But the war-vessel was too far away for them
to distinguish her nationality, and Lafitte quickly made up his mind
that the only thing for him to do was to row out to the mouth of the
harbor and see what was the matter. Without doubt he feared that this
was the United States vessel which had come to break up his settlement.
But whether this was the case or not, he must go out and try the effect
of fair words, for he had no desire whatever to defend his interests by
hard blows.
Before Lafitte reached the vessel he was surprised to find it was a
British man-of-war, not an American, and very soon he saw that a boat
was coming from it and rowing toward him. This boat contained Captain
Lockyer and two other officers, besides the men who rowed it; when the
two boats met, the captain told who he was, and asked if Mr. Lafitte
could be found in Barrataria, stating that he had an important document
to deliver to him. The cautious Frenchman did not immediately admit that
he was the man for whom the document was intended, but he said that
Lafitte was at Barrataria, and as the two boats rowed together toward
shore, he thought it would be as well to announce his position, and did
so.
When the crowd of privateersmen saw the officers in British uniform
landing upon their beach, they were not inclined to receive them kindly,
for an attack had been made upon the place by a small British force
some time before, and a good deal of damage had been done.
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