When Jean Lafitte heard of the vigorous methods which were about to be
taken against him, his prospects must have been very gloomy ones, for
of course he could not defend his little colony against a regular naval
force, which, although its large vessels could not sail into the shallow
bay, could send out boats with armed crews against which it would be
foolish for him to contend. But just about this time a very strange
thing happened.
A strong English naval force had taken possession of Pensacola, Florida,
and as an attack upon New Orleans was contemplated, the British
commander, knowing of Lafitte's colony at Barrataria, and believing that
these hardy and reckless adventurers would be very valuable allies in
the proposed movement upon the city, determined to send an ambassador to
Lafitte to see what could be done in the way of forming an alliance with
this powerful leader of semi-pirates and smugglers.
Accordingly, the sloop of war _Sophia_, commanded by Captain Lockyer,
was sent to Barrataria to treat with Lafitte, and when this vessel
arrived off the mouth of the harbor, which she could not enter, she
began firing signal guns in order to attract the attention of the people
of the colony. Naturally enough, the report of the _Sophia's_ guns
created a great excitement in Barrataria, and all the people who
happened to be at the settlement at that time crowded out upon the beach
to see what they could see.
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