the life of horatio lord nelson-第3章

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should　never　rise　in　my　profession。　My　mind　was　staggered　with　a　view　of　the　difficulties　I　had　to　surmount　and　the　little　interest　I　possessed。　I　could　discover　no　means　of　reaching　the　object　of　my　ambition。　After　a　long　and　gloomy　reverie；　in　which　I　almost　wished　myself　overboard；　a　sudden　glow　of　patriotism　was　kindled　within　me；　and　presented　my　king　and　country　as　my　patron。　'Well　then；'　I　exclaimed；　'I　will　be　a　hero！　and；　confiding　in　Providence；　I　will　brave　every　danger！'〃

Long　afterwards　Nelson　loved　to　speak　of　the　feelings　of　that　moment；　and　from　that　time；　he　often　said；　a　radiant　orb　was　suspended　in　his　mind's　eye；　which　urged　him　onward　to　renown。　The　state　of　mind　in　which　these　feelings　began；　is　what　the　mystics　mean　by　their　season　of　darkness　and　desertion。　If　the　animal　spirits　fail；　they　represent　it　as　an　actual　temptation。　The　enthusiasm　of　Nelson's　nature　had　taken　a　different　direction；　but　its　essence　was　the　same。　He　knew　to　what　the　previous　state　of　dejection　was　to　be　attributed；　that　an　enfeebled　body；　and　a　mind　depressed；　had　cast　this　shade　over　his　soul；　but　he　always　seemed　willing　to　believe　that　the　sunshine　which　succeeded　bore　with　it　a　prophetic　glory；　and　that　the　light　which　led　him　on　was　〃light　from　heaven。〃

His　interest；　however；　was　far　better　than　he　imagined；　During　his　absence；　Captain　Suckling　had　been　made　Comptroller　of　the　Navy；　his　health　had　materially　improved　upon　the　voyage；　and　as　soon　as　the　DOLPHIN　was　paid　off；　he　was　appointed　acting　lieutenant　in　the　WORCESTER；　sixty…four；　Captain　Mark　Robinson；　then　going　out　with　convoy　to　Gibraltar。　Soon　after　his　return；　on　the　8th　of　April　1777；　he　passed　his　examination　for　a　lieutenancy。　Captain　Suckling　sat　at　the　head　of　the　board；　and　when　the　examination　had　ended；　in　a　manner　highly　honourable　to　Nelson；　rose　from　his　seat；　and　introduced　him　to　the　examining　captains　as　his　nephew。　They　expressed　their　wonder　that　he　had　not　informed　them　of　this　relationship　before；　he　replied　that　he　did　not　wish　the　younker　to　be　favoured；　he　knew　his　nephew　would　pass　a　good　examination；　and　he　had　not　been　deceived。　The　next　day　Nelson　received　his　commission　as　second　lieutenant　of　the　LOWESTOFFE　frigate；　Captain　William　Locker；　then　fitting　out　for　Jamaica。

American　and　French　privateers；　under　American　colours；　were　at　that　time　harassing　our　trade　in　the　West　Indies：　even　a　frigate　was　not　sufficiently　active　for　Nelson；　and　he　repeatedly　got　appointed　to　the　command　of　one　of　the　LOWESTOFFE's　tenders。　During　one　of　their　cruises　the　LOWESTOFFE　captured　an　American　letter…of…marque：　it　was　blowing　a　gale；　and　a　heavy　sea　running。　The　first　lieutenant　being　ordered　to　board　the　prize；　went　below　to　put　on　his　hanger。　It　happened　to　be　mislaid；　and　while　he　was　seeking　it；　Captain　Locker　came　on　deck。　Perceiving　the　boat　still　alongside；　and　in　danger　every　moment　of　being　swamped；　and　being　extremely　anxious　that　the　privateer　should　be　instantly　taken　in　charge；　because　he　feared　that　It　would　otherwise　founder；　he　exclaimed；　〃Have　I　no　officer　in　the　ship　who　can　board　the　prize？〃　Nelson　did　not　offer　himself　immediately；　waiting；　with　his　usual　sense　of　propriety；　for　the　first　lieutenant's　return；　but　hearing　the　master　volunteer；　he　jumped　into　the　boat；　saying；　〃It　is　my　turn　now；　and　if　I　come　back；　it　is　yours。〃　The　American；　who　had　carried　a　heavy　press　of　sail　in　hope　of　escaping；　was　so　completely　water…logged　that　the　LOWESTOFFE's　boat　went　in　on　deck　and　out　again　with　the　sea

About　this　time　he　lost　his　uncle。　Captain　Locker；　however；　who　had　perceived　the　excellent　qualities　of　Nelson；　and　formed　a　friendship　for　him　which　continued　during　his　life；　recommended　him　warmly　to　Sir　Peter　Parker；　then　commander…in…chief　upon　that　station。　In　consequence　of　this　recommendation　he　was　removed　into　the　BRISTOL　flag…ship；　and　Lieu…　tenant　Cuthbert　Collingwood　succeeded　him　in　the　LOWESTOFFE。　Sir　Peter　Parker　was　the　friend　of　both；　and　thus　it　happened　that　whenever　Nelson　got　a　step　in　rank；　Collingwood　succeeded　him。　The　former　soon　became　first　lieutenant；　and　on　the　8th　of　December　1778　was　appointed　commander　of　the　BADGER　brig；　Collingwood　taking　his　place　in　the　BRISTOL。　While　the　BADGER　was　lying　in　Montego　Bay；　Jamaica；　the　GLASGOW　of　twenty　guns　came　in　and　anchored　there；　and　in　two　hours　was　in　flames；　the　steward　having　set　fire　to　her　while　stealing　rum　out　of　the　after…hold。　Her　crew　were　leaping　into　the　water；　when　Nelson　came　up　in　his　boats；　made　them　throw　their　powder　overboard　and　point　their　guns　upward；　and　by　his　presence　of　mind　and　personal　exertions　prevented　the　loss　of　life　which　would　otherwise　have　ensued。　On　the　11th　of　June　1779　he　was　made　post　into　the　HINCHINBROOK；　of　twenty…eight　guns；　an　enemy's　merchantman；　sheathed　with　wood；　which　had　been　taken　into　the　service。　Collingwood　was　then　made　commander　into　the　BADGER。　A　short　time　after　he　left　the　LOWESTOFFE；　that　ship；　with　a　small　squadron；　stormed　the　fort　of　St。　Fernando　de　Omoa；　on　the　south　side　of　the　Bay　of　Honduras；　and　captured　some　register　ships　which　were　lying　under　its　guns。　Two　hundred　and　fifty　quintals　of　quicksilver　and　three　millions　of　piastres　were　the　reward　of　this　enterprise；　and　it　is　characteristic　of　Nelson　that　the　chance　by　which　he　missed　a　share　in　such　a　prize　is　never　mentioned　in　any　of　his　letters；　nor　is　it　likely　that　it　ever　excited　even　a　momentary　feeling　of　vexation。

Nelson　was　fortunate　in　possessing　good　interest　at　the　time　when　it　could　be　most　serviceable　to　him：　his　promotion　had　been　almost　as　rapid　as　it　could　be；　and　before　he　had　attained　the　age　of　twenty…one　he　had　gained　that　rank　which　brought　all　the　honours　of　the　service　within　his　reach。　No　opportunity；　indeed；　had　yet　been　given　him　of　distinguishing　himself；　but　he　was　thoroughly　master　of　his　profession；　and　his　zeal　and　ability　were　acknowledged　wherever　he　was　known。　Count　d'Estaing；　with　a　fleet　of　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　sail；　men　of　war　and　transports；　and　a　reputed　force　of　five…and　twenty　thousand　men；　threatened　Jamaica　from　St。　Domingo。　Nelson　offered　his　services　to　the　Admiral　and　to　Governor…General　Dalling；　and　was　appointed　to　command　the　batteries　of　Fort　Charles；　at　Port　Royal。　Not　more　than　seven　thousand　men　could　be　mustered　for　the　defence　of　the　island；a　number　wholly　inadequate　to　resist　the　force　which　threatened　them。　Of　this　Nelson　was　so　well　aware；　that　when　he　wrote　to　his　friends　in　England；　he　told　them　they　must　not　be　surprised　to　hear　of　his　learning　to　speak　French。　D'Estaing；　however；　was　either　not　aware　of　his　own　superiority；　or　not　equal　to　the　command　with　which　he　was　intrusted：　he　attempted　nothing　with　his　formidable　armament；　and　General　Dalling　was　thus　left　to　execute　a　project　which　he　had　formed　against　the　Spanish　colonies。

This　project　was；　to　take　Fort　San　Juan　on　the　river　of　that　name；　which　flows　from　Lake　Nicaragua　into　the　Atlantic；　make　himself　master　of　the　lake　itself；　and　of　the　cities　of　Granada　and　Leon；　and　thus　cut　off　the　communication　of　the　Spaniards　between　their　northern　and　southern　possessions　in　America。　Here　it　is　that　a　canal　between　the　two　seas　may　most　easily　be　formeda　work　more　　important　in　　its　consequences　than　any　which　has　ever　yet　been　effected　by　human　power。　Lord　George　Germaine；　at　that　time　secretary　of　state　for　the　American　Department；　approved　the　plan；　and　as　discontents　at　that　time　were　known　to　prevail　in　the　Nuevo　Reyno；　in　Popayan；　and　in　Peru；　the　more　sanguine　part　of　the　English　began　to　dream　of　acquiring　an　empire　in　one　part　of　America；　more　extensive　than　that　which　they　were　on　the　point　of　losing　in　another。　General　Dalling's　plans　were　well　formed；　but　the　history　and　the　nature　of　the　country　had　not　been　studied　as　accurately　as　its　geography：　the　difficulties　which　occurred　in　fitting　out　the　expedition　delayed　it　till　the　season　was　too　far　advanced；　and　the　men　were　thus　sent　to　adventure　themselves；　not　so　much　against　an　enemy；　whom　they　would　have　beaten；　as　against　a　climate　which　would　do　the　enemy's　work。

Early　in　the　year　1780；　five　hundred　men　destined　for　this　service　were　convoyed　by　Nelson　from　Port　Royal　to　Cape　Gracias　a　Dios；　in　Honduras。　Not　a　native　was　to　be　seen　when　they　landed：　they　had　been　taught　that　the　English　came　with　no　other　intent　than　that　of　enslaving　them；　and　sending　them　to　Jamaica。　After　a　while；　however；　one　of　them　ventured　down；　confiding　in　his　knowledge　of　one　of　the　party；　and　by　his　means　the　neighbouring　tribes　were　conciliated　with　presents；　and　brought　in。　The　troops　were　encamped　on　a　swampy　and　unwholesome　plain；　where　they　were　joined　by　a　party　of　the　79th　regiment　from　Black　River；　who　were　already　in　a　deplorable　state　of　sickness。　Having　remained　here　a　month；　they　proceeded；　anchoring　frequently；　along　the　Mosquito　shore；　to　collect　their　Indian　allies；　who　were　to　furnish　proper　boats　for　the　river；　and　to　accompany　them。　They　reached　the　river　San　Juan；　March　24th；　and　here；　according　to　his　orders；　Nelson's　services　were　to　terminate；　but　not　a　man　in　the　expedition　had　ever　been　up　the　river；　or　knew　the　distance　of　any　fortification　from　its　mouth；　and　he　not　being　one　who　would　turn　back　when　so　much　was　to　be　done；　resolved　to　carry　the　soldiers　up。　About　two　hundred；　therefore；　were　embarked　in　the　Mosquito　shore　craft　and　in　two　of　the　HINCHINBROOK's　boats；　and　they　began　their　voyage。　It　was　the　latter　end　of　the　dry　season；　the　worst　time　for　such　an　expedition；　the　river　was　consequently　low。　Indians　were　sent　forward　through　narrow　channels　between　shoals　and　sandbanks；　and　the　men　were　frequently　obliged　to　quit　the　boats　and　exert　their　utmost　strength　to　drag　or　thrust　them　along。　This　labour　continued　for　several　days；　when　they　came　into　deeper　water；　they　had　then　currents　and　rapids　to　contend　with；　which　would　have　been　insur…　mountable　but　for　the　skill　of　the　Indians　in　such　difficulties。　The　brunt　of　the　labour　was　borne　by　them　and　by　the　sailorsmen　never　accustomed　to　stand　aloof　when　any　exertion　of　strength　or　hardihood　is　required。　The　soldiers；　less　accustomed　to　rely　upon　themselves；　were　of　little　use。　But　all　equally　endured　the　violent　heat　of　the　sun；　rendered　more　intense　by　being　reflected　from　the　white　shoals；　while　the　high　woods；　on　both　sides　of　the　river；　were　frequently　so　close　as　to　prevent　any　refreshing　circulation　of　air；　and　during　the　night　all　were　equally　exposed　to　the　heavy　and　unwholesome　dews。

On　the　9th　of　April　they　reached　an　island　in　the　river；　called　San　Bartolomeo；　which　the　Spaniards　had　fortified；　as　an　outpost；　with　a　small　semicircular　battery；　mounting　nine　or　ten　swivels；　and　manned　with　sixteen　or　eighteen　men。　It　commanded　the　river　in　a　rapid　and　difficult　part　of　the　navigation。　Nelson；　at　the　head　of　a　few　of　his　seamen；　leaped　upon　the　beach。　The　ground　upon　which　he　sprung　was　so　muddy　that　he　had　some　difficulty　in　extricating　himself；　and　lost　his　shoes：　bare…footed；　however；　he　advanced；　and；　in　his　own　phrase；　BOARDED　THE　BATTERY。　In　this　resolute　attempt　he　was　bravely　supported　by　Despard；　at　that　time　a　captain　in　the　army；　afterward　unhappily　executed　for　h