officers used every exertion to make things pleasant, indicating at the same time, that the ship was just off the stocks, and was unprepared in accommodations and equipments. The captain of the Rippon was called Sir Christopher Cole, and was knighted, as we were subsequently informed, for the capture of Banda, one of the Spice Islands in the Indian Ocean-an affair in which he was said to have acted a very distinguished part. We were on deck the next day, when he made his appearance from the cabin, and saluted us with a very cold and distant bow, but not a word was said. He was a tall, proportionably stout, and very elegant looking man, of about forty years of age, and carrying an air of authority and great magisterial haughtiness. Finding him so much of the bashaw, we considered it prudent to assume the same cold reserve and distant tone of civility. After some time, he approached us and said to me in no very inviting manner, "Colonel, you are permitted to walk on the quarter-deck;" a permission of which we availed ourselves promptly, yet without feeling any very grateful returns for the indulgence. Notwithstanding the temper of Sir Christopher, I was well convinced that he was an able and most excellent officer. His attention appeared to be exclusively devoted to the ship-he was constantly in motion, and constantly employed in getting her into order. I therefore readily excused that want of cordiality, which was probably too sensibly felt from the contrast of treatment exerienced from the admiral and Sir Thomas Staines. On board of this ship I perceived a number of very handsome boys, the sons of respectable gentlemen, who intended them for the navy. They appeared to be from the age of seven to twelve years, and attendea school, which was daily kept on the gun-deck by a tutor employed for the purpose. I learnt that these boys were received in certain numbers on board of ships in commission, by order of the admiralty, where they were continued for a certain time; and, as they displayed genius and a disposition for the service, the captain recommended them for a midshipman's warrant, when they were sufficiently competent to do duty, and which they only received on such recommendation. This mode of appointment I could wish to see adopted in our navy, as it would guarantee effective service when the commission was issued. The boys received no pay; they were only provided with rations and schooling, the expense of which would be inconsiderable. We had remained upwards of a week on board this ship, when orders were received for the Goldfinch brig to sail for England, and to convey and land us there. Sir Christopher sent for us to his cabin, and in announcing our departure, lamented in terms of civility that the situation of his ship was such as not to have it in his power to shew us any attention, but trusted at the same time that we had been exposed to no inconvenience. We returned him thanks for his polite intentions, took a very friendly leave of the officers, and went on board the Goldfinch. Here was another change; and however novel and diversified it may have appeared, was still unpleasant and irksome. I was tired of sea, and was anxious to reach the place of my destination. I had requested to be landed, or put on board a fishing smack, which indulgence could not be allowed; and we were mortified by the daily view of the inhabitants of La Rochelle walking on the beach and ramparts, and could plainly discern with our glasses groups of ladies and gentlemen, whose liberty and pleasure we could not but envy. The captain of the Goldfinch was called Edmund Waller, a name that reminded us of a chaste and elegant English poet, whom we subsequently discovered was his ancestor. Captain Waller received us with politeness, and apologized for the confined accommodations of his little cabin. She was but a gun-brig, and consequently had but little room to spare. He ordered, however, two state-rooms to be fitted up, and hospitably invited us to mess with him. His cabin, though small, was neatly arranged; and a choice library of books, and some musical instruments, satisfied us that he possessed a taste which his pursuits allowed him leisure to cultivate. The wind increased into a smart breeze while we were getting under way, and we soon found ourselves out sight of the flect, though still keeping the coast in view. The Goldfinch was the first brig that gave us chase on the day of our capture, and Captain Waller desired to know if we had not distinctly made her out, as some legal objections might be made to his recovering that share of the prize which was justly his due. We satisfied him fully on this head. His complement of men was small, and apparently selected without much discrimination. In fact, it must be obvious, that in a large naval power, like that of Great Britain, difficulties will arise in manning their vessels with able-bodied seamen; and it is one of those difficulties which there is no prospect of surmounting. A long continental peace will gradually undermine the navy of every European power; and while the British may be able to retain in commission a number of ships calculated to protect their possessions, they will on return of war, an event which must be looked for, experience serious ob-** stacles in giving to their navy that physical force and experience which hitherto they have been so fortunate in doing. 20 On the third day we approached Brest, where the residue of the channel fleet was stationed. Towards evening we discovered a sail, tak to which we gave chase. She proved to be a small and heavy-sailing brig, and a frigate appearing in sight at the same time, induced our t captain to spread all his canvass, with a view of reaching her first. The chase displayed no colours, which increased the suspicions of her character; we approached her rapidly; fired gun after gun in vain; she would not heave to-but, though an uncommon clump of a vessel, pursued the "even tenor of her way" under full sail, with a frigate endeavouring to cut her off on one side, and our brig within gun-shot firing incessantly over her. "It is some obstinate Yankee, you may depend," said one of the officers, "who has made a prize of that vessel." The captain gave orders to clear the boat in the stern for boarding her, and a lieutenant with four men got in, which was lowered down. Our brig was sailing at the rate of eight knots, and the tackling of the boat resisting the efforts made to unloosen it, when it reached the water dragged side-ways after the vessel, and finally precipitated all hands into the sea. A scene of confusion ensued—we had no boat to put off to their relief, and by this time was along-side the chase, which seeing the accident, lowered down the boat and rescued the persons from drowning. She proved to be a Newfoundland vessel, laden with fish, prize to a Baltimore privateer. The prize-master was ordered to come on board with his papers. He was a tall, thin, weather-beaten looking man, from Nantucket, who, foreseeing what might happen, had dressed himself in his best suit of clothes, and carried the residue of his wardrobe in a pockethandkerchief. He presented the copy of the commission of the privateer, and his instructions. "When did you part with the privateer," said the captain-" about ten days," replied the prizemaster," and she is not far off now." "I should like to fall in with her," replied Captain Waller-" you'd better not," said the prizemaster, with admirable sang froid, "she'll flog you in no time." The captain, somewhat nettled, enquired what her force was. "Why, she mounts twelve guns, and one hundred and sixty men, The and she'd board you in a moment," said the frank seaman. I percoved that this dialogue did not promise to terminate amicably, and was about drawing off the prize-master to enquire the news, when the frigate, which was quite near, commenced making signals, which was replied to by the brig, and after some time passed in making out the purport, the captain with an apparent reluctance, when asked what they meant, informed me that the Chesapeake frigate was taken. It was the first time I was informed of that unfortunate af fair; and calling the prize master forward, he detailed the particulars, in that correct manner that relieved me from the fear that we had sustained any further loss than that of the captain and the vessel, a loss which, however, severely they were felt, is nothing in competition with the loss of fame, of national honour, and which, in that engagement, was manfully sustained. The frigate then in sight was the Revolutionaire, a vessel which had been taken from the French, and which appeared to be a perfect model. Indeed she was represented to be, in point of sailing he and beauty of delineation, without a rival in the British navy. I was subsequently informed that several enterprising officers had solicited the command of the Revolutionaire; but as these favours are governed by interest, she was given to a young post captain, of some influence at court; who, though in the main a very brave young man, was devotedly attached to the chase, and seemed to pursue Diana more fervently than Neptune; for, while his frigate was at anchor near the Isle of Rhee, he very composedly took his dogs and his gun, got into his boat, and fairly landed on the coast of France; and while he was pacifically employed making war on the partridges and in hunting game, a French 74, all ready for action, slipped her cables and was standing out for the Revolutionaire. The young sportsman had just time to jump into his boat, leaving his dogs, gun and hunting apparatus on the beach, and reaching the frigate, cut the cable and had just time to escape capture. Since which I learnt that he had not ventured on the enemies coast to hunt, but amused himself with an extensive aviary, and would not permit his cabin guns to be fired, for fear of disturbing his Canary Birds, who were breeding; of all petit maitres, a nautical one seems most out of character. 2 After night had set in, and we were walking the deck, the enlivening sound of a violin was heard, and on going into the wardroom we discovered our Yankee prize master, surrounded by a host of officers and midshipmen, fiddling away with the greatest nonchalance, and amusing his auditors with no very scientific display of his abilities, in the way of Yankee Doodle, which he accompanied by those familiar doggrels, beginning with "Feyther and I went up to Camp," with all that nasal embellishment and cadenzas, so remarkable in the quarter to which he belonged. Here was an example of patience and fortitude worthy of imitation. This man had no other prospect on his arrival in England, than a room in Dartmoor, or mill prison; but he had courage and enterprize to meet danger, and philosophy to sustain misfortune. "Blest are those whose blood and judgment "Are so well commingled, that they are not a pipe, The next morning we entered Duornenez bay, where the residue of the Channel fleet was stationed. This beautiful bay had the appearance of a large amphitheatre, the entrance to which was between two promontories, and was exceedingly narrow, it gradually widened until it formed a spacious basin, surrounded by high hills covered with verdure and sprinkled with wind mills and cottages.— In this bay which was effectually protected from wind and sea, lay the Queen Charlotte of 110 guns, commanded by lord Keith, together with three or four line of battle ships, a few frigates and some smaller vessels. We came to anchor in this basin, from which capt. Waller assured us the Brest fleet could be seen if any attempt was made to get under weigh-it was a late discovery, the French had thrown up no fortifications; and previously the blockading squadron was compelled to be constantly at sea, and off the harbour of Brest; at present they lay tranquilly at anchor, exposed to no peril and was equally vigilant. We were now nearer than ever the French coast, and with our naked eye perceived the peasants pursuing their daily labour, the wind mills constantly at play, and every thing wearing the appearance of smiling industry, comfort and content. I became impatient ⚫ this detention, a few minutes would land us on the shore; and I could see no reason why we should be detained unless it was intended to consider us as prisoners of war, a circumstance that I deem |