heard, ordering anchors to be cast out from the Cæsar's stern. This evidently relieved the ship, and her safety depended entirely upon her cables, which did faithful service until daylight, when the wind got round and the gale died away.

CHAPTER VIII.

Operations at Sea in 1809-Basque Roads-Destruction of Three French Frigates-The Scape-goat-Mr. Congreve in Action with his RocketsNight Attack of Explosion Vessels and Fireships-French Squadron Driven on Shore-The Cæsar aground-Intrepidity of Lord Cochrane Marred by the Nervousness of Admiral Lord Gambier-Napoleon's Opinion of this Channel Commander-in-Chief-Court-martial on a Lord of the Admiralty-Sir Arthur Wellesley prevented reaping the fruits of the Battle of Vimeira-Spanish Bravoes catching a French Tartar.

A.D. 1809.

THE operations of Great Britain were, in 1809, as usual, prosperous at sea; and the French fleet, consisting of eight sail of the line and some frigates, was blocked up in Brest harbour by Lord Gambier, commander-in-chief in the channel. In the beginning of February, the latter having been compelled to quit his station on account of the continued prevalency of westerly winds, Rear-Admiral Villaumez seized that opportunity and effected his escape. The French ships passing within Belle Isle, were discovered on the 23rd by the look-out frigate of Rear - Admiral Stopford's squadron, consisting of the Cæsar, 80, (Captain Rich

ardson,) bearing the flag of Admiral Stopford, who had succeeded Sir Richard Strachan; the Defiance, 74; and Donegal, 74. A flight of rockets soon conveyed the intelligence to Stopford, who got under weigh; and at daylight, on the 24th, the French were seen entering Basque roads, where they were joined by four sail of the line and two frigates.

Three frigates, being completely cut off, steered for the Sables d'Olonne, and came to anchor, in line of battle, close under the powerful batteries of the town. At ten the British ships stood towards the former, in the following order: - Cæsar, Defiance, Donegal, and Amelia, 38, and opened their broadsides within six hundred yards. In return they received the fire of the three frigates, as well as the heavy batteries on shore, which kept up an incessant cannonade on the English. In about an hour, unable to withstand the destructive fire of their opponents, the Italienne and Cybele cut their cables and ran on shore, and the Calypso drove on the beach, stern foremost. The ebb tide making, and the water falling fast, the admiral at noon was compelled to signal his ships to stand out, as the British squadron were not able to remain any longer to finish the business. The three frigates having taken ground at high water, could not be got off, and were consequently wrecked.

Not deeming themselves safe in Basque roads, the

French removed higher up in Aix roads, where they anchored in such a manner as to afford mutual support, and at the same time be under the guns of their own forts. If they found themselves overpowered here by the assault of the British, they had the entrance of the river Charente open to them, into which they might escape. The British admiral blockaded the enemy for many weeks; and as the hostile fleets lay within sight of each other, the sailors on both sides tried to annoy their opponents in every possible way. The French, hearing that the English had no fresh meat, placed a large billy-goat in an open boat, and, when the tide was favorable, it was carried into the midst of Stopford's squadron. The animal was fastened in a sitting posture, on the stern of the craft, and to his shaggy beard was affixed this lable: "A present of roast beef to John Bull." This jest called forth the ingenuity of the tars to retaliate upon their obliging friends with a better joke, in which the poor goat had again to take a prominent part.

The French had a common expression amongst themselves of "bah!" when they quarrelled, or were excited in conversation. In consequence of this, our seamen applied the exclamation as a nickname, shouting out "bah!" whenever they saw or met a Frenchman. They determined, therefore, that the goat should be their herald, and proclaim aloft, to the assembled foe,