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1 2 3

,1 ';

q-^l

t'llii.'.ii'''i;li'''i''

■' ijil

1 -'j

■*, ■ : ,

AUTO-BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR

SIR JOHN BARROW, BART.,

LATE OF THE ADMIRALTY;

REFLECTIONS, OBSHRVATIONS, AND REMINISCENCES

AT HOME AND ABROAD,
FROM EARLY LIFE TO ADVANCED AGE.

" Ueec olim mcniiiiissc juvabit."

LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.

1847.

^^ A* (J '. >

/;; /^ i\ t\ ci ^U '^

I^nduii : Printed by W. Clowes and Sonc, Stamford Street.

r 11 E F A C E.

It may naturally be supposed that he who can sit
down, in his eighty-third year, to write a volume of
500 pages, must have been urged on by some powerful
motive to undertake such a task at so advanced a
period of life ; when the faculties of mind and body
may b(; expected, in a certain degree, to have become
impaired. I had a double motive for setting about
the task : — the first was to gratify what I knew to be
the wish of my family ; the second, to gratify myself,
by taking a wide range in recalling the remem-
brances of long by-gone years ; quite certair that
by 30 doing I should be able to realize the motto
of my book, and say " haic olim meminisse juvabit."
But I may also allege a third motive of gratification :
that of expressing publicly the many acts of kindness
avid considv^ration I have experienced from numerous
friends, especially from those to whose patronage I
am indebted for the good fortune that has attended
me through life.

To me, indeed, the labour of putting together the
present volume has proved rather a delightful exercise,

PREFACE,

by affording the opportunity of recalling to my
memory the youthful companions of early days, and
the friends of maturer age, together with the many
agreeable associations that crowd into such recol-
lections. If an excuse were wanting for this volume,
it might be suggested that, as the lives of so many
excellent characters have passed under my review^ it
^'s but reasonable that I should take a revieio cf my
own, though less distinguished ; and I promise it shall
be a true and a faithful one.

Long as my life has been spared, it has passed away
in a state of what I may call uninterrupted health —
in the full enjoyment of activity of body, and sanity of
mind — mens sana in corpore sano ; and, by the mercy
of Providence, I have never had occasion to call in the
aid of the doctor but once, and he was a Chinese,
practising in the city of Tinj-hae, in the island of
CIm-san. A great portion of the first forty years of
my life was spent in rambling among the mountains
of Cumberland and Westmoreland, or angling for
trout in the mountain-streams ; in sea-voyages, or in
pedestrian exercises in foreign countries : the next forty
years mostly at Charing-Cross, in close confinement
for the greater part of the day, and in such sedentary
exercise of the mind, as is required of a Secretary of
the Admiralty; whose talent may, perhaps, be esti-
mated by some, who know little about it, to lie more
in the hand than the head. I may lay claim, how-
ever, to some small portion of mental exercise, in

PREFACE.

5 to my
days, and
the many
ich rccol-
is volume,
I so many
review, it
'cw cf my
ise it shall

isscd away
I health—
:l sanity of*
the mercy
call in the
a Chinese,
island of
y years of
mountains
igling for
ges, or in
next forty
)nfinement
sedentary
jcretary of
«, be esti-
lie more
aim, how-
ercise, in

addition to, and in the midst of, the routine drudgery
of office, by the production of six quarto volumes, four
octavos, three or four smaller ones, about a dozen arti-
cles in the ' Encyclopaedia liritannica,' and close upon
two hundred articles in the ' Quarterly lleview ;' which
may, perhaps, be considered as counting for something
in the way of literary labour.

These are the kind of mental exercises, conjointly
with personal exertions, that have tended to keep
up a flow of health and of animal spirits much
beyond the usual period of human existence ; and which
have encouraged me, even at this late hour of the day,
to make trial of my strength in the same beaten track
I have trod over for so many years ; being not a little
induced, as I have before hinted, by a wish to put
on record the expression of a feeling of gratitude
towards my benefactors; to state briefly the acts or
o])inions of those under whom and with whom I have
served; and moreover, though it may occasionally
wear the appearance of vanity, to record the opinions
also, ill their own words, that they may have enter-
tained of me. No such feeling as vanity, however, can
with justice be laid to my charge. I am but too con-
scious that, in my literary labours — the sources of my
anuiscment — there will be found a great defect both in
point of style and correctness of language. The hasty
composition of official letters and documents has, I
am free to confess, been followed up by a too careless
habit of skimming over even graver subjects currente

PJ{KFACE.

calamo. This is a weak excuse, but I liave no other
to plead, with regard to the Ibllovviiig jKiges, in chiini-
iug the indulgence of the t/entle reader.
The volume contains —

1. Reminiscences of early life, entirely from

memory.

2. Notices and observations on China and the

Chinese, from Pekin to Canton.

3. Notices and observations on the Colonists, the

Kaffirs, the Hottentots, and Rosjesmans of
Southern Africa, from personal intercourse;
and on tlic Natural History of 8. Africa.

4. Brief notices of thirteen dift'crent Administra-

tions, Whig and Tory, of the Navy.

5. Retirement from public life, and employment

of leisure time.

6. The origin and successful establishment of the

' Quarterly Review.'

Note. — The small portrait is taken from one of a larg-or size
engraved by Messrs. Graves, from tiie original painted by IMr.
Lucas ; and I beg to express my thanks to IMr. Lucas, and also to
Messrs. Graves, for their readiness in atlbrding tl»e acconunodotion
of placing it as a frontispiece to this volume.

li no otlicr
, ill claiui-

-fp

ircly from
n and the

C N T E N T 8.

lonists, the
jesnians of
iitorcourse ;
Africa,
^(hninistra-

niploynient

inent of the

(:iiaptj<:r i.

BIXTION PAGE

I. — Biitli and Pjirciitago, Education, and Employment
chiefly at liome ......

II. — Residence and Employment in Liverpool
J II. — A Voyage to the Greenland Wliale Fisliery

1
12
1(5

IV. — Death of my Master of Town Bank School, and a few
Uemarks thereon — Sketch of the History of his ve-
nerable Father, the Minister of Seathwaite Chapel . 2H

' a larg^er size
iiited by Mr.
IS, and also to
ccoaimodutioii

( IIAPTEll II.

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

J.— Tiie Earl of Macartney, Ambassador ; Sir George
Staunton, Bart., Secretary and IMiuister Plenipo-
tentiary — Preparation and Departure — Receive an
Appointment ....... 44

II. — Arrive at the Continent of China — Di-sembark at the
Moutii of the River Pei-ho — Navigation of that
River — Appearance of the Country and the Peoi)le 54

III. — Pei-ho to Tien-Sing, thence to Tongchoo, the Port

of I'ckin — Aspect of the Country . . .66

Vllt

CONTKNTS.

KKOTION l'A<:i:

IV. — From 'I'onj^-clioo, (lirouL-li IVkiii— From I'ckiii fo
(Ic'liol ill 'I'iirtmy — I'ait of llic Kmhassy to the
I'alaci' of Viu'ii-iiiiii-yiicii, ami part rciiiaiii in IIk-
("apilal— ()l)scrviilioiis on and i)c^(ii|tlions of all
tlu'.st! I'lat't's— Nolict's of llio Coiiiifry, and of this
cc'lt'biati'd Navigation ..... <i!l

V^— From IVkiii by tin; (J rand Canal to Canton; Tli((
Second Kmhassy nndt-r l^onl Amlicrst — licmaiks on
il — on till! Jianyiiayt' of Ciiina . . . ^^^^

CIIAITKR III.

SOUTllKllN ArUICA-CAI'K OI' (JOOD UOIM;.

I. — Tlio Karl of Macartney rioveriior of Cape of Cood
Hope — Tiie Voyage tliili er — My appointinont as
I'rivate Secretary . . . . . .I'M

II. — Expedition to (iraatl" Keynet — the Karroo or Great

Desert— Plants and Animals met with . . Ill

"a ' —Expedition to Zunre- Veldt and KaiHr-Land — l)e-

seription of the People, and Oecnrrences . . l.'iS

IV. — Snen\vl)(;rg and Orang-e liiver, throngh the Country
of the Hosjesmaiis — Description of the Country and
J*e()})le . . . . . . . .17.1

V. — Journey from (!raalf Key net by the Sea-Coast to the
Cape — Some Accoimt of the Forests and Timber
along this line of the Sea-Coast . . . . lyii

VI. — Journey info tlie Country of the Namaaquas— Re-
marks on the Country and Inhabitants . . 201

VII. — Cape Poiiiiisula — Departure of Lord Macartney —
(ieneral Francis Dui;das— Sir George Young —
JMilitary Mission to the Eastward^ — and State of the
Colony 211

VIII. — Two (iovernors, one Dutch and one English — Cape

evacuateil ....... 23;!

IV.

CONTENTS,

i'A(;k

J'fkiii lo
ssy to flic
iiii ill the
oils of all
ml of this

lion; Tii(>
Iciiiurks on

(i!)

iiori:.

' of Ciood

lltlllOIlt iis

) or Great
.iiii(U-l)o-

i:m

141

K' Country
oniitry and

. i7;i

'oast to tho
ii(i Tiiiib(!r

. 19;)

quas— Re-

. 1^01

acartney —

Yoniig' —

5tat(! of the

. 211

racTiuN

I.-

i*A(;i-:
2.'>()

2->I

27fi

291

lisli — Cape

. 2lVo

VAIAVTIM \V.
T II K A 1) M 1 II A L T Y.*

Introductory Note ......

Henry Visconiit Melville, First Lord. (Ills activity
ill irstoriii}r llu; fleet ; his pojmlaiity ; and his
licrseenlioij) ... . . .

Cajit. .lames (JainbitM", I'iist Naval Lord.

William JMarsden, First Secretary.

Mr. IJaiiow a])i)oiiit<'d Second Secretary.

Lord Harluun (Sir C. IMiddleton), First Lord. (His
good fortune in beiiijj^ chief wlieii the victory of
'i'ralalgar took place) .....

Capt. James (jiainbier, First Naval Lord.
"William Marsden, First Secretary.

Kight Hon. Charles Crey. (Succeeded by tiie Uiglit
Hon. Thomas Grenville) . . . .

Three Naval Lords ; Markhani, Sir Charles Pole,

and Sir II. Neale (jy., which first?
Marsden, First Secretary.
(I was not in this IJuard.)

The Earl of JMnlgrave. (Two great expeditions —
the Dardaiiells and the ScheMt)

Adm. James Candjier, First Naval Lord.
John AVilson Croker, Esq., First Secretary, to
snccced Mr. "Wellesley Pole.

The lliglit Hon. Charles Yorke. (A high and firm
character, and a cajiacions mind)

Sir Richard Lickcrton, First Naval Lord.
Joiin Wilson Croker, First Secretary.

• To attempt a description of the eveuts and transactions that occurred in
the course of forty years, and whicli are recorded in the Admiralty, would
require another voltnne even to On little more than to enumerate them, nrieily
aa they are touched upon in tlie present volume, they occupy more than 2i)0
pages. In the (\iiiteiits, therefore, it was deemed siifiicient to name the parties
in each of the thirteen Adniiuistrulions on whom the responsibility is supi)osed
cUefly to rest.

IV.—

2J)8

308

CONTENTS.

SECTION FACE

VI. — Robert Lord Viscount Melville. (Renewed tiie prac-
tice of visitations to the dockyards ; war and
peace witli America ; set forward the Arctic
Voyages) 323

Adm. G. Johnstone liope, First Naval Lord.
Joiin Wilson Croker, First Secretary.

VII. — His Royal Iliglincss tlie Duke of Clarence, the Lord
High Admiral. (His groat activity, and kind
disposition ; gave great satisfaction to all con-
nected with tlie Navy) ..... 336

Right IIoi.. Sir Geo. Cockburn, First Councillor.
Rt. Hon. Jolia Wilson Croker, First Secretary.

VIII. — Robert Viscount Melville — Second Administration.
(First man-of-war steam vessel built by his Lord-
ship's Board) ...... 386

Rt, Hon. Sir G. Cockburn, First Naval Lord.
Rt. Hon. John Wilson Croker, First Secretary.

IX. — Rt. Hon. Sir James Graham, Bart. (Undertook and
completed a revision of tlie whole system of the
Civil Service of the Naval Administration) . 404

Adm. Sir Thomas Hardy, First Naval Lord.
Tlie Hon, George Elliot, First Seci'etary.

X. — The Earl of Auckland. (Was twice First Lcrd, for

very short periods, and little occurred for notice) 440

Sir William Farker, First Naval Lord.
The Hon. George Elliot, First Secretary.

XI. — Tlie Earl de Grey. (In office for a short period ;

then Lord Auckland) ..... 444

Sir Charles Rowley, First Naval Lord.
George Dawson, First Secretary.

XII. — The Earl of Minto. (An active, intelligent, and in-
genious First Lord) ..... 450

Adm. Sir Ciias. Adam, First Naval Lord.
Charles Wood (now Rt. Hon. C. Wood), First
Secretary.

CONTENTS.

rAOE

)rac-
aiid
rctic
. 323

Lord
kind
con-
. 336

illor.

•ation.
Lord-

. 386

»k and
of the
) . 404

SECTION

XIIL-

PAGE

-The Earl of Haddington. (An amiable and attentive

First Lord, and not wanting in talent) . . 459

Rt. Hon. Sir George Cockburn, First Naval Lord.
Sir Sidney Herbert, First Secretary ; and had the

good fortune to obtain Sir George Cockburn for

his First Naval Lord.

CHAPTER V.
SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER.

I.— Ret:-ment from Public Life — Various Compli-
mentary Letters on the Occasion— Employment of

Time after a Busy Life

469

II.— The Quarterly Ileview— The Origin and Design of the
Quarterly Review— The Projectors and Early Con-
tributors— Its extraordinary Success . . .492

rd, for
notice) 440

period ;

. 444

and in-

450

l^'l

), First

-\i

AUTO-BIOfxRAPHICAL MEMOIR,

SjC, 8fc.

CHAPTER I.

Section I.

Education and Miscellaneous Emjdoymcnt, chiefly at

Home.

In the extreme northern part of North Lancashire is
the market-town of Ulverstone, and not far from it
the obscure village of Dragleybeck, in which a small
ieottage gave me birth on the 19th June, 1764; being
the only child of Roger and Mary Barrow. The said
cottage had been in my mother's family nearly two
hundred years, and had descended to her aunt, who
lived in it to the age of eighty, and in it my mother
died at the advanced age of ninety.

To the cottage were attached three or four small
^elds, sufficient for the keep of as many cows, which
Bipplied our family with milk and butter, besides
reserving a portion of land for a crop of oats. There
was also a paddock behind the cottage, called the hemp-
Iftnd, expressive of the use to which it had at one time
^en applied, but now converted to the cultivation of

II,

BIRTH.

[Chap. 1.

potatoes, peas, beans, and othei* culinary vegetables;
which, with the grain, fell to the labour of my father,
who, with several brothers, the sons of an extensive
farmer, was brought up to that business in the neigh-
bourhood of the Lakes ; and three or four of the sons
held large farms under the Devonshire family — Caven-
dish and Burlington.

At the bottom of the hemp-land runs the beck or
brook, a clear stream that gives the name to the village,
and abounds with trout.

Contiguous to the cottage was also a small flower-
garden, which, in due time, fell to my share ; that is,
while yet a young boy I had full charge of keeping up
a supply of the ordinary flowers of the season. I did
more ; I planted a number of trees of different kinds,
which grew well, but, long after I left home, I under-
stood that many of them had been destroyed by the
turning of a road. One of them, however, it appears,
has survived, which must be now from seventy to
seventy-five years old *, and the mention of it kindles in
my bosom a spark of gratitude, which an imputation of
vanity even will not allow me to suppress. The follow-
ing extract of a letter, received in 1844, from an aged
female cousin, will tell the incident better than I can.
My correspondent says, — " Mr. Gilpin" (who is an able
and accomplished gentleman residing in Ulverstone)
"called to say he was come to take a glass of wine with us,
to drink your health in honour ; for that day it was your
eightieth birthday, and he was sure there was not one
gentleman to be found so clever and active as yourself;
he was sure you were like one of fifty ; he told us that
he and Mr. Braddyll were going to put a colour or flag
into the rovnn-tree that you planted when a boy, which

[Chap. 1.

Skct. I.]

ULVERSTONK.

egetables ;
my father,
extensive
the neigh-
•f the sons
f — Caven-

e beck or
;he village,

all flower-
e; that is,
keeping up
on. I did
•ent kinds,
3, I under-
fed by the
it appears,
seventy to
kindles in
putation of
?he follow-
11 an aged
lan I can.
is an able
Iverstone)
ne with us,
; was your
IS not one
yourself;
)ld us that
mv or flag
)oy, which

is a fine tree full of red berries, and hoped we would go
down to see it. We went down to see it ; and I assure
you, sir, they had put a dashing flag brought from the
Priory. I asked the girls at the cottage if one of them
was married. She said — No ; Mr. Braddyll and Dr.
Gilpin had put it up, it being Sir John Barrow's birth-
day, and had treated them all, that they might drink
your health. That evening Mr. Gilpin had a party of
gentlemen to supper, in honour. There is a new wall
round the cottage, but the tree was not moved from its
place, and the colour hung gracefully from it. There
was one lady was glad that she had lived to see it, —
that was Mrs. Harrison ; she was Miss Betsy Briggs,
sister to your old friend. The flag was brought by Mr.
Sunderland from the capture of Acre. I am sure that
all in Ulverstone ii.Uf^t feel the greatest respect for you,
for the lane to the cottage was, during the day, the ge-
neral walk to look at the flag, and to wish health and
long life to Sir John Barrow."

I was sensibly affected M'ith this mar^. of kindly
feeling towards one who, from circumstances, had
not visited his native place for more than fifty years.
All my old schoolfelloMS had long ago departed
this life. My little property has equally, long since,
been disposed of. The younger and surviving branches
of the family never knew me, and all that keeps up
the recollection of the townspeople are a few charities,

fwith which my name, and those of my family here, are
associated ; and of which there is one in particular I
have reason to be proud of —the establishment of a
Sunday-school. Just after leaving school, in a conver-
sation with a young friend, we lamented that there

^ was no such thing as a Sunday-school, for the benefit

'.1.1

'■^

ULVERSTONE.

[Chap. I.

of poor children, and I suggested that we should pro-
pose one — but how? There was no newspaper — not
even a printing-press. We, however, drew up a plan,
and I undertook to stick it up on the market-cross,
the night before market-day. We saw that it excited
great attention ; it was talked of; a person offered
himself to undertake it; and it succeeded so well, that
to the Ulverstone Sunday-school I and some of my
family are at this time annual subscribers.

My native town of Ulverstone is now, and has long
been, in a flourishing state. Situated on the shore of
Morecambe Bay, with which it comnmnicates by a
canal, the trade in copper aid iron ores, and various
products of the neighbouring hills, is very considerable.
Its proximity to the waters of Windermere, Coniston,
and others of Cumberland and Westmoreland, has
made it the key, or head-quarters, to those highly pic-
turesque lakes. It can now boast of more than one
public library, of several printing-presses, of literary
and religious societies, and of a good grammar-school,
besides others which are called National Schools. It
has a daily mail-coach over the sands to Lancaster, and
another three times a-week to Whitehaven. It is
lighted with gas, has an abundant supply of good
spring-water, and a clear stream has been conducted
through the town. Had Mr. West, an intelligent Ca-
tholic priest, who resided here, and wrote the history
of Furness, been now alive, he might with justice have
styled Ulverstone, as he did in that work, " the London
of Furness." He might also have spoken with great
truth of the salubrity of the air and the healthiness and
longevity of its inhabitants : my good mother and her
aunt v/ere striking examples of it.

[Chap. I.

iouid pro-
iper — not
ip a plan,
•ket-cross,
it excited
>n offered
well, that
ne of my

I has long
J shore of
latos by a
nd various
nsiderable.
Coniston,
eland, has
highly pic-
! than one
of literary
iiar-school,
chools. It
caster, and
en. It is
y of good
conducted
iUigent Ca-
the history
ustice have
the London
with great
thiness and
ler and her

I Sect. I.]

EDUCATION.

I cannot forego the opportunity now afforded me

to say a word in favour of my native place, where

my earliest, and I believe my happiest, days were

passed ; and, having briefly stated what I have learned

rfroni others, I proceed to the subject of my Memoir.

The only scholastic education I received was at the
fTown Bank grammar-school, under the Ilev. William
Tyson Walker, curate of the parish church, and an ex-
cellent classical scholar, educated at Trinity College,
Dublin. Before this the Town Bank school had fallen
into the hands of an old gouty gentleman, o^'the name
of Ferdinand (usually called Fardy by the boys)
Hodgson, whose wife kept a sort of stati&ner's and
bookselle. s shop. Ilis knowledge of Latin extended
little beyond the Syntaxl% As in prcesenti, and Propria
quw maribu.% &c.; any further progress could only be had
by a removal to the distance of sixteen miles, to the
Free Grammar-school at liawkshcad, founded in L584.
Fardy Hodgson was particularly kind to me; and,
being pleased one day at the manner in which I had
pfrformed my tssk, he took me by the hand into his
shop, and spreading on the counter a great number of
books for young people, he desired me to look at them
and choose any one I pleased, as a present. I pitched
upon a small History of the Bible, with wood-cuts,
which so pleased the old man, that he foretold to my pa-
rents that I should prove a treasure to them. Trifling
tis this was, it produced its effect, and has on many
iDccasions recurred to my memory.

Poor Fardy having given up the school, some of the
leading persons of Ulverstone, desirous of affording to
their chihlren a better education than had hitherto been
available, came to an agreement, in order to make the

TOWN BANK SCHOOL.

[Chap. I.

management of the Town Bank school more worth
Mr. Walker's while, to place it on a better footing,
and to increase the terms of the schooling. He most
readily agreed to what was proposed ; and among the
many boys, transferred to the care of Mr, Walker, I
had the good fortune to be one — was entered when in
my eighth year, continued under his instruction until
my thirteenth, when I had advanced to the head of
the school ; having read Homer, and Xenophon's Ana-
bas's, Livy, Horace, Virgil, &c. Walker was no mean
poet, and excelled in the recitation of verse or prose.
He wrote a pleasing descriptive poem in praise of Ire-
land, and of Trinity College in particular. I recollect
it opened with —

" Generous and brave, lerno, are thy sons."

His great delight was to instruct the upper boys to
repeat passages from Homer and Virgil, and also from
the best English poets. I gained some smattering of
reputation for my knowledge of Shakspeare, and for
the manner in which I could repeat many of the finest
passages in his tragedies, and which I retained to a late
period of life — some of them even till now — for this
tact I am solely indebted to the instruction and encou-
ragement of Mr. Walker.

Annexed to the Town Bank grammar-school was a
separate room for those who were desirous of beiii^
instructed in arithmetic and mathematics, taught by an
old gentleman, who, being a sort of perambulating pre-
ceptor, used to pay his annual visit of about three
months. From him I received instruction in those
branches of mathematics, which are most easily attained
under a master, such as algebra, fluxions, conic sec-
tions — Euclid needed no master ; and I very soon

[Chap. 1.

3re worth
r tooting,
He most
iniong the
Walker, 1
d when in
ition until
e head of
hon's Ana-
is no mean
e or prose,
aise of Ire-
I recollect

er boys to
d also from
attering of
re, and for
f the finest
ed to a latf
w — for this
and encou-

?,hool was a
IS of beiii^
tuight by ail
uUiting pre-
about three
on in those
sily attained
, conic sec-
; very soon

Sect. I.]

LEAVE SCHOOL.

had an opportunity of acquiring the practical applica-
tion of many of the theorems and problems to the
common purposes of life.

I may here mention one or two circumstances that
occurred about the time and shortly after I left school,
and which, trivial as they may appear, exerted a con-
siderable influence on the future events of my life.
Things of common occurrence are indeed f jquently
the precursors of important consequences, though not
so regarded at the time. Just as I was about to
leave the school, a gentleman, who had the manage-
ment of Colonel Braddyll's estates in Yorkshire, Mr.
Cottam, well known in that county, called on the
master of Town Bank to know if he could recommend
two of the youths, best-informed in arithmetic and geo-
metrical calculations, to assist him in taking an accu-
rate and complete survey of the Colonel's very extensive
estate of Conished Priory, near Ulverstone. He im-
mediately named Zaccheus Walker, his nephew, and
myself. We were accordingly sent for, and received
explanations of v.hat would be required of us ; but as
neither of us felt qualified to go alone, we consented
on the understanding that all should be done entirely
under his assistance and supervision.

We remained at the Priory, as well as I now can
recollect, about two months, in which time we com-
pleted the survey, to the satisfaction, as I was after-
wards informed, of Colonel Braddyll ; and, I may add,
ior my own part, to my incalculable benefit derived
jrom witnessing the practised methods of conducting a
survey of the various descriptions of surface — for it
contained all — level, hilly, woodland, and water ; and
it was not the less useful to me, from the practical

'I f •

KMPI.OYMKNT AT CONISIIED PUIOKY. [Chap. 1.

kiiovvlodge acquired of the tlieodolite, and of the several
iiiathematieal instruments in the possession of Mr.
Cottanj.

In fact, during our sojourn at the Priory, I so fiir
availed myself of tlie several a|)j)lications ot these in-
struments, that, on arriving in Loiulon, some years
afterwards, 1 extended my knowledge of them, so as to
draw up and publish a small treatise, to explain the
practical use of a case of mathematical instrunuMits,
being my first introduction to the press, for which I
obtained twenty })ouiuls; and was not a little delighted
to send my first fruits to my mother.

Another circumstance occurred, on leaving school,
apparently of little importance, to which, notwith-
staiuling, I nuist, to a certain extent, trace back my
future fortunate progress in life, as will hereafter be
shown. In the meantime, the simple fact will bo
enough for me to notice. Five or six of the upper
boys agreed to subscribe for the | arpose of purchasinf;
a celestial globe, and also a map of the heavens, which
were lodged in the mathenuitical apartment of Town
Bank school, to be made use of jointly or se})arately, as
should be decided on. Our cottage at Drag'ovbeck
Avas distant a mile or more, yet such was my eagerness
of acquiring a practical knowledge of the globe and tlu
map, that 1 never omitted a star-light night, without
attending to the favourite })ursuit of determining cer-
tain constellations, and their j)rincipal tars, for one,
two, or three hours, according as they continued above
the horizon. It was a pleasure then, and a profit there-
after.

About this time, the son of a farmer on the Priory
estate, a midshipman in the navy, made his aj)pearanco

[Chap. I.

|b;cT. I.]

SELF-EDUCATION.

the several
[)n of Mr.

ry, I so iiir
»t those iii-
jome years
m, so as to
L'xphuii tlio
iistruiiKMits,
or whieh I
e delighted

iiifj; school,
1, notwith-
e hack my
ereafter bo
act will Ito
f the upper
purchasing
veus, which
lit of Town
parately, as
)ra^ravbeck
y eagerness
ohe and tin
;ht, without
mining ccr-
rs, for one,
luied above
profit there-

I the Priory
ap})earancc

at home, with the loss of an arm, sustained in action
with the enemy ; a remarkably fine full-grown young
man. I lis object now was the church ; but he was soon
ipprized that, being thus mutilated, he was disqualified
from officiatinf,^ in some of the duties of a parish j)ri''st,
• $nd could not probably succeed in obtaining ordma-
idon. He persisted, however, in pursuing his studies to
qualify himself for the situation at least of private tutor.
Having nmch communication with him, as a near
neighbour, and he being, moreover, a most agreeable and
intelligent young man, we became great friends, and
goon discovered we could be of mutual assistance to
each other. I found him an a})t scholar, and was of
some use in brushing up his mathematics, and more so
his classics, while he informed me of the mysteries of
navigation, and of a man-of war. Even what 1 then
teamed might be useful, should it be my lot to betake
myself to a seafaring life, and so I considered it ; while
my friend, some time afterwards, had interest enough
to procure the patronage of the Hornby family of Win-
wick, became tutor to the children, and finally, by his
talents, succeeded, through the Derby interest, in ob-
taining curate's orders; and in that capacity, I believe,
continued to serve in Winwick Church till his death.
I have no doubt that the present Admiral Hornby was
a pupil of the Reverend Giles Chippindale.

For the twelvemonth, or thereabouts, that I remained
at home, the employment of my time was directed to-
wards something that was useful or curious. Of the litter,
I had fallen in with an account of Benjamin Fraidiiin's
electrical kite ; and a kite being a very common object
with schoolboys, and a string steeped in salt-water, with
a glass handle to it, not difficult to be h^id, I speedily

1.1

A 81N0ULAU CllAKACTKU.

[Chai'.

flew my kite, ixnd obtaiiiod abundance of sparks. An
old woman, curious to see what 1 was about, it was too
tempting an oj)portunity not t» give her a .shoc^', which
so .Vightened lier, that she spread abroad a rej)()rt in tin
vi'iage that 1 was no better than 1 shouhi be ; tor that
I was drawing down lire from heaven. The alarm
ran through the village, and my poor mother entreated
me to lay aside my kite.

My object was chiefly that of extending the sin.ill
portion of mathematics, which the occasional master
of Town Bank had been able to give me ; but with-
out any one to apply to for assistance, when I louiid
myself at a loss, which frequently happened. I wa?
sometimes disposed to shut my book ; but, at this early
period of life, I had an iidiorent and inveterate hatred
of idleness; and that feeling has continued to haunt
me until the advanced stage of human existence, at whidi
I am now writing. In the midst of this dilemma I w.b
informed that there lived, in the hills, an old farnioi,
of the name of Gibson, who went among his neigh-
bours by the aj)pellation of the irise-inan, on accoim;
of his profound knowledge on almost every subject:
that he had the re})utation of being a thorough matiu-
matician ; that he made his own almanac, and couhi
calculate eclipses — in short, like the village school-
master —

" Lands lie couM measure, terms and tides presage,
And e'en tlie story ran that he could gage."

I determined to see this rustic wonder, and for tliai
purpose walked some eight or nine miles into the hilK
country, and was so nuich gratifled with the inforniii-
tion he gave me, on certain points that had floundeni:
me ; and with such good will, urbanity, and patieiu

[('IIAI'.

*CT. i.]

A SINGULAR CIIAUACTEK.

iparks. All
t, it was too
shocks wliicli
'eport in tin
be ; tor that
The alarm
er en treated

ig the small
onal master
e ; l)ut vvitli-
len I fouiiil
ined. 1 wa.^

at this early
x-rate liatrcd
0(1 to haunt
nee, at wlutli
lemma I \va>

old thriucr,
g his nei^li-
, ou aceouii!
/ery subject;
■ough matlu'
e, and couli;
llage sehool-

presage,

0."

and for thai

into the hilly

the inforiiia-

ad flounders;

and patient'

withal, did he hmnse me, (as Doetor Wollaston would
have said,) that I repeated my visit three or four
times ; and should have gone, at least once lore, be-
fore quitting home, had I not felt somewhat ashamed
to trouble hiui on that occasion, which was the follow-
ing.

I had puzzled myself for a couple of days and nights

ifitli a problem in Simson's Conic Sections, which,
without consulting any one, 1 found myself so much
perplexed and confused, as to despair of ever being
able to master : the failure preyed on my mind. On
a future night I tried once more, and, alter a vain
attem])t, fell into a disturbed sleep, in the course of
which I became busily at work with my problem, or
more correctly, perhaps, I dreamed to be so ; and the
result was, a true and satisfactory solution. In the
BM)rning, in full recollection of my dream, I took up
my slate and pencil, and easily sketched out the solu-
tion, On mentioning the circumstance, in after years,
to Doctor Young, he told me it was by no means an
uousual case, and that many instances are on record of
intricate points being unravelled in drecms, or dis-
turbed sleep.

I have not yet finished with Mr. Gibson. From my
acquaintance with him resulted an epoch in the pro-
gress of my life, which will be noticed hereafter in its
roper place.

:t.i

EMPLOYMENT IN LIVERPOOL.

[Chap. I.

Section II.

Bcsidence and Emplot/mcnt in Liverjmol.

I NOW began seriously to reflect on my situation as far
as regarded myself, but much more so with reference
to my good parents, particularly as the views I took,
regarding the future employment of my life, did not
exactly correspond with theirs. My father, having been
brought up among the Cumberland farmers of the
mountains, had imbibed their notions respecting the
clergy, whom they venerated so highly, as to persuade
themselves that salvation M'as most likely to be secured
to the family, by the introduction of one of the sons
into the Church. No wonder, therefore, he should he
anxious to educate me for the clerical })rofessioii. 1
had a serious objection to enter into holy orders ; I did
not conceive that I was calculated for that sacred pro-
fession ; besides, without a college education, there was
no chance of my being jrdained, and I jn'cssed this
point (in my father's attention. A friend, however, he
said, had told him that, at a small expense, he could
send me, as a servitor, or sizar, to one of the universities,
My parents and myself were most regular attendants
at church ; and though of a serious turn of mind, as
I was by nature and disposition, I could not brins
myself to think, that I ever should be reconciled to
the clerical office, and therefore was desirous rather,
discouraging as the prospect seemed, to take my chance
a little longer, in the hope that something might turn
u}), to alford me employment more suitable to my
feelings.

[ClIAP. I.

Sect. II.]

EMPLOYMENT IN LIVERPOOL,

•pool.

lation as far
:h reference
iews I took,
life, did not
having been
lers of the
;pecting the

to persuade
) be seeurid
of the sons
e should he
ofessioii. 1
•ders; I did

sacred pro-
1, there was
[HTSsed this
however, lie
he could
universities,
[• attendants
of mind, as
not briiiu
'conciled to
■ous rather,
I my chance

might turn
d)le to niv

About this time, when I had just passed my four-
teenth year, a lady from Liverpool called one day at
the cottage, when I happened to be at home, and said,
without ceremony, that she came from a friend of ours,
and that her visit was to me ; that her husband's name
was Walker, the proprietor of a considerable iron-
foundry in Liverpool; and that in the course of her
visit to the north, he had wished her to look out for an
active and intelligent youth, to superintend the work-
men aiid keep the accounts of the factory, under the
guidance and instruction of one who, from age and
infirmity, could not long continue his employment;
that the youth would live in the family ; that they had
one son of about ten years of age, who, being of a
weakly habit, it was their object to give him instruction
at home, at least for some time to come. " Now," sh j
said, "from the character I have heard of you atUlver-
stone, and from age and appearance (perhaps a little
too young), I think you would answer our purpose ;
and I may say, I am prepossessed in your favour;
and if you think that such an appointment v/oiild
suit you, I will write to my husband to mention you
to him."

This flattering conversation could not fail to capti-
vate at once a youth of fourteen; and having no relish
for an inactive life, seeing no prospect of immediate
employment, and anxious to relieve my parents from
the increasing expense of maintaining me at home, I
shanked Mrs. Walker, and said I should most grate-
fully accejjt an ofler so kindly made, should Mr. Walker
be i f the same opinion with herself; The offer was
made, on the lady's reaching home, and I lost no time

EMPLOYMENT IN LIVERPOOL.

[Chap. I.

Smct.

in proceeding to Liverpool and joining my new friends
and new abode in St. Thomas's Buildings.

The establishment of the iron-foundry was not very
extensive, but it supplied labour to a considerable num-
ber and variety of workmen — foremen, moulders, car-
penters, blacksmiths, and model-makers. There was
also machinery for boring cannon, and other purposes.
My duty was to overlook the workmen, to keep an his La-
account of the labour performed and to enter it in the down.
books, to pay the weekly wages, to make the entries of
all the metals received and of the manufactured goods
delivered. I signed articles binding myself to serve
thiee years; my salary was just enough to keep me
handsomely in clothing and a little pocket-money.

Not long after my arrival, among the visitors of tlie
maimfactory was an Italian, from Naples, of the name
of Leonardi, whose business in Liverpool, he told me,
was to ascend in a balloon, the first he believed that
had been sent up in England — at least, with any poi-
son in it ; and as his was intended to be inflated with
inflammable gas, he wished to know if he could be su))-
plied with iron filings to produce it. We were just
now boring up old guns for the merchants, war being
declared against France and Spain, and there were under
plenty of borings to spare. This new species of flight conduc
into the air took hold of my fancy ; the borings wen dispose
supplied, and, with the permission (not readily granted) offered
of Mr. AValker, I prevailed on Leonardi to let mc me, aiu
accompany him, to which he made no objection, ]m> same f
vided the balloon would rise with both, which was a best to
point he couid not say : however, when the day of trial Duri
came, the balloon was found wanting 5 it rose tardily tunity c

dons ac

with
belo\

I
Wall
and J
had i
last V

his bu

son, a

appea

certaii

the Ic

and b(

seriouj

It I

she,

ance,

whetl

the ac

and

twelv

111

[Chap. I.

JiicT. II.l

MRS. SIDDONS.

lew friends

IS not very
rable nuni-
iilders, car-
There was
;r purposes.
;o keep an
ter it in the
e entries of
turcd goods
)lf to serve
to keep me
noney.
sitors of tho
)f the nanif
he told nic,
elicved that
ith any per-
inflated with
ould be su})-
e were just
;s, war being
there were
nes of flight
)orings wen
ily granted)
i to let nic
)jection, pro-
which was a
2 day of trial
rose tardih'

with Leonardi alone, and I vyas to be content to remain
below.

I passed two years very comfortably, Mr. and Mrs.
Walker being excellent people, and very kind to me ;
and I found the little son very tractable and docile, and
had it in my power to be of some use to him. In the
last year of my servitude, Mr. Walker expresF 1 to me
his great satisfaction, and said, as his health was breaking
down, and would disable him soon from looking after
his business, he was thinking of transferring it to his
son, and that, if I agreed to continue, my name would
appear in the concern, and I should be entitled to a
certain share in the profits To this I could not have
the least objection. But, almost immediately after,
and before the expiration of my time, he caught a very
serious ilhicss, which carried him off in a few days.

It now became a question with the widow, whether
she, in conjunction with her son, and with my assist-
ance, should undertake to carry on the business, or
whether she should dispose of the whole concern. By
the advice of her friends the latter plan was adopted,
and probably she was well advised ; for a youth of
twelve and of a sickly habit, and myself also a youth
under seventeen, might not be deemed competent to
conduct a concern of that magnitude. It was therefore
disposed of to a Liverpool ironmonger, who immediately
offered me terms to continue ; but being a stranger to
me, and not likely that I should be considered in the
same friendly light as with the Walkers, I thought it
best to decline his offer.

During my residence in Liverpool, I had an oppor-
tunity of seeing, what very few have witnessed, Mrs. Sid-
dons acting a romping character in a farce (Charlotte,

Ifi

GREENLAND.

[Chap,

I think, the name is), the 'Apprentice.' The com
pany had just arrived under her husband, Mr. Siddoii;
and the bill of fare had been distributed. The lady in
tended for the character failed to make her appear
ance, and Mrs. Siddons volunteered to take it, afh
having performed her part in a tragedy. Having nevt
yet heard of Mrs. Siddons, she being, I believe, k
just come out, I paid no attention to her acting. lit
reputation, however, was speedily estaliished ; an
having mentioned the incident in London, it w?
doubted, and thought to have been a mistake. As I h
the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Siddons occasionally, niai;
years after, I once took the liberty of asking her tl
question, observing to her, that my account of it k
been doubted, and that some othe • had been mistakt
for her. She replied, that she was then very yoiii.
and was often put into characters neither suitable ii
agreeable to her.

Skction III.

A VoycKjo to the (xveenlmid Whale Fishery.

I WAS now released from all engagements, and had
consider very seriously what line of life I should
able to undertake, and as would most likely p:
cure for me the means of an independent subs
once. I could no longer bear the idea of bei
burdensome to my parents ; besides, a life S})ciit
idleness and inactivity would be, to me, a lilt
misery. While pondering over various })lans of )

cee(
We
tion
fron
Liv(
fisiic

Gre(
once
O
Pottf
Mrs.
that,
Icisui
seas,
ofwli
maiH
shonji
raent,
conso
offer

age

we en

fortui

h»v

occun

tUbi
nilncr
the ](■
and w
tbese '

[Chap, i,

SiKCT. III.J

VOYAGE TO GREEXLAND.

The com
Mr. Siddoii!
The lady in

her appear
take it, aftt
tiaving neve

believe, l)t
acting. lit
Wished -, ai!
iidoii, it \v<
.ke. As I ha
sionally, iiiai,
sking her tl
unt of it k
been niistakt
n very youi.
iT suitable i,

Fishery.

its, and hail
i I shonld
St likely p:
endent subs

idea of bei
a life spent

me, a I iff
3 plans of p

ceeding, there happened at thii, time to arrive from the
West Indies a gentleman of the name of Potts, a rela-
tion of Mrs. Walker, whose health had suffered much
from the climate. He was in partnership with some
Liverpool merchants concerned in the Greenland whale
fishery, and having consulted Dr. Lyon, an eminent
physician, he was recommended to take a voyage to
Greenland, in one of the ships of the company; and at
once decided to do so.

One day, being at Mrs. Walker's, I met Captain
Potts there, who, finding I was out of employment, and
Mrs. Walker having spoken favourably of me, said
that, if I had no objection to fill up a few months of my
leisure time by taking a trip with him to the frozen
seas, he would be glad to give me a bertli in the sliij),
of whicli he was part-owner, as he meant to takj com-
mand of her himself; that such as his tabic afforded I
should share with him. Nothing, at the present mo-
ment, could have occurred more op])ortune, or more
consonant with my wishes, and I embraced his kind
oflFer with eagerness. When all nuitters for the voy-
age were in readiness, towards the end of March,
we embarked in the good shij) 'Peggy,' and })ut to sea.
We carried out a medical gentlenum, whose services
fortunately were not re([uired, my friend the captain
harv'ing speedily recovered, and n*^ siekness having
occurred among the crew.

Being naturally of an in(piisitive turn of mind, every-
iiig new was sure to engage my attention. All the
manonlvres of the ship, reefing, steering, and heaving
the lead ; the measuring the ship's way, and the taking
and working an observation for the latitude — of all
these I knew something superficially from my friend

GKEENLAND SEA.

fClIAI'.

Chippendale, but I now observed them with a i)ractical
eye ; and Potts encouraged me in putting them to actual
practice ; he appointed a smart young man to instruct
me how to steer, to ass'st him in reefing a sail, tu
take azinmths and altitudes, which I knew pretty wcl!
how to work — in short, in all the tactical parts of
navigation •, and the more I learnt of it the more 1
liked it.

When we arrived at the south-east ice, which in tlu
early part of the season is found to extend from tik
east coast of Greenland to the west coast of Norway,
the appearance of nature was new to me ; evcrv
side of us being an unlimited plain of ice, on whicli
were innumerable herds of seals strewed upon the sur-
face, like so many sheep scattered over the dowib,
But our object was the whale, and to get at him \\i
must proceed to the northward, in which we succeedni
by taking advantage of openings in the held of id
between the detached hummocks, that were not nuiti
larger, however, than those I had occasionally seen ii
the river Mersey.

In proceeding to the northward, we passed, at soiiu
distance. Cherry Island, which, we found from an ui
book that Potts had provided, was first discovered L
Barentz in the year 1575, and named by him Bcii:
Island, from his having killed near it one of tlio
animals, not however a bear, but what is called a morsi
or walrus ; but, some eight or nine years atlerwarir
when one Beiinet saw this island, he changed its iiaii;
to Cherie, after the worshipful Francis Cherie, who lia
sent out the ship; and the conversion into Cherry, a
we found it, was natural enough. The multitude <
these morses that were afterwards found heaped togi

stec

and

dboii

b<)w

nxin(

atid

the

men I

fClIAP. I.

a practical
2111 to actual
1 to instruct
^ a sail, ti)

pretty ^Vl.H

jal parts ot

the more 1

which in tin
ntl from tlk
; of Norway,
me •, every
ice, on whicli
upon the sui-
r the dowib,
et at him ^\t
we succeedui
3 held of i('
ere not inuei
)nally seen ii

[issed, at soiii-
from an (•!'
discovered l*;
by him B*.a;
one of tlu^
ialled a mors,
irs atlerward-
nged its naiin
herie, who ha
nto Cherry, i^
J nudtitudc >
1 heaped tofit-

• Sect. Ill]

GREENLAND SEA.

ther on the shores and the surrounding ice of this
island is ahnost incredible ; but anything may be be-
lieved of the fecundity of Spitzbcrgen, and its conti-
guous islands, in all varieties of the animal creation,
after reading the interesting and instructive narrative
Df Captain IJeechey.

W^e kept so far from the shore, that we saw very few
of the bears, foxes, or walruses, or of the herds of
rein-deer that browse on the shores and low islands of
Spit/bergen ; but since the discoveries that have been
made and published by the late Northern voyagers, the
little that could now be said on a whaling voyage,
diade nearly seventy years ago, would afford neither
novelty nor amusement, and therefore to the fishery
I shall chiefly confine myself.

We had not advanced fa'- along the coast of Spitz-
bcrgen, before the look-out man called out with a sten-
torian voice Falll f(iI/!—the notice of a whale being
•within chace-distance. All was instantly noise and
bustle, and apparent confusion throughout the sliij) —
the boats were manned, and three or four persons only
left on board. Eager to partake in the chacc, I asked
my friend the captain to allow me to go and pull an oar.
He said "By all means," and placed me under the boat-
Steerer of one of the crafl. The whale kept blowing
and moving on gradually, as if unconscious of wiiat was
about to betide her, when the harpooner, standing in the
bow of the first boat, darted his harpoon into tbe pro-
ininent part of its back : immediately up went the broad
and dangerous tail, and down the monster plunged into
the deep, making the side of the boat smoke again by
the ra])idity with which it drew out the line. In the
Btteantiine the rest o+'the boats spread themselves, to be
"^ c 2

GHEENLAND SEA.

[CllAI-. I.

ro«i(ly for its rising ; and before it eould again ])lun^c,
a seeond boat succeeded in ])lacing a second liarjjoon
in the large carcase. Away it again started, and tlu
loose boats hooked on to the two fast ones, and the in-
creased resistance caused its pace to slacken.

Now was the time for the s])ikesoneer, with his loiiji
lance, to pierce the vital ])arts, and he did it most
effectually, as was proved by the (piantity of water
mixed with blood that was thrown out of the blow-hol',
when a general shout arose, "Her chimney is on lii-o."
She still endeavoured to continue her run ; but, smait-
ing with an accunuilation of wounds, and weakened, as
it no doubt nuist have been, by the great loss of blood,
together with the weight of the boats she had to drat;,
its pace gradually s.ackened, and life, by the repetition
of the lance, was, ere long, extinct.

The next process is to fix the lines to the body, sn
as to admit of its being towed to the ship — to be plactd
there belly upwards longitudinally, close alongside, ami
proj)erly secured, by being made fast to the bow ami
stern and also to the midships. It is then marked out by
longitudiiud and lateral lines, as directions to the cutters-
up, a selection of the men, who stand upon the body ut
the animal to cut out, with their large sharj) knives, tlit
masses of blubber ; and these being sent upon deck aiv
again cut into strips and put into casks through flu
bung-holes, which are then closed up and not opeiud
till the arrival of the shij) at her destined port. 'J'lit
process on board, with plenty of saw-dust, is perfecth
cleanly and void of all smell ; what it may be on th
discharge of cargo, after a voyage home and exj)osiii'.
to warm weather, I know not.

While the process of cutting is going on, the luii!

'''%

[CllAl'. I.

in ])lun}iO,

X ]m\V\)0{)\\

(I, uikI tho
uid tlie iu-

i\\ Ills loii^
1(1 it most
\,' of wativ

! l)lo\V-ll()k',

is on lire."
but, smart-
eakcncd, as

ss of l)l()(t(l,
i;ul to (li-au,
e repetitiiiii

^KCT. iir.]

GWEKNLAND SEA.

le body, so
:o be placnd
)ngsi(k', and
le bow and
irked out hy
tbc cutters-
the body (it
) knives, tin
)()n deck ar.
through till
not opened
port, 'i'lii
is perfects
ay be on tli
nd ex])()sur'

on, the iiiii''

titudc! of tlie Kull tri])c which creep upon and cover the
earcase of the animal is perfectly astonishing, but
Beechey tells us that the sea about Spitzbergen is as
iTMch alive as the land. In fact, the (piantity of mal-
monks, hurgomesters, strontjaggers, and kittiwakes that
literally take possession of the animal is quite anuising;
and such is their voracity f()r blubber that whole swarms
of them sulfer themselves to be knocked on the head,
by the crew, with sticks or any other weapon they can
lay hold of

The whale, when physically considered, is a most
extraordinary animal; and it required all the ingenuity,
the ])r;u'tical knowledge, and the indefatigable labour
and thought, of that greatest naturalist of his day,
Linna'us, to give it a pro})er place in the classification
of his Si/.'<tcina Xatiird'. He found that the cetaceous
tribe of animals had nothing whatever common or ])e-
culiar to fish, except that they lived in the same ele-
ment; he discovered that their heart was doubly
cellular, and circulated imrui blood ; that they breathed
by means of lungs, and that they suckled their young
— none of which (pialities arc ])artaken by fish ; — that
they had besides a horizontal tail, which fish have not ;
no scales on the body, as Hsh have ; and as he had with
wonderful skill and diligence divided all Nature into
its separate and peculiar classes, as far as kne^ u or
could be acquired, he placed the whale among those
animals that suckle their young, that is to say, in the
order of the niaiiima/id.

The structure of the throat and mouth of the whale
incapacitates this huge animal from eating or devouring
fish, thongb living in the same element with itself; the
roots of its two lower jaws nearly meet and close the

GltEENLAMJ SEA.

[CllAl-. I.

whole tliroat, so that nothing but the small tribe of c//(;.v,
small shrimps, and worms, mollusca, or marine insects
that abound in the Aretic seas, can serve it as food.

Of the six whales which we succeeded in striking, oiio
of them escaped, but not before it had very nearly
occasioned us some mischief. On receiving the wound
of the harpoon it made direct towards afield of ice, and
Avent down under it, but as when wounded they never
remain long under water, all the boats came close to
the edge of the ice ; it arose and received a second
harpoon, and iu plunging down threw U]) its enormous
tail just under one of the boats, which it cast upon the
field of ice, with six persons in it, of whom I w;l.^
one : we none of us received much harm, but the sidt
of the boat was shattered. The creature never again
came from under the ice ; one of the harpoons w;i«
drawn out, and to save the remaining line of the other,
it was decided to cut it.

I preserved, with some little trouble, a couple of jaw-
bones, which were sent to Ulverstone and set U]) !b
gate-posts to the entrance of a small croft close to our
cottage. I wished also to have procured a cou})!<' c
the long spiral horns of the monodon monoceros or
sea-unicorn, which nuike handsome bed-posts, but mi-
unable to succeed. LinUcLnis says the dentes or hori:-
of this animal are two in the young ones, but in tli
older ones single. Doubting this to be the case, I
asked the Ifte Sir Everard Home, some years after
wards, at the Royal Society club, if he had ever im
with a sea-unicorn with luore than one horn : 1;
promptly replied, yes; that they were all born wit:
two, but that one only grew out, and that the other \s\\-
supposed to be kept in its socket, as a reserve to siippl

natel

the

darlj

Whi(

LCUAl". 1.

ribe of dios,
rinc insocta

as food,
striking, one
very nearly
fv the wound
(l of ice, ami
d tliey never
ime close to
red a second
its euorniuu-
ast ui)on tlifc
whom I wa>

but the siilt

never again
harpoons ws

of the other,

couple of jaw-
,nd set up ;i>
"t close to our

A a couple 0!

monoceros n:
-posts, but wi..-
li'ntc-'< or horn-
lies, but in tli
e the case, i
ic years after

had ever nif
one horn : li

all born wil:
t the other ^vll
serve to siippl

BKcr. I II. J

UUKENLAND SEA.

the place of the former, should any accident hai)i)en to
it, in which case it grew out. Wonderful as we know,
in a nudtitude of instances, the }n*ovisions of Nature
ire to sup])ly defects of accident, I appeared still to
doubt, when kSir Everard said, " Mr. Clitf shall bring the
iSkull of a narwhal to the Admiralty, and show you the
jroimg horn in its socket :" he did so, and with a hammer
And chisel, and after nearly two hours' labour, he chipped
6ft' the part of the skull that covered it, when tliere cer-
tainly dhi appear a perfect end)ryo enclosed ; but ano-
ther question occurred — the old horn had been broken
off within a foot of the skull; Mhy did not the young
one come out to take its place? The answer, of course,
iWis ready : the old horn might have met with the acci-
dent subsequent to the death of the animal, or, as more
likely, at the time of its death. I had nothing further
to say to my friend Home but to apologise for my in-
ci'edulity.

In the course of our progress to the northward, and
^en about half a degree to the southward of Ilakluyt's
Headland, a strong breeze of wind, from the north,
brought down such immense masses of floes or fields of
ice, with hunnnocks approaching in size to icebergs in-
tervening, that we were hastily compelled to make all
i^ug, and prepare for being beset. We had six or
seven sail of whalers in sight, each of them doing the
^tfme thing ; and in the course of a few hours we were
surrounded, and so completely beset in the ice, that, in
•^llatever direction we cast our eyes, the horizon termi-
ndted in one unbroken surface of that element, with
the exception, however, of the seven valleys and the
dark crags of Si)itzbcrgen about Magdalena Bay, to
^ich we were opposite •, each of these valleys being

GJiKliNLANU SKA.

[CllAl

8e<

lillc'd with ail iiiiiiiciise glacier, known to the Dutch ;is
tlie Seven Icebergs (schaii i/.^^jihcrtitc). It would seem,
however, from the accounts of late voyagers, that four
only of these icebergs or glaciers are now reinainiiifr,
and that one of these, Captain Ueechey says, " I'roni its
peculiar appearance and j)ositioii, seems as if a very
small matter would detach it from the mountain, and
precipitate it into the sea." In another })art of llu
coast, it is said, the firing of a gun brought down from
the glacier such a mass, as to form a floating iceberg:
in the sea.

But to return to the situation in which our ship was -
beset and helpless. The weather fortunately was tran-
quil, and on the fifth day a change of wind to the soutli,
increasing to what may be called a brisk gale, by meet-
ing the uortherly current, caused so much confusion ii!
the ice, and so many heavy blows to the poor ' IVggy,'
that apprehensions were at one time entertained shi
would not escape without damage. The ice, how-
ever, broke up into numerous masses, with channels ct
open water between them, like so many streets in a town,
the whole of which in the course of three days wci\ dred
swept away to the northward and entirely disa})peari.(l. vesse

Some of the crciw recognised a ship not far from ustn avoi(
be the ' Betsy,' of Liverj)ool, and Ca))tain Potts wisJK i! and
to go on board to ask how they had fared. Observin: I ma
a gentleman in a naval undress unifbrin jacket, \\\v — to
was introduced to us l)y the master as Captain Coffin, Oi
of the Navy ; we were told that he had also taken tlit doeto
voyage for the benefit of his health. I believe Adniira! first
Sir Isaac Coffin, with whom I afterwards became wil of th
acquainted, was at this time only a lieutenant. He i:i sever;
formed us that, on the first breaking up of the ice, tli first

fis

lU(

ter

act

kin

and

see I

spri

the

ram

him.'

afloa

offb

over
byth
from
Coffi

LChai

$:cr. III.]

(iliKKNLAND SKA.

2.'5

L> Dutch as
vould sccni,
rs, that tour
,' remainiu'A
s, " iVoui its
as it* a very
fmntain, and
pivrt of tlu
t down tVoii
iliiig iceborf

,r ship was -
[^y was trail-
to the soutli,
;ak-, by iiu'tt-

fish wore always hungry; that lie had just been trying liis
luck, and bad caught a hirge codfish 03 lbs. in weight,
and be asked us to stay dinner and partake of it.

Sir Isaac CofKn was one of those singular charac-
ters, who are sometimes called oddities, because their
actions nre not governed by the ordinary rules of man-
kind. Wbenever he was in a sbip j)assing the tropics,
and a fresh breeze blowing, it is said he was sure to be
seen on the forecastle, on the anchor-stock, or on the
spritsail-yard, with his lance ready poised to dash into
the dolphins, when seen Hashing like lightning across
the bow of the ship ; and he is said to have rarely
missed his aim, except on one occasion when be threw
himseltj spear in hand, on a passing ])orj)oise, and kept
afloat astride of bis prize, like another Arion, till fetched
I confusion in off by a boat.

loor ' Peggy,' Towards the latter period of his life, Sir Isaac went

tertained slu over to an island in the St. Lawrence, peopled nu)stly

he ice, how- by the descendants of his family. In a letter I received

th channels dt from hiin he said, " I have been among three humlred

■cts in atowii. CoflRns, and have built a school to bold about a hun-

ee days wen dred of tlieir young ones ; and in returning, the snudl

disappeared vessel liaving caught fire, I jumj)ed overboard and, to

far from us t' avoid being bunit, was very nearly being drowned;

I Totts wislid! and thus, having escaped these two perils, I supjwse

Observiii. I may consider myself reserved for the remaining one

u jacket, wli' — to be banged."

ptain Cotliii. ©n our advance to the northward, our little Welsh
also taken tli doetor became very fidgety about witnessing, for the
elieve Adniiva first time, the sun just skimming the northern })art
s became wil of the horizon about midnight, having, he said, lost
euant. Uc i:i several niglits' sleep, by bis vigilance in watching tlic
of the ice, tli first emersion of its whole body above the horizon.

■'%'

GKEENLANU SEA.

|.(,'1IA1>. I.

He frequently expressed his great delight that the sun,
during our stay, was never to set, but permanently to
si 3d his benign rays upon us. His messmates, how-
ever, used to check his ardour, and endeavoured to
convince him of his mistake, in fancying the glaring
light of the sun, reflected from the ice and snow, agree-
able, 't being not only unpleasant, but injurious to
the eyes : that a few clouds and a fog, which would he
of frequent occurrence, are a great relief, and that the
permanence he so nuich wished for not only would in-
terfere Mith his hours of rest, but that he would he
puzzled to know when it was time to go to bed, and
when to rise — nay, that occasions might happen, when
a day or more would either be lost or gained upon the
voyage.

All this, however true, was incomprehensible to the
Welshman, but he had proof of the latter part on re-
turning home. The long labours of the people in
chasing, capturing, towing to the ship, and cutting np
the several whales caught, together with stowing the
blubber away in the casks and hold, each fish employ-
ing all hands forty-eight or fifty hours, made all of us
indeed so little careful of kee])ing time, that we actually
did lose a dav ; and it was not discovered until we en-
tered the ISIersey when, on approaching St. Nicholas's
Church, we heard the bells ringing and saw a mmi])ei'
of people proceeding towards that place of M^orship.
We concluded therefore that it was Sunday, whieli
was confirmed by the pilot, whereas by our watches
and the shi})\s log it was Saturday. It a])]icars thiit
Captain Sir E. Parry, on one occasion, got into this
perplexity, and to prevent its hap])ening on a ihturc
voyage, he had the dial })lates of several watches marked

[ClIAl-. I.

Sect. III.)

GUEENLAND SEA.

t the sun,
nently to
ites, ll0^v-
ourcd to
le glaring
3w, agrec-
urious to
would be
1 that the
would in-
would be
bed, and
pen, when
[ upon the

ible to the
lart on !•(!-
people in
cutting up
owing the
ih eniploy-
.' all of us
ve actually
ntil we en-
Nicholas's
a number
t' worship,
ay, Avhieli
lY watcher
pears thiit
into this
I a liiturc
ics marked

with twenty-four hours instead of twelve ; the first at
the top of tl^f^ dial representing midnight, the twelfth at
the bottom mid-day, by which such a mistake could not
easily happen.

For my own part I confess that my trip to the Spitz-
bergen seas was a disappointment. We never once
met with a floating iceberg. We saw masses of ice
resembling ruined cathedrals, churches, palaces, pillars,
bridges, beautiful stalactites, and all sorts of ima-
ginary ruins — the fragments probably of icebergs;
and were sufficiently near to observe the jagged and
pointed mountains of Spitzbergen from the south point
of the coast, to the 80th parallel of latitude, \\ith the
numerous deep-indented valleys choked with snow
3pd glaciers — the parents of icebergs; and we came
near enough to vicAV the several islands covered with
verdure, on which whole herds of rein-deer are said to
feed, as well as up the lower slopes of the mountains,
<^othed with lichens and saxifrage. But my then lack
of information has been amply supplied by the late
polar voyages, and the whole of the Spitzbergen coast,
both by sea and land, described as a most lively scene
of animated nature. At this time, however, from all
these gratifying objects we were cut off, which I nuich
regretted, but neither did nor could complain. I knew
that the fishery, as it is called, was the only object of
the voyage; mine was mere curiosity.

With an inherent dislike of inactivity, I had here
110 difficulty in finding the means of occupation either
for mind or body, or both ; for the former, a regular
journal was kept of the state of the wind and weather,
of the barometer and thermometer, the variation of the
<»mj)ass, with such other remarks as were deemed

• t

' 'I :•
'Mr

THE MINISTER OF SEATHVVAITE.

[CilAP. I,

worthy of notice, which, however, were neither niaiiv
nor important; an:l to fill np the long clay of perpetual
sun I attempted, for the first, and, as far as my memory
serves me, for the last time in my life, ca poem on tlio
Arctic llegions, in blank verse, after the manner (if
Thomson's 'AV inter.' Poetry, however, I soon dis-
covered was not my forte, and the materials I had to
work upon were not of the most inviting nature to the
Muse. The feats and fates of whales and narwhals,
morses, seals, bears, and foxes, malmouks, burgomesters,
and stroll tjaggers, could aftbrd but rugged materials for
blank verse. It was scribbled merely for aiiuisemciit
and to kill time, but mv friend Totts carried it uti
with him, and I know nothing of what became of it,
Neither was I wanting in bodily exercise : I cou
" hand, reef, and steer ;" to heave the lead was t
much for me; but Captain Potts so far complimeiih'i!
me as to say, that another voyage woidd make me a.«
good a seaman as many of those in his ship ; and he put
me down on the books for landsman's pay, and nothing
that I could say, when I knew it, would induce him t'
take itoif, his own name being at the head of the list.

(III

Section IV

Dcdth. of mji Idle j\fa!^h')' of Toicn Batik School, ai,-
Sketch of the Jll.ston/ of his venerable Father, (I
remarkahle Minister of the Cliapel of Seathicaite.

On my return from Greenland I hastened to Ulvir-
stone to see my parents, against wlu)se inclination 1
had gone thither. 1 was desirous also of visiting oiui

[CilAI-. 1.

kcT. IV.]

THE MINISTER OF SEATIIWAITE.

either many
of perpetual
my memory
poem on the
! maimer of

I soon dis-
ials I liad to
nature to the
ul narwhals,
mrgomesters.
materials iur
• anuisemciit
carried it oft
)eeame of it,
.se : I could
lead was ton
complimented

make me ib
)•, and he put
, and nothin:
nduce hiui ti
I of the list.

\i Father^ ll
lathuriite.

lied to Ulvii'
inelinatioii 1
f visiting oiu

more my early friends and old school-fellows, and
among the first my greatly-respected master, Walker,
of Town Bank, whose health I was sorry to find much
impaired. Here I remaiiie<l some months, and passed
the time very pleasantly, every one apparently being
glad to see me, and asking a multitude of questions
about Greenland, of which I could tell them but little.
I visited the lakes and the mountains of Cumberland
and Westmoreland, and the beautiful village of Penny-
bridge, where the Crake, or river from the Conistoii
lake, falls into Morecainbe Bay, and where the fine
blue slate is shipped. Near this place I also visited
Mr. Wilkinson's iron-works, bearing in mind those I
had left in Liverpool ; but I had another object — to
see the manner in which Mr. Wilkinson had proceeded
in obtaining, from the naked sands of Morecambe, a
great extent of the most verdant meadow-land that
eyes could wish to behold, mostly and simply by
driving in stakes to obstruct the tide both in its flood
and ebb. I was gratified, in aftertime, to describe what
I had seen to one of the most scientific men of the age,
the venerable jNIr. Cavendish, who possessed a large
estate on the ojjposite side of the bay, and was devising
means to do what Wilkinson had effected, only to a
mucii greater extent.

On my return to Ulverstone, the illness of my
worthy master of Town Bank school had taken a dan-
gerous turn, which speedily ended in his death; a severe
drawback on the ])leasure I had j)roniised myself in his
society, for he had always been particularly kind and
attentive to me ; and, indeed, whatever progress T had
made in the classics I owed to him. His funeral was
most attectiiig, for he was greatly beloved, and all his

•■: I i^'

1,1 i;

.v?i

INI"

THE MINISTER OF SRATIIWAITE.

[ClIAI..

young flock attended. Among others was prcson: ^ S

his venerable father, eighty years of age, who, ti ven(

pay this last tribute of affection to the memory of; H

beloved son, had come down from the farthest poiir Mfi^c

of Furness Fell, some eighteen miles distant, \\\\n ^^^'^

he had long been minister of the humble chapel r O0ftt

Seathwaite, which was at once his chapel and hi R^?s>

school. As this aged patriarch, with his flowing loci; ^^V^^

white as snow, stood by the grave of his departed isn **9d.

while the funeral service was reading, all eyes were di ^^v

rected towards his venerable figure. At the conclusic ^^^"Oc

of the ceremony, he stepped slowly to the edge of tl: "S'"^

grave, and there, with uplifted face and clasped hand scljoli

the tears trickling down his aged cheeks, was ol^servt ^^"" *■

to be uttering a silent prayer towards heaven. T! ^ ^

impression made on my mind by this mournful seem- ^^ *'

the loss of the son, whom I loved, and the grief ^^^^^^

• The /

the father, whom I respected, more than sixty ycr ^

have not been able to obliterate.

And even junv I feel impelled by a strong desin

repeat the history of this good old clergyman, win

whole life was spent in the solitude of the roniniit '^^^J

streams and mountains of a secluded part of Westnuii

land, instructing the rude and simple peasantry in tin

duty to God and to man, and assisting them with I:

advice and by his superior knowledge. I had ni;i: '^''

particulars of his life at the time, and since that sm **

given by himself, which curiosity, accompanied liy y ^

better feeling, had extracted from him. Sensible n- ^^^^

am of the fine example his whole life exhibits, ;i ^^^^

how many thousands there are of the same calling, i

much better in their circumstances, considering t:^"*^^

difference in the times, than he was, I sliJill not hv>\\i: J ^"^

beconi
it; h(
each

of his
W

fCiiAr.

Sip. I v.]

THE MINISTER OF SEATIIWAITE.

was prcstii!
ige, who, ti
memory of j
farthest poiii'
listant, whop
l)le chapel >
apel and lii
; flowing h(\
; departed si

eyes were d:
fhe conchisir
le edge of t'
chisped hand
. w.tS ohservt

Ui give a hasty sketch of the life of the Ilevereiid and
venerable Robert Walker.

He was born and educated at a place called Un-
4ercrag, in Seathwaite, in 1/09, being the youngest of
twelve children, the progeny of humble parents.
S0athwaite Is one of the most beautiful vales in Fur-
ness, situate close to the river Duddon, which skirts the
counties of Lancashire, Westmoreland, and Cumber-
land. The small chapel of Seathwaite was used not
only for the purposes of divine service, but also as a
school for the children of -the valley. Here Robert
Walker commenced his education, and became so apt a
scholar that he was appointed schoolmaster to a ^^Imilar
kind of establishment at Lowes- Water cha])el ; and here,

, .ri by the assistance of a friend, he was able to extend

heaven, il f , . '

,. 1 , . „ his knowledge of the classics, by which, and by his lush
lurntul scei\L- ^ t, i • , • , , ,

1 a „„;,♦• cnaracter, lie was readily admitted into holv orders.
1(1 tlie grui . . . , . " "

. , ' . , The liriiK/, if it may be so called, of Seathwaite had
an sixty Ma ■' *'

become vacant and was oU'ered to him, and he accepted

f()n«'- desiiT ^*> '^^ ^^'^^^ previously othciated at that of Lowes-Water,

.ryiiian, will- ^^^^ ^^'-'"^^ ^*^' ^^'^ ^^^^^^ \ii\m, namely, /we pounds

'"^the' r()maii! ^"y^^^- li^iving obtained the living of Seathwaite, he

t of Westnu.i "^*"'^* ^^ ' '^'^'^ by the frugality and good management

4-.,.r ;.. tl„ of his wife, was enabled to furnish his humble dwelling,
asantry m m _, . , ^ ,,^ , . »•

them with Ir ^"^^^ ^^^ remained at Lowes- Water, his narrow
I had ma ^^^^^^^mstances, with an increasing family, and his

fi,.,f <n; ^^^^ '^"^^ estimable character, made him universally

since tnat ^<'' i i i • i • i i i , "^

,„,^.,.np,1 hv '^^^^^^'^^ i'» t"^' neighbourhood; and his rei)utatiou

lOmpcUlK- >l . -L • II • f.

«.,.c;ki,. 1 ^aviBg attracted the attention of a stranger, he was
'■ exhibits a^^^"*^^*^^ *^" 1^'^y ""^^ ^ ^■^^^'^■' ^^^^^ ^^^^^ describes the
ame callin-l iT^^"^*' " ^ ^*^u»^l lii'» fitting at the head of a long

..oMni^in.v .square table, such as is commonly used in this country
;hall not hesitry ^^ *"^^^'*' ^'"^^ ^*^ people, dressed m a coarse blue

'.VI

.:,!^

.'32

THE MINISTER OF SEATIIWAITE.

[ClIAI'.

trock, trimmed with black horn buttons, a checked
shirt, a leathern strap about his neck for a stock, a
coarse apron, and a pair of great heavy woodcn-sokd
shoes, plated with iron to preserve them ; with a child
upon his knee, eating his breakfast ; his wife and the
remainder of his flunily, which consists of nine chil-
dren, were some of them employed in waiting on each
other, the rest in teazing and spinning wool, at which
he is a great proficient, and when made ready for sale
he carries it on his bark, and on foot, seven or eight
miles to market, even in the depth of winter," &c.

The friend, to whom this account was written, de-
termined to satisfy himself by taking a journey from
Lancaster for the purpose of paying him a visit. lie
found him to be all that was represented ; that his good

moral conduct and meek behaviour had gained him ;

uncommon degree of respect among his neighbours;
and he adds, "a man who, for his candour and meek-
ness, his sober, chaste, and virtuous conversation, his
soundness of principle and practice, is an ornament tn
his profession, and an honour to the country he is in :
and, bear with me if I say, the plainness of his dress,
the sanctity of his manners, the simplicity of his doc-
trine, and the vehemence of his expression, have a sort
of resemblance to the pure practice of primitive
Christianity." The writer of this (signed ]\Ir. C, of
Lancaster, in the Annual Register) was so strongly
impressed with the character and condition of Mr.
Walker, wishing to have a particular account of tlio
value of his curacy and the number and state of his
family, he retpiested him to be kind enough to satisiy
him. To whom Mr. Walker replies shortly after in
writing : —

[Chap. 1.

Skct. IV.]

THE MINISTER OF SEATIIVVAITE.

I checked

stock, a

dcn-sokd

th a chikl

e and tlie

line chil-

^ on each

at which

y for sale

1 or eiglil

&c.

itten, (Ic-

iiey from

isit. He

; his good

d hini ail

ighbours ;

d meck-

ition, lli.^

anient tn

he is ill ;

lis th'css,

' liis doc-

ve a sort

)riniitivc

r. C, of

strongly

of Mr.

t of the

of his

o satisi'y

after in

" I should have returned an immediate answer, but
the hand of Providence, then lying heavy upon an
amiable pledge of conjugal endearment, hath since
taken from me a promising girl, which the disconsolate
mother too pensively laments the loss of; though we
have yet eight living, all healthful, hopeful children,
whose names and ages are as follows." (He here gives
the names and ages of three boys and five girls.) " The
annual income of my chapel at present, as near as I
can compute it, may amount to about 171; 10/. of
which is paid in cash, namely, 5/. from the bounty of
Queen Anne, and 5/. from W. P., Esq., out of the
animal rents, he being lord of the manor, and 3/. from
the several inhabitants of Lowes, settled upon their
tenements as a rent-charge : the house and gardens I
value at 4/. yearly, and not worth more ; and I believe
the surplice fees and voluntary contributions, one year
with another, may be worth 3/. ; but, as the inhabitants
are few in number, and the fees are very low, this last-
mentioned sum consists chiefly in free-will offerings.

" I am situated greatly to my satisfaction with regard
to the conduct and behaviour of my auditory, who not
only live in happy ignorance of the follies and vices
of the age, but in nmtual peace and good-will with one
another, and are seemingly (and I hope really too)
sincere Christians, and sound members of the Esta-
blished Church, not one dissenter of any denomination
being amongst them all. I got to the value of 40/. for
my wife's fortune, but had no real estate or cash of my
own, being the youngest son of twelve children, born of
obscure parents ; and though my income has been but
small, and my family large, yet, by a providential
blessing upon my own diligent endeavours, the kind-
le

■I '

. I

THE MINISTElt OF SEATIIWAITE.

[CUAl'. I.

iit'ss of'f'rien and a cheap country to live in, we have
always had the necessaries of life.

"R. W., Curate of S ,

" To Mr. C, of Lancaster." 17r)G.

About this time the Bishop of Chester was thinking
of joining the curacy of Ulpha to the contiguous one of
Seathwaite, and oft'ered the nomination to Mr. Walker,
who, in expressing his thanks to the Bishop, begged
leave rather to decline than embrace it; " for the chapels
of Seathwaite and Ulj)ha annexed together would bo
apt to cause a general discontent among the inhabitants
of both places, by either thinking themselves slighted
or neglected in the duty, or attributing it to covetous-
ness in me ; all which occasions of nmrmuring I would
willingly avoid ; desiring, if it be possible, as nuich as
in me lieth, to live peaceably with all men."

In order to provide for his numerous family, his
habits of industry have certainly no parallel. For eight
hours each day, for five days in the week, and on the
Saturday morning, Mr. Walker was to be found in
his school, which he held within the chapel. Seated
in the recess that contained the connnunion-table, and
which supplied the place of a desk, and Mhile the chil-
dren were repeating their lessons, he constantly em-
ployed himself at his spinning-wheel ; his evenings
were also mostly spent at the wheel, except when act-
ing for his rustic neighbours as their scrivener, nuikiiiLi
out deeds of conveyance, agreements, wills, or anythinii
that required writing, in which he sometimes passed
a great part of the night. With all this he found tinif
to cultivate his little garden and two or three acres
of ground, which he rented in addition to his gkhe.

[Chap. I.

, WO have

1750.

s thinking
ous one of
r. Walker,
p, begged
the chapels
would bo
inhabitants
es slighted
covetous-
ig I would
IS much as

aniily, liis
For eight
uid on the
; found in
d\. Seated
-table, and
le the cliil-
itantly em-
s eveniii^^<
t when aft-
er, nuikiiiu
or anytliinu
nics passed
found tinif
three acre?
) his glebe.

:-fSi:cT. IV.]

THE MINISTER OF SEATIIWAITE.

less than an acre. He had also chiefly to look after a
couple of cows and a few sheep, for which he had the
right of pasturage on the mountains. The sabbath was
kept strictly holy ; the Sunday evenings being devoted
to reading the Scriptures and family prayer; his only
recreation was on a Saturday aft.Tnoon, when he in-
dulged himself with a newspaper or a magazine.

In these pastoral, culinary, and scholastical occupa-
tions was the prolonged life oi' this iro)idi'?'f id man (as
he was truly called) passed, sixty-six years as curate
of Scathwaite Chapel, in primitive simplicity and sub-
stantial happiness. A memorandum is said to exist,
Mritten by one of his descendants, that he administered
the Sacrament to a party which consisted of himself;
his wife, to whom he had been married u])wards of
igixty years ; one son and his wife ; four daughters, each
with her husband ; whose united ages amounted to above
^14 years, and the distance they had come, from their
^respective abodes, measured upwards of 1000 English
ianilcs. It is stated that the same circumstance had
ioccurred four years before.

f In the maintenance of all his virtues he received due
iupport from the partner of his long life. An old ser-
vant said to one of the munerous inquirers, " She was no
less excellent than her husband; she was good to the poor
V-she was good to everything." Mr. \Valkcr survived
|>ut a short time this virtuous companion. AVhen she
|ied, he ordered that her body should be borne to the
|rave by three of her daughters and one grand-daughter,
ind when the corpse was lifted from the threshold he
kisisted upon lending his aid ; and feeling about, for
%e was then almost blind, he laid hold of a napkin
|xed to the coffin, and as a bearer entered the chapel
I few steps from the lowly parsonage.

I
, I

^■\\

D 2

:?(!

THE MINISTER OF SEATIIWAITE.

[CiiAr, I.

Mr. Wordsworth quotes from the 'Christian Re-
ineuibranccr ' of October, 1819, a beautifully-written
character of Mr. Walker, known, he says, to be the
work of the Rev. Robt. Banifbrd, a great-grandson of
Mr. Walker. In this it is recorded that " Until tliu
sickness of his wife, a few months previous to her
death, his health and spirits and faculties were unim-
paired. But this misfortune gave him such a shock,
tbat his constitution gradually decayed. His senses,
except sight, still preserved their powers. He never
preached with steadiness after his wife's death ; lii>
voice faltered ; he always looked at the seat she had
us 'd. He could not pass her tomb without tears. He
becme when alone sad and melancholy, though still
among his friends kind and good-humoured. He went
to bed about twelve o'clock the night before his death.
As his custom was, he went, tottering and leaning upon
his daughter's arm, to examine the heavens and medi-
tate a few moments in the open air. ' How clear the
moon shines to-night!' He said these words, sighed,
and lay down. At six next morning he was found a
corpse. Many a tear, and many a heavy heart, and
many a grateful blessing followed him to the grave."

In Seathwaite churchyard, on a plain blue slab, is
the following inscription : —

" In memory of the Reverend Robert Walker, whu
died the 2.5th of June, 1802, in the 93rd year of \m
age, and 67th of his curacy at Seathwaite.

"Also, or' Anne his wife, who died the 28th of
January, in the 93rd year of her age."

Scanty as was his income, yet such was his frugality
and good management that he is said to have left be-
hind him at his decease not less than 2000^. in money,
and a large store of webs of woollen and linen clotli.

' "».«

ICllAl'. 1,

•istian Re-

illy-writteii
to be the
jraudson of
" Until the
)us to hor
verc uniiu-
cli a sboek,
His senses,
lie never
death; hi«
;at she bad
tears. He
though still
. He went
•e bis death.
caning upon
and modi-
>\v clear the
irds, sigbt'd,
was found a
heart, and
e grave."
(hie slab, i>

Valker, whu
year of hi:

the 28tb ol

his frugality
lave left he-
)/. in money.
linen clotli.

Skct. IV.]

GIBSON, THE WISE MAN.

woven from thread of the family's own spinning. His
eldest son, Zaccheus, was learning the trade of a
tanner, but by bis abilities and good conduct he bad
made himself friends, wbo procured bim a situation in
the Solio manufactory of Bolton and Watt, where he
succeeded to a sbare in one of the departments of that
magnificent establishment, and where in the year 180.5,
on paying a visit to my friend the present Mr. Watt, I
unexpectedly and with great pleasure found my early
schoolfellow, and colleague in the survey of Conisbcd
Priory, Zaccheus Walker, son of the former of that
^ame, as a functionary of the Sobo, whom I had not
keen since our co-operation in that survey.

Having performed tbe last melancholy obsequies at
the grave of my lamented master, and feeling no dis-
position for engaging in parties of pleasure, I rode over
to tbe residence of my old friend Gibson, the self-taught
matbematician and almanac-maker, wbo expressed
himself delighted to see me, and asked a thousand ques-
Jions about navigating ships in an icy sea, and doubted
ibot that, with my activity and tbe desire he had ob-
ierved in me for information, I had almost become a
iailor. I told him he was right; that I put a band to
everything where I could be of use; among others, that
by tbe kindness of my friend, I bad learned to take and
work an observation for the latitude by meridional and
ipso by double altitudes, but no one in the ship was ac-
quainted with any method for obtaining the longitude
wy observation. " But you ought," he said : " no young
man should stop short in any pursuit he undertakes till
he has conquered the whole ; for, without a profession,
as you are, you cannot tell to what c'od use knowledge
of any kind may be applied. Shut up in this retreat

" .Mil

1 ••♦

' I,

•U

GIIJSON, THE WISE MAN.

[CUAl'. I.

the extent of iny kiiowle(l}i,e is of a very limited jukI
uiiprodiu'tive kind, but it lias been of use to iny two
sons in London, one of whom stands high in the Bank
of England, and the other is manager of Calvert's (I
think he said) brewery ; it has also been sometimes of
use to my neighbours."

He then told me, that as I already knew the use of
logarithms, and of plane and spherical trigonometry, 1
had only to get Maskelyne's ' Nautical Almanac ' for the
year, and his 'Requisite Tables,' in which were all tiic
rules, and having obtained the height of the sun and
moon, and the angular distance between them at a given
hour, or the same data with regard to the moon and ;i
fixed star ; and by one of the rules in the ' llequisiti
Tai)les,' the longitude of the i)lace of observation is easily
found. I made a note at the time with a resoli to
Jindtlie luiu/ttude, on the first opportunity that ocv,....cil,

The mention of my being without a profession re-
called the many uneasy moments which that subjtcf
had frequently occasioned nie. I felt I was nn isolated
being in society, hanging loose upon it, and having do
position in it — what profession could I look up to with
any chance of success? The law? None but first-rati
talents could hope to succeed in that. Thysic ? Too
late to begin the study of it — and the market already
overstocked — railroads had notyet sup])lied an accession
of patients — and the only prospect was that of becoming'
a country apothecary. And the church ? Without
powerful friends little to be hoped for beyond a curacy,
which barely affords food and clothing ; besides, I never
could bring my mind to think myself suited for tin
church, and not having had the benefit of an university
education, it was by no means clear that a reverciui

4 I
mrij

pass!

Cold
Hie

[ClIAV. I.

Sect. IV.]

GIBSON, THE WISii MAN.

iiuitcd iiud
to my two
I the Bank
;^alvcrt's (I
(inetiines of

' the use of
)nometry, 1
iiac ' tor the
reve all tht'
he sun and
n at a given
moon ami ii
! ' llequisiti'
tion is easily
resoli /"

lat 0Cw....«-d.
rot'ession re-

that snhjfd
;s an isolated
tl having im
k up to with

but tirst-rate
hysic V Toil
irket already
1 an accession
; of beconiiii':
1 V Without
ond a curacy,

sides, I never
mited for tlu'

an university
Lt a revcreiul

father in God would he found liberal and charitable
enongh to admit nie into holy orders. I had under my
eye, in the town of Ulverstone, a decayed gentleman,
of the age of thirty or thereabonts, who had tried and
been rehised by two bisho])s, and was at last ordained
io a poor curacy in the North, by the apologist for the
Bible, Bishop Watson.

Despondency, however, had never made an impres-
sion on my mind ; I was in possession of habits of in-
dustry, had a great desire to learn, an ardent curiosity,
and some few talents to turn these to pra. tical utility.
My disposition also was inclined towards opUmism ; a
feeling that affords heartfelt consolation.

Another point touched upon by my friend, the /visa
man, was the success of his sons in London; ind this
revived the notion, that had often run in my thoughts,
of London being the great theatre for a young man to
play his part in ; and how earnestly I had wished to
meet with an opportunity of getting there, with a cer-
tainty of any kind of employment, that a young man
^f decent education and good character could accept :
|br without such certain employment, there could be but
One issue, and that — utter ruin ! The good old farmer
encouraged me to i)crsevere in my studies, and espe-
cially in mathematics, which were a sure foundation
for astronomy, and all the rest. I took leave, and
Ranked him for all his kindness.
a, I was not in much humour for study ; it was, however,
^ried by trimming up the little garden that, in early life,
Iiud afforded me so much happiness. Days and weeks
pdssed on and nothing turned up, except an offer from a
Colonel Dodgson, to superintend property he had in
tfllie West Lidies ; but I discovered it to be neither more

•i»

1. ■'^

■ '•Li

RESIDENCE -AT GllEENWlCll.

LCiiAi-. I.

nor less than to superintend the negroes. Of course I
declined it. At length, however, a prospect was held
out which, though not exactly what I could have wished,
yet, if offered to me, I determined to accept. It is
curious enough it came from the son of the w/,sy' man,
in the Bank of England, who wrote to his father
that Dr. James, who kept a large academy at Green-
wich, had applied to him to know if he could recom-
mend a north-country youth qualified to instriut
from fifteen to twenty of the upper hoys in mathe-
matics ; to have nothing to do with the rest of
the school, and to live in the house ; and Mr. Gihsuii,
junior, further added, " He will have to undergo an ex-
amination by Dr. Maskelyne, the Astronomer lloy;i]."
This rather staggered me, but old Gibson said he was
quite sure it would amount to nothing but what I coidd
very well answer. Optimism here came to my relief,
and I said to myself, this will lead to something better.
and, at all events, will take me into the atmosphere of
London. I therefore gave the old gentleman a pro-
visional consent : he was nmch pleased, said he would
write to his son in London, tell him all about me, and
hoped, that in ten days or a fortnight, he would be able
himself to bring the reply to Dragleybeck.

He did so, and also one from Dr. James, which wi>
so perfectly satisfactory, and so urgent for my speedy
appearance at Greenwich, that I lost no time in settini:
out by the coach — railways had not then entered into
the head of man — arrived in London — and called on
Mr. Gibson at the Bank. He took me down to Green-
wich, and there I M'as fixed, if all went right, for tlu
next three years. The family appeared to be pleasaiif;
consisted of the master, who was a clergyman, and liitl

liki

Oft
tie

stiu
advi
Atnl

[Cum: I.

Bkct. IV.]

KKSIUENCE AT GREENWICH.

1 ^

3f course I
ct was held
ave wished,
;cept. It is
ic 7rise man,

his father
ly at Greeii-
ould recoin-

to instnut

^s in luathe'-

the rest i)t

Mr. Gihsoii,

idergo ail ex-

amcr Royal."

said he ^vas
what I coidd
to my relief,
icthiiig bettor,
atmosphere cf
clem a 11 a pro-
said he would
about me, and
would be able
k.

lies, which wa>
for my speedy
time in settini:
n entered i"tu
-and called or
lown to Green-
t right, for tin
to be pleasant;
yman, and luv'

Occasional duty to perform in the city of London ; his
lady ; a son about my own age ; a)id three daughters,
all younger. About eighteen fine young men were
introduced as my pupils, three or four of whom were
in or destined for the navy, one a son of Lord Anson,
and another of Lord Leveson Gower ; which pleased
Uie, as old Gibson had hinted every species of know^-
ledge might be brought into play ; that which he had
recommended was on the eve of being so.

I had no examination to undergo by Dr. Maskelyne ;
and saw him but once, accidentally;, but, some years
after this, I became well acquainted with him at the
Royal Society.

1 need not dwell on the rules of the school, or the
system of education. Suffice it to say, I was very
aauch my own master ; that I was greatly pleased with
tiay pupils, and had no reason to think otherwise than
that they were pleased with me ; and I can safely say
that, in instructing them, I gained instruction myself;
and by having such youngsters under my tuition, I
gained another great advantage, which tended to ad-
vance my progress in life. The scholars had six weeks
holidays at Midsummer and at Chric<-nias; and few
of those in my class whose parents lived in London or
the neighbourhood that did not invite me to their
parents' houses ; and thus I made acquaintance not
only with them, but with their friends also ; so that
at the termination of my engagement, I had a large
acquaintance resident in London.

Among these I was pressed by several to give iii-
stniction to their children ; and, to such as were well
advanced in years and knowledge I had no objection.
Among others a lady pupil was recommended to me,

.i*

"..*■

' \'

KESIDENCE IN LONDON.

[ClIAP.

8bi

who was most desirous of going through Euclid, and of
having exphiined to her the utility to which a know-
ledge of it was applicable ; that is, the practical apjilj.
cation of the theorems or problems. This was Lady
Beaumont, the partner of Sir George Beaumont, most
agreeable persons, with whom I lived on terms of inti-
macy during their lives ; her ladyship induced a female
friend to go through the same process. In this way I
passed between two and three years in London, goiiiL-
down to Lancashire each year to visit my family.

On my last visit, before it was my destiny to kaw
England for a time, I found my parents happy ami
well, but my mother's eyesight, which had long bee:
failing', was now quite gone; the ])rinci})al uneasiii(,><
it occasioned her, was her inability to attend diviiit
service, the church being a mile from the cottage, iiiv
father and mother having for more than twenty ycjii;
never missed the two Sunday services; but my fatlur
read to her the morning lessons and the evening servio
regularly every Sunday. The loss of sight never iiitii'
fered with my mother's usual cheerfulness, and tii-
young ladies of Ulverstone were her constant ami
agreeable visiters.

One day, on my return to town, I was honoured witlis
visit from Sir George Staunton, a gentleman with wIkii:
I had not yet had the good fortune to meet, and uli
introduced himself by saying he was accpuiinted \\\it. ^jj
several of my friends, and mentioned Doctor (iillic

hers, who were accustomei

an
un
hk
av<

«f]
hot

tha

cou
real

assi

HCqi
and
for]
tive
vivn
thef
was
Sil
▼hcij

I
d«6
figiii
day
orsc
aatfa
wkic

some

not

meet at the VV^estmlnster Library. He said the olijvi hia

of his visit was to know if I liad leisure time, and u;; foj
willing to bestow a ])orlion of it to give instruction,! whetl
the mathenuitics, lo an only son, between the age ol'ti hetrlT

[Ciui'.l,

Euclid, and of
liich a know-
L-actical appli-
lis was Lady
auniont, most
terms of iuti-
uccd a fcmalt
In this way I
l(Ondon, goiiv:

family,
stiny to Icav.
ts liappy ami
ad long bcci;
pal iineasiiK><

attend divlin:
lie cottage, my
n twenty yciii«

but my i'atlKt
evening servict
dit never intci'
Iness, and tli-
• constant m>

lononred \vitlu,
man with whoi:

meet, and mIii
[KH|uainted uit:
)octor Gillies 1
; accustomed t

said the objvi
e time, and ^v;'
l; iiistructiou, i
;n the age ol'K

#CT. IV.J

UESIDENCE IN LONDON.

■ 1 '

aaid eleven years, who had been studying the classics
under a German gentleman, residing in the house ; that
his son was a lively, animated boy, with more than
average abilities, and great docility; "ard/' he added,
"from the character I have heard of you, I think you
both would be disposed to a mutual attachment." I
tibanked him for the obliging offer, and the friendly and
courteous manner in which it was introduced, and was
ready and most willing to afford to his son my best
assistance. " I suppose," he said, " you are practically
acquainted with astronomy, and know the constellations
and principal stars by name. I am a great advocate
for practical knowledge ! " I answered in the affirma-
tive ; and the constellations and astronomy brought
vividly to my mind, my old friend Mr. Gibson, and
the globe and the map of Town Bank school ; and I
'pis more than ever persuaded that all is for the best.
iSir George gave me his address in Bentinck Street,
lihere, by appointment, I was to call on the following day.

I found Mr. Staunton to be all that his father had
described, and far beyond what my imagination had
figured him to be ; and I may here say that, from that
d«y to this, in which I am writing, whether together
separated by many thousand miles, we never ceased,
as far as practicable, to exchange our mutual sentiments,

^ch seldom, if ever, failed to be in accordance ; and
regard to the late Sir George Staunton, I should
e most ungrateful person in the world, if I did
nci every where, and on every occasion, avow that to
bitti, and through him, I am indebted for all the good
fcBPtune that has attended me through life, and that,
wbiether present or absent, he ever had my interest at
hetrt, as I shall have occasion to show.

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[Chap. H,

SlacT.

CHAPTER II.

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S EMBASSY TO THE
EMPEROR OF CHINA.

Section I.

Preparation and Dejmrture.

tunit
I thi
with

A CO

Ueve

so litl
or .iIj
be br(
exhila
Sir G

Sir George Staunton said to me one day, " You havt e:|c]ai]
no doubt heard rumours about an embassy to China >^^
I have just come from Lord Macartney, ,vho is nomi. «
nated Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentian J-^ ^
to the Emperor of China, and I have consented t
accompany him, in the capacity of Secretary of Em
hassy and Minister Plenipotentiary ; and my su:
George is to be of the party, which, I am not witlim:
hope, will include you also ; and, under that idea, 1
have particularly requested his Lordship to place yoi:
name on the list of his suite, which he is to give i
to-morrow. Knowing, as I have reason to do, li:

Lordship's desire to have about him such persons i;
are likely to be useful, in preference to others, I liai
been able to make a strong im])ression in your favoii:
as, I told him, you had already made in mine ; li
he complains of the East India Company being stiiii'
as to the number and emoluments of his suite. I litij
we shall succeed : for it is very nuich mv wish, as m
as that of my son, that you should be one of the j)ar
about to proceed to a country so little known, and
a city so rarely visited, as Pekin; and, if I mista':
not, you would be glad of so favourable an oppo:

It.

[CllAI'.II.

T. I.]

EMBASSY TO ChlNA.

rO THE

lity, which is not likely soon, if ever, to recur."
Jt; thanked Sir George most corc'ially, overpowered
Hfith joy at so unexpected a prosp oct of visiting such
jl, country and such a capital. I ^ould scarcely be-
}^\e that any such good fortune could happen to one
i| little known to the world ; but I never desponded
Qt abandoned hope — and now that my name was to
bf brought forward, under such auspices, I became so
exhilarated and so overwhelmed with delight, that on
=:;>:Mf George's departure I burst out into the following
"Youhav. e|clamation —

sy to China

,vho is noiiii'

enipotentiav;

consented t

etary of Kir.

and my sti;

n not witlidii'
that idoii/i

to place yoi;:
is to giver

)u to do, li:

lU'h persons;;

others, I lia\

n your favoii;
in mine; k

y being stiiii"

suite. 1 lu'l'

V wish, as ui

le of the par

<nown, and ■

, if I mistal.

ible an oppo

r " Non cuivis liomini contingit adire Pekinuni."

■A week or two passed over, in the greatest suspense

p. anxiety on my part ; when at length Sir George
l|Buutou announced to me the joyful tidings, that my
nitne was enrolled on the effective list of the Ambassa-
dll^'s suite, as " Comptroller of the Household ;" and

|t Lord Macartney desired to see me. His Lordship
e to me a list of the number and names of the
seferal mathematical, philosophical, and scientific in-
sfcfflnients and works of art, to be taken as presents to
tbl Emperor of China, stating where they were pre-
paiing, and desired I would look after them and hasten
tluir completion. I now felt myself to be in harness,
ana once more joyfully repeated to myselfj N^o)i cuici,'^
homiiii, &c. ; a line that, many years afterwards, I took
ociiision to place as a motto to the publication of
*Tra\i'ls in China.'

Previous to this unexpected good fortune, T had
partly consented to accompany a gentleman, with his
two daughters and a governess, to Italy ; but he readily
released me from any promise made or implied, to

' '■ »;'

I. 'l '
t
• 1 •

I. ..

' r

46 EARL OF MACARTNEYS [Chai.I!

enable me to pursue an expedition at least more agret
able, if not likely, as he said, to be attended with iiior:
advantage. Pleasant as a visit to Naples might hav
been, much more so certainly was the prospect of m,
tering the immense empire of China and its populoii
capital. Hardly, however, could I yet persuade myse!
of the reality of my extraordinary good fortune.

I lost no time, it will readily be believed, in urgin.
on the various articles in preparation ; and in makin,
also the acquaintance of the Ambassador's suite, wli
were to be my colleagues and fellow-voyagers. Tin-
were as follows : —

Sir George Staunton,! Secretary of Embassy and Plciii-

Bart 1 potentiary.

Colonel Benson .... Commander of the Body CUianl.
Lieutenant PAHisn . . . Commander of the Artillery.
Doctor Gii-LAN .... A Scotch Physician.

Doctor Scott A Kaval Surgeon.

AcHESON Maxwell, Esq. Private Secretary.

John Baruow, Esq. . . Comptroller of the Household.

^ ,^ I A Scotch Philosopiier and Expe-

Doctor DiNWIDDIE . . .1 • . T X

( nmentalist.

Mr. IIicKEY A Portrait Painter.

Mr. Alexander .... A Drauj^htsman.

^ ^ , ^^ (Two Missionaries brouj^ht from

Domini Lee and Ivo . .•( .i i> i t^- i ^ tvt i

I the Propaganda Fide at Naiilev

Mr. George Staunton j

Mr. Crewe [ a *♦ i ' * *i i? i

,, TT T) > Attaches to the iMnbassy.

Mr. Henry Baring . . •'

Mr. AViuDEB )

-- .... (A German Gentleman, Tutor lu

Mr. IluTTNER 1 Tvr t;. *

( Mr. Staunton.

Two Meciianics.

Guards and Servants.

The character and talents of Sir George Staiint
are too well established to require being dwelt up

froin

wWcli
tivit}'
At ni
sion

■■.. M

[Chai'. 1!

fcx. I.

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

t more agree
led with iiioi;
3 might liav;
'ospect of en
i its populoit
Tsuade mysd
jrtune.
'ed, in urjiiii.
md in makiii,
jr's suite, wli
^'agers. Tin.-

issy and Plciil-

Body Guard.
Artillery.

1 Household,
iher and Expe-

brought ficiiii
Fide at Naples.

nibassy.
lemaii, Tutor

eorge Stauut'
iing dwelt iifi

l^re. As Secretary of Embassy and Plenipoten-
^ry, he carried out, moreover, a commission to
sicceed as ambassador in the event of anything
l»ppening to Lord Macartney, or of his early return
l^me. Sir George had been of infinite service to his
llprdship, when Governor of Madras ; and such was
tl^ value he set on his abilities, that on the present
cS^asion he made it a sine qua non of having Sir George
Siaunton to accompany him in the above capacities,
nld on the specified contingent condition.
m3 Colonel Benson was a smart, correct, and active
olBccr, v/ell known to Lord Macartney, and selected
by him. Lieut. Parish, of the artillery, was a good
officer and an excellent draughtsman in the engineer
dipartinent, as his drawings of a section and view of
tlie (jlreat Wall of China and other subjects will testify,
tbough generally they were taken by stealth. On his
return to England, he Mas appointed aide-de-camp to
the INLiicpiis Cornwallis, as Governor-General of India,
fell overboard on the passage out, and was drowned.

sPoctor Gillan was a good scholar, a physician, and,
ni|ri.'Over, a Scotch metaphysician ; he was selected as
a fit })crson to be attached to an embassy like the pre-
seat, and as a gentleman well calculated to bring home
viUuable information on all subjects of science and phy-
sios connected with China. But, in point of fact, his
acquirements were rendered nearly unavailing, partly
from indolence of habit occasioned l)y indifferent health,
which rendered him incapable of nmch energy or ac-
tivity : a single instance may serve to exemplify this.
At my request Lord Macartney had obtained permis-
sion from our attendant Mandarins, that I should be
allowed to land, whenever I thought proper, from the

I'tt

I . i

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[CllAl.,1,

SXOT. I.

barge which conveyed Dr. Gillaii and myself, to enalil
me to walk to a reasonable distance along the baiil
of the Grand Canal, a permission subsequently ej
tended generally. One beautiful morning, in traversin,
through an interesting part of the country, I endiii
voured to prevail on my fellow-traveller to step d
shore for once, and walk down to the next station. II
had a book in his hand — Virgil. " My dear Barrow,
said I le Doctor, " I have just got to that intcrcj
ing passage where ^neas and Dido take refuge in ti
cave from a violent storm ; how can I break off at m
a stirring part ol' the story, and leave the Tyii
comrades and Trojan youth seeking for cover from tl
pelting storm, just tit the moment when ' .yieUimi
Dido dux et Trojanus candaiii deveniunt ? ' " Tl
Doctor, I believe, intended to be a little waggish. li
supplied a few remarks, however, on the chemistry a:
medicine of the Chinese, and some other desultu:
subjects, for Sir George Staunton's volume.

Doctor Scott had been a surgeon in the Navy, k
read a great deal and talked much more. He had tl
tilled himself for the present occasion, by studying tl
false light, Isaac Vosshis, and by getting almost
heart the production of jNIr. Pauw, a philosopher
Berlin, who compiled a work of considerable abilir
but in many respects not of nmch authority. lie u
one of those writers, who derive pleasure in swi
ming against the stream. Dr. Scott contributed i
thing, that I am aware of, towards elucidating t;
manners, customs, character, or general knowledge
the Chinese.

Achcson Maxwell, Esq., had been private set;
tary to Lord Macartney in India, and being now

tKe s{i

difpoi

regar(

ii^lli

aj^oii

Audit

iMr

fiye 01

takcc.

in ore

to the

Lord

sionall

a^r 1

house

o^iinl

wikcd

C(Amtri

ii«Cl

retin-

ir.

conn I

pBlntc'(

itiras

eilcuf
in ton

• %,

from
plaht,
before
grou})
sons (I

[CiiAi..i:

iAi\ to enali

ig the baiil

equently t\

, in traversiii,

try, I enciea

r to step (;

, station. II

ear Barrow,

that intorc;

refuge in tl

iok off at siK

e the Tyi'it

jover froii! tl

:11 ' ,^j/t'lunoi

\unt?'" Tl

waggish, li

chemistry a;

ther desultui

lie.

the Navv, k
. He had H
y studying tl
ing ahnost
philosopher
ierable abilir
ority. lie v
asure in s^vi:
contributed r
elucidating t:
1 knowledgo

private set;
I being now

EMUASSY TO CIIIXA.

i|| same situation, had no opportunity, had he been so
dijfposed, of gaining information to any great extent
rigarding the Chinese. Being a steady, sedulous, and
Hilelligcnt gentleman, he received on our return an
aipointment as Inspector of Public Accounts in the
illldit-office.

|]yir. Barrow, as comptroller of the hous(;hold, r/^-'-'-jd
fijj^ or six weeks at the pnlacc of Yuen-min-Yuen, to
t||^e charge of the valuable presents, and to see them put
ili| order by the two mechanics, to be presented there
|the Em])eror, on his return from Tartary, where
Ird ^lacartney had his audience. Mr. Barrow occa-
siibally rode from Yuen-min-Yueu to Pekin, to look
r the pro])erty of the embassy, left in the large
s(? ap})ropriated to the vVmbassador and suite in the
ital ; and on the homeward journey to Canton he
ked several hundred miles through the heart of the
imntry, and publisbed a large quarto volume regard-
China, of more than GOO pager., ten years after his
UMi to England.

)Ay. Ilickey, an indifferent portrait-painter, was a
btryniaii of Lord Macartney, whose })ortrait he had
ited ; and being now out of employ, his Lordship,
ras said, took him out of compassion ; I believe he
kuted nothing whatever while on the embassy, but
in%onversation be was a shrewd, clever man.

%/\\'. Alexander drew beautifidly and faithfully in
wirtf r-i ulours, and omitted nothing that was Chinese,
frotti the human face and figure, down to the humblest
plant, and so true were his delineations, that nothing
before or since could be compared with them. The
groups of boats and vessels, with the multitude of per-
son of both sexes, that were introduced into the j)ano-

^'.>1

EARL OF MACARTNEYS

[ClIAIV

raina of IIoii^-Kong, were taken from drawings of ^I
Alexander, whieh my son lent to Mr. Barker for tli
])nrpose. On liis return to England, the trusteos •
the British Museum appointed Mr. Alexander to f!;
superintendence of the department of prints and (irii-
ings, in which unfortunately he did not long surviv
His loss was severely felt and lamented.

Doctor Dinwiddle was a Scotch philosopher, huti
what school I know not; he was also called an exjia
mentalist, and expected to instruct the Chinese in di
tricity and in flying balloons, but it all ended in sniol;
On our return, he requested to be discharged and se
to Calcutta, where he meant to deliver lectures, a:
Lord Macartney very kindly made him a present oft
the mathematical and philosophical instruments tli
were not left in China. The novelty took, in Calcut;
and Dinwiddie is said to have made a little fbrtune.

The two Chinese interpreters had been sought i
and brought from the College JJe Propaganda Fid'
Naples by Sir George Staunton, and one of them, L
proved an useful and intelligent man. The other, K
was a blunt, dull, and dogged person, of little use
the embassy, and likely to be of still less in his m\m
Happening one day to have in my hand a Latin cu;
of the 'Common Book of Prayer,' I gave it open
Ko, who, after looking at it a minute or two, threw
down with violence on the floor, exclaiming " Ei<f U-
diahoUcus." They were both left in China.

Mr. Staunton, though very young, made great ]ir
gress in the Chinese language, in which he had aftt
wards an opportunity of perfecting himself, by an i
pointmcnt in the Company's factory of Canton,
which he became the chief; and he has public

[Cii.vr

•awings of )1
!iarker for tli
;he trustees
Qxander to tl
ints and dra
t long surviv

iOsopher, but
tiled an oxpa
Jliinesc in il
ndcd in smot
larged and sc
lY lectures, a;
a present of j
istrunients tli
ok, in Cak'ut;
ittle fortune,
jeen sought t
Kujanda Fid
\c of tbeni, L
The other, K
, of little use
;s in his niissii
nd a Latin en:
gave it open
or two, threw

•ect. I.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

r,i

I'. '

iniing

hina.

nade great pr
h he had atV
niself, by an ir
' of Canton,
,e has ])ul)lis!'

leveral volumes and tracts, chiefly on the language of
(Phina, besides a curious and valuable treatise on the
kiws of China, the whole of which he translated into
Bnglish.

Mv. Iliittner, his tutor, was a good classical scholar,
And soon after the return of the embassy was appointed
interpreter to the Foreign Office, a situation which he
Mill retains.

]\[r. Baring also received an appointment to the fac-
tory of Canton, came home, after a time married, and

jsides with his family at Cromer Hall, in a very in-

ifferent state of health.
Mr. Winder, a young man who had been educated at

Prinity College, Dublin, a distant connexion of Lord

[acartnev, and was entered on the list as assistant
wcretary, but without anything to do and with very
Ifttle to occupy his attention. He obtained, on his
return home, some civil situation in Ireland, and died
shortly afterwards.

Mr. Crewe (I believe, a subaltern in the army), a
ybung gentleman hanging loose on society and a fre-
<|iienter of the gaming-table, was the son of the cele-
hfated wit and beauty of her day — so beautiful, indeed,
tkat Matlame d'Arblay says "she 'Uijlijies everything
near her." Admired by George Prince of Wales, and
adored by Charles Fox, she became the standing toast
of the Whigs, was consecrated as their patroness by the
Prince of Wales, who, on some great occasion, gave as
alfoast —

4 " Buff and Blue,

I And Mrs. Crewe."

Mrs. Crewe was also a great favourite of Lord IMacart-
ney ; and she being most desirous of removing her

'■■in

■'..».'

KAKI. OK MACAKTNKYS

Lt-'llAl'. II,

son out of the temptations of London, earnestly on.
treated Ids lordship to take him to China. "The oiilv
eondition," said his lordship, " on which I can possililv
allow Inm to go is a most solemn pledge, on his honour,
that he will not touch either cards or dice or other in-
struments of gandding, either on hoard shij) or at ;niv
place where we may stop." He gave the ])ledg(' ami
hroke it — lost to one of the lieutenants of the ' Lion,' r
was said, some thousand ])()un(ls, not Jiny part of wliid
could he pay; and it was also said he had compomiddi
the debt for an annuity of as many handred ])oun(ls,i.
he had lost thousands. I\Iy cahin on the passage hoiii
was on the lower deck, and scarcely a night passed i
which I was not disturbed hy the rattling of dice, c
hy Mr. Crewe's scra])ing on the hass-viol. lie was
most gentlemanly, good-natured young man, and w;:
urged on hy an old Scotch lieutenant, who ought i
have known better. Mr. Crewe succeeded his fatln:
who had been created a baron in 1812, and died i
1835.

Before the end)assy left iMigland, it was generali
understood that great })a ins had been taken in tlics
lection of the gentlemen who had the good fortniii'
be included in the suite of the and/assador. The hri
description I ha' here given of them does not exacti
c()rres})()nd with such a notion ; but I believe hur
Macartney had, in soiue respects, to listen to the goiitr
of Leadenhall Street. If I except the able and iiit
resting account of the proceedings and result of tl
British end)assy to the court of the Emperor of Cliii;
by the late Sir George Staunton, (the vigour of wIk
intellect was not more remarkable than the liberality
his sentiments,) nothing of a scientific, jdiysical, etliie.

eiia
ton
of
ha I

fro I

mil
to

Oli

the

an I

eanu'stly cii-
"The only

call jM)ssilily
I) his lumour,
c or otlitr ill-
lij) or at any
ic pledge ami
tlio ' Lioii,'r

part of Nvliid
I ('()iuj)ouii(l(i:
red jKMindsa.

|);issage lioiii'

i|ji;lit passed i

ig- of dicj', (■

(d. He was

man, and ua

>vlio ouj;lit t
dod his fatlu:
2, and died i

: was gcncnili
aken in the >
«:;ood fortuiU' '
dor. The liiT
loos not exact,
I helieve Lw
ten to the lieiit:
! ahle and iiit
id result of tl
iiperor of Cliii
vigour of will'
I the liberality
physical, etlm

IkcT.I.l

liMHASSY TO CHINA.

,7.1

or etlniic.-d character appeared I'roni any of them.
When, incU'cd, it was understood that Sir (ieor^i;
Btiumton liad undertaken it, any other work would
llave heen a suju'rerogation. In fact, he alone, who
lad cognizance of all that was or was intended to he
transacted, and the rea.sons thereof) could liave done
justice; to the suhject.

- 1 thought so then and thiidv so still, yet ten years after
ihe return of the emhassy to J^iUghmd 1 was induced to
writ(! and to ])ul)lish a volume, to show the view which
I had taken of the great empire of China and its very
extraordinary overtlood of po])ulation, hy drawing such a
iketch of the manners, the state of society, the language,
literature, and tine arts, the sciences and civil institu-
tions, the religious worship and opinions, the ]){)pulation,
tnd the j)r()gress in agriculture, the civil and moral
character of the ])eo])le, as my own observations
enabled me to do ; and the ])resent Sir Cieorge Staun-
ton had the kindness to allow me to look over the mass
of notes and observations, which J had put into the
llH^nds of his father when emjdoyed on his 'Narrative.'
1|ii^ith these and my recollections on the passage home
ftoni the Cape, I endeavoured to settle, in my own
mind, the point of rank which China nuiy he considered
^ have attained in the scale of civilised nations.

i Three years afler the publication of this work, and
irteen after the return of the end)assy, I had permis-
|bn to publish the manuscript journal of the Earl of
iacartncy, entitled ' A Journey of an Embassy from
|e King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China in
tile Years 1792, 1793, and 1794.' It was annexed as
ayQ appendix to my account of 'The Public Life ' of the

,. I

"'i

EAUL OF MACARTNEY'S

[ClIAl-. II,

]^]arl of Macartney. The journal is exceedingly inte-
resting, and details circmnstantially all that occurred on
his introduction to the emperor at his palace ofGeliol,
in Tartary, with his observations and reflections on tlie
country and people, and on the events that took place
on that occasion.

That which I am now about to relate is chiefly Mlijit
happened i;o uie individually, or in which I was per-
sonaMy concerned, taken either from loose notes writkii
fifty years ago, or from a recollection of particul;ir
occurrences chiefly in Pekin, at the palace of Yuoii-
niin-Yuen, and on (mr journey by the Grand Canal
through the heart of the empire ; the whole affording to
myself the most interesting episode in the history of a
prolonged life.

Section II.

The Emha.'^fti/ proceeds in II.M.S. 'Lion' and the E.lJ
Shij) ' Ilindostan,'' and jM.mmj throu(]h the Yellov
Sea, disembarks on the Continent of China, at tk
Mouth of the River Pei-ho.

The ships appointed to carry out the ambassador ami
suite were the ' Lion,' of 64 guns, under the command
of Captain Sir Erasmus Gower, and the 'Ilindostaii
Indiaman of 1300 or 1400 tons, commanded by Cap-
tain Mackintosh, an old and highly respected officer
of the East India Company. Two more suitable ami
efficient commanders could not have been selected

LCiiAf. II,

cdinsly into-
t occurrodoii
ace of Gcliol,
actions on tlie
at took place

s chiefly ^\llat
h I was })C'r-
! notes written
of particular
ace of Yuen-
Grand Canal
le affording? to
le history of a

|tCT. ll.J

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

inil the E.IX.

(]h the Yello"

China, at tk

inbassador and
the comnKinil
i • Iliiidostan
inded by Cap-
specteil officer
e suitable and
been selected

ard each of them was personally known to the Am-
bassador.

The ' Lion,' with her officers, stores, presents, and
large quantities of baggage, was so completely filled,
that part of the suite were obliged, and I may say
Relighted, to go in the roomy 'Iliiidostan;' they con-
listed of Colonel Benson, Dr. Scott, Dr. Dimviddie,
lind myself; and most comfortable we were, being infi-
l|itely better accommodated than were any of our col-
kagucs in the 'Lion.' We left Portsmouth on the
26th of September, 1792; had a quick and pleasant
passage to Madeira, where the ' Lion ' anchored in the
Bay of Funchal, an open and dangerous roadstead — as
Mackintosh, on a former occasion, had been taught bv
fetal experience, his ship having been wrecked, and
every soul having perished, himself and cook only
exce})tcd, who being on shore escaped the melancholy
fete of their companions.

Pass we on to the island of Teneriffe, a ])leasant sail
of four days from Madeira. The town of Santa Cruz,
on the eastern side, aftbrds but little that is inviting.
The town of Oratava, on the opposite side, is much the
tame ; but the Peak is a majestic object, up which we
' ri|craiiibled as far as to the base of tlie cone, when a. vio-
lent storm of thunder and lightning, with torrents of
l^in, drove us down again. Our next halting-place
|ras the miserable Porta Praya, in the island of St.
[ago; and, passing thence to the Brazil coast, we

)encd out and entered the magniticent bay or inlet of
lio de Janeiro, unequalled, I believe, for its splendid
#id variegated scenery, by any other of a similar kind
in any part of the world.

•I*

■'.>.'

' \'

5(5

EAUL OF MACAKTNEY'S

[CUAP. U,

We passed the curious island of Tristan da Cuiiha,
M'itliout landing, and gave a good berth to the Cape of
Good Hope, making the best of our way to the curious
volcan.ic island of Amsterdam, whose large crater unites
with the sea by a passage over a pebbly beach.

From hence we reached and passed through tli(
Strait of Sunda, and, by the Thousand Islands, came tn
Batavia, and here enjoyed the gaieties and the luxurious
living of the Dutch. But, that which was of more im-
portance to us was, that while here the And^assaddr
received a dispatch from Canton, announcing tli
agreeable intelligence that his Imperial INIajesty oi
China had issued a public edict, declaring his satisfactitii!
at the approaching embassy, and directing that pilots
should be stationed at every port on the coast of tin
Yellow Sea to convey his Excellency and suite to Tiii:-
sing, the nearest port to the capital, or to any otlur
that should be found most convenient lor the Briti>!;
ships. By this intelligence the embassy was relievii
from the necessity of calling at Canton, which was nm:
desirable on many accounts — among others, that of oli-
viating a delay of eight or ten days. A dis})atch \

Sao
COB

Sei
(
th^
riei
thu
Ian(
hou
islel
aroi
Mir

we J

learr

from

but

conj(

addi

eveni

therefore sent to Canton to announce his Lordslii]i< j-jj^y

ntention
mosi

of proceeding direct through the Strait
to Chusan.

sive

e ii:

tion

It was deemed expedient, however, as it was littl

nothing out of our way, to look into Turon Bay,

Cochin-China, that being, as it were, a j)art ot| or in cIom Lord]

connexion with, the Chinese empire, and the inhabitant- shawl

being in all respects, exce])t less civilised, similar to tli f""*r

Chinese. They, however, received us well, and wii! ea«teij

great courtesy ; and here, having refreshed our sliii- upon

direcll

LCiiAi'. 11,

an da Cunlia,
the Cape of
to the curious
i crater uiiitc<
each.

through til-

auds, came td

the hixuvidib

IS of more im-

Auibassadur
uouucing till
Majesty i;
his satistactidii
iiig that pilots
e coast of tlu
suite to Tiei-
[• to any otlui
ibr the lh-iti>!;
y was rehevi ,
vhich was i\m
2YS, that of oil-
\. dispatch w;'-
his Lordship-
the Strait <:

it was little o
Turon Bay, i
i-t oi', or ill cloN

the inhabitant-
,, similar to tli
well, and mIi!
lied our sliii-

II.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

companies, we proceeded to the entrance of the Yellow
Sea.*

Of the frequent storms an*! dangerous navigation of
th6 Strait of Formosa we had an early proof; by expe-
riencing a tremendous storm, accompanied by loud
thunder and fierce lightning, in a pitch-dark night, no
land on either side being visible for ten or twelve
hours, and the brig, the ' Clarence,' in the midst of
islets, rocks, and shoals, the sea high, and breaking all
around ; so that we might almost have exclaimed with
Miranda in the 'Tensest,' —

" The sky, it secm'd, woviltl pour down stinking pitch,

'^S ■^^"'^ '^'"^'' ^''^ ■'^*^"' "'"""'"'o ^^ ••''•^ welkin's ciieek,
'^Hf Dasiied the fire out."

The storm was, as the Chinese pilots told us, what
we Europeans call a f>//>hoon, and which some of our
learned antiquarians have fancied the Chinese derived
from the Egyptian Typhoii, the genius of all evil ;
but where or how they came by it, we are left to
conjecture. The Chinese are the least, of all people,
addicted to the borrowing of names, and too proud
even to adopt a foreign word. In the present instance
they are content with their own simple name, expres-
sive of the fact — ta-fun<), a "great wind."

• So mucli has been written concerning the most extensive and
populous empire of Ciiina, and so much real and valuable informa-
tion gained by the two British embassies of Lord IMaeartney and
Lord Amiierst, to wliicli I Iiave already contributed my hiunljle
shaif ; and so mucii new matter is constantly pouring in upon us
sinot) the footing wo Iiave obtained, by conquest and negotiation,
in ot among the nm.-t frequented conunercial stations along the
eastern coast of the Yellow Sea, that little is left for me to dwell
upon, but to confine my remarks chielly to mutters in which 1 was
directly or indirectly personally concerned.

• f

■'■A.' .•

EAKL OF MACAUT.NEY'S

[ClIAI'. 1

Being on the poop of the ' Ilindostan ' with Capta;
Mackintosh, I asked him if. in his several voyages t
China, he had ever been in such a hurricane as w?
then raging ? His reply was, " Yes, and ten tiiiii
more severe. AVere it possible," he said, " to blow tt
thousand trumpets and beat as many drums on t!
forecastle of a ship like this in the heiglit of a ta-fu.u
no sound would be heard of either by a j)erson on ti
quarter-deck or on the poop of that ship." AVli
any story of a marvellous kind was told, Mackiiitc:
was wont to say, " Show me the book :" I asked lii
jestingly, " Captain, would you put into a book \v!i
you have just told me ? " Ilis answer was, " reiiia:
not exactly in the same words." " No," said I, " I ;:
sure you would make a great reduction in the muul-
of youi" drums and trumpets."

Having passed this strait, it was decided to dchv
the brig ' Clarence '* for the port of Chusan ; and >
George Staunton, Mr. Staunton, and myselfj with oin
the Chinese interpreters embarked in her : the ' Lid:
and 'Hiudostan' to M'ait outside of the archipelaiio
islands, which are re})resented to consist of not K\v
than three hundred, mostly small, aiiel many lit;

better than naked rocks. Four passages lead into t!

Skct. :

as we

nent

point

of be

proac

ship'^

eddy

times

taken

was 1

woulc

The]

120 f

gandc

usual)

on th(

overb

verin

racuh

harbo

ofthd

them

Ilk 11 n

main harbour in the largest isLuid, of which we t'
e westernmost, one shore being part of the cni,
nent. We found the current to run with such wliirli:
rapidity, so irregular, and the water so deep, tluit
anchor would have been difficult, dangerous, and \(
haps in a cahn impracticable. In fact, when aboiiM
middle of the passage the wind did fail us, and ji:

* Tliero liiui l)e('ii prepared two Ijrigs, the ' Claroiico ' iim'
' Jackal,' to atfeinl tlie ships throii^^h ihe Yellow Sea.

■•■ <

[CiiAi'. i;

' with Capta;
3ral voyages t
irricane as m;

and ten tinn
1, " to blow t(

drums on tl
lit of a ta-fiu,
a person on tl

ship." AVli
)ld, Mackiiiti'

:" I asked lii;
to a book w!;
rorha:

Shov. n.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

!■ 1 •

was,
' said I, "lii
in the nuiul-

cided to dtia
■husan ; all(l^
,'self', with OIK
jer : the ' Liii
e archipelagn
>ist of not t'o«
md nianv lit;
;es lead into i
' which we t^
rt of the coi,
ith such will I'll
so deep, that
igerous, and ]i
, when about t
fail us, and j

' Clarence ' ami'
iw Sea.

as we were close to a rocky promontory of the conti-
nent called Kee-to Point.

Here the current swept the ' Clarence ' towards the
point with such rapidity, that we expected nothing short
of being momentarily dashed to pieces ; but, on ap-
proaching this perpendicular precipice within twice the
ship's length, to our surprise and not less alarm, the
eddy swept her round with great velocity three several
times. An old Chinese fi?hernian, whom we had
taken as pilot, gave us the consolation, that there
was no danger, and that her distance from the rock
would be increased after every whirl ; and so it was.
The lead was thrown, but no bottom at the depth of
120 fathoms. The Chinese missionary of the Propa-
ganda, whom we had taken to interpret, and who was
usually less composed than his countryman, had indeed
on lihe present occasion an escape from being thrown
overboard by the boom of the mainsail, and in reco-
vering himself exclaimed, " Sanctisshna Maria, eM mi-
raculum ! "

IThis is the only passage, on the south side, into the
harbour of Chusan. On entering we were met by one
of the large Chinese junks — as we are pleased to call
them (from their proper name tchuau). An officer
came on board to annoiuice that his vessel would pre-
cede us, and point out the proper anchorage. He and
two or three other officers were extremely civil, and
preientcd us with a basket of fruit. The tchuaii led
the way; and, clumsy as she appeared, with her stiif
unbending bamboo sails, to the surprise of our seamen,
they observed her sail quite as well as the smart-looking
'Clarence.' We anchored about the centre of a very
spacious harbour, surrounded by the coast of the main

It*

EARL OF MACAKTNEY'S

[CiiAr.:

island and others contiguous to it, so as to give to it
circular shape, and the semblance of being conipkt.
land-locked — as it aj)})cars from a sketch I took of
from our centra] anchorage.

Mandarins forthwith visited us ; and it was arraiii:
that we should M'ait on the tsung-ping, or militavvi.
vernor of Ting-hai, the chief city of Chusan, early ik
morning. He was abundantly civil, received us in:
hall of audience, and promised to have pilots ready;
us ; presented us with tea, fruit, and cakes, and tall
of plays, feasts, and entertainments ; and was rat!
surprised at the haste we nuuiifested.

The multitude of ships, several hundreds of diff ri
kinds, that were lying at anchor before the scaji
town, gave evidence of an extensive commercial inr
course with Chusan; and yet, to our astonishment,:
governor told us that the pilots for our ships could (c
take us to the ports along the coast, as far as tbe i,
province. This we said would not answer our })uij)i'
and, moreover, that the Kmperor, in his public iiotih
tion, had ordered pilots to be in readiness at Cluisah
conduct the shij)s of the Ambassador to Tieiivi
This produced a general nuister, from which was tn
singled out every man who had ever been at Tieii->;
Two only Avere found to answer the description,
they had lefl the sea for many years, were comforta
settled in trade, and begged on their knees they iiiL
be excused. In vain, however, they pleaded the r;
of their families, the Emperor's orders must be oIkv.
the governor was inexorable, and they were orderoi
embark in the course of an hour. Such an act ot'^
lence and injustice, ))alnful as it was to witness, cu
hardly be re])roved, with consistency, by some of-

Sect.

nav£
take
T
the <
by a
lead]
men
the
was
facto
static
the(
Tl
desii
to o
poris
islan<
will
have
the
of tei
weall
the
their
dispc
takif]
child
if th
for
throi
and
tent
had

tp [fit,

^fi

[Chak;

LS to give to it
)eiiig complete
;ch I took of

it was arraiii;
, or military s:
lusan, early ik
eceivecl us in ■
! pilots ready ;
akes, and tall

and was rat!

drcds of ditf'.'ii
I tore the seaji
•omniercial m
istonishmeiit, :
■ ships could
as far as the i,
5wer our ))urpi"
is public notit'
ness at Chusaii
lor to Tieuvi
1 which was tn
jeen at Tiell-^;
; description,
were comforta
knees they im.
pleaded the i
s must be obey
y were ordorci.
ich an act ot'^
s to witness, n
^, by some of '

Sect, n.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

'• I !

nafal officers, who might in the course of service have
taken part in similar scenes at home.

The city of Ting-hai is from one to two miles from
the coast before which the shipping lie. It is enclosed
by a lofty wall of masonry, in which are several gates
leading into streets of tolerable width ; the rest are
mere alleys. About the year 1700 we had a factory in
the suburb, close to the shore of the harbour, which
was walled round, and from which the wives of the
factors were excluded. We also obtained a commercial
station at Ning-po ; but, at the end of some fifty years,
the Chinese got rid of us from both.

There is just now, however, in England, a craving
desire to exchange Ilong Kong for Chusan — not merely
to occupy Ting-hai or the suburb, or both, as em-
poria for conunercial concerns, but to possess the whole
island. It is to be hoped, however, that the Chinese
wiU resolutely resist any such demand : indeed, they
have done so, and succeeded. To a less jealous people,
the possession of a spacious harbour and a large extent
of territory, which from its position would overawe the
wealthiest and most flourishing commercial cities in
the empire — Ning-po, Ilang-clioo, and Foo-choo, with
their numerous ports and suburbs — to say nothing of
dirtiossessing or corrupting some 120,000 families, by
taiing their lands, or converting themselves or their
children into what they deem us — barbarians: and,
if ttiese objections were overcome, we should create
for yourselves an interminable hatred and jealousy
thl^ghout the whole of this great empire. If wisdom
and prudence govern our councils, we shall remain con-
tend' with what conquest has given us. If, indeed, Ave

had asked for Lan-tao or Liu-ting, instead of Ilong-

•1,M
U. '

■'..*.'

EARL OF MACAUTNEY'S

[<'iiAp. Sbct.

Kong, as being larger, more calculated for a thrivi
population, and half the distance from Canton, t
should have acted more wisely.

I have some reason to remember Chusan, thou.
five-and-fifty years have elapsed since I was there ; ;
for anything remarkable, except that I had my piL
felt by a Chinese physician, and never since by ,1
medical nuin in China or elsewhere. Out of curi(i>
I had partaken of a dish prepared by one of the Chin
pilots from a mollusca {iiwdum porpita)^ whose tra:
parent colourless jelly had rather an inviting appu
ance. I had also eaten of some acid fruit jr.esoii;
to us ; in consequence of the one or both, I was sii;
with a most violent and excruciating pain in the ?
mach, so bad that Sir George Staunton ordered •
lieutenant, who commanded the ' Clarence,' to sen-
boat on shore to inquire for some medical man, ;
bring him off. A venerable Chinese physician iiif,
his appearance, felt my pulse very carefully, and t
our missionary that he would cure me : a person \v
with him on shore, brought back a packet containi
among other things, a large proportion of rhubarh, ,
after about twenty-four hours of severe suffering 1
myself again. When in course of conversation, in,
years afterwards, I told Sir Henry Halford that, to :
knowledge, I had never before this had my pulse t
and certainly never since, he threw up his hands ;
exclaimed, " AVhat would become of us if every t
were like you !"

The 'Clarence' having once more passed Kit
Point, less whirled round than before, and got into:
Yellow Sea, she rejoined our ships at anchor about f
miles off. Some of the officers had made visit;

sevei
Foot
of isl
pries
three
temp
that
for ii
Budl
posse
most
havin
going
bourn
on hi
tish I
which
-he
on hi
capta
tion I
bably
On
his cc
hend
need]
cular
thec(
sion.
plicit
it ap
The
terrec

[<'llAV, SlO«<II.

EMIUSSY TO CHINA.

cl for a thrivi
0111 Canton, i

Chusan, thou,
^ was there; ;
I had my pn
r since by ;i
Out of curid;
le of the Cliii!
ta), whose tra;
inviting apjx,
fruit y.eseii:
oth, I was sii;
pain in the <
iton ordered •
irence,' to sen
iiedical man, ;
physician m,;
irefully, and \
le : a person u
jacket contaiiii
n of rhubarh,
re suffering 1
)nversation, iii;
alford that, to:
;iad my pulse t
ip his hands r
' us if every i

re passed Ku

, and got into

anchor about ;

id made visit;

several of th( islands, but to one in particuhir named
Pootoo (Poo-ta-la), tlie Temple of Pudh. This group
of islands is remarkable for the number of bonzes or
prittts of that sect, said to amount to between two and
three thousand, inhabiting as many hundred separate
temples or pagodas. It would be well worth the while
that some of our Chinese scholars — Sir John Davis,
for instance — should pay a visit to this sanctuary of
Budhism, and examine what records or legends they
possess ; for the temples of all sects in China, or the
most respectable, have libraries. Sir William Parker,
haying landed on the Kin-shan or Golden Island, in
going uj) the Yang-tse-Kiang, saw a most beautiful well-
bound library in one of the temj)les, which he intended
on bis return from Nankin to bring away for the Bri-
tish Museum ; but on reconsidering the principle on
whieh hostilities were conducted — to make no reprisals
— he decided not to disturb it. He found, however,
on his return, that the splendid library was gone, the
captain of the French frigate, that followed our expedi-
tion up the river, having carried it off, and it may pro-
bably be now seen in the king's library of Paris.

Cifce of our impressed pilots had come on board M'ithout
his cjompass, and it was in vain to make him compre-
hend ours with its moveable card, theirs being a simple
needle about an inch in length, vibrating within a cir-
culi^ cavity cut in a piece of wood, and so contrived that
thef centre of gravity coincides with the centre of suspen-
sion,5 On showing one to Ilamsden, he admired the sim-
pliciliy and the efficiency of the contrivance, but thought
it applicable only to very short and light needles.
The Chinese originality of this instrument may be in-
terried fi'om the nndtitude of circles on the wood that

•ii"

i.. t

"■'ill

■ 1.1

KAKI. OF MACARTNEYS

[Ciu

8ae

contains it, cMiibracing their system of niytholo{>;y, tl
cycles, constellations, their astronomical or astrold.
science, the mystical characters of Fo-shee (Fo-hi), a
in short, an abstract of all they profess to know on tl,
snbjects. The one I brought home contains twc
seven concentric circles. The name of their newL
Tin^-nan-ching — the needle ])ointing to the i^oiith ;
(Kang-hi) Kaunti-shee, who was in the habit of (
mitting his thoughts to })a|)er, thus writes: "II
heard Europeans say that Vm\ needle ol)eys the n ■
In our oldest records it is said that it turns to the si
The ancients are the first in date ; and the Ihrtli^
])roceed the more I am convinced of their knowl('(b
the mechanism and ()})erations of Nature. Morci
as all action grows languid and is nearly sus})eii(K(:
wards the north, it is less likely that the virtut', w.
gives motion to the magnetic needle, should ])r(i(
from that quarter." Kaung-shee was the al)li.-- tab^e
Chinese emperors, but how could he reason but t: hogs
what he knew? No Cook, no Weddell, no lio.v, overl
then given him the benefit of their discoveries. clean

On doubling the promontory of the ])r()vince ol'S' Tl
tuing, the land became hidden in thick fogs ; i: with
clearing a^ay, enabled us to see that we were w: ta-gii
four miles of the coast. We had opened out, it sen and <
the extensive gulf of Pe-tche-lee, and our j)ilotsl Pe-t(
evidently ignorant of our situation, we took the mi cheei
of the magistrate of Chusan — to navigate from por till i
port — and at the port of Kee-sau-soo took two piln: gainc
carry us to IMee-a-tou and to the city of Ten-tdioo- one
the governor of which ])aid his res})ects to the An and
sador on board the ' Lion,' and sent a triflini:', ;:• Fi
called it, refreshment, consisting of four bullock.^;, ^ Pei-h

she

oil

and

lot

sing

had

ship

us.

and

the]

repo

cour

carr

bullc

kins,

and (

"' 'IH

[C11.H a«cT. n.

KMHASSY TO CIIIXA.

inytholo^jy, tl
al or iistrold,
;liec (Fo-hi), ,v
to know on tli
contains twc
of tlu'ir U(.'wl!
to the ftoutli ;
he habit of (
writes : " I 1
obeys the in:
tnrnsto the si
and the i'artli.
heir knowlcd'.
atnre. Mom
tirlv sns])en(lii;

the virtne, \\\
0, shonhl \)\>
vas the abU--

reason but t:
(k'll, no lid^-s
scoverics.
' |)rovince ni'S
thick fogs ; 1
lat we were \y:
jned out, it sii:
1(1 our pilots!
we took thv ;M
vigate from pn
o took two |)ii
y of Ten-tclioi"
pects to the Ai;
nt a trilling,;'

four bullocks,

sheep, eight goats, five sacks of fine white rice, five sacks
of red rice, 200 lbs. of flour, and several baskets of fruit
and vegetables. He also suj)plied us with another ])ilot
tO take the ships across the gulf of Pe-tche-lee to Tien-
sing.

In crossing this gulf with no land in sight, the water
had shoaled to six fathoms ; an unusual situation for large
ships to come to anchor in, but nothing else was left for
us. Tbe land was from twelve to fifrcen miles distant,
and so low as not to be visible from the deck. One of
the brigs was despatched to the mouth of the Pei-ho to
report our arrival. Here two superior officers from the
court had already embarked to wait on the And)assador,
carrying witb them refreshments which consisted of 20
bullocks, 100 hogs, 100 shee]), 1000 fowls, 3000 \^\\\\^\^-
kinS| as many melons, apples, })ears, plums, apricots,
and otlier fruits, with an abundance of culinary vege-
tables, and wine in large eartben jars. INIany of the
hogs and fowls had been bruised to death and thrown
oveAoard, but the Chinese eagerly picked them up,
cleaned, and salted them.

I?ie names of these two officers were Van and Chou^
wi&^the addition to each oi ta-(/in (great man). Van-
ta-gin was a soldier of the rank of lieutenant-general,
and Chou-ta-gin a civilian, the governor of a district in
Pe-tiChe-lee — two most amiable, well-conditioned, and
che#ful men, wbo attended the embassy from this time
till lis return to and departure from Canton— men who
gainid the esteem and affectionate regard of every
one-^ the embass^'•, having been ever ready to ])lease
and to make ut all comfortable.

Fifteen Chinese vessels having transported into the
Pei-ho all that belonged to the embassy, our two great

:ii\

EARL OF MACARTNEYS

[^'"Ar,:;

ships left the gulf without further delay, the ' Hi;
dostau' for Chusan, there to remain for further order
and the 'Lion' to Canton.

Sfx'tion III.

Nav!(/afion of tJie Pcl-Jio from its ^fol(fh to Tun-
and thence to Ton<j-clioo, flu' Part of Pckin.

,V/(

We were now fairly landed on the continent of Cliir
embarked and moved on, as speedily as a thousa:
men or nu)re could get our baggage, presents, and |i:
visions into the barges provided to convey them itiid
up the Pei-ho ; and we found them to 1)C spacious, \k,
and connnodious. Each had a sitting-room jiml
sleeping-room, with bed-places on the sides, a room:
servants, and a kitchen. Thev arc sometimes sculi
with a long oar, working on a pivot near the bow, ;:
moved by four, five, or six men, who occasioiia
land to track the barges. In sculling, the stroki
accompanied with a rude air, in which all join, tl
combining cheerfulness with regularity. These bar.
each bore a flag with certain Chinese characters, avIi:
as some of the missionaries told their correspondent"
Europe, implied, "The English ambassador briii£
tribute to the Emperor of China." The ch;ir,T
which these honest religionists translate into ///
was ^, hitif/ (valuable), being compounded of r
parts, the h'l/ at the top signifying art or worL
shijy, and the other part rare, liighh/ estcemnl--:
meaning of the character, therefore, may signify j
cious thi)i(/s, and not tribute.

With the exception of the two villages of Ta-Ii

[CuAP.;

krr. III!

RMIUSSY TO (;niNA.

(17

^Y'

the ' ir

turtliev (ivdt

(th to Tlcn-»\
of Pdlii.

tincnt ot'Chir
as a thousa:
•esents, ami p:
vcy them mid
»e spacious, ik.
uig-vooni ami
sides, a room:
)inetiines sciil!
-ar the bow, a
,vho oceasioiia
ig, the stroki
Lib all join, ti
^ These liar.
haracters, y\\\:
correspondent-
)assador briii-:!
The chaiMi'
slate into trl
ipounded of '
aii or irorktii
'ih/ e-'^teemi'l-'
may signify ]

illages of Ta-1\

and Scc-Koo {(h'caf and Wist Koo) near the mouth
of the river, scarcely any other (k'scrvin;^ the name a])-
pearcii, fill we came to the very extensive city of Tien-
lirj;', about ninety miles from the sea. The banks
hitherto had been low ou either side, the surface of the
country swampy, and covered with coarse grasses and
nishc's; very little cultivation, and here and there only
a straggling cottage of mean description ; now and then
c hair-(b)zen of these might be seen together. AVe

ire all struck with the general apj)earance of mean-
ilips and poverty. Yet the vast nndtitudes of peo])le
of both sexes, that crowded down to the banks of the
rivser, as the barges glided along, were such as to com-
mand attention, though the general style of their dress
gaire no great indication of comfort ; but their num-
bers ])roved the existence in the interior of ])lenty
of itowns or villages, though hidden from our si|nht by
.the sunken river and its high banks.

On approaching Tien-sing, we had to pass along such
nilnerous stacks of salt, i)iled up in sacks of matting,
and ranged for miles on both banks of the river, that I
was desirous of endeavouring to make some rough esti-
mate of the cpiantity ; and if my data were at all cor-
raat, the store of salt here stacked would sullice for
tiiP' consumption of about thirty millions of people for
a %h()le year, or, as Sir George Staunton caleulated,
witti my notes, the weight would be about six hundred
m|pions of ])ounds.

'U'hc nmltitudcs of peojde and the craft '-f various
kl^s on both sides ofj and passing through, Tien-
siii^ were so numerous that, with great difficulty and
dehly, m-c were able to traverse the town in about
three hours. The crowd was immense on the two

F 2

..- >

I ;

' »'

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[Chap. II.

shores, in the shipping, and on the roofs of the houses;
and it was a singular sight to observe such multitudes
with their naked bronze-coloured heads broiling in the
sun, and standing up to the middle in the water, all
quiet and in perfect silence, exhibiting, as Mr. Davis
said on a similar occasion, " a sea of shaven heads in a
perfect calm."

The population, whose constant residence appeared
to be on the water, was also immense. On the river
within the limits of the town, and above and below it,
there could not be less than six hundred stationary and
trading vessels, all built on the same plan and very
much resembling each other. I boarded one, whieli
had a range of ten, others I was told had twelve, dis-
tinct sets of apartments, erected along the deck, each
containing a whole family. The hold was also divided
into ten parts, being one for each of the families located
on deck, and laden with articles for the Pekin market.
The number of traders and sailors in a vessel of t\w
description could not be fewer than fifty, so that ot
these alone the population would amount to thirty
thousand ; and from what we^ observed of the craft on
the upper part of the river, between Tien-sing aiul
Tong-choo, mostly crowded with men, women, and
children, I should conceive that the floating population
on the Pei-ho, from its mouth to Tong-choo, the port
of Pekin, could not be much under one hundred thou-
sand souls.

At Tong-choo we were lodged in a spacious temple,
from which the priests were turned out without cere-
mony to make room for us, consisting at least of a
hundred persons. About three thousand porters were
immediately supplied for carrying to the capital, twelve

[Chap. II.

le houses;
multitudes
ing in the
water, all
Mr. Davis
heads in a

B appeared
the river
1 below it,
ioiiary and
1 and verv
)ne, M^hieli
welve, dis-
deck, each
Iso divided
lies located
in market,
?sel of this
so that ol
to thirty
le craft on
n-sing and
omen, and
population
), the port
idrcd thou-

)us temple.
hout ccrc-
least of a
)rters were
ital, twelve

ECT. IV.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

ilcs distant, the whole of the baggage belonging to the
fmbassy. The plain between the ships and the temple
|vas like a fair, and cakes, rice, tea, and fruit upon
laasses of ice, were abundantly exposed for sale ; a
flice of melon, so cooled, cost a tchen^ value about three-
lenths of a farthing.

I had been taught at Chusan, the expediency of var-
ying my cot along with me, and here I found its utility ;
r on turning down the sheet, in the temple, the first
Ibject that caught my eye was an enormous scorpion.
P^'he cot was forthwith removed from the temple, and
luspendcd between two trees in the enclosed court-
yard ; but the cicadas kept up such a loud and perpetual
chirping the whole night as to prevent all possibility of
lleep. The thermometer stood at 80°, and had been
paring the day and in the shade at 88°.

f Section I"V'.

ifonrney from Tong-choo hy Land^ through Pekin; and
% the Distribution of the Embassy to Gehol in Tar-
% tan/, to the Palace of Yiien-7nin-yuc)i, and to one in
4 the Capital.

tiiE distance from Tong-choo to the south-east gate of
ekin is reckoned to be twelve miles. xVt five in the
.|norning of the 21st of August, the procession moved
Ibrward, more remarkable for the multitude and variety
pf its component parts, than for the regularity of its
irrangement or the brilliancy of its appearance. The
Jiotley group consisted, in the first place, of a])out
piree thousand porters, laden with six hundred pack-

I. t

"V:,

rii;

•1*

■ •.♦■'

.4tl

' I

EAKL 01' MACARTNEYS)

[CllAl', il.

ages, some of them large and heavy enough to r(.
quire thirty-two bearers; next to these were eighty.
five waggons, accompanied by ihirty-nine hand-cart?
of one wheel (>ach, laden with wine, porter, aiii
various eatables, together with anununition for ciuh
field pieces, which closed this })art of the \)yo(\>
sion.* Next to these was the Tartar legate, with t!:.
officers of the court, and their numerous attendant-,
some on horseback, some in chairs, and others on ino';
and after them followed the A ndiassador's guai'd i
Maggons; the servants, musicians, and mechanics ;;!■
in waggons; the Ambassador, the ^linister Pleiii;i.
tentiarv, his son, and one of the interpreters foilowd!,
in four ornamented chau's, the gentlemen of the siii;:
chiefly on horseback, tlie remainder in small covoi::
carriages on two wheels ; and last of all, the two offic i.
Yan and Chou, with their attendants, closed tli;-
motley procession. At the halfway-house we had
breakfast provided, of roast pork and venison, \vi;!
several made dishes, eggs, tea, milk, and a vanetyi:
fruits served u}) on cakes of ice.

The public road, constructed of large slabs of graiiiii
very ill laid, with deep ruts between them, and tin
surfaces corroded into holes, was but little adapted t
the ease and comfort of those passengers, whose fati' :
Avas to be conveyed in small cramped carts, witlim:
springs and with no seat within ; so that the occupant >
reduced to the necessity of sitting on his hauiichu
and of enduring the perpetual jolting of his miseralil,
vehicle. Mr. Davis, who, on Lord Andierst's suddtii
departure homewards, had exchanged his horse for on

* Tliost! (k.'tiiiLs are taken iiuin my note bouk, tlie luatt'iu
being under my cliarye.

pagi)(i
marl

li0ll^

be}ii

a|)])ei

tllirf'

bas(
due

p»ra
held

south

[CuAl',

noiigh to n-
were elghtv-
10 hand-cart-

porter, aii^i
ion for ciglit

the })rooes.
fite, witli til;
IS tittcndauK
tliers on foot;
)r's guard i
lechanics iil.
ster rieiii|:(!.
'tcrs fblloMi;!,
■!i of the m\:<:
=;iuall cover;
lie two oft]' li
, ch)-';c(l t!!'.'
ise we

bad

venison, wii
il a Nai'ictV':

al)S of graiiiii
em, and tin;:
c adapted t:
, whose fate';'
carts, witliii,;
lie occupant :•
his hauiiclii;.
' his niiseralil.
herst's suddi:;
i horse for on.

ik, lli(j iiiatc'iij.'

:t. n-,1

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

of these carts, says, " I had ahundant reason to regret
tibc choice, for the convulsive throes of this primitive
machine without springs, on the ruined granite road,
jroduced an effect little short of lingering death ; and
lite only remedy was to get out as ofleu as possible,
and walk." To those M'ho had made choice of such
mi.-tiable machines, nothing but the novelty of the
teene could have made them tolerable. Crowds of na-
tive spectators lined the sides of the road, on horseback,
on foot, in springless carts, in waggons, and in chairs,
all a})p;irently in the greatest good humour, expressed
1^ smiles and grins, and exclamations of delight. Car-
ried in chairs were numbers of Chinese ladies, but the
piuze curtains at the sides and front kept them mostly
#om oiir view; many well-looking Tartar ladies, how-
ler, in their silken robes, were less scrupulous in per-
mitting us to witness their charms.

The only objects of art that attracted notice, on this
pihlic road leading to the capital, were a temple or
IJagoda of the usual kind, and, near it, a bridge of w hite
Jiarhle, with balustrades bearing sculptured figures of
IIdiis and other animals of the same material. A little
l)e}ond these the walls and the lofty gate of the capital
ftippeared in view.

On approaching them, we found the walls to be about
Airty feet in height, flanked with scjuare towers at bow-
she! distance, perhaps about seventy yards apart; the
bast of the wall was about twenty-five feet thick, re-
diic d by the slope to twelve feet at the top within the
||ira})et ; the middle part of the wall being of earth,
Wd together by two retaining walls of blue brick,
il^t'Tspersed here and there with blocks of granite. The
south-cast gate, through which we entered, is sur-

EAUL OF MACARTNEYS

[t'liAr. II,

mounted by a lofty tower of several tiers of port-liok;,
closed v'itli painted red doors, a})})earing not unlike tK
shani-])orts in the side of a ship of war. A second gati
encloses a space of ground surrounded by buildiii;::

a})propriated to military j)urposes, as the depot for pro- i;^bi

visions ;nid annnunition, and barracks for the men, tlii oupp!^

whole l)"ing meant as a phtce (l\n'iiu's. On this sidcc •^dtf,

the city there are three such gates, and on each of tl; band?

other three sides t^\o, from which Pekin is sometiiii. Tart<i

called the Cit>/ of Xlne Oak's* vi^etj

In })assing from the south-eastern to the nurti. ^i^Ioi

M'cstcrn gates of Pekin, I shall merely notice the objoc' fwrtiui

that met the eye along this route. The first street : ^td c

wide and straight ; the line of buildings on each sii;
of it were sho})S and warehonses, mostly with ojk
fronts, and in or belore which were displayed ew
possible variety of wares for sale ; among other ,
tides coffins for the dead, splendidly gilt and orn
mented, were most numerons and made the greate
show, equalled only by the brilliant disjday of fund i
biers and marriage-cars, with their highly decorati its ]>
canopies of sky-blue or bright green with gold devici- app<
which were really handsome. Similar decorations ;ii aflj^
Hags were placed before the several houses, exhibit!!, ite >\

that it
n«tth-^
The
passot
the
thr<

two long lines of waving colours, of different shajN
displaying every variety of tint.

Independent of the valuable wares and mercbaiuli- iDOJpi'i"
thus arrayed in front of the houses, a multitude i '^^^ses.
moveable workshops of tinkers and barbers, ofcobbkr »■ str
and blacksmiths, together with tents and booths, wlur "aj wa
tea and rice and fruit with various kinds of eataldt' h(^es,

* I had many oi)portuiiities of passiti;:; and ropa.ssing the noii:
western gate, and (Iiey are all on the same i)lan.

ibo

x0t

[CllAP.

f port-liok-,
ot unlike till
. second gatt
by Imildiii';!
oput for jivii-
the men, tli:
u this sidu i:
1 each of tl
is souietiiiu

:) the nurt'r
ce the ohjcc'
first street :
on each siil
ly with ojK
splayed (j\'
)iig other '
ilt and orii;;'

the greatc-
av of fun( r-i
hly decorati

goUl devicf
ecorations ;ii ,
ses, exlii!)it!!:
itferent shapt

d nierchamli-
niultitudc I
M-s, ofeobbki
booths, wlia
ds of eatal)k'
massing tlie noii:

EMUASSY TO CillNA.

jj^rc to be sold, had contracted the street, spacious as
as, to a narrow road in the middle, scarcely w^de
lough to allow two little carts to pass each other:
jl|t, within this narrow space were processions bearing
iglibrcllas, flags, and painted lanterns — trains carrying
■"pses to their graves with lamentable cries — others
;h scpialling nuisic conducting brides to their hus-
ds — troops of dromedaries laden with coals from
rtary — wheelbarrows and hand-carts stuffed with
etnbles; and if to these be added, numbers of
jjplers with their packs, jugglers and conjurers and
unc-.-tellers, musicians and comedians, mountebanks,
qnack-doetors — Avith all these impediments, so
room was left for the persons of the embassy,
it was nearly three hours before we reached the
h-westeni gate.
^hc great street, we had thus with some difficulty
ed through, leads directly to the eastern wall of
unpcrial palace, that forms one side of that
ugh whicli we had next to pass. This wall, with
bur sides, encloses all the buildings and gardens
rtaining to the imi)erial residence in the capital,
isof itself a remarkable object, being covered along
liole extent wi^h a yellow roof, of a deep and bril-
;t colour, and so highly varnished as to look like
gold. Turning to the riglit, we had on one side the
ilBf trial wall, and on the otlier a range of private
holses. On a second turn fo the left, at the end of
this st'.eet, we had now the northern sjd" of the impe-
rial wall also on our left, and on the right were private
houses, without any display in fro/it, and with very little
bustle in this part of the Tartarian city.

Altoat the centre of this northern side of the palace

'.« '

EAHL OF MACAKTNEYVS

[CiiAi'.::

wall are three gates, or rather a treble gate, bifo;
which we halted, with an intention perhaj)S to nih
us a glance through them of the inij)erial gardei;.
consisting of a large space of ground, which, we c(iil
observe, was artificially laid out in hills and vnlkv
the one being thrown up by the materials taken fn
the other, and some of the excavations su})plie(l \v:
water, in which were small islands with light buildii;.
upon them ; and the hills were covered with groups
trees or large shrubs.

Proceeding to rhe north-west we passed a dou'
gate, similar to that through which we had entered, i:
a little overjoyed on finding ourselves once more ii]
a flagged causeway, bad as it was, and in an oj
country, having first ])assed a small suburb beyond r
gate. We were conducted to a villa said to beloiii;
the Emperor, about eight miles from the capital, t
taining a number of small and mean detacbed tipi-
mcnts, scattered over a surface of groiuid of vl
fifteen acres, all of them miserably out of repair, ;iiiil
so dirty and ruinous a condition as to be totally iiii
habitable. The ofiiccrs Van and Cbou were im;
diately desired to notify to the officers of the couii, ;!
these were not acconunodations suitable to the diiiii
of a British Ambassador, who had, however, alni:
communicated his deterniinati(jn to ha\e notliiii: ,
do with them, and had insisted upon his innntd: ,
removal to Pekin. The })eremptory decision \v;i.v .
mediately responded to; and it was announced tli; j
suitable house in Pekin was ready for his Kxcellcii' ,
reception. ^

On returning to tha capitnl, the j)remises were tiii
to be large enough, but the numerous apartments g

[CiiAi'.;:

\ gate, bi'fo;
u\ps to afioi
L'vial giirik'!,'
liic'h, wc con:
s and valkv:
lis taken fro
supplied wi;
li^-lit buililiii.
^vith groups

isscd a doiil'
ad entered, r.
nee more u]
\d in an (ij:
url) beyond t:
lid to belonL'
le eapital, r
^letaelied apf:

ound of 'ch'
)t' repair, and
be totally \wc
on were iinr:
f the eoui'i, i
Ic to tlie diar
(iwever, aln.;:
ia\e noibiiii:
1 bis inuiKt!.
:k'eision w;-
nnounced tin

his Exeellcii'

iiises were tin
s apartments

em. IV.]

EMIJASSY TO CHINA.

'>.. 1 •

shamefully dirty and wholly unfurnished ; in other
respects it was said to be one of the best that Pekin
aftjrded. Tt was built, it seems, by a hopoo, or col-
lier of customs at Canton, thence preferred to the
same situation at Tien-sing, where, for his roguery in
eijibez/liug the revenues, he was thrown into gaol, and
his ])r()perty confiscated. Our conductors told us, that
on })r()})osing this house to the Emperor for the use of
th^ Ih-itish Ambassador, the good old gentleman re-
dlfed, " ]\Iost certainly ; you cannot refuse the tem-
polrarv occupation of a house to the Ambassador of
that nation, which contributed so very largely towards
this expense of building it." It was in fact a Chinese
ace,
Jt consisted of a large space of ground divided into
several courts, with detached buihliugs on the sides,
aini artificial rocks crowned with stunted trees rising
out of basins of water. Its whole a})pearance, however,
waa, to an English taste, destitute of everything like
coavtiiience or cojnfort; which happened to be of less
importance, as it was speedily announced, that the Em-
pcflpor wished the introduction of the Ambassador should
take place at Gehol, in Tartary, about 110 miles from
Pekiii ; that such of the presents as were most valuable
and'iu' least bulky should be })resented there; and that
the hu'ge and valuable mechanical aud scientific instru-
m«it- should be fitted up in the great hall of audience
at Yir n-min-Yuen, for the Emperor's inspection at his
retui'H : and now my charge began to be serious. To
prepire for this, Dr. Dinwiddle and myself, with our
two liicchanics, had apartments allotted to us in the
palac: of Yuen-min-Yuen, and the remainder of the
suite, not intended for Tartary, were to be left in Pekin.

•■■-If

'..•>

iiP

EARL OF MACAUTNEYS

[CiiAr.l

Having picked up some little knowledge of tl
spoken language (difficult only in catching the com
tone of pronunciation) on the passage from Eniila:
and since our arrival in China, by the assistance ofc.
two Chinese Catholic priests, and also from our attei
ant mandarins and the bargemen, 1 was less annoy
at this temporary banishment, more especially as t:
principal officers of the establishment of Ynen-in;
Yuen were directed to grant me unconditional Icav
whenever I should find it necessary or ])r()pcr, to ;;•
the capital, where the mass of our property reniaiii
and also to afford me the means of doing so ; and i-
but justice to say, that a horse or one of the sn
covered carts was always at my disposal. From ;
Chinese servants who were granted to me, and thei
merous mandarins and workmen appointed to arrai.
the presents, I extended the little knowledge I had y.
viously acquired of their language.

On my first arrival at this palace, I found Cliiiii
workmen busily employed in breaking open the pai
ages, to my no small alarm for the globes, clocks, 'A
lustres, and other frangil)le articles, the danger to wl;:
I considered to be inevitable, as indeed it would k
been if entrusted to less carefi.l and dexterous ha:
than those of Chinese, of which I had already cxp''
ence. On the conveyance of these valuable artickf
the great audience-hall I had the satisfaction to f.
that not a single article was either missing or injure;

After having positively rejected a set of mean npr
ments, and very dirty withal, I succeeded in obtain;
some that were larger and jnore decent, whi<li
attending mandarin took care to tell jne belontidi
one of the piinisters of state. A gentleman now in;:

rei
n

dire* to
inqui i

.^aclj
for the

;cli

up in
pirine

•i'JIl

[ClIAP.l

'ledge of tl
11 g the com
from Eniik
sistance ofo'.
)ni our Jittei.:

less annoy.
peeially as t:

of Yuen-m;
ditional kir
proper, to vi:
lerty remaiiit
ig so ; and i;
e of the sii!
;al. From ;
lie, and thii
ited to arrai,
edge I hadp:

found ChiiK
open the pai

es, clocks, dc

langer tf) \vl!
it would li::

:lexterous ha:
already cxp'

Lialde artiek-

isfaction to f
g or injun:

t of mean np'

led in obtaiir.

•cut, whicli '
me belonjidi

eman now k'

t. IV.]

EMHASSY TO CHINA.

1 . 1

Bed himself to me, whom, though in a Chinese dress,
miediately perceived to be a European. lie spoke
tin, said his name was Deodato, a Neapolitan mis-
lary, ordered by the court to act as interpreter ; he
bred his best services, and hoped he might prove
^ful to us : and it is due to him to say that, during a
weeks' residence here, I received from him the
Iflist friendly and unremitting attention. Signor
lato was an excellent mechanic, and, in that capa-
f, was of great value in keeping in order the nuine-
pieces of clockwork, previously here assembled,
ring foimd their way from London via Canton.
\) make amends for the sliabby kind of apartments,
bidered good enough, however, for a minister of
Itc, we sat down to an excellent dinner, consisting of
reat variety of dishes neatly dressed and served up
jorcelain bowls. The best soup I ever tasted any-
jre was here, made from an extract of beefj seasoned
a })reparation of soy and other ingredients. Some
nicelli we found delicate, and all the pastry, made
the flour of buck-wheat, was unusually light and
Ite as snow. Our fruit was iced, and it appeared
in the neighbourhood of the capital ice is within
tBjf reach of the poorest peasant.

An old eunuch, who seemed to be the guardian and

«L'tor-general of the palace, by his interference and
isitiveness, was the only cause of interruption to the
UDipa( king and distribution of the valuable instruments
for the Emperor; but I soon put a stop to his med-

tg in matters that did not belong to him and of
["li lie knew nothing. As soon as we got them set
up ill the hall of audience, visitors of all ranks, from
p'/int s of the blood to the lower class of mandarins

-, 'l!!i

'.<*

EARL OF MACAUTNEY S

fCm;

and plain citizens, came daily to look at the presti
and principally at the English tribute-hcarcr,% -svlion,
helieve, they considered as the greatest of the ciiii
tics. Among the visitors came, one day in 1:1
state, the pre^sident of the trilnmal of mathematics;,
conipanicd hy Govea, a rortuguese missionary a
titular hishop of Tekin ; also Padre Antonio and :
secretary — all three members of this learned trihii:
Their object was to make themselves acqu.iii;
with the iiature and use of the astronomical iii>:
ments, and more especially of the grand planctnrii
in order that they might be able to give a cor?
description and explanation to His Imperial jMaji-
and to afford proper answers to such questions as mi.
be asked.

From the few questions that were put by the piv
dent of this learned body respecting the planetarium,
seemed that the only conception he had of it m as, •:
in the principle of its construction it was similar toi
of those curious pieces of musical mechanism (oiilv
a larger scale) which in the Canton jargon are cal'
sinr/sonf/s ; and that it was only necessary to wind it
like a jack, to set it a-going when it would tell him
he wanted to know. The bishop and his com])a!i;
appeared by their questions to be little superior in 1
thematical and astronomical science to the preside
This gentleman, however, was apparently of a mild;
placid temper, pleasing in his manners, and of a iiioi;
and unassuming deportment. His secretary m-
keen, sharp fellow, very inquisitive, and wrote (It
the answer to every question proposed. Next dav:
bishop came unattended by any of the Chinese w(
hers of the board ; and I learned from him that

au0»iv

atfUou'

loHig

ri«feg
and hi

saUcrs
thilai
dians (
thit wi

a^oloj
difecfi(
board.

thite i

acqLiaii
cakida
I,|ink
I llfls i
Tlie
objects
ti<m foil
for, tlie
seats,
and th
fitt0(U(

sitioii,

and (I

th€fedis

afffietio

that

vat^d s

then

I S»pl)(

'Tl

fCiiAr.:

it the prcsii
'art'rs, 'vvlioiii,
of the cmi
day ill p.
lathcmatics, ,
iiissioiiavv a;
ntoiiio and i
earned trihur
v'cs ac([U)iii:
inomical iibt:
lid plaiictnrii;
I give a cciir
ipcrial jMajt'
estions as mi:

)ut by the ]iiv
plaiietariiua
id of it uas, tl
as siiniUiv toi
haiiisin (only
irgon are cal'
iry to wind it'
ould tell liiiii
his conijiani
: superior i;i i
to the prc'sii^
tly of a iiiildf
, and of a iim
secretary v;
and wrote d'
I. Next (lay
le Chinese m-
om him that

IV.]

EM15ASSY TO CHINA.

noinical part of the national almanac, such as calcu-
X the eclipses, the times of new and full moon, the
g- and setting of the sun, &c., Avere entrusted to him
his colleagues; and he admitted that their calcida-
were much assisted and facilitated by the Connols-
'i's (Je 71';/^'>f, which they regularly received ; and from
and by knowing the precise difference of the ineri-
diliis of Paris and Pekin, they were enabled to give all
was necessary for the Chinese to know : that the
logical part of the almanac was entirely under the
iction of the Chines(! president and members of the
d. He admitted, however, that there were two or
e intelligent Chinese, who had made themselves
tainted with the princi[)les on which eclipses arc
minted. IIow oilen, when among these jieople, did
ink of my poor old friend Gibson, and how much
s indebted to him !

he two elegant carriages made by Ilatchett were
icts of great admiration ; but it was a puzzling ques-
for the Chinese to decide, which part was intended
the Emperor's seat? — the neat and commodious
1, with their cushions inside, with the windows
the blinds, and every part within, were elegantly
1 for the reception of none but the mon:;rci ; but
1 ([uestion arose, who was to occupy the elevated po-
stl^n, with its splendid hammer-cloth, edged with gold
anji decorated with festoons of roses ? To determine
th%dispnted point, the old eunuch, who had a particular
affection for the carriages, applied to me, and when told
the Emperor's place was within, and that the ele-
seat was for the man that drove the horses — with
snal ejaculation of surprise, hal-yal he asked me if
I SBlDposed the ta-whaini-tee would suffer any man to sit

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EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[Chap.I

above him, and to turn his back upon him ? " That,";
said, "will never do," and asked, if the splendid coat
box could not be substituted for the seat within the (i
riage or placed behind it ?

The Emperor, however, it seems, never once troulj
himself about these carriages, if we are to credit t
Dutch account ; for it is reported by them, who speed
followed us to Pekin, that they found them strippt'!
all the ornamental parts, and bundled into an ouiho'.
behind a parcel of dirty carts.

I had some difficulty in explaining to the mandar;
the names, titles, and offices of a collection of portrar
which Lord Macartney had presented to the Empt:
at Gehol, and which his majesty had despatched
Yuen-min-Yuen, to be translated into the Mantit
and Chinese languages. We got over the names pre ?
well ; that of the Duke of Marlborough being writ:
down Too-ke Ma-rd-jw-loo ; of Bedford Pe-te-fo-ul-te,i
but the portrait of the latter, having been taken in i
boyhood, when I desired the Chinese secretary to vr
him down as a ta-gin^ or great man of the second oril
he immediately said, " I suppose you mean his fttt |
was a ta-gin." I explained to him that with us iieiti
age, nor superior talents, nor great acquirements, v
necessary to obtain the appellation of ta-gin^ to ui;:
many of our legislators were entitled by birth : lie i
exclaimed hai-ya I laughed heartily at the idea o!
man being born a legislator, when so many years
close application were required, to enable one of tii
countrymen to pass his examination even, for the vt
lowest order of state-officers. But as the Emperor t
confer a sort of nominal rank on the descendants of
fucius, but not such as to entitle to office, emolument.

"•1 t

I "!

•• •- "fli

[Chap.|

Jkct. IV.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

«1

splendid coat
, within tue a

er once troiill
•e to credit!;
:m, who speed:
chem strippt'l
into an ouihoi

the mandaf
;tion of portrai;
to the Emper
d despatched
the Mantck
the names pvtr
igh being writ:
'^e-te-/o-ul-te,i
been taken iiu
lecretary to vr
the second ori

mean his fati
it with us iieiti
jquirements, w- ;
)f ta-^m, to^^l'^

by birth : Im '■
at the idea ol
so many ycaij

able one of tli
even, for the vt

the Emperovt
ascendants ofCt

ice, emolument.

exclusive privilege, they agreed to put down his Grace
IS one of that description, positively refusing to give
liin the title of ta-gm, alleging that the Emperor was
lot so stupid as to believe, that a little boy could hav«
jlttained the rank of a gi^eat man.
On the 14th of September, three days before the
Imperor's birth-day. Padre Anselmo came to tell me
Jiat he feared all was not right at Gehol ; that the
Tartar legate had been degraded from his rank for de-
Living the Emperor, and for not having paid his personal
aspects to the Ambassador on board ship, when in Tien-
roads; that his peacock's feather had been ex-
langcd for a crow's tail ; and that regard for his age
id his family alone had saved him from banishment,
lie Emperor, it seems, having heard that the Ambas-
idor's portrait was suspended in the cabin of the ' Lion,'
skcd the legate if it was like him, when it came out
jat he had never been near the ' Lion,' as his order
Irocted him, but had reported that it had been obeyed.
Two days after this, on going to the hall of audience, I
fund the doors shut, and the old eunuch walking about in
I sullen a mood that he would not speak to me. Groups
' officers were assembled in the court-yard, all looking
if something very dreadful either had happened or was
but to happen. Nobody would speak to me, nor could
get any explanation of this extraordinary conduct ;
|ough I concluded it could be no other than the result
[a temporary anger of the old Emperor, for thedecep-
kn that had been practised on him. At length my
3nd Deodato made his appearance, with a counte-
ice not less woeful than those of the government
leers. I asked him what had occurred ? His answer
"We are all lost, ruined, and undone. Lord

••' ■ * '\\

■t ,1

I't.

« ■;

•;,*•'

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[Cha". II.

Macartney has refused to comply with the ceremony of
Tirostrating himself nine times before the Emperor, unless
a Chinese officer, of equal rank with himself, shall go
through the same ceremony before the portrait of his Bri-
tannic Majesty ; or, that his Lordship's proposal, wliitii
he had now to offer, should be accepted — namely, tlia:
he himself would perform the same ccremojiy of respect
to his Imperial Majesty, which he is required to do tolii«
own sovereign. And Deodato observed that whatcvw
might be thought of this at Gchol, the great officers oi.
state, in the tribunal of rites and ceremonies in Peki;:,
were, he knew, outrageous, perplexed, and alarmed; i:
short, that it could not be conceived what might i
the consequences of allowing an ancient custom to l,
broken through, and a new one, of a barbarous natioi.
to be adopted in lieu of it. But Deodato was, niort
over, fearful that the ill effects of it might extend to li
own class.

The only visible result ui)on us at Yuen-min-Yue;
was the abridgment of our table in the number ai::
quality of the dishes — the usual mode amon^^ t!;
Chinese of manifesting their displeasure. Somethiri
of the same kind, it appeared, had taken place at Golia
from the time that the Ambassador began to demur i
the ceremony, and to offer conditions, attem})ts \n:
made to starve him into compliance by an abridgiiu:
of his table ; finding thac to fail, they had recourse ;
an opposite plan, and became full of liberality, kin.
ness, and complaisance.

On the 2ist of September the Ambassador returik
to Pekin, and notice was issued that, on the 30tii, tt
Emperor would inspect the presents at Yuen-min-Yut;
They were all perfectly ready, and I was not a litt

[ClIA'\ II.

li;<T. I v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

ceremony of
nperor, unles
iself, shall go
rait of his Bii
roposal, whicli
-namely, tliat
ony of respect
■ed to do to hi;

that whatcMi
'eat officers 0!.
>nies in Pekii!,
d alarmed ; i:
,hat might '*
, custom to It
rbarous natioi.
ato was, niort'
it extend to t

fuen-min-Yiie
be number ai
»de amonii t!:
re. Soniethii;;

place at Geliu
ran to demur!

attemi)ts wei

an abridgiiu:
bad recourse ;

liberality, kiiic

assador returik

on the 30th, tl

Yuen-min-\ut;

was not a liti

jclighted at the idea of turning them over tc the
Chinese. This was the day fixed for his intended re-
irn, and it was notified to the Ambassador, that it was
usual compliment for all public officers to meet him
the road ten or twelve miles from the capital,
id that 't would be so considered, if his Excel-
siicy and suite would join in the ceremony. There
ras nothing unreasonable In this, and accordingly the
irhole suite were mounted and arrived on the ground
Ibout six in the morning. This road was newly made
|br the occasion, beautifully rolled smooth and level,
Irc'll watered, and on each side were, at intervals
|lf about fifty yards, triangles of poles erected, from
rhich were suspended painted lanterns. On the mar-
gins of the road, as far as the eye could reach, were
ij^ousands of state-officers in habits of ceremony — Tartar
ifroops in their holiday-dresses — standard-bearers with-
* t number — military music and household officers
ing the two sides of the road. The approach of the
iUiperor was announced by a blast of trumpets, fol-
)wed by softer music ; and the description, in an
icient and hallowed record, is so strikingly similar to
le one in question as to be here appropriately ap-
llied : " And at that time, when all the people heard
le sound of the cornet, flutes, harps, sackbut, psaltery,
1(1 all kinds of music, then the princes, the governors,
id captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors,
le sheriff's, and all the rulers of the provinces that
[ere gathered together, fell down and worshipped " —
ive and except, it may be added, certain strangers who
[ere present and obstinately resolved to do no greater
)iiiage to any sovereign, than that which is required
their own, and who contented themselves by volun-

■ -^'.'n

f^\

•II

. i-

' . •■ '

EAllL OF MACARTNEY'S

[Chai.. II

tarily bending one knee to the ground, as the Emperot
of China passed by.

Seated in a clumsy state-chariot, his Majesty bowed
very graciously to the Ambassador as he passed, and
sent a message to say that, understanding he was not
well, he advised him to return immediately to Pokiii,
and not to stop at Yuen-min-Yuen, as had been ii|.
tended and arranged on leaving Gehol.

The following day, the 1st of October, the Empcior
attended by a Tartar officer, inspected the pr^j^ents i:
the hall of audience, and examined many of them inoiv
attentively than I could have imagined. lie desim
the Tartar prince to tell us, through Deodato, that tlit
accounts he had received of our good conduct at Yueii'
min-Yuen had given him great pleasure ; and tiiat li^
had ordered a present to l)e made to each of us, asi
proof of his entire satisfaction. The present consisttc
of rolls of silk, and pieces of silver cast in the form c
a Tartar shoe, each being about an ounce in wci^ili'
They were delivered by the old eunuch, who wished t
exact from us the usual prostrations, even after tlk
Emperor had departed ; but I only laughed at hini
and asked him where the bamboos were kept ; he under
stood me, gave a grin and a growl, and walked aMay
I thought it right, however, to desire Deodato to «
plain to the Tartar prince, who remained, that we lia;
no objection to do as the Ambassador had done at Gdnil
and which had been repeated by us on meeting Jk
Emperor; and he immediately said that nothing iiior
was required : accordingly, on receiving the presents, w
each placed one knee on the lowest step leading to tt
throne. I told Lord Macartney what we had done, ai:
he said it was perfectly correct.

i;.:ll

ii,,.

[Chai'.

ktcT. IV.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

1 '

the Kuiperoi

lajesty boMed
e passed, and
g he was iioi
;ely to Pokiii,
had been iii'

the Emiuior
he presents i!:

of the in inoiv
. He desire
)dato, that tlk
iduet at Yueii'
'd ; and tiiat lit
ich of us, as:
esent eonsistw

in the form k
nee in wcigli-.

who wished t
iven after tb
ughed at liini,
ept ; he under

walked away
Deodato to a
d, that we liac

done at Gehdi
m meeting ili^
it nothing mot:
the presents, \v.
p leading to tli
[) had done, an.

In the course of our remaining here, I walked a great

leal over the park, and made a rough estimate of its

^xtent — including the gardens and pleasure-grounds of

'^uen-niin-Yuen — as occupying a space of nine or ten

liles in diameter, or about sixty thousand acres. Of

lose parts contiguous to the palace, which may be sup-

)o.sed the most carefully cultivated, and the numerous

)avilions and ornamental buildings in the best order,

can say nothing in praise; no care whatever ap-

)eared to be taken of any, nor regard had to cleanli-

R'ss. The general appearance of the surface, broken

jito hill and dale, and diversified M'ith wood and

iwii, bore some resemblance to Richmond Park,

nth the addition of large sheets of water, generally

Covered with a blue water-lily — the Nymphea nelumbo

[or nelumbium ?) — a favourite flowering plant with

ic Chinese, and possessing something of a sacred

inractcT. I saw none of those extravagant beauties

ind picturesque embellishments which Sir AVilliam

chambers has given of Chinese gardening; nothing of

le kind appeared within the scope of my rambles,

Hiich, however, close to the palace, were mostly made

stealth ; for the old eunuch and his gang were con-

Inually on 'be watch to prevent us going beyond the

)undary of the audience hall. One day, on strolling

nvards a large pavilion within s. garden, I heard the

fd monster screaming and running after nie, '''■ Nea-gin,

m-f/ln, poo hao I " — ^Voinen, women, not good ! Not

[ishing to take any notice, I turned my back upon the

Idios, and strolled in an opposite direction.

The only room worth noticing is the hall of audience,

licli stands alone at the head of a large court-yard ;

dimensions within are, length 1 10 feet, breadth 42,

I. I .

;■■)"

•i ,1 ,'

•if'

1 ':

!'. ■ •,,«

.' •■■i

EAKL OF MACAHTNEY'S

[Chai>. 1!,

and height 20 ; the ceiling painted with a variety of
colours, in circles, squares, and polygons, whinisicallv
disposed. The throne, placed in a recess, is entirtlv
of wood resembling mahogany, and beautifully carved,
A few porcelain vases, a pair of kettle-drnms, a fk
volumes of manuscripts, and an old E^nglish chimiicv-
clock, with the name of Clarke, Leadenhall Street,
which the 'Id eunuch had the impudeiice to tell me
was made by a Chinese, constituted the chief pirt
of the visible furniture. A few wretched attempts a:
sculpture, and some bronze figures, were here and then
seen in the courts, the objects fanciful, distorted, ami
entirely out of nature.

The park and garden at Gehol, called Van-clni-
yeuen — or garden of ten thousand trees — which tlu
Emperor gave directions to the first minister should lit
shown to Lord Macartney, appears by his Lordship';
description to be very different from, and much siipi'
rior to, Yuen-min-Yuen. lie was conducted over t!it
whole park, and has given a detailed and aniniaUi
description of the endless beauties that met his i'Mjuii-
ing eye. He says, — ■

" It would be an endless task were I to attempts
detail of all the wonders of this charming place. Theiv
is no beauty of distribution, no feature of amenity, in
reach of fancy, M'hich embellishes our pleasure-grouiid^
in England, that is not to be found here. Had Chiiu
been accessible to Mr. Browne or Mr. Hamilton, I
should have sworn they had drawn their happiest ideS'
from the rich sources which I have tasted this day; for,
in the course of a few hours, I have enjoyed such viciv
situdes of rural delight, as I did not conceive could li
felt out of England, being at different moments ei.

' ».

[Chap. II,

1 a variety of
, whimsically
5, is entirely
i fully carved,
dninis, a few
lish chimney-
snhall Street,
ce to tell iiic
le chief part
[1 attempts a:
lere and then
distorted, ami

led Van-chi"- '^
s — which till
ster should It
his Lordship';
d much siipi'
icted over ih
and aniinatiii
net his i-H|\iir-

I to attempts
; place. Theit
of amenity, m
leasure-grouni
2. Had Chilli
r. Hamilton, !
• happiest ith*
d this day; for
lyed such vici>
iceive could lit
t moments ei>

1. JV.

EMJJASSY TO CHINA.

t., ' .

1 ' ii

ihaiitcd by scenes perfectly similar to those I had known
lore — to the magnificence of Stowe, the sofler beauties

^f Woburn, and the fairy-land of Paine's Hill." *
From a covered pavilion, situated on an elevated
immit, commanding a vast extent, his Lordship

" The radius of the horizon I should suppose to be

least twerty miles from the cjntral spot where vvc
tood ; and certainly, so rich, so various, so beautiful,

sublime a prospect my eyes had never beheld. I
iw everything before mo as on an illuminated map —
blaccs, pagodas, towns, villages, farm-houses, plains,
Ind valleys watered by innumerable streams, hills
mving with woods, and meadows covered with cattle
If the most beautiful marks and colours. All seemed

be nearly at mv feet, and that a step would convey

ie within reach of them." And he adds, " If any

lace in England can be said, in any respect, to have

hnilar features to the western park, which I have seen

lis day, it is Lowther Hall, in Westmoreland, which

I'lieii I knew it many years ago) from the extent of

rospect, the grand surrounding objects, the noble

[tuation, the diversity of surface, the extensive woods,

id command of water, 1 thought might be rendered,

a man of sense, spirit, and taste, the finest scene in
\(i British dominions."!

Having learned at Yuen-min-Yuen that preparations
3re making by the officers of government for our de-
irture, I rode over to Pekin to give Lord Macartney
[formation of what was occurring ; and, being himself
gsirous of having the day fixed for this purpose, he
fespatched a note to the first minister, who returned an

* Lord Macartney's MS. Jouriial. f Ibid.

;■,;■'.

•'V,'i

"K.; I

■ m

•'li

r!|J'

' '•■■<
I,

EAKL OF MACAUTNEY'S

[t'llAl'.

answer by the Tartar legate, to inform him that, ii
order to prevent any likelihood of being surprised 1/,
the approaching bad weather, the Emperor had naiim
the 7th instant (O.'tober) for the commencement oftk
journey; and had issued his orders that every hoiiou:
and distinction should be paid to the embassy on tlit
road. ^

SeCTIOx\ V.

Leave Ymii-m'm- Yuen and Pekln, on a Journey to (ju.-
ton, by the Grand Canal, by various River.s, and I
Land, conijjrmng a Distance of 2\celve to Thirh,
Hundred Miles.

Having now carefully examined and seen that all tli
valuable presents for the Emperor were properly ])lact:
and gone over the catalogue with Deodato, in prcscm
of the old eunuch aiid an officer belonging tothepahut
1 gave notice to our small party to be ready tli
following morning to depart for Pekin. The kii.
Deodato called on me to take leave, and thus gave n.
the opportunity of expressing to him, how nmch I fc
indebted for his valuable assistance, and for the cl
stant and friendly attention I had experienced at li
hands. He was a gentleman well deserving a liif.4:
and more desirable situation than that in which li:
destiny had placed him ; but he said that, so long f
he gave satisfaction to his employers at home, and ws
treated respectfully by the Chinese authorities, he w
not disposed to comjdain. He was a highly-gifted ai
an amiable man.

Lt'llAl'. II

him that, ii

surprised k

•or had nanitii

iccnient oftk

every hmm.

iinbassy on tlit

T. \'.]

liMHASSY TO CHINA.

^ourney to Cm-
Rlver.s, and '
Ive to Thiih'

ten that all tl,
iroperly \)\imK
ito, in prc'siiii:
ig to the palaet

be ready tl
in. The kii.
d thus gave ii,
low much I L
lid for the tni.
erienced at li
erving a liif.4:
it in which b
;hat, so loiijrfc

home, and u
thorities, lie wi
ighly-gifled aii;

On arriving at our hotel in Pekin, the Ambassador
d the whole of his suite (except Mr. Maxwell and
ni}>;<-lf)j the soldiers, servants, and musicians left
ijfekiii about two hours alter oiu- joining; some of
llein on horses, others in the country carriages, form-
ilg a sort of procession, before which a Chinese officer
on horseback took the lead, having the letter of the
J[rnperor of China to the King of England slung across
his shoulders, in a case covered with yellow 'silk.

As soon as we had settled our final accounts with the
Chinese officers and servants attached to our hotel,
r. lilaxwell and I, in the evening of the 7th of Octo-
ir, rode through the streets of Tekin for the last time.
e were quite alone, not a single Chinese servant,
soldier, or officer to conduct us; but I had no difficulty
ia linding the way to and from our hotel to the broad
sto'eets, through which we had before passed, and along
l|iich we now proceeded without the least molestation,
Of indeed, 1 may say, without the least notice. The
aberence between the appearance of the streets of
ilekiii and of London is very striking; in the former
tlfe crowds of the day retire in the evening to eat
ti|eir rice, and, following the example of their great
J^i])eror, go to bed with the setting sun ; in the
n|Dniiiig, when the day begins to dawn, the buzz and
iie Ijustle of the populace is like that of a swarm of
bjies : just the reverse is that of our streets and popula-
n, more especially in the early part of the mouiing,
en London is a perfect desert. The late Admiral Sir
iger Curtis was in the habit of mounting his horse, on
iner mornings at three o'clock, to ride through the
erted streets of London, when, he said, their geo-
phy, and the plans and elevations of the buildings,

'. 1 f

• . •« ,t

• fi

■ • '■

!)0

KAKJ, OK MACAKTM'V'S

I Cm

aj)j)('.'nv(l at owi'v to the; eye iinohstnictcd by the imilt
tildes of tlic day. At cifilit in llic ('V('llill^• the nahsi;
l\'kiii arc sliiit, and the keys sent to llu; ^ONdiin:
When Lord Amlierst and liis parly ajjproaclicd tli,
soutli-castcrn fjate, it was shut, and liis Lordsliip jm
the ^vhole ol' his suite were oldi^cd to travel a iiwy-
part of the ni;^ht outside the walls, over a most dcto:
ahle road, and only arrived at their destination tlutl
lowiuj;' inornin;;' at daylijiht.

We had not much time to spare to save us lin:
heiiif? locked within the city walls; and it was at .1 la
hour that we joined the ri'st ol' the party in the siibiir
oi' T()U};-ch()o-1()o, where wv. were once more loda
amon^- the gods of the nation, in a spacious t(iii|il-
whose j)riests are so accustomed to give way to i:
oflicers of state, as to resign to us also tlu; tenipoiar
use of their apartments without a nnu'inur. Once im:
w<; found here so many scorpions and scolojxiulr
witliin doors, and such myriads of mos(piitoes witlit'
incessant noise ol' the chirping cicadas without, ;i>
defy all attempts to sleej), when the more noisy v:>:.
summoned the holy men to their nu)rning devotii
and us to prej)are for our end)arkation on the I'd-lic

Wc found the river now much more shallow, aiult
harges proportionahly smaller, than on our ascent ol:
hut thev were very commodious: and those wort:
oflicers Van and Chou had taken care that no ox]k!
should he spared to make our journey as j)leasaiit :i:
comfortable as the nature of the country peniiittu
Having observed that we were in the habit of ik
milk to our tea, they had purchased two line (O
in full milk, and prepared a yacht for their vm
tion, to alford us a supply of that article. Wluiicvi

t L

I by the mult;.

iiH' the M^ahsi
tlu! m)vt'riio;

jiproaclicd tl
liordsliip III:
travfl a ;;n;!-
ji most (Ictoi

iiiutioii tlic t.

I SclVC lis i'lK

it WHS at a la:
' ill tlu; siiliur!
L' iiiori' Itidi't.
pacioiis tciiiji
iv(! >vay to il

till! teiniH)r;ir
in*. Oiu'c iiHf
11(1 Ki'olojxiulr,
(juitoos witliti
s without, as
lore noisy in:.
iMiiiip; (levotiii:.
on tiic I'ci-lid.
shaUow, audi

our ascent (it:
n\ those wurtt

tliiit no ospiu
r as jiloasant ai
luitry iKTiiiittft
ic habit of usi:

II two lint' to.
tor their nic

icle. AVht'iRVi

KMHASSY TO (^JIINA.

had to pass near the residence of a chief officer, an
tcrtainineiit wJis prepared, and in order to make it
^rc acceptable served uj), as they thoiiKht, in the Kng-
style ; so tliat we ha<l hogs roasted wln.h;, (piarters
inntton, geese, ducks, and fowls the same ; a mode
ookery altogether differing from the practice of the
iiitry, which is that of stewing small morsels of meat
|li greens or rice, and rich sauces,
^t 'i'i(!ii-sing, however, our chief conductor, Snn-t(t-
liad prepared a sumptuous entertainment, consisting
lexcellciit mutton, pork, venison, and jMrnltry of all
ids, together with a great variety of confectionary,
Scliis, plums, grajM's, chesnuts, and walnuts. Our
iiified chief allowed us to walk on shore as much as
jjieased, but cautioned us not to go far fr(>m tluj
iks, for fear of retarding the yachts or being left
iiiid — liinting at tin; same time that Van and Chou
lid be held resp()nsil)le for any accident that might
M})en while under the protection of the Eni[)eror.
.t some distance from the city, and bordering on tlie
^r, was observed an extensive burying-ground, orna-
ited with weejiing willows and cypresses interspersed
aabiig the tombs. In a corner of this cemetery was a
slWkll teinjile, with an altar in the centre, and before it
I noticed an elderly lady busily employed in drawing
the sticks of fate, but she missed the fortunate number,
ring the shaking of the cup her countenance ex-
ised much eagerness and anxiety, and her manner
layed a peevish and muttering tone on leaving the
)le, which made me think we had disturbed her in
[midst of her devotions. The keeper, one of the
rior priests, being asked by our interpreter what her
;t was, said, " Nothing less than to draw for a

1 '

* I

I !1

• • •.

.' ': t

!•■ I ■

EAUL OF MACAKTNEY'S

[CiiAi'.rl

favourable chance of being blessed with a second liu;
band, the hope of which had been demolished bytt
decree of fate."

These fatalists are the lowest of the three classes r
priesthood in China, said to have existed from the tiit
of Confucius, under the name of Tao-tse, a sect i:
vented by one Lao-keun — impostors who pretend ;
deal in magic, to possess the elixir of long life, audi
tell fortunes — in all of which they appear to have pleii;
of custom from the lower classes. The doctrine It
them by their founder is truly Epicurean — to li^ e lia:
pily is the chief end of man — to take no concern abn
this life — to eat, to drink, and to sleep are the giv
blessings of life — and to subdue every passion of tl
mind that interferes with self-enjoyment.

When with much delay and difficulty we had c
through the crowds of shipping at Tien-sing, anio., ,
which were said to be about five hundred of the Et
peror's revenue-vessels with grain for the capital, i
turned into the Eu-ho or Yun-ieang-ho (the corn-bcair
river), which flows from the westward and falls in
the Per- ho just below the city of Tien-sing, sitiiatt
partly .bove the point of confluence and partly Id'
it, thus partaking the benefit of the two rivers. T'
country through which the Eu-ho flows is pcrftit
level, yet the river runs with such a rapid stream :
to require eig:hteen or twenty trackers to each yad
We travelled slowly, and towns, villages, and cifk-m
surrounded by walls higher than the roofs of t:
houses, were consta? tly in sight. The country Avort
pleasing and cheerful aspect; it was harvest-time, ai
v^heat, buck-wheat, and various kinds of millet wc
under the reapers' hands. Several cotton plantatic

nr
l^asj

i'i

. ..'.< '

[CllAl'.L';

a second \m
dished bytt

iree classes r
from the tirt
tse, a sect i;
10 pretend ;
ng life, and!
to have pleiir
3 doctrine k
\ — to livek- :
concern aba
are the gre ^
passion of tl

•

Ity we had s
en-sing, aniu.
;d of the li
the capital, V
;he corn-bean

and falls iir
n-sing, situatt
id partly 1 tV'
,vo rivers. It
>ws is perfect:
rapid stream ^

to each yatl
iges, and citit

! roofs of t

country wok
arvest-tinu", ai
of millet wc
►tton plantatio:

CT. v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

3re observed witli the pods well formed, but not yet

)e.

The usual ceremonies of the full moon delayed us
inie time. The noisy gong, the harsh squalling
lusic, and the fireworks were continued through the
Ight, and ceased only with the appearance of the sun.
addition to these noises of gongs, trumpets, and

ickers, our ears were frequently assailed by the cries
persons under the punishment of the bamboo or

lip, for claiming exemption from the service of track-
the barges. When brought together in the morning,

[was impossible not to regard these poor people with
eye of pity,

I A favourable breeze brought us speedily into the

)vince of Shan-tung at a place called Lin-tsin, where
Grand Canal joins its waters to the Eu-ho, into

»ich it flows with a gentle current, the bed of the

kr being consequently on a lower level than that of
canal, which appears to have been cut down in a

[ping direction from the highest point of land where
river Luen-ho joins from the eastward. The pro-
tor would seem to have taken this summit level for
commencement of his undertakii:g, by which he had
advantage of obtaining two opposite currents, the
flowing towards the Eu-ho, the other towards the
lang-ho, or Yellow River, and of procuring a supply
rater for both branches by means of the Luen-ho

ing made to strike against the western stone bank of
canal by which its stream becomes divided, and

north and south,
'licse two currents thus flownig in opposite directions,
lired some manf.gement to make the canal navigable
)ugh both arms, on either of which, if lefl simply as
Iras, the crafl could oidv be floate<l down the current

»,H

(■,11 '

« ;

.' •'■•
t 1 1

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[<'ii.u'.i:

one way. To remedy this defect he caused groovtst
be cut in the projecting stone piers of the banks, cor
tracting the width of the canal at certain distances, fi;
planks to slide in, and thus form so many dams, and ak
a succession of tranquil basins. To regulate and keepu;
a proper supply of water, openings are made in the t«
banks of the canal, at the most suitable places, accorc
ing to the nature of the surface of the country, to kt i;
or out such a quantity of water, as the deticieiicvi
redundancy may require.

At the junction of the Grand Canal with the Eul
is the city of Lin-tsin, and near it a tall pagoda oiWt
or nine stories. These buildings are not of frequt
occurrence in China ; they appertain exclusively to tl
Budhists, the second in repu ition of the three sie
Their doctrine is derived from the Hindus : tlit
founder, Budh or Fo, was one of the avatars of VisliL.
was expelled by the Brahmins, and he and his follows
spread their doctrines through Siam, Pegu, Thibet, ii:
a great part of Tartary, whence it proceeded to Clii;
They have a story, that when Budh withdrew hiiii>
from among the living, they burned his body l
placed the ashes of his bones in eight vases or iir:
and having built a pyramid of eight stories, dt;
sited an urn in each story. Their common exdaii
tion, O-me-to-fo I is written up in gilt letters in nioi!
their temples.

We found no impediment or stoppage the «ii
way. A sufficient number of men are stationed
every dam to hoist up the planks, by windlasst>,
soon as the barges intending to pass are collected cli |
to the dams : and the navigation of the canal was
pleasant and agreeable as could be wished. The bat
generally swarmed with people of all classes, cliif:

•<i

■'•i't'

[('iiAi'.i; ■

ied grooves t
le banks, cod
distances, fij^
lams, and ak
te and keepii,
ide in the ti
places, accon;
mtry, to Icti;
J deficiency i:

ivitli the Eul
pagoda of ek'
ict of frequi:
clusively to tl
he three see
Hindus : tlit
itars of Vii«liii.
nd his follow
gu, Thibet, a.
ceded to Ciii:.
thdrcw hiiiii.

his body f.

vases or iiri
; stories, dep
mnion exclaii.:
itters in most

page the \vlr
ire stationed
y windlasses,
e collected d
le canal ^va^
led. The bai
classes, chif.

r.V.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

9-i

ssantry, when not in the neighbourhood of some

^, which was of daily occurrence. The province of

intuu^', m the vicinity of the canal, was observed on

jtJi bauKS to be well cultivated. I walked through

feral large fields of the cotton-plant; the full-grown

o])eniiig pods exhibited the wool beautifully white.

[ought among the several beds for the yellow tinged

jich we call nankin^ but found none ; and was told

an intelligent farmer that it grew plentifully in

mgnan. The wheat here had been cut, but three

jfbur species of millet were very luxuriant; I ob-

Ved they were all planted in rows, and single-

nnied, as if they had been dibbled. In the swampy

[unds rice was the chief culture: the cyperus and the

rpus flourished in the dividing ditches. The musk

water melon, pumpkins, cucumbers, onions, and

ic, and the pai-tsai or white herb, were abundant

\v the farm-houses. Clumps of trees, more particu-

ly large elms, willows, and ash, appeared only near

pagodas or temples, the cemeteries, and the officers'

ises.

)n descending from the summit level of the canal at
m-ho to the south, we reached what appeared to be
ist extent of swampy ground or marshy country, in
i\\ was situated a city named Tse-ning, and near it
:e, of the same name, of considerable extent : and
found that, from this to the proximity of the Yellow
ler, the v/hole surface of the country, on both sides,
sisted of lakes and canals, and stagnant rivers, which
[should call ditches. Small villages and isolated
ds were visible on every elevation lefib free from
[watery element. Boats innumerable were mostly
Woyed in fishing, in all the various ways in which

j-i

1 *

... ■/ M

■. vt

• .;»

•;,*.'

EAUL OF MACARTNEY'S

K-IMP.

the finny tribe are caught, and among others bv tl!i
fishing-pelican.

We were now running parallel with, and at no grt;
distance from, the Yellow River; and the nature oftl
country, through which its waters were carried into ti
Yellow Sea, was a sufficient indication that the lalxi
and expense, as well as the perpetual source of terror:
the natives, were no exaggerations ; and that the aiixie
on the part of the government was to obviate, ns i
as possible, the threatened destruction of millions
acres, and with them of no less a number of luin;
beings, by the overwhelming irruptions of this ini;:i
river which so frequently take place. On a ncarei c
proach to it, the current of the canal, on account of:
entire level of the country, had altogether ceased.

In one place the projectors of the canal had ^y,.
rently deviated from the direct line, to obtain an i
mediate communication with an extensive lake, t.
object of which was, as we soon found, to give fu :
canal the advantage of a large bay, for the accoiiiiiiin,
tion of shipping requiring to pass and repass its iiio!i
at the point of junction with the Yellow River, i
the western bank they had caused to be erected ;ur
a portion of the said lake a long causeway, on st
arches, which answered the double purpose of a t
boat-passage between the canal and the lake, and ;
that of a firm road for the trackers em})loved in tn
ing the barges on the canal. The vast surface ofw;
and of swampy ground, with which we had for ^
days been surrounded on all sides, had a sensible til
on the temperature of the air ; the thernioiii!
towards the end of October, having descended in
mornings and evenings to 39° and 40°.

■ others bvti

and at no grt;
le nature ofti
carried intoti
that the lal)oi
irce of terror:
that the aiixic
ohviate, nsi
I of millions
inber of hum
; of this milli-
on a nearer c
n account of!;
tier ceased,
canal had aji;

obtain an i:
jnsive lake, t:
d, to give to ;;
the accomiiiiA
repass its iiioii:
How River, (
)e erected acr
seway, on si:
airpose of a i
le lake, and ;i.
iidoved ill tra
t surface of w;.
ve had for si !;

1 a sensible iti
he thernioiiiei
descended in:

r. v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

On the 31st of October, having got clear of the lakes,

^anips, and morasses, we entered suddenly upon a

ferent and most delightful country, crowded with

ties, towns, and villages ; the first rarely wanting the

|ual embellishments of pagodas and high turreted

ills. The surface of the country was now picturesque,

fokcn into hill and dale, both well clothed, the suni-

jts of the former generally crowned with forest-trees,

[d the latter smiling with cultivation. The canal, too,

)iii the time we had passed the arched causeway, had

[gun to put on an appearance of increased magniti-

Ince, being here not less than a thousand feet in

Idth, and bordered with stone quays, composed of

^ge blocks of grey marble, intermixed with others of

mite. Soon, however, by the contraction of the

lal, we found the current, setting toM-ards the river,

; be from two to three miles an hour : and the bustle

Id activity among the multitudes that crowded the

Inks, and the number of imperial barges on the canal,

]ie moving and others at anchor, gave strong and

rtaiu indication, that we were fast approaching th^i

jint for launching into the Yellow River, which was

ifiriued by an uninterrupted town extending for two

I three miles on each bank of the canal, to the point

[confluence with that river.

jPreviously, however, to committing our barges to
powerful stream, which rolled along in a rapid
rent, certain ceremonies were deemed necessary to
)])itiate the ruling deity. An animal of some kind
to be sacrificed — generally a fowl or a pig, with
3s of oil, wine, and salt; the last article never
itted. Our little fleet amounted to thirty sail of
fges; and, when crossing about the middle of the

"v i
. •■ 1

> f

-'::y\

i'l;

r.i!
ti

• >■

I ■

> •■„

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

fClIAl'

stream, the gongs struck up a tremendous noise, ai
companied by volleys of squibs and crackers, whiti
ceascQ only when all were safe on the other side.

Whatever credit we may be disposed to give \\.
Chinese for their ingenuity, in facilitating a conniiuh
cation between most parts of the empire, by canals,!
is not easy to comprehend what could have restraiiii-;
them from affording the same facility by means i
good roads, more especially in those parts that In:;
no navigations, and in the northern districts towin:
the ca})ital, where, for three or four ?nonths, all ti
canals and lakes are bound up in ice. The inisir
experienced by the Dutch embassy, Aviiich travelled;
Pekin by land, would be almost incredible, even in tl.
least civilised of all countries. From a MS. joum
lent to me, the state of the country they were carri'.
over was wretched in the extreme — thrust into li*-
mean bamboo chairs, each borne by four men, so uec
and tottering, as to break down with fatigue, frcqucn;:
in the middle of the night, where not a hovel of iii
description was to be seen, to shelter them in the iiiiii
of winter from the inclenrjncy of the weather ; tin
lodgings, where any, were so miserable, admitting ti
wind, rain, or snow on every side, that they general!
preferred to rest in their bamboo chairs. But luaiiv'
the details are too disgusting to repeat. Van IJnia:
a jolly fat fellow, who, from the luxurious life
Batavia, underwent a state of starvation in Cliii;
writes to his friend that he had returned as thin as
shotten herring.

Whether such ignoble and ungenerous treatment ot
complimentary embassy was occasioned by some aiick:
dislike to this nation, or by its following so eagerly ai

.ous noise, ai
[•ackers, wliiti
her side,
d to give tt:
ig a coiunniii:
e, by canals,:
bave rcstraiiii-;
' by means >
larts that li;;;
istricts towaro
nonths, all tl
:. The niisir
ich travelkd:
jle, even in tl
a MS. joum 1
;y were carrit; %
lirust into li*t
ir men, so wic
igue, f'requcn;: :
a hovel ot ii:
em in the niii
weather; tk
e, admittiiiii tl
: they geiierai,
). But many:
;. Van Braai ■;
ixurious Hie '
ation in Cliii:;
led as thin as

js treatment o!
by some ancit: i
g so eagerly att 1

:r.V]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

)sely after that of the English, and was intended as a
iscouragement to any further missions of the kind
)iii other nations, we have no means of knowing;
it the reception of a second English embassy was
)fc nmch better, in some respects, than that of the
futch.

All I can say is, that nothing could be more coni-
irtable or commodious than the whole of the inland
ivigation on the Grand Canal, and on the rivers of
fhina, from the northern to the southern extremity of
^is vast empire ; and nothing could exceed the unre-
mitting care and attention of those great officers of
ite, to whom the charg . of the embassy was en-
isted, not to mention that of the Emperor himself.
We found, as expected, that the influence of the
fellow Kiver, on the south side, with its iidets and
itlets, had covered a vast extent of country with
ramps and marshes. Beyond these, however, the
ipovince of Kiang-nan, in which we still were, rose into
\\h, and gave the indication of fertility, prosperity,
id an abundant population. We were told, indeed —
id we experienced it — that the part of the country
Ihich we had now reached, and as far as Hang-choo-
10, a distance of 250 miles, was the most beautiful,
le best cultivated, the wealthiest, and the most popu-
ns of any district, of equal extent, in all China;
lere being not fewer than four celebrated cities of the
[st rank close to the bahks of the Grand Canal, two
which, Sao-choo-foo and Hang-cho-foo, are among
|e finest and the most wealthy cities of China.
The face of the country now became enchanting, both
Ifore and after passing the great river of Yang-tse-
ing in its south-e? tern course to the sea. I may at

II 2

• ■ <

t :i

1 ,!l.

I r

■

',•••>■"•

100

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[Chap, 111

once say, that we launched without ceremony into tlii;
grand and beautiful river, about two miles iu widtli
and so gentle that no oblation was deemed necessarv,
About the middle of the stream we passed the Kli,.
,s/ian, the Golden Island, an imperial possession, coi'
taining a palace and a splendid pagoda. The numerous
ships of war, of commerce, and of pleasure, gliding «
this tranquil stream — the two shores covered with vi
lages and houses as far as the eye could reatli-
presented a picture more varied and cheerful tlia:
any that had hitherto occurred. Nor was the caiiai
on entering it, found to be less lively. Cities, t(nvii>
and villages, the whole distance from the Yello\y Kivir,
were scattered along its banks without intermission:
fleets of vessels collecting and carrying the taxes j)ai
in kind, others laden with merchandise, and others i:
pursuit of pleasure ; presented a busy and an intcro;
ing scene. But to take a glance at the construction i;
the canal, between the two mighty rivers of China :-
Here, and in other places where the varied surtiK>
of the country required great changes in the levels l
the canal, a succession of dams separates the two kvei:
in the form of glacis, of which the following skeU:
may serve to give an idea. The barges are let clow:

Canal

and hauled up by a windlass and ropes on each bar
of the canal; and they pass over a round beam of w
crossing the upper part of the glacis.

0U(

i I

[CUAP. li

lony into tB
lilcs ill widtk
led nccossarv,
.ssed the Kuf
lossession, eoi:-
The iiumerou;
ire, glidinii' o:
vered with vi,.
could reacli-

cheerful tlia:
was the canal

Cities, town;

Yellow Eivir,
t intermission;

the taxes j)ai;

and others i:
lid an iiitcrc*

tionstructioii i:
s of China :-

varied surfatt

in the levels i:
s the two kvet ,, 1
ollowing sketti
es are let dow:

ECT. v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

101

i;^

nJi

Canal

W^'/JA^'Z'/^;

is on each baiii
d beam ofwooc

111 my walks through the grounds of this rich pro-

lincc, to the southward of the Yang-tse-kiang, I met,

I had been led to expect, with whole plantations of

le cotton-plant that produces the yellowish-brown

irhich in England is called nankin^ from its being

liefly grown in the vicinity of that city. I could not

liscover any difference in the leaf or the pod of this

Ind of the common sort. Cultivation was here carefully

Ixercised ; various kinds of pulse and grain in drills,

Ind very luxuriant; buck-wheat in great qnantities,

roiii the flour of which is made their excellent pastry ;

lillet of three or four kinds, in high perfection — the

dcm f<orghum six to eight feet high. I had seen

iothing in the shape of a plough.* The valleys were

Irowded with a variety of trees ; two of considerable

y,\\\ty and great utility — the Laurus camphora and

le Croton sebiferuin. The shining foliage of the first,

liiigled with the purple leaves of the second, inter-

ipted by the tall and stately Thuia orientalis — the

Irce of life — had a pleasing effect on the eye. And the

liversified forms of the repositories of the dead, with

le usual melancholy cypress, sobered the mind in

)ntciiip]ating the gayer portions of the scene. It was

this bewitching part of the country that my fellow-

isseiigcr Dr. Gillan preferred reading the Carthagi-

iaii romance of Virgil to the contemplation of the

jalities of China.

The usual and most direct route to Canton is
3sterly, by the Yang-tse-kiang, passing Nankin, and
^encc, against the stream, to the Poyang lake, which is
fact an inland sea; and thence southerly, against

To open drills in wet or moist grounds, a wooden beam, witli a
lulter attached to it, is drawn by an ox, a pony, or an ass.

'.'■■ 1 « I
■.'■■'■., •.. i^

■ I i\

, I '

(■I

■ ' i

■!ii

102

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[CiiAi'. 11, m

another stream flowing into it •, but as some of our
party were to join the ' Hindostan ' at the Chusan
islands, to which the bay of Hang-choo-foo is Jircctly
opposite, we had kept along the canal, which terminates
at the latter place, and by so doing had the opportunity
of passing through the garden of China, and of seeiiis
the two celebrated cities of Sao-choo-foo and Ilaii;;-
choo-foo. The suburbs of the former took us time
hours before reaching the walls of the city, where a
multitude of vessels were at anchor. The walls wert
crowded with spectators, mostly clothed in silk; the
ladies in petticoats, not trowsers, a black satin cap \\\[\
a triangular peak extending to the root of the nose,
with a crystal button decorating the head ; the checks
highly rouged, and two vermilion spots like small
wafers — very conspicuous — one on the centre of tlu
under lip and the other on the chin. The pleasure
and the passage yachts were crowded with these well-
dressed ladies, which to us was quite a novel siglit,
these fair creatures having hitherto rarely condescended
to afford us a look at their beauty.

I have noticed elsewhere the explanation of the
superior style of dress in these females, as given by the
Christian missionaries, — that, in this city and in Hans-
choo-foo, females are educated in the pleasing arts ot
singing, music, and dancing, in order to render them
agreeable and fascinating ; that they are sold as concu-
bines, or second wives, to mandarins and persons of pro-
perty, " this being the principal branch of trade that 'n
carried on in those two cities." But I have observed that
such an assertion is as unfounded as it is ridiculous ; ami *
that the writer must have been credulous to an extra-
ordinary degree, to suppose that the principal trade o;

v5S

M- '

[Chai'.II,

5ome of our
the Chusan
) is Jirectly
h terminate
opportunity
nd of seeiii!!
I and Ilaiii:
3ok us three
jity, where a
le walls \\m
in silk; tlit
atin cap \\\\\
of the nose,
[ ; the checks
s like small
centre of tlu
The pleaourt
th these well-
novel sigiit,
condescends

nation of tk
given by the
and in Han?-
leasing arts of
) render theiii
sold as concu-
persons of pro-
f trade that is
s observed that
idiculous; aiitl
us to an extra-
icipal trade oi

CT. v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

1U3

m of the largest cities in the world, with a population

not less than a million of souls, and a most extensive

id flourishing commerce, should consist in buying

id selling ladies of pleasure. If they had merely

|iid that wives and second wives are bought in a legal

[ay, they might have been believed, for such is the

graded state of Chinese females.

The day before reaching Ilang-choo-foo, we passed

U'ough forests of nmlberry-trees, among which were

i)served numerous sheds, and people employed in the

jre and cultivation of silk-worms, which continued for

)me miles. The canal between the two cities above

jentioned is a splendid sheet of water, which termi-

ites in a spacious basin, at this time crowded with

lipping; and out of it issue numerous small canals,

lat intersect the city, and which, passing throuj^'h

rches formed in the walls, fall into a large lake at

leir feet on the western side. The streets of the city

re clean and commodious; and the shops splendidly

id abundantly stocked with articles of every descrip-

m which China can supply.

The oay/ioo, or western lake, is the seat of pleasure,

weV as of profit, to the inhabitants of Hang-choo-foo.

LS we were to be delayed here a couple of days while

le baggage of our companions, about to leave us, was

issed over a neck of land to the sea-coast, I prevailed

»i the good-natured Van-ta-gin to make a party to the

Ike, to which he most readily assented. A splendid

icht was provided, and another made fast to it, to serve

a kitchen : the repast began the moment we got on

lard, and ceased only when we stepped ashore. We

id at least a hundred different dishes in succession, all

icellent of their kind. A thousand barges were sail-

• . 1 " i

• . •« :,

• fi

•1)

■ ■"' If

' :!■

:'.■ '•..*:'

■'■■*,,■■,)

ill I

■li

KAIil, OF MACAin'NKYS

L(;i!M'.iil

ill^: to and (Vo, ull ^'aily decorated witli paint and ^i|i
ing, and si reaming- colours; tlu; parties in auh ol'tlau
apparently in pnrsiiit of pleasnre. The margins of tli
lake are studded with li^ht ai'rial buildings; oik .
eonsiderahli' extent was said to he tlu; property ol' tli
sovereign. The linest flowerinj;' shruhs and roots \mi
ahiindant in the p'lrdens, as were; also the vaiiii,
I'ruits of the country, hut all inilillerent, exce|)t tl
oranji'es. Some of the scenery surrounding- this LiL
is very heautil'ul, and ol' great variety- the niountiiii
pictiu"es(pic, and the valleys at their I'eet made inters:
ing- hy the mnnher and tlie diU'erent I'ornis of nioiii
mental stones, sacred to the memory of the dead, iiip.
rendered niori' interesting hy the several groups of mi:
viving relatives, with votive offerings that are nun:
regarded hy the Chinese.

Notwithstanding our frecpient visits to the refic.4
mentroom in the yacht, so proliisely stocked hy oi
friend Van, 1 did get time to take a sketdi of the lak
and of a temj)le on the o])p()site side called the "Tciiij!
of the Thundering Winds" — Ldi-fumi-ta — ])erchc(l n
the toj) of a well-shaped hill. From this sketch M:
Alexander made a pretty drawing, a print of whicli:
in Sir George Staunton's narrative.

The enormous amount of the j)opuIati()n of Cliiiii
as given to Lord Macartney, was considered to I
exaggerated, though admitted that the vast extent i
territory was suiticient to feed such a nund)er. 1 liav
found a note, whicli I nuist have got in China, on son
statistics of that empire, in which it is stated that tli
number of walled cities is 4400 : takcu at an avoix
of 20,000 inhabitants to each (which 1 believe is in
one-haltj Pekin being reckoned 3,000,000, Canto;

iiiiit and \iM-

I t!JU'h of till i:

iiar|j;iiis ol' tli.

.lill^•s ; one I

irojim'ty ol' ilk

and roots \vn

lO tlic Mw'm

lit, except til

iliiig this till

the nioiiiitalii

made iiitcio;

)niis of nioiii,

tlie tlead, iiii

groups ol' >ii:

that are mm:

to the relVi.4
stoeked hy ui,:
tell of the lakt,
■dthe "Teiuiil
'a — ])ereheil ic
this sketch M;
i-int of whicliJ

hition of Cliiiif.
)nsidered to I
) vast extent I
lUnher. 1 liii^
China, on soiik
stated thattk

II at an avorii|:^^|
1 hclievc is ii'
)0,000, Caiitffi I

k.T, V.|

KMHASSY TO CHINA.

lOA

• ■ I

()()(),()()(), and Sao-ehoo and I laniJf-ehoo each ahove
()()(),()()()), our moderate estimate gives HH,U()(),()()()
r the cities ah)ne.

On the (hiy IbHowing our visit to the lake, Coh)nel

tiisoii, Dr. (Jlilhin, and myselfj accompanied hy a mili-

ry ollicer and his orcUirly, rode over a neck of huid to

)k at the yachts jireparing for tlie remainder of our

iiinicy. in the eveninj::, on returning, I proposed to

t short the road hy a direct line to one of the city

tcs, whicii I liad gone over uitli Van-ta-gin two days

kl'ore. The oilicer, perceiving our intention, sent

ward the orderly direct for the same gate. We

urred our horses alter him ; on which the officer and

,e orderly set up such a hue-and-cry, that the whole

hurbs were presently in a state of commotion. The

tes were instantly shut, and all within was confusion ;

c gongs were heaten and the guard turned out. I

med them there was nothing to fear — that we were

ly three, and had no other object than to pass to our

,clits. At length. Van and Chou, with soldiers and

eiidants, made their a[)pearance, and affected to

ijoy the joke of three Englishmen having caused so

cli alarm to a strong city, which had then a garrison

3000 men within its walls.

At a few miles fiom the city, we now took shipping

the river Tching-tang-chiang, flowing from the

til into Ilang-choo-foo hay. It occupied us seven

s against the stream to reach its source, not far

ni the only city, on its banks, of the third rank,

led Tchang-tang-shien. The adjoining country is

deficient in picturesque scenery; the surface is

untainous and romantic, yet was cultivated with great

lis, wherever the labour of the husbandman could be

.li

■•■'■ ' vi>'''ih

.' ••••

106

EAKL OF MACARTNEYS

[CnAi',

made to avail. In the valleys and glens was no n\;
of trees — the tallow and the camphor tree, cedars, fi^
and the tall and stately arbor vita?. Groves of orangtf,
lemons, and citrons were seen in most of the lift!:
valleys, that sloped down to the river ; and few of \h
cottages w^ere without a small garden and plantation a
tobacco; the larger plains were planted with sugar-caw
We had hitherto never fallen in with the tea-])laiit
here, however, it formed the hedge-rows of the gardcE

We had again a neck of land to cross, in order to gf
to the source of another small river falling to the vcj;
ward. With the greatest difficulty, chairs and men;
carry them (something such as the Dutch had), i
horses, could be procured : the English soldiers ^vli i
composed the Ambassador's guard were to be canit:
in these little chairs, shoulder-height; and thus elevate
in the air, with their feathers and their firelocks, k
feeling ashamed to be dragged along by the poor Iia.:
naked and half-famished wretches ressed into the st;
vice, they speedily dismounted, and insisted, in tlie:
turn, upon carrying the Chinese : this land-journey vj.
about twenty-four miles.

The source of the river Loinj-clden-ton (which flo'
westerly into the Poi/aug lake) is in the granite hi!
near the city, of the third order, Eu-f^Iian-s/i ten, a inoa:
looking place, where we stopped a couple of days,
continued heavy rain, which inundated the ricc-iiiii
so as to leave only their thatched roofs visible aliov
the surface of the water. One of our vessels was up?
on the roof of one of these mills. During two da)
sail, the hilly country contijmed to be well wooded vt
camphors, firs, and tallow-trees; but, on ap})roacliii
the great /^o//ayi// sea, it assumed the appearance ot'^

[ClI.M'.

y-i

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

107

was no uai.
e, cedars, fir^,
res of oraiigi!,

of the litti:
md few of tk

plantation o:
ith sugar-caiit
the tea-plaiii
Df the gai'deiii
in order to gt
ig to the \ve>;
rs and men;
utch had), c

soldiers \\\

to be carrit;
1 thus elevate.
r firelocks, k
/ the poor lia!;
id into the si:
sisted, in the:
nd-journey vi

on (which flof
he granite liil
i-shten, a mea:
pic of days, '
the rice-mi
s visible abov
essels was nf
in'ing two dav'
ell wooded vit:
on approadiii.
pearance ofoi

jtended marsh, without any visible signs of cultivation.

lis in fact the sink of China — a wide waste of swamp,

(irse grass, and bulrushes, for ten or twelve miles from

margin of the lake. A few huts, and as many boats,

licated the occupation of the inhabitants to be that of

ching fish, which is done by various means. To

ible them to take water-fowl, large gourds and

^cks of wood are thrown into the waters, to fami-

rise these creatures to such objects; the fishermen

^11, keeping their bodies below the surface, and stick-

their heads into the gourds or earthen pots, ap-

bach the birds in a gentle manner, take them by the

and draw them quietly under the w^ater.
We had now to be tracked up the river Kan-kiang-ho,
lich hows from the south into the Poyang lake, after
lourse of about three hundred miles. On this river
the city of Nan-tchang-foo, where four or five hun-
^d revenue vessels were lying at anchor ; these being
that class, which is said to amount to ten thousand.
Lad the curiosity to go on board one of them, in order
iscertain its capacity. I found its dimensions within
)e, length 115 feet, breadth 15 feet, and depth of
hold 6 feet ; estimated burden 250 tons. Before
city, therefore, besides the multitude of small craft,
re about 100,000 tons of shipping.
d the city of Kin-gan-foo the river became much
h'OAver, the current much stronger, and it required
jiiy men to track the barges. The country, however,
rcased in beauty, fertility, and population, as we pro-
led. Hitherto, the banks abounded with larch, firs,
camphor-tree, and that useful plant the bamboo ;
the general produce of the soil was the sugar-cane,
I dwarf mulberry ibr the nutriment of the silkworm.

l!!

• .> .'

•'■t
t,

108

EAUL OV MACARTNEY'S

[ClIAP.I

C I

wheat, maize, and holcus. Among the most ahnnda:
shrubs on the upper part of this river was the Caiiiell
sesanqua, called hy the Chinese the c/ia-irli(t, t
"flower of tea," which it resembles, beinj^ in fact oftl
same genus : and I always sus])ected the Assam tt
to be the same as, or a variety resembling, tlu' «
sanqua. Having ])otted two varieties of the ten-pit
and of the sesanqua, and being desirous of addiiii:
them a plant of the varnish-shrub (for which tills ph
is famous), I prevailed on our excellent friend Vaix
gin to obtain o!ie for me^ which he as readily did ;is:
had done the others. They all however, after ouimI fi
parture, began to droop and the leaves to wither. Sl
pecting the trickery of the Chinese, 1 caused the jn
to be examined, when it was found that not a single pk
had the smallest portion of a root, each being a me
cutting from a branch of its respective shrub.

The banks of this river being high, the Avatcrv f|jBt)n(
brought up to them by means of a wheel, i'rom .'}() to; ^W^ '^
feet in diameter, made entirely of baml)oo, witlioir fHKh'i
piece of iron — even a nail. The water is scodi* fl
up in the river by the hollow joints of the haiiil
placed obliquely on the outer rim of the wheel, .<() ti
each joint on its arrival at the top dej)osits, through t; ^
open end, the \\ater it had carried up, in tanks or otl, ^
vessels there placed to receive it.

We had now a very serious land journey beluii
across the steei) and loftv mountain of Mi/in, \\h-^''^%^
summit is the boundary of the two provinces of Kia;, ^
see and Quan-tung ; on the south side of which is
river IVi-kiang-ho, that flows by tiie city of V-M ^
and the mouth of which is familiarly known In n- J'
the name IJocca T'njris, We ascended this muuiits

rit
irii-

i:('iiAi..|

most al)\iii(la:
lis till". Caiiu'll,
c c/ui-irltd, (
ig in Diet oftl
the Assam \,
iiiblinji, till' j
>f the tea-|)l,i
IS of addiii'.'-
which this pla
t friend Vaix
eadily did ;is;
cr, after our d
to wither. Si,
caused the p
lot a single pk
c\\ heiiifi; a im:
«hrub.

1, the Avatont
1, i'rom .'}() tii;
iinboo, withoir
ater is sconjv
of the baiiil"
le wheel, so tl:
)sits, throutili ::
in tanks or (itt

)nrney hefoiv
of M(Hii, wIk-
fvinces of Kia:.
> of whicli is; I
city of Ciuit'
f known to ib
I this niuuiitii

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

109

c on liorseback, otliers in chairs, over a //cll-paved

carried on in a zig/ag niaiiner across the very

est point, ill whidi was cut a pass of consideraldo

itli, tlirongh a granite rock. The view from the

init is varied and ridi, extending over a great

of the province of Canton. Our descent down

s]o})e was gradual for about eighteen miles, which

gilt lis to the city of Naii-shuen-foo. In this

lUce we had met at least a thousand persons on

,r way to Nan-gan-foo, each bearing ten or twelve

lis of oil, and among thorn a number of women.

fter passing some six miles down the southern slope

Mc'liii, the mountain had blended into the general

ce of the country ; then commenced a constant

'ssioii of buildings, on the remaining twelve miles,

at it iiiight be considered as one continued street:

their miinber, however, consisted of jdaces of con-

cnce for passengers — the doors, or rather openings,

:;' always invitingly fronting the jiublic road. Each

ling, whether alone or connected with another, had

rie of this kind open for public, joid at the same

, for jirivate benefit, and under each was a terrace

irn — so anxious are the Chinese to collect and pre-

, for use or for sale, every species of manure, which

iversally used in a liquid state, in their general

111 of dibbling and drilling.

e had no sooner entered the province of Canton,
jeniliarked on the rei-kiang-ho, than a very marked
ence was perceptible in the conduct of the inha-
D^pts. Even the peasantry ran out of their houses,
bat^^ing out .all kinds of opprobrious language in the
jargon of Canton, and the further we advanced towards
thai city, the more rude and insolent they became. We

1 •"

•■' . ^

; 1

I mi

i'lIi

■ I

,1'

I! J

I •

' V

110

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[ClIA^-

had taken up our lodgings at Nan-shuen-foo, in a put
temple dedicated to the memory of Confucius, being t:
college where students nre examined for their degre
It consisted of a long dark room, divided by two ro;
of red pillars, having no furniture, paintings, or a:
other ornament than some paper lanterns suspcm!
between the pillars. At the further extremity vv
several small apartments, in which we contrived top
the night.

One of these temples, or colleges, is to be found io
near most, if not all, of the great cities ; they are sck
in fact for young statesmen, where they are instruc
and examined in political morality, contained in:
books of Confucius, in which is to be found the s
religion, and apparently the only one they pos-e
and it consists chiefly of that kind of command ;
obedience which is supposed to exist between part
and children, superiors and inferiors, and the Enipe
over all, as absolute sovereign. Yet he affects, at 1-
when matters of state go wrong, to ask advice, ;
even reproo/j from his subjects, and tags ?. moral luai
or two to his self-reproach. Homer appears to h
well understood this : —

'" Bold is tiie task when subjects grown too wise
Instruct a monarch where l;is error lies ;
For thougii tliey deem the short-liv'd fury past,
'T is sure the mighty will revenge at last."

We sailed for two days in our little barges tlm
one of the most wild, mountainous, and barren trac;
country I ever beheld, more abundant in the siili
and awful than in the picturesque or bcnii"
Rising from the margin of the stream we observed:
remarkable points of sandstone rock, one above

- *'

-foo, in a pul*
iicius, being t
)r their de^%
:3d by tworr^
lintings, or i
;erns suspend
extremity w:
;ontrived to[; .

;o be found in
they are sck
;y are instrut:
contained in:
found the ^!;
;ie they posji-
»f command ;
between part:
ind the Empt;
e affects, at 1*
ask advice, ;
?. moral niai
appears to b

11 loo wise
lies ;

M fi\ry past,
It last."

e barges thrK
d barren tract
nt in the suit!:
lue or bcant
we observed:
:, one above

r. v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

Ill

"> .. ) ' \\

ier, with perpendicuhir faces, as if they had been

m out of one soUd mountain : they were called the

\ma-fou, or the five horses' heads. Pine-trees ap-

ired on the mountains, and lower down the sloping

les tracts of coppice-wood, in which the camellia pre-

led, which with plantations of tobacco, near the fisher-

n's huts in the glens, were the principal features in

vegetable world. In the defiles of these mountains

observed the adits of numerous collieries, advan-

M)nsly worked by driving levels from the bank of

river. So long as the mountains continued, the

habitations on the borders of the river were the

ts of the colliers and the fishermen. Quarri(;s of

it extent occurred in these wild and romantic

mtains, from which stones for temples, sepulchral

unuents, arches of bridges, blocks for paving streets

roads, and for various other purposes, were cut

fashioned.

L<" tlie city of Tchao-tchoo-foo the hills began to re-
3, and the river to \\iden ; so that we exchanged our
[bottomed boats for large end commodious yachts.
^e, for the first time, we were gratified by the un-
il sight of numerous young girls rowing the ferry-
boats, employed in carrying passengers across the
ril||r. I say gratified, for hitherto (except at Sao-
tcheo-too) we had scarcely set eyes on a female, unless
l^Mie ])erformance of some drudgery on the land or on
ttiCwater, whereas the young girls in question were
(Spntly dressed in neat white jackets and petticoats,
i;i})sy straw hats.

)oii after this, the chain of mountains abruptly
3d, and we entered upon a wide-extended plain.

■■It

.li

I '!

!■' |!

112

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[ChapJ

terminated only by the horizon, and we observed ;
parts of it in a high state of tillage, the chief prodii
being rice, sugar-canes, and tobacco. The rivtr fc
considerably increased in width, being not less than k
a mile. Canals branched from its two banks in eve
direction. The whole country might be considered ai
garden, producing objects applicable alike to profit j
to pleasure. The choicest shrubs and flowering plant;
China were here to be met with, collected r.nd cultivat
for sale ; and these, coupled with the rise of the river
the tide, gave sufficient indications that we were at
great distance from the city of Canton; in fact, on;:
1 0th of December, we halted before a village just
sight of the suburbs of that city.

Here the Ambassador was met by the fiictorv c
missioners of the East India Company, who had a.
neral permission from the Viceroy to proceed tlui>:
to make their parties of pleasure. On the present oi
sion, with the view of making the entree of the cnilii
the more striking in the eyes of the Chinese, a iiiiii. •
of barges had been prepared with flags, streaiiir
and umbrellas, with bands of music, and various i::
insignia of official etiquette. About the niiddl
the day we arrived before the factories, wlierc
Ambassador was received by the So)uj-t''>o, or Vici:
the Governor, the Ho-poo, and all the principal dti
of government. We were then all conducted to
opposite side of the river, where a temporary huik
of poles and mats had been prepared for the oe( a>
within which was displayed the usual screen of vi
silk bearing the name of the Emperor in gilt diarai'
and before Avhich the Viceroy and other officers i

[ClIAf.-^

re observed t
e chief prodii
The river L;
ot less than h
banks in eve
considered ai
ke to profit a
iwering plant;
d {ind cultiva:
;e of the river
t we were at
; in fact, on:;
a village just

the factory c
y, who had a.
proceed thus:
the present oi
('(? of the cnilft
Ihinese, a nun.
flags, streaiiii
\nd varions i':
it the niiiKlk
ories, wlieri.'
()-t'^o, or Vici;
i principal liffi
conducted to
}mporary bulk i
1 for the oc(a«
1 screen of vt..
' in gilt cliavat:
)ther oflftcers"

rr. v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

113

rongh the required prostrations, in token of respect

id gratitude to his Imperial Majesty for having vouch-

fed us a jileasant and prosperous journey.

It is but justice to the Chinese Emperor and hi.s

keriunent, as well as to the officers who had any con-

|rii in the affairs of the end)assy, to declare that, as

larded ourselves, their conduct was uniformly marked

liberality, attention, and an earnest desire to please.

Ind I may add, without being accused of national

knity, that, in the course of a long journey and daily

tercourse, all prejudice against us as foreigners, if it at

existed, speedily disappeared ; that, gained by our
ink and open manners, they seemed to fly with plea-
Ire to our society, as a relief from the stiff' and tedious
nnalities they were obliged to assume in their official
3acity. I have stated in another place * tnat our two
)rthy conductors, Van and Cliou, constantly passed
evenings in some of our yachts, and I added —
[t is impossible to speak of those two worthy men

terms equal to their desert: kind, condescending,
[reniittino- in their attentions, they never betrayed one
)nieiit of ill humour from the time we landed in
lina till they took their final leave of us at Canton."
lese two officers were capable, indeed, of real attach-
jnt. They insisted on accompanying the Ambassador
i board the 'Lion,' where they took their last farewell,
parting they burst into tears, and showed the
longest marks of sensibility and concern. Their
felings quite overcame them, and they lefl the ' Lion '
^rowful and dejected. " And here," says Lord Ma-
ftney, "our friends Van-ta-gin and Chou-ta-gin took
fcve of us. They shed tears at parting, and showed

* Travels in Cliiiia.

.' • 1 '

..VII

i-ii: i

[■ii

p. I!

.' •■■(
. t.

II:

114

Kwih OK ma(;autni:y's

r<'iup,ii|

sncli marks of sonsiliility aiul coiiconi as (loiild jmiciv
from iionti Imt siiiccri! and imc.orruptod htarts. Ii
over could for^cl, the l'ric;iidslii|) and attaclimciii ot'tliK
two worthy men, or tlic services they reiuUred us,
sliould l)(^ guilty of tin; deepest iiiji,ratittule."

Early the followiiiM; moriiiiij;' tliey sent on \m,\^
twenty haskets of fruit and ve^etahles as a faiv«>
token oi' remend)rance. We liad the satislhcti
to hear that, immediately on their arrival at IVki:
both wire promoted — Chou to a hi^h situation at coiir
and \'an in tlu; army; and it afterwards ap))ear((l tl:
Van, the cheerful, ^ood-iunnoured Van, had ]);ii(l '
(lel)t of nature, having- fallen iionourahly in the ,s(r\;
ol'his country.

To myself personally Van-ta-^in was always iin,
kind and anxious to make himsi^lf agreeable. Vp
the first 1 endeavoured to converse with him in an
(){' /Mitois Chinese, in which he was evt;r ready to ma;
out my meaning; he never passed our yacht witlio.
calling out " l\iUo, ho/o doT (Barrow, how are Vdii'
At Canton he gave me a mark of his confidence hyi;
viting me to a little evening ])arty, which he a])iH'ar:
desirous sliould not he jmhlicly known. One cveiiL
Lee came to me with a message from Van, re(|iusti:
me to return with him to his yacht to join a ,sil
party of his friends, apologising for not sending t;
usual card of invitation. I returned with Lee .
his boat to V^an's yacht, and was introduced iiitu
handsome apartment, and severally to three cki:;i
well-dressed ladies, each of whom 1 was desired :
salute. Next I was presented to a third geiitkim
the new Governor of Canton. The ladies were iini
amused at my clumsy attempts to speak their laiigiii!:

'"ik"
and

iWlf I

their
dtCin

[("lUPj

^•r. V.

KMHASSY TO CHINA.

11/;

, could ])r()(iv
I lu'iirts. It:
•Imiciii of till-
iHiiuUrcd us,
le.

scut on Ixiar
4 as a tjiriwt
\iii siitisracti
■rival at IVk
tiiation at cdiir
,s a|)i)t!arc(l tL
II, had |)ai(l r
ly ill the .si;r\i

^as always iim
«;rccal)l('. Im''
h him ill a a:
1- ready to ma'
ir yacht witlii.
, how arc ymi'
foutideiice hy:
ich he appwir
I. One eviiii:
Van, rc(iiKsti
to join a Ml
not sciuliiig t
i.;d with Iac
itroduccd into
to three cU"::
was desirotl
third ^;ciitkiii'
ladies were m
ik their lanpia-

if l)ciii<4 prompted by Van to ask tli(!m to i'avour me
ith soini! music and siiif^in!^', tlicy I'cadily let me know
tlicir (•om])iianc(;, that tliey liad none of tjiat vice
licli Horace ascribes to all siiiji'crs, for ail three struck
forlliwitli, accomj)anied hy an instrument of the
iiic nature as tin; jj,uitar. Tin' ladies conducted them-
Ivcs with ^rcat decorum, yet 1 felt anxious to know
i(t or what they were ; hut the (piestion was not to he
icd; and after takinj;' a (;u|) of tea with some fruit
^(1 cakes, in about an hour Lee; came l()r me in our
lilt. I asked him if he knew anything of these ladies,
it he said he had been so lonj^ont of liis own country,
it he had almost forti'otten the maiui(;i"S of his <!Oiin-
iiKU. lie did not know whether Van or (Jhoii had
iir lirst or second wives in their own barges with
jni, lint he believtid one of the thre(! to be the wife of
(Jovernor of Canton, and the other two her friends.
ic next day our conductors took their leave in the
miur I have mentioned, and the embassy shortly
|cr removed to Macao. We remained at this place
g«( lal weeks waitinji' lor the homeward-bound ships of
tbie I'^ast India Comjiaiiy, thirteen in munber, to be
jdbi(((l under the convoy of the 'Lion.' On the Gtli of
8(g)t< iiiher, 171)1, we arrived at Spithead, havin<r on the
pfe^it)us nijiht run between two lines of Lord Howe's
fleet, standing; down Channel, after having- safely lodged
hit pi'izes taken from the French on the 1st of June
pteccdint'-.

Having now in my remarks gone rapidly and
d%htly over a long journey, by water and by land, of
SOBic twelve or thirtiieu hundred miles, through the heart
oi^h(! Chinese Empire, and having walked, from curi-
as well as for the sake of making observations, not

I 2

i 'll

'■

■ •.>.'

. ),

116

1';A1!L or MACAiriNEVS

[('HAl.,1

less certainly than a tenth part of that distance aloi
and unmolested, it is due to the inhahitants to doclar
that I never met with the slightest insult or intcrm-
tion from any class of the Chinese population, wlutli
official or ])k'l)eian ; hut, on the contrary, the mostci;
and courteous conduct from the highest to the lowc;;
with a willing disposition always to oblige.

The two succeeding embassies, it is well known, nii
with another kind of treatment — that of the Duti
literally from their humiliating conduct and denieanoi;:
The second English embassy to Pekin was treated in
way very unlike the first, and altogether failed ; ni
however, owing to any fault of Lord Andierst, tl
Ambassador, or of the gentlemen who composed I.
suite. No man could possibly be more courteous tlia
his Lordship, or more anxious to obtain the objects
his mission, in which he was ably assisted by one, : ;
least, of the three commissioners; but, unfortniiau!-
it was doomed in its outset to the failure it met wit;
mainly, if not altogether, by the improper advice givr
by a certain ])ersonage, who had a sort of prescripti;
influence in the Treasury at the time, and in some otii
departments of government.

In order to support such a charge I must put my-;
into the witness-!)OX. Lord Buckinghamshire, tl,:
President of the Board of Control, sent one day to-:
me, for the purpose, he said, of consulting me on t:
subject of the letter to be written by the King of E::,
land to the Emperor of China. My first and obvid
observation was, that as the letter carried out bv L '
Macartney gave great satisfaction lO the Emperor a:
his ministers, as was publicly acknowledged by tlRiii
Pekin, and also in the Emperor's letter in reply toll

[ClIAP,

:t. v.]

EMUASSY TO '.'IllNA.

117

[listance aloi> '
lilts to (U'clar
t or iiitcrnii
atioii, wlutli'
, the iiiostiiv
t to the l()^vc>■
e.

L'll known, n,
of the Duti;
lucl deineaiioii:
vfis treated in
ler failed', ii'

Amherst, t!

composed 1.
courteous tli?.
in the object?
sted by one, :
-, ui.fortnnaUl;
hire it met win
per advice giv^
t of preseriptr
lid in some ott

must put iiiy?t
ghamshirc, tli
it one day to ^
dting me out;
he King of Ei.:
first and obvk
ried out by L '
the Emperor a
edged by tliein
T in reply to ti

the King of P^ngland, might it not be prudent to
llow it np by one of the like tendency on the ])resent
casioii ? Ihit his Lordship observed, " Lord Maeart-
y escaped the perforinanec of the degrading cere-
oiiia], which is the main point; and how did he
cceed without giving offence ? Did the letter he
■eseiitod effect that?" My reply was, "It did not,
t it prepared the Chinese for receiving some substi-
te of homage, which th^'Ugh the court did not and
nld not accept when tendered, as being contrary to
ic established rules of the empire, yet as it manifested
is])osition to meet them half-way, they were not dis-
ascd at it, though disai)})ointed."
But wliat," his Lordship asked, "am I to say in
letter to the Emperor which I am desired to draw
?" I observed, " That in my opinion much might
ult from the nature and style of the letter, from the
iig to tbe Emperor; that as obedience to the com-
iids of their sovereign is, with the Chinese, the first
dnties, they could not be so unreasonable as to exact,
111 the subjects of a foreign sovereign, disobedience
that sovereign's commands. It was by his Lordship
Bowing the most profound respect and reverence for his
n sovereign, and proposing to show^ the same respect
his Imperial Majesty, that })revailed on tlie Emperor
to insist on the Chinese ceremonial; I should, tlicre-
e, hniiibly advise that the Emperor of China be told, as
ni the King of England, that he had sent his trusty
well- beloved cousin to his presence, with suitable
scuts, and with strict injunctions to a])pear before
\m Imperial Majesty with every mark of respect, of
bSniage, and obeisance, and with such cereinonial as
fe# is recjuired and accustomed to use, in appearing
bi#)re his own sovereign."

.•:■-.*

■t

tl.

1:J'

'..<:

118

1:A1{L (;K MACAin'NKY'S

[CuAi'.lL

Lord Ijuckiiij^liamsliirc' ap])eare(l satisfied, and 1 1.
llevc the letter was written to that ellect; hut Mr. iim.
Hose, on heinji; consulted, interposed his opinion jn
advice, in direct opposition to that which 1 had giv(;
thought it nonsense, and that in })lace thereof h:.
Amherst should he instructed to act as the oceasiu;
niijiht re(piire, "leaving- Lord Amherst to his disfrotiir
whether to perlbrni the Koo-too or not, according i
he might tind himself likely to \)nAt hy the one on!.
other." And thus, with such an instruction in 1:
pocket, and with what kind of letter from his kin;;!
know not, was Lord Andierst thrown upon the widek,
of discretion ; hut he had a steady })ilot in Sir Cnor:
Staunton, a gentleman who, to great miklncss, urbaiiin
and benevolence of disposition, unites an indepeiidna
and lirnuiess of character not to he shaken hy ])ers(iiii
threats, to which he appears specially to have been sir;
jected on this occasion : it was through his skill ai:
decision that the Ambassador's bark escaped foundiri:.
on the rocks of degradation.

Of the three commissioners whom Lord AmlicF
had to consult — a nund)er (piite enough to ruin at;
project — two advised tlie performance of the Koo-tn
Sir George Staunton firndy resisted it, and his Lor}
ship wisely adhered to his opinion. ]\Ir. Marjorihaiii'
in his letter to Mr. Grant, says, "After attempted ii
timidation had failed, Lord Andierst (strongly iirgv:
by Mr. Ellis, the third commissioner) communicated!
Sir George Staunton, that he had made up his uiiiid;
perform the Koo-too, unless he (Sir George) was pre
pared to say that his doing so would be injurious tott
interests of the East Lidia Company." lie did says-
and most assuredly it Avould have been. Sir Giurc
had the strongest grounds for knowing that they wtr

i *L

It'llAIV

lied, and 1 1 .
(lit Mr. (jiMii.

1 I liad !iiv(:

thereof Ldi

s the occasii

) Ills discntii

, accordiiii: i

the one or tl

TUCtioil ill 1:

oiu his kill;;!

)n tlie Nvidi'H

in Sir Ckdii;

hicss, urhaiiiti

iiidepeiKkiii

:en hy ]m'm,.

have been sir-

1 his skill ai,

iped fouiukii:.

l^ord AiiilicK
nh to ruin ai;
of the Koo-tii

and his Lop:
•. ISIarjorihanli'
r atteini)tc(l !:•
(strongly ur^^';
jnimunientwli

up his niiml;
eorge) ^vas prf
injurious to tl
lie did say S"
n. Sir Goui:
; that they wir

CT, V,1

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

119

\w enough already at Canton, and that sueh a hunii-
itioii would, at once, throw the servants of the East

(lia Company more completely into the power of the
n'iiiits of Canton.

Jiord Andierst wisely therefore refused the degrading
;rcinoiiy, aiul was grossly insidted and dismissed, not
ilv without an audience of the Emperor, hut without
iving once enjoyed the light of his countenance,
1(1 without even having been admitted within the
itcs of the cajjital ; hut in the true spirit of Chinese
licanery and cuiming, the government having once
)t rid of the intruders beyond the atmosj)here of
:;kin, the end)assy was treated, on their way home,
^ith the same kind of attention throughout their long
[luriiev to Canton, as that which the embassy of Lord
[aoartney Imd experienced.

Had Lord Amherst carried with him such a letter as

I advised, and given a copy of it (always demanded) to

le inij)ertinent Tartar minister, on whom his Lordship

)nferred the title of Duke {Duke Ifo), and who on

mding presented to his Lordship a yellow screen to

)w down to, he would no doubt have escaped the

isolent outrage to which he was exposed ; and, more-

/er, have been graciously received by the Emperor,

ccr seeing in the proposed letter the notification from

10 sovereign of England of the conduct his And)as-

idor was to pursue. As it was, the crafty Duke had

ily to report to his master his Lordship's own obsti-

late refusal, without any palliating circumstances.

Subsequent events have brought us into a closer and,

is to be hoped, a more permanent connection with
le Chinese empire; and the only way to establish that
J'ectually must be by those, oflicially employed, having

:lil

! •'*

HJ'.

,1!

• ..♦ •• ■

120

EAHL OF MACARTNEY'S

[Chap.

obtained a competent knowledge of their language
This point, it has been supposed, will be gained k
means of the consuls or superintendents at the Easter::
ports. Much reliance, however, is not to be placed u:
these. Looking back for a century and a half to tlk
great number of English gentlemen, servants of tlk
East India Company, in the factory at Canton, we k<\
two, and only two, T believe — Sir George Staunton an!
Mr. John (now Sir Joh:i) Davis — who had conquemi
the supposed difficidtics of the Chinese language, aiic
translated several of their best works in various depart'
ments of moral and political literature, and even of tlk
drama and poetry. Before this, it was a subject of coiri'
plaint that, while the language and literature of Chii;;
were abundantly spread over the continent of Europe,!)
means of the studious labours of a few poor missionarii!,
and two or three literary gentlemen, the English, liviii;
in the lap of luxury, had supplied nothing; that con;
fort and luxury, perhaps, were the very causes cf tiit
defection. It was, moreover, a reproach cast on tlit
English nation that, while France, with little or no in-
tercourse with China, had established a Chinese proft-
sorship in Paris, England, with her lucrative comniercisi
intercourse, had given herself no concern as to tlio laii-
guage and literature of that most populous and exten-
sive, as well as most ancient empire in the world.

The reproach, however, is about to be wiped oti', Sir
George Staunton, with his usual zeal and readines>s tj
forward any rational scheme for the benefit of mankiml.
has nobly stood forward, and alone, chiefly by his pur-t
and his pen, has succeeded in obtaining the means el
establishing a Chinese professorship, to be ajjpended t-
the King's College of London. The importance t"

)ls.

llici

kI'"

[CiiAf.ii;^

m
eir languagt "^^^

be gained k

t the Easter;:

be placed O::

a half to tlk

rvants of tlit

niton, Ave y,

Staunton aiii

ad conqiR'M

language, aiic

arious depart'

id even of tk

ubject of colli-

iture of Chin;

of Europe, ly

r niissionariiN

English, liviii:

ng ; that coiii'

causes ef the

h cast c'\ tilt

little or no in-

Chinese profe

ve comniei'ciai

1 as to tlie laii'

us and extoii-

le world.

wiped otl". &

id readines>sK'

fit of niankiiiJ.

[ly by his puK

^- the meaus ul

)e a})pen(led t'

importance t'

fccT. v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

121

' " :!lili

lose, who obtain official situations in China, and to the
)uiitry which sends them, may best be secured by car-
ing with them a knowledge of the language. This is a
)int so obvious that, it is to be hoped, no lucrative ap-
)i tnicnt will hereafter be conferred on any candidate,
[ho has not undergone an examination by the Professor,
id had the extent of his knowledge ct. tiiied by him.

There is no difficulty whatever, as has been supposed,
acquiring a knowledge of the Chinese language.*
[he construction and arrangement of the written syiii-
3lri, that compose the language, are as simple, as in-
jnious, and withal as systematical, as the 'Systema
Tatura^'of Limia>us, to which, in fact, the classifica-
m bears a striking resemblance. The great divi-
loiis of the language may be compared to the classes
id ordf'rs, which are followed by the genera and
Decies.

A brief outline will suffice to give a general idea of

ie nature of the written and of the spoken languages

China. Of the former some dictionaries contain

),000 distinct characters or words, some .50,000, and

Jhcrs still more ; but four or five thousand are said to

sufficient for reading or writing the language. Each
^aractcr is a monosyllable, and therefore the name of
^y one character must necessarily be applied to a
[cat number of other characters ; for it would not be

sy to make out forty thousand difterent and distinct

)nosyriabie sounds in any language ; but we shall see
kw they get rid of this apparent ambiguity.

iMy eldest daufrliter (IMrs. Coi. Battj), at an early ago, wrote
iiiid made lierself aeqnaiiited witli tlie 214 radical cliaraoters,
would easily have conquered the language, had s«he been sup-
ed with Chinese books.

•d

i.l^il.
'I lit

.Mil
• V,l'

122

EAUL OF MACARTNEY'S

[Chap. II, I

In writing forty or fifty thonsand characters, somef
them apparently complicated, and composed of eightei
or twenty parts or strokes of the pen, there would ar.
pear to be some difficulty, but not more, if so nmch, ^
in forming the twenty-four letters of our alphabet. I
fact, none of the forty or fifty thousand characUt
however apparently complicated, have more lines e
rudiments in their composition than are comprised i
the following six ebments, or some small variation i
them : —

*"^ ya^ the numbi^r one.
Zij ya^ the same.

7 ycun., to descend.

"^ clioii^ a point.

y sieu, bent inwards.

^ the same, outwards.

1 hie,

These are generally found at the commencement
every dictionary, followed by a list of the keys (asv
usually name them), or radicals, or primitives, one
which is found attached to every character, and may
called its index, and is placed sometimes on the lii
side, sometimes on the left, frequently at the top, son
times at the bottom, and rarelv in the middle. Ot'tk
keys there arc no fewer than 214, which are arraiia
in the dictionaries under seventeen classes or chapKr i.,
the first containing only those characters composed
one line, the second of two lines, the third of throe, diw
to the seventeenth class, comprised of those of scveiite
lines, of which there are but two characters. The b
seven in the series extend to those of twenty-eight lint

|Th

^se,
lira
Go
irui

[Chap, 1

r. v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

123

acters, some'
3cd of eiglitet
lere would af

if so mucli,t
• alphabet. 1
Liid charactu'

more lines (
3 compriscil
all variation I

iiimencemciit ^
the keys (<>!(
'imitives, our
;ter, and inin '
ncs on the ri'i
it the top, sdii
iTiddlc. OftW
ch are arraiia
isses or chapttr
ers coinpo^^iil
rd of three, ih
lose of sevoiitc
,cters. The fi?
•veiity-cight h

leir average four; the ten next to 126 lines, average
rteen. The class of characters which contain the
est lines, occupy the greatest number of keys : —
First key ♦«-i ye, one.

*^ van, ten thousand — key above.
iJ^ shang, above — key below.
*7r' slda, below — key at top.

j^ slice, seven — middle,
econd key w$ ul, two.

^S yun, to speak.

2? ou, the number five — one part
above and one below.

y\ or X jin, a man — a very nume-
rous key.

AA chc, a young girl, ease, luxury.

\^ fihioi, commander of 1000 men.

Jj^ king, when, at the same time.

Q[ koo, the mouth — a very extensive
key.

r^ MO, and number ten, antiquity.

koo and ta (great and mouth), to
swallow, to devour.

^hese two last are among the very few, where the
and the character have any correspondence in
iise, which is a great defect in the combination of

racters.

Jencrally speaking, therefore, the dissection of a
iracter rarely attbrds information towards determin-

..Ik;

•.'■" ' •..*

■• '" i

* V

124

KAlil. OF MACAHTNEYS

LCiiAPi

iiig its sense. If. is quite sur{)risiiig how a people, \\>
could strike out so ingenious and methodical ;i iila
should liave coniniittcd so gross a hlund(!r, as to K
sight of all connection hetween the genus ami ti
species, and to ])lacc the keys at random, as it wc
regarding only the munher of strokes of the cliiirat;:
to mIucIi they are attached.

Thus what can a])pear to be more absurd tluiu ,1
two following instances : —

>^ the key, Avood — the character ori'r a mouth i!
noting an apricot; but wood luidcr the mouth ^
signil'/ing a stupid, ignorant fellow.

Or, take the following, both being keys ? —

W the sun

' \ hio, clear, white.

^^ wood

\ i/<u\ obscure, great.

wood or free

sun

Some of the early Jesuits in China underfook
analyse the characters, and to draw I'rom each scpai
part a concordant signilicatien ; but their object ;:
pears to have been to prove, that the two ])arts uiiitt
generally jn-oduced some sacred mystery, while tlk
fervid imaginations prevented their seeing the riilii
lous and revolting nonsense of su})})()sing the Cliiiif
to entertain subjects they never heard of. The I
lowing arc a few of them, extracted from a rm
ingenious work of extraordin-ry labour and reseyrt;
but not likelv to be of much utility :* —

* ' Systenia I'lioiieticum Sciiptiira' Siiiiea',' l)y Q. M. ('u\\V
INFissioiiario Apostolico in Cliiiia, 1841. I'lohably a roilii;
wlio writes in Latin and French.

ICiiAi'.i:

a people, wi
tluxlical ii |ili,;
d(!r, as to !>
go 1 Ills and t:
oiii, as it Mt:
t' i'lic t'liarac!

ibsurd tliMu ,:

'(';• a mouth i!
the luoutli ^

■ys ?-

v.]

KM15ASSY TO CHINA.

12.J

eat.

la undertook
m\ eaeli sopiira
their ohjei't z
wo parts uiii:-
ter\", whiU' tt
jeiiig' tlie riilii
isiiig the Chilli
i-d of. Jhi
[I I'roiu a rut
ur and rcscari:

(thably a I'ditii'-

j\'S tchuan, a ship generally. This character is ex-

khI to contain the history of the Dehige, as in it we

the xhip -^ , the number chjht )\^ , and a mouth

; that is to say, the ark, with eight persons, Noali,

hvife, and children.

Jau, greatly to long for, to desire. This is said evi-
fflfctly to describe the sin of Eve, being composed of ^Q
a woman, and yj^ moo, a tree, twice repeated —
jubtedly meaning Eve {co7ieii/)iscciis), between the
of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

^/ni)(/, sorrow, sickness ; alluding (we are told)
lour Saviour; being composed of ^Z i/(i>i<i, a lamb,
^A sin, the heart. — "The lamb of (iod, whoso
was sorrowful even to death :" — all of which, I need
ijidly say, is grossly absurd.

ft has been stated, that c^'ery one of the forty or fifty

isaud characters is a monosyllabic ; and the general

^reuce is, that the spoken language nuist be mono-

lahic ; but this is not so — most languages, I believe,

their infancy, were monosyllabic, even our own

glisli, as the Introduction to Johnson's Dictionary

show ; but by cond)ining the nmnosyllables, a more

lions and expressive language is obtained. Thus the

luesc phonetic language is su])posed to consist of no

te than 400 distinct monosyllables ; consequently,

)ng their 40,000 characters, all or most of them

^t be expressed by the same sound. But they have

means of getting rid of this apparent difficulty.

[their four intonations their 400 is capable of pro-

[hig lOOO; but what are these, it maybe said, to

:'-il

•1 ■;

■'. .' . il

V..*.'

' ■■•I

' ■' '. » .

126

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[CiiAp.i;

the 40,000 characters ? A man in conversation iiia|.
use of the sylhible foo, father, a monosyllabic sun:
which has, besides that of fat/icr, from twenty to tliir
different significations, and each may be represented i
its own distinct character, but the sound is the san;.
foo ; if the person spoken to appears to doubt, t;
speaker adds another syllable to it, and says foo-cl
father, relation, which decides the meaning. Tlios
\ah\e jin signifies man — if a crowd of men were to
described, it would be done by jln-nuin, men many. 1
a person has to say " I go to-day and retukii to-nionw
he will use the following: chin-f/e-lai, this day go; hi
ge whei-lai, to-morrow day return (back go).

In fact, a monosyllabic language is almost inipossi!
in the intercourse of mankind, and must of ncccs-
grow into a polysyllabic. Take, for instance, t:
numerals : —

ye, id, san, soo, ou, liev, tc/iee, pa, kieu, she.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Here, having counted ten fingers, we stop, as most i
tions do, civilised or savage. The Chinese thus pi
ceed, as we do : —

she-ye, she-id, she-san, she-soo, she-oif, shedhi,

11, 12, 13, 14, 15, IG,

she-tehee, she-pa, she-kieu, id-she, ul-she-ye, &c., to

17, 18, 19, 20, 21,

san-slie, san-she-id, He. ;
30, 31;

and thus till they reach 100, which is pei, peHH',i
and so advance to 1000, which is tsien, &c.

I have heard it said, that such a language is incapal
of being reduced to anything like grammar rules. Tt
refinement of grammar they have not, but enougli :

[CiiAp.i:

/ersatioii \m\.
osyllabic sou:
;wenty to tliir

representd:
id is the sait,
s to doubt, t;
d says foo-A
iiing. Tho s:
men were toi

men nianv, '
ukii to-nionoit
is day go ; m,.
: go).

Imost impossi!
ust of nt'cosr
r instance, i:

kieu, she.
9, 10.
top, as most i:
Jhinese thus ji

•ou, she-lu'ii,
5, 10,

she-yo, &c., to
21,

3 peiy pei-yi', i: |
&c.

Liage is incapal
mar rules. Tt
, but enoujili:

v.]

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

127

'■ • t

1 I

ve the purpose of a population of many hundred

llioiis. For instance, take the personal pronouns go,

t(i, I, thou, he; (/o-nmn, ne-mim, ta-nmn, we, ye,

\y ; that is, I many, thou many, he many. Of the

ins substantive they form the adjective, thus mjai,

e, by adding tie is ivjaitiCy lovely or loveliness ; moi,

luty, moit'u', beautiful. The verb, too, is partially

lijugatcd. The word ngai (or gai) signifies not only

le, but to love : go, ne, ta, gai, I, thou, he, loves ; go

\ii (/ai, I loved or did love ; go you gaiy I shall or

love.

[n the construction and arrangement of the written
kractor I have said there is nuieh ingenuity dis-
lyed, and the combination of the keys with the vast
ly of the language, according to the lines or strokes of
[h character, is methodically admirable, and affords a

it help for a student to acquire the language ; but

want of connection between the sense of the key

that of the character, which is almost generally

|[locted, shows a great lack of skill in the framers of

language, and is a great discouragement to the

iy of it.

(n the arrangement of the keys, which we have called
\ genera, and the characters with which they are com-
bed the species, nothing can be better. Being classi-
according to the strokes which each contain, be-

liiig with number one in each class and order, an
lex of the keys in the dictionary poini^s out the page

diich each of them will be found, and proceeding

jressively according to the number of strokes, the

racter wanted is immediately discovered.

i'lie notion of the Chinese characters being similar

•'• li

• ;.>■ :'

128

F ' i!L OF MACARTNEY'S

[Ciup,:

to the Egyptian hieroglyphics seems first to have 1^
derived from a supposed hust of Isis found at Tin
whereon were a numher of lines and figures resoiiiiji
writing — which, having once concluded that tlicy\\>
Egyptian, nuich resemhling the Chinese characttr,
was inunediately set down, that the Chinese chavaetr
must be derivatives from the Egyptian hieroglypli:
between which, in point of fact, there is not the sliglitr
resenddance.* To strengthen this conjecture it wast
supposed, from some old Chinese writings, that tk |
language was originally the picture of ideas and scmM
objects. Thus, it is said, the sun Q jci; ban li^

changed to "^ ; the moon J^ i/ik', to fa ; a liil!

mountain Q^ s/tan, to /n ; the eye ^^ inoi', i

This, perhaps, may to a certain extent have been:
case, but it nuist have preceded the time of Coiifm;.
or 550 years bef()re Christ.

Of the literature of the Chinese, I can say iiotliii.
but Sir John Davis, in his excellent work called 'I
Chinese,' will satisfy the inquirer on that and on of;
subjects of science and the arts.l The late Sir Gcu-:
Staunton has observec^ that "One of the most rciiia:
able national peculiarities of the Chinese is their aili
tion to letters, the general prevalence of literary ha
among the middling and higher orders, and tlievt
honourable pre-eminence which, from the most reii;:
periods, has been universally conceded to that d:

* ' Lottre (le Peking,' by a Jesuit IMissionary, 1773.— i^liii
pliical Transactions, vol. 59.

f ' The Cliinese : a General Description of the Enijjire of C
and its Iniiabitants,' 2 vols. 183G.

itri
pevfi
a
Paw
lale
let in

ilia
rd. .1

[Ciup.::

to havclx:
and at Tut:
res rcsonill.
that tlicy we
e chavaetev,
tiese cliavactf

liieroglyplv.
lot the sliiilit-
;tiirc it was a;
ings, that tfc
iRS and sen£
\ je(', has lie

^ ; aliili

t have been:
le of CoiitW,.

an say notliii,
ork caUrd '1
lat and on (^
! hite Sir On:
he most rciiii:
se is their ii(k
)f literary lif.
rs, and tlievt
the most rcii:
ed to that t-

ary, ITTS.-W-
tlio Empire of 1^

kcT. V.T

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

129

hich is exchisively devoted to literary pursuits." The
horisms or moral maxims of Confueius, greatly ex-
Intled since his time, are trite and unexceptionable,
soinbling very nmch tho=!e in the Book of the
isdoni of Solomon. They have histories of trans-
tions and events in the different dynasties, besides
eral general histories of the empire. They have
regular civil and penal code: of the latter, called
Ta-tshig leu-lee, the present Sir George Staunton
given a translation. It embraces minutely the
asure of punishment for every offence ; yet, large
the volume is, he says the nund^er of different cha-
tcrs employed are short of 2000. Father Premare
some others who have written on the language
, that 4000 characters are more than necessary for
y purpose.*

avis has entered fullv on the state of their drama,

jtry, and pr.*se fiction. In the library of the East

ia Company there are no less than 200 volumes of

s. A single work in forty volumes contains 100

trical pieces. We had temporary theatres erected

everal of tlie cities at which we made any stay, but

afforded little anuisement ; the actors speak with

awling, whining voice, half singing, half crying; the

ale parts are performed generally by boys and

etinies by eunuchs : they have no change of scene,

one open stage answers for every purpose. It is on

naked wooden stage that the general brandishes his

d, strides three or four times round ; and while he

iJIy MS. Dictionary lias 909 pages, each containing exactly
9 dltiartors, or 8181 in tiie whole, besides the 214 keys, one half
of ^lic'li can bo of little or no use, from their very complicated

coiMtructinn.

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130

EARI. OF MACARTNEYS

[ClIAl'

thus frets and struts his tour upon the stage, a lior

rible crash of what they call music

'* Kends with tremeiiilous sounds your ears asunder,
Witli gongs, drums, trumpets, blunderbuss and thunder;"

after which he stops short and tells the auuiuiice
his conquests.

Many of their plays are not devoid of interei
Preniare was the first to translate some of them. H.
translation of the Orphan of Chaou supplied Voltai:
with materials for one of his best tragedies — X' Orpk
de la Chine.

There \s one mentioned by Davis, which displs:
strong feeli: gs, as well in the female as in the male pri:
cipal characters. In the weak periods of the Cliiiiti
government, previous to the first conquest by t:
Mongols, the emperor falls in love with a Cliiut
beauty, whom he makes his princess. A traitori
minister escapes from confinement and goes over tot:
Tartar camp, describes to the khan the beauties oft;
princess, and advises him to demand her from tiiet:
peror — the khan dispatches an envoy to say, that if:
refuses, his hills and his rivers shall be exposed to ravj;
The Tartar arrives, the weakness of the emperors:
the persuasion of his ministers induce him to surreoc
the princess, but he insists on accompanying her pan |
the way. The parting scene, we are told, has coi
derable interest, and the language of the imperial lo
is passionate to a degree that a foreigner is not [
pared to expect. Davis must tell the rest : —

" Then at length comes the catastrophe. The T;:
retires with his prize, until they reach the banks nl
river Amoor, or Saghalien.

" Princess. — What place is this?

, li

I. V,|

KMHASSY TO CHINA.

131

ider,

id thunder;"

iG auaicuce.

d of iiitert;
of them. H:
aplied Voltair

which displa;
11 the male pti:
of the Cliiiie
onquest by t:
with a Chine
5. A traitori.
goes over tor.
e beauties of i:
her from tkt:
to say, that if;
exposed to rava;
the emperor 5!
him to surreii
mying her par
e told, has cos
the imperial lo
eigner is notf
Q rest :■ —
'ophe. The la:
;h the baulks of

j{/,aii. — It is the river of tlie Bhick Dragon, the
'oiiticr of the Tartar territories and those of China,
'he southern shore is the emperor's, on the northern

c commences om' Tartar dominion.

" /'rincass (to the Khan). — Great king, I take a
p (if Avine, and pour a libation towards the wuth — my

t farewell to the emperor ! [pours the libation~\. Sove-
|ign of Hun, this life is finished : I await thee in the

ixt!

AVith these words she throws herself into the river,
id perishes."

There is another tragedy, in which the scene between
clianl [II. and the Lady Anne is so closely repre-
ted, that one might almost suppose Shakespeare
read the Chinese plays. In many others it may be
11, that the women are not so detlcient in the qua-
ies of mind, or so much set aside by the men, as is
erallv thouuht to be their lot.

.'he Chinese have also their pantomimes. Lord
oartuey, in mentioning the theatrical entertain-
jlnts given atGehol,* says, " Last of all was t^^ ^ grand
toniime. It seemed to me, as far as I coidd compre-
id it, to represent the marriage of the Ocean and the
■th. The latter exhibited her various riches and pro-
itions — dragons and elephants and tigers, and eagles
ostriches; oaks and pines, and other trees of dif-
int kinds. The Ocean was not behindhand, but
ed forth on the stage the wealth of his dominions,
Mcr the figures of whales and dolphins, porpoises and
tlians, and other sea-monsters, besides ships, rocks,
is, sponges, and corals — all performed by concealed
, who were quite perfect in their parts, and per-

* -Journal of an Embassy, &c.

K 2

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132

EARL OF MACARTNEY'S

[(-'llAI',

formed their characters to admiration." His Lordsli:;
then says, that these two marine and land regiment
alter parading the stage in a circular procession, joiiif:
their forces, came to the front of the stage, perforiiit
a few evolutions, and then opened to the right, '•;
give room for the whale (who seemed to be the coi:
nianding officer) to waddle forward, and who, takit,
his station exactly opposite to the Emperor's bii
spouted out of his mouth into the pit several tons
water, which quickly disappeared through the pe
forations of the floor: and the ejaculation was roceivt
with the highest applause." He adds, that most oft:
mandarins present were Tartars.

In works of fiction — as moral tales, romances, a:
novels — the Chinese may be said to excel ; and, bei
exclusively Chinese, these may be regarded as cc;
taining true pictures of Chinese life and of the state
society as it really exists ; they are therefore vtr
popular.

Their proficiency in a variety of arts is well kiiOT
in Europe by the specimens imported from China. I
wood and ivory carvings, in the latter more particularl
their skill is unequalled. In the manufacture of por
lain and of silk they are still unrivalled. There
every reason to believe they were the inventors ofgii
powder, and of the compass; also of printing, witlit:
materials ink and paper; in the various kinds of:
latter, and the modes of its decoration, we have not; ^
been able to compete with them. In the fine art-,
they are understood by us, they are deficient; tt
painting and sculpture are indifferent ; but their geiit
tact at imitation would seem to require only a Ir
instruction to ensure their success in both.

romances, a:

BCT. V.J

EMBASSY TO CHINA.

133

From the intercourse I had with all ranks, I should
!iy that the natural faculties of a Chinese mind are f)f
le lirst order, hut heing misdirected in youth, and con-
iL'd and confirmed to one fixed and unalterable course
irougli life, which no exuberance of talent can ven-
ire to turn into a new channel, no progressive im-
rovenicnt can therefore be looked for, in moral or
ivsical knowledge — no discovery in arts or science,
[he man, who would rise to eminence in the state, must
erfcct his knowledge in the moral maxims of Con-
Icius, published above five hundred years before the
[rth of Christ.
They are, nevertheless, a mild and cheerful people,
beod' ^^'ly good humoured, and willing to oblige.
ilh ot to those of the lowest class who mingle
toreigners, but to the respectable class of society ;
Id with regard to these and the upper ranks, I must
that the impression left on my mind, and mostly
the minds of my companions, was — that in our esti-
ition of the character of the Chinese, on leaving
]gland, we were far from doing them that justice,
^ich ou a closer acquaintance we found them to
serve.

1 '

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134

CAl'K OF GOOD HOPE.

[Chap. Ill,

CHArTER 111.

EXCURSIONS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, ANP KESI
DENCE AT THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Section I.

Introduction — The Karl vj Macartney appointed h
vernor of the Cape of Good Hope — Embark vie
his Lordship as his Pricate Secretary.

On our passage home from China, Sir George Stauiito:
always kind and considerate as to what concerned e
personally, said that he expected I would make t
house my home ; and that Lord Macartney and liic
self would find me ample scope for employment,
thanked Sir George for this mark of his favoiiii
opinion, and for the many acts of kindness bestowed!
him, and only hoped he could spare me a fortniulit
three weeks to run down to Ulverstone, to see niy[
rents and friends : and after that I should be proud'
devote my whole time and best services to himself a:
to Lord Macartney. " Go," he said, " by all 11102:
and come to us on your return, when my son will
as glad to see you as I shall."

J therefore availed myself of this first opportunity
taking a run down to Ulverstone to see my pan
whom I found quite well, and delighted at my -
return. It may be supposed that, in this obscure coi
of our island, a traveller who had been at Pekiii, '■■
had seen the Emperor of China, would be looked if |
as a great curiosity; which 1 certainly seemed to

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Bjjcr. I.]

SOUTHERN AFRICA.

135

1 "■;!

imong the most inquisitive was the old vicar oi*
Lldenham, Dr. Baldwin, a very learned, but singular
laracter, on whom devolved not only the cure of
louls, but also of the bodies of his parishioners : he had
Itudied medicine, and thought it his duty to physic gratis
11 who required his aid ; and, it was said, he did not
pariiigly, and effected many cures. He was a great
Idity, as the following anecdote will testify. Work-
]g in his garden one day, his old servant the beadle,
verger, came up hastily to him, calling out, " Sir,
|r! you are wanted immediately at the church." On
Is arrival, after a hurried walk, which rather put him
it of humour, a man and woman, with a small party,
resented themselves near the communion-table. The
Id vicar, after regarding them well, opened his large
3ok, and without further ceremony began, " I am the
ksurrection and the life, saith the Lord." " Sir, sir ! "
ries out the verger, " they are come to be married."
iMarried ! " says the vicar ; " I am sure, by their
)ks, they are more fit to be buried."
Dr. Baldwin, notwithstanding all his oddities and
lughuess, v;as busily employed at this time in trans-
ting into English the Hebrew Bible, with comments ;
kd, as he told me, in quarrelling with his publishers
venturing to make some suggestion which he dis-
Iproved ; as I afterwards understood, he died without
Bible having ever made its appearance. He took
into a room he called his library, which consisted
[one mass of books strewed over the whol^ floor; yet,
it appeared, he could lay his hand upon any volume
it was asked for.

[During my short stay at Ulverstone, at least half the
16 was taken up by visits to Aldenham, some three

■■t'i

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136

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

[Chap. I

or four miles distant, on the shore of Morecanibe Bav
The vicar's lady and daughter were well-informed aoc
agreeable persons ; but not, as it would appear, quit
suited to his taste ; for it happened one day, when I
was engaged in conversation with the ladies, the olr
vicar, half-opening the door, called out, " I want vo.
in the library ; don't waste your time with these iros^
ing women." I found he had got hold of Du Ilakk'
China; and he kept me a couple of hours at k-asti
explaining to him the nature and construction of tli'
Chinese language.

I had not remained much longer than a Ibrtiiiglit i;
Lancashire, when I received an intimation of my pr?
sence being required in town, on an occasion not ver
difficult for me to conjecture, at least, as to the nature ?
the subject. Sir George Staunton had been in coninmr:
cation with Mr. Dundas, then Secretary of State font
Home Department, who had taken a strong interest:
the promotion of the embassy to the Emperor of Cliiiii
and was now desirous that the public should be in pi-
session of an authentic and circumstantial account of:
proceedings, to which Sir George, from the position;
held, and the interest he had taken in all that regardr
China, was alone capable of doing justice. He s
cordingly lost no time in collecting the nccc«a:
materials from each of the suit(; who possessed ai
and in the arrangement of his plan. Besides sr
plying him with a vast mass of observations, aiidn
rious and miscellaneous memoranda, which I li
not omitted opportunities of making, 1 procured Ir
some others their respccti''' j contributions, and point
out to Mr. Alexander, from the immense colleetiou
sketches that he had njade, such as I thought Sir(jwr.

■m

[Chap. Ill, I

cecambe Bay,
informed ant
appear, qui;
! day, ■vvbeiil
ladies, the ol;
" I want w
b these ixossif.
)f Du IlaUt.
urs at least!
truction of tl

I a fortnisxlit :;
tion of my p^
easion notver
to the nature' :
3en in commni:;

of State for tt
;rong interest
iperor of CIie
lould be in p-
ial acconnt of:
, t]ie position':
all that regartk
ustice. Ih' «
the nccess
3 possessed at:
1. Besides it
'vations, aiuli:
a, whieh I t

I proeurcd fr
ioiis, and pint
cnse collection

loughtSirCnof^

cr. 1.]

SOUTHERN AFRICA.

137

tauiiton would wish to have finished for the engraver
elucidate and embellish his work, which proceeded
Jipidly ; and he particularly desired me carefully to
lok over the proof sheets, and to superintend the
^graviiigs, with the assistance of Mr. Alexander, as
lented and worthy a man as ever existed, who by
merits as a draughtsman, and his numerous and
dutiful drawings of all subjects relating to China, was
)]) afterwards appointed to the situation of superin-
ideiit of the print department in the British Museum.
[In 1705, when the official narrative (for so it may be
isidered) of the proceedings, and of all the circum-
Inccs of Lord Macartney's embassy, by Sir George
lunton, was far advanced, the llight Hon. Henry
nulas was removed from the Home to the Colonial
AVar Department. About this time the Cape of
!)od Hope had fallen into our hands, and the new
cretary was too sagacious to overlook its vast im-
rtaiice to England, Mhich indeed he had publicly
lounced, by his declaration in Parliament, that the
8|nis(er who should ever think of giving it up ought
lose his head. General Craig, who commanded the
)ps at its capture, very j)roperly assumed the govern-
liit, and was ably assisted by Mr. Hercules Ross, ^vho
accoin])anied hiin as paymaster of the forces ; but
Dutch being considered a stubborn race, and Va-
Irlaiid having suffered greatly by the English in her
le and the capture of her ships and colonies, the
)iiists were much out of humour, and refractory.
Il^lr. Dundas considered it probable, therefore, that a
llian of high rank and character might be more
Bptable to the inhabitants of the Cape of Good
)c as their governor, than a military officer. His

1 ^!

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138

CAFE OF GOOJ) HOPE.

[Chap,

inclination soon pointed out the proper man ; and ai.
plication was made by him to the Earl of Macartno
to ascertain his feeling on the subject. His Lordsti:
had some doubts of his being able to execute the dutit
that might be required of him, to his own satisfactio:
on account of his liability to gout ; but, after due coni
deration, he agreed to accept the offer, on one couditif,
only, which was readily acceded to — that he should!.
allowed to give up the government to a teniporar
successor, after having made his arrangements fort;
future conduct of the affairs of the colony ; and pr
vided he should find it expedient to return to Englai;;
that he might do so without waiting to be superseded,

In 1796, Lord Macartney accordingly received H
Majesty's commission. He was allowed to take r
with him whomsoever he pleased ; and to make >l
appointments for carrying on the government, as .
should find necessary or expedient, after his arri
at the Cape. The only one named in England t,
Andrew Barnard, Esq., as colonial secretary ; it
took out with him his wife. Lady Ann Barnard, i
sister of Lady Margaret Fordyce, both highly diit
guished for their talents and social qualities. Soiiit
believe, went out on speculation : my time had been |
much taken up by the printers and engravers, andoti
occupations, that I only knew of those who were
tended to go in the same ship with his Lordship,
had for some time been domesticated with SirGe«j
Staunton, who had purchased a house in Dcvonstl
Street, Portland Place.

Three days in the week generally, Mr. Staiii;|
and I paid our visit to Kew Gardens, to botanise'
Aiton's Hortus Kewensis in our hands, which, ins

[CHAl'.lll.

man*, andaj*
of Macartnti,

His Lordsk
cute the dutit
wn satisf'actlo..
after due coii>
u one condltE
,at he should!.
to a temporar
igeuieuts fort
olony, andpr
;uru to Englac.
be superseded,
gly received R
wed to take os
id to make siic
avernuient, as ;

after his am

in England v.

secretary, t
Lnn Barnard, i;
oth highly disr.
ualities. Some
rtime had beet
igravers, andots
lose who were.
I his Lordship.
ed with Sir Geo;,
)use inDcvonil

•ally, Mr.Staut|
"US, to botanise'
finds, which, in?

SUUTHEliiN AFiaCA.

139

ture travels in South Africa, was of the greatest ser-
;e to me, Kew being in possession of a largo portion
I the flora of the Cape of Good Hope. We examined
3st of the plants in the order of their systeniat'c clas-
^cation, and the only iiiterruption we ever met with
la royal one, when George III. and his Queen came,
dav, suddenly into the hothouse where we happened
[be; and, of course, we retired.

[Towards the end of the year 179G, when everything
jertaining to the voyage was in a state of forward-
it Avas announced that His Majesty's ship
frusty,' commissioned by Captain John Osborne, was
convey Lord Macartney to his government, and
it accommodations were to be prepared for his Lord-
and suite, consisting of himself and four gentle-
who were as under : —
Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Barrow embarked as private
retarles.

!Iaptain CoUyer (son of Lord Portmore), as his Lord-
)'s aide-de-camp.

[r. Anguish, brother of the Duchess of Leeds, as a
Irate gentleman, to be prov ided for.
)tlier officials found their passage in private ships.
'^e had, moreover, as passengers in the ' Trusty,'
post-captains, about to proceed to take the com-
Hd respectively of four of the captured Dutch ships
Jaldanha Bay — Captains Burlton, Edwtirds, Lind-
and Rowley. Where they were exactly stowed
by Captain Osborne I never discovered, but Burl-
I M'ho was a noisy, good-humoured, facetious charac-
ised to make his appearance on the quarter-deck
[morning half-roasted by the heat, jocosely lament-
khe condition into which the British navy had fallen

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140

CAFE OF GOOD HOPE.

LCiui-. 111. i

when four post-captains were stowed away and broila
on the lower deck of a fifty-gun ship. AVe had, c
course, the pleasure of their company at dinner, audi
is needless to say, how much they contributed to dim;.
nish the tedium of a sea-voyage.

Early in January, 1797, we embarked at Portsniouti:
and, in going through the Needles, struck upon whi
called the bridge, a ledge of rocks running acro'>^,
narrow part of the strait. The ship forged over it, k
began to leak so nuich as to make our calling at Pit
mouth imperative. Everything was removed oufi
her, and we took up our lodgings at the Assenili!
Rooms, which we found very convenient quarters ; ai
here we remained while the ' Trusty ' had her damasr
repairing, an operation that consumed something iiu;
than a fortnight. Lord Macartney remained durk
this time at Mount Edgcumbe.

When all was ready for a fresh start we re-enihark
and had a pleasant voyage to Table Bay, and i
landed, in health and high spirits, in Cape Towiii,
the 4th of Mav, 1797.

On our landing, however, we found that affairs d
not wear the most auspicious aspect; the boors ofti
grazing farms of the distant district of Graaff Eeyi;
were in a state little short of rebellion. Reckoning up
the change of masters, they had maltreated and expcUt
both the landrost and the clergyman who had boeiise
thither by Sir James Craig. Lord Macartney wast
a man to be trifled with. He sent for the two gent:
men who had been thus indignantly treated, and «
cided at once — in order to sho^v the rebel boors i: |
firmness of the British Government — to com})el then;
receive with proper apologies for their conduct, and

[Chai-. Ill,

y and broilts

We had,.'

dinner, audi'

iUted to diiiii.

\t Portsnioiii
i upon Avhati:
ming across 1
;ed over it, k
calling at Plj
amoved outc
the Asscmu;
: quarters ; ai
ad her damas
oniething mc:
3n\ained dun;;

ve re-embarkti

2 Bay, and i

Cape Towiit.

that atlaivsi
;he boors oft
f Graaff Keyi:
Eeckoniii[i; ii]>.
ted and expcllt
10 had been se
acartney wast
' the two geiii
treated, and «
I rebel boors i:
o compel tlieii:
conduct, and

kcT. I.]

SOUTHERN AFRICA.

141

eat with all due respect, the same two functionaries

horn they had insolently sent away and whom he had

mediately determined to send back. The landrost

murred, and said that his life had more than once

en threatened, and that he, of course, had no desire

return ; and the poor parson had been so disgusted

d terrified to such a degree that no consideration, he

lid, should induce him ever more to show his face

ong such brutes.

AVhen Lord Macartney told me the story, he con-
ded by saying, " I think, Barrow, you will have no
Ejection to accompany one or both of these gentlemen
the presence of these savages, which may lead them
reflect that it must be out of tenderness to them, that
ave preferred to send them one of my own family,
her than at once to bring them to their senses by a
inient of dragoons. Besides this, I have another
tire lor wishing you to accompany them. We are
inefully ignorant even of the geography of the
iitry ; we have no map that embraces one-tenth part
the colony; I neither know nor can 1 learn where
Graaft' lleynet lies — whether it is five hundred or
oiisand miles from Cape Town. I am further in-
led that the Kaffirs, with their cattle, are in posses-
of the Zuur-veldt, the finest grazing country in the
ny, and that these people and the boors are per-
illy fighting and mutually carrying oflf each other's
;le. These matters must no longer be tolerated, and
wish is that some adjustment should be made be-
en these two people. Now, as information on
le and various other points is my object, and my
rience assures me that you are the person I
most confidently rely on to acquire for me that
irmation ; at the same time that I. am fullv aware

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142

('A1»K OF GOOD HOPE.

rci'AP.

the mission may not be one of the most agrteat
nature, I am sure you will not be unwilling to untie
take it."

His Lordship certainly could not have proposed an:
thing more accordant with my wishes, or more agrtr
able to my feelings, than to be the means and to h
the opportunity of exploring a most interesting porti
of the globe so little, and that little so impertec;;
known. Indeed, I was overjoyed to find mvselti;
happy individual selected. I felt as if the lessons,
had so recently received m the botanical garden
Kew, had been taken on purpose to qualify me :
exploring the rich forests of ericas and pro teas, audi:
plentiful harvest of these and other beautiful plants, tr
I knew would be met with in South Africa, ami:
viewing them on their native soil. I therefore told;
Lordship he could not have conferred on me a grea;
favour, and that I should immediately prepare eve
thing necessary for the execution of the journey, t
be ready to receive his instructions. The only rt^
I felt was the departure from the agreeable and friet; |
society of our little party, which was just tlieiif |
periencing a heavy and unexpected misfortune,
the loss of one of them by an untimely and mej
choly death.

Mr. Anguish and I lodged in the same house,!:'
the parade. One morning I asked if he would e
hear the music : he replied, " Yes, I will follow y
Parade being nearly ended, and no Mr. Anguisli niij
his appearance, I stepped to the house, and kiiod|
at the door, which was opened by the daughter
family, wringing her hands and weeping bitterly,'
claiming, "Osir, Mr. Anguish is dead!" liiii"'
ately ran into his room, and to my horror foum

I iri I*

(CiiAP.ii;

iiost agreeal,
lling to unilt:

I proposed an;
or more agR
lis and to k
cresting porti
so imperfect;
find myself t
if the lessoiif,
nical garden
, quality me ;
proteas, and';
utiful plants, t
I Africa, aiitl:
therefore toldt |
I on me a gres ;
y prepare evt:
the journey, t
The onlyw
cable and frieti
/as just tlieiii
d misfortune.
niely and mt

same house, s
if he would?
1 will ftdlowy:
r. Anguish vdi
ouse, and Vm\
he daughter
ieping bitterly.
dead!" I i""^
horror fouml :

CT, I.l

SOUTHERN AFRICA.

the floor in a deluge of blood, and a razor by his

ie. A doctor had already been sent for, and came

lile I was there ; but the deed had been too effectu-

iy done to give the slightest hope of remaining life.

[Two days before this, he had told me how very kindly

3rd Macartney had behaved to him ; that he had con-

ired on him an appointment of 1000/. a-year, which

him nothing more to wish for ; that he was happy

irond measure, and relieved from a weight that had

oppressed him. He had been extravagant, and

jht perhaps have been troublesome to some of the

ieds family; but he was remarkably cheerful and

reeable on the passage out, and during the short time

[the Cape. The morning on which the mournful

fcnt took place, he appeared at breakfast in good

fits as usual, and all thought him happy.

[n concert with Mr. Bresler, the landrost (the

son having positively refused to go), I purchased

horses, ten oxen, and a boulder-waggon well covered

a rounded canvas roof| and fitted my cot inside.

f)ok with me a small pocket sextant of Ramsden of

r-inch radius, an artificial horizon, a case of mathe-

fcical instruments, a pocket compass, a small tele-

)e, and a double-barrelled rifle-gun that had be-

jed to poor Anguish. The only books I carried

nie were Aiton's ' Hortus Kewensis,' and the ' Sys-

Xatuiw,' which were of great importance, affording

[both comfort and assistance ; some small quantity

[iiie and spirits ; but I left the cooking apparatus,

utchen utensils, and the table appendages, to the

[rost, who had his own two waggons, and a third for

kaggage and for the people, his servant and the Hot-

)t leaders of the oxen. A black bov and a smart

> *

i' .

'••'■■ i

■ • .1-

• • .•■ '1
'•••V .'I

-J

"1 1

,.i

• v..*-'

J 44

ACROSS THE KAKROO.

[Ciup.IiL

Hottentot took charge of my horses, and sonu' liali
dozen Hottentots were engaged to take care of tk
oxen.

Section II.

Expedition to Graaff Iieym% across the Karroo,
Great Desert, to the Drosty of Graaff Eeynd.

On the evening of the first day of July, the laiulre
Bresler, myself^ and our train left Cape Town, •&,.
halted on the other side of the Cape Isthmus, iieart!
foot of the Tiger Mountain, at a military post, vhe
we waited seven hours for the waggons, in which tir
they had advanced through the heavy sand only titk
miles : having left behind two of the oxen that droppr
in the yoke. From a few straggling farm-houses out:
skirts of the mountain we got a supply of cattle, thii:
and vegetables.

About twelve miles in advance we passed Sinioi'
berg, whose forked Tarnassian summit was said to
frequently hidden in snow. Its name, it seciiis, it:
derived, and is perpetuated, from that of an impost
who practised on the credulity of the Governor byp:
senting to him an irregular mass of silver, which:.
pretended to have taken from a rich mine he hadii; \
covered in this mountain. The Governor was
enraptured by this rich discovery, that he projiostii
council a sum of money to be advanced to Simon,
enable him to work the mine ; and, in the mean tk,
a chain was ordered to be made of the silver aires:
produced, from which the keys of the castle gates ik'.
be suspended : where, it is said, the chain still ft

lend
pa|

jultij
dl)|
|Th|

tichi

. . 1

[CiiAi'.llLj

id some hall
3 care of tit;.

he Karroo,
if Fet/net,

y, the laiulrp
po Town, ai
;liuius, iieartl
ary post, wk;
I, in which tiL
and only titk
311 that droppr
Ill-houses oil i^
of cattle, Ihii:

passed Sinio;.'
t was said to;
!, it seems,':

of an impost
Jovernor bvf
silver, which ;
mine he hade
overnor Nvas
t he projiostii
;ed to Simon,
the mean tit
he silver aires:
astle gates sk
chain still (t

IT. 1 1.1

TO GRAAFF KKYNKT.

inues its post as a meiiiorial of the credulity of the

lovernor and his council.

Tiie Paarlberg, in the neighbourhood, is a large mass

'granite, perched ou the summit of a green mountain,

fcchly embosomed by a variety of choice flowering

irubs ; the tribe of Proteas are most conspicuous on

sloping sides; the species mellifera, in particular,

arched on the verge of whose vase-shaped corollas may

seen two or three species of the little gaudy-plumed

rtJda, or creeper, sucking out the honied sweets with

leir long sickle-shaped bills. A great variety of heaths

re met with here, and indeed almost everywhere in

His ])art of Southern Africa ; I believe not fewer

^an 400 species had at this time found their way to

tnglaiid. I discovered in pro ceding, that the paucity

the human species is amply filled up by the num-

er and variety of the brute creation, from the huge

lephaut of the forests to the pigmy cavy of the

(able ^lountain. Of the genus antelope wc procured,

ithin the Cape district, the dui/kcr, the griesbok, and

le kUpsprbujcr (the diver, the grizzled, and the rock-

iper). As soon as night set in, the howling wolf and

yelping jackal filled the air with their hideous and

elancholy cries, which continued to pursue us in

dark at no great distance from the waggons. The

ferior kinds of game appeared in abundance, wherever

passed a shrubby tract ; the Cape partridges, seem-

jly fearless of man, ran about nearly as tame as

lultry in a farm-yard, yet there was no want of hawks

Id butcher-birds to feed upon them.

[The first shot I fired was at a korhaen^ a fine bird, of

^ich there were great numbers ; it is of the genus

or buiitard ; they are wild, and seem to smell

, 'I
• ''• "'if'

'i'

■I'l

■ i ':

•:W

.> •'

. » .

til

146

ACUOSS rilK KAIil.'OO

ICllAI.

jmwdcr, for thry nlvviiys hover over a sportsman at.
{;rcat licight ."iiul Ut'cp tbllowiiig- him on the uiiij
uttering Ji violent screaming as if to give notice of
aj)j)roacli of danger; tliey arc called hy the Diitt'l
uiilde pfiHir, or the wild peacock, to which tlicv li.i
not the least resend)lance.

In a cleft of the mountain called the luunlisui
Kloot\ which we had now to pass, we found tin vcwt;
tion very luxuriant; the /^rotcas, the Kn'cds, t\\v /iirl,,,
Pal ma C/tr/'.sfi, the Mciiaiit/nis, and the Calla Ktliii^jb
were most ahundant and in full ilower. (illici- c
jects of a less ])leasing nature were the nuiltitiidt
bahoons, which, from their concealed dens in tlio siii
of the mountains, chattered and laughed, scnaiiii
and uttered such horrible noises that we were not sr
to get rid of them and of the rocky j)ass at the >i.
time.

The valley into which we now entered is a tirr.
tract, well watered and ])roductive of corn, wine, riiiv
and fruits of all kinds, for the table, and for culiiiS'
])urposcs. Gauu' is here plentiful eiu)ugh : buslar:
partridges, snipes, ducks, and mountain gecsc. W
is also an animal that burrows in the ground, callnl;
'i/Zi'ncark'(', the iron-hog (hystrix cristata), the tic.4
which is esteemed a great delicacy ; the aard-vaii
or earth-hog (the Mi/riii('Coj)lim)a Capcnsis), \i] alsov;
common, undermines the ground, and sekh)ni appti
but in the night.

This plain of Roodesand extends about
miles, and is iidiabited by about forty families; j
soil is fertile, aiid they enjoy a plentiful suppltf
game from the siu'rounding hills. Hitherto 1 liaiH^
much gratilied by the great abundance of suIj

\('\S\V. I

nortsiniiii ati|
on tho villi,
> notice of m
l)y tlu' DukI
licli theyk

the li'iiiiili'"^'
iind t\u V("5t;.
r<^s t.^i'-' ^''"''"•

er. (>tlu'v i.
he niuUitiuk'
\eiis in t\\e sill'
glicd, screaiM
,-e vvevc not Mir
pass at the >a'i

iitercil is a ti'it.

ovn, wine, vais

and tor eiiVnw

ain gecst. H'-
ground, called;
stata), the U
the aavd-vnii

M<'//N'N),i'5»^''"«

nd sehUnn

x'\\i\s about

tortv ianiili^^-:

plentiivil suvpl|i

litherto I i>rt'^'^^

r. II.I

TO (iUAAFF I(i:ym;t.

IJT

nidancc ol

i\k

natinvil liistory, constantly occnrring hotli in the
ortablc! and animal kin^^doin; the ibrnier has sui)-
Ijod tlie gardens and {^reenhonses of England with
inie of their choicest Howering plants: erica, jn-otea,
lirdonia, horbonia, gorteria, gnaphaliuni, xeranthe-
linn, ;nid a mnltitude of other genera, ann)ng which
species pecnliar to the Cape. Of the protea, the;
^lortns Kewensis ' describes twenty-four species, of
lich I iind eleven species marked in the margin, as
niijj; been seen by me in this district.
[At tiie head of the Ilex lliver valley, we were to
ce leave of every human habitation for at k'ast six-
^n (lays, the usual time recpiired to cross the dreary
barren desert known by the name of the (ireat
(irroo, on which nothing, as I was informed, is to
had except ostrich eggs and antelopes. It was
krefore necessary to lay in a supply of provisions;
still more so of fresh oxen, which recpured two days
[provide. We were here joined by two grazing
iiers of (Jraatf lieynet, as arranged; each of them
a wagii'on and a numerous family of children,
tteutots, and Kaffirs. We proceeded on the 12th
I Illy, ascended the last nu)untain which skirts the
Brt, and which might be supjjosed to rise to the height
3ont ioOO feet in the distance of six miles. Beyond
le face of the c(mntry presented a new aspect : an
3rHdy rugged surface on every side, no diversity of
cts, no hills clothed with verdure, no traces of man,
tree, not a shrub, a})peared to break the uniformity
10 surftice, not a bird or a beast to enliven the
ry waste. A little vegetation— stunted, shrivelled,
^red thinly over a hard surface of brownish clay,
chiefly of the succulent tribe : the mesembrv-

I, 2

" . I •

. .: ^

■ <

•ii

148

ACROSS THE KAHROO

[Chap. III.

antheinum, euphorbia, cotyledon, and crassuk, of all
which the Cape herbarium contains a multitude of
species, not less than seventy of the first mentioned.
Thermometer at sunrise 33", in the evening down to
the freezing-point ; in the sun 80°, in the shade 55".

On the 14th, we halted near a small spring, its mar-
gin affording a few rushes and succulent plants. A Cape
butcher enlivened our encampment with about 500 head
of cattle and 5000 sheep, which he had purchased in
the Sneuwberg ; the former miserably poor, the latter
in pretty good condition. On the 15th, at the Riet Foil-
tyn, or Reed Spring, we met with a thicket of doom-
hooniy or thorn-tree, a species of mimosa, armed from
its summit to the ground with enormous double thorns:
on decent soils it forms to most animals an impenetrable
thicket. The following day brought us to the bed of
the Buffalo River, fifty yards in width, with scarcely
water enough to form a rill : the desert around us
more sterile and naked than before ; the leaves of the
few plants so shrivelled up as to give no signs of life.
Ten miles further was a small rivulet surrounded by a
flat sandy marsh overgrown with rushes, amidst springs
impregnated with salt ; the salsola, or saltwort, wa.s
growing here in great abundance: patches of naked
sand were partially covered with a powdery substance
not unlike snow; by boiling some, mixed with the
sand, I procured crystals of pure prismatic nitre. From
the ashes of the salsola and the atriplex albicans almost
all the soap used in the colony is made.

The Riet-berg, or Reed-hill, to the southward of our
track, had so tempting an appearance, that I deter-
mined to go out of our direct line (there was no path)
to enjoy the beautiful contrast. Once fairly off tlif

I ^'le;

''xccci

Sect. IL]

TO GRAAFF REYNET.

149

J ti

Karroo, our road lay through clusters of crassulas and
aloes, the latter rising above all others in spikes of
blood-red blossoms not less than fifteen feet in height.
Beyond this flowery ridge, we had to cross six or seven
I miles over a naked plain, when we encamped on the
*| Wolga Fontyn, where was another range of hills co-
^1 vered with frutescent plants ; here we started a herd of
; fourteen large buffaloes that had been rolling in the
' spring. For three days' journey the surface had en-
tirely changed, and had become finely marked alter-
nately with bold hills, plains, gradual swells, and
hollows, mostly covered with a forest of shrubbery;
but an inconvenience was strongly felt, for want
of space to bind up the oxen, and for the tents and
waggons; worst of all, however, for want of water,
which the cattle had tasted only once in three days —
the thermometer generally from 75° to 80" in the
shade; nor were they safe in this dense forest, where
beasts of prey appeared to be numerous. We had
on every side a nocturnal concert of the roaring of
lions, the bellowing of buffaloes, the howling of wolves,
and the yelping of jackals, to which was joined the
timid lowing of our oxen.

Among the low hills which surround this place we
met with a small herd of zebras and quachas, both
animals exceedingly wild, and the former very fero-
cious. The Dutch boors have no interest, and it may
be added, neither the temper nor the patience re-
([uired to tame them, yet it has been done. I saw at
the landrost's of Zwellendam, a male and female zebra,
i that, while young and attended to, were mild and do-
- file ; but by neglect, and ^>robably teasing, had become
f exceedingly vicious. I was there told that one of the

I '■

rr.

i*;i!i

!-*li

150

AClfOSS THE KAKKOO

[Chap. Ill,

^ : ■ ,..

8th Dragoons persisted in mounting the female; she
kicked and plunged, and threw herself down, but the
man kept his seat till the enraged animal, taking a leap
from the high bank of the river, threw both herself and
her rider into the water ; but the soldier, still kcepinn;
hold of the bridle, was dragged by the zebra to the
shore, where, walking up quietly to him, she put her
head down to his face and completely bit oft' his car.
Some of the bystanders enjoyed the joke, and others
condoled with the sufterer : "Now," said Pat, "its
just nothing at all, it will soon grow again."

Among the divers animals about this place were
several ostriches, and one of our Hottentots found a
nest full of eggs, and brought us a couple ; he plaeed
them in hot ashes, and by a small hole made in the
end, stirred round the contents till they had accpiired
the consistence of an omelet, and certainly a better
omelet never was eaten. Yerv often, in the course of
my long journeys over the wilds of Africa, have 1 fbiiiid
an ostrich-egg thus prepared an excellent repast, and
fully sufficient for two persons.

On the 1 7th, we proceeded about twenty-four mile?
over a rising country, but altogether barren, except that
here and there were straggling over the surface a few
species of the mesembryanthemum ; and among them
large patches of the curious and elegant ice-plant. At
night the thermometer was down to the freezing-point.
The Black Mountains, hfteen miles to the southward,
were white with snow. The nights, indeed, from onr
iirst entering upon the Karroo Desert, had been so in-
tensely cold, that our horses, accustomed to the stal)Ie,
had become sick and low-spirited, and two of them died
this dav under the severitv of the weather, a third had

SliCT. II.]

TO GllAAFF UEYNET.

151

;-'s

a narrow escape ; several of the oxen had perished, but
rather from want of food and water than from the
coldness of the nights.

On the 18th, we encamped on the Dwyka, or Rhino-
ceros liiver, finding a few streandets creeping over its
bed. Though every part of the surrounding country
was destitute of vegetation, a thick forest of mimosa
covered the banks of this river, and followed it through
all its windings.

Twenty miles, on the 19th, brought us to the
(jilKunka, or Lion's liiver, the whole of this distance
being as level as a bowling-green, consisting of a hard
comjjaet bed of clay, tinged with iron. Not a swell to
interrupt the line of the horizon, which was as un-
broken as that seen over the surface of the sea ; in
vain did the eye wander in search of tree or lofty
shrub, or blade of grass, or living creature. The baidvs
of the Ghamka, like those of the Dwyka, brought us
some small relief from the horror of the land of utter
desolation, over which we had just passed ; here, too,
we had plenty of hares, partridges, mountain-geese,
and wild-ducks to feed upon.

It may be thought, perhaps, that the time hung
heavily on the mind during this long and dismal
journey. Not in the least, as far as I \vas concerned ;
whenever a hill or a distant mountain was visible, I took
its bearing, and noted the hour at the time, and having
})roceeded to a given distance, pretty well ascertained
by the regularity of the oxen's rate of travelling, I
again intersected the line of bearing of the same moun-
tain ; thus, together with the observed altitude of the
sun at noon — by the artificial horizon when the natural
one was uneven — I had the materials noted down for

* . V" j •

', I' '

!lHi',

'IS'

152

A(nK)SS TllK KAKKOO

LCuAi-.m.

tmnsforriiig tlieiii to my chart, which I iiivar'uihly kept
in all my travcLs, with as much accuracy as circum-
stances would allow; and this, with my note-book,
occupied a j)art of the evenings in my tent.

At our last station we learned Ironi our accompaiiy-
ing boor, that at the distance of twelve miles to the
southward, at the kloot^ or entrance to the Zwarteljcrji
Mountains, we should find a farm-house, and otlicrs
farther on, which were within the district of (J matt'
lleynet; the landrost, therefore, thought it might ho
worth while to go somewhat out of our way, for the
chance of procuring the loan of fresh teams of bullocks,
many of ours having died, others being lefl to perish in
the desert, and the rest so exhausted by the effects of
cold, of bad water, and little food, as not to be likely to
hold out the remaining part of the Karroo. We tlurc-
fore })roceeded ; hut before reaching the kloofj a party,
juounted on horseback, were observed to be making tor
the waggons in full gallop. On comrng up to the first,
they stopped short and fired a discharge of nuiskctrv;
loaded again, and proceeded in succession to evcrv
waggon ; and then set oft' at full gallop hack by the
same way they had approached, and were out of sight
in a few minutes. This mananivre was interpreted to
be a salute in honour of the landrost ; and, moreover,
as a change of sentiment or conduct — at least, of this
portion of the Graaft'-lleynetters.

We found here not only a friendly reception, hut
refreshments of all kinds; wine very tolerable, fruits of
various kinds and of good quality, vegetables luxuriant,
and cauliflowers measuring eighteen inches in diameter.
The mistress of the nuuision, at the age of sixty, \\w
mother of sixteen children, was a tall, straight, well-

Sect, 11,|

TO GllAAFK KEYNKT.

153

> '

looking: woman, and all the males were above the com-
iiioii size. The effcict u})()n ns of such a change, from
starvation to abundance, may easily be conceived, l)ut
this was not all ; we here completed (mr stock ofj)ro-
visioiis, and, having procured the loan of sixty stout
bullocks, proceeded, on the 23rd, nearly thirty miles,
to Sloutel Fonteyn: and, on the following day, en-
camped on thcTraka lliver, which, however, contained
little water, and that little both muddy and salt, its
hanks being covered with a pellicle of nitre, out of
which was growing abundance of the salsola plant.
At sunrise, thermometer five degrees below freezing-
point.

On the 25th we reached the Great Loory Fonteyn ;
small quantities of water in holes, muddy, salt, and
hitter. As the oxen had obtained no food out the
shrivelled leaves or stems of the mesend)ryanthenmm,
our journey was continued, though in the dark, in
search of some better place for refreshing the cattle.
A little clump of mimosas and salsola were met with
at the l^ittle Loory Fonteyn.

We advanced about thirty miles the follow! Jig day,
over a naked surface of solid clay, and late at night
pitched our tents in the midst of a meadow covered
com})letely with herbage knee-deep. This sudden
transition from unbounded barremiess to luxuriant vege-
tation had nuich the same effect on our hungry cattle, as
our deviation from the desert to Zwarteberg's friendly
jjt'ople had upon us. The oxen, in their impatience,
made no small havock in liberating themselves from
their yokes and traces, to glut their em})ty stomachs
with food. This place is named De Beer Valley, and is
the recipient of small rivers from three several groups

• ■

154

ACROSS THE KAKIIOO

[C'llAP. Ill,

of mountains. Here, too, was plenty of game : tlu'ec
species of antelope : the spring-bok, or pijgnrga ,• the
genis-bok, or oryx ; the koodoo, or iitri/>sicc'ros.

The spring-bok is always met with in large herds;
the peasantry will tell you, to the luunber sometimes of
ten thousand, which is absurd ; but in the course of iny
travels in South Africa I have met with a herd not
much less, if at all, than a thousand ; they will also tell
you, that he will spring at a leap from fifteen to five-
and-twenty feet ; the hair on the rump, at every spring,
sheds back on each side, and displays a surface of
snowy whiteness. The gems-bok is a beautiful crea-
ture, and of larger size tlnn the former ; it is also the
least timid of the antelope tribe, so that if closely
pressed or wounded, it will sit down on its haunches
and keep both sportsman and dogs at bay ; in ikf'eiice
it strikes back its long straight-pointed horns, making it
dangerous to be approached. The koodoo, on the con-
trary, thongh nearly the largest, is the most timid of
ti:e family ; its body is marked with transverse white
stri})es on a bluish ground, its fine long horns are
twisted in a spiral form, a black mane adorns its neck,
and along the spine is a ridge of black hairs.

Our cattle having refreshed themselves with tlic
herbage and mimosa leaves of this valley, we advanced
about twenty miles to the Hottentot Kiver, containiiii.'
a little muddy water. Here, however, we were met by
some inhabitants of Camdeboo, a district of (iraalf
Reynet, who, being a})prised of the approach of the I
landrost, had come a journey of two days, bringing witli
them several teams of large fat (ixen, to convey hiiutnl
the Drosdy, where, he was informed, the well-disposeil
])art of the district were anxiously expecting him.

i *<

i!\t

Skct. II.]

TO GRAAFF llEYNET.

155

On the 28th, our tents were pitched at the Poort, or
narrow pass through a ridge of hills that stretch across
the desert from the mountains of Camdehoo. Beyond
this pass we had hoped to get rid of the interminable
Karroo, but were disappointed. Twelve miles beyond it
brought us to the first habitation, ten miles in advance
to the second ; fifteen miles beyond that to the third,
which was the last that occurred till we had reached
the Drosdy, and distant from it ten miles.

It was late in the evening of the 30th before we
arrived at this village, at the entrance of which the
landrost was received by a body of the boors on horse-
back, M'ho welcomed him, in their usual manner, by a
discharge of several platoons of musketry. The month
of July was thus wholly expended in travelling about
five hundred miles, of which sixteen or seventeen days
were spent in crossing the dreary Karroo desert, whose
width may be estimated to extend, from east to west,
about three hundred miles, two-thirds of which, at least,
I traversed on foot, with mv little rifle in mv hand,
tliough game of any kind was so scarce as to be found
only in the neighbourhood of the springs.

My travelling companion was not very brilliant, or
very active : he stuck to his waggon nearly the whole
journey, but spurred on his Malay cook in tic pre-
paration of our evening's repast; while I, in a sepa-
rate tent, wrote out the minutes of the day's journey,
and laid down our route on the chart, as r.lready men-
tioned.

The first business of the landrost was to call a meet-
ing of the inhabitants, to read to them his commission,
to administer the oath of allegiance to his Majesty, to

-I'-!

.> .'

» .

156

ACROSS THE KAIIKOO

[Chai-. 111.

appoint members of the Council, and to explain to them
the views and intentions of the British Government,
as intended to be pursued by his Excellency the Lord
Macartney, who had arrived at the Cape, and assumed
the government of the colony ; that in addition to
his (the landrost's) instructions, he had sent his own
secretary, as a proof of the interest he took in the affair?
of the colony, who would explain for their guidance
the various points of the instructions that might be
thought to require explanation ; that he was directed
to declare to them a general amnesty for the grave
offences that had been committed by certain ill-disposed
or mistaken persons, and that even to the offenders
themselves he was authorised to hold out the olive-
branch.

They all seemed to be nmch pleased, and departed
to their homes, cordially shaking hands with the land-
rost and myself There was, however, a party under
the influence of a clever but mischievous boor, who at
night, for the purpose of intimidation it was supposed,
had assembled at a sort of tavern in the village, not far
from the landrost's house, and whose noise, shouting,
singing, and firing of nmskets, gave great alarm to Mr.
Bresler, who wished me to find out or see what they
were really about. I tried to persuade him that it wis
nothing more than an ebullition of joy at his return,
and for the general amnesty announced.

To ease his mind, however, I set off at once, entered
the room where they were assembled, and said I re-
joiced to find them so merry. They were extremely
civil, made me sit down and drink a sopie (a dram of
Schiedam) with them, and professed much friendship for

Mm"

!' v.:

i\. ■

" •/ / !i

skct, n.i

TO GHAAFF KEYNKT.

157

the English ; but they assured nie they had many
"•rievances, which they wished me to know. Unable,
from the little Dutch I had yet acquired, to listen or
reply to what they had to state, I made them under-
stand that, if they would put down in writing what they
had to say, and send it to nie, I would pledge myself
that their grievances would be talon into immediate
consideration, and, if possible, redressed. With this
thev a])pearcd fully satisfied, and cheered me vocife-
rously. I shook hands with all, and departed.

The paper came in the course of the following day,
and the only grievance was, that the Kaffirs had in-
vaded their district with three or four thousand head of
cattle, and that the acting landrost had not conde-
scended to give any answer to a requisition made for a
commando — that is, a detachment of fiirmers to make
war upon the Kaffirs, and take away their cattle. The
fact was that the acting landrost had the office thrust
upon hiui by these very people — a weak man, who
dared not to give a refusal, and had not the courage to
tell them that their old landrost, whom they had ex-
pelled, was on his way to resume his office, and that
they must wait his arrival.

In my reply to the paper, I told them that my in-
structions from the Governor were to accompany the
huulrost to the part of the district where the Kaffirs
had located themselves, and to endeavour to persuade
them to retire across the boundary into their own
country, and that it was hoped we should prevail upon
them to do so ; but that it was the decided determina-
tion of the Governor to put an end to those conimandos^
Avhich had caused so nmch bloodshed and ill-feeling on
jthe part of those who were at least disposed to be

1.-H'

■ll!

• ,.^ .•

^ ^

158

KXPEDITION TO TIIK ZUUIIK-VKLDT

H'llAP. Ill

peaceable; and, moreover, that the general opinion of
their own countrymen, at the Cape and southern dis.
tricts, was, that the plunder of the Kaffirs' cattle vas
the main object of these hostile expeditions.

Section III.

Expedition to the Zimre- Veldt and K.iffir-Land,

The landrost having settled affairs in this part of his
district, I arranged all matters relating to our intended
expedition to the southward, where the Kaffirs liad
posted themselves ; and I laid out the route of our
journey, according to the information I could collect.
All things being prepared, on the llth of Augnst m
departed from Graaff Key net, our party consisting ut
Mr. Bresler and myselfj our two servants, and at least
half-a-dozen Hottentots, besides an old Hottentot wlio
could speak the Kaffir language ; the two henn-aadoii
(or councillors), with their servants, waggons, and oxen,
and I know not how many Hottentots — more perluipj
of all kinds than were necessary, as we were now mostly
to travel through an inhabited part of the country, I
Our route was S.S.E. as far as Zwart-Kopi Baj, ai
thence westerly to the Zuure- Veldt, of which the Kaffirs I
had taken possession; and from thence N.W. into
Kaffir-Land, and to the residence of the King.*

* Having', in my two volumes, wliicli passed tlirougli two oii
tions, entered into so minute a detail of the nature of the couiitn,
its inhabitants, Duteh, Kaffirs, Hottentots, and IJosjesnien, I sliaii
on tlie present occasion confine my notices to a glance merely of tli
objects which tiiis part of the country aflTords, and to the transit'
tions and occurrences connected vvitii'the present expedition.

,iifi n IS'

Ill.i

AM) KAFFlIi-LAM).

151)

\Vc passed through Caiiuloboo, the first portion ol'
which was as sterile as the great desert; hut it improved
as we proceeded. The bullocks were large, and in ex-
cellent order; and the broad-tailed sheep were in fair
condition. Springboks and ostriches were abundant,
mid Me ])rotited by both of them. We also saw in the
course of the day a gnu, a hartebeest, and a quacha.

The two following days we had again to croGs a por-
tion of country equrdly bad as the Karroo, but of a
different nature. It is called the Zwaart liuggens, or
Bhiek Eidges. Excepting a small plain, on which we
; encamped, there scarcely occurred, in the distance of
f: f()rty miles, a hundred yards of level ground. The
? road, of course, was execrable : the ridges requiring to
i he constantly ascended or descended were besides
;U covered with large fragments of loose stones. In other
||])laccs the waggons had to l)e dragged over ledges of
|4iirni rock. Besides this, we had to cross the Sunday
iliiver nine times since our departure — every time in
Iperil of overturning the waggons. These ridges and
vpedsfes, however, did not prevent the luxuriant growth
||oft\vo species of euphorbia: one, scarcely rising above
|he surface, encloses a milky fluid, not less than a pint,
Ivihich tlie farmers assured us was eagerly devoured by
Ihe cattle, and made them fat. It is used also for
•greasing the axles of their waggon-wheels.

On the 14th, we passed through an opening in a
lid'/e of hills, called the Poort, the approach to which
IS more beautiful than anything I had yet seen. For
ree or four miles the road over which we had passed
l?as through clusters of crassidas and aloes, the latter
isiiig above all other shrubs in spikes of blood-red
jlossoms, to the height of fifteen feet, just as we had

.■•'•I

'1 .,'

ri'

100

KXI'KDITION TO TIIK ZLU'HK-VKF.D'r

U'llAC.

seen them on our journey to (iraaff Reynet. In Jact,
we were now on a portion of the same eountry, uiul of
tlie same ri(l^;es ot'liills, as hefore described.

On quitting tliis forest of most beautiful and luxu-
riant shrubbery, at least thirty miles in extent, I (i
served, at a little distance, a whole line of strelit/ias
in lull Hower, which, on approaching, 1 was pleased to
find were not of the species regina>, but a new specks
(at least in Enj;land), with ])ointed instead of ^mm-
shaped leaves, and from six to ten feet long. I pro
cured half a dozen roots for the botanical garden at the
Cape, whence the plant was sent to England ; but 1
have not happened to meet with any one of tlieiii in
our hot-houses.

On the evening t)f our esca])e from the shrubbery,
we encam})ed on the verdant l)ank of a beautiful lake.
of an oval tbrm, about three miles in circumference,
the water perfectly clear, but as salt as brine. Tlie
bottom was one continued body of salt, like a sheet of
ice — a mass of crystals as hard as rock. Here w
found a peasant encamped on the green bank, with liii
whole family of sons and daughters and grand-cliildreii,
men, cows, sheep, and dogs. He stated that two ofliis
horses had, in the j)receding night, been devoured k
lions; that these treacherous animals, like the rest d!
the feline tribe, lie in ambush till they can securely
pounce U])on their prey. While we were here, one of
the farmer's Hottentots brought down a large male
buffalo (Bos Caffer), the strongest and the fiercest o(
the bovine genus. Its immense horns are so broad at
the base as to leave only a narrow channel down tk
forehead ; and this is said to fill up with age, giving t'
the animal a front of horn as hard as rock. The lioi

Strr. IM.l

AND KAFFIR-LAND.

IG]

soiiR'tiiiU's attacks the buffalo, hut always l)y stratagem,
and f;c,'iicrally succeeds.

Our next halt was on the shore of Alpoa Bay, which
the Dutch nanu!<l Zwart Kop's Jiay, from the river of
that iiiiine, which Hows into it. We found 1 1. M.S.
'Hope' iit anchor in the hay, having,' heeii sent expressly
l)V Admiral I'riiifjjle to meet us; and here we remained
a ti'W (lavs to examine, and make observations on, the
bay and the surroundini^? country. In Lieutenant Kice
I found an expert and intellip;ent gentleman ; and on
my proposal we agreed to take advantage of thus
iiicctiug, to ascertain by lunar distanc(!S the latitude
and longitude of the best ancliorage. lie had already
ohtiiiiied the latitude of the landing-place, which I
took several occasions to repeat, and found to be
33^ 50', the same as that of the anchorage in Table
Bay; and this result occasioned some sur[)rise, as all
the old charts made the trending of the land nearly
N.E. from the Cape L'Aguillas to Algoa J5ay, whereas,
hy our observations, the said Cape and Algoa JJay are
not more than E. by N. of each other. The land,
therefore, from the Cape to Algoa Bay, juts out into
the sea tar beyond what was supposed, and laid down
in the charts ; and it was probably owing to the want
of this knowledge that the unfortunate loss of the
' Grosvenor,' East Indiaman, may be ascribed.

On the western part of Algoa Bay, where the landing-
Iplacc was pointed out, as being the most practicable and
secure, a beautiful verdant terrace of grass and shrubby
clumps extended about a quarter of a mile along the
:oast, but elevated above it, and enclosed on its northern
lide by a bushy ridge. It ap])eared to me so lovely a
spot, and so delightfully situated, that I was tempted to

'i,,'

I'i ♦^

' \

162

EXPEDITION TO THE ZUURE-VELDT

[Chap, III,

declare I would erect there my baaken, or landmark,
and solicit from the Governor possession of it, either as
a free gift or by purchase. Future events, however, put
an end to this speculation ; and I understand that now
a whole line of houses and gardens occupy my enviable
terrace.

At the distance of fifteen miles, which I rode over, to
the westward of the bay, and close to the sea -shore, I
was agreeably surprised to meet with an extensive forest,
of many thousand acres, covered with trees of various
kinds and dimensions, the most common apparently
being the gecl-hoiit, or yellow wood ( Taxus elongatus) ;
many of the trees rose to the height of thirty or forty
feet without a branch, with a trunk of ten feet in
diameter. Next in size was the yzei\ or iron-Mond
{fiideroccyloii) \ hassagai-lwut {Curtisia far/mea). This
beautiful tree is used for the naves and spokes of
waggon-wheels. Siink-Jioiit takes its name from an
offensive odour which it exhales while green, but Avliidi
goes off entirely with age. It is by many degrees tlie
best wood produced in the colony, and well calculated
for use in ship-building, either as knees, beams, timbe's,
or planks. Not being anywhere described, that I was
aware ofj I gave it the name of Quercus Afriama.
Several other timber-trees were growing here and along
the coast, of which I procured specimens to the amoun;
of about forty different kinds ; yet in Cape Town a
general complaint prevailed of the want of wood, and
the extravagance of prices, which no doubt long before
this have found a remedy.

The Zwart Kop's River meanders, in its course to
the bay, through a valley about twenty miles long, and
two to three wide, the hills on either side exhibiting an

Sr.CT. ]\].]

AND KAFFIR-T,AN1).

163

unbroken forest of trees and shrubby plants, among
which are the tree crassula, euphorbia, and several aloes.
The whole of this rich valley was divided among four
families, each having not less than five thousand acres
p of land; yet not content, they made endeavours to
burn the enclosing shrubberies, in order to get more
grass-land for their cattle, but the heated aloes and
euphorbias burst open their stems, and the rushing
streams of their juices extinguished the fire.

In game, Zwart Kop's district was the most prolific
wc had yet seen. We found five or six species of ante-
lope ; and among them the pi</ma'a, supposed to be the
smallest of hoofed quadrupeds, except only the pigmy
nuisk-deer. We found also a third species of kor]ia('n,
or bustard, larger than either of the other two, called the
/(•//(/(' jiauw, or wild peacock : and also the fnlco scr-
pimtariiis, which the Dutch have named the secretary
bird, fi-om the pen-like feathers sticking on its head.
I have so fully described the moral and physical
11 character of the Hottentot, his good qualities, and
the cruel and inhuman treatment he receives ti'om the
p Dutch boors,* that I must fiDrbear, in this place, any
if further notice of them. In vain have I endeavoured to
m discover by whom, or on what ground, the naiie of
Hottentot was conferred on the tribe. In their own
II language, it has neither place nor meaning: they call
themselves, in every pa. t of the country over which
they are scattered, Quaiquah But the mystery is from
whence and how they came to the extreme point of a
continent, hemmed in on one side bynegroes, and on
the other by Kaffirs, neither of whom, nor any other
nation on that continent, have feature, form, character,

* Travels into the Interior of Southern Africa.

M 2

* ' ^ *

164

EXPEDITION TO THE ZUURE-VELDT

[Chap. III.

or colour, bearing the least resemblance to theirs. From
all that I have seen of them (and I have had them in
my service from five to six years), I have ever found
them, with one single exception, an honest, faithful, in-
telligent, and well-conditioned people.

AVe are now about to proceed among a very different
race of men, called Kaffirs, a name of whose origin tliev
are equally ignorant as the Hottentots are of theirs;
they call themselves Koussie. Advancing on our in-
tended visit to the party, who had established them-
selves within the British colony, on the 29th of Aiigust
we crossed the ford of the Sunday River, and encamped
on its wooded banks, where, during the night, for thetirst
time, we were disturbed by a troop of elephants comina:
to drink ; but on finding the place occupied, they turned
quietly away, without I'nrther molesting us. We saw
them next morning in an extensive thicket, and chased
them many hours, but to no purpose.

Thirty miles over a wild and uninhabited country
brought us in the evening to the banks of the Bosjes-
mans' river, after a tedious journey through thickets of
shrubbery, in which a road had l)een cut just wide
enongh to admit the waggons. The next day we
reached the Ilassagai-bosch liiver, whose source is in tlie |
Kiet-berg, a range of hills that extend to the eastern |
limit of the colonv, aiul lose themselves in the hicli
banks of the Great P'ish River.

We had now passed throngh a jxjrtion of the Zuure-
Veldt, on which the emigrant Kaffirs had placed them-
selves and their herds of cattle ; and were about 'o |
proceed to an interview with their chiefs, when sevora
farmers with their waggons, and a party of thirty or i
forty boors, approached, for the purpose, as it appeared,

Sect. III.]

AND KAFFIR-LAND.

1G5

of accompanying us into the Kaffir country. The two
hemraadcn who had officially accompanied the landrost
now proposed, as a necessary precaution for our safety,
to take with us a party of armed men. Poor Breslor
was silent, but knowing the Governor's feeling and in-
tention on this subject, I stood forward and declared
that not a sii „le armed man should a})proach the King
of the Kaffirs, in my company ; that to take twenty
I aniiod men into the heart of a country tiiat could bring
almost as many thousands into the field would be folly,
and would afford no better defence than three or four,
and that by nmltiplying our munbers we should proba-
bly imiltiply the danger of giving offence ; and there-

I ■ fore it could not be done ; that my instructions were
peremptory on that head, and that mine was not a mis-

II sion of hostility, but of conciliation and peace. They
11 pressed the landrost to interfere, but he told them he

coukl not ; that, if they had any apprehensions as to
their personal safety, they were at full liberty to return
|S to Graaff Keynet.

AVe lost them for the present; but as none of us were

J ac([uaintc(l with a single step of the country, we took

& an old man of U})per Zuure-Veld and Van Rensberg,

^Mvho had been one of the companions of Van Keencn,

the person who had proceeded along the eastern coast

fl in search of the unfortunate passengers and crew of the

Grosvenor' Indiaman; and these we took for the sole

p' purpose of being our guides.

Kensberg was a most useful man ; he was not only
ac([uaiiited with the country, but was an excellent marks-
man ; and an old Hottentot he had with him wms still
Ik Iter— from this old man he generally reckoned upon
a beast for every ball. With all our care, however,

. It :

166

EXPEDITION TO THE Z(JUR3-VELDT

[ClIAl-, III,

two or three others joined us in the evening, under
pretence of looking after their oxen, and the first night
that we passed in Kaffirland no fewer than ten had
contrived to smuggle themselves into that country; but
they were disappointed in their object.

We had not advanced tar beyond the Hassagai-bosch
River, when our approach to the Kaffirs was announced
by the v/hole surface of the country a])pearing in flames.
On arriving, in the evening, on the banks of the Ka-
reeka, we pitched our tents amidst several! hundreds nf
these people, who came swarming out of the thick slinih-
bery that skirted the river. A })arty of women wnc
the first to salute UvS, laughing and dancing and pnttiiii;
on all the coaxing maiuiers they could invent, with the
view of getting from us some tobacco and brass buttons
for their husbands. Good huriour, animation, and a
cheerful turn of mind beamed conspicuously in all their
actions and in their countenances. They appeared to
be, as I believe they were, modest w'ithout rescrvi,
curious without being troublesome, lively Mithont impu-
dence, and sportive without the least shadow of lasei-
viousness. Getting over the prejudice of colour, a dark
glossy brown verging on black, several of them nii^lit
be accounted handsome. The rapid movement of tk
dark sparkling eye gave animation to the countenaiiee;!
their teeth were beautifully white and regular ; and tlie I
whole contour of the face and head was equally well
formed witn that of the European, which it resend)led.
They were mostly, however, low in stature, stroiis:-
limbed, and very muscular in the leg.

The men, on the contrary, were the finest S})ecimeii5
of the human figure I ever beheld. They possessed a I
firmness of carriage and an open, manly deniea'

lIMlll

Skct. II I.J

AND KAFFIR-LAND.

167

5 '

whicli, added to the good nature that illumined their
features, declared them at once to be eqjially uncon-
scious of fear, suspicion, or treachery, A young man
of about twenty, of six feet ten inches high, was one
of the finest figures, perhaps, ever created ; he was
a perfect Hercules. Some wore skin-cloaks, but the
iircatcr ))art were entirely naked. The women wore
cloaks that extended below the calf of the leg ; they
had leather caps trimmed with beads, shells, and
pieces of polished copper or iron. In the evening they
sent us some milk in baskets made from a species of
(■i/jii-ni.% exceedingly clever and neat. Having no
bread, vegetables, or roots, and rarely killing any of
their cattle, they ma\ 1)6 said to live entirely, or nearly,
upon coagulated milk ; and the best proof of its nutri-
tious quality is the general healthy appearance and
vigour of their persons.

A chief of the name of Toolcy paid us a visit ; he
was fiood-humoured and cheerful, but declined entering
into conversation on the subject of our visit ; he said
his brother Malloo could talk to us. It was not long
before he made his appearance, followed by a third
chief of the name of Ktonie. They were all stout, well-
formed men, but Etonie might be cal'ed handsome;
he had a lively, pleasing countenance that always wore
a smile, his eyes were vivid and active, liis teeth as
white as the purest ivory, and his nose of the same
form as that of the European.

They were asked if they were acquai/ited with the
treaty that lixed the Great Fish River as the boundary
between the Christians and tlie Kaffirs. Malloo said
they knew it very well. "Then," it was asked, "had
they not violated that treaty, by crossing the river and

' !

168

EXPEDITION TO THE ZUURE-VELDT

[CUAP. III.

taking possession of the country belonging to the colo-
nists, and thus depriving them of their habitations?"
Malloo immediately replied, " There were no habita-
tions "where they had fixed themselves ; and as to the
motive for passing the boundary, he could only say, for
his own part, that he had come over for one of the
reasons that had carried the colonists first after the
treaty, into the Kaffir country — that of hunting for
game."

It was at once clear that we had a shrewd peo])lc to
deal with. I told them that the colony had now passed
into the hands of a great and powerful sovereign, the
King of England, and that his chiefj who was now the
Governor of that colony, had directed me to say, that
the established boundary should be strictly observed hy
the colonists ; bu*^^ that the Kaffirs and all the others
who had spread themselves over this side of the Groat
Fish River were expected to recross that river, with their
families and cattle, returning quietly and peaceably into
their own country. And as a proof of the good inten-
tions and friendship of the English Government to-
wards the Kaffir nation, wc were now proceeding to
their King Gaika with presents from the Guveniorof
the colony.

This intelligence seemed to alarm them ; and it was
soon discovered that they were on bad terms with tlie
King, and had been obliged to leave the country to
avoid the effects of his displeasure. They now entreated
our intercession on their behalf with the King, and gave
a promise that, if a messenger of peace came to them
direct from Gaika, they would immediately return into
their own country. We assured them that every at-
tempt should be made to bring about an amicable ad-

from
iiig- ;)
are n
abov
shore
iiial-a
tlian
Aristo

\V()ll|(

no sii
and 1
iMiiiid
Th
iiig til
(iij'/ii)/'

/(,.,

Sect. III.]

AND KAFFIR-LAND.

169

iitiiig for

people to
ow passed
?reign, the
IS now the
) sav, that
jserved by
the others
' the Great
, with their
seably into
;ood iiiteu-
Mimeiit to-
(ceeding to
iloveruorot'

aiul it \v;i»
lins M'ith till'

country to
w eiitroated
ig, and gave
me to them

return into
iit every at-
imicablc ad-

justment, and hoped, from the general good character
of their King, to be successful ; and thus we parted.

We skirted the banks of the Kareeka, passing through
multitudes of Kaffirs and their herds of cattle, which
our boors estimated to have amounted, in the course of
the day's journey, to not less than five thousand head.
Old Rensberg gave us an account of the multitudes of
elephants he had formerly seen in this neighbourhood ;
he asserted that he had once seen in one troop between
foui' and five hundred, scouring the plains and making

■ for tlie forests. They are considered harmless, in com-
parison with the lion, the leopard, wolves, and hytcnas,
and other beasts of prey, with which this wild and
rugged part of the country abounds.

We went out of our way to take a look at the mouth
of the Great Fish River. A bar of sand crosses the

V mouth, but there appeared to be sufficient water for the
admission of large boats ; within the bar the width was

I from three to four hundred yards. Towards the even-
ing a vast number of hippopotami, or sea-cows as they
are named by the Dutch, appeared with their heads
above the surface, but too far towards the opposite
shore to be hit by nuisket-balls. Sea-cow is a name
nial-ap})ropriate enough, but it is still somewhat better
than sea-horse, which it has borne from the days of
Aristotle and Pliny down to our time ; river-ho(j
would best suit it. The water affords this huge animal
no sustenance, which it has to seek among the reeds
and rushes and succulent plants, that are generally
luuiid on the shores of the rivers they inhabit.

I'lie frutescent plants we observed on the forests skirt-
ing the Great Fish River were the lofty (jhelUkoat,
(iiphurljia, with its trunk of thirty or forty feet high ;

. * .':

« ,1

EXPEDITION TO THE ZUURE-VELDT

[ClIAP. 111.

the erf/thrina coralladendron ; the Scotia spcclosa, or
African Ihjnum vitce ; the zamia ci/cadls, or KatRvs
bread-tree ; the taiiuis elep/iantopus, its stump resem-
bling the foot of an elephant. Among the herbaceous
plants, common to the colony, were the xerantlmmun
and gnaj)halmin, to the flowers of which the Dutch
have given the name of schen-yaars -bloom — seven
years' flowers, a duration which in England we liavu
extended to everlasthuis.

"We crossed the Great Fish llivcr into the Kaffir
country, passed the deserted villages of the chieis
Malloo and Toolev, and arrived at the River Keis-
kamma. Between the two great rivers villages and
huts abounded, yet not a human being appeared in tlie
two days we had travelled in this part of Kaflirlaiul,
till we were met at the close of the second day by one
of our interpreters with a Kaflir cliicfj who had been
despatched by King Gaika to invite and to conduct us
to his place of residence.

The Keiskamma was here found not fordable by
waggons, and the country on the opposite side so moun-
tainous and woody that wheel-carriages were out ct
the (piestion. I was not sorry for the boors, who had
smuggled themselves into the country, and were oblitiid
to remain behind with their waggons ; and our Ilcin-
raaden were pretty nmch in the same plight. Indeed,
before we came to this river, I gave notice that not a
single musket should cross it, and that the landrostand
myself, and whoever accompanied lis to the King,
should go entirely unarmed. By this detenninatioii
we got rid of the whole party, Ifemraadcn and all, ex-
cept Rensberg and the interpreter.

We were four hours in riding fifteen miles. On our

>-t.i .. f„

skct. :ii.]

AND KAFFIR-LAND.

) f

arrival at the residence of the King, his majesty, not
having expected us till the following day, had gone to
his grazing-village, ten or twelve miles to the north-
ward; a messenger was immediately despatched after
liim. In the meantime, the King's mother and his
queen, a pretty Kaffir girl about fifteen, with their
female attendants, to the number of fifty or sixty,
formed a circle round us on the ground, and did their
best to entertain us with their good-humoured and lively
conversation, which would have been more agreeable if
directly conveyed, instead of through the medium of a
Hottentot interpreter.

While thus pleasantly chatting, Gaika made his ap-
pearance riding on an ox in full gallop, attended by five
or six of his people similarly mounted. He invited us
into his kraal, where the cattle are shut up at night,
and received us under the shade of a spreading mimosa.
From tlience we proceeded to a clear place of grass, on
which he requested us to sit down with him, that, as he
said, we might the more conveniently hear what each
party had to say. He was evidently pleased with our
visit, of the nature of which he was fully aware ; assured
us that none of those Kaffirs who had passed the boun-
(huy were his f-ubjeets ; that they Mere chiefs entirely
independent of him ; that he was only a chief himself
but his ancestors had always held the first rank in the
country, and were so considered both by Kaffirs and
colonists; that he regarded none of his countrymen,
who wished to be independent of him, in the light of ene-
mies. In short, he solemnly assured us, that Malloo and
Tooley particularly had committed great depredations
on the cattle of his people, and that when he sent them
a civil message, to inquire if these had strayed into their
territories, to his surprise he was informed they had

k .j

172

EXPEDITION TO THE ZUURE-VELDT

[CUAP. 111.

quitted the country; that he had frequently since
sent them proffers of friendship, but they detained
his messengers ; that to give them no pretext for
quarrelling with him, he had forbidden any of his
people to molest the habitations they had left behind—
the truth of this we witnessed, the villages of Malloo
and Tooley remaining unmolested when we passed
them.

It was impossible not to be satisfied with the candour
that marked his whole conversation with us ; and he
readily agreed to send a messenger of peace to the
Kaffir chiefs in the Zuurc- Veldt to invite their return ;
that none of his subjects should pass the boundary to
give them any disturbance ; and that he should keep
up a friendly intercourse with the landrost, by sending
annually one of his captains to Graaff Reynet, bearing
a brass gorget, with the arms of His Britannic Majesty
engraven upon it.

We were surprised to find so much good sense and
prudence in so young a man, and a Kaffir. He was
at this time under twenty years of age, of an elegant
form and a graceful and manly deportment ; his height
about five feet ten inches ; his countenance open, but
marked with the habit of reflection ; and he possessed,
in a superior degree, a solid understanding and a clear
head. To every question, he gave, without embarrass-
ment or reserve, direct and unequivocal answers. His
disposition appeared to be amiable. He seemed, in-
deed, to be adored by his subjects ; the name of Gaika
was in every mouth, and was seldom pronounced with-
out symptoms of pleasure. He had one wife only,
very young and very pretty, by whom he had a little
girl called Jasa.

The ceremony of the circumcision of male children

ir't'

Sect. III.]

AND KAFFIR-LAND.

173

is universally practised among these people, but from
whom they had it, is not easy to imagine. That they
have descended from the Arabs is most probable : that
tribe known by the name of Bedouins are and have
long been wanderers over a great part of Africa. Their
pastoral habits and manners, their kind and friendly
reception of strangers, their tent-shaped houses, and,
above all, that grand feature of Islamism to which I
have alluded, strongly impressed on my mind, when
among them, their Arabian descent.

Notwithstanding the friendly disposition of the Kaffir
King towards the emigrant chiefs, we had scarcely
reached Graaft' Reynet, when it was reported to the
laiulrost that those foolish people had positively refused
to return beyond the Fish River, instigated no doubt
by the rebel outlaws, lurking in the neighbourhood of
that river and in various parts of the Zuure-Veld, and
encouraged probably by a set of adventurers, whom we
fell in with on our return, chiefly soldiers or sailors,
who had either deserted or been discharged from the
Dutch army and the Company's shipping.

We arrived at the Drosdy on the 30th of September,
having made our long circuitous journey in less than
two mouths.

Section IV.

E.i'pedltion over the Sneuwherg to the Orange River and
through the Country of the Bo^esmans.

Three weeks had scarcely elapsed when we were
ready for another expedition. My very general in-
structions directed me to visit the boundaries of the

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174

EXPEDITION TO THE ORANGE KlVEIf. [Chap. HI.

' I

colony. The journey therefore Wiis now to be taken
to the northward and to return by the eastward; in
short, to explore the country, which is mostly in
possession of* a singular people, known by the name
of Bosjesman, from their living and concealing them-
selves among the bushes or thickets. I may here at
once describe them. At the house of one Kriiger, at
an early part of the journey, I saw one of these wild
men, with his two wives and a little child, who had just
been captured or stolen. The man measured four feet
five inches, one of the women four feet two, the other
four feet three. Physically speaking, they are evi-
dently of the same class of beings with the Hottentot,
whose ugly features in this diminutive race are greatly
exaggerated, even to disgust. We afterwards sur-
rounded a kraal, or village of huts, the population of
which was estimated at about a hundred and fifly per-
sons. I had several, both men and women, measured,
and the tallest of the former was four feet nine inches,
and the tallest woman four feet four inches ; one of these,
who had borne several children, measured only three feet
nine inches. These unfortunate beings are in every
reppect, I should suppose, the ugliest of all human
creatures : the flat nose, high cheek-bones, prominent
chin and concave visage, partake much of the apish
character, which their keen eye, always in motion, does
not tend to diminish. The upper lid of this organ, as
in that of the Chinese and the Hottentot, is rounded
into the lower on the side next the nose. Thcv aro
known in the colony, from this circumstance probahly.
by the name of Chinese Hottentots.

The activity of this diminutive race is incredihly
great. It is said that the klip-springing antelope can

Sect. IV.]

EXPEDITION TO THE ORANGE RIVEI{.

175

scarcely excel them in leaping from rock to rock, and
that on rough ground or up the sides of* mountains
horsemen have no chance in keeping pace with them ;
yet the form of their bodies would not appear to indi-
cate this. The great curvature of the spine inwards
and the remarkably extended posteriors are character-
istic of the whole Hottentot race ; but in some of the
little Bosjesmans they are carried to such an extrava-
gant degree as to excite laughter. In most other
respects, mentally at least, they differ very widely.
In disposition the latter is lively and cheerful ; in his
person active ; averse from idleness he seldom wants
employment. Concealed by day in his hovel, for fear
of the boors, he will dance on moonlighi nights from
the setting to the rising of the sun. Yet every morsel
the Bosjesman eats is earned with danj^er and fatigue —
danger from their inveterate enemies, the boors, and
fatigue in searching and laying out plans for capturing
different kinds of game. This poor creature neither
cultivates the ground nor breeds cattle. The bulbs of
the liliaceous plants and a few gramineous roots are all
that the vegetable kingdom affords him ; the larva) of
ants and of locusts are luxuries ; of the former we could
not but observe, that an ant-hill, so very common in most
parts of Africa, was here a rare object. The larvae of
locusts he can only procure on the occasional visits of
this destructive insect.

AVhen all these means fail, they are driven by hunger
to the necessity of hazarding a toilsome and dangerous
expedition of plunder into the colony. They are pro-
hably the less scrupulous of this, as the treatment of
the boors towards them has been most flagitious. The
country was once their own ; it was taken from them

'* ! '■'— ^ T' Wgyw

'^mnKBanm/msK i

116

EXPEDITION TO THE ORANGE RIVER. [Chap, in,

by the boors, and their children were seized and made
slaves. The result of all this has been the abominable
expeditions carried on, under the sanction of the Dutch
government, against this miserable race of mortals, by
the name of commandos, which it was the determination
of Lord Macartney should no longer be tolerated.

To bring about a conversation with some of the
chiefs of these poor people ; to persuade them, if pos-
sible, to quit their wild and marauding life, on being
assured that the colonists would not be permitted to
molest them ; at the same time to see the state of this
portion of the colony, and of the Christian inhabitants
(as they designate themselves), the present journey was
undertaken. It promised also tnany subjects of curio-
sity; and as no European traveller, except the late
Colonel Gordon, had ever ascended the Mountains of
Snow, much novelty might be expected from \t

On the 20th of October we departed from the j^»osdy,
and at the distance of eighteen miles found ourselves
among the extensive plains and scattered mountains
that compose the Sneuwberg ; the latter of which, with
their sides of bare rock and level summits, resemble,
on a smaller scale, the Table Mountain at the Cape of
Good Hope. We encamped on one of these enclosed
plains, the thermometer 45°, which, during the day's
journey, had been at 83° — the former figure occasioned
not so much by the elevation, which, from a barometrical
observation in a Dutch MS. journal, appears to be only
4800 feet, as by the evaporation from heavy rain,
which at least may probably have been the main cause.

In company of the late provisional landrost of Graaff
Reynet, an inhabitant of Sneuwberg, I made an excur-
sion in search of Bosjesmans, a party of whom had

II I , i. .• I ■ I

•♦., r

Skct. IV.

EXPEDITION TO THE ORANGE RIVER.

177

> f.

carried off a number of cattle but two days before. In
one of the retreats among the mountains we discovered
their recent traces ; their fires were scarcely extin-
guished, but the Bosjesmans were gone. We disco-
vered, however, in a cavern drawings of several animals,
made, it is supposed, by these people. The animals
represented were zebras, quachas, gemsboks, spring-
boks, ree-boks, elands, baboons, and ostriches. The
figure of the zebra, in particular, was remarkably well
executed ; all the marks and characters of this animal
were well represented. The materials used were char-
coal, pipe-clay, and different ochres. Several crosses,
circles, points, and lines were placed in a long row, as
if intended to express some meaning. The upper part
of the cavern was covered with a thick coating of a
black substance, not unlike pitch. In reaching up to
cut off a specimen the people called out to me to desist,
that it was deadly poison, and used by the Hottentots
to smear the points of their arrows, and that it was well
known as klip-gift, or rock-poiscn.

As we advanced to the northward the sorry sight of a
compact mass of that destructive animal the locust resting
upon, the ground presented itself^ completely covering a
space of about a square mile, giving it the appearance from
a little distance as if burnt up and strewed over with
brown ashes. The waggons drove directly through the
mass, compelling these creatures to rise on the wing in
a cloud that darkened the air on each side of and under
the waggons ; the rest remaining quiet, our horses were
nuide to gallop through them, but a few only just under
their feet would deign to stir.

On the '23rd we encamped at the foot of a detached
mountain, remarkable only for its pointed peak. It

■iH'

■■.'4 :;|'

178

EXPEDITION TO THE ORANGE RIVER. [Cuap. Ill,

III

r . ••>

was called by Colonel Gordon the Compass Mountain,
as the waters of the surrounding meadows flow from it
in all directions. I measured its altitude trigononietri-
cally, and found it about fifteen hundred feet.

The termination of the Snowy Mountains is some-
where about twelve miles to the north-east of the Com-
pass-berg, where a poort^ or passage through the last
ridge opens upon a plain, extending to the northward
without a swell farther than the eye can command.
Eight miles beyond this pass we encamped on the plain,
where the weather was found to be more raw and cold
than hitherto experienced; and we observed the
Compass-berg white near the summit with snow. Tiie
plains, however, were embroidered wit'i almost the
whole tribe of syngenesious plants ; of these the most
abundant were various species of arctotisj othonna, cm-
raria, aster, calendula, athanasla, tanecetum, senecio,
and gnaphalium—fiW of them at this time in the height
of their bloom. Few frutescent plants were met with.
Many of the Sneuwberg farmers have never seen a tree;
their fuel is the dung of the cattle collected where pent
up at nights, dug out in squares like turf, spread out to
dry, and then piled up in stacks.

The boors of Sneuwberg appeared to be, in general,
a better description of men than those towards the sea-
coast — a peaceable, obliging, and orderly people; a
brave and hardy race of men : the women also were
evidently possessed of more animation, and led a less
sedentary and listless life, than those of the lower divi-
sions. Many examples of female fortitude have been
shown and recorded. The wife of one of our party
having received intelligence, in the absence of her hus-
band, that the Bosjesmans had carried oft' a troop of

li 'T.

■ . • . . I "

<m: IV.] EXPEDITION TO THE ORANGE RIVER.

179

their sheep, instantly mounted her horse, took a musket
ill her hand, and, accompanied hy a single Hottentot,
engaged the plunderers, put them to flight, and reco-
vered every sheep.

Proceeding, on the 25th, about twenty miles northerly
over a level country without a bush, to the Gordon's
Fonteyn, where we encamped, we saw on every side
such a nmltitude of gnoos and quachas, spring-boks
and hartebeests, as we had never before met with in any
part of the country. Near this spring stood the last
Christian habitation in this quarter, the abode of four
families, for mutual protection against the Bosjesmans.

We were now in the midst of this wild people, as the
boors name them, and to travel with safety through
their country it was deemed necessary to increase our
numbers ; for this purpose the commandant of the dis-
trict had been ordered to meet us here with an adequate
force. He brought with him sixteen farmers and eight
armed Hottentots, which, with our own party, the drivers,
and leaders, amounted to about fif^y persons. We had
seven waggons, about a hundred oxen, and fifty horses,
l)tsides a flock of fifty or sixty sheep for our consump-
tion. The farmers were all young men, who seemed
to be delighted on the present occasion, which they
considered only as a jaunt of pleasure.

We collected all our forces the following day at the
Sea-cow lliver, about six miles to the northward of our
last station. It is a chain of deep stagnant pools or
;/a/s, some of which were five or six miles in length,
and deep enough to float a line-of-battle ship •, neither
tree nor shrub adorned its banks; the tall arumlo-
phragmites alone supplied their place, affording food
for the hippopotamus, an animal that now and then

.1..,

i:;S-

» .,

*■■ A H

•; V

180

EXPEDITION TO THE ORANGE RIVER. [Chap. III.

makes its appearance in these holes, where it was once
found in such numbers, as to give a name to the river;
but now they are nearly destroyed.

Twenty miles farther to the northward brought us to
a part of the river where Governor Van Plettenberg
ended his journey, and caused a stone or bnaken to be
erected, as indicating a point in the line of demarcation
be ,veen the colony and the country of the Bosjesniaiis;
it no longer exists ; the boors, disliking any such lints,
demolished it. Here, however, on the opposite side of
the river, for the first time since we came upon it, we
observed some clumps of large shrubby plants, loaded
with a vast number of nests, on approaching which
numerous flocks of birds issued from them. They were
immediately recognised l)y the colonists to be the nests
of the locust-devouring thrush, whose food is stated to
consist wholly of the larva) of that aninial, which they
hunt out and pursue wherever they go. They are, it
seems, to the locusts what the king thrush is to the
ants.

These nests consisted of a multitude of cells, each
having a tube leading into it. One general roof covered
each clump, composed of interwoven twigs, to protect
them from birds of prey. The numbers of these birds,
which we disturbed, were not less astonishing than those
of the locusts, which we had speedily to encounter.
Numerous as the birds were, there was no danger of
their wanting their favourite food.

Of the multitudes of the incomplete insect or larva
of the locust, which at this time infested this part of
Africa, no adequate idea can possibly be conceived
without having been an eye-witness. For the distance
often miles on each side of the Sea-cow River, and

Sect. IV.] EXPEDITION TO THE ORANGE RIVER.

181

) »

eighty or ninety miles in length, an area of sixteen
or eighteen hundred square miles, the whole surface of
the ground, as far as we could see, might literally be said
to be, or to have been, covered with them. They had
completely destroyed every green herb and every blade
of grass; and had not the insulated reeds of the river
afforded subsistence for our cattle, our journey must here
have ended for want of food. To the southward, where
these swarms had already been, the traces of their
route appeared as if the surface had been swept by a
hrooin, or as if a harrow had been dra\\n over it. In
coming to the first troop, the waggons, as usual, drove
right through them, when they rose up on each side like
a cloud, and the horses crossed the group in a gallop ;
those that escaped from being crushed immediately
squatted down again. They swarmed in thousands into
our tents, to devour the crumbs of bread that fell on the
ground. The present year was the third of their con-
tinuance in this part of the colony. Their last depar-
ture, with its result, is described as rather singular, and
it was confirmed by the inhabitants of the lower part of
the colony. All the full-fledged insects were driven by
a tempestuous north-west wind into the sea, and after-
wards thrown back upon the beach, where they formed
a bank three or four feet high, between the mouths of
the Bosjesmans River and the Beeka, a distance of
nearly fifty miles ; and our present company assured
me that when this mass became putrid, the stench was
sensibly felt in several parts of Sneuwberg.

In proceeding to the northward we reached a poort^
or gap in the hills, and a little beyond it a second,
when we found the surface of the country broken and
rugged with rocks, and the hills as we advanced be-

■••• ■.''\^¥

182

KXI'EDITION TIIU()U(JH THK

[I'llAl-. 1

•U

I '

> ift

came higher, and their summits were capped with
sandstone. This second pass or /ilaof was so narrow,
and the river had become so serpentine and henniied
in by such higli rocky banks, that we were conipolled
to make a fiu'ther search i)ef'ore we could attempt to
let the waggons proceed.

We, therefore, took a day's journey on horseback to
examine the country and to look out for game. ^^\
fell in with spring-boks iimumerable, hartebeests, elands,
a;?d bonteboks ; and quachas, from fifty to a hundred in
a troop, were frecpiently seen, but not a gnoo among
them. On a previous day we had fallen in with a
troop of this singular animal between two hills, amount-
ing to nearly fifty, when our ])arty of boors, six or
seven in number, discharged a whole volley of their
tremendously-large nniskets, which they call rooars or
caveer.% into the herd, and killed or wounded five or
six. This animal is supposed to be the swiftest in all
Africa. It partakes of the character of three others;
its head being bovine, its neck and body ecjuiiic, and
its legs cervine. As to its vertical and stiff uiaiie,
white streaked with black hairs, it is peculiar to itstlfi
being from two to three inches long and ap})eariiig as
'f cut and trimmed artificially. The animal is so fierce
and wild as not to be tamed. In the Surrey Zoolo-
gical Gardens they had procured one, which was fierce,
but not considered dangerous. One day, however, it
made an attack upon his keeper and slew him.

Being now in the Bosjesmen's country, the com-
mandant represented the necessity of sending out
exploring parties to discover the retreats of Bosjesinen
tribes, to which I reluctantly consented ; but on a
solemn promise that on no other consideration than

SkcT. IV.]

COUNTRY OF THE HOSJESMANS.

183

that not a shot should be fired U])on thnm ; — they were
merely to explore and report. That very evenir>g lights
had been seen behind some bushes on a neighbouring
rocky hill ; it was suggested that an f.ttack should be
made on them the following evening : I positively for-
bade any such an outrage, but told the commandant I
would go with them myself, and endeavour to bring
about an intercourse with them : but in so doing, I
must exact a solemn pledge from every man of the
party that not a shot should be fired, and that he, the
commandant, as the provisional landrost, should be held
responsible for the rest — an office he had held, during
the time of Mr. Bresler's expulsion.

On setting out, our very devout boors prepared them-
selves for the enterprise by singing three or four hymns
out of ' William Sluiter,' and drinking each a sop'u>^ or
glass ol' Ca})e brandy. We moved on gently and with-
out noise, and the boors, taking another stave and
another glass of brandy, advanced towards the hill to
observe the motions of the Bosjesmcn. A report was
made that they appeared to be very numerous ; after
halting a couple of hours, in order to arrive at the
mouth of the defile, in which the kraal had been ascer-
tained to be situated, just at the first dawn of day,
when we were proceeding along in solemn sil'^nce, our
party was divided into three companies with a Hot-
tentot to each to secure an interview ; mine consisted
of the commandant and another farmer, and we rode
directly up to the defile, our Hottentot pointing out
the spot where the kraal was placed. By the faint
light I could only discover a few straw mats bent be-
tween two sticks, and not a single human creature :
but my ears were stunned by a horrid scream like the

'■ ^*M i'

184

EXPEDITION TIIKOUGII THE

[Chap. III.

t'.

' . i»>

warwhoop of savages, and iinniediately followed by the
shrieking of women and the cries of children. My
coniniandant and his companion both fired on the kraal,
empty as it appeared to be ; I expressed my surprise
that he, of all others, should have been the first to
break the solemn pledge he had given, and that I had
expected from him a very different kind of conduct:
" Myn Got!" he exclaimed, "have you not seen a
shower of arrows falling among us ? " which his com-
panion confirmed, though I certainly had not seen
either arrows or people to shoot them.

The report of a musket now reached us from another
part of the hill ; and, on riding round the point, to my
horror I perceived a poor Bosjesman lying dead upon
the ground. The excuse was, that as one of the jjurty
was in the act of endeavouring to prevail on the sa-
vages to come down, the unfortunate man had stolen
behind a rock, and with his drawn bow was taking aim
at him, on seeing which another shot him dead. I had
hoped that this little expedition would not only have
terminated without bloodshed, but might be the means
of conciliating the two parties inhabiting the same traet
of country, which was capacious enough for both. All
that could now be done was to order the party to
dismount, to turn the horses to graze, and, having
grounded their muskets, to make signs for the natives to
approach. This produced the desired effect ; and
several little children were observed coming down from
the heights to the plain ; we gave them biscuits and
other trifles, and let them return ; presently the women
and young girls, to the number of thirty or forty, fol-
lowed, but not without symptoms of timidity. AVc
gave them such trifles as we possessed, and sent them

Sect. IV.]

COUNTRY OF THE BOSJESMANS.

185

> '

hack to invite their husbands to come down to receive
a j)rt'scnt of tobacco. The men, however, seemed to
hesitate, and the women came to us twice or thrice be-
fore they could prevail on more than one man to trust
liiniself with us, and he made his approach in the ut-
most state of agitation — half-laughing and half-crying,
like a terrified child. We sent him back with a roll of
tobacco ; but no more uian three others ventured to
trust themselves with Christians. These three, how-
ever, acquired so much confidence as to accompany the
waggons tor several days ; and they ieft us, with
presents to each of tobacco, beads, knives, flints, and
steels, with which they returned to their kraals highly
delighted.

I forbear to enter into any farther description of the
persons or condition of this most diminutive, and cer-
tainly the most miserable, of the human race, than
what I have already done. In fact, the Bosjcsman is
neither more nor less than a degraded, blighted, pigmy
Hottentot; reduced, perhaps, to their present condition
by a constant state of destitution and starvation.

lleturning to the second Poort, and on our way to
tlie northward, we found the river meandering round
so many rocky points, that we were obliged to cross the
stream almost a hundred times ; when, just as we were
about to abandon any further progress, we fell into a
large beaten hippopotamus track, which carried us
through reeds and thick shrubbery to the very end of
the kloof, about fifteen miles from its entrance, where
wc had left our waggons. Here we found the termina-
tion of the Sea-Cow River, its tranquil waters forming
a confluence with another river of prodigious size,
whose rapid stream rolled over its rocky bed a vast

,.>■

k .- i.'

186

'HE HIPPOPOTAMUS.

[CilAP. 111.

volume of muddy water ; its current flowed to the
north-westward. At this place it was about four hun-
dred yards wide, and apparently very deep ; the boors
had no other name for it but that of the Great River.
I had no doubt of its being the same which flows into
the Southern Atlantic, on the western coast, where
Colonel Gordon saw it and gave to it the name of the
Orange River.

In ord ^r to know a little more of this river, we re-
turned to our waggons, and by directing our course
easterly, we were able with difficulty to approach it;
but seeing no prospect of the waggons being able to get
to the eastward, we took to our horses, and followed
the windings of the river four days in the hope of meet-
ing v/ith a ford, when we gave up all chance of being
able to cross it.

In coasting this river, we gathered on its pebbly
beach a coarse kind of opal, cornelians, chalcedonies,
and agates, figured in every form and colour, plain and
striped. In every part of the Orange River he hip-
popotamus was found snorting and playing in vast
numbers ; our party killed three or four one day, but
one only could be hauled on shore : it was a female ;
and a full-grown fcBtus, on dissection, was taken out of
the womb, perfect in every part except in the want of
teeth and tusks. I put it in brandy, but the jolting of
the vaggon had, in a few days, reduced it to a jelly.

My small double-barrelled rifle of poor Anguish
had, but a few days before, astonished the boors by
sending its little ball directly through the body of a
spring-bok, from the haunch to the lower part of the
neck, and not many days before it performed a neater
feat; two poble korhaens, or bustards of the largest

StCT, IV.]

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.

187

size, were sitting near together on the summit of a rock ;
my rifle was loaded with large round-shot ; I fired and
brought down one of them ; the other immediately
got upon the wing and seemed to take a sweep in the
air over its dead companion ; I discharged the second
barrel, and brought the bird to my feet with a broken
wing. I was alone, and how to get them to the party
was the puzzle ; I toiled and sweated for nearly an
iiour in getting one of them across the horse : it was in
vain I laboured to succeed with the othei*. The boors
would not believe that I had shot two, but I compelled
the commandant to go with me to the spot : and being
a stout fellow — as they all are — he took the second on
his horse, and we had a jolly feast ; the bustard being-
one of the best flavoured birds that fly.

Notwithstanding their conviction of the power of my
little rifle, they ridiculed the idea of my joining in the
operation of shooting the hippopotami ; somewhat
nettled, I insisted that the very next hippopotamus that
put its head out of the water should be left to me solely,
which was not long in happening. I lay down on the
bank — for the animal is both shy and cunning — and
waited till his face was turned towards the bank, when
i took a deliberate aim and struck him on the head ;
he instantly disappeared, but as rapidly rose to the
surface, the blood flowing from the wound. I fired the
second barrel to make all sure, but the first had given
the fatal stroke. He floundered about for a little time,
heaving occasionally his huge body to the surface, and
in the course . '' half-an-hour my comrades succeeded
in hauling him out on the beach. The boors were now
fully satisfied, and more astonished than ever, at the
powerful little gun ; they found the ball had entered

•\«

188

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS.

[Chap. III.

just below the eye cand had penetrated to a great depth,
probably into the brain.

Mr. Bresler, having heard that the gelatinous hooi
of the hippopotamus was delicious, had one of them
cooked in his iron pot. I had the curiosity to taste it,
but, like other jellies, it was nearly tasteless ; the land-
rost, however, got through the whole foot, exclaiming
repeatedly how lehker (delicious) it was. My curiosity
went no farther than to have a slice from the haunch
broiled, which I found to be sufficiently Ickker — not
unlike pork. The tasting of it served me, some years
afterwards, to crow o*er my friend Sir Joseph Banks,
who was once boasting, at the Royal Society Club, that
he had eaten of ever species of animal, terrestrial and
marine, from the whale and the elephant downwards,
which he thought few men could boast of. "Sir
Joseph," I said, " it is a question if you were ever in
the way to taste a hippopotanuis." " No, I have not
met with that creature." " Then, Sir Joseph, I have
got to windward of you, for I have." " Yes, you arc
too many for me ; you have doubled the Cape."

But Sir Jose])h had his retaliation ; for ♦^he hippopo-
tamus, or its skull, was the cause of some mirth at my
expense. I had ordered the skull, being a very large
one, to be taken to the Cape, and was thence sent to
England, as a present to my young friend Sir George
Staunton. One evening, at the meeting of the Lin-
nean Society, there was lying on the table the skull of
a hippopotamus, which had been sent as a present, and
was much admired for its great size. I happened to
say, that I shot one, some years ago, in South Africa,
whose skull appeared to mc to be of a much larger
size. A gentleman present said, in a slow and solemn

■•K

Sect. IV.]

THE UNICORN.

189

3 f

tone, " I should not wonder if the two turn out to be
one and the same — that on the table is a present
from Sir George Staunton." The laugh, of* course, was
against nie.

On the 5th of December we left the river, and di-
rected our course to the southward over a level country,
as far as the Zuure-herg, or Sour Mountain, from
whence the waters flow in opposite directions ; those
taking- a northerly course fall into the Orange River ;
the other united streamlets flow to the southward into
the Great Fish River, the southern boundary of the
colony and the Kaflirs. A little beyond this we dis-
charged our party of boors ; and, with the intention of
skirting the colony to the eastward, we took another
party better acquainted with that part of the country.

We entered the division of Tarka, close to a
lofty mountain named the Bambosberg, from which
proceeds a chain of mountains ; in one of these we
discovered a cavern ftdl of drawings of animals of the
larger kind, such as elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopota-
mi, and, among the rest, one of the giraft'e. The Bos-
jesnien had told us that the people, who make these
drawings, live on the other side of the Great River,
^vhicli may account for the drawing of an animal never
found on the south side of that river. From hence we
made a long excursion in the Tarka Mountains : our
object was to find, as we were frequently told there is,
the drawing of an animal with a single horn. One of
our party said he would conduct us to a cavern where
drawings of many animals were on its sides. At the
place indicated, we found sketches of several animals,
and among them one of the giraffe. Still the object of
our search was wanting, and our farmers seemed to be

190

THE UNICORN.

[Ciui'. III.

as anxious as ourselves that what they had told us
should turn out to be true.

We therefore continued our search in the mountains,
and came, in one of them, to a deep cavern, the front
of it covered with shrubbery. One of the boors
mounted up the steep ascent, and having made his wav
through the brushwood, he called out that the sides of
the cavern were covered Avith drawings. I ascended,
and having got the bushes partly cleared away to let
in light, numerous drawings made their appearance;
some tolerably well executed, and among them was part
of a figure evidently meant to represent an animal wifli
a horn projecting from its forehead : all the body was
covered by the figure of an elephant painted over it.
The resemblance of the head to that fanciful animal
which we call an unicorn may, perhaps, have been
sketched by some of the boors; but that there is a
beast in Southern Africa, with a single horn on his
forehead, there can be no doubt ; or that one species of
the rhinoceros, in Southern Africa, is a monoceros ; for
one of the missionaries brought to England the horn of
one he had met with to the northward of the Orange
Kiver, which I saw, and which I think was about two
feet in length. It is now fifty years since the present
reminiscences were originally written; but no other
unicorn has since been discovered, except the one-
horned rhinoceros above-mentioned. In a letter from
Lord Macartney to Sir George Staunton, dated Castk
of Good Hope, July 24th, 1798, is the following:—

" I must not forget to tell you that, from what 1
hear, I am almost persuaded of the existence of the
unicorn, ten feet high; the horn of brown ivory, two
and a half feet long, twisted, and tapering to the point,

Sect. IV.]

THE UNICORN.

191

thick at the root as a man's arm, and thick as a man's
finger at the end ; hoofs and tail like a bullock's ; a
black short mane ; skin like a horse's — colour white,
watered with black (I have a pair of slippers, said to
be made of it); very fierce; roots up trees with its horn,
and feeds on the boughs ; an object of worship to the
inliabitants, &c. I have just put down these loose par-
ticulars, as asserted to belong to this wonderful animal.
I am using my best endeavours to come to the truth of

the matter, and I shall send it to you when cleared

))
up- , ,

I was at this time absent, for in the same letter it is

stated — " Mr. Barrow left us on the 1st of this month
oil a very distant excursion, which I flatter myself will
prove of some amusement to him, as well as of benefit
to the public," &c.

In another letter, of a date just one year later, his
Lordship is pleased to say (what, as an autobiographer,
I am justified in quoting), " Mr. Barrow is returned
from his northern tour, which completes his Hottentot
travels ; and I do believe that no person, whether
native or foreigner, has seen so much of the country, or
seen it so well, and to such good purpose, as he has
done. I imagine his travels will be a great acquisition
to the world. His map must be particularly valuable,
as it is the only one that can at all be depended on.
Pjvery one that I have yet seen published is strikingly
erroneous, and shamefully executed," &c.

On proceeding to the southward, little occurred that
was curious or amusing. Near the junction of a stream
with the Great Fish lliver, we observed a vast quantity
of the tall spreading mimosa, scattered over the face of
the country, and in full blossom, with clusters of golden

k .

192

THE HONEY-GUIDE.

[Chv.'. III.

flowers ; and from these were thousands of bees busily
employed collecting the material to work up their
winter's store. Nests of this little industrious animal
were hanging in large clusters from almost every rock,
and the honey was now in perfection. The Hottentots
say, that when the doom-bloom (mimosa) blossoms, the
honey is fat.

We here met with, as we were told we should, the
little brownish bird to which the name of honey-guide
has been given by Latham, frcn its habit of discovering
and pointing out to man, by i. chirping and whistling
noise, and its fluttering about, the places where the
bees'-nests are found. It will even fly to a distance to
find some human being, to whom, by its chirping, and
flying from bush to bush or from rock to rock, it dis-
plays its anxiety to point out its discovery. Nor is it
wholly disinterested ; for after the nest has been plun
dered, there still remains enough of the honied sweets
for the little discoverer to feast upon. The name of
this little creature, as given in the ' Systcnia Natura,'
is cuculus indicator.

If this was the only instance of superior sagacity
among the feathered tribe, we should be apt to get rid
of the question by ascribing its action to instinct—
without, however, pretending to define what is meant
by instinct. In Africa (which abounds with tigers and
leopards and hyaenas — with ravenous vultures, and
numerous other beasts and birds of prey), all the
smaller and impotent species of the feathered tribe have
contrived the means of protection and security for pro-
pagating their respective classes. Some construct their
nests so that they can be entered only by one small
orifice ; others suspend them from the slender extremi-

St;CT. v.]

GRAAFF REYNET TO THE CAPE.

193

1 '

ties of small branches. A species of loxia always hangs
its nest from a branch extending over a river or pool —
the aperture of its long neck, like that of a chemist's
retort, almost touching the water. A note in my
journal observes that the sparrow, in Africa, hedges
round its nest with thorns ; and even the swallow,
under the eaves of houses, or in the r''ls of rocks,
makes a tube to its nest of six or seven inches. The
same kind of birds in Northern Europe, having nothing
to fear from monkeys, snakes, or other noxious ani-
mals, construct open nests ; and I ask, is this difference
the effect of mere accident or of design ? Is it, I might
have added, the effect of imitation or observation ?
This, however, is not a subject for discussion here ;
and therefore I conclude by merely stating that we
arrived at the village of Graaff Reynet on the 24th
of November, the warmest day I had yet experienced
in Southern Africa, the thermometer in the shade and
open air being 108°, in the house 82^

Section V.

Journey from Graaff Reynet^ by the Sea- Coast, to

the Cape.

I HAD soon reason to discover that I had made a false
move, which might have proved fatal, in taking the
line of route I commenced on this journey. The
shortest way to return was that which brought us from
the Cape to Graaff Reynet ; but my object was to com-
plete the boundary line along the sea-coast, which the
direct way home would not have done. Deceived by
the heavy and continued rain, that for three successive

.••>

. s ,

194

GUAAFF KKYNET TO THE CAPE.

[(.'IIAP. III.

days and nights had fallen, both at the Drosdy and
in the mountains of Sneuwberg and Canideboo ; trust-
ing to the few springs and the driblets of water which
remained in the beds of the rivers, on our formtr
journey over the northern part of the Karroo, and more-
over finding that the Sunday and Canideboo liivti!i
were so nmch swollen by the rains as scarcely to be
fordable, I could not hesitate ; and therefore, on the
9th of December set out, and too soon found by sad
experience, that the extent of the rains had been verv
limited.

The face of the country soon presented one uniform
surface of aridity and barremicss. The few saline plants
were shrivelled up, crackling under the feet like so
many bundles of dry sticks. I passed, with pain, a poor
horse at his last gasp for want of food and water: ex-
hausted and hopeless, the only relief that could be given
to his sufferings was that of briiiging them to a speedy
end. A few miles farther, another was lying by the
roadside already dead. Our object was now to pu.»h
on to the Hottentots' River, where I arrived at nine
o'clock at night, and found it completely dry.

I now became seriously alarmed for our own cattle:
they were not only deprived of water, but there was
neither a blade of grass nor a shrub of any sort on
which they could browse. Scarcely a living creature
had appeared the whole day ; but at night, attracted
by the light of the candle, there came into my tent
such a host of cockchafers that they literally extin-
guished the candle, and drove me out.

At midnight I again started afresh, and made for
the Karooka ; arrived at daylight, but found not a drop
of water. What was now to be done ? I had advanced

Sect. V.]

GllAAFF KEYNET TO THE CAPE.

195

too far to think of retreating. I could anticipate the
misery and fatality that such a step would be sure to
produce ; whereas, in case of proceeding, I had hope at
least to sustain me, and I was advancing to the south-
ward. The sun rose in all its splendour, to present
to my eye a melancholy picture of cheerless desolation,
and to my mind the misery of a scorching day. i>iot a
beast of any kind, except my own exhausted oxen, not
a bird, or even an insect, was to be seen : every trace
of animated nature appeared to have fled from, or been
extinguished in, the dreary and parched waste. One
hope alone remained for speedy relief^ and that was
placed on De Beer Valley. The hollow lowings of the
cattle, the bleating of the sheep, and the cries of the
Hottentot children, yearning in their distress for want
of water, Avere truly melancholy.

Seen from a distance, De Beer Valley indicated no
appearance of want of water. It was that of a beautiful
green meadow — a blessed oasis in the desert ; and the
cattle, the horses, ana the Hottentots, the moment it
caught the eye, scampered away in full career : those
even in the waggons were not behind the rest. But I
cainiot attempt to describe the heart-rending disappoint-
ment felt by all, man and beast, on arriving at the
deceitful spot, to find the beds of both pools and rivers
perfectly dry ; I can only say it was most painfully
expressed by the looks and the manner of the poor
beasts. In one place, shaded by mimosas, was a small
puddle of muddy water. Of this I caused to be baled
out a small quantity for the horses ; and the strong
grass and the reeds, still retaining their verdure, were
greedily devoured by the oxen ; and to this alone I am
satisfied that their final safety was owing.

o 2

196

GRAAPr KKYNET TO THK CAPE.

[(.'IIAP. III.

»'»

The reeds and rush-like gr.iss having in some dcfirii!
refreshed the cattle, they were once more jmt into tlio
waggons; and moving slowly to the southward, we ciiiin'
to a place called the Karree Fontyn, a kind of swaiiip,
containing in j)laces a little nuiddy and Icetid wator;
but bad as it was, both Hottentots and cattle swallowed
it with great avidity. For myself^ servant, and Hot-
tentots, a bottle of chalybeate, and another of hepatic
water, were acceptable and refreshing.

On the 15th, after ju'oceeding south about five lio\iis,
we came to a clear limpid stream called the Kmr
Fonti/n, or Precious 8j)ring ; and never certainly did a
spring of water appear to be more truly precious and
delicious. The danger now lay in the excess of drink-
ing after so long an abstinence.

On the 17th we encamped on the banks of the Oli-
fant's River, where several hot chalybeate springs issued
out of a bog. The river itself was 'Iry; but fine mi-
mosas, with their golden flowers, eiu'iched its bunks,
From hence (continuing to the southward, we crossed a
range of hills, and descended into the LfUKja Kloofs or
Long Pass, a narrow valley, continuing to run east and
west about one hundred and fifty miles, abounding witli
streams of water and good pasturage, well })eopleu, and
most of the habitations having good gardens, fruitoncs,
and vineyards. Through this kloof would have been
our direct route, but my anxiety to skirt tl^e sea-coast
induced me to cross the only })ass of the high mountains,
on the south side of Lange Kloof| that is accessible by
waggons ; and thence to proceed easterly, through the
forests to Plettenberg's Bay, about fifty miles.

These forests extend between the Zwarteberg chain
of mountains and the sea, from Mossel or Muscle

Witli
arms
is ca
is 1)()I(
not he
and iiH

bcrg's

to be

regulai

It was

its res(

iiisc()V(

and tf

Si:<"". V.

GKAAFF KEYNKT TO Till-: CAl'E.

197

» '

]}ay to Sitzicaiiiiiia on the south-eastern coast ; an
extent ot'jtboiit two liundred miles, consistiiip; chiefly of
foR'st-trees, many of* them of very lar^e dimensions,
niwUiciii^' Mi'ood timber for ship-huilding, and for (h)-
iiicHtic architeeture. 1 procured a list of their colonial
naiiH'S, and of the uses to which they are severally
anjjlit'd, amounting to forty-two distinct species; hut I
t'oiiiid it impossible, for want of time and from the dirfi-
iiilfy of ol)taininf'' blossoms from the lofty trees, to j^-et
even specimens. In the list will be found some fifteen
or sixteen Liniuean names, which, with those of the
eonntry, may he of assistance to travellers.*

Niuncrous small rivers take their rise, and large lakes
are found, in these extensive forests. One of the latter,
in particular, has broken down its barrier, and comnui-
iiieatcs with the sea through a narrow opening, in
wliieli, however, there a])pear to be rocks that ob-
struct the pat;sage of any vessels except small crafl.
Within, it si)reads out to a large size, and its numerous
arms run through the forests in various directions. It
is called the Knysna. The whole of this line of country
is boldly marked, and magnificently clothed ; and I do
not hesitate to say, is beyond comparison the grandest
and most beautiful portion of the whole colony.

On the banks of a small rivulet, not far from Pletten-
herg's Bay, I met with a whole forest of what I thought
to be Strelitzia alba, whose tall tapering stems were as
regular and well proportioned as the Corinthian shaft
It was called by the peasantry the wild plantain, from
its resemblance to the Musa sapient iuni. I have since
discovered that the plant is not known in England,
and that it may prohahly not be a Strelitzia, hut the
* Inserted in Barrow's ' Travels into Soutliern Africa.'

•i<i

'. '•■..■'

; I ■
'I '

i "^"■'

198

GRAAKF UKYNKT TO TlIK CAPK.

1<'HAI'. III.

Ilolicoiiia alha. Many of tlicni ran to the he if- lit of
five and twenty or tliirty leet.

In proceeding to the (sastward, we found the Kayni.in
or Crocodile Kiv(fr deej) and daiif>er()iis. It se|),irat(s
the division of* IMetteidjcrg's Bay from Autiiii('(|ii;is
Land, which the Dutch (Jovernnient ajjpropriatcd to
itseltj on account of the grand forests and fine })asturiif:e,
It extends to the lirakke Jliver, which falls from tliu
north, and discharges itself into Mossel Bay. Hero 1
oI)served a stone huilding one luuidred and fifVv feet
in length, ca))ahle of containing ten thousand hushols of
corn. Fish of different kinds are here plentiful, ami
nuiscles and oysters are aLun<huit. Near the landing-
place, and under the lee of the rocks, were many liiiii-
drcd loads of the shells of these animals.

We crossed the Gauritz River, which, from its fre-
quent and destructive floodings, may be called the sink
of the colony. We next had to cross the False River,
and then the Kaffir Kuyl's River, and found the couiitrv
better inhabited. Neat houses were on the banks of
the rivers; and the gardens, the vineyards, and fruitcrics
were more extensive, and kept in a better state of cul-
ture, than is generally the case. From Mossel Bay to
the westward, the forests had ceased, but the country
was found to improve; and the valley that stretches
along the foot of the mountains, nearly to the Drosily
of Zwellendam, is very beautiful. This village is com-
posed of about twenty houses, scattered over a fertile
valley, with a perpetual stream of water flowing down
it; at the head of which is the dwelling of the landrost,
with an excellent garden attached to it, surrounded by
a plantation of oak.

The river Zonderend, or Endless, brought us iiitn

dlL^.J.,

Skit V.|

(iltAAKI- HKVNKT TO TlIK CAl'K.

lU!)

the district of Stolloiihosch ; aiKl procecdiii}^ up the
\,ill(V tlin)u;j,li which the Endless Kiver nieaihlers, I
liilti'd at a ])lace called IJaviaM's Klootj where there
was an estahlishinent oi' lleniliiiters, or Moravian inis-
siuiiai'ics. They had been here several years, for th(!
iMU'iMtse of instructing^ the Hottentots in the doctrines of
Christianity. Since the colony had heconie English,
liic number of their disciples had greatly increased,
the Dutch having had no desire to Christianise the
Hottentots.

Karly in the morning I was awakened by some of
the liiK'st voices I ever heard, and on looking out saw
a fj,r()up of female Hottentots sitting on the ground.
Meiiig Sunday, they had assembled thus early to
chant the morning hymn. All were dressed in neat
cotton gowns. A sight so diiferent from that 1 had
hitherto been accustomed to witness, in regard to this
unhapj)y class of beings, could not fail to be highly
gratifying. Everything about the place was fomid to
partake of that neatness and simplicity which distin-
guish the character of their instructors. All was done,
as it appeared, by the labour of this good people's own
hands. The church they had built was plain and neat ;
their mill for grinding corn was superior to any in the
coloi'v; their garden was in high order, and produced
ai)niidance of vegetables for the table.

Six hundred Hottentots had been brought together
hy these worthy people, and the number was daily in-
creasing. They had all huts in the valley, each with a
patch of ground for vegetables ; numbers of the English
poor are not half so well off, and few better. Many
learn trades, and are paid as soon as they can earn
wages; some hire themselves out hy the week, month,

,> -•

. k

'■■ \

,[-:

mmri

200

GUAAFF llEYNET TO THE CAPE.

[Ciur. 111.

or year to the farmers ; others make mats and brooms
for sale ; and some breed })oultry.

They attend regularly at church, where it is their
ambition to appear in neat and clean attire. Persiiii-
sion and example had convinced them that cleanliness
in their persons not oidy adds to the comforts of life,
but is one of the greatest preservatives of health ; and
that the little trifle of money they had to spare Mas
much better applied in procuring decent covering lor
the bod)', than in the })urchase of spirits and tobacco.
Their deportment during divine service was truly de-
vout, and I never heard a discourse, delivered by one
of the fathers, more suited to his c.udience, more replete
with good sense and admonition ; at the same time M)
truly pathetic, that tears flowed abundantly from the
female part of the congregation. The singing of these
Avas plaintive and aifecting, and in general their voices
were sweet and harmonioi ,. About fifty, I understood,
had been admitted as members of the Christian faith
by the ceremony of baptism.

It will scarcely be credited, and yet it appears to he
too true, that the brutality and gross depravity of the
boors, even so near to the capital, had led about thirty
of them to enter into a confederacy to murder the three
teachers, seize all the young Hottentots, and force them
into their seivice. On a Saturday evening, they had
assembled to carry the villainous intention into effect
on the following day. The teachers had some clays
before been made acquainted with their plan through a
Hottentot, who had deserted from the service of one of
the confederates, and they sent instantly to acquaint Sir
James Craig, who immediately took steps to di.ssolve
the confederacy, and threatened vengeance on their

Skct. VI.]

COUNTUY OF THE NAMAAQUAS,

201

heads if he heard anythiiip: more of it. The overseer of
the valley received the letter, and the very day they had
assembled for their infamous purpose read it to them, on
which the ])oltrooMS sneaked off each to his own home.

On the I7tli I reached and descended the Hottentots'
Hollands' Kloofj a difficult and almost im])racticahlc
pass at that time over the mountains into the Cape dis-
trict ; but which now, I am told, has been made a fine
tiirii])ike road. Its distance from Cape Town is about
thirty-six miles, an easy day's journey, which I made
oil the 18th of January, not sorry to have brought to
ail end a seven months' tour, in the course of which
many personal inconveniences and difficulties had oc-
ciirrecl, to be borne and surmounted only, by a deter-
iiiiiiatioii to perform a duty, as well as to gratify curi-
osity at the expense of comfort.

Section VI.

Joiirneij iiuo the Country of the Naiiiaaquas.

I HAD the great satisfaction to find that Lord Macartney
\vasiiiuch pleased with the brief account I had been able
to give him, occasionally by letter, and on my return
ill person, of my travels ; of which I told him he should
have a detailed account fairly drawn out in writing, but
that I had yet mother journey to make, in order to
complete the examination of the outline of the colony,
hy proceeding to its farthest northern boundary on
the western or Atlantic side, and through that part of it
which is inhabited by certain tribes of the Hottentot
lace called the Namaaquas. Lord Macartney said,

% '

» • <

202

COUNTRY or THK NAMAAQUAS.

[CUAI'.III.

"I cannot, in conscience, send you forth again immedi-
ately; and, besides, I shall have occasion for you here;
however, if you think it advisable now to finish your
labours, it is better, perhaps, that you should go at
once, and what I wish to communicate to you can be
done on your return." I said, "It certainly was im
wish to com})lete what I had nearly finished, and I
shall start forthwith, with your })ermission, and avail
myself of the privilege of taking- voorspan oxen or
cattle, su])plied by the farmers, from station to station,
for the service of Government free from charge."

I knew that April was the worst time of the year to
commence a journey of this kind, on account of the
drought and the approach of winter; nevertheless, I
left Cape Town and its fascinations with a covered
waggon and twelve stout oxen in good condition, a
single horse, a negro slave, a waggoner and leader— my
old companions — and an additional Hottentot to attend
the oxen as relays. These are aff'orded for the con-
venience of those who travel on public service, and are
a tax on farmers, which obliges them to furnish these
vooi\y)ans or fo7'irardin<j teams of oxen, free of expense,
in consideration of the powder and ball formerly sup-
plied to them by the Dutch Government for their ex-
peditions against the Bosjesmans. I was authorised in
both journeys to avail myself of this privilege, whicli
was never once refused, but comj)lied with witliont a
murnuu", and, I may add, very rarely exacted from I
them.

I M'as alone, and none of my Hottentots knew a step I
of the way ; but I could go, as the Dutch used to senJ
their letters, van huis tot hui.^ (from house to house)
Eighteen miles the first day brought me to Koc-berg,j

SaT. VI.]

COUNTRY OF Tl E NAiMAAQUAS.

20;j

twenty miles on the second to Greene-lioof. Here I
t'ound plenty of wtiter and good pasturage for cattle and
horses, and plenty of antelopes and smaller game to
shoot. The family of Slaht'rt, of Tca-fontcyn,, is well
known to all travellers ; it was my next stage, a.id they
amused nie with the romances told hy M. Yaillant,
whom they lodged for some time. The next stage was
8alilanli;i Bay, a much superior anchorage for shipping
of all sizes than Table Bay, but surrounded by a deep
sandy oountiy and without fresh water.

Saint Helena Bay is the next stage, but exposed to
the n ;rthward like T.dde Bay ; the Berg River, a
i,n'eat mass of water, flows into it, but the entrance is so
?anded up that boats only can cross the bar, and that
but occasionally. As it was necessary I should cross
this river, I travelled (itlecn miles from its mouth to
arrive at a ford to get the waggon over, and the deep
sand on the opposite side made our ])rogress so very
flow that it became dark and required three hours'
dragging backwards ^ind forwards before 1 found the
intended halting-place — a wretched hovel of rushes in
the midst of a sandy plain ; the night cold, and neither
food nor shelter for the hcrses nor water for the cattle.
I therefore pushed on at the risk of losing my way a
second time, having about four miles yet to proceed
I through deep sand before I should reach the next
station, which, when reached, turned out to be a hovel,
I very little better than that I had left, where every thing
[wore evident marks of poverty.

It was on these miserable plains that the Abbe de la
Caille undertook and terminated the measurement of
liis base, for ascertaining the length of a degree of the
meridian of the southern hemisphere. In this horrible

•• ■ I

•I'M*! ■)

MHIHII!

204

COUN'TKY 01' THE NAMAAQUAS.

LCii.M>. Ill,

tract of sand and bushes he actually measured a l);isc
line of 38,80:i feet, and repeated it three times over.
The British Government, desirous of following up wJint
the French had commenced, established first an ol).
servatbry lu'ar to Ca})e Town, and having sujjpliod it
with all the instruments necessary for astronomical pur-
poses, the astronomer was directed to procure siich
assistance as should be requisite, aiul to remeasnrc the
same line; aiul I have understood that it very elosdv
ai)proximated that of M. de la Caille.

At the end of my next journey the oxen for relavs
having followed the waggon alone wit lout the Hotten-
tot, his companions grew uneasy about him. ILiviiii;
coiuplained of head-ache on the previous evening;', I
gave him an emetic, and, naturally enough, they kept
repeating in my hearing that he nuist have died on the
road, insinuating that the emetic had killed him. In
the morning, however, he made his appearance, havinir
it would '^eem fallen asleep. Though dark and witlidiit
knowing a step of the way, he discovered us by the
track of the waggon. A Hottentot is wonderthlly
clever op Iiet spoor^ that is, tracking foot-marks; he
knows the print of every wild animal that he has ever
seen, but the great variations in the feet of domesti-
cated animals will sometimes puzzle him ; as the woK
for instance, he easily distinguishes from the tame ihig,
but he is perplexed by the nuu'ks of such dogs ashti
has not had any acquaintance with: of the nunuToii>|
species of antelope he will point out the apoor of each.

At the eastern extremity of the vast sandy plain, 1 1
passed the Ficqud-berg, a clump of hills that stand in
front of a range of mountains, at the foot of which the
Elephants' River flows to the ncrthward before it tiiriid

Skct. VI.]

COUNTRY OF THE NAl^IAAQUAS.

205

wostorly to enter the Atlantic. I found, however, that
I liiul only got rid of the sandy ])lains to encounter a
siric'S of most extraordinary sand-hills. Out of the
coarse crystallized sand and fragments of sandstone
iivoso a nmltitude of ])yramidal columns, some several
liuiidi'cd feet in diameter and as many in height ;
they wore of sandstone, honnd together hy veins of a
tinner texture, containing iron. Their "avernous aj)-
pearaiiee, nnd the coarse sand in which their hases
I wore buried, left little douht in my mind, that these
pyramids had once been unit(!(l, making one con-
nected mountain similar to the great northern range.
Streamlets of water among these n)ass(!s had Ibrmed a
lake called the V\'rloore)i Lake (the forsaken or lost
lake) ; but it was not forsaken, being belted by good
grouiul and tolerably well iiduibited. I here met with
an ardent spirit distilled from water-melons of an im-
mense size.

On the '21st, I turned to the eastward ami, with six-
teen fresh oxen in the waggon, crossed the Elephants'
Iiiver, and also the Black Mountain, to which it runs
jiarallel ; the latter took me eight hours. On the
broad summit, the same kind of ])yramids occur,
some of which I reckoned to be not less than a thou-
i sand feet high ; they form the ridge of the great
K'liain, which is about five miles in width. But what
strange people the peasantry of the Cape arc! On the
very summit of this mountain, close to a little spring
lof water and a patch of ground around it, a boor
jhad erected his cottage, which wretched hovel, in the
linidst of a violent storm, I found crowded with both
Isexes in the height of gaiety. The owner had just re-
Iturucd from the Cape, and brought with him a supply

' • i-"

206

COUNTKY OF THE NAMAAQUAS.

[CiiAr. III.

of brandy, with which thev were making merry. A
cask of sopie is purchased by the poorest boor on liis
annual visit to the Cape, and it has little rest day or
night till it is exhausted. Friends and strangers are
equally welcome to it as long as it will run.

This range of mountains on the eastern side de-
scended gradually to the commencement of a Karroo
plain, where I was visited by a party of Bosjcsnians,
headed by a captain or chief. This man, I found, was
well known, had been prevailed on to quit his maraud-
ing way of life with his whole herd, and he and his
family had now, for the last fifteen years, lived here
peaceably and industriously. He said he had no doubt
that many other of his countrymen might be induced
to live quietly in the service of the farmers, for nothing
could be so miserable as their present mode of life. My
Hottentot guide learned from him that water was to be
had at the Lieiiw Kinjl, or Lion's Den, on the other
side of the Karroo.

On the 28th, proceeding through a pass of the hills,
we entered upon what is called the Namaaqua country,
consisting of hill and dale, with little vegetation except
the enormous aloe known by the specific name oi'dick-
toma. We proceeded to the Hartebeest lliver, whicli
promised well, but was perfectly dry; its bed being I
pebbly, I had the curiosity to dig about five feet, and I
came to a stream of pure water trickling through tlie
gravelly bed ; and I profited by the experiment on iny
return in more than one dry river; an experiment |
which I hope will not be neglected by future tra-
vellers.

Near this place was a kraal of Namaaqua Hotteu-
tots, or, as they are here pleased to call them, Bosjes-

' ■ .

ili*t ' i;

CiiAi'. HI.

rry. A

r on Ills

3t day or

ngers are

Strr. VI.]

COUNTRY OF THE X A MA AQUAS.

207

mans, but I could find no difference. I passed the night
with thoni, and saw their sheep, which might amount
to three thousand, brought home in the evening ;
they had also a few cattle and a herd of small spotted
handsome goats. The sheep had long, not broad,
tails. The next day I came to the hovel of a Dutch
boor, amidst the ruins of the K hainiesherr/ mountains;
he was a tall old man, vnth. a dingy face almost
covered with black hair. In one corner of the chimney
sat an old Hottentot woman, over whose head must
have passed a century of years. A female slave next
made her appearance, of a piece with the two former.
Hospitality, however, was found even here. The fag-
got presently crackled on th : hearth, a quarter of a
sheep was laid on the coals, and the repast speedily
served up on the lid of an old chest, covered with a
remnant of cloth apparently of the same piece as that
of the female slave's petticoat. A brother and sister of
this old gentleman lived each unmarried and separately
in these mountains, and, like him, entirely in the society
of Hottentots. I was told that they were nearly re-
lated to one of the wealthiest families in Cape Town.

I must say that he appeared to conduct himself
like one that had, in his earlier days, lived in a
different sphere ; was exceedingly obliging and gave
an excellent voorspan for the northward ; and I was
also further indebted to him for the assistance he
afforded me, on my return, by another voorspan, which
he had sent forward to fall in with the waggon in
the midst of the Karroo. I found, however, that with
the very best cattle i* was utterly impracticable to get
the waggon over the last chain of the Khamiesberg.
I attempted to cross them on horseback, but a thick

1,,

• .." '

V * 1.

'I ^^^:'

208

COUNTRY OF THE NAMAAQUAS.

[Chap, in.

fog coming on, followed by heavy rain, I was glad to
make my retreat, and to think of bending my way to
the southward. Besides, I had now got the last span
of oxen I could hope for, on this side of the Orange
lliver, or anywhere beyond the Khamiesberg, had 1
succeeded in passing it; the only regret I felt Mas tin
disappointment of not obtaining a view of the Orange
liiver at or near to its mouth.

There is something very remarkable in those
Khamies, or cluster-mountains : they consist of large
rounded masses of granite ; each mountain being,-, in
fact, one naked uiidivided rock, and each of these
masses bearing a striking resemblance to the two granite
blocks in or near to Drakenstein, known by the names
of the Paarl and the Diamond, which, however, are
mere dwarfs to those of the Khamiesberg.

Close to these mountains are beds of stratified rock,
curiously coloured red and yellow ; they are taken up in
large flags, and therefore called by the boors plank-stoik;
it cuts easily with a knife. Another species of stone is
here found, of a greenish colour, indicating the presence
of copper. The hills hereabouts, indeed, are called the
Copper Mountains, from the quantity of malachite
strewed over the surface. That species of stone is also
found here, of an apple-green colour, to which has been
given the name oi' prelinitc, and which the Dutch con-
vert into tobacco-pipes : not the most lasting or suitable
material, as the heat destroys its colour.

The poor Namaaqua Hottentots were once an inde-
pendent race ; but the influx of the Dutch boors, bad
as the country is, has, to a great degree, reduced them
to a dependent state ; but still in a better condition than
their countrymen on the eastern side of the colony;!

,i.»!:

Skct. VI.l

RETURN TO CAPE TOWN.

209

their huts are extremely neat and cleanly, they are
Dprfijct hemispheres, covered with matting, made of
sedges, and ten or twelve feet in diameter. The Hot-
tentot considers the lion his most formidable enemy,
and is quite certain that he will single him out to be
devoured in preference of an European, which I thought
not improbable : for the strong smell of his bucca (dios-
iiia), and the grease with which he smears his body, are
sure to give notice to the lion that he is a morsel ready
basted for eating.

I now began to think of making the best of my way
home, skirting the boundary-line to the westward,
through the Under, the Middle, and the Little Rogge-
velds, and the Ilantam Mountains ; the last is famous
for its breed of horses, of which, however, many porish
every season, being poisoned, it is supposed, by a kind
of grass, or some other herbage. The Kom, or Cup
Mountain, is the loftiest of the Roggevelds, being, by
Colonel Gordon's measurement, fifteen hundred feet
higher than the Table Mountain, or five thousand feet
above the Karroo plains. Beyond these plains, and on
the northern side of the Orange River, are a numerous
tribe of Bosjcsmen, or Hottentots, called the Koranas^
similar to the Namaaquas, who are represente.' as a
formidable people, especially to the Kaffirs dweLx.ig to
the eastward of them.

Arriving at the warm Bokkeveld, I was not far from
my furmer track through Roodesand, on my way to
GraafF Reynet. Here every thing wears the appearance
of comfort : springs that never fail, good grass for cattle,
and abundant harvests for the grain farmer ; and thus
it continues through the district called the Four-and-

• •. •

210

ArtKIVAL AT OAPK TOWN.

[Chap. Ml.

Twenty Kivcrs, which extends to the bank of the Bors
llivcr, and is most fertile in corn, grass, and fruits.
There seems to be nothing wanting but a certain dogni;
of hd)our and intelligence in the mode of culture, with
enclosed plantations for shelter, warmth, and moisture, tij
render that part of the Cape district, lying within tiic
great range of mountains, alone fully adequate for the
supply of all the necessaries and comforts of life, not
only for the town and garrison of the Cape, but for all
the shipping that will probably ever cuter its ports fur
trade or refreshment.

I now directed my route across the Tygcr Ber;r,
mounted my horse, and arrived in Cape Town on tlie
2nd of June, without having experienced any of those
inconveniences which the worst season of the year and
the difficult nature of the country seemed at starting to
threaten.

Thus, between the 1st of July, 179G, and the 18th
of January, 1/07, I had traversed every part of the
colony of the Cape of Good lIo})e, and visited the .several
countries of the Kaffirs, the Hottentots, and the Bus-
jesmen; peribrming a journey exceeding three thousand
miles, on horseback, on foot, and very rarely in a
covered waggon ; and full one-half of the distance as a
pedestrian. During the whole time (with the exception
of a few nights passed at the Dro.sdy House of (iraaiF
Reynet) I never slept under a roofj but always in niv
waggon, and in the cot that I brought with me in the
good ship ' Trusty ' from England.

Sect. VII.) RESIDENCE ON THE CAPE PENINSULA.

211

Section VIT.

Rmknce on the Cape Peninsula — Departure of Lord
Macartney — Appointment of General Francis Dun-
das— Superseded hy Sir (Jeorye Youny, and speedily
reinstated — Sent on a Military Mission to the East-
cmpai of the Colony.

My first visit on iny return was, of course, to the Go-
vernor, who gave nio a most cordial and welcome re-
ception ; he now hoped that my travels were at an
end, and that the recollection of my intercourse and
negotiations with the rehel boors, the Kaffirs, and the
Hottentots, would contribute to the relish of a more
civilized society ; " but," he added, " have you seen your
friend Maxwell ? " " I have seen nobody, my Lord ; I
considered it my first duty to wait on your Lordship, to
report my arrival and proceedings." " Then you will
not be sorry to hear," he said, *' that your colleague is
no longer my secretary. Authorised by my instruc-
tions, I have appointed him to the situation of CoinjD-
trolli'.r of the Cu'^tonis, which gives him an advance of
live hundred pound.s a-year : that is to say, a salary of
one thousand pounds ; and be assured you were not
forgotten in your absence, and that it affords me real
pleasure to be able to do the same thing by you, in
conferring on you the appointment of Auditor- General
of Public Accounts Civil and MiUtari/, and here (hand-
ing mo a paper) is your commission."

I was so overwhelmed with gratitude to my ever-
Iviiid benefactor, that such a piece of unexpected good-
fortune, coming suddenly upon me, literally took away
my speech ; I made a low bow, and turned aside in

r 2

'J 12

KKSIDKNCK ON TlIK CAPli PKNINSULA. [(11*1.111.

silence. His Lordsliip saw my oiiiharrassiiieiit, said
"(Jive me your hand," and with a hearty squeeze, "I
cordially congratulate you ; t()-nM)rrow I shall have a
new commission to give you of a domestic nature."

I judged what it was to he, for he hiiiti;d at it when I
proposed to proceed to the Namaaijuas. He then said,
" I can assure vou tlu.^ Mr. Dundas will not he tholast
person to he ])leased with the report oi' your seviral
missions." He added, " I shall return you what re-
maining ])apers I have concerning your journeys; and
if you could spare tinu; to make a fair and coniplifc
coj)y for me to take home and deliver to Mr. Htiirv
Dundas, I am sure you will very much gratify him
and oblige me." Nothing, I said, wotdd he more agree-
able to me than this. In fact, my narratives only re-
quired to be filled u]), corrected, arranged, and written
out fair, to he fit to put into the hands of the Secretary
of State. I placed the complete c()])y, when iiiiislied,
in Lord Macartney's possession, and heard no more of
it till it came back to mc at the Cape, in })rint, and in
the shape of a portly quarto volume.

In justice to my excellent and never-failing friend
Sir George Staunton, I cannot omit stating how muelil
am indebted to bin;, while in my absence, for the most
cheerful and effectual manner in which he had under-
taken the management of this volume. He detailed to
me the whole of his proceedings. Mr. Dundas told
Lord Macartney he nmst have it })ul)lishe(l ; and liis
Lordship carried the MS. to Sir George Staunton,
who offered it to Cadell and Davies, and asked lOUO/.
for the copyright. They said it was a large sum lor
the work of an author new in the world ; that, before
they made their offer, they must refer it, as usual, to a

•I'l' < . .1

SfCT. VII.] HKSIDKNCE ON TIIK CAl'lC PENINSULA.

213

(ieiitlciiiaii conversant witli works ol' this kind, niid tliat
ill tilt' j)rc'sc'nt instance it would l)e sent to Dr. (jiillics.
"St'iid it to whom yon ])least'," was tlie answer. Dr.
(i lilies, they reportecJ, ^ave a flivoiu'ahle account of it,
l)iit tliey liesitated at the j)rice demanded. "Name
your own," said Sir (Jeorge, and they mentioned 8(30/.
"Aye, now, I see," lie says, " we shall come to an afjjree-
iiicut ailer the triK' tradesman-like manner, hy splittinj^
fiiL' diilerence ; say *.)()()/., and I will close with you." It
was jiiven ; and as a proof of the great attention bestowed
on my labours by Sir (ieorge Staunton — that kindest and
hist of i'riends — the work passed through the press, was
scut out by his direetion, and arrived at tiie Cape, to-
gether with a favourable review of it, about half-u-year
before the evacuation of the coh)ny; but, ahis ! my friend
and beiietiictor was no more. In a letter of the '2nd of
January, 1801 — the last, it is thought. Sir George
wrote, having died on the I4th of that month — he was
not forgetful of me or of my concerns, the concluding ]>a-
ra^ra])h of that letter being, " Mr. Barrow's book is at
length finished ; it will be ])ublished in a few days." I lis
son observes thav " even when in the last stage of bodily
intiniiity, and while labouring under a disease — .a para-
lytic atfection — which almost invariably impairs the
intollcct,— neither the powers of his father's mind nor
the affections of his heart suffered any abatement."
The same arrival brought me a letter to announce my
father's death, after a short illness.

But to return to my narrative. The pre])aration of

my journal of travels did not interfere with the exami-

; nation I proposed to make of the Cape Peninsula, of

wliieli 1 had yet literally seen nothing, not even more

than the outline of the Table Mountain. However, I

214

RESIDENCE ON THE CAPE PENINSULA. [Cuap. Ill,

was one day in conversation with Lady Anne Barnard,
when she asked if I had nerve enough to take her with
me to the top of the Table Mountain ? I said that if
she thought ]icr nerves or her strength would not fail
her, 1 should be most happy to do my best to escort
her. She only bargained that her maid, a strapping
Scotch ]ass, should attend her. We set out; but on
reachinv a spot, about midway of the ravine, across
which L deep rugged stratum stretches, and ^nust be
clambered over. Lady Anne, by perseverance and a
little help, got over it ; the Scotch lassie, however, bo-
came frightened and gave in, and was assisted in getting
down to the plain by a man-servant that attended us,
and wc heard nothing more of her.

I took Lady Anne to the very edge of the precipice,
from whence the flat-roofed houses of Cape Town had
the appearance of those little card houses made by chil-
dren, and the shubbcrics on the sandy isthmus were
reduced to black spots like dots on a sheet of white
paper. On the weather-worn summit we found growing
various shrubs: among others, the Paicea mucronata, a
tall, elegant, frutesccnt plant, said to be peculiar to tliis
situation ; as is also that species of heather called J^Jiea
phi/sodes, which, with its white, glazed, gelatinous
flowers, exhibits in the sunshine a very beautiful ap-
pearance. Lady Anne anmsed herself by collocting
some specimens, and got safe down, delighted with her
adventure.

This, however, brought another expedition of a dif-
ferent kind upon a small party of us. Lord Macartney,
not displeased to have an opportunity of putting a
person on his mettle, said to his aide-de-camp at dinner
one day, "Colyear, Sir James Craig's aide-de-camp rode

iii'i:

Sr.cT. VII.] KE3IDENCE ON THE CAPE PENINSULA.

215

up to the top of Table Mountain, which was considered
a great and singular feat." " I sup])ose," says Colyear,
"others can do it as well as he:" and, addressing him-
self to Maxwell and nie, " Let us take our horses," he
said, " to-morrow moi :ing and perform this great feat:
but ^vho knows the way?" I mentioned that, in going
to Constantia, I rode along the foot of the southern
side of Tcible JMountain, which descends by a succcs-
siou of strata, like a flight of gigantic steps; and it
was up these, as I was informed, that persons have been
known to asccmd to the top.

We made a party the following morning — we three
alone; but when, with great diflficulty on the part of the
horses, we had reached about two-thirds of the way up,
Colyear, standing by his horse, called out for assistance,
said he was hel])less, his sight was gone, and he felt
sick. We made him sit down, and in the course of an
hour he partially recovered ; but nothing could induce
him to remount his horse, which I was obliged to take
care of, as well as of my own ; and we slowly scrambled
down the mountain, two of us leading the three horses.
Colyear was as brave a soldier as any in the whole gar-
rison, but on the present occasion his nerves wholly
gave wav.

On the lower part of the front or north face of the Table
Mountain there gushes out of a crevice made by two
strata a permanent stream of pure water, gliding over
a granite slab, on the face of which are embeddcid
large pieces of tourmaline. Part of this stream was
conducted to a fountain at the lower part of the town,
vhcre many hundred slaves, in the course of the day,
\vcrc accustomed to assemble, wrangling, fighting, and
noting for their turn of getting water for domestic pur-

.;<!

216

RESIDEWCE ON THE CAPE PENINSULA. [Ciup. III.

poses. The fiscal had constantly two of his men sta-
tioned there to preserve the peace. He said to me one
day, " How do you contrive in London to get a supply
of water into the houses? — here there are not fcwor
than a thousand slaves occupied entirely in fetching
water intc the dwelling-houses." I told him that, ^vitll.
out a siui^'le slave, the Table Mountain afforded the
means of supplying every house in the town with abun-
dance of V ater, even up to the highest story ; and I
promised to get a proper plan made out, on my arrival
in England, and send it to him.

On the re-capture of the place, Lord Caledon took out
the plan, and carried it into execution ; and now every
house in Cape Town has, or may have, as much water
as they choose, to the very top, at a trifling expense,
without the necessity of employing a single slave.

Between the town and the base of the mountain are
several pleasant residences, with good gardens; the
principal of these is the government-house, standing in
the midst of a garden of about forty acres ; a public
walk, of one thousand yards in length, runs up the
middle of the garden, well shaded by an avenue of oak-
trees, and enclosed on each side by a hedge of cut
myrtles. Lord Macartney, whose inclination was to
blend the utile dulcl where it could be done, appro-
priated a portion of this public gardtjn for the reception,
not only of scarce and curious native plants, but also
for the trial of such Asiatic and European productions
as might seem likely to be cultivated with benefit to the
colony.

Most of the useful Euroj)ean plants were already
successfully cultivated in the Cape district, and most of
the fruits, both European and Asiatic. Of the native

Sect. VII.] RESIDENCE ON THE CAPE PENINSULA,

217

plants, those of the greatest use and beauty are to be
found on the sides and au the base of the Table Moun-
tain. On the western side may be seen whole woods of
the Pi'otea argentea, planted solely for fuel; also the
conaav'pa, grandifiora, sj^eciosa, and melltfcra, for the
same purpose ; and, moreover, the larger species of
Ericas, phylicas, brunias, polygalas, the Olea Capensis,
Euclea racemosa, sophora, and many other arboreous
plants, that grow abundantly both on the peninsula and
the isthmus.

In the month of September, at the close of the rainy
season, the plain stretching along the shore of Table
Bay, and known by the name of the Green Point, exhi-
bits a beautifid appearance, the whole surface being
enlivened by the large Otuoima (so like our daisy as
to deceive many), springing out of the low creeping
TrifoUum meUlotos ,• various species of the Oxalis, in
every tint of colour, from brilliant red, purple, violet,
yellow, down to snowy white ; then the Hypoxis, or
star-flower, with its radiated corolla of golden yellow,
others of unsullied white, and others again containing
iii ;ch flower white, violet, and deep green, equally
numerous and more beautiful.

A walk by the foot of the Table Mountain will de-
light the admirer of the bulbous-rooted and liliaceous
tribes of plants, flourishing in their native soil — the
various species of amaryllis, the gladiolus, antholiza,
iris, and mora-a — the numerous and elegant tribe of
ixias — the albuca, ornithogalum, anthericum, or aspho-
del — the beautiful lachenalia, of various and lively
colours, perhaps peculiar to the Cape — the Ifemanthus
coccineus, with its pair of broad stemless leaves and
deep blood-coloured flower, conspicuously enlivening

•M'

. > '

V ■•

218

RESIDENCE ON THE CAPE PENINSULA. [Ciiai-. HI,

the level and nearly naked plain on which it is generally
found. But, ahove all, must he noticed a heautifiil little
hunihle ixia, Avliich the Dutch call the avoiid-hhmi
(the evening flower) ; it is the modest Lna cimiamomea,
which, having concealed itself during the day within
its hrown calyx, now expands its small white hlossoms,
and perfumes the air, throughout the night, with its
fragrant odour. Nor will the family of ':he geraniiuu
he overlooked, which scents the sides of the hills Avitli
its variety of foliage, imitating that of almost evcrv
genus of the vegetahle part of the creation.

These arc fair v/eather objects; and the climate is
generally delightful; hut when a storm does come, at
certain seasons of the year, it rages most furiously.
Ahout the heginning of the spring, that is in September,
Table Bay is considered to be safe for shi})ping, tlie
wind then blowing with its fleecy cloud down the
mountain towards the sea; and that safety is calcu-
lated to continue through the summer ; yet, on the otli
of November, 1799, towards the middle of sunnncr,
II.M.S. 'Sceptre,' with seven others, were driven on
shore by a north-westerly wind, and the first of them
was totally wrecked. The house I inhabited looked
directly over the Bay, and the apparent loss of the
whole — for all were driven on shore — was one of the
most melancholy sights I ever beheld. At one o'clock
the ' Sceptre ' fired a feu-de-joie in commemoration of
the Gunpowder Plot; at tei; the same evening not a
vestige of the ship was seen, but the fragments of a
wreck scattered on the strand in myriads of pieces,
not a single plank remaining whole. Captain Kdwanls
and his son, with ten other officers, and nearly three
hundred seamen and marines, perished, and were

1 y

i.l

Sect. VII.] RESIDENCE ON THE CAPE PENINSULA.

219

one o clock

mangled among the remnants of the ship and the sharp
rocks. Young Edwards, the son of the caj)tain, was
found with a pocket Bible in his bosom. It was ncces-
sarv to bury many of the men in holes dug on the
beach ; all that could be taken up were placed on wag-
gons and carried to the usual burying-ground. The
'Oldenburg,' a Danish G4-gun ship, w^as also driven on
shore, but at a point where the beach was of sand.

Lord Macartney was spared the witnessing of this
fad catastrophe, having left the Cape the previous
vcar. An event, however, had occurred, to call for
all that decision of character which his Lordship pos-
sessed in an eminent degree. The mutiny in the fleet
at home produced a nmtiny in the sipiadron at the
Cape, when at anchor in Simon's Bay, in October,
1707. The ilag-ship took the lead, and the rest fol-
lowed ; officers were deprived of their commands,
(k'legatcs appointed, and all the rebellious formalities
of the mutineers in England imitated. The firm con-
duct, however, of Admiral Pringle, after a few days of
riot and anarchy, succeeded in establishing order and
(liscii)line, and the royal standard was hoisted in the
'Tremendous.' On the return of the scpiadron to
Table Bay, on being joined by some King's ships from
St. Helena, fresh disturbances broke out, and the mu-
tineers in the flag-ship again took the lead, while lying
at anchor off" the Amsterdam battery, within point-
Wank shot. Lord Macartney determined at once to
bring it to an issue ; he repaired, with his aides-de-
camp, to the Amsterdam battery, ordered the guns to
be loaded, and the shot to be heated in the ovens ; and,
taking out his watch, he dispatched a message to the
'Tremendous,' that if the mutineers did not make an

• 10

.. f^Jki

220

UESIDENCE ON THE CAPE PENINSULA. [Cuap, III.

unconditional submission within half an hour of that
time, and hoist the royal standard as a signal of tlitir
having done so, he would blow the ship out of the water.
The signal of submission was made : had it not bLtii
done within the period assigned, no one doubted that
Lord Macartney would have played the whole battcrv
upon her, until she was either burnt, sunk, or dt-
stroyed.

In a private letter to Mr. Dundas he says, " It ap-
pears solely to have proceeded from mere wantonness
in the sailors, and a vanity of aping their fraternity in
England." And he adds, " This spirit of sea mu-
tiny seems like the sweating sickness in the reign of
Edward IV. — a national malady, which, as we are
assured by historians of the day, not content with its
devastations in England, visited at the same time every
Englishman in foreign countries, at the most distant
parts of the globe.

' Tlie general air,
From pole to pole, from Atlas to tlie East,
"Was then at enmity M'itli Enrjlish blood.'

That which must now be shed will, I trust, be the last
that shall be necessary to sacrifice, on such an account,
in this squadron."

After this, Lord Macartney remained about a twelve-
month to conduct the administration of affairs at the
Cape of Good Hope, a period that was distinguished
by the same system of public economy, by the same in-
tegrity and disinterestedness, which had marked his
career in every former public situation of his life ; and
the same good effects were experienced here, as else-
where, in spite of the national prejudice of the inha-
bitants. The colony, indeed, advanced rapidly to a I

Sect. VII.] DEPARTURE OF LORD MACARTNEY.

221

degree of prosperity which it had never known under
its ancient masters; the public revenue was nearly
doubled, without the addition of a single tax, and
the value of every kind of property was increased in
proportion.

Lord Macartney, in accepting the government of the
Cape, made it a condition that, should his health so far
give v;ay as to make it ex})edient for him to return to
England, he should be authorised to transfer the duties
to the next in command. He found that event to have
arrived, and he wrote to Mr. Dundas to say that, from
the experience and the knowledge of the country pos-
sessed by the Lieutenant-Governor, Major-General
Dundas, he did not hesitate to transfer the government
to him, adding, " I am happy on this occasion to ex-
press the perfect satisfaction I have received from his
co-operation with me, in every instance during my resi-
dence here, and it would be great injustice to him were
I not thus to acknowledge it."

On the 20th of November, 1798, his Lordship em-
barked on boaid the 'Stately,' leaving the Major-
General vested with the powers of Governor and Com-
mander-in-Chief^ and in the enjoyment of the full
salary of 10,000/. a-year, his Lordship having directed
that his own salary should cease from the day of his
; embarcatiou. It was a gloomy day at the Cape when
[Lord Macartney took his leave, for he had made him-
self beloved and respected by the best part of the in-
ihabitants; but no sooner was his departure made
jknown to the ignorant and misguided boors in the dis-
Itant districts, than those of Graaff Reynet, anxious to
jbe let loose upon the Kaffirs, held a select meeting, at
hhich they came to a resolution that " Now that the

Vt.J'^.|i:!

222

GENERAL DUNDAS GOVERNOR.

[Chap. III.

Ill

old Lord was gone away, they would prove themselves
true patriots."

And so they did in their sense of the word. Their
first act was to rescue by violence, out of the hands of
justice, a criminal whom the landrost had forwarded,
under the escort of a dragoon, towards the Capo to
take his trial. Being a " true patriot," and too valu-
able a member to be taken off' by a regular course of
justice, fourteen fellow-patriots followed the dragoon to
the Karroo to rescue the culprit. The dragoon, how-
ever, demurred, and told them that sooner than sutftr
his prisoner to be taken out of his hands he would blow
out his brains. The landrost's secretary had aceoiii-
panied the prisoner, and fearing that bloodshed was
likely to result, prevailed on the dragoon to let tin;
culprit be taken back to the landrost, to which he re-
luctantly assented, and the fourteen patriotic poltroons |
followed back the waggon to the Drosdy, keeping at;
proper distance.

These fellows, with a number of boors, whom tlioyl
had collected near the Great Fish River, set about or-
ganizing their forces, with the view of attacking ami I
plundering the Kaffirs, who had remained quiet ; but
they were anticipated by the vigilance of the new
Governor, who directed a detachment of dragoons, a
few companies of infantry, and part of the Hottentot
corps, under the command of General Vandeleur, to
proceed to that district. The moment the marauding
party were apprised of this they broke up their camp I
and dispersed, leaving in the hands of a neutral pcvso
a humble petition acknowledging their error and in
ploring forgiveness. The General returned a verbi
answer that until they had voluntarily surrenderedj

1 1. .

Sect. VII.]

GENERAL DUNDAS GOVERNOR.

223

themselves, and laid their arms at his feet, he could
hold 110 coinniunication with rebels ; that he should
name a certain plrce and day, and all who should not
attend would be considered as rebels and traitors to
His Majesty's Governnieiit, and would be treated ac-
coi'diiigly.

Most of them made their appearance ; and such a

motlev group was quite enough to disturb the gravity

I of the General, good-humoured as he always was.

However, he selected nine of the ringleaders, and sent

[them under an escort on board His Majesty's ship

'Kattlcsnake,' then at anchor in Algoa Bay; and on

[the rest levied a fine towards defraying the expense of

the expedition which their absurd and rebellious con-

iduct had occasioned.

General Dundas was not a little disconcerted by this

[disastrous turn of affairs ha})pening so speedily after

|his assumption of the reins of government; and one

Iday, at a large dinner party, he said he had just received

la dispatch from General Vandeleur that had made

tiim very uneasy, and the more so as the General was

at a loss whom to trust, or fi-om whom to take advice ;

iioreover, as he was ignorant of the language of the

)utch boors, of the KaflSrs, and of the Hottentots, who

vere all quarrelling and fighting with one another,

I' who I am to send," he said, " I know not. Barrow

[addressing himself to me), can you advise me ? " I

aid, " General, I know nothing of military matters, but

liave had tolerably good experience of the squabbles

Ind conduct of the three parties you mention, and if

rou think I can be of the least possible use, I will most

|fillingly proceed to the General's head-quarters." He

lid it was the very thing that he wished, but he could

• ' *" '

224

MILITARY MISSION TO THE

[Chap. Ill,

not venture to ask it after the fatiguing journey<3 1 had
already had. " But," he added. " if you are really not
indisposed for the journey, I know of no other so fit
or who would set me so much at ease; but I cannot at
least suffer you to go alone ; you shall have a Serjeant's
party of the 8th dragoons, and Lieutenant Smyth, niv
aide-de-camp, shall accompany you."

Accordingly, without delay, I joined the Lieutenant,
with twenty-five mounted dragoons, at the pass called
Hottentots' Holland's Kloof, with an excellent horse
and a black servant on another, without encunibrame
of any kind, determined to proceed rapidly, to partakt
of the farmers' fare, and to sleep at their habitations
for the first time. My route was to be the direct line
towards Algoa Bay, where I expected to find tlie
General. I had so recently passed over the same
route that no guides were required. My only in-
struction was to place myself in communication witli
the General, and to afford him the benefit of my ex-
perience and assistance.

I had, however, a separate instruction to take into
custody, and to send u\) to the Cape, a certain boorwlio
was known to be in communication with the rebels
of Graaff" Reynet, and who had assisted them with gun-
powder. Lieutenant Smyth, with a party of the Stii
light dragoons, arrested and escorted him to the land-
rost ; on his return a violent thunder-storm arose, anJ
the rain descended in such torrents as to fill to tlie
brim the channel of a river that, the day before, liaJ
not a drop of water in it. The Hottentot, unable to
withstand the rapidity of the current, let go the rope;
the oxen turned their heads with the direction oftk
stream ; the waggon was upset ; and two of the younsj

,ii«

(■ . : I

>UT. VII.]

EASTERN PART OF THE COLONY.

225

men, wlio could not swim, were seen no more ; and my
companion, Smyth, with the rest, had a very narrow
escape.

The Uth of March was the hottest and most oppres-
sive day I ever remember to have experienced in
South Africa. The horse 1 rode was so overcome
with the heat, that he literally dropped down under me,
and was unable to carry me any fartlier. And now,
for the lirst time, I experienced the sort of comfort of
takiiifi; up a night's lodginiJ,' with one of the African
boors. We reached at lent?th the hovel of a shoe-
maker. Unfortunately, it happened to be Sunday, and
the shoemaker being known to all his nearest neigh-
bours, within three or four miles, to be a jolly good
fellow, who generally had a glass of wine and a strong
i<opie to regale his friends, the house was crowded with
people. There were but two apartments ; one filled
with the company, the other oceuj)ie(l by Smyth and
myself. The heat of the weather, and the closeness of
the room, with only one small aperture to admit the
light, filled w ith such " a congregation of foul and
pestilential vapours," would have nauseated stomachs
much less squeamish than ours. ]Iow often, in the
course of this night, did I bless my good fortune in
having the comfortable lodging which my waggon and
my cot never failed to supply !

Unluckily the wine-cask and the brandy-bottle were
stowed in our room, and the applications to them were
so frequent that we resolved to barricade the door ;
failing to force the door, they attacked the window ;
but this small pigeon-hole being nuicli too narrow to
admit the carcase of an African boor, they had
recourse to the expedient of thrusting through a thin

22()

MIMTAIIV MISSION TO THE

[C.'llAl'. 111.

llotteiifot ^irl : but from flic pcciiliiir shape of tin,.
females ol'lliis trihe llie lower part refused to liillow
where the head had j)assed, and she stuck fast in the
wiiidow; the !J,irl, however, after a great deal of
s([uee/iiif;' and pushiuti', eileeted the ])ur])ose, and m-o.
cured fur the tunudfuous hoors a supply of tlnir
favourite; liepiors. To ])revent a return we harrcd in
the window. After most vociferous inij)recatlons and
thundering assaults, sometimes at the door and tlicii at
the window, they thought fit about midnight to have
ihe house, in search, prohahly, of another jovial luij^li.
hour at the distance, ])erha))s, often or twelve '"ijf.s.

The farther we advanced the more nuinc were
the accounts we received of the atrocious cuimiict of
the boors towards the KaiRrs and Hottentots, of wliidi
they made no secret. On reaching the Lange KloufJ
or Long Valley, this j)art of the country, with its
orchards, vineyards, gardens, and comfortable iiiriu-
houses occurring at the regulated distance of llircc
miles, displayed a cheerful and delightfully j)lcasaiit
aspect. Coming opj)osite to rietteiiberg Bay, I cro.s^id
the luo'intains and assembled the wood-cutters in tlif
vicinity of the bay, the Admiral having wished me tu
get some information of the (quantity and price at wliitli
tiuiber could be sent to the Cape. Industrious ii-i
the inhabitants might be, the felling of large trees and
the dragging of them out of deep glens required -o
much labour, which they alone were obliged to pii-
form, not having the means of providing slaves, it
appeared to me that, in the present state of the colony,
no de])endence of a supply from this quarter could be
entertained.

The boors' horses are never shod ; but on retuniinit

liTii ,

Si(T. VII.J KASTKUN PAKT OF TIIK COLONY.

227

on rctuniiiii;'

to Lniigo Kloof I t'omid that tlio shoes of nil our horses
had cither been removed or new ones put on ; and what
was my astonishment on learning", that hofh tiie one
mid tiie other had been the work of a youn^^ man, horn
(kaf and dumh, who had never seen a horseshoe he-
fore, and that both were executed with as much care
and neatness as if he had been brought up to the trade
of a farrier! — nay more, this sagacious yo'-.ng man, 1
was told, supported by his ingenuity and industry a
worthless, drunken lather, and a number of brothers
and sisters.

On arriving at the Camtoos lliver an ex|)ress from
the General summoned us to Algoa liay. This most
beautiful ])art of the country, less than half a century
before this time, had been entirely in possession of the
KafHrs and the Hottentots, amounting to many thou-
sand families, the latter subsisting chiefly on wild
I animals, roots, bulbs, and berries of varioiis j)lants ; the
I Kaffirs on their cattle, the milk of which constitutes
their principal food.

On our road to Algoa Bay we were met by a party
of Hottentots, so disguised and dressed in such a whim-
I sical manner, that I asked one who appeared to be the
I leader if they had not been committing depredations
I on the boors : they readily admitted it, for, among other
good (jualities which a Hottentot possesses, is that of a
I rif,nd adherence to truth — he has no deceit — if accused of
I a crime of which he has been guilty, with native simpli-
Icity he will state the fact just as it happened. In the
t whole course of my travels, and in the midst of the
l|iiuiuerous attendants by whom I was constantly sur-
Prouiided, I can with safety declare that I never was
probbed or deceived by any of them.

Q 2

.."» -"

^ ^ ,11

228

MILITARY MISSION TO THE

[Chap, III.

'i^

The leader of the present party, Klaas Steuriiian,
humbly entreating to be heard, began a long oration
containing a history of their calamities and sufferings
from the boors; the injustice that deprived them of
their country, forced their children to become slaves,
and robbed them of their cattle; that they there-
fore resolved to make application for redress before
the English tr.ops should leave the country; that
the boors, in order to prevent it, confined some to the
house, threatened to shoot others if they attempted to
escape, and to punish their wives and children in then*
absence. lie then produced a young Hottentot whose
thigh was pierced through by a large musket-ball, shot
by his employer because he was attempting to leave
his service. "This act," said the spokesman, "and
many similar ones, resolved us to collect a sufficient
force to deprive the boors of their arms, and to take
their clothing in lieu of the wages due for our services,
but we have stripped none, nor injured the persons of
any, though" (added he, shaking his head) "we have
yet a great deal of our blood to avenge."

The farther we advanced the more seriously alarm-
ing was the state of the country ; and it was clear that
the connection between the boors and the Hottentots,
kept up by violence and oppression on one side, and by
want of energy and patient suffering on the other,
was on the point of being completely dissolved. In-
deed, from the barbarous and inhuman treatment of I
the boors, of which we ourselves had witnessed so many |
instances too revolting to be described, it would have
been an act of the greatest inhumanity to have at-
tempted to force these poor creatures back again upon |
their merciless masters ; yet a serious difficulty arose

Skct. VII.]

EASTERN PART OF THE COLONY.

229

how to dispose of them. There was no difficulty with
regard to the able-bodied men; having received so
favourable an account of the condition of their country-
men in the Hottentot corps, named the Cape Regiment,
they were all ready to join it ; but what was to be done
with the old people, the women, and the children?
Klaat Steurman had an answer ready : " Restore to us
our country, of which we have been robbed by the
Dutch, and we require nothing more." I endeavoured
to convince him that land alone, without other means,
would not suffice for subsistence. His reply was, " We
lived happily before these Dutch plunderers molested
us, and we should do so again. Has not the Gront
Baas (the Great Master) given plenty of grass-roots,
and berries, and locusts for our use?" This clever
Hottentot, I could not but admit, had the best of
the argument, and my endeavour was, in which I suc-
ceeded, to prevail on the party to deliver up their arms,
and in the meantime to follow the troops, until some
arrangement could be made for their future welfare.

Proceeding on our march along the banks of the
Sunday River, we fell in with a vast number of Kaffirs,
with their cattle, belonging, they told us, to a powerful
chief named Congo, who was at the head of the emi-
grant chiefs that had fled from Kaffir-land on account
of some enmity subsisting between them and their King
Gaika, with whom and them I had in vain attempted
two years before to bring about a reconciliation. I
sent a messenger to Congo to request he would give us
a meeting ; his answer was, he did not care to come
alone, but must be accompanied by a certain number
of his people ; to this it was replied, any number not

230

MILITARY MISSION TO THE

[Chap. 111.

exceeding thirty. With that number he made his
appearance, each man being armed with an assagai.

lie conducted himself with great firmness, said the
ground on which he then stood was his own by inherit-
ance ; that, however, being desirous of remaining
in friendship with the English, he would remove to
the eastward in three days, but that it was impossible
for him to cross the Great Fisih River, as " there was
blood between Gaika and himself," and that Gaika
was then much too strong for him. The decided tone
in which he spoke, at the head of his small party, when
surrounded by British troops, his prepossessing coun-
tenance, and tall muscular figure, could not fail to excite
a strong interest in his favour. Though extremely good-
humoured, benevolent, and hospitable, the Kaffirs are
neither so pliant nor so passive as the Hottentots. The
consent of Congo to withdraw from the banks of the Sun-
day lliver was not given without apparent reluctance.

The forces being collected, and on their return to
Algoa Bay, and finding that Congo had made no pre-
parations for departing, it M^as thought advisable to
renew a message to him, but the messenger returned
without beinn- able to see the chief. Whatever reluct-
ance he had shown to quit the colony, it never entered
into our calculation that he would be rash enough to
commence an attack upon a large body of regular
troops. Such, however, was the step he chose to take;
instigated, as we afterwards found, by the rebel boors.
Kaffirs now began to appear on all the heights, with a
view to attack us r numbers were observed close upon
us, lurking in the bushes ; our force being in a narrow
defile, nearly choked with brushwood and surrounded

Skct. VII.]

EASTERN PAIJT OF THE COLONY.

281

bv Kaffirs, two or three rounds of'trrane were tliseliarged
Irniii two iicld-picec'S in order to clear the thickets.

The persecuted Hottentots were everyvvhce flying
irom the cruel treatment of their niast'Ts; to get them
down to the plains near Algoa Bay was deemed most
advisable : and, theret()re, accompanied by a few dra-
goons, I took charge of the Hottentots and tlicir cattle
oil our journey to the southward ; whilst the General
marched back into the Zuure Veldt, to pick up a party
of infantry employed in cutting off the retreat of the
boors into the Kaffir country.

I proceeded to a plain contiguous to Algoa Bay, where,
to my great astonishment, I found the vhole of the
boors and their families assembled, who had been plun-
dered by the Hottentots, with their waggons and cattle,
and the remains of their property, awaiting our arrival,
in order, they said, to claim ju'otection against the
heathen. To be thus placed betweeu two parties — each
claiming protection, and each vowing vengeance — was
by no means a pleasant situation. My whole strength
was about a dozen dragoons ; the Hottentots, great and
small, were upwards of five hundred ; and the boors and
their families about one hundred and fifty. Fortunately,
the ' liattlesnake ' was still in the bay, and I obtained
from Captain Gooch twenty armed seamen ; and caused
a swivel gun to be mounted on a post immediately be-
tween the boors and the Hottentots.

Afier some days of anxiety, I received a letter from
General Vandeleur, informing me that the Kaffirs, in-
stiirated by the rebel boors, had been led to the bold
measure of attacking his camp near Bosjesman's River,
for the sake, he supposed, of obtaining a supply of gun-
powder; that the latter had kept up a pretty brisk fire

* *
/ 1. ,

232

MILITARY MISSION TO THE

[Chap. III.

from behind the bushes; but that the Kaffirs, finding
their assagais useless against musketry, rushed forward
upon the open plain with the iron part only of the assa-
gai in their hands ; that, however, after several rounds
of grape and volleys from the infantry, by which num-
bers were killed, they retreated into the thickets.

The same letter gave the account of an unfortunate
aifair that happened to Lieut. Chumney and twentv
men of the 81st Regiment. Returning from the sea-
coast to the camp at Bosjesman's lliver, his party were
surprised among the thickets by a large body of Kaffirs,
who attacked them hand to hand with the iron part of
their assagais, the M'ooden shaft having been previously
broken off. This young officer bravely defended him-
self till sixteen of his party were killed ; the remaining
four got into the waggon, and arrived safe at the camp.
Poor Chumney was on horseback, with three assatiais
sticking in his body ; he made a sign for the waggon to
set off, and, finding himself mortally wounded, he turned
his horse in a contrary direction to that of the Nvaggon,
and was pursued by the whole body of Kaffirs ; afford-
ing thus an opportunity for the small remains of his
party to save their lives by flight.

However desirable it might have been to apprehend
and punish the rebel boors, who had shown themselves
a disgrace to humanity, yet it was not deemed ad-
visable, in order to obtain that point, to wage, in
impenetral)le thickets, an unequal war Avith savages,
whose destruction would have added little lustre to
the British arms, and been advantageous only to the
rebels who had urged them on. General Vande-
leur, therefore, very prudently withdrew his forces, and
marched them down to Algoa Bay, where part were

Jkct. vim.] eastern PART OF THE COLONY.

233

embarked on board the ' Rattlesnake,' and the rest were
to proceed to the Cape by easy laarches. Subsequent
events, however, delayed their departiu'e, and rendered
the presence of troo])s necessary at Algoa Bay until the
evacuation of the colony.

Having delivered over the remaining part of the
Hottentots, on the return of the General, and finding I
could be of no further use, I set out for the Cape ;
where, after a journey of sixteen days, performed with
two horses, I arrived on the 8th of June, 1799.

Section VIII.

Tico new Governors ,• one Datcli and one English —
The Cape surrendered to the former and evacuated.

My exploring journeys thus finished by this less agree-
able military mission, and having given satisfaction to
my superiors, I resolved now to relinquish the good-
natured plan of volunteering for further active service,
and to sit down quietly to audit with diligence and re-
gularity the public accounts, which was an important
part of my duty ; to nuirry a wife, and, that being
accomplished, to look out for a small comfortable house
near the town, and to become a country gentleman of
South Africa. Accordingly, at Stellenbosch, by the
Hector Mr. Borchards, related to the family, in August,
1/99, I was united in marriage to Miss Anna Maria
Triiter, the only daughter of Peter-John Triiter, Esq.,
Member of the Court of Justice, and the cousin of Sir
John Triiter, the Chief Justice of that Court ; a lady
whose acquaintance I had made the first week of our

..■» -•

: •■ .L

•• ♦ I ;\H,l;i

:'.••' I

234

SCATJCITY AT TUK CAPE.

[CirAP. III.

arrival at the Cape. In the early part of 1800 I yw-
chased a house, v»'itli a j);ul(lock, garden, and vinevartl
attached, named the Liesbeck Cottage, from the rivtr
of that name which flowed past the foot of tlic grounds.
My house looked on the west side of the Table ]\Iouii-
tain, which sloped down almost close to the gate, and
presented a picturesque mass of varied rock and native
plants, among which tlie ericas and proteas were con-
spicuous ; and of the latter the argcntca, or silver-tree,
prevailed. My family consisted of myself, my Mile and
child, an old nurse, and four other servants.

My stud was limited to two stout carriage horses
for drawing a curricle, and two saddle horses: the one
a most lively, })layful, and intelligent creature as I
ever met with. If I mentioned but his name, Trini
was with me in an instant: if he saw me, it Avas not
easy to prevent his bounding up to me; and how was
this broudit about ? Bv kind treatment, by showins
him and convincing him that he was my pet, by givini^'
him part of my food, bread, biscuit, grapes, and other
fruit; and in this way I have ahvays found that the
most surly and wild animals may be tamed. ]\Iy other
horse was a grey S])anish pony, a very lively creature,
but nov so docile as Trim. I had an Indian groom and
a helper.

.Speaking of food : a scarcity of bread-corn was at this
time felt, owing partly to a bad harvest, partly to the
supplies necessary to be sent to the eastern frontier for
the use of the troops, the number of Avhicli the rebellions
boor.s, united with the Kaflirs, made it necessary to
increase. General Dundas, in this emergency, consulted
the Burgher Senate as to what, in their ()})inion, Mas best
to be done to prevent a famine among the large popula-

'■'''t-

Sect. VIII.]

TWO NEW GOVERNORS.

tion of Cape Tom'ii, a. great portion of it being slaves.
The Senate advised importation of corn and rice, and
without delay. The General then called a meeting of
all the English who held official sitnations ; the result
was, that with the assistance of the Commissary-General,
—who was responsible for the food of the troops, and
had correspondence in various quarters, and also the
command of money and credit — Mr. Pringle, the Com-
missary, most readily undertook to write for cargoes
of wheat, maize, and rice from India and the Brazils.
A corn committee was formed, of which the General
was president, and I was named secretary ; grain of
different kinds speedily began to come in, regulations
were made for its distribution at fixed prices a little
higher than its cost: and in the third year, when all
had come right again, I })resented my account, leaving
a small balance of profit on hand, after discharging all
debts, advances, and expenses.

General Dundas had left England, under an engage-
ment to a lady, a daughter of General Gumming, for
the purpose of being united to her in marriage, as soon
as he saw himself likely to be fixed here. He was now
Governor and Commander-in-chief, and in possession
of the Government house fitted up for the reception of
his lady ; who arrived safe and proved a most agreeable
addition to the society of the Cape. But how uncertaiii
is the tenure, generally, of a public appointment — more
especially so, on the change of the patron ! In the pre-
|seiit instance, the Bight Hon. Hiley Addington had
become Prime Minister in the room of the Right Hon.
\ William Pitt ; and Lord Hobart, Secretary of State
jfoi" the Colonial and War Department; and a new
[Governor of the Cape one day suddenly made his ap-

236

TWO NEW GOVERNORS.

[Chap. III.

pearance, in the person of Sir George Young. I confess
I had my misgivings ; yet, all things considered, I was
a good deal surprised, and immediately waited on the
General. He said, good-humouredly, "They have left
me at least a plank to iioat upon ; our new chief having
brought with him a commission appointing me Com-
mander-in-chief and Lieutenant-Governor of the Cape
of Good Hope ; and a few lines, from one you know,
tells me to reniaai quiet and wait events."

Sir George Young brought out with him a stupid
Irish Secretary and his wife, and a pert young officer as
aide-de-camp, and they all lived together in the Govern-
ment-house. He took an early opportunity — or liis
Secretary and his wife for him — to give out that the
friends of Lord Macartney would meet with no coun-
tenance from him ; and it was whispered, that as all the
civil appointments had been filled up, some vacancies
might be anticipated. The friends, however, of Lord
Macartney looked upon the manoeuvres of the whole
party with the utmost contempt. Among other ridiculous
freaks, which the weak old Governor took into his head,
was that of raising a volunteer corps among the English
part of the inhabitants, and just at the time that
Mr. Addington was negotiating with Buonaparte the
treaty of peace, or that more generally known as
the Truce,, of Amiens. The civil officers c»f the Cape
Government were required to hold commissions in the
corps of volunteers, and it was notified to me that I
was appointed captain of artillery. I simply declined
to take up my commission, as did most of the others;
except three or four, who were in the habit of playing
fantastic tricks, and who looked for the favourable
countenance of Sir George Young.

Sect. Vlll.]

TWO NEW GOVERNORS.

237

Sir George brought out with him a Mr. Ducket, a
noted agriculturist in England, who was to astonish the
Cape farmers by teaching them how to raise two bushels
of corn where one only grew before. ITe had ; n estate
given to work upon, and Govermncnt slaves to assist.
I think he put in seed, and reaped three crops, the
worst and most scanty that had ever been produced;
and, of course, was laughed at by the Cape boors ; and
he left the colony a disappointed man.

Sir George Young, concluding that all Lord Macart-
ney's proteg«''s were blockheads, had brought out with
him a German gentleman — one Count Lichtenstein, who
was todevelope all the mineral treasures of the colony:
the silver, copper, lead ores, and coal to smelt them —
all of which he knew m ere to be found, whether from
observation or instinct I kno:v not. But this gentlc-
nlan, previous to his setting out, called on me to ask for
information, and I gave him what little I had gathered
on the subject. I also gave him some little trifling
specimens I had picked up; and, among other matters,
a piece of meteoric iron I had cut oft' from a mass found
near Algoa Bay, after very great labour, with a hammer
and chisel. This piece of iron was the cause, some
time afterwards, of bringing the Count into rather
an awkward predicament. One Sunday evening, ou
entering the room of Sir Joseph Banks, I observed
a number of persons crowding round the table, and
handing from one to auother a piece of iron — Sir Joseph
explaining that it was found and cut by Count Lichten-
stein from a large aerolite he had discovered in Southern
Africa. Taking it into my hand, and examining it
closely, I said, " Ah ! this is an old friend of mine,
Sir Joseph: there must be some mistake. This piece

■I

• i <i

..•*

: ' I

238

TWO NEW GOVERNOKS.

[CUAP. Ill,

I iir

of iron was cut off by nic from a large mass found near
Algoa Bay, after several hours of hard labour Avitli a
hammer and chisel, and was given by me to Count
Lichtenstein." On this, a gentleman stepped out of
the crowd, and said, " I beg your })ardon, Mr. Barrow:
what you say is quite trm;, and I beg your pardon—"
But I stopped him, and hoped he would not say another
word about it ; had I known of his being present, I
should have been silent to all except to himself.

Great discontent, among both English and Dutch
inhabitants, prevailed against Sir George Young's ad-
ministration ; and many complaints are supposed to
have reached England. Be that as it may, he vas
suddenly and unexpectedly recalled. One day, in
coming from the Corn Committee, I met General
Dundas, who appeared a good deal fluttered, lie hur-
ried me into a house, said he was looking for me, and
that he had just received a most important dispatch
from home, about which he was anxious to consult hu,
" The King has been pleased to appoint me Governor
of the Cape of Good Hope, and Commander-in-Chief
of the forces, and I have got my commissions. What
am I to do? — What communication shall I make to
the present Governor ? " I told him that, in my
humble opinion, he had but one line to take — to cause
a proclamation to be issued forthwith, announcing the
fact, and that "it is your intention to be sworn in, and
to assume the government, to-morrow ; and instantly to
let Sir George Young know your intention, lie, no
doubt, has corresponding orders to resign the govern-
ment into your hands ; but he may take his own time,
if you do not act forthwith. It will be proper you also
immediately communicate with Mr. Secretary Barnard."

s,;,r.Vlll.T CAPE SURKENDEKED TO THE DUTCH.

239

He (lid so ;ict nceordiii^ly ; and tlie short-lived admi-
nistration ceased, with very general satisfaction.

This second government of General Dundas was
soon discovered as likely to be of short duration. The
treaty of peace, signed at Amiens on the 25th March,
1SU2, having, among other cessions, decreed " that the
port of the Ca])e of Good Hope shall remain to the
Batavian rc])ul)lic in full sovereigr.ty," was some time
ire it was oilicially received here ; and thus gave us suf-
liciuiit notice to he pre])ared for our departure. Accord-
iiijily, in the month of March, 18U3, a large force made
its appearance to take possession of the ceded colony.
The IJritish ^ 'oops were removed into the Castle, till
the whole of them could be embarked for England on
hoard the shi})s of war and transports at anchor in
Tahle JJay, and the Dutch troops were sinudtancously
(jiiartered in the large 1,'arrack close to the town.

General Jansen, the ne\v Governor, and the civil

Coiiimissioncr I)e i\Iist, were received in the most

Irieiully manner by (ieneral Dundas, who immediately

risiirued to them the (Governor's house within the

Castle, retaining the Garden-house till all was ready for

eiiiharkation. As a large (piantity of stores, of various

[descriptions, were agreed upon to be taken by the

Diitdi at a fair valuation, commissioners were named,

on both sides, to settle this point, and the General

asked nie to be one of them. This being concluded,

and the whole of the troops embarked, a day was

liiaiiicd for all being on lioard, when a frigate arrived in

[the bay. The Captain landed, sent off the boat back

[to the ship, looked very mysterious, answered no

[questions, but desired to be brought immediately to

General Dundas to deliver his dispatches. It was in

240

COUNTEU-OHDEHS.

L^llAl'. III.

the afternoon, when the General and the Achniral wuio
in consultation, shortly afler which it was ohscrvcd tlwt
Sir Roger Curtis hastened on board.

I was snniinoned iiy tlu; General to the (lankn.
house, where I foiuid Mr. Secretary IJarnard niid the
Caj)tain of the frigate. The (ienen 1 told nie that wliat
he had received was an order on no account to give un
possession of the Cape till further orders. "And iikw,"
says he, " what are we to do ? The Dutch ha\ o live
thousand men, widi all their accoutrements, in (nir
barrack, and wc have about the same nund)er end)arki(l
on board the slii])s in the bay. The Admiral is just
gone on board, and he says that he can very (jiiiitlv
get the men into the boats on the ofl-side of the ships,
and row them rapidly to be landed in the Castle-yiud,
Once there," observed the General, " we should be in
a state to negotiate. Nothing more can be done in this
critical conjuncture than to wait patiently a tiirthtr
dispatch from home."

I told the General I had received and accepted an
invitation to an early dinner in the Castle, from General
Jansen, with whom I had contracted an intimacy from
his first landing, he having brought ine a letter of intro-
duction from Baron Fa gel. " Shall I keep my engage-
ment?" "By all means," said the General; "I shall
see him myself the moment the troops are landed." 'So
suspicion of the counter-orders, it was evident, had beiii
received by the new Governor. All went off pleasantly
and cheerfully at the Castle ; and the two young ladies
daughteis of Jansen and De Mist, were lively and agrtt-
able, when, about the middle of dinner, a bustle wa
heard in the court-yard, the grounding of arms, ive., on
which the General, starting up, called out, " Mr. Barrow,

.1..%'.^

SKfv. vm.

KVACUATION OK THF, CAPi:.

241

wliiit is the meaning of all this?" To free myself from
tilt' tlilenima of an answer, I got up and said, " I will
go out and see." At that moment General Diindas was
ill the Castle, and had sent to General Jansen to ask
nil interview. The Admiral was with him ; and these
two, with General Jansen and Mr. Commissioner De
Mist, came very cordially to the following agree-
iiR'iit : —

Tiiat in order to prevent any collision hetween the
Dutch troops and the English, the former should re-
move some three or four miles into cantonments on the
pleasant plains of Wynherg, and the English be held
ill readiness to end)ark immediately on counter-orders
hiiiig received from home, for which purpose a part were
to be kept in the Castle, and the rest in the barracks — an
avraugenient that was at once agreed to, eand carried into
effect. It was certainly a painful suspense ; and some
(if the Radical ])arty, in the town, did their best to cause
a rujjture, hoping they would meet encouragement from
Mr. De Mist, who was supposed to be a friend of
Tallevrand ; but they were deceived in him: he was an
alilo, agreeable, and, 1 believe, an honest man.

It was near the end of the year before counter-orders
were received from home, to deliver up the Cape to the
officers of the Batavian republic. The British troops
were iiiunediately put in preparation for embarking, and
the Admiral was busily engaged in allotting ships and
berths for the civilians, lie placed me in a ship of war
crowded to excess, and in a dark hole on the lower
deck, which I told him at once 1 should not accept.
" But you must," he said : " my orders are to provide
for every one, and you must take what I can give you."
" I doubt your authority, Sir lloger ; and shall appeal

It ,

mm!

242

ARRIVAL AT PORTSMOUTH.

[Chap. 111.

to Lieut.-General Francis Dundas, who alone is my
master here."

I saw the General : he immediately said, " I can suit
you exactly ; I have an Ordnance transport of 350
tons, which I \vill allot for your exclusive use ; and, as
yoa will find abundance of room, you may, if you
please, name any one you will to go along with you."
I named my friend and companion Mr. Maxwell; a
young man, Mr. Pickering, the storekeeper of Ord-
nance ; his lady and child ; and a son of Mr. Ducket,
the agriculturist. We had comfortable apartments and
abundance of room for myself, my wife, our little girl
of three years old, and a servant maid. The rest were
all well accommodated. Our transport kept good way
with the ships of war on the whole voyage; and we
arrived with them, after a moderate passage, at Ports-
mouth in the month of .Tune, 1803.

Note, applicable to the Year 184G.

It is now nearly fifty years since the occurrences re-
lated in the preceding narrative took place; and it
would appear that in the course of that long interval
the affairs of the interior districts of the Cape of Good
Hope, as regards the Boors, the Kaffirs, and the Hotf<'ii-
tots, instead of improving, have retrograded from bad
to worse ; and that our troops, and the respectable part
of the colonists of the southernmost districts, have been
involved, and had greatly suffered in their persons and
property. The poor Hottentot, however, can hardly
be included ; this docile creature may be moulded into

t f'"

Sect. VIII.] NOTE ON THE KAFFIR WAR IN 1846.

243

any shape that his superiors think fit, and have the
humanity to give him. The Hottentot corps, esta-
blished hy General Sir James Craig, has supported the
best of characters, under every succeeding officer, for
"00(1 conduct, discipline, and fidelity ; and both officers
and men are spoken of with similar commendations as
those bestowed on the Sepoys of India.

But the Kaffirs are a race of men very differently
constituted in body and mind. Bold, brave, and reso-
hite, they are not easily persuaded or forced to yield to
Avhat they deem an invasion of their rights ; this they
consider to be their case, on the part of the neighbour-
ing- boors, who, they say, were the //r.s^ to transgress the
boundary line, for the sake of plundering them of their
cattle; that, not satisfied with appropriating the rich
country, they have crossed the boundary agreed upon
by the colonists and themselves ; some driving off their
cattle to their own country, and others feeding theirs
in the Kaffir country ; and that this practice had in-
creased to such an extent that they were compelled to
retaliate.

It is not improbable that the Kaffirs are right ; for
it is but a very short period since the Dutch first set
foot on the soil of Southern Africa, and no record
exists of the original establishment of the Kaffir nation
ill the place, wiicrc the Dutch found them, and where
they then uiujuestionably had long been settled.

But the question now is, what is to be done to put
an Olid to the murderous warfare that has been and is
goiiifi' on, by the Kaffirs on the one side, and the British
fi'oops and tl." colonists on the other. The Kaffirs have
lieeoiTie a most ibrinidable enemy; they are a fine race
of moil — powerful and vigorous in body, resolute and

1^ 2

244

NOTE ON THE KAFFIR WAR IN 1840. [Chap. III.

undaunted in mind, and fearless in danger. They are
well practised in the advantage which the nuniorous
thickets of the country give them, and from uliich
they are enabled to pick off hundreds of boors with
their muskets, and with those very arms that the latter
themselves have supplied ; nor do our own troops escape
this concealed enemy.

But the courage and the skill of the Kaffir are not
confined to skirmishing under cover of a thicket. When
occasion offers he will rush from his cover, break off
the iron blade of his liasmjiai from its shaft, and fight
with it hand to hand, singly or in a party ; in this way
he will attack a whole body of troops ; and such an
enemy is not to be despised.

It might be supposed that some means had been
hit upon, ere this, to put an end to this destructive war-
fare. A plan was adopted by one of the governors
(Sir Benjamin D'Urban, I think), to establish the belt
of land, between the Great Fish Biver and the Kcis-
kamma, as neutral territory, with a small fort about
the centre and one at each extremity: the Kaffirs
agreeing to keep themselves and their cattle to the
north of the Keiskamma, and the boors themselves
and their cattle to the southward of the Great Fish
Biver. This sensible, and it was said successful, expe-
riment, by some change in the Colonial Office or in the
governor, was then given up, and the old system of
nmtnal plunder recommenced.

There is just now a Governor, in the midst of the
contending parties, striving, and not unsuccessfully, to
restore peace, in whom the suffering inhabitants have
great confidence. The following extract is from the
clergyman of Bathurst : —

Sect. VIII.] NOTE ON THE KAFFIR WAR IN 1846.

245

" I consider it to be a subject of sincere congratu-
lation at the present moment — the most eventful, appa-
rently, that ever occurred in the history of South Africa
—that we have at the head of affairs a man like Sir
Peregrine Maitland, respecting whom perhaps there
are few who will not unite in the opinion, that the in-
terests of justice and humanity could not have been
ciitrusted to a more upright and watchful guardian.
What renders this of such practical importance, at this
present time, is the prevalence of an opinion among the
most intelligent classes in the colony, that no safeguard
can be found that will be so effectual for the mainte-
nance of peace, as that of placing such a number of
European settlers in Kaffirland as may be able to exert
a controlling, governing influence in the heart of the
country. Every other course of proceeding hitherto
tried has failed.

'^Bathurst,Jidi/ 20, 1846."

At the moment I was copying the above extract, I
read in the Gazette, that this excellent officer, while in
the midst of the liostile Kaffirs and labouring for the
establishment of peace, was superseded by " The Kiglit
Hon. Sir Henry Pottinger, Bart., K.G.C.B., Governor
and Commander-in-Chief, to be Her Majesty's High
Commissioner for the settling and adjusting of the
atiairs of the territories, &c. of the Cape of Good
Hope," together with a splendid staff*.

What may be the issue of this contre-teins, if General
Maitland should have arranged matters before Sir
Henry Pottinger's arrival in Kaffirland, I pretend not
to augur ; but I will venture to observe, that his suc-
cess in China is no voucher for success in Kaffirland.

^\'vi'

■HIIHI

246

NOTE ON THE KAFFIR WAR IN I84n. [Ciiai>. III.

I" 1
1^"

In the former, the gates of negotiation were widely
thrown open by victory — one of the best admirals and
one of the best generals paved his way to the subdued
powers, and by means of able interpreters he could
])ropose and receive terms. If General Maitland has
been able to accomplish in KafRrland what Sir William
Parker and Sir Hugh Gough did in China, Sir Henry
may not have a very difficult task ; but he nmst pro-
bably be content with a Hottentot interpreter, as I was
served before King Gaika and the emigrant Kaffir
chiefs.

But, supposing the peace to be made, what ought the
terms to be, in order to preserve it ? The first step, in
my opinion, should be to create a Christian population,
spread over an extent of country capable of supporting
many hundred families, possessing, as it does, an exu-
berant soil, and as healthy a climate as any in the
world. I speak practically, having traversed the worst
as well as the best parts of it, summer and winter,
sleeping at nights without a roof over my head, except
the canvas covering over my waggon ; and having never
suffered a day's sickness. How many thousand families
from the United Kingdom would rejoice to be set down
in such a country and in such a climate, if facilities
were afforded to them — and what a relief to many parts
of the kingdom would their emigration be ! But some-
thing is first to be done ; the Zuure-veld and a great
way beyond it must be marked out into parochial dis-
tricts, and surveyors appointed to settle the limits,
The boors must not be allowed unbounded liberty to
ramble over what extent of country they please ; and
they should be compelled to till the ground to a certnin
extent. I should propose to extend the colony a Ion?

Sect. VIII.] NOTE ON THE KAFFIR WAR IN 184G.

247

the eastern coast as far as Natal, where a part of the
refractory Graaff Reynet boors thought fit first to
migrate, to free themselves from all control, and ther to
quarrel among themselves, and separate ; and now we
have the Natal boors and the refugees joined to some
mongrel natives farther to the westward ; an union not
likely to last long.

But it may be asked, what do you propose to do with
the Kalfirs — they are too important a people to be
overlooked ? They certainly are ; for I do not hesitate
to say that a finer race of men does not exist, and
they require nothing but kind treatment and instruc-
tion, with a fair portion of their own land, to make
them a respectable and happy people. I should say,
therefore, give them undisturbed possession of the
western part of the country, commencing from their
old boundary along the Keiskamma Hiver and as far
to the west and the north as they may find it expedient
to go — perhaps till they fall in with the emigrant boors
from Natal ; reserving to ourselves a western frontier
at a prescribed distance from the sea coast, of which
the Kaffirs make no use : and while the latter are
completing their settlement, let them have from our
colonists every possible friendly assistance that can be
aUbrded to them.

But in the first place mark out the limits of what
is to constitute our — that is the north-west — colony;
divide it into districts or parishes ; and assign limits to
the portions of the several colonists ; ample let them be,
hut put an end to the rambling and pastoral system ;
and, to make amends, encourage cultivation of the
land, and at the same time the cultivation of tlitir
luindn.

• ■ <'

. "•

. - . „ i'

* ' i

•.-;■ 1

" h

248

NOTE ON THE KAFFIR WAR IN 184fi. [Chap. U I.

But I am aware that, in thus establishing or extend-
ing- a colony in a part of the Cape of Good Hope terri-
tory where none has yet existed, I am forgetting that
the Colonial Department has an inveterate dislike to the
7i(U)ie of colony. I had practical experience of this
when in the Admiralty: I had made a minute forcer-
tain regulations to be observed at the colony of Port
Essington, on the north coast of Australia. A gentle-
man from the Colonial Office called on me to request
that I would substitute some other word for coloiuj,
which had become obnoxious in certain quarters. I said,
" cfftahUsliment or naval station will do quite as well."
The Cape of Good Hope is already a colony ; and it is
proposed only to extend its limits. By stationing a
small ship of war at Point Natal, one at Algoa Bay,
and another at Plettenberg Bay, or one moving about
might do for all, to keep up comnmnication, the in-
terior Avould require oidy district officers. Something
must be done, and that promptly and vigorously ; and
I see no difficulty with regard to our own people ; nor
indeed, if proper care be taken to secure to the Kaffirs
the quiet possession of a sufficient territory — which they
have an unquestionable right to expect — do I see any
in that quarter ; and the Hottentots are sufficiently
tractable and peaceable to be made generally useful to
themselves and the colonists.

Taking it for granted, that there is but one opinion
among sensible and right-minded men with regard to
the advantages of emigration, more particularly where
thousands are periodically liable to perish from want of
food, I know of no country that aftbrds so large a
siu'face, with so exuberant a soil and so healthy and
agreeable a climate, as that portion of the Cape of Good

! J If"

Sect. VIII.] NOTE ON THE KAFFIll WAR IN I84C.

249

Hope territory now proposed to be added in extension
of the present colony. The emigrants would have the
great and immediate advantage of the assistance of the
Hottentots — a quiet, intelligent, and industrious race,
too happy at the idea of serving English families, from
;vhoni they know they will receive kind treatment.
The whole of the eastern coast of South Africa might
be made a fruitful and flourit^hing country, as far up as
Do la Goa Bay, where the miserable country of the
more miserable Portuguese nation commences ; and
which, at the conclusion of the war, I used all the
efforts in my power with the then Colonial Secretary
to make the northern limit of our possessions, and to
pension off' the old serjeant who held it as governor.

'■ !

* >

'S-:i.:.|

! '■ .

* I •

( 250 )

THE ADMIRALTY.

<ii^

It occurred to nie, that the introduction of a few brief
notices of the several administrations of the affairs of
the Navy, under which, amounting to thirtep:, AVliia
and Tory, I have served for forty years, and in all of
which I must necessarily have borne a part, might not
be considered as travelling out of the record of a Bio-
graphical Life. It is not, however, intended, by so
doing, to give anything like a history of the naval
transactions of that period, or of the many brilliant
exploits that occurred in the course of a great portion
of that time, each of such exploits and transactions
furnishing, it may be said, a history of itself. I tlioiiirlit
it might be interesting to bring together the names of
the chief actors in the Principal Department of the
Navy, the succession, duration, changes, and the cause
thereof, where apparent; and to notice any alteration
in the system of management that may have taken
place ; and, as next in weight and importance, I have
added at the head of each article, after that of the First
Lord, the name of the First Naval Lord, and of the
First Secretary, who is required to have a seat in the
House of Commons. I have acted as Second Secre-
tary to all of them, with the exception of Lord Grey's
short administration.

( ^51 )

THE ADMIRALTY.

Section I.
Henry Viscount Melville.

May 15, 1804— June 12, 1805.

Captain James Gambieb. . .First Naval Lord.
William Marsden First Secretary.

Ox our arrival in London, General Frank Dundas, in
laving before Lord Hobart, Secretary of State for War
and Colonies, the public accounts and the proceed-
ings on delivering up the Cape of Good Hope to the
Dutch authorities, represented to his Lordship the
several extra duties I had voluntarily discharged, with
great inconvenience and expense to myself, and his
inability to make me suitable amends, though the ser-
vices were public and important; he hoped, therefore,
I should be considered, for my six or seven years'
services, entitled to some retiring allowance. Lord
Hobart could only express his regret that he found
his hands tied on that subject, he thought unjustly,
but the precedent of refusal had been established by
his predecessors, and had become the general custom
(methought, with Hamlet, it is a custom more ho-
noured in the breach than in the observance) : all he
could say was, that he should be most happy to make
Mr. Barrow an offer of the first vacancy abroad that
might suit him. This might pass for something civil ;

■ i,»i

.', -i.

252

HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Sbct. I.

III

but I was more disj)osed to take my cliance at home,
I considered, therefore, that nothing further was to be
expected from that (quarter; but General Dundas did
not rebix his exertions in mv behalf

In point of fact, Lord Mae;irtney had turned mc
over to the General, as beinp,' one on whom he might rely
for assistance in any difficulty that should occur; for
that I knew tbc country and the people better than any
other of our countrymen ; and I may truly say that the
General did not spare me. lie now spoke strongly to his
uncle Henry Dundas, who, though equally out of offiee
with bis friend Mr. Pitt, was not Avithout influence. As
already mentioned, Mr. Dundas, on reading my account
of Southern Africa, had, in my absence, urged its jmbli-
cation ; he now expressed to the General a wish to see
me — "If you will bring him to-morrow, Mr. Pitt dines
with me." I went, and nothing could be more flatter-
ing than my reception; be spoke of the satisfaction
which my book had afforded him, that it strongly corro-
borated the opinion he had given in Parliament, that
the Cape of Good Hope ought never to be parted ^vith;
but he suggested that I had lefl rather short one portion
of the subject, which he had always considered of vast
importance to this country : and that was, its geogra-
phical position with reference to India, as a halt'-\vay
house between our settlements there and England; as
a place of refreshment for our shipping and troops; its
capabilities for supplying all kinds of produce ; its ports
and harbours along a great extent of sea-coast fa-
vourable to commercial enterprise. "These," he said,
"with its capacities in general, which you know better
than I do, are the points to which I allude, and whicli
will, I think and hope, amply supply materials for a

If',"-

>[:rT. I.)

THE ADMIKALTY.

253

second volume." I took the hint, and said, " I will
'look lip what iiiforiiiatioii I possess, and endeavour to
meet your views;" whieli I iorthwith set about, and
speedily produced a second volume, detailing the po-
litical, geographical, and commercial advantages of this
Soiitlieni part of Africa, which bad the effect of pro-
ducing a second edition of the first volume.

Nothing could be more delightful than this little
snug party. The names of Pitt and Diindas were
"familiar as household words," and the two had been
as inseparable as their friendship was durable. They
were now at Wimbledon for a season, and being re-
lieved from the cares and toils of office, were as playful
as two school-boys. Lady Jane Dundas and another
lady, with two gentlemen of the family, the General,
and myself, made up the party. Mr. Dundas asked
me if I knew that the new Government had oflfered to
Lord Macartney the office of President of the Council,
and diat he had declined it, assigning to his friends
as a reason that he was sure Mr. Addington's govern-
ment could not stand. It soon appeared that Lord
Macartney was right. It had continued about three
years, and in the spring of 1804 Mr. Pitt resumed the
office of First Lord of the Treasury, and Mr. Dundas
(now Viscount Melville) was appointed First Lord of
the Admiralty, his patent bearing date 15th May,
1804. A short time after this, when dining with Lord
Macartney, he was called away by Lord Melville in
the midst of the dinner, but returned speedily, without
taking any notice of the visit he had received at that
unusual hour; and as ladies are said to be curious
when anything unusual occurs to their lords, so Lady
Macartney expressed to Mrs. Barrow her wonder what

254

HENRY VISCOUNT MKLVILIj;.

I Skit I.

could have brought Lord Melville at that hour — somo-
thing, no doubt, about the new ministry then furminir
or already formed. Nothing, however, transpired that
evening; but about twelve o'clock that same night, just
as I had gone to bed, v^aine a note from Lord Ma-
cartney to say, " You must be at the Admiralty to-
morrow morning at ten o'clock, and send your name
up to Mr. jNIarsden."

I went accordingly, anxious, as may be supposed, to
know what was going on. Mr. Marsden took mo bv
the hand and cordially congratulated me. I asked liir
what ? He seemed surprised, and said, " Don't yoii
know that you are a])pointed my colleague, the Second
Secretary of the Admiralty, in the room of Mr. Tucker,
whose services Lord Melville has deemed it right to
dispense with, on account of his well-known partisan-
ship? But," he added, "Lord Melville desired to see
you the moment you came, and he is now in his room."
On being ushered in, " I am happy," he said, " to have
had it in my power to give you the appointment of
Second Secretary of the Admiralty. I am fully aware
of the many important services you rendered to my
nephew, after Lord Macartney had turned over to him
the government of the Cape of Good Hope. I was
very desirous of meeting the wishes of that nobleman
on your account, and I have already told you that I
have been much gratified with what you have written
regarding that importa^.it settlement, which I have little
doubt will speedily revert to us. Being all new here, I
need not say how much pressed Marsden finds hiniselC
with the only two lords that have yet joined — old Sir
Philip Stephens and Captciin James Gambler. Your ap-
pointment is made out, and the sooner you put yoursc't

that
the (
left to
repair,
wortlij
neithe
alinostj
author

*It
ralty fli

I years I
•ion, Ci

I fJix wi
Dawson

I Berber:

jh.ti

Sect. I.]

THE ADMIKALTY,

255

into harness the better." I told him Mr. Marsden had
already engaged nie for the day. In taking leave with
expressions of gratitude for his Lordship's great kind-
ness, " By the way," he said, laughing, " I hope you
are not a Scotehnian." " No, my Lord, I am only a
borderer — I am Nortii Lancashire." He then said,
"Mr. Pitt and myselfj but chiefly the latter, have been
so imieli taunted for giving away all the good things to
Seotchinen, that I am very glad, on the present occa-
sion, to have selected an Englishman." *

During the three years from 1801 to 1804, when
Mr. Addington was at the head of the Government,
and the Earl St. Vincent First Lord of the Admiralty,
rhe boasted system of economy and retrenchment, par-
tieuhu'ly in the naval department, had been carried
to such an extreme that the appalling statement de-
livered by Mr. Pitt in the House of Commons, and
which upset the Government, was found, on the exami-
nation of their successors, to be more than true, and
that the deficiencies in every species of naval stores in
the dock-yards were quite alarming. The few ships
left to us were scattered at sea ; those at home out of
repair, and no timber in store to place them in a sea-
worthy state, much less to build others; there was
neither rope, canvas, nor hemp to make them. It is
almost incredible, though asserted on apparently good
authority, that, on the conclusion of the truce, falsely

* It is curious enough that, of the ten Secretaries of the Admi-
ralty tliat iiave passed through the office in the course of the forty
years I remained there, one single Scotchman only held that situa-

: tioii, Captain George Elliot, and he was appointed by Lord Grey.

I Six were Irishmen— Marsden, Wellesley Pole, Croker, O'Ferrall,
Dawson, Corry; and three Englishmen — Parker, Wood, Sidney
Herbert.

. ">

•: 1.

256

HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Sect.

named the peace, of Amiens, large quantities of hemp
had actually been sold to French agents, to save the
rent and other expenses of the warehouses in which a
preceding government had carefully lodged it.

All this folly had been committed under the crroucous
notion that a peace had been established with France
under the dominion of the llevolutionary goveriinieiit,
and at a time when Buonaparte was overrunning Italy
and the north of Europe, and his naval jreparatioiis, in
combination with those of Spain, were so glaring a.s to
be visible to all except to the infatuated governiiK'nt
of Mr, Addington, an honest and good man, but an
indifferent minister. That which most astonished tlie
public was that Lord St. Vincent, at the head of tlie
Board of Admiralty, did not take a more decided j)artin
wiping off the disgrace incurred in his own departniuiit;
instead of which, he and the professional members of
his Board were at perpetual variance with the Navv
Board, which it seems not doubtful they wished to de-
stroy, and which ultimately the same party did suc-
ceed in destroying : very greatly, as it has turned out,
to the benefit of the naval service.

The Stone Expedition to block up the porls of Hol-
land, by heaving in masses of rock, contributed, as it
was generally said, not a little to Lord St. Viiiccnt'>
unpopularity and to a good deal of ridicule ; a nm-
sure, however, which his Lordshij) disclaimed, and even
avowed himself ashamed of But the M'liole of lii?
administration was not popular with the public and still
less with officers of the navy, who, it seems, ucrc
at first delighted at the unusual event of having a luiva!
First Lord as their governor.

Such were the general topics of discourse when I

Sect. I.

tup: admiualty.

257

first entered the Admiralty, a great part of which has
been confirmed by Mr. Marsden, iu a memoir which
his widow has printed since his death. lie therein
says, when speaking of Lord St. Vincent's Board of
Admiralty, " We visited Woolwich and Deptford
Yards, at the latter of which we experienced much
abuse from the enraged families of Jie workmen dis-
charged or reduced in their allowances, and with some
difficulty escaped from worse treatment " (he told me
they were pelted with mud by the women and boys).
These reductions were probably unavoidable at the
time ; but the general character of this naval adminis-
tration was that of harshness, particularly as it respected
the officers of the subordinate departments, with whom
some personal ill-will was mixed up ; the object (as
Marsden states) seeming to be that of finding grounds for
k'liiiquencies presumed in the first instance. " People
ask," he adds, " have not the Admiralty and the courts
of law together power enough to punish delinquencies
ill the dock-yards, or other na^al departments? But
the object is to get rid of the Navy-Board ; they are
not faultless. Like most other boards and public
offices they have left many things undone ; but the
visitation did not bring home to them any act of cor-
ruption or malversation. It was then tried to drive
them out by the most abusive letters that ever were
written from one Board to another ; but they were too
prudent to gratify our gentlemen in this way."*

It was at this time that the detestable Commission
of Naval Enquiry was concocted, of which Mr. Mars-
den thus speaks : —

" And now, this extraordinary Commission is re-

* Brii'f JMciuoir of William Maibiltii, writttn by Himself.

258

HENKY VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Skct. I,

sorted to in the hope of its operating some way (thev
cannot very well say how) to the end desired. I know
it was their first idea to arm their friends,* the new
Commissioners, with the power of punishing ; but now
it is only intended they should inquire and report.
The Minister gives way, ^?rtr complaisance, to Lord
St. Vincent, against his own opinion of the proprictv of
the measure."

He continues : ' Our Board-room is a scene of anx-
ious bustle and agitation, which sometimes puts me in
a little passion, but more commonly makes me laiigli :
for it is impossible for any person to be more inde
pendent of the inquisitions and reforms that are goiii"
forward than I am. * *• * * If I resign, I am
afraid of its being said that I ran away from the new
Commissioners. This is rather a curious dilemma;
but, although it looks like a joke, it is serious eiiongii.
Well, I must make the best of it ; at this season con-
finement is less irksome than it would be in spring,
when, please God, I shall be my own master. In the
mean time an open quarrel between them and tlic
Navy-Board, which I daily look for, will bring it to a
crisis, and oblige me to determine between double and
quits."

Mr. Marsden, at the desire of Lord St. Vincent,
remained as Secretary after Nepean had absolutely
been driven out by the professional members of tlie
Board. Mr. Addington, to soothe him, gave him the
Secretaryship of Ireland and created him a baronet;
but he said to his Lordship, " I was convinced, from
experience of the temper.s, ideas, and conduct of the

* These fri(Mi(ls were Charles M. PoI«?, Ewaii Law, John Foul.
Ilein-y Nichols, and INIaekworth I'raed.

Skct. I.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

2.)9

nn tlie new

professional members of the Board, that I could not
possibly carry on the public business with them M-itli
the least chance of satisfaction to my own feelings. I
explained the defects of the present constitution of our
department; expressing, at the same time, my con-
viction that it was not in his Lordship's power to
remedy it, as he could not change their natures nor do
\vithout them."*

With such a Board, and in such a deplorable state of
the Navy, did the Lord Viscount Melville succeed to
the administration of that important branch of the
public service ; and, perhaps, there was not another
individual in the whole kingdom so capable, by his
exertion and talent, his aptitude for business, and re-
solution to look at difficulties with a determination
to overcome them, as was Lord Melville. But it was
his fate, at the very commencement of his adminis-
tration, to have the feelings of humanity strongly
roused, in a way for which there was no relief. The
precious Peace of Amiens was already broken, and
the restless spirit of the French leader had driver.
us into open Avar, the first instance of which was of
a most deplorable nature — the unfortunate collision
whieli took ])lace between two hostile squadrons : that
of Captain Sir Graham Moore, consisting of four sail
of the line — the ' Indefatigable,' of 80 guns, and three
others of 74 guns — and that of Spain, of four ships
exactly of the same force, in which three of the latter
were captured and the fi)urth sunk.

To the fatality of this s([uadron was added a most
melancholy and distressing event. The ' 3ferce(Ies' blew
up with a tremendous explosion, and sank. A wealthy

* IJriet MtMiioir.

260

HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Sect. I.

Spaniard, with his lady, five sons, and four daughters,
each beautiful and amiable, and the sons grown up
to manhood, all, with the exception of the husband and
father, with on-: son, perished. AVith a large fortune,
the pavings of twenty-five years in a foreign country,
did this unhappy gentleman embark to return to liis
native country. Shortly before the conflict the father
and one of his sons went on board the admiral's ship.
and there thic unfortunate man became the spectator
of a calamity involving the tate of his wife, his
daughters, and four of his five sons, together with all
liis treasure — the whole he beheld enveloped in flames
and sinking into the abyss of ocean. This wretched
victim of misfortune arrived at Plymouth in Sir Gra
ham Moore's cabin, who had been — as all who luieu
him will readily believe — unceasing in his attentions
and condolence: using his best endeavours to admi-
nister consolation and whatever was in his power to
the alleviation of his sufferings ; which, however, it
is hardly necessary to observe, were of a nature and
extent not to admit of consolation ; nor need I observe
that Lord Melville was most painfully afflicted at this
domestic calamity, occurring on his first entrance upon
the administration of the navy.

Scarcely had his Lordship occupied his seat at the
Board of Admiralty, when another unfortunate disaster
was brought to his notice. The ' Apollo,' with ahout
forty ships of her convoy, out of sixty-nine, were driven
on the coast of Portugal and wrecked, with the loss of
many lives. A considerable share of blame was at-
tached to the commanding officer, for Jiot having given
a wider berth to that coast, and for not steering a
course more westerly ; and as those of the convoy-ships

Sect. 1.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

?61

that fortunately by doing so did escape, some grounds
were afforded for censure.

These were accidents for which no blame could
attach to the ruling powers on shore. But Lord Mel-
ville suffered no delay to prevent his taking immediate
and decisive steps, to obliterate the obnoxious character
received of the British Navy, by restoring that good
feeling among its members which it had, till of late
vears, maintained.

The urbanity, the kind and friendly manner in which
his Lordship received all officers of the Navy, his in-
variable good-humour, and probably above all, his
admitted impartiality in the distribution of appoint-
iiieiite!, soon banished from the minds of officers a very
jxeiieral mistake as to his character, occasioned by a pre-
conceived prejudice that all his favours and predilec-
tions would be conferred on his own countrymen. It
was not unnatural that he himself, as well as others,
:^hould entertain some apprehensions of such a prejudice
l)ein<r imputed to him, from the immense patronage
given to him in consequence of the several offices he
held in Scotland, where a j)reference of his countrymen
was unavoidable ; but it may be mentioned to his
ircdit that, durijig his administration of the affairs of
the Navy, he was never charged with any such predi-
kction. The observation he made to me, on ray ap-
pointment, expressed his feeli/jg and his intention on
this suhjcci.

In coiilirmation of what I have stated I am enabled
to give a very striking instance. One day at dinner,
when Adnural Lord Duncan and some other officers
Were present. Lord Melville, in the course of conversa-
tion, expressed some surprise bordering pji disappoint-

« w

2(i2

HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Skct, I.

nieiit that no application had been made for employ-
ment by that gallant officer Sir Thomas Troubridge, bv
Sir B. Hallowell, and others whom he could have ex-
pected, and wished to come forward and offer their
services, and some regret to think that any of Lord St
Vincent's favourite officers should entertain a politieal
dislike to him, as it could he no other, and said tliat if
Sir Thomas would wish for service he should be most
happy to employ him. Having mentioned this to a
friend of Sir Thomas, the latter called on me at the
Admiralty in a few days, said he was gratified to learn
that he was not one of the excluded, and asked if I
thought Lord Melville would see him. I replied, "1
know he will." He was unmediately admitted, and
after his audience he mentioned to me his deep regret
he had so misconceived the character of the noble
Lord. " Sir," said he to me, " he not only received
me in the most friendly manner, but told me that if
I was ready to hoist my flag, he would appoint me to
any vacant station I might choose — I might name my
own ship — that it was intended to divide the Indian
station into two separate commands, and that one of
them should forthwith be at my service. I accepted
this frank and friendly offer ; he then said, ' Now
name your ship, and she shall immediately be prepared
for conunission.' I named the ' Blenheim.' Now,"
said Sir Thomas, " was not this a most gratifyini;
reception, and was it not noble on the j)art of Lord
Melville ? "

The unfortunate issue of this choice, both as regards
the division of the command, which produced, if not a
(piarrel, at least a serious misunderstanding between
the two commanders-in-chief, and the melancholy

'i': :

Sect. I-]

THE ADMIRALTY.

2()3

catastrophe of the ship on her voyage home, by which
every soul on board perished, were most distressing.

Lord Melville suffered no delay to occur in the mea-
sures taken for replenishing the dock-yards with every
species of naval stores ; perhaps, in some respects, as far
as regards economy in the expenditure of public money,
his anxiety may have caused him to err in going to the
opposite extreme of his predecessors ; but, on the other
hand, the depressed state of the Navy and the want of
means to recruit it found a justification for his eagerness
to })urcliase stores, and vigorously to set about a general
repair of those ships, that had been suffered to rot at
their imorings, as well as to lay down a certain nu:nber
of ships!) f the line and frigates; and in order to have
in readiness a large and efficient ilect, which the pro-
gress making by Buonaparte, now become Emperor of
the French, evidently made expedient, he caused at
once contracts to be made, in private yards, for building
forty ships of seventy guns, which a facetious naval
lord of a subsequent Board of Admiralty called "the
forty thieves." The blame was, if any, in building such
a great nundjer of so small a calibre ; but they have
'hjue i^'ood service.

Nor should it be omitted to notice that a great part
of the ordinary was found to be in so crazy a state, as
to re([uire new-building at an enormous expenditure of
money and time. Lord Melville, therefore, did not
hesitate to adopt a plan, suggested by Mr. Snodgrass, of
diagonal braces, to be placed transversely from the ex-
tremities of the gun-deck beams down to the kelson,
and of doubling the outside planking. With these
txpedicnts we had a tleet just in time to meet the com-
l)ined fleets of France and Spain at Trafalgar, and it

2G4

HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Skct. I.

was generally thought that the addition of these
dou1)led and cross-braced ships contributed much to
the successful issue of that great conflict.

It was soon found, however, that more than conniion
efforts were necessary in the naval department; for
notwithstanding the severe losses the enemy had sus-
tained in the destructive battle of the Nile, and in other
subsequent actions, such gigantic exertions wqyg made,
both by French and Spaniards, under tire influence of
Napoleon, that their united force at this time exhibited
a numerical superiority of ships ready for service.
Lord Melville was indefatigable, and in April, 1805,
he had got together a respectable fleet ; but men were
wanting, and recourse was to be had to pressing. The
anxiety of Mr. Pitt will be seen by the following note
he sent to the Board of Admiralty : —

"■ Downing Street, April 30tli, 1805,
half-pcost two A. M.

" On returning from the House I have just found
these papers ; they are of the most pressing importance.
I will go to bed for a few hours, but will be ready to
see you as soon as you please , as I think we must not
lose a moment in taking measures to set afloat every
ship that by any species of extraordinary exertion we
can find means to man. At such an emergency I am
inclined to think many measures may be taken to ob-
tain a supply of men for the time, which would not be
applicable to any case less immediately urgent."

It was this note that hastened Lord Melville's ex-
pedient, already in progress, of doubling, cross-bracing,
and otherwise strengthening a number of ships of the
line, considere/i unworthy of a lengthened and thorough

Sect. I.

THE ADMIRALTY.

265

repair, and which by this summary process were made
fully adequate for temporary service. The event
proved the value of the measure by the proud fleet
with which Lord Nelson fought and conquered the
comhined fleets of France and Spain at the battle of
Trafalgar.

But the political tactics of " all the Talents " were
not likely to be assuaged by the increased energy of
their Tory opponents, who had succeeded them in
office. It was not believed, however, that, as a body,
any personal feeling of hostility existed against Mr.
Pitt or Lord Melville. Many of them were known to
be living on friendly terms, especially with the latter,
whose good-humoured and cheerful disposition was not
only calculated to disarm hostility, but to secure friend-
ship. He became, however, a mark for inveterate ma-
lice to aim its too successful shaft against ; and when
a victim is to be immolated, a hierophant is seldom
wanting to undertake the part of executioner. The
Corypheus of the band, on the present occasion, was
Mr. AVliitbread, a wealthy plebeian brewer, who had
;i>piro(l to become a senator. This person undertook
to be the chief manager of a trial of impeachment, in
the House of Lords, against Lord Viscount Melville,
to which I shall allude presently. A short notice of
this gentleman may not be unamusing.

Mr. Whitbread, in his opening speech ])efore the
Jiords, was charged, to the brim with invectives, and
exhibited a display of animosity unparalleled before
>uch an audience ; but in the midst of it, he could not
avoid aumsing their Lordships with n particular gra-
pliical account of his origin and family ; whether as a
specimen of "pride aping humility," or to display

266

HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Skct. I.

the talent and ingenuity of the old original brewer,
his progenitor, from whom the wealth of the faniilv
proceeded, he best could tell. This part of the spcicli
was too good of its kind to escape the poetical acumen
of Mr. Canning, who amused himself and many others
by giving a clever and playful parody on the brewer's
family history, almost in the same words as spoken by
the eloquent senator.

Parody on part of Whithrrad\s Speech before the Lords, in
Wcstminsttr Hall.

" I 'in like Arclumedes for scienco and skill ;
1 'ni like a young ))rince going- straight up a hill ;
I 'm like (with respect to the fair be it said) —
I 'm like a young lady just bringing to bed.
If you ask why tlie 11th of June I remember
Much better than Ai)ril, or jVfay, or November,
On that day, my ''iords, with truth, I assure ye,
My sainted progenitor set up Ids brewery ;
On that day, in the morn, he began brewing beer.
On tiiat, too, commenced his connubial career ;
On that day he receiveil and issued his bills ;
On that day he cleared out all the cash from his tills ;
On that day he died, having finish'd his summing.
And the angels all cried ' Here 's old Wiiitbroad

a-coming ! '
So that day T still hail with a smile and a sigh.
For his beer with an E and his bier with an I ;
And still on that day, in the hottest of weather,
Tlie whole Whitbread family dine all together.
So long as the beams of this house shall support
Tiio roof which o'ershades tins respectable Court,
Where Hastings was tried for oppressing the Hindoos, —
So long as tiie sun shall shine in at those windows.
My namesiiall shine bright, as my ancestor's shines,—
Mine recorded in journals, his blazon'd on signs,"

An Act had passed for appointing "Conimissioiiers
to cn(iuire and examine into any irregularities, fraiuLs

■ >:''

StCT. I.J

THE ADMII{ALTY.

2(i7

or abuses which circ or have hcen practised by persons
oiiiploycd ill the several Naval dc])artincnts therein
inciitioiied." The new Commissioners were those
iipplifd for and appointed by Lord St. Vincent's Board
of Admiralty, as before stated; and well and zealously
(lid they perform their invidious task; going back in
tlioir tenth report a long series of years, to enquire
into the annual expenditure of thousands and tens of
tliousaiids of money, and to search for irregularities,
frauds, and abuses in the expenditure of those sums of
moiioy ; and never were a set of men better adapted,
by their persevering industry, for this kind of work.

Lord Melville was a great card to be played. He
had served many years as Treasurer of the Navy, and
Mr. Trotter as Paymaster; and the latter acted as
private agent and banker to the former, received his
salary and other monies, and supplied him with what
cash he might requin ; but he advanced him also out
of the public money such small sums as were constantly
demanded of him for current public services, to avoid
his drawing frequently for such trifles on the Bank of
Kiiglaiul. In short, a running account appears to have
bueu kept for convenience sake, which, though it might
have been an irregularity as a private account between
the Treasurer of the Navy and the Paymaster, yet it
facilitated, without injuring, the public service.

Lord Melville being summoned to appear before
these Commissioners, and they having read over to him
the several sums received, paid, and replaced for twenty
years past, he was then asked, somewhat impertinently,
it must be admitted, "Did you derive any profit or
advantage from the use or employment of money
issued tor carrying on the public service of the Navy

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(during such and such periods, twenty year3 before)
when you held the office of Treasurer of the Navy ? "

Lord Melville indignantly replied, " I decline an-
swering this question." He might have told them that
he did not condescend to answer so insulting, improper,
and illegal a question, which, he believed, no other five
gentlemen in England would have proposed, and which
a culprit in a police-office would have been warned not
to criminate himself by answering. Lord Melville had
already told his inquisitors that it was utterly impossible
for him, after such a lapse of years and in such a mass
of accounts, to enter into any verbal explanation of
them, and he desired to refer them to the Paymaster,
who had kept a special and separate account of them.

Here was ample ground laid for the exercise of Mr.
Whitbread's decided inveteracy, unexampled even in
party violence, and he pledged himself to follow up his
charges to the utmost, which were as follow : —

" L For having applied the money of the public to
other uses than those of the naval department, in gross
violation of his duty.

"2. His conniving at a system of peculation in an
individual, and for which connivance he denounced
him as guilty of a high crime and misdemeanour.

" 3. His having himself been a participator in that
system of peculation ; but as this rested on suspicion
only, at present he shopld not insist upon it."

And he ended by reading thirteen resolutions, all of
which he had the assurance to call moderation on his
part. Moderation, indeed ! to charge a high officer of
the crown with being a participator in a system of
peculation, avowing at the same time that the ohiirge
rested on suspicion only.

i-f*

Sect. I.]

THE ADMIRy^LTY.

2G9

A specimen of his moderation was soon given : on
the next day he moved an address to the King, that
this untried nobleman, charged on suspicion only,
should be removed from his councils and presence lor
ever. The Chancellor of the Exchequer informed the
House that Lord Melville had resigned the office of
First Lord of the Admiralty. This did not abate the
rancour of Whitbread ; he renewed his motion to have
him dismissed from all offices under the Crown, and
from the King's councils and presence for ever ; and
in this he was supported by some, but not many, of the
Whig party.

Mr. Canning did not think that a case of bare sus-
picion warranted the severity of the proceedings now
proposed, and said, in that pointed and powerful man-
ner which he knew so well to employ, " When I look
back to the proceedings in this House in 1795, upon the
serious charges then brought forward against two most
eminent commanders, and find that their most active
defender and most indefatigable advocate was that very
noble Lord who has now been the theme of the honour-
able gentleman's violence and invective, I little ex-
pected that, in his present defenceless state, attempts
to hunt him down would have been made by the
kindred of Mr. Charles Grey and the friends of Sir
John Jervis." I believe that this biting remark had
its effect, at least in one quarter.

A gain, Whitbread still persisting in his motion for
erasing the name of Lord Melville from the list of the
Privy Council, Mr. Pitt told him his object was already
accomplished. He felt it a duty to advise the erasure.
" I am not ashamed," he said, " to confess that, how-
ever anxious I might be to accede to the wishes of the

■I

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270

HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Skct. I.

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House of Commons, I felt a deep and bitter pang in
being compelled to be the instrument of rendering
more severe the punishment of the noble Lord."

The malignity and the malevolence ofWhitbread
were not yet satiated. On the 7th of June he concluded
an inveterace speech by moving " That Henry Lord
Viscount Melville be impeached of high crimes and
misdemeanours," which was lost by a majority of "Jl
peers against it. Another motion for a criminal pro-
secution >7as carried, but rescinded the next day ; and
a motion from a neutral party for proceeding by im-
peachment was carried, on the ground "that the rank
and station of the defendant demanded all the respect
due to the high order of which he was a member ; and
that a trial before his peers was more consistent with
the spirit of the constitution." An order was then
made that Mr. Whitbread " do go to the Lords and
impeach," &c. &c.

The committee of management consisted of Whit-
bread, Fox, Grey, Sheridan, Henry Petty, Marsham,
Giles, Folkstone, Orrery, et id genus omne — the elect
of all the Talents. The three charges of Whitbread
were multiplied into ten by the managers. The
trial commenced on the 29th of April and terminated
on the 12th of June, when Ihe Lord Chancellor, be-
ginning at the junior baron, put the question "Is
Henry Viscount Melville guilty or not guilty?" and
all the Lords present having declared guilty or not
guilty, the Lord Chancellor, after casting up the
votes, found Lord Viscount Melville not guilty. Tlie
Chancellor then declared to his Lordship " That the
Lords had fully considered of his case, and had found
him not guilty of high crimes and misdemeanoms

1 Itl -

Sect. I.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

271

charged on him by the impeachment of the House of
Coninions." About seventy of the peers acquitted
him of every one of the ten charges, and he had very
large majorities on six of the ten, and the smallest he
had was t' enty-seven on the second charge, " for per-
mitting Alexander Trotter, his paymaster, to draw
from the Bank of England, for other purposes than
Navy services, large sums of money, and to place the
same in the hands of Thomas Coutts and Co., his
private bankers," an avowed fact that could not be
negatived.

Though thus completely acquitted, the prosecution,
or persecution, so far answered the purpose of Whit-
hread and his political accomplices (which is supposed
to have been the main object) that it incapacitated
Lord Melville for acting against them in future, and
■^stened, as generally believed, the death of Mr. Pitt,
ohich happened on the 23rd of January, 1806, in his
forty-seventh year, being of the same age as the 'm-
raortal Nelson, whose career was cut short on the
5th of October, in the preceding year, and whose
remains were deposited in St. Paul's Church the 9th of
January, 1806, just fourteen days before Mr. Pitt's
death. Another great character, Charles James Fox,
expired on the 13th of September, 1806, in the 58th
year of his age. He should have died some fifteen
mouths sooner.

Lord Melville continued to enjoy the peace and
quiet of domestic life free from the labours, toil, and
anxiety which for some years past he had been made
to endure. He had looked forward to his son, Kobert
Dundas, taking an activeand important share in public

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272

HENRY VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Sect. I.

life, and supporting that character which his exemplary
conduct, during the persecution himself had to struggle
with, obtained, and which won high praise from all
parties. In 1809 he became President of the Board
of Control, from whence he was appointed in 1812
First Lord of the Admiralty. Had his father livxcl
but a year longer he would have had the gratification
of seeing his son in possession of that high office, which
he himself had filled to the satisfaction of all unf il ails-
fortunes came upon him. He lived mostly on his pro-
perty at Dunira, occasionally visiting Edinburgh, where
he had a number of friends. It was here that he died,
after a short illness, on the 27th of May, 1811. "His
loss," says Walter Scott, " will be long and sever«.lv
felt here (Edinburgh), and Envy is already paying her
cold tribute of applause to the worth which she ma-
ligned while it walked upon earth."

The proceedings in Westminster Hall were looked
upon very generally as a party persecution, and Lord
Melville met with the greatest kindness and sympathy
from high quarters where he had no reason to expect
it. But he also received it with increased satisfaction
from persons of inferior rank. There is mentioned in
' The Lives of the Lindsays ' an instance of the gene-
rous conduct of a young man, which affected Lord
Melville very much. It is told by Lady Anne Bar-
nard. " Amidst the many cruel emotions that arose
to Dundas on an occasion when men are proved, I saw
a pleasurable one flow from his eyes in a flood of tears.
which seemed to do him good. A young man (the
younger brother of my sister-in-law, Mrs, A. Lindsay)
was sent, when quite a boy, to the East Indies by Lord

* .

Skct. I.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

273

Melville, as a writer ; his industry and abilities gave
him a little early prosperity ; he heard of this attack
on Dundas ; he venerated him ; he knew he was not a
man of fortune — he had made five thousand or more
—and in words the most affectionate and respectful,
manly and kind, he remitted to him an order for the
money, should he have occasion for it, to assist in de-
fraying the heavy expenses he must be put to."

"He read it to me," says Lady Anne, "with an
exultation of satisfaction, and then observed, ' I have
never beheld a countenance but one that did not feel this
letter as it ought when I read it, and that one was my
daughter-in-law's, before she knew that I had refused
it.' 'I hope,' said she, 'that while my purse is full,
you will never receive aid from a stranger.' ' I knew
she spoke as she felt ; to find two such people at such
a moment, is it not worth a score of desertions ? ' "

Th's young man was Mr. Dick, afterwards Sir
Robert Keith Dick.

Among the voluntary contributors towards proving
the falsehood of Lord Melville " being himself a par-
ticipator in the system of peculation," was a gentleman
I was partit'ilarly glad to discover — Mr. Gibson, of
the 3 per cent, office of the Bank of England, the son
of my old friend the mathematician and almanac-
maker in North Lancashire.* He undertook a strict
examination of Mr. Trotter's accounts, of the sums of
money he received fro.n Lord Melville, the sums he
supplied to him and the sums returned ; he calculated

* It was a great pleasure to me to be able to appoint his grand-
:-im to a clerkship in the Admiralty, and also to take him as my
private secretary— a clever, well-looking youth, but he did not turn
out well— the only private secretary I ever had.

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HKNllY VISCOUNT MELVILLR.

[iJECT. I,

the interest on both sides, and the result was that, i

in-

stead of the noble Lord having derived any profit hy
these accommodations, the balance of interest against
him was several thousand pounds. I advised him to
show these accounts to Mr. Plonier ; but as the trial
had ended with a verdict of acquittal, Mr. Plonier
thought that, ^iowe\ei important they might have been
if produced on the trial, they could not now be made
available.

Lord Melville, by his early retirement from tlie
Admiralty, escaped many disappointments which his
immediate successors had to encounter; but lie had
also the satisfaction of being well assured, that hy his
great exertions and prompt measures for meeting the im-
pending storm about to burst from the united forces of
poM'erful enemies, the most glorious naval victory that
ever crowned the fleet of England was achieved at
Trafalgar. Every administration of the Admiralty
has had to grapple with a host of charlatans with their
absurd and useless projects, which they call inventions.
Lord Melville was not disposed to encourage such, and
yet Mr. Pitt and he were accused of allowing an
American, of the name of Fulton, to impose upon them
with his catamarans to destroy ships of war and all
within them, secretly and without any intimation ; and
this man had the hardihood to recommend the blowing
up of ships of war, and destroying the whole crew, un-
conscious of what was about to happen to them, and to
boast of it as a humane invention. This person, after
oflfering his projects to the French and to the Dutch,
did apply to the English minister with such credentials
as prevailed on Mr. Pitt to ask Lord Melville to pro-
vide him some old worthless vessel to blow up in

SKfT. I.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

275

Waliner Roads. An old Danish brig was procured,
and a day fixed, when the two ministers were to be
present; but they took care to be in London, and the
ship, with the assistance of Sir Home Pophani, was
fired without the two seeing it or knowing anything of
the matter. Who would have thought that forty years
after this the same species of delusion, with the same
kind of assistance, would have been played oif ni
Brighton ?

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276

LORD BAUUAM.

[Sect. II,

'1, „ . « .

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Section II.

Lord Barham (Sir Charles Mkhllcton).
May 21, 1805— Feb. 5, 1806.

Captain James Gambiek. . ..First Naval Lord.
William Marsden First Secretary.

On the resignation of the late First Lord, on the 20th
of April, 1805, Sir Charles Middleton (created Lord
Barham) was appointed to the vacant situation. He
had held the office of Comptroller of the Navy for a
period of thirty years (from 1775 to 1805), was now
eighty years of age or upwards, and, of course, might
be expected to bring to his new department a few pre-
judices from the Board, over which he had so long pre-
sided, and from which Lord St. Vincent, in one of his
cutting sarcasms, had strongly recommended Mr.
Thomas Grenville " to brush away the spiders ;" a task,
however, which his Lordship himself did not venture
to set about, while he was First Lord of the Ad-
miralty.

One of the first points of knowledge, to which the
attention of a new First Lord is usually drawn, is the
number of vacancies to be filled up ; a statement of the
available fleet, and of the number of seamen borne;
what ships are required to be put into commission;
what civil or military vacant appointments exist, or are

O'M*

Sect. II.]

THE ADMIHALTY.

277

likely to occur ; and to find some fault in the arrange-
ments made by his predecessor, if it be only to change
them, in order to show his own superior discerning.

Lord Barhani, however, at the advanced period of
his life, was satisfied to let things go on in their usual
course, to remain quiet in his own room, to make few
enquiries, and to let the Board consider and settle the
current affairs of the Navy among themselves. In fact,
he never attended the Board ; but when any doubtful
question arose, one of the Lords or the Secretaries took
his decision on it in his own room. An instance oc-
curred, however, which called for his speedy inter-
ference; but instead of settling it at once, whc.i I told
him of it, as he might easily have done, he ;ictually
wrote off to Mr. Pitt, stating the case and requesthig his
interference on a personal question. The case was this.
One morning, as Captain Gambler entered the board-
room, the only persons there being Lord Garlics and
myselfj Captain Gambier had no sooner taken his seat
than Lord Garlics, in a loud and angry tone, burst
forth at once, saying, " I despise the man who can say
one thing to your face and another thing out of doors
behind your back." " Do you mean to apply that
to me ?" asked Gambier. " Yes, I do," said Lord
Garlics. Not a word more was spoken, but the Cap-
tain took his hat and said to me, " You haT'e heard
how I have been insulted, and I never enter this room
again without a suitable apology." I told the whole to
Lord Barham, and he immediately wrote to Mr. Pitt,
who speedily came to the Admiralty, and I was sent
for. Mr. Pitt asked me to let him know precisely
what had taken place; and having told him, he said,
" Have you any doubt which of the two is the aggrieved

..•«•

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278

i-OJU) BAHIIAM.

[Skct. II.

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party ?" I said that, " Being in utter ignorance of
what had previously talven phice between them, I can
only speak of what occurred in my presence, and I can
have no hesitation in giving it as my opinion that Lord
Garlics was the first and only aggressor." He then
said, "I will soon settle this matter;" and 1 IcfUlie
room.

The next morning I found Lord Garlics sitting at
the Board. lie took no notice to me of what had hap-
pened, and in a little time Captain Gambier made his
appearance, upon which Lord Garlics rose, and, meet-
ing him, held out his hand, and asked pardon for tlio
hasty and outrageous manner in which he had incau-
tiously and in anger spoken, and hoped his forgiveness.
Mr. Pitt, it appeared, on leaving Lord Barhani, liad
written to both. The dispute had arisen from some
difference of opinion about warrant officers.

Lord Garlics was an excellent man, but of a warm
and sanguine temperament. Gambier, in temperament
quite the reverse ; of a mild and serious turn, he was
pleasing in his manners, and a perfect gentleman. The
following incident, which is given in the ' Life of
Howe,' is an illustration of his character : — In the midst
of the battle of the 1st of June, when the little 'De-
fence,' of 74 guns, which he commanded, was threatened
to be overwhelmed by a French 120-gun ship bearing
down upon her, the lieutenant of the after-part of (he
main-deck, in a momentary panic, ran upon the quarter-
deck, and addressing the captain with great eagerness,
exclaimed, " D — n my eyes, sir, here is a whole moun-
tain coming down upon us ; what shall we do ?" Cap-
tain Gambier, unmoved, said in a solemn tone, " How
dare you, sir, at this awful moment, come to me with

■fiii'-.r

'■ «•

saT. no

THE ADMIKALTY.

279

lat eagerness,

ail oath ill your mouth? (io down, sir, and encourage
vuur men to stand to their guns like hrave British
!.Lainen." 1 asked Lord (Jianibier some years aiter-
warils if the story was true ; his reply was that he
k'liovod something of the kind had occurred.

Lord liarham's nine montlis' administration of the
aliaiivs of the British Navy was ittended with the
most glorious victory ever accomj)lished, and the most
lamented loss ever sustained, by the death of the im-
mortal Nelson.

This bravest of the brave having returned from his
anxious chase after the French fleet, as he supposed,
bad gone to the West Indies ; but having been misled,
harassed, and vexed in the extreme, he writes an
angry but characteristic letter to his friend, Alexander
Davison, dated " ' Vict(n'y,' 2 1th July, 1805," in which
he says: "I am as miserable as you can conceive.
Hut for General Brereton's d — d information, Nelson
would have been, living or dead, the greatest man in his
profession that England ever saw. Now, alas! I am
nothing — perhaps, shall incur censure for misfortunes
which may happen and have happened. When I
tbllow my own head I am, in general, much more cor-
rect in my judgment than following the 0})inions of
others. 1 resisted the opinion of General Brereton's
information — it would have been the height of presump-
iioa to have carried my belief further." lie then re-
peats, "But! am miserable" — and adds "that until
the enemy is arrived somewhere in some port m the
Bay, I can do nothing but fret."

On the ■25th of July he desires Admiral Colling-
wood to continue the service he has hitherto been
employed upon off Cadiz, while he should proceed with

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280

LOUD BARHAM.

[Slct. II.

his West Indian squadron to the northward in search
of the combined squadron. And in a private letter he
tells his " dear Collingwood " he must forego the plea-
sure of taking him by the hand until October next,
" when, if I am well enough, I shall (if the Admiralty
please) resume the command."

In the autumn of 1805 Lord Nelson arrived in
England, and, being much out uf health, retired to a
small place he had at Merton, where he remained in
quiet in the midst of a pretty garden and in the society
of his sister and Lady Hamilton. But the enjoyment
he otherwise would have had is said to have been con-
stantly interrupted by conjectures of what the enemy's
fleet consisted, what he was projecting, and what was
the force and the disposition of his own fleet to meet
it. While he was thus tormenting himself in matters of
this kind, and in calling to mind the hope he had ex-
pressed to Admiral Collingwood, of rejoining him in the
month of October, Captain Blackwood arrived with
dispatches, announcing that the combined fleets of
France and Spain had got into Cadiz. This intelH-
gence adm? >ced of no hesitation or delay — Nelson was
himself again. He set ofl' immediately for the Ad-
miralty ; told Lord Barham he was on his way to rejoin
his fleet the moment the ' Victory ' was ready at Spit-
head, where a squadron was prepared as a reinforce-
ment ; and in three days he was again in town on his
way to Portsmouth.

He had been with me at the Admiralty in the morn-
ing, anxiously inquiring and expressing his hopes about
a code of signals just then improved and enlarged. I
assured hinr they were all but ready ; that he should
not be disappointed, and that I would take care they

Sect. II.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

281

should be at Portsmouth the following morning. On
his way, in the evening, he looked in upon me at the
Admiralty, where I was stopping to see them off. I
pledged myself not to leave the office till a messenger
was dispatched with the signals, should the post have
departed, and that he might rely on their being at
Portsmouth the following morning. On this he shook
hands with me; I wished him all happiness and success,
which I was sure he would command as he had always
done ; and he departed apparently more than usually
cheerful. He had no new commission to receive, nor
instructions of any kind ; he had come on shore on his
own leave, and was returning to reassume the command
which he had temporarily left with an inferior officer.
This was on the 12th of September, and on the next
night he took a last leave of his dear Merton, his
friends and family ; and the following entry appears
in his diary : —

"At half-past ten drove from dear, dear Merton,
where I left all which I hold dear in this world, to go
to serve my king and country. May the great God
whom I adore enable me to fulfil the expectations of
my country; and if it is His good pleasure that I
should return, my thanks will never cease being offered
up to the throne of His mercy. If it is His good
providence to cut short my days upon earth, I bow
with the greatest submission, relying that he will pro-
tect those so dear to me that I may leave behind.
His will be done. Amen Amen."

Oil his arrival at Portsmouth the following morning,
he hoisted his flag on board the 'Victory;' and
anxious to lose no time in rejoining the fleet, he sailed
the moment she was ready, leaving the rest of the

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282

LOUD BARIIAM.

[Sect. 11.

squadron of* reinforcement to follow him. On the l/th
he writes from Plymouth to Sir George Rose, con-
eluding his letter thus : —

" I will try to have a motto — at least it shall be my
watchword — ' l^oach and take.' 1 will do my best;
and if I fail in any point, I hope it will be proved that
it will be owing to no fault of^ my dear Mr. Rose,
your very faithful friend,

" Nklson and Bpon te."

»•■

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4»

On the evening of the 28th September he saw the
enemy's fleet in Cadiz, amounting to thirty-five or
thirty-six sail of the line, joined the fleet under Lord
CollingMOod, and re-assumed the command of twenty-
three sail of the line ; and he mentions six being
occasionally at Gibraltar. In a letter of the 1st of
October he says, — " I believe my arrival was most wel-
come, not only to the commander of the fleet, but also
to every individual in it : and when I came to explain
to then the Nelson touch, it was like an electric shock:
some shed tears — all approved. ' It was new — it was
singular — it was simple ; ' and from admirals down-
wards it was repeated. " It must succeed if ever they
will allow us to get at them. You are, my Lord,
surrounded by friends whom you inspire with confi-
dence." He writes strongly to the Admiralty, to send
him frigates and sloops, which he calls the ei/es of the
Jleet ; and in writing to Sir G. Rose, he suggests that
Mr. Pitt should "hint to Lord Barham to send him
plenty of frigates and sloops." Every letter, indeed,
repeats the necessity of having frigates and sloops.

On the 0th of October Lord Nelson issues a me-

Sect. II.]

THE ADiMIllALTY.

283

morandi'in of the manner in which, under certain
circuii. stances, the British fleet will go into action. On
the 20th the enemy were out; and on the 21st he
writes as follows in his private diary : — " At daylight
saw die enemy's combined fleet from E. to E. S. E. ;
bore away ; made the signal for ' Order of sailing,' and
to ' Prepare for battle ;' the enemy with their heads to
the southward; at 7, the enemy wearing in succes-
sion. May the great God, whom I worship, grant to
mv country, and for the benefit of Europe in general,
a great and glorious victory ; and may no misconduct
ill any one tarnish it ; and may humanity after victory
be the predominant feature in the British fleet. For
myself^ individually, I commit my life to Him who
made me, and may his blessing light upon my en-
deavours for serving my country faithfully. To Him I
resign myself, and the just cause which is entrusted to
me to defend. Amen."

The most decisive battle was fought and the most
glorious victory obtained that had ever crowned the
naval arms of Great Britain ; and the fame of which has
been blazoned forth through the four quarters of the
world in unfading characters of praise and admira-
tion; while the name of Nelson is hailed in songs of
triumph throughout the wide extent of the British do-
minions.

The report of this most glorious and stupendous
victory of Trafalgar was accompanied with the melan-
choly and lamentable intelligence of the death of
Nelson, invincible while life remained. This mixed
intelligence of joy and mourning arrived at the
Admiralty, in the middle of the night of the 6th of
November. Mr. Marsden had retired to rest, M'hen he

• M''

» . .1. «

ii . ■ -r ■

.1 •

.1 ' .

284

LORD BARHAM.

[Sect. II,

was told that an officer had just arrived. On coining
down, the officer meeting him with a packet of dis-
patches, said to him hastily, " Sir, we have gained a
great victory, but we have lost Lord Nelson." The im-
pression, which such an abrupt address was calculated to
make on the Secretary to the Admiralty, may readily
be conceived ; and Marsden has left on record the way
in which his report of this triumphant but mournful in-
telligence was received by Lord Barham. He went to
him about one o'clock in the morning. " The First
Lord," he says, " had retired to rest, as had his
domestics, and it was not till after some research that
I could discover the room in which he slept. Drawing
aside his curtains, with a candle in my hand, I awoke
the old peer from a sound slumber : and to the credit
of his nerves be it mentioned, that he showed no symp-
tom of alarm or surprise, but calmly asked, ' What news,
Mr. Marsden ? ' We then discussed, in few words,
what was immediately to be done ; and I sat up the
remainder of the night with such of the clerks as I
could collect, in order to make the necessary com-
munications, at an early hour, to the King, the Prince
of Wales, the Duke of York, the Ministers, and other
m'^mbers of the Cabinet, and to the Lord Mayor."

The good old King, with that punctuality and pro-
priety for which he was distinguished, acknowledged
the receipt of the glorious intelligence through his
Secretary, Sir Herbert Taylor, the very same day, in
which he says, " However his Majesty rejoices at the
signal success of his gallant fleet, he has not heard
without expressions of very deep regret the death of
its valuable and distinguished commander; although
(he added) a life so replete with glory, and marked

I r.'h

Sect. II.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

28i

by a rapid succession of such meritorious services and
exertions, could not have ended more gloriously."
And Colonel Taylor adds, "I have not, upon any
occasion, seen his Majesty more affected."

The King had expressed much anxiety to be in full
possession of every detail and particular respecting this
great event ; and he testified his great satisfaction
that the command, under circumstances so critical,
should have devolved upon an officer of such consum-
mate valour, judgment, and skill, as Admiral Colling-
wood has proved himself to be ; every part of whose
conduct he considers deserving of his entire approba-
tion and admiration. "The feeling manner in which he
has described the events of that great day, and those
subsequent to it, and the modesty with which he speaks
of himself whilst he does justice in terms so elegant
and so ample to the meritorious exertions of the gallant
officers and men under his command, have also proved
extremely gratifying to the King."

Never can I forget the shock I received, on opening
the Board-room door, the morning afler the arrival of
the dispatches, when Marsden called out — " Glorious
news! The most glorious victory our brave navy
ever achieved — but Nelson is dead ! " The vivid
recollection of my interview with this incomparable
man, and the idea that I was probably the last person
he had taken leave of in London, left an impression of
gloom on my mind that re(iuired some time to remove ;
and the glorious result of the victory recurred ; though
the other could not be obliterated speedily. " The
circumstances of the splendid victory of the 21st of
October, 1805, off Cape Trafalgar," says my colleague,
"when nineteen of the enemy's ships of the line were

■.ii;!

286

LORD BARIIAM.

[Skct, II.

i;:'

■^.»":1 ''.-' ••

. ■ •

captured or destroyed, many of the rest disabled, and
the conmiander-in-chief made prisoner, are too strongly
imprinted on the public mind to require repetition
here.* Suffice it to say, that so effectually was the
naval force of our opponents crushed by this defeat,
that no attempt was afterwards made to face an
English squadron."

The above note must have been written on the re-
ceipt of Admiral Collingwood's first dispatch, dated the
day following the battle, in which he says the enemv
"left to his Majesty's squadron nineteen sail of the
line." Seven days afterwards (28th of October) he
gives the details of the enemy's losses in another dis-
patch, thus : —

4 sent to Gibraltar
10 wrecked

3 burnt in action
;i sunk ditto

9 got into Cadiz, dismasted or damaged

4 escaj)ed

or thus :-

33 ships of tlie liiip

4 sent to Gibraltar
16 destroyed

9 got into Cadiz ; G wrecked, 3 servic'eal)io
4 liaul'dd to tlie southward and escaped

' - .♦

■j.; -, • --J
'■ If ■- ■'

The four that escaped were fallen in with and cap-
tured by four of equal force exactly, under Sirllichard
Strachan, in the ' Caesar,' which, by the way, was one
of the cross-hraced and doubled ships.

* In his Memoir.

I'FXT. II.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

287

One result of this glorious victory was viewed in
different lights, not contemplated at the time — the
abaiidoiinicnt of the right of the flag; a right per-
sisted in with extreme jealousy by us, and looked upon
with great hatred and ill-will by foreigners. The right
of the flag had invariably been demanded from all
nations in the British seas, from a very early period of
our naval history. Among the many, a remarkable
one may be mentioned. Philip II. of Spain was shot
at by the Lord Admiral of England, for wearing his
flag in the narrow seas, when he came over with his
fleet /() marry Queen Marif.

At a later period King Charles II., in his declaration
of war against the Dutch, in 1671, observes, — " the right
of the flag is so ancient that it was one of the first prero-
gatives of our royal predecessors, and ought to be the
last from which this kingdom should ever depart ;" and
he goes on — " Ungrateful insolence ! That they should
contend with us about the dominion of those seas, who,
even in the reign of our royal father, thought it an
obligation to be permitted to fish in them."

The right was maintained by order in Council of
1/34, and printed in the Naval Instructions, and con-
tinued down to 1 806, when the right of the flag was
abandoned, in consequence, it may be inferred, of the
glorious victory of Trafalgar having swept every hostile
fleet from the ocean. The article in the printed in-
structions, issued after that victory, respecting the flag,
was dropped altogether. In the new and the last printed
instructions of 1844, a very negative article on this
subject runs thus : —

"Her Majesty's Jiips or vessels shall not, on any
account, lower their top-gallant-sails nor their flags to

288

LORD BARHAM.

[Sect. II,

'J. .if ■ • •

r.ii h. . 1

any foreign ships or vessels whatsoever, unless the
foreign ships or vessels shall first, or at the same time,
lower their top-gallant-sails or their flags to them."

The prohibitory order to our ships and vessels
appears to be wholly unnecessary, and the simitltaimm
striking of sails or flags next to impossible.

The full admiral's I'ed flag, which had been aban-
doned for centuries — no one seems to know why — was
re-assumed in the General List of 1806, on the same
occasion that the right of the flag was abandoned.

Previous to the consummation of this grand battle,
there was a small one with a small result that was
neither victory nor defeat, but may be called a drawn
battle with two captured ships of the line, I allude to
the action fought by Sir Robert Calder, on the 23r(i of
July, 1805, with fifteen sail of the line and two frigates,
against twenty sail of the line and five frigaces, of which
Sir Robert captured two sail of the line, and suffered
the rest to escape, in order, as he said, to secure the
two prizes, intending afterwards to pursue the main
body ; which, however, he did not — as Lord St. Vincent
projiounced, that he would not. An order forthwith
issued for trying him by court-martial, for not doing his
utmost ; and the court found that he had not done his
ut;uost, and therefore sentenced him to be reprimanded.

Calder, I believe, was considered a good profes-
sional oflicer, but he lacked judgment. It was in his
favour, and he pleaded it on his trial, that he had been
flag-captain to Lord St. Vincent in the battle which
bears the noble admiral's name, and here he showed a
want of judgment morally speaking. When St. Vin-
cent read to him his account of the battle, in which
Nelson was mentioned with due praise : " Don't you

,* •*

Sl-H'. II.]

TIIK ADMIRALTY.

289

tliink," obbcncd Caldor, "lie disobeyed his orders?"
"I'orlKips he did," replied the Earl, "and \vlieii
vou do so with the same effect I will praise you
too." He once threw the whole Cabinet into a state
of alarm by a telegraph message, when Coinniander-in-
cliicf at riymouth. Dispatches had been received
from Spain, and Calder, anxious to convey the intel-
ligence to town, sent up the following pcn'tion of a
iiR'Ssagc; the rest was stopped by a fog: — "Wellington
tlefeated ;" and thus it remained the whole day, to the
(lisiiiay of those who knew only thus much of it. The
arrival of Lord March (I tliink it was), in the course
of the night, brought the account of a great victory
over Marmont. The Admiral's head, like the wea-
ther, was somewhat foggy. lie meant to say, "The
French defeated by AVellington," but unfortunately
bejian at tli^ ^vrong end.

These and some other successes were accomplished
during the first six of the nine months that the ve-
teran peer j)resided over the Admiralty, unquestionably
without any effort on his part. On the day of his de-
parture, he did, hoAvever, make an effort to benefit —
not himself — but his successor. AVhen Lord Barhaui
succeeded to the office of First Lord of the Admiralty,
the salary Mas 3000/. a-year ; that is to say, 1000/., like
tiiat of each of the other Lords, as voted on the Or-
dinary Estimate of the navy, but an additional 2000/.
was paid to the First Lord, by the Treasurer of the
Navy, out of the produce of old stores. Lord Bar-
ham very properly considered this a shabby and incor-
rect mode of paying a great officer of state; and,
on the morning of his quitting office, he sent for me,
and desired me to make a minute in his name, and

, "> ■•

- !

290

LOlil) DAiniAM.

LSkct. II.

k ■ % I ;

I :'*,'■»»

';. ' *

.»> '. T

• ' .»

for liis sif»ii,itnro, ox])rcssin(^ liis opinion tliat, in fiitim,
this lii^h oiHcLT ought to hu put upon tlie sjinic lliotin^
as tlie Secretaries of State, and to have r)(M)()/. ji-vcip
on the Kstinuite of tlie Navy. It was said witli re-
gard to this minute, that Mr. tJliarles Urey, wlio
succeeded l^ord IJarhani, availed himself of it; and
that Lord liarham had lel't the minute on his disk
for that ])urj)ose ; hut of this I am imahle to sjaak,
as I (piitted office the same day with Lord JJarliaiii.
I may venture to ohserve, this neither was nor could
be true ; for until the year 1811 there appeared on the
estimate only 7000/. for the seven Lords: 2000/., in
adtlition, heing specially voted for the First Lord,
whose salary, however, in 1812, was raised to 5000/.
a-year, and was so printed in the Navy Estinuito of
that year ; but whether in consequence of Lord Hai-
ham's suggestion, or of the pr()])riety of the mcas'.ro,
T know not. This sum, however, was reduced by a
Committee of 18.31 to 4,.'jOO/. ; when my own was
permitted to remain at 1,.5()0/., it having been reduced
by a former Committee to that amount from the origi-
nal salary of 2000/.

i,1 ,

. •

•! '

•if''

•."

ii'

*■

.■."} .

tr:

' >

! 1 ,'; ; .

SIXT. III.l

T[IK ADMIRALTY.

201

Suction 111.

Tin- nhjllt llini. CllAULKS GllKY.
February 10, 18(Ki— Septcinln'r 29, IHOG.

Admiral IMaiikiiam, Sir Ciiahm:h ToLr,, I'urt., and Sir II. 15.
N'i:am:, liiut., the tiirei' Naval L(h<1s; hut which was coiisi-
(Imd first I know not.

JNfr. Mausdkn cnntiinicd First Sccrofary.

0.\ tlie 10th of February, 1800, a change took place
ill the (Jioverinnent, hy the Tories having been obl'ged
to ^nvc way to tiie Wliigs, M'heii the Right Ilonourabh^
Charles Grey was appointed to relieve Lord liarham
as First Lord of the Admiralty. I was fully aware of
Mhat was to be my fate, and had it speedily announced
to lite by a message from the Ilight Hon. Charles
Grey, tiirough Mr. Marsden, expressive of his sincere
rcgv t at being under the painful necessity of dispensing
with my services, which, he wished to assure nie, under
other circumstances, he should have been too happy to
retain; and he ho])ed that I would not deem him ca-
pable of having dealt harshly, capriciously, or unjustly
ill replacing an old friend of his, and of his j)arty, in a
^^ituatioii of which I had been the catise, though blame-
less, of depriving him : a gentleman with whom he was
desirous that I should be acquainted, as one who had
long been the faithful, confidential, and attached secre-
tary of the Earl of St. Vincent ; and who besides liad
given up the patent place of a Commissioner of the

'. . I;'

■d ••.-'

I ! ♦

■1, .»•'

it/'.

i' -"V

29-^

THE IJKillT HON. CIIAULLS GlJliV.

Lf'ixT.iu.

Navy to follow his old niiister as Second Sccrctarv ot
the iVdiniralty, when the noble Karl, in IHOl, became
the First Lord.

He was very anxious, Mr. Marsden said, that j
should be made aware of the position in which he stood
with regard to Mr. Tucker, and that I should ac(niit
hi in of acting in any shape unhandsomely towards iiie;
and he further desired Mr. Marsden to tell me that it
I wished to say anything to him he would he glad to
sec me at any time.

Misfortunes are said rarely to come single. This
heavy blow was but too likely to be soon followed hv
another. My best and kindest friend and benefactor,
the Earl of Macartney, was dangerously ill, and the
state of affairs on the Continent, and the death of Mr.
Pitt, seemed to impress his mind with deep concern, and
to cast an unusual damp upon his s})irits ; but he con-
tinued to read and write till three days bel'ore his doatli,
Avhich took place on the evening of the .'Jlst of March,
1800, "while reclining his head on his hand as if
dropping into a shunber, but he saidi. into the arnisot
death without a sigh and without a struggle," at his
residence in Mayfair. Thus did I lose the last of my
three powerful friends and benefactors, Lord ]\lacart-
ney, Sir George Staunton, and Lord Melville, the last
of whom, though still living, might be accounted dead
to the world.

Intelligence had just been brought of the recapture
of the Cape of (j ood Hope, and shortly after I received
a note from Mr. Windham, who had now been ap-
pointed Secretary of State for War and Colonies, de-
siring to see me in Dowjung Street the followinir
morning as early as convenient. Being personally

■•y.n\ lll.l

THE ADMIIJAI.TY.

2US

iic(|iiaiiite(l witli Mr. Wiudliaiii, jiiid liaviii^- more tlian
MIX ooiivcrsi'd with liiin on tlic suljjcct ol' SoiitliciMi
Atrica, I concluded he wislied for sonic iiit'onnatioii
riijanHii^ this rcncM'cd accjuisitioii ; and so it ])rovcd.
At nine in the morning, 1 I'oiind iiini pacinj;- tlic room,
\\\[\\ his shirt-neck tlu'own oj)en, and h)oking in liis
i!])|)oarance as it'soniethin;^ of a most perplexing nature
liad taken possession of his mind; his fu'st words were,
"Mr. Harrow, 1 have wished very much to see you,
for I am greatly perplexed hy a minute I'rom Lord
Gronville, directing that immediate ste])S be taken for
siiiding out forthwith a reini'orcenient of tro()])s, to-
::xthcrwith a civil establishment, ibr the protection and
iiiaiiagement of that important colony, the Cape of
(iood Hope." "Here," lu^ said, "is a list of the
situations and tlu; holders of them when you ceded the
suttloinent to the Dutch ; and 1 find that you were
(liit'f of the Commissioners to arrange the surrender.
Will you cast your eye over that list and tell me what
appointments are to be filled up, and who (if any) still
remain to fill them ? but first, as 1 am sorry to find you
are become an idle man, let me say, if any one of these
appointments should suit you, place your finger u])on
it, and, with one exception, 1 will most cheerfully
name you for it." The exception was Mr. Andrew
Barnard, the former Colonial secretary. I thanked
liim cordially, but hoped he would give me a day or
two to consider of it, as I wished first to see Mr. Grey.
"By all means, see Mr. Grey, and I trust he will be
desirous of doing something better for you than what I
have to offer." I said that I should be most happy to
afford him any advice or assistance in my power when-
ever he thought it could be useful.

-" ..%

I' I.-!

214

THE RIGHT HON. CHAKLES GllEY,

[Sect. III.

•• "".

A *■

I lost no time in waitiiia; on the Right Honourable
Charles Grey, and was very warmly received. He re-
])eated the assurance of his regret, and trusted that I was
satisfied he could not have done otherwise than rc-ap-
point Mr. Tucker. I assured him of my full conviction
that the step he had taken was not only reasonable, but
just, and almost imperative ; that the loss of such a situa-
tion, I need not say, was a serious concern to one, uho,
with slender means, had a growing family to look up to
him for support. He wished very much, he said, for lie
considered it due to me, that something should turn up
worthy of my acceptance. " But," he added, " I must
confess that I see little prospecL at present of being
relieved from that condition which my colleague, Mr.
Fox, is said to have described to a friend who made ap-
plication for some appointment — ' My dear fellow, we
are already two in a bed.' I can, therefore, at present
only assure you of my good wishes ai 1 inclinations."
I made my how, and was retiring, when he called me
back. " By the way," he said, " you have been some
time in '^^he public service, previous to your appoint-
ment to the Admiralty?" " Yes, sir ; I was two years
on Lord Macartney's embassy to China, and seven
years at the Cape of Good Hope." " I recollect," lie
said, "your having been on both, and I have read your
account of the Cape with pleasure and profit. I wish you
would write down such a memorandum of your services
as I can send to Lord Grenville ; I think his Lordship
should know them : more I ca^mot say at present."

I could not be otherwise than highly gratified by the
kind and considerate manner in which Mr. Grey re-
ceived and conversed with me, and I lost no time, it
may be supposed, in supplying him with the note he

II"' I'M

Sf.ct. III.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

295

required ; and on mentioning the interview to Mr.
Marsden, he said, " I am glad of what you tell me ; he
has either something in view for you, or is desirous of
interesting the Prime Minister in your behalf. I know,
from the little he has said to me, that he feels the ungra-
cious, but unavoidable step he was compelled to take
with regard to you, and that he would not be displeased
to liiid an opportunity of making amends." Knowing,
however, the situation in which "All the Talents"
found themselves placed on assuming office, I was not
very sangunie, though still persuading myself there
must have been a kind motive for the step now taken
by the First Lord of the Admiralty. In the mean time
I could only remain quiet, as I had entirely given up
all idea of returning to the Cape of Good Hope, and
so I told Mr. Windham.

It was not long, however, before I received a note
from Mr. Grey, enclosing a short letter to him from
Lord Grenville, of which the following is a copy : —

" Camelfonl House, lOtli Mareli, 1806.
" My dear Grey,

" I have the pleasure of acknowledging your
letter on the subject of Mr. Barrow. The })articular
eircunistances of his case appear to entitle him to a
proper and favourable consideration ; and I do not see
any more eligible mode than that suggested of his pre-
senting a memorial to the King in Council.

"Yours, &c.,
(Signed) " Guknville."

Fortified by such an opinion from such a quarter, 1
lost no time in drawing up and sending a memorial of

„ ■" .■•

296 THE RIGHT HON. CHAS. GREY (LORD HOWICK). [Skct. III.

my services to the King in Council, which, in the usual
course, was referred to the Board of Admiralty, to be
reported upon by their Lordships ; and the Board, on
the suggestion of Mr. Grey (now Lord Ilowiek), re-
commended that a pension should be granted of lOUU/.
a-year, to commence from the day of my retiring from
the Admiralty, and to be abated from any place I
might thereafter hold under the Government.

This information was conveyed to me by the fol-
lowing letter : —

" AdmivaUy, Jmie 26tli, 180(5.
" Sir,

" I delayed answering your letter of the 23rd
till the Board should have had an opportunity of de-
ciding on the reference from the Council. I have
now the pleasure of informing you that a pension of
1000/. a-year is recommended as a proper reward for
your long services.

" I am, Sir, &c.,
(Signed) *' IIowick."

In gratitude for the kind feeling shown to iiic
throughout, I am bound to acknowledge that the treat-
ment I received at the hands of Lord IIowick, from first
to last, was most indulgent, considerate, and attentive;
and that few men I believe would have acted, under all
the circumstances, with that promptitude and marked
generosity, which he was pleused to bestow on my case.

Of what occurred at the Admiralty during the eight
months' reign of Lord IIowick I know nothing. It
commenced auspiciously by the report of Sir John
Duckworth's successful action with a French squadron
in the West Indies, the account of which came to the

./" .

•

10:

• *

» ^

[v). [Sect, III.

Sect. III.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

297

Admiralty just fourteen days after his entry on the
business of the office, to which he had succeeded by
removal from the Foreign Office, to which he had been
appointed on the death of Mr. Fox. In April, 180/,
he became Earl Grey, and having continued about
ciiiht months, he resigned the government of the Navy
to Mr. Thomas Grcnville, who remained about five
months, when both went out with the rest of the
party, Lord Grenville being succeeded by the Duke of
Portland.

The dissolution of the Grenville Government was
rather sudden, an J would appear to have been occa-
sioned very much by mismanagement. On the 6th of
March, 1807, Lord Grenville in the Lords, and Lord
Howick in the Commons, gave notice of their intentions
to bring in a bill for the relief of the Roman Catholics.
As this measure had always been very obnoxious to the
King, prudence at least would seem to have required
that His Majesty should have been apprised of such
notice being intended. An adjoi;r'iment took place
to enable them to do so; they had an audience for
this purpose ; but it was too late ; and the following day
they received an intimation from Ili? Majesty, that he
umst provide himself with other ministers.

I r

298

THE EAllL OF MULGRAVE.

[Skct. IV.

k ..

8i:cTioN IV.
Tlic Earl of Mulguavi:.

April G, 1807— November 24, 1809.

Admiral -Tames Gamuikk. . . .First Navul Lord
J. AV". CuoKEK, Esq First Secretary.

On the morning of the 5th of April, 1807, while a cart
was standing before my door, taking in baggage and
some furniture, Admiral Gambier stepped in and said,
" Where are you going, Barrow ? — not out of town, I
hope ? " I answered, " No : I am just about to take
my little sick child to Jenkins's nursery grounds."
" Because," said he, " I come to you from Lord j\Iul-
grave, who desires to see you to-morrow morning at
twelve o'clock, in Wimpole Street; and pray don't
fail. I see you arc busy, and so am I — so good bye."
lie then left me abruptly. What can Lord Mulgravc
want with me ? thought I. Having been some weeks
in the country, I knew little or nothing of what was
going on in the political Morld, and had only heard
some rumours of " All the Talents " being on the
eve of retiring ; but of Lord Mulgrave I was utterly
ignorant even to what party he belonged.

I took care to be in Wimpole Street at the hour
appointed ; and, when knocking at the door, my friend
Lord Arden, passing by, called out, " I am very glad

<•

Sect. IV.

THE ADMIRALTY.

299

to see you, Barrow, at that door," and walked on. On
being' shown into his Lordship's room, he said, " You
will probahly have heard that the King has been
pleased to appoint me First Lord of the Admiralty ;
and one of my first acts is to ofter you, as I now do,
the re-appointment to the situation from which, in my
opinion, you were unjustly removed ; and I hope you
will not refuse me." In making my sincere ackn ^w-
ledginents for his generous offer to one who was an
entire stranger to him, I assured him that nothing
could be more gratifying than the prospect of returning
to a public situation that I had so much at heart ; and
it Mould be my object and my pride to deserve his
good opinion. " But," he said, " I think it right to
apprise you, that Mr. Marsden wishes to be relieved,
and that it will not be in my power to place you in his
situation, for the Cabinet has come to a resolution that
ilie First Secretary of the Admiralty shall henceforth
hold a seat in the House of Commons : and that yester-
day ^larsden's successor WtiJ actually named."

I begged to assure him that a seat in the House was
no point of ambition with mo, and that no consideration
\vould induce me to accept one, even if accompanied
with the offer of the First Secretaryship of the Admi-
ralty. "But, if it be not an improper question, might
I inquire confidentially who is the gentleman named to
be my colleague ? " "I will tell you, but it must be in
strict confidence, for Marsden yet knows nothing of it —
it is Mr. Wellesley Pole." I said, " He is an agreeable
acquaintance, of great talent for business, and of an
active turn of mind, and I am rejoiced in the prospect
of having such a coadjutor."

He then said, " Mr. Marsden is nearly left alone.

v'lj

300

■■■ i ■.

THE EARL OF MULGRAVE.

[Sect, IV.

» •

'i ..

H-''

without a second Secretary, and he will be very glad of
your company as soon as you can make it convenient."
My reply was, " I will go to him immediately, and
settle with him to he at the Admiralty to-morrow
morning at nine o'clock." I did so attend ; and from
this day, the 8th of April, 1807, to the '28th of
January, 1845, I continued, without intermission, as
Second Secretary of the Admiralty, when 1 retired,
having completed altogether, from my lirst appoint-
ment in that capacity, forty years, under twelve or thir-
teen several Naval Administrations, Whig and Torv,
including that of the Lord High Admiral, His lioval
Highness the Duke of Clarence ; having reason to be-
lieve that I have given satisfaction to all and everv one
of these Naval Administrations; and I am happy in the
reflection, that I have experienced kindness and atten-
tion from all.

The Catholic Question having turned out the Whig
Administration on the 8tli of April, Parliament met
pursuant to adjournment, when the new ministry was
declared — the Duke of Portland Prime j\linistcr,
and Lord JMulgrave First Lord of the Admiralty
(having held the ofHce of Foreign Secretary of State in
1805) ; and, on his leaving th.e Admiralty in 1810, he
was appointed Master-General of the Ordnance. Lord
Mulgrave possessed wit and humour in a considerable
degree, and was always most agreeable at his own
table ; he was also an acute critic. A friend of Mr.
Pitt once asked that Minister how he could he so in-
cautious as to let into the cabinet one so very iiuieli
disposed to criticifie w hat others said or did ? *' For
that very reason," Pitt replied, " that we may be told
oi| and enabled to correct, our many blunders."

Sect. IV.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

301

The war with France was carried on with great
activity, and our fleets and detached squadrons Avere
evLi'Vwhere successful. The only blot was that miser-
able affair of the Dardanelles, under Admiral Sir John
Duckworth, who acted chiefly on the instructions or
opinions of Mr. Arbuthnot, the ambassador, and lie no
doubt followed those of the Government. He prevailed,
however, on the Admiral to lie off' with his shi])s at a
distance, and to delay, while he negotiated with the
Porte ; thus allowing the Turks full time — of which they
had sense enough to avail themselves^ — to plant cannon
on the walls of the Seraglio, the intended point of
attack, and also to extend their fortifications on the
shores of the Dardanelles, to annoy, and possibly pre-
vent the return ofj our shi})S : Avhereas, had Duckworth
folkiwcd his own views, or acted on the advice of Sir
Suhiey Smith, he Mould at once, as he had intended,
have laid his ships close to the walls of the Seraglio, and
battered them down. Sir Sidney Smith even strongly
rcconnncnded that they should storm Constantinople,
but representations were made against this measure, as
belnj;- too severe ; Sir John speaks highly in praise of
the advice and services of Sir Sidnev.

On his return, the innnense mortars of the batteries
threw stone balls of one and a half and two feet, or
more, in diameter — one of which, of granite, the Ad-
miral says, weighed eight hundred pounds, and they
made tremendous havoc in the shi})s they struck. The
Windsor Castle had two of her ports battered into one
and her mainmast carried away by two of these gigantic
granite shot. The Board of Admiralty, returning from
a dockyard visitation, paid a flying visit to Sir John
Duckworth, at his seat on the river Ex ; and we were
much anuised at the siglrt of two of these large globes of

., 11

, , "> •'

'" . i '

'." K

I I

302

THE EARL OF MULGKAVE,

[Skct. IV.

IL-

stone which crowned the gate-posts of his domain, as
trophies of his Lite expedition, on which were inscribed
the names of Scstos and Ahi/dos.

The administration of " All the Talents," which scut
out this ill-fated expedition, had considered the Darda-
nelles to be defenceless, and the Turks ignorant and
helpless ; but Duckworth's report of the disastrous
result, and of the granite shot, must have confouiulod
the projectors of it, had they not been driven from the
helm before the account of the disasters had reached
this country. One of the party, however, derives con-
solation " that nothing had been lost to the English
character by the failure ; " that ' no intelligent man
thought that those who had burst through the redoubt-
able Dardanelles were intimidated by the cannon on the
mouldering walls of the Seraglio." Intimidated, in-
deed ! No intelligent man would have applied such a
word, or insinuated that the gallant Duckworth, or any
other gallant admiral, could be frightened at the walls
of the Seraglio, or any other >valls.

Another feat, of a somewhat equivocal nature as to its
propriety, but not as to the skill and management of its
execution, fell to the lot of Lord Mulgrave to direct;
for the perfornumcc of which, as to the naval part,
he conferred the command on one of the Naval Lords
of his Board — Admiral James Gambier; and J^ord
Cathcart was appointed to head the troops. This was
the expedition to Copenhagen, to get possession, by ne-
gotiation or otherwise, of the Danish fleet, in order to
prevent its falling into the hands of France, which, by in-
controvertible testimony, it was proved to have been the
full intention of Buonaparte to accomplish, and which,
owing to the obsequious and timid conduct of the Prince
Koyal and his minister, he would have effected without

■■■. 1,: ,

' ■ i»

?i:cT. IV.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

303

difficulty, or even a show of resistance. Every attempt
to warn the anthorities of Denmark of the treacher-
ous conduct of Fraii'ce, and every proposal of assist-
ance, was without effect, one of which was that of
Eiiglaiul's receiving and securing for her the safe
custody of her fleet, and thus to defeat the great ohject
of Buonaparte. Every attempt at negotiation having
in vain been tried, the English cabinet decided on secur-
ing the Danish ships at any rate. Admiral Gambier
put to sea, and, being compelled to bombard Copen-
liagen, after the refusal of the Danes to admit him to a
conference, he landed. On the lOth of August the Ad-
miral writes, " I have a sad scene before me at this
moment — the town of Copeidiagen in flames in several
places, from our bombardment; and I am sorry to see
the great church is destroyed. This is the third day ;
and if the governor holds out much longer, and we do
not get possession by assault, the whole town nmst be
destroyed ; which the Dane will consider equivalent to
his honour."

On the 8th of September the whole fleet was in
oui' possession, all their naval stores and equipments
shipped ; and about the end of October the Mhole
arrived in England.

But another expedition, of a far more extensive scale,
and much less successful, was set on foot in the year
1S09, which terminated the administration of Lord
Mulgrave as First Lord of the Admiralty. Early in
the spring of 1809, preparations were made for a secret
expedition, which in the beginning of August had
assembled in the Downs, to an extent unparalleled
in the course of the war. The whole time of Mr.
Wcllesley Pole, for several months, had been occupied
111 superintending the preparations, and in seeing that

804

THE EAia- OF MULGRAVi:.

[«i:cT. IV.

every equipment, iiavnl and military, had l)ccn pro-
vided, and of the best kind. JJetbrc his appoiiitmciit
to the Admiralty, he had, hy liis attention and activitv
brought the small arm department of the OrdiKnicu td
a degree of perfeetion it had never before attained, and
the Ordnance department generally was greatly jm.
proved by his skill and vigilance. The troops, when
assembled near the port of endjarkation, amouiitotl to
more than 40,000 men ; and the naval part of the ex-
pedition was composed of 39 sail of the line, 30 frigate?,
sloops, gun-boats, bombs, and other species of small
craft without number; and not less in the whole than
100,000 men were embarked. This great naval arinii-
ment was placed under the command of Sir Iiichanl
Strachan, and the military force (to the astonishiiioiit
of all) under the Earl of Chatham.

Thousands of spectators were assendjJed at the several
places in the neighbourhood of the Downs ; but no one
could guess at the destination of such a splendid arma-
ment; the general opinion seemed to be that it was
intended to make an impression on the coast of France;
but, to the surprise of all, ai'tci" it had sailed, aiitl nnt
before, the discovery was made that its destination was
the Scheldt. It was, in fact, intended to sack Antwerp, to
get possession of the immense stores which the Froneli
had there accunmlated, and to seize or destroy the
French ships in that part ot the river.

The contriver of this scheme was said to be — as in-
deed it turned out to be — Sir Home Popham ; who, by
his insinuating and plausible address, had prevailed on
Lord Castlereagh, then Secretary of State for War
and Colonies, to undertake it ; and no doubt the more
readily, being assured by the projector of the cer-
tainty of success : and to Popham, of course, were cn-

,i,ii: !ri!^! ! • . '■*

Skct. IV.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

305

trusted the arrangeiueiits for the landing and debarka-
tion of the forces; while Sir Richard was to conduct
the naval operations.

A day or two previous to the fleet getting under
way, Sir Home Fophani called at the Admiralty, and
pledged himself, in the most solemn manner, without
hesitation or the admission of a doubt, to AVellesley
Pole and me, that, fro . his knowledge of the Scheldt,
and every part thereof, he was perfectly })repared to
conduct the forces up that river as far as Sandfleet,
where the troops would be immediately landed, and
would reach Antwerp after a short march ; while the
necessary number of ships should })roceed by that branch
of the river which turns off and leads to Antwerp.

The first despatch received at the Admiralty put an
end to every favourable expectation, and extinguished
every hope of a successful issue. Sir Home, however,
congratulated himself on having secured the fleet from
the danger of a gale of wind, which blew opposite to
the mouth of the Scheldt, by carrying it safely into the
Room -pot (Cream-pot) ; and that Lord William Stuart,
with ten frigates, had been sent past Flushing up the
Scheldt, to reconnoitre, in spite of the gale of wind
blowing opposite the mouth ; a more absurd and mis-
chievous measure than this could not well have been
conceived ; for it was the obvious and sure means of
spreading over the whole country the alarm of the
expedition \ and was in fact fatal to it, by rousing
the energetic character of the French (always on the
alert), who had time to throw such a force into Ant-
werp as bid defiance to any attempt of ours. In the
mean time. Sir Home Popham, the gallant projector,
with a great part of the fleet, lay safe and sound, bask-

806

TlIK KAUL OF MULGBAVK

[Skct. IV.

/■ ■ ' • !

;!''■

; if • ♦

ing at anchor in tho Cream -pot; and Lord Cliatham,
equally cool and tranciuil, at his head-quarters in the
city of Mi(hUeburf?. For want of soniethiufj; else to do,
the army bombarded Flush inf?, assisted by some of tlie
ships of the line and small vessels, and compelled it to
capitulate. Towards the end of autumn, for the sake
of a little mischief^ they bcf^an to demolish the works
and the basin of Flushinf? ; and, at t;ie end of Decem-
ber, the island of Waleheren was evacuated, but not
before its infectious, destructive, and debilitating fever
had thinned the ranks of our men ; and the disease was
brought home to P^ngland, where its effects are not
entirely eradicated at this day.

All further idea of proceeding up the Scheldt beiiifr
abandoned, Lord Chatham took the wise determination
of returning to England, with the greater j)art of the
troops, leaving the rest on that horrible island Waleheren
to take the fever at leisure, of which one-half fell f5iek
and died, and many who returned home suifered a
regular annual attack of it for many years. An iiujiiiry
was amiounced to be instituted in the House of Com-
mons into the conduct of the leaders of the expedition;
and Sir Home Popham, being previously asked by the
Secretary of the Admiralty what defence he meant to
set up in the House of Commons ? said, " Don't be
alarmed ; depend upon it, when I get up to sjK'ak I
shall be so intensely listened to that you may hear a
pin drop." He got up, carried the expedition trium-
phantly till it met with a gale of wind — and, " Sir,
without the loss or damage of a single ship, I anchored
the whole securely in the Room-pot." The security of
a fleet of men-of-war afloat in the Cream-pot, raised
such a general shout of laughter, that poor Sir Home's

<r.n: W.]

THE ADMIHALTV.

307

speech slinrcd very nmch tlie fate of tlie luckless expe-
dition. In i'iu'.t, seridus as lad been the iiiisiMnnaf^e-
iiieiitof'an expedition whieh, under proper coninianders,
(•oulfl hardly have failed, the ineiiiory of its blunders
vas suffered by the good-natured public to be buried
ill something like a joke.

I'opliain was oidy laughed at — Strachan upbraided
—and Chatham condemned ere, indeed, he had set out:
and the jMiblic, in the midst of misfortunes, the loss of
men by that horrible Walcheren fever, the waste of the
national resources, and the blot on our national cha-
racter, permitted itself to be amused by a repetitiou
of the following epigram : —

" Lord Cliatliain, with his sword undrawn,
Stood waiting for Sir Hiciiard Strachan ;
Sir Richard, longing to be at 'em,
Stood waiting for the Earl of Ciiatiiani."

I-:

308

THE KIGIIT HON. CHARLES YORKE.

[Skct. V.

Section V.
The khjkt Hon. Charles Yorke.

November, 1809 — March, 1812.

Sir Richard Bickerton. . . .First Naval Lord.
John Wilson Choker First Secretary.

•11

On the change of administration about the end of the
year 1809, when the Eight Hon. Spencer Perceval be-
came Prime Minister, Mr. Charles Yorke was appointed
First Lord of the Admiralty on the 29th of November
of that year. He was a man who stood high in public
estimation, as a member of the House of Commons,
and as a private gentleman hidued with the best.ua-
lities of head and heart. When Secretary at War
he had proved himself not inferior in debate to Fox,
Grey, Windham, Sheridan, and the rest of that for-
midable phalanx which was supposed to have no other
individual rival but Mr. Pitt. Mr. Yorke, however,
after a fierce opposition from that party, througli a
series of long debates, carried his plan for the esta-
blishment and consolidation of the volunteer system.
He reprobated, with honest indignation, and boldly
denounced, that un-English and anti-national doc-
trine, held forth by some of the Whig leaders and
inculcated in the Radical papers of the day, that Eng-
land was no match for France — that the French army,
led by Buonaparte, was invincible- -and that it would

It , i A h. ■ -i •■ 1^

Sect. V.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

309

he in vain for our inferior army any longer to contend
afiainst it. Some even went so far as to recommend
that humiliating position of England as suing for peace
to her niost inveterate foe.

Mr. Yorke, however, stemmed this outrageous tide
of humiliation and destruction, m a strain of indig-
nant animation deprecating such unworthy feelings put
forth by persons calling themselves Englishmen ; and,
roused by an ardent spirit of patriotism, boldly declared
that such doctrines were utterly false ; and that he
hoped — nay, was sure — England would never so de-

grade
he ex

herself as to succumb to France. Well might

" This England never did, and never shall,
Lie at the proud foot of a coiuiueror ! " —

much less at that of a heartless usurper, the offspring of
revolution, who had, by violence and tyranny, usurped
the sovereignty of France.

Some paltry objections were made in the House to
the question of ways and means for carrying on the
war. Mr. Yorke scouted such mean and selfish consi-
derations, declaring a willingness on his part " to pay
the last shilling he was worth, and to shed the last drop
of his blood, to defend the country against the designs
of France." "And so he would," said a friend to me,
who h?.d long and intimately known him ; " such is the
sierling patriotism of Charles Yorke, that if any per-
sonal sacrifice were demanded for the salvation of the
country, no matter what it might be, Charles Yorke
would be the first man to volunteer it; nay, I verily
believe that, like another Curtius, Yorke, to save his
country, would not hesitate to repeat the Roman's
example of plunging into the gulf."

i;^:ij

^^^^'i^^asssnBBi

310

THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES YORKE.

[Skct. V.

In all respects, Mr. Yorke fully redeemed the pledge
he had given in coming into Parliament as au un-
fettered man ; and he took an early occasion of
stating in his place, that he reprobated the doctrine
of Members of Parliament being guided by the " in-
structions of their constituents," as being unworthy and
unconstitutional. Witli such independent feelings,
Mr. Yorke mig-ht be considered as one well qualified
to fill the important and responsible situation of First
Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty. It is a situation
that requires great energy and thought in the decision,
and promptitude in the execution, of measures concern-
ing naval operations, whether offensive or defensive ;
of vigilance, in being prepared for either; of know-
ledge in the selection of officers of approved talent and
experience for the command of fleets, and even of single
ships.

But there is yet another, and a no less important
and responsible duty, which ought to attach to every
First Lord of the Admiralty, and which indeed has,
fortunately, had a commencement — and that is, to
afford opportunities and to hold out encouragement for
creating well-qualified officers, by the institution of
means whereby naval cadets, midshipmen, mates, and
junior officers may be instructed in the practical and
scientific parts of their profession ; and to give pro-
motion, the greatest reward they can receive, to such as
are reported to excel.

Every First Lord of the Admiralty, under whom I
have served, has felt the day appointed for receiving
officers to be the most painful and distressing part of his
duty. He has on that day to listen to their numerous
tales of distress and disappointment, and too frequently

■J-

Skci'. V.l

THE ADMIRALTY.

311

to listen to them without the possibility of affording
relief. Few, I believe, experienced this painful duty
more strongly than Mr. Charles Yorke, who was ever
ready to afford his compassionate attention to cases of
distress, a'.id to relieve them when practicable.

In the first year of Mr. Yorke's administration of the
afltiirs of the navy, our successes by sea were frequent,
and some of them important. Indeed, a week scarcely
passed over that did not bring intelligence of the cap-
ture of frigates, corvettes, sloops, or gun-brigs, belong-
ing to the French, the Danes, and other hostile powers ;
of the capture of islands, and the destruction of batteries
and armed vessels stationed for their protection : the
islands of St. Eustatia, St. Martin, and Saba ; the
island of Rodriguez, near that of Bourbon — respecting
which Commodore Rowley says, " a valuable colony
has been added to His Majesty's dominions, containing
upwards of 100,000 souls." In 1811 the island of
Lissa was taken by Conunodore Iloste, defended by
four frigates and gun-boats, two of which were taken,
one burnt, and " one stole away and escaped." In this
year, also, the acquisition of the magnificent island of
Java crowned the British arms — and the spice islands
of Amboyna and Banda, the islands of France and
Bourbon, also fell into our possession.

It required a luan of Mr. Yorke's capacious mind
and firmness of character to overcome the long-rooted
prejudices that prevailed among the master-shipwrights
in all the dockyards, by which the new system of add-
ing strength to the ships of the British Navy, invented
by Mr. (afterwards Sir Robert) Seppings, was thwarted
and opposed; and the inventor himself so tormented,
that nothing short of the energy and firmness of Mr.

312

THE RIGHT HON. CHAHLES YORKE.

[Sect, V.

^ ■

Yorke could have succeeded in carrying through a
system which he, and every unprejudiced person, clcarlv
foresaw would be the means of giving strength and per-
manence to the sound condition of the Britir^h Navy.
" At length, however," says Seppings, " a superior
power bore down p\\ opposition ; the system was
adopted, and found to succeed." And it has succeeded,
and the only improvement it has undergone is that
of changing his wooden diagonal braces into iron
ones.

The next great point which Mr. Yorke succeeded in
carrying into execution was that of the Breakwater,
which had been planned and designed for erection
across the mouth of Plymouth Sound, to render it
a secure and excellent roadstead for a fleet of ships
of war. This great national work had been recom-
mended to Lord Grey, when at the head of the Ad-
miralty, by the Earl St. '^^incent, who had himself^
when presiding at the Board, fixed his attention on
Torbay for the same purpose, and had a survey made
to ascertain its fitness. If, however, such a work
should be constructed across that bay, the cost would
be enormous.

In bringing this important measure as regarded Ply-
mouth Sound before the House of Commons, Mr.
Yorke, by the clear and powerful statement with which
he introduced his proposal for commencing the opera-
tion, silenced the few who, for the sake of opposition,
foreboded ruin to the Sound as an anchorage, after
an endless expense had been incurred ; and, fortified
by his own sound judgment, and by arguments in
which he was supported and backed by *he opinion of
Mr. John Ilennic as to the propriety and the sue-

1' ,*• ■■

.Ml'' I

* •>

Skct. V.'

THE ADMIRALTY.

313

cessful issue of the undertaking, and also by all the
naval men and others connected with the navy in the
House, he carried through his measure most trium-
phantly.

Mr. Yorke, however, met with opposition from a
quarter whence he least expected it. The vast prepara-
tions which were making in France, and the activity
displayed by Buonaparte in the naval department, re-
quired additional energy and consequently increased
expenditure in our own ; and Mr. Yorke, after due con-
sideration of the force that he deemed expedient to
ke^p on foot, caused the navy estimates to be prepared
accordingly. One day, on returning from a cabinet
council, he sent for me into his room, and in a flurried
manner said, " Barrow, it is time for me to quit the
Admiralty, and I shall do so very soon. If Mr. Spen-
cer Perceval conceives i,hat he knows better what ex-
penditure is rev|uired for preserving the efficiency of the
navy than the Board of Admiralty, which is responsible
for it — if he persists in acting upon his present notions,
I shall at once tell him he must get some other person
more ready than I shall be to follow his suggestions.
He tells me I must considerably cut down my esti-
mate ; I told him it had been well considered, and that
I should not attempt to make any reduction ; and that
when I move it in the House I shall willingly ex-
plain and assign my reasons for every increased item
therein."

I observed to him, that Mr. Perceval, in his capacity
of Prime Minister, could hardly venture to take upon
himself the task of raising objections against the force
which the Lords of the Admiralty had pronounced to
be necessary; but that I supposed it was in his character

■'. J'l

314

THE RIcHT HON. CHARLES YOHKE.

[Sect. V.

r III

■Ih> .

of Chancellor of the Exchequer that he demurred on
the score of expense. " On this score," ?aid Mr. Yorke,
" I shall not yield, and the estimate shall remain and
be produced in the state it is."

I left him very much agitated ; and was quite sure,
from his manner and the firmness of his character, that
he would either carry his point or throw up his situation
in disgust. Two days after this I understood from him
that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had satisfied
him the objection he had made was a mere question of
money, for which he was responsible, and desired that
the estimate might stand as originally framed. When
brought before the House, nothing could be more con-
vincing to all parties than the reasons given by ]\Ir.
Yorke for the increase under present circumstances.
Admiral Sir Charles Pole said he had never heard so
clear and satisfactory a statement as that of the First
Lord of the Admiralty, and he thought there was as
little to observe on the present estimates (1811) as on
any that were ever produced in that House. Mr, Yorke
took every occasion of noticing the gratification he
received, from witnessing the aft'ectiou and regard
which the House always entertained for the naval ser-
vice ; and it was no less gratifying to know that the
greater part of the woiiO placed dependence on the
British flag for protection.

In referring to my ' Life of Admiral Lord Howe,'
from whose estimate for building and repairing the
fleet the minister reduced 150,000/., — "Such parsi-
mony," ^ there observed, " for it is not economy when
applied to such an object, is the worst policy that could
be pursued. It was that, among other things, that
drove Lord Howe from the helm of naval affairs ; and

■ir^ij'^;

-' ''

ii*S;:ii;,Lt:'

* \

M.r

T. v.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

315

ill later times it had very nearly produced the same
effect on one of the ablest, most intelligent, and most
honourable men that ever sat at the head of the Board
of Admiralty — j\Ir. Charles Yorke — who threatened to
resign his office because the minister would not con-
sent to grant for naval purposes what he considered
necessary to prepare and preserve the fleet in that state
of efficiency, which the honour and the interests of the
country demanded."

But I took occasion, some thirty-five years ago, M-hen
a discussion was going on as to the comparative advan-
tage of having a naval officer or a civilian at the head
of the Board of Admiralty, to gi\ e a sketch of the
character of the Bight Hon. Charles Yorke, who at that
time presided. I then declared " my firm conviction "
—and I never had occasion to alter a word of it — " that
if an unceasing attention to the duties of his office,
an intimate acquaintance with the naval history of his
country, a vigorous understanding, a manly cast of
character, with a disposition to conciliate, and an
anxious desire to promote the interests, the comfort,
and the honour of those brave men to whom the best
defence of the nation is entrusted — if qualifications such
as these can be said to hold out a fair promise, then we
may with confidence affirm that the lustre of the British
navy will not be tarnished under his management ; but
that its energies will be maintained, and its power
exerted to the satisfaction of the country."

If indeed such men could always be selected to fill
the important situation of First Lord of the Admiralty
as Mr. Charles Yorke, no question need arise as to his
being a naval officer or a civilian ; the one is qualified
by education (always supposing that education to have

316

THE JJIGIIT HON. CHARLES YORKE.

[Sect. V.

^ •

'5/ . - ....

'■f"

« M

been extensive, sound, and proper) to embrace all kinds
of subjects ; the other principally confined to one
and that a practical subject — an ini])ortant qualifica-
tion, no doubt, but a very limited one, and amply
supplied by the constitution of the Board of Adniiraltv,
which gives to the presiding Lord the assistance of
two flag-officers (sometimes three), two captain.s, and
one civilian, who has generally been in some jmblic
situation, and who, with most of his colleagues, holds
a seat in the House of Commons. After all, we shall
probably arrive at the proper conclusion, by consider-
ing personal character and mental accomplishments
to constitute the best qualification to fill an office,
on the able and honest management of which depend
the fortunes and the happiness of so many thousand
families, in every rank of life, engaged in the naval ser-
vice of their country, from the flag-officer, through all
ranks, to the common seaman.

Nothing so deeply affected the sensitive mind of Mr.
Yorke as the many unfortunate disasters that occurred
by the losses of ships and their crews from shipwreck
in the latter part of the yoar 1811. The 'Saldanlia'
frigate, commanded by the Hon. Captain Pakcnham,
was lost off" Lough Swilley, on the north-west coast of
Ireland. The 'Hero,' of 74 guns. Captain Newman,
off' the Texel, where she went to pieces, and every soul
on board perished. But the most melancholy of all
was that of the ' St. George,' of 98 guns, bearing the
flag of Admiral Eeynolds, which had suffered nuich and
was dismasted in the Belt, in the November gales.
Partially refitted, she left the Baltic, accompanied by ilie
'Defence,' of 74 guns, commanded by Captain Atkins,
on the morning of the 24th of December, and, a gak

Sect, v.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

317

coming on, both ships were stranded on the western
coast of Jutland. Six seamen only escaped on a wreck
from the 'Defence,' and eleven from the 'St. George;'
and the last man that left this ship, on a piece of wreck,
on the evening of the 25th, reported that Admiral
Keynolds and Captain Guion were lying dead beside
each other, on the lee side of the quarter-deck, and that
above 500 of the crew had shared the same fate; about
150 were still alive when he left, but none of them were
ever more heard of The ' St. George ' was supposed
to be in a state which disabled her to beat off a lee-
shore in a gale of wind ; yet the ' Defence ' was in a
fit condition to have made good her course ; but
the brave and generous Atkins, it would seem, could
not suffer the Admiral to drift alone, and determined
resolutely to stand by him, which he did till both
perished. It might be mistaken gallantry, as it car-
ried with it the sacrifice of so many lives. Captain
Atkins was Second Lieutenant of the ' Lion ' on her
voyage to China, already alluded to, I being then
his coadjutor, in taking and working out lunar observa-
tions.

So sensibly was Mr. Yorke affected by this dreadful
catastrophe that it occasioned a violent fit of the gout,
which disqualified him from attending the office, from
which indeed he was altogether soon relieved by a
change of ministers, and by the appointment of the
second Lord Viscount Melville, early in the spring of
1812, to fill the situation of First Lord of the Admi-
I'alty. Mr. Yorke's illness was not mitigated by an ill-
natured and unfounded report, that the loss of these
great ships was occasioned by the Admiralty having

i ....

■ r ■ '*

'* ,

.f f

:,|*ri:|r.f

818

THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES YOUKE.

[Sect. \\

kept them out in the Baltic much too late ; tho.se who
spread it not knowing, or rather not choo.sing to know
that the Admiral had a discretionary power U, l-ave
the Baltic whenever he thought proper ; and, if 1 recol-
lect right, a caution was inserted in his instructions
not to remain in the Baltic to a late period of the
season.

On taking leave of the Admiralty, Mr. Yorkc said
to me, "I hope you will not Ibrget Bruton Street, hut
that you will let me have the pleasure of seeing vou
frequently — ihe more frequently the more agrecahle:
I meau to re. lain at home quietly on Sunday after-
noons, and as many of them as you can bestow on a
gouty and grumbling man will be a great charity." I
assured him that nothing would give me greater plea-
sure than to see him frequently ; and that as 1 was in
the constant habit of passing an hour or so in the early
part of Sunday afternoons at Spencer House, where
Lady Spencer was always ready to see her visitors in
her snug little boudoir, I should be too glad to make it
ill my way to Bruton Street. From this time I dedi-
cated a great part of the afternoons of Sundays to Lady
Spencer and Mr. Yorke : of the former I need not sav
her wit and lively conversation were courted by all;
and with respect to the latter, I was his constant visitor
from the period of his rijtirement from public life to his
last illness, and can safely say that, in all my intercourse
with him, a more intelligent and agreeable man I have
never met with ; one whose conversation was more lively
and instructive, and more full of information regarding;
the news and topics of the day ; always delighted to
hear of the successful exertions of the uavy, and that

Sect. V.]

THE ADMIHALTY.

319

all was goiiif? on smoothly and pleasantly at the Admi-
ralfv. " Melville," he used to say, " is a thoroughly
good man, not wanting in sound sense and judgment,
united with their concomitants, propriety and steadi-
ness of conduct."

Mr. Yorke was, however, disposed to be exceedingly
low spirited when attacked by a severe fit of the gout,
or when any domestic calamity occurred. The awful
and somewhat uncertain, or unascertained, cause of the
death of his brother, Sir Joseph Yorke, who was a
great favourite, shook him much. The boat in which
he was sailing was last seen with her sails up, and was
no doubt upset by a sudden squall, and all in her pe-
rished. She was not far from the shore, and Sir Joseph
and his companion were both good swimmers. Mr.
Yorke caused every possible inquiry to be i ade regard-
ing the accident, and as it appeared the storm was
accompanied by violent thunder and lightning, the only
conclusion to be drawn was, that the boat and all in
her had been struck by the lightning. He had a very
strong affection for his brother, and was often anmsed
by his eccentricities and droll expressions ; but was
greatly distressed on one occasion, when his ship was
in a state of mutiny, and an investigation was held into
the conduct of the crew and some of the officers, who
were found to be a most irregular and mutinous set.
Sir Joseph himself was driven almost to madness by a
marine lieutenant threatening to bring him before a
court-martial. He had then a seat at the Board of
Admiralty. This officer came to the office to com-
plain, which made Sir Joseph outrageous; and Mr.
Croker and myself did all we could to pacify
him, and to assure him that the lieutenant was not

?l-i

.• ''.

320

TilE KIUllT HON. ClIAULES VOHKE.

[Skct. V.

worth his notice. These bursts, however, were but
occasional.

Sir Joseph Yorke had nothing of gloominess, or de-
spondency, or ill-hunionr, in his character ; he was for
the most part cheerful and full of pleasantry. ^Ve
were in fact a merry Board-room group : Sir George
AVarrender and Sir Joseph Yorke were of themselves
a host of fun, and Croker and I did our best to
keep it up. Yorke abounded in odd expressions,
borrowed or spoken at random. To Warrender hr
would say, " Because thy name is George I'll call thee
Peter." When he gave up his seat at the Board he
told the House of Commons he had turned his stern
to the Admiralty : and he once gravely commenced a
speech with, " Mr. Speaker, it has long been a dis-
puted point among philosophers which is the greatest
of two evils, ' a smoking chimney or a scolding wife,'"
But one of the best off-hand things he said was at
the expense of poor Sir Robert Se})pings : this offieer
had been on the water one very cold day, and was
seized with so violent a tooth-ache as to cause him
to land on Tower Hill, and run into the first tooth-
drawer's shop that he met with ; but the clumsy
operator not only eased him of his tooth, but carried
with it a slice of the jaw. The poor fellow, haviii»:
wrapped up his head, was walking in a deplorablf
state over Tower Hill, when he met Sir Joseph
Yorke, who hailed him with " Well, Bob, what's the
matter with you?" On hearing his pitiful story, lorke
said, " Why, Bob, knowing that your jaw was but a
weak stick of timber, why didn't you take the pre-
caution of clapping on one of your diagonal braces to
strengthen it ? " Seppings could not forbear laughing

'V ' ...

i;' ('•

.iif:!l!-:i .(;,■,/:•.

Sect. V.J

THE ADMIKALTY.

321

i;i the midst of liis toniiciit ut the oddity of* the asso-
ciiition.

Mr. Yorke was an excellent classic. I frequently
oil a Sunday visit found him with a copy of Homer
on tiie tahle, and sometimes with a Greek Testament
open, and an Kngli.sh Testament hy it. The first time
I noticed this, he said to me, " You must not suppose
I iun refreshing my Greek, or learning it. I havc^
often suspected that certain passages in our Englisii
translation are improperly rendered, and when these
occur I always compare them with the original, and
generally find them, to say the least, loosely trans-
l^^^d." He was fond of studying ancient and modern
'•y, and read most of tlu; publications of the day.
110 was well versed in the historical parts of the Old
Testament ; and told me he once made an attempt to
stndy the Hebrew language, with a view of reading the
Bible in the original, but found it was too late in life to
master it, and therefore gave it up.

lie asked me one day if I had looked at the extra-
ordinary adventures of Sir Edward Seaward, by Miss
Jane Porter, who professes to have possessed the ori-
ginal manuscript. I said I had not; but that as he
praised it, and thought it a true and curious narrative,
I would look into it ; the next time I paid my usual
visit I told him it was a mere romance, in imita-
tion of 'Robinson Crusoe,' and neither more nor less
than uumingled fiction, from first to last, sprinkled
with many pious reflections, and assuming a solemn
and sacred character. Mr. Y^orke said, " If it is a
fiction,!, and many others more sagacious than myself,
have been taken in." I told him, that as a date has been
given when the extraordinary events are said to have

322

THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES YORKE.

[Sect.V,

happc. j(l (from 1733 to 1749), it was easy to prove that
no such events ever had taken place ; that no names
mentioned, not even that of the titled narrator hiniselfj
ever had existence ; that there neither was, nor is, any
village named Awbrey within twenty miles of Bristol, of
which Mr. Seaward and his wife (Goldsmith) are said
to be natives ; that no such bankers were in London as
are mentioned; no such hotel as that where he and
Lady Seaward lodged ; nay mr>re, that there is not and
never was an island at or near the spot (fortunately the
latitude and longitude are given) where he was ship-
wrecked, and where he lived a la mode de Crusoe ; and
there can be but little doubt that Miss Jane Porter, who
says she received the manuscript from the representative
of the respected writer, is the sole founder and represen-
tative of the family of the Seawards. Mr. Yorke said he
wished I would go more into detail ; my reply was, I
will prove to you all and more than I have now ad-
vanced in the next number of the Quarterly Review.*

If Miss Jane Porter had not in so solemn a manner
pledged herself to have received the manuscript from a
friend of Sir Edward Seaward (no such knight having
ever existed), she would have gained unqualified praise
for her ingenuity of invention, for the moral and religi-
ous sentiments in which the narrative abounds, and for
the beautiful and affecting language in which they arc
expressed.

Mr. Yorke, towards the end of his life, lived much
in retirement, but was at all times pleased to receive
the visits of a few old friends.

* * Quarterly Review,' vol. xlviii. p. 480 — Sir Edward Sea-
ward's Narrative, &c. Mr. Yorke was fully satisfied that I liail
proved it to be a mere fiction.

Sect. VI.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

323

Section VI.
Robert, Lord Viscount Melville.

March 25, 1812— April 30, 1827.

sed to receive

Admiral G. Johnstone Hope First Naval Lord.

John Wilson Choker First Secretary.

On the retirement of Mr. Charles Yorke, the Viscount
Melville, who had succeeded to the title on the death
of his father, the preceding year, was nominated to the
high station of First Lord of the Admiralty on the 25th
of March, 1812 ; the Earl of Liverpool being appointed
Prime Minister, in the vacancy occasioned by the atro-
cious assassination of the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval,
ill May, 1812, in the lobby of the House of Conm-ons.
During the persecution of his Lordship's father, carried
on as it was with all the rancour and bitterness of party
hostility, the conduct of the son was viewed by all, po-
litical foes as well as by friends, with approbation and
applause : and he continued, during the long period he
remained in the office of Admiralty, to sustain the
character of a steady, well-conducted, right-judging
man, of whom it may truly be said, " He never made
an enemy, or lost a friend."

In the year following that of his appointment, Lord
Melville, perceiving that one great source of naval ex-
penditure was in the dockyards, of which the Admiralty

'm:r

■, ■. I i I • '

324

ROBERT, LORD VISCOUNT MELVILLE. [Sect. VI.

had but an imperfect knowledge, derived from the ge-
neral heads of the estimates, and from the Navy Board,
by whom they were made up, determi)ied to make
annual visitations to the yards, in order to get in-
formation on the spot of the details of expense, and
generally how it was incurred. He therefore, in the
year 1813, made his fir.st visit to each of the dock-
yards ; a proceeding which had been discontinued
(with the single exception of one by Lord St. Vincent)
since the administration of Lord Sandwich. All the
reductions that were made during Lord Melville's and
the Lord High Admiral's administrations were in fact
made in consequence of these visitations; and not
always in accordance with the opinion of the civil
authorities of the Navy. Yet these reductions, though
carried to a great extent, were made without infringin"'
on the quantity or the quality of the works to be per-
formed. On each of these visitations I accompaiiied
his Lordship, and some of the Board, and made such
a number of notes and remarks, that the visitation-book
is among the most voluminous in the records of the
Admiralty.

Lord Melville continued to execute the office of First
Lord of the Admiralty fv;r a period of more than twice
the number of years of any other First Lord on record,
except Lord Sandwich, whose two administrations
amounted to twelve years ; whereas the two of Lord
Melville were equal to seventeen years. He first caiiie
in on the eve of one of the most eventful, busy, and
brilliant periods of the Revolutionary War, as far as
regarded the continental operations of the army, under
the Duke of Wellington, who, after a series of splendid
battles and as maiiy victories, drove the French arniios

y ' ...

4il\.'f>- ■:>t

SKrr. VI.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

325

out of Spain and Portugal, and completed the final
overthrow of Buonaparte, and his transportation to
St. Helena in the year 1815. In all these exploits it
is true that the navy acted but as an auxiliary, though
a very necess ary, and, it may be said, an indispensable
Olio. But powerful fleets were not called for : they had
already completed their task, in the destruction of the
Dutch fleet at Camperdown, the French fleet at the
Nile, and the combined French and Spanish fleets at
Trafalgar.

Still, however, a new, a concealed, though not per-
haps altogether an unprovoked, enemy sprang up, in a
quarter not much to be expected — and therefore, on
our part, unprepared in the kindandquality of weapons
to be engaged in the conflict. On the IStli of June,
1812, the North Americans declared war against Great
Britain ; not, indeed, before they had secretly de-
spatched a squadron for the capture or destruction of
the return Jamaica merchant fleet, or of any other
English vessels it should fall in with. Thus taken by
surprise, several of our small vessels of war were captured
by the large American frigates, which were designedly
underrated ; that is to say, one of their mis-named
44-gun frigates was equal in size and power to one of
our ships of 60 guns. Originally they were modelled
and rated after ours, but, for a special purpose which
they had in view, they increased their size and power,
and diminished their rating ; their object being — for it
could be no other — to have the credit of taking an
enemy of a nominal equal force, but in reality of a far
inferior one; or, as they »vere not ashamed to say,
" their ships would be superior to any single European
frigate of the usual dimensions." In short, ev.ery

•i'

1 -

■ / :

■i'1 •'

326 ROBERT, LORD VISCOUNT MELVILLE. [Sect. VI.

frigate and sloop that engaged the same clas&c^, hi/
name, of the English, were superior to ours in guns, in
men, and in tonnage. Take, for example, the * Endy-
mion,' which captured the ' President :' —

Endymion. President.
Broadside metal in pounds . . . 676 916

^ , , f Men 319 472

Complement | ^^^ 3? 5

346 477

Tonnage 1277 1533

And the ' Shannon,' which took the ' Chesapeake :'—

Shannon. Chesapeake.
Broadside metal 538 590

(Men 306 384

Complement j ^^^^ 34 7

330 391

Size in tons 1066 U35

Thus also the ' Guerriere,' when captured by the
* Constitution,' had — 517 weight of metal against 768;
a «rew of 263 against 468 ; and her size 1034 tons
against 1533.

So also in the sloops and smaller vessels engaged,
nominally of the same size, the Americans were in-
variably of superior force. But that accurate cind
industrious historian Mr. James, from whose ' Naval
Occurrences ' the above is taken, has given a detailed
list of all captured ships (from frigates downwards)
made by each belligerent, consisting of the British
national cruisers captured or destroyed, and those of
America, with the forces of each.

*•

Sect. VI.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

327

Numbers
captured.

Guns.

Comple-
ments.

Tons.

English had ....
Americans had . . .

20
64

530
660

2,751
2,994

10,273

14,848

Balance for England

E.-f 44

E.-130

S:.-243

E.-4,575

I deemed it proper to extract this statement from
unquestioned authority, knowing that there are minds
so constituted, as to reject the strongest proof of facts
when they militate against their preconceived opinions
or wishes, or do not coincide with their party views.
Thus, for instance, Lord Darnley, in the face of
authentic and of official accounts to prove our success
over the enemy, boldly declared, in his assumed supe-
rior knowledge of naval au'airs, in the House of Lords,
and in the presence of Lord Melville, that he found
no cause for congratulation ; that while our military
reputation was • raised to the highest pitch, our naval
reputation had sunk, and that victory was on the
enemy's side, in actions between vessels of the same
class : in which bold and unfounded assertion it is cha-
ritable to suppose that Lord Darnley was merely mis-
taken, as the plain statement of facts by Lord Melville
must have satisfied him.

His Lordship stated in reply, that, " without answer-
ing to such general and declamatory charges, he would
ask to what distinct failure the allusion was made ? The
Americans had numerous seamen, and a multitude of
privateers ; against these means of annoyance, the
protection given to our trade would supply the best
answer. We had now 20,000 American seamen pri-
soners of war — we had captured more than 200 ships

-1 1'

m:\^.

328

ROBERT, LORD VISCOUNT MELVILLE. [Sfxt. VI

•• •«

^. •»■'

of war and armed vessels, and taken 900 other vessels
— we had captured 94 running ships and 38 stragglers:
and the whole number of our coasting trade taken by
them was eleven. And yet the noble Lord asserted that
when our ships of war met with an equal force of the
enemy, they were always beaten. Lord Darnley, how-
ever, was here again speaking at random, and therefore
incorrectly."

It may be as well to record, what indeed may be
considered now as generally known, a few facts to con-
vince Lord Darnley and others that our navy was not
so fallen as he represented it. In August, 1814, lleai-
Admiral Cockburn, on opening out the reach above
Pig Point with his gun-boats, discovered Commodore
Barney's broad pendant in a large sloop, with a tlotilla
of a long line of boats astern of her. The Rear- Ad-
miral's boats proceeded rapidly to the attack, but, on
Hearing the flotilla, the sloop with the broad pendant was
observed to be on fire, and soon blew up ; the seventeen
boats that composed the flotilla were perceived to be also
on fire, having trains laid to their magazines ; sixteen
of them blew up, the remaining one was taken: thus
perished this vaunted flotilla, without an attempt to
save it.

Immediately after this it was decided to attack
Washington, the capital. In the first instance. General
Ross, with his little army, marched to attack Bladens-
burg. The enemy was observed on a height above the
town ; and the first operation was to make a dash at
him, when he fled in every direction, leaving behind
him ten pieces of cannon, with a number of killed and
wounded, among the latter Commodore Barney. From
this place our little army proceeded towards Washing-

•Iv: ^

Sect. VI.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

329

ton on the 24th, but it was dark before they reached
that city. Some officers, without any troops, after
entering the town, were fired upon from the Capitol
and two other houses ; these were almost immediately
stormed by the troops, which had now entered, were
taken possession of^ and set on fire : afi;er which the
town submitted. On taking possession, the President's
palace, the Treasury, and the AVar-office were set on
fire ; as were the navy-yard and all the stores, a frigate
and a sloop, together with the protecting fort, by the
natives in the night ; what the}/ had spared were de-
stroyed by the invaders — ordnance stores, &c. " In
short," says Admiral Cockburn, " I do not believe a
vestige of public property escaped destruction." Arti-
cles captured — 206 pieces of cannon, 500 barrels of
gunpowder, 100,000 rounds of nmsket-ball cartridges,
and a large quantity of ammunition made up.

The brilliant operations of Captain (afterwards Sir
James) Gordon, in the Potowmac, with his little
squadron, which had to run the gauntlet through a host
of the (,'///(? of the United States — Commodore llodgcrs,
with the seamen of the ' Guerriere,' Captains Perry,
Porter, and other "distinguished officers," the men
belonging to the ' Constellation,' those who had be-
longed to Barney's flotilla, with troops, riflemen, artil-
lerymen, and militia — all flocked to the shores of the
Potowmac to punish the " base incendiaries." The ex-
ploits of these gallant commodores, with their forts on
shore (one with a furnace for heating shot), their gun-
boats, ships, brigs, and other vessels, terminated in
having killed 7 British seamen and wounded 35 ; while
Gordon captured and carried away down the river 21
of their vessels. But on the return of this expedition

mm.

I -:: ■.

330

ROBERT, LORD VISCOUNT MELVILLE. [Sect. VI.

I '

''i "i'

from Washington, it was decided to make a demonstra-
tion on the city of Baltimore. The troops under Major-
General Koss were landed near North Point. Rear-
Admiral Cockburn, always preferring the post of
danger, accompanied the Major-General and the army.
In the first skirmish the General was picked off by an
American rifleman, and breathed his last on his way to
the ships. The troops, with about 600 seamen and the
marines of the squadron, pushed forwards, attacked
the Americans, 6000 or 7000 strong, on their own
ground, and supported by field-pieces, and drove them
from the field, whence they fled in every direction, leav-
ing behind them a considerable number of killed and
wounded and two pieces of cannon. I have mentioned
these particulars to show that the boasting of the enemy,
and the false and criminating views propagated by
their partisans, English as well as citizens, are unworthy
of attention ; and that whatever America may have
suffered in the contest, it was avowedly commenced on
her part, and not very willingly continued on the part
of England.

Numerous detached skirmishes were, however, ne-
cessarily continued by sea and land until the 1 8th of
February, 1815, when Mr. Madison ratified a treaty of
peace at Washington. The treaty with France was
concluded in November, 1814. This, together with
the losses sustained by the Americans, had decided
them also as speedily as possible, which was anticipated
by the Board of Admiralty, who, in announcing the
peace with France, " expressed a hope that the valour
of his Majesty's fleets and armies will speedily bring
the American contest to an honourable conclusion, safe
for British interests and conducive to the lasting repose

li .,|:tS 'ii-t;

Sect. VI.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

331

of the civilized world." At the same time, it was not
deemed expedient to pay off the fleet ; for, although
the combined armies had planted their standard on
Montraartre, Paris had capitulated, Buonaparte had
been compelled to abdicate his throne and was banished
to the island of Elba, and Louis XVIII. restored to
the throne of his ancestors, it was fortunately deemed
not prudent to dismantle the fleet or to disband the
army.

Notwithstanding these precautions, which implied
doubts, at least, as to the establishment of tranquillity
on the Continent, universal rejoicing in England oc-
cupied men's minds. In this same year the centenary
of the accession of the House of Brunswick was cele-
brated in the most splendid manner, and kept as a day
of jubilee in every part of the kingdom. The following
year (1815) afforded a mixture of grief and joy — of
grief for the escape of the great enemy of Europe from
Elba; for the renewal of hostilities by the French;
for the escape of Louis XVIII. and the royal family,
and for the army got up by the Jacobins ; of rejoicing
at the overthrow of that army at Waterloo; and the
exile of Buonaparte to St. Helena, who, on the sum-
mit of this miserable island in the Southern Atlantic,
died in the course of four or five years, thus liberat-
ing Europe from a scourge as destructive as a pesti-
lence; having given to the world a most striking
example of that retribution for excessive tyranny and
inordinate ambition, which is due to those who exercise
them.

The European world was now nearly at peace.
One power only, by its treachery and breach of engage-
ments, called upon the British navy to avenge its dar-

' hf^i

332

UOBEUT, LOUD VISCOUNT MELVILLE. [Sict. VI,

, "f! -

■■'r ?■■''

■ t .

j'ii'l''

*: *

is.';

* *f

ing perfidy — the Dey of Algiers. Lord Exmoutli had
carried his point respecting the abolition of Christian
slavery, but had failed at Algiers. He and his officers,
who had gone on shore, were insulted, and their lives
endangered ; the state of the weather and of his ships
made it ini])ossible to attack the town with any chaiRo
of success. He proceeded to England, vowing voii-
geaiicc on the tyrant ; he found that news had arrived
of the atrocious massacre of the crews of the coral
fishery at Bona; which outrageous proceeding, added to
the insult on Lord Exmouth, determined the Govern-
ment to fit out at once a force which r-hould obtain from
the Dey, by intimidation or actual violence, reparation
for the late outrage, and for the future a general and
unconditional abolition of Christian slavery for ever.
Lord Exmouth arrived just in time to ask the com-
mand of it. Five sail of the line, five frigates, five
gun-brigs, and four bombs composed it. The result is
well known, and so is the glorious conduct of the Com-
mander-in-Chief. The Queen Charlotte led on, an-
chored on the very spot pointed out, within fifty yards
of the mole-head — the very horns of the Lull— and
M'ith two feet water only to spare. The meaning was
obvious — conquer or die. Salame, the Arab inter-
preter, describes his Lordship on the poop after the
action : "His voice quite hoarse, two wounds — one on
the cheek, the other on the leg. It was indeed asto-
nishing to see the coat of his Lordship, how it was all
cut up by the musket-balls and by grape."

With the above exception, the blessings of peace and
prosperity were abundantly shed on the British empire.
From the year 1816 to 1818 almost the whole progeny
of the royal family and its branches were marrying and

Sect. VI.]

THE ADMIUALTY.

333

mcanins ^vas

given in marriage, and among them his Royal High-
ness the Duke of Clarence was united to her Serene
Highness Amelia Adelaide, daughter of the late Duke
ot Saxc Meiningen. The Dukes of Kent, Cumberland,
and Cambridge each took to himself a German prin-
cess. Death, however, was not sparing of its victims.
In 1820 George III. died, in the 82nd year of his age,
having lost his Queen, Charlotte, two years before.
His successor, George IV., in the second year of his
reign visited Ireland, and in 1822 embarked at Green-
wich for Scotland, and died in the year 1830, when
King William IV. was proclaimed.

During all this period of tranquillity there was but
littl'j demand on the services of the royal navy. It had
since the year 1817 afforded a fitting opportunity of
employing a few small ships in voyages of discovery for
the advancement of geography, navigation, and com-
merce. In this year I wrote, and caused to be pub-
lished in a popular journal, a curious and interesting
account of the disruption of large fields and masses of
ice and huge icebergs from difierent parts of the Arctic
regions, and their transport far down into the Atlantic.
The authenticity of this event was unquestionable, being
corroborated by numerous eye-witnesses ; it was deemed
a fair occasion to explore these northern seas, and
renew the attempts to discover a north-west passage
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, which had engaged the
attention of the learned and ingenious, as well as the
mercantile interests of this kingdom, at various periods ;
and I proposed a plan of two voyages for Lord Mel-
ville's consideration, which, after consultation with his
colleagues, supported by the recommendation of the
Koyal Society, was adopted.

334

liOBERT, LORD VISCOUNT MELVILLE. [Skct. VI.

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In these voyages, Parry, in no less than four cxplora-
tions, greatly distinguished himself by his adventurous
zeal and unwearied exertions, as also by the exercise
of his scientific acquirements, and by his judicious
arrangements and conduct for the preservation and
comfort of the people entrusted to his charge. Sir
John Franklin, Sir George Back, and Sir John l!ich-
ardson, in their boat excursions along the shore cf the
Polar Seas and on the continent of North America,
and by their severe sufferings on these land jouriieys,
cannot be too highly spoken of; and all the other offi-
cers, whether employed by sea or on shore, exhibited the
most able and splendid examples of perseverance under
difficulties, of endurance under afflictions, and resig-
nation under every kind of distress. I thought it due
to them, as it was agreeable to me in my retirement,
to publish a small and readable volume, containing the
essence of the large and expensive official accounts, in
order to make the merits of these brave fellows-
officers and men — more generally and extensively
known. While these voyages were pending, I received
the following communication from Edinburgh : —

I-

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"Sir,

*' College, Edinburgh, January 22nd, 1821.

" I have the honour to inform you, by the com-
mand of the Senatus Academicus of this University,
that, at their meeting on Saturday last, they conferred
on you the honorary degree of LL.I)., and they request
you to believe that they have conferred the degree as a
proof of their respeci for your literary talents, and for
your effective zeal in promoting the progress of science.
Allow me to add, that in this case the graduation was

.LE. [Si:cT. VI.

Sici. VI.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

335

moved by Professor Jameson, and carried by the unani-
mous warm approbation of the meeting.

"To myself, personally, I beg leave to assure you
that the motion and the mode of its reception afforded
great gratification.

" May you long live to enjoy those tokens of esteem,
which every enlightened friend of science and of his
country's honour is disposed to offer to you.

" I remain. Sir, &c.,

"John Barrow, Esq." "Geo. H. Baird.

•: *'

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336

THE LORD ElIGH ADMIRAL.

[Sect. VII.

Section VII.

His Royal Higliness the Duke of Clarence
Appomted Lord High Admiral.

May 2, 1827— September 18, 1828.

Right Hon. Admiral SirGEOuoECocKBUUN. .First of his Couiuil.
Right Hon. JoiiN Wilson Crokeu Secretary.

In 1827, when Mr. Canning proposed to grant eman-
cipation, or rather certain concessions of relief, to the
Roman Catholics, which would probably have paved the
way for emancipation, his old Tory associates began to
desert him in such numbers, that he soon found himself
unable to carry on the Government, without having
recourse to some portion of the Whigs, and not to
refuse even the assistance of those Radicals, who were
favourable to his proposed measures; but it must be
admitted that, in return, he never gave countenance to
any of their levelling opinions ; neither did he ac-
quiesce in the reform of Parliament or the Test Act,
or in the other liberal tenets which the Whig party
professed; consequently he could not place much re-
liance on their giving him a cordial support. The
plea of the deserters from his standard was, that
if he persisted in mooting the question of Catholic
emancipation, he would not be able to keep together
such an efficient government, as the exigencies of the
country required.

Harassed and annoyed by the dissensions and

<^^''

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SEcr. VM.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

337

discussions constantly occurring between the old and
the new friends, and more particularly by the com-
plaints, the grievances, and the ill-humour of the few
old ones that remained, and the taunts of those that had
separated from him — the sensitive mind of Mr. Canning
gave way and produced an evil influence on his health,
which was observed rapidly to decline ; and he felt him-
self strongly to have been a sort of self-sacrifice to
those, who had so long shared his friendship.

Among the separatists was Lord Viscount Melville,
who had held the office of First Lord of the Admiralty
for fifteen years, a nmch longer period than it has
ever before or since been held by the came individual.
When it came to his turn to explain to the House the
reason of his resignation, he said, that in his opinion,
the Government, as now composed, would not be an
adequate substitute for the prudent, able, and useful
superintendence, which that of Lord Liverpool had
effectually maintained : that, in short, he disliked the
choice which Mr. Canning had made of his new
friends: and he deemed the most proper and prudent
line for him to take was, to send in his resignation ;
it was not, however, immediately accepted, and there-
fore he continued to act until a successor should be
named.

The Admiralty might thus be said virtually to have
become vacant of a First Lord : but the want for a
time vas fully compensated by a competent Board,
in which were three naval officers of high reputa-
tion—Sir George Cockburn, Sir W. J. Hope, and
Sir Henry Hotham. Sir George Cockburn had been
serving seven or eight yeais as a Lord of the Ad-
miralty; he was known to be an officer in possession

■ i 1'

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338

THE LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Sect. VII,

i f

.•■i«».

■ , .1.

of a vigorous understanding, of thorough professional
knowledge in the military, civil, and judicial depart-
ments of the service, and of indefatigable perseverance
in the execution of the laborious duties of his office. For
clearness of intellect, for ability in making himself
master of the most intricate and complicated cases, I
have never met his equal. He had, moreover, acquired
so complete a knowledge of naval and military law, that
the Board were seldom unsatisfied with his o])inioii;
and the office of Counsel to the fVdmiralty was all but
a sinecure, a solicitor alone being required.

No inconvenience, therefore, arose during the few
months that a chief might be said to be wanting;
though no fresh patent was made out to supersede Lord
Melville or any portion of the Board; but as soon as
the Duke of Wellington was appointed to take the
situation of Premier, become vacant by the resignation
of Mr. Canning, his Eoyal Highness the Dnke of
Clarence was declared Lord High Admiral of Eng-
land ; and the Lords of the Admiralty then exist-
ing continued, not in the capacity of a Board, but
as the Council of his Royal Highness, to advise aud
carry on the usual and necessary duties ; but deprived
of the power of promoting, or even of signing their
names to any official document; all of which were either
to bear the sign manual of the Lord High Admiral, or,
by his authority, that of one of the Secretaries. The
Lord High Admiral, moreover, had no seat in the
Cabinet. This, it may be apprehended, was deemed
proper, from the circumstance of his lloyal Highness
standing in the position of heir-presumptive to the
throne.

When the patent had been prepared, signed, sealed,

'1 «i

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

339

and sent to the Admiralty, informrtion thereof was
o'iveu to his Royal Highness. The same day the
Board — now the Council — paid their respects ; and
Mr. George Fitz-Clarence (afterwards Lord Munster)
called on me, with a message from his father, to say
that he desired to see me at his temporary residence,
in Charles-Street, the following morning. His Royal
Highness received me mo.st graciously ; said he was
well acquainted with the late Lord JMacartney, who
had frequently mentioned my name to him ; and that
his son George had spoken highly of the valuahle as-
sistance and advice I had given him, in the prepara-
tion of his volume regarding India; spoke strongly
of his desire to serve me, and assured me that I
should possess his whole confidence. He asked also
several questions as to the constitution of the Board and
its naval members, who were to continue as members of
his Council : said that he knew Sir George Cockburn
well, and that Hope and he were old friends and ship-
mates. I assured him he would find the whole of his
Council intelligent officers and agreeable gentlemen ;
and, as profound peace prevailed, his Royal Highness
would have few professional dilKculties to encounter,
except probably that of numerous pressing applications
from old officers ; many of whom had long and good ser-
vice to plead, during the late protracted war, and now
fewer opportunities occurred of meeting their wishes.

He was punctual to the time he had appointed to
take his seat on the following day, a seat that had been
properly prepared for the present occasion of receiving
a royal personage ; he delivered an extempore address
to his Council, and a separate one to each of the Secre-
taries ; stating, in general terms and in very courteous

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340

THE LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Sect. VIJ.

language, how little professional knowledge could be ex-
pected from him, and how much he had to look to from
them. When he had left the Board-room, he sent for
me, and desired me to look over the dwelling-house with
him ; and on entering the dining-room, he asked how
many could sit down at table. I said about thirty I
thought, but had never seen more than eighteen or
twenty. " Did all or any of the First Lords you have
known," he asked, " give many dinners, and entertain
frequently naval officers resident in and about town, or
who occasionally might call upon him from the coun-
try ? " " Not very often, I believed : Lord Mulgrave, I
thought, had company most frequently." " Did not Lord
Spencer entertain largely ? " "I was not here under
Lord Spencer's administration; but I have heard
Lady Spencer say, that a week scarcely passed v.\ whicli
they had not two or three large dinner-parties ; that,
if an officer came up from one of the ports, or some
distance from town, Lord Spencer always asked him to
dine, and then there was some bustle to find proper per-
sons to meet him, or to make up a party from the
Board." " That 's quite right," quoth he ; " I delight in
hospitality, and mean to practise it here." And so in
fact he did ; for his man of business informed nie, tliat
he came to the Admiralty entirely free from debt: and
that in the fifteen months he held the office, he had
incurred a debt of twenty-three thousand pounds.

His Royal Highness, indeed, carried with him to the
throne the virtue of hospitality to an extravagant degree,
His Master of the Household, Sir Frederick Watson,
told me that he found himself compelled to remonstrate
with his Majesty on this subject, and to announce to
him frankly, that the finances for the supply of the

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

341

table were actually exhausted, and that he could not go
on without considerable retrenchment. " Well, then,"
said his Majesty, " let us sell some of the stud ; for
you know, Watson, that my delight is in hospitality."
I understood, however, that he saved enough, in a
short time, to liquidate the debt created while at the
Admiralty ; a part of which had boen incurred by the
necessity of purchasing furniture and plate. He com-
plained that while an immense quantity of the latter
was uselessly piled up at Windsor, he was obliged to
borrow on the two visitations he made to the Dock-
Yards ; which was the case.

The first of these visitations commenced on the 7th
July, 1827, when the Lord High Admiral embarked
in the ' Royal Sovereign ' yacht, commandci by Sir
William Hoste, attended by the ' Procris ' brig for the
purpose of answering signals that might be made to or
from the ' Royal Sovereign ;' the ' Comet ' steamer
also accompanied, to tow the ' Procris,' which was not
able to keep up with the yacht. His Royal Highness
had ordered me to see that everything that was neces-
sary should be put on board the yacht ; plate, wines
of different kinds, and various other articles. He had
asked the King to lend him plate ; w hicli he refused.
On this occasion none of his Council accompanied
him; but he ordered me to attend him, and to take
with us my son, who had but recently been entered on
the est^iblishment of the Admiralty.*

On the 9th of July the * Royal Sovereign ' arrived

* He liad been placed on the establishment by IVIr. Croker, the
secretary having always had the patronage of the office appointments,
which his Royal Highness now took to himself; and which has
since continued with the First Lord of the Admiralty. The youth
in question is now, after more than twenty years' service, on the

.■ 1

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342

THE LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Sect. VII.

'V :"*\

\ :■

ill Plymouth Sound. The hills were covered with
crowd.s of people, and all the ships in the Sound and
Planioaze saluted the flag of the Lord High Admiral.
On landing at Mount Wise, such an immense crowd
had assembled that with difficulty the residence of
Admiral Lord ^'orthesk could be approached. On
the following morning the royal visitor commenced his
inspections; the first of which was the Breakwater;
and he expressed himself highly pleased with the pro-
gress of this important work, which, he thought, was
planned with great skill and executed with judgment
and ability, lie desired me to make minutes of this
and of all the objects, which it was his intention to
examine. I told him I had never omitted to do so
on previous visitations, every one of which I had
attended ; and that his Royal Highness would find in
the Admiralty records a book in which they were all
noticed. Mr. Jlennie, who was present, produced a plan
of a liy;hthouse for the western extremity of the lireak-
water, which could be erected at the expense of 30,000/.
or 40,000/. ; but the Lord High Admiral thought a
floating light would answer quite as well, an opinion in
which most of the naval officers present agreed, and which
was at the time adopted ; but Mr. Whitby was directed to
carry up, simultaneously, a foundation shaft, as the work
proceeded, to be made use of or not as might thereafter
be decided on.

The next morning the Duke was early in the Dock-
Yard, nuistered the whole establishment, inspected the
several offices, and examined the books ; nor was this

first class, and keeper of the Recordis, whicii have l/i/ film been
arranged and classified, for the first time, from the period of the
Revolution in 1G88.

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^ECT. VII.]

IHE ADMIRALTY.

343

all: he actually went over the whole of the storehouses,
and over every part of them, from the cellars to the
garrets ; and though labouring under a complaint, which
unfitted him for great exertion, he completely tired
many that had to accompany him, and astonished all
by his activity.

The following day was appropriated to the minute
uxaniinatioii of the Marine barracks, the general
management, the rules, and the organization of the
porps ; after which he ordered them out upon the Hoe,
to the number of about four hundred, witnessed their
manoeuvres, and expressed his approval. The Lord
High Admiral was considered to be no bad soldier,
having studied military tactics in Germany.

His next visit was to the ships in commission, where
lie mustered the officers and men, and made a thorough
inspection, which occupied the greater part of the day.
Mr. Keith Douglas, one of the Lords of the Admiralty,
arrived : and as neither he nor I could be of much use in
going over the fleet, I proposed that we should inspect
the mode of keeping the books and accounts in the
several offices, taking with us the Commissioner. A
new system had just been adopted by the Admiralty to
relieve the Timber-Master from keeping accounts ; but
the Commissioner expressed himself in favour of the
old mode, because it worked well; he was not pre-
pared to offer any reasons why the new one should not
work better — a small instance was here exhibited of the
opposition, which Sir James Graham's sweeping plan of
reform abolished, instead of one that might, and, two
or three years afterwards, did work better.

Oil the evening of the 14tli, her lloyal Highness the
Duchess of Clarence arrived ; having proceeded over-

• . 11

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• ♦■:;

344

THE LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Sect. VII,

; >;

land, accompanied by Sir Byam Martin. A vast
concourse of people assembled on the road between
Plymouth and Devonport, and several attempts were
made to take off the horses and draw the carriage to
the Admiral's house ; but the Duchess implored Sir
Byam to prevent it. She mentioned how deeply
affected she had been with the kind attention shown to
her by the poor people of Ilfracombe. Having to walk
down the long street to the pier, in order to cross over
into Wales, each person, the very poorest, had brought
out before the house, a piece of carpeting, or mat, or rug,
for her Royal Highness to tread upon. In the evening,
the Duke and Duchess took up their quarters at Mount
Edgcumbe : but the Duke continued his inspections
every day till the 20th, when the 'Royal Sovereign'
and the ' Lightning ' steamer proceeded to Milfbrd
Haven.

Before we left Devonport, however, and after tlie
arrival of the Duchess, Lady Northesk asked me if I
thought the Duke would kindly condescend to give
a ball on board the ' Royal Sovereign ;' several of the
ladies of Plymouth and Devonport having a great
wish, of such an opportunity, to pay their respects to
the Duchess. I put the question to him. " Go to the
Duchess," he said, " and if she has no objection, I liave
none ; but it must be clearly understood, that Lady
Northesk and Lady Emma Mount-Edgcumbe must give
a list of, and stand sponsors for, those who are to be in-
vited; and," he asked, "has it been usual with former
Boards to give balls ? " " No, Sir ; nor has it been
usual on these occasions to be honoured with the visit of
a Prince and Princess of the Royal Family." " Well,"
he says, " take your ball, but I hold you responsible."

it I i^ ^ •

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

345

All parties being agreed, I desired the master of the
vacht (the present Commander Franklin), a clever,
intelligent officer, to fit her up in his best style, and
bring the ' Lightning ' alongside, to make a gangway
of communication, and lay a flush-deck fore-and-aft on
the 'Royal Sovereign.' All this wrs done in the course
of the day, and both yacht and steamer were decorated
in the most splendid manner, with the flags of all
nations, intermixed with flowers and flowering shrubs ;
":;d the whole arrangement presented one of the prettiest
sights I ever remember to have seen.

The company, to the number of six hundred, in-
cluded, of course, the elite of the two towns and of the
neighbourhood. The Duchess, with Lord Valletort or
Lord Errol (probably the latter), led off the ball, and
dancing was kept up till four in the morning. I was
desired to take care that every kind of refreshment,
and plenty of champagi.e, should be provided ; in which
I received cordial assistance from Mr. Sidney and Rev.
A. Fitzclarence, who had come with us from town in
the yacht. The ' Britannia,' flag-ship, exhibited in her
port-holes splendid blue-lights for the entertainment of
the party. The Duke and Duchess, and the Mount-
Edgcumbe party, left soon after midnight.

Desirous of settling the account of the expense attend-
ing this fete — which, as far as my recollection serves,
was something between 500/. and 600/. — I asked the
Duke under what head I should place it, and he said,
" To my private account, most certainly ; and I desire
that everything extra, and also whatever may have
usually been charged to the First Lord's and Board's
private account, on the several visitations which you
have attended, may in like manner be charged to me.

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346

TlIK LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Skct. VII.

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I would not have it supposed I gave balls and dinners,
on occasions like this, at the public expense ; except only
the dinner given to the naval and public officers on
board the yacht."

On the morning after the ball, the Lord High Admiral
reviewed the whole of the troops in the garrison which,
with the marines, amounted to about 1500 men ; and he
astonished the officers with the extent of the knowledge
he displayed of military tactics.

His Royal Highness being requested by the gentlemen
of the Yacht Club, and others who kept pleasnre-boats,
to honour them with his presence at the regatta, within
the Breakwater, on the 20th of July, he embarked in
the yacht ; and having witnessed the lively scene, retired
to his cabin to write his despatches, slept on board, and
the following morning put to sea and proceeded to Mil-
ford Haven, with the intention of visiting Pembroke
Dockyard. On the previous day, the Duchess and her
party had proceeded thither by land, and arrived at
the same time as the yacht. Scarcely had we entered
the dockyard when Lord Cawdor paid his respects to
the Lord High Admiral, and invited him and his suite
to Stackpole, to remain there during his visitation ; and
on the same day Lady Owen made her appearance in
the dockyard, mounted on a tine prancing nag, to invite
his Royal Highness, in the name of Sir John, to take
up his residence at Orielton, which he politely declined,
During his stay for a few days at Stackpole, the Lord
High Admiral regularly went down to the dockyard,
passed through the usual examinations, and viewed the
improvements carrying on in this new establishment.

Nothing could exceed the kindness and attention ol
Lord and Lady Cawdor. Her ladyship's flower-garden,

SlTT. VII.]

THE ADMIHAI.TY,

347

ic officers on

under her own direction, was pronounced to be very
tastily laid out ; and the shrubs and flowering plants,
ill healthy and vigorous condition, were well arranged.
Another most useful work, within doors, which I
irreatly admired, was a catalogue of the library,
arranged on a plan of her ladyship's, which, for neat-
ness and facility of reference, surpassed any I had be-
fore seen. The approach to the house is by an ascend-
ing road through a wood, with a river gurgling below
in the valley, at the end of which is seen the house,
placed on the summit of the hill ; and from the house
is a view of the river meandering over the plain down
to the sea. Lieutenant (now Captain) de Koos made
a very pretty drawing of the house and its accom-
paniments.

The 'Royal William,' a first-rate, was on the stocks;
and the Goliah, of 80 guns, being })repared for launch-
ing, underwent that operation on the 25tli of July, and,
after being christened by her Royal Highness, floated
into the haven under the name of the 'Clarence,' in
honour of the Duchess, in presence of a vast assemblage
of people from every part of the country. Alter this,
on the 2Gth, the Duchess left Stackpole to proceed by
land direct for Portsmouth, where she was to be
joined by the Duke, who also embarked the following
day in the ' Royal Sovereign,' towed by the ' Light-
ning ' steamer. In proceeding down the coast it began
to blow so strong that the steamer was cast oft'. The
Wolf rock roared tremendously, between which and
the coast of Cornwall the yacht went beautifully, and
rounded the Land's End without our seeing anything
more of the steamer. On the 30th of July, at six in
the evening, we reached Portsmouth.

348

THE LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Srct. VI r.

1 1

•J

I '

The whole of the Slst was occupied in visiting the
ships of war lying at Spithead, and also those in harbour.
The Duke next mustered the ' Warspite,' just returned
from the East Indies. Next day he commenced his
examination of all the departments, the offices, the
storehouses, workshops, the docks, basi.is, and slip<5 of
the dockyard, which, with the large ordinary in the
harbour, occupied five or six days ; on one of \s liich lie
gave a dinner, on the flush-deck of the yacht, to about
eighty persons, consisting of naval officers and the
gentry of the neighbourhood. The only holiday, if it
may be so called, was on the 9th of August, when the
whole of the garrison and the marines, including the
fine corps of the Marine Artillery — (shortly afterwards,
unwisely, as was generally thought, reduced, and cur-
tailed in their allowances) — were drawn out on Southsea
Common.

Every preparation was made for a grand display on
this occasion. All the ships at Spithead were droeised
— the yachts cruising about — and the Duchess, in the
Admiral's barge, followed by a multitude of boats,
some with bands of music, and many of them filled
with ladies, ever ready to contribute to the splendour
and the gaiety of a scene like the present. On
shore, the extensive surface of the Southsea Com-
mon was crowded to excess, so that it required great
exertion to preserve a sufficient space for the troops to
go through their manoeuvres. The day was beautifully
fine, and nothing but universal joy prevailed in the
purlieus of Portsmouth, both by sea and land ; — but a
sudden and sorrowful blight came over this gay scene,
and destroyed at one blow every vestige of pleasure
and joy, bringing in their place lamentation and woe,

Sbct. VIl.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

840

A telegraph message from London was handed to
Admiral Stopford, which, in the absence of his key, he
was not prepared to make out ; the Duke impatiently
called out, " Where is Barrow ? " I was at his elbow,
and the Admiral handed me the message. "What is it?
— (juick, quick!" " Sir, it is brief^ but painfully dis-
tiess^ing — Mr. Canning is dead."

lie held up his hands, expressed an ejaculation,
and said, " Stopford, send off this moment to recall
the Duchess, to stop the firing, to strike the flags,
and to put every ship in mourning ; and send to the
General to desire that he will forthwith dismiss the
troops to their quarters." Having given these hasty
orders, he turned to me and said, " Poor Canning! he
was very ill when we left town : he caught a severe cold
at my brother's funeral, the effect of which, together
with the hurry and harassing occasioned by the de-
sertion of his friends, threw him into a fever. I always
said liis false friends would be the end of him ; I knew
that in the present state of his mind and body he could
not bear the worrying of the House of Commons, and
that if he did not seek a temporary retreat, he must
sink under it."

The Duke's real character of being gifted with a kind
and feeling heart, evinced as it was in numberless in-
stances, which came to my knowledge during the short
period he held the situation of Lord High Admiral,
showed itself strongly on this melancholy occasion. I
could have adored him for it.

Nothing more was done or thought of at Portsmouth,
from whence the Duke immediately departed with all
haste for London, very low spirited. He was not
absent more than three days, and on the fourth the

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350

THE LORD HIGH ADMIIIAI,.

[Sect. VI I.

yacht was under way on her return from Portsmouth
direct for the Thames.

The gloom which the death of Mr. Canning occa-
sioned was general through the land; and the opinion
which the Duke of Clarence expressed on the moment
of hearing it — " They have killed him ; I knew they
would kill him " — was also general, and more espe-
rially among those who mixed with public men and
public affairs. As Prime Minister, succeeding to the
popular government of Lord Liverpool, he had an-
nounced an intention to consider, but nothing more ibr
the present, what relief could with safety be vouchsafed
to the Catholics ; this alarmed his friends, who, in
great haste and in an evil hour, resigned their official
situations, which he was left to fill up with those of his
personal friends among the Whigs, to enable him to
carry on the government. By the Tories he found he
was deserted — denounced as having betrayed them:
the newspapers in their cause abused and slandered
him with that virulence and malignity usually bestowed
upon an apostate. They carried their malevolence sr
far ar, to insult him on his mean birth and family con-
nexions ; and even those, who were once his most inti-
mate friends, taunted him or turned their backs upon
him.

The secession of Mr. Canning's Tory or Protestant
friends, and his union with those who had always heen
his political enemies, cannot but bring to one's mind
what is just now occurring with regard to Sir Kohcrt
Peel. His friends have deserted him, because of his
earnest endeavours to procure food and clothing for tlie
people, and at reasonable prices. Mr. Canning's friends
left him because he wished to confer toleration to the

.',H:i\-}.i

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

851

immense body of Catholic subjects. The kind and ami-
able feelings of Mr. Canning were of too sensitive a
nature, to enable him to bear up against the desertions of
old friends, the ambiguous support of new ones, and the
taunts of enemies. His mind was ill at ease, his spirits
drooped, and he fled for repose to a house at Chiswick,
where he had one friend that did not desert him ; and
here he terminated his mortal career, iu recovering
peace of mind and tranquillity as the end approached —
that mind and those spirits, the elegance and playfulness
of which were once the admiration of all who had the
happiness of his acquaintance, were now at rest.

The following lines, by Mr. Croker, are so charac-
teristically true, and so beautifully descriptive, that I
cannot forbear reprinting them in this place : —

ON niE DEATH OF MR. CANNING.

Farewell, b.ij^lit spirit! brigiitest oftiie bright!

Concentrcite blaze of intellectual ligiit !

Who show'd alone, or in the first degree,

Union so apt, such ricii variety ;

Taste guiding mirth ; and sport enlivening sense ;

Wit, wisdom, poetrj', and eloquence,

Profound and playful, amiable and great ;

And first in social life, as in tlie state.

Not whoUi/ lost ! — thy letter'd fame shall tell

A part of what tliou wast. Farewell ! Farewell !

Farewell, great statesm n ! whose elastic mind
Clung round thy country, yet embraced mankind ;
Who, in tiie most appalling storms, whose power
Sliooiv the wide world, wast equal to the hour.
Cliampion of measured liberty, whence springs
The mutual strength of people and of iiings,
'Twas tliine, like Chatham's patriot task, to wield
The people's force, yet be the monarch's siiield.
Not wholljf lost ! — for both the worlds shall tell
Thy history in theirs. Farewell ! Farewell !

THi^^^^^^msm

352

THE LORD HIGH ADMIRAL,

9 Mi

[Sect. VII,

Farewell, dear friend ! in all relations dear,
In all we love, or honour, or revere ;
Son, husband, father, master, patron, friend :
AVhat varied grief and grat'tude we blend I
We who beheld, when pain's convulsive start
Disturb'd the frame, it could not change the heart ;
"We, wliose deep pangs to soften and console
Were the last efforts of thy flying soul.
Not wholly lost .' — our faith and feelings tell
That we sliall meet again. Farewell ! Farewell !

There was something in thij look and the general
appearance of Mr. Canning so peculiarly his own, tiiat
a stranger, on meeting him and catching a glance of
his finely-formed face and penetrating eye, wonld be
apt to turn round and view his person, which was of the
mean height and gracefully turned. In the company
of friends he was always cheerful, lively, and bril-
liant ; with strangers generally reserved. He was
admitted to be one of the most accomplished scholars
of his time; and, like a true Eton classic, a false
quantity was not to be tolerated or passed ; yet it once
fell to my lot, unlearned as I felt myself to be, to
express, perhaps incautiously, yet with all humility,
a doubt whether he had not himself been guilty of
a grave error of this kind. Sitting opposite to him
at table, he was giving an account of his embassy
to Lisbon, in H.M.S. the ' GranTcus.' Looking at
hira and smiling, I repeated doubtfully, in a tone of
interrogation, "Granicus?" "I beg pardon, Grani-
cus," he said ; " I was classically wrong, but nautically
right — I was talking sailor's Latin, Mr. Barrow." "I
know," he continued, " you are great critics at tbe
Admiralty ; though I think I might venture a wager,
that you christened that frigate Granicus, when she
was launched, and that she has kept the name ever

■ *

Skct. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

353

since." I felt that, unintentionally, I had touched
a tender point, but thought no more about it. How-
ever, some time after this, perhaps a twelvemonth,
inquiring of me how his son was getting on with his new
Captain, Dawkins (under whom I had placed him), I
said, "Rema :ably well; Dav/kins gives an excellent
account of him." " Better, 1 suppose," he rejoined, in
a jocular but pointed manner, "than if he had gone with
me in the 'Granicus?'" It really gave me concern to
have been so indiscreet as to notice his error — if error
it were — for, never having seen the word in Latin verse,
I knew not, certainly, whether the middle syllable
niiiiht be long or short : this doubt led me now to
inquire, and I soon found a line that satisfied me of
its being long : —

" Fertur Alexirlioi', Graiilcu uata bicorni.''

Ovid, Met., xi. T63.

Mr. Canning's son lost his life accidentally, in Sep-
tember, 1828, the year after his father's death; who
was thciefore spared the pain of knowing it. Being a
high-spirited youth, nothing would serve him but the sea.
Unfortunately, the discipline of the first ship, in which
he entered, was very lax ; and, among other vices, the
young niidshipnien indulged in gambling; in this, as
well as in more praiseworthy pursuits, young William
Pitt Canning bore away the palm. There hapj)encd,
hy ill-luck, to be in the shij) a lieutenant of marines,
who, knowing Canning's propensity, and that he was
more than a match for him, enticed him into his
private cabin, and won from hini in the course of a
Httle time something about 400/. The boy became
unhappy, when pressed by the officer to get the money

2 A

I u: •.-'

354

THE LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Sect. VII.

from his father, to whom neither of them had the
courage to apply. But young Canning told it to a
brother midshipman, who being known to me thought it
right to mention the circumstance. I immediately went
to Mr. Canning, to get the youth removed out of so im-
proper a ship ; he was of course much annoyed, but said
the money must be paid. I said the money must not
be paid ; and if the officer had his due, he should be
brought before a court-martial. " No," saiid Canning,
sharply, " never on my or my son's account. I must
pay the money." "xVnd thus," I replied, " encom-age
your son in the vice of gambling, and also the otFend-
ing officer to ruin some other foolish boy. If he should
have the impudence to apply to you, pray refer him to
me: and let me get your son's di.scharge, and place him
under a friend of mine. Captain Dawkins, whom I
know, and who will instruct him in the right way." 1
placed him accordingly under Captain Dawkins, wh
keT)t him when on board under rigid discipline, with a
due attention to the study of nautical subjects, made
him his aide-de-camp, and took him with him on shore,
and on visits to his friends ; in short, made him an accom-
plished young officer : and, when the ship was paid ofti I
obtained from my friend Captain Houston Stewart, one
of the best officers in the service, a berth for young Can-
ning, and the same rigid and indulgent treatment; and
under the instruction of these two officers, he proceeded
rapidly in the career for promotion ; and, not loiii
before his father's death, was sent out, in the command
of the 'Alligator,' to Madeira, where, in the contest
between Don jMiguel and Don Pedro, a revolution
was threatened, and our merchants required protc^iin
for their persons and property. He found lying nil'

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

3.55

the island two sail of the line, two frigates, and three
smaller vessels, having on board a new governor of Don
Miguel to supersede Valdez, the legitimate one, who
had refused to allow the new governor to land ; and, on
"oiiig on shore, Captain Canning found the two parties
ill a violent state of commotion, and many of our mer-
chants and others requesting to be received on board.
Vaklez took the opportunity of escaping on board the
Alligator,' in the Captain's absence, on which the
Portuguese admiral, whose name was Prego, addressed
a vulgar and impertinent letter to Canning, who, in a
style not unworthy of the father, made him feel in
what a contemptible light he received his swaggering
and impotent language : and as the 'Alligator' was not
uf a capacity to receive all who were desirous of re-
moving, Canning succeeded in hiring a large merchant-
ship for their accommodation.

When the admirable account of Ca})tain Canning's
prnceeding.s and his correspondence, were read to the
Koard of Admiralty, M r. Croker, at their conclusion,
could not refrain from exclaiming, ''There, my Lords,
we have a true chip of the old block I " That chip,
however, was ordained too soon to follow the old block
to the })lace whence no one returns, and to leave his
remains on the island where his early and last service
Mas jjeribrmed. Fatigued by a ramble over the hills,
and heated, he repaired to a large tank behind Mr.
Gordon's house, to cool himself by bathing, was sej^icd
with cramp, and sank. A female passing that way, see-
iiic; some clothe^, hanging on the railing, gave immediate
alarm; the body was recovered, but all attempts to
restore animation failed. Thus prematurely perished
this highly gifted and promising young officer.

Mr. Canning never thought he could do enough for

2a2

% •

[

3ij6

THE LORD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Sect. VII.

• - •• .

i ..

the obligation he conceived he lay under for nn
attention to his son ; though to reclaim so fine and
promisuig a youth was indeed a sincere pleasure to me.
Among his many unsolicited favours, the follo\viiio'
letter bespeaks his kind intention : —

"Bath, Jan. 11, 1825.
" My dear Sir,

" A writership, which I gave away when I

was at the Board of Control, has been returned

upon my hands, by the death of the youth to whom I

gave it.

" Among the progeny which you enumerated the la.st
time that I had the pleasure of meeting you (at Mr.
Backhouse's) there was one son, whose destination ap-
peared not to be entirely settled, and whose age (if I
mistake not) would qualify him for such an appoint-
ment.

" There are few persons in the world whom it Avoiild
be a greater satisfaction to me to assist in the persons
of their children — for I feel myself greatly in your debt
for all the trouble I have given you about my son.

" If the nomination would be acceptable to you, pray
let Backhouse know, and he will explain to you the
particulars of it.

" Believe me, my dear Sir,

" Very sincerely yours,

(Signed) " Geo. Canninc;."

Nothing of any importance occurred in the remain-
ing part of this year, except that strnnge, unlookedtor
attack made on the Turkish fleet, lying quitt)y at
anchor in the Bay of Kavarino, by a British squadron,
assisted by those of France and liussia — a feat of wliidi
his Royal Highness could never speak with temper.

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

357

Jan. 11, 1825.

But something more than this had ruffled his mind
towards the middle of the year 1828, and it was sup-
posed that he was not satisfied with the position in
which he stood at the Admiralty. I saw him in his
room daily, when in town, and could observe no change
in his manner : always kindly disposed to accede to the
numerous petitions he received ; and when told, as I was
frequently obliged to tell him, that the orders in council
or regulations of the service would not admit of their
heuig complied with, " Express my regret," he would
sny, " and say that I am sorry for it." He was, how-
over, more frequently absent than in the former year,
either at Windsor or at Bushy Park.

About the commencement of July, 1828, the yacht
was ordered to be prepared for sea, and Sir Byam
Martin apprised of the time that his Royal Highness
meant to be at Portsmouth. He gave me notice that
I should accompany him, but that he had no inten-
tion to make it a regular visitation ; that a few points
only would engage his attention. The Honourable
Captain Spencer, his private Secretary, had command
of the yacht, and our first port was Sheerness. As
his Royal Highness made his own memoranda, he
desired me to have copies of them taken, which he
would sign; and, that after the Council had seen them,
I should cause them to be bound and deposited among
the records of the Admiralty. Those notes show so
iiuieh good sense with so complete a knowledge of their
several subjects, that I feel bound in duty to insert in
this j)lace an abstract of some and the whole of others ;
hy which it will be seen that there was no want of
either talent, judgment, or attention, in the perform-
ance of his duties as Lord High Admiral: —

3o»

THE LOUD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Sect. VII.

: ^ *..

Memorandam.

f ^

' i' I

" Sheerness, July 10th, 1828.
"Siiecrness Yard having so recently been visited by
me, I have not thought it necessary on the present
occasion to do more than consider of a proper site tor
a naval hospital ; which is the only description of
building, now required, in order to render this establish-
ment complete for all purposes."

He gives, first, a plan of the ground, which he
ascertains from the Commanding Officer of Engineers
can be built upon without inconvenience to that depart-
ment, and orders a plan and estimate of the building to
be prepared.

"The situation is good; and, besides the ample
space of seven acres, it is removed from the near
neighbourhood of private buildings, and very convenient
for landing sick and wounded men, on the north side,
from the ships at the Nore, with the prevailing winds ;
and the landing on the harbour-side of Sheerness is
always good."

His Royal Highness then adverts to the aggravation
of the sufferings, and exposure of the lives to hazard, in
the removal of sick and wounded men fourteen niik>
to Chatham Hospital, which, he observes, is convenient
for the Marine cor])S, but of small advantage to tin
port of Sheerness for the equipment and reHt of %
Majesty's ships. He therefore recommends that Chat-
ham Hospital should be transferred to the military
department. He adds : —

"It is true that steam-vessels might be employed to
remove the sick and wounded ; but even this is oIj-
jectionable, as the very concussion of the engine would

'[ h ^

Skct. VH.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

359

be distressing to wounded men ; and, in a large fleet,
accident and sickness would require an almost constant
communication with the Hospital.

(Signed) " William."

Memorandum.

"Deal, July lltli, 1828.
Ho finds the buildings of this Yard lo good in
repair, as well as their general arrangement for all
purposes, that he only orders a wall to be removed to
be rebuilt in another direction, and to alter the line
of a drain from the town through the Yard into the
sea. He gave directions also for an estimate to be
made of the expense of laying down pipes and the
purchase of some land for a reservoir ; observing, that
a convenient and copious supply of water will be
beneficial for the trade of the country, as well as for
his Majesty's ships ; and any expense may be repaid to
the public by a small charge for watering merchant-
vessels.

He next adverts to the plan of a breakwater, or
pier, in front of the Yard, which Lord Liverpool had
brought under his consideration, having been induced
to entertain a very favourable disposition to promote
the undertaking; his Lordship's arguments resting
chiefly on the facility of embarking troops, the con-
venience of landing the sick and wounded, and expe-
dition in the shipment of stores. The observations
made by the Lord Admiral were sensible and just.

" 1\\ the consideration of propositions of this nature,
I feel the necessity of guarding against any unnecessary
expenditure of the public money ; but at the same
time, any economy which trespasses upon the real

! , f

GGO

THE LOKD HIGH ADMIRAL

i •

[Sect. VII.

wants of the public service is a misapplication of tlio
term ; and it is with this feeling that I enter upon the
various proposals which come before me.

" In the present instance I admit that, in war, a
pier and breakwater at Deal would afford much con-
venience ; but the great facility and expedition given
to the movement of troops and the conveyance of stores
by steam, are now so extended and so much better
understood, that I cannot bring myself to think it
expedient, under present circumstances, to undertake
such a work; but the various plans and papers, being
preserved in office, will be found useful if) at any
future period, the work is to be taken in hand ; and
Mitli this view I have directed a plan to be prepared of
another description of breakwater, proposed by Mr.
Taylor ; the estimated expense will be about 70,000/.

(Signed) " William."

On arriving at the Dock- Yard, I was directed by the
Lord Admiral to deliver an order to Sir Robert Stopfbrd
to the following effect : — " Let Sir Robert Stopford he
directed to issue orders to all the ships and vessels under
his command, whether at Spithead or in harbour, that
they are only to salute the Lord High Admiral and
man the yards on his first arrival, and again on his
final departure from the port at which he commands."
This was settled, no doubt, in town, between his Royal
Highness and the Ordnance, who will have given the
same orders ; which, I believe, were in consequence of
some remarks made on the fetes, and firing on shore
and on the water at this port, the preceding year.

.;> If', ;•

Skct.VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

361

Mcmorandnm.

'< Portsmoutli, July 12tli, 1828.

Ill noticing the plan of the late Mr. John Jiennie,*
lor the improvement of* this Yard, which includes what
is called the Common Hard, and for which there is an
Act of Parliament to enable the Government to
enclose it — •

"This (says his Royal Highness) can only be done by
a very serious sacrifice of the private interests, health,
iiiul convenience of the inhabitants of Portsea ; and al-
though the public good is paramount to every other con-
sideration, yet the feelings and interests of individuals
must not be disregarded, and I do not think this great
range of work is so necessary as to justify such pro-
ceeding. The works contemplated by Mr. Rennie
would, according to his own estimate, amount to
913,000/."

And he decides, after a full consideration of the
vliole subject, to limit the expenditure for the erection
of new mast-houses, necessary to the wants of the
service, to 30,000/.

A memorial having been presented by the inhabitants
of Gosport, praying for permission for a Company to
irect a bridge over Haslar Creek — but having under-
stood that in the year 1791 the unauthorized erection of
a similar bridge had produced injury to the harbour, and
that it was forthwith removed, after proceedings in a
court of law, the Duke of Clarence observes: —

" Any encroachment on the banks of the harbour, or
obstruction to the full flow of the tide, must be guarded

Inserted in the Visitation Book at the Admiralty.

IMAGE EVALUATION
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Sciences
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2S WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(7T6) 872-4503

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362

THE LORD HIGH ADMIUAL.

[Sect. VII.

against by every possible precaution, and it will be
proper to inform the petitioners that their prayer
cannot be complied with ; but I would recommend that
application be made to the Board of Ordnance, that
the Commanding Royal Engineer at Portsmouth be
called upon to report whether any such bridge can be
thrown over the creek without obstructing the flow of
the tide ; and if so, I see no objection to the bridge.
But I cannot think it right that the public should
entangle themselves with private individuals by allow-
ing them to build a bridge in a situation entirely
surrounded by lands belonging to his Majesty; and
therefore, if a bridge is built at all, it ought undoubtedly
to be done by the public ; to be indemnified for the
expense by a toll on the passengers."

He next visited the new victualling establishment at
AV^eevil and the works in progress, which he considered
to be well adapted to the wants of the service, and
observes that —

" By concentrating the establishment, this branch of
the service will be conducted with greater economy
and dispatch than when the buildings were on each
side of the harbour, and so scattered as to occasion
great delay and inconvenience to the service.

(Signed) " William."

I think it was on the third day that his Royal High-
ness received a dispatch from London which appeared to
annoy him greatly, and determined him to setoff imme-
diately by land for town. He ordered Captain the Hon.
Robert Spencer and myself to remain, and the former to
hold the ' Royal Sovereign ' in readiness to proceed, on
his return, to the westward. We took the opportunity of

SEcr. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

363

paying a visit to the Captain's mother, the Countess
Spencer, at her marine villa, near Kyde, a very agree-
table residence on the sea-shore, overlooking the whole
extent of that fine piece of water between the Isle of
Wight and the Hampshire coast. We were at a loss to
conjecture what could have called up the Duke in such
haste to town ; but Speiicer said that something was
going on between him, the King, and the Government,
and that his lioyal Highness was dissatisfied with his
present position ; and he added, " in my opinion we
shall lose him ere long."

The Lord High Admiral rejoined us on the 20th,
and the yacht being all prepared, we entered Torbay
on the 21st. His lioyal Highness had desired Mr.
Whidbey to meet him at this place with a report
and plan he had made, at the suggestion of Lord St.
Vincent, of a breakwater. The Duke's observations
on this great bay are particularly important at this
time: —

" Upon an inspection on the spot," he says, " it
appeared to me that, whenever it shall be thought
expedient to undertake the construction of a break-
^vater in Torbay, it will be desirable to carry the line
farther seaward, so as to aft'ord a greater scope of
anchorage within it: and as the depth of water upon
this new line, as described in dotted lines on the plan,
is not greater than in the line of direction proposed by
Mr. Whidbey, the expense will not be increased, while
much greater accommodation will be afforded within,
for a large fleet to anchor and work out.

" The growing importance of Cherbourg as a port of
rendezvous for a fleet, led me to consider of the import-
ance of rendering Torbay a safe anchorage in all winds

»• y.

) :' r

:((ii

rilK I.OIM) IIKill ADMII.VI.

t.T. VII.

lor a Hritisli tlcct ciiiitloycd in wat'.'liiiig (lie (iiciuy nj
('lii'rlu»iu>; ; and sfciiif; lliat an raslt-rly wind is I

iiir
UK

fSS

tor (lie il(>|)ai'liii'(' orsucli a llcci, aiid \v(Mild, if Itlmvi
liard, pn'vcnt the Itiitisli Il<t't iVont ln(>\in^' — mil
so sludlcrcd l>y a hnakwalrr as to j-iiaMc llic sliins Id
ud u|> liu-ii' ancliors I liavc satislicd uiyscH' ol' iji,.
t'asy |)i;u'li«'al)ilily o\' luakint; a !)n'ak\valcr in Torliiiy ;
if at any tiiiu* it shall l>c di-cnicd rii^ht to make lliis
s|»ari«>Ms hay a salt' harhour l(>r his Majesty's Ih'cl, wiiji
a \ ifvv to lilt" ^rcat ohjcct alhi(h'd to, aii<l ll>r Ihr
i;oiu'ral acconiinodalioii and salrly of the Iraih' o!' |j|(>
rountry; thiTc lu-ing no port l)«'tNV«'«'n IMyinonth .iikI
l*ortsinouth whirh all'ords shcltt r in caslfriv winds.

(^Sigiu'd)

II.I.IAM.

-« *

1 1 is Hoval lliuliinss's atlcntioii was drawn lo lli

II.

tjuarni's workiii};' aion^ llu' wliolf raiifi't' o' n -y llcid,
ami to tlu' tact that the I'Nln'inc |)oint is almost severed
li'om till' land; tliat the waste of stone would he severely
I'elt if the aho\e snu,i;('stion shonld he aeted upon; and
that fhe(>rdna:iee department, would do well to disallow

He savs Mr. Whidhev's

u- wDrkiny; o

f th

u- (inaiTies,

estimate at ID.OOl)/. a-y<'ar li>r twenty-i'ight. years (or
I,l2t),tHU)/.) wouhl, he douhted not, he iindertakeii hv
Sir Mdward Ivaidvs, at a less estimate hy -JOIMUU)/.

In proceediiifA' lln- IMymoiith, the yaeht and the
ai'i'omj>anyin^' hrip; looked into the heautit'ul liarhoiir of
nartiuoutii, and paid a visit to the (Joveraor, Mr.
lloldsworth, who resides on the uppermost terrace ol
tho ti)wn. Here tho iidud)itants assemhled in lariio
groups to he uratitied with the sight otj and pay tluir
vespeets t«>, tlu'ir lioyal Highnesses the \)\\\\V and

Duel

less o

f n

a re nee.

whom tlu'v were recoivod

SixT, VI 1. 1

'I'lii'; Ai>Mii(Ai;/v,

a ;r,

willi I lie ^wiiIchI roiirlcHy mid kind ;ill,<'iili(»n. 'I'li<;
(lir.i riior wjih highly dcli^lil.cd, jind ;iiixi(»iiH llic viwil,
sliniild Ix! jH'oluii^cd ; Itiit, llif Didu- w;iH <(|ii;illy
;iii\i()iiH lo ^l'^ to I'lyinoiilJi.

niDi'tliti

htin.

" riymr.iilli, 'J'Jiiii .Inly.

Tlir tnnin (»l)j<r,l, of llir visit l,o riymoiilli w;ih f.o
ilccidr on tin; nuinn- of tin; \'\ii,\tl to Ix- cxliihitt-d on tin;
wcslciii nid ol tin; |{i'(!jik water, \vlMllnr on tin; work
ilscir or in tlir <'li;(iin(;l in-ar it. 'I'lic advantage of a
lloalinfj;' lii^lit consisl.K in sliips rnnnin;^ dir<'<-.tly for it in
(lark tcnij (stiioiis wcatlnr with ronlidcnc,*! ; wlicrttan,
will) a li|;'lit lionsc, it woidd rcfjiiirr a calculation to \n:
made lor tiic liccd or kIojic (d'tlic l{nakwat<;r, and ren-
der .sliips lial»l(! to l)(! tlirown too mar to tin! nlioal water
oil' M(»nnt lOd^ciiinlx'. This consideration, hacked hy
llic ()|)inioii of tli(! Masters Att(ndant, decid<(l his
Koy.il IIi^li!U'ss ll)r a light-house on the work its(;il';
bill, instead of carrying- it ii|) at once, at an ex|)ens<! of
;{.'{,()()()/,, he siigg(;st<'d that the lonndation oidy should
be carried u|>, with the progress ol" tin; work, at a cost
(if lOOO/., W'iiich was ordered to he done. Tin; only
otlicr |)oiiit touched upon hy the Duke is pr<jles-
.sioiial.

" It is inipossihie tiiat anything can h(! hetter than
the state ol" preservation of the shij)s in oi'diiiary ; and
als(( tlu! attention paid to the selection of well-grown,
active hoys to serve in tlie ordinary, and to he drafted
licroarter to eouiiiiissioned sliips. It shows that much
more attention has Ixicn ])aid to tliis duty here than at
JWtsiiiouth, where cliildren of tender health and stunted

•i: .,

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i-r' •■■••

366

THE LOUD HIGH ADMIRAL.

[Skct. VII.

i i' '

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i-. '.

I \ 'if

growth have been admitted; and which I have f'or-
'oidden in future.

(Signed) " Willia^l"

This little trip was conducted by the Lord High
Aduiiral in the most calm, mild, and tranquil state of
mind, as if on a voyage of pleasure — as indeed it
turned out to be— a relaxation from what had become
to him a vexatious employment, r.iKl one from which he
had determined to escape. It appears that his last trip
to town was in consequence of a summons from the
King to attend him, with the Duke of Wellington and
certain of the cabinet ministers. The King, it seems,
strenuously opposed his intended resignation, and im-
plored him to remain, in which he was seconded with
great earnestness by all, but more especially by tiio
Duke of Wellington, who declared that, if there was
anything he disliked, or any new arrangement of the
office he held, which he wished to propose, and such as
could constitutionally be given, they were prepared to
receive and act upon it. But his Koyal Highness
remained firm to his purpose. The King, it is said,
implored him, with teavs in his eyes, to remain ; but he
was inflexible, and requested only his Majesty's per-
mission to resign. On returning to town he com-
menced making his arrangements to leave the Admi-
ralty, which were speedily completed ; when he desired
Spencer to write to the Duke of Wellington, requestimr
he would call upon him, on a certain day, to receive his
resignation.

The Duke waited upon him at the time appointed,
and his Royal Highness informed him that he wiis de-
sirous to resign the office into his Grace's hands, and to

*«' '.

Skct. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

867

110 other. The Duke said he hoped he would let him
have it in writing. " By all means :" and ringing for
Spencer, he said, " Sit down and write that ' I this
day resign my commission as Lord High Admiral of
England into the hands of his Grace the Duke of Wel-
lington.' " He then signed it, and delivered it to the
Duke, who put it into his pocket, and took leave. But
his Royal Highness followed him towards the door,
and holding out his hand to him said, " Though the
Lord High Admiral and the Prime Minister may differ
in matters of policy, the Duke of Clarence and the Duke
of Wellington nmst ever he friends. God bless you ! "
This happy expression of kindly feeling occurred
while Spencer was in the room, who told it to me ;
adding, moreover, that the Duke of Clarence had con-
sidered himself to have been placed in a flUse position ;
that his situation being precisely that of James, Duke
of York, who was made Lord High Admiral by his
hrotlier, Charles IL, he, the Duke of Clarence, on
receiving the same appoiiifnient, and from similai-
anthority, ought to have been invested with precisely
the same powers. And Captain Spencer added, "I am
not sure that it was not my father who tirst put that
notion into his head." Now I find, on looking at the
instructions, or patent, given by Charles to his Lord
Ilifili Admiral, James had no more powers — perhaps
less — than William ; and that the material difference
was, tlat instead of a fixed council, a certain number,
more or less, of pri\ y councillors, officers of state, were
occasionally called in — that the King (whether Charles
or James), on any important point of naval service,
presided, and signed the orders ; while, in presence
'•f the sovereign, the Lord High Admiral's name was

■h .

1. '

368

THE LORD HIGH ADMIUAL.

I 'm'

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If, .

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[Sect. Vlf.

registered merely at the head of those of the groat
officers of state present; and the entry of all such meet-
ings bears date at Whitehall. It was a mistake tlieii
to suppose the authority of William to have been less
than that of James ; who, however, had or assumed the
power of deputing his authority while absent at sea:
thus, Prince Kupert and the Duke of Albemarle had
deputations to act as Lord High Admirals at London,
in the Duke's absence.

But it was whispered that the Duke of Clarence was
dissatisfied with his council, which was turned over from
the preceding ]5oard, without any consultation with
him. I cannot believe anything of the kind ; it was so
decided that they should remain; he was told so, and
did not object. He had full power and authority, bv
his patent, " to give, grant, and di.spose of all offices,
places, and em])loyments belonging to the Navy or the
Admiralty ; he knew, and he exercised, that power — for,
on the first dav he entered the Board-room, he noini-
iiated, from the chair, the late Commissioners, then ])re-
sent, to be his council, and his two secretaries, by iiaiiic.
By his patent he was allowed two officers well skilled
in maritime affairs, or a number not exceeding four, to
be paid such fees, as by writ of privy council shall be
directed.

He might perhaps dislike the principle, but no reason-
able objection could be entertained to the Board as then
constituted, which was unexceptionable in all and every
individual : these were Sir W. J. Hope, Sir Georjic
Cockburn, Sir H. Hotham, Hon. W. K. Douglas, W.
J. Denison. But I am rather inclined to think, that
the restrictions by law, by orders in council, and by
established regulations, which daily opposed the grati-

StCT. \'il.]

THE AOMIILVLTY.

869

ficatifMi of liis wishes to serve the numerous iKifortu-
iiate petitioners, who were apt to think his powers
uiiHinited, disturbed his traiupiillity ; while the many
refusals he had to make might lessen, in his own
estimation, the dignity and importance of the office.
For I must declare that, after a daily intercourse of
fiiU'on or sixteen months, I never met with a more
kiiul-hearted num, moi;e benevolent, or more de-
sirous of relieving distress, than William, Duke of
Clarence. I should be most ungrateful if I did not,
on every fitting occaij'on, »jlcclare my opinion in this
respect.

On the evening of his (putting the Admiralty for the
last time, he sent for me into his room, to take leave —
thanked me ft)r the service, \ic\ was pleased to say, I
liad rendered to him, and, he woidd add, to the public ;
said he had ordered a silver inkstand to be made for
1110, with his arms and initials upon it, as a small testi-
monial of his esteem and regard ; and he hoped that,
whenever I could make it convenient, I would come to
Bushey, where the Duchess would be equally glad to
see ine.

Shortly after his departure, I received a letter from
Mr. Iloldsworth, governor of Dartmouth, in which he
expressed a wish that I would take an opportunity of
conveying to their Royal Highnesses the great delight
of his family, and of the inhabitants of Dartmouth,
witli the kind courtesy and condescension they met
with (luring their short visit. The return of this letter,
which I sent to the Duke, was accompanied with the
following : —

)osed the grati-

2 n

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870

KING WILLIAM IV.

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[Sect. VII.

" liuslify-IIouso, October IGtIi, 1H28.

" Dear Sir,

" In answer to yours of yesterday, and its en-
closure from Mr. Holdsworth, which I return, I have to
express the Duchess's thanks to you for showing her that
gentleman's letter ; she, as well as myself, can never
forget Mr. Holdsworth or the good people of Dartmoutli.

" I look upon you as a tridy honest man ; and may,
therefore, observe we live in a strange and wicked
world. Neither you nor I had fair play. I shall
always esteem you; and if all I had, whilst at the
Admiralty, to deal wilh, had been like yourselt) we
should both have been there now.

" God bless you, and ever believe me

" Your's most truly,

" William."

I am completely at a loss to conjecture what his
Iloyal Highness could mean by not having had lair
play. I can honestly say I never had a grievance of
any kind or a complaint to make against the Board of
Admiralty collectively or individually ; nor am I aware
to what the Duke could have alluded with regard to
those " he had to deal with." That there was some-
thing on his mind to make him uncomfortable I can-
not doubt ; I firmly believe that all the members of
the Board were desirous of pleasing him: he must
refer to higher quarters, and to those he had to deal
with at Windsor. For myself) I had abundant proofs of
the sincerity of his friendship, which was manifested on
all occasions, not only after he left the Admiralty, but
from the time he ascended the throne, in June, 1830,
to his demise, in June, 1837, when he had reigned just

Sect. VI I. J

TIIK AUMIUALTY.

871

sivtii years. In all the dinners ^iven to public bodies
—the Directors of* the East India Company, Corpora-
tlDii of the Trinity House, the ofKeers of (jovernnient,
and on special occasions — 1 had a card of coni-
iiiaiid. IJeing still in ofKce, these may perhaps be con-
sidered as ofKcial, and of course ; but it was not so.
Aiiionf? many tokens of the friendship and rej^ard with
which 1 was honoured, the following, "unsolicited, and
probably unexpected " (as Sir llobert Peel most cor-
rectly calls it), carries with it a distinctive mark of
the King's feeling, which his Majesty was pleased, iu
person, to express to me, with the most cordial con-
firatnlations.

In my way to New Street chapel, a messenger put
into my hand a letter, of which the following is a
copy:—

" Wliitdiall Gardens, Feb. 1, 1835.
" My dear Sir,

" I have had the great satisfaction of proposing
to the King to confer upon you the distinction of a
baronet, and of receiving from his Majesty the most
cordial approbation of my j)roposal.

" The value of such a distinction depends mainly
upon the grounds on which it is offered, and I cannot
help flattering myself that an unsolicited, and probably
iiiiex])ccted, honour conferred upon you by the King,
oil the double ground of eminence in the pursuits of
science and literature, and of long, most able, and most
taithful public service, will have, in the eyes of your-
selfi your family, and your }X)sterity, a value which
never can attach to much higher, when unmerited, dis-
tinctions. " Believe me, my dear Sir,

" Most faithfully yours,
(Signed) " Robkut Peel."

,2 n 2

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'^■■^

372

KING WILLIAM IV.

LSkct. VII.

The King, in his reply to Sir llobcrt Peel, express-
ing approbation, says, —

" And no one can admit more strongly than docs
his Majesty the claims, literary and scientific, iiiui
official, which are united in the person of his highly-
esteemed friend Mr. Barrow.

(Signed) " William IV

On the perusal of this letter I was so taken Iiy
surprise and so overcome by the announcement of an
event, that had never for a moment entered into my
thoughts, that I read it again, and could only conclude
that it must have been meant for some other person.
I read it a third time, and endeavoured to persuade
myself it was, somehow or other, a mistake ; and yet
the marks of authenticity and intention were too
strong to be resisted. On the .same morning my friend
Mr. Croker called on me, I showed him the letter— lie
congratulated me ; I asked him on what? "My im-
pression is to go to Sir Robert Peel, to implore him to
allow me to forego the honour he has so kindly in-
tended for me, stating to him as a reason, my nume-
rous family of children and grandchildren, and my
limited means." lie stopped me short by asking, " Are
you mad? Are you prepared to fly in the face of the
Prime Minister, who has kindly and considerately pro-
posed the honour, and of the King, who has not only
approved of it, but has accompanied that approval with
a high compliment? Go to Sir Robert Peel iunne-
diately, return thanks for (he honour he has conferred
on you, and to the King on the first levee-day." I
resolved, somewhat reluctantly, to take his advice, and to
dismiss from my mind all thoughts of the consequences,

SfXT. VII.J

Tllli ADMIRALTY.

373

Not but that my reasons were strong in favour of my
tlrst impression. A title without the means of properly
siipj)orting it, is no desirable aecpiisition. The small
estate I ])()ssessed I had sold, on the death of my agent,
which if still kept might have caused me more trouble
tlian profit. Its produce, added to that of my literary
labours, and the sr/, Ings out of a forty years' salary, it
had been my intention to distribute at my death among
my children, reserving to my widow a decent mainte-
nance during her lifetime — of v.hich, as an affectionate
wife and mother, and a careful manager of her hus-
band's domestic concerns, she is most justly deserving.

On the 11th of October in the same year (1835),
being the anniversary of the battle of Caniperdown,
and falling this year on a Sunday, the King and Queen
attended divine service in the chapel of Greenwich
Hospital, on which occasion a few naval officers and
civilians were commanded to be present, and among
others I had the honour to be ordered to attend, and to
(line at St. James's Palace. The IJishop of Hereford
(Dr. (Irey) was appointed to preach a sermon, which he
(lid — and, though a son of his was at the time lying a
corpse, he would not excuse himself. The Queen, with a
lew ladies, joined the dinner party, and when the Queen
was about to retire, the King desired that the ladies
would stay, as he had something to say on this occasion,
that would bring to the recollection of the naval officers
then present the battles that their predecessors and
brother officers had fought and won — battles worthy of
record, as proving that the naval history of this country
had not been neglected or forgotten by succeeding
generations.

All being attentive, his Majesty began with noticing

■■f:J-

374

KING WILLIAM IV.

[Sect. VII

•I *'■

^i:];

: I- ( <

■:'if

. u i

the first invasion of Britain by Julius Caesar — which
he said must have proved to the natives the necessity
of a naval force to prevent and repel foreign invasion.
From that period he passed on rapidly to the landing
of the Danes and northern nations on our coasts, till he
came down to more recent times, when the navy of
Great Britain had become great and victorious — from
the davs of Elizabeth to William III., and thence to
our own times ; and it was remarked by the officers
present, how correctly he gave the details of the groat
actions fought in the course of the last and present
centuries. I believe, however, that the Queen and the
ladies were not displeased to be released; and the
King and his guests soon followed them.

When in the drawing-room the King beckoned to
me, and said, " Barrow, I think— nay, I am sure— I
omitted one general action ; and you must know it."
I assured him I was not aware of it. He said, " I fear
I forgot to mention the name of Anson, and the aetioii
he fought off Cape Finisterre : I am not sure I know
the details correctly ; pray send me an account of it
to-morrow." lie added, " iVnson was a good man, and
knew his business well ; though not brilliant, he wns an
excellent First Lord — improved the build of our ships,
made more good officers, and brought others forward,
in the se^'en years' war, than any of his predecessors had
done. ITowe, Keppel, Saunders, and many others,
were of his making." *

* I have mentioned this drawing-room colloquy in a note to the
preface of my 'Life of George Lord Anson,' which was pu'oliskd
two years afterwards ; which ' Life,' I am pretty certain, aliiKwt
to conviction, was undertaken in consequence of being reniiiMltd "I
him then, and of having refreshed my memory in making out tlit'
details of the noble lord's action for ids Majesty, as directed.

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

375

loii)'? renuiulc'tl

111 the spring of 1837 his Majesty was seized with
his old complaint the hay-fever, which in that season
lie rarely escaped : but, about the middle of May
ill that year, a most distressing complaint of the heart
caused great alarm, and from this time he gradually
got worse, his breathing became difficult, and about the
middle of June the disease had made such progress that
Sir II. lialford and Dr. Chambers had no hopes of his
recovery, and on the 20tli of that month he expired in
a gentle sl'^ep, resting on the Queen's arm ; this most
amiable lady having, for the previous month, scarcely
ever left his bedside, depriving herself of all manner of
rest or repose ; the r.ieekness and calmness she strove
to keep up were the admiration of all, while sorrow was
preying on her heart.

There is a narrative (printed in the Annual Register
for 1837), dated Bushey-IIouse, the 14th of July — the
production of the Ilev. Mr. Wood — detailing in an in-
teresting and most aftecting manner the few last days of
the King's illness. His patience and cheerfulness — his
avowal of gratitude to the Almighty Tower, for having
sustained him through much suffering — is beautifully
expres'icd. Four days before his death, he observed
to the Queen, " I have had some quiet sleep ; come and
pray with me, and thank the Almighty for it." She
asked him if it would be agreeable she should read the
prayers to him ; his Majesty replied, " O yes, I should
like it very much ; but it will fatigue you." Even in the
midst of )iis suffering his benevolent disposition never
forsook hun. " The poor Eton boys," he said, " will
miss me at their regatta : Queen, I wish you to go."
Then he said, " What a disappointment it will be to
the public that none of the Royal Family will be pre-

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I ijs'i' r>

376

KING WILLIAM IV.

[Skct. VII.

sent at the Ascot races ! — you must appear on the
course." The Queen appeared to consent, but d'^^^^er-
mined not to leave him.

A few days before his death the Archbishop of Can-
terbury was sent for, at his request, and his Grace
declared that " to witness the calmness and patience,
under the most oppressive sufferings, was most C(hty-
ing; and observed how thankful he was to the Al-
mighty, for any alleviation of his pain." He received
the sacrament; and his Grace expresses the pleasure
he derived from v/itnessing the devotion his Alajesty
paid to his religious duties on three different occa-
sions. T\vo days before his death he said to Dr.
Chambers, " This is the last day I shall see the sun
go down." The day previous, as the attendant? were
assisting to dress and support him, he said in a most
aff'ectionate manner, " God bless you all !"

He signed official papers to the very last day; three or
four were brought to him on that day, one of which was
a free pardon to a crimiiial. " Thus," says the narra-
tive, " the closing scene of his life was beautiliilly and
practically cxenipliffed by an act of mercy — that spirit
of benevolence and forgiveness which shone with sncli
peculiar lustre in his Majesty's character, and was so
strongly reflected in the uniform tenor of his reign,
Thus," says the writer, "expired, in the seventy-third
year of his age, in firm relifince on the merits of his
Redeemer, King William IV., a just and upright king,
a forgiving enemy, a sincere friend, and a most gracious
and indulgent nuister."

In all of which, from the frequent experience I had
of bis iiindness and benevolence, I most cordially agree;
and his good feelings were not displayed merely on

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

377

great and important occasions, but in matters of small
moment, one of which I cannot forbear to mention.

Among the numerous instances of benevolent feeling
that myself and family experien3ed at the hands of
his Majesty, I may here be allowed, in a memoir
that is avowedly personal, to mention a little trait tbn,t
could not fail to make a due impression on myself,
my wife, and children. It unfortunately happened that
Lady Barrow had been confined to the house almost
from the accession of his Majesty, and of course
had never been at court. Her complaint was some-
what singular. Being one evening at the theatre, in
Coutts's box, she was half-dozing in the corner close to
the stage, and in the course of the pantomime a firing
took place close to her. Though much startled at the
time, she thought no more of it till the following morn-
ing;, when a violent pain came on — the muscles of her
neck were sprained, and so remained for some years ;
hut, under the advice of Sir Benjamin Brodie, they
gradually recovered their tone. The first visit she
thought it her duty to make was to the Queen's drawing-
room, and accordingly she sent her card, as usual, to the
Chauiberlain's office. The day before was the levee,
when the King stopped Sir George Staunton and said
to him, with an expression of great delight, " Sir
George, your friend Lady Barrow is coming hero to-
morrow: I am very glad of it." And certainly the
way in which he received her was more like that of a
parent embracing a daughter than the King one of his
hmnble subjects ; he called her back to express the
great pleasure he felt to see her once more able to enjoy
the society of her friends.

TriHing as this may appear to one unconcerned, it
made an impression on our mind'i never to be forgotten.

I !

■•■'■'^sssammuism

mi .

i» .

378

KING WILLIAM IV,

[Skct. VII.

Indeed, from all that I have experienced of the clui-
racter of his Royal Highness, from the time of his
appointment as Lord High Admiral (the first know-
ledge I had of him) to the day of his death (in
1837), when sovereign of these realms (dnring wliidi
time he was })leased to honour me and my family with
marked attention), I can honestly say that, after vcrv
many opportunities of witnessing his kind-hearted and
generous reception of all who had claims to prefer on
account of their services or misfortunes, I rarely know
of any one sent away dissatisfied with the maimer in
which he had been received, how nmch soever disap-
pointed; and that is saying a great deal for a First
Lord of the Admiralty, every one of whom I have
heard to declare, that the day appointed to receive
naval officers might be looked upon as one marked with
a black stone — as a day of misery ; being obliged to
listen to so many tales of distress, without the power of
relieving them. But the expression of kind feeling does
nuieh to soflen the bitterness of disap})ointment, and is,
I believe, seldom withheld.

I am aware that many stories were at one time afloat
about the rude and uncourteous demeanour of the Duke
of Clarence. It may have been so in the early })art of
his life, considering the vicious education that a yoiitli,
at that time, was likelv to receive in common with his
companions of the cockpit, which was not always imu li
iinj)roved by a ste]) to the quarter-deck. It is possihle
that his Royal Highness may have brought with liiiu
on shore some portion of such rude qualifications. Ihit,
be that as it may, it is well und'rstood, that froin the
date of his niarriage with the amiable Princess Adelaide
(now the Queen Dowager), the meekness of her dis-
position, and the suavity of her maimers, produced the

.l*j.j'',i ■'.

Skct. VII,]

THE ADMIRALTY,

379

best possible effects on her husband. And I may add,
that no one was more conscious than was his Royal
Highness of the very defective system of education in a
bhip of war; and he often spoke to, me concerning the
method to be adopted for its improvement, which I
know he would have followed up, had he remained
longer in the Admiralty.

This improvement was in fact shortly after instituted,
when the general taste for education began to spread
through all classes of society. The introduction of
suitable books into the navy, to form what is called the
Seamen's Library, was the first step ; this was followed
by the appointment of well-qualified instructors to all
ships of the line and frigates, mostly chaplains or young
men from college : so tl at officers now, while in pursuit of
their })rofessional studies, may at the same time acquire
or keep up a knowledge of the classics and mathe-
matics ; and seamen's schoolmasters were appointed to
all ships, for the instruction of the crews. The result
has been, not only that the improvement of the officers
of the British navy is most conspicuous in point of
knowledge, but the seamen also in propriety of conduct,
and decency of manners, within the last twenty or
thirty years, so as to keep pace with that progress
among the civil classes of society, which the general
system of education has had the effect of producing.

How very different was the condition of the Officers
nf the Navy when Prince William Henry was sent on
board the ' Prince George,' at the age of thirteen ! — for
sent he M'as ; the good old King declaring that his son
Henry should work his way to promotion from a
midshipman, in the same routine as the most friendless
youngster in the fleet. I^e served under Lord Keith,

\ i

380

KING WILLIAM IV.

[Skct. VII.

Lord Hood, and Lord Nelson, and was engaged in
several actions. When Don Juan de Langara was
brought a prisoner on board the ' Prince George,' and
was told that a smart young midshipman, whom he had
observed vc^ry active on his duty at the gangway, was a
prince of the blood, a son of King George III. — " Well,"
he said, " may England be mistress of the sea, when
the son of her King is thus engaged in her Navy."

The extraordinary difference — I may venture to call
it improvement — that has tv ken place in the condition
of naval cadets, midshipmen, mates, or by whatever
name these young non-commissioned officers may have
been designated, is very remarkable, compared with
that in the days of his Royal Highness. The number
of youngsters — many of them sons of the first families—
who were in II. M. S. ' Lion,' on her voyage to China
with Lord Macartney, had no comforts, nmch less
luxuries, at their mess-table. Of this I had personal
experience, as Lord Mark Kerr, Lord William Stuart,
and two or three others of that ship were not satis-
fied if I did iiot sometimes descend to the bottom of the
ship, on Saturday evenings, to drink to " sweethearts
and wives." A bit of cold salt beef and biscuit, with a
can of grog, was frequently their repast; the only liiiht
a tallow candle, stuck in the neck of a black-bottle, and
a parcel of chests serving for seats: the scantiness of
their meal was owing to our having no comnmnication
with any land on the homeward voyage, except St.
Helena, which had nothing to spare ; yet these young
gentlemen made no complaint, but all were as cheerful
and happy as mortals could be. Two thund)ed and torn
books constituted their library: 'Robinson Crusoe'
and ' Roderick Random ;' and they had not the benefit

: «

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIUALTY.

881

of cither chaplain or naval instructor ; two of these
youngsters mentioned, when in command, were not in-
ferior to the best officers in the service.

From forty to fifty years after this, I visited the
iiiidsliipnien's berths in several ships of war. I found
thein comfortably and neatly fitted up, a display of
good earthenware and table utensils, and also a small
service of plate ; a library of books for information or
amiiseinent; generally a chaplain, and alwa^'s a naval
instructor, and sometimes both. These, however, were
ships in harbour : but the foundation was here laid for
a comfbrtLjle mess at sea.

I liave men';ioned the kind and friendly disposition
of the Lord High Admiral— indeed, I am not aware of
his ever having given offence to any one — and he was
particularly attentive to naval officers. Once, however,
after he came to the throne, I was not a little mortified
to witness a severe reproof-giving, in a full levee-
moiu, to a distinguished flag-officer and most amiable
and sensitive nobleman — Admiral Lord de Saumarez.
Sir Richard Keats was a })articular and early friend
and flivourite of King William, who, on his death.,
decided on distinguishing his funeral by inviting a
great number of naval officers, and six flag-officers to
bear the pall, one of whom was Lord de Saumarez.
From some cause or other he failed to attend. On
the first levee day that his Lordship made his appear-
ance at Court, the King upbraided him before the
wliolc assembly; and connected the name of Keats
with that of De Saumarez in such a way, as to wound
his sensitive mind far more deeply than the reproof for
his absence. I was waiting in the lobby when his
Lordsliip came down and approaching me in tears,
told nie how he had been treated, and said he should

•f*-

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■ , !

■r;.. .„

I't

'» ^ •

382

KING WILLIAM IV.

[Sect. VI 1.

never recover it ; that the King would not listen to his
excuse, which was a valid one. I observed to liim
that the Duke of Clarence, when at the Admiralty,
was occasionally thrown off his guard and hasty, but
was soon pacified ; and my advice to him would be, to
ask, the following morning, for an audience, and to re-
quest him to accept your apology, and permit you to
explain. He did so ; and was quite delighted with
the manner in which he was received.

I suspect the King had incautiously let a word diop
of how nmch he, of all others, owed to Keats; which,
to a mind so sensitive as that of De Saumarez, woiikl
wound him deeply; though the service which he
supposed to have been alluded to, was that in which
8ir James Saumarez and Sir llichard Keats had been
employed, and not a shadow of blame ever existed:
on the contrary Keats, the junior officer, not oidy said,
but put in print: — "The reception I met with was
certainly of the most flattering kind. Sir James
Sauuiarez received me himself at the gangway, and
said aloud, ' That he could not find language to exj)rcss
his sense of the services I had rendered my country
last night.' "

The service alluded to is one of a most extra-
ordinary nature. On the 12th July, Sir James Saumarez
weighed from Gibraltar with five sail of the line, one
frigate, a sloop, and a brig. The enemy (Spanish)
consisted of ten sail of the line and five frigates.
Saumarez commanded the 'Cajsar,' and Keats tin
* Superb.' The wind being strong and variable, the
squadron separated before midnight; the "Ca!sar"
only could be seen from the ' Superb ' indistinctly,
about four miles astern. Keats observed to the first
and second gunners that, " having been in action with

Sect. VII.]

THE ADMIRALTY,

383

the enemy by night, I predicted to them that which
precisely/ took place — that the Spaniards would blow
up: and that we should have more to apprehend from
our own carelessness of powder, than from any efforts
of the enemy."

The ' Superb ' had been ordered to go a-head, and
had outsailed the 'Civsar.' Coming up with the first
Spanish ship, the ' Superb ' stood between her and the
Sj)aiiish shore, and when he srot on her beam it was
perceived that she was a three-decker, and had two ships
marly on a range with her on her larboard side. The
' Ca'sar' was now lost sight of. To our first broadside
"we were much surprised to receive no return of fire;
aiul the more so, when the other ship, towards which she
was sheering, opened her fire seemingly into the ship
the 'Superb' had fired into. This unfortunate ship,"
adds Keats, " now sheered back again towards us, and
fired, but more on the larboard than the starboard
side; and in this situation received a second broadside
from us. Confusion now seemed general among all of
them ; for they now began firing in various situations
and directions, and evidently at each other. The third
broadside had not, I believe, been all discharged from
us, when our opponent was evidently on fire. We
teased to molest him."

Afler this it was deemed necessary to sheer farther
from her ; and it is coolly said, that the ' Superb's '
people availed themselves of the leisure which the oppor-
tunity afforded to splice and knot some of the rigging
that had been shot away. The unfortunate ship on fire
continued to run for ten minutes or so, then came
?nddeiily — flew, as it were — to the wind, near some
other of the enemy's ships ; " and this must have been

'.tli

n-iU I

ii' '

i '.I

" l^¥ s

"'il!!

I'.i

* ,

^'>''M

884

KING WILLIAM IV.

[Sect. VH.

the moment when the other first-rate got on board her ;
the night was dark and stormy, and it may readily be
supposed what was the fate of the second unfortiuiatc
three-decker.

"Whilst it was still dark," says Sir Richard Kc.its,
" our attention was called to loud shrieks and cries of
distress to windward, and presently a Spanish launch,
filled with men, nearly all quite naked, came alongside,
and scrambled into the ship. Attracted by the soii-
tincl's light at my cabin door they huddled alt together,
threw themselves on their knees, and with nplifted
hands besought our protection ; or, in an act of devo-
tion, were returning thaidvs to their Creator for their
deliverance. We then learned that the launch be-
longed to the 'Real Carlos,' into which all that could, ;is
well from that ship as the ' San Ilermanegildo,' threw
themselves to escape from the cjuflagration (for both
were on fire)." It was found that they had received on
board the ' Superb ' a second captain and eighteen
men of the 'Ileal Carlos,' and an ensign and nineteen
men of the 'San Ilermanegildo.'

Some spirits were given to them ; the men ^verc sup-
plied with slop-clothing, the officers re-clothcd, and
Keats held it explained to them " that as, in their
distress, they had sought our protection, I could venture
to assure them that our Admiral woulu not consider
any of them as prisoners ;" and they were not treated
as such during the time they remained on board the
' Superb.' As none of them could speak either Freiuli
or English intelligibly, and as the ' Superb ' was not
very well off for Spanish interpreters, Sir R. Keats says,
possibly the infornuition they obtained from them may
not, in all its parts, be thoroughly correct. It states—

Srrr. VII.

THE ADMIUAI/rv.

3Su

n\ and niiiekcii

"That tlicy considered tlieniselves as secure from
any attack that night. That some suspicion, as the
'Superb' apju-oached, arose on hoard the «l?/al
Carlos:' for, on counting their srpiadron, they reckoned
one more than their number ; that a report was made,
liiit was disregarded by tlie Captain, wlio, v'tli several of
the officers, were still at the table smoking after supi)er.
That the Ca})tain with some other officers were killed
or wounded by the ' Sni)crb's ' first broadside in the
cabin, from which none of them moved till the ' Su-
per!)' fired. That, regarding her destruction, it was
said her fore-topmast was shot away the first broadside ;
and being almost inunediately fired into by a ship on
their larboard side also, their confusion was very
great: and in firing, which they did from both sides,
die fore-topsail, which was hanging down, caught fire,
and occasioned the conflagration."

The ship that fired into them was speedily in a blaze,
'vhicii their ship thought to be the English Admiral ;
and it was said fore and nil, "The English Admiral is
on fire ; let us go under his stern, and send 'em all to
hell together;" and they believe that in that effort
they ran foul of the ship on fire, and thus occasioned
their own melancholy fate.*

The 'Ca'sar' joined about one o'clock, and the
s(iua(lron got back to Gibraltar about three in the

morning.

* This narrative is briefly extracted from one drawn up by Sir
R. Keats at the request of Mr. Ben. Tucker.

i^;

' * ■ •

A.t ;■■-

■ I * .

t,M

l-i

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... >■! •

■ '.I

J ■ .

886

liOHElJT, VISCOUNT MELVir.Li;.

[Slct, Mil

Section VIII.
llouKRT, Viscount Melville.

SECOND AD.MINISTIIATION.
Si'pt. 19, 1828 — Nov. 25, 1830.

Atlin. Ut. Hon. Sir G. Cockuuiin. . .First Naval Lord,
llijjiit lion. .1. W. CuoKKii First Secretary.

As Lord Melville's rosifiiiation had opened the door
for the introduction of his Royal Highness the Duko ot
Clnrence into the hij;h and conspicuous situation ot'
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of (ircat
Britain and Ireland, so the retirement of the Duke
afforded the op])ortunity of Lord Melville heiiiir, a
second time, called upon to assume the place of First
Lord of the Admiralty. His patent Mas dated the IDtli
Septemher, 1H2S, and continued in force till the :2')tli
November, IS.'iO, when he was suj)erseded by Sir
James (irahani ; the Duke of Wellington's govern-
ment having given way to that of the Earl Clri^y.

Nothing particular ha])])ened during the two years
that Lord Melville's second presidency contiiuied over
the affairs of the Admiralty. Visitations of the Dock-
Yards, and a few changes in the system of their niaiiafre-
ment, with some ])arti.al retrenchments, took j)lac(", but
no warlike preparations were undertaken in these two
years — peace prevailed both at home and abroad. Tlic
Admiralty, however, in this period of inactivity, was

Skct. \ III.

Tin; ADMIlfAI/lY.

;j87

iifiton s Si'ovcn

Inset with projectors of all (Icscriptioiis. Stcain-vcsscls
vtre fast increasing' in iiiiiiiber, sonic for puMic {iiicl
(itlu'rs lor private purposes; and all the };(ar ajjixr-
t;iiiiiiii? to til -ni, the cnt:,incs themselves, the hoilcrs, the
iiKide of placinj; them, the pjiddle-wheels, the ])ad(llc-
lioxes, various kinds of propellers - all of them had a
multitude ot proji'ctors, a class of persons who arc never
satislied, if each of their individual ])rojccts he not })rac-
tiially put to the test, however obvious it may he to a
disinterested person, capable of t^iving a sound opinion,
that the invention, as it is called, is bad in principle
and worthless in design. To avoid the enormous ex-
ptiisc that would be incurred by subnutting these
|in»je('ts to the test of experiment, the inventors were
now gener;illy given to undcrstiind, that facilities would
bcaHbrded in thi' Dock-Yards tor preparing and trying
their crotchets, but oidy at their own expense, and that
a limited time would be allowed, vvheu they must be
removed at their own cost ; which liad the good effect
ot reducing the nund)er of useless projects.

Then the dry-rot doctors, with their numerous
imstrmus, were the most pertinacious of all, and their
various j>rojects to exjjcl the disease innumerable. All
tiie mineral acids and the mineral substances, solutions
()t'c(,))per, iron, zinc, lead, were j)roposed, in which the
wood already diseased, or to ])revent disease, was to be
steeped. Some of our wise men in the Dock- Yards
took it into their heads that steeping loads of timber
ill the sea would cure or prevent the dry-rot — the
iiicdiuni in which the shi])s themselves would perma-
iiiiitly be soaked ; others would i^tcam out the enemy,
and others again kde it out ; as many different
opinions were pronounced as to the nature of the

2 c 2

388

IJOHEItT, VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Sect. VIII.

.:T-4,:

i> -

' I »

disease or the cause of it. For a long time the dry-
rot was a fungus, and their whole artillery was levelled
at the nuishrooni, and thus the disease was to he cured
at the expense of the material, in which it was suj)-
posed to he lodged. We arc at length hecomc as wise
as our forefathers, and have learned, that the hest and
only preservative of timher, is to fell it at a proper
time, when the sap is at rest and hardened in the
wood ; and then, to let it undergo a long and gradual
dry-seasoning.

But Lord Melville was ever anxious to patronize any
project decidedly advantageous to the Navy. In faet,
it is to him that we owe the lirst introduction of the
a})plication of steam, as a locomotive power, to the ships
of the Navy. So early as the year 1815 he directed
the Navy lioard to cause a sloop to he huilt of the
name of 'Congo,' and to order a steam-engine suitable
for her from Bolton i id Watt, to he used as a trial
in a 3hip of war. When ready, early in the followiiiii
year, the engine was ordered to he sent to Plymouth,
where it might be useful for pumping water. The
' Congo' was ordered to be fitted up as a sailing-
vessel, to be commanded by Ca})tain Tucker on his
intended expedition to explore the Afi-ican river of that
name.

What objections may have occasioned this change
I forget, but while this was going on, the ingeiiions
Brunei took uj) the question of steam-navigation;
stated all the difficulties that occurred to him — one
of which was the external fitting, or propelling ap-
paratus, and he undertook to obviate this ohjcctioii
by a practical experiment. There had been a steam
vessel built a couple of years before, called the

Sl'CT. VIII.]

TIIK ADMIIJALTY.

;3H9

steaiu-iiavigation ;

' Regent,' I believe by a private individual, and pur-
chased as a packet to run from Margate to London.
He says, "On tbe 9th July, 18 IG, the 'Regent' lefb
Margate with a strong gale of wind blowing right
a-liead, and against a very strong tide. When out at
soa the gale increased very much, and the sea broke
over the vessel for several hours. The covering of the
wheels was stove in ; they, however, received no injury,
though they were now and then overwhelmed. The
steani-engino yielding gradually, and for a moment, to
u greater power, was soon in action again."

Lord Melville, in reply to Mr. l^runel's encouraging
letter, says, "That the Board deem it unnecessary to
inter, at present, into the consideration of the question,
as to how far the power of the steam-engine may be
made applicable to the general purposes of navigation ;
Itiit as it would be attended with material advantage to
his Majesty's service, if it could be used for tbe pur-
pose of towing ships of war out of harbour, in the
Thames or Medway, and at l\)rtsmouth and Plymouth,
when they v/ould be prevented from sailing by con-
trary winds, desire him to submit his ideas on that
part of the subject, if it appears to him to be prac-
ticable." To this Mr. Brunei answers, by recommend-
ing that, as this is a practical experiment, the 'Regent'
(laid up for the winter) should be employed under the
direction of some competent person. The trial was
liade; and from this period maybe dated the iiitro-
fhiction of steam-navigation into the English Navy.

Lord Melville was now so fully convinced of the great
utility, which the naval service would derive from the
application of steam as a proj)elling power, that he
ordered a small vessel to be built at Deptfbrd, by Mr.

390

ItOBKIlT, VISCOUNT MKLVILLE.

[Sl'CT. VIII.

if- '■

f; '1-

-(•^. ..

■ , 1 ' St

'!■' .

Oliver Lang, to be called the ' Comet,' of the burtluii
of 238 tons, and to have engines of eighty horse poMor.
She was built accordingly, anci ready for sea in 1822;
and this little ship has been usefully and constantly
employed ever since, and no complaint made either of
the hull, the engines, or the paddle-wheels: and she is
at this moment always ready for service at the shurtost
notice.

About this time Lord Stanhope, with his coadjutor
Fulton, were dabbling in trials to make boats move hv
steam; and the latter set oft' for Scotland on learning
that a boat on the Forth and Clyde Canal was navi-
gated by wheels, the impelling force being that of
steam, and constructed by one Symington, an assistant
to Patrick Miller, of Dalswinton ; who, in 1/87, liad
published his account of working canal boats by wheels
and cranks: and wherein he observes, "1 have reason
to believe, that the power of the steam-engine may be
applied to work the wheels."

But the fact is, that neither Lord Stanhope, nor
Fulton, uor the American Livingstone, nor Patrick
Miller, or his assistant Symington, have the least elaiiii
of priority to the application of steam and wheels llir
propelling vessels through the water. Long before any
of these had concerned themselves, there was printed in
London a small volume, bearing date 1/37, under the
following title: — 'Description and Draught of a new-
invented Machine for carrying vessels or ships out of
or into any narlxmr, port, or river, against wind or tide,
or in a calm ; for which his Majesty (leorge II. has
granted letters patent for tlie benefit of the Author I'nr
the sj)ace of fom-teen years, liy Jonathan Hulls.'

Frefixed to this little book is the " Draught " of a

Skct. VIII.]

TIIK ADMIRALTY.

391

stout boat with a chimney, as at present (smoking),
paddle-wheels on each side not far from the stern, and
ti-oiu the stern is a tow-line fixed to the foremast of
a large three-masted ship, which the steam-boat is
towing through the water. There can be no doubt,
then, that Jonathan Ihills is the real inventor of the
deaiii-boat. But how happens it that nothing n)ore
appears to have been heard of this valuable invention ?
The ignorance of the time is not a sufficient ex-
planation. kSome of our engineers of the present day
attempt to explain it by assuming that, though the
happy thought which produced the invention is no<: to
be questioned, yet it is probable enough that the boat
and the ship in tow, as we see them in the print, ex-
isted only on the ])a])er ; and that Jonatlian Hulls
had not the means himselfj or the support of others, or
could not obtain that coulidence which a new invention
requires, and which alone would enable him to carry
his valuable and very remarkable invention into
practice.

IJut even the first discoverer, as we Englishmen
deem him to be, of the power of steam for moving
\veiglits, lifting water, &c., as well as of its locomotive
power, has, in later cimes, been a subject of doubt and
(lijjpute. Not only has the story of the Marquis of Wor-
cester, as told by himselti been called in question, but
the I'rench, even before his time, and M. Arago in our
own time, have claimed the discovery for another — one
iSaluuion de Caus, a celebrated engineer in the time
of Louis XII [.; to whom he dedicated a book pub-
lished in 1G15, entitled — 'An Account of Moving
Forces, with various Machines as well for Use as for
rieasure.' This work is undoubtedly prior, by nearly

.•V.

,.■1.

■ »

- 1'-

•692

UOBEUT, VISCOUiNT MELVILLK. [Skct. Vlll.

half a century, to Worcester's ' Century of Inventions,'
which was not published until 1663. This would prove
nothing against the Marquis's discovery, unless De
Cans has mentioned stcain among his " moving forces,"
of which I profess my ignorance, not having seen his
treatise. But the charge of the Marquis having leanit Ins
invention from De Caus himself is curious, and, if true,
as it appears to be, decides the question against him.

In an amusing French work, 'La France Ilis-
torique,' &c., &c., jnu' Jlenrl Bertlioud, I find a vcrv
curious and interesting letter, from Madame Marion
de rOrme to her husband the Marqvis de Ciiuj-^Mars,
in which she says, " I have done the xionours of Paris
to your English Lord the Marquis of Worcester. I
have led him — or rather he has led me — from one
curiosity to another : always making choice of the most
sad and the niost serious, speaking little and listening
with marked attention.

"We went to the Bicetre, where he pretends to lia\e
discovered in a madman a man of genius. ILid he
not been raving, I verily believe your Manpiis would
lave asked his liberty, to take him to Loiulou.
In crossing the court where mad j)eople are kept, more
dead than alive from fear, I observed, on the other side
of a strong barrier, an ugly face, screaming out — 'I
am not mad ! I have made a discov(!ry that would
enrich the country that should carry it into ell'eet."
' And what is his discovery ? ' I asked the keeper.
' Ah ! ' said he, ' you would never guess — it is the
vapour of boiling water. His name,' continued he, 'is
Salomon de Caus \ he came from Normandy, liji'i"
years ago, to present a memorial to the King of the
wonderful effect of steam for turning machinery,

'.• .

,I,K

Si:cT. Vlll.l

THE ADMIRALTY.

;}93

driving carriages, and a thousand other Mondcrful
things; but the Cardinal drove him away without
listening to him. From that time he has pursued the
Cardinal wherever he went, so that he ordered him to
1)0 shut up in the Bicctre as a madman, where he has
been three years and a half. lie has written a book on
his admirable discovery, which I have here.' Lord
Worcester is quite ravished with ^t; and after read-
ing a few pages, 'This person,' he said, 'is no mad-
man; and, in my country, instead of shutting him up,
they would heap up riches ujjon him : bring me to
him, I wish to question him.' lie was taken to him,
and returned sorrowful and ])ensive. ' At present,'
he said, 'he is very nuid ; misfortune and cnpt'vity have
for ever estranged his reason ; you have made him
mad — but when you threw him into this j)rison you
there buried the greatest genius of your age.' "

From this time, it is said, the Marquis of Worcester
never ceased talking of Salomon de Cans, and well he
might talk and think of this poor maniac if the story be
true. The writer of the letter, the person it is written
to, and the genius of whom it treats, were all well-
known characters of the time. De Cans was a dis-
tinguished engineer and architect, is known to have
been the author of several ingenious Morks ; one of
them is ' Les Kaisons des Fcn'ces Mou\antes, tvc.,' above
mentioned, which went through several editions, and was
published in several languages. He also jmblished four
or live other works, one of wiiich, entitled ' Institution
llarnionique,' he dedicated to Queen Anne of Eng-
land. The above letter, there can be little doubt, is
Ij^onuine. Marion de TOrme was a character Avell
known among the beaiw cttprits of Paris and the Court.

*:!.!

1^.

i .

i J.

■ If i " .

'■■■t- ^-

394

UOHKK'l', VISCOUNT MELVILLK.

LSkct. VIII,

She was supjmsed to have been j)riviitcly married h»
the Manjuis de Ciiiq Marti, but thought by some to be
his mistress. She was accounted a woman of p;roat
talent for wit, and was the friend and associate of the
celebrated Ninon. Arago asserts that De Cans \v;is
the first to discover the ])ower of steam ; any one,
even Tapin, with his dij/cster, was an inventor, accord-
ing to Arago, rather than aii Englishman. If De
rOrme's story be true, Worcester's story of the cover
of the cooking-pot being blown up the chimney is
indeed hloivn up, and nuist be considered as a roniaiiee.
We English, however, are inclined to believe what the
Manpiis has declared to be the fact; and that liis
assurance may be relied on, that "he desired not to set
down any other men's inventions;" and, moreover, that
" if he had, in any case, acted on them, to nominate
likewise the inventor." Here I leave it.

Not only the Board of Admiralty, but the Navy at
large, is indebted to the Viscount Melville, I'or his
appointment of that excellent olKcer, Ca})tain (now
Kear-Admiral) Beaufort, to the important situation
of Ilydrographer to the Admiralty. Captain llurtl
died in the year 1823, and a sufficiently ([ualiliKl
officer not being found to fill the vacant situation,
Lord Melville appointed Captain Parry twice, or,
I believe, a third time, as Acting Ilydrographer.
After the resignation of the Lord High Admiral,
when Lord Melville, for the second time, became
First L(jr(l, he deemed it highly expedient that this
important office should be ])ermanently filled np, ami
Avith the most (pialified officer that couhl be Uniiul.
Various applications were made and duly considered,
but no choice was fixed until 1829, when the can-

*< i

Sirr. VI 11.

THK ADMIIiALTV.

.'{!)'.

(lidates were reduced to two, both of tlieiii con-
sidered to be uiiexcej)tioiiable : these wen; Captain
Potcr Ileywood and Ca])tain Francis Bciaufbrt. Lord
Melville, being a cautious and conscientious man, felt
a reluctance to take the decision on himselfj and re-
(|iiosted IVIr. Croker and um to name the one \vhoiu \vc
considered, in all respects, best (pialified and most
s\iited for tho office, and he would immediately a])point
him. We had little or no hesitation in assigning the
palm to Captain Beaufort. It could not be otherwise,
as far as I was concerned, that my mind should at
once be made uj). In Mr. Yorke's reign I had, at his
iTijuest, selected Captain Beaufort and his ship, out of
the whole Mediterranean fleet, to be sent to survey au
unknown portion of the coast of Syria ; of which, in
iliu! time, he j)ublished an account, under the name of
'Karamania,' containing, not merely the survey, but
also an historical account of the nunu;rous renuiins of
anti(iuity, on the several ])oints examined on that coast;
a hook superior to any of its kind in whatever language,
and one which passed triumphantly through the ordeal
of criticism in every nation of Euro])e.*

He was immediately a])pointed llydrographer of the
Admiralty, and still remains — and it is to be hoped
\vill long reiuain — to execute the laborious duties of an
office which, I am persuaded, no other would be found
to do in that clear, precise, and efficient manner in
which they have long been and still are executed. In
tiiet, I cannot hesitate in giving an opinion that Ad-
miral Beaufort has no etpial in that line, and not many
in most other branches of science.

* ' A Brief Description of the Soutli Coast of iVsiii Minor, and
ot'tlie IJemains of Antiquity,' &c.

'~-Assm>:

*!-L-

•M(i

UOUEirr, VISCOUNT mklvillk.

[S|.;n\ VIII.

,; i ■'

i '

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I cannot here omit the opportunity of giving to tlioso,
who may condescend to peruse my little volume, the
following clearly exj)ressed letter of the late Ladv
Sj)eiicer, describing with great accuracy, from having
once only heard it read, a most interesting letter of
great length and circumstantial detail, on a suhjoct
most curious, mysterious, and solemn.

The letter of Lady Spencer is as follows : —

" Spencer House, Dec. G, 1829.
" My dear Mr. Barrow,

" I am not going to ask a job of you, hut to
request your assistance to obtain from Captain Beau-
fort, the very intelligent and eminent hydrograjjliL-r,
actually at the head of his peculiar de])artment, the
favour I am exceedingly anxious to procure from him,

" Some years since, my dear and regretted friend
Dr. W. WoUaston showed me a most interesting and
extraordinary letter, addressed to him from Captain
Beaufort, in which he had, at the ])articular recjiicst
of Dr. Wollaston, described his own sensations and
thoughts, of body and mind, while in the act of drown-
ing, when a young man, in Portsmouth harbour, lie
was happily ])reserved from a fatal termination of this
alarming accident; but he one day described so vividly
and so strikingly his state of mind while in danger of
death under water, and again while in the process of
recovery on shipboard, that Dr. Wollaston was instantly
solicitous and earnest to persuade him to write down
the precise details, which he had so admirably related
to him.

" Captain Beaufort yielded to his entreaties, and
wrote to him the letter which Wollaston read to me,

SiTT. VIIl.J

THE ADMIRALTY.

397

Dec. G, 1829.

and of which ho promised to give nic a copy, on my
eagerly petitioning him to do so. Alas ! he was seized
hy disease and died before he performed his promise.
Now my present object in troubling yon, my dear Sir,
is to entreat you to discover if Captain Beaufort would
kimlly bestow on me a copy of this highly interesting
narrative. Wollaston told me that he was very anxious
to prepare that, which he possessed, for th(; Royal So-
ciety; and this leads me to suppose that Captain
PK'aufort was not unwilling to impart it to his friends,
since it had bc(Mi in contem})lation to prepare it for the
public eye. God knows ! he might safely exhibit such
a description of fortitude and rectitude of thought as
this beautiful accomit of his mind disjdays when in the
ftarful peril of death. Yet I feel that my re(piest to
possess it requires the intermediate assistance which I
venture to claim from you.

" Sir Henry Ilalford has urged me so strongly to
attempt to ac(piire this valuable document, that he gave
me courage to make the attempt. Tie is pursuing a
pecidiar subject, to which this very curious statement of
tluts relative to the human mind, while struggling with
death, would be of invaluable assistance. In conversa-
tion with him on this topic, I naturally mentioned the
letter Wollaston had shown to me ; and th result of
our conversation was a strong desire of obtaining a
copy of it. You now have all I can say to excuse my
present application. Will you forgive me ? I feel sure
that you will. Believe me, my dear Sir,

'' Entirely yours,

" Lavinia Spencer."

I shall now insert a copy of the letter sought lor by
her Ladyshi}), which has been kindly given to me.

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398

HOUKUT, VISCOUNT MKLVILI-K.

[Skct. VIII.

at my i'C(iiiost, l>y Admiral TJcaufort; and Nvliicli
for its composition and style, but still more tor its
siibjeet, is deserving of and will receive the a]i])ro-
barion and admiration of all who may peruse it ;
being no connnon subject nor handled in a coiniiiou
manner.

Copy of a Lotter to Dr. W. Ilydo W< lla.ston, wiitteti, I tliink. in
182.5, iuitl rutunied to me by his Executor in 182{>. — F. B.

" Dear Dr. Wollastou,

" The following circumstances which atti'iidcil
my being drowned have been drawn up at your desire;
they had not struck me as being so curious as you con-
sider them, because, from two or three ])ersoiis, who
like myself had been recovered from a similar state, I
have heard a detail of their feelings, which resembled
mine as nearly as was consisteijt with our different con-
stitutions and dispositions.

" Many years ago, when I was a youngster on i)o;ir(l
one of his Majesty's ships, in Portsmouth harbour, at'tur
sculling about in a very small boat, I was endeavourinn
to fasten her a'Ongside the ship to one of the scuttK;-
rings; in foolish eagerness 1 ste])ped upon the gunwale,
the boat of course upset, and I fell into the water, nnd
not knowing how to swim, all mv efK)rts to lav hold
either of the boat or of the floating sculls were fruitless.
The transact^ion had not been observed by the sentinel
on the gangway, and therefore it was not till the tide li.id
drifted me some distance astern of the ship that a man
in the foretop saw me sj)lashing in the water, and gave
the alarm. The first lieutenant instantly and gallaiitlv
jumped overboard, the carpenter followed his exaiii|)le,
and the gunner hastened into a boat and pulled after
them.

Sr.rr. VIII.]

THE ADMIItALTY.

399

"With tlie violent but vain attcm])ts to make myself
lu'jinl I had swallowed much water; I was soon cx-
liiuistcd by my stru};f^les, and before any relief reached
me I had sunk below the surface — all hoj)e had fled —
all exertion ceased — and I fc/t that I was drowning.

" So far, these facts were either partially remembered
after my recovery or suj)})lied by those who had latterly
witiK'SK.d the scene; for during an interval of such
aiiitation a drowning person is too much occuj)ied in
catching at every ])assing straw, or too nuich absorbed
!)V alternate hope and despair, to mark the succession
of events very accurately. Not so, however, with the
iii'jts which immediately ensued; my mind had then
undergone the sudden revolution which appeared to
voii so remarkable — and all the circumstances of which
are now as n ividly fresh in my memory as if they had
(iteiUTed but yesterday.

" From the uu)ment that all exertion had ceased —
wliieh I imagine was the immediate consequence of
caiii])lete suft'ocation — a calm feeling of the most per-
fect trancpiillity superseded the previous tumultuous
sensations — it might i)e called apathy, certainly not
resifiuation, for drowning no longer appeared to be au
evil— I no longer thought of being rescued, nor was I
in any b(,(lily pain. Outhe contrary, my sensations were
iiinv of rather a ])leasurable cast, j)artaking of that dull
liiit contented sort of feeling which j)recedcs the sleep
produced by fatigue. Though the senses wx^e thus
deadened, not so the mind; its activity seemed to be
invigorated, in a ratio which tlelies all description — for
thought rose after thought with a rapidity of succession
that is not only indescribable, but probably inconceiv-
able, by any one who has not himself been in a similar

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l.'OHERT, VISCOUNT MELVILI-K.

[Skct. VIII.

sitiKitioii. The course of those thoughts I can ovcu
now in a grent measure retraco — the event whicli had
just taken phice — the awkwardness that had jjnxhiccd
it — the bustle it must have occasioned (for I had oh-
served two persons jump from the chains)— the eif'ect it
would have on a most allectionate father — the maiiiKr
in which he would disclose it to the rest of the faiiiilv
— and a thousand other circumstances minutely as.^o-
ciated with home, were the tirst series of reflections
that occurred. They took then a wider range—our
last cruise — a former voyage, and shi})wreck — mv
school — the progress I had made there, and the time
I had misspent — and even all my boyish j)ursuits and
adventures. Thus travelling backwards, every j)ast
incident of my life seemed to glance across my recol-
lection iu retrograde succession ; not, however, in nici-c
outline, as here stated, i)ut the })icture filled u}) "irii
every minute and collateral feature ; in short, the wliolu
period of my existence seemed to be placed heturi'
me in a kind of panoramic review, and each act of it
seemed to be accompanied by a consciousness of ri^lit
or wrong, or by some reflection on its cause or its con-
sequences ; indeed, many trifling events which had been
long forgotten then crowded into my imagination, and
with the character of recent familiarity.

" May not all this be some indication of the almost
infinite power of memory with which we may awaken
in another world, and thus be compelled to conteniplatt.'
our past lives? Or might it not in some degree war-
rant the inference that death is only a change or modi-
fication of our existence, in which there is no real pau^e
or interruption ? IJut, however that may be, one cii-
cumstauce was highly remarkable ; that the innumerable

SitCT. VIII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

401

ideas which flashed into my mind were all retro-
s|)ective — yet I had been religionsly brought up — my
hopes and fears of the next world had lost nothing of
their early strength, and at any other period intense
interest and awful anxiety would have been excited by
the mere probability that I was floating on the threshold
of eternity: yet at that inex])lical)le moment, when I
had a full conviction that 1 had already crossed that
threshold, not a single thought wandered into the
future — I was wrapt entirely in the past.

" The length of time that was occupied by this de-
luge of ideas, or rather the shortness of time into which
they were condensed, I cannot now state with pre-
cision, yet certainly two minutes could not have elapsed
from the moment of sutt'ocation to that of my being
hauled up.

" The strength of the flood tide made it expedient to
pull the boat at once to another ship, where I under-
went the usual vulgar process of emptying the water
by letting my head hang downwards, then bleeding,
chafing, and even administering gin ; but my sub-
mersion had been really so brief) tliat, according to the
account of tlij lookers on, I was very quickly restoret'
to animation.

" My feelings while life was returning were the
reverse in every point of those which have been de-
scribed above. One single but confused idea — a mise-
rable belief that I was drowning — dwelt upon my
mind, instead of the multitude of clear and definite
ideas which had recently rushed through it — a helpless
anxiety— a kind of continuous nightmare seemed tc
press heavily on every sense, and to prevent the forma
tion of any one distinct thought — and it was with diffi

2 D

402

ROBERT, VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

[Sect. VIII.

i .

^■1, i.

'^^''■ji-

culty that I became convinced that I was really alive.
Again, instead of being absolutely free from all bodily
pain, as in my drowning state, I was now tortured by
pain all over me ; and though I have bt en since
wounded in several places, and have often submitted to
severe surgical discipline, yet my sufferings Wv^re at that
time far greater ; at least, in general distress. On one
occasion I was shot in the lungs, and after lying on
the deck at night for some hours bleeding from other
wounds, I at length fainted. Now as I felt sure that
the wound in the lungs was mortal, it will appear
obvious that the overwhelming sensation which accom-
panies fainting nmst have produced a perfect conviction
that I was then in the act of dying. Yet nothing in the
least resembling the operations of my mind v,he)i
drowning then took place ; and when I began to re-
cover, I returned to a clear conception of my real
state.

" If these involuntary expcrimenij on the operation
of death aftbrd any satisfaction or interest to you, they
will not have been suffered quite in vain by

" Yours very truly,

" F. Beaufort."

This letter of Admiral Beaufort must give rise to
various suggestions. It proves that the spirit of man
may retain its full activity — we may perhaps say an in-
creased activity — when freed from the trammels of the
flesh ; at least, when all the functions of the body are
deprived of animal power, and the spirit has become
something like the type and shadow of that, which ve
are taught to believe concerning the immortality of the
soul. It is a curiour fact, but a very conceivable one,

Sect. Vlil.]

THE ADMIRALTY,

that, as he says, " When I had a full conviction that I
had already crossed the threshold of eternity, not a
suigh thought wandered into the future — I was wrapt
entirely in the past." The inference to he drawn from
this seems to he, th^t the impression of things or ideas
that had actually happened was strong, and afforded no
vooni for the admission of anticipation ; that the former
alone, that is the past, altogether gave effort to the
memory — in fact, memory can have no concern with
the future. But that does not lead us far, or help us
iiiiich ; it being the effort of a man all but dead, in
^vhom we have here a separation of the spirit from the
corporeal substance.

I do not believe that the practical philosopher Dr.
WoUaston threw any light on the subject to Captain
Beaufort, or that Lady Spencer acquired much from
Sir Henry Halford ; and pf rhaps it is best that we
should content ourselves in concluding, with Shak-
speare (who is rarely wrong), —

" We are such stuff as dreams are made of."

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404

SIR JAMES GKAHAM.

LSect, IX.

Section IX.
Sir James Graham, Bart.

Nov. 15, 1830— June 11, 1834.

Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy. , ..First Naval Lord.
Tlie Hon. George Elliot First Secretary.

«,

As the Lord High Admiral had been the immediate
successor of the Viscount Melville in the inferior office
of First Lord of the Admiralty, which his Lordship
had held for many years, so Lord Melville, by re-
turning to it, relieved the Lord High Admiral, as
soon as the latter should be prepared to send in hk
resignation, as he had manifested a desire to do for
some time. His Lordship succeeded ; but he held it
only this second time for two years, when he made
way for a Whig opponent in the person of Sir James
Graham. When that party came into office, on a
former occasion, and the Earl Grey was placed at tiie
head of the Admiralty, it was understood that a total
change of men and n]easures, in the civil departments
of the Navy, would immediately be carried into efi'ect;
something of the nature of those that were supposed to
have been contemplated by Lord St. Vincent, when he
was First Lord of the Admiralty ; but to accomplish
which he either found the difficulty too strong, or could
find none ready to second him effectually in the execu-

-J ri (••

Sec-.-. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

405

tioii ; at any rate each of the two noble Lords left office
without venturing to v.ndertake any part of the change.
Lord Grey, however, it was said, had now come into
office, as First Minister of the Crown, with an under-
standing — or, at least, a determined resolution — that the
changes suggested by Lord St. Vincent should be accom-
plished ; and it was whispered in Downing-Street that,
to eifect the great design, he had succeeded in procuring
the aid of a gentleman to be- placed at the head of the
Naval departments, civil and military, whose nerves were
supposed to be equal to any difficulty, or to repel any
obstruction he might meet with, iti carrying out certain
measures of such a nature as would recpiire all the firm-
ness and decision that he or any other might possess ;
and that as many of the changes in contemplation would
prove extremely obnoxious to the existing naval au-
thorities, all or most of the officials might anticipate
being brought within the sphere of their operation.

The gentleman who was bold enough to undertake the
management of this Herculean task was understood to
be Sir James Graham, who, it would seem, had never
gone through the ordeal of a public office — the usual
initiation for enabling the young aspirant to make him-
self acquainted with the routine of public business, so
as to qualify him for some of the higher departments of
the State. So numerous, indeed, have been these
young senators aspiring to a seat in the several
Boards of Admiralty, that this office was jocosely
called " a school for sucking statesmen." Sir James,
however, had been in Parliament for some time,
and once made a speech remarkable only for the mis-
take on which it was grounded : it was an insinuation
that Privy Councillors pocketed thousands of the public

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406

SIR JAMES GRAHAM.

[Sect. IX,

money for doing little or nothing; finding the mistake,
he, no doubt, was sorry for it, and now quite prepared
to make his entry into the same corps. In earlier life,
as he told me, he had acted as private Secretary to
Lord William Bentinck, in the Mediterranean.

It is very probable, therefore, that the official juniors
considered it a daring step, to mount at once to one of
the pinnacles of power, and to undertake the guidance
of that great and complicated machine the British
Navy, and all its concerns civil and military. Sir
James did not, however, hesitate to assume the task,
arduous as it must have appeared, and, by a change of
system, likely to become somewhat hazardous. But
Lord Grey h:iti a good opportunity of observing his
talents ; he was not only a staunch Reformer, but was
one of the principals employed in concocting and
passing the Reform Bill.

The first member oi' the new Board whom I saw, and
from whom L had any certain information respecting the
new First Lord, was Sir Thomas Hardy, who, I found,
was intended to be the First Naval Lord. One day
he called on me at the Admiralty, at the particular
re(i[uest, he said, of Lord CJrey, to say that his Lord-
ship earnestly hoped I had no intention of leaving
my present situation, and to assure me how much
he regretted that any regulation should stand in the
way of advancing me to the First Secretaryship.
I begged Sir Thomas to convey my thanks for the
kind recollection and good opinion of which his Lord-
ship had been pleased to make him the welcome mes-
senger ; but that, being taken rather by sur})risc, I
should wish to defer sending any answer till to-morrow,
when X would cither write or pay my respects to Lord

• ,

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Sect. IX.]

THE a:::iiralty.

407

Grey. "lu the mean time pray assure his Lordship
that I feel very grateful for his good opinion ; and
have not been, nor ever shall be, forgetful of the kind
consideration I experienced at his hands on a former
painful and trying occasion."

Sir Thomas Hardy seemed to be somewhat disap-
pointed, and said, " Pray, now, let me say to Lord
Grey that you will accept his offer." I assured him it
would be no little inducement on finding that he him-
self was to be one, and the principal one, of the Board-
Room officers ; " and I may tell you, Sir Thomas, that
I have not the least desire to lead an ina^itive life ; and
that a Whig Board or a Tory Board, as you hint at,
while I am in office, will be pretty nmcli the same to
me.

The following morning, about nine o'clock, as I was
opening the letters, a card was brought in to jue — " Sir
James Graham." He introduced himself by saying,
"Though I have not yet had the pleasure of your
personal acquaintance, your name is familiar to me,
and has frequently been mentioned most favourably, at
my own house, and by Lady Graham, who has met and
conversed with you often at Lord Bathurst's." — " Yes,
and most agreeably. Sir James, I do assure you." — " You
will readily guess the purpose of this early visit ; it is
the anxiety I am under to prevail on you to remain in
yonr present official situation ; and the fear I have^
that your long attachment to a different party from
that to which I belong, may induce you to take leave
with the rest of your colleagues." I replied, " Let me
assnre you, Sir James, that the only political party to
which I belong, and which I have openly and honestly
avowed, is that which, by its measures, upholds the

40t

SIR jamp:s graham.

[Sect. IX.

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credit of the Admiralty. In truth, I am neither rich
nor reckless enough to become a party-man. AVhig
and Tory are pretty much the same to me.

' Tros Tyriusve milu nullo discrimiiie agetur.' "

" Then," said he, " let me hope you will remain
where you are ; you shall possess my entire confidence
and friendship, and I will do my utmost to make your
situation agreeable and comfortable."

In short, there appeared in his manner so much ban-
hommie, candour, and sincerity, that I answered at once,
" I will remain." I le took me by the hand, and said,
" You have relieved me from a load of anxiety, and,
by assenting to my entreaty, from the unpleasant
task imposed on me of coming to you with some-
thing like a royal command. I may now tell you
that I was with the King last evening, when he said,
' Go to Barrow to-morrow morning ; and tell him that
it is my desire that he will not think of leaving the
Admiralty.' "

He then said, " I think it is also but right to tell
you — and Lord Grey desired I should — that a great
change is immediately to be brought about in the civil
departments of the Navy, with which I am very ini-
perfectl) »\cquaintea, and from what I can learn from
my colleagues few of them are much better in that re-
spect ; I must, therefore, rely entirely on your assist-
ance to enable me to gain some insight into the business
we are about to undertake. I may mention, that the
■whole of the Civil Boards at Somerset-House are to be
abolished, and various changes to be made in all the de-
partments of the naval service." I observed that it had
been mooted in former Boards of Admiralty, whether

Sect. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

409

the Victualling and Transport Boards might not, with
advantage, be merged in the Navy Board. He said,
"No; that is not sufficient. Lord Grey and the
Cabinet have decided, that they shall all be abolished,
as Boards, and that the Navy Board and all others
shall merge in the Board of Admiralty." I asked what
provision was to be made for superintending the multi-
tude of details, which it would be impossible for any
Board of Admiralty, with all the additional strength
of Lords, Secretaries, and Clerks put upon it, to per-
form ; " perhaps it is meant that each branch of the
naval service shall have a separate superintending
officer, to be charged with his own individual respon-
sibility ?" " You have exactly hit it," he said, appa-
rently pleased ; " that was precisely Lord Grey's idea,
expressed to me nearly in the same words — ' indi-
vidual responsibility ' — instead of the combined and
often contradictory acts and opinions of a Board or
eight or ten persons; and o)i this 6«.v/,v," he added, "I
must beg of you to sketch out the outline of a plan."

I should have mentioned that the new Secretary,
Captain the Hon. George Elliot, had accompanied Sir
Thomas Hardy, but remained outside. I went out to
him ; and he very candidly and with great condescension
said that he was not exactly lit for the situation of Secre-
tary, as his life had been mostly spent at sea, and he
was not at all conversant with the civil affairs of the
Navy; besides, he knew not, he said, who had recom-
mended him to Lord Grey. However, I happened to
ivnow ; for, on my usual Sunday afternoon visits to
Lady Spencer, I met Captain Elliot coming out of
Spencer-House ; and her Ladyship said, " I suppose
you met your new Secretary." I saw Captain Elliot ;

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410

SIR JAMES GRAHAM

[Skct. IX,

but I knew not of his appointment, nor <at that tiiiu'
even who was to be the First Lord. She then told nu'
that Lord Spencer liad been consulted ; and that the
Captain had always been so civil and accoiuniodatiiig
when they were down at their place in the Isle of
Wight, and when he was Hag-captain at Portsuiouth,
that, entertaining a good opinion of him, his Lord-
ship had recommended him for the situation. I was
not sorry for it, as I knew him to be a very correct,
excellent, and fine-tempered man ; and not myself
being, or ever intending to be, in the House of Com-
mons, it was of no consequence to me, as I had tinallv
excluded myself from ever becoming the First Secre-
tary of the Admiralty.

Sir James Graham lost no time in nuistering the
great business he was commissioned to perform, and
which, from its nature, he was satisfied would hrin;:
upon him much odium from those, who were to lose
their situations, and from their friends ; but he was not
a man to shrink from his purpose on account of these or
any other considerations, lie was pledged to a spe-
cific duty, and determined resolutely to perform it; and
when his bill to be brought into Parliament was ready to
be drawn (the first step to be taken), instead of havinj:
the usual recourse to the Treasury Solicitor, I had
spoken to him so highly of Mr. Jones, the Adniirahy
Solicitor, a gentleman well versed in all legal points
connected with the Admiralty departments, that he
determined to employ none but him, under his own
immediate inspection ; and to the credit of Jones it
may be said that, in the two very intricate and im-
portant bills drawn up by him, neither mistake nor
alteration were then or have since been made ; aiul s

Sfxt. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

411

1 mastering the

well pleased was Sir James Graham, that he desired
1110 to purchase for liiin two pieces of plate of one
luuKlred pounds value each, with suitahlo inscriptions,
purporting th?.t they were presented by the Board of
Admiralty, and for what service.

When the dissolving Bill came into the Commons,
it was opposed and severely canvassed by some of the
Tory members, and by all those who had held j)laces
under the former administration; but jNIr. Croker, who
was best acquainted with the details of the subject, made
a very long and able speech, dwelt nuich on his experi-
ence of twenty-two years, and his constant attendance
—rarely, if ever, being absent from his duty. This
was strictly true. lie and I had perfectly agreed on
that part of the subject, and had made an arrangement
that both should never be absent at the same time : and
a remarkable instance may be mentioned of our nuitual
punctuality and nuitual reliance. I went to the Conti-
nent for eight and twenty days : we agreed that on the
morning of a certain fixed day I should be at the Admi-
ralty to open the letters, which was my constant duty ;
and that on the previous evening Croker would depart
from town on his leave. I went, with my family, in
the yacht to Antwerp, crossed the channels of tne
Butch islands to Rotterdam, thence to Amsterdam,
round by Utrecht to the llhine, to Frankfort, down the
Khine to Coblentz, thence through Belgium to Paris ;
and was at my post on the morning agreed upon,
Mr. Croker having departed the previous evening.
There were then no railroads.

On another occasion, while enjoying my short sum-
mer holiday at llamsgate, a dragoon brought me a
telegraph-message from the Downs, ordering me to

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412

SIR JAMES GRAHAM.

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[Sect. IX.

return forthwith to town, an accident having happened
to Mr. Croker ; he had fallen oft* his horse, or the horse
had fallen with him, in liichin( ■ Park. I mention
these things only to show, how very punctually the
working parties of the Admiralty attended to their
duties ; which, of course, is not the less required by the
new arrangement, now proposed and carried with no
little opposition.

Mr. Croker, as I have said, made a long and able
speech, and one that was intended to he damnatory of
the great change, about to be introduced, in transacting
the aff*airs of the civil service of the navy; in the course
of which, among every possible topic, he asked what is
to become of the Secretary to the Admiralty? " The
Right Hon. Gentleman," says Sir James Graham,
" with great pathos had asked what was to become of
the Secretary of the Admiralty ? lie begged to assure
the Kight Hon. Gentleman, that he had submitted his
plan to Mr. Barrow, one of the present secretaries,
whose experience was at least as great as that of the
Kight Hon. Gentleman, and from him he (Sir James
Graham) had received every assistance, though he
differed from him in politics, for the promotion of the
welfare and interests of the service over which he had
the honour to hold the guardianship ; that gentleman
had, with perfect consistency, maintained his political
sentiments, and had given him (Sir James Graham)
that assistance which he felt proud to avow, and should
ever remember with the most grateful feelings. Mr.
Barrow not only thought this measure practical, but
salutary ; and that it would have the effect of correct-
ing many of those grievances which he well knew had
existed. By the opinion of Mr. Barrow he felt fortified

HOT. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

413

ill the strong sentiment he entertained in favour of this
measure, and in that sentiment he was also supported
by the present Board of Admiralty, which, he trusted
he might say, contiiined as much naval knowledge as
any ))rcvious Board."

Sir James Graham did not bring forward his mea-
sure without full and anxious inquiry and consideration.
It embraced not only the civil departments, resident in
town, under the immediate eye of the Admiralty, but
also the more complicated machinery of the dockyards,
lie had desired me to give him a detailed plan for the
nianagementof these establishments, which accordingly
I (lid, chiefly from memory, during the short holiday I
had in the house of my friend Sir George Staunton at
Leigh Park, and sent it over to him at Hyde, where
he had gone in the vacation. It consisted of sixteen
full sheets of foolscap paper — described the whole exist-
ing system of management of the dockyards ; the luun-
bcr, the rank, the description, and the duties of every
officer, principal and subordinate, setting forth the use-
It'ssness and the absurdity of many of them ; it detailed
the dittercnt clashes of workmen, the mode of employ-
ing them, the quantity of work done, and the ex-
travagant cost of doing it; the capacity of keeping up
the navy to its proper standard, &c. : in short, it was,
vhat I intended it to be, a complete picture of a dock-
yard, for the information and guidance of one who was
about to make a visitation of a dockyard for the first
time.

The following is a copy of the covering letter which
enclosed the detailed description above alluded to: —

: ' k •

414

8IU JAMES GRAHAM.

[SKcr. IX.

:^i.,:

i 11

^ ! rii; ;/; '' ,* '\

'• LfiLjli Turk, Aiijr. 27, 183'?.
" Dear Sir,

" The great measure of consolidating tlie
civil (lepartineuts of the navy heing happily accom-
plished under your auspices, and hy your Hrnnioss
and perseverance, in spite of o])position and sinister
auguries, there still remains, as you are fully aware, to
be introduced into the doch/a/'ds a more rational and
economical svstem of conducting those establishiiioiits.
which absorb so considerable a ])ortion of the larjic
sums of money ammally voted by Parliament for the
support of that fleet, which is, and always nmst be, con-
sidered the great bulwark of this nation. A ' as that
object is now about to engage your attention ' while
you are about to be occupied in })ersonal comnmnicatioii
with jn'ofessional men, and in examining their reports
and statements, perhaps a few observations, however
hastily thrown together, and from an unprofessional
man, wholly divested of all prejudice, may assist you at
least to compare some portion of them with the more
matured statements of others, and draw yom* notice to
some points which may have been omitted by them.

" In venturing upon this step, I disclaim any furthtr
knowledge than what frequent visitations of the naval
establishments, conversations with professional men, a
habit of observation and inquiry, aided by a moderate
share of common sense, may be supposed to confer. I
have no object but the good of the service, and the
credit of your naval administration, in thus pointing
out wliat I conceive to be defects in the present system.
and offering suggestions which may assist in thtir
removal. " I am, dear Sir, &c.,

(Signed) " John Barrow.

" lit. Hon. Sir James Graliaiu, Bart."

>i;cT. IX,]

Till': ADMIUALTY.

41.)

The reply of Sir James was as follows : —

" Rydf, Sept. 8, 1832.
" My dear Sir,

" I have received your excellent pajjcr coii-
taiiiiiif? the outline of a plan for the introduction of a
wise and well-regulated system of economy into the
dockyards. I am well aware of the necessity of such a
measure; and I thank you very sincerely lor the assist-
ance which your able minute is so well calculated to
give. No plan will be found safe or worthy of adoption
which does not rest on fixed princij)les ; and the points
which you have selected as preliminary, and reciuiriiig
decision, appear to me to be wisely chosen i I am sure
they are the points of primary im])ortance. But, when
1 retlect on the vital interest involved in this decision,
the naval glory which may be tarnished, the naval
safety which may be comj)ronii9cd, by an error of judg-
ment, I shrink almost from the responsibility, and turn
with sorrow to the contemplation of my own incapacity
to tbrin a sound opinion — remembering always, that to
destroy is the work of a day, to create is the highest
effort of human ingeimity and power.

" I can place, however, implicit reliance on the
honesty of your advice, and on the integrity of your
motives; and your long experience of naval affairs,
your attachment to the service, your knowledge of its
details, and your honourable connexion with the
brightest period of its history, entitle your opinions to
more than ordinary weight, and lead me to consider
them with deference and respect.

" The attention therefore which will be paid by me
to your very important suggestions is anxious and in-
cessant; but mature and incessant deliberation, and

SIR JAMES GRAHAM.

[Skct. IX.

f. ■

f ■ .

'w>r;

frequent discussion, will be necessary, to remove doubts
and to perfect arrangements in their nature compli-
cated ; and I hope, when we meet "n London after our
vacation, that we shall be able so to deliberate and dis-
cuss, as to arrive at a decision conducive to the public
good, the object which unfeigncdiy is nearest to niv
heart.

" I go to Loudon on Tuo day, for a few days, but I
shall leave town again on Saturday.

" I am always yours very truly,

" J. R. G. Graham."

6 •■

J i

t t^'

This plan, with the immense correspondence I was
obliged to have with the heads of departments, both in
town and the dockyards, in order to procure the neces-
sary information and details, to make it correct and
complete, had occupied my time fully for a considerable
part of the previous year, 1832 — in which, I believe,
volumes of my minutes will be found in the records of
the Admiralty. This labour was the only cause and
instance of my health being in any way affected ; but
my old friends and colleagues rarely met me without
the salutation, "Bless me! Barrow, how ill you look I
— these Whigs will be the death of you ! " However, I
got through it, and finished the plan of which Sir James
Graham speaks. It was simple and obvious enough,
and the mere outline made it at once to be understood:
in fact, it pointed itself out, the materials being already
provided, and required only to be newly arranged.

The Civil Boards of the Navy at Somerset House con-
sisted of several departments, all numerousl) stocked with
comptrollers, deputy-comptrollers, and commissioners of
the navy, of victualling, and of transports — all of whom

i 1'

Sect. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

417

were reduced, by a little thought and contrivance, to
five separate and independent responsible superin-
tendents, as under: — ]. Surveyor of the Navy, Sir
^^'^illiani Synionds ; 2. Accountaut-General, J. Thomas
Briggs, Esq. ; .'}. Storekeeper-General, the lion. Robert
Dundas ; 4. Comptroller of Victualling and Transports,
James Meek, Esq. ; 5. Director-General of Medical
Departments, Sir William Burnett.

But it might be asked — I believe it was asked —
what security have you that these five separate and
individually responsible officers may not betray their
trust? — what suj)erintendents arc they to have? — (lids
aistodes cusfodiet / A very proper question, and the
answer is at hand. Tlie Board of Admiralty consists
of five Lords, in addition to the First Lord ; and this
board collectively, and each of the five Lords indi-
vidually, are constituted the Cusfodes.

One objection was made on the supposition that
the Lords of the Admiralty would not be over well
pleased to attend at Somerset House. Yet once, per-
haps, a week to take a walk aion;:; the Strand from
Chariug-Cross could hardly be considered by an admi-
ral or a captain — though a Lord of the Admiralty —
as a toil, but rather a recreation ; or to be landed at
Somerset House in a boat from Whitehall Stairs.
Some were disposed to look upon such visits as
an useless ceremony ; which is a great mistake. View
them in no other light than as mere inspections of
the different offices, they would have their advan-
tage. " The eye of the master " was thought iu olden
time to spur the attention of the servant. But the fiict
's, that these visits are more rarely made than they
used to be or ought to be, for the merit of the plan

2 K

fl^iLs

' ^ -■ '^'^*i!^!>'»ii^*^nga(B^akaaK

T\^^^. .,

^M\\i

:. ' !-! [.;•

418 SIR JAMES GRAHAM. [Sect. IX.

dcpeiuls iniic'h on the superintendence of the Lords
of the A(hniralty. The superintendent of each de-
})artnient shouhl he ordered to Whitehall when wanted,
as well ar. to make his reports in writing.

Heretofore, Commissioners of the Navy had held their
appointments to each of the dockyards hy patent, like
the rest of the Commissioners. By the new plan their
commissions were taken away, and they were selected
from the most intelligent officers of the navy, had the
title of Superintendent, and the tenure was considered as
"during ])leasure." But recently there appears to have
heen an understanding that these appointments are lor
five years' duration, and may he renewed according to
circumstances: which was no j)art of Sir James Gra-
ham's ])lan. With the increase of individual respoiisihio
officers must necessarily have arisen an increase of the
whole correspondence which now passes through the
Boaril of Admiralty, and which, hefore the change, Avas
conducted thnmgh the Boards generally. This of
course has multiplied to a great extent the number of
letters and the quantity of writing within the Admiralty
Office at Whitehall. At the end of six years an ac-
count was taken of what the numher of letters received,
and what the numher of pages of entry, consisted, at
the two periods of 1827 and 1833: —

III 1827. Letters received . . . 25,428
183:?. Ditto 31,330

Anmuvl increase , . 5,902

182" Dispatched 2o,402

1833. Ditto 47,866

Iiicrea.se .... 22,464

Si:cT. IX.]

THE ADMIliALTY,

419

1827. Pages of entry .
1833. Ditto . . .

Increase

20,783
39,162*

18,379

Yot, with all this addition to the corrchpoiidcMicc, the
establishment of the office was only increased hy three
or four junior clerks ; but during the two or three first
years iiij/ labours were at least doubled. It was not
toiiiul necessary to add to the members of the Board,
and tliey remain at five, with the First Lord.

The whole scheme has worked well, and without
having required change or amendment, through five
succeeding administrations, Whig and Tory, down to
the present one of Lord Auckland, which commenced
in the middle of the year \^A(\.

Ill the summer of 183.S, when on my short holiday
at the seat of my friend Sir George Staunton in ILimp-
shire, Sir James Graham, naturally anxious to ascer-
tain the practical operation of the new plan, adopted
only the preceding year, resolved on a visit to the
(kickyards; and on his way to Portsmouth wrote me
a letter, of which the following is a copy : —

«' Godaluiing, Augii.st 31, 1833.
" My dear Sir,

" The Board will assendde at Portsmouth
on Wednesday morning at ten o'clock ; and if, without
iiiooiivenience, you could meet us there, your presence
Wul be of infinite service. I am unwilling to encroach
on your holidays when I consider the intense labour of
the last year, which you so cheerfully endured : but
still it now remains to secure the fruit of that labour ;
and I know you take so deep an interest in our recent

* In 1^45 the entries bad increased to 54,570.

2 E 2

if i -■ .">

.' K

) •

(•,;■'.■■

I I'! ;

• .%

420

SIR JAMES GRAHAM.

[Sect. IX.

iiie.isures, that I should he unwilling to prove them by
the test of experience, on a visit to the dockyards
in your absence.

" I go to Cowes to-day, and shall be happy to hoar
from you there, especially if you can tell nie that you
arc well and recruited by repose.

" I am, with very sincere regard,
" My dear Sir, &c.,

" J. II. G. Graii.\m."

Accordingly, we wTiit carefully over rortsinoiitli
Dockyard; and Sir James Graham had an 0})portunity
of inspecting the practical effect of the new system, as
compared with the old, and appeared to be quite satis-
fied with the change ; and the system was established
without iiirther opposition of the House of Commons.

We, next year, visited the other great naval esta-
blishment at Plymouth, and here we found a violent
opposition, principally on the part of the shipwrights, to
any reduction of their corps. The day being fixed for
mustering them, we were told that they all meant to koq)
away ; on which Sir James, by the adv'ce of Admiral
the Hon. G. Dundas, one of the Lords, caused a placartl
to be posted on the dock-gates, giving notice that the
mustering of the yard would take place on the day
subsequent to that intended, and that every one of tlif
workmen, who did not then and there a})pear, and
answer to his name, would forthwith be struck off tlio
list, and never be allowed again to enter the gates,
The result was that every man, even the lame and tlio
impotent, answered to the call, and Devonport was as
obedient to the orders as the other yards.

We also went over the several departments in
Somerset House, and Sir James was shown the mode

dV^i..:-"'-.-'.

Sect. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

421

ill which the documents are kept; and entered fully
into the new plan after the reductions had actually
been made.

llie following list comprehends the whole of the re-
ductions which were eftected under the administration
of Sir James Graham: — •

Admiralty, June 16, 1834.
An Account of the Reductions that have been made in the several
Naval Departments from November, 1830, to June, 1834, in-
duding IVorkmen.

ADMIKALTV AND DErAUTMEXTS.

United Ainoiiiit of
Salarios leiluct'd.

Classes.

First Lord ,

First Sc'cretiiry

Treasurer of the Navy (al)i)
1 rayinasler of the Navy
1 riiyinaster of INIarines
1 Comptroller of tlie Navy
1 Deputy Comptroller .

1 Surveyor of tlie Navy .
5 Conunissiouers

2 Secretaries . .
1 Receiver of Fees .

Surveyor of Buildintrs
Draujj^htsmau to ditto
48 Clerks
1 Keeper of Allotnieuts .

VAUDS

7 Commissioners . ,

2 Secretaries to ditto
7 Masters Attendant
1 Assistant to ditto

') Master Shii)\vrights
1 Clerk of the Cheek

3 Store Receivers

4 Storekeepers

1 Eiiijineer and Mechanist

(salary reduced)
(ditto)
isiied.)

(salary r

(ditto)

educeil) |

ETC

Carried forward

£oOO
1 ,000

1 , 2{)()
1,000
2,000
1,400
1,200
.5,000
2,200
400

250

22,635
140

7,825
800

2,950
220

2,400
450
850

2,400
(iOO

£57,420

#!-:

422

SIR JAMES GRAHAM.

M ^ *♦

[Sect. IX.

.1.

I •■ ■ ■

!■'! I-:

United Amount of

classes.

Salar

es reduced.

94 Broiiglit forward

£57,420

1 Drauglitsman to Engineer and Mechanist

250

1 Clerk of the Works .

• • •

700

2 Inspectors of Works .

280

1 Clerk of the Rope-yard

350

4 Agents Victualler

. 1 ,400

2 Stewards of Hospitals .

700

2 Dispensers to ditto

f 44
I 44

10 Mates to ditto .

. 1,09,

7 Agents for Transports

. 1,538

54 Clerks

. 12,545

1 Clerk in Charge

21 Masters of Trades

. 4,680

2 ForcKien of Millwrights and Metal-Mills

310

62 Measurers

. 11,160

1 Foreman of Masons

150

1 Foreman of Stores

140

1 Foreman of Coopers

100

7 Superior Shipwrights .

. 1 : L'OO

17 Cabinkeepers

. 1,440

3 Surgeons .

. 1,178

2 Assistant-Surgeons

400

1 Medical Agent .

407

2 Chaplains .

5j0

1 Lecturer .

4(N)

2 Boat.iwains

460

1 Warder

4 Porters and Store Porters

472

307

£99,588

1830 7,193

Vote of 1830.... £445,000

1,028J

■Workmen — Naval.

128,400

1834 0,16j

Vote of 1834-5.. £316,600

Naval Yards abroad .

ditto . . . .

19,648

Victualling- Yards at home

and abroad — Workmen .
ileduction . . £

5,70li

Total amount of

253,342

J. T. Bkiggs, Acct.-Geii.

ri's ■ iV-'r ,■ •;»

[Sect. IX.

Sect. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

423

United Amount of
Salaries reduced.

£57,420

250

700

280

350

1 ,400

700

l,09t

1,538

, 12,545

. 4,680

310

. 11,160

150

140

100

. l;'2O0

. 1,440

. 1,1T8

400

4o;

aJO
4(H)
460
80
472

. £253,342
jRiGGs, Acct.-Geii.

The above may have been the amount of the per-
sonal reductions, but the difference of the votes for
1830 and 1834 is not to be considered as so much
saved, for the situations of many were continued, though
by different people, and in a different shape. Sir James
Graham, on presenting his last estimate in 1834, makes
the whole reduction from 1831 amount to 1,200,000/.
But, in point of fact, the merit of the new plan was
never meant to be estimated by the amount of sav-
ings it would occasion, so much as by striking at the
root of abuses, which had long been suffiered to exist
without detection ; and which, as I pointed out to
Sir James Graham, had escaped the searching eye
of himself and his Whig companions, and which, being
thus brought to his knowledge, he took immediate
and efficient steps to correct. The amount of extra-
ordinaries in the navy estimate, in former IJoards,
was made up by the First Lord of the Admiralty and
the Comptroller of the Navy, who by the terms of
the patent was to be consulted. The Board and the
Parliamentary Secretary, who generally brought for-
ward the estimates, knew nothing of the mode of ap-
plication for such part of them ; and I have heard
Mr. Croker more than once complain of being thus
kept in the dark. The result was, as might be ex-
pected, that sums of money were sometimes voted
for one purpose and expended for another. Sir James
had a case of this kind to settle on his first coming
in, which gave him no little trouble. Many thousand
pounds had been expended on the costly buildings of
Weevil victualling-premises — all proper enough — but
not a shilling of it appeared on the estimate. It was
on this occasion I took the liberty of telling Sir James

J .

424

SIR JAMES GRAHAM.

[Skct. IX.

■Pi-

•\

TV \

£5:'!lf- If- ■■

• ,1 Ti '

i !-M ;

?''',,!■.''

.«.».

that it was chiefly his and his friends' fiault •, for that,
while they scrutinized and opposed, and strove to diini-
nish ahuost every vote proposed, there their economy
ceased; for not one of them ever thought of asking,
the following year, how the money voted the preceding
year had been expended. lie admitted it ; and, like
an honest and faithful public servant, instantly set
about the remedy.

An Act was now passed, authorising and directing the
auditors of public accounts annually to audit the ^vhule
expenditure of the navy, and to supply the Board of
Admiralty with a correct balance-sheet, being an ac-
count of every sum saved, and every sum expended;
the balance to be handed over to the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, and passed to the Consolidated Fund.
And thus an end was put to the improper practice of
applying such surplus, or sum not specifically voted on
the estimate, to any purpose m hatsoever but the one for
which it was intended.

On the whole, I can venture to say with great confi-
dence, and after the experience of fifteen years since
the plan was put in operation, under half a dozen
Boards of Admiralty, Whig and Tory, that it has
been completely successful in all its parts ; and the
proof of it is, that no fault has been found with it,
nor has any alteration of the least importance been
required. The M'hole plan hinged on the two Avoids
individual responsil>illti/y and from them I sketched out
the outline submitted to Lord Grey, and which Sir
James Graham so ably and so unflinchingly carried
into execution, in spite of an opposition of no ordinary
kind ; and one which, I believe, he alone could have
overcome. Fortunately, he had completed his labours

Skct. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

425

before he took leave of the Admiralty. I drew up, for
the benefit of his successor, a brief history of all the
changes and improvements, both civil and military,
that took place under his administration, 'vhich was
entered on the records of the AdmiralL^, and, it is
presumed, may there be found; and I hope most sin-
cerely that no future change will be attempted on the
plan, unless with the certainty of producing a better.

It was my intention, however, if Sir James Graham
had not taken so hasty a departure, to have called his
attention to the very unsatisfactory state of the lists, and
of the modes of promotion, of naval officers — the greatest
grievance in the naval service, as they now stand, and
one which none of the Boards of Admiralty have been
willing to grap])le with. The occasional retirements
of officers are of little, and but of temporary use. I
should have begun by the uemolition of a mIioIc list,
which was a clumsy invention of a former age, and,
in my o])lnion, an useless incumbrance. I may be
wrong: but I will brieflv state the historv of what is
now the Commanders' List.

In the early period of the Navy, fire-ships, brigs, and
vcfjsels of the smallest class were commanded by
Masters; and, probably, to prevent their being mis-
taken for the ordinary class of Masters, they were
distinguished as Masters-Commanding; but in a short
time, these Masters thought that, perhaps by a little
alteration in their title, they might advance a step in
rank ; and accordingly, by minute of the 4th of Feb-
ruary, 1G97, it was resolved that, for the future, all
connnanders of fire-ships and sixth rates have their com-
missions as " Masters and Commanders," and have no
separate Masters ; and we find the title of Master and
Coiiunandcr remaining to be thus entered on the lists

• -raiO

1 • •

■! ' '.

• ,■!•( ;.

;»- ■■

U'-

rr".^

■ «.•

■ *

•vS

.r •■•!,■ ■ ■ ' ■
' '? SI'"-.' J ' .* •'

426

SIR JAMES GUAIIAM.

fSECT. IX.

of naval officers ; and not only that, but with 2^rccc(h'm;e
over Lieutenants, thus robbing the latter of their k'«;i.
timate step to the rank of Captain. The next process
was to get rid of the name of Master altogethor, hut
how this was done and by what authority I did not
succeed in discovering: in running over the lists, I
found that Masters and Commanders stood by that
title on the list, down to the year l7U'i; and, in the list
of the following year (1794), that class was siioply
headed " Commanders," and so in future were tlkir
commissions; the alteration, therefore, or the omission,
must have taken place when Lord Chatham prLsidcd
at the Admiralty.

Taking that list as it now (184G) stands, we liiul:—

On the Geiioral List
On the two retired Lists

851 Conunaiulcrs
300
Ho I Total.

Of these —

Employed Afloat . . . . llo

Ditto Coa.st-Guar(l, Hospitals, &c. 57

172

There remain on half-pay and pensioned

979

But the evil does not stop at the large unprofitalilc
expenditure. Here we have 1151 officers reji,ulaily
educated (at least so it must be presunu^d) in the iiavnl
service, of whom we can find employment afloat fin'
115 only, and for shore appointments 57, in the wiiolc
172; and probably, if these were to be superseded, it
would not be an easy matter to find others fit to suj)})ly
their places from the list of Commanders; for, ex-
cept on account of some brilliant service, few yoiiiii:
men are promoted to be commanders — the legiti-
mate step is from the list of old lieutenants of long ami

Skct. IX.]

THE ADMIUALTY.

42'i

nds, we find :—

good service; an old lieutenant thus becomes an old
commander, lives and dies as such, his only reward
being a trifling addition to his half-pay, instead of
being made a captain at once — and no one will
deny that an experienced first-lieutenant of a line-
of-battle ship is as fit, or more fit, for the rank of
captain, and to command as such, than another of
equal merit and standing, who has sauntered away
the best remaining part of his life as a half-pay
commander ; for it is ten to one that he gets any-
thing better, and six to one against his being employed
afloat.

In a time of profound peace, when few brilliant
deeds can command promotion and a great proportion
of all ranks must be deemed no longer fit for command,
I am inclined to think that the reasonable and right-
thinking part of the service would not object to the
abolition of the rank of commander. Those already
afloat, to have commissions as captains ; and captains,
as in olden time, to be made from the list of lieu-
tenants, and from such of the junior commanders as are
fit for service afloat, the rest to retire ; and those who
hold shore-appointments to continue them.

In May, 1882, Sir James was pleased to order the
following memorandum to be placed on the records of
the Admiralty : —

" 9t!» May, 1832.

" Before retiring from the Board I am anxious to
testify my respect to Mr. Barrow, and to mark my
sense of his faithful services, and of the assistance which
I have received from him in my public duty.

" With the permission of His Majesty, I wish there-

I ■

I ' * ■

T 1 'I

! I

i":]; ■

p.: ■.!;■• •

428

blU JAMKS GUAIIAM.

[Sect. IX,

fore to promote his son, Lieutenant William Barrow
to the rank of Commander, as a speeial favour, inde-
pendent of the routine of promotion in vacaneies.

(Signed) " J. R. G. Guaiiam."

This, my third son, passed through the two ])rf;vious
stages greatly to my satisfaction ; and, what is more
important, to the satisfaction of his c immanding ofticors.
lie was, moreover, a kind-hearted and good young man.
On the evening of the day that he received his coin-
mission frcmi Sir James (iraham, two years atlerwards,
to command the ' Hose,' he brought home mukr his
arm a large (piarto Bible ; on being asked what use lie
meant to make of it? — "To read it, to be sure, to the
ship's company on Sundays, when at sea." His siii|)
was sent to India, and approj)riate(l to the Strait of
Malacca, to look alter Malay pirates, where, by his
indefatigable pursuit among the creeks and jtuigle, lie
caught a fever, which fell on his lungs, and on the pas-
sage home he was obliged to invalid at the Cape of
Good Hope. He there received the utmost attention
from Sir Patrick and Lady Campbell, and also from
Captain and Mrs. Wauchope — for whose almost parental
kindness I cannot express myself sufficiently grateful.
His illness terminated fatally at Simon's Bay ; where a
stone, with a suitable inscription, marks the place of his
burial. The following extract of a letter from Miss
Elliot (now Countess of Northesk) to my daughter,
displays so nuich good feeling, and marks so strongly
the regard and recollection of this amiable lady for her
abseut friends, that we all feel the best tribute of gra-
titude we can bestow is to place her kindness on
record : —

'."•i

Skpt. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

429

" After a loiipf delay," says Miss Elliot, " caused by
tiie difficulty of ])rocurinf]f worknicu to complete the
wall which surrounds the nionuinent, it is a real satis-
I'ac'tion to me, before my departure from the colony, to
he able to give you a ttivom'able report of the whole.
The tablet is all that you and your family could desire;
the enclosure solid, and the S])ace of ground inside the
wall, which is larger than I expected, is now thickly
studded with young acacias and geraniums in flower,
and the wall will protect these until they are strong
enough to stand against the winds of that quarter.

" 1 send you a little ])lant, dried in haste, which I
picked the other day inside the enclosure— a spot which,
jntlsing by my feelings towards the grave of our lost
Addif, 1 feel nuist be of deep interest to you; and even
this trifling recollection may not be unworthy of your
acceptance. 1 fervently wish I could have done more
to prove to you that I still retain the kindest recollec-
tion of you all. . . .

(Signed) "Georgina Elliot."

Tt is due to the memory of my son, and will be a
^n-atilieation to his family, to insert the following testi-
monial of his conduct, and attention to his professional
(hities, from his Commander-in-chief: —

" Trincoinalee, 9th July, 1837.
" Sir,

" I feel sincerely concerned that the state of
your health retpiires your immediate removal from this
climate, and deprives me prematurely of your always
cheerfid and willing assistance. I have frequently
noticed with pleasure your laudable anxiety that His

SIU JAMES GKAIIAM.

[Sect. IX.

■k'

; ■; I ^

I r I

( '•

-*'

Majesty's sloop 'Rose,' under your command, should
be distinguished for her order and discipline, and
alacrity on service ; and I trust that your speedy
restoration to health will enable you to follow up the
service, to which you are so nuich attached, with dis-
tinction and honour to yourself, and benefit to vour
country. " I am. Sir,

" Your most obedient humble servant,

" Bladen Capel,

" Vice-Admiral and CommaiKler-iii-Cliief.
'* Commander Burrow,

H.M. sloop ' Rose: "

On the same occasion of my son's promotion, Sir
Herbert Taylor was directed by the King as follows:—

" The King ordered me to assure you that he had
been very nmch gratified by Sir James Graham's selec-
tion of your son for promotion to the rank of Com-
mander, not only because he knew it to be well
bestowed, but as it afforded so satisfactory a proof of
the just estimation in which your own valuable and
exemplary services are held. His Majesty commanded
me to add, that he shall not cease to take a sincere in-
terest in your welfare, and in all that can contribute to
your comfort. " I am, &c., very faithfully,

(Signed) " H. Taylor."

On the retirement of Sir James Graham from the
Admiralty he left the following memorandum : —

" Admiralty, 14th June, 1834.
'■'' As my last act before leaving this Board, I con-
sider it my duty, in the most earnest manner, to im-
press upon my successor the paramount importance of

Sr.cr. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

431

keeping at all times ready, to receive men, twelve sail
of the line and six large frigates, in addition to the
ships which may be in commission. When I say ready
to receive men, I mean their standing rigging over the
mast-head, their topmasts pointed, their lower masts
iic"oss, all their internal fitting complete, and their
ground-tier of tanks on board. On a sudden emer-
gency, it is impossible to calculate the advantage which
this state of preparation aifords ^ and I speak from ex-
perience when I declare, that if reliance be placed on a
state of ordinary to meet the exigencies of a sudden
armament with efficient dispatch, disappointment will
ensue, and national danger may be the consequence.
France, Russia, all the naval powers, keep constantly a
large portion of their fleet in this advanced state of pre-
paration ; but when I compare the number of their
ships, and the limited sphere within which they move,
with our reduced peace establishment, and our ships of
war in commission, scattered throughout the world for
the protection of our commerce, I am convinced t' at
prudence and policy dictate the necessity of having a
force concentrated and ready in our harbours, at once
to proceed to sea as soon as men can be obtained. This
force should be equally divided between Portsmouth,
Plymouth, and the Medway, to prevent confusion, and
to ensure celerity, when an armament takes place ; and
the admirals and captains-superintendent at those ports
should be held strictly responsible for the constant state
of perfect efficiency in which these ships should be kept,
^vltllout fail. Their rigging must be removed from
time to time, and their masts and spars overhauled:
hut the cost is insignificant, compared with the national
advantage of having this force constantly available,
without the risk of disappointment. To ensure these

,: r.ir.

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432

SIR JAMES GIJAHAM.

[Skct. IX.

ships being constantly ready, I would recommend that,
as ships of these classes are brought forward for com-
mission, they should be taken from the number thus
prepared. " J. Graham."

Some time before Sir James Graham left the Ad-
miralty (in the year 1830), Commander George
Smith, who had submitted a plan for instruction in
gunnery, and had been ajjpointed supernumerary of the
St. Vincent, received an order to reside on board the
' Excellent,' to carry on the practice of sea-guiuierv,
and for the instruclion of officers and seamen, jiiul
others belonging to the sea service, who might hv (h-
sirous of availing themselves of such an opportunity at
the port of Portsmouth.

To make the establishment perfect, the Board of
Ordnance was requested to sup})ly a gun of each nature
and descri])tion, with every variety of gun-carriage,
apparatus, sights, ^'C. complete.

Sir John Pccheli, who, as one of the Lords of Sir
James (iraham's Board, had long before turned his par-
ticular attention to naval gunnery, entered cordiallv
into the ])lan of making it a branch of naval education;
and, in the year ls.'V2, the ' Excellent' was put in com-
mission, to be aj)propriated solely as a school for gun-
nery practice, to have a regular establishment of able
seamen to be instructed as seamen gunners for the fleet,
and to receive on board a certain nund)er of officers to
be instructed in that important branch of the naval ser-
vice. In Aj)ril, 1832, Sir Thomas Hastings was ap-
pointed to the command of the ' Excellent,' and con-
tinued to carry on the gunnery instructions, conducting
experiments, and making improvements, for fourteen
years, when, in the year 1847, he was superseded hy

Sect. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

433

Captain Chads, and "'as appointed principal Store-
keeper of the Ordnance.

Tlie practice of gunnery in ships of war has now be-
come a system which every officer and man on board is
expected fully to comprehend ; and every ship is sup-
plied with copies of ' Instructions for the Exercise and
Service of Great Guns.' They have regular words of
command for every operation, and will go through the
drill exercise as steadily as troops on shore.

Ill the exercise of the great guns on board the
'Excellent,' it is pleasing to see the zeal and alacrity
with w Inch the officers of all ranks go through the great
gun exercise ; and, on the numerous occasions when I
have been an inspector of this exercise, I have almost
invariably observed, that the process of working the
gun, till the concluding one of running it out, hasbeen
accomplished sooner by the officers than by the men —
such is the effect of aninud zeal and spirits over mere
aiiima) strength.

The ercw are also practised as to elevations, ranges,
and charges of guns, in lever target practice, and in
naval cutlass exercise.

There is likewise a separate small treatise of " In-
?tmetions for the use of Shells," which are becoming of
more general practice within a few years.

Commander Smith, before mentioned, has also the
merit of introducing, for the use of steam-vessels, an
appendage which promises convenience, utility, and per-
haps the preservation of human life. This is simj)ly
converting the ship's boats into covers for the paddle-
boxes by inverting them with their keels upwards : they
are here well out of the way, are excellent roofs for the
wheels, and are so fitted as to be ready at a moment to

2 K

•'^'^■''''''''''^irimSISSIr

rfl.

434

SIR JAMES GRAHAM.

[Sect. IX.

lower down in case of accident. I understand they are
now generally thus applied.

In the summer of 1834, Sir James Graham seceded
from the Whig party, together with Lord Stanley and
some others, on the Irish Church question, though he
had gone the full length with them on all other questions,
and was one of the most active Memhers, both in and
out of the House, in passing the Reform Bill ; so that
Mr. Joseph Ilume called him "The very pillar of
Reform." He was succeeded in the Admiralty bv
Lord Auckland, who remained hut a few nioiitlis,
when his Majesty, on the 14th of November, 18;U,
gave his new jNIinisters leave co retire.

But I have not yet done with Sir James Graliani.
He was a man of too nmch importance by his in-
fluence, intelligence, and aptitude for business, to be
overlooked by any party, whether in or out of the
Government : and the high situation of Governor-
General of India becoming vacant about this time, the
Directoi-s of the East India Company fixed their at-
tention on him, as a proper person to fill that important
station. One of the most influential of this bodv called
on me to know if, in the course of our intercourse, I
had ever heard Sir James Graham throw out a hint on
the subject, or if I thought he would accept of this hiirli
appointment, provided it was properly offered to him,
and that the present Ministry would approve of iiiiii.
I told him I never had ; but said, if he wished it, I
would write privately to let him know that the question
had been put to me : which accordingly I did, ami
received an immediate reply, of which the following is
a copy : —

• s

Sect. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

435

" Netlierby, January lOtli, 1835.
" My dear Sir,

" Although my election takes place on
Monday, and I am nuich occupied by the neccss*iry
preparations, yet I cannot delay an answer to your
letter, which is written in the kindest and most friendly
spirit. It is impossible that I should not feel honoured
and gratified by the high trust which the East India
Directors are willing to confide to me. In any cir-
cumstances my decision on the offer, if it were made
directly and in due form, would involve the most
serious and difficult considerations both of a public and
private nature ; but at the present time, and in the
present state of affairs, I am relieved from the necessity
(if any such deliberation ; for having refused the
acceptance of office at home, under Sir Kobert Peel,
with all its attendant risks and heavy responsibility
at tills critical juncture, I shouhl be exposed to the just
suspicion of unworthy motives, li', under the same
Government and with no change of circumstances, I
consented to receive a most lucrative a])pointment
which would remove me from the scenv'3 of the impend-
ing struggle, and secure my own interests by the favour
of a Government whose fortunes I was unwilling to
share. Sense of honour admits of no doubt in this
case; and in the most sincere sentiments of gratitude
and respect towards the Directors I must, at the
present moment, renounce the acce})tance of the aj)-
poiiitment even if it were offered to me with the full
concurrence both of the Ministers and the Court of

Directors.

" Yours, very sincerely,

"J. 11. G. Graham."
2 i.'2

m I

SIR JAMES GRAHAM.

[Sect. IX.

In a subsequent note he says, " Let me thank you
very sincerely for the friendly part which you have
taken in this transaction ; it corresponds exactly with
the uniform kindness which I have experienced at your
hands."

Sir Jam^s Graham became Secretary of State for
the Home Department in 1841, when Sir Robert Poi]
was First Lord of the Treasury ; but from the date of
the above familiar letters the only comnuinicatioii I
have ever had from Sir James was in consequence of
some charge which, I understood privately, was in-
tended to be preferred against him in the House of
Commons, by his old friends the Whigs, for having loft
the Dock- Yards unprovided with stores, and also for
having reduced the fine corps of Marine Artillery to an
inefficient state. I gave him notice of this ; and by
permission of Lord Minto (for which I deemed it right
to ask) I furnished him with copies of documents for his
defence, if required. On this subject I make no further
connnent ; I believe that we have not from that time
exchanged a Mordwith one another on any subject. Yet
we are both in the same way of thinking as to politics
— both good Tories; and I am anxious to say one
word at parting.

Although during the four years of Sir James Gra-
ham's administration of the affairs of the Navy my
labours were increased two-fold to what they had been
under any presiding power before or after him, yet,
finding him earnestly bent on accomplishing those
reforms which he had undertaken to make, and that lie
spared no labour of his own in the execution of them,
I can safely aver that I never felt myself more happy
or more at ease than in the busy life I was dooinod to

SliCT. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

437

spend during the period in question ; convinced us I
then was — if I had ever doubted it before — that the
more fully and actively employed, under vigorous
health, are the mental and corporeal faculties, the more
composed and tranquil will the possessor of them find
himself to be. Indeed, I am fully persuaded, that the
continual employment for forty years at the Admiralty,
with the preceding activity of mind and body, were the
great preservatives of my health ; and precluded the
necessity of calling in the doctor, who, during all that
time, never showed his face in my house — at least for
myself^ and rarely for any one else.

There might be another cause for contentment. I
felt that I had the full confidence of Sir James Graham,
as he had promised at our first meeting that I should
have ; and that I was held under a higher degree of
consideration than otherwise my position in the dcpart-
lueut would have procured for me. Sir James always
treated me with the greatest kindness and attention,
and I can only regret that for some years now all
intercourse should have ceased.

I thought it right, however, two years after it had
ceased, personally or by writing, to send him a copy
of my ' Life of Lord Ilowe,' the acknowledgment of
which produced a most gratifying letter, of which the
following is a copy : —

"Netherby, December 20th, 1837.
"My dear Sir,

" I have received and read with great

pleasure your ' Life of Lord Howe ;' and so far from

exclaiming 'How can my friend the Secretary of

the Admiralty find time to write a book ? ' I can

speak, from the experience of some years, that he

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438

SIR JAMES GRAHAM.

[Sr.cT. IX.

never neglected a. public duty, that he never was want-
ing in a kind office to a friend, and yet, from a wise
economy of leisure, he always had a spare moment for
some useful research or some literary occupation. I
think your last effort will be instructive ; I am sure it
is pregnant with wisdom and reproof; and it will be ;i
happy event if the officers of the present day will stick
to the beaten track, and be content with the road to
fame which the great men — now no more — so nobly
trod before them, when deeds and respect for aitlioritv
were everything, and when words and love of change
stood for nothing. All the groat principles of our
naval glory are clearly and fully developed in the
' Life of Lord Howe ;' and when these principles are
violated, when the established usage is destroyed,
when the right of Impressment shall be frittered away,
and the use of corporal punishment given up, thtMi this
glory will depart from us and our sun will set to rife
no more. You, in your })lace and generation, have
done your best to avert that evil day ; and your honest
services at the Board of Admiralty will, I trust, be

long remembered.

(Signed)

"I am, always, &c.,

" J. R. G. Graham.

! -It ;'■•'■,.■• ..•

K*J;^ .■:■•■,■■■.

I also presented a copy of the book to the Queen,
who directed the following reply : —

" St. Leonard's, December 20tli, 1837,
« Sir,

" I am honoured by Queen Adelaide's

commands to convey to you her JNTnjesty's thanks for

the ' Life of Admiral Earl Howe,' which you have had

the goodness to present to her.

■*.s

Sect. IX.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

4.39

"Iler Majesty further charges iiic to express her
great satisfaction that this work is written by yon, as
iier Majesty clearly recollects the anxious w ish of the
late King that it should be undertaken by yourself, as
a person whose abilities, services, and character his
Majesty always heh' in the highest estimation.

" I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed) " Edward CuiizoN.

" To Sir J. Barrow, IJart ,
&c., &c., &c"

That which I ought, perhaps, to value the highest,
consists of three lines from the late Mr. Southey to
Mr. Murray : —

" I have read through half the ' Life of Lord Howe,'
and never read any book of the kind that seemed to
me, ir all respects, so ably and so judiciously com-
posed."

k to the Queen,

ember 20tli, 1837.

' I

440

THE KAKL OF AUCKLAND.

[Sect. X.

Skction X.
The Earl of Auckland.

.Time 11, 1834— December 22, 1834.

I ■• '

1^'

Nf:.'!-

.. «'>

Sir William Parker First Naval Lord

Tiie Hon. (Jko. Klliot First Socretary.

The retirement of Sir James Gnaham was speedily fol-
lowed by that of Lord Stanley, the Duke of l^ichniond,
and the Earl of liipon : and, ere lon^, by the resignation
of Lord Althorpe, Chancellor of the Exchequer, who,
at the same time, made an excuse for Lord Grey
also to retire from office. Yet with all these deser-
tions, the Whigs were not disposed to quit the lioliii.
Viscount Melbourne succeeded Earl Grey as First
Lord of the Treasury, and Lord Auckland took the
situation of First Lord of the Admiralty in the place
of Sir James Graham.

Lord Auckland had, for some years, been Auditor
of Greenwich lIos])ital, and had occasion at certain
periods to show himself at the Admiralty; but lie
never held any other situation, by which he could
become conversant with public business, or any that had
to do with more than a small portion of Admiralty
concerns. The limited degree of patronage that during
the short period of his service fell to his share, con-
sisting of a promotion or two, and a few naval appoint-

•.%

SUT. X.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

441

inents, he distributed, I believe, without favour or
affection, to the best of his judgment and according to
his conscience.

lie was, moreover, a nobleman of good sound sense
and solid understanding, of an amiable disposition,
mild in his manner, and good-tempered. He showed
a willingness to make himself acquainted with the
details of business, relating to the concerns of the Naval
doj)artment, which were now placed on a more firm
and settled fcmndation than heretofore. His tenure of
office, however, did not exceed six months, during
which the crippled Melbourne Administration, con-
sisting now of little more than mend)ers of the original
Kcform Ministry, shorn of its beams, being deprived
of its ablest and best statesmen, was tottering to its
tall. The King, having for some time observed this,
became more and more dissatisfied, and determined at
Kiigtli to dismiss his Ministers, and to send for the
Duke of Wellington, whom he charg(;d to submit to
him a new Government.

The Duke could not well refuse, and proposed at
once Sir Robert Peel — though then absent with his
lady in Italy — as the only and the most proper person
to be appointed First Minister of the crown ; and in
the mean time he advised the King to place him (the
Duke) provisionalli/ at the head of afi'airs, as First
Lord of the Treasury and Secretary of State for the
Home Department ; receiving, in fact, the seals of the
three departments of Home, Foreign, and Colonial
Secretaries of State, as he might have occasion to act
in each of them until Sir Robert Peel's return ; and so
serujjulous was the Duke, that not a single office was
disposed of, or exercise of patronage made use of,

-Mh

442

THE EAUL OF AUCKLAND.

LSixr. X.

1 I

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(luring the interregnum ; and no inconvenience resulted
f'roiu what was jocuhirly called the Duke's Cabinet,
consisting of one; single ineniber, in his own individual
person — a coniidence reposed, in this singular instance,
without creating envy, jealousy, or suspicion, either in
the mind of the King or of the jmblic.

On the arrival of Sir llobert Teel in England, lu;
was forthwith aj)pointed First Lord of the Treasurv,
aud ihe Earl de Grey First Lord of the Admiralty,
which might be said to have been in abeyance for sonio
little time; but as every thing had remained peace-
able and undisturbed, the v»heels of Government went on
smoothly — though, on a few occasions, perhaps, a little
more slowly than usual. Sir llobert Feel very ])ro-
pcrly named Sir George Cockburn as First Naval Tionl
of the Board, who was at this time Commander-in-chief
on the North American station. Conceiving it would
be an act of great injustice to rccal this excellent ollicer
from so important and lucrative a command, I waited
on Sir Robert Peel, to take his opinion whether he con-
sidered it absolutely necessary that he should at once be
recalled to assume his seat at the Board, or would suffer
hiui to remain a little longer. " By all means," he said,
" write to him to say, in my name, that there is no
occasion for his turning over the command, and that I
will let him know when he is wanted here." It Mas
fortunate that I stopped him : for, had he come home
on seeing his appointment, he would have found his
seat occupied by some of the Whig party. Sir liobert
Peel's Government having ceased in April, 1835, Lord
Melbourne became a second time the Premier; and
Lord Auckland a second time First Lord of the Ad-
miralty for another four or five months, when he rc-

*.%

Skct. X.J

THE ADMIRALTY.

448

iiviiip; it would

signed in September, 1835, and Lord Minto took his
place, which he held for six years — not, however, iniine-
(liately, asubont this time the Whip; Government found
itself so un])opular, with the Radicals as well as with the
Conservatives, that Lord Melbourne and Lord John
Russell deemed it expedient to resign ; and the former
recommended C^ueon Victoria to send for the Duke of
Wellington, who advised her Majesty again to appoint
Sir Robert Reel as First Lord of the Treasury, and
authorize him to form his Government. It need not
here be stated that Sir Robert, not thinking it proper
or constitutional that the wives, daughters, and sisters
of the late Cabinet Ministers should continue as Ladies
of the Court, all of whom the Queen had been advised
to insist on retaining. Sir Robert and the Duke of
Wellington declined accepting office ; and Lord Mel-
bourne, with the whole ])arty, immediately resumed
tlioir former situations: and it was on Lord Melbourne's
remaining in office that Lord Minto iinally succeeded
as First Lord of the Admiralty.

it.

t ■

444

THE EARL DE GREY.

[Sect. XI.

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■■.!•■.•(■

1. ■.

. •^'

Section XI.
The Earl de Grey.

December 23, 1834— April 25, 1835.

Sir Charles Rowley First Naval Lord.

Right lion. George R. Dawson. .First Secretary.

During the interregnum, as it may almost be called,
between Lord Auckland leaving the Admiralty the first
time, the 22nd of December, 1834, and returning to i^
the 24th of April, 1835, the office of First Lord was
held by the Earl de Grey ; but in the fluctuating state of
the Government two years before, and about the com-
mencement of the reign of a young and a female sove-
reign, and moreover in the struggle for powr between
the Whigs and the Conservatives, the wheels of Govern-
ment were considerably clogged ; and the world l)cinjr
apparently disposed to cultivate the arts and pursuits of
peace, the Navy In particular may be said to have been
resting on its oars, during the two short administrations
of Lord Auckland and the intermediate still shorter
one of the Earl de Grey. In fact, little beyond the
com.mon routine of business engaged the attention of
the First or of the other Lords of the Admiralty

The subject that, from its importance, required the
notice of the Board, was the enormous expense incurred,

*.\

<i:i ' ■ ' » • » .

^ \

Sect. XL]

THE ADMIRALTY.

445

and the inconvenience occasioned, by the frequent re-
pairs required for the steam-vessels, the number and
size of which had at this time increased to a large fleet.
A circular notice was therefore sent forth to every
officer in command of a steam-vessel, to use his en-
deavour to make himself thoroughly acquainted with all
the parts of the machinery ; to examine their condition,
and, with the assistance of the chief engineer, to repair
defects whenever they occurred ; and to transmit, on
the first day of every month, a distinct and detailed
account of each preceding month of what is therein
required, under the following heads : —

1. State of the engines, boilers, and paddle-wheels
on the last day of that month.

2. Any injury or defect, and nature of repair re-
ceived.

.3. Quantity of coals, or number of days' consumption,
the ship can ?tow.

4. Number of hours the steam has been up in the
month.

5. Average consumption of coals per hour.

G. Greatest number of knots the vessel has gone.

7. Number of days in the month she has been under
sail only.

8. The maximum speed when under sail only.

9. Cc'iduct of the engineers during the month.

10. Any suggestions that may occur to you respecting
the machinery, and such other remarks and observa-
tions as you may deem it expedient their Lordships
should be made acquainted with.

This circular order was productive of the best effects.

As steam-navigation was rapidly increasing not only

446

THE EAKL DE GREY.

[Sect. XI.

■f^.

i ^1 ! '

;ii.:

in the number, but alsc in the capacity and force of
the men-of-Avar steamers, candidates for conunands
increased in proportion; and as it was of the utmost im-
portance that appointments should be conferred on those
alone who had acquired a knowledge of the construc-
tion and management of the steam-engine, enconrago-
ment was given by the steam-engine manufacturers
to such naval officers as might be desirous of acquiring
information, for admission to their workshops; and tlie
knowledge thus obtained was the best reeonuuendatioii
to the comnuuid of a steam-vessel.

In the Karl de Grey's short administration, kSir
George Cockburn was still commander-in-chief on tlii-
American station, and I had written to him not to he
in haste to leave his command, 'i'he following is his
reply to that connnunication, addressed private to
myself^ to which he has been kind enough to tack a
very flattering testimony, and congratulation on the
recent distinction conferred on me : —

I • -

(Private.) ''Admiral's House, Berinuda, lilst May, IH;!!.

"My dear Sir John,

"This being the first time I have so addressed
you, 1 nmst begin my letter by ottering you my very
sincere congratulations on your having received this so
well-merited mark of distinction, and requesting you to
believe how cordially I hope that you may long, very
long, enjoy tliis honour, which has seldom or never
been more fully earned by so long-continued and
valuable ser\ ices to the state, and whicii conse(juently
nmst have given universal satisfaction not only to your
friends, but to the public at large. Lady Cockburn

Skct. XI.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

447

also begs to join me in offering onr congratulations to
Lady Barrow on the occasion.

" I have now to thank you for your notes of the 2nd
and .'3rd of A])ril, and a sad account they give (»f the
state in which matters were in London 'it that date,
leaving no doubt of the soundness of your advice to me
'to wait ' further communications previous to coming
to any decision relative to my return to England, and
most truly do I feel obliged to Lord de Grey and the
rose of you for the kind and Hattering consideration
towards me so fully manifested by everything you have
(k'oided and done respecting me ; and if Sir llobert
IVel's Government shall have survived the storm
wliich so overbearingly pressed uj)()n it when you wrote,
I shall have much pleasure in joining you at the old
(itHce whenever you have sent to me an officer to M'hom
1 can with propriety deliver the charge of this extensive
;)iid (under existing circumstances) important command ;
Imt from the tenor of your letter and of others 1 re-
ceived at the same time, I hardly venture to indulge a
hope that iiii/ frit'nds can liave managed to stand their
uTound against the united Whig and Kadical swarm
opposed to them, and therefore I consider that long-
CIV this reaches you all (piestion regarding my return
will have been set at rest.

" How any other Govermncnt will be able to get on
rciiiains to be proved, but it appears none will be likely
to stand with the present House of Commons except a
thoroughly destructive one, and with such a Govern-
ment I own r do not think Croker's flntici])ations
which you mention likely to prove very far wrong.
Wo nuist, however, do our best to the last, and stand
the hazard of the die.

"«■«!

448

TIIK EAKI DE GIIKY.

[HJXT. XI.

" With every kind wish to you and yours, helievc
nie always,

" My dear Sir John,

" Faitlil'ully and truly yours,

" G. CoCKBUUN.
" Sir Tohii Rarnnv, Bart.,

Jnst at the same time I received the Ibllowinji; kind
letter from one of my earliest i'riends in the naval srr-
viee, and t)ne who has distinguished himself in the])roiH()-
tion of nautical seienee and of ^ood eonduet, mor.ilitv,
and discipline in the junior otKeer, heyond any otliir
that I could mention. In society he was ])leasant and
lively, and fond ol' literary pursuits, of which lie has
given ])roof to the world hy several small volumes on
various subjects, chiefly naval ; but such is the uncer-
tainty of luunan life and the instability of the nicntMl
constitution, that in the midst of apparent luvdtli and
vigour, the faculties of his uiind suddenly gave way,
forsook him altogether, and after a short time of almost
unconscious existence, he was fortunately released irom
a state of misery distressing to himself and to all his
friends : —

"Paris, 13tli NovcMuber, IKVl
" My dear Sir,

"I am glad of an o})pt)rtunity of congratulatin;;

YOU upon your recent honours — so well earned and

bestowed with so nuich popularity ; for I never renioni-

ber auy pnmiotion, so to speak, which gave more uni-

ve»*sal satisfaction. But to uo one of all your friends

could it have afforded more gcnuin'^ pleasure than it

did to uie, for I have very long looked up to you as

Skct. XI.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

449

one of my truest, and certainly iny most ' iseful, pro-
tector — most useful because you gave nie help and
encouragement when I was unknown, even to myself,
and when every word of such practical encouragement,
as you afforded me, was a step not merely in the ladder
of professional advancement, but gave me a rise in the
\vorl(l of letters, of science, and, last though not least,
of good company. I must, therefore, ever feel grateful
to you ; and uow that I want nothing, professional or
otherwise, I am pi'oud to acknowledge my deep obli;.a-
tions, and right happy to see the object of my hunJde
esteem duly honoured by the highest authorities, by
and with the cordial sympathy of the country at large.

"Pray offer uiy best remembrance and that of Mrs.
Ilall to Lady Barrow, and believe me,

" Ever truly yours,

" Basil Hail.
'' Sir John Ecirrow, Bart."

Novombt'!, IHo').

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450

THE EAUL OF MINTO.

Section XII.
T/ie Earl of Minto.

Sept. 19, 1835— May 22, 1841.

[Sect. XII.

ill'

■J . :■ ;

■ . ,)•

Admiral Sir Charlks Adam First Naval Lord.

CiiAS. Wood (now Kt. Hon. Sir C. Wood) .First Secretary.

In the same year (1835) in which Lord Auekliind's
second adniinistratioii of the affairs of the Admiralty
commenced, and terminated, the Earl of Minto be-
came First Lord of the Admiralty, Sir P. Malcolm
and Sir AYilliam Parker being a})pointed the two
chief Naval Lords ; but Sir P. Malcolm never took his
seat, and the other eventually was rej)laced by Sir
Charles Adam, and Mr. Charles AVood was Secretary
— an able and active man, and no mean debater in
the House of Commons. Notwithstanding the frequent
changes and the short reigns of the last three or tour
First Lords of the Admiralty, the aifairs of the Navy,
mider the new arrangement made and completed by
Sir James Graham, went on so smoothly and with
such regularity that tlie short-lived Boards liad no oe
sion to trouble themselves with studying the detail-
the civil departments, or of making any new ones. Ni
alteration whatever had been made or j)roposcd ; but,
before Lord Minto had been long in office, a Committee
of the House of Commons was appointed to inquire into

e;i-

s (if

Skct. Xll.]

THE ADMllJALTY.

4.11

tlicAvorkiiig of the consolidation of the civil departments
of tlie Navy, according- to the new plan, with the view,
jis 1 nnderstood, of seeing liov/ far such a plan could
he applied to the consolidation of the civil affairs of
the Army.

The Committee consisted of Lord Ilowick, Sir
Henry Ilardinge, Lord Palmerston, and three or four
others. I believe that 1 was the only person examined,
and the examination was rather long and particular.
Xot a point in the ])lan of arrangement was omitted to
be called in(piestion; hut, having drawn it up myself
and witnessed its execution, and two years oidy having
expired, I was pre})ared to give full information on every
point, and I believe they Mere perfectly satisfied. As
Lord Grey had suggested the measure, and during its
progress a considerable opposition in the House of
Connnons was exhibited by certain Conservative mem-
hers; and, moreover, as Lord Ilowick took an active
share in the examination, it struck me, at the time, that
Lord CJrey was desirous the success of the measure
should be made more ])ul)lic than it had hitherto been ;
it was, in fact, his Lordship's own measure— at least, it
originated M'ith him.

Another Committee, about the same time, was
appointed to examine into the several sinecure places,
with the view of abolishing them ; and I Mas also
(xaniined on this subject, as tar as the naval service was
concerned. I told them I Mas not aMare of the existence
(if any sinecures in the Navy, except they might be dis-
posed to consider the two appointments, of ancient date,
tiie Vice-Admiral and the llear-Admiral of England,
ti) come under that denomination ; strictly speaking,
lliey might, })erhai)s, fall M'ithin that description ; but

2 (; 2

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i- ■

452

THE EARL OF MINTO.

[Sect. XII.

lis ,:

1 1

. I!

.'■I I •"

I would beg leave to observe, that they had efficient
duties to perform, when first created, and might be
again called upon to carry them into execution. Even
in our time, it might have happened that their services
were required. These two officers were originally
intended to be the Lieutenants of the Lord High
Admiral ; and if anything had happened to deprive
the nation of the late Lord High Admiral, while holding
that office, or that had disqualified him from per-
forming certain duties of it, one or both of these officers
would immediately have been summoned to perform
such duties, to prevent the office of Admiralty from
becoming useless; for the Council would then have
been reduced to such an emergency, that they could
neither order a ship to be built, to be commissioned, or
to proceed to sea ; they could not attach their names to
any public document.

It may also be looked on as a circumstance in favour
of their continuance, that these appointments are con-
sidered as honorary distinctions, that have always been
given to Admirals of high rank and good service ; and
the saving to be effected, by depriving them of the
pittance of day-pay they receive is too paltry to be re-
garded. The Committee would appear to have been
satisfied with this statement, as the Vice and Roar-
Admirals of England still remain to be voted on the
Estimate of the Navy.

During Lord Minto's administration a great
clamour was raised, mostly by naval partisans, about
the inefficient state of the Navy, particularly on the
want of naval stores in the Dock-Yards: and, as usual,
the flourishing state of the continental navies was con-
trasted with the declining condition of ours ; and,

Sect. XII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

453

among other matters, the mode of manning the Navy
was, perhaps not undeservedly, reproved ; and it was
stated also that the men were dissatisfied by being put
to unnecessary and degrading work. An instance was
related, that the Duke of Wellington, "on his being
shown over a man-of-war, in which the jJoUshinu system
was established in full force, his Grace obfjrved, that
it was pretty to look at, but that it was probably the
cause of discontent, as he had not seen a smile on the
countenance of any one man in the ship."

Satisfied of the falsehood of the story, but being
stated in a publication generally read, I took the liberty
of asking the question of his Grace, who immediately
returned the following reply: — .

" Wahner Castle, September 29th.
" My dear Sir,

"I have received your letter of the 2/th.
I have no recollection of having used the expression to
which you refer. I have sailed in many ships of war,
of all sizes and descriptions — probably more than some
otficcrs of the Navy of my time of life, certainly more
than any officer of the Army. The Captains of all
these ships were the most distinguished men of their
rank at the time. I do not recollect to have had
occasion to make such a remark upon any of them, or
on the discipline maintained by any of them.

"That which I always felt was, admiration for the
professional science and seamanship displayed by all
the officers, without exception, in every ship in which
I ever sailed. I firmly believe, and I have frequently
stated my conviction, that I had not seen one who
could not, at any time, lay his ship in any situa-
tion which he might be ordered to take, in relation

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THE EAllL OF MINTO.

[Skct. XII.

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to any other ships, be the strength of the wind or
tiic violence of the sea what it might ; and I havo
founded upon tliis superior knowledge and seaniansliji)
of our officers, the confidence that the naval superiority
of this country would be permanent.

" Entertaining this opinion, I might have made iv-
marks upon other matters ; but I certainly do not
recollect that I ever had occasion to make sucii ii
remark on the discipline of any ship in which I liavf
sailed.

" Believe me, Src, &c.,

(Signed) " Wellinotox."

This high compliment, from such authority, settles
that part which relates to the science and seaniiiiisliip
of the officers, and negatives the other charge; and Lord
IMinto in the Lords, and ]Mr. Wood in the Commons,
pro^■e(l the charge of a scarcity of stores to be utterly
unfounded. The charge originated, as regarded thr
want of timber, on a most ridiculous basis ; a certain
gentleman-yachtsman could not procure, in oiu' tirst
doci<-yard, a spar of Riga timber for a mast to his yaiht I

Lord Minto was a nobleman of first-rate abilities;
and, among other qualifications, he had a competent
knowledge of the mechanical })owers and of the various
modes of their application, which, in these days of in-
ventions, is no mean accpiirement in a First Lord of
the Admiralty, beset, as he is sure to be, by a host
of speculative inventors, whom it is not easy to satisfy
or to get rid of, especially when they happen to bo
naval officers of high rank, who may fancy theniselvts
capable of making improvements in naval constructions,
principally in steamers, of which they can have but a
very imperfect knowledge. Two or three of this kind

Skct. XII.]

THE ADJIIllALTY,

455

^^ELLI\(JTOX.'

of crafl luavc just now been placed under trial, but, as I
understand, with small chance of success. The only
successful amateur builder appears to be Ca})tain, now
Admiral, George Elliot, who planned the 'Eurydicc,'
avowedly one of the best — if not the very best — ship of
her class in our tleet ; he having previously built the
' Modeste,' of a smaller class, which is also much praised
for her good qualities.

A dangerous set of projectors appear to have re-
cently found their way into the good graces of the
Admiralty, and supplied their Lordships with a whole
fleet of iron steam-vessels, altogether useless, it would
seem, as ships of war. I very much doubt whether, had
the proposal of building such vessels been submitted
to Lord JVIinto, while he presided at the Board, the
serious objection would not have occurred to him, that a
siiot, passing through a plate of iron, nuist leave on the
opposite or inner side of the plate such a jagged margin
round the hole, as would have suggested at once the
difficulty, if not the impossibility, of plugging it up
in sufficient time to prevent a rush of water pouring
in. lie would, at least, have satisfied himself, by
direct experiment, whether the objection was re-
movable and without inconvenience. As far as I have
seen in the public papers, the inventions hitherto tried
to obviate the evil have been unsatisftictory ; but the
vessels have been built and the expense has been in-
curred.

I do not recollect that anything material took place
during the remaining period of Lord Minto's administra-
tion, beyond the general and usual occurrences that
daily occupy the attention of the Board of Admiralty.
The Navy is indebted to him for the extension and
improvement of the seamen's libraries : and I may add,

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THE EARL OF JillWTO.

[Skct. XII.

also, to that excellent and charitable lady, the late
Kli/.abeth Fry, of whose unceasing solicitude for an
inij)r()venient in the morals and comforts of all in the
naval service, I had frecjuent and abundant proofs. We
are indebted to her admirably well-chosen selection of
books, for the completion of the seamen's libraries.
She told me, one day, she had just couipleted a tour
round the sea-coast of Great Britain, to visit all the coast-
guard stations, with a view to succeed, if practicable,
in obtaining books for the perusal of the poor fellows
that had attracted her notice and commiseration, as slie
regarded their solitary walks along the sea-shore, look-
ing out for snmgglers. I could only refer her to the
Conuuissioners of Customs, under whom the coast-guard
is placed.

I was much gratified by the frequent visits of the
good Mrs. Fry, and with her correspondence, which
always had relation to some humane and charitahle
pur})ose ; as a specimen I annex the copy of a letter I
find at hand : —

« Upton Lane, Ist month 12tli, 1836.
" Esteemed Friend,

"According to thy request I
ordered a list to be sent to thee of our libraries ; first,
the one that is gone to 498 stations : and secondly, one
of our large District libraries ; there will be 74 of these,
and all the larger ones will have considerable variety
in them. My daughter and myself also hope soon to
send thee our list of books, that we have sent for the
use of the Government packets, but we have it not ly
us just now.

" I long to have the great hospital libraries increased
and renewed. I believe it would do much good and
prevent much harm; for the human mind, if not

Sw-r. XI 1. J

TIIK ADMIRALTY.

457

iionth 12th, 1836.

jjioperly occuj)it'(l, is sure to suffer; atul there are
iiiaiiy hours, ])Hrticuhirly in recovery from illness, tiiat
may he spent pleasantly and profitahly in reading.

" T\ni officers at riyiuouth coni|)lained of the sniall-
ncss of their lihrary there ; and, as a very few pounds
would greatly increase it, 1 should he very much
f,ratified in hearing thnt this request was granted. I
]ccl more free in pressing this suhject because I know
that Sir William Burnett approves the officers and
sailors having the books. I have had much experi-
ence in visiting the sick, and I am sure that persons a^e
iiiiich mistaken who are disposed to preclude religioii?
books from them ; because I am sure, if able to rct'd
the Bible and works of simple Christian truth, they tend
to calm, suj)port, and comfort them in their affliction,
and con:ioquently frequently promote recovery. I
isliould be careful, certainly, what books I introduced.

" 1 thought it better, as it respects the articles in the
Irish ships, to write to thee, and, if thou think proper,
pray represent it to the Board. I fear thou wilt think
nic rather a troublesome correspondent, but my motive
for writing must plead my excuse. I hope that thou
wast so kind as to present my respects to Lord Minto,
and to inform him, how very much obliged I feel for
his great kindness in nominating Captain Prynn's son
to the upper school at Greenwich.

" My hands are so very cold that I fear part of my
letter is hardly legible^

" I remain, with esteem and regard,
"Thy obliged friend,

"EuzABETH Fry.

"To Sir John Barrow, Bart.,
&c. &c. Ac."

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458

THE EAllL OF MINTO.

[Sect. XII.

Mr. Secretary Wood left the Admiralty on the 4th
October, 1839, greatly respected by his colleagues, aiul
by all who had served under him, for his uniform kind-
ness and good feeling towards them, having accepted the
Secretaryship of the Treasury *, and Mr. M. O'Ferrall
succeeded to his place in the Admiralty, which he re-
tained till the 9th June, 1841 : when he removed to the
Treasury, and was replaced by Mr. John Parker, in the
Admiralty, on the 9th June; and went out on the 10th
September following, with the Earl of Minto, after a
short service of three months. The Whig administra-
tion was in fact dissolved, in consequence of the dis-
solution of Parliament, and the result of the new one
being decidedly against that party ; Sir Robert Peel was
appointed First Lord of the Treasury, and the Earl of
Haddington First Lord of the Admiralty.

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Sect. XIII.]

THE ADMIKALTY.

459

Skction XIII.
The Earl of HAoniNGTON.

May 22, 1841— January, 184(}.

lit. Hon. Sir George Cockbuun First Naval Lord.

Hon. Sidney IIerbeht First Secretary.

When the Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel
had declined, on a former occasion, to accept office on
the terms proposed, Lord Melbourne consented to re-
main at the head of the Treasury, and Lord Minto
accepted the Admiralty, and conducted it with great
credit till the commencement of the year 1841, under
that tottering administration. Parliament was dissolved,
and the returns went so much against the Whigs, as
already stated, that Sir Robert Peel was sent for, who
accepted the seals, and his early friend the Earl of Had-
dington was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty.

A letter from Sir Robert introduced me to his Lord-
ship, to whom I had the honour of being well known in
his early life. This change, and the return of Sir
George Cockburn to the Admiralty, together with the
appointment of Mr. Sidney Herbert as Secretary, whom
I also had known as a boy, when I was not unknown
to Lord and Lady Pembroke, induced me to give up
all thought for the present of resigning my situation,

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460

THE EARL OF HADDINGTON.

[Sect. XHI.

which I had been revolving in mj mind to do on the
breaking up of the last Board.

Lord Haddington came into the Admiralty at a
time of profound peace, and when the new system of
management in the Admiralty departments had under-
gone a full trial and was completely established. One
thing, however, was still wanting in the naval service,
and that was a new and improved code of regulations
and instructions for the government of the naval ser-
vice, the date of the last edition of the old ones being
1833, and many alterations, additions, and improve-
ments having been introduced since that period. A
trial was made under Lord Minto's administration to get
up a new edition, which was printed, and reprinted, a
gentleman, who was not in the Admiralty, having been
employed to dress them up, for which he received a sum
of money ; but the volume was strangled in its birth, and
never left the Admiralty Board-room. It was shown to
Sir George Cockburn, he having previously intimated
an intention of undertaking the task of altering, amend-
ing, and extending the existing code, which had long
been denounced as extremely defective and out of date.
Sir George Cockburn werit carefully over what the late
Board had done, pronounced the production incomplete
and incorrect, and forthwith set about his intended new
edition.

As this undertaking was likely to be attended with
great labour and expenditure of time, which, in his
arduous situation, he could not well spare, he ap})lied
to my son for his assistance in preparing, arranging,
and putting through the press, the work in question,
which when completed was found to extend to upwards
of six hundred pages, and which, with that " constant

►N. [Sect. XIII.

ind to do on the

Sect. XIII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

461

and untiring attention,'' as expressed by Sir George,
he accomplished in due time, to take upon himself the
far more extensive and arduous task of extending and
improving the record department of the Admiralty.
When Sir George Cockburn retired from the office of
Admiralty, he wrote my son the following letter : —

" Admiralty, July 9, 1846.
" Dear Sir,

" I deem it to be right and fully due to you,
previous to my quitting this office, to express how
greatly I felt indebted to you for the able, willing,
and indefatigable assistance I received from you, in
compiling the existing book of regulations and instruc-
tions for the government of the naval service. I attri-
bute to your constant and untiring attention the truly
satisfactory result that, in a work of such extensive
professional detail, not one error or doubtful point has
been discovered, though issued to the fleet more than
two years back.

" I therefore request you to receive from me this
record of your valuable services on the occasion in
question.

" I remain, dear Sir,

" Your very faithful servant,
(Signed) "G. Cockburn.

" Jolin Barrow, Esq."

Sir George Cockburn did not retire at the termi-
nation of Lord Haddington's administration, but con-
sented to continue during the short one of the Earl of

!'IJ

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462

THE EARL OF HADDINGTON.

[Sect. XIII.

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Ellenborough, for reasons which his friends can well
appreciate.

When, in the usual course of service, my son arrived
at the situation of one of the seniors of the office, and
received his promotion, having originally entered tlic
Admiralty under the patronage of Mr. Croker, he
deemed it right and a proper point of duty, as well as
of respect, to acquaint him thereof^ and in return re-
ceived a kind reply, of which the following is an extract,
dated West Molesey, 10th May, 1844:—

* * * •*

"It has been my good fortune that all myy^roZ/vr*'
(with one or two very inconsiderable exceptions) have
done credit to my selection, and no one, my dear John,
more than yourself I appointed you to mark mv
respect for my old and valued friend, your fiitiiei-,
whose public service and private kindness to me made
this small favour a mere instalment of a debt which
neither the public nor I could alto[^ether repay. But
since my first nomination it has been your own merit
which has justified every step of your advancement."

The kind and most flattering manner in which Mr.
Croker has taken the occasion to introduce my name, is
most gratifying, knowing it as I do to have been penned
in sincerity and truth. A daily intercourse, with a
few occasional exceptions, for more than twenty years,
acting together in concert under the same roof tl)r
the public service during that period, added to the
intimacy that subsisted between our two families, which
led to a connection of a closer nature — these are con-
tingencies that require no further test or evidence of
the fidelity of my Eight Honourable friend John AVilsoii

Sect. XIII.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

463

riends can well

Croker, whose loss, by his retirement from the Admi-
ralty at the time he deemed it fit to do so, and I
may add, that also of Admiral Sir George Cockburn,
occasioned me a more deep concern than the loss of
any other two, in similar situations, that ever occurred
among the many changes which took place subsequent
to their departure ; not altogether, perhaps, though
mainly, on personal considerations, but also from a
firm conviction, that their places would not and could
not be adequately supplied ; and I think I may be per-
mitted to add, without the imputation of vanity, the
tear of contradiction, or the disparagement of any one
of our successors, that however great their talents for
I'usiness may have been found, no two secretaries of
the Admiralty, either before or since our time, have
performed the duties of that oflSce more honestly, more
zealously, and more efficiently than Mr. Croker and
iiivself.

The Admiralty at a future period, as already stated,
had the good fortune once more to reap the advantage
of the splendid and inexhaustible talents of the Right
Hon. Sir George Cockburn, whose zeal for the service
and whose indefatigable labours in the multifarious
duties of the office of xVdmiralty, it is much to be feared,
have proved injurious to his health.

A little time previous to my retirement from office,
on the death of Mr. Bedford, late keeper of the records,
my son was appointed to that office, none of the
senior chief clerks being desirous of succeeding to it on
account of the constant and personally laborious duties
attached to it, independent of the exercise of judgment
ill the arrangement of the records, and the correctness
of the digest or precis of them, on which part a reliance

^X ■ .ii \, ;.■

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464

THE EARL OF HADDINGTON.

[Skct. XIII.

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must be placed on others ; so that when any transaction
is called for, that happened at a recent or distant ijciiod
of time, the details of it may at once be produced. For
this purpose there is kept in the record-office a digest of
the whole correspondence, from and to the Adniirnltv,
consisting of about forty thousand letters annually re-
ceived; which digest occupies four immense volunus,
unequalled, I believe, in point of weight and niaf-ni-
tude, so as to require, when moved, the use of rolkis.
In two of these volumes are digested alphabeticallv
every sulked mentioned in the correspondence, and in
two other similar ones, indexes in which every name is
entered that occurs. The synoptical table, originally
constructed by Mr. Finlayson, has recently been ex-
tended and improved, to afford every facility in refer-
ence either to subject or name, so that any information
required by the Board or the secretaries can at once be
given.

For the due management of the record-office four
clerks of the third class are required, two for enteiiiifi
the digest and two for the index. For the sortinf;,
marking, and classing, three others are required, one
chief, one second, and one of the seniors of the tliird
class ; and these operations and the searchings con-
stantly called for, give full occupation to the whole.
The office itself, or the working part, consists of two
rooms.

Thus it stood when I retired from the Admiralty.
A discovery had shortly before this been made of a most
important nature. It was nothingness than that of a
seriesof Admiralty records, commencing with James II.
Duke of York, when Lord High Admiral, that had
been crowded into the very highest and extensive

Sixr. XIII.J

THE ADMIHALTY.

■iG^

;;arrets of the Adniirulty building, some in half-bound
volumes, others in bundles, rolls, and loose papers,
])ilcd up in whole streets or lanes of shelves or pigeon-
lioles, stuft'ed in without arrangement or any kind of
order; the ground-floors of these lanes also strewed
with doeuments of various descriptions. These ex-
tensive alleys, thus crammed and blocked up, required
no little experience even to become master of their
geography.

When taken u}) to view them, by my son, I blushed
with shame to have been nearly forty years in the
building and never to have known, or even suspected,
the existence of these regions, or of the valuable trea-
sures they contained. My son was (piite ready and
(it'sirous to overhaul them, and to arrange them, or
the most important of them, in tangible order, pro-
vided a suitable place could be found to contain them.
Lord Haddington and the Board visited the den ;
beiug, I believe, the first IJoard in modern times that
had done so ; and it so happened that, just at this time,
the Secretary (Mr. Sidney Herbert) had given Uj) his
large dwelling-house to be thrown into the office, and
ill the new arrangement that was made in the distri-
bution of the apartuKjnts, four oflice-rooms en suite were
aihled to the recoril-office, for the reception of these
valuable papers, well fitted with suitable shelves, which
are already well filled, yet the garret-alleys not one-
third exhausted.

I am not sure whether Lord Auckland and his
Board visited the garrets with the old lumber still re-
maining in the closets and corners of the narrow alleys;
but J believe Mr. Ward inspected them; and his

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TilK EARL OF HADDINGTON.

[Skct. XIII.

Lordship and the Board visited the new rooms, set
apart by the late arrangements, in which the vahiablc
records have now been deposited, after being cleaned
and neatly bound ; and their Lordships expressed theii-
satisfaction at the change*, and the two secretaries,
Mr. Ward and Captain Hamilton, drew up a report, to
be read at the Board, which thus concludes : —

" We cannot close this report without expressing our
sense of the merits and exertions of Mr. Barrow, now
at the head of the llecord-Officc, by whose efforts tlie
whole of the valuable documents connected with the
department since the year 1688 have been brought into
the most perfect order, and so arranged as to be ac-
cessible whenever required. The Board minutes — the
orders in council — the proceedings of courts martial—
the opinions of the law-officers of the crown upon naval
matters since the year 1733* — the dispatches of officers
M'hose names and exploits must ever be associated with
the most brilliant periods of English history — have
been saved from impending destruction in the garrets
to which they were formerly consigned, and now pre-
sent a model of symmetrical arrangement, most credit-
able to the Admiralty, and to the officer by whose
labours and under whose personal superintendence this
most desirable change has been effected in the short
space of two years.

" We trust that their Lordships v ill feel it due to
Mr. Barrow to place upon record their sense of his

* A whole century of the law-officers' opiuions, prior to this,
were carried off, with a mass of other documents of all sorts, by a
messenger of the name of Somerville, wiio \\as transported some
thirty years ago.

4 \«'

skot. xiir.]

THE ADMIRALTY.

467

exertions, which have not hitherto been rewarded by
that expression of their Lordships' satisfaction to which
we think him most fully entitled."*

But to resume. Lord Haddington was determined
not to let me take my departure from the Admiralty
unaccompanied by a " venerable relic," that mi^ht
keep in my recollec*'*on the many years it had been my
daily, I might almost say hourly, companion. His
Lordship's jocular note will explain the " relic," and
is at the same time characteristic Oi his playful good-
humour.

" Monday, Feb. 3, 1845.
" My dear Sir John,

" There is ' a venerable relic ' here that I
thought you might like to possess, as you are an anti-
quary. It has not the recommendation of rust, but it
is very inkt/ indeed ; and I have directed that no sacri-
legious hand should be aj)plied to it for the purpose of
reiiioving the venerable stains.

" Your old friends here beg your acceptance of the
huge and time-honoured desk you wot of.

" Believe me, with much truth and regard,

" Ever yours,

" Haddington."

iiiions, prior to this,

And now, my Lord, I take my last official leave of
you and your good colleagues, with thanks for all your
and their kindnesses, including the possession of the
old desk, which you have now placed in a fair way of

* Tliis paper was read and placed in my son's hands by TMr.
Ward, at a full meeting of the Board.

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THE EAKL OF HADDINGTON.

[Sect. XHI

descending in my family till it becomes a relic of a
more venerable antiquity than when 1 received it,

I cannot, however, conclude this Memoir without an
expression of the gratitude I entertain, and the affec-
tionate regard I feel, for one of my own family — my
daughter Mary Jane — for the attention and ability she
cheerfully bestowed on the revision and correction of
the pre^', not only f(^r the present volume, but also for
two or three former ones — a species of literary labour,
which I am as little qualified to perform myself as I
believe most rapid writers are, especially of their own
works : and for the relief thus cordially afforded uie, I
am desirous to record this tribute of praise, to whicli I
consider her so justly entitled.

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( 469 )

CHAPTER v.— SUPPLEMENTARY.

Section I.

RETIREMENT FROM PUI5L1C LIFE.

Various Complimentary Letters on the Occasion — Em-
ployment of Leisure Time after a Busy Life — Hoiv
my own has been occupied.

Forty years having transpired since my original entry
into the Admiralty as Second Secretary, and having
attained the 81st year of my age, I thought it right
and proper — though in robust health, strength, and
my usual activity of mind — to retire from the situation
I had so long held, and to give place to a successor.
Though I felt some regret in taking leave of those with
many of whom I had been in daily intercourse, yet the
numerous changes towards the latter part of the period,
and the new faces brought with them, had, in some
degree, made my parting with the old ones more a
matter of course. I therefore wrote an official letter
to the Board, having first communicated my intention
to Lord Haddington, requesting their Lordships' per-
mission to resign my office, to which I received the
following official reply : —

"Admiralty, January 28tli, 1845.

"Sir,

" I have received and laid before my Lords
Commissioners of the Admiralty your letter of this
(late, requesting permission to resign your situation of

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470

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE. [Sup. Cuai

Second Secretary to their Lordships ; and I am com-
manded by my Lords to acquaint you that, in accent-
ing your resignation, the Board beg to assure you of
their best wishes for your health and happiness in a
retirement honourably earned and naturally sought for,
at your advanced age, after half a century of laborious
public life.

" During the many years of your connection with this
department you have served the public usefully, no less
by the zeal with which you have endeavoured to render
science subservient to our naval and commercial in-
terests, than by your assiduous attention to the arduous
duties of your important office.

" My Lords also desire me to acquaint you that
your request that your resignation should be made
known to the Treasury shall be forthwith complied
with.

" I have the honour to be, &c., &c.,

" Sidney Herbert."

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I had previously, as I felt it a duty, acquainted
Sir Eobert Peel with my intention ; and not merely as
a duty, but as a mark of respect and gratitude in the
opportunity it afforded me of acknowledging the many
favours and acts of kindness he had bestowed on nie
during a very long acquaintance. On this occasion 1
received from him the following gratifying reply :—

" Wliitehall, January lOtli, 184o.

" My dear Sir,

" I cannot allow you to retire from
the public service without conveying to you my high

\A''*- 1

• ■»

Sect. I.]

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

471

sense of the services which you have rendered to the
public during a long and honourable career, and ex-
pressing my cordial wishes that you may long enjoy,
ill a private station, health and happiness.
" Believe me, my dear Sir, with sincere regard,

" Most faithfully yours,

" KoBERT Peel.

« Sir John Barrow, Bart."

I also thought it right and becoming to let my
excellent old master, Lord Melville, know of my inten-
tion, and received from him the following : —

" Melville Castle, January 1st, 1845.
" My dear Barrow,

" I am not surprised on receiving
your letter to-day, though very much obliged by your
recollection of my former communication. I must say
that you have had to undergo your full share of official
labour; and most assuredly the public have no further
claim upon you if it be agreeable to you to retire.

'< With the strongest wishes for your still seeing the
return of many new years' days, with the same good
health and sound constitution, I remain

" Yours most truly and sincerely,

"JMelville."

nuary lOtli, 184.).

The following, from my esteemed colleague the
Right Honourable Sidney Herbert, alludes to a pro-
mise I had made to him, while in the Admiralty, that
I would sit for my portrait, which he wished to present
to the Admiralty, to be hung up in the Secretary's
room.

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472

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

[Sui". Chap.

" War-Office, April 23r(l, 184(5,
" My dear Sir John,

"When we left the Admiralty,
you kindly promised to sit to Mr. Lucas for your
portrait, with which I wished to enrich the collection
in the Secretary's dining-room.

"Mr. Lucas informs me that he is now at your
disposal, and ready to fix any hour for a sitting that
may be convenient to you.

"May I, therefore, claim the execution of your
promise, and ask you to arrange a time with Mr. Lucas,
whose direction is 3, St. John's Wood lload ?

" I would ask your pardon for this attemj)t to
inflict on you the most wearisome of all occnpation.s ;
but it is one of the taxes on eminence, which you have
no right to escape. Pray believe me

" Most faithtuily yours,

"Sidney IIli. mert.

" Sir John Barrow, Bart."

Among the many kind leave-takings I received,
none gave me more sincere pleasure than the followiiiL^,
from a very old colleague and one of the ablest men
that this country affords ; not only in a professional
point of view, but in general science and sound judg-
ment: and who, whenever he thinks fit to retire from
the very arduous situation of Ilydrographer to the
Admiralty, I trust will receive, in acknowledgment of
his long and eminent services, that reward which is so
justly his due, with such ])roper distinguishing marks of
honour as he may desire, and the Board of Admiralty
has the power — as it must have the inclination— to
recommend : —

"I .

E. [Sup. Chap.

Skct. I.]

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

473

pril 23r(l, 1846.

"Admiralty, January 29th, 1845.
" My dear Sir John,

" I might have been contented
with my share of the sentiments which were so well
expressed by Mr. Amedroz, in his letter to you of last
Mondjiy ; and I might have rested equally contented
and flattered by appropriating to myself a small share
of those kind and cheering sentiments which filled your
reply to him.

" Yet, after having been for so many years in daily
communication with you, so long worked under your
directions, and so continually profited by your experi-
ence and judgment, I cannot forrgo the opportunity of
saying, in a more direct form, how deeply I regret the
separatioji that has this day taken place, and the con-
se([uent loss to the office in every point of view, whether
public or personal ; individually, to me greater than to
any one, from your extensive knowledge on all those
subjects which it is my duty to culti' ate. Indeed,
when I look back at the many remarkable men with
whom I have served afloat or ashore, I can safely
say that there are very few of them that will come to
my remembrance more frequently, more strongly, or
more pleasingly than you ; and none that will be so
usefully and stimuladnglij associated with all the best
of my pursuits.

"Among the painful impressions, however, which
your withdrawal has produced, I fuel it to be a source
of great pleasure and consolation that, before it took
place, you had succeeded in j)rovi(liiig for a finishing
(and, 1 trust, crowning) voyage of discovery to those
regions from which you have derived so much fame,

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474

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE. [Sur. Chap.

and with which your name will be bound up for
ever. " I am, my dear Sir John,

" Faithfully and gratefully yours,

" F. Beaufort."

The letter of Mr. Amedroz, to which that too
flattering epistle of Captain (now Admiral) Beaufort
alludes, is from the Chief Clerk of the Admiralty, who
is much my senior in that office, though not in age,
and who writes at the request of the gentlemen of the
Admiralty. This is to me the • lore gratifying, as, with
every endeavour on all fit occasions, I have been able
to accomplish but very little to their advantage iiidi-
vidurdly or collectively, though I have considered aiul
represented them to be most deserving of it ; for a more
attentive, efficient, and well-conducted class of gentle-
men (mostly of a middle age) it has not been my good
fortune to meet with ; and they may be assured I take
leave of them with regret.

"Admiralty, 27th January, 184o.
" My dear Sir John,

" 1 have been requested by many of the gentle-
men of the office to convey to you the expression of tlie
deep regret which we feel in seeing the termination of
a long intercourse with a chief from whom we have
ever met with uniform kindness.

*' In those who have been the longest in the Ad-
miralty, as in those who have more recently entered it,
there is but one sentiment as to the manner in which
you have exercised your office. Throughout a })oriod
of forty-one years our interests have always found in
you a generous supporter ; you have always shown us

FE. [Sur. Chap.

Sect. 1.]

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

475

bound up for

illy yours,
. Beaufort."

ivhich that too
iiiral) Beaufort
Admiralty, who
igh not in age,
entlemen of the
itifying, as, with

have been able
advantage indi-

considered aiul
of it ; for a more

class of gentlc-
)t been my good
e assured I take

th January, 184o.

ny of the gentle-
expression of the
tie termination of
1 whom we have

igest in the Ad-
cently entered it,
manner in which
oughout a period
always found in
always shown us

the good-will and indulgence of a kind friend, and we
intreat you to be assured that, in leaving us, you carry
with you the sincerest respect and gratitude, and the
warmest good wishes of all who have had the pleasure
and the advantage of serving under you.
" I have the honour to be, my dear Sir John,

"Your mucl. obliged, &c.,

" H. F. Amedroz.

" Sir John Barrow, Bart."

"Admiralty, 27th January, I84o.

" My dea' Mr. Amedroz,

" After a public service of forty years, passed
under the same roof with yourself, and a period not
far short of it with several others, and a great length
of time with more of the gentlemen employed in the
same service of the Admiralty, I cannot permit myself
to take a final leave of you and them, without wishing
to express the strong sense I entertain and the obliga-
tion I feel for the ready and constant attention I ex-
perienced from yourself and all the others, to the maiii-
fold requisitions which our respective situations com-
pelled me frequently to make, and which, it is due to
all of you to say, were on all occasions responded to
with cheerfulness and alacrity.

" I feel it also due to all to state what my long ex-
perience enables me to do — that there cannot be, and
I am satisfied there is not any one department of the
Government in which so great a quantity of labour is
required and executed with such limited means to per-
form it, as exists in the ofiice of Admiralty, a labour
er bracing^ moreover, every variety of subject, or that
is performed with more correctness, dispatch, and

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4'i6

15ETIUEMENT FROM PUHLIC LIFE. [Sup. Ciui..

good-will than is done by the gentlemen of the respect-
ive departments of the Admiralty-office.

"I am the more solicitous to leave at my depar-
ture this testimony to the merits of those it is in-
tended to concern, ibr occasions may arise to render it
of some little service, as I sincerely wish it to do : and
in this view, should you think ])roper, you may place it
on the records of the office as the last act of your
secretary ; and I will further request that you will com-
municate this note of my sentiments to all your col-
leagues, and with every good wish for the conriuuaiicd
of health and happiness to you and all,

" I remain, with sincerity, &c.,

" Yours,

" John Baukow."

All these testimonies of Vind feeling, accompanied
by many others from various quarters, expressed at
a time when the little influence I might have hooii
supposed to possess, while in oflfice, had finally ceased,
could not be otherwise than highly flattering and most
satisfactory to the receiver of them ; but none could
be more gratifying and heartfelt than the fol-
lowing from a different class of gentlemen, all of
them oflficers of high distinction in the British Navv,
and whose conduct throughout a most arduous employ-
ment of a series of years may safely be said to have no
parallel. I allude to our recent Arctic voyagers, who
have so nobly sustained the high and unflinching cha-
racter of British naval officers by their persevering and
adventurous spirit in exploring unknown frozen seas,
making new discoveries in geography, in objects of
scientific research, in experiments in meteorology and

E. [Sup. Chap,

of the respect-

at iny dcpar-
those it is iii-
ise to render it
1 it to do : and
L)ii may place it
st act of your
t you will eoin-
;o all your col-
the coutinuaiKie

Skct. I.]

iiryriHEMENT from puhlic life.

477

UN BAiiiKnv."

jg, acconij)aiiiod

;'s, expressed at

light have been

d finally ceased,

ttering and most

but none could

than the fol-

iutlenien, all of

le British Navy,

arduous eniploy-

! said to have no

;ic voyagers, wlio

unflinching cha-

persevering and

lown frozen seas,

y, in objects of

meteorology and

natural history, and, in short, by extending the limits
of human knowledge; and, moreover, what is above all
praise and most worthy of admiration, by the uncom-
plaining and (piiet resignation to the Divine will on the
part of those wiiose sufferings from intense cold and the
extremity of famine were far beyond an^ known
examjde. It was in honour of these brave and talented
men that, in my leisure hours, I sat down to record, in
a more accessible form thau' the ofHicial narratives are
conveyed, an account of their exploits and sufferings in
the Arctic regions. Indeed, I am not sure that the
following most gratifying letter, accompanied with an
elegant testimonial in the shape of a candelabrum, did
not contribute, as it ought, to expedite on my part the
coinjdetioii of that small volume, which had but then
been faintly conceived : —

" London, 20th March, 1845.

" Dear Sir John iJarrow,

" We are deputed by several oflficers, who have
had the honour of being employed on the various
Arctic expeditions, by sea and land, to request your
acceptance of the accompanying piece of plate, as a
testimony of their personal esteem, and of the high
sense they entertain of the talent, zeal, and energy
which you have unceasingly tlisplayed in the promotion
of Arctic discovery,

"We are sincerely gratified in being made the
medium of this comnumication, and gladly avail our-
selves of the opportunity thus aftbrded to us, of express-
ing to you our own cordial regard and obligation,
b)getlier with our earnest hope that, in retiring from a
long and honourable course of public service, you may

t :'

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478

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE. [Sup. Chap.

be permitted to enjoy, in private life and in the bosom
of your family, many years of health, happiness, and
prosperity.

" We have the honour to be,

" Dear Sir John Barrow,
" Your obliged friends and faithful servants,
(Signed) " E. W. Paiuiv,

"John Franklin,
" James Ross,
" Geo. Back,
" Captains of the Royal Navy.
"iSir John Barrow, Bart.,
LL.D., F.R.S."

List of Officers referred to in the foregoituf Letter.
NaiiK'S and Rank.
Captain Sir \V. E. l\arry,
Sir John Franklin,
Fred. W. Beechey,
Sir J as. C. Koss,
Sir Geo. Back,
Horatio J. Austin,
F. R. M. Crozier,
Jos. Sherer,
Edward J. Bird,
Wm. Sniitii,
Owen Stanley,
Col. Sabine,

Dr. J. Richardson, M.D.
Commander Matthew Liddon,
Peter Fisher,

Names and Rank.
Commanc'er Arch. M'Miinli),
Lieutenant Andrew Reid,
Wm. J. Dtaly,
Cha,«i. Palmer,
Berkeley West-

ropp,
Edw. N. Kenual,
Graham Gore,
Chaplain, Uev. Geo. Fislier,
Surgeon, John Edwards,
C. J. Beverley,
G M'Diarmid,

jvI.D.
Allan M'Lareii,
Purser, James liaise.

The inscription on the pedestal of the candelabrum
corresponds with the terms of the letter.

One of the oldest and the ablest of my surviving
friends, and my senior by five years, but who departed
this life in October, 1846, was sure not to fail in his

."1

TE. [Sup. Chai'.

Pi:cT. I.]

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

479

d in the bosom
happiness, and

hful servants,

AURY,
lANKLIN,
OSS,
CK,

Royal Navy.

congratulations on any subject interesting or gratifying
to nie. Few men possessed such a fund of knowledge,
so clear an intellect, and so perfect a memory to co ii-
iiiunicate it to others, as Mr. Murdoch, and he had the
liappiness to retain his faculties to the last day of his
lite. Up to that period, scarcely a wc.k paosed in
which I did not spend a couple of hours in his com-
pany, and 1 never left it witiiout a new acquisition of
knowledge, more particularly in any curious circum-
stance drawn out of the old Spanish and Portuguese
voyages, in which his recollection of details was quite
wonderful.

oinff Letter.

ni's aiul Rank.

r AtcIi. M'Munlo,

lit Andrew Kei<l,
Wni. J. Dealy,
Clias. PalnuT,
Ik'rkek'V ^Vt•^lt-

ropp,
Edw. N. Keiiual,
Graham 'jicre,

in, Kev. Geo. Fislier,

m, John Edwards,
C. J. Beverley,
G M'Dianuid,

rtl.D.
Allan M'Lareii,

>r, James liaise.

the candelabrum

;r.

of my survivinji
but who departed
not to fail in his

" 8, Portland Place, 26th March, 1845.
" My dear Sir John Barrow,

" My daughter has just informed me that the
Arctic committee have presented you with a beautiful
tt'stinionial for your great services in promoting voyages
of discovery. The gift is rendered doubly valuable
t'loni the character of the donors, so capable of appre-
ciating the merit of the man, to whom they have given
this mark of their esteem ; long may he live to
enjoy it.

" During forty years that you were a secretary of
the Admiralty you were the constant and the success-
ful advocate of those voyages of discovery, which have
enlarged the bounds of science and done so i.iuch
honour to the British navy and nation. The enduring
fortitude and untiring enterprise with which Parry and
Koss and Franklin and Back braved the rigours of a
Polar winter and the perils of a frozen sea, will render
their names for ever famous in the annals of '.avigation,
and the name of Barrow will be associated with them
l>y posterity.

1'« • .

I '

4H0

liKTlHKMENT FliOM I'UHLIC LIFE. iSti-. Chai-.

*' Tills is porhfips the Inst' letter that I shall attempt
to write, for even with the sun shining on my paper it
is hut iniperf'eetly visihle.

'* Yours, ever faithfully,

*' Tiios. MuiiDocu.

" Sir John Burrow, Hart.,

"New Stri't't, Sprinjf (Janleiis,"

There was one of the Arctic officers uiost highly
esteemed lor his extensive ae(juirements in natural his-
tory, and still more so for his humanity and amiable
disposition, who, hy some unaccountable oversight, was
not rewarded as he ought to have been ; it might have
arisen from a great portion of his time and attention
having been for live or six years employed in bringing out
the Fawui Borcali^ or ' Natural History of the Arctic
Regions,' in the four departments of mammalia, birds,
fishes, and insects, with plates and descriptions, in as
many folio volumes. The gentleman to whom 1
allude, it is almost unnecessary to say, is Dr. (now
Sir John) liichardson, whose case I determined in
the last year of my service to bring forward in such a
manner as to be irresistible, and I succeeded in pre-
vailing on Lord Haddington to make application to Sir
James Graham to obtain for him the honour of knight-
hood. I may mention an incident which marks an
amiable stamj) on the character of the individual in
question. While the title was in progress intimation
was conveyed to me that Dr. liichardson had been
attacked with severe paralysis. I wrote instantly to
Haslar Hospital to inquire after him ; the answer was
that it was only a fainting fit, occasioned by stooj)ing
too long, and that he was then quite well. It turned
out, that he was employing himself in stooping to ])lant

Skct. I.]

RETIUEMKNT FHOM PUHI.K.^ LIFK.

4HI

llovvers {uul evergreens round the grave of h !s lute wife,
whom he had recently lost. Anotlier trait may he
mentioned. Having himself made no application nor
expressed any desire to be knighted, Lord Haddington
asked me if 1 was sure it would be acceptable. "That,"
I said, "shall be ascertained." On seeing him, I
iisked him if knighthood would be agreeable, provided
it could be obtained. His answer to me was, " As a
mark of approbation from the Government for my
services, it could not be otherwise, but it would have
been nuich more so, had it been granted in the life-time
of my beloved wife." These are pleasing traits of
strong domestic affection, and correspond, as I have
been informed, with the whole tenor of his life.

There is another brave officer in whose behalf I
was so greatly interested that, after my retirement,
I strongly urged the Board to grant his promotion.
The officer in question is Commander Fitzjames, who
accompanies Franklin on his present voyage, and on
whom the Board has been pleased to confer the rank of
Cai)tain. These are the only favours I asked on my
retiring from office, and they will not be considered
as unworthily bestowed when conferred on meritorious
officers like these. I asked nothing and obtained no-
thing for myself or for any part of my family. It
has been my good fortune through life never to
have solicited a single favour, yet to have received
many.

It may not perhaps be considered unreasonable should
friends ap])rehend that, when an individual on the
verge of life has given up an office of labour unabated
during a period of forty years, he will be apt to pine
away and become desponding, for want of something to

2 I

••Ki i

;-: •.'

) >'

482

'■K'''

)

"in

K'li- 1 » •

•A . '

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE. [Sup. Chap.

employ the mind, which indeed was surmised in 180G,
when I was forty years younger than in the latter case,
and had only been in office at home about two years, at
the termination of which Mr. Grey dispensed with my fur-
ther services. I then laughed at such nonsense, went down
with my family to Hastings, where I wrote the ' Life of
Lord Macartney,' in two vols., 4to., made the acquaint-
ance of old Mr. Planta, of Mr. Milward, Lis son and
two daughters, the principal inhabitants of the place,
and of Sir James Bland Burgess, of Beauport, who, on
seeing my immense MSS., took for granted I must be
a literary character, and said he belonged to the Lite-
rary Society, of which Dr. Vincent the Dean of West-
minster was President; that Sir William Scott, Avc\\-
deacon Nares, Anstie, Sotheby, John Kemble, &c., were
members, and John Reeves their treasurer ; and thtat
he should write up to town and propose me as a candi-
date, observing that the gh one black ball excluded, I
was already sufficiently known to prevent anything of
the kind happening to me. I told him that he should
be held responsible should such a mishap occur. I was
fortunate enough to be elected ; and until last year was
still a member, and I believe had contiimed till I be-
came father of the club, of which Sir Robert Inglis is
now President ; and I may venture to say that, without
any exception, it is the best and most varied intel-
lectual dining club in London, containing the most emi-
nent men in the highest sta^.on of divinity, law, and
physic, together with artists equally eminent, poets, his-
torians, and philosophers.

Being deeply, however, impressed with the truth of
the maxim of one of the wisest of men, that " there is a
time for all things," and that mine was drawing towaids

Sect. I.]

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

483

its conclusion, I requested our excellent president to
present my resignation to the members of the club, and
I need not say with what gratification I received the
answer which follows : —

" 7, Bedford Square, July 6, 1846.
" My dear Sir John Barrow,

"I have to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter of the 2nd, addressed to myself individually, and
of that also therein enclosed which you addressed to
nie more immediately, as in the chair of the Literary
Society. Even that, however, contained so much too
Utittcring a reference to me, that I was unable to read
the Avhole to the friends assembled; but I read ^uo
much when I read the mere fact of your resignation.
I added, indeed, all that you said about the pleasure of
your past intercourse with the society ; and I am in-
structed to inform you that while they feel bound,
tliough with great regret, to accept the tender of your
resignation, they have indulged themselves in retaining
your nauic oii their list by transferring it to the section
of the ten honorary members, in which there was a
vacancy. Without feeling the burthen of attendance,
you will thus, we hope, if God shall spare you in the
enjoyment of your average health, sometimes in the
season again present yourself among us ; but lest this,
even thus shadowed forth, should seem to impose any
obligation upon you, as to personal suit and service, I
:;uist add that while we suall always value your appear-
ance we are content to keep your name alone — a name
so long and valuably associated with us.

Believe me, my dear Sir John Barrow,

" Most truly yours,

" Robert H. Inglis."
2i2

((

i-i. ; i-i

I'***

I :

fl.

484

RETIUEMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE. [Sup. Chap

'ir,..

■•I.! if

IK:

In.

,;if>' ;■

f ■;■ ♦

'i . ^■■.

• ,.

.:'H

I am now also father of the lloyal Society, and
within one of the Hoyal Society Club, having punc-
tually attended the latter from the days of Sir Joseph
Banks, Doctor Blagdon, Doctor Wollaston, Mr. Davies
Gilbert, Sir Everard Home, the hydrographer Dal-
ryniple, Cavendish, Sir Humphry Davy, and many
other cultivators of science and philosophy, all of whom
have long since departed this life. It is the last society
I shall relinquish.

It was proposed to me to assist in establishing, while
still in the Admiralty, a Royal Geographical Sociotv.
This proposition was made at the table of my late
esteemed friend, Mr. Sotheby, with whom I believe it
originated, when the subject was discussed, and a general
wish expressed that some one could be found who had
energy and zeal sufficient to propose and carry througli
the formation of such a society; and the unanimous
opinion was that if I would undertake it, there was no
doubt of its success. After much pressing I consented to
make the proposal at the Raleigh Club, in the establish-
ment of which I had been one of three, and which had
become very flourishing. Notice was given that such a
proposition would be made on the 24th of May, 1830.
The meeting was large, and I addressed it from tlio
chair, stating the objects of the proposed society, and
that its progress would very much depend on the en-
couragement received from a society of travellers like
that of the Raleigh. Paper was called for, and two-thirds
at least put down their names, willing to abide by the
regulations to be made. In the first place, I had the
approbation of Sir Robert Peel, through him Kin;;
AVilliam IV. became our patron, the Duke of Sussex
vice-patron, and Lord Goderich was appointed })resi-

1 V

StCT. I.]

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

485

dent. The King gave an annual medal of fifty guineas
for the promotion of discovery ; and, in short, the pub-
lication of the first volume of the Journal comprehended
a list of 535 names, most of them eminent in arts,
sciences, and literature. The following is Sir Robert
Peel's letter on the subject : —

" Whitehall, October 2o, 1830.

" My dear Sir,

" I have the satisfaction of informing you that
the Kir.;; has notified to me his ready acquiescence in
the wish which you expressed on behalf of the Geo-
[;i-aphical Society that His Majesty would consent to be
Patron of the Society.

" His Majesty has also desired me to inform you that
he proposes to place fifty guineas annually at the dis-
posal of the Society, as a Royal premium for the encou-
ragement of geographical science and discovery.

" I am, my dear Sir,

" Faithfully yours,

" Robert Peel.

" John Barrow, Esq., Admiralty."

I cannot imagine the nature of the constitutions of
those who feel miserable in retirement for want of
eiin)loynient. To such I would recommend a page of
the amiable Cowper, who says, —

'* Friends, books, a garden, and perliaps his pen.
Delightful industry enjoy 'd at home,
Can he want occu})ation who has these?"

For my own part, I have them all except the garden, and
that is supplied, as far as Lon(h)n admits, by my daughter.
I have also the unrestrained use of the beautiful public
gardens ; and when I add that the pen is, this IGth day

■f ''

) '

486

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE. [Sup. Chap.

'H^:

1!;.
i i ■

: i '
Hi-'

IA-'

41 ;- V

'•1.'' '

1- 1

^?|, ...
■ -I

•,*

of April, 1847, employed in writing the present page,
it may be concluded that I am not passing the day in
idleness. I had already prepared and published, within
twelve months of my resignation of the Admiralty, a
volume from the Voyages of Discovery in the Arctic
Regions, which I do not regret, as it afforded me not
only employment, but a six months' pleasing recveatiou ;
and, what is of more importance and a higher gratili-
cation to myself, it has received the approbation of
those brave fellows who are the main objects of my
labours in that production — to set forth more generally
their excellent characters and conduct — their nniiinch-
ing perseverance in difficulties of no crdinary kind —
their patient endurance of extreme sufltcring, borno
without complaint or murmur, and with an equanimity
and fortitude of mind, under the most appalling distress,
such, perhaps, as was never equalled — affording rare
and s])lendid examples of moral courage and mental
triumph over fatigue, famine, and starvation, wliicii
nothing but a firm reliance on a merciful Protector and
rf'signation to His Divine will could have sup])()rt(.(l.
But they had within themselves powers of body and
mind not inferior to those ascribed by Dr. Johnson to
the Swedish Charles: —

»' A frame of adamant, a soul of fir
No dangers frigiit them, and no labours tire."

ire,

I have felt, and have so expressed myself in the ])re-
face of the work alluded to, a most gratifying reflection
that few lives (in some of the ships none) have bciii
lost ; that those who survived have been advanced in
their professional career, or have received some honour-
able distinction in reward of their services ; and that few

2. [Sur. Chap.

Sect. I.]

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

487

3urs tire.

of those in the inferior ranks remain without having
improved their condition in life, in consequence of their
good conduct on very trying occasions. In fact, these
voyages have held out such fine examples of strict
discipline without corporal punishment, of kind treat-
ment and wholesome indulgence on the part of the
officers, and, in consequence thereof, of cheerful obedi-
ence, exertion, and alacrity on that of the men, that
I am inclined to believe that a onsideration of the
great benefit likely to be derived from the knowledge
of such examples being extended to the Navy at large,
may have induced the Board of Admiralty, as I un-
derstand it has done, to order the publisher to prepare
300 copies of the work in question, to be added to
the officers' and seamen's library in ships of war — an
order which is the more gratifying to me, as it has been
done entirely without my knowledge, and without my
having the least pecuniary interest in the sale of the
book, or any other interest except that of thus proving
to the world, that the Arctic voyages have not been
made in vain.

I am not insensible of praise, but always grateful
^^laudari a law/ato." The following is from Admiral
the Baron Wrangel, no mean judge of the subject : —

" Sir John Barrow's interesting work has found its
way h'ther (St. Petersburg), and has be^^n highly ap-
proved of by all who have read it. It was precisely
such a collected account of the Arctic voyages as we
were in want ofj particularly just now, when all who
are interested in the progress of Arctic discovery are
looking forward with great interest to the result of the
late expedition of the ' Erebus ' and ' Terror.'

" 5th September, 184(5."

» '

488

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

[Sup. Cuap.

■ .1,.

1 .

1 1: .'

' (-1

i'^ '

I'; '

,. •

■f

.« ' I > • ••

4 ''N *

J* ;

•! )

f^U.

'■.♦

if ■ .-.

*"i ! /

*
'■ •

.a .'

What the fate of this present volume may be, I pro-
bably must leave to my su^'vivors to experience. To
trace my progress through the vicissitudes of a life
extended beyond the general period of human cxistenco,
and, by the mercy of God, without any painful suffer-
ing from accident or disease, has been my object; more
with a view of benefiting my children and theirs, by the
example it holds forth of industrious habits, than with
any other. But as mine may be considered a peculiar
— or, at least, an unusual — case as regards the state of
bodily health, I may here venture to take a special
notice of it. The medical gentleman — an honest
Quaker — who brought me into the world, inoculated
me when very young for the small-pox, and gave me,
no doubt, a dose or two for the measles ; but I am not
conscious of ever having had my pulse felt from that
period, except by the Chinese physician at Chusaii,
already mentioned. On noticing this to Sir Henry
llalford, at the Club, who had asked me how I con-
trived to preserve such uniform good health without
medical advice, my reply was, " Probably for that
very reason, as I am not aware of any other." lie
laughed, and said, he knew not what would become of
his profession if all men followed my enample. Since
writing this, in December, 1846, being somewhat in-
disposed, I was entreated to consult my old and kind
friend Sir Benjamin Brodie, who set me right in
twenty-four hours.

In early life, and up to my fortieth year, my days
were mostly spent in out-door exercise on land,
and in all climates from 80° north to 40° south lati-
tude by sea. As a pedestrian I travelled several
thousand miles, chiefly in South Africa, and a full

Sect. 1.]

RETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

489

thousand in China. During the last forty years of
my life I scarcely took any exercise, except in the
summer evenings when not occupied at my desk ;
and for a month or six weeks each summer in some
part of the country — chiefly at my friend Sir George
Staunton's beautiful place, Leigh Park ; except twice or
thrice I had a run on the Continent. I have always
been a moderate eater of plain food, and a moderate
drinker, mostly of port-wine. From invariable habit
I seldom if ever recpiire to have recourse to any
kind of medicine. I have either read or heard that
the child inherits mostly the constitution of body and
mind from the female parent. I can say that my
mother never ailed anything while I was with her,
nor to her last illness, which was that of old age, for she
died in her ninetieth year ; and lier mother had com-
pleted ninety at her death. I am now writing this
trifle in my eighty-third year, which will be completed,
should my life be extended to the 19th of June, 1847.
It is a common observation that air and exercise are
tlie best ])roinoters or preservers of health : but perhaps
its stability may mostly be ascribed to constitutional
liabit. For the first forty years of my life, as I have
before said, no one could be more exposed to good air
and plenty of exercise than myself; for the last forty
years I was doomed almost entirely to a sedentary life ;
yet in neither case, as already observed, had I occasion
to call in the doctor; nor could I percive any change
ill the habit of body, except that of being somewhat less
active — yet not much so — during the last two or three
years : my weight has never varied more than from ten
tu eleven stoi.e. After all, much may be ascribed to

*■.'.-■

.!■.■•

I,i ■•■"■•■..,

I ''i^ ■'•

ii! i-r-- . .•■

'■,"

-1.

V -

.<A .

?".'•

490

KETIREMENT FROM PUBLIC LIFE.

[Sup. Chap.

a regular and systematic course of life, to moderation
in eating and drinking, and avoiding excess in both.

In this portion of my Memoir I feel I am too aufo-
bmjrapliical ; which is, perhaps, excusable, as it is in-
tended chiefly for the edification of my own family,
and I shall conclude, therefore, with an anecdote for the
physiologist, though not very creditable to myself, as
it must exhibit me in a state of unconsciousness fur
once and only once in the course of my life.

One of the principal gentlemen of the Cape of
Good Hope gave a sumptuous entertain i.ient on the
west slope of the Table Mountain, as high up the
sloping part as where it is terminated by the wall of
stone that forms the cap of the mountain. Here, at
the height of about 3500 feet or more, was our roj)ast ;
and the champagne passed briskly round among a party
of between forty and fifty gentlemen. When the niglit
was setting in I was anxious to get away ; and with
some diflUculty succeeded in finding my Spanish pony,
and contrived to steal away and cautiously and slowly
to get down the steep, rocky, and shrubby slope into
the Cape Town road, perfectly steady and sober ; but
all at once a giddiness came over me, and increased
so far as to deprive me of all self-control. Wliat
happened to me during the three or four miles I had
to ride I know nothing; but when the little pony
arrived at its home, in a full gallop, down I fell upon
the ground, and from the shock I suppose I felt myself
sober enough. On the next day I was complimented by
many of those whom I had met or passed on the road
in a full gallop, "That John Gilpin himself could not
have done better." The pony, it seems, being well

3. [Sup. Chap.

Sect. I.]

RETIREMENT PROM PUBLIC LIFE.

491

to moderation
l;ss in both.

am too (uito-
)lo, as it is in-
y own family,
iiecdote for the

to myself, as
nsciousness for
ife.

the Cape of
ini.ient on the
s high np the
by the wall of
tain. Here, at
was our re})ast;
I among a i);irty
^Vhen the night
iway ; and with
f Spanish ])ony,
iisly and slowly
ubby sh)pe into
and sober; but
, and increased
-control. What
tbnr miles I had
the little pony
.own I fell npoii
ose I felt myself
lomplimented by
ssed on the road
imself could not
ems, being well

acquainted with the road, had galloped the whole way
at its full pace. I had taken only a moderate quantity
of champagne, and nothing else ; I felt no cft'ect from
it on leaving the mountain, or on arriving at its foot:
the after eftect could have been caused only by the
sudden transition from an atmospherical density, at the
probable height of nearly 4000 feet, to the general
level of the country.

i- ':••■■•••

492

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF

[Svv. CUA1>.

■iK: I

.. ' ..<• . •

CHAPTER v.— SUPPLEMENTARY.

Section II.

.*i.

fc^-.

'■*,

I!! .7;

UJ 1-1 r'

0'- i r

r:i:;..''

■ ■ '1 ♦ .

. i. ♦ . :
. I , >■

' •

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE QUAllTERLY REVIEW.

The Ong'm of the Qnarterh/ Review — Tlie Supporters of
it — The Editor^ Mr. W. Oljford — Afi/ Introduction to
him — Mf/ Share in the Proijress of the Review— Its

Success.

The origin and the history of that most useful, able,
and generally well-conducted work The Quartirly
Review^ is worthy of the man who first conceived it,
of the patronage under which it was brought forward,
and of the principles it advocated. Those principles,
which were adopted from its commencement, are fouiukd
on religion and morality, on loyalty to the throne, and
patriotism to the country. To all of these and to their
strict observance, under the able superintendence of
William Giftbrd, nuist be ascribed its extraordinary
success through a long series of years. Its author and
its origin will at once be seen from the following letter,
which undoubtedly gave rise to the work, and the
sound good sense and ability which it displays are
highly creditable to the writer : —

"September 25, 1807.
"To the Right Hon. George Canning.

" Sir, — I venture to address you upon a subject
that is not perhaps undeserving of one moment of yuur
attention.

Skot. II.]

THE QUARTEHLY I.'EVIEVV.

493

teniber 25, 1807.

"There is a work, entitled ' The Edinburgh Review,'
written with such unquestionable talent that it has al-
rcafly attained an extent of circulation not equalled by
any similar publication. The principles of this work
are, however, so radically bad that I have been led to
consider the effect which such sentiments, so Lcncrallv

diffused, are likely to produce, and to think that some
meant, equally popular ought to be adopted to counter-
act their dangerous tendency. But the publication in
question is conducted with so much ability and is
sanctioned and circulated with such high and decisive
authority by the party of whose opinions it is the organ,
that there is little hope of producing against it any
effectual opposition, unless it arise from you. Sir, and
your friends. Should you. Sir, think the idea worthy
of encouragement, I should with equal pride and wil-
lingness engage my arduous exertions to promote its
success; but as my object is nothing short of producing
a work of the greatest talent and importance, I shall
entertain it no longer if It be not so fortunate as to
obtain the high patronage which I have thus, Sir, taken
the liberty to solicit.

" Permit me. Sir, to add, that the person who thus
addresses you is no adventurer, but a man of some
property, inheriting a business that has been established
for nearly a century, i therefore trust that my a])pli-
cation will be attributed to its proper motives, and that
your goodness will at least pardon its intrusion.
" I have the honour to be. Sir,
" Your most humble and most obedient servant,

(Signed) " John Mukuay."

It does not appear that Mr. Canning gave any direct

I.' •'' ■• '

494

HISTORICAL SKETCH OP

[Sop. Chap.

.* 1.

nil'i: ;

-if'l"'

t .

■Ml .:". : ■ • .; ■

reply to this letter. Holding, as he then did, the
high and responsible office of Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, it could not be expected that he
would commit himself in a matter of this kind, more
especially one meant to embrace political subjects. At
the same time it is not likely that one of the prin-
cipal directors and the most spirited writer of that
clever and effective papei the ' Anti-Jacobin Journal,'
instituted for a similar purpose to that proposed by
My. Murray, would disregard so plausible an offer for
the establishment of a permanent lleview, with the de-
sign of counteracting the more than Jacobinical poison
scattered most industriously through the pages of the
' Edinburgh lleview ;' for we shall see that Mr. Can-
ning at once communicated with his friend William
Gifford, with the view of securing him as the editor,
provided the work should go forward. Gifford was
well known to all the talented men of the day, by his
translation of ' Juvenal,' his ' Baviad and Maniad,'
his editions of the plays of Massinger, Ben Jonson,
and Ford ; but more especially to Mr. Canning, by
his having been thv editor of the celebrated 'Anti-
Jacobin Journal,' to which he contributed largely
and effectually by exposing to ridicule the mischievous
doctrines of the disaffected Jacobins, in some of the
most satirical and biting articles, and by creating
indignation in those whose trade was to inculcate
principles of profanity, immorality, and disloyalty to
the crown and the country. The lies and inlstakes
and 'misrepresentations (so headed) were in Gifford's
department to expose and correct, and he did so
effectually.

Murray's letter was written at a most fortunate

Sect. II.]

TIIK QTJAItTEKLY HF.VIEW.

495

nioincnt. The ' Edinlmrgh Review,' by mistake it was
sii])posed, contained a very severe fault-finding and
unjust article by Mr. Jeft'rey on ' Marniion,' the most
popular poem of his friend Sir AV alter Scott — so popu-
l;ir, indeed, we were told, that 50,000 copies of it were
sold. From this moment Scott determined, and no
wonder he should, to break off all connexion with Con-
stal)le's Review, and an article shortly after apj)eared
(in the 20th number of that Review) under the title of
' Don Cevallos on the Usurpation of Spain,' known to
have been written by Mr. (now Lord) Rrougham, the
tone of which was so highly resented by Scott that he
decided at once to go a step further, and to discontinue
his name on the list of subscribers ; in the execution of
which he is said to have written to Constable in these
terms — that " The Edinburgh Review Jiad become such
as to render it impossible tor me to continue a contri-
hntor to it ; now it is such as I can no longer contiimc
to receive or read it ;" and it is also said that the
list of subscribers exhibits in an indignant dash of
Constable's pen, opposite Scott's name, the word
'■ sToi'T ! ! !"*

Mr. Murray, when he wrote to Mr. Canning, could
not have obtained any information of what had oc-
curred ; but being desirous of establishing an interest in
Edinburgh, in conjunction with the Ballantynes, he
made up his mind to take a trip to Scotland. He had
also a concern of some moment with Mr. Constable,
who having agreed with Scott to give him one thousand
guineas for his ' Marmion ' before it was written, the
bookseller thought it prudent to divide the concern by

most fortunate

♦ Lockhart's ' Life of Sir Walter Scott.'

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496

HISTORICAL SKETCH OE

[Sup. CirAP.

allowing Miller of Albemarle Street, and Murray of
Fleet Street, each one quarter, which, from its enor-
mous sale, proved a little fortune. These concerns,
therefore, carried him to Scotland, where he t lok the
opportunity of paying a visit to Sir Walter Scott, at his
residence of Ashestiel, from whence, in a letter to
George Ellis, Esq., of Claremont, Sir Walter says,
" John Mun av, the bookseller of Fleet Street, who has
more real knowledge of what concerns his business than
any of his brethren, came to canvass a most iinportaiit
plan," kc. ; and he tells him that the plan of instituting-
a Review in London, conducted totally independent of
bookselling influence, its literature well supjwrted, and
its principles English and constitutional, would be the
best cure to counteract the mischievous doctrines and
forebodings which he thinks that for these two yeais
past have done their utmost to hasten the accomplish-
ment of their own prophecy, " of a speedy revolution
in this country."

Sir Walter Scott seemed to be much pleased witli
Mr. Murray, and the offence given to the fbrnior
by the ' Edinburgh Review,' no doubt, made the latter
with his scheme a most acceptable visitor. " lie
found," he says, " John Murray a young bookseller of
capital and enterprise with more good sense and pro-
priety of sentiment than fall to the share of most of the
trade." And Mr. Lockhart (who in Scott's ' Life ' gives
the best history of the origin of the ' Quarterly Review ')
notices a striking proof of John Murray's sagacity.
" He has told me that when he read the article on
* Marmion ' and another on general politics in the same
number of the ' Edinburgh Review,' he said to hiniseltj
' Walter Scott has fee lings both as a gentleman and a

• V

■ \ .

Sect. II.]

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

497

Tory, which these people must now have wounded ; the
alliance between him and the whole clique of the
' Edinburgh lieview,' its proprietor included, is shaken.'
This sagacious inference and his share in the adventure
of ' Marmion ' were ample motives for a journey to
Scotland."

Walter Scott tells Mr. Ellis, moreover, that he has
been given to understand that Mr. William Gilford is
willing to become the conductor of such a work, and
that he had himself written to Giftbrd a very volu-
minous letter on the subject at the Lord Advocate's
desire. That letter contains a few observations on the
details of the scheme, in which he says, " I only obey
the commands of our distinguished friends without
having the vanity to hope that I can point out anything
which was not likely to have at once occurred to a per-
son of Mr. Giftbrd's literary experience and eminence."
He tells him the reputation of the ' Edinburgh Re-
view ' is chiefly owing, first, to its being entirely un-
influenced by the booksellers ; and, secondly, to the
very handsome recompense which the editor not only
liolds forth to his regular assistants, but actually forces
upon those whose circumstances and rank make it
a matter of total indifference. " I know," he says,
" that the editor makes a point that every contributor
shall receive this honun, saying that Czar Peter, when
working in the trenches, received pay as a common
soldier." The control, of course, nmst be vested in the
editor for selecting, curtailing, and correcting the contri-
butions. " If the books criticised ))e understood, though
often written with stupid mediocrity, a lively paragraph
or entertaining illustration may render them palatable
—access to the best sources of political information,

2 K

! •)

f i-r •/. ,

498

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF

[Sup. Chap.

I ;»

•filv/-

■ -J '.

but the Review should not assume (at first) a political
character — articles on science and miscellaneous litera-
ture are desirable — a most delicate part, and the most
essential, will be the management of the disgusting and
deleterious doctrines Avith which the most popular of
our Reviews disgraces its pages — the choice of subject
an important one — going into a state of hostility with
the ' Edii.burgh Reviesv,' but without any formal de-
claration of war " — these and some others are the mere
heads of what he recommends, and he concludes by
naming a number of gentlemen who are likely to be
contributors. lie sends a copy of this letter to Mr.
Ellis, and tells him " it has been received in a most
favourable manner by Mr. GifFord, who approves of
its contents in all respects, and that Mr. Canning has
looked it over and promised such aid as is therein re-
quired." And he observes on the latter point, " As our
start is of such immense consequence, don't you think
Mr. Canning, though unquestionably our Atlas, miglit
for a day find a Hercules on whom to devolve the
burthen of the globe, while he writes us a Review ? "
He did write for it, more than one article, as 1 had
occasion to know.

It would a})pear from what has been stated that ^Ir.
Canning had already taken measures respecting this
new Review, for in the letter of advice which Scott
writes to Giftbrd he tells him it is in consequence of a
communication between the Lord Advocate and I\Ir.
Canning. There can be no doubt that Scott com-
municated all he knew of these matters to JVInrray,
who hastened home ; and, towards the end of 1 808,
such progress had been made that the first number of
the 'Quarterly Review' appeared in February, 1809,

.tA

Sec? . II.]

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

499

ill which Mr. Scott had several articles, Mr. Canning
contributed one, Messrs. Ellis, Frerc, Rose, Southey,
and some others ; • nd it took so well that a second
edition was speedily called for.

At that time, little did I think that / should ever be
considered as deserving a place in that Review, much
less that I should become one of its most frequent
contributors, perhaps the most, with the exception of
a brother secretary. One morning, in the summer
of the year 1809, Mr. Canning looked in upon mo
at the Admiraltv, said he had often troubled me on
business, but he was now about to ask a favour. " I
believe you are acquainted M'ith my friend AVilliain
liifford?" "By reputation," I said, "but not per-
sonally." " Then," says he, " I must make you per-
sonally accpiainted ; will you come and dine with mc
at Gloucester Lodge any day, the sooner the more
agreeable — say to-morrow, if you are disengaged ? " On
accepting, he said, "I will send toCxilford to meet you;
I know he will be too glad to come."

" Now," he continued, *' it is right I should tell you
that, in the new Revie>v of which two numbers have
a|)])eared under the name of the (luarterly^ I am
deeply, both publicly and personally, interested, and
have taken a leading part with Mr. George Ellis,
llookham Frere, Walter Scott, Rose, Southey, and
some others ; our object in that work being to counter-
act the virus scattered among His Majesty's subjects
through the pages of the ' Edinburgh Review.' Now,
I wish to eidist you into our corps, not as a mere ad-
vising idler, but as an efficient labourer in our friend
Gitford's vineyard." My reply was, "I am afraid you

2 K 2

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! . ■ . "t., ■ .

.11. '

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|l : I ;*

iltii-

•i!*- !■:

■ -A. ■■■■.•■:•,

'T I .

' *

500

HISTORICAL SKETCH OP

[Sup. Chap,

will be disappointed, for I have not the least notion
how to set about writing a Review, and one from nie
would only serve as a foil to the brilliant productions
of those gentlemen you have mentioned ; besides, I
should tremble in submitting my crude observations to
the scrutinizing eye of such a critic as Mr. Gilford."
" He will be overjoyed to have you, and will toll
you that he who could write ' Travels in Southern
Africa,' and the ' British Embassy to the Emperor
of China,' can never find himself at a loss to review
the work of any writer, provided he understands the
subject." "There is one thing," he added, "I must
mention to you. It is in*^onded, and, indeed, the
editor has been instructed, that every writer in the
Review, without any distinction, is to be paid for what-
ever he produces ; that is a point about which no diffi-
culty is to be made. I can assure you I myself have
received pay for a short article I have already contri-
buted, merely to set the example. Gifford will tell you
the rest to-morrow."

We met, and Gifford told me all that Mr. Canning
had said, and a great deal more, and would not listen
to any objection I offered on the score of novelty and
my inexperience of reviewing ; he repeated Canning's
observation that the writer of books can have no diffi-
culty in reviewing books, which I, on the contrary,
urged to be a non sequitur. He begged me to name
any book to make choice of, which he would take care
to send to me. Finding there was no getting rid of
Gifford, I mentioned one I had just been reading, Pc
Guignes' 'History of the Dutch Embassy to China,'
which immediately followed ours. "Bravo! by all

!•- *■• l\

Skct. II.]

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

501

means, let me have Do Giiigucs and the Dutch Am-
bassador to the Com-t of the Emperor of China : it is
a subject of all others I should wish for; it is one at
your fingers' ends, and one that few know anything
about ; pray, let me have it for the forthcoming num-
ber — three only have yet appeared, and I am gasping
for something new ; pray, my good fellow, do indulge
me."

At this moment when we were just about (as a
German lady would say) " to swear eternal friendship,"
dinner was announced ; and this afforded at least the
opportunity of thinking about sealing the intended
vow, which, after a, glass of wine, was supposed to
be concluded. I believe our friendship, thus begun, was
most sincere on both sides, and closed only with the
death of Gifford, on the last day of December, 182G.

I had a visit from him the next morning after the
aforesaid meeting at Gloucester Lodge, and told him
that ' Voyage a Peking ' was already laid down on
the stocks, and should be ready for launching when
required, lie was very thankful, and professed his
obligations in warm terms. " But," he added, " the
iliiarterh/ has a most voracious maw, and requires to
have her food very regularly served up at fixed times ;
would you, now, think me unreasonable if I were to
suggest a second article for No. 5 ?" I laughed, and
said, " It would be as well, perhaps, for both of us to
wait the reception of the one just commenced." How-
ever, he subsequently carried his point, and I not only
gave him ' Voyages d'Entrccasteaux ' for No. 5, but
Ta-ts'uuj-lealeey or 'The Laws of China;'* and I may

* Traiislixted by Sir George Staunton.

*!-U- ■

> '

502

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF

[Sui-, Chap-

ivx:

«:■■■.;■■

i,«

•'if'' ! .v' ■

'I ■ -.. .

K* . '

add, once for all, that what with Gifford's eager and
urgent demands, and the exercise becoming habitual
and not disagreeable, I did not cease writing for the
' Quarterly lleview' till I had supplied no less, rather
more, than 190 articles, as appears from the numbers
ticked by me, as they came out, in the blank pages of
vol. I.

Nor was I spared applications from Mr. Murray.
The following is a sample : —

"Albemarle Street, .Tanimry 10, 1840.
" My dear Sir,

" I enclose a note just delivered to me by Mr.

Lockhart in reply to yours of yesterday, which I

thought best to send to him.

" I assure you that the prospect of the continuation
of your valuable contributions to the ' Quarterly Re-
view' affords me the greatest satisfaction. I have
always considered you as one of the pillars of the lie-
view, and it is not the same thing in my mind when
your hand is not in it.

" Your last paper on Life Assurance was one of the
most popular interest and practical value that has ever
appeared, and I am now reading again with renewed
gratification your paper on ' F'ree Track with China,'
in which, from Lord Napier's obstinacy down to the
present crisis, everything was completely seen and
foretold.

" Be so good as to point out any pamphlets on the
opium trade or modern works on China that you would
like to have sent to you.

" I remain, &c.,

" John Murray."
Mr. Lockhart writes —

Fi.CT. II.]

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

€03

" Dear Murray,

" I am sincerely gratified with the prospect of
having Sir J. B. back into our corps, to which few, if
any, have done better service ; and I agree with you
that his last paper (on ' Life Assurance ') was one of
his very best.

"I wish you would, however, ascertain what iu
general is the view he would wish to take of the Opium
(juestion, for I have not in my recollection that this
])articular subject was ever handled by him in the
' Quarterly lleview.' "

The following letter came to me just at this time, in
corroboration of Lockhart's and Murray's opinion : —

" National Endowment and Assnrance Society,
Arthur Street AVest, London Bridge.

"Sir,

" In common with every respectable person in-
terested, cither throngh pecuniary or moral considera-
tions, in the prosperous popularity of life assurance, I
feel obliged by your effective manner of exhibiting some
features of that important subject in the new number
of the ' Quarterly lleview.'

" Allow me to request your acceptance of a Pocket
Diary first issued about three months ago for 1839, and
now forthcoming for 1840.

"The last sentence of your note at page 300 de-
scribes, with curious exactness, one of the provisions
in the deed of this society.

" I am glad to hear that a general law is in contem-
plation to regulate all Life-offices. Althongh probably
the youngest actuary in England, I am old enough even
in official existence to see that the ' master's eye ' of Par-
liament is required in some of the dark and dirty holes.

.'504

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF

[Sit. Chap.

" It would afford inc a particular satisfaction to be
acquainted with you, unless you are resolved to stand
' nominis umbra.'

" Yours very respectfully,

" A. A. Fry.

"28tli October, 1839."

•i;<

. ! ft # . .

■ «

'ir-., . •

One evening, on returning home, I found a parcel
from Mr. Murray, enclosing eleven thick octavo volumes,
neatly bound in red llussia, and containing the whole of
the articles I had supplied up to that time. The number
as above stated must appear enormously large, and yet
they were written off hand as an anuisement, many of
them in the busiest periods of official duties ; but my
evenings were generally spent at home with my family,
and writing was to me a relaxation, after dinner, and a
relief from the dry labours of the day. I may add
that every article written for the Quarterly was sure to
be followed by a long letter from Gifford, pointing out
what would be a desirable subject for the next number,
or asking me to name one. Mr. Murray also frequently
suggested a new work for my consideration, and cer-
tainly showed himself quite satisfied with my perform-
ances. In all my critical labours I avoided touching
upon politics as much as possible, almost, I might say,
altogether. Mine were, for the most part, confined to
the examination of voyages and travels ; discoveries
and descriptions of countries and their inhabitants
little or not at all known ; discoveries in natural his-
tory and the arts ; in naval improvements and other
professional subjects ; many as regards China, an in-
exhaustible subject; Africa and America the same;
the British fisheries ; ship-building and naval timber,
dry-rot doctors, and quackery in general ; inventions,

Sect. II.]

THE QUAllTEllLY REVIEW.

505

history of; steam-engine, canals, and railroads. But
the great mass of articles embrace the geography and
history of the various nations of the globe, and the
present ctpdition of their inhabitants; and I believe
there arc very few that have not been treated of|
scarcely a corner of the world unscrutiniscd.

I had a letter from Murray to say that, in conse-
quence of a certain article, the sale of the Review had
very much increased. This article was published in
the year 1817-18, the subject of which was an inquiry
into the nature and extent of the Polar Sea, and the
proofs of a communication through it between the
waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Except
the mere passage through Behring's Strait by the ships
of Captain Cook, and a view of the Polar Sea from the
shore of America by Hearne and Mackenzie, no en-
trance whatever had been made or known from the
waters of the Atlantic into the Polar Sea ; and when it
was described and delineated as a large and nearly
circular basin, it was treated in another Review as a
joke. That article, however,* and the extraordinary
facts therein stated, not only produced Murray's
avowal of its successful results, but gave rise also to
the recent Arctic voyages, by sea and land, that have
added so largely to the geography and scientific dis-
coveries, made in those regions by a class of ofiicers
whose names will ever be remembered in the annals
of the British Navy. I had the curiosity to ask
Mr. Murray what was really the increase ot the
number of copies sold in consequence, as he said, of
the above-mentioned article ; and it appears, by the
register which is kept, that the sale of each of the
* Quarterly Review, Vol. XVIII., No. XXXV.

'. » . » 1

306

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF

[Sup. Chap.

•i ■

K ■

* • . ■

'^..

■" / - •■

];•■■.■■■■.■

■ » I * .
■ i. .»

1 !• • <■...•

mimbers 33, 34, and 35 was 12,000; No. 36 (next
after that containing the article in question) was
13,000, and this number was continued to No. 41,
when it fell back to something less '^ ju it had been :
in consequence, it was pretty well ascertained, of two
or three new reviews having started up. An old
note of Giftbrd to me has led to some additional in-
formation : —

" Ryde, 19th

1812.

" I am glad to see yon so warm on the good that we
mi</ht do, because I hope that you will one day impress
youi sentiments on those, who ought to be ashamed of
looking to you and me for them. You ask whether it
is indolence or indifference ? I answer that it is botli,
with the addition of the most scandalous ignorance. I
was once in the confidence of the Government, and the
impression will never be worn out of my n)ind, of the
alarm which took possession of Pitt when he discovered
that he had nearly lost the world, by his contempt of
the press. A few weeks more, and no human means
could have saved us. Then, to be sure, all was ex-
pense and activity, and something was effected. His
example and his terrors are lost upon us. Yet we have
advantages which Mr. Pitt had not. He had the
vehicles of information to create ; they are now at hand.
He would have thought twenty thousand pounds a
slight sacrifice to secure such a medium of conveying
the most interesting political views, as the ' Quarterly '
offers to Government without any expense whatever.
We are read by at least 50,000 people, of that class
whose opinions it is most important to render favour-
able, and whose judgments it is most expedient to set
right. Our sale is at least GOOO, and I know of no

. . .4. - ■>

t ' \'

Si;cT. II.]

THE (iUAUTEIlLY HEVIKVV.

507

j)aniphlet that would sell 100 ; besides, pamphlets arc
thrown aside, Ileviews are perniaueiit, and the variety
of their contents attracts those, who never dream of
opening a pamphlet. I could say much more on this
head, but cui buno / You know it all, and whom be-
sides could I convince ? Not one of the present Go-
vernment.

" In what you say of the secrecy which is affected
to the friends of Government, while everything that
can do mischief steals into the world through the
channels of hostile papers, it is a folly that wants a
name. If I looked only to respect and advantage from
the Government, I would write against them. But
basta !

" Ever, my kind friend,

" Affectionately yours,

"W. GiFFORD."

But the grumbling against the Government, a malady
so natural to Gifford, may pass — GOOO copies in the
third year might satisfy any reasonable man; and the
more so as, in five years after this, the nund)er had
swollen to 12,000 copies, or doubled itself. The Go-
vernment, too, was composed of his own friends — Lords
Liverpool, Sidmouth, Londonderry, Bathnrst, and
Melville — but, as Clifford said, the ' Quarterly ' has a
voracious maw.

Mr. Gifford as an author is well known, and as an
accomplished scholar, a poet, and a wit, wielding some-
times a severe and sarcastic pen, especially against
writings of which he disapproved, and more particularly
against those whose tendency was to irreligion, immo-
rality, and disloyalty. Ills general knowledge of men

508

IIISTOUICAL SKETCH OF

[Sui'. Chap.

, ,. >.

' .;.!' .V

■ « ■ ,

and books was extensive, his talents varied, his judg-
ment correct, his })rincij)les steady and sound ; his
stronpf national feelinj? and policy arc apj)arent through-
out his management of the popular Keview for fifteen or
sixteen years. He was a ])kasant companion, feeble as
he was in health, and dreadfully afflicted with asthma,
which kept him mostly at home, where I was one of his
constant visitors ; yet, exhausted as he frequently ap-
])eared to be, he never passed an occasion of telling one
of his droll stories, of which he had an inexhaustible
supply, and told them in his own peculiar manner.

Lord Byron was anxious for and obtained his friend-
ship. Gifibrd had a high opinion of his talent an Ws
power of versification, and to him the ])oet w<' *■
too happy to submit his productions ; many of which
I had occasion to see afler they had been chastened
and had received that gentle castigation, without which
some of them would have gone forth into the world
in a much more exceptionable shape than that in
which we see them.

My eldest son George, having translated some of
the 'Odes ' of Anacreon, sent his production to Giflford ,
for his opinion or correction, doubting how far he
should pursue the task ; regarding which Gifford, in a
letter to me on a different subject, says —

" Tell George not to be discouraged at the pencil-
marks. Let him try and try again, and he will catch
something of Anacreon's manner, which is that of
picturesque alacrity; unless when the thoughts of dying
come over him, and then he is simply pathetic. There
must be no languid epithets ; but every word should be
made, as it were, to tell. I never read Moore's trans-
lation ; but he, I should think, offends on the side of

•;• I'D. •' • ■ ' '.
> » ».■■••

[Sui'. C!iiAP,

Sect. II.]

TIIK QUARTKRLY REVIEW.

■)()9

ried, his judn-

id sound ; his

){irent througli-

;w for tit'tecn or

mion, feeble as

d with asthma,

was one of his

frequently ap-

n of telling one

11 inexhaustible

ir manner.

ined his friend-

s talent an 'lis

])()et w< '■

many of which

been chastened

, without which

into the world

than that in

slated some of
tion to Gifford
g how far he
h Gitford, in a

at the pcncil-
\ he will catch
ich is that of
Dughts of dying
athetic. There
word should be

Moore's trans-
on the side of

simplicity. Anacreon has no prettincsses ; Cowley
has done some of his Odes well •, and old Ben has
imitated him with taste and spirit."

Mr. ritt, Lord Liverpool, Lord Wellesley, and Mr.
Canning in particular, commenced a friendship with
Gitlbrd, from the days of the Anti-Jacobin, which he
conducted, and the last-mentioned gentleman con-
timied a steady friend until his d ath. Sir Robert
Peel, I know, had also a high oj)ini n of Giff'ord's
talents, but I believe he never wrote a complete article
in the 'Quarterly.' At a former period, however,
in the year 1815, there appeared some dcver papers in
the ' Courier,' which were reprinted in a small volume
under the name of the 'Whig Guide;' exceedingly-
droll, and full of point and humour, fit to be placed by
the side of the 'llolliad.' The three known contri-
butors were Palnierston, Peel, and Croker — then all
young men. One of the articlej, said to be written by
Mr. Peel, called ' The Trial of Brougham for calling
Mr. Ponsonby an Old Woman,' is exceedingly humo-
rous. Croker has fivo or six ; one ' On the Choice of
a Leader,' full of biting sarcasm ; and a series of
English melodies equally good. The following, called
the Black Broom, is marked P. in ink ; but whether
the production of Palnierston or Peel I know not: —

" On a Motio7i made hy lirotigham relative to Excise Penalties.

" The Broom came capering doon to tlie Iloose,

Wi' a mossion aboot an Exciseman ;
It sims the Exchequer can loosen a noose

Witch the law too cruelly ties, nion ;
So Looshingtoii cried, ' Ye've foond a mare's nest,

We weesh ye much joy of the prize, mon ;
Tes a vera new grievance, but ane o' the best.

Whan the Trashury snubs an Exciseman.' "

" "^^'i i wai i wffli i iMW iny i fii'mflM^

i*i.

^: •.'•';.

510

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF

LSur, CnAi«.

;.:<(•!

.«

i'.

N:> ■ !.

When Sir Robert Peel had advanced to the highest
offices of state, his mind was necessarily too much
employed to indulge a taste for light and trifling litera-
ture ; but no man lent himself more readily to en-
courage and reward the labours of art and of science, or
to afford speedy consolation and relief to the afflicted.
Witness the prompt and unsolicited manner in which ho
fled to the relief of the poor widow and family of the
unhappy and distracted Haydon. In several instances
I had occasion to experience the ready manner in
which his humanity responded to cases of distress. I
will mention one. It was represented to me that a
couple of octogenarians, the Chevalier and Madame
de la Garde — the former late Chamberlain to the King
Stanislaus, and the latter the daughter of the Governor
of Kamschatka, who afforded such relief to the squadron
of Captain Cook that, without it, he could not have
prosecuted his voyage — a fact authenticated by Cook's
own narrative — that this aged couple were living in
a state of deep distress, in a miserable lodging in the
neighbourhood of Clare Market.

To ascertain their situation I sent an intelligent
gentleman from the Admiralty : he saw the lady, who
was plainly but neatly dressed ; the apartment humble
but clean ; and with evident reluctance she told her
tale of distress. I laid the case before Lord Had-
dington, and, moreover. Captain Cook's own story, and
said, I felt sure if he would bring the tale of these
poor old people's distress before Sir Robert Peel,
he would afford them instant relief His Lordship did
so : and, in return, received a note, of which the follow-
ing is a copy : —

■ « ■ ,

■» ■», •.

LSur, Chap.

to the highest
■ily too much

trifling litera-
:eadily to en-
l of science, or
) the afflicted,
ler in which lie

family of the
t^eral instances
ly manner in
3f distress. I

to me that a

and Madame
in to the King
' the Governor
3 the squadron
)uld not have
ted by Cook's
vere living in
lodging in the

an intelligent

the lady, who

tment humble

I she told her

'e Lord Had-

own story, and

tale of those

Robert Peel,

s Lordship did

lich the folio w-

Sect. II.]

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

511

"Whitehall, March 18th.
" My dear Haddington,

" I will with pleasure make
a grant from the Royal Bounty for the relief of Mon-
sieur and Madame de la Garde. I have no power to
grant a jf^^/wtow, but I will plaee one hundred pounds
in the hands of Sir John Barrow, to be advanced by
him, from time to time, during the life of the parties,
in such mode as he may deem most conducive to their
welfare. " Ever faithfully yours,

" Robert Peel."

" My Secretary will call on Barrow, and settle the
details."

I obtained an application to Baron Brunow, the
Russian Ambassador, and received from him one hun-
dred pounds on the account of his Imperial Majesty.
I placed the money in the hands of Messrs. Coutts and
Co. ; requesting it to be given out in such small f ums
as M. de la Garde might require. Madame died within
the twelvemonth, and the husbaud the following year,
just about the time that the monej' was drawn out.

Nor was Sir Robert Peel less mindful in granting
the few pensions, of which a Minister has the disposal,
to proper objects. From personal knowledge I am
acquainted with three or four, granted purely on
account of scientific pursuits conducted with humble
means.

I had frequently heard Gifford speak of the kindness
he had received from Dr. Ireland, the Deau of West-
minster ; and a bishopric becoming vacant when Mr.
Canning was Prime Minister, he, the Minister, sent one
day to say he wished to see me, which was to tell me

512

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF

[Sup. Chap.

i t

,» >,

■lA.

'>!

: ' ,

■-.,' i' ••

4 1.1

- ! i ■ •

.*<}■' ■

Li--'! .... ',

0.f

:i ■'

what had fallen to his gift ; and that he was desirous of
offering it to Dr. Ireland, as the friend of Gifford ; but
believing the Doctor to be rather an odd man, and not
wishing to receive a refusal, he asked me if I would
sound Gifford as to what he thought the result would be,
if such an offer were made. On putting the question to
Gifford, he said at once he was quite sure his friend was
so well contented with Westminster, and the addition
of the good living of Islip, in Oxfordshire, to which
he was much attached, that he would at once say — and
say honestly — Nolo ejnscopari. This opinion he ascer-
tained to be correct.

In the latter part of Gifford's life, and two or three
years before his death, the University of Oxford made
an offer to confer a degree on him ; but he declined
it, observing that, "Twenty years ago it might have
been gratifying, but now it would only be written on
my coffin." He died on the 31st December, 1820
and was buried in Westminster Abbey : a posthumous
honour obtained by his friend the Dean. The bulk o
his property, acquired mostly by his literary labours ant
by the savings of a small office held from Government
he left to the family of the Cookesleys,* who had bee
kind to him in his youth, when he most required acts
of kindness. lie kept up his intimacy with them to
the last. I have frequently met with the young ladie
of the family at his house.

I was requested by some friends of the deceased t(
wait on Dr. Ireland, for the purpose of asking if h
had any objec'on to give up the letters and paper
which were understood to be in his possession, the

* See his Autobiograpliicul Memoir prefixed to iiis translutio
of Juvenal.

[Sup. Chap.

Sect. 11]

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

513

he was desirous of
id of GifFord ; but
odd man, and not
id me if I would
he result would be,
ing the question to
sure his friend was
and the addition
brdshire, to which
1 at once say — and
s opinion he ascer-

?, and two or three
by of Oxford made
; but he declined
ago it might have
only be written on
December, 1826,
ibey : a posthumous
)ean. The bulk of
literary labours and
, from Government,
eys,* who had been
most required acts
macy with them to
ith the young ladies

5 of the deceased to

tose of asking if he

letters and papers

his possession, they

ircfixcd to his translation

considering it very desirable that a memoir of his life
and writings should be drawn up for publication ; but
the Dean refused positively at once ; alleging that, as
his executor, he was desired, by his will, lo destroy all
confidential letters and papers, especially those relating
to the ' Quarterly Review :' and here, of course, the
matter ended.

From the very able and judicious manner in which
Mr. Gifford had brought out the works of the old
dramatists, Ben Jonson, Massinger, and Ford, all of
which are prefaced with a variety of information and
erudite remarks, it would have been a valuable acqui-
sition to dramatic literature, if he could have been
prevailed upon to bring out a new edition of Shak-
speare's dramas, accompanied with one of those able
disquisitions, which we find in those he has pub-
lished. For instance : in his advertisement to the
second edition of Massinger, he exposes the follies and
the absurdities of the critics (the Edinburgh Reviewers
among the rest) for venturing each their emendations
of Massinger, and finding fault with Giffbrd's corrections,
more especially of the metrical construction of many of
the lines. Indeed, he told me when I was urgently
pressing him to give to the world an edition of Shak-
speare, that the sense of many of the obscure poetical
passages in our great poet, which have been productive
of such masses of critical acumen (together with critical
nonsense), could only be rightly decided by a rigid
observance of the regularity of the metre ; for if that
was defective, we might be quite sure that some wrong
word or arrangement of words had crept in, or been
left out by the copyers ; for that Shakspeare was par-

2 L

,1 . ■

1 ' ■ .■■•■.•

m'n

li.

. ' I I ; ' 1 .

■'V

•i'f.-

*■ ♦

514

HISTORICAL SKETCH OP

[Sup. Chap.

ticularly correct in the euphony of the verse as well as
in the metre.

But Gifford gave me to understand, and I was con-
vinced, that it was too late for him to commence such
an undertaking — that there was still room enough to
sweep away those heaps of rubbish by which conceit or
ignorance, or both, had disfigured some of the brightest
effusions of this muse of genius and child of nature ;
but that his state of health, with old age and disease,
were ill adapted for his attempting to engage in such a
task ; confessing, however, that he should have entered
upon it in early life con amove. It is to be feared, that
his place is not likely to be ever filled in the field
of critical literature, or that we shall ever receive an
edition of Shakspeare, Avorthy of the incomparable
author.

If, in conclusion, I shall here enumerate the several
works I have brought before the public, and which may
probably be classed as literary productions, I beg to
say that I give them only as a statement of facts, and
that I disclaim all pretensions to the literary character.
Such as they are, they were undertaken chiefly as
anmsement, to fill up vacant time ; and, in a majority
of cases, the subjects have been suggested or desired.
At the same time I may admit that they have been
more productive of profit than I could have expected,
or than they deserved. They may thus be summed
up: —

Articles in the ' Quarterly Review,' on almost every subject
(excepting political), mostly asked for by Mr. Gifford .

In tlie ' Encyclopaedia Britaiinica,' requested by Professor
Napier, 10 or 12, say ...... 1

No. Art.

1951

[Sup. Chap.

! verse as well as

I, and I was con-
I commence such

room enough to
which conceit or
e of the brightest
child of nature ;
age and disease,

engage in such a
)uld have entered
to be feared, that
illed in the field
1 ever receive an
the incomparable

merate the several
lie, and which may
luctions, T beg to
ment of facts, and
I literary character,
ertaken chiefly as
and, in a majority
ggestcd or desired,
at they have been
uld have expected,
\f thus be summed

No. Art.

ost every subject
Mr. Giffonl .

ed by Trofessor

195

Sect. II.]

THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

515

No. Art.

By the same, particularly desired by my friend Professor
Napier, a ' Eeview of the Life of Admiral Lord St. Vin-
cent,' in the ' Edinburgh Reviev\ ' . . . .

The ' Life of Lord Macartney,' in 2 vols, quarto

• Travels in South Africa,' 2 vols, quarto

• Travels in China,' 1 vol. quarto

• Voyage to Cochin-China,' 1 vol. quarto ,
The * Life of Lord Anson,' 1 vol. octavo
The ' Life of Lord Howe,' 1 vol. octavo
In the ' Family Library,' the ' Life of Peter the Great,' and

the ' Mutiny of the Bounty '

' Ciironological History of Arctic Voyages,' 1 vol. octavo
' Voyages of Discovery and Research within the Arctic

Regions,' 1 vol. octavo ......

Vols.
2
2
1
1
1
1

2
1

Of these
Martial : —

I may, perhaps, venture to repeat from

" Sunt bona, sunt qucedam mediocria, sunt mala plura."

THE END.

London : Printed by Wilmam Ci.owks nd Sons, Stamford Street.