304 NAVAL REVIEW. 



The first day a review of the fleet 

 at Spithead took place; and never before 

 then was that anchorage so crowded 

 the whole space between the harbour 

 and the Island was covered with ves- 

 sels of every description, from the Royal 

 Yacht, with her cargo of illustrious 

 visitors, Sovereigns and Princes, down to 

 the poor bumboat-woman's humble craft 

 laden with her youthful family. I had 

 taken care to engage for my party the 

 pilot boat of the man who had so 

 kindly, but a few years before, eased 

 me of my four dollars, a fine cutter- 

 rigged vessel; and had given the com- 

 mand to my friend the lieutenant, who 

 manoeuvred her so well, as constantly to 

 keep us in view of all the remarkable 

 doings of the day. On one occasion, 

 by his superior knowledge of naval 

 tactics, he succeeded in placing us in 

 full view of the sovereigns, to the ex- 

 clusion of another vessel, laden with 



