MY BIRTH, PARENTAGE, AND EDUCATION.--MAKE THE ACQUAINTANCE OF TOM
ROCKETS.--SENT TO SEA ON BOARD THE FOLKSTONE CUTTER, ANNO 1764.--
NUMEROUS VOYAGES.--MY FRIENDS AND I APPEAR ON THE QUARTER-DECK OF THE
TORBAY, 74.--JOIN THE FALCON.--MY ONLY DUEL.--ADVENTURES IN THE WEST
INDIES.--THE CARIB WAR.--BOAT CAPSIZED.--FATE OF HER CREW.--APPOINTED TO
THE WOLF.
On the north-east side of the street, about midway between the fish and
flesh markets in the seaport town of Falmouth, and at about the silent
and solemn hour of thirty-six minutes past one by my father's watch, on
the morning of the 28th day of December, of the year of grace 1752, His
Gracious Majesty George the Second being King of Great Britain and
Ireland, (it is necessary in important matters to be particular). I was
introduced with the usual forms and ceremonies into the ancient family
of the Hurrys, as the undoubted child of my father Richard and my mother
Joan, the ninth, and as it subsequently proved, the last of their
promising offspring. On the 29th day of the January following, the
Reverend Edward Walmsley, rector of the parish, baptised me by the names
of Hurricane, with the addition of Tempest, which were selected by my
parents, after numberless consultations, in compliment to my maternal
grand-uncle, Sir Hurricane Tempest, Alderman of Bristol, though it did
not appear from his remark when informed of the occurrence that it was
likely to benefit in the remotest manner from the delicate attention
which had been paid him.
My early days were not remarkable, I got through the complaints incident
to childhood in a manner satisfactory to my mother and the doctor, while
my elder brothers and sisters took very good care that I should not be
spoilt by over-indulgence. My brothers, as they advanced towards
manhood, were sent into various professions, and as none of them had
chosen the sea, it was decided, without my opinion being asked, that I
should be made an offering to Neptune.
That I might be prepared for my future calling, I was sent to reside
with my brother-in-law Jack Hayfield, in the neighbourhood of Bideford,
North Devon, to allow me the vast benefit of attending the school of
worthy Jeremiah Sinclair, kept over the marketplace in that far-famed
maritime town. I still love the recollection of the old place, with its
steep streets, its broad quays, and its bridge of many arches; to my
mind a more picturesque bridge does not exist in all the world, nor,
when the tide is in, a prettier river. On the bosom of that river I
gained my first practical experience of affairs nautical, and many a
trip I made down to Appledore with my schoolfellow Ned Treggellis, in a
boat which, had not a special providence watched over us, would speedily
have consigned us to the muddy bottom of the stream. An oar served us
as a rudder, another as a mast, with a piece of sacking as a sail spread
on a condemned boat-hook, while one of us was constantly employed in
baling out the water which came in through leaks unnumbered--a state of
affairs we had learned to consider normal to our craft.
From Sinclair's school, in order to receive the finishing-touches to my
education, I was removed to old Allen's well-known Mathematical Academy
in Cold Harbour.
It is just possible that I might have reaped some amount of benefit from
the mental provender served out in those nurseries of genius, but
unfortunately for me Jack's appreciation of the advantages of knowledge
was such that he considered the time squandered devoted to its
acquisition. Frequently, therefore, when I was supposed by my good
sister Mary, his wife, to be on my way to school, I had been waylaid by
him, and was employed with another boy in setting springles, marking
woodcocks, or in some other equally intellectual pastime. Whatever I
may now think about the matter, I was then convinced that Brother Jack
was one of the kindest and best fellows in the world; and when I fell
asleep in my chair during the evening, my somnolency was attributed to
the assiduity with which I had applied to my studies during the day. I
have since then had not a little reason to regret honest Jack's
ignorance and my own folly in listening to his persuasions.
My frequent companion on the occasions I have spoken of was Tommy
Rockets, the son of a poor widow who lived near Jack's house. He was
somewhat younger than myself and small for his age, but a sharp,
intelligent little fellow, though amusingly ignorant of affairs in
general. His chief employment was acting the part of a scarecrow by
frightening birds from the cornfields, and running on errands into
Bideford for any of the neighbours, by which means he enabled his mother
to eke out her scanty pittance. I used to share with him my school
pasty, and now and then I saved a piece of bread and cheese, or I would
bring him a cake or a roll from Bideford. He never failed to carry a
portion to his mother, sharp-set as he always was himself. The poor
fellow soon conceived a strong affection for me; and when I was going
off to sea he cried bitterly at the thoughts of parting from me. I also
had a regard for him, and, forgetting how small and young he was, I took
it into my head that I would carry him with me. We were sitting on a
grassy bank under a tree, with a series of undulating hills and the blue
ocean beyond, when I broached the subject.
"Would'st like to come to sea with me, Tom?" said I broadly.
"What, to them furrin parts across the water?" he asked, pointing
seaward with his chin. "No; I'd bee afeared, Master Hurricane, I would.
What makes you go now?"
"To fight the Frenchmen, of course," I replied. "It's peace just now,
they say, though I thought we were always at war with the French; but it
won't last long, that's one comfort."
"Well, now, I'd rather stay at home with mother than go and fight the
furriners--that I would," said Tommy, with much simplicity.
"Oh, you've no spirit, boy!" I replied, with a look of contempt.
"Wouldn't you like, now, to be sailing round the world with Commodore
Byron, who'll fill his ships with rubies, and pearls, and gold, and
precious stones, and all sorts of things. Why, Tommy, you would come
back with more riches in your waistcoat-pocket than you ever thought to
possess in your life."
Tommy's eyes sparkled as I spoke. "What, enough to make my mother a
lady!" he exclaimed. "Well, then, Master Hurricane, if so be you can
take me to them parts, when I'm big enough I'll go with ye."
"Well, we'll see about it," said I, with a patronising air; "but it is
not all gold-picking, remember. There's plenty of fighting and
prize-taking besides. You've heard speak of Admiral Hawke?"
"No," said Tommy, "I ne'er did."
"I'd have given my right hand to have been with him when he beat the
French in Quiberon Bay. That was a glorious day for old England, let me
tell you." I was able to expatiate on the subject, as the last time I
was at home my father read me a full account of the battle which took
place in 1759, the year preceding the death of his Majesty George the
Second, and about five years before the time of which I am now speaking.
It was the most memorable action of my early days. The French fleet
was commanded by Monsieur de Conflans, whom a short time before a
violent gale had compelled to take shelter in Brest harbour, while the
English had anchored in Torbay. The two fleets were about equal. After
cruising for some time the enemy again took shelter in Quiberon Bay, on
the coast of Bretagne, in France, where they were pursued by the
English. A strong gale had sprung up and a heavy sea was running, but,
undaunted, the brave Hawke stood on. The Frenchmen hoped to lead his
fleet to destruction among the rocks and shoals of that dangerous coast.
Unwilling to fight, yet too late to escape, the French admiral, when he
saw the English approach, was compelled to make sail. Hawke pursued
them and ordered his pilots to lay him alongside the Soleil Royal, which
bore the flag of the French admiral. The Thesee, a seventy-four-gun
ship, ran between them, and a heavy sea entering her ports, she
foundered. The Superbe, another Frenchman, shared the same fate.
Several other French ships struck their colours; many were driven on
shore, among which was the flag-ship, which was set on fire and
destroyed. A great number of the French were killed, but the English
lost only one lieutenant and thirty-nine men killed, and about two
hundred wounded. But I must not stop to describe the gallant actions
which occurred during my boyhood. Lord Anson, one of the most
experienced of navigators, died two years only before I went to sea.
Captain Byron sailed that same memorable year, when my country first had
the benefit of my services, on his voyage of discovery into the pacific,
and returned in 1766. Captains Wallis and Carteret sailed on exploring
voyages at the same time. I happened to have heard of Mr Cook, but it
was not till many years after this that he became known to fame as one
of the most talented and scientific of English navigators; indeed, he
did not return from his great voyage till eleven years after this. He
lost his life in his last voyage in 1779.
A number of gallant actions were fought at the end of the war,
sufficient to fire the ardour of any youth of spirit to whom they were
recounted. Captain Hood's capture of the Warwick, a sixty-gun ship,
which had been taken from the English, was one of the most celebrated.
At this time, however, she carried but thirty-six guns, with 300 men,
including a company of soldiers. Captain Hood attacked her in the
Minerva frigate of thirty-two guns and 220 men, and after an hour's
fight, with a heavy sea running, both ships having lost their masts, he
captured her and took her to Spithead. A still more remarkable action
was that of the Bellona and Brilliant, Captains Faulkner and Loggie, and
a French ship of the line and two heavy frigates, which resulted in the
capture of the first and the flight of the latter. There were also
numerous actions fought between packets and privateers, and other small
craft, with the enemy, which seldom failed to add to the honour and
glory of our country. Though ignorant of other lore, I greedily
devoured all the accounts I could find of these events, and having once
made up my mind that the sea was to be my profession, I resolved, when
opportunities should occur, to imitate them to the best of my power.
But to return to my friend Tommy. Just before I sailed I went to pay
his mother a visit. I found the widow sitting, as was her wont,
knitting at her window, waiting for her son's return. I went not
empty-handed, for besides my pasty, which I had saved, I had bought a
loaf and a lump of cheese and a bundle of lollipops at Bideford. First
presenting her with these treasures and emptying my pockets of the very
small amount of cash they contained, I opened the business I had at
heart. Poor Mrs Rockets burst into tears when I asked her to let her
Tommy go to sea with me.
"Oh, Master Hurricane!" said she, "I feel all your kindness to a poor
creature like me and my boy, and I would not deny you anything, but, oh,
sir, he is my only child, my only comfort in life, and I cannot part
with him!"
All the arguments I could use and the brilliant hopes I held out were of
no avail for a long time, till at last, with a sad voice, she consented,
when he grew bigger, should he then show a strong wish to go to sea, to
allow him to accompany me.
I met Tommy on my way home and told him that he must make haste and grow
big that he might go to sea and fill his pockets with pearls and
diamonds for his widowed mother. In many a dream which I had thus
conjured up, both by day and night, did the poor lad indulge as he was
scaring off the crows in the fields or lying on his humble pallet in his
thatched-roof hut near Bideford.
It was at Whitsuntide of the year 1764, I then numbering eleven summers,
that I was placed on the books of the Folkstone cutter, commanded by a
particular friend of my father's, Lieutenant Clover; the amount of
learning I possessed on quitting school just enabling me to read a
chapter in the Bible to my old blind grandmother (on my mother's side),
who lived with us, and to tell my father how many times a coachwheel of
any diameter would turn round in going to Penryn. Having received my
father's and mother's blessing and a sea-chest, which contained a
somewhat scanty supply of clothes, a concise epitome of navigation, an
English dictionary, and my grandmother's Bible--the only gift of value
the kind old lady had it in her power to bestow--I was launched forth
into the wide world to take my chance with the bustling, hard-hearted
crowd which fills it. I was speedily removed from the cutter into his
Majesty's packet the Duncannon, Captain Charles Edwards, in which vessel
I crossed the Atlantic for the first time; and after visiting Madeira
and several of the West India Islands I returned to Falmouth on the eve
of Christmas, 1767. I next joined the Duke of York, Captain Dickenson,
in which vessel I made no less than sixteen voyages to Lisbon. As,
however, I had grown very weary of the packet service, I was not sorry
to be paid off and to return once more home, if not with a fuller purse,
at all events, a better sailor than when I left it. I was not long
allowed to enjoy the luxury of idleness before my father got me
appointed to the Torbay, seventy-four, commanded by Captain Walls, who
was considered one of the smartest officers in the service, and I was
taught to expect a very different sort of life to that which I had been
accustomed to in the slow-going packet service. There were several
youngsters from the neighbourhood of Falmouth, who had never before been
to sea, who were appointed to the same ship. One of them, my old
messmate poor Dick Martingall, used to speak of the unsophisticated joy
with which his old mother, in her happy simplicity, announced to him the
fact of his appointment. She came to his bedside long before the usual
hour of rising and awoke him.
"Richard, my dear son, Richard!" she said; "get up, thou art made for
ever!"
"What am I made, mother?" he asked with astonishment, rubbing his eyes,
which were still full of sleep.
"Oh, my boy, my dear boy!" replied the good lady, her countenance
beaming with satisfaction, "thou art made a midshipman!"
Alas! little did his poor old mother dream of the sea of troubles into
which her darling boy was about to be launched, what hardships and
difficulties he was doomed to encounter, "the snubs that patient raids
from their superiors take," or she would not have congratulated herself
on the event, or supposed that by his being made a midshipman he was
made for ever. Yet in his case it was so far true, poor fellow, that he
was never made anything else, as he was carried out of the world by
fever before he had gained a higher step in rank.
The tailors in Falmouth and its neighbourhood who were employed in
fitting us out were delightfully innocent of all notion of what a
midshipman's uniform should really be, and each one seemed to fancy that
he was at liberty to give full scope to the exuberance of his taste.
Their models might have been taken from the days of Benbow, or rather,
perhaps, from the costumes of those groups who go about disguised at
Christmas-time enacting plays in the halls of the gentry and nobility,
and are called by us west-country folks "geese-dancers." As we met on
board the cutter which was to carry us to Plymouth we were not, I will
allow, altogether satisfied with our personal appearance, and still less
so when we stepped on the quarter-deck of the seventy-four, commanded by
one of the proudest, most punctilious men in the service, surrounded by
a body of well-dressed, dashing-looking officers.
Tom Peard first advanced, as chief and oldest of our gang, with a
bob-wig on his head surmounted by a high hat bound by narrow gold lace,
white lapels to his coat, a white waistcoat, and light-blue
inexpressibles with midshipman's buttons. By his side hung a large
brass-mounted hanger, while his legs were encased in a huge pair of
waterproof boots. I followed next, habited in a coat all sides radius,
as old Allen would have said, the skirt actually sweeping the deck, and
so wide that it would button down to the very bottom. My white cuffs
reached half way up the arm to the elbow; my waistcoat, which was of the
same snowy hue, reached to my knees, but was fortunately concealed from
sight by the ample folds of my coat, as were also my smallclothes. I
had on white thread stockings, high shoes and buckles, and a plain
cocked hat--a prodigiously long silver-handled sword completing my
costume.
Dick Martingall's and Tom Paynter's dresses wore not much less out of
order, giving them more the appearance of gentlemen of the highway than
of naval officers of respectability. One had a large brass-mounted
sword once belonging to his great-grandfather, a trooper in the army of
the Prince of Orange; the other, a green-handled hanger, which had done
service with Sir Cloudesley Shovel.
Often have I seen a set of geese-dancers compelled to make a hurried
flight before the hot poker of some irate housekeeper disturbed in her
culinary operations, and much in the same way did we four aspirants for
naval honours beat a precipitate retreat from the deck of the Torbay as,
with a stamp of his foot, our future captain ordered us to be gone and
instantly to get cut down and reduced into ordinary proportions by the
Plymouth tailors.
As may be supposed, the operation was almost beyond the skill of even
the most experienced master of the shears, and we were all of us
compelled, much to our dismay, to furnish ourselves for the most part
with new suits. On our return on board, however, we were complimented
on our appearance; and as our tailor agreed to receive payment from our
first instalment of prize-money, we were perfectly content with the
arrangement.
After spending a few months in channel cruising--the Torbay being
ordered to lay as guard-ship at Plymouth--such a life not suiting my
fancy, I quitted her and joined his Majesty's sloop of war Falcon,
captain Cuthbert Baines, fitting out for the West India station.
As in those days I kept no regular journal, I have only a few scattered
notes written in an old log-book to guide me in my account of the events
of that period of my career. A few are still vivid in my memory as when
they first occurred, but many have escaped me altogether, or appear like
the fleeting phantoms of a dream of which it is impossible to describe
the details. I must therefore be allowed to pass rapidly over that
early portion of my naval life and go on to the time when I had passed
my examination for a lieutenant's commission and trod the quarter-deck
as a master's mate.
On the Falcon's leaving Portsmouth we touched at Falmouth or our way
down channel, when I had the opportunity of taking leave of my family--
with some of them, alas! it was an eternal farewell. This is one of the
seaman's severest trials; he knows from sad experience that of the many
smiling faces he sees collected round the domestic hearth some will too
surely be missing on his return, wanderers, like himself, far, far away,
or gone to their final resting-place.
We made a stay of a few days at Madeira, and without any occurrence
worthy of note reached English Harbour, Antigua, October 21st, 1771,
where we found lying several ships of war under the flag of Rear-Admiral
Mann.
I have not hitherto mentioned the names of my messmates. Among others,
there were William Wilkins, John Motto, Israel Pellew [see note], and
Alexander Dick. We were a jovial set and generally pulled well
together; but on one occasion the apple of discord was thrown in among
us, and Alexander Dick, the surgeon's mate, and I fell to loggerheads in
consequence of some reflections I thoughtlessly cast on the land of his
nativity--to the effect, as far as my recollection serves me, that
nothing better was to be found there as food for the people than sheeps'
heads and boiled bagpipes; to which he retorted by asserting that we
west-country folks were little better than heathens and had no more
manners than blackamoors. As neither of us would retract what we had
said, it was decided that our dispute could alone be settled by mortal
combat. Pistols, we were aware, were the most gentlemanly weapons to be
employed on such occasions; but we found that it would be impossible to
obtain them in a hurry without to a certainty betraying our intentions.
It was therefore settled by our seconds and ourselves that we should
decide the knotty question with our hangers as soon as we could manage
to get on shore after reaching port. All four of us therefore, having
got leave the morning after our arrival, left the ship soon after
daybreak in a shore-boat and pulled off to a retired part of the
harbour. Here we landed, and telling our black boatmen to wait our
return, we walked away arm-in-arm to a spot where we thought no one
would observe us. Having thrown off our coats and tucked up our
shirt-sleeves, the word was given, and, drawing our hangers, we advanced
towards each other with furious passes, as if nothing but the death of
one of us could satisfy the rancour of our enmity, and yet at that very
moment I believe neither of us recollected the origin of our quarrel.
Dick first gave me a cut on the shoulder, which so excited my fury that
I was not long in returning the compliment by bestowing a slash across
his arm, which made him wince not a little, but before I could follow it
up he had recovered his guard. In a moment I was at him again, and as
we were neither of us great masters of the noble art of self-defence, we
kept hewing and slashing away at each other in a most unscientific
manner for several minutes, till we were both of us covered with gashes
from head to foot, and the blood was flowing copiously down into our
very shoes. At last, from very weariness and loss of blood, we dropped
the points of our swords as if by mutual consent. Our seconds now
stepped forward.
"Hurry, my good fellow," said my second, "one thing I see clearly. This
matter cannot be settled satisfactorily with cold steel--it's too much
like the custom of piccarooners. We must wait till we can get hold of
pistols, and arrange the affair in a gentlemanly way. That's my
opinion, and I daresay you and Mr Dick will agree with me." In honest
truth, both my antagonist and I were in such a condition that we were
perfectly ready to agree to any arrangement which would prevent the
necessity of continuing the painful operation we had both been
inflicting on each other. All four of us therefore sat down on the
sands, and Dick, pulling out some lint and bandages from his pockets,
our seconds, under his directions, bound up our wounds. When this at
length was done we found it, however, impossible to get on our coats
again. We were therefore obliged to carry them over our shoulders as we
walked to the boats. When the Negro boatmen saw our pale faces and
halting gait, as with difficulty we stepped into the boat, they grinned
from ear to ear, full well guessing what had occurred, and doubtlessly
thinking, as will, I suspect, my readers, that we were very great fools
for our pains. Ay, truly we were far worse than fools, for in obedience
to the customs of sinful men we had been disobeying the laws of God, and
committing a very great crime as well as a very great folly, but we did
not think so then, nor did I till very many years afterwards.
Our intentions had not been kept so secret but that they had become
known on board, and, our appearance on our return fully corroborating
the truth of the reports which had been going about, we were put under
arrest by Captain Baines, who then sent for us, to know the cause of our
quarrel. We explained it as well as we could; but, as may be supposed,
we neither of us had a very good case to make out. "Well, gentlemen,"
said our commander, "this is a point I do not wish to decide myself, but
I shall leave it to the arbitration of the gun-room officers, and to
their decision you must bow." The next day, therefore, the gun-room
officers held a court, and, feeling very stiff and very sore, and
looking, I doubt not, very foolish--though we did our best to appear
like heroes--we stood before them. Having both of us pleaded our cause,
it was decided that we had no business to use the language we had
employed, and that we were both in the wrong. We were in consequence
ordered to shake hands, and be friends, or else to look out for squalls.
Had we possessed more sense, this we might have done before we had cut
each other half to pieces, not to speak of spoiling a shirt and a pair
of breeches apiece. Thus ended the first and only duel in which I was
ever engaged, and Dick and I from that time forward became very good
friends.
About this time, some serious disputes having arisen with the Caribs of
Saint Vincent, who had become very troublesome to the settlers, the
British Government formed the design of removing them altogether from
the island and of placing them on some part of the mainland, where they
might enjoy their own manner of life without interfering with civilised
people. To effect this object an expedition was sent to the island
under the command of Major-General Dalrymple, consisting of two
regiments from America and various bodies of troops collected from the
other islands and from on board all his Majesty's ships of war on the
station. At this distance of time of course I cannot pretend to be able
to give any minute description of the details of the affair. I know
that there were some gentlemen who acted as commissioners who went on
shore to try and arrange matters with the Caribs; but the savages, after
agreeing to terms, not showing any intention to abide by them, the
troops were ordered to land. It was very easy to give the order, but
not so easy to execute it, for at the time there happened to be an
unusually heavy surf breaking on the shore. It would have been wiser in
my humble opinion to have waited till the surf had gone down, or to have
selected some other spot for disembarkation to that fixed on; but,
strange to say, the authorities did not happen to ask my opinion,
simply, I suppose, because I was a midshipman, and the landing
commenced. The boats, pulled by the seamen and crowded with soldiers,
made for the shore. Some reached it in safety by taking the proper
moment to dash through the surf, but others were not so fortunate. One
boat from our ship had put off; the men in high spirits at the thought
of a brush with the Niggers, as they called the unfortunate Caribs. I
was watching them from the deck as they approached the shore, when a
heavy roller went tumbling in after them. The men saw it coming and
pulled for their lives, but it was too quick for them, and catching the
boat turned her over as if she had been a mere cockleshell. In an
instant some thirty poor fellows were struggling in the surf. Many sunk
at once, others made way for the shore, but they had a remorseless enemy
on the watch for them, and several, with a shriek of agony which reached
almost to the ears of those on board the Falcon, were drawn under by
those monsters of the deep, the voracious sharks. Others, when nearly
touching the sand, were washed out again by the reflux of another roller
following up the first. It was doubly sad, because before it was
possible to send any help to them their fate was sealed. Several other
boats met with a like accident, and before the troops were all landed a
large number both of seamen and soldiers were lost. The survivors
formed on the beach and then advanced rapidly into the country, where
the Caribs were drawn up in strong force to receive them.
The enemy, having the advantage of a knowledge of the country, chose
their own ground for encountering our troops, and, truth to say,
generally had the best of it. I do not wish to enlarge on the subject.
I know that we gained very little honour and glory, but, after losing a
considerable number of men, some from the bullets of the enemy and
others from sunstrokes, the troops were ordered to embark again.
Afterwards we heard that the Caribs were allowed to remain in possession
of their rights. I suspect, however, that they did not retain them for
any long period after this time.
I remember nothing of any particular importance happening to me till
August, 1772, when we were lying in English Harbour, Antigua, in company
with his Majesty's ships Chatham, Sea-horse, and Active. I have good
reason to remember the harbour well. It is small, but very pretty. The
inner part is encircled by hills of various shapes and sizes, the outer
is formed by a rocky ridge, with a fort on it guarding the narrow
entrance. The capital, Saint Johns, is at the other side of the island,
so that we were not able to get there as often as we wished. With
little or no warning one of the most terrific hurricanes I ever
encountered came down upon us, and before we could get our topmasts
housed our masts went by the board, and at the same instant breaking
from our anchors we were all driven on shore together. It was a case in
which seamanship was of no avail, for before we could make any
preparations to avert the evil the catastrophe had occurred. The same
blast levelled with the ground all the stores and houses in the
dockyard, as also the Naval Hospital and all the dwelling-houses and
other buildings which it encountered in its course. Before we could
attempt to heave the ships off we were obliged to clear them of
everything, down to the very kelson, and even then we could not move
them till we applied the most powerful purchases which could be
invented. The Falcon had received so much injury that we were compelled
to heave her down to repair her before she was fit for sea. While this
operation was going forward I had the misfortune to break my right
knee-pan, and for very long it was doubtful whether I should ever again
have the free use of my leg. For sixteen weeks I remained in hospital,
but at length, to my great satisfaction, was pronounced fit for duty.
I was now no longer a mere youngster, and had seen already a
considerable amount of service. Early in 1773 I was appointed
acting-lieutenant of the Falcon by Vice-Admiral Parry, who had
superseded Admiral Mann. I now assumed the lieutenant's uniform and
walked the deck with no little amount of pride, hoping to be confirmed
in my rank when at the expiration of her time on the station my ship
should return to England. The change from a midshipman's berth to the
gun-room was very considerable, and as I shone away in what the
Orlopians term white boot-tops, I was looked upon by them, with no
little amount of envy. I was doomed, however, in this respect to suffer
disappointment. In August, 1774, the Falcon returned home, the captain,
the lieutenant of marines, another midshipman, and myself, being the
only officers on board who had left England in her--the rest having died
or changed into other ships. I must mention the kindness I ever
received from Captain Baines while I remained with him. After I left
the Falcon I served in the Folkstone cutter stationed at Bideford, and
then joined the Wolf sloop of war, Captain Hayward. In the space of a
few months I attended the funerals of his wife, his child, and lastly of
himself. On quitting the Wolf I began what I may look upon as a new era
in my life, and it is therefore a fitting period to commence a fresh
chapter.
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Note. Afterwards Sir Israel Pellew, the brother of the famous Lord
Exmouth.