paris. — [For complète list see Translator's Appendix b., page 113.]
Saturday, 3rd July. — Raised anchor from Bonne Anse and sailed outwards; at 6 o'clock was opposite the Chapelle Sainte Marie."
' [In Belgiuni — Marshal Saxe with the ■" [' Paterero,' a kind of niortar. — Tr.]
French army besieged the city earlj' iu 1745, * Lighthouse and battery, parish of St. au J an army of English, Dutch, and Austriuns Brévin [Loire Inférieure],
marched against him just before the battle of ° The Elisabeth. See farther on.
Pontenoy, which took place llth May 1745 " ['Gabarres.' — Tr.]
(New Style).— Tr.] " ' ^" . - ~
^ The JJoutelle in the English accounts ; it
was, in fact, a aloop equipped for war. ' Near Pornic [Loire Inférieure].
Barques.' — Tr.] ;The Prince Charles Edward.— Tr.]
At 10 o'clock in the morning saw a fleet of nearly 140 sail, convoyed by three King's Frigates, and going from Nantes to the coast of Brittany. 'Le Pilier'^ lay S.S.E. of the compass to me, distant 4 'lieues' [12 miles] ; at midday wind from the W. I was obliged to tack till Sunday (4th July), 5 in the morning, when I anchored in the roads of Belisle.' The Fort of Belisle to the W. The Point of Taillefer to the N.W. Point of Locmaria S.E. ; La Teignouse N.E.
Thursday, 8th July. — Passed two Dutch ships going to Nantes. At midday in the ' Teignouse ' three frigates passed convoying about 100 barques for the coast of Brittany.
Sunday, llth July. — There appeared two ships, coming by the ' Pointe des Poulains ' to look for the corals of Belle Isle. I prepared myself for combat when thèse two vessels were within one range and a half of my cannon. I hoisted my flag and confirmed ^ it by firing a gun, the two ships hoisted a white flag, but without confirming it. Not wishing to trust the said ships too far, I fired a cannon bail to make them lay to, and send me their boat to know who they were ; but the said ships doing nothiug, I fired agaln, and the bail passed between the masts of Captain MacCarthy,* who lay to and came on board to make himself known. Vessels of the enemy are every day under Belle Isle, under French flags, so that one must distrust every vessel that comes there.
Tuesday, 13th (July). — The Elisabeth,^ King's vessel, cast anchor in the roads of Belle Isle at 1 1 o'clock in the morning.
Thursday, 15th (July). — Raised anchor from the roads of Belle Isle in Company with the Elisabeth, Captain Deau,^ about 5 in the morning. At 8 in the evening 'Groix ' ^ was N.E., ' Les Glenans ' * N.
From Saturday (I7th July) at noonto Sunday, ISth, at noon. — In the N.W. 7 ships going south. We took them for ships from Brest.
' The island of Pilier, off Noirmoutier. It appeara from other statements that the
' Roads of the Palace iu Belisle. Elisabeth had l.een captured by Mr. Walsh
' [It was the custoiu to 'certify' a ship's and adjudged to him as a prize. Possibly
nationality by hoisting the flag, and 'assurer the French government niay hâve bought it
le pavillon' by firing ofîa gun when the flag from him.
vpas hoisted.— Tr.] e Or rather d'O, whose ancestor fought
< [See p. 15.— Tr.] at Vêlez Malaga with the Comte de Toulouse
^ War frigate of 60 guns, placed at the (in 1704).
disposai of Charles Edward by the inter- ^ The island of Groix (Morbihan).
médiation of Cardinal de Tencin ; shebrought * Isles of the parish of Fouesniint (Finis-
to the Prince arms, money, and furnishings. tère).
From Sunday (18tli July) at noonto Monday, 19th. — We still saw the 7 ships of yesterday to the S.
From Monday (l9tli July) at noon to Tuesday, 20th current. — We heard severa) sliots fired coming from tlie N.E. We perceived that they were pursuing us, and coming obliquely upon us. Seeing the said ships nearing us we spoke M. Dau (d'O), commander of the Elisabeth, and prepared for battle at noon. The said vessel was to the E. at a distance of a league and a half [4|- miles] with ail sails set to overtake us. We recognised it as a ship with two and a half batteries,^ suspected to be English.
From Tuesday, 20th (July), at noon, to Wednesday, 2l6t. — Being prepared for battle, and the Chaplain having given absolution, Monsieur d'O and I approached to speak to each other. M. d'O told me he was going to furl his lower sails. Monsieur Walsh, in agreement with the Prince (Charles Edward), told me to wait an hour and continue our route. In which M. d'O acquiesced, and we agreed with the said d'O that if he were obliged to fight, as soon as he had fired his first l'ound, we should board [the EUsahetJÏ], and as soon as he was in grips with the English ship, to board it also and put fifty men on board. This is what we agreed upon at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Seeing that the English ship was always drawing nearer, M. d'O furled his lower sails, put his long boat" to sea and lay to. We saw that this ship [the enemy] only wanted to make us lose way, to give time for the ships we had seen in the morning to come up. We agreed to hoist saU^ and to continue our route, which we did. The English ship seeing this, and sailing always better than we, hoisted sail also, and sent his long boat" out to gain greater advantage over us, and hâve more room on deck. At half-past 5 in the evening the English ship was on the beam of ■* the Elisaheth. We ail furled our lower sails. The English commander fired from his port guns, M. d'O answered with ail his starboard guns. The Englishman being to windward of the Elisabeth hauled down his mizzen (sail) and hoisted his jib.^ The Elisabeth having delayed a little in executing the same manœuvre, the Englishman had time
' Ship with two decka, with batteries in ' ['Faire servir.'— Tk.]
the fore and aft galleries. ^ [' En bau.'— Tr.]
- ['Chaloupe.' — Tr.] ^ At the bowsprit mast.
to pass forward, and contrived so well that he fired ail his port voUey, whicli raked tlie Elisabeth fore and aft and must hâve killed many and done her great damage, so well also that the Englishman got between our two ships, and so well that he fired from his starboard guns three shots, which passed between my masts ; my sails were riddled with his small shot * so much so that we did not fire, being out of range to reach him with our small guns ; the two ships changed places and steered S.E., crossing each other, so that the Englishman fired his starboard volley and the Elisabeth her port voUey. We waited to board the Elisabeth as had been agreed. We foUowed her close to be able to put some men on board in case of her being boarded, not being able to give her any other help, because the English guns, which were 33 poundei's, did not permit us to approach her. We were much afraid that in makinsr the course S.E. we might meet the vessels seen in the morning. We still foUowed the Elisabeth closely to be able to help her in case of her being boarded. At 10 in the evening, the firing ceased on both sides, and we went to speak the Elisabeth. M. Bar,'"* flag captain of the said ship, told VIS that M. d'O was dangerously wounded and that his ship was more damaged than he could say, and begged me to let down a small boat and send him some men to fit up again. I said I would do this, and to keep my boat outside, I told him to lie to, that I might be able to send it ; he said he could not do it, and that I must foUow him. As we feared to fall in with the vessels we had seen in the morning, we held council till it was resolved to find out if the Elisabeth was in a condition to put to sea, in which case we would hâve foUowed her. I inquired as to this from M. Bar, who told me it was not [fit] and that he must absolutely put into Brest. Seeing this, as we did not want to put into port, we decided by the Prince's order to continue our course to Scotland, which we did after wishing good voyage to M. Bar. We bore to the S.W. Latitude observed 47°5 ; longitude arrived at 5°3.
Friday, 23rd (July), to Saturday, 24th. — An hour after midday the watch called out ' Ship ahead.' She was just in front of us, a moment after we saw ten others N.N.E. of us. We thought thèse
' ['Mitraille.'— Tr.] 2 pesoendant of Jean Bart, jj,
PKINCE CHARLES EDWARD 21
ships were bound N.N.W. We changed course to avoid them, heading to the E. At 5 afternoon, seeing that thèse ships remained in the same Avind, I went aloft, and distinguished that thèse ships were going east. I steered N.W. to give a false route, for fear they should chase us.
Saturday, 24th (July) to Sunday, 25th. — At 6 in the morning saw a ship straight before us, going east. I intended to bear down upon her to stop her course, but received orders to avoid her, which I did. At 10 o'clock we saw another ship, north of the one we had seen, with sails bi'ailed. At noon the ships spoke each other, I thlnk they are in company.
Sunday, i25th (July), at noon, to Monday 26th. — At 4 in the afternoon I saw the ships of the morning steering for us ; took them for corsahs. We made ail sail. Heavy wind and rain which lasted tiU 1 in the morning, when it calmed down. The wind came by a ' cottée' to the north. Tightened royals and scudding sails ^ and put the ' amure ' " to starboard. At noon saw two ships to windward bearing east.
Monday, 26th (July), at 4 in the evening. — Found myself over a kind of high ridge, which seemed clear, but full of sea-weed.
From Tuesday, 27th July, noon, to Wednesday, 28th. — Saw many birds such as guUs and coots,^ and feathers on the water.
From Friday, 30th July, at noon, to Saturday, 31st. — At 4 in the morning I saw land. It ajjpeared to be a round hill,* flat at top, very high, like a platform, to the South. Other pointed hills, about 5 or 6, S.S.W., and others joined together, forming also round hills, to the S.E. 1 tacked, the winds being variable, the big flat-topped hill remained in the same quarter, proving that the currents carry terribly to the East at the northern opening of the Irish Channel, causing me to find myself 26 ' lieues ' [78 miles] farther east than my ship,^ and the ' Neptune françois '*' is farther S. S.E. than the Dutch maps [or charts] by 30 minutes. That gave us an error of latitude ; expecting to see to southward the Isles of Wice ' ; not at ail : we
> ['Bonnettes and perroquets.' — Tr.] he made out the ship to be by calculation
2 [A certain rope or sheet attached to a or reckoning. — Tr.]
sail.— Tr.] " [Atlas or Nautical Charts by Manne-
3 ['Foulques.'— Tr.] villette, flrst published in 174.5.— Tr.]
* ['Morne.'— Tr.] ' North and South Uist in the Hébrides,
' [Meauing apparently further east than
22 A EOYALIST FAMILY AND
saw the north of Irelaud. The big Cape that I saw, I took from tlie 'Neptune' to be the island of Tores ^ which was S.E. of me 7 'lieues' [21 miles] distant. The great land S.W. of Tores and the others joining together into small round hills to the S.E. I took to be the islets at the Cape ' Scheeps Haiven.' ^ The ' Neptune françois' is better than the Dutch charts, it agrées with my instruments.
Saturday, 31st July, to Sunday, Ist August. — I do not see land at noon — the route is not promising.
I perceive that I am to the N.W. of the Island of Tores distant 36 miles.
Sunday, 2nd August, at noon, to Tuesday, 3rd. — I steered N.E. to reconnoitre the island of Bernera * which is the most to the south of the islands of ' Wice.' * At 6 in the evening saw the Isle of Bernera,'' which remained to the east of us, distant about 9 ' lieues ' [27 miles]. Thèse are very high [mountainous] islands, with small ones interspersed. By daylight I passed to the E. of the said islets of the Isle of Wice.*^ On my starboard there remained several islands distant 15 or 18 miles which are marked on the maps. I was alongside of a big island, very high, and steeply eut into peaks on every sida, behind which on the great island are houses. I lowered my ' chaloupe ' — Mr. Macdonald, Banker of Paris, and his servant, embarked in it and went to land to speak and to fetch a pilot. This place is called ' Bara.' '' At 10 o'clock a long boat, which crossed over from the land,* came out. She carried a horse, a calf, a woman, and children. We took the Master of the ■ said long boat to pilot us. At 1 1 o'clock our own boat came back with a pilot. Mr. Magdonnel reported to us that he had been told the plot was discovered, and that on the said islets an English gentleman had been captured and taken to the Tower of London, which should instruct us as to what should be done. We made up our minds and started for the island of Canay.^ As soon
' Tory, island on the N. of Irelaud to the ^ [Berneray.]
