SIGNALS. 37 



some little time before I was admitted 

 among them, and more before I became 

 thoroughly acquainted with the usages of 

 so unique an assemblage as a midshipman's 

 mess, or acquired anything like a perfect 

 knowledge of those who composed it. 



An old seventy -four, called the "Russell," 

 with an additional fleet of merchantmen, 

 had joined us off Plymouth ; so that to- 

 gether we made a considerable flotilla, not 

 only in numbers, but in wealth. Our sail 

 to the island of Madeira, where we stayed 

 but two days, was marked with only one 

 incident worthy of recording ; my time was 

 taken up principally in assisting to make 

 and repeat signals, to keep the convoy 

 together, to prevent them straggling too 

 much to windward or to leeward, and to 

 compel the sternmost to make more sail. 

 In the evening the crew were exercised at 

 the guns, or sometimes in reefing topsails ; 

 and it was upon one of the last occasions, 

 when the captain had ordered the men up 



