^22 THE LIFE O? 



bark at eleven ; and fuch was the difpatch ufed to 

 prepare her for fea, that by one o'clock, not 

 more than five hours from the iffuing of the 

 orders, we were under way. This was, however, 

 but a trifle, compared with the adive exertions 

 of Earl St. Vincent ; for more than once, when 

 a crippled prize has been brought in one tide, 

 the very next tide fhe has been fent out com- 

 pletely refitted, armed, and manned, a cruizer 

 in the Britifh fervice. 



The attention paid by this great Admiral, 

 and the fatigues he muft have neceflarily under- 

 gone, are aftonifhing ; at the earlieft dawn of 

 morning he was feen attending to the bulinefs 

 of the dock-yard, where the fmallefl minutia 

 did not cfcape his eye; and in the evening, till 

 the utmoft glimpfe of twilight was obfcured, he 

 never quitted the work carrying on there, unlefs 

 other parts of the fervice required his prefence. 

 He did away the ceremonious formality of going 

 on board and on Ihore pradifed by comman- 

 ders of fhips of war ; the fplendid barge, with 

 its fmart crew, were no more feen; a boat of 

 any fort that could be procured, with perhaps 

 a couple of boys to work it, ferved not only the 

 Captains but the Admiral himfelf, who found 

 fufficicnt employ for every hand, without fuf- 

 fering them to throw away their time in empty 

 parade. 



The 



