CHARLES WATERTON, ESQ. XXXIX 



merchantmen. The harbour-master, having come 

 his usual rounds, and found all right, passed on 

 without making any observations. At one o'clock, 

 post meridiem, just as the governor had gone to the 

 eastward to take an airing in his carriage, as was 

 his custom every day; and the boats of two Spanish 

 brigs of war at anchor in the harbour had landed 

 their officers for the afternoon's amusements, our 

 vessel worked out clear of the rest, and instantly 

 became a cloud of canvass. The captain's counte- 

 nance, which was very manly, exhibited a portrait 

 of cool intrepidity rarely seen : had I possessed the 

 power, I would have made him an admiral on the 

 spot. The vessel drove through the surge with 

 such a press of sail, that I expected every moment 

 to see her topmasts carried away. Long before the 

 brigs of war had got their officers on board, and had 

 weighed in chase of us, we were far at sea ; and 

 when night had set in, we lost sight of them for 

 ever; our vessel passing Gibraltar at the rate of 

 nearly eleven knots an hour. 



The wind headed us the following night. After 

 thirty days of cold and stormy weather, we ran the 

 risk of following a fishing boat, for want of a pilot, 

 and anchored off Brownsea Castle, near Poole in 

 Dorsetshire ; an adverse wind not permitting us to 

 proceed up Channel. Here we sent our papers, and 

 Consul Laird's certificate up to London. Contrary 

 to my expectations, we received permission in due 

 time to proceed up the Thames. I had often told 

 Captain Bolin, during the voyage, that we should 

 be sent back to the Mediterranean for a regular 

 b 4 



