Times of the Islands Spring 2017

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
DONALD KEITH
This map of the southern end of Grand Turk shows where the engagements described in the transcript below took place.
evidently named after the Marquis de Castries, then
Secretary of the French Navy], which he intended to use
as a retreat point if the situation dictated it. I planned,
upon my departure, to leave the Cornwallis under his
command. Judging that she was not safe where we were,
I had her anchor under this new battery which she managed
to reach only after zigzagging among rocks, and
because she drew little water, which afforded her shelter
from attacks. I was also required to put ashore my water
as well as my casks, consequently I kept only what was
necessary for my crossing [back to Saint-Domingue].
Monsieur de Bellecombe stipulated that I must stay
in the Turk Islands not only until the stronghold which
we wanted to establish was completed, but also to leave
as to arrive at the Cap no earlier than March 6th, in order
that my mission be kept secret until that date. The 27th
of February, everything being finished at the Grande
Saline, the workmen were kept occupied constructing the
gun battery on the small island [Gibbs Cay]. This work,
meant to be the last, was well-advanced within the next
two days, which allowed me to set my departure date
between the 4th and the 5th. I had been, up to that point,
as lucky as I could have hoped to be, all the operations
being completed, and I enjoyed the satisfaction of having
precisely fulfilled the mission that had been entrusted to
me, confident of the good fortune I still needed for my
return journey.
On the 2nd of March, at two o’clock in the afternoon,
the rowboat and long boat being occupied, the first transporting
timber from the Grande Saline to the small island
to finish the cribbing, and the long boat gathering ballast,
the lookout posted on land signaled seeing sails.
Nothing had yet been spotted from the top of the masts
where I myself climbed having only a few officers, but
no sooner were we in position to observe than two vessels
that had been hidden by the upper elevations of the
island, suddenly appeared behind a lower land feature,
heading toward the North point. Because of their proximity
we were able to recognize a vessel with two batteries
[two gun decks] and a frigate, and at the same time able
to judge our tardiness in spotting them. We did not have
any time to waste, prompting me to cut the [anchor] cable
on the spot. I also hailed the Dauphin who took the same
action, and we headed to the south of the channel, raising
sails as promptly as possible. I had sixty men ashore,
and the Sieur de Gaillard, garde de la marine, was also
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