the life of horatio lord nelson-第5章

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ds。〃　On　his　arrival　at　Sandy　Hook；　he　waited　on　the　commander…in…chief；　Admiral　Digby；　who　told　him　he　was　come　on　a　fine　station　for　making　prize…money。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Nelson　made　answer；　〃but　the　West　Indies　is　the　station　for　honour。〃　Lord　Hood；　with　a　detachment　of　Rodney's　victorious　fleet；　was　at　that　time　at　Sandy　Hook：　he　had　been　intimate　with　Captain　Suckling；　and　Nelson；　who　was　desirous　of　nothing　but　honour；　requested　him　to　ask　for　the　ALBEMARLE；　that　he　might　go　to　that　station　where　it　was　most　likely　to　be　obtained。　Admiral　Digby　reluctantly　parted　with　him。　His　professional　merit　was　already　well　known；　and　Lord　Hood；　on　introducing　him　to　Prince　William　Henry；　as　the　Duke　of　Clarence　was　then　called；　told　the　prince；　if　he　wished　to　ask　any　questions　respecting　naval　tactics；　Captain　Nelson　could　give　him　as　much　information　as　any　officer　in　the　fleet。　The　Dukewho；　to　his　own　honour；　became　from　that　time　the　firm　friend　of　Nelsondescribes　him　as　appearing　the　merest　boy　of　a　captain　he　had　ever　seen；　dressed　in　a　full　laced　uniform；　an　old…fashioned　waistcoat　with　long　flaps；　and　his　lank　unpowdered　hair　tied　in　a　stiff　Hessian　tail　of　extraordinary　length；　making　altogether　so　remarkable　a　figure；　that；　says　the　duke；　〃I　had　never　seen　anything　like　it　before；　nor　could　I　imagine　who　he　was；　nor　what　he　came　about。　But　his　address　and　conversation　　were　irresistibly　pleasing；　and　when　he　spoke　on　professional　subjects；　it　was　with　an　enthusiasm　that　showed　he　was　no　common　being。〃

It　was　expected　that　the　French　would　attempt　some　of　the　passages　between　the　Bahamas；　and　Lord　Hood；　thinking　of　this；　said　to　Nelson；　〃I　suppose；　sir；　from　the　length　of　time　you　were　cruising　among　the　Bahama　Keys；　you　must　be　a　good　pilot　there。〃　He　replied；　with　that　constant　readiness　to　render　justice　to　every　man　which　was　so　conspicuous　in　all　his　conduct　through　life；　that　he　was　well　acquainted　with　them　himself；　but　that　in　that　respect　his　second　lieutenant　was　far　his　superior。　The　French　got　into　Puerto　Cabello；　on　the　coast　of　Venezuela。　Nelson　was　cruising　between　that　port　and　La　Guapra；　under　French　colours；　for　the　purpose　of　obtaining　information；　when　a　king's　launch；　belonging　to　the　Spaniards；　passed　near；　and　being　hailed　in　French；　came　alongside　without　suspicion；　and　answered　all　questions　that　were　asked　concerning　the　number　and　force　of　the　enemy's　ships。　The　crew；　however；　were　not　a　little　surprised　when　they　were　taken　on　board　and　found　themselves　prisoners。　One　of　the　party　went　by　the　name　of　the　Count　de　Deux…Ponts。　He　was；　however；　a　prince　of　the　German　empire；　and　brother　to　the　heir　of　the　Electorate　of　Bavaria：　his　companions　were　French　officers　of　distinction；　and　men　of　science；　who　had　been　collecting　specimens　in　the　various　branches　of　natural　history。　Nelson；　having　entertained　them　with　the　best　his　table　could　afford；　told　them　they　were　at　liberty　to　depart　with　their　boat；　and　all　that　it　contained：　he　only　required　them　to　promise　that　they　would　consider　themselves　as　prisoners　if　the　commander…in…chief　should　refuse　to　acquiesce　in　their　being　thus　liberated：　a　circumstance　which　was　not　likely　to　happen。　Tidings　soon　arrived　that　the　preliminaries　of　peace　had　been　signed；　and　the　ALBEMARLE　returned　to　England　and　was　paid　off。　Nelson's　first　business；　after　he　got　to　London；　even　before　he　went　to　see　his　relations；　was　to　attempt　to　get　the　wages　due　to　his　men　for　the　various　ships　in　which　they　had　served　during　the　war。　〃The　disgust　of　seamen　to　the　navy；〃　he　said；　〃was　all　owing　to　the　infernal　plan　of　turning　them　over　from　ship　to　ship；　so　that　men　could　not　be　attached　to　their　officers；　nor　the　officers　care　the　least　about　the　men。〃　Yet　he　himself　was　so　beloved　by　his　men　that　his　whole　ship's　company　offered；　if　he　could　get　a　ship；　to　enter　for　her　immediately。　He　was　now；　for　the　first　time；　presented　at　court。　　After　going　through　this　ceremony；　he　dined　with　his　friend　Davison　at　Lincoln's　Inn。　As　soon　as　he　entered　the　chambers；　he　threw　off　what　he　called　his　iron…bound　coat；　and；　putting　himself　at　ease　in　a　dressing　gown；　passed　the　remainder　of　the　day　in　talking　over　all　that　had　befallen　them　since　they　parted　on　the　shore　of　the　River　St。　Lawrence。




CHAPTER　II

1784　…　1793

Nelson　goes　to　France　Reappointed　to　the　BOREAS　at　the　Leeward　Islands　in　the　BOREASHis　firm　conduct　concerning　the　American　Interlopers　and　the　ContractorsMarries　and　returns　to　EnglandIs　on　the　point　of　quitting　the　Service　in　DisgustManner　of　Life　while　unemployed　Appointed　to　the　AGAMEMNON　on　the　breaking　out　of　the　War　of　the　French　Revolution。

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〃I　HAVE　closed　the　war；〃　said　Nelson　in　one　of　his　letters；　〃without　a　fortune；　but　there　is　not　a　speck　in　my　character。　True　honour；　I　hope；　predominates　in　my　mind　far　above　riches。〃　He　did　not　apply　for　a　ship；　because　he　was　not　wealthy　enough　to　live　on　board　in　the　manner　which　was　then　become　customary。　Finding　it；　therefore；　prudent　to　economise　on　his　half…pay　during　the　peace；　he　went　to　France；　in　company　with　Captain　Macnamara　of　the　navy；　and　took　lodgings　at　St。　Omer's。　The　death　of　his　favourite　sister；　Anne；　who　died　in　consequence　of　going　out　of　the　ball…room　at　Bath　when　heated　with　dancing；　affected　his　father　so　much　that　it　had　nearly　occasioned　him　to　return　in　a　few　weeks。　Time；　however；　and　reason　and　religion；　overcame　this　grief　in　the　old　man；　and　Nelson　continued　at　St。　Omer's　long　enough　to　fall　in　love　with　the　daughter　of　an　Eng…　lish　clergyman。　This　second　attachment　appears　to　have　been　less　ardent　than　the　first；　for　upon　weighing　the　evils　of　a　straitened　income　to　a　married　man；　he　thought　it　better　to　leave　France；　assigning　to　his　friends　something　in　his　accounts　as　the　cause。　This　prevented　him　from　accepting　an　invitation　from　the　Count　of　Deux…Ponts　to　visit　him　at　Paris；　couched　in　the　handsomest　terms　of　acknowledgment　for　the　treatment　which　he　had　received　on　board　the　ALBEMARLE。

The　self…constraint　which　Nelson　exerted　in　subduing　this　attachment　made　him　naturally　desire　to　be　at　sea；　and　when；　upon　visiting　Lord　Howe　at　the　Admiralty；　he　was　asked　if　he　wished　to　be　employed；　he　made　answer　that　he　did。　Accordingly　in　March；　he　was　appointed　to　the　BOREAS；　twenty…eight　guns；　going　to　the　Leeward　Islands　as　a　cruiser　on　the　peace　establishment。　Lady　Hughes　and　her　family　went　out　with　him　to　Admiral　Sir　Richard　Hughes；　who　commanded　on　that　station。　His　ship　was　full　of　young　midshipmen；　of　whom　there　were　not　less　than　thirty　on　board；　and　happy　were　they　whose　lot　it　was　to　be　placed　with　such　a　captain。　If　he　perceived　that　a　boy　was　afraid　at　first　going　aloft；　he　would　say　to　him　in　a　friendly　manner；　〃Well；　sir；　I　am　going　a　race　to　the　mast…head；　and　beg　that　I　may　meet　you　there。〃　The　poor　little　fellow　instantly　began　to　climb；　and　got　up　how　he　could；Nelson　never　noticed　in　what　manner；　but　when　they　met　in　the　top；　spoke　cheerfully　to　him；　and　would　say　how　much　any　person　was　to　be　pitied　who　fancied　that　getting　up　was　either　dangerous　or　difficult。　Every　day　he　went　into　the　school…room　to　see　that　they　were　pursuing　their　nautical　studies；　and　at　noon　he　was　always　the　first　on　deck　with　his　quadrant。　Whenever　he　paid　a　visit　of　ceremony；　some　of　these　youths　accompanied　him；　and　when　he　went　to　dine　with　the　governor　at　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　rule　to　introduce　them　to　all　the　good　company　I　can；　as　they　have　few　to　look　up　to；　besides　myself；　during　the　time　they　are　at　sea。〃

　When　Nelson　arrived　in　the　West　Indies；　he　found　himself　senior　captain；　and　consequently　second　in　command　on　that　station。　Satisfactory　as　this　was；　it　soon　involved　him　in　a　dispute　with　the　admiral；　which　a　man　less　zealous　for　the　service　might　have　avoided。　He　found　the　LATONA　in　English　Harbour；　Antigua；　with　a　broad　pendant　hoisted；　and　upon　inquiring　the　reason；　was　presented　with　a　written　order　from　Sir　R。　Hughes；　requiring　and　directing　him　to　obey　the　orders　of　Resident　Commissioner　Moutray　during　the　time　he　might　have　occasion　to　remain　there；　the　said　resident　commissioner　being　in　consequence；　authorised　to　hoist　a　broad　pendant　on　board　any　of　his　Majesty's　ships　in　that　port　that　he　might　think　proper。　Nelson　was　never　at　a　loss　how　to　act　in　any　emergency。

〃I　know　of　no　superior　officers；〃　said　he；　〃besides　the　Lords　Commissioners　of　the　Admiralty；　and　my　seniors　on　the　post　list。〃　Concluding；　therefore；　that　it　was　not　consistent　with　the　service　for　a　resident　commissioner；　who　held　only　a　civil　situation；　to　hoist　a　broad　pendant；　the　moment　that　he　had　anchored　he　sent　an　order　to　the　captain　of　the　LATONA　to　strike　it；　and　return　it　to　the　dock…yard。　He　went　on　shore　the　same　day；　dined　with　the　commissioner；　to　show　him　that　he　was　actuated　by　no　other　motive　than　a　sense　of　duty；　and　gave　him　the　first　intelligence　that　his　pendant　had　been　struck。　Sir　Richard　sent　an　account　of　this　to　the　Admiralty；　but　the　case　could　admit　of　no　doubt；　and　Captain　Nelson's　conduct　was　approved。

He　displayed　the　same　promptitude　on　another　occasion。　While　the　BOREAS；　after　the　hurricane　months　were　over；　was　riding　at　anchor　in　Nevis　Roads；　a　French　frigate　passed　to　leeward；　close　along　shore。　Nelson　had　obtained　information　that　this　ship　was　sent　from　Martinico；　with　two　general　officers　and　some　engineers　on　board；　to　make　a　survey　of　our　sugar　islands。　This　purpose　he　was　determined　to　prevent　them　from　executing；　and　therefore　he　gave　orders　to　follow　them。　The　next　day　he　came　up　with　them　at　anchor　in　the　roads　of　St。　Eustatia；　and　anchored　at　about　two　cables'　length　on　the　frigate's　quarter。　Being　afterwards　invited　by　the　Dutch　governor　to　meet　the　French　officers　at　dinner；　he　seized　that　occasion　of　assuring　the　French　captain　that；　understanding　it　was　his　intention　to　honour　the　British　possessions　with　a　visit；　he　had　taken　the　earliest　opportunity　in　his　power　to　accompany　him；　in　his　Majesty's　ship　the　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　to　show。　The　French；　with　equal　courtesy；　protested　against　giving　him　this　trouble；　especially；　they　said；　as　they　intended　merely　to　cruise　round　the　islands　without　landing　on　any。　But　Nelson；　with　the　utmost　politeness；　insisted　upon　paying　them　this　compliment；　followed　them　close　in　spite　of　all　their　attempts　to　elude　his　vigilance；　and　never　lost　sight　of　them；　till；　finding　it　impossible　either　to　deceive　or　escape　him；　they　gave　up　their　treacherous　purpose　in　despair；　and　beat　up　for　Martinico。

A　business　of　more　serious　import　soon　engaged　his　attention。　The　Americans　were　at　this　time　trading　with　our　islands；　taking　advantage　of　the　register　of　their　ships；　which　had　been　issued　while　they　were　British　subjects。　Nelson　knew　that；　by　the　Navigation　Act；　no　foreigners；　directly　or　indirectly；　are　permitted　to　carry　on　any　trade　with　these　possessions。　He　knew；　also；　that　the　Americans　had　made　themselves　foreigners　with　regard　to　England；　they　had　disregarded　the　ties　o