We were grieved to hear that Nelson, whom I have more than once
referred to as an able helmsman, fell from a boat in the harbor of
New York a short time after we arrived, and was drowned. The report
which we received of the event conveyed an intimation that he had been
drinking too freely. He certainly had marks of genius, showing itself
in the way in which he made the ship toss the waves from the bows. It
was a pleasure, when he was steering, to go forward and climb into
the knight heads, and lean over and feel by the way in which the ship
went through the water that Nelson was driving her. To be there was
as pleasurable as it ever can be to any one to sit by the side of Mr.
Bonner, with a cigar in one’s mouth, while he is driving “Fashion.” A
great swell coming toward you, looking every moment as though it would
overflow the deck, Nelson sees, draws in his nigh rein, runs the ship
into it as though he would say, Why leap ye, ye high hills? for now
he is on the top of one of them and not a drop has reached the deck;
though they are the mighty waves of the sea he seems to sport with
them. He fell by strong drink; the great wave overtook him which has
engulphed so many; he died ignobly in smooth water, not in battle, hand
to hand with a tempest.