Began to blow hard as we made the Scilly Isles, chops of Channel so
rough, landsmen on beam ends. In Bay of Biscay, increased to squally
gale. One entire day in cabin. Great confusion from violence of motion.
Every day afterwards on deck.
_April 26, 1805._--Delightful starlight night. Fleet in compact body
with lights astern; silence only broken by mellowed sea noises. So
happy a time for the feast of thought, that I could not leave deck till
after midnight.
_April 27._--Voyage ten days old. Wrote to my father.
OFF THE COAST OF SPAIN,
BETWEEN CAPE FINISTERRE AND ORTEGAL,
_Sunday, April 27, 1805._
_Calm air, bright sun, and a cheerful prospect of land._
With much satisfaction, my ever dearest Father, I sit in the boat
astern and turn my pen to a usual and most comfortable employment.
I have been so _very ill_ in that Stygian boiling Bay of Biscay,
that I would willingly have given something to boot with my
commission for a “Burgamy pear” or a “Brown Burer.” Nature, I
thought, could not stand it! I knew there was nothing in me to
comply with those violent requisitions! It began to blow hard just
as we made the Scilly Isles, and the winds and waves overcame me in
the murky chops of the Channel. But I will not keep you or myself
longer upon these disagreeable topics, and so will quit them.
I do not suppose that I shall be able to send you this until we
arrive at Gibraltar, but I will add to it from time to time.
Oh, how I long to be roving over those Spanish mountains, and to be
relieved from this constant see-saw.
The coast which we see is very romantic. We are about eighteen
miles from it, and are under strict orders not to land at any
port we may put into, without express permission. So I think it
most likely that officers will not be allowed to go on shore at
Gibraltar.
* * * * *
_Tuesday, April 30._
_Land thirty miles distant._
Since I last sat down we have made about 100 miles. On Sunday we
were hailed by the _Prince_, the ship in which are our other three
comrades--Captain Lefebure (our commandant), Nicholas, and Hoste.
They told us on board the _Prince_ that the Toulon fleet was out,
and being too strong for Sir John Orde, he had put in to Gibraltar,
and that they expected we should put in to Lisbon--a slender
protection!!
We were more than half inclined to credit this, as we believe that
Sir John Orde has not more than five sail, and the French might be
reinforced from Ferrol.
Our convoy is, we think, very inadequate, because the loss of this
little army would be a sad damper to England, particularly from the
nature and quantity of stores, and the six Royal Engineers attached
to it!!!--only the “_Queen_,” the “_Dragon_,” and a “_Bomb_.”
A breeze springing up last night had been preceded by the
appearance of a shoal of porpoises, which took a westerly
direction, and whose novel gambols and beastly black appearances
amused us much.
The _Queen_ made signal to bring up and lay to, which we did all
the night. We supposed that she was waiting for the _Dragon_, who
had left us at mid-day to reconnoitre, and we began to consider how
we should like a French prison.
This morning the _Dragon_ returned, and we suppose all clear, as we
are now on our voyage with a smart breeze.
We see the coast of Portugal very plain, and can distinguish with
the naked eye the buildings immediately on the beach, and with a
glass we discover further into the country, which appears beautiful.
We have met shoals of Portuguese fishing boats, and to-day we have
been much amused with the sight of a sea-monster of immense size.
He frequently gave us very good views of his grand tail, and he
was attended by a foreign suite, inhabitants of the surmounting
element. His tail was forked, and on one side he displayed a jetty
brightness, and on the other a dazzling white. He gave us glimpses
of other parts of his body, which increased our respect for him.
He was, I should think, two miles distant, and yet we saw him
perfectly distinct.
[Illustration]
* * * * *
OFF LISBON ROCK, _May 5, 1805_.
We have had blowing weather from the south, but I stood it
seaman-like this time. The weather now quite calm. The Ordnance
agent is on board. He confirms late reports of the Toulon fleet of
twenty-one sail being out, and that Lord Nelson is after them, but
not, as we thought, off Cadiz, in which case we expected to put
into Lisbon. What they may do I fear! Lord Nelson has but ten. Is
he to strive with impossibilities and get the better of them?
The Admiral sending despatches to England, I seize the opportunity.
God for ever with his blessings surround us in one happy circle....
Adieu. We soon shall meet again.