Having arrived off this port, Captain Hardy was directed to run close in with La Mutine, and send an officer on shore with the following letter to Mr. Baldwin—

"SIR,

"The French having possessed themselves of Malta, on Friday the 15th of this month, the next day the whole fleet, consisting of sixteen sail of the line, frigates, bomb vessels, &c. and near three hundred transports, left the island. I only heard this unpleasant news on the 22d, off Cape Passaro. As Sicily was not their object, and the wind blew fresh from the westward; from the time they sailed, it was clear that their destination was to the eastward: and, I think, their object is, to possess themselves of some port in Egypt, to fix themselves at the head of the Red Sea, in order to get a formidable army into India; and, in concert with Tippoo Saib, to drive us, if possible, from India. But, I have reason to believe, from not seeing a vessel, that they have heard of my coming up the Mediterranean, and are got safe into Corfu. Still, I am most exceedingly anxious to know, from you, if any reports or preparations have been made in Egypt for them; or any vessels prepared in the Red Sea, to carry them to India: or for any other information you would be good enough to give me, I shall hold myself much obliged. I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,

"Horatio Nelson."

The officer charged with this letter, brought back information that Mr. Baldwin had left Alexandria nearly three months. There were, it appeared, in the old port, one Turkish ship of the line, four frigates, and about twelve other Turkish vessels; and, in the Franks port, about fifty sail of vessels belonging to different nations. The line of battle ship was observed to be landing it's guns, and the place filling with troops.

What the brave admiral felt, at being thus disappointed, it would be less difficult to conceive than to describe: certain it is, that the anxiety which he suffered in consequence of this so long baffled pursuit, brought on such violent spasms in the regions of his heroic heart as continued occasionally to afflict him during the remainder of his days.

In a letter which he wrote to his commander in chief, the Earl of St. Vincent, immediately on discovering that the French were not at Alexandria, after relating the particulars of his unfortunate progress, he pours forth the effusions of his honourable bosom, in a strain so affecting, that his biographer has been incapable of transcribing the passage without tears.

"To do nothing," says this incomparable man, was, I felt, disgraceful; therefore, I made use of my understanding: and, by it, I ought to stand or fall. I am before your lordship's judgment—which, in the present case, I feel, is the tribunal of my country—and if, under all circumstances, it is decided I am wrong, I ought, for the sake of our country, to be superseded: for, at this moment, when I know the French are not in Alexandria, I hold the same opinion as off Cape Passaro; viz. that, under all circumstances, I was right in steering for Alexandria; and, by that opinion, I must stand or fall. However erroneous my judgment may be, I feel conscious of my honest intentions; which, I hope, will bear me up under the greatest misfortune that could happen to me as an officer, that of your lordship's thinking me wrong."

It was now the object of his incessant contemplation, to ascertain the possible course of the enemy, and what could be their ultimate design. He feared, indeed, that Sicily, in his absence, had fallen under the French yoke. With a mind too perturbed for repose, he was wholly incapable of remaining inactive. He shaped his course, therefore, to the northward, for the coast of Caramania; that he might, as expeditiously as possible, arrive at some quarter where information was likely to be obtained. On the 4th of July, he made that coast; and, steering along the south side of Candia, and carrying a press of sail, both night and day, with a contrary wind, being also in want of water, the fleet came, on the 18th, in sight of the island of Sicily, and he determined to enter the port of Syracuse.

Such instructions, however, had been sent to the governor of Syracuse, through the preponderancy of French interest at this period, that he would have found it difficult even to enter, and probably have obtained little or no refreshment of any kind, though much was absolutely necessary, had he not, very fortunately, experienced the beneficial effects of Lady Hamilton's powerful influence secretly exerted in the only quarter which was not rendered impenetrable by the menacing insinuations of the then Gallic resident at Naples. It was the assistance he now procured, by virtue of the talismanic gift received from Lady Hamilton, and without which he could not, in any reasonable time, have pursued the French fleet, and possibly might never have come up with them, that he so solemnly recognized, a short time before his death, as to make it the subject of a codicil annexed to his will, in which he expressly bequeaths that lady to the remuneration of his country. On the 20th, in a letter to Sir William Hamilton, he says—