CHAP. II.] Adjuiral Sir Watkin Pell. 57 



late Italian miaister, M. Negre, used to take into the 

 country with him, for the amusement of his hosts, a 

 chef, his cook, who was no less skilful in the conjuring 

 than he was in the culinary art. 



Another one-legged man who had ^^ all his buttons on/' 

 as regarded hunting, as well as seafaring matters, was 

 Captain, afterwards Admiral, Sir Watkin Pell, E.N., of 

 Sywell Hall. Losing his leg when a midshipman, in an 

 attempt to cut out an enemy's gun-boat, he got so accus- 

 tomed to the ways of a cork leg, that it formed no im- 

 pediment to him in his profession, or in the enjoyment of 

 life, be he where he might. Fond of hunting, as of all 

 wild sports, he rode boldly, though in thorough sailor-like 

 fashion, and clinging on, ^^ fore and aft," took the fences 

 pretty much as they came. Having once come to grief 

 in jumping the brook under Pytchley, the " old salt,'' 

 with pardonable exaggeration, was wont to boast that he 

 had made acquaintance with the bottom of every stream 

 in the county. His last command, before being ap- 

 pointed to the snug berth of the Deputy-Governorship of 

 Greenwich Hospital, was the fine old three-decker, Tiie 

 Howe. An excellent officer, a strict disciplinarian, and a 

 bit of a martinet, no ship in Malta Harbour was in such 

 trim as Tlie Howe. The night before leaving the island, 

 dining- with a friend to whom he had handed over his 

 Maltese cook, the performance of his late ^' chef" did 

 not at all come up to the high recommendations he had 

 given him. Begging that he might be sent for as soon 

 as the ladies had left the dining-room, the Admiral 

 informed him that '' had he sent up such a dinner on 

 board, he would have received three dozen there and 

 then ! " 



