This retreat, of course, left the island and the battery at the mercy of the pirates.  The latter landed, set fire to the buildings, blew up the magazine, dismounted the guns, and did all the other damage to the place that could be accomplished in the course of a short visit.  They then went on board their vessels, again, and began to beat up into the Western Passage, following the colonists who preceded them, keeping just out of gun-shot.

The Western Passage was somewhat crooked, and different reaches were of very frequent occurrence.  This sometimes aided a vessel in ascending, or going to windward, and sometimes offered obstacles.  As there were many other passages, so many false channels, some of which were culs-de-sacs, it was quite possible for one ignorant of the true direction to miss his way; and this circumstance suggested to the governor an expedient which was highly approved of by His friend and counsellor, captain Betts, when it was laid before that plain, but experienced, seaman.  There was one false passage, about a league within the group, which led off to the northward, and far from all the settlements, that offered several inducements to enter it.  In the first place, it had more of the appearance of a main channel, at its point of junction, than the main channel itself, and might easily be mistaken for it; then, it turned right into the wind’s eye, after beating up it for a league; and at the end of a long reach that ran due-south-east, it narrowed so much as to render it questionable whether the Anne and Martha could pass between the rocks, into a wide bay beyond.  This bay was the true cul-de-sac, having no other outlet or inlet than the narrow pass just mentioned; though it was very large, was dotted with islands, and reached quite to the vicinity of Loam Island, or within a mile, or two, of the Reef.

The main question was whether the schooner and the sloop could pass through the opening which communicated between the reach and the bay.  If not, they must inevitably fall into the hands of the pirates, should they enter the false channel, and be followed in.  Then, even admitting that the Anne and Martha got through the narrow passage, should the pirates follow them in their boats, there would be very little probability of their escaping; though they might elude their pursuers for a time among the islands.  Captain Betts was of opinion that the two vessels could get through, and was strongly in favour of endeavouring to lead the enemy off the true course to the Reef, by entangling them in this cul-de-sac. If nothing but delay was gained, delay would be something.  It was always an advantage to the assailed to have time to recover from their first alarm, and to complete their arrangements.  The governor listened to his friend’s arguments with favour, but he sent the Neshamony on direct to the Reef, with a letter to Pennock, acquainting that functionary with the state of things, the intended plan, and a request that a twelve-pounder, that was mounted on a travelling carriage, might be put on board the boat, and sent to a landing, whence it might easily be dragged by hand to the narrow passage so often mentioned.  This done, he took the way into the false channel himself.