i8oo] THE EXPEDITION ABANDONED 379
the danger of the fleet continuing in that anchorage, and of the impossibility of their having any communication "with shore in case of a South-West wind. I begged Sir Ralph, if he could not get a decided opinion from Lord Keith, to insist upon liaving that of the naval officers. I returned to my own ship. In the evening an order was received to prepare to land at daylight. The fleet had anchored soon after the troops had re-embarked; but not in any order; all mixed. The order for landing at daylight stated that the ships of the first division were to anchor in the morning inshore near the Phaeton; but as it gave no detail, we expected that nearly as much confusion would attend the attempt in the morning as had attended that of the day before. About one in the morning the Hector's "boat came alongside with directions to hoist in the flat boats and launches. Soon after this was received it began to rain and blow from the South-West right on shore. At daylight a signal was made to annul the landing, and to be ready to weigh. Sir Ealph has left the Foudroyant and has returned to his own ship, the Diadem, and everything indicates that the expedition is given up. Whether this is in consequence of the weather, or of any previous determination, we know not. At any rate, the surf on shore makes it impossible to land, and the officers of this ship say that if I had landed with the reserve yesterday it would have been impossible, from the weather in the night and this morning, to have afforded us any support.
TETUAN BAY, 14th October.—The fleet got under weigh upon the 7th, and the whole, though with the loss of some cables and anchors, got off. The signal was made to rendezvous in case of separation in Tetuan Bay. The weather was gloomy and the°wind continued to blow from the S.W. until about mid-day on the 8th, when it cleared up. We were then, in sight of Cadiz lighthouse, with scarcely any wind. It was not until the nth and I2th that we reached this bay, owing to calms and light winds.