governor usually hoisted his flag about July, and sailed with convoy in war time about the latter end of that month, or the beginning of August: I have known them sail as late as the 5th of September, but this ought not to be allowed. The period for the governor quitting the island was fixed at the 25th of October, with convoy, and at that season of the year the gales were so heavy that these little frail vessels were frequently overwhelmed, and one year, I think 19 sail of our convoy foundered on their passage home in November-many of them never reached their port of destination.

The appointment of governor and commander-in-chief was taken from the Admiralty in the year 1828, and assigned to the Treasury, who have ever since appointed a naval captain to fill that station. The first they sent out was Sir Thomas Cochrane, who held it for six years; the next was Captain Isaac Prescott, the present governor.

CHAPTER XXII.

Gallant enterprise of Lieutenant (now Sir Thomas M. Hardy,) at Teneriffe -Promotion of flag officers-Blockade of Cadiz-Contest between Nelson and Spanish gun-boats-Expedition against Teneriffe-Disastrous result-Nelson wounded-Bowen killed-Generosity of the Spaniards -Nelson's Letter to Sir John Jervis Mutiny breaks out in the British fleet before Cadiz-Determined conduct of the admiral, of Captain Peard, and Lieutenant Hatley-Mutiny on board the DefenceResolute and decided order of Earl St. Vincent to Sir William Parker -Suppression of the mutiny, and excellent state of the fleet-Spanish fleet puts to sea, and chases Sir William Parker from before CadizThe French fleet, with an army, sails from Toulon to Egypt, under the command of Bonaparte and Admiral Bruies.

THE boats of the Lively, Captain Hallowell, and the Minerve, Captain Cockburn, cut out, from the bay of Santa Cruz, La Mutine, of 18 guns, and 140 men: the boats were commanded by Lieutenant (now Sir Thomas M.) Hardy of La Minerve, and the whole affair did him, and those employed under him, the highest honour. The vessel lay lashed alongside of the mole, under the protection of the batteries, and sustained for near an hour a heavy fire of great guns and small arms from the shore, as well as from a large ship which lay in the bay, the Spaniards being perfectly regardless of their friends, so long as they could destroy their enemies. There was little wind, and the boats were obliged to tow her out: she was bound from Brest to the Isle of France, and had put in there for water; the captain and 20 of her men were on shore when she was cut out. Lieutenant Hardy was promoted to the rank of commander, and placed in this vessel, in which we shall soon hear of him again.

A promotion of flag officers succeeded the battle of Valentine's day, and Nelson became a rear-admiral of the blue. He was cruising off Cadiz with a small squadron, having his broad pendant in the Irresistible, Captain George Martin, when he was joined on the 1st of April by the admiral, who gave him this intelligence, and conveyed to him at the same time, as a further reward from his sovereign, the order of the Bath.

In the course of the summer, to employ the minds of the seamen, and divert them from following the mischievous example of the ships in England, particularly at the Nore, Sir John Jervis undertook the bombardment of Cadiz, which he now held under a rigorous blockade. For this purpose he wrote to England for a bomb-vessel, which was sent out; and Sir Horatio Nelson, who had charge of the in-shore squadron, planned the attacks on the town, to which he gave the greatest annoyance. On the 3d of July the rear-admiral had made his disposition. The Thunder bomb, covered by the launches and barges of the fleet, was placed near the tower of St. Sebastian, and fired some shells into the town, when an attempt was made to carry her by the gun-boats and the launches of the enemy. The rear-admiral, who was present in person with his boats, boarded and took two of the enemy's gun-boats, and one of the launches of their ships of war, with the commandant of the flotilla. In this action 18 or 20 Spaniards were killed, and the commandant with many others wounded and made prisoners; others swam on shore. The launch of the Ville de Paris was sunk by a shot from one of the enemy's gun-boats; but by the activity of Captain Trowbridge, of the Culloden, she was weighed and repaired.

The bomb was placed within 2,500 yards of the town of Cadiz, but the action with the boats ended close under the walls. Captains Fremantle and Miller distinguished them selves on this occasion; and Nelson's coxswain, John Sykes, who purposely threw himself in the way, received a blow on his head from a sabre which was aimed at his admiral, for which the brave fellow was deservedly rewarded. The admiral and those with him were personally engaged hand to hand with the Spaniards; and Don Miguel Tyrason, the commander of the flotilla, in his barge, laid himself alongside of that of Nelson, who says "that his resistance was such as did honour to a brave man ;" and that, out of 26 men in his boat, 18 were killed, and himself, with all the rest, wounded.

On the 5th of July Nelson attacked them again with an additional force, consisting of the Thunderer, Terror, and Strombolo bombs, covered by Captain Miller, in the Theseus, Captain Bowen, in the Terpsichore, and Captain Waller, in the Emerald. The bombardment seemed to have a considerable effect upon the town, and amongst the shipping; and ten sail of the line, with the flags of Gravina and Mazarado, were forced to warp up the harbour out of the reach of the shells.

The Spaniards in Cadiz not appearing very desirous of again trying the fortune of war, the admiral made use of the leisure allowed him to send a small expedition against Tene

riffe, one of the Canary Islands: the command of this was intrusted to Nelson.

The following is a list of his squadron: viz.

This squadron parted company with the fleet off Cadiz on the 15th of July, and arrived at Teneriffe about the 19th.

Of all the places which ever came under my inspection, none, I conceive, is more invulnerable to attack from a naval force, or more easily defended, than Teneriffe. The island, like most of its neighbours, is a volcanic production, consisting of mountains, ravines, rocks, and precipices. The bay of Santa Cruz affords no shelter for shipping; the shore is nearly a right line, and the bank so steep that no anchorage can be found, beyond the distance of half a mile, but in 45 fathoms water; the beach, from north to south, is one continued series of broken masses of loose rock and round smooth stones, rendered so by friction, and slippery from sea-weed; on this a perpetual surf breaks, rendering the landing at all times. difficult, except at the mole or pier of Santa Cruz. To these obstacles there is another, which Nelson experienced in its fullest force. Teneriffe, like all other mountainous countries, is liable to calms, sudden squalls, and violent gusts of wind, which, rushing down the ravines, frequently take a ship's topmasts over the side without a moment's warning. Such was the place which Nelson was going to attack with 1,000 men: the plan was, however, laid under a supposition that the Spaniards would have conducted themselves on this as they had done on other occasions. It is to me unaccountable that Nelson should not have laid his ships alongside of the town, as was done by Blake, in the time of the Protectorate, who succeeded to his utmost wish. It is true that the uncertainty of winds renders the approach to Santa Cruz difficult; but still many opportunities occur for laying a squadron within pointblank shot of the forts and town, and no one knew better than Nelson that the Spaniards would not have stood to their guns, that every shot must have told from the ships, while those from the forts in the night-time could only have been fired at random. This plan could, however, only have been carried

into effect under certain concurring circumstances, and probably Nelson had good reasons for the mode which he adopted. Nelson proposed, by landing to the northward, to make themselves masters of a fort within gun-shot of the town, and then send a summons to the governor. This plan was rendered abortive by the frigates meeting with a gale of wind in the offing, and with a calm, and a strong and contrary current, in-shore, and day-break surprised them before they could effect their purpose.

Trowbridge and Bowen, with Captain Oldfield, of the marines, were intrusted with this part of the enterprise; we may therefore be assured that it failed only from insurmountable

causes.

Consulting again with Nelson, it was determined to obtain possession of the heights above the fort, in which, had they succeeded, little advantage would have been gained without artillery, which they could not have carried with them, and would not have found there. The men, however, were landed, and the ships of the line stood in to batter the forts; but calms prevented their gaining a position nearer than three miles, and the men were re-embarked.

On the 24th of July another attack was made. Nelson anchored his ships about two miles north of the town, as if intending to land there, but this was a feint: the whole force had assembled alongside of the Seahorse, where Nelson made his final arrangements, and at 11 at night pulled in for the shore in six divisions, conducted by the respective captains of the squadron; Fremantle and Bowen remained with Nelson.

The mole-head was the great rendezvous; here they were to land, and proceed to the Prado, or parade. At half-past one, being close in-shore, they were discovered by the enemy, when Nelson directed the boats to separate to their respective points of attack, and, giving a hearty cheer, they pushed in for the landing-place.

The Spaniards were prepared, and received them with a heavy fire of great guns and musketry. The night was dark, the surf high, and the beach so rough that in the clearest day no boat could have landed with dry ammunition. The current swept many of them to leeward of the mole, and, unable to find it, they landed where they could, their boats were stove, and their powder destroyed.

Nelson's, Thompson's, Bowen's, and some other boats, found the mole-head, landed, and took it: but here their work had only begun; a high wall and palisade impeded their advance, while a heavy battery plied them with round, grape, and musketry here was the great slaughter of our men. As Nelson