the life of horatio lord nelson-第4章

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bravely　supported　by　Despard；　at　that　time　a　captain　in　the　army；　afterward　unhappily　executed　for　his　schemes　of　revolutionary　treason。　The　castle　of　San　Tuan　is　situated　about　16　miles　higher　up；　the　stores　and　ammunition；　however；　were　landed　a　few　miles　below　the　castle；　and　the　men　had　to　march　through　woods　almost　impassable。　One　of　the　men　was　bitten　under　the　eye　by　a　snake　which　darted　upon　him　from　the　bough　of　a　tree。　He　was　unable　to　proceed　from　the　violence　of　the　pain；　and　when；　after　a　short　while；　some　of　his　comrades　were　sent　back　to　assist　him；　he　was　dead；　and　the　body　already　putrid。　Nelson　himself　narrowly　escaped　a　similar　fate。　He　had　ordered　his　hammock　to　be　slung　under　some　trees；　being　excessively　fatigued；　and　was　sleeping；　when　a　monitory　lizard　passed　across　his　face。　The　Indians　happily　observed　the　reptile；　and　knowing　what　it　indicated；　awoke　him。　He　started　up；　and　found　one　of　the　deadliest　serpents　of　the　country　coiled　up　at　his　feet。　He　suffered　from　poison　of　another　kind；　for　drinking　at　a　spring　in　which　some　boughs　of　the　manchineel　had　been　thrown；　the　effects　were　so　severe　as；　in　the　opinion　of　some　of　his　friends；　to　inflict　a　lasting　injury　upon　his　constitution。

The　castle　of　San　Juan　is　32　miles　below　the　point　where　the　river　issues　from　the　Lake　of　Nicaragua；　and　69　from　its　mouth。　Boats　reach　the　sea　from　thence　in　a　day　and　a…half；　but　their　navigation　back；　even　when　unladen；　is　the　labour　of　nine　days。　The　English　appeared　before　it　on　the　11th；　two　days　after　they　had　taken　San　Bartolomeo。　Nelson's　advice　was；　that　it　should　instantly　be　carried　by　assault；　but　Nelson　was　not　the　commander；　and　it　was　thought　proper　to　observe　all　the　formalities　of　a　siege。　Ten　days　were　wasted　before　this　could　be　commenced。　It　was　a　work　more　of　fatigue　than　of　danger；　but　fatigue　was　more　to　be　dreaded　than　the　enemy；　the　rains　set　in；　and　could　the　garrison　have　held　out　a　little　longer；　diseases　would　have　rid　them　of　their　invaders。　Even　the　Indians　sunk　under　it；　the　victims　of　unusual　exertion；　and　of　their　own　excesses。　The　place　surrendered　on　the　24th。　But　victory　procured　to　the　conquerors　none　of　that　relief　which　had　been　expected；　the　castle　was　worse　than　a　prison；　and　it　contained　nothing　which　could　contribute　to　the　recovery　of　the　sick；　or　the　preservation　of　those　who　were　yet　unaffected。　The　huts　which　served　for　hospitals　were　surrounded　with　filth；　and　with　the　putrefying　hides　of　slaughtered　cattlealmost　sufficient　of　themselves　to　have　engendered　pestilence；　and　when　at　last　orders　were　given　to　erect　a　convenient　hospital；　the　contagion　had　become　so　general　that　there　were　none　who　could　work　at　it；　for　besides　the　few　who　were　able　to　perform　garrison　duty；　there　were　not　orderly　men　enough　to　assist　the　sick。　Added　to　these　evils；　there　was　the　want　of　all　needful　remedies；　for　though　the　expedition　had　been　amply　provided　with　hospital　stores；　river　craft　enough　had　not　been　procured　for　transporting　the　requisite　baggage；　and　when　much　was　to　be　left　behind；　provision　for　sickness　was　that　which　of　all　things　men　in　health　would　be　most　ready　to　leave。　Now；　when　these　medicines　were　required；　the　river　was　swollen；　and　so　turbulent　that　its　upward　navigation　was　almost　impracticable。　At　length　even　the　task　of　burying　the　dead　was　more　than　the　living　could　perform；　and　the　bodies　were　tossed　into　the　stream；　or　left　for　beasts　of　prey；　and　for　the　gallinazosthose　dreadful　carrion　birds；　which　do　not　always　wait　for　death　before　they　begin　their　work。　Five　months　the　English　persisted　in　what　may　be　called　this　war　against　nature；　they　then　left　a　few　men；　who　seemed　proof　against　the　climate；　to　retain　the　castle　till　the　Spaniards　should　choose　to　retake　it　and　make　them　prisoners。　The　rest　abandoned　their　baleful　conquest。　Eighteen　hundred　men　were　sent　to　different　posts　upon　this　wretched　expedition：　not　more　than　three　hundred　and　eighty　ever　returned。　The　HINCHINBROOK's　complement　consisted　of　two　hundred　men；　eighty…seven　took　to　their　beds　in　one　night；　and　of　the　whole　crew　not　more　than　ten　survived。

The　transports'　men　all　died；　and　some　of　the　ships；　having　none　left　to　take　care　of　them；　sunk　in　the　harbour：　but　transport　ships　were　not　wanted；　for　the　troops　which　they　had　brought　were　no　more：　they　had　fallen；　not　by　the　hand　of　an　enemy；　but　by　the　deadly　influence　of　the　climate。

Nelson　himself　was　saved　by　a　timely　removal。　In　a　few　days　after　the　commencement　of　the　siege　he　was　seized　with　the　prevailing　dysentery；　meantime　Captain　Glover　（son　of　the　author　of　LEONIDAS）　died；　and　Nelson　was　appointed　to　succeed　him　in　the　Janus；　of　forty…four　guns；　Colling…　wood　being　then　made　post　into　the　HINCHINBROOK。　He　returned　to　the　har…　bour　the　day　before　San　Juan　surrendered；　and　immediately　sailed　for　Jamaica　in　the　sloop　which　brought　the　news　of　his　appointment。　He　was；　however；　so　greatly　reduced　by　the　disorder；　that　when　they　reached　Port　Royal　he　was　carried　ashore　in　his　cot；　and　finding　himself；　after　a　partial　amendment；　unable　to　retain　the　command　of　his　new　ship；　he　was　compelled　to　ask　leave　to　return　to　England；　as　the　only　means　of　recovery。　Captain　（afterwards　Admiral）　Cornwallis　took　him　home　in　the　LION；　and　to　his　fare　and　kindness　Nelson　believed　himself　indebted　for　his　life。　He　went　immediately　to　Bath；　in　a　miserable　state；　so　helpless　that　he　was　carried　to　and　from　his　bed；　and　the　act　of　moving　him　produced　the　most　violent　pain。　In　three　months　he　recovered；　and　immediately　hastened　to　London；　and　applied　for　employment。　After　an　interval　of　about　four　months　he　was　appointed　to　the　ALBEMARLE；　of　twenty…eight　guns；　a　French　merchantman　which　had　been　purchased　from　the　captors　for　the　king's　service。

His　health　was　not　yet　thoroughly　re…established；　and　while　he　was　employed　in　getting　his　ship　ready；　he　again　became　so　ill。　as　hardly　to　be　able　to　keep　out　of　bed。　Yet　in　this　state；　still　suffering　from　the　fatal　effect　of　a　West　Indian　climate；　as　if　it　might　almost　be　supposed；　he　said；　to　try　his　constitution；　he　was　sent　to　the　North　Seas；　and　kept　there　the　whole　winter。　The　asperity　with　which　he　mentioned　this　so　many　years　afterwards　evinces　how　deeply　he　resented　a　mode　of　conduct　equally　cruel　to　the　individual　and　detrimental　to　the　service。　It　was　during　the　armed　neutrality；　and　when　they　anchored　off　Elsinore；　the　Danish　Admiral　sent　on　board；　desiring　to　be　informed　what　ships　had　arrived；　and　to　have　their　force　written　down。　　〃The　ALBEMARLE；〃　said　Nelson　to　the　messenger；　〃is　one　of　his　Britannic　Majesty's　ships：　you　are　at　liberty；　sir；　to　count　the　guns　as　you　go　down　the　side；　and　you　may　assure　the　Danish　Admiral　that；　if　necessary；　they　shall　all　be　well　served。〃　During　this　voyage　he　gained　a

considerable　knowledge　of　the　Danish　coast　and　its　soundings；　greatly　to　the　advantage　of　his　country　in　after…times。　The　ALBEMARLE　was　not　a　good　ship；　and　was　several　times　nearly　overset　in　consequence　of　the　masts　having　been　made　much　too　long　for　her。　On　her　return　to　England　they　were　shortened；　and　some　other　improvements　made　at　Nelson's　suggestion。　Still　he　always　insisted　that　her　first　owners；　the　French；　had　taught　her　to　run　away；　as　she　was　never　a　good　sailer　except　when　going　directly　before　the　wind。

On　their　return　to　the　Downs；　while　he　was　ashore　visiting　the　senior　officer；　there　came　on　so　heavy　a　gale　that　almost　all　the　vessels　drove；　and　a　store…ship　came　athwart…hawse　of　the　ALBEMARLE。　Nelson　feared　she　would　drive　on　the　Goodwin　Sands；　he　ran　to　the　beach；　but　even　the　Deal　boatmen　thought　it　impossible　to　get　on　board；　such　was　the　violence　of　the　storm。　At　length　some　of　the　most　intrepid　offered　to　make　the　attempt　for　fifteen　guineas；　and　to　the　astonishment　and　fear　of　all　the　beholders；　he　embarked　during　the　height　of　the　tempest。　With　great　difficulty　and　imminent　danger　he　succeeded　in　reaching　her。　She　lost　her　bowsprit　and　foremast；　but　escaped　further　injury。　He　was　now　ordered　to　Quebec；　where　his　surgeon　told　him　he　would　certainly　be　laid　up　by　the　climate。　Many　of　his　friends　urged　him　to　represent　this　to　Admiral　Keppel；　but　having　received　his　orders　from　Lord　Sandwich；　there　appeared　to　him　an　indelicacy　in　applying　to　his　successor　to　have　them　altered。

Accordingly　he　sailed　for　Canada。　During　her　first　cruise　on　that　station　the　ALBEMARLE　captured　a　fishing　schooner　which　contained　in　her　cargo　nearly　all　the　property　that　her　master　possessed；　and　the　poor　fellow　had　a　large　family　at　home；　anxiously　expecting　him。　Nelson　employed　him　as　a　pilot　in　Boston　Bay；　then　restored　him　the　schooner　and　cargo；　and　gave　him　a　certificate　to　secure　him　against　being　captured　by　any　other　vessel。　The　man　came　off　afterwards　to　the　ALBEMARLE；　at　the　hazard　of　his　life；　with　a　present　of　sheep；　poultry；　and　fresh　provisions。　A　most　valuable　supply　it　proved；　for　the　scurvy　was　raging　on　board：　this　was　in　the　middle　of　August；　and　the　ship's　company　had　not　had　a　fresh　meal　since　the　beginning　of　April。　The　certificate　was　preserved　at　Boston　in　memory　of　an　act　of　unusual　generosity；　and　now　that　the　fame　of　Nelson　has　given　interest　to　everything　connected　with　his　name；　it　is　regarded　as　a　relic。　The　ALBEMARLE　had　a　narrow　escape　upon　this　cruise。　Four　French　sail　of　the　line　and　a　frigate；　which　had　come　out　of　Boston　harbour；　gave　chase　to　her；　and　Nelson；　perceiving　that　they　beat　him　in　sailing；　boldly　ran　among　the　numerous　shoals　of　St。　George's　Bank；　confiding　in　his　own　skill　in　pilotage。　Captain　Salter；　in　the　STA。　MARGARETTA；　had　escaped　the　French　fleet　by　a　similar　manoeuvre　not　long　before。　The　frigate　alone　continued　warily　to　pursue　him；　but　as　soon　as　he　perceived　that　this　enemy　was　unsupported；　he　shortened　sail　and　hove　to；　upon　which　the　Frenchman　thought　it　advisable　to　give　over　the　pursuit；　and　sail　in　quest　of　his　consorts。

At　Quebec　Nelson　became　acquainted　with　Alexander　Davison；　by　whose　interference　he　was　prevented　from　making　what　would　have　been　called　an　imprudent　marriage。　The　ALBEMARLE　was　about　to　leave　the　station；　her　captain　had　taken　leave　of　his　friends；　and　was　gone　down　the　river　to　the　place　of　anchorage；　when　the　next　morning；　as　Davison　was　walking　on　the　beach；　to　his　surprise　he　saw　Nelson　coming　back　in　his　boat。　Upon　inquiring　the　cause　of　this　reappearance；　Nelson　took　his　arm　to　walk　towards　the　town；　and　told　him　that　he　found　it　utterly　impossible　to　leave　Quebec　without　again　seeing　the　woman　whose　society　had　contributed　so　much　to　his　happiness　there；　and　offering　her　his　hand。　〃If　you　do；〃　said　his　friend；　〃your　ruin　must　inevitably　follow。〃　〃Then　let　it　follow；〃　cried　Nelson；　〃for　I　am　resolved　to　do　it〃　〃And　I；〃　replied　Davison；　〃am　resolved　you　shall　not。〃　Nelson；　however；　upon　this　occasion；　was　less　resolute　than　his　friend；　and　suffered　himself　to　be　led　back　to　the　boat。

The　ALBEMARLE　was　under　orders　to　convoy　a　fleet　of　transports　to　New　York。　〃A　very　pretty　job〃　said　her　captain；　〃at　this　late　season　of　the　year〃　（October　was　far　advanced）；　〃for　our　sails　are　at　this　moment　frozen　to　the　yards。〃　On　his　arrival　at　Sandy　Hook；　he　waited　on　the　commander…in…chief；　Admiral　Digby；　who　told　him