Generous treatment of French Officers. mingo, off which Lord Hood had stationed his fleet. The enemy, being informed of this circumstance, pushed through the Mona passage, and got into Puerto Cavallo, on the coast of the Caraccas. Nelson, being despatched by the British admiral to obtain information of the force and situation of the French, and considering that, as the Albemarle had been a French ship, she might still be taken for one, hoisted the enemy's colours, that he might the better effect the object of his mission. Thus disguised, she fell in, off La Guayra, with a Spanish launch, on board which were several distinguished officers of the French squadron, and, among the rest, the Count of Deuxponts, brother of the late king of Bavaria, who were returning from a visit to the town of Caracca de Leon. Being hailed in French from the frigate, and deceived by her appearance, they went on board: they readily answered all the questions that were asked concerning the number and force of the enemy's squadron. Their astonishment is not to be described when they found themselves prisoners of war on board an English frigate. Nelson, having entertained them with the best that his ship would afford, informed them that they were at liberty to depart whenever they pleased, on their parole of honour to be considered as prisoners of war, if his commander-in-chief should refuse to acquiesce in their liberation, a circumstance which he did not think likely to happen. In return for this generosity, they entreated him to take whatever might be most acceptable from the natural curiosities which they had collected, or whatever else their boat contained; but he declined the offer of any recompence for doing what he felt to be his duty: they parted with mutual good wishes; and Nelson rejoined the commander-in-chief. That Lord Hood had already formed the highest opinion of his professional abilities is evident from Returns to England at the Peace. the following passage in a letter from Nelson to his friend Captain Locker: "My situation in Lord Hood's fleet must be in the highest degree flattering to any young man: he treats me as if I were his son, and will, I am convinced, give me any thing I can ask of him." The return of peace, however, deprived him of any further opportunity of gaining distinction; and, after attending Prince William on a visit to the governor of the Havannah, the Albemarle sailed for England. On the 25th of June the ship anchored at Spithead, and was paid off at Portsmouth on the 3d of July, 1783. Captain Nelson immediately went to London, where he made it his first business to attempt to get the wages due to his " good fellows," for various ships in which they had served during the war. "The disgust of the seamen to the navy," he observes in a letter to Captain Locker on this occasion, "is all owing to the infernal plan of turning them over from ship to ship; so that men cannot be attached to their officers, nor their officers care the least about the men. My ship was paid off last week, and in such a manner as must flatter any officer, particularly in these turbulent times: the whole ship's company offered, if I could get a ship, to enter for her immediately. But I have no thoughts of going to sea, for I cannot afford to live on board in such a way as is going on at present." In writing to another friend he says: "I have closed the war without a fortune; but I trust, and from the attention that has been paid to me believe, that there is not a speck in my character. True honour, I hope, predominates in my mind far above riches.' Visits France. CHAPTER II. FROM 1783 TO 1790. CAPTAIN NELSON VISITS FRANCE-APPOINTED TO THE BO- HAVING been presented by Lord Hood to the King, who he remarked was very attentive, and taken leave at Windsor of Prince William, previously to his departure for the Continent, Nelson now paid another visit to his family and friends in Norfolk. He had expressed a determination to remain unemployed during peace, not only from motives of economy, but from an inclination to indulge the natural independence of his disposition. But the stagnation of an inactive life on shore soon produced that restlessness which forms a peculiar feature in the character of English seamen. He resolved to visit France in company with Captain Macnamara, (the adversary many years afterwards of Colonel Montgomery, in a duel that proved fatal to the latter) that he might acquire a knowledge of the French language, which he had found by experience to be of great service to a naval officer. Tour in France. 66 The only account that exists of this tour is contained in his letters to Captain Locker, in the first of which he says: Sterne's Sentimental Journey is the best description I can give of our tour. Mac advised me to go first to St. Omer, as he had experienced the difficulty of attempting to fix in any place where there are no English. After dinner (at Calais) we set off, intending to go to Montreuil, sixty miles from Calais. They told us we travelled en poste, but I am sure we did not get on more than four miles an hour. At Marques we were shown into an inn, they called it-I should have called it a pig-sty. We were put into a room with two straw beds, and with great difficulty they mustered up clean sheets, and gave us two pigeons for supper upon a dirty cloth, and laid wooden-handled knives. O, what a transition from happy England! But we laughed at the repast, and went to bed with a determination that nothing should ruffle our tempers. Having slept very well, we set off at daylight for Boulogne, where we breakfasted : this place was full of English, I suppose, because wine is so very cheap. . . . . I determined with Mac's advice to steer for St. Omer, where we arrived last Tuesday. We lodge with a pleasant French family, and have our dinners sent from a traiteur's. are two very agreeable young ladies, daughters, who honour us with their company pretty often; one always makes our breakfast, and the other our tea, and we play a game at cards in the evening: therefore I must learn French, if it is only for the pleasure of talking to them, for they do not speak a word of English." There In his next letter he adverts to the death of his favourite sister, Anne, occasioned by her going out of the ball-room at Bath, when heated with dancing. "My mind," he says, "is too much taken up with the recent account of my dear sister's death to par Appointed to the Boreas. He adds that, if he should take of any amusements." not return to England before the end of the winter, it was his intention to go in the spring to Paris, having received a pressing invitation from the Count of Deuxponts, one of the prisoners whom he had taken off Puerto Cavallo, and of whose rank he was not till then aware, accompanied with the expression of the most grateful acknowledgment for the kind treatment he had experienced on board the Albemarle. During his residence at St. Omer, the susceptible heart of Nelson was fascinated by the daughter of the Rev. Mr. Andrews, an English clergyman, with whom he had there formed an acquaintance. She was in every respect worthy of his attachment; but, on considering his straitened income, he thought it most prudent to draw back; and to this cause is ascribed his sudden return to England, at the beginning of 1784. He waited on Lord Howe, who then presided at the Admiralty, and who inquired if he wished for employment. He replied that he did, and towards the end of March he was appointed to the Boreas, 28 guns, then lying in Long Reach, destined for the Leeward Islands. Captain Nelson was directed to carry out Lady Hughes and family to Sir Richard, who commanded on that station; and in this ship his brother William became again, as he had been at school, the companion of the gallant Horatio, embracing this opportunity of visiting the West Indies, and officiating, occasionally, as chaplain, since, owing to the rate of the ship, the Boreas was not entitled to have one appointed. Some of the occurrences which took place after the Boreas had left the river Thames are related in the following letter to Captain Locker, dated Portsmouth, April 21, 1784. "Since I parted from you, I have encountered many disagreeable adventures. The morning after I |