22 2 



Our anchor was not dropped, indeed we had 

 fcarcely entered the harbour before a variety 

 of people came out, in boats, to meet us, and, 

 fcrambling on board, afked the news in fuch 

 hurried folicitude as fcarcely to wait a reply, 

 before each queftion was followed by another. 

 What news ? what news ? what news of the 

 ' fleet ? what news of England ? what news 

 from the Continent ? were all uttered in fuch 

 rapid fucceflion, that the only anfwer we 

 could properly make, ferved as a general re- 

 ply "None ! we have been nine weeks at 



fea, and have every intelligence to feek — none 

 to give." 



Our abrupt vlfitors were extremely dif- 

 appointed, v/hen, inftead of being able to fa- 

 tisfy them, they found that we wereequally fo- 

 licltous to demand news of our convoy, of 

 the Iflands, and of the failing of the packet 

 for England. You will readily imagine that 

 from the critical fiate of Europe, on the one 

 hand, and the perilous fituation of the Iflandsj 

 on the other, together with the long interrupted 

 communication between them, each party, 

 partaking all the anxiety of the period, was 



