CRUISE WITH THE EXPERUHENTAL SQUADRON. 351 



so afforded by the stamp-receipt. I will write to you again before 

 long ; I hope it will not be very long before I return. Tell the girls 

 to be sensible and good g<ds. Love to them and the lads, if these 

 latter be with you ; and do not doubt, my dearest Jane, that I am, 

 and ever will be, your affectionate John Wilson." 



"Caiipeadora Schooxer, Plymouth, 

 August 31, 1832. 



" My dearest Jane : — After some anxiety from not hearing 

 from you, your letter of the 23d, direct to Plymouth, reached me 

 the day before yesterday, and informed me that all are well. I 

 cannot conjecture what has become of your other letters, but I 

 have received only one long one written conjunctly, and your own 

 of the 23d. Any or all intermediate must still be with Mr. Barrow. 

 I presume that Sym has told you within these few days that he has 

 heard from me, and I now sit down to inform you further of my 

 proceedings. The squadron are now collected, and we have been 

 sailing with strong breezes. The first day there was no right trial ; 

 the second, from Torbay to near Plymouth and back again, was also 

 inconclusive. The chief strusrsde was between the ' Snake ' ' Cas- 

 tor,' and ' Vernon.' When going under full sail, in the same tack, 

 close-hauled to the wind, the ' Vernon' was considerably ahead, the 

 1 Castor' next, and the ' Snake' trying to shoot across the ' Castor's' 

 bow, but without success. The ' Castor' carried away her jib-boom, 

 and signal was thereupon made by the Admiral for us to put about. 

 The ' Castor' stood in, and we crossed her to windward only fifty 

 yards. As she was more than fifty yards behind when we started,' 

 her people claimed the victory, but it was obviously no go. The 

 day grew very boisterous, and we got safe at sunset into Torbay. 

 On Sunday (the day following), I visited the Admiral, as told in my 

 letter to Sym. On Monday we lay at rest. I am sorry to say, that 

 on entering Torbay, on Saturday night, a man fell overboard, and 

 was drowned. On Wednesday morning, at four o'clock, the squad- 

 ron got under weigh and left Torbay. I had gone on board the 

 ' Campeadora' the night before, and slept there on condition that a 

 look-out should be kept on the movements of the ' Vernon.' Judge 

 of my feelings (mixed) when awakened at seven, and told all the 

 ships had been gone for several hours. At eight we weighed an- 

 chor and followed the fleet. The tide favored us, and so did a 



