order to intercept her ; but the morning of the 27th being very hazy, and thinking she might have passed me in the night, I stood close into the bay of Santa Cruz, where, (when well in,) perceiving two large French frigates (the one of 40 guns, carrying a broad pendant, the other of thirty-six) in the act of getting under weigh; and making preparations to set all sail, I judged it prudent (crowding every thing I could) to steer to the southward.

"About 5 o'clock P.M., perceiving that the enemy had gained a good deal, and, as the wind failed us, was gaining still faster, I determined, if possible, to prolong the period of their bringing me into action, till after the close of day, and to manœuvre in the interim, so as to prevent their engaging me both at once. In consequence of which, shifting my steering sails with expedition to the starboard side, and at the same time changing my course to S. W., I increased my distance nearly a mile; I then reefed my topsails, keeping my steering sails set, in order that my intentions should not be suspected. When all was ready for hauling to the wind, and I had taken in my steering sails, unfortunately the wind shifted so far to the eastward, that I lay nearly along the S.E. side of Teneriffe: in this situation, I had no other alternative but that of bearing up, and coming into immediate action with the headmost frigate.

"About 7 P.M., the second in command of the enemy had approached so near as to commence his fire, and which I returned with such success, from four stern-chasers, that he judged it prudent to alter his attack to my lee-quarter, where (by very superior sailing) he soon took his station, and engaged me about an hour, at the distance of two cables.

"Previous to this, the Commodore, from having hauled more to the wind, had gained my weather-quarter, and perceiving that he was now coming down with his people ready aloft for boarding me, I judged that if I continued in my present position, it would only depend on them to engage me with much advantage together; watching, therefore, most anxiously the moment the frigate to leeward had reached abreast of my

main-mast, I bore up athwart his hawse, and raked him so effectually within pistol-shot, that in a few minutes I left him with his topsails and top-gallant sails down on the caps, and otherwise in such confusion, that I embraced the present as the most favourable moment to haul to the wind.

66 The Commodore had now neared me so much, that I expected every instant he would engage me on my weather-quarter, but judging (I conclude) from the reception his consort had met with, that he should not be more successful, instead of choosing his situation and distance for engaging me with effect, he shortened sail and bore up into my wake. By this manœuvre, which was effected with wonderful promptitude, I gained so much to windward and ahead, that I was very soon out of gun-shot.

""Till 12 o'clock I continued my course, when, just as I was going to tack, a perfect calm succeeded, when the enemy, more fortunate, carrying the breeze up with them, were enabled to place themselves so as to annoy me, without a possibility of my bringing a gun to bear on them. In this mortifying predicament I remained exposed nearly an hour to a very galling fire, when a fresh of wind coming off shore, I weathered and fore-reached them so much, that very soon losing sight of both, I bore up one point every half-hour until eight o'clock, A. M., the 28th, when I hauled close to the wind on the starboard tack.

"From the enemy having directed their fire entirely at my rigging, I had but three men killed, and ten wounded slightly; my damage, therefore, consists in a few spars, sails, some standing, and most of my running rigging, together with two boweranchors and two boats I was obliged to cut away early in the chase."

It was not customary at this time to gazette any action, however brilliant, unless a capture was effected; but Blackwood had the satisfaction to know that his heroism on this occasion, and the behaviour of his officers and crew, were the admiration of all those who were themselves most illustrious in the service. Admiral Waldegrave, in his letter to him, acknowledging his account of the

action, expresses his "heartfelt satisfaction at his having beat off two large French frigates, each of which had been since clearly ascertained to be nearly double your own force." And adds, "I much doubt, sir, whether our naval annals can furnish so brilliant an action; at least, I can safely affirm a more brilliant one was never achieved. I confess that I am almost at a loss where to fix my admiration on this occasion; whether on your own gallant, skilful, and officer-like conduct throughout the whole, or on the cool, steady and truly British courage displayed by the officers and men under your command. Suffice it to say, that I feel every part of your conduct relative to this glorious action as I ought; and I request you will be pleased to let those my sentiments be known to every individual in his Majesty's ship." In his public letter he says, "This gallant action speaks so forcibly for itself, as to render any further encomium on my part superfluous." And Lord St Vincent, whose praise was glory, in his letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty, from the Ville de Paris, off Cadiz, used these honourable words-" An action in which Captain Blackwood has displayed great valour and judgment, and acquired great renown.'

On his return to England in March, 1799, he found himself, in consequence of that action, appointed by Lord Spencer to the command of the Penelope of 36 guns, in which he continued to serve on the blockade of Havre-de-grace and Cherbourg until September of the same year, when he was ordered to the Mediterranean, and served there till May, 1802, on various services, and under the orders of Lords Keith and Nelson, Sir Sydney Smith, Sir George Martin, Sir Richard Bickerton, Sir Thomas Troubridge, Sir James Saumerez, Sir Charles Pole, and Sir Richard Keats; during which period, when on the blockade of Malta, he had the good fortune to be so instrumental in the capture of the Guillaume Tell of 80 guns, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Decres, that Lord Spencer promoted the first Lieutenant of the Penelope, and him only, (afterwards Captain Inglis,) though Blackwood was only second

in command, a circumstance which evinced in a very marked, and very flattering way, the high opinion which the Admiralty and the Admiral entertained of his conduct on that remarkable occasion.

The Guillaume Tell, an 80 gun ship of great power, the capture of which completed the destruction of the French Fleet taken, burnt, and sunk at Aboukir, had been watched in the port of Valette by a British squadron blockading Malta, and on the night of the 30th of March, "taking advantage of a strong southerly gale, and the darkness that had succeeded the setting of the moon, weighed and put to sea." The everwatchful Blackwood in the Penelope, making the necessary signals to the other ships of the squadron, the Foudroyant, 80, Captain Sir Edward Berry, and the Lion, 64, Captain Manley Dixon, (now Sir Manley Dixon,) instantly made sail in pursuit, and having at half-past twelve closed with the chase, luffed up under her stern, and gave her the larboard broadside. The Penelope then bore up under her larboard quarter, and gave her the starboard broadside

-a game which she kept playing till five o'clock, and with such effect, that just before the dawn of day, down came the Guillaume Tell's main and mizen topmasts and main-yard, while the little Penelope, "whose manœuvres," says James in his Naval History, "were directed by a practised seaman," had sustained little or no damage. "A hundred times," says Decres, the gallant French Admiral, in his letter to the Minister of Marine and the Colonies, "I was tempted to manœuvre, in order to cripple her from fighting; but as the wind blew fresh, and I observed, notwithstanding the darkness of the night, several ships at the extremity of the horizon, in full sail to support her, I was sensible that by lying to, I should be giving them all time to come up, and that my escape would be impossible. We were thus annoyed during the whole night by this frigate, whose fire brought down our main-topmast about five in the morning." True that Decres durst not, without great peril, have attempted to manœuvre; but if he had, no doubt he would have been baffled by the matchless seaman

ship of Blackwood. The Lion, on coming up, ran close alongside of the enemy, who, as Captain Dixon said in his letter communicating the capture, "appeared of immense bulk and full of men, keeping up a prodigious fire of musketry;" and, after the Lion had been engaged with her for fifty minutes, from a judicious position in which she could endure that broadside so far superior in weight of metal to her own, the Foudroyant came up, and "after the hottest action that probably was ever maintained by an enemy's ship opposed to those of his Majesty, and being totally dismasted, the French Admiral's colours and flag were struck." Decres, by his desperate defence so long sustained against such a force and such commanders, gained immortal renown, and none were louder in his praise than his gallant and generous captors. For Blackwood he ever afterwards cherished the warmest regard and the highest admiration, and the heroes were in their hearts friends for life. Captain Dixon, who had done in the Lion all that man could do against such overpowering superiority of force, said, in his letter to Sir Thomas Troubridge, "I have not language to express the high sense of obligation I feel myself under to Captain Blackwood, for his prompt and able conduct in leading the line-of-battle ships to the enemy, for the gallantry and spirit so highly conspicuous in him, and for his admirable management of the frigate. To your discriminating judgment it is unnecessary to remark of what real value and importance such an officer must ever be considered to his Majesty's

service."

In that service, Captain Blackwood had now gained an enviable name; and his noble heart must have indeed burned within him, on receiving the most enthusiastic congratulations on his heroism, in a letter full of all kindliest feelings from Lord Nelson.

"MY DEAR BLACKWOOD,-Is there a sympathy which ties men together in the bonds of friendship without having a personal knowledge of each other? If so, (and, I believe, it was so to you,) I was your friend and acquaintance before I saw you.

Your conduct and character, on the late glorious occasion, stamps your fame beyond the reach of envy: it was like yourself-it was like the Penelope. Thanks; and say every thing kind for me to your brave officers and men. When I receive any official letter on the subject, I shall notice your and their gallant services in the way they merit. Tell Captain Ormsby I have recommended him to Lord Keith, and hope it will answer his wishes. How fortunate he has been to be with you! It will give him, I am sure, the next step, and not interfere with Captain Long, or any other master and commander who might have been present. I shall see you very soon, either here or at Malta. But in every situation I am your sincere and attached friend,

(Signed) "BRONTE, Nelson of THE NILE. "Palermo, 5th April, 1802.”

In May, 1802, at the peace of Amiens, he was superseded in the command of the Penelope; and in April the following year, on the recommencement of hostilities with France, Lord St Vincent gave him command of the Euryalus of 36 guns, in which ship he served on the Irish station under the command of Lord Gardner and Admiral Drury; and afterwards, on the Boulogne blockade, under Lord Keith and Sir Thomas Louis. On his return to the Irish station, he was sent by Admiral Drury to endeavour to fall in with, and trace the movements of, the French and Spanish combined fleets under Villeneuve and Gravina, who had put to sea from Ferrol, after their rencontre with Sir Robert Calder, off Cape Finisterre. Having watched them into Cadiz, he accomplished a passage to England in five days, and the Government were thereby enabled to make the promptest efforts for despatching Lord Nelson with all the ships then ready for sea, to take command of the fleet which had assembled off Cadiz, under Admiral Collingwood.

On his way to London, with despatches, he called at Lord Nelson's villa at Merton about five in the morning, and found him already up and dressed. "I am sure you bring me news of the French and Spanish

fleets, and I think I shall yet have to beat them." Lord Nelson followed him to London, and in talking over the operations that were intended on returning to the Mediterranean, often repeated," Depend on it, Blackwood, I shall yet give Mr Villeneuve a drubbing."

In ten days, Blackwood accompanied Lord Nelson, by his request to the Admiralty, on that memorable service; and on arrival off Cadiz, 29th September, 1805, was appointed by him to the command of the inshore squadron, consisting of five frigates and four sloops, to watch and report the movements of the enemy. Nelson had offered him a line-ofbattle ship-his choice of several among them the Revenge, one of the finest ships in the navy; but he resolved to remain by his Euryalus, thinking he would have more service to perform as senior officer of the frigates. He did not then believe that a general action was about to take place, thinking that the terror of Lord Nelsons name would keep the combined fleets in harbour. "Various opinions there are," said he, in a letter to England, "but they will not budge, unless forced out by blockade. Such a fleet as Lord Nelson will have in another week, indeed as he has already, England never sent out before."

From the day he joined to the 20th of October, the day previous to the battle of Trafalgar, Nelson maintained a station from 13 to 20 leagues west of Cadiz, but kept up a constant communication with the Commodore by a line of signals. We have already seen how high Blackwood stood in Nelson's esteem; and he performed the difficult duty now intrusted to him, so as to justify the confidence reposed in his skill, promptitude, sagacity, and daring, by that illustrious hero. Those "eyes of the fleet" were ever watchful; and Nelson, with his mighty armament lying "hushed in grim repose" far out of sight of the enemy, that they might not remain in port fear-bound, knew that the instant they should begin to make the slightest movement for putting to sea, Blackwood would telegraph along his line, always skilfully disposed and steady in spite of all weathers, when to " expect his evening prey."

On the first of October, the report from Rear-Admiral Louis, commanding the advanced squadron off Cadiz, made to Lord Nelson was, that thirtyfour ships of the line, (eighteen French, and sixteen Spanish,) with four frigates and two brigs, were ready for sea in the outer harbour; and on the next day, Blackwood sent his Lordship word "that within the last few days there had been a great deal of bustle and movements in Cadiz; every one capable of serving had been sent on board the ships, and the French troops, disembarked on their arrival, had been reimbarked." Every word of Lord Nelson's possesses an undying interest; and for that reason, as well as to shew, in the midst of all his continued anxiety lest the combined fleets might, by some unhappy accident, escape him, the perfect trust he had in Blackwood's vigilance and skill, on which all depended, we quote the following original letters. What a picture they give of the state of his mind! Possessed, without one moment's cessation, with but one desire, one hope!— That the enemy might come out, and meet annihilation-though we know that he had an assurance he was himself to die!

"Victory, October 4th, 1805,

"Cadiz, east 17 leagues. "MY DEAR SIR,-I have received from Rear-Admiral Louis your information respecting the intended movements of the enemy, which strengthens my conviction that you estimate as I do the importance of not letting these rogues escape us without a fair fight, which I pant for by day and dream of by night. I am momentarily expecting the Phoebe, Sirius, Naiad, and Niger, from Gibraltar; two of them shall be with you directly as I get hold of them; and if you meet them, and there is any way of sending information and their despatches from Gibraltar, keep Naiad and Phoebe. Juno is a fixture between Cape Spartel and Gibraltar; Mars, Colossus, and Defence, will be stationed four leagues east from the fleet, and one of them advanced to the east towards Cadiz, and as near as possible in the latitude. The fleet will be from 16 to 18 leagues west of Cadiz; therefore, if you throw a frigate west from you, most pro

bably, in fine weather, we shall communicate daily. In fresh breezes easterly, I shall work up for Cadiz, never getting to the northward of it; and in the event of hearing they are standing out of Cadiz, I shall carry a press of sail to the southward to wards Cape Spartel and Arrache, so that you will always know where to find me. I am writing out regular instructions for the frigates under your orders, but I am confident you will not let these gentry slip through our fingers, and then we shall give a good account of them, although they may be very superior in numbers. The Royal Sovereign and Defiance were to sail after the 24th. Belleisle too, is ordered here. I send you two papers; I stole them for you.

"Ever, my dear Blackwood,

most faithfully your friend, (Signed) "NELSON and BRONTE."

"Victory, October 8th, 1805. "MY DEAR SIR,-I send Naiad to you, and will Phoebe and Weazle as I can lay hands upon them. I am gratified (because it shews your soul is in your business) and obliged by all your communications. I see you feel how much my heart is set on getting at these fellows, whom I have hunted so long; but don't, my dear Blackwood, be angry with any one; it was only a laudable anxiety in Admiral Louis, and nothing like complaining.

"The Portuguese is a rogue, but I have desired the bullocks to be bought, and threatened him the next time. Defiance has joined. Royal Sovereign has signalized. If there are letters you shall have them; but I fear the cutter will never beat up to you. I wish I may be able to keep the Pickle with you; she will be very handy to protect your boats, &c. in the night.

"Believe me ever yours faithfully, (Signed) "NELSON and BRONTE.

"P.S.-Sir John Duckworth comes out in the London, Sir Robert Barlow in Barfleur, vice Geo. Martin, very ill, but this is all-therefore you will give due weight to the report. The canal of St Pedro is a good speculation for boats in the night. Several ships and brigs are coming from Tariffe."

"Victory, October 9th, 1805, 8 a.m.

"Cadiz, due east 19 leagues. "MY DEAR SIR,-Many thanks for your letter of yesterday. Let us have them out. The Weazle, I hope, has joined, although you don't mention her. Keep the schooner; she will be useful in the night close in shore; and as Weazle sails faster, you can send her to me with accounts when

you can't communicate by signals; I should never wish to be more than forty-eight hours without hearing from you. Hydra you can victual and water out of the other frigates, who are all full. There were no letters for you in the Royal Sovereign ; at least none came to the Victory. Collingwood has got the paper of the 23d; if he has not lent it, I have desired him to send it to you. Agamemnon, Belleisle, and very probably London, are at this moment on their passage; therefore, if Mr Decres means to come forth (if he would take my advice, which I daresay he won't), he had better come out directly. Those who know more of Cadiz than either you or I do, say, that after those Levanters, come several days of fine weather, seabreezes westerly, land wind at night; and that if the enemy are bound into the Mediterranean they would come out at night, which they have always done, placing frigates on the Porpoises and Diamond, and the Shoal of Cadiz, run to the southward, and catch the sea-breezes at the mouth of

the Gut, and push through whilst we might have little wind in the offing. In short, watch all points, and all winds and weathers, for I shall depend upon you. Remember me to Capel, Parker, Munday, and Captain Prowse, and be assured, I am ever, "And always yours, (Signed) "NELSON and BRONTE."

"Victory, October 10th, 1805. "Cadiz, east 13 leagues. "MY DEAR BLACKWOOD, Keep your five frigates, Weazle and Pickle, and let me know every movement.

"I rely on you, that we can't miss getting hold of them, and I will give them such a shaking as they never yet experienced; at least I will lay down my life in the attempt. We are a very powerful fleet, and not to be held cheap. I have told Parker, and do you direct ships bringing inform