From the Peace of Amiens (1802) until the commencement of the
second Gallic War--Gambling.
I fortunately remained in the Mediterranean during the whole of the
short peace, which helped on my mid’s time, in the _Renown_ (74), with
Captain John C. White[E], a smart officer. Our worthy and amiable
admiral struck his flag at Minorca, and returned to England, from
whence he was shortly sent, at the request of the Emperor of Russia,
to St. Petersburgh, as ambassador, and gave universal satisfaction.
Indeed, he was fully capable of wielding the sword, using the pen, or
managing the weighty matters of a court.
From Minorca we sailed for Malta--at which place we remained nine
months, without ever going out of it.
The harbour was crowded with men-of-war, and the garrison with troops,
returned from Egypt. I heard of a great deal of gambling taking
place--some duels in consequence, and suicides. Of all vices, gambling
is the worst, for you not only risk your own ruin, but that of your
family also; and a man of honour and principle stands no chance with
black-legs. A person possessed of affluence ought not to gamble,
because he cannot want another’s money, and a poor man that does so,
and plays for a large amount, must be a swindler, knowing that if he
loses he has not the means to pay; he generally, therefore, gives leg
bail for the amount.
Our time passed rather heavily during this long sojourn in one place.
We used, however, to go occasionally in a boat to St. Paul’s Bay, and
have a ride to Florean to see the catacombs, and to Cività Vecchia to
view the handsome church of St. Paul.
A malignant fever broke out in several of the ships, owing, probably,
to the great heat of the weather, when many died: it was something like
the yellow fever, and came on in August and September.
Shortly after this we embarked two companies of artillery, under a
Captain McDonald, and Lieutenants Dougal, Campbell, and Carmichael,
with orders to proceed to Gibraltar, and thence home. Owing to heavy
westerly winds, we had a six weeks’ passage, and found on our arrival
that a most serious disturbance had taken place amongst the troops
in the garrison, which ended in one of the regiments being packed
off to the West Indies. Various causes were assigned for the mutiny,
and amongst others, a too sudden change from a very relaxed state of
discipline to the opposite extreme.
After remaining here a few days, though we had expected to sail the
moment the wind came to the eastward for England, the arrival of
despatches from thence stopped our proceeding.
Napoleon’s plans, by the wisdom and foresight of the Ministry, were
seen through, and orders arrived for the detention of all the ships
of the line (at all serviceable) then in the Mediterranean, instead
of sending them to England. This created a partial murmur amongst the
different crews; but the firmness and strict discipline of our captain
and officers kept our ship’s company perfectly quiet. The crew of the
_Gibraltar_, however, broke out, and two of the unfortunate men were
hanged afterwards in Orestana Bay, Sardinia.
We sailed from the Rock in September, 1802, for Orestana Bay, in
company with the _Dragon_ (74) and _Gibraltar_ (80), and there joined
Rear-Admiral Sir R. Bickerton’s squadron. On our way an accident
occurred, which very nearly sent us back to the Rock a cripple. In the
act of wearing, we ran on board of the old _Gibraltar_. Fortunately, it
was fine weather, as we took her nearly amidships, carried away part
of our cutwater and jib-boom, but did her no damage. It was our fault.
The signal was made to wear together. We were to windward. The _Renown_
answered her helm in a moment. Not so the old _Gibraltar_, she took
longer time, and before she could get out of our way we were on board
of her.
Our time (nearly nine weeks) passed dull enough at this anchorage.
Occasionally we went shooting and fishing. Fish, however, were
scarce--although, had we taken the right method, more perhaps might
have been caught. Plenty of those beautiful large mussels, whose shells
are nearly two feet long, were to be found quite at the head of the
bay in the shallows; also mullet and rock fish; and on the different
shores various kinds of plover, and other wild fowl. But small shot was
so scarce in the squadron, that the feathered tribe were not so much
diminished as they might have been. I recollect one of the lieutenants,
named Jane (now a captain), used to employ me to roll slugs between
pieces of wood to convert them into a kind of round-shot, for which
service he generally took me with him on his shooting excursions.
The inhabitants of these parts are a wild race of beings, and mostly
clothed in black sheep skins, the wool outside.
We left Sardinia in November, and proceeded to Malta for the winter,
and on the 18th of May, 1803, put to sea with the squadron, under Sir
R. Bickerton, Bart., to cruise off Naples, matters having assumed an
hostile appearance at home.
After sailing through the Faro of Messina, when passing near the
island of Stromboli, its volcano broke out in a most beautiful
eruption, which lasted for several months. We had the good fortune
to be becalmed pretty near it for a whole night, which gave us a
magnificent illumination, and at intervals a cloud of fireworks, thrown
from its crater into the air, sent forth a brilliant light. Having
been off deck in my watch, and my quarter and station bills not being
correct and kept in good order, I had four hours of sky-parlour on the
main-royal-cross-trees, which enabled me to have a fine view of the
burning mountain, and of its river of fire, which appeared to run from
its crater into the sea.