IN THE TIME OF PEACE. 259 



looking schooner. We soon found she gained upon us considerably. 

 We, therefore, prepared for action; our passengers willingly lent 

 their assistance in any capacity where they could be most useful. 

 It was now night, and the schooner had closed with us so much that 

 we expected her to fire every minute all hands remained at their 

 quarters. The mail bags were brought on deck ready to be thrown 

 overboard in case of our being taken. She, however, would not 

 attack us at night, but kept close in our wake till the morning, when 

 we found she overhauled us so much, that it was no use attempting 

 to escape, we had only to sell ourselves as dearly as possible. So to 

 prevent her obtaining the weather-gauge we tacked to take up our 

 position ; we had no sooner done this than she put her helm down 

 and round she went ; the case was now altered, from the chased we 

 became the chasers. The wind at this time luckily failed us, and 

 though we pretended to keep up the chase by setting studding sails, 

 we had no wish to overtake her. When she saw us make sail, she 

 out sweeps and was soon out of our reach. It was most probably 

 owing to our having tacked that we saved ourselves, for though we 

 were all determined, we had but thirty-eight hands including pas- 

 sengers, with six nine pounders and small arms. From the view we 

 got of our enemy, it was evident she doubled our size, having two long 

 eighteens on swivels with some carronades, and her decks full of 

 men. When we tacked, she no doubt mistook us for a ten-gun brig, 

 which we greatly resembled when seen from a distance. At last, we 

 saw the Lizard a joyful sight to all who have taken a long voyage, 

 but more particularly so to me, who had been six months away from 

 a home that before this trip I had never quitted for six days. In the 

 morning we anchored at Falmouth, and in one week I was at home, 

 and had expressed my determination to stick to the sea ; a few more 

 disregarded arguments were advanced by my father, but finding it 

 all in vain he set about obtaining me a ship. This he had little dif- 

 ficulty in doing, and after I had been at home about a fortnight, I 



received an order to join H.M.S. I , commanded by Sir T 



S , fitting at Chatham for the Mediterranean station. I was now 



going to enter the navy for the first time every thing would be 

 new, and I looked forward very anxiously for the time I should be 

 entirely out of leading-strings, for before I was under the superin- 

 tendance of my brother-in-law. My father had obtained from the 

 captain one month's leave of absence to fit me out, this time was 

 spent in visiting all relations, cousins, aunts, and such nuisances. 

 The time was up at last, and how different was the parting instead 

 of tears on my part, I was all smiles ; instead of delaying till the last 

 moment, I hurried every thing on, and appeared to be so happy that 

 I was unanimously rated a hard-hearted, unfeeling wretch. Being 

 packed upon the top of the coach, I proceeded to Chatham, put up 

 as before at the Sun, ordered dinner, took a stroll, and went to bed 

 to prepare myself by plenty of rest for joining to-morrow. It is said 

 that directly a midshipman passes his examination, a flag is opened 

 to his view, -but I was more fortunate, for though only a day old in 

 the service I had no sooner closed my eyes than I saw Red at the 

 Main. 



END OF CHAPTER I. 



