BCON6MY AT SEA*.. 177 



and had but one gale of wind : The {hip performs as well as Ship fteersand 



it is poffible for a ftiip ; is remarkable eafy at fea, fteers and remarkably \afy 



fails well, and is perfedly tight. In the gale of wind the at fea, perfeftly 



Epervier man of war fprung her foremad ; the Robert Aylward ^'^ht in a. heavy 



ditto; a trig, Mafler or brig named Swinger, loft both top- other fhips 



marts and parted convoy in lat. 14. 30 N. Oar (hip behaved J^^^much, 

 r J *^ Ihe meets no 



eKtremely well and never ftrained a rope yarn. accident; 



(Signed) ALEXANDER SMITH. 



From the period of this letter ftie remained at the Weft de'ayeJ at the 

 India iflands until the 23d of July 1805 ; being detained there iy\^^ Fiench 

 the greaieft part of that time by the arrival of the French fleet, fleet, 

 which was afterwards chafed back to Europe by the gallant 

 and ever to be regretted Lord Nelfon; from the 23d. of July, "'""""^ ^°"^*» 



'^ J J ' experiences 



when the failed for England, to the 29th of Oft. when Hie violent gales, 

 caft anchorott" Porlfmouthon theMoi.her-bank, ftie experienced ^"^^ tedious 



r ■ r r , . 1 ■ 1 1 r J - i ■ i pa!"gc '^t three 



a leries or levere weather^and violentlgaies or wind, in which nioii»s, fome 



fome of the fleet With which (he returned foundered, and ^hips of the 

 others were obliged to bear away for America for Aielter. j^^o^gh feveriry 

 The remarkable bad pafTage home of the Leeward ifland fleet, of weather. 

 of which (he was one, is too well known to need much de- ^^.^^^j^^ 'I ^J^'^* 

 fcriplion; all feamen muft be (entible that three months lofTing ficient proof of 

 on the Atlantic ocean in fuch hard weather, beating upaeamft ^?' ^^|"^''y> 



r> r !n when deeply 



contrary winds, tea velTel as deeply laden with fugar as the laden, 



Ikrews could comprels it into her, rnuft have been a moft fe- 



vere trial, and that if (he had a fingle weak part, or defective. 



principle in her confttu6iicn, it muft have given out in that 



time: but while moft of the other (hips of the fleet met with 



more or lefs damage both to themfelves and their cargoes, flie 



bore through all without the fmalleft accident, and brought 



home her fugar perfedly dry and fafe ; which was not com- 



pleally difcharged until Jan, 1805 (on account of her deten- 



tion at Portfmouth, through contrary winds from whence (he 



ftie did not get to London before the 27th. of Nov. on which 



day flie hauled into the Weft India dock,) or this account 



would have been made public before. A further proof of took the 



the ftability of her frame work, is her taking the ground with 2^^""^'^''^°^' 



. .. . . injury at 



a (uh cargo on board without any accident, as may be (een Trinadad. 

 more particularly in the following account of her performance 

 home which I received from her Captain. 



DE.\a 



