THE HANNIBAL. 207 



choly pride, she produced ample testi- 

 monials. 



He was appointed to the "Hannibal," 

 74, on the West India station, and in 

 some operations against the enemy on the 

 Spanish Main as that part of the Ameri- 

 can continent immediately to the south of 

 the Isthmus was then called was taken 

 prisoner with his boat's crew. No tidings 

 had since been heard of him. When 

 the aggressive policy of the French Em- 

 peror against the Spanish Monarchy, fol- 

 lowed by his invasion of the Peninsula, 

 caused the Spaniards to throw off the 

 French yoke, and make a treaty of alli- 

 ance with us, it raised her hopes to the 

 highest pitch ; and she had been vainly 

 expecting, upon every arrival from that 

 part of the world, to embrace her son, 

 or at least to hear some good tidings of 

 him. But alas ! year after year had flown 

 away, and nothing authentic could be 

 gathered from either officers or seamen 



