An adventure on horseback.

left you, we sailed at daylight, just after high water. Wednesday I got into a quarrel with a Dutch Indiaman, who had Englishmen on board, which we settled, though with some difficulty. The Dutchman has made a complaint against me; but the Admiralty fortunately have approved of my conduct in the business a thing they are not very guilty of where there is a likelihood of a scrape. And yesterday, to complete me, I was riding a blackguard horse that ran away with me at Common, carried me round all the works into Portsmouth, by the London gates, through the town, and out at the gate that leads to Common, where there was a waggon in the road, which is so very narrow that a horse could barely pass. To save my legs, and perhaps my life, I was obliged to throw myself from the horse, which I did with great agility; but unluckily upon hard stones, which has hurt my back and my leg, but done no other mischief. It was a thousand to one I had been killed. To crown all, a young girl was riding with me, and her horse ran away with mine; but most fortunately a gallant young man seized her horse's bridle a moment before I was dismounted, and saved her from the destruction which she could not have avoided." Seamen, upon the whole, are notoriously bad horsemen, and we presume from this adventure that in this respect Nelson formed no exception to the general rule.

On the 19th of May, 1784, the Boreas sailed for her station, and arrived at Barbadoes on the 26th of June. Here Nelson, to his no small satisfaction, found himself senior captain, and second in command. Though war was his element, yet, as he himself frequently said, "a captain of a man-of-war, if he does his duty, will find sufficient to occupy his mind and to render service to his country, on any station, either in peace or war;" and his conduct in the West In

Nelson's treatment of his Midshipmen.

dies during a period of profound peace was in perfect accordance with this maxim.

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The Boreas carried out an unusual number of young midshipmen, there being not fewer than thirty on board, to whom, probably recollecting the discouraging circumstances attending his own reception on board the Raisonnable, he showed particular kindness and attention. If any of these youngsters appeared at first afraid to go aloft, he would say to him in a friendly tone: Come, sir; I am going aloft to the mast-head, and beg that I may meet you there." The boy would immediately set about the task, and climb up in the best manner he could-how, the captain would never notice and when they met in the top he would speak cheerfully to him, and say that any one was much to be pitied who imagined that it was either dangerous or difficult to get up. He went daily into the school-room to see that they were applying to their nautical studies; and at noon he was always first on deck with his quadrant. Whenever he paid a visit of ceremony, he was accompanied by some of these youths: and when he went to dine with the governor of Barbadoes, he took one of them in his hand, and presented him, saying: 'Your excellency must excuse me for bringing one of my midshipmen. I make it a point to introduce them to all the good company I can, as they have few besides myself to look up to whilst they are at sea." It is to be regretted that a practice so manifestly beneficial to the young gentlemen in their professional career is not more generally adopted in the service.*

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To Nelson, the midshipmen in particular were indebted for raising them into that scale of naval society which attached them to the service, and induced the application of all their energies, prompted by the best feeling-a love of country in the discharge of their duties. One Nelson makes a thousand brave and excellent officers.-THE OLD SAILOR.

Strikes the resident Commissioner's flag at Antigua. From Barbadoes the Boreas proceeded to Antigua, to be laid up for the hurricane months. On his arrival there, he was surprised to find the Latona in English Harbour, with a broad pendant hoisted, and still more so on reading an order issued by Sir R. Hughes, directing the commanders of his Majesty's ships to obey the orders of the resident commissioner, Moutray, during their stay there, and authorising the said commissioner to hoist a broad pendant for that purpose on board any ship in the port that he might think proper. As the resident commissioner held only a civil office, Nelson deemed this innovation inconsistent with the good of the service, and determined to resist it. "I know of no superior officers," he exclaimed, "besides the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and my seniors on the Post list." The moment the ship had anchored, he, with his usual promptitude, sent an order to Captain Sandys, of the Latona, to strike the commissioner's broad pendant, and return it to the dock-yard, which was done accordingly: but, to prove that he was actuated only by a sense of duty, he went the same day to dine with the commissioner, and carried him the first intelligence that his pendant had been struck. Sir Richard Hughes transmitted a report of this circumstance to the Admiralty, who could do no other than approve Captain Nelson's conduct.

He displayed not less decision on another occasion. After the hurricane months were over, while the Boreas lay at anchor in Nevis road, a French frigate passed to leeward close along shore. According to intelligence received by Nelson, which proved to be correct, this frigate had been sent to make a survey of our West India islands, and had on board two general officers and some engineers. He therefore determined to accompany the French ship to prevent the execution of their intentions. The Boreas got

Baffles an intended Survey of the Islands by the French.

under weigh and followed the frigate, which was found the next day at anchor in the road of St. Eustatia. Nelson anchored at about two cables' length on the frigate's quarter. Salutes and other mutual civilities were interchanged. Himself and his officers were on the following day invited by the Dutch governor to meet the French officers at dinner, and Nelson gladly seized this opportunity of assuring the captain of the frigate, with a courtesy worthy of an experienced diplomatist, that, 'understanding it was the design of the French to honour the British West India islands with a visit, he had taken the earliest opportunity in his power to accompany them in his majesty's ship Boreas; in order that such attention might be paid to the officers of his most christian majesty as every Englishman in the islands would be proud of showing.' The French, with equal politeness, would fain have declined the compliment, which Nelson however insisted on paying. They then made several attempts to elude his vigilance, but without effect; on which they abandoned their project; and the frigate returned to Martinique, whence she had originally sailed, the Boreas never losing sight of her till she had reached that island.

His attention was soon afterwards directed to a subject of infinitely greater importance. He observed that our West India Islands swarmed with American vessels, which, taking advantage of the registers issued while Americans were British subjects, were uniformly countenanced by the planters, merchants, and officers of the customs, to the profit of individuals, and the injury of the commerce of the mother country. Nelson was well aware that, after the peace of 1783, the Americans had become as much foreigners to us as any other nation; and, resting on the authority of the Act of 12 Charles II., which says that "no foreigners, directly or indirectly, shall have any

Illicit Traffic of Americans in the West Indies.

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trade or intercourse with his majesty's West India Islands; the ships to be British built, and navigated. by at least three-fourths British subjects"— he determined to put a stop to their illicit trade. "I, for one," said he, am determined not to suffer the Yankees to come where my ship is; for, I am sure, if once they are admitted to any kind of intercourse with our islands, the views of the loyalists in settling in Nova Scotia are entirely done away: and, when we are again embroiled in a French war, the Americans will first become the carriers of these colonies, and then have possession of them. Here they come, sell their cargoes for ready money, go to Martinico, buy molasses, and so round and round. The loyalist cannot do this, and consequently must sell a little dearer. The residents here are Americans by connexion and by interest, and are inimical to Great Britain. They are as great rebels as ever were in America, had they the power to show it."

He commenced a correspondence with Sir Thomas Shirley, governor of the Leeward Islands, in which he plainly pointed out the steps that ought to be taken in this business. This unusual mode of giving advice to a superior excited the military jealousy and wounded the pride of the governor. He replied, that old generals were not in the habit of taking advice from young gentlemen.' Nelson's indignation was roused in his turn, and produced this emphatic answer : “I have the honour, sir, of being as old as the prime minister of England, and think myself as capable of commanding one of his Majesty's ships as that minister is of governing the State."

In November, 1784, the hurricane months being over, and the squadron having arrived at Barbadoes, the ships were about to separate for the different islands, without any other orders than to examine anchorages, and make the usual inquiries concerning

D