FISHING. 99 



did my time pass agreeably enough, and 

 met with no alloy from my messmates, 

 who were in the main all good-natured 

 fellows. 



In consequence of great depredations 

 being committed on our commerce by 

 the French Admiral Linois, in the 

 "Marengo," line-of-battle ship, and her 

 companion, the "Belle Poule," a frigate 

 that, from her sailing qualities, had bid 

 defiance to our fastest cruisers, we were 

 detained at St. Helena nearly three 

 months. During that time the late cap- 

 tain of the " Dedaigneuse," and the only 

 other cabin passenger, a gentleman high 

 in office in the East India Company's Civil 

 Service, lived entirely on shore ; while I, 

 having no money, was obliged to spend 

 my time in the best way I could, which 

 was principally in fishing at different 

 points of the coast of this rocky island, 

 where mackerel and congor-eel abound, 

 and upon which we almost entirely sub- 



H2 



