Occasional expeditions of a different nature gave zest and excitement to this rustic life.

These occurred when alarms of English invasion reached the settlement, and volunteers marched to the defence of the frontier.

Twice Gallatin accompanied such parties to Passamaquoddy, and once, in November, 1780, was left for a time in command of a small earthwork and a temporary garrison of whites and Indians at that place.

At Machias Gallatin made one acquaintance which greatly interested him, that of La Perouse, the famous navigator.

He was then in command of the Amazone frigate, one of the French squadron on the American coast, and had in convoy a fleet of fishing vessels on their way to the Newfoundland banks.