My Youth by sea and land from 1809 to 1816

Chapter I

Departure from the Delaware — Harbour of New London — Beautiful Scenery — Activity of our Crew — The Ramillies — Captain Sir Thomas Hardy — Our Great Mistake in the American War — Capture of Coasting Vessels by the Ramillies — Exchange of Visits between the Captains — Unfortunate Affair — Attempted Destruction of His Majesty's Ship Ramillies — Saturday Night Amusements — The Assistant-Surgeon's Tale 1 CHAPTER H. Fishing off the Banks of Newfoundland — Becalmed — Decline of the North American Fisheries — Joined by two Frigates — A Strange Sail — Curious Anomaly — Yankee Enterprise — Chase of a French Corvette — Keturn to the Delaware — Unsuccessful Raid on Cattle — Gun Practice^ — Bermuda — Death of the Captain's Wife — Contemplated Expedition against New Orleans — A Hurricane — Danger from Drifting Vessels — Devastation CONTEXTS.

VI among the Shipping — Remnants of a Foreign Regiment in British Service — Conversation with a French Bour bonist ..... 25 CHAPTER HI. Arrival at Portsmouth— Visit to a Cousin — Attempted Robbery of my Prize Doubloons — Fate of the Dishonest Valet— Travelling at the Beginning of this Century — Cheap and nasty, but slow and sure — Young Bruin as an Inside Passenger — My Return Home — Overhauling a Sailor's Kit — State of Europe — Equipped for Field Sports — Fowl on the Marshes in Norfolk — The Redshank — Sporting Recollections — Ornithological Notes ... 46 CHAPTER TV. My Father's Household— Old John Lane — Out after Wild Ducks — The Heron — Storm in 1814 — Search for Old Tibbie — Dicks the Poacher — A Mystification — A Person from Wells — Interview with Moses Mordecai — Sale of Spanish Doubloons — Growing Dislike to the Naval Service — Out on a Stormy Night — Fall into a Snow-drift — Narrow Escape — Visits to Spots to Memory Dear— Lady Dorothy Walpole — The Family Ghost ..... 67

CHAPTER V.

Out after Wild-fowl — Desperate Run for Life — Our Newfoundland "Trudge" — Severe and Long-continued Storm — A Norfolk " Aunt Sarah " — Coursing Parties — Betty Osborne in London — Abdication of Napoleon — Battle of Toulouse — Visit of Allied Sovereigns to CONTENTS. VII England — Message from my Captain — Appointed to the Royal Sovereign — H. R. H. the Duke of Clarence — Dining with a Royal Duke — Appointed Aide-de-camp to His Royal Highness — Ball and Supper — Waltzes and Quadrilles— Ordered to America . . 94

CHAPTER VI.

Platoff and the Cossacks — My New Ship — Amusing Circumstance — Sail from Portsmouth with a Large Fleet of Transports — Conversation with the Captain — Indications of a Storm — Hurricane in the Atlantic — Fitting up a Spare Top-mast — Beautiful American Privateer — Anchored off the Island of Anticosti — Seals and Whales — Voyage up the St. Lawrence — Falls of Montmorenci — The Action on Lake Champlain — Sport in Canada — A Family of Bed Indians — The Midnight Prowler ..... 113 CHAPTER Vn. Sick and Wounded from Lake Champlain — Unfortunate Midshipman — Whales in the St. Lawrence — Return to England — Spithead — In Norfolk again — L'Homme propose, mais Dieu dispose — The Cove of Cork — Manœuvres of Fox- Hun ting — The Master of the Hounds — Music of the Chase — Determined to have a Rrush — Pitched over my Horse's Head — A Gay Hunting-Dress — A Stiff Fence— A Bold Rider — A Hampshire Day's Hunt in Verse — -The Squire's Invitation — Lady H and her Daughters . . 136 CHAPTER Vin.

Napoleon's Escape from Elba — Rumours at Portsmouth — In a Difficulty— Captain Brisbane — Awkward Pre- CONTENTS. dicament — Passage of the Needles — Arrival at Gib raltar — On the Boyne— Mate of the 'Watch — Voyage to Naples — King Ferdinand's Declaration — The Opera — Street Encounter — Vesuvius — Pompeii — Flogging round the Fleet— My Sister's Tomb — National Cos tumes — Fortress of Gibraltar — Minorca — Port Mahon — A Castellated Three-decker — Sail for Genoa — Civita Vecchia — The Bay of Naples — Visit of an Austrian General Officer — Murat — Suspicious-looking Boat 159

CHAPTER IX.

Generals Nugent and Bianchi — Message to Palermo — Arrival of King Ferdinand — Neapolitan Troops — The Cafes — Iced Punch — Story of an Italian — The Palace — Theatre San Carlo — The Danseuse — Illumination — Street Bullies — Burning of Napoleon in Effigy — Ridiculous Scene — Grand Review — Marching of the English Troops — Middies mystified — Mount Vesuvius — Visit to Pompeii — Remains of the Inhabitants — The Admiral's Barge — Singular Capture of a Deserter — His Punishment — Horrible Spectacle . 180

CHAPTER X.

Visit to Herculaneum — The Marina — A Commission to Capri — Sorrento — Scene in a Church — The Grotto del Cane — Disobeying Orders — Affray in the Ship's Boat — Singular Event — Sealed Despatches — The Gratitude of Sailors — Siege of the Fortress of Gaeta— Sail for Genoa — Sailing past Elba — Ship chased by a Corsair — Leghorn — Ride to Pisa — The Leaning Tower — The Italian Guard— An Unlucky Fall — Italian Boatmen — Genoa ..... CONTENTS. IX

CHAPTER XI.

Visit to Lord William B Dinner to the Admiral — Important Communication from Marseilles — Attacked by the Batteries of Toulon — Rejoicings at Marseilles — Dangerous Fall from the Mast — In Attendance upon Sir Hudson Lowe — Disembarkation of Troops — Reconnaisance on the Road to Toulon — Severe Illness — Pen-and-ink Portrait of Sir Hudson Lowe — Kindness of the Crew during my long Illness . . 219 CHAPTER Xn. Ball in honour of the Due d'Angouleme — New Acquaintance — Lodgings in Town — Riding Exercise — The Cosmopolitan Cafe — French Gentlemen and Parties — A French Military Officer — A beautiful young Lady and her Mother — Attempted Extortion by a Livery Stable Keeper— A French Lady's Villa — Dinner Party at the Admiral's — Shameless Attempt at Imposition — French Hair-dressing — The Livery Stable Keeper's account settled ..... 235 CHAPTER Xin.

Anxiety to return to England — Invitation to the Chateau — In Love with a French Young Lady —Sweet Seventeen — The Morning Gun — The Chasse in France — Hunting Costume — Pigeon-shooting — Eager Pursuit of very Small Game — French Politeness — Ridiculous Scene — Letter from Home — Kind Conduct of Captain Sir James Brisbane — My Impaired Health — Preparations for my Return to England — The Luxury of a Weed — Adieu to the Chateau. . . CONTEXTS. X

CHAPTER XIV.

The Diligence — English Midshipman in a French Hotel — The Table d'hote — French and English Appetites — Performance at the Theatre— Travelling under Escort — Unsettled State of the Country — Conversation with a Party of French Officers — Arrival at Paris — From Calais to Dover in a Sailing Vessel — Captain Sir James Brisbane's Letter to my Father — Cause of the Blindness with which I was ultimately afflicted — Join the Coldstream Guards — Guernsey — Disturbed Condition of the Country — Raising of Prince Albert's Norfolk Regiment of Yeomanry — Conclusion . 261 Appendix AND LAND.

CHAPTER I.

Departure from the Delaware — Harbour of New London — Beautiful Scenery — Activity of our Crew — The Ramillies — Captain Sir Thomas Hardy — Our Great Mistake in the American War — Capture of Coasting Vessels by the Ramillies — Exchange of Visits between the Captains — Unfortunate Affair — Attempted Destruction of His Majesty's Ship Ramillies — Saturday Night Amusements — The Assistant-Surgeon's Tale. "YTO THING of material consequence occurred J_l for some time, our frigate and brig returned to us, and we soon afterwards quitted the Delaware for Bermuda. Previous to going there we changed our course and steered away for the harbour of New London, which is VOL. II. B a city of Connecticut. I never was more de lighted than with the view and scenery in passing up towards the mouth of the harbour.

I never saw our fellows work more cleverly than they did on that day, as we beat up across the Channel, the wind directly in our teeth. There are two islands situated at the en trance of the bay, and we had to cross the Channel from shore to shore. On rounding the point of one of these, we came in sight of a large line-of-battle ship at anchor, which our Captain knew was there, although none of us did. It proved to be the Ramillies, Captain Sir Thomas Hardy, Nelson's brave captain at the battle of Trafalgar. He had with him a sloop of-war, and they were blockading two American frigates lying at that time high up in the har bour. Other ships were building in the dock yard, which was considered as fine a one as any the Americans had. The intention of our visit to this place never transpired.

Some thought we were going to make an attack on these frigates, but that was a ridiculous idea, for the entrance to the harbour was strongly fortified ; and had we got in, I think we should never have got out again — certainly not with the British colours flying. I THE "RAMILLIES." 3 have always considered the greatest error we committed was that of holding the Americans too cheap at the commencement of the war. We lost sight of the fact altogether that the American frigates were better manned and armed than our own, and of much greater dimensions ; independently of which, it was a very different thing to fight a ship manned with good seamen, as brave as our own, from fight ing one manned by Frenchmen, who were in ferior to our men in every way, not only in seamanship, but also in physical power.

Our constant successes against the French, in nearly the whole of our frigate actions, and more so in our actions against their fleets, had made our captains careless as to exercising their men at the guns. We came to an anchor near the Ramillies, and here we remained for three days, during which time the two gallant captains paid each other the compliment of an interchange of visits and dining together. Two days before our arrival at this place a most unfortunate affair had occurred. The boats of the Ramillies had captured several coasting vessels trying to enter the harbour at night, and had taken them alongside and emptied B them of their cargoes. This having been observed by the Yankees, a plan was laid to effect the destruction of the Ramillies. A schooner was towed out in the night in a dead calm, the crew of which left her about half a mile ahead of our ship, and took to their boat as soon as they perceived the boats of the British ship coming towards them.

This completely deceived our people, who imagined that the Americans, being becalmed, had taken to their boats sooner thau be captured. The boats of the Ramillies towed the vessel they had captured alongside, with the intention of opening her main hatch to see what she had on board. A lieutenant and some men were sent down to discover the nature of her contents, but on pulling up the main hatch an immediate explosion took place wounding the officer and several of his men. I do not know if any were killed, but it was understood there were. The explosion set fire to the lower rigging of the line-of-battle ship, but it was fortunately put out before it had ascended higher. At the expiration of the third day we got under weigh and bent our course back to the Delaware, which disappointed us all very much, as we thought we were going to Bermuda.

On entering the mouth of the Delaware we fell in with a Virginian pilot-boat, which, after a short chase, we captured, as she became rather alarmed at our shot whizzing so close to her. She was too insignificant a craft to spare men for, so we scuttled her. We remained here about a week, when three frigates came from Halifax to relieve us, and we started for Ber muda. I have forgotten to mention that sometimes during our stay here we used to invite, on a Saturday night, the boatswain and gunner to take a glass of grog with us in our berth. We generally used to sing songs after supper. One of the surgeon's assistants, who messed with us, had a capital voice and used to sing most admirably. One evening he told us the fol lowing tale, which may be interesting to my readers, more so as he said he could vouch for its accuracy.

" I had, in the commencement of my studies in the medical line, occasionally to visit a friend who was walking the hospitals, which it is necessary to do before you can pass an ex amination. One afternoon, on going to see my friend in the hospital in which he was engaged, I found him in conversation with an AND LAND. interesting youug woman of between three and four and twenty. She had a handsome but melancholy countenance, and I was peculiarly struck with her appearance. Her delicately formed features first attracted my attention. Upon a more close observation I perceived that she was very handsome. She had beautiful long black hair, dark eyes with long eyelashes, a small but exquisitely-formed mouth with per fect teeth. I was surprised, as you may sup pose, to see so delicate a creature in such a place, and more so when I understood that she was engaged to perform the office of attendant in the wards.

I learnt this from my friend whom I had come to visit. He said he had been endeavouring to find out what had brought her there. She had promised to give the infor mation the following day, and it was agreed that I should be present to hear her story, which she would be able to narrate to us in the even ing, when her part of the work was over. " Consequently the next morning found me in my friend's room at the hospital. The first question we asked her was, who were her parents? She told us that her mother was dead, but that her father, a clergyman, was still alive ; that she had one sister, and a little brother, who had gone to sea. Before her mother's death she had become acquainted with a young officer on the recruiting service, who was stationed near the village where they re sided in Leicestershire.

They had met to gether several times at small parties, and had become by degrees more intimately acquainted. Her father, who was a kind, amiable man, had invited the officer to stay a day or two, to break through the dulness of his occupation. All this was done with the best intentions on the part of her father, and was so appreciated by the young officer. He was as fond of music as she was herself. Thus thrown together, it is not to be wondered at that a mutual fond ness sprang up between them. "Parents do not see, sometimes, what they are about, throwing baits in the way of their chil dren, and when the hook is swallowed they are wonderfully surprised at it. Such was the case with these two young people. They had both swallowed the bait, and were so en tangled with the hook that it was not easy to separate them.

On the father finding out the mistake he had made, and discovering the at tachment between his daughter and the young officer, who had little but his pay to support a MY YOUTH EY SEA AXD LAXD. wife, he warned him in a most peremptory manner not to come near his house again. But though he did not come near the house, still the young lovers found means of meeting. The father, though a kind and amiable man, was at times most severe and arbitrary in the manage ment of his family. He had been brought up for the Army, had joined the East India Com pany's service, and had distinguished himself on more than one occasion. The climate being too warm for his constitution, he had quitted this service and returned to England. He then went to Oxford, and having completed his studies for the Church had entered into holy orders, and, through the kindness of friends, had obtained a living.

He married and had two children, one of which was the daughter whose story I am now relating. The other, a son, had entered the Royal Navy as a midshipman. "The brother and sister were so much alike in features that one was often mistaken for the other. I mention this circumstance because it has much to do with the history of this young person, in whom I had taken so much interest. " At this time the war was raging with un abated fury throughout Europe, and the English THE SURGEOX'S TALE. 9 Army in Spain and Portugal was under the command of Sir Arthur Wellesley. The father of this young person had, as I have told you, forbidden his daughter to hold any intercourse with the young officer commanding the recruit ing party for his regiment. She had an aunt living in London who was very fond of her, but was not on good terms with her father.

She had made this aunt fully acquainted with all the particulars regarding the attachment ex isting between her and the young officer, and the aunt had invited her to come to London and stay with her. This, after some little time, she did. However, before leaving the country, she had an interview with her lover, and in that interview they both renewed their engage ment to each other, vowing faithfulness to the last. " After she had been in London some short time she received a letter informing her that the officer, with the detachment which he com manded, was ordered to join his regiment, then quartered at Chatham. Had her aunt been aware that this event would take place it is most probable that she would not have in vited her niece to come to London, for Chatham, being so near to the metropolis, gave them AXD LAXD. every opportunity of meeting, of which the young soldier did not hesitate to take advantage.

More than a month had elapsed, after his return to his regiment, when, one morning, the niece was seen to leave the house of her aunt in company with a young friend and an elderly gentleman, take a hackney coach, drive over London Bridge, and with her companions, enter a small church in the Borough, where she and her lover were married. The old gentleman, a friend of her husband's father, who had been dead some years, undertook to give the fair bride away to his son. The youug lady who accompanied them was the old gentleman's daughter, and a great friend of the fair bride. Every thing had been done in the most proper and respectable manner, yet when it became known to her father and aunt that this event had taken place without their knowledge or consent, they both became furious, vowing that she should never enter their doors again.

The ceremony over, the young pair drove off in a post-chaise for Chatham, where apartments had been taken for them." Thus far had our young surgeon proceeded with his tale, to which we were all paying the THE SURGEOX'S TALE. 11 greatest attention. The glasses were replen ished with grog; even Tom Bass, our black servant, had been standing with his head bent forward from the little berth where he kept his glasses, plate, knives and forks, &c, his good natured face beaming with delight as he lis tened with earnest attention to the story which interested us all. He was heard once or twice to exclaim in a sotto voce tone : " Golloa, poor missy !" "Go on," cries young Teazer — "go on, James, with your story. What became of the young folks ?" " Oh, I am afraid I shall not be able to finish to-night — and we shall have no more light."

" Tom," cries young Teazer, " how many more dips have you got ?" " Massa, me got two more ; but den, massa, 'ou know that massa-at-arms come round at ten, and make put out all lights." " Hold your jaw, Tom." " 'Es, massa." " Have a glass of grog, Tom ?" " Tankee, massa." " Raw nip, or water grog, Tom ?" " Tink massa hab little water in — make more grog. LAND, After this little interruption James resumed his tale. " Let me see," said he, " where did I leave off? Oh ! the young couple had driven away to spend the honeymoon. The father and aunt, as I have told you, were both very angry at what had taken place. His temper, which was never good, had become worse. He resigned his living in the country, and went to reside in a small house near Brentford. In the meantime his daughter, after leaving her home, without the knowledge of her father, who dearly loved his child, had not been without her own cares and sorrows.

Six weeks had scarcely pass ed away after her marriage, when her husband's regiment was ordered to Spain. Sad indeed was the parting between the two young people. He left his wife in the apartments he had taken for her on his marriage ; and he had paid for them in advance for six months, so as to secure her every comfort he could, with very small means at his command. She tried in vain to see her aunt, and had likewise written to her father several times ; but received no reply. Her aunt had sent her all her clothes, books, and everything else which she had left behind on the morning of her flight. For more than a year after her husband's departure she remained in the same apartments. She received three letters from her husband during this time, giving an account of the battles in which he had been engaged, through all of which he had escaped unhurt.

His regiment was sent to reinforce Sir John Moore when he landed. He was unfortunately killed in one of the skirmishes between the rear-guard of the British Army and the French, on the retreat to Corunna,, When the news of this unfortunate event reached the ears of the unhappy lady whose history I am now relating to you, she was thrown into the utmost state of wild despair. Deserted by her father and her aunt, to whom could she look for consolation ? It is true that the wives of the officers who were residing near, and whose husbands were on duty at Chatham, did everything they could to sooth& her in her sad affliction. Some of them had been, like herself, left in solitude, whilst their husbands had been obliged to join their regi ments to fight the battles of their country. Some returned to the embraces of their wives ; others never.

One of these brave young fellows always carried the picture of his beautiful wife in a case about the thickness of a LAXD. watch, which he hung round his neck, and in the battle of Busaco it was the means of saving his life. His regiment was one of those which was most hotly engaged on that memorable day in driving back the French in their attempts to storm and turn the position which Sir Arthur Wellesley held. The French skir mishers, who were thrown out in numbers in front of their attacking columns, had killed a great many of our men. Our brave young officer had charged them with his company, and driven them back. A ball struck him on the left breast, and would have gone through his heart; but the case which contained the picture of his wife hung over that very spot, and saved his life.

Such are the fortunes of war. " Meanwhile the money which her husband had left our heroine had all been spent, and she was obliged to quit her apartments, and dispose of many ofher little trinkets to find a means of subsistence. The good old gentleman and his daughter, who were at the wedding, took her into their house, and kept her with them for some time. Through their kindness she was enabled to obtain a situation in the hospital, where I found her. I had several conversations with her. I took a bold step, and went to see the old aunt, who seemed to be well off in the world, but was much irritated against her niece. I tried to bring her to a more reasonable way of thinking about her position. " ' Madam,' I said, ' you know how prone young people are to fall in love with each other.' " ' No, sir, I know nothing about it,' she said.

" ' What, ma'am,' I said to her, ' did you never fall in love?' " ' It is all a foolish fancy, sir. " ' Well, madam, but then there must have been a great many fools, or we should none of us have been here !' " ' I think, sir,' she said, ' we had better drop this conversation.' " ' Well, ma'am, but I hope you will forgive her; and recollect that her husband is now no more, having been killed fighting for his country, like a brave soldier.' " I had been looking at her as she walked up and down the room in a most agitated state of mind. She was tall, and in her youth had evi dently been a handsome woman. On my utter ing the word ' soldier,' she turned sharply round MY YOUTH BY SEA AXD LAXD. upon me, and with the fire flashing from her eyes, said, "'Soldier, sir!— I hate the sight of them. And pray, sir, what have you been bringing up for V "'I am studying surgery — in tending to enter the Royal Navy.' " ' Royal Navy, sir !' she said. ' Sailors are worse than soldiers.' " I could get little out of her, but at last she gave me the address of my young friend's father."

At this moment the master-at-arms made his appearance at the door of our berth, informing us that it was four bells, and that we must put out our lights. Tom Bass gathered up his glasses and spoons, and in a few minutes we were all on our way to our hammocks in the dark, James having agreed to finish the story the following evening. My hammock was hung, at the time of which I am speaking, near the after-hatchway, so that I was better off than most of them. True it is there were two or three other hammocks hung up in the cockpit like my own. I have often thought over the circumstances which occurred during the time I served as a midshipman in the Royal Navy. THE SURGEOX'S TALE. 17 We had no candles to light us to bed, no nurse maid to tuck ms up ; and I have often been disgusted since that time to see the utter help lessness of young lads to find their way to their beds without an illumination of candles or gas, and in no class of people so much so as among our own servants.

On the following evening, as agreed, James came to sup with us, and resumed his story. He began by saying, " I told you of my having obtained from her aunt the address of my young friend's father. I made up my mind to try to see him, so I set out for that purpose. I took a place in one of the two-horse coaches which used to run, back ward and forward, from the Bank of England to Kew Bridge. From the latter place I walked on to Brentford, and soon found 'the residence of the young widow's father. I knocked at the door of a small but respectable-looking house, and was ushered into a room by a servant, who then requested to know my name and if I had come upon any particular business. I gave her my card, and said, I wished to speak to her mas ter very particularly. In a few minutes I was shown across the passage into another room, in which I found a tall, gentlemanly-looking VOL. II.

MY YOUTH BY SEA AXD LAND. man, about fifty years of age, dressed in deep mourning. He rose from his seat on my en trance and received me in a most polite manner. " ' I perceive, sir,' he said, ' by your card that your name is James. May I request to know the object of your visit to me ?' " He then asked me to be seated, a liberty I had not thought of taking until so invited. I must confess I felt very uncomfortable, for I saw something in the keen grey eye of the per son opposite to whom I was sitting, which did not altogether please me. But I said to my self, ' In for a penny, in for a pound.' " I began by apologising to him for intruding upon his time at so early an hour, to which he politely bowed, saying, ' Pray sir, proceed.' " ' I believe, sir,' I said, ' you have a daugh ter ?' " On my asking this question, he sprang from his chair as if struck by lightning.