MEMOIR. 23 



returned one shot from her immense 6 8 -pounder (which entered 

 the very embrasure that had fired) and paddled off. The 

 1 Hydra's ' visit was of very great service to us, as it proved, for 

 the enemy, taking it for granted that she had been marking out 

 the intended position of the ships, levelled their guns accurately 

 for that distance, and then closed up their embrasures by piling 

 sandbags under the breasts of their guns. When the day came 

 it was so fine that the fleet went much nearer in towards the 

 shore. The enemy began firing away without observing this ; 

 the consequence was that the most of their shot went over, cut- 

 ting up the rigging a great deal but seldom striking the hulls; 

 and in consequence of the thick smoke which enveloped every- 

 thing, they never discovered their error till near the end of the 

 action, when they made their shots tell much better ; but it was 

 too late then to do us much injury. 



On 3rd November, at one o'clock, the ships went into action, 

 anchoring in a semicircle embracing the whole sea front of the 

 town. They immediately began pouring in their broadsides, the 

 Austrians threw in rockets, and the steamers their heavy shells. 

 The enemy returned the fire with very great spirit. 



Thus far we have given the earlier incidents of our author's 

 life in his own words. Between then and the time of his leaving 

 the service, a hiatus is filled in by members of his own family, 

 and the memoirs which follow are also contributed by them and 

 by Mr Colin M'Vean. 1 



On 2nd December of this year (1840), a violent storm occurred 



1 Reginald Graham and Mrs Graham Mr H. D. Graham's brother and 

 mother and Mr Colin M'Vean, Mr Graham's almost daily companion when in 

 lona. ED. 



