accustomed to reef and furl the mizen-topsail. One day, when they were aloft furling sails, the captain thus addressed them from the quarterdeck: "My lords and gentlemen, and you right honourable lubbers on the mizen-topsail-yard, roll that sail up and come down."

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CHAPTER XVII.

Anxieties of Earl St. Vincent after the battle of the 14th FebruaryHis plans for keeping the sailors employed, and diverting their mindsBombardment of Cadiz-Eagerness for blood-Nelson's boat-fight off Cadiz He is sent to Teneriffe-Is unsuccessful, and loses his armRejoins Lord St. Vincent, and returns to England-Fearful crisis for Great Britain-Vast preparations of the enemy in Brest, Cadiz, Carthagena, and Toulon - Earl St. Vincent gains intelligence of their movements-Appointment of Nelson to the command of the squadron -Jealousy of the other officers-Management of Lord St. Vincent in sending away the detachment-Value of insular governments in both hemispheres-Lord St. Vincent retires to Gibraltar - His vigilance -Reasons for keeping his lordship on the station not well foundedCollingwood a victim to the same-Lord St. Vincent's idea of coming at an able commander-in-chief- British admirals often too old to go to sea-Sir Sydney Smith's appointment to the Eastern part of the Mediterranean occasions much jealousy against him-Severe observations made on him by Earl St. Vincent, answered - Letter from Earl St. Vincent to Earl Spencer on the appointment of Sir Sydney Smith-Letter to Mr. Nepean-To the same Prejudices against Sir Sydney Smith - Justification of the government in choosing him -His brilliant services at Acre.

AFTER the brilliant victory of the 14th February, we had the sad reverse of the mutiny The latter, having happily passed away, left our officers better, and our men worse, than they were before it occurred. Under these circumstances, Lord St. Vincent saw what was want

VOL. I.

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ing; he perceived that a fleet lying idle before Cadiz could not be productive of any benefit to the service; yet, to blockade the port effectually, he knew that the ships must lay at anchor. The wear and tear of rope, sails, masts, yards, and hulls of the ships, when kept under weigh, was enormous, and almost incredible. Still the enemy was to be watched and annoyed, and the crews of the British ships were to be excited by some object of enterprise. Cadiz, therefore, the beautiful, the inoffensive town of Cadiz, with its lovely and interesting scenery, was to be made the scape-goat. A bombardment was ordered, and Nelson was to conduct it. The Spanish fleet of ten sail of the line, under Mazerado and Gravina, was quickly warped up the harbour, to avoid the shells of the Thunder and Strombolo bombs.

I take no pleasure in rating the damage which was done on this occasion. I know we were compelled by dire necessity to seek our enemies, and to destroy them; but here, alas, we were destroying our friends; for the Spaniards always esteemed us, although their good opinion was sometimes suspended by the artifice and fraud of our enemies.

This was a period in our history when nothing seemed to satisfy us but the blood of all who were opposed to us. Like the ferocious beasts

of the desert, we seemed to live for that only:

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it occupied even our sleeping thoughts. I will mention a curious instance of this latter. A young officer, whom I knew intimately, was seized on the last step of the ship's side, just as he was going to plunge into the water and into eternity. He was armed and equipped for the fight, but he was fast asleep! Nelson had inspired every one, and every one strove to be Nelsons. The excitement was truly astonishing it was more - it was dreadful. We were no longer christians- we were scarcely men so entirely were we changed by the desperate character of our revolution-bred antagonists.

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Cadiz defended itself nobly. Nelson had a narrow escape of his life; and, from this service, so unbecoming his character, his rank, or his genius, he was soon diverted, by Lord St. Vincent sending him with a detachment to attack the town of Santa Cruz, in the island of Teneriffe. This proved a failure; but it was well planned; and could the ships have brought their broadsides to bear on the town, the result of the attack, on the 21st of July, must have been successful. Unfortunately, this could not be done. The second attack, on the 25th, was giving the enemy too great an advantage over a handful of the bravest men that ever faced a gun. On this occasion, Nelson lost his arm, Bowen his life, and England 250 of those invaluable men. Had the attack succeeded, the

rich cargoes of two galleons, laden with specie, would have rewarded the assailants.

Rejoining his admiral, wounded and desponding, Lord St. Vincent gave Nelson all the consolation of which his condition was susceptible. He immediately afterwards sent him to England in the Seahorse frigate, where, having recovered his health, he lost no time in rejoining his favourite chief off Cadiz. The Vanguard, of 74 guns, commanded by Captain Berry, was prepared to receive Nelson's flag, which he hoisted at Spithead on the 16th of March, 1798, and, in the following month, was again with Earl St. Vincent before Cadiz.

This was a most important and fearful crisis for our country. The mutiny in the British fleet was not extinct; Ireland was in a state of open rebellion; and the French fleet in Brest was constantly sending out its detachments, in ships of the line, frigates, or transports, laden with arms, ammunition, artillery, and troops, intended to aid the rebels. The Spaniards had a strong squadron, if not a fleet, in Cadiz; and in Carthagena they had other ships. At Toulon, also, vast preparations were in a state of forwardness, the ultimate destination of which none but Buonaparte and the executive directory knew any thing about. Lord St. Vincent had early intimation from his correspondents at Naples, that the French were plotting mischief,