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 
