'I this morning at six o'clock anchored under the cloud-cap't top of this extraordinary rock, and found that Alacrity had made a better passage by some hours than either Ganges or Sybella who are all here. I paid my devoirs to Lord Chatham who asked after you, also your old Teetotum G—- who I found in the very act of entertaining the ladies of Gib with breakfast, music and a trip to Algeciras in the Tribune's boats to spend the day. He seems in great force and sorry to leave this part of the world, indeed, they say that love has much to do in the case. I afterwards paid my devoirs to the American Commodore, Jones, who is here in the Constitution, and went over his ship; I felt proud to see the ship that had captured our frigate—she is enormous. Her cable and rigging in inches the same as the Ganges by level measurement, for they have taken the pains to examine, but she is now in what I should call a state of nature as bad as I could wish to see a Yankee in, with 450 men on board who look as if they were tired of their work, and the officers say so.
'I have met a very intelligent man just left Cadiz, and have seen and conversed with some of the Spanish Constitutionalists. Spain is in a dreadful state; anarchy, confusion, highway robbery and assassination daily take place. The game is up, if France has got and will keep military possession of Cadiz. The French are disgusted with the whole thing—the country and the people…. Officers and nobles are on the highway.
'I shall sail for Malta on Monday. I am engaged in taking big guns up. Alacrity is the most comfortable vessel I have ever been in.
'Adieu. Love to all.
'Your affectionate and dutiful son,
'C. YORKE.
'I sailed without my Government chronometers, they were so bad I would not take them, but the one C—- has on board is capital and we made the rock to a mile.'
* * * * *
GIBRALTAR:
March 9, 1824.