had they been driven to desperation by | My senses were bewildered with astothe rejection of their terms. nishment."This is a young friend of "The last division of the French troops mine," said Captain Montague, preembarked amid the curses and execra- senting me to the first lieutenant: "I tions of the people. From the decks of hope you will find him all you can wish. their vessels they heard the songs of And now, sir, you may go and visit triumph; and the blaze of the illumi- your future companions.' "Mr. Evans nated city, shining far out upon the har- (said the first lieutenant, calling to a bour, surrounded them with a light by midshipman on the larboard side of the which to read in each other's faces their deck, whose weekly account had been vexation. There was yet some trouble-fresh pipe-clayed, and now he was emsome hesitation on the frontiers. This ployed in trimming the collar of his was owing entirely to the intrigues of the shirt, so that his eye just peeped point bishop of Oporto, and the obstinate in- blank above it)-Mr. Evans.""Sir," terference of Gulluzzo, the Spanish gene- replied the cockpit beau, touching his ral, who refused to acknowledge the con- hat. "As soon as you have done adjustvention, and invested fort La Lippe. At ing your lee boards, and bowsed all length, however, the difficulty was re- taut, take this young gentleman round moved. The forts of Elvas, La Lippe, the ship, and then conduct him to your and Almeida, were evacuated: not a mess-berth.". “Ay, ay, sir; ay, ay,” Frenchman was left in Portugal." said Evans; and, then, in a lower tone, "I'll shew him the lions ;" and away we THE MIDDY'S INTRODUCTION. went together. After examining the won "Deep in that fabric where Brittannia boasts Where wild Disorder holds her wanton reign, And careless mortals frolic in her train." my Or all situations which open to the aspiring mind of youth, none is so interesting, so fraught with conflicting feelings, as the first entry of a young novice on board a ship of war; 'tis like bursting into a new world, yet without quitting the old one. The day on which inauguration took place happened to be the anniversary of the birth of Royal George. The captain permitted me to accompany him in his own boat, and, when we reached Spithead, the ships, dressed in their gayest colours, commenced saluting. Oh, what a view was this for an enthusiastic mind! It spoke of glory in a voice of thunder; and, while looking at the British ensign waving in the breeze, I felt a glow of conscious pride at being enrolled among the gallant defenders of its dearest rights. The barge cut through the azure wave, and swept up alongside the Albion.' The boatswain's shrill pipe sounded, and four lads sprung over the side to extend the gang-way man-ropes. So I followed up the captain, and found the officers on the quarter-deck uncovered, the marines drawn up with presented arms, and the band playing Rule Britannia,' to salute their brave commander, ders of the wooden world, and swallowing as many marvellous stories as would fill a volume, we descended to the cockpit, and were guided by the glimmering rays of a candle to the midshipmen's berth. "Allow me to introduce Mr. B." said my conductor, pushing open the door, and thrusting me in. "Halloo ! why, Evans, what gulpin have you got there?" exclaimed a squat tawny figure, who was nearly enveloped in smoke and ""Tis a new messstifled in grease. mate," squeaked a little youngster. "A new messmate!" replied the other," then let's have a survey," taking down from a nail, the frame of what had once been a large and beautiful mirror, and, raising it to his eye by way of quizzingglass, he uttered a yell that filled me with horror. "Evans," said he, "Evans, I'm fainting at the sight! Bear a hand on deck, and order the captain to man the boat, and send him ashore again directly." I shrunk back. "Halloo, shipmate, don't lag astern!" said Evans, pushing me forward; "don't mind that old swab, 'tis only Tim Bucket, the blind fiddler."- "Me blind!" rejoined the other, flourishing his pipe in a tragical manner; "you know that you are Brutus that spake this; or, by the gods, this speech were else your last;" and down he sat. I was now literally hauled into the berth, and placed directly by the side of this terrific being. "Let's look at your teeth," said he. It was continued he, "take hold of the grog," A the old quarter-master round on his jack "Ha, you scape grace?" cried old Harvey, struggling" Ha, you scape-grace, you'll come to the gangway some day for your tricks, you will! Halloo! Sanders! halloo! turn out, man, and lend us a hand."-"De'il smash me if Sanders gangs a foot-I canna be fash'd. If you play wi' kittens you must fore-watch!"-" Whisht,-whisht,—-dinna sight to be scratchet; but there's Paddy Howard-rouse him out, mon, turn him out." "Och, by my conscience," cried Pat, "you're a soft-headed swab, so you | are. Faith, and I'll turn out without calling. Arrah, where are you, jewel?" "Here I am," said Harvey. 66 By the toe of my grandfather, and so you are; and now I'll go and fetch a light." 64 mak a blathering about it, but gang your ways, and let honest men sleep," said Sanders; while Pat assisted me in arranging my hammock and shifting my dress. Pascoe now appeared: Why, Harvey, what's the matter here?"Matter!" cried the enraged veteran ; "I'll tell you what, young sir, you've played these tricks too long, and now ""You'll go and have a glass of grog," exclaimed the midshipman, interrupting him. "Ay, ay, with all my heart; but no more of the monkey.""I kenn'd as much-I kenn'd as much," roared Sanders; while with a heavy heart and dear-bought caution, I once more essayed to enter my bed, and with Pat's assistance succeeded. But sleep departed from me. The novelty of my situation, the discipline I had undergone, with the smarting of my shins, all combined to keep me awake; and 'twas not till very near morning that I closed my weary eyes, and forgot all my cares and troubles in a sweet refreshing slumber.— Greenwich Hospital. THE POETICAL SAILOR. Ay, ay, bear a hand, mate, bear a hand." Pat was some time absent, during which the old man swore, raved, and growled, with all the sublime pathos of a bear. At last the light appeared: "Bear a hand with the glim, you bogtrotter, do." He was obeyed; and though I was drenched to the skin and shivering with cold, sitting astride the muddy cable, yet to have kept from laughing at the scene which presented itself was utterly impossible. Pat Howard, a tall raw-boned figure, full six feet high, with the remnant of a shirt upon his shoulders, reaching no lower than his loins, under which a blanket was rolled round, resembling a petticoat, and leaving an amazing length of train behind, one arm entirely void of covering, thick bushy hair and whiskers, with a pair of hands and a beard outrivalling THE captain of a certain British frigate, the shades of night, now made his ap-tural antipathy to a cat. a man of undaunted bravery, had a naA sailor, who "Halloo, Pat!" cried Har- for some misconduct had been ordered a vey; "why you look like a comet revolving round the rays of a farthing his captain the following petition: flogging, saved his back by presenting to candle." This drew my attention to the speaker. He was neither sitting, lying, nor kneeling, but appeared to be in all three postures at the same time. His efforts to get disengaged had forced his head through the sail, and his struggles had twisted it several turns round his throat, threatening strangulation, but displaying a most formidable cravat. being relieved from this superfluous article of dress, how was I surprised to find the old boy had been all this while actually hanging by the middle in a running noose thrown over him, and hauled taught upon deck for this purpose! "Lower away!" bellowed Pat, turning pearance. On By your honour's command An example to all the ship's crew; A cat, I am told, In abhorrence you hold : Makes your stout heart to fail, London:-Printed by JOSEPH LAST, 3, Edwardstreet, Hampstead-road; and published by W. M. CLARK, 19, Warwick-lane, Paternosterrow ; J. PATTIE, 17, High-street, Bloomsbury, and may be had, by order, of all Booksellers in town and country. in lieu of the naval and military succour which they had stipulated by treaty to provide: a species of aid the most efficacious and best adapted to the wants and situation of France that could possibly be devised. However, the British government thought proper to connive at this for some time, contenting themselves with directing their envoy to protest against the convention as a violation of neutrality, and a just cause of war whenever Great Britain should choose to take it up upon that ground. Ar the commencement of the late war | to pay to France a certain sum monthly, with France, the British ambassador at the court of Madrid, was directed to ascertain how far his Catholic majesty considered himself bound by the treaty of St. Ildephonso-by which he had agreed to furnish to France a contingent of naval and military force, for the prosecution of any war in which the French government might at any time be engaged. This treaty gave France a direct control over the resources of the kingdom of Spain; and was of itself, in the event of hostilities with France, a just cause of an immediate declaration of war by Great Britain against that kingdom. In the month of July, 1803, the first formal demand of succour was made by France; and in the October following, a convention was signed, by which Spain agreed VOL. I. The subserviency of the court of Spain to Buonaparte was so complete and notorious, that little hope was entertained that peace could long subsist between Great Britain and that power, after hostilities had recommenced with France. 2 T As, however, it was undoubtedly the policy and the plan of Buonaparte, to derive all possible assistance from Spain, without having her directly implicated in his quarrel with England, he did not permit her, for some time, to commit any direct and gross acts of hostility: he knew that the greatest benefit he could derive from her was, not men, or even ships, but money; this was necessary to enable him to carry on his continental warfare, and to follow up his scheme of raising and equipping a navy. Thus it was that Spain remained for a short time at peace with this country; and represented herself, and wished to be considered and treated by the British cabinet, as a free and independent nation. It was soon, however, discovered, that her South American treasures were entirely at the disposal of Buonaparte; and that her neutrality was employed for the purpose of replenishing the coffers of our enemy. Representations and remenstrances were repeatedly made on this head to the court of Madrid, but in vain; her frigates still came from the new world laden with bullion, and this bullion was regularly transmitted to France. At last the British ministry determined effectually to put a stop to these proceedings; and for this purpose Captain Moore, in the Indefatigable, with three other frigates, was ordered to cruize off Cadiz, to intercept some very richly laden ships which were expected in that port from South America. On the 5th of October, one of the British squadron made the signal for four sail being in sight, nine leagues from Cape St. Mary; a general chase was immediately commenced, and it was soon ascertained that they were the expected Spanish frigates, making for Cadiz. The van ship carried a broad pendant, and the ship next her a rearadmiral's flag: as they were not under the least apprehension of being intercepted, or attacked by the British, they did not either attempt to escape, nor were they prepared for action. Captain Moore, having ordered each of his squadron to run up alongside of the four Spanish frigates, hailed them to shorten sail; to this request no answer was given; a shot was then fired by the Indefatigable, across the rear-admiral, upon which he hove to, and an officer was sent on board to inform him, that Captain Moore had peremptory orders to detain his squadron. The officer, after waiting some time, returned with an unsatisfactory answer, when the Indefatigable bore down close upon her opponent, the other British ships doing the same. The signal for close battle was immediately thrown out; and in less than ten minutes after the engagement commenced, the admiral's second astern blew up alongside the Amphion, with a dreadful explosion. On board of this frigate, called La Mercedes, was embarked a native of Spain, who was returning from America, with the savings of twenty-five years' industry, and with his whole family, consisting of his wife, four daughters, beautiful and amiable women, and five sons grown up to manhood. Before the action began, the merchant himself, and one of his sons, went on board the largest ship, from which he witnessed the loss of his whole property, and saw his wife, daughters, and four of his sons, surrounded with flames, and sinking into the abyss of the ocean. It would be profanation to attempt by any language to describe the feelings of this man's agonized soul at this dreadful moment; while it would be doing injustice to Captain Moore, not to suppose, from his known character, that it required the strongest sentiments of duty to his country, to keep down regret that he had been instrumental in bringing about this sad catastrophe: as soon as the action terminated, he took the unhappy husband and father into his own cabin, and was unceasing in his endeavours to administer all in his power towards the alleviation of his sufferings. The Spanish admiral's ship continued to hold out for about half an hour after the Mercedes had blown up; when, finding that she could not escape, her opponent having got to leeward of her, she struck her colours: her example was immediately followed by another of the squadron; while the fourth, which carried the broad pendant, endeavoured to make her escape. This, however, she was prevented from effecting, by the Medusa and Lively giving chase to her: at first she gained on them, but before sunset, Captain Hammond in the Lively (which had outsailed the Medusa), having brought her to action, she soon after surrendered. |