From the commencement of second Gallic War until the Battle of
Trafalgar, 1805; with Anecdotes.
Whilst off Naples official notice reached us of the declaration of war
against France, and we proceeded immediately off Toulon, where, in the
course of a short time, Lord Nelson arrived in a frigate, and took the
command of the fleet in the Mediterranean. His lordship’s flagship (the
_Victory_) joined us in a few weeks, having on her passage out captured
a French frigate, and some merchant vessels. We continued to cruise
in the Gulf of Lyons from June, 1803, until the 24th of July, 1804,
without ever going into any port to refit. It is true that occasionally
the whole fleet ran from the heavy gales of the Gulf of Lyons, and
took shelter in various outlandish places in Sardinia, where we could
get wood and water, such as at Agincourt Sound--amongst the Magdalen
islands--in the Straits of Bonifacio (a most beautiful anchorage,
sheltered from all winds); but the shores and country around are the
picture of desolation--no town--no trees of any size--rocks upon rocks,
and the stunted bushes of the wild myrtle and arbutus merely sufficient
for the purposes of fuel. There was a small village seven or eight
miles off, at one of the Magdalen islands, where some few got their
linen washed, but most of us in the fleet were put to our shifts to get
that necessary comfort (clean linen) accomplished.
These long cruises used to put our wits sadly to the test for
an appearance of a bit of white linen above our black cravats,
particularly when we had to answer the signal for a midshipman on board
the flagship.
Soap was almost--indeed, I might say, quite--as scarce an article as
clean shirts and stockings. It was a common thing in those days of real
hard service to turn shirts and stockings inside out, and make them do
a little more duty. Sometimes we used to search the clothes-bag to see
“if one good turn deserved another.” These expedients, added to reefed
stockings, made us appear sufficiently dandified to go and answer the
signal. Borrowing those articles that had been washed on shore--if such
a thing was left amongst one of us--was quite out of the question, for
we knew the day of repayment was very far off.
The island of Sardinia affords several good anchorages for fleets and
squadrons in particular winds: Orestana Bay, St. Peter, St. Antonio,
Cagliari, from the south-west to the south side, and Terra Nova Bay
on the north-east; besides many others for single or few ships. Porto
Conti, for instance, on the north-west part of the island, is a very
safe one. Our noble and gallant chief used to manage to get us fresh
beef twice a week--that is to say, so many live bullocks were embarked
on board each ship, and we killed them as we wanted them--by which
means, with the assistance of oranges that were procured occasionally,
few cases of scurvy occurred in the fleet, notwithstanding our long
stay at sea. But as for articles of luxury--tea, potatoes, soap, and
other sea stores for our messes--we had none.
The inhabitants of Sardinia were as wild as their country; the
mountaineers and lowlanders generally were engaged in a kind of petty
war with each other. Both parties always went armed, and murders
frequently took place. At one of the anchorages in the straits, another
mid and myself were attending a watering party--one of these fellows
rode down with a bag of cheese, made of goat’s or sheep’s milk, for
sale; he was armed with a long gun and pistols, and we had no firearms
with us. Some dispute in the bargaining, for the want of understanding
each other’s language, arose; the Sard, very coolly mounted his horse,
and taking up his cheeses, rode off a short distance, and fired at
us; the ball passed through the sleeve of the mate’s coat, and near
my head; he then galloped off, reloaded his gun, rode up, and gave us
another shot, but luckily without injury.
A midshipman of the _Victory_ was killed by these fellows a short time
afterwards in consequence of some dispute about the hiring of a horse
that had been brought down by these wild folks to the beach. The poor
mid, anxious for a ride, gave the rascal a dollar, mounted the horse,
and rode backwards and forwards for an hour on or near the beach.
The Sardinian wanted his horse, the other thought he had not had his
dollar’s worth of riding, and a warm dispute ensuing, the Sard most
deliberately shot at him with his gun, and broke his arm, so close
up that it was necessary to take it out of the socket. He bore the
operation well, poor fellow, but a fever afterwards came on, which
carried him off. Lord Nelson tried to get satisfaction, but in a wild
country like this, without law or justice, it was found impossible.
The offender made his escape to the mountains, and nothing further was
heard of him.
Shooting parties occasionally took place, but, not having dogs, the
sportsmen were seldom rewarded. Although some kinds of game were
numerous, and flocks of blue pigeons, to the amount of thousands
together, were seen, few were brought on board, for no person dared
follow them far for fear of the wind changing, when we knew the fleet
would sail immediately to regain our station. Previous to the Spanish
war we were sent by his lordship, in the _Renown_, to the Bay of Rosas,
in Catalonia, to procure bullocks and oranges for the fleet, where we
remained long enough to have our clothes washed--a luxury we stood much
in need of.
Our long cruise of near fourteen months off Toulon, amidst nothing but
gales of wind, and heavy storms of most terrific thunder and lightning,
met with no reward in the shape of prize-money.
One man-of-war schooner, of 12 guns, called the _Renard_, and
half-a-dozen small French vessels, were the only captures made by
the fleet during the above period; these, with the exception of
the schooner, not being worth sending into port, were destroyed. A
lieutenant of the _Renown_, and myself, went to Malta in the _Renard_,
and shortly after rejoined our ship off Toulon, in the _Narcissus_
frigate.
One of the marine officers had a monkey on board, who used to amuse us
with his gambols; but was rather fond of biting, for which he received
occasionally a beating from us youngsters. This brought on a coolness
between his master and us, and led at last to open war.
A cabal was formed to get Jacko a licking from his own master, by
letting him loose from his chain in the marine officer’s cabin, that he
might do some mischief; and the time chosen was when his best clothes
were put out ready for him to dine with the captain.
We knew F. was invited that day, because we had seen the captain’s
steward ask him, and his own servant go into the marine officer’s berth
(he had one in the gun-room, on the lower-deck, where we messed), and
lay out his best coat, epaulet, white trousers, etc.; and after making
all other preparations necessary for the toilet, leave the cabin, lock
the door, put the key in his pocket, and go away.
Now was the time for action. A mid of the name of O., the leader of
all mischief, undertook to get into the cabin through the lower-deck
port, by going on deck, then into the mizen chains, and from thence by
a rope’s end made fast under his arms. We let him down through the port
on the lower-deck into the cabin, and he untied the monkey. This being
done, we returned into the gun-room, and peeped through the key-hole
and cracks to see Jacko’s manœuvres.
After jumping about and chattering to himself for some little time, he
commenced operations. Unfortunately for his owner, he found a bottle
of ink, which he let fall, and it broke in pieces, splashing the ink
on the deck. The monkey was now in his glory; he seized upon the new
red coat and epaulet, and began mopping up the wet, then chattering
to himself, jumping about and appearing to feel quite delighted with
his performance, particularly when he saw the marks of his hands and
feet, stained with black, upon the red uniform. Not contented with his
exploits on the coat, he lugged down the pair of smart inexpressibles,
that looked so temptingly white, hanging over the chair, and finished
the housemaid’s work by wiping up the remainder of the ink with them.
This feat having been done, we thought we had seen enough, and went
most innocently to give information to the lieutenant of Marines, and
his servant, that Jacko was loose in the cabin, and, we were afraid,
was after some mischief, for we heard something break, and by peeping
through the key-hole, saw he had his master’s coat on the deck, and
dragging it about.
Down ran the poor marine officer, calling his servant to bring the
key. The moment the door was opened, the first glance showed the
havoc committed on the dinner dress. Jacko, perceiving his frolic was
over, retreated into his cage, from whence he was dragged to get a
good beating. The poor servant was scolded because the monkey had got
loose, who very truly said it was tied up safe when he left the cabin.
The officer swore, stamped, and raved like a madman. His dress was so
completely messed for the day, he could not dine with the captain;
and we innocent young rascals stood looking very demure, and condoling
with him on his misfortune, all the time laughing in our sleeves at the
trick we had played. We had paid off the master and monkey, who between
the two had got us sent to the mast-head occasionally for being saucy
to the marine officer, because we did not like being bitten, without
licking Jacko for it.
A reward was offered to find out who let it loose, that F. might make
the person or persons pay the damage; but it was never found out, and
on the earliest opportunity the monkey was sent out of the ship, on
board a merchant vessel we fell in with, bound to Malta, his master
having had quite enough of monkey tricks.
A ship of the line, the _Kent_ (74), Captain Pulteney Malcolm, having
been kept in the Bay of Naples to attend the royal family there, in
case of their being obliged to go to Palermo, to avoid falling into the
hands of the French, the _Renown_ was sent to relieve her. The _Kent_
was ordered home in consequence of being leaky, and very much out of
repair. Captain J. C. White wishing to return home, exchanged into the
_Kent_ with Captain Pulteney Malcolm; he took several of the midshipmen
with him, and myself amongst the number. We remained ten days at
Naples, which were employed by the captain in seeing everything worth
observation, and he was so kind as to take another youngster and myself
with him.
After the above period, we left Naples for the Bay of Salerno, at which
place we embarked a large supply of cattle and vegetables for our
fleet off Toulon. On joining them, we found our ship very weak, and
her timbers, from the looseness of several bolts, working very much,
and causing her to make a good deal of water,--in fine weather from
six to eight inches per hour, and in bad weather two feet, which kept
increasing to nearly four,--until our arrival in England.
After having given the bullocks to the ships, we proceeded to
Gibraltar, and from thence to Cadiz, where we took on board a million
and sixty thousand dollars. We anchored near a handsome French
seventy-four and frigate; the former, called _L’Aigle_, the name of the
other I forget. Whenever we passed near them, some of their crew would
abuse us; we told them to come outside, and see how soon we would take
the change out of them; but they stood too much in awe of a British
seventy-four, although we had such a tempting cargo to urge them to the
risk.
At this period, four of our frigates, under Sir Graham Moore, were
cruising off Cape St. Vincent to intercept the four Spanish frigates,
loaded with treasure, expected home. We spoke our ships off there, and
a few days afterwards they fell in with the Spaniards, took three, and
the unfortunate fourth blew up in the action with all her crew.
I always did think, and my opinion has never changed, that it was a
cruel thing to send only four frigates to detain four others, when
by increasing the force by two or three line-of-battle ships, this
might have been effected without loss of blood, or honour to the
Spaniards. If it was necessary to detain these vessels and treasure
from political motives, in order to make the king of Spain declare his
equivocal conduct, it would have been humane to have sent such a force
as would have put resistance out of the question; for what man, who was
not a traitor, could yield without fighting (and with such a valuable
cargo on board), to a force, in all appearance, not greater than his
own. It was an untoward event. After a long passage, we at length
arrived at Spithead, the ship in a very leaky, weak state. Having
landed the money, we left Portsmouth the end of October for Chatham, at
which place the ship was paid off.
Our old parson was a “rum” subject; after trying all other mess places,
he got old Pipes, the boatswain, to take him into his. They agreed
very well for a little time; but one unfortunate day, the evil genius
of poor old Fritz prevailed, for Pipes coming down rather unexpectedly
to his cabin in the fore cock-pit to get a glass of grog, having got
wet when the hands were turned up reefing topsails, he found the
parson helping himself rather too freely out of his liquor-case. This
was a crime Mr. Boatswain could not put up with. A breach immediately
ensued, and an instant dismissal from his berth took place, with the
exclamation of, “The parson is such a black; I cannot allow him to mess
with me any longer.” After this occurrence, the captain interfered, and
he again messed in his proper place with the officers in the wardroom.
And I recollect one Sunday morning before church-time, the old fellow
came into our berth, and with his hand to his stomach, began: “Oh!
my dear fellow, I feel so poorly, I do not know what to do, or how
I shall get through the service.” “What is the matter, Mr. F.?” I
enquired. “Oh! I feel such a pain.” I knew what he wanted, so I went to
the locker, took out the rum bottle, and gave a good boatswain’s glass
of grog (three parts spirits, and one water). He told me I had saved
his life, and that now he could preach very well. “Come, sir,” said I,
“take a north-wester to wash the other down,” which he did. The service
commenced soon after, and he performed it admirably.
He was a clever, facetious, and kind-hearted person; and I believe it
was money matters that drove him, poor man! to the bottle; he died
sometime after on shore. He used to tell us boys: “My dear fellows, do
as I say, and not as I do.”
Not having been in England for four years, and my brother being
encamped on Coxheath, I got permission, previous to the ship being paid
off, to go and see him. Nothing would serve me but a ride on horseback.
I was dressed out very smart in white visibles--not invisibles, as
the ladies call them--although it appears the fashion of the day to
show they wear trousers, _whose scientific, Oriental name, by-the-bye,
is fatimas_. To the young ladies I have a pretty little anecdote to
relate. I knew a very gallant officer who fell deeply in love with a
lady merely from handing her into a carriage. The moment she put her
pretty feet upon the carriage steps he was pierced by Cupid’s arrows.
He dreamed of them all night; thought of them when he awoke in the
morning; he could not drive them from his imagination during the day.
The pretty feet again appeared before his fancy when asleep the next
night, and the third day found him prostrate before them, acknowledging
their beauty, and supplicating that he might call them his own. He was
accepted. Were this not an “olla”--which means in Spanish something of
all sorts--I should not have ventured to have written the above.
To return to my ride. As I said before, I was in full dress, with
cocked hat, long coat, and side-arms, that I might appear in camp in a
becoming manner. The landlord at the inn told me he knew sailors liked
to ride fast, and promised to give me a quiet blood mare he had in
his stables, who would show me the way. She was shortly equipped, and
brought out. Upon her back I mounted; but scarcely were we out of the
town of Chatham when off she started at full speed, and ran away with
me along the turnpike road, to the amusement of some of his Majesty’s
liege subjects, and to the terror and dismay of others--up hill, down
dale, splashing myself, and every person I met, with mud, for the roads
were wet, and it began to pour with rain. The ladies and gentlemen in
their carriages as I passed them stared at me with astonishment. Having
got to a place, called Kit’s Cot Hill, I ran on board of a man riding
upon a donkey, with two sacks of flour, knocking him, donkey and cargo,
head over heels; but my steed being pretty nearly blown, I at length
stopped her.
The miller was, fortunately, not hurt, but came up in a great passion
to attack me. Luckily just at the moment some soldiers, who belonged to
the same regiment as my brother, were passing by: they took my part,
and, a parley ensuing, I explained how the untoward event had happened,
and it ended in a laugh. Not far from this was a small inn, where I put
up my flyaway, having had enough riding for one day, hired a gig, and
at last got safe to the regiment without any broken bones.
Shortly after this the ship was paid off, and I joined the _Barfleur_
(98), having had six weeks’ leave to see my friends and relate the
wonders of my four years’ voyage in foreign parts.
Throughout the four months I passed in the _Barfleur_ we were attached
to the channel fleet.
In May, 1805, I removed to the _Neptune_ (98 guns), Captain T. F.
Fremantle, a clever, brave, and smart officer, who sent me home to
pass my examination at Somerset House, in August, which I did, before
old Captain Sir Alexander Snap Hammond, whose character for turning
mids back frightened me not a little. The one examined before me not
having been sent, as from Oxford or Cambridge, to rusticate in green
fields and sylvan groves, but condemned to study six months longer in
a mid’s berth on the briny element in order to finish his nautical
education, and eat peas-pudding, burgoo and molasses, salt-junk,
lobscouse, sea-pie, and study Hamilton Moore. However, the passing
captains, seeing I was alarmed on first entering, civilly desired me to
be seated a few minutes and take courage. Having waited a short time,
and got rather better of some odd qualms and palpitations which the
unfortunate candidate turned back before me had created, I was ordered
to find the time of high-water at Plymouth, work an azimuth amplitude,
double altitude, bearings and distances, &c., which being performed,
I was desired to stand up, and consider myself on the quarter-deck
of a man-of-war at Spithead--“unmoor”--“get underway”--“stand out to
sea”--“make and shorten sail”--“reef”--“return into port”--“unrig the
foremast and bowsprit, and rig them again.” I got into a scrape after
reefing for not overhauling the reef tackles when hoisting the sails.
However, they passed me, and desired me to come again the next day
to receive my passing certificate. I made the captains the best bow
I could, and, without staying to look behind me, bolted out of the
room, and was surrounded in a moment by other poor fellows, who were
anxiously waiting their turn to be called in for examination, who asked
what questions had been put to me, and the answers I made, &c.
This important event over, I spent a few days of September with my
friends; then repaired to Plymouth, and was ordered a passage to join
the _Neptune_ (98), off Cadiz, in the _Belleisle_ (74), one of the very
last ships that sailed to join the fleet of Lord Nelson.
We had a very quick run out, and ten days before the ever-memorable and
glorious 21st of October, 1805, I rejoined my ship.