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THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
A SAILOR OF KING GEORGE
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A SAILOR
OF KING GEORGE
THE JOURNALS OF
CAPTAIN FREDERICK HOFFMAN. R.N.
1793— 1814
EDITED BY
A. BECKFORD BEVAN
AND
H. B. WOLRYCHE-WHITMORE
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET
1901
BRADBURY, AGNEW, & CO. LD., PRINTERS,
LONDON AND TONBRIDGE.
DA
r... 1
PREFACE.
In a memorial presented in 1835 to the Lords
of the Admiralty, the author of the journals which
form this volume details his various services. He
joined the Navy in October, 1793, his first ship
being H.M.S. Blonde. He was present at the siege
of Martinique in 1794, and returned to England the
same year in H.M.S. Hannibal with despatches and
the colours of Martinique. For a few months the
ship was attached to the Channel Fleet, and then
suddenly, in 1795, was ordered to the West Indies
again. Here he remained until 1802, during
which period he was twice attacked by yellow
fever.
The author was engaged in upwards of eighteen
boat actions, in one of which, at Tiberoon Bay,
St. Domingo, he was wounded in the head, and
entirely lost the hearing of his left ear.
As first lieutenant of H.M.S. Volage, while
attempting to cut out an enemy's vessel laden with
tobacco from under the guns of the Moro Castle, St.
J ago de Cuba, after a running fight of two hours
with three Spanish privateers, he was obliged to
surrender, and was carried prisoner to St. J ago,
where he remained for six weeks until exchanged.
M r\r~^. M
vl PREFACE.
In 1802 he returned to England in the Volage,
which was then paid off.
In 1803 he was appointed lieutenant of H.M.S.
Minotaur on the Channel Service, but in 1804, in
consequence of a very severe attack of rheumatic
fever, which completely prostrated him and for
several months necessitated the use of crutches, he
resigned his post.
On his recovery, in the summer of 1805, he was
appointed to H.M.S. Toiinant, and was senior lieu-
tenant of her lower deck quarters in the Battle of
Trafalgar, concerning which he gives several new
and interesting details. During the battle he was
slightly wounded in the left hand.
His next ship was H.M.S. Diamond (to which
he was appointed March 8th, 1806), ordered for
service on the West Coast of Africa. In 1807
he became commander of the Favourite sloop of
war in consequence of the death of her captain, and
three months afterwards took the last convoy of
slave ships to the West Indies.
In 1808, while in Jamaica, he was attacked by
fever, which affected his eyesight, nearly producing
blindness ; and, on the advice of the doctor at Port
Royal Hospital, Admiral Dacres gave him per-
mission to exchange into the Goelan sloop of war,
which was shortly afterwards ordered to England
with convoy.
In 1810 he was appointed to command the Apelles
on the Downs station, and in this capacity he was
actively employed until May, 1812, when, during
PREFACE. vii
the middle watch, and in a dense fog, the Apelles,
with the Skylark, her leader, unfortunately grounded
on the French coast, near Etaples, on "the infant
ebb of a spring tide." All efforts to float the sloop
were vain, and, after being for three hours under
the incessant fire of a French battery, which riddled
her hull and cut away her masts, and having mean-
while sent away all the crew which the boats were
capable of containing, the author and eighteen
others were com.pelled to surrender.
The following is the sentence of the Court Martial
held at Portsmouth on the conduct of Captain
Hoffman for the loss of H.M. sloop Apelles, Sir
George Martin, Bart., President: —
" That there is no blame whatever attached to
the conduct of Captain Hoffman ; that he is fully
and honourably acquitted.
" That great praise is due to him for remaining
with his ship.
" That the Court regrets he was under the painful
necessity of becoming a prisoner, and that his
services were lost to his country for the period ot
two years."
After reading the sentence Sir G. Martin spoke
as follows : —
'' Captain Hoffman, — In the name of the Court
and myself I present you the sword, which by your
conduct you so well merit."
The author spent about two years in France,
and during his captivity there did excellent service
to his country by opening and superintending a
viii PREFACE.
school for the midshipmen who were also prisoners
of war at Verdun.
It appears that he wrote these records of his life
while residing at Dover in 1838. He evidently
intended to have them published, but for some
reason or another they have never hitherto been
printed.
The Editors, in presenting them to the public
more than sixty years after they were originally
written, think that they will prove of general
interest, not because they lay claim to literary
excellence, but because they present a simple,
unexaggerated picture of the everyday life in the
navy a century ago, and give us an insight into
the characters of the men who helped to build up
the sea power of Great Britain, and to bring her to
her present position of political and commercial
greatness.
November, 1901.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY EXPERIENCES.
My mother consents to my going to sea — Journey to Portsmouth —
Join H.M.S. Blonde — Take General Prescott and suite on board
— We sail — Supply West Indiamen with provisions and in return
impress six seamen — Windbound at Fahnouth — Again sail —
Attacked by four French frigates, but escape and again make
Falmouth — Finally sail for West Indies— Amusements in crossing
the Equator pp. i — 1^
CHAPTER II.
WEST INDIES,
Arrival in West Indies — Cruise among the French Islands — Bombard-
ment and capture of St. Pierre, Dominique — Attack on Fort
Bourbon — Capture of Forts — Surrender of General Rochambeau
and the French garrison pp. i8 — 29
CHAPTER III.
RETURN TO ENGLAND.
Sail for England with despatches — A lunar rainbow — A two-tailed
fish — Reach Falmouth after passage of fifteen days — To Plymouth
to refit — All leave refused — S.nlors' frolics ashore — To sea again —
Cruise off French coast and Channel Islands — Run aground off
Guernsey — Return to Plymouth to repair damages — Rejoin fleet
— French fleet escapes into Brest — Return to Plymouth to refit
for foreign service — Transhipped to H.M.S. /Af/z/z/Z-'tz/— Descrip-
tion of the ship's officers — Tricks played on the Irish chaplain.
pp. 30—45
X CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IV.
OFF USHANT.
Join the Channel fleet off Ushant — Capture the French frigate Gentille^
also a twenty-four-gun ship five days later — Fleet returns to
Portsmouth — Prize-money — To sea again in charge of a convoy —
Transport with two hundred Hessian troops on board founders off
Cape Finisterre — Suddenly ordered to West Indies — Fightbetween
a negro and a shark at Port Royal, Jamaica— Dignity balls —
Collision with H.M.S. Sampson — Outbreak of yellow fever —
Ordered to sea — Capture two French ships and two privateers.
pp. 46 — 56
CHAPTER V.
WEST INDIES AGAIN.
Owing to ravages of yellow fever go to Jamaica to obtain more
seamen — Difficulties and humours of impressment — Author
attacked by yellow fever — Proceed to Cape St. Nicholas mole-
Great mortality among the officers .... pp. 57 — 68
CHAPTER VI.
TOUGH YARNS.
Tough yarns — The sea-serpent — The fair-wind sellers of Bremen —
Mermen and mermaidens — Capture of Spanish schooner with
mulatto laundresses on board — Boat attack on, and capture of the
French privateer Salamandre — Outbreak of malignant scurvy —
Novel method of treatment — French women dressed as men — A
voyage of discovery PP- ^9 — ^5
CHAPTER VII.
CRUISING OFF PORTO RICO.
A ball on board — Fishing with a seine — Ordered to cruise off Porto
Rico — News of the Battle of Camperdown — The boasts of
Napoleon — Views on matrimony — A sailor's courtship — Futile
boat attack on a Spanish war vessel at St. Domingo — Author
loses the hearing of his left ear from effect of a wound, pp. 86 — 99
CHAPTER VIII.
MUTINY ON H.M.S. HERMIONE.
Tea with the boatswain's wife — News of the mutiny at the Nore
causes trouble among the sailors — Sent to cruise in consequence
CONTENTS. xi
— A white squall and waterspout — Capture of a Spanish cruiser —
Return to Port Royal — H.M.S. Hernn'ofie seized by mutineers
and carried to Porto Bello — Recaptured by Captain Hamilton —
An alarm caused by fireflies pp. \oo — 113
CHAPTER IX.
A MOCK COURT-MARTIAL.
Transhipped to H.M.S. Quee7i (98)— Sailors' appreciation of books —
The ship runs aground and sinks : with difficulty raised — A mock
court-martial on the master — Author made lieutenant with a
commission on a twenty-four-gun ship . . . pp. iiA — 125
CHAPTER X.
MORE CRUISING.
Requested to act as first lieutenant, but refuses — Description of
officers— A fruitless search for a Spanish treasure ship— Run on
a coral reef, but float off again — A tropical thunderstorm — A
futile attempt to cut out three schooners off Matanzas — Author
becomes first lieutenant — Return to Port Royal— The incriminating
papers of an American sloop found in a shark — Seize a French
ship in ballast off St. Domingo .... pp.126 — 138
CHAPTER XI.
A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
Visit to a Jamaica plantation — Condition of the slaves — A growl
against the House of Commons and the Admiralty — Author
attempting to cut out a Spanish zebec, is taken prisoner — His
pleasant experiences while in captivity — At last released.
pp. 139—155
CHAPTER XII.
FIGHTING EPISODES.
Returns to his ship— Capture of a French schooner — An episode with
two American sloops of war — Return to Port Royal — Attacked a
second time by yellow fever — Seize and burn a Spanish gunboat
— Return to Port Royal — Wetting a midshipman's commission —
Ordered home with a convoy — Pathetic farewells with mulatto
washerwomen PP- 156 — 168
xii ^ CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XIII.
HOME AGAIN.
Ordered to the Black River — Meet the magistrate there, and "bow to
his bishop " — Sail with a convoy of thirty ships — Arrive at Deal —
A cruise on horseback on a baker's nag, which conscientiously
goes the bread round — The author's brother comes on board, but
he fails to recognise him — Paid off at Deptford . pp. 169 — 181
CHAPTER XIV.
A HOLIDAY ASHORE.
On shore — Tired of inactivity — Apply for a ship — Appointed to H.M.S.
Minotaur (74) — Prisoners sent on board as part of crew — Go to
Plymouth — Scarcity of seamen — Ruse to impress an Irish farm
labourer — Ordered to join the Channel fleet off Ushant — Capture
French thirty-six-gun ship — In danger off Ushant — Capture two
small French ships and one Dutch one : Author sent to Plymouth
in charge of the latter — Placed in quarantine . . pp. 182 — 198
CHAPTER XV.
A LINE-OF-BATTLE SHIP,
The ship arrives — Captain's attempt to form a band — Sail again —
Attacked by rheumatic fever and invalided ashore — Ordered to
join H.M.S. To7inant — Proceed to Mediterranean — At Oran :
experiences ashore pp. 199 — 209
CHAPTER XVI.
BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR.
Join Lord Nelson's squadron — Battle of Trafalgar — Author's experi-
ences— Occurrences during action — Severity of operations before
the use of anaesthetics — The Tonnanfs casualty list— Proceed to
Gibraltar — A truce with Spain during horse races on neutral
ground there i>p' 210 — 221
CHAPTER XVII.
OFF BREST.
Return under jury-masts to England — Arrive at Spithead — The
admiral, the middy, and the dirk— Join H.M.S. Diamond as first
lieutenant — Attached to Lord St. Vincent's fleet off Brest — A
change of captains — Weary waiting for an enemy who never
came pp- 222 — 233
CONTENTS. xiii
CHAPTER XVIII.
" ORDERED FOREIGN."
Ordered on foreign sei-vice — Visit Madeira, Cape do Verde, and Goree
— Experiences on shore — Sail for Cape Coast Castle — Difficulty
of landing— The captain's black lady— Author appointed captain
of H.M.S. Favourite— VrocQQd to Accrah— Sacred alligators.
pp. 234—245
CHAPTER XIX.
WEST COAST ADVENTURES.
Cruise along West African coast— Dinner with the Danish consul at
Cape Coast Castle— Ordered to Sierra Leone— A trip inland— We
proceed to the Los Islands— A trip up the River Pongo— Quell
disturbance on a slaver— A dinner with a native prince — His
presents PP- 246 — 258
CHAPTER XX.
WITH SLAVE CONVOY.
Return to Sierra Leone— Dinner party aboard— Sail with convoy ot
five slave-ships — How the slaves were obtained — Arrive Bar-
badoes— Sail for Tobago and Trinidad— Visit Pitch Lake— To
Jamaica— Cruising off Cuba — Futile attempt on two Spanish
privateers — Capture small Spanish privateer — Return to Jamaica
— Arrange exchange with captain of home-going ship — A challenge
to Spanish corvette declined by the latter . . pp. 259 — 268
CHAPTER XXI.
HOME WITH MAHOGANY.
My new ship — Sail for Belize — Native and alligator— Sail for England
with convoy of ships — Hear of peace being signed between England
and Spain— Arrive in England— Paid off at Sheerness— Return
home— Tired of country life— Apply for ship— Appointed to
H.M.S. Apelles pp- 269—279
CHAPTER XXII.
OFF BOULOGNE.
Brig sloop sent to watch the French flotilla off Boulogne— Monotonous
duty— Return to Sheerness to refit— Story of Billy Culmer— More
cruising off Boulogne— Return to England . . pp. 280—289
xiv CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXIII,
THE SAME WEARY ROUND.
Leave to return home for four days — Visit of the Duke of Clarence —
Again off Boulogne — Down Channel with a convoy — Boulogne
once more — Refit at Plymouth— Return Boulogne — Run aground
on French coast — Part of crew escape in boats — Author and
nineteen men remain on board .... pp. 290 — 300
CHAPTER XXIV.
TAKEN PRISONER.
Taken prisoner, and removed to Boulogne gaol — Asked to dinner by
General Lemaroix — News of Perceval's assassination — Parole
refused — Marched to Montreuil-sur-Mer — On to Hesdin ; being
footsore, Author insists on having a carriage — Drives to Arras.
pp. 301—310
CHAPTER XXV.
AT CAMBRAY.
Meet an Englishman — At last put on parole — Dine with Lieutenant
Horton — Proceed to Cambray — Relics of Archbishop Fenelon —
Meet Captain Otter at Verdun — Prisoners' amusements — Author
and Captain Otter establish a school for midshipmen — Author
moves into country quarters — Severe censorship of prisoners
letters — Ordered to Blois — Purchase a cart and horses.
pp. 311—320
CHAPTER XXVI.
END OF CAPTIVITY.
Horses bolt, and cart upsets — Reach Blois after six days' travelling —
Miserable condition of French troops after return from Moscow —
Ordered to Gueret on the Creuse — A miserable journey of five
days — Poor accommodation — Allowed to move to country quarters
at Masignon — An earthquake shock — News of Napoleon's abdi-
cation— Start for Paris — Reach Fontainebleau in nine days —
Proceed to Paris — Lodgings dear and scarce — State entrance of
Louis XVIII. into Paris /^A 321— 331
CHAPTER XXVII.
HONOURABLY ACQUITTED.
Obtain a passport after some difficulty from Prince Metternich — Start
for England via Rouen and Havre — Sail to Spithead — Amused at
Englishwomen's queer dress— Return to family — Acquitted for
loss of H. M.S. ^/^//^^ //• 332— 334
Appkndix ... pp. 335 — 340
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Captain F. Hoffman, R.N. {hy V. Varillas,
1818) Frontispiece
Falmouth Harbour To face 10
Plymouth Harbour
Port Royal, Jamaica
Luxurious Vegetation, Jamaica...
Entrance to St. Iago, Cuba
The Battle of Trafalgar {after C. Stanfield, R.A .)
HM.S. Apelles
The Entry of the Allies into Paris by the
Porte St. Martin, March 31, 1814
50
108
140
146
210
280
330
A SAILOR OF KING
GEORGE.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY EXPERIENCES.
My mother consents to my going to sea — Journey to Portsmouth —
Join H.M.S. Blonde — Take General Prescott and suite on board
— We sail — Supply West Indiamen with provisions and in return
impress six seamen — Windbound at Falmouth — Again sail —
Attacked by four French frigates, but escape and again make
Falmouth — Finally sail for West Indies — Amusements in crossing
the Equator.
One morning sitting with my mother in the
drawing-room and entreating her to comply with
my wish to enter the Navy, she was so intent on
listening to my importunities and her patchwork
that she did not observe that the cat was running
away with her favourite goldfinch ; the cat, with
the poor bird in its mouth, was near the door,
waiting to escape. Seeing what had happened, I
immediately ran to the poor little bird's assistance,
but, alas ! too late, as the cruel animal had torn
off one of its wings.
Whilst my mother was feelingly lamenting her
favourite's untimely death, and deliberating whether
the cat should be given away, the door opened,
K.G. B
2 EARLY EXPERIENCES.
the culprit escaped, and Captain Elphinstone
entered. On his observing my mother's paleness, he
requested to know if anything of a serious nature
had occurred in the family. " No," replied she,
" except the loss of a favourite bird, which I cer-
tainly regret, as it was killed by the cat in a most
distressing manner, and," added she, " my spirits
are not at this moment very good in consequence
of my son's wishing to enter the Navy." " The
first," said he, " I lament, as it has deprived you
of a pet ; the latter may in the end be a matter of
rejoicing. Whoknowsbut that your son, if he enters
that noble service, may turn out a second Hawke."
My ears thrilled at his remark.
" Do you really think. Captain Elphinstone,"
said my mother, with a half-sorrowful countenance,
"that it would be to his advantage?" "Most
assuredly," replied he, " as I think it very likely war
will shortly be declared against that unhappy and
distracted France, and he will have a very fair
chance of making prize money, and in time will
gain his promotion."
" Quit the room a short time, my love," said my
mother to me. In about a quarter of an hour,
which I thought an hour, I was sent for. Captain
Elphinstone had taken his leave. I found my
mother still very pale. " I am afraid, dear boy,"
she began, "that Captain Elphinstone has almost
persuaded me against my will. He has spoken of
the prospects of the Naval Service in so favourable
a manner that I am nearly tempted to let you
MY FIRST UNIFORM. 3
enter it, and should war unhappily be declared
against our unfortunate neighbours, the French,
and my friend Captain Markham be appointed to a
ship, I believe I must make up my mind to be quite
persuaded and let you have your wish." '' Thank
you, my dear mother," replied I, overjoyed at what
I knew nothing about. A short time after this
conversation, war was declared against France,
or rather France provoked it, and Captain Markham
was appointed to the Blonde frigate. My mother
instantly wrote to him ; his answer was favourable,
and he requested her to let me join him as soon as
possible. All now was bustle and preparation.
My brothers were sent for home, and begged to be
allowed to go with me. Poor fellows ! they little
knew what they asked. In a few days I was fully
equipped. I mounted my uniform, and I thought
my brothers and the young friends who came
to take leave of me appeared to envy me my
finery, particularly my dirk, which they examined
so often that I began to think they would wear it
out. At length the evening arrived for me to quit
my dear, happy home. My mother was sensibly
affected, my sister looked serious, but my brothers,
who were younger than myself — little rogues ! — only
looked disappointed that they could not go with
me. I am sorry to say that my spirits were so
buoyant that sorrow did not enter my head.
Captain Elphinstone was kind enough to accom-
pany me to the coach, and on the 12th day of
October, 1793,— oh ! happy day, at least I thoui^ht so
B 2
4 EARLY EXPERIENCES.
— we repaired to the sign of that nondescript
bird, the " Swan with Two Necks " in Lad Lane,
Cheapside. After taking an affectionate farewell of
those who came with me, I stepped into the vehicle
of transport with a light foot, a light heart, and, I
fear, a light head, as I fancied by the people
staring at me that I was the lion of the occasion.
When we stopped for supper a gentlemanly person,
who sat opposite, asked me what ship I belonged
to. I informed him, and he told me he was
Captain W., of the 31st Regiment, going to join his
division at Portsea, destined for Gibraltar. "It is
probable you will not join the frigate for a few days
after your arrival," said he, " and if you do not, we
have a mess at Portsmouth where I shall be happy
to see you." I thanked him warmly for his con-
siderate and kind invitation. I had only one oppor-
tunity of dining with him, as he embarked three
days after his arrival. About six o'clock in the
evening I reached the "Blue Postesses " where
the midshipmen put their chestesses and eat their
breakfastesses. Next morning, and whilst I was
prosing over my breakfast, in walked a midship-
man, about twenty years of age, with a face which
appeared to have been rolled down Deal beach a
dozen times. "Waiter," said he, "have you in
the house a young officer lately arrived from
Lunnen ? " " Ho, ho ! " thinks I, " m.y boy, you are
from my country the West, and probably from
where it rains upon Dock ^ nine months in the
^ Plymouth Dock.
BREAKFAST AT PORTSMOUTH. 5
twelve." " Yes, sir," said the waiter, "the young
officer is eating his breakfastesses ; " saying this he
brought him to my box. " Good morning, sir,"
said he, "I have come on shore to take you on
board. Have you all your things ready ? " " Yes,"
said I, " I shall be ready in twenty minutes. Can
you spare me that time ? But," continued I,
" have you breakfasted ? — you look rather cold," — I
was afraid to say hungry — " I think a cup of tea
will warm you." I then gave him one. "If you
will allow me," said he, " I'll put a poker in
it." I wondered what he meant. It was soon
explained. He called the waiter and told him to
bring a glass of rum, which he put into the tea, and,
as he thought I should feel the cold going off, he
said I had better do the same. As I considered him
my superior officer I complied, although the fiery
taste of the spirit almost burnt my mouth, which he
perceiving smiled, and told me I should soon be
used to it. "You will oblige me," said I, "if you
will give me a little insight into the characters of
the officers of the ship." "Why," said he, "the
captain is a tight one, and sometimes in a hurri-
cane I never heard any officer pray so well or so
heartily as he does : his prayers, if not heard else-
where, are certainly heard by all on board, and
are generally effective. However," added he,
"you will soon be able to judge for yourself. The
first lieutenant is one of the old woman's school, an
easy and good kind of person, but not fit to be first
of an active frigate. The second lieutenant is a
6 EARLY EXPERIENCES.
regular-built sailor, and knows his duty well, but he
is fond of mast-heading the youngsters when they
think they do not deserve it. The third lieutenant
would be a sailor if he knew how to set about it ;
he generally begins at the wrong end, and is
always making stern way, but," said he, "he
almost prays as good a stick as the skipper. As
for the other officers, we have not so much to do
with them as with those I have described. How-
ever," added he, "there is one more — I mean the
purser : he is a complete nip-cheese, and as for his
steward, he ought to have swung at the fore-yard
arm long ago." " There is one more question I
have to ask," said I, "which is, what sort of young
gentlemen are the midshipmen ? " " Why," repHed
he, " two of what you term young gentlemen are
old enough to be your father, but take them in a
lump they are not so bad ; four of them are about
your age, and full of fun and frolic. Now," said
he, " it's time to be off." He beckoned to a seaman
near the door, who, I found, was the coxswain of the
cutter. " Take this officer's chest to the boat."
Here the waiter interposed, and said it was
customary for the waterman of the " Blue Postesses"
to take packages down to the water side. To this
I consented, and away we trotted to sally port
where the boat was lying. On our arrival at the
stairs, I found another midshipman about my own
age, who had been left in charge of the boat's crew
during the other's absence. He eyed me obliquely;
then turning to the elder, " I thought," said he,
I JOIN MY SHIP. 7
"you would never come. I have been so bothered
during the time you were away by three of the
men's confounded trulls, who wanted me to give
them a passage off, that every five minutes appeared
an hour, and I have only this moment got rid of
them." " Never mind, my boy," said the other,
"let's shove off."
Passing round a point, going out of the harbour,
I observed a gibbet with part of a human skeleton
hanging on it. " You are looking at the remains of
Jack the painter," said the elder midshipman tome.
" Do you know his history ? " I answered in the
negative. "Why," said he, "that burning rascal
set fire to the rope-house in the dockyard about the
time you were born, and there the gentleman's
bones are rattling to the breeze as a warning to
others." The wind was blowing strong, and we
were more than an hour before we reached the
frigate, which was lying at Spithead. My eyes
during that time were fixed on twelve sail of the
line ready for sea. As I had never seen a line of
battleship, I was much struck with their noble and
imposing appearance, and I imagined everybody
who served on board them must feel pride in
belonging to them. After a severe pull we got
alongside as the boatswain and his mates were
piping to dinner. I followed the elder midshipman
up the side, the other came up after me. On
reaching the quarter-deck we made our bows, when
I was introduced to the second lieutenant, who had
the watch on deck. He asked me some indifferent
8 EARLY EXPERIENCES.
questions, and sent for one of the master's mates to
give orders respecting my hammock. The first
lieutenant, an elderly, weather-beaten, gentlemanly
looking person, now came on deck. I had a letter
for him from my sister's husband-elect, which I
gave him. After reading it he asked me how I
had left my friends, and before I could answer the
question I heard him say to the second lieutenant,
** What the devil do they send such delicate boys
into the Service to be knocked on the head for ?
— much better make civilians of them." Then
turning to me, "Well, youngster," said he, with a
good-humoured smile, "you'll dine in the gun
room with us at three o'clock." He then sent for
the gunner, and requested him to take me into his
mess, who grinned assent. This last was a square,
broad-shouldered Welshman, with an open coun-
tenance, and of no little consequence. I descended
to his cabin, which was under water, and I could,
when in it, distinctly hear that element bubbling
like a kettle boiling as it ran by the ship's side
above our heads. I found this said cabin not too
large for three of us, as the surgeon's mate was an
inmate as well as myself. Its dimensions were
about eight feet by six, and when we were at table
the boy who attended us handed everything in we
wanted by the door. In a few days I was quite
at home with the mids ; some of them began
spinning tough yarns respecting the hardships of a
sea life — what a horrible bore it was to keep night
watches, or any watch at all, and you are sure,
AN OUTBREAK OF FIRE. 9
said one of them, to catch the fever and ague after
you have been four hours walking under the
draught of the mizzen stay-sail ; and, added another,
to be mast-headed for three hours with your face to
windward by those tyrants, the second and third
lieutenants. They both ought to be turned out of
the Service for tyranny and oppression, and as to the
last he does not know how to put the ship about
without the assistance of Hamilton Moore or the
old quartermaster. I thought this all very en-
couraging. I, however, kept my own counsel, and
as I did not appear much discomposed by the
recital of so many miseries, they considered me a
complete Johnny Newcome just caught.
We were now ready for sailing, and only waiting
the arrival of a general officer and his suite. The
second morning after I joined the frigate a most
serious accident occurred which might easily have
proved fatal to all on board. In a part called the
after cockpit, where, after breakfast, the surgeon
examines the sick, a large piece of iron called a
loggerhead, well heated, is put into a bucket of tar
in order to fumigate it after the sick have left it.
On this occasion the tar caught fire. It soon
reached the spirit-room hatches, which were under-
neath, and the powder magazine bulkhead.
Unfortunately, without considering the conse-
quences, a few buckets of water were thrown on the
flaming tar, which made it spread more. At length
the engine was set to work, and beds and blankets
from the purser's store-room surcharged with water
lo EARLY EXPERIENCES.
soon got it under. These last were of the greatest
service in smothering the flame, and were more
effectual in saving the ship than the engine. The
captain and officers behaved nobly on this occasion.
I had the honour of conducting the hose of the
engine down the hatchway, and was almost stifled
by the smoke for my pains. On looking through
one of the gunports after the danger was over, I
could not help laughing to see two of the women
with a rope fastened under their arms and held by
their husbands, paddling close to the ship's side,
with their clothes rising like large bladders around
them. A number of boats on seeing our danger
came to our assistance, but they were ordered to
lay on their oars at a distance. Providentially we
did not require their aid.
On the 2nd of November we received on board
General Prescott and his suite, and immediately
afterwards got under weigh and made sail with a
favourable wind down Channel. We had taken our
departure from the Lizard, when, on the same
night the wind, which had continued some time
from the eastward, changed to the westward, and
came on to blow fresh with very hazy weather. A
number of West Indiamen passed us ; they had
been beating about in the chops of the Channel for
more than a week. Some of them were in great
distress for provisions. We relieved three of them
by sending some bags of biscuit and casks of salt
beef, and as we were feelingly alive to their situa-
tion, we took from their crews six of their seamen.
o
('' ''-sulmt'
AT FALMOUTH. ii
I was much interested in two of these men. They
had been absent nearly eighteen months from their
wives and famiHes, and were fondly looking for-
ward to a meeting with those for whom they lived
and toiled, but, alas! they were doomed to return to
that foreign climate they had a few months before
left, and from whence it was impossible to know
when they would come back.
We kept the sea for two days longer notwith-
standing the violence of the westerly gale, in the
hope it would not long continue; but finding we
were losing ground, we on the third day bore up
for Falmouth, where we anchored in the evening
and remained windbound four days, during which
period we exercised the guns and sails.
On one of these days I went with a party of my
shipmates on shore at St. Maw's. Before coming
off I bethought me of a pair of shoes, which I had
forgotten to procure at Falmouth. I inquired of a
boy who passed me where I could find a shop to
supply my wants ; he informed me the mayor was
the best shoemaker in the town. To this worthy
magistrate I repaired, who I found very busily
employed on a pair of boots. He had spectacles on
nose, which feature was not very prominent and of
a reddish-blue. I acquainted him with my wish to
have a pair of solid, good understanders. Pointing
to some shoes, "Good," said he, "young officer,
here's a pair will fit you to a T. They were made
for Captain H.'s son, but the ship sailed before he
could send for them." As they fitted me I bought
12 EARLY EXPERIENCES.
them. " So I understand," said he, "gentlemen,"
— for two of the mids were with me — "you are
going to the Indies to make your fortunes." " Are
we?" said I, "that is more than we know."
"Yes," continued he, "I am sure of it, and in a
year's time you will return with your pockets well
filled with French money; and I hope," added he,
" that if you return to Falmouth you will pay my
shop a second visit." I need not inform my reader
that the worshipful shoeraaking magivStrate proved
a false prophet. We did return within a twelve-
month, and to Falmouth, 'tis true, but nearly as
poor as when he told us our fortunes ; consequently
we did not visit his shop a second time.
As we were the senior officer, and there being
several sloops of war and cutters in the harbour, we
fired the evening and morning guns. The first
evening we fired proved fatal to a pilot and four
boatmen, who imagined the firing proceeded from
a ship seen standing for the harbour with the loss
of her fore top-mast. The night was very dark
and tempestuous, and a short time after leaving St.
Maw's the boat upset and they were all lost. This
was the more distressing as they all left wives and
families. The officers among the squadron made a
subscription for them, and the mids, although not
rich, were not backward. The wind becoming
favourable, we on the fifth morning made sail out
of the roads and stood down Channel. The same
night, which was very dark and squally, we fell in
with the Venus frigate, who, before \vq could
NEARLY CAPTURED. 13
answer the private signal, favoured us with a dis-
charge of musketry. Fortunately, it did no other
damage than cutting some of the ropes.
On the morning of the second day after leaving
Falmouth we saw four ships about five miles dis-
tant to the S.W. At first we took them for India-
men homeward bound. In the expectation of pro-
curing: some gfood seamen we stood towards them.
After a short time we discovered them to be French
frigates. We immediately altered our course, and
made all possible sail to avoid them. On perceiv-
ing this they signalled each other and stood after
us under a press of sail. The wind was
moderate, and had again changed to the
westward. The enemy was drawing fast on us.
After a chase of five hours the nearest frigate fired
her foremost guns at us, which cut away the main-
top bowline. We returned their fire with our stern
chasers. As they had neared us so rapidly, we
thought it prudent to throw overboard the foreign
stores in order to improve our sailing. Two of the
enemy's frigates were now within gunshot and the
two others nearing us fast. We had almost
despaired of escaping, when fortunately one of our
shot brought down the advanced frigate's fore top-
sail yard, and we soon found we were leaving her.
The second yawed, and gave us a broadside ; only
two of her shot took effect by striking near the
fore channels. Her yaw saved us, as we gained on
her considerably. The wind had become light,
which still further favoured us. We were now
14 EARLY EXPERIENCES.
nearlng our own coast, and towards sunset the
enemy had given up the chase and hauled off to
the S.W. The wind veering to the northward, we
altered our course to the westward ; but, singular to
say, at daylight next morning we found ourselves
about six miles from the same vessels, who, directly
they perceived us, made all sail towards us. We
tacked and stood again for Falmouth, where we
anchored that evening and remained three days to
complete our stores. We once more made sail for
our destination, which I now found was the West
Indies, without meeting further obstacle. As we
neared the tropic those who had crossed it were
anticipating the fun ; others were kept in ignorance
until Neptune came on board, which he did with
one of his wives. It was my morning watch, when
the frigate was hailed and desired to heave to,
which was done. The cooper, a black man, per-
sonated the sea-god. His head was graced with a
large wig and beard made of tarred oakum. His
shoulders and waist were adorned by thrumbed
mats ; on his feet were a pair of Greenland snow-
shoes. In his right hand he held the grains (an
instrument something resembling a trident, and
used for striking fish). He was seated on a match
tub placed on a grating, with his wife, a young
topman, alongside of him. Her head-dress con-
sisted of a white flowing wig made of oakum, with
a green turban; on her shoulders was an ample
yellow shawl ; her petticoat was red bunting ; on
her feet were sandals made from the green hide
CROSSING THE LINE. 15
of a bullock. In her right hand she held a
harpoon ; her cheeks were thickly smeared with
red ochre.
After beinc: drawn round the decks three times
in order to astonish those confined below by the
noise and bustle it made, Neptune introduced his
young bride to the captain, and informed him he
was in mourning for his last wife, pointing to his
skin. "What occasioned her death?" inquired
the captain. " She," replied the sea-god, " died of
a violent influenza she caught on the banks of
Newfoundland nursing her last child in a thick fog,
and," added he, " I intend next month blockading
the coast of Shetland in order to compel the mer-
maids to give up one of their young women whom I
hired three months ago to suckle my last infant, since
the death of its mother." He then requested to
know if there were any new arrivals from his
favourite island, England. The captain informed
him there were several, and as some of them were
rather delicate, with very little beard, he hoped his
barber would not shave them too close. One ol
the midshipmen was then brought up blindfolded.
Neptune asked him how he had left his mamma,
that he must refuse biscuit when he could have
soft tommy (white bread), that he should lower his
main-top gallant sail to a pretty girl, and make a
stern board from an ugly one. After being taken
to the sea-god's wife, who embraced him most
cordially, leaving no small proportion of the ochre
on his cheeks, he was desired to be seated, and was
i6 EARLY EXPERIENCES.
led to the narrow plank placed over a very large
tub of water. The barber then began his operations
with grease and tar, and as the mid did not
admire the roughness of the razor, he began to be
a little restive, when over he went into the tub,
where he floundered for some short time. He was
drawn out, the bandage removed from his eyes,
and he appeared not a little surprised to see so
many grotesque figures around him. He soon
recovered himself and entered into the fun which
followed.
All the others came up one at a time and went
through the same ceremony. Some were inclined
not to submit to Neptune's directions. This only
made matters worse for them, as the more they
struggled the oftener they were plunged into the
tub of water. After about two hours' amusement
the decks were dried, everything in order, and all
hands at breakfast. I could not help laughing at
one of the lieutenants of Marines who, to avoid
getting wet, had placed himself on the forecastle to
enjoy the pastime without partaking in it. One of
the mids who had been ducked determined he
should not escape, and had a couple of buckets
filled with water on the gangway, ready to throw
on him when he quitted his post, which he did
when he saw the tub removed from the quarter-
deck. As the youngster wished, he went along the
main-deck, when, as he passed, over his shoulders
went the first bucket of water ; he unfortunately
lifted his head to see who threw it, when over went
A MID'S REVENGE. 17
the other right in his face and breast, so that he
was as completely drenched as if he had been
ducked. Unluckily, he had on his red coat, which
was completely spoiled ; salt water is a bitter enemy
to red cloth, as it turns it black. A few days
afterwards we caught several dolphins and a shark
seventeen feet in length. We were obliged to fire
seven pistol balls into its head to kill it before we
could get it on board. It was cut up and put into
pickle for those who chose to eat it. There was a
beautiful fish, striped alternately black and yellow,
swimming under it. The sailors called it a pilot-
fish, and they informed me that sharks are very
seldom without one or two, and that they appear to
direct them where to go ; this last must be mere
conjecture. The pilot-fish is generally about a foot
long, and in shape like a mullet.
K.G
CHAPTER II.
WEST INDIES.
Arrival in West Indies — Cruise among the French islands — Bombard-
ment and capture of St. Pierre, Dominique — Attack on Bourbon
— Capture of forts — Surrender of General Rochambeau and the
French garrison.
After a pleasant passage of thirty-four days we
anchored in CarHsle Bay, Barbadoes. Two days
after our arrival I had permission to go on shore
with the gunner, who had been here before. I
found the town not very extensive. The houses are
built much in the same style as those at Kingston,
in Jamaica, except that they have more garden
ground. The streets are very sandy, but they are
ornamented with a profusion of cocoa, plantain
and banana trees, which afford a partial shade.
It appeared to me that most of the people who
inhabited Bridge Town maintained themselves by
washing clothes. The women are well made and
very indolent. The men are sufficiently conceited but
active. I procured here a quantity of very pretty
small sea-shells. They assort them very taste-
fully in cases, and for about two dollars you may
purchase a tolerable collection. The natives of this
island pride themselves on not being Creoles, that
is not being of the Caribbean race, although it
THE ELITE OF BARBADOES. 19
assuredly is one of the Caribbean Islands. If you are
unfortunate enough to speak in favour of any of the
other West Indian Islands in their presence, they
immediately exclaim, " Me tankey my God dat I
needer Crab nor Creole, but true Barbadeen born."
They drawl out their words most horribly. I hap-
pened one day to hear two of the dignity ladies of
Bridge Town, as black as ink, returning the saluta-
tions of the morning. The first began by drawling
out, '* How you do dis maurning. I hope you berry
well, m-a-a-m, but I tink you look a little p-a-a-le."
The other answered, " I tank you body, I hab berry
b-a-a-d niete (night), but I better dis mording,
I tank 3'ou, m-a-a-m." This island is famed for
its noyeau, guava jelly, candied fruits — particularly
the pine-apple, which is put on table in glass
cases — and its potted flying-fish, which I thought
equal in flavour to potted pilchards. Were I to
make this assertion at Mevagissey I fear I should
stand but little chance of being invited to dine off
star gazy pie^ ; but for fear my reader should
be from that neighbourhood, I beg him to under-
stand that I do not think them better, but, in my
individual opinion, as good. After remaining among
these true Barbadian-born drawlers about ten days,
we left them, and made sail for St. Pierre
Dominique, where we anchored two days after.
The manners and customs of the people at this
island were totally different to those in vogue in
' A pie made of pilchards with their heads peeping through the
crust, hence the name " Star gazing."
20 WEST INDIES.
Barbadoes ; all, with the exception of a few, spoke
Creole French.
This island is mountainous, but not very pic-
turesque. It produces sugar which undergoes the
process of being clayed — that is, after a great part of
the molasses has been drained from it, it is put into
forms made of clay, which extract the remaining
moisture ; it then becomes a beautiful straw colour ;
it is exported in cases. Coffee also grows here, but
not of the finest quality. We also saw abundance
of different fruits. The purser purchased several
tons of yams for the use of the ship's crew, some of
which weighed upwards of twenty pounds each.
We bought for our mess some sweet potatoes,
plantains, bananas, shaddocks, forbidden fruit, and
limes. There were groves of oranges, but we had
not time to visit them. We saw in the market
melons, guavas, sour-sops, alligator-pears, love-
apples and mangoes. I remarked that oxen were
the only animals used for burthen. I did not see a
single horse. The streets of the town of St. Pierre
are not laid out with much regularity, nor are the
houses well built. I thought it an ugly town ; it is,
however, ornamented with a number of cocoanut-
trees, some of which are forty and fifty feet high.
The general officer we brought from England
and his suite left us at this place. The object of
his visit was to raise a mongrel regiment for the
purpose of acting against the French islands, as a
fleet with troops from England was daily expected
to effect their capture. We remained here a few
SUGAR AND FRUIT. 21
days, and afterwards amused ourselves by cruising
off the islands of Martinique, Guadaloupe, St.
Lucie and Marie Galante, but were not fortunate
enough to effect any captures. We repaired a
second time to St. Pierre roads and received on
board two companies of mongrels to transport
to Barbadoes. We wished them, and sometimes
ourselves, in heaven. All the mids thought it a
great pity that we had not fallen in with a first-class
French frigate. We might have walked on board
of her, said they, in such fine style. There were
several women with the troops, some of whom
had children at the breast. I pitied them, and
endeavoured to assist them all in my power. For
them to stay below was impossible, as we had
almost as many soldiers on board as our ship's
company, and to keep their children quiet was
equally difficult. To effect this they frequently
gave them strong rum and water, which threw them
into a state of stupor — poor, miserable little beings !
After having these suffering people on board for five
days we at length, to their relief and our great joy,
arrived amongst our drawling — no, Creole friends,
and the following morning all the redcoats were
disembarked. On the second day after our anchor-
ing the expected fleet made its appearance. It
consisted of the Boyne, Vice-Admiral Sir J. Jervis,
one 70 and two 64-gun ships, several frigates,
sloops of war, bomb-ships, and transports with
troops. We saluted the admiral, which he returned.
All now was life and bustle, and in a short time the
22 WEST INDIES.
gun-boats were ready ; each man-of-war received
two flat boats to tow astern. In the latter end of
February, 1794, we finally bid an affecting adieu
to our yellow and black legged female friends at
Bridge Town, who remained on the shore waving
handkerchiefs much whiter than themselves until
the fleet cleared the harbour. On making sail,
Needham's Fort, which commands the harbour,
saluted the admiral, which he returned. The fleet
and transports soon cleared the bay, when each
ship took her station. It was a majestic sight to
see so many vessels with all their canvas spread
and swelling to a strong sea-breeze.
The second day we reached Fort Royale Bay,
Martinique, in admirable order, and took French
leave to let go our anchors out of range of the
enemy's shells. The nearest vessels of the fleet
had been warmly saluted by Pigeon Island, as they
were going in, which, however, we treated with
contempt. On the third day after our arrival a
frigate with a bomb-ship and three gun-boats
engaged it, and three hours afterwards it capitulated.
One of the sixty-four-gun ships, some frigates, and
a bomb with transports, had gone round to subdue
the northern part of the island. We were now
all actively employed getting ready the gun and
flat-bottomed boats for landing the troops, who
were commanded by Lieut. -Gen. Sir C. Gray. The
Duke of Kent shortly after arrived with some
troops from Halifax. As it was thought advisable
to reduce some of the smaller towns before the attack
ATTACK ON ST. PIERRE. 23
on Fort Royale, we were ordered with one of the
sixty-fours, two frigates, the bomb-ship and some
gun-boats to assault the town of St. Pierre. We gave
three cheers in the cockpit on hearing this news. At
dayhght we weighed, and in the evening entered the
bay of St. Pierre ; we were ordered to take off the
hard knocks from the bomb by anchoring between
her and the enemy. About g p.m. we all opened
our fire as nearly as possible at the same time. It
was a most brilliant sight ; the bay was literally
illuminated. The enemy's batteries began to play
with some trifling effect ; this added to the splen-
dour of the scene. The night, fortunately for us,
was very dark, which made it difficult for them to
strike us, as they could but imperfectly discern the
object they fired at; this was evident, as they fired
immediately after we did. Our shot and shell
could not fail every time we fired them, as we had
taken the bearings of the principal places when we
anchored. The cannonading ceased about 3 a.m.,
when all the enemy's batteries, except one, struck
their colours. This was in a great measure owing to
our troops investing the back of the town. At four
o'clock the remaining fort, finding the town had
surrendered, hauled down the tricoloured flag. The
losses on our part were twelve killed and twenty
wounded. Those of the enemy must have been
considerable.
All the flat-bottomed boats and those belonging
to the squadron were ordered to land a number of
marines. I was in the first division. We landed
24 WEST INDIES.
about 7 A.M., and were astonished at the mischief
our shot and shell had done. The roof of the
municipality, or town house, was nearly knocked
in. At the time some of the shells fell through
it, all the wise men of the town were assembled
under its, as they imagined, bomb-proof roof.
Two of them were killed and several wounded.
The principal church had also suffered, as two
sacrilegious shells had penetrated it and fallen
near the altar. On entering it we found the
models of three frigates. As they had not struck
their colours, we did them that favour, and made
prizes of them. There were also some pictures of
grim-looking saints, which one of the sailors was
endeavouring to unhook until another called out,
" Let them alone. Jack, they'll only bring you bad
luck," on which he desisted. This church was
very dirty, and the ceilings of it filled with cobwebs ;
the priests had taken everything from the altar, as
well as from the recesses or small chapels. A
party of marines, with some artillerymen, took
possession of the forts, and sentinels were
stationed over the public buildings, and picquets
round the town. Terms of capitulation had been
drawn out by the authorities, which, as the town
was taken by assault, were not agreed to. All
found in arms were considered prisoners of war ;
everything belonging to the Republic was given up.
The citizens were not molested, and allowed to
keep their private effects. I was much amused at
the genuine sang-froid^ or more properly speaking,
FORT ROYALE CAPTURED. 25
the French philosophy, of the people who kept the
coffee-houses. They moved about as gay as if
nothing had happened, everything was regularly
paid for, and the most perfect discipline observed.
Having taken on board some of the principal
French officers and a party of our troops, we
arrived at our former anchorage, Fort Royale Bay,
the next morninir. Fort Rovale, which was of
considerable strength, had been bombarded for
several days, when it was decided to carry it by
storm. On the third day after our anchoring, at
3 A.M., the attack took place. The gun and flat-
bottomed boats were covered by the bomb-ships
and frigates. A landing was soon effected ; the
bamboo ladders for two men to mount abreast were
placed against the outer bastion of the fort. The
soldiers and sailors vied with each other w4io
should mount first. Unfortunately, some of the
ladders gave way, and the men were precipitated to
the ground ; and, what was still more unfortunate,
some few fell on the bayonets of those below and
were shockingly wounded. In about ten minutes
the outer works were carried, and a marine's jacket,
for want of other colours, was hoisted on the flag-
staff. The enemy retreated to the inner work, but
it availed them little. In less than a quarter of an
hour they were compelled to give way. Several of
them were cut down by the sailors, who had thrown
away their pistols after discharging them. MovSt
of them had abandoned their half-pikes before
mounting, as they declared they were only in their
26 WEST INDIES.
way, and that they preferred the honest cutlass
to any other weapon. The sailors and soldiers
behaved well on this occasion ; those who did not
form the escalade covered those who did by firing
incessant volleys of musketry, which brought down
those of the enemy who were unwise enough to
show their unlucky heads above the parapet. In
about twenty minutes the British flags were floating
on the flagstaffs, the French officers surrendered
their swords, and were sent on board the Boyne.
I forgot to mention that an explosion had taken
place in one of the magazines of the fort
before we entered it, which killed and wounded
more than fifty of the enemy. About ninety of the
enemy were killed and more than twenty wounded.
We had forty-six killed and wounded ; among the
number were eleven officers. We found in the
harbour a frigate of thirty-six guns and a corvette
fitted up as a receiving ship for the wounded.
Several merchant ships, loading with sugar when
we first entered the bay, had re-landed their
cargoes. The warehouses were more than half
filled with sugar, rum and coffee. A party of
seamen were immediately employed to load the
shipping.
The town had suffered considerably from the
shells and shot. Some of the houses were in ruins
and the public buildings much damaged, particularly
those in the dockyard.
We now encamped before and laid siege to the
principal Republican fort, commanded by the French
SIEGE OF FORT BOURBON. 27
General Rochambeau. It had before been called
" Fort Bourbon," and had a garrison of 3,000 men.^
We had already taken one of its principal re-
doubts within gunshot of it and Fort Royale. A
party of sailors who had the management of it
under a lieutenant and three midshipmen, christened
it by a name that would shock ladies' ears. When
the enemy's shot fired at them were not too deeply
entrenched in the ground, they dug them up and
returned them, the middies first writing on them in
chalk the names of those quack doctors who sold
pills as a remedy for all complaints.
For the first fourteen days we all appeared to
enjoy the novelty of our situation, although it was
by no means an enviable one, as the shot and
shell were flying about us in every direction, and
it was no joke to scamper away from a bursting
shell just as we had sat down to dinner. Some
were almost every day sent to " Kingdom come "
sooner than they expected. Our camp on the plain
before the enemy's fort was picturesque enough ;
the officers only had tents or marquees, the sailors
and soldiers made the mOvSt of their blankets.
However, except when the dew fell heavily at night,
these were quite sufficient. A few only suffered
who were not of the strongest, and they were
attacked by a low fever.
We had been before this fortress nearly three
weeks, and were impatient to storm it, as what with
casualties and the enemy's shot we were losing the
' See note (a).
28 WEST INDIES.
number of our mess faster than we liked, and,
although our fire had been incessant, we had not
been able to effect a breach of any considerable
consequence. To give more facility to the opera-
tions the Boyne landed some of her guns, and a
party of sailors were ordered to draw them up, or
rather they volunteered to do so. The guns were
placed in an advanced fascine-intrenched battery,
made by the pioneers and artillerymen during the
night, within half a gun shot of the enemy. In
getting them up they were either placed upon field
carriages or sledges made out of the trunks of trees.
The sailors, who were harnessed by twenties, soon
had them in their places, and when they were
mounted they gave three hearty cheers, which must
have astonished the enemy. The guns soon after
opened a most destructive fire on the nearest work,
as we could see quantities of the wall fly like showers
of hail. During the night we expected a sortie from
the fort, and were provided for such an event. A
constant fire from all the batteries was kept up all
night ; the shells were well directed, and an
explosion took place in the enemy's fort. At day-
light we perceived that the advanced sailors' battery
had effected a considerable breach in the fort, and
a consultation was held among the superior officers.
When over, they acquainted the sailors and soldiers
that they were determined to storm it the following
night. The three cheers which followed this speech
must have been heard for miles. At lo a.m. we
discerned a flag of truce advancing towards our
GENERAL ROCHAMBEAU SURRENDERS. 29
lines, and shortly after a French superior officer
with his aide-de-camp requested to speak to the
commanding officer. As the enemy had ceased
firing, we did the same. The purport of the flag of
truce was that General Rochambeau, finding it
useless holding out any longer, wished to treat on
terms, and requested a cessation of hostilities for
twenty-four hours. The following morning the
capitulation was arranged. At 10 a.m. the enemy
marched out of the fort under arms, with drums
beating and their colours flying, when we marched
in and soon hoisted the colours of Old England on
the flag-staffs. The island was now entirely in our
possession. The French garrison marched to Fort
Royale, where they grounded their arms in the
market-place. Their superior officers were met by
the Admiral, Sir C. Gray, and the Duke of Kent, as
well as other officers of the Navy and Army. In a
few days afterwards they were embarked on board
some of the transports and sent to France, the
officers on parole, and the men not to serve until
regularly exchanged.
CHAPTER III.
RETURN TO ENGLAND.
Sail for England with despatches — A lunar rainbow — A two-tailed
fish — Reach Falmouth after passage of fifteen days — To Plyanouth
to refit — All leave refused — Sailors' frolics ashore — To sea again
— Cruise off French coast and Channel Islands — Run aground off
Guernsey — Return to Plymouth to repair damages — Rejoin fleet
— French fleet escapes into Brest — Return to Plymouth to refit
for foreign service — Transhipped to H.M.S. Hannibal — Descrip-
tion of the ship's officers — Tricks played on the Irish chaplain.
On the 14th of April, 1794, we were ordered to
receive on board a superior officer of the Navy and
Army with the despatches for England, also several
wounded officers and the colours taken from the
forts and churches. In the evening we saluted the
admiral and left the bay for England.
On our passage, during a middle watch, I beheld
a splendid and most perfect lunar rainbow. It
extended from the stern of the frigate to some
considerable distance. These bows are generally
more distinct than the solar, owing to the glare of
light not being so great.
We were followed for some days by a fish with
two regular tails. It was about three feet long, of
a bluish colour, and shaped like a salmon. We
endeavoured by every possible stratagem to take it,
but it was either too shy or too cunning to be caught.
WE REACH PLYMOUTH. 31
Fifteen days after quitting Martinique we anchored
at Falmouth. The ofBcers in charge of the de-
spatches left the ship to proceed to London.
After having taken on board water and refresh-
ments we repaired to Plymouth, ran into Hamoaze,
lashed alongside a receiving hulk, unrigged and got
the guns and stores out, and were afterwards taken
into dock to have the copper cleaned and repaired.
Now, reader, I hope you will not think me
unreasonable when I make known to you that I
wished to see my mother, but I might as well have
asked for a captain's commission. The time was too
precious, and we were of too much use to be spared
to see our mammas, so the second lieutenant
said, and that was a sufficient damper. He had
his wife in snug lodgings at Dock ; he neither felt
for us nor our mammas, so one of the youngsters
remarked.
Whilst the frigate is refitting, I will describe some
of our sailors' frolics on shore. Returning one
afternoon from Plymouth, I met two hackney
coaches driving very rapidly. The first of them
contained one of our boatswain's mates and the
coxswain of the launch with their delicate ladies.
On the roof was another of our men playing the
fiddle. I expected to see him fall off every moment,
but, like a true sailor, he had learnt to hold fast.
The second coach contained the mens' hats and
their ladies' bonnets. As they were not allowed to
go farther than Plymouth, they had been driving
from Dock to that place and back again for the last
32
RETURN TO ENGLAND.
two hours. On their coming on board they brought
with them the sign of Whittington's cat, which
belonged to the pubHc-house in North Corner Street,
where they had dined. They gave the landlord four-
teen shillings for it, and two days after gave it to him
back for nothing. On another occasion twelve of
them took six coaches, into which they stowed with
their ladies, to drive backwards and forwards from
Plymouth toDock six times. The sternmost to pay
for a dinner, of which the whole were to partake,
each kept bribing the coachman to go faster ; the
consequence was that the money they gave for this
task amounted to more than the hire of the vehicles.
When they made their appearance on board they
were decorated with shawls tied round them like
scarfs, and three of them had portraits of their
females as large as an ordinary picture fastened
round their necks with a piece of a bell rope.
I prithee, reader, censure them not too harshly.
Sailors possess shades like other men ; but when
you reflect that they are on board their ships for
months in an open sea, exposed to all weather,
privation, and hardship, which they bear with philo-
sophic patience, you will agree with most people
and admit that they deserve indulgence when they
get on shore ; but 3^ou may wish for their sakes that
they knew the value of money better. You cannot
change the Ethiopian's skin without boiling him in
pitch, which you know is a dangerous experiment.
Sailors seldom arrive at the age of reflection until
they are past the meridian of life, and when it is
SAILOR'S GENEROSITY. 33
almost too late to lay by anything considerable to
make them comfortable in their old age.
I have known a boatswain's mate who a few
months after he had joined the ship received about
twenty pounds. One of his messmates asked him
to lend him a few shillings. "That I will, my
hearty," was his generous reply ; " here's a fist full
for you. Pay me a fist full when you are able."
The master at arms who observed the action
desired the borrower to count it ; it amounted to
twenty-nine shillings.
The frigate now came out of dock and warped
alongside the hulk, and in five days she was ready
for sea. On the seventh day we sailed to cruise off
Cherbourg, and to join a squadron of frigates under
Captain Saumerez. The enemy had three large
class frigates fitting out at Havre de Grace and two
others at Cherbourg. Our squadron consisted of
five frigates and a lugger.
At this period, 1794, Cherbourg, although a
strong place, was nearly an open roadstead, and
we frequently stood in so close as to oblige the
outer vessels at anchor to run farther in.
Having cruised along the French coast for five
weeks watching the progress of the enemy's
frigates, which appeared very slow, we, in carrying
sail after a small vessel, sprung our fore and mizzen
top-masts, and were ordered to Guernsey, where we
shortly after anchored in Castle Cornet roads.
Whilst we remained here some of the mids and my-
self had permission to go on shore. After rambling
K.G. D
34 RETURN TO ENGLAND.
about the town without meeting with any object
worth attention, we crossed over to some small,
rocky islands, and having two fowling-pieces with
us we shot four large rabbits ; their hair was very
soft and long. The inhabitants, who are neither
English nor French, but speak both languages in a
corrupt manner, fabricate gloves and socks from
the fur of these animals. I bought two pairs
of the former, but they did not last long ; the hair
constantly came out on my clothes, and when once
they are wet they become useless.
On the fifth day after quitting the squadron we
rejoined them in Cancale Bay. At daylight next
morning our signal was made to chase an enemy's
lugger in shore. We were gaining rapidly on her
when she ran in between some rocks ; we then pre-
pared the boats to attack and bring her out, but as
we stood in for that purpose we found the water
suddenly shoal, and a battery we had not perceived
opened its fire on us. We were obliged to haul off,
but not before we had fired several shot at both
lugger and battery. The latter again fired and
knocked away our mizzen top-gallant mast. We
bore up and gave it a broadside, and could see
pieces of rock near it fly in all directions. The
signal was made to recall us, and soon after we
rejoined the squadron. For more than two months
had we been tantalized by cruising in this mono-
tonous manner, with little hope of the saiHng of
the frigates we were blockading, when the commo-
dore ordered another frigate, ourselves, and the
WE RUN AGROUND. 35
lugger to Guernsey to refit and procure live bul-
locks. Having got on board what we wanted, we
made sail out of the harbour through the Little
Vessel passage ; the pilot, thinking the tide higher
than it was, bumped the frigate on shore on the
rock of that name. She struck violently, but soon
floated off as the tide was flooding. On sounding
the well we found she was making water rapidly.
The pumps were soon at work, but as the leak
gained on us, we made the signal of distress and
want of assistance. It was soon answered by the
frigate and lugger, who came within hail. We
requested them to see us as far as Plymouth, as
we could not keep the sea in consequence of our
mishap. Fortunately the wind was in our favour,
and we reached Plymouth Sound in the afternoon,
ran into Hamoaze the same evening, lashed along-
side a receiving ship and had a party of men to
assist at the pumps.
At daylight we got out the guns and the heavy
stores, and the ship into dock. On examining her,
it was found that part of the main keel and bottom
were so much injured that it would be a fortnight
before the repairs could be finished. In three
weeks we were ready for sea, and were ordered to
join a squadron of nine sail of the line, under the
command of Rear-Admiral Montague. We sailed
with the intention of joining the Channel fleet under
Lord Howe, but were much mortified on receivin"-
o
intelligence from a frigate we spoke that the action
between the English and French fleets had taken
D 2
36 RETURN TO ENGLAND.
place on the ist of June, and that the latter were
defeated with considerable loss. In the sanguine
hope of meeting with some of the enemy's lame
ducks, we made all sail for Brest water. The next
morning we saw the Island of Ushant, and soon
after eight sail of the enemy's line of battle ships
and five large frigates. They were about three
leagues on our weather beam. We made all sail in
chase of them, but they being so near Brest, and
in the wind's eye of us, we only neared them suffi-
ciently to exchange a few shots. In the evening they
anchored in Brest roads. On this mortifying occa-
sion there was a grand cockpit meeting, when the
middies declared the French were a set of cowardly,
sneaking rascals. '' Let me," said one of the
youngest amongst them, " command a squadron of
eight sail of the line against ten of the enemy, I
would soon take the gloss off their sides, and show
them the way into Portsmouth harbour."
On the afternoon of the following day we fell in
with the defeated enemy's fleet which had escaped
Lord Howe. They, unfortunately, were to wind-
ward of us standing for Brest, but the nearest of
them was not more than two leagues distant. We
made all possible sail to get between them and the
land. Fourteen sail of their effective ships of the
line perceiving our intention took their stations
between us and their disabled vessels. Towards
sunset we exchanged some shot with the nearest
without effect.
The night was now setting in with dark, squally
TRANSFERRED TO A FRIGATE. 37
weather from the W.S.W., when we reluctantly
gave up the chase. I will not shock my reader's
ears with what the mids said on this occasion.
Suffice it to say, that they offered up their prayers
most heartily : in this, they, like obedient young
officers, only followed the example of their gallant
captain and most of the lieutenants.
Six weeks after remaining with this squadron we
were ordered to Plymouth to fit for foreign service.
The captain went on shore, and we did not see him
until his return from London with a commission in
his pocket to command a seventy-four-gun ship,
into which, shortly after, we were all turned over.
We regretted leaving the frigate, for although she
was one of the small class, we v/ere much attached
to her. Not one of us mids had ever served in a
larger vessel than a frigate. On board this large
ship we were for some days puzzled to find out
each other, and for the first time in our lives we
messed and slept by candle-light. In a few days
we received on board four additional lieutenants,
six mids, a captain of marines, a chaplain, school-
master, and two hundred more men, besides forty
marines. As my former messmate, the gunner of
the frigate, did not join this ship, I had to find
another mess. One of the master's mates asked
me if I would join him and six other midshipmen,
which I did. Our berth, or the place where we
messed, was on the orlop deck, designated by the
name of cockpit, where open daylight is almost as
unknown as in one of the mines of Cornwall. The
38 RETURN TO ENGLAND.
mids' farthing candles and the sentinel's dark,
dismal, not very clean lanthorn just made a little
more than darkness visible. When the biscuits are
manned, that is, infested by " bargemen," they may
be swallowed in this dark hole by wholesale, as it is
next to an impossibility to detect them, except they
quit their stow-holes and crawl out, and when they
do, which is but seldom, they are made to run a
race for a trifling wager. On the home station
bargemen are scarcely known ; it is only in warm
climates where they abound. Another most
destructive insect to the biscuit is the weevil, called
by the mids purser's 1 — e.
While walking down Fore Street one morning
with one of my messmates we came up with two
well-dressed females, when he exclaimed, " By Job !
what a well-built little frigate she is to the left !
How well she carries her maintop-gallant sail !
What a neat counter, and how well formed between
the yardarms ! I'll heave ahead and have a look
at her bow chasers, head rails, and cut heads, for
I think I have seen her before somewhere. You,"
said he to me, '' can take the one on the starboard
hand." He then let go my arm and shot ahead.
He had no sooner done so than the youngest of
them exclaimed, "Why, my dear George, is that
you?" "Yes," he replied, " my dear Emily, and
my dear mother, too ; this is, indeed, taking me
aback by an agreeable surprise. How long have
you been here ? " They were his mother and only
sister, who had arrived that morning and were going
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. 39
to the Admiral's office to gain information respecting
the ship to which he belonged. His mother was a
genteel woman, to whom he introduced me ; but
what shall I say of his sister ! She won my heart
at first sight. She was a beautiful, delicate girl of
about nineteen. Her figure haunted me for months
afterwards. They were at the " Fountain," and
intended staying there until we sailed. "You will
go on with us," said his mother. " Yes," said he,
"that I will, my dear mother, but after I have
conveyed yourself and my sister to your anchorage
I must make all sail I possibly can on board, and
ask the first lieutenant for fresh leave. I hope to
be with you in about an hour. Having seen them
both to the inn, we made our bows and repaired on
board. On explaining to the lieutenant his reason
for wishing to go again on shore he obtained further
leave, put on a fresh set of rigging, jumped into the
boat that had brought us off, and was soon in the
fond arms of his mother and sister. Shall I say I
envied him ? No, I did not ; I only wished my
mother and sister — for I had, like him, only one —
were at the " Fountain " and I alongside of them.
In less than a month we were ready for sea, and
when we were all a taunto I was proud to belong to
such a commanding and majestic-looking vessel.
Before sailing, I will indulge my reader with a little
sketch of the officers of our noble man-of-war.
The most noble captain I have before described,
except that they had given him in the cockpit (he
being a very dark-complexioned man) the name of
40 RETURN TO ENGLAND.
"Blackjack"; his prayingpropensitiesseldom quitted
him, but, notwithstanding this fault, he had many
good qualities. The first lieutenant of the frigate
we left had gone to his family. The second, in
consequence, had become first. He was a thorough
seaman, and carried on the duty with a tight hand.
Woe betide the unfortunate mid who was remiss
in his duties : the masthead or double watches were
sure to be his portion. When the former, he hung
out to dry two and sometimes four hours. The
mids designated him "The Martinet." The second
lieutenant was an elderly man, something of the
old school, and not very polished, fond of spinning
a tough yarn in the middle watch if the weather
was fine, a fidgetty, practical sailor with a kind
heart. He informed us he was born on board the
Quebec, that his father was gunner of her when she
blew up in the action with the French frigate
Surveillante, when all on board except fourteen of
the crew perished. Among the number saved were
his father and himself. The former jumped over-
board from the fore-channels with the latter, who
was only seven years of age at the time, on his
back, and swam to the Frenchman's foremast, which
was floating at a short distance, having been shot
away by the English frigate. He added that had
not this unfortunate accident occurred, the French
frisfate must have struck her colours in less than
ten minutes. He spoke most indignantly of the
conduct of an English cutter that was in sight at
the time. His nickname was " Old Proser." The
MY NEW SHIPMATES. 41
third was a gentlemanly person, but more the
officer than practical sailor, fond of reading and
drawing, and he frequently gave some of us instruc-
tion in the latter. He had been in the East India
Service, and was a good navigator. We named
him " Gentleman Jack." The fourth had been third
in the frigate we left. I have already handed him
up. His right leg was rather shorter than the
left ; he was called '* Robin Grey." The fifth was a
delicate-looking man, fond of dress and the ladies,
almost always unwell ; he was something of a
sailor, but thought it a horrid bore to keep watch.
Strange as it may appear, this officer left the ship
a few months afterwards, and was made com-
mander, post captain, and retired admiral without
serving afloat! We named him " The Adonis."
The sixth was a stout-built regular man-of-war's
man, an officer and a sailor, fond of conviviality, of
gaming and a stiff glass of grog, but never off his
guard. He went by the name of '* Tom Bowline."
The seventh was as broad as he was long; the cock-
pitonians dubbed him " Toby Philpot." He was an
oddity, and fond of coining new words. He knew
the ship had three masts and a sheet anchor. He
was a strict disciple of Hamilton Moore, fond of
arguing about dip and refraction, particularly the
former, as he put it in practice on himself, being
sometimes found with his head and heels at an
angle of 30 degrees in consequence of dipping his
head to too many north-westers. He was, however,
good-natured, knew by rule how to put the ship in
42 RETURN TO ENGLAND.
stays, and sometimevS, by misrule, how to put her in
irons, which generally brought the captain on deck,
who both boxhauled the ship and him by praying
most heartily, although indirectly, for blessings on
all lubberly actions, and would then turn to the
quarter-master and threaten him with a flogging for
letting the ship get in irons, poor Toby looking the
whole time very sheepish, knowing the harangue was
intended for him. The master was a middle-aged,
innocent west-countryman, a good sailor, knew all
the harbours from Plymouth to the Land's End, and
perhaps several others, but he was more of a pilot than
a master, and usually conversed about landmarks,
church steeples, and crayfish. The surgeon was a
clever little dapper man, well-read, shockingly irri-
table, fond of controversy on ethics, etymology, and
giving the blue pill. I need not acquaint my reader
he was from York. The purser was the shadow of
a man, very regular in his accounts, fond of peach-
water, playing the flute, of going on shore, receiving
his necessary money and taking all imaginable care
of number one. The captain of marines was a
soldierly-looking, little, strong-built man, very up-
right, fond of his bottle of wine, of holding warm
arguments with the surgeon, which alv/ays ended
without cither's conviction — sometimes to the annoy-
ance, but more frequently to the amusement of the
wardroom, and he always appeared an inch taller
when inspecting his corps. In his manner he was
always on parade, and he thought it a condescension
to notice a mid. The first lieutenant of marines was
MARINES AND SURGEONS. 43
a tall, slight man, knew the manual by heart, was
fond of reading novels, presumed he was a great man
among the ladies (question, what sort of ladies ?).
He was a great puppy, and when he passed the
mids he regarded them with an air of patronage,
which they returned by a look of sovereign contempt.
The second lieutenant of marines was quite a
different character. He was as playful as a kitten,
and never happier than when skylarking with the
mids in the cockpit. He was not a bad soldier,
and a promising officer. When at sea he always
worked the ship's reckoning for his amusement.
The mids, with the exception of three, were fine-
looking lads from the ages of fifteen to eighteen,
fond of fun and mischief and of their half-pint
of rum ; were frequently at watch and watch,
mast-headed, pooped, and confined to their half-
farthing candle-lighted mess-holes. But, notwith-
standing all these complicated miseries, they were
wicked enough to thrive and grow, and when on
shore forgot all their troubles and enjoyed them-
selves like princes.
The first surgeon's assistant was a tall, slight
young man, with his head filled with the Pharma-
copoeia, bleeding, blistering and gallipots. We
dubbed him " The Village Apothecary," and some-
times " Snipes."
The second assistant was a coarse Scotsman, full
of pretension and conceit, who assured us that if any
of us should have occasion to have our legs or arms
amputated he could do it without any pain. He
44 RETURN TO ENGLAND.
used to feel our pulses after dinner with ridiculous
gravity, and after examining our tongues tell us
we should take great care and not eat salt junk
too quickly, for it seldom digested well on young
stomachs, and, added he with great consequence,
" I have a specific forsair heeds if ye ha' any." As
he was much pitted with the small-pox, we called
him " Doctor Pithead."
With every feeling of reverence to the revered
chaplain, I will tread as lightly over him as a
middy's clumsy foot encased with boots is capable.
Dear man, he came all the way from the Emerald
Isle to join our ship, and brought with him an
ample supply of pure brogue, which he spoke most
beautifully. He was very inoffensive, perfectly
innocent, and never ruffled in temper, except when
the wicked youngsters played tricks with him while
he was composing his sermon. One day he was
much alarmed by the following adventure, got up
expressly by the mids. Some of these incorrigible
fellows, among whom I blush to acknowledge I was
one, had laid a train of gunpowder to a devil close
to his cabin, whilst they presumed he was very busy
writins: for their edification. The train was fired
from the cockpit hatchway, and soon caught the
devil. As soon as the dear, good man saw the
sparks, he rushed out of his cabin, crying out, " Oh,
shure, byes, the ship's on fire ! Och ! what shall I
do now the ship's on fire ? Och ! what will I do ?''
On seeing that he was really alarmed, one of the
master's mates went up to him with a comically-
THE CHAPLAIN AND THE DEVIL. 45
serious face, and informed him that the first lieu-
tenant finding, when looking round after breakfast,
that there was something which smelt unpleasant in
his cabin, had ordered it to be fumigated with a devil,
but as he knew it was about the time he composed
his sermon, he was unwilling to disturb him, and the
devil had in consequence been placed as near his
cabin as possible to effect the purpose intended.
His reverence was quite bewildered — an unpleasant
smell in his cabin, and a devil to drive it away was
to him incomprehensible ; until the mate requested
him to calm himself, and assured him there was no
danger, that the devil was perfectly harmless except
to unwholesome smells. " There," added he, "is
his infernal majesty," for he was ashamed to say
devil so often before the chaplain, " nearly
exhausted," pointing to the shovel which
contained the lump of gunpowder mixed with
vinegar. " Now, sir, i hope your alarm has
subsided, and that you will not be more disturbed."
During this ridiculous scene, worthy of the pencil of
Hogarth, the youngsters with their laughing, wicked
heads up the hatchway, were enjoying themselves
most heartily. The following day was Sunday ;
prayers were read, but no sermon, as the poor man
was too much agitated afterwards to make one, and
whenever his messmates thought his sermon too long,
they threatened him by a visit from another devil.
The captain, on being informed of this trick, sent
for the whole of the mids and admonished them as
to their future conduct.
CHAPTER IV.
OFF USHANT.
Join the Channel fleet off Ushant— Capture the French frigate Gentille,
also a twenty-four-gun ship five days later— Fleet returns to
Portsmouth— Prize-money— To sea again in charge of a convoy-
Transport with two hundred Hessian troops on board founders off
Cape Finisterre— Suddenly ordered to West Indies— Fight between
a negro and a shark at Port Royal, Jamaica— Dignity balls-
Collision with H.M.S. ^'rtw/^^;/- Outbreak of yellow fever-
Ordered to sea— Capture two French ships and two privateers.
We were now destined to make one of the
Channel fleet, which we joined off the Island of
Ushant, consisting of thirty-six sail of the line and
seven frigates.
At daylight on the 6th of October, 1794, our
signal was made to chase three suspicious vessels
in the S.W. On nearing them we made the private
signal, which they did not answer. We beat to
quarters, and as they were under the same sail as
when we first saw them, we neared them fast, and
when within gunshot the nearest yawed and gave
us a broadside, running up a French ensign, as did
the other two. The shot fell short of us ; we
opened our main-deck guns and brought down her
mizzen top-mast. The other two fired from time to
time at us with little effect. They did not support
their companion as they ought to have done. In a
CAPTURE OF THE CENTILLE. 47
short time we were nearly alongside the one we had
engaged, and gave her another broadside which she
returned, and struck her colours. She proved the
Geutille, of forty-four guns and three hundred and
eighty men. The other two, also French frigates
of the same size, made all sail to the southwards.
The enemy had eight men killed and fifteen
wounded ; we had four men wounded. We soon
exchanged the prisoners ; put the second lieutenant,
a master's mate, three midshipmen and fifty men on
board her, and sent her to Portsmouth. We imme-
diately made sail in chase of the others, but as they
had gained a considerable distance from us during
the time we were exchanging the prisoners, there
was little chance, without a change of wind, of
overtaking them. In the middle watch we lost
sight of them, and the day after rejoined the fleet.
In five days afterwards we were again in chase of a
ship, and after a severe tug of fourteen hours we
captured her. She proved a French twenty-four-
gun ship, with one hundred and sixty-five men.
We also sent her into Portsmouth. After having
cruised off and on near Ushant for about eight
weeks, we were ordered to Portsmouth, where we
arrived shortly afterwards and completed our stores
for six months. Before sailing we received some
prize-money, which produced, from stem to stern,
little wisdom, much fun, and more folly. We were
again ready for sea, and received orders to repair off
Plymouth and join part of the Channel fleet and a
convoy consisting of more than two hundred sail,
48 OFF USHANT.
bound to different parts of the world. In a few
days we joined the rest of the fleet off Cape Finis-
terre, where some of the convoy parted company.
The day following a most tremendous gale sprung
up from the S.W., and in the night a transport with
two hundred Hessian troops on board went down
on our weather beam. The shrieks of the poor
fellows were distinctly heard. As it was impossible
to render them any assistance, every soul on board
her perished. In the morning the convoy were
much dispersed ; the gale continuing, they were
ordered to leave the fleet for their destinations.
After the gale abated the signal was made for
our captain. An hour afterwards he came back
looking as black as a thundercloud. As soon as
he reached the quarter-deck he stamped with rage,
and when it had nearly subsided he informed the
officers that we were to proceed to the West Indies
without delay. This was an unexpected shock to
many of the officers as well as himself, as they had
left some of their clothes behind ; however, there
was no remedy for this mishap. As for myself, I
anticipated a merry meeting with the many copper-
coloured dignity ladies I formerly knew, provided
the land-crabs had not feasted on their delicate
persons.
In the afternoon we gave a long, lingering look
at the fleet, and parted company with two other
seventy-fours who were in the same scrape. Our
noble captain did not get rid of his angry looks for
some days, and actually wept at what he termed
WESTWARD HO! AGAIN. 49
the treacherous conduct of the Admiralty. We
understood afterwards that he was under an
ens:as:ement ofmarriao:e to the sister of a nobleman,
which was to have taken place in three months.
Nothing worth notice occurred during the passage,
except the visit from Neptune and his wife, and the
shaving and ducking all his new acquaintances,
who were rather numerous. We saw several
tropical birds, which the sailors call boatswains, in
consequence of their having one long feather for a
tail, which they term a marlin-spike — an iron instru-
ment sharp at one end and knobbed at the other,
used in splicing ropes, etc.
The captain of marines also shot an albatross or
man-of-war bird, so called from its manner of
skimming through the air after other birds, which
the seamen compare to sailing. It measured seven
feet from pinion to pinion. On the fifth week of our
separation from the fleet we made the Island of San
Domingo, and on the day after anchored with the
squadron in Cape St. Nicholas mole. W^e found
here the Sampson, of sixty-four guns, the Magicienne
and the Thorn, and some transports. This mole,
or harbour, is formed by the high land of the island
on the right hand going in, and on the left by a
peninsula, joined by a narrow sandy isthmus to the
island at the head of the mole. It is strongly forti-
fied. The harbour is a fine one, and would contain
the whole British fleet. The town has a common
appearance and has nothing remarkable in it. We
remained here three weeks, at the end of which period
K.G. B
50 OFF USHANT.
we ran down to Jamaica, and anchored off Port
Royal. This town is built on a small peninsula,
joined to the island by a long, narrow neck of sand
called the Palisades. Here all unfortunate whites
who depart this life become feasts for crabs of all
descriptions, as it is the place of burial for the town
and men-of-war. This isthmus is the dam which
secures the harbour of Kingston from the inroads
of the sea. The houses of this town are generally
not more than a single storey high, constructed
of wood with overhanging shingled roofs, and
verandahs in front, which prevent the sun entering
the rooms.
One evening, being on shore at Port Royal,
seated on a bench, I overheard a grey, woolly-
headed black man relate the following story. I
will give it in good English. In the year 1788,
said he, the harbour of Port Royal was much
troubled by a very large shark, which drove all the
fish out to sea and distressed a number of fisher-
men. Every attempt had been made to catch him,
but without success. He at length became so
constant a visitor that they named him " Port Royal
Tom." At last, continued old Sambo, for that was
the narrator's name, a young friend of mine, who
was a very vStrong, courageous fisherman, said if
the magistrates of the town would give him a
doubloon, he would engage the shark and try to
kill him in single combat. The magistrates con-
sented, and two mornings after, before the sea-
breeze set in, the dorsal fin of " Port Royal Tom "
CI
O
<
o
a,
NEGRO V. SHARK. 51
was discovered. The black fisherman, nothing dis-
mayed, paddled out to the middle of the harbour
where the shark was playing about ; he plunged
into the water armed with a pointed carving knife.
The monster immediately made towards him, and
when he turned on his side (which providentially
sharks are obliged to do to seize their prey, their
mouths being placed so much underneath) the
fisherman, with great quickness and presence of
mind, dived, and stabbed him in the bowels. The
shark, in agony, gave a horrid splash with his tail,
and disappeared for a short time. He then rose
again and attempted to seize the man a second
time, but the latter once more dived and gave him
his death-blow ; he then regained his canoe almost
exhausted. The shark soon after turned on his
side, discolouring the water with his blood. Four
men in a canoe threw a rope over his tail and
towed him on shore, where all the town came to
meet the courageous fisherman, with the magistrates
at their head, who presented him with his well-
merited reward and his liberty. The shark was
dissected and the skeleton sent to Spanish Town,
where a few years afterwards it fell to pieces for
want of care. This unfortunate town has been
twice destroyed by an earthquake ; the ruins on a
clear day may be seen in three-fathom water.
We had been refitting and amusing ourselves on
shore by dancing at dignity balls given by the
upper-class copper-coloured washerwomen, who are
the quintessence of perfection in affectation, when
E 2
52 OFF USHANT.
we were obliged to bid adieu to these interesting
copper and coal-skinned ladies, as the ship was
reported ready for sea, and the following morning
we weighed and stood out of the harbour. As we
passed the point we saw handkerchiefs without
number waved by our dear, motley-coloured damsels
as a farewell. We beat up to St. Domingo and
anchored in Cape St. Nicholas mole, where we
found the Leviathan, Raisonahle, Sampson, and
several frigates. We remained a week, and sailed
with the above-named ships on a cruise round the
island. On the third night after sailing, which was
very dark with a fiery sea-breeze, the Sampson
(sixty-four) ran on board of us. She came with
such force that she, by the shock, carried away her
fore-mast, bowsprit, main-top mast and figure-head.
She fortunately struck us abaft the main channels;
had she done so amidships, it would have meant the
destruction of both ships and of about a thousand
lives. Her larboard bumpkin dismounted the
eighteen-pounder in the foremost lieutenant's cabin
in the wardroom, and in falling clear she swept
away both quarter galleries from the side, one of
which was fitted up as a library for the first
lieutenant, who lost all his books. Some of the
mids who loved him were wicked enough to say
that it was a punishment inflicted on him for mast-
heading them so often. I say nothing !
The Sampson was towed to Jamaica hy i\\Q Success
frigate to repair her damages, and a fortnight after-
wards we followed. The heroes of the cockpit
THE SAMPSON RUNS ON BOARD OF US. 53
declared the commodore was ashamed of our
appearance. As v/e had only galleries on one side,
we looked like a pig with one ear.
We anchored at Port Royal in the afternoon,
and before the sails were furled we were surrounded
by a number of boats and canoes filled with dignity
and first and second-class dingy damsels, some of
them squalling songs of their own composition in
compliment to the ship and officers, accompanied
by several banjos. When the ropes were coiled
down they were admitted on board, when they
began dancing round the quarter-deck and making
love to the ofiicers for their washing. Having
accomplished the purpose of their visit, they de-
parted, promising that we should **hab ebery ting
berry clean by Saturday ebening, and dat he lib in
hope for see massa at him house berry soon."
The carpenters from the dockyard soon repaired
the quarter galleries, and made good all other
defects, when that fatal scourge, the yellow fever,
made its appearance among the ship's company.
The schoolmaster, a clever, intelligent young man,
who had been educated at Christ's Hospital, was
the first victim. This was quite sufficient to alarm
the nerves of our gallant captain, who never joined
the ship afterwards ; he, having obtained permission
from the admiral to return to England by a lugger
going with despatches, took French leave of the
whole of us— that is, no leave at all. In a few days
afterwards Captain B. joined us as acting-captain.
He was a young, active, and smart officer. The
54
OFF USHANT.
yellow fever was now making lamentable havoc
among the crew. Six were either carried to the
hospital or buried daily. After losing fifty-two men,
one of the lieutenants, the captain's clerk, and four
mids, the captain requested the admiral's permission
to go to sea, for, although we had more than thirty
cases of the fever on board, the surgeon thought
the pure sea-breeze might be the means of pre-
serving their lives. Alas ! he was fatally mistaken,
for nearly the whole of them were thrown over the
standing part of the fore -sheet before we returned
from our cruise. We were one hundred and sixty
short ofour complement ofmen, besides having about
fifty more in their hammocks, but the captain wished
to persevere in keeping the sea. We had been from
Jamaica three weeks, cruising on the south side of
St. Domingo, when we captured a French brig of
war of fourteen guns and one hundred and twenty-
five men, and two days afterwards a large schooner
privateer of one longeighteen-pounder on a traverse,
and six eighteen-pounder carronades, with seventy-
eioht men. We now had nearly two hundred
prisoners on board, and thought it prudent to retrace
our steps to Port Royal, when on the following
morning we fell in with two more schooner-rigged
privateers. The first we captured mounted a long
brass twelve-pounder and two six-pounders, with
sixty-eight men. The other during the time we
were exchanging prisoners had got considerably to
windward of us. Fortunately towards the evening
it fell calm, when we manned and armed three of
CAPTURE OF FRENCH PRIVATEERS. 55
the boats. I had command of the six-oared cutter
with eight seamen and three marines. In the launch
were the heutenant, a mid, and eighteen men, and
in the other cutter as many as my boat held. We
were two hours on our oars before we got within
musket-shot of her. She had several times fired at
us from her long gun charged with grape-shot, but
without effect. We cheered and gave way, when
her last charge knocked down the coxswain of the
cutter I was in, v/ho died a few hours afterwards,
being shot in the head. The lieutenant and one
man were slightly wounded in the launch. We
were soon under the depression of her gun and
alongside, when, on boarding her, one half of her
motley crew ran below. The captain and the
remainder made a show of resistance, when we
ordered the marines to present. As soon as they saw
we had possession of her decks and were advancing
with our pistols cocked and our cutlasses upraised,
they threw down their arms and surrendered. She
proved a French privateer with a long six-pounder
on a traverse and eight one-pound swivels, with
fifty-two men. We took her in tow and soon
regained the ship. We made all sail for Port Royal
with our four prizes, and on our arrival next morning
astonished our black and yellow-faced acquaintances,
who, as before, came off with boats and banjos to
welcome our return, not a little by our success.
The following morning we sent fifty men to the
hospital. We had buried during the cruise forty-
three seamen, besides two mids and another of the
56 OFF USHANT.
lieutenants. The most healthy were the first
attacked, and generally died on the third day. Out
of the five hundred and sixty men we brought from
England, we had only now two hundred to do the
duty of the ship.
CHAPTER V.
WEST INDIES AGAIN.
Owing to ravages of yellow fever go to Jamaica to obtain more sea-
men— Difficulties and humours of impressment— Author attacked
by yellow fever — Proceed to Cape St. Nicholas mole — Great
mortality among the officers.
On the fourth evening after our arrival it was
thought necessary to despatch two armed boats to
Kingston to procure seamen either by entering or
impressing them. Finding there was no chance of
the first, we entered on the unpleasant duty of the
last. We boarded several of the vessels in the
harbour, but found only the mates and young boys,
the seamen having on seeing our boats gone on
shore. We had information of three houses noto-
rious for harbouring seamen. To the first of these
we repaired, where, after strictly searching the
premises, we were unsuccessful. A sailor we had
recently impressed, and who the day after entered,
informed us that it was the fashion for the men of
the West Indian and Guinea ships, when on shore,
to disguise themselves, sometimes as American
women, at other times as tradesmen, such as
coopers, shoemakers, etc.
On entering the second house, the scene was
laughably ridiculous. At a table sat three slovenly-
58 WEST INDIES AGAIN.
dressed females with old, coarse stockings In their
hands, which they appeared to have been mending,
and on the table near them were some children's
shirts, with needles, thread and a small basket.
Not far distant from them was a cradle of a large
size, half-covered by a thick mosquito net. The
bed in the room had also a net, and in it was
lying a person in the last stage of illness. Another
female, who appeared to be a nurse, was near the
head of the bed, persuading the invalid to take the
contents of a bottle of some red mixture. At the
foot of the bed stood a man dressed in the uniform
of the town militia, who acquainted us that the
woman in bed was his wife in the last stage of con-
sumption ; that in consequence he had sent for
all her friends to take leave of her before she died,
and to attend her funeral ; and that the person
dressed in black standing near him was the doctor.
This last, with a countenance full of gravity, assured
the lieutenant that he did not think his patient could
live more than an hour, and begged him to examine
the house as quietly as possible, as he had another
sick patient in the next room who had arrived from
the other side of the island, and from fatigue and
distress had been seized with a fever. The lieutenant,
who really was a humane man, listened to his
mournful story with much attention, and replied
he was sorry to disturb a dying person. Then
turning to the women, he assured them it was
with much reluctance he entered on the duty he had
to perform, but as he had information of seamen
A STRANGE HOUSEHOLD. 59
frequenting the house he must be under the neces-
sity of searching it. One of the persons sitting at
the table, who was most Hke a female in appearance,
rose and said they had only the room they sat in
and the next, which was occupied at present by
the other sick female. "But I guess," said she,
" your notion of there being British seamen in the
house must be false, as we are not acquainted with
any." During this speech, uttered with as much
grace as a Yankee lady of the seventh magnitude
is capable, the coxswain of one of our cutters, who
had been searching the features of one of those
dressed as a female sitting at the table mending
a shirt, exclaimed, " If I ever saw my old ship-
mate, Jack Mitford, that's he." Another of our men
had been cruising round the cradle, and whispered
to me that the baby in it was the largest he had
ever seen. After the coxswain's ejaculation, all the
party appeared taken aback and began to shift their
berths. Perceiving this, we immediately locked the
door and insisted on knowing who they were ; but
when they spoke we were convinced that they were
all men except the American, who began to scream
and abuse us. I approached the bed, and on looking
closely at the sick person I discovered a close-shaved
chin. The lieutenant, who had followed me to the
bed, desired two of our men to move the clothes
a little, when we found the dying person to be a
fine young seaman about twenty-six years of age,
and who, on finding he was detected, sprang out
of bed, and joining the doctor and nurse, who
6o WEST INDIES AGAIN.
had armed themselves with hangers, attempted to
resist us. As we were sixteen in number, and well
armed, we told them it was useless, and the con-
stable who was with us desired them to be peaceable
and put their weapons down. As they saw they
were on the wrong tack, they surrendered. The
dear little sleeping infant in the cradle proved a fine
lad sixteen years old. The over-fatigued female
in the next room turned out a young seaman, whom
we secured with the pretended sergeant, the nurse,
and the doctor, making in the whole eight good
seamen. This was a good haul. We got them
without accident to the boats. The delicate
American female followed us screaming and
abusing us the whole way. We could hear her voice
for some time after leaving the wharf. The men a
few days after being onboard, finding the boatswain's
mates did not carry canes, entered. The nurse,
sergeant, doctor and his dying patient were rated
quartermaster's and gunner's mates, and the re-
mainder topmen. We had been a month refitting
when we made another attempt to procure seamen
at Kingston, but only sent one boat with a lieutenant,
myself, and twelve seamen. On landing, we
made for the house we had not entered on our last
visit, where we knocked at the door, and had to wait
some short time before it was opened, when a
mulatto man appeared and asked " What Massa
Buckra want ? He hab nutting for sell ; he no hab
any grog." "Why, that copper-skinned rascal,"
called out one of our men, "is the fellow who
COOPERS AND RUM. 6i
deserted from the Thorn sloop of war when I was
captain of the mizzen top." *' Take hold of him ! "
said the lieutenant ; but before this could be done
he slammed the door against us ; this was the work
of a moment. Three of our seamen instantly
set their backs against it, and with a " Yo-heave-ho,"
they forced it in. We now entered the house.
After passing through two small rooms, which, as
an Irishman might say, had no room at all, for they
were very small, dirty and barely furnished, we
came to a door which was fastened. We attempted
to open it, when an elderly, dingy white woman
made her appearance and informed us the house
belonged to herself and sons, who were coopers, and
at work in the cooperage. " That door," said she,
" leads to it, but I have the key upstairs ; wait, and
I will fetch it." The old woman, on going out,
turned the key of the room we were in. I
remarked this to the lieutenant, who, apprehend-
ing some treachery, ordered the men to force the
door we had endeavoured to open. It soon gave
way, when we suddenly came on four men dressed
as coopers. Two of them were knocking a cask to
pieces, the other two drawing off a liquid which
had the appearance of rum. They did not desist
from their occupation, nor were they surprised at
our visit, but told us very coolly we had mistaken
the house. So should we have thought had we not
seen our copper-faced acquaintance who had in such
unmannerly fashion shut the door in our faces.
" Come, my lads," said the lieutenant, " there's no
62 WEST INDIES AGAIN.
mistake here ; you must leave off drawing rum for
your old mother, who wished to take great care
of us by locking us in, and go with us, as we want
coopers." " Rum," said one of the boat's crew,
who had tasted it, " it's only rum of the fore-hold.
A fellow can't get the worse for wear with such
liquor as that, sir. It's only Adam's ale."
" Oh, oh ! " cried out some of our men, " is this
the way you work to windward, my knowing ones ?
Come, come, you must be more on a bowline before
you can cross our hawse ; so pack up your duds,
trip your anchors, and make sail with us."
The old woman again made her appearance,
and asked us if we were going to take her sons.
" If you dare do it," said she, " I will prosecute the
whole of you for breaking through my premises, and
have you all put into gaol." " Hold your tongue,
mother," said one of the men we had taken,
" what's the good of your kicking up such a bobbery
about it ? You only make it worse. If you don't
see us to-morrow, send our clothes to Port Royal."
They then quietly submitted. We returned through
the rooms entered, and on turning into the passage
leading to the street, we encountered Master Copper-
skin. Two of our men immediately seized him ; he
struggled violently, and attempted to draw a clasped
knife, which on the coxswain perceiving he gave
him a stroke on his calabash with his hanger, which
quieted him. He was then pinioned with one of
the seamen's neck-handkerchiefs. On getting into
our boats a party of about twenty men and women
A SCRIMMAGE WITH THE PRESS-GANG. 63
of all colours came down to the wharf in the hope of
rescuing the mulatto man, but they were too late.
When we put off from the shore we found it no joke,
as they fired into our boat and seriously wounded
the man who pulled the stroke oar. Luckily
the awning was canted towards them, or they
would have shot several of us, as it had seven
shots through it. We were obliged to fire in self-
defence, killing one man and wounding several
others. I remarked the man we killed jumped a
considerable height from the ground and then fell
prostrate. Finding they had had enough fighting,
they marched off with their killed and wounded.
The day after we were summoned to Kingston to
explain our adventure before the magistrates, who,
finding we were first attacked, acquitted us of
wilful murder as we had been compelled to act in
self-defence, but informed us it was necessary to
appear before a jury next day for the satisfaction
of the townspeople. This was vexatious.
The day following, after rowing about three hours
in a hot sun, we were examined by twelve very wise
and common-looking bipeds, who, after questioning
us in a most stupid and tiresome manner, found a
verdict of justifiable homicide. On returning to the
boat we were followed by a number of women and
boys, who made a most horrible squalling, and
some stones were thrown at us on our pushing off.
The yellow fever was still making havoc amongst
the officers and crew. We had lost five lieutenants,
the surgeon's mate, captain's clerk, and eight
64 WEST INDIES AGAIN.
midshipmen, one of whom died singing " Dulce
Domum." It was at length my turn. I was seized
with a dreadful swimming in my head ; it appeared
so large that it was painful to carry it. I was much
distressed by a bitter nausea in my mouth and
sudden prostration of strength. The doctor gave
me an emetic, and soon after I ejected a quantity
of bitter bile. It tried me exceedingly, and when I
put my head down I thought I was not far from
" Kingdom come." The second morning I knew no
one, and was in a high fever. The third was much
the same until about noon, when I slept for about
two hours. On awaking I found the pain in my
head less, and was perfectly sensible. I requested
something to drink, when the sentinel gave me some
orange-juice and water, which refreshed me. About
dusk, one of the mids who had just come on board
from Port Royal, came to me with a cup filled with
some sort of herb tea mixed with rum. He requested
me to drink it off. This I refused to do. He
assured me he had been on shore on purpose to
procure it for me, that old Dinah, who was a grey-
headed washerwoman, had made it, and I must
drink it. I was so weak that I could scarcely
answer him, when he put it to my mouth and forced
more than half of it down my throat. With the
exertion I fainted. He told me the following day
he thought he had killed me, and had called
the doctor, who gave me a draught. On the
morning of the fourth day I was considerably
better and in a gentle perspiration, and had passed
YELLOW FEVER. 65
a quiet night. My three messmates, who alone
survived out of eleven, came to cheer me. He who
had given me the tea and rum told me he was
certain they had cured me, and I really believe it
caused the pores to open and in a great measure
drove the fever from the system. I was removed to
the gun-room, and in a few days was able to sit
up and eat oranges.
A week had now elapsed since the doctor had
reported me convalescent, when I was painfully
distressed by seeing my open-hearted, generous
messmate brought in his hammock to the gun-
room, attacked by the fatal malady. As he was
placed near me, I watched him with intense anxiety.
On the fourth morning he died. He was a very
florid and robust youth of sixteen. He struggled
violently, and was quite delirious. When the sail-
maker was sewing him up in his hammock he
gave a convulsive sigh. I immediately ordered the
stitches to be cut, but it availed nothing. He was
gone. Poor fellow ! I felt his loss.
In the fifth week I began to crawl about. The
boatswain's wife was very kind to me and brought
me fresh fruit every day. The doctor, who although
a little hasty, was a clever and excellent character,
paid me great attention. The kindness and care I
experienced, and the affectionate letters I received
from my mother, informing me of the happy mar-
riage of my only sister and of the appointment of
my youngest brother in India, all these possibly
contributed to my recovery and cheered my spirits.
K.G. V
66 WEST INDIES AGAIN.
Our acting-captain, who was a good and active
officer, was appointed to a frigate. He was super-
seded by an elderly, farmer-looking man, who, we
understood, was what a black man considers a
curiosity — a Welshman, When in harbour we never
saw him, and at sea very seldom. He left every-
thing to the first lieutenant. He appeared to have
too much pride to ask an humble mid to dine at his
table, so that when he departed this life, which he
did four months after he joined us, of yellow fever,
he died unregretted. Having received a draft of
men from the flagship, we were ordered to our old
station, Cape St. Nicholas mole, it being considered
more healthy than Jamaica, although the yellow
fever was carried from thence to the other islands in
1794 by the vessels captured at Port-au-Prince.
We arrived there three weeks afterwards, having
captured on our passage a French brig laden with
coffee. We completed our water, and took on
board a Capuchin friar and two mulatto officers,
for what purpose we never could find except to give
them a cruise. The friar, who was a quiet, fat,
rather good-looking man, messed in the cabin.
The wicked mids said to " confess " the captain.
One afternoon we anchored in a bay to the west-
ward of Cape Fran9ois. The carpenter was directed
to go on shore and cut some bamboos for boats'
yards. The pinnace was despatched with himself,
a master's mate and nine men. They landed and
had cut about nine poles when they were fired on
from the bushes. They, not being armed — for the
A CHANGE OF CAPTAINS. 67
mulatto officers assured us there was no danger —
attempted to reach the boat, but before they could
do so the carpenter was killed and two men
seriously wounded and taken prisoners. The rest
jumped into the boat and came on board. The cap-
tain appeared to feel he had done wrong in placing
confidence in people who were strangers to him.
After cruising on the north side St. Domingo with-
out capturing anything, we returned to the mole.
Our worthy, hasty-tempered skipper was taken
unwell about a month after our arrival, and took
apartments on shore, where he in a fortnight after-
wards died.
The captain who stepped into his shoes was a dark,
tolerably well-built, good-looking man, who had a
very good opinion of himself, and by his frequently
looking at his legs, imagined there was not such
another pair in the West Indies. This gallant
officer proved the quintessence of gallantry. He
loved the ladies, loved a good table, loved the games
of crabs and rouge-et-noir, was a judge of hock and
champagne. He had seen much of high and low life,
had experienced reverses, he said, through the im-
prudence of others, and had been detained in a large
house in London much longer than he wished. He
had run through two handsome fortunes, and was
willing to run through two more. He had the misfor-
tune, he told us, of being a slave to the pleasures of
the world, although he knew it was filled with rogues.
Whilst I was with him his memory was rather
impaired, for he forgot to repay several sums of
F 2
68 WEST INDIES AGAIN.
money he borrowed, although he was frequently
written to on the subject. In short, he was a liber-
tine, liked but by no means respected. He brought
with him six mids and his clerk. The first were
complete scamps, picked up from the scrapings of
London ; the last was a fine young man. Our
martinet mastheading first lieutenant, who had
outlived all the others save one, was promoted as
commander into a sloop of war, in which he died a
few months after of apoplexy in consequence of
repletion. The only one remaining of those who
sailed from England with me was a few months after-
wards also promoted as commander into a brig sloop,
and he, poor fellow ! was drowned on his second
cruise. The six lieutenants who came from
England were now no longer living, and out of
eighteen midshipmen only another and myself were
in existence. The lieutenants who had superseded
those who died were rather commonplace charac-
ters. The discipline of the ship was totally
changed. The first lieutenant was a disappointed
officer and a complete old woman, and the ship was
something of a privateer.
CHAPTER VI.
TOUGH YARNS.
Tough yarns — The sea-serpent — The fair-wind sellers of Bremen —
Mermen and mermaidens— Capture of Spanish schooner with
mulatto laundresses on board — Boat attack on, and capture of the
French privateer Saiamandre— Outbreak of malignant scurvy —
Novel method of treatment — French women dressed as men — A
voyage of discovery.
We generally had about seventy men in the sick
list, and were at anchor nearly four months — half the
crew doing nothing and the other half helping them.
They generally amused themselves by dancing,
singing, or telling tough yarns. I was much enter-
tained by hearing some of them relate the following
stories, which they declared were true.
" My brother," said one of these galley-benchmen,
"belonged to the Unicorn, of Shields, which traded
to Archangel in the White Sea. I suppose," said he,
" it is called the White Sea because there is much
snow on the shore, which throws a kind of white
reflection on the water. Well, the ship had
anchored about a mile from the town, when my
brother, who had the middle watch, saw something
like the ship's buoy close to the vessel. At first he
took little notice of it until it raised itself about three
feet out of the water and opened a mouth wide
enough to swallow a Yankee flour-barrel. He was
70 TOUGH YARNS.
very much afeared, for he was only a young chap
without much experience. He immediately jumped
down to the chief mate's cabin and told him what
he had seen. They both went on deck, the mate
armed with a loaded pistol and my brother with a
cutlass. By this time the serpent — for it was a sea-
serpent — had twisted itself round the bowsprit of
the vessel, and was about twenty feet long. Its eyes
were about the size of the scuppers and shined like
the morning star." "Why, Bill," said one of the
listeners, " clap a stopper on that yarn ; those sar-
pents are only seen on the coast of Ameriky, and
nobody but Yankees ever seed them." "Avast, Bob,"
replied the narrator, " don't be too hasty ; it is as true
as the mainstay is moused, for I never knew Jack
tell a lie (meaning his brother), and now I'll fill and
stand on. The boatswain, hearing the noise, came
on deck. The mate pointed to the monster, and
told him to get an axe. The beast had bristled up
like an American porcupine and was ready to dart
at them when the mate got abaft the foremast and
fired at its head, which he missed, but struck it in the
neck. The animal, finding itself wounded, darted
with its jaws wider than a large shark's at the
boatswain, who was the nearest. Luckily for him,
the mate was ready to fire his pistol again. The ball
struck its lower jaw and broke it. It then made a
stern-board, but before it could reach the bows the
boatswain gave it a stroke with the axe which
nearly guUyteened it ; you know, shipmates, what
that is. Why, mayhap you don't; so I'll tell you.
A DEAL IN SEA SERPENTS. 71
It's a kind of gallows that cuts off Frenchmen's
heads. But I must heave-to a bit and overhaul
my reckoning, for I almost forget. Did ever any
of you see a port-go-chaire ? " " We never heard
of such a port," said some of his auditors ; '* you're
humbugging us." " I have been to America, the
West and East Ingees, but I never heard of such a
port," said another. "Why, you lubbers," said
the story-teller, " if you go to France, you'll see
thousands of them. It's what they drive the coaches
under into their yards." I was inclined to correct
the word, but I thought it better not to interrupt
them. "Where did I leave off?" "Come, Bill,
heave ahead and save tide ; your yarn is as long as
the stream cable ; they'll be piping to grog presently,"
said one of his impatient listeners. " Well," said
Bill, " to make short a long story, I left off where
the boatswain cut off the head of the sea-serpent.
By this time all hands were on deck ; they threw
a rope over the beast and secured it to the cable-
bits, but not before they had got several raps over
their shins, as it kept twisting about for almost an
hour afterwards. Next morning, said my brother,
the magistrates having heard of it, came on board
to know all about it, as no one in the town had
ever seen such a serpent. A man with a cocked
scraper offered to buy it, but the mate wanted
to stuff it and carry it to England. The captain
who had come off with the magistrates said it could
not remain on board, as it would bring on an
infection. At last it was agreed that if four dollars
72
TOUGH YARNS.
were given to the ship's crew, he might have it.
The money was paid to the mate, and the serpent
towed on shore, and before they sailed Jack saw it
in a large room, stuffed and the head spliced on,
among a great many more comical-looking animals.
And if any of you go there," added he, " you may
see all for nothing." The boatswain's mates now
piped for supper, and the party left the galley-
bench.
The following evening I found another set on
the bench. Their tales were rather marvellous.
The captain of the waist of the starboard watch
was the teller. He began by asking the others
if they had ever been in the Baltic, to which they
answered in the negative. *' It is now," said
he, "five years since I sailed in the Mary, of
Newcastle, to Bremen. We had been lying there
a fortnight, taking in hemp and iron, when two old,
ugly women came on board in a small boat paddled
by themselves. They had with them two small
leather bags full of wind. They went to the chief
mate, for the captain was on shore, and asked him
if he would buy a fair wind, and pointed to their
bags. ' How long will it last ? ' asked the mate.
' Two days,' said the hags ; ' but if you want it for
four, we will to-morrow bring you off a larger sack.'
' And what do you ask for it ? ' said he. ' Oh, only
eight dollars,' replied they."
I must inform my reader that the greater number
of the sons of the sea, although fearless of the
enemy and of the weather, however stormy, are
A BAG OF WIND. 73
superstitious and have implicit faith in ghost-
stories, mermaids, witches and sea-monsters, as
well as in the flying Dutch ship off the Cape of Good
Hope. This rough son of the north was a hardy
sailor, but he had his share of credulity. He
told them the captain was on shore, but if they
would come off in the morning, as they were to
sail the following afternoon, it might be settled.
The weather at this time was anything but fair,
which made him the readier to enter into the
witches' bargain. Here I must first inform my
reader that these women are exceedingly cunning,
and can not only scan the mind of the person they
deal with, but can also, from keen observation,
calculate on the wind and weather for the next
twenty-four hours, and, as what they prognosticate
generally proves true, they frequently meet with
ready customers. Next morning the captain came
on board, and shortly afterwards was followed by
the hoary fair-wind sellers. After some consulta-
tion with the mate, the captain gave four dollars
for a bag of fair wind for three days from the time
he was to sail.
" The wind," continued the captain of the-
waist, "remained foul until four o'clock next day,
when it veered round and became favourable.
The believing captain and mate thought they had
made a good bargain. The bag was to be untied
after three hours." I reflected on this narrative,
and was astonished to find that people who are
Englishmen, and who, generally speaking, imagine
74 TOUGH YARNS.
themselves the most free from superstition and the
most intellectual of any nation, should be so easily
deceived and cheated by a set of old women.
It was now the turn of anotherto spin hisyarn. He
began by entreating his shipmates not to disbelieve
what he was going to say, for it was about mermen
and mermaids. He did not see it himself, but it
had been told him two years before by his uncle,
who was mate of a ship that traded to the North
Sea. " The ship," said he, " was the John and
Thomas, named after the owner's two brothers, and
bound to Stockholm for flax and iron. One day
they were becalmed near the Island of Oland, and
let go the anchor in twelve-fathoms water, when
soon afterwards they saw, as they supposed, two
men swimming towards the ship. They soon after
came alongside, and made signs for a rope to be
thrown to them. On their getting on deck the
crew found they were mermen. One of them, who
appeared to be about twenty-six years old, told the
captain he had let go his anchor through his kitchen
chimney, and begged him to weigh it again, as it
had knocked down the kitchen-grate and spoilt his
dinner. * It has happened very unfortunately,' said
he, ' for we have some friends from the coast ot
Jutland, who have come to attend the christening
of our infant.' Whilst he was speaking four young
mermaidens appeared close to the ship's side,
making signs for the mermen on board to join
them. The sailors wished them to come on board,
and threw them ropes for that purpose ; but they
A SUBMARINE PARTY. 75
were too shy. The mermen requested the captain
to give them some matches to light their fire, and
a few candles. This being complied with, they
shook hands with him and the mate, and jumping
overboard, rejoined the females, swam round the
ship three times, singing some kind of song, and
disappeared. The wind becoming favourable, the
crew got the anchor up, on which, when catheaded,
they found part of the chimney and the fire-tongs
astride on one of the flukes ! "
When this improbable tale was told, I asked
them if they believed it to be true. "Yes," said
two of them, "we do, because we have had ship-
mates who lived with some of the mermaidens for
several years and had children ; but as for their
having combs and glasses, that's all nonsense.
One of the children was sent to London to be
educated, but not liking so many double-tailed
monsters, as he called the men, nor their manner
of living, he crept down to the Thames, and in
a few hours rejoined his parents."
During the time we were at anchor at this
place I was ordered, with four seamen and two
marines, to take the command of a block-house
on the Presqu' Isle to watch the movements of
the enemy, whose advanced post was about four
miles on the other side the isthmus, as well as to
make signals to the commodore whenever strange
ships appeared near the land. I remained a
month, shooting guanas and gulls and other
birds, catching groupers, snappers and some-
76 TOUGH YARNS.
times rock-fish, living principally on salt junk,
midshipman's coffee (burnt biscuit ground to a
powder), picking calelu (a kind of wild spinach),
when we could find it, snuffing up a large portion
of pure sea-breeze, and sleeping like the sheet
anchor. Oh, reader, I blush to inform you that
I was envied by the greater part of the mids
of the squadron who loved doing nothing. The
life I now led was too independent to last much
longer ; my month expired, when I gave up my
Robinson Crusoe government to a master's mate
belonging to a ship which had come in to refit.
We at length up-anchored, as the mids declared
if we remained longer the captain feared we
should ground on the beef-bones we threw over-
board daily ! Three days after sailing we captured
a Spanish schooner from Cuba, bound to Port-au-
Paix, with nine French washerwomen on board
with a quantity of clothes. We presumed, with
some reason, these copper-faced damsels — for they
were all mulattos, and some of them handsome —
had taken French leave of their customers, or
possibly they were going on a voyage of discovery
to find out whether the water of St. Domingo was
softer for washing linen than that of Cuba. We did
not ask them many questions on the subject, and as
the vessel was nearly new, and about seventy tons,
we put a mid and five men on board her and sent
the ladies for a change of air to Jamaica.
We had been cruising between Cuba and Cape
Fran9ois a fortnight, when we saw a roguish-
A BOAT ATTACK. 77
looking black schooner about nine miles to the
westward of the cape, close to a small inlet. We
tacked and stood to sea, to make her imagine we
had not discovered her. At dusk we stood in
again, and at ten we armed the barge and large
cutter. The fifth lieutenant, who was a great
promoter of radical moisture {i.e., grog), was in
the barge. I had, with another mid, the command
of the cutter. We muffled our oars and pulled
quietly in shore. About midnight we found the
vessel near the inlet, where she had anchored.
We then gave way for our quarter. She soon
discovered us, and hailed in French. Not receiving
an answer, she fired a volley of musketry at us.
The strokesman of my boat fell shot in the brain,
and two others were seriously wounded in the arm
and leg. We had three marines, two additional
seamen and my volunteer messmate in our boat.
This last had smuggled himself in without the first
lieutenant's leave. We cheered and stretched out.
The killed and wounded were placed in the bottom
of the boat, and the extra men took their oars.
The barge was nearly alongside of her, and we
boarded at the same time, she on the starboard
quarter and we on the larboard side. The marines
kept up a constant discharge of their muskets, and
fired with much effect on the foremost of the enemy.
We soon gained her deck, and found about twenty-
five of her crew ready to oppose us abaft her main-
mast. The man who appeared to be the captain
waved his cutlass and encouraged his men to
78 TOUGH YARNS.
attack us ; at the same time he sprang forward,
and about twelve followed him, when the conflict
became general. I was knocked down on my
knees. I fired one of my pistols, which took effect
in my opponent's left leg, and before he could raise
his arm to cut me down with a tomahawk, the
coxswain of my boat, who had kept close to me,
shot him in the head, and he fell partly on me.
I soon recovered and regained my legs. I had
received a severe contusion on the left shoulder.
The lieutenant had shot the captain, and the
marines had knocked down nine men. The rest
now called for quarter and threw down their arms.
She proved to be the French privateer Salamandre,
of twelve long brass six-pounders and forty-eight
men. She had also on board nine English seamen,
the crew of a Liverpool brig, who informed us they
had been captured in the Turk's Island passage
three days before. The privateer's loss was eleven
killed and seven severely wounded, ours three men
killed and five wounded. On our drawing off from
the shore, a small battery opened its fire on us and
wounded the boat-keeper of the barge. We dis-
charged the guns of the privateer at it, and as
it did not annoy us a second time, we supposed
our shot had rather alarmed their faculties and
probably subdued their courage. By 3 a.m. we
rejoined the ship. Our mates gave us three hearty
cheers, which we returned. We soon got the
wounded of our men on deck and the prisoners
out. I was ordered to go as prize-master, taking
MALIGNANT SCURVY. 79
fourteen men with me, and carry her to Cape St.
Nicholas mole, where I arrived the same evening.
I found myself stiff for some days afterwards and
my shoulder painful, but in a short time I was quite
myself again. After remaining idle and half-dead
with ennui for three weeks, the ship arrived,
bringing in with her an American brig laden with
flour. False papers were found on board her, and
she was shortly afterwards condemned as a lawful
prize. The captain of her, who was a regular-
built Bostonian, declared we were nothing " but a
parcel of British sarpents and robbers, and it was
a tarnation shame that the United States suffered
it. But," said he, " I calculate that in two years
we shall have some three-deckers, and then I have
a notion you will not dare to stop American vessels
without being called to account for it."
The yellow fever had now taken its departure,
but in consequence of the scanty supply of fresh
provisions and vegetables, it was succeeded by a
malignant scurvy, and one hundred and forty of
the seamen were obliged to keep their beds. Their
legs, hands, feet and gums became almost black,
and swollen to twice their natural size. Some we
sent to the hospital, which was miserably fitted up,
for it was only a temporary one, and several died
on being removed. As the cases were increasing,
the commodore ordered us to Donna Maria Bay,
near the west end of St. Domingo, where the
natives were friendly disposed towards us. The
day after we arrived there, having taken on board
So TOUGH YARNS.
all our sick that could be removed from the hospital
with safety. Immediately, on anchoring, by the
advice of the surgeon, we sent a party on shore
with spades to dig holes in the softest soil they
could find for the purpose of putting the worst
scurvy subjects into them. The officer on shore
made the concerted signal that the pits were dug.
Twenty men, who looked like bloated monsters,
were removed on shore, and buried in them up
to their chins. Some of the boys were sent with the
sufferers to keep flies and insects from their faces.
It was ridiculous enough to see twenty men's heads
stuck out of the ground. The patients were kept
in fresh earth for two hours, and then put into
their hammocks under a large tent. On the fourth
day they were so much benefited by that treatment
and living on oranges, shaddocks, and other anti-
scorbutic fruits, that they were able to go on board
again. At this place I rambled with some of my
messmates through orange and lime groves of some
leagues in extent, as well as through several cocoa
plantations. We were at liberty to take as much
fruit as we chose, and sent off several boats filled with
oranges and limes, as well as a vast quantity of yams,
sweet potatoes, cocoanuts and cocoas, besides
fresh calelu (wild spinach), which is considered
a fine anti-scorbutic. We found some arrowroot,
which was also of great service. In one of our
rambles we met a party on mules going to the
town of Donna Maria, which was not far distant.
It consisted of two young mustiphena-coloured
A QUESTION OF SEX. 8i
men, an elderly mulatto woman, with an infant
on her lap, and a black manservant. They
saluted us in passing, when we remarked that
the men had delicate European features, and that
the infant was white.
A short time afterwards we stumbled on a
burying-ground, and seated on one of the graves
we found the two persons we had taken for men,
the eldest of whom was suckling the infant. They
proved to be the wife of the Governor of Donna
Maria, who was a native of France, and her sister.
The old woman was the nurse, and the black man
their factotum. They spoke French, which some of
our party understood, and we spent a very agree-
able half-hour in their company. After having
given us an invitation to their house, they bade
us adieu and proceeded on their journey. I after-
wards found it was a common custom for the
better class of females in this island to ride and
dress like men when they made any distant
journey, as the greater part of the island is too
mountainous to admit of travelling in carriages.
One of the lieutenants, who was fond of voyages
of discovery, had permission to take one of the
cutters to survey a deep inlet about three miles
from where we anchored. He asked me if I
should like to be one of the party. I thankfully
said yes. "Well," said he, "to-morrow morning
at daylight I intend going round the Cape Donna
Maria (which has the shape of the mysterious
helmet of Otranto), and exploring a river which runs
K.G. G
82 TOUGH YARNS.
into a large lagoon, and we shall be away most
likely two days. I shall find prog, but don't forget
your great coat and drawing apparatus."
At four o'clock the following morning we left
the ship, and after pulling for two hours we
entered the river, which was narrow and enclosed
between two thickly-wooded hills. The noise of
our oars startled a vast number of large and small
birds, which made a horrible screaming. I fired
at one of the large ones and broke its wing ; it
fell ahead of the boat, and we picked it up. It
was twice the size of a gull, a dark brown colour
on the back, a dirty white underneath, long, reddish
legs, and rather a long, pointed bill ; it was shaped
like a heron. We had been rowing about an hour
when we entered the lagoon, which was about a
mile long and three-quarters of a mile wide. The
country to some extent was low, and covered with
mangrove trees, whose branches take root when
they touch the ground, and one tree forms a
number of irregular arches. Those nearest the
water are covered with a profusion of small oysters,
which are taken by the natives and pickled with
spice and vinegar, and sold in small jars. They
are considered good eating. We observed several
large ants' nests formied on the branches of these
trees ; they were about the size of a bushel
measure. The insect is half an inch in length ;
its bite is severe, but not very venomous. We
could only make good our landing at one spot,
covered with long, coarse grass, which the natives
SNAKES AND ALLIGATORS. 83
twist into ropes for the rigging of their canoes,
and the finest of it they clean, stain with different
colours, and fabricate into hammocks, which are
made like a net with large meshes.
I had strolled from the boat with one of the
men, when he called out, " There goes a large
water-snake ! Take care, sir ! " It came close to
me, when I made a stroke at it with my hanger.
I struck it on the body, but not sufficiently, for
before I had time to give it another blow, it had
wound into a kind of jungle, and I lost sight of
it. It was about five feet long, speckled yellow
and black ; its tongue, which it kept in continual
motion, was forked ; its eyes were small, and not
projecting. Finding myself in company with
gentry of this description, I retraced my steps to
the boat, where I found the whole party with their
hands and mouths in full activity. I soon was
as well employed as themselves. The lieutenant
told me whilst we were at dinner that one of the
men had found some alligators' eggs ; two of them
were broken and the young ones alive. They were
about half-a-foot long, of a dirty brown. The
eggs were oblong, and larger than a swan's, of
a brownish-white colour.
The evening was now drawing on, when we
pulled the boat to the middle of the lagoon and
let go the grapnel for the night. One of the boat's
crew, who sung in the style of Incledon, entertained
us with several sea songs until we fell asleep, which
was not, however, very refreshing, in consequence of
G 2
84 TOUGH YARNS.
the multitudes of mosquitoes. I positively believe
some of us lost two ounces of our best blood.
About three o'clock in the morning, the man who
had the watch pulled me by the arm and pointed
to something dark floating near the boat. I awoke
the lieutenant, who, after yawning and rubbing
his eyes, for he had taken an extra strong north-
wester the evening before to make himself sleep
sound, took up his fowling-piece ; but he might
as well have fired at the best bower anchor — the
swan-shot with which it was loaded glanced from
the object at an angle of twenty-five degrees. We
weighed the grapnel, and were soon in pursuit,
when we saw two other black-looking objects. We
steadily gave chase to the first, the lieutenant,
myself and the coxswain firing at and frequently
striking it, but without any visible effect. At
length it landed, when we found it was an alligator
about fifteen feet long. It soon ploughed up the
mud in which it buried itself; our musket-balls
were unavailing. The other two had also landed.
On turning the boat round, we saw another, and
as he was with his head towards us, we had a
better chance. We stretched out, and when within
a few yards of him, let fly our muskets at his head.
One of the balls struck him in the left eye, which
stunned him, and he lay insensible on the water
until we reached him. W^e threw a rope round
him and towed him astern, after having given him
another ball in the throat, which despatched him.
He was a young one, nine feet four inches long.
RETURN TO THE SHIP. 85
After rowing round the lake In search of fresh
adventures, and finding none, we amused ourselves
by cutting off several branches of the mangrove
trees strung with oysters, and being tired of rowing
where there was so little novelty, we turned the boat's
nose towards the river, on reaching which we again
startled numerous flocks of screaming birds, five
of which we shot ; but as they were only noddies
and boobies, we did not take the trouble to pick
them up. ifVt 4 p.m. we joined the ship, with our
prizes, the alligators, their eggs, the heron, and
the oysters. The doctor, who was something of
a naturalist, asked for the alligator we had shot, one
of the young ones, and the bird, and shortly after-
wards he had them stuffed. We had now but
five slight scurvy cases, and had only buried three
seamen and one marine, who died two days after
our anchoring. The boats were employed nearly
two days in bringing up oranges, limes and yams,
besides other fruit.
CHAPTER VII.
CRUISING OFF PORTO RICO.
A ball on board — Fishing with a seine — Ordered to cruise off Porto
Rico — News of the battle of Camperdown — The boasts of
Napoleon — Views on matrimony— A sailor's courtship — Futile
boat attack on a Spanish war vessel at St. Domingo — Author
loses hearing of his left ear from effect of a wound.
The officers gave a dance to the inhabitants of
the town of Donna Maria, which was attended by
the Governor, who was a well-bred, gentlemanly
old Frenchman, his wife and sister-in-law (whom
I had seen dressed as men when we first arrived).
The quarter-deck was filled with mustiphenas,
mustees, mulattos. Sambos, and delicate, fiat-
nosed, large-mouthed and thick-lipped black ladies.
Had Vestris been present, she might have taken
some new hints in dancing. The waltzing was
kept up with so much spirit that four couples were
hurled to the deck one over the other, and it was
truly laughable to see the melange of blacks and
whites struggling to be the first on their legs. At
one o'clock in the morning they took their depar-
ture, highly pleased with their entertainment.
The following day I was sent with another mid-
shipman with two boats to haul the seine in a bay
about a mile to the westward. On the first haul we
caught about four bucketsful of rays, parrot-fish,
A HAUL OF FISH. 87
snappers, groupers, red and white mullet, John-
dories, some crabs and two electric eels. One of
the boat's crew hooked one of the latter by the
gills with the boat-hook, when his arm was imme-
diately paralysed, and he let it fall, calling out that
someone had struck him. The man near him laid
hold of the fish again as it was making for the
shore, and the shock he received threw him on his
knees. I ran up to him, for he appeared in great
pain. However, he soon recovered, and before the
ill-fated eel could reach its element, he caught up
a large stone and made it dearly atone for the pain
it had inflicted. We made another haul, but were
not so successful, as we only caught some ray,
crabs, and an alligator three feet long, which had
torn the net. We stunned him by a blow with
one of the boat's stretchers, threw him into the
boat, and after taking in the net, repaired to the
ship.
In one of my excursions at this place I found a
large manchineel tree. The fruit is nearly the size
of a pippin, of a light yellow colour blushed with
red ; it looked very tempting. This tree expands its
deadly influence and poisons the atmosphere to
some distance. We in consequence gave it a
wide berth. I also found a number of sponges,
and some beautiful shells and sea-eggs. We had
been enjoying ourselves for nearly three weeks at
this agreeable place, when a sloop of war arrived
with orders from the commodore to join him off
the east end of Porto Rico, as he had information
88 CRUISING OFF PORTO RICO.
that a French squadron had been seen by an
American schooner off the Caicos Islands steering
for St. Domingo, which report in the sequel proved
a tarnation Yankee lie. When near the Platform
we experienced a heavy squall, which carried
away the foretop-mast and jib-boom, and, most
singular to relate, although some miles from the
shore after the squall had passed, we found some
scores of very small crabs on the decks. I leave
this phenomenon to longer heads than mine —
although mine is not the shortest — to explain. We
had seen two waterspouts in the morning between
us and the land. It might possibly have happened
that the suction which forms them drew up these
unfortunate crabs and crabesses, and discharged
them with unrelenting fury, through the medium
of a dark, lowering cloud upon our decks. They
being too small to eat, were given to the Muscovy
ducks, who found them a great treat, and soon made
mincemeat of them. We soon got up another top-
mast and jib-boom out, and the following morning
signalled the ships lying in the mole.
Five days after we joined the squadron near the
Mona passage, when the commodore acquainted
the captain that the inteUigence he had received
respecting the French squadron was all an American
humbug. The next morning we spoke three ships
bound to Jamaica, from whom we took seven good
seamen, and procured a newspaper, which informed
us of the gallant action off Camperdown, and that
Bonaparte had frightened men, women and children
BONAPARTE'S PLANS! 89
by his threatening to invade England, take up
his residence in Portland Place, turn the royal
palaces into stables, make a riding-school of St.
Paul's and a dancing academy of Westminster
Abbey! The cockpitonians said he might whisper
that to the marines, for the sailors would not
believe him. Here, reader, I beg you will pause
and reflect that you must die ; and may your depar-
ture be like that of our worthy captain of marines,
who died as he lived, in charity with all his frail
fellow men. His loss was much regretted by nearly
all on board. His messmates declared they could
have spared another man, looking hard at the purser
whilst they uttered it; but "Nip-cheese" would
not take the hint, and lived to return to England,
where he took unto himself a better half, and I
hope he is happy, for who is not so when they take
a fair lady for better I dislike adding anything
further, so, reader, finish it yourself. I hope to
get spliced myself one of these fine days, and I
sincerely trust it will be a long splice. But we
must keep a good look-out that in veering the
cable does not part in the hawse, for if it unfor-
tunately does, ah, me ! the separation most likely
will be a permanent one.
Whilst I am on the tender subject of connubial
felicity, I will relate a short dialogue which passed
between two of my messmates. The eldest was
a Benedict, the other about twenty, who wished to
be initiated, as he thought he had a kind of side-
wind regard for the innkeeper's sister at Port
go CRUISING OFF PORTO RICO.
Royal. " Why," said the first, " I met my wife
at a hop in the country among a parcel of grass-
combers. I asked her to dance, which she at first
refused, giving for a reason that, as I was a sailor,
I could not know how to lead down the middle
and cast off at top. 'If that's all,' said I, 'my
dear, I know how to do that as well as anybody in
the room.' I was now pushed aside by a lubberly,
haymaking chap, who led her out, but who as
much knew how to dance as the captain's cow.
After they all sat down, I asked the catgut scraper
if he could play the fisher's hornpipe. He said
yes. I told him to play away, and I would dance
it. After veering and hauling on his instrument
for a short time, he brought it out. I then struck
out, with my hat on one side, my arms a-kimbo,
and a short stick under one of them. The bumpkins
all stared, and Nancy began to awake and find out
that a sailor knew how to cut a caper. After I had
finished, I ran up to her to pick up her handker-
chief, which I thought she had dropped, but found
it was only the tail of her gown. She smiled and
gave me her hand. I thought this a good begin-
ning, and was determined to follow it up. I
observed her plough-tail admirer did not half like
seeing me on such a good footing with her. I had
not forgotten his push, and if he had interfered I
should have knocked him down, for I began to
feel that I was already over head and heels in
love. About midnight all the clodhoppers took
their departure. As the dance, or merry-making
A SAILOR'S COURTSHIP. 91
as they called it, was given at her father's house,
I remained as long as I could, and as the old
governor was fond of sea songs and tough yarns,
1 served them out freely until the clock struck
2 A.M., when, after taking a good swig out of a
large tankard of strong ale, which had frequently
been replenished, I took Nancy's hand and kissed
it, and wished her good-night. The father, who
was a hearty old farmer, asked me to call in again
before I sailed, for at this time I was master's mate
of the Savage sloop of war. She was just com-
missioned at Chatham, and as we did not expect
to sail for three weeks, I had plenty of time to
make love." " But did you think it prudent to
marry, knowing that you could scarcely support
yourself, much less a wife ? " demanded the
younger. "That's all true," replied he; "but
don't put me in mind of my misfortunes. I was
in love, you know, and when a man is in love,
why, he's two-thirds a woman. I only thought of
the present — the future I sent packing to the devil."
"Well," asked the other, "how long were you
backing and filling?" "About a fortnight,"
replied he. " Her mother said it was too short
a time, and the marriage had better be put off
until I returned from a cruise. ' That will never
do,' replied I ; * I may be popped off the hooks.
There is nothing like the present moment, is
there?' said I, appealing to Nancy and her
father. • Why,' said she, ' dear mother, I think
William ' — for that, you know, is my Christian
92 CRUISING OFF PORTO RICO.
name — ' is right ; is he not, father ? ' ' Do as you
like, girl,' said he. ' I only wish to see you happy.'
It was now settled that in two days we were to be
spliced. All the clodhoppers and grass-combers
I had met before, who were mostly her relations,
were asked to the wedding, and among the rest
her clownish admirer, who, I understood, was her
cousin. He was rather sulky at first, but seeing
everyone around him in good humour, he came up
to me and offered his hand, which I took and
shook heartily. The farmhouse not being more
than three miles from Chatham, we hired two
coaches from that place, and with the addition of
two chay-carts belonging to the farmers, we made
a numerous (for there were twenty-six of us) , if not
a respectable, appearance. After pairing off and
pairing in, we weighed and started with a pleasant
breeze. The church soon hove in sight, and the
bells struck up merrily. We hove to, all standing
before the altar. The parson read the articles
of marriage, and I was hooked. Nancy piped her
eye, and I looked nohow. We made a man-of-
war's cruise there and back again, and took in our
moorings at the farm, where I had leave to remain
four days. I had asked two of my messmates to
the wedding, who were obliged to be off next
morning by daylight. The same day my good
old father-in-law took me aside and told me he
would allow Nancy forty pounds a year as long as
he lived and did well, and that she might remain
with her mother, who did not like parting with her,
SLOW PROMOTION. 93
as she was their only child, as long as I liked. I
thanked the old governor most sincerely, and
informed him that the Secretary of the Admiralty
was a relation of my mother's, a ninety-ninth
cousin far removed — but that's nothing — and that
I was certain of a lieutenant's commission in two
years, when my time would be served. Here I
counted my chickens before they were hatched, for
I have now served three years over my time, and
here I am, with not much a day, except the good
farmer's forty pounds, to keep myself, my wife and
a child. You see," said he, " how I am obliged to
keep close hauled, and can't afford to sport my
figure on shore as some of you do. No," added
he, " don't be after splicing yourself until you have
a commission, and if you do then, you will have
as much business with a wife as a cow has with a
side pocket, and be, as a noble First Lord of the
Admiralty used civilly to tell married lieutenants,
not worth a d n."
My messmate's narrative brought me up with
a round turn, and I felt my heart working like
the tiller-ropes in a gale of wind. "Well," said
I, after a pause, " how did you back out when you
parted with your wife ? " " You may well say
'back out,' " said he. " I was taken slap aback —
it came over me like a clap of thunder. I was half
inclined to play the shy cock and desert, and had it
not been for the advice of the good old man, I
should have been mad enough to have destroyed
my prospects in the Service for ever. Now," said
94 CRUISING OFF PORTO RICO.
he, " how do you feel ? " "A little qualmish," said
I, " and I'll take a good stiff glass of grog to wash
it down. But you have not finished. How did
she behave when you were ordered to join your
ship?" "Nobly," said he; "just as I thought
she would. After a good fit of crying, she threw
herself on her mother's shoulder, and after fondly
embracing me, ' Go,' said she. ' VViUiam, may
that God who has a particular providence over
our sailors always be with you ! If your duty will
not prevent you, come again to-morrow, and get
leave to remain until the ship sails.'
" I joined the sloop, and the first lieutenant and
my messmates told me I looked more like a person
who had been doing something he was ashamed of
than a happy Benedict.
" When I got below, my mates informed me the
sloop was to fit foreign and going to the West
Indies. My mind was like a coal-barge in a
waterspout when I heard this, and I was deter-
mined to cut and run ; but when I reflected next
morning on the probability of my gaining my
commission shortly after our arrival, as I should
go out on Admiralty promotion, I clapped a stopper
on my determination, and held on. We were to sail
in two days, and I contrived to get leave to go
every evening to the farm, and return by 8 o'clock
next morning. I told my wife our destination,
and the probability of my promotion. ' Never
mind me, WiUiam,' said she, with her sweet voice ;
' go where duty calls you. When in that path you
A SAILOR'S WIFE'S FAREWELL. 95
cannot be wrong. The hope of your promotion
cheers me. Let us do all we can to merit the
blessings of a gracious Creator, and the good-
fellowship of our fellow-creatures, and we shall
not be very unhappy, although far distant from
each other.' The last morning I spent with my
wife was a mixture of cheerfulness and grief. At
last I tore myself away. I have now given you
the whole history, from the main-royal truck down
to the kelson."
" Come," said I, " let's have another glass of
grog, and I'll drink your wife's good health and
speedy promotion to yourself." " That's a good
fellow," said he, giving me his hand, and brushing
away a tear. " Should you ever be spliced, which
I hope for your own sake will not be for some
years, may you anchor alongside just such another
saucy frigate as mine." I am truly happy to
inform my reader that my good-hearted messmate
was shortly afterwards promoted into a frigate
going to England.
After cruising with the squadron for some days,
we had permission to go in search of adventures,
and next morning, as we were running down along
the coast of Porto Rico, we discovered five sail
of vessels in a small bay. The water not being
sufficiently deep to admit the ship, we manned
and armed three boats and sent them in. I had
the six-oared cutter, with nine men ; we were soon
alongside of them. They proved vSpanish vessels,
four small schooners and a sloop laden with fruit,
96 CRUISING OFF PORTO RICO.
principally oranges and shaddocks, and a quantity
of yams and plantains. We sent them all down
to Jamaica — why, you must ask the captain, as
by the time they reached their destination almost
the whole of the fruit was rotten, and the vessels
did not pay the expenses of their condemnation.
Shortly after this affair, two of the boats, with
a lieutenant, a master's mate, and myself, were
sent in shore near Cape Francois, St. Domingo,
on a cruise of speculation. No object being in
sight when we left the ship, about lo p.m. we
came suddenly on three dark-looking schooners,
who on seeing us gave us a warm reception. The
night, fortunately for us, was very dark, and we
were nearly alongside of them without our per-
ceiving them, as they were anchored so near the
land. I was mid of the lieutenant's boat, and
he determined on boarding the largest of them. I
knew, or rather I could foresee, the result ; but as he
had taken in the course of the last two hours three
north-westers, and was half-seas over, my advice
availed little. The other boat was at some distance
from us. On we went, when three of our men
were seriously wounded and I received a musket-
ball through the left side of my hat, which slightly
wounded my ear, taking part of the hair, and I felt
a distressing whirling noise inside my head, and
was so giddy I was obliged to sit down, not before,
hovVever, I had shot a man in the main-channels
who I thought had fired the shot at me. We had
kept up a brisk firing, and must have killed several
CATCHING A TARTAR. 97
of their men, when they got long spars with a
spike at the end over the side, and endeavoured
to drive them through the bottom of our boat.
The heutenant, who was now more himself, found
boarding her impracticable, as she had her boarding
netting up, her decks filled with men, and nine ports
in her side. We reluctantly pulled off. We had
unfortunately taken the bull by the horns — that is,
pulled for her broadside. The lieutenant and myself,
for I recovered sufficiently to load my musket,
kept firing at her decks as we retired. She paid
us the same compliment, and slightly wounded
another of the boat's crew. Had the night not
been so cloudy, and without a moon, we should
have paid dearly for our temerity. We rowed in a
straight line for her stern. The two other vessels
were well armed, and they saluted us with a few shot
as we pulled off, which, however, went far over us.
We soon after joined the other boat, which had lOvSt
sight of us when we attempted boarding the enemy's
vessel. We learnt a few days afterwards, from a
New Providence privateer, that they were three
guardacostas, as the captain of her called them
— in other words, Spanish government vessels,
commanded by lieutenants, well armed, manned
and equipped. We joined the ship next morning,
and gave a Flemish account of our cruise. One of
the wounded men, through loss of blood, died soon
after coming on board. The other three having
received flesh wounds, soon returned to their duty.
The surgeon examined my ear, and found the
K.G. II
98 CRUISING OFF PORTO RICO.
tympanum ruptured. It destroyed my hearing on
that side for ever, and for years after I was dis-
tressed with a loud roaring noise on the left side
of my head. A fortnight later we fell in with a
Spanish eighty-gun ship, a large frigate and a
heavy-armed store ship. We were soon alongside
the former, having beat to quarters previously.
We asked her where she came from. Her answer
was, " From sea." We then asked her where she
was bound to. Her answer was, " To sea." Our
skipper then jumped upon one of the quarter-deck
carronades, with his eyes glistening like a Cornish
diamond. The muzzles of our guns were at this
time almost touching her side. One of our crew
spoke Spanish. He was desired to hail her, and
say that if she did not answer the questions which
had been put she should be fired into. " From
Cadiz " was the prompt answer, and " Bound to
the Havannah." "You might have answered that
before," said the skipper; "if I had given you
a good dressing, you richly deserved it." " I do
not understand what you say," was the reply.
"You be d d," said our man of war, and we
turned off on our heel. The same evening a
court of inquiry was held by the mids, who were
unanimous in declaring that the captain of the
line of battle ship ought to be superseded and
made swab-wringer, and that their own captain
had acted with that spirit which became a British
commander of a man-of-war, and that he deserved
to have his health drunk in a bumper of grog,
AN EVASIVE ANSWER. 99
which was accordingly done. Here the court
broke up, hoping the mate of the hold would bring
with him, after serving the grog, an extra pint of
rum to make up the deficiency. The captain,
having heard of our proceedings, sent his steward
to us with a bottle of the true sort as a proof of his
satisfaction.
H 2
CHAPTER VIII.
MUTINY ON H.M.S. HERMIONE.
Tea with the boatswain's wife — News of the mutiny at the Nore
causes trouble among the sailors — Sent to cruise in consequence
— A white squall and waterspout — Capture of a Spanish cruiser
— Return to Port Royal — H.M.S. IIcjDiione seized by mutineers
and carried to Porto Bello — Recaptured by Captain Hamilton —
An alarm caused by fireflies.
On the evening of the next day the boatswain's
wife invited me to take tea. I could not refuse so
kind an offer, and at the vulgar hour of six, behold
us sipping our Bohea out of porringers, with good
Jamaica stuff in it in lieu of milk. " Do you like
it?" said the boatswain to me. " Have you
enough rum in it ? Take another dash." " No,
thank you," said I; "no more splicing, or I shall
get hazy, and not be able to keep the first watch."
"That rum," said he, "is old pineapple, and like
mother's milk, and will not hurt a child. Now,"
said he, " we are talking of rum, I'll tell you an
odd story that happened to me in the last ship I
belonged to. I had a capital case of the right sort
given to me by a brother Pipes. One evening I
had asked some of the upper class dockyard maties,
for we were lying at Antigua, to take a glass of
grog. When I went to the case, I found two of
the bottles at low-water mark, and another a
A CASE OF RUM. loi
marine. 'Ho! ho!' said I to myself; 'this is
the way you make a southerly wind in my case-
bottles, and turn to windward in my cabin when
I am carrying on the war on the forecastle, is it ?
rU cross your hawse and cut your cable the next
time, as sure as my name is Tricing.' After the
last dog-watch, I threw myself into my cot all
standing, with my rattan alongside of me. About
three bells of the first watch, I heard someone
go very cunningly, as he thought, into my cabin.
I immediately sprung out and seized a man in the
act of kissing one of my dear little ones, for it was
a case with nine quart bottles. * Who are you ? '
said I. 'Nobody,' replied he. 'You are the
fellow I have been cruising after since I entered
the service five-and-twenty years ago, and now
I have got you, by G — d ! I'll sheet you home
most handsomely for all past favours.' I then
gave it to him thick and thin. ' Now, my lad,'
said I, ' chalk this down in your log, that when
you have the thievish inclination to take what does
not belong to you, remember my cane, it you do
not your God.' This rum gentleman belonged to
the after-guard, and I did not forget him."
After cruising round Porto Rico and Hispaniola
for two months, we bore up for the mole, where
we found two sail of the line, a sixty-four and two
sloops of war. In the course of our cruise we had
sent in an American brig and a schooner laden
with Hour. The latter was condemned, half-
barrels of gunpowder being found in the under
I02 MUTINY ON H.M.S. HERMIONE.
flour casks. The former was let go, although we
thought she ought to have been condemned, as her
register was defective. We understood that the
judge's wife, of the Vice-Admiralty Court, who was
notorious for accepting presents, had received a
purse from some of the masters ot the American
vessels detained by the cruisers to let them escape
trial. How true this may be must be left to time
and the curious to decide.
On overhauling the fore-shrouds and mainstay,
we found them too much worn to be trustworthy.
As we could not be refitted with lower rigging from
the naval stores at this place, the senior officer
gave us an order to proceed to Jamaica. We took
leave of all the " Ballaker ladies," as the mids chose
to call them. Know, reader, that the fish called
by that name is a most destructive and voracious
one, and as I presume they thought the ladies were
of that character, some of them had too much
reason to call them so. We reached Port Royal
on the afternoon of the following day, but remarked
we were not received with that welcome as before ;
no boats filled with yellow-legged females came off
with banjos. Why ? Because we brought in no
prize with us. And when we went on shore some
of these delicate dames exclaimed when we accosted
them: "Eh, massa, you hab know me before? I
no recollect you. What ship you belong to?"
And we were seldom asked to the dignity balls.
We were all now in tolerable health, when the
packet from England arrived, bringing letters for
SIGNS OF MUTINY. 103
the squadron, one of which I received, acquainting
me that my sister's husband was appointed to com-
mand the A. frigate fitting for the Mediterranean,
and that my youngest brother, in the India marine,
had died in Bengal. He was a fine, spirited youth,
nineteen years of age ; we had not met since we
were at school. Some of our seamen also received
letters by the same opportunity, acquainting them
with the mutiny at the Nore, and a few days after-
wards a disaffected spirit broke out in the squadron,
which we had some trouble in subduing. However,
by reasoning with the petty officers and the best
seamen, it terminated without open mutiny or
bloodshed, although the crews of some of the ships
had been mistaken enough to have delegates for their
proceedings. To finally root out the trouble the
admiral ordered the five line of battle ships fitting
out at Port Royal to complete their stores and sail
without delay for the Gulf of Mexico. Two days
afterwards we stood out to sea. The squadron
consisted of a ship of ninety-eight guns, four seventy-
fours, and a frigate. The commander-in-chief
had his flag on board the former. After touching
at the Grand Caymans for turtle, we reached the
Bay of Mexico, where, and off the Havannah, we
cruised for some weeks without taking anything.
One night, having the middle watch and looking
over the lee gangway, I observed some black spots
on the water. The moon, which was in her third
quarter, was sometimes hidden by the dark scud, for
it was blowing fresh, and when she shone in full
104 MUTINY ON H.M.S. HERMIONE.
splendour the spots appeared stationary. I lost
no time in pointing this out to the lieutenant of the
watch, who agreed with me that they must be the
negro heads of some coral reef. We were with
the squadron running directly on them. We
immediately fired a gun and hauled our wind,
and then fired a second to warn the ships astern
of us of the danger. When we hauled off we
could not clear them, and it was more than an
hour before we got an offing. They were the
"Double-headed shot" keys. Our signal was made
for the captain and master to repair on board the
admiral. The latter, we understood, was well
hauled over the coals, and he came on board
looking like a boy who had been whipped. He
thought it was "moral impossible" (for that was
always his favourite way of speaking when he
thought he had anything of importance to relate)
that the admiral should find fault with him as
a navigator ; he could not account for counter
currents and undertows, and he knew how to
navigate a ship as well as any man in the fleet.
The inhabitants of the cockpit, as usual, held a
court of inquiry on his conduct, when they declared
on summing up what they had remarked of his
character, that he was too conceited to be clever,
that he was a very indifferent navigator, and they
wondered who the devil gave him his warrant as
master, for they would not trust him to navigate
a barge in the New River. After cruising till the
mids declared they were ennuied of seeing the
MUCH CRUISING, LITTLE COMFORT. 105
Havannah, the dry Tortugas, Cape Antonio, and
the low land near Mississippi so often, and that
thev had worn their chemises twice over and had
only soiled sheets for table-cloths ; that they were
obliged to get one of the marines to pipe-clay their
stockings and the collar of their shirts when they
were asked to dine in the cabin ; that it was a
horrible, hard case to eat biscuits filled with barge-
men and purser's lice ; that the water was full of
jenny jumps — all these miseries, concluded they,
ought to be made known to the admiral, and that if
he did not order the squadron in again he ought
to be tried by a court of mids and reduced to the
humble rank of a cockpitsman and feed off barge-
men for a month.
We had now been out for two months when we
bore up for the Gulf of Florida. In making the
Havannah for a departure, we fell in with four
Spanish brigs laden with quicksilver, which we
captured. When near Cape Florida we experienced
a white squall which carried away the foretop-gallant
mast and split the foresail. The ninety-eight gun-
ship, which led the squadron, heeled so much over
before she could shorten sail that she appeared to
be turning the turtle. At last her foreyard went in
the slings, and her main-topsail in ribbons, and she
rif{hted.
When off New Providence the wind was light
and the clouds heavy and low, and in less than
half an hour seven waterspouts had formed, two
not far from us on our weather beam, the largest
io6 MUTINY ON H.M.S. HERMIONE.
of which was nearing us rather fast. We got two
of the main-deck guns ready, and waited until we
could see its suction. The cloud which drew up
and contained the water was in the shape of a
reversed cone with a long point at the bottom of it :
this was something like a corkscrew. We now
thought it high time to fire, when down it came,
discharging a sheet of water which must have
contained many tons. The shock it gave the
water drove it in breakers to some distance, and
we partook of the motion, as we rolled for at
least ten minutes before the swell subsided. The
other waterspout passed some distance astern.
In this gulf some years ago a dreadful catastrophe
occurred to a West Indiaman homeward bound,
caused by one of the sucking clouds or water-
spouts. Several had formed very near her, one
of them so near that the master of her was
afraid to fire as it might endanger the vessel.
It appeared to be passing when a flaw of wind
came, and being heavily surcharged with water,
broke it. Fortunately the hatches were on, and
only the master, mate and four men on deck. The
immense body of water it contained fell with such
violence that it carried away all her masts, boats,
spars and hen-coops, with all the live stock, as well
as washing the master and three of the men over-
board. The mate and the other man were saved by
jumping into the caboose which held on, although
they were half-dead with fright and half-drowned
with water. After we had cleared the islands
OUR WELCOME AT PORT ROYAL. 107
forming the Bahama group, we fell in with a low,
rakish-looking schooner, which gave us a chase of
seven hours, although our shot went over her. At
length two of her men were killed, and the spy-
glass knocked out of the skipper's hand, when he,
finding it was useless holding out any longer, hove
to. She proved a Spanish privateer of six guns
and forty men, with a number of sheep on
board, but the mids declared they were more like
purser's lanterns. When killed, one of them
weighed only fifteen pounds. Nothing further
occurred during the remainder of our passage to
Jamaica, where we anchored two days after with
our prizes. Before the sails were furled, half the
inhabitants of Port Royal were round the ships
making a most hideous noise with their squalling
and banjos. Our five prizes made their eyes shine
like a dollar in a bucket of water, and their mouths
water like a sick monkey's eyes with a violent
influenza. The last time we had anchored we
returned prizeless, and no boat came off but an old
washerwoman's; we now paid them off in their own
coin, and desired all the canoes with the exception of
two to paddle to some other ship, as we should not
admit them on board. After lingering for about
half an hour in the hope that we should change
our minds, they paddled away looking blacker than
their skins. Soon after our arrival we heard that
the Hermiouc frigate had been taken and carried
into Porto Bello on the Spanish Main by her crew,
after having killed their captain and all the officers.
io8 MUTINY ON H.M.S. HERMIONE.
This dreadful news gave me real concern, as one of
my late messmates was third lieutenant of her.
Captain Hamilton, of the Surprise of twenty-eight
guns, offered to bring her out from where her
rebellious crew had anchored her, and a few days
after he sailed for that purpose. We were refitting
very leisurely, and had been in harbour nearly five
weeks, when one afternoon we saw the Surprise
towing in the Hermioiie. Captain Hamilton had kept
his word to the letter. He was three days before
the port where she lay before he attempted his
purpose. She was at anchor very close in shore,
protected by a heavy half-moon and triangular
battery. On the evening of the third day Captain
Hamilton made his will, and after consulting with
the officers he armed and manned the boats, and
took with him the lieutenants, surgeon, a proportion
of mids, and the lieutenant of marines, besides
sailors and marines, making in the whole a hundred.
He left the master and the remainder of the crew
in charge of the ship, and ordered him when the
boats shoved off^ to stand out by way of feint. The
night was very dark. After a short pull they were
alongside of the Hermioiie^ which was evidently
taken by surprise. On seeing the crew of the
Surprise board them, they seized their boarding-
pikes and cutlasses, and made a resistance which
would have done them credit in a better cause.
The conflict was severe and fatal to many of them ;
several jumped overboard. The struggle had con-
tinued about hall an hour when her cables were
§
•<iH
o
u
<
<
<
o
H
(^
O
RECAPTURE OF THE HERMIONE. 109
cut and her topsails loosed. The remainder of the
mutineers finding their numbers considerably
decreased threw down their arms and surrendered,
and at daylight the ship was in company with the
Surprise.* Captain Hamilton received a severe.
contusion on the head, and had it not been for his
surgeon, who was a powerful son of the Emerald
Isle, he must have been killed. The loss on board
the Hermione was considerable, that of the Surprise
comparatively speaking trilling. Soon after they
anchored I was sent on board the latter to learn
the particulars which I have given above. The
mutineers taken in the Hermione were but few, as
the greater part were either on shore or had jumped
overboard from her when they saw they should be
overpowered. Before we sailed they were tried,
and, with the exception of two who turned King's
evidence, were hanged in everlasting jackets on
the small islands without Port Royal harbour.
I also learnt that my former messmate was
lieutenant of the watch when the mutiny broke out,
and one of the King's evidence mutineers gave me
the following account : —
"The captain," said he, "was very severe with
the men, who were all good seamen, and they
were determined to either run the ship on shore
and desert, or else take her by force. This had
been in their minds for months before it happened.
At last," said he, "on a dark night, when the
young lieutenant had the watch, our minds were
'■'■ See note (b).
no MUTINY ON H.M.S. HERMIONE.
made up. A party went to the cabin-door, knocked
down the sentry, and entered it. The captain was
in his cot, and he was soon overpowered. We
threw him out of the cabin-window. Another
party threw the officer of the watch over the
larboard quarter, but he, being young and active,
caught hold of the hammock-stanchion, when one
of the men cut his hands off, and he soon dropped
astern. The first lieutenant had been ill and keep-
ing his cot, but on hearing the noise, he came
up the hatchway in his shirt, when one of the
carpenter's crew cut him down with an axe, and he
was sent overboard with several others." Captain
Pigot, who commanded her, was no doubt a severe
disciplinarian, but this was a most unheard-of,
cruel and bloodthirsty mutiny ; all the officers,
both guilty — if there were any guilty — and innocent
shared the same untimely fate, and surely if the
crew found themselves oppressed and ill-used, they
ought to have represented their complaints to the
senior officer or the admiral, and they, in justice,
would have been listened to; at least I hope so. I
am sorry to state here that I have seen men some-
times flogged for trifles where a minor punishment
would have been more appropriate. Caprice and
partiality should never govern an officer's conduct ;
young lieutenants are too prone to make complaints
to their captain without reflecting on the character
of the offender. A thorough-bred seaman is very
seldom in fault, and should he unfortunately trespass
a little on the discipline of the ship, his offence
SABBATH V. SUNDAY. iii
should be visited as lightly as possible. Well-
timed admonition will make a surer impression
than half-a-dozen cats. I speak from experience.
Before we sailed I had occasion to purchase some
stockings, as I found on inquiry that my dingy-faced
washerwoman had supplied her " lubing bruder"
with several pair belonging to me, to dance with
her at a banjo hop, and took care I should not
have them until the day before we sailed, which
was Saturday. On examining them I found they
were so worn into large holes that I could not put
them on. Having obtained permission to go on
shore, I repaired to the magazine. All shops in
the West Indies are called magazines or stores,
although some of them are so small that you are
not able to turn round without hurting your
elbows. The said shop, magazine or store was
kept by a worthy, said to be honest, Israelite. I
acquainted him with my wants. " I can't sell you
nothing to-day," he said ; " it is my Sabbath ; but
I will tell you what I can do. I will lend you six
pair, and you can pay me to-morrow." " Thank
you," said I; " where's your conscience? To-
morrow will be my Sabbath." " Ah," said he " I
forgot that. Then you can pay me on Monday."
"No," said I ; " I'll pay you off with the foretop-
sail." He laughed. " Here, take the vStockings,
and pay me when you please." This I did not do
until I had given him a little note promising to pay
him when we returned from our cruise.
We sailed the following morning, to cruise off
112 MUTINY ON H.M.S. HERMIONE.
the windward passages, where we fell in with two
American sloops of war, cruising for an appetite.
We were now tolerably well manned. Yellow fever
and scurvy had taken their departure, and the only
evil which remained with us was the blue devils, in
consequence of the monotony so prevalent in a
long cruise. We boarded several American vessels,
and from one of them we procured some long, lanky
turkeys. They stood so high that they appeared
on stilts ; they were all feather and bone, and
Jonathan asked four dollars apiece for them, but
we got him down to two by taking nine, which was
all he had. I asked him if he had any dollar
biscuits. "No," said he; "but some of the men
have a pretty considerable quantity of notions."
Here he called to one of them, and said, " Nathan,
I guess you bought some notions at Baltimore ;
bring them up, and let the officer see them."
Nathan was soon down the hatchway, and as
quickly up again with his venture, or notions.
They consisted of two pounds of infamous Yankee
tea, three pounds of tobacco made into a roll, a jar
of salt butter, a six-pound ham, and a bag of
hickory nuts. The tea and ham I bought, and one
of the boat's crew had the tobacco. The first
proved too bad for even a midshipman's palate ;
and the ham, when the cover and sawdust were
taken away, was animated by nondescripts, and
only half of it eatable. I was tried by a court of
inquiry by my messmates for want of discernment,
and found guilty ; and the Yankee who had cheated
FIRE-FLIES. 113
us was sentenced to be hanged, but as he was out
of sight, the penalty was not carried into execution.
We once more anchored at the mole, after having
reconnoitred Porto Rico and part of Cuba, without
any addition to our riches.
On the fifth evening of our arrival we heard
the drums at the town beating to arms. We
manned and armed three of our boats, and
sent them on shore to inquire the cause of the
alarm. The soldiers were forming to march,
when one of our mids exclaimed: "Look what a
vast number of large fire-flies there are in the
bushes over the town!" "Are you sure those
lights are fire-flies?" said a captain of one of the
companies. "Yes," said the mid; "I'll convince
you in a jiffy." Away he flew into the bushes, and
in about five minutes returned, with his hat swarm-
ing with them, which produced a pale, bright light
equal to several candles. The adventure produced
much laughter at the expense of the piquet who had
given the alarm, and the retreat was beat.
At particular periods of the year these little
insects meet in the same manner that birds do on
St. Valentine's Day. The soldiers who formed the
piquet had never seen anything of the kind before,
and as the sentinel at a small fort at the entrance
of the harbour had been shot by the enemy a few
nights previously, they were determined not to be
taken by surprise.
K.G.
CHAPTER IX.
A MOCK COURT-MARTIAL.
Transhipped to H.M.S. Queen (98)- -Sailors' appreciation of books —
The ship runs aground and sinks : with difficulty raised — A mock
court-martial on the master — Author made lieutenant with a
commission on a twenty-four-gun ship.
After completing our water and stores, we
sailed, and made the circuit of St. Domingo, and
a month afterwards returned to Port Royal, where
we found the dignity ladies looking as blooming as
black roses, and as it was understood that we were
to be paid prize money, a general invitation was
given to all the wardroom officers to a grand ball
two days after our arrival; for be it known to
you, gentle reader, that humble mids are never
invited to dignity balls of the first class, which are
given by the mustees and quadroons. Some of
these ladies are beautifully formed, with handsome
features. The second class generally consist of
mulattos and blacks ; these last are the most
numerous ; the mids at their balls are quite at home,
and call for sangaree and porter-cup in first style.
At this period I had served my six years within a
few months, when the captain sent for me, and
told me he intended sending me on board the flag-
ship on promotion. " I send you there," added he.
ON BOARD A '98. 115
" beforehand, that you may have the opportunity of
becoming known to the commander-in-chief, that
at the expiration of your time you may be more
immediately under his notice and be sure of your
promotion." I thanked him sincerely for his kind
intention, and the following morning behold me,
bed and traps, ensconced in the starboard midship-
man's berth — one of the darkest holes of a cockpit
I ever was yet in — on board the Queen, a ninety-
eight gun ship. My messmates, ten in number,
were the poorest of all poor mids. I was
welcomed to the mess by the master's mate, who
held in his hand a dirty, empty bottle, with a
farthing candle lighted in the neck of it. '' Take
care," said he, " you don't break your shins over
the youngsters' chests." " Thank you," said I ;
"but I always thought a flag-ship's cockpit too
well regulated to have chests athwartships."
" Why, to tell you the truth," replied he, '* those
d d youngsters are so often changing ships,
being here to-day and promoted to-morrow,- that
it is impossible to keep either chests, mess or them
in anything hke order. I wish they were all at the
devil." " Amen," responded a person in the berth,
whose nose was looming out of a hazy darkness,
"for, d n them," he continued, "they have
eaten all the cheese and have had a good swig at
my rum-bottle, but I'll lay a point to windward of
them yet." These two hard officers were both old
standards. The last who spoke was the mate of
the hold, and the other of the lower deck. One
I 2
ii6 A MOCK COURT-MARTIAL.
had seen thirty-five and the other thirty-nine
summers. The hope of a Heutenant's commission
they had given up in despair, and were now looking
out for a master's warrant. They were both
brought up in the merchant service, and had
entered the Navy at the beginning of the war
as quarter-masters, and by their steady conduct
were made master's mates, a situation which
requires some considerable tact. The greater
portion of my hopeful brother officers were from
eighteen to twenty years of age. Their toast in
a full bumper of grog of an evening was usually,
" A bloody war and a sickly season." Some few
were gentlemanly, but the majority were every-day
characters — when on deck doing little, and when
below doing less. Books they had very few or
none ; as an instance of it, we had only one,
except the Hamilton Moore's and the Nautical
Almanack, among ten of us, and that was " Extracts
from the Poets." One of the mates above mentioned,
seeing me moping with the blue devils, brought it
me. "Here," said he, "is a book nobody reads.
I have looked into it myself, but there is so much
dry stuff in it, that it makes my grog go too fast ;
but," added he, " ' Dry ' is put under that part, so
you can skip over it." Now, reader, the most
beautiful passages of this neglected book were from
Dryden. The mate, happy, ignorant man, imagined,
in his wisdom, that where the abridgment of this
poet's name was placed, it was to indicate to the
reader that the poetry was dry and not worth
A SHIP'S LITERATURE. 117
reading. Oh, Ignorance, thou art sometimes bliss,
but in the present instance it were not folly to be
wise ! I attempted to take the Irish half-crown out
of his mind by comparing some of Dryden's passages
with the others, and he was as much convinced as a
cable-tier coiling and stowing-hold officer is gener-
ally capable of being, that the " Dry" poetry was
the best.
The captain of this ship was from the north,
I believe, strictly moral and as strict in discipline,
admirably economical, and as regular in his habits
as any old-clothes man in Monmouth Street. He
kept all the cockpitonians on the qidvive, and as every
recommendation went through him to the admiral
it was but good policy for the mids to be on the
alert. As all the lieutenants were constantly
changing, those promoted making room for others,
I shall not describe their characters, except noticing
that the generality of them were good officers and
gentlemen. A month after I joined we were
ordered to sail, and on going out of Port Royal
Roads we struck with great force on a sand bank
called the Turtle Head. The master, who was as
ignorant as he was conceited, had taken charge of
the ship before she was out of pilot water, and in less
than half an hour after the pilot left us she struck.
As we were still in sight of the vessels at Port
Royal, we made the signal for assistance, and soon
afterwards saw a frigate and a store ship coming
out towards us. The sea breeze began to set in,
which drove us more on the shoal, notwithstanding
ii8 A MOCK COURT-MARTIAL.
thatwe had carried out two anchors ahead. At length
she thumped so violently that we jumped at least a
foot high from the deck. I could not refrain from
smiling to see the captain and officers with serious,
long, anxious faces, cutting capers against their
will. The rudder and false keel soon parted
company, and we all expected to see the masts
jerked out of their steps. On sounding the well
we found the ship making water rapidly. The
pumps were set to work, but in vain. She soon
sank in three fathoms and a half water, and we had
eighteen feet of water in the hold. The frigate and
store ship, with some smaller vessels, had anchored
as near us as they could with safety. The small
craft came alongside and took out our guns and
stores, and one hundred additional men were sent
on board us to work the pumps. Pumps were also
sent from the dockyard, and were introduced into
the hold through the decks, which had been
scuttled for that purpose. On the morning of the
third day we had got everything, except the lower
masts and bowsprit, on board the lighters, and by
the exertions of the men at the pumps, which had
been incessant for three days and nights, we had
lightened her, and she floated off the shoal. The
frigate took us in tow, and in three hours afterwards
we were lashed alongside the dockyard. The
fatigue and want of rest, for not a single hammock
had been piped down during the time the ship was
on vshore, threw about fifty men into the sick list,
and several of them died at the hospital afterwards.
SEAMEN'S HOSPITALS. 119
The seamen of the fleet in general had a great
aversion to go to the hospital, and when ill used
to entreat the doctor not to send them there. It
was said of the matrons, which did not redound to
their credit if true, that when a seaman died, and
was reported to them, they exclaimed : *' Poor
fellow ! bring me his bag, and mind everything
belonging to him is put into it." This they con-
sidered their perquisite. Surely this is wrong and
robbery ! Ah, Mr. Hume ! why were you a puling,
helpless babe at that time ? Had you been a man
and known it, you would have called for reforma-
tion and been the seaman's friend.
We had now a difficult and arduous duty to
perform, which was to heave the ship down keel
out. I was stationed on the lower deck with a
party of thirty seamen to keep the chain pumps
going as long as they would work — that is, until the
ship was nearly on her side. In about twenty
minutes she was nearly on her beam ends, when all
the temporary stanchions which had been fixed to
keep the deck from yielding gave way like a regi-
ment of black militia in chase of Obie, or Three-
fmgered Jack in the Whee Mountains, when they
are in full retreat. I was standing at this time in
no enviable position, my feet rested on the combings
of the main hatchway with my back against the
deck. I expected every moment to have my brains
knocked out, but this apprehension was soon super-
seded by a cry from the shore of, *' Make for the
stern ports and jump overboard ; the hawsers are
I20 A MOCK COURT-MARTIAL.
stranded; there will be a boat ready to pick you up."
"Sooner said than done," thinks I to myself; "I
wish with all my heart that the first lieutenant who
ordered me here was in my place, and he would find
the order practically impossible." Another cry was
then heard: "Hold all fast on board!" "You
are a wise man," thinks I again for that order;
"it is the very thing we are determined to do."
"All's safe," was the next squall through the
trumpet, "the mastheads are secured to the
beams." " Thank you for nothing," said I to
myself, "it's more good luck than good manage-
ment." When the ship was hove down, we got
some of the pumps to work on the side next the
water, as it had gone from the well, and in a few
hours kept her clear. On the fourth day we righted
her, as the dockyard maties had botched her up.
We had now to wait about six weeks for the
rudder ; in the meanwhile we got on board the
water, provisions and stores, and fresh powder, the
last having had a ducking. From the time the ship
came to the yard we had slept and messed in the
capstan house, consequently we had not an oppor-
tunity of holding a cockpit inquiry on the master's
conduct for running the vessel on shore. The
second day after getting on board we put on our
scrapers and toasting-forks, and assembled in the
larboard berth, which was illuminated for the
occasion by four farthing candles. The court
consisted of fourteen members. I was chosen
president ; a black man who waited on our berth
A COCKPIT INQUIRY. 121
was to personate the master. After taking our
seats according to seniority, we declared we would
show neither favour nor partiality to the prisoner,
but try him fairly by the rules of the cockpit. I
began, as president, by asking him the reason he
let the pilot quit the ship before she was clear of
the shoals.
Prisoner: '"Cause, massa, I had berry good
opinion of myself, and I tink I sabby de ground better
den dat black scorpion who call himself pilot."
President : "If you knew the channels better
than the pilot, how came you to let the ship get on
shore on the Turtle Head shoal?"
Prisoner: ''Ah, Massa President, me no tink
Turtle Head lib dere ; me tink him lib tree legs
more west. De chart say him moral impossible he
lib so near Port Royal."
Here the chart was examined, and the shoal was
in reality laid down in a wrong place. This saved
the master, or he must have been smashed. Here
the court adjourned to consider the sentence.
After laughing and joking some short time in the
larboard wing, we again assembled looking as
solemn as a Lord Chancellor, when I, as the noble
president, addressed the prisoner as follows : —
" Prisoner, this honourable Court having duly
considered the unseamanlike and stupid blunder
you have committed, do adjudge you to be sus-
pended from your duty as master of this ship for
six calendar months, in order to give you time to
reflect on the mischief you have done and the
122 A MOCK COURT-MARTIAL.
great expense you have occasioned by running His
Majesty's ship on a shoal called the Turtle Head ;
and they advise you not to be so self-sufficient in
future, and, if it be not morally impossible, to
clothe yourself with the robe of humility, and to
put all your conceit into the N.W. corner of your
chest, and never let it see daylight. And the Court
further adjudges you, in consequence of your letting
the pilot quit the ship before she was in sea-way,
to be severely reprimanded and also admonished as
to your future conduct, and you are hereby sus-
pended, reprimanded, and admonished accordingly.
I dissolve this Court. Master Blacky, get dinner
ready as fast as you can, as we are very sharp set."
"Yes, massa," was the answer; "to-day you
hab for dinner salt junk and bargeman biscuit, and
to-morrow you hab change." " What do you say,
you black woolly-headed rascal ? " said one of the
mids. " Why, I say, massa, you hab change to-
morrow-you hab bargeman biscuit and salt junk."
"Why," said another horrified mid, "I heard the
caterer order you to get some fish from the canoe
alongside." "Yes, massa, dat berry true, but de
d d black scorpion would not sell 'um to massa
midshipman, cause he no hab pay for fish last
time." " If you mention that again," said one of
my messmates, " I'll crack your black cocoa-nut,
and if you do not get some to-morrow, I'll take
care your grog shall be stopped." Here the
caterer of the mess interfered by promising the
mess should have some fish for their dinner next
TO SEA AGAIN. 123
day, and the contest ended. Master Blacky started
up the ladder to stand the wrangle in the galley for
our dinner, and shortly after we attacked a tolerably
good-looking piece of King's own, with the addition
of some roasted plantains, which our black factotum
had forgotten to mention in his bill of fare.
Having procured our rudder we sailed to prove,
the middies said, "Whether promotion should be
stopped or not by the ship's sinking or floating ? "
Fortunately for us, by the aid of the chain pumps
twice a day, she did the latter. We continued on
a man-of-war's cruise there and back again for five
weeks, and then returned to our former anchorage.
During this short cruise I had prepared myself for
passing, and soon after our arrival, my time being
served, I requested the first lieutenant to speak to
the captain that I might pass for a lieutenant.
" Go yourself," said he, " and tell him. He is in
his room at the capstan house. I'll give you the
jolly boat."
I was soon on shore and at the door of his room.
I knocked. " Enter," said a voice not at all
encouraging. " What do you want, any orders?"
" No, sir," said I, with one of my best quarter-
deck bows, which appeared to soften him. " I
hope I am not intruding ; I have taken the liberty
of waiting on you, sir, to acquaint you that I have
served my time." He was half-shaved, and my
visit appeared unfortunately ill-timed, and I began
to apprehend by the expression of his countenance,
and the flourishes he made with his razor, he
124 A MOCK COURT-MARTIAL.
intended making me a head shorter. " Who sent
you to me at this inconvenient time ? " asked he.
*' The first Heutenant, sir," said I ; "he thought it
was better for me to inform you before you went to
the Admiral's pen." " Oh, very well ; you may
go ; shut the door, and let the barge come for me at
seven o'clock." On board I repaired, and delivered
the message. I kept pondering whether my hardy,
half-shaven captain's manner was favourable to the
information I had given him or not. My messmates
were anxious to know how I was received. " Not
very graciously," was my reply. Next morning, to
my agreeable surprise, I was ordered to take the
barge, and go on board the Alarm frigate, where I
met my old captain, who shook hands with me, and
two others. "Well," said the former, "are you
prepared to prove you are an able seaman and
an officer?" " I hope so, sir," said I. He intro-
duced me to his two brother officers, and informed
them I had sailed with him some time, and that
I had frequently charge of a watch. We all
descended to the cabin, where Hamilton Moore's
" Epitome," a slate and pencil were placed before
me. I was first asked several questions respecting
coming to an anchor, mooring, tacking, veering,
and taking in sail. I was then desired to find the
time of high water at different places, and the
variation of the compass.
They appeared satisfied with my answers and
solutions, and before I left the ship they presented
me with my passing certificate. On the following
LIEUTENANT'S COMMISSION. 123
day I took the oath of allegiance, abused the Pope
— poor, innocent man — and all his doctrines, and
received my commission for a twenty-four gun ship
which I joined the day after. I left some of my
messmates with regret, as they were made of the
very stuff our Navy required.
CHAPTER X.
MORE CRUISING.
Requested to act as first lieutenant, but refuses — Description of
officers — A fruitless search for a Spanish treasure ship — Run on
a coral reef, but float off again — A tropical thunderstorm — A
futile attempt to cut out three schooners off Matanzas — Author
becomes first lieutenant — Return to Port Royal — The incriminating
papers of an American sloop found in a shark — Seize a French
ship in ballast off St. Domingo.
On introducing myself to my new captain, who
was a short, corpulent, open-countenanced man, he
informed me he had conversed with my former
captain respecting me. "We lost both the
lieutenants by the yellow fever the latter part of
last cruise," said he, " and if you like to be first
lieutenant, I will request the Admiralty to give me
an acting officer." I thanked him for his good
opinion, but begged leave to decline being first.
About a fortnight afterwards, during which time no
other lieutenant had joined, the captain again
asked me if I had altered my mind. "And,"
added he, " the time you have been on board has
given you some insight respecting a first lieutenant's
duty. Your early rising I much approve, and your
regularity with the duty pleases me. Let me write
for an acting lieutenant." I made him due
acknowledgments but still declined, pleading the
NEW SHIPMATES. 127
want of experience. "Well," said he, "if you
will not, I must ask for a senior officer," and
soon afterwards he was appointed. Another fort-
night expired, when we sailed for the Gulf of
Mexico. I will now rest on my oars a little, and
as I have the watch below, I will amuse myself by
sketching the outline of the gun-room inmates.
The first lieutenant knew his duty, but was too
fond of the contents of his case-bottles of rum,
which made him at times very irritable and hasty ;
in other respects he was a sociable messmate. The
second was a kind of nondescript ; he was certainly
sober, and I hope honest, fond of adventure, and
always volunteered when the boats were sent on
any expedition. He was sociable, and frequently
rational, although too often sanguine where hope
was almost hopeless. Three-and-twenty summers
had passed over his head, but still there was much
to correct. He was generous and open-hearted,
and never could keep a secret, which often got him
into a scrape with ladies of all colours. The value
of money never entered his head, and when he
received a cool hundred, he spent it coolly, but not
without heartfelt enjoyment. The master comes
next. He was a little, natty man ; we presumed he
had been rolled down Deal beach in his infancy,
where pebbles without number must have come in
rude contact with his face, for it was cruelly
marred. He had made some trips in the East
India Service, which had given him an air of
consequence. He was not more than twenty-four
128 MORE CRUISING.
years of age, and certainly clever in his profession.
I will now bring forward the doctor, who appeared
to doctor everybody but himself. He was every
inch a son of Erin, could be agreeable or the
reverse as the fit seized him, fond of argument,
fond of rum, and sometimes fond of fighting. To
see him put his hand to his mouth was painful ; it
was so tremulous that half the contents of what he
eat or drank fell from it, yet he was never tipsy,
although the contents of three bottles of port wine
found their way very glibly down his throat at a
sitting.
Now I will have a dead-set at the purser, who
was generally purseless. He was the gayest of the
gay, very tall, very expensive, and always in love.
The first fiddle of the mess and caterer, fond of
going on a boat expedition, very fond of prize-
money, and as fond of getting rid of it. He used
to say, " It was a terrible mistake making me a
purser. I shall never be able to clear my accounts,"
and this was literally the case. Some years after-
wards he was appointed to a large frigate, but by
the irregularity of his conduct, although his captain
was his friend, he was by a court-martial dismissed
the Service. When I heard this I was much con-
cerned, as there were some good points about him.
I have now handed up all the gun-room officers.
Other characters in the ship I shall not describe ;
some were good, some bad, and some indifferent,
but I am happy to remark the first-named pre-
ponderated. We made the Grand Cayman, and
A CHASE AND A DISAPPOINTMENT. 129
sent a cutter to the shore to purchase turtle and
fruit. In about an hour and a half she came off
with three turtle, some yams, plantains, cocoa-nuts,
and a few half-starved fowls. I had cautioned the
purser not to buy any grunters, as those poor
animals blown out with water we had purchased
from these honest islanders in days of yore, were
still fresh in my memory.
The same evening we made Cape Antonio, and
cruised between that cape and the Loggerhead Keys
for some days without seeing anything but two
American vessels from New Orleans. One of them
gave us notice of a Mexican armed zebec ready to
sail with treasure from Mexico for the Havannah.
This news elated us. We were all lynx-eyed and
on the alert. The youngsters were constantly at
the masthead with glasses, in the sanguine hope of
being the first to announce such good fortune.
Alas ! we cruised from the mouth of the Mississippi
to the Bay of Campechy for five long weeks, at the
period of which we saw a vessel we made certain
was that which was to make our fortunes, and our
heads were filled with keeping our kittereens and
having famous champagne dinners at Spanish
Town. After a chase of seven hours, we came up
with her, but judge of our chagrin ! She was the
same rig as the American captain described. I
was sent on board her, and expected to have
returned with the boat laden with ingots, bars
of gold and silver cobs. Oh, mortification ! not
easily to be effaced ! On examining her, she
K.Ga J^
I30 MORE CRUISING.
proved, with the exception of four barrels of quick-
silver, to have no cargo of any value. I really was
so disappointed that I was ashamed to return on
board, and when I did, and made my report, there
was a complete metamorphosis of faces. Those
that were naturally short became a fathom in
length, and those that were long frightful to
behold. The order was given to burn her and
take out the seven Spaniards who composed her
crew. On interrogating the patroon, or master, ol
her, he informed us that the vessel with the precious
metal had sailed from Mexico two months before,
and had arrived at the Havannah. The Yankee
captain who had given us this false information,
and made us for five weeks poissons d'Avril, was
remembered in our prayers ; whether they ascended
or descended is a problem unsolved. We remained
in the Gulf of Mexico jogging backwards and for-
wards, like an armadillo in an enclosure, for ten
days longer, and then shaped our course for the
coast of Cuba, looked into the Havannah, saw
nothing which appeared ready for sailing, and
made all sail for the Florida shore. The following
morning it was very foggy, when about noon we
had the felicity of finding that the ship had, without
notice, placed herself very comfortably on a coral
reef, where she rested as composedly as grand-
mamma in her large armchair. We lost no time
in getting the boats and an anchor out in the direc-
tion from whence we came. Fortunately it was
nearly calm, otherwise the ship must have been
AGROUND ON A CORAL REEF. 131
wrecked. The process of getting her off was much
longer than that of getting her on. The mids, I
understood, declared she was tired of the cruise and
wished to rest. In the afternoon it became clear,
when we saw an armed schooner close to us, which
hoisted English colours and sent a boat to us. The
captain of her came on board and informed us that
his vessel was a Nassau privateer, and he tendered
all the assistance in his power to get us afloat. As
the ship appeared disinclined to detach herself from
her resting-place, we sent most of the shot and
some of the stores on board this vessel, when we
began to lift, and in a short time she was again
afloat, and as she did not make water we presumed
her bottom was not injured. On examining the
chart, we found it was the Carisford reef that had
so abruptly checked the progress of His Majesty's
ship. Nothing dismayed, we cruised for a week
between Capes Sable and Florida, until we were
one night overtaken by a most tremendous thunder-
storm, which split the fore and maintop-sails, carried
away the jib-boom and maintop-sail yard, struck
two of the men blind, and shook the ship fore and
aft. It continued with unabated rage until day-
light. We soon replaced the torn sails and got
another yard across and jib-boom out.
The following day we were joined by a frigate,
and proceeded off the Bay of Matanzas. Towards
evening we perceived three dark-looking schooners
enter the bay. As it was nearly calm, we manned
and armed four boats, two from the frigate, under
K 2
132 MORE CRUISING.
the direction of her first Heutenant and my senior
officer, and two from our ship, under my orders.
We muffled our oars and pulled quietly in. The
nio-ht was very dark and the navioration difficult,
owing: to the numerous coral reefs and small man-
grove islands. At length we discovered them
anchored in a triangle to support each other. We
gave way for the largest, and when within about
half pistol-shot they opened their fire on us. Two
of the boats were struck and my commanding
officer knocked overboard, but he was soon after-
wards picked up, and, except a slight wound in the
knee, unhurt. We persevered and got alongside
the one we had singled out. She received us as
warmly as if she had known us for years. I took
the liberty of shooting a man in her main rigging
who was inclined to do me the same kind office, had
I not saved him the trouble. We attempted cutting
away her boarding netting, and in so doing three
men were severely wounded. Her decks appeared
well filled with men : some of their voices were, I
am certain, English. After a struggle of some
minutes, in which one of the boats had not joined,
my senior officer, who had five of his men wounded,
ordered the boats to pull off. Shall I say I was
disappointed ? I most assuredly was, and my
boat's crew murmured. I desired them to be
silent. The boat which had lost her way now
came up, and received a broadside from the vessel
we were retreating from, which almost sank her,
and killed and wounded four of her crew. The
A FIASCO. 133
order was again given to pull off as fast as possible.
As the senior officer neared me in his boat, I asked
him, as we had found the large schooner so strong,
if it were not desirable to attempt the others. His
answer was yes, were they not so well armed and
so close to each other. " But," said he, " it is my
orders that the boats repair on board their own
ships, as my wounded men are dying, and I am
suffering the devil's own torments." *' So much
for a broken-down expedition," thinks I to myself.
" If the bull had not been taken by the horns,
something might have been effected."
On joining my ship I reported the wounded men,
who were sent to their hammocks, after having
been dressed by the doctor, who declared their
wounds, though severe, not to be serious. " Well,"
said the captain, " what have you done ? " " Worse
than nothing," replied I. "I never was on so sorry
or so badly planned an expedition. The enemy's
armed vessels were on the alert, whilst we were
half asleep, and they were anchored so close under
the land that we were nearly on the broadside of
the largest before we perceived her, and she gave it
us most handsomely, and I give her credit for her
spirited conduct." " You are a generous enemy,"
said my skipper. " Not at all," returned I ; "it
is my opinion that the man who commands that
vessel, who has given us such a good trimming,
deserves well of his country." I then made him
acquainted with all the particulars. " My opinion
of the officer who had the management of this boat
134 MORE CRUISING.
affair has been hitherto favourable," said the captain.
" He is certainly a young man, but his captain is
perfectly satisfied with his method of carrying on
the duty in the ship." "Yes," said I; "but ship
duty and boat duty are different." Here the con-
versation, which was irksome to my feelings,
terminated. A few days floated away, when the
first lieutenant had a dispute with the captain, and
he was suspended from his duty. I was sent for
into the cabin, when the captain told me he was
happy in the opportunity of again offering me the
situation of first lieutenant. " For," added he,
" Mr. G. and I shall never accord after what has
happened, and if he does not effect an exchange
with a junior officer to yourself, I will try him by a
court-martial."
Two weeks more finished our unsuccessful cruise.
We bore up for the Florida Stream, ran through
the Turks' Island passage, made St. Domingo and
Cuba, passed over the Pismire shoal of the N.E.
end of Jamaica, and anchored at Port Royal. The
morning following we received letters from England.
I must here relate an incident which was most
feelingly trying to one of the youngsters. He had,
among others, received a letter from his mother,
and to be more retired had gone abaft the mizzen-
mast to read it. The sea-breeze was blowing fresh,
when, just as he had opened it and read the first
words, it blew from his hands overboard. Poor
little fellow ! The agonised look he gave as it fell
into the water is far beyond description. He was
A LODGING ASHORE. 135
inclined to spring after it. Had he known how to
swim he would not have hesitated a moment.
Unfortunately all the boats were on duty, or it
mieht have been recovered. Mr. G., the first
lieutenant, effected his exchange, and a fine young
man joined as second. I was now positively fixed
as first. I was invited to dignity balls without
number, and had partners as blooming as Munster
potatoes.
My servant was of a shining jet colour, and a
fiddler. I took lodgings on shore, and after the
duty of the day was performed, about half after six
o'clock in the evening, I went to my chateau,
taking with me Black George and his fiddle, where
my shipmates and a few friends of all colours
amused themselves with an innocent hop and
sangaree, for I had now grown too fine to admit
the introduction of vulgar grog. Even the smell of
it would have occasioned the ladies to blush like a
blue tulip. After amusing ourselves on shore and
performing our duty on board, we were ready for
sea the fifth week after our arrival, and on the
sixth we sailed for the south side of St. Domingo.
We had been cruising a few days off the port of
Jacmel, when the Niinrod cutter and the Aber-
gavenny's tender joined us. The lieutenants of both
vessels came on board, and related the following
fact in my hearing: — The former vessel had
detained an honest trading Yankee brig on sus-
picion, and had sent her to Jamaica to be examined.
The latter vessel caught a large shark the morning
136 MORE CRUISING.
after, and found in its maw the false papers of this
said American brig, which she had thrown over-
board when the Niinrod chased her.
" Will you oblige me by a relation of the circum-
stance? " said our skipper to Whiley, who com-
manded the cutter. " It happened in the following
manner : I had information of this Charlestown
vessel before I left Port Royal, and I was deter-
mined to look keenly after her. I had been oft' the
Mosquito shore, where I understood she was bound
with gunpowder and small arms. At length I fell
in with her, but could not find any other papers
than those which were regular, nor any powder or
firearms ; but as I had good information respecting
her, I was determined to detain her, even if I burnt
my fingers by so doing. The morning after I sent
her for Jamaica I fell in with Lieutenant Fitton,
who hailed me, and begged me to go on board him.
When I got on the quarter-deck of the tender I saw
several large sheets of paper spread out on the
companion.
" ' Hulloa ! ' said I; 'Fitton, what have you
here ? ' ' Why,' said he, * I have a very curious
story to relate ; for that reason I wished you to
come on board me. This morning we caught a
shark, and, singular to tell you, on cutting him up we
found those papers (which you see drying) in his maw.
He must have been preciouvsly hard set, poor fellow.
I have examined them, and find they belong to the
Nancy, of Charlestown.' ' The Nancy, of Charles-
town,' said I. ' That is the very brig I have sent
A YANKEE, HIS PAPERS, AND A SHARK. 137
to Jamaica.' ' Well, then,' said Fitton, ' they are
3'ours, and I congratulate you on the discovery and
your good fortune.' " " This is singularly remark-
able," said our captain ; *' I hope you have taken
care of the jaw of the shark. It must be sent
to the Vice-Court of Admiralty at Jamaica as a
memento of the fact, and a remembrancer to all
Yankee captains who are inclined to be dishonest."
'' A good hint," said Fitton ; " it shall be done, sir."
And it was done, as I well recollect its being sus-
pended over where the American masters of detained
vessels stood when they desired to make oath.
In the evening these gentlemen, after having
dined on board us, repaired to their respective
vessels, and we soon after parted company. The
following day we anchored off the Isle de Vache,
near Port au Paix, St. Domingo, and sent the two
cutters in shore on a cruise of speculation, under
my orders. On quitting the ship we all blacked
our faces with burnt cork and tied coloured hand-
kerchiefs round our heads, in order to deceive the
fishing canoes. On nearing the shore we discovered
a schooner sailing along close to the beach. In
a short time afterwards we boarded her, and found
she was a French vessel in ballast from Port au
Paix, bound to Jacmel. She was quite new, and
not more than fifty tons burden. We took posses-
sion of her, but unfortunately, when we were in the
act of securing the prisoners, the enemy fired at
us from the shore. We had three men severely
wounded and the schooner's crew one. We lost
138 MORE CRUISING.
no time In getting the boats ahead to tow her off,
and although the enemy's fire was frequent, it did
no further mischief. On nearing the Isle de Vache
we found the ship gone, and, notwithstanding we
were without a compass, I was determined to bear
up before the sea-breeze for Jamaica. Fortunately
we fell in with the A. frigate, who took out the
wounded men, and wished me to burn the prize.
This proposal I rejected. The following evening
we reached Port Royal, and I sold her for ;f 140.
In a fortnight afterwards the ship arrived. On
joining her the captain informed me that three
hours after we had quitted her two vessels hove in
sight, and as they looked suspicious he got under
weigh and chased, with the intention of again
returning to his anchorage after having made them
out. This he was not able to effect, as in point of
sailing they were far superior to the Volage, and
after a useless chase of a night and a day, they
got into the port of St. Domingo. The ship
regained the anchorage the day afterwards, and
fired guns, hoping we were on the island ; but after
an interval of some hours, without seeing the boats,
the captain despatched an officer with a flag of
truce to Port au Paix, thinking it likely we had
been in want of provisions, or overpowered by gun-
boats. The officer returned with the information
of our having been on the coast, but that we had
not been seen for two days. The ship again put to
sea, and after a short cruise came to Port Royal,
where happily they found us.
CHAPTER XL
A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
Visit to a Jamaican plantation — Condition of the slaves — A growl
against the House of Commons and the Admiralty — Author
attempting to cut out a Spanish zebec, is taken prisoner — His
pleasant experiences while in captivity — At last released.
Soon after we arrived I was invited to spend
a few days in the mountains. We were mounted
on mules, and started from Kingston at four o'clock
in the morning. Some part of the road was very
narrow and wound round the mountain we were
going to. At one of the angles, or turns, the purser,
who was one of the party, had got his mule too near
the precipice, and in a few seconds was rolling
down the declivity, the mule first and he afterwards.
Fortunately for both animals, there were several
dwarf cotton-trees about half-way down, which
brought them up with a severe round turn. The
planter, who, I presumed, had seen exploits of this
kind before, lost no time inprocuringfrom the nearest
estate some negroes with cords, and in a few
minutes they were extricated from their perilous
situation. The purser was much cut about the
head, and both his arms severely contused. The
poor animal had one of his legs broken, and it was
a charity to shoot him on the spot.
I40 A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
As we were not far from the estate we were going
to, the black men, who manifested much wilHng-
ness and humanity, procured a hammock, which
they suspended to a pole, and carried with much
ease my poor unfortunate messmate, who, notwith-
standing his bruises, kept joking on his misadven-
ture. Another hour brought us to a delightful
pavilion-built house surrounded by verandahs. It
was like a Paradise ; the grounds were highly culti-
vated and produced sugar-canes, coffee, cotton and
pimento. The air was quite embalmed, and the
prospect from the house was enchanting. I could
see the ships at Port Royal, which appeared like
small dark dots. The estate belonged to a young
lady, a minor, residing in London, and it was
managed by her uncle. The number of slaves it
contained was three hundred. They appeared to me,
the four days I remained among them, as one happy
family. I visited, with the surgeon of the estate,
several of the cabins or huts ; each had a piece ol
ground to grow plantains, yams, sweet potatoes,
cocoas, etc. Some grew a few melons, nearly all
had fowls, and several had two or three pigs. The
whole of Sunday and the Saturday afternoon were
their own, on which days they repaired to Spanish
Town or Kingston markets to sell their vegetables,
fruit and poultry. The pigs, the doctor informed me,
were generally bought at the market price by the
overseers. " This estate," resumed the doctor, " is
very well conducted, and during the five years I
have been here we have only lost three slaves, and
o
CURIOUS CLOUD EFFFXTS. 141
two of those were aged. I need not say that the
manager is a man of humanity — you know him as
a eentleman. The whip is seldom used, and only
for theft, which scarcely ever occurs. And I do
not think that, were they free to-morrow, they
would leave Mr. W., who is an Englishman."
On the second morning of my residence here I
rose at four o'clock, and the view from a kind of
field called the Park was most remarkable and
picturesque in the extreme. Below me in all the
valleys was a dense fog, resembling a white woolly-
looking cloud, stretched out like an immense lake.
The lower mountains appeared like so many islands.
At first I stared in astonishment at so novel a sight,
and it reminded me of the picture of the Deluge,
when all the lower world was under water.
At breakfast I mentioned to Mr. W. the extra-
ordinary scene I had witnessed. "To you," said he,
" it may appear strange, but for at least four months
in the year we have those settling clouds or fogs.
They first form on the higher mountains, and then
descend into the valleys. About seven o'clock, as
the sun gains force, they disperse. But," added
he, "they are very necessary to the young planta-
tions, which they moisten profusely."
The purser was now sufficiently recovered to
join us in our rambles of an evening, in one of
which we came near a large tamarind-tree, where
a number of humming-birds were flying around.
" I would not hurt any of those little creatures for
a trifle," said Mr. W. " Were I to do it in the
142 A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
presence of any of the negroes, they would imme-
diately conclude I was wicked. They consider
them sacred, and, although they might fetch a
good price, I have never known one to be sold."
On the fifth morning the mules were ordered at
an early hour, and we bid adieu to our kind and
hospitable friend, who promised to spend a day
with us on board on our return from our cruise.
We arrived at Kingston at eleven o'clock without
accident, and were on board by dinner-time. On
the following Sunday we put to sea, and a week
afterwards were on our old cruising grounds in the
Mona passage and off Porto Rico.
We again sent two boats away on a speculative
cruise with the second lieutenant, who a few
hours after returned with a very handsome Spanish
schooner, about forty tons, in ballast. We now
put all our wise heads together, whether to send
her to Jamaica or make a tender of her. As I was
the first consulted, I voted for the last, '' As were
she to be sent to Jamaica," said I, " the expenses
of her condemnation will most likely exceed what
she may be sold for. In this case, we should not
only lose our prize, but have to pay for capturing
her." " That is very true," said the captain, " and
I have experienced the fact, which I will relate in a
few words : —
" I took a French ship from Antwerp bound to
Caen, laden with salt. I took her into Portsmouth.
A few months afterwards I received a letter from
my agent to inform me that the vessel and cargo
ADMIRALTY MISMANAGEMENT. 143
had been sold ; but in consequence of the duty
paid to Government on the salt, she had not
covered the expenses of her trial by eight pounds,
which my agents were obliged to pay for me to the
Proctors."
*' It is a hard case," said we all. " After risking
our lives and distressing the ships by sending officers
and men away in captured vessels, we are some-
times informed, as a reward for the risk, anxiety
and trouble, that instead of receiving we have to pay
money." This most certainly cries aloud for re-
form, and it appears monstrous that sailors find so
little support either in the House of Commons or at
the Admiralty. Soldiers have many advocates in
the former, but sailors few, and those few not worth
having. The first Secretary of the Admiralty is
generally a member of Parliament, but he only
concerns himself with the affairs of the Admiralty;
but ask him respecting the habits of sailors, he
may tell it to the marines, for the captain of the
main-top will never believe him. It is true the
Admiralty have now given orders for captains to
make a quarterly return of all punishments inflicted
on seamen. This I think quite right, as it must
in a great measure strike down the hand of tyranny.
Nor do I find fault with the encouragement and
respectability which has lately been given to the
petty officers. I am only astonished it was not
given years ago, but we are still in our infancy.
Before I quit this subject,! am compelled injustice
to ask both Admiralty and Lower House the reason
144 A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
why old and meritorious officers are so shamefully
neglected. The commanders above the year 1814
o
may, I hope, expect promotion in heaven, as I
fear they never will meet with it on earth. One
would suppose the Admiralty were ashamed of
having such old officers, and wish to forget them
altogether, or probably they think they are too well
paid and deserve, after spending the best part of
their lives in toil and service, nothing more. As
for the old lieutenants, God help them! — they must
contrive to hang on by the eyelids until they slip
their cables in this, and make sail into another
world. Is the hand of interest so grasping that the
Lords of the Admiralty cannot administer justice
to old officers and promote four or six from the
head of the list on a general promotion as well as
those very young officers, who most likely were not
in being when their seniors entered the Service, nor
have many of them seen a shot fired except in a
preserve ? It has been said that the patronage for
the promotion of officers in the Navy is entirely in
the hands of the First Lord, who is a civilian. If
this be true, interest and not service must be his
order of the day. He cannot know the merits or
demerits of officers but from others. Possessing
this ignorance, it is but a natural conclusion, though
no consolation, to those who suffer from it, that he
should only promote those who are recommended
to him, and this accounts for so many officers who
entered the Navy at the conclusion or since the
termination of the war being made post-captains or
OFFICERS' GRIEVANCES. 145
commanders. We read that promotion comes
neither from the east nor the west. In a recent
instance it came from the north. It may be ad-
visable for some old officers to make a trip to the
coast of Nova Zembla, get frozen in for two or
three years among the Nova Zemblians and Yakee
Yaws, come home, present themselves to the
Admiralty, who would undoubtedly promote them,
then they would have an audience and receive knight-
hood from a higher personage. This, as we all
know, has occurred, and may occur again, more
particularly so if they should be able to add to the
important information the last persevering and
gallant adventures brought to England. The
French beg a thousand pardons when they have
committed any little indiscretion ; an Englishman
says simply, " I beg your pardon." As such, gentle
reader, I sincerely beg yours, for having led you
such a Tom Coxe's traverse.
To resume my narrative. We came to a con-
clusion that the schooner vshould be fitted up as
our tender, and as we had all taken a fancy to
her she should be called the Fancy. We put
on board her a twelve-pounder carronade and
mounted four half-pound swivels on her gunwales.
The second lieutenant, as he captured her, was to
command her ; he took with him one of the senior
midshipmen and sixteen good seamen. After re-
ceiving his orders and provisions he parted company
for the north side of Cuba, and was desired to
rendezvous every Sunday afternoon off Cape
K.G. L
146 A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
Maize. This was Tuesday. In the meanwhile we
sent a boat into a small bay to the westward of the
Cape to fill some small casks with water from a fall
we saw from the ship. Three hours afterwards she
returned, not only with water but also with three
large pigs, which the master, who had direction of
the boat, had shot. At last Sunday arrived ; we
were off the Cape, but no Fancy. The weather had
been very squally, and we thought it probable she
might have got to leeward. The following morn-
ing we spoke an American brig from St. Jago, who
informed us that she had passed a Spanish schooner
laden with tobacco at anchor at the mouth of the
river. We stood in, and discovered the ship with the
glass. In the evening I volunteered to cut her
out, and at dusk we started in a six-oared cutter.
By eleven at night I was within the mouth of the
river and under the Moro Castle and another large
fort. Our oars being muffled prevented any noise.
We pulled round the entrance twice, but to no
purpose, as the vessel had removed and we could
not discover her. Daylight was breaking as we
cleared the shore, when we saw a vessel which
appeared like our ship standing towards us, but
were with reason alarmed at seeing three more. I
immediately concluded they were enemy's privateers.
My fears were soon confirmed by their hoisting
Spanish colours, and the nearest began firing at us.
I had eight men and a midshipman with me, and we
all did our utmost to escape. Unfortunately our
ship was not in sight, and after a fatiguing and
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TAKEN PRISONER. 147
anxious pull for three hours and having two of the
boat's crew wounded, I was, in consequence of the
nearest privateer being within pistol shot, obliged to
surrender. We were taken possession of by the
Gros Soiiris, a Spanish zebec with a long eighteen-
pounder and seventy-five men. The other vessels
were a three-masted zebec with an English sloop
which she had captured and a schooner. Two
hours afterwards we were all at anchor in the river,
and the next day proceeded to St. J ago, where I
had, with the crew, the felicity of being put into the
gaol. In the afternoon I received my parole, as
also did the youngster who was with me. The
American Consul, Mr. B., very handsomely sent a
person to conduct me to the American hotel. This
said tavern was kept by a Boston widow, who was
really a good sort of person. The table d'hute was
very tolerable, and I had the honour of being
acquainted with some of the American skippers.
Some were very outre, coarse and vulgar, but two
of them were agreeable and very civil. The morn-
ing after my arrival the Governor sent for me. On
being introduced he requested me to take a seat, a
cup of coffee and a cigar. The two former I
accepted, the latter I refused, at which he expressed
some surprise, as he imagined all Englishmen
smoked. He then requested me to relate through
an American interpreter the manner in which I had
been made prisoner, if I had been treated well on
board the privateer, or if any of my clothes had
been taken. I answered him very promptly to the
L 2
148 A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
last question by informing him that I had nothing
to lose, as I left the ship only in the clothes I stood
in. After a pause he sent for his secretary, and
desired him to write a note to the American
Consul, who in a short time after made his appear-
ance. " Here," said he, "is a British officer who
has been unfortunately taken by one of our vessels;
as you speak his language, tell him from me that I
am very sorry for his accident, and that I have
requested you to let him have any money he may
require, for which I will be responsible."
I made suitable acknowledgment for so noble
and disinterested an offer. I told him in my own
language, for he understood it, and spoke it imper-
fectly, that it was out of my power to thank him
sufficiently for his generosity to an enemy and a
stranger. " The first, I am sure," replied he, "you
are no longer ; the last you are, and call forth my
sympathy and protection," offering me his hand,
which I took respectfully. " Now," continued he,
" we understand each other, and I shall be happy
to see you without ceremony whenever you like to
come." Here he turned to the Consul, and after
some complimentary conversation, he said, " Take
this officer with you and treat him as a friend, for
he has found one in me."
We made our bows and withdrew. In our walk
to his house I could not forbear speaking of the
great kindness the Governor had evinced towards
me. " I am not astonished at it," said the Consul ;
" I do not think since he has had the government
GENEROUS TREATMENT. 149
of this place he has ever seen a lieutenant of your
Navy, and as he considers you an officer of rank,
he is determined as an act of policy to make the
most of you. His character is that of the high
Spanish, and I may add Irish, school, for his
grandfather was an Irishman, and died ennobled
and a general officer in their service. His name
is O'B."
This conversation brought us to the Consul's
residence. "Walk in," said he, "and rest your-
self." After having conversed on the unprofitable
service and risk of boating, he asked me if my
purse wanted replenishing. I answered in the
affirmative. He gave me what I required, for which
I gave him an order on my agent at Kingston.
Before we parted, he invited me to ride out and
spend the evening, which I accepted. At three in
the afternoon we were on horseback. " Sailors,"
remarked he to me, " are not generally considered
Nimrods. They ride too fast and sit too much
over the horse's shoulders; but probably," continued
he, " you British sailors ride much better than the
Americans, for they certainly do not make much
figure on horseback." " I frankly acknowledge,"
said I, "that I am no horseman, for the last time
I was mounted was with a party of landsmen who
had asked me to dine at Rock Fort, but I blush to
relate that when we had reached the Parade at
Kingston, my horse took fright at the black soldiers
who were exercising. I, finding I could not manage
him, gave him the l)ridle, when he ran into the
I50 A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
ranks, knocked down one of the sergeants, and
would have knocked my brains out against the
upper part of the stable door, if fortunately a man
had not been there, who threw up both his arms,
which stopped him from entering."
"How did you proceed afterwards?" inquired
he ; " Did you lose your dinner ? " '' No," said I,
laughing, " that would have been very hard on the
rest of the party, whose mouths were anxious to
devour the fish ordered at the tavern. I procured
a more quiet horse, and we proceeded at a parson's
trot, and did ample honour to our feast, for we
were very hungry on our arrival." In our ride I
found the country in this part of Cuba highly
cultivated. Large patches of sugar-canes, cocoa,
orange and lime groves met my eye in every
direction, and in some places near lagoons or
pieces of water rice was cultivated. I also observed
some plantations of tobacco. Three and four times
a week I rode out with the Consul, and found him
and our excursions very agreeable. He informed
me he had been several times in England, and was
much pleased with his vivsits. " I found," said he,
"the men prompt and regular in business, as well
as hospitable ; but," added he, " the greater part of
your women have the minds of angels, and make
the best wives in the world. In saying this I only
allude to the society I moved in — the merchants of
the higher classes. I much regret," continued he,
"that the better sort of my countrymen have not
the polish of yours. As long as they give up all
MORE MEN TAKEN PRISONERS. 151
their time to dollar-making they cannot be anything
more than what they are,"
One morning at an early hour I was called to
attend the Governor. On my seeing him, he
appeared agitated ; he had a kind of despatch in
his hand.
" I am sorry to say," said he, "I have bad news
for you. I have received accounts from the coast
that another of your boats has been taken. The
officer and three men have been shot, and five
taken prisoners. I have reprimanded my people
severely for firing on them, as they were much
superior to yours in numbers. The officer who
commanded our party assures me he could not
prevent it, as the natives near where your boat
landed had been plundered of most part of their
live stock, and several of their pigs were found shot
near their huts." By the description given I knew
it to be the master, who had before brought off pigs
which he had shot. I told him then he would, I
feared, try once too often, at which he only laughed.
I made as many lame excuses for the conduct of
those who ought to have known better, as I thought
prudent, and assured the Governor that the officer
must have exceeded his orders, as I was convinced
the captain would be very much grieved to hear
that he had lost his life and the lives of others on
so worthless an occasion.
" No," said he, " by what I can learn, his purpose
was to procure water ; had he quietly restricted
himself to that employment he would not ha\c been
152 A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
interrupted." Here the interview ended ; I with-
drew, and went with my mind disquieted to the
tavern, where I met some of the Yankee captains,
who would have drawn me into a conversation on
what had happened, but I was determined to be
silent, and retired to prose in my chamber.
On the second day after this sad event I received
an invitation for myself and Mr. S., the mid who
was with me, to a ball given by the Governor.
About eight o'clock in the evening Mr. B., the
American Consul, called for us, and we repaired
to the Government House, a large, square building
in a spacious yard. We entered an ante-room,
where the guard were stationed, and afterwards
a lofty kind of hall, the walls of which were white-
washed, and at the farthest end was an orchestra
raised on a platform. About eighty well-dressed
people were assembled, the greater part of whom
were females ; some of them were very pretty,
and made my heart go pit-a-pat. I saluted the
Governor, who shook hands with me, and intro-
duced me to a lady, who, as he was a bachelor,
presided for him, and whose fine auburn hair was
so long that she had it fastened with a graceful
bow to her side, otherwise it would have trailed on
the ground. She was a native of Guadeloupe, and
married to a relation of the Governor's. The ball
was opened by four sets of minuets, which were
danced with much grace. I figured off in one,
but I fear, not gracefully. Country dances then
began, which were kept up for about two hours.
A FOURTH OF JULY DINNER. 153
Waltzes were then the order of the ball, which
continued until nearly daylight. I was heartily glad
to reach my room, and did not breakfast until a
late hour. I was spending my time very pleasantly,
but not profitably. I was a prisoner, and that was
sufficient to embitter a mind naturally active. I
began to get tired of doing nothing, and longed to
be free. I was shortly afterwards invited to two
more balls, but as they were much the same as the
one I have described, it is not worth while speaking
of them, except that I lost my heart to three young
females, who, alas ! were perfectly ignorant of the
fact.
On the day of the American Independence, Mr.
B. invited me to his dinner-party, where I met
the Lord knows who. A number of toasts were
given replete with freedom and Republicanism, and
guns were fired, and we were all very merry, until
a person near me, in hip-hip-hipping, hipped a
bumper of wine in his next neighbour's face. This
disturbed the harmony for some minutes, when, on
the friendly interference of the Consul, the offended
and the offender shook hands, and all went on
prosperously until midnight, at which hour we
took leave of our kind host, some with their eyes
twinkling and others seeing double. A few morn-
ings afterwards the Governor asked me to l)reakfast
at six o'clock. I found him taking his coffee on
the terrace of the house, where he had one ot
Dollond's large telescopes, the view from which
was magnificent and rich ; but before I had been
154 A JAMAICA PLANTATION.
half an hour with him I found my eyes suffering
from the great glare of light owing to the terrace
beine white. This he remarked. " We will
descend," said he, " and if you are fond of horses
and mules, you shall see my stud." On the
landing-place of the stairs we met a servant.
" Go," said he to him, " and tell the grooms to
bring all the mules into the yard. In the mean-
while you and I will enter this room," pointing to
a door on the right. "This," said he, "is my
retreat, and where I take my nap after dinner." I
remarked it contained no bed, but a Spanish silk-
grass hammock hung low from the ceiling, over
which was a mosquito net and a light punkah
within it. " Here," said he, " I lose sight of the
world and all its absurdities for at least two hours
every day by going quietly to rest, and as it is the
custom of the country, there is little fear of my
being disturbed." The head groom came to
announce that the mules were in the yard.
"Come," said he, "let us go and look at them ;
they are considered fine animals." We were soon
in their company, and I beheld eight beautiful
cream-coloured mules of considerable height.
" These are my state mules, and are seldom used.
I have eight others for common work. Horses,"
continued he, " are seldom in request, but I
have three, which you shall see in the stable."
They were large-boned, with ugly heads and short
necks. "You do not admire them," said he;
" they are not very handsome. They came from
FREEDOM AT LAST. 155
the Island of Cura9oa, and perhaps are rather
of Dutch build. I use them for the family
carriage." After expressing my gratification
which the sight of the beautiful mules had
excited, and thanking him for his condescension,
I took my leave. A week after this visit I was
again sent for. " I have now good news for
you," said the kind-hearted Governor. " Your
ship is close in to the Moro, and has sent in
a flag of truce to request me to release you, and
you are free from this moment, and," added he, " I
will send every English prisoner with you, if you
will say that an equal number of Spaniards shall
be returned on your arrival at Jamaica." This I
did not hesitate to promise, as I was certain the
commander-in-chief would do it on a proper repre-
sentation. I took leave of this excellent man and
the Consul Vv^ith the warmest feelings of respect and
gratitude.
CHAPTER XII.
FIGHTING EPISODES.
Returns to his ship — Capture of a French schooner — An episode with
two American sloops of war — Return to Port Royal — Attacked a
second time by yellow fever — Seize and burn a Spanish gunboat
— Return to Port Royal— Wetting a midshipman's commission —
Ordered home with a convoy — Pathetic farewells with mulatto
washerwomen.
On going on board a boat provided for the
purpose, I found with much joy the five men
who had been taken when the unfortunate master
lost his Hfe, my own boat's crew, and seven
other seamen. This addition was cheering. Five
hours later we were shaking hands with some of our
mess and shipmates, who appeared delighted to see
us. The ship being close in with the vshore, we
soon reached her, and received a hearty welcome
from all on board. I acquainted the captain with
every circumstance respecting our capture, and
with the great kindness and liberality of the
Governor and American Consul, and that I had
pledged my word of honour as an officer that an
equal number of officers and men should be ex-
changed for us. " For your satisfaction, and I
hope for his," replied the captain, " a cartel is on
her passage with a superior Spanish officer and
twenty men, for immediately our liberal-minded
A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS. 157
commander-in-chief, Lord H. Seymour, heard, by
an American vessel, of our misfortunes, he ordered
the cartel to be got ready, and desired me to pro-
ceed, before we had half refitted, to St. J ago to
reclaim you, having written a handsome letter to
acknowledge the humane manner in which the
Governor treated the English prisoners " — which
letter was given to the Spanish officer to present to
him on his arrival. " Now," continued the captain,
"have you heard anything of the Fancy? I am
afraid she is lost, with all on board her. The
morning after you went away," resumed he, " we
saw a vessel in the offing much resembling her. I
stood towards her, and found she was an American.
The sea-breeze became so strong that I could not
fetch sufficiently to windward, and that accounts
for your not seeing us. I was truly unfortunate,
and the cruise was disastrous beyond credibility.
You a prisoner, with a midshipman and nine sea-
men, the master and three men killed, and five
others taken, and the second lieutenant, a midship-
man and sixteen of the best seamen most likely
drowned — for I think beyond a doubt she has
upset." This conjecture was a few days after
unhappily confirmed by a Bermudian sloop, which
informed us that she had passed a small vessel, as
we described her, bottom up near the Island of
Inagua. This intelligence threw a gloom over
the whole of us. " This is too tender a subject,"
said I, '• to have any more tenders." " No," replied
the captain ; " all these unhappy circumstances
158 FIGHTING EPISODES.
combined are most deplorable. I do not think
I will ever send the boats away again." " Not
till the next time," thinks I to myself. We repaired
to one of our old cruising grounds, the Isle de
Vache, and although our noble captain had some
days before come to a kind of secondhand determi-
nation of not sending boats away from the ship, on
a large schooner heaving in sight towards the even-
ing, I volunteered with the purser, if he would
allow us the two cutters, as the wind had died
away, to go after her. He, after a brown study of
about half an hour, granted our request. " But,"
said he, " be cautious, and if you find her heavily
armed, try to decoy her off shore, but by no means
attempt boarding her. We have suffered too much
already." Having prepared the boats, away we
started, and after a most fatiguing pull, came up
with her as she was making for Jacmel. Fortu-
nately for us, the land-breeze was blowing rather
fresh, which obliged her to make several tacks, and
we boarded her whilst in stays. The people on
board appeared astonished to see so many armed
men so suddenly on her deck, as she had in the
obscure light taken us for fishing canoes. She
proved a French schooner, laden with bags of
coffee. We soon rejoined the ship, quite elated
with our prize, and sent her to Jamaica in charge
of the purser. In the course of this cruise we fell
in with two American sloops of war, which we
chased, and as they did not shorten sail nor
answer the private signal, we fired at the nearest ;
AMERICAN CRUISERS. 159
the shot passed through her cutwater. This event
roused the minds and, I presume, the Yankee blood
of both Jonathans, for they bore up, and we could
hear their drums beating to quarters. We shortened
sail, and they soon bowled alongside of us, with
their sails spread like the tail of a turkey-cock.
" You have fired into me," said the nearest. " Have
I?" said our skipper, very coolly; "I intended
the shot to go ahead of you. You must blame
your superior sailing for the accident. You fore-
reached so rapidly that the shot had not time to go
ahead of you." " I don't know anything about
that," was the reply. " We are American cruisers,
and no one has a right, I guess, to fire into the
United States men-of-war." " Then the United
States men-of-war should have answered the private
signal and hoisted their colours," returned our
captain, " as we did ours." Here they hailed each
other, and soon afterwards hoisted their colours.
Another boat adventure and the capture of a
beautiful small schooner without any accident was
the wind up of this cruise.
We anchored at Port Royal once more. About
a week after our arrival I was again attacked with
the yellow fever and removed to my lodgings, where
I was nursed with unremitting attention by a
quadroon female, who did not leave my bedside day
or night. She was a most tender and attentive
nurse. It was a month before I was sufficiently
strong to go on board, and nearly another before I
could resume my duty. I was so reduced that I
i6o FIGHTING EPISODES.
was literally a walking skeleton, or, if my reader
pleases, the shadow of a ghost, and, had a purser's
candle been placed within me, I might have made
a tolerably good substitute for the flag-ship's top
light. We were, In consequence of several of the
crew being seized with yellow fever, ordered by the
recommendation of the surgeon to Bluefields for
change of air, and I am happy to state that from
this judicious arrangement we did not lose a man.
During the three weeks we remained here we
amused ourselves by fishing. The water in eight
fathoms was as pellucid as glass, and we could see
the large conger eels twisting about between the
stones at the bottom, as well as other fish, of which
we caught several. I was regaining my strength
rapidly, and was frequently invited to spend the
day at several of the estates.
I enjoyed walking of an evening about an hour
before sunset in the pimento groves, of which
there were several, and when the land-breeze set in
we were often regaled on board the ship by their
balmy fragrance. Mr. S., at whose house I
frequently dined, was particularly kind, and his
hospitality will not easily be effaced from my recol-
lection. He had an amiable daughter, and had
my heart not been lost in six different places, I
think I should have sent it to cruise in her snug
little boudoir. The captain, as the people who
were ill had nearly recovered, thought His Majesty's
ship should no longer lie idle. We bade adieu to
our kind friends, and once more made the water fly
CAPTURE OF A SPANISH GUNBOAT. i6i
before us. Three days more brought us off the
Havannah, where we joined the Trent and Alarm
frigates. Nothing worth noticing occurred until
the Trent, which was in chase of a vessel, ran on a
coral reef off Matanzas. The wind was light and
the sea smooth, and we soon got her afloat again.
The vessel she had chased ran on a sand beach
under the protection of a martello tower. Two
boats armed were soon in motion from each ship,
to get her off if possible. I had the direction of our
boats. The enemy's gun-boat, for such she was,
under Spanish colours, hoisted her ensign and the
red flag of defiance, and kept up a smart fire on
our boats. Fortunately we escaped, but those from
the Alarm had the lieutenant and three men
wounded. Our boats were the first alongside of her,
when I hauled down the red flag and her colours,
and threw them into one of our boats, but the senior
lieutenant claimed the former. This I refused,
because as I was first on board and hauled it down
I considered myself entitled to keep it. He said he
should refer it to his captain, who was the chief
officer. *' So be it," I replied. On our boarding
the enemy's vessel we found the crew had aban-
doned her, and were firing at us with muskets from
the bushes. They had scuttled her, and she uas
full of water. We turned her guns on them, which
soon dislodged them, and they scampered off as
fast as their legs would carry them. More than
half of our boat's crews had landed and were under
my orders. We soon perceived about thirty horse
K.G. M
i62 FIGHTING EPISODES.
soldiers in a full trot towards us. We formed in a
body two deep, and when we were near enough
gave them a sailor's salute with our muskets and
three cheers. We knocked one off his horse, and
set the others on a full gallop back from whence they
came. They discharged their carbines at us, but
they were too much alarmed to take good aim, and
we escaped unharmed.
As it was impossible to get the gun-boat afloat,
we tarred her sails and set fire to her. We vshould
have blown her up had not her powder been under
water. She mounted a long eighteen-pounder
on a traverse, and six long six-pounders on her
quarter-deck. She was of great length and a
formidable vessel, and we much regretted our not
being able to get her afloat, as she would have
answered for the Service. She had also four brass
swivels mounted on her gunwales, which we took
in the boats. After waiting until she had nearly
burnt down to the water's edge, we returned to our
ships, taking with us the wounded Spanish dragoon.
Soon after we were on our oars the martello tower
began blazing away at us. It had hitherto been
silent, but we supposed that when the run-away
dragoons perceived we were withdrawing, they
returned and mounted the tower to give us a parting
salute. They might have spared themselves the
trouble, as it had only one gun, and that badly
served. We were on board our own ships before
they fired the fourth shot. "Well," said the captain,
on^ my reaching the quarter-deck, "you were not
DISPUTE ABOUT A CAPTURED FLAG. 163
able to get the vessel off." "No," I replied; "she
was scuttled, and sank before we boarded her."
" Were her guns brass or iron ? " " Iron," said I,
" and not worth bringing on board ; there were four
brass one-pound swivels, but those were taken by
the lieutenant of the commodore's boat, and he
ungenerously claimed the red flag I had hauled down,
but I refused to give it up." Whilst this conversa-
tion was going on, a boat from the Alarm came
alongside with a midshipman and a written order
from the commodore for me to give up, no longer
the flag of defiance but that of dispute. " I think,"
said the captain, "you had better comply with the
order." On seeing my disinclination to do so, he
said, " It is not worth contending about." " I believe,
sir," I replied, " you are right. It is of too childish
a nature to contend about, although I cannot help
considering it arbitrary, and I am surprised that a
man like Captain D. could ever give such an unjust
order." " There are many men of various minds,"
said he. There the disagreeable conversation
ended. The mid received the piece of red bunting,
and I walked the deck as surly as a bear with the
Caledonian rash. The captain, who was going to
dine with Captain A., told me he would explain
to him anything I wished respecting what had
occurred. This I declined, but I mentioned the
swivels, and told him that they were very handy to
mount in the boats when going on service. " I
will ask him for two of them," said he ; " by
doing this I probably may get one. You know,"
M 2
i64' FIGHTING EPISODES.
continued he, laughing, "he is from the Land of
Cakes and bannocks, where the device is ' To hold
fast and not let go.' "
In the evening the captain returned on board,
brinirins: in the boat one of the swivels. " I have
laid a point to windward of the Highlander," said
he to me; "but I was obliged to make use of all
my best logic, for he chose to be distressingly deaf
on the subject of giving. But when I mentioned
that I had a canister of real Scotch which was of
no use to me, as I had left off taking snuff, his ears
became instantly opened. * You said something
about two swivels, I think,' said he ; 'I cannot
spare you two, but I will give you one. Will you
take it in your boat with you, or I will send it in
our jolly boat, and as I am nearly out of snuff, you
can spare me the canister you mentioned that you
do not need.'" "This puts me in mind," said I,
"of an Irish pilot who asked the purser of a ship
I formerly belonged to, to spare him an empty barrel
to make his pig a hencoop, and he would give him
a sack of praters for nothing at all, at all." " The
case is nearly in point," replied the captain; "I
am afraid I have not gained so much on his weather-
beam as I first imagined." The signal was now
made to weigh, and we were soon under sail. Next
morning we parted company with the frigates,
swept the Bay of Mexico, ran through the Turks'
Island passage, and cruised between Capes Maize
and Fran9ois for three weeks ; took a small
French schooner with tobacco, and burnt a small
WETTING A COMMISSION. 165
sloop in ballast. Again our anchor found the
bottom of Port Royal, and the crew their copper
and jet-coloured ladies.
One afternoon, taking a glass of sangaree at
the tavern, I was accosted by one of our late
mids who had come on shore with some others
to what he called wet his commission. "Will
you do me the favour to join us for a quarter
of an hour. We have a room upstairs," said
he to me. I told him I would in about five
minutes. On entering, I found a gallon bowl
filled with strong punch, with his commission
soaking in it, and eight jolly mids sitting at the
table in full glee. They all rose as I approached,
and one of them offered me a chair. " Come, sir,"
said the donor of the entertainment, offering me a
bumper from the contents of the bowl, "tell me
if it will suit your taste." " Not quite," replied I,
"you have spoilt it by putting your commission
into it instead of your pocket, and it smacks too
much of ink and parchment." " I told you how it
would be," said he, addressing a sly, roguish-
looking youngster, who had persuaded him to put
it in. " I vote that he shall drink it himself, and
we will have another." " Not on any account,"
said I, " without you will allow me to pay for it."
" That will never do," cried all of them. Another
of a smaller size was ordered, out of which I drank
his success. I remained nearly half an hour, during
which time the large bowl was drained to the last
dregs in spite of its parchment flavour, and the
i66 FIGHTING EPISODES.
parchment was, what the micis called, returned
high and dry to the owner of it, with the writing
on it nearly effaced. I remarked they ought
certainly to have a patent for wetting commissions,
and wished them a pleasant evening.
On returning on board I found a note for me from
the captain, to acquaint me that we were to sail in
a few days for Black River, in order to collect a
homeward-bound convoy, as we were ordered to
England. I withdrew my heart from the different
little snug rooms I had left it in, and placed it on the
right hook. I was so much elated that my dinner
went from table untouched. I kept conjuring up
Paradises, Elysian fields, and a number of other
places never heard of, inhabited by women more
beautiful than Eastern imagery can possibly describe
— so fair, so chaste, so lovely, and so domestic.
*' Oh ! " said I aloud, to the astonishment of my mess-
mates, who were much occupied with their knives
and forks, " give me but one of those fair ones, and
I will not eat my dinner for a month." " Hulloa ! "
said the surgeon, "what's the matter with you?"
" Nothing," replied I ; " the illusion is vanished,
and I will take a glass of wine with you. I cannot
eat, my mind is too full of England, and my heart
crowded with its delightful fair ones. What
unfeeling sea monsters you are all of you," con-
tinued I, "to be eating with such voracious
appetites when you know we are going to glorious
England — the land of freedom and genuine hospi-
tality." "Not so fast," said he, interrupting me;
AN IRISHMAN'S OPINIONS. 167
" how long is it since you were there ? " '* Nearly
eight years," said I. " I fear," resumed he, "you
will not have your dreams — for dreams they are —
verified. I was there eighteen months ago, and
found freedom in the mouths of the lower classes,
who evidently did not understand the meaning of it,
and when they did they only used it as a cloak to
do mischief, for demagoguing— if you will allow the
term — was the order of the day at that time, and as
for hospitality that has, as you may express your-
self, made sail and gone to cruise into some other
climate. I had letters to two families from their
relations in India ; they asked me to dinner in a stiff,
formal manner, and thought, I suppose, they had
performed wonders. There our acquaintance ended.
I am an Irishman," continued he, "and I assert
without partiality that there is more real hospitality
in my land of praters than in all Europe. Freedom
we will not talk about ; but as for the women, dear
creatures, they are a mixture of roses and lilies, and
such busts, like dairy maids, sure," said he; " don't
say anything more about them, or I shall be what
has never happened to an Irishman yet — out of
spirits." " Now," said I, " doctor, we have found
you out. You lost your heart when in England,
and were not requited by the cruel fair one." "Fair
or foul," answered he, " I would not give one
Munster girl for a dozen English. To be sure,"
added he to a young Irish midshipman, whose turn
it was to dine in the gun-room, " they are rather
thick about the trotters, and their heels are to be
i68 FIGHTING EPISODES.
compared to their red potatoes, but the upper part
of their figures — say no more. Come, messmate,
let's drink a speedy passage and soon, as a worthy
alderman did at a Guildhall dinner." " You
mistake, doctor," said the second lieutenant, "he
gave for a toast, a speedy peace and soon."
" Never mind," said the doctor, " it will be all the
same a hundred years hence; an Irishman is always
allowed to speak twice." Our parting with our
washerwomen and other friends was pathetic in
the extreme ; their precious tears were sufficient
to fill several (but as I did not measure them I
cannot say how many) monkeys.
" Oh, Gramercy, my lob ! " said my lady to me,
" I neber shall see you no more ; but I hope dat
3'OU member dat Julia lob you more den he can tell.
No," said she, turning aside, " nobody can lob like
poor me one, Julia." She appeared overwhelmed
with grief, and I felt my situation awkward and
pathetically silly, as she had followed me down to
the boat, and the eyes of several boats' crews with
their young, laughing wicked mids, were on us. I
shook hands for the last time and jumped into the
boat with a tear rolling down my cheek from my
starboard eye. Reader, I beg you will not pity me,
for I was not in love. I was what an old maiden
cousin would have called imprudent.
CHAPTER XIII.
HOME AGAIN.
Ordered to the Black River — Meet the magistrate there, and " bow to
his bishop" — Sail with a convoy of thirty ships — Arrive at Deal
— A cruise on horseback on a baker's nag, which conscientiously
goes the bread round — The Author's brother comes on board, but
he fails to recognise him — Paid off at Deptford.
At daylight next morning we catted the anchors,
made all sail, and were the next day reposing like
a swan in a lake at Black River. As notices from
the merchants at Kingston had been sent to the
different ports round the island that two men-of-
war were going to take convoy to England, we
were soon joined by several West Indiamen. This
place can scarcely be called even a village, there
being so few houses, and those straggling. The
first time I went on shore I was called to by a
stout man wearing a linen jacket and trousers,
with an immense broad-brimmed straw hat on his
head, and his address was abrupt and by no means
polished. " What ship," said he, " officer ? " "The
Volage,'' replied I, not in love with the person's
face, which was bluish-red, with a large nose.
"Then," said he, "you bloody dog, come and bow
to my bishop," pointing to the best house there.
I stared with astonishment, and was turning away
presuming he was a cloth in the wind or some
I70 HOME AGAIN.
madman escaped from his keeper. " Ho, ho ! but
you can't go before you have bowed to my bishop,"
he again called out ; " come with me to my house,
and we shall be better acquainted." He took my
arm ; I thought him a character, which I after-
wards found he was, and gave in to his whim. On
entering the verandah of the house, which was
shaded by close Venetian blinds and very cool, he
stopped before an immense large jug in the shape
of a bishop. It was placed on a bracket slab, so that
to drink out of the corner of its hat, which was its
beak or spout, you were obliged to stoop. This I
found he called bowing to his bishop. It contained
delicious sangaree, and I bowed to it without being
entreated to do so a second time. " Now," said
he, "you bloody dog, you have complied like a
good fellow with my first request. Your captain
dines with me to-morrow ; I must insist on your
doing so too, and then I shall consider you an
obedient officer and worthy to bow to my bishop
whenever you are thirsty. My dinner-hour is five
o'clock, and as I am the magistrate of this over-
grown metropolis I admit of no excuse." I could
not help smiling at this rough urbanity. I accepted
the invitation, and at the appointed hour repaired
to his house with the captain and surgeon. He
received us with great good humour, and insisted,
as we were bloody dogs — I understood afterwards
he was very partial to naval officers and always
called them by that pet name — that we should bow
to his bishop before dinner. We met at his table
A COLONIAL "BISHOP"! 171
our kind acquaintance Mr. S., his daughter,
another gentleman, his wife and two nieces, who
were going to England in one of the ships of the
convoy. The dining-room was entirely of cedar,
and the floor like a mirror, very spacious, and it
partly projected over the river. Above the dining-
table was a large punkah, which was kept in
constant motion during dinner by two young
grinning black girls. The table groaned with good
things, and we did ample justice to our host's
entertainment. He was evidently a great humourist,
and amused us at dinner by relating anecdotes of
Lord Rodney and Admiral Benbow's time. " There
are," said he, " twelve tough old fellows, of which
I am the chairman, who keep up the twelfth of
April by an annual dinner, and as he never flinched
from the enemy, we never flinch from the bottle,
and keep it up till daylight, when we are so gloriously
sober that we are carried home by our slaves."
" Is it true," said he, addressing the captain,
" that Sir Eyre Cootc is to supersede the Earl of
B. as Governor of our Islands ? Do you know any-
thing of him?" "Only from report," was the
reply ; "I think he distinguished himself by a
brilliant victory over Hyder Ali in the East
Indies." "Why, the devil," said he, " I beg your
pardon, ladies, for swearing, do they send us
soldiers as governors ? We want something in the
shape of a statesman with a lawyer's head, with his
wig and litigation. I have no fault to find with the
earl; he has governed us very fairl}', and I hope his
172 HOME AGAIN.
successor will do the same, although we prefer a
civilian to a soldier."
After dinner we were amused by the feats of one
of his household slaves named Paddy Whack, who
threw somersaults round the drawing-room, walked
on his hands, and afterwards threw himself several
times from the highest part of the bridge, about
twenty-four feet, into the river. After coffee we
took leave of our eccentric but warm-hearted host,
who, on shaking hands, insisted on our bloody
dogships dining with him once more before we
sailed. We promised to do so conditionally.
Eighteen sail of merchant vessels had assembled,
and we expected seven more. The surf had been
high on the bar, and we had not had communica-
tion with the shore for the last two days. A canoe
came off from Mr. C. with Paddy Whack, who
delivered a note to the captain. " What is it
about, boy?" said he. ''Paper peak, massa,"
was the reply ; " Paddy only wait answer from
Massa Captain." The note was a pressing invita-
tion to dine on shore the following day, and
included the captain and officers. As I had dined
with the worthy planter I persuaded the second
lieutenant to go. The rest of the convoy having
joined us, our sails were again swelling to a strong
sea-breeze. The convoy of thirty sail of sugar-
laden ships were hovering round us like chickens
round the mother hen. Four others joined us at
Bluefields, and off Negril Point we fell in with the
S. frigate, with the former Governor of Jamaica on
AN EVENTLESS VOYAGE. 173
board and three other West Indiamen. The
captain went on board the S. to pay his respects
and to receive his orders.
After his return on board the signal was made to
make all sail, and away we bowled for the Gulf of
Florida. We touched at the Caymans for turtle, and
were cheated as usual. Nothing particular occurred
during our passage but our nearly being run down by
one of the ships of the convoy, and my having my
left shoulder unshipped by being washed off one of
the weather guns by a heavy sea, which obliged me to
keep my cot for more than a fortnight. The eighth
week brought us in sight of the Land's End, when
we repeated the signal for the convoy to separate
for their respective ports. Those bound to London
kept company with us as far as the Downs. I
longed to be once more on my native shore, but I
was doomed to be mortified for two days, as the
surf on the beach was too high to admit a boat to
land. On the third day I jumped on shore with a
light heart and a thin pair of trousers, and repaired
to the " Hoop and Griffin." I had a desperate desire
to have a cruise on horseback. I rang the bell,
which was answered by one of the finest formed
young women I ever beheld. I was taken aback,
and my heart, which I had brought from the West
Indies, went like the handle of the chain pumps up
and down. "What do you please to want, sir,"
said she, with a most musically toned voice. I
blushed and modestly requested to have a horse as
soon as he could be got ready. " 1 am really sorry,
174 HOME AGAIN.
sir," answered she, " that all our horses are post-
horses, but" continued she, with the gentlest accent
in this world and probably many more, " we will
procure you one." " Many thanks," said I ; "and
will you oblige me by sending up some bread and
butter with some oysters, but not those which are
eathered from the mangrove trees," for I had the
West Indies in my mind. " Gathered from trees ! —
oysters from trees ! I never heard of such a thing
before," said she, and she went laughing out of the
room. The waiter soon appeared with what I had
ordered, and a foaming tankard of ale which I had
forgotten to order. During my repast I envied no
one. I was as happy as a city alderman at a Lord
Mayor's feast ; I could not contain myself or
believe I was in England ; I could not sit quietly
in my chair ; I paced the room, jumped, rubbed my
hands and head, and in one of my ecstatic fits I
rang the bell. My beautiful maid (not Braham's)
entered as I was cutting a caper extraordinary.
"Did you ring, sir?" said she with a smile be-
coming an angel. " I believe I did," I replied,
" but I am not certain. I scarcely know what I
am about. I have eaten my oysters, and now I
wish for my horse." " He is not quite ready yet,
sir. You said something about oysters growing
on trees, didn't you, sir. I told it to my mother,
and she thinks I did not understand what you said.
Will you be good enough to tell me if they grow
in orchards hke our apples?" "I have seen
thousands, and have eaten thousands that have
A CRUISE ON HORSEBACK. 175
grown on trees," said I, "but not in orchards.
The tree that bears them grows close to the water
side ; its lower branches dip into it, and are clustered
by the shell-fish, which are very small, and you
may swallow a dozen at a mouthful." " Thank
you, sir; my mother I am sure will believe me now.
I will desire John to take away. Did you like our
country oysters as well as those in foreign parts ? "
"They are," said I, "like you, excellent." "I
will see if the horse is ready," said she, as she
dropped a curtsey and quitted the room.
Shortly after up came John to announce my
horse being at the door. " Will you have a pair of
master's spurs, sir ? " said he. " No, I thank you,
my good fellow," returned I. " Lend me a whip, and
I shall be able to manage without spurs." Behold
a sailor on horseback, gentle reader, to the admira-
tion or astonishment of all the bystanders, of which
there were as many as would man a king's cutter.
I kept under moderate sail until I reached Middle
Deal, when my companion brought up all standing
at the door of a decent-looking house, nor could I
make him again break ground until a maidservant
opened the door. " Lord," said she, " I thought
it was the baker, sir, for you are on his horse."
" That accounts," I said, " for his halting at your
door. I wish, Betty, you would get him once more
into plain sailing." She most kindly took hold of
the bridle and led him into the middle of the street.
I now thought myself in the fair way, and I gave
him a stroke with the whip, which I nearly
176 HOME AGAIN.
repented, for he kicked up with his hind legs, and
had not I seized the after part of the saddle I should
have gone over his forecastle. I held on until he
righted. After this freak, which was nearly knock-
ing up my cruise, we jogged on steadily until we
came to a narrow street, down which he turned in
spite of all my endeavours to prevent him, and
aeain hove to at the door of another house.
" This turning to windward," thinks I, " will
never do. It reminds me of Commodore Trunnion
making a Tom Coxe's traverse to fetch the church."
Whilst I was puzzling my wise noddle what I was
to do next, a man passed me. " I wish you would
get this horse under weigh," said I, " for here have
I been at single anchor for these five minutes at
this door, and cannot cast him the right way."
" Why," said he, "I knows that there horse ; it be
the baker's." " D n the baker, and his horse
too," said I, not much pleased at his remark.
'* You are close to the Canterbury road, and may-
hap if I leads him he may go on." " You are the
best fellow I have met for a quarter of an hour.
Do get him into open cruising ground as fast
as you can, for I have been on his back more
than an hour, and have not gained half a mile."
He gave me a broad grin, and good-naturedly led
the horse until I got clear of the houses. He then
let go the bridle, gave the animal a smart slap on
the flank, which set him off at a hand-gallop, and
nearly jerked me over the taffrail. I kept him to
his speed, and in about half an hour he stopped
THE BAKER'S ROUND. 177
suddenly near a small farmhouse, and I was again
nearly going over his bows. A slovenly kind of
woman hove in sight. I hailed her, and asked her
to bring me a tumbler of milk, but I might as well
have spoken to a Porto Rico donkey. She showed
me her stern, and brought up in a piggery. " The
devil take your hospitality," said I. The weather
was exceedingly warm, and I was very thirsty,
which made me more hasty in my expressions to
the Dulciana of the pigstye than I ought to have
been. But show me the fair one who would not
excuse a sailor thirsty and on the back of an animal
as obstinate as a boat's crew when cutting out.
After a fruitless attempt to proceed further on my
voyage of discovery, I hove about. The animal
answered stays as well as any frigate, and was
round sooner than the captain of the forecastle
could clap the jib traveller over the end of the jib-
boom. I was heartily tired of my horse cruise,
and was glad when I hove to at the " Hoop and
Griffin."
As soon as I had thrown myself on the
sofa, my beautiful maid entered. " Will you
favour me with your name?" said I, addressing
her with quarter-deck modesty. " I am called
Lucy," said she. "That's a very pretty name,"
returned I. "Pray, Miss Lucy, may I ask where
the horse came from I have been riding ? I have
had a worse cruise than a dismantled Dutch dogger
on the Goodwin Sands. I have, into the bargain,
lost out of my waistcoat-pocket two two-pound
K.G. N
178 HOME AGAIN.
notes and live new gloves out of six which I very
stupidly stuffed into my coat-pocket." " I am very
sorry, sir, indeed, for your misfortune," answered
she. " The horse came from the ' Royal Oak.'
We desired them to send a quiet one, as it was for
a gentleman who was not in the habit of riding."
'' I wish they had sent me a donkey instead of the
baker's horse," said I ; "he took it into his head
to stop at his master's customers' houses, nor could
I make him leave them without assistance. No
more cruising on horseback for me," continued I.
" Pray do let me have plenty of oysters and bread
and butter, with a tankard of ale as smiling as
yourself, as soon as the waiter can bring them up,
for I am very hungry." " We have a nice cold
chicken in the house and some ham ; shall I send
them up too ? " " That's the stuff for trousers,"
answered I. " Let all be handed up in the turn of
a handspike, and if I do not do ample justice to the
whole, you are not the prettiest girl I have seen. I
suppose it would be treason to ask you to partake
of the good things I have ordered ? " " Oh, no, sir,"
said she ; " that is not the fashion in our house, for
me to sit down with a strange gentleman." Saying
this, she left the room, and as I observed the smile
which dimpled her blooming cheeks had vanished,
I began to think I had said too much. Whilst I
was in a blue study, up came chicken, ham, oysters,
bread and butter, with the ale. I drew to the table
and began with a keen West-country appetite, and
for the first ten minutes forgot Lucy, baker's horse,
CHIEFLY GASTRONOMIC. 179
pound notes and gloves, and almost that it was
growing dark, and that we were to sail by the next
morning's tide. Before I had finished moving my
under jaw, which had been in constant motion for
the last twenty minutes, in came the purser and
one of the mids to report the boat being on shore.
" You have saved me from a surfeit," exclaimed I.
"Come," said I to the youngster, "sit down and
finish the feast. As for you, Master Purser, I
know you have been faring well elsewhere, there-
fore I shall not ask you to take anything."
Having paid the bill and shaken hands with
Lucy, I jumped into the boat, and was soon on
board. On seating myself in the gun-room, " Now,
messmates," said I, addressing the second lieutenant
and surgeon, " you commissioned me to buy you
each a pair of gloves. I fulfilled it to the letter,
but I have left them on the Canterbury road." I
then related my adventure, which elicited a hearty
laugh. " Now," added I, " we will have a glass of
grog, and drink to fair Lucy at the ' Hoop and
Griftin,' for she is a very pretty girl, and I have
lost half my heart." " If we do not sail to-
morrow," replied they, "we will go on shore and
see whether she deserves the appellation you have
given her." "Do," said I, "and give my love
to her."
At daylight our signal was made to remain at
anchor until further orders. On sending the last boat
on shore for the officers, I ordered the midshipman
who had charge of her to acquaint my messmates
N 2
i8o HOME AGAIN.
not to bring off any strangers to dinner, as no
boat would leave the ship after they returned. About
3 P.M. the boat came on board, and, in contradic-
tion to my order, brought off a stranger. The second
lieutenant was first up the side, and the stranger
followed. On his reaching the quarter-deck, he
introduced him to me as a person sent off by the
admiral as a broker to exchange English for foreign
coin. He gave me his card, which I put into my
pocket without looking at it. I began by telling
him he had come on board at a very inconvenient
time, and that, in consequence of the spring tide,
the boat would not leave the ship until the morning.
" It is of little consequence to me," said he, very
coolly; "I can remain where I am until that
time." " Respecting the errand you have come
on," I resumed, " I am afraid you will be disap-
pointed, as two persons have already been before
you," " How came you," said I to the youngster
who had charge of the boat, " to disobey the order
I gave you ? " Before he could answer the surgeon
came up and whispered to me, " It is your brother."
I examined his countenance more closely. He gave
me one of his schoolboy grins and his hand, and
then I was convinced. We had not seen each other
for nearly nine years, and he had grown entirely
out of my recollection. I did not give him the
fraternal hug, but I shook him affectionately by
the hand and told him I should not part with him
until we reached Deptford, to which he willingly
consented. He acquainted me with all family
AN UNRECOGNIZED BROTHER. i8i
concerns, and that my mother was waiting in
London, anxious to see me.
The following day we received on board eighteen
French prisoners for the prison-ships in the river.
We wished them at Jericho, where the man fell
amone: those who used him worse than a Turk
would have done. The same afternoon we day-
lighted the anchor, mastheaded the sails, crested
the briny wave like a Yankee sea-serpent, and on
the second day let go no fool of a piece of crooked
iron off dirty Deptford. As orders were received
to pay us off, we were fully occupied for nearly
a week dismantling the ship and returning stores,
etc. On the second day I ran up to London and
saw my mother. She did not, luckily for both
parties, shed a flood of tears, but received me with
maternal affection, though she said she scarcely
knew me — I was grown, as my sister was pleased
to say, such a black man. On the sixth day after
our anchoring I ordered the ship to be put out of
commission, and the cook hauled down the
pendant. We had a parting dinner at the " Gun "
Inn, shook hands and separated.
CHAPTER XIV.
A HOLIDAY ASHORE.
On shore — Tired of inactivity — Apply for a ship — Appointed to H.M.S.
Minotau?- (74) — Prisoners sent on board as part of crew — Go to
Plymouth — Scarcity of seamen — Ruse to impress an Irish farm
labourer — Ordered to join the Channel Heet off Ushant — Capture
French thirty-six-gun ship — In danger off Ushant— Capture two
small French ships and one Dutch one : author sent to Plymouth
in charge of the latter — Placed in quarantine.
After I had remained in noisy, bustling, crowded
and disagreeable London a month, my mother
wishing to go into Surrey, I was glad of the oppor-
tunity to accompany her and to breathe purer air,
and left town without regret.
I was now under my own orders, and was much
puzzled to find out how I was to obey myself. For
the last ten years I had been under the control
of superiors. Now I had the whole of my crew
within myself, and discipline I found was necessary.
I knew no more of England than it knew of me.
Men and manners were equally strange to me, except
those on board the different men-of-war I had served
in, and they were not the most polished. In the
society of the fair sex I was exceedingly shy, and
my feelings were sometimes painful when I had to
run the gauntlet through rows of well-dressed
women, some looking as demure as a noddy at the
TIRED OF BEING ASHORE, APPLY FOR A SHIP. 183
masthead. I was now in my twenty-third year, and
an agreeable — nay, an old lady, whose word was
considered sacred — declared I was a charming young
man. My life passed as monotonously as that of
a clock in an old maid's sitting-room. My habits
were too active to remain long in this state of list-
lessness. I was almost idle enough to make love,
and nearly lost my heart seven times. Caring little
for the society of the men, I generally strolled over
two or three fields to read my books, or to scribble
sonnets on a plough, for I began to be sentimental
and plaintive. Whilst meditating one morning in
bed, I started up with a determination to have an
interview with Sir J. Colpoys, who was one of the
Lords of the Admiralty, and ask him in person for
employment, for I began to be apprehensive if I
remained longer on shore I should think a ship
was something to eat, and the bobstay the top-sail
haulyards. Three weeks after my application I was
appointed to the Minotaur of seventy-four guns
lying at Blackstakes, and I found it black enough,
for she not having her masts stepped, we were all
obliged — that is the officers — to live at the " Tap "
at Shurnasty, commonly called Sheerness, where we
spent thirteen out of six shillings a day, and until
the ship was ready to receive us, which was nearly
a fortnight, we drank elevation to the noble
Secretary of the Admiralty, for, owing to his ignor-
ance, we had been obliged to spend seven shillings
daily more than our pay.
Two days after the ship was commissioned, and
i84 A HOLIDAY ASHORE.
I had been carrying on the war, for I was the
senior Heutenant, the gallant captain made his
appearance. After touching his hat in return
to my grand salaam, he said, " Hulloa, how is
this ? I expected to find the ship masted. I will
thank you to desire the boatswain to turn the hands
up to hear my commission read, and quarter-
master," addressing a dockyard matey, "go down
and tell all the officers I am on board."
"That is not a quartermaster," said I to him, "he
is one of the dockyard men," " Then where are
the quartermasters ? " " We have none," replied I,
" nor have we a seaman on board except some one-
legged and one-armed old Greenwich pensioners
that were sent on board yesterday." At this satis-
factory intelligence he turned his eyes up like a
crow in a thunderstorm, and muttered, I fear, some-
thing in the shape of a prayer for the whole Board
of Admiralty. Whilst we were looking at each
other not knowing what to say next, a man came
up the hatchway to report that one of the Greenwich
men had broken his leg. " Where is the surgeon?"
said the captain. " He has not yet joined," replied
I. "We must send him to the dockyard for surgical
aid. Man the boat, and you, Mr. Brown, take him
on shore," said I. Mr. Brown made one of his
best bows, and acquainted me that it was the
carpenter who was wanted and not the surgeon, as
the man had snapped his wooden leg in one of the
holes of the grating, and the carpenter's mate was
fishing it. After a pause of some minutes, " So,"
SURGEON OR CARPENTER? 185
resumed the captain, "this is the manner King's
ships are to be fitted out. Why, it will take us a
month of Sundays before the lower masts are
rigged. What the devil did they send those old
codgers with their wooden legs here for ? I
will go immediately to the Admiral, and point
out the state we are in." In the afternoon
another lieutenant joined the ship, junior to me.
I began to think I should be the first, when on
the following day I was unshipped, for two others
came on board by some years my seniors. The
captain also sent four young mids on board and the
Admiralty two oldsters, one of whom was a sprig
of nobility. On the morning of the fourth day we
were masted, and a lighter came alongside filled
with riggers from London, and soon afterwards we
received our complement of marines, with a captain
and two lieutenants. We were now beginning to
get animated and to make some show, when, as I
was giving an order to the boatswain, Mr. Brown,
whom I ought to have introduced before as the
gunner, reported a barge coming alongside with
prisoners. "That is surely a mistake," replied I ;
" I hope they do not take us for the prison ship."
Bump she came, stern on. " Hulloa!" I called out;
" do you wish to try what the bends are made of? "
Before I could say anything more, up came and
stood before me, cocked-up hat in hand, a con-
sequential, dapper little stout man dressed in black,
with his hair in powder. " Please you, sir, I have
brought, bythe order of the magistrates at Maidstone,
i86 A HOLIDAY ASHORE.
fifteen men to belong to your ship. They be
all of them tolerable good men, except five, who
have been condemned to be transported, and two
to be hung, but as they be contrabanders like, the
Government have sent down orders for 'em to be
sent on board your ship." " I am sure," said I,
" I can in the name of His Majesty's officers offer
many thanks to His Majesty's Government for
their great consideration in sending men who
deserve hanging to be made sailors on board His
Majesty's ships." He then, with a flourish,
presented me a paper with their names and the
offences of which they had been guilty. Nine of
these honest, worthy members of society were
stout, robust fellows, and had only taken what did
not belong to them. Two of the remaining six had
been condemned for putting brave citizens in bodily
fear on the King's highway and borrowing their
purses and watches. The other four were smugglers
bold, who wished to oblige their friends with a few
hundreds of yards of Brussels lace and gloves, as
well as some tubs of brandy, but were unfortunately
interrupted in the exercise of their profession by
those useless sea-beach cruisers called the Coast
Guard. "Pray, sir," said I, "to whom may I be
obliged to for the safe conveyance of these honest
men?" "I be the under-sheriff's officer, sir,"
answered he, "and I have had mighty hard work
to bring them along." "You deserve to be
rewarded, Mr. Deputy Sherift^" (for I like to give
every man his title), said I ; "you would probably
A MIXED COMPANY. 187
like to have a glass of grog." " Why it's thirsty
weather, and I shall be obliged to you, sir." I
called the steward, desired he might have some
refreshment, and he soon after quitted the
ship, admonishing the live cargo he brought on
board, who were still on the quarter-deck, to
behave themselves like good men. A month had
expired by the time the top-gallant masts were on
end. We had received all our officers and two
hundred men from Chatham and the river. At
length, Greenv/ich pensioners, riggers, and dock-
yard mateys took their departure, to our great
satisfaction, as it was impossible to bring the ship's
crew into discipline whilst they were on board. Our
complement, including the officers, was six hundred
and forty men. We had only three hundred and
twenty when orders came down for us to proceed
to Plym.outh. The captain and first lieutenant
looked very wise on this occasion, and were appre-
hensive that if the ship slipped the bridles vshe
would be like an unruly horse, and run away with
us, for there were only forty men on board who
knew how to go aloft except a few of the marines.
The pilot made his appearance, and soon afterwards
down went the bridles, and we were fairly adrift.
We reached the Nore, and let go the anchors in a
hail squall, and it was with the greatest difficulty
we got the top-sails furled. The admiral, having
proof positive that we were as helpless as a cow in
a jolly-boat, took compassion on us and sent fifty
more men from the flag-ship, most of them able
i88 A HOLIDAY ASHORE.
seamen. On the fourth day after quitting the Nore
we anchored in Plymouth Sound.
I now had the deHghtful opportunity of once
more breathing my native air, viewing beautiful
Mount Edgcumbe, revelling in clotted cream and
potted pilchards, tickling my palate — as Quin used
to do — with John-dories, conger eels, star-gazey
and squab pies, cray-fish, and sometimes, but
not very often — for my purse was only half-flood in
consequence of my expenses whilst on shore at the
** Tap " at Sheerness — I had a drive upon Dock.
The flag-ship in Hamoaze v/as the Salvador del
Muiido^ a three-decker taken from the Spaniards in
the memorable battle of the fourth of February.
The day after anchoring I was ordered by the
captain to go with him on board the Sally-waiter-de-
Modo. I reflected a short time, and not knowing
there was such a ship on the Navy List, turned to
the first lieutenant and asked him if he had
heard of such a man-of-war. " No," said he,
smiling, " the captain chooses to call her so ; he
means the flag-ship." On repairing on board her,
my commander said to me, " You help me to
look at those fellows' phizes," pointing to a number
of men who were toeing the seam on her quarter-
deck. " I am to take thirty of them ; they are
queer-looking chaps, and I do not much like the cut
of their jib. But mind," added he, " don't take
any one that has not a large quid of tobacco in
his cheek."
I went up to the second man, who had a double
TAILORS FOR SAILORS. 189
allowance of Virginia or some other weed in his gill,
the captain following me. " Well, my man," said
I, "how long have you been to sea?" " Four
months," was the reply. "Why, you d d rascal,"
said our skipper — for observe, reader, he never
swore — "what the devil business have you with
such a quantity of tobacco in your mouth ? I
thought you were an old sailor." "No, sir,"
answered the man, " my trade is a tailor, but I
have chawed bacca from my infancy." " Question
another," was my order. I interrogated the next,
who was a short, slight, pale-faced man. " And
pray," said I, " what part of the play have you been
performing; were you ever at sea ? " " No, sir,"
said he; "I am a hairdresser, and was pressed a
week ago." "D n these fellows!" said my
captain ; " they are all tailors, barbers, or grass-
combers. I want seamen."
"Then," said Captain N., who was the flag-
captain, and had just come on board, " I much fear
you will be disappointed. These are the only dis-
posable men, and it's Hobson's choice— those or
none."
" The admiral promised me some good seamen,"
returned my skipper, rather quickly. " Then I fear
the admiral must find them," was the answer, " as
I have not more than twenty seamen on board
besides the petty officers. The last were drafted a
few days ago in the Defiance. Will you take any of
these men, Captain W. ? " " What do you think,"
said my captain to me ; " shall we take any of
igo A HOLIDAY ASHORE.
them ? " " Suppose," returned I, " we take twenty
of them and the tailor ; they will all fit in in time."
I then picked out twenty of the best, who were bad
enough, as they were the worst set I ever saw
grouped. Their appearance and dress were wretched
in the extreme. I reached the ship before the hour
of dinner with my live cargo. " What, more hard
bargains," said the first lieuteuant, "we have too
many clodhoppers on board already. The captain
told me we were to have seamen." " Captain N.,"
said I, " assured our noble captain that the Defiance
had taken all the A. B.'s." "D n Wiq Defiance!''
replied he ; " I defy Captain N. or anybody else
to match those gentlemanly ragamuffins." The
master's mates were called, and they were given
into their charge.
One of them, a tall, large-boned man, requested
to remain on deck a little longer as he had
a palpitation of the heart. " What country
man are you?" said I. " Shure," answered he,
" I'm all the way from dear ould Ireland, and I don't
think I shall be arter seeing the bogs again ; but
good luck to her, wherever she goes ! " " What
did you do there ? " said I. " Och," said he, " why
do I give all this trouble and what business have I
here ? In Ireland, plase your honour, I planted
praters and tended cows. In the hay season I
came to England and was employed in stacking,
when one day, as I was taking a walk in a field
near Lunnen, I fell in with four men who asked me
to join them as they were going to a public-house
PAT'S EXCURSION. igi
to have something to drink. I thought this was
very civil to a stranger. After taking the first pot
they told me they intended going in a boat on the
river, and asked me if I could pull an oar. ' I'll
try,' said I. 'Well,' said they, 'on Saturday, at
five o'clock in the evening, be down at Wapping
Stairs and you will see a green painted boat with
six men in her. I will be ready to meet you,' said
one of the most good-natured, ' and we will have a
pleasant trip.' I little thought, your honour, that
these spalpeens, saving your presence, intended
anything more than friendship. I was at the place
pointed out, and stepped into the boat. I took the
second oar, but I caught so many crabs that I was
desired to sit in the stern. We pulled up the river,
which I thought very pleasant. In returning, the
man who steered said he had a message to deliver
on board a dark-looking vessel we were close to.
We got alongside of her. ' Won't you go up, Pat?'
said he ; * you never was on board so large a
vessel; she is worth looking at.' I went up after
him, when a man dressed in a blue coat with yellow
buttons came up to me and told me to go below.
Saying this, he called to another, who told me he
would show me the way, which he soon did, and I
was forced into a dark place where I found seven
more half-ragged, half-starved looking animals.
Two of them were countrymen. ' Who have we
here ? ' said one of them. ' I am all the way from
Ireland,' said I, ' and I have come to see this ship.'
' The devil you have, my honey ; and what do you
192 A HOLIDAY ASHORE.
come here for ? ' ' Shure enough,' repHed I, ' that's
true. I'll go and see arter my frinds.' At this
they all laughed. I went to the door, but found a
sodjer there with a drawn sword. ' What do you
want ? ' demanded he. ' To go, and plase you.'
' To-morrow, my lad,' replied he ; * to-night you
stay where you are.' ' Why, what a bother you
are making, Pat,' said one of my companions ;
' you know you are going to serve the King,' 'And
pray,' said I, ' who is the King ? I never saw
or heard of him before. How can I serve him?'
' That's a good one,' said the one who first spoke.
* Where were you born and baptized ? ' ' About
the bogs of Ireland,' replied I, ' and I was baptized
over a bowl of buttermilk and praters by Father
Murphy in a stable among a parcel of cows.'
' You'll do,' said another ; ' have you any dibbs ? '
'Yes,' answered I, 'I have got two shillings and
fourpence. ' That will do. Send for a pot of the
right sort, and we'll drink a long life to Ireland.' I
gave the one who spoke some money. We had
our pot, drew ourselves up like pigs in a trough,
and went to sleep. Next morning at daylight we
were put on board a tender — not very tenderly,
your honour, for I lost my waistcoat and my money,
and when I complained I was forced over the ship's
side. They said the boat could not wait, as the
tender was under weigh. We arrived at Plymouth
about a fortnight ago, and here I am, your honour."
"Well," said I, "if you behave yourself well and
endeavour to do your duty, you will be happy
A LADY IN DISGUISE. 193
enough ; and as I brought you on board, I will, if
you deserve it, keep sight of you, and in time you
may become a good seaman, and perhaps a petty
officer." " Long life to your honour! I'll be shure
and take your advice." And so he did, and in a
few months after was made captain of the waist.
We were now tolerably in order, and soon after
joined the Channel fleet off Ushant. The second
day after leaving Plymouth Sound we fell in with the
Franchise, a large French frigate of thirty-six guns
and three hundred and forty men, who, after ex-
changing a few shot without doing us any mischief,
struck her colours. She was from St. Domingo, with
General F. on board, bound to Brest. Her second
captain appeared a very delicate young person, and
during the four days he was on board he never slept
in the cot provided for him in the captain's cabin,
but always threw himself down on the sofa in his
clothes. We all conjectured that, as a son of Erin
might say, he was a woman, which idea after the
prisoners left us, was confirmed by the captain's
steward, who had been bribed to secrecy during the
passage to Plymouth. The lady was the daughter
of the captain of the captured frigate in disguise.
Having seen our prize into Hamoaze, and taken
our officers and men out of her, we left her in
charge of the prize agent, and repaired to our
station off Ushant. We joined the fleet, consisting
of thirteen sail of the line and two frigates. We
looked into Brest roads, and could discover only
eight sail of the enemy's line of battle ships, with
K.G. o
194 HOLIDAY ASHORE.
their top-gallant yards crossed ; nine others were
coming forward. Four more sail of the line having
joined our fleet, we were directed to part company
and cruise off Vigo Bay. Soon after we fell in
with the Venerable. Having the watch on deck,
the captain desired the signalman to hoist the dog-
a-tor)^ pendant over the dinner signal. The man
scratched his head and made wide eyes at one
of the midshipmen, requesting him to tell him
what the captain meant. " By Jove ! " said the
mid, " if you do not bear a hand and get the signal
ready, he will make you a dog-of-a-wig instead of
a Tory." Seeing the man at a pause, I asked him
if he had the signal ready. " Yes, sir," replied he ;
" I have the telegraph dinner flags ready, but I do
not know what the dog-a-tory pennant is ; it must
be in the boatswain's store-room, for I have never
had charge of it." I could not forbear laughing at
the man's explanation. " What's the signalman
about ? " inquired the captain ; " why does he not
hoist the signal ? " " He did not know where
to find the pendant you mentioned," replied I.
" I have told him you meant the interrogatory
pendant." " To be sure ; I said so as plain as
I could speak. The fellow must be stupid not
to understand me," continued our deeply-read
skipper. A worthier, better or braver seaman
than our noble commander never had the honour
of commanding a King's ship. His zeal and
loyalty were unimpeachable. To hear him read
the Articles of War to us once a month was, if
A SOMEWHAT MIXED VOCABULARY. 195
not improving, most amusing. He dogrogated
God's honour with emphasis, and accused the
ministers of the Church of being lethargic. Some
of my messmates declared, although it was perfectly
without intention on his part, that the captain in
the last expression was right, for although the word
was liturgy, he was justified in reading it lethargy.
Respecting the other word, " dogrogation," they
had all turned over the leaves of Bailey's ancient
dictionary in vain ; but they presumed the captain
meant to read " derogation," as it respected God's
honour, and they considered it as a lapsus lingucE.
Two of the officers' names were Bateman and
Slateman. For months after they had been on
board our worthy captain did not appear to know
one from the other, and we were sometimes much
diverted, and they were much annoyed, by his send-
ing for one when he meant the other. Although
our cruising ground appeared a profitable one,
and we were considered fortunate in being sent
there, for six weeks we only made prizes of
hundreds of the finny tribe by trawling off Quimper
and L'Orient. This amusement, exercising guns,
sails and lead, gave us full employment, and kept
us out of mischief.
For nearly two months we had only seen four of
our cruisers, and a few of the enemy's small craft
going along shore, and although we frequently
volunteered for boat service, our commander always
closed his ears to our requests. He was no friend
to boating, he said ; it very seldom turned out
o 2
196 HOLIDAY ASHORE.
successful, and it only answered, if it did at all,
when courage was doubtful. "And if you are not
men of courage," he used to add, " you are not
the men I took you for." At length a cutter
brought us orders to rejoin the Channel fleet
under Lord Gardner, as the French fleet had
increased to nineteen sail of the line, besides
frigates. After joining, we were stationed off the
Black Rocks, with four other ships, to watch
Brest and the movements of the enemy's fleet. At
this time we were seventeen sail of the line and
three frigates, and were very sanguine that the
ships at Brest would favour us with their company,
as they had been practising their firing and sailing
in Brest water. We strained our eyes and imagi-
nations in vain. There they stuck, as the seamen
used to say, like the Merryduii^ of Dover, which
took seven years in veering, and when she did
so the fly of her ensign swept two flocks of sheep
off Beachy Head, while her jib-boom knocked
down the steeple of Calais church and killed the
sexton. Cruising on this Siberian ground was
horribly monotonous work. We sincerely wished
the French fleet alongside of us, or in a warmer
place. On one dark night we were caught in a
heavy gale from the westward. We were under
close-reefed main and foretop-sails and mizzen.
The ship was settling down on Ushant rapidly,
and we expected to strike every moment. The
rebound of the water from the rocks caused the
spray to fly half-way over the decks from to leeward.
IN GREAT DANGER. 197
A rock called La Jument was on our lee bow.
Luckily we saw the sea breaking over it. " Port
the helm ! " called out one of the pilots, "or the
ship's lost. She must bear the main-sail, captain,"
added he, " or we shall not weather the island, and
she will strike in less than half an hour." The
main-sail was cast loose, and after a severe contest,
its unwilling tack and sheet were belayed. The
ship was literally buried in the foam, and I
expected to see the main-mast go by the board
every instant. Orders had been given, in case
of such an event, to have all the axes ready.
Providentially the wind veered two points to the
southward, which saved the ship and her crew.
Had she struck, she must instantly have gone to
pieces. The rocks were so perpendicular that in
all probability the whole of us must have made
food for fishes. In a quarter of an hour we were
clear of the island. Had we been under sentence
of death, and suddenly reprieved, the effect on our
minds could not have been greater. Long, anxious
faces coiled themselves up to half their length and
became brighter. The captain, who had been
pacing the quarter-deck in quick time, brought
himself up all standing, and I could perceive his
lips move, and, if I mistake not, he was offering
up a mental prayer of thankfulness for our hair-
breadth escape. At daylight the gale abated,
when, on examining the masts, the maintop-mast
was found sprung in the cap. The following even-
ing we captured two French brigs from Martinique,
tgS HOLIDAY ASHORE.
laden with sugar and coffee, and the day after a
Dutch ship from Smyrna bound to Amsterdam,
laden with silks and cotton, in which I went as prize-
master. On our arrival at Plymouth we were put
into quarantine. The boat which came out to us
kept on her oars. I could not forbear smiling
when I requested our letters might be sent on
shore by her to see the great and certainly neces-
sary precautions taken by these cunning people.
A long kind of sprit was held up, split at the end
to receive the letters. When in the boat, one man
clipped them with a pair of scissors, another fumi-
gated them with brimstone, a third bedabbled them
with dirty vinegar and threw them into a leathern
bag, taking care not to touch them with his hands.
CHAPTER XV.
A LINE OF BATTLE SHIP.
The ship arrives— Captain's attempt to form a band— Sail again-
Attacked by rheumatic fever and invalided ashore— Ordered to
join H.M.S. Ton>ta?ii—'2 xocQtd to Mediterranean— At Oran :
experiences ashore.
The ship anchored at Cawsand Bay four days
afterwards, when we joined her, leaving the prizes
in charge of the agent. I found her with the
yellow flag flying at the masthead. She had been
put in quarantine on her arrival, which we paid off
with the foretop-sail, as we sailed the day after for
a six weeks' cruise in the chops of the Channel.
At the end of that period we returned to our
anchorage with another French brig laden with
Colonial produce. Our gallant and would-be
musical captain consulted us all respecting har-
monious sounds, but, alas ! we were weighed in
the musical balance and found wanting. This,
however, did not discourage him. Nine of the
crew came forward with three of the marines,
oftering themselves as candidates for the band.
The captain, after having consulted one of the
sergeants of marines, who played the hautboy,
whether anything might be made of the men who
had come forward as musicians, it was determined
200 A LINE OF BATTLE SHIP.
nem. con. that a pease-barrel should be manu-
factured into a big drum, that two ramrods should
be metamorphosed into triangles, that the two
bassoons and the hautboy taken in the French
frigate should be brought into action without loss
of time, that the marine and ship's fifer, with the
marine drummer, should be drilled with the others,
under the direction of the sergeant, in the captain's
cabin twice a day, and a horrible confusion of
unmusical sounds they made for more than six
weeks. The skipper was in his glory, and every-
body else amazed. Some of my messmates prayed
for them heartily, particularly the first lieutenant,
who thought the captain musically mad. The
mids declared they never would be respectable
enough to be called a band, but would be bad
enough to be called a banditti, as they looked more
like brigands than musicians.
We had nearly completed our water and vStores,
when I was ordered to the dockyard with the launch
for the remainder and two anchor-stocks. It was
blowing fresh, and in consequence I desired the leaves
of the anchor-stock to be triced up under the oars
outside the boat, that in case of shipping a sea we
might be able, if necessary, to cut them away.
The last leaf was lowered down to the boat, when
I felt a touch on my shoulder. I turned quickly
round, when my nose, which is not very short,
came in rude contact with a cocked hat, which
it nearly knocked off the head of the wearer. It
was the admiral, who was in stature a King
AN INQUISITIVE ADMIRAL. 201
John's man, four feet nothing. I immediately
pulled oft' my hat and apologised. " What are
you doing, sir," said he to me, " with these anchor-
stocks ? " " Tricing them up outside the boat,
sir," replied I. "Why do you not boat them?"
I explained my reasons for not doing so. After
a short pause, he said, " You are perfectly right.
What ship do you belong to?" I informed him.
He wished me good evening, and I repaired on
board. The morning after we sailed, and in three
days we joined the Channel fleet under Lord
Gardner. For two long, lingering months we had
our patience exercised, jogging backwards and
forwards like a pig on a string. The Prince was
our leader, and the ship astern of us the Spartiate.
The former sailed like a haystack, the latter like a
witch, and the sailors declared she was built of
stolen wood, as she always sailed best at night.
One squally night I was lieutenant of the middle
watch, when the Prince split her maintop-sail, and
we were in consequence obliged to show a light
astern and shorten sail. The Spartiate shot up,
and was nearly on board of us. The captain,
hearing a bustle, was soon on deck. " What are
the fleet about?" asked he. "What is the matter
with that beastly Pn«c^.^" I informed him. "And
what the devil is the Spartang doing on our weather
quarter ? "
"Why," replied I, "if the Prince and the
Spartiate could divide their sailing, we should do
very well ; but we arc very critically placed, being
202 A LINE OF BATTLE SHIP.
constantly obliged to shorten sail for the former, for
fear of pooping her, and in so doing we are in our
turn in danger of being pooped by the latter."
"Have you showed a light to the Spartang?^^
demanded he, for he always called her by that
unheard-of name. I answered in the affirmative.
" D n that Prince,'' resumed he, ^' she ought to
be ordered out of the line. When I go on board the
admiral, I will report her." The ships again fell into
their stations, and the captain took his in his cot. It
was now the depth of winter, and the weather very
severe. I had caught cold which confined me to
my cot, and when we arrived at Plymouth I had a
violent rheumatic fever. I was carried on shore to
sick quarters in blankets, and before I was suffi-
ciently recovered the ship sailed.
When I was strong enough I requested permission
from the admiral to goto London, which was granted.
I had a run in the country for a few months, for I
soon got tired of noisy, smoky London. Soon after
this I was informed by the Admiralty that I was
superseded in the last ship, and ordered to
Portsmouth to join the Tonnant, an eighty-four.
A few days after receiving my commission, I joined
this glorious ship of ships. When I took a per-
spective view of her gun-decks, I thought her an
equal match for any ship afloat, and so she certainly
was, and nobly proved it afterwards. Her gallant
commander. Captain Troubridge, was from the
Emerald Isle ; had a slight touch of the brogue, and
was replete with anecdote ; he was good-humoured
\\'ITH COLLINGWOOD. 203
and a gentleman, and he never punished a man
unless he richly deserved it. My messmates were all
young men, and generally speaking well informed,
with the exception of the master, who was a
countryman of mine, and desperately fond of
doggerel verse as well as cray-fish and conger eels.
We were again destined to make one of the
Channel fleet, when to our great joy, after tacking
and half-tacking for six weeks, we were ordered
with some more ships of the line under Admiral
Collingwood to proceed off Cadiz to watch the
motions of the Spanish and French fleets, after the
scratch they had with our fleet under Sir R. F.
Calder. We occasionally ran into Gibraltar for
refreshments and stores. On one of these occa-
sions the Port-Admiral took it into his head to hoist
his flag on board of one of the active ships, and
ordered us with two others to make sail out of the
harbour. As we were not acquainted with his
object, we presumed he wanted to purify his con-
stitution by a strong sea-breeze ; if so, he was
disappointed, as it fell calm two hours after we
cleared Europa Point, and during the night we were
under the shells and shot of Ceuta, which for-
tunately fell harmless. The day after we reached
our former anchorage at Gibraltar, where we found
Sir Richard Bickerton, who took us under his
orders to cruise off Carthagena, where three
Spanish line of battle ships were lying ready for sea.
On our way thither we anchored in Oran
roads to procure bullocks for the squadron. As
204 A LINE OF BATTLE SHIP.
soon as the sails were furled a Turkish officer,
dressed something like that figure of fun called
Punch, came on board us, as we were the nearest
ship, to inquire if the fort saluted us what number of
guns would be fired in return. We referred him to
the flag-ship ; he took his departure with his inter-
preter who spoke broken English. About i p.m.,
whack came a large shot from the fort nearly into
the bow, and presently several more. At first, as
shot were fired so close to us, we could not exactly
tell what was intended until the nineteenth shot was
fired, when the battery was silent. The flag-ship
returned seventeen guns. On inquiry we found
that these barbarians always salute with shot, and
endeavour to send them as near you as possible by
way of compliment.
About 3 P.M. three principal Turkish officers came
on board, the youngest of whom was the commander
or governor of the town. The purser, who had been
eyeing him with a wicked look, said to us, "I'll make
that fellow drunk before he leaves the ship." He had
expressed a wish to see the ship, and I offered to
take him round the decks. In the meanwhile the
purser went to his cabin, mixed some strong punch,
and made some sherbet. " Now," said he to me,
"when you show him the cockpit, hand him into
my cabin." The Pacha admired the ship and the
guns, and said it was the largest vessel he had seen.
He spoke a little broken English. At length we
came to the purser's cabin which was neatly fitted
up and well lighted. The Turk was requested to
PUNCH OR SHERBET? 205
repose himself on the sofa, and to take some sherbet.
"First of all," whispered the purser to me, "we
will try him with the punch." A glass was accord-
ingly handed to him, and we filled others for
ourselves. It went down his throat like mother's
milk. He declared it was the best sherbet he had
ever drunk, and asked for another glass of it.
Down that went without a pause. " He'll do,"
whispered the purser, " he is a true Mussulman; he
prefers stiff punch to cobbler's punch." A tureen
was now filled with yet stronger punch, of which he
took three more tumblers, and down he fell. He
was laid on the sofa until his friends were ready to
leave the ship. When they came from the captain's
cabin, where they had been taking refreshments,
they inquired for the sub-governor. After some
delay and more difficulty he made his appearance.
His turban had fallen off, and his countenance was
ghastly. He was so helpless that he was obliged
to be lowered into the boat, to the astonishment
and terror of all those who had brouefht him off,
and to the amusement of all our officers and crew.
The following morninc: I received orders to eo
on shore with three boats, each containing two
barrels of powder and a half barrel of musket balls
as a present to the Bey. On our arrival alongside a
kind of quay, hewn out of the solid rock, a number
of Moors rushed into the boats and seized on the
ammunition. I desired the boats' crews to take
the stretchers and give them some gentle raps on
their petit toes, which made them soon jump back
2o6 A LINE OF BATTLE SHIP.
again. I then ordered the boats to He on their oars,
and seeing a person who looked something in the
shape of an Irishman, I asked him if he would go
to the English Consul and inform him that I should
not land anything until he made his appearance.
" Shure," said he, "I am the Consul's secretary;
won't that do, so please ye?" "No," replied I,
"nothing less than the Consul." "He has not
finished his dinner yet, sir," was the answer.
" Now," said I, " Mr. Consul's secretary, if you do
not immediately go to the Consul and acquaint him
that I am waiting for him, I will go on board, and
you will all be hanged by the sentence of a court-
martial." " Oh, sir, I shall be there in no time at
all. Do not leave the harbour until you see me
again." " Run," returned I, " for your life depends
on your expedition." The poor man, I believe, was
as frightened as he appeared ignorant.
In about seven minutes down came a tall, large-
boned Yankee-kind-of-person with the before-
mentioned secretary. "Will you, if you plaise,
permit the boats to come on shore, sir," he called
out; " I am His Majesty's Consul." We again got
alongside the jetty. " Now, Mr. Consul," said I
" My name is Murphy, sir, if it's not bad manners."
" Well, Mr. Murphy, if any of those barbarians
dare come into the boats, they will be thrown over-
board. Our men will put the barrels on the
rocks, and they may take them, but you will give
me a receipt for them." " Shure that I'll do for
you, sir, in a few minutes. Will you favour me
A CONSUL AND HIS SECRETARY. 207
with your company to my house?" "By no
means ; my orders are not to set a foot on shore.
But if you will purchase for me half a dozen of
small bottles of otto of roses I will thank you. I
cannot remain," added I, ''more than a quarter of
an hour longer." Whilst we were waiting for His
Majesty's Consul, who, I need not hint, was an
Irishman, an animal made its appearance which
the boat's crew declared was a woman. It was
clad in a coarse, light brown wrapping gown almost
in the shape of a sack with the mouth downwards,
with two small holes in the upper part for the eyes.
As soon as it came near the boats it was driven
away by the Moors. At length Mr. Murphy made
his appearance with the requisite piece of paper
and eight bottles of otto of roses, for which he did
not forget to ask a good price. He informed me
that bullocks would be sent off to the squadron
next morning. We repaired on board, when my
captain asked me if the Bey had sent me a sabre.
"No," replied I, "I have received nothing."
"Then," said he, "he is worse than a Turk; he
ought to have given you one."
The day after we received twelve bullocks not
much larger in size than an English calf, and I, with
one of my messmates, went on shore outside the
town. The soil we found very sandy. I took out
my sketch book, and had drawn the ouJine of the
batteries, when an armed Arab rode up to us at full
gallop on a beautiful, small, dark chestnut horse.
My messmate wore a highly polished steel-hilted
2o8 A LINE OF BATTLE SHIP.
hanger, the brightness of which, as it glittered in the
sun's rays, attracted the Arab's attention. He spoke
broken EngHsh, and asked to look at it. "Yes,"
said my companion, "if you will let me look at
yours." He took it from his side without hesitation
and presented it to him. The Arab admired the
workmanship of the English sword, and then
examined the blade. We had inspected his, and
found it fine Damascus steel. " Will you exchange,"
said my messmate. He made a most contemptuous
grimace at the question. " I tell you what," said
he, " English very good for handle, but Arab better
for blade." He then put spurs to his horse and
galloped away, chuckling the whole time.
As we had not permission to enter the gates of
the town we amused ourselves by examining the
houses outside, which were low and whitewashed.
The windows were few, small and high, and some
of these mean, wretched-looking hovels v/ere sur-
rounded by a mud and sand wall. We saw only
Moors and a few Arabs. The country higher up
appeared green and fresh, although much rock and
sand abounded. The harbour, or rather bay, is
small, and its depth of water from two to five
fathoms. The principal battery is built on a solid
" ■^ongue of rock which curves outward and forms a
dai'nd of harbour. I remarked the Spanish arms on
boai? centre of it, and on inquiry I found it had been
rocks, -d there by Charles the Fifth when he landed
me a rec^k possession of the town,
you, sir, i- morning of the third day we were under
RETURN TO GIBRALTAR. 209
sail for Carthagena. On nearing the harbour, which
is strongly fortified by an island at its mouth, we
discovered two Spanish ships of the line at anchor,
but so close under the island that it was impossible
to make any impression on them. The next day they
removed into the harbour and struck their top-masts.
We cruised between Capes di Gata and Palos for a
fortnight, occasionally looking into Carthagena to
see if the Spaniards would take the hint. Finding
all our wishes and hints fruitless, we left a frigate
and a brig sloop to watch their motions and
shaped our course for Gibraltar. Near the small
island of Alberaw we fell in with two frigates
convoying twenty sail of levanters, the commodore
of which called me brother-in-law. As the wind
was light I had permission to spend the day on
board his frigate, where I partook of an Italian
dinner, more shadow than substance, and after
coffee I repaired on board my own ship, where I
ordered something substantial to eat, as the Italian
dinner had provoked a good appetite. We anchored
at old Gib four days afterwards, and were ordered
to refit with all expedition and join once more
Admiral Collingwood off Cadiz, where the French
and Spanish fleets still remained and were
apparently ready for sea.
K.G.
CHAPTER XVI.
BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR.
Join Lord Nelson's squadron — Battle of Trafalgar — Author's experi-
ences— Occurrences during action — Severity of operations before
the use of anaesthetics — The Tounani^s casualty list — Proceed
to Gibraltar — A truce with Spain during horse races on neutral
ground there.
In a week's time we formed one of the squadron,
and shortly after were joined by fourteen sail of
the Hne under Lord Nelson. The salutation was
heartfelt and most gratifying. The dispositions of
the fleet were soon made, and as they were as
simple as possible, there could be no mistake. A
cordon of frigates were ordered to repeat signals to
us from the one nearest the shore, whilst we kept
nearly out of sight of the land, and all our ships'
sides were ordered to be painted yellow with black
streaks, and the masts yellow.
We now mustered twenty-seven sail of the line,
four frigates, and a schooner, and were waiting
impatiently for the joyful signal from the frigates
that the enemy were coming out of harbour. On
the afternoon of the 20th of October, 1805, our
longing eyes were blessed with the signal. We
cleared for quarters and were in high spirits. At
daylight we had the felicity to see them from the
o
\
THE ACTION COMMENCES. 211
deck, and counted thirty-three sail of the line and
three large frigates. They extended in line ahead.
We answered with alacrity the signal to make all
sail for the enemy, preserving our order of sailing.
The sails appeared to know their places and were
spread like magic. The wind was very light, and
it was nearly noon before we closed with the
enemy. We remarked they had formed their ships
alternately French and Spanish. All our ships
that had bands were playing " Rule Britannia,"
" Downfall of Paris," etc. Our own struck up
" Britons, strike home." We were so slow in
moving through the water in consequence of the
lightness of the wind that some of the enemy's
ships gave us a royal salute before we could break
their line, and we lost two of the band and had
nine wounded before we opened our fire. The
telegraph signal was flying from the masthead of
the Victory, " England expects every man to do his
duty." It was answered with three hearty cheers
from each ship, which must have shaken the nerve
of the enemy. We were saved the trouble of
taking in our studding-sails, as our opponents had
the civility to effect it by shot before we got into
their line. At length we had the honour of nestling
His Majesty's ship between a French and a
Spanish seventy-four, and so close that a biscuit
might have been thrown on the decks of either of
them. Our guns were all double-shotted. The
order was given to fire ; being so close every shot
was poured into their hulls, down came the
p 2
212 BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR.
Frenchman's mizzen-mast, and after our second
broadside the Spaniard's fore and cross-jack yards.
A Spanish three-decker now crossed our bows and
gave us a raking broadside which knocked away
the fore and main top-masts, the main and fore-
yards with the jib-boom and sprit-sail yard, part of
the head, and killed and wounded twenty-two of
the men. One midshipman was cut literally in
half. This was the more provoking as we could
not return her the compliment, having full employ-
ment with those we first engaged.
We were in this situation about half-an-hour, when
the Spaniard called out he had struck, but before
we could take possession of him, a French ship of
eighty guns with an admiral's flag came up, and
poured a raking broadside into our stern which
killed and wounded forty petty officers and men,
nearly cut the rudder in two, and shattered the
whole of the stern with the quarter galleries. She
then in the most gallant manner locked her bow-
sprit in our starboard main shrouds, and attempted
to board us with the greater part of her officers and
ship's company. She had rifle-men in her tops
who did great execution. Our poop was soon
cleared, and our gallant captain shot through the
left thigh and obliged to be carried below. During
this time we were not idle. We gave it to her
most gloriously with the starboard lower and main-
deckers, and turned the forecastle guns loaded with
grape on the gentleman who wished to give us a
fraternal hug. The marines kept up a warm and
AT CLOSE QUARTERS. 213
destructive fire on the boarders. Only one man
made good his footing on our quarter-deck, when
he was pinned through the calf of his right leg by
one of the crew with his half-pike, whilst another
was going to cut him down, which I prevented,
and desired him to be taken to the cockpit. At
this period the Bellerophon, seeing our critical
position, gallantly steered between us and our first
French antagonist and sheeted her home until she
struck her colours. Our severe contest with the
French admiral lasted more than half-an-hour, our
sides grinding so much against each other that we
were obliged to fire the lower deck guns without
running them out.
At length both ships caught fire before the
chest-trees, and our firemen, with all the coolness
and courage so inherent in British seamen,
got the engine and played on both ships, and
finally extinguished the flames, although two
of them were severely wounded in doing so. At
length we had the satisfaction of seeing her three
lower masts go by the board, ripping the partners
up in their fall, as they had been shot through
below the deck, and carrying with them all their
sharp-shooters to look sharper in the next world,
for as all our boats were shot through we could
not save one of them in this. The crew were then
ordered with the second lieutenant to board her.
They cheered and in a short time carried her.
They found the gallant French Admiral Magon
killed at the foot of the poop ladder, the captain
214 BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR.
dangerously wounded. Out of eight lieutenants
five were killed, with three hundred petty officers
and seamen, and about one hundred wounded.
We left the second lieutenant and sixty men in
charge of her, and took some of the prisoners on
board when she swung clear of us. We had
pummelled her so handsomely that fourteen of her
lower deck guns were dismounted, and her larboard
bow exhibited a mass of splinters.
After she cleared us another Spanish three-decker
drifted nearly on board of us. We received her fire,
which shot away the gaff. We returned her salute
with interest, and her foremast went about four
feet above her deck. We cheered and gave her
another broadside, and down came her colours.
We manned the jolly boat — the only boat that we
thought would float — to take possession of her, but
she had not proceeded more than a few yards when
down she went, leaving the fourth lieutenant and her
crew paddling like sea nondescripts. Having no
boat that would float, four of the seamen jumped
overboard to rescue those who could not swim, and
they all regained the ship. Mr. C, the lieutenant,
was nearly drowned, and had it not been for a
black man, who took him on his back, he must
have sunk. (This man he never lost sight of and
left him a handsome legacy when he died.) We
were drifting like a pig upon a grating, and as
helpless as a sucking shrimp, when the signal was
made to repair damages. We soon cut away all
that was useless, and in twenty minutes we were
A GLORIOUS VICTORY. 215
under topsails as courses, and top-gallant-sails as
topsails.
The carpenters had cobbled up one of the
cutters, in which I was sent on board the Royal
Sovereign to report our condition and to request
the assistance of one of the fleet to tow us, as in
consequence of our rudder being so much shattered
by shot it was rendered unserviceable. The
Defiance was ordered to take us in tow ; we shortly
afterwards made the signal, that we were able to
renew the action. The enemy's fleet were making
for Cadiz. Nineteen sail of their line of battle-
ships had surrendered, and one, the Achillc, had
blown up. The explosion she made was sublime
and awful ; a number of her crew were saved by
the Pickle schooner. The wind still continued
light, and the signal was flying to renew the attack.
In about twenty minutes we were again in the rear
of the enemy, who appeared to have had enough of
it, as they had neared Cadiz, and all the prizes
except four seventy-fours were making for the
harbour. This was owing to their having so few of
our men on board them, and to our not being able,
in consequence of the loss of boats, to take out the
prisoners. We gave them some parting salutes.
There were so many of us in a crippled state it
was thought prudent to haul to the westward, as
the swell was throwing us to\vards the shore, and
the sky had all the tokens of a gale of wind from
the west-south-west. The signal was out to pre-
pare to anchor if necessary. The Royal Sovereign,
2i6 BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR.
which had only her foremast standing, with four
other ships of our fleet, had already anchored.
The Santissinia Trinidada, one of the Spanish
prizes, went down in consequence of having
received so many shot between wind and water.
Her crew were taken out by our frigates and she
was scuttled. She was the largest ship and had
four regular tiers of guns, mounting in the whole
one hundred and thirty-six. About 7 p.m. the
wind began to freshen from the westward. The
signal was made from the Royal Sovereign for all
those ships that could carry sail to proceed to
Gibraltar. About 9 p.m. the wind increased to a
heavy gale, and the ship which towed us was
obliged to cast us off. We fortunately had been
able to fix the quarter tackles to the ring-bolts of
the rudder before the gale came on. The night
was passed in much painful anxiety, and we
expected every time we wore to strike on the rocks
of Cape Trafalgar. Providentially the wind drew
more round to the north-east, and at daylight we
weathered the Cape and about noon anchored at
Gibraltar. We found the four prizes with several
of our fleet lying there, and we were congratulated
most cordially on our having escaped a lee shore,
as they had given us up as lost.
I must retrograde a little here and relate a few
occurrences which took place during the action, and
of which I was an eye-witness. We had hoisted our
colours before the action in four difl'erent places,
at the ensign-staff, peak, and in the fore and main
BRITISH PLUCK. 217
top-mast shrouds, that if one was shot away the
others might be flying. A number of our fleet had
done the same, and several of the enemy followed
our example. The French admiral's ship who so
gallantly attempted to board us had his flag hoisted
in three places. One of our men, Fitzgerald, ran up
his rigging and cut away one of them and placed it
round his w^aist, and had nearly, after this daring
exploit, reached his ship, when a rifleman shot him
and he fell between the two ships and was no more
seen. The principal signalman, whose name was
White, and a captain of one of the guns on the
poop, had his right great toe nearly severed from
his foot. He deliberately took his knife and cut it
away. He was desired to go below to the doctor.
** No, sir," was his reply; " I am not the fellow to
go below for such a scratch as that. I wish to give
the beggars," meaning the enemy, " a few more
hard pills before I have done with them." Saying
this, he bound his foot up in his neck-handkerchief
and served out double allowance until his
carronade was dismounted by the carriage of it
being shattered to pieces. He then hopped to
another gun, where he amused himself at the
Frenchman's expense until the action ceased.
We had fought on nearly empty stomachs. At
the time we began the action it was dinner time, i.e.
twelve o'clock ; a small proportion of cheese had
been given out and half allowance of grog. During
the latter part of the action the captain, who was
lying on a cot in the purser's cabin, sent for me.
2i8 BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR.
On entering the cockpit I found fourteen men
waiting amputation of either an arm or a leg. A
marine who had sailed with me in a former ship
was standing up as I passed, with his left arm
hanging down. "What's the matter, Conelly ? "
said I to him. "Not much," replied he; "I am
only winged above my elbow, and I am waiting my
turn to be lopped." His arm was dreadfully broken
by a grape-shot. I regret to mention that out of
sixteen amputations only two survived. This was
in consequence of the motion of the ship during the
gale. Their stumps broke out afresh, and it was
impossible to stop the haemorrhage. One of them,
whose name was Smith, after his leg was taken off,
hearing the cheering on deck in consequence of
another of the enemy striking her colours, cheered
also. The exertion he made burst the vessels, and
before they could be again taken up he died.
When I was sent on board Admiral Colhngwood's
ship during the action I observed a great anxiety in
the officers' faces. It immediately occurred to me that
Lord Nelson had fallen, and I put the question to
one of the lieutenants, who told me he was mortally
wounded and that he could not live long. Thus
gloriously fell in the arms, and on the deck, of
Victory, as brave, as intrepid, and as great a hero
as ever existed, a seaman's friend and the father
of the fleet. The love of his country was engraven
on his heart. He was most zealous for her honour
and welfare, and his discernment was clear and
decisive. His death was deservedly and deeply
OUR LOSSES. 219
felt by every man in the fleet. I must not omit
that when the Commander of the French fleet,
Admiral Villeneuve, was brought alongside us
instead of the Victory, he was informed it was not
Nelson's ship. "My God," said he, "you are all
Nelsons ! "^
On mustering our ship's company after we were
tolerably in order, we found we had twenty-six
killed and fifty-eight wounded, the captain included,
who, as soon as we arrived, went on shore. We
sent our wounded men to the hospital, and began
to refit. Our rudder was unshipped, or rather the
wreck of it, to be spliced. On the fourth morning,
at daylight, during a fog, we were not a little
astonished at findins: ourselves bombarded, and
the shells and shot flying fast and thick amongst
us. We had taken the precaution of keeping our
guns towards the enemy shotted, but fortunately
for us and for those people who were amusing
themselves in the enemy's gun-boats, the fog was
so dense that we neither could see them or they
us. However, we fired as nearly as we could
judge in the direction frqm whence their shells
came, and I presume we must have done some
execution among them. After our second broad-
side all was silent. We had only a few ropes shot
away and one man wounded. The shells fell
either short or over us on shore, where they did
no injury. The shot were the most destruc-
tive. After this freak, which might have proved
» Note C.
220 BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR.
serious, we had additional guard boats during
night.
The Governor, General Fox, sent an invitation to
all the officers of the fleet requesting their company
to a ball at the Government House. I understood
it was well attended, and the ladies very amiable.
I, having received a wound in the left hand, which
was painful, did not attend. Before we sailed we
had several dinner-parties and made excursions to
St. George's and other caves. One afternoon I had
been rambling with another brother officer over
the Rock, when, as we reached the O'Hara Tower,
we were overtaken by a thunder-storm. As we
stood in the tower, which, as Paddy would say, is
no tower at all, we saw the thunder-clouds descend
under us, and could distinctly see the lightning.
It was to us a novel and awful scene. We soon
removed from our position, as the small building
under which we had taken shelter had been formerly
struck by lightning, and we began to be apprehen-
sive of its second visit. In descending we started
two large baboons, who appeared as much sur-
prised as we were. We soon lost sight of them
among the rocks. It is strictly forbidden to use
fire-arms or to destroy anything on the Rock. We
also saw a few red-legged partridges, which were
not very shy, and some large lizards.
The officers of the garrison gave a horse race on
neutral ground, and invited the Governor of St.
Roch with his staft\ He came with a numerous
retinue. Flags of truce were stuck up beyond the
INTERNATIONAL AMENITIES. 221
Gibraltar limits, and we were at liberty to go
nearly as far as the nearest Spanish fort. It was
a singular coincidence to see us shaking hands and
offering cigars to men whose duty it was an hour
before to shoot us. Everything went off very
pleasantly except with the poor, distressed horses,
who had to run over deep sand. After the Spanish
Governor and his officers had partaken of a plenti-
ful collation under a large marquee, they took their
departure, and we gave them three cheers. We
at lenfrth received our rudder from the hands of the
dockyard mateys. They had made a good job of
it, and it answered admirably.
CHAPTER XVII.
OFF BREST.
Return under juiy-masts to England— Arrive at Spithead— The admiral
the middy, and the dirk— Join H M.S. Diamond as first lieutenant
—Attached to Lord St. Vincent's fleet off Brest— A change of
captains— Weary waiting for an enemy who never came.
A FEW days after we sailed, with three other
line of battle ships, under jury-masts, for old Eng-
land. On our passage we spoke a frigate, who
informed us that Sir Richard Strachan had taken
the four sail of the line which had escaped from
the French fleet. We were delighted as well as
*' Dicky Strong," and gave three hearty cheers. On
the eighth day we arrived at Spithead, and were
cheered by all the ships lying there, which we
returned. Some of the fleet had, we thought,
made rather a show of their shot-holes, but our
commodore declared that " good wine needed no
bush." Our shot-holes, of which we had a good
share, were painted over and not perceptible at any
distance. The captain left us, and was heartily
cheered as he left the ship. As soon as we were
in the harbour I had permission from the Admiralty
to return home for a month.
I found my sweetest half (for I had, without
knowing why or wherefore, become a Benedict)
TRUSTWORTHINESS OF SEAMEN. 223
in much anxiety, as our ship had been reported
lost. She put into my arms a dear little black-
eyed girl, who was born a week after the
action. After spending three delightful weeks,
the happiest of the happy, I tore myself away.
On my rejoining the ship I found her in dock,
and all the crew on board a hulk. I now
became commanding officer, as the first lieutenant
had leave of absence. I have here to remark that
forty seamen and ten marines had leave to go to
their families and friends for three weeks or a
month, according to the distance, and out of six
hundred men only one desertion occurred. I
mention this circumstance to prove that seamen,
when they become accustomed to a man-of-war,
have no dislike to her discipline, provided they are
properly encouraged when deserving, and the cat
is only used when it is absolutely necessary, which
was the case in our ship. Seamen are too valu-
able to be ill used.
Admiral Montague was the commander-in-
chief at this port, and Sir Isaac Coffin, of
inspecting memory, the rear - admiral. One
morning one of the midshipmen, in stepping into
the dockyard boat, had the misfortune to lose
his dirk overboard. As it was blowing strong, he
could not return to the hulk to borrow another.
He consequently went to the yard without one.
The rear-admiral, who was always in search of
adventure, met him. " Hulloa ! officer," said he;
" why arc you without side arms ? " The youngster
224 OFF BREST.
related what had happened. " Then, sir," said he,
" you must buy another as fast as you can." " I
have no money, sir," repHed the mid, " and I know
no one here." " Then I will put you in the way
to get one. Come with me to my office." The
youngster followed him, and received the address
of a sword cutler. " And tell him," said Sir Isaac,
" from me that you are to have a dirk. But,"
added he, "I had better write my name; he will
then know I sent you." Next morning the mid lost
no time in repairing to the shop of the vendor of
slayinginstruments. He produced the rear-admiral's
paper. The cutler at first hesitated. At length
he said, " Do you pay for it?" " No," answered
the mid, " not till I return from my next cruise."
" Oh, never mind," said the man of cut and thrust ;
" Sir Isaac has signed the paper, and he will, of
course, be responsible. What kind of dirk do you
wish to have ? " " Oh, a good one," returned the
mid ; " one at about forty shillings." It was given
him ; he gave his name and ship, and left the shop.
In a few days after this an order came on board
from the admiral to discharge a lieutenant and a
midshipman into another ship bound to the West
Indies. The sixth lieutenant and this youngster
were selected. About four months afterwards the
bill was sent to the rear-admiral for payment of
the dirk. It was naturally refused. Some months
passed, when the bill was again presented and
refused. The poor mid was far away and not
forthcoming, although he fully intended, had he
MORE HORSE EXERCISE. 225
not been so suddenly exiled, to pay it when he was
able. The cutler now brought an action against
the rear-admiral, and he was, as he had put his
name to the paper, obliged to pay the account.
The shipwrights and carpenters having repaired
the ship, she was hauled alongside the hulk, and
in ten days was as majestic as ever. Another
captain was appointed, and I was ordered to join
the Diamond frigate, as first lieutenant, off Brest.
I took an affectionate leave of my messmates, and
procured a passage on board a passage-sloop going
to Plymouth. We sailed in the evening, through
the Needles passage, and when off the Shingles
the head of the mast went in the hounds. After
much exertion we got the main-sail out of the water,
and the try-sail set. We reached, to my great joy,
Portland Roads on the third day, where, as I
found myself rather queerish on board the sloop,
I salaamed the skipper of her, and mounted a
horse, which they assured me was quiet enough
to carry the parson. With this assurance, which
was corroborated by three old men and two young
women, I trusted myself once more on a horse's
back. A brother officer, who was also going to
join a ship at Plymouth, accompanied me. We
dined at Weymouth, saw Gloucester Lodge, had
a somersault, to the terror and astonishment of
the lady housekeeper and servants, on all the
Princesses' beds, viewed the closet of odd-and-end
old china belonging to the amiable Princess
Elizabeth, thought ourselves an inch taller when
K.G. Q
226 OFF BREST.
we sat ourselves down in the chair in which the
good King dined at one o'clock, generally off a
boiled leg of mutton and turnips, so we were
informed, and in the evening hired a post-chaise
and arrived at Dorchester, where we took the mail
for Plymouth. On reaching the latter place we
repaired to the admiral's office, where, as there
was no present opportunity of joining my new ship,
I remained five days, calling on my old acquaint-
ances and talking of old times.
One day we made an excursion to Plympton, and
entered a neat farmer's house. We inquired if we
could be provided with some home-baked brown
bread, and milk from the cow. The farmer's wife,
who was a hale, buxom, youngish-looking woman,
and had only nine children, brought out chairs and
benches. We had some madeira with us, and we
made delicious whip-syllabub. The nice, well-baked
and wholesome brown loaves, with the milk and
cream, were too good for city aldermen, but quite
good enough for sailors. We did ample justice to
the good wife's fare, of which she partook with her
mother, who was sixty-five, and had eleven boys
and nine girls all living. Nine of the former were
on board different men-of-war, and the other two
working with their father on the farm. "And,"
added the poor woman, with an anxious, smiling
face, " whenever we see a squadron of King's ships
arrive we expect a son." The girls, with the
exception of three who were married, were out
in respectable families. We made a trifling purse.
A FRIGATE AGAIN. 227
which we gave to a fine boy about eleven years
old for himself and brothers ; recompensed our
good hostess, shook hands, and departed in peace
and good fellowship.
Two days later I went on board the Alexandria
frigate for a passage to my proper ship, which
we fell in with soon afterwards off the Black
Rocks. I found her a fine, first-class frigate,
but, alas ! I also found she only sailed like the
launch, stern foremost. The captain, a jolly,
little, fresh-faced, rather corpulent man, welcomed
me with a smile, and after a short conversation
relating to the ship he inquired the news, on
which I presented him with the latest newspaper.
The surgeon, a delicate, pale young man, came
up to me and asked me to the gun-room. On
entering it he introduced me to my future mess-
mates. The second lieutenant was a fine-looking
young man, highly connected, but unfortunately
disgusted with the Service, and too fond of a very
strong north-wester, which soon destroyed him, as
he died a few months after I joined the frigate.
The third lieutenant was a person of great conse-
quence in his own opinion, and always imagined
himself in the right. He was, nevertheless, an
active officer and knew his duty. The master was
a hardy north countryman, and knew what he was
about. The marine officer was a well-informed,
sensible man ; the mids were a fine set of lads,
ripe for mischief and alert on duty. The ship's
company were, generally speaking, good and
Q 2
228 OFF BREST.
willing seamen, and I thought myself fortunate
in being first lieutenant of such a ship and of
having intellectual messmates.
We were placed as one of the look-out frigates to
watch the enemy's vessels in Brest. The fleet was
under the command of the brave and persevering
Earl St. Vincent, whose laws were those of the Medes
and Persians in days of yore. Implicit obedience
and non-resistance was his device, and woe to those
who were disobedient. My messmates gave me the
outline of the captain's character. They informed
me he was more cut out for a country gentleman
than the captain of a man-of-war, that he was very
partial to a good dinner — " Show me the man
who is not," interrupted I ;— that he was highly
nervous, and that he left everything to the first
lieutenant, except the discipline of his cook. " So
be it," cried I, " I think we shall accord." About
ten days after being on board he sent for me into
his cabin. " Now," said he to me, " Mr. Hoffman,
we have had time enough to know each other. I
approve of your method of carrying on the duty,
and from henceforth I shall consider you as sailing,
and myself as fighting, captain." I thanked him
for the confidence he reposed in me, and assured
him that, being very partial to the profession,
I never was happier than when in the path of
duty. He then mentioned he was not fond of
punishment with the cat. I informed him that,
having been first lieutenant for nearly three years
of a former ship, I would submit to his inspection
IN PRAISE OF PLYMOUTH. 229
a code of minor punishments which had proved
beneficial to her discipHne. " Did you not use
the cat at all ? " demanded he. " Never," returned
I, " except for theft, drunkenness at sea and inten-
tional disobedience of orders. On these occasions
the punishment was severe, and they very seldom
happened."
When the wind was light, we generally
anchored about two gun-shots from the shore,
and in the evening the crew danced or got up a
kind of farce, which was farcical enough. After
seven long, lazy, tedious weeks, we were ordered
to Plymouth to refit. We flew like a shovel-nosed
barge against tide, and reached Hamoaze on the
evening of the third day. Reader, I do not know
whether you were ever at Plymouth. If you have
not, go there. It is in a beautiful country, and very
healthy. The people are very civil, and until the
taxes and poor rates became so high, were very
hospitable. Even m the poorest cottager's hut, if
you happened to call at their dinner-hour, you were
invited, with a hearty " Do ye, God bless ye, sit
down and take some-at. There be more than we
can eat." We frequently made social picnic parties
to the small farmhouses. I have heard sailors
declare they would rather be hanged in their native
country than die a natural death in any other. It
is not very agreeable to be hanged even in Paradise,
but I certainly prefer residing in the neighbourhood
of Plymouth to any other part of England. The
month we were in harbour vanished like a dream.
230 OFF BREST.
We cast off the moorings, and soon after anchored
at Spithead.
The following week we were again on the
Siberian or Black Rock station. One night, in
consequence of a light westerly wind with a heavy
swell and a counter current, we had drifted so near
the south-west end of Ushant that we were obliged
to let go an anchor in rocky ground. For more
than six hours it was a question whether the cable
would part or hold on : had the latter occurred, the
frigate must have gone on shore. After hoping,
wishing and expecting a breeze from the eastward,
it made its appearance by cat's-paws. We weighed,
and found the cackling and one strand of the cable
cut through. As the wind freshened we worked up
to our old station off Point St. Matthew, and
anchored. The following morning we reconnoitred
Brest, could make out fourteen of the enemy's
ships of the line with their top-gallant yards
crossed, and five others refitting. The same day
a cutter joined us with our letters and two bullocks.
After cruisins: between Ushant and the Saints,
the small rocky island Beriguet and Douarnenez
Bay, until we were tired of seeing them, we, at
the expiration of two months, were again ordered
to Plymouth to refit, but not before the con-
siderate old Earl had taken from us thirty of our
best seamen, which so much pleased our noble
captain that he declared if he was ordered to re-
join the Channel fleet he would give up the frigate.
After having refitted, to our great mortification we
A SLOVENLY SKIPPER. 231
were again under orders for the detestable station
off Brest. The captain wrote to be superseded,
and as there was no lack of sharp half-pay skippers
looking-out, his request was immediately complied
with.
His successor was a shambling, red-nosed, not
sailor-like looking man, who had persuaded a
counterpart of himself, the village barber, to
accompany him as his steward. Sure such a
pair was never seen before ! The hands were
turned up and his commission read. "Well,
my men," said he, addressing the crew, " I
understand you know how to do your duty,
therefore my advice to you is to do it. That's
all," said he to me; " pipe down if you please, sir,"
and after adding, "We shall sail to-morrow morn-
ing, and I shall be on board in the evening," he
ordered a cutter to be manned, and went on shore.
At the time appointed we were under weigh, and
three days afterwards off the Black Rocks, which
made us look black enough. The enemy's fleet
were much in the same state, with little prospect
of their coming out. Easterly winds were
prevalent, and we were generally at anchor, one
half of the ship's company doing nothing, and
the other helping them. I soon found that
our noble commander was fond of the game of
chess and a stiff glass of grog, and I frequently
found him en chemise with those companions at
daylight on one of the cabin lockers. He was an
unmarried man, but a great admirer of the fair sex
232 OFF BREST.
of all descriptions, and was sometimes heard to say
he was astonished at their want of taste in not
admiring him. He was not altogether an unread
man, but his manners were like his dress, slovenly,
and too often coarse. He had been, when he was
a lieutenant, in command of a cutter, and after-
wards of a lugger. There, the mids declared,
he ou"-ht to have remained, as he was out of his
element on the quarter-deck of a fine frigate. They
were not singular in their opinion. He was, with-
out exception, the most slovenly officer I ever had
the misfortune to sail with. I am probably rather
severe. His only redeeming quality was certainly
good nature. He, unfortunately for himself and in
some measure for the Service, courted a kind of
left-handed popularity amongst the seamen, and
neglected the officers. The consequence was, that
in less than two months the discipline of the ship
became so relaxed that the crew, from being one
of the smartest in the fleet, was now the slackest.
After a disagreeable cruise of nine weeks, in which
time we had carried away the main and foretop-
masts, we were ordered to Portsmouth. After
refitting we joined another frigate to cruise off
Havre de Grace, where the enemy had two frigates
and a corvette nearly ready for sea. We were
shortly after joined by a sloop of war. At the full
and change of the moon we always anchored inside
the Cape, in order to watch the enemy's motions
more effectively, and, when under weigh, we some-
times trawled and dredged, and frequently caught
A COLLISION. 233
sufficient fish for the whole crew, as well as a
quantity of oysters.
On one unlucky evening we ran on board
the sloop of war, carried away the mainmast,
and destroyed a part of her upper works. Fortu-
nately for the officer of the watch the captain
was on deck, and had been giving orders respecting
the sails, which took the responsibility from the
shoulders of the former. The sloop was so ill-
treated by us that she was, without delay, obliged
to proceed to Portsmouth. A few days after this
accident we were ordered to the same port. On
our arrival a court of inquiry sat to investigate the
reason why the mainmast of one of His Majesty's
cruisers should be so unceremoniouslv knocked
away by the jib-boom of another. The answers not
being quite satisfactory our captain was repri-
manded and the other admonished. We sailed
shortly after, and resumed our station. Of all
duties imposed on an active mind blockading
vessels in an enemy's port, from whence there is
not much probability of their sailing, is the most
tiresome. The mids declared that had patient Job
been on board the ten weeks we were off Havre
he would have lost his patience in the fifth week
and thrown up his commission. After a lazy cruise
of nearly eleven weeks the frigate once more sat
like a duck at Spithead.
CHAPTER XVIII.
"ordered foreign."
Ordered on foreign service — Visit Madeira, Cape de Verde, and
Goree — -Experiences on shore — Sail for Cape Coast Castle —
Difficulty of landing — The captain's black lady — Author appointed
captain of H.M.S. Favourite — Proceed to Accrah — Sacred
alligators.
After a refit and taking on board six months'
provisions and stores, as we were ordered to fit
foreign, our signal was made to proceed to sea
under sealed orders, taking with us a sloop of war.
On the tenth day we anchored in Funchal Roads,
Madeira, with our consort. The day following was
the natal day of our gracious Queen, on which
occasion we both fired a royal salute and dressed
the ships with f^ags. The captain, with as many
of the officers as could be spared, was invited to
dine with the consul at Funchal. At four o'clock
the captain, two of my messmates and myself, left
the ship, and in half an hour afterwards we reached
the consul's house, where we met an agreeable
party, consisting of four English ladies and eight
gentlemen. It was the month of June, and the
weather was very warm, but it did not prevent us
from seeing the town and visiting some of the
nunneries. The former was scarcely worth our
trouble, and the latter gave us, from the nuns'
MADEIRA.
235
appearance, no very high opinion of female beauty.
We visited some of the vineyards. The vines,
trained over arched trelHs work, extend to some
distance, and when in full leaf afford a delightful
shade. The grapes are generally remarkably large
and of a delicious flavour. The morning: before
sailing I found the best bower cable was two-
thirds cut through by some small, sharp instru-
ment on the turn round the bit-head. The hands
were turned up and singly interrogated. Nobody
knew anything about it. All appeared anxious to
find out the culprit, but in vain. Had the cable
parted in the night we should not have had room
to have let go the small bower, and must have gone
on the rocks.
In the afternoon we sailed, ran along the
Canary Islands, and in five days afterwards
anchored off the island of Goree. This small,
tolerably well-fortified island is a few miles
from Cape de Verde. It possesses no harbour,
but the anchorage off the town is good. It pro-
duces nothing but a few cotton bushes. The
inhabitants are very poor. They manufacture
cotton cloths, in which they clothe themselves.
They are a mixture of black, brown and white.
Their features are more of the Arabian than the
African cast. They speak corrupt English, French
and Portuguese. They are very proud and equally
independent. The better class live in small houses
made of mud and clay, the inferiors in cone-shaped
buildings something like Indian kraals, formed
235 "ORDERED FOREIGN."
neatly of bamboo and surrounded by a bamboo
wall. The Governor, Colonel Lloyd, gave us an
invitation to dinner and a ball. I was one of the
party. The former consisted of buffalo soup, fish,
and Muscow ducks, the latter of a number of brown
ladies dressed like bales of cotton. Dancing with
them might be compared to a cooper working
round a cask. Some few had tolerably regular
features, and I noticed the captain making love
like a Greenland bear to the girl I danced with.
The second morning after our arrival I was sent
with two cutters to haul the seine off the mainland
about three miles to the westward of Cape de
Verde. As soon as we had made the first haul, in
which we had taken a quantity of herrings, about
twenty of the inhabitants of that part of the coast
rushed towards the fish with the intention of
seizing them. I desired the marines we had with
us to present their muskets in order to frighten
them. It answered perfectly, and they retired. I
then desired two of the seamen to take a quantity
of the fish and lay them down at some short dis-
tance, and I beckoned to the natives to come and
take them, which they did, tumbling over each
other in the scramble. After having taken a
quantity of herrings in three hauls, besides several
larger fish, I proceeded with one of the marines
and the coxswain to the town.
I found it a miserable place, much like Goree,
but three times the size, and surrounded by a
high fence of thick bamboo matting, supported by
LIGHT-FINGER NATIVES. 237
long stakes. All I could purchase were two old
Muscovy ducks, some pumpkins, and a few cocoa-
nuts. One of the ducks got adrift, and a long, lean,
hungry girl caught it and ran off with it into the
brushwood, where we lost sight of her. The people
of Goree informed us they were terrible thieves,
and we proved it. The following day I again paid a
visit to these Patagonian people, for the greater part
of the men at Cape de Verde were more than six feet
in stature and very slight. They all carried long
lances, principally because of the numerous patti-
goes, or hyenas, in their neighbourhood. The
purser, who was with me, purchased with some
rum which the coxswain of the boat brought with
him two sacks of beans and some oranges. I
mentioned the loss of my duck the day before
to a man who understood EngUsh and spoke it
indifferently. As I stood alongside of him, both
the purser and myself, who were five feet seven,
appeared like pigmies. He was at least seven feet
two inches, and had an amazing long lance in his
hand. He laughed loud and long at my recital.
'' Ah, Buckra," at last he chuckled out, " you takee
care anoder time, eh ! and you no lettee de duck
run abay ; if you do, anoder piccaninny girl hab it
again, eh ? "
"Confound this fellow!" said the purser; "I
believe he is a worse rogue than the girl. Have
you had enough of his palaver?" "Almost too
much," answered I. "Let us pull foot." We
returned to the boat, and after an hour's row
238 "ORDERED FOREIGN."
got on board. The following day I dined with
Commissary Hamilton, who showed me a letter
from the interesting Mr. Mungo Park, who was
surireon of the ree^iment he belonged to. Mr.
Hamilton told me he had set out with forty in
his party, but that in consequence of sickness it
was reduced to twenty-five ; but notwithstanding
these drawbacks Park wrote in good spirits, and
was determined to persevere in his journey to
Timbuctoo.
Before we sailed I made another excursion on
the mainland, and fell in with fourteen Arabian
traveUing merchants. They were seated on the
ground like London tailors, surrounded by their
bales of goods, principally rough cotton, with six
camels and two tame ostriches. The former were
lying down, the latter walking about and searching
for food among the short, rank grass and stones.
Some of the latter I observed they swallowed. I
purchased from the merchants some ostrich eggs.
They asked me to give them rum. One of them,
who spoke a little English, and was interpreter for
the others, told me they intended coming on board
to see the ship, and to shake hands with the
captain. I informed him he would feel himself
highly flattered by such Arabian condescension, but
that they must make haste, as the ship would sail
in a day or two. They all begged to shake hands
with us, for the marine officer accompanied me. On
returning to the boat we found two of the natives,
who appeared at a distance more like maypoles
ARAB VISITORS. 239
than men, endeavouring to hold a conversation
with the boat's crew. The coxswain told me they
had fallen in love with the boat-hook, and oftered
in exchange one of their lances. When we appeared
their thoughts were turned from the boat-hook to
the marine officer's sword, and they requested him,
by signs, to make an exchange. Another native had
joined the other two, armed with a musket. I
made signs to him to let me look at it, but he would
not trust it out of his hands. I remarked it was an
old English worn-out gun without a hammer to the
lock. Perceiving that they were beginning to be
troublesome, we jumped into the boat and threw
them some biscuits, which they devoured with the
appetite of wolves.
We had not been on board an hour when
we were honoured with a visit from four of the
Arabians, who, without ceremony, went up to the
captain and shook him by the hand, and asked
him for the purser. The latter very opportunely
made his appearance, when the captain pointed him
out to the Arab who spoke broken English. He
soon left the latter, and accosted the former with
unbluvshing effrontery, and asked him for a cask of
flour. " And for what ? " demanded the purser.
" Because I your good friend," was the answer.
" You are an impudent, beggarly rascal," said our
hasty-tempered purveyor of provisions to him.
"What can I see in your precious ugly black face
that will induce me to give you anything but a good
kicking?" " Patience and policy, messmate," I said.
240 "ORDERED FOREIGN."
"Where is your philosophy? Let your steward
give them a few biscuits and a dram, and get rid
of them." To this proposal, after a grumble, he
assented, and they departed.
The following morning we weighed, and made all
sail for Cape Coast Roads. On our passage we
experienced heavy squalls of wind and rain, which
frequently obliged us to clew all up. We anchored
at Sierra Leone on the fourth day, and found the
colony healthy. After remaining two days to com-
plete our water, we left it, and proceeded to our
destination. We anchored off Cape Coast a few
days afterwards, at a respectable distance, as the surf
> breaks two miles from the shore. The ship's boats
on this part of the coast are useless. Were they to
attempt to land they would soon be swamped and
knocked to pieces, and the crews drowned. Native
canoes of from eight to twenty paddles are only
used, and it requires great caution and dexterity by
the black boatmen to prevent their being upset. I
once came off in a large canoe with twenty paddles.
On the third rolling surf she was half filled, and I
was washed out of the chair among the paddlers.
As soon as the sails were furled, a large canoe
came off from the Governor with an invitation for
the captain to dine with him. I remarked that the
greater part of the coal-coloured crew of the canoe
had the wool on their heads tied into about thirty
tails an inch in length. A painter might have
manufactured a tolerable Gorgonian head from
among them.
THERE'S NO ACCOUNTING FOR TASTES! 241
On the following day we were visited by several
flat-nosed, thick-lipped, black-skinned ladies, who
came off with the express purpose of being married
to some of the man-of-war buckras. They soon
found husbands. In the afternoon a canoe came
alongside with a tall grasshopper of a woman as
ugly as sin and as black as the ace of spades,
with a little girl about seven years old a shade, if
possible, blacker, and as great a beauty as herself.
One of the canoe men came on the quarter-deck
with them. He made a leg and pulled one of the
many tails of his wool, and addressed me as follows:
" Massa officer, Massa Buckra Captain hab sent
him wife off and him piccaninny." Saying this he
gave me a note, which was addressed to his steward,
the barber, who came and told me, to my amaze-
ment, that the animal on two ill-formed legs was to
have the use of the captain's cabin. Thinks I to
myself, "Wonders will never cease. There is no
accounting for taste. Some people are over nice,
some not nice enough." About two hours after our
gallant captain came on board, I presume love-
sick, for he either looked love or shame-stricken.
Probably I was mistaken, as I concluded he had
discarded the latter when he entered the Service as
an unmanly appendage.
Whilst here I went on shore with some of
my messm.ates, and dined with the mess at
the Castle off goat, boiled, broiled, roasted,
stewed, and devilled, and some fish. In short
they have nothing else except some half-starved
K.G. R
242 "ORDERED FOREIGN."
fowls and Muscovy ducks ; sometimes, but not very
often, buffalo beef, which is so tough that after
you have swallowed it — for you cannot chew it —
you are liable to indigestion for two months or so ;
so naturally they prefer young goat. The Castle,
which stands on an eminence, is strong on the sea
face, but I presume it would not hold out long on
the land side against a regular siege, but as I am
no engineer, I will leave it, as Moore's Almanac
says of the hieroglyphic, to the learned and the
curious. The town consists of small, low huts, the
greater part of which are built of stakes and mud,
whitewashed over, and thatched with palm leaves.
I saw a spot of parched, arid ground which was
designated a botanical garden. If it did not contain
many exotics, it did a most savage tiger, which was
enclosed in an iron cage.
We had been cruising along the coast, and some-
times anchoring for about five weeks, when the
captain of the sloop of war was promoted from this
fleeting world to a better. I was, in consequence,
appomted as her captain, being in my ninth year as
lieutenant when I obtained my promotion. I parted
company with die frigate shortly afterwards, and
anchored off Accrah. A canoe soon came off with
an invitation from the Governor requesting my
company to dinner. I accepted it and went on shore,
where I was received by a young man who was more
merchant than soldier, but who had command of
the fort which coQimanded the roadstead and the
town. He informed me that a little distance from
FETICH. 243
the town was a large lagoon or lake in which were
frequently found four or more large tame alligators.
'* For," added he, " although the natives often
suffer from their depredations, and once one of
their children was devoured by one of these reptiles,
they hold themsacred, and they are ' fetiched ' or
made holy." "I should much like to see one,"
said I. "I will," answered he, "send for one of
the Cabaceers, or head men of the town, and we
shall soon know if there are any in the neighbour-
hood." A quarter of an hour had elapsed when in
came a grave-looking black man dressed in blue
serge, with a gold-headed long cane in his hand,
the badge of his office. He informed the Governor
there was a large alligator at the bottom of the lake,
and that if he would provide him with a white fowl
and a bottle of rum, his people might possibly lure
him out. About an hour expired when we heard a
bustle not far distant, and a man came to apprise us
that the alligator was in the town, that a marabout,
or priest, was ready to fetich it, and only waited for
us. We had not proceeded more than twelve yards
from the fort when we saw the reptile, which was
about eighteen feet long, in full trot after a man
who held the unfortunate fowl destined to be the
victim. As soon as we approached he turned short
round. The reptile, with his upper jaw nearly
thrown on the back of his head, was some time in
turning, owing to its length and the shortness of its
legs, and was again in chase of the man who held
the fowl. The marabout now came after it, and
R 2
244 "ORDERED FOREIGN."
when close to its tail, threw the rum over it,
mumbling some strange sounds. It was then
considered sacred, and death would have been the
punishment of those who hurt it. Before it came
to the margin of the lagoon, the man with the poor
fowl, which was more than half-dead with fright,
slackened his pace, and threw it into the alligator's
mouth. The reptile then made for the water, sank
to the bottom, and ate the miserable bird. We
returned to dinner, which consisted of a hearty
welcome, some excellent fish, fowl soup, boiled fowl
^\•ith ham, and a roasted saddle of kid, with yams and
plantains, pine-apples and oranges, madeira and
sherry. In the evening I took leave of my hospitable
host and repaired on board, and the following
morning put to sea.
After cruising for six weeks in chase of the wind
— for we saw nothing during that period except two
slave ships from Liverpool, from whom we procured
a few indifferent potatoes — we again anchored off
Cape Coast. I went on shore and paid my respects
to the Governor, General Tourenne, in a new
character. I had once dined with him when
lieutenant of the frigate ; he did not recollect me,
but requested me whenever I was disposed to take
up my residence at the Castle, and to consider it
my home during the time I remained on the station.
"The Ashantee, or Assentee nation have," con-
tinued he, " been very troublesome of late and have
declared war against the Fantee nation, who are
under our protection, as it is through them all the
ASHANTEE v. FAXTEE. 245
commerce along the coast takes place, and of this,
the Ashantees, who are the inland nation, wish to
partake. Your being in the roads will in some
measure check them." I promised to visit the
roads as often as my other duties would permit
me, and if necessary assist with the marines.
CHAPTER XIX.
WEST COAST ADVENTURES,
Cruise along West African coast— Dine with Danish consul at Cape
Coast Castle— Ordered to Sierra Leone — A trip inland — We pro-
ceed to the Los Islands— A trip up the River Pongo— Quell disturb-
ance on a slaver — A dinner with a native prince — His presents.
After remaining a few days, during which time
nothing transpired that required our presence, we
again weighed and sailed along the coast towards
the Bight of Benin. We experienced frequent
calms with much squally weather, attended with
vivid lightning and heavy rain. Finding a current
setting round the bight to the eastward, we were
obliged to carry a press of sail to act against it, and
were nearly three weeks working up from Cape St.
Paul's to Dix Cove, where we anchored. On this
part of the coast, particularly Dix Cove, you may
land without the assistance of a canoe, as the surf
is not so rolling or so high. There is a small
English settlement here, which I visited, and dined
with the principal settler. The town is small and
not worth a description. We procured a quantity
of oranges and cocoanuts, and I had the opportunity
of witnessing the native dancing. A tom-tom, or
rough kind of long drum, is beaten by two men, to
the noise of which (for it was anything but music)
they keep time. The dancers, particularly the
AN ALBINO. 247
women, appeared by their gestures and movements
to be in a state of delirium ; they certainly were
much excited, and kept up such a continued howl
that I soon took my departure.
As I turned round I came in contact with a most
pitiable object — a sickly, dead-white coloured native.
I had heard of such beings, but had never seen one.
He was about five feet five inches high, and very thin ;
his features were rather more prominent than those
of a negro, his eyes were very small, very weak, and
of a reddish hue. He appeared by his manner to
be an idiot. He held out his hands to me in a
supplicating manner, I gave him a small piece of
money ; he looked earnestly in my face, and mixed
with the crowd. On returningto the town I passed
three females with different coloured ochres smeared
over their bodies. On inquiry, I found they were
subject to fever and ague, and the application of
different earths was their best mode of treating this
complaint. Three weeks afterwards we again
visited Cape Coast Roads, where we found the
frigate, who had lost the marine officer and several
of the seamen. Whenever the surgeon reported
five men on the sick list in harbour I immediately
put to sea, and to amuse the crew we got up some
pantomimes. They were ridiculous enough, but
they answered the purpose and kept all hands in
good humour. The consequence was that we did
not lose one man during the four months we were
on the coast.
I received orders from the captain of the frigate
248 WEST COAST ADVENTURES.
to repair to Sierra Leone and proceed to the
West Indies with the slave ships as soon as they
were ready. We had now been more than two
months on this station without capturing anything,
and we were much pleased with the order to change.
On taking leave of the Governor, he told me he had
had a palaver with the King of the Ashantees,
whom he described as a fine, high-spirited young
man. "I have been trying," said he, "to prevail
on him to make peace with the Fantees. The
King's answer to my request was brief and
positive. ' What,' asked he, ' is your most sacred
oath ? ' ' We swear by our God,' I replied.
' Then,' said the king of the savages, ' I swear
by an EngUshman's God that instead of making
peace with the Fantee nation I will exterminate
the whole race.' ' Not those under the protection
of the British flag ? ' said I. * Yes,' returned
he, ' all, and without exception.' ' Then if you
do persist in so fatal a purpose, you must take
the consequences, for I also swear that if you
or any of your people come in a hostile manner
within reach of our guns, I will shoot every one of
you.' He gave me a look of fierce defiance, and
informed me by the interpreter that the palaver was
over. On which I took my leave, not highly
pleased. You are going to leave us, I understand,"
said he. " I much regret it, for we have just made
your acquaintance, and I should like to have
continued it." I acknowledged the compliment,
which I believe was sincere. " To-morrow,"
DUTCH AND DANISH SETTLEMENTS. 249
continued he, " I am invited to dine at the Danish
settlement. The Governor is a very good kind of
man, well-informed, and hospitable. Would you
like to accompany me ? He speaks English, and I
am sure would feel flattered by your visit."
I consented, and at four o'clock in the afternoon
on the following day I was at the Castle, where eight
stout black men, with palanquins, were ready to
carry us. I found this mode of travelling very easy
and agreeable. The hammock in which I reclined
was made of a long grass, stained with several
colours ; two of the bearers carried it on their
shoulders by a pole, the other two sang songs, kept
off the mosquitoes and sunflies by whisking about a
branch of a cocoanut tree over the hammock,
and occasionally relieved the others. On our jour-
ney we paid a short visit and took Schnapps with
the Governor of a Dutch settlement, who saluted us
with his four guns (all he had), and in so doing
knocked down some of the parapet of his fort, which
dismounted half of them. My bearers were so
frightened by the report that they let me fall. As
their fears soon subsided, and I was not hurt, we
continued our journey. About three-quarters of an
hour brought us within sight of Cronenburg Castle,
the Danish settlement, when we were met by a set
of wild black men, who called themselves men of
war. They had a leathern case containing a
musket cartridge hanging from the cartilage of their
noses. This gave them the appearance of having
large moustachios, and if they did not look very
250 WEST COAST ADVENTURES.
warlike, they looked ridiculously savage. They
kept constantly charging and firing muskets,
without any order, in honour of our visit.
We at length entered the great gate, and were
ushered, by two black lacqueys in livery, into
a large hall, which, for Africa, was tolerably fur-
nished. The Danish Governor, who was dressed
in a blue embroidered coat, soon made his appear-
ance. He was a portly person, with much good
humour in his countenance. At six we sat down to
dinner, which was abundant, and, for the first time,
I eat some kous-kous, or palm nut soup. I thought
it excellent, and the pepper pot was magnificent — so
a Frenchman would have said had he been one of
the party. My old acquaintance, goat's flesh, did
not make its appearance, but instead we had
not badly-flavoured mutton — which, to tell you a
secret, was not very tender. We remained until
half-past nine o'clock, when we took our departure.
The men of war with their cartridge moustachios
saluted us by firing their muskets, the wadding of
which struck me and my palanquin, for which I did
not thank them, as a bit of the wadding burnt my
cheek.
On reaching the Castle at Cape Coast I was so
wearied that I was almost too lazy to undress.
I slept soundly, and ate a late breakfast, took a
final leave of the good General (who made me a
present of a fine pointer), repaired on board the
frigate, whose captain was tormented with the
blue devils ; he requested me to remain until the
A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY. 251
following day, when, as he had chased them away
by a few glasses of his favourite beverage — good
stiff grog — and there was no further hope of posting
myself into the frigate, I ordered the anchor to be
tripped, and we soon made the sparkling, transparent
wave curl like an old maid's wig before us.
We were three tedious weeks before we reached
Sierra Leone, owing to what sailors term " Irish
hurricanes" — when the wind is perpendicular, or, in
plain English, no wind at all. On landing, I met
the Governor, Mr. Ludlow, who had kindly come to
welcome me, and begged that I would consider the
Fort my home. I made suitable acknowledgments,
and accompanied him to his house, which was con-
venient, tolerably cool, and comfortable. He showed
me a clean, cool room, which he was pleased to
call my sleeping room. I found him an amiable
and good person, and was happy and proud of his
acquaintance. He told me he intended to make an
excursion into the interior, in order to discover the
source of a water-fall, and invited me to be one of
the party, to which, as I was naturally fond of
voyages of discovery, I willingly consented.
The day after, at daybreak, we started, the
Governor and myself in palanquins with awnings and
mosquito nets. We were thirty-five in party, including
twenty-four black pioneers, the captain of whom was
an intelligent white man. We cut a path through an
immense large forest, which boasted some noble-
looking cotton, manchinel and iron trees, and a red
tree something resembling the bastard mahogany.
252 WEST COAST ADVENTURES.
Although we had penetrated and ascended more
than half-way up one of the Mountains of Lions,
we discovered nothing living but a variety of
beautifully-plumaged birds, which, unused to the
intrusion of other bipeds, uttered most discordant
screams. After a fatiguing march, in which we
were directed by a pocket compass, we descried a
small rivulet. We followed its course for some
time, and at length arrived at the base of a
stupendous rock from which it issued. We, by
calculation, were distant at this time from the town
nineteen miles, nearly seven of which we had cut
through the forest. We all took refreshment and
drank His Majesty's health, first in wine and then
in a crystal draught from the spring. In returning
we kept on the bank of the rivulet until it swelled
into a small river. The ground then became thickly
beset with jungle and swampy.
By five o'clock in the afternoon we arrived at
the fall, which, by measurement, was one hundred
and seven feet perpendicular, and about forty-two
wide without a break — it was a beautiful sight.
We dined on a large rock about a quarter of a
mile from its base, and even at that distance our
clothes were damp from its spray. We discovered
a large rock of granite from which issued a small
stream of water that became tributary to that of
the fall. We also saw two brown monkeys, one of
which was shot. Some of the blacks brought it
with them; it was of the small kind, and they told
me it was good eating.
UP RIO PONGO IN A BOAT. 253
We arrived at the Fort at three o'clock the next
morning, when I was suddenly attacked with a
severe headache and a violent fit of the bile. As
this was nothing new to me, I kept myself quiet,
and Nature was my best physician. The slave
convoy for the West Indies, I found, consisted of
three ships and a brig, with about eleven hundred
slaves. As the rice season was backward, I was
petitioned by the merchants to postpone the convoy
a fortnight, to which I consented, and made a short
cruise off the Los Islands, where I anchored and
made an excursion up the Rio Pongo. I passed
a small English settlement near its mouth, not
fortified, at which I landed, and was informed that
a slave ship belonging to Bristol was in a state of
mutiny, and that her surgeon was confined in irons.
As she was lying about twenty miles farther up the
river, and we had to pull that distance under a
burning sun, I thought it no joke. However, as
there was no alternative, we made up our minds
to bear it, and reached her after a fatiguing four
hours' pull. I found her a rakish-looking vessel
with her boarding netting triced up. On gaining
her deck I inquired for her captain. " He is on
shore," was the answer. "Who are you?" said
I to the spokesman. *' The chief mate," returned
he. "Turn your hands up and let me see what
sort of stuff you are made of. You look very
privateerish outside." Nine men made their
appearance, some of whom looked sickly. " These
are not all your crew; where are the remainder?"
254 WEST COAST ADVENTURES.
"On shore, sir?" "Where is the surgeon?"
"On shore also." " Show me the ship's papers."
" The captain has them." " Now," said I, " I
tell you what, Master Mate, I am going on shore
to have some conversation with the African Prince
Lawrence, and if your captain and surgeon are not
with me at the chieftain's house in half an hour
after I land, I will put an officer and men on board
your ship, and if everything I have heard against
his conduct is not cleared up to my satisfaction,
I will carry her to Jamaica."
The river at this beautiful place, for the country
appeared green and fresh and ornamented with a
profusion of lofty palm and cocoanut trees, was much
wider than at its mouth. On landing, a number of
the natives had assembled on the shore to view us as
sea-monsters or curiosities, as they had never seen
two men-of-war's boats at their settlement before.
The prince's son, who was among them, came up
to me. He was dressed in a white linen jacket
and trousers, with a white English hat. He spoke
tolerable English. He requested me to go to his
father's house, which was a long, low, white-
washed building, with a four-pounder sticking out of
a kind of window at one end of it, and before it
was a mud battery of four more four-pounders in
bad repair. On being introduced to him I found
he also spoke English. He asked me the occasion
of my visit. I acquainted him, when he, without
ceremony, summoned one of the cabaceers, or
principal men, and desired him to find the captain
A SLAVER'S SURGEON. 255
Ox^ the slave-ship and bring him with him. " I
dine at three o'clock," said he; "I hope you will
favour me with your company." I accepted the
invitation. This prince's appearance was Hke that
of an European, his features were regular and
pleasing. He informed me his father was an
Arabian chief, but that he was born on the spot
where he now resided, and that he had married
one of the native king's daughters. He had two
sons ; the eldest was with him, and the other in
England for his education. " I am very partial
to the English," added he, " and should like to go
to England, but that is impossible." Our con-
versation was interrupted by the entrance of the
native magistrate with the master of the slave-ship,
a sharp-looking, rather slight man. He pulled off
his hat. " I understand, sir, that you wish to speak
with me." " I most assuredly do," answered I.
*' Have you brought the ship's papers and the
surgeon with you ? " "I have the first about me,"
saying this he took them from his coat-pocket and
gave them to me. " As for the surgeon," said he,
" he has behaved infamously and ungratefully. I
paid his lodgings at Bristol, and if he had not
come with me he must have starved or have been
put in prison." "This," answered I, "is your
concern and not mine. I want to know where he
is." " He is in a house about a quarter of a mile
off, where I intend keeping him until I am ready
for sea, for he has also made a mutiny in the ship
and the greater part of the men have gone on shore
256 WEST COAST ADVENTURES.
without leave." " I have only one order to give,"
said I, " and that is that you show my lieutenant and
two marines, whom I will send with you, where you
have confined the surgeon." He reluctantly con-
sented, and in about an hour the lieutenant and his
party returned with an emaciated, tall young man.
He had been confined in irons and fed on bread and
water, with sometimes a few vegetables.
As it was too long a story for me to investigate,
I left it to be discussed by the proper authorities
on the ship's arrival at Jamaica. I had the men
who had left the ship brought before me. They
refused to join her again until I told them that
if they did not I would impress the whole of them.
Five of the best of them immediately stepped
forward and begged to enter. As there were
fourteen others I accepted them. The others
returned to the ship on the captain promising to
use them well and to overlook all past grievances.
The papers were regular, which I returned,
admonishing him at the same time to be more
considerate in his conduct to his men. A dinner
was sent to the boats' crews by the prince, and
I desired the midshipmen to entertain the surgeon,
who had expressed a wish to join our ship.
After all this much ado about something, I was
ready for my dinner, and in a quarter of an hour it
was announced by the blowing of a conch. In passing
through a large hall I found myself surrounded by
coal-coloured gentlemen of all grades, one of whom
wished to look at my dirk. He examined it very
AN AFRICAN DINNER. 257
closely ; it appeared to take his fancy as it was
silver gilt, but as I did not take the hint, and was
very hungry, I took it from him and hastened into
the dining-room. The dinner was laid out on a
large table on trestles ; all the dishes were covered
with cones made of cane and stained different
colours. The table was also covered with light
cane mats ; altogether it had a very pretty effect.
The eatables consisted of fowls stewed to death,
ducks and buffalo, and an abundance of rice, which
was served up with every dish. My favourite
dish, pepper-pot, was much in request, and I could,
by a sly peep, see some of the Massa Blackies use
their fingers instead of their spoons. Roasted
plantain was eaten instead of bread ; palm-wine
and grog were the principal beverages, although
the prince, the lieutenant and myself drank two
bottles of madeira which I had brought in the
boat. The princess was amiability itself; she was
very black, very fat and very good-natured. After
dinner we walked round the mansion. In one of
the yards the young prince showed us a black
ostrich, which was considered a rarity. It stood
with its neck erect, and was about eleven feet high
to the crown of its head. Its eyes were fierce
and resembled rubies.
At six o'clock I took my leave of the chieftain
and his wife. On entering the boat, I found
a milch cow and calf, two dozen ducks, and
a dozen fowls, besides bows and quivers filled
with arrows, a variety of fruits, and some
K.G. s
258 WEST COAST ADVENTURES.
tiger skins. He had also, at parting, presented
me with a gold ring weighing four ounces. I was
overpowered with his disinterested kindness, and
sent him some rum and gunpowder. Before I left
the place I obtained from the master of the slave-
ship an order, payable at Jamaica, for the surgeon's
salary and wages of the seamen who had entered.
We got on board the same evening. The next
morning I visited the largest of the Los or Loes
Islands, which, I presume, in days of yore had been
created by a volcanic eruption. I struck off some
of the rock which contained iron, and had a ringing
sound, and on rubbing it together it smelt of sulphur.
There were a few small houses on the island
inhabited by fishermen, who appeared as poor
as Job's stable-boy.
CHAPTER XX.
WITH SLAVE CONVOY.
Return to Sierra Leone — Dinner party aboard — Sail with convoy of
five slave-ships — How the slaves were obtained — Arrive Bar-
badoes — Sail for Tobago and Trinidad — Visit Pitch Lake — To
Jamaica — Cruising off Cuba — Futile attempt on two Spanish
privateers — Capture small Spanish privateer — Return to Jamaica
— Arrange exchange with captain of home-going ship — A chal-
lenge to Spanish corvette declined by the latter.
Finding little and seeing less, I repaired on board
and made sail for Sierra Leone, where we anchored
next morning. I went on shore and dined with the
Governor, and the day following received an invita-
tion to a dinner from the principal merchants, which
I accepted, and was introduced to the native king
who had sold the settlement to the English. He was
dressed in an embroidered blue silk coat, white satin
waistcoat and inexpressibles, with agold-laced cocked
hat and a pair of heavy ammunition shoes. He wore
no stockings, he was old and ugly, and his shins
were sharp and curved. I gave him an invitation
to dine on board, which he declined. Before we
sailed, I joined a picnic party to Bence Island,
which is situated about fourteen miles up the river
from Free Town. We dined there very pleasantly,
and one of the merchants made me a present of a
collection of insects and handsome shells, in return
s 2
26o WITH SLAVE CONVOY.
for which I sent him some views. The 21st of October
falHng on the day before our departure, I asked the
Governor, the officers of the regiment, and the mer-
chants to dine on board. We dressed the ship and
decorated the quarter-deck. At five o'clockwe sat down
to a dinner, consisting of all the delicacies of Sierra
Leone and the ship's provision. Port and madeira
circulated freely, and the company began to get in
high spirits; and as there were two white ladies,
wives of the two military commanding officers, who
accompanied their husbands, a dance was proposed
on the quarter-deck. The only musicians we could
muster were the marine drummer, ship's fifer, and
my steward, who performed on the clarionet. I
opened the ball with the Honourable Mrs. Forbes,
and was followed by most of the others, until it
became too ridiculous, as few knew anything about
dancing. Before confusion became rife I proposed
singing. My steward sung in the style of Incledon,
and he was much applauded ; and one of the marines,
after the manner of Braham — he also had his share
of applause and encores. Punch was now the order
of the night, and, after laying in a good stock, they
all ordered their canoes and paddled on shore, huzza-
ing the whole time. The Governor had taken his
departure in one of the ship's boats some time before,
to avoid the uproar. I shall not mention the toasts
that were given; as we were all loyal and true, they
were the quintessence of loyalty. The morning
before sailing I breakfasted at the Fort. The
convoy, consisting of five sail, were ready. I bid an
SLAVES. 261
affectionate farewell to the Governor, who had been
uniformly kind, and I was soon on board, where I
found a note from the Honourable Captain Forbes,
and one from the Governor. The first was to beg
I would accept some excellent bacon, a beautiful
live fawn, and some cane mats. The last was accom-
panied by a fine crown bird, which stood five feet
high, two dozen fowls, and some Muscovy ducks.
My feelings were quite overcome by so much
genuine kindness, and I shall ever retain it in
grateful recollection, and I have real pleasure in
recording it in this narrative.
I must not omit to inform my readers that
during the time I was at Bence Island, which
was the great mart for slave dealing, forty of
those unfortunate beings arrived, most of them half
famished. The principal merchant, who was a
mulatto, told me that the greater part of them had
been pledged for rice, which is the principal food m
Africa, that they had not been redeemed at the time
appointed, and in consequence had become the pro-
perty of those who supplied the food. The remainder
were those taken prisoners in the skirmishes occa-
sioned by their trespassing on each other's ground,
particularly on the rice patches when the grain was
nearly ripe. A black woman offered me her son, a
boy about eleven years of age, for a cob — about four-
and-sixpence. I gave her the money, and advised
her to keep her son. Poor thing ! she stared with
astonishment, and instantly gave me one of her ear-
rings, which was made of small shells. It was like
262 WITH SLAVE CONVOY.
the widow's mite, all she had to bestow. We were
soon under sail, and next morning Africa was as a
dream ; it was no longer seen.
During the passage in fine weather I myself
or some of the officers visited the Guinea men,
and found them orderly and clean, and the
slaves healthy. On the seventh week we arrived
at Barbadoes, saw Lady Rodney, Sally Neblet,
and several more of the true Barbadian born,
drawling, dignity ladies, who entreated in no
very dignified manner to "hab de honour for wash
for massa captain." I gave the preference to the
relict of Lord Rodney, as she was the oldest acquaint-
ance, and remembered me when I was " a lilly
piccaninny midshipman." I paid my respects to the
Admiral, Sir Alex. Cochrane, who asked me to
dinner, where I met the Governor and some more
bigwigs. The Admiral's secretary. Maxwell, who
appeared to have a snug berth in the country,
requested me to dine with him the day after, and he
sent a kittereen, or one-horse gig, for me. I met at
dinner some brother officers and a few military men.
Our entertainment did credit to the donor, who
appeared a hospitable, frank kind of man. In the
evening I went on board, and next morning received
a chest of money for the troops at Tobago. At noon
we cheered the flagship and sailed. On the evening
of the following day we anchored at Tobago, got
rid of the soldiers' money, and sailed next morning
for Trinidad, which we made the same evening,
but owing to the strong current opposing us through
A LAKE OF PITCH. 263
the Boca Chlen, or, as it is otherwise called, the
Great Dragon's Mouth, we did not gain the anchor-
age before noon on the following day.
On opening a sealed order I had received from
the Commander-in-Chief at Barbadoes I found I
was to take on board some casks of lime juice for
the men of the hospitals of Jamaica. Thinks I to
myself, this is what Mr. Hume would have, in the
Commons House, called jobbery, and a poor kind of
job it turned out; for, on inspecting the lime juice
at Port Royal, some of it was condemned as unfit
for use. The two days I remained at Trinidad
I dined with the Governor, Sir Thos. Heslip, who
was urbanity itself. I visited the pitch lake at this
place, which is a most extraordinary phenomenon.
I remarked several large chasms in it, where small
fish were enjoying themselves. I was told by the
officer who accompanied me that the pitch could not
be applied to any use. Whilst we were looking
at it one of the smaller chasms, or rents, closed
with a bubbling noise, and the water above it
appeared as if boiling. At daylight on the third
day I sailed with the convoy for Jamaica, and
anchored at Port Royal. The day after I waited on
the Admiral at the Pen, where I dined, and met a
number of my brother officers, whose conversation
after dinner was principally respecting their ships.
As the ship I commanded was healthy I was, if
possible, determined to keep her so, and I requested
permission to sail on a long cruise as soon as we
were refitted. The Pen, or the Government House,
264 WITH SLAVE CONVOY.
where the Admiral resides, is about three short miles
from Greenwich. It is enclosed in a park, and the
views from it are extensive and beautiful. Some of
my former parti-coloured beauties of Port Royal had
gone on the other tack — that is, they had taken up
their everlasting abode among the land crabs on the
Palisades, and as I partook of those crustaceous
fish I very possibly might have eaten some part of
them. If I did, I thought them very good.
The yellow fever was making rapid strides on
board the squadron. It fortunately did not reach
us, and we sailed on the tenth day after our arrival.
My cruising ground was between the north side of
Jamaica and Cuba. I frequently sighted the Moro
Castle at the entrance of the river where I was for-
merly taken prisoner and sent to the town of St. Jago.
The good Spanish Governor's kindness held a lively
recollection in my memory, but the captain of an
American vessel who had sailed from thence the day
before I fell in with him, informed me that he was
numbered with the dead. Peace to his "manes."
We had been out a fortnight when one afternoon we
fell in with two large Spanish schooner privateers.
They were to windward, and standing for St. Jago.
" Now," thought I, " if I can get you once under our
guns, I will pay off old scores." The sea breeze was
fresh, and we were closing fast. They at first, I
believe, took us for an American, as I had hoisted
the Yankee colours. When they came nearly within
gun-shotthey, unfortunately for us, sawtheirmistake,
and hauled in for the shore. I tacked, and had got
CAPTURE OF A SPANISH PRIVATEER. 26
:)
within gun-shot of them, when the lower fort of the
Moro opened its fire on us, one of the shot passing
through the main top-saih They also fired, and
their shot went over us. Finding the breeze lulling,
and that we had no hope of capturing them, I gave
them our passing broadsides, and as one of them
yawed, I had reason to believe some of our shot
took effect. The battery gave us a parting salute
without doing us injury, when, as the evening was
closing, and the enemy's vessels had run into the
mouth of the river, I was obliged to haul off".
After blockading the mouth of the river for ten days
without the slightest prospect of success, I anchored
at Montego Bay, and procured fresh beef for the crew.
During the two days I remained at anchor I was
invited, with some of my officers, to the ball given by
the inhabitants. It was well attended, and I was
agreeably surprised to meet so many of my fair
countrywomen, some of whom were handsome and
still in their teens. I soon became acquainted with
several respectable families, and if my heart had not
been in safe keeping in beloved England by a still
more beloved being, I fear I should have lost it.
Montego Bay is well fortified, and the town and its
background, consisting of several ranges of hills and
mountains, form a rich and pleasing picture. On
the morning of the third day we sailed, and were
soon on our former cruising ground. Off' Ochre
Bay we started a small Spanish privateer, which ran
into a creek. I sent the boats armed in pursuit of
her, and after a smart contest of a quarter of an
266 WITH SLAVE CONVOY.
hour, in which the gunner and one of the men were
wounded, they brought her out. The crew had
landed and taken her gun — a six-pounder — with
them, which did the mischief to our boats. The
gun they threw into deep water, after having
spiked it. She was a small schooner, about
seventy-five tons. I kept her as a tender, put an
eighteen-pound carronade, a master's mate, and
twenty men on board her, and a few days after-
wards she captured a very pretty schooner coming
round Cape Mayzi.
My time being expired, I bore up for Jamaica
with my two prizes, and arrived at Port Royal on
the second day. My health, which had been deli-
cate since leaving Africa, began to decline, and I
was tormented with a rash, particularly in my face,
which affected my eyesight. I had, at different
periods, been twelve years on the West India
station, and I thought I had had a sufficient share of
a torrid zone. The Admiral, hearing of my indis-
position, invited me for change of air to the Pen.
This kindness, however, did but little good to my
health. One morning, as I was strolling in the
Park, calling the crown bird I had given to the
Admiral, and feeding him and some Cura^oa birds
which were his companions, I was accosted by the
captain of a sloop of war who was ordered to take
a convoy of mahogany ships from Honduras to
England, and in the course of conversation he men-
tioned that he understood I intended to give up my
ship and invalid. " Whoever informed you that I
EXCHANGE SHIPS. 267
intended to invalid," I replied, '' mUvSt have laboured
under a gross mistake. I would rather go to ' King-
dom come' quietly than run from my post." "Well,"
said he, "be it so, but if the Admiral were to con-
sent to your exchanging with me, as I am almost a
Johnny Newcome in this part of the world, and
you are an old standard, would this accord with
your way of thinking ? " "As I am so unwell,"
returned I, "it certainly is a great temptation, but
we must both have the Admiral's opinion and con-
sent, and I will give you an answer in two days,
provided I do not get better, and Fishly, the
builder, shall give me his opinion respecting your
sloop, whether Government, on my arrival in
England, will consider her an effective ship."
He met me at the builder's at Port Roval the
following day, when the latter assured me the ship's
repairs would be comparatively trifling, and that he
was certain, as those class of vessels were much
wanted in the Channel, she would be kept in com-
mission. Three days afterwards we effected the
exchange, and I sailed to cruise again off Cuba for
six weeks. Working up against a fiery sea breeze
tries the minds of those on board as well as the
rigging, masts and yards of His Majesty's ships.
A few top-masts sprung and yards carried away are
trifles, and you may think yourself fortunate if it
does not happen to a lower mast. We looked into
Tiberoon, crossed over to Cape St. Nicholas Mole,
beat up between the island of Tortuga and the
larger island, overhauled the Grange and Cape
268 WITH SLAVE CONVOY.
Francois, took a small row-boat with six swivels
and fourteen sharp-looking, smutty-coloured gentle-
men, destroyed her, and bore up for the north side
of Cuba, where we captured a small Balaker
schooner, who informed us that a Spanish corvette
of eighteen guns was lying at Barracow. I imme-
diately proceeded off that port, and finding the
information correct, sent her a challenge, and that
I should remain three days waiting for her. I might
as well have sent my defiance to the Eddystone
lighthouse. She sent word that I mii^ht remain
three years if I chose. The harbour was difficult
to enter, and well fortified, otherwise her three
years would not have been three hours before we
were alongside of her. I remained a week watching
her movements, which, by-the-bye, were no move-
ments at all except that she had struck her top-masts
and hauled further inshore. Finding hope, respect-
ing her, hopeless, and our cruise at its last gasp, I
stood close in and fired a gun unshotted by way
of showing our contempt, which probably the
Spaniards laughed at, and made sail once more for
Jamaica.
CHAPTER XXI.
HOME WITH MAHOGANY.
My new ship — Sail for Belize— Native and alligator — Sail for
England with convoy of ships — Hear of peace being signed
between Spain and England— Arrive in England — Paid off at
Sheerness — Return home — Tired of country life — Apply for ship
— Appointed to H.M.S. Apellcs,
The sloop of war I now commanded was a fine
sixteen-gun brig carrying twenty-four-pound-car-
ronades, with a crew of one hundred and twenty
as fine men as any in the fleet. They had been
some time together, and only wished for an
opportunity of making the splinters fly out of a
Frenchman's side, and hauling down his tri-
coloured piece of bunting. I found on my reaching
Port Royal that Admiral Rowley had arrived to
supersede Admiral Dacres. In the afternoon I
dined with both Admirals, and met the Duke of
Manchester, who was a fine-looking man, but unfor-
tunately had a nervous afl"ection of the head. He
asked me several questions respecting the different
islands, and appeared amused by my descrip-
tion of them. After we had refitted we sailed for
Honduras, the Admiral first taking from me the
master, without appointing another, for which I
did not thank him. We made the Swan Islands,
which are small, uninhabited, and surrounded by a
270 HOME WITH MAHOGANY.
reef of coral, and on the morning of the third day
anchored off the town at the mouth of the Behze
river. Colonel Drummond, who was the command-
ing officer, received us very civilly, and requested I
would dine with him as often as I could. A deputa-
tion of the merchants waited on me to say the
convoy would be ready in a fortnight. I dined
frequently at the military mess, and found the
officers generally gentlemanly. I gave two parties
on board, but as I had no music there was no
dancing. We revelled in Calepache and Calapee,
and I think some of the city aldermen would have
envied us the mouthfuls of green fat we swallowed.
I made an excursion up the river with Colonel
Drummond in a scow, a flat boat so called, or rather
float, and slept at a pavilion he had on the bank of it.
I shall never forget my nocturnal visitors, the bull-
frogs, who, sans fagon, jumped about the room as
if dancing a quadrille, not to my amusement but
their own, making a most unmusical noise to the
tune of something like, " Pay your debts, pay your
debts, pay your debts." After the third croak they
paused, probably to give time for everybody to
become honest. I made daily excursions to the
neighbouring quays, and picked up a quantity of
beautiful shells.
Dining one day with Colonel Drummond, I
remarked that the black servant who stood near
me had a piebald neck, and mentioned it as some-
thing singular. " Why," said the Colonel, " thereby
hangs a very curious tale, and not a pleasant one to
AN ALLIGATOR STORY. 271
him, poor fellow. He is a native of Panama, and
formerly was employed to float rafts of mahogany
down the Belize river. He is an expert canoe-man
and something of a carpenter, and as he was a free
man I took him into my household. At my request
he related to me the cause of those white marks on
his neck. It was thus. As he and another black
man were floating down the river on a large raft of
mahogany, it being Sunday he wished to bathe,
and jumped into the river for that purpose. As he
was sw^imming after the raft, which was close to
the mangroves, and had nearly reached it, a large
alligator seized him by the neck. He roared most
piteously ; the animal, either alarmed at the noise
he made, or wishing to have a more convenient
grip, threw him up, and in so doing he fortunately
fell on the raft. His companion bound up his
wounds, which were deep, and soon after he arrived
at Belize he was sent to the hospital, when, on his
recovery, he became my servant. " It was a most
providential escape," exclaimed I. " Indeed it was,"
replied the Colonel, "and so he thinks himself."
On reaching the ship in the evening I found a
beautiful mahogany canoe alongside, and on enter-
ing my cabin the steward brought me a glass globe
containing two Panama tortoises, which, when full-
grown, are richly marked and not larger than a
crown piece. The native name of these pretty
animals is chinqiia. They were a present from
Captain Bromley. At the time appointed, seven
vessels, deeply laden with mahogany, were ready for
272 HOME WITH MAHOGANY.
sea. I spent the last day on shore, dined at the
miUtary mess, bade adieu to all my red-coat friends,
and the following morning got under weigh with
my haystack convoy for England.
We doubled Cape Antonio on the third day, and
when off the Havannah we perceived a frigate
standing out of the harbour. We concluded she
was Spanish. I consulted the officers respecting
the probability of taking her by laying her along-
side and boarding her. They thought it might be
effected. I turned the hands up and acquainted
them of my intention. Three hearty cheers was
the response. We prepared for action, and stood
towards her. We were three gunshots from her
when it fell calm, as well as dusk, and about an
hour afterwards a large boat came near us. We
presumed she was a Spanish gunboat, and had
taken us for a merchant vessel. I let her come
alongside, having the marines ready to give them
a reception when they boarded, and to quietly
disarm and hand them down the hatchway. The
first man who came up was a lieutenant of our
service. ** Hulloa, sir, how is this, and where have
you comiC from?" said I. "From the Melpo-
mene,'" replied he, " the frigate you see off the
Havannah." " This is a terrible disappointment,"
resumed I. " We had made up our minds to
board and, if possible, carry that frigate, supposing
her Spanish." "Why, sir," said he, " we yester-
day carried the disagreeable news to the Governor
of Cuba of a Spanish peace, and seeing you with
AN EVENTLESS VOYAGE. 273
a convoy, Captain Parker despatched me with some
letters for England, if you will have the goodness
to take charge of them." "Willingly," replied I,
" and pray acquaint him with our mortification."
He shortly after left us, and we proceeded
through the Gulf with the convoy. Nothing of
any importance transpired during our passage of
nine long, tedious weeks, when we anchored in the
Downs, where I got rid of all our snail-sailing
mahogany haystacks. The three days we lay in
the Downs I took up my quarters at the " Hoop
and Griffin." Bread and butter, with delicious
oysters, were my orders of the day, but, alas, my
former pretty maid was no longer there. She was
married, had children, and I sincerely hope was
happy. On the same floor, the father-in-law to the
First Lord of the Admiralty, with his daughter and
niece, had taken up their abode for a few days on
their return journey to London from a tour in Wales.
Before I was acquainted with this information,
seeing a carriage at the door and an old gentleman
with two ladies alight from it, I asked the waiter
who they were. He answered he did not know,
but that they had arrived yesterday and that the
gentleman appeared much out of spirits, and one
of the ladies very much out of health. The
purser had been dining with me, and we were
enjoying our wine, when I said to the waiter, in a
half-joking manner, " Give my compliments to the
old gentleman, and request him to hand himself
in, that we may have a look at hmi." He fulfilled
K.G. T
274 HOME WITH MAHOGANY.
his commission, although I did not intend he should
do so, to the letter, and in walked a stately, gentle-
manly-looking man, about seventy. He gave us a
look that appeared to say, " Surely this is some
mistake, I know you not." On perceiving his
embarrassment I advanced towards him, and
begged, although there was some little mistake,
that if he were not engaged, he would do me the
favour to take a glass of wine. " I see," said
he, "you are officers of the navy," and without
further hesitation, sat down and became quite
cheerful. In the course of conversation he in-
formed me that he had tried the air of Wales for
the benefit of his daughter, who was married to a
captain in the navy, and that his other daughter
was married to Lord Mulgrave, First Lord of the
Admiralty. I told him we had come from the
West Indies and were going to sail for Sheerness in
the morning ; that if he thought his daughter
would like to go so far on her journey by sea,
instead of by land, my cabin was entirely at his
service. He thanked me cordially, but declined it.
After finishing a brace of decanters of wine he took
his leave, first giving me his address in London.
A month afterwards I heard of his death.
The following morning we sailed, and arrived at
Sheerness next day, when I received orders to pay
off the ship, in consequence of herbeing iron-fastened
and wanting so much repair. She was afterwards
sold out of the Service. I need not say I was
much disappointed, and thought the builder at
HOME, SWEET HOME. 275
Port Royal something of an old woman, and only
fit for superannuation. I found one of my old
captains commissioner at this place, to whom I
gave a turtle, a pig, and a bag of bread dust, for
he thought one without the other useless, and for
which he did not even invite me to his house.
*' Oh, what is friendship but a name that lulls the
fool to sleep," etc. On the sixth day the ship was
put out of commission and myself out of full pay.
I took a postchaise with my light luggage, and I
arrived in the evening at my dear home, kissed my
wife and all the women I could meet with that were
worth the trouble, sat myself down in a snug elbow-
chair near a comfortable English fire, told a long,
tough yarn about mountains of sugar and rivers of
rum, bottle-nosed porpoises, sharks, grampuses, and
flying-fish, until I fell sound asleep, but, however,
not so sound to prevent my hearing my best end of
the ship whispering to someone to put more coals
on the fire, and roast a chicken for my supper, and
then she added, with her dear, musical, soft voice,
" Dear fellow ! How sound he sleeps. I hope he
will awake quite refreshed, and eat his supper with
a good appetite. How rejoiced I am he is once
more at home." I could have jumped up and
hugged her, but I thought it better to enjoy my
sleep. If this narrative meets the eye of a bachelor
sailor I could wish him to splice himself to such
another clean-looking frigate as my wife, but mind,
not without he has a purse well filled with the right
sort, and as long at least as the maintop bowline,
T 2
276 HOME WITH MAHOGANY.
or two cables spliced on end. Love is very pretty,
very sentimental, and sometimes very romantic, but
love without rhino is bewildering misery.
When I awoke next morning I scarcely could
believe my senses, it appeared too much happiness.
The elite of the village favoured me with calls and
congratulations, as well as invitations to tea and petit
soupers^Wiih a seasoning of scandal. I in return enter-
tained them occasionally with a few King's yarns,
which, my gentle reader, are not tarred, and are what
the seamen vulgarly call rogue's yarns, so called
because one or more are twisted in large ropes and
cables made in the King's dockyards, to distinguish
them from those made in the merchants' yards, and
should they be embezzled or clandestinely sold, the
rogue's or white yarn is evidence against the
possessor. I had been some months on shore
when I began to get tired of looking at green fields
and grass combers, and longed to be once more on
the salt seas. My family had increased to seven
boys and girls, and I thought it criminal to be
longer idle, and, after many applications, Mr.
Yorke, the First Lord of the Admiralty, favoured
me with an appomtment to command a sloop of
war on the Downs station.
I joined her in the cold, uncomfortable month of
December. The weather was remarkably severe,
and it was five days before I could get a launch to
put me on board her. At length I made my footing
on the quarter-deck. The first lieutenant received
me and informed me the captain was unwell in the
ON BOARD THE APELLES. 277
cabin, but that he wished to see me. I descended
into a complete den, filled with smoke and dirt. The
first object I perceived looming through the dense
vapour was the captain's nose, which was a dingy
red. His linen was the colour of chocolate, his
beard had, I presumed, a month's growth. I
informed him of my errand, to which he answered
with something like a growl. As it was impossible
to remain in the cabin without a chance of being
suffocated, I begged him, if he possibly could, to
accompany me to the quarter-deck. He followed
me with a slow step. I expressed my wish to have
my commission read. He then gave orders to the
first lieutenant to turn the hands up. After this
ceremony I took the command, made a short speech
to the crew, in which I assured them they should
have every indulgence the Service afforded. I then
turned to my predecessor, and asked him when he
wished to leave the ship. He informed me that
to-morrow would suit him. I gave the necessary
orders and went on shore. The admiral, Sir G.
Campbell, received me very kindly, and invited me
to dinner, where I met Lady C, the admiral's wife,
a ladylike, pleasant person. The dinner party con-
sisted of brother officers. The admiral was a quiet,
gentlemanly, pleasing man, and a distinguished and
good officer. As I sat next him he was kind enough
to inform me that the captain of the sloop I super-
seded was considered out of his mind, that the
officers had represented to him that the discipline
on board her was worse than on a privateer, and
278 HOME WITH MAHOGANY.
that he would neither punish for insubordination
nor have the decks washed. " In consequence of
which," continued the Admiral, " I was obliged to
order a Court of Inquiry. The report was to his
disadvantage ; he was advised to go on shore, to
which, after some hesitation, he consented, and
another captain was applied for. You have super-
seded him, and I make no doubt you will soon
make her once more a man-of-war." I thanked
him for his kind communication, and assured him
that zeal on my part should not be wanting to
make her equal to one of his best cruisers. On
rejoining the ship, as I had been the first lieutenant
for five years in former ships, I told the officers I
wished to make my own observation on the men's
conduct, and I would endeavour to effect a reform
when I found it necessary. The officers, with the
exception of the master, who was a rough, practical
seaman, were gentlemanly, well-informed men, and
I was not surprised at their wishing to get rid of
their insane chief, although, in any other case, it
might have proved to them a difficult and probably
a dangerous experiment. A few days afterwards I
called on him. I found him in small lodgings in
an obscure part of the town. I was accompanied
by Captain J., an old messmate of his in former
times. He neither knew us nor asked us to take a
seat. He had a large loaf under his left arm, and
in his right hand a dinner knife. He appeared to
wear the same chocolate-coloured chemise and
beard, his stockings were down over his shoes, and
AN INSANE CAPTAIN. 279
his clothes all over flue. We wished him health
and happiness, to which he returned no answer,
but began cutting his loaf. The people of the
house told us he would neither wash himself nor
take his clothes off when going to bed, but that he
was perfectly quiet. I understood, before I sailed,
that his sister had come from the north of England
to stay with him, and that she had been of great
use to him.
CHAPTER XXII,
OFF BOULOGNE.
Sent to watch the French flotilla off Boulogne — Monotonous duty —
Return to Sheerness to refit — Story of Billy Culmer — More
cruising off Boulogne — Return to England.
On the ninth day after joining, we sailed to
cruise off Boulogne. The vessel I now com-
manded was a brig sloop of fourteen 24-pounders,
the ship's company by no means a bad set, and
in the course of the cruise I had the satisfaction
of seeing them alert, clean and obedient. This
was in a great measure owing to the officers, who,
when supported, were firm, discriminating and
encouraging. The consequence was that during
the time I commanded her there was only one
desertion in eighteen months, and the cat did not
see daylight once in three months. I found off
Boulogne another cruiser watching the French
privateers and Bonaparte's boast — the flotilla.
The captain of her was a Job's comforter. He
told me he was both sick and sorry to be on such
a wear-and-tear, monotonous, do-nothing station,
that he had been out two months without effecting
anything, that he had frequently had the enemy's
privateers under his guns, but that the run was
so short, they were always sure of escaping.
m
w
5
<
in
i
>2.
ON BLOCKADE DUTY. 281
"One morning," said he, "about five months ago,
I had got within musket-shot of one of those vaga-
bonds, and had been sure of him, when a shell
fired from Cape Grisnez fell directly down the
main hatchway, bedded in one of the water-casks,
and shortly after exploded, without, fortunately,
doing more mischief than destroying a few more
casks and splintering the beams and deck without
wounding a man. I was in consequence reluctantly
obliged to give up the chase, but not before I had
taken ample revenge. In tacking I gave her all the
larboard broadside, and not a vestige of her was
to be seen : but," continued he, " I hear of their
taking prizes ; but where the devil do they carry
them to ? " " Not into Boulogne or Calais,"
replied I. " Havre and Cherbourg are the ports
to sell them in." " Then why," said he, " do they
keep so many of us on this station and so few to
the westward ? " "I presume it is," I replied,
" because this being the narrowest part of the
Channel, there is more risk of our vessels being
captured, and you know all the old women, with
the Mayor and Aldermen, would petition the
Admiralty to have the fleet back again to watch
that frightful bugbear the half-rotten flotilla,
which sometimes prevents them from taking their
night's rest. And it is very probable that, was
this station neglected, our vessels would be cut
out from the Downs." " I never dreamed ot
that," answered he. " It's all right, and if I
can only take six of their privateers, or about
282 OFF BOULOGNE.
twenty of their flotilla, I will not say a word
more."
I remained out nearly three months, watching
the flotilla and the privateers. We sometimes
anchored just beyond range of their shells, and
frequently when the wind was light hauled
the trawl, and were richly rewarded by a quantity
of fine fish. I was at length relieved by another
cruiser, and again anchored in the Downs.
We were a fortnight refitting, during which
time I dined several times at the admiral's
table, where I had the pleasure of meeting Sir R.
Strachan, Sir P. Durham, and several other dis-
tinguished officers. One day, after dinner, the
characters of several eccentric officers were the
subject of conversation.
" I make no doubt," said a veteran captain,
" that most of the present company recollect a
man by the name of Billy Culmer, a distant rela-
tion of Lord Hood's. He was a short time one
of my lieutenants, and was between thirty and
forty years of age before he obtained his commis-
sion. The next time I dined with Lord Hood, who
was then one of the Admirals in the Channel Fleet,
I was determined to request his lordship to give
me a brief outline of his history, which was nearly
this. Shall I proceed, Lady Campbell ? " " Oh,
by all means, Captain M."
" ' The Culmers were distantlv related to me by
marriage,' said his lordship. ' Billy, as he was
always called, was sent to me when I hoisted my
"BILLY CULMER." 283
pendant as master and commander. He unfortu-
nately had lost an eye when a boy in one of his
freaks, for they could do nothing with him at
home. When he came on board I was not pre-
possessed in his favour ; his manners were rough
and bearish, although he had some redeeming
qualities, for he was straightforward and frank.
After being with me about two years, he said he
was tired of being a midshipman, and requested
me to obtain his discharge into the merchant
service. I remonstrated with him to no purpose.
To prevent his deserting, which he declared he
would do, I procured his discharge, and he entered
on board a West India ship going to Jamaica. I
had lost sight of this extraordinary being for more
than eight years,' continued his lordship, ' when,
as I was standing on the platform at Portsmouth,
waiting for a boat from the frigate I commanded, I
was much surprised to see Billy Culmer, in a dirty
sailor's dress, a few yards from me. He perceived
me, and pulled off his hat. " Hulloa ! " said I,
" Billy ; where have you come from ? I understood
you were dead." " Not so hard up as that, sir,"
replied he. " I am d d." " Explain yourself,"
said I. " Why," said he, " I am d d in the
King's service, for I shall never be able to enter
it again, in consequence of my folly in requesting
you to get me discharged." " I probably may have
interest enough, Billy, to get you once more on
the quarter-deck if you will promise me faithfully
to remain steady." " 1 promise you solemnly I
284 OFF BOULOGNE.
will," replied he. " Then meet me at the admiral's
office to-morrow at ten o'clock," returned I. " And
I suppose, from your appearance, you are pretty
well aground. Here is something that will keep
your body and soul together." He made a leg
and took his departure.' But I am afraid. Lady
Campbell, you have had enough of this rigmarole
story, for it is rather a long one, and to those who
know nothing of the man it may not be an inter-
esting one." "Why, Captain M.," said Lady
Campbell, "as the weather is disagreeable, and
we do not intend to take a drive this evening,
we may as well hear about Billy Culmer as any-
body else. Do you not think so, Admiral ? " The
admiral, who appeared more inclined for a nap
than to listen to a long-spun yarn, I verily believe,
wished the narrator and the subject of his narra-
tion at the masthead together. However, he
nodded assent, and the story went on,
" ' On speaking to the admiral, Billy was again
under my command,' resumed his lordship, ' and
was appointed mate of the hold. When I was
promoted to my flag, Billy and I parted company,
for he had followed me steadily from the frigate to
a ship of the line. As soon as he had served his
six years, I sent for him and told him he must go
to London to pass his examination. " You must
excuse me, my lord," was his answer; "I would
rather remain the oldest midshipman than the
youngest lieutenant," and he persisted in this whim
for more than three years. At the end of that
A QUEER EXAMINATION. 285
period the ship he belonged to arrived at Spithead,
and he came on board me to pay his respects.
"Well," said I, " Culmer, will you now pass your
examination, or are you determined to die the
oldest midshipman in the service ? " "I have been
thinking of it," was his reply, " but I have no money
to carry me to London." " That," said I, " I will
give you. And if you can mount a horse, I will
procure that also." In a few days Billy started
for London, where he arrived a week after, having
sold my horse on the road, without informing me
of his having done so. When he made his appear-
ance before the Commissioners at Somerset Place,
they were all younger than himself, and one of them
had been a mid in the same ship where he was
mate. This last addressed him, and in a half
comic, half serious manner, said: "Well, Mr.
Culmer, I make no doubt you are well prepared
for your examination." " And who the devil put
you there," answered Billy sharply, "to pass one
who taught you to be something of a sailor ? Do
you remember the colting I gave you when you
were a youngster in my charge ? But I never
could beat much seamanship into you. So you
are to examine me, are you ?" The two other
commissioners, who knew the whimsical character
of the person before them, called him to order, and
requested he would answer some questions, as he
could not obtain his certificate without doing so.
" Begin," said Billy, turning his quid and hitching
up his trousers. " You are running into Plymouth
286 OFF BOULOGNE.
Sound in a heavy gale from the S.E. ; how would
you proceed in coming to an anchor ? Your top-
gallant masts are supposed to be on deck." " I
would first furl all and run under the storm fore-
stay sail, unfid the topmasts going in, and have a
long range of both bower cables on deck, and the
sheet anchor ready. On coming to the proper
anchorage I would let go the best bower and lower
the topmasts as she tended head to wind ; veer
away half a cable and let go the small bower ; veer
away on both cables until the best bower splice
came to the hatchway. I should then half a whole
cable on one and half a cable on the other."
"'"The gale increases, and there is a heavy
scud, and you find both anchors are coming home.
What then ? "
" ' " Then I would veer to one and a half on
the best and a whole on the other."
" ' " In snubbing the best bower, it parts in the
splice. What then ? "
" ' " What then ? " exclaimed Billy sharply, for he
began to be tired of being interrogated respecting a
part of seamanship he thought he knew better than
themselves. " Why," replied he, taking a fresh
quid of tobacco, " I would let go the sheet
anchor."
" ' " But," interrupted the elder Commissioner,
" there is not, in consequence of having dragged
the bower anchors, room to veer more than a few
fathoms before you tail on the Hoe ; consequently
your sheet anchor, being only under foot, will be of
THE END OF BILLY. 287
little or no use, and the strain being on the small
bovver, it soon after parts."
u . u What humbug ! ' cried Billy, who could not
contain himself longer. " I tell you, gentlemen,
what I would do. I would let her go on shore
and be d d, and wish you were all on board
her."
" * "Sit down, Mr. Culmer," said the second Com-
missioner, " and calm yourself. We shall leave you
a short tmie. Probably we may ask you a few
more questions."
" ' " Hem ! " muttered Billy, and he scratched his
head. After an interval of half an hour, the Com-
missioner who had been his former messmate,
entered with his certificate.
'" " I have much pleasure," said he, " in having
the power to present you your passing certificate,
and I hope your speedy promotion will follow. Do
you stay long in London ? "
" ' " Only to have a cruise in Wapping and to see
St. Paul's and the Monument," returned Billy,
*' and then I shall make all sail for Portsmouth."
" ' " Have you any shot in your locker ? " asked
Captain T. " As much as will serve this turn,"
replied Billy, " for Lord Hood has sent me an
order for ten pounds on his banker." " Good after-
noon, Culmer," said the former. " I wish you your
health." " Thank you," replied Billy ; " the same
to you ; but give me more sea-room next time you
examine me, and do not let me tail on the Hoe.' "
Billy, through the interest of Lord Hood, was
288 OFF BOULOGNE.
quickly installed lieutenant, but died shortly after-
wards."
•' Well," said the admiral's lady, ** I think,
Captain M., had I known this Billy Culmer, as
you call him, I certainly should have made a pet
of him."
"I am afraid, my dear," answered the Admiral,
who appeared relieved now the story was at an
end, " you would have found him very pettish."
The admiral's play on the word produced a smile.
A young captain who sat near Lady Campbell
asked her if she had ever heard of a captain who
was, in consequence of his extravagant behaviour,
called " Mad Montague ? " " Pray, my dear," cried
the Admiral, who appeared terrified at the idea of
another story, "let us have our coffee."
The hint was sufficient, we sipped our beverage
and chasse, and departed in peace.
Being ready for sea we left the Downs, and in a
few hours were off our old cruising ground to
watch the terrible flotilla and the privateers, which
were principally lugger-rigged and carried long
guns of different calibres, with from fifty to seventy-
five men. Some few had ten or fourteen guns,
besides swivels. The vessels forming the flotilla
consisted of praams, ship-rigged, and brigs carrying
one or two eighteen or twenty-four pounders, and
the largest a thirty-two pounder (with sixty or
ninety men), all of them flat-bottomed. They
sometimes, when the wind blew fresh from the
westward, ran down in squadrons close in shore,
CAPTURE OF A FRENCH ROW-BOAT, 289
under the protection of their batteries, to Calais.
One Sunday I chased twenty-seven and made the
shot tell among some of them, until the pilots
warned me that if I stood further in they would
give up charge of the ship. I chased them, with
the exception of one, who ran aground near
Calais, into that port. In hauling off after giving
them a few more shot, their battery favoured us
with one which struck us between wind and water.
As the shells were now falling plentifully around
us, I thought it prudent to make more sail, as one
of the shells had gone through the foretop-sail.
Our force generally consisted of three sloops of
war to watch Boulogne, the senior officer being the
commodore, but in spite of all our vigilance the
privateers crept along shore under cover of the
night without being seen, and they sometimes
tantalized us by anchoring outside, but so close in
and under their batteries that it was impossible to
get at them in that position. We, one morning at
daybreak, captured a row-boat with twenty-two
men, armed with swivels and muskets. We had
disguised the ship so much that she took us for a
merchantman, and before she discovered her mis-
take was within pistol-shot. Three months had
now expired, which had been passed much in the
same manner as the last cruise, when a cutter
came out to order us into the Downs.
K.G. U
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE SAME WEARY ROUND.
Leave to return home for four days — Visit of the Duke of Clarence —
Again off Boulogne — Down Channel with a convoy — Boulogne
once more — Eefit at Plymouth — Return Boulogne — Run aground
on French coast — Part of crew escape in boats — Author and
nineteen men remain on board.
On our arrival, in consequence of the vessel
wanting material repairs, we were desired to repair
to Sheerness. The commander-in-chief at this ill-
flavoured town was a King John's man, four feet
something without his shoes, and so devoted to
the reading of the Scriptures that he sometimes
carried that sacred book under his arm. Some
ill-natured people said he understood little of its
doctrines, as he was too cross and unsociable to
be a good Christian. Be that as it may he gave
me leave, whilst the ship was refitting, to go home
for four days. Where is the man who does not,
after he has been absent from his family for nearly
ten months, yearn to be with a fond wife and half a
house full of dear children once more. During the
short period I was at home, I thought myself in
the seventh heaven. Alas, the time flew away
on rapid wings. How soon our joy is changed
to sorrow. I tore myself from the house that
THIRTEEN BOILED LEGS OF MUTTON! 291
contained my dearest treasures, and was soon again
among tar jackets and tar barrels. The admiral
appeared satisfied with my punctuality, but he did
not invite me to dinner, and as he did not I
repaired to the principal inn with a few brother
officers, and ordered some fish and a boiled leg of
mutton and mashed turnips. "It is very extra-
ordinary, gentlemen," replied the head waiter when
we mentioned the articles we wished for dinner.
'' There are thirteen different naval parties in the
house, and they have all ordered the same. But,"
added he, " I am not at all surprised, for our
mutton is excellent." The following morning the
signal was made for all captains to repair to the
dockyard to receive the Duke of Clarence. At one
o'clock he arrived in the commissioner's yacht from
Chatham. I had the honour of being presented to
him first, as I happened to be nearest. He asked
me a few questions of no importance, and then
passed on to another officer. He inspected the
yard and the troops, we all following him. As he
was afterwards to breakfast, or rather lunch, with
Commissioner Lobb, the latter was considerate
enough to invite us all to meet him, and a curious
kind of meeting it was. The distinguished and
illustrious admiral was very chatty, and appeared
from the manner of his eating to be sharp set.
The little Admiral of the Port did not, for some
reason, attend. His friends said he ought to have
given the refreshment instead of the commissioner,
but it was not his fashion. I was not sorry when
V 2
292 THE SAME WEARY ROUND.
the Duke took his departure, as his presence
brought everything to a standstilL
In a week's time we were ready for sea, and I left
Sheerness, the httle hospitable admiral, and all its
contents without shedding one tear. Off Margate
the pilot had the kindness to bump us on shore, but
as the tide was making, the vessel was soon afloat
without receiving any injury. His wife had predicted
this in her preceding night's dream, and he, silly man,
had not sense enough to give up his turn to another
pilot. On arriving in the Downs, I v/as ordered
next day to repair to my old tiresome cruising
ground, where, during a period of three long,
lingering months, we cruised, anchored, fished, and
frequently on Sundays engaged the old women's
terror, the flotilla. We also took a chasse maree
laden with plaster of Paris. As I imagined I
should gratify the honest people at Dover, particu-
larly the female part, who might be twisting their
papillotes and talking scandal for want of other
amusement, by sending in a vessel with the
English flag flying above the French, I was deter-
mined to do so, although I knew she would scarcely
pay her condemnation. A few days afterwards I
received a note from the prize agent to request I
would not send in anymore of the same description,
as there was a balance of six pounds against us
for Proctor's fees, etc. Thinks I to myself, how
odd. So, as the sailor says, after venturing life
and limb in capturing an enemy's vessel, I am to
pay for taking her. D n me, Jack, that's too
BOULOGNE AGAIN. 293
bad. I'll write to Joseph Hume to bring it before
the House of Commons. I know he is a great
reformer and a sailor's friend, although he terms
them a dead weight.
We were at the end of our cruise relieved, and
anchored again in the Downs, where I was in-
formed Sir G. Campbell had been relieved by Sir
Thos. Foley, his counterpart in worth and gallantry.
I waited on the gallant admiral, left my card on
Lady Lucy, and was invited to dinner. The
admiral, as he is well known, and considered one
of our most distinguished officers, I need not
describe. His lady was a lively, hospitable, agree-
able person, and I often reflect on the many
pleasant hours I passed at the admiral's house.
I understand she is now a saint and is very charit-
able. Generally speaking, I do not admire saints.
They are too pure to mix with this sinful world,
and are not fond of sailors. A fortnight passed
away when we once more sighted our anchors, and
the day after that eye-sore Boulogne. Our occupa-
tion was much the same as the last cruise, except
that I was ordered shortly after I sailed to take
charge of a large convoy outward bound, and to
proceed with them as far as Portsmouth. On my
arrival there I went on shore and waited on the
admiral. Sir R. Curtis, whom I found walking, what
he termed his long-shore quarter-deck, the plat-
form. He was a little, shrewd man, and knew a
handspike from a capstan bar. I informed him
from whence I came, and that 1 had fulhlled my
294 THE SAME WEARY ROUND.
orders respecting the convoy. I then presented
him the necessary papers belonging to my own
ship. " Come with me to my office," was the
order. In going there we had to pass part of the
market, where the admiral was well-known. He
conversed in passing with several pretty market
girls, and chucked them under the chin. " Ho,
ho!" thought I. On breaking the seal of the
envelope of the papers I had given him, he said,
" I find all perfectly in order. How long have you
been a commander ? " I informed him. " Your
seniors," returned he, " may blush and take your
correctness for a pattern." I made my bow. " You
will sail to-morrow for your station," continued he.
" Foley is a good fellow, and I will not detain you
longer than that time, so that you may take prizes
for him. There will be a knife and fork at my
table at five o'clock, where, if you are not engaged,
I hope to see you." He then withdrew. If I had
not known this gallant officer's character as a
courtier, I should have been highly flattered by his
compliments. Had anyone else stood in my shoes,
his language would most likely have been the same.
However, it put me in good humour, for who is
there that does not like to be commended and
sometimes flattered ? At the admiral's table I met
his amiable daughter, who did not appear in health,
and some old brother officers.
At daylight I robbed Spithead of some of its
mud, and was soon in sight of detested Boulogne,
and of its, if possible, more hated flotilla ; and I
IN PLYMOUTH SOUND. 295
almost believe that if our men could have caught
some of its crew they would have eaten them alive.
This cruise we assisted, as the French say, in
taking one of their privateers, the prize-money of
which gave soap to the ship's company for the next
cruise ; what other good we did I say not. At the
expiration of another three months, His Majesty's
sloop's anchors once more bit the mud in the
Downs. On my going on shore to the admiral's
office, I was informed that I was to repair to
Plymouth and there refit. I was, as Sir R.
Strachan said in his despatch, "delighted." I
hoped we should be ordered to the Mediterranean.
I dined with the admiral, and the day after we tore
the anchors from their unwilling bed and made all
sail. As I passed the coast near Boulogne I made
my bow and wished it good-bye, I hoped for ever.
On the fourth day we graced Plymouth Sound. I
made my bow to the commander-in-chief. Sir R.
Calder, who asked me, with some surprise, where
I came from, and what I did at Plymouth. I
produced my order, etc. "This is a mistake of
some of the offices ; I have no orders respecting
you. However, as you are here, I suppose we must
make good your defects, and, notwithstanding that
you have taken us by surprise, I hope I shall have
the pleasure of seeing you at six o'clock to dinner."
I repaired on board with a pilot and brought the
vessel into Hamoaze. At the appointed time I
waited on the admiral. The dinner I thought
passed off heavily. There were no ladies to
296 THE SAME WEARY ROUND.
embellish the table, and after coffee I went on
board. Next morning I waited on the com-
missioner, Fanshaw, who received me very
graciously, as I was known to several of his family.
As the vessel was to be docked and fresh coppered,
we were hulked, and I took lodgings on shore,
where the commissioner did me the honour of
calling on me and requested me to dine with him
the following day. The dinner party consisted of
another brother officer, his own family, who were
very amiable, and myself. During the fortnight I
remained here, as I was well acquainted with
several families, I contrived to pass my time very
agreeably.
I expected every hour orders to fit foreign, but,
oh ! reader, judge of my mortification when the
admiral informed me I was to go back from whence
I came in a few days, and take with me a heavy-
laden convoy. My mind had been filled with
Italian skies and burnished golden sunsets, ladies
with tender black eyes, Sicilian coral necklaces,
tunny-fish and tusks. I was to give up all these
and to return to that never-to-be-forgotten, good-
for-nothing rotten flotilla, to see Dover pier, the
lighthouse, and the steeple of Boulogne, to cross
and re-cross from one to the other to provoke an
appetite. If I had had interest enough I would
have changed the Board of Admiralty for having
sent me to Plymouth on a fool's errand. My
thoughts were bitter and seven fathoms deep.
Again I cruised, like an armadillo on a grassplat,
BACK TO THE DOWNS. 297
there and back again. After our usual time
we again disturbed the mud, and most likely a
number of fish, by letting go our anchors in the
Downs, I little thought for the last time. How
blind is man to future events, and fortunate it is he
is so !
On the ninth day His Majesty's brig was again
dividing the water and making it fly to the right
and left in delicate wavy curls. We wished
Boulogne, Bonaparte, and his flotilla burnt to a
cinder during this cruise ; we were generally at
anchor off that detested place, and took nothing,
for there was nothing to take. On Sunday we
were usually firing at the flotilla as they anchored
outside the pier, but so close to it that I fear our
shot made little impression. At this time they
were erecting a column on the heights, on which,
we understood from the fishing-boats, an equestrian
statue of that great dethroner, Bonaparte, was to
be placed. A large division of the army of
England, as they chose to call themselves, were
encamped round it. We occasionally anchored at
Dungeness for a few hours to procure fresh beef
and vegetables. Our cruise was nearly terminated
when the sloop of war, whose captain was senior
to myself, made m.y signal. On repairing on board
her, he informed me that a division of the flotilla
was to run along shore for Cherbourg that night,
and that it was necessary to keep the vessels as
close in shore as possible, in order to intercept
them.
298 THE SAME WEARY ROUND.
I again joined my ship and remained on
deck until midnight in the hope of encountering
these bugbears, and making them pay dearly for
all the trouble they had given us ; but, alas ! how
futile is the expectation of man ! I had gone to my
cabin and thrown myself on the sofa, and fallen
into a canine slumber — that is, one eye shut and
the other open — when I heard a confused kind of
rumbling noise, and soon afterwards the officer of
the watch tumbled down the hatchway and called
out to me that the ship was aground on the French
coast, but that the fog, which had come on about
an hour after I quitted the deck, was so dense that
the land could not be seen. I had only taken off
my coat and shoes. I was immediately on deck,
where I saw, to my sorrow and amazement, my
commanding officer hard and fast about half pistol-
shot from us. I asked the pilots, whose careless-
ness had done us this favour, what time of tide it
was. " The infant ebb of the spring," was the
comfortable answer. " I wish you were both
hanged," I replied. " So be it," responded the
officers. During this period we were not idle ; the
boats were got out as well as an anchor astern,
and the sails hove aback, the water started, the
pumps set going, guns thrown overboard over the
bows as well as shot, but all our efforts proved
fruitless — you might as well have tried to start the
Monument ; and, to conclude this distressing and
disastrous scene, a heavy battery began pouring its
shot into the vessel I commanded, she being the
AGROUND AND UNDER FIRE. 299
nearest, and the fort not more than an eighth of a
mile from us on the edge of a cHff. A boat came
from the sloop to request that I would make prepara-
tions to blow up my vessel and quit her with the crew.
" Sooner said than done," replied I to the officer
sent; "my boats will not carry the whole of us,
and however I may wish to go to heaven in a
hurry, probably those who are obliged to remain
may not be willing to bear me company." As the
vessel began to heel over towards the battery, I
ordered the boats to be manned, and all left the
ship except nineteen men and myself, who had the
felicity to be fired at like rabbits, as the enemy had
now brought some field-pieces to bear on us. Our
rigging was soon shot away and our sails cut into
ribbons. At length away went the lower masts a
little above the deck, while about two hundred men
were pegging away at us with muskets. To make
our happiness supreme, the sloop of war which had
been set on fire and abandoned, blew up, and set us
partially in a blaze, and while we were endeavouring
to extinguish it the enemy took the cowardly advan-
tageof wounding the purser, gunner, and two seamen,
as well as myself, though only slightly. We had now
fallen so much on the side that we stood with our
feet on the combings of the hatchways, v*'ith our
backs against the deck. What a charming sight,
as my Lady Dangerfield might have said, to see
four heavy guns from the battery, three field-pieces,
and about two hundred soldiers firing at a nearly
deserted vessel, and endeavouring to pick off and
300 THE SAME WEARY ROUND.
send to " Kingdom come " the unfortunate few of
her crew who remained. The captain of the other
sloop, finding I was not in the boats, pulled back in
a gallant manner under a most galling fire to
entreat me to come into his boat. This I declined,
as I could not in justice leave those who were
obliged to remain behind. Finding he could not
prevail on me to leave, he joined the other boats
and proceeded to England, where, happily, they all
arrived in the evening. We had now been aground
about four hours, and the enemy had amused
himself by firing at us for about two hours and a
half.*
* See Note D.
CHAPTER XXIV.
TAKEN PRISONER.
Taken prisoner, and removed to Boulogne gaol — Asked to dinner by
General Lemarois — News of Perceval's assassination — Parole
refused — Marched to Montreuil-sur-Mer — On to Hesdin ; being
footsore, author insists on having a carriage — Drives to Arras.
When the tide had receded sufficiently for the
enemy to board us without wetting their delicate
feet, about one hundred and fifty disgraced our
decks. About thirty of these civil gentlemen,
principally officers, paid a visit to my cabin without
asking permission. The wine, of which I had ten
dozen on board, was their first object, which I
make no doubt they found suited their palate, as
they drank it with much zest. My clothes, spy-
glasses, knives and forks, as well as the crockery-
ware, were seized on in turn ; and it appeared by
their smirking looks and lively conversation that
all they had achieved was perfectly to their satis-
faction, and that instead of plundering a few
ship-wrecked sufferers they had only been asked to
a fete given by me. The commanding officer of
these brave and honest men desired us to go on
shore, where we were met by another officer, who
ordered us to the guard-house near the battery, and
an hour afterwards we marched for Boulogne, which
302 TAKEN PRISONER.
was four miles distant, escorted by about forty of
our tormentors. On our arrival we had the un-
expected happiness of being lodged in the common
gaol, cooped up in a dirty tiled room of twelve feet
by eight, with a small well-grated window. "Well,"
said I to the doctor, who had remained behind to
dress the wounded, "what will the marines say to
this? The sailors will never believe it." Whilst we
were prosing with our elbows on our knees and our
chins on our thumbs, looking very dolefully at each
other, the ill-looking man who had locked us up
made his appearance with a servant in a rich livery,
who asked in French for the commandant. I stood
up and said I was that person, on which he pre-
sented me with the following note : —
"Le General Comte Lemaroix, Aide de Camp de
sa Majeste I'Empereur et Roi, Commandant en
Chef le Camp de Boulogne, etc, prie Monsieur
Hoffeman, officier, de lui faire I'honneur de venir
diner avec lui aujourd'hui, lundi, a 4 heures.
"Now," said I, "doctor," addressing my sur-
geon, "you are my senior in age and I think in
experience; be my mentor on this occasion. In the
first place, I have no inclination to go, for I am too
sulky; in the second, I am wet and dirty." "Oh,
do go, sir ! " they all exclaimed. " It may better our
situation, and we may have our parole." "On your
account I will accept the invitation," said I. As I
had no writing implements I sent a verbal answer
in the affirmative, and made myself as much an
DINNER WITH THE FRENCH COMMANDANT. 303
Adonis as I was able. At the appointed hour the
same servant and two gendarmes made their
appearance, and from the gaol to the general's
house I appeared, to judge by the people staring at
me, to be the lion of the day. On my arrival I was
ushered into the general's presence. The Comte
Lemaroix, who was about forty years of age, was of
a pleasing manner and countenance. He informed
me he was sorry for my misfortune, but it was the
fortune of war. I apologised for my dress, which
was as wretched as my thoughts. At this time a
young man in the French naval uniform came to
me and asked me how I was. I remembered him
as one of the officers sent to capture us. He spoke
indifferent English, and as my knowledge of the
French language was slight, I was glad to pair off
with him. At the dinner-table were ten officers
and one lady. I was seated on the left side of the
Comte. I cut a sorry figure among so many smart
and star-coated men. The dinner was plentiful
and good, and everybody chatty and in good
humour, in which I could not help, notwithstanding
my situation, taking a part. After we had taken
our coffee I naturally concluded I should be on
parole. When I took my leave the captain in the
navy and another officer said they would walk with
me as it was dusk, and I presumed we were going
to an inn — but, oh, horror of horrors ! I was
conducted to the prison from whence I came.
They there wished me good-night, and I wished
them at the devil. Next morning, after a restless
304 TAKEN PRISONER.
night on a bed of straw, we were awakened by the
grim, hard-featured gaoler who had been kind enough
to lock us up. He asked the doctor if we wished to
have breakfast, and if we could pay for it ; he
answered in the affirmative. This turnkey gentle-
man informed us that our first admiral, Mons.
Poncevan, had been killed by an assassin. This
report puzzled all our wise heads. An hour
afterwards our cafe-au-lait entered, and with it the
principal gaoler, or, as he was called, Mons. le
Gouverneur. He was a stout, square-built man, and
gave us an inquisitive look. The doctor, who was
an Irishman and our interpreter, asked him the
news, and if he were ever at Cork. " No," answered
he, ** I never was in America! but," said he, "I
understand that your Prime Minister, Mr. Piercevell,
has been shot by an assassin." He meant Mr.
Percival. We were sorry to hear such bad news, as
Mr. Percival was certainly a loss to his country
and his large family. However, it did not destroy
our appetite for breakfast. The considerate governor
only charged us as much more for it as we should
have paid at the best coffee-house in the town.
After two days of durance vile I was visited by
three very wise-looking men, who, I understood,
were some sort of lawyers. One of them produced
a printed paper, and asked me if I were acquainted
with its contents. I answered, "No." " Do you
know for what purpose they were intended, for we
have more than thirty of them which were found
on board your ship?" I answered as before. " This
A MARE'S NEST. 305
appears very extraordinary that you, as captain of
the ship where they were found, should not know
they were on board her." " It may be so," I
answered with indifference. " You may think it a
trifle," said one of them, " but it may, without it is
satisfactorily explained, prove in the end very
serious to you." " Indeed," returned I, " that will
be still more extraordinary. Probably it may be the
means of a change of residence, for I cannot be
worse off than where I am at present." " Monsieur
chooses to be pleasant, but he must give us some
account of these papers before we leave him."
One of them then translated their contents. As
I had never heard of them before I was rather
struck with their purport, which was to create a
counter-revolution, and cause that English-loving
man, Bonaparte, to be dethroned. "Doctor," said
I, ''do you know anything about these terrible
papers ? " " Very little," replied he. " They were,
I believe, in circulation about two years ago, in
Mr. Pitt's time, and they were called his projects,
for he loved Napoleon with all his heart." " Pray,"
said I, turning to the commissioner who had the
longest and most snuffy nose, and who had trans-
lated the paper, " in what part of the vessel were
these projects found?" "In the second cabin,"
was his answer. He meant the gun-room, where
the officers slept and messed. " What is their
date ?" " 1808." " Come," resumed I, " I think
you will not shoot me this time. I did not join the
ship until i8io, when they were never given into my
K.G. X
3o6 TAKEN PRISONER.
charge. Now, gentlemen, you may either remain
or depart ; no more answers or explanation will I
give." They grouped into the corner of the room,
and after taking a pinch of snuff with a few shrugs
of their shoulders and some whispering, took their
leave.
Soon after the turnkey appeared with another
worthy person as interpreter, and to whom I
was to pay three francs a day and give him a
dinner. I remonstrated, and said the doctor was
my interpreter. " Bah, bah! " said the fellow, and
marched out of the room, the door of which he
locked. This person, whom the turnkey had so un-
ceremoniously introduced, had, it appeared, been sent
for by the gouverneur, as he chose to understand we
wished to have "un maitre de la langue Francaise,"
who could act as interpreter when required. The
poor man, who appeared as if he had fallen from a
balloon, apologised for the intrusion, which he said
did not lie with him, he had been sent for and
came, but that when the turnkey unlocked the
door he would withdraw. " No," said I, "as you
are here and you speak good English," which he
did, " I will, if you have a grammar, take a lesson
in French, and you may come every day during
our stay in this abominable place, which I suppose
will not be long." He pulled a grammar from his
pocket, and I began with the verbs. " I intend
sending a letter to the Comte Lemaroix. Will you,"
said I to him, "take it for me?" "Willingly,"
replied he. I drew it up, and he translated it. It was
EXAMINED BY A MILITARY COURT. 307
to request that myself and officers might have our
parole, but as day after day rolled on I do not think
he received it, as my request was not complied with.
I was again examined by a military court
respecting those fearful papers, but they, as well as
myself, were not satisfied, I for being sent for on so
useless an errand, and losing my French lesson,
and they because they could not discover whether
I was a spy, or prove that I had circulated those
papers among the fishing boats. After this tedious
and ridiculous examination the President, who
appeared half sailor and half soldier, asked me in
so mild a manner as if sugar-candy would not have
dissolved in his mouth, " Pray, sir, will you acquaint
me how many cruisers you have in the
Channel ? " " Your question, Mr. President, is a
delicate one," replied I, "and the only way you
can gain that information is to send all your
frigates that have been lying at anchor so long in
your different harbours to ascertain the fact." I
thought my answer made him look cross, two
others look sulky, and the remainder smile. " I
think we may discharge the prisoner," said he,
turning to the other wise men ; " we can elucidate
nothing." " No," said I to myself, "you will get
nothing out of me." On the tenth day after the
shipwreck we were ordered to march, and had the
honour of having two livery servants, in the shape
of gendarmes on horseback, to attend us. I
begged to have a carriage, but I was refused,
although I offered to pay liberally for one.
X 2
3o8 TAKEN PRISONER.
We reached Montreuil-sur-Mer in the evening,
where we marched into the common gaol. I was
much fatigued, as I had never walked so far in my
life ; my feet were becoming blistered, and I was
very hungry. " Do," said I, " doctor, let us have
something to eat, for we have fasted since breakfast.
Have they any eggs ? " The gouverncur du chateau
appeared, and informed us he had plenty of eggs,
and could give us a fricassee de mouton and pommes
de terre au maitre d' hotel, " but," added the doctor,
"those d d fellows the gendarmes must dine
with us. This I did not like, and requested him to
speak to the gaoler, which he did ; but the former
declared it was customary, when they escorted
prisoners they always eat with them. We were
obliged to conform to the nuisance. After dinner,
or rather supper, or, more correctly speaking, the
two in one, I fell asleep in my chair until a dirty-
looking girl shook me by the arm to say that my
bed was ready. I gave her a look that had she
been milk it would have turned her into vinegar.
I followed her, however, into a room about twelve
feet by seven, where there were two crib bed-
places like those on board the packets. They
were, considering the place, tolerably decent, and I
turned in half-rigged. At half after two in the
morning our two horse attendants had the civility
to wake us out of tired Nature's sweet reposer,
balmy sleep. I looked daggers, and they looked
determined on their plan of making us march at three
o'clock. The dirty, but civil damsel, brought me
ARRIVE AT HESDIN. 309
a basin of water. I shook my feathers and refreshed
myself. She then appeared with some porringers
filled with what she called cafc-aii-lait — i.e., milk
bedevilled, and some tolerable bread and salt butter.
However, as we presumed we had another long
march to encounter, we made no hesitation in
accepting it, and for which and the supper I had to
pay most extravagantly. We began our agreeable
walk before daybreak, accompanied by our two
attendant cavaliers. As I walked rather lame one
of them offered me his horse, which I thought civil.
I declined it, as I preferred walking with my officers,
although in pain.
About three in the afternoon we reached Hesdin,
our destination for that night, having marched
nineteen miles, and were ushered into the gaol.
" May the devil run a-hunting with these rascally
vagabonds!" said the doctor. "Amen," responded
the rest. We were put into a dirty brick-
floored room with a grated window, in which
there were three beds. " Now," said I to the
doctor, "let us hunt for something to eat, for not-
withstanding all my miseries I am very hungry."
The gouvernenr du chateau made his appearance ;
he was a brigadier of gendarmes. "What do you
wish?" said he. " What have you to eat ? " asked
the man of physic. " Eggs, a fowl, and some excel-
lent ham." " Let us have them," cried I, "as soon
as possible." Whilst these good things were getting
ready I bathed my feet in warm water, they were
much swollen, and the blisters on them had broken.
3IO TAKEN PRISONER.
I afterwards rubbed them with brandy. The dinner
was put on table, and the gendarmes took their
seats sans fagons. After I had taken my second
tumbler of wine I began to revive. The dinner was
not bad, and by the time it was finished we were in
good humour. *' Now," said I, "doctor," for he
was my factotum, "tell our attendants if they will
not allow me to have some kind of carriage I will
not step a foot further. My feet are so bad I cannot
walk, and they must carry me. The Brigadier was
sent for, and after a consultation of a few minutes
I was told I might have one if I paid for it, but it
could be only a covered cart. " Very well," said I,
" any port in a storm." We were now informed it
was time to go to rest. This was no punishment ;
and notwithstanding being bug- and flea-bitten, I
slept well and forgot all my sorrows. At six I
was roused by the men at arms, had a tolerable
good breakfast, and stepped into my travelling
machine with two of my officers, the top of the
cart being so low we were obliged to lie down, and
if it had not been for its abominable jolting we
should have found ourselves snug enough.
CHAPTER XXV.
AT CAM BRAY.
Meet an Englishman— At last put on parole— Dine with Lieutenant
Horton— Proceed to Cambray— Relics of Archbishop Fenelon—
Meet Captain Otter at Verdun — Prisoners' amusements — Author
and Captain Otter establish a school for midshipmen— Author
moves into country quarters — Severe censorship of prisoner's
letters— Ordered to Blois— Purchase a cart and horses.
We reached Arras in the afternoon. On entering
the town we were followed by a crowd of idlers,
who I rather think took us for a caravan of wild
beasts. Among this choice assemblage I per-
ceived a sailor who looked like an Englishman.
"What are you doing here?" I called out at
a venture. " I am Lieutenant Horton's servant,"
answered he. "Pray," said I, "who is he?"
" He is the lieutenant of the sailors at this
depot."
" Then," said I, "take this to him," giving him
a piece of paper with my name on it. " Aye, aye,
sir," said he, and ran off to execute his errand.
We were, as before, ushered into the common gaol
with due ceremony, where we were received by
another Brigadier, who had the honour of being
goiiverneur. The gaol was considerably larger than
those we had lodged in on the road, and the people
were civil. We ordered dinner, which I had to pay
312 AT CAMBRAY.
for without doing it justice, in consequence of the
appearance of Lieutenant Horton with a French
commissary, to inform myself and officers we were
on parole, and the former, like a generous sailor,
begged us all to dine with him at his house. We
made ourselves as smart as circumstances would
allow, and accompanied him to a snug little house
where he lived. He introduced us to his wife, who
was a very kind person and paid us every attention,
and I shall ever retain a feeling of gratitude for
their hospitality. In the evening we were joined by
the English surgeon of the depot, who engaged us
to dine with him the following day. A servant was
sent to the American hotel to bespeak rooms for us,
and the day after I engaged a carriage to take us
to Verdun, for which I was to pay eight napoleons,
and find the coachman. In the evening, or rather
night, we took possession of our new quarters, which
from what I had lately been accustomed to, appeared
a paradise, although the doctor and purser declared
they were half bled to death by bugs and fleas. We
breakfasted like gentlemen, and afterwards strolled
about the town, to the amusement of the inhabitants,
who, as we passed them, made great eyes at us.
I shall not trouble my readers with a description of
Arras, as they may satisfy their curiosity, if they
wish it, by consulting a Gazeteer. At five o'clock
the lieutenant called on me, and we all repaired to
the surgeon's house. He gave us a good dinner,
and was very attentive. At ten o'clock they accom-
panied us to the inn, where they took their final
RELICS OF ARCHBISHOP FENELON. 313
leave, as we were to start in our new vehicle at five
in the morning.
At the appointed time behold us seated in
our coach chattering like magpies, and going
at the rapid speed of about five miles an hour.
At Cambray we dined and slept. We visited
the cathedral, which, thanks to those honest,
religious men, the Republicans, was in total ruins.
All the Virgins and saints were decapitated and the
quiet repose of the dead disturbed by their pure,
delicate hands. " Erin's curse be upon them ! "
exclaimed my man of medicine. "The devil has
them by this time," said the purser. " What a set
of impious scoundrels," ejaculated the midshipman.
•' I am afraid," added I, " France has in a great
measure brought all her misfortunes on herself. It
the King and the nobles had stood firm to their
guns and given a more liberal constitution, millions
of lives might have been saved, and we should not
have had the supreme happiness of being attended
by the gendarmes or of taking up our abode in
their filthy, loathsome gaols, besides a thousand
other circumstances, of which, as you have been
partakers, I need not mention, as they are too
agreeable to bear in memory." We reached a small
place called Gateau Cambresis, where we dined at a
fourth-rate inn, formerly the country palace of the
good Archbishop Fenelon. At dinner, which, like
the auberge, was also of the fourth class, I had a
silver fork with the armorial bearings of an arch-
bishop. I remarked the fact to my inaitrc cVhoiel,
314 AT CAMBRAY.
the doctor. " I have a spoon with the same,"
repHed he. "This, you are aware, was Fenelon's
favourite country palace, and as a quantity of
family plate was buried during the Revolution,
these very likely belonged to him." When the
woman who attended us at dinner came in again,
the doctor interrogated her respecting them. She
informed him they had been found among some old
rubbish in the yard. I asked her if she would sell
them ; she answered in the affirmative, and demanded
thirty francs. I gave her twenty-four, and took
possession of my prizes.
In a remote part of the building I found some
Englishmen at work manufacturing what the French
were then little acquainted with, dimity. They told
me they had permission to sleep out of the prison,
and that the French allowed them a franc a day
and some wine. I asked them if they were working
on their own account ; they answered, no, but on
that of the French Government. " Bonaparte has
his wits about him," said I to myself, " and appears
wide awake."
We reached Verdun on the sixth day. I waited
on Captain Otter of the navy and the senior officer,
who introduced me to the commandant, the Baron
de Beauchene, who, by his rubicund face, appeared
to be fond of good living. My name was registered
at the police office, where I was desired to sport
my graceful figure the first day of every month.
Several officers did me the honour of a visit, but as
my news was like salted cod — rather stale — they
AT VERDUN. 315
were not much edified. The day following I dined
with Captain and Mrs. Otter, who were good, kind
of homespun people. I met at their table the worthy
chaplain, Gordon. Some of his friends said he was
too mundane, and bowed to the pleasures of the
world most unclerically. I found him an agreeable,
gentlemanly person in society, and a plain-sailing
parson in the pulpit. There were two officers here
who were most amusing. Captains Miller and Lyall,
and when dining with them, which I frequently did,
I do not know which I enjoyed most, their dinner or
their dry jokes. I also became acquainted with
Captain Blennerhassett, and sometimes took a cold
dinner at a small house he rented on the banks of
the Meuse. We dubbed it Frogmore Hall, in conse-
quence of a vast quantity of those creatures infesting
it. Lord Blaney, who once wrote a book, principally
on the best mode of cooking, figured away here.
He was a good-natured but not a very wise man.
He could not bear the midshipmen, because, he
said, they cheated him out of his best cigars and
made him give them a dinner when he did not wish
for their company. This was, strange to say, some-
times the case.
There were about twelve hundred prisoners
at this depot, principally officers of the army
and navy, and a few masters of merchant
ships, as well as some people detained in a most
unjust manner by a decree of Bonaparte when
the war broke out. About two miles from the
town was a racecourse, made by the officers and
3i6 AT CAMBRAY.
kept up by subscription, where, I was informed,
there was as much jockeyship practised as at
Newmarket. It made a variety, and the ladies
say variety is charming. After residing in this town,
where every description of vice was practised, about
a month, I remarked that the mids, of whom there
were about one hundred and twenty, were idle,
dissipated, and running into debt. The greater
part of them were fine lads. I proposed to Captain
Otter the establishment of a school for them, and
said that if the requisite masters could be procured
I would superintend it. He entered into my views
most willingly and wrote to the Admiralty respect-
ing them, informing their lordships the expenses for
a hundred midshipmen would not be more than
eighty pounds a year. Not receiving an answer, he
established it at his own risk ; whether he was ever
remunerated is a problem I am not enabled to
solve. Six lieutenants volunteered to assist me,
and attended the school hours in turn."" Every-
thing went on exceedingly well for twelve months,
when unfortunately the Baron de Beauchene died,
and was succeeded by a man who ordered the
school to be broken up. This was as unexpected
as unmerited. Captain Otter and myself remon-
strated, but in vain. The youngsters were sent to
the right-about ; but I am happy to say that the
greater part of them had the good sense to form
themselves into classes at their own lodgings, where
the same masters attended them. Finding my
* See Notes E and F.
NEW QUARTERS. 317
services of no further use, I sighed for country air
and a change of scene. The town manners shocked
my delicacy, and I much feared I should lose m}'
innocence. The copy I frequently wrote when at
school stared me in the face — that " Evil communi-
cations corrupt good manners." I therefore de-
termined before I became contaminated to change
my quarters, I waited on the commandant and
obtained leave to live at a small village two miles
from the tovvn. My new residence was a small
chateau, the proprietress of which was the widow of
a colonel of cuirassiers in the old time. I took pos-
session of a good-sized bedroom and drawing-room,
for which I paid, with my board, seventy napoleons
a year. The establishment consisted of a house-
keeper, more like a man than a woman, one maid
servant, and two men. The widow was an agree-
able person, nearly in her seventieth year, but very
healthy and active. At the back of the chateau was
a delightful garden, with a brook running through
it, in which were some trout, carp and tench. Ad-
joining it were vineyards belonging to the house.
I could now, in the literal sense of the word, in
which one of our poets intended it, " From the loop-
holes of my retreat peep at such a world " without
partaking of its folly.
My time was occupied with a French mavSter, and
in drawing, and reading French authors, and if my
mind had not been tortured by my being a captive,
and not knowing how long I was likely to remain
so, I should have been comparatively happy.
3i8 AT CAMBRAY.
Our letters, when we did receive them, were always
broken open and read to the commandant by one
of the gendarmes who could blunder out a little
English. If they contained anything against the
French Government, or treated on politics, they
never reached us. By these honourable means
all our domestic concerns became known to the
mighty chief, the ignorant, left-handed, blundering
translator, and a host of others. In short, our
letters, after having run the gauntlet through a
number of dirty hands, with still more dirty minds,
were scarcely worth receiving.
One morning, as I was sitting at breakfast in not a
very cheerful mood, a woman, of not very prepos-
sessing appearance, entered. She came, she said,
to make a complaint against three wicked mids.
They had taken the figure of Bonaparte from the
mantelpiece and knocked his head off; for so doing
she threatened to complain to the commandant if
they did not pay her a five-franc piece. I told her
I would send for the decapitating youngsters, and,
if I found her complaint to be well-grounded, they
should remunerate her by giving her another
Emperor, or paying her for the old one. She
departed, but not in peace, as I could hear her
grumbling as she went along the vestibule. At
noon next day these Emperor-destroying lads came
to my lodgings to answer the complaint.
" We lodge in this woman's house," said one of
them, " and one morning we thought we would
amuse ourselves by bringing Bonaparte fairly to a
LESE MAJESTE. 319
court martial. Our charges against him were
tyranny and oppression, imprisonment against our
consent, and not granting an exchange of prisoners.
We found him guilty on all the charges, and as he
could make no defence, we sentenced him first to be
shot, but we thought that too honourable for him ;
then to be hanged, and lastly, to have his mischief-
making head chopped off by a case-knife, which
sentence was carried into execution; but as we do
not wish the woman to quarrel with us, we have no
objection to pay her two francs, which we think is
too much by thirty-nine sous."
" You value Emperors, gentlemen," said I, " at a
very cheap rate." "Yes," replied they, "such an
Emperor as Bonaparte, who we think is a most un-
relenting tyrant." "Hush!" cried I, "walls
sometimes have ears. Go and make your peace
with your landlady, offer her the two francs, and if
she will not accept it send her to me, for, to tell you
the truth, were she to go with her complaint to the
commandant, you most likely would be shut up in
the old convent and kept there for a month." I
gave them a glass of wine, in which they drank the
downfall of Bonaparte and departed. I understood
afterwards this knotty point was settled amicably ;
the woman, not wishing to lose her lodgers,
accepted the money. As the lying " Moniteur "
was the only paper we could read, we of course were
always deceived, and supposed from its contents that
France was carrying everything before her. More
than eighteen months had now passed away, like a
320
AT CAMBRAY.
disturbed dream, since I became a prisoner, when
the order came, like a flash of Hghtning, from the
police to desire all the English prisoners to be ready
to quit Verdun in forty-eight hours and proceed to
Blois. To those who had the misfortune to be
married to French women and had children it was
a thunder-stroke. The weather had set in with
great severity, it being the month of December.
Another brother officer and his nephew joined me
in purchasing a covered cart and two cart horses ;
and a captain of a merchant vessel, said to be a
descendant of the immortal Bruce, volunteered to be
our coachman, provided we lodged and fed him on
the road, to which we, without hesitation, agreed.
CHAPTER XXVI.
END OF CAPTIVITY.
Horses bolt, and cart upsets— Reach Blois after six days' travelling —
Miserable condition of French troops after return from Moscow —
Ordered to Gueret on the Creuse — A miserable journey of five
days — Poor accommodation — Allowed to move to country quarters
at Masignon— An earthquake shock — News of Napoleon's abdica-
tion— Start for Paris — Reach Fontainebleau in nine days —
Proceed to Paris — Lodgings dear and scarce — State entrance of
Louis XVIII. into Paris.
At the time appointed we had our machine ready.
The gendarmes were Hterally driving some of the
officers out of the town. To save them the trouble
of doing us the same favour we departed early.
On the first stage from Verdun, in descending a
steep, long hill, a hailstorm overtook us, and as the
hailstones fell they froze. The horses could not
keep their feet, nor could our sailor coachman keep
his seat. The animals slid down part of the way
very comfortably. At length, after much struggling,
they once more gained a footing, and in so doing,
the fore wheels came in contact with their hinder
feet, which unfortunately frightened and set them off
at full speed. I got hold of the reins with the
coachman, and endeavoured to pull them into a
ditch to the left — on the ri<^ht was a precipice — the
reins broke, and we had no longer command over
them. We were in this state of anxiety for a few
K.G. Y
322 END OF CAPTIVITY.
minutes, when the fore wheels detached themselves
from the carriage, and over it went on its larboard
broadside. I was, with the coachman, thrown head
foremost into the ditch, which, being half filled with
snow, broke the violence of our launch. I soon
floundered out of it, without being much hurt. My
falling companion, being a much stouter man than
myself did not fare so well, as his right shoulder
received a severe contusion. The noble man-of-
war captain inside had his face much cut with the
bottles of wine that were in the pockets of the
vehicle, and he would have made an excellent
phantasmagoria. His nephew had one of his legs
very much injured. Here we were in a most
pitiable condition, not knowing what to do, as we
could not move our travelling machine without
assistance. As we were scratching our wise heads,
and looking at each other with forlorn faces, a
party of French soldiers approached, and for a five-
franc piece they assisted us in righting the carriage
and catching the horses, which had been stopped
at the bottom of the hill. On an examination ol
our cart we found that, fortunately for us, the
traverse pin of the fore-wheels had jumped out,
which freed them and the horses, and occasioned
our turning turtle. Had not this taken place,
we most likely should have gone over the precipice.
We, after some sailor-like contrivances, got under
weigh. As we were grown wiser by this mishap,
we took care to lock the hinder wheels when going
down hill in future. We reached Clermont in the
THE REMNANT FROM MOSCOW. 323
dusk of the evening, and glad I was to turn into a
bed replete with hoppers, crawlers, and wisdom, for
it was very hard. Being much fatigued, I slept
soundly, notwithstanding my numerous biting com-
panions.
After a most suffering, cold, and uncomfortable
journey of six days we reached Blois. A number
of our soldiers and sailors perished with cold on
the road. We assisted some few of them with
money and something to eat. Poor fellows! some
were so worn out that they threw themselves down
on the stubble in the fields, where the severe frost
soon put an end to their sufferings. The day we
quitted Verdun the retreating French army from
Moscow, with numerous waggons full of their frost-
bitten and wounded men, entered it. That and
the allied army advancing on the French borders
were the cause of our being sent away with so
much speed. When this division of the enemy's
army marched through Verdun for the purpose of
conquering Russia, it was the general remark
amongst the English that the appearance of the
men and their appointments could not be better in
any country ; but to see them return in the extreme
of wretchedness and suffering was truly pitiable.
Oh, Bonaparte ! I charge thee fling away ambition;
it is, unfortunately for the world, thy besetting sin.
It cannot continue for ever, and you will be brought
up with a severe round turn before you are many
years older — such is my prophecy.
We had not been settled at Blois a month before
Y 2
324 END OF CAPTIVITY.
we had orders to quit it and to proceed to Gueret
on the river Creuse. We understood the allied
army having entered France was the cause of our
removal.
As I had never heard of Gueret before, I requested
my landlord to give me some information respecting
it. " Why," said he, with a most awful shrug ol
his shoulders, "it is where Louis the Fourteenth
banished his petite noblesse, and is now filled with
lawyers, who, as the town is small and the inhabi-
tants are not numerous, go to law with each other
to keep themselves, I suppose, in practice. Oh, you
will find the roads rough and much out of order ; we
call it 'tmchemin perdu,' and as the town is insig-
nificant, and produces nothing, we call it 'un
endroit inconmi' I do not think," added he,
"there are more than cinquante cheminees a feu in
the whole town."
This information did not raise my spirits. How-
ever, there was no alternative, and it was of little
use to be downhearted. The weather continued
very severe, and we had again to encounter
frost, snow, and intense cold. We prayed for the
humane Emperor of France, and wished him
elevated on Raman's gibbet. Our journey was
most horrible and fatiguing ; the roads in some
places were literally lost, and we were obliged to
drive over ploughed fields in order to avoid the deep
ruts. I thought we should have had all our bones
dislocated. The five days we were on this wretched
road will never be effaced from my memory. We
A FRENCH FARMHOUSE. 325
slept where we could. Inns there were very few,
and those few the abodes of poverty, filth, and
rags. The small farms sometimes took us in,
where, whilst eating the coarse brown bread and
tough fowls they put before us, and for which they
made us pay most extravagantly, the pigs and
poultry kept us company during our repast.
One night, at one of these abominable places, I
was obliged to lie on a table, as they had not a bed
to give me. I was awakened early by a most
horrible smell. I thousfht I should be suffocated.
I procured a light and inspected the room. On
opening an old press I found several half-putrid
cheeses, full of jumping gentlemen, and probably
ladies, for there was a large assembly of them. I
made my escape from this savoury, not sweet-
smelling den, and threw myself into what they
called a chair, which, from its form and ease must
have been fabricated before the time of Adam. I
found I had seated myself before a kind of crib,
something like a corn-bin, in which was lying, fast
asleep and snoring, the landlady, who was a coarse,
dingy beauty of about forty. " Lead me not into
temptation and deliver me from evil," ejaculated I
to myself. At this time a huge cock that had been
roosting in some part of the kitchen gave a loud
crow. She started up and called out " Oh, mon
Dieu, je ne puis pas dormir a cause de cette bete la ! "
I pretended to be asleep, although I made a loop-
hole with my left eye. A short time afterwards she
was snoring as loud as before.
326 END OF CAPTIVITY.
When daylight began to break I went out into the
yard, and was saluted by the barking of a very
large dog, who was chained to a small shed. This
roused all the inmates of the house. We had some
milk and eggs, and once more assumed our most
agreeable journey. On entering Gueret, I verily
believe all the men, women, children and dogs came
to meet us. I do not know what they thought of us.
We appeared, I thought, like a set of wild men in
search of a more civilised country than that whence
they came. It was soon understood we wanted lodg-
ings, and the importunity of the females was most
embarrassing. I took up my abode over a small
grocer's shop. The only room I could obtain,
which contained a small bed, a minikin table, and
two common chairs, cost me fifty francs a month,
(about two pounds sterling), and I was considered
fortunate in having such good lodgings. I some-
times dined at the principal inn, where I met the
elite of the town, such as bankers and half broken-
down noblemen who had been pigeoned by their
dearly-beloved Napoleon. One day at dinner I
overheard a conversation between two of these last,
one of whom wished, if he could find two officers
among us who preferred living in the country, to
have them as lodgers. I seized the opportunity of
introducing myself to them when we rose from table.
An officer in one of our regiments offered himself
as the other inmate.
We were mutually satisfied with each other, and
two days afterwards I obtained leave from the
AN EARTHQUAKE 327
French commandant to remove to Maslgnon, about
four leagues from Gueret. On reaching the village
I was directed to a large chateau with two embattled
towers. I was much pleased with its romantic
appearance, but more so with its amiable inmates,
which consisted of the Dowager Countess de Barton,
the count, her son, and the two young countesses,
her daughters, the eldest in her twenty-fourth and
the youngest in her twenty-second year.
There were seven saddle horses and a carriage,
all of which were at our service, and I had a
chamberlain to attend on me. The domain was
very extensive. We had the privilege of shooting
and fishing, and I found myself as comfortable as I
could possibly wish, and I much regretted I was
deprived of the happiness of seeing my wife and
dear children in such distinguished and amiable
society.
One evening as we were all sitting in the large
drawing room, it suddenly appeared to be going on
one side, and immediately after we were much
alarmed by a roaring noise like the flame in a
chimney when on fire. I attempted to move and
nearly fell.
This was occasioned by the shock of an earth-
quake. During the anxious suspense we were in,
the servants had rushed into the room with horror
in their countenances, exclaiming, " Oh, mesdames,
le chateau va tomber, et nous serons ecrasees 1 "
"Peace," said the elder countess; "remain
where you are." By the time she had spoken the
328 END OF CAPTIVITY.
trembling ceased, nor had we another shock. After
a short interval we resumed our conversation as if
nothing had occurred.
This part of France is much infested with wolves,
and I frequently in the night heard them near the
house, but I only saw one of them in the day. I
fired at him, but as he was at some distance, he
escaped without injury.
I had resided with this amiable family nearly a
month, when one of the servants who had been to
Gueret entered nearly out of breath to say that,
" La belle France etait prise ! " At the same time
he handed a small printed paper to the mother
countess.
She smiled at the idea of the servant's report,
and turning to me she said, " I am rejoiced to be
the first to announce to you that you are no longer
in captivity. The allied armies have taken Paris
and Bonaparte has abdicated. This is the
* Gazette,' 1 am happy to see once more decorated
with the Fleur de Lys."
I kissed her hand for the intelligence, and
assured her although the joyful news was everything
I wished, I should much regret quitting her family,
where, during my short stay, I could not have
experienced more affection and kindness from my
own relations than she had shown to me.
On the second day after this delightful intelli-
gence, I took an affectionate leave of the ladies.
The count was absent.
At Gueret I joined the same party who had been
EN ROUTE TO PARIS. 329
my companions in misery and fatigue. Our nags
had been well taken care of, and the nine hundred
and ninety-ninth cousin of the brave, but unfortu-
nate, Bruce deserved praise.
I will not describe our tiresome and wretched
journey of nine days. At length we reached
Fontainebleau, where we remained two days to rest
ourselves as well as the horses. In passing through
its forest, which is very fine, we were almost
poisoned by the stench occasioned by dead men and
horses. We saw the palace, and the ink on the table
where Bonaparte had signed his abdication was so
fresh that it came off by rubbing it a little with the
finger.
Two days after we entered Paris, which we found
in possession of the allied armies, and it was with
the greatest difficulty that we procured lodgings even
in the Faubourg St. Antoine. They were at the
top of the house, only five stories and an entresol
to mount ! and alarmingly dear as well as dirty and
small. We sold our stud and carriage for a little
more than we gave for them.
During the three days we remained in Paris, I
visited the Louvre and its stolen goods. It was a
brilliant treat ; never was any palace so decorated
with such gems of art, nor, I hope, under the same
circumstances, ever will be again. On the day
Louis le Desire entered, I paid a napoleon for half
a window in the Rue St. Denis to view the pro-
cession.
Nearly opposite the window the King halted to
330 END OF CAPTIVITY.
receive the address from the Moullns and Poissardes,
some of whom appeared to me drunk. A child
dressed like a cupid, with a chaplet of flowers in its
hand, was handed to the Duchess d'Angouleme,
who sat on the left hand of the King. I remarked
she was much confused and scarcely knew what to
do with the child, who was about five years of age,
and who put the chaplet on her head. At length
she kissed it and returned it to its mother.
The window of the houses were dressed with
pieces of tapestry and white flags, which appeared
to my view nothing more than sheets and table-
cloths. The Garde Nationale lined the streets,
and by the acclamations of, " Vive Louis le Dix-
huit, Louis le Desire, les Bourbons!" and other
cries, all foreigners who had never visited France
or conversed with its natives, would have exclaimed,
" Look at these loyal people ; how they love the
Bourbon dynasty ! "
The mounted National Guard who came after the
royal carriage out-Heroded Herod by their deafen-
ing cries of loyalty. Who would have imagined
these gentlemen would have played the harlequin
and receive their dethroned Emperor as they did
when he entered Paris again ? " Put not your
trust in men, particularly Frenchmen in 1814, 0 ye
house of Bourbon, for they made ye march out of
France without beat of drum."
I was much amused with the conduct of the
Imperial Guard who followed the national heroes.
The Poissardes cried out, "Vive le Garde Imperiale ! "
•<\
o
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O
(1,
w
H
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^^^1 IS^g:- i^>^, ^-2fi
A TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 331
All they uttered was "Vive les Poissardes ! " They
looked as black as thunder.
I understood there was a cause of dissatisfaction
among them in consequence of a mark of distinction
having been given to the shop-keeping soldiers and
not any to them. This was the Comte d'Artois'
clever policy ; at least, so I was informed by my
companion who had taken the other half of the
window where we stood. My thoughts were seven
fathoms deep.
CHAPTER XXVII.
HONOURABLY ACQUITTED.
Obtain a passport after some difficulty from Prince Metternich — Start
for England via Rouen and Havre — Sail to Spithead — Amused at
Englishwomen's queer dress — Return to family — Acquitted for
loss of H. M.S. Apelles.
The morning before my departure I waited on
Lord Aberdeen, requesting a passport to England ;
he referred me to Prince Metternich. I reached his
hotel, and had to wade through a host of long-
whiskered, long-piped gentlemen, who were smoking
with all their might and main, and spitting in all
directions.
As I advanced, a genteel-looking young man, who
was dressed in an aide-de-camp's uniform, came to
me and asked in French the purport of my visit.
I informed him. He left me, and soon returned and
requested I would walk into another room, where I
found the German Prince, who received me very
cavalierly, and asked me what I did in Paris when
there were transports waiting at Bordeaux to carry
over the English.
" I thank your Highness for the information, but
I do not wish to go by that route. My intention is to
return to England by Havre, and I shall feel obliged
by your granting me a passport to that effect."
" You should go to Lord Aberdeen for one."
RETURN TO ENGLAND. 333
" I have already seen him, and he directed me to
you, as you were in command of the capital,"
I replied.
He muttered something which I could not, nor
did I wish to, understand. After a pause he asked
me my rank. I informed him, when he directed his
secretary to make out my passport, and here ended
much ado about nothing.
We started next morning, slept at Rouen, revisited
its ancient cathedral, which had been struck by light-
ning, breakfasted, and arrived at Havre, where we
remained two days, waiting for a vessel to take us
across the Channel. I viewed this town with much
interest, as it had saluted the vessels I had belonged
to with several hundred shot.
We arrived at Spithead in the evening, but too
late to go on shore. There were nine of us — men,
women, and squalling children — and we had the
comfort of lying on the cabin deck, there being no
sleeping berths, as the vessel was only about fifty
tons, and not fitted up for passengers.
When I landed next morning I appeared to tread
on air, but I could not help laughing out aloud at
the, I thought, ridiculous and anything but pic-
turesque dresses of the women. Their coal-scuttle
bonnets and their long waists diverted me, although
I was sorry to observe in my healthy and fair country-
women such an ignorance of good taste. I took a
hasty mutton chop at the " Fountain," and started
for London by the first stage coach.
On my arrival at dear home I found all I loved in
334 HONOURABLY ACQUITTED.
good health. My excellent wife and affectionate
boys and girls clung round me, and I was as happy
as an innocent sucking pig, or, if my reader thinks
the simile not in place, as happy as a city alderman
at a turtle feast.
A few days after my appearance at the Admiralty
I was ordered to proceed to Portsmouth, to undergo
my trial for the loss of the ship, which, as a son of
the Emerald Isle would say, was no loss at all, as
she was retaken afterwards.
My sentence was as honourable to the officers of
the court martial as it was to myself. I received
my sword from the President, Admiral Sir George
Martin, with a high encomium.
The days of my youth have floated by like a
dream, and after having been forty-five years in the
Navy my remuneration is a hundred and eighty
pounds a year, without any prospect of its being
increased. If the generality of parents would take
my advice they never would send one of their boys
into the service without sufficient interest and some
fortune. If they do, their child, if he behaves well,
may die in his old age, possibly as a lieutenant, with
scarcely an income to support himself; and if he
should under these circumstances have the misfor-
tune to have married and have children, God, I
hope, will help him, for I very much fear no one
else will !
Here ends my eventful but matter-of-fact history,
which, if it has afforded my reader any amusement,
my pains are well repaid.
APPENDIX.
Note A.
If the French accounts are to be credited General
Rochambeau had a garrison of only 600 men, 400 of whom
were militia {cf. " Victoires et Conquetes," tome iii.,
p. 249). At any rate, when Fort Bourbon surrendered
the garrison was found to be only 200, including the
wounded {cf. James, vol. i., p. 219).
Note B.
James, in his account of this brilliant feat (vol. ii.,
p. 360 et seq.), gives several interesting details of the affair.
"Every man was to be dressed in blue, and no white of
any kind to be seen. The password was 'Britannia'
and the answer 'Ireland.'" The boarding party pro-
ceeded in six boats, each being instructed to effect an
entrance on a particular part of the Hermione. " From
the moment of quitting the Surprise till the Hermione was
boarded Captain Hamilton never lost sight of her for a
moment. He stood up in the pinnace with his night-
glass, by the aid of which he steered a direct course
towards the frigate." When still a mile from the
Hermione the boats were discovered by two Spanish
gunboats. Some of Hamilton's boats disobeyed orders
by attacking these gunboats instead of concentrating
their attention on the Hermione, and thus nearly spoilt
the attack.
James adds that : " In effecting this surprising cap-
ture the British sustained so comparatively shglit a loss
336 APPENDIX.
as 12 wounded, including Captain Hamilton. Of their
365 in crew the Spaniards had 119 killed and 97 wounded,
most of them dangerously."
Note C.
Copy of letter written by Lieutenant Hoffman to his
wife immediately after the action of Trafalgar : —
"ToNNANT, Oct. ■zjth, 1805. Off Cadiz.
" My Beloved Sarah, — It has pleased Providence
once more to bless our favoured isle with astonishing
success. On the 21st of the month the combined enemy's
fleet, consisting of thirty-four sail of the line, four frigates,
and two brigs, were seen by us. At five minutes after
twelve afternoon we broke their line and engaged them.
Captain Tyler gallantly placed the Tonnant, and I hope
we as gallantly defended her. We have lost twenty-six
brave fellows and fifty wounded in our ship only. We
have captured sixteen sail of the line, French and Spanish,
and sunk one of the line and one blew up. We are now
going for Gibraltar to refit, as we are decently maul'd.
We were twenty-six of the line, three frigates, a cutter and
a schooner. I am very sorry to relate Lord Nelson has
gloriously fallen, covered with heroic wounds. Captain
Tyler is wounded rather dangerously, but I hope he will
soon recover. The French Admiral Magon, in the
Algerzaries (sic), of equal force, laid us alongside, and
attempted boarding, but found it ineffectual. At the same
time we were engaged by three other sail of the line.
After engaging this fine fellow for about an hour he struck
his flag, and we took possession of her (sic) ; in short, with
this noble ship's company we humbled three of nearly
equal force. This battle, my beloved, plainly shows it is
not always to the strong. An Almighty Hand fought it
for us. To Him we trust in this and every future event.
May He protect my Sarah."
Note D.
Captain Hoffman's report to the Admiralty of the loss
of the Apelles : —
"Verdun, France, May iSth, 1812.
'' Sir,— Captain Boxer, of H.M.S. Skylark, and my
senior officer, having communicated to me on the evening
APPENDIX. 337
of the 2nd of May he had received information of a large
division of the flotilla being in readiness to escape from
Boulogne to Cherberg that night, he thought it necessary
that his sloop the Skylark and the Apelles, under my com-
mand, should be kept as close in shore as possible between
Boulogne and Etaples in order to intercept them. But it
is with feelings of regret I have to acquaint you, for the
information of the Lords of the Admiralty, that on Sunday,
A.M. the 3rd of May, H.M.S. Apelles ran aground about
eighteen miles to the westward of Boulogne, as also did
H.M.S. Skylark. The wind at this time was moderate at
N.E. with a dense fog.
"The sloop, on a wind, heads E.S.E., going about five
knots an hour, the land not perceived. Shortly after it
became clear enough to discern that we were about a
musket shot from a battery elevated above our mastheads,
which, on perceiving our situation, opened a most destruc-
tive fire on the Apelles, she being the nearest vessel.
During this time the boats were got out, and an anchor
carried astern to heave the sloop off. Guns, shot, and
heavy stores, etc., were thrown overboard, from before the
chest tree the water started and pumped out, in order to
lighten the vessel, but without effect, as, unfortunately,
the sloops had run on shore on the infant ebb spring tide,
and it receded much faster than it was possible to lighten
them. About half-past five the Apelles fell over on her
starboard side, with her decks entirely exposed to the
battery, field pieces, and musketry from the beach and
sandhills. At six she became a complete wreck, the shot
from the enemy having cut away nearly all the standing
rigging, as well as the sails to ribands. In this state
Captain Boxer sent his first lieutenant on board the
Apelles to request I would set fire to her and abandon
her without loss of time, as he thought it was imprac-
ticable to get either of the vessels off. I then called a
council of the officers and pilots, who were unanimous in
the positive necessity of quitting the vessels. The pilots
further added that as the tide was so rapidly ebbing,
the vessels would soon be left dry on the beach, and if
the crews were not sent immediately away there would
be no possibility of escape. I then ordered the boats to
be manned, and shortl}^ afterwards they left the Apelles
with the greater part of the officers, leaving on board
the following in consequence of their not being able
K.G. z
338 APPENDIX.
to contain more, some of them (boats) having been
struck by shot :
" F. Hoffman, Commander.
"Mr. Manning, Surgeon.
" Mr. Hanney, Purser.
" Mr. Taylor, Gunner.
" Mr. Johnston, Mid.
"Wm. Whittaker, Clerk.
"J. Thompson^
" Davies
" Crosbie V Seamen.
" George
" Raymond
" Sergt. Owen "^
" Corp. Cleverly
" Ready V Marines.
" King
" Baxfield
" On the boats of the ^/j^-Z/^s joining those of the Skylark
Captain Boxer, finding I remained behind, he, in a most
gallant manner, pulled towards the Apelles with his
deeply laden boat under a heavy discharge of shot and
musketry from the enemy to entreat me to go with him.
This I refused, but begged him to make the best of his
way with the boats to England, for as he had not room in
the boats for those remaining as well as myself I could
not, as a point of humanity, as well as duty, think of
quitting the Apelles whilst a man was compelled to remain
behind. Finding he could not prevail he gave up the
point. He joined the other boats, and was soon out of sight.
I need not express my feelings to their Lordships, or to
you. Sir, on this trying occasion; I cannot describe them.
Shortly after the boats had left the sloops both masts of
the Apelles fell by the board, having been nearly severed
in two by the shot of the enemy. At this time the Skylark,
having grounded within hail of us, was enveloped in flame
and partially exploded, some of her shot striking the Apelles.
I now ordered a white flag to be shown by holding it up.
This at length appeared to silence the enemy, who had been
incessantly firing at us from the time we grounded until
about seven o'clock. About twenty minutes afterwards the
Apelles, being partly dry, was boarded by about 200 men,
APPENDIX. 339
principally soldiers, who compelled us to leave the sloop,
and almost immediately afterwards followed us, as the
Skylark exploded with an appalling report, setting fire to
the Apelles. Owing to her being previously dismasted
consisted her safety. The enemy soon after the explosion
returned to the Apelles, and extinguished the fire on board
her. Only a vestige of the sternpost of Skylark now
remained, half buried in the sand.
" Through this severe trial of more than three hours,
whilst the shot were going through the sides of the Apelles,
and destroying her masts and rigging, every officer and
man behaved with that coolness inherent in British sea-
men, and which I trust will speak favourably of their
conduct to their Lordships.
" I have now to remark that although we were under
the painful necessity of lowering His Majesty's colours,
which was not done until the last extremity, the enemy
did not desist from firing into us for an hour afterwards.
Seeing the crippled and distressed state we were in, his
motive was certainly not that of humanity. I have to
add that Mr. Hanney, the purser, was wounded in the
head, and Mr. Taylor, the gunner, in the shoulder and left
hand, but neither dangerously. I am now happy to add
their wounds are nearly healed.
"The signal books and instructions of every description
were burnt in the galley fire by the Purser and myself
when we saw there was no possibility of our escape.
*' I have the honour to remain. Sir,
" Your obedient servant,
(Signed) *' F. Hoffman,
" Late Commander of H.M.S. Apelles.
"Wm. Croker, Esq., &c., &c., &c.,
Admiralty."
Note E.
Letter from Captain Otter respecting the establishment
of a school for midshipmen at Verdun.
"Verdun, Oct. 26th, 1812.
*' Dear Sir, — As I am very anxious that the
establishment of a school should be supported with our
utmost endeavours, it is with the greatest satisfaction I
perceive you enter into the plans, and undertake the con-
ducting of it, with all the energy I could wish. I have
340 APPENDIX.
already spoken to Lieutenants Lambert, Brown, Thack-
stone, Carslake, Robins, Boyack, Bogle, and Kennicote,
who have volunteered to assist you, and I have no doubt but
that they will always be ready to follow such instruction
as you may think proper to give them.
" It is my wish that all the young gentlemen of the age
of eighteen and under attend the school, and that it may be
open to those above that age who will submit to the rules,
and who wish to benefit by the attending masters.
" As the intention of the school is solely for the improve-
ment of the young gentlemen of the Navy, it is presumed
they will be sufficiently sensible of the advantages they
may derive from it, and by their regular attendance and
strict attention when in school, both show their desire of
improvement, and their respect to the gentlemen who have
so kindly volunteered to attend during the school hours.
" Wishing you every success in this your laudable
undertaking,
" I remain, dear Sir,
"Yours truly,
" C. Otter,
" Senior full-pay Captain of the;.Naval Department."
Note F.
Testimonial from Captain Otter.
" BiDEFORD, Devon, Aug. jst, 1827.
" My Dear Sir, — I have sincere pleasure in
acknowledging the great assistance you afforded me by
your voluntarily taking the trouble of superintending, and
also the able manner you conducted the school established
by me, as senior naval officer of the depot of Verdun.
" I have likewise great satisfaction in testifying to your
good conduct as an officer and gentleman during the time
you were a prisoner in France.
" I remain, dear Sir,
" Yours very truly,
*' C. Otter.
" F. Hoffman, Esq., Commander R.N."
INDEX.
Aberdeen, Lord, Minister at Paris,
332
Achille, French battleship, 215
Admiralty, mismanagement, 143 ;
promotion patronage, 144
Alarm, H.M.S., 124, 161, 163
Albatross, an, 49
Alberaw Island, 209
Albino, an, 247
Alexatidria, H.M.S., 227
Allies, Paris occupied by the, 328
Alligators, 83, 243, 271
American cruisers, an episode with,
159
Antonio, Cape, 129, 272
Apelles, H.M.S., 277; loss of, 299,
336
Aral« at Cape Verde, 238
Arras, 311, 312
Ashantee v. Fantee, 244, 248
Ashantees, King of the, 248
Bahamas, the, 107
" Ballaker ladies," 102
Barbadoes, 18, 262; the elite of, 19
" Bargemen," in biscuits, 38
Barracow, 268
Barton, Dowager Countess de, 327
Bateman and Slateman, 195
BeauchSne, Baron de, 314
Belize River (Central America), 270
Bellerophon, II. M.S., 213
Bence Island (Sierra Leone), 259, 261
Beriguet Island, 230
Bickerton, Sir Richard, 203
Bight of Benin, 246
" Bishop,'' a colonial, 169
Black River, 169
Black Rocks, off Brest, 196, 230, 231
Blaney, Lord, 315
Blennerhassett, Captain, 315
Blois, 323
Blonde, II. M.S., 7, 33
Boulogne, 280 — 289, 292, 294, 296 ;
Apelles, lost off, 299 ; Hoffman in
gaol at, 302
" Bowing to a bishop," 169
Boxer, Captain, H.M.S. Skylark, 336
Boytie, H.M.S., 21, 26, 28
Bremen, the fair-wind sellers of, 72
Brest, 36, 196, 228. 229
Bridge Town, Barbadoes, 18
Bromley, Captain, 271
Bull-frogs, 270
Buonaparte. See Napoleon
Cadiz, 203, 209
Calder, Sir R. F., 203
Cambray, 313 _
Campbell, Admiral Sir G., 277, 293
Campbell, Lady, 277, 282, 284, 288
Campechy, Bay of, 129
Cauiperdovvn, Battle of, 88
Canary Islands, 235
Cape Antonio, 129, 272
Cape Coast Castle (North-West
Africa), 240, 242, 244, 247, 250
Cape di Gata, 209
Cape Finisterre, 48
Cape Florida, 131
Cape Fran9ois (West Indies), 66, 76,
96, 268
Cape Grisnez, 281
Cape Mayzi, 266
Cape Palos, 209
Cape Sable (Nova Scotia), 131
Cape St. Nicholas (West Indies), 49,
52, 66, 79, 267
Cape, St. Paul's (West Africa), 246
Cape Verde (Senegambia), 235, 237
Carthagena, 203, 209
Cawsand Bay, 199
Caymans, Grand (West Indies), 103,
128, 173
Ceuta, 203
Chaplain, an Irish Naval, 44
Charles V., of Spnin, 208
Cherbourg, 33, 297, 337
Clarence, Duke of, 291
Clermont, 322
Cloud effects, curious, 141
Cochrane,Admiral Sir Alexander, 262
342
INDEX.
Cockpit, a frigate's, 37
Coffin, Rear-Admiral, Sir Isaac, 223
CoUingwood, Admiral, 203, 209, 218
Colpoys, Sir J.. 183
Conelly, a marine at Trafalgar, 218
Consul and his Secretary, a (Cartha-
gena), 206
Coote, Sir Eyre, 171
Court-martial, a mock, 120
Courtship, a sailor's, 90
Croker, William, 339
Cronenburg Castle (Cape Coast
Castle), 249
Cuba, 76, 113, 130, 134, 264, 267
Culmer, Billy, 282—288
Curtis, Admiral Sir R. , 293
Dacres, Admiral, 269
d'Angouleme, Duchess, 330
d'Artois, Comte, 331
Deal, 174, 273, 295, 297; a cruise
on horseback at, 175
Defiance, H.M.S., 189, 215
Diamond, H.M.S., 225
di Gata, Cape, 209
Dix Cove (North-West Africa), 246
Donna Maria Bay, 79 — 87
Dorchester, 226
Douarnenez Bay, 230
Drummond, Colonel, 270
Dryden, Sailors' appreciation of, 1 16
Earthquake, an, 327
Electric eels, 87
Elphinstone, Captain, 2, 3
Equator, amusements when crossing
the, 14—17, 49
Falmouth, ii, 14, 31
Fanshaw, Commissioner (Plymouth),
296
Fantee v. Ashantee, 244, 248
Fenelon, Archbishop, 313
Fetich, 243
Finisterre, Cape, 48
Fire-flies, 113
Fitton, Lieutenant, 136
Fitzgerald, a sailor at Trafalgar, 217
Flogging, in the Navy, 1 10
Florida, Cape, 131
Florida, Gulf of, 105, 173
Florida Stream, 134
Foley, Lady, 293
Foley, Sir Thomas, 293
Fontainebleau, 329
Forbes, Captain, 261
Forbes, Honble. Mrs., 260
Fort Bourbon, siege and surrender of,
27—29, 335
Fort Royale, captured from the
French, 25
Fort Royale Bay, Martinique, 22
Fourth of July dinner, a, 153
Fox, General (Governor of Gibraltar),
220
France, war declared with, 3
Franchise, capture of the French
frigate, 193
Fran9ois, Cape (West Indies), 66, 76,
96, 164, 268
Free Town (Sierra Leone), 259
French brigs, frigates, and privateers,
capture of, 47, 55, 78, 193, 197,
295
French frigates, chased by, 13
Frogs, bull-, 270
Funchal Roads, Madeira, 234
Gardner, Lord, 196, 201
Gentille, capture of the French
frigate, 47
Gibraltar, 203, 2l6
Gordon, Rev. — , Chaplain at
Verdun, 315
Goree Island (Cape Verde), 235 — 237
Grand Caymans, the, 103, 128
Gray, Lieutenant-General Sir C, 22,
29
Grisnez, Cape, 281
Gros Soiiris, a Spanish zebec, takes
Hoffman prisoner, 147
Guadaloupe Island, 21
Gueret-on-the-Creuse, 324, 326
Guernsey, 33—35
HA\flLTON, Captain, H.M.S, Sur-
prise, 108
Hamilton. Commissary, 238
Hannibal, H.M.S., 37
Havannah, 103, 105, 130, 161, 272
Havre, 232, 333
Hermione, mutiny on H.M.S., 107 —
"0, 335, 336
Hesdin, 309
Heslip, Sir Thomas, Governor of
Trinidad, 263
Hoffman, Captain F.,
Chapter I. — Early experiences,
I — 17 ; appointed to Blonde frigate,
3 ; journey to and breakfast at
Portsmouth, 4, 5 ; joins the Blonde,
7 ; an outbreak of fire, 9 ; a deal
with West Indiamen, 10 ; a pair
of shoes at Falmouth, 11 ; nearly
captured by the French, 13 ;
crossing the line, 14
Chapter II. — Arrives in West
Indies, 18 ; the elite of Barbadoes,
INDEX.
343
19 ; the town of St. Pierre,
Dominique, 20 ; Fort Royale,
Martinique, 22 ; attack on St.
Pierre, 23 ; Fort Royale captured,
25 ; seige and surrender of Fort
Bourbon, 27.
Chapter III. — Returns to Eng-
land, 30 ; a lunar rainbow, ibid ;
sailors' frolics ashore, 31 ; their
generosity, 32 ; Cherbourg, 33 ;
runs aground off Guernsey, 35 ;
transferred to a "74," 37 ; an
unexpected meeting, 38 ; his new
shipmates, 40 ; marines and
surgeons, 42, 43 ; the chaplain and
the devil, 44.
Chapter IV.— With the Channel
Fleet offUshant, 46 ; capture of the
French frigate Gentille, 47 ; a trans-
port sunk off Cape Finisterre, 48 ;
ordered to West Indies, ibid. ;
negro v. shark, 50 ; dignity balls at
Port Royal, 51 ; collision with
H.M.S. Sampson, 52; yellow
fever, 53 ; capture of French ships
and privateers, 54.
Chapter V. — Difficulties and
humours of impressment, 57 ;
coopers and rum, 61 ; a scrimmage
with the press-gang, 62 ; down
with yellow fever, 64 ; a change of
captains, 67
Chapter VI. — Tough yarns —
the sea-serpent ; the fair-wind
sellers of Bremen ; mermen and
mermaidens, 69 — 75 ; capture of a
Spanish schooner, 76 ; boat attack
on, and capture of, French privateer
Salamandre, 77 ; malignant scurvy
and its treatment, 79 ; a question
of sex, 81 ; a voyage of discovery,
82 ; snakes and alligators, 83.
Chapter VII. — Cruising off
Porto Rico, 86 ; a haul of fish, 87 ;
Napoleon's boasts, 88 ; views on
matrimony, 89 ; a sailor's courtship,
90 ; slow promotion, 93 ; catching
a Spanish tartar, 94 ; tympanum of
left ear ruptured, 98.
Chapter VIII.— Tea with the
boatswain's wife, 100 ; a case of
rum, loi ; •' Ballaker ladies," 102 ;
signs of mutiny, 103 ; much cruis-
ing, little comfort, 105 ; water-
spouts, 106 ; J/er?>iione seized by
mutineers and re-captured, 107 —
109; Sabbath v, Sunday, ill ; fire-
flies, 113.
Chapter IX. — At Port Royal
again, 114 ; on board a "98," 115 ;
sailors' appreciation of books, 116;
H.M.S. Queen runs aground, sinks,
and is raised, 117, 118; a mock
court-martial, 120; appointed
lieutenant to a "24," 125.
Chapter X. — His new ship-
mates, 127 ; a chase and a dis-
appointment, 129; aground on a
coral reef, 130; a tropical thunder-
stoim, 131 ; futile attempt to cut
out three schooners off ISIatanzas,
132; a lost letter, 134; more
dignity balls at Port Royal, 135 ; a
Yankee, his papers, and a shark,
136 ; seizes a French ship off St.
Domingo, 137.
Chapter XL— Visits a Jamaica
plantation, 132; condition of the
slaves, 140 ; curious cloud -efifects,
141 ; a growl against the House of
Commons and Admiralty, 143 ;
officers' grievances, 144 ; taken
prisoner by a Spanish zebec, 147 ;
generously treated in gaol at St.
Jago, 149 ; the Governor's ball,
152; a fourth of July dinner, 153;
freedom at last, 155.
Chapter XII. — Returns to his
ship, 156 ; a chapter of accidents,
157; captures a French schooner,
158; American cruisers, 15S; at
Port Royal once more, 159; a
second bout of yellow fever, 159;
capture of a Spanish gunboat, 161 ;
dispute about a captured flag, 163 ;
wetting a middy's commission, 165 ;
an Irishman's opinions, 167 ;
pathetic farewells, 168.
Chapter XIII.— The Black
River, 169; "bowing to the
bishop," 171 ; at the " Hoop and
Griffin," Deal, 173; a cruise on
horseback, 175; tlie baker's round,
176; an unrecognised brother,
180.
Chapter XIV.— A spell ashore,
182 ; appointed to the Mino/aitr,
183 ; surgeon or carpenter? 1S4 ; a
mixed crew, 186 ; tailors for sailors,
189; Pat's excursion, 190; a lady
in disguise, 193 ; the dog-a-tory
pennant, 194 ; in danger off Ushant,
197 ; in quarantine at Plymouth,
198.
Chapter XV.— Wanted —
musicians, 199; an inc|uisilivc
admiral, 201 ; joins the Tonnant,
202 ; with Collingwood, 203
344
INDEX.
punch or sherbet, 205 ; a consul
and his secretary, 206.
Chapter XVI.— Battle of
Trafalgar, 211 ; at close quarters,
213; a glorious victory, 215;
British pluck, 217 ; the cockpit
after Trafalgar, 218; British losses,
219; international amenities, 221.
Chapter XVII. — Trustworthi-
ness of sailors, 223 ; Sir Isaac
Coffin, 223 ; more horse exercise,
225 ; a trip to Plympton, 226 ; joins
the Alexandria, 227 ; Earl St.
Vincent, 228 ; in praise of Ply-
mouth, 229 ; the Black Rock
station, 230 ; a slovenly skipper,
231 ; a collision, 233.
Chapter XVIII. — Madeira,
234 ; Goree Island, 235 ; light-
fingered natives, 237 ; Arab visiters,
238 ; Cape Coast Castle, 240, 242 ;
no accounting for tastes, 241 ;
fetich, 243 ; Ashantee v. Fantee,
244.
Chapter XIX. — Analbmo, 247;
the Ashantee king, 247 ; Dutch
and Danish settlements, 249 ; a
voyage of discovery, 25 1 ; "Irish
hurricanes," ibid.', up the Rio
Pongo, 253; a slaveship, 253—256 ;
an African dinner, 257.
Chapter XX. — Sierra Leone.
259 ; a picnic at Bence Island. 260;
a slave mart, 261 ; Lord Rodney's
relict at Barbadoes, 262 ; lake of
pitch at Trinidad, 263 ; Montego
Bay, 266 ; captures a Spanish
privateer, ibid. ; exchanges ships,
267.
Chapter XXL— Honduras,
269 ; Colonel Drummond, 270; an
alligator story, 271 ; home with
mahogany, 272 ; at his old quarters
in Deal, 273 ; a First Lord of the
Admiralty, 274 ; home, sweet
home, 275 ; appointed to the
Apelles, 277 ; a mad captain, 278.
Chapter XXII to XXIV.— Off
Boulogne on blockade duty, 280 —
289, 293, 297 ; Billy Culmer, 282 ;
a queer examination, 285 ; thirteen
boiled legs of mutton, 291 ; in
Plymouth Sound, 295 ; loss of the
Apelles, 299, 336 ; in gaol at
Boulogne, 302; dines with the
French commandant, 303 ; a mare's
nest, 305 ; examined by a French
military court, 307 ; Montreuil, 308 ;
Hesdin, 309,
Chapter XXV. — Arras, 311 ;
Lieutenant Horton, 312 ; Cambray,
313 ; relics of Archbishop Fenelon,
ibid; at Verdun, 314 — 320; Captain
Otter, 314; scheme for establish-
ment of midshipmen's school at
Verdun, 316; prisoners' amuse-
ments— Use viajesti, 318, 319.
ChaptersXXVI. and XXVII.—
Clermont, 322 ; Blois, 323 ; Gueret,
324 ; a French farmhouse, 325 ; an
earthquake. 327; Allies occupy Paris,
328; Louis XVIII. 's triumphal
entry, 330 ; Prince Metternich, 332;
returns to England, 333 ; honour-
ably acquitted, 334.
Hoffman, Mrs. (mother), I — 3, 65
Honduras, 269
Hood, Lord, 282, 287
Horton, Lieutenant, 31 1, 312
Hospitals, seamen's, 119
Howe, Lord, 35, 36
Hume, Joseph, 119, 263, 293
Humming-birds, 141
Impressment, difficulties and
humours of, 58 — 60
" Irish hurricanes," 251
Isle de Vache, 137
"Jack, the painter," 7
Jacmel (Jamaica), 135
Jamaica, 50,264 ; a plantation in, 140
Jervis, Admiral Sir John (Earl St.
Vincent), 21, 228
Kent, Duke of, 22, 29
Kingston (Jamaica), 57, 60,63, 139
La Jument rock, off Ushant, 197
Lemaroix, Comte, 393
Leviathan, H.M.S., 52
Lloyd, Colonel, Governor of Cape
Verde, 236
L'Orient (France), 195
Lobb, Commissioner, 291
Los, or Loes, Islands (North-West
Africa), 253, 258
Louis XIV., 324
Louis XVIII. , 329, 330
Ludlow, Governor Sierra Leone, 25l>
259
Lunar rainbow, a, 30
Lyall, Captain, 315
Madeira, 234
Magicienne, H.M.S., 49
Magon, Admiral (French), 213
]\Iaize, Cape, 164
INDEX.
345
Manchester, Duke of, 269
Manchineel tree, the, 87
Margate, 292
Marie Galante Island, 21
Marines, 43
Markham, Captain (H. M.S. BlcvAte),^
Martin, Admiral Sir George, 334
Martinique Island (West Indies), 21,
22
Masignon village (France), 327
Matanzas, Bay of (West Indies), 131,
161
Matrimony, views on, 89
Maxwell (Sir A. Cochrane's secretary),
262
Mayzi, Cape, 266
Melpomene, H.M.S., 272
Mermen and mermaidens, 74
Merry dim, of Dover, 196
Metternich, Prince, 332
Mexico, Bay of, 164
Mexico, Gulf of, 103, 130
Midshipman's commission, wetting a,
165
Miller, Captain, 315
Minotaur, H.M.S., 183
Mississippi, 129
Moniteur, (French newspaper), 319
Montague, Admiral, 35, 223
Montego Bay (Jamaica), 265
Montreuil-sur-jNIer, 308
Moore, Hamilton, Epitovie, 9, 41, 124
Moscow, French soldiers from, 323
Mount Edgcumbe, 188
Mulgrave, Lord, 274
Mutiny, at the Nore, 103 ; on H.M.S.
Herinione, 107 — no
NAroLi:oN, 297, 305, 318, 319, 323,
326, 328 ; his boasts, 88, 280
Neblet, Sally, 262
Negril Point, 172
Negro V. shark, 50
Nelson, Lord, 210, 218
New Providence, 105
Nimrod, cutter, 135
Nore, mutiny at the, 103
OCHRK Bay (Jamaica), 265
Oran Roads (Algeria), 203
Otter, Captain C, 314 — 316; his
letter regarding establishment of
school for midshipmen at Verdun,
339
Oysters, tree-, 174
Paddy Whack, a Black River slave,
172
Palos, Cape (Spain), 209
K.G.
Paris, occupied by the Allies, 328
Park, Mungo, 238
Parker, Captain, 273
Pat's excursion, story of, 190
Pennant, a dog-a-tory, 194
Perceval, Spencer, 304
Pigeon Island, 22
Pigot, Captain (H.M.S. Herinione),
no
Pilchard pie (" star-gazy" pie), 19
Pilot-fish, 17
Pitch, lake of, Trinidad, 263
Pitt, WiUiam, 305
Plymouth, 31, 35, 188, 198,202, 222,
226, 229, 230, 295
Plympton, 226
Point St. Matthew (Brest), 230
Port Royal (Jamaica), 50, 53, 55,
102, 107, 114, 117, 134, 138, 159,
165, 263, 266, 269
Portland Roads, 225
Porto Rico, 88, 95, lOi, 113, 142
Portsmouth, 5, 47
Prescott, General, 10
Presqu' Isle, 75
Pressgang, a scrimmage with the, 63
Prince, H.M.S., 201
Promotion, in Navy, 93, 144
Punch or sherbet ? 205
Quarantine, 198
Quebec, H.M.S., 40
Queen, H.M.S., sunk and raised in
Port Royal Roads, 117, 118
Quimper (France), 195
Raisonable, H.M.S., 52
Rio Pongo River, 253
Rochambeau, General, 29, 335
Rodney, Lady, 262
Rodney, Lord, 262
Rouen, 333
Rowley, Admiral, 269
Royal Sovereigti, H.M.S., 215, 216
Rum, a cask of, 100
Sabhath v. Sunday, iii
Sable, Cape (Nova Scotia), 131
Sailors, their frolics ashore, 31 ; their
generosity, 33 ; their appreciation
of books, 116; their hatred of
hospitals, 119; their trustworthi-
ness, 223
St. Domingo (West Indies), 49, 52,
67, 134
St. Jago, 147, 264
St. Lucie Island (West Indies), 21
St. Maw's, II
AA
346
INDEX.
St. Nicholas, Cape (West Indies), 49.
52, 66, 79, 267
St. Paul's, Cape (West Africa), 246
St. Pierre Dominique (West Indies),
19 ; attack on, 23
St. Vincent, Earl (Sir John Jervis),
21, 228, 230
of French
Salamandre, capture
privateer, 78
Salvador del Mitiido, taken from the
Spaniards, 1S8
Sampson, H.M.S., 49, $2
Santissi/na Z>7«?Vart'rt, Spanish battle-
ship, 216
Saumerez, Captain, 33
Savage, H. M.S., 91
Scurvy, and its treatment, 79> 80
Sea-serpent, yarn of a, 70
Seymour, Lord H., 157
Shark, negro v. , 50
Sheerness, 183, 274, 290
Shipmates, a list of, 40, 127
Sierra Leone, 240 — 251, 259
Skylark, II. M.S., 336
Slateman and Bateman, 195
Slaves, in Jamaica, 140 ; at Sierra
Leone, 261
Slaveship, a, 252 — 256
Spain, peace with, 272
Spanish ships, capture of, 161, 265
Spanish Town, 51
Spartiafe, H.M.S., 201
Spithead, 7, 222, 233
'■ Star gazy " pie (pilchards), 19
Slrachan, Sir Richard, 222, 282, 295
Siiccess, H.M.S., 52
Surgeons, naval, 43
Surprise, H.M.S., 108
Sjirveillaiite, French frigate, 40
Swan Islands, 269
Thorn, H.M.S., 49, 61
Tiberoon (West Indies), 267
Tobago, 262
Tonnant, H.M.S., 202
Tortoises, Panama (chinqua), 271
Tortuga Island (West Indies), 267
Tourenne, General, Governor of Cape
Coast Castle, 244
Trafalgar, Battle of, 211— 219
Trent, H.M.S., 161
Trinidad, 262
Troubridge, Captain, H.M.S. Ton-
nant, 202
Turks' Island (West Indies), 164
Turtle Head sandbank (Jamaica), 117
USHANT, 36, 47, 193, 196, 230
Vache, Isle de, 137
Verde, Cape (Senegambia), 235, 237
Verdun, 314 — 321 ; proposed scheme
for midshipmen's school at, 316, 339
Venerable, H.M.S., 194
Vemis,, H.M.S., 12
Victory, H.M.S., 21 1, 218
Vigo Bay, 194
Villeneuve, Admiral, 219
Volage, H.M.S., 169
Waterspouts, 105
West Africa, 246
West Indies, 18—29, 49—63
Weymouth, 225
White, a signalman at Trafalgar, 217
Wolves, in France, 328
Yellow fever, ravages of, 53—56,
63—65, 264
Yorke, Mr., First Lord of the Ad-
miralty, 276
THE END.
BRADlJURY, AGNEW, & CO. LD., PRINTERS, LONDON AND TONERIDGE.
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