We had a very pleasant passage to Gibraltar, where we remained some time in the New Mole, and then started for Cadiz to take in money and to join the convoy assembling there for England. On the passage we got on shore a few leagues to the southward of Cadiz, and had very near taken up our quarters on the shoals, and, what was remarkable, a frigate had been sent before us for the same purpose, but got on shore in this place, and was obliged to return, and we (being clever) after laughing at the circumstance, were sent to repair her errors and went bump on shore on the very spot. The America, 64, having arrived at Cadiz to take charge of the convoy, we were put under her orders, and having got on board the money, sailed with the convoy for Lisbon.
Farewell and adieu, ye fair Spanish Ladies,
Farewell and adieu, ye Ladies of Spain;
For we’ve received orders to sail for old England,
In hopes in short time for to see you again.—Old Song.
After a passage of near three weeks we arrived in the Tagus, fortunately the day before a tremendous hurricane, which blew dead upon the shore, came on and lasted a considerable time. We remained several weeks at Lisbon collecting the convoy. At last when everything was ready we got under way, I think the latter end of September, the following men of war in company:—
| America | 64 | Hon. John Rodney, Commodore, having charge of the convoy |
| Gorgon | 44 | Captain Wallis |
| Pearl | 36 | |
| Topaze | 36 | |
| St. Fiorenzo | 36 | Capt. Sir C. Hamilton (?) |
| Modeste | 32 | Captain [Byam Martin] |
| Alert | 18 |
We had a most dreadful passage home, blowing a gale of wind the whole time with seldom more sail set than a close-reefed main topsail. The French squadron that captured the Alexander, 74, had been on the look-out for us. We had several French emigrants on board who were in the greatest tribulation for fear of being taken; and fortunately for them and for us the Jacobin squadron got on the wrong scent. I don’t know how it happened, but some people kept an odd kind of reckoning, and we had some idea of making the banks of Newfoundland instead of the British Channel. However, at last we got to the northward and westward of Scilly, with the wind at SW; but it must be understood, to give the devil his due, that we had not an observation for a long time, and our dead reckoning was not to be trusted; but at last we found out by instinct or soundings that we were not in the right place. Now it so happened that we were lying-to on the larboard tack, the wind, as I have stated, at SW, under a close-reefed main topsail and storm staysails, when in a thundering squall it shifted to NNW and took us slap aback. Over she went, with the upper dead-eyes on the lower rigging in the water, and we thought she never would right, but the old ship came to herself again. She was a noble sea boat; it would have been worth any man’s while to leave the feast, the dance, or even his wife, to have been on board this ship in a gale of wind to witness her glorious qualities. After standing to the southward for some time until we thought we had got into 49° 30′ by our dead reckoning, which is the latitude of mid-channel, we then altered our course to SEbE½E. I had a presentiment that something bad was hanging over us, and I went on the fore topsail yard (I think about 9 at night) to look out ahead, the ship scudding at the rate of eleven knots, which brought to my mind the following lines:
The fatal sisters on the surge before
Yoked their infernal horses to the prow.—Falconer.