Now we had an opinion also, and that opinion was that the French might have been brought to action that evening; at any rate we should have prevented them from getting back to the roads, and could have attacked them in the morning if a night action was considered hazardous. It was said the admiral was fearful they should escape us and throw relief into Calvi, at that time besieged. Whatever was the reason, off we set as if hell kicked us and joined Lord Hood—I think the next day; and then, as brave as Hercules, crowded sail with fourteen or fifteen sail of the line and got sight of them the day after, in the morning, working in near Gourjean Bay,[[104]] where they anchored in the afternoon under the forts. Lord Hood made every preparation to attack them, and a general chase with some hopes of success took place. We were ordered to attack the fort on the starboard hand until the fleet had passed, and then to follow; and the Illustrious, 74, was ordered against the frigates in the other quarter in shore, near the other line-of-battle ships. But all this ended in disappointment, as towards night the wind blew strong off the land and the attack was given up in the morning, and we were detached with the sick to St. Fiorenzo, and then to Calvi to assist in the siege. It was here that Lord Nelson lost his eye and Captain Serocold his life. We remained but a short time at Calvi and then returned to St. Fiorenzo. The Yankee historian (James) gives a very incorrect account of this; in fact, he says little or nothing about our squadron under Admiral Hotham when the French put to sea; which appears strange, as this calumniator always felt happy in finding fault with naval officers, and here he missed a good opportunity.
While cruising in the Gulf of Genoa we picked up parts of the booms belonging to the Ardent, 64, who had been missing a long time; and from the appearance of the spars it was evident she was blown up with all hands,[[105]] as nothing has been heard of her since. It was a sad business that we did not bring the French to action the day they left Toulon; the disappointment was bitterly felt by those who expected prize money and promotion, and here a glorious opportunity was thrown away in the most unaccountable manner. For personal bravery Admiral Hotham stood pre-eminent; but it has been said he was not fit to command in chief, but very able as a second. In the American war he greatly distinguished himself, particularly when he was commodore on board the Preston, 50, he engaged and would have taken a French 84,[[106]] one of D’Estaing’s squadron, which a gale of wind coming suddenly on alone prevented; and the public accounts respecting this action say, ‘Now for the glory and honour of the British army.’
While speaking of the honour of the British navy, I must say a word or two more about the seamen and marines. When Lord Hood besieged Bastia he proposed to General Dundas, who commanded the troops, to make a joint attack; but the general thought it too hazardous. Now Lord Hood had a different opinion,
and while General Dundas
And his eighteen manœuvres sat still on the grass
he attacked the place with the seamen and marines who covered themselves with glory and carried all the works, and Bastia was obliged to surrender.
Having letters of recommendation to Lord Hood and to Admiral Goodall, I went on board the Victory and was told by the secretary (McArthur), that several were before me on the list for promotion; but if I would take my chance his lordship would remove me to the Victory immediately. This I thought would be of little service; and as the Gorgon, 44, was under orders for England I requested to be sent on board of her and try my interest at home. My request being granted, Captain Towry in the kindest manner recommended me to Captain Wallis of the Gorgon, which kindness I shall always remember, and am sorry that the service has lost by his death so good an officer. He served with his Majesty[[107]] in the Andromeda and Valiant.
Before leaving the Berwick I must mention a few droll hands that belonged to her; and first I shall bring forward old Bell, the mate of the hold. We pressed him and several mates of merchantmen out of a cartel from Marseilles to Gibraltar, and put them on the quarter deck. He was a hard-drinking man and also a hard-working man. We had a set on board full of fun; and when old Bell was half seas over, they used to paint his face with red ochre, his eyebrows blacked, large moustache, with a flaxen wig made from the fag ends of the tiller rope; a cocked hat over all, tied under the chin; his shirt off and his body painted like an ancient Briton. In this costume I have seen him chasing the midshipmen through the tier with a drawn sword, a fit subject for a pencil like Hogarth’s.
Next to him was old Collier, who drank like a fish, and when drunk used to sing the Thirty-fourth Psalm and prognosticate that the ship would founder with all hands. They used to make fast his shirt sleeves at the wrist and then haul the shirt over his head, so that he could not clear his hands. In this situation he would be powdered and painted, with a red night cap on his head, and placed alongside of old Bell, while the whole cockpit would be in a roar.
We had a little slovenly surgeon’s mate whose name was Vag. The midshipmen annoyed him sadly by calling out Vag-Veg-Vig-Vog-Vug, while others in a cockney cadence would sing out Wig-Wag-Wog, which enraged him almost to madness. I happened to come into the berth where he was sitting at a time they were calling out as above, when he, without any provocation on my part, snatched up the snuffers and with the sharp end stabbed me in the chest and then run a-muck after the rest, who were glad enough to steer clear of him.