1830.] Recollections of a Valetudinarian. 29 



have consoled themselves for their misfortune by attributing it to the 

 weather ; but we had no such excuse ; our failure was entirely our own, 

 solely occasioned by stupidity and mismanagement. 



The reader will easily believe that I did not make those reflections at 

 that moment ; I was too much occupied by the novelty of my own situa- 

 tion, and a great deal too anxious about myself to think of any thing 

 else. I should imagine that the sensations of a boy first sent to one of 

 our public schools, and those of the young midshipman on joining his 

 first ship, must be very much alike : to use an expression well known to 

 each, they would both be in a considerable " funk." Such, I well re- 

 member, were my own sensations on that occasion. 



Captain (now an admiral of great fame and high consideration) 



received me with much kindness, and gave me into the particular charge 

 of his clerk, Mr. R , who had the care of two or three young gentle- 

 men confided to them by their friends. We had " a berth" in the gun- 

 room, or what appeared to me at that time a sort of canvas den, in 

 which five of us, including our caterer (an Irishman of considerable 

 bulk), were to mess and live in a space of about the size of a four-post 

 bed. This was considered also as rather an enviable situation, as we had 

 the advantage of day-light over those who messed in the cockpit, whose 

 inmates were condemned to perpetual candle-light, being some feet below 

 the level of the sea, and receiving only air through a windsail. 



My young messmates were delighted at having a " greenhorn" to 

 plague, and did not fail to make me undergo all the torments of initia- 

 tion. I had the usual tricks played upon me on being introduced to my 

 hammock, which went up and down with wonderful celerity by the help 

 of two or three double-headed shot, which being overbalanced by my 

 own weight in getting into bed naturally came down with me, and as 

 soon as I got out as naturally went up again, to my great discomfiture 

 and amazement. I recollect that I sat down in despair on the wet cable, 

 and actually cried with vexation, until a good old quarter-master at last 

 took compassion on me, and made me Cf fast," as it is called, for the re- 

 mainder of the night. 



I soon made up my mind to these little annoyances, which I should 

 not have felt so severely, if I had not been so much spoiled by my grand- 

 father. I saw, however, that it was of no use to be sulky ; and as I am not 

 naturally ill-tempered, I bore with their practical jokes with such good 

 humour, that they soon got tired of teasing ,me, and I became more 

 reconciled to my new situation. But a seasoning of a more serious na- 

 ture was about to befal me, for which I was quite unprepared, and which 

 does not happen to many youngsters so soon after joining the service 

 I mean, to be in an action with the enemy before I had left home ten 

 days. 



The operations against the town of Flushing not keeping pace with 

 our Commander-in-chief s impatience, he determined to force the bat- 

 teries with his squadron, and as our ship bore the flag of Lord G , 



the second in command, we were to follow next in the line to him, giving 

 the town the advantage of our broadsides as we passed. Whether in our 

 ardour we went too near the shore, or whether we drew more water than 

 our leader, we grounded stern-on to the batteries, and were consequently 

 exposed to the whole weight of the enemy's fire, without being able to 

 return but a few shot from our stern-chasers. 



I shall never forget my sensations on this occasion. When told that 



